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Leader	By : mannahpierce Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Naruto/Sasuke Views: 2163 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: This story has some of Masashi Kishimoto's characters from Naruto in a universe of my own devising. I do not own Naruto. I do not make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
- 66
- 67
- 68
Thank you to my beta and muse, Small Fox. This story grew from a plot idea he gave me.
Also thanks to maliya, Destiny, Slynx, satterb, melissen, sadie237, SunaoTsuji and disembodiedvoiceofthedying for reviewing after chapter 66 was posted.
Readers’ feedback, support, comments and reviews mean a great deal to me. Feedback keeps me writing.

Leader
Part 7: Vendetta
67: Thoughts

The Elm had finished laying the minigate communication route three days ago and then headed home to Skyburrow. It was good to see Kakashi; corresponding by video was not the same.
Sasuke poured boiling water into the teapot and checked the tray: tea for him, Iruka and Naruto; coffee for Kakashi and Shikamaru. He turned around and leaned on the counter in the alcove, using the excuse of waiting for the tea to brew to observe the others.

Iruka could not keep his hands off Kakashi, which is not surprising given that Kakashi had been gone for over a div; Sasuke could not imagine being separated from Naruto for so long. At the moment they were sitting in adjacent chairs with their ankles touching and Iruka’s hand resting on Kakashi’s forearm.
“Nice picture,” Kakashi observed, gesturing towards the portrait Konohamaru had taken. “How are they all?”
“Good.” Naruto answered. “A little bored at the moment because the bulk of the Skyburrow project is over and the minky project is stalled.”
“Minky project?” Kakashi queried.
“We want to use the minkies to develop safe havens on the planet,” Naruto explained. “It would keep the minkies busy and produce something of value. Only we need the permission of the toad hybrid tribes.”
“You don’t need it,” Kakashi pointed out.
Naruto’s whiskers twitched. “We don’t want to proceed without it. Doing so will build up problems for the future. Kono-san has the full agreement of the Gama. Gama-sama is helping him persuade the other tribes.”
“Maybe you could ask Hikaru-kun to tell you about progress with the Skyburrow project and Kuuya-kun to brief you about Operation Minky,” Iruka suggested.

Kakashi nodded and Sasuke took advantage of the lull in the conversation to place the tray on the low table and take his seat next to Naruto.
“What about developments within the crew?” Kakashi asked.
Iruka reached for the teapot, making eye contact with Sasuke. Sasuke nodded, signalling his permission. Iruka then poured the tea and Sasuke the coffee.
“Putting all the youngsters together has been interesting,” Iruka began. “It has certainly served its purpose of building relationships between the big litter and the other trainees. As we hoped, Five has realised that this is his chance to get to know the others. He has been careful not to dominate and, in return, they have accepted him.”
“Leaders?” Kakashi asked.
“Five, Kuuya, Hoshi and, perhaps surprisingly, Hikaru,” Sasuke replied. “I do not think that Hi-chan could lead a mission, not yet, but as a project leader he has been a revelation.” He hesitated, but Kakashi was the only person in the room who did not know what he was considering. “Hoshi and Hikaru have suggested that I nominate Kuuya as heir.”
Kakashi’s expression was suspiciously blank.
“Obviously it is not just about who would be the best leader,” Sasuke continued. “I have asked Shika-san to look into the potential ramifications.” He decided to be brave. “Your thoughts, Kakashi-sensei?”
“Surprise,” Kakashi admitted. “It would convince Izuna-sama that you are serious about treating the kits as you do your full-blood Uchiha offspring. It would remove the possibility that he could refuse to accept a challenge from one of them and that makes him challenging you less likely. It would give him ammunition to argue that he is a more suitable person than you to lead Uchiha. Overall, it would reduce the likelihood that he will challenge for the leadership and therefore, on balance, I would favour it.”

Sasuke did not look towards Naruto; Naruto’s opposition to the idea was about the consequences for Kuuya, not Uchiha.
“However,” Kakashi concluded. “it will accelerate Izuna-sama moving to an alternative strategy.”
“Which will be?” Iruka asked.
“Declaring himself Uchiha-sama and building an alternative Uchiha,” Shikamaru answered. “Saying that Sasuke was never nominated as heir and never went through the proper steps to being installed as clan leader. Offering those who were sworn to the old Uchiha the opportunity to serve under him and declaring them traitors when they refuse.”
“He would be taken seriously?” Iruka queried.
“He has two obvious allies,” Kakashi replied. “Those who dislike new Uchiha’s attitudes and, of more significance, those who fear or resent our recent success.”
“He’s meeting with key people from both those groups,” Shikamaru confirmed. “Probably promising them future advantages if they support him. However, at the moment, it is still his second-choice strategy. He wants to challenge Sasuke for the leadership. He is utterly convinced he would win the combat.”
“So we need to have a full on public relations campaign ready for when the big litter turns fourteen and he realises that his first choice strategy is hopeless,” Iruka proposed.

It was an excellent point. “We will set up a group to start on that,” Sasuke agreed. “Neji, Konohamaru, you Shika and me. Anyone else?”
“Asuma or Kakashi,” Iruka supplied. “And Hoshi.”
“Kuuya if you are serious about him being heir,” Kakashi added. “Perhaps Five or Isaribi for some outside eyes. Not too many because we’ll want a second group who can evaluate any proposals.”
“Maybe Sasuke shouldn’t be in the group.” Naruto suggested. “And maybe not Shi-chan. At least not at first.”
“Good idea,” Kakashi confirmed. “Asuma, not me. I think we will get more interesting ideas that way. Ir-chan, who is the sneakiest of the youngsters?”
“Yuki,” Iruka replied without hesitation.
“Put him on the list. Who have we got?”
“Neji, Konohamaru, Asuma, Hoshi, Kuuya, Isaribi or Five and Yuki,” Sasuke recited. “It better be Isaribi,” he concluded, putting a neat line through Five’s name.

Kakashi smiled. “So how is Yuki’s campaign to grab Five’s attention going?”
“Successfully,” Naruto answered before Sasuke could think of an appropriate reply. “I am proud of the way the youngsters are handling their interest in forming sexual liaisons without hurting each other.”
Sasuke blinked at him. Naruto’s blue eyes looked back at him, challenging him to argue. He tried a few responses out in his head but could not bring himself to say them, settling instead for a nod.
“I am sure Ir-chan will fill me in,” Kakashi replied with a smile. “I understand that Akemi is making good progress and I have already heard about the baby.”
“Aiko-chan,” Iruka reminded him. “Rin and Dan have asked me and Kakashi to be her parents-in-reserve.”
Sasuke thought that very suitable.
“And Neji?” Kakashi asked, looking to Shikamaru.
“He’s still unhappy but at least he’s functional,” Shikamaru replied. “Working with Akemi has helped enormously.”

The conversation moved through a few other topics and ended up on the stasis unit and the challenge of opening it.
“Remind me why we are going so carefully,” Kakashi requested.
“If it blows up we may not be able to tell the difference between mindprinted clones and originals,” Shikamaru replied. “Also, the more we study the unit, the better chance we have of finding any others.”
Sasuke thought about what Pein had told him; that there was another member of the Akatsuki who spent long periods in stasis.
“If it blows up and there are Orochimaru’s remains in it, it was a print,” Kakashi insisted, “The man wants to live forever; he is not going to be in a stasis unit with a self-destruct mechanism.”
It was a good point.
“Although it would have gone a lot faster if I were there...” Shikamaru pointed out.
Sasuke scowled at him.
“...Inryoku-san and I started investigating as soon as the minigated route was finished. We’re using something new Haru and I have developed.”
“New?” Kakashi queried.
“Novel code that processors and programmes will not recognise as code,” Shikamaru explained. “We are attempting to run diagnostics of the stasis unit systems without being detected.”
“Sounds useful,” Kakashi agreed.

Finally coffee and tea cups were empty, Naruto had an appointment with Kiba and Shikamaru excused himself to check whether there was a communication from the Zetsus. Sasuke hesitated. He wanted to speak with Kakashi alone but he could wait; he did not want to interfere with Kakashi and Iruka’s reunion.
Kakashi squeezed Iruka’s hand. “Ir-chan, there are a few things I want to go over with Sasuke-sama.”
Iruka smiled. “Of course. Come and find me when you are finished.”

Sasuke considered offering saki but decided against it. Instead he poured himself more tea and coffee for Kakashi.
“What do you feel about Kuuya being made heir?” he asked.
Kakashi considered before replying. “Proud. It would be an embodiment of the principles of new Uchiha. Slightly sad at the thought of a future without dark-haired, dark-eyed full-blood Uchihas. Then I remember how some of those full-blood Uchihas abused their privileges. I understand that Naruto is against it.”
Sasuke sighed. “He thinks that Kuuya will become the focus for anti-hybrid sentiment.”
“That is likely,” Kakashi admitted. “There will always be people who are determined to hate.”
Unfortunately, it was true. Sasuke sipped his tea.
“How do you feel about Five and Yuki?” Kakashi asked.
“I hate it but I will have to get used to it,” Sasuke admitted. “There is nothing wrong with Five. He is a suitable partner for Yu-chan.”

There was a pause as Kakashi finished his coffee.
“Have they made their decisions?” he asked.
Sasuke nodded. “Haru and Kazuki are going to swear to me, the other eight to Uchiha.”
Kakashi nodded. “Good. It shows that you and they are confident that Izuna-sama will not end up as clan leader. Was it Haru’s idea not to swear to Uchiha?”
“No, it was his decision but Shika encouraged it.”
“With your approval?”
“Yes.”
“Is it to do with him being a typed-genius?”
“Not entirely.”
“So there is another reason?”
“Yes, but I cannot tell you.”
“Does Shikamaru know what it is?”
“No.”
“Does Naruto?”
“Yes.”

Kakashi smiled. “Interesting. Anything else worrying you?”
“Centre coming for Shika.” Sasuke considered. “The fact we have left Tarrasade and Izuna is claiming it for his own.” He thought deeper. “Maybe we should move the Hoshigakure children and foetuses.”
“Where did that come from?” Kakashi asked.
“Thinking about Sumaru,” Sasuke admitted. “If Izuna declares himself Uchiha-sama, the first step will be to tell Sumaru that his vow is invalid and ask him to swear to Izuna personally. Sumaru will refuse and Izuna will be looking for a new bodyguard. The Hoshigakure children are too young for that but they are a valuable resource that Izuna could exploit.”
“You are sure Sumaru will refuse?” Kakashi queried.
Sasuke scowled at him.
“Just checking,” Kakashi assured him. “Can we settle for increasing security for the Hoshigakure children and foetuses for now? You will be back in Tarrasade in five divs’ time.”
Would he? Sasuke doubted it would be that easy.

Shikamaru resisted the urge to chat to Naruto in the corridor outside Sasuke’s office. If he lingered Iruka would catch him and start talking about Sumiko; her behaviour had not been at its best over the last few days.
Instead he sauntered at speed down the corridor and into his laboratory. As soon as the door was shut he checked the interface he had left running; there was a package from Inryoku.
A quick glance at the video had him pinging Haru and Sai.

The hack using the new code had worked. Shikamaru was stunned. Even after the promising test results, he had told himself it couldn’t be this easy.
They had a complete diagnostic of the stasis unit system: hardware; software; systems; programmes; data. They even had physiological data on the occupant.
Occupants; there were two.
“Shall I generate the simulation?” Sai asked.
Shikamaru jumped. “Sai-kun,” he hinted.
“I apologise for not greeting you, Shika-san.”
“We really do need to work out the equivalent of footsteps or a door announcer or even an intercom click,” Shikamaru observed.
“I shall come up with some alternatives to consider,” Sai replied. “Shall I generate the simulation?”
The door to Haru’s workroom slid open.
“We have the data we need,” Shikamaru told him.
Haru smiled. “Great, has Sai generated the simulation yet?”

It was, as Naruto would have said, awesome. The detailed simulation would mean that Sai could try zillions of signals until he found ones to which the stasis unit would respond. If things continued to proceed as planned, they would be able to control the stasis unit’s systems rather than breaking them.
Meanwhile, Shikamaru could not resist looking at the physiological data. One set was consistent with a purebred male of Kabuto’s body type.
The other was consistent with Orochimaru.

He told himself one or both could be prints and went to report to Sasuke.

When the door opened he was surprised to see that Kakashi was still there. He checked his chronometer; it had been less than ten minutes.
“It worked,” he announced. “We have a full diagnostic. Haru is working on the simulation now but we already know that there are two occupants.”
Sasuke blinked at him.
“This new approach of yours is that good?” Kakashi queried. “Or was their security that poor?”
“Their security was fine,” Shikamaru assured him. “It was like I said; our new code is so different that it is not recognised as code.”
“So we wouldn’t know if someone was doing the same to us?” Kakashi checked.
It was an interesting thought. “We would now but we wouldn’t have before,” Shikamaru replied. “However, I believe the approach is novel.”
Kakashi studied him. “I would say that if you could think of it, so could others, but given that it is you and Haru working together that is probably not true.”
Given that it was him, Haru and Sai, it was definitely true. “We make a good team,” Shikamaru declared, wishing that he could openly acknowledge Sai’s contribution.

Sasuke had pulled himself together. “What next?”
“We run the simulation until we work out the commands for the control systems,” Shikamaru explained. “Then we decide what we want to do next. One option would be to transfer the occupants to pods, bring them here and go from there. Or we could bring in the whole stasis unit.”
Kakashi stiffened; Shikamaru knew that he hated that idea because of the possibility, however, remote, that it was a bomb or a weapon.
“We will transfer them to pods,” Sasuke directed. “As soon as you are convinced that it can be done safely,” he added.
Kakashi stood up. “I should be going. Iruka is expecting me. We are going to have an early midmeal with Ran.”
Should he leave with Kakashi? Shikamaru lurked, feeling awkward.
“Stay, Shika,” Sasuke ordered. “I want to talk about this new tool of yours.”
Shikamaru opened his mouth to object.
“Yours as in yours and Haru’s,” Sasuke clarified. “Sit down.”

Talking to Kakashi always left Sasuke on edge; alert to every potential threat. Shikamaru waited.
“Are there other situations where it might be useful?” Sasuke asked.
Shikamaru’s mind exploded with possibilities.
“Stay with me, Shika. What are its limitations?”
It helped. Shikamaru pushed away most of the trains of thought for later consideration. “There has to be a system to investigate. For example Izuna-sama does not trust computers. He only occasionally uses devices that contain processors.” He considered. “We already choose not to hack many systems. This makes us better hackers but it does not change which systems we would choose to hack.”
“Are there systems we would choose to hack?” Sasuke asked.
Shikamaru knew his answer to that: various databases held by Centre and the library on Jannine, although only the index was electronic. “Not as Uchiha, no.”
Sasuke was frowning. “We couldn’t use it to get Centre to forget they know about you?”
“No,” Shikamaru replied immediately. “The whole point of the new code is that it totally invisible. It reads the system. No one can detect it. As soon as it alters something, it announces its presence. Once someone knows to look for it, there is a good chance they will find it. If someone else knows about it, it loses its effectiveness.”
To Shikamaru’s relief, Sasuke nodded. “Could we use it to find out if they believe you were a typed-seven? Or if they are planning to come and get you? Or if they suspect Haru is a typed genius?”
They had a name for the Centralite that Izuna had spoke with on the liner; Bettencourt. “I shall look into that possibility,” he agreed.
Sasuke nodded and leaned back in his chair; apparently satisfied.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Shikamaru found himself sliding down the layers of his mind, pulled himself back to the surface and decided he should leave.
“What do I do with them once I have them?” Sasuke asked suddenly.
It took a split second for Shikamaru to realise he meant Kabuto and Orochimaru. “Check they aren’t prints and then kill them?”
“Do we interrogate them?”
It was a good question. With Deidara, Sasuke had kept it simple. The elite fighters had brought him directly to Tarrasade. Sasuke had met them in the Killing Square and performed the execution.
“It’s a vendetta,” Shikamaru reminded him. “We have published all the evidence against the Akatsuki. Killing them is fine.”
“Should we interrogate them?”
The top layer of Shikamaru’s mind answered no but too many of those beneath yelled yes. “Perhaps,” he admitted. “Only you have to consider what are you willing to give them in return for information? Or do to them if they refuse to give it?” Would Sasuke resort to torture? Shikamaru hoped not.
“Could you think about ways of tricking them into giving information?” Sasuke asked. “We have time. We can’t return to Tarrasade until the big litter turns fourteen.”

The question initiated another starburst of thoughts; some of them intersecting. He found himself thinking of people with a connection with Kabuto: Kiba; Konan; Inryoku and Enerugi; Kotohime; Sasori. Then there were the Akatsuki bases and ships they had taken. “May I speak to Neji about it?”
“Do that,” Sasuke encouraged. “How are you and Neji doing?”
Shikamaru’s mind was in analytical mode. Instead of the question skating over the surface it went deep, like the ones about using the new code and tricking Kabuto.
There was no stopping the generation of tens, maybe hundreds, of thoughts; many of them unwelcome.
“Shika?” Sasuke queried.
Shikamaru’s mouth was dry. He felt slightly sick. “We’re taking it day by day,” he managed. He forced a smile. “Too many questions.” He tapped his temple. “Feels like fireworks, three different concerts and a thunderstorm.”
“Do you want some tea?” Sasuke asked.
“No. I would like go now.”

Sasuke walked him to the door, obviously anxious. Shikamaru made sure he avoided seeming any more needy; otherwise Sasuke would turn him around, sit him down and summon Neji or Naruto.
It would probably be Naruto since he had stupidly allowed Sasuke to think that there was tension between him and Neji.
Which there was, but Shikamaru didn’t want Sasuke thinking about it.

Once the door was shut he activated his throat mike. “Ha-chan? Sai-kun?” he subvocalised.
“Shika-san,” Sai came back immediately. Haru was a few heartbeats behind. “Shi-chan?”
“Are you all right working on how to control the stasis unit? I have some things I need to see to.”
“We are fine,” Haru confirmed.
“It is going well, Shika-san,” Sai added.
“Good,” Shikamaru acknowledged.

Neji hadn’t been in his office since a brief spell early that morning. Shikamaru pulled his schedule from some recess of his mind; domestic duties followed by a session on behavioural analysis with the youngsters and then training.
He checked his chronometer; Neji would be in the gym.

Watching Neji perform katas was always restful. Shikamaru hoped that he would continue as usual but he didn’t; once he spotted Shikamaru he performed six iterations of each sequence rather than twelve.
“Shika,” he acknowledged as soon as he had finished holding the final pose for the required time. He closed the distance between them. “What is wrong?”
“The usual,” Shikamaru replied, pointing at his temple and rotating his finger to indicate the turmoil within.
Neji gave the smallest of smiles. “I could shower back in my room rather than here. You could join me.”
“Thank you,” Shikamaru admitted.

Part of him wished that they had risked using the shower attached to the gym. Walking to the crew room gave him time to feel guilty.
“I am glad you sought me out,” Neji stated when they were about halfway there.
Shikamaru startled; for some reason he hadn’t expected Neji to speak.
“Since Hinata left, what has been between us has been all about my needs,” Neji pointed out.
It was good that he could use her name. Shikamaru reminded himself that Neji needed to be needed. If only he did not feel so bad about the constant flow of lies that were necessary to keep Sai’s existence secret.
He had to say something. “There is something I cannot tell you,” he admitted, “because anyone else knowing puts that person at risk and also increases the danger for us all.”
“You would like to tell me but you are sure you should not,” Neji checked.
“I want to tell you because it seems wrong to exclude you but I am certain that telling you is a really, really bad idea,” Shikamaru explained.
Neji stopped, forcing Shikamaru to come to a halt beside him. He put out a hand and stroked Shikamaru’s cheek. “I trust you. I accept that you have thought it through and that not telling me is the correct decision. I give you my permission to keep the secret and exclude me.”
It worked: Shikamaru felt lighter; many of the knots in his mind loosened. “Thank you, Ne-chan.”

He felt even better after two mind-blowing orgasms; one with Neji’s hand wrapped around both their erections in the shower and a second whilst riding Neji on his bed in his ridiculously neat room.
“We’ve missed the midday meal,” Neji pointed out.
Shikamaru snuggled closer. His thoughts were blissfully calm. The bedclothes were suitably rumpled. Neji smelled and felt great.
“Su-chan,” Neji added.
Shikamaru sat bolt upright. He had promised Sumiko that they would eat together to make up for the fact that Sai had spent the morning working with him and Haru. He might have got away with it if he had thought of postponing in advance but missing a commitment without warning was a recipe for disaster. He sprang from the bed and started collecting his clothes.
“Head,” Neji advised. “Maybe another shower. You’ll need a plan or she’ll get the upper hand.”
She already had it; that was the problem. “I promised we’d share the midday meal,” he admitted.
Even Neji flinched at that. “Sorry, Shika.”
“Not your fault. I should have remembered.”

He hurried to the playroom. Naruto was there with the triplets but no Sumiko.
“She’s with Sasuke,” Naruto told him.
Shikamaru panicked. What has she done? Why hadn’t they used the intercom to call him? Naruto rested a hand on his shoulder. Why was he smiling when Su-chan had done something bad enough to justify Sasuke telling her off?
“Sasuke bailed you out,” Naruto explained. “He told her that you had given him a message to give her. He spent the whole of the midday meal with her and now she’s with him in his office.”

It seemed like forever between him pushing the announcer and the door sliding open. Sasuke was sitting at his desk with Sumiko next to him.
“Nii-san!” she greeted him. She was all smiles. She held up something sparkly. “Look, isn’t it pretty?”
Shikamaru moved closer. Sasuke was showing her the contents of the Uchiha ring box; it was a stroke of genius.
“Very pretty,” he confirmed. “I am sorry I didn’t make the midday meal, Su-chan.”
“I have already forgiven you,” Sumiko assured him. “Sasuke-sama explained that he had asked you to do so much thinking that you needed to untangle your thoughts or you would get a really bad headache.” She looked anxious. “Is the headache bad?”
“No, I managed to untangle them before it got bad and now it’s gone. Maybe we should go, Su-chan. Sasuke-sama has lots of work to do.”
Sumiko studied the rings and frowned slightly.
“We can continue looking at them another time,” Sasuke told her.
She smiled at him. “I would like that very much, Sasuke-sama. Thank you.” She carefully replaced the diamond ring and closed the box.
“You are welcome, Sumiko-chan.”

She slipped off her chair and skipped towards the door. Shikamaru took advantage of moving the chair back to its usual position at the side of the room to get close to Sasuke.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
Sasuke’s eyes were dancing with amusement. “You are also welcome, Shikamaru-san.”
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Leader