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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
- 6
- 7
- 8
Thank you to my beta and muse, Small Fox. This story grew from a plot idea he gave me.
Also thanks to Dawn, haru, richon, melissen, Midnight Essence, unneeded, eunmook, silentnight, GreenEyedCat, SidonieStarr, sadie237 and disembodiedvoiceofthedying for reviewing after chapter 6 was posted. Readers’ feedback, support and comments mean a great deal to me. It keeps me writing.

Leader
Part 1: The pod
7: Opening

Sasuke plucked the last note and listened to it fading. Reluctantly, he returned the biwa to its case and the case to its place on the shelf. Then he put the kettle on and waited for it to boil.
Naruto had been correct; he had needed to make the time to play. It was as important to him as exercise; perhaps more. Maybe not as important as fucking, but close.
He felt better; calmer and more focused.

The indicator light on the door to Neji’s office was green. Sasuke imagined him on the other side, waiting for Sasuke to change his from amber to green now that the music had stopped.
He would have to wait until Sasuke had recovered from being submerged in the music. Making and drinking a cup of tea was usually enough.

Deciding to tour in the Oak had been about getting Shika over Klennethon Darrent’s death. Sasuke had imagined life continuing as it had in Tarrasade with the added stimulation of travel.
He realised now how naive he had been. Wherever they went, there would be people who wanted to see them and others whom it made sense to meet.
Each event had been successful. The reception on the Oak had gone smoothly. The ceremony in Haven had been an important landmark. Five was as impressive as Kakashi had said he would be. Sasuke had even managed to shoehorn in rendezvous with two allied crews.
The problem was that each meeting had required far more planning and follow-up than anticipated. Every day his ‘to do’ list got longer because each available minute was spent dealing with today or tomorrow.
Papa-time had been suspended. The last time he had walked the ship had been days before they had arrived at Haven. He was lucky to make the triplets’ bedtime and the occasional midmeal.
He had barely touched his biwa other than during Hoshi’s music lessons and there had been pitifully few of them.

Playing his biwa had reset him. Instead of being overwhelmed with the immediate, he found himself considering what was most important to him; his children.
Raising thirteen children took time, attention and a vast amount of energy. The big litter was at the age when they were changing very quickly. The quality of his relationship with them as adults depended on him successfully navigating their adolescence.
Like Haru; one minute he was a little boy who was scared of losing his best friend and the next he had rewritten the topology of known space.
It had been a shock. Sasuke was thankful for all the times Shika had confessed to doing the impossible. It had built up his resilience.
Sasuke smiled; Haru had no idea of what he had done. For him it was merely writing a programme that did what Shi-chan did. He had not considered that typed-seven geniuses were so rare that Shika might be unique, while processors were common.

He sighed. It was time to deal with today. The Dart was already in the system and would reach them early that afternoon. Sasuke hoped that Kakashi was right and the pod contained a spacer from a ship equipped from junkyards. He did not want to think about the alternative.
He went to his desk, wrote his list for the day and changed the indicator light on Neji’s side of the door from amber to green.

He expected Neji to wait a few minutes and then open the door. When that did not happen, Sasuke decided to take the initiative.
Neji was standing with his back to the door watching Shikamaru try out his new desk.
Shikamaru spun the chair about. “We have a visitor, Ne-chan,” he hinted.
Neji turned around. “I apologise, Sasuke-sama.”
“No need,” Sasuke assured him. “He prefers this?”
“I prefer this,” Shikamaru confirmed. “I can reach everything.” He turned his chair while reaching across the circular desk surrounding it. “And the drawers go transparent when I need to find something.” He demonstrated. “And look at the projectors. It’s as good as a sim.”
It was good to see Shika happy. “One of Kakashi-sensei’s better ideas,” Sasuke suggested.
“An excellent idea,” Shikamaru confirmed. “He should have more of them.”
“Shall we go into your office?” Neji suggested.

They settled on either side of Sasuke’s desk and began running through all Sasuke’s commitments during the last four days of their stay at Haven.
“We could stay longer,” Neji reminded him. “Spread them out more.”
Sasuke considered. “No. If we stay longer here, we’ll have to push harder to get to Kaze on time. It will be fine. Once the meetings are in, what else is there?”
“Five-kun,” Neji reminded him.
Neji was right. Five deserved time to make his mind up once Sasuke formally invited him to join the crew. “I had better see Iruka-sensei next then.”
He should have thought ahead and made an appointment. Iruka was head of his household and queen of his crew. It would be disrespectful to summon him using the intercom, however politely Sasuke phrased it.
“I’ll see if he is available,” Neji offered. “I can cover for him in the playroom if necessary.”

Sasuke made tea for two while he waited; he could always share it with Neji if Iruka was not available.
The door announcer sounded, which confirmed that it was Iruka as Neji would have come through from next door.
“Five-kun,” Sasuke stated as they settled into two of the comfortable chairs.
Iruka sipped his tea. “I have no hesitation in recommending that you make the offer. I know that everyone else thinks the same. I wish I were certain he would accept.”
That was a surprise. Sasuke gestured that he should continue.
“He misses his group. They worked together, played together, ate together and slept together. Living in his own room, even within a crew room, is difficult for him.”
Sasuke remembered the forced intimacy of the Silver Leaf’s crew room. He had hated it and yearned for his own space, but he could see that it might suit Five better than the way the crew lived now. “Would he be better off with one of the senior allied crews?” he asked.
“No, but you could offer him that as another alternative to staying on Haven,” Iruka suggested. He smiled. “I am glad Kakashi cannot hear me say that.”
Sasuke understood; Kakashi would consider it a failure if Five did not swear to Uchiha. “I’ll do my best to sell us to him,” he promised. “Is there any reason we should delay any longer?”
“No,” Iruka assured him. He stood up. “I shall go next door and admire Shika-kun’s new desk. Then I shall tell Five-kun you wish to speak with him.”

Five bowed and settled into the chair Sasuke indicated. Sasuke took the chair opposite him.
“I am going to invite you to swear to Uchiha,” Sasuke warned him, “but I do not want your answer yet. I would like you to listen to what I have to say and then think carefully over the next two days before giving me your answer.”
Five considered and then nodded.
“Those who are sworn to Uchiha came to be so by a variety of routes. I was born to it. Many of the older crew members were given to Uchiha as babies or children, which was the way of the old Uchiha. Some are members because their parents or guardians asked me to make a place for them. A few, like Naruto and Haku, were reparations from crews who had challenged us and were defeated. Some arrived because their whole crew joined Uchiha.
“A small number were recruited because they were thought to have outstanding potential. The first was Iruka-san. He was followed by Shikamaru-san. The third was Naruto-san, who may have come to us by fluke but was kept despite common sense saying that a berserker was too dangerous to have as crew. The fourth was Inari-san.
“You are the fifth. Kakashi-san picked you out when he first met you. We have kept an eye on you since. We see you as a future leader, like Inari-san.
“We understand that you will struggle to adapt to being part of our crew. Many of us did, including me.
“I know it is a huge decision. I want you to know that there is no doubt in my mind that you belong with us, as a member of this crew.”
Sasuke paused, giving time for what he had said to soak in, and then spoke again. “Do you have any questions?”
“I can ask Iruka-san,” Five suggested.
“Yes, or you can ask me,” Sasuke encouraged.
“Your children,” Five began.
Sasuke tried not to stiffen.
“Will they automatically be given senior positions as adults?” Five asked. “You said you saw me as a future leader, but will I always have to defer to them?”
It was a good question, especially since there were thirteen of them. “No. They will have to earn any position of responsibility. However, they have high potential and standards of training. I expect them to do well.”
Five suddenly gave a smile that lit up his whole face. “But aspiring to be Uchiha-sama would be pointless.”
Sasuke liked the youngster’s cheek. He resisted the urge to laugh. “I do not think that even new Uchiha is ready for an Uchiha-sama who is not an Uchiha,” he admitted. “But you could captain a crew, or be a battle commander, or even lead a division as we expand.”
“Or parent a future Uchiha-sama, like Naruto-san?” Five queried.
The urge to laugh vaporised. “If one of my children chose you as their life-partner,” Sasuke confirmed, although the mere thought of it sent every parental instinct into overdrive. “When they are old enough. Which will not be for some time,” he warned.
“The fourteen standard age of consent would apply to me despite me being a hybrid?” Five checked.
Sasuke almost said yes. It seemed the easiest solution. Then he remembered Kiba pointing out that it would be like imposing an age of consent of eighteen on a purebred. “For the moment. I am consulting with Iruka-san on the matter. Have you any other questions?”
“No, Uchiha-sama,” Five replied.
“Very well.” He stood and Five followed his example. “Five-kun, I am formally inviting you to swear to Uchiha. I shall expect your answer in two days’ time.”
Five bowed, Sasuke inclined his head in return and then he walked Five to the door. It had gone well. He was almost certain Five would decide in their favour.

There was just enough time to read another report before going to the playroom to catch the end of the big litter’s session with Kakashi.
Then, after the midmeal, they would rendezvous with the Dart.

Sasuke had imagined that the Dart would dock, the pod would be transferred to the infirmary, it would be opened and the mystery of who was in it would be resolved.
Instead he was listening to Itachi and Rin argue. Itachi did not care about the welfare of the person in the pod; he was obsessed that it might be a trick to get an assassin or a bomber onto the Oak. Rin was blind to the security issues; she wanted the pod opened in the infirmary so she could save the occupant’s life if he or she was dying.
“I am almost certain it does not contain explosives,” Shikamaru pointed out. “It’s much more likely to be a biotoxin than explosives.”
Sasuke had not wanted to hear that.
“So the infirmary is the best place, because the pod can be opened under biosecured containment,” Shikamaru continued.
There was silence. Sasuke waited. Kakashi nodded. Itachi nodded.
“Good,” Sasuke confirmed. “Kisame can be there. He can deal with any assassin. Rin-san, you will monitor the situation from your office. Dan-san will be the senior medico inside.”
Rin opened her mouth to object but Sasuke fixed her with his best ‘Uchiha-sama’ look.
“Yes, Sasuke-sama,” she agreed.

For once he was pleased that Rin believed in being prepared for any medical emergency. They had a containment room with all the cameras and other sensors one could possibly wish for. They had biosecured suits for the medicos to wear. They even had a suit big enough for Kisame.
They had decided to watch live from the small meeting room. Sasuke settled into his chair between Shika and Neji. Kakashi sat next to Shika, which was interesting. Itachi had insisted on being in Rin’s office.
Shika activated his interface and switched on the projector and speakers.
“Interesting idea, having Itachi and Rin together while Kisame and Dan are endangering their lives a few rooms away,” Kakashi observed.
Sasuke winced at the thought of it. “Maybe I should have ordered Itachi to be here with us,” he admitted.
“Too late now,” Kakashi replied brightly. “Here goes.”

Dan approached the pod and began following the instructions Shikamaru had given him. Nothing unexpected happened. He reported that the person inside was coming out of stasis. Neither Rin nor Shikamaru saw anything untoward in the telemetry.
“Dan here. Sasuke-sama, shall I open the pod?”
Sasuke activated his microphone. “This is Sasuke. Yes, open the pod.”

Sasuke’s first thought, as the lid opened, was, “He’s an Uchiha.”
“Yes,” Kakashi replied and Sasuke realised that he must have spoken his thought aloud.
“By the Lady, Sasuke, he looks more like you than Hikaru looks like Haru,” Shikamaru whispered.
Sasuke’s mind was whirling. Who was he?
“He’s waking up,” Dan warned.
Sasuke was about to order Dan to sedate him but it was already too late.

The man’s eyes opened. They were dark. He sat up. His hair was long; really long. Sasuke remembered his mother telling him that hair grew in stasis but only very, very slowly.
Sasuke braced himself for some Uchiha-like demands. Top of his list were, ‘Which ship is this?’ and ‘Take me to your captain.’
Instead there was a squeak. The man covered his face with his hands. His fingernails were bizarrely long and curved. He separated two of the fingers covering his right eye and peered at Dan.
Then the fingers snapped back together, closing the gap.
He giggled.

Sasuke froze. Adult Uchihas did not giggle. They certainly did not squeak.
“Sasuke-sama?” Dan’s voice hinted from the speaker.
He pulled himself together. “This is Sasuke. You had better sedate him.”

Even before he finished speaking, the man was out of the pod. He was naked. From what Sasuke could see, which wasn’t much because of his hair, he was Itachi’s build but maybe a little taller. His skin was strange; flaky. The huge bush of his hair trailed down to his calves.
He looked exactly as you would expect if someone had been in a pod for... ...centuries?
He was quick, managing to dodge Dan with another giggle.
Then Kisame had him, Dan had pressed a hypospray against his thigh and he collapsed.

Kisame carried him to the treatment bed beside the pod.
Shikamaru was leaning forward, studying the projection. “Shikamaru here. We need to preserve everything. Every hair and every flake of skin. Rin, you must carry out every test you can think of before removing him from containment. And decontaminate every piece of equipment you take in there from now on.”
Sasuke had not seen Shikamaru so urgent in a long time, if ever. “This is Sasuke. Do what Shika-san is suggesting, Rin-san.”
There was a sniff from the speakers. “This is Rin. Acknowledged. I did recognise Shikamaru-san in typed-seven mode, Sasuke-sama.”
Sasuke deactivated his microphone and signalled the others to do the same.
“We have to be absolutely sure he is what he appears to be,” Shikamaru insisted.
“Which is?” Sasuke queried, although he already knew the answer.
“An Uchiha who has been in that pod since the time that model of pod was in service,” Shikamaru clarified.
A small thought weaved through Sasuke’s mind. Shikamaru had said that the pod was from the time of the first or second generation of Uchiha, perhaps the third at the outside.
There had not been many Uchihas then.
“How good are the early records?” Kakashi asked, confirming that he was thinking along the same lines.
“I think the genealogy is sound,” Sasuke admitted. “We’ve always been particular about that type of thing.” He reactivated his microphone temporarily. “This is Sasuke. Get a sample and run a genetic profile.”
“This is Rin. Understood, Sasuke-sama.”
“Maybe some who were genetically Uchiha do not appear in the genealogy,” Neji suggested. “Perhaps those born without the clan leader’s permission. Or maybe an individual with a mental defect that could not be cured.”
It was an interesting idea. In his father’s time such individuals would be killed. Maybe the early clan leaders had been more like him than his father. Izuna Uchiha had the reputation of being a compassionate leader; maybe his successors had modelled their behaviour on him.
“No,” Shikamaru stated. He gestured towards the projection. “No unrecognised Uchiha would be wearing that ring.”
Sasuke looked. On the man’s duty finger was a ring bearing the Uchiha crest. Beside it, on his heart finger, was a simple gold band.
“I will dig out the earliest records I can find,” Shikamaru assured him.
“Do that,” Sasuke confirmed.
“Do you have access to the records stored in Izuna Uchiha’s desk?” Kakashi asked.
Shino and Shikamaru had downloaded all the available data. “Yes,” Sasuke answered. “I shall check them. Shika-san, I am leaving it in your hands. Please liaise with Rin-san.” He reactivated his microphone. “This is Sasuke. He stays unconscious until I give the order otherwise.”

Sasuke made his way from the small meeting room to his office. By the time he reached it, Naruto was there, leaning against the corridor wall.
“News travels fast,” he observed. “Aren’t you meant to be in the playroom?”
“Iruka-sensei is covering. If you want to be alone...”
Sasuke shook his head. He yearned for Naruto’s warmth.

Naruto’s arms were around him as soon as they were inside with the door closed. Sasuke leaned into his strength.
“I don’t know which would be worse,” Sasuke admitted. “If he is genuine or if it is a trick.”
“Shi-chan will be able to tell,” Naruto assured him.
“Will he? We missed it when Ranmaru’s head was swapped,” Sasuke reminded him.
“Which will make Shi-chan even more suspicious,” Naruto insisted. “What if it is genuine, who could he be?”

Sasuke went to his desk, sat down and pulled out a sheet of paper. Naruto perched on the edge, watching him.
He uncapped his pen and began drawing out a genealogy from memory. He started with the two brothers, Izuna and Madara, writing them side by side.
“What about a generation back from that?” Naruto suggested. “Did they share a father? Were there any uncles?”
It was a good thought. Sasuke was pretty sure Izuna and Madara had shared both their father and their mother. He had no clue about uncles. He had a vague memory of them being raised by a grandmother.
“I do not recall any mention of a father or uncles, but I shall check,” Sasuke replied.
Madara had died without children. Sasuke carefully filled in Izuna’s sons and daughter before adding the next generation. “Shika said third generation at a push,” he explained.
“And you can account for each one of the males?” Naruto asked, pointing to the ones Sasuke had named.

He couldn’t. Uchiha were spacers and many spacers died when their ships were lost or destroyed. He thought about each individual in turn and crossed those who had been killed in hand-to-hand combat or assassinated or, in one case, died of old age in his bed. There were six remaining including Izuna, Madara and one of Izuna’s sons.
A memory surfaced. “I am sure that they retrieved Madara’s body,” Sasuke decided. “They displayed it in the hall, because he had been a traitor.”
He added a cross by Madara’s name.
That left five Uchiha males.

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- 6
- 7
- 8
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Leader