Chapter 3 Remedial Action
Rick followed Sarutobi through the village toward the center where a elaborate tower stood. Both men entered the building in silence. The secretary did a double take as Rick entered the office after the older man with both of them very angry. Sandaime moved to his broken in leather chair as Rick stood in front of his desk. Neither said anything to the other as the tension in the air was almost palpable . Just as Sandaime was about to say anything, Rick beat him to the punch.
"I want to know why you have a young boy being beaten in the streets? A better question is where is his guardian and why are they allowing this to happen to him? Surely some one has reported this?"
Sandaime gave him a very cross look.
"For one, you have no right to be making any demands of me. Second, I believe you should identify yourself and your reasons for being here." Sandaime shot back.
"I already told you my name, oldman. Vice Admiral Rick Hunter. Robotech Expeditionary Force. Executive officer of the SDF-3 Pioneer. That's all your getting until I have my answers."
Rick crossed his arms and simply glared at the man. Sandaime gave a great sigh and started shuffling around his desk for something before pulling out a pipe.
"I suppose I should tell you, seeing as to how much you've already heard." He stated as he began packing tobacco into his pipe. "The boy's name is Naruto Uzumaki. He is six years old and an orphan. Both parents were killed on his day of birth by a demon we call the Nine Tailed Fox, a demon of incredible power. Able to level mountains or create tsunamis with a flick of it's tail." He explained as he lit his pipe.
The old man took a draw before allowing the smoke to flow out his mouth, creating a hazy look around his face.
"The boy was placed in the care of the orphanage, but he was kicked out recently after I repealed my decree."
"What decree?" Rick asked.
"The decree concerning him being a host. He has that beast sealed into him since birth."
The Hokage watched the man for any sign of disbelief, and upon seeing none, he continued.
"It was against my better judgment and it has only caused more harm than good. Currently, he has no home and no one is willing to take care of him."
Rick felt himself become enraged at these people and by the look of Sarutobi's face, Rick was showing it.
"You mean you people use children as some sort of living sacrifice?! And on top of that, this child who you bastards cursed from birth is beaten in the streets and made to feel like some sort of monster?!" Rick shouted.
"Now wait one moment." Sandaime began.
"Oh and don't even get me started on you! You have allowed this to happen! You failed to protect him. You failed to give him a home. And you failed to prevent the abuse he has suffered! If I didn't need you help, I'd turn around and walk out this door."
Sandaime sat shell shocked at the accusations made by this alien. But the more he thought about it, the more what he had said was true. Sandaime looked at his desk in shame, trying hard to ignore the angry and disgusted look on the admiral's face.
"So what do I do for him?" Sandaime asked.
"You no longer have to worry about that. I'll take him and if I know my crew, half of them will be more than willing to take him in."
Sandaime looked up at him in shock.
"Absolutely out of the question. Naruto must stay in my village."
"No. He isn't. He has already suffered enough. And if you truly cared about him, you'd have done more to protect him. And, don't bother trying tp black mail me or negotiate him back into your custody." The Admiral said as he rose to his feet.
Sandaime watched him leave and had to smile. It seems Naruto would get the home he deserved.
Xxxxx
Rick entered the med bay and spotted Doctor Lang looking over the boy.
"How is he, doc?" Rick asked once he reached the doctor.
Lang looked over to Rick and gestured to follow him to his office. Both men entered and took their preferred seats. Doctor Lang gave Rick a peculiar look.
"The boy is fine. In fact, he's perfectly healed. And that confuses me because the way that Colonel Sterling described his wounds, he should still be bleeding. But, he was completely healed. And, I discovered something interesting." Doctor Lang turned his computer screen.
Rick scanned the screen before his eyes widened in shocked as he looked back at Doctor Lang.
"Are you serious?"
Lang nodded his head.
"But…how did he get protoculture in his body?"
"I don't know. But I did a scan and found out that these people have protoculture in there blood. And it seems that those that use this 'chakra' have a higher protoculture amount compared to those who don't use it." Lang explained.
Rick leaned back in his seat.
"Are you saying there is some sort of connection between protoculture and this chakra?"
"Yes. In fact, I believe they are one in the same. We have seen what the effect it has on those who eat it. What's to say that those who evolved on a planet with extremely high concentrations of it could cause these effects. We still don't know what the effect prolonged exposure to protoculture can do to life itself."
Rick continued to look over the results before he nodded his head.
"I see what you mean. Run any test you need to on the sample you currently have."
"Aye sir."
Rick exited Lang's office and was surprised to see the little boy looking around. Rick smiled and walked over to the boy who looked at him in fear, making Rick feel sickened at the people on this planet. Rick sat down next to the bed.
"Hello. My name's Rick. Rick Hunter."
The boy hesitated before he answered.
"Naruto Uzumaki."
"Well, it's nice to meet you Naruto. How are you feeling?" Rick asked him.
"Um…Fine. Just a little hungry."
"Well, what do you say we go get something to eat?" Rick asked him.
Naruto nodded before he looked over to Doctor Lang who gave him a smile and a nod to let him know it was alright.
"Umm…Mr. Hunter? I need some clothes."
Rick chuckled as he stood up.
"It's okay. We replicated your old clothes."
Naruto looked over to the table next to him and saw the fresh clothes before he looked back to Rick.
"T-Thank you."
Rick waved him off.
"Eh…Don't worry about it. Get dressed and we'll go to my place for dinner."
Xxxxx
Lisa was rather surprised to see Rick enter the room with a small blonde boy. She walked over to Rick with a curious look on her face.
"Lisa. This is Naruto. He'll be living on board from now on."
Lisa raised and eyebrow at Rick before she kneeled down in front of Naruto and gave him a smile.
"Hello. I'm Lisa."
Naruto smiled.
"Hello."
Lisa stood up as the door behind her opened and Claudia stepped out and froze as she noticed Naruto. Rick wanted to laugh at her expression of fear, curiosity, and confusion. Lisa turned to see the same thing.
"Claudia…This is Naruto. He'll be staying awhile." Rick explained.
Claudia walked over to him and smiled as she held out her hand.
"Hi Naruto. My name is Claudia."
Naruto grabbed her hand and shook it briefly.
"Your cute." He blurted out before he caught himself.
Rick watched bemusedly as Naruto slapped his hand over his mouth and blush as Claudia looked away, blushing slightly.
"Oh…Um…Thank you."
Lisa was fighting to not laugh at her daughter's sudden shyness.
"Claudia? Why don't you go play with Naruto for a while. Dinner won't be ready for another half hour."
Claudia looked over to her mother with a slight smile.
"Okay. Bye Mommy. Bye Daddy. Come on Naruto!" She called as she grabbed Naruto's hand and headed off for the nearest play ground.
Lisa shook her head in amusement before she caught Rick's serious expression.
"Rick. What is it?"
"We've found protoculture."
Xxxxx
In the half hour while Claudia and Naruto played in the park, Rick and Lisa discussed everything. From Naruto having a creature sealed into him to Doctor Lang's discovery that chakra and protoculture were one in the same. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Lisa spoke.
"What now?
Rick leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms.
"I figured you'd have known what I was planning."
Lisa smirked.
"I know exactly what your planning. I just wanted to know I was right."
Rick chuckled.
"When have you ever been wrong about me?"
Lisa raised an eyebrow.
"Does the name Lynn Minmei ring any bells?"
Xxxxx
Naruto was happy. He and Claudia were having a great time with the other children in the park. It was the first time that anyone had been willing to play with him and he was enjoying it. Claudia was also enjoying herself as well because most of the children on the ship were hesitant about playing with her in fear that they'd do something wrong and get their parents in trouble. Now, seeing some random boy playing with her, the other children found the courage to play with her. And it was with a hint of sadness that the two excused themselves with promises to meet up with them soon. The two children laughed all the way back to the Hunters' quarters for dinner. Lisa meet them at the door and ushered the children in, Naruto laughing while Claudia had a sour look on her face. Lisa watched as Claudia rounded on Naruto with a amusement in her eyes.
"Ha ha! I'm sorry. It was funny!"
Claudia shook her head.
"Well, we'll see how much your laughing when I put you in a skirt and make you walk over a vent." She said hotly.
That shut Naruto up but caused a whole other bought of laughter from Rick and Lisa. To say that the night was interesting was an understatement.
Xxxxx
The next day, the first of several shipments of materials arrived with a surprised Rick accepting the supplies from a rather disgruntled Sandaime. The old man made a direct beeline for Rick, intent on confronting the man. Rick knew what was coming and just waited.
"Admiral Hunter." He called once he was near enough.
"Sandaime Hokage." Rick acknowledged.
Sarutobi stopped just out of arms reach.
"What can I do for you?" Rick asked, knowing perfectly what he was going to ask.
"I would like for you to return Naruto to my care. I have found some one very exceptionally gifted to take care of him." He began.
Rick silenced him with a raised hand.
"No. For one, I do not trust you at all. And I sure as hell don't trust anyone your nominating."
Sarutobi chuckled.
"Well, I figured you'd like to at least see who it is, so I brought him with me. Allow me to introduce Jiraiya the Toad Sage, one the Legendary three shinobi."
Rick watched as another man with a long mane of white hair with a red vest and a large object tied to his back appeared next to the oldman. Rick immediately distrusted the man.
"What's your connection to the boy?" Rick asked.
The man grinned.
"I'm his Godfather." That was as far as he got before he found his nose broken and bleeding profusely.
"What the hell?!" He yelled as he clasped his hand over his nose.
Sandaime watched in an amused fashion as Rick wiped the blood from his knuckles.
"I refuse. For one, if this man is his Godfather, why was the boy neglected? Beaten? Abandoned?" Rick demanded.
Jiraiya looked at the man, enraged.
"Now wait just a minute! I may admit I've been a tad negligent, but I've never received any reports of beatings in the reports I received! And he well cared for! I sent a generous stipend to the boy!" Jiraiya retorted.
This time, Sandaime spoke.
"Jiraiya, in my reports were the cases of beatings. And to what stipend our your refering to, because no extra money was ever sent to the boy."
It was Jiraiya's turn to be confused.
"But…all the reports have your signature on them. Here. This is the one I got from you two months ago." He said as he fished out a scroll from his pocket and handed it to the oldman. Sarutobi opened it and began to read it before he snapped it shut.
"I see what is going on here. Jiraiya. We need to speak to the council. And my secretary."
Both men left leaving a very confused Rick.
Xxxxx
Sarutobi and Jiraiya stormed into the council chamber with several confused members. One of the council members, a pink haired woman rose from her chair.
"Lord Hokage. Why have we been summoned?" She asked.
"Sit down, Haruno. You have all are in very deep trouble." Sarutobi said harshly as he dropped into his chair. "I want someone to explain to me why official documents have been altered. And why official funds have failed to make their way to the appropriate parties."
"Excuse me, Lord Hokage, but to what are you refering?" The council man named Danzo questioned.
"I am referring to my reports on one Naruto Uzumaki to Jiraiya of the Sannin."
Instantly, the chamber became abuzz with why this was so important until Sarutobi silenced the chambers by slamming his fist on the table.
"Silence! I know the documents have been forged! And I want to know where the stipend Jiraiya has been sending for his Godson has disappeared to?" He demanded.
The civilian members began to look guilty while the shinobi members looked at him in confusion.
"What do you mean?" Hiashi Hyuuga asked.
"He means that I have been sending my godson extra money to help live comfortably by. I know how much the stipend he is supposed to receive from the village is."
"We have not seen anything on any extra stipend for Naruto." Inochi spoke.
The rest of the shinobi council nodded while the civilians continued to look even more guilty, something Sarutobi caught.
"You had better explain yourselves for denying a child what was rightfully his!" Sarutobi yelled.
"That is no child!" Haruno screamed. "It is a demon! We falsified the reports. Who cares if it is beaten?! After what it did to our village, the Yondaime should have killed it! You should have killed it! As for the money?" She laughed. "It went to a much more important task. Increasing the wages of the civilians. They are much more dissevering of it than it is."
No one to this day would be able to say who exactly it was who threw the kunai, but the effect was instantaneous. Okkuu Haruno was killed by a kunai to her temple. The rest of the civilian council began to look to the Hokage fearfully, who in turned glared at them.
"Each of you are charged with treason for altering government records. Your execution dates will be set within the week. Anbu. Take them to the holding cells and tell Ibiki that he'll be working over time today." Sarutobi ordered.
The Anbu appeared and took the civilians as the shinobi watched with hardened glares. Danzo looked at the civilians in disgust as did the other two advisors.
"Fools." Danzo muttered as Sarutobi regained everyone's attention.
"As of now, I am granting Admiral Hunter full guardianship of the boy. As of what I have seen, I conclude that he is in much better hands with him. Until such time as I deem otherwise, I want none of our shinobi to go within five hundred yards of the ship their on. Understood?"
A resounding chorus' of 'yes' sounded through the chamber. Sarutobi nodded in satisfaction.
"Very well. Now, we need to discuss…"
The meeting went on with discussions as to increase the amount of raw material that the aliens needed. Except for one. Danzo kept his outer appearance calm, but on the inside he was enraged.
"Damn those civilians! They have ruined my plans! I must get that demon back. With that power at my disposal, I'd be able to even take on the Fire Lord himself. I must have him by any means."
Xxxxx
Rick felt an uneasy knot form in his gut as he looked over at Naruto and Claudia as they played a video game. Rick grabbed his com unit and raised the bridge.
"Edwards? It's Hunter. Increase security. Lock down all external hatches except to military personnel." He ordered.
Edwards voice came back with a hint of confusion.
"Any particular reason why we're increasing security?"
"Lets just say I have a bad feeling. I won't keep you any longer. Hunter out."
Rick put his com down as he watched Claudia win another round at their game. He couldn't help but hope he was wrong.
