Part 7 – Hunting
Sasuke and Naruto arrived at Tangu half a week after leaving Konoha.
Tangu is a swamp-planet, and was, at one point the very epicenter of big-game hunting before another BRD-backed Revolution caused Tangu to turn into a military operation.
Tangu itself actually doesn't have a government, it's actually considered a moon, and being a swamp-planet, it is deemed inhospitable, and unlivable, the governing body that controls Tangu is stationed on the planet of Duxn.
Duxn's spaceport town of Olean serves as a shipping port for the Legion of Invictus, and that's why some of the Invictus Army Special Forces were deployed there.
When they arrived at the spaceport, they were instantly greeted by Sakura, and a group of Invictus Army soldiers.
"Damn," Sasuke thought, "She's even more beautiful in person."
"Sirs," Sakura said as she saluted Sasuke and Naruto who walked out of the Independence, "Sergeant Sakura Haruno, four hundred and sixty fifth Medical Combat Rescue."
"Ah," Sasuke said, "A medic," Sasuke raised his hand, gesturing her to walk, "Why don't you show us around the town?"
"Of course," Sakura said, "Follow me."
Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura walked out of the spaceport, and walked into the town, "Olean isn't the most marvelous city, but she's got her ups and downs," Sakura said, then pointed up at the top of the town's central tower, "That tower for example is the observation tower, you can see everything for miles."
"Might need to check that out sometime tonight," Sasuke said, "Can you show me where the command center is?"
"I just did," Sakura said, "With the battle going on down on Tangu, and the lack of military bases down there, we've had to set up in the tower's middle-level."
"Ok," Sasuke said, "By the way, you're the head of the medical department?"
"Yes." Sakura said.
"Can you show us to your office," Sasuke asked, "Your mother wanted us to tell you about a special assignment she has for you."
"Oh boy," Sakura said, "This way."
Sakura led Sasuke and Naruto to a small tent on the side of the town's central tower.
"Nice office," Sasuke said as he looked around, "This is defiantly the office of a medical officer."
"Alright," Sakura said as she stepped into the tent behind them, "Let's start. What does my mother want?"
"To go on a few missions with us." Naruto said.
"I'm sorry," Sakura asked as she looked at them both.
"That's right," Sasuke said, "Your mother wants us to evaluate you. Since our squad defected, we need new members of Team 7."
"Alright," Sakura said, "What do I have to do?"
"Just successfully complete a few missions with us." Naruto said.
It was then that the intercom came on, "Sakura," the base commander said over the intercom.
"Yes boss," Sakura said as she hit a button on the intercom.
"We've got another load of troopers coming in," the commander said, "Another three dead."
"Shit," Sakura said as she kicked a small box in front of her.
"Rough time?" Sasuke asked.
"You don't know what rough is," Sakura said, "A small group of rebels have decided to set up shop down in the jungles of Tangu. If the conditions and the guerrilla-style warfare weren't bad enough there are savage animals that will rip you to shreds if you so much as look at them wrong."
"Must be stressful," Sasuke said as he put his hand on Sakura's shoulder, "You're doing everything you can."
"Thanks," Sakura said, "But it keeps getting stranger and stranger."
"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked.
"I mean the rebels down on Tangu seem to know exactly where our troops are when they drop into the forest." Sakura said.
"When an enemy knows too much, it only means one thing," Sasuke said, "A traitor."
"I'm thinking the same thing," Sakura said, "The only question is, who?"
"I think we should figure that out," Sasuke said, "That's going to be your test."
"My test?" Sakura asked.
"Yep," Sasuke said as he put his arms around Naruto and Sakura's shoulders, "Get your fangs out teammates, we're going mole-hunting."
"Ok," Sakura said as she turned to face the exit, "Let's go tell the base commander."
"Hold up there," Sasuke said as he grabbed Sakura's hand, and pulled her back, realizing they were mere inches from each other.
"I agree with Sasuke." Naruto said.
"Thanks for that Naruto." Sasuke said.
Sakura turned toward Naruto, "Sasuke's right." Naruto said.
"Yes," Sasuke said, "Rule number one when on a mole-hunt, don't tell the higher-ups. You can't trust anyone."
"Ok," Sakura said, "Then what do we say to him?"
"That we're here to evaluate you for Team 7," Sasuke said, "And that we are going to do a few missions."
"Ok." Sakura said.
The three walked out of the tent, and toward the command tower.
When they arrived, Brigadier General David Malone greeted them, "Sir." Sasuke said as him, Naruto, and Sakura saluted him.
"Lieutenant," Malone said, "I've been briefed on your mission. You're here to help us win this war?"
"No," Sasuke said as he wrapped his arm around Sakura's waist, and pulled her close, "I'm here to steal this one away from you."
"I also heard about that," Malone said, "What's the idea?"
"Since our squad defected we need to rebuild Team 7," Sasuke said, "This means the best, and after reviewing her dossier, she seems like the perfect candidate."
"Ok," Malone said as he walked over to the command-table, "Several of our patrols have been ambushed. We believe spotters in the jungle are responsible for the killings of our patrols. I'm sending you three and a small detachment of soldiers down to the moon to remove the threat."
"Ok," Sasuke said, "Let's go."
As the three soldiers walked out of the command center, they found a small squad of Marines waiting for them.
"Lieutenant," one soldier said as he walked up to Sasuke, and saluted him, "Sergeant Michael Forbes reporting for duty."
"Good," Sasuke said, "If you would show us the shuttle."
The shuttle was a Type-2 F26 'Falcon' VTOL, 64.50ft long, a width of 44.85ft, and a height 20.50ft. The entire VTOL is powered by two Armedium-fueled turbo-charged engines that generate 50,000lbs of thrust. The shuttle has up to 20,000lbs of various ordnance from six side-mounted 7.62mm machine guns for strafing runs to two 105mm artillery guns for aerial-bombardments or a 220mm drop-bomb for massive-causality bombing runs.
Armedium is a special type of element that is used to fuel starships for short-range travel, it is highly stable, highly usable, and can be made with simple things.
As soon as the VTOL lifted into the air, Sasuke walked into the back of the ship, "What are you doing," Sakura asked as she walked to the back with Sasuke.
"We can't let Command know what we're doing," Sasuke said as he unscrewed the rear panel, and opened it revealing the tracking beacon, "So we're going to set a trap for the mole."
"Using the tracking beacon?" Sakura asked.
"Yep," Sasuke said as he clipped a few wires, and removed the beacon.
Sasuke then looked at Naruto who was standing by the door to the cockpit, and nodded.
Naruto nodded back, then slapped the pilot on the shoulder.
Sasuke then opened the top of the tracking beacon, and pulled out his utility knife.
As the VTOL lifted off, Sasuke began unscrewing the top of the beacon.
"Sir," the Sergeant asked as he leaned towards Sasuke, "What are you doing?"
"Rewiring this tracking beacon," Sasuke said as he cut two of the wires, "There's a glitch in the wiring of these tracking beacons that causes the signal on these to go from inch-accurate to mile-accurate."
"What?" The Sergeant asked.
"It works like this," Sasuke said as he held up the wires, "These two wires connect directly to the servos back at command that allows the computers back in command to be able to track these VTOLs," Sasuke then flipped the wires, and connected them safely, "In the event that a VTOL crashes, these tracking beacons send out a distress signal that can be pinpointed with inch-accuracy."
"That seems helpful." The Sergeant said.
"There's only one problem," Sasuke said, "It also means that these tracking beacons can send a direct signal to command that can be tracked even when not in an emergency situation."
"And we don't want this?" The Sergeant asked.
"Not when on a mole hunt," Sasuke said as the VTOL came to a dead stop.
"X-ray this is Command," Command said over the other line, "We're reading that your VTOL has stopped, please confirm."
"Confirmed Command," Sasuke said as he passed around air-masks, "Working on it."
After Sasuke and Naruto activated their armor, and Sakura and the Marines strapped on their air-masks, Sasuke opened the side of the VTOL, and the entire cabin depressurized.
After the cabin depressurized, another VTOL pulled up alongside, completely inverted, and Sasuke jumped across the gap of the two VTOLs, and landed on the roof of the other VTOL, and wedged the beacon into the space between the seats.
After jumping back across the gap to the other VTOL, Sasuke gave the pilot of the decoy VTOL a salute, and it flew towards the planet.
As Sasuke closed the door of the VTOL, he re-pressurized the cabin, and deactivated his armor.
As Naruto walked down the stairs, and sat on the second from the bottom, the VTOL started moving.
"Command," Sasuke said, "Problem corrected, on the move."
"Roger that," Command said, "What was the problem."
"Just the pilot screwing around," Sasuke said, "Tried to scare us, and the result was the engines shutting down temporarily."
"Roger that," Command said, "Continue to objective."
"Copy that," Sasuke said as he took his seat.
"What's the plan?" Sakura asked.
"You just saw it," Sasuke said, "When we stopped I switched the tracking beacon to the other VTOL which is now directly below us. When the VTOL enters the atmosphere the traitor will relay the information to the rebels, then we come up right behind them, and mow them down."
As the VTOL approached the atmosphere, the decoy VTOL flew off toward their regular landing sight while the team's VTOL switched to stealth mode, they attached their bungee cords, and jumped out the sides of the VTOL when the sides opened.
As they reached fifty feet, the cords jerked them, and they were gently lowered to the ground.
After raising their weapons, the team stood up, and began their walk toward the place where the VTOL was scheduled to touch down.
When they arrived Sasuke held his fist in the air, and stopped cold, the sensors in his mask detected movement behind them, he then waved his hand flat.
The team dropped to a prone position, and disappeared into the one and a half feet of water that they were walking in.
As they did a large patrol comprised of reproduction M113 APCs, with rebels ridding on the side and top carrying AK-12s some with 100-round drum clips, others with 60-round casket clips, others with basic clips and various attachments such as scopes or grenade launchers.
The soldiers in the water, grabbed their rebreathers, placed it over their mouths, and breathed normally.
The M113 APCs with the troops on the top passed over Sasuke and the team, Sasuke went up first, his weapon leaving the water before his head.
Then Naruto exited the water next, his M14 dripped water, after squeezing the grip of his M14, several secret panels opened along the bottom of the M14, and dumped the water inside of the gun back into the water they were walking in.
As the rest of the squad stood up, they watched as the rebels moved toward the decoy VTOL's location, and then followed.
The team soon arrived at the decoy's position, Sasuke signaled Naruto to go up high.
Naruto let his M14 hang from the strap around his shoulders, slung a piece of steel cording around the tree, and climbed.
Once he reached fifty feet, he secured the cording in place, and leaned back into the cord, creating a simple sniper's nest.
Sasuke then signaled the VTOL which came in for a landing right in the clearing.
As the VTOL landed, the Fabrique Nationale FN M3P 12.7x99mm NATO machine gun mounted on top of the M113 unleashed a salvo into the side of the VTOL while the rebels walked out of the cover of the trees firing at the door and cockpit.
Several of the Marines snuck up behind the ACPs, and attached demo-charges underneath the vehicles.
The Marines then retreated back into the trees as Naruto took aim.
"Ready." Naruto said through his communicator.
"Naruto we will engage on your shot." Sasuke said.
"Roger." Naruto said.
Naruto balanced his M14 on a small branch, using it as a stand, the scope read the range was about a hundred and fifty yards, he adjusted the scope, and sent the round.
The round cut an air-line as it flew from the end of the rifle, and struck the rebel in the back of the skull.
As the rebels saw their buddy fall, the Marines detonated the demo-charges, and sent the APCs flying a whole four feet in the air.
The rebels turned around, and as they did, Sasuke, Sakura, and the Marines opened fire on the rebels who were so shocked they didn't have time to shoot back before they were all taken down before they could fire back.
Sasuke, Sakura, and the Marines walked up to the rebels as Naruto joined them in front of the destroyed VTOL, Sasuke placed the butt-stock of his M16 against the ground, then turned the leader of the rebel patrol who was floating in the water onto his back, and found a tracking-computer in a holster on his belt.
"Fuck," Sasuke said, "I knew it, this thing is picking out the transponder signal on this VTOL directly, someone is giving the rebels the frequency of our VTOLs' tracking signals."
"You were right," Sakura said as she knelt next to Sasuke, "Someone in that command tower is a traitor."
Sasuke reached into his belt, opened the M203, and inserted a flare-round into the grenade-launcher.
He took aim, and fired, the round went up just below the tree-line, and signaled the other VTOL to come and get them.
As the VTOL touched down, the troops piled in, and shut the door.
"Tell me Uchiha," Sakura said, "Why did you join the Invictus Army?"
"Long version or short version?" Sasuke asked.
"Either one's fine." Sakura said.
"Ok," Sasuke said, "Long story short, after my big brother was killed I was lost, looking for something to believe in, and the Army seemed like the only thing that could fill that gap."
"Did it." Sakura asked.
"Somewhat," Sasuke said, "Although I can't help but wonder about him."
"About what?" Sakura asked.
"Itachi was killed in action will working for the C.O.I.," Sasuke said, "Killed in action while trying to capture evidence of genocide during a raid on a small town on Tarsus 2."
Sakura then slumped back in her chair, "That was your brother," Sakura said as she looked at Sasuke, "I was there that day."
"You were?" Sasuke asked.
"I was working undercover," Sakura said, "My mother sent me on an assignment to assist him, and I failed. Orochimaru found out about him, and ordered his squad be obliterated."
"Good lord," Sasuke said as he sat back in his chair, "I knew that son of a bitch was somehow responsible for his death."
"We're going to go up into the cockpit," Naruto said as he directed the Marines toward the cockpit.
As the Marines and Naruto walked up to the cockpit, Sakura spoke, "Sir, I would request that you would not hold it against me." She said.
"Don't do that," Sasuke said, "And I won't hold it against you. I'm just glad I now know the truth about his death."
Arriving back at base Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura reported directly to the Command tower.
When they reached Command Central, General Malone looked over and saw them, "What the fuck," he asked, "We saw the emergency beacon from your VTOL."
"It was a diversion," Sasuke said as he walked up to the center console, and set up a link to the Council, "We needed to be sure."
"Be sure about what," General Malone asked, Councilor Hatake came on the screen, "Councilor on view!"
Everyone in the Command tower dropped what they were doing, and shot into attention, "At ease," Councilor Hatake said, then looked at Sasuke, "Have you confirmed?"
"Yes sir," Sasuke said as he pulled out a tracking computer, "We found this on one of the rebels. It was directly tracking the decoy VTOL. This is solid evidence sir, someone on our side is working with the rebels."
"You sure Lieutenant?" Councilor Hatake asked.
"Absolutely," Sasuke said, "The tracking beacons in the VTOLs run on a very sophisticated frequency, and the only people that know this frequency are the people in this room."
Councilor Hatake shooed everyone out of the room, "How do you want to proceed?" Councilor Hatake asked when everyone left the room.
"By removing all tracking beacons from the VTOLs," Sasuke said, "No VTOLs leave this port without making sure that there's nothing on them that can allow anyone to track them."
"Why would you do this?" Councilor Hatake asked.
"Because this way the turncoat will be forced to contact the rebels directly." Sasuke said.
"It seems like a good plan," Councilor Hatake said, "Make it so."
"Yes sir." Sasuke said.
Once the staff came back in Councilor Hatake explained Sasuke's plan.
"Permission to speak freely sir?" General Malone asked.
"Granted." Councilor Hatake said.
"I don't think your little rich golden retriever over here doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about," General Malone said, "He's been special forces for several weeks, he's just a spoiled rich kid with armor."
"Permission for me to speak freely?" Sasuke asked.
"Denied." General Malone said.
"I wasn't talking to you." Sasuke said.
"Then granted." Councilor Hatake said.
"I think you might be the one that doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about," Sasuke said, "You're the Commanding Officer of this base, how come you didn't figure out there was a traitor inside of this room from the beginning? Oh that's right, you were last at your class at New West Point."
"Why you little rich asshole." General Malone said as he turned toward Sasuke.
"You want to go General," Sasuke asked, halfway yelling, "I'll take you on right here!"
"I'd be happy to take you on," General Malone exclaimed, "The only thing stopping me from beating you to the ground is this holographic official standing here!"
"ENOUGH," Councilor Hatake yelled, his voice amplified, "General Malone you are out of line talking to Council Agents! And Lieutenant Uchiha you do not go talking to senior officers like that! I hear of one more spat between you, and you'll both be put on probation! But right now Lieutenant Uchiha is absolutely correct on all levels, it was obvious there was a traitor. General as of right now I am ordering you to give your support to Lieutenant Uchiha, remove every last tracking beacon from those VTOLs or I will appoint someone who will."
"Understood sir," General Malone said, "I'll see to it personally."
As General Malone left, his XO Colonel James Monroe, a six-foot tall forty-five year old male Marian walked up to Sasuke's side, "I've never seen anyone speak to General Malone like that before." Colonel Monroe said.
"I want surveillance on him at all time," Sasuke said as Naruto and Sakura moved closer.
"What, why…" Colonel Monroe asked.
"Bringing up him being last at his class," Naruto said, "You were testing him."
"He's shown himself to be very violent," Sasuke said, "I always had my suspicions, but now they're confirmed."
"I'll put it in." Colonel Monroe said.
Now the hunt is on…