Part 11 – Atlas
Sasuke was asleep when the sound of his communicator ringing woke him up, Sasuke reached over, and flipped open his communicator, "Hello?" Sasuke asked.
"Hey big brother," Jenny's voice said over the other line.
"Jenny," Sasuke asked, "What are you doing on this line?"
"I just wanted to talk to my big brother." Jenny said.
"Jenny you know it's against regulation to call a service men while on duty," Sasuke said, "Give me a minute to get to the holo-room."
Sasuke stumbled into the holo-room, and spoke, "Computer, call Jenny Uchiha, Uchiha residents, Metropolis," Sasuke said, "Hologram program 1-1-2-3-4-1."
Sasuke leaned back against the wall, and the entire room flickered as the scenery opened to a large field with a single tree in the center which he was leaning back against.
"Hello," Jenny said as she knelt in front of her brother who was half asleep.
"Hey Jenny," Sasuke said as he looked up at his sister.
Sasuke was dressed in 16th century noble wear, mid-knee leather boots, black pants, a long-sleeve white shirt, and a formal black vest.
Jenny herself was dressed in a long elegantly-decorated red dress with high-heel shoes, and her hair was elegantly fashioned.
"I heard a certain someone has himself a new girlfriend," Jenny said as she looked at her brother.
"Where'd you here that," Sasuke asked, feeling a little more awake.
"Popular media," Jenny said as she held up her phone showing the picture of Sasuke and Sakura, their faces blocked off.
"Oh shit," Sasuke said, "How'd you know?"
"I didn't," Jenny said, "But I gathered, the owner's son in the house, black uniform, and a female in the same uniform."
Sasuke stood up, "Oh fuck," Sasuke said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"What's her name?" Jenny asked.
Sasuke pulled out his communicator, and contacted Sakura, "Sakura," he said, "Report to the holo-room."
"Sakura," Jenny said, "The Cherry Blossom."
"Mother's favorite flower," Sasuke said as Sakura appeared out of nowhere, dressed the same as Jenny.
"Sasuke," Sakura said, "Who is this?"
"Sakura," Sasuke said as he wrapped his arm around Sakura's waist, "I'd like you to meet Jenny Lawrence Uchiha," Sakura looked at her boyfriend with surprise, "My adopted sister."
"Oh your sister," Sakura said as she looked at Jenny, then walked over to her, and shook her hand, "A pleasure."
"Same here," Jenny said, "You look familiar."
"That's because she's one of Councilor Tsunade's adopted daughters." Sasuke said.
"The son of the wealthiest man in the Legion," Jenny said, "And the daughter of the most powerful woman in the legion. Sounds like Romeo and Juliet."
"Hopefully this time we won't commit suicide," Sakura said, "How does she know?"
"She figured it out," Sasuke said as he walked up to Jenny, "Jenny listen to me, no one must know that we're together. This must remain between us."
"You have my word," Jenny said, "Your secret will be safe between us."
The hologram flickered off, and it left Sasuke and Sakura standing there in awkward silence.
The rest of the trip took five days, but after a small talk they decided to limit their public appearances.
There was no problem with where they were going next, Atlas is more dangerous than Tangu: the revolutionaries on Atlas had somehow managed to get hold of a small fleet of Frigate-class Starships.
Frigate-class ships are three hundred feet long, are armed with low-grade energy weapons, but lots of them, and are used primarily as support vessels or bombardments, but they are no match for fighter-carriers or destroyer-class starships in long-term battles.
And yet despite that the Legion and the Revolutionaries on Atlas had been constantly fighting in space battles, and open-conflict for little over three years with no end in sight.
Arriving at Atlas was very hectic, the energy-shells from the Frigate-class ships was flying left and right.
"Sasuke, we have a communication coming in," Hinata said, "From the L.O.I.V. Enterprise."
"Patch them through." Sasuke said.
"This is the L.O.I.V. Enterprise," Admiral David Truman said as he came over the screen, "Identify yourself."
"Admiral sir," Sasuke said, "This is Lieutenant Sasuke Uchiha of the L.O.I.V. Independence. We are her on strict orders from the Council."
"Confirmed," Admiral Truman said, "Welcome to Atlas Team 7."
The ship entered the atmosphere, and landed gently at the space dock to be greeted by a small crew of soldiers.
At the front were Master Sergeant Shino and Staff Sergeant Tenten.
Shino and Tenten were both Technophiles, the first and only bio-mechanical species that can have off-springs via sexual-reproduction.
Shino was six-foot-six, his primary color was white and his secondary was cobalt blue, his head was oval-shaped, his eyes were glowing a light blue behind his solid black glasses.
Tenten was five-foot-seven, her primary color was black and her secondary was red, her eyes glowed a deep gold.
"Lieutenant," Shino said as both he, Tenten, and the soldiers gathered behind them saluted Sasuke.
"Sergeant," Sasuke said as he held out his hand, "A pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise sir," Shino said as he shook his hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Would you follow us sir?"
Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata followed Shino and Tenten through the trenches while artillery fire erupted in the distance to a large building.
Once inside, Shino started prepping the double-drum clip for an AA-12 fully-automatic shotgun, "I heard all about your mission Lieutenant," Shino said, "You're here to help us with this war?"
"We also have a secondary objective," Sasuke said as he sat down across the room from Shino, "Ever since our squad defected, we've been looking at new potential Team Seven members."
"Who were you looking at," Shino asked as he loaded the double-drum clip into the AA-12, and then checked the sights.
"You two." Sasuke said.
"WHAT," Shino asked as his grip failed him, and he lost his AA-12, luckily the safety was on or it would have come an inch from causing Sasuke to have to get a synthetic eye.
"You heard me right," Sasuke said, "We'll be evaluating you over these next few missions together. When we're through we should have a decision on whether or not your two pass or fail."
"We need to speak to the person in charge," Sakura said, "We need to start our operations."
"The Colonel is at the front-lines," Shino said, "He's sent us details for our next mission."
Shino walked over to a table, Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, Hinata, and Tenten followed him, Shino waved his hand over a small camera, and a holographic image of one of the revolutionaries' compounds came up.
"This is Point-Break," Tenten said, "We believe that this bunker holds vital intel regarding the way we can shut down the frigates fighting our ships above."
"That would make the battle shorter for us," Sasuke said, "How much of the area this base is in can we see?"
"All of it." Shino said.
"Zoom out," Sasuke said, as Shino was zooming out on the holographic image, Sasuke was scanning for tactical advantages, "Stop it right there," Sasuke then came up with a plan, "I've got an idea."
Twelve Hours later…
The VTOL touched down in the forest twelve miles from the cliffs, when the side of the VTOL opened, Sasuke was the first to step out with his M16A1 gripped firmly in his hands, he waved his hand, and signaled his team to move.
Sakura, Hinata, and Tenten jumped out next, then Shino who kept a firm grip on his AA-12.
Naruto jumped out behind Shino, an Uchiha Enterprises L115 with a 10x zoom-scope, a suppressor, and a tri-pod.
"Move up," Sasuke said as he ushered his team forward.
The team moved through the trees that hadn't been felled by artillery fire or machinegun bullets.
Reaching the end of the tree-line they found themselves ten yards from the edge of a cliff.
Sasuke waved his hand downwards, and the team dropped to a prone position.
The six soldiers crawled into an over-view position of the compound, "Looks like they're preparing for an attack," Sasuke said as he looked at the compound through the binocular-function in his mask, he then looked back at his team, "Naruto, set up here, Sakura, Tenten, cover him," he then turned to look at Shino and Hinata, "Shino, Hinata, with me, we need to be as quiet as possible before, and gain as much ground as we can before the Auxiliaries start their attack."
Sasuke, Shino, and Hinata moved down the slopped-section of the hill to the battle-ground where several soldiers had set up camp.
The three crawled across the ground until they reached the edge of the trench, Sasuke peered over the edge of the trench, and saw a small squad of soldiers half-asleep.
He then ducked into cover, and signaled with his hands what he wanted the team to do.
Sasuke, Hinata, and Shino then all rolled over the edge of the trench, landed inside, Sasuke prone, Shino crouched, and Hinata standing, the three took aim, and fired.
As the hostiles laid dead in the trench, Sasuke, Hinata, and Shino followed the trench until they reached one of the trenches that led to the main compound.
"Alright," Sasuke said, "It's only about fifty yards from here to the base, we'll be heavily exposed while we cross the ground, so keep your heads down, and move quickly…"
It was then that several explosions struck the compound, and send dirt and debris falling down on top of the three soldiers.
Sasuke looked into the tree-line one mile away from the compound, and saw explosions from artillery fire coming from the tree-line.
"No, no, no," Sasuke said as he checked his watch, "Their attack wasn't supposed to begin for another half hour!"
"We have to get to the computers before they erase everything," Shino said as he charged out of the trench, followed by Sasuke and Hinata.
"Alright," Sasuke said, "We know that building B is where the computer is. We've got about a hundred and fifty yards between us and there."
"After you sir." Shino said.
Sasuke then raised his M16, and fired twice, dropping two hostiles.
"GO!" Sasuke exclaimed.
The three charged across the courtyard as several hostiles turned to fire at them, Hinata made a quick 90 degree turn, outstretched her left leg, then bent her right inwards, dropped to the ground, and then bent over so her head was touching the ground.
Once she raised her P90, she emptied the magazine into the hostiles.
Shino then fired himself, grabbed Hinata, and pulled her behind him, saving her from taking a shotgun shell.
Sasuke, Shino, and Hinata took cover by the entrance to building B, "Naruto," Sasuke said, "You got eyes on us?"
"Roger," Naruto said as he focused in on the area his team mates were in, "I've got a clear line-of-sight."
"Alright," Sasuke said, "Let's go."
The three charged in, and saw one hostile with his hand to the keyboard, "Freeze," Sasuke said as he aimed his M16 at the man's back.
The man turned around, and he was holding a pitcher of water, and Sasuke knew what he had in mind.
"Ah shit," Sasuke said, "Naruto we have a situation. One hostile has a pitcher of water to the console."
"Can you get him?" Naruto asked.
"Negative," Sasuke said, "Guy's got a full twenty feet head-start on us, one of us gets within five feet, he spills that over the console, shorts it out, and we lose the data."
"I have the solution," Shino said as he lowered him AA-12, and drew a .50 caliber Desert Eagle with a polished & blued finish and a gold-plated trigger, hammer, trigger-lock, sights, and slide-release.
"Naruto, you have a clear shot at the jug?" Sasuke asked.
"Roger." Naruto said.
"On your shot." Sasuke said.
Naruto steadied his aim, and pulled the trigger, the bullet shattered the window, ripped a hole through the jug, and spilled the water all over the floor.
Shino the fired himself, the shot pierced the hostile's wrist, and took his hand clean off his arm.
As the man knelt to the ground, holding his forearm, Sasuke walked up to him, pulled out his M1911, and put two bullets in the back of the hostile's skull.
Hinata then wiped the blood off the console, and started downloaded the information onto the Memory chip stored in the compartment on top of her belt.
As she was downloading the information, Sasuke and Shino set up a barricade facing the door, and prepared to fight off an army of rebels.
Just as the door opened, one of the rebels set one foot inside the door, and an explosion from the Auxiliaries' artillery-fire.
"Wasn't expecting that." Shino said.
"They always want to go out with a bang." Sasuke said.
"I got something," Hinata said as she retrieved the memory chip, and turned toward Sasuke and Shino, "Let's go!"
Sasuke, Hinata, and Shino ran out of the building, and ran back toward the cliffs, "Naruto, we've got the data," Sasuke exclaimed, "Get back to the VTOL, and get that bastard ready to go!"
"Roger," Naruto said as he picked up his rifle, and then signaled Sakura and Tenten to follow him.
After climbing up the incline to the top of the cliffs, Sasuke turned around, raised his M16, placed his finger on the trigger of the M203, sent the grenade into the incline, and destroyed a large section of the slope, and blocked the pathway for the rebels.
The three soldiers then ran toward the VTOL, and as Naruto was raising the VTOL into the air, Sasuke, Shino, and Hinata came running, followed by twenty rebels who had found some way around the incline.
"JOCK! START THE ENGINES JOCK," Sasuke yelled, " JOCK, THE ENGINES!"
Naruto looked in Sasuke's direction, and lifted the VTOL steadily into the air, Sasuke was using an old Legion phrase for, 'Get that bird in the air now'.
As the VTOL was lifting into the air, Shino and Hinata jumped into the side of the chopper, and as Sasuke jumped in, the rebels started firing at them.
The VTOL cleared the trees just in time for the rebel base to go up in flames.
"WOOOO," Shino yelled, "THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE!"
"Yep," Sasuke said, "Nice job, I…" Sasuke then flinched in pain, and grabbed his side, "Oh no," he said as he pulled his hand away, and saw a splotch of blood on his glove which was cleaned off by the suit.
Sasuke then fell back against the side of the VTOL, and Sakura ran over to him to check on the wound, "Let me take a look at it," Sakura said as she disabled Sasuke's uniform, and then pulled open his jacket to see the wound, "Clean entrance in and out of the right kidney, nothing serious," Sakura then grabbed a syringe out of the med-kit she pulled off the wall, "This should relieve the pain," Sakura jammed the needle directly into Sasuke's bicep, and emptied the contents into his arm, "That's a Gold Skull."
"I'll accept it once we're off this damn planet," Sasuke said as Sakura removed his jacket, then cut off his white tee-shirt so she could bandage up the bullet-wound.
Back at base, Sasuke stayed in the infirmary while Sakura repaired the damage done to his kidney and side.
Meanwhile, Hinata was in the Independence, taking a shower when Naruto walked into the shower-room, "Hey Hinata," Naruto said as walked in with a towel wrapped around his waist.
"Naruto," Hinata said as she turned around, and was taken by surprise when she saw his perfectly chiseled Huran body.
A Huran's body comprises of Human skin and part of the Turan exoskeleton, everything from Naruto's collar-bone up to his jaw was human anatomy covered in a Turan exoskeleton, as was the outline of his pectorals down to the space just above his upper-waist, and inside the outline of the exoskeleton was a regular human chest and tightly-drawn six-pack abs.
Naruto stepped into the shower, then threw the towel over the door to the shower which covered everything from his mid-thigh to his upper-stomach, and turned on the water.
As Naruto was washing his hair with the special soap that was a two-in-one body-soap and shampoo made specifically for Hurans, Hinata watched as the muscles of his back and arms rippled as he moved the soap around in his hair.
"You enjoying the show?" Naruto asked.
"Sorry," Hinata said as she went back to washing herself, "I didn't mean to stare."
"Its fine," Naruto said as he rinsed the soap out of his hair, "During selection I was stuck in an all-female group, and they used to stare all the time."
"You dated any one of them," Hinata asked as she scrubbed her ash-grey skin with her bath-sponge.
"No," Naruto said, "I've never had any real relationship in my military career before."
The steam that was coming out of the two showers was filling the room, making it very hot and humid, but it wasn't the only thing that was hot, both Naruto and Hinata were also heating up, they both turned the water down a little, but it didn't help.
After shutting the water off, they both left the shower at the same time, and they each caught a glimpse of each other's fully-exposed bodies.
"Holy shit," Naruto thought, he couldn't help but stare, Hinata was beautiful, and there was no second-guessing that.
The heat got more intense as they got closer, and as they met at the towel-rack in the center, Naruto placed his hands down on the rack, and Hinata cover her hands with his.
The next thing Naruto knew, Hinata was in his arms, and they were kissing each other like two long-lost lovers that had just found each other.
After leaving the shower-room, they made-out, fully naked into Naruto's room where they stumbled, and tripped onto the bed.
Naruto pinned Hinata underneath him, and entered her very quickly, she whimpered in pain, but it soon succeeded, and turned into pleasure.
After several minutes, Hinata couldn't take it anymore, she then gripped onto Naruto's shoulders, and clenched around him, "Oh shit Naruto!" She exclaimed.
"Ah fuck," Naruto exclaimed as he exploded into her, and held himself up, making very sure not to collapse on top of her.
Naruto then settled down on his side, and tried to catch his breathe.
"Oh god," Hinata said as she held her arm to her forehead, "That was amazing."
Naruto pulled the blanket over both him and Hinata, "You were amazing," Naruto said as he kissed Hinata on the lips once before reaching up to the light-controls above his bed, and turned the light-level down.
Hinata then reached up to the door-controls, and locked the door before falling asleep next to Naruto.
After getting patched up, Sasuke returned with Sakura to the Independence, and once they entered, Sasuke noticed the briefing-table in the center of the central-area had a red light flashing which generally meant there was a message from Central Command.
Sasuke walked up to the console, followed by Sakura, Sasuke hit the answer button, "Command this is the Independence," Sasuke said, "Situation?"
"Uchiha," Councilor Hatake said over the other line, "Have you located Brute yet?"
"Negative sir," Sasuke said, "We've acquired some data from the rebels that should give us an idea of where he is."
"Good," Councilor Hatake said, "Because we need to get him back right now. As of right now we know that your former CO is planning something big, and your former teammates killing BRD officers isn't helping us. As far as Orochimaru knows the men he sent here died in operational accidents. We've sent the bodies back, but he still wants to know what happened to the defectors."
"If he calls, then you tell him I don't give a tenth of a fuck about what he knows or doesn't know," Sasuke said, "We need time. When we get Brute the only one left is Stone."
"That's what I was hoping you'd say Lieutenant," Councilor Hatake said, "Keep up the good work."
"Thank you sir," Sasuke said, "Will do."
As the line cut, Sasuke leaned forward onto the console, "What is it?" Sakura asked.
"It's been a month since I put on this uniform," Sasuke said, "It's been four and a half weeks since Grim was killed and me and Naruto were betrayed then promoted. Now we've got almost our entire team in custody. I'm a Lieutenant, and the CO of the greatest squad the Legion has ever produced."
"And I've never served under a better man," Sakura said as she placed her hand on Sasuke's back, then grabbed his forearm, "Or had a better boyfriend."
Sasuke looked up at Sakura, and smiled, "And I've never had a better girlfriend," Sasuke said, "What did I do to deserve you?"
Sakura smiled, then leaned upwards, and kissed Sasuke on the lips.
"Come on," Sasuke said, "We've got a universe to save."
You wanted some steam, I gave you some steam, I only hope it was watered down enough to keep me out of trouble…