Happy Friday, I suppose. Please enjoy!
They docked the Raptor in the Invictus. Within the hour, the Assault Cruiser had left Jericho and Epsilon Eridani behind, shifting into hyperwarp after leaving the gravity well.
"18 hours, so dinner time tommorow." Hinata hopped off her XO Chair. She looked at the gravid form of Gaara, who looked like a beach ball with a head, arms, and legs attached. "You enjoy your double dose after starving for a day? Again, we're all sorry for forgetting that."
*I am… quite content,* he whispered rapturously. *I can literally FEEL my mind expanding. How can any of you function with a belly full of Naruto's cum?*
"You get used to it," Hinata said with a grin.
"I relate to that. I feel practically drunk when Naruto fills my tummy," Fu said happily.
"It feels like you're the center of the universe," Tenten said wistfully, eyeing Gaara appreciatively.
"Like he's filled you with light and love and hope," Hana mused poetically.
"And getting it there is a treat in itself," Sasuke grinned.
"Happy to do it for you, ladies and gents," Naruto said from the Command Chair. "Now let's go to bed. I had trouble sleeping last night with only one person in bed with me… wow, I'm spoiled."
They all chuckled. "Wait until we start providing you with heirs. All of us Thralls and your kids running up to hug you when you come home," Hinata said longingly.
"Come home? I'll never want to leave!" Naruto exclaimed.
They all went to sleep in a naked pile on the bed, thoughts and fantasies of their domestic future in their heads.
They all woke up around 0400 by a nightmare in their collective psyche. Everyone sat up, looking at each other to determine the source. The guilty expression on Tenten's face was telling.
"What's bothering you, honey?" Naruto asked, wrapping her in a hug.
"I don't want to say it," she muttered.
"Why not, dear?" Sasuke asked, leaning into her side.
"You'll think I'm a horrible person," Tenten insisted.
"Tenten, we all love you. Anything you say, we'll forgive you," Hinata countered, snuggling into the group hug growing around her teenage companion.
"I… I'm just so 'jealous'," Tenten hissed.
"Of what?" Hana asked.
Tenten seemed to explode. "Of you! You had the perfect life! Perfect house, perfect parents, perfect siblings! You had EVERYTHING and I was abandoned! I was left at an orphanage with nothing but a blanket and a note with my name on it! And it's just. Not. Fair!" She huffed for breath afterwards, before seeming to collapse in on herself. "It's just not fair," she sobbed.
They all looked at each other askance. As always, Naruto took charge. "You may not have had a family growing up. But you have one now," he assured, tightening his grip and flooding the Pack mind with love and acceptance.
The others followed suit, suffusing Tenten in an all-encompassing blanket of affection. Her crying subsided, until she found herself lying in Naruto's arms with a serene smile on her face.
*We love you. We care for you. We will never let you go,* the Pack thought in unison.
*I know.* Tenten closed her eyes and slid back into sleep. The others rearranged themselves around her and did the same, Gaara feeling the odd one out for not joining in on the moment. But sadly, he wasn't Pack yet, not really. But in time, he would be.
They woke up four hours later to the lights slowly turning on, their alternative to a noisy alarm. Everyone checked on Tenten, who assured them that she was fine. "Really guys, last night was wonderful. I really feel like my abandonment issues have been put to rest. I just want to spend the day in my Engineering Bay working on our new robotic overlord, okay?"
They all reluctantly took her word for it, sensing nothing but sincerity from her thoughts.
Naruto made them all breakfast and then went up to the Bridge along with Gaara and Hinata. They had a couple calls to make. Hana and Sasuke decided that a sparring match to cover the mistakes she'd made yesterday against her brothers was in order. Fu wanted to spend time in the pool.
Naruto and Hinata took their Chairs while Gaara waddled to his Comms Station, his belly round with the load he'd coaxed from Naruto that morning. He was now the same height Hana had been when she'd just joined the crew. He had growths on the side of his head that would turn into ears in a few more days, and his head was covered with red bristles. His flowing white robes now came to just below his knees, looking like a dress or long shirt. He was actually more ugly than when he'd started, but three more days of meals would see him a handsome, albeit grey-skinned black-eyed, Beta Uzu.
"Call Sakura first. Hopefully she's not on call," Naruto requested.
*Calling the pink-haired healer,* Gaara thought, selecting the option from a list of call history numbers.
They took decidedly less time to connect to Port Medea, having crossed half the distance between them already. The holo-image of Sakura appeared, wearing a white coat.
"Hinata! Naruto! You just caught me on my way out the door," the medic said.
Naruto smiled at the woman who might be his wife one day. "We won't keep you long. We're just calling to tell you we'll be there by 1800, give or take."
Sakura's eyes lit up with excitement. "I'm on duty from 1000 to 2000. If you wait a couple hours, we can all have the interview over dinner!"
"About time we had it! And you can meet the rest of the crew!" Hinata cheered. "Enjoy your shift, or is that the wrong sentiment?" She asked.
"No, 'enjoy' works as well as anything. See you tonight!" With that, Sakura ended the call.
"Now for Shino," Naruto instructed his Grey Pack member.
The image of Vice Admiral Aburame Shino filled the viewscreen, and the older man's face was lined with worry since they last spoke to him.
"It's great to hear from you Naruto, but it's not a good time. What do you need?" he asked bluntly.
"I'm looking to recruit a Medical Officer. She's fresh out of medical school, so not a huge loss to the Navy. I was hoping you could green-light a transfer under my command?" he asked succinctly.
An amused grin formed on Shino's face and then he laughed good naturedly. "Going by the rest of your crew, I can only imagine what she looks like. You're going to wreck fleet morale if you keep headhunting all the pretty girls from the Navy. What's her name? I'll authorize it immediately."
"Her name's Haruno Sakura, based on Port Medea," Hinata interjected helpfully. "And hi, Shino!" she added happily.
"Hello Hinata," Shino replied to the beautiful girl, with a bemused smile on his face. "I'll put the transfer through right now."
"Wait a minute!" he gasped suddenly, looking at them in alarm. "Port Medea! Naruto, you're not heading into the Dragon March are you?"
"Is that a problem?" Naruto asked archly.
Shino was about to say something, and then clenched his jaw tightly shut. He turned and entered a few quick commands on his desk console before turning back to them. "I've authorized a permanent transfer awaiting your confirmation, but you need to promise me you'll get in and out as fast as you can. Don't hang around, Naruto..." he warned his old friend soberly.
"Thanks Shino, I appreciate it, and the warning," Naruto replied, and nodded to the older man respectfully.
"Be careful," Shino said, his worried face disappearing from the screen as he hit the button to end the call.
"Well, that didn't sound good," Hinata said somberly.
"The K-Fed must have gotten intel on an upcoming attack, that's the only reason that could explain why everyone above my rank is so jumpy," Naruto deduced.
*Is it wise, then, to go charging in? As you once said, we're just one Assault Cruiser,* Gaara worried.
"We're halfway to Uzu grade weaponry after the refit, we're deadly as a Battleship now and twice as maneuverable. We can handle any Kumo force small enough to slip past the border," Naruto said confidently. "All the same, I'll feel better if everyone stayed on the Bridge after lunch."
Naruto and Hinata spent a few hours playing Space Chess, Hinata naturally kicking his butt. Gaara proved a better opponent, in fact turning out to be a bit of a chess prodigy. Only partially enhanced, he still managed to checkmate Hinata with a couple bishops and a single pawn.
"I… lost," Hinata said faintly. She shrugged and grinned wickedly. "Guess this means I owe you a blowjob, Gaara!"
*Oh, no, you don't have to…* Gaara was silenced by Hinata wrapping her mouth around his noticeably larger erection.
*Our women LIKE to service us, Gaara. Take what you can get and be thankful for it,* Naruto advised, watching his Matriarch pleasure his Thrall with approval.
When they were done, Naruto fed Gaara an early lunch. Then the three of them made for the Kitchen to prepare a nice meal for the crew, and possibly fuel them for a conflict.
The crew gathered at noon on the dot, enjoying the steak lunch that Naruto and Hinata had cooked. Naruto explained to them his concerns about the Dragon March and his desire for everyone to stay on the Bridge. Everyone but Tenten agreed at first, and the Chief Engineer acquiesced after an argument about how vital she'd be in a ship-to-ship battle.
"Fine. But this is going to delay the Mainframe by half a day!" She groused.
"That is not a problem," Sasuke grumbled, still paranoid about AI.
They all went up to the Bridge. Just in time, too. The intercom light was blinking.
*We have a high priority call coming in from the Konoha Federation Navy,* Gaara informed them.
"Thanks Gaara, put me through please," he told the Grey, and he accepted the incoming transmission. The view-screen crackled to life on the Bridge, and the face of a stern man in a Konoha Federation Navy uniform filled the image.
"This is Captain Maddox on the Medusa," he said in a firm voice. "You will soon be approaching the Dragon March. Please state your purpose and destination."
"This is Commander Uzumaki on the Invictus," Naruto replied. "We're visiting Port Medea, to conduct a crew transfer."
Captain Maddox's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Our sensors show your vessel is heavily modified from the standard Assault Cruiser specifications. You may continue on your present course while we verify your story, but prepare to be boarded and searched if it doesn't check out." he said ominously before closing the comm channel.
"Things must be a lot worse than I thought if they've set up picket ships to keep everyone out," Naruto said, looking concerned.
"We're picking up the Medusa on our long range sensors," Hana informed him eagerly. "It's a Heavy Carrier!"
"Any support ships?" he asked her immediately.
"Three Heavy Cruisers, several Light Carriers and dozens of Destroyers," she gasped, as the sensor data picked up the Konoha Federation transponders.
"That's a big reserve force," Naruto muttered grimly. "Something big must be happening."
"If they've pulled that large a force in as a reserve, they must be anticipating a breakout deeper into Konoha Federation territory," Hana said speculatively.
"The Kumo must really be causing some damage," Naruto said, nodding in agreement with her assessment.
"Didn't you say the two sides were pretty balanced?" Hinata asked him curiously. "Why would it suddenly be going so badly for our side?"
"It could be a whole host of reasons; an incompetent commander in a key position on our side, a strategic genius commanding their force, some kind of tech advantage, or the Kumo Empire throwing everything they've got at us. Without knowing more details, it could be anything," Sasuke replied with a helpless shrug.
"I still say the traitor option is a possibility," Naruto muttered.
*We've got Maddox on the Medusa hailing us again,* Gaara spoke up.
"Put him through," Naruto ordered grimly, and the stern faced captain of the Heavy Carrier filled the viewscreen once more.
"You may proceed, Commander Uzumaki," Captain Maddox said grudgingly. "But we'll be keeping an eye on you."
Naruto didn't bother to respond to the impolite Captain and just ended the call, the other man's surprised face disappearing from the screen.
Hinata pressed a button displaying the sector map, which showed their current path in a green line. "We've got five hours left until we get to Port Medea," she said, as the Invictus raced across the map at incredible speed using its Tachyon Drive.
"I'm seeing nothing on the long-range scanners. There's zero civilian traffic! The Dragon March is military only at the moment," Tenten observed.
They passed a few hours with idle chatter, always keeping one eye on the sector map. At around 1500, a spot of excitement happened.
"We're picking up a large flotilla of ships on the long range scans," Hana said in alarm.
"Ours or theirs?" Naruto asked curtly.
"Just a few seconds longer," Hana said, waiting for the transponder information to be populated on the sector map. "They're friendlies!" she eventually sighed with relief, as information began to appear detailing their Konoha Federation affiliation and configurations.
"It looks like they're leaving the Dragon March," Tenten observed, noticing how quickly they were approaching the substantial convoy of vessels, which were clearly travelling to some location behind the Invictus. "But if there's lots of fighting going on, why would that many ships be leaving?"
"Alter our course slightly please Hinata, bring us in for a close flyby," Naruto requested, intending to confirm his suspicions.
Hinata dutifully made the course corrections, and the glistening white Assault Cruiser made a subtle directional shift, which would take them within a few dozen kilometers of the flotilla. They waited and watched the System Map as they raced past the departing Konoha Federation vessels, and detailed sensor information began to be displayed against each ship.
"Holy shit!" Sasuke swore vehemently, saying what they were all feeling.
"I can see why they'd be retreating," Fu said quietly, as she gazed up at the battered ships.
The flotilla was made up of dozens of battle damaged Konoha vessels, ranging in size from Corvettes, all the way up to a lone Battleship that had been brutally savaged by plasma fire. Each of the ships told a similar tale of woe, with damage ranging from moderate through to critical, and all showing the trademark scarring from plasma attacks, the weapon of choice for the Kumo Empire.
"They're getting hammered!" Hana gasped in shock. "That's nearly a quadrant fleet right there."
"And those are the survivors," Naruto muttered grimly.
"Is there anything we can do to help out?" Hana asked plaintively, as she turned in her chair and looked up at him where he sat on the command podium.
"We're good as a capital ship with the upgraded Lasers and Shields, but we're not a fleet destroyer yet. We can help out in a single exchange, but we're not crippling the Kumo Navy all on our own," Naruto patiently explained. "The Konoha Federation will just have to weather the storm."
Hana set her shoulders. "I'm going to quietly do some research on the whole conflict. If there's a traitor, I'm going to ferry them out."
"I'll help," Sasuke swore. "And I'll gut the traitor myself."
When they were approximately thirty minutes from Port Medea, Hana began to highlight sensor readings on the system maps as they tore through each system, passing the different stars along their route.
"Wreck sites," she said ominously.
"How can you tell?" Fu asked her curiously.
"I've spent hours poring over sensor readings for sites of pirate attacks, and then there were the Suna victims of the Kusa raiders. I recognise the debris patterning," she said soberly.
"Military ships?" Naruto asked her pensively.
"No, civilians I suspect, probably lone merchant vessels that were picked off by long range probing attacks," Hana said, studying the nearest solitary wreck and its sensor profile.
"Well that explains the complete lack of civilian ships around at least. It looks like everyone is giving this place a wide berth now," Naruto concluded.
The sense of anticipation rose as they closed on their destination, and it came as a relief when the Invictus finally dropped out of hyperwarp, arriving unscathed at the Iota Leonis system, home of Port Medea. Hinata displayed the System and Tactical Maps in the center of the Bridge, and the bright blue-white glow of the Class O star appeared, centered on the map. Iota Leonis had no habitable planets, but there were several gas giants orbiting the star, and according to the Tactical Map, these were heavily utilised by numerous gas mining facilities and refineries. Port Medea was a substantial Konoha Federation starport, and was in orbit around a volcanic planet in the fifth orbital path around the star.
Their relief was shattered when an alarm ran out from the long-range scanners.
"Incoming enemy force. It's the Kumo Empire!" Tenten reported, eyes flying over the data their sensors had picked up. "Blocked transponders… let me fix that." The Chief Engineer furiously typed for a few seconds, each hand operating independently of the other. "Got it! A Heavy Carrier, a Cruiser, and a few dozen Destroyers."
"How soon until they're in system?" Naruto asked, on the edge of his seat.
"At their current speed, two hours," Tenten reported.
"We have to warn Port Medea. We can turn this into an ambush!" Sasuke said excitedly.
*Shall I hail Port Medea?* Gaara asked.
Naruto sighed and wiped sweaty palms on his pants. "Go ahead. Every second we waste is a life lost in this upcoming attack."
Gaara obediently contacted the standard number for Port Medea.
"Incoming Assault Cruiser, please state your purpose at Port Medea," came the unenthusiastic response.
"Commander Uzumaki Naruto on the Invictus. We originally came here to conduct a crew transfer. But now we're here to assist in fighting off an attack by the Kumo Empire."
"Pardon me, Invictus, you're here to do what?" asked the incredulous comms officer.
"You heard me, soldier. We're sending over the data from our scanners now. Send this up the line," Naruto instructed firmly.
"Invictus, please standby," said the overwhelmed officer.
A few minutes passed before a holo-image appeared above the Bridge. A man in a Konoha Federation officer jacket with a skeptical expression.
"This is Lieutenant Commander Mortensen. Is this some kind of joke, Commander Uzumaki?" He demanded.
"I'm afraid not. The scanner data is accurate, I'd stake my life on that."
"How are you possibly picking up data from so far away? How did you get Kumo transponder codes?" Mortensen followed up.
"Our sensors are the best in the Galactic League, and my Chief Engineer is a bit of a hacker. We saw the threat when we entered the system and naturally decided to warn you," Naruto explained calmly.
Lieutenant Commander Mortensen gulped. "If you're lying, and we scramble the garrison ships and nothing happens, that's millions of ryo wasted."
"And if you don't and something does happen, that's millions of lives wasted!" Naruto fired back.
Mortensen gulped. "I'll consult the Station Commander," he finally said. Then the call cut off.
Sasuke grit his teeth. "If I had my old rank, I could order these idiots to just do as they're told."
"But you don't. So relax and hope they're not idiots," Fu comforted.
The intercom began to blink again. Mortensen appeared above them again. He looked extremely troubled. "Commander Storb says we're a go. You're to coordinate with Captain Harding on the Cruiser Hermes for the battle." Mortensen gulped. "God help you all."
There was a rush of activity from Port Medea, as the garrison ships began to launch. There was a Konoha Federation Cruiser, several Frigates, and a number of Destroyers based at Port Medea as a garrison force, along with the CAP fighters beginning to launch from Port Medea.
"They would have been equal to the Kumo force if it weren't for that Heavy Carrier. With us here, we stand a strong chance, especially if they underestimate us because of our size," Hana reasoned. "Here's just hoping this Captain Harding isn't a tactical idiot."
*Speak of the devil, that is the phrase, yes? The Hermes is hailing us,* Gaara told them telepathically.
Naruto hit the button. A man in an officer's cap and a Konoha Federation Navy uniform appeared. "Commander Uzumaki, this is Captain Harding on the Hermes. I understand we have you to thank for warning us of this raid."
"Pleasure to meet you Captain, though I wish it were under better circumstances. We just picked them up on our sensors and alerted Port Medea," Naruto understated.
Captain Harding adjusted his cap. "Are your sensors the only thing you have upgraded? I notice that you're not using Titanium plating."
"Put simply, Captain, the Invictus is an Assault Cruiser on steroids. Lots of them. Our Lasers are in the same league as the Oto, our Mass Drivers can crack a moon, our Shields are just a step below the Mizu's, we're nimble as a squirrel, and our armor is over half a dozen times stronger than Titanium. I don't feel like I'm exaggerating when I say we could take on a Battleship," Naruto listed with a straight face.
Harding's jaw had dropped. "How… just, how?"
"I'm a millionaire and I have literally the smartest woman I've ever met as my Chief Engineer. She came up with the upgrades, and I paid for them," Naruto told, a little white lie at the end to avoid drawing attention to their alliance with the Suna.
"And you're a civilian?" Harding demanded, incredulous.
"Special Ops Consultant. I'm effectively above the Chain of Command and can act independently. But we'll follow your orders since it's your home we're defending," Naruto offered graciously.
Harding had a wry smile and shook his head. "I don't think there's much I could do with you that you couldn't do better. I'm officially ordering you to give no quarter in the upcoming battle. Just don't get in our way and do whatever you want. I'm giving you a lot of trust here, Commander; don't make me a fool."
"Wouldn't dream of it. Now, let's get in formation for when the Kumo enter the system," Naruto suggested.
"Good luck and godspeed, Commander."
"To you as well, Captain."
The transmission ended.
"No quarter. Two best words in the Standard language," Hana said, rubbing her hands together.
"What's our plan of attack, Lieutenant?" Naruto asked, sitting back in his Chair.
"The clear and immediate threat is the Heavy Carrier. That thing will have hundreds of gunships and bombers onboard. If we could spear their Power Core in the first few minutes, we could take out the bulk of their force in one fell swoop. After that, the Cruiser and the Destroyers should be easy enough to pick off. We could win this conflict on our own with Uzu 0.5 tech, but luckily we have the Hermes and the other garrison troops. I say we go for a blitzkrieg against the Heavy Carrier and then help the Port Medea forces mop up the mess," Hana strategized.
Fu sat up. "Should I go out in the Raptor? I could help take out the Destroyers!"
Naruto looked askance at Hana. His Tactical Officer shrugged. "The Raptor is as good as a Destroyer after the refit, with much better shields. She could pick off one or two without getting in any real danger," she hypothesized.
Naruto sighed. "Alright, Fu, get out there. But I want your word to keep safe. The instant your shields get below 10%, I ORDER you to cut and run. Understood?"
"Yes master," she replied, falling into old habits. She grinned and gave him a kiss before dashing for the anti-grav tubes. A few short minutes later, the Raptor pulled away from the Invictus and took position alongside them, like a baby animal following its mother. The two ships stood out with their glittering white hulls compared to the Titanium grey of the Konoha Federation vessels.
"And now we wait. This was always the worst part for me," Sasuke sighed, as Tenten helpfully put up a clock for the estimated time of the Kumo force arriving at Iota Leonis.
"You're telling me. And I was in the Marine transport, no idea what was happening," Naruto agreed.
They passed a very tense 90 minutes in silence, occasionally trying to spark conversation but ultimately failing. Fu kept them slightly entertained by pulling off some aerial acrobatics near and around the ship. The last 60 seconds is when they all really tensed. Hinata pulled them in close to the edge of the system, anticipating where the Kumo ships would appear.
Accurate to the second, the raiders from the Kumo Empire arrived in the system. Their angular ships glimmered with a pearlescent green, matching the green fire of their Plasma weaponry. There was a moment of stunned pause when they realized a defense force was already mobilized. Then the first shots of Plasma began to crash against Konoha Federation Shields.
*Sasuke, active scan of the Heavy Carrier! Hana, break its Shields. Hinata, keep us from getting hit!* Naruto commanded at the speed of thought.
*Yes, Commander!* they answered.
Hana let loose with the searing blue Beam Lasers as Hinata lined her up with the Heavy Carrier. The Shields on the Kumo vessel visibly buckled but did not vanish. As the Beams cut out, Hana let loose with the sixteen Laser Cannons on the top deck, Hinata skillfully dodging incoming Plasma fire while maneuvering the ship to best help the Tactical Officer take down their enemy.
Sasuke scanned the results that popped up on his console. "Power Core, Tachyon Drive, Shield Generator, Engines, all marked. Blow 'em up!"
The Beams cooling due to the phenomenal Uzu 0.5 heatsinks and the sturdiness of the hexa-shaped Invictium barrels, Hana aimed them as Hinata once again twisted the Invictus like a fish through water. Lining up the firing arcs with the marked Power Core, Hana depressed the trigger on her joystick. The bolts of searing light shot out, breaking through the last of the Kumo shields and speared straight through the ship. One Beam pierced straight through the heart of the Kumo Power Core. The miniature sun within was no longer contained and released its fiery fury. The ship and a good square lightminute all around it went up in a white explosion. The Invictus was caught in the blast, but their superior shields held out and protected them from the radioactive boom.
The whole thing took just 20 seconds. The Heavy Carrier hadn't even had a chance to open its first hangar bay.
Naruto had a brain wave. "Gaara, give me a broadcast to every Kumo vessel!"
Gaara hesitated, not knowing how to select certain ships yet, and decided to just flick the switch for a system-wide broadcast.
"Attention raiders of the Kumo Empire. I am Commander Uzumaki Naruto on the Invictus. Surrender yourselves to the Konoha Federation and you will be spared my wrath. Continue to fight, and face the same fate as your Carrier. You have one minute to comply." With that, Naruto cut his hand over his throat to signal Gaara to stop.
The Cruiser and Destroyers hung there in silence, seemingly in shock at seeing their biggest advantage reduced to atoms within the first minute of combat. At the 57 second mark, Gaara alerted them to a hail from the Kumo Cruiser.
The holo-image appeared, showing the first Kumo for many of the Pack. It very much resembled an upright komodo dragon, with ruby red scales and a shortened snout. It's golden eyes were filled with sorrow. "My name isss Prelate Jarganth in command of the Cruiser Karlan'toh. It appearsss that your power greatly exceedsss our own, Uzumaki Naruto. We have no desssire to die at your hand, and we accept your offer, requesssting only that you adhere to Galactic League termsss of surrender," the Kumo Commander said, his hissing voice filled with regret.
"I accept your terms Prelate Jarganth. Power down your weapons, shields, and engines, and withdraw your Destroyers. We will arrange for Konoha forces to assume control of your ship, and take your men into custody as prisoners of war," Naruto replied magnanimously.
"We will follow your commandsss to the letter, Uzumaki Naruto," Jarganth nodded, as he slumped into his Command Chair, resigned to his fate.
Naruto cut the call, only to receive another from Captain Harding. The man appeared, wringing his cap in his hands. "What the bloody blue fuck was that?" he screeched.
"Knock out the big one and the little ones fall in line. Classic shock and awe tactics, Captain. You 'did' say we could give no quarter," Naruto said remindingly.
The man actually chewed his cap before setting it back on his head. "Well, looks like you rendered the rest of us obsolete."
"Not necessarily. Prelate Jarganth on the Karlan'toh just offered me his surrender. You and your forces can spend the next couple hours taking them all in and setting them up in the Port Medea prison."
"We'll get right on that. The After Action Report on this is going to read like a fairy tale." Harding seemed to gather himself and gave a crisp salute. "You did good work, Commander. You did the Konoha Federation proud."
"Happy to serve," Naruto said with a grin. "Now, if you'll excuse me, we originally came here to pick up a Medical Officer. We're going to dock with Port Medea now and get her onboard before leaving. Hope you don't mind us leaving you with the clean-up."
"A bloodless victory against these odds? It's an honor to claim these prisoners. So long, Commander Uzumaki." With that, Harding cut the call.
*Fu? Honey? Time to dock back with us. The fight's over. Our plan worked a little too well.*
*I had just gotten rid of a Destroyer's shields and was about to pounce when you offered them surrender. I feel robbed of my kill,* his most predator-like lover pouted mentally.
*If you want, you can pounce me tonight,* he thought salaciously.
*That works!* she chirped, cheering right up.
"Hinata, babe, let's go get Sakura," Naruto instructed.
Hinata obediently turned the Invictus and made for Port Medea, maneuvering around the Konoha Federation ships going in to dock with the Kumo vessels and take their crews prisoner. "Gaara, I need Port Medea Flight Command."
Gaara flicked a few switches and a hesitant voice asked "Yes, Invictus, how can I help?" in blatant disregard for protocol.
"Port Medea, we need docking clearance. We're conducting a crew transfer."
"Docking Bay 1! Go right in. And I think Commander Storb wants to speak with you."
Naruto shrugged. "Let's hope he's not a traitor like the last Station Commander," he muttered after the call ended.
Fu having caught up with them and already reentered the Invictus, the Assault Cruiser made for the allocated Docking Bay, which Hinata noted was the most luxurious she'd ever seen.
"Docking Bay 1 is reserved for the flagship, normally. They must really like us at the moment," Sasuke answered her unspoken thought.
They all made for the anti-grav tube except for Gaara. He'd elected to stay behind on the Bridge. What none but Naruto knew is that the Grey was embarrassed by his halfling appearance and didn't want to be seen by others until he was a full Beta Uzu. The crew walked out the airlock into the Docking Bay, where the ground crew gave a round of applause. Naruto blinked, surprised, until one man ran up to him. "Lieutenant Shini! Sir, I can't believe you scared the Kumo into surrendering like that! You single-handedly saved Port Medea. Thanks a million!"
*Gaara…* Naruto thought leadingly.
*So maybe I let everyone hear you broadcast, not just the Kumo. No big deal. So the Konoha recognize your part in this victory. Where's the harm in that?*
Naruto had a whole speech he could have used in reply to that, but now wasn't the time. "Lieutenant Shini. I believe Commander Storb wanted to see us?"
"Oh, right! Follow me to his office!" the exuberant young man said before turning and going off into Port Medea. The Pack followed him through a trader's emporium to an elevator that led to the Command Deck and Commander Storb's office. They filed in to find a tall man of Zulu and German ancestry in a Konoha Federation uniform. He indicated Naruto to sit, leaving his crewmates to stand.
"Commander Uzumaki. According to what I heard, it was you and your ship that won us this unprecedented victory," he said in his accented voice.
"We just took out the Heavy Carrier. It was the Kumo that decided to surrender rather than fight us and the garrison troops combined," Naruto played off.
"'Just' took out the Heavy Carrier? You took down Battleship-grade Shields in two Beam bursts, which happened impossibly close together, and hit the Power Core with a bull's-eye. You seem to have better weapons, better pilots, better gunners, better everything!" Storb burst out.
Naruto held out his hands helplessly. "What can I say? I recruit the best. Hence my interest in Haruno Sakura. That's why we originally came here, to recruit her. You should have authorization from Vice Admiral Aburame in your system."
Storb blinked. Then he pushed a button on his desk. "Shini, find me a medic named Haruno Sakura and get her to my office yesterday."
"Yes, sir!" came the reply.
"There, she should be here soon. I'm quite eager to meet her myself if she drew your attention," Storb said, looking over the Pack with analytic eyes.
"Just met her on Gravitus, found out she was a doctor, we needed one. With our training regimen, she'll be up to snuff in a week, give or take," Naruto said, a secret smile on his lips. "Anyway, I'd prepare your prison for a very large intake. There should be over 500 Kumo coming in over the next couple hours."
The Pack watched Storb work for a few minutes, then a panting Lieutenant Shini pushed a shocked Sakura into the office. Her look of confusion and trepidation vanished when she saw the occupants of the room. "Naruto? Hinata?"
"Hey, Sakura. We were on our way to get you but we got a bit delayed by some Kumo that came knocking. Hope you're still up for dinner," Hinata said humorously.
Sakura gaped. "Is what I'm hearing true? You took down a Heavy Carrier with some super-ship and cowed all the Kumo into surrendering?"
"It was a group effort, really, but I seem to be getting all the credit," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I… I don't know what to say," she stammered.
"Medic Haruno," Commander Storb called, causing Sakura to jump and then stand at attention. She'd forgotten that her boss's boss's boss was in the room. "I have orders for you to be transferred to the Invictus, effective immediately. Pack your bags and go to Docking Bay 1. That's an order!" Storb snapped.
"Y-yes, sir," she managed, before sprinting out the room.
Storb nodded. "You can go back to your ship. You have our thanks, and be aware we're reporting all this to High Command."
"Of course. Pleasure to meet you, Commander," Naruto said before the Pack left the office.
Introduction of the Medical Officer to the crew next chapter. Please fave, follow, or review