A/N: Alright ladies and gentlmen, good news and bad news. Good news first. I'm on the mend. Even better, My grandmother's all but recovered from congestive heart failure and I managed to sell my old house, though all that money went to more bills. Ugh. Anywho, I've finished moving my things and am now a proud resident of East Berlin, Pennsylvania! Alas, I'm still jobless, and the bills are piling up because of my health. Fun, right?

Anywho, I managed to put this up here at points between job hunting. It's been great, guys. Loving the feedback. Really. I'm hanging tough though, despite everything life is throwing at me. Despite all that's happening, I don't intend to abandon this or my other works! Though I would greatly be appreciative of a Co-Writer or two at this point! On another note, there was a discrepancy mentioned with Oriana's age, but that's only because the events of this story are progressing more rapidly than in the original. Additionally, a typo; I had meant to say that Ori is presently twelve, not nine. But in regards to the age difference, there you go. Naruto's prescence has lit a fire under Saren's behind, so to speak.

You'll soon see what I mean...

"I will hunt you. I will find you. And I will end you."

~?

Unity

Naruto was well versed in the ancient art of negotiation. He was also well aquainted with the emotion known as anger.

He'd felt it when Henry Lawson had first beaten Miri for failing a test. When he'd discovered just how many scars Cerberus had given Jack before the ink. Realizing Oriana wouldn't live to see fifty because of the strange and radical experiments the madman had conducted on her genes. There had been the time when the man mocked him-promising him that he'd never see the light of the day. All of this paled in comparison to the pure and primal hatred he felt as he glared up at the hated hologram of Saren Arterius.

"I'll go over the report later. I won't lie to you. Its bad. But there's not enough evidence for the witch hunt you're planning. Yet. Not now, with Council breathing down our necks."

"Our?"

Those words-Anderson's words-rang in his mind even as he stared down his old foe.

"How many times do I have to tell you this?" he said, turning to the councilors. "This bastard tried to kill me and blow up a colony! Just look at him!" He thrust a finger at the scowling turian in question. "Do you not see the burn marks?! Or the new jaw?! That was me! I did that!"

"You have told us this three times already," Valern interjected. "But words alone do not make it so."

"I'll have you know I was injured on duty." the injured spectre replied.

"Councilors, are we even listening to the same conversation here?" The blond pinched his nose and stifled a sigh. "This...sadist, is lying out his ass!"

Once he'd awoken and they'd succesffuly stabilized Shepard, the Normandy had made a beeline for the Citadel. For better or worse, Ashley Williams was now a proud part of Anderson's crew. The Spectre didn't really care about that at the moment. His mind was too preoccupied with trying to blot out this searing headache. Trying to convince the Council of Saren's foul treachery only made it worse. Shepard, despite Chakwas and her best efforts, was currently housed in Huerta Memorial undergoing surgery. That only weighed on his mind even more.

For what it was worth, Captain Anderson had chosen to stand with him when he went to the trial. Udina had tried to worm his way in as well but the mere mention of being arrested again was more than enough to send the politician scurrying back from whence he'd came.

No surprise there. That was something he and Saren seemed to have in common; they had a history of making enemies wherever they went.

Now, Naruto had prided himself on keeping his temperamental outbursts contained during the past few years. His relationship with Miranda and big-brother duties to Oriana had all but quashed the sense of arrogance that he had once harbored during his training. Not that it was gone, per se; he was still very much prideful of his skills, and he always made sure to maintain an air of empathy in everything that surrounded him. He'd simply focused his energies on other issues and hadn't quite taken the time to be a hothead anymore.

But this...

...it defied belief.

"This trial is irrelevant," Saren replied coolly, the insult flitting past him as harmlessly as a butterfly, "I have done nothing wrong."

A muscle jumped in his jaw.

"That! Is! Bullshit!" Naruto growled, struggling to find a conduit for the anger coursing through his veins without simply shattering something. "After all I've told you you're telling me you won't convict this bastard? I've got the bruises to prove it! Shepard's in a coma because of him! Just take a look at Jenkins! And don't even get me started on the visions from the godamne beacon!" He was dimly ware of Miranda and Jack's prescence behind him but he didn't care. People were dead. Someone was in a coma because he hadn't been fast enough. He'd no love for Shepard, but he hadn't wished her into this state.

Tevos at least, looked disconcerted. But she was merely one voice amidst three.

"Pleast try to understand," she began. "Saren is our best agent. You, are our most recent. Word of mouth and deed aside...

..we cannot convict him without solid evidence." Valern finished.

"And these "Reapers" of which you speak," Sparatus air-quoted, "What proof do you even have that they exist?"

"I...!"

"You see? All of this is nothing but lies and fabrication." Saren mocked him through the hologram, his newly welded jaw moving in gross parallel to his words. "Nothing. The product of a syringe. No more, no less you're not even fit to be a Spectre.

The old insult that Saren had shot his way seemed to snap something inside him, his pent-up pride swelling like a riverbed after the breaking of a dam. With a feral snarl Naruto slammed a fist down on the rail, bending it down agains this fist, the Council's collective eyes to widen under a shower of sparks.

"Listen you overgrown piace of-

"There's still one outstanding issue here," Remarkably, Anderson chose that moment to come to his aid. "The visions. They may have been triggered by the beacon." He was grasping and Naruto knew it, but the assist was appreciated regardless.

"Are we allowing dreams into evidence now?" The turian spectre scoffed. "How am I to defend myself against such testimony?"

"I agree." Sparatus nodded. "Our judgement must be bast on facts and evidence, not wild imaginings and reckless speculation."

"Do you have anything else to add, agent?" Valern asked.

Nothing that they'll believe. Naruto realized with a sinking stomach. They didn't want to hear what he had to say. In their eyes Saren could do no wrong; he was a saint, incapable of flaw or error. And short of shoving a confession in their faces, nothing he said or did would convince them otherwise. The realization was as humbling as it was aggravating. Shoulders slumping, he stilled his tongue and the insult he'd prepared. Nothing he did in the next second could possibly convince them. Again, humbling.

...no."

He watched in dismay as the councilors exchanged glances. Sparatus shook his head. At last, Tevos cleared her throat and spoke:

"The Council has found no evidence of any connection between Saren and the geth. Agent Uzumaki, your petition to have him disbarred from Spectres is denied."

"I'm glad to see justice was served." Saren sneered. Seconds later, the hologram flickered out of existence. Tevos spoke once more, but he barely heard the words.

"This meeting is adjourned."

Naruto stood there for a long moment, smoldering under their judgement, unable to believe what he was hearing. He'd trusted in the system. He'd believed that so long as he did right by himself and the galaxy then justice would prove itself, that good would win the day. Now he realized the truth; he'd been the naive one all along. Politics were bullshit. For all the evidence he'd flung at them, they refused to see the truth. Would that they could see how foolish they were being. Why couldn't they see?! They were letting a murderer walk free!

"So that's it, huh?" his voice rose in a barely constrained growl. "After all I've said and done for you without want, without question, without need, this is how you repay me?"

Perhaps Tevos recognized his expression. Perhaps she saw the storm brewing in those eyes. Perhaps she simply read human expressions better than most. Whatever the case, she was the first to reply.

"There is no need to be rash-

"Rash? RASH?!" the spectre snapped, the words rising harshly in the confines of the tower. "Rash is attacking a humany colony! Rash is butchering innocent civilians and turning them into husks! Rash is attacking my squad! After all this you have the nerve to call me that?! I thought...this Council stood for something. For truth. Justice. It seems I was wrong. So, let me say this: I'll bring you your damn proof. But that's it. I finally understand where your loyalties truly, lay." his voice dropped an octave, trembling with barely controlled anger.

"The streets of this galaxy are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over all you vermin will drown."

Sparatus bristled. "Now see here-

Naruto wasn't having any of it.

"The accumulated filth of all your stupidity and ignorance will foam up about your waists until the Reapers decide its time for the harvest. And when that time comes, when they blacken the skies of your worlds, you will look up and shout 'Save us!' And I'll look down, and whisper:

"No."

With that final word, he jerked his hood up over his face then stormed down the steps and out of sight.

Anderson and the others were waiting for him by the elevator. So-to his surprise-were Miri and Jack. He knew Miri wasn't fond of Alliance brass and Jack...well, she just didn't like goverments in general. But for Naruto it ran deeper than that. Earth's government had sat on its collective laurels while Henry Lawson had inflicted horrors upon horrors on him and Miranda in Australia. He was naturally juxtaposed by the comparison. That was a situation he'd sworn never to find himself in again. Once the Alliance got their claws into him, he very much doubted they'd be willing to let him go.

He could only pray that Anderson wasn't that sort.

The Captain himself was in the midst of an animated conversation with Williams though both immediately ceased speaking the moment he was within earshot. Naruto didn't spare them so much as a passing glance as he made a beeline for his girls. Miranda was the first to notice him, eyes like blue diamonds lightning up the moment she laid eye on him. She must've seen the anger in his eyes because she didn't hesitate to make a beeline toward him him. Jack was hot on their heels.

Anderson reached him first.

"You can't blame yourself, son." the older man soothed, mistaking his purposeful stridge for anger. "The council may have whitewashed you but for what its worth, I believe you. If its proof you need, we'll help you get it. This matter is as much our responsibility as it yours."

"With all due respect, Captain, I'd prefer to handle this myself."

"Why is that whenever someone says "with all due respect," they really mean kiss my ass?" Ashley muttered aside.

Miranda's eyes darkened.

Naruto arched an eyebrow. "Was I talking to you, Chief?"

Despite her military upbringing, the woman stiffened beneath his stare. She'd seen the Spectre under fire and in the heat of battle once before already. Seen firsthand the cold fire in his eyes. The unquantified levels of destruction of which he was capable. And that, hadn't rattled her. But in this moment, this singular instance, something in those blue diamonds made her want to crawl under a rock and hide. If she'd known he blamed himself for Shepard's comatose state, she might've felt a bit better about it. Instead, she gulped. A deep and primal dread stole over her as it were, and for the first time in her life, she did something she'd done for no man or woman that wasn't her immediate superior.

She backed down.

...no."

"Either of you have anything to add?" Naruto turned a scathing gaze upon Jenkins and Alenko. Both men shook their heads fervently.

"No, sir."

"Good."

Anderson was not so easily dissuaded. "Now wait just a minute," he frowned. "We need to work together. You saw what Saren and his geth are capable of. This isn't something either of us can handle alone. Besides, in case you've forgotten, the Normandy's stealth systems can get you in and out of any system they might be residing in, undetected." Naruto's mouth was already opening in a refusal when something occurred to him, a sliver of sense peeking through the fog of rage that shrouded his mind. Anderson was just a little too eager to help him. He wasn't getting the whole story here.

"I get the feeling you're not telling me something, Anderson."

The man grimaced, his worn face crinkling in a rare scowl. "I admit, this matter is...personal for me. I had a chance to become a Spectre once-just like you. Saren made sure I didn't succeed. But you did. And now he's trying to wipe all of humanity out! Look, I know we might have our differences and I know you don't trust the Alliance, but this is bigger than that. If we don't stop them, then who will?"

"You do realize that I could just steal your ship and take your bargaining chip by force." Naruto countered. "With Spectre authority, I'd be well within my rights to confiscate it for the Council, seeing as they helped fund the damn thing." He thought he saw Jack's face light up at the mention of piracy.

"Yes, but you won't." Anderson replied.

"Oh? And whyever not?"

"Because that's not your style. Everyone knows about your actions on Thessia last year. You had the opportunity to catch the leader of that slaving ring-you chose to save the hostages. Men like that, they don't commit acts of violence without good reason."

"...shit. I've got to stop being such a Paragon." Naruto groaned. "Alright. Fine. We'll work together on this. But I'm in charge. Understand? I can't have your chain of command impeding me."

"I have no problem with that. Alenko, Jenkins, Williams?" David indicated his three subourdinates with a glance. "Treat Spectre Uzumaki's orders as though they were my own until the investigation is concluded." A flick of his fingers summond upon his Omnitool. "I'm patching him into your communications now so you can talk via radio." Naruto nodded.

"Much appreciated."

"Sir!" Jenkins promptly saluted; he was more than eager to work with the man who had saved his life, if only to repay his debt.

Alenko balked at the sudden judgement call. "Wait a minute. You're just going to sign us over to him? Just like that?"

"You can't just expect us to-

"That's an order, Lieutenant. You too, Chief."

"Yessir!"

Behind his back, Miranda rolled her eyes. "Typical grunts, obeying without question...

"I'm sorry, what was that, miss perfect?"

Sparks shot between their eyes.

"For your sake, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, G.I. Jane."

Jack looked away for a minute. "Politics," she spat, making it a curse.

"That's the way it is sometimes." Anderson shrugged. "Still, even if we do find proof that Saren's a traitor, we have no way of tracking him...

"Not quite." Naruto adopted a malevolent smile as he withdrew a slim device from some unseen pocket. "I managed to plant a tracker on him while we fought." Even as he spoke, it beeped softly. "Ha!" he crowed. "If I didn't scorch it with that last blast, I should be able to track him with this...as long as he doesn't go into the Terminus systems. It can only track him so far. Either way, I'm going after him. With or without the council's so-called proof if need be."

"Lovely." Miranda muttered, her perfect eyebrows drawing down in a petulant scowl. "So this time its gallvanting off into the stars with the Alliance now, is it?"

"Yeah," For once, she and Jack seemed to agree. "I get the feeling we're not wanted here."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto blinked. "I want you with me on this." he said it as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Both of you."

Miri beamed.

"Well its about bloody time. But what about Ori?"

"I'll throw a few thousand credits into Lisala's salary. I'm sure she wouldn't mind babysitting her for the foreseeable future. Hell-I'll even see if Krios can pay her a visit. That should keep any unwanted guests out of her hair, eh?" Mollified by the mention of their longtime friend and ally, she nodded. Jack's response was more...enthusiastic.

"Hell yes!" She cracked a laugh, suddenly gaining the look of a mischievous child. "Road trip!"

"Alright, who the hell are you two?" Ashley frowned, regaining her courage in the wake of that soul-searing stare. "Mercs?"

"Great, another Alliance broad." Jack hissed, her eyes glimmering blue in a biotic warning. "Back off, he's ours."

"Hey!"

"These are my girls." Naruto replied, slinging an arm around Miri and Jack both. "My squad." He expected them to preen under the priase. What came next was entirely unexpected.

"Hey, what're you-

Before he could protest they grabbed him by those very arms and half dragged/half hauled him into the elevator. He'd just enough time to mutter a half-hearted goodbye to Anderson before Miranda slapped the button, leaving them hanging there for all of an instant. Just long enough for Jack to flick a one-fingered salute in Ashley's direction.

"Catch ya later, bitch!"

Luckily for Ash the elevator door shut just as she lunged, shrieking.

Naruto was torn between the devilish urge to laugh and balk as the elecator shot down the shaft, leaving him with the priceless expression on Ash's face. So much for making good impressions...

"That could've gone better." Miranda said airily.

"Which one?"

"Both."

"Yeah..."

Jack snorted. "You don't have to agree so fast, fucker."

"What else could I say? Here, let me help you shove this pole up my ass?"

The two of them shared a brief laugh, but Miranda was having none of it.

"Come here, you." One hand tugged his cowl down, the other effortlessly guided his lips to hers. That was all it took. All his worries dropped away in an instant. Behind them, their tattooed companion hooted loudly. He didn't care, Naruto did. Instead he was suddenly intensely aware of just how soft she felt under his hands, her body warm and pliable beneath the soft fabric of her red dress-

Compose, he mentally scolded. You can't think about that now.

"Damn, cheerleader!" Jack crowed. "Get a room first!"

The moment broken, Miranda pulled away. Naruto frowned at the interruption.

"You're one to talk!"

Jack reached across to swat him on the back of the head. Since their little tussle over ramen she had taken her hair out enough to pull into a ponytail but had shaved the sides. She'd even proccurred herself a black cap with the word badass stitched in on the back. The look rather suited her, he thought to himself. The hat flattened a bit of her free hair to her face, obscuring one eye ever so slightly. "A girl's gotta have some standards, dumbass."

"..."

The elevator was oddly quiet after that. Jack didn't like it. For a moment, she worried that she may have actually gone too far this once, pushed beyond their boundary. "Hey," she said, her words barely a whisper. "You know I was just playin' around, right?" Her voice was more timid than she'd meant it to be. Jack was suddenly very worried.

That fear disappeared, though, when Naruto laughed nervously and said, "No hard feelings, Jackie. Though I suppose its a comfort to know that I measure up to your exacting standards...

"Ass!" she batted at him, but the word was without rancour. Naruto snickered and hugged her close. Reluctantly, Miri joined in the embrace.

And for once blissful moment, all was well.

Doubtlessly an enraged Williams and the rest would follow shortly thereafter but for the time being, he finally had himself some much needed peace and quiet. When his favorite girls finally gave him control of his arms again he nearly slumped against the wall and passed out. The maddening migraines from the sevisions had only grown worse since he'd left the Council to stew with his warning. Coupled by the unwanted emergence of the memories hardwired into his DNA, and he found himself struggling to remember which was past and which was present.

It was...unpleasant, to say the least.

The realization that despite his words he was still trying to convince the Council of Saren's guilt only made things worse. For all he'd said and done he really couldn't afford to throw his Spectre position in their collective faces and make a break for the Terminus Systems. He had a life here. Miranda and Jack, a place where he could lay his head at the end of the day when all was said and done. What's more Oriana had a life here. She'd finally started going to school on the Citadel without fear of being targeted by Cerberus or the Alliance, and she'd finally brought a friend over only last month. As much as he might want to cut and run, he couldn't. Not yet. Not until he had a better life built up for his girls. For her.

By Ramen, he really needed some shore leave...

A comfortable silence lingered after that, the three basking in one another's prescence. But it couldn't last.

"So basically we need proof that Saren is a traitor." Ultimately, Miranda was the one to finally clear the air. "How exactly are we going to go about that?"

"Want, not need." Naruto immediately clarified. "I'm not going to spend a damn month tracking down clues while he's up to God knows what in the Traverse. It'd be nice if I didn't have to look over my shoulder for the Council while I did it though ya know?"

The doors chose that moment to whoosh open, the light of the Presidium washed over them. Smalls crowds congregated here and there, neither paying any attention to the three colorful individuals exiting the elevator and descending into the pristine chaos of the Citadel.

"Godamn proof." Jack muttered as they strode out of the moving column. "He's a spectre, like you. How are we supposed to find any proof when everything's fucking classified?"

"I might be able to help you with that." a familiar voice chirped deeply.

Naruto blinked, momentarily baffled as a large, bulky form seemingly detached itself from the nearby crowd. But this was a shadow he knew. Unbidden, the corner of his mouth curled into a smirk.

"Garrus."

(Meanwhile, in Huerta Memorial...)

"Gah!"

With a strangled yelp, Shepard lurched out of her dream and back to reality. Ripples of brutal biotic power sheathed her body, shredding the restraints with which she'd been bound to the bed. She barely noticed them. Breathe, her mind told her, but it caught in her lungs, threatening to suffocate her. A glance down confirmed her suspicions. She'd been shot. But when? Her brain blanked on her, refusing to answer. With a wound like this, she knew the last thing she should do is move, but she did so anyway. It hurt.

"Fuck!"

Swinging her legs over the edge, she nearly fell out of the cot and crashed to the floor. It was only through a supreme effort that she managed to steady herself and even then, her swimming vission threatened to send her crashing over the edge and back into oblivion all over again.

'Ugh, did anyone get the number of that bus-ow! Okay, thinking hurts! Thinking hurts a lot...!'

Emily's head rang something fierce, her skull pounding with the remnants of an apocalyptic nightmare. Synthetics murdering organics. Monstrosities, darkening the sky of every planet, everywhere. Where am I...? The thought was muddled, weak. White walls and floors. The soft sound of hushed voices beyond the door. Hospital. But why was she here?

Mightily she struggled once more to recall and only barely suceeded. Vaguely, she remembered a terrible pain in her chest, the splitting pain of cracking her head against something then the sweet black of nothingness pressing down around her. Then came the dreams. She wasn't sure when or how or why they started, only that they had. She had to tell someone about this. Great, now her skull was pounding-

"Shepard?"

Her head jerked around like a puppet severed from its strings as the doors to her room srpung open with a soft chime. She'd expected a Anderson or one of her squad to be behind them. Maybe a doctor, even. The last thing she'd been prepared for was a familiar blond. She didn't recognize the two women or the turian he had with him, though she secretly suspected they were part of the much-vaunted crew he kept on about. As if to mock that very assertion, Ashley and the rest filed in after him. The room was

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her words directed to the still-silent Spectre.

"Following up on a few leads." he answered tersely. A slight frown wreathed his whiskered face. "I hadn't expected you to be up and about so soon, Shep. You're mor stubborn than I thought." At her baffled expression, his intense stare finally relented, albeit only slightly. "Anderson's helping with my investigation against Saren." A thumb jerked toward the three Alliance soliders. "I guess you could say he loaned me them."

"Saren...

"The one who shot you, ma'am." Jenkins added.

Her chest ached in reminder, eyes shifted to violet-hued asari who'd followed in after them. She identified her as the doctor by her white garb and taciturn expression; if she was at all displeased by Naruto's ragtag little band encroaching so closely on her prisoner, she did little to show it. It was to her that Emily posed the question:

"I was shot?"

"Yes. And you got very lucky, Commander." the doctor confirmed, flipping through her chart. "Not only did the bullet miss your heart but Agent Naruto happened to be of the same blood type. If he hadn't donated, you might not have made it. Now, we've repaired all the major trauma and compensated with Medi-gel and some bone weave, but I want you to take it easy for the next few days. Think you can do that."

Jaden eyes bulged. The asari had lost her at donating blood.

"Wait, what?"

"I never said I was heartless." Naruto shot back. "Don't look at me like that, you're not going to get chakra from it or anything. My powers aren't exactly communicable by blood-

"We've checked the other rooms. Quarian's not here." A massive mound of mass and muscle with a red head crest and voice like slow rolling death thunder abruptly poked its head around the corner of the door, nearly giving Shepard the start of her life and into the next "What's our next move?"

"What the hell's a krogan doing here?!"

"Just a second, Wrex." Naruto nodded in the brute's direction, his blue eyes shifting to the other alien in the room. "Garrus?"

"She's probably still somewhere in Zakera Ward." the turian confirmed. "Damn, I had a feeling she wouldn't be here!"

"You're on a first name basis with a krogan and a turian now?" Shepard sighed. The words were lacking in rancour, however. This man had saved her life. He worked with aliens. That had been a sticking point for most of her life. Not racism per se, but a strong enough dislike to color her actions. And yet despite his loyalty to them, Naruto had saved her life without a second thought. It would've been so easy for him to leave her to bleed out after all she'd said and done, and yet he hadn't. What did that make her, then? If an alien-lover saved lives indiscriminately, then it made her...

The thought was so appalling she daren't finish it.

"What can I say?" Naruto shrugged. "I'm a people person. And at least we know that bullet didn't kill you. Now, is there something you wanted to say?"

...I was wrong." she admitted, glancing aside. "My jealousy got the better of me, alright? Please accept my apology." She was contrite. This was her chance. All her anger and sarcasm had only gotten her a bullet in the chest. Perhaps this was a sign. She'd never been much of a believer in God or a higher power... but maybe this meant she needed to change her views. She couldn't let one bad experience marr the rest of her life. Even if the thought galled a very small part of her.

Naruto glared at her for a long moment, considering. Then he extended his hand. She didn't hesitate to take and shake it, her small hand seemingly dwarfed by that armored gauntlet. Something passed through her in that instant; she wasn't sure how to descibe it. A spark of kinship, perhaps? Whatever it was, it left her feeling stronger than before. That pain in her chest, once ever present, was suddenly reduced to a dull ache, then not even, no more than the faintest numbing sensation in its wake.

"Apology accepted, Shepard." The Spectre smiled as he released her hand, the green glow fading from his fingertips. "Maybe you're fit to be a Spectre after all. Get your armor. You're coming with us." Strange...Naruto looked a little pale, she thought. Really pale actually. Had he healed her somehow? Used his own chakra/lifeforce to mend this injury of hers? Was that healthy? Was than even safe? Whatever her concerns were on the matter of her restored health she didn't have time to voice them; because Miranda chose that moment to shout:

"Chora's den!"

Everyone looked at her as though she'd grown a second head.

"Babe say what now?" Naruto blinked. She swatted him on the head for his trouble.

"Isn't it obvious? If this quarian is looking to make a deal with the Shadow Broker-

-and Fist betrayed him for Saren," Ashley continued...

Naruto's grin threatened to shatter his face.

"Then that's where we need to go."

"Well, it looks like we'll all be paying Fist a little visit." Garrus growled.

Wrex pumped his shotgun with quiet enthusiasm. "And kill him?"

Naruto cackled.

"Yes, Wrex, and kill him.

Jack grinned. "Kill him dead?"

"Kill him dead."

A/N: And there we go. Events are already spiralling out of control, Saren's causing havoc and Naruto's out for blood after being humiliated as he was. Shepard's had a rude awakening and a bit of redemption all rolled into one neat package after her brush with death, so expect her to become less abrasive as time goes on. She also shares fragments of the vision with Naruto. As to just how that happened...all will be explained in time.

That's right she'll be working with Naruto! The Normandy is his! But what will happen with Cerberus? Will the pairing remain NarutoxMiranda or should Jack eventually be involved?! And what of Hanabi?

You decide, dear readers!

I'm not quite certain as to whether Shepard will remain this fic for the duration of all three games so please tell me what you think about that as well! I am but a humble writer without your input, oh dear reader! Any and all ideas are welcome!

So...in the immortal words Atlas...

...Review, Would You Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview! We advance further unto canon next chapter! Spotlight remains firmly on Naruto folks. Still not sure if I should keep this a single pairing or not tho...regardless, there's some heavy action in this!

(Preview)

"Die!"

"Oi!"

Naruto ducked low as the blade swept over his head then leapt high as it came sweeping in for a second pass, swatting the deadly edge of the ninjato aside with the buisiness end of his pistol. In the instant that it took him to flick the safety off and line up a shot tracking with her movements she was on him again, the monomolecular blade weaving a deadly dance of death around him. The bleak chill of Noveria was frigid around him, snow and sleet stinging his eyes as he bobbed back and forth, her weapon only a fraction of a second behind.

"You have his reflexes." she murmurred, approvingly, her words soft and low, like those of a lover. "You have his spirit...but you're nothing. I'm tired of observing you, imposter! At least entertain me a little before you die!"

He didn't deign to reply, instead lunging forward to meet her in combat once more. His shields whined in protest as the vibrating blade skimmed them-dropping to nearly half. She grunted as his fist cannoned into her stomach and knocked much-needed oxygen from her lungs. All the while, his body thrilled at the combat. Something in him relished fighting against this perfect stranger, and yet, somehow, he felt as though he knew her. He did, somehow. He knew her. He found his body predicting her movements almost as if it already knew them, it gave him the slightest edge and kept him alive long enough for her to make a mistake.

Finally, she made one.

The woman-assasin?-overextended herself in a swing-a second of wasted movement that he took full advantage of. A gauntlet shot out, rasengan in hand. She saw it coming and threw up her shields, the deadly sphere plowing through her defenses and throwing her down to the scorched earth. Naruto tracked with the movement and snapped off a shot, forcing her to waste another second to roll away and recover. That was alll it took for him to holster the pistol and draw on his own aresenal; a single breath and the pale-eyed lass found herself face to face with a cone of flame.

Expertly she bounded away into the drifts, skipping backwards in retreat. Naruto pressed the attack, pouncing on her. Apair of ninjato now danced in his hands as well. One found its place in her arm, drawing a furious scream from its victim, a cry that escalated as its twin sank into her knee. He slammed boot forward and kicked her back into the tundra, ready and waiting for the next attack. But his attacker didn't rise. Not this time, not right away. For each second without his helmet, his own breath grew more and more ragged in the frigid temperatures. He was really wishing the mako would come back about now; he'd been fighting for his life since she'd tackled him off the hood.

"Fucking...persistent...

A soft, husky chuckle greeted this turn of events.

"It really is you," standing woodenly and without care, the woman dragged herself to her feet, her arms swaying eerily, head hanging low. "You're him. You have his speed, stamina, spirt, skills and more. I thought you were just a clone...just a product of a syringe. But you fight the same. Breathe the same. You even have his values... I've decided...I want you after all!" Her head snapped up, a laviscious smile pulling at those full lips, turning her serene visage into something decidedly lustful.

It sent a chill racing up Naruto's spine, and not neccessarily a bad one. Breath fogged up before his face in a question:

"Who the hell are you?"

The woman regarded him fiercely, her pearl orbs burning like white flames in her skull. She settled into a strange stance, one that instinctively filled him with dread. Arms and legs apart. Veins bulging in her eyes. That savage smile had turned stern again, but the passion still simmered in those white eyes as she spoke.

"A ghost." she whispered.

And then she pounced!

Hope ya liked it! R&R! =D