Kishimoto owns Naruto and Paramount Studios owns Star Trek.
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Debriefing And Decisions
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Sarutobui Hiruzen jolted awake as something changed nearby, rolling to his feet with a speed better suited to a shinobi half his age and his eyes snapped open as his feet landed on cold metal rather than the expected wooden floor.
"Hello, Jiji!" A familiar voice said in greeting and Hiruzen frowned as he looked around, internally pulsing his chakra to ensure that it wasn't a dream or a genjutsu.
"Naruto? Is that you? Where are we?"
"It's me and we're in the Sphere." Naruto said as he stepped into view and Hiruzen felt his heart miss a beat at the sight of metal obviously replacing part of Naruto's face and the mechanical hand protruding from his sleeve. "I need your advice, jiji. We need your advice. That's why I had you brought here."
Hiruzen looked around at the mechanical surroundings lit by a green-tinged light.
"Naruto, what happened and how did you find this place?"
"Well, it's kinda a long story." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head in an action that reassured Hiruzen with its normality. "You see, I was exploring a tunnel and…"
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"…and so I asked Sphere to bring you here to talk." Naruto finished as the Kyuubi watched from a giant screen nearby. "For starters, what's with the fuzzball who used to be inside me?"
The Kyuubi growled and Hiruzen steeled himself for a long conversation.
"I had intended to tell you when you became a Genin, but since you've found out about the most important part, you deserve to know. You aren't the first Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi."
"Mito and Kushina." The Kyuubi growled and Hiruzen nodded.
"Quite. Mito held the Kyuubi until just before she died, when she transferred it to her niece, Kushina. She in turn contained it until it escaped eight years ago."
"When she gave birth to you." The Kyuubi interjected.
"Wait, my mom was named Kushina?" Naruto asked excitedly. "So who was my dad?"
"The Toad-riding bastard who sealed me in you." The Kyuubi growled before Hiruzen could try to stop him. "You humans called him The Fourth Hokage."
"The Fourth was my dad?" Naruto gasped and Hiruzen nodded.
"He was. And if anyone finds out, all those who hated him will send hundreds of assassins to try and kill you."
Naruto paled and Hiruzen gave a mental nod at the proof that his favorite orphan understood at least some of the perils that he faced.
"What… what now?" Naruto asked and Hiruzen frowned slightly.
"Naruto… your… new limb…"
"Yeah, my left arm and both legs needed to be replaced." Naruto nodded, then he tilted his head questioningly. "Why?"
"You'll need to find a way to conceal them. At least for a while." Hiruzen sighed. "Although some of the Suna Shinobi use puppet limbs to replace lost arms or legs, no-one would believe that you had learned that skill so quickly. As for your eye…"
Naruto's face seemed to go blank for a long moment.
"Naruto?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was talking to Sphere, he mentioned something called Holographic technology that would make it look like my limbs were normal… and make it so that people wouldn't know I had a new eye. The bits'll be ready in an hour, then I'll need to have them installed, so… want me to get Sphere to send you back to your home? I'll come over once I've got everything working."
"That sounds like a good idea." Hiruzen agreed, then the world seemed to vanish in a veil of green sparkles that faded to reveal his bedroom and a rather surprised ANBU.
"Lord Hokage!"
"Call off the search for Naruto." Hiruzen commanded as he moved to his desk and turned the chair around so that he could sit down. "He's safe."
"As you command, Lord Hokage!" The ANBU saluted, then vanished in a flurry of short-lived leaves.
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Hiruzen paused mid-sip as a column of oddly-angular green sparkles burst into life in front of him, dissipating to reveal Naruto, looking just like he had done before his temporary absence.
"Interesting technique." Hiruzen allowed as he returned his cup to the desk and reached for the teapot. "I had wondered what it lookied like when one isn't the one using it. What range do you have with it?"
"All of Konoha and a few miles outside it for now." Naruto said after a pause. "Sphere says that with a relay placed on top of the Hokage Mountain, that'll increase the range to almost a hundred miles as well as letting his scanners cover that distance."
Hiruzen frowned as he mulled over the possibilities.
"I'll give permission, as long as you or Sphere come up with a way of giving the Sensor Department access to the result."
"Would a map-screen work?" Naruto asked. "Maybe a table-one, they could touch it to zoom in and as shinobi are identified, tags could be added."
Hiruzen gave a slow nod. "Alright… but their privacy within the walls of Konoha is important. Locations of people are only to be shown outside the wall unless we are under attack or it's needed for an investigation."
"Can I have Sphere put shield emitters and phasers along the walls?" Naruto enquired. "I mean, it'll take a while, he'll need to extend power and control conduits along under the walls, but once they're in place, it'll mean no-one will be able to attack us."
Hiruzen's contemplative frown deepened. "Naruto… what is a phaser?"
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Hiruzen watched his ward vanish in a shower of green sparkles, then leaned back.
"Well, that was interesting." He mused, then he turned to stare at an empty corner. "So, now that we have time, what did you wish to see me about?"
"How long have you known I was here, Lord Hokage?" Uchiha Itachi asked curiously as he seemed to fade into view.
"I detected you even before you slipped in through the upstairs window." Hiruzen said and Itachi bowed slightly in recognition of superior talent. "So, what's happened?"
"It's Shisui… He's dead." Itachi stated in an apparently calm voice that almost succeeded in hiding the anguish underneath and Hiruzen leaned forwards intently, the cooling cup of tea forgotten.
"Report."
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Hiashi briefly activated his Byakugan as the Jinchuuriki scurried past on his way to the Academy to check once again that the Seal wasn't leaking. Although he knew that it had been set in place by the Yondaime (who had been renowned for his Fuuinjutsu) , it had been done in a hurry and as such, it was not unlikely that a minor error or two could have crept in.
The chakra-flows snapped into focus and Hiashi, for the first time in his life, stumbled over his own feet, landing full-length on the street as he saw something that he hadn't expected. The shock of his landing caused his Byuakugan to deactivate itself, but he had already seen the most important thing.
The Jinchuuriki… wasn't!
The roiling mass of crimson chakra embedded in his lower torso wasn't there any more!
Pulling himself to his feet, Hiashi set off for the Hokage Tower.
The Hokage needed to know!
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"Yes, Hiashi, I already knew."
Hiashi stared at Hiruzen, who looked back at him with an expression that most would read as sober, but which Hiashi knew was covering considerable amusement.
"You… knew?"
"I knew."
Hiashi closed his eyes for a moment as he fought to bring his whirling mind back under control. Finally, he felt able to speak again without risking making a fool of himself.
"So… is the beast free?"
"For a given value of free, yes." Hiruzen said with a slight smirk. "But don't worry, he won't return any time soon."
Hiashi stared blankly at Hiruzen, then decided to forge ahead regardless.
"His legs and left arm were also different. Almost like a Suna Puppet, but different."
Hiruzen nodded. "I expected the Hyuuga clan to see through the technique he uses to conceal how his bloodlimit has manifested. I would appreciate it if you could warn your clan not to make a fuss about it. When it is time for him to reveal what he can do with it, he will, but until then…"
"With no clan to train him in the ways of his kekkei genkai, he will need to experiment." Hiashi nodded in understanding. "I shall pass the word."
"Good." Hiruzen leaned back in his chair. "Anything else while you're here?"
"Well," Hiashi frowned, "The Uchiha clan has been acting oddly recently…"
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And this was as far as I got. I've left it open as to whether or not Naruto and the Sphere can either stop the Uchiha Massacre or rescue the non-combatants. Either one would make a huge difference to how future events play out and by the time of the invasion, the walls of Konoha would be reinforced and mounting concealed weapons that would vaporize the summoned snakes.
Beyond that... all plans departed with my Muse.