January 15, SC 189
Korhal's Capital City, Terran Dominion Space
Solar System, Milky Way
Richard Walker, once known as Uzumaki Naruto, stood on the balcony of his family's opulent estate in the heart of the capital planet of the Dominion, Korhal.
The skyline stretched before him, a testament to the architectural marvels of Dominion space—metal spires reaching skyward, glistening with the energy of technology unimaginable on Earth I.
His transition from the humble, meek, beaten-down and broken child who was the combined village idiot, whipping boy and punching bag of Konoha [1] back on Earth I to an heir of the esteemed Walker family in the Dominion had been anything but easy.
But here, under the nurturing eye of his adoptive father, Marcus Walker, Richard had found solace and the semblance of a new beginning [2].
Naruto, now Richard Walker, found himself in a world vastly different from the harsh streets of Konoha.
The transition to life within the Terran Dominion was at once overwhelming and exhilarating.
He was no longer a pariah but a promising heir to the Dominion's aristocracy, and with that came unfamiliar responsibilities and expectations.
In the grand hall below, a gathering of Dominion nobility mingled—their presence marked by laughter and the clinking of fine crystal.
Richard felt a strange sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of Konoha's festivals.
Yet, the conversations here did not carry the weight of suspicion or disdain; instead, they brimmed with intrigue and ambition, echoing within the halls of power and privilege.
"You seem contemplative, Richard," Marcus observed, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "There's no need to dwell in the past. You've done well to grow into your place here."
Richard nodded, casting one last glance over the vast cityscape before joining the gathering below.
It was easy to be swept away by the grandeur of it all, yet a part of him, the part that had known hardship, remained cautious.
Among the guests were peers from the Dominion's aristocracy—Coordinators, brilliant in intellect and talent; Newtypes, their perceptions beyond the ordinary; and Helghast heirs, bearing the resilience born of survival.
Each carried their own legacy, much like the weight Richard bore from his past life.
As he descended the staircase, Richard was greeted by familiar faces: Kitana and Mileena, the regal Edenian princesses whose presence commanded respect and admiration.
Their bond with Richard had grown since their initial meeting, and their interactions now carried unspoken trust and camaraderie.
"Richard," Kitana greeted warmly, her deep blue eyes gazing into his azure orbs, "your thoughts seem to wander tonight."
"Just reflecting," Richard replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Life here… it's different, but also promising."
Mileena nodded, her mischievous gaze assessing him. "You've adjusted well, considering your humble beginnings."
Richard chuckled, remembering how daunting the prospect of fitting in had once seemed—a pariah among people whose heritage and power seemed insurmountable.
But slowly, he had forged connections, learning from those around him.
"You know," Richard continued, "I've been learning a bit about the Terran Dominion's history. It's fascinating how things evolved from the Terran Confederacy to what we have now."
Kitana's expression turned serious, reflecting on the tumultuous past.
"Yes, the Confederacy's grasp was suffocating for many. The Old Families ruled through corruption and fear, leaving little room for those like us," she gestured to their diverse gathering.
"And yet," Mileena interjected with a gleam of determination, "Emperor Arcturus and the Sons of Korhal paved the way for change, even if it came at a steep cost."
Richard listened intently.
The rise and fall of powers intrigued him, the cycles of oppression and rebellion echoing familiar patterns from the now war-torn and faux shinobi ridden realm that was Earth I.
But there was hope in the narrative—a chance for growth and redemption.
He had heard stories of Arcturus Mengsk, a figure revered and reviled across of all of human space, and of Arcturus' son, heir and successor, Valerian and the legendary Jim Raynor, whose legacy had left a profound impact.
Under the current reign of Empress Sindel and the enigmatic, youthful current Autarch, Maya Visari, the Dominion found itself in an era of both prosperity and preparation.
"Richard," spoke a commanding voice from nearby.
It belonged to Maya, her presence as striking as her lineage suggested. "I hear you have a keen mind for strategy."
Startled, Richard met her discerning gaze.
"I try to learn as much as I can," he replied humbly.
"There's much to understand about our place in the galaxy."
"Indeed," Maya concurred, her eyes reflecting the ambition of her heritage.
"Together, we have much to achieve—and you," she pointed at him, "might just surprise us all."
As the night unfolded under the grand candelabras and crystalline chandeliers, Richard realized the truth in her words.
His journey—born of fire and forged in the cold depths of space—was far from over.
As he moved among allies and potential rivals, he understood that his place here was not a shadow of his past, but the foundation for building something new.
In the mingling of friendships and alliances, Richard Walker found his purpose—not as the once-maligned Uzumaki Naruto, but as a man of the stars, ready to leave his mark upon the vast and expanding universe.
For the Terran Dominion and all it represented—a future unfurling like the stars above.
Sometime Later
Terran Dominion - Korhal Academy of Nobility
[CLASSIFIED], Terran Dominion Space
Solar System, Milky Way
Richard's days at the prestigious Korhal Academy of Nobility were filled with lessons in both academics and the arts of diplomacy and combat.
Here, he would cross paths with the progeny of the Dominion's elite.
Coordinators, Newtypes, and Helghast, all bore the marks of their unique heritages.
Many were intrigued by this newcomer with a mysterious past and an enigmatic presence that belied his youthful appearance.
In those early days, it was Sindel, the current reigning Empress, who helped Richard confront the inner demons and scars left from his turbulent past.
She had sensed a messiah complex and underlying sociopathy within him—defense mechanisms honed by a childhood of isolation and scorn [3].
Under her guidance, Richard found solace in the arts of meditation and reflection.
Upon the suggestion of Empress Sindel, he attended sessions with the Dominion's leading mentalists and empaths, who taught him to channel his inner turmoil into a force of positive energy, transforming his previous narcissism into resilience and maturity.
Richard's newfound clarity allowed him to forge friendships that would shape his journey.
He often found himself amidst Maya Visari, Kitana, Mileena, and their bodyguards—Jade, Skarlet, and Li Mei—who grew into lifelong companions.
They subtly guided him, challenging his worldview and tempering his instinctual bravado with caution and wisdom.
Maya, in particular, challenged Richard with her wit and tenacity, often engaging him in mock debates that honed his strategic mind.
Together with his peers, Richard delved into the fascinating history of the Terran Dominion.
Underneath the grandeur and veneer of nobility lay a convoluted, often brutal origin story.
What had once been a hopeful coalition of exiled settlers from the ruins of Earth I had evolved into the Terran Confederacy over the following decades and then centuries, a interstellar oligarchic kleptocratic kakistocracy marred by corruption, ambition, and rivalry.
Sitting beneath the holographic canopies of Korhal's Academy garden, Richard listened intently as Maya recounted her family's complicated legacy.
"The Old Families," Maya explained, "rose from the ashes of their exile—powerful and wealthy due to their knowledge and expertise. But with power comes greed, and a Confederacy born from sheer survival soon became the tool of the privileged."
Kitana added, "And yet, the Confederacy's downfall was inevitable. The Sons of Korhal, forged in the fires of rebellion by Arcturus Mengsk, toppled the Old Families' reign. Revenge, justice… perhaps both. The Dominion rose from that rubble."
Richard learned of Arcturus' shrewd leadership and subsequent betrayal by the traitorous ghost of the long dead Confederacy, the now infamous Sarah Kerrigan at the height of his influence and power, events that shaped the Dominion's current structure.
It was a tale filled with intrigue, sacrifice, and rebirth.
"All legacies are complex, and none more so than ours," Jade mused, casting her emerald gaze towards the horizon.
Under the calm, guiding presence of Sindel, Richard found mentorship not only in politics but in the art of war—and the delicacies of diplomacy.
These lessons went beyond conventional schooling; they were woven into every acknowledgment of their shared past during dinners and elegant balls.
Here, he gleaned the delicate balance between strength and diplomacy, whispers of another world beyond the stars hinted upon through Sindel's solemn anecdotes.
Surrounded by comrades and mentors, Richard slowly transformed his understanding of self-worth, from one built on the fearful whisperings of Konoha's villagers to one defined by action and service to something greater.
He found peace in selflessness and camaraderie, allowing the scars of Uzumaki Naruto's past to begin to heal.
And in moments of solitude, Richard often pondered upon those elusive glimpses of a wider galactic tapestry, as threads of the Galaxie-Föderation, Imperium Hominis, and Renza Liánméng flitted across the whispers of the halls [4].
What had begun as an escape from isolation on Earth I had evolved into a path he could have never foreseen: that of reconciliation and growth amidst the stars.
In the years to come, Richard Walker would emerge as a shining light within the Dominion.
His youthful wit and gentle strength, tempered through trials and friendship, prepared him to one day stand for the ideals of the Dominion—not as a solitary hero, but as a new breed of leader forged through unity and purpose.
For if his past had taught him anything, it was that all legacies must be earned.
Legacy grew not only from bloodlines but from the will to stand against—and alongside—those who sought to shape the world.
Korhal Academy, Central Compound, Terran Dominion
[CLASSIFIED], Terran Dominion Space
Solar System, Milky Way
In the heart of Dominus Centralis, the capital city of the Terran Dominion on Korhal, the Korhal Academy of Nobility stood as a bastion of learning and tradition.
Here, young Richard Walker, once a pariah known as Uzumaki Naruto, found himself immersed in a world filled with both opportunity and complexity.
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting Korhal's towering skyline into a silhouette of glimmering lights.
Richard Walker—still adjusting to the dramatic shift from Earth I's rudimentary simplicity to the magnificent intricacy of Dominion space—made his way through the bustling corridors of the elite Korhal Academy.
Among the students were Coordinators, Newtypes, and Helghast, their diverse heritages converging to form the future leaders of the Dominion.
Each brought unique perspectives and abilities, a melting pot of potential.
For Richard, this world was vastly different from the distrust and resentment he had known in Konoha.
Here, the expectations were high, but not insurmountable.
"Richard!" a voice called out, breaking his reverie.
It was Caden, a quick-witted Coordinator who prided himself on his genetic enhancements.
"I hear there's a big game tomorrow. You in?"
Despite the dizzying pace of his new life, Richard found solace in moments like these—normal, everyday interactions unfettered by the shadow of his past.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he replied with a grin.
Beside Caden stood Liara, a Newtype with an ethereal air and a penchant for psychic games.
She gave Richard one of her knowing smiles. "I saw you acing the simulations today. Keep it up, and you'll be a natural in no time."
Richard flushed slightly at the praise, grateful for their camaraderie.
Yet, there was still much to learn, both in the classroom and beyond.
The academy buzzed with life, a hive of activity where students not only learned the art of governance and strategy but also the hidden histories of their worlds.
The evolution of the UNSA into the UEG and the transformation of Earth I into half-legend, half-memory in the minds of not only the residents of UEG space, but Dominion space, intrigued Richard.
Though he was often content just to listen, snippets of conversation among his peers and the frequent lectures would reveal the truths that lay beneath the surface.
During a particularly lively history class, the instructor recounted the clandestine colonization program that had begun decades ago—a secret migration that eventually gave birth to the UEG and the UNSC.
Under the crystal chandeliers of the grand lecture hall, portraits of heroic figures from the Dominion's past adorned the walls.
Richard, seated amongst his peers, listened intently to the esteemed Professor Armand Santorini, a distinguished Coordinator historian, as he recounted the convoluted origins of their shared history.
"The birth of our Space Century," began Professor Santorini, his voice rich with the gravitas of knowledge, "traces back to Earth I, under the shroud of political upheaval and scientific ambition. In the shadows of the 1970s, the erstwhile United Nations gave rise to the United Nations Space Alliance, and their peacekeepers evolved into the formidable SATO." [5]
Richard exchanged an excited glance with Dorothy Mengsk, the younger sister of the now-decased founding Emperor of the Dominion, Arcturus I, who sat just a few seats away.
Since their first meeting at the academy, she had taken a keen interest in Richard's journey and his transformation.
Her presence was a comforting reminder of the bonds he had forged.
"The UNSA and SATO," Santorini continued, "sought refuge beyond the stars, secret mechanisms mobilizing colonies to distant worlds. This relentless ambition evolved relentlessly, birthing the United Earth Government and the United Nations Space Command—their reach extending across vast sectors of space." [6]
As the lecture unfolded, Richard's mind conjured images of those early space pioneers—driven by a thirst for discovery, and a need to escape a home tainted and destroyed by endless war.
Yet, even these bastions of humanity were not immune to discord.
"Mars," echoed Richard, his whisper barely audible above the professor's sonorous monologue, "home to the burgeoning SDF."
"The Settlement Defense Front," Dorothy whispered in return, "an idealistic genesis, later inflamed by the fires of revolution and autonomy, morphing into the Insurrectionists we know, and hate, today."
Professor Santorini paused, reading the room. "Yet their grand escape was not without consequence. Earth I submerged in the chaos of what was perhaps the first known, albiet unverifiable, first contact, before the rise of the Alliance in our sector of space in 2149 AD—masked as the mythical clash between the mighty Ultranationalists in the ruins of what was once the USSR and the US itself. That devastation… it spurred their definitive severance from Earth I, directing their destiny upon Earth II."
During breaks and personal dialogues, Richard pieced together the tales of triumph and tribulation yawning through space—and he realized the import of his unique vantage, now woven into these narratives.
This revelation left Richard pondering the old world, a world he had so briefly known but from which he felt forever severed.
After class, during a rare moment of solitude, Dorothy Mengsk joined Richard under a sprawling tree in the academy's garden.
Despite her elevated status as a Princess of the Dominion, she carried herself with an approachable grace.
"Hello, Richard." Her voice held a note of melancholy, although she greeted him with a soft smile.
"Dorothy," Richard replied, noting the somber undercurrent. "It's good to see you. Are you alright?"
Dorothy sighed, her gaze drifting to the sky. "It's just…sometimes I miss my brother, Arcturus. He was larger than life, you know? And to have him taken—" Her voice cracked slightly. "I despise Sarah Kerrigan for what she did."
Richard nodded, feeling a strange kinship with her grief. He understood loss—both tangible and abstract.
"I never knew him," Richard admitted. "But everyone speaks highly of him. It's hard to be left behind."
"Yes," Dorothy affirmed, her eyes meeting his. "But you seem to be fitting in well here. It's—refreshing to see someone overcome their past."
They fell into comfortable silence, the weight of their respective histories a shared burden. Yet, amidst their challenges, there was resilience—a sense of hope for what the future promised.
As days grew into weeks, Richard continued to absorb all that the Dominion could teach him.
He learned of the bad blood between the UEG and the Dominion, a complex web woven from ambition, betrayal, and incompatible visions for humanity's destiny.
Yet, the subtleties of court politics made for rich material during hushed conversations with his new friends.
In these fleeting, unguarded moments, Richard unearthed the multifaceted nature of his new world—its flaws and its splendor.
Friendship, laughter, and the pursuit of knowledge became the keystones of his life in Dominion space, ensuring his evolution from the shadowed halls of Konoha to the grand corridors of the Terran Dominion.
But even as he settled into this life, Richard felt the stirrings of purpose within him—a drive to forge his own path amid the stars.
True, the Dominion had shielded him from his past, but in this newfound realm, the boy born from hardship would seek to build a legacy not bound by the limitations of worlds left behind.
Richard Walker stood at that precipice, ready to take his place among the stars, alongside his companions and within his chosen family.
And in his heart, he knew this was but the beginning—a chapter in the expansive narrative of a universe teeming with possibilities.
He was no longer alone.
Hail Dominion, for a new dawn awaited, not only for the Dominion, but the entire galaxy.
[1] Naruto Uzumaki's character development throughout both the manga and anime series can be traced back to his challenging upbringing.
Raised in an environment that largely viewed him as a burden rather than as an individual with thoughts, emotions, and a soul, Naruto's growth is marked by significant flaws in the world-building established by Masashi Kishimoto.
While some characters, such as Teuchi and Ayame Ichiraku, Iruka Umino, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, provided sporadic support, their contributions were limited and inconsistent.
This sporadic support fundamentally impacted Naruto's emotional health.
Iruka, although one of the closest figures to a older brother role for Naruto, could not offer the continuous nurturing he required due to the former's job as a teacher.
Similarly, while Hiruzen served as a grandfather figure, his focus on political matters in the clown show that was Konoha and his tolerance of Danzo's illegal, heinous and treacherous, treasonous actions contributed to significant turmoil within the village, including the Uchiha massacre [N.B there is no way one man could genocide his entire clan and get away with it, it's illogical and stupid in so many ways, so that piece of canon goes out the window here,] .
The logistics of one person orchestrating such a tragic event raise questions about systemic flaws within Konoha's governance, military, social and political structure.
Moreover, Hiruzen's failure to adequately manage Orochimaru, both as a student and later as a rogue ninja, demonstrates a concerning lack of foresight in Konoha's leadership.
These decisions not only allowed for Orochimaru's transformation into a villain with significant genocidal aspirations but also tarnished Hiruzen's legacy as a leader.
Such oversights reflect systemic issues in the village's governance, highlighting moral ambiguities that run deep in the narrative.
As a result of this inadequate support, Naruto developed a sense of self-reliance marked by emotional suppression tempered by the occasional emotional outbursts, which mainifested in the form of his "public" self of a idiotic, self-assured fool who desperately wanted to be the nepotistically chosen, oligarchic, kleptocratic military dictator of a backwards village that hated him.
If that isn't Stockholm syndrome and narcissistic sociopathy, I have no idea what that is.
This behavioral response became so ingrained that he often remained unaware of its influence on his choices and relationships.
This critical examination of Kishimoto's approach to world-building reveals a complicated interplay between Naruto's development and the societal failures surrounding him, ultimately showcasing how the environment frequently overlooked his inherent humanity.
The flaws inherent in the narrative structure, character motivations, and leadership dynamics in Konoha create a rich yet problematic backdrop against which Naruto's story unfolds.
[2] Since Naruto is actually being raised in a functioning environment by a loving parent [Marcus], and unlike canon, his false mask and psychological problems as seen in canon haven't set in as yet and never will.
[3] Going back to my previous point in [1], it's a wonder that Naruto is as functional as he is, with what happened to him in canon. And since Sindel is a millennia year old extraterrestrial goddess with years of experience of dealing with people both human and alien, she'd definitely see that something was wrong with the kid and help out, in trying to get help for said kid.
[4] The Imperium of Man from Warhammer 40K, the Galaxy Federation from Tenchi Muyō!, and the Renza Federation from Tenchi Muyō!. Ya really think that I'd do a crossover between Naruto and Halo and have man be alone in the vast, wide universe?
Also, the UEG and by the extension, the UNSC will encounter
[5] A bit of lore tying together the Call of Duty franchise [COD MW, COD MW 2, COD MW 3, Advanced Warfare, BO3, Infinite Warfare], Tom Clancy's famous video games and books, and the Battlefield video game franchise together.
[6] More lore tying the whole thing together.