In the cold of space you find the heat of suns

Thanks for the reviews. I find them very useful and they inspire me to keep writing.

Apologies if the characters have grown differently in their new environment.

Spacer crews travel the Far Borders and the Fringe of occupied space, trading. Spacing is an ancient and honourable profession carved out by millenniums. Most spacers start out as fourteen-year-old boys seeking a future. Few survive a decade spacing.

59. Expectations

Sasuke had never seen Shikamaru so tense. If it had been anyone else Sasuke would have been worried that he was pushing one of his people past his or her limit.

“Can I help?” he asked.

Shikamaru almost jumped out of his skin; he had not realised that Sasuke was there. He had been juggling everything in his head: the plan to defeat the slavers, sorting Gaara’s ship and his secret campaign against the Snuffers. None of them were made easier by the fact they were heading further and further out into the Fringe towards the Wave system.

“Shikamaru?” Sasuke queried. “Speak to me,” he insisted.

“The lack of light speed communication relays is making my job more difficult,” Shikamaru admitted. “Also, we only have spare components for Naruto’s equipment. We must find a supplier if I am to modify Gaara’s ship without cannibalising what we already have. The constraints of keeping the meeting with Kankuro and staying on our original course to Wave are close to incompatible with the ship modifications.” He sighed. “I now know that we must carry more and a greater variety of supplies. I underestimated our requirement for flexibility. I apologise, Sasuke-sama.”

Sasuke scowled at him. “Let me get this straight. You are apologising for not anticipating meeting a hybrid, for not planning in advance for a completely new mission and for not lavishly stocking the ship at a time when we only had limited credit. Shikamaru, don’t act like an idiot. You are a genius, not a magician.”

Shikamaru flushed.

“Prioritise and re-plan,” Sasuke told him. “The only fixed event is the meeting with Kankuro. Consider using the ships separately. Include the Silver Leaf as I am sure Tsunade-san would be open to persuasion. Consider buying or hiring more ships if that is necessary.”

“Can I split the crew?” Shikamaru asked. “If there is no alternative?”

Sasuke hated the idea. “Yes. Don’t expect Naruto to leave the babies. Now, let’s go to the galley and make you some real coffee.”

Shikamaru smiled sheepishly. “Thanks, Sasuke.”


Within thirty minutes they had a promising plan. Sasuke would persuade Tsunade to take Shikamaru’s shopping list. She would use her trader skills to obtain the urgently required items while setting up deals that would deliver the remainder. The Oak would jump into a gated system with light speed communication relays and deliver the Silver Leaf into a shipping lane while Shikamaru connected to the data streams. They would then follow a new route to the Wave system. This would allowed them to keep the appointment with Kankuro and visit a space station where Shikamaru could purchase the more esoteric components he required. The modified plan would delay their arrival in the Wave system by only ten days.

There was one complication; Temari would have to stay with them rather than crewing on the Silver Leaf. They needed her to liase with Gaara and for the meeting with Kankuro.

“Tsunade-san will ask for Shino,” Shikamaru warned Sasuke. “I can’t spare him.”

“She is already getting Jiraiya,” Sasuke replied. “Should we be asking for Anko? Do you think it is serious?”

Shikamaru grinned. “Neji says it must be serious because otherwise Shino would have settled for being one of Anko’s quick fucks. Instead he is making her jump through a thousand and one hoops. The Silver Leaf can’t spare Anko. She’s their champion. Tenten is too inexperienced.”

“We could offer to look after Tayuya,” Sasuke suggested. “Then they wouldn’t have a cat. That reduces the likelihood of challenge. It would also mean that Temari, Anko and Tayuya could stay in the guest crew room.”

“They’ll jump at it,” Shikamaru agreed. “Tayuya’s a crew’s worst nightmare. Lady knows that Tsunade-san was thinking when she persuaded them to take her. If they still won’t go for it, ask Ibiki to go with them for his one trip. That will win over Suzume and Ibiki will enjoy himself.” He considered. “Better check with Iruka-sensei about Tayuya.”


Iruka looked at the devastation and swallowed. He was anticipating the intensity of Haku’s likely reaction when Haku arrived and started screaming. Iruka did not blame him. The closet was Haku’s pride and joy. It was bad enough that Tayuya had pulled everything out its place into a rumpled heap on the floor but pouring bleach over Haku’s kimonos was far beyond spiteful.

Then Haku spotted the kimonos and went absolutely silent.

“I am going to kill her,” he said and drew one of his knives.

Iruka lunged at him but missed. Luckily Kisame was in the next room and caught him. Iruka watched in admiration as he calmly disarmed Haku and carried him away, completely ignoring the blows Haku was raining down on him. Watching them gave Iruka an idea. He asked Naruto to find and retrieve Tayuya.

He then went to one of the spare rooms in the crew room. He made up the bed, put a few changes of clothing in the closet, stacked some emergency rations on the table and checked that head and shower functioned. When Naruto arrived he had Tayuya bent into a shape where it hurt her if she moved. She was wild-eyed and breathing shallowly. Iruka stood at the open doorway.

“Toss her in,” he said.

Naruto complied.

Iruka slid the door closed and locked it. He then went to help Neji and Konohamaru in the closet.


There were a few small mercies. Tayuya had overlooked Haku’s two dress kimonos, which were stored in boxes, and three of the others, including one of Haku’s favourites, were in the laundry. The others were ruined beyond repair, as was everything else the undiluted bleach had touched, including the carpet.

“We have to remove all trace of it,” Iruka insisted. “Kono-kun, work out where we can get another carpet from and how we can fit it. Ask for help until you have a solution.”

Konohamaru nodded and left.

“What have you done with her?” Neji asked.

“Locked her in a spare room.” Iruka replied. “She will stay there until I decide what to do with her and I can be sure Haku won’t gut her.”

“What sparked it?” Neji asked.

Iruka sighed. “Haku told her what he thought of her. Tayuya didn’t respond at the time. I thought she had decided to pretend she had not heard it.”

Neji transferred another of the previously beautiful kimonos to the disposal bag he was holding. “Apparently not,” he observed. “She didn’t throw the bleach in his face,” he added.

Iruka froze.

“I am saying that she isn’t beyond hope,” Neji explained. “She does have limits.”


Sasuke looked at the three women who were standing on the other side of his desk. He had offered seats but they had refused them.

“It’s been five days, Sasuke-sama,” Temari complained. “Iruka-san will not even allow Rin-san to go in and check Tayuya is healthy. The door had not been opened once.”

“Naruto says that Tayuya’s breathing is normal,” Sasuke assured them.

“Five days in a room with nothing to do is mental cruelty,” Rin added.

Sasuke felt the first twinge of guilt.

“It was only a few clothes,” Anko grumbled.

His nascent sympathy vanished. “It was not a ‘few clothes’, Anko-san. It was an act calculated to cause a great deal of pain. Most of us have some possessions that mean more to us than their material worth. Whether you are capable of understanding that or not, you are wasting your time here. I have no intention of overruling Iruka-sensei. I suggest that you raise your concerns with him. Please close the door on your way out.”


Anko kicked the bulkhead on the opposite side of the corridor and released a string of curses as soon as the door was shut.

“Way to go, Anko,” Temari sneered. “We were getting somewhere until you opened your big mouth. If that’s what you said to Shino, I’m not surprised he isn’t talking to you.”

“At least I don’t have a brother who would prefer to hibernate rather than spend time with me,” Anko retaliated.

Temari bit back an extremely inappropriate response. It was true that she and Gaara had disagreed about whether he should confide in Naruto and Shikamaru that he would be wanting a controller in the future. Temari had won, but Gaara was now hibernating.

Rin studied the pair of them and shook her head. “I will speak with Iruka-san alone,” she declared.


“I have decided to allow her out today,” Iruka told Rin, placing a cup of tea before her. “I had hoped that she would ask to be released, or cry, or throw a tantrum but Neji-san says that this silence may indicate she has accepted my authority.”

“Maybe you could stock the room with improving reading material before next time?” Rin suggested. “And maybe allow her flute?”

Iruka grimaced. “We both think there will be a next time,” he observed. “Yes to the reading material. That is a good idea. I am less convinced about the flute.”


Iruka slid back the door and pushed the basket into the room with his foot. “I expect you in my office in five minutes.”

She was there, which was good. She was even wearing the clean clothes that had been in the basket.

“Your behaviour was utterly unacceptable, Tayuya,” he told her. “It was unacceptable because you deliberately set out to hurt Haku-san badly. Also, you chose to do so in a way that could not be remedied. From now on, if you behave in an unacceptable way you will be punished as you were punished this time. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Iruka-sensei,” Tayuya responded.

Iruka was astonished by the honorific. He decided, for the moment, to accept it as its face value. “That is good, Tayuya-kun. I have persuaded Haku-san not to carve reparations for his kimonos out of your flesh but it would probably be prudent to avoid him.”

Tayuya’s eyes widened. “I understand, Iruka-sensei,” she whispered.


Iruka knew that Tayuya was sneaking peeks at him through the open doorway as he cleaned the room. She watched him remake the bed, stock the closet with clean, Tayuya-sized clothes, stack ration packs in one of the lockers and place a stand-alone tablet on the table. As he left the room and locked it, he could see her watching from the galley.


Tayuya had wondered what Iruka would do as she had poured bleach over Haku’s ridiculous kimonos. She had never imagined him ignoring her, or her terror at being hunted down by Naruto, or being stuck with nothing but her thoughts for five days. Until Iruka-sensei had said it, she had not considered that Haku might be dangerous; she had seen him as some girly-boy floosie rather than a spacer who had knives and knew how to use them. Similarly, she had seen Naruto as Sasuke’s exotic pet until her every instinct had screamed fear as he pursued her.

In Tayuya experience, people lived down to her expectations. Tsunade made promises she did not keep, Suzume was weak, Shizune avoided unpleasantness, Anko could be provoked, Tenten was gullible and Temari was too stuck up to bother. Iruka appeared different. Iruka was consistent. Iruka had standards and kept to them. Tayuya had not been convinced; if she pushed hard enough Iruka would let her down, like all the others.

She watched Iruka-sensei prepare and lock her punishment room. She had no doubt that he would use it. It made her feel safe.

She went to find Sumaru. She liked Sumaru. His dislike of her was reassuringly consistent.


“I am not one of your quick fucks, Anko-san,” Shino informed her.

Anko lost it. “When did I treat you like a quick fuck? We have had seven kisses and one grope. I know because each one is etched into my memory. You drive me completely and totally wild. I want you so much I could scream. Scream like this.” She screamed, her hands fisted in her hair.

Shino blinked at her. He had his damn lenses in. She could see herself in their mirrored surface.

“What do I have to do?” she yelled. “I have been nice to so many people my teeth hurt. I made sweetmeats. I have admitted that I was wrong more often in the last div than I have in my entire life. I have stopped myself jumping you. My hand aches from masturbating so much. My vibrator has given out from overuse. Don’t you find me at all attractive?”

“Don’t be silly,” he said in his impossibly smooth, soft voice. “You are lovely.”

He stepped closer and for one wonderful moment she thought he was going to kiss her but, instead, he turned away. She watched, stunned, as he went to a locker, opened it, took out his lockbox, unlocked it, opened it, removed something, relocked the box and turned back to her.

It was something on a chain. She stood, motionless, as he moved behind her, hung a pendant around her neck and fastened it.

“It was my great-grandmother’s,” he told her. “I want you to have it. You remind me of her. She was a very special lady.”

Anko wanted to scream again. Stopping the scream made her temples throb. She went though the motions of admiring the pendant. “It is lovely, Shino-san,” she heard herself say. “Thank you. I will treasure it.”


Temari was sitting at the galley table in the guest crew room when Anko arrived. She went straight to the liquor locker, found a bottle of whisky and two small cups. She flopped down at the table, filled one of the cups and gestured with the bottle towards Temari. Temari shook her head. Anko emptied her cup and refilled it.

“That bad?” Temari asked.

Anko displayed the pendant. “Shino gave me this. It was his great-grandmother’s.”

Temari examined it. “It is very nice work and it suits you. Don’t you like it?”

“It’s lovely.” Anko drained her cup again. “He didn’t even kiss me.”

“You have to stop thinking about sex,” Temari told her.

Anko stared at her.

“When you are with him, all you do is think about fucking. That’s what he doesn’t like. Do something together. Cook. Train. Ask him to show you how to build a flyer.” Temari suddenly smiled. “Find out when Kurenai is going to leave the children with him and offer to show them how to make those sweetmeats.”


It was, Anko had to admit, fun. Shino and Keitaro watched while she helped Akemi and Misora make the sweetmeats. They made more mess than sweetmeats but managed to make six reasonable ones for Kurenai and Asuma. After they cleaned up the galley and the children there was time for a few games before returning three very tired small people to their parents. Shino then walked her back to the guest crew room. She was too tired to think about fucking, so the kiss was unexpected. She responded and was surprised when he did not relinquish control.

She had never felt more thoroughly kissed.

It was nice.

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