In the cold of space you find the heat of suns

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.

13. The plaque

Sasuke woke Naruto while everyone else was still asleep. He pulled him into the bathroom, locked the door, then sat on the floor. Naruto sat opposite him and waited as Sasuke took a few, deep breaths.

“Naruto, this man who is coming, he was responsible for me as I grew up. He still sees me as his responsibility, even though I am old enough to space. He is a very powerful man. Someone, I don’t know who, has told him about you. If he decides that you are a danger to me it could be bad.”

“In what way bad?” Naruto asked.

“Bad in that you and Kakashi could end up dead.”

Naruto could understand them killing him, they saw him as a danger to Sasuke, but Kakashi? “Is Kakashi your bodyguard?” he asked.

Sasuke shook his head slightly. “Much more than that. This man, my guardian, he has delegated his responsibility for me to Kakashi while I am spacing. If there has been a mistake he will hold Kakashi responsible. Naruto, there is nothing you can do other than to answer him truthfully if he asks you any questions. And do not, under any circumstance, call me teme in his hearing. However, there is something that I can do.” He took something out of his pocket and leaned forward. “I need to take off your collar.”

Naruto guessed that he had got the key from Shikamaru, although he was surprised that Shikamaru had it with him. “How will that help? I am more dangerous without it than with it.”

“It is only for a few minutes, dobe.”

Naruto passed the test, he did not respond, and Sasuke managed a very small smile. He watched Sasuke slide a curved plate onto the collar.

“I need you to wear this. I realise that it may make the collar uncomfortable but it is only for today.” He placed the collar back around Naruto’s neck and locked it.

Naruto stood and went to look in the mirror. The plate was blue and there was a symbol on it that was round, red at the top, white at the bottom with a line coming down from the white part. As well as the symbol there were some squiggles. He was about to ask what it meant when he realised that Sasuke was leaning over the other sink, gagging. Sasuke waved him away, filled a glass and drained it in five large gulps.

“Naruto, do me a favour and stop Kakashi seeing that for a long as possible.” Sasuke asked.

Naruto nodded.

Naruto went back to bed and pretended to sleep. It worked. Late morning, Iruka came and sat beside his cot for a while, then stroked his hair and kissed him on the cheek. Naruto felt bad about not saying goodbye but he had promised Sasuke. Finally, when Sasuke had gone to wake the Captain, Kakashi ordered him up. He tried wasted some time in the bathroom and then dressing but Kakashi kept telling him to hurry up. Naruto took a deep breath and walked into the bedroom where Kakashi was waiting.

Kakashi’s eyes widened. His fingers dipped into the compartment in his wrist strap and Naruto realised that Sasuke must have stolen the key from Kakashi, which was mind-boggling. Kakashi was out of the bedroom, across the main room and into the Captain’s bedroom. Naruto followed as far as the shared room. Ignoring Tsunade’s angry shouts, Kakashi dragged Sasuke out of her room by his hair. Naruto snarled but shrank back as Kakashi gave him a look that sent him cowering away like a whipped puppy.

“Where’s the key?” he demanded.

Sasuke’s eyes flashed with defiance. “I swallowed it early this morning.”

Kakashi flung him to one side. His gaze went to the clock and he swore. He then activated his communicator and spoke the emergency crew contact code. “Iruka? I need Ibiki and Shikamaru to get back to the ship, get the key to Naruto’s collar and to bring it here. As quickly as you can. You understand?” He glanced back at the time. “By the Lady, be enough,” he muttered.

“What’s in all space is wrong with you, Kakashi?” Tsunade demanded, coming out of her room in a robe.

Kakashi stabbed his finger in Naruto’s direction. “Look at his collar.”

Tsunade looked, saw, swore and then frowned. “Is it so bad if he wears it to this meeting? We can take it off him before the others see it. Sasuke is just trying to protect him.”

Naruto saw Kakashi reaching deep inside, forcing himself to be calm, refusing to lose control. When he spoke it sounded deceptively normal. “I think it is a risk, Captain. I believe that the symbols may have more meaning than we know. If we can get a key here in time, we should take the plaque off the collar.”

“If the key arrives in time we will utilise it,” The Captain decided. “In the meantime, we should prepare ourselves and this room for our visitor. Kakashi, you are not to punish Sasuke until after the meeting.”

Kakashi waited until Tsunade had shut the door behind her. He then turned to Sasuke. “You know what you have done,” he said before walking into the bedroom and slamming the door.

Naruto stared at Sasuke, whose defiance had faded and whose face was flushed with what Naruto suspected was shame. “What have you done, Sasuke?” he asked, “And why doesn’t the Captain understand?”

Sasuke shook his head. “It’s complicated, Naruto. At this time, I am doing what I believe is best in order to save your life and Kakashi’s life. That meant hurting Kakashi very badly. That plaque is his most precious possession. And by putting that plaque on you I have committed you to a future you may not have chosen, but that is better than you having no future at all. As for the Captain, she does not know the meaning of the plaque or that it is Kakashi’s.”

Naruto thought carefully. “Sasuke, your guardian’s going to expect me to know what wearing the plaque means.”

“Not necessarily.”

“Sasuke! It needs to be real, not a trick.”

“It means you will give your life for me and that I will look after you in every way that I can.”

Naruto relaxed. He smiled. “That’s fine. You get the place ready for the visitor and I will speak to Kakashi.”

“You will?”

”I will.”

Kakashi yelled at him to get out but Naruto stood his ground and spoke. “I wish to say something. I want to survive, I want you to survive and Sasuke wants both of us to survive. If this plaque means what he says then I am fine about wearing it. Knowing it is yours makes me proud. He’s only done this because he is absolutely certain this guardian of his will kill me otherwise and you agree with him, Kakashi-sensei. I saw it in your reaction last night. I felt it in Iruka’s kiss this morning.”

“What did he say it meant?” Kakashi asked.

Naruto told him.

“Close enough.” Kakashi agreed. He sighed. “They may ask you to demonstrate your fighting skills. If they do, do your best but do not expect to win. They will not expect you to win, you are too young.”

Naruto nodded. “And you won’t take the plaque off me if the key arrives?”

“It won’t arrive, Naruto. Sasuke did not steal the key and the plaque. It wouldn’t have been possible. I did not see it before because I was too angry. Iruka did it and Iruka will make sure that the key does not arrive until after the meeting.” He walked to the door and politely asked Sasuke to join them. Sasuke walked in slowly, warily. Then, to Naruto’s astonishment, Kakashi knelt at Sasuke’s feet and pressed his forehead to the floor. “I apologise, Sasuke-sama, for failing you. You went to another because you could not trust me.”

Sasuke was absolutely still for a few moments before replying. “Please do not do that Kakashi-sensei. It is not necessary.” Kakashi did not move. “I forgive you, Kakashi.” Sasuke said finally and Kakashi stood.

Naruto tried to be very still when the man came. He was old. Three of his men came as far as the unit but two stayed outside and only one accompanied him into the room. The bodyguard had an eye patch. Naruto felt the one eye boring into his throat. There was a formal exchange of greetings between the old man and Tsunade, who then offered to leave and had her offer accepted. She did not look at Naruto as she left.

The conversation between the old man and Sasuke was very formal and, to Naruto’s ears, very empty. Finally they got to the point.

“I assume that the hybrid does not usually wear that announcement on his neck, Sasuke-kun.”

“His name is Naruto. I asked him to wear it today, senpai.”

“This is a matter about which I know too little,” the old man confessed. He turned to his bodyguard. “Tenzo-san?”

“Such a precious gift does not belong around the neck of an abomination, senpai,” Tenzo said immediately, his eye fixed on Kakashi.

“And what do you say to that, Sasuke-kun?” the man asked.

“I see no abomination, senpai. I see Naruto.” Sasuke answered.

“The hybrid cannot be worthy of such a gift.” Tenzo insisted.

“Yet you do not know him, Tenzo-san,” the man observed. “He who knows him has chosen to give it. Kakashi-san, is the boy worthy of this gift?”

Kakashi did not hesitate. “Yes, senpai.”

“Then I challenge him.” Tenzo announced.

“No!” Sasuke ordered.

“Tenzo is not yours to command, Sasuke-kun. Tenzo-san, the boy does not even have his knife.”

“The gift supersedes a knife,” Tenzo insisted. “Sasuke-san knows this. Kakashi knows this.”

“Then this does seem one way to ensure a resolution. There are consequences to any action, Sasuke-kun.”

“Hiruzen-sama,” Kakashi asked, “as Naruto does not have a knife, may I request that the fight be hand-to-hand?”

“I do not need weapons to defeat someone so unworthy.” Tenzo agreed.

“Very well, prepare to begin. Sasuke-kun, you will stand beside me.”

Kakashi walked swiftly to Naruto. Naruto did not know how he felt. So much of his life had been lived on the edge of death, it was like becoming reacquainted with an old friend.

“Naruto, this is no test of your skills.” Kakashi was saying. “Tenzo is… …uncompromising. If you lose this you will die, I will die and Sasuke will be taken from the Silver Leaf. It is likely that my place with Sasuke will be taken by Tenzo.”

Every instinct told Naruto that would be bad. Kakashi was helping him remove his jacket and his shirt.

“Tenzo has an implant like mine. He is activating it now. He is better adapted than I, so do not try to last until any side effects kick in, it will be too late.”

Kakashi removed Naruto’s activator for his collar, which Naruto wore on a chain about his neck.

“You may need to flip.” Kakashi whispered. “Do not fight it. Sasuke and I both have activators. We will protect each other and Sasuke’s guardian.

“Is he as good a fighter as you?” Naruto asked.

Kakashi gave a ghost of a smile. “No, he is not. And, believe me, you will have surprise on your side.”

“Will it cause a problem if I kill him?” Naruto heard himself ask.

Kakashi stared at him for a split second. “No.” he answered.

So Naruto killed him, without hesitation and without any need to flip.

Kakashi moved first. He picked up the activator that Tenzo had tried to use when he had realised he was going to lose. As if Shikamaru would allow Naruto to wear a collar that a stranger could activate. He handed it to Sasuke, who handed it to his guardian. The old man smiled at him.

“A most satisfactory resolution. Sasuke-san, it is good to see you making such excellent progress. Kakashi-san, I commend you. Naruto-san, it has been... …educational to meet you. It is good to know that Sasuke has you protecting him. Until we meet again, Sasuke-san.”

Sasuke bowed. “Senpai.”

The old man left. Then two men came in and removed the body. Naruto looked at the large, spreading stain on the carpet and then at the blood splatter on the walls, ceiling and furnishings. He had not known that ripping out someone’s throat would be so messy. Kakashi smiled at them. “Naruto, go and clean up. Try not to get any blood anywhere else. Make sure noone else sees that plaque. Sasuke, sort this place out before Iruka gets here.”

Sasuke scanned the room. “How, Kakashi-sensei?”

Kakashi shrugged. “There are consequences to any action, Sasuke-kun.”