Iteration
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Naruto › Yaoi - Male/Male › Naruto/Sasuke
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Category:
Naruto › Yaoi - Male/Male › Naruto/Sasuke
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
119
Views:
2,667
Reviews:
1203
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This story has some of Masashi Kishimoto's characters from Naruto in a universe of my own devising. I do not own Naruto. I do not make any money from these writings.
Evacuation
‘Iteration’ is part of the space saga that began with ‘In the cold of space you find the heat of suns’ and continues in ‘Tales in Tarrasade’.
This is posted in the Naruto/Sasuke section because it is part of a Naru/Sasu/Naru space saga. However, it does feature many other pairings (and a few threesomes). Apologies to those who are expecting Naruto/Sasuke or Sasuke/Naruto every chapter.
Apologies if the characters have grown differently in their new environment.
Thanks to Small Fox for being my beta. For this story he has also been my muse, suggesting a number of the ideas that have evolved to create this arc.
Thank you to those who have left a review. I truly appreciate them and they help me keep writing this story. Particular thanks to unneeded, cynaga, Prism0467, meow-ku, naruto, v, Moonmoore, sadie237 and disembodiedvoiceofthedying, who left a review for chatper 28.
Chapter twenty-nine: Evacuation
The corridors chosen as the evacuation route had been cleared and all access points other than the four designated gates closed. The communication network Shino and Konohamaru had installed had been tested. There was a member of Uchiha, a representative of the mayor’s office and a local hybrid on each of the four gates. The remaining Uchiha fighters were at strategic positions along the evacuation route. Shikamaru, Neji and Kakashi were ready in the control centre on the Sakura.
As soon as the night-time curfew was lifted, hybrids began arriving at the gates from the upper levels. Most of them were alone. Some were accompanied by well-wishers. A few were hand-in-hand with anxious purebreds who were deeply relieved to be admitted with their loved ones.
She looked at herself in the mirror. Emerald eyes looked back at her from beneath strawberry pink hair. Today she would not be Tennyo-san or any of the other identities. Today she would be herself, Sakura, the girl who had been destined to be ordinary but determined to be otherwise.
Chaaruzu-san was correct. There were causes worth risking your life for. Sasuke-sama might have no idea that she even existed, that there was a Sakura other than his ship, but she would help him and Naruto-san save the hybrids.
She strapped on her knives, the outward sign of her spacer status. She tuned three compact transmitters and receivers to the frequencies Chaaruzu-san had instructed, one of which would put her in contact with Shikamaru-san, the voice in Sasuke Uchiha’s ear. She clipped that one to her belt and stowed the others, along with the fifteen small receivers she had purchased, in her satchel. Then she sealed her ship and walked purposely towards the residential sector.
The seventeen couriers she had hired for the day were waiting at Shibito’s bar. Shibito himself was not present, he was manning one of the gates, but he had arranged for someone to admit her and the couriers. She stepped up onto a chair and then onto the table.
“My name is Sakura. I have chosen to hire each of you because you worked for standards alongside couriers who were hybrids. Many of you wore HDL ribbons before the AHB made that unwise.
“If you are not sympathetic towards hybrids, please leave. I ask each of you to look at the other people in this room. Is there anyone who should not be here?”
To her relief no one left or was evicted.
“Your job today is to assist with the evacuation. You may be needed, you may not. Two of you will need to be dispatchers. The dispatchers will receive messages from me by radio. The rest of you will use your initiative to find the target group for those messages and convey them. This bar is your base for the day unless you hear otherwise.” She waited for a moment for her instructions to sink in. “Please decide which of you should be the dispatchers,” she added.
She walked away from the bar, back to the spacer quarter, buoyed by the couriers’ response. They had been determined and focused, quickly selecting two of their number as dispatchers. Those two now had the other transmitters and each of the couriers had a receiver. She activated her transmitter on the channel that linked to Uchiha.
“This is Sakura, on behalf of Tennyo-san, reporting to Shikamaru-san,” she announced. “The couriers are in place and briefed. I repeat, the couriers are in place and briefed.”
There was a brief pause and then a young man’s voice replied. “This is Shikamaru-san. Welcome, Sakura-san. Thank you on behalf of Uchiha for your assistance. We acknowledge that the couriers are in place and briefed.”
A thrill ran across Sakura’s skin; Shikamaru-san, the voice in Sasuke Uchiha’s ear, had spoken to her and thanked her on behalf of Uchiha. “It is an honour to assist, Shikamaru-san,” she replied. I will now take up position where I can watch the main crossing point between the spacer quarter and the residential sector, as planned.”
Naruto started his day by visiting the assembly point on the middle of the three lower levels. He was accompanied by Kisame and Itachi, while Sumaru stayed with Sasuke on the Oak.
He was introduced to three hybrids and a purebred woman with long, black hair. As soon as her name, Kotohime, was mentioned Naruto heard Shikamaru’s sharp intake of breath via his earpiece.
“She’s the hybrid engineer, Na-chan,” Shikamaru told him.
Naruto did not know how to react to that so he decided not to. The three hybrids, Denka, Hina and Tonton, deferred to her. The assembly point was organised and their plans were sound. This was not the time to consider Kotohime’s guilt. Instead he concentrated on gaining their trust.
“We have bought communication equipment,” he told them. “Perhaps one of you could discuss with Itachi-san where it should be installed.” He waited and Denka agreed to see to it. Naruto turned back to Kotohime. “Do you have any priority cases who should accompany me back to the Oak?”
Tonton grunted softly to attract his attention. “There are five babies,” she admitted. “If they were safe I could concentrate on collecting the feral children.”
The babies ranged from a few divs to well over a standard. The older three were soon swarming over Naruto, who did not mind in the least.
Tonton was staring at him as if she was having difficulty processing what she was seeing.
“We have to decide what would be best for them in the short term,” Naruto explained. “Sasuke and I decided to pod our ten for the duration of this operation, because their normal routine would be so disrupted and they may have been upset at being separated from us.”
“Ten?” she queried.
“Our litter,” Naruto clarified. “Seven hybrids and three purebreds. They are over three standards now.”
“I remember,” she whispered. “You mentioned them in the holovid.”
Naruto smiled at her. She looked like she needed it. “Do you think it would be for the best if we podded them?” he pressed.
She smiled back. It was not very convincing. Naruto wondered if she ever smiled at anyone who wasn’t a baby or a small child. He waited for her answer.
“Perhaps that would be for the best,” she admitted. “So I can concentrate on collecting the ferals.”
“I’m sending the camera feed to Rin,” Neji’s voice said in his earpiece. “So that she can have pods of the correct sizes available.”
“Good. Do you think you can spare time to accompany me and the babies to the Oak, where they will be podded. “It will take about...” He listened to Shikamaru in his ear. “...one hundred minutes.”
Tonton hesitated. Her snout-like nose flexed. “I would like to do that Naruto-san, but I think it would be better if I stayed here. Isaribi, one of the experimental models, helps in the nursery. The babies are used to her. She will accompany you.”
Isaribi was, Naruto estimated, about ten standards. Patches of her skin were scalely and she had webs between the fingers of her right hand but not those of her left. She was very polite, acknowledging each of Tonton’s instructions with a quiet “Yes Tonton-san” or a determined “I will, Tonton-san.”
When she saw Kisame her eyes went completely circular. Naruto wondered if she might faint, which would be a problem as she was carrying the two youngest children, one in a carrier on her back and the other in a sling across her chest. However she did not, managing a small bow despite being burdened with babies.
Naruto went to hand at least one of the three he was carrying to Itachi but the children would have none of it, clinging determinedly. Itachi picked up the bag Tonton had packed instead.
“I am sure they will hang on just fine, Naruto-san,” Kisame observed.
Naruto thought that very likely, if the grip that one of them had on his hair was anything to go by.
“Sasuke-sama,” Shikamaru’s voice spoke into his ear. “You should see the local morning news programme.”
“Relay it to me,” Sasuke instructed. “I am in the meeting room we were using on the Oak.”
The holoprojection sprang to life. There, walking through the spacer quarter, was Naruto. He was being ridden by three cat-human toddlers and holding his hand was a serious-looking girl child with two babies.
“Naruto-san, patron of the Hybrid Defence League and acknowledged partner of Sasuke Uchiha, already hard at work making good Uchiha’s promise to rid the Warren’s residential sector of hybrids.
“In a statement issued by the mayor’s office, Onoki-sama said that this was the perfect solution to the Warren’s hybrid overpopulation problem, allowing the government to show compassion while ensuring a better standard of living for the residents of the Warren.
Uchiha-sama, commenting yesterday, said that Uchiha was happy to relocate hybrids to places where they would be welcome, find fulfilling lives and contribute positively towards the local economy.”
Sasuke smiled; as if anyone would care about Onoki’s mealy-mouthed words, or his own response to them, when they could watch Naruto.
Strong arms around him; Sasuke almost jumped before he realised that the images were recorded, not live.
“How are the babies and the girl?” Sasuke asked.
“The babies are podded. Isaribi is with Ibiki. He is going to settle her into one of the dormitories. We have a hundred and seventy guests on board so far,” Naruto replied. He scowled at the holoprojection. “Why are they obsessed with showing images of me?” he complained.
Sasuke turned and hugged him back. “Because you are so beautiful,” he insisted. “Time to patrol,” he added. “You can tell me about the lower levels while we check on everyone.”
Sickler was determined to prove that Ebisu was innocent. He would return to the apartment and try to make a tape. If that failed he would disconnect the recorder and take it with him.
He scuttled along the now familiar route of ducts and tunnels. It took him past the place where one group of the feral children slept. One of the boys scowled at him, his gaze promising retribution if Sickler woke the others.
Sickler remembered what Naruto-san had told him. Uchiha intended to evacuate the feral children along with the other hybrids. By now they were meant to be in the lower levels, at the assembly point. Instead this group, at least, was still in their usual den.
He would think about it after he had made the tape or collected the recorder. He reached the apartment and stilled his breathing, listening carefully and scenting the air; alert for the least hint that they were monitoring the apartment. Then he removed the grill from the ventilation duct, jumped down and ran to the recorder. With trembling fingers he did what Kamatari had suggested. Although one of the men had deleted the recording it was still present in one of the buffers. Sickler brought it back and made two copies.
Then he was back in the network of ducts and tunnels; safe.
He was halfway back to the spacer quarter, just past the ferals’ den, when the whole structure shook and he was thrown across one of the access tunnels. His head hit the wall and darkness descended.
Deidara watched as the newest part of the Warren, the location of the most prestigious restaurants, the Hunundau store and the most expensive apartments, fractured and fragmented.
The pressure generated by the explosion accelerated the first wave of debris outward in an expanding sphere. It was beautiful. Deidara zoomed in using the telescope. He could see one body, then another, their limbs at unlikely angles like a child’s abandoned dolls.
He sighed in contentment.
Sasuke, Naruto and Sumaru had begun walking the evacuees’ route in reverse when they felt the floor shake.
“What was that?” Sasuke demanded.
“Trouble,” Kakashi replied over the radio link. “The poshest part of the residential section just exploded. To me it looks like a bomb rather than accidental. You need to speed everyone up. Slow and calm was good before, but once they realise it is a bomb things will get nasty. We may have to abort.”
“Shino-san, get me a channel to the mayor’s office as soon as possible,” Sasuke instructed.
Naruto was looking at him, his lips pressed together and his eyes slightly too wide.
Sasuke went to broadcast. “This is Sasuke Uchiha. There has been an explosion in the top of the residential section. I have no further news but it is likely to impact on the evacuation. Get everyone moving faster, particularly through the two lower gates. Start using spurs 1 and 2 as well instead of taking everyone to the Oak. Get as many of the evacuees as you can into the spacer quarter as quickly as possible. Please acknowledge in turn. Top gate?”
“Anko reporting. We felt the explosion. People are anxious. The station security personnel have vanished and I can see two three-man squads of the AHB lurking. I can’t see many hybrids braving them to use this gate.”
“Lower top gate?” Sasuke asked.
“Gai reporting. Felt it here too. Again, the station security personnel were called away and I can see AHB squads. We are allowing the evacuees straight through the gate and processing them at a station we have set up further along the route.”
“Good work,” Sasuke acknowledged. “Top lower gate?”
“Inari reporting. Very busy here. Only felt the explosion as a tremor but the station security personnel have been called away. Shibito-san wants to open the gate and just keep a count of the hybrids passing by. He says that is all the authorities will care about.”
“Do it,” Sasuke ordered. “Tell them to walk not run, or there be a pile up at the pinch points. Itachi, can you and Kisame manage the flow?”
“Will do, Sasuke-sama,” Itachi replied.
“Lower gate?”
“Tayuya reporting. The mayor’s representative left as soon as Kotohime convinced him we would keep an accurate count of the hybrids who were leaving. The station security personnel went with him. There is a steady flow of hybrids from the assembly point to the gate.”
“Assembly point?”
“Shizune reporting. Denka says the explosion will be the Kaiju and we should expect a retaliatory attack by the AHB. Good rate of flow but Tonton will need more time to persuade the ferals. Only a few of them have made an appearance so far.”
Shikamaru’s voice came across their private channel. “Shikamaru here. Recommend shutting the gates from the upper levels. I recommend implementing sub plan C.”
The last thing Sasuke wanted was for the hybrids they were trying to save to be killed by the AHB. In sub plan C, selected couriers, hired and briefed by Shikamaru through his operative, would tell any hybrid they could find in the upper levels to go to one of the private docks, where the Silver Leaf would be waiting for them.
“Sasuke-sama here. Close the gates to the upper levels and with draw to the spacer quarter. Shika-san, implement sub plan C. Shino-san, have you made contact with the mayor’s office?”
“Shino here. No, not even a holding or blocking message.”
That, Sasuke decided, did not bode well.
Anko here. Have closed the upper level gate. The AHB did not like it when they saw what we were doing; I think they were planning an attack. We are falling back rapidly until we are within the spacer quarter.”
“Gai here. Likewise. We too are falling back into the spacer quarter.”
Sasuke willed himself calm. The situation was changing too quickly, but they would have to cope.
“Sasuke-sama,” Shikamaru’s voice spoke for him alone. “The chances of an AHB attack on the spacer quarter just jumped ten-fold.”
Sasuke turned to Naruto and Sumaru. “The harbour master’s office, now,” he ordered. “Sasuke here,” he broadcast as they ran. “Everyone, keep the evacuees moving from the lower levels into the spacer quarter. Ibiki, I need you and Choza in the harbour master’s office. Bring the laser rifles. Hand over distributing the evacuees between the Oak and the spurs to Suzume.”
“Ibiki here. Understood, Sasuke-sama,”
“Sasuke here. Anko, take over from Itachi and Kisame ensuring that the flow of hybrids from the two remaining gates is ordered. Use locals to help you.
I need all elite fighters and Itachi at the harbour master’s office.”
They were first there. They did not have to ask to see Akatsuchi; they were recognised as they walked across the large assembly room and escorted up the stairs into his office.
“We think the AHB may attack the spacer quarter,” Sasuke told him. “They want to massacre the hybrids and, while those on the Oak are safe, those in the spurs and in transit are not.”
“You are sure? They won’t go for the lower levels?” Akatsuchi queried.
“They know the Kaiju will fight to keep them out of the lower levels,” Naruto told him.
“No, we are not sure,” Sasuke admitted. “If we wait until we are sure it may be too late.”
Akatsuchi nodded. He reached across his desk, lifted a clear plastic cover and pressed a red button. They could hear the response of a klaxon outside. All spacers knew that sound. It told them that attack was imminent, that everyone who had a post should get to one and those who did not should stay on their ships or in their assigned accommodations.
“The spacers who are willing to fight hand-to-hand will gather downstairs in the assembly room,” Akatsuchi observed. “Do you want to lead them, Uchiha-sama, or should I?”
Sasuke did not weigh the alternatives. The old man’s eyes told him that he did not have another battle in him. Sasuke stood straight and bowed formally. “I am honoured that you should ask me, Akatsuchi-san, and accept the responsibility.”
He and Naruto stared at the flat, barely comprehensible, paper map of the spacer quarter. Just looking at it confused Sasuke’s mental picture of how the spacer quarter was linked to the residential sector.
“Speak to me, Shikamaru,” Sasuke murmured.
“Kono-kun is on his way with a holoprojector linked to a receiver,” Shikamaru told him. “Sakura-san is observing the AHB. She says that they are gathering in one of the market squares. At the moment it is speeches and chanting.”
“Sakura-san?” Sasuke queried.
“The operative we have been referring to as Tennyo Three,” Shikamaru clarified.
Itachi arrived first, accompanied by Kisame and closely followed by Konohamaru bearing the holoprojector.
“Kisame-san, please can you go to the assembly room and welcome the spacers who are arriving there expecting to fight,” Sasuke asked. “We also need to work out how to mark everyone on our side. I will send Kono-kun to assist you once he has set up the receiver and projector.”
Kisame bowed and left.
Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief as the familiar three-dimensional map sprang into life. Itachi began pointing.
“The most likely scenario is that they will attempt a full frontal assault along this main throughway,” he began. “We will need to build at least a two part barricade across it. We need to question whether they will also try some of the other, smaller routes and whether they will do that in parallel or after attempting the full frontal assault. As always with station battles, sealing corridors is ill advised because someone will be stupid enough to cut their way through or, worse, use explosives. That endangers everyone.
“So we block the narrower side corridors here, here and here. We don’t have to worry about here because that is where the evacuees are coming through. They will tell us if there is an attack but it is less likely as that route links to the lower levels of the residential section.” He paused. “Of course there are numerous other routes, using service tunnels, ducts and suchlike, but experience suggests that few people will be aware that they even exist.”
Sasuke heard a sharp intake of breath via his earpiece. “Shika-san?” he queried.
“Nothing relevant. Just a thought,” Shikamaru replied.
Sasuke gestured that Itachi should continue.
“We need to put one of our people and a squad of locals in each of the blocked side corridors,” he advised. “If attacked, they would need to hold until reinforcements arrive.”
“We’ll put Gai, Ibiki and Choza in the side corridors,” Sasuke decided. He activated his transmitter. “Sasuke here. Kisame, we need three small squads of spacers who are steady and reliable but who do not need to be particularly mobile.”
“Kisame here. Understood, Sasuke-sama. There are over fifty spacers assembled. Gai, Inoichi, Tatsuji and Kunugi have arrived.”
Sasuke estimated it at sixty-seven as he walked down the stairs from the office to the floor of the assembly room. Ibiki and Choza had arrived, accompanied by Lee and, to Sasuke’s surprise, Gaara. They had brought the laser rifles and a container full of armour from which spacers were selecting arm guards and breast plates. Konohamaru was tying strips of blue material about each person’s upper arm. The people Kisame had picked out to man the barricades, who were mostly older, were off to one side.
He could feel their eyes on him.
He walked purposely across the room and jumped onto a table.
“My name is Sasuke Uchiha,” he began, projecting his voice so it filled the room, “and I am a spacer.”
There were sounds of approval.
“This is spacer territory. It is ours. It is for us and those we invite. It is not for a horde of murdering thugs with no code and no manners.
“If they enter uninvited we will stop them.”
There was stomping and yells of approval.
“We will block the side corridors. Kisame-san has selected some of you to do that. Squad A will be with Ibiki. Squad B will be with Gai. Squad C will be with Choza. The rest of you will be with me.
“When they come down the main throughway we will stop them.”
He drew his knife and thrust it upwards. “In the cold of space...” he began.
There was the sound of knives being drawn. “...you find the heat of suns!” ninety voices roared.
This is posted in the Naruto/Sasuke section because it is part of a Naru/Sasu/Naru space saga. However, it does feature many other pairings (and a few threesomes). Apologies to those who are expecting Naruto/Sasuke or Sasuke/Naruto every chapter.
Apologies if the characters have grown differently in their new environment.
Thanks to Small Fox for being my beta. For this story he has also been my muse, suggesting a number of the ideas that have evolved to create this arc.
Thank you to those who have left a review. I truly appreciate them and they help me keep writing this story. Particular thanks to unneeded, cynaga, Prism0467, meow-ku, naruto, v, Moonmoore, sadie237 and disembodiedvoiceofthedying, who left a review for chatper 28.
Chapter twenty-nine: Evacuation
The corridors chosen as the evacuation route had been cleared and all access points other than the four designated gates closed. The communication network Shino and Konohamaru had installed had been tested. There was a member of Uchiha, a representative of the mayor’s office and a local hybrid on each of the four gates. The remaining Uchiha fighters were at strategic positions along the evacuation route. Shikamaru, Neji and Kakashi were ready in the control centre on the Sakura.
As soon as the night-time curfew was lifted, hybrids began arriving at the gates from the upper levels. Most of them were alone. Some were accompanied by well-wishers. A few were hand-in-hand with anxious purebreds who were deeply relieved to be admitted with their loved ones.
She looked at herself in the mirror. Emerald eyes looked back at her from beneath strawberry pink hair. Today she would not be Tennyo-san or any of the other identities. Today she would be herself, Sakura, the girl who had been destined to be ordinary but determined to be otherwise.
Chaaruzu-san was correct. There were causes worth risking your life for. Sasuke-sama might have no idea that she even existed, that there was a Sakura other than his ship, but she would help him and Naruto-san save the hybrids.
She strapped on her knives, the outward sign of her spacer status. She tuned three compact transmitters and receivers to the frequencies Chaaruzu-san had instructed, one of which would put her in contact with Shikamaru-san, the voice in Sasuke Uchiha’s ear. She clipped that one to her belt and stowed the others, along with the fifteen small receivers she had purchased, in her satchel. Then she sealed her ship and walked purposely towards the residential sector.
The seventeen couriers she had hired for the day were waiting at Shibito’s bar. Shibito himself was not present, he was manning one of the gates, but he had arranged for someone to admit her and the couriers. She stepped up onto a chair and then onto the table.
“My name is Sakura. I have chosen to hire each of you because you worked for standards alongside couriers who were hybrids. Many of you wore HDL ribbons before the AHB made that unwise.
“If you are not sympathetic towards hybrids, please leave. I ask each of you to look at the other people in this room. Is there anyone who should not be here?”
To her relief no one left or was evicted.
“Your job today is to assist with the evacuation. You may be needed, you may not. Two of you will need to be dispatchers. The dispatchers will receive messages from me by radio. The rest of you will use your initiative to find the target group for those messages and convey them. This bar is your base for the day unless you hear otherwise.” She waited for a moment for her instructions to sink in. “Please decide which of you should be the dispatchers,” she added.
She walked away from the bar, back to the spacer quarter, buoyed by the couriers’ response. They had been determined and focused, quickly selecting two of their number as dispatchers. Those two now had the other transmitters and each of the couriers had a receiver. She activated her transmitter on the channel that linked to Uchiha.
“This is Sakura, on behalf of Tennyo-san, reporting to Shikamaru-san,” she announced. “The couriers are in place and briefed. I repeat, the couriers are in place and briefed.”
There was a brief pause and then a young man’s voice replied. “This is Shikamaru-san. Welcome, Sakura-san. Thank you on behalf of Uchiha for your assistance. We acknowledge that the couriers are in place and briefed.”
A thrill ran across Sakura’s skin; Shikamaru-san, the voice in Sasuke Uchiha’s ear, had spoken to her and thanked her on behalf of Uchiha. “It is an honour to assist, Shikamaru-san,” she replied. I will now take up position where I can watch the main crossing point between the spacer quarter and the residential sector, as planned.”
Naruto started his day by visiting the assembly point on the middle of the three lower levels. He was accompanied by Kisame and Itachi, while Sumaru stayed with Sasuke on the Oak.
He was introduced to three hybrids and a purebred woman with long, black hair. As soon as her name, Kotohime, was mentioned Naruto heard Shikamaru’s sharp intake of breath via his earpiece.
“She’s the hybrid engineer, Na-chan,” Shikamaru told him.
Naruto did not know how to react to that so he decided not to. The three hybrids, Denka, Hina and Tonton, deferred to her. The assembly point was organised and their plans were sound. This was not the time to consider Kotohime’s guilt. Instead he concentrated on gaining their trust.
“We have bought communication equipment,” he told them. “Perhaps one of you could discuss with Itachi-san where it should be installed.” He waited and Denka agreed to see to it. Naruto turned back to Kotohime. “Do you have any priority cases who should accompany me back to the Oak?”
Tonton grunted softly to attract his attention. “There are five babies,” she admitted. “If they were safe I could concentrate on collecting the feral children.”
The babies ranged from a few divs to well over a standard. The older three were soon swarming over Naruto, who did not mind in the least.
Tonton was staring at him as if she was having difficulty processing what she was seeing.
“We have to decide what would be best for them in the short term,” Naruto explained. “Sasuke and I decided to pod our ten for the duration of this operation, because their normal routine would be so disrupted and they may have been upset at being separated from us.”
“Ten?” she queried.
“Our litter,” Naruto clarified. “Seven hybrids and three purebreds. They are over three standards now.”
“I remember,” she whispered. “You mentioned them in the holovid.”
Naruto smiled at her. She looked like she needed it. “Do you think it would be for the best if we podded them?” he pressed.
She smiled back. It was not very convincing. Naruto wondered if she ever smiled at anyone who wasn’t a baby or a small child. He waited for her answer.
“Perhaps that would be for the best,” she admitted. “So I can concentrate on collecting the ferals.”
“I’m sending the camera feed to Rin,” Neji’s voice said in his earpiece. “So that she can have pods of the correct sizes available.”
“Good. Do you think you can spare time to accompany me and the babies to the Oak, where they will be podded. “It will take about...” He listened to Shikamaru in his ear. “...one hundred minutes.”
Tonton hesitated. Her snout-like nose flexed. “I would like to do that Naruto-san, but I think it would be better if I stayed here. Isaribi, one of the experimental models, helps in the nursery. The babies are used to her. She will accompany you.”
Isaribi was, Naruto estimated, about ten standards. Patches of her skin were scalely and she had webs between the fingers of her right hand but not those of her left. She was very polite, acknowledging each of Tonton’s instructions with a quiet “Yes Tonton-san” or a determined “I will, Tonton-san.”
When she saw Kisame her eyes went completely circular. Naruto wondered if she might faint, which would be a problem as she was carrying the two youngest children, one in a carrier on her back and the other in a sling across her chest. However she did not, managing a small bow despite being burdened with babies.
Naruto went to hand at least one of the three he was carrying to Itachi but the children would have none of it, clinging determinedly. Itachi picked up the bag Tonton had packed instead.
“I am sure they will hang on just fine, Naruto-san,” Kisame observed.
Naruto thought that very likely, if the grip that one of them had on his hair was anything to go by.
“Sasuke-sama,” Shikamaru’s voice spoke into his ear. “You should see the local morning news programme.”
“Relay it to me,” Sasuke instructed. “I am in the meeting room we were using on the Oak.”
The holoprojection sprang to life. There, walking through the spacer quarter, was Naruto. He was being ridden by three cat-human toddlers and holding his hand was a serious-looking girl child with two babies.
“Naruto-san, patron of the Hybrid Defence League and acknowledged partner of Sasuke Uchiha, already hard at work making good Uchiha’s promise to rid the Warren’s residential sector of hybrids.
“In a statement issued by the mayor’s office, Onoki-sama said that this was the perfect solution to the Warren’s hybrid overpopulation problem, allowing the government to show compassion while ensuring a better standard of living for the residents of the Warren.
Uchiha-sama, commenting yesterday, said that Uchiha was happy to relocate hybrids to places where they would be welcome, find fulfilling lives and contribute positively towards the local economy.”
Sasuke smiled; as if anyone would care about Onoki’s mealy-mouthed words, or his own response to them, when they could watch Naruto.
Strong arms around him; Sasuke almost jumped before he realised that the images were recorded, not live.
“How are the babies and the girl?” Sasuke asked.
“The babies are podded. Isaribi is with Ibiki. He is going to settle her into one of the dormitories. We have a hundred and seventy guests on board so far,” Naruto replied. He scowled at the holoprojection. “Why are they obsessed with showing images of me?” he complained.
Sasuke turned and hugged him back. “Because you are so beautiful,” he insisted. “Time to patrol,” he added. “You can tell me about the lower levels while we check on everyone.”
Sickler was determined to prove that Ebisu was innocent. He would return to the apartment and try to make a tape. If that failed he would disconnect the recorder and take it with him.
He scuttled along the now familiar route of ducts and tunnels. It took him past the place where one group of the feral children slept. One of the boys scowled at him, his gaze promising retribution if Sickler woke the others.
Sickler remembered what Naruto-san had told him. Uchiha intended to evacuate the feral children along with the other hybrids. By now they were meant to be in the lower levels, at the assembly point. Instead this group, at least, was still in their usual den.
He would think about it after he had made the tape or collected the recorder. He reached the apartment and stilled his breathing, listening carefully and scenting the air; alert for the least hint that they were monitoring the apartment. Then he removed the grill from the ventilation duct, jumped down and ran to the recorder. With trembling fingers he did what Kamatari had suggested. Although one of the men had deleted the recording it was still present in one of the buffers. Sickler brought it back and made two copies.
Then he was back in the network of ducts and tunnels; safe.
He was halfway back to the spacer quarter, just past the ferals’ den, when the whole structure shook and he was thrown across one of the access tunnels. His head hit the wall and darkness descended.
Deidara watched as the newest part of the Warren, the location of the most prestigious restaurants, the Hunundau store and the most expensive apartments, fractured and fragmented.
The pressure generated by the explosion accelerated the first wave of debris outward in an expanding sphere. It was beautiful. Deidara zoomed in using the telescope. He could see one body, then another, their limbs at unlikely angles like a child’s abandoned dolls.
He sighed in contentment.
Sasuke, Naruto and Sumaru had begun walking the evacuees’ route in reverse when they felt the floor shake.
“What was that?” Sasuke demanded.
“Trouble,” Kakashi replied over the radio link. “The poshest part of the residential section just exploded. To me it looks like a bomb rather than accidental. You need to speed everyone up. Slow and calm was good before, but once they realise it is a bomb things will get nasty. We may have to abort.”
“Shino-san, get me a channel to the mayor’s office as soon as possible,” Sasuke instructed.
Naruto was looking at him, his lips pressed together and his eyes slightly too wide.
Sasuke went to broadcast. “This is Sasuke Uchiha. There has been an explosion in the top of the residential section. I have no further news but it is likely to impact on the evacuation. Get everyone moving faster, particularly through the two lower gates. Start using spurs 1 and 2 as well instead of taking everyone to the Oak. Get as many of the evacuees as you can into the spacer quarter as quickly as possible. Please acknowledge in turn. Top gate?”
“Anko reporting. We felt the explosion. People are anxious. The station security personnel have vanished and I can see two three-man squads of the AHB lurking. I can’t see many hybrids braving them to use this gate.”
“Lower top gate?” Sasuke asked.
“Gai reporting. Felt it here too. Again, the station security personnel were called away and I can see AHB squads. We are allowing the evacuees straight through the gate and processing them at a station we have set up further along the route.”
“Good work,” Sasuke acknowledged. “Top lower gate?”
“Inari reporting. Very busy here. Only felt the explosion as a tremor but the station security personnel have been called away. Shibito-san wants to open the gate and just keep a count of the hybrids passing by. He says that is all the authorities will care about.”
“Do it,” Sasuke ordered. “Tell them to walk not run, or there be a pile up at the pinch points. Itachi, can you and Kisame manage the flow?”
“Will do, Sasuke-sama,” Itachi replied.
“Lower gate?”
“Tayuya reporting. The mayor’s representative left as soon as Kotohime convinced him we would keep an accurate count of the hybrids who were leaving. The station security personnel went with him. There is a steady flow of hybrids from the assembly point to the gate.”
“Assembly point?”
“Shizune reporting. Denka says the explosion will be the Kaiju and we should expect a retaliatory attack by the AHB. Good rate of flow but Tonton will need more time to persuade the ferals. Only a few of them have made an appearance so far.”
Shikamaru’s voice came across their private channel. “Shikamaru here. Recommend shutting the gates from the upper levels. I recommend implementing sub plan C.”
The last thing Sasuke wanted was for the hybrids they were trying to save to be killed by the AHB. In sub plan C, selected couriers, hired and briefed by Shikamaru through his operative, would tell any hybrid they could find in the upper levels to go to one of the private docks, where the Silver Leaf would be waiting for them.
“Sasuke-sama here. Close the gates to the upper levels and with draw to the spacer quarter. Shika-san, implement sub plan C. Shino-san, have you made contact with the mayor’s office?”
“Shino here. No, not even a holding or blocking message.”
That, Sasuke decided, did not bode well.
Anko here. Have closed the upper level gate. The AHB did not like it when they saw what we were doing; I think they were planning an attack. We are falling back rapidly until we are within the spacer quarter.”
“Gai here. Likewise. We too are falling back into the spacer quarter.”
Sasuke willed himself calm. The situation was changing too quickly, but they would have to cope.
“Sasuke-sama,” Shikamaru’s voice spoke for him alone. “The chances of an AHB attack on the spacer quarter just jumped ten-fold.”
Sasuke turned to Naruto and Sumaru. “The harbour master’s office, now,” he ordered. “Sasuke here,” he broadcast as they ran. “Everyone, keep the evacuees moving from the lower levels into the spacer quarter. Ibiki, I need you and Choza in the harbour master’s office. Bring the laser rifles. Hand over distributing the evacuees between the Oak and the spurs to Suzume.”
“Ibiki here. Understood, Sasuke-sama,”
“Sasuke here. Anko, take over from Itachi and Kisame ensuring that the flow of hybrids from the two remaining gates is ordered. Use locals to help you.
I need all elite fighters and Itachi at the harbour master’s office.”
They were first there. They did not have to ask to see Akatsuchi; they were recognised as they walked across the large assembly room and escorted up the stairs into his office.
“We think the AHB may attack the spacer quarter,” Sasuke told him. “They want to massacre the hybrids and, while those on the Oak are safe, those in the spurs and in transit are not.”
“You are sure? They won’t go for the lower levels?” Akatsuchi queried.
“They know the Kaiju will fight to keep them out of the lower levels,” Naruto told him.
“No, we are not sure,” Sasuke admitted. “If we wait until we are sure it may be too late.”
Akatsuchi nodded. He reached across his desk, lifted a clear plastic cover and pressed a red button. They could hear the response of a klaxon outside. All spacers knew that sound. It told them that attack was imminent, that everyone who had a post should get to one and those who did not should stay on their ships or in their assigned accommodations.
“The spacers who are willing to fight hand-to-hand will gather downstairs in the assembly room,” Akatsuchi observed. “Do you want to lead them, Uchiha-sama, or should I?”
Sasuke did not weigh the alternatives. The old man’s eyes told him that he did not have another battle in him. Sasuke stood straight and bowed formally. “I am honoured that you should ask me, Akatsuchi-san, and accept the responsibility.”
He and Naruto stared at the flat, barely comprehensible, paper map of the spacer quarter. Just looking at it confused Sasuke’s mental picture of how the spacer quarter was linked to the residential sector.
“Speak to me, Shikamaru,” Sasuke murmured.
“Kono-kun is on his way with a holoprojector linked to a receiver,” Shikamaru told him. “Sakura-san is observing the AHB. She says that they are gathering in one of the market squares. At the moment it is speeches and chanting.”
“Sakura-san?” Sasuke queried.
“The operative we have been referring to as Tennyo Three,” Shikamaru clarified.
Itachi arrived first, accompanied by Kisame and closely followed by Konohamaru bearing the holoprojector.
“Kisame-san, please can you go to the assembly room and welcome the spacers who are arriving there expecting to fight,” Sasuke asked. “We also need to work out how to mark everyone on our side. I will send Kono-kun to assist you once he has set up the receiver and projector.”
Kisame bowed and left.
Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief as the familiar three-dimensional map sprang into life. Itachi began pointing.
“The most likely scenario is that they will attempt a full frontal assault along this main throughway,” he began. “We will need to build at least a two part barricade across it. We need to question whether they will also try some of the other, smaller routes and whether they will do that in parallel or after attempting the full frontal assault. As always with station battles, sealing corridors is ill advised because someone will be stupid enough to cut their way through or, worse, use explosives. That endangers everyone.
“So we block the narrower side corridors here, here and here. We don’t have to worry about here because that is where the evacuees are coming through. They will tell us if there is an attack but it is less likely as that route links to the lower levels of the residential section.” He paused. “Of course there are numerous other routes, using service tunnels, ducts and suchlike, but experience suggests that few people will be aware that they even exist.”
Sasuke heard a sharp intake of breath via his earpiece. “Shika-san?” he queried.
“Nothing relevant. Just a thought,” Shikamaru replied.
Sasuke gestured that Itachi should continue.
“We need to put one of our people and a squad of locals in each of the blocked side corridors,” he advised. “If attacked, they would need to hold until reinforcements arrive.”
“We’ll put Gai, Ibiki and Choza in the side corridors,” Sasuke decided. He activated his transmitter. “Sasuke here. Kisame, we need three small squads of spacers who are steady and reliable but who do not need to be particularly mobile.”
“Kisame here. Understood, Sasuke-sama. There are over fifty spacers assembled. Gai, Inoichi, Tatsuji and Kunugi have arrived.”
Sasuke estimated it at sixty-seven as he walked down the stairs from the office to the floor of the assembly room. Ibiki and Choza had arrived, accompanied by Lee and, to Sasuke’s surprise, Gaara. They had brought the laser rifles and a container full of armour from which spacers were selecting arm guards and breast plates. Konohamaru was tying strips of blue material about each person’s upper arm. The people Kisame had picked out to man the barricades, who were mostly older, were off to one side.
He could feel their eyes on him.
He walked purposely across the room and jumped onto a table.
“My name is Sasuke Uchiha,” he began, projecting his voice so it filled the room, “and I am a spacer.”
There were sounds of approval.
“This is spacer territory. It is ours. It is for us and those we invite. It is not for a horde of murdering thugs with no code and no manners.
“If they enter uninvited we will stop them.”
There was stomping and yells of approval.
“We will block the side corridors. Kisame-san has selected some of you to do that. Squad A will be with Ibiki. Squad B will be with Gai. Squad C will be with Choza. The rest of you will be with me.
“When they come down the main throughway we will stop them.”
He drew his knife and thrust it upwards. “In the cold of space...” he began.
There was the sound of knives being drawn. “...you find the heat of suns!” ninety voices roared.