Iteration

‘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’.

I would like to thank those readers who have left a review. I very much appreciate them - they encourage me to continue this story.

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.

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

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.

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Ancient hybrid engineers designed and created hybrids of a quality unknown in the current era. The best hybrid engineers had exquisite control over epigenetics, the science of controlling which genes are expressed and those which are not. One of their aims was to produce hybrids with triggered behaviours; individuals who could turn berserk, be loyal, were naturally monogamous or even could switch personas. The best hybrid engineer who ever lived, Bara, could produce hybrids with multiple triggered behaviours. He marked his work; in a Bara hybrid the skin cells around the navel produced a pigment that glowed blue in ultraviolet light. In a perfect Bara hybrid the pattern was a complex rosette.

Bara lived over a thousand standards in the past; Naruto has a perfect rosette about his navel.

Want to know more? Read ‘In the cold of space you find the heat of suns’.

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Chapter four: Responses

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“Is there any news from the Silver Leaf?” Iruka asked at the midday meal.

Shikamaru had anticipated the question. Iruka knew Inari’s mission plan by heart. Early that morning had been the first feasible time there could have been a message in the data stream.

Kakashi sighed.

“Shika-kun?” Iruka queried.

“Yes,” Shikamaru admitted. “It was very short. Inari said they were fine and promised to report once they had visited the space station. He must have sent it as soon as he hacked into the relay.”

“When he should have been concentrating on collecting intelligence,” Kakashi complained.

“He probably had it pre-prepared, coded and compressed, Kakashi-san,” Shino suggested. “It would have taken mere milliseconds to send.”

“I asked him to send regular reports,” Sasuke added. “I am sure we can expect many communications while they are in a system with a relay.”


Shikamaru retrieved many packets of information from the data stream two days later. Sasuke opened the message Inari had marked for his immediate attention.

Inari’s face appeared. He looked pale and more than a little tired.

“Sasuke-sama, this is Inari reporting as requested. The visit to the space station did not go as planned. We were challenged on the way back to the ship and we’ve ended up with their cat. He has been treated badly and we have tanked him to treat his injuries. The messages coded blue go into this issue in more detail.”

Acquiring a cat; it was a possibility that Sasuke had only briefly considered.

Inari was continuing. “With reference to hybrids, the situation on the Warren is more complex than Shikamaru-san suspected. I have prepared a report for you to share with Naruto-san. The messages coded red include information for Shika-san on this subject.”

Sasuke depressed the button on the intercom and spoke.

“This is Sasuke-sama. Please could Shikamaru-san come to my office immediately.”


Once the morning was half over, Shikamaru had reviewed all the available information and was ready to report.

“Inari is painstakingly thorough,” he began. “He has sent everything he has, even the traces from the airlock scanners and the dia-doc. I can’t find anything amiss.

“The crew checks out. There is a Hellion. There are, or were, eight and a cat in their crew. They have a poor rep. They are active in that sector. There is nothing odd about their movements leading up to them arriving at the Warren. They don’t use light speed communications but that isn’t surprising; a crew of that quality wouldn’t have the funds.

“The timescale and their movements suggest that they acquired the cat from a planet called Geeon. The data from the dia-doc is consistent with someone who has lived on Geeon for at least five standards.”

Shikamaru shrugged. “The dia-doc is a dia-doc, not a high resolution analytical scanner. It is possible that we are missing something. It may be that the Hellion is more than it seems. If so, whoever set up the cover is extremely competent.”

“But it is more likely that we are being paranoid,” Sasuke suggested.

“It is much more likely that he is merely a lad whose luck just changed, like Naruto and Haku before him,” Shikamaru agreed, “I have set up a number of searches. I will continue to look. May I ask what Inari has recommended?”

“That they take him out of the tank as soon as he has healed, get to know him and are vigilant,” Sasuke answered. “He presents his argument very nicely. Itachi is more analytical about the relative risks, but he has come to the same conclusion.”

They decided to discuss the matter again at that afternoon’s strategy meeting. Shikamaru decided to spend the rest of the morning following up possible leads. Sasuke went to find Naruto.


He was training in the large gym. Sasuke went up to the gallery and hung over the rail to watch him. Long, lean muscles flexed under the tan skin with its gorgeous golden sheen. Naruto ran, spun, jumped and rolled.

Sasuke silently thanked Rin for cracking the problem of age retard for hybrids; Naruto would not live longer but he should maintain his physical glory for the next ten to thirteen standards. Without it he would have had, at most, another three standards before he passed his peak.

Only nineteen standards left; then Sasuke would have to face another eight decades without his dobe. Sasuke shook the thought from his head; he could not afford to dwell on it and Naruto hated it when he did. He must relish each day, not taint them with premature grief.

Naruto had stopped and was smiling up at him. Sasuke smiled back. Then Naruto was running, accelerating to his top speed. Sasuke realised what he was going to do and froze, transfixed between ordering Naruto not to try and backing away to avoid the possibility of being hit by a fox-human hybrid travelling at speed.

Naruto leapt.

He was going to fall short. A surge of adrenalin released Sasuke for action. He leaned over the balustrade and proffered a hand.

It was a perfect catch. Their hands gripped each other’s forearms. Sasuke swung his weight sideways and Naruto managed to push against the edge of the gallery with the toes of one foot. They released at the optimal moment and Naruto sailed over the balustrade to land in a crouch on the balls of his feet, balanced by the fingers of his left hand.

Then he was up and bouncing, his eyes sparkling. “That was awesome!” he declared.

Sasuke could not bring himself to scold him. It had, indeed, been awesome and their cooperation had made it even more special.

“Naruto!” Kakashi roared from the floor below.


Sasuke waited for Naruto to receive his lecture, which included a totally unnecessary reprimand for endangering Sasuke and a reminder that he had ten children who needed their father.


“I will be able to do it easily when Kisame-san is here to give me a boost,” Naruto told him as soon as Kakashi was out of earshot.

“Perhaps you should practice reaching the required height before launching yourself at the balustrade,” Sasuke suggested.

Naruto considered. His whiskers twitched. “If it will keep you and Kakashi-sensei happy,” he conceded.

“And maybe have a crash mat?” Sasuke asked.

Naruto scowled at him.

“To set a good example to the children,” Sasuke added.

Naruto considered. “I shall use a crash mat if the children are watching,” he decided. He smiled. “You are not in your office,” he observed.

“Inari has sent a communication for us to watch together,” Sasuke told him.


Naruto promised to meet Sasuke at his office after a quick shower. He arrived with his skin still pink from the heat of the water and his fur fluffy from the blowers. It was all Sasuke could do not to jump him. He settled for a kiss and a grope. Naruto responded in kind but was first to pull away. He plopped down into one of the comfortable chairs and waited for Sasuke to activate the projector.

Inari’s image appeared in the space above the low table.

“Naruto-san, Sasuke-sama, this is Inari with a report about the situation in the space station called the Warren. We have visited part of the residents’ section of the station. This report is based on the observations we made with limited confirmation from other sources. Information is hard to come by here. There are few connections to the data stream. Public records are kept on tape.

“Hybrid engineers have operated in the Warren for many standards. Up to ten standards ago only a small number of functional hybrids were produced. Then the chief hybrid engineer died and his daughter, Kotohime, took over. She produces many hybrids, selling the ones she can and turning the others out to fend for themselves. There are feral hybrid children all over the station.

“This has caused an anti-hybrid backlash. All hybrids have to be owned and the owners must have permits to own them. Permits are expensive and have to be renewed annually. Unowned hybrids are living underground or being hidden by sympathetic purebreds. There are gangs of purebreds hunting hybrids down and killing them, especially the children.

“Naruto-san, your appeal on behalf of the HDL struck a chord here. People are wearing blue ribbons, even though there are gangs of thugs who would like to beat their heads in for doing so. One man gave us a message to give you. He said that the Warren sorely needs your attention. A hybrid child gave Kisame-san her doll to give you. I got Kono-kun to make a hologram of it. It is attached.

“That is all for now. Report concluded.”

Sasuke watched the rotating image of the battered spoon doll. He risked looking at Naruto’s face, expecting to see him on the verge of tears. Instead he looked angry.

“We will get Shika-san to come up with a plan,” Sasuke promised. “A plan that doesn’t increase the violence and make it worse for the people who want to make it better,” he added.

Naruto gave him a sharp look and then took a deep breath. “But we will do something,” he stated.

“We will do something,” Sasuke confirmed.

“Inari and the others have done well,” Naruto observed.

Sasuke thought about the unwanted cat but decided he was not being fair; a spacer crew had no choice other than to behave honourably.

“What is it?” Naruto asked.

“I can’t tell you until after the strategy meeting this afternoon,” Sasuke replied.

Naruto nodded.

“Inari sent a message for Hikaru. We could take it to the playroom and help Kiba-san get them ready for their midmeal,” Sasuke suggested. “I could do with cuddling them right now.”

Sasuke found himself plucked out of his chair and hugged. He hugged back and nuzzled Naruto’s neck, enjoying the texture and smell of his skin.

“We could check if Kiba would be on call tonight,” he suggested. “Or Iruka-sensei.”

“It is our turn,” Naruto replied but then relented. “I shall ask. Kiba always says yes to you, even if he was planning to be with Choza.”

Sasuke had not known that; he would be more careful in the future.


Hikaru watched the holovid but seemed unimpressed. He looked at Sasuke warily, as if wondering what he had done to merit his father’s undivided attention

“Inari is on a ship far away,” Sasuke told him. “He sent you this message from his ship.”

Hikaru frowned. “Inari far away,” he agreed. “C-san brings things from Inari. I like C-san. C-san is pretty.”

Sasuke sighed. He secretly agreed with Kakashi; Hikaru was quintescentially Uchiha. He decided to try something new. He drew Hikaru close and kissed him on the forehead.

“Papa loves you,” he said.

Hikaru stared at him. Then, to Sasuke’s surprise, he reached up and kissed Sasuke’s cheek. “Hi-chan love Papa. Papa and Hi-chan love To-chan.”

“Papa and Hi-chan love To-chan,” Sasuke agreed.


Having learnt something about Hikaru, Sasuke decided to try it with each of the others. Each of the kits responded with variations on a theme: happy smiles, hugs and kisses. Haru gave him one of Shikamaru’s frank looks and said, “I love you too.” Hoshi kissed his forehead, as he had hers, and said, “We all love you, Papa.” Ryuu hugged him more tightly than Sasuke would have thought possible. Sasuke held him close, thinking of the feral children in the corridors of the Warren.


After the organised chaos of the children’s midmeal, Naruto went to supervise the playroom and Sasuke had his regular meeting with Kakashi, Neji and Shikamaru. They discussed the acquisition of the cat and agreed that integrating him into Inari’s crew was the best way forward.

Sasuke then sent Moegi around to ask everyone to be present at the evemeal. After the children had been fed, the little ones were put to bed and the older ones asked to entertain themselves. Once the adults had settled at the table everyone looked to Sasuke.

“The Silver Leaf was challenged for Sumaru,” he told them. “They have ended up with the other crew’s cat. His name is Ranmaru. He hasn’t been treated well and, at this time, he is tanked until his injuries have healed.”

“You are sure he isn’t a plant?” Rin demanded immediately.

“When a crew takes on a cat they have a responsibility to treat him properly,” Iruka said simultaneously.

“We have no reason to believe he is a plant,” Sasuke answered. “Iruka-sensei is correct, cats come with obligations. Uchiha does not avoid its obligations. Once his injuries have healed, they will try to integrate him into their crew. It is not an ideal situation, but life is often less than ideal.”


After the evemeal, Sasuke took advantage of Iruka-sensei agreeing to check on the children and suggested that he and Naruto retire early.

“How badly is the cat injured?” Naruto asked once they were alone.

The last thing Sasuke wanted Naruto thinking about was abused cats. He thought back to Tayuya’s report. “They beat him and dragged him around by a collar as well as not being careful when they fucked him,” he admitted.

Naruto was very still before shaking himself. “He is with us now. We will look after him,” he stated.

Sasuke thought about Naruto jumping to the gallery and arriving in Sasuke’s office all pink and fluffy. He sighed. Both those had been perfect moments for cuddles and fucking. Now their minds were full of the mistreated cat and the feral children avoiding death in the corridors of the Warren.

“That was the luckiest day of my life,” Naruto was saying.

Sasuke was dragged back to the present. “Dobe?” he queried.

“When that crew challenged for you and you ended up with me,” Naruto clarified.

“Mine too,” Sasuke reminded him. On impulse, he reached over and kissed Naruto’s forehead, like he had each of the children. “I love you.”


Next thing he knew he was on his back on the bed with Naruto on all fours above him. Sasuke smiled. He was going to be fucked; it was a very acceptable alternative to him fucking Naruto.

Naruto smiled and kissed his forehead. “I love you,” he echoed.

They stripped. Naruto was quicker; he had started sooner and he was Naruto. He was pulling off Sasuke’s pants before Sasuke had his shirt off.

Sasuke was on his back, pushed up onto his shoulders because he had his leg hooked over Naruto’s arm. Naruto was springing the door of a conveniently placed locker. He pulled out a pot of lube and flicked the lid off with his thumbnail. He also took out a hypospray and wedged it under the pillow.

The hypospray contained Kiba’s solution to the knot problem. Apparently not all purebreds who enjoyed being fucked by canine-human hybrids liked being stuck on their knots. The drug made the knot subside much sooner. Sasuke understood the message.

Then Naruto’s fingers were at his hole and Sasuke forgot about hyposprays or cats or feral children. He could see that Naruto was determined to control himself. Sasuke was in no mood for that. Growling-possessive-Naruto was lurking and Sasuke intended to release him. He pushed himself down on the slick fingers and gave Naruto his best fuck-me-now look.

Naruto growled.

It was like old times. He was on his hands and knees impaled on Naruto’s prick. Naruto was thrusting and growling. Sasuke waited, painfully hard, anticipating the moment.

Naruto’s knot swelled.

Sasuke threw back his head and moaned. Naruto growled and bit the skin at the junction between his neck and his shoulder. Then Naruto was pumping and Sasuke was lost to wave upon wave of mounting pleasure.

Sasuke screamed as he climaxed. Naruto gave one last thrust, threw back his head and howled.


They lay on their sides, spooned together. Sasuke had Naruto inside him and around him. Every part of his body tingled in the aftermath of his orgasm. Naruto was nuzzling and licking; grooming him. Sasuke felt warm, secure and wanted.

It was time for the hypospray. He hesitated; it still seemed artificial, as if he was denying Naruto’s nature, but Naruto had put the hypnospray under the pillow for him to use. Sasuke retrieved it and pressed it against Naruto’s thigh.


When Sasuke woke the lights had dimmed but were not at their lowest; he assumed that it was late in the evening rather than early in the morning. Naruto was snoring softly, his arm draped possessively across Sasuke’s body.

Sasuke slowly moved the arm, slipped from the bed and padded towards the head. When he re-emerged there was a pair of blue eyes watching for him.

“Do you want to take a bath? Or a shower?” Sasuke asked him.

Naruto said nothing, merely blinked at him.

Sasuke felt himself harden. He knew that look although he was surprised to see it. He knew that growling-possessive-Naruto could follow fluffy-soft-Naruto but this was the first hint that they could occur the other way about; perhaps the hypospray had its good points. He went into the bathroom, leaving the door open. Naruto did not follow but continued to watch. Sasuke wiped himself down, prepared a warm wet flannel and took it back into the bedroom.

Naruto purred as Sasuke wiped his skin. Sasuke watched his nipples tighten and then, to Sasuke’s delight, Naruto’s prick stiffened as the flannel caressed it and his balls.

Maybe, just maybe, they had been mistaken all these standards and Naruto could climax twice. Maybe, just maybe, he could climax without his prick buried in Sasuke’s arse.

Sasuke applied himself to the task. He took Naruto’s slender, curved length in his mouth and massaged the sensitive tip with his tongue. Naruto whimpered, his blue eyes wide. This was new territory, usually protracted attention to Naruto’s prick released growling-possessive-Naruto; Sasuke sucked, bobbed, licked and hummed.

But the noises Naruto was making suggested stimulation but not pleasure. Sasuke released Naruto’s prick and placed an apologetic kiss on its tip. He settled at Naruto’s side and gently rubbed his stomach.

“I know, sweetheart,” he murmured. “I am pushing and all you want to do is cuddle.”

He tickled the underside of Naruto’s chin and was rewarded as Naruto’s whiskers curved forward and he purred his contentment. Even so, Naruto’s erection remained and he was showing no sign of nest-building or other fluffy-soft-Naruto behaviour.

“Give me a hint, dobe,” Sasuke asked, with little hope of a response. As wonderful as it was to have three different Narutos to fuck or be fucked by, Sasuke sometimes wished their sex life was a little more straightforward.

Naruto lifted one knee.

Sasuke ran an exploratory hand up the back of Naruto’s thigh and was rewarded by the purr deepening.

He reached for the lube and Naruto smiled.


They were back in familiar territory. The wriggles, squeaks and yips left no doubts in Sasuke’s mind that Naruto was enjoying himself as Sasuke’s fingers prepared his hole. He squealed his impatience as Sasuke lubed his erection.

Sasuke pushed his glans past Naruto’s ring and then waited, as usual, for Naruto to adapt to his thickness. This time Naruto had other ideas. He wrapped his legs around Sasuke’s waist, shifted Sasuke’s weight and impaled himself.

It took all Sasuke’s control not to climax but he managed it, somehow, and the moment passed. He took a deep breath and started to move before Naruto decided to do it for him.

A few small changes to their relative positions and Naruto made Sasuke’s favourite sound, the one that confirmed that Sasuke had hit his button. Sasuke smiled and settled to his task of giving Naruto pleasure.

Then it happened. Sasuke saw the familar signs in Naruto’s face just before the utterly new sensations of Naruto’s body climaxing around his erection. Warm liquid splashed against his chest.

For Sasuke, nothing could have been more erotic. His control shattered and he came.


Once Sasuke had recovered enough to notice, he decided that Naruto looked a little shy, as if he had been caught doing something slightly naughty. Sasuke scrapped a small amount of the precious liquid from Naruto’s stomach with a finger and tasted it. Naruto blushed and Sasuke kissed the end of his nose.

Sasuke wiped them both clean while fluffy-soft-Naruto concentrated on nest-building. Sasuke watched with fond relief. It had belatedly occurred to him that climaxing without his prick buried in Sasuke’s arse might be the trigger for a new set of behaviours.

Four Narutos were quite enough.

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