In the cold of space you find the heat of suns

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

Author's note. A thank you to readers who helped with my queries about terminology. It has been very helpful.

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.

47. Elessen

Sasuke, Shikamaru and Neji stared at the lists Garner Parrad had sent them.

“What’s wrong?” asked Naruto.

“We asked for clarification about who had to drop with us to Elessen,” Sasuke explained. He switched the display from the tablet to the holoprojection. “He sent this. Left are non-negotiables, right column are those who do not have to come, centre are those he would like us to include and we lose a hundred gigacredits for each one who stays on the Oak.” Kurenai, the children and Natsuhi were in the list on the right. Sumaru was among the non-negotiables. Klennethon Darrent’s information gathering continued to impress.

Naruto scowled. “I do not like these games. Maybe we should go home.”

Shikamaru grimaced. “Do you have any idea of how much Rin spent on the infirmaries on the Sakura and the Oak?”

Sasuke cringed slightly. He knew that had been his fault. The lesson had been learnt, he would never again release someone to spend without a budget.

Naruto sighed. “Asuma must stay with his family.”

“We will leave the crew of the Oak,” Sasuke decided. He held up a hand before Shikamaru could protest. “I know we are giving up one third of the credit but it is for the best.”


Elessen was a habitable planet yet Klennethon Darrent used it as a pleasure home. There was one settlement: a palace set in extensive gardens. Dotted about the gardens were guest villas. All infrastructure was hidden. Structures that could not be made beautiful, for example the spaceport, were set well away and camouflaged by trees.

They were greeted by Garner Parrad. He handed a folded and sealed paper to Sasuke; an invitation for him and Naruto to meet with Klennethon Darrent that afternoon. Garner Parrad then escorted them to the entrance of their villa, promising to return later to conduct Sasuke and Naruto to the meeting.

The villa was as tasteful as it was luxurious but, in truth, it did not suit them. The marble made it cold and, for those used to intimacy, the sheer size was intimidating. It was difficult to translate their way of living to the new setting. The kitchen was separate from the main room. Each bedroom with its associated sitting room, dressing room and bathroom was furnished to be occupied by one or two guests. They had to move some beds.

The room Sasuke and Naruto had been given was too large for Sasuke’s liking but the bed looked fun and there was a sunken bath as well as a shower. He set an alarm for fifty minutes before Garner Parrad would arrive to escort them to the meeting and joined Naruto, who was investigating the potential of the bed as a trampoline.


Klennethon Darrent watched the two of them play. In many ways it was more beautiful than the coupling that followed. The youngster’s love for the hybrid was so intense. He shivered as he imagined what the young Uchiha would risk to keep him.

Once they were asleep he watched Shikamaru with the Hyuga. He tapped a fingertip against the arm of his chair. Shikamaru made a convincing submissive; knowing it was a fabrication did not quell Klennethon Darrent’s desire. He calmed himself, emptying his body of emotion, wary of clouding his judgement, yet still found himself toying with the idea of tempting Shikamaru away.

Some of the others were promising or mildly intriguing: the boy was an interesting addition to the party; some of the Uchiha fighters were a fascinating mixture of damage and hope; the little queen held the disparate group together with remarkable skill.

It was a good game.


Remembering his father helped Sasuke retain his self-control in the man’s presence. Klennethon Darrent’s power and charisma were overpowering. His voice inspired obedience. He was predator, which cast Sasuke in the role of prey. Worrying about Naruto was a welcome distraction. Occasionally Sasuke heard a faint grumbling growl from Naruto’s throat.


Klennethon Darrent was acutely aware of the risk involved in meeting the hybrid. There was a chance Naruto would kill him. It had been many decades since he had last been exposed to personal danger. It was a refreshing, if unwise, novelty.

The hybrid was magnificent. You had to be in his presence to fully appreciate his incredible physicality. Klennethon Darrent finally understood the youngster’s obsession.

Once niceties had been exchanged Klennethon Darrent began his pitch. “I collect art,” he explained. “I also commission art. It is one of my ambitions to commission great art that will influence humanity for millenniums.

“I have studied the past. Art that draws on folklore is powerful. You are modern folklore. Your story is already known to quadrillions.

“The data I have would not be enough to brief an artist who will not meet you and for whom you cannot pose. I want you to agreed to full body imaging and some joint posing. Ideally this would be done at two standard intervals, but, at this time, we are negotiating a single set of images.”


Sasuke processed what Klennethon Darrent was saying. It sounded harmless enough, completely consistent with what Garner Parrad had said.

Naruto’s whiskers twitched. “You want porno pictures of me and Sasuke?” he checked.

Klennethon Darrent appeared to recoil slightly. “Nothing of the sort. Nude posing. Very tasteful. Not to be published, just to be used by artists as inspiration.” He stood up, forcing them to stand also. “Garner will conduct the detailed negotiation. He will come to your villa. Miriam will see you out. We will meet again before you lift.”


Sasuke waited until the neat, slim woman had shown them out.

“Porno pictures? Dobe!” he complained as they walked down the front steps.

Naruto scowled. “Teme! That’s what they are. He’s just a dirty old man. Like Jiraiya but richer.”

Sasuke shrugged. “We will listen to what Garner Parrad has to say.”

Naruto grinned. “I didn’t say we shouldn’t give him the porno pictures.” He jumped down the last ten steps, then turned and put his arms out.

Sasuke checked there was no one watching, then jumped. Naruto caught him, tossed him in the air and caught him again.


Klennethon Darrent watched and smiled; the move had gone extremely well.


Iruka stared at the list. “The more of us pose in the nude, the more credit we get,” he stated.

Sasuke flinched. He was glad that he had he had asked Garner Parrad to leave while they discussed the deal between themselves. “They want images with clothes on as well but we would need to pose naked,” he agreed. “Of course Konohamaru and Sumaru will not be included in the nude posing.”

“They are on this list,” Iruka observed.

“It will be a non-negotiable point,” Sasuke insisted.

“Good,” Iruka stated. “And to get the big prize, some of us must to do this ‘joint posing’. You two. Kakashi and I. Hamaki, Terai and Fu.”

“Yes,” Sasuke admitted. He had wondered at the trio’s inclusion and at Shikamaru and Neji’s absence from the list.

“And the big prize is…?”

“It is a device for improving holes so a Mulligan drive ship can jump through more holes. We would have one. We could not sell it or allow it to be copied.”

Iruka sniffed. That was a huge prize. It would give them a massive advantage over other spacer crews. “And this joint posing? Kakashi and I are not going to fuck in front of a camera.”

“No fucking,” Sasuke assured him. “Tasteful touching.”

“Naruto was at the meeting with Klennethon Darrent. He describes them as porno pictures,” Iruka reminded him.

“That’s Naruto,” Sasuke replied.

Iruka sniffed. “If the joint posing is a tasteful as you say, I will consider it.”


They finalised the deal and began the imaging, which was implemented in a purpose built room. The schedule indicated that it would take three days, after which they would lift for the Oak. There they would be joined by Klennethon Darrent’s engineers, who would fit the improver.


Shikamaru fingered the note in his pocket as he slipped out of the villa. Everyone was asleep. Astonishingly, everyone stayed asleep. He wondered if they had been drugged and, if they had, how he had been exempt.

Elessen had two moons, one of which was full and bright. It was easy to follow the small illuminated flyer that had been sent to guide him. Instead of leading him up the front steps it guided him around the side, through a manicured garden towards a veranda. The man sitting there stood as he approached.

“You are here,” Klennethon Darrent observed.

Shikamaru wished he fully understood why he had chosen to come. The note had contained vague threats and gentle promises. He still wanted to meet the person who had written the communication he had been sent on Tarrasade. He was trembling slightly. He should have shown the note to Sasuke. He felt guilty.

“I am here,” he admitted and stepped forward into the soft light of the lanterns. Klennethon Darrent was tall and cruelly handsome. His slight smile sent shivers down Shikamaru’s spine.

The man came closer and Shikamaru found himself frozen to the spot. He was having trouble thinking and for some bizarre reason he was reminded of Naruto. Klennethon Darrent took his left hand and rubbed the ball of this thumb back and forth across his duty ring.

“Perhaps I should have asked for this,” he said. “It is priceless and doubtless belongs in my collection.”

Shikamaru knew that Klennethon Darrent was referring to him as well as the ring. To emphasise his meaning Klennethon Darrent lifted the hand to his lips and kissed it. Shikamaru pulled away. He knew that he should not have come. He would run back to the villa, wake Sasuke and confess.

Klennethon Darrent did not let go of his hand. One tug and he was too close. Shikamaru suddenly knew why Klennethon Darrent had reminded him of Naruto. The only time he had been more frightened was when Naruto had lost his temper.

“I have forgetting pills,” Klennethon Darrent informed him.

Shikamaru froze. Taking the pills would eliminate memories for a set period of time.

“Perhaps you were here last night. Perhaps I want you because I remember what we shared yesterday.”

Shikamaru teetered on the edge of panic, then recovered. That had been very clever. It had almost worked. The fear receded. He relaxed, knowing that Klennethon Darrent would do likewise, then pulled away and stepped back.

“It was a mistake to come,” he stated. “I will go now. True, you could stop me, you could rape me and you could force me to forget but I do not think that is what you want.”

Klennethon Darrent’s smile had gone. “I could pull out of the deal.”

Shikamaru shrugged. “I know this is only a side game. I do not think you will jeopardise your prime objectives. I belong at Sasuke’s side. You know that. Naruto and I are the difference between him being a good leader and him becoming the legend you want him to be.”

Klennethon Darrent gave the tiniest of nods. “I thought my trap would hold you, Shikamaru. I am impressed. Frustrated, but impressed. You should go now, before I decide that short term pleasure outweighs long term satisfaction.”


Sasuke blinked owlishly. He had not expected Shikamaru to drag him out of bed in the middle of the night. Naruto had been momentarily alert, then happy to return to sleep when he realised it was only Shi-chan.

Then Shikamaru told him what he had done and all thought of sleep vanished. “You idiot, Shikamaru!” he yelled with emphasis but little volume. The last thing they needed was an audience. He was glad that Shikamaru had dragged him into the bathroom and shut the door.

Shikamaru flushed. “I know. It never occurred to me that he wanted to fuck me. I thought I could play off the fact he would want me to work for him to get extra information. I wanted to know who composed that first message.”

“You did not tell me about the note,” Sasuke observed.

Shikamaru hung his head in shame. “I am sorry, Sasuke-sama.” He slipped the ring from his finger and proffered it.

Sasuke took it and, for a moment, allowed Shikamaru to think he might keep it. Then, having punished him enough, he took Shikamaru’s hand and pushed it back into place. On impulse he followed up with a hug, only to have Shikamaru relax into him.

“He was frightening,” Shikamaru whispered. “Not as terrifying as Naruto that time but comparable.”

Sasuke tightened the hug. By the Lady, when had the skinny geek become this vulnerable creature that men wanted? Who, at that moment, even Sasuke wanted. He pushed Shikamaru gently away. “Go and sleep with Naruto,” he ordered. “It will make you feel better. Go!” he emphasised.

Once Shikamaru had gone Sasuke sat on the edge of the bath. They knew that Shikamaru’s judgement could be suspect. When travelling at speed in a given direction he could forget anything other than his objective. However, it was worrying that none of them had realised what was happening. It was deeply troubling that Neji had been blind to it.


The next day was the last and Sasuke was scheduled to pay his respects. Sasuke lectured Naruto as they walked up the steps, wishing that he had ordered Shikamaru to stay silent. Naruto now disliked Klennethon Darrent.

They were taken on a tour of part of the collection. Initially Naruto lurked in the vicinity but he quickly lost interest in Klennethon Darrent’s descriptions of each piece’s origins and his speculations about the artist’s intent. He began wandering slightly further afield, peering intently at the more beautiful of the objects.

“You are immensely privileged to have the two of them,” Klennethon Darrent said suddenly, his tone still conversational.

Sasuke realised that showing him the collection had been a ploy to distract Naruto. He waited.

“The love triangle aspect of your tale has potential. His unrequited love for you. Your love for someone who is, by his nature, ephemeral.”

Sasuke was momentarily distracted by the notion that Shikamaru might love him before fastening on what Klennethon Darrent was saying about Naruto. “What do you mean, ‘ephemeral’?” he demanded.

Klennethon Darrent turned to him with a small, cruel smile. “Surely you realise. Foxes do not live as long as humans.”

---