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. Thank you for the reviews. They are very much appreciated.

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.

51. Problem solving

Neji knew he needed help; almost losing Shikamaru had convinced him. He was less sure that Haku was the best person to provide it. However, Haku was Naruto’s choice and Neji was not going to say no to Naruto.

The elegant creature before him felt like a stranger. Haku had his long hair down and was wearing a pale blue silk kimono. His cosmetics had been exquisitely applied. His fingernails were long and painted silver.

“We could talk in your room if you would prefer,” Haku offered.

Haku’s room was ordered and smelt particularly pleasant. “This is fine, Haku-san. It is a lovely room.”

“I could wear something less feminine.”

Neji realised he must appear uncomfortable. “You are also lovely, Haku-san.”

Haku laughed. “Yet you do not find me attractive, Neji-san.”

It was true. “I only want Shika,” he admitted.

“And who can blame you?” Haku asked. “Given what spills into everyday life, how gorgeous must he be when he is naked and waiting for you?”

Neji’s shock did not prevent him becoming immediately and acutely hard. He flushed scarlet with embarrassment and thought about leaving.

Haku did not laugh. He did not even smile. “He is what you wish him to be,” Haku reminded him. “He wants to please you. He is utterly submissive because it makes you happy.”

Neji’s erection vanished as quickly as it had come.

“Why does it make you happy, Neji-san?” Haku asked. “You are not that much of a dom. I would know.”

“I do not know,” Neji replied.

Haku studied him. “Come back when you are willing to tell me.”

Neji opened his mouth to protest and then closed it. He stood up, bowed and took his leave.


The atmosphere in both crew rooms still crackled with the fallout from the evening before. Neji was thankful that he and Shika had been ensconced in Shikamaru’s room. Breakfast had been interesting. Iruka had insisted that everyone but Konohamaru, Jiraiya, Asuma and Kakashi attend. There had been much banging of pots and dishes. The guilty had swiftly given themselves away.

Neji and Shikamaru had eavesdropped on the lecture from the crew room. Iruka-san had been on excellent form. The guilty from among the elite fighters emerged particularly chastised; Gai-san was heard to mutter that he would have preferred a beating. Shino had been the recipient of an extra five minutes of individual attention. When he had emerged from the galley Shikamaru had asked him to join them but Shino had shaken his head and vanished into his room.

So Neji was pleased to find them both in the laboratory after he left Haku’s room. It was in the laboratory, whether in Tarrasade, on the Sakura or on the Oak, that Shika was most like the Shikamaru he had first met. The normaility helped him put Haku’s challenge to the back of his mind.

“We have been discussing the ladies,” Shikamaru told him.

“Ladies?” Neji queried.

“Be fair, Neji,” Shikamaru reproached him. “Once they realised we were together it was like a game. It was obvious they weren’t serious.”

It was true but Neji had not liked the way Temari had wanted his Shika.

“Shino thought Anko-san was rather fun,” Shikamaru told him.

Shino gasped his disbelief and then pinked. “Perhaps so, in retrospect,” he admitted. “At the time she was more than a little scary. Ibiki likes Suzume,” he reminded them as a rather obvious diversion.

“Maybe Sumaru and Tayuya will grow up to be sweethearts,” Shikamaru suggested, which made all three of them laugh.

Neji drank in Shikamaru: his voice; his movement; his looks; his laughter. This was the Shika he wanted; the Shika he missed.


Haku was not expecting Neji to return with an answer so soon and certainly not to waylay him at one end of the galley while everyone was settling to the midday meal.

“I don’t want him to be submissive,” Neji told him in a low voice. He steeled himself. “If he always submits I never have to.”

Haku touched his cheek in recognition of how difficult the admission had been. Then Haku’s attention was captured by a ripple of activity that had all the hallmarks of gossip. Suddenly Konohamaru was beside them, his eyes sparkling despite his alcohol-induced pallor.

“Kakashi is wearing a ring on his heart finger,” he whispered.

They swiftly joined the others at the table. Haku, like the others, stared at Kakashi’s hand. Although the ring itself was unimpressive, Kakashi wearing it was monumental. Haku’s attention, like everyone else’s, switched to Iruka’s naked heart finger. There was the beginning of an ominous silence.

Kakashi sighed. “You will have to imagine it there, until I have an opportunity to buy one,” he announced.

The chatter resumed. Haku had only just realised that Sasuke had left when he returned bearing a box the size of a tray with the Uchiha crest on the lid. He placed it on the table.

“Feel free but not obliged,” he said simply and opened the lid.

Haku thought his heart would stop; so many gorgeous rings arranged like sweetmeats in a gift box.

“I collected them all together while we were in Tarrasade,” Sasuke explained. “The ones at the left are the ones without the Uchiha symbol.” He turned serious eyes to Kakashi. “Please tell me to put them away if that is what you wish, Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei.”

Kakashi looked to Iruka, who smiled. “They are lovely,” he acknowledged. “Any one without a crest that fits would be perfect. If there is a choice, perhaps one of the simpler ones.” He reached out and closed the lid. “Kakashi and I will choose one after the midday meal.”

There was a concerted groan of disappointment, to which Haku was the loudest contributor.


The rings had distracted him; Haku almost forgot to speak to Rin. He hurried after her and asked if he could speak to her in confidence. She suggested he accompany her to the infirmary, where they went into her office.

“Is there a treatment for the psychological scars left by rape and other forms of abuse?” he asked.

Rin studied him. “Is this for you?” she asked.

Haku shook his head.

Rin sighed. “I won’t try to guess. The number of victims is distressingly high. Yes. Although a highly skilled human therapist is the best choice, there are standard hypnotherapeutic treatments that have positive effects. I would have to supervise, Haku. I am sorry if that means that the person will be less likely to accept treatment.”

Haku understood. Hypnotherapy could be dangerous in the hands of an amateur. “I will try to persuade him,” he promised.

“You should train as a therapist,” Rin said.

Haku was not certain he had heard correctly.

“I am serious,” Rin assured him. “Even if you never treated anyone formally, what you learned would be useful. You have fabulous instincts but you would be even more effective with the relevant knowledge and expertise.”

Haku was more shocked by Rin paying him a compliment than by the idea of studying. “I will think about it,” he admitted. “Thank you for your time, Rin-san.”


He could see no reason for delay. He checked the duty rotas and found that Neji was scheduled for fifty minutes’ work in the shared closet. Haku and Iruka had come to a compromise about the closet. Haku had agreed to train Konohamaru and allow Sumaru in for short, strictly supervised sessions. In return, only crew on Haku’s approved list were allowed to do closet duty: Sasuke, Iruka, Ibiki, Neji, Inoichi and Haku himself.

Neji was folding clothes. Even Haku could not fold clothes as beautifully as Neji.

“Neji-san?” he asked.

Neji finished folding a shirt and sliding it into the perfectly sized aperture in the shelving system Haku had designed. “Haku-san?” he replied.

“Please may we speak for a moment? I will make up the lost duty time when you have gone to your meeting.”

Neji nodded and they each sat on one of the two dressing chairs.

“If you are serious about solving your problem you must undergo hypnotherapy,” Haku informed him. “Rin-san would have to monitor the physiological impact. She would not have to know what you said. The therapy will work better if you allow me to listen. You cannot shock me, Neji-san. I have seen and heard too much.

“The therapy would work best if you share the outcomes with Shikamaru,” he continued. He watched Neji tense. “I am not suggesting you allow Shikamaru to listen. We both know how naïve he is. Perhaps an edited version or a summary.” Haku studied Neji’s face. There was no expression.

“Neji-san?” Haku queried.

“I will think on it,” Neji managed. He stood up, put this back to Haku and went back to folding clothes.

Haku decided that it was time for a word with Naruto.


Kakashi was still recovering from Iruka choosing a starlight diamond for his love ring. Not that Iruka had any idea of its value and Sasuke had not given the slightest hint that Iruka had picked the most expensive ring in the box. Instead Sasuke had emphasised that it was a practical choice, being a hard gemstone that Iruka could wear without having to worry about damaging it. Kakashi smiled. The ring suited Iruka; it was discreet and neat but shouted quality to anyone discerning enough to see it.

He and Sasuke were walking side by side towards the meeting room for the latest update on becoming profession problem solvers. Kakashi, like Shikamaru, refused to use the term professional heroes. In front of them were Shino and Ibiki, behind them walked Naruto and Neji. Shikamaru would already be there, worrying about his presentation. Hopefully Asuma and Gai were not yet there, because Gai could drive Shikamaru into a state where his explanations became incomprehensible.


“You have spoken with Haku?” Naruto asked Neji as they walked behind Kakashi and Sasuke.

Neji was glad that Naruto had not asked before; that morning had been the first time. “Yes,” he answered. They walked on a little. “There is a long way to go,” he admitted.

Naruto nodded. “Shi-chan has improved. You may already doing more than you think.”

Neji had begun setting limits as soon as they left Elessen; he no longer allowed Shikamaru to give without reservation.

“You are lucky,” Naruto informed him. “You can address the cause of your problem. That is not possible for me and Sasuke.”

Until that moment Neji had not felt lucky. Thinking about Naruto’s future put his problem in perspective. Also, despite the hopelessness of his situation, Naruto had not shirked from taking the hard decisions necessary to drag Sasuke from his funk.

Neji thought of hypnotherapy. He imagined sharing his past with Shikamaru. He knew he must do both. Otherwise he risked destroying what he had, as Sasuke had been on the verge of destroying what he shared with Naruto.

“I will do so,” he resolved.


Shikamaru’s latest idea was a trial run. He had identified a system with a longstanding problem with slavers. Visiting the Kaze system would only require a minor detour.

“This is Temari-san’s home system,” Shikamaru told them. “I thought we could consult her.”

Asuma scowled. “You only met the girl yesterday. Is this some unlikely coincidence or did you really come up with all this within a day?”

Shikamaru flushed. “Neither. I have been tracking the Silver Leaf’s roster and its movements. I have collected considerable information about each crew member and their background. Sasuke-sama, Ibiki-san, Jiraiya-san and I reviewed their profiles to assess them as security risks.”

“That is very unspacerly of us,” Shino observed, which made Shikamaru turn an even deeper shade of red.

“But very Uchiha,” countered Kakashi. “Let me guess, the reason Jiraiya is not here is because he is on his way here with Temari.”

Shikamaru shrank slightly. “Not necessarily,” he replied. “I have Rin lined up as backup. Temari has an interest in synthesisers.”

Ibiki frowned. “Temari-san is from the family that most recently led the Kaze system. They failed in their last attempt to rid themselves of the slavers and were deposed. Do we want to raise the girl’s hopes if there is a chance we will decide not to help?” he queried.

There was silence.

“The window of opportunity for a fact-finding visit is narrow,” Shikamaru admitted. “I can show you the data.”

Kakashi sighed. “Showing us the data is pointless, Shikamaru. None of us can understand it.” He looked to Sasuke, who had been completely silent.

“We will speak to Temari-san,” Sasuke decided. “But I will do the talking, at least initially.”


Temari was accompanied by Tsunade and Tenten as well as Jiraiya. Sasuke presented their interest as that of one ally for another. He explained that Uchiha was seeking new allies after ten standards of lying fallow. He suggested that they were initially interested in understanding the slaver problem and was careful not to raise hopes of them solving it.

Her interest was immediate and absolute. She talked frankly about her home and its history. She described how the remnants of her family, including her brothers, were fighting a hopeless guerrilla war against the slavers. She admitted that one of her reasons for spacing was to seek help. When she had finished she looked directly at Shikamaru.

“I joined the Silver Leaf in the hope of meeting you, Shikamaru-san. If anyone can come up with a solution, it will be you.”

There was total silence.

Temari smiled. “He has woven his way though the data streams since he was a child,” she explained. “The Lady knows now many of the identities are his. We have found seven thousand, one hundred and eighty-two so far. We thought that we would never find the actual person, but a few standards ago there appeared a swirl in the flow and at the centre of the swirl was Uchiha.

“Oh, and I thank you for the information systems on the Leaf. Even purged, the architecture is by far the best I have ever used.”

“We?” queried Shikamaru faintly.

“The Sunagakure,” she replied.

His gaze went distant. When it refocused he said, “I see. I did not see the connections,” he confessed.

Temari shrugged. “We are small, insignificant and peripheral.” Then she smiled. “And no one is perfect, Shikamaru-san. Not even you.”

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