Thank you to my beta and muse, Small Fox. This story grew from a plot idea he gave me.
Also thanks to satterb, melissen, telynaayuri, Hawa, sade237 and disembodiedvoiceofthedying for reviewing after chapter 50 was posted. Readers’ feedback, support and comments mean a great deal to me. Feedback keeps me writing.
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Leader
Interlude 51: Vignettes: Elsewhere
Inari
There was something about the way Kotohime looked at him. Inari had wondered if it was his imagination until it had happened in front of Tayuya and she had bristled.
“It’s like she wants to eat you,” Tayuya complained once they were alone in the room they shared when on the Maple. “I mean, I understand her lusting over you, loads of people do, but she could at least try to hide it.”
Inari wasn’t sure what was worse, the thought of Kotohime fancying him or Tayuya’s assertion that lots of people would be looking at him in the same way but stopped themselves.
“I thought she was in a relationship with Han,” he muttered. He imagined the huge dolphin hybrid in a jealous rage and shuddered.
“I think that’s more of a friendship than a fucking relationship,” Tayuya informed him. “Did you know she was bringing Isaribi?”
He shook his head. As far as Inari had known, Kotohime had been expected to be travelling alone. All Inari had been given was a pick up point from Shikamaru and confirmation from Sasuke that Kotohime was expected.
“She’s turned out rather well, don’t you think?”
Isaribi had grown up into a tall, elegant young woman. Her flipper-like hand had been amputated and, using what Rin had learned when treating Naruto, a much more functional and human-like version had been regenerated in its place. The scaly patches on her skin had been lightened and softened until they were a rather pretty feature.
Inari suddenly realised that Tayuya was scowling at him and began searching for a response that did not include words like ‘elegant’ and ‘pretty’. “Yes. It is good that Rin and Kotohime were able to help her.”
Tayuya relaxed and smiled. “I wonder if she still has her crush on Kisame. Why do you think Kotohime has brought her?”
Inari shrugged. “Companionship?”
“I wonder if Kotohime’s hoping that Uchiha will recruit her. Apparently she’s a very promising medico.”
Mentioning medicos turned Inari’s thoughts to Rin. Maybe she was dead rather than missing. If she was lost it would leave a huge hole. Rin might not be the most sociable member of Uchiha, but she had made a massive difference to all their lives.
“Maybe Sasuke-sama will persuade Kotohime to stay,” Tayuya suggested.
The idea was that Kotohime would investigate the toad hybrids’ low birth rate or at least try to; the Gama were highly sensitive about all aspects of breeding.
“Permanently,” Tayuya clarified.
Inari could not see Kotohime accepting. She had her life in Haven with Denke, Hina, Tonton, Han and thousands of other hybrids who looked to her for care and guidance. “I don’t think she will accept.”
“Probably not,” Tayuya agreed. She smiled in a way that reminded Inari of the way Kotohime had looked at him. “Why don’t you...”
She was interrupted by the click of the intercom.
“This is Shino. Inari-san, I have a message from the Ninken. Captain Bull and Pakkun-san would like a face-to-face as soon as possible after they dock.” There was a slight pause.
“Pakkun-san sounded very agitated. They will be docked within twenty minutes.” It was a bad sign that Pakkun was agitated and a worse one that Captain Bull wanted an urgent meeting. Inari hurried to the door and pressed the intercom button on the wall there. “This is Inari. Please tell Pakkun-san that I shall be available as soon as they dock.”
He turned back to see Tayuya with an exasperated expression on her face. He had promised her some time together as a couple.
“I am sorry,” he told her.
She stood up. “I know. I suppose there’s no chance of a quick fuck?”
Inari flushed. He preferred taking such things slowly and, more significantly, he was meeting with Pakkun and Captain Bull. “Tayuya...”
She gestured him to stop. “I know. They’d smell it and you’d find it embarrassing.”
He closed the distance between them and embraced her. She relaxed into him immediately, which was a good sign. “I love you,” he whispered.
She laid her head on his shoulder. “I know,” she admitted. “Do you want me there at the meeting?”
Inari considered. “I had better start it alone, at least until I know what it is about. Could you be available in case I need you?”
He asked Anko to greet them at the docking bay and show them to the meeting room; although Captain Bull never objected to having to squeeze into a small room like his office, Inari felt more comfortable with a bit more breathing space.
As he walked towards the room he passed Anko leaning against a wall. She gave him a pitying look and pointed with her chin up the corridor towards the meeting room. “Good luck with this one, Inari-san.”
It was not the most auspicious start.
There was a small figure sitting cross-legged on the floor outside the room. Inari was almost sure it was female and the upswept, pointed ears suggested some canine genes. Her hair was purple. Her head was down but she was looking up at him with suspicious, amber eyes.
He decided that she was a trainee, a cat, and therefore ignored her; Anko would keep an eye on her for him.
Once inside they exchanged greetings and niceties; Captain Bull and Pakkun politely declined refreshments. Then they settled to business.
“How can I be of assistance?” Inari asked.
Captain Bill signed that Pakkun was going to speak on behalf of the crew.
“Pakkun-san?” Inari queried.
“Uchiha encourages us to take trainees,” Pakkun began. “Kakashi-san talks about looking for youngsters with much potential and then working hard so that they will grow up to become strong and valued members of the crew. Sasuke-sama says we should not be prejudiced but look for potential in everyone.”
He paused and Inari nodded encouragingly, even though he had a nasty suspicion that he knew where this was going.
“Well she has masses of potential. We thought that meant it would work. We didn’t think enough about her fitting into the crew. She’s female and she’s not dog. Canine but not dog.”
Pakkun hesitated and Captain Bull signed, urging him on.
“She’s just too wild for us. We don’t know how to handle it. We end up growling and even snapping at her. Also she’s clever. She uses girl-stuff to distract us. We don’t know what to do.” Pakkun looked miserable in that way that only a dog hybrid could. “The pack is unsettled all the time. We don’t fight well when we are unsettled. We aren’t happy when we are unsettled.”
“You always fight magnificently well,” Inari assured them. “What would you like us to do?”
This time Captain Bull signed and Pakkun translated.
“We are asking you to take her. The only other choice we have is to turn her out and she does not deserve that. You have Tayuya-san and Anko-san. Soon you will have Rin-san back. They can show her how to use girl-stuff in a good way. Your pack is more varied and complex. We are confident that, with your help, she can grow into someone of whom Uchiha can be proud.”
“Her name is Ryuka,” Pakkun added helpfully.
Inari knew he did not have a choice; the Ninken was their most valued and valuable allied crew. He walked over to the intercom.
“I shall ask Tayuya-san to join us. She will settle Ryuka in.”
“Thank you, Inari-san,” Pakkun acknowledged and Captain Bull signed.
Tayuya arrived quickly. Captain Bull and Pakkun both woofed a welcome.
“Captain Bull, Pakkun-san,” she acknowledged.
“Ryuka, the trainee in the corridor, will be joining us on trial,” Inari explained.
Tayuya nodded. She had obviously worked that out already. Her eyes asked, “Is she a problem?” and his eyebrows replied that she was.
Captain Bull barked out a command and, in response, the girl slunk around the open doorway.
Inari pointed to a place and waited until she went and stood there.
“Ryuka-kun, I am Inari. I am captain of the Maple and I am one of Uchiha’s commanders. The Ninken took you on in good faith but you have failed to perform to the required standard.”
The girl’s chin came up and her amber eyes flashed. He could not help but be reminded of Tayuya when she was that age.
“Rather than dump you at the nearest port, they have arranged for you to have a second chance. I have agreed to allow you to transfer from the Ninken to the Maple on a trial basis. I am doing this because Captain Bull has asked it of me and because of the respect I have for the Ninken’s crew, not because I wish to take on a disobedient and wilful trainee. Do you understand?”
The girl gave a reluctant nod.
“You will treat your superiors with proper respect,” Inari warned her. “Do you understand?”
“Yes, Captain Inari.”
“Better,” Inari conceded. “What do you have to say to Captain Bull for arranging this second chance for you?”
“Thank you, Captain Bull.”
“Good,” Inari confirmed. “This is Tayuya-san. She is our pilot. She will find you somewhere to sleep and explain the ship’s routine.”
Tayuya led the way out and Ryuka reluctantly followed.
Anko
Anko liked the vendetta. She enjoyed the challenge. It was like a hand-to-hand combat; analysing the situation, manoeuvring to the best available position and then dealing a crippling or killing blow. Life was unpredictable and therefore more exciting.
Shino hated it. He liked home and family and knowing what was going to be happening more than two days in advance. He liked making things rather than destroying them.
Anko loved that he hated it. It was part of loving him. Deciding that she wanted him and changing her behaviour enough that they could live together were the best two decisions of her life. He was her foundation. Being with him made her strong and complete and happy.
After the vendetta was done, they would go back to their usual life, which was perfect for Shino but often a little boring for Anko. Anko would do things to spice things up, like make bets and tease people. Sometimes she would follow one of Shino’s sensible suggestions, like contributing more to the children’s education programme, particularly for the younger group.
Being considered a positive role model for little girls was hilarious but she did like them, particularly Mai and Takara. Maybe, soon but not too soon, she and Shino would take the plunge and start having children of their own.
Inari had asked her to escort Captain Bull and Pakkun from the docking bay to the meeting room. No one had mentioned a tiny hybrid girl whose expression varied from distrustful to fearful to aggressive,
Anko immediately knew what was happening, even if the girl had not been carrying a small sack.
Her mind went back to what Tayuya had been like. Not by any stretch of her imagination could Anko have predicted that Tayuya would have turned out the way she had.
Anko may have compromised to get Shino, but Tayuya had recreated herself to win Inari. Then again, Inari was quite a prize.
The intercom clicked; Inari summoning Tayuya. Anko studied the girl. She perked up a little when Tayuya arrived. Perhaps the Ninken‘s crew had mentioned her.
The girl followed Tayuya in and, soon afterwards, the two of them came out.
Time to give Tayuya a hand; better she hate Anko than Tayuya if Tayuya was caring for her. Anko pushed off the wall and stood upright.
Tayuya responded immediately. “Ryuka-kun, this is Anko. Anko-san specialises in security.”
Anko gave the girl a few seconds to come up with a polite reply and then gave up; it obviously was not coming. “Ryuka-kun. You, me and Tayuya-san are going to have a talk,” she said bluntly and pointed toward another, smaller room.
Tayuya went in first and Ryuka followed. Anko closed the door and sat on one of the tables. Tayuya took one of the chairs. Ryuka looked towards one of the chairs but caught Anko’s stare and thought better of it.
“You won’t run rings around Tayuya-san and I like you did around the Ninken’s crew,” Anko began. “We aren’t nice like them. We know what adolescent girls are like. Your tricks won’t work on us.
“You’ve got two options,” Anko continued. “Option one is you start learning how to behave and you stay. You become part of the greatest spacer clan in known space. Option two is you blow it and get dumped at Haven or in Sanctuary.”
“If you aren’t sure what to do, ask,” Tayuya added.
Anko was not sure it was the moment for encouragement. “Yes, the fewer mistakes you make the better.”
Ryuka
Ryuka never planned much. There wasn’t any point because as soon as she got used to something it changed and as soon as she began to rely on people they vanished.
She’d lived on the Ninken longer than anywhere else. Everyone on the Ninken knew her name. She was warm, safe and fed.
Part of her wanted to fit in and become part of the pack; conform.
The rest felt trapped.
It didn’t help that she didn’t understand. Only Pakkun and Bisuke spoke. It was a while before they worked out that she wasn’t just going to pick sign language up; she was going to need lessons. Only by then things were already bad.
She wasn’t sure being able to sign would have helped; most of their communication with one another was growls and barks.
The day Captain Bull told her she was leaving was the worst of her life and Ryuka’s list of bad days was already pretty long. He was going to try to get Captain Inari to take her. If Captain Inari refused he was going to ask Captain Inari to pod her and drop her off at the first suitable planet or station.
After that things happened really fast and now she was sitting in a small room that the red-haired woman had said was Ryuka’s until they reached their base.
The red-haired woman was nice. The purple-haired woman was scary.
Captain Inari was handsome.
The room was amazing.
The days that followed didn’t go too badly. Everyone was very busy so they didn’t have much time for her. She was expected to keep her room clean, turn up for meals and do simple duties.
The only scary bit was when a medico looked her over. The dark-haired woman seemed to know all about her. She said that she was surprised that she hadn’t been terminated, given that she had whiskers and pointed, furry ears.
Ryuka had heard that before.
The crew called her by her name. She was warm, safe and fed. They used words rather than sign language and she had her own room, so it was easier than on the Ninken.
But they didn’t expect anything of her. They didn’t care about her like Captain Bull had done. She began thinking about slipping away next time they dropped to a planet or docked at a space station.
When she had been with them six days, Captain Inari asked her to come to his office. He told her to sit down and he put a cup of tea in front of her. Then he sat opposite her.
“Ryuka-kun, the Maple is Uchiha’s mission ship. It isn’t set up for long-term living. We only have the occasional trainee aboard and it is always someone who is almost fully trained. That is why we haven’t talked to you about your future or set up a training programme for you.
“Tomorrow we’ll jump into the system where our base is. You’ll be transferred there.”
He kept talking but Ryuka didn’t listen to the rest of it. They were getting rid of her, like Captain Bull had and all the other people before him.
Captain Inari was still talking. “Do you understand me, Ryuka-kun?”
She nodded and when he frowned she added, “Yes, Captain Inari.”
So the next afternoon she was standing, waiting to disembark and clutching her sack.
“Is this a port?” she asked, thinking about slipping away.
Tayuya, the red-haired woman, frowned. “No, Ryuka-kun. Didn’t Inari-san explain? This is an Uchiha base. Only Uchiha personnel are here.”
Before they could talk more, the outer door of the airlock opened.
It was even more confusing than on the Ninken. There were lots of people there. The crew hurried down the gangway to greet them. Captain Inari and Tayuya, who had seemed so cool and distant, were hugging and kissing a dark-haired man.
Then a figure moved into her field of view and everything else faded into the background. He was tall. His hair was gold and his eyes were blue. He had whiskers like hers.
He smiled at her and it was wonderful.
“It is good to meet you, Ryuka-kun. I am Naruto.”
She felt faint. Everyone knew about Naruto-san, even the children who lived on the streets. She wondered if she was asleep and dreaming.
He crouched down in front of her so that their eyes were level.
“Ryuka-kun?”
“Are you real?” she heard herself ask.
He smiled again. “Yes, I am real. I live here. Didn’t anyone tell you?”
Maybe someone had mentioned a Naruto but Ryuka had never thought that it was the Naruto. She shook her head.
He guided her down the gangway, through the people and along corridors. Finally they entered a room with lots of doors leading from it.
A man stood up as they entered. He was big with dark hair and he smelled as good as Naruto-san looked.
“Ryuka.” He turned to Naruto. “It is her. I thought it might be from Kotohime-san’s description.” He turned back to Ryuka. “I am Kiba. I worked in the laboratory where you were conceived, Ryuka-kun. I looked after you and the rest of your litter until you were two standards.”
They talked a bit more but Ryuka didn’t take all of it in. She kept thinking about was how Kiba-san smelled and how she was with Naruto-san. Finally they opened one of the doors and showed her a room like the one on the Maple.
Naruto-san gestured her in. “We’ll leave you to settle in. Come out when you are ready. There is no rush. We’ll check on you before the evening meal if you haven’t appeared.” Then he shut the door behind her.
Ryuka sat on the bed. She was an Amachi hybrid. She hadn’t known that. She did know that Amachi hybrids were meant to work better than most other hybrids.
Kiba-san was an Amachi hybrid. Apparently so were two other members of the crew. There were other hybrids as well; the crew was hybrid and purebred together.
Like her medallion. She dug her lockbox out of the sack and found it. On one face was Naruto-san. On the other was the dark-haired purebred who was his lover.
She was tired. She curled up around her sack, clutching the medallion.
She woke up because someone was scratching at her door. She was very hungry.
“Ryuka-kun? This is Naruto. The evening meal is in ten minutes.”
She washed herself and brushed her hair. She wanted to make a good impression. She did not want Naruto-san and Kiba-san to send her away.
There were lots of people. Ryuka wanted to run away and hide in her room. Instead she stood up tall so they wouldn’t know how frightened she was.
There were other hybrids. Some of them even had tails. Lots, seven, had whiskers. The three that had tails also had pointed ears, a bit like hers.
She was between a furry cat hybrid called Five and a purebred of about her own age called Ran. They were trainees, like her.
At the head of the table were Naruto-san and the dark-haired, purebred man from her medallion. He was Sasuke-sama, who was also Uchiha-sama. Pakkun had talked about Uchiha-sama. He was the leader of Uchiha.
Ryuka’s heart sped up as all the pieces started coming together. Now she understood what the purple-haired woman had meant when she had said about becoming part of the greatest spacer clan in known space.
She mustn’t mess it up this time; she mustn’t get dumped or sent away.
On the other side of the table were other youngsters. Some of them looked like Naruto-san. Some of them looked like Sasuke-sama. Others did not look like anyone.
The one opposite her was a wolf hybrid. He was very handsome with broad shoulders. He had ears like hers but furrier.
He had lovely amber eyes and his name was Ryuu, which made her feel weird because it was so like hers.
He smiled at her.
She felt warm inside and smiled back.
This time she was going to make it work.
Kabuto
Kabuto knew that it was bad and getting worse. Their contacts had fallen away, their suppliers refused to sell to them and their allies could no longer be trusted.
The only hybrids left were those too pathetic to make a decision and the ones that were addicted to killing. Even the Orochimaru prints were unreliable; as likely to run for the Far Fringe as to sacrifice themselves.
It was as if the Uchiha mothership could turn up anywhere and spew out its load of ships.
They were running out of bases in which to hide.
Orochimaru would cut and run. He would go into stasis. Kabuto would be left behind, like meat thrown to distract a ravenous wolf.
It would be soon; Orochimaru was being too nice to him. Like now; they had fucked and there had been none of the usual mind games.
Orochimaru caressed the inside of Kabuto’s wrist with the pad of his thumb. “We should have cloned and mindprinted you, Kabuto. Your prints would have been far more loyal than my own.”
Kabuto’s heart began thumping. Whenever Orochimaru mentioned loyalty he expected to be told it was the last time and ordered to stay behind to command a rearguard. He studied the amber eyes. Was there pity there? Was this the moment to play his last card?
He didn’t dare wait any longer.
“I never trusted the Orochimaru prints the way I do you,” he began.
The pity changed to suspicion.
“Compared to you they were mere shadows,” Kabuto continued. “They had only a fraction of your strength and determination.”
The suspicion faded slightly; Orochimaru, in all his forms, was swayed by flattery.
“I confess I felt the need for something to strengthen my position,” he admitted.
Orochimaru’s eyes narrowed. “And what would that be, Kabuto-chan?”
“Stem cells from the Bara hybrid. One of the samples I acquired when we captured the tissue bank on the Oak.”
Orochimaru frowned. Kabuto expected that. The memories that he had received from the Orochimaru reprint had been incomplete.
“Where is it?” he demanded.
“Safe. Hidden. In stasis. The cells will be viable for centuries.”
Anger flashed in the amber eyes. “So there was no need to raid the Uchiha compound or to trap the system.”
Kabuto swallowed. This was the risk; Orochimaru might kill him. “You wanted your six hybrids back. They were yours. Uchiha had stolen them from you.”
“True,” Orochimaru admitted. “Where is this sample?”
“Take me with you into stasis,” Kabuto replied. “When we come out, when Sasuke Uchiha is long gone, we can retrieve the stem cells and raise Bara hybrids.”
There was silence. Orochimaru’s gaze bored into him. Kabuto knew he was deciding whether to snap his neck, torture the information out of him or acquiesce.
Finally he smiled. “What a wonderful gift, Kabuto-chan.”
Kabuto knew better than to let his guard down. “I am honoured that you should see it that way, Orochimaru-sama.”
Orochimaru brought Kabuto’s wrist to his lips. For a moment Kabuto thought he would bite down. Instead he kissed the pulse point.
“Yes, you are.”
Orochimaru
Orochimaru studied the unconscious man in the bed. He did not know if he was impressed or outraged that Kabuto had the gall to bargain with him.
Just like the fucking Kabuto had received afterwards could be considered reward or punishment.
He reminded himself that Kabuto was worth effort and compromise. He was a gifted scientist, a fabulous technician, a tolerable companion and surprisingly sweet in bed. His loyalty was gratifyingly resilient.
It was pleasant to be adored rather than hated.
So Orochimaru resisted the urge to hit harder or to squeeze tighter. He managed to dull the cutting edge of his words; even stretching to compliments.
There were times, like now, when doing so took every iota of his self control.
Times, like now, when he required a scapegoat.
He pulled on some clothes and headed for the basement.
He reflected on his situation as he walked. They had been on the verge of success. If Sasuke Uchiha had been trapped and killed, Madara would have taken over Uchiha and Orochimaru would have had Akatsuki for himself. Their bargain, made centuries ago, would have been fulfilled.
Instead he was in a vendetta against an opponent who had a type-seven genius in full control of his abilities. The advantages Shikamaru had built for Uchiha over the last decade were too great. Their communications were too effective and their ships too fast. As for Shikamaru’s command of information, Orochimaru now understood why the Sunagakure called him a Wizard.
No, if he wanted to survive he would have to go into stasis.
If it had not been a vendetta he would have tried to negotiate. After all, he had something that Sasuke Uchiha would value; the true identity of ‘Izuna’ Uchiha.
The vendetta made that impossible; he was better off keeping the secret and Madara’s good will, of which there remained precious little.
Madara blamed him for their current situation because the Orochimaru print had opened the hole before confirming Sasuke Uchiha’s death. Orochimaru knew better. The blame lay with the person who had allowed the typed-seven genius to escape.
He unlocked the door to the basement and relocked it behind him before making his way to his personal laboratory.
It had taken considerable ingenuity to work out how to keep someone tanked but conscious. It had proved to be worth the effort. It was fascinating to have access to every organ, every receptor and every nerve. The regenerators automatically cut in when he went too far; healing just enough of the damage.
It was not surprising that he was still alive; Orochimaru made absolutely sure that he did not die. It was astounding that he was still sane.
Orochimaru smiled.
“Shall we begin, Pein-san?”
