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’. There is also a one-shot ‘Silver Leaf Tales: Tying the knot’.

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 readers who have written a review and particular thanks to zakunai, lonelylulaby, gingitsune, sadie237, cynaga, Anon, Prism0467 and blugirlami21 who reviewed chapter 59. It was really encouraging to hear from many readers recently.

I am working a few chapters ahead at the moment, but I promise that there will be some chapters coming up that will concentrate on the family and the children.

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.

---

Chapter sixty: Comfort

---

Every evening it became harder for Neji to go through the door of his immaculate room to sleep in his perfectly made bunk. He had not expected it to be so difficult; he had spent standards living alone.

Only that was before Sasuke and Haku had turned up in his shabby little apartment on Chanx, before he had been welcomed to the Uchiha family and, most importantly, before Shikamaru’s campaign to make Neji love him.

At first he had tried to get through days by pretending that Shika was elsewhere, but it was hopeless. There was a Shika-shaped hole in the laboratory, in Sasuke’s office, in the meeting room and in the galley. He followed C-san’s advice and tried to change his habits. He took on almost all Haku’s duties in the closet, freeing him to be with Mai or the children. He spent more time in the playroom, usually with Kazuki. He trained more. He visited with Shikamaru’s parents and sister, not allowing himself to think that Shikaku was painfully similar to his Shika.

He told himself it helped.


It had been five divs; one hundred and eighty days.

He sat in the strategy meeting. At least they were in the meeting room rather than Sasuke’s office. When they were in Sasuke’s office he had to function with Shika looking down at him.

About a div ago it had seemed as if they were making progress. Tennyo One had confirmed that Sasori had made the rendezvous he had planned before being intercepted by Garner Parrad. Klennethon Darrent had begun picking off Devas and making it impossible for the Akatsuki to operate as a supplier of clones. Light speed communication relays had started to ping in one of the sectors of the Far Fringe, indicating that they were being hacked.

As neither Uchiha nor the Tennyos were hacking them, that meant Shikamaru had taught the technique to someone else.

Sasuke had insisted that Shikamaru had done it because he knew that the hacked relays would ping, attracting Uchiha’s attention.

Neji had wondered what the Akatsuki had threatened to do to Haru.

Whatever Shikamaru’s motivation, it had allowed them to focus their attention on a single sector. The would-be Uchiha crews in that sector had been alerted. The Tennyos had investigated the traffic through the hacked gates. Although no one said it, there had been a growing sense of optimism. They were closing in.

Then, suddenly, there was nothing. The remaining Devas vanished. Those the Tennyos had been tracking had committed suicide by blowing up their ships. No more light speed communication relays pinged. The Akatsuki ceased trading and closed their bank accounts.

Kakashi had said what they all were thinking; the Akatsuki had shut down operations and moved to make it impossible to find them.

Neji imagined Pein deciding to wait a decade or maybe two. By that time they would have used Haru to bind Shikamaru to them and Haru would have been raised by the Akatsuki rather than Uchiha.

Alone, in his immaculate room, Neji had imagined the lengths to which Shikamaru would go to protect Haru.


This evening he could not do it; he could not cross the threshold.

He slid the door closed. His eyes went to the door to his right; the door to Shikamaru’s room. Three steps, a door opening and closing, and he was inside.

It was exactly as Shikamaru had left it that fateful morning. Neji lay on the bed, their bed, and curled himself around a pillow. He had hoped it would smell of him but it did not.

He no longer had the energy or the will to function.

---

Naruto had been using the gap between the children’s bedtime and the evening meal to make a few adjustments to the nursery. To others’ eyes it might look very similar to the nursery he had built for Hikaru, Haru and Hoshi but Naruto knew it was not. Naruto himself was different. Tsuneo, Takara and Teruko were not Hikaru, Haru and Hoshi.

Fifty days and they would be ready to be born.

“Time, dobe,” Sasuke called from their room.

Naruto tied off the hanging and stood back; the angle was better. Then he followed Sasuke through their room and the shared area into the galley.


Neji’s seat was empty. They waited. There was a short discussion about whether he had said that he would be eating with Shikaku and Yoshino. Haku excused himself to knock on Neji’s door and returned with the news that he was either not there or not answering.

Naruto could see that Sasuke was worried. He caught Sasuke’s eye and twitched his whiskers. Sasuke gave a small nod and Naruto left the table.

He listened at the door; Neji was not in his room. He was, however, in the room he shared with Shikamaru. He was very still but not asleep. Naruto went back to the galley.

“He’s in Shi-chan’s room,” he reported.

Everyone looked to Iruka. “We will give him some time,” he decided. “Perhaps you could put a plate aside for him, Choza-san.”


Naruto waited for the meal to finish and most of the crew to disperse. Haku, Iruka, Sasuke and Kakashi had remained at the table.

“I do not think we should leave Neji alone,” he admitted. “He was too quiet, too motionless, for someone who was not sleeping.”

“He was breathing normally?” Iruka asked sharply.

“Yes, I would have said something otherwise, Iruka-sensei,” Naruto replied.

“We could try knocking on the door,” suggested Haku.

Naruto stood up. “I will do it,” he announced. “If he does not answer, I will enter.”

“Are you sure, Naruto?” Iruka asked. “Shouldn’t it be Haku?”

“No, it should be me, because I am Shi-chan’s best friend,” Naruto explained.


There was no response to his knock; Naruto had not expected one. He slid open the door. Neji was on the bed, curled up like a baby in a gestator.

He might have to fetch Rin, but he would try first. He slid the door closed behind him.

After some thought he started tidying the room, even though he knew that Neji had chosen to leave the room untouched. As he was picking up the used clothes and putting them in the lidded basket, he heard Neji moving. He was about to return a towel to the shelf beside the shower when it was pulled from his hands. Naruto let it go.

“Do not touch it,” Neji hissed. “Do not touch anything.”

Naruto had never seen Neji show emotion. He had smelt it, but he had never seen it. There was a spot of high colour on each of his cheeks and his eyes were flashing.

One of the advantages of being a hybrid was his strength and speed of movement. Before Neji could react, Naruto had him in a tight hug.

“Shi-chan will come home,” he insisted. “Shi-chan and Ha-chan will come home.”

Neji was trying to fight him. It was, of course, futile.

“Shi-chan and Ha-chan will come home,” Naruto repeated.

Finally Neji gave up and relaxed. “Shika will come home,” he agreed. “Shika and Haru-chan will come home.” He laid his head on Naruto’s shoulder. “I miss him so much,” he admitted.

Naruto remembered how it had felt to be separated from Sasuke and that had only been days, not five divs. “You love him,” he acknowledged. “We need to look after you better,” he added. “I shall hug you more often. I can hug you because I am bonded to Sasuke.”

Neji made a small noise that may have been a poor attempt at a laugh. “Naruto the hug dispenser?”

Naruto squeezed him gently. “It is part of my duties, to hug people,” he assured him. “I shall hug you at least once a day until Shi-chan comes home.”

---

Shikamaru was thankful that he had reacted to Sasori’s presence before he realised that Sasori was working for Klenn. It had to be Klenn, because Sasuke would not offer Sasori immunity for the murders he had committed or for what he had done to Gaara.

By the time he had focused on Sasori’s index finger the meal was well underway. Eating and drinking made it easier for Shikamaru to present an unconcerned exterior while, inside, he analysed, predicted and evaluated.

He doubted that Sasori was there to do anything other than check on Shikamaru and Haru’s health but Shikamaru had other ideas. Sasori was a resourceful and experienced undercover operative. Ranmaru had seen the way to the ship. This was a rare opportunity to escape. It would be necessary to take risks. Specifically, Sasori and Ranmaru would have to reveal their true allegiance, which would endanger their lives.


Ranmaru was sitting next to Haru’s bed, even though Haru was soundly asleep. Shikamaru was momentarily distracted; before he had been hurt Haru would have still been up and active at this time in the evening.

He made himself concentrate; Haru’s needed to be home with his family, not out here where Shikamaru was incapable of protecting him.

“We need to talk,” he murmured to Ranmaru.

Ranmaru began collecting and folding clothes; to anyone listening it would seem as if they were speaking softly to avoid disturbing Haru.

Shikamaru had already decided to trust Ranmaru; second guessing would get him nowhere. “Sasori is here to help us,” he whispered.

Disbelieving brown eyes turned toward him.

“I am sure,” Shikamaru assured him. “I need you to get close enough to him to act as a go-between. “You tell him ‘The wizard says a shell within a shell’ and he will know that I sent him the message.”

“The wizard says a shell within a shell,” Ranmaru repeated.

“Yes. Then tell him that nothing short of a successful escape will impress KD,” he added.

---

Ranmaru was close to panicking inside as he carried Haru’s dinner tray back to the kitchen. Shika-san had seemed resigned to having to stay with the Akatsuki until Uchiha rescued him and Haru or forced Pein’s hand into releasing them. The sudden talk of escaping seemed out of character.

He washed up Haru’s dishes even though Cook said it would be fine to add them to the pile. He knew Cook appreciated the gesture. While at the sink, he watched Cook preparing another tray.

“Is that for the guest?” he asked. “I could take it when I go back to the apartment. Haru’s asleep so I won’t be carrying his bedtime drink.”

Cook raised an eyebrow. “It is out of your way.”

Ranmaru shrugged. “I thought I would save Hana the trouble. I am guessing Konan-sama won’t let any of the others serve a guest.”

The big man chuckled. “They are a bit rough. Very well. Thank you.”


Ranmaru knocked on the door and waited. Instead of calling for him to enter, Sasori opened the door. He stayed in the doorway, less than a step away, assessing Ranmaru’s body. Ranmaru could not stop himself blushing; even without his empathic sense there would be no mistaking what Sasori would like to do with him.

They were close enough. Hana was unlikely to be within earshot. “The wizard says a shell within a shell,” he murmured.

There was no sign of surprise on Sasori’s face although Ranmaru, as an empath, caught a trace of it.

“Bring the tray in and put it on the table,” Sasori told him in a normal speaking voice, stepping away from the doorway.

Ranmaru followed the instruction. As he was bending over to place the tray Sasori pressed up against him from behind. So close, Sasori’s arousal flooded into Ranmaru’s mind and through his body.

“Was there more to the message?” he whispered into Ranmaru’s ear.

Ranmaru wished he was anywhere else. He missed Konohamaru very badly. “Nothing short of a successful escape will impress KD,” he said.

Thankfully, Sasori drew back. “Is that so?” he asked. He then picked up the handbell and rang it.

Ranmaru stood there, frozen. He was convinced that Shikamaru had been mistaken and that Sasori was about to expose him as a traitor.


Hana arrived surprisingly quickly. She had not expected to see Ranmaru there but her eyes went to the tray and he saw her accept that as an explanation.

“Can I help you, Sasori-san?” she asked.

“Please tell Pein-sama that I intend to accept his offer of the bedwarmer,” he replied. “Thank him and assure him that I understand that he must be returned undamaged and capable of fulfilling his other duties.”

Ranmaru caught the pity in Hana’s expression before she bowed.

“Yes, Sasori-san. You will find everything you need in the cupboard in the bathroom,” she informed him. “Ranmaru, Pein-sama has told Sasori-san about the mindprinting technology. Pein-sama no longer considers him a guest but a valued colleague.”

Ranmaru’s head was spinning. He understood Hana’s message. He was merely a print. Prints were owned, used and thrown away. His training made him particularly suited as Sasori’s bedwarmer. The other Ranmaru, whose place he had taken, was not in love with Konohamaru and, Ranmaru was sure, would not hesitate to show his loyalty in this way. He bowed to confirm his acceptance.

But how could Sasori be Pein’s valued colleague yet be here to help Shikamaru and Haru?

Hana was leaving. The door shut behind her.

Sasori pulled him into a hug. Ranmaru braced himself for Sasori’s desire, but this time all he felt was anticipation and, perhaps, a touch of thrilled excitement.

“Good,” he murmured in Ranmaru’s ear. “Now you can stay as long as we need. As soon as the hybrid is definitely out of earshot we will talk.”

---

Sasori had been concentrating on extending his visit and persuading Pein to tell him the Akatsuki’s secrets. He had not expected Shikamaru to contact him via someone Pein was certain was loyal and, the cheek of the man, challenge him to come up with an escape plan.

At least the youngster was more than he first appeared. He had been trained as an agent for three standards. He had impressive observational skills and his strange ability meant that he had useful insights into people’s motives.

Also, he was fiercely loyal to Uchiha. He would sacrifice himself to protect the child.

If prints were really living and could therefore die.


They stripped to their underwear and sat in the bed; it would look better that way if anyone came to the door.

Sasori had to reach inside, concentrate and turn his libido to zero. It was a useful skill; one that had served him well over the decades. It was necessary; Ranmaru would function better without having to cope with Sasori’s second-hand lust.


Ranmaru insisted that the only way out was through the basement, along the tunnel and into Pein’s ship. He was open to the idea of using a different ship but pointed out that they did not know if there was another ship at the base and that any incoming ship would have a crew. Pein’s ship was there, Ranmaru had seen the route twice and he was certain that the ship was unoccupied by anyone conscious when not in use.

Escape through the surrounding forest was impossible. Sasori considered debating that conclusion until he heard what had happened to the child.

“It is permanently on,” Ranmaru told him. “Shika-san thinks that Zetsu can connect to it using his mind but he isn’t sure if even Zetsu can turn it off.”

Sasori turned his mind to how the household worked. “How do they get supplies in? Surely everything is not brought in using spaceships?”

Ranmaru considered. When at the other base they had purchased materials for the fence locally. This time they had brought them with them. “This is a more secure base than the other one,” he observed. “It is possible that it has no ties at all with the population on the planet. This could even be an unoccupied planet.”

The planet would not be unoccupied; ships dropping and lifting would be too obvious. If it were up to Sasori, he would choose a planet that was being exploited for its natural resources, with transient labour and much freighter traffic.

Stealing Pein’s ship might be the only option. Sasori began to consider the detail.

“We’ll have to kill the hybrid first,” he stated.

Ranmaru looked at him in horror. “Kill Hana? Shika-san will never agree to that.”

Sasori sighed. “We could not tell him,” he suggested, wishing he had not mentioned it to Ranmaru.

“No killing,” Ranmaru insisted. “Except maybe Pein. You could kill Pein and not tell Shika-san.” He frowned. “Have you ever tried killing a hybrid? I mean, Hana is like Kiba-san, they look all nice and kind but they fight just like Naruto-san or Kisame-san. You wouldn’t have a hope. And you could never sneak up on her. Never.”

The youngster had a point.

“If Konan-sama was ill, Hana would stay at her side and look after her,” Ranmaru suggested. He considered. “Their medical facilities are poor. We could arrange food poisoning, but you and Shika-san could pretend.”

Sasori considered. The idea had merit. The problem would be judging the amount of poison so that it incapacitated the targets without killing them. On the other hand, he really did not care if he killed Pein, Konan or Zetsu by mistake.

“Where would we get the poison?” he asked.

Ranmaru smiled. “There’s lots of gardens.”

Gardens usually meant weedkillers and insecticides.

“One of them is a flower garden,” Ranmaru added. “There are foxgloves. Konan-san likes foxgloves.”

Sasori was impressed. “How in known space do you know about foxgloves?” he asked.

Ranmaru looked suddenly sad. “I remember being looked after by Konan when I was a boy. Only it wasn’t this Ranmaru and she wasn’t Konan-sama. She loved flowers though, just like this Konan. One of the first things she did was teach me what flowers were dangerous, so I would leave them alone. I even did a school project about the medicinal uses of flowers, because I wanted to please her.”

Sasori had not got his mind around the mindprinting. “So you know you are a print,” he said cautiously.

“Not even a print,” Ranmaru told him. “A reprint. The print was planted in Uchiha, but he, I, did not know I was a print. I thought I was normal. The Akatsuki killed me. They pretended it was for daring to betray them but it was really so they could take my, his, head and replaced it with one from a clone. Then they used the head to print three clones. The first was me and I stayed loyal to Uchiha. The second reverted to being loyal to Konan. The third didn’t take.”

It made shells sound simple. “So what happened to the one that was loyal to Konan?” he asked.

“I couldn’t stop him telling them what they needed to know to kidnap Shikamaru and Haru, but I managed to swap with him after that,” Ranmaru told him. “Hopefully he’s dead.”


Sasori pushed for details, interested in how Ranmaru operated. He listened carefully and was impressed at his ingenuity.

“Sasori-san?” Ranmaru asked into the silence that followed.

Sasori was alerted by the solemn brown eyes. “Yes, Ranmaru-kun?”

“Our plan, if someone has to die or to stay behind, it has to be me,” he said.

Sasori was about to object but the look on Ranmaru’s face stopped him.

“Because I know that reprints don’t last,” he explained. “I haven’t managed to discover how long they last yet. I asked Shika-san to find out but I am not sure if he would tell me.”

Sasori knew; Pein had told him. “You really want to know?” he asked.

Ranmaru sat up straighter. “I need to know. I love someone in Uchiha. As far as he knows, I am dead. He will have grieved for me and, I hope, begun to move on. I can’t go back if...” he trailed off.

“You are sure?” Sasori checked.

“If you know, Sasori-san, tell me,” Ranmaru pleaded.

Sasori decided Ranmaru was correct; he needed to know. “Between one and three standards of consciousness. Stasis does not count. Deterioration is gradual. What’s left is the same mindless clone they started with.”

He saw Ranmaru swallow. “Thank you, Sasori-san.”

There were very few people whom Sasori admired: Gaara for surviving his childhood and adolescence; Temari for maturing into a great leader; Shikamaru for being the Wizard and, perhaps, Klennethon Darrent for creating Klennethon Darrent. He had known this little nobody, this print, for less than a day yet Sasori found himself blown away by his bravery.

“It is an honour, Ranmaru-kun,” he replied, realising that he meant it. “Would you like me to hold you?” he heard himself ask.

Ranmaru considered. “Yes, please,” he admitted.

---