In the cold of space you find the heat of suns

Thank you for the reviews. I appreciate them greatly. They do influence what I write, particularly if the reader writes about how s/he sees characters and plot developments. Comments about style are also useful.


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


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.


61. Control

Everything required to modify Gaara’s ship was laid out across the floor of the docking bay. Each component was as complete as possible to minimise the time required for installation. Shikamaru, Shino and Konohamaru had begun work as soon as the Silver Leaf had returned with its cargo; the display represented five days of intensive labour.

“Is he ready?” Shikamaru asked.

Temari bit her lip. Gaara would have to be separated from his ship for a minimum of one hundred minutes, possibly longer, and the stress of not having his ship to fall back to was almost guaranteed to push him over the edge. Their solution was a small, very cold room and Gaara accepting that he would be in a vulnerable, hibernating state without his ship to protect him.

“I am ready,” a voice stated from the open airlock.

Gaara was already chilled and sluggish. Temari walked before him as guide. He held one thought in his mind: lock the door, lock the door, lock the door. The cold of the room hit him. He locked the door and then slowly collapsed.


Shikamaru tried to concentrate on the task. Ideally Konohamaru would have been assisting Shino, but it had been difficult for Gaara to accept the concept of anyone entering his ship. He was least uncomfortable with Naruto, reluctantly accepting of Shikamaru and initially opposed to Shino. They had decided that including Konohamaru would be too much to ask.

Being inside the ship made Shikamaru want to weep. Shikamaru had seen Naruto’s face and knew that he felt the same way; large blue eyes and drooping whiskers ensured that Naruto’s sad expression touched the soul.

The ship was unrelentingly stark; there was nothing inside other than equipment. Knowing that Gaara denied himself stimulation was very different to experiencing the reality. Shikamaru knew that Gaara had lived on this ship for six standards; this was his home.

“Shika-san!” Shino demanded.

Shikamaru pulled himself together, assessed where Shino was and handed him the next component.

They blocked off the surrounding corridors and left the airlock of the Gourd open. Shikamaru set the temperature in the small room to rise gradually.

Gaara was given his privacy for the inevitable loss of control.


Sasuke was in his office. He saw Naruto’s expression and immediately set aside what he had been doing. Naruto was trembling slightly and he whimpered when Sasuke touched him. Sasuke moved to the largest chair. Naruto sat in his lap and clung. Sasuke held him, stroked him and murmured words of comfort.

A terrible thought crept into Sasuke’s mind. “Is it one of the babies?” he whispered.

Naruto was on his feet and out the door.

Sasuke chased after him. Not that he had any hope of catching up but he could do his best to reduce the time Naruto was in the nursery without him. When he arrived Naruto had checked all the displays but was still hyper-alert.

“They are fine,” he confirmed.

Sasuke’s legs had gone rubbery. He sat on the platform. “It wasn’t the babies, then,” he surmised.

Naruto scowled at him, “You said babies,” he accused.

“I was guessing, dobe,” Sasuke told him.

“Teme,” Naruto complained. “You promise not to do that again,” he insisted.

“I am sorry,” Sasuke confessed.

“Promise,” Naruto repeated.

“Dobe, I can’t promise not to think that one of the babies is in trouble when you come to me looking like your world is ending,” Sasuke told him.

Naruto thought about it. “I understand,” he conceded. “Teme,” he complained but he sat down next to Sasuke on the platform.


“So what is wrong?” Sasuke asked.

Naruto shuddered. “We saw inside Gaara’s ship.”

Sasuke wished they had never met the other canine-human hybrid; too much about Gaara upset Naruto, including his life of self-denial.

Naruto touched his controller. “This saved me from being terminated. I know that. Gaara found another way.” He shuddered. “Gaara’s way is worse than dying.”

“To you, sweetheart. Not to Gaara. Gaara made that choice.”

Naruto looked away from him. “It is hard to choose death. I remember what I did to live. Dug in bins. Stole. Was a good doggy. Wagged my arse so they would fuck me.”

Sasuke wanted to kill those men.

“Maybe I would have chosen like Gaara,” Naruto admitted. Then, in a blur, he was gone. Sasuke could hear him vomiting.


Sasuke took a moment to put his head out into the crew room. The number of anxious faces he saw confirmed his suspicion that one or both of them had been seen running through the corridors.

“We are fine,” he assured them. “The babies are fine.” He slid the door shut, found a cup, filled it with water and took it to Naruto. Naruto washed his mouth out a few times and then drank the remainder.

“Cuddle?” Sasuke suggested.

“Cuddle,” Naruto agreed.


The installation had gone well. Gaara had lost control but the only victim had been the mattress in the small room, which was shredded. Once he was calm enough to unlock the door he had managed to get back to his ship where he had hibernated until the next morning.

Gaara and Shikamaru wanted to test the controller. This required Gaara’s presence but Temari’s absence. Conveniently, the timeline for the plan required Temari to travel to Belmenth to raise credit against the planet. Temari, ever suspicious, had insisted that Gaara leave before her.

“We had to tweak a few of the systems,” Shikamaru told Temari, which was true. “So Gaara-san will have to stay an extra few days,” he added, which was not.

She scowled at him. “Perhaps Tsunade-san will be able to delay our departure for day or so,” she suggested.

Shikamaru shrugged. “Maybe,” he responded, knowing that the Silver Leaf was already on the tightest of schedules. “You could ask.”


Tayuya’s heart sank as she heard Iruka-sensei’s footsteps stop outside the door. She had hoped that being in the punishment room would mean that she did not have to leave. The door slid back. Beyond him she could see her bag, already packed. Smashing every piece of crockery in the galley of the guest crew room had proved pointless.

“Time for you to go, Tayuya-kun,” he informed her.

She considered running but she knew he would send Naruto after her. She picked up the bag and trudged in his wake towards the docking bay.


Iruka watched Tayuya standing there. Her head was bowed. He suspected she was crying. He regretted having to return her to her crew but, with Temari leaving and Anko joining their crew, he had no alternative.

They had only been a few minutes early but had been the first to arrive. Only Temari arrived by the designated time. They exchanged greetings.

Then Suzume arrived with Ibiki. She did not apologise for her tardiness. She did not take charge of Tayuya. Iruka and Ibiki passed several minutes in cordial conversation.

Running footsteps; Tenten rounded the corner and skidded to a stop. She looked about, obviously relieved not to be last, and bowed her acknowledgement of those already waiting.

Anko sauntered in to say goodbye. Iruka shook his head slightly; you knew a crew was habitually tardy when even the well-wishers did not bother to be punctual.

Next Shizune arrived, escorted by Rin and Dan. There was another round of greetings.

Iruka’s foot had started to tap.

Finally, Tsuande and Jiraiya arrived. They were twenty-three minutes late.

No one said or had said one word to Tayuya.

Iruka was annoyed.

“Tsunade-san?” he inquired.

“Iruka-san?” she responded.

“I am considering issuing a formal challenge for your cat,” he began.

Tayuya’s head came up. She had, indeed, been crying.

“Which, perhaps, you would choose not to contest, since you obviously care so little for her,” he continued.

“Iruka-san!” Jiraiya complained.

Tsunade’s eyes flashed. “So you think you could take our champion?”

Iruka gave himself a very good chance against Tenten. Tenten would hesitate. He would not. Experience mattered. However, there was no reason to take that risk. “In a queen to queen challenge,” Iruka clarified.

Suzume blanched.

Iruka was losing patience. “I formally issue a queen to queen challenge from the crew of the Oak to the crew of the Silver Leaf for their cat,” he declared. He slipped off his jacket and handed it to Anko who, like the others, was wide-eyed and staring. His hand went towards his knife.

“Hold!” Tsunade shouted. “Damn it, Iruka, what has got into you?”

“Count of ten,” Iruka warned. “One, two, three…”

“I yield,” Suzume squeaked. “Take her.”

Iruka took his jacket back from Anko. “Is there anything else you need from the Silver Leaf, Tayuya-kun?”

Tayuya shook her head. “No, Iruka-sensei.”

He bowed to Tsunade and then to the others, “May the Lady give you a safe and productive journey. Temari-san, I wish you all the best with your endeavour.” Then he turned and left the bay with Tayuya following.

“What the Lady was that about?” Tsunade growled.


Iruka took Tayuya back to the crew room. The room adjacent to the one he shared with Kakashi was unoccupied.

“This will be your room, Tayuya-kun,” he said. “Unpack. I will get you some bedclothes. What is your favourite colour?”

Tayuya looked up at him, “Pink, Iruka-sensei,” she replied.

Iruka was uncertain that they had a bedcover in pink, but he would at least look for one. He considered asking Haku but decided that would be unwise.

He had found a bedcover with some pink in the pattern and was heading back to Tayuya’s room when Kakashi stood in his path.

“Tell me it isn’t true,” he demanded.

Iruka flushed.

“Damn it, Ir-chan, you challenged them. That means she’s ours. You didn’t even ask, never mind consult.”

Iruka signalled the open door to Tayuya’s room with his eyes and glared at him.

Kakashi sighed. He took the bedcover from Iruka, stepped into Tayuya’s room and placed it on the bed.

“Make up your bed, Tayuya-kun,” he told her. “Then stay in here and….” He cast about for something, anything. “…meditate. Yes, meditate.” He withdrew from the room and slid the door closed. He then pointed to Iruka and then to their room. “You, in there, now.”


Kakashi was at a loss. It was completely out of character for Iruka to be so impulsive, or selfish, or thoughtless, or whatever had got into him. He began thinking about the consequences: a female cat, Sumaru, Tayuya’s behaviour, Haku, particularly Haku. Kakashi ruthlessly cut off the line of thought. He could not afford to become any more annoyed. The urge to shake Iruka, or even spank him, was already too strong. He had an image of tossing Iruka into Tayuya’s punishment room and locking the door. It was tempting.

“What possessed you?” he asked through gritted teeth.

Iruka would not look at him. “They don’t care about her,” he admitted.

“That’s because she’s a monster,” Kakashi reminded him. “Look what she did. You had just told Tsunade how much better she had been and she made you look like an idiot by smashing up their galley.” He stopped, reconsidering what Iruka had said. “You care about her,” he stated. “By the Lady, Ir-chan, why? She isn’t worth it. She really, really isn’t worth it.”

“She trusts me,” Iruka told him.

“She has a funny way of showing it,” Kakashi retorted. “Damn it. It’s done. I know it is done. They love you. They will forgive you, eventually. Except Haku. Haku will never forgive you.”

“And you?” Iruka asked, finally looking at him.

Kakashi sighed. “I have done worse to you. I know that. I tricked you into taking Sasuke. I lied to you for over six standards about who I was and what I was doing.” He took a deep breath. “I forgive you, Ir-chan. Now, let’s go and face the others.”

He opened the door for Iruka and walked after his towards the reception waiting for them in the galley.


Gaara, Shikamaru and Naruto were keen to test the controller and had agreed to meet just after the Silver Leaf was due to leave. They eyed each other. None of them were sure that Naruto could cope if Gaara lost control. Naruto was worried about Gaara attacking Shikamaru.

Gaara had the controller around his neck. He had put it on while on his ship.

“To test it, you have to lose control,” Shikamaru reminded him. “We thought that we would lock you in the little room.”

Gaara’s eyes widened slightly. He remembered the panic he had felt when he had come out of hibernation and found the door locked. That time the door had been locked from his side. This time it would be locked on the other side.

Shikamaru was pointing. “That way,” he said, “Hurry up,” he insisted, knowing that an order from a weaker male would fuel Gaara’s agitation.

Gaara did not even get over the threshold. His control broke and he turned, snarling, to tear out Shikamaru’s throat. Naruto’s arm came between them but instead of sweeping Gaara aside it caught him as he collapsed and lowered him to the floor.


Shikamaru swallowed. He prodded Gaara’s unconscious body with his foot. He had been almost certain that the controller would work.

The fear had only lasted for a moment; it had evoked unpleasant memories but had not sent his body into spasms of terror as when Naruto had attacked him. Ni-chan’s long arms enfolded him and held him. It felt good; it chased the shadow away.

Naruto held Shi-chan until he smelt right and his breathing was steady. Then he picked Gaara up. Naruto carried him into the ship and placed him in his chair.

Naruto and Shikamaru exchanged smiles and settled down to wait.


Gaara regained consciousness, saw others in his ship looking at him, lost control, snarled and fell unconscious. This happened twice before he managed to stay in control.

“That will be useful data,” Shikamaru told him approvingly. “Thank you.”

Gaara stared at him. “You are aggravating,” he complained.

“Yes,” Shikamaru replied. “I agree. Now, what else do you want to try? Sparring with Naruto? Looking at porno? Listening to music?”

“Sleeping,” Gaara admitted.

They stared at him.

“You do not sleep?” Naruto queried.

“I lose control when I dream,” Gaara told them. “I will be alone now.” He considered. “Thank you.”


Tayuya had cracked open her door so that she could eavesdrop on the row in the galley. Every time someone new arrived it would start again. Haku’s voice had been particularly clear because he had been yelling. Iruka-sensei was letting them harangue him, as if it was his punishment and he deserved it. Occasionally Kakashi would intervene but only a little. From what Tayuya had seen earlier, she guessed Kakashi also thought Iruka-sensei deserved to be punished.

Suddenly, there was someone looking in through the crack. She jumped back. It was Naruto. He slid the door further open and looked at her. Beyond him she saw Shikamaru continuing through the crew room towards the galley.

“You still here, Tayuya-kun?” he asked. He studied the room. “Are you staying?”

She nodded. Shikamaru had reached the galley. She could hear the upsurge of competing voices as they told him. “Iruka-sensei challenged for me,” she explained.

Naruto’s brows went up and his whiskers twitched. “Why did he do that, Tayuya-kun?” he queried.

“I am not sure,” she admitted.

Naruto cocked his head slightly and waited.

“I didn’t want to go,” Tayuya told him. “Iruka-sensei knows they don’t care about me. He knew you would never agree to take me.”


Naruto was not pleased that Tayuya was now their cat but he was certain that Iruka-sensei’s judgement was sound. He did not like the sounds coming from the galley. He nodded to Tayuya and slid the door back to its previous position. Then he started towards the galley. He could not hear Sasuke or smell him. He hoped he was correct and Sasuke was not there. If Sasuke was there and had not stopped it, Naruto was going to be cross with him. He was already cross with Kakashi.

He ignored what people said to him as he entered. Sasuke was not there. Naruto was relieved.

Iruka-sensei was pale. He was obviously upset. Naruto leaned over and kissed him on the cheek in greeting as he always did but then sat beside him. Most of the voices died, their owners confused by Naruto’s behaviour.

“Thank you, Iruka-sensei,” he said. “Thank you and Kakashi-sensei for not throwing me out once you knew I was a monster. Thank you for believing in me and helping me become who I am now. If you see something in Tayuya-kun, then that is enough for me to accept her.”

There was silence. Iruka took his hand and squeezed it. Naruto could see tears in his eyes.

Haku sniffed. “I am making tea,” he announced. “Who wants some?”

Sasuke entered a few minutes later. “What’s happening?” he asked.

“Tayuya-kun is going to cat for us,” Naruto told him.

Sasuke shrugged. “I can’t see she can be any worse than I was as cat,” he said as he sat down at the table.


“You already knew,” Naruto observed once they were alone in their room.

“Tsunade-san contacted me from the Silver Leaf, partly to complain about the challenge but mostly to tell me that Iruka-sensei had gone completely insane,” Sasuke confirmed. “I guessed that it wouldn’t be his most popular decision. When I saw him hanging onto your hand like that and you looking all protective, I thought I would try to help.”

Naruto hugged him. “I love you. You are going to be an awesome father.”

Sasuke kissed him. “I love you too, dobe.”

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