Hey guys, Tuxman007 here with the next installment of A Dead Star. Enjoy!

(System: Tel) Wave City, Planet Tel-Mar, Unknown time.

Naruto rubbed his eyes as he looked at the clock. In this system, it was four in the morning, but he had been up for going on forty hours. He was tired.

He set down Tayuya on the cheap bed in the room he had rented from the first hotel he could find that had a policy of ask-no-questions, and was old enough to lack identity scanners. Though he normally wouldn't go through the trouble, it seemed like the entire Mal System was on high alert.

Identity scanners were a device used to quickly scan and reference someone's appearance to anyone in a database (Which he hoped he wasn't in) to identify people. It was implemented when the galactic empire got so big it was impossible to find anyone, and a practical way to contact people was to install identity scanners in most government facilities.

Hotels that were old enough and small enough to lack these scanners were far and few between, and they did their best to stay under the radar for this very reason. It is the reason that his companion now also rests on an old-fashioned spring mattress with sheets and blankets. He himself had slept in them back when he was living at the colony, and sometimes when newer forms

Oddly, or perhaps unsurprisingly, this hotel seemed to be doing the best of those he'd passed. Sure, some of them were towering spires, but they have somewhere along the line lost their luster.

"It must be Gato' he thought.

Gato was a ruthless businessman who was known for his practices that tended to oppress, kill, rape, and generally abuse the population of the planets where he bases his operations from. Tel-Mar, the only planet in the Tel solar system, was his base of operations. He, of course, wouldn't spend time on the surface, but rather in a space station far above the atmosphere.

On this specific planet, he's closed off all trade, shut down almost all ships, and most importantly demolished all space elevators, which has effectively ended any trade and prosperity this planet once had.

Were the Tel solar system in the jurisdiction of its closest military power: Konoha military, things would be different for Gato, but unfortunately it was outside of its dominion. But due to a stroke of bad luck, the Tel system wasn't strong enough to generate its own military, and so the oppression reigned.

Now Gato profits off of mining, having already bought and destroyed or liquidated most businesses.

Naruto had pondered killing Gato for the purpose of doing it, but Gato had the right connections and was smart. He wouldn't be caught somewhere where Naruto could get to him. A sign of a smart man that is.

Now he was stuck on this planet, at least for the time being.

The only reason he was here in the first place was because Orochimaru bombed his base while he was on his mission. Cleopatra was luckily able to escape with his ship and actually bring an amount of supplies (and money), which is impressive considering she's an artificial intelligence. Unfortunately his ship needed repairs to the engine.

'Cleopatra has her ways, and I'd be dead without them' Naruto mused.

Now she was "sleeping" in the ship, which was awaiting repairs and a refuel. The challenge would not be in actually paying for them, but rather finding someone who could do them without Gato noticing. This would be an issue.

His eyes wandered to his prone companion. She still hadn't woken up. He estimated that it would be another few hours before the drip wore off and she could awaken. She was at the forefront of his mind, and yet, he couldn't think about her much. It was too soon, or maybe too late.

He looked at his wounds. They would need treating eventually as well. Cleopatra managed to stabilize them, but he would need to see a doctor before he did any strenuous activities… meaning everything in his line of business.

'I will have to contact the locals. I'm sure there are some willing to do a quiet and quick operation, both for me and my ship, and good money is good'

With this musing, he laid down next to his companion on the bed. It was a small bed, so they were relatively close together, but he didn't care much. He couldn't quite get over the fact that she was finally back.

-o0o-

Naruto felt odd as he woke up. A strange sensation covered his body, one he remembered from long ago. For once, he wasn't tense as his mind slowly reached its normal capacity. He felt at peace, strangely.

His eyes opened, but closed from the air.

"Awake finally?" a beautiful voice spoke. Somehow, any worries melted away as he opened his eyes again to stare at his companion, Tayuya. She stared back, lovingly, into his newly opened eyes.

He stared for a moment, not comprehending what was going on for a moment, before realizing with a start what was happening.

"Tayuya…You're beautiful." He croaked, surprised at the sound of his own voice. His mouth slowly curved into a stupid grin that seemed out of character on his usually serious face. They were close on the small bed. He had a great view of her.

He took a moment to look at her body. She was small, dirty, not well endowed or particularly feminine, but she was his. He was hers. That was all he needed, and she felt the same. He relaxed for the first true time in years as he stared at her face.

Her shoulders shook as she giggled at his expression. They were almost kids again, Naruto couldn't help but think.

Tayuya stared at him. They were with each other. Now they could be happy. All of her time training and working for Orochimaru was over. Now she could be with Naruto. Her Naruto.

"It's been a long time." Naruto said finally, not capable of feeling bad about anything.

She looked back at him. "I missed you." She spoke, telling him of the only emotion that she had for the past years, the thing that she cried herself to sleep every night thinking about.

They looked at each other for a moment. She leaned in close as both their faces became more and more red. Their bodies neared, silhouettes intertwining. She laid a kiss upon his cheek, as he blushed, a wildfire lighting up his cheeks.

"I love you," Naruto said, eyes sincere with longing to have someone, needing to cling to his best friend. He had his light, the one true thing in his life that gave him hope that the world wasn't full of hate and evil. His truth.

Tayuya moved closer to him until their noses touched. Needing to have him, her friend, be all to herself. She had her knight, her rock, there to be cry with her in the hard times and laugh with her in the good times. Things were finally good.

"I love you too." She said as they basked in each other's warmth.

For a rare moment on Tel-Mar, the sun burned through the rainclouds for a moment, a couple choice rays flowing into the window of the hotel room, illuminating the two reunited friends, ready to face the world with a smile on their face, despite the difficulty it would present.

They laid there in the sun, smiling at each other, feeling each other's warmth. He was sure of it now. He was positively madly in love with her. And somehow, he knew she felt the same.

He could get used to this as he slowly drifted off, stupid smile on his face, his best friend in his arms, and love in his heart.

-o0o-

Sasuke looked at the clock again.

"So let me get this strait: you were attacked by Itachi while you were on the rooftop of a building that you were on because your speeder broke down on you? Don't you think that's too much of a coincidence?"

He looked up at Kakashi.

"Yes, I do. Why do you think he attacked me in the first place? I told you, he planned it out!" Sasuke burst out.

Laying a lie down to cover his disappearance was easy.

He told them that instead of seeking out Itachi at the certain time, he was ambushed by him, whom was following Sasuke until he had a chance. Lying to Kakashi and the rest of their team was a piece of cake. They believed him like clockwork.

Everything was back to normal, accept one problem. Sakura knew something was amiss.

She had stopped by his home to pick him up, only to find that he had "gone shopping" with his mother. He was found in the hospital, and his mother could verify that he wasn't with her, so there was a question of what to do.

She didn't know yet, so he had to figure out a solution. A distraction.

"Alright Sasuke. I'll sign your hospital discharge papers and you can join us tomorrow. Just be careful. If Itachi is after you, who knows what will happen?"

Kakashi left the room.

A good distraction, he thought. He was in enough scrutiny as it was, and he didn't have time to deal with Sakura being a problem.

What if he…? No, that wouldn't work… Or… would it?

-o0o-

Naruto scanned the public computer terminal. He wasn't known in this solar system, but he still covered his face in the local head covering, a straw hat-type-thing. It kept out the rain, which pelted him incessantly.

He recalled that the entire planet was constantly in a rainstorm. This was also due to the fact that the entire planet was covered in water. Cities were built on giant platforms above. In the center of each platform there used to be a free port creating lots of trade for the planet, but now most ports were controlled by Gato.

He looked back to the terminal. It listed the local businesses still in… well… business. There was only one real hospital, and it was on the other side of the planet and it seemed overcrowded and controlled by an out-of-region government that would recognize him and his companion. Probably a Konoha charity case.

Either way, he needed to find someone out of business that would be willing to go back in. Years of experience told him that the best place to find someone was undoubtedly a bar. A poor one that was slightly shady.

Choosing the nearest one from the list, he walked the mile down to a small hole-in-the wall bar that looked like it used to be a casino. Walking in, most of it was walled off. Just an old broken down fancy drink bar at which there were several patrons sitting seemingly in a drunken stupor.

He sat down.

-o0o-

"You aint from around here, are you?" The bartender said, looking at Naruto.

"I get that a lot." He said coolly. "Do you serve any food? I'm starved."

"Heh, me too." The bartender replied. "Sorry, foods out. All I got is some 'shine, if you know what I mean"

"I'll take it." Naruto replied.

"You're just a kid. Well, I guess it doesn't really matter anyway. Not like other laws 'round here are followed." The bartender drawled into a mumble. Taking a bottle of unnamed liquid out from under the counter, the bartender poured a small amount of the liquid into a shot glass. He left it there, begging Naruto to drink it.

After staring it down, Naruto finally said," I'm in the market for something…"

At the sound of 'market' the bartender looked up. "How you payin?" he asked, in a hushed voice.

"I have money…" Naruto said, expectantly.

Upon hearing this, the bartender began an uproarious laughter. "Money he says!" the bartender chuckled.

When finally done, the bartender looked at Naruto. "Oh, you're serious." Naruto nodded.

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but money isn't worth anything here. Gato's taken all the money and spent it. He did it again when everyone took their emergency deposits out to spend. Now since nobody has it, no one can spend any money. Plus his goons report any "rich" people, so I ask that you keep quiet. There's no way anyone will be able to hold on to, much less use, money."

"There's no way they could occupy a whole planet…" Naruto shot back. Upon seeing the bartender's sad look, he frowned.

"Half of my patrons turned, if only to give themselves a chance to live. You'd be surprised what desperate can do to a man. He will turn on his wife and child just to get what he needs. For many, being a goon was the only way to get by." The bartender sadly spoke.

"But I'm rambling here. What is it that you need? I may be able to suggest something." The man asked.

"I need some engine repairs on my ship, refueling, and… a doctor." Naruto spoke with some hesitation. "And few questions asked…"

"Well, I would have assumed that anyway, considering you're out here…" The bartender said. "You can't go to the hospital, with it being a "questions asked" kind of place… and there aren't any clinics open…"

Naruto sighed.

"But I can get you repairs. I have an old friend, Tazuna. He's a key player in getting 'Tel out of this mess." The man said slowly.

"Getting Tel-Mar out of this economic crisis? How?" Naruto inquired.

"You see, he's building a space elevator. Damn good one too. He's an engineer just about genius with all things mechanic. If you need repairs, he's your guy."

"I suppose that's good enough for now. How do I find him?"

"He lives… oh, I'll just take you there. Can't tell by the signs anyhow." The bartender finally said. "One last thing: how you 'gonna pay?"

This stumped Naruto. He didn't really have anything to barter with. Weapons, he supposed, or maybe spare parts? He had a little food left over but not a lot…

"Food?" Naruto asked.

"How much do you have?"

"A couple meals worth."

"Not enough then. Something that's worth it."

"I don't know: weapons?"

"Kid, he's a bridge builder, not a general. We don't have a rebellion like in star wars. Just a couple people trying to give ourselves a better chance."

Naruto chuckled at the man's reference to that old movie. He had always thought he was the only one to ever see that relic. His expression darkened as he asked again.

"So how does one pay here?" he questioned in frustration.

"Service is best."

"I can't work for him. Why do you think I asked for a doctor?"

"Well what services can you offer?"

Naruto thought of Cleopatra. She could compute and work with computers, maybe even autopilot a ship.

"I have a companion that can program."

"Good start." The bartender said. "I'll take you to Tazuna now."

-o0o-

After picking up Tayuya, who was asleep, and Cleopatra, who was stored in a briefcase, they approached a rundown apartment complex that looked like it was once grand. Now it was a shad of itself, the chrome metal rusting, with parts falling off. It was here that Tazuna lived.

Entering the building, the bartender walked through the dark lobby to the elevator. It seemed like a scene from a movie, with everything frozen in place. The lobby was illuminated by the light from the now activated elevator, and it contained half moved luggage, various appliances scattered around, and others. Something in the darkness moved, seeming with evil intentions, until Naruto realized it was only a rat.

Chuckling to himself, he stepped inside the elevator with the bartender. They went up twenty floors to about halfway up, Naruto estimated. He stepped outside onto a terrace surrounded with houses that were actually apartments. They held none of their former glory. Once designed as traditional olden time houses, their shackled roofs were ruined, and their old fashioned wood (not real wood of course) walling fallen off to expose the steel frames used to build the house.

Only one house was lit up, illuminating the dark terrace, with overgrown bushes and thorny plants. A small path was cleared between the brambles leading to the house.

"Most places were abandoned after Gato moved in. The smart ones left. The weak ones joined him. The strong ones died fighting, and the dumb ones like me and Tazuna stuck around."

"What about the local government?" Naruto asked, gingerly holding Tayuya bridal style.

"It exists, but is too weak to do anything. I hear they're planning to join up with Konoha dominion to get Gato, but nothing has happened as of yet. They are only rumors though."

"That's good, I suppose." Naruto said slowly.

They reached the entrance to the house with lights on.

"End of the line kid. I'll talk to him, but after that I 'gotta go. Taking enough chances as it is."

The bartender pushed the doorbell situated on the traditional "wood" door. After a moment, it opened to show a young woman in her thirties. She seemed accustomed to worry, and certainly looked older than her age.

"We're here to see Tazuna, on business." The bartender said.

"I'll get him right away" the woman replied, her eyes looking at Naruto, Tayuya, and then at Naruto again.

She left for a moment, and an old man with grey hair stepped out. His clothes were old and ratty from use, a style that must have been popular in Wave city long ago. He held a whiskey bottle in his hand, cherishing the strong liquor like his lifeline.

"Whaddaya want?" he mumbeled in a drunken stupor. " 'm busy…"

"We're here on business." The bartender said.

This seemed to sober the man, temporarily.

"Business eh? Does it have to do with the shrimp?" he asked.

Naruto bristled at this comment, but stayed quiet.

"I may have found you the programmer you need. He says his companion is a very skilled programmer."

"The girl?" Tazuna asked.

"No. It's need to know." Naruto piped in.

"Ye can tell us, boy." Tazuna replied.

"… its an artificial intelligence…" Naruto mumbeled.

The bartender widened his eyes. "Well, look at the time." He said, and left promptly.

"An AI? Do you know the danger of them boy?" Tazuna spoke.

"I've had this one for years. It will not bring harm to you. And it will do the job well."

"If you can promise. I need a good programmer and it seems like you're all I've got."

Tazuna stepped aside, a path into his home clear. "You can stay in the guest room. And my daughter is medically trained in case you need any medical treatment."

Naruto looked at the engineer in surprise. His daughter was a doctor? He was in serious luck. The bartender should have mentioned that…

"You wanted repairs, right? So tell me about your ship engine model…"

-o0o-

Sasuke walked into the training facility. This was where his team was meeting.

After the whole "killer" deal blew over (It had been weeks since a sighting.), the Konoha 15 was split up into four groups. Team Gai went back to its original status. Kiba, Hinata, and Shino teamed up with Kurenai. Chouji, Shikamaru, and Ino were placed with Asuma, and he and Sakura got Kakashi.

He was meeting there, and he suspected that Sakura both knew something was amiss and that Kakashi would be late, giving her lots of time to confront him. It is for this reason he arrived late.

He would have to bide his time and keep her busy until she forgets about it. He was still thinking about what to do.

He opened the door, and Sakura looked up.

"Explain yourself." She said strictly. He had insulted her the other day and lied to her. She demanded an explaination.

He knew she had already gotten over her crush on him, but he was betting, hoping that a semblance of it remained.

"I… have a confession to make." Sasuke started slowly. "You see, I'm not being fair to you. I've been living a lie." He said, sadly. He truly was sorry that he had to lie, but this was something he had to do.

"I never saw you, Sakura. I never looked at the way you looked at me. And after thinking about it, I've decided…" .

Sakura's eyes widened more as Sasuke said each word.

"Sasuke…" Sakura whispered.

"I… I've grown to really like you Sakura. I can't live without you. I've just been in denial, this whole time, but I can't hide from the truth anymore. Sakura…"

"Yes…?" She asked, quietly, hopefully.

"Can you ever forgive me? For being such a jerk to you. You deserve better." Sasuke finally said.

"I… I can Sasuke! I can always love you. You could never get rid of me." She said, a tear falling from her eyes, but a smile appearing on her face.

Maybe one day, in better conditions, he could live that life. He could have that girl. Once he'd completed his goals, he might.

But for now, the most pressing matter was Itachi, and getting stronger. This was the only way to do it. The only way to have revenge. He needed this as did his family.

Sakura would eventually have to wait. He was truly sorry.

As she hugged him in tears, he played the part and hugged her back, almost losing himself to the dream that he didn't have to avenge the loss. Maybe he didn't have to. For now, he doesn't have to. All he has to do is enjoy the moment, right?

-o0o-

Hay guys! Here's the update you previewed at the intermission. Hope you all who appreciated the intermission in wait in joyful hope for the coming of this chapter… well… enjoyed it. And the best way to enjoy it is to-

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