"Make no mistake Gine, I meant what I said before. That last mission was supposed to be your last chance," Paragus spat, every word clipped. The older man looked down on his victim, his face of menace and evil. Brown eyes lightened for a moment like a killer waiting for his prey, "...but due to current circumstances, I don't really have a choice, now do I? The wishes of Lord Freeza come first.

It was stuffy in the older man's office. Paperwork laid in piles around the old, wooden desk while Paragus sat disgruntled in the middle. Dark brown hair stood up in spikes while his wild eyes observed ever so cautiously. Birds chirped outside the clear glass window, while the grunts of working men echoed through the hallways. The sound of typing made up the usual chorus in the offices, while the occasional laughter filled up the awkward silence. It was a peaceful day. However, Gine didn't feel anything but anxiety.

The Saiyan woman continued to stand in front the desk, upright and stiff. Beads of sweat dripped off her forehead, while her hands felt clammy. She tried her best not fidget under his glare.

Paragus shrugged. Tilting his head sidewards, Gine could feel his cold smile sink into her flesh. Oh how she wished to be outside. "Oh don't be so quiet woman. It is uncharacteristic of you. You are on your last warning. If you dare fail again… I would hate to see what would happen."

That tone. Those clipped, uneasy words that help so much promise. There were many times, soldiers would turn their backs, unseeing of the damage the higher ups would do to a disgraced comrade. Ethics only went so far.

"I understand. Thank you Paragus sir."

Paragus shook his head in disappointment, jerking out the wooden desk drawer in front of him. As he grabbed a paper and a pen, Gine continued to watch in silence.

The older man rested on his chair, rocking his knees back and forth in front of his computer. The screen was white as a ghost, while he rested the tip of his pen to his lips.

She felt an itch on the side of her arm, the temptation as sinful as a lover but she couldn't afford to move, not even an inch. The reality of this, was like of a dream, with the waking dawn in the edge of her mind. It could slip away as easily as it started.

No, she would stand firm.

While Paragus could be a bit on the unpredictable side, he was known to stay true to his word. His position in the army gave him the power to do what most would consider morally wrong. Murder. Despair. Terror. Those words would follow a man to his grave, however Paragus did not seemed fazed by this.

No one dared to be stupid enough to be on his bad side.

Well, except Gine. Her thoughts laughed.

If she screwed up once more… Gine couldn't help but feel the rising panic inside of her gut.

While the mission itself hadn't been all that bad and was ultimately successful, her own performance had been nothing short of dismal. Not too long after they arrived, her team had all but abandoned her when it became all too clear on how inadequate she was. She never was the most useful of soldiers.

The last few days were the worst and... It turned to grey when everything was destroyed.

The last thing she could remember was a giant roaring ball of fire engulfing everything in its path. She couldn't tell if it was a ki blast or an ill-timed meteor. It burned hot, and glowed bright while villagers around her screamed to the heavens. Mass panic surrounded her, squeezing the very breath from her lungs. Boiling, unending heat sent shivers coursing through her body. Shielding her eyes from the mass glare of the light, she couldn't help but try to shut off the drowning sound of shouting. People were dying.

Children ran crying around her. Mothers begging the Gods to save them while men ordered their families to run. It was pointless though...

Everyone was going to die...

With her mouth in an open scream, the thing collided with the planet. The power of the blast knocked her from the sky and into a tall and sturdy tree with flaming branches. As she fell to the ground she couldn't stop the darkness from swallowing her into a deep scream filled sleep that held her for hours. When she awoke she was face down on her stomach buried under still smoking hot debris. Feeling around, she startled as her hand touched a…

Gine shrieked.

It was a bone.

Sitting up quickly, her eye sight was blurry and her legs weak. She tried to grab the nearest object to steady herself and pulled away fast when her skin started to burn. Harsh ash filled her nostrils with the smell of burnt flesh. Gagging, she activated her scouter to try and call for help but…

Her device was not picking up any high power levels anywhere on the planet. Static was the only answer to her calls. Her teammates were nowhere to be seen. She knew they had survived. No Saiyan would die from something like this which could only mean one thing.

She had been left for dead.

That realization snuffed out the last bit of light of an already weak spark of hope. For a long time, she sat there with her knees pulled up to her chin and her heart heavy. The shock cascaded into her body, pulling her under like waves on to the shore. It was almost like a dream.

She didn't follow her team to their next scheduled destination.

Gine did what most couldn't. What some would rather kill themselves for than receive the punishment for.

Went home like a coward.

All through the journey home, she had managed to hold it together until she reached the doorway of her room. Those shattered memories seemed to be pulling her back under. It felt like she was drowning. Unable to catch a breath, she collapsed to the ground.

The horrors. The bloodshed. The absolute violence. Her failure. Gine could feel the rising bile at the back of her throat.

It beckoned to her. To let hot, salty tears roll down her cheeks and let them spill on to the cold floor. A ripping sensation flooded her body, as she held on to the soft carpet beneath.

Only the beeping woke her from her spell.

Pulling her pride together, Gine stumbled toward the scouter of her room. Reaching for it, she pressed the bright red button and let her body crumble against the wall.

"Hello," Her shaky breath echoed through the empty room.

"The commander would like to see you."

Gine raised an eyebrow while curiosity flooded her system. The Commander? Dread washed through her. She hadn't expected them to bother with her at all anymore. Only if….

The realization set in. Her heart thumped hard against her rib cage. She couldn't help but allow hot tears fall down her cheeks as Gine cursed. It was over. This was it.

Now here she stood. Observing her commander stare away at his computer screen. About to receive orders for a new mission and a new team placement. A higher power, somehow, somewhere liked Gine. A new chance! A new start. She couldn't help but let a small smile slip on to her lips.

"Okay here's all you need to know." Paragus said handing her a slip of paper, "You meet Bardock`s team at tower five launch pad eleven in one hour don't be late."

Gine blinked in surprise "One hour?

"Do you want it or not, Gine?"

Bowing her head, Gine answered "Y..yes sir. Thank you sir"

Someone hammered at the door. With a wave of his hand, Paragus gave her permission to leave. She bowed again, turning towards the exit.

"Gine."

"Sir?"

His voice was icy, "If things go south for you again, might I suggest you practice your hole digging skills," Paragus beamed, "The way I see it a hole would be a better place for you than to return to Vegeta again."

It was like spiders running up her body, " I understand. Thank you again sir"

Moving through the doors, she narrowly missed the man strolling through. Gine just kept mobile. She didn't stop moving until she was back on the near empty city streets. Warm rays of sunlight started chasing off the cool night wind's chill. Wind danced around her, picking up her hair and spraying sand from the desert in her eyes. Wiping away the dust, she jerked her hair back into place. and waved the dust away. Once settled she looked over the slip of paper still clenched in her hand.

NOTICE OF TRANSFER:

REPORT TO SQUAD 5281.

SET FOR IMMEDIATE DEPARTURE TO PLANET ZWEETS AT 0700.

SQUAD LEADER: BARDOCK

MISSION OBJECTIVE: CONQUEST

Gine could feel her mouth run dry, thoughts spinning inside her mind. One more chance or this was it for her. No second opportunities. Now or never. Thoughts such as that made her stomach squeeze.

Good things like this aren't supposed to happen to people like her. Weakling nobodies who lacked the power to hold onto what they took. If her life was a movie, Gine knew her role would be that background character who dies and no one cares about. That, was never a comforting thought.

The most she could say about herself with some certainty was that she wasn't the weakest Saiyan to ever live. Although she did not know who if anyone held that dishonor.

Still there was deep, unwilling pain inside of her. The kind that boils and leaves someone hollow. There was something she couldn't pinpoint. The kind that made her different. She could do what she had to when it came to defending herself and surviving. Gine had being doing that for years, but it was like some invisible force stilled her hand every time she heard cries for mercy.

Those moments of hesitation had nearly cost not only her own life, but those of her teammates as well. The names "jinx" and "Gine the team killer" had been following her since childhood.

It's been an uphill battle for Gine for a long time, with things never seeming to get any better, but she was determined to change that. She knew she couldn't afford not to.

Time seemed to tick away slowly. The little hand slowly revolving around the center, a little too slowly for her liking. Still about one hour left before lift-off. Enough time to go get her gear. Maybe even talk to Choy, if she could find her fast enough.

Hopefully Choy wouldn't be too angry with her.

I really want give a great big thanks to my beta reader FallenAngel1235 and to the Writers Anonymous forum for all of their amazing help and advice. Thank you so much.