It was like looking down into the rest of her life for Kale. The bottom of the cliff fell away into a few sharp spires of rocks and crashing waves, and beyond that, the approaching tide. Everything was misty, and she really wondered why he'd even chosen this place for a vacation. Then she remembered that he'd been on some kind of rainy-weather kick-perhaps he was overheated?-and shook it off.

"A long way down, wouldn't you say?" Frieza's arms were around her waist, and his head on her shoulder.

"Yes, it certainly is."

"There are better places to have a swim, you know."

"I didn't have any intention of trying in this weather."

She shivered as the wind blew by.

"Perhaps we should go back inside. You can hardly keep me warm if you catch cold."

Kale turned and walked back inside with him, saying nothing when he took her hand. He'd been doing it more and more frequently, and she still couldn't figure out why.


"I'm hoping we can settle this amiably, gentlemen," Kale said, smiling vaguely as she took a seat.

"And who," the flustered-looking king asked, "Are you?"

One of the others with him whispered in his ear and he went red; his brow contracting angrily mouth contorting into a snarl. "I don't care who you are. If Lord Frieza wants to negotiate, he'll have to come down here himself."

"If he comes down here," she replied, "There won't be anything left."

A couple of the guards behind the king and the one at his side took out their spears-the tips, she could tell, were already glittering. What an odd way for them to channel their ki, she thought.

"And if you keep this sort of behavior up, I'm afraid my very large friend back here will have to get angry."

From behind her there was a whispered, "That's you" and an "oh."

Recoome stepped up just behind her, and grinned down at what he was hoping would be his opponents.

"As I was saying," she added. "You are a big fish in a very small pond, my dear King, and Lord Frieza has no desire to be bothered with someone like you. Your rebellion is nothing more than the mewling of an infant to him."

"You talk mighty big for a whore," the king growled.

Kale didn't even bother looking up from the datapad she'd been perusing. "Recoome? Kiddy smash."

The red-head stepped around the table faster than the guards could move, and brought his boot up rapidly, squarely between the King's legs. The latter then collapsed.

"That was a warning," she added in a syrupy sweet tone, "Consider yourself lucky that losing the ability to have heirs is the worst I've done to you."

"Do you expect us to let you get away with that?" said one guard while the rest bent down to check on the King.

"I expect you to do as I say. I'm not trying to hurt you all, you know. Far from it. I am trying to save your miserable necks."

"By maiming the King?!"

"I reiterate. It was a warning. Now are you going to make this easy on yourself, or must I inform Lord Frieza of your inability to follow simple instructions? Would you really rather die than live?"

"Better to die on our feet than live on our knees like you," spat the King.

"Kill them," Kale said in a flat tone automatically, "Kill them all."


As they were heading back a day later, she immediately logged into the computer to give a full report.

"Ah, good to see you again so soon, my dear. How did it go?"

"Well enough."

"They were uncooperative, then?"

"Very much so. I did try to negotiate, you know, but they refused to see reason. The planet is yours."

"Excellent." He smirked, "You enjoyed that, didn't you? No, I don't even need to hear you; of course you enjoyed it. How could my little pet do anything less?"

She went on and as she finished the report, he seemed to nod.

"I expected it to go this way...and it looks as though you all did a very good job. But...hurry back, won't you?" He smirked, tracing his lower lip.

"Not going to send me back to the Ivory Palace just yet?"

"Now why would I do that? I need to get this report in person as well, after all."


"Hey, hey, how'd it go?" Jeice asked when she walked back into the common area of the ship, "Was Lord Frieza happy with the results?"

"Very much so. It seems he knew what would happen."

"That so?" Guldo asked, "Eh, well, he probably just wanted to catch them in a weak moment. Send a signal to some of the other planets in the system or something."

"I'm sure Lord Frieza had a reason, one way or another. Men, why don't you all head off to bed. We're a day's trip to the station and it'll pass the time a bit more constructively. Alright?"

"But, Captain..."

"Or do I have to enact a temporary ban once we DO get back?"

"Fine."

The other four grumbled, but headed off to their respective (tiny) rooms.

Kale looked after them, and then back to Ginyu with a slight smile. "They haven't changed a bit, have they?"

"I don't think they ever will," He laughed, "You know them. But what about you? You've made quite a few strides recently."

"Oh, certainly. I may have had to give up a little pride, but...I could do worse." At that she shrugged, and headed off to the room she'd been given.

Ginyu shook his head. It looked like Frieza had finally done it...at least she'd gotten some of the fire back in her; at least she could smile again. It was nice to see both of those things.

But it still hurt.