A/N: By the way, did I forget to mention there's some pretty vulgar stuff in this story? Yeah, I have a bit of a sadistic mind but there's mostly going to be a lot of mention of sexual situations, possibly themes and dark dialogue. Two chapters in two days is my treat and apology for updating in so long. Xenoverse is very addicting! Enjoy and if you like to, I always love and appreciate reviews. Tell me if this is as exciting as I think is!

EDIT: Totally forgot to add in a little game. I like to use references to keep my reader's entertained. (and because I can't help but integrate other universes!) See if you can spot them all~


Chapter 4: When Work Ends

Dodoria couldn't believe that this woman, a saiyan Halfling, could have avoided death by the hands of Vegeta at such a young age. He was starting to realize why Frieza wanted this one taken care of with such fervency in the past when she first started becoming an annoyance. Besides the fact that she was a saiyan, she had another side to her that no one could find data on. What if she was stronger than a saiyan? Just the thought made Dodoria break out into a cold sweat, remembering the words he told his master before Vegeta was destroyed.

"Hey… Hey!"

"What?" He barked, so thoroughly tired of her voice already.

"Y'mind gettin' me off the floor, Fatass?" She replied with very dry amusement. Dodoria flustered at the insult and slammed his fat hand on the table, a loud crack echoing through the room.

"Why should I, eh?! For all your annoyance, I should snap your neck here and now!" He almost felt like it, too, if Lord Frieza didn't want her alive for the whole interrogation.

Zerori, from her spot on the floor, just rolled her eyes with a scoff. "Well, for one – I'd like to sleep in a bed or maybe on my back but secondly," Her arms snapped the restraint underneath her and she threw her hand forward toward the officer. Deep red fire scorched from her hand and enveloped the room in a vortex of wind and pyrotechnics. The smirk on her face, despite the strain it put on her, felt liberating since her capture.

"Cuz 'o that, dumbass. Heh," Despite her victory, she almost felt like blacking out and let out a breath, trying to stay awake. Man, these guys really sapped her strength. She'd have to repay Frieza for her treatment here in the usual way. When she began to work on wiggling her other arm out and start her escape, she noticed movement.

A hand lashed out from the blaze, uncontrollable in her current state, and with a loud grunt of pain she was lifted from the floor (chair and all) by her hair and into the air. She bared her teeth, unwilling to show weakness even as she felt like her head was coming off her shoulders.

Dodoria, very much alive and with only minor burns, seemed to grin wildly at her. "Oh ho ho, I was waiting to see when you'd attack," He began, a dark chuckle rumbling through him as he tightened his grip on her. "I'm only disappointed that you couldn't do more damage. Lord Frieza said you'd lost your strength but you're hardly a challenge." He brought her closer, making her smell his breath as he laughed at her, "I feel foolish for being so afraid; look at you! Hah, what a jo-"

"HRAHH!"

More flames enveloped the two and this time, Dodoria could be heard screaming through out the ship even as the flames soon died out. Soldiers burst through the room, some freezing in place as they stared at the room before them.

Sat properly, still mostly strapped in, Zerori stayed still. The once white room was blackened completely, excluding the white behind the saiyaness. Dodoria struggled to move, still alive and groaning in pain with the intense burns he received, but the fear was in the eyes of the woman. Instead of blue, crystal orbs, she now possessed ephemeral red hues, glowing as it from an unknown light source that burned the souls of the soldiers inside.

From the perspective of Zerori, she was seeing through what felt like a looking glass, seeing without actually 'seeing' what was before her and could feel darkness creep in on her.

The last words she heard before unconsciousness took over were from a soldier, calling for their master.

Once again, for an unknown amount of time, she awoke. However, she was no longer in pain – unable to move, yes, but something cool was all around her. Her eyes struggled, fighting to open even just a crack, and when she did light blinded her. The sensation around was not air, but a liquid. She tried opening her eyes again, adjusting to the light, and looked around from her bowl-shaped vision in some sort of tank.

A rejuvenation tank…how did I-?

A voice – No, set of voices caught her attention, and she glanced to the left. The doors hissed open and two soldiers walked in. One stopped to look up at her and then jerked back. He must have noticed her being awake because he suddenly ordered the other soldier to inform Frieza. Typical…it's no wonder he hates dealing with me, always being dragged around by his minions…Her mind felt like it was detached, almost not even her own.

She almost closed her eyes to return to her slumber, but the door opened once more and Frieza was seen entering in all his arrogant grace. He seemed to be stuck glaring at her murderously even as he stopped and faced her completely. A pregnant silence grew between them, confusing Zerori and keeping Frieza shrouded in a veil of mystery.

Are you gonna do something or what?!

"You've been very naughty," He hissed, his voice falling to a low timbre that she shuddered, even in the warm calming liquid. "So naughty, in fact, I'm struggling to not blast you and end everything right here and now." She couldn't help the stray thought that made her smile behind the oxygen mask.

Story of my life, apparently, He seemed to notice the slight upturn of her cheekbones because he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"And you find it amusing, somehow…You stupid monkey."

If he wasn't so irate with her, she almost would have felt a sense of guilt at causing him so much trouble. He spared her, what, five times? She wasn't sure she was able to keep count anymore.

An idea came to her suddenly and she tested to see how much strength she had in her arms. It was very little but enough for what she intended to do.

Frieza was almost about to act on his barely contained rage when he noticed she was doing something. Her arm trembled in the blue liquid, only minutely moving before it started to rise higher and higher. She moved it slowly towards the bubble-shaped window and when she felt the glass, she leaned against it a little. He narrowed his eyes at her in contemplation, trying to make sense of what she might be attempting to communicate.

Zerori couldn't believe how much intense concentration it took to move so little! She was almost done, though; just a little more was all she needed. Managing to rotate her wrist, she awkwardly arranged her palm to face her and the back of her hand toward him. The next part would nearly drain her, but as she moved her other hand up towards the mask, she could feel victory at hand.

It was a mystery, still to Frieza why she would attempt to move in such critical condition but his threshold for caring was nearly at its' end. He cursed his curiosity but it provided for some useful and amusing information. This, what the pathetic saiyan monkey was attempting, bode no different. He raised a brow when she removed the mask, what kept her breathing in the liquid.

"What are you planning, woman?"

Instead of responding verbally – which wasn't possible – she let go of the mask and let her hand fall back to her side. His eyes glanced between her face and her hand against the glass a couple of times before he noticed a finger lifting slowly. When it was raised completely and he realized her intentions – it felt like something broke within him.

"YOU INFURIATING SIMIAN!" He suddenly snarled loudly and shook with rage. How dare she mock him!?

In the liquid, Zerori had given him a full grin, showing off her teeth when she gave him his gift. Oh yes, she'd most likely die but she had to give him something memorable for her treatment. She burst out laughing under the liquid, so caught off guard by his reaction that she started to choke and drown in the water. I didn't think this through!

Outside of the tank, Frieza took some satisfaction in her foolish and down-right idiotic attempt to mock him and drown herself in mirth, "I should let you drown for that; think of it, your final gesture to me resulting in you killing yourself. It's almost sad, isn't it?" He was chuckling now, seeing her pathetic attempts to move beginning to slow down and become sluggish. It would only be a few seconds now and he was enjoying the show…however.

He lifted his hand and turned it palm up, curling his index finger in. A very feint red dot could be seen before he released his finger in a flick and the glass around the tank shattered completely around him. Zerori fell out of the tank, face first on the floor before him as the tank powered down with liquid flowing all over the floor. As if on command, the vent on floors opened and began to suck the water in the recycling system, draining the flood.

Zerori, no longer on the verge of death and able to breathe, coughed the water that made it into her lungs and struggled to get her arms underneath her. Her body was still so weak it hurt to move at all. Above her, Frieza didn't move – his eyes beating down on her as he contemplated her existence again. As the saiyaness got her breath back, feeling her muscles start to gain some semblance of control, she pushed against the floor.

He watched as she tried to lift herself, failing to do so as well, and almost felt like it was painful to watch such a pathetic sight. When she turned herself enough to roll unto her back, he returned his glare to her face.

"…What say you, hm? Enjoy your little swim?"

He didn't receive any remarks at first, watching as she looked up at him. A silence estranged the two before she grinned once more (he was starting to hate that!) before she spoke softly.

"You… liked it…admit it…"

Her response, so beyond what he was expecting, made him groan in annoyance and pinch the bridge of his nose. Half-dead, she gave him a headache – what would she be like completely dead? At a loss for what to respond with, he decided a moment of amused honesty was what she deserved.

"Watching you fail at insulting me and flail about as you nearly drowned yourself?" He asked, almost sounding like he was at the end of his rope. He grinned sardonically at her, "Immensely. If you wanted to become a performer at my behest," He tilted his head at her, "You needn't but say the word. I'm sure I can find the most humiliating position for you."

"T-There we go…See, was…wasn't that hard, was it…?"

How did this woman function?

When at last he let out of a sigh of frustration, something Zerori took amusement in, he pulled his arms behind him and held his wrists just above his tail; his usual posture when getting down to business.

"You realize that your living beyond this moment is directly because I choose to, correct?"

Zerori gave a grunt, acknowledging that he was right. She didn't feel anger toward him at the moment since she was alive, thanks to her knowledge. Sure, he didn't need it or anything of the sort but if there was one thing about Frieza that she knew – it was that he would find it a waste to let a golden opportunity slip through his fingers. On some level, he acknowledged her cleverness and ability to evade him. Being a rival to the Great Lord Frieza did wonders for ones' ego, you see…

"Very well," He seemed content to have her cooperation, "Now, if there's no further posturing, you'll stand and follow me."

The saiyaness stayed still, unsure if he was joking or absolutely serious. He stayed in one spot for a few seconds before turning away and walking out the door.

He's serious!?

"A-Ah? Wait, I can't-! Frieza, you can't just-!" Even as she argued at him, his tail simply flicking off to the side as he left, she tried to push herself up on her elbows. Her muscles buckled and she fell back on the floor. She groaned in frustration, "Have a heaaartt!" She bellowed pathetically. In all honesty, she could seriously try and get up but the opportunity to banter with him was one of their few moments when they (or rather he) didn't try to kill her.

When she heard nothing from him she scoffed and tried to push what energy she had into getting in a sitting position. The slippery rejuvenation liquid didn't help either, as she almost ripped a muscle trying to stay balanced. When at last she got to her feet, trembling violently under the strain, she pushed herself with a feral snarl quickly toward the door and held onto the archway as it hissed open.

Huffing loudly, she looked both ways before taking a wild guess in which direction he went off into. You're never wrong when you're 'right', she thought, remembering father's catch phrase.

As luck would have it, she very slowly caught up with a familiar back. The wall made for a terrible ballast to keep her from crumpling to the floor but it kept her going. Frieza entered a room on his right, not bothering to look back and see if she followed. With the amount of grunting it took to move, he really wouldn't have to. She made it to the door, short of breath and desiring only a bed to rest upon, but as she looked up she would regret not passing out on the floor in the healing room.

Nothing was in the room to speak of and Frieza seemed to hover good seven or so feet from the ground in front of a large red-ish purple window out to space. As she stepped inside, she looked frantically for some sort of chair or anything to rest on.

None.

"You will stand for the remainder of the interrogation," He drawled, hands still tucked behind his back as his tail leisurely swayed. Her right eye twitched, wanting to believe that he jested but… it was Frieza. He didn't really jest.

"Heartless bastard…" She muttered, unknowing that he could hear every word. Whether in his good graces or not, he didn't pursue any course of punishment and instead turned to face her.

"You may begin."

Zerori gave him a look of disturbance, "Just like that? You know where I'm at, right?"

"Yes," He said matter-of-factly, growing short with her, "Continue."

Zerori held up a hand, waving in surrender, "Yeah, sure. Just, uh…" She sucked in a breath and looked behind her, finding a spot on the wall to lean against. Frieza scowled at her, resisting as much as possible to blast her for insubordination. She looked back and started, "Okay, so… After Vegeta, I'm pretty sure some time passed before we actually crossed paths again…"


Omega Outpost, Sahrabarik (2 years later)

Ten years from Present

..

She would have never thought that an asteroid would ever make a home in any sense of the word. Well, she – and many others – would be wrong. To many whom had nothing, it was home and some even were proud to reside on the metallic rock. Others, respectably, had no choice. They were invariably stranded because of a promise of money gone wrong. Suffice to say, it made the atmosphere (mood that is) become interesting and spontaneous.

For her, though, it was a safe haven of chaos, privacy – if you knew where to look - and information. Gums flapped like the doors to the brothel and she listened discreetly with a drink she favored. Looking somewhat humanoid had its perks and hiding her tail wasn't difficult. She was able to push being appealing and intimidating at the same time depending on the mood and the results were as spontaneous as the rock was.

On this day, though, she'd find that it wasn't just her scoping for information.

Choosing to dress more for practicality and less fashion, she still had her armor on. Blue spandex pants with a silver satchel, red armor that covered her top but left a bit of her mid-rift showing. Her pauldrons were meant to give her some protection and act as weapons – better to bash with.

At the moment, she stayed entertained with a little dirty talk from the bartender, listening to his dark and secret desires that she loved to exchange. It was all in good fun – and possibly some physical fun later – so she didn't worry about any complications later.

"So, you snapped his neck? How hot is that?" He tried so hard to come up with something to catch her interest.

"Mmm, and I didn't stop there."

"Yeah?"

She was thoroughly amused, smiling as she spoke, "Yeah," She picked up her drink and took a swig, "I fucked him before hand."

"Oh fuck…"

Maybe she was scaring him, or turning him on, but she didn't care – true or false, she just enjoyed the vulgar and passionate vibe of the place. Trading horror stories was a past time of hers she rarely found a companion to enjoy it with.

She would have continued had she not felt a cold sensation roll over her. Her eyes glanced around, seeing if she could see anything out of place with turning her head. Leaning back, she stretched and turned to see if anything was behind her. Nothing…

My imagination, it seems…

It would have ended there, her paranoia, if not for one very creepy and odd turn of events on the counter next to her. A data pad, one that had an insignia she could recognize on any day, What does Frieza want? She thought, picking up the pad and looking it over. There, clear as day, was the insignia and a single word 'Open' in the middle. I can't tell if it's a trap or not.

"Mail for you?" The horny bartender quipped, leaning forward to try and take a peek. Keeping her distance, she leaned back and put the pad to her chest.

"Yes, and for my eyes only. Unless," She narrowed her eyes a bit sensually and licked the corner of her lip, "-You wanna die shortly after hearing it?"

The look on his face almost had her burst into laughter, He might just say 'yes'! She looked back at the data pad and looked around. It was crowded and she didn't like crowds when documents were concerned. Saying her farewells to a suddenly saddened but sobered host, she walked towards the Gozu district. It remained pretty sparse since the gang wars with the locals. She didn't care to learn about the specifics since she rarely stuck around to butt heads with them.

Once she had her back to a wall, she pressed the beckoning button and watched with interest at the sudden shrouded figure that presented itself.

"Zerori," They began and she immediately felt goosepimply, the air along her neck standing on end. Only her people and – obviously – Frieza knew her name. She tried to pick any particulars from the dark appearance of the messenger but it was much too dark, "I trust you are alone?"

"I won't answer that question for obvious reasons," She retorted and could almost swear she saw them fidget nervously. New at the game, were they?

"G-Good, this is good," Definitely new. A smirk curled at her lips as she listened, "I require your assistance and the reward should be more than compensation if it's done well." With a tilt of her head, she 'hm'ed thoughtfully.

"I'm interested," When she could just barely see a smile, she was starting to connect the dots. He spoke softly but she could still tell he was male and the pitch gave away that he was young. Possibly not even past ten.

"Alright, the specifics will be sent to your private channel and do not ask how I have procured such information. I'm sure you're aware that this mission is being funded by the Planet Trade Organization." At that, she frowned. As he spoke, she could tell by how softly it was he was a boy, but the way he spoke – regal and arrogant – made him seem like he was some sort of big-shot. Did kids hire mercenaries now?

He continued, "I need you to find an orb. It has seven stars and glows darkly."

She didn't like the sound of that, "Doesn't sound like a job I'd come back from."

"I assure you, it isn't something you can't handle. We've looked over your accomplishments," Zerori flinched at that, having already become suspicious of the boy, "-and we find that you're exactly what we need."

"And Frieza?"

It was like she'd told him some horror story, he paled so much, she was certain that he'd give away his appearance.

"I-It doesn't have anything to do with him. We're thinking… on our own."

She chuckled darkly, "Hmmm, dangerous and risky. I like it. Don't let Frieza know or he'll blast your little scheming ass into pieces," She'd meant it jokingly but of course she never could tell good jokes. He seemed to swallow and nod with a soft 'Yes'. He gave her a little more information and cut the transmission. Like in any typical spy movie, she watched the data pad short out and smoke. She scoffed with a laugh and dropped the pad on the floor. Kids, I swear…

The mission in and of itself was simple, she noted as she made her way back to her ship. Find a relic in a temple that was well into the hundreds of thousands of years old and retrieve it for her client. A time and place was given to her, prompting that she had a limited amount of time to complete the mission – which was fine to her.

She thrived on pressure.

As she left the docking port, her mind still running circles about the identity of her would-be client, she made sure to start her ship remotely. Two years wasn't long to upgrade ships, and she always kept her first one, but when her eyes met the larger and much sleeker beauty, she still felt pride wash through her.

Still in need of repair but light-years better than when she found it, was the 'Voyager'. It was still a deeply mysterious vessel to her, but she was gradually learning where it came from and to whom captained it long before it wound up abandoned in space.

The origins of the ship would never be explained to Frieza, no matter the torture. There were technologies she'd yet to understand aboard and the crew consisted of one person (if you could call them a person) that would know.

She pressed the badge that she'd taken from a table inside the ship, "Doctor, I'd like a 'beam-up'."

The disgusted scoff never failed to amuse her when he responded, "I told you it's called a 'transport'. That's not even said ONCE by the captain!"

"Doctor… I don't care."

"Of course you don't," He muttered, "After all, you're only a pirate. Calling you 'Captain' wouldn't even enter my matrix," She rolled her eyes and waited with as much patience as she could muster.

When her vision showed the interior of the ship and the doctor at the transport controls, she nodded with barely restrained politeness, "You're cranky as hell. Something bug your system?" She jabbed, seeing him grow more annoyed with her jokes.

"There's nothing laughable about my matrix destabilizing! I am your only knowledge to this vessel and you need to find a way to repair me. Without an engineer-!" She growled loudly and glared at him over her shoulder.

"And I told you that I'm working on it!" She hissed, not used to a machine arguing with her. "Repairs require money, working makes money." She pointed at herself, "I'm working on it."

"Well, you're running out of time!"

With a yell of frustration, she walked up to a panel and starting putting inputs. Caught off guard and protective of his systems, he swiftly walked over to her and demanded softly, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to put you offline for now," She snarled, almost finished with her tinkering, "One, you're annoying the shit out me. Two, you're totally right." She looked at him, "You're destabilizing and only by putting you offline will I get time. And third," She grinned, "I get to hack some systems without your constant meddling."

"You can't-!"

"Computer, deactivate EMH," She commanded and like a mirage, the uniform clad doctor disappeared. For a few seconds, she let out a sigh and enjoyed the silence. Sure, what she did was mean but he was a machine and an annoying one at that. If she had any hope of 'helping' him, she needed time to concentrate and study the technology. It didn't help that she felt like she was flying the largest and most obvious-looking cash cow in the quadrant. If Frieza knew she had something like this…

"I'd rather eat a mandragore," She muttered in disgust, "Computer," She suddenly called and a warped chime responded, "Set a course for these coordinates," She placed the pad on the console and input some of the code. The computer organized the data and chimed once more.

COURSE CHARTED.

Zerori winced at how loud the sound was and shook her head, making her way towards the cabin she claimed as her room. It would be a day or so before she got to the coordinates and she hadn't slept well. In time, she would find out if this mission was really worth the amount she stared at.

Five million credits…It's enough to retrofit this ship and take a vacation… She smiled, crashing on the bed that felt like heaven, with a little extra on the side. Closing her eyes, she slid the pad on a table nearby and felt her body start to relax. Glad I don't have kids… Life is good…


By the time Zerori got to the end of her story, the ship of course being improvised and changed to be nothing more than a galaxy cruiser, she was sitting on the ground. She'd long since lost the ability to care whether or not she acquiesced to Frieza's demands no more than she had to.

Frieza, of course, was not satisfied with her story. He knew she left out a lot of important details – namely the ones that had to do with him.

"That's not all that happened. You realize that you've yet to tell me what I want to know."

"I do."

"Where is it?" His voice dropped again and she laughed softly.

"Is that why you're interrogating me? Humoring me with all my stories? So you can get the location of that relic?" She tilted her head at him and he crossed his arms, losing his patience.

"That is my property that you stole, and I-"

"Really?" She interrupted him, feeling very cheeky and asinine all of a sudden, "'Cause if I remember correctly, it was your-"

A sudden crack traversed through out the throne room and Zerori grimaced as she felt her cheek burn. Her body had just relaxed and now she was on her ass, trying not to look completely laid out. Frieza was suddenly above her, his hand staying in place after he'd given her a restrained backhand.

"You didn't forget what I told you so long ago, have you?" He questioned, seemingly calm but she could tell by his body language that he was coiled as tight as a snake and ready to strike again.

"How could I? You made it abundantly clear back then," As she remembered what she agreed to never mention, her mind seemed to also visit a certain night that she was also convinced to never speak of, "-Among other things."

Suddenly, she didn't seem so confident in remaining alive much longer.

"You're going to regret that," He hissed and made an ominous step closer.