The Saiyan Language is used with permission from Megakat.
Phrases and words used in this chapter:
br'at - child
Cha'le - the Saiyan Goddess of Fate and Luck
eh - a greeting
ge'tah - ally/ friend - often used as a casual way to address another Saiyan
g're - more casual agreement, like 'yeah'
ji'tach - fighting team (ji'tachu - teams)
ve'osa ve'ho - crown prince
Things moved quickly after General Celar read their names off the roster. Not five minutes after donning the official uniform, Bardock and the other last-minute recruits joined the ranks of the Honor Guard standing watch in the Throne Room. Here, the king of Vegetasai and his warrior queen, along with their advisers, presided over their court in royal splendor.
He could not quite believe his luck. Only a day ago, he had been sitting at home in his skivvies drunk as hell and equally as pissed. Not that this was much of an improvement; now he was forced to stand around in one spot all damn day and be bored out of his mind.
Well, it could be worse. It could always be worse. At least it was cool in the Palace, and he was sure the refreshments were better than what he had in cold store back at the apartment. And, he reminded himself, it was sure to piss off Skallon ... always a plus.
Look at it this way. Maybe if my luck holds, I'll be able to find General Paragus and get a word in without Skallon fucking me over again.
The throne room of the House of Vegeta was an imposing natural amphitheater carved out the living rock, and had withstood bombardment during the Tuffle War unscathed. Beautiful stained glass windows fashioned from the sands of Vegetasai that showed legendary warriors and battles surrounded the podium. They had been blasted into shape by ki artisans and allowed natural light from the two suns inside. The rays were focused upon throne, surrounding the king and his court in a halo of blazing fire. The only other source of illumination came from the torches placed at regular intervals.
Above the throne, the royal crest had been carved into the rock and inlaid with blood red stones that glittered and dazzled the eye. Bold red and yellow banners, the colors of flame and the royal family, lined the walls. The walkway was tiled with red and white marble from the finest quarries. Ten warriors, armed with wicked ki lances and ready to act at the slightest threat, stood in file along the processional.
It was an imposing sight; an ostentatious display of might and power, and Bardock thought it was the most pretentious thing he'd ever seen in his life. There were more resources here than he was ever likely to make in his entire career. What a waste.
In Bardock's ear, his scouter crackled to life and Celar's authoritative tone interrupted his musings. "All men, be advised. Lord Frieza and his entourage have arrived. Come to full attention."
As he had been instructed during the earlier drill, Bardock stood at attention: back straight, feet apart, ki spear at the ready, and a fierce expression on his face.
Three strikes sounded on the massive stone doors that separated the throne room from the rest of the palace and provided yet another level of security. It was purely a ceremonial action, though. The adviser to the king entered, followed by the two men who had stood watch outside the doorway. After three steps, Celar halted and the other two peeled off to each side, their weapons held at the ready.
"Your Majesties," The older Saiyan's cultured voice echoed through the chamber. Celar held his head high, and there was no trace of the distaste he had shown earlier when talking about the Ice-jin tyrant. He was an excellent actor. "May I present the Honorable Lord Frieza, head of the North Planetary Trade Organization Faction."
Three beings entered, back lit, so that only their outlines could be distinguished. Their shadows stretched out long before them and well into the throne room as dark and ominous shapes. Although there had been little noise before, the room went dead silent as if the air itself had stopped moving.
A sense of unexplained dread settled over Bardock at the sight and sent cold talons raking down his spine. Sweat broke out on his forehead and his tail bristled in an unconscious response. To his left and right, he saw his fellow soldiers shift ever so slightly, and he knew that they were responding to his subtle body language and the acrid scent of fear that eminated from him.
Pull your shit together, Dock. Don't screw this one up.
Once the three dignitaries passed the threshold into the throne room proper, the portals shut and the lighting shifted. That uncertain sense faded with the light, and Bardock felt foolish.
Lord Frieza, emissary of the Cold Empire and self-proclaimed Emperor of the North Galaxy, began his procession into the heart of the Saiyan Empire. He wore an expression of slight disdain, as if he were slumming. He was flanked on either side by his top two advisers, each of whom was rumored to be more powerful than King Vegeta, General Nappa, and most of the Saiyan court combined.
Zarbon, the Master of Assignments, walked to the right of Frieza's transport and tossed his plaited green hair like a high strung animal kept on a leash. He wore an expression of bored indifference, one that Bardock had seen him use on numerous occasions when dealing with his 'lessers". The teal-skinned aide held his nose up in the air as he passed.
To the tyrant's left walked the magenta-skinned Dodoria, General of the PTO troops. His eyes constantly darted about as he moved, alert to his surroundings. His homely features twisted into a barely contained look of disdain, his lined lips pulled back to show jagged teeth. He had placed his massive hands on his lips and he strutted in like he owned the place.
"Oh look, Zarbon," Frieza purred, his voice contained a slight rasp. He folded his clawed hands together, clicked them, then touched one finger to his black lips and chuckled. The light of the torches glinted off of his purple-hued dome. "The monkeys have put on their best faces for us. How thoughtful, don't you think?"
"Quite, Lord Frieza," Zarbon replied, but his eyes were elsewhere.
The Ice-jin regally guided his personal transport toward the podium. His ruby red eyes glinted as he looked upon each and every Saiyan warrior, as if assessing his own personal property and finding them wanting.
Bardock felt the apprehension return when those cold red orbs met his; he had to force himself not to break the stare and not to look away. If these assholes sense any weakness, they'll go for the throat. You screw this up and you can kiss your career goodbye.
He had dealt with all three beings over the years, but had never felt such a sense of trepidation before. Granted, he had only met with Frieza once in person, when his ji'tach had set a company record. Most of his interactions were with Zarbon and Bardock was sure that he was beneath their notice ... all three of them. So, why did it feel like someone had poured cold water down his back? Bardock knew Frieza was not paying attention to him personally, yet the anxiety remained. He could not seem to logic it away, and it made him jumpy.
He had such feelings before, and it had always heralded bad things.
It was one of Bardock's closest-kept secrets: he was highly superstitious. Many Saiyans were, but not to the extent that he was - and for good reason. A few times during his long career, he had experienced what he could only labeled as premonitions and he had learned to listen to them.
The first time was growing up in the State Orphanage in Sector Five: a dismal place with little food, a lack of clean water, and a severe problem with overpopulation. Children regularly got into fights or disappeared altogether, and it was still happening to this day if the rumors were true. For several nights, Bardock suffered terrible nightmares about a disaster, and finally he refused to sleep in his assigned bunk. No one listened until that night, when a boiler exploded next to where Bardock was supposed to have been. Then, they believed him.
The second time was just before the Tuffle War broke out. Bardock had been transporting supplies to one of the border posts and his transport had broken down. If he had been on time, he would have been vaporized - along with thousands of other Saiyans - in a vicious tactical strike that took out an entire city, the first salvo in a deadly war that claimed many lives and began the war proper.
The third was during a purge mission, his first as acting captain, and the one that had gained Zarbon's attention. It was a supposedly simple clean up job that the PTO army had botched. Bardock and crew had been called in to help clean house. In the end, they almost did not make it out. The only reason they lived at all was that Bardock had a 'bad feeling' about troop placement and numbers, one that proved to be correct. But by that point, his ji'tach had learned to listen as well.
Call it fate, or the hand of Cha'le, or whatever. It did not really matter what it was. Each time had saved his life and pulled him from situations that should have gotten him dead. It was rare, but Bardock trusted it. Something was going to happen, something involving Frieza. Something bad. It did not feel like an immediate threat; instead it lingered on the edge of his perception, just enough to make his tail bristle.
Well, whatever the hell it was, he had a job to do. Fucking off would get him dead a lot quicker than some unformed omen.
To help himself focus, Bardock bit the inside of his bottom lip with one of his canines. It was not enough to break the skin, but enough to create a sharp spike of pain that pulled him out of the reactive state he had fallen into.
With Celar as escort, the three beings approached. Once at the podium, Celar stepped to one side. Frieza raised a hand; like obedient lapdogs, the other two halted in place. Without being asked or invited, Frieza guided his transport past the Adviser, up the stairs and to the throne itself, in front of the King and Queen.
"Hold your positions. Weapons at display," Celar commanded, then held out one hand, palm up. His body language betrayed his tension as he and the rest of the Honor Guard, waited and watched. That eerie silence returned and time seemed to stretch out.
King Vegeta rose to his feet in response. He was a tall and powerful man with flame shaped hair, a stern look upon his bearded face, and fire in his eyes. He wore no crown, he needed none. His white and red armor bore the Royal Crest on the left chest plate and he wore jewelry to indicate his rank upon his wrapped tail. He was a powerful warrior, the strongest on Vegetasai, and he would not be cowed by this Ice Demon. The queen did not rise, she remained seated with her child wrapped safely in her arms.
"Welcome to our home, Lord Frieza." The king's voice was strong and carried easily to the back of the room, if he chose.
Bardock watched as the two rulers conversed, but he could not hear a word. The room seemed to vibrate with tension. The throne room had been built with acoustics in mind, yet the conversation between the king and the dictator was to remain private. At the bottom of the stairs, Celar stood with his arms crossed and a growing look of discontent.
After a few minutes of hushed conversation, the king took his seat again, an indicator that the audience was over. "Thank you for coming, Lord Frieza."
"Oh, it's nothing, Vegeta." Frieza waved one hand in a casual motion, and anyone watching could see the king grimace at the familiar address. "I must say how impressed I have been with the performance of my Saiyan troops. Perhaps your son will join their ranks when he is older. You did say that he was the strongest born in generations, did you not?"
"Yes, Lord Frieza." The King spoke through clenched teeth.
"Hm, how very ... interesting. Well, I must take my leave now. We will talk again later. Good day, Vegeta."
Frieza turned his transport away so that his back faced the King, a subtle insult, and looked down upon the court as if it were he who was truly king. Then he descended the stairs and took his leave. There was utter silence until the doors shut behind the tyrant, and everyone seemed to breath a collective sign of relief.
The rest of Bardock's shift passed by with little drama. Other high ranking individuals came to see the new prince, have an audience with the king and queen, and to further their own agendas. At one point, he noticed Skallon chatting up both King Vegeta and Celar, but after a while all the faces started to blur together. He was glad when the shift change occurred and they exited the throne room in an orderly fashion as their replacements came in from grounds duty.
General Nappa waited for them as they filed into the office and handed off their lances. "All right, ge'tahu - ya got five minutes to take care of any personal needs - so smoke 'em if ya got 'em. And don't hit me up for any nicsticks, I don't smoke. After that, we're gonna walk patrol in pairs. I'll send a route map to your tablets along with rotations. Any problems - and I mean anything at all, notify me immediately. At the end of your rotation, you'll have an opportunity to pay your respects to our new ve'osa ve'ho. I suggest ya do so. The Crown has a long memory. Dismissed."
Bardock knew a hint when he heard one.
His shift on the palace grounds went by quicker because he was able to walk about with others and talk. No one else had experienced anything unusual during Frieza's visit, but he had not expected them to. The whispers of change were always just for his ears.
After an entire day of special duty, Bardock was more than ready to go home. Being honor guard was not an honor, it was a slow and boring form of torture. He was glad to shed the pretentious armor and pull his own blue chest plate over his head. It was old and dented, but it felt like a second skin. He ran his hands through his long black bangs, and then placed his personal scouter over his left ear.
Others followed suit, becoming themselves once again. Bardock knew several of the other men who had been drafted, so he had not been the only Low Class last minute recruit. Some he had worked with over the years, some he only knew by face.
"Eh Bardock, we're heading to the Nest afterwards, to get a few drinks. You coming with?" A tall and lanky young recruit with long bangs that hung into his eyes, a kinked tail, and wearing a gold and maroon chest plate spoke up.
Normally, Bardock never turned down an opportunity to get a good buzz on, but he was not - for once - in a social mood. The inactivity had sent his mind wandering into dangerous territory: his ji'tach, his career, his future, Gine ... That, and Skallon had stared daggers at him earlier.
"Nah, I'm going to pay my respects, ge'tah. I've got to make a good impression. Have a few for me," Bardock replied.
The other's eyebrows rose and he snorted in disbelief. "You're turning down a bar run to kiss up. You suffer a head wound?"
"Yeah, first time for everything," Bardock growled - annoyed at the younger man's tone and implied disrespect. "See you around."
Bardock entered the Throne Room again and joined the visiting line with the rest of the rank and file. When it was his turn he walked up the stairs, stood before the king and queen, then placed his right hand over his chest and bowed to show his respect.
"Please, come forward. Captain Bardock, correct? We thank you for your service to the Crown." Queen Kale beckoned with one manicured hand for him to come closer. "Have you come to give a blessing?"
The Queen of Vegetasai was a petite woman, like many Saiyanesses were, but her aura was powerful. She had won the right to sit on the throne through combat, and her reputation as a fierce warrior was well known. When Bardock approached, she sized him up, then allowed a smile to curve upon her lips.
Bardock was caught off guard; he had not expected the queen to remember his name. "Uh ... yeah. That's me. I'm here to give my blessing to the new prince, that he will grow strong."
Held on the queen's lap, wrapped in a traditional natal sack made of the softest red cloth, a tiny child lay within the safety of his mother's arms. Like his father, the infant prince's ebony hair stood up, and his black eyes glowed like coals as he stared up at Bardock, unblinking.
A new life. A blank slate. Bardock had never seen an infant before, outside of the Natal Pods on the Base, and certainly never one so young.
"Please, go ahead." The queen nodded her assent, and brushed one finger against the child's pudgy cheek.
As was traditional, he held out his right hand towards the newborn and allowed his chi to mingle with the infant's for a few seconds. In response the Crown Prince giggled, and waved his long tail. The sound evoked an odd emotion that Bardock had no words for, an odd ache in his chest that he did not understand.
"I think he likes you." With a laugh, Queen Kale smoothed the child's unruly locks with obvious affection. Was this how all females were with their children, or was it just a luxury only the royals could afford?
"I have a br'at on the way," Bardock blurted, and immediately wanted to kick himself. Why did I just tell her that?
"Do you? Congratulations, Captain. When is he due?"
Bardock felt his cheeks color; he did not even know the sex of it. Chances were good that it would be male, since female children were rare. He placed one hand behind his head and shifted. "A few months from now," he extrapolated and wished he had kept his mouth shut in the first place. "May I ask a question, Your Majesty?"
"Of course." Her obsidian eyes sparkled in amusement. Kale was a beautiful woman, strong and fierce, and nothing like Gine. The King was definitely a fortunate man.
"Is it true that royal children aren't kept in Natal Pods?"
Kale chuckled, a rich sound that sent a chill down Bardock's spine. "Is that old rumor still going around? Well, allow me to clear that up for you, Captain. Our br'atu are no different from yours in that matter."
As if responding to his mother's words, the Prince made a high pitched squeak, then curled up and closed his eyes. His tail, too long for his body, drooped over the edge.
"I think he's tired. It's been a long day." The Queen tucked the fuzzy tail back into the warmth of the nursing sack, then took up the child into her arms. "Thank you for coming by, Captain Bardock."
"May the Gods smile upon the House of Vegeta." Bardock reverted to the stock response, a safe bet.
"I wish you strong sons and daughters, warrior." the queen replied, a traditional blessing.
Bardock had not thought much about family. Most Low Class Saiyans did not bother with it, forming temporary partnerships at best and leaving their children to be raised by Natal Pods and then the State. This child would never know want, never be at a disadvantage because of parentage, never question who his father was. He would always know these things, always ... belong.
Stop being a sentimental fool, Dock. To calm the thoughts and cover up his growing discomfort, Bardock gave another respectful salute to the king and queen, then left the Throne Room and all the emotions that it stirred up behind him.
When Bardock stepped out of the palace proper and into the surrounding complex, he gleefully lit up a nicstick that he had managed to bum off another soldier in the locker room. He took a long drag and grunted in satisfaction as the stinging smoke filled his lungs and his head started to buzz. After a few puffs, he felt the tension of the day leave his muscles and the fuzzy feeling in his mind start to pass. Saiyans are not good with inaction, and Bardock was worse than most.
Lost in thought, he turned a corner and ran into General Nappa - almost literally. The former Commander of Armies was still a decent ally, and maybe he would be willing to help out. Maybe ... just maybe ... I won't have to go to Personnel, or talk to Skallon.
"Eh, Nappa." Bardock bobbed his head and raised one hand in greeting. "You done for the night?"
"Nah. Duty always calls, ya know how it is. Oh hey, Dock, I saw ya chattin' up the Queen earlier. I wouldn't hit that if I were you." Nappa rumbled deep in his broad chest, his version of laughter.
"You're fucking hilarious, Nappa. You been talking to Skallon, too?" Bardock's brows knit together and he scowled. To keep from snapping at the massive General, he took a long drag off of his nicstick then blew the smoke out of his nostrils. He needed Nappa's help, not to have the other man pissed off at him.
Nappa's mustached face twisted in distaste as he waved away the cloud of smoke with one massive paw, then gave a toothy grin. "Gotta poke fun somehow, Dock. And your reputation does proceed you."
Bardock sighed, annoyed that his personal business was now the talk of Vegetasai. Hell, he just found out about the pregnancy the other day! But then, Saiyans were curious and notorious gossips who loved anything that might lead to a fight. "Oh, what the hell! Has she been running around and telling everyone?"
"Nah, Skallon's been on about it," Nappa explained. "I'd watch my back around him for the next few days if I were you, Dock. He's gunning for someone to blame, and your tour of duty today didn't help."
"Thanks for the warning. Although I already knew. I could practically see the smoke pouring out of his ears when he saw me standing Honor Guard." When he thought about the sour look on Skallon's face, Bardock snickered. Small victories….
"Heh, well … I wouldn't gloat yet, ge'tah." Nappa cleared his throat, and placed one massive paw on Bardock's shoulder. "So, where ya off to now, Dock? Gonna find some company?"
Wisely, Bardock ignored the bait. "Pft. I wish … No, I'm off to Personnel, maybe a bar after I run some errands. Speaking of Skallon, you don't happen to know his address off the top of your head, would you?"
The General had an excellent memory, and everyone knew it. He side-eyed Bardock. "Am I gonna regret telling you? Ya got something that can't be dealt with here on base?"
As if Nappa … and the rest of Vegetasai … didn't already know.
" …" Bardock crossed his arms, and turned his face to one side. "It's nothing like that. Just a personal issue."
Nappa kept a straight face, but tugged at the end of his thin mustache, a tell that he was keeping himself from laughing. "Wasn't one of your former squad trainees his daughter? You should already know it. Right?"
Bardock growled low in his throat and ran one hand over his face. He had hoped that Nappa, of all people, would not give him the run-around. "Are you going to help me or not, Nappa?"
The two men stared at each other. Nappa grumbled to himself, and shifted on the balls of his feet while he thought. Nappa was a family man in the end, and that was what decided him. He took a deep breath in through his nostrils, then exhaled. "Dock, you're lucky I like you. Just do me a favor, ge'tah. If you go there and start shit, well, just make sure to finish it on your own. I can't bail ya out of this one."
"Deal." With a grin, Bardock finished off his nicstick and flicked the burnt stub to the ground.
"Disgusting habit," Nappa mumbled. He took his tablet from one of the red hip pockets and tapped the touch screen with a bitten fingernail. "Okay, I'm sending the address to your tablet right now."
"Thanks, Nappa." A soft chirp indicated the message had been sent. Bardock checked, and scowled. "Sector One. I should have known…"
It was no surprise that Skallon lived in one of the 'ancestral homes' in Sector One, carved out of rock much like the Palace itself. Those dwellings dated back to the days when the Saiyans had first settled on Vegetasai, and only the Elite families could afford to live there, families with bloodlines that could be traced back to the Homeworld itself.
"Don't mention it. And if anyone asks, ya didn't get it from me. If I hear otherwise, I'm comin' after you."
"G're ge'tah … certain death, got it." For the first time since Gine had joined … and then quit … the team, Bardock felt that things might be improving. He allowed himself a satisfied grin - the very one that had gotten him in trouble with so many females - and decided to push his luck. "Hey, while I'm racking up favors, you don't happen to know if he's been blocking my requests, do you?"
Nappa clicked his tongue as he thought. "Heh, well, Skallon really doesn't confide in me much. Politics, ya know. Why?"
"I've been trying to talk to General Paragus for months now, and my requests keep getting lost."
"Paragus? That ass-kisser," Nappa spat. "Why the hell do you wanna talk to him? He's always stuck in that damn lab of his, playing with his toys, and hiding from the real action." It was well known that Nappa and Paragus did not see eye to eye.
"I'm not trying to be his best friend, Nappa. I've just got an idea I wanted to run by him. You know, tinkering ideas. Like in the old days."
"Well, I just happen to be goin' that way. Maybe you run into him on accident. Heh. Would serve him right, the preening fool." Nappa took two large strides, then waved one big hand in a casual invite to follow along and roll the dice of fate.
The waning light of the twin suns cast absurdly long shadows of the two warriors as Bardock hurried to catch up with the General's rapid pace. "Thanks, Nappa. I'll owe you one."
"I'll add it to the tally. Oh look - you're in luck. Here he comes now, the big blowhard."
As Paragus approached the former Commander of Armies, the two men exchanged quick nods, more out of protocol than actual respect for each other. He ignored Bardock altogether. He held a tablet in one hand, and kept glancing at it.
Nappa cleared his throat, and shifted his weight to the balls of his feet, and plastered a nonchalant expression on his stubbled face. "Eh, Paragus. What brings you out of the basement? Dust finally get to ya?"
Paragus was an unusual Saiyan. Although he held the rank of General, it was mostly an honorary title. He was of average height, with short spiked hair, tufted sideburns, and an intense but distant expression. His skin was pale from years spent in a laboratory. Rumor had it that he was focused on his career, and had little time for anything, or anyone, else.
"I was on my way to check up on the recent engine upgrades, if you must know. I don't trust those PTO engineers," Paragus sniffed. His dismissive tone made it clear that he felt he had better things to do than waste his time dealing with the Commander.
Nappa rolled his eyes in response, but Paragus did not seem to notice. Bardock did, though, and bit his lip to keep from snickering. The large General nodded in Paragus' direction as if to say 'here's your chance'.
Bardock cleared his throat, the held out one hand in greeting. "General Paragus, can I talk to you?"
Paragus glanced up for a second, but did not make eye contact. He continued to stare at his tablet and made a big show out of using it, so that he had an excuse not to shake Bardock's hand. "Do I know you?"
Don't let it get to you. Just think of it as … networking. "No sir. I'm Captain First Class Bardock, on special assignment. I have some ideas that I wanted to talk to you about."
Paragus leveled a glare in Nappa's direction, who just shrugged his shoulders.
"The King wants to see ya when you're done. Bardock just happened to be here when you showed up."
"I'll bet he did." Paragus looked down his nose at Bardock, noted the hairstyle and dress. Bardock could see the man jumping to conclusions based on his appearance. Then the scientist cleared his throat. "There are proper channels for such things ... Captain ... See that you use them in the future. Nappa, tell the King that I will speak with him after I have completed the checks. Good day."
It was an obvious dismissal, and Bardock's temper flared. It had been a long day. "The hell! I've been flying through hoops for months now! All I want is a few minutes of your time, and we're already talking! What have you got to lose?"
Paragus had little patience for those who could not further his career. He gave a heavy sigh, then looked Bardock over again. "I don't have time for this nonsense, or for those currently out of favor." He turned on his heel, snapped his tail once again and started to walk away.
" ... You've got to be kidding," Bardock hissed, and clenched his fists. His tail puffed and a slight breeze ruffled his hair as his ki started to respond.
"Hey Dock," Nappa warned, "keep it under wraps."
"General!" Bardock raised his voice, but refused to go after the other man. "I've got three words for you: Blutz Wave Generator."
Paragus stopped, paused, then turned around. "What did you..."
"You heard me. Something like that would have won the War, would completely change the way we do business. Now do I have your attention?" One step, and Bardock came face to face with the Head of Sciences.
The previous look of annoyance, as if Bardock were beneath his notice, faded - but only for a second. Paragus folded his arms and took a deep breath. "You've got sixty seconds to explain, Captain. Don't waste them."
Got him... Bardock grinned, and felt a similar rush to when he landed the final blow on an enemy.
"I want to build a portable Blutz Wave Generator, one that can be taken on missions. It wouldn't matter if it's day or night, if we're in a new moon phase, or if there's no moon at all. Just think about the possibilities ... We can equip all of our teams; they would be able to take on Oozaru form whenever they wanted. Hell ... we'd be unstoppable! We'd rise through the ranks of the PTO in no time. Frieza would have to notice us then."
"Ambitious. And how do you plan to do this?"
"I need to collect and analyze active Blutz waves. I built and programmed a hand held to do that, but I need to be put on an active mission where I can gather data. Once I do that, I can program the device to emit Blutz waves on command. It will be self propelled so that all troops can be exposed at the same time - "
"So you don't have a working prototype?" Paragus interrupted.
"Yes, and no ... I've got a basic device, but I don't have the raw data I need to program yet, and I don't have the facilities to properly analyze or test it. That's why I need your help - you're the Head of Sciences. You have to see what an advantage this would be." As an afterthought, Bardock added the final hook: "Just think of how it would further our careers."
"Hmph." The older Saiyan unfolded his arms, looked at his tablet, then tapped the screen with his stylus. "You can come by and talk to me later. Bring what you have and I'll decide if it's viable. And Captain, you had best not be wasting my time."
"I'm not." His tablet chimed, and Bardock resisted the urge to check it.
"I've set an appointment time for you. See that you are not late. Now I have business to attend to." Paragus gave both Nappa and Bardock a curt nod, then turned on his heel and walked off. The interview was obviously over.
Nappa shook his head and ran a hand through his mohawk. "Well, that went well. I'm not looking forward to hearing him bitch about 'bypassing proper channels'."
"Don't worry, Nappa. It won't come back to bite you in the ass. I promise," Bardock replied. He wondered how much shit he was going to get for going over Skallon's head ... then decided he did not care much. "Well, see you later Nappa. And ... thanks."
"Yeah, well, don't mention it. No ... really, just don't."
A/N : Thanks to those who left comments, and have continued to stick with the story even though it takes a while for updates. I write this story for you guys. :)
Farala: It's never really been stated how many children Gine and Bardock had, so yes … I am making it up. I do strive to keep my original ideas within the framework and hope that you will enjoy my version of Raditz and Bardock's lives. Thank you for always taking the time to comment on each chapter, apologies for the wait. Trust me, Bardock WILL have to deal with Gine. But he'll probably have to be dragged by his heels to do so. He's not quite ready to own up to his responsibilities…
Nancy103: Thanks so much for continuing to follow Bardock's misadventures. The interaction between the King and Frieza is not 'the' agreement, but the idea has certainly been set in motion. Bardock's instincts about the Ice-jin are unfortunately quite accurate.
Vegebulluv: Glad you think so! This is only the beginning of Bardock's play for career advancement, and he will have to deal more with Paragus, who is truly an unpleasant man. To answer your question - every original name for my Saiyans are based on vegetable puns. Fennel is a cooking herb. :) Bardock just seems to keep running into detours, doesn't he? And, thank you!
