oOo

THE SIEGE

oOo

Chapter X

Anger

oOo

There was a device hanging crookedly on the wall over the doorway. Two arms, one shorter, encompassed twelve digits on a lethargic, yet perfectly rhythmic course. Perhaps it suggested the time, though such a concept seemed trivial. There was no day and there was no night. There was only the ceaseless glow of an overhead lamp. Vegeta only knew when exhaustion weighed upon him. There was no time, it seemed. It all stood still, stagnant. The humming of a machine bothered him. Chasing away the creeping restlessness, he struck the heavy, metal door with his fist; it creaked in disapproval, repelling him. He needed to get out of this miserable cage, but his wound complained.

These humans and their primitive medicine. He would have been healed by now had he been on Freiza's flagship. No matter, he was better off now. He brushed his fingers over the foreign stitches at his side and it ached, wretchedly. How he despised this prison. Glass and empty canisters littered the floors at his feet. The faucet at the counter yielded no water. He had broken the silvery handle after its refusal. The cupboards held nothing of particular interest to him; no food, nothing to train with. The door leading to a cramped latrine had suffered an impressive depression after the woman's previous visit. He could have left on his own accord, damning this place to a fiery demise, but he appealed to his own thin patience. But hunger and an unbearable boredom ate away at his wearing resolve.

The woman's scheme, though she had failed to go into great detail, intrigued him. How marvelous it would be to bring him back; to face Kakarot again.

It had been several static hours, if not a day, since her last visit. In spite of her incessant blathering, Vegeta awaited her return with sound anticipation. And upon her inevitable visitation, he intended to instill some necessary vengeance for her final comment during their last encounter. This creature was truly insolent; to make such a comparison between her and himself, between her race and his own. Never again would she make such a mistake in the future.

The swifter arm on the device pressed forward, counting each passing moment. He stood and watched.

What of her motives? She was here, on this miserable rock, just as she desired. Yet she still endeavored to summon whatever creature or deity who would deliver Kakarot. During their original conflict, the orange clad Saiyan informed him of his true objective; to defeat Freiza. Vegeta applauded him for such a brave goal, but knew Kakarot would certainly fail. If an army of his own race could not succeed in such a feat, one Saiyan would be no match for the Cold Empire. And when the rumor reached Vegeta of Earth and Kakarot's downfall at the hands of Freiza, he was not surprised, though he had preferred to be at the forefront of that victory.

But another chance at triumph was on the horizon. The device chirped just audibly for his Saiyan ears to detect.

There was a sheepish knock the door. Finally, she had returned.

After a few moments of nothingness, the door sung ajar slowly and the woman's azure head peaked across the threshold. She must have been alarmed to discover him standing unusually poised for her arrival, because she momentarily ducked away into the adjacent room.

"Oh, sorry!" the delicate creature exclaimed, seemingly involuntarily, "I mean... what are you doing just standing by the door?"

Already with the inane chatter. Vegeta grasped the edge of the metal frame and swung it fully open. She flinched and backed away several steps, clumsily bumping into a plastic chair.

"I've spent enough of my time in this place. It's time for you to tend to your promises," Vegeta stated, emphatically.

The woman frowned and replied curtly, "I'm working on it, your highness. I'm already gathering supplies so we can get a move on. Since you seem to be improving, surprisingly, I came to take you to your new room, aren't you excited?"

Her tone was marred with sarcasm.

"Do not mock me," Vegeta replied, darkly, "this isn't a vacation, woman."

She sighed, gruffly, "Again with that! Ugh, whatever, follow me and I'll take you to your temporary room and show you around. We'll leave tomorrow."

Vegeta said nothing as she bothered a mechanism upon the wall, causing a gliding door to swing open to reveal an empty corridor. He followed her into the hall, towards the unknown. The air was thick. Dust hovered near his nose. The hall emanated an eerie ambiance. The lights situated in the ceiling offered little comfort. Vegeta watched the woman's fragile form as she strode ahead him. She carried herself with scattered ambition; strong willed, but easily discouraged. Even a frail creature such as she radiated a noticeable power level. It was laughably weak, but it was there.

They came to an intersecting corridor. Ahead, two doors were propped open. The bright glare of lights came from within; he thought, for a fleeting moment, that it had been a sun. He could hear the clamor of humans. He could see women coddling children. The talk revolved around simple, trivial things. He preferred not to be among the sniveling crowd. The woman lead him down the adjacent corridor, passing by a few closed doors, all possessing a keypad lit in red. Then she paused near one towards the end and mulled over its keypad. It replied with a subsequent chirp.

"The keypad is a simple four digit code, I'm sure you'll remember," the woman explained blankly as she spun the metal knob and entered the room. He followed her and listened as she stumbled around the darkened room like a fool. With a fanfare, she switched on a small lamp situated on a ivory stand next to a bed bearing burgundy sheets. It seemed out of place in this room. There was desk pushed against the corner, with a chair tucked underneath. The unpolished floor tiles were heavily scuffed, as if someone had hastily placed these items in here. There was a stack of neatly folded clothes on the edge of the bed. The air was stale with neglect.

The woman denoted the location of several useful locations found elsewhere in the facility. Then, like a doting mother, indicated the clothing waiting on the bed and encouraged him to change.

"This is all incredibly pointless to me, woman," Vegeta confessed with a scoff as he crossed his arms, refusing to move from the doorway, "My only goal is to find these Dragon Balls and summon Kakarot. Stop wasting my time."

"I'm not wasting your time," she argued, mimicking his stance with crossed arms, "Do you have any idea how long it will take to find them all? They're scattered everywhere! Seven of them! And we still need to find the Dragon Radar before we can even think about searching for them."

It all sounded terribly boring. With a disapproving his, Vegeta brushed passed her and studied the clothing she had left for him. The woman delivered an audible cackle in triumph and proceeded towards the exit.

"My room is next door," she informed him from the threshold. When he expressed his sincerest disinterest, she replied "Anyway, I'll be back in a little while to show you around. We'll be spending a lot of time here between trips for the Dragon Balls so get comfy. "

With that, she vanished with the door slamming shut behind her. Vegeta was relieved to be without her overbearing company for now. He examined a slate colored shirt; the soft material was considerably elastic, but not at all like his battle attire. There was also a crimson, leather coat sporting a peculiar crest on the backside and pair of fitting black slacks. Black gloves rested on top of a pair of matching boots that sat at the edge of the bed. Gingerly, he cloaked himself in the provided attire.

Rising from where he sat on the mattress, Vegeta studied a poster about breeds of mechanical cabling that only momentarily held his interest. He found the presence of a dust covered potted shrub in the corner to be unusual; upon closer inspection, he discovered it to be a phony replica. The drawers of the desk were empty.

A few moments later, there was a rapping upon the door. This time, the woman didn't bother waiting before she entered. She stood in the doorway with blue orbs probing him, seeming to make a prudent observation of his new uniform. Vegeta noticed she brandished the same curving emblem on her sleeve.

"You clean up pretty nicely, how about that," she stated with smile that he didn't return, "Let's go and I'll show you the Commissary."

Again, Vegeta allowed her to lead him through the corridor. Two humans, a man and a woman wearing similar clothing bearing the emblem, were lingering in the the hall as they passed. There trifling exchange of words fell silent as their eyes turned upon him, they glowered visibly. Reaching the open pair of doors, the fair-haired woman turned to face him. Her face seemed afflicted with concern.

"This is the Commissary, if you're hungry, this is where to go," she instructed with a pointed finger. She seemed as if she were going to go on in her explanation, when a familiar figure approached from where he sat at a long, plastic table. It was him, the human brandishing Kakarot's obnoxiously vibrant clothing. He stood a few inches over Vegeta, with arms folded. The expression on his scarred face was crossed, a gesture the Saiyan returned. The inhabitants all around them fell silent, watching with tangible hostility. Vegeta could detect the woman's apprehension.

"So, it's good to see you've recovered," The impostor stated as if addressing Vegeta before the congregation, "I'm Yamcha. You've caused quite a commotion around here. Who are you exactly?"

This buffoon emanated a significant power level, but it trembled. Vegeta could tell his outlandish tone was but a guise to conceal his true fear and the Saiyan prince wasn't above exposing it. It wouldn't take much; a simple boost in energy, a dominating display, would surely leave this poor human cowering before him. The tension was dense at the apex between them and he enjoyed it; he had gone far too long without conflict. People situated on brightly painted sofas murmured softly.

"I'd be obliged to show you, human."

Vegeta relented a sinister smirk. The buffoon frowned, surrendering his unkempt apprehension.

The woman extended an intrusive hand and ordered him to back off. After a moment, he complied, submissively. She was scowling she delivered a feeble shove to the taller figure's shoulder.

"Stop it, Yamcha," she berated him, shooing him away with a flick of her wrist.

Defeated, the cowardly man brushed by them and exited through the open portal with heavy steps. Vegeta scoffed in his direction, disappointed his opportunity for a fight went awry thanks to the meddling woman. The crowd remained still, watching Vegeta intensely. Some sat with spoons hanging from their mouths while others cringed under his gaze as it swept over them.

There was something; one of them possessed a noticeable power level. He had thought it had only been the imprudent buffoon, yet in his absence, a strange power remained present. There was a foreboding energy dwelling within the flurry of bewildered stares. Surveying the swarm, none of them came forward to challenge him. They simply gawked in his direction. A child began to squall; a horrid noise.

"We should go," the woman suggested, tugging on Vegeta's leather sleeve. He shook her off, focusing on the roving energy. He would them; they couldn't elude him forever.

There; a tall man propped against the backside of a sofa had a bored expression on his rugged features. Vegeta could since the dark aura lingering near him, though his pitiable human sense took no notice. Vegeta raised an open palm in his direction and the lazy-eyed human stared in confusion, as did all the others. With little effort, he felt a growing warm in his fingertips. He heard the woman shout his name. A blinding flare pooled in his palm, just barely contained by his grasp. The ground trembled under his polished boots. The whirring vibration reverberated against the walls, inciting panic among the crowd. People rose and frantically fled from the room; their screams filled the cramped halls.

The human facing his blast stood motionless. The book he had been holding slipped from his grasp as he trembled before his certain demise. The hazy, blue light of Vegeta's energy pitched a glare onto his thick glasses.

"Show yourself!" Vegeta shouted over the whirring of the unstable energy. He prepared to release it upon the unfortunate human. Overhead, a bulb flashed wildly before busting, showering glass.

"Vegeta!" The woman exclaimed, throwing herself in front of the momentous blast. He was tempted to finally obliterate her and he couldn't imagine a better way to do so. But her intrusion broke his focus and the power level he had detected vanished like a phantom. With a gruff sigh, Vegeta the energy subside and slowly, the tremendous glow dissipated. He was was scowling her as she breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

The pathetic human who had just scarcely evaded his death took the opportunity to flee with the others, leaving the room vacant with the exception of the woman and himself.

"Ugh, what was that all about?" The woman demanded, wide-eyed.

"I sensed a dark energy, idiotic woman" Vegeta replied simply, "I wouldn't expect you to understand that. Still, you managed to interrupt my concentration!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, you lunatic!" She exclaimed, as expected, "There isn't any dark energy! Please, refrain from destroying this place! I can't believe this. I didn't think you would cause this much trouble already. How am I going to explain this...?"

The woman held her head as she groaned. She continued to mumble out loud about her trivial predicament as Vegeta turned to face the doorway. There had been something, despite her uneducated insisting. It fled to some dark corner of this prison and her could barely sense it now. He attempted to disregard it for now, but it left him with a feeling of unease. While in its disembodied presence, he could sense Freiza within in.

A familiar figure entered with a two soldiers brandishing weapons. The short, frail man, presumably the woman's father, approached Vegeta with a skeptical. The soldiers lingered near the exit, intimidated. The woman planted a hand against her cheek as if humiliated.

"Well, I am glad to see you have recovered so quickly, Mr. Vegeta," the silly man stated with hands on his sides. His heavy, white lab coat was too large for his slender shoulders. Vegeta noticed a tiny, tuft of sable fur hovering over the man's shoulder. Two widened eyes, like marbles, surveyed the room. The human wrinkled his nose under his thick rimmed spectacles, "I noticed some commotion, is there something the matter?"

He studied Vegeta for an answer, but the little man was undeserving of any explanation. It didn't take long for the woman to chime in, in his stead.

"Uh, Just a misunderstanding," she explained with an inane stutter as she wedged herself between he and the shorter man, "Yamcha was causing a scene in front of everyone. Sorry about that, dad."

Her father waved her apology from the air and chuckled, "It's quite alright, dear, the boy has been behaving erratically as of late. I truly hope he has not burdened your stay, Mr. Vegeta. I will speak with the residents; I'm sure they will be understanding of the circumstances."

"I hope so," the woman replied with a phony laugh that made Vegeta ill, "We'll start packing today and head out at dawn."

"Very good, dear. Anything you need is at your disposal." her father turned away and shooed the two soldiers. Vegeta frowned at the furry creature clutching at the man's coat. Dander bothered his nose.

The woman heaved a sigh in relief as they left, then spun to face the Saiyan with an adamant smile.

"I think that was a pretty shaky start, but it could have been worse," she admitted with another sigh. She lingered awkwardly for a while, as if uncertain, the said in a hushed tone, "I'm sorry for Yamcha and the way he behaved. He's protective of this place, but he shouldn't have called you out like he did."

Vegeta scoffed at her incessant apologies, turning away and perusing a selection of unopened boxes of food on a nearby table. There were bowls of an unappetizing substance left uneaten on the tables. There were aluminum cans of carbonated liquid, some overturned and rolling on the floor. He retrieved a bottle of water that rested near a plate of cold oatmeal.

"Hey!" Her tone had become abrasive, "aren't you listening?"

"Yes, I hear you and your perpetual chatter, but I don't have any interest in your weak apologies," Vegeta replied, tossing away the emptied bottle, "As for your obedient pet, I was looking forward to punishing him for his insolence, until you intervened. Perhaps, it would have been a waste of my time, in the end."

Vegeta watched her face as she absorbed his words. Her cheeks were rosy with anger. It was the same unbalanced energy that she possessed while on his ship leaving Nin. What would it take to incite her true energy again, if she still possessed it?

"Tell me, I sensed some small power in him, is he the strongest fighter of your kind?" The Saiyan inquired with a cruel smile, "What a pathetic race; you are deserving of your fate."

He could sense a tempest brewing within her, in her chest. Fiery energy radiated from her core to her extremities; it was born as a tear that fled from her averted eyes. She struggled to contain her anger and her hatred. Her hatred for Freiza, for the truth. Why would she hide it? Vegeta didn't understand. Her energy, though raw and untamed, was still weak. Regarless, it would be far more commendable to face oppression with a weak resolve rather than not face it at all. His own race chose conflict over submission. She should embrace her pain; that is what would drive her, as it drove him. She would die, otherwise.

"You're wrong," her tone was sharp, but words wouldn't be enough.

"Then prove that to me, woman," He brushed passed her and her energy fled like a threatened animal, but she stood her ground. When dawn came, her resolve would be tested and she would either fight or except her fate. Leaving the emptied commissary, Vegeta left her alone beneath the looming crest painted upon the wall.

oOo

Sorry that this one is a little shorter than the previous chapter, but the next installation isn't far off!

I'm incredibly appreciative of the overwhelming feedback, it really means a lot for me in writing this story!

Please continue sharing your thoughts with me! Thanks again!