Chapter Nine
'The mind's trip'
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AN:This chapter was totally unplanned, the last to be finished, except for maybe 23, I'm no longer sure. It came out of Belmo's little mission statement at the end of the previous chapter and I felt something was needed to resmooth the waters. That's what you get for having a Super Saiyan strength muse armtwisting you into taking the story into unexpected places. At least it gave me a chance to bring in Beldin. ;-)
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"Yes, very good," Belmovekk said as he observed the training of Xander and Buffy, "very good overall form, young man, just keep working on the stance."
To illustrate his point the Saiyan kicked against Xander's foot and nearly caused him to lose balance. They had been training since school had ended late afternoon and Belmovekk had been riding them hard.
"It would be easier if you wouldn't keep knocking my feet from under me, B-man," Xander complained.
"I would not have to knock your feet from under you if you put them where they are supposed to be," Belmovekk said on a disapproving tone, "Torak's teeth, young man, you have improved in so many ways from that Halloween experience but your stance has suffered. Dramatically! That Elite must have been the sloppiest ever. Elites always were. To much easy power, it always made them lazy. Royal Household would have been much better for your training. At least we had no slackers."
"Then why didn't you get me a Royal Household costume?" Xander asked as he redid the form. He was getting ahead though. Prior to Halloween he wouldn't have been able to hold a conversation and do the Saiyan's exercises at the same time.
"What? I'm not stupid," Belmovekk snorted, "we are talking unpredictable chaos magic here. I knew you would become your costume and that if you went as a Saiyan no harm would befall you. The Necessity however did not specify which Saiyan. And I do not trust their wit. For all I know if you had gone Royal Household that spell would have turned you into me."
"We couldn't have that now, can we," Buffy said, still doing her form, "there's only enough ego going around for one Belmo, let alone two."
Belmovekk gave a disapproving look over his shoulder to a smiling Buffy.
"For your information, young lady, my ego happens to be very moderate for a Saiyan."
"Oui, mon capitaine," Buffy replied impishly.
"Your lucky I didn't turn into the B-man, Buff," Xander said as he observed the Slayer's form, "I wouldn't let you slack off so much. Your stance is worse then me."
"No it's not," Buffy said.
"I hate to disagree, young lady," Belmovekk said, shaking his head "but he is right. Your forms and stance are sloppy."
"I'm not sloppy," Buffy pouted, "I just like to give it my own interpretation."
Belmovekk sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes.
"Back on planet Vegeta they would have flayed the flesh of your back for such flippant behavior, young lady."
"Then its good I'm not on planet Vegeta, mon capitaine," Buffy smiled, fluttering her eyelashes at the Saiyan.
"Observe the most deadly weapon in the female arsenal, young man," Belmovekk said shaking both his head disapprovingly but also smiling at the same time.
"And what is the most potent weapon in the male arsenal," Xander asked.
"Confidence, young man. Preferably lots of it, with having plenty of money not hurting either," the Saiyan replied, then he kicked against Xander's foot again.
"Stance young man, stance! And put those shoulders a little higher. A straight back, remember?"
"Why are you riding me so hard on technique while the Buffster can get away with murder?" Xander complained
"Because while she is an experienced fighter, you are not," the Saiyan replied without batting an eye, "you may have gotten the knowledge of a lot of skills very fast but your body still needs to catch up. Which means lots of good honest exercise. And to be honest, also because I have already given up on the young lady doing anything right. I still have some hope for you, young man. "
"I feel like I was just insulted or something," Buffy said quasi-hurt.
"No disrespect intended, young lady, Belmovekk said as he corrected Xander's form again, "but you are the closest to being an Elite on this world. Elites are notorious for being difficult and cutting corners in training. They always make up for it with utter abandonment and insane power in battle. That is what makes them Elite. It comes natural to them. Us ordinary mortals have to work very hard for it."
"It must be that Slayer deal," Xander said, "enhanced strength, speed."
"Maybe," Belmovekk nodded, "although I suspect there may be more to it. I guess we will never know. Not unless we meet another Slayer. And I for one am not that curious to find out."
"You could just ask Giles," Buffy said, "I'm sure the Tweed brigade keeps records on all past Slayers."
Belmovekk looked at Buffy, then at Xander, absolutely flabbergasted.
"I think the word you're looking for is D'oh!" Xander smiled and high fived Buffy, "score one for the hometeam, Buff!"
Belmovekk tried to say something, then he changed his mind and clapped his hands.
"Anyway, gather around. New exercise, people. Now that our young man here has increased dramatically I want to integrate the both of you into a team."
"I thought we were already a team?" Buffy asked.
"Do not take this the wrong way, young lady," Belmovekk replied, "but you have a team, it is just that you are not a part of it."
"No need to get harsh, Belmo."
"I'm not trying to be harsh, young lady, I'm trying to fix things. In order to be a team you must be part of it, not just use them as a support mechanism. And you have been using them like that. Of course back then you had no physical equal. But now you have Xander. No need to go it alone. I just want the two of you to become an integrated fighting team. Able to blindly cover each others backs and fight together as one."
"So for now I'm going to drop the usual pre- and post-form spars. For the next months all we are going to practice beside our regular forms and exercises is the both of you teaming up attacking me. I will always lower my strength somewhat above yours so the only way you will be able to beat me is through team work.
So lets get to it!"
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That night, on one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries Buffy and Belmovekk were sitting on some tombstones.
"You still think he's going to rise," Buffy asked. They had been sitting here for over an hour. Even Xander had already gone home, citing an important history test for tomorrow.
"Oh, he is still down there," Belmovekk said, taking another reader with his scouter, "sitting all nice and cozy. He'll come when he's ready."
"I hope he hurries up," Buffy said, "I also have that history test tomorrow."
"What is it about?" the Saiyan asked
"Something really boring about pre-industrial agrarian watchamathingies," Buffy replies off hand.
"I am an expert on pre-industrial agrarian watchamathingies," Belmovekk smiled, "I lived in one for most of my life."
"Thanks," Buffy smiled, "but I do think they meant on this world. I think I'll be able to wing it. She may have been totally useless but at least that noblewoman lived in that age."
"So you still remember?" Belmovekk asked surprised, "It has been weeks ago. I thought you had forgotten it already."
"Just enough to go for a cool C minus," smiled Buffy.
"Why set the bar sow low, young lady?" the Saiyan asked sternly, "you wished for this double life, Slayer by night, student by day. Why not go the extra mile? Surely you have some plans for after this school? From what I gather most people do need additional education if they wish to go further in life."
"I don't know," Buffy said, "I've always been so busy focusing on slaying I never got to focus much on studying. I never seem to get away from it. Besides, I'm just not that smart."
"Said who, young lady?" Belmovekk said frowning, "Tactically you're a very good fighter. Better then most fighters I have known. I would not let you plan a planetary assault but I have full confidence in you carrying one out."
"Thanks, I guess, in a very creepy sort of way," Buffy smiled weakly, "They don't test for fighting skills, Belmo,"
"Bah, what sort of crazy school do you attend anyway?" the Saiyan snorted in disgust, "Fighting should be mandatory."
The Saiyan's outburst caused Buffy to smile.
"You do know I'm attending Sunnydale High, not Saiyan High, remember?"
"Like this Gods forsaken place ever lets me forget," Belmovekk said as he looked around, "every time I return to this place I feel dirty. So, they do not teach fighting at that crazy school, that does not make you stupid."
"All my teachers seem to think so," Buffy said.
"I find that very hard to believe, young lady. There is no way that they are all prejudiced against you!"
"There was that biology teacher," Buffy said as she remembered the poor soul who wanted to give her a chance, "he was the only one who didn't think he had figured me out just from reading my permanent record."
"You see. Not everybody can be that prejudiced," the Saiyan smiled triumphantly
"Of course, he was killed and eaten by that praying mantis lady," Buffy replied, causing Belmovekk's triumphant smirk to fade, "that's the Hellmouth for you."
"The Hellmouth does not make you stupid, young lady," Belmovekk said, still not giving up, "although it does make me feel sick and dirty from time to time"
"My father always used to say that thinking wasn't my strong point," Buffy continued, "he said that I should leave the thinking to others."
"That is just one opinion," Belmovekk said, suppressing a strong urge to go forth and horribly kill Hank Summers. Some things you just do not say to a child, even if they were true. He also suppressed an urge to curse Hank Summers out loud, seeing the sense of longing in Buffy's face as soon as she had mentioned her father. The man had stopped seeing her soon after the start of the new school year, Master Giles had told him. Something about a new job opportunity in Spain. That's what Buffy had been told. But Master Giles had talked to Buffy's mother and learned the real reason. Hank Summers had met up with a new woman and was even now trying to weasel himself out from having to pay child support. And her mother, the good soul, just didn't have the heart to tell her.
Belmovekk hopped of the tombstone and knelt before Buffy as he took her hands.
"This gorgeous girl right before me could never be dumb," he said, "You just have the bad luck of being surrounded by genius. We all happen to judge ourselves in life by the people we know, young lady, not by who we really are. And Master Giles and Willow just happen to be pretty smart. It is only natural if that makes you feel any less. Take me, by all standards I am a good sorcerer. It is just that I know some really good ones who are way better at it then me. Nobody asks you to be Willow smart, young lady, but then most people are not. Just do not settle for a C minus when you can get a B minus."
"Tell me something, Belmo?" Buffy asked, as she fought to suppress a tear.
"Tell, you what, young lady?" the Saiyan asked surprised.
"Something about yourself, your past," Buffy said, "after that little Halloween speech Giles has doubts. I may have some doubts. If I must convince him I need to know you a bit better. You've always been very cryptic about your past. Tell me something."
Still holding her hands kneeling the Saiyan averted her eyes and looked to the ground.
"My past is not something I would like visit, young lady," he finally said, "it is a place of great danger, regret and many evil deeds better left forgotten. No visit there ever goes unscathed."
Buffy reversed Belmovekk's hold on her hands and took his instead.
"I need to know, Belmo," she said, "you don't have to tell everybody or everything, Belmo, just tell me something. Giles trusts me."
"OK, I will," Belmovekk looked up into those hazel eyes and sighed, " but you have to promise me that you will do better for that test. I will accept nothing less then a B now, young lady."
Belmovekk pulled his right hand from Buffy's left and put it on Buffy's forehead.
"See!"
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Buffy suddenly found herself standing in what appeared to be some sort of medieval study room. Although the place was tidy it was literally filled to the brim with books, scrolls and various objects that screamed 'look at me, Buffy, pick me up, Buffy'. A window showed a tranquil vale with a single large tree in it. Behind a large desk sat a man studying a scroll. She couldn't place the man's racial type. He did however looked incredibly ancient with a long and full snow white beard. At first he didn't look up, then he gazed at Buffy and smiled, his eyes seeming looking eternally young. The he returned to his scroll leaving Buffy to fend for herself.
Fine. If he won't say anything I will have a look around, she thought. She started walking around the place, occasionally stopping to study a peculiar object. Usually in the tried and tested Buffy method of picking them up and not always putting them back where she had found them.
"It wouldst be best if thy would not try to see everything with thy hands," the man finally said.
"So he can speak?" Buffy replied as she put the object she's been holding back.
"If I must," the man said smiling gently.
"Where am I?" she asked.
"You are inside my mind," a small child suddenly said behind her, Saiyan by the look of his tail. He came as if out of nowhere as she didn't see him before. The child was maybe no older then 4 years. He looked kinda cute in his little Saiyan armor, like Xander had worn on Halloween. The child looked like how Belmovekk would look like when aged four, with a sense of child like innocence that comes natural to all children.
"Are you, Belmo?" Buffy smiled at the child as she kneels before it.
"My name is Movekk," the child replied and smiled back.
"I thought your name was Belmovekk?" Buffy asked.
"No, I am called Movekk," the child said as it shook its head.
"Then where are we, Moe?"
"You are on my pre-industrial agrarian watchamathingy," little Movekk said, "and today I'm going to remember again."
"Remember what, Moe?" Buffy asked weary.
"Everything that I was and will be again," the child replied.
"God, such a small child and already up to here in the cryptic," Buffy sighed.
"What thy sees is merely a symbolic representation, Buffy Anne Summers," the man behind the desk said, putting away his scroll, "the babe represents Belmovekk as he was on this, most terrible of days."
Buffy looked around at the man behind the desk and goes to him, planting her hands at his desk.
"OK, firstly, what is this, secondly, what's with the ancient grammar and thirdly who and what are you, and lastly how did you know my middle name, I never even told Belmo that!"
"Thou are't pert," the man smiled amused, "I can see why Belmovekk likes thee."
"If I don't get some answers, mister, I will go pert on thy sorry ass," Buffy said. She hated it when they go cryptic on her. Especially men of mystery.
"There will be no need for histrionics nor threats, Buffy Anne Summers," the man smiled, "thou are't inside Belmovekk's mind. Thy has expressed a need to know something so here thou are't. As for my speech, it comes natural to me for I am Aldur. As for thy middle name, it was revealed to me the moment thy stepped inside his mind."
Aldur? She had heard that name before, but where? Oh no, did she just... If Giles were to learn of this she would never have the end of it.
"You're the God he serves," she gasped as she stepped backwards, "but how…., if this is just a memory, how can I be talking to a God?"
"Part of me exists here, Buffy Anne Summers," Aldur smiled, "in all of mine disciples and those I have touched."
"So this is not a memory?"
"Oh it is, child, but since I am a God I exist in more then just thy dimensions. So thy are't talking with me at the same time. I was hoping we would get a chance to meet."
"You mean I'm actually talking to….," Buffy stammered
"Yes child," Aldur smiled.
Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!
"And I just….., look, I'm sorry if I just offended you," Buffy said as she lapsed into Willowesque babble, "it's just that….., well, you're the first God I've ever met."
"No need for thee to apologize child," Aldur smiled while making an 'its OK gesture' at least she hoped it was one, "thy has still a long way to go. In a way thy are't as innocent still as Belmovekk was."
"I have been called many things, but never innocent," Buffy said as she repressed a need to snort. After all, one doesn't snort divinity, right?
"Thou still hast such a long way to go," Aldur said, his smile turning slightly to sad, "I wish I could be of greater assistance in thy endeavors. Unfortunately I can'st not even bless thee."
"That's OK, I never was much one for religion," Buffy said, not relishing the idea of having a piece of a God inside her, "so what is going to happen, Al? You don't mind if I call you Al?"
"Not at all, Buffy Anne Summers, I have been called much worse by mine own brother. Come sit with me," Aldur gestured towards a seat which previously wasn't there. Food and drink appeared on the table and Aldur again gestured her to take some. As she sat down she noticed some bottles of wine.
"Uh, AL, you do realize that serving alcohol to a minor is strictly illegal, right?"
"Only on thy world, child. Besides, this is all in thy shared mind. Thou wouldst not notice any of its effects once this is past."
"In that case I'll have some wine," Buffy said as she reached for a cup, "how about the red?"
"A fine choice child, so I am told," Aldur nodded approvingly.
And so Buffy found herself talking about herself, her life, her family and her friends to that strange but seemingly gentle and likable God from afar. Aldur was especially interested in the concept of the Slayer and how they were picked. And Buffy learned a little about Aldur. How the God had forsaken human love and worship to study what he had helped creating. Learning of the great split in the purpose of the universe, handpicking his disciples for the coming battle. How he had come across Belmovekk wandering and hiding in the wild not knowing who and what he was.
"He was most strange to us," Aldur said looking at child-Belmovekk who was playing on the ground, "most who have absence of memory still exhibit forms of their former selves. Yet he would never willingly harm anyone. Which leads me to think Belmovekk and others of his kind were never really evil to begin with."
"But they killed people, Al," Buffy countered between eating some chicken, "surely that is wrong?"
Aldur shrugged and looked at child-Belmovekk again.
"Not all men of evil are truly evil, Buffy Anne Summers," he said, "true, there are't many who have chosen the way of evil, but there are't also many made that way. If thy hast lived for all of thy life in a world where all tell thee it is good to kill others not of their kind, are't thou to blame if thy kills?"
"Maybe," Buffy said after mulling it over, "but it is still wrong!"
"What is right and what is wrong often depends on who defines them, child. Belmovekk and I spend a year together traveling across our little world and I found no evil in this man's heart. Only the evil that others had put into him. So I and mine disciples took him in. And in the end we did but a terrible thing," Aldur said and looked pained.
"Which was what," Buffy asked weary.
"I restored upon him that which was lost to him," Aldur said sadly.
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"It will shatter his innocence, Buffy Anne Summers. For he may not have been like the babe we see here, but for two happy years inst a way he was like this child. For allst was new and exciting to him. It is not every day a man learns that he was a murderer killer, a Slayer of worlds," Aldur sighed, then gestured Belmovekk, until then playing contently, to come forth.
"Come Movekk!"
"You can't do that to him," Buffy objected as the child came forward, "that would be cruel!"
"Thou cannot change the past, Buffy Anne Summers," Aldur replied as he held out his hand, "this has already happened whenst thou civilization was still working onst thy Pyramids. Most of them. Remember thou are't now of a shared mind, therefore thou can'st only bear witness."
With great sadness Aldur touched child Belmovekk on his forehead. Child Belmovekk started to shake violently after the touch, then fell crying onto the floor into a fetal position. Without thinking Buffy knelt next beside him to comfort the wailing child.
"What have you done?" she yelled angry at Aldur.
"What he wanted," the God replied sadly, "what was needed. Goodbye sweet child."
"What? Audience is over, Al?"
"I am not going anywhere, child," Aldur replied, "but Belmovekk will taketh thou elsewhere soon. Thou are't of great spirit. Be true to thyself and thy friends. As long as thee are't true to one another evil shall never vanquish thee. And remembereth that one day the avatar of the Master will saveth the day."
BAM!
Belmovekk no longer lay in the fetal position but was on his knees and started to pound the ground with his fist. With every hit cracks appeared on the ground.
"Belmo, what are you doing," Buffy asked. Belmovekk looked up at her. He had changed. He no longer looked like a child, but looked more like he normally did, only still somewhat younger. His gaze however was nothing she had come to expect. There was nothing of the gentleness she had come to expect. Nor the steel that came out when what needed to be done had to be done. This was bloody rage and murder staring right at her. The kind she had seen so often in the vampires and demons trying to kill her. Evil Belmo grinned and pounded the floor one more time causing everything to crack into shards that fell away.
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As the shards fell away the scene had shifted from Aldur's studyroom to an alien planet. Belmovekk had disappeared and Buffy stood in an alien city amidst a large crowd of aliens. They were so non-human looking that normally she could have mistaken them for demons. But to her Slayer enhanced senses they didn't feel that wrong. The architecture felt wrong though, but more because she was used to human architecture. And there was the purple sky with the final rays of a setting blue sun.
"Now I'm really far from Kansas, Toto," she said to no one in particular.
Meanwhile all the aliens were ignoring her as if she was the most common thing in their world. Probably because it was only a mind thing inside the Saiyan's head. They were all staring into the sky. There it would seem a meteor shower was taking place, the sky full of falling stars.
One in particular came directly towards their location. It grew closer and closer until Buffy could see it. Instead of being a meteor it was a spherical ship. Not even that large.
It was then that she understood what she was about to see. He had talked about it, not much though, with much scantiness on the details, but from what little he had said she recognized a spherical Saiyan space pod when she finally saw one.
"No, Belmo, please..," Buffy said as she shook her head. Seeing something was most definitely not preferable to hearing about it.
The only answer was the explosion and resulting shockwave of a spherical ship at high speed coming to an abrupt stop in a build up area about a mile away.
For a minute the dust settled, then came a series of screams and small explosions. Building after building started to collapse and whoever was doing it, Buffy had a pretty good idea by now, was coming towards her. The aliens around her started to run, followed by a wave of refugees coming towards her from the disaster area. She felt the need to do something to protect these aliens, even for them the Slayer instincts came through strong. But she finally understood the futility of fighting something that was all illusion anyway. At other places similar attacks were also taking place.
By now Buffy was swamped in fleeing aliens, when the buildings in front of her imploded from within. Through the dust a lone figure came flying in Saiyan battle armor. It was Belmovekk and he appeared to be having the time of his life. He was lobbing off energy blasts left and right and from looking left and right herself Buffy could see that other Saiyans were doing the same. They were herding these people. Undoubtedly to a predesignated killing zone.
The tide of fleeing aliens finally managed to sway Buffy along and pushed and prodded her towards what they thought was a safe point. Through alien streets she was swept to what appeared to be a large open square. From all directions refugees congregated. And from all directions she could now see the Saiyans converging as well. She had found the killing ground.
Finally the mad desperate mob stopped as there was no more space to advance to, still the pressure build up behind her as others were still being driven on. Eventually the pressure became almost unbearable. She could only guess how it was for the people in the square.
The explosions behind her abated. She could just turn her head and see Belmovekk floating behind her, a few meters above the ground. The Saiyan put his hands in front of him, armed stretched, handpalms touching.
"No way," Buffy said shaking her head.
"Yes way," the Saiyan replied. Then a massive beam shot out form his hands, hitting the masses like a flamethrower, incinerating them where they stood. The other Saiyans did the same. The screams of the dying were indescribable. Unable to move in a panicked mob all Buffy could think of was whether or nor Xander had dreams of doing this at night. Then the beam hit her as well.
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She didn't feel pain. Instead she found herself somewhere else. She had seen enough of Xander's science fiction movies to recognize the setup. She was on the command deck of a spaceship. She was surrounded by Saiyans, officers by the look of it. And all were grouped around and looking at a large holographic display. Grim faces wearing scouters studying the image of a planet.
To her surprise Buffy discovered that not only did she herself now wore a scouter, she was in Saiyan battle armor as well. In Aldur's study room and on Massacre planet she had been wearing her own stylish clothes. Now she had gone fully native. Gone were her stylish shoes with moderate heels, much disliked by both Giles and Belmovekk, instead she wore ugly flat Saiyan combat boots. The armor felt great though. It didn't constrict at all, moving along with her every move as if made from rubber. She could do without its carbon dated shoulder pieces and the spandex like material underneath though.
She examined the other Saiyans. They came in all shapes and sizes. Many were female. All had that crazy black hair that Belmovekk sprouted and which defied gravity. The female Saiyans distinguished themselves from the males through their faces and a more slender figure. They all looked disgustingly healthy, fit and athletic. Many of the Saiyans wore scars, one even lacked an eye.
Now that she had a scouter Buffy tapped her scouter to scan everybody. It disheartened her to see that not a single Saiyan present was below the 2000. She wondered if she could scan herself. The device probably could but she didn't know which setting to use. Then she saw a familiar face.
Belmovekk looked older then last time, almost like he was today sans the goatee. Like the others he wore the same gear except for a large device on his left wrist and a larger scouter covering both eyes and ears. The Saiyan girl beside him wore the same gear. She appeared to be a few years older then Buffy and according to Buffy's scouter she was the weakest (or maybe least strong was a better word) Saiyan present in the room.
"Good day, scum," Belmovekk said gruffly. Several Saiyans started to snort. Belmovekk just smiled sternly and continued.
"As you bastards may have noticed this is not an ordinary mission. As some of you may have guessed our most honorable king (lots of disapproving snorts) has been freelancing again so we lack our usual comfortable billets and transports. We'll just have to overcome any temporary discomforts," Belmovekk smiled.
"Movekk, you dog," one of the Saiyans spoke up, "the food on this barge is atrocious! All we get is emergency rations."
"Then your men should have brought their own supplies, dumb ass," Belmovekk snorted uncaringly, "as did the men in other companies. I'm not responsible if your men can't plan ahead, Durkha. Fleet normally handles expeditionary logistics, but we are not with Fleet at the moment. All our generous king (more derisive snorts) can provide is emergency rations."
"Now for the briefing. The world we are going to cleanse is home to a race called the Merathri. They number in the 2.7 billion. Luckily for us theirs is an urban culture. These ten cities house over 52% of the total population. If we hit them in the first strike we will cripple their means to organize any coherent defense."
On the holographic display of the target world ten cities started to glow. Over half were on a continent on the northern hemisphere. One target city started to blink.
"This is their capital city." Belmovekk said as the blinking city turned into a map of a large city, "like always this will have to be taken out first and regardless. The Merathri character is one of both obstinate resistance to outsiders and submission to higher authority. It's a centralized culture. Which will work to our advantage. Cut off the head and the body doesn't know what to do. Failure to cut of the head means prolonged and costly resistance. Unfortunately for us the planet is well protected. Which is why our gracious hosts (derisive snorts) saw it fit to engage our good king (more derisive snorts). This world has no moons to speak of to provide us with a full moon, so Ozaru is out. On the plus side we don't have to be careful about damaging the planet too much either. We can do as much damage to the Merathri and their infrastructure as we wish. Extermination is our first and foremost objective."
"What about loot?" another Saiyan asked.
"The mission comes first and foremost," Belmovekk replied, "loot is so far down the priorities it's not even an option. Swift and deadly, not loot and grab."
"The men won't like that," the Saiyan officer snorted, "what's the use of joining the military if you can't line your own pockets?"
"If you can't keep your men under control I'm sure I can find somebody else," Belmovekk said coldly. The other Saiyan said nothing.
"We are Royal Household," Belmovekk said, "not one of the mercenary companies. The king pays us to do a job, we do it. If we do it well we get a bonus."
Then Belmovekk started to smirk slyly and tapped something on his scouter and a building on the map started to light up.
"Now of course, if nobody blows up this building, who's to say what we would find in it?" Belmovekk grinned, "it just so happens to be their treasury. Any proceeds gets split with everybody in the regiment, the usual means."
"Now you're talking, Movekk," another Saiyan said as the rest murmured approvingly.
Once the gathering had quieted down again Belmovekk continued his briefing.
"The planet's defenses consist of an orbital defense system against invading ships and a surface to space defense system to defend against planetary invasion. Their armed forces possess significant weaponry to make any organized ground battle a very costly affair. Our gracious hosts (derisive snorts) possess the means to take out the orbital defense system, but not the planetary one. There is also the Merathri fleet to consider. That is why they have been lured to a neighboring system. This will allow our hosts to take out the orbital defense system and then take up position to block any attempt of the Merathri fleet to come the end of their homeworld."
All the while the holographic display showed every detail Belmovekk was giving, as he tapped the device on his left wrist.
"Unfortunately my fellow scum, since our gracious hosts (derisive snorts) can't take out the surface defenses we are going to run the risk of braving the enemy gunfire on our descent. Projected casualties for the descent are estimated to be possible as high as 35%."
The room broke down as everybody realized the risk of such an operation. And while all Saiyans love a good fight, they don't relish dying needlessly before one.
"Everybody shut the fuck up now," Belmovekk yelled, trying to restore order to the meeting, "I haven't finished yet!"
It took some more swearing and cajoling to bring the room to order but it happened.
"I realize these figures may not be to anyone's liking but they are the price to pay for getting the job done. So would say many a commander. Now luckily for you ungrateful bastards. I'm not one of them. I would do so if I had too though, this mission is just too important."
"That's what they all say, Movekk," another Saiyan snorted, "it usually only lines the pockets of Freeza and our 'glorious king!'"
"Well, Korek, you can either trust me on this or you don't," Belmovekk said, not giving the Saiyan the satisfaction of looking him in the eye, "I don't give a flying fuck what you think. But I'm not going to piss away 35% of my strength if there is an alternative. You may be an ungrateful lot but those losses mean it will just take longer then is necessary. Especially since there is a back door."
"Ah, the old let's sneak up behind and surprise them with surprise sodomy' routine," one Saiyan said, earning a laugh from the others.
"Well spotted," Belmovekk laughed, "the Merathri control their surface defenses, or their space defenses for that matter from a centralized location. If we take that one out we render their surface defenses useless, allowing for almost zero% casualties on the descent. This way we can hit the 10 biggest population centers and decapitate the Merathri body before then can reorganize."
"And who will be the 'lucky volunteers'?" asked Korek.
"I myself will lead this attack," Belmovekk said, "I have scouted out the area and I know I can get a strike team into position to take out the base. As for the volunteers, I've selected these personnel for this mission."
"That is my best man, you imbecile," another Saiyan declared as he saw the list appear on the holographic display. Other commanders also started to object as their personnel were chosen
"If you are so desperate for him, or any of you for that matter, I can always abort this mission and go instead for the combat drop under fire," Belmovekk said as he folded his arms across his chest, "but I will make sure your pods will be the first to hit the atmosphere and mine will be last."
That got everyone's attention.
"I thought you would see it my way," Belmovekk grinned. He then proceeded to give further details regarding deployments, targets, and timetables.
What greatly surprised Buffy was the contrast between the way the meeting was conducted, rowdy, informal, full of strong language and how cold and impersonal the mass murder of 2.7 billion people was being regarded. These Saiyans weren't evil like demons or vampires always were, relishing slaughtering humans. To them it was just a job they had to do. A test of will at best. It reminded Buffy of the Nazi's in Schindler's list, who could be charming, caring even to some Jews, what one would consider normal human behavior. And then take a gun and shoot human beings as if they were mere clay pigeons for their amusement. That movie and those Nazi's had scared Buffy more then any horror movie or any demon she ever met could. And so did these Saiyans.
The meeting came to a close as Belmovekk wrapped things up.
"Alright scum, I said it before, and you heard it many times before, but this mission is absolutely crucial to our people (derisive snorts again). A lot may depend on this so let's do this so we can all go home. For the glory of our people, our glorious king (more derisive snorts), the Royal Household, and the 7th Regiment. The Fighting Bastards!"
"The Fighting Bastards!" the Saiyans said out loud.
That was the cue to break up and the various commanders started to leave the command room to return to their units. Except for Buffy, Belmovekk and the teenage girl beside him.
"Have you thought about my request?" the girl asked folding her arms across her chest.
"I have, Mayan," Belmovekk said as he leaned on the edge of the holographic display, a posture Buffy had seen the Saiyan do very often indicating mental tiredness, "and I won't reconsider. You will not join the first assault group with me. It's too dangerous. I would bring shame to our house if I were to get you killed on your first mission."
"That is my decision to make, brother," she said coldly, the she started to look at him with big puppy eyes.
Was this girl his sister? He never mentioned having had a sister before.
"And it is mine to ignore that request as I see fit as operation commander," Belmovekk said as he ignored her pouting, "you will drop with the main force near the capital and that is the end of it, Mayan. You may be my sister but you are also my adjutant. I can't have you with me on this mission even if I wanted to. You must help coordinate the assault with my command staff."
"It's not fair, brother! I earned the right to be here. I had the highest power level of my group!" the girl pouted in a way that seemed way too familiar to Buffy to feel comfortable.
"I know, Mayan," Belmovekk said, his mannerism suggesting he was close to giving in. Then he found some steel in himself and her chances of success diminished.
You will someday bring great glory to our house, Mayan. But this will not be that day yet. Life just isn't about fair. What is, is. Don't be in such a hurry to grow up, the end is not as fun as the start. Come here, sis."
Belmovekk held out his arms to embrace her and the girl responded in kind. Gently they embraced each other.
"Our father will be proud of us upon our return," he said hugging her, "his son in command of a highly esteemed mission and his little girl's first mission."
"Let's make father proud," she said, kissing Belmovekk on the cheeks and waved goodbye as she left the command center. That left only Buffy and Belmovekk, who so far had ignored her as if she weren't there. Then he turned towards her and spoke.
"She never made it back home," Belmovekk sighed sadly, "none of them did. I was the only one to escape when Freeza's henchmen came and hunted them all down. My father asked me to look out for her and I failed them both."
x
x
The scene suddenly shifted again. Gone was the command center. It looked like Aldur's study room all over again, only just different. A little more shabby, different stuff, a little more cold, same sort of view from the window, no Aldur present. Thinking about Al made Buffy giggle. This whole trip already felt like a Quantum leap episode, the next thing she needed was a deity named Al following her around giving advice. At least she noticed she had her own clothes back.
As she turned around to look she saw a bed with a figure in it. She walked closer to see who was in it. It was Belmovekk. No longer the innocent child, no longer the mass murdering Saiyan, or the commander. Just a shadow of his former self, reeking of alcohol and sleeping off his intoxication. A set of empty bottles laying on the floor. Buffy picked one up and smelled. She immediately put it away in disgust. The alcohol content must have been enormous.
"It's all he does nowadays," a voice said behind her. She turned around. A deformed hunchback sat on a chair, his hair unkempt, the weirdest combination of mismatched and disheveled clothes on him, looking tired and bored.
"And who are you supposed to be?" she asked, "Al's poor misfit brother?"
The hunchback sighed as he looked past her.
"I am but a shadow of a memory, Buffy, but my name is Beldin."
"Your one of Belmo's brothers," she said as she recognized the name, "you're the deformed one."
"Got it right, sis. I can see why he likes you," Beldin said as he straightened himself and looked at her with more interest, "yum yum, if only I weren't a memory. I can't believe you called our Master Al and got away with it!"
Beldin started to smile and curse some the most foul language Buffy had ever heard.
"I wish I wasn't a memory," Beldin sighed afterwards, "then I could watch Belgarath's head explode as I tell him how Belmovekk's girl calls the Master."
"You are the wiggiest thing I've so far encountered in this wigfest brain," Buffy said shaking her head.
"Yeah, I know," Beldin smiled, "it must be my roguish charm. Just imagine how I would actually be like in person?"
"I'd rather not, Quasimodo," Buffy replied, "So, what's the deal here?"
"Well , after apeboy here had his memory back he basically went a huge guilt trip and tried to kill himself," Beldin said and pointed at Belmovekk, "so for over a year we were more on less on constant suicide watch. Torak's teeth, I never suspected he could wallow so much in self pity. Then again, so did the mighty Belgarath later on. So I guess it was good exercise for the rest of us. Early on he took to heavy drinking to dull the pain. And we more or less encouraged it. At least a drunk Saiyan ain't a dead Saiyan."
"How long did this guiltapalooza last?"
"Oh, a few years," Beldin said, "in the big scheme of things not that long. No remorsathon lasts forever when you have forever to deal with it. Which is just as well, the bugger kept me of my favorite pastime."
"And what might that be?"
"Trying to sink a hot meat hook into Urvon's stomach and yank his guts out," Beldin grinned impishly and a vicious white glowing hot metal hook appeared in his hand, "failing that, killing off the occasional Grolim from Urvon just to keep the bugger off balance."
Beldin was grinning viciously from ear to ear as Buffy buried her face in her hands.
"Ew! God, is there anything in this wigged up brain that makes sense?"
"And that from a girl who likes to play with vampires," Beldin snorted, snapping his fingers making the hook disappear, "both on the battlefield and in the bedroom."
"Hey Quasimodo, Angel is not my boyfriend," Buffy objected vehemently, "we're just friends."
"Sure, friends who just happen to like doing the 'When Harry Met Sally' thing," Beldin replied grinning.
"No, we aren't! It's….., it's complicated right! I…, why am I even discussing this with a wigged up memory inside a very mental brain!"
Beldin grinned and jumped out of his chair and starting to somersault through the room like a 3rd rate carnival acrobat.
"Ah, come on, me darlin'," he said in a weird accent, "gives the old master Feldegast a pretty smile, will ya?"
Beldin's behaviour was starting to annoy Buffy.
"I'm going to wring your deformed neck, you freak," she yelled.
"You'd have to catch me first, darlin'," Beldin smiled and continued his antics.
Not for long however as Buffy grabbed his scruffy little neck, then pinned him against the wall.
"Look Quasimodo," she hissed, "I'm so not in the mode for your fun and games."
"You can't kill me darlin', I'm just a figment of his imagination," Beldin gasped as her hand held his throat.
"If you are just a figment of his imagination you wouldn't mind me signing you up for some anger management now would ya," Buffy smiled viciously.
"No need to get violent, darlin'. I'm just trying to liven up the place," Beldin gasped, "as you may have noticed the place could use some cheering up with mister 'I'm so sorry for myself' over there in a coma."
Buffy sighed and let go of Beldin who started to rub his throat.
"Nothing makes sense here." she said and started to wonder about the place, looking at things, the hunchback sorcerer following her every move.
"For what it's worth, Buffy, whose brain does make sense when you enter it?" Beldin said, "What did you expect, everything nicely ordered and making sense? Only a machine mind would be like that. And probably pretty scary to boot if you were inside one. Or how about an obsessive compulsive? Give me one of these nicely illogical and chaotic brains any day."
"I guess," Buffy admitted softly.
"And you got to meet Al, ze Master! That by itself is an EVENT of epic proportions. Please don't touch that," Beldin said as Buffy picked up a bottle containing some funky potion.
"Why, it's just a figment of his imagination," Buffy smiled girlishly at the hunchback sorcerer.
"For the same reason I didn't want you to rearrange my face," Beldin said, "It also happens to be a very explosive figment of his imagination."
"Alright," Buffy said and put back the potion she had been sniffing, "so I got to meet Al, big deal. It's not as if he meant that much to me before. I just heard some stuff about him. How he was so cool, and so nice and so gentle. And then I see him ripping open a man's memory."
"It had to happen, Buffy," Beldin shrugged, "he desperately wanted to know. He would have tried it himself anyway. You can't always have your happily ever after ending. Do you always have to look using your hands?"
"Sorry, it's just I have never seen any of this stuff," Buffy said as she had picked up another weird contraption.
"And its probably better you never will," Beldin said as he took the object from her, "but if I may ask, why are you here?"
"I wonder about that myself," Buffy sighed, "all I wanted was for him to tell me why he does what he does. Cause Giles is starting to get wigged up about him."
"Ah, so it is a character witness you want," Beldin smiled, "you've come to the right place, me darlin'! Have no fear, master Feldegast is here!"
WHACK!
"Auw!" Beldin complained as he began to rub the eye that Buffy had just hit, "Why are you hitting me?"
"Because you were getting annoying again," Buffy replied, "and to see if you can hit a figment of one's imagination!"
"It bloody hurt," Beldin complained aggrieved.
"Then don't be so bloody annoying," Buffy shrugged.
"It's not my fault," Beldin protested, "I'm only being kept around for comic relief."
"Don't you make me hit you again, Quasimodo," Buffy said pointing her finger at the hunchback.
"You hit like a girl though," Beldin muttered as he rubbed his eye, "Granted a girl swinging a ten ton hammer but still."
"Now, what did I say about being annoying?"
"Alright, alright," Beldin said allaying, "no need to get your knickers in a twist. Look, Buffy dearest, I don't think brother Belmovekk wanted to show you any of this. I think your little trip down memory line has been hijacked by Aldur."
"Al? What on earth is he up to?"
"I think he wanted to show you what kind of man Belmovekk is. And so he could get to meet you. And now it would seem he leaves it all to me to explain it all," Beldin said looking around, "which is typical."
"I thought you were just here for comic relief?" Buffy asked suspiciously.
"I also do exposition and advanced philosophical theoretics," Beldin grinned again, "I'm your Xander and Willow rolled into one handy deformed little package. I think it all boils down to this. Belmovekk is a Saiyan, right?"
"I bloody well hope so, Quasimodo or I have a real problem," Buffy said.
Beldin started to pace as he continued.
"Saiyans are a warrior race. Warriors tend to see things in clear black and white because hesitation will get you killed on the battlefield. Saiyans, like all warriors, live by a rigid code of conduct. That code is their life, it defines who and what they are. Are you still with me?"
"Get on with it!"
"Oh, you're a feisty one," Beldin smiled, but making sure he was pacing out of her reach, "alright. Now Belmovekk had his code of conduct radically turned upside down. As a warrior he understands that sometimes you have to kill. It's not the killing he objects to. Killing Grolims is as much a hobby of him as it is of mine. But it has to have meaning now. He wants to fight the good fight now as penance for what he did. And that is where his dilemma comes in. As a Saiyan he knew no limits other then those set by his own kind. Anything was allowed, anything was fair game, as long as it benefited them and their kind."
"Now he has gone to the other extreme. Now he has limits. But they tend to be grey. While nobody can dispute that killing a murderer when he's about to kill somebody is a good thing, what if he wasn't doing anything bad at the time? What if you know he was going to kill somebody but hadn't so far? Or if you knew a person's death could save several lives, a hundred lives, a thousand, millions? Save a world? Those are the shades of grey he is struggling with. Don't get me wrong, he can make those decisions probably better then anyone else. But he knows doubts and doubts are something Saiyans are ill equipped to deal with."
"But doubts can also be a good thing, right," Buffy said, "it means he has a conscience and isn't just a mindless killing machine."
"I don't think he ever was a mindless killing machine," Beldin said, resting his head on his hand, "even Saiyans need reasons to kill. Even they had a conscience. But consciences are funny things. You only feel guilty over the things you learned were wrong. How can you feel guilty if you've been taught from birth that genocide is OK? Contrary to what you might think values are subjective. The Master tried to tell you this. Warriors like you and Belmovekk need black and white truths. That is what makes you so good in battle. See enemy, kill enemy. On the battlefield doubt can kill. So in that respect it is a bad thing."
"But you seem to be worried about what he did to your friend Xander, on what he might do in the future. I can tell you that he did give your friend a chance to back out beforehand, but your friend still chose for it. Granted, he didn't know what he was in for, but he was given a choice. He clearly has you and your friends best interests at heart. If he feels that from time to time he needs to do things that aren't kosher or you know nothing about….., well, can you honestly say you never did similar things in your dealings? Has your watcher always told you the truth? Have you always told your watcher the truth? Sometimes we must do stuff we feel is in the best interest. Unfortunately it often backfires henceforth that famous expression of the paved road to Hell. But often it works out well, Buffy dearest," the hunchbacked sorcerer said grinning mischievously again which annoyed Buffy greatly.
"Oh! Can't you ever be serious?" she exclaimed annoyed.
"With such a beautiful girl at hand?" Beldin grinned naughtily, "Never! You don't understand, its hard being a fella. Once that other brain kicks in your normal brain becomes kinda deprived of oxygen."
"Uh, young lady?"
It was Belmovekk's voice. The Saiyan had awoken from this alcoholic stupor and looked up from his bed and pointed to the scouter on his face which mysteriously had appeared there.
"He is coming," the Saiyan said.
"Who?" Buffy asked surprised. This was getting wiggier by the minute.
"I guess this is our goodbye," Beldin grinned then grabbed Buffy by the shoulders and pressed his lips onto hers to give her a big wet kiss, "can't kill this figment once you're gone."
"Why you little…..," Buffy yelled angrily, only to realize she was no longer inside that room but standing in a Sunnydale cemetery at night. And the grave they had been waiting for was about to burst.
"He is coming, young lady," Belmovekk said and pointed to the grave. Buffy gave the Saiyan a weird out look at first. Then she realized, The clockwork orange ride was over and she was back in the regular world again.
"That was some serious wacky you put me through, mister," she said accusingly.
"Be more careful what you wish for next time, young lady," Belmovekk said, "it wasn't exactly pleasant for me either. You want me to do it?"
A hand ripped through the earth, followed by another.
"It's OK," Buffy said, "I could use a good fight right now."
x
x
AN 2017: No big changes here. I considered adding some cookie eating but decided not too. Maybe once or twice again, anything more would be decadent. Lots of spelling errors though. I must have proofread this twice when I originally posted it. I guess I must have been dyslectic. Probably the first time I had our intrepid heroes enter each others minds. I would do that a lot later on.