A.N: This chapter cont violence and torture.
"Liar." The word was quiet and tired sounding startling the prince into sitting back up. Kome was staring at him with knowing eyes. Seba had managed to crawl under the older boy's shirt and was still distressed if the small hiccups and shivers were an indication but it was better than before. Sharp eyes cut to make sure they were alone before he answered the cub.
"You can speak?" Tiredly the cub nodded not really surprised the other male asked that.
"Tama, he said it wasn't safe for them to know. He said they'd take us away and do bad things." Kome explained and Vegeta found himself agreeing with the beta's wisdom. Hybrids were unique blends of two parent species so it was entirely possible to get random traits or "defects". Just because the species were compatible didn't mean the offspring would be stronger than either parent. Bardock would know a lot more about this sort of thing.
"Frieza wants saiyans for some project." Vegeta softly said. "If I had to guess you and your brother were their attempts to make stronger soldiers. If they knew how smart you were they would keep testing you."
"You lied." Kome stated again after processing what Vegeta said. It made sense and confirmed some of his own thoughts about why they were so much more interested in Tama than him and Seba. "You said you didn't care." The prince stared at him with a raised eyebrow.
"How can you tell?"
"Smelled it." Kome whispered with a confused look, like he wasn't sure how to explain more accurately.
"That's pretty impressive, yes I lied." Vegeta said leaning against the wall wincing as his body started to protest more heavily.
"Why?"
"Your tama and I, when they brought me here…" he trailed off trying to think of a way to explain things without sex involved.
"You made Tama have cubs." Kome bluntly pointed out. "All the males they put with him do it, and hurt him. Tama's not sick this time though."
"Yes, they brought me here to do that." Vegeta confirmed finding this awkward as hell. "You understand your Tama has heats right?" He waited to receive a nod from the cub.
"For us saiyans, there are pheromones when betas are in heat. They drugged the two of us and those pheromones caused me to mate with your tama. We bit each other and formed a bond. I don't remember what happened, but I will protect your tama as much as I can now, you and Seba as well."
"Tama's bit a lot of others but they never protected us." The cub stated not really understanding.
"Its different, you have to want the bond. I'm also an alpha, its my nature to protect betas and cubs." Vegeta explained. "What did you mean by your tama not being sick?"
"Last time he had cubs, he didn't eat." Kome whispered. "He just held me and Seba and was upset. He didn't sleep much either. We had to go back to our room when tama lost the cub."Vegeta understood what had happened.
Kakarot had known the cub wouldn't survive and gotten depressed. He was mourning the cub's death. He'd heard of it happening with carriers before, and his heart ached at the surfing his mate has been forced to endure.
"So you'll protect Tama? Because of this bond?" The cub's voice brought the alpha back to the present. Kome was watching him warily, but he didn't seem so tense now. "And you'll protect us, like you did when Cold One was here before?"
"Yes. I'll protect all of you as best I can." Vegeta put all the sincerity he could in his words. "I promise, Kome."
Kome looked back down at the floor as he tightened his arms around his brother before they flickered over to the beta in the other cell. He looked like he was in the verge of tears himself, and a choked whimper escaped the boy before he could cut it off.
Vegeta sighed and moved so that he was sitting beside the cubs with his back against the wall. Kome watched him get settled before leaned against the wall as well brushing his shoulder against the older alpha's.
"Get some rest. The cat will be back soon with food. I'll keep an eye out." Kome nodded and for once allowed himself to relax into the calming smell of the male next to him and curled around his little brother purring softly not realizing as he dosed off that his head was resting against the alpha's arm. Vegeta said nothing as the young cub slumped against his arm. Once the cub was asleep he gently shifted Kome so he was curled on his side and his head on the prince's leg. Kome reminded him of Tarble in a lot of ways and it made him feel just a bit more at ease as he ran his fingers through Kome's mane just like he did for Tarble when he slept like this.
++VK++
Bardock ran a hand through his hair as he made his way back to the conference room that the group had met in just last week. The general was drained mentally and physically as he had tried to research and build a device that could simulate ki, but he had failed.
Now he felt like the chances of finding anything about his son were slipping through his fingers.
He opened the door, and the lack of light in the room signaled that he was the first one there. He moved to turn on the lights when a hand reached out and covered his mouth, and the alpha was pulled inside. He struggled as the door was closed behind him, plunging the room into darkness. The general slammed his elbow back wincing as he hit armor, but loosened the grip his attacker had on him before reaching to grab and throw them to the floor. A quick twist had them breaking Bardock's grip before a fist caught him in the face. Bardock couldn't help the watering of his eyes as his nose began to bleed before a thick arm looped around his throat.
Bardock could feel himself being dragged further in the room with the tips of his boots scraping on the stone floor. He thrashed and one of his fists managed to land a glancing blow, which had his assailant grunting. The alpha was prepared to strike again when he was dropped on the floor. He let out a grunt as a foot on his chest pinned him down.
"Calm down, baby brother. It's me." The general could hear the smirk in those words, but he did stop trying to fight the other off.
"Turles?" Bardock hissed out as he narrowed his eyes to see the shadow of his elder brother in the darkness. "Are you mad?! What the hell are you doing here?! If the guards or king catch you here, they'll take off your head!"
"My, my…is this concern I hear coming from you?" The shadow shifted on the seat that the younger just then noticed. "Bardock, I'm touched. And here I thought you didn't care at all."
"Turles!"
"Relax. I've disabled the scouters in the palace with a jamming frequency. As soon as I meet with Vegeta and your little group, I'll be gone."
"What?!" Bardock almost shrieked out. "You can't be here for that! They don't know you're how I got the information on-!"
"Bardock." His name was said in a calm and serious tone that had him closing his mouth without a second thought. "If you're worried that my presence here will implicate your involvement with me, I've got it under control. You are going to stay right where you are and be my hostage, so keep your mouth shut when the king arrives."
The pinned man on the floor could not keep his disbelief off his face even if he tried. He just tilted his head to the side wondering if the dark skinned saiyan had truly lost what was left of his mind.
"Which reminds me." Bardock gasped as Turles kicked him in the stomach before flipping him over and snapping a pair of cuffs around his wrists after twisting his arms into a rather uncomfortable position. He growled catching his breath as the pirate planted his boot on his neck.
"You crazy son of-" Turles cut him off by applying pressure with his foot.
"If this is going to work, it has to be convincing. Now you just sit there and be quiet like a good little hostage, or I'll gag you with that bandana you're so fond of." The weight of the boot on his neck shifted. "Although I might just do that anyway."
Bardock just barely managed a growl before the sound of footsteps had him glancing at the door. He felt horror spike in his heart. He tried to rise up, but Turles just put more pressure in holding him down causing him to gag as breathing became slightly more difficult.
"Well, looks like it's show time." The dark skinned alpha leaned down and whispered to his brother. "Remember, keep quiet and there won't be any problems."
The knob turning kept the general from responding and the voices of the rest of the team came through the door. Bardock just let out a resigned sigh and allowed his head to rest on the cool stone. Now he had to hope that his brother's crazy plan would work.
"Look, see? I told you Bardock would be here. He's so dedicated to this mission that I don't think he's rested at all." Nappa's voice came in as the lights were turned on. The green clad saiyan had to blink a couple of times for his vision to adjust. Once they did he glanced around in confusion. Why was his seat over…?
"I see you're right." came closer to the table. His voice coming from right behind the siblings. Oh no….no no no. "Bardock. I understand you're tired, but get out of my chair." Damn it! Turles wouldn't!
"I'm sorry, your majesty, but this one is too comfortable to get up from." Turles said slightly turning the chair to better face everyone.
Oh dear Kalious…why? Why was his brother crazy?
"Wha-?" The others came in and Bardock heard a gasp somewhere in the room.
"Turles! You bastard, why the hell are you here!?" Raditz shouted as he bristled in anger.
"Easy there, nephew." His eyes went to Nappa who was edging towards the door, likely to alert the guards. Faster than expected Turles pulled a pistol and fired. A concentrated blast of ki burned the door only inches from the bodyguard's hand. "You're familiar with what high density lasers can do to saiyan tissue, right? Let's keep this a private conversation shall we, Nappa?"
"How about we discuss your trip to the executioners block?" growled.
"Hmmm, no don't have that scheduled any time soon. Of course, if you're so insistent that I make one, I'm afraid you'll have to say goodbye to your general." Bardock made a choking sound against his will as his brother pressed his throat harder for a few seconds before easing off.
Right there Bardock swore he was going to skin his brother for this.
"Bardock!"
"Turns out little brother isn't the most observant when he's tired." Turles said casually causing Bardock to glare up at him. "He put up a decent enough fight all things considered." He finished with a wink at the general. That's it, his brother was going to die!
"Alright, pirate, what do you want?" Yasi snapped out. The pirate's eyes lit up flashing Yasi a charming grin.
"Beautiful and intelligent, your highness. If only I could find a mate like you. If you ever get bored of the palace, I could show you some interesting places." It was official his brother was insane and suicidal. Yasi just rolled his eyes before crossing his arms. "Oh, before anyone gets the brilliant idea to call someone on their scouter let me start by saying that's a bad idea. Feedback is a bitch on the ears. Now if we could all have a seat, I have a proposal to discuss."
"And how do we know you aren't conspiring with the Colds?" Brolly asked.
"I feel the need to point out that the Cold's bounty on my head is twice what they have on little brother here. And that's if Frieza gets me dead. You don't want to know what bounty is on me alive. If that's done…"
"Fine." growled. "We'll hear your proposal, however I doubt you'll find any support from us, you honor less cur."
"I'm hurt, your majesty. How could you say I'm honor less?"
"Attacking your brother for one thing and using him as a hostage. There's also the fact you attack your own race." Raditz growled out. Turles gave a slight shrug.
"Eh, you can't play nice all the time, nephew. I didn't really care who my hostage was, Bar just got here first. The only person that would have been exempt from that role is his lovely highness here." Turles said flashing another grin at the beta. "You're more than welcome to take your usual seat, I'd hate for you to be uncomfortable. You must be having a hard time with Prince Vegeta been captured and all."
"How do you know that?!" Nappa hissed.
"Please, its all over the galaxy if you know where to listen. Zarbon and Frieza wont shut up about it. Some of the Ginyus are pretty pissed though…"
"What do they have to do with anything?" Brolly asked honestly curious.
"Nothing really except that Vegeta killed two of their team members. Any how, I'm here to offer some assistance to help you get the heir to the throne back." Turles gestured with his hand at the table.
The pirate turned the chair around and placed one of his arms on the table with a hand cupped under his chin while he pulled Bardock up so he could sit up on his knees. He harshly fisted his free hand in the younger alpha's hair to keep him upright, and he allowed his ki to crackle along his arm to show the rest of the room that he would not hesitate to shoot Bardock in the head with a blast if needed.
"Why would you bother to help us?" Raditz sneered.
"Let's just say that I have a personal interest in the planet Frieza is keeping Vegeta on." He quirked his brow at the long haired warrior before turning back to smile at Yasi only to see the king beside him. The pirate let out a huff. "What? Afraid I'll do something to his highness? Please. I'm not suicidal."
"Let's just get this over with." Yasi said before his mate could even open his mouth. "Now, how could you help us?"
"I'm so happy you asked, sire." Turles pulled out a handheld device and placed it on the table. "I've seen what little brother had planned. That idea with a ki simulator is brilliant by the way, Bardock."
"How could you possibly know that, bastard?! I've encrypted all of my research!" The general shouted with genuine confusion. His hands jerked reflexively at the cuffs locking his wrists between his shoulder blades.
"Well, you didn't do a very good job. Actually your encryption was pretty good by itself I'll admit, everything else wasn't." The dark skinned alpha said dismissively as he flicked the back of Bardock's head without releasing him. "You need to work on your system's security programs."
"You hacked me?! Damn it, you son of a-!" He hissed when the hand in his hair tightened its grip.
"Bardock, please. We are in front of his majesty, the Royal Consort. Let's keep the profanity out of the conversation, shall we?" Turles said with a scolding tone in his words. "I do apologize, your highness. Bardock always had a mouth on him ever since he was a cub. Nothing mother or I did managed to beat that out of him."
Bardock growled, but kept his mouth shut as he glared sideways at his brother. He'd get back at Turles one way or another.
"Anyways, I have to say that it's a good plan, but it won't work."
"And why is that?" Nappa asked giving Bardock a concerned look.
"Your ships." Turles said with a wave of his empty hand. "You won't get within 10 miles of the CZ without lighting up sensors in every Cold ship and base."
"We have stealth functions surely that-"
"We actually don't." Brolly said cutting off Raditz. "Not for a few months. Likewise we can pick up the Cold ships at the same intervals. We've been in a stalemate." Yasi's eyes narrowed as he looked at Turles.
"How do you evade Frieza?"
"That would be telling, Highness!" Turles chirped with grin at the fiery beta. "But I guess I can give you a hint. I don't use either type of ship, or at least the parts that mater." He tapped the device and a hologram appeared displaying a standard Cold ship and Saiyan ship side by side before highlighting a piece near the core.
"This is what your ships are picking up. The main component that makes each ship function with the correct operating systems. Changing it doesn't work, neither does shielding."
"So what are you suggesting?" King Vegeta asked.
"We use my ship."
"Hell no! You'll kill us all, if you don't try to ransom us off to the Colds or back to the empire!" Raditz shouted getting to his feet. Turles drew his gun and fired just to the side of the male's head. Bardock grunted as his brother shoved his head against the table as the gun came to rest at Bardock's temple.
"Sit back down, nephew. I'd really hate if you push me to do something all of us would regret." The pirate's eyes were steely with an insane gleam in them before he shrugged. "Unless you hate your father so much you don't care?"
"Raditz, sit back down!" Nappa hissed when the other alpha didn't move. "Raditz, this is your father!" He gave his father a concerned glance before he looked away and sat back down.
"Now, be a good cub and let the grown ups talk." Turles smiled before putting the gun away and letting Bardock up. "So as I was saying, we can use my ship and little brother's plan as we fix it up a little bit."
"Fix it how?" Bardock asked.
"You had a good plan, Bar, aside from the screw up with the ship. The only thing to make your plan more effective is to launch multiple distractions."
"You're insane." K. Vegeta spat. "You want us to send not one but two teams on a potential suicide mission!"
"That is why I'm offering my crew to be the second distraction." Turles answered quite pleased with himself. "We get to keep whatever supplies are….appropriated on our run, same for your soldiers. The third team will retrieve the prince and any other persons of interest, data, tech, ect… Bardock and Nappa will be in charge of the rescue. I'll take all participants from a location of our choosing through the CZ to a point where we can launch attack balls or small shuttles to 204, 228, and I'm thinking 217 for my crew, I'm honestly still deciding. Anyways we can arrange a rendezvous point for the crew on 204 after we extract the rescue team from 228."
"And what is our insurance you won't ransom the members back to us?" Brolly asked. "It is a very sound plan but you have said nothing about 'delivering' the prince to us."
"See that's the part that bothers me." Turles admit. "What's my guarantee that after I've provided you this service and delivered your soldiers, your loot, and the prince that you won't try to send me off to the executioner?" His hand jerked Bardock's head back exposing his throat. "I'd rather not have to use my little brother as a hostage again."
"Turles." Yasi said calmly getting the pirate's attention.
"Yes, your highness?" The charm and admiration for the beta coming on thick.
"I will personally guarantee your freedom to depart from the delivery if you answer one thing for me. And I want a serious answer, not some attempt to evade or lie."
"Of course, I'll answer your question, your highness!"
"What exactly has your personal interest in planet 228? Its obviously not my son." Turles frowned and glared darkly off to this side.
"You aren't going to like that answer sire, sure you don't want to ask something else?" Yasi's firm stare was his only response before he sighed and relaxed his grip on Bardock and fiddled with the handheld. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
"I've been looking into what happens there. I don't have many leads, but its supposed to be for creating some kind of super soldiers….but that's not all Frieza does there." He said pulling up a video file. "He hosts 'games'. Cruel spectacles to break whoever he subjects to them, if not outright kill his victims. Bardock told you there's standing orders for saiyans to be taken there right?"
"He did." K. Vegeta answered. Turles said nothing as he hit play.
The image was grainy with no sound, and very poor quality showing dark metal walls that after a few seconds were revealed to be a maze. There was a light that appeared and a platform was lowered to the center of the maze, and another picked up the feed.
Frieza was unmistakable in his hover chair, but it was the other figure that had the room gasping. It was a saiyan. Chains ran from a heavy silver collar around their neck and cuffs on their wrists, forcing them to kneel in front of the ice demon. They were male judging by the fact they wore only a pair of black pants revealing a painfully thin body. His hair was shaggy and matted as was his tail, bruises visible even with the low quality image. The footage was too grainy to make out any identifiable characteristics, but the spiky hair and tail were unmistakably saiyan.
"I might be a criminal, but I'll be the first to admit that some of the stuff floating around in the Underworld is sickening. This," the space pirate waved a hand at the direction of video still playing. "is sickening. Frieza's twisted games are considered to be very popular in most circles. I know you have questions, but I think just watching this will answer them."
While there was still no sound, it was obvious that Frieza was talking to the saiyan. He waved his hand over to the maze and moved it around some. The saiyan jerked in his chains and must have said something to make the lizard laugh. He pulled out a remote from his chair and pressed a button. The chains cuffs holding the saiyan were released from the metal collar, and he was allowed to stand which he did warily.
Frieza made a shooing motion with the hand not holding the remote, and the saiyan shot off the platform straight into the maze. Frieza laughed until he watched the other disappear from his sight before snapping his fingers.
Now the video was switching from camera to camera, following the saiyan as he made turns and sprinted down different paths. He came to a fork in the maze and turned his head as he tried to figure out which path to take when a blast of fire shot out from behind him. The saiyan lurched to the side, but the flames grazed his upper left arm as he fell to the floor.
He then rolled as two blades dropped down from the ceiling just barely missing his tail and head. More blades started to fall from above, and the man jumped to his feet and ran with the margin between his body and his blade decreasing. More blades came out at him only from the walls this time. He leaped in the air as one blade came at him at knee level from the left wall while another one came at him at shoulder level on the right. He twisted his body to pass through the space between the blades, and he landed heavily on the floor managing to avoid his burnt arm.
"The hell?!"
"Shut up, Raditz!" Nappa snarled.
The saiyan scrambled to his feet and threw himself down the left path running as fast as they could to make up time. As soon as his body was gone from the camera's screen, one of the walls moved and blocked the entrance of the way he chose.
"What just happened?" Brolly spoke up from his seat as the image of the saiyan running appeared again.
"Frieza gives false hope to whoever is in the maze." Turles answered him as his eyes narrowed at the footage. "He tells them that if they can get out before their time is up or whoever is hunting the victim finds them, they go free. Unfortunately the maze walls themselves move and reorganize. There is no way out."
The next shot had the saiyan tripping over something that glinted in the light before blood bloomed on his leg, and the floor opened underneath him. He opened his mouth in a wordless scream as he dropped, but he was able to grip the side of the pit with his injured arm. The saiyan let out another shout, but the camera could only see his upper body.
He struggled to haul himself up back to the maze floor, and when he finally pulled himself up from the pit, his right calf had a thin spike running through it. The saiyan laid on his side panting as he pulled his leg up and tried to take in the damage. His hand was trembling as it touched the spike causing the saiyan to clench his eyes and teeth in pain.
He was reaching out for the spike again when his head snapped up and he went still. The group saw his eyes widened in fear, and he reached for the spike in an almost frenzied manner. He clenched his teeth, and yanked it out of his leg and moved to get back on his feet.
He studied the pit and looked back down the way he came for a brief second before backing up a few feet before running and leaping for the wall over the hole. He then bounced off that wall to do the same for the other. This repeated until he landed on the other side of the trap, and the saiyan's leg buckled under his own weight.
The small saiyan crawled over to the wall and used it as a support drag his body to his feet and continue further in the maze. He kept looking over his shoulder as he limped down the corridors. He seemed to be making good progress when he dropped to the floor to avoid laser arrows that embedded themselves in the wall where his head had just been.
The injured man gritted his teeth and got back to his feet. His determination somehow showed on the poor quality image, and he stumbled as his path ended once more. The maze had a way that continued on in front of him or he could turn right and try to go that way. The saiyan looked back over his shoulder and chose to go right this time. Suddenly he froze something alarming him. He spun and in spite of his injury and pain forced himself into a desperate sprint back the way he came, terror on his face. Blasts hit the walls inches behind the saiyan scorching the walls. A hunter found him. He turned a corner down a path he'd run before only to hit a wall that had changed on him. Shaking his head and pushing himself up he bolted down an opening that hadn't been there before.
It was painfully clear that between the bleeding wound and the trembling of the small saiyan that he wouldn't last much longer. He was slowing down, slipping on the blood running down his leg leaving a trail for whoever was hunting him. Laser arrows fired and this time they couldn't completely dodge them. He cried out staggering against the wall as the bolts grazed him in several places. His body shook as he looked behind him, panic beginning to take hold as he limped onward, eyes watering as he continued in sheer desperation.
He hobbled to the mouth of the corridor when a light flashed and he froze in his steps. Electricity sparked up from the floor over his body making Yasi gasp as they watched him suffer, screaming from the voltage. The flow suddenly cut off, and the saiyan fell to the floor like dead weight. Teeth and eyes clenched shut the saiyan tried to force his body to move only for his body to collapse as another burst of voltage hit him. This time he stayed down. He twitched as he lay there bleeding and a shadow fell over his body.
Frieza stood over the fallen saiyan with a look of mocking disappointment. His mouth moved before a cruel smile grew on his face. He turned to face the camera and nodded his head. Another shadow stretched over the saiyan before the video cut off.
Yasi was on the verge of tears and everyone felt sick. Bardock stared at where the hologram was in shock, all the fight and tension gone out of him. If Kakarot was taken to that planet…Oh Tarro he felt sick.
"That is why I want to help. If he does that to a no name soldier…." Turles actually shivered. "I don't want to know what he would do with someone that he truly hates. If Frieza succeeds at creating super soldiers, that is our fate. It won't matter if a saiyan is allied with Vegetasei or not, he'll kill us all for sport. Hunted like animals for his sick amusement. And when he's done with us, he'll just find another race to take our place."
"And he's done that to Vege." Yasi couldn't help the tears in his eyes.
"Not yet." Turles said. "Frieza makes a big deal about his enemies in these games. Someone like Bardock or myself, anyone who's earned a sizable bounty, it's a bigger spectacle. As bad as that was, its not the worst of the videos I was able to find even if the victims weren't saiyan. Its kinder for them to die than get caught. Frieza just puts them back in the maze and stacks the odds higher." Turles said solemnly. "No if he puts Vegeta in that maze, the whole Underworld and possibly the rest of the galaxy will know. It wouldn't surprise me if the bastard found a way to broadcast it here just to break your fighters." He finished putting away the handheld.
"How long will it take you to get everything ready on your end?" Yasi asked softly.
"Two, maybe three weeks given we need to build the beacons Bardock came up with. Maybe one more to finalize attack plans and scout a suitable meeting point and back ups in case something does go wrong. The trip through the CZ will take at least a week between avoiding patrols and space phenomenons." Yasi nodded after a moment.
"I, Yasi of House Vegeta Royal Consort of Vegetasei, grant you amnesty for any actions you take from now until the rescue and return of Prince Vegeta to the planet Vegetasei. You will be allowed to leave the planet unmolested on the condition you act in a peaceful manner. If you are attacked without my express order having violated our agreement I grant you full pardon for any actions taken against your assailants. At the time of your return you will be allowed to refuel, supply, and tend to any wounded on your crew and leave at its conclusion unless another agreement is made."
"Yasi!" K. Vegeta was shocked at what his mate was offering this traitor.
"If it brings Vege home before he is put through that." Yasi spat furiously. "I don't care what he's done before now. His and Bardock's plans have the best chance of success. We can't afford to wait, Geta." The king met his mate's eyes a moment before nodding.
"Very well. I, Vegeta Sovereign of Vegetasei head of House Vegeta, vow to uphold and enforce Royal Consort Yasi's edict as witnessed by members of the council on the condition Turles abides by a non-aggression pact between now and his departure after the return of Prince Vegeta to Vegetasei pending further arrangements."
Turles released his grip on Bardock before standing and amazingly placing his fist over his heart and bowing to the monarchs in the traditional salute.
"I humbly accept your Majesties' generous offer and offer my gratitude in return."