A/N: I had some writer's block trying to get through the next chapters. I worked through them the best way I think each of the characters would react and how the story flowed best. I hope you guys like it. I have about 7 more chapters written that I am editing and trying to make sure it flows well. If you catch any mistakes, let me know and I'll change them/correct them/whatever needs to be done. Now, for the summary I promised:

In the last chapter, Callas was raped and abused by a couple of Saiyans. She was found by an Elite guard who introduces himself as Brolly. He brings her back to Vegeta, who proceeds to throw a temper tantrum and break her arm, as well as sentencing her to some nasty punishments. Callas rebels and her energy sparks, breaking her ki bonds and causing a fight to break out.

[Monster Inside] - Chapter 21
Is This Going to Work?

8.2.2011

updated 8.31.2012

Bardock's mind was foggy and all he could think about was the uncontrollable urge to protect the red-haired goddess. Callas, so beautiful and vulnerable. He couldn't let Brolly take her, no matter what. He would die protecting her...

At least, that was what he had been thinking when he attacked Brolly. The two of them scuffled, Brolly taken by surprise but gaining the upper hand quickly and efficiently. When Bardock had his mind back, he held his hands up.

"Wait, wait! What's going on?" Bardock shouted.

"You attacked me!" Brolly snapped, but stopped his assault.

"The prince," Bardock said and they both turned their attention to Vegeta and Callas whom were both... kissing.

Brolly blinked and Bardock cursed, "What in the name of the warrior gods is going on?! Weren't you two just screaming at one another?"

Callas put her head down so the prince could speak. "Violence is arousing," he smirked, though he pushed the slave off and stood. She yelped quietly though they all heard her. Bardock longed to take her to a Regen-Tank. He wondered just how much longer she would stay conscious in her current state. Then Vegeta turned to Callas and with his back to the other Saiyans, adjusted his uniform and lifted her so that she was in the position he wanted. Then he proceeded to couple with her. It was brief, carnal, and it seemed more painful for the slave than pleasing, but when he let her drop she said nothing about it, just moved so that she could stare up at him with a mixture of emotion Bardock could not comprehend.

Vegeta fixed his uniform and stared at the two guards expectantly, so Bardock spoke up, "Prince, I apologize, I do not know what came over me." He looked at Callas. Had she done something with the powers she had over the mind? Controlled him?

"Don't apologize to me. I'm not the one you attacked," Vegeta sniffed. Then he glared down at Callas for a long moment before continuing, "Disregard my earlier orders." He seemed to be fighting internally. "It's true, I don't want others to touch what is mine. She knows that much about me." He reached down and grabbed her hair, pulling her up and speaking in a deadly soft voice, "But you will be punished."

Callas's voice wavered as she said, "Yes, my master. Yes."

Prince Vegeta let go of her and she slumped to the ground. "Brolly, take her to the medical bay. Get her into a tank as soon as you can. Stay with her until Bardock comes to relieve you."

"Yes, my prince," Brolly nodded. He passed Bardock on the way to Callas, watching him cautiously as he did so, but the older man did not attack him this time. Then, lifting the woman into his arms, Brolly left the room.

Bardock turned to Prince Vegeta and said, "I will get servants up here to clean this up, make the room presentable again."

"Yes, and get a tech up here to fix the door, heighten the security, and make sure nothing like this happens again," he hissed in reponse.

"Of course, my lord."

Vegeta looked at him and for a moment Bardock could see the youth in him, so unlike the King and so unlike the Prince he tried so hard to be; he seemed lost and confused, strangely vulnerable. "She could have died."

"Yes, my lord... I take full responsibility for it."

"She could have died here, in the safety of the palace, and we plan on taking her with us into war? She will never survive," Vegeta growled softly, ignoring the older Saiyan's claim. "What are we doing?"

Bardock frowned. It was all his fault this happened. First he had left her, then he turned off her ki bonds. "She had no way to defend herself, Prince. I turned her ki bonds on. She could have protected herself otherwise, I promise you. Her training really has been remarkable." He swallowed before continuing. "In fact, you saw what her training did today."

Vegeta stared at nothing and searched his mind. "The ki bonds. She broke them." They both turned and looked at the remains of the bonds. They had broken apart where the connectors were and sparks of electricity would spit back and forth every so often. "What power can break through those? It can't be ki energy, but what other types of organic power are there?"

The only other person that had caused trouble with ki bonds had been Gokuh early on, but they had all merely assumed that a Saiyan's power would be harder to control. Callas was only a human. However, she was the human Bardock dreamt about. Supposedly the saviour of the Saiyans. There was obviously something different about her.

"Psychic," Bardock answered almost immediately. "The mind. The spirit. These are not the same as life force energy... not exactly."

"Did you learn anything of her mind-reading, then?"

"No, sire, I had not the chance before... before all of this."

Vegeta growled, thinking about that lavender-haired scientist and her Dirlatranisian pet.' "Are all humans this... this uncouth and idiotic!?" He shook his head and cursed. "What is wrong with these two? And why has the universe seen fit to stick ME with them?"

Bardock looked down with a small smile. "Because they are destined for great things, and so are you, my prince. Intertwining destinies are not such a bad thing."

"So says you," Vegeta said with a grunt and began to leave the room. As he walked by Bardock he stopped, pressing his face close. "And Bardock? Don't forget where your loyalties lie. You serve me. Not Callas, not her sister, not Fate."

"Never, my lord. I am loyal only to the King and Prince of Vegetasei." Bardock felt his stomach jump up into his throat. Was the Prince questioning his loyalties, truly? He was being too soft with these sisters. But... at this point, how else could he handle them? It was too much to deal with. He had always been different, and these powers amplified his weakness for emotion.

"You are getting awfully close to my slave, Advisor," Vegeta said in a low voice. "See to it that you don't let your emotions get in the way."

"Never, my lord," Bardock repeated.

"Good," Vegeta snorted and walked off. "Now get this cleaned up and help Nappa find the ones that defiled the Prince's slave or I'll take my anger out on the both of you. Oh, and we'll talk later about your little attack on Brolly."

"Of course, sire," Bardock nodded as he left, though he had no answer for the Prince currently.

Poor Callas, you just made things a lot worse for yourself. If the Prince doesn't do anything about those two, I'll kill them myself. After all, it's my fault they were even able to lay a hand on you.

Callas, I'm so sorry...

/

Nappa and Bardock knelt before the King and Prince in the throne room with empty hands. The only other ears in the room were guards at the door, and they were extremely good at keeping everything they overheard to themselves. It was nearing the end of Third Sun and soon First Sun would rise in the sky. Everyone was tired and cranky and Bardock was unhappy that he and Nappa could not bring the men that hurt Callas to their punishment. Prince Vegeta was also unhappy, while the King seemed bemused by the whole situation.

"They will turn up," the King said, "one way or another." He ran his fingers through his beard and leaned back in the throne.

Prince Vegeta paced up and down the stairs that lead to the throne's platform and he growled, "It irks me that they think they have gotten away with touching what belongs to me."

Nappa laughed gruffly and replied, "I think they might be hiding and shitting themselves, now that they have had a few hours to really think over what they did tonight. We will find them when we walk by the two that smell most like fear and treason."

"And shit, I suppose," the King murmured with a tired smirk. He sighed and stood up, all eyes turning to him. "Well, comrades, son; I am tired and I have several whores waiting in my bed, so you will forgive me if I retire. Or not, it does not matter. I am king, after all." He eyes his son. "However, because your slave girl is technically a member of our army reserves and being that she is your personal property, what these mystery Saiyans have done tonight will be seen as a personal affront to the Royal House." Then he turned his gaze to the big burly Battlemaster.

"Nappa."

"Yes, my liege," Nappa tilted his head up, ready for action.

"Spread the word around that those who defiled the Prince's property would do well to turn themselves, but either way they will be found and punished at the discretion of Prince Vegeta."

At this, the King's son allowed a cold smile to grace his lips. "Thank you, father."

"Dismissed. Get some rest," King Vegeta then said, turning on his heel and heading out of the throne's chamber. Nappa quickly followed him out and the guards at the door did the same.

Bardock turned to his prince and asked, "Shall I relieve Brolly now?"

"Hm?" Vegeta furrowed his brow, then realizing he should answer, nodded and waved him away.

Bardock bowed and began to leave, though he turned back to add, "You should get some rest, Prince. Her room should be clean and fixed by now, if our slaves and servants are competent. You could rest there..." He stopped there, uncertain as to whether the Prince would be angry at suggesting an emotional connection between him and his slave. However, the Prince seemed to be lost in thought, so he left him alone. Guards stood watch outside the throne room doors and Bardock nodded to them as he passed.

He quickly made his way through the palace hallways towards the medical bay. I hope Brolly was able to secure a Regen-Tank for Callas. Then his mind wandered to the lavender-haired beauty that befuddled him so. He wondered how she was getting along. The guards and workers that would clean up the mess were probably getting an earful from her.

As the Royal Guard walked, he passed a few guards and even fewer servants. It was far past Third Sun and everyone was resting (or whatever else they might do in the privacy of their homes and rooms during the darkest blood red sunrise). Each Saiyan he passed, he scrutinized. Was that the one that touched Callas? Was he the one that slammed her against the floor? Or maybe it was him that punched her in the gut. None of them smelled like her or the scents he had filed away in his memory from earlier.

Once inside the medical bay, Bardock quickly found Brolly. He had, in fact, secured a Regen-Tank, one of the newer models in fact, much to the dismay of the medical assistant trying to persuade him to take the slave out.

"She's just a slave, sir," he said in a pitiful voice. For a Saiyan, he was small and frail-looking. Bardock presumed he was not full-blooded. "We need that tank for Saiyans."

Brolly ignored the man and stared straight ahead, standing in front of the tank so that nobody could get close enough to unlock and open it. He was big enough that he proved a real obstacle, not to mention he was obviously of Elite stature. Brolly's blank stare focused when he noticed the older Saiyan, and he tipped his chin up at him. Bardock approached and waved the assistant away, who sighed and finally left, realizing he would get nowhere with them right now.

Bardock glanced behind Brolly at the tank and saw a glimpse of red hair floating in the thick healing liquid. "Brolly, comrade, I have no idea why I attacked you earlier, but it was not my intention."

Brolly held his gaze and nodded. "I see. Then why did you?"

Bardock furrowed his brow and thought. The last thing he remembered was seeing Callas's ki bonds crackle and release, then his mind went blank before... before being overcome with a strange, lulling warmth and the strongest desire to protect someone he had ever felt, even more so than protecting his own brood. "The most I can say," he began slowly, "is that I felt this overwhelming urge to just... protect. It overrode everything inside me."

"You are becoming too attached to her to protect her like a mate," Brolly said very quietly. Bardock almost did not catch all the words. At least, the most important word: mate.

Bardock shook his head vehemently. "No. I mean, yes. I am becoming too attached to her... I admit." Bardock felt his cheeks heat up and he kept his voice almost a whisper. "But no, not like a mate. No, it was something else. Like I was overcome with this strange desire, like it was not necessarily my own, but maybe... maybe something tapping into it?"

Brolly lifted the corner of his mouth in a slight smile and shook his head, "You speak strangely. None of the humans brought here have ever showed any adeptness at powers other than manipulating ki, and that seems like some sort of mind control." He cut himself off and his face become very thoughtful again. Finally he asked, "Is she?"

Bardock stared evenly back at the taller warrior and answer, "I cannot answer that with certainty." He decided to change the subject. Letting others know about her powers (or lack thereof) seemed like a bad move right now. An element of surprise always worked best in battle, and keeping a trump card was even better. "How much longer?"

"A few hours."

"I'll take over then."

Brolly nodded. "She is your responsibility."

Bardock stepped forward and took the other man's place, glancing in at Callas though the viewing window. She seemed more frail than usual, like she had when she was sick. When he turned to settled himself in, he was met with a fist to the face. He swore and looked back up at Brolly, who smiled a little wider than usual and walked off.

"Pay back, whether you intended to attack me or not."