Part 2: Vegetasei, Chapter 17: Inferno

A/N: After years on hiatus from this series, I figured I ought to write a bit more in it! There is a likely chance that I will go back and rework most of the earlier story! (Much of the earlier story was written when I was 14 or 15!)

Bulma Briefs glowered sideways and then back into her pillow as her morning alarm sounded. During the weeks and weeks of what seemed to be nonstop work in programming, testing, construction and installation, the young scientist had gotten very little sleep. Finally, though, the installation of functioning panels was complete and today she would begin the lengthy process of installing the computer system.

"ENOUGH! I'M GETTING OUT OF BED!" shouted Bulma as she flopped out of the bed. The alarm ceased. Having showered the night before, she merely slipped into clean clothes – a pair of shorts and a tank top – and combed her hair into a ponytail She shoved her feet into her work boots and headed out of the apartment. Savoya had already left hours ago to train with Sukena.

She headed towards the scientific wing and, entering the laboratory, had several of the technicians aid her in transporting the computer system and its components to the gravity chamber. She carefully unpacked the components and began to install them. Perhaps, she thought, the entire system might be ready before the deadline.

Prince Vegeta toweled himself off from his workout as he watched the female nobility spar and train. Was he really supposed to pick a mate from this lot? He didn't need a scouter to know that they were worthless. Not to mention, he really didn't find them that attractive. He repressed a shudder and, tossing the towel at a servant, headed from the training grounds to the gravity chamber.

The construction had been completed, but Vegeta had been told that something else needed to be installed before it was usable. Couldn't they have installed the computers during the rest of the installation process? He ground his teeth in annoyance and then stopped. The human female was outside, installing something beside the door. He watched her from a distance, a smirk forming on his lips.

She was attractive, he admitted to himself. Physically fit and yet … soft? Yes, soft, without the hardened muscles of the Saiyan females. He understood then, vaguely, why Saiyan men enjoyed the human females – something different and exotic. Nevertheless, they were weak and useless. Disgusting.

Bulma finished her work on the object beside the door. Vegeta recognized it as an access panel once Bulma moved out of the way by heading into the gravity chamber. He smirked again and snuck in behind her. She was so intent upon her work that she didn't notice his stealthy presence.

He crossed his arms and floated softly down to the floor. Bulma didn't even notice the sound that made.

"Woman," he began, smirking in amusement as she shrieked in fear and turned around to face him. Bulma leaned against the tiled panels for support. His tail twitched behind him. "You know, you weakling humans are certainly afraid of everything. When will this contraption be ready for use?"

With a hand against her heart and an irate expression on her face, Bulma did not immediately speak. When she did reply, her response was breathy, "The computers should be available for diagnostic testing soon."

"The panel you installed in the front … who have you programmed to access the chamber?"

"Voice or eye recognition of Prince Vegeta, King Vegeta, myself and Director Suhyo. It also has the option of several override codes which will be kept in the science wing in the laboratory systems and in the medical facilities."

"Is it functioning?"

"It appears to be."

Prince Vegeta gave a harrumph in response and then walked past her to slam the door shut. Then he walked purposefully towards Bulma. She pressed herself against the panels again. Vegeta pressed himself against her, whispering into her ear.

"You know, the autonomic responses of humans for fear and arousal are very similar. So are you scared or attracted to me, woman?"

"Neither," responded Bulma shakily.

"You know, I've never tried a human female before. Should I?"

"No," she responded, "You'd probably kill one."

"I've never killed a female I've been with before," he responded. "You know, your eyes are still dilated, your breathing is still rapid, your heart rate is still high, and your skin is flushed. Tell me, is it attraction?"

"Anxiety and embarrassment," Bulma responded smoothly.

Vegeta smirked at her. Bulma narrowed her eyes in response.

Vegeta nuzzled the sensitive part of her neck, and Bulma gasped in surprise.

"I think there's a little bit of attraction there," he whispered into her ear. She shivered in response. "Or is that fear?"

"You know, on my world this would be considered sexual harassment," she snapped at him, attempting to wiggle past him. "And I need to get my work finished."

His arms formed a rigid cage around her. "How much is left?"

"I just need to network the main computer with the control panel and the rest of the palace's systems. May I please get back to work?"

Prince Vegeta moved his arms and stepped back. "By all means."

Smoothly, Bulma returned to her work as if nothing had happened. Vegeta watched over her shoulder as she checked systems and began the networking process.

"Must you hover?" she snapped after about five minutes. She tapped something on the touch screen and then sighed.

"My feet are on the ground," Vegeta responded dryly.

"Your feet are on the ground. Brilliant. Witty," snarled Bulma as she turned around to face him. "Guess it was lost in translation. DO YOU HAVE TO STARE OVER MY SHOULDER WHILE I'M WORKING? I mean, seriously, you've been breathing down my neck since construction began. Picking fights with me and harassing me. I've been working overtime. I've barely been getting sleep to get this done as part of my job and for the sake of scientific advancement! I'm surrounded by incompetent people and snobby people and nosy people, and I mean honestly, what the f-"

Although the woman's tirade had amused him, in an uncharacteristic effort to hush her and prove his earlier point, Vegeta locked his lips to hers. At first her response was shock and outrage, but then she relaxed into his kiss, returning it passionately. As soon as she wrapped her arms around his neck and began to run her hands through his hair, he pressed her against the tiles and tossed his gloves aside. She did not object as his hands roamed freely across her body, occasionally gasping at his touch.

When his hands went beneath her tank top, she tried to squirm away from him and firmly stated, "No."

"Mmm, why?" he asked, his hands firmly grasping her waist. He nuzzled against her neck again and nibbled gently. Bulma gasped at this.

"This isn't right and it can't happen," she stated, trying to collect herself and pull away from him. His arms held her fast.

"What isn't right about it?" he responded with his usual smirk. He bent his head to nibble on her exposed clavicles.

"It just … it just isn't right. At least let me finish networking the controls. I just need to tap in a few more codes and let it set. Give me like thirty seconds." Bulma responded, confusion coloring her features and voice. At that response, Vegeta reluctantly let her go.

"Thirty seconds," he told her. She nodded and spun away from him, and immediately began tapping in codes. Vegeta began a mental countdown. She was still tapping in codes when he placed his hands on her waist and said, "Time's up."

"One more code," she told him. As soon as she had finished, the screen began flashing a timer bar.

Vegeta spun her quickly back towards him and pinned her against the panels again. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he began nibbling behind her ear and along the side of her neck. With one hand, he pulled her hips against his. With the other hand, he slowly began to creep beneath her shirt and up her stomach. This time she didn't object, moaning as his hand reached its goal.

"Have you been with many women?" she asked shyly.

Vegeta shrugged in response, "A few. It's been a while."

"Oh, I've never been with a man before."

"Have you been with many woman?" he responded with a smirk.

"No," Bulma responded, laughing softly. "I didn't know you had a sense of humor."

"The other senses are more important," he responded dryly. His hands shifted location to position her legs around his waist and their most sensitive areas together. She gasped when he thrust his hips against her. "Like those senses."

"Those are sensations, not senses," she said a bit breathlessly, gazing into his eyes. "And surely you must have females throwing themselves at you?"

"Saiyan females?" Vegeta stated dismissively. "Yes, you're correct. Most of the Elite females throw themselves at me. They're a bit boring, and the females intended for me … I am not interested."

"Oh," responded Bulma as Vegeta began kissing her collarbones again.

A series of beeps from the computer system interrupted them. Bulma squirmed to get down, and Vegeta reluctantly let her go with a growl.

"Networking is complete with security measures in place," she said softly as she tapped the touch screen a few times. "Should start the diagnostic now, which means we both need to be out of here. I can access it from my office in the labs."

"When will the diagnostics be complete?"

"It depends. Perhaps sometime before dinner," she turned towards him, picking up his gloves and handing them to him. "You'd better look proper before leaving."

"I will be having dinner in my suite this evening. Join me and bring whatever diagnostic information you can. By the way, shower, or at least change, before you go into the lab."