Dragon Ball Governed:
Chapter 43
"Life Lessons in Battle
It came to no surprise between Tarble and Gure upon finding out that neither of them were incapable of reproducing naturally with one another. Still, that didn't mean that the two of them weren't disappointed by that fact. Gure and Tarble both made a huge and costly compromise to be together and to them, it was worth it.
But now, to come to the realization that what was once deemed impossible has become possible? It was unreal to both who would actually become parents. While in the private laboratory meant for his child and his nephew, Tarble remained with one arm folded over his chest and the other massaging his hairless chin. In deep thought, the prince could only wonder just what kind of consequences would come of this. After all, this was unnatural, so surely the end result would be something that he nor Gure has ever come to lay eyes on before - hell - perhaps the entire universe for that matter.
All of that worry he had pent up in his never-ending mind faded away the moment he saw that wide smile on Gure's face as she gazed upon the incubator with their growing child inside. It was the happiest she had ever been in a long time and seeing her happy made Tarble forget about all of the other problems in the world. Given that his own brother even allowed Gure to be apart of the family made the younger brother of the king believe that he was the luckiest Saiyan in the entire cosmos. There was no greater gift than this. And even though his big brother played the part of a hard-ass, Tarble knew that deep down it wasn't just because Vegeta wanted something in return from Tarble's people, but that he also helped him out of the kindness of his heart - or whatever little bit he had in there to begin with. Such was his own thought process, after all.
But still, he had to know if things would go in his favor. Asking Spench, who was accompanying them, if everything was going to be ok with this process, the Saiyan doctor gave him an okay sign with a subtle smile. He assured Tarble that the process is going to be as close to natural as natural can possibly be.
Tarble nodded. Placing his hand on Gure's shoulder, he told her he would be back soon prior to leaving the room. Once outside of the laboratory doors, he clicked his scouter. "You ready for a training session?"
Bardock was quick to respond to the message. "Been waiting all day, prince."
In the training room, it became apparent that Tarble was much more of a challenge for Bardock than before, however the elder Saiyan still held the advantage of battle experience over Tarble, who had just been knocked back into the padded walls of the training room.
Falling down on his knee with sweat dripping from the tip of his brow down onto the floor, he looked back up at Bardock, expecting the Saiyan to continue attacking. Though much to his surprise, the seasoned warrior remained with his hands on his hips. Bardock could tell something was wrong with Tarble and asked if something was on his mind.
"Ah, I just got a lot on my mind," Tarble answered. Getting up on his feet, he proceeded to let out a deep sigh as he flicked the sweat streaming down his hot cheeks. "Getting used to being back here is like a culture shock for me, ya know?"
"Can't relate," Bardock replied honestly, "but I may be of some help so you can take your mind off it. There's a planet nearby that's been occupied for a while. We can just head there and get a change of scenery for a while."
"I'm not an official soldier, though. It would bring some attention to us anyway so I don't know if that's really a good idea."
"You have enough to worry about from what I gather, so don't start worrying about that, either. The planet is just a few hours away so nobody would really care - not if I go anyway. I'm not on duty so I have time to kill. And I imagine that you do, too."
"Well, what is this special planet called, then?" Tarble asks.
"Planet Kayuk. It's close, but the planet hasn't ever been touched in years because of the lack of life forms on the planet and there aren't any resources that could make the planet valuable enough for it to be sold." Still, Bardock notices the look of worry on Tarble's face. "Trust me, it'll be my first time headed there, too." He began to walk out. "Let's go."
Though unoccupied as Bardock informed Tarble, Planet Kayuk was nothing short of mesmerizing. Surrounded by great, purple trees and purple grass with a rainbowed colored sky, the two Saiyans take in deep fresh air. It smelled like roses.
Bardock looked at Tarble and saw that the younger Saiyan still had his eyes closed. By the looks of that and his tail swaying around softly, it appeared to Bardock that Tarble felt much more relaxed than before.
"You like?"
Tarble just responded with a big smile plastered on his face. "It's beautiful. As empty as it is, it feels like the world is still full of life."
"I've seen many worlds like this - some even better." He sighed. "But at the end of the day, all I ended up doing was ruining its beauty for it to be overtaken and torn apart by some rich low-lives." Tarble didn't say anything as he looked into the sky. All his life, he didn't have to train to become a heartless Saiyan soldier like his older brother did. He didn't know what it was like going through all of that or having to be the cause for utter annihilation and turmoil of the lives of others, but he couldn't help but sympathize.
"In my younger days, I was battle-hungry," Bardock admitted. "I paid no mind to the damage I caused throughout the years. All I could think about was the next great battle that would come my way, even if it would cost my own life. It was all until it took the death of someone close to me to finally have a sample of the suffering that I have put others through, and what I continue to put others through. All I did was have a life taken from me while I've taken lives, homes, refuges, civilizations...lifestyles." And still, for Bardock, he managed to get that life back.
"Sounds like to me you hold some remorse," Tarble commented.
Bardock chuckled. "But what can I do now?"
"You can always atone."
Bardock paused briefly. Covering his mouth, he made an attempt to stifle a scoffing chuckle, but couldn't. Just seconds later, he started to laugh out loud. Tarble was confused, though Bardock's infectious laughter caused him to initially snicker nervously prior to joining Bardock on an all out laughing contest. Though it wasn't really funny, the true humor was in the fact that Bardock couldn't do anything at this point to truly atone for his horrid actions over the years. He's done too much. It's impossible for him to make a genuine resolve.
After a bit of flying around and enjoying the scenery of the planet, Tarble and Bardock decide to chill out by a little fire, sitting on some rocks with food cooking. For a change, Bardock had travelled to a planet where he didn't have to kill. He could just sit back and enjoy some free time.
"For the life of me, I could never understand why Saiyans find combat so fulfilling. It's never interested me like it does you guys."
Just like Gine, Bardock thought. "There are some out there like you - not too many, though. I know you won't be able to relate, but it's a feeling like no other when you know you're getting ready to fight. Your body gets tense, cold chills go down your tail…" he then shrugs. "Maybe you just missed the gene."
Tarble, grabbing a bite to eat, laughs. He points out how he's totally okay with missing the gene. Chewing on a piece of meat, he asks Bardock what's for dessert.
"What's dessert?" Never before had Bardock heard of such a thing, not having that luxury growing up as a low-level combatant. He picked up a piece of uncooked meat. "This is all we have."
Tarble washes down his food with water and stands up. Pointing over to the trees East of them, he makes note of how there should be fruits over there somewhere.
"Go ahead. I need something sweet."
But just as Tarble is ready to head off, his scouter starts to beep like crazy. Looking over to Bardock, who's just staring with food in his mouth, asks what reading he's getting.
"30,000 and another 300. That's stronger than us…" Upon being asked if he's sure, Tarble nods. "I thought we were the only ones here."
Bardock spits the food out and wipes his mouth. "We were...until we got visitors."
"Maybe we should leave. It might be Freeza's soldiers."
"Not happening," Bardock said firmly. "Even if it was Freeza's people, they'd know we had fled. It's best we meet them face to face - do damage control if that's what it boils down to. Besides...you nor I are far too beyond that battle power. If anything happens, I got your back."
"Likewise."
But before they could make a move, Tarble's scouter beeps again, indicating that the visitors have already arrived, one being a man and the other a woman. The male of the two is a short and plumpy individual with most of his hair gone, dressed in Saiyan armor.
"So you are apart of the Freeza Force…" Bardock muses.
"Used to be," the man responded. "My wife and I have went AWOL years ago. And like you, I am a Saiyan…" He then points at the both of them. "So what are you two doing here? I hope you haven't been trying to find me and take me in…"
"No," Tarble answered. "We didn't even know you existed. We just decided to hang over here for a bit."
"On our vacation planet!?" the wife exclaimed. Looking to her husband, she voiced how he should just kill them for trespassing on their land.
"Heh, never fought a Saiyan before. Sweetie, you're gonna owe me a ride to the stars for killing one of our own kind." She removes her shades and winks.
"Anything for you, Onio, my sweet-heart."
"Get ready, Tarble!"
Onio opens his mouth wide to unleash a hefty amount of ki large enough to cover the gap between Bardock and Tarble, who stood apart five yards. The two Saiyans hopped out of the way. Seeing Tarble getting knocked down on his stomach causes Bardock to turn around and fire an energy wave in the direction he assumed Onion would be. Much to his surprise, the chubby Saiyan was above him. Bardock landed on one knee with his fist planted into Planet Kayuk's soil subsequent to being bashed directly atop the head.
The blood streaming from his forehead down to the corner of his lip didn't have time to be wiped away as Onio proceeded to fire off another energy attack. Bardock eluded the attack with the tip of his boot getting just slightly grazed. Onio proved to be behind Bardock once more and kicked the seasoned warrior directly in the kidney, eliciting an exit of blood from the mouth.
Getting up, Tarble aimed his hand directly at Onio, who had his back faced toward him as he was dealing with Bardock. Just as he was ready to fire, Onio's wife warned him, which caused Tarble to freeze. Looking Tarble dead in the eyes, he smirked.
"Do it," Onio said.
No longer reluctant, Tarble put everything he had into that single attack.
Letting out a war-cry, Onio put enough power into punching the wave of ki away. Tarble's eyes widened in shock. With his fist shaking, Onio chuckled through the tingling, yet painful sensation that went up through his arm. "As powerful as you are, you must be a high-ranked Saiyan. You even look like King Vegeta. You his brat?"
"You talk too much!" Bardock yells. Onio is grabbed from behind and put into a full nelson. "Come get him now, Tarble!"
The Saiyan prince lunges at Onio, fist cocked. The chubby Saiyan takes in a deep, deep breath, sucking so much air that it seemed like his belly would pop. The punch that was directed at his stomach backfired on Tarble, who was sent flying back from the bouncy affect that Onio's air-filled stomach provided. Bardock, taken by surprise, proceeds to get head-butted, forced to release Onio, who follows up by kicking him in the abdomen prior to upper-cutting him.
Tarble rockets back after regaining his balance, jabbing Onio hard in the face. The chubby Saiyan's boots slide temporarily though he manages to stand his ground. Tarble is elbowed down to the ground and punted in the stomach, sent flying to soon crash harshly on his back.
Fighting with nothing held back, it felt like their bodies went rocking with every single blow that Onio rendered them. Bardock struggled to get back up as Tarble's body continued to twitch as one little movement ached his entire body. Standing over the two in a condescendig manner, Onio's wife's giggles brings laughter to him.
"Even the King's son can't beat me, honey!" Onio shouts to his wife. "See? You married the strongest Saiyan in the cosmos!"
Bardock chuckled. The more he got up, the louder his laughter grew. Onio didn't happen to find Bardock's humor pleasant. "What are you laughing about?"
"You're far from the strongest Saiyan," Bardock answers. "The King Vegeta you know is long gone. Our current King is twice as strong as you. And what's even worse? My son...a lower-class warrior, excels you in battle-power. In a decade's time, you'll be at bottom-feeder tier amongst Saiyan warriors."
Onio spat at the ground. "I'd like to see you keep talking with your head mounted on a stake."
As Bardock continued to get Onio riled up with his words, the chubby Saiyan didn't bother to notice that Tarble was hovering above him, nor did Onio's wife. Keeping the element of surprise, Tarble struck a multitude of energy attacks at Onio's back before dashing over to Bardock and swooping him out of the scene and into the trees.
Once all the smoke had cleared up, Onio rocketed into the sky in a fit rage. "RUNNING AWAY, ARE WE!?"
Bardock tried to spring back in the field of action, but Tarble kept a firm grip on the man's wrist, holding him back. Bardock demanded he be let go, but Tarble didn't fold.
"We need a plan. He's too strong for either of us to just keep taking turns going at him head on."
That was the style of fighting Bardock had always been used to. He figured that he and Tarble could tire him out a little before somehow finding an edge, but they'd be half-dead by the time Onio was even remotely exhausted. Even when things seemed bleak, Bardock didn't bother in transforming until he knew that he had absolutely no other choice. Understanding where Tarble was coming from, he was all ears. "All right, what do you suggest?"
Back out in open space, Onio was shouting at the type of his lungs. "Last time I checked, fleeing isn't the Saiyan warrior's way! You either fight and find a way to win or face your death with pride! Come out before I string you out!"
Still, no response. Frustrated at this point, Onio decided to his last resort: wreck shit to drag them out. Powering up, his bright blue aura crackled. Balls of ki formed in both hands. Firing out into the trees, he aimed to made sure that there were no more standing.
The booming impact of his attack coughed up so much smoke that the battle-field was no longer visible. He knew for a fact that they were hiding in there and in his eyes, there was no way that they could have escaped certain death.
But he was in for a surprise. It would be a while before the smoke cleared out, so it was the perfect time to strike.
Tarble was positioned so far high above the smoke that he couldn't even see Onio. It was only thanks to his cracked scouter that he was able to pinpoint his exact location. Bardock was down below camouflaged by the debris. Tarble struck first, sending a plethora of ki attacks to Onio's back once again. The chubby Saiyan turned around to swat them away before he was hit by a violet wave of ki, which he blocked with his arms.
Bardock shot down from below, rendering Onio a crucial elbow to the spine. Once contact was made, he shot down below to avoid getting hit. Onio, with his attention on the last assailant, had taken his eyes off Tarble, who was rocketing down right for him. A crushing blow to the off-guard Saiyan's cheek had more than enough force behind it to send Onio plummeting down below into the purple soil of Planet Kayuk.
Subsequent to getting up, Bardock planted a boot right into his nose to send Onio off his feet. Tarble came down from below, ramming both feet into his stomach, crushing Onio's back against the ground once more. Hopping off, both Tarble and Bardock unleashed a barrage of chi attacks simultaneously, striking Onio in all areas.
"NOW!"
Bardock placed his left arm behind his head, charging his personal attack, as Tarble did his by placing his right backhand in front of his left palm, which was right by his face, charging a bright, violet attack.
The two Saiyans unleashed their attacks in perfect synch. As they travelled to Onio, who was slow to get up, Bardock and Tarble's wave of ki collided with one another, successfully merging into one devastating attack, which struck Onio head on. He had no choice but to let himself be engulfed by the attack and just pray that he survived once it was over.
By the end of it, the smoke had all cleared. Onio's wife was beyond hysterical; jaw wide and eyes nearly popping out her sockets. Never before had she seen Onio beaten to such hell. Her husband was slow to get back on his feet. His armor was torn and blood leaked from his head down to his arms and the tips of his fingers. The grinding of his teeth was a definitive indication that he was beyond enraged, but the heavy huffing and puffing was a good one for Bardock and Tarble, showing that they did enough damage to wear him out - at least enough to take him on head on without having to be in a one-sided matchup as they were just mere moments ago.
Onio makes one step in their direction, but the Saiyan falls over on his knees, groaning in agony. They had did much more a toll on him than he even considered to take into account. "S-Shit…"
It wasn't until then that Onio's wife truly panicked. Not knowing what to do, she shrieked and started seemingly speaking like a mad-woman, begging for them to not kill her.
"We won't hurt you," Tarble reassured her.
The statement from Tarble brought a halt to her incessant crying. "Really? Even after I was the one who suggested that Onio kill the both of you?"
Hearing this, Onio starts to laugh. This gets the others attention and brings the two Saiyan men on guard. Onio subverts expectations and instead gives them two a thumbs up, calling it a fair match. "Well done. It's been years since anyone was ever able to harm me to this extent. I don't see any other way but to call it done here and admit you won. I know when I'm beat. And as for gratitude for not killing my wife, honey will give you some jewelry. It's good money - so much that you won't have to worry about money for the rest of your days."
"So that's all you do?" Tarble inquiries. "You just travel to worlds untouched by the Freeza Force and steal any remaining goods you can find?"
He nodded. "That's right. Ever since I met my wife, I never looked back. I've had someone to fight for instead of fighting for the sake of fighting. Faking our deaths and making it convincing was the hardest part to get away from Freeza's hold, but it was worth it. I doubt you, still entangled in Saiyan civilization, would truly understand where I'm coming from, but you seem like reasonable people."
"We actually do understand exactly what you mean," Bardock tells Onio. Tarble just nods, backing up Bardock's words. They, too, have women of their own who they dearly love. And like Onio, they would put them first over their own people if it meant keeping them safe and happy.
Secretly, Bardock was happy that it didn't have to come down to him and Tarble killing Onio. As much as he loved life or death battles, killing his own kind was just something he never thought he'd have to do. And the fact that he came so close today felt all too surreal for him. Killing his own kind just didn't feel right.
"The next time we feel the need for a hard-fought battle, we'll be sure to find you somehow," Bardock says.
"All you have to do is come here. This is one of our vacation planets. We have summer planets, winter planets, all of which we consider homes. All you need to do is visit most vacant planets that the slimy bastard Freeza hasn't touched yet and you will be sure to find me."
Tarble gets out a remote control device to call their ship over to them. Once he sets it en route, Onio's wife approaches Bardock, asking the Saiyan if he knew the perfect place where her and Onio could spend their 17th anniversary together.
Scratching his head, Bardock looked to Tarble, who just turned his head away and started whistling as he tapped his feet against the ground. Seeing that Tarble wasn't going to be of any help, Bardock responded, "I honestly have no idea."
But it was then that Tarble recalled a conversation he held with Planet Tech Tech's president at one point in time. "There's this planet called Earth," he informs her. "The people whom I grew up with away from Planet Vegeta used to abduct people from that planet and do tests on them to study the specimen, but ever since they set up planetary satellites to monitor any extraterrestrial interference, they stopped. The planet is less advanced, but they have more than what you both will need over there, I'm sure. I also hear the food is fantastic. I suppose that would be a decent planet for you both to travel to and it surely isn't on Freeza's radar, nor my brother's."
Onio smiled. Just as he figured moments ago. He had misjudged these two.
After the unexpected turn of events, Tarble and Bardock were both on a small ship that had the capacity of many people. Tarble sat in the pilot seat while the ship was in auto-pilot on its way back to Planet Vegeta. Bardock remained seated on the passenger side with his arms folded, silent.
After reflecting on the battle in his head, Tarble smiled. That was his first true, hard-fought battle - the closest he had ever been to death. It wasn't something he found exciting as he only fought to live, but the fact that he showed he was capable of surviving a battle of such degree meant that he was no lesser than any other Saiyan warrior on Planet Vegeta. For him, it was something to take deep pride in. If only Vegeta was there, though. Maybe even he would have been surprised.
"That sure was some trip," Tarble spoke up. "Helped me take my mind off other things for sure."
"Indeed." He glanced at Tarble. He noticed just how banged up he was in battle, much more so than he was, yet he still continued to fight. One thing about Tarble he respected was that he never gave up. Not only that, but Tarble also saved his life! During his entire tenure as a combatant, Bardock had been the ones ensuring his comrade's safety in battle, doing his best to be as efficient as possible without having any casualties on his side, even going out his way to save his own men. Yet not once had he ever been saved...until now. Most Saiyans Bardock worked with trusted him to be reliable, yet it didn't mean that Bardock should confide in them. He learned that lesson as a young boy. But Tarble? He was different. There was just something about him that reminded him a lot of himself. "I have to hand it to you - for what you lack in aggression, you sure make up for in tactical fighting."
"I do whatever I can to make sure we both make it out alive. That should be everyone's end goal at the end of the day when it comes to battle."
"Can't argue with that."
"I've had my few share of fights on Planet Tech-Tech and that always the way I approached things. Sure enough, after a few times, nobody ever bothered to try me again."
"Given how you outclass those people in every aspect of strength, I'm surprised that they didn't tie you down to try and run experiments on you."
Bardock's comment got a little chortle from the Saiyan prince. "The Raudo people are some hard-assed stubborn people, but for what it's worth...they are mainly good folk. And that pretty much sums you up, Bardock."
Bardock just scoffs.
Lying low and living life while not having to work was something that Gine had to adjust herself to. The woman was used to waking up early every day to work at the meat distributor, but ever since being back, she was just at home, making a meal for herself and lying down in the back. Socializing with many people wasn't something she could take luxury in now because it only took one person to point out how a woman believed to be dead should stay dead. She took solace in knowing that she had Gumeel for good company on some late nights and that she wouldn't dare utter a word to anybody. She had it better than most and for that reason, she couldn't really complain at all.
Gine is lying down on her bed as the sun-sets. Everybody's shift is just about to end as people will soon be headed to sleep, which was the time she made sure to be in the back of her home, where nobody would be able to see her. Just as she closes her eyes and gets ready to drift asleep, Bardock's all too familiar scent forces her eyes to open. Before she could react by getting out of bed, Bardock falls aside her, cuddling the woman as he pecked her on the cheek.
"Whoah…" Gine blushed. Turning around, she looked her husband in the face. "What's gotten into you, huh?"
"How about instead of sitting around, bored all day, you and I go out and have our own little vacation?"
Her eyebrows raise. "Vacation? Bardock, we don't have that luxury. I have to lay low and you have to tend to your duties as Saiyan colonel."
"All I need to do is ask King Vegeta," Bardock tells her. "Besides, Tarble will do well in substituting for me while I'm off-world. I'm sure King Vegeta wouldn't be pressed about me wanting to relax a bit unless there was some urgent matters going on. He hasn't been present much lately anyhow." Gine's red cheeks gets caressed, causing her to fluster even more. "You don't have to worry about me not expressing how I feel about you anymore, Gine. After losing you, I regretted all the moments that I didn't. I can't take you for granted anymore."
Hearing that was a total shock to her, but she loved it. "Doing that doesn't make you feel lesser?"
Bardock shook his head. "It makes me feel stronger." He hugged her tightly as they lied down. "I'm not going to let you go. Not ever again."
In Bardock's eyes, if a strong, prideful, mighty warrior such as Onio could outwardly express his cherishing love for his woman without shame or embarrassment, then why couldn't he?
All he needed was for someone to set a fine example.
