Here's chapter 128! Thanks to DarkReina and Rawrz for the reviews on chapter 127. Thanks to anonymous for the kind comment on chapter 96. I'm doing fine now.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters. Akira Toriyama does!

...

Daiz paid for the necessary supplies for the next two days and glumly walked out of the small shop he'd chosen to procure the needed items. This time there was no delightful escapade with a certain blue-haired beauty. He had pleaded with Bulma to hear him out but those entreaties fell on deaf ears. The former denizen of Kabocha missed the presence of the fiery scientist. Her bubbly laughter had charmed him so much that he had went out of his way to amuse her just to hear that melodic sound. Now the simple act of reaching for her hand was rewarded with a stinging slap. He had hoped a change of scenery would have helped but it only reinforced the fact that he was alone. Again.

He was not looking forward to returning to Turles's ship to endure more of Bulma's disdain.

"Daiz?"

Daiz slightly craned his neck to see who had called out to him. With his profession it was best to acknowledge who spoke to you before revealing yourself. An elegantly dressed young woman had called out to him. She had flowing black hair that spilled over her shoulders, golden skin and was dressed in a gold and purple gown that brushed her knees, golden sandals encased her small feet. Something was very familiar about her...

"OH! IT IS YOU!" the young woman rushed up to him and recognition finally dawned on him. Markelia?

But it couldn't be! This female gave off an air of sophistication the young Daigoyien had never possessed...

"Markelia?" Daiz choked out.

"Of course it's ME! Who else did you think I was?"

A silvery peal of laughter entranced the Kabochan pirate as he stood staring in utter disbelief. This confident, absolutely beautiful young woman was the shy pensive granddaughter of Cronos?

"I so wish I was not pressed for time but perhaps you'll come visit me sometime soon?"

Daiz was tongue-tied and could only stand there gaping.

Markelia laughed again with her amber eyes dancing with delight. She stood on her tiptoes to press a soft kiss on the cheek of the startled pirate.

He nodded vigorously unable to do little else.

"I hope all are well. Good-bye Daiz!" the lovely Daigoyien called out as she blew a kiss and walked away.

Daiz sucked in a breath as it seemed to him as if time had stood still as Markelia had kissed his cheek.

He shook his head trying to clear it of the racing thoughts that suddenly appeared unbidden into his mind. Bulma still meant very much to him and he was going to do his best to try to rectify the situation between them. But he was definitely going to pay a visit to Markelia soon. He owed her that much. Now the Kabochan wracked his brain to come up with a suitable peace offering for Bulma...

A certain smiling face kept popping up in his thoughts. Daiz smacked himself in the forehead.

"I'm SUPPOSED to be figuring out something for Bulma I'm NOT going to be flitting from one woman to the next. Turles was the one with a woman in...make that WOMEN in EVERY spaceport!" Daiz muttered to himself.

...

Chi-Chi snapped up her head as Turles entered the waiting area. The Saiyan silently plopped into the seat across from her. Something the brunette had never seen before was clearly etched in the pirate commander's face. Worry. Concern suffused the Ox-king's daughter's entire being, if someone as cold as Turles could be so apprehensive about Gohan's condition...

A tan crustacean appearing like a lobster of some sort quietly walked in their direction. Chi-Chi would never get used to the strange aliens she encountered since leaving Earth. Judging from the white uniform and what appeared to badges of some importance it was obviously a member of the medical personnel. The 'lobster" gave a long sigh and folded his multiple appendages.

"Commander Turles, I am Vacaliies. I wish we were meeting under more favorable circumstances..."

"What is Gohan's condition?" Turles interrupted.

"The virus keeps mutating and replicating. As fast as we attempt to eradicate it a new form appears. We've done all we can."

Chi-Chi began to sob softly.

"There are NO other options?" the Saiyan pressed.

"We could attack the virus while simultaneously flushing his system repeatedly with blood from a suitable donor. But the procedure is very delicate and quite risky not guaranteed by any means. It could also very well result in..."

Vacaliies looked up at Turles nervously as he fell silent.

"WHAT WOULD BE THE RESULT?" Turles thundered.

"The procedure might result in the death of the donor."

The Terror of the North Sector shrugged his shoulders.

"So be it then."

Chi-Chi blinked as she stared at the Saiyan pirate in utter disbelief. She knew Turles would be the only possible donor for the attempt to save her son. But he had willing stepped up to the challenge without a hint of protest and quite possibly at the cost of his own life.

...

Daiz hoped his idea would work. Only time would tell but at least he'd be showing Bulma he hadn't given up on the two of them. Gartoas scratched his head in confusion as a beaming Daiz practically bounced across the bridge as he went to put away the provisions he had returned with.

'Ah believe e's done lost 'is mind!'

...

A thoroughly annoyed Bulma practically flew from the bridge to her quarters aboard Turles's ship. The nerve of that overfed bearded jerk! She'd been ordered to repair a glitch in the communications system contained in the bridge computer. If she had refused said order it would not have resulted in punishment for her. The complete boor had declared imminent harm would come to Chi-Chi!

Bulma worried immensely about Gohan but she dreaded Turles's return to the ship. And there was no telling what poor Chi-Chi was going through at the hands of the vile pirate...

...

Chi-Chi shook herself to stay awake she wasn't sure just how long it had been since Turles had left the waiting area. A familiar figure burst into the room. It was that strange girl-the green Saiyan. Kosho was what Gohan had called her. She appeared utterly distraught that Chi-Chi was alone. Tears rolled down her face and her shoulders shook as she took a seat.

In that moment Chi-Chi didn't see an alien or a Saiyan. She saw a grieving child and she held out her arms...

...

Until the next chapter!

daughterofrisingsun

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