The Prince
Chapter 7: A Plan for Salvation
By: senzubean
I do not own Dragon Ball Z in any way. I make no profit from this story. I just wrote it for fun.
Upon their return to the Palace, Recely tucked her son into his bed. Patiently, she waited until he was asleep and was positive that only a massive explosion would awaken him. Then she quietly retreated to her own rooms, thankful that the King had left the planet. She didn't want to be anywhere near him and she especially didn't want him upsetting her child anymore than he already had.
Recely flopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling of the room.
I can't let this happen. There's no justification for a parent to do this and poor little Vegeta just doesn't understand.
She sat up and crossed her legs under her.
"I must find a way to spare him from Frieza's influence. But how?" Recely wracked her brain but every solution she came up with seemed impossible to pull off. After about an hour, she growled frustrated, jumped off the bed and began pacing the room.
I suppose this is how Vegeta feels all the time trying to rule this planet with that bastard overseeing everything. I almost can't blame him for being an ass-hole.
She went to the window and looked at the sky. The moon was out in full glory. It was a bright white. In only six months it would be full
It reminded her that it would be her son's first transformation. Recely had missed her own and she had no desire to seize the opportunity this time around either. She wasn't interested in going on a rampage. Like her, Prince Vegeta would miss his first transformation. For some reason this bothered Recely, but she didn't know why.
She gazed at the stars.
I guess the only way to save Vegeta is to abduct him from the planet. Recely thought about the idea. It was the best one she had. But, where would we go. There doesn't seem to be a place in the entire universe untouched by Frieza.
Her thoughts were interrupted by an almost inaudible knock on her chamber doors.
"Come in." Recely stated half-heartedly, expecting a servant sent by the King to apologize with material things instead of just admitting that he was wrong.
"I beg your pardon, Your Highness, " A voice Recely didn't recognize said behind her. Recely turned away from the window to see the King's advisor and her son's tutor standing shyly in the threshold. Recely was puzzled by the stance, almost every elite stood up proudly like the arrogant snobs they were, even in the presence of their superiors.
Zorn bowed and saluted her simultaneously. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, I .."
"Not at all, " Recely interrupted him. She could tell by his tone that he was trying to excuse himself. It was plain to see that she was ready for bed, clad in her dressing gown. But Recely wanted Zorn to stay. She had never spoken to him on a personal basis. All their conversations had been business oriented. Her son respected him highly and told her all about him." Please sit down." She motioned towards her sofa. She smiled warmly at him. Zorn returned the smile and accepted her offer. Recely watched him as he walked towards her, she thought he was very handsome, he had intelligent looking eyes. A rarity among saiyans.
"I am very sorry about the Prince, your highness."
"So am I." Recely sighed. "I'd do anything to save him from that monster."
"Anything?" Zorn asked in all seriousness. Recely looked at his facial expressions. His intelligent eyes were asking her if she had enough courage to take action on her statement.
"Yes." Recely replied, very intrigued.
"So would I." Zorn smiled with determination. "Your highness, may I make a suggestion?"
"Please do." Recely stated.
"Your Highness, the only course of action we have against Frieza is to deny him what he wants. The King will attack him, of that I am sure but not before relinquishing your son to him."
"You believe the King will fail in a rescue mission."
"Most assuredly." Zorn said gravely. "Frieza is afraid of us. He knows that if he has the Prince he can keep us in check by blackmailing his father. If the king revolts in the slightest he'll punish him by abusing the Prince. It's as easy as that."
"He would harm my child?" Recely asked terrified at the thought.
"Of course." Zorn replied. "He destroys planets for sheer pleasure. There's no doubt that he would torture a child with the same enjoyment."
"Zorn!" Recely erupted looking away from him in disgust. "What purpose will putting this fear in me fulfill."
"Perspective , Your Highness. The King is excellent at false reassurance it is what his kingdom thrives on. Do you think that people would be willing to be Frieza's slaves if he did not preach false hope to them? He would have been de-throned long before you ever knew him."
Recely analyzed his features wondering if she should trust him. this was her mate's advisor, he was privy to all the palace's business. And now he was betraying his long time master for the sake of the young prince and the Queen of only five years. It was probable that Zorn had his own personal objectives. Recely considered this discreetly and kept a set face as she continued to listen to Zorn's proposal.
"He will try and manipulate you , Recely. He'll make you think that everything is all right, that Vegeta is perfectly safe with Frieza. I assure you he is not. Whether Frieza kills your son now, or later is inconsequential but believe me, he will destroy him someday. For someday Vegeta will be more powerful than him. He's more powerful than Frieza's average soldier now."
"I can see your point, Zorn!" Recely erupted. Angered that he thought felt the need to frighten her siding with him. Such a Saiyan maneuver. "I had no intention of ever relinquishing my child and I am not so easily manipulated as you may think!"
"I meant you no offense, Your Highness."
"No matter." Recely replied, forgiving him for the time being, still wanting to hear his idea, since she hadn't one of her own. "The question remains as to what I am to do about this situation."
"Simple, highness. Leave the planet with The Prince and go somewhere where no one, not even Frieza will find him."
"Hmph!" Recely scoffed angrily. She had thought of that! That idea was no good to her since she had come to the conclusion that it could not work. "And where would this fantastical planet be, Zorn?" She demanded sarcastically while crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him, very unimpressed.
Zorn chuckled. "I keep very close records of all the planets Frieza's organization have occupied. More importantly, I know which ones he skipped and which ones he doesn't know even exist."
Recely let her glare melt and looked at Zorn in astonishment. "There are hidden planets?"
"Most definitely." Zorn replied. "Frieza mooches technology from every planet he conquers. He doesn't have any skilled astrologers on his payroll, they're useless to him when any spaceship captain can plot a course to any group of obvious planetary systems. It takes a professional to find the tiny ones."
"Just because he is ignorant of such places now not does not mean he will remain so."
Zorn shrugged. "It makes no difference really, we can track his every move, we'll know where he's coming and going and can retreat accordingly."
"Retreat.." Recely mumbled thinking of all the aliens out in the galaxy that had no means of retreat and no where to hide.
"I can tell you have your doubts about this." Zorn replied," but I assure you, I have the power to arrange anyone and anything you want. Whom ever you want to bring with us is fine, just tell me and I'll make preparations for them. But ,Your Highness, I need not remind you of the urgency of this mission."
"No.." Recely replied halfheartedly still allowing all this to sink in and wondering if she truly could trust Zorn.
"I can also see, Your Highness, that you have your doubts about me." Recely looked up at him, shocked that she was unable to hide her skepticism.
Zorn chuckled pleasantly. "It does not offend me. I understand your concern. Although I have no children of my own, I have great esteem for yours. I do not want to see him hurt. If you need to talk to someone you know you can trust about this, Argo will be more than willing to comply. He is helping me organize everything and will be able to put your fears at rest."
Recely smiled graciously. "Thank you, Zorn."
Zorn bowed. "It is my utmost pleasure to serve you, Your Highness."
"Aw c'mon, Vegeta!" Beana gently urged the Prince. She kicked his new ball to him. Vegeta watched it bounce past him and down into the courtyard. The Prince sighed and looked at the ground sadly.
"What's wrong? I thought you liked this game." Beana asked and ran to get the ball. She kicked it as hard as she could directly at her playmate. If Vegeta didn't want to get hit he would have to deflect it.
He didn't.
"Oww!" Vegeta whined and grabbed his bleeding nose. The ball smashed him right in the face. For a just middle class saiyan, his nursemaid had a powerful kick.
"Oh!" Beana gasped and ran up to him. She pulled his hands away from his nose and examined the damage. She then pushed him to his rear end and forced his head between his knees.
"Beana!" Vegeta complained.
"Hold still, I don't want you to choke!"
Vegeta had had it.
"Lemme go!" He ordered shaking himself from under her hold.
"Vegeta! Do as I say!" Beana scolded, wanting him to obey her for his own good. She went to force his head down again. Vegeta forced her away.
"Where are my parents? I want an answer this time!"
"I don't know!" Beana replied exasperated. He'd only asked her every five minutes since he'd woken up that morning. She thought he'd eventually get the hint. But apparently , the prince took after his father in more ways than just his looks.
"You do too! You just won't tell me!"
"I don't"
"You do!"
Beana huffed in frustration and took a handkerchief from her pocket. "Truthfully, Vegeta, I don't know where they are." She said seriously as she wiped Vegeta's nose of blood. "But don't worry. I know your mother has an alternative to your father's decision."
Despite the reassurance in Beana's voice, Vegeta remained worried and it showed.
Beana tussled his hair affectionately. "Don't worry." She stressed and hoisted him to his feet. She then picked the ball up and distanced herself from him.
"Let's try this again, shall we?" She chuckled. "Try not to catch it with your face this time."
The King carefully studied field reports on The planet Tasbah. Explosions echoed all around while soldiers rushed to crush any native they could find still wandering around the city that they were all now destroying.
The King mumbled at the information he was studying. Pleased with the results. For once, he was happy to be behind schedule.
He was distracted a s a building collapsed fifty feet beside him.
"Be careful of the architecture, The buyers want this city intact." The King instructed several soldiers who were passing by. They complied and assured the King they would pass the message along.
He returned to the files, trying to see what course of action would waste the most time. He was so enthralled with the files that he barely noticed the surplus of soldiers migrating into the city. Eventually he became aware and demanded the first officer he saw what was going on.
"The full moon is early, Sire. The Southern Hemisphere is nearly occupied. We weren't needed , so we came here to help with the occupation of the city."
"The full moon?" The king asked dumbfounded. He looked into the still daytime sky of the Northern Hemisphere. The planet wouldn't complete its rotation away from the sun for another few hours. He returned his gaze to the elite. "But, I was informed this morning that it would not appear for another day."
The soldier bowed. "The man who made that estimation was obviously mistaken, sire. The Full moon appears tonight."
The King sighed and looked at the half occupied city. "
"What shall I direct my team to do?"
The King looked at him blankly. He wanted to scream. He was going to lose his son even sooner than suspected. "Find the captain of the northern team and ask where he wants you to be dispatched." The King tossed the reports away. The soldier groped to retrieve them as they landed at his feet. " Give him those reports and tell him the occupation is his to direct. I will be returning home."
The soldier bowed. "Yes, your majesty."
The King turned away and slowly walked towards his space pod, realizing what an idiot he had been. He should have been thinking about how to keep his son forever, not just for a little while longer. Now it was too late. There was no alternative, he had to take his son and hand him over to the man he hated.
Recely awoke to knocking at her door. It was early, the sun was nowhere to be seen.
She sat up in bed expecting Zorn or Argo. They were going to inform her when everything was ready for departure.
"Come in." She called out anxiously.
The Queen was utterly disappointed. It was just a servant and the message he had for her could not concern the mission.
The servant made the customary salute. "Your Highness, the King has a message for you."
Recely looked at the man blankly, this couldn't be good. "It is?"
"He wishes to inform you the Planet Tasbah is nearly occupied and he is on his way for Prince Vegeta. He implores you to have him prepared upon his arrival."
Recely froze. That was worse than she imagined. "Understood." She barely managed to choke out.
"Your Highness." The Servant saluted yet again then departed.
The Queen leapt from her bed and ran across the cold floor towards her transmitter in the other room.
"Zorn!" Queen Recely's voice rang through the launch pad where Zorn was busy preparing a medium sized spacecraft for their escape.
"Yes , your Highness?" Zorn said aloud from where he worked on the control panel.
"The King is Returning for Vegeta as we speak."
"What?" Argo asked in disbelief as he secured crates filled with supplied in the storage area of the ship.
"That is what I was just told."
"How long till he gets here?" Zorn asked in distress.
"I have no idea, but I doubt we have very long."
Zorn stopped what he was doing and thought out a course of action.
"Bring the Prince immediately." Zorn said in confidence. "Argo and I will take care of the rest."
Recely sighed in relief. Zorn's voice was reassuring. Quickly she returned to her bedroom and straight to her closet. There she proceeded to quickly dress in her war armor. She topped the ensemble off with her hunting sword that she retrieved from her home. She inspected her appearance in her dressing mirror and smiled. Recely, Queen of the Saiyans was going to save her Prince.