Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ… if I did Vegeta would've been the one to kick Frieza' ass from here to… Damn it… Well, anyway… don't sue me.
Shadows of the Past
Chapter 18
" That's not really fair for you to say. We're not little kids or anything anymore. It isn't like we haven't seen battles before, Vegeta! " Krillin and Gohan objected at the same time.
" You can't tell me that you have any idea what I'm talking about. You were not taken from your home and your parents at five years old and forced to murder entire civilizations. You also can't imagine from the battles you've fought on earth what it looks like to see a battlefield carpeted with thousands of soldiers, laying dead at your feet, their bodies being slowly picked over by carrion birds, curious animals and insects. The stench of rotting flesh gets into your clothes and your hair for days. Worse still is when the cleaning crews arrive and they start to burn the bodies. That would've been a truly miserable job, finding and sorting the dead, and of course the occasional dying warrior and having to put them down before you can burn them. Frieza's army was cold and brutal, but they kept excellent records of all enemy casualties and our own losses. Our personnel files were very thorough. I can still remember everything in mine. " Vegeta sighed, falling silent for a moment, he looked down. " You get used to the sounds of combat, and even the screams of the injured and dying, but never the silence afterward. The silence that shrouds such a scene takes you by surprise every time. That was why most of us who were in the purge division worked in teams. No one would ever admit it, and no one ever spoke of it, but it was always there. I worked alone more often than I care to remember. "
"Still, " Vegeta shook his head. " to me the tragic thing is that actual wars are a series of battles fought not so much on the front lines as by diplomats and strategists behind the scenes that command thousands of lives but never take part in the fights they start. The soldiers' battles are an outward sign of the determination on both sides to see their interests achieved. Wars often start decades or even centuries before the first punch is thrown as diplomats and strategists on both sides maneuver into positions that will gain the support of their people, and in particular, their fighters. The battle phase of war need only continue until one side or the other gains a truly decisive victory or until the battles become too costly to continue at which point one side normally surrendered. To the planets we purged, I suppose they thought of fighting us as being a war… but such missions were usually ridiculously easy and carried out in a week or less. But planets who had successfully defeated one team only received another more powerful one, so they still loose in the end. "
" I remember too clearly how I felt when I was trying to fight Radditz, and then you, Vegeta when I was five…" Gohan said slowly, tracing circles in the sand with a stick. " I guess you're right. I really can't imagine how you felt being so young and purging planets, and listening to strategists and… "
" Gohan. " Vegeta grunted, " I am not saying you have not had it pretty rough, too. You were raised to be peaceful. I was raised to be king of a great warrior race one day. To do that I would have to be ready to issue orders that the same warriors I was chosen to rule, would have to go fight, and I would have to know that many would never return. Battle is what I was born for. I was never a naïve little brat that could blast someone and then wait impatiently for them to get back up and play some more. With power like that comes responsibility and in a way, I took it very seriously from a young age, but I have still done a lot of things I wouldn't do now. "
Everyone was quiet for a moment, until Bra laid a hand on Vegeta's shoulder and smiled. " So what happened next daddy? Did you go back to the school, and see the little princess? "
" Yes, Bra. In between almost all of my missions I was sent back to the school. But this time I was actually glad to be going back. I was very tired. Two months of sleeping on the ground under the stars was not much fun compared to sleeping in my own room, and having people my age to talk to. I really enjoyed sparring with Gunnar, and hanging out with Shani. Most of the others I considered to be lower creatures, but the three of us got along perfectly, and I didn't want Frieza and Zarbon to get too interested in anyone I liked. "
" What about that new kid? Wires? Didn't you say that was his name, daddy? "Bra asked. " He seemed nice, why didn't you like him? " Vegeta just laughed.
Vegeta walked out of the library's study room and heard some strange noises from the near by maintenance closet. Arching one eyebrow he opened the door and found Wires hanging upside-down over a mop bucket and suspended by what had to be at least five rolls of duct tape. He also had his hands taped to his sides. Vegeta sighed as the skinny weakling of a Zarovian gave him a pleading look, and was about to pull him down, when a familiar voice called out from down the hall.
" Why Prince Vegeta. " Said the walking mountain of muscle that was Captain Ginyue, as he came striding over. " What are you doing, joining the cleaning staff? I thought you'd have had enough of that during your kitchen duties. "
" One of my classmates is in there. I was going to retrieve him. " Vegeta growled.
The huge purple skinned warrior just chuckled maliciously. " That skinny little twit doesn't belong here. He ought to be one of the palace slaves, not one of the warriors in training. "
" It is up to Frieza who belongs here, Captain Ginyue. " Zarbon said smoothly. " I suggest that you tell those two brutes of yours to find something else to play with. "
" Brogan and Craven have more points than any of the young ones you've been working with, Zarbon. They don't really even need the rest of their team, and they are strong enough to pick on anything they want. " Ginyue shrugged.
" Vegeta and Gunnar held them to a stand off just three months ago, out on the square. So how do your two favorites like their duties cleaning bathrooms in the coliseum? If they have this much extra time, maybe I need to assign them something else to do. "
" You bastard Zarbon. You only gave your little brat two weeks! Three months isn't fair and you know it! And you know what else? If you weren't Frieza's bitch, I would've killed you a hundred times by now. " Ginyue growled. Vegeta could feel the warrior's incredible power growing, even without his scouter, and took a step back.
Zarbon however, remained aloof, and cool. Looking down his perfect nose at the stronger warrior and grinning. " I think you're jealous of more than my diplomatic skills, Ginyue. My brother wiped the floor with your team at the war games last year, and this year my team is again better than yours and you know it. "
" Yes, rub it in… but how is your little brother anyway? Last I heard the two of you weren't speaking. Something about you being too afraid of Frieza to take back your father's throne and… "
" Kazar is young and foolish. He still doesn't want to believe that Frieza's rule is absolute and that he will crush all who oppose him. But he will learn, won't he, Captain? " Zarbon shrugged, his voice cool, but the Saurian's amber eyes glinted with fire.
" Yes, we all had to learn that one… I suppose. " The purple warrior glanced at the contents of the closet and then laughed as he started off down the hall.
" Don't you want to rule? " Vegeta asked finally as Zarbon freed the struggling boy from his precarious perch.
" Sometimes caution is the better part of valor, Vegeta. More than anyone else here, you had better learn that truth. " The elegant warrior told him.
" No warrior ever won a battle simply by watching. " Vegeta growled.
" Not all battles are fought with physical blows and Ki blasts. " Zarbon shrugged. " Haven't you learned anything yet, Vegeta? "
" You know there will come a time when words and everything else will fail, Zarbon. What are you going to do then? Are you going to stand and fight? Or are you going to stay Frieza's lapdog? " Vegeta asked, forcing himself to lock eyes with the dangerous warrior and not back down. He knew Zarbon was way beyond his power, but he also knew Zarbon would never lower himself to attacking him. There was too much grace and honor in Zarbon to do something so course.
Zarbon laughed softly, finally looking away. " Vegeta, such talk is treason, you know that. For now you had better remember that sometimes it is better to be the king's hound than a lion among jackals. I think we had both better forget that we had such a discussion. "
His heart was pounding in his chest as the Saiyan Prince watched Zarbon walk away; he knew it was dangerous to make Zarbon angry, but he also knew that Zarbon would be a powerful ally, were he ever to turn on Frieza…
" Thanks, Vegeta. " Wires said quietly.
" I'm late for class, thanks to you. " Vegeta grunted. " But I didn't really want to learn proper dinner technique for entertaining Ronalians, anyway. I hate showing up late to Etiquette class. "
" Are you suggesting we not go? " Wires asked, his green eyes huge with shock.
" Do whatever you want. I'm going to find Napa and Radditz. "
" Who are they? "
" You're as bad as Shani, just go away! I don't have time for all these questions. " Vegeta growled, and turned around to see that he was being followed. " All right, I guess you can come but be quiet and… "
" Hello little monkey. " Dodoria chuckled. " You two wouldn't be avoiding Mr. Poupon and his etiquette class, would you? "
" No. " Vegeta growled, glaring at Wires, who winced and followed them to the large conference room in the library, which was set up as a dinning room today. Vegeta growled as he took his place across from Shani, who grinned and waved.
" Oh, very good, Prince Vegeta and Prince Wayenright have deemed us worthy of their royal presence. Better late than never, thank you Master Dodoria you may go. " Mr. Poupon was a tall elegant figure of a man who's impeccable manners, immaculate taste in clothes and regal bearing could make some mistake him for actual Gazorian royalty, but he was not.
Vegeta knew he was born a member of the noble class certainly, but he was known to be illegitimate, and therefore unfit to rule. This meant to support his noble status, he used his royal breeding and manners to instruct others in proper etiquette and manners. In time, he had developed quite a reputation, and Vegeta glared at the man, but he ignored it. Mr. Poupon had been his etiquette teacher before he had come here. Normally didn't mind this class, because he had been thoroughly well taught most of this crap already, but what he hated, was proper dinner etiquette. And knowing his teacher from his father's court, meant Vegeta knew the man purposely saved these lessons for when Vegeta was here, knowing he despised the formality of training for state dinners as actually having to attend them.
" Now that we are all here, does anyone remember what Ronalians are? " A number of students raised their hands, but Mr. Poupon nodded at Wires, who squirmed uncomfortably in his chair.
" I'm sorry, I don't remember. "
" The proper phrase would be I am sorry, I do not remember. " Mr. Poupon corrected smoothly. " Could anyone else tell me? Very nice, Princess Shannelle, would you like to answer? "
" Of course, Ronalians are the creators of the three most valuable pleasure slave varieties, and were responsible for beginning the slave trade that has been based on Kwanzaa since Durmast took the throne. " Shani told him.
" Princess, it is unseemly for a young lady of your breeding and character to speak of such things, particularly at the dinner table. Ronalians are also among the best scientists and inventors in known space. They have saved countless species from extinction and rescued even more from starving to death, by creating new plant and animal varieties that adapt and survive even in extreme conditions. "
" So are you saying it is alright for them to justify their horrid experiments on living beings by hiding it behind some of the byproducts of their work? Their intentions are not entirely benevolent, and the slave trade has made them dangerously wealthy. They have been negotiating with Lord Frieza himself to buy my planet… because of the way others react to Elven beauty. I am sorry, Mr. Grey Poupon, but I cannot and will not overlook such a danger to my people in favor of their shinning examples of good will toward other races and planets. " Shani growled defensively, and Vegeta grinned at her in admiration. There were tears in her eyes, but she managed to keep them back, so that was what had been bothering her lately? The Ronalians were trying to purchase her planet? Bastards, and knowing Frieza, he'd sell it to them too. That didn't sit well with Vegeta, not at all...
Mr. Poupon also regarded her speculatively, for a moment then he turned to the rest of the class. " There will be times, my young royals, that you will find yourself facing subjects like that, things of bitter unpleasantness that makes you feel almost uncontrollable anger and pain. Princess Shannelle has perfectly demonstrated exactly how one should broach such a subject. If there had been a Ronalian in this room, they would've been surprised by your outburst. But they could not, by rules of etiquette and hospitality, take serious offense or action against you of any kind. Mind you, that would not be a good way to begin negotiations, but since we were imitating a state dinner meeting between many races and potential allies; that would definitely make your point that perhaps other races need to watch their Ronalian allies a bit more closely. "