Ch. 4

You're such a romantic Hero,

The way you dress and look yourself over.

It's no wonder you would ponder that image

Of your preening self in the mirror.

            -Son of a Gun, Janet Jackson

Even Zarbon had to admit, a few days later, that the Ginyu was a much humbler group.

Still arrogant as hell, though.

As other fights had to be fought, Krista had been given a break from the Tournament for a few days.

She spent the time talking with her small group of friends, working and, Zarbon supposed, drawing away in her quarters.

He didn't dare go and check on her. For one, he still wasn't ready to apologise.

And two, he happened to be quite fond of that part of his anatomy.

He shrugged it off as he sat in his own quarters, trying in vain to read a few reports. He had gotten halfway through the first one on recent planets wiped out when his door chime rang. He frowned.

Who the hell would be visiting him, and now of all times?

He found himself hoping as he went to answer the door that it would be Krista.

The door opened and Zarbon's features didn't fall, but they twisted into a sneer. It was Captain Ginyu.

"What?" Zarbon asked curtly. Ginyu grinned.

"Got your pants in a twist, Zarbon?"

"What the hell do you mean, Ginyu?" Zarbon asked. Ginyu shrugged.

"Nothing. Only you haven't been hanging around the human as much. We figured either you've had her and you're done with it or you're hiding a few bruises. So who wins?"

Zarbon rolled his eyes and, tapping the pad next to the door, shut it in Ginyu's face. Zarbon could hear Ginyu's muffled chuckling through the door.

"Could I take it to mean both, then?" Ginyu called through the door. Zarbon was tempted to open the door and tell Ginyu where to go, and what to do when he got there, but common sense held him back. He instead turned back to the report.

"So when's the next one?"

"Not for a few days," Krista murmured, shading in a picture of one of her favorite anime characters, DiGi Charat. Musquo peered at the picture critically.

"Is that human supposed to have a tail?"

"Yes, she's not human."

Musquo frowned. "Then what is she?"

"I don't know!" Krista said, exasperated. Musquo wrinkled his feline nose.

"Touchy, aren't we? That's the third time today. What's eating you?"

"Nothing,' Krista fairly spat. Musquo shrugged.

"Suit yourself," He said, turning towards the door. "Though if you ask me and the others, you should probably make up with Zarbon already. You're getting downright irritable."

Krista grew hot in the face. She turned hotly to the door. "What in the world makes you think-" She cut herself off as she realised that Musquo had left already. She sighed.

Why had that last statement irritated her so? Zarbon had nothing to do with anything-it was simply the pressure she was feeling that was making her irritable. Hell, she'd gone through the same thing when studying for her High School Entrance Exams…

But didn't you have that crush on Seiji then? A voice in her mind reminded her. You were upset because he'd just started going out with Minako and-

"Shut up!" she said aloud, startled at the anger in her own voice.

Why did she get so upset like that? It wasn't like Seiji had had anything to do with anything before….had he?

Getting back to the problem at hand, did she have feelings for Zarbon? How could she possibly, it wasn't even like he was all that attractive, if you didn't count the great body, the long hair, looks even Gackt would kill for-

Stop it! She told herself angrily. He's an alien! But…..Goku's an alien… No! He came to destroy your planet!! Well, technically, so did Vegeta… He hates you!………No he doesn't……he made me a promise. And you presume to trust him to honour his promises? Who says honour is anything to these people?

So the debate in her mind went, back and forth until she had exhausted herself, and fell asleep, slumped across the bed.

"So much for that…."

Burter sneered at the smirking Jeice. "You're up next, you know," he said. "Do you think you can do any better?"

Jeice grinned. "I know enough to wear protection now."

Burter started at Jeice at this, but Ginyu held him back. "Easy," he said. "No use in your fighting against each other. Too many other weaklings around for us to beat."

Burter allowed himself to be pulled away from Jeice, though anger still glowed in his eyes.

Guido looked at Jeice. "So what are you planning, then?"

"The girl's sensitive to thoughts," he said slowly, as if thinking aloud. "It's in her record. So perhaps we should make sure she can't concentrate long enough to get any attacks off."

"That would be cheating," Ginyu said simply. Jeice grinned.

"You act as if there's some problem with that."

Ginyu grinned. "Never said that….."

Krista glared at Jeice. After the stunt that his team-mate had pulled in the mess, and the prior battle, she didn't trust any of the Ginyu. It also disturbed her that the other members had turned out to watch this battle, as they hadn't been at any others. Captain Ginyu was leading the bout.

"Battlers, begin!"

Krista immediately launched herself into the air, and begin to concentrate her energy into a Kamehameha attack when an image of her giving head to Burter unwillingly entered her mind. She gasped slightly and let the energy dissipate. That was all Jeice needed. Within seconds he had her on the ground, pummelling away at her. She wedged her legs up between her body and his and forced him off of her. She stood but before she could even take a step, another image, one of her being taken by no less than three of the Ginyu at the same time forced its way into her consciousness. Jeice grinned widely and nodded just slightly to his team-mates before forming a massive energy blast in his hand and aiming it at Krista.

The last thing she saw before the blast hit was her crying out in pleasure as she came…..

She opened her eyes groggily and peered through a strange bluish haze onto the scene before her. Zarbon's voice came to her as though from a great distance.

"…and she was unconscious before I even made it halfway to the ring. I think Jeice might have killed her if I hadn't stopped him."

She could just barely discern Frieza's face. It was wavering as if she were looking at it through a heat wave. Or not so much like a heat wave, but water…

"I suppose it couldn't be helped. The Ginyu are a handful."

"They will be punished, then?" Zarbon's voice only had the slightest edge on it to indicate it was a question. She could see Frieza shake his head.

"No. It's a part of the tournaments, you know that. She's no different from anyone else on this planet."

Zarbon opened his mouth as if to press the matter but a look from Frieza warned him that the topic was closed. He looked in her direction and smirked.

"So, she's awake. Feeling any better, Lieutenant?"

It was only then that Krista realized that she was in a healing tank. She had lost the tournament.

Jeice winced as he was shoved roughly into a bulkhead by Zarbon. A couple of well placed punches on Zarbon's part brought the rest of the Ginyu, bristling, around him. Ginyu leered at him.

"Are you looking for a fight, pansy?"

"You could have killed her," Zarbon growled. Jeice grinned.

"Concerned about the human girl, are we? Is she in possession of something of yours, perhaps?"

Zarbon didn't even flinch at the remark. "If you kill her then Frieza kills me. This is the interest of self-preservation."

Jeice grinned. "You don't have to worry so much, anyway,' he said. "I wasn't going to kill her. Not so soon, anyway."

Zarbon's eyes narrowed and Burter nodded. "Clever predators play with their prey before killing it. Surely you know that, Zarbon?"

"How could he?" Guido said, grinning. "You said only clever predators do that."

Zarbon snarled and turned on Ginyu. "If I see any of you trying to hurt her again, in any way, I'll send you past the next dimension. Is this in any way unclear?"

Ginyu smirked and saluted Zarbon mockingly.

"Yes sir." He turned to him subordinates. "You heard the Commander."

The other Ginyu Force snapped to attention and gave the same false salute. "Yes sir!"

Their mocking laughter followed Zarbon out into the corridor. He sighed and turned to check on Krista.

When he arrived in the infirmary, he saw that Krista was still awake, and still in the healing tank.

How are you feeling? He asked her. She glared at him and looked away. He stepped around into her line of view and tapped on the glass.

Anyone home in there?

Go away, She thought at him firmly. He shook his head.

I'm supposed to make sure you're alright, I've got to report to Frieza in a few minutes

Okay, you've seen me. I'm fine. Go now.

Zarbon frowned. She still wasn't in the best mood with him. He shrugged and turned to leave.

Oh, by the way, He thought. I noticed the look on your face when you went down. Tell me, has any other man ever seen that look while he's busy pumm-

He found himself forced out of the door very suddenly and his connection with her was severed quite abruptly. Obviously she was already quite a bit stronger than she'd been before. That wasn't what startled him; it was the look of pure hatred in her eyes as she pushed him out. The thought crossed his mind that perhaps he ought to tone it down a little. But he wasn't quite ready to give up teasing her just yet.

Mere was there to greet her as she exited the infirmary. "How are you feeling, Lieutenant?"

Krista glanced up at him. "As well as could be expected after being knocked out and in a healing tank for seventy-two hours."

Mere nodded. "You're due in the Command Centre."

Krista raised a brow. "No sick days?"

Mere blinked. "Huh?"

"Nevermind," she sighed. She walked back to the Command Centre and took her place at Tactical. She began to run a scan of conquerable planets in a sector one hundred and fifteen parsecs away. She became so involved that she didn't notice Zarbon enter.

He glanced at her, and smiled. She suppressed a sigh as his Feeling better? Entered her mind. She didn't turn to look at him.

Yes, was her curt reply. Why do you care?

If you get killed, Frieza kills me, he told her. This is self-preservation.

Right, she said, even her thoughts holding scepticism.

Zarbon raised a brow. You can't accept the fact that maybe I care about you?

Krista actually turned and looked him in the eyes. The only person you care about, Zarbon, she thought firmly. Is the person I'm looking at right now. You don't give a shit about me, Frieza or anyone else on this goddamned planet. As far as you're concerned, if it doesn't involve you, or your pride, or you life, you won't be bothered.

Zarbon blinked. He was surprisingly hurt by her thoughts. She seemed to read this and her expression softened a little. He tried to form his thoughts into an apology but instead, he smirked. So glad you finally noticed.

And the expression on Krista's face was gone, replaced by a look of pure disgust. Go fuck yourself, she thought at him, turning back around.

If I could, I wouldn't leave my room, he thought back at her. He could feel her aggravation and wondered again briefly if he'd gone too far, then decided he didn't care anyway.

It wasn't like she cared about him, anyway.