Chapter Fifty-Nine: Old Enemies, Same Problems
"Nice meeting you again, Superior Gran."
Shalila glared boldly at the dark blue alligator woman that she had fought many, many years ago. She sensed that the reptilian creature had increased in strength, but then so had she. Only the strange cat girl with red and green hair accompanied the alligator creature. Shalila had felt Jaden's ki nearby, and knowing that she could not easily escape Jaden and her friend without a fight, decided vainly to try to reason with the Rybanese warrior. The three fighters were now alone in a deserted part of Magan.
"Jaden," Shalila said quietly. "Why must you continue your evil? I know that you and your friend-Chestra?-helped the surviving Meatians to escape to freedom. And I am certain in my heart that you two have not harmed my great-granddaughter, Petalia, or Princess Caline of Calmag-"
"Superior Gran Shalila," Jaden interrupted sternly, "Princess Petalia and Princess Caline have been released. They should be somewhere in this city. I suggest you worry about finding them instead of facing off against us. We have more important matters to attend to. Don't think that we won't hesitate to kill you, if you get in our way."
"Listen to reason for once!" Shalila cried in vain. "You cannot be as nefarious as you think yourself to be, if you have spared the lives of others. We have done you no harm except in defending ourselves, which is our moral right. We Astorians just wish to live in peace---"
"And destroy Lord Frieza?" Chestra asked her calmly, evenly.
"Frieza has tried time and time again to harm my people. You would behave the same way towards him, if you were in our position," Shalila pointed out to her. "Frieza has enough powerful fighters working for him; why add my innocent granddaughter to his forces? She is only a child, a good child, a strong child with the potential to do much good for others-"
"Which is exactly why Lord Frieza wants her," Jaden told her uncompromisingly, her facial features hard and cold. "He knows of your granddaughter, Tayla Chloe's great power, Superior Gran, and that's why he wants her. We do not plan to harm the girl; we are merely following orders. Lord Frieza himself does not intend to harm her; he thinks that she has the potential to become one of his Elite fighters. If she does well, she will be treated well, not much differently than she would be on your home planet."
"And if she doesn't?" Shalila asked sternly.
"You know the consequences, as well as we do," Chestra answered her.
"Jaden and Chestra, if that is your name," Shalila retained her steely tone. "I do not want to have to kill either one of you unless it's absolutely necessary, but I will not allow you to harm my people or the Calmagians any longer. And I will not allow you or any of your friends to take my granddaughter away from us. Her place is with our people, the Astorians and me. She will not work for Frieza, ever. If my people and I have to destroy every one of you to prevent that and any more death or destruction, then we will do so. I suggest that you both leave Calmag immediately. This is my one and final warning: leave Calmag now or perish."
"And if we don't?" Jaden asked her, knowing the answer, but wanting Shalila to say it out loud.
"In Chestra's words 'You know the consequences'," Shalila told her firmly.
"All we want is Princess Tayla," Chestra said just as firmly. "Lord Frieza would prefer that we destroy all of you, but he will likely be satisfied with just Princess Tayla in his hands. Superior Gran, it will be much easier on you and your people, if you inform us of your granddaughter's whereabouts."
"She is only one of your many grandchildren," Jaden added. "She can't be that valuable to your people. Your people won't miss her that much. Is it worth risking your life and the lives of your entire people for one little girl?"
"I am her grandmother, and her family is here, and we fight to protect one another," Shalila said bravely, looking directly into Jaden's eyes with such a hard stare that made even the Rybanese woman wince. There were very few people outside of Frieza's Elite that could startle Jaden, and Shalila just happened to be one of them.
"I love my granddaughter, and our family, the Clan of Chloe loves her. We will not allow anyone to take away or harm any of us, no matter who they are. If you hurt one of us, you hurt all of us, and the Clan of Chloe does not forgive outsiders who would dare to destroy us. And that doesn't just go for the Clan of Chloe; that goes for all Astorians."
"Brave speech, Superior Gran," Jaden mocked. "I suggest now that you forget your noble intentions and tell us where Princess Tayla is, or else Chestra and I will destroy you."
"You don't intimidate me, Jaden," Shalila countered. "I have stood up to and defeated those bigger and stronger than even you. Leave here now."
"Chestra," Jaden told her friend, "show her exactly whom she is now dealing with."
Chestra nodded affirmatively, and she walked over to Shalila gracefully and casually.
"That's unusual of you, Jaden, to allow someone to fight for you," Shalila said.
"She will intervene when she believes it is necessary," Chestra told her stiffly. "For now, this is my fight. You know Jaden's moves, I am sure, but you do not know mine, and that alone will throw you off guard."
Shalila shot the younger fighter a confident look that said "you-don't-intimidate-me-either".
Chestra cupped her small white hands after turning off her nerve endings, and she shot a black laser from her hands, which Shalila easily deflected with a small, one-handed Mirror Shield. Chestra and Jaden dodged the backfiring laser.
"Very lucky, Superior Gran," Chestra told her calmly, "but that one was free."
Shalila raised her sword and charged at the cat girl, but she suddenly stopped, as if paralyzed, which she almost was. Her hand that was holding her Sword of Chloe suddenly flew open against her will and dropped the sword unwillingly. Horrified, Shalila quickly leapt for her sword, and when she did, she felt herself pinned to the ground, held down by an unseen force.
Shalila struggled against this invisible captor, as Jaden looked on with a satisfied smile. Chestra had her arms crossed, and she favored her opponent with a confident look.
"I have superb telekinetic powers, Superior Gran Shalila," Chestra told her sweetly. "I am sure that you know that means that I can move objects or people with my mind, including you." She concentrated harder, and her mind's force pinned Shalila closer to the dirty ground. Shalila tried to rise, but she couldn't move.
"Ready to surrender yet, Shalila?" Jaden asked her, through with formalities.
"I…will…never…surrender!" Shalila choked out, with her red-gold head held to the ground.
"It will be much easier on you, Shalila," Chestra told her evenly. "It would be a shame to kill a fighter that could provide us with a good challenge later. I am almost disappointed; I didn't expect you to be so easily taken."
Shalila knew then she had to distract her. Surely not even Chestra could keep her mind on holding her down and something else of equal importance.
She tried a different approach. "I have seen your power, Chestra. Mind if I asked you how you managed to obtain it?"
"Well…" Chestra began slowly.
"Chestra, don't listen to her," Jaden ordered, seeing Shalila's intentions instantly. "She is trying to distract you, so that you will lose your concentration. Keep your mind focused; we have her right where we want her. Surrender now, Shalila!"
"What is so great about Frieza that you two would willingly fight and die for him?" Shalila asked gently. "I just want to know that much, Jaden."
"He isn't that great as a person, but we have no choice," Jaden spat out. "He is powerful, and we follow power."
"Haven't you once questioned why you follow such a demon? Haven't you ever wondered about the lives that you and your friend have taken? Of the worlds that you have destroyed or cleared?" Shalila continued to speak in order to distract Jaden and break Chestra's concentration.
"We care nothing for the lives we take," Jaden told her coldly, but Shalila noticed a small catch in the Rybanese warrior's voice. Shalila tried to search Jaden's feelings, as she had been taught to do many years ago. She strongly suspected that Jaden didn't entirely relish the tasks that she was given to do, and she decided to press Jaden's uncertainty to her advantage.
Jaden's scouter sensed the ki levels of several warriors nearby. She turned to Chestra, trying to block Shalila's attempts at getting her to see things her way from her mind. "Chestra, restrain Shalila until I get back. I have business to take care of. Do not kill her just yet, or allow anyone else to. And don't answer her back when she tries to speak to you."
Chestra nodded briefly, trying to keep her focus on pinning Shalila to the ground telekinetically.
Shalila struggled uselessly against Chestra's mind power; she had already sensed earlier that Chestra was not much stronger than she was, but Chestra had the power of telekinesis on her side, an ability that Shalila did not possess.
She had to break that girl's concentration, but how?
She was able to use telepathy occasionally, but because she was not as adept at it yet as Dirkan or the deities, such as Kami Orchida, she did not use it often except for emergency situations. She and Dirkan had just recently learned it from Kami Orchida. Dirkan had mastered it much more quickly than she had.
She had to try, to practice.
Dirkan, this is Shalila. Come quickly, love, I need your help! Jaden has a strange friend named Chestra who is holding me captive telekinetically. I cannot move at all…
Dirkan had just finished blasting away at Nappa, who was now barely able to move. He had managed to catch the large Saiyan off guard several times to launch his new attack, the Tri-Force. Nappa was stronger, but then so was he. Nappa was currently disabled for the moment, unable to rise; his face was bloody and scratched.
"Shalila?" Dirkan gasped, "hearing" his wife's cries of help.
I'm coming, love, and hold on, he told her telepathically.
Nappa managed to struggle to his feet, but Dirkan shot him down with the most powerful Tri-Force attack that he had, and Nappa was shoved into the ground, as the blast created a large crater.
"We'll have to finish this some other time," he called to the giant Saiyan, whom he knew was still alive. "I've got other things to do."
Dirkan was gone in a flash, and Nappa was lying face down in the mile-high crater, cursing loudly in Saiyan as best as he could. Prince Vegeta was going to have his tail when he discovered that his strongest bodyguard had been so easily defeated by a mere Namek.
That is, if Vegeta let him live.
Petalia was still flying in the air with Caline, and both girls were trying to dodge the various flying ki blasts as much as they could. Caline covered her face with her hands, and she instinctively curled her small body closer to Petalia's, as she clung to her Astorian friend.
Finally Petalia was forced to stop and rest, and she took Caline to a nearby cave. Caline looked tremendously relieved.
"We can hide in the underground labyrinths!" she told Petalia excitedly.
"How do we get there?" Petalia asked.
"In that cave that you are taking us to, there is an entrance to the underground labyrinths. There probably will be others hiding from the fighting. We should be safe there," Caline said breathlessly.
Within minutes, Petalia and Caline had arrived at the cave. They scurried inside to hide until the war was over. Both girls nearly shrieked when they saw the burned, scorched corpses of a couple of dozen Calmagians lying in dead heaps around them-and a huge, red lizard-like warrior with sharp, shiny teeth and large yellow eyes.
Petalia and Caline quickly hid behind some stalagmites that grew out of the cavern floor like thick weeds. Petalia quickly concealed her ki, but then remembered in horror that Caline did not know yet how to conceal hers. The Astorian princess started to tremble. Caline bit her lip to keep from crying; the Calmagian princess had not been this terrified since the last time that her deceased husband, Alberm, had raped her.
Balair smirked with satisfaction, glancing at the dead Calmagians who had foolishly tried to outrun him. He had enjoyed using his Fire Flare on them, and he now knew about the labyrinths, and he had alerted the other minions, so that some of them could destroy the Calmagians hiding underground. He then noticed his scouter beeping; it had detected a much weaker ki.
"Come out now, and I might spare you!" Balair commanded the ki's source (Caline). He shot several small ki blasts throughout the cavern, just enough not to bring the cavern down around him. He was angry still because he still could not vaporize or liquefy himself; curse that little Astorian brat, Tayla! It was taking forever for his bones to knit and mend.
He roared out loud, as he flew around the cavern, "Curse you, Tayla; you better pray to your Kami Orchida that I don't find you first! Because if I find you first, I'm going to teach you how to properly treat a Sistrai warrior of my rank!"
(Of course Balair's method would include rape and torture, something that Frieza had forbidden. But then Frieza was nowhere near Calmag at the moment, and Balair could do as he liked and force the brat to keep quiet.)
Petalia and Caline trembled in fear, for they had heard Balair's words about Tayla. "We must try to sneak out of here," Petalia whispered to Caline. She and Caline quietly began creeping amidst the stalagmites, hoping to avoid Balair's line of vision. They would have succeeded in making it to the cave's entrance, but a large stalactite broke free from the roof of the cavern and fell down like a missile towards the girls. It crashed in between Petalia and Caline, and both girls cried out before they could restrain themselves. Balair, of course, noticed them instantly.
He swooped down upon the frightened girls, who had begun to run for the cave's entrance. He meant to grab Caline, but Petalia bravely hit Balair's seizing hand away. Unfortunately this doomed Petalia to becoming Balair's next captive. Balair flew into the air with a screaming Petalia in his grip.
"Put her down, please!" Caline cried in terror, seeing the red monster carry Petalia out of the cave. Caline vainly tried to run after Balair and Petalia.
"Put me down, you bastard!" Petalia screamed angrily, kicking and struggling. "I am an Astorian princess, and my Great-Nama will blast you into fragments! Let me go!"
Balair bit Petalia's shoulder hard, making her shriek and thrash in pain. "Shut up, wench, and be thankful that I didn't kill you yet!" He then smiled cruelly at his new prisoner. "I am Commander Balair. I have a little spare time; why don't you entertain me for an hour or two?" he told her smoothly.
Tears running down her cheeks, Petalia trembled in her captor's arms, not understanding the meaning of Balair's words. "How?" she asked naively, as Balair pulled her against his body.
Balair chuckled evilly. "Oh, you'll find out." He flew faster with Petalia in his arms; Petalia was too scared to struggle now, for Balair whispered in her ear afterwards, "You fight me, wench, and I'll kill both you and your little friend, understand?"
Petalia nodded shakily and stiffened; she had no choice. She saw Caline running after them in vain, but in minutes, they were too far away for Petalia to even catch a glimpse of Caline's pale hair.
"Bring her back, please! Don't hurt her!" Caline screamed tearfully. "Somebody, help us!" she cried to no one in particular.
She continued running towards the red speck that was Balair, but he and Petalia were disappearing into the sky. Then suddenly someone leapt out of the bushes and seized her, pulling her into the shrubs. Caline kicked and cried, begging for release.
The arms holding her were strong and muscular, but there was a second set of arms, feminine and soft and kind. The gentle hand attached to the latter set brushed against Caline's forehead.
"Caline, don't be afraid, it's us. We won't harm you; you're safe for now." Gracina leaned over and kissed Caline's forehead.
Caline's frightened blue eyes looked up into the loving clearer blue eyes of the woman that she so wanted to be her new mother. She was still startled by the other set of arms holding her, but then she recognized him. The man holding her was tall and green and strange with pink muscle pads covering his body, but Tayla had long ago told Caline that he was a friend. Caline had recognized him earlier as the Superior Granden of Astoria.
"Calm down, Caline," Dirkan told the small princess kindly, holding her to him. Gracina was amazed at his tenderness; Dirkan was normally not that gentle with anyone unless it was Tayla or Nama.
A…red…monster…took Petalia away!" Caline cried fearfully. "Where is he taking her? Who is he?"
Dirkan rested his large jade hand on Caline's forehead, stroking the wispy hair with his thumb. "He is Balair, one of Frieza's Elite fighters and a very bad man, but he won't get the chance to hurt Petalia; we intend to finish off the bastard once and for all this time after I save my wife." He moved his hand to cradle Caline's cheek and tilt her chin to look at him. She rested her head on this strange green man's chest, already instinctively feeling that she could trust him. Dirkan was touched. "I am giving you to Gracina now, and you will be safe with her."
"I wish I could go with you back to Astoria," Caline whispered to both of them, not truly believing that it would happen. Her father would surely have her married to that awful Filcor Sedemeyer, if any of them survived this war. "But my father will never let me."
Gracina and Dirkan exchanged glances, poignant, worried glances combined with a long, pregnant pause. Dirkan shook his head at his fellow guardian of Tayla, and Gracina looked at Caline sadly, as Dirkan handed the girl to her.
"Take care of her, Gracina," he told her, quietly debating whether to go save Shalila first or go after Balair to save Petalia. Finally he made his decision. He cupped Caline's cheek with one hand and told her gently, "Caline, don't worry about your future yet; I promise you, Seven Moons Oath, that if we survive this war, that you will be taken care of. You will be safe and secure, no matter what happens." He used his other hand to hold up seven fingers to seal his oath. Caline nestled close to Gracina, as she favored Dirkan with a small smile.
"Don't let anything bad happen to Petalia…or Tayla…or…"
"I won't, child, I won't. Stay with Gracina; she will see that you are protected. Good-bye and good luck to both of you." With that, Dirkan boosted off into the air like a rocket, leaving a cloud of dust behind him that nearly engulfed Gracina and Caline.
"I'm coming, Shalila, Petalia," he whispered.
The Namek warrior thought briefly of Caline. Dirkan vowed to keep his word to the child, even as he sped off to save the day. He felt sorry for the Calmagian princess.
And there was no need in adding to Caline's pain right now. The news of her father's death in battle could wait until after everything was resolved.
"Nice meeting you again, Superior Gran."
Shalila glared boldly at the dark blue alligator woman that she had fought many, many years ago. She sensed that the reptilian creature had increased in strength, but then so had she. Only the strange cat girl with red and green hair accompanied the alligator creature. Shalila had felt Jaden's ki nearby, and knowing that she could not easily escape Jaden and her friend without a fight, decided vainly to try to reason with the Rybanese warrior. The three fighters were now alone in a deserted part of Magan.
"Jaden," Shalila said quietly. "Why must you continue your evil? I know that you and your friend-Chestra?-helped the surviving Meatians to escape to freedom. And I am certain in my heart that you two have not harmed my great-granddaughter, Petalia, or Princess Caline of Calmag-"
"Superior Gran Shalila," Jaden interrupted sternly, "Princess Petalia and Princess Caline have been released. They should be somewhere in this city. I suggest you worry about finding them instead of facing off against us. We have more important matters to attend to. Don't think that we won't hesitate to kill you, if you get in our way."
"Listen to reason for once!" Shalila cried in vain. "You cannot be as nefarious as you think yourself to be, if you have spared the lives of others. We have done you no harm except in defending ourselves, which is our moral right. We Astorians just wish to live in peace---"
"And destroy Lord Frieza?" Chestra asked her calmly, evenly.
"Frieza has tried time and time again to harm my people. You would behave the same way towards him, if you were in our position," Shalila pointed out to her. "Frieza has enough powerful fighters working for him; why add my innocent granddaughter to his forces? She is only a child, a good child, a strong child with the potential to do much good for others-"
"Which is exactly why Lord Frieza wants her," Jaden told her uncompromisingly, her facial features hard and cold. "He knows of your granddaughter, Tayla Chloe's great power, Superior Gran, and that's why he wants her. We do not plan to harm the girl; we are merely following orders. Lord Frieza himself does not intend to harm her; he thinks that she has the potential to become one of his Elite fighters. If she does well, she will be treated well, not much differently than she would be on your home planet."
"And if she doesn't?" Shalila asked sternly.
"You know the consequences, as well as we do," Chestra answered her.
"Jaden and Chestra, if that is your name," Shalila retained her steely tone. "I do not want to have to kill either one of you unless it's absolutely necessary, but I will not allow you to harm my people or the Calmagians any longer. And I will not allow you or any of your friends to take my granddaughter away from us. Her place is with our people, the Astorians and me. She will not work for Frieza, ever. If my people and I have to destroy every one of you to prevent that and any more death or destruction, then we will do so. I suggest that you both leave Calmag immediately. This is my one and final warning: leave Calmag now or perish."
"And if we don't?" Jaden asked her, knowing the answer, but wanting Shalila to say it out loud.
"In Chestra's words 'You know the consequences'," Shalila told her firmly.
"All we want is Princess Tayla," Chestra said just as firmly. "Lord Frieza would prefer that we destroy all of you, but he will likely be satisfied with just Princess Tayla in his hands. Superior Gran, it will be much easier on you and your people, if you inform us of your granddaughter's whereabouts."
"She is only one of your many grandchildren," Jaden added. "She can't be that valuable to your people. Your people won't miss her that much. Is it worth risking your life and the lives of your entire people for one little girl?"
"I am her grandmother, and her family is here, and we fight to protect one another," Shalila said bravely, looking directly into Jaden's eyes with such a hard stare that made even the Rybanese woman wince. There were very few people outside of Frieza's Elite that could startle Jaden, and Shalila just happened to be one of them.
"I love my granddaughter, and our family, the Clan of Chloe loves her. We will not allow anyone to take away or harm any of us, no matter who they are. If you hurt one of us, you hurt all of us, and the Clan of Chloe does not forgive outsiders who would dare to destroy us. And that doesn't just go for the Clan of Chloe; that goes for all Astorians."
"Brave speech, Superior Gran," Jaden mocked. "I suggest now that you forget your noble intentions and tell us where Princess Tayla is, or else Chestra and I will destroy you."
"You don't intimidate me, Jaden," Shalila countered. "I have stood up to and defeated those bigger and stronger than even you. Leave here now."
"Chestra," Jaden told her friend, "show her exactly whom she is now dealing with."
Chestra nodded affirmatively, and she walked over to Shalila gracefully and casually.
"That's unusual of you, Jaden, to allow someone to fight for you," Shalila said.
"She will intervene when she believes it is necessary," Chestra told her stiffly. "For now, this is my fight. You know Jaden's moves, I am sure, but you do not know mine, and that alone will throw you off guard."
Shalila shot the younger fighter a confident look that said "you-don't-intimidate-me-either".
Chestra cupped her small white hands after turning off her nerve endings, and she shot a black laser from her hands, which Shalila easily deflected with a small, one-handed Mirror Shield. Chestra and Jaden dodged the backfiring laser.
"Very lucky, Superior Gran," Chestra told her calmly, "but that one was free."
Shalila raised her sword and charged at the cat girl, but she suddenly stopped, as if paralyzed, which she almost was. Her hand that was holding her Sword of Chloe suddenly flew open against her will and dropped the sword unwillingly. Horrified, Shalila quickly leapt for her sword, and when she did, she felt herself pinned to the ground, held down by an unseen force.
Shalila struggled against this invisible captor, as Jaden looked on with a satisfied smile. Chestra had her arms crossed, and she favored her opponent with a confident look.
"I have superb telekinetic powers, Superior Gran Shalila," Chestra told her sweetly. "I am sure that you know that means that I can move objects or people with my mind, including you." She concentrated harder, and her mind's force pinned Shalila closer to the dirty ground. Shalila tried to rise, but she couldn't move.
"Ready to surrender yet, Shalila?" Jaden asked her, through with formalities.
"I…will…never…surrender!" Shalila choked out, with her red-gold head held to the ground.
"It will be much easier on you, Shalila," Chestra told her evenly. "It would be a shame to kill a fighter that could provide us with a good challenge later. I am almost disappointed; I didn't expect you to be so easily taken."
Shalila knew then she had to distract her. Surely not even Chestra could keep her mind on holding her down and something else of equal importance.
She tried a different approach. "I have seen your power, Chestra. Mind if I asked you how you managed to obtain it?"
"Well…" Chestra began slowly.
"Chestra, don't listen to her," Jaden ordered, seeing Shalila's intentions instantly. "She is trying to distract you, so that you will lose your concentration. Keep your mind focused; we have her right where we want her. Surrender now, Shalila!"
"What is so great about Frieza that you two would willingly fight and die for him?" Shalila asked gently. "I just want to know that much, Jaden."
"He isn't that great as a person, but we have no choice," Jaden spat out. "He is powerful, and we follow power."
"Haven't you once questioned why you follow such a demon? Haven't you ever wondered about the lives that you and your friend have taken? Of the worlds that you have destroyed or cleared?" Shalila continued to speak in order to distract Jaden and break Chestra's concentration.
"We care nothing for the lives we take," Jaden told her coldly, but Shalila noticed a small catch in the Rybanese warrior's voice. Shalila tried to search Jaden's feelings, as she had been taught to do many years ago. She strongly suspected that Jaden didn't entirely relish the tasks that she was given to do, and she decided to press Jaden's uncertainty to her advantage.
Jaden's scouter sensed the ki levels of several warriors nearby. She turned to Chestra, trying to block Shalila's attempts at getting her to see things her way from her mind. "Chestra, restrain Shalila until I get back. I have business to take care of. Do not kill her just yet, or allow anyone else to. And don't answer her back when she tries to speak to you."
Chestra nodded briefly, trying to keep her focus on pinning Shalila to the ground telekinetically.
Shalila struggled uselessly against Chestra's mind power; she had already sensed earlier that Chestra was not much stronger than she was, but Chestra had the power of telekinesis on her side, an ability that Shalila did not possess.
She had to break that girl's concentration, but how?
She was able to use telepathy occasionally, but because she was not as adept at it yet as Dirkan or the deities, such as Kami Orchida, she did not use it often except for emergency situations. She and Dirkan had just recently learned it from Kami Orchida. Dirkan had mastered it much more quickly than she had.
She had to try, to practice.
Dirkan, this is Shalila. Come quickly, love, I need your help! Jaden has a strange friend named Chestra who is holding me captive telekinetically. I cannot move at all…
Dirkan had just finished blasting away at Nappa, who was now barely able to move. He had managed to catch the large Saiyan off guard several times to launch his new attack, the Tri-Force. Nappa was stronger, but then so was he. Nappa was currently disabled for the moment, unable to rise; his face was bloody and scratched.
"Shalila?" Dirkan gasped, "hearing" his wife's cries of help.
I'm coming, love, and hold on, he told her telepathically.
Nappa managed to struggle to his feet, but Dirkan shot him down with the most powerful Tri-Force attack that he had, and Nappa was shoved into the ground, as the blast created a large crater.
"We'll have to finish this some other time," he called to the giant Saiyan, whom he knew was still alive. "I've got other things to do."
Dirkan was gone in a flash, and Nappa was lying face down in the mile-high crater, cursing loudly in Saiyan as best as he could. Prince Vegeta was going to have his tail when he discovered that his strongest bodyguard had been so easily defeated by a mere Namek.
That is, if Vegeta let him live.
Petalia was still flying in the air with Caline, and both girls were trying to dodge the various flying ki blasts as much as they could. Caline covered her face with her hands, and she instinctively curled her small body closer to Petalia's, as she clung to her Astorian friend.
Finally Petalia was forced to stop and rest, and she took Caline to a nearby cave. Caline looked tremendously relieved.
"We can hide in the underground labyrinths!" she told Petalia excitedly.
"How do we get there?" Petalia asked.
"In that cave that you are taking us to, there is an entrance to the underground labyrinths. There probably will be others hiding from the fighting. We should be safe there," Caline said breathlessly.
Within minutes, Petalia and Caline had arrived at the cave. They scurried inside to hide until the war was over. Both girls nearly shrieked when they saw the burned, scorched corpses of a couple of dozen Calmagians lying in dead heaps around them-and a huge, red lizard-like warrior with sharp, shiny teeth and large yellow eyes.
Petalia and Caline quickly hid behind some stalagmites that grew out of the cavern floor like thick weeds. Petalia quickly concealed her ki, but then remembered in horror that Caline did not know yet how to conceal hers. The Astorian princess started to tremble. Caline bit her lip to keep from crying; the Calmagian princess had not been this terrified since the last time that her deceased husband, Alberm, had raped her.
Balair smirked with satisfaction, glancing at the dead Calmagians who had foolishly tried to outrun him. He had enjoyed using his Fire Flare on them, and he now knew about the labyrinths, and he had alerted the other minions, so that some of them could destroy the Calmagians hiding underground. He then noticed his scouter beeping; it had detected a much weaker ki.
"Come out now, and I might spare you!" Balair commanded the ki's source (Caline). He shot several small ki blasts throughout the cavern, just enough not to bring the cavern down around him. He was angry still because he still could not vaporize or liquefy himself; curse that little Astorian brat, Tayla! It was taking forever for his bones to knit and mend.
He roared out loud, as he flew around the cavern, "Curse you, Tayla; you better pray to your Kami Orchida that I don't find you first! Because if I find you first, I'm going to teach you how to properly treat a Sistrai warrior of my rank!"
(Of course Balair's method would include rape and torture, something that Frieza had forbidden. But then Frieza was nowhere near Calmag at the moment, and Balair could do as he liked and force the brat to keep quiet.)
Petalia and Caline trembled in fear, for they had heard Balair's words about Tayla. "We must try to sneak out of here," Petalia whispered to Caline. She and Caline quietly began creeping amidst the stalagmites, hoping to avoid Balair's line of vision. They would have succeeded in making it to the cave's entrance, but a large stalactite broke free from the roof of the cavern and fell down like a missile towards the girls. It crashed in between Petalia and Caline, and both girls cried out before they could restrain themselves. Balair, of course, noticed them instantly.
He swooped down upon the frightened girls, who had begun to run for the cave's entrance. He meant to grab Caline, but Petalia bravely hit Balair's seizing hand away. Unfortunately this doomed Petalia to becoming Balair's next captive. Balair flew into the air with a screaming Petalia in his grip.
"Put her down, please!" Caline cried in terror, seeing the red monster carry Petalia out of the cave. Caline vainly tried to run after Balair and Petalia.
"Put me down, you bastard!" Petalia screamed angrily, kicking and struggling. "I am an Astorian princess, and my Great-Nama will blast you into fragments! Let me go!"
Balair bit Petalia's shoulder hard, making her shriek and thrash in pain. "Shut up, wench, and be thankful that I didn't kill you yet!" He then smiled cruelly at his new prisoner. "I am Commander Balair. I have a little spare time; why don't you entertain me for an hour or two?" he told her smoothly.
Tears running down her cheeks, Petalia trembled in her captor's arms, not understanding the meaning of Balair's words. "How?" she asked naively, as Balair pulled her against his body.
Balair chuckled evilly. "Oh, you'll find out." He flew faster with Petalia in his arms; Petalia was too scared to struggle now, for Balair whispered in her ear afterwards, "You fight me, wench, and I'll kill both you and your little friend, understand?"
Petalia nodded shakily and stiffened; she had no choice. She saw Caline running after them in vain, but in minutes, they were too far away for Petalia to even catch a glimpse of Caline's pale hair.
"Bring her back, please! Don't hurt her!" Caline screamed tearfully. "Somebody, help us!" she cried to no one in particular.
She continued running towards the red speck that was Balair, but he and Petalia were disappearing into the sky. Then suddenly someone leapt out of the bushes and seized her, pulling her into the shrubs. Caline kicked and cried, begging for release.
The arms holding her were strong and muscular, but there was a second set of arms, feminine and soft and kind. The gentle hand attached to the latter set brushed against Caline's forehead.
"Caline, don't be afraid, it's us. We won't harm you; you're safe for now." Gracina leaned over and kissed Caline's forehead.
Caline's frightened blue eyes looked up into the loving clearer blue eyes of the woman that she so wanted to be her new mother. She was still startled by the other set of arms holding her, but then she recognized him. The man holding her was tall and green and strange with pink muscle pads covering his body, but Tayla had long ago told Caline that he was a friend. Caline had recognized him earlier as the Superior Granden of Astoria.
"Calm down, Caline," Dirkan told the small princess kindly, holding her to him. Gracina was amazed at his tenderness; Dirkan was normally not that gentle with anyone unless it was Tayla or Nama.
A…red…monster…took Petalia away!" Caline cried fearfully. "Where is he taking her? Who is he?"
Dirkan rested his large jade hand on Caline's forehead, stroking the wispy hair with his thumb. "He is Balair, one of Frieza's Elite fighters and a very bad man, but he won't get the chance to hurt Petalia; we intend to finish off the bastard once and for all this time after I save my wife." He moved his hand to cradle Caline's cheek and tilt her chin to look at him. She rested her head on this strange green man's chest, already instinctively feeling that she could trust him. Dirkan was touched. "I am giving you to Gracina now, and you will be safe with her."
"I wish I could go with you back to Astoria," Caline whispered to both of them, not truly believing that it would happen. Her father would surely have her married to that awful Filcor Sedemeyer, if any of them survived this war. "But my father will never let me."
Gracina and Dirkan exchanged glances, poignant, worried glances combined with a long, pregnant pause. Dirkan shook his head at his fellow guardian of Tayla, and Gracina looked at Caline sadly, as Dirkan handed the girl to her.
"Take care of her, Gracina," he told her, quietly debating whether to go save Shalila first or go after Balair to save Petalia. Finally he made his decision. He cupped Caline's cheek with one hand and told her gently, "Caline, don't worry about your future yet; I promise you, Seven Moons Oath, that if we survive this war, that you will be taken care of. You will be safe and secure, no matter what happens." He used his other hand to hold up seven fingers to seal his oath. Caline nestled close to Gracina, as she favored Dirkan with a small smile.
"Don't let anything bad happen to Petalia…or Tayla…or…"
"I won't, child, I won't. Stay with Gracina; she will see that you are protected. Good-bye and good luck to both of you." With that, Dirkan boosted off into the air like a rocket, leaving a cloud of dust behind him that nearly engulfed Gracina and Caline.
"I'm coming, Shalila, Petalia," he whispered.
The Namek warrior thought briefly of Caline. Dirkan vowed to keep his word to the child, even as he sped off to save the day. He felt sorry for the Calmagian princess.
And there was no need in adding to Caline's pain right now. The news of her father's death in battle could wait until after everything was resolved.
