Chapter Seventy-Five: Natala Fights Back In Her Own Way
Three hours earlier, back at the royal castle at the same time that Dedron had convinced Ridikar to kidnap Tayla…
Balair had Natala in his arms, as he flew up several flights of stairs with her, caressing her breasts, as they went along. Natala was trying to remain brave, but the very thought of coupling with a man other than her husband revolted her. She didn't want to sleep with a man other than her beloved husband, whom she would never see again.
Finally, she could hold back the tears no longer, and they began to flow freely, as Balair at last found a bedroom, a royal guest room-the same room where Shalila and Dirkan had been staying in!
Sweet Kami, he's going to rape me in Raakon's grandmother's room…what else is he going to do? Natala thought to herself in horror, as a sob escaped her.
"Now don't cry, sweetness," Balair told her in what he thought was a soothing voice. He stroked her hair, and Natala tried to pull away, but she knew then that it was useless. She tried to comfort herself with the knowledge that Balair wouldn't touch Caline now, but it didn't soothe her for long. Knowing Balair, he probably would go after Caline once he had finished with his current conquest.
Balair wasted no time in carrying Natala into Shalila and Dirkan's bedroom. He then tossed her onto the hunter-green and gold decorated bed, and he leapt onto her before she had a chance to flee. He pinned her beneath him and pressed himself against her, licking her face and neck.
"Such silky hair," Balair purred, and then his tongue danced along the curvature of Natala's slim, graceful neck. "Tell me, sweetness, did you husband please you? Did he know how to pleasure a woman?"
Natala recovered a bit of her spirit. "Yes!" she snapped. "And ten times better than you ever could!"
"We'll see about that, but now tell me, what did he do to please you? Where did he touch you at that you liked the best?" Balair wanted to know, his curiosity increasing with his desire.
"That's none of your business," Natala hissed. "You could never measure up to him!"
Balair laughed. "You're not the first woman that I had who claimed that I couldn't measure up to her previous lover or mate, and I've proven everyone wrong so far! Trust me, you're going to like this, especially if you don't put up a fight. Remember what I said what I would do to Caline, if you didn't comply and please me! Now lie still like a good girl, so I can get this dress off of you." And with two rips, Balair had torn off Natala's lacy mauve caftan and pale gold sash. Natala squirmed uselessly, but Balair pinched her breast hard to make her behave. And with another rip, he had removed Natala's beige lace shift and her beige lace underwear. Within less than two minutes, Natala was nearly nude, and she knew that she would have to think fast to delay Balair taking her. Balair started fondling her scantily covered body, as he repeatedly licked and kissed her face, neck and breasts. Natala shook with revulsion, and she could barely repress her sobs.
"So very beautiful, so sweet, so mine, all mine…" Balair murmured, with his face between Natala's nude breasts. He then kissed her hard, and Natala's fear increased when her attacker began pawing her between her legs, trying to feel her, trying to make her enjoy what was coming.
She had to act quickly before it was too late. Her time was fast running out; she would have to save herself.
She barely managed to free a hand from Balair's grip, and she held it out between them. "Wait…" she whispered.
Balair laughed wickedly. "I wait for no woman."
Natala had to work fast; Balair was not going to wait much longer. She took a deep breath and began her act. She had acted in a few plays on both the moons of Chloe and Cornsilk, and she had been told that she was a good actress. She hoped that she would be able to pull of the performance of a lifetime.
"I understand that, but isn't lovemaking so much better when you wait and get to know the person that you are about to mate with?" Natala asked, wanting to know. "Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself? I am afraid of you, but I don't think I would be as much, if I was able to get to know you better before you took me. You want me to enjoy this, don't you? Well, I would enjoy it much better, if I knew the man who was about to become my new lover? A woman takes longer than a man to warm up, you know, but I am sure a man of your experience would know that." Natala closed her summer-sky-blue eyes for a moment, hoping that her diplomacy skills would work with an oversexed Sistrai warrior. Back home, she and Raakon had been among Shalila's international diplomats, as well as healers, and she and Raakon had often worked together to maintain peace between different Clans and their nations.
Balair chuckled. "I prefer more action and less talk. You can get to know me afterwards."
"But it would make things so much pleasanter for me," Natala insisted. "And if I am pleased, wouldn't you be pleased too? Isn't part of receiving satisfaction from sex having your partner enjoying it as well? Who are you? Where are you from? And what made you join Frieza's forces, and why is that you continue to work for him? I just want to know what makes you tick."
"Makes me tick?" Balair wanted to know, not understanding the expression at all. "I'm not a clock."
"It's an old planet Earth expression that my husband's grandmother uses all of the time, meaning essentially what makes you, well, be you. In other words, I'm asking you what makes Balair be Balair? What makes you work? What motivates you to do the things that you do? What stirs your emotions? What's in your heart? Your mind? What are your goals, your dreams? A woman likes to know these things about a man."
Balair looked at Natala oddly, as if seeing her for the first time. "You are one strange woman, do you know that? I've never had a woman ask me about myself; most of the time, they just want to get away from me."
"Perhaps because you move too fast for them; a woman likes it when a man takes his time courting her and letting her get to know him," Natala pointed out. "I know that it excites some men to force themselves on a woman, but believe me, it is much more pleasurable for both partners, if a man takes the time to get to know his partner and tell her about himself. I would like to know about you, Balair, your people, your ways of thinking. What makes you be you? What is Balair? Who is Balair? Who is this man who wants to become my lover? Why do you want me to become your lover?"
Balair looked at her, as if she had sprouted another head. "You ask a lot of questions for a woman, especially one who is about to be bedded."
Natala said as silkily as possible. "Please tell me about yourself; it would make me happy, and a woman is more likely to enjoy mating, if she is happy." She put on her best appealing look, the look she sometimes used with more difficult people to get her requests granted, or to bring things about. Raakon had named that expression, "Natala's heart-melter".
Balair chuckled softly. "So you want me to tell you about myself, eh? I guess we have a few minutes." Natala released a sigh of relief, as Balair continued, "Well, let me see, where do I begin? Well, you know me as Balair, of course, but my pals call me Bali, and I am a Sistrai warrior, once considered to be low-level, but that changed when the King of Sistra (Sistra is my home planet) discovered my skills as a fighter and recommended me to the great Lord Frieza. Frieza had one of my father's cousins train me; his name was Sagash, a fine, upstanding Top Elite Officer, my mentor and friend. Sagash taught me what I really needed to know, everything from surviving, to fighting, to know when to suck up to Frieza and when to shut up. He taught me how to fight dirty, and he was a great warrior himself, one of the greatest that I ever knew. He may have been half-Egimarian, but he was still considered family, and he possessed all of the good Sistrai qualities. He was a low-level on Sistra himself, but like me, he worked his way up, and he taught me everything that I needed to know. He showed me that a man doesn't have to remain a low-level, if he doesn't want to, he can move up and become the best, and that's what we both did. He taught me things about women, and he took me to my first whorehouse, so that I would know how to be a good lover. He was like a second father, brother, and friend all in one, and I miss him to this day."
"What happened to him?" Natala asked softly, remembering the name "Sagash" from what her husband had told her. Raakon had fought against Sagash himself, and he told Natala that the half-Sistrai, half-Egimarian warrior had been a difficult opponent to defeat, one of Raakon's worst enemies in the Battle of Chloe.
Balair's face darkened, and his yellow eyes narrowed to slits. "That Rybanese whore, Jaden, killed him! He was training at about the same he was training Dodoria and myself, but we both had our Final Evaluations before Jaden had finished her training. He screwed her a few times against her will, but so what? It was his right, he was a man, and Jaden was no more than a slave, a whore! She should have been thankful just to be alive, but no! She had to turn Sagash into glass and kill him, shortly after we just lost in the Battle of Chloe. I hate her to this day, oh, Kami, do I hate her! I hate all Rybanese, even though Jaden is the only one left out of the Rybanese that I know of! I am grateful to the Hycanese to this day for eradicating all of the Rybanese on planet Ryban and destroying them! But they couldn't have killed off Jaden, no, she had to live and kill one of my best friends! And someday, I will make her pay for that, and I will destroy her!"
Natala said sympathetically, "I am truly sorry for that, Balair, I am sorry that you lost your friend and mentor like that. Such a sad ending for your friend; he must have meant so much to you."
"He did. He meant so much to Dodoria and I; he was a hard, tough trainer, but he was a good friend and mentor, someone that we both looked up to. I will never forgive Jaden for destroying him, ever! I wish that she had died in that Battle of Chloe, I hate her so much!"
"I don't blame you; she hurt you so much when she killed your friend, didn't she?"
"She did! Losing Sagash was like losing an older brother!" Balair roared, as Natala patted his arm kindly. Balair looked at her in amazement; why was she suddenly being so nice to him?
"But I'm sure that he would be proud of you, Balair," Natala told him gently. "You have become a Top Elite Officer-that is the highest rank that you can obtain in Frieza's forces, isn't it?"
"Sure is, and Sags was so proud of me the day that I shot myself into Top Elite. He told both Dodoria and I (Dodoria made it into Top Elite at about the same time that I did) how proud he was of us, and how we had been his best students ever. I hope that I've done him proud and became a credit to him!"
"I know that you did, from what I've seen," Natala told him honestly. She truly thought that Balair had followed well in this Sagash's footsteps, and if Sagash had meant for Balair to become a cold-blooded, cruel warrior with no mercy for anyone, he had definitely done his job.
"Thanks, sweetness," Balair said jovially. "It's nice to know that a woman thinks of me so highly! Hell, you're going to please me better than I thought you would; the last Astorie woman that I screwed screamed and cried the whole time, and I had to hurt her to subdue her. But you sound like a reasonable woman who knows what's best for her."
"It's no use for me to fight the inevitable," Natala replied. "But there is so much more that I want to know about you, Balair; I've mainly heard about Sagash and Jaden, but it's you I am interested in."
"Really?" Balair asked easily.
"Really. Do you have a mate, a family, parents, siblings?"
"I ought to call you a Princess of Questions instead of a Princess of Chloe, but to answer your questions, the first is no, I just have concubines, no mates. I do have a family back on my home planet, but both of my parents are dead; my father was killed fighting the Rybanese, and my mother died giving birth to me. Sistrai and Rybanese are among the few reptilian races that can give birth live; most reptilian races lay eggs. As for siblings, I have four sisters and three brothers, with me being the third oldest in the family, but I haven't really kept in touch with them for a long time. My father had two other wives after my mother died, so my youngest siblings are only half-siblings. Anyway, there's not much more to tell about them."
Natala was trying to think of more questions to ask Balair, and finally she came up with a few. "What do you think personally of your liege? What motivates you to keep working for Frieza? Have you ever questioned anything that he does or made you do?"
Balair was thrown off-guard; no one had ever asked him those things before, but then no one had dared to. He allowed himself to ponder Natala's questions, and he was still thinking when his scouter beeped. Balair growled and cursed, but he was forced to answer it.
"Balair?"
"What is it now, Zarbon?"
"Don't talk back to me like that, Balair. Lord Frieza has been kind enough to send us help; I have to go greet them, inform them of what's going on, and lead them here; they are nearing Calmag's surface now."
"Great, wonderful, why are you telling me this?"
"Because I have to leave, Balair! You will have to be in charge until I get back, and I need you to come back downstairs to watch the hostages."
"Have Dodi or Bhodie do it; I'm busy."
"Your bedtime activities will have to be put on hold, Balair. You are just going to have to bring your little Astorie woman back downstairs and keep her there with the others. You are out of playtime, and I have to go. I expect you down here in ten minutes, Balair; don't dawdle. Farewell for now; I am signing off." And before Balair could protest, Zarbon's scouter channel had closed.
Balair cursed, as he dragged Natala to her feet off of the bed. "Curse Zarbon, one day I will have his position! How dare he order me about like that when all I wanted was a little fun and recreation? Ugh! Well, woman, let's go back downstairs; we'll have to continue our fun later."
"Can I at least put something on?"
"Use a bedcover or something; good idea, because I don't want the other men seeing the goods on my new woman, and you do have a fine body that I can't wait to try out," Balair told her, as he released Natala long enough to allow her to wrap a quilt around her body and pin it with one of Shalila's gold safety pins that had been lying on the dresser.
Marya and Arlina were praying in a corner with Kekron and Nikon sitting nearby. Tayka had finally fallen asleep in Marya's lap after she and her twin sister, Tila, had cried for hours because of the "mean monsters" scaring everyone and killing people in front of them. Tila had also been crying, but she was too scared to go to sleep, for fear that she wouldn't wake up again. Instead she had latched herself onto Kekron, clinging to him (she harbored a minor crush on her cousin), and Kekron held her close, trying to rock her to sleep.
Rina had been running around the room, hoping that her parents had returned, and a furious Dodoria, impatient with her scurrying about the ballroom, had bluntly told Kekron that if he or someone didn't settle her down, Dodoria would settle her permanently, as in killing her. Rina had bitten Dodoria's thumb earlier when Dodoria had grabbed the little girl's tail. Dodoria had flung the three-year-old away from him and ordered Kekron to retrieve her. So now Kekron not only had Tila to soothe, but Rina to restrain. He had bribed Rina with his last chocolate sugarplum to calm her down and get her to sit still. But convincing an active three-year-old part-Saiyan child to settle down and not run around was harder than persuading Dirkan not to cuff someone for interrupting his meditating without good cause. Rina wanted to get up and leave to find her parents, but Kekron told her that she would have to wait (something that no three-year-old, Astorian, Saiyan, or Human, really knows the meaning of). Kekron finally gave her his extra compass and protractor and ruler to amuse her, and Rina was finally content to sit down and play with her treasures.
Tila was still trembling in Kekron's arms, but she had calmed down quite a bit. "It's going to be okay, Tila, really," Kekron told her, trying to stay as positive as possible. "Our family will save us, and we will be okay."
"I want my mamma," Tila whispered, looking at him wistfully.
"I know," Kekron moaned, deeply worried about his mother too, for he had seen Balair take his mother away. He had jumped up to go after them just before Balair had taken her out of the ballroom, but Natala ordered him to go sit with the others and take care of Arlina.
"I want Pappa too," Tila told Kekron. "He and Mamma could beat those meanies up! Don't you want your parents?"
"Yes, Tila," Kekron told her quietly. "I do. I hope they are both okay. Why don't we pray for your parents and mine, okay?"
"Okay, but who should we pray to? The East Kai, Kami Orchida, or our ancestors?"
"I would say all of them."
"Okay," Tila said. "Can I pray in your lap? Will they still listen to me, even if I'm not kneeling?"
"I'm sure that they would," Kekron assured her, and they both closed their eyes and prayed.
While they were praying, Caline joined them and sat down besides them. Tila, sensing Caline's ki, finished her prayer quickly, and she opened her eyes, the aquamarine eyes so like her mother's. Tila and Tayka were fraternal twins, with Tayka looking like Lektron, and Tila looking like Gracina. Tayka was the stronger one of the twins, and Tila was the prettier one. Tila, the youngest child, was the only one out of her siblings who was not training to become a warrior; she was training to become a healer or a scribe. The twins were different as night and day, but they were still close, and they both welcomed the prospect of a new sister, an older sister such as Caline, whom they hoped would come home with them. All of Lektron and Gracina's four children adored Caline, even the rambunctious Riccan and Nikon, and nosy Tayka had heard her mother wish that she could take Caline home to Astoria with them. Tayka hoped that it would happen, and she had told Tila so.
Tila noticed Caline's red-rimmed eyes and saw that she had been crying. "Are you okay, Caline?" Tila asked.
Caline shakily nodded. Tila, forgetting about her own pain for a few minutes, went to hug her. Caline embraced her in return and both "sisters" held each other for a long time.
Kekron had ended his prayer quickly as well. He asked Caline, who was still holding Tila, "Do you know where Balair took my mother?"
"It is my fault," Caline told him mournfully. "She took my place with Balair, so that Balair wouldn't rape me. I'm thankful not to have to go with him, but now I feel awful because Balair will be hurting her instead of me. I am so sorry, Kekron, I wish that I could have stopped her."
"I wish that I could kill that bastardi!" Kekron cried. "He's going to hurt her, I just know that he is."
"I'm sorry," Caline whispered again. "I should have gone instead."
"No," Kekron sighed. "It's not your fault, Caline; my mother was just trying to protect you. You're just a little girl, and no one should hurt you the way that Alberm and others like him have. Don't feel guilty or blame yourself; it's like my mother to want to help others, no matter what it costs her."
"I wish there was more I could do to help," Caline told him. "I wish that I could save your mother."
"I wish for once in my life that I was a warrior," Kekron said. "I wish that I was as strong as my father; my father could have beaten Balair, for he did it before. If my father were here right now, Balair would be on his knees begging for mercy! My father is one of the strongest men that I know! He gave up fighting for a while, but he went back to being a healior-that is a warrior who also is a healer. And you know what? I'm glad that he did because when he comes back, he'll show Balair a thing or two!"
"Kekron, shush now," a velvety voice ordered.
"What?"
Natala had returned, wearing the same hunter-green and gold quilt that she had wrapped around herself in Shalila and Dirkan's bedroom. She settled herself down near the children, and Caline, bringing a startled Tila with her, promptly flung herself into Natala's arms. Kekron seized his mother and hugged her tightly. Arlina and Marya stopped praying for now, and Arlina rushed to her mother, throwing her arms around her neck.
"Mamma, my prayers have been answered!" Arlina exclaimed excitedly; normally she was solemn and quiet. "Balair didn't hurt you, did he?"
Natala permitted herself a smile. "No, Arlina, I was very, very, lucky. Your prayers were answered."
Caline squeezed Natala hard, so hard that Natala could barely breathe. Who knew that such a small girl could harbor such strength? "I am so glad that you're safe, Natala!" Caline cried. "Thank you for saving me!" She wept on Natala's bosom. Tila, who was now wedged between Natala, Caline, and Kekron, just hugged Natala for no reason, except to seek comfort.
"Thank you, thank you," Caline cried again and again.
"Mamma, what happened? Did Balair harm you?" Kekron wanted to know.
"He molested me, yes, but I managed to get him to talk about himself, so he did not force himself on me. I am eternally grateful to the ancestors and Zarbon."
"Zarbon?" Kekron asked. "What did he do?"
"He made Balair stop; that's why we came back downstairs, son, because Balair has to take Zarbon's place in watching the hostages. The bad news is that Zarbon sent for more troops."
"Oh, no!" everyone in the group moaned.
"Aren't those Saiyans and the others enough?" Kekron asked.
"Apparently not," Natala sighed. "At this rate though, right now, I'm just thankful that Balair is too busy now to touch Caline or I. At least he won't be bothering either one of us for now."
"You saved both of us!" Caline declared, hugging her tighter, if that was possible for a delicate child like herself. "Thank you, thank you, and thank you! I was so scared of Balair; he's five times as bad as Alberm! I thought that I was going to be raped again, and I would rather die than be raped again! You saved me, Natala!"
"Easy, Caline," Natala said soothingly. "You're safe for now, and Balair has released me because he and Dodoria are needed to patrol the ballroom. I told you that things would be okay, sweetheart, see things are working out much better than expected."
"And now Caline can go home with us, can't she?" Tila asked, completely going off the subject.
"We'll see, Tila," was all that Natala could trust herself to say. She turned to Caline and Tila and added, "Girls, would you both let me talk to Kekron and Arlina alone for a few minutes; there is something that I have to tell them."
Tila and Caline slowly climbed out of Natala's arms, and they both went to sit with Marya, who took them with her over to her and Arlina's corner. Natala gathered Arlina and Kekron together in her arms, and she ushered Arlina on her lap.
With tears forming in her pale turquoise eyes, she said shakily, "Kekron, Arlina, I am sorry to tell you both this, but your father has-been transformed-into a diamond statue, and as far as-as I-I kn-know, he can't be changed back!" And then Natala lost what self-control that she had left, and she began to cry hard before she could stop herself.
Kekron's face paled, but Arlina told both her mother and her brother calmly, "Mamma, don't weep, please don't cry. Pappa is not dead; I can feel him. He still lives, Mamma."
"But how can that be, sweetheart?" Natala whispered.
"Aunt Marya told me something that she had seen in her visions, Mamma. She told me she saw Great-Aunt Toria and Tayla reverse the awful spell that the Gemstarian woman placed on the people, the ones that had been turned into diamonds. Pappa was a diamond statue, Mamma, but he's not any more; he's alive, Mamma, he's still alive! And he's coming for us, I know he is, and the others will be joining him soon. They will be coming; those who had been turned to diamonds are alive again!"
Natala's tears of grief became tears of joy at her daughter's words. "Sweet Kami, he lives! He's alive! Wonderful! I will see my Raakon, your father again!" Her face brightened, as her smile widened. She hugged Arlina and Kekron tighter. "Your father lives, children! He is alive!"
Kekron's face was alight with hope and happiness. He was too happy to speak.
Just as their happiness started to increase, Marya interrupted them, and her face was distressed. Natala's face fell at Marya's worried expression. "What's wrong?" she asked.
Marya sighed, "My sister is in danger."
"Which one?"
"Tayla! Dedron has betrayed her, I saw him do so in my mind, and he has convinced Ridikar to abduct my sister, cuff her with ki-restraining cuffs and take her far away to force her to marry him. I have always seen such evil in Dedron's heart, but I never realized until now just how much it would affect him."
Kekron said unsteadily, "Doesn't Rojal and Aunt Gorna dislike Tayla too?"
"They were only jealous of her," Marya told Kekron as calmly as she could. "But Dedron's negative feelings towards Tayla go beyond jealousy and envy; they have turned into hatred. Dedron's envy and hatred for Tayla has consumed him to the point where he will do anything to be rid of her. Dedron is just as dangerous to Tayla, as the Saiyans and the others who work for Frieza are. He is such an angry young man, so angry at his parents and Nama and Tayla, blaming them for his problems and Farla leaving with Jaypros. Farla and Jaypros' adulterous affair has caused such problems and repercussions, far-reaching consequences, consequences that will continue to affect us for years to come."
"Are you angry with Aunt Farla and Uncle Jaypros for leaving?" Kekron asked
Marya said wistfully, "I think that Farla and Jaypros were so in love with each other, that they did not stop to consider the consequences of what they were doing. They knew that they were doing wrong, but they allowed themselves to be blinded with their love and their lust for each other. Farla and Cletos should have never married; Farla has always loved Jaypros, but she had been infatuated with Cletos for a long time. I saw the look of pain in Jaypros' eyes the day Farla and Cletos had married. I counseled Cletos at one time not to marry Farla in haste, but he was so in love with her and so happy with her at the time. Actually, I told Cletos he shouldn't marry Farla at all, and I told Farla to wait longer before marrying Cletos. I know that Mamma meant well when she helped to bring Farla and Cletos together after Farla and Jaypros broke things off the first time, but that was one marriage that should have never been allowed to happen. Even Aunt Toria told them to wait, but they would not listen. I pressed my brother, your Uncle Jaypros, to tell Farla how he felt, that he still loved her, but Jaypros just couldn't work up enough courage until after Farla and Cletos were married with two children. So, no, Kekron, I am not angry with Farla and Jaypros; in fact, I pity them, and now they will never get the chance to make amends because both of them have perished, living with our ancestors now."
Natala nearly shrieked. "Farla is dead?"
"I had a bad dream last night," Marya confided tearfully. "I felt the despair and hurt in Farla's heart, and she took her own life, poor woman. I saw another person in my dream, a small girl, and one who looked just like Farla. I tried to gather more information about her, but the ancestors and spirits have closed that door to me; it seems that they don't want me to know anything about her. I will see later, if Aunt Toria lives, if she has seen anything about this girl."
"Could Farla have had any children with Jaypros?" Natala wanted to know.
"Perhaps, it seems that she did, but I can't get any clear visions about them."
"What will we do now?" Kekron wanted to know.
"Tayla is in danger," Arlina said.
"Mamma, couldn't one or two of us sneak out of here unnoticed?" Kekron wanted to know. "Balair and his bunch can't watch everyone at once."
"Not for now, son," Natala told him as firmly as possible. "Remember Balair's threat about killing ten people for every one person who escaped? We will wait for now; it is all we can do."
"That is best," Marya agreed, "although I am very worried about my sister. I must go and pray that Ridikar does not harm her, and that Dedron will see the error of his evil ways before it is too late. The poor child!"
Tayka was now awake, and she had joined the others. So had Rina, who wanted to know what was going on with the older members of her family.
"We must remain strong, for everyone's sake," Natala said as bravely as possible. "Children, gather close to me all of you. I will tell you the story of the time when our ancestors took back Astoria from the Saiyans; that is a good victory story."
All of the children, especially Caline, who had only heard bits and pieces of the Astorians taking Astoria back from the Saiyans, loved this war story; it was their favorite. They loved hearing how they won over the Saiyans, of Shalila and Dirkan fighting King Dayrus the Oozaru, of Shalila training under Dirkan, and of the first Bajal Chloe conquering the Astorian moons, taking them back from the Saiyan occupants.
Natala began, her voice steady and confident, "A long time ago, on a tiny blue planet called Earth that sat in the Milky Way Galaxy, lived a tiny, red-haired girl, and her brave warrior mother, the first Tayla Chloe, the wife of Superior Granden Roccon, and the mother of Shalila Chloe, our Superior Gran and heroine…"
Three hours earlier, back at the royal castle at the same time that Dedron had convinced Ridikar to kidnap Tayla…
Balair had Natala in his arms, as he flew up several flights of stairs with her, caressing her breasts, as they went along. Natala was trying to remain brave, but the very thought of coupling with a man other than her husband revolted her. She didn't want to sleep with a man other than her beloved husband, whom she would never see again.
Finally, she could hold back the tears no longer, and they began to flow freely, as Balair at last found a bedroom, a royal guest room-the same room where Shalila and Dirkan had been staying in!
Sweet Kami, he's going to rape me in Raakon's grandmother's room…what else is he going to do? Natala thought to herself in horror, as a sob escaped her.
"Now don't cry, sweetness," Balair told her in what he thought was a soothing voice. He stroked her hair, and Natala tried to pull away, but she knew then that it was useless. She tried to comfort herself with the knowledge that Balair wouldn't touch Caline now, but it didn't soothe her for long. Knowing Balair, he probably would go after Caline once he had finished with his current conquest.
Balair wasted no time in carrying Natala into Shalila and Dirkan's bedroom. He then tossed her onto the hunter-green and gold decorated bed, and he leapt onto her before she had a chance to flee. He pinned her beneath him and pressed himself against her, licking her face and neck.
"Such silky hair," Balair purred, and then his tongue danced along the curvature of Natala's slim, graceful neck. "Tell me, sweetness, did you husband please you? Did he know how to pleasure a woman?"
Natala recovered a bit of her spirit. "Yes!" she snapped. "And ten times better than you ever could!"
"We'll see about that, but now tell me, what did he do to please you? Where did he touch you at that you liked the best?" Balair wanted to know, his curiosity increasing with his desire.
"That's none of your business," Natala hissed. "You could never measure up to him!"
Balair laughed. "You're not the first woman that I had who claimed that I couldn't measure up to her previous lover or mate, and I've proven everyone wrong so far! Trust me, you're going to like this, especially if you don't put up a fight. Remember what I said what I would do to Caline, if you didn't comply and please me! Now lie still like a good girl, so I can get this dress off of you." And with two rips, Balair had torn off Natala's lacy mauve caftan and pale gold sash. Natala squirmed uselessly, but Balair pinched her breast hard to make her behave. And with another rip, he had removed Natala's beige lace shift and her beige lace underwear. Within less than two minutes, Natala was nearly nude, and she knew that she would have to think fast to delay Balair taking her. Balair started fondling her scantily covered body, as he repeatedly licked and kissed her face, neck and breasts. Natala shook with revulsion, and she could barely repress her sobs.
"So very beautiful, so sweet, so mine, all mine…" Balair murmured, with his face between Natala's nude breasts. He then kissed her hard, and Natala's fear increased when her attacker began pawing her between her legs, trying to feel her, trying to make her enjoy what was coming.
She had to act quickly before it was too late. Her time was fast running out; she would have to save herself.
She barely managed to free a hand from Balair's grip, and she held it out between them. "Wait…" she whispered.
Balair laughed wickedly. "I wait for no woman."
Natala had to work fast; Balair was not going to wait much longer. She took a deep breath and began her act. She had acted in a few plays on both the moons of Chloe and Cornsilk, and she had been told that she was a good actress. She hoped that she would be able to pull of the performance of a lifetime.
"I understand that, but isn't lovemaking so much better when you wait and get to know the person that you are about to mate with?" Natala asked, wanting to know. "Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself? I am afraid of you, but I don't think I would be as much, if I was able to get to know you better before you took me. You want me to enjoy this, don't you? Well, I would enjoy it much better, if I knew the man who was about to become my new lover? A woman takes longer than a man to warm up, you know, but I am sure a man of your experience would know that." Natala closed her summer-sky-blue eyes for a moment, hoping that her diplomacy skills would work with an oversexed Sistrai warrior. Back home, she and Raakon had been among Shalila's international diplomats, as well as healers, and she and Raakon had often worked together to maintain peace between different Clans and their nations.
Balair chuckled. "I prefer more action and less talk. You can get to know me afterwards."
"But it would make things so much pleasanter for me," Natala insisted. "And if I am pleased, wouldn't you be pleased too? Isn't part of receiving satisfaction from sex having your partner enjoying it as well? Who are you? Where are you from? And what made you join Frieza's forces, and why is that you continue to work for him? I just want to know what makes you tick."
"Makes me tick?" Balair wanted to know, not understanding the expression at all. "I'm not a clock."
"It's an old planet Earth expression that my husband's grandmother uses all of the time, meaning essentially what makes you, well, be you. In other words, I'm asking you what makes Balair be Balair? What makes you work? What motivates you to do the things that you do? What stirs your emotions? What's in your heart? Your mind? What are your goals, your dreams? A woman likes to know these things about a man."
Balair looked at Natala oddly, as if seeing her for the first time. "You are one strange woman, do you know that? I've never had a woman ask me about myself; most of the time, they just want to get away from me."
"Perhaps because you move too fast for them; a woman likes it when a man takes his time courting her and letting her get to know him," Natala pointed out. "I know that it excites some men to force themselves on a woman, but believe me, it is much more pleasurable for both partners, if a man takes the time to get to know his partner and tell her about himself. I would like to know about you, Balair, your people, your ways of thinking. What makes you be you? What is Balair? Who is Balair? Who is this man who wants to become my lover? Why do you want me to become your lover?"
Balair looked at her, as if she had sprouted another head. "You ask a lot of questions for a woman, especially one who is about to be bedded."
Natala said as silkily as possible. "Please tell me about yourself; it would make me happy, and a woman is more likely to enjoy mating, if she is happy." She put on her best appealing look, the look she sometimes used with more difficult people to get her requests granted, or to bring things about. Raakon had named that expression, "Natala's heart-melter".
Balair chuckled softly. "So you want me to tell you about myself, eh? I guess we have a few minutes." Natala released a sigh of relief, as Balair continued, "Well, let me see, where do I begin? Well, you know me as Balair, of course, but my pals call me Bali, and I am a Sistrai warrior, once considered to be low-level, but that changed when the King of Sistra (Sistra is my home planet) discovered my skills as a fighter and recommended me to the great Lord Frieza. Frieza had one of my father's cousins train me; his name was Sagash, a fine, upstanding Top Elite Officer, my mentor and friend. Sagash taught me what I really needed to know, everything from surviving, to fighting, to know when to suck up to Frieza and when to shut up. He taught me how to fight dirty, and he was a great warrior himself, one of the greatest that I ever knew. He may have been half-Egimarian, but he was still considered family, and he possessed all of the good Sistrai qualities. He was a low-level on Sistra himself, but like me, he worked his way up, and he taught me everything that I needed to know. He showed me that a man doesn't have to remain a low-level, if he doesn't want to, he can move up and become the best, and that's what we both did. He taught me things about women, and he took me to my first whorehouse, so that I would know how to be a good lover. He was like a second father, brother, and friend all in one, and I miss him to this day."
"What happened to him?" Natala asked softly, remembering the name "Sagash" from what her husband had told her. Raakon had fought against Sagash himself, and he told Natala that the half-Sistrai, half-Egimarian warrior had been a difficult opponent to defeat, one of Raakon's worst enemies in the Battle of Chloe.
Balair's face darkened, and his yellow eyes narrowed to slits. "That Rybanese whore, Jaden, killed him! He was training at about the same he was training Dodoria and myself, but we both had our Final Evaluations before Jaden had finished her training. He screwed her a few times against her will, but so what? It was his right, he was a man, and Jaden was no more than a slave, a whore! She should have been thankful just to be alive, but no! She had to turn Sagash into glass and kill him, shortly after we just lost in the Battle of Chloe. I hate her to this day, oh, Kami, do I hate her! I hate all Rybanese, even though Jaden is the only one left out of the Rybanese that I know of! I am grateful to the Hycanese to this day for eradicating all of the Rybanese on planet Ryban and destroying them! But they couldn't have killed off Jaden, no, she had to live and kill one of my best friends! And someday, I will make her pay for that, and I will destroy her!"
Natala said sympathetically, "I am truly sorry for that, Balair, I am sorry that you lost your friend and mentor like that. Such a sad ending for your friend; he must have meant so much to you."
"He did. He meant so much to Dodoria and I; he was a hard, tough trainer, but he was a good friend and mentor, someone that we both looked up to. I will never forgive Jaden for destroying him, ever! I wish that she had died in that Battle of Chloe, I hate her so much!"
"I don't blame you; she hurt you so much when she killed your friend, didn't she?"
"She did! Losing Sagash was like losing an older brother!" Balair roared, as Natala patted his arm kindly. Balair looked at her in amazement; why was she suddenly being so nice to him?
"But I'm sure that he would be proud of you, Balair," Natala told him gently. "You have become a Top Elite Officer-that is the highest rank that you can obtain in Frieza's forces, isn't it?"
"Sure is, and Sags was so proud of me the day that I shot myself into Top Elite. He told both Dodoria and I (Dodoria made it into Top Elite at about the same time that I did) how proud he was of us, and how we had been his best students ever. I hope that I've done him proud and became a credit to him!"
"I know that you did, from what I've seen," Natala told him honestly. She truly thought that Balair had followed well in this Sagash's footsteps, and if Sagash had meant for Balair to become a cold-blooded, cruel warrior with no mercy for anyone, he had definitely done his job.
"Thanks, sweetness," Balair said jovially. "It's nice to know that a woman thinks of me so highly! Hell, you're going to please me better than I thought you would; the last Astorie woman that I screwed screamed and cried the whole time, and I had to hurt her to subdue her. But you sound like a reasonable woman who knows what's best for her."
"It's no use for me to fight the inevitable," Natala replied. "But there is so much more that I want to know about you, Balair; I've mainly heard about Sagash and Jaden, but it's you I am interested in."
"Really?" Balair asked easily.
"Really. Do you have a mate, a family, parents, siblings?"
"I ought to call you a Princess of Questions instead of a Princess of Chloe, but to answer your questions, the first is no, I just have concubines, no mates. I do have a family back on my home planet, but both of my parents are dead; my father was killed fighting the Rybanese, and my mother died giving birth to me. Sistrai and Rybanese are among the few reptilian races that can give birth live; most reptilian races lay eggs. As for siblings, I have four sisters and three brothers, with me being the third oldest in the family, but I haven't really kept in touch with them for a long time. My father had two other wives after my mother died, so my youngest siblings are only half-siblings. Anyway, there's not much more to tell about them."
Natala was trying to think of more questions to ask Balair, and finally she came up with a few. "What do you think personally of your liege? What motivates you to keep working for Frieza? Have you ever questioned anything that he does or made you do?"
Balair was thrown off-guard; no one had ever asked him those things before, but then no one had dared to. He allowed himself to ponder Natala's questions, and he was still thinking when his scouter beeped. Balair growled and cursed, but he was forced to answer it.
"Balair?"
"What is it now, Zarbon?"
"Don't talk back to me like that, Balair. Lord Frieza has been kind enough to send us help; I have to go greet them, inform them of what's going on, and lead them here; they are nearing Calmag's surface now."
"Great, wonderful, why are you telling me this?"
"Because I have to leave, Balair! You will have to be in charge until I get back, and I need you to come back downstairs to watch the hostages."
"Have Dodi or Bhodie do it; I'm busy."
"Your bedtime activities will have to be put on hold, Balair. You are just going to have to bring your little Astorie woman back downstairs and keep her there with the others. You are out of playtime, and I have to go. I expect you down here in ten minutes, Balair; don't dawdle. Farewell for now; I am signing off." And before Balair could protest, Zarbon's scouter channel had closed.
Balair cursed, as he dragged Natala to her feet off of the bed. "Curse Zarbon, one day I will have his position! How dare he order me about like that when all I wanted was a little fun and recreation? Ugh! Well, woman, let's go back downstairs; we'll have to continue our fun later."
"Can I at least put something on?"
"Use a bedcover or something; good idea, because I don't want the other men seeing the goods on my new woman, and you do have a fine body that I can't wait to try out," Balair told her, as he released Natala long enough to allow her to wrap a quilt around her body and pin it with one of Shalila's gold safety pins that had been lying on the dresser.
Marya and Arlina were praying in a corner with Kekron and Nikon sitting nearby. Tayka had finally fallen asleep in Marya's lap after she and her twin sister, Tila, had cried for hours because of the "mean monsters" scaring everyone and killing people in front of them. Tila had also been crying, but she was too scared to go to sleep, for fear that she wouldn't wake up again. Instead she had latched herself onto Kekron, clinging to him (she harbored a minor crush on her cousin), and Kekron held her close, trying to rock her to sleep.
Rina had been running around the room, hoping that her parents had returned, and a furious Dodoria, impatient with her scurrying about the ballroom, had bluntly told Kekron that if he or someone didn't settle her down, Dodoria would settle her permanently, as in killing her. Rina had bitten Dodoria's thumb earlier when Dodoria had grabbed the little girl's tail. Dodoria had flung the three-year-old away from him and ordered Kekron to retrieve her. So now Kekron not only had Tila to soothe, but Rina to restrain. He had bribed Rina with his last chocolate sugarplum to calm her down and get her to sit still. But convincing an active three-year-old part-Saiyan child to settle down and not run around was harder than persuading Dirkan not to cuff someone for interrupting his meditating without good cause. Rina wanted to get up and leave to find her parents, but Kekron told her that she would have to wait (something that no three-year-old, Astorian, Saiyan, or Human, really knows the meaning of). Kekron finally gave her his extra compass and protractor and ruler to amuse her, and Rina was finally content to sit down and play with her treasures.
Tila was still trembling in Kekron's arms, but she had calmed down quite a bit. "It's going to be okay, Tila, really," Kekron told her, trying to stay as positive as possible. "Our family will save us, and we will be okay."
"I want my mamma," Tila whispered, looking at him wistfully.
"I know," Kekron moaned, deeply worried about his mother too, for he had seen Balair take his mother away. He had jumped up to go after them just before Balair had taken her out of the ballroom, but Natala ordered him to go sit with the others and take care of Arlina.
"I want Pappa too," Tila told Kekron. "He and Mamma could beat those meanies up! Don't you want your parents?"
"Yes, Tila," Kekron told her quietly. "I do. I hope they are both okay. Why don't we pray for your parents and mine, okay?"
"Okay, but who should we pray to? The East Kai, Kami Orchida, or our ancestors?"
"I would say all of them."
"Okay," Tila said. "Can I pray in your lap? Will they still listen to me, even if I'm not kneeling?"
"I'm sure that they would," Kekron assured her, and they both closed their eyes and prayed.
While they were praying, Caline joined them and sat down besides them. Tila, sensing Caline's ki, finished her prayer quickly, and she opened her eyes, the aquamarine eyes so like her mother's. Tila and Tayka were fraternal twins, with Tayka looking like Lektron, and Tila looking like Gracina. Tayka was the stronger one of the twins, and Tila was the prettier one. Tila, the youngest child, was the only one out of her siblings who was not training to become a warrior; she was training to become a healer or a scribe. The twins were different as night and day, but they were still close, and they both welcomed the prospect of a new sister, an older sister such as Caline, whom they hoped would come home with them. All of Lektron and Gracina's four children adored Caline, even the rambunctious Riccan and Nikon, and nosy Tayka had heard her mother wish that she could take Caline home to Astoria with them. Tayka hoped that it would happen, and she had told Tila so.
Tila noticed Caline's red-rimmed eyes and saw that she had been crying. "Are you okay, Caline?" Tila asked.
Caline shakily nodded. Tila, forgetting about her own pain for a few minutes, went to hug her. Caline embraced her in return and both "sisters" held each other for a long time.
Kekron had ended his prayer quickly as well. He asked Caline, who was still holding Tila, "Do you know where Balair took my mother?"
"It is my fault," Caline told him mournfully. "She took my place with Balair, so that Balair wouldn't rape me. I'm thankful not to have to go with him, but now I feel awful because Balair will be hurting her instead of me. I am so sorry, Kekron, I wish that I could have stopped her."
"I wish that I could kill that bastardi!" Kekron cried. "He's going to hurt her, I just know that he is."
"I'm sorry," Caline whispered again. "I should have gone instead."
"No," Kekron sighed. "It's not your fault, Caline; my mother was just trying to protect you. You're just a little girl, and no one should hurt you the way that Alberm and others like him have. Don't feel guilty or blame yourself; it's like my mother to want to help others, no matter what it costs her."
"I wish there was more I could do to help," Caline told him. "I wish that I could save your mother."
"I wish for once in my life that I was a warrior," Kekron said. "I wish that I was as strong as my father; my father could have beaten Balair, for he did it before. If my father were here right now, Balair would be on his knees begging for mercy! My father is one of the strongest men that I know! He gave up fighting for a while, but he went back to being a healior-that is a warrior who also is a healer. And you know what? I'm glad that he did because when he comes back, he'll show Balair a thing or two!"
"Kekron, shush now," a velvety voice ordered.
"What?"
Natala had returned, wearing the same hunter-green and gold quilt that she had wrapped around herself in Shalila and Dirkan's bedroom. She settled herself down near the children, and Caline, bringing a startled Tila with her, promptly flung herself into Natala's arms. Kekron seized his mother and hugged her tightly. Arlina and Marya stopped praying for now, and Arlina rushed to her mother, throwing her arms around her neck.
"Mamma, my prayers have been answered!" Arlina exclaimed excitedly; normally she was solemn and quiet. "Balair didn't hurt you, did he?"
Natala permitted herself a smile. "No, Arlina, I was very, very, lucky. Your prayers were answered."
Caline squeezed Natala hard, so hard that Natala could barely breathe. Who knew that such a small girl could harbor such strength? "I am so glad that you're safe, Natala!" Caline cried. "Thank you for saving me!" She wept on Natala's bosom. Tila, who was now wedged between Natala, Caline, and Kekron, just hugged Natala for no reason, except to seek comfort.
"Thank you, thank you," Caline cried again and again.
"Mamma, what happened? Did Balair harm you?" Kekron wanted to know.
"He molested me, yes, but I managed to get him to talk about himself, so he did not force himself on me. I am eternally grateful to the ancestors and Zarbon."
"Zarbon?" Kekron asked. "What did he do?"
"He made Balair stop; that's why we came back downstairs, son, because Balair has to take Zarbon's place in watching the hostages. The bad news is that Zarbon sent for more troops."
"Oh, no!" everyone in the group moaned.
"Aren't those Saiyans and the others enough?" Kekron asked.
"Apparently not," Natala sighed. "At this rate though, right now, I'm just thankful that Balair is too busy now to touch Caline or I. At least he won't be bothering either one of us for now."
"You saved both of us!" Caline declared, hugging her tighter, if that was possible for a delicate child like herself. "Thank you, thank you, and thank you! I was so scared of Balair; he's five times as bad as Alberm! I thought that I was going to be raped again, and I would rather die than be raped again! You saved me, Natala!"
"Easy, Caline," Natala said soothingly. "You're safe for now, and Balair has released me because he and Dodoria are needed to patrol the ballroom. I told you that things would be okay, sweetheart, see things are working out much better than expected."
"And now Caline can go home with us, can't she?" Tila asked, completely going off the subject.
"We'll see, Tila," was all that Natala could trust herself to say. She turned to Caline and Tila and added, "Girls, would you both let me talk to Kekron and Arlina alone for a few minutes; there is something that I have to tell them."
Tila and Caline slowly climbed out of Natala's arms, and they both went to sit with Marya, who took them with her over to her and Arlina's corner. Natala gathered Arlina and Kekron together in her arms, and she ushered Arlina on her lap.
With tears forming in her pale turquoise eyes, she said shakily, "Kekron, Arlina, I am sorry to tell you both this, but your father has-been transformed-into a diamond statue, and as far as-as I-I kn-know, he can't be changed back!" And then Natala lost what self-control that she had left, and she began to cry hard before she could stop herself.
Kekron's face paled, but Arlina told both her mother and her brother calmly, "Mamma, don't weep, please don't cry. Pappa is not dead; I can feel him. He still lives, Mamma."
"But how can that be, sweetheart?" Natala whispered.
"Aunt Marya told me something that she had seen in her visions, Mamma. She told me she saw Great-Aunt Toria and Tayla reverse the awful spell that the Gemstarian woman placed on the people, the ones that had been turned into diamonds. Pappa was a diamond statue, Mamma, but he's not any more; he's alive, Mamma, he's still alive! And he's coming for us, I know he is, and the others will be joining him soon. They will be coming; those who had been turned to diamonds are alive again!"
Natala's tears of grief became tears of joy at her daughter's words. "Sweet Kami, he lives! He's alive! Wonderful! I will see my Raakon, your father again!" Her face brightened, as her smile widened. She hugged Arlina and Kekron tighter. "Your father lives, children! He is alive!"
Kekron's face was alight with hope and happiness. He was too happy to speak.
Just as their happiness started to increase, Marya interrupted them, and her face was distressed. Natala's face fell at Marya's worried expression. "What's wrong?" she asked.
Marya sighed, "My sister is in danger."
"Which one?"
"Tayla! Dedron has betrayed her, I saw him do so in my mind, and he has convinced Ridikar to abduct my sister, cuff her with ki-restraining cuffs and take her far away to force her to marry him. I have always seen such evil in Dedron's heart, but I never realized until now just how much it would affect him."
Kekron said unsteadily, "Doesn't Rojal and Aunt Gorna dislike Tayla too?"
"They were only jealous of her," Marya told Kekron as calmly as she could. "But Dedron's negative feelings towards Tayla go beyond jealousy and envy; they have turned into hatred. Dedron's envy and hatred for Tayla has consumed him to the point where he will do anything to be rid of her. Dedron is just as dangerous to Tayla, as the Saiyans and the others who work for Frieza are. He is such an angry young man, so angry at his parents and Nama and Tayla, blaming them for his problems and Farla leaving with Jaypros. Farla and Jaypros' adulterous affair has caused such problems and repercussions, far-reaching consequences, consequences that will continue to affect us for years to come."
"Are you angry with Aunt Farla and Uncle Jaypros for leaving?" Kekron asked
Marya said wistfully, "I think that Farla and Jaypros were so in love with each other, that they did not stop to consider the consequences of what they were doing. They knew that they were doing wrong, but they allowed themselves to be blinded with their love and their lust for each other. Farla and Cletos should have never married; Farla has always loved Jaypros, but she had been infatuated with Cletos for a long time. I saw the look of pain in Jaypros' eyes the day Farla and Cletos had married. I counseled Cletos at one time not to marry Farla in haste, but he was so in love with her and so happy with her at the time. Actually, I told Cletos he shouldn't marry Farla at all, and I told Farla to wait longer before marrying Cletos. I know that Mamma meant well when she helped to bring Farla and Cletos together after Farla and Jaypros broke things off the first time, but that was one marriage that should have never been allowed to happen. Even Aunt Toria told them to wait, but they would not listen. I pressed my brother, your Uncle Jaypros, to tell Farla how he felt, that he still loved her, but Jaypros just couldn't work up enough courage until after Farla and Cletos were married with two children. So, no, Kekron, I am not angry with Farla and Jaypros; in fact, I pity them, and now they will never get the chance to make amends because both of them have perished, living with our ancestors now."
Natala nearly shrieked. "Farla is dead?"
"I had a bad dream last night," Marya confided tearfully. "I felt the despair and hurt in Farla's heart, and she took her own life, poor woman. I saw another person in my dream, a small girl, and one who looked just like Farla. I tried to gather more information about her, but the ancestors and spirits have closed that door to me; it seems that they don't want me to know anything about her. I will see later, if Aunt Toria lives, if she has seen anything about this girl."
"Could Farla have had any children with Jaypros?" Natala wanted to know.
"Perhaps, it seems that she did, but I can't get any clear visions about them."
"What will we do now?" Kekron wanted to know.
"Tayla is in danger," Arlina said.
"Mamma, couldn't one or two of us sneak out of here unnoticed?" Kekron wanted to know. "Balair and his bunch can't watch everyone at once."
"Not for now, son," Natala told him as firmly as possible. "Remember Balair's threat about killing ten people for every one person who escaped? We will wait for now; it is all we can do."
"That is best," Marya agreed, "although I am very worried about my sister. I must go and pray that Ridikar does not harm her, and that Dedron will see the error of his evil ways before it is too late. The poor child!"
Tayka was now awake, and she had joined the others. So had Rina, who wanted to know what was going on with the older members of her family.
"We must remain strong, for everyone's sake," Natala said as bravely as possible. "Children, gather close to me all of you. I will tell you the story of the time when our ancestors took back Astoria from the Saiyans; that is a good victory story."
All of the children, especially Caline, who had only heard bits and pieces of the Astorians taking Astoria back from the Saiyans, loved this war story; it was their favorite. They loved hearing how they won over the Saiyans, of Shalila and Dirkan fighting King Dayrus the Oozaru, of Shalila training under Dirkan, and of the first Bajal Chloe conquering the Astorian moons, taking them back from the Saiyan occupants.
Natala began, her voice steady and confident, "A long time ago, on a tiny blue planet called Earth that sat in the Milky Way Galaxy, lived a tiny, red-haired girl, and her brave warrior mother, the first Tayla Chloe, the wife of Superior Granden Roccon, and the mother of Shalila Chloe, our Superior Gran and heroine…"
