Chapter One-Hundred-And-Ten: Aftermath

And just further down the street two hours later…

Kiran Sahara, Bendros's younger brother, was sitting on a park bench on the torn sidewalk, kissing Jaca passionately, with Jaca kissing him in return. Dakal Sahara, Bendros's youngest brother was shouting and hollering happily while running around with Nikon, Tayka, Tila, and Rina. They were screaming loudly and joyously about their people winning the war.

Dakal Sahara was mischievous, a precocious prankster who was both the delight and despair of his mother, Gran Mauria, who was back home on the moon of Sahara of Astoria. Alora and Bendros had been in charge of Bendros's younger brothers, and Dakal was a lovable handful. Dakal had been angry because he had been considered not strong enough and not old enough to fight; it hadn't helped that nine-year-old Riccan had been allowed to join his family in battle, and he hadn't. Fortunately, Dakal, who would someday grow up to be as handsome as Bendros, was over his ire, and he was now delighting himself in teasing Tayka. Tayka's strength was equivalent to Dakal's, and the two children served each other as both friends and rivals, with their frequent battles and quarrels.

Dakal decided to really annoy Tayka and kiss her right on the lips because he knew that Tayka thought that "mouth kissing" was gross. A furious Tayka had shoved Dakal into a mud puddle and threatened to tell her brother, Riccan, on him.

"All I did was kiss you! Big deal!" Dakal whooped.

"It is to me, stinky!" Tayka cried, annoyed.

"I'm not stinky, brat!"

"I'm not a brat!"

"Brat!"

"Stinky!"

Dakal and Tayka continued to throw insults at each other while Toria (who had asked Steak to breathe into her ears earlier) smiled. She had a glimpse of both of their futures, and she could see them as adults, "stuck with each other" for the rest of their lives. And yet, deep down, Toria knew that they would be happiest arguing with each other than agreeing with everyone else.

But Toria put them out of her mind for now and thought of the weary heroes and heroines that had just returned from their battles only hours ago. Toria had put Bendros and Tayla under her healing domes, and both heroic warriors were still healing and sleeping. Dirkan had gone off with Steak in search of Pork and Crystalis while Shalila had gone off to check on everyone in her family. Alora and Bajal had disappeared to somewhere private to "celebrate" in their own special way. Toria had taken a glimpse of Alora's future; it seemed that more visions of the future came to her nowadays. Toria could see a baby boy in Alora's arms, pulling on Bajal's hair, within less than a year. Natala and Raakon would not be the only ones who would have a new addition to their family; Toria had caught a glance of Natala's future, seeing a baby girl in her arms.

Ah, Natala and Raakon! No doubt that Raakon was reunited once more with his dear, beloved Natala, probably planning to take her off somewhere to "celebrate" by themselves as well. Toria saw the aforementioned pair come up before her now, with Raakon carrying a wildly happy Natala in his arms. Arlina was following behind them, smiling serenely. Kekron and Caline were not with them at this time.

"Aunt Toria!" Raakon cried excitedly, buoyantly, yet gently cradling his cherished mate in his arms. "Haven't you heard about Natala's baby?"

"Natala forgot to tell me," Toria admitted smilingly. "But I already knew it when I released her from her paralysis spell earlier."

"She will have a little girl named Maylia," Arlina told her great-aunt.

"Yes, she will, Arlina," Toria agreed. "And Maylia will become a fine warrior. That much I was able to see. Congratulations, Natala and Raakon, and may your little one and your other two children have happy, long lives."

"Thank you, Toria," Natala told her softly, still clinging to Raakon. She then looked at Toria intensely, saying, "Toria, have you seen into any of my children's futures besides my unborn child's? Arlina tells me that her life will not change much, but not even she could tell me anything about Kekron."

"Arlina's life will be a gentle, placid one for the most part," Toria assured Natala. "Your future daughter will have an exciting, tempestuous future, full of adventures and disappointments, but yet very satisfying. Her life will certain not lack excitement. And as for Kekron's future…"

"Yes?" both Natala and Raakon wanted to know.

"Kekron's future will be a combination of both. I do not see much of his future yet, but I can tell you that dear little Caline will play a large role in it. His future is clouded, but I am certain that what he does in the future will have a huge impact on many lives."

"I-I see the way that Kekron looks at Caline," Natala told Toria. "I believe that he may already be in love with her, even though he does not say so."

"He loves her dearly, but he is honorable," Toria assured her. "He knows that Caline is still a child, and he will wait until she is older. Caline right now just wants and needs him as a friend; she does not wish to have a mate or a suitor at this time. She trusts Kekron, and some of the other men among our people implicitly, but Caline still has much healing to do. She is not ready for anyone as a potential mate right now, not even Kekron. Her future too is clouded, but I can feel happiness radiating from it. Caline will have a much brighter future than she previously hoped. Caline and Kekron's story will not be over for some time."

"May we ask about Tayla?" Raakon asked her quietly.

Toria closed her eyes and said very softly, "Her future is almost unreadable at this time. With others, their futures are hidden behind filmy, silvery curtains that lift now and then to let me see them. But Tayla's future is hidden behind heavy, opaque drapes that I can barely push aside. All I am certain of is that Tayla's adventures and trials are far from over. Destiny is not done with her, and fate will not let her rest forever. Her childhood is definitely over; she had come to Calmag as a child, and will leave as a young woman. Her story is not even half-written."




In a hotel lounge…

Although Toria was correct in Tayla's adventures being far from over, Tayla would be able to have some peace and quiet for now. Tayla was still under her blue dome, dressed in yet another nightgown of Toria's, this one being a pale sea-foam green with light pink ruffles on the neck and cuffs and hem. Toria had bought both nightgowns after she and the former hostages had checked into the Angori. Bendros was in another healing dome besides hers, and he had been dressed in a pair of silk bright blue pajamas, borrowed from a CRP officer. Shalila, Gracina, Riccan, Kekron, and Caline were with them. Dirkan was on his way back. Both he and his wife had postponed Toria putting them under healing domes, deciding to wait on everyone else, to be around for them.

Gracina was asleep on an overstuffed saffron couch with Kekron sitting on her left side, and Riccan sitting on her right. Dear little Caline was asleep now as well, with her legs in Riccan's lap, her torso in Gracina's lap, and her head in Kekron's lap. Riccan was snoring loudly for a little boy; he had inherited his father's worse trait of snoring like someone had shoved a vacuum cleaner up into his nose. Kekron was asleep as well, with his head resting against the back of the couch and his right hand on Caline's head.

Only Shalila was still awake; she stood near Tayla's dome, hovering over her, watching her lovingly, like someone who had regained her greatest treasure. And Shalila had; she had come so close to losing her "dandelion" so many times, in battle and in several abductions. The Superior Gran loved all of her descendants dearly, even Rojal and Dedron, but she loved Tayla most of all still, even though she would never admit it publicly. What would she had done, had Frieza's forces had actually succeeded in their evil plans to take Tayla away? Her heart froze at the horrible thought of Tayla being forced to kill and fight for Frieza the way that she had learned that Pork and Crystalis once had. Shalila was happy for Steak; she understood how Steak had felt when he thought he had lost his son for good.

Before Shalila and her family had returned to downtown Magan, Shalila had taken Tayla into her arms and held her, never wanting to let her go. Tayla had clung to her, burrowing her face into her shoulder, weeping for joy. Shalila had caught her last glance of Tayla as a child when Tayla had looked up into her beloved Nama's face with unmixed happiness and hope. That would be the last time that Tayla would ever resemble a child to her, although it would be a long while before the Superior Gran would stop affectionately addressing Tayla as "child". But child or young woman, Tayla would always be her "little dandelion", no matter what. And to Shalila Chloe, Tayla would always be her "baby", no matter how old Tayla lived to be.

She was so proud of the girl, so amazed. Shalila had always believed that Tayla was special, but Tayla's part in her and Bendros's amazing victory over Zarbon was still unbelievable. Although Shalila had been disturbed to learn that Tayla had once again used Power Globe, Bendros had assured the nearly agitated ruler of Astoria that Tayla had fully mastered her dangerous technique this time and used it wisely. Shalila had told both Tayla and Bendros that she was proud of them, and she had thanked Bendros personally for looking after Tayla.

Shalila continued to watch the glowing blue dome until it suddenly began to blink and fade away slowly. Bendros's dome began to vanish as well, and the two brave warriors began to awaken. Tayla, yawning, was the first to wake up. Bendros was struggling to stay awake, but he promptly closed his eyes again, wanting a few more minutes of rest. He was asleep again within seconds.

"Nama?" Tayla asked sleepily.

Shalila wrapped her arms around her favorite, cuddling her close. "Yes, dandelion?"

Tayla rested her dark head on her Nama's shoulder.

"I'm hungry. What's for breakfast?"

Shalila couldn't help, but burst into laughter.




At approximately the same time…

Gorna was fully healed now, at least physically. Her healing dome had faded away thirty minutes ago, and she was now staring out the picture window in the hotel lobby. She had aged years since her Uncle Gohan had told her the sad news about Etros's heroic, yet tragic death. Gorna had not been aging well to begin with, and the news of Etros's death did not help. She paid little mind to the joyous cries and shouts of both her people and the Calmagian people celebrating their hard-won victory.

Gorna was paler than usual, and her lips were pressed tightly together; she was unusually quiet. Gohan, who had remained nearby, rested a large hand on his niece's shoulder.

"Gorna, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied stiffly to her uncle. "I will be fine…really…I will be fine."

Gohan looked at her sorrowfully; he had just told Gorna that Etros had died in battle not too along ago, but Gorna seemed to be handling things well. In fact, despite her pale skin and her tight lips, she was fairly calm, but Gohan couldn't help, but pity her. So far, neither he nor anyone else had seen her shed a tear for her husband's death, but Gorna had never been the emotional or sentimental type.

Gorna secretly wished that her uncle would leave her alone; she appreciated his concern, but she wanted to be left in peace for as long as possible. She allowed herself a grim smile when she first thought of the first time she had fallen in love with Etros Chloe. Etros had been a handsome man when he had been courting her, although he had been short and lean. At that time, Etros had been muscular with broad shoulders, chiseled features, strong cheekbones, a square jaw, a six-pack chest, gleaming black hair and dark blue eyes that could go from gentle to commanding within seconds. Etros had wooed her with sweet words, praising her nonexistent beauty and grace. When she and Etros had first become interested in each other, Etros had been courting Mauria Sahara, the then-future Gran of the Clan of Sahara, and the then-future mother of Bendros. Etros had unceremoniously and abruptly dumped Mauria for Gorna, and Mauria had tried to warn Gorna that Etros was just courting her because Gorna was to become the next ruler of Astoria after her father, Mantros. Gorna had thought that Mauria was just jealous, and she ignored her.

Even Lektron and Farla, Etros's younger siblings, had tried to warn Gorna that Etros was only using her, but Etros had convinced Gorna that everyone was against him, and Gorna had taken his side. No male had ever paid Gorna any attention before, despite her royal status, and Gorna was flattered and happy that a handsome charmer like Etros had shown her caring and affection.

Mantros had strongly disapproved of Etros being Gorna's husband and the future Superior Granden of Astoria, and even gentle, friendly Tika had kindly tried to discourage her oldest daughter from letting Etros court her. They both had thought that Etros, who had never paid Gorna any attention before she had turned sixteen, was just using her to become Superior Granden. Mantros and Gorna had had some loud arguments about Etros, with Mantros even going as far as to forbid them from seeing each other. But Gorna continued to see Etros, despite her father's orders.

Finally Mantros had asked his father, the first Bajal Chloe, to intercede, and Bajal had a long talk with Gorna about Etros that became a shouting match. It had been the only time that Gorna had ever argued with her beloved grandfather, and she had won out. Bajal had reluctantly calmed down, told Gorna that she was almost grown, but he would never approve of her and Etros being together.

"He loves me, Granpappa," Gorna had argued.

"Gorna, you can do better than him," the first Bajal had said more calmly. "I understand that he's handsome with a smooth tongue, but he's just an attractive package with nothing inside. He's cowardly and weak, and he'll do anything for power. He's not worthy of the throne, and he's not smart enough to know how to run this planet like it should be run. You're the next ruler of Astoria after your father, and a future ruler needs a mate who can make a good ruler and a good life partner. Etros will never be either, and he's using you. He only dates women with important positions, such as you and Mauria Sahara. Mauria's maternal grandmother, Kora, had told me he was only courting her, so that he could become the next Granden of Sahara, but then he set his eyes on bigger things, such as you and your title. He doesn't want you, Gorna; he wants what you can give him."

But Gorna had insisted that Etros did not just want her for what she could give him, and finally her family unhappily gave in when she told them she was going to marry Etros, even if she had to elope with him to another planet. After their marriage, Etros's good looks and charm faded away fast, and she had been left with a conniving, skinny, lazy man with no backbone or real strength. Oh, he submitted to her most of the time, and he had been decent with the children, but Gorna had bitterly come to conclude that her family had been right about him.

For she had just discovered that Etros had been cleverly cheating on her for many years now, off and on. Gorna had learned of her husband's infidelities over the two-year period that Tayla had been living at Kami Orchida's when she had caught Etros in bed with Rojal's former nursemaid, Suza Hagen, from the Clan of Hagen. Gorna had promptly fired Suza from the Palace of Chloe's employ and had the maiden shipped back to her family, warning her that if she ever returned to Chloe, her disgrace would be revealed. Suza had meekly left, although she had fallen in love with Etros and his charm, for Etros could still be suave when he wanted to be. Etros had apologized and begged for a second chance, which Gorna had reluctantly given, since she didn't want to admit to her family that her marriage was disintegrating.

But she had caught him in bed with a beautiful Bathing Laborer named Traina Emerald, who had huge breasts, blond hair and blue eyes, just three days before the Roccon, the Clan of Chloe family ship, had departed the moon of Chloe for planet Calmag. Traina had been fired immediately and sent back to her family, with the same threat of exposure hanging over her lovely head. Again, Etros had begged forgiveness, but Gorna had learned from an old friend that Traina had not been the only wench that Etros had been playing around with recently.

An embarrassed, angry Gorna had told Etros that this time their marriage was over, and that she was divorcing him after they returned to Astoria. Etros had pleaded with his wife not to cut him off, for he knew that he would be banished from the Clan of Chloe and disgraced forever, if Gorna cried adultery against him. He knew that many of their family members had not forgiven his sister, Farla, or his cousin, Jaypros, Gorna's brother, for running away together. Neither he nor Gorna had mentioned their marital difficulties to the rest of the family, on Gorna's orders; Gorna had promised her errant mate that if he kept his mouth shut until they returned home to Astoria, she would see that he wasn't banished from the family, although she was leaving him anyway. Etros had quickly submitted to his wife's order, and they had continued their charade of a semi-happy couple. Etros had even tried to be kinder and more attentive to his wife, hoping to win back her favor, but Gorna would not forgive him.

Before the war had started, Gorna had not only Etros's infidelities to deal with, but also Cletos's neglect of his children and Tayla's insistence on marrying Ridikar, a boy she had just met. And now, through sad and trying circumstances, all three problems had been solved. Gorna had learned from Toria that Ridikar had died; Cletos was trying, really trying to be a decent father, although Dedron still rejected him. And now Etros was dead. Dead.

And she, Princess Gorna Chloe, was free.

Gorna felt some sorrow and proper horror over Etros's demise, but not much; her love for her cheating, troublesome husband had been dying for years, and Etros's cheating with Suza had brought about the final death knell. Gorna felt more sorry for Rojal and Lelina, for they were now without a father, like her. Rojal had shared his mother's contempt for his weakling father, but Lelina had been Etros's pet and favorite. Lelina and Etros had been close, and it would be Lelina who would miss him the most.

Because of Rojal and Lelina, Gorna would take the secret of Etros's unfaithfulness to her grave. There was no point in telling anyone the truth about Etros now; Etros was dead, and the news of the violation of his marriage vows would only hurt and humiliate his children, plus embarrass his wife. No one would ever have to know, and all of Etros's known paramours had been chased off of Chloe, and none of them would dare to come back.

And Gorna Chloe would remain single forever; there would be no more husbands or children, but that was fine with her. She had Rojal, her heir; she had fulfilled the required Clan of Chloe duty in producing an heir to Astoria's throne. Her work was over, and Rojal was almost grown, well on his way now to becoming a worthy ruler someday. Lelina would probably be married within the next five years, and Gorna would not have to worry about her children as much. Gorna would focus on them until they were married, and she would also concentrate on learning everything she could about becoming a good ruler. She would one day take Nama's place, and she must be ready for it at any time.

Etros was in the past, and the past must be forgotten now. It was only the present and the future that mattered. And right now it was Rojal and Lelina who needed her.

She would be here for them when Hazel, who had gone to retrieve them, brought them back to her.









Two hours later…

The city electricians managed to get power back into most of the city once more, and the huge, ornate restaurant in the Angori Hotel was packed with Astorians and Calmagians. The cooks and waiters and waitresses had been brought back to work immediately to serve the victors and their friends; the staff was kept busy for hours.

Tayla was sitting at a rectangular table munching down on several kinds of sausages and eggs "with an appetite greater than a Saiyan's" as Dirkan said. Neither Tayla nor her family had eaten well with the last two days, and all of them were starved. Shalila, Dirkan, Bendros, Gracina, Lektron, and Gracina and Lektron's children had joined them, along with Kekron and Caline, who was seated happily between Tayla and Kekron, two of her most favorite people. All of them were eating very well this morning.

Tayla was especially gobbling down her breakfast, as if it were her last meal. She had drank three huge glasses of fruit juice, and she was now finishing off her third plate of eggs and various meats.

"Tayla," Shalila laughed between bites of her more politely eaten meal, "I promise that you will get to eat again soon. Sweet Orchida, child, that is your third plate!"

"Can't help it, Nama," Tayla mumbled between huge, succulent bites of juicy sausage. "I'm starving!"

"I don't blame her," Caline agreed, who was sitting next to Tayla and devouring her second plate of eggs and telope steak; telope meat was Caline's favorite food. Caline, like Tayla, was normally not a gluttonous eater, but Caline had barely eaten herself in the past few days. Only Bendros had eaten more than Tayla and Caline, but then he was part Saiyan, after all.

Caline joyously drank down the last of her third glass of fruit juice, as Tayla asked for a fourth glass from a passing waitress. Tayla then requested more eggs while Caline asked for more telope steak. Dirkan sighed and shook his head, amused.

"It's a good thing King Kitchator is picking up the bill for everyone's meal."

"I pity him when he gets it," Shalila added.

"Aw, give the girls a break," Bendros told both of them. "The poor things hadn't had a decent meal in days. Neither have I, for that matter." He then called out to their waiter, who had just come back with more eggs for Tayla, "I'll take some more sausages please and some eggs."

"Yes, sir," the waiter said, leaving to get Bendros his fifth plate of food.

Kekron leaned back in his chair after finishing his second plate of meat and eggs. He moaned, "I don't think I can hold another bite."

Most everyone agreed with him, except for Tayla, Caline (who had just now received her extra telope steak) and Bendros, who was gulping down his sixth glass of fruit juice.

Caline said wistfully, after a few bites of telope steak, "I wonder what's going to become of me now that I don't have to marry Filcor."

"You're coming home with us," Tayla told her firmly, patting Caline's shoulder. "Surely, you don't want to stay with that awful Julien! Right, everyone?"

"Tayla," Shalila reminded her gently. "King Kitchator hasn't decided yet."

"Well, when is he going to decide?" Riccan demanded to know. "Caline belongs with us."

"That's right!" Tayka declared. "Julien said himself that he didn't want her, and that we could have her-"

"Tayka!" Gracina said reproachfully.

"That's what he said!" Tayka protested.

"He did say that," Tila agreed with her twin. "He said that he had enough sisters, and that he didn't need any more."

Gracina sighed, but then she smiled to see Caline giggle softly. Gracina favored Caline a warm smile, and Caline smiled back. Gracina then said to Caline:

"If your grandfather does let you come home with us, are you sure you want to live with my family, sweetheart? What you hear among my children is an everyday thing, and they do squabble."

"I'd be very happy to be part of your family!" Caline asserted.

"And we'd be very happy to have you as one of us," Lektron added, drinking down some fruit juice. "We'd love to have you as a daughter, Caline."

Dirkan cleared his throat loudly. He wanted Caline to come home with his family as much as everyone else, but he didn't want to get Caline's hopes raised too high, just in case King Kitchator refused.

"And we'd be like sisters," Tayla told Caline cheerfully, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Tayla…everyone…" Dirkan began quietly.

Caline piped up, "If I did get to come home with all of you, would Gracina and Lektron have custody of me?"

Shalila answered honestly, "They would be assigned as your adoptive parents, my dear, but Dirkan and I would be the ones to have legal custody of you. Clan Grans and Grandens are legal guardians of any adopted children underage coming into a Clan from another race or Clan, unless that child already has natural parents. You would be declared a royal ward, little Caline. However, you would live with Gracina and Lektron's family, as if you were one of their natural children. They would still be real parents to you." And with that, Shalila took another sip of her fruit juice.

Tayla and Caline had finally finished their meals, and both girls asked to be excused. Shalila allowed them to leave, and Tayla and Caline went in search of Lelina and Rojal (who had been released from his healing dome some time back). They were going to find them to give them condolences for the death of their father, Etros. They heard Shalila excusing herself to go be with Gorna for a while, as they left the table.

Tayla was concerned for Lelina because Lelina had been taking her father's death harder than anyone else. Rojal had accepted the death of his and Lelina's father with a somber look and calm demeanor, and he had tried to comfort his sister the best that he could. Caline felt for Lelina and Rojal too, and she wanted to see what she could do to help.

Both girls saw Lelina and Rojal quietly talking and standing in the corner of the sunny restaurant, with Lelina quietly weeping on Rojal's chest. Rojal and Lelina had argued frequently in the past, but in this time of need and new maturity, they both held onto each other. Caline and Tayla ventured over to see them when Caline saw Julien and Dedron together near the restaurant's coffee bar, talking and conversing together, as if they were old friends. She nudged Tayla nervously.

"I didn't know that my brother knew Dedron that well."

Tayla made a face at seeing Julien and Dedron being so chummy with each other. She also grew tense, for she remembered yet what Dedron had done to her when he had talked Ridikar into kidnapping her. She had not forgiven Dedron for it yet, and she no longer trusted him. She had given him another chance before, and he had taken advantage of her willingness to forgive. It would be a long time, if ever, before Tayla would ever feel comfortable around Dedron again.

Caline grew suddenly solemn.

"I hope that Grandfather lets me go home with all of you," Caline said wistfully and suddenly.

Tayla patted her back and said, "I hope that he does too. Caline, won't you miss your family though?"

"Somewhat," Caline replied. "Most of my relatives I'm not close to. I haven't seen my older sisters, Rosyn and Meyline in two years, and I barely knew them when they were around. I'll miss Naykiar now though; I asked, if maybe he'd like to come along, but he told me that he needed to be here, in case something happened to Julien. Naykiar would be the next king after Julien unless Julien has a son."

Tayla shivered. "I'll feel sorry for Julien's future wife."

"So will I," Caline agreed. "And Dedron's."

"Assuming anyone would even want to marry him. If a girl did, I'd seriously question her sanity."

Caline smiled. "It's too bad that we can't sew warning labels onto their backs."

Just then, Dedron was heard saying to Julien, "Your sister, Caline, is a cute little thing."

"She is, isn't she?" Julien told Dedron companionably. "You really like her, don't you?"

"You bet!" Dedron crowed.

"If it were within my power, I'd arrange for a little private meeting between you two," Julien told him. "But…Grandfather insisted that I leave Caline alone, so I'm afraid that won't be happening anytime soon."

"Hey, are you looking for a bride?"

"Not yet, why?"

"How about Tayla?"

"Hell no! I'm not going through the grief that Ridikar did with her!"

"Oh, come on! I'll be happy to trade Tayla for Caline! I'd rather have Caline any day!"

Nearby, Caline paled, and Tayla gagged.

"Ewww!" Tayla whispered to her friend. "Caline, would you be offended, if I said that I didn't like Julien very much?"

"No. Would you be offended, if I said that I didn't like Dedron at all?"

"No way! I completely understand!"

"Petalia told me a while ago that Dedron was interested in me," Caline said with a shudder. "Do you…think…that he would…try anything on me?" She began to tremble then, not wanting to deal with yet another unwelcome suitor.

Tayla placed a reassuring hand on Caline's shoulder. "If he does, just let me or any one of us know. Right now, I'm actually looking for a convenient excuse to give Dedron a hard time."

"Bendros said earlier that you saved Dedron's life from Prince Vegeta of the Saiyans," Caline asserted. "And Dedron deliberately had my brother abduct you and carry you off. It bothers me that Ridikar was actually friendly with him. I'm sorry that he took you away that time, Tayla."

"That wasn't your fault, don't worry about it," Tayla told her. "Ridikar changed his ways after that day, so maybe Dedron really helped to do a good thing after all."

"Then maybe I owe Dedron some thanks. You know what, Tayla?"

"What, Caline?"

"Dedron and Julien could truly be a force for good."

"WHAT?" Tayla exclaimed so loudly that some people nearby looked at her strangely. Since none of them were her friends or relatives, Tayla gave them a "what-are-you-looking-at" glare, and the onlookers hurriedly went back to their own affairs.

She felt Caline's forehead worriedly. "Caline, I think you need to see a doctor."

Caline giggled. "Think about it, Tayla. Everyone would be against them, and they'd unite the entire universe!"

Tayla laughed then. "We should suggest that to both Nama and Uncle Kitchator!" She and Caline fell against each other, shrieking wildly with laughter until tears started streaming from their eyes. Tayla snickered at the image of all the races in the universe, uniting against Dedron and Julien. She and Caline put their arms around each other and left to go to Lelina and Rojal, as they tried to sober up before they arrived.







In the garden of the Angori Hotel…

The garden of the Angori had remained fairly intact, except for some broken pots and two cracked benches. Other than that, all of flowers in the hexagonal flowerbeds were blooming, as if they too were celebrating the preservation of their planet. Brilliant spots of pink, turquoise, saffron, crimson, magenta, lavender, and orange brighter than the sun decorated the cold green pointed bushes lining up along the cobblestone pathways.

Crystalis was sitting on a white stone bench with her giraffe-like head down and a small, wistful smile upon her face. Suddenly, she noticed a lavender flower with five petals and a deep plum-colored center staring up into her eyes. Her smile widened somewhat, when she noticed the bringer of the flower.

"Cheer up, Crysti," Pork told her, handing her the fragrant flower, which smelled of a scent similar to Earth hyacinths. "We're safe now."

Crystalis inhaled the aromatic scent of the flower and thanked him shyly, but then she grew very sad.

"You're safe now," Crystalis told him. "You have a family to go home to, but I will have no one. I had no real friends beside you, Commander Chestra, and Journa, and you will be with your family. And I can never speak to Commander Chestra or Journa again because I, like you, will be officially listed as a traitor to Frieza. They would be obligated to turn me in."

"I am sorry, Crysti," Pork said softly. "I am sure that my family would be glad to have you stay with them."

"Superior Gran Shalila would never allow it," Crystalis told him. "She will allow you because your father is a friend of hers, but I have no connections to anyone on Astoria or anywhere. Maybe I can work on this planet until I can save enough money to buy a ship and go away to some distant planet."

"Where would you go, Crysti?" Pork wanted to know. He didn't want to lose his closest friend, who had been like a big sister to him.

"I can answer that easily."

Both Crystalis and Pork turned around. "Father?" Pork gasped.

"And Superior Granden Dirkan?" Crystalis cried.

Both Dirkan and Steak were standing behind them. The two men had managed to change and shower, and Dirkan was dressed in a billowy, Earth Arab-like suit with white pants, red shirt, and a red turban with a gold crest of a moon crescent in the center. Steak was dressed more simply, in a plain pale blue, short-sleeved shirt with a round neck; the wardrobe also included plain black trousers and even plainer brown leather shoes.

Dirkan had his pink-and-green muscled arms crossed, as he added quietly before Steak could speak, "My wife and I have already allowed for Pork to stay on Astoria for permanent asylum, and Crystle-"

"Crystalis," the tall, ugly mammalian girl corrected meekly.

"Crystalis then," Dirkan continued. "Steak here has asked to be your sponsor, and a sort of adoptive father to you. Would you like to accept? Would you like to live on Astoria?"

"Would-would you and Superior Gran Shalila allow me?" Crystalis asked worriedly. "I am not so sure that you and your people would ever want someone among them who has worked for Frieza."

Pork looked up at Dirkan anxiously, thinking the same thing. He and Crystalis had killed in the past, like their comrades, and Astorians were rumored never to forgive or forget.

Dirkan rested a large green hand upon Crystalis's shoulders. "There may be some who will think that way for a while, but almost all of my family does not agree. It has been made clear to us that you and Pork wish to change your ways and your allegiances; you two can be redeemed."

Crystalis said shakily, "Well, if you really want us to come home with your people-"

"We do," Steak told her, patting her other shoulder. "Crystalis, my son has told me that you took good care of him during your years together under Frieza. I consider you one of my children, young lady, and I wouldn't want to separate my son from his best friend. It is because of you that I have been reunited with my long-lost son. I never thought that I would see Pork again. It was painful enough to lose his mother, dear, beautiful Poultry. Because of you, I have my son once more."

Crystalis didn't say a word, but then she fiercely turned around and seized Steak in a hard, daughterly embrace. Steak felt a few of her tears wet his shirt, but he didn't mind. Pork looked at them with all the hope and happiness manifesting themselves into joyful tears.

Crystalis nodded, and Pork then joined their fervent embrace. Dirkan stood back and watched this tender family scene with a stoic expression, but underneath the calm demeanor, he was delighted for them. He permitted himself a smile, and he walked away to leave them for a while.







Just outside of the Angori Hotel...

Flirtius was extremely joyful; he knew that many of the Astorians were not as forgiving towards him as they were towards young Pork and Crystalis, but he hoped that he would win them over in time. Because he had helped get Shalila into the royal castle to save Tayla and the hostages, Shalila and Dirkan were seriously considering giving him asylum on Astoria, provided that he renounce his allegiance to Frieza and join the side of good. Flirtius had happily agreed to do so, knowing that if Frieza ever found out that Flirtius had helped Shalila and her family, his life would be worth less than the hairs on his head.

He was dancing around like a clown in the streets; he was a bit disappointed that he would never get into the Ginyu Force, but he could still be an entertainer. He flirted shamelessly with every lovely young Calmagian or Astorian maiden walking by. Finally, an Astorian young woman with long, caramel-colored hair, a dollop of golden-brown freckles on her face, and hazel eyes sidled up to him.

"Hello," she whispered. "My name is Melonia Myst."

"Me…lo…nia…a lovely name," Flirtius purred. "You are a beaut…not every day that a Princess of Chloe pays me any mind."

"I am not a Princess," Melonia told him with a giggle. She was a very sweet-natured girl of no more than sixteen, but she was a bit flighty at times. "I am the nursemaid for both Princess Tila and Princess Tayka Chloe, daughters of Princess Gracina Chloe and Prince Lektron Chloe. I recognize you! You used to work for Frieza, didn't you?"

"I did," Flirtius admitted. "But I've quit."

Melonia whispered shyly, "I've always thought you were handsome, even when you were working for Frieza. Are you compatible with humanoids?"

"Absolutely!" Flirtius declared. "Are you taken?"

Melonia laughed, "Not a chance! There was a boy that I liked, but it's you that I think is cute! Perhaps, I'm being a bit too forward?"

"Not at all…" Flirtius assured her. "As a matter of fact, you can be as forward, as you like."

"Good!" Melonia declared, and she wasted no time in passionately kissing him on his lips. Flirtius blushed a deep shade of green and laughed nervously, as Melonia kissed him again.

"Aren't you going to kiss me back?" she asked brightly.

"Sure!" Flirtius crowed, and he cupped her brown head in his hand and returned her kiss. Melonia purred, and just as Flirtius was about to kiss her again, someone seized him by his collar from behind.

"YOU LEAVE MY LITTLE SISTER ALONE!" a huge, burly manservant roared, dragging Flirtius away from his sister.

"Varrcan!" Melonia cried.

"Varrcan, calm down," Ebrona ordered him. She looked at Melonia and scolded, "Melonia, you are entirely too forward with strange men! Remember who he was."

"I like him," Melonia told Ebrona defensively.

Ebrona sighed; Melonia, her future sister-in-law, was a fine nursemaid to the royal twins of Ebrona's mistress, Princess Gracina, but the girl was way too flighty and flirtatious for her own good.

Both young women chased after Varrcan, who was now dragging poor Flirtius down the street to give him a pounding. Flirtius, unaware that Varrcan was not a warrior (Flirtius's scouter had been broken in his escape from the royal castle, so he could not test Varrcan's ki.), was too startled to fight him back.





Several hours later, in a hotel room on the fifth floor…

Raakon was smiling widely, as if someone had handed him the universe on a golden platter, and he felt like someone had had. He had just finished making love with his beautiful, pregnant Natala, who was curled up contentedly against his firm, muscular body with her slender tan arms wrapped around his waist. She was kissing his chest and purring like a well-fed kitten. Raakon's large, gentle hand was stroking her silken nutmeg tresses. His other hand was slowly massaging Natala's slightly swollen stomach. They were resting and loving each other on a soft, comfortable king-size bed dressed in silk pale blue sheets and covers.

Natala was now nuzzling his throat, as she basked in their afterglow. She murmured, "I don't think that it gets much better than this."

Raakon's hand slid towards Natala's lower backside, and he made small, massaging circles just above her buttocks. "This is the best way to celebrate a victory, I think," he chuckled.

Natala smiled wider, now resting her brown head on Raakon's chest. "I must agree with you there."

Raakon brought one hand up to her chin, lifting it up. "Natala, are you sure that you don't object to my going back to being a warrior, as well as a healer?"

Natala grew solemn for a few moments. "I won't lie to you, Raakon; I will worry more about you than ever, worry that one day you might not come back home to me. But if this is something that you feel that you must do, my love, I'm with you all the way. I just don't want to lose you. I still hope and pray for the day when you don't have to worry about warring at all."

"As am I, sweetheart, as am I. But fighting alongside my relatives is where I feel I belong. You, however, will always be first, and any time that you want me to give this up, I will."

"I just want you to do what you feel is right for all of us involved, and if that means fighting once more, then that's the way it must be. Raakon, I am very proud of you, and I am very proud to be the wife of one of the finest healiors in the Clan of Chloe, as well as a good and loving man who has always been good to all of us. You are a true fighter and a hero, my love."

"As are you, sweetheart. You are a fighter yourself and very brave. You stood up to Balair and prevented him from harming you and Caline any more than he did. I'm sorry that I didn't reach you sooner."

"You reached me just in time and destroyed that awful beast! I am glad that monster is dead! He has surely hurt so many women, Raakon, and Caline and I were almost his next victims. He also bothered poor Mykia and Ebrona. I am thankful that he didn't succeed in raping any of the women among our people. I'm glad that you finished him off, so now that he won't hurt another woman or girl ever again."

"He's rotting in hell, I hope," Raakon said with unusual vehemence for him. He would never forgive Balair for trying to rape his wife, his Natala. Raakon, a man who had once been unable to kill without enormous guilt, felt no qualms over destroying the cruel Sistrai warrior. He and Natala had felt certain that Enma Daiou would not hold it against him. Raakon then smiled to himself, pitying poor Enma Daiou for having to deal with Balair.

He pulled Natala against him, embracing her tightly, as she wrapped herself further around him. While his beloved wife was relaxing in their afterglow, Raakon's thoughts drifted to poor Jaypros and Farla, two lovers whose affair and escape from Astoria had turned into a tragic mistake. Raakon pitied his brother, a young man he had once been very close to, and beautiful Farla, a flighty yet classy young woman who had been unable to make up her mind between two of Raakon's brothers.

He had remembered his Nama's guilt and sorrow when he had been the one to announce the deaths of two more of her grandchildren. His grandmother had wept for quite a while, and then she said quietly that perhaps that she had been mistaken in coming down so hard on Jaypros and Farla.

Shalila Chloe, a proud, wise ruler and a loving, if sometimes overbearing and dominating, matriarch, had decided that it was maybe time to rethink some of Astoria's strict divorce laws. She had learned from Hazel that many countries on planet Earth had something called a legal separation for troubled marriages, which involved the husband and wife living apart from each other, so that they could resolve their differences. The Superior Gran still had reservations about allowing more Astorian couples the chance to divorce over things such as falling out of love and incompatibility, but after learning what happened to Jaypros and Farla, she figured that this "legal separation idea" was something worth considering. She didn't want a repeat of a Jaypros-and-Farla incident where a couple felt forced to leave their home planet to be together, no matter how dangerous it was outside of Astoria.

Raakon was hoping that his grandmother would think it over. He felt that maybe Jaypros and Farla could rest in peace, if something good came out of their star-crossed love. Raakon had liked Farla, although he had not been close to her, but he missed Jaypros terribly, and it hurt his heart to know that he would never see his laughing, lighthearted brother again. Some tears slid down his cheeks, and Natala noticed one of them, as it fell upon his chest.

She kissed him softly, gently, on his lips. "Jaypros?"

Raakon nodded with a small sob.

"He's surely in a happier place now, him and Farla," Natala told him kindly. "We don't need to worry about them anymore."

Raakon smiled sadly at her, but then he couldn't help, but shed a few more tears. His head fell upon her slender shoulder, and Natala cuddled him close, as he wept for his brother. She alternated between rubbing and patting his bare back.

"I know what it's like to lose a sibling or two," she whispered. She had lost her brothers in the Battle of Chloe so many years ago. "It's okay to cry."

Raakon nodded against her shoulder, sniffling softly. He was still very sad and distressed, but he knew that things would be okay again soon, for he still had Natala and his children.






In the City of Magan Jailhouse, several more hours later…

Bhodie Lett was in a solitary cell under heavy guard by three CRP officers. Gohan Chloe was down at the jailhouse, questioning Bhodie now. The CRP officers had brought Bhodie back from the wreckage of the royal Calmagian castle, where Raakon had told them about Bhodie being tied up in a closet.

Gohan was handling the interrogation as objectively as possible, although he wanted to strangle the cowardly human minion of Frieza's for trying to rape his wife. Normally, Gohan would have turned the interrogation over to someone who was not as personally involved as he was, but no other Intergalacticpol officers were around at this time, so he had no choice but to question Bhodie on his own.

Gohan, the Chief of Intergalacticpol, had finally been able to contact some of his Intergalacticpol subordinates. He had been trying to get in touch with them since the war had begun, but the radios on two of the Intergalacticpol ships that could have come to back up the Astorians and their friends had malfunctioned, and Gohan's messages had not come through to them. Gohan had learned that the two ships had also been forced to land on the distant swamp planet of Kyui in Kyui's notoriously dense and mucky swamps, and the ships had now just escaped Kyui with the help of a rescue ship. (Kyui had once been known as Sime, a planet that Frieza's forces had cleared years ago and sold to the Unibraugh race that had renamed the wasteland planet shortly after.) One of the ships was now on the way to Calmag, to help with post-war protection of the Calmagians and the cleanup of their planet.

Gohan was sitting across the plain white table from Bhodie, who was now wearing a ki-restraining collar, created by Gohan's own ki-restraining collaring gun, a standard gun that many Intergalacticpol officers carried. Gohan had told Bhodie that he was an Intergalacticpol officer, but he deliberately left out the fact that he was the chief. Gohan was firing questions about the deaths of Jaypros and Farla Chloe, as well as Bhodie's war crimes on Calmag. Bhodie was confessing freely of his sins in hopes of getting a reduced penalty for his crimes, although Gohan had not promised him leniency.

"For the last time," Bhodie snapped at Gohan. "I did not see Jaypros or Farla die. All I know about those two was that they had two children, and Commander Dodoria killed Jaypros and the little boy. Commander Balair told me that Lord Frieza gave Farla to him as a concubine, a war prize for helping to clear Dijon. And Lord Frieza supposedly let Commander Chestra adopt the little girl, but I doubt the brat's alive. Lord Frieza's not very fond of Astories, you know."

"Yes, I'm well aware of that," Gohan said dryly. He continued to question Bhodie more, only this time the questioning led to Bhodie's war crimes on planet Dijon.

Bhodie admitted that he had gone to Dijon with Dodoria and Balair to clear it since the Hycanese race had offered Frieza a high price for it because of Dijon's plentiful oil wells. The Dijonese had been a race of unusually short humanoid people who resembled Earth fairies and elves, and they had been a peaceful, pacifist race. Actually, it really would have taken only one strong Top Elite officer to clear Dijon, but both Dodoria and Bhodie had been bored, so they accompanied Balair, the one originally assigned to purge the small planet.

It had taken the three men only two days to clear Dijon entirely of life, and Balair, Dodoria and Bhodie had raped some of the young women before killing them. They had come across Jaypros and Farla Chloe and their family during the last hours clearing Dijon, and Balair had planned to take Farla back with him for use as a concubine. But then Dodoria had recognized the family as being Astorian when Jaypros had attempted to electrocute him, and he had contacted Frieza about them. Frieza had insisted that Balair, Dodoria, and Bhodie take the Astorian family alive, and he had also insisted that they not be harmed or molested until he saw them himself.

None of the Dijonese people had been spared, not even the youngest of the infants, and Jaypros and Farla's family had been taken captive and brought straight to Frieza's mother ship. Two small ships of Dijonese people had escaped, but other than them, there were no more of their race alive. Balair had molested Farla on the way there, but he did not rape her until after Frieza gave Farla to him for use as a whore. Frieza, from Balair had told Bhodie, had ordered the entire Astorian family to be killed, since the tyrant didn't think that they would be of any use to him. However, Balair had asked for Farla to be spared for his own personal use, and Chestra had asked Frieza to allow her to take the Farla and Jaypros's daughter (Bhodie did not know the child's name) as a ward. Frieza had consented to both requests.

"And have you heard about the child or her mother since then?" Gohan inquired.

"No, I haven't. I haven't heard from Balair or Dodoria since I left them to have some fun with an old friend of mine."

"Are you aware that Balair is now dead?" Gohan asked.

"No," Bhodie said quietly. He was silent for a few moments. Gohan held his tongue for a few minutes, and then he continued:

"Who was this old friend of yours that you went to have fun with?"

Bhodie laughed then; he seemed to have recovered from Balair's death quickly enough. "A sweet ex-girlfriend of mine named Hazel! She was human like me, a black human. I tried to screw her back when we were both on the Earth ship sent by Capsule Corp, but she turned me down every time. Finally one night, I managed to get her lit up, but she still refused me in the end. I tried to make amends with her, but then I was captured, we were separated."

"I saw her again, and she was as hot as ever! I still wanted her, but even then, she was harder to get into than a sold-out concert! When we had invaded the royal castle, I took her as my hostage, and I later brought her upstairs for a little fun. I would have finally got the chance to do her, but then Raakon, or Rocky, or whatever his name was, just had to interrupt my fun! His sweet wife, Natala Cornsilk-Chloe, another woman that I wanted to get some from, tricked me into thinking she was going to screw me, but then Raakon, yeah, that was his name, got a hold of me and ruined my chances with both women. He knocked me out, and before I knew it, I was tied up with some of Natala's scarves in a closet. I thought that I was going to die when all of those explosions kept going off and stuff!"

Gohan narrowed his eyes at Bhodie. "Did Hazel consent at all to have sex with you?"

"No way! I had to force her into bed at gunpoint! Didn't want to do that, but she didn't leave me with much of a choice. Boy, I really wanted her too; she would have been a great lay, even though she was now some other man's leavings when she should have been my leavings-"

Gohan was now furious. He was normally a rational, objective man, being a police officer, but he had the fierce temper of his mother, Shalila Chloe. Before Gohan realized what he was doing, he had seized Bhodie by his collar and had flung him to the floor. Bhodie's head hit a table leg, and he cried out.

"You keep your filthy mouth shut about her! Don't you ever insult her again! Do you understand me?" Gohan roared at Bhodie, who was now rubbing his head. "In fact, I ought to kill you for even touching her!"

"What the hell do you care?" Bhodie had the nerve to ask. "You sound like you actually know her."

Gohan seized Bhodie by his collar again and bent him backwards over on the table until Bhodie's head grazed the tabletop. Gohan growled into Bhodie's face, "I do know her, you little human space scum!"

"How-how?" Bhodie asked fearfully. "Is she your mistress or something?"

"Try 'wife'," Gohan told him icily.

Bhodie's eyes widened in horror, for he now remembered Hazel mentioning that she was the wife of the Intergalacticpol chief. He could no longer look Gohan in his face, as he slowly turned away and mumbled:

"Oh, shi-"

"Don't curse at me!" Gohan snapped.

From the deadly look on Gohan's face, Bhodie knew that his fate with Intergalacticpol could be worse than what his fate would have been had he returned with his comrades to Frieza.






On the rooftop of the Angori Hotel, early evening…

Shalila Chloe was resting in her Dirkan's arms, with her red head pressed against his broad chest. Dirkan was rubbing her back, as Shalila closed her eyes briefly for a few moments. The sun was already setting over the ruins of Magan, and wide, iridescent stripes of pale pink and orange melted together. Shadows were already forming over the city streets belong, as a gentle, cool wind blew throughout the city.

Shalila's hair was unbound and loose, a reddish-gold waterfall flowing down to her knees. Her bountiful tresses flew around her and Dirkan like a diaphanous scarf. Dirkan had removed his shirt (the cloth had been too itchy for even his tough skin), and his chest was now bare. Shalila's arms were wrapped around his waist.

She was thankful that almost all of her family had come out of the war safely. A few tears slid down her cheeks for Jaypros, Farla, and Etros. Shalila still didn't approve of what Jaypros and Farla had done, but she deeply regretted not having handled that situation differently.

She had been so certain back then that she had done the right thing in refusing Farla a divorce from Cletos, but now she wasn't so sure. Perhaps, if she had done that "legal separation thing" that Hazel had just suggested to her back then, maybe Jaypros and Farla would have stayed on Astoria, and they would still be alive today.

But then maybe things might not have worked out, even then. Most Astorians had little or no tolerance or forgiveness for adultery, and Jaypros and Farla would not have found it so easy to be happy among their own people. Maybe Dedron and Petalia would have still thought of their mother as a traitorous tramp, and it would have been difficult for Cletos to see Farla become his brother's wife.

When Shalila had finally told Cletos about Farla's death, Cletos had wept openly, and Shalila had spent some time comforting him. Despite all the pain that Farla had given him, Cletos had still loved her dearly, and Shalila had strongly suspected that her grandson had secretly hoped that Farla would come back to him. Because Cletos had been too distraught, it had been up to Shalila to tell Dedron and Petalia about their mother's demise.

Petalia, to Shalila's surprise, had cried as much as her father had, and it had taken Shalila some time to calm her down. She had rocked and cuddled Petalia to her for close to an hour. Dedron had just grunted indifferently and said something about justice finally being served. Before either Shalila or Petalia could respond to that cold remark, Dedron had promptly left the hotel lobby where Shalila had announced her grim news.

Shalila didn't know what she was going to do about Dedron just yet. She was determined that he would not get away for the things that he had done back home that she had just found out about from Petalia shortly after Dedron had tried to threaten Petalia into keeping quietly about his having Tayla kidnapped. Shalila was still not over what Dedron had done to Tayla, but she and Dirkan were still undecided on just how to discipline Dedron for his masterminding Tayla's abduction by Ridikar.

Cletos would be of little help in the correcting of his errant son. While Cletos was trying to make amends for his neglect of his children, he had made no real effort to talk to Dedron or discipline him for what he had done to Tayla. Cletos had said that he didn't want to alienate Dedron from him any more than he already had. He and his grandmother had argued about this a while ago, with Shalila telling him that Dedron needed help and correction before it was too late. Cletos had just plunged further into depression over the loss of Farla, even though he had lost Farla a long time ago. Gracina, Bajal, and Lektron had offered to stay with him, so that Shalila could go talk to Petalia and Dedron. Shalila suspected sadly that Cletos would take ten steps backwards, and that it would still be up to her to care for Petalia and Dedron.

Shalila then thought about Gorna. Gorna was holding up well-at least on the outside. She was very brave for her children's sakes, but Shalila was still worried about her usually stoic, although temperamental granddaughter. Shalila pitied Gorna because she had suspected that Gorna and Etros's marriage had been crumbling for some time. The Superior Gran deduced that Etros had been cheating on Gorna; Etros had been too friendly and affectionate with Rojal's former nursemaid, Suza Hagen, who had been mysteriously fired and expelled from Chloe. And then she had seen Etros hang around the women's bathhouse, talking intimately with Traina Emerald, a Bathing Laborer who too had been fired under unexplained circumstances. Back home, Shalila had told only Dirkan of her suspicions, but Dirkan had advised her to not say a word to Gorna or Etros until she was absolutely certain that Etros was betraying Gorna.

"Even then," Dirkan had said to his wife back on Chloe, "it is not really your area to intervene. Gorna and Etros have to work this out for themselves."

Shalila knew that Dirkan was right, but she couldn't help but worry for Gorna. And now she would never know the truth. She had told Gorna that anytime she wanted to talk about Etros, she could come to her. Gorna had merely said a thank-you, but she had not volunteered anything just yet. Gorna had never considered her grandmother a potential confidant, even now; actually, Gorna had never really confided her troubles to anyone, not even her parents. The first Bajal, Shalila's husband, had been one of the few people that Gorna had felt that she could really talk to about anything, and Bajal was gone.

Shalila was brought back to the present by Dirkan's low voice. He could sense Shalila's new anxiety.

"Shalila, don't worry for right now. Everyone is alive and safe, and the war is over. We can dwell on things later."

"I can't help it," Shalila whispered.

"Yes, you can," Dirkan told her firmly. "We came up here to be alone and relax. Everyone and everything else can wait. Let's not worry about the future for right now. Let's just be ourselves for a little while and be happy. We still have each other. We have won; it's over for now. We're safe, and we're still together, still alive."

Shalila smiled wistfully, as Dirkan lifted her up until they were face-to-face. He cupped her face with one huge emerald hand and kissed her fervently, lovingly. Shalila slowly forgot the rest of the universe and wrapped her slim arms around Dirkan's wide neck, as she wound her legs around his waist. Her lips were moving along his. Dirkan growled passionately, as he embraced his wife and carried her over to a cart of old hotel sheets. Still holding his love, he kicked the cart over with one strong foot, and all the sheets fell out onto the ground.

Shalila sighed rapturously, as Dirkan lay her down on the pile of sheets, kissing her throat and slowly sliding off her blouse. Shalila helped him out of his pants, and Dirkan continued to seduce her.

And on the rooftop of the Angori Hotel, as the sun finally disappeared, and twilight settled over Magan, the Superior Granden Dirkan of Astoria made love to his wife, the Superior Gran Shalila Chloe of Astoria.








In the hotel lobby at the bar…

Tayla, Caline, Lelina, Petalia, and Veal were sitting at the bar, each of them drinking a nonalcoholic fruit drink. Veal was happily telling the others about Pork being back with her family once more.

"We all thought that he was lost to us!" Veal exclaimed. "And now we have Crystalis; I like her, she's nice. I feel as if I have my whole family back again, except of course that Mummy isn't with us. You all should see Father; he is so happy because Pork is back with us once more. It doesn't matter that Pork worked for Frieza; he would have never done so, if he hadn't been forced. We're just glad that he's alive and safe with us again!"

Tayla said warmly, "I'm happy for you, Veal. You are very lucky." She then smiled sadly, for she had just learned of Jaypros's death. She sighed sadly.

Veal said softly, "I am sorry about your brother and cousins, Tayla."

"Thank you," Tayla told her quietly. "It feels strange that I will never see Jaypros or Farla or Etros again." Tayla then patted Lelina's back. "Are you okay, Lee?"

Lelina nodded; she had been so quiet since she had learned of her father's death. Her eyes were still bloodshot and puffy from crying. She was laying her head down on the bar counter, with her eyes closed.

"I can't believe Pappa's gone," she whispered.

"I know," Tayla whispered back. Tayla had not liked Etros very much, but Etros was family, and she was sorry about his death, especially since Lelina was taking it so hard.

Caline rubbed Lelina's back. "I'm sorry too, Lelina. I know what it's like to lose a parent that you love. It hurt so much when my mother died. She was so good to me."

Lelina nodded a thank-you, but she said nothing. Caline hugged her, and then she turned to talk to Petalia, who was sitting on Lelina's other side. "I'm sorry about your mother, Petalia."

Petalia said chokingly, "Thank you. I never thought that I would miss her at all. I used to think that I hated her, especially after she left us behind. It hurt so much, and I was so angry with her. And now she's gone. It's just not right."

"No, it isn't," Tayla agreed. "But at least, she's been avenged, or she was when Raakon killed Balair."

"Balair's death didn't bring her back," Petalia pointed out to her. "I hate him! I'm glad that he's dead!"

No one could argue with her on that one.

Tayla looked around at her friends. Almost every one of them had lost a relative recently. She had lost a brother, Lelina had lost her father, and Petalia had lost her mother. Caline had lost a husband, a brother, and a father. Out of them, only Veal had not lost a relative in the war or before it; instead, she had gained a brother and a new foster sister.

They had so much to be sad about, yet so much to be happy for. The aftermath of war was always accompanied by a time of great joy mixed with great sorrow. Tayla was hoping that they could find that joy soon; it might be easier with the party celebrating the victory the next day.

Queen Kildara came up to the bar just then. She gently touched Caline's thin shoulder and said softly, "Caline, would you come with me, please? Your grandfather and I wish to talk to you alone."

Caline tensed slightly; she felt comfortable around her step-grandmother most of the time, but she had never felt easy around her natural grandfather. The scars from that horrible wedding day to Alberm were still with her, especially King Kitchator's and Amitar's cruel words when Caline had tried at the last minute to get out of her forced marriage.

"Umm…" Caline began uncomfortably.

Tayla put a hand on Caline's shoulder. "Caline, would you like me to come with you?" She then looked at Queen Kildara. "Would that be okay, Aunt Kildara?"

Queen Kildara said nervously, "I-I don't see why not. I don't think that your uncle would mind, Tayla."

"I-I could use the company, Tayla," Caline pleaded, feeling the heavy weight of the seriousness of the upcoming situation. "Please come."

"Okay, I will," Tayla told her brightly as possible. She climbed down off of her bar stool, and then she helped Caline descend from hers. Both girls told their friends "gooden boden" and quietly left the bar with Queen Kildara to find King Kitchator.

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A/N: Longest chapter I ever written, I know, but I had wanted to cover as much as I could. Next chapter will finally be a celebration party on Calmag, plus the aftermath of what happened among Frieza's forces, including Frieza's reaction to the failed mission and how our favorite villains, both original and canon, are going through right now.

I can't believe that this is almost over. I want to thank everyone for reading so far, and there will be acknowledgements and call-outs at the very end of this story. I only have a few more chapters to right, and then it's finally on to the sequel, "Hope Never Dies". I haven't completely finished plotting out the sequel yet, just the first part. All I am saying for now is that it will pick up two years after the Astorians return home to Astoria.

What do King Kitchator and Queen Kildara wish to speak to Caline about? Will Caline have her wish come true? Will Dedron and Julien ever shape up? And what will Dedron's punishment be? And will all those who lost a loved one to death be able to go on? Find out soon!

Gooden boden fro noy!

Sawnya