The Deception--Ch. 17
By Elbereth in April
Kakkarot paced in front of the rejuv tank. He was having a very hard time suppressing his ki. Every time he looked over at Vegeta and thought about the way Frieza had hurt him. . .
He drew in another deep breath. Traigo and Kwil watched him from where they sat, worried expressions on their faces. Kakkarot stopped abruptly in front of them. "He almost killed my brother," he said in the most dangerous voice they'd ever heard him use. "My brother almost *died*."
Nappa and Valkan hurried in and sat down beside the other two Saiyans. Kakkarot continued to stare at them all, an eerie glint in his eye.
"The tank's draining," Traigo pointed out with a sense of relief.
Kakkarot spun around and walked over to it. He peered though the glass at Vegeta, praying he was really all right now. The door automatically opened.
Vegeta blinked and looked around, his head still fuzzy and disoriented. He looked at Kakkarot. "How long?"
"Twelve hours. He did quite a job on you."
Vegeta grunted and stepped out of the tank. The floor slanted upwards on him and he stumbled. Kakkarot reached out and steadied him. "How do you feel?"
"I'll be OK."
"The try-outs are set for just after breakfast," Valkan told him as he sat down next to them, weaker than he'd admit.
Kakkarot studied him closely. Vegeta half-smiled. "You don't need to look so worried, brother. I'm fine."
Kakkarot smiled, deciding it was so. He sat down limply, suddenly feeling weak himself.
"So after the try-outs, I'll kill Sekot."
"Are you sure that's wise, Vegeta?" Kwil asked.
Vegeta scowled darkly. "He ratted me out. He can't be allowed to get away with it."
"Frieza won't condone it. You know he won't. He'll have you killed for sure."
Vegeta snarled. "Sekot needs to learn not to mess with me!"
"If you do, Frieza may decide you like the Woman after all," Kakkarot cautioned.
That calmed him down.
"I'll have Zarbon whisper some lies in Frieza's ear," Kakkarot continued. "Sekot's after power. Zarbon can make sure he doesn't get any more."
"That's something," Vegeta muttered.
"We all need to watch our backs and be very careful about being overheard," Nappa said. They all nodded.
__________ _________
The auditions for the new elite fighting force were held in a medium size sparring arena with an overhanging spectator balcony. Vegeta's faction, minus Kakkarot, lurked there in the shadows. Kakkarot and Zarbon were down on the floor, talking to their three invited guests.
Natala had been the first one to arrive. She was a tall, big-boned girl-- all muscle, no fat. She had red hair cut in a short bob.
Spona came next. He had golden hair curling all around his face like a mane, and a goatee. He had retractable claws and a lion's tail and eyes, and the preternatural senses of a cat, as well. He was a loud, boisterous fellow who frequently gave in to the urge to sneak up and pounce on people.
Tory was the last. He had short, dark red-brown hair and olive skin. He could pass for a Saiyan, without the tail. He had pale, hazel eyes that seemed to notice everything.
"OK," Zarbon said after a few moments. "Let the try-outs begin. You three are going to spar each other and we'll watch and see how you do." He grinned. "Good luck."
He and Kakkarot went and sat down. The three fighters looked at each other. Natala shrugged. They squared off.
Spona began by lunging toward Tory. Tory dived to the side at the last moment, then materialized behind Natala, who he shoved into Spona's path. The two went down in a tangle of limbs. Tory smiled and floated above the field a few feet, letting the other two fight it out.
Vegeta smirked. That one was smart.
Natala had a lot of aggressive energy. Her arms and legs were a blur as she punched and kicked, carefully avoiding Spona's claws. Spona landed a backswipe of his arm against her head, and she went flying across the floor. He looked around for his other opponent. He spotted Tory above him, and started to go after him.
Tory met his eyes. "I'm not troubling anybody," he thought at Spona. "What you really want to do is go finish off that girl. She's much nastier than me."
Spona frowned, confused. Suddenly it seemed to him that he should go after Natala instead. Tory smiled encouragingly. Spona shook his head in a dazed sort of way, looked over to where Natala was getting to her feet, and attacked her. She let out a battle cry and knocked Spona back with a bolt of ki.
"What do you think?" Kakkarot asked Vegeta.
"They do fight well, don't they?"
"Yeah."
"Stop them. Find out their loyalties."
"What about that one, though?" Kakkarot looked up at Tory. "We haven't seen him fight yet."
"Let Zarbon fight him while you talk to the other two," Vegeta instructed.
Kakkarot turned back to the sparring ground. "OK!" he yelled. "That's enough. Fall back to here."
They came. "Tory, that was very intriguing, but what happens when you actually have to use martial arts?"
"I'd be happy to demonstrate," Tory replied.
"Fine. Zarbon. Go try him out."
Zarbon smiled. "Certainly."
When Kakkarot was alone with Natala and Spona, he looked them both over. "You're both very good. I can see why Frieza recruited you."
They both sneered slightly at Frieza's name. Kakkarot smirked. "You have to stop reacting like that, though. If he ever pays attention to you, he'll catch on."
Spona blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Well. . . it's pretty obvious you detest Frieza's guts." Kakkarot crossed his arms and regarded them.
They both protested immediately. "I'm completely loyal!" Natala proclaimed loudly. "Why, my uncle was one of Frieza's top men, as you well know!"
"We're not talking about your uncle. We're talking about you," Kakkarot countered.
"I've never done anything against Frieza," Spona snarled.
"That's not what *I* heard. I seem to recall something about you wanting to kill him once. . ."
Spona shot a quick glance at Zarbon, who was busy blocking a scissors-kick from Tory. "I-I wasn't myself that day. . ."
"Hmm." Kakkarot looked up at the ceiling, smiling. Then he looked back at them. "The real question is, are you two as loyal as *I* am?"
Zarbon got an elbow into Tory's stomach. He responded by grabbing Zarbon by the braid and pulling his face into his fist. Zarbon fell back, stars flashing before his eyes.
"Hey Zarbon," Tory said, following closely.
"What?"
"I don't exactly read your minds, you know, but I'm picking up a lot of stuff."
Zarbon wiped sweat off his forehead. "What kinds of stuff?"
"You want to take him down, don't you? You all hate him. You, Kakkarot, and all those Saiyans up in the gallery."
Zarbon smiled. "And you?"
"I want to see him disemboweled. Drawn and quartered. Choking on his own blood."
"That's graphic. And vengeful, too."
Tory smiled back at him briefly, then his eyes turned grim. "He destroyed my planet, you know. There's only about a dozen of us left. I think that's worth a little vengeance."
"You know I was away that day. I heard about it after the fact. He doesn't always tell us what he's up to."
Tory nodded. "I know. So. What are you going to do about him? And us?"
"Let's rejoin the others." They did. Zarbon met Kakkarot's eyes and nodded.
"They all seem to check out, Vegeta."
"Yes. I was listening to your conversations and Zarbon's. OK then. Add Natala and Spona to your fighting squad. We'll keep Tory in reserve as an extra sort of spy. His talents will come in useful around here."
Kakkarot related this to Zarbon and his new recruits. They all nodded, quite pleased with their new allies.
____________ __________
Frieza strode into the ship's cockpit. He spoke to his pilot and chief engineer, an expression on his face that would have made the devil himself shudder and shrink back.
"Fun times ahead, boys. Set a course to Vegeta-sei."
________________ ___________________
If you noticed that I accidentally called Vegeta a Prince last chapter, that was a mistake. I removed it, thanks to the eagle eye of Evil Neko. Shame on me!! That's what happens when you write 3 stories at once and forget who has a secret identity.
By Elbereth in April
Kakkarot paced in front of the rejuv tank. He was having a very hard time suppressing his ki. Every time he looked over at Vegeta and thought about the way Frieza had hurt him. . .
He drew in another deep breath. Traigo and Kwil watched him from where they sat, worried expressions on their faces. Kakkarot stopped abruptly in front of them. "He almost killed my brother," he said in the most dangerous voice they'd ever heard him use. "My brother almost *died*."
Nappa and Valkan hurried in and sat down beside the other two Saiyans. Kakkarot continued to stare at them all, an eerie glint in his eye.
"The tank's draining," Traigo pointed out with a sense of relief.
Kakkarot spun around and walked over to it. He peered though the glass at Vegeta, praying he was really all right now. The door automatically opened.
Vegeta blinked and looked around, his head still fuzzy and disoriented. He looked at Kakkarot. "How long?"
"Twelve hours. He did quite a job on you."
Vegeta grunted and stepped out of the tank. The floor slanted upwards on him and he stumbled. Kakkarot reached out and steadied him. "How do you feel?"
"I'll be OK."
"The try-outs are set for just after breakfast," Valkan told him as he sat down next to them, weaker than he'd admit.
Kakkarot studied him closely. Vegeta half-smiled. "You don't need to look so worried, brother. I'm fine."
Kakkarot smiled, deciding it was so. He sat down limply, suddenly feeling weak himself.
"So after the try-outs, I'll kill Sekot."
"Are you sure that's wise, Vegeta?" Kwil asked.
Vegeta scowled darkly. "He ratted me out. He can't be allowed to get away with it."
"Frieza won't condone it. You know he won't. He'll have you killed for sure."
Vegeta snarled. "Sekot needs to learn not to mess with me!"
"If you do, Frieza may decide you like the Woman after all," Kakkarot cautioned.
That calmed him down.
"I'll have Zarbon whisper some lies in Frieza's ear," Kakkarot continued. "Sekot's after power. Zarbon can make sure he doesn't get any more."
"That's something," Vegeta muttered.
"We all need to watch our backs and be very careful about being overheard," Nappa said. They all nodded.
__________ _________
The auditions for the new elite fighting force were held in a medium size sparring arena with an overhanging spectator balcony. Vegeta's faction, minus Kakkarot, lurked there in the shadows. Kakkarot and Zarbon were down on the floor, talking to their three invited guests.
Natala had been the first one to arrive. She was a tall, big-boned girl-- all muscle, no fat. She had red hair cut in a short bob.
Spona came next. He had golden hair curling all around his face like a mane, and a goatee. He had retractable claws and a lion's tail and eyes, and the preternatural senses of a cat, as well. He was a loud, boisterous fellow who frequently gave in to the urge to sneak up and pounce on people.
Tory was the last. He had short, dark red-brown hair and olive skin. He could pass for a Saiyan, without the tail. He had pale, hazel eyes that seemed to notice everything.
"OK," Zarbon said after a few moments. "Let the try-outs begin. You three are going to spar each other and we'll watch and see how you do." He grinned. "Good luck."
He and Kakkarot went and sat down. The three fighters looked at each other. Natala shrugged. They squared off.
Spona began by lunging toward Tory. Tory dived to the side at the last moment, then materialized behind Natala, who he shoved into Spona's path. The two went down in a tangle of limbs. Tory smiled and floated above the field a few feet, letting the other two fight it out.
Vegeta smirked. That one was smart.
Natala had a lot of aggressive energy. Her arms and legs were a blur as she punched and kicked, carefully avoiding Spona's claws. Spona landed a backswipe of his arm against her head, and she went flying across the floor. He looked around for his other opponent. He spotted Tory above him, and started to go after him.
Tory met his eyes. "I'm not troubling anybody," he thought at Spona. "What you really want to do is go finish off that girl. She's much nastier than me."
Spona frowned, confused. Suddenly it seemed to him that he should go after Natala instead. Tory smiled encouragingly. Spona shook his head in a dazed sort of way, looked over to where Natala was getting to her feet, and attacked her. She let out a battle cry and knocked Spona back with a bolt of ki.
"What do you think?" Kakkarot asked Vegeta.
"They do fight well, don't they?"
"Yeah."
"Stop them. Find out their loyalties."
"What about that one, though?" Kakkarot looked up at Tory. "We haven't seen him fight yet."
"Let Zarbon fight him while you talk to the other two," Vegeta instructed.
Kakkarot turned back to the sparring ground. "OK!" he yelled. "That's enough. Fall back to here."
They came. "Tory, that was very intriguing, but what happens when you actually have to use martial arts?"
"I'd be happy to demonstrate," Tory replied.
"Fine. Zarbon. Go try him out."
Zarbon smiled. "Certainly."
When Kakkarot was alone with Natala and Spona, he looked them both over. "You're both very good. I can see why Frieza recruited you."
They both sneered slightly at Frieza's name. Kakkarot smirked. "You have to stop reacting like that, though. If he ever pays attention to you, he'll catch on."
Spona blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Well. . . it's pretty obvious you detest Frieza's guts." Kakkarot crossed his arms and regarded them.
They both protested immediately. "I'm completely loyal!" Natala proclaimed loudly. "Why, my uncle was one of Frieza's top men, as you well know!"
"We're not talking about your uncle. We're talking about you," Kakkarot countered.
"I've never done anything against Frieza," Spona snarled.
"That's not what *I* heard. I seem to recall something about you wanting to kill him once. . ."
Spona shot a quick glance at Zarbon, who was busy blocking a scissors-kick from Tory. "I-I wasn't myself that day. . ."
"Hmm." Kakkarot looked up at the ceiling, smiling. Then he looked back at them. "The real question is, are you two as loyal as *I* am?"
Zarbon got an elbow into Tory's stomach. He responded by grabbing Zarbon by the braid and pulling his face into his fist. Zarbon fell back, stars flashing before his eyes.
"Hey Zarbon," Tory said, following closely.
"What?"
"I don't exactly read your minds, you know, but I'm picking up a lot of stuff."
Zarbon wiped sweat off his forehead. "What kinds of stuff?"
"You want to take him down, don't you? You all hate him. You, Kakkarot, and all those Saiyans up in the gallery."
Zarbon smiled. "And you?"
"I want to see him disemboweled. Drawn and quartered. Choking on his own blood."
"That's graphic. And vengeful, too."
Tory smiled back at him briefly, then his eyes turned grim. "He destroyed my planet, you know. There's only about a dozen of us left. I think that's worth a little vengeance."
"You know I was away that day. I heard about it after the fact. He doesn't always tell us what he's up to."
Tory nodded. "I know. So. What are you going to do about him? And us?"
"Let's rejoin the others." They did. Zarbon met Kakkarot's eyes and nodded.
"They all seem to check out, Vegeta."
"Yes. I was listening to your conversations and Zarbon's. OK then. Add Natala and Spona to your fighting squad. We'll keep Tory in reserve as an extra sort of spy. His talents will come in useful around here."
Kakkarot related this to Zarbon and his new recruits. They all nodded, quite pleased with their new allies.
____________ __________
Frieza strode into the ship's cockpit. He spoke to his pilot and chief engineer, an expression on his face that would have made the devil himself shudder and shrink back.
"Fun times ahead, boys. Set a course to Vegeta-sei."
________________ ___________________
If you noticed that I accidentally called Vegeta a Prince last chapter, that was a mistake. I removed it, thanks to the eagle eye of Evil Neko. Shame on me!! That's what happens when you write 3 stories at once and forget who has a secret identity.