Chapter Fourteen

"What's wrong Krillin?" Goku sat next to the monk on the bench in the Capsule Corp. garden.

The saiyan had finally been released from punishment when he found his best friend by himself.

Krillin was startled for a moment before he regained his composure.

"I'm just worried about Sasoli and 18," Krillin shrugged.

"I'm sure they're fine, besides, what could happen with Vegeta and 17 there," Goku smiled.

"I guess you're right but . . .I wish I could be there with them," Krillin ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Goku's expression became distant as if he wasn't seeing the things around him, "I can't feel them and yet I have the strangest feeling that they have run into my dad."

"Your dad?" Krillin's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

A sheepish grin crossed Goku's face.

"Call me crazy, Krillin, but I could swear I saw my dad. I know he's supposed to be dead but . . . I felt him . . . for a second and I just know it was him. . ."

Krillin put a hand on Goku's shoulder.

"If you felt him, then you felt him. Stranger things have happened and there is no telling what could have happened during the whole Frieza crisis."

"Yeah but where has he been?" Goku frowned.

"If he is alive, Goku, then I am sure he will have quite a story to tell , it might even top some of your stories!" Krillin grinned.

"I don't have any stories, Krillin," Goku tilted his head to the side.

"Close-mouthed, huh, father like son," Krillin laughed.

"Hey!" Goku laughed as well happy to see Krillin snap out of his mood.

**

Bardock nearly smiled when the Prince chuckled and waved the child away. Prince Vegeta had softened the old ways. Bardock could remember a time or two when the Prince and Princess had been sent head over heels into or through a wall for interrupting the King while he was talking, and Prince Vegeta, not only stopped to listen to the child, he had merely sent her on her way. His son's voice sounded in his head, it's not to late to change father.

No, I guess it's not, Bardock inclined his head curiously.

"What did she want?"

Vegeta lifted his head clearly amused with the entire situation.

"She was sent by the androids to tell me of Ava's whereabouts and enlighten me to the fact that they want to talk to me," Vegeta smirked.

"Talk? About what? Why couldn't they come out here?" Bardock inquired quizzically.

"Apparently, Bardock, they don't trust you to not deactivate them or something of that nature."

"Why would I deactivate them? Well, I guess I would if I wanted to see their most secret gears . . . Maybe to pull them apart and see exactly how they work . . . Make my own inventions with the intricate technology they must have hidden . . ."

Bardock's eyes had glazed over in such a way that Vegeta was strangely reminded of his mate. Scientists . . . the Prince mused to himself.

"Yes, those are possible reasons they wish to speak to me. Bardock, you are not allowed to experiment on them, Ava would kill you."

"Of course, my Prince," Bardock lowered his head, "I would never endanger the royal family with less than adequate ideas."

Vegeta let his eyes wonder to the door, which housed the tin cans and was surprised to see the door cracked open with two sets of blue eyes trained on him.

"Bardock, I want you to glance at the door behind you," Vegeta kept his voice soft.

Bardock immediately turned to the door and was startled when the door slammed shut with a muttered, "shit."

Vegeta laughed outright.

"My Prince?" Bardock turned back to Vegeta.

"Are you familiar with the white solar system?" Vegeta waved the question away.

"Yes," Bardock nodded.

"Good, set a course for planet 627, the controls are fairly simple to figure out, here," Vegeta gave Bardock a small rectangle, "if any word confuses you then punch it into here and the saiyan equivilent will be shown."

Bardock studied the gadget with interest.

"Who made this translator?"

"My mate, Bulma."

Bardock's head shot up in surprise.

"That is not a saiyan name . . ."

"No, it's not, besides Ava no other female saiyan survived."

Vegeta didn't realize he had held his breathe until he released it when Bardock nodded his acceptance of an alien princess. Bardock was a saiyan warrior of old as well as knowledgeable of all saiyan traditions and taboos. In many ways he could have been Vegeta's father instead of Goku's.

"Is she powerful?" Bardock's eyes were shuttered.

"Her mind is her weapon," Vegeta watched Bardock closely.

"As it should be with females," he remarked lightly, "I don't know where we went wrong with our own."

"How so?" Vegeta crossed his arms.

"Well . . . you are too young to remember, my Prince, but saiyan females were extremely powerful as well as extremely manipulative. A dangerous combination, consider yourself lucky if you only have the one," Bardock answered.

Vegeta considered his spoken words as well as his unspoken words. Bardock was going to reserve judgment until he met her.

"How did you survive? Ava is bad enough," Vegeta replied, letting Bardock know he accepted the older saiyan's judgment, for now.

"Keeps the mind sharp," Bardock smirked, " though you would always wonder if you were doing what you wanted or what she wanted you to do."

Vegeta nodded, not surprised when Bardock's hand shot out and caught a flying object.

The third class saiyan turned and glared in the direction the object was thrown.

"Damn it," was hissed and the door slammed shut.

Vegeta smirked, this trip was starting to be more entertaining then he had thought possible.

"What did they throw?" Vegeta inquired.

"A shoe," a smile made its way onto Bardock's face as he set the shoe on the arm of the chair.

Sasoli appeared suddenly and whispered in her uncle's ear. When her message was given she skipped away.

"What did she say?" Bardock asked.

"They want their shoe back and they want to talk to me now," Vegeta stood up, "I'll take care of this, you go set our coordinates."

Bardock bowed his head and went to the controls while Vegeta picked up the shoe and went to the door.

**

Gohan landed softly in front of Capsule Corp. with his arms full of chocolate ice cream.

No sooner had he landed the door opened to reveal two demi-saiyans.

"Hey Goten, Trunks," Gohan nodded in their direction as he tried to walk by them.

"What do you have, Gohan?" Trunks eyed the bags intently.

"Yeah, Gohan, do you have more ice cream?" Goten smiled.

Gohan paused and turned to eye the younger saiyans suspiciously.

"Are you two the ones who ate all the ice cream?"

"What do you mean, Gohan," Trunks elbowed Goten before he could say anything incriminating.

"Hmm," Gohan shrugged, it really didn't matter, "Ok, I guess it's a good thing I bought an extra carton."

"You did?" Trunks blinked, he hadn't been expecting that.

"Yeah, and you guys can have it if you don't let our moms know," Gohan smiled at their pleased expressions.

"That's really cool of you Gohan," Trunks accepted the carton.

"Yeah, you're the best!" Goten grinned before racing off with Trunks.

Gohan smiled at the two little rascals, they probably thought they were getting away with murder. What they didn't know was there had been two ice cream cartons in the freezer and they had only eaten one of them.

Happy with himself, Gohan started whistling as he headed to the kitchen to where he could hear the women. No problem, he thought as he neared his destination, a little slight of hand and they'll never notice the other extra cartons I bought. Gohan grinned.

**

Vegeta opened the door and entered the room, deliberately leaving the door open.

"Yes?"

"Did Sasoli tell you Ava's future location?" 17 inquired sharply.

Vegeta gave a sharp nod.

"Can I have my shoe?" 18 asked deadpan.

Vegeta tossed it in her general direction.

"Why are you afraid of Bardock?"

"We're not afraid," 17 said, disdain coloring his voice.

"It's just . . . he's a scientist," 18 shrugged.

"He is a saiyan," Vegeta's voice turned mocking, "don't worry, you're under my protection."

"We don't need your protection," 17 scoffed.

"If needed we could take him out," 18 crossed her arms.

"Hn," Vegeta's lips twisted.

Bardock stepped into the room startling the androids into jumping behind Vegeta.

"The coordinates have been change, my Prince," Bardock watched the androids curiously.

"Good, this is 17," Vegeta shoved his brother in law forward, "and this is 18."

Bardock nodded to 18 before he narrowed his eyes at 17.

"What makes you worthy of a saiyan mate?"

17 stiffened at the harsh tone as well as the question.

"I defeated her so she's mine," 17 put his hands in his pockets in a deliberately lazy gesture, "Unless you care to challenge me."

"So you're a warrior," Bardock's brow lifted.

"Ph, wouldn't I have to be," 17 replied almost sarcastically.

Bardock laughed.

"The same and completely different," Bardock nodded his approval to Vegeta.

"Well, he is an android," Vegeta shrugged.

"Is he bonded to her?" Bardock switched to saiyan.

"Yes," Vegeta crossed his arms, "I believe so."

"Why don't you ask me," 17 said in fluent saiyan, surprising the full-blooded saiyans as well as his sister.

"17?" 18's eyes flicked between the three males, confused to the reason why they had started to growl at each other.

17 lifted his hand and gestured for his sister to wait.

"So you learned our language," Bardock grinned pleased, "But such a strange accent."

"How very interesting," Vegeta cocked his head to the side, "When did you learn?"

"Mostly when she would speak to the kids," 17 shrugged.

"Well done," Vegeta left the room.

"Princess Ava has been proven wise beyond her years," Bardock bowed his head and followed Vegeta.

"Hn," 17 smiled as he turned to his sister, "Saiyans are the weirdest people."

"17 would you mind explaining what the hell just happened?" 18 snapped.

17 was puzzled for a moment when he realized she had missed the entire exchange.

"Oh," 17 thought about how to explain since saiyan was difficult to translate, "We were talking in saiyan. Bardock just wanted to see if I was worthy for the Princess."

"So all that growling was the saiyan language?" 18 asked sarcastically.

"No," 17 was nearly offended, "Would you like to learn?"

"Does Sasoli speak this language?" 18 tilted her head contemplating.

"Yes."

"Then teach me. I don't want to be the odd man out," 18 sat down.

17 grinned at her choice of words.

"You couldn't be if you tried 18."

18 rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

"Shut up and teach me!"

17 nodded, prepared to open a whole new world to her.

**

"Mmmm . . . Gohan . . ." Videl sighed with ecstasy.

"Yes . . .delicious . . ." Bulma groaned with appreciation.

"You're the . . . best," Chichi smiled at her son.

Gohan grinned at the three women who were gorging themselves on the ice cream. Truly, they were the most confusing people, one minute they're full off a salad, and the next they're making you pay through the nose for ice cream.

"Aunt Bulma," Zarah appeared at her elbow with Bra.

"Yes dear," Bulma turned to them.

"Trunks and Goten won't share their ice cream with us!" Bra burst out indignantly.

"Ice cream? Where did they get ice cream?" Chichi's eyes narrowed.

Videl stood up suddenly.

"They were the ones who ate all the ice cream to begin with, didn't they Gohan?"

"Ummm . . ."

"That's it! Trying to spoil their dinners!" Chichi shot to her feet and was gone with Videl close on her heels.

"Wait for me!" Bulma raced after them.

Zarah started laughing as soon as they were gone.

"Told you, it would work!" Bra giggled.

Gohan shook his head at the little troublemakers.

"Pay up Gohan!" Zarah demanded, ice cream was serious business.

"All right, all right," Gohan smiled, "Here's your cut."

"Come on Bra," Zarah took the ice cream carton, "They'll be back any minute."

"Ok," Bra beamed at Gohan before taking Zarah's hand and disappearing.

Gohan sighed.

"So many devious kids," Gohan served himself some ice cream, "I hope Pan won't turn out like that."

**

Ava watched with interest as Dikon wheeled cart after cart of food into the room. Truthfully, she was hungry and judging from the amount of food Dikon had brought, she was going to eat well.

"I wasn't sure what kind of food you liked so I brought a sample of everything," Dikon said as he brought the twentieth cart out.

Dikon watched her lick her lips as she stared at the food. If only she would look at me like that . . .

"How am I going to eat if my hands are shackled?" She flexed her hands.

"Oh. . . I guess you could always use your tail," Dikon pushed a cart within her reach.

Dikon waited for her to eat with her tail, it would be a very interesting for him to watch! Especially if she licked her tail clean . . .

Ava lowered her eyelashes at him. She could eat with her tail if she had to but it would be messy . . .

"One hand, Dikon, just one hand," Ava dealed, "I'll behave."

Dikon considered this option. He would miss the erotic display if he released her hand . . . but on the other hand if he did release her hand it could a step in gaining her trust.

"Ok, I guess if you were trying to kill me, you would have done it already," Dikon hit a hidden button.

Ava grinned as her left hand was released. Eagerly she reached out to snag the cart. Then she picked up a piece of meat and sunk her teeth into it, almost purring with appreciation.

Dikon watched her attack the food with obvious relish. He had given her no utensils and yet she was the neatest eater he had ever seen, and the fastest. The cart of food held enough t feed five people and it was gone in less than five minutes.

Ava reached for another cart only to find it literally at her fingertips.

"A little help," Dikon smiled as he edged the food ever so slightly closer.

Ava growled, she was still unable to hook the cart in any manner. She gave him an exasperated look.

"Do you torture all your prisoners this way?"

"Prisoner?" Dikon's smile widened, "You are my guest."

"Hn," Ava tried her tail but from that angle was still unable to reach.

"I can help you for a price," Dikon finally grinned at her.

Ava paused in her effort for nutrients and dropped her arms before turning to her tormentor.

"Explain," she didn't like the way this was going one bit.

"I will release you, give you everything you desire, everything you can eat, and a personal escort to wherever you want to go in the universe," Dikon paused dramatically.

"If?" Ava spat impatiently, she was hungry damn it! She hadn't eaten since she had tortured the splavoid!

"If you renounce your past and agree to have my offspring."

Ava's appetite died.

End of Chapter Fourteen

AN: Hey, sorry, got buried in homework. Review! Special thanks to DBZLover who gave me such a sweet review! In fact, thanks to all my reviewers who let me know I am doing a decent job. It is people like you who keep me writing sometimes. . .