Chapter Eighteen

17 and 18 became uneasy when Bardock did nothing but stare at Sasoli.

"Bardock?" Sasoli patted his cheek.

17 stepped forward and cautiously lifted his daughter away from the un-responding saiyan. Goku's father or not, 17's first responsibility was to protect his little girl from any possible danger and seeing the older saiyan's eyes go blank concerned him.

18 tensed lightly as 17 took a step away from the unmoving saiyan.

"Bardock?"

He blinked at them, his eyes focused sharply.

17 and 18 watched him wearily as he stood up, seemingly orienting himself as he left the room.

**

Bardock shut the door with a large crack in it, sealing himself off in the room.

Quick, shallow breathes calmed his heart rate as his vision hit him hard.

The small saiyan Sasoli was going to die in the near future.

Bardock swallowed and closed his eyes, feeling his Adam's apple bob up and down in his throat.

I should have known better, Bardock felt himself hardening, I should know better than to get attached.

Blue eyes loomed before him and he felt himself soften as many a saiyan before him had fallen. She was the Prince's niece and the closest thing to family he had. She was a saiyan and she needed to live.

I will protect her, Bardock nodded to himself, I will prove myself to the Prince and guard her with my life.

With everything decided he opened his eyes and was mildly startled. He hadn't expected the room to be covered in gore or a dead husk to be on the floor.

"Princess Ava," Bardock muttered recognizing a torture session with a female saiyan in charge, "She must have had fun."

Ignoring the dried blood he sat on it and took another deep breathe. He had to find out more details about her death like where and, possibly, when.

Slowly he lifted his hand to his temple and lightly touched the metal there.

. . . a swirling darkness filled his mind . . .

Nothing? Bardock frowned when all he received was darkness, how am I supposed to save her if I know nothing about her death?

His mind raced with possibilities about what could have gone wrong. Why couldn't he see anything?

How can I be so stupid! Bardock growled at himself.

Of course visions weren't going to come at his every beck and call. He had no control over his visions and the device from the aliens was handicapping him. If she hadn't touched him, then he would never have known, and she would have died.

On the other hand, he would be just as handicapped if he took the device off.

He had a choice to make.

Did he take the device off or leave it? The choice was his alone.

**

"What is going on?" Bulma stuck her hands on her hips.

The men spun around in surprise was were confronted with the women of the household.

"Goku! Gohan! What are you doing to them?" Chichi demanded as she took in the small unhappy faces.

"Why is Bra crying?" Videl asked, concerned.

With a startled cry, Bulma rushed forward and took her daughter, "Bra? Bra honey, what's wrong?"

"Goten wouldn't play with me," Bra told her mom sadly.

"Goten?" Chichi, Goku, and Gohan all looked at him.

Goten's eyes widened, "I didn't fight her. I would have played with her . . . I . . . You told me not to hit girls . . ."

"Give it up, Goten," Trunks crossed his arms and looked defiant, despite the fact that he was dangling from Goku's hand.

"My sister is not a girl, she's a saiyan."

Bulma's eyes narrowed, "Trunks Briefs, no allowance for two weeks."

Trunks eyes' widened.

"But Mom! Dad always says that girls are just as dangerous as boys when it comes to a fight!"

"True but it helps if the girl knows how to fight," Bulma sighed and rubbed her forehead, "Come on, Bra, let's leave these barbarians to fight in peace.

"Zarah, I'll be sure to tell your parents what happened today," Bulma said over her shoulder as she left the room.

Zarah smiled and shrugged. His mom would applaud his initiative and, at the most, his dad would think it was funny.

"Goten, you are allowed to defend yourself, even if it is a girl who is attacking you," Gohan set his brother on his feet, "Just don't hurt her."

"Ok Gohan," Goten smiled.

Goku set the other two boys down as well, "It's ok to fight girls, I fought your mom."

"Who won?" Zarah looked at the tall saiyan curiously.

"I did," Goku smiled, "If you guys want to spar, do it outside, ok?"

"Oh crap!" Krillin turned and high-tailed it, "I forgot about Maron!"

"Gohan, will you come and sit with me?" Videl smiled at her husband.

"Oh sure," Gohan answered hesitantly, he was very weary about her constant mood swings.

They left the hallway arm in arm.

"Chichi, I'm hungry," Goku announced.

"You're always hungry, Goku, but I guess it is my job to feed you since I'm your wife," Chichi started walking in the direction of the kitchen, "Come on, Goku honey, I don't have all day."

Goku followed her lead.

Trunks, Goten, and Zarah looked at each other baffled at what to do now.

"Outside?" Zarah blue eyes flicked from his cousin to his cousin's best friend.

"Ok!" Goten smiled, "Let's go!"

"Trunks?" Zarah turned to his cousin.

Trunks smirked, "As your dad would say, 'should be fun'."

Zarah laughed, "And your dad would say, 'enough small talk. Let's get down to business'."

"And my dad would say . . ." Goten paused as he tried to think of something, "Let's go!"

The three boys raced to the backyard to continue their play.

**

"How strange," 18 took Sasoli from her brother.

17 said nothing as he stared at the door wondering what had just happened.

"Daddy?"

17 tilted his head in his daughter's direction.

"Yes."

"I'm hungry," she pouted.

17 sighed and took his daughter into his arms.

"Then let's get you something to eat an replenish your energy supply," 17 tickled her.

"Daddy! Stop it!" She squirmed with laughter.

17 was unaware of the gentle expression on his face as he watched his daughter giggle, just as he missed 18 regarding him thoughtfully as he climbed down the ladder into the storage compartment.

18 smiled, I hadn't thought it possible. She tamed him and kept him wild, she's made him happy.

"Figures," 18 shook her head, "It would take a saiyan."

**

"Bra, let me get this straight," Bulma sighed, "You're upset because Goten wouldn't fight you?"

"Yes," Bra pouted.

"Bra, let me tell you something," Bulma made eye contact with her daughter, "There's more to life than fighting."

"There is?" Bra cocked her head to the side.

"Yes, you know the machines around the house?" Bulma waited until Bra nodded, "Well, Mommy made them."

"You're smart, Mommy."

"You're smart too, Bra."

Bra blinked at her.

"How about I show you around my lab?" Bulma paused hopefully, she wanted at least one of her children interested in machines.

"Ok," Bra beamed at her.

**

Ava panted lightly as she surveyed the damned planet she was on. She had been running for hours as she scouted the mud ball for any possible means of escape, but Dikon had been truthful, the planet was deserted.

The sky was a light purple which reminded her of her nephew but the ground was pink while the vegetation was white. Overall the planet was very stark to be on and made her long for Earth.

With a weary sigh she started her trek to the only ship on the planet and back to him. In all honesty, she had no idea what to do with Dikon, her mother had never foretold the actions to take on the occasion the enemy should fall in love with it's prisoner. For love or some other strong emotion it must be, since he had never been moved to harm her or force her to do anything, if you excluded the kidnapping.

"Did you want something?" Ava turned to look over her shoulder, she may have gotten soft but her instincts were still sharp.

Dikon was startled, how had she noticed him so quickly when he had just spotted her?

Her hard eyes made him nervous suddenly and he said the first thing that came to mind, "You said your partner conquered you?"

"Yes," Ava frowned at his refusal to say mate, partner seemed so temporary to her.

"So he fought and defeated you," Dikon became thoughtful.

"Correct," she crossed her arms unsure of where he was going with this.

A sly smile crossed his face.

"But so have I."

End of Chapter Eighteen

AN: Hey, guess what? Sasoli is being considered as a baby name! O.O! Wow, I never thought that anyone would consider that as a real name. Sasoli is a cross between broccoli and squash if you were interested. ::Smiles:: Thank you, I am honored Cat Youkai. Thanks to all the reviewers, you light up my day with your comments and I am amazed that anyone even likes my story much less enjoys it. Thank you.