************Episode 23************
**Free At Last!! But Where To Now?**
[Over two zurals later . . .]
Totepo stood watching the station terminal, checking his scouter for the time. The new recruits were arriving in a few minutes.
One of his partners, Panbukin, sat chatting with a young Sayin girl. All three were asked by their captain, Cole, to meet and greet his lieutenant and teammates when they exited the train. Panbukin was a short, fat Sayin with a bowl hair-cut and a goatee. Totepo and Panbukin fought alongside Cole; Olivia was an old friend.
Totepo, an elder, balding Sayin, snorted. It angered him that Cole requested fresh recruits from STPHQ. In his opinion, veteran fighters, such as himself and Panbukin, were ideal for the over-ambitious captain. What was so special about these four he summoned?
He checked over the digital ID cards Cole had given him. The first in age was named "Tora." Age: 9 zurals [22 Earth years] Height: 6' Power Level: 785 One-time winner of third class male division Tournament, two-time runner-up. 'Not bad,' he admitted, 'Not bad at all. Still, I won first place three time in a row, and that was when we had both men and women! Darn generation gettin' it easy!'
The second in age order was Fasha. Age: 9 zurals Height: 5'5" Power Level: 701 Three time winner of third class female division Tournament. 'Feh! Let her be a breeder then! Jeez, that makes two women!'
The third, obviously, was a woman named Zucina. Age: 8 zurals [about 19 years] Height: 5'2" Power Level: 832 Three-time winner of second class female division tournament. 'I'll bet this one'll at least have some fight in her. Still, women are so scarce, breeding her would be better . . .' His mind trailed off, thinking of Cole's current problem.
He shook his head ('None of my business, anyway.') and re-read the last card. This one seemed too good to be true. Name: Bardock 'The Low Level?!' Age: 7 zurals [17 Earth years] Height: 5'11" Power Level: 856 Three-time winner of third class male division; should be considered highly gifted.
"BARDOCK!!!!" Totepo's head snapped up at Olivia's yell. The girl, also 7 zurals old, had leaped up and threw her arms around a spiky-headed Sayin.
Bardock's eyes doubled in size, and he stiffened. "Uh . . . hi?"
Olivia embraced the teenager, her nose now very close to his. "Don't you remember me?"
"Um . . ."
She chuckled and finger his scar. "I told you this made you look tougher. Remember, when that witch Zucina gave it to you?"
Zucina cleared her throat. Olivia stared at her innocently. "Zuni-chan! My . . . you haven't grown much, have you?"
Panbukin moved in towards Zucina. The young woman garments, masculine to a fault, could not hide her immense beauty. "Heya, babe! I'm Panbukin, one o' yer new partners. Maybe we could get together later tonight and play-" His voice went considerably higher when Zucina kicked a sensitive area. "Oh! I see you already found it!"
Zucina turned back to Olivia. "You were saying, darling," Zucina chided in her usual accent.
Olivia just giggled nervously.
Tora and Fasha moved in towards Totepo. "Are you Cole," Tora asked, staring at the elder Sayin. "I heard he was bald, but I had always assumed he had shaved his head!"
Anime sweat-drops appeared on Totepo, Bardock, and Zucina. Fasha whispered to her chosen mate, "I don't thinks that's him, Tora. He's too old."
Bardock laughed good-naturedly. "Well, we've pretty much demolished the 'good first impressions bit!'" He slid away from Olivia and stuck out his hand to Panbukin. "I'm Bardock. Mr. Know-It-All is Tora, Ms. Big-Mouth is Fasha, and Ms. Sunshine over here is Zucina."
Zucina snorted and folded her arms. "I expected Cole to do us the honor of meeting us here! He *did* choose us specifically!"
"Cole had . . . uh . . . family problems," Panbukin said uneasily, moving away from Zucina. "He asked us ta meet ya here."
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[Commercial Break]
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The group of seven made their way to the clothing section of the military sector of the city. Tora, Fasha, Zucina, and Bardock were given a certain amount of klofshanks* in which to buy their armor. As Bardock slipped on his new blue and green suit, Panbukin handed them their scouters. "Each scouter's specially designed fer you; so's yer ship. All of 'em are in Docking Bay 906. We'll meet their in two days to return to our scheduled mission."
"A mission already," asked Tora, a little surprised. He had chosen to wear black shorts under gray/blue armor.
"We never finished the last one," explained Panbukin. "Three of our teammates died on Planet Doear, so that's why you guys are here."
"Great," muttered Bardock sarcastically, putting on his red, finger-cut gloves. "What are we supposed to do in the mean time?"
Panbukin shrugged. "Visit yer families? I dunno."
Tora kept glancing at Totepo, who hadn't said a word. "Don't you ever talk?"
Totepo shook his head. "He's mute," said Panbukin. "Totepo's throat was cut on a mission not too long ago, so now he can't talk."
The girls emerged from their dressing rooms. "Suddenly, I'm starting to worry about our captain," said Fasha. She wore a pink, sleeveless/legless leotard under dark gray/yellow armor and white gloves.
"Worry about him later," said Tora, extending his hand to her. "I'd like to introduce you to my mom and siblings." The two lovebirds walked out.
"I need to get back to my team," excused Olivia, backing out. "My captain is a real jerk sometimes." She blew a kiss to Bardock before walking out, and the Sayin boy blushed.
Panbukin put his arm around Bardock's shoulders. "How'd you like a drink at the finest bar in the universe?"
Bardock, having never drunk before, shook his head. "I'd rather be as sober as possible when I meet my mother again."
Panbukin nudged him. "Suit yerself! C'mon, Totepo." And they were gone.
Zucina come out. "Gone already?"
"Yeah," said Bardock. He turned and whistled. Zucina now wore a full magenta leotard and a modern white/gold armor suit with white gloves. Since her breast was no longer tied down - well - lets just say she was more ample then her best friend expected.
Bardock shook his head, trying to get over the shock of seeing her in female attire. "Ya still look like a guy," he joked.
She flashed Bardock a rude finger. "Funny, you don't!"
Both laughed. Their friendship had grown ever more in the zurals past. The other's trust and confidence meant more to them then their lives.
Zucina went outside and started to run away. Bardock rushed after her. "I thought, of all places, your home is the last place you'd run off to!"
"Are you mad?! After all that trouble of running away?!"
"Then where're you goin'?"
She didn't answer. Bardock followed her all the way to Docking Bay #906. It was then that Bardock understood. "What the HELL do you think you're doin'?!?"
"Three guesses," she coined. Zucina adjusted the scouter to her ear, tapped a few buttons. A spacepod opened up automatically, and she hopped in. The door began to close, but Bardock held it open. "HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST IT!?!?! This is set to go straight to Planet DOEAR!!"
She smirked. "Really? I had no idea!" She put her foot on Bardock's chest. "Now, either follow me, or I'll just kick you off!"
"We don't even know anything about the people there; they could be cannibals!"
"That makes it all the more exciteing!" She shoved Bardock off, causing the latter to land hard on the floor. "Race ya there," Zucina called as the door closed.
The sounds of preparations for launch rumbled. 'Crap,' Bardock thought, rushing to his own pod. He hated it when Zucina got wild ideas for dangerous adventures. Still, they never ceased to scare him enough to be left behind!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
* - klofshanks - Sayin currency
Hello all! Zucina speaking!
Computers with personalities, frightening wildlife, radical natives, mysterious ruins, and Bardock's and my usual squabbles all lie ahead in our next episode. We arrive on Planet Doear, disguised as simple explorers, in order to learn more about its people. I figure its the perfect counter-attack! Bardock figures I'm nuts! We-hell, we'll see just who's nuts when I happen to pull out Doear's version of 'The Sword in the Stone'!
Next time on DragonballBC: Doear Or Bust; Zucina is a Legend!?!
**Free At Last!! But Where To Now?**
[Over two zurals later . . .]
Totepo stood watching the station terminal, checking his scouter for the time. The new recruits were arriving in a few minutes.
One of his partners, Panbukin, sat chatting with a young Sayin girl. All three were asked by their captain, Cole, to meet and greet his lieutenant and teammates when they exited the train. Panbukin was a short, fat Sayin with a bowl hair-cut and a goatee. Totepo and Panbukin fought alongside Cole; Olivia was an old friend.
Totepo, an elder, balding Sayin, snorted. It angered him that Cole requested fresh recruits from STPHQ. In his opinion, veteran fighters, such as himself and Panbukin, were ideal for the over-ambitious captain. What was so special about these four he summoned?
He checked over the digital ID cards Cole had given him. The first in age was named "Tora." Age: 9 zurals [22 Earth years] Height: 6' Power Level: 785 One-time winner of third class male division Tournament, two-time runner-up. 'Not bad,' he admitted, 'Not bad at all. Still, I won first place three time in a row, and that was when we had both men and women! Darn generation gettin' it easy!'
The second in age order was Fasha. Age: 9 zurals Height: 5'5" Power Level: 701 Three time winner of third class female division Tournament. 'Feh! Let her be a breeder then! Jeez, that makes two women!'
The third, obviously, was a woman named Zucina. Age: 8 zurals [about 19 years] Height: 5'2" Power Level: 832 Three-time winner of second class female division tournament. 'I'll bet this one'll at least have some fight in her. Still, women are so scarce, breeding her would be better . . .' His mind trailed off, thinking of Cole's current problem.
He shook his head ('None of my business, anyway.') and re-read the last card. This one seemed too good to be true. Name: Bardock 'The Low Level?!' Age: 7 zurals [17 Earth years] Height: 5'11" Power Level: 856 Three-time winner of third class male division; should be considered highly gifted.
"BARDOCK!!!!" Totepo's head snapped up at Olivia's yell. The girl, also 7 zurals old, had leaped up and threw her arms around a spiky-headed Sayin.
Bardock's eyes doubled in size, and he stiffened. "Uh . . . hi?"
Olivia embraced the teenager, her nose now very close to his. "Don't you remember me?"
"Um . . ."
She chuckled and finger his scar. "I told you this made you look tougher. Remember, when that witch Zucina gave it to you?"
Zucina cleared her throat. Olivia stared at her innocently. "Zuni-chan! My . . . you haven't grown much, have you?"
Panbukin moved in towards Zucina. The young woman garments, masculine to a fault, could not hide her immense beauty. "Heya, babe! I'm Panbukin, one o' yer new partners. Maybe we could get together later tonight and play-" His voice went considerably higher when Zucina kicked a sensitive area. "Oh! I see you already found it!"
Zucina turned back to Olivia. "You were saying, darling," Zucina chided in her usual accent.
Olivia just giggled nervously.
Tora and Fasha moved in towards Totepo. "Are you Cole," Tora asked, staring at the elder Sayin. "I heard he was bald, but I had always assumed he had shaved his head!"
Anime sweat-drops appeared on Totepo, Bardock, and Zucina. Fasha whispered to her chosen mate, "I don't thinks that's him, Tora. He's too old."
Bardock laughed good-naturedly. "Well, we've pretty much demolished the 'good first impressions bit!'" He slid away from Olivia and stuck out his hand to Panbukin. "I'm Bardock. Mr. Know-It-All is Tora, Ms. Big-Mouth is Fasha, and Ms. Sunshine over here is Zucina."
Zucina snorted and folded her arms. "I expected Cole to do us the honor of meeting us here! He *did* choose us specifically!"
"Cole had . . . uh . . . family problems," Panbukin said uneasily, moving away from Zucina. "He asked us ta meet ya here."
===========================================================
[Commercial Break]
===========================================================
The group of seven made their way to the clothing section of the military sector of the city. Tora, Fasha, Zucina, and Bardock were given a certain amount of klofshanks* in which to buy their armor. As Bardock slipped on his new blue and green suit, Panbukin handed them their scouters. "Each scouter's specially designed fer you; so's yer ship. All of 'em are in Docking Bay 906. We'll meet their in two days to return to our scheduled mission."
"A mission already," asked Tora, a little surprised. He had chosen to wear black shorts under gray/blue armor.
"We never finished the last one," explained Panbukin. "Three of our teammates died on Planet Doear, so that's why you guys are here."
"Great," muttered Bardock sarcastically, putting on his red, finger-cut gloves. "What are we supposed to do in the mean time?"
Panbukin shrugged. "Visit yer families? I dunno."
Tora kept glancing at Totepo, who hadn't said a word. "Don't you ever talk?"
Totepo shook his head. "He's mute," said Panbukin. "Totepo's throat was cut on a mission not too long ago, so now he can't talk."
The girls emerged from their dressing rooms. "Suddenly, I'm starting to worry about our captain," said Fasha. She wore a pink, sleeveless/legless leotard under dark gray/yellow armor and white gloves.
"Worry about him later," said Tora, extending his hand to her. "I'd like to introduce you to my mom and siblings." The two lovebirds walked out.
"I need to get back to my team," excused Olivia, backing out. "My captain is a real jerk sometimes." She blew a kiss to Bardock before walking out, and the Sayin boy blushed.
Panbukin put his arm around Bardock's shoulders. "How'd you like a drink at the finest bar in the universe?"
Bardock, having never drunk before, shook his head. "I'd rather be as sober as possible when I meet my mother again."
Panbukin nudged him. "Suit yerself! C'mon, Totepo." And they were gone.
Zucina come out. "Gone already?"
"Yeah," said Bardock. He turned and whistled. Zucina now wore a full magenta leotard and a modern white/gold armor suit with white gloves. Since her breast was no longer tied down - well - lets just say she was more ample then her best friend expected.
Bardock shook his head, trying to get over the shock of seeing her in female attire. "Ya still look like a guy," he joked.
She flashed Bardock a rude finger. "Funny, you don't!"
Both laughed. Their friendship had grown ever more in the zurals past. The other's trust and confidence meant more to them then their lives.
Zucina went outside and started to run away. Bardock rushed after her. "I thought, of all places, your home is the last place you'd run off to!"
"Are you mad?! After all that trouble of running away?!"
"Then where're you goin'?"
She didn't answer. Bardock followed her all the way to Docking Bay #906. It was then that Bardock understood. "What the HELL do you think you're doin'?!?"
"Three guesses," she coined. Zucina adjusted the scouter to her ear, tapped a few buttons. A spacepod opened up automatically, and she hopped in. The door began to close, but Bardock held it open. "HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST IT!?!?! This is set to go straight to Planet DOEAR!!"
She smirked. "Really? I had no idea!" She put her foot on Bardock's chest. "Now, either follow me, or I'll just kick you off!"
"We don't even know anything about the people there; they could be cannibals!"
"That makes it all the more exciteing!" She shoved Bardock off, causing the latter to land hard on the floor. "Race ya there," Zucina called as the door closed.
The sounds of preparations for launch rumbled. 'Crap,' Bardock thought, rushing to his own pod. He hated it when Zucina got wild ideas for dangerous adventures. Still, they never ceased to scare him enough to be left behind!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
* - klofshanks - Sayin currency
Hello all! Zucina speaking!
Computers with personalities, frightening wildlife, radical natives, mysterious ruins, and Bardock's and my usual squabbles all lie ahead in our next episode. We arrive on Planet Doear, disguised as simple explorers, in order to learn more about its people. I figure its the perfect counter-attack! Bardock figures I'm nuts! We-hell, we'll see just who's nuts when I happen to pull out Doear's version of 'The Sword in the Stone'!
Next time on DragonballBC: Doear Or Bust; Zucina is a Legend!?!