Ok,

a) Sorry it's been so long. Thanks to everyone for their reviews last time! Sorry for the terrible vaguely-cliff-shaped ending last time, and then not updating, that was nasty timing of a bunch of things that I had to do. Exams and such. It's holidays now, so chapters shouldn't be as far apart as 19 and 20 were. We hopes.

b) Um. No Trunks in this one. There would have been some only I wanted to get this up today because it's a certain readers birthday...

c) Happy Birthday Penchy-chan!!

d) here's the chapter...

~*~ Ch 20 ~*~

With a bone jarring, tongue biting whoomp, Gohan, Bulma and Chichi landed on the surface of the planet.

"Ooof." Said Bulma, still hanging upside down. She looked across at the other two seats, where Gohan and Chichi had strapped themselves in. Gohan unbuckled and dropped out of his seat, and somersaulted before he hit the grounds. Chichi's knuckles were white as her hands gripped the arms of the chair, but she pried them off with the same effort it took to pry her eyes open.

"We're there," she said in awe, after twisting out of her seat with a little help from Gohan, because of the unexpected stronger force of gravity.

Bulma stood on the ground -ceiling- took a deep breath as she looked around, and shook out her arms, finding them feeling very heavy, but not impossible to move. Mentally she scolded herself, she hadn't thought about difference in gravity -and I'm supposed to be the genius, tsk.

"Come on Gohan, get this door open for me."

Gohan, who had been looking through the windows, up the walls of the crater they had created in impact, turned to help.

"I think there's something up there." He said, as he jerked the upside-down door open a crack. Bulma, gripping onto his hand, pulled herself up to look out. There was nothing at the rim of the crater, just a lot of orange dust.

Bulma exhaled. "They won't mess with you, though." She said, quite confident of Gohan's strength.

"Well, they'll probably try." Gohan said dryly. "What's the plan, Bulma?"

"We get out there, you sense for Trunks, we find him, we go home." Said Bulma. "Kicking any opposing butt on the way, of course. Chichi, you and I have motor scooters- get the capsules out of the cupboard, will you?- Gohan, you're leading the way, found him yet."

"No." Gohan said carefully, "I'm more worried about them." Bulma looked back to the rim of the crater, where Gohan was watching, and saw the dozen figures standing in the almost-settled dust above them. Two dozen, as more appeared silently, silhouettes on the rim. The shadow of the nearby mountain range fell over the crater and those gathered around it, the sky was bright and a hazy, pale blue.

"Ah." Said Bulma. "Right. You sort that out then." She dropped back down into the ship. "One moment! You might want this..." Bulma pulled out a drawer, the contents of which scattered onto the floor. "Bother," she said, but reached down and picked up a scouter, not quite of sayain design, because Vegita had destroyed his. Still, she had thought it might be useful, and had reprogrammed and designed it.

Gohan looked down at Bulma, who was handing it up towards him. "Thanks." Gohan climbed out of the ship, eyes on the rim. As confidant as he was about his abilities, a quarter hundred sayains might be pressing it, a little.

He flew up and out of the crater, setting himself down gently on the ruddy coloured ground, in front of the biggest sayain there, the one who wore leadership and power on his face along with that long scar.

Bardock eyed the young man standing in front of him, they were exactly the same height, with the same pitch dark eyes, the same look of purpose in those eyes. Both had their arms folded.

"State yourself." Bardock said, Gohan's scouter translated. "And your purpose."

"Name's Gohan, from planet Earth. We're not here looking for a fight."

"You found one," stated Bardock. "Though with us or not, we've yet to decide." Neither broke eye contact with the other. Gohan inhaled through his nose, and searched the planet for Trunks's ki. "Your purpose?" He growled.

Gohan, restrained from answering that, kept searching. There were a lot of
high power levels on this planet, all higher than that of Earth, meaning
Trunks' was more difficult to settle on. He found it, at last, a good
distance away.
"You're a liar!" Pasha spat, from Bardock's right elbow. " From another
planet, my foot! You've got 'Saiyan' written all over you!"
"I don't have a tail." Commented Gohan. Pasha narrowed her eyes at him, eyes
of suspicion and hate.
"Who. Are. You." She demanded, lips curved in a snarl. Bardock made no move
to silence her.
"I told you, my name is Gohan and I'm from Earth. Yes, I'm part Saiyan, my
father was sent there as a child, my mother is from Earth."
"Must have been a unique circumstance to stop the boy from destroying the
planet as per their instructions." Bardock said, thoughtfully, but suspicious.
The tone of the word 'their', and this group's general attitude -so far as
Gohan could make out -toward 'their' authority was enough to let down a
little barrier, one that had been holding him back from explaining the
reason for his arrival; had this group been those that issued the kidnap of
Trunks, saying that he was here to rescue him would only result in battle.
"Yes." Said Gohan, "it was."
He knew who he was talking to, oh, he knew. The face -minus the scars, minus
the deadly serious expression -and the hair -especially the hair!- told
Gohan who he was. Images of Goku from when Gohan was a little boy came back
to him, but it was the serious side of Goku, the warrior half. Goku fighting
Vegita upon his arrival on Earth; Goku teaching Gohan all he knew about
martial arts; and, at the last, Goku fighting the power of the androids, and
loosing to it. The figure standing in front of his face was an image of that
Goku, amplified -colder, harder and tougher than Goku, lacking Goku's
constant compassion and love. Gohan looked into his grandfather's eyes, and
spoke.
"Some time ago a Saiyan craft landed on Earth, and kidnapped my friend,
Trunks, he was part Saiyan too, his father a Sayain called Vegita."
A flicker of emotion, of hate, showed in Bardock's eyes, but was covered
before it could be recognised. Gohan saw it, but continued.
"We followed him here, and we're here to rescue him and take him home. He's
only young, with pale hair and-"
"I know the boy." Bardock interrupted, he had a slight sadistic look to his
smile. "And you've come to take him away? They won't be happy about that,
not at all."
That same smile was creeping over the rest of the Rebel's as they picked up
on their leader's thoughts.
"We will help you, and in turn you will help us. There's great power in you
and we need that. A war begins and ends tomorrow night, a war between
ourselves, and the Council, who use your friend as their pawn." Now Bardock
was watching Gohan's face for traces of emotion. Unlike Gohan, he did not
know to whom he spoke. Instead, Bardock saw power flowing in this young man
with the Sayain eyes, power that was one more weapon against the Council,
another way to break them, and to save his Sena. Bardock didn't see a
grandson, he didn't see a friend, Bardock saw an ally, because he was
Saiyan, and these other words meant little to him.
"Come, we have much to plan." Bardock said, and many of the Rebels turned to
leave, a handful took off into the sky and headed back to the mountains.
From inside the ship, where Bulma and Chichi were watching, there was a huge
sigh of relief as they saw them go.
"And your travelling companions too." Bardock said, noticing Gohan's glance
down into the crater. Pasha, who still glared at Gohan every time she met
his eyes, jumped lightly down onto Bulma's ship, crouched on the top and
looked down into the interior. Bulma met her stare but Chichi was looking up
at Gohan, standing side by side with Bardock, and she, too, understood who
he was, and was swept with a wave of loneliness. Chichi sighed, a sigh that
sounded like 'Goku' and took Gohan's hand when it was offered, to pull her
out of the ship and into the heavy air of Planet Vegita.
Bulma, bluntly, said "you look exactly like Goku," the moment she laid eyes
on Bardock.
"I look like a what?" Bardock growled dangerously. "Who is this?"
"This is Bulma," said Gohan. "Trunks's mother, and this is Chichi, mine."
Chichi was staring at Bardock, dazed slightly. "And Goku was my father's
name."
Bardock looked from Gohan to Chichi, and back to Gohan, and not even Pasha,
who knew him best of all, could tell what he was thinking. "Members of the
Council could be here any minute." Bardock said, after a silence. "We're
leaving now, can your women fly?"
"We don't have to." Said Bulma, slightly insulted at his tone. "Chichi, the
capsules?"
"Hmm, oh. What?" Said Chichi, blinking once and looking at Bulma. "Oh, yes,
here." She tossed the two capsules onto the dusty slope of the bottom of the
crater, and two scooters appeared, landing in the heavy gravity with a
thwomp. Bulma leapt onto one and started it up, Chichi, trying hard to watch
her closely, followed suit, and the two were in the air, Gohan flying
between them, Bardock, Pasha and Toma in front, leading the way back to the
mountain clearing and cave.

**

The two saiyan women in the cell were watching each other. Arienla looked at Sena as if she was a new kind of threat, but wasn't sure to whom. Sena saw Arienla as someone else the Council had wronged, but someone who could possible be a danger to herself. They both stayed in their opposite corners.

Arienla spoke first, as she picked her own tail from the bloody, dusty ground and held it gently as if it would calm the hurt. "We need to get out."

Escape had been on both their minds since regaining consciousness. "Yes." Sena said. "Before tonight."

"What's tonight?" There were long pauses in the time when one fished talking and the other began, long, careful and calculating silences.

"The Seventh."

"And?"

"And I can't be in their hands when it happens. It will ruin everything."

Arienla massaged her tail, renewing the blood flow. Her wounds wept with blood and lymph, and she bound her tail with the dirty cloth she wore. She knew she owed the Rat's daughter something great; Sena had released her from the prison of pain her captives had barred her into submission with. She looked down at her body, it was whole and unhurt, although weak from lack of food for the past six days. "Next time they open the door, we kill them, we run." Arienla said. "Unless they bear food, or drink, in that case we'll take it, then take them down."

"They're stronger," Sena pointed out.

"We have surprise on our side." And desperation, but she wouldn't say that.

"When do they come?"

"When they will, they bear little routine." Arienla muttered. Sena stomach growled, but Arienla's had adapted to not eating and was sitting inside her feeling nauseous and rebellious instead.

Sena fell asleep two hours after that, and no-one had yet come.

~*~

Midnight. A dark and cold stretch of time before morning, time stretched longer than many of the Rebel's could bear, so had retired to their makeshift beds in the cave or in the nearby trees. In the cleared area at the bottom of a huge cliff, almost a mile away from the main cave, a huge bonfire roared and snapped and lit up the night. Bardock sat with Pasha and Toma, Rana and Nor, speaking in fast saiyan.

Gohan could see then over the fire. He was positioned across the circle, and sat by himself, a short distance away from where Bulma and Chichi were sleeping, in a capsule house sheltered under a huge tree, pressed against the cliff on the opposite side of the fire from Bardock. Gohan thought he could feel his mother's eyes watching him, and watching Bardock, but he was concentrating on his ears. He knew three earth languages, and was bringing forth the memory of techniques he'd used to learn them. Listening to Bardock speak, to the other three reply, and watching the words zip past on his scouter, he was beginning to pick up words, repeated phrases. Already he was fluent with the most colourful of saiyain swear words.

There was a pause, and Pasha leaned close to Bardock and whispered something in his ear, too quiet for Gohan to hear. This worried him. Bardock turned his head to Gohan, and the rest of them followed his gaze. This worried Gohan more. He tensed, and eyed them cautiously, ready to spring into a fighting stance. Nor appeared behind him, Gohan's head snapped around; he'd been watching Bardock, and expecting him to make the first move.

He was fast enough to duck Nor's first blow, and counter his second and third before landing a blow of his own, hard. Nor shot backwards and rolled in the dust, then Bardocks huge hands were tightening round Gohan's throat and lifting him off the ground.

There was a shriek from Chichi that Gohan heard with the edge of his hearing. His own hands gripped Bardock's wrists and he let his feet dangle. He was not going to retaliate for the simple fact that this was the leader, and he needed him. But then, he also needed his windpipe, which was being slowly crushed. Gohan spared a moment for a mental plea, hoping his mother and Bulma would stay in the capsule house. Please.

Gohan wheezed. "Put me down," he said, civilly, and in careful sayain.

"No. I think not. Where did you get that scouter?"

"Father's." Gohan chocked out the shortest explanation he could.

"And who taught you our language?"

"Me."

"When?"

"Ak. Now."

Bardock looked carefully at Gohan, threats written all over his face. He turned his head and nodded at Toma and Nor- who was dusting himself off. They nodded back and made for the capsule house. Gohan desperately tried a different approach.

"You don't trust me." He stated.

"Of course not."

"That could get us all killed."

"Maybe. But so could trusting you."

Gohan heard Toma force the door open, and to his mixed feeling ("Go Bulma!" and simultaneously "No! Don't do that!") heard a wooden chair splinter as Bulma crashed it down onto Toma's head. Gohan winced.

"Don't hurt them!" he croaked. His eyes were starting to cross but he kept them focused on Bardock's eyes. Goku's eyes. His own eyes.

"My father was your son, can you trust me for my blood?"

Bardock's grip faulted for a moment, and Gohan's feet dropped a couple of inches closer to the ground. He narrowed his eyes at Gohan, then dropped him smack on his butt. Gohan's throat ached as air was gasped into his lungs.

"Blood means nothing on Vegita anymore." Bardock growled. Gohan turned round to see Toma gripping Bulma's wrists as she tried to kick and bite him. Nor had Chichi's arms held firmly against her body and she could barely struggle for his iron grip. She was still watching her son and, well, father-in-law with great intent.

Gohan stood up facing Bardock. "I will rescue my friend, with your help or without it, and you will rescue your daughter, with or without MY help. Band with me, we'll take them out together." He extended a hand to Bardock.

Everyone looked at Bardock.

Bardock nodded, and grasped Gohan's hand.

"Now, release Chichi and Bulma."

"No. They stay with us." Bardock said. There was a splutter of indignation from Bulma's direction. Bardock ignored it. "You have my word they will not be hurt unless you turn against us. Unless you don't obey my orders. They will be released tonight. When it's all over." He looked to Gohan for his decision, but Gohan knew it was not his to make.

"Give us a moment." Gohan requested. Bardock nodded shortly and Gohan turned back to the women. Toma had released Bulma and Bardock's nod but Nor was still gripping Chichi, who's hands were starting to tingle and pale because her blood flow had been cut off.

"Let her go, Nor." Toma said gently, and after a moment Nor dropped his hands. Chichi flung herself at Gohan and grabbed him in a hug. Breathing a huge sigh of relief.

"What did they say?" Bulma asked.

"They want to keep an eye on you while I'm with them, they want you both as hostages, but Bardock has promised no hurt will come to you, and you'll be freed when we have Trunks back." Gohan explained. "And Sena." He added.

"Who?"

"His daughter, Bardock's daughter. What do you say? They won't let me come with them unless they have a safeguard."

Bulma had her get-out-of-the-way-RIGHT-NOW glare on her face, her arms here crossed and she was staring at Gohan.

"I don't think he'll hurt us. He's Goku's father." Chichi said quietly.

"Chichi! He's a SAYAIN!" Bulma exploded. "He's NOTHING LIKE Goku!"

"He's given his word." Gohan put in. Bulma glared again, at Gohan, then Chichi, then Bardock. They were all looking back at her expectantly.

"I'm NOT happy." Bulma growled. "But so long as no one TRIES anything..." she Death-glared at Nor and Toma, "then I suppose I don't have a choice. Now if you'll be so kind as to let us go back to sleep. We'd be most grateful." There were knives on the edge of her voice, even if the Saiyans didn't understand her words, they could still hear the knives. Big sharp pointy don't-mess-with-me knives.

Bulma turned and stomped off back into the capsule house, slamming the door like a child in a tantrum. Chichi looked after her, gave Gohan a hug goodnight and followed her back in, closing the door behind her.

False dawn was breaking over the cliffs in a light of pale grey. Rana sat down on the capsule house doorstep, leaning against the door, watching the sky pale as the dawn of the seventh day crept ever closer.