Chapter Four: Blackmail
Late at night, after everyone went to bed…
Vegeta and Nappa shared a room in the semi-luxurious Mid-Elite suites of Frieza's ship. Vegeta was still in Reccoom's room in the Top Elite section, conspiring with his huge contestant on how to make Reccoom as presentable a candidate for Miss Frieza as possible. Not knowing that Reccoom was to enter the Miss Frieza Beauty Contest, Nappa was sleeping peacefully.
The bald, bulky Saiyan was dreaming of him and Eclipse on a tropical island on one of Frieza's vacation planets. Eclipse was wearing a skimpy, see-through bikini, and she was just now untying the top…
"Oh, yeah, sweetheart. Take it off for Nappa. That bikini's too itchy to wear anyway. That's my little girl…show Nappa what you've been hiding…"
Eclipse was smiling, as she let the bikini top fall from her bountiful bosom, and she sashayed over to her mate, who was dressed only in a furry loincloth. She then held up a damp, white cloth that smelled strangely of chloroform and shoved it into his face.
"What the hell-"
Nappa awoke abruptly then to find Sauzaa holding the familiar-smelling cloth over his nose. Nappa was shocked, then angered, and then he tried to hit Sauzaa's face, but Doore abruptly hit Nappa hard in his head. The large Saiyan fell unconscious almost immediately, but Sauzaa applied the chloroform to his face anyway to be on the safe side.
"Doore! Neiz! Pick up Nappa and carry him away immediately," Sauzaa ordered. "Lord Coola is getting impatient for him."
"How will we get past Frieza's other soldiers?" Neiz inquired.
"And where is the Saiyan Raditz?" Doore added.
"Lord Coola says to just get Nappa for now. Lord Coola is on this ship going to greet his brother at this very moment. We're to quietly (and I mean quietly) smuggle Nappa off of this ship and onto Lord Coola's nearby mother ship. Hurry up, men, and let's get him into that huge sack we brought for him."
They began to drag Nappa off of the bottom bunk, and Doore huffed, "This fool weighs a megaton!"
"You're pretty close to that yourself," Neiz quipped.
"Why, you little brown-"
"Quiet!" Sauzaa snapped at them. "Do you want to wake Nappa's comrades up and have them rushing in after us? Lord Frieza's soldiers aren't exactly fond of us, you know."
"They ain't fond of monkeys either," Neiz grumbled.
"True, Neiz, true. But anyone who works for Lord Frieza will side with a Saiyan before they will side with anyone who works for Lord Coola. Let's just get him out of here before we're caught."
And with much groaning, grumbling, and straining of muscles, the three members of Coola's Armored Squadron slowly shoved Nappa's unconscious form into a heavy body bag.
Somewhere in space…
Raditz hated that he had been sent to clear a planet almost immediately after he had been selected to be a judge for the Miss Frieza Beauty Contest. And on top of it all, it had to be a planet that had life forms with ki's weaker than a mouse, no true challenge for a warrior of his strength and power. It had taken less than a day for Raditz to clear planet Hui, with the most intelligent forms of life being high-bouncing snakes only a foot wide. They couldn't even speak, and Raditz was able to kill one just by shooting a small ki blast. The Hui bouncing snakes, however, contained the deadliest venom in that part of the galaxy, and Raditz had been sent to destroy them because, being a Saiyan, he was naturally immune to their poison. His arms and legs were covered with snakebites, but other than that, he had suffered no real harm.
Now Raditz was on his way back to Frieza's mother ship, and he could see the spacecraft from the window in his space pod. He also saw Coola's mother ship close to Frieza's, and he sighed heavily. Like Frieza and Frieza's other soldiers, Raditz hated it whenever Coola and his army came to visit Frieza and his minions.
Yes, it was true that Coola was stronger than Frieza, and that many of Coola's soldiers were as strong, or stronger, than many of Frieza's soldiers, but did Coola and his army have to lord it over Frieza and his warriors every time? Raditz, like most of Frieza's soldiers, despised Coola more than Frieza. Coola and his subordinates looked down their noses at Frieza and his minions, mocking them for being supposedly weaker and less intelligent. Raditz and his comrades under Frieza especially hated the members of Coola's Armored Squadron, that powerful trio of self-satisfied, egotistical, prancing fools who considered themselves to be better than anyone else in either Coola's or Frieza's armies. And next to Coola, Head Commander Sauzaa, was the most detested of them all; Sauzaa was the Zarbon of Coola's army, only much more powerful, something that Zarbon himself hated.
Suddenly, another saucer-shaped mother ship flew close to Coola's mother ship. Unlike the ships of Coola and Frieza, this one was double the size and trimmed in gold and silver, bearing the royal seal of the Cold Empire.
Raditz gulped. Terrific. Now Frieza's giant daddy had shown up. He hated it when Frieza's birthday came around, even if he was selected to be a judge for Frieza's beauty contest. Too many uninvited and unwanted guests.
A door on King Cold's ship opened, and Raditz then saw a small, triangular ship fly towards him from King Cold's mother ship, and he knew this kind of spacecraft to belong almost exclusively to King Cold's personal army. The ship was three times the size of a space pod, and a small, green tracking beam shot through a hole near the front of the ship.
Before Raditz could escape, the tracking beam seized his pod in its path and easily dragged it towards the larger ship. Raditz did everything he could with the controls and engines, but it was to no avail. He was captured, without even a chance to escape or fight.
Raditz gnashed his strong Saiyan teeth, as his pod was being dragged closer to the ship. The bastards capturing him would pay, King Cold's soldiers or not.
Eight hours later, Coola's mother ship…
Nappa yawned, and he reached his huge hand to his neck to scratch it, but a warm, strong band of brassy metal prevented him from doing so. He growled ferociously when he realized that he was now wearing a ki-restraining collar.
"I'm going to kill those son-of-a-bitc-"
"Calm down," a seductive, feminine voice purred.
Nappa looked up agitatedly into the lovely snow-white humanoid face of a young woman, dressed richly in a scoop-necked, sleeveless strawberry-pink silk dress with a gold belt. The lady had a humanoid face, but with horse-like ears on the top of her head, and a catlike body. She had a mane of shining silver hair flowing around her, a horse-like tail to match, and a pair of pale pink eyes. The only thing un-catlike about her body was her humanoid-like large bosom and perky, round bottom.
Nappa stared at her for a long time, admiring her curves. He would have tried to make a move on her, had he not had his own mate, his little Eclipse…
"See something you like?" the lass cooed in a rich, velvety voice.
"Yeah, yeah, I think that I do…very much I like…yes…" Nappa panted, just as he finally began to notice his surroundings. He was sitting in a gold chair with purple velvet cushions at the end of a long table with delicious-smelling food from various planets on it. The bald Saiyan realized that he was in a dining room of sorts, a dining room of an important person.
The young woman traced Nappa's chin with a slender, white finger, purring, "You're the handsomest Saiyan that I've ever seen. I don't know what my master, Lord Coola, wants with you, but you should feel honored. Not everyone is always welcome to dine with my master."
Nappa snarled, "I don't consider it an honor to be chloroformed and brought here against my will!"
"But you weren't harmed other than that," the feline/equine/humanoid female laughed merrily. "Just relax and enjoy yourself to a good feast when my master comes. Until you feast your mouth and hands on the meal, you can feast your eyes on me."
"I'd be glad to," Nappa chuckled, relaxing somewhat. "You're a cute thing, and if I didn't already have a bonded mate…"
"You'd try to take my woman?" an icy, steely voice cut off the Saiyan's words.
"Why, Lord Coola!" the woman squealed in surprise.
"Why, Karilyn, I see you arrived before me," Coola told her, coming up behind Nappa and seizing the woman by her wrist. He wrapped his arms and tail around her and gave her a long, possessive kiss on her lips.
Karilyn laughed and batted Coola playfully. "Oh, master!"
Coola gave her another kiss, and stroked her tail lightly with his fingers. "Now go, little one, so that I may discuss some…personal business…with my guest. I'll see some of the leftovers are sent to your room. He swatted her backside lovingly with his tail, as a laughing Karilyn danced out of the dining room.
"You're a lucky man," Nappa dared to comment.
"I am, aren't I?" Coola said in an unusually warm tone. "If she works out and continues to satisfy me, I may just make her my wife. Actually, she is exactly what I wanted to speak to you about."
"Really?" Nappa asked.
"Yes." Within minutes, Coola was sitting at the end of his dining room table. "Nappa, what do you think of my Karilyn?"
"She's a beaut."
"Good enough to please any man gazing upon her?"
"Definitely!"
"Beautiful?"
"Without a doubt."
"Beautiful enough to win my brother's beauty contest and be declared Miss Frieza?"
Nappa laughed nervously. "Well, I'd have to view the other contestants, but she does have a good chance, I have to admit."
Coola smiled, saying contemplatively, "A good chance? Well, my dear Saiyan, could it better than a good chance?"
"There's other ladies, you know, Lord Coola, sire, but she'd be a good pick. Of course, there are ladies still entering, and…"
"And what?" Coola asked sharply.
"Raditz and I have to consider all of the contestants, that's all."
Coola smiled again, but Nappa could detect the hint of malice in that smile. Coola said calmly, "Now Nappa, does it really matter to you and Raditz so much who wins that silly beauty contest of my brother's?"
"What do you mean?" Nappa asked, puzzled.
"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Coola hissed, the smile gone. "My Karilyn is entering the Miss Frieza Beauty Contest. Normally, I wouldn't like the idea of her parading herself around in front of you and the other oversexed men in Frieza's plebeian army, but she has her heart set on it, and as she's my favorite concubine…well, I'd hate to have that heart broken."
"What are you saying?" Nappa asked slowly.
Coola growled, "Are you that dense? I want you and Raditz to pick Karilyn as Miss Frieza. It's as simple as that. If Karilyn's happy, then I'm happy, and you and your longhaired friend will get to live."
"But that's not fair, Lord Coola," Nappa protested. "You see, there are other girls and women and-"
"Life is hardly ever fair, my bald friend. But it will be this time to my Karilyn. I want her to win. You and Nappa will see that happens. And if she doesn't win…" Coola made a cutting motion across his neck with his index finger.
Nappa understood then. He wasn't always the smartest pureblooded Saiyan alive, but he knew a threat when he saw one.
"Do we agree then, Nappa? Karilyn will be declared Miss Frieza on my brother's birthday, no questions asked, hmm? You want you and Raditz to live, don't you? So that you two can continue to enjoy your women, as I enjoy my Karilyn?"
Nappa nodded slowly. Only a fool would dare to defy Coola. Not even Frieza would be able to protect him and Raditz, should Coola try to destroy them.
"Good. I'm glad that we understand each other. Now enjoy the feast that I've prepared for us, and when we're done, I'll see you safely back to my brother's ship. Go on and fill your plate; I know that you're hungry."
Nappa reluctantly arose and began loading his plate, but he didn't have much appetite for the scrumptious food that was on the table. He only ate two platefuls when it normally would have been six or seven.
At about the same time…
Raditz, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying his meal. Once he had been brought aboard King Cold's mother ship, he had been treated like an important guest. Brutu, King Cold's Head Commander, had brought Raditz to this small, but lavishly decorated dining room, where numerous servants had brought the longhaired Saiyan any food available that his heart desired. Raditz had already eaten through three courses of fish, meat, poultry, and now he was finally on dessert, eating a giant berry pie, made from one of his favorite interplanetary fruits.
At last, he was satiated, and he was lounging back in the platinum chair, tipping the chair on its legs, as the ground shook, as if a giant hand was shaking the ship. King Cold entered the dining room majestically, followed by a lovely humanoid girl with long, lavender hair. Raditz couldn't take his obsidian eyes off of the young lady, as she smiled sweetly at him. The female kissed King Cold's hand, and he ruffled her hair and waved her off, telling her that he would see her later.
Finally King Cold sat down in the huge chair on the other end of his private dining room table, as he smiled benevolently at Raditz, who wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"So," King Cold began without preamble. "What do you think of her?"
"She's gorgeous!" Raditz admitted brightly. "Is she your concubine?"
King Cold boomed angrily, "No, you fool! She's my DAUGHTER!"
Raditz gulped, embarrassed-and fearful for his life.
"And a beauty your daughter is too," he said quickly, trying to save himself.
"I agree," King Cold told him happily. "I totally agree." He took a sip from a huge wine glass. "How beautiful is she?"
"Beautiful enough to please any man."
"Good. Then there should be no problems."
"Problems with what?"
"With you and my little Snowflake."
Raditz gulped and started to sweat heavily. As the sweat drops cascaded down his face, he laughed anxiously. "Why, Your Majesty, whatever you do you mean?"
"Simple. You are going to make Snowflake a very happy young lady. Her birthday is only a week after Frieza's, you know."
"No," Raditz said shakily. "I didn't know. But happy birthday to her in advance."
"Thank you; I'll see that gets passed on to her. Now Raditz, do you think that you could make her happy?"
Raditz gulped, gathering what nerve he had left. He had to phrase his next words carefully, or he wouldn't make it to his next meal. "Um…Your Majesty, Snowflake is…"
"That's Lady Snowflake to you!"
"Um, Lady Snowflake…is a very beautiful lady-"
"That she is!"
"But I can't take her, King Cold, I am sorry. I already have a mate, a bonded mate, and I'm sure that you've heard of the Saiyan bond."
"WHAT?" King Cold roared.
Raditz said quickly, "Any man would be lucky to have Lady Snowflake for his woman, but Saiyans don't normally take other women once they have a bonded mate. My mate, Princess Journa, who is Prince Vegeta's sister, is very good to me, but she can summon her brother's temper at will-"
King Cold glowered down at Raditz from his enormous height. "What on Ice are you thinking, you fool?"
Raditz said as solemnly as possible, "That you wanted me to take your daughter for my mate."
"NOT IN A MILLION YEARS WOULD I LET THAT HAPPEN!" King Cold snarled. "I don't want my daughter mated to one of your kind!"
"Then-then what do you want, Your Majesty?" Raditz, certain that his life was about to end, asked.
"I don't want you to take my daughter as your mate, you fool! I want you and that friend of yours…Nappa is his name, I believe…to give my daughter the best birthday present ever."
"And that would be…"
"The title of Miss Frieza," King Cold said confidently, with a serene smile.
"Well, she certainly does have a good chance," Raditz told the Icein king. "But of course, Nappa and I would have to view the other contestants-"
"Of course you may view them," King Cold said calmly. "But you two will pick Snowflake as the winner."
"Your Majesty, if Nappa and I feel honestly that she deserves to win, we will do that, but there are other women and girls entering-"
"SHE WILL WIN, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? Especially, if you and Nappa wish to have your bodies left intact, so that you may go on doing whatever it is that Saiyan men do with their women."
Raditz was about to retort that "whatever" was called "mating", just like with any other species, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.
"Well, Raditz? Who will win the Miss Frieza Beauty Contest?"
"Snow-I mean Lady Snowflake," Raditz answered reluctantly. He was deeply ashamed of himself for being so weak at this moment. No true Saiyan would ever tolerate being bullied. He felt shame for himself and deep anger with King Cold. Had King Cold and his ilk no sense of honor? Or pride?
"Very good; I knew that you and I would come to a mutual understanding," King Cold said sweetly. "Now go on and finish your food, Raditz, and I will see that you and Nappa are rewarded once my Snowflake wins. I do reward those who please me."
Raditz hated to think of what happened to those people who didn't please the Icein king.
The Elite Lounge And Bar, Frieza's mother ship…
Vegeta was eating by himself in a booth, wondering when Raditz would return from his mission and when Nappa would eventually meet him for dinner, as he had promised earlier. Vegeta had already finished off six steaks, seven appetizers, and he was now on his third dessert.
He was blissfully licking a sweet substance that was similar to ice cream off of his lips when a buxom Gemstarian woman boldly slid into the seat across from him. Even, in her armor and cape (which only Top Elite Officers were allowed to wear), she was exquisite to look at with her tall, curvy body, her large melon-like breasts, peach-blue skin, and ice-blue-and-silver pageboy haircut, but none of that mattered to the Saiyan prince. Vegeta growled irritably; of all the women to sit at his booth, why did it have to be HER?
"Hello, Vegeta," Diamonique purred, tracing the smooth wooden surface of the table seductively with one slim finger that displayed a blue diamond nail. All of her nails were made out of diamond, but those sparkling treasures were tainted with one of the universe's deadliest poisons. Only a handful of races in the universe were naturally immune to her poison; anyone else had to have special injections to protect themselves in case she scratched them, whether by purpose or by accident.
Vegeta grunted a greeting, as Diamonique reached across the table and daringly took his hand into hers. Vegeta coldly yanked his hand away.
"Oh, come on, Vegeta! I don't always bite!" Diamonique laughed.
"Leave me alone," Vegeta told her icily. "Shouldn't you be looking for one of your boy-toys?"
"Not today…but if you were to claim me as your own permanently, I wouldn't need any more paramours, my prince," Diamonique spoke sweetly, looking deeply into his obsidian eyes with her own black diamond ones (the irises were thin layers of actual black diamond).
"I will never claim you, Diamonique," Vegeta replied in a voice that could freeze a sun. "Yes, you gave me great pleasure during our time together, but that will never be again. You want more than what I am willing to give you, and I do not care for women who spread their legs so easily."
"Oh, really!" Diamonique snapped angrily, but then she decided to modify her tone. "Well, I'm afraid, my prince, that I can't blame you for not wanting me anymore."
"Then why bother me?"
"Because I could help you get into Top Elite. I heard Jaden talking to Chestra…about possibly the two of them signing a recommendation for you to be approved by Lord Frieza. All it requires is one more signature…and that could come from me."
"Why would I be that desperate for your signature?"
"Because, my prince, you need a third signature…everyone knows that. And I could give it…on one condition, of course," Diamonique replied, her tone speaking volumes.
Vegeta snarled, "I'm not sleeping with you, if that's what you're implying!"
Diamonique laughed merrily. "No, Vegeta, even I wouldn't stoop that low. It shocks me that you would think that. If I didn't care for you so much, I wouldn't stand for that kind of insult."
"But you would lay for it, wouldn't you?" Vegeta quipped, smirking. He chuckled at seeing Diamonique's face color furiously. He expected her to throw her drink in his face at any moment.
But instead, Diamonique only smiled serenely, although Vegeta could see the deadly storm brewing in her jewel irises. Diamonique said in a sugary tone that was only slightly tinged with fury, "Now Vegeta, there's no need for insults. My request is very simple, really. I would sign the recommendation for you to get into Top Elite, and all you would have to do is…hmm, well how should I put this…"
"If it requires sexual favors, the answer is no."
"Nothing to do with sex this time, prince. All I want you to do is order Nappa and Raditz to declare me Miss Frieza when I enter."
Vegeta burst into contemptuous laughter. "You are so funny, Diamonique! So very funny! I'm sorry, woman, but I am already sponsoring a candidate myself. I'm sure you've heard by now that Reccoom is entering."
"Oh, of course," Diamonique said airily, carefully concealing her fury at Vegeta mocking her. "But Reccoom will never win, you and I both know that. Nappa and Raditz would sooner chop off their tails than select someone like Reccoom for the winner. I'm the better choice, prince; admit it. I can easily get you out of that stupid bet you have going with Zarbon; yes, I've heard of that too. I can get you into Top Elite, but Reccoom can only get you into the title of the biggest laughingstock in Frieza's army."
"The answer is no," Vegeta told her stubbornly.
"Now, Vegeta," Diamonique told him condescendingly, as if he were merely a naughty little boy who had refused to clean his room. "Think about it very carefully before you refuse me entirely."
"I already have. Now may I get back to my meal? You're spoiling my appetite!"
"Oh, poor you!" Diamonique huffed. "So there's no chance at all of changing your mind?"
"Absolutely not."
"Fine then!" Diamonique hissed. "Then I will see that you'll never get into Top Elite! Goodbye, Vegeta! I swear that I will never speak to you again!"
Vegeta laughed. "Can I get that promise in writing?"
Diamonique angrily seized her goblet and arose from the table, storming away. Vegeta chuckled at seeing her leave. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, as she stormed over to Zarbon, who was at the bar talking to Tipsy, the head bartender and the manager of the Elite Lounge And Bar.
He turned his attention back to his meal. Zarbon would likely give Diamonique the brush-off as soon as she opened her mouth; Zarbon wasn't any fonder of Diamonique than Vegeta was.
"Zarbon, may I have a word with you?" Diamonique inquired amiably.
"About what?" Zarbon asked her coolly. He only tolerated Diamonique and cared little for her, especially since she had tried to kill his beloved Chestra twice.
"Are you and Vegeta still having that bet going on?"
"Of course."
Diamonique smiled confidently, as she leaned towards Zarbon. "Because I can help insure that Reccoom will never win the beauty contest…if you allow me?"
Zarbon's expression was unreadable, as he contemplated her offer.
Late at night, after everyone went to bed…
Vegeta and Nappa shared a room in the semi-luxurious Mid-Elite suites of Frieza's ship. Vegeta was still in Reccoom's room in the Top Elite section, conspiring with his huge contestant on how to make Reccoom as presentable a candidate for Miss Frieza as possible. Not knowing that Reccoom was to enter the Miss Frieza Beauty Contest, Nappa was sleeping peacefully.
The bald, bulky Saiyan was dreaming of him and Eclipse on a tropical island on one of Frieza's vacation planets. Eclipse was wearing a skimpy, see-through bikini, and she was just now untying the top…
"Oh, yeah, sweetheart. Take it off for Nappa. That bikini's too itchy to wear anyway. That's my little girl…show Nappa what you've been hiding…"
Eclipse was smiling, as she let the bikini top fall from her bountiful bosom, and she sashayed over to her mate, who was dressed only in a furry loincloth. She then held up a damp, white cloth that smelled strangely of chloroform and shoved it into his face.
"What the hell-"
Nappa awoke abruptly then to find Sauzaa holding the familiar-smelling cloth over his nose. Nappa was shocked, then angered, and then he tried to hit Sauzaa's face, but Doore abruptly hit Nappa hard in his head. The large Saiyan fell unconscious almost immediately, but Sauzaa applied the chloroform to his face anyway to be on the safe side.
"Doore! Neiz! Pick up Nappa and carry him away immediately," Sauzaa ordered. "Lord Coola is getting impatient for him."
"How will we get past Frieza's other soldiers?" Neiz inquired.
"And where is the Saiyan Raditz?" Doore added.
"Lord Coola says to just get Nappa for now. Lord Coola is on this ship going to greet his brother at this very moment. We're to quietly (and I mean quietly) smuggle Nappa off of this ship and onto Lord Coola's nearby mother ship. Hurry up, men, and let's get him into that huge sack we brought for him."
They began to drag Nappa off of the bottom bunk, and Doore huffed, "This fool weighs a megaton!"
"You're pretty close to that yourself," Neiz quipped.
"Why, you little brown-"
"Quiet!" Sauzaa snapped at them. "Do you want to wake Nappa's comrades up and have them rushing in after us? Lord Frieza's soldiers aren't exactly fond of us, you know."
"They ain't fond of monkeys either," Neiz grumbled.
"True, Neiz, true. But anyone who works for Lord Frieza will side with a Saiyan before they will side with anyone who works for Lord Coola. Let's just get him out of here before we're caught."
And with much groaning, grumbling, and straining of muscles, the three members of Coola's Armored Squadron slowly shoved Nappa's unconscious form into a heavy body bag.
Somewhere in space…
Raditz hated that he had been sent to clear a planet almost immediately after he had been selected to be a judge for the Miss Frieza Beauty Contest. And on top of it all, it had to be a planet that had life forms with ki's weaker than a mouse, no true challenge for a warrior of his strength and power. It had taken less than a day for Raditz to clear planet Hui, with the most intelligent forms of life being high-bouncing snakes only a foot wide. They couldn't even speak, and Raditz was able to kill one just by shooting a small ki blast. The Hui bouncing snakes, however, contained the deadliest venom in that part of the galaxy, and Raditz had been sent to destroy them because, being a Saiyan, he was naturally immune to their poison. His arms and legs were covered with snakebites, but other than that, he had suffered no real harm.
Now Raditz was on his way back to Frieza's mother ship, and he could see the spacecraft from the window in his space pod. He also saw Coola's mother ship close to Frieza's, and he sighed heavily. Like Frieza and Frieza's other soldiers, Raditz hated it whenever Coola and his army came to visit Frieza and his minions.
Yes, it was true that Coola was stronger than Frieza, and that many of Coola's soldiers were as strong, or stronger, than many of Frieza's soldiers, but did Coola and his army have to lord it over Frieza and his warriors every time? Raditz, like most of Frieza's soldiers, despised Coola more than Frieza. Coola and his subordinates looked down their noses at Frieza and his minions, mocking them for being supposedly weaker and less intelligent. Raditz and his comrades under Frieza especially hated the members of Coola's Armored Squadron, that powerful trio of self-satisfied, egotistical, prancing fools who considered themselves to be better than anyone else in either Coola's or Frieza's armies. And next to Coola, Head Commander Sauzaa, was the most detested of them all; Sauzaa was the Zarbon of Coola's army, only much more powerful, something that Zarbon himself hated.
Suddenly, another saucer-shaped mother ship flew close to Coola's mother ship. Unlike the ships of Coola and Frieza, this one was double the size and trimmed in gold and silver, bearing the royal seal of the Cold Empire.
Raditz gulped. Terrific. Now Frieza's giant daddy had shown up. He hated it when Frieza's birthday came around, even if he was selected to be a judge for Frieza's beauty contest. Too many uninvited and unwanted guests.
A door on King Cold's ship opened, and Raditz then saw a small, triangular ship fly towards him from King Cold's mother ship, and he knew this kind of spacecraft to belong almost exclusively to King Cold's personal army. The ship was three times the size of a space pod, and a small, green tracking beam shot through a hole near the front of the ship.
Before Raditz could escape, the tracking beam seized his pod in its path and easily dragged it towards the larger ship. Raditz did everything he could with the controls and engines, but it was to no avail. He was captured, without even a chance to escape or fight.
Raditz gnashed his strong Saiyan teeth, as his pod was being dragged closer to the ship. The bastards capturing him would pay, King Cold's soldiers or not.
Eight hours later, Coola's mother ship…
Nappa yawned, and he reached his huge hand to his neck to scratch it, but a warm, strong band of brassy metal prevented him from doing so. He growled ferociously when he realized that he was now wearing a ki-restraining collar.
"I'm going to kill those son-of-a-bitc-"
"Calm down," a seductive, feminine voice purred.
Nappa looked up agitatedly into the lovely snow-white humanoid face of a young woman, dressed richly in a scoop-necked, sleeveless strawberry-pink silk dress with a gold belt. The lady had a humanoid face, but with horse-like ears on the top of her head, and a catlike body. She had a mane of shining silver hair flowing around her, a horse-like tail to match, and a pair of pale pink eyes. The only thing un-catlike about her body was her humanoid-like large bosom and perky, round bottom.
Nappa stared at her for a long time, admiring her curves. He would have tried to make a move on her, had he not had his own mate, his little Eclipse…
"See something you like?" the lass cooed in a rich, velvety voice.
"Yeah, yeah, I think that I do…very much I like…yes…" Nappa panted, just as he finally began to notice his surroundings. He was sitting in a gold chair with purple velvet cushions at the end of a long table with delicious-smelling food from various planets on it. The bald Saiyan realized that he was in a dining room of sorts, a dining room of an important person.
The young woman traced Nappa's chin with a slender, white finger, purring, "You're the handsomest Saiyan that I've ever seen. I don't know what my master, Lord Coola, wants with you, but you should feel honored. Not everyone is always welcome to dine with my master."
Nappa snarled, "I don't consider it an honor to be chloroformed and brought here against my will!"
"But you weren't harmed other than that," the feline/equine/humanoid female laughed merrily. "Just relax and enjoy yourself to a good feast when my master comes. Until you feast your mouth and hands on the meal, you can feast your eyes on me."
"I'd be glad to," Nappa chuckled, relaxing somewhat. "You're a cute thing, and if I didn't already have a bonded mate…"
"You'd try to take my woman?" an icy, steely voice cut off the Saiyan's words.
"Why, Lord Coola!" the woman squealed in surprise.
"Why, Karilyn, I see you arrived before me," Coola told her, coming up behind Nappa and seizing the woman by her wrist. He wrapped his arms and tail around her and gave her a long, possessive kiss on her lips.
Karilyn laughed and batted Coola playfully. "Oh, master!"
Coola gave her another kiss, and stroked her tail lightly with his fingers. "Now go, little one, so that I may discuss some…personal business…with my guest. I'll see some of the leftovers are sent to your room. He swatted her backside lovingly with his tail, as a laughing Karilyn danced out of the dining room.
"You're a lucky man," Nappa dared to comment.
"I am, aren't I?" Coola said in an unusually warm tone. "If she works out and continues to satisfy me, I may just make her my wife. Actually, she is exactly what I wanted to speak to you about."
"Really?" Nappa asked.
"Yes." Within minutes, Coola was sitting at the end of his dining room table. "Nappa, what do you think of my Karilyn?"
"She's a beaut."
"Good enough to please any man gazing upon her?"
"Definitely!"
"Beautiful?"
"Without a doubt."
"Beautiful enough to win my brother's beauty contest and be declared Miss Frieza?"
Nappa laughed nervously. "Well, I'd have to view the other contestants, but she does have a good chance, I have to admit."
Coola smiled, saying contemplatively, "A good chance? Well, my dear Saiyan, could it better than a good chance?"
"There's other ladies, you know, Lord Coola, sire, but she'd be a good pick. Of course, there are ladies still entering, and…"
"And what?" Coola asked sharply.
"Raditz and I have to consider all of the contestants, that's all."
Coola smiled again, but Nappa could detect the hint of malice in that smile. Coola said calmly, "Now Nappa, does it really matter to you and Raditz so much who wins that silly beauty contest of my brother's?"
"What do you mean?" Nappa asked, puzzled.
"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Coola hissed, the smile gone. "My Karilyn is entering the Miss Frieza Beauty Contest. Normally, I wouldn't like the idea of her parading herself around in front of you and the other oversexed men in Frieza's plebeian army, but she has her heart set on it, and as she's my favorite concubine…well, I'd hate to have that heart broken."
"What are you saying?" Nappa asked slowly.
Coola growled, "Are you that dense? I want you and Raditz to pick Karilyn as Miss Frieza. It's as simple as that. If Karilyn's happy, then I'm happy, and you and your longhaired friend will get to live."
"But that's not fair, Lord Coola," Nappa protested. "You see, there are other girls and women and-"
"Life is hardly ever fair, my bald friend. But it will be this time to my Karilyn. I want her to win. You and Nappa will see that happens. And if she doesn't win…" Coola made a cutting motion across his neck with his index finger.
Nappa understood then. He wasn't always the smartest pureblooded Saiyan alive, but he knew a threat when he saw one.
"Do we agree then, Nappa? Karilyn will be declared Miss Frieza on my brother's birthday, no questions asked, hmm? You want you and Raditz to live, don't you? So that you two can continue to enjoy your women, as I enjoy my Karilyn?"
Nappa nodded slowly. Only a fool would dare to defy Coola. Not even Frieza would be able to protect him and Raditz, should Coola try to destroy them.
"Good. I'm glad that we understand each other. Now enjoy the feast that I've prepared for us, and when we're done, I'll see you safely back to my brother's ship. Go on and fill your plate; I know that you're hungry."
Nappa reluctantly arose and began loading his plate, but he didn't have much appetite for the scrumptious food that was on the table. He only ate two platefuls when it normally would have been six or seven.
At about the same time…
Raditz, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying his meal. Once he had been brought aboard King Cold's mother ship, he had been treated like an important guest. Brutu, King Cold's Head Commander, had brought Raditz to this small, but lavishly decorated dining room, where numerous servants had brought the longhaired Saiyan any food available that his heart desired. Raditz had already eaten through three courses of fish, meat, poultry, and now he was finally on dessert, eating a giant berry pie, made from one of his favorite interplanetary fruits.
At last, he was satiated, and he was lounging back in the platinum chair, tipping the chair on its legs, as the ground shook, as if a giant hand was shaking the ship. King Cold entered the dining room majestically, followed by a lovely humanoid girl with long, lavender hair. Raditz couldn't take his obsidian eyes off of the young lady, as she smiled sweetly at him. The female kissed King Cold's hand, and he ruffled her hair and waved her off, telling her that he would see her later.
Finally King Cold sat down in the huge chair on the other end of his private dining room table, as he smiled benevolently at Raditz, who wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"So," King Cold began without preamble. "What do you think of her?"
"She's gorgeous!" Raditz admitted brightly. "Is she your concubine?"
King Cold boomed angrily, "No, you fool! She's my DAUGHTER!"
Raditz gulped, embarrassed-and fearful for his life.
"And a beauty your daughter is too," he said quickly, trying to save himself.
"I agree," King Cold told him happily. "I totally agree." He took a sip from a huge wine glass. "How beautiful is she?"
"Beautiful enough to please any man."
"Good. Then there should be no problems."
"Problems with what?"
"With you and my little Snowflake."
Raditz gulped and started to sweat heavily. As the sweat drops cascaded down his face, he laughed anxiously. "Why, Your Majesty, whatever you do you mean?"
"Simple. You are going to make Snowflake a very happy young lady. Her birthday is only a week after Frieza's, you know."
"No," Raditz said shakily. "I didn't know. But happy birthday to her in advance."
"Thank you; I'll see that gets passed on to her. Now Raditz, do you think that you could make her happy?"
Raditz gulped, gathering what nerve he had left. He had to phrase his next words carefully, or he wouldn't make it to his next meal. "Um…Your Majesty, Snowflake is…"
"That's Lady Snowflake to you!"
"Um, Lady Snowflake…is a very beautiful lady-"
"That she is!"
"But I can't take her, King Cold, I am sorry. I already have a mate, a bonded mate, and I'm sure that you've heard of the Saiyan bond."
"WHAT?" King Cold roared.
Raditz said quickly, "Any man would be lucky to have Lady Snowflake for his woman, but Saiyans don't normally take other women once they have a bonded mate. My mate, Princess Journa, who is Prince Vegeta's sister, is very good to me, but she can summon her brother's temper at will-"
King Cold glowered down at Raditz from his enormous height. "What on Ice are you thinking, you fool?"
Raditz said as solemnly as possible, "That you wanted me to take your daughter for my mate."
"NOT IN A MILLION YEARS WOULD I LET THAT HAPPEN!" King Cold snarled. "I don't want my daughter mated to one of your kind!"
"Then-then what do you want, Your Majesty?" Raditz, certain that his life was about to end, asked.
"I don't want you to take my daughter as your mate, you fool! I want you and that friend of yours…Nappa is his name, I believe…to give my daughter the best birthday present ever."
"And that would be…"
"The title of Miss Frieza," King Cold said confidently, with a serene smile.
"Well, she certainly does have a good chance," Raditz told the Icein king. "But of course, Nappa and I would have to view the other contestants-"
"Of course you may view them," King Cold said calmly. "But you two will pick Snowflake as the winner."
"Your Majesty, if Nappa and I feel honestly that she deserves to win, we will do that, but there are other women and girls entering-"
"SHE WILL WIN, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? Especially, if you and Nappa wish to have your bodies left intact, so that you may go on doing whatever it is that Saiyan men do with their women."
Raditz was about to retort that "whatever" was called "mating", just like with any other species, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.
"Well, Raditz? Who will win the Miss Frieza Beauty Contest?"
"Snow-I mean Lady Snowflake," Raditz answered reluctantly. He was deeply ashamed of himself for being so weak at this moment. No true Saiyan would ever tolerate being bullied. He felt shame for himself and deep anger with King Cold. Had King Cold and his ilk no sense of honor? Or pride?
"Very good; I knew that you and I would come to a mutual understanding," King Cold said sweetly. "Now go on and finish your food, Raditz, and I will see that you and Nappa are rewarded once my Snowflake wins. I do reward those who please me."
Raditz hated to think of what happened to those people who didn't please the Icein king.
The Elite Lounge And Bar, Frieza's mother ship…
Vegeta was eating by himself in a booth, wondering when Raditz would return from his mission and when Nappa would eventually meet him for dinner, as he had promised earlier. Vegeta had already finished off six steaks, seven appetizers, and he was now on his third dessert.
He was blissfully licking a sweet substance that was similar to ice cream off of his lips when a buxom Gemstarian woman boldly slid into the seat across from him. Even, in her armor and cape (which only Top Elite Officers were allowed to wear), she was exquisite to look at with her tall, curvy body, her large melon-like breasts, peach-blue skin, and ice-blue-and-silver pageboy haircut, but none of that mattered to the Saiyan prince. Vegeta growled irritably; of all the women to sit at his booth, why did it have to be HER?
"Hello, Vegeta," Diamonique purred, tracing the smooth wooden surface of the table seductively with one slim finger that displayed a blue diamond nail. All of her nails were made out of diamond, but those sparkling treasures were tainted with one of the universe's deadliest poisons. Only a handful of races in the universe were naturally immune to her poison; anyone else had to have special injections to protect themselves in case she scratched them, whether by purpose or by accident.
Vegeta grunted a greeting, as Diamonique reached across the table and daringly took his hand into hers. Vegeta coldly yanked his hand away.
"Oh, come on, Vegeta! I don't always bite!" Diamonique laughed.
"Leave me alone," Vegeta told her icily. "Shouldn't you be looking for one of your boy-toys?"
"Not today…but if you were to claim me as your own permanently, I wouldn't need any more paramours, my prince," Diamonique spoke sweetly, looking deeply into his obsidian eyes with her own black diamond ones (the irises were thin layers of actual black diamond).
"I will never claim you, Diamonique," Vegeta replied in a voice that could freeze a sun. "Yes, you gave me great pleasure during our time together, but that will never be again. You want more than what I am willing to give you, and I do not care for women who spread their legs so easily."
"Oh, really!" Diamonique snapped angrily, but then she decided to modify her tone. "Well, I'm afraid, my prince, that I can't blame you for not wanting me anymore."
"Then why bother me?"
"Because I could help you get into Top Elite. I heard Jaden talking to Chestra…about possibly the two of them signing a recommendation for you to be approved by Lord Frieza. All it requires is one more signature…and that could come from me."
"Why would I be that desperate for your signature?"
"Because, my prince, you need a third signature…everyone knows that. And I could give it…on one condition, of course," Diamonique replied, her tone speaking volumes.
Vegeta snarled, "I'm not sleeping with you, if that's what you're implying!"
Diamonique laughed merrily. "No, Vegeta, even I wouldn't stoop that low. It shocks me that you would think that. If I didn't care for you so much, I wouldn't stand for that kind of insult."
"But you would lay for it, wouldn't you?" Vegeta quipped, smirking. He chuckled at seeing Diamonique's face color furiously. He expected her to throw her drink in his face at any moment.
But instead, Diamonique only smiled serenely, although Vegeta could see the deadly storm brewing in her jewel irises. Diamonique said in a sugary tone that was only slightly tinged with fury, "Now Vegeta, there's no need for insults. My request is very simple, really. I would sign the recommendation for you to get into Top Elite, and all you would have to do is…hmm, well how should I put this…"
"If it requires sexual favors, the answer is no."
"Nothing to do with sex this time, prince. All I want you to do is order Nappa and Raditz to declare me Miss Frieza when I enter."
Vegeta burst into contemptuous laughter. "You are so funny, Diamonique! So very funny! I'm sorry, woman, but I am already sponsoring a candidate myself. I'm sure you've heard by now that Reccoom is entering."
"Oh, of course," Diamonique said airily, carefully concealing her fury at Vegeta mocking her. "But Reccoom will never win, you and I both know that. Nappa and Raditz would sooner chop off their tails than select someone like Reccoom for the winner. I'm the better choice, prince; admit it. I can easily get you out of that stupid bet you have going with Zarbon; yes, I've heard of that too. I can get you into Top Elite, but Reccoom can only get you into the title of the biggest laughingstock in Frieza's army."
"The answer is no," Vegeta told her stubbornly.
"Now, Vegeta," Diamonique told him condescendingly, as if he were merely a naughty little boy who had refused to clean his room. "Think about it very carefully before you refuse me entirely."
"I already have. Now may I get back to my meal? You're spoiling my appetite!"
"Oh, poor you!" Diamonique huffed. "So there's no chance at all of changing your mind?"
"Absolutely not."
"Fine then!" Diamonique hissed. "Then I will see that you'll never get into Top Elite! Goodbye, Vegeta! I swear that I will never speak to you again!"
Vegeta laughed. "Can I get that promise in writing?"
Diamonique angrily seized her goblet and arose from the table, storming away. Vegeta chuckled at seeing her leave. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, as she stormed over to Zarbon, who was at the bar talking to Tipsy, the head bartender and the manager of the Elite Lounge And Bar.
He turned his attention back to his meal. Zarbon would likely give Diamonique the brush-off as soon as she opened her mouth; Zarbon wasn't any fonder of Diamonique than Vegeta was.
"Zarbon, may I have a word with you?" Diamonique inquired amiably.
"About what?" Zarbon asked her coolly. He only tolerated Diamonique and cared little for her, especially since she had tried to kill his beloved Chestra twice.
"Are you and Vegeta still having that bet going on?"
"Of course."
Diamonique smiled confidently, as she leaned towards Zarbon. "Because I can help insure that Reccoom will never win the beauty contest…if you allow me?"
Zarbon's expression was unreadable, as he contemplated her offer.