AN: Here in it is hot of the press! Chapter 2 coming right at ya! Thanks for the reviews it give me that happy giddy feeling to know someone likes my story so far. And it inspires me to write more…(hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge ^_^).
Disclaimer: Oh yes I forgot to put a disclaimer on the first chapter, but guess you already knew DBZ wasn't mine, so I'm not making a dime. Oo that rhymed! Anywho, DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama and Toei , and Funi, and all those other lucky people.
And a few of the names use come from Anne Mccaffery's book Acorna's People.
The other characters are mine though!
Cool Boogie!
-Mizuko
Chapter 2- A Few Minor Confrontations
"You seem a bit tense chiisai tora, why don't you sit down and relax we've still got...oh about three more hours."
She couldn't see the smirk on his face but she'd bet her right arm it was there.
"Shut up and don't call me that, this is all your fault," she growled not in the mood deal with him.
"It takes two to tango, as the earth expression goes." He stated drolly, he was sitting on the floor of his cell an arm propped up on one bended knee the other leg relaxed also bent. He looked completely at ease, ticking her off just added more to his enjoyment.
"It only takes one fist to break another's jaw." She sneered, trying hard to ignore him. 'When will this guy get it through his thick head I don't want to be bothered by him.'
"Are you threatening me?" he asked with a fair amount of amusement still there, but a growing dangerous note was present in his cold voice.
"Why would I do a thing like that? It's obvious I wouldn't stand a chance against his high and mightiness." She saw him tense at the sarcastic comment, 'weird.'
To make a long story short the two hybrids traded, nasty insults and scathing comments the entire period of their stay. Continuing to rile each other up until the very time of their release; at that point Pan was seeing red and had to be physically restrained by the guard from beating the other demi-saiya-jin into a quivering pile of snot.
For this she got throw back in for another three hours along with the obnoxious man for instigating.
This time Pan had enough sense to not say anything as he taunted her mercilessly for the remainder of her time there after which they were summon to the Captain's room where they got a lengthy lecture on behavior and conduct.
"If this happens again you'll both spend the remainder of this trip confined to your quarters, is that clear?" That Captain finished. They both nodded mutely.
"Good you are dismissed."
They left quietly. Lithfrn let out a sigh of relief. 'At least they didn't fight. I don't even want to think about what would happen to the ship if they did.' He thanked his lucky stars and crossed his finger…er limbs that nothing would happen the rest of the voyage. But with several more weeks to go that seemed highly unlikely. Perhaps a shortcut was in order…
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Naav waited patiently at the com for The Riiya to answer his hails.
It had been a week since he'd secretly left the planet Ewajima, and his sister; much her dislike. His plan was to head for the nearest command fleet and make the military aware of the problems at home, namely the consulates growing aggressive 'legal' takeover.
Unfortunately even with his personal speeder, The Daalphi, the closest command fleet had still been days away.
Naav eyed the large vessel via the main screen it was alot larger the most and armed the teeth; it resembled a weight of sorts, to bulb like ends connected by a cylindrical tunnel. The to ends served two purposes one was space for the arsenal it carried and the other was that the Neg'Vah disliked small spaces, his kind were creatures of the open sky not meant to be caged up tiny little pods like the ones the barbarians were so fond of.
A stout ruddy face appeared on the screen, "This is the Commander of The Riiya, Admiral Knyeeji. To what and whom do I owe the purpose of this call?" Although the admiral's tone was polite one could tell he was somewhat annoyed.
"Admiral Knyeeji, I apologize for this sudden intrusion, this is The Daalphi. I am Naav, Linyarii of Thriinye," he stated his house and clan as customary, " I have come to-
"Linyarii Household?" Knyeeji's cold rust colored eye narrowed suspiciously at Naav.
Naav nodded slowly, as Admiral Knyeeji gave him a suspicious look, 'That's what I just said isn't it?' he thought not liking the other gaze.
"Your suppose to be- The Consulate has informed everyone of the death of the last heir to that House."
Naav's eyes widen slightly shock. Partially from being told, he was thought dead, partially from the fact that the high-ranking officers of the military WERE being informed of thing at home. If the were being informed why aren't they doing something?
Naav clenched his jaw shut. 'How dare they! Is it not enough they kill my kin, but now they even go so far as tell people I'm dead before they've even committed the act! I hope Nyaane is alright.'
"Yes well, reports of my death are in exasudration, in fact this is part of the reason I have come here from Ewajima to inform the military of the Consulate's-
A sudden commotion in the background suddenly diverted Admiral Knyeeji's attention. The man excused himself and turn to see what was up. Naav saw a low rank officer behind the Admiral's head and half heard what was being said,
"Sir, another small vessel.....to cross border....Intercept?"
Knyeeji swung around almost as soon as the officer was done talking, "You are just a diversion tactic!"
'What?! What's he talking about?'
He responded coolly, "No, I am traveling alone."
"You lie Naav Linyarii Thariinye who is said to be dead, helping an enemy ship cross into our territory is treason. Treason is punishable by death," Admiral Knyeeji smiled; it was stranger than any expression than any of the few facial expression that Naav had seen. This smile was not a happy one, it made chills run down his spine, it was malicious and had that greed filled gleam like.... those in the Consulate. "I'm sure my good friend Member Reenye would be happy to know that a dead traitor has been laid to rest."
From space the tiny vessel seem to jump to life, like a firefly sudden brightening, zipping past the larger ships it never had a chance of escape unlike the unknown ship it unknowingly helped cross the broader. The fleet of ships turned its fire unto the tiny craft, in a brief explosion the smaller ship was crushed like a firefly in a child's hands.
Seeing it's demise the armada began turn away, never noticing the minute escape pod. Naav took forced even breaths in the escape pod; it was like being in a coffin, a thin elongated oval, and a virtual coffin.
Not exactly the best place for someone whose entire race was more than a little claustrophobic. Naav force himself not to think about the tight cramp lack of space. Not to think about how it seemed to wrap him in a death clamp, choking him, smothering him. Red-sienna eyes widened and blinked rapidly as his control began to slip and his breathing became erratic. As the stasis mechanism came on, a small-detached part of his mind wondered if barbarians ever felt this way about small spaces.
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After a week and half of trying 1001 ways to cure boredom, he'd finally given up on all hope of finding something to do. One can only eat and sleep so much before they get tired of it.
And how long was this trip supposed to take? Four more weeks of this would drive him to insanity. Normally a faster ship would have been his preference but there was too much security involved in that.
After the first few days he found he couldn't stay in his quarters any more. Now he knew the ship like the back of his hand, and there was still nothing to do. Right now he was leisurely heading to the mess hall someplace that wasn't so quiet to work on a pet project of his, there wasn't any thing else better to do. In fact the only thing he could really remember about the past few days was; checking for spies, getting thrown in the brig twice and threatened with confinement to quarters, the last two courtesy of the nice young lady he'd meet before boarding the Mercushin.
A slight frown formed on his normally calm features.
That she-demon was nothing but trouble. Curse her and her ability to pop up where ever he happens to be. If they weren't confined in a tiny ship Trunks felt he would have disposed of the disrespectful wrench many times over by now. But his entire mission depended on his ability to stay as inconspicuous.
It was good that none of his father's scouts were on board, that meant he didn't have to wear that hood but, all the times he'd left his quarters he ran into that stupid girl, and she got him in trouble.
He'd even over heard some crewmembers placing bets on how long it would be till they started throwing fist instead of insults. The first time they got in trouble for fighting in the mess hall, then for fighting in the brig while being released, afterwards Captain himself, chewed them both out for an hour about personal conduct; saying if it happen again the would be put under confinement till they reach Zion. Not Good.
So he tried to avoid her whenever possible, but the Mercushin was a tiny ship.
His stomach growled giving him a reason to move a bit faster. Looking down the hall he was walking in, 'Whoa, I'm on the wrong side of the ship, that's what you get for letting your brain wander' He thought looking up. 'Must have gotten turned around at the last-
He paused; thanks to his sharp hearing he heard a familiar voice through the corridor walls.
"I mean it, this is the last time! Don't look at me like you don't know what I'm talking about. No more of these 'last minute drop everything rush deliveries' Kay? Bye See ya there."
Ignoring the voice, which he thought to be too loud for indoors, he kept moving.
Ahead two corridors fused into the main hall, which would lead straight to the mess hall. And food.
Perhaps if his stomach hadn't been so insistent he would have seen the black and blue blur come from the other hall. But he didn't so and the 'blur' came crashing straight into him causing him to fall over side ways. Ignoring the dull pain in his side he stood and began to help the person up
"I'm really sorry about that," he said lending a helping hand; a strong grip was given in return, very strong grip, warm too.
"It was my faul-" the person looked up at him. Perfect. Great. Wonderful. HER again. She looked at him as if she only partly remembered him. Oh that right she'd only seen him with his disguise on.
"Oh it's you," she said flatly
"Pleasure's all yours if you want it, I sure don't." he replied tartly. He didn't mean to be so rude.... at first, but now..., things just flew out of his mouth when ever she was near him. She was wearing basically the same uniform as before this time her uniform was mostly black with blue markings on the back.
She picked up her orange bandanna from where it had been knock to the ground. Her cheeks burned red with anger.
"No Thanks. I'll have no pleasure in knowing a jerk" she spat walking away; he quickly followed.
"Are you always so charming, onna no ko?"
"Don't call me that! And quit following me" she yelled walking faster.
"I'm not following you, I'm going to the mess hall."
"Arrgh this ship is to small to avoid someone as annoying as you," she cursed in frustration.
"Me? Annoying? Let's see annoy, jerk, baka, I wonder how many other names I'll get before this is over"
"Don't know, don't care, but you can add rude and bakayaro to list if you want" she said with mock sweetness.
"Thanks onna."
"Don't call me that either!" she snapped slamming the mess hall doors open. A few heads turned towards them, their clashes had become a form of entrainment for the crew off duty, it was nice to know he was curing someone else's' boredom.
"Hey, I don't know what to call you so.."
"Well you may not call me, onna no ko, onna, or utsukushii, got it?" she hissed heading across the room to where the food was being served.
"Well if I can't call you that, then I'll just call you what you are." She turned on him, stopping in the middle of the semi-filled hall.
"And what would that be?" the dark hair girl said daring him to speak in front of a now very attentive audience. A pin drop could have been heard in the silence.
"Smart mouth, temperamental bitch," he stated in saiya-go.
Two mistakes he realized in the two seconds it took her fist to connect with his jaw. First was (obviously) not seeing it coming. Second she was also a saiya-jin (his jaw could attest to that) and must speak saiya-go too.
The room was so quite you could hear the silence. "Listen buddy," she had a dangerous look and unbeknownst to him her ki shot up, "I don't' care who you are, or who you think you are, I will-" A sudden tremor shook the tiny ship, cut off her threat. A Big one.
"This is the Captain speaking, this is an emergency situation. All crew report to your stations. I repeat all crew report to your stations." Before the Captain was even done most of they mess hall was empty. "All passenger please head to-" Another earth-shattering tremor swept through the ship, causing several loose objects (chairs, tables, food, ect.) to go flying across the room.
' We're being shot at?' he half stated, half questioned in his mind.
Pan watched the jerk's face change from hostility to shock and surprise. Before she could even ask, the man took off faster than most could see. "Oi! Baka na! The quarters are that way!" she yelled trailing him out of the mess hall.
Not only was he rude, but he had the most confusing looks, couldn't tell what he was at a glance. Purple hair for cripes sake.
She saw or rather felt him roll his eyes, "That's nice to know, but I'm going to the bridge" If something funny was up, she defiantly wanted to know what was going on. Besides the Captain didn't say exactly where to go.....
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~20 years ago at the Peace conference on Beijita-sei~
Videl smiled warmly at her husband across the room, he grinned back at her in the familiar Son fashion than returned to his conversation with King Vegeta, his father and Ambassador Son Goku, the new established President of New Earth Krillin Chestnut and his wife 18.
Another joined their conversation, the stoic Neg'Vah Nyaaven, reigning sovereign of planet Ewajima
'It's amazing to see these people all together talking with each other.' Videl sighed. She looked at her daughter Pan, who was being cooed over by Queen Bulma and Chichi as she took steps towards the table where dinner was being set up. A motherly smile crossed her face as she walked over and scooped up her little 4 year old.
"Mommy!" Pan squealed gleefully fidgeting.
She was so strong for her age, the little girl was already surpassing her mother. Videl planned to teach her how to fly when they got home and then let Gohan take over that area.
"Oh I remember when my little boy was that small," Bulma reminisced.
Chichi laughed, "Yup and now he's at that 'holy terror' age, which reminds me Goten is probably running amuck somewhere around here as well."
Videl smiled joining the conversation, "Perhaps they're forming their own alliance as we speak."
"A pair like that would destroy the palace in a day! But my little girl is the total opposite. She's really quiet, she about Pan's age."
"I have always wanted a little girl. But I'm happy with my two boys I think two saiya-jin kids are more than enough to handle!" Chichi said with great emphasis.
Videl laughed, yes two would be enough. She smiled secretly, as so as the treaty was signed she planned to tell Gohan she was pregnant with his second child.
Everybody would be celebrating after the signing; he'd just have one more thing to rejoice about.
Things were finally going to change. After centuries of fighting she could raise her children and not worry about sneak attacks, raids on supplies or spies.
Tomorrow would be the day that several different peoples would unite.
The Saiya-jin Empire which was Beijita-sei and their ally New Earth, The Hitohi Empire which consisted of nomadic saiya-jin, humans who roamed the systems in giant colonies that were constantly moving. And last but not least the reclusive Neg'Vah who live on the planet Ewajima, who had had a long lasting grudge against the saiya-jin and anyone who associated with them.
Videl was glad all this fighting would stop, she believed out of everyone her people got the worst end out of all hostility, besides being split by the war, they were looked down upon as inferior and weak by saiya-jins, the Neg'Vah disliked humans simply because they were involved with the saiya-jin. Humans on both sides had nothing to lose and could only gain from this union.
Warm hands rubbed her arms as she set Pan down to be led off to eat with the other children present in the palace.
"Gohan?"
Gohan looked at her lovingly, a wave of warmth and happiness stirred in her.
He always had a way of doing that to her. Maybe she would tell him after dinner, before tomorrow's festivities...She would of course break it to him gently last time he nearly had heart attack. She giggled to her self.
"What's so funny?" he ask.
"Let's take a walk after dinner, I have something important to tell you," she whispered so that only he could hear. The loving look was replaced by a concerned one, "Is everything okay?"
"Don't worry Darling, it's good new." The smile returned to his face, then his stomach grumbled, he blushed sheepishly, "Dinner is waiting." He said eager, she shook her head at his eagerness, she love his enthusiasm, that goofy grin of his, even if it was about food.
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The bridge was in complete chaos, the ceiling was falling knocking out a good portion of the crew, a few stations were down and the faint smell of smoke signaled impeding destruction. The main screen showed a dual image of a field of mines to one side, and a small Neg'Vah armada on the other.
"What? What are passengers doing on the bridge!!?" The normally even-tempered Captain roared as he spotted Pan and the jerk coming in "Uhh..."
"Never mind, do either of you know how to pilot a Borran-type ship?" She nodded. The captain nodded then, laughed hopelessly "Borran, they have 8 fingers" he chucked, looking at his tentacles "Can't even pilot my own damn ship. Oh yes I quitting after this." he muttered more to himself than anyone else. He snapped back into action "Take the helm." He barked commands to the remaining conscious crew, "Lt., I Want those shield back up as fast as possible. Ensign give me a damage report, where is engineering?" turning back to her "Can you navigate through a minefield?" he asked solemnly, She didn't even bat an eye.
"Yes."
"Through that?" The jerk asked in surprise.
"Good. If you fail, we die." The Captain continued, ignoring the guy and the skeptic looks from the crew.
"Your crazy if you try and fly through that!" the jerk stated.
"We'd be even crazier to stay and fight a fully equipped fleet of ships!" she shot back. Besides I can get us through there without so much as a scratch" Pan added confidently. They both looked at girl disbelievingly. Considering his options once more Captain gave the go ahead.
"Alright get to it, young man," he pointed to the station next to Pan
"Monitor those ships." for the moment she didn't pay attention to what else was going on just the task at hand, how best to enter the minefield. Sitting down she quickly familiarized her self with the controls "Shields back up" someone announced
"The fleet is closing in," the jerk stated as she inched the ship as close as possible to the field w/o setting off the sensors.
Mines were always placed in such orders that if one could enter just the right way....
"Captain I'll need as much speed as possible." He nodded and rapped out orders. The fleet behind them had long since cease firing, wonder weather they were actually foolish enough to fly through the mines. She pressed a few button and sat back, after five seconds of nothing the jerk with the weird colored hair leaned over "What are you-
He glimpsed at the control setting, "Oh no, Your insane" he stared at her, she smirked back at him "Yup."
The small ship took off at high speed from a cold start, gaining speed as it travel through the dead center of a minefield setting off hundreds as it passed. As the Mercushin reached its apex the engines were cut off and the ship coasted at its momentous speed.
3/4 the way through it slowly began losing speed slowly. Pan turned the engines back on and piloted manually. Dodging mines 'Almost there' she thought seeing clear space ahead. The weird hair dude was looking kind of pale, as was the Captain. (Though in his case that meant a tawny orange)
'Almost there, almost there....' Like a dolphin bursting through the waves they broke through the line of mines.
'Yes!' she cheered inwardly. "Is it-
WHAM something rammed into the rear of the ship, causing to buck wildly. Pan almost lost her seat and her lunch as a second explosion racked the Mercushin.
"What happened?" Pan asked
"Mine." the jerk stated "Neg'Vah mines. Type D "
'Oh, great.... that's nice to know, after you set half the field off.' Type D mines didn't just explode they'd followed whatever activates them. He pointed to a large red blip on his screen, they were defiantly being followed. "At our current rate the majority of mines will start hitting in about 25mins" he stated all too calmly. The Captain's sick tawny color had changed to an extremely pale yellow upon hearing this. "You saiya-jin are cursed! You bring trouble nothing but wherever you go. My business, my crew, my ship..." sighed in defeat.
"I may be able to do-
"What ever it is give it a try. If not, well..." With the go ahead the jerk left heading for the engine room.
"Miss, please assist him," he asked her wearily. Probably to get her off the bridge
"Yes sir." As Pan left the ruined bridge, she heard the Captain give baleful orders, "Prepare for evacuation.....
Down inn the engine room things were as bad as if not worse than the bridge. One of the mines that had hit them had rammed pretty had close to the engines. The place was pretty much deserted save a few unlucky people unfortunate enough to be crushed by debris. Cautiously, Pan made her way around the mess of fallen debris, wires, and miscellaneous objects. It took a minute to find him he was tinkering with some complex looking wires leading to the thrusters.
"Could you pass me that too right there next to you?" He asked, not even bothering to turn around, some nerve. She picked up the requested object and, resisting the urge to just bash him in the back the head with it, handed it to him. Not even pausing to say thank you he kept working.
"Why are you here?" he asked after a moment of silence.
"Captain sent me to help"
"I don't need your help."
"That suits me just fine, it not like you the easiest person to get along with."
"Your not exactly miss congeniality yourself," he retorted still tinkering.
"No, its just you."
"I'm honored"
"You should be not many people manage to get on my bad side in 5 minutes or less."
He either didn't have response or was concentrating too hard on his work. Pan sat down several feet away having nothing better to do she got a good look at 'the jerk'.
Today was the first day she'd seen him without his hood covering his head. His features were slightly confusing. A hybrid like her perhaps? But of what?
'Here I'm minutes from certain destruction, and I'm trying to figure out what kind of creature this idiot is. Go figure.'
His face was sharp and strong the very image of a saiya-jin. But his hair, purple? Or lavender to be correct was pulled back in ponytail.
Lavender hair wasn't a saiya-jin trait or human, light blues, purples and light greens were a definite Neg'Vah trait, but.... his eyes, they were a shocking blue. The Neg'Vah all had either a tawny goldish color for females or reddish brown for males, blue way strictly human.
Kind of like her mother's, her mother had blue eyes too... The more Pan compared features of each of the three species the more enigmatic the young man's origins became. His brows were knitted in concentration, ice blue eyes focusing at the task at hand.
He was actually kind of handsome- when he wasn't insulting her. She snorted inwardly 'There's always some thing wrong with the cute ones, they're either taken, complete and total jerks, or- (AN: or in the authors case don't exist in real life *sniff* ~_~')
"Done" the guy's voice startling her out of her thoughts.
5 second later
"What have you done?!?!" the Captain roared over the private inter com.
"We can't access the controls! The ships' slowing down ever faster!" Pan couldn't see the Captain, but she guessed him to be an enraged dark purple about now.
"It's okay I've set the coordinates for Zion, You should advise every one to grab on to something sturdy." Following his own advice he braced himself in the doorway, while she held onto a consul implanted in the wall. The ship shook violently for a minute, than came to a dead stop. Thinking that was it, Pan let go.
"I won't do that if I were you," he warned
As soon as her grip faded the ship was thrown into overdrive the inertia from which flung into the nearest bulkhead creating a size able dent.
"That really hurt..." she heard her self mumble.
Dazed beyond belief her vision began to blur. She felt something wet and warm trickle down the back of her neck.
Her consciousness faded as fast as her vision, and the last thing she remembered was the felling of being lift off the floor.
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Quote of the day:
The only thing dependable about the future is uncertainty.
-Anonymous
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AN: Read and review! Responses are very much appreciated! ^_~!
Also if you have some quotes you would like to share, please do so and you might see them in a chapter, many thanks!