AN:Thank you Smokey for this chapter's quote. I'm so sorry I couldn't get Ch 13 out this weekend I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. Thank you reviewers. Thank everybody who contributed quotes, I'll try to use at least one quote, if you've left any so if you haven't seen it (them) I'm trying to use quotes from different reviewers each chapter. Thanks
-Mizuko
Chapter 13-In the face of evil
Nyaane choked on the brutally smoke of the burning greatwood tree as it continually assaulted her lungs. Her eyes had long since teared up and were practically useless forcing her to rely on her knowledge of her surroundings, which (thank A'Drai) she'd grown up in. The Neg'Vah stumble up the last stair to the entrance to the top level of the once mighty Bin'Ro and groped her way to the far wall.
Sender hands running against the rough bark searching for what her memory told her ought to be there. There was a sudden lurch as the whole structure slanted.
There wasn't much time left the tree would fall soon and with her in it if she didn't hurry up. Doubling her efforts she move quickly against the wall from one end to the other. She would have jumped for joy when her hand finally felt a tiny knob in the surface of the wall if she had the time. Turning the knob. a small door opened into a small room so small in fact she had to haunch a squeeze her wings. The claustrophobic feeling in the room further encouraged her (without a moments hesitation) into the next door, which was the speeder's entrance.
The light sea green haired woman almost lost her footing as the tree gave another sickening lurch. Any second now the structure would collapse, with or without her. Regaining her balance she made her way to the cockpit punching in the launch sequence and only daring to let out a sigh of relief as she watched her planet's slow rotation from orbit.
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"Computer main screen on, forward view." The view showed a boarding ship already flying past the camera.
Pan sat back for a second wonder whether or not it was wise to rile the already angry saiya-jin. She mentally reached out and felt his ki
'Crud.' He would be tough to be head on. Reaching further to see with there were any other high level persons in the Neg'Vah ship, stumbling across Trunks' in the process. The others were along side him, but his signature was poignant even though the distance was steadily increasing. The memory of their first and probably last kiss too sharp in her mind. She had only intended to make him drop his guard. Note the words only intended.
But he kissed back. Didn't expect that. And she melted right in arms.
Didn't expect that either.
Why walk willingly into heartache? Stupid, foolish girl. But...
During that moment there was something... Something different, conveyed express and received. Something, that made her stomach turn and flutter. Pan knew she cared about the jerk whether or not she choose- could show it, and just how much she didn't know either. But now there was something else, a new feeling.
And it scared her to death.
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Naav slowly became conscious and quite aware of the tiny pod. he caught a glimpse of Beijita-sei looming in the small window and another pod, most likely one of the others, before shutting he eyes tightly, trying to focus on anything but the claustrophobic space.
"1 minute to atmosphere entry. 4 minutes till landing."
He breathed deeply forcing he muscles to relax. Letting his mind wander to other thing like how Nyaane was doing? How would his clan be fairing without him?"
Everything reminded him of where he was despite his efforts. The tightness of the chair painfully crushing his wings. His own breaths, deep and force told him how close the walls were; too close. Much too close. Insuffocating! He was suffocating! His breathing speed
"Beginning atmosphere entry." the computer stated.
The sudden turbulence was a welcomed diversion. Turbulence was something he'd only know flying in dangerous weather as a youth. He dared to open his eyes and peer at his surroundings. The door was rattling too much for comfort. Protesting the under the heat and strain more than Naav felt. It felt like the tiny craft would rip apart leaving him to burn in to atmosphere or drift in fridge airless space. Very pleasant and reassuring thoughts. The turbulence stopped but the claustrophobic Neg'Vah could now see the Saiya-jin landscape rushing to greet far faster than he wanted meet it. And through it all the feeling of being squeezed to death hung over his mind like a dark veil. He resisted the urge to break up the door a fly the coop, clinching his fist and setting his jaw. It was then the landing area became a visible. At this point a fact surfaced to mind; He didn't know how to stop the pod. He had no knowledge of their controls or landing procedures. He was going to die here on the barbarian's soil far from the peaceful forests of greatwood trees, falling from and alien sky.
Had Naav been in his right mind set he would have remembered that saiya-jin pods were made of a metal strong enough to survive their own weaker blasts and very much survive a landing of any kind.
But claustrophobia had set in erasing much needed rationality. The tight space pounded on his senses, as he was unable to shut his eyes again. Muscle too taut, too ridged with fear to move.
The deeper mind began to take over in his panicked state.
His mind blanked out and he did the only thing to do. He blacked out.
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Menneth was sure to stay well out of arms reach as the one (and only) prisoner was taken from the Zion spaceship, The Reliance.
He watched as the guards roughly threw her into the holding cell and raise the electrical flied before even coming remotely hybrid.
It was disgusting, this was what Pan Son the daughter of the Great Gohan, Learder of the Hitohi forces had been reduced to. A savage demon child. More saiya-jin then human it seemed. And yet looked and sounded so much like her mother it almost hurt to see.
She fought, bit, kicked, struggled and cursed the whole while it'd taken T'kal to broad The Reliance and physically take her hostage. Her ship was too small to hide anywhere in. and Menneth had been mildly surprised to find her waiting for them in The Reliance's tiny bay, putting up no small resistance. Quite a few guards would be in medical facilities for a good while. She never screamed though (baring long loud explicit curses usually directed at him or T'kal).
And became silent after being placed inside the cell and gingerly testing her baring, receiving a nasty shock for it.
T'kal glared at the troublesome girl who'd blown up their two other ships "I expected a better fight for all your tongue girl." then stormed off, Pan scowling after him. She looked so much like her... Menneth shook himself. Videl was dead.
"Yes well, in light of your most recent...choices concerning the two escort ships. Our boss Lord Freiza will deal with you personally. He's been waiting for your company for quite some time now a will be pleased to see you."
"......"
"Hope you enjoy your stay, I can assure you T'kal'll be far more kinder then Freiza."
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The prince's pod was the last one down and he nearly burst out of it before the door could fully open. The landing field personnel (who had just witnessed A Neg'Vah, The Ambassador, The Great General Goten escorted by Princess Bra) were shocked (again) to see the Prince himself spring from the ship. Trunks immediately took advantage of the momentarily stunned. "You! I need a small ship search ship on the double. Fastest one available." The positively murderous look on his face sacred the unfortunate person more than the one giving the command.
"Yes sir!"
Frustrated he scanned the busy landing area he spotted someone reliable to take a message to others for him. Mass of spiky black hair and all.
"Raditz!" The warrior look his way but didn't seemed too shocked; he walked over in a quick but dignified manner.
"Your Majesty, it is good to see you back." Raditz said giving a quick salute, which he returned.
"Did you see the others go by?" the Prince asked curtly.
"Yes sir they're on their way to the palace as we speak."
"Tell General Goten that there were only 5 escape pods, and that I'll going to find them and bring her back here. Got it?" he snapped irritated by not being back in space by now. Pan could be hurt or dying. He had no idea how T'kal treated women and his wasn't about to find with Pan. The idea made him both sick and angry. Curse that woman. His anger, unbeknownst to him, was visible in the space around him forcing Raditz (who wisely kept his mouth shut) a step or two away from the other man. What was that girl thinking?! T'kal would have been little match for the Prince of Beijita-sei.
But no she had to be so damn selfless and make sure everyone else got away! Arrg! He growled in frustration. He would kill her for being so reckless as to put her own life in danger.
"Yes but what do you- the young officer he'd ordered earlier had returned cutting off Raditz.
"A ship is ready and waiting for you at launch pad 11-B, your highness." Raditz looked at him questioningly.
"I'll explain later. I'll talk to father myself after I launch." The prince was gone in the blink of an eye.
Raditz shook his head. Royalty. He'd never understand them.
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Jonathan ran a hand through his brown hair staring at a map showing recent enemy movements it just didn't make any sense. This area of Hitohi territory jutted sharply out into both Neg'Vah and Blue space and was almost constantly under attach or surveillance by one or the other. A hot spot as merchants and travelers have come to call it, and other areas like it. Vague laughter and cheering floated down into the small briefing room from the mess hall. He smile graced his lips for a moment; every one in the outpost was celebrating the retreat of the Blue, who had mysteriously run off like the dogs they truly were. Ace bore no goodwill towards the Saiya-jin Empire and was more than happy send their arrogant space fighters to be one with their maker, but his hatred did not cloud his judgment and wing commander. What did their enemies know that the Hitohi didn't? or were they planning something, say a surprise attack once their guard is down. To be forewarned it to be forearm-
"You should be out there too you know." Diamond said from the doorway.
He grinned, "You're probably right. But I can't shake off this feeling; something fishy is going on... I know it. I feel something big is going to happen."
The shorthaired blonde shrugged, "Come on the gang's not the same with out you. Even you should relax and have fun sometime Ace."
"I do have fun." he protested, she rolled her eyes, "I do! Beside we got stunk with patrol duty and I for one do not want to be hung ove- She garb his arm and literally dragged him down to the mess hall anyway. He sighed, well maybe just one drink.
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Bra stomach went sour and the sight. She expected to meet one or the other not both at the same time. Goten gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
Neither Gohan nor her father looked very pleased. For a moment there was silence in the throne room. It was more tense then any other in her memory.
"F-father?" Gohan gasped carefully scrutinizing the group who'd had arrived moments before. Her mate's father gave Gohan a smile and a look that meant 'later.'
"Where's Trunks?" Her father asked Goku bluntly. His eyes narrowing at the site of Goten and herself quite comfortably close. Daddy never did miss much.
"He should be joining us soon, he and Pan were the last to launch." Goten answered boldly. His voice was calm and steady with way more confident than she felt at the moment.
"Kakkarott what is the meaning of this?" The king asked his cold glare turning to the younger Son. Bra felt both nervous and relived when Goten didn't flinch under her father's burning gaze.
"Vegeta I believe it would be wise to listen to them." The ambassador nodded at Goten and herself stepping to the side to watch along with the ever-taciturn Naav who seemed to be content to merely watch from the sidelines.
If possible Vegeta's gaze narrowed on Goten. It then occurred to Bra that Vegeta had only met Goten once briefly at the Treaty Incident 20yrs ago as a small boy and didn't recognize the handsome young man. Bra wondered how he would react to Goten being her partner for life. Probably better after her mother was awoken.
"I- We" he amended, "Believe that there is it time to put and end to this senses war-
"Oh, is that a fact?" her father sneered, "Well who are you to tell me to stop what has been going on centuries before our time, boy?" The King of Beijita-sei spat, clearly unimpressed.
"I am Son Goten."
********
To Pan's relief Menneth left soon after T'kal. That man gave her the creeps; he always gave her creepy stares. She shuddered. Best not to think why. At least with T'kal she knew how to handle him even if the male saiya-jin was stronger. He was the 'quick to anger slow to think' type.
Pan surveyed her immediate surroundings there was nothing there, just stark cold metallic walls and a grill in the corner of the ceiling.
How stupid was that to have a ventilation shaft right above a prisoners cell? Perhaps she overestimated her captors' intelligence. She thought testing the grill a light tug; she could bend the mental easily. Before the demi-saiya-jin could apply force to her escape route a white fog began to drift in from the ventilation shaft itself.
In seconds Pan found her body gone ridged and her consciousness fading.
Pan was roused to someone roughly grabbing her arms she struggled feebly with hazy vision. 'Where am I-what's-
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." a near by voice said as she was literally dragged somewhere. Pan force herself to focus. Two aliens, one fat pink fellow with hideously spiky skin looked down at her with much disgust, "Your not so tough, pathetic saiya-jin," the pink alien snorted. The other alien chuckled, "Hard to believe this little one's the cause of so much trouble, eh?" This alien was as pleasing to the eye as he companion was revolting, with fair green skin, luxurious dark green hair and heavily accented Uni. Which reminded her closely of a certain New Earth dialect. Pan didn't have any more time to access her new captors as it seemed they had reached their destination, where ever that was, in front of a large door way.
The green alien touched the inter com panel on the side of the door.
"It's us m'lord, we've got the girl."
The doors silently opened, instantly Pan felt a horrible feeling sweep over her as her two escorts heaved her in. 'W-what is this?!'
The overwhelming feeling made her sick to her stomach and rocked her senses all at once. It made her want to leave and fast to turn around and run like a frighten child.
The room was dimly lit with a large widow that gave a panoramic view of....Ewajima? Yes! it was the Neg'Vah home world there red moon A'drai was unmistakable. Only one other being occupied the room. The creature sat in a hover chair a wicked little smirk graced its evil lips as it turned to her. Pan struggled to block out the cold sinking feeling and concentrate on this new creature, and found it nearly impossible. It took her a moment to realize the dark feeling wasn't coming from the room; it was coming from the strange little alien! It was evil dreadfully, disgustingly so. The evil beings eyes looked her over dissecting her with that horrible gaze and wicked smirk. She felt tainted by his gaze alone. 'Trunks' her mind absently called for strength.
"So you're the daughter of Son Gohan, I've waited a very long time to meet you."
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Quotes of the day:
"If there is light in the soul, there is beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person, there is harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house, there is order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world."
-Chinese Proverb
"When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping. Men invade another country."
- Elayne Boosler
From the reviewers:
A deaf husband and a blind wife are always a happy couple.
-Unknown
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Mizuko's answering machine:
Ha so there! Take that! Back, back you evil beep! Yes, I shall defeat you! Haha! *Looks up*
Oh whoops! Heheh… Ignore that! Nobody was happy in this one! Let's see who else gets pissed off the next round.
What will Freiza do to Pan? Or better yet, what will Vegeta do to Goten? Heh It just might surprise you. How well will Trunks and Ace hit it off? Next time on TFRA! *Glares at Mizuko* There now you happy? I said it ¬¬
Whatever. Leave a review after the Tone.