Planet Terna, year 171 of the Saiyan Empire:

The last in a long wave of blasts rocked the small city of Glenra. Buildings toppled to the ground in great clouds of smoke. Screams cut the air only to be chased by the rippling of maniacal laughter. The dust and ash of the explosions blotted out the sun like a great blanket, bringing night early but this did not hamper the attackers onslaught in the lest. In the skis above the city floated 4 figures like the horseman of the apocalypse. Only these beings needed nothing but themselves to bring the whole planet to its knees.

"Come on Geamie stop taking pot shots and level the damn thing. We have been here three hours longer than we should have already." Pantor the commander of purge crew 254 was a slight male. Many times this height and build had been taken as weakness and caused the one taking it as such great pain. Geamie was laughing harder now his dark brown tail waving madly as he continued his twisted game. At almost seven feet tall he was the biggest in the crew and also a bit insane. The other two members of the crew hovered, watching with disinterest. Horic, being the youngest and this is first mission off Vegetasei, schooled his features but in truth he was thrilled with the game and longed to join in the blood shed. The final member of the team and the only female was just as impassive on the inside as she was on the outside. Geamie's games had lost their interest for her years ago. Pantor threw up his hands and turned to the female.

"Tarma take the brat and start on the next site. Meet us back here in two hours."

Tarma rolled her eyes expressly and motioned for Horic to follow. She flared her energy and sped away. The sound of Geamie's laughter chased them. Horic shuttered but followed the odd female. Not once in the whole time he had know her had she spoken. It made him nervous, not that he would show it. If it had not been for the fact that Pantor had told him what to expect he would have been even more nervous. He had to prove himself before she would utter a single word to him. He had heard about Tarma in the mess hall. Deadly and cold she had a kill rate higher than any other female purger and most of the males. Beyond her purge mates she only spoke to two people. The Prince and the commander of another crew Bardock. The talk said she only spoke to the latter to hurl insults.

It did not take the pair long to reach their destination. Tarma stopped in the air and begun power up a blast in her hands with out even looking at the rookie. She didn't need this headache. If she didn't respect Pantor she would have shown just where he could shove the brat. Her hands glowed bright white as she turned the to face the unaware city below. That will be Deamit, she thought. The stats for the planet rolling though her mind. Say goodnight, she thought with a smirk and let the blast go. It hit the city dead center and buildings exploded in a concussion of sound, sending ruble and dirt high into the air. Horic threw up his hands to shield his eyes. Tarma snorted and taped him on the shoulder, pointing at the forms of the people running from the fires that now spread throughout the city. He nodded his understanding, it was clean up time. The two split up and went about the business of mopping up any stragglers. Tarma began the mind-numbing job of blasting the weaklings. They should have known better than try and resist the saiyans generous offers to be included in the empire. How did these piss poor excuses for creatures think they where going to stand up to saiyan might? It never failed to amaze her. No matter how many time she purged a planet there where always some reject bunch out there that truly thought they could thumb their noses at the saiyan army and live. She shrugged at the thought, hell if they didn't I would be out of a job. She smirked a little at this before blasting a small girl that had the bad luck to cross her path. She fought the urge to yawn. She was getting bored with this. It was the same damned thing every time. At lest she got to go home after every mission, unlike those poor fucks that got stuck on garrison duty. While repetitive and at times boring she was all in all happy with her life as a purger. She got to kill things and that helped. She was matched up with a good crew. Pantor and Geamie knew what they where doing and she didn't have to worry about them getting their asses handed to them. What was the base commander thinking when he added this wet behind the ears rookie to a crew that tied for best crew? She wondered with a snarl. He was only going to hold them back from beating Bardocks crew at kills! Bardock, the name was enough to get her blood boiling. From the day the Prince had brought her to the castle to train with the elites he had been a thorn in her side. Always competing with her, trying to best her in any way he could. Wasn't it enough he was a damned scientific wiz kid as well as a strong fighter! No he had to prove he was stronger than her. Time and time again he had challenged her for some trumped up reason or another. For the last twelve years she had had to deal with that infuriating male. He was everywhere! She could barley eat in the mess without him showing his scared face. Once she had expressed her growing irritation to the Prince and he had just laughed at her and made some arcane comment to that this day made no sense to her.

"One day Tarma." He had said waggling a finger at her mockingly. "You will think of other things besides getting blood on your hands." Then he had turned and left to attend some meeting or another. Tarma paused Ki dancing around her hand as she recalled this and her eyes narrowed. She still didn't quite understand what Prince Vegeta could have meant by that comment but she had a feeling it was important. He rarely said anything for no reason. It would not be long before the King would step aside and the Prince would take him place on the throne. She was sure the Saiyan Empire would be stronger for it. Prince Vegeta had had her unflagging loyalty and respect from the first day she had met him, but it had never been more or less than that. He had given her the chance she needed to excel by bringing her to the castle and giving her access to the advance training equipment and coaches they had there. There had been no favors beyond that, she had fought in the trials like any saiyan that wanted to advance and won her way into the ranks of elite on her own strength. At the next trial Bardock followed her there. She growled once more and leveled a building that had with stood her first blast. Could she never be rid of him? He was hardheaded, egoistsal, infuriating and that was the short list. She looked around and found the city totally leveled and devoid of life. About ten clicks to the west she could see the rookie scanning the area. Good he was done as well. She tapped the buttons on her scouter to send a chirp of sound to his.

Horic started when his scouter chirped at him and turned to see Tarma pointing back the way they had come. She really wasn't going to speak to him was she? He ground his teeth in frustration but took to the air with out comment. He couldn't help by admire her has they flew back to meet the others. Built like some sort of dancer, she was lean and muscled but not bulky like some females tended to get. It wasn't easy for them to keep up with the males in power and strength. So many worked their bodies into rocks of muscle, Horic found it distasteful. Tarma seemed to have found a way to keep her sleek frame and still surpass most of the males in power. She was fast, mind boggling fast. He eyed her tail that was wrapped neatly around her waist. True it was an odd color but it fit her. He shook his head. What am I thinking? Everyone said she was about as sexual as a wall. Not one of the many covert offers she had been given had gotten so much as a grunt from her in response. Talk had it that if anyone were going to break thru that shell of hers it would be Bardock. Lucky fuck, Horic thought. He scouter chirped again but the sound was followed by Pantor's voice.

"Tarma, Horic. We are done here. Head for the pods. See you when we get home. Good mission. Pantor out." Then it went silent. Horic saw Tarma alter her course towards the place they had landed. The whole mission had taken a day and half. It would have taken less time but Geamie seemed to like to toy with his prey. That was fine by him but it seemed to wear on the other two members nerves after a while. They had been a team for almost four years and Horic was the new guy on his first mission. Maybe it would start to wear on his nerves in time as well. He shook his head as they landed. Tarma didn't so much as look his way as she climb into her pod.

Vegetasei, two days later, southern army base:

The mess hall was full as always at this time of day. Solders joked and elbowed at each other. Gruff voices floated in the machine-cooled air. Tarma sat by one of only two windows in the whole hall. Her back to the rest of them, her amber tail ticking slowly as she ate. Her muscles still had that soft burn after the hard work out she had put herself though earlier. She smelled him before the tail creped across her tray to steal her apple. She didn't even look up but a deep growl started in her chest. Her voice was low when she spoke.

"Give me back my damn apple, Bardock."

He leaned over the table a smirk on his lips, holding the item in question between two fingers.

"This apple?" He raised an eyebrow and then very slowly, locking his eyes to her, he took a bite out of it, chewing with care. When he had swallowed the bite he continued. "Why don't you take it from me, Tarma."

She knew better than to try and grab it out of his hand. He was to damn fast for that so she glared daggers at him.

"What do you want?"

He chuckled and sat down across from her.

"Now that is the question of the hour isn't it?" He leaned his chin in one hand the other idly tossing the apple up and caching it again.

"Spit it out scar face." She snarled, her tail whipped out and grabbed the apple in mid-toss. Her lips curled into a half smirk and she brought the apple up and took a bite big enough to eradicate his teeth marks. Bardock narrowed his eyes. He looked like he was about to speak when Pantor and Horic walked up they sat without asking. Pantor rasied an eyebrow at Bardock then turned to Tarma.

"Training go ok today? You get that kick down?"

Tarma took her eyes off Bardock and turned to Pantor. Her voice was low.

"Yeah I got it. What's with the rookie eating at our table?"

Horic gritted his teeth but kept his thoughts to himself. He was watching the other crew commander's face. He was almost boiling with rage and Horic couldn't help but smirk slightly at this. He had to agree Tarma was enough to drive any male to fits of rage.

"Tarma he is part of the crew now. He made it back alive from his first mission, that earns him the right to eat with us at lest. Maybe you should let him train with you once and a while. The base commander didn't put him on the team for nothing he is good."

Tarma snorted and rolled her eyes. She hooked a thumb at Bardock.

"If I let that rookie train with me I would have to let old scar face here train as well." She paused for a moment then a very evil smirk over took her face and her eyes snapped with mischief. Pantor and Bardock both knew that look and neither could help but lean back a little before they caught themselves. She very purposefully leaned over the table and looked Horic in the eyes. "On second thought, its my training area. How would you like to join me this evening for a work out, brat?"

Horic blinked at her trying to think of a way to except and not look like a total ass when Bardock surged to his feet. He said nothing but shot Horic a very angry look before stalking off. Pantor sighed and hung his head a little.

"One of these days Tarma you are going to push him too damned far." He looked at the rookie. "Well it looks like you get to see Tarma's training area." He stood, leaving his food half eaten. Then added softy. "Lets hope it's not the last thing you see." With that he left.

Tarma tossed her apple in the air and caught it with her teeth, biting it in half. She was pleased with herself. She had won that round the only draw back was she had to train with the rookie. Well that couldn't be too bad really. A new punching bag was always welcome. The year after her appointment to the southern base Tarma had scrimped and saved every credit she earned and bought the best equipment she could. She found a clearing in the small wooded area behind the base and set up her own training area. The only draw back was she could not practice Ki blasts out there, Vegetasei's forest where too few and far between to risk burning them down. Barring that it was perfect for her. Away from the masses that filled the base gyms, she could be alone out there. Once in a while Pantor or Geamie would join her but only if she oked it. It was her little haven and she did not take well to having it invaded. Bardock had been after her for years now to train with him but she keep turning him down.

Horic was staring down at his tray. His mind was working so fast yet getting nowhere at all. What had he gotten pulled into? He could still feel the anger that had rolled off Bardock in waves. What the fuck was Tarma playing at? That man was going to rip him in half if he went and trained with her but he couldn't turn such an offer up. Was she trying to get him killed? He griped the edge of the table. His head shot up when Tarma's scouter chirped. He watched her pressed the button to open the COM link, her face going impassive.

"Yeah. I will be there in say 45 minutes."

She got to her feet and paused looking at Horic, wrapping her tail around her waist.

"This evening rookie. 2100 hours on the dot. Don't be late."

She turned on her heel and left one very confused male at the table by himself. I'm toast, Horic thought and started eating.

Castle of House Vegeta 45 minutes later:

Prince Vegeta glared at the female before him.

"I am getting sick of having to clean up after you piss him off Tarma. My patience on this matter is growing very thin."

Tarma stood at attention, her hands clasped behind her back, feet apart and her eyes fixed on the wall.

"I am sorry your Highness."

Vegeta growled low and stalked at her.

"Don't give me pat answers damn it! Bardock blew up a bar! I know you where behind his rage. It never fails. What did you do to send him into a fury this time?"

Tarma shook her head. In truth she didn't understand why it was that every time she and Bardock clashed he flew off the handle. It was a mystery to her. A small nagging voice in the back of her mind tried to call her a liar but she muzzled it quickly.

"I truly don't know Sire."

Vegeta rubbed his temples. Gods this female really didn't understand. That was the part that got him. Everyone else saw it but she hadn't a clue. That or she was damned good at denying it.

"Just tell me what was the last thing that you said to him."

She nodded and recounted the whole scene in the mess hall and the prince glared at her.

"Are you trying to get that kid killed? Or are you really that damned dense Tarma?"

Her eyes widened.

"I don't know what you mean Sire."

He sat down with a long suffering sound not really a sigh more like a grunt.

"I see that." He steppled his fingers and look at her for a long moment before speaking again. "Bardock had issued a challenge, to any and all males. You will have to face this and soon."

Tarma's jaw dropped and her mouth worked for several moments before she got out any words.

"He did what?! He is not serious, your highness, he can't be!" Then the reality of it settled in on her and her tail tightened. "How could I have not seen it?" Or did I, she add silently. She straightened herself up. "Please inform Bardock the challenge will not be needed. I have no intentions of mating, anyone." She bowed. "Now if you will excuse me, Sire. I have training to do."

"I will tell him but I do not think he will see this as over." He eyed her meaningfully and waved a hand. "You may leave."

Tarma took the required three steps back before turning and leaving.