Alternate Timeline

Book one: The Saga Begins

Chapter 4: The baby in the room

Inside one pod a boy was crying loudly, though it was muted through the glass. The others slept through rather peacefully, but for some reason this on refused to settle. "Hello," I whisper over the glass. He doesn't seem to hear me so I tap once and quickly and wave at him to get his attention. "Hi little one."

'Who are you?' his mind spoke to me. 'You're a new face.'

"My name is Tyme," I say. "What about you, what's your name?"

'She makes sounds too...'

"Of course I make sounds, it's called talking. Don't you talk yet?"

He began to fuss again and then it dawned on me that he couldn't talk. Guess I learned early for my age...or he was just dimwitted. 'My name is Tyme,' I throw my thoughts to him and he stops his fit to look up at me. 'What's your's?'

'I understood you,' he said. 'Do you understand me?'

'In a way, yeah I guess so,' I replied. 'Are you ever going to answer and give me your name or should I make one up?'

'You just as well may,' he said in reponse. 'I don't know my name, though there is is certain sound I hear a lot when people make sounds around me. But I never bothered to remember it.'

I thought for a moment. There was one name that popped right into my mind and once it was there, it refused to go away. I didn't personally know anyone with the name, and Mama never mentioned anything about it, but I got the feeling it was the type of name a great hero would branish in all his shining glory. In Katkritten it ment something along the lines of "savior" or "angel." The baby didn't look like he'd be saving the lives of anyone soon, but he did look like a sweet little chirub.

'How about Goku, is that an okay name?'

He laughed. 'I like that name very much. Goku I am.'

'Why were you crying so loudly?' I ask, leaning against the glass.

'I don't like sleeping here, alone. I see things, unpleasent things when I sleep. I want my mommy to hold me again, like when I first saw her. But nobody can understand me, excpt for you. Will you take me to her?'

I looked back and felt my heart go out to him. But how was I to help him? 'What does your mother look like?'

'She had dark hair; and dark eyes too,' Goku described. I could see his mental recollection of his mother forming in his mind. I could see she was sick, sick beyond healing that I knew of. My own mother had looked the same way before she passed away.

Pale face that was drained of all the color in the world even bone white, deep hallow eyes that could barely see the world anymore. But that wasn't the worst of it. No, what really struck you, if you'd ever been in that position, was that she was smiling. Smiling because she knew that she was holding in her hands her child, her own flesh and blood. And you can see that she loves you, but you know she won't be there; in a few more minutes she'll be gone.

'Tyme, are you okay?'

I could feel tears running down my cheeks and I didn't bother to wipe them away. The image was too powerful, reminded me to much of my own mother and how much I missed and longed for her. Hearing Goku's thoughts jolted me back and I despreatly tried to wipe them away now with the back of my hand. 'Honey, I don't think you'll ever see your mother again.'

'What do you mean?'

I explained as gentily as I could what I had watched as my own mother died, how similure it felt. I had to explain what death was to the little boy too and that wasn't easy either as all I had to go on was what little Mama had said before she passed on. 'I'm sorry honey,' was all I could think to say when I was done.

'What do I do then?'

I looked down to see a pad with several large buttons and a couple hundred small buttons alined on it. I wonder what would've happened if I had just left him there and walked away, but knowing him now that wasn't an option. Flicking my wrist as a subconsciences way of dismissing my unease, I pressed down on a green button and the pod that Goku was laying under split and pulled apart. I took the fussing baby in my arms and held him close to my chest. 'I'll take care of you, baby,' I said to him. 'You hugery?'

Outside the sun was beginning to rise. This ment the moon would be sinking below the moutians in the distance and it would be safe for Saiyans to wander the streets freely again. This made me slightly nervous, but what else was there for me to do? Facing the exit, I reatched up and pushed the button that would open the door.

"Tyme?"

End Chapter 4!