AS22: yup, no Katie yet… I told ya, she isn't in for a while! R&R!

Chapter 3: Life Ruled by another King

6 months later

Prince Vegeta- a few days old

"These children are too strong for my liking." Frieza said, looking over the numbers, "A few have power levels over 200, and then there is this one Saiyan… Bardock, he keeps gaining more power after each mission than most. I have to keep my eye on that one and his team."

Frieza sat back in his chair, in his room of the ship. That's where he stayed when he was on foreign planets.

"My lord, if I may make a suggestion?"

"Go ahead, Zarbon." Frieza said, rubbing his temples. He was already worried about the Saiyans rebelling. That wasn't a threat now, but one day it could escalate.

"I've been running the numbers, and it appears that's Saiyans never mate outside of their classes."

Frieza sat up, interested in the fact.

"Go on."

"The power levels directly relate with those of the parents. If we have strong Saiyans mate with weaker ones, I believe the power levels of the children will decrease as well."

"Then I suppose we start right away, Zarbon." Frieza got up and headed to see his favorite Saiyan king about the next order.

XxX

King Vegeta was a proud father now. His son, named after his father, as all had been, was only a few days old. As far as King Vegeta knew, Frieza had no idea that Prince Vegeta had been born.

But that ideal was shattered when Frieza walked in. He saw the baby in King Vegeta's arms and laughed.

"So, your son has arrived. Why wasn't I informed, Vegeta? I'm hurt."

"I'm sorry, my lord, it was only a few days ago."

"Quite alright, let me have a look at him."

Frieza still seemed threatening, so Vegeta was reluctant to hand his son over. But it did seem better tan the alternative. Against his better judgment, he handed little Vegeta to Frieza. He felt as though he might not get him back.

"Quite a handsome little monkey." Frieza pressed the button on his Scouter, reading prince Vegeta's power level, "Oh my, and quiet strong as well. We can't have that."

"What do you mean, lord Frieza?" King Vegeta asked, now scared for his son. The hackles on his tail rose as he tried to keep his power level from fluctuating.

"The boy will be given to me when he is… nine years old. And I'm afraid Queen Kala has to go." Frieza handed the baby back to King Vegeta and headed to the healers' chambers.

"Frieza, you can't! Not my mate!"

Frieza stopped right before the door, glaring at King Vegeta.

"No one has ever said no to me. I don't like it. Do that again, and next time I'll kill your boy. Either I kill the mother without question, or I kill all three of you."

King Vegeta knew it was hard, but it would be better in the long run if he and his son were still alive. It would be hard, but it was his only choice.

"I see." King Vegeta turned from the door, giving Prince Vegeta to the nurse, "Then before you… kill her, can I say goodbye?"

"I'm not completely heartless. After this, we need to have a talk..."

XxX

Kanji trained on, fighting with the other guards, and as of now, any one who'd fight him. He was now Captain of the guard, taking over for his father. That blast received from Frieza had crippled Rothgar, and he had to step down.

"Captain! King Vegeta needs to see you right away." One of the unharmed guards called.

Kanji stopped and grabbed a towel before seeing the king. He didn't want to be presented sweaty to the king, after all.

When Kanji walked in, Frieza, Zarbon, and Dodoria were there as well. Kanji didn't like the look of that.

"Is he the one?" Frieza asked, looking at King Vegeta. King Vegeta seemed cold, not like himself. For a Saiyan he had always been warmhearted, but Kanji saw despair in his king's eyes. Vegeta only nodded to Frieza.

"I am here as you requested, King Vegeta. Greetings, Lord Frieza." Kanji knelt before them.

"Captain Kanji, elite guard of the Saiyan army, stand." King Vegeta said. Kanji stood as Frieza started to circle him. Kanji remembered how Frieza took his father's arm so easily 6 months earlier, so he was nervous.

"Yes, he will do. Kanji, you have been paired with a Saiyan female named Andorra as your mate." Frieza said, walking back toward King Vegeta.

"Excuse me?"

"Normally Saiyans mate within their own ranks, but I've decided to change that. All Saiyans should be equal, so for now we're mixing the ranks. Once we get through this awkward phase of arranged mating pairs and mixed teams, I'm sure Planet Vegeta will be a better place. It has worked well on other planets in the past."

"I see. And you agree, King Vegeta?" Kanji asked, looking from Frieza to the Saiyan who had his respect.

King Vegeta didn't answer right away. He looked at Frieza first.

"Yes, I agree." King Vegeta responded.

"Of course, my lord." Kanji bowed once more.

"You will be given a location and a time to meet your future mate by Zarbon. I hope things go well."

XxX

Andorra had left her home nervously. She had received the message that Lord Frieza had chosen her mate, and that he was an elite. The note read that class rank had to be eliminated, and this was the way to do it. Andorra hated the ranking by birth other than by strength. Bardock was born a 3rd class warrior, but he was as strong as any of the 2nd class warriors. But she didn't like the way it was being carried out.

There was a new building down the road from Frieza's ship. It was large and gray, and as far as Andorra could tell, only one door.

She went in, and right in the door was an alien. It wasn't someone she had seen before, and his face reminded her of a dog.

"Name and rank?" he asked.

"Andorra, 3rd class."

"Room 322, down that way." he replied. Andorra made her way down the hall.

XxX

Kanji was in a small room, alone and waiting for his prearranged mate to get there. He didn't like small rooms. He was pacing the wall, back and forth. Claustrophobia was common among the Saiyans, after all, they lived in wide-open forest until a generation ago, and had for millions of years before that.

"Damn Frieza." Kanji said, looking at the camera. He figured there wasn't sound, but he didn't say anything too loud. Kanji knew the truth was far from what Frieza was selling, but he didn't know what that truth was. In a way, he didn't want to know. He wanted to believe Frieza's lies, that it was all about peace, but he couldn't, not after what he had done to Rothgar.

The door opened and a female came in. She didn't look at Kanji at first, and as Kanji stood to greet her, he was shocked. It was the same girl he had seen at Frieza's greeting ceremony. It was Bardock's sister.

"Well, what a surprise. I got paired up with the captain of the knights." She said, looking him over, "I remember you."

"From where?" Kanji asked, keeping his cool.

"I know you saw me that night. Frieza's greeting ceremony. He shot your father, didn't he?"

"Yes, and thanks to that no good Icejin my father is crippled."

"At least he's alive."

"If you can call that living."

"It's better than death. I should know."

"Your parents, they're both gone?"

"Yes… they went on a mission years ago and never came back. Bardock use to think they'd return, but I knew they wouldn't. I could feel it."

They both stood in silence. It was so awkward, being paired up with someone so different. They weren't the same rank or from similar backgrounds. They might as well have been an Icejin and a Namekian trying to find some common ground.

XxX

Frieza was back on his ship, watching some of the monitors that fed into his experimental pairing rooms. Most seemed to be staring at the other with hate. Frieza noticed one pair actually making out. He laughed, but then noticed one pair. The pair he had arranged himself.

Captain Kanji of the Elite Saiyan Army and Andorra, sister to Bardock. This was more of an experiment to see if their offspring would grow more powerful or not. Kanji was an elite, and Bardock kept gaining power rapidly. Frieza knew that if their child had a power level higher than 150 units his assumptions would be right about the parents.

"Lord Frieza." Frieza turned to Zarbon, standing in the threshold.

"Yes Zarbon?"

"There's an incoming call from Lord Kooler."

"Very well." Frieza left and went to his private room to talk to his brother. He sat in his chair and hit the switch. Kooler came up on the monitor. He was turned to one side, sipping wine. He didn't even turn to look at his younger brother.

"Hello, brother." Kooler said.

"Kooler."

"I'm afraid I have some bad news for you." Kooler said, taking another sip of his wine.

"Oh really?" Frieza asked, thinking it was only another ploy by his brother to unnerve him.

"It won't work."

"What won't work?"

"Your little mating game. I've kept my eye on the Saiyans since before they killed the Tuffles. It won't work."

"You dirty lizard! You've been spying on me!" Frieza snapped, standing and slapping the table.

"I was only watching out for my runt- oh, I mean brother." Kooler laughed, clearly mocking Frieza now.

"I've had enough of this." Frieza went to turn off the connection, but Kooler stopped him.

"I know you want to know why it won't work."

Frieza's finger hovered over the button.

Do I dare take his bait? Frieza asked himself.

"And why won't it work?"

"It doesn't matter what the child's power level is, only what it can become. Saiyans grow more powerful after every battle. Every injury adds to their strength. Any Saiyan could eventually out power either of us. It's improbable, but it is possible."

"I doubt that." Frieza said, sitting back in his seat.

"Then you haven't heard the legend?"

"What legend?"

Kooler laughed at his brother's ignorance.

"The Super Saiyan legend. The story goes that 1,000 years ago a Saiyan went to another world with his family, and they were all killed. Angered and heart-broken, this Saiyan became a Super Saiyan. It was reported that he destroyed that world and nearly destroyed Planet Plant. And it is supposed to happen again 1,000 years after his death to someone in his bloodline, the Vegetian bloodline."

"I see. But I'm not scared. I already have the power to destroy worlds. So a Saiyan might almost equal me-"

"It's said the only reason he died was to save the planet from himself. This power may not exist, but if it does I would worry. It's supposed to be the strongest power the universe has ever seen."

"Brother, your story isn't going to scare me away from this priceless endeavor. You won't get my planet."

"Very well, Frieza." Kooler disconnected the communication.