The next chapter is posted! Enjoy :)
The journey back to the small cruiser seemed like a slow and torturous one. Frieza can tell she was growing weaker by the minute and her life energy was weakening. He wasted no time in strapping her in once they got back to the cruiser. Than he revved up the engines and sped out of there. He was breaking through the planet's atmosphere within three minutes after taking off.
Once he cleared the planet, Frieza gunned the cruiser towards his Main Ship. Which luckily was not that far off from his position. He pressed a button on the cruiser's intercom and contacted Berryblue.
"Berryblue, have a healing tank prepped and ready by the time I get there immediately." He ordered.
She responded right away.
"Yes, My Lord. It will be ready when you arrive." Berryblue replied. A few moments passed before she responded again.
"How is she? Is she badly injured, Lord Frieza?" She asks, voice laced with some concern.
The tyrant didn't answer right away. He paused and looked over at Aimee in the seat next to his. She was no longer conscious and her complexion had grown more ashen in appearance. Gore had never been a bother to him in the past. But the sight of her injuries back at the mansion, actually made him feel sick to his stomach. He recalls some of the gashes being so deep that he saw a couple small slivers of her rib bones.
"Are you still there, My Lord?" Berryblue's voice broke the silence.
Frieza eventually ripped his gaze from Aimee before he spoke.
"It's bad, I'm afraid she has lost a great deal of blood. We need to get her into one of the tanks and fast. She's currently unconscious due to blood loss." He managed to get out.
"Kikono has just gone to inform the doctors down in Med Bay. All you would need to do is bring her down once you arrive back at the ship." Berryblue said.
"We shall be there in about four minutes. Have the doors in the Docking Area open for us." Was all he said.
Berryblue told him that they will be waiting. Before the line cut out, ending communication. Frieza pushed the cruiser to move faster and was relieved when the Main Ship was gradually getting closer and closer. Every now and then, he would glance over at Aimee. Who still looked to be getting worse by the minute.
Finally, they pulled into the Docking Bay. Frieza wasted no time in gathering her up and exited the cruiser. He rushed her down to the Med Bay as fast as he could. Luckily, it wasn't to far from where they were. It was directly two floors up. He raced down the hall to the elevator and punched in the floor number. There was still a small blood trail coming from Aimee as he carried her.
The elevator doors didn't even open all the way when he quickly and carefully squeezed them through and rushed the next several feet down to the Med bay doors. Once there, they slid open allowing them in. The doctors were already there waiting and a tank was all set for her. Even then, he didn't wait for them. He went over to the tank, grabbed an oxygen mask, and slid it over her face. Then Frieza carefully placed her in the healing tank.
Good thing there was excellent filtration in the tank. Otherwise, it would've been completely clouded over from all the blood. One of the doctors started tapping away on the computer as they gaged her vitals. The doctor had a pretty grim look on his face when he saw them. It was clear that she had lost a lot of blood and her pulse was very weak.
He turned his gaze from the computer to see Frieza standing by him.
"Tell me Anuk. How bad is she?" Frieza asked, with great hesitance.
The doctor let out a drawn out sigh.
"I have to be honest with you, Lord Frieza. Her vitals appear quite weak. Though she is in the healing tank, it will be a while before she's out of the woods." Anuk replied.
The tyrant cringed at hearing the news. Just looking at her barely sitting up in the tank and looking like she's literally at death's door caused a burning sensation in his chest. He didn't even want to think of the reality of possibly losing her. But sadly knew it could happen.
"Just do what it takes." Frieza told the doctor.
Doctor Anuk gave him a sharp nod and turned back to continue monitoring the screen. Frieza approached the tank again and stood there watching. A few moments later, Berryblue and Kikono walked in. They spotted the tyrant standing in front of the healing tank and approached his side. Berryblue slightly circled the tank, her eyes widened slightly when she saw the ghastly injuries to Aimee's back.
"By the gods, who did this?" She asked.
Frieza didn't answer his subordinate though. He just stood there and continued to watch Aimee. To most, he was quite good at masking how he felt at times. Especially, around his men. But Berryblue knew him better. She could see the mixture of emotions swirling about in his eyes. Guilt, grief, and sadness were ever present within him. Emotions that she has not seen in him since he lost his Mother when he was a child.
He eventually looked away, clenched his fists, and headed for the Med Bay exit. Kikono went to follow, but Berryblue told him to stay behind. Instead, she left and proceeded to follow him. She expected that he was going up to the Main Room. After a few minutes of tailing him she was surprised when he turned down one of the halls in the opposite direction of the Main Room.
Frieza was aware that Berryblue was trailing behind him. He just didn't care though at the moment. They didn't speak as he took the elevator up a couple floors. The tyrant then proceeded down the hall and turned left into another. Before he finally made his way to the double doors of his Quarters. He went inside and walked towards the back of his room to where one of the windows were.
It was in fact the same window he saw Aimee standing at all those months ago when she came to him and was escorted to his room. Stars and galaxies swirled in a collage of colors. Yet, he couldn't concentrate on the beautiful view out there. His mind was still preoccupied with Her. Frieza noticed his reflection in the thick glass window. The look on his face seemed alien to him. He can't remember the last time he sported this look. It had to have been decades though.
Finally, he broke the silence.
"I really should ask you to leave because I wish to be alone. But something tells me that that is one order you will refuse to follow." Frieza said, while not taking his gaze away from his gaunt expression.
Berryblue sighs, "Indeed. I'm afraid my concerns for you override my position to follow that order."
Frieza places a hand on the cool glass and tilts his head forward, resting his forehead against the glass. He then closes his eyes and doesn't say anything again for the next minute or two. Berryblue moves to hover next to him and waits there patiently until he feels the need to say more. Even if he decides not to speak any further, she will still stay by his side.
Turns out she didn't have to wait too long, before he spoke up again.
"It's my fault." Frieza says, barely above a whisper.
Berryblue shakes her head.
"No, child. It isn't you're fault. We just became a little lax with our security measures. It is something that will not happen again." She assured him.
Frieza let out a bitter laugh.
"That is not what I meant, Berryblue. I talked about her and treated her like she was nothing more than a piece of meat. Or a prized possession. Thus, upsetting her. I should've followed you both back to my quarters. Then find a way to swallow my pride and apologize to her. Instead, I let her leave and go out on her own. If I had just went back, said I was sorry, and accompany her to the kitchens then this wouldn't have happened." He admitted.
"We cannot harp on what we should and shouldn't have done. I fear this was bound to happen at some point. Especially, since we didn't know Shar had a few men infiltrating our ship. Whether it would've been a trip to the kitchens or somewhere else on her own. They would've found an opportune moment to snatch Aimee. The only one at fault for this is Shar and the men that were involved" Berryblue stated.
"It still doesn't change the fact that I treated her like garbage. I don't know when it started. But somewhere during these months I've viewed her as less of a plaything and as something much more than that. Sadly, I don't know if I'll even get the chance to tell her that at this point." He said.
"Yes, you will. She has proven to be strong and resilient. She will pull through. It's only a matter of time now. I know this is a very difficult time for you. And this may prove to be a bit challenging for you. But you need to be patient. You were able to get her into the tank before succumbing to her injuries." She replied.
"But even then, her vitals looked rather grim. Aimee had lost so much blood along the journey to get her back here in time. Even Anuk confirmed that. The healing qualities of the tanks are good for bad injuries. But were not sure if those healing properties alone may be able to replenish blood back into the body after it has been lost." Frieza countered.
Berryblue shrugs, "I think we are still jumping ahead to conclusions. We should wait for Anuk's diagnosis. It's too soon to get a proper diagnosis for her condition at this current time. If there is more to be done, I'm sure Anuk or one of the other doctors will inform you of it right away."
Frieza knew she was right. That he did all he could for Aimee at this point. Now, it was just a slow and torturous waiting game. Since there wasn't anything he could do for Aimee herself at this time, perhaps he can go ahead and fulfill her last request instead. He pulled away from the glass, straightened up, and finally turned his attention back to Berryblue.
"I need you to do me a favor." He said.
"Yes, My Lord?" She asks.
He paused for a moment, " Before Aimee lost consciousness, she asked for me to get the other slaves that were currently under the charge of the man that obtained her. I want for you to send out one of the ships to pick them up and to bring them here. Do it now before we leave this wretched world's atmosphere."
Berryblue smiled and bowed her head.
"As you wish, Lord Frieza. I will go inform two of our Elites to go and collect them." She replied.
She made her way to the double doors. They slid open, but Berryblue didn't move any further. She stopped and turned around briefly to face him again.
"For what it's worth. It is refreshing to see glimpses of the happier carefree boy you used to be before you're Mother's passing. The fact that Aimee was able to reawaken that side of you after so long; just further proves how truly unique she is. Whether you realize it or not, I do believe this is why you have found her to be irreplaceable after all these months and prefer her ongoing company." She said.
As much as Frieza didn't want to admit it, she was right. He has been around for a very long time. Within his long lifespan, no one has ever stirred up emotions he long thought dead. Yet, this human who's species is as frail as they come has manage to do so within just under a year of her being in his company. Though, he wonders if it is worth having these kinds of emotions. Even though he has an idea of what he feels for Aimee. Frieza is still unsure if she reciprocates any of these feelings.
"Perhaps, but in the end is it truly worth having these foreign notions? Especially, for someone who has no reason to feel the same way in return?" Frieza asks, though more towards himself and not to his subordinate.
"This is something you will have to see through and find answers for yourself, Child." Was all she said, before finally leaving.
The doors slid shut, leaving him alone to his own thoughts and conclusions.
Looks like Frieza may have some difficult decisions ahead. Until Next Time ;)
