Here's Chapter 12! Thanks to Chimera prime, Gohandominates, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Ali, Laania, icewolf, SSJ Silven, gohanFanfics, Isaiah Johnson, 9th ZFighter, Ese Cabron, and Panxodakilla for all the reviews on chapter 11.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters, Akira Toriyama does!

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A/N: Chapters are still being posted for me by Saiyansweetheart. Please forgive any typos!

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Salsir flexed his arms displaying the powerful muscles that rippled across them. He was trying to intimidate the little half-Saiyan that stood before him. The pitiful runt would soon be begging for mercy. It rankled the Sarhassan that the brat received so much favor from the Saiyan pirate commander. Salsir despised children and he didn't believe in the mixture of different species. A half-blood of any blended life-forms should not be allowed to survive, the purity of all races depended on it.

Gohan sank into a fighting stance. If Turles had confidence in him then maybe he did have a chance after all against the serpent being. What he couldn't understand was the absolute hatred he could feel emanating from the Sarhassan. Had he unwittingly done something to offend Salsir?

"Do you really think the boy has a chance with that monster, Commander?" Daiz whispered to Turles.

"If he remembers his training he'll be fine. If he surrenders to fear then he will fail," the dark-skinned Saiyan replied.

The former Kabochan prince shook his head, he didn't like the odds.

Salsir attacked in a blur of speed but his fists struck thin air as Gohan merely stepped to the side at the last possible second. Gaping in disbelief, the Sarhassan whirled about and aimed a vicious kick at the little half-blood Saiyan. Once again he missed as the six-year-old phased behind him.

"Stop hopping around and fight!" Salsir demanded.

"Okay!"

The stunned snake-ling sucked in his breath painfully as Gohan's right fist struck him full in the chest. He hadn't even seen the blow coming. How could a mere child strike with such force? Before he could even recover, Salsir found his legs kicked out from under him sending him crashing to the floor.

"The brat's using his training," Turles mused.

"I thought I recognized that move, Master Turles," Daiz chuckled.

Seething with rage, the Sarhassan rose to his feet and feinted to the right. He finally succeeded in landing a blow. Gohan's head snapped back as Salsir's right fist struck him in the left temple.

"You're going to be taught a most painful lesson, you filthy half-ape!" Salsir hissed.

"Save it, snake-breath!" the son of Goku shot back.

"Disrespectful pest!" the serpent being snarled.

A rain of blows suddenly poured down on Gohan. The Sarhassan hadn't been using his full speed or strength at the beginning of the match. Salsir wrapped an arm around the youngster's neck and began to squeeze.

"I'm going to break your scrawny, worthless neck and it's going to be an unfortunate training accident. Such things happen all the time," the scaly- skinned warrior snickered.

Daiz looked at Turles, the boy was losing. Surely the Saiyan would stop the fight before Gohan was seriously injured or even killed. But the pirate commander merely watched with a smirk on his face.

"Commander,You're not going to…." The dark-green haired pirate began.

"Watch and learn, Daiz," Turles interrupted.

First desperation and then anger filled the young demi-Saiyan. He felt a sudden surge of power flow through him.

"That's it! Use your anger, Brat!" an evil smile appeared on Turles's face.

Salsir couldn't believe it when the youngster flung him aside as if it were no effort at all. His every attack was blocked with a ferocity and speed he had never imagined a child being capable of. Where could he have learned such skills at his youthful age?

With a hoarse cry, Gohan threw the Sarhassan into the wall across from him. A sizable dent was left from the impact of the serpentine's body. Salsir lay un-moving as Gohan turned to face Daiz and Turles.

"Nice work, Brat!" Daiz called out.

"What took so long?" Turles teased. "It took you a whole fifteen minutes!"

Gohan looked aghast at his commander's comment but then Turles laughed.

"Excellent work, Gohan. Now get cleaned up!" the onyx-eyed Saiyan ordered.

Gohan grinned and gave a salute before he raced off to his quarters.

The dark-green haired pirate was quite aware of the pride in Turles's voice as he praised Gohan's efforts.

"You're getting fond of that boy, Commander," Daiz insisted.

"Perhaps."

Daiz was speechless as he heard Turles's reply.

…..

Salsir was beside himself as he awoke in his quarters with a throbbing head and aches and pains all over his battered form. He was beaten by a child! A miserable mixed-blood brat! The little monster was going to pay for humiliating him. There had to be some way to make him lose favor with the commander…..

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When Salsir forced himself to walk out to the bridge area, the object of his frustration was seated on the floor a few feet brat had his nose buried in a book as usual. The Sarhassan shook his head in disgust. Obviously, the half-breed sought to impress the commander by devouring one thick tome after another.

"So you're finally awake! Get ready for the evening meal, Salsir, " Turles ordered.

"Yes, Commander, " the Sarhassan replied.

Normally he would look forward to the extravagant meals he had come to expect while in the Saiyan's service. But he wondered if he would even have an appetite this evening. Salsir hadn't missed Turles stressing the word 'finally' and it enraged him.

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Turles didn't miss the heated glare the Sarhassan was giving Gohan as they were leaving the ship for one of Kaolir's famed eateries.

"The boy defeated you and you will NOT seek vengeance for your defeat. Am I understood, Salsir?" Turles warned.

"Yes, Master Turles," Salsir answered bitterly.

…..

Salsir momentarily put his anger aside. It wasn't worth missing a grand meal by dwelling on the little rodent. Once again he found himself astonished by the staggering amounts of food that the Saiyans could consume. How could a pint-sized child hold so much?

One of the serving women picked up a stack of empty plates from the table of the pirate crew. Her green eyes regarded Gohan and a smile lit her pretty teal- skinned face. Pushing back her long emerald hair, she turned to Turles.

"You have a very handsome son, Sir."

"I am not the boy's sire. I am merely responsible for him," Turles declared.

"My mistake, the resemblance is quite amazing, Sir," the female apologized.

Daiz looked from Turles to Gohan. Of course there were similarities,Turles strongly favored the boy's actual father.

Gohan's little shoulders slumped. He hadn't thought about his father for some time now, he realized guiltily. The six-year-old pushed his plate away. His appetite was suddenly gone. Daiz sighed as he watched the boy hang his head.

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A shrill cry rang out from Gohan's room. Daiz scrambled to hurry from his bed to the half-ling's quarters before he awakened Turles. No doubt the boy was having a nightmare after being reminded of his father earlier tonight.

The Kabochan pirate swallowed hard as he realized that Turles had reached the boy first. No doubt the commander would be furious that he had been awakened before the appointed hour. He stood out in the hall hoping that Turles wouldn't be too harsh with Gohan.

"What's ailing you, Brat?" Turles demanded as he strode into Gohan's room.

Gohan's face was streaked with tears, harsh sobs shook his little form beneath his covers. He feared punishment if he told the truth but he knew Turles would know if he lied to him.

"S-sorry I woke you, Commander. I-I dreamt about t-the n-night I killed my dad," the half-Saiyan choked out.

A long sigh came from the Saiyan. Daiz held his breath, this wasn't good. This wasn't good at all.

"You didn't kill your father, Gohan," Turles stated.

Daiz's eyes narrowed. Was Turles lying to the boy?

"M-master Turles, I know I did! I-I had his blood all over me and my f-feet h-had…" Gohan burst into a fresh flood of tears.

"You severely injured your father when you transformed but you didn't take his life. I struck the final blow and took Kakarot's life. You merely crushed his remains," he full-blood Saiyan declared emotionlessly. "Your father fought and died as a Saiyan can take pride in that."

Gohan looked up at Turles, there was no evidence of deceit in the onyx eyes that stared back at him. He was telling the truth!

A great sigh came from the little six-year-old, it felt as if an enormous weight had been taken from his shoulders. He didn't kill his father after all. Gohan had hated Turles for what he had done but for some reason he just couldn't anymore. So many awful things had happened and yet now he honestly looked forward to Turles's approval. As much as he had loved his father and still did, Goku had never spent the amount of time that Turles now spent with him. He had learned so much from the Saiyan pirate commander.

The dark-skinned Saiyan waited for the boy to lash out at him in anger. But the youngster merely nodded his head. So, he had accepted his present fate.

'He grows more Saiyan each day' the pirate thought.

"W-what was your father like, Master Turles?" Gohan asked.

The former prince of Kabocha smacked his forehead. That was something you didn't bring up! Talk about out of the pan and into the fire!

"My father was someone who was impossible to please, " Turles answered coldly.

"My mom was kinda like that. No matter how hard I studied it was never enough. She used to scold me all the time and wanted practically my every waking moment to be spent studying. When I tried to train with Dad, Mom would be furious with both of us, " Gohan mused.

"It's unnatural for a Saiyan not to train!" Turles snorted.

"I guess that's why Dad sneaked in some training sessions," the youngster added.

"He was simply being a Saiyan," the Saiyan pirate remarked.

"I think I'll be able to sleep now. Thanks, Commander,"Gohan said sleepily.

Turles turned and started to leave the room.

"Commander?"

"What is it, Brat?"

"Good night, Master Turles."

The former commander of the Crusher Corps was silent for a moment.

"Good night, Brat!"

Daiz shook his head in disbelief and hurried back to his own quarters before he was discovered.

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So what'd you think? Please let me know.

daughterofrisingsun