Here's chapter 37! Thanks to Gohandominates, Spadez 17, Hoshi 124, , aFanAddict, Icewolf,ZeronSama, Red Chimera, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Nimarin Driggen,Person345, Perfect Carnage and peanutbuttergurl 6 for all the reviews on chapter 36. Thanks to Apope for reviewing chapters 34 and 35. Thanks also to Perfect Carnage for the additional reviews on chapters 4,5,15, 33 and 35.
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters, Akira Toriyama does!
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Daiz sighed as he realized he would have to inform Turles that the medic found no ailments afflicting Gohan. The Saiyan pirate commander would demand to know why the boy was moping about...
"Enough of this, Brat! You haven't been able to concentrate on your training or manage to consume a third of a decent meal, now out with it!" Turles barked.
"I-It's n-noth.."
"If you lie to me boy you won't relish the way I discover what ails you," the dark-skinned Saiyan warned.
"Commander, I..I CAN'T!" Gohan groaned. Evidence of his misery was etched on his small pale face. Tears threatened to spill at any moment.
"I'm losing my patience with you," Turles growled.
"B-But You'll hurt them, Master Turles!" the seven-year-old protested.
"So, You believe you are protecting someone by moping about?" the pirate commander mused.
"JUST LEAVE HER ALONE!" Gohan shouted.
What little color he had left drained from his face. He hadn't meant to mention Bulma even if he hadn't given her name.
"WATCH YOUR TONE, BRAT!"
"Her?" Gohan was unnerved by the sly smirk that lit the Saiyan warrior's face as he spoke. That glint in his obsidian eyes meant trouble.
"Please let her be, Master Turles! Please! She won't bother you!" the youngster pleaded.
"Stop groveling! You're a Saiyan, ACT LIKE IT!" Turles ordered.
Gohan stood up straight and squared back his small shoulders but he stared at the wall ahead of him.
'Could it be?' the former commander of the Crusher Corps wondered. He gave a long sigh.
"I suppose you are referring to the blue-haired woman from Earth?" the Saiyan full-blood queried.
A soft moan came from the stricken-faced youth which gave the pirate his answer.
" I won't harm the woman, Brat. That would be such a waste. But neither will I allow her to interfere with your destiny as a Saiyan warrior. Is that understood?" Turles stated.
"Yes, Commander!" Gohan spoke up quickly.
"Now see to your training and summon a decent appetite at the next meal or I MAY just have to find her..." Turles let his words trail off ominously.
"A-As you order, Master Turles!" the little half-blood shouted. He then sped off in the direction of the training room.
'The Earth female may prove to quite useful after all. Quite useful indeed!' the pirate commander thought to himself.
That evil smirk found its way to his lips once more.
...
Gohan laughed as a bundle of brilliant red and gold fur flung itself at him taking him off his feet. His face was wet with 'kisses' from his excited pet. He hugged Ember with a sigh of relief. The feisty Charladon pup had slipped unnoticed out of the ship when Gohan himself sneaked out against Turles's orders. He thought he had seen the last of her for sure.
Turles had demanded that the pup was to be found at whatever cost. It had taken some time but the filthy, half-starved animal was eventually found and shipped to an eagerly awaiting little demi-Saiyan on planet Zazster. While he waited her arrival at a safe location chosen by the Saiyan pirate, Turles and his fellow crew members had taken advantage of one of the planet's numerous gambling establishments...
(Flashback)
Daiz watched shaking his head as Turles played a game of Gescari. The game of chance was only ventured by those who gave no concern to losing a substantial amount of zeni. In addition to the high stakes required to even participate, Gescari was extremely difficult to play. At the moment, Turles seemed to be losing quite badly to an enormous dark blue crustacean in a resplendent robe of red and gold. The Katavian found the Saiyan's efforts to be quite amusing.
"You might as well end this now and spare yourself from walking out of here without a single zeni to your name," the crab-like Katavian taunted Turles.
"I haven't played my last hand just yet," Turles growled. He placed three finely carved ivory cards on the table before him.
A small crowd had gathered to watch the two players and they cheered as the Saiyan shoved yet another pile of zeni over to the chuckling Katavian. Daiz groaned inwardly as he wondered just how much the pirate commander was willing to throw away.
Movement to his right caught the Kabochan's eye. A pale-skinned female with blazing red hair suddenly appeared at the crustacean's left side. She praised his success in a rather high-pitched voice. The dark blue crab-ling grinned as the attractive woman gave him her attention.
The former prince couldn't help but think that the female looked familiar somehow. She smirked at Turles and right then he knew...It was Zailora! What were she and Turles up to? And where did she find the get-up she was wearing?
In addition to the brilliant red hair that trailed down to her back, Zailora wore a filmy long yellow dress that had a side split almost to her hip.
Suddenly the crimson-tressed female slid one slim finger across her lower lip. Then she used three to smooth back her fiery locks. Zailora supported her chin with her entire right hand as she gave the Katavian a suggestive smile and batted her eyes at him. The Kabochan woman used only two fingers to hold the thin glass holding her beverage. Turles intently watched her every action.
Daiz smacked himself in the forehead as he realized the ruse the pair were pulling. Zailora was alerting the pirate commander of the hand held by the crab-creature! In an unexpected turn of events, the dark-skinned Saiyan began to gain the advantage. Glittering piles of zeni were piling up in front of Turles.
The Katavian was mortified at the sudden change in his luck. He frantically wagered more than he had originally planned.
Moments later, a collective groan emanated from the watching crowd as the crustacean bowed his dark blue head in utter humiliation as he lost to the smirking Saiyan pirate. Daiz rolled his eyes. Another victim had fallen prey to one of Turles's schemes.
Gartoas had a competition of his own. The burly bronze-skinned Kardangan watched as a slim purple reptilian being lifted a mug of potent Hertaz to his lips.
"Your turn!" the purple citizen of planet Larzith slurred as he placed a now empty mug on the table between them.
A wicked grin appeared on the bearded pirate's face. He smoothed back his shaggy black hair and reached over to pour two mugs of the highly intoxicating beverage. Gartoas drained one mug and then the other. The inebriated Larzithian tried to reach out for the bottle of Hertaz but fell senseless to the floor instead.
"Easy pickins'!" Gartoas sneered as he pocketed the wager they had agreed upon as well as every last zeni the hapless reptile had in the pouch at his waist.
His fellow crewman had watched the entire incident.
" I belong to a crew of swindlers and cheats!" Daiz huffed.
"An ya wouldn' ave' it any other way!" his fellow crewman teased.
The former prince snatched a currency pouch from one unsuspecting patron of the gambling hall and then from two more.
"Whatta ya be callin' yerself now?" Gartoas snorted.
"I guess I felt left out!" Daiz snickered.
A salacious grin suddenly lit the Kardanagan's face. He spied a woman with long fiery red hair.
"Now there be ah sight ta be beholdin'!" Gartoas gushed.
The Kabochan pirate fought to keep a straight face when he turned to see what female had caught the Kardangan's interest. Gartoas was pretty well a few sheets in the wind so he couldn't possibly know...
"You're right, she's quite the looker! Why don't you go over there and introduce yourself," Daiz advised.
"Fer once ya got somethin' ta say worth listnin' ta!" Gartoas slurred.
The burly bearded pirate lumbered over to the object of his interest as steadily as he could manage.
"AY, Darlin'! How's bout' we getta know each oer'?" the Kardanagan leered.
"NOT IF YOU WERE THE LAST MALE IN THE UNIVERSE!" the bright red-haired female shrieked as she drove a fist right into his ample stomach.
His girth prevented the punch from fazing him in the least.
"AW! Now don' play hard ta get!"Gartoas pressed.
A swift kick below his belt made him drop like a stone.
"Wha tha? Z-Zailora! Ya spiteful wench! Whatta ya doin 'paradin' round like thet?" Gartoas bellowed.
Daiz held his sides as he almost doubled over with laughter.
"Ya set me up, ya worthless green-aired' lout!" Gartoas sputtered.
"Daiz, How COULD you?" Zailora huffed.
"I COULDN'T RESIST!" the former prince chortled.
"Exactly what I would have done!" Turles cut in.
"Now Master Turles, no disrespectin' intended but yer a bad influence!" Gartoas groaned.
The resulting laughter from his crew-mates as well as his commander seemed to make his present agony even more intense...
...
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