Here's Chapter 126! Thanks to 15songoku, DarkReina, Rawrz, The Rocha and DingleberryDovah for the reviews on chapter 125.

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

….

Chi-Chi sank to her knees as she broke into a torrent of sobs as even more blood suffused the water's surface. Her only child had been snatched by the maw of some foul denizen of this cursed planet and obviously his would-be rescuer had met the same fate. The despicable pirate would richly deserve rotting in the belly of some unnamed beast for his unlimited crimes but not her poor Gohan. His only fault was being innocent enough to be corrupted by the notorious Turles and she was powerless to save him.

Huge bubbles began to appear and the water churned violently as foam mixed with blood swirled about. The gargantuan reptile's head surfaced roaring fearsomely. It swung about trying to free itself of the form that clung to its neck-Turles! Carefully aiming his ki blasts at the creature's vulnerable belly and throat the Saiyan was succeeding in delivering grievous injuries. He'd learned all too well of the armored head and back of the scaly behemoth as his blasts had practically bounced off the hide and ricocheted about. It would have been most embarrassing to be hit with his own blast. In desperation the leviathan flung itself back into the water and begin to roll. Chi-Chi covered her mouth. The over-sized lizard was going to drown Turles!

The daughter of the Ox-king gasped in surprise as a figure shot out of the churning water. An unconscious Gohan lay unmoving on the shore. Chi-Chi started to wail as she realized his chest did not rise and fall. Gohan wasn't breathing!

A blood-drenched Turles staggered ashore, he quickly placed some sort of restraint around the demi-Saiyan's wrists. Then he flipped him on his right side and began putting pressure on the youngster's upper back.

Chi-Chi lunged forward and would have struck Turles but he easily shoved her back. Gohan began coughing, water spewed out of his mouth and he began to breathe. His mother guiltily realized that Turles had meant him no harm but had forced the fluid from her son's lungs.

Gohan remained unconscious but his chest slowly rose and fell, Chi-Chi choked out a tearful, "Thank you!"

Turles turned and glared at her, "Do you think I would have even bothered going after Gohan if I meant to injure him?"

Goku's widow hung her head and uttered a just audible reply, "No, you wouldn't have."

Chi-Chi shrieked as the gigantic reptile resurfaced from the water only to notice it was floating on its back. The creature was scorched and torn from the lower jaw to its midsection. Amber eyes stared out lifelessly. Her eyes widened as something pulled it back into the rushing water.

"Your arm requires tending," the Saiyan stated flatly.

Chi-Chi stared at him completely dumbfounded at the fact that the uncouth pirate was riddled with gashes across his chest and literally covered in blood and her arm was his first concern?

"I don't know what you can do about it. I'm pretty certain it's broken."

Turles snorted derisively," It isn't broken, merely dislocated. It will have to be repositioned as quickly as possible."

"Oh! NOW you're a doc-"

"I've seen plenty of these injuries in my time so I'm quite capable of recognizing and treating them!" the pirate commander snapped.

Chi-Chi stood stiffly as Turles handed her one of his leathern gauntlets, "Bite down on that."

When she gave him a look of utter revulsion the space buccaneer's patience was wearing thin, "Then bite through your lip or your tongue when the pain hits!"

The Ox-Princess resentfully did as advised, her stomach giving a slight heave at her action.

A wave of pain rushed throughout her being as the Saiyan swiftly repositioned her arm. Against her will her teeth sank into the horrid tasting leather.

"It will be tender for a bit but you'll have full use of it soon, " Turles said gruffly.

Her face flushed with embarrassment as Chi-Chi engaged in a most unladylike bout of spitting as she tried to rid herself of the awful "leather taste." Thankfully Turles made no offhand remarks about her behavior.

"Does Gohan have to bound like that?" Chi-Chi questioned as she stared at the manacle-like restraints on Gohan's wrists. They gave off a strange glow.

"The ki-controllers are necessary. If Gohan were to transform once more in his present state it's doubtful that either of us would survive."

"He might turn into that monster again?"

" 'Monster?' " Turles repeated.

"Yes! That strange gold hair...even his eyes didn't look normal anymore!" Chi-Chi huffed.

Turles looked at the Earth female as if she'd surely taken leave of her senses. She saw the culmination of the ultimate achievement of the Saiyan race as something monstrous?

'Perhaps I did the universe a great service by ridding it of Earth if it was populated by those with such ignorance!' the Saiyan thought in exasperation.

Turles turned back to the water and began washing away the blood spatters from his arms and chest.

"What if there's another one of those things?" Chi-Chi protested.

"Bring it on! Perhaps it's tasty!"

It was difficult for Turles not to snicker as the squeamish female in his presence suddenly appeared ill at his suggestion.

"We've wasted enough time on this mudball. I brought Gohan here because the medical expertise available on this planet is renown throughout the galaxy. If he can be treated here successfully then at least I won't have failed him."

The Saiyan's voice was bitter as he spoke.

"You really do miss her, don't you?" Chi-Chi asked softly.

"Do not involve yourself with matters that are not your concern!" Turles snarled.

The pirate commander caught a glance at his reflection in the relatively still water at the shoreline. A few choice words escaped him as he took in the considerable bruises and cuts scattered about his face.

Having to endure more crude language due to the Saiyan's all too apparent vanity was more than Chi-Chi could bear.

"Oh do come off it! You know perfectly well by this time tomorrow you'll be right back to your handsome self!"

Chi-Chi wanted to sink into the ground under her feet or simply disappear as soon as the words left her mouth. The words had somehow come out all wrong! What had happened to 'your usual pompous self?'

Turles gave her an incredulous look then broke into a completely devilish grin.

"I had no idea...well this is certainly so sudden," the Saiyan taunted as he smoothed back his hair impishly.

"I HATE YOU!" Chi-Chi screeched.

"I'm glad that's settled," Turles chortled. He tapped his scouter impatiently awaiting an answer.

"Commander Turles, this is Vacaliies, ".

Turles gave a sigh of relief as he had reached the head medic of the nearest medical facility. The Saiyan pirate barked orders for a shuttle to be dispatched immediately.

"I will send a shuttle as soon as it is prudent to do so, Commander. There is a crew of Frieza's ilk here. They're searching for this "Vegeta" someone. And not to worry, sir. Kosho is securely hidden."

...

A furious Bulma stomped her way into the bridge area aboard Turles's ship before she broke into a run for her quarters. Gartoas turned in his seat at the bridge and was about to make a biting remark when he caught sight of the crestfallen Daiz.

The Kabochan had left the ship all smiles and laughter but now he looked utterly dejected. He took his seat across from his burly crewmate and buried his face in his hands.

"Yer lil' adventure didn' go as ya planned, eh?" the Kardanagan questioned.

"Everything was going just fine and then..." Daiz stopped midsentence.

"I don't want to talk about it!" the former prince groaned.

...

Until the next chapter!

daughterofrisingsun