Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, DBS, or the characters. Just OCs.

A soft material protected Kuriza. The Arcosian never felt something so warm, comfortable, and safe. There was a dull throbbing in his head. The pressure kept him from opening his eyes. As Kuriza let his body relax against the cushions around him, a sigh escaped him. He would have liked to remain asleep, just a little while longer, but his memories hit him like a ton of bricks. Visions of the attack and his escape crashed down on him. In that instant, Kuriza shot up and gasped for air, but he coughed because he breathed too quickly. Pain shot through his body, and the Arcosian yelled out. He attempted to move his arms to grip his abdomen, but he could not move his arms. Metal dug into the skin of his wrists. His eyes finally opened, and fear gripped his heart. His people…they caught him.

A throat cleared which alerted the Arcosian to the presence of another. His head whipped around, and his eyes met the cold gaze of the Saiyan king. Relief made its way into Kuriza's expression, he heaved a heavy sigh, and his shoulders relaxed.

"Why are you here?" Vegeta demanded, his voice filled with hatred.

Kuriza cringed. It wasn't like he hadn't expected the animosity. He knew his father did the Saiyan people, the Saiyan king especially, wrong. Still, it made Kuriza wonder if he made the right decision to come to the Saiyans directly. What if they didn't listen to him or believe what he knew?

"I…" Kuriza managed to get out, his voice slightly raspy. He cleared his throat and then looked away from the king. "I came here to warn you."

Vegeta's expression darkened. The words sounded like a threat, and threats were not taken lightly, particularly when Frieza's family was involved. "You are in no position to intimidate my people. Try again."

Kuriza snapped his attention back to the king, alarmed. "Oh, no, King Vegeta," Kuriza attempted to pacify. "I mean no harm. I'm here to warn you about my people."

Skeptical, Vegeta scoffed and crossed his arms. "Your people?"

Kuriza nodded. He paused a moment to think over his words. He needed to tread carefully with the Saiyan ruler. He didn't want the man to think he planned to harm the planet. "I… I'm not my father," Kuriza tried. When Vegeta's eyes lit with anger, Kuriza hurriedly added. "I'm not here to make enemies. I just want to help you."

"Help me," Vegeta repeated dismissively. "How?"

"My people are working on something," Kuriza explained. "Something dangerous. I needed to warn someone before it ever gets out."

Vegeta wasn't sure if he believed the words. His distrust of the Arcosians had only increased over the years. Frieza was bad enough, but then King Cold had to kidnap Bulma after she and Vegeta were mated. Then Cooler…he was worst of all. He captured Celen and Bulma's sister, Tights, back when Frieza was defeated, and then raised their son to be a ruthless assassin. The king needed to take whatever Kuriza said with a grain of salt and also appear unaffected and unmovable despite the raging emotions within him.

When Vegeta didn't respond, Kuriza explained, "I've been shunned by my people. When I took over after my uncle, everyone turned against me. I wanted to disband the PTO and join the Galactic Alliance." Shock reflected in Vegeta's eyes before his guarded expression returned. "I…wasn't sure if we'd be accepted, but I had to try. I hoped… I can never erase what my family did, but I wanted to join into an era where we'd no longer hurt and take from others. I planned to leave the Saiyans be, but the rest of my race just wanted revenge."

Kuriza broke under Vegeta's wrathful gaze. The king's glare was intense, and Kuriza couldn't face the abhorrence. "I don't believe you," Vegeta protested darkly, his voice even yet full of loathing.

The Arcosian deflated, his expression unable to hide how disheartened he felt. "I don't blame you," he whispered woefully. "If I were you, I wouldn't believe me either. I know my father and family were monsters. I came here to tell you anyway." He took a deep breath and released it. Vegeta couldn't understand the hesitance, but he assumed this Arcosian was putting on an act for him. Finally, Kuriza looked into Vegeta's eyes again. This time, he seemed determined to get his message across.

"The Arcosians developed a toxin that acts like a virus to affect the Saiyan heart," Kuriza informed the king.

Vegeta was stunned. He uncrossed his arms and strode beside Kuriza's bed. There was no hint of deceit in Kuriza's expression, but that meant nothing to him. It was better to be safe, though, and assume the Arcosian was telling the truth. "Can it affect any other race?"

"Not to my knowledge," Kuriza answered, "but I assume humans could be at risk too, since they are so genetically similar to Saiyans, but it would probably affect Saiyans worse because the condition is exacerbated through fighting."

Again, Vegeta's internal alarm bells went off. This was just too incredible to believe. Still, it would go along with the Arcosians' evil, to create something that would only target the two races the last remaining creatures detested. It made Vegeta wonder if he should really believe all of what Kuriza said, within reason. It was possible that the Arcosian's words about the toxin were true, but that his genuine care for the Saiyans and desire to join in the Alliance was a lie. Besides, if Kuriza knew this much, he most likely had a hand in it.

"How do you know all this?"

The accusation in Vegeta's voice was not hidden at all. Kuriza sighed and looked away. "There was an underground lab," he admitted. "I didn't know about it or the research they did. I found out about it after I inherited the throne."

Vegeta's glared hardened when Kuriza met his gaze. The Saiyan could see remorse and sadness, but he still didn't trust it. "A…apparently my people… They captured some Saiyans long ago when your people still worked for the PTO." Kuriza faltered and cringed, and then swallowed down his anguish and disgust. "And they used them in horrible experiments."

The room grew dead silent, and it felt like it had grown colder. Vegeta's expression grew grim as he looked the timid Arcosian in the eye. To his credit, Kuriza managed to speak again, although his voice severely lacked confidence. "I-I… I know I have no right to ask to be believed, but please know that if I had known, I would have reported it."

Vegeta scoffed and looked away. He wasn't entirely convinced. Kuriza understood this, but it didn't matter. He came because the Saiyans needed to know. "I brought a sample of the toxin," the Arcosian explained. "It's on the ship in a metal containment device. I hoped your scientists could use it to find an antidote." He added in alarm, "But don't let a Saiyan near it. I couldn't live with myself if…"

Kuriza turned away from Vegeta, unable to say the words. Vegeta's brow furrowed. He had to admit Kuriza was a damn good actor. Still, if there really was a toxin in a canister, then they needed to tread cautiously. He'd have Bulma take a look to vet if Kuriza's story was true.

The king turned, and his cape whipped around. Kuriza turned his head to spare the Saiyan a forlorn glance. "Even if your story is true," Vegeta darkly imparted, "I will never trust a son of Frieza's."

With that promise, Vegeta left Kuriza alone in the quiet room. He didn't see the downtrodden expression on the young Arcosian's face.

Bulma felt frantic, but she managed to remain poised as she made her way through the palace. The queen greeted everyone she saw in the palace a 'good morning'. Eventually, she reached and entered the communications room. After Vegeta returned to their room the night before and informed her of their…surprise guest…Bulma knew she'd be the one to reach out to the Queen of Sado. Unfortunately, the gravity room repairs would have to wait.

After Bulma sat down in front of the screen, she heaved a heavy sigh. Her mind honestly wasn't focused on nurturing relations. She'd rather be at her mate's side instead. He barely uttered a word between last night and this morning, and Bulma didn't know what to say. She sensed the internal conflict storming inside of her lover. The arrival of Frieza's son was definitely not a welcome one.

Once she regained her composure, Bulma activated the communication device. She typed in a few codes, and seconds later the Sadosan queen appeared on the visual. The woman had voluminous, auburn hair and deep blue eyes.

"Well, I must say I'm surprised," the alien woman haughtily said. "I didn't think you'd keep our appointment."

Bulma put on a smile and said, "I almost did postpone because an emergency situation arose, but the king told me to commence with the meeting."

The other queen seemed pleased by the admission. "I like your husband already."

Bulma's lips curved up. "Actually, I call him my mate, but we are married. Vegeta and I prefer to use his people's label for our relationship rather than Galactic Standard."

"It will be some time before I'm ready to take a husband," the Sadosan queen pondered. "I haven't met the right person."

"Oh, Queen Chaya," Bulma giggled. "Don't count yourself out. Maybe you'll meet someone at the summit."

At mention of the summit, Queen Chaya's expression faltered. "To be honest, I'm still a bit skeptical about this whole meeting, but I'm still willing to attend. You are sending someone to pick me and my advisor up, correct?"

A nod was her answer. "Of course," Bulma replied with a kind smile. "And you can bring whoever you'd like with you. You'll obviously be protected here on Planet Vegeta, but if you feel more comfortable with your own security detail, we can accommodate them as well."

The Sadosan queen visibly relaxed; her hunched shoulders drooped. "I…thank you. That's actually reassuring. I have to admit… I've been worried over this whole experience. When aliens showed up on our planet, my people had no idea what to expect. Your people have abilities we can't even fathom, and we just thought…"

"Believe me, I understand," Bulma assured her. "My people were once like yours. We didn't believe aliens existed for the longest time and had no way to venture far out into space. By the time my father reached out, there was a huge, intergalactic battle, and we were warned away from space travel because of the lack of fighting ability and technology. Eventually, the Saiyans reached out to us themselves, but the Earthlings were still incredibly skeptical. If I never met my mate, many people could have led me to think differently, but maybe not. I was always the adventurous sort."

Bulma winked at Queen Chaya, and the other woman laughed. The Saiyan queen added, "Anyway, I was an outsider once, but Vegeta always made sure I felt welcome, and the culture here…you'll love it. Trust me. Just make sure to pack clothes for the heat. It's like a desert here, hot during the day and slightly cooler in the evening."

"I don't have many clothes like that," Queen Chaya stated, "but I'm sure it will be fine."

"It will be," Bulma reassured again. "Besides, whatever you don't have, there's always shopping."

Queen Chaya grinned and said, "You know, I like you, Queen Bulma. I think we're going to get along very well."

Bardock was at home watching his great-granddaughter. He stood over her crib as the newborn slept. Gine…her presence tugged at heartstrings the former warrior believed he no longer had, strings that should have been there when Kakarot was born. A frown marred the man's features, and his expression grew dark.

After everything that had happened—the decades long separation, the loss Raditz experienced, nearly losing Kakarot time and time again, and so much more—Bardock could say he regretted the relationships, or lack thereof, he had with both his sons. At least with Raditz, their relationship grew better over the years, especially when Raditz's mate Peppan had been killed. At least the woman could be resurrected, but Raditz felt the same suffering Bardock experienced, and the two had come to an understanding.

With Kakarot, things were different. Their relationship hadn't gotten any better over time, and it wasn't for lack of trying on Kakarot's part. At first, Bardock didn't know how to react. Kakarot reminded Bardock so much of Gine that it hurt, and the father continuously pushed his son away. Eventually, Kakarot stopped trying, or at least he didn't come around. The two were so distant despite finally living on the same planet after all these years. Bardock could have tried to see Kakarot and his family. He should see his son.

Bardock cast another glance at Little Gine and found that the child was awake. Gine beamed brightly at him, eyes full of trust and love, and that surge of emotion was enough to prompt Bardock to do something he should have done a long time ago.

"Let's go kid," the great-grandfather said as he picked the cooing child up out of the crib. "There's somewhere I need to be."

There was always a lot of activity around the palace. Scientists and palace workers roamed the halls and soldiers trained on the grounds outside. Kakarot enjoyed being around all the action, and his new position as general certainly put him right in the middle of it. He'd lived a simple life with Chi-Chi and their sons for so long, but now that he was home with his best friend, who was now king, he was excited to train himself and the Saiyan soldiers. They needed to be ready for anything. There was a lot to lose if they weren't.

Kakarot spent the early morning in a spar against his son, Goten. Although Goten spent most of his life studying to live an Earthling life, he truly had his heart set on living a life on Vegeta. His bond with Bulla solidified that desire. All the boys' lives, Kakarot hid his true strength and capabilities. He made sure they trained in many Earthling styles of martial arts so that they could still fill the battle needs their Saiyan blood demanded while also fitting in with the people of Earth who, at the time, were against the Saiyans for pulling out of the alliance.

When Cooler showed up on Planet Earth and the Saiyans sent help to deal with the threat, that distrust disappeared. Gohan and Goten were free to choose where they wanted to reside. Gohan chose to remain on Earth with his wife Videl, and their daughter, Pan. Goten mated with the Saiyan princess, Bulla, and returned to Planet Vegeta. He would eventually join the military, but first he was enjoying truly getting to be with Bulla after years of talking over a communication monitor. But that didn't mean he wouldn't be ready. Now that Kakarot sparred with his son the way a true Saiyan would, Goten knew he'd be ready to join the ranks. His father was a Super Saiyan, after all. If Goten could face him, then he could face anything.

"Hey, nice work out there, Colla!" Kakarot praised one of the soldiers. The warrior paused in his kata sequence and gave the general a nod of acknowledgement.

Kakarot grinned and then walked over to the soldiers. They all finished their forms and turned to face their teacher. "Alright, I want everyone to break into groups of three," Kakarot instructed. Everyone looked surprised, but then Kakarot took out a capsule and tossed it in the air. Many training bots appeared out of thin air. They were similar to the models Vegeta and Trunks used, although they were more predictable in their attack strategy.

"You'll be fighting against these in teams," the general explained. "They may not look like much, but these guys pack a wallop if you aren't careful. I want you to get used to fighting as teams. You never know who you'll be paired up with in battle. It's important to learn your partners' fighting styles and work together, especially when it comes to more powerful foes."

Everyone understood and broke up into groups of three. The soldiers purposefully partnered up with those they rarely fought alongside during training exercises or in the field. Kakarot nodded his approval. Although he didn't specifically say that this is what he wanted, the other Saiyans read his intentions. They were a really great group of fighters, and he was happy to work with them.

Kakarot was truly happy with his position as Vegeta's general and second-in-command. Being away from his best friend had been harder than the spiky-haired Saiyan ever thought, and to finally be back here brought him indescribable joy. Of course, as soon as Kakarot returned, so much changed in a whirlwind. After Vegeta's and Bulma's coronation, the two royals became extremely busy in preparation for this summit and also getting used to their new roles in the kingdom. Kakarot and Vegeta sparred from time to time, but they never had time to go all out before the king was called away. That would eventually die down, and then the two rivals would be able to make up for lost time.

Bardock arrived at the training grounds with Gine in his arms. The baby gurgled happily as she observed her surroundings; her little tail swished fully displaying her excitement. When Kakarot was in sight, Gine looked between her great-grandfather and great-uncle. She smiled and then pointed at Kakarot. "Goo!" she cheered and reached for the younger Saiyan.

Kakarot heard the small voice and turned to see his father there with Planet Vegeta's newest princess. Although Cella and Tarble hadn't been by the day before, Kakarot heard about the newest visitor from Goten. "Well, isn't this a surprise?" Kakarot crooned with an excited gleam to his eyes. He turned to his trainees, all deep in their battle exercises. "Keep at it, everyone!"

The general approached his father and great-niece. The baby wanted to be held by the new but familiar stranger. Both Kakarot and Bardock obliged her. "Hi, Gine. It's good to finally meet you." The baby giggled in response.

Kakarot cradled her in one of his arms and then met his father's stern eyes. "What are you doing here?" he asked casually, although his expression didn't mask his surprise.

"I…" Bardock started to say before the words left him. The father didn't know why it was so hard just to talk to his son! Laughter from Gine distracted both Saiyans and earned their attention. Finally, Bardock took a deep breath, and with his eyes closed, he took the moment to form his question. "What time do you get off? Wanna grab lunch?"

Kakarot was stupefied, and Bardock took his silence as rejection. The defeated father opened his eyes but saw confusion shift to joy as his son's normal huge grin appeared on his face. "Yeah, that sounds great. Give me about an hour with these guys. I'll be ready then."

Bardock answered with a curt nod before he turned to leave the courtyard. As he walked away, he was completely oblivious to the soft smile Kakarot regarded him with. Kakarot couldn't describe how good it felt that his father decided to bridge the gap between them. Since his time back on Planet Vegeta, the general kept out of his father's way. He didn't know how his father would react to him inserting himself back into his life, especially after Kakarot made the choice to stay on Earth for decades with his family. His and Bardock's relationship was always tenuous at best, and although they talked a few times during the Cooler crisis, there was still a lot of anger, animosity, and hurt between the two of them.

Still, Kakarot would have never expected Bardock to reach out. He seemed content to live like a hermit.

His attention shifted back to his men; every group was faring well against the bots. Kakarot smirked, impressed with their skills. "Great move, Oranga. Keep it up," he praised another soldier.

Little did Kakarot know Bardock was still nearby. He managed to walk out of the courtyard, Gine still content in his arms. Bardock leaned back against a wall and heaved a heavy sigh.

Gine giggled, and Bardock said to her, "Well…I hope your predecessor's proud of me, kid. Shit, I feel nauseous." Another laugh escaped the baby, and the grandfather genuinely smiled.

Well, Gine, he thought to his lost love. Better late than never, right?

Bulma and Tights were in a contained bio-lab. Vegeta came to Bulma to inform her of Kuriza's claims. Bulma then went to her sister. If this was true, she wanted one of the Galactic Patrol to see it, plus she could use the help. Kuriza claimed this toxin was effective against Saiyans and could be against humans also. Considering she and Tights were cyborgs now, Bulma hoped they'd be safe.

"Shouldn't we be wearing hazmat suits?" Tights questioned, but her voice indicated she was both nervous and trying to lighten the mood with humor.

Bulma scoffed in mild amusement but said, "Not funny, sis. Jeez…can we ever be rid of these people?"

Tights shook her head. "I wish I knew. Who knew they were all gunning for the Saiyans for so long? I mean, I get that the Cold family was this insane, but all of them?"

Bulma's mind went to Kuriza. According to her mate, the Arcosian seemed sincere, but Vegeta didn't trust him. He was Frieza's son, after all, and Bulma couldn't blame him for being wary. To be honest, she didn't trust this kid either. That's why she planned to consult her own findings.

"So," Bulma began as they moved to a monitor above a microscope. "Kuriza told Vegeta that fighting exacerbates the toxin. I convinced Vegeta to allow me to use a donated Saiyan heart from one of their deceased soldiers who donated his body to science. I isolated some cells and exposed them to the toxin and, as you can see on the monitor, nothing is happening."

Tights nodded to confirm her understanding. "Okay, so at rest, the toxin does nothing. How do we determine the validity of the statements, then?"

Bulma took out a probe from her set of tools. "With this. This tool will allow me to add impulses to activate the cells. It's not a fight, but if the toxin really does become effective when the cells and organs are mildly stressed by combat, we should see something."

Tights's expression grew grim. She really hoped this was a lie. "Do it."

"Okay," Bulma replied, and she brought the probe closer to the cells. She activated a mild electric shock just to wake the cells up a bit. The cells became more animated, and Bulma was a bit amazed at how resilient Saiyans could be, that their cells could spontaneously regenerate with a little energy. "Let's turn up the heat."

Bulma increased the force of the impulse, and the cells began to bounce around a lot more. The cells morphed from a more circular shape into a malformed mess. After a moment, the cells stopped moving completely and degraded. The two modified humans looked at the screen in horror and then met each other's gaze. They then shifted their attention to the vial containing the toxin. They knew they needed to get started developing an antidote right away.

Trunks had been so quiet since he slipped back into bed in the early morning hours. Thia was awake when he was summoned to work on a patient, but Trunks believed she was still asleep. Trunks slept for a few hours after his return, and the couple arose for breakfast soon after. With how exhausted Trunks was, Thia took the liberty of having someone bring breakfast to their suite. Thia brought the trays to their living space. Trunks sat on the loveseat and awarded her a thankful yet sleepy grin. Even though Trunks was so tired, Thia didn't expect him to be so withdrawn, quiet, and lost in thought.

The princess could tell her mate was worried, and she didn't like the expression on his face. Trunks's brows were furrowed, and he glared at the wall as he slowly ate. It was as if he were a bird picking at his food. This was very unlike him.

After about an hour of this, Thia finally spoke up. "What's going on?"

Trunks snapped out of his reverie. His blue eyes met Thia's forest green. A sigh escaped the prince. "Last night was unexpected."

Thia's expression softened. She took Trunks's hand in hers and squeezed it to reassure him. "What happened?"

Trunks hesitated for a moment. He wasn't certain if he was allowed to discuss Kuriza's presence on Planet Vegeta yet. His uncle told him they needed to be discrete with this information. Still, Trunks trusted Thia not to say anything. As far as Trunks was concerned, Kuriza's presence was a threat to their family, and there were no HIPPA guidelines as on Earth, especially not when it had to do with security.

"Frieza had a son," he began, and he could sense Thia's fear and shock. "He arrived here yesterday brutally injured. Uncle Celen and I…we were tasked with administering treatment."

"I didn't know there was another…"

Trunks released a bitter chuckle. "Neither did I, but Dad, Uncle Celen, and Nappa all seem to know about him." The prince gazed into his intended's eyes and said, "I have no idea what's going to happen, but I'm worried about my Dad. I'm worried about Tomaren. Everything was just starting to fall into some semblance of normalcy."

Thia offered Trunks a brilliant smile and kissed his cheek. Trunks sucked in some air. The simple gesture moved his soul. His mate came from a people who believed a simple touch was damnable if unmarried, yet Thia never felt that way deep down. Although she was always wary over the simplest touches during their courtship, she rarely shied away, though she felt timid over desires. Since they mated, Thia always made it a point to offer comfort through touch. She had come such a long way in these few short months, as they all did, and Trunks loved her more for it. The ease she felt over her actions now was a testament to her strength and of how far she'd come in breaking away from her oppressive culture. Her bravery was admirable, and he let her courage and love wash over him.

"They will all be okay, Trunks," Thia assured him. "They have a whole army of a support system, us included. If something is bothering them too much, we'll feel it through the bond and do what we can for them. We have to trust our bonds, right?"

Trunks grinned contently. "Yeah, we have to trust our bonds. Funny that you need to remind me of that." Thia laughed and kissed Trunks on the lips. The two fell back on their loveseat, Thia on top of Trunks. The half-Saiyan's eyes held so much love for the woman atop him.

"You wanna?" Thia asked coquettishly.

"I do," Trunks murmured as he traced his fingers up and down her arms. "You have no idea how much I do." Through the bond, though, they knew she could tell. "Unfortunately, I need to get down to the medical ward. I have to relieve Celen from Arcosian duty."

Thia kissed Trunks once more. "I understand, my prince. I'll wait up for you later."

Trunks grinned at his mate. "I'll hold you to it, my princess."

A/N: And here's another chapter for you guys. Hope you enjoyed! Happy Blizzard 2020 XD

So question time. What do you guys think? Is Kuriza playing the Saiyans? Is he being one-hundred percent truthful? Let me know your thoughts.

And now, for review responses!

BabyPan: Lol, I love your reaction. Honestly, one of the scenes from this chapter was a better version of the lat scene of the last chapter of Camaraderie. So, there was always a plan to do more (cuz so many ideas came to me, lol). Your excitement makes me happy :)

SereStarOfGaea: Everyone loves BV. That's what brought you to this series and what will continue to hold attention. I'm just excited for this worldbuilding I've done. Can't wait to get deeper into the meet of this story :D I am staying safe. Recovering from a terrible injury sustained in the summer (broken bone, torn ligament…not being able to walk). I'm done with physical therapy though, and just doing some online coursework and will continue PT exercises going forward. Hope you are well also. Thanks for reading!

Guest: Thank you! I love it too :D

NNP: The story will hopefully continue to be intriguing :) Thanks for the review!