(WARNING! This chapter contains material on subject matter that you, the reader, may find disturbing and/or offensive. I apologize in advance for this, as it is not my intention to offend. The subject matter in question is abortion and the views expressed within are the views of the characters expressing them.)
Chapter Forty: For Whom the Bell Tolls (Part II)
"Take a look to the sky just before you die
It is the last time you will
Blackened roar massive roar fills the crumbling sky
Shattered goal fills his soul with a ruthless cry
Stranger now, are his eyes, to this mystery
He hears the silence so loud!"
For Whom the Bell Tolls - Metallica
DBZ
"You insubordinate fool! I stuck my neck out for you to Frieza and you turn out to be a soft-headed honor hound!" Captain Ginyu glared at the empty space where the Saiyan had once hovered. "Do you realize that this counts as treason?" He turned his gaze on Hani and spat down to the ground. "Frieza will have your head for this!"
"For what?" Hani asked sardonically. "Killing a Saiyan?" He grimaced in disgust and shook his head. "He'll praise me for that one and you know it. Besides, I'm not one for delaying the inevitable. She was going to die one way or the other. And if you really insisted on me fighting her, then she was going to die quick anyway. I don't pull my punches. I'm a warrior first and foremost." Without waiting for a response he dropped down to the ground, leaving Ginyu to fume as he glared after him.
Fuck him Hani thought to himself. He's not worth my time. He touched down a few feet from Recoome and Burter, who were practically staring holes through him. He turned his cold-eyed gaze on them and scowled.
"You two have something to say to me?" he all-but growled to them.
Recoome's chest swelled pompously as he turned to face the Akatian. "Yeah, bud. You better watch what you say to the Captain."
"Yeah!" piped up Burter. "Otherwise you'll have to answer to us!"
Hani smirked. "Does either of you flamboyant toe-twirlers know what my power reading is?"
Recoome blinked his good eye rapidly, obviously befuddled. "Uh, I don't."
"Me neither," added the taller blue alien a bit sullenly.
"Seventy…two…thousand." Hani grinned as Recoome paled and Burter turned a nasty shade of teal. "Now, I don't play games and I don't take kindly to threats." Despite his words, he kept his tone almost friendly. "If you're both serious and you mean what you say, then I suggest you attack me full-force right now. If not, then keep your mouths shut and I won't have to kill you."
Recoome ground his teeth together, his clenched fists trembling. "Who do you think you are?"
Ginyu touched down behind Hani, his eyes boring holes into the back of his skull. "Indeed. Just who do you think you are?"
The Akatian turned to face him. "Sergeant Hani 'iBal Burca, sir. Second-in-command of the Ginyu Force, sir."
Ginyu narrowed his eyes. "You are my subordinate, and you will check your actions. You may outrank Burter and Recoome, but you all answer to me. Got that?"
Hani's left eye twitched and he smirked. "Of course, sir."
"Then explain yourself right now, because I am beginning to suspect treachery."
Hani laughed, startling the captain. "Only now? Gods, how dense you are."
Ginyu ground his teeth together in agitation. "What are you saying?"
"You should know, Captain. We're all out for Number One, after all. You, me, these two dimwits; all of us. Wouldn't treachery just be a part of the game?" He chuckled and folded his arms. "But I'll be straight with you: the only treachery I offer is refusing to torture. It doesn't sit well with me, if that's alright by you."
Ginyu blinked in confusion. After a moment he frowned. "You're a hard one to follow, Hani 'iBal."
The Akatian shrugged. "I'm a soldier, but I do have my honor. I'll do just about anything that I'm ordered to do, aside from torturing and raping. If I'm ordered to kill, I will and I'll make it quick and painless. If they resist, only then will I fight them. But that's for my benefit, not yours." He grinned. "I do love a good fight, after all."
He kept his gaze locked with Ginyu's as the body-snatcher considered him in silence.
"Captain, I don't like this guy," began Recoome.
"Save it, Recoome," Ginyu sharply snapped, his eyes still locked with Hani's. "When I require your opinion, I'll demand it. For now, shut the hell up."
Hani broke eye contact to glance back at Recoome and Burter. "I notice you seem to be having issues with insubordination."
"Like you wouldn't believe," Ginyu seethed quietly.
Hani looked back at him with a smirk. "That's what I'm here for, sir."
Captain Ginyu grinned. "You know what, Hani? I detest you. But…you also pique my interest. For now I won't kill you, but I am curious to see what you do from here on out. I do suspect that you are only here to betray us…but then again you did kill that Saiyan female without even flinching."
"No!" a muffled voice cried in sudden pain, the single syllable echoing off the sides of toppled buildings.
The four Ginyus looked all around them curiously. Hani frowned as the ground beneath his feet began to slowly tremble and he looked down in mild surprise. His scouter suddenly came to life, followed by Burter's and Ginyu's.
"No!" the voice cried again. "No, no, NO!"
"What?" Ginyu demanded suddenly. "65,000…70,000…85,000, 95-"
"105,000!" Burter cried, fear permeating his voice.
"Where's it coming from?" Hani wondered as he deactivated his scouter, just a moment before Burter's exploded into oblivion. Ginyu hastily deactivated his just as it began to issue an overload warning.
The ground behind them exploded then, rubble and debris slamming into them and making them shield their selves. Hani cringed as he looked beyond his raised arms to the source of the sudden burst.
"AAAAYYYYGGGGGHHHH!" A golden radiance shone as bright as the sun, while at its center the vague silhouette of the teenager from before could just be made out. "YOU KILLED ETAPA! I'LL KILL YOU!"
"On your guards!" Ginyu bellowed as he stepped into a defensive posture.
Turles, as well as the golden light, vanished instantly. Less than a second later he was back, his body completely visible and engulfed in a raging golden inferno. His armor had been completely destroyed, as well as his upper underarmor. His lower underarmor was torn and shredded, leaving just enough for the sake of modesty. His skin was blackened and bruised, blood flowing freely from open wounds. Despite all this, and with his black hair stretched to its ends from the force of his still-rising energy, he delivered a bone-crushing kick to Recoome's unguarded face that drove the brute forcefully into and through several mounds of piled rubble.
Hani blinked as the boy touched down and turned his sights on Burter. He was airborne before anyone could react, firing a large golden ring of energy at the stunned blue alien. Burter's face displayed his fear as he seemed able to only watch the blast bear down on him.
Captain Ginyu zipped forward and snatched Burter out of its path just a second before it would have obliterated them both. It impacted a building behind them and exploded, instantly vaporizing several other buildings clustered nearby. The force drove them violently into the ground.
Hani looked at Turles as the boy turned to face him, his features twisted grotesquely in agonized rage. The Akatian scowled and raised his fists slowly.
"It was you, wasn't?" Turles accused in a deadly tone. "You killed Etapa!"
"Yeah, I did," Hani admitted simply.
The teenager's shoulders shuddered and he clenched his hands into tight, trembling fists. "You took her from me, you bastard! You took the one person I cared about in this entire fuckin' universe and you killed her!" Turles closed his eyes and doubled over as if he were in physical pain, his odd golden aura pulsing and flashing in time with his pained growls. "I loved her!" he cried as he straightened up, his coal-black eyes locking onto Hani's. He jabbed a finger pointedly at the Akatian and yelled, "YOU are goin' to DIE!"
"You know, I'm more worried about the fact that you survived Recoome's attack. But I can see why you survived with this kind of power hidden away." Hani grinned as he shifted his feet into a wider stance. "You were holding out on us, Kid. So why don't you come and show me what you're really made of?"
Turles blinked in obvious surprise before he gave Hani a look that bordered on pity. "You don't even care."
The Akatian narrowed his eyes in contempt. "I stopped caring about anything a long time ago, Saiyan. It's a much simpler existence in this universe if you don't give a shit about what happens to it."
The teenager scowled and his aura seemed to intensify, his eyes flashing ethereally in response until they faded into whiteness. "I'm goin' to kill you, Akatian." He glanced to where Ginyu and Burter were watching from and he sneered. "I'm goin' to kill all of you, in fact." He looked at Hani again. "And as much as I'd love to begin with you¸I think I'm goin' to start with…"
He suddenly vanished, leaving Hani to blink rapidly in surprise. His ice-blue eyes cut towards Burter just as the Saiyan appeared and drove his fist into the center of his chest, his hand bursting violently from the Ginyu Force member's back with a spraying of purple blood and gore.
Captain Ginyu could only look on, his eyes wide in stunned horror. "Y-you…you bastard. You killed him!"
Turles withdrew his fist in a flash and jumped up to deliver a crushing kick to Ginyu's left arm with an audible snap as it was forced into an impossible angle; the force of the blow sent Ginyu straight to the ground, which exploded upon his impact. And all before Burter's body had hit the ground. Hani watched it all in abject horror. He glanced down to his captain as the body-snatcher clutched his arm and grimaced in agony.
The Saiyan turned to face him again and he flashed a devious grin. "I just floored the most powerful member of your team with one strike. You still want to see what I'm made of?"
Hani choked out a forced laugh and shook his head. "Not really, no." He'd seen the readings before deactivating his scouter; what had he expected? "But I've never backed down from a challenge in my life, so I'm not about to start now."
"Good."
Turles lunged forward, but Hani was somewhat prepared; he blocked the punch that was thrown towards his face, cringing in response to the intense pain of the blow. Holy sh- Turles brought his knee up, forcing Hani to leap backwards out of the way. The Akatian kept his gaze glued to the Saiyan. He had to be on guard 100% against this kid. He was almost tempted to reactivate his scouter, but he knew that it would just overload and explode.
"Hey, you know if it's any consolation," Hani began, "I can promise-"
"You can't promise me anything that I want!" Turles cried as he continued the attack, lunging forward to slam his fist into Hani's cheek hard enough to make him black out for a few seconds.
Hani came to as he slammed into the ground, twisting and rolling across the scarred, uneven terrain. Before he was able to collect his senses and regain control of his out of control body, the Saiyan appeared to drive his foot into the Ginyu's armored chest. Hani's breastplate exploded into pieces as he was sent crashing across the ground and through the unending mounds of debris left behind by Recoome's attack, his underarmor catching and ripping on jagged pieces of rubble.
The pain was unreal, but Hani forced himself to focus and gather his ki to cease the unwanted movement, and then take to the sky. Looking sharply around as he ascended, he spotted Turles bearing down on him like lightning. With a cringe the Akatian desperately brought both hands up and fired a massive wave of red energy at his rushing opponent. Turles slapped the attack away, all-too effortlessly, and dove towards the stunned Hani with a feral roar of primal anger. His knee collided with Hani's face in an explosion of agony unlike anything he'd felt before, the blow driving him backwards.
But not far as the Saiyan's hand closed tightly around his throat, forcing him to a jarring stop. Grimacing as green blood poured from his nose and the corners of his mouth, he forced his eyes open to see the Saiyan's blank eyes glaring heatedly at him.
Those eyes were unnerving, enough so that a shiver ran up Hani's spine. That empty gaze expressed more hatred, more anger, and more sorrow than he would have thought possible. Rather than take away from the effect, the disappearance of his eyes seemed to accentuate the Saiyan's emotions poignantly. They also told Hani that the Saiyan was far from through with him.
A fact confirmed in the next instant when Turles shot towards a building and slammed the Akatian face-first into the side of it, the steel exterior caving in around Hani's head.
"Not so fun bein' on the receivin' end, is it Ginyu?!" Turles seethed quietly as he ground his fingers painfully into Hani's neck. The way he'd uttered the word 'Ginyu' had made it sound like a curse; the title had sounded dirty just then.
Hani had but a brief moment to reflect on exactly what he'd allowed himself to become before Turles was yanking him backwards, and then ramming his head into the building again. The steel groaned in time with Hani as his head swam viciously, his stomach threatening to turn itself inside out. The Saiyan yanked him out again and Hani reacted, kicking his legs out in a flail. He caught Turles under the chin, but barely managed to tilt the boy's head back.
His eyes narrowed as he regarded the Akatian. "Well, that was pointless. Unless you were tryin' to piss me off even more."
"That wasn't exactly the plan, no," Hani choked out, his fingers feebly trying to work their way between Turles' in a desperate bid to escape his grasp.
"I should torture you to within inches of your life, Akatian," Turles said quietly, his grip steadily tightening on Hani's neck.
"That'd…make you no better…than them," Hani retorted weakly with a slight nod given towards his comrades. "That's what…Captain Ginyu…wanted me…to do to the girl. I made it…painless for her."
"What do you know about pain?!" Turles demanded angrily, his tone made harsher by his obvious anguish.
"More than…you think," Hani said with a weak chuckle. "Were you…ever…a Purger…?"
Turles blinked in surprise, taken aback by the sudden question. He frowned, his grip relaxing slightly. "Yes," he said darkly. "I was."
"Then you know…Children…Weaklings…People that…can't defend…themselves…" Hani coughed, spraying blood onto Turles' bloodied and blackened arm. But he didn't seem to notice.
Turles let out a low snarl and dropped Hani to the ground. The Akatian slammed into the flat side of a jagged slab of concrete, crying out despite himself. Turles had really worked him over. He chuckled weakly as he could only lie there. The Saiyan touched down beside him and he shifted his ice blue eyes to stare up at the boy, whose golden aura had vanished. Though his eyes still remained empty and white.
"I stopped…caring years ago." Hani grimaced in pain and tried to shift his body into a more comfortable position, but ultimately failed. He sighed and let his body go limp. He was out of this fight; that much was clear. "But I…never…never...gave in to…torturing. I had to kill. I had to…accept it." He shook his head weakly and closed his eyes. "I never wanted it. But what can…you do…working for Frieza?" He laughed, but cringed as the action sent fire racing through his limbs. Had Turles broken his bones? It sure felt like it.
"Been there, Akatian," Turles whispered coldly. "I joined a Purge Squad when I was 15. I did that shit, too."
"But you…never reached…my point. You still…care, don't you?" The battered warrior asked as he opened his eyes.
The Saiyan shook his head slowly. "No, I don't. I wasn't brought up to care or feel. I'm a Saiyan. We come into this world fightin' angry, and we grow up not carin' about anything." He closed his eyes tightly and turned his head sharply away as his shoulders began to tremble. "But you," he said through gritted teeth. "You took from me the only thing—the only person—that I've ever cared about. She showed me how to care, and you took her from me!" Turles roared in anguish and kicked Hani in his exposed side—his ribs disintegrating upon impact—hard enough to send the Akatain flying across the city and into buildings that had escaped the devastation up until then. He crashed through windows, tumbling across slick surfaces before crashing back into the open and then into another building to repeat the process.
Turles appeared the appearance almost a blessing to Hani as it meant his undesired journey would come to an end, and jackhammered the beaten Akatian down into the ground. How he maintained consciousness, Hani found himself reflecting, was beyond him. But if his forfeiture of the fight hadn't been clear before, it was as crystal now.
He heard the Saiyan land beside him and he groaned as he opened his eyes to look at the boy, though his vision swam in and out of focus at this point. The pain he felt was excruciating. It was unlike any other physical pain he'd ever experienced before.
"I've…never met…anyone…quite…like you…Saiyan," Hani forced a strained grin, pain roaring through his cheeks. He was sure most of his bones were broken after the fierce blows from this super-powered Saiyan. "Your strength…where did it…come from?"
Turles snorted as he sneered. "Ever heard of a Super Saiyan? Well you've done gone and created one, Genius. 'Cause that's exactly what I am!" As if to prove his claim, his golden aura surged to life violently, the sheer force of his power threatening to sweep Hani away.
The Akatian struggled to keep himself rooted to the spot, the tips of his broken fingers digging into the ground. After several tense seconds, Turles' aura died down and the force dissipated with it.
"I see…" Hani said after several more seconds, barely suppressing a fit of coughs. "No wonder…you beat us. You could…kill us all…no problem." He chuckled, which sent him into a fit of rasping coughs that left him weaker and more drained that before. He sighed and shook his head. "You did…what I've wanted…to do to…Captain Ginyu…since I met him." He looked up at the Saiyan and gave a half-hearted smirk.
Turles responded with silence, his empty-eyed gaze practically staring through Hani. A deadly silence stretched across the battle-scarred city, the only sound the whistle of the wind overhead through the tops of the buildings. The Saiyan's expression unreadable, Hani couldn't even begin to speculate on what he was thinking.
The boy suddenly turned and Hani looked to where he was staring to see Captain Ginyu ascending into the sky, obviously attempting an escape. Turles' brow furrowed and he bared his teeth in rage. Before Hani could say anything the boy vanished, reappearing in almost the same instant in front of the surprised Ginyu.
Hani watched as Turles brought both hands forward and fired a blast that engulfed and obliterated the leader of the Ginyu Force almost instantly. He couldn't help but allow himself a slight smile of satisfaction. He had really hated the Ginyu Force, but their leader even more so. Ever since he was a child and he had been forced to watch as they descended on his people and massacred everyone he had ever cared about. They had had a hand in creating the man that Hani had eventually become, and he'd despised them every minute and every second of his existence for the last forty odd years.
Hani sighed and closed his eyes. He would gladly accept his fate at this point. He'd lost in battle against a superior foe, so he would meet his death head on with honor.
He heard the telltale sound of Turles touching down beside him, but he kept his eyes closed.
"Finish me," he said quietly. Free me from Frieza's hold…
Turles was silent for a few moments. Long enough that Hani had to open his eyes to make sure he hadn't passed out and already been slain.
As he looked up at the Saiyan youth curiously, the boy shook his head slowly from side to side. "No."
Hani blinked in confusion, clearly not expecting that response. "W-what?"
"I said no," Turles spat in disgust, his onyx eyes swimming back into view and his aura fading into nothingness. His cheek twitched slightly, yet steadily. Despite his words he seemed to be warring with himself. Every fiber of his body seemed to scream its desire to kill Hani.
Hani gaped up at him. He could not believe what he was hearing! "But…why not?" he sputtered. This was an overwhelming defeat. He couldn't let it end this way, not after he'd already resigned himself to his fate.
"Because killing you won't satisfy me, Akatian," Turles answered. He lifted his head and looked towards the sky, sighing heavily. "You took my future," he said, his voice tortured and longing. "She…she made me feel like I mattered. For the first time in my life, like I was the most important person in her world. She'd seen me kill before her eyes. Hell I tried to kill her!" he shouted, suddenly angry. His eyes shone as tears threatened to spill.
"But the stubborn bitch was relentless! I kept pushing and pushing and pushing and she just would not go away!" He rounded on Hani, his restraint masterful as every inch of his body vibrated with eager anticipation of harming the prone warrior. "For some stupid reason she stuck by me, even loved me! Me! The worthless piece of shit that killed his own squad out of petty jealousy!" He raised a fist as if he meant to strike Hani, but he just held it suspended above his head.
"I could kill you right now, Akatian. Without even powering up, you're so pathetically defenseless. But…" His fist shook, but he slowly lowered it to rest harmlessly at his side. "I won't. Thanks to you I can't repay Etapa for the kindness she showed me, or the love. So…for her…" He grimaced in disgust as he looked down at him. "Your life…will be the last life…I ever spare." He turned to leave, his body tense and shuddering with the strain of keeping that promise.
Hani reached out desperately, his hand closing weakly and painfully around Turles' ankle. He looked up at the Saiyan, his expression fearful and panicky. "No! Please…Please, I beg you! End my life!" The battle couldn't end this way. He'd finally been beaten by a warrior of superior strength. He could finally leave Frieza's service. That was the way it was supposed to be!
Turles looked down at him in renewed disgust and soundly kicked the Akatian away. "You are about a stupid son of a bitch, ain't you?" He turned back around and glowered down at him. "Do you really want to fuck with me?" he demanded harshly.
Hani gasped for breath as he looked up at him. "Please…end my life. I don't want to…to live like this…Not anymore. This is my…only chance…at escape. Frieza will never…never allow me…to die after today. Let me join…my people in death."
Turles shook his head firmly. "All the more reason to leave you alive. Now suffer it." He turned and leapt into the air, blasting away into the distance in a blink and leaving Hani alone.
Battered and broken, physically and mentally, the Akatian could only lie there in disgrace. He closed his eyes and breathed a heavy sigh. Now it was only a matter of time before Frieza sent scouts to investigate the silence of his precious Ginyu Force.
DBZ
Jeice came to an abrupt stop. "Whoa team," he called, raising a fist to signal a halt to his squad. The assortment of Super-elite alien warriors gathered around him as he pointed down to a prone figure lying in the middle of a desolated street.
"It could be a trap," he warned. He'd been more than a little paranoid ever since every Scouter in his group had abruptly exploded. It had happened so fast that they'd not had time to ascertain the source of the power. His first suspicion had been Frieza. Who else had a power level high enough to disrupt a Scouter?
"Defense Maneuver Galaxy. Spread out and keep your eyes and ears open. I'll go in and investigate first."
"Is that wise, Captain?" asked a female Flazerian hovering close to him.
Jeice looked at her mirror-like silver eyes and smiled slightly. "Maybe, maybe not."
Her plated brow shifted and she gave him a look of reluctance. "You're the strongest of us, sir. Wouldn't it be better if you remained behind? You are, after all, our greatest asset."
"You're right, Sergeant Lerayo," Jeice said with a grin. "But that also means that I'm capable of defending myself against the members of the Ginyu Force. I know where I stand against them, so I'd prefer for you all to provide backup."
Lerayo obviously disagreed but she nodded her acquiescence. "As you say, Captain." She glanced around at the others. "Alright team, let's move into position!"
At her command the others all split up and shot away to take up spots on the surrounding buildings. Jeice waited until they were in place before descending to the street below.
As he drew closer he realized that the figure belonged to his own race. He grimaced as it occurred to him just who the person was. His suspicions were confirmed as he touched down beside the badly beaten Akatian, though he was admittedly nearly unrecognizable behind his injuries.
"Hani'iBal Burca," Jeice stated with a slight grimace.
Hani's eyes opened and he looked at Jeice in surprise. He blinked but didn't respond.
Jeice arched a white brow as he noted the look of grim resignation of his fellow's face. "Hey now, that's no way to be. I'm not gonna kill you, Hani'iBal."
"Hani."
Jeice blinked and folded his arms. "Excuse me?"
Hani looked away and sighed. "I do not deserve…to be called One of Honor. My honor…is dead…and gone."
The shorter Akatian rolled his eyes as he shook his head, a ripple running through his thick white mane. "Don't be so dramatic, it's really unbecoming of an Akatian. Especially one such as yourself, seeing as how you should be a Duke or something."
Hani snorted. "Archduke, actually. Archduke of Harukaze."
"Ah, yes." Jeice crouched down then, peering at Hani curiously. "So tell me something…what happened to you?"
Hani looked at Jeice sullenly. After a moment he sighed and said, "I killed a Saiyan…and another came…and kicked our asses. He killed Burter…and Ginyu."
Jeice gave a start. "Wait a second. Are you telling me Turles did all of this?" He asked with a nod to his injuries.
The other Akatian gave him a look of resentment. "Yes…he did. But only after…I killed his woman."
"Wow." The Galactic Band member whistled in admiration. "I really did underestimate the boy. Where'd he go?" he asked as he glanced around for him.
Hani shrugged. "I don't know. He took off."
"Well, which way did—" Jeice trailed off as he caught sight of a Spacepod rocketing through the atmosphere and towards space. He stood up quickly and watched it dwindle away until it was out of sight. He frowned in obvious confusion.
"Well…either that was Recoome…" Hani wheezed, "Or the boy just left the planet."
Jeice looked down at Hani again. "Recoome's alive?"
Hani shrugged again. "I don't know. The boy kicked him…haven't seen him since."
He looked away from his injured fellow and raised a fist over his head. A black dot jumped from the edge of one of the nearest buildings, and dropped towards them. The figure quickly resolved into Lerayo and she landed lighter than a feather nearby.
Jeice lowered his arm and regarded her for a moment as she eyed the other Akatian curiously. "The Ginyu Force has been defeated, two of their number confirmed dead. Report back to the Princesses immediately and tell them that it was Turles who beat them. And also tell them that he has left Earth for as yet unknown reasons."
She blinked in obvious surprise but nodded and took to the air at top speed, signaling her team to accompany her as she shot past them.
Jeice watched them leave before sighing and turning back to Hani. "You need a rejuvenation chamber bad." He knelt down and carefully lifted the injured warrior up, placing one arm across his shoulders as he slid one of his arms around Hani's broad back. Slowly they lifted into the air, and Jeice carried them skyward.
Hani frowned and looked at the smaller Akatian. "Why…are you helping me?"
"Why not? It's not like I was gonna kill you or just leave you there to rot."
"But…" Hani paused. "But I'm a Ginyu."
"No, you're an Akatian."
Hani gave Jeice a look of confusion.
Jeice glanced at him as they rose beyond the tallest of the buildings and into open sky. Seeing the look on Hani's face, he smiled sympathetically. "There are other options, Hani. There's a war on now, and the Galactic Band is leading the charge. The universe is finally rebelling against the Cold Regime. Wouldn't you like to be a part of that?"
Hani looked at Jeice again, his expression almost unreadable. "Can I really do that? Just…just leave it all behind?"
"Yes, you can. Your sins can be washed away if you do some good for the Cause."
"I don't deserve that," Hani said quietly, looking away in what appeared to be shame.
"And our people didn't deserve to be slaughtered, Hani," Jeice snapped irritably. "This universe is a messed up place and its peoples reflect it. It's the lot we drew, unfortunately. All we can do now is fight against it and try to ensure that future generations don't end up the way we did."
Hani glanced at him and regarded him in silence for what seemed an eternity. All the while Jeice continued his flight towards the People's Capital.
"If that's the way it is, then I have an idea." He took a breath and pointed back in the direction they'd come. "Turn around. I have to carry out the female Saiyan's mission."
Jeice looked at him curiously. "What are you talking about?"
"I'll explain what I can on the way," Hani said with a renewed vigor to his tone.
Jeice arched an eyebrow, but grinned and swung around. "Alright!"
DBZ
"Alright," said Mejai as he looked around at the others—Zether, Falmer and Diamond, Seluri, Amotto, Bardock and Seripa, and even Berik—seated around a circular metal table. "We're going to need a strategy going into this. Even with two Super Saiyans on our side, Frieza is still much stronger."
Bardock snorted as he folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his seat. "How much stronger could he really be? Me and Seripa fought him on Jynn-jin 13 and I know I'm stronger than he was back then. Hell, I could probably mop the floor with him myself at this point."
Mejai grinned. "Love the confidence, Bardock. Unfortunately Saiyans aren't the only beings capable of transforming. Ice-jins can, too."
Seluri grimaced as everyone exchanged glances. "The Clerics had heard rumors, but we'd been led to believe that only a small number possessed the ability at any given time."
"Yes, that's the case," the mysterious Saiyan affirmed. "The Cold Family are genetic anomalies—mutants if you will—that are capable of wielding god-like powers. Their transformations are curious, too, as their entire bodies morph into completely new forms."
Zether cocked an eyebrow. "Sheesh, they should've been called Changelings instead."
Mejai chuckled. "It's funny you should say that. Ice-jin literally means 'Changelings of Ice,' in their native tongue."
"Huh. No kidding?"
"Nope."
"Well ain't that some shit." Zether lamented as he turned to Bardock, who scowled and met his gaze.
"What?" the newly ascended Saiyan demanded harshly.
"Nothing." The Gylderian shrugged casually. "Just trying to figure out how long it'll take Frieza to split open your skull."
Bardock smirked and leaned forward a bit. "Want to find out how long it takes me to split open yours?"
Seripa drove an elbow into Bardock's gut, knocking the air out of his lungs and making him gasp. "Settle the hell down. We're less than four days away from arriving on Earth. We DO NOT have the time for you to act an ass."
Her mate grimaced as he rubbed his stomach, barely suppressing a fit of wheezing coughs. "Right, right."
Seluri looked across the table at her daughter, wrinkles of concern prominent around her eyes and across her forehead. "What are we to do about your situation, Seripa?"
Mejai glanced at the young woman as she met her mother's gaze. Seripa shrugged after a time. "Well I don't have much choice. I have to help in this fight."
Bardock scowled and turned to regard her in exasperated annoyance. "We've done talked 'bout this! You ain't fightin' and that's that."
"Oh, 'that's that' is it?" Seripa matched Bardock's expression, scowl for scowl.
"Yes! As your captain I order you to stay outta this fight."
"Listen here, you," she replied heatedly. "I'm your mate first, and your subordinate second—"
"Okay, fine, then as your mate—"
"Don't interrupt me!"
"Enough!" Amotto bellowed, standing up authoritatively and glaring at the two of them. "Bardock, shut the hell up. Seripa, you too! We don't have time for any of this!"
Bardock and Seripa exchanged glances before returning Amotto's glare.
"Why should I even listen to you?" Bardock demanded. "Since I transformed I'm now the strongest Super Saiyan around."
"Yeah, but you don't have my experience with it," she retorted smoothly.
Bardock just smirked. "And you don't have my experience as a leader."
"That's irrelevant," Seluri interjected. "She's the Arch-Cleric of Super Saiyans. She leads the Clerics, so she is irrefutable leader."
"Well I ain't no Cleric," Bardock shot back.
"He's got a point," Mejai offered, amused as always, as Seluri and Amotto exchanged sudden revelatory glances. "But…" he continued, drawing glances from everyone assembled. "The matter is irrelevant. If you want to base leadership solely on who has the greater Super Saiyan strength, then I would be the undeniable leader."
"Why don't you prove it then?" Zether suggested, a smirk playing on his lips.
Mejai shook his head. "I don't think so."
The Gylderian grinned and stood up slowly. "How about I just provoke you?"
Falmer stood and grabbed his younger brother's arm. "Zether, this is not wise."
"Can that all." Golden eyes cut towards the taller, white-haired man. "I'm curious to see what this guy's got."
"For once I'm with the hot-head," agreed Bardock as he stood up. "I'm tired of him actin' all smug and mysterious. What's he hidin'?"
Amotto frowned as she, too, stood up. "Now this is starting to get out of hand. We're not here to talk about Mejai. We're here to come up with a plan for fighting Frieza!"
Seripa stood up, as well, and rounded on her friend. "Why are you always defendin' him? What do you know that we don't?"
"I—but…" Amotto faltered as she glanced at her. "That is ridiculous. I don't know anything that you don't already know. It's not like that!"
Bardock snorted derisively. "That's bull shit and you know it. You defend him every time someone questions his presence, so there must be somethin' about him you know that we don't."
"Well, there is," Mejai chimed in cheerfully.
Amotto blinked as she turned to him in confusion. "Huh? I don't remember you telling me anything."
Bardock and the others turned to Mejai questioningly.
"Well? Are you gonna fill us in?" Zether asked impatiently.
"I suppose, but I must warn you. It's not really something any of you'd be interested in knowing." He leaned back in his seat, looking more amused by the second.
"Spit it out already!" Seripa snapped irritably.
"Well…the truth is…" Mejai hesitated and looked around at everyone to see them all practically leaning his way in eager anticipation. "What Amotto knows about me that none of you do is…" He grinned then. "Seriously, you're going to regret asking."
"Just get on with it!" Bardock said angrily, banging his fist on the edge of the table and causing it to rock violently back and forth on its circular base.
"Fine. You asked for it. What she knows and you all don't…is what I look like naked."
The room was silent. No one made a move or changed their expression, though Amotto's face had gone red. Mejai chuckled and folded his hands behind his head.
"I did warn you."
"Oh, gods!" Zether suddenly cried. "Now I'm picturing it! Dammit-dammit, damn you Mejai!" he continued as he jammed his eyes closed and clawed at his temples. "Gods-damn you to Hell, you bastard!"
Bardock sat down in irritable disappointment, looking more than slightly offended.
Seripa, on the other hand, turned to her red-faced friend curiously. "Since when?"
Amotto grimaced and looked away, embarrassed. "It's…it's my business!" she said defensively. But she sighed and looked back at her. "It's really not important, but it's been ages. Months. It just…sort of happened. And—and can we talk about this later?"
Seripa frowned, obviously confused. "Why later? What's wrong with now?"
"Well, it's kind of a private matter. And we've also got important things to discuss here."
"Private? It's just sex!" Seripa said in bafflement, causing Amotto to flinch.
"Maybe so, but Amotto doesn't like to talk about her feelings," Mejai said quietly, his expression uncharacteristically solemn. "And that's her right." He leaned forward and folded his arms on the table as he looked at Seripa, his gaze firm. "She also has a point. We do have things to discuss here. Namely the fight awaiting us on Earth, as well as your pregnancy."
His gaze snapped to Bardock and then to Zether. "You two are curious about me, and I'm flattered. But I'm not going to tell either of you anything about myself, nor am I going to become a Super Saiyan. Accept it and move on, because we don't have time for anymore of this petty ridiculousness. We have little more than three days to squeeze in training and forming a battle plan for our arrival. Now, I can tell you what I know about the Ice-jins and what we can do to fight against one. Or you can continue this senseless rabble and get slaughtered like a herd of murekemono. I advise against the latter, but it's entirely up to you."
Zether scoffed and shook his head. "Only 'cause I agree with you I'll drop it. But can you at least tell us why you won't rise to a challenge? You're supposedly a Saiyan, and a Saiyan male never turns down a challenge."
Mejai smirked and his eyes narrowed, giving the strange man a starkly sinister demeanor. "Fortunately for you, I am a pacifist. I will never harm anyone ever again."
Bardock leaded forward in agitation. "Does that mean you won't be fightin' on Earth?"
"That's exactly what it means," replied Mejai, his expression returning to his established standard look of mischievous amusement. "Now how about we get back to the important stuff?"
Bardock jabbed a finger towards him angrily and growled, "You're pissin' me off on purpose, ain't ya?"
"Well, yeah. Isn't it obvious?" Mejai asked sincerely, his eyes widening in shock at Bardock's question. "I thought you knew."
"Mejai, stop it," Amotto said flatly, cutting Bardock off before he could retort angrily. "I know it amuses you to push people's buttons, but even you said we don't have time for this crap. So let's all," she emphasized with a firm glance given to the other agitators, "just drop it, and discuss what we came to discuss. Agreed?"
Several rebellious glances were stolen her way, but she met them all unwaveringly. After a few moments common sense seemed to reassert itself and there was a grumbling agreement around the table.
"Alright then. Mejai, lay it out." She settled herself back into her seat and exhaled in relief as Mejai gave her a smile.
"Okay, we have two Super Saiyans and they are our most valuable weapons. Ideally it'd be nice if everyone could gang up on Frieza, but with the vast differences in your powers you'd only get in each other's ways."
"Well, what do you suggest then?" demanded Seripa.
"I suggest you stay out of the fight entirely, no matter what happens," he replied pointedly.
"That's too bad. I wanna fight, so I'm gonna fight." She folded her arms, considering the matter closed.
"What about your child?" Diamond asked in obvious concern, speaking up for the first time.
Seripa shrugged. "What about it?"
"The baby could die, Seripa," Falmer offered.
"I'm aware of that, yeah. But what's your point? We're going into a fight for the continued survival of our races, and I'm supposed to be concerned about one unborn child?" She scoffed and shook her head in disbelief.
Amotto frowned as she regarded her friend, but she said nothing on the matter.
Diamond, on the other hand, clearly could not believe what she was hearing. She shook her head in confusion, her expression showing her lack of understanding. "Doesn't that child deserve a chance at life?"
"Everyone deserves a chance at life, Diamond. But I can't guarantee that opportunity for anyone without fightin' Frieza." Seripa met her gaze, her eyes unblinking and unwavering. "Nor can I guarantee this child life by remaining out of the fight. I already have one son, but he was not the first one I carried. I've been pregnant maybe four times, but I've lost them all. Save for Kakarrot, and he almost didn't make it. He was even premature." She shook her head with a quiet sigh. "Chances are that I'll lose this one, too."
"But you can't know that this soon!" Diamond persisted. Falmer touched her arm soothingly and gave her an assuring look. She blinked at him and settled back in her chair, reluctant to drop the matter.
Seluri watched her for a moment before looking to Seripa. "If you do not think you will carry to term, why not just abort?"
"What?" demanded three distinctly Gylderian voices, Zether, Falmer, and Diamond looking at Seluri in utter horror.
A fourth voice, belonging to Berik, chimed in at that moment. "That seems…rather extreme, if I might say so myself."
Bardock, though he looked to disagree with the suggestion, shook his head. "Maybe to you lot, but not to Saiyans."
"Yes, it is our choice," added Seluri. "Or rather the women's choice, seeing as how it is our bodies that endure the pregnancies and bear the children. If we do not wish to endure that, then why should we be forced to? It has been common for centuries and has even been used as a means of population control." She shrugged indifferently. "I suppose you lot see things differently," she said somewhat disparagingly.
Zether frowned at her, his own disapproval evident in his golden-eyed gaze. "Children are a precious gift," he said, his tone unnaturally serious. "Why would anyone so casually write them off as expendable?"
Seripa twisted in her chair to return Zether's frown. "Who are you to decide my feelings on the matter? This child is no more expendable than anyone else, but he or she has to survive the hazardous landscape of my uterus to enter into this world. Plus I have one son that I haven't seen or held since he was born. My emotions are boiling over from that and have been for a long time. I really don't need to add anything else to that mixture.
"And that's without considering the world that the child will inherit from us one day. It's certainly a piece of shit right now, and there's no guarantee we'll change that. We might beat Frieza, but he's not the end of the war."
Amotto grimaced. "Yeah, we also have Coola and Cold. And I can tell you firsthand that we're a long way off from reaching Coola's level of power." She shook her head ruefully. "If a Super Saiyan is supposed to be an unstoppable force, then Coola is definitely an immovable object."
"See?" Seripa asked, extending a hand as if she were indicating Amotto's statement. "We don't know how long this war is gonna go on, and I'd rather not bring another child into this mess." She looked at Mejai. "Do we have the necessary equipment for that kind of procedure?"
He nodded, resting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands together under his chin. "That we do, though I've never performed an abortion before. It could get risky."
Diamond shot to her feet. "How are you talking about this so casually?!" she cried, looking around at the others. She looked on the verge of tears, her brow furrowed in sorrow and her expression displaying a mixture of disgust, horror, and disapproval. "This is a life you're talking about ending!"
Mejai raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm ancient. I've seen and done way worse than this. Not sure what their excuse is, though."
Bardock looked at Diamond. "Endin' lives was our job once, Diamond. Remember?"
She recoiled as if he'd struck her, looking sharply away as she blinked rapidly. Falmer quickly stood and put an arm around her comfortingly. The Saiyan gave her a pitying look and sighed.
"I guess we forgot we all came from different worlds."
"I didn't," Zether said as he regarded Bardock intently. He met the Gylderian's gaze and offered a smirk.
"No, but others have. What's normal for you, ain't for us. And vice versa. But we do have somethin' in common, and that's what brought us all here ain't it?"
Amotto nodded her agreement. "Yes, and it's really not for us to decide for Seripa how she handles this situation. No matter what world we come from, because we are all fighting for freedom right?"
Everyone looked at her and there were scattered murmurings, but everyone nodded their accord.
"Then I say the matter is closed. We might not all agree on the specifics, but let's agree to move on." More nods as those that were still standing returned to their seats, and she nodded her satisfaction before turning to Mejai again.
He grinned again and unclasped his hands to lean back in his chair. "If there are no objections, then I suggest Zether, Falmer, and Seluri go in first."
"Whoa, hey, what?" demanded Bardock. "That's suicide!"
Zether, looking thoughtful, shook his head slowly. "No…I don't think so." He looked at his brother with a sudden, mischievous grin. "You ready for another round of beasting out?"
Falmer blanched and shook his head firmly. "No. Hell no. To put it in your words: 'hell-fucking-no.' I am not going through that again anytime soon. I do not wish to put my allies in harm's way again."
"Nah, bro. That's not gonna happen this time around." Zether thumped Falmer's back, grinning all the while. "I'll be there at your side this time so I can help you work through the primal frenzy. Besides, you've already gone through it once so you know what to expect."
Falmer gave him a dubious, and somewhat scathing, glance. He was clearly reluctant, and for good cause. "I am not a warrior like you, Zether. I do not have that same energy that you so evidently inherited from Spark."
"Now, that's where I think you're wrong. You conquered the form after dishing out some serious damage to me and Amotto. You overwhelmed a natural born killer and took control." Zether chuckled. "I think if you can do it once, you can do it again."
Falmer shook his head in disagreement, but said, "Maybe. I do not know."
"There's only one way to find—"
He was cut off as an alert sounded then and all eyes turned to Mejai. The green-haired man blinked in surprise and quirked an eyebrow as he looked down at a flashing red ring in front of him.
"Someone appears to be hailing us," he said as he touched a finger to the ring. A holographic screen shimmered into view before him and he offered a slight frown. "No known origin, but the line appears to be secure. Hm…Eh, why not? Computer, open channel," he commanded before anyone else could speak up.
Zarbon appeared as a hologram standing on the table and he looked around at the gathering with a smirk. "You bunch are difficult to trace. It is fortunate that I have excellent hackers at my disposal." Chairs slid back as Bardock and Seripa, Amotto, Falmer, and Zether all stood up quickly.
"What the hell do you want?" Bardock demanded, his eyes narrowed as he bared his teeth aggressively.
"You're behind the times, Bardock. I've been outed for months now."
There was an exchanging of confused glances before Seripa demanded, "Out with that?"
Zarbon feigned shock at her question. "Why, I'm the leader of the Galactic Band. Haven't you heard?"
Zether gave the Aotian a dubious once-over. "Yeeeaah…Not buying it, dude. Sell us another."
Zarbon chuckled and shook his head. "I deserve the distrust, I know. My actions have painted me in a certain light for too long, and I abhor what it has done to me. I only ask that you observe my actions from now on and see that you and I are truly allies in this war.
"On another note, I have news for you. As well as a message," he added.
"Oh yeah? Who from?" asked Bardock snidely. "Frieza?"
Zarbon shook his head and replied amiably, completely nonplussed by Bardock's actions, "The message is from Princesses Leta and Surah, requesting your assistance on Earth. Frieza is in orbit as we speak and he has already dispatched his Ginyu Force to the surface." He paused then, frowning suddenly. "Whom…Turles, I believe his name was, then dispatched of in an entirely different manner."
Bardock blinked and then frowned. "I don't believe it. Turles wasn't nowhere near strong enough to take them on. Especially not Ginyu himself."
"Well that's the curious thing, Bardock. He apparently was strong enough. It's been confirmed that he has killed both Captain Ginyu and Burter. Recoome's fate is as yet unknown as no one has found a body, but it is reasonably believed that he did not survive the assault either." He shook his head again. "But that is not the news I bring. It seems Turles has abandoned Earth and disappeared into the depths of space. And no one knows why, nor can anyone reach him. He stole a Ginyu pod so he should be reachable, but he has blocked all attempts at communication."
Seripa frowned as she looked at Bardock. "How do we know you're tellin' the truth?"
Zarbon offered a shrug and a bark of laughter. "You do not. But you can always call the Princesses and verify my authenticity, as that was the message I was supposed to deliver. The Princesses request your assistance and for you to contact them at your earliest convenience. Preferably now."
Mejai looked at the screen before him again. "The line is still secure, if that's any consolation. No indication of forced, or willing, decryption. And this system is virtually impregnable."
"Virtually?" queried Amotto as she raised her eyebrows.
He grinned. "Well, I can hack it. But I know it inside and out. Aside from me, though, there isn't anyone in the entire universe that can break into this system or hide from it."
"Okay then. Zarbon, how about patching us through to the Princesses for a conference call?"
The Aotian dipped his head. "It would be my pleasure."
DBZ
This is fascinating Auguinti thought as his beady green eyes skimmed the words on the screen before him. He lifted his gaze briefly to glance at King Cold. He smiled when he saw the Ice-jin was still facing away from him, deeply occupied with his internal musings.
Good. Auguinti returned his gaze to the screen before him. He'd intercepted a report from Coola's son, Chilla, regarding an uprising in the Western Quadrant; and the more he read the more interested he became.
"Hm." His massive blue forehead wrinkled as his eyes narrowed. That's very interesting. So the Galactic Band has made their way to the Western…His line of thought ended when he read that the uprising was being carried out by a single warrior from a rural planet. Planet Nato'Sheru. Hm, never heard of it. 'Aggressor is from a race locally known as the Pecatians'…yada-yada…'unable to determine power reading'…'scouters explode!' Auguinti grinned thinly. 'It shames me to admit that I, Chilla, am unable to contend with this aggressor. I fear he surpasses even my father, Lord Coola. It is my opinion that only my venerable grandfather, King Cold, can handle this particular aggressor.'
Auguinti looked at King Cold. He was, without a doubt, the most dangerous member of the Cold Family. Auguinti had studied the fight on Jynn-jin 13, as well as Coola's bout with the Super Saiyans. The rebels had proven to be powerful adversaries in both instances; but neither time did a member of the Cold family fall. Tettuce, Zether and Falmer Zetra, and Ryo Hi'ojj were but a few that had perished on Jynn-jin 13, and the Super Saiyans Turpin and Priest had met their ends against Coola. Powerful opponents, the only warriors capable of making a stand against the Cold Regime; but they'd all fallen.
If Cold had been there…Auguinti frowned. The Ice-jin king would have left no survivors in either case, without even leaving his current form. It was well known—at least to Auguinti—that Cold's current power was as great as Frieza's in his final form. Coola had the edge, so long as he retained his spiked-form. But if Cold even went to his third form, let alone any further, then no one in the universe stood a chance. Even so, it was highly rare for Cold to get his hands dirty.
If Chilla is correct, and not even Coola can face this aggressor…Cold would have no choice but to venture to the Western Quadrant. He'd be gone for several months…At least!
Hm, I wonder…He looked back to his screen and hid the intercepted report. He made sure Cold was still ignoring him before opening two windows on his screen: one showed a video feed of the interior of Frieza's ship; the second contained every recorded conversation held aboard the ship in text form. It was a little program he'd designed to aid in his stealthy subterfuge; audio recordings were not exactly covert in a constantly occupied room.
He skimmed through the files before pulling up the most recent one. His eyes swept over the screen, his senses taking in the information almost instantly. Of course Frieza still has yet to share Planet Earth's coordinates. Willingly, anyhow he thought with some amusement. Auguinti had hacked into Frieza's onboard computer days ago—after reading the transcript of all conversations that had been recorded—and had copied the coordinates to his terminal. Of course he had no intention of passing this information on to Cold unaltered. He would, of course, make some changes so that the information would be useless to Cold without contacting Frieza.
And if Cold were to travel to the Western Quadrant, he'd have no use for the coordinates for many months. Auguinti's sabotage would remain undiscovered the whole of this time; probably not until Cold was ready to return from the Western Quadrant. The journey from their current position within the Northern Quadrant to Planet Nato'Sheru alone would take two standard months or more.
By then it shouldn't matter…Provided Frieza's overconfidence does him in on Earth. One can only hope he mused with a quiet chuckle. He paused in mid-chuckle, leaning closer to the terminal absently as his eyes suddenly widened.
The Ginyu Force will be arriving on Earth today?! Auguinti frowned and glanced at Cold; he was still facing away. Frieza is getting bold he thought as his eyes returned to the terminal before him. He has the coordinates to Earth, and has not relayed that information to Cold; he has sent his beloved Ginyu Force to the planet, quite obviously without approval. He knew this information meant something, but exactly what it represented escaped him. It frustrated him, too, because he had a feeling it was obvious.
Hm, I wonder if this means that Frieza is striking out on his own? Is he planning on betraying his family's regime? Ha, that would be an interesting thing to see, indeed Auguinti thought with a smirk. The chaos that such a betrayal would cause would rattle, if not shatter, the entire foundation of the Ice-jin Empire. Of course a dutiful soldier would immediately pass this information on to his superiors; however, Auguinti was far from being a dutiful soldier.
He had briefly toyed with the idea of somehow defecting to another Empire's territory, the most obvious choice being the Gylderian Empire. With the destruction of Planet Gylder, though, that was no longer an option. The Flazerians were simply too brutish for his tastes. The Galactic Band, on the other hand, greatly appealed to him and his goals. Getting in contact with the Band…that was another matter entirely; it was more or less impossible for him given his current situation.
He was well-placed anyhow; he was in a position to stealthily wreak untold amounts of damage to the Empire's infrastructure.
Auguinti's keen ears pricked up at the telltale sound of Cold's talons clicking on the tiled floor and he immediately did away with all of his incriminating files. Just as Cold passed by him he brought up the report from Chilla and turned towards the Ice-jin king.
"Sire, we have just received a report from your grandson Chilla in the Western Quadrant."
Cold paused and turned his horned head to look over his shoulder at the big-headed, blue alien. "Well? What does he have to say, Auguinti?"
DBZ
(I wonder who this mysterious aggressor could be? Hm…)
