AN: I know that was the prologue/teaser was pretty short, but it was a prologue after all. I love DBZ way too much not to write about it, so please enjoy, read, review, etc. Thanks! The story is 'T' rated as of right now. It's gets a little heavy towards the end of this chapter. There isn't anything graphic, but an allusion to death, rape, violence, etc... Please avoid reading this if it will upset you in any way!!!

Long Way Home

KING VEGETA WIPED the sweat from his brow and eyed his opponent. Exhaustion pulled at his muscles, sleep becoming a welcome diversion, but no...not yet. Just another hour, minute, even second...one more ounce of training could make him stronger. And perhaps bring him closer to retreiving his son.

The young, though strong, soldier remained alert and stood in a defensive stance. The high gravity of the chamber didn't seem to bother him much. King Vegeta had forgotten the boy's name, as he was the King's fourth punching bag for the day. Really, names mattered not when fist flew and blood was shed.

Vegeta attacked, smirking as the boy dodged predictably, only to meet with a blow to the back that he was not expecting. The boy growled softly, attacking once more, again in a calculable manner. But the strength behind his blows could not be ignored.

"You are strong, pup." Vegeta complimented uncharacteristically.

The boy blinked in surprise, and though his eyes were green, and so very un-Saiya-jin, they gleamed with pride. "I have trained arduously for your cause, Ou-sama." his voice was strong, his dark hair as unruly as any Saiya-jin's could be. His tail was curled protectively about his waist, though it was nearly auburn, very unlikely the deep brown that graced his head.

King Vegeta nodded in approval. "You will be a formidable warrior once you hone your skills. How many years have you seen, pup?"

The boy started in surprise once more, for it was unlikely that the King of your father's people would not only bestow compliments, but also ask personal questions as if they mattered. "I have seen thirteen standard years, my Lord."

The King chuckled. "Ah, yes, you are indeed strong for your age. As were your companions." he said, referrencing the three youngsers he'd fought earlier that day.

The boy outright smiled, something a typical Saiya-jin warrior would never do, but he was not full Saiya-jin, and Vegeta supposed it didn't matter much. "It was an honor for us to be put to your test." he replied enthusiastically.

Vegeta smirked. "Then allow me to grace you with my honor once again." and he attacked, the boy yelping in surprise and fighting back with his inexperienced might. The sparring continued, sweat dripping, blood trickling, bones breaking. The boy really was good, just lacking finesse.

"I think that's quite enough for today, Your Eminence." Bardock's voice echoed in the spacious hall of the training room, cutting through Vegeta's thoughts and interrupting his efforts. He faced the offending disturbance with a scowl. Bardock seemed unintimidated however, and continued speaking, "I have 'Seen' much today...and our Master Tech wants to share some advances that have been made."

The soverign sighed softly and turned to the youngster who now looked a tad worse for wear. "Run along boy. Check on your companions if you wish." Neither of the them would admit aloud that they needed medical attention. Warriors did no such thing.

The demi-Saiya-jin bowed deeply and limped off to the Medical Station. Both men watched him go for a few moments, perhaps taking in the differences and similarities the half-breed had to themselves.

"Quite strong, isn't he?" Bardock remarked offhandedly.

Vegeta nodded in agreement, thinking of the four youths he'd tested and trained with that day. Each one had remarkable strength for such a young age, and each had potential to grow into a skilled warrior. "It seems that allowing our un-mated warriors to breed with Chikyuu-jin women wasn't a pollution of our bloodline after all." he admitted reluctantly.

Bardock crossed his arms, smirking softly. "We've had to change some of traditions and ways...such is the way of survival." And change traditions they had. Since arriving on Chikyuu over fourteen years ago, the Saiya-jins had made many survival-driven alterations to their behavior. Upon arriving to Chikyuu, instead of invading and conquering as they ordinarily would have, Vegeta and his remaining people had come in peace, requesting to make an alliance with the Chikyuu-jins.

The Saiya-jins offered to help the Earthlings with many projects, such as construction, farming, and the like, and also offered them protection from Freiza, warning them of his impending galactic tyranny. In turn, the humans allowed the Saiya-jin to stay, and assisted them with technology and resourses. And it seemed that quite a few Chikyuu-jin women had taken a liking to the Saiya-jin warriors who had not been mated when the destruction of their planet had come about.

King Vegeta had allowed the sons of his empire to breed with these alien women, not entirely sure if procreation was even possible. Nine months hence from his decree, it was apparent that humans and Saiya-jins could indeed breed together and that the product of this breeding produced oddly-colored, immensely strong offspring.

Vegeta had deemed that it mattered not what color a warrior's eyes, or texture his hair was, so long as he had his wits and his power. The Saiya-jin's could no longer rationalize killing off any half-breeds to preserve their racial purity. Their race was at risk of extinction at this point, less than 5,000 of his people surviving the destruction of Vegeta-sei. They simply had not had enough time to evcuate their people before Freiza had come and blown it to proverbial bits.

Of his people who had survived, less than half of them were women. And a good number of them were older, battle-weary warriors who were past their prime for child bearing and rearing. Bardock had once made something of a joke of it, remarking that perhaps he should have had the 'sight' to save only young nubile women and leave the old crotchedy ones to rot.

One could only joke in dark times. Bardock, in addition to becoming his most trusted advisor, had also somehow become what Vegeta would call a friend in these past fourteen years. A relationship that would have never been had Vegeta-sei been intact still. But Vegeta was glad for this companionship, though he'd never admit aloud.

Bardock was the only man who had understood his extensive pain when it came to losing his son, the young Prince. Yes, of course, his people were outraged and upset over the loss of their young soverign, but in time they assumed their King would chalk it up as a loss and produce another heir.

But Vegeta had never given up his son as a loss. It was simply unacceptable. His son, though only five standard years when Freiza had taken him into his icy custody, was strong, intelligent, quick, and decisive. All the makings of an excellent king the elder Vegeta could see in the eyes of his young son. And also...the uncharacteristic warmth of something akin to the Chikyuu-jin word 'love'.

In their own native tongue, there was no word to describe the feeling a parent felt for their child, and it was often frowned upon to have nonsensical familial connections in any case. You were supposed to have a connection with your purging squad, your barrack-mates, your army-divisions. Parents were not expected to have an emotional investment in their offspring until their offspring grew up and proved themselves worthy.

Vegeta supposed that was why his own father, the King before he, had been so harsh, critical, demanding, and just an outright ass to him for the majority of his life, until he felt himself ready to kill his father and take the throne for himself. Such was the way of the sons of Vegeta-sei, to kill your father to take the throne for yourself. It was a tradition that his people had carried for generations, one that proved the strength of the next ruler to come. His own father had preened him well for the task.

But, nearly fifteen years ago, when his young son was growing in strength, studying fastidiously, and seemingly able to cold-cock his father when no ki was involved...in those days Vegeta had felt much pride in his young son. That perhaps he would become the next legendary, the messiah who would bring infinte glory to his race, allowing them to spread their influence and pwoer throughout the galaxy.

He would find himself checking on his son in the middle of the nights, though it was only occasionally. Asleep, his son's constant frown was replaced with a childish innocence, something Vegeta had himself lost well over a century ago. His would run his finger's through his son's unruly bangs, knowing full well that as he grew into adolescence they would grow longer and blend in with the flame of the rest of his hair.

Sometimes his son would wake, smile at him sleepily, and drift off into his slumber once more, feeling safe and as if all was well with with world. That trusting, loving smile was one Vegeta knew he'd have to vanquish eventually. Each day he told himself that tomorrow, tomorrow would be the day he'd become harsh, cold, and uncaring to his son. But each dawn, when he would breakfast with his child, it became infinitesimally difficult to do so. His son would school his features into a perpertual frown that matched his own and with all seriousness report what his plans for the day were.

Nappa also seemed to be soft on the young Prince, but not enough that Vegeta deemed him unworthy to be his guard and caretaker. In fact, Vegeta felt that Nappa was partly the reason the young Prince's strength was amasing so quickly. With Vegeta's nature and Nappa's nuture he seemed to be stronger than any Prince had been before him.

Vegeta preferred to tell himself that it was his own good genetics that he had passed onto his son, but his wife had been also responsible. She had been witty, clever, excellent at intrique and deception. Her strength was above average, but there was something about her...he had known form the moment he'd laid eyes on her, in their youth and her beauty, that she would be the one. His moonbound bride, his soulmate, the women who would bear the next generation of King's to lead their race to absolute power.

But she had passed on while laboring the birth of their son. A piece of him had died with her, but there was still a planet to govern, a galaxy to conquer. So he pushed the pain aside, only to visist him each night as he lay in bed to sleep, wishing the feel of his mate beside him...

But, he digressed. The love for Verdura, the love for his son...it was now the glue that had held him together. The hope that he could grow strong enough to defeat Freiza, to save his son and set him upon the new throne of the Saiya-jin empire...

"My Lord?" Bardock inquiered softly, for they had reached Vegeta's personal office and he had not spoken since they'd left the training room. He was hesitant to interrupt his King's thoughts, and hence Bardock's voice was softer in this instance, much gentler than his disturbance of his training had been, and Vegeta shook himself from his thoughts. He had been lost in thought often lately, it seemed.

"...do you ever think of Raditz?" Vegeta found himself questioning aloud. He entered his office, simple in tones of espresso and beige, chaotic with maps, papers, and varying forms of technology.

Bardock blinked in surprise, and the hurt that Vegeta felt himself for the loss of his own son now relfected in Bardock's ebony orbs. "Yes, my Leige. I think of him often." he replied, sorrow lacing his voice.

Bardock and his son Raditz had been a rare example of father and son who had fought together, had been battle comrades, and had come to know and repsect one another. Moreso friends than father and son, but the closest emotion to the Chikyuu-jin word for 'love' had been there.

"He was stationed with my son when Vegeta-sei was destroyed." the words were like ash on his tongue, and after nearly fifteen years of this shocking revelation, they were hardly able to be uttered to another. He sank into his plush leather chair, hunched over his desk.

"And Nappa." Bardock summated. He sat in the chair placed before Vegeta's desk, grabbing the nearest writing utensil to fiddle with. A quill, sharpened and feathered.

Vegeta frowned thoughtfully. "The three of them...they are likely to band together...perhaps they can manage to keep Vegeta safe..." Bardock was the only person the King did not censor himself in front of, and though he sometimes felt embarrassment for the words that slipped from his mouth, Bardock never seemed to mind, and sometimes confiding something equally embarrassing.

Bardock chuckled at this, setting the quill back onto Vegeta's desk. "Vegeta, it is likely your heir is bossing those two around, barking orders left and right!" he exclaimed, now mildly amused, a nice change to the heavy sorrow he resembled only moments prior.

Vegeta felt the corners of his mouth twitch. "Oh, have you 'Seen' so, Bardock?" he questioned tartly. He leaned back in his chair, wondering at the marvels of Chikyuu-jin furnishings, even after all this time.

Bardock grinned softly. "Something like that...though I'm sure you think of your son and see the small boy he had been back then." His words rang true, for Vegeta couldn't imagine what his son was like now. How tall he could have become, if his hair had remained that auburn hue, or if it had darkened, if his bangs had truly grown out...and more pressing matters such as how strong he had become, how much more keen and sharp he'd become, if he had grown to be honorable and true, or as twisted and dark as Freiza was himself...one could only guess when a child came to age under the thumb of a tyrant like Freiza.

"Yes...it's hard to know what he has become now..." Vegeta trailed off, lost in thought, cursing himself for becoming so sentimental in his older age. Though one hundred and three was hardly old... He glanced at his companion. "You are fortunate in one thing, Bardock-san." he finally said.

The Seer arched a brow. "Oh?" was his only response.

Vegeta nodded. "You have seen both Raditz and now Kakarrot grow into manhood." he informed his friend, "With your eyes, I mean. Not that blasted Sight of yours." he added belatedly.

He looked pensive himself. "Yes. Raditz has always had my respect. And Kakarrot...he is not the dissappointment I thought him to be at his birth." Bardock had this habit of not giving enough credit to himself or his progeny. Vegeta found it to be both humble and annoying at times.

"You cannot be serious? Kakarrot is impressively strong! I should like think that if circumstances were different, I would have him in my son's own personal entourage." Vegeta told his friend honestly.

Bardock's features colored and he looked away. "You honor my house with your words, Ou-sama."

Vegeta sighed with exasperation. "Truly, if I wasn't keen to see my son on the throne..."

"Kakarrot has no such ambitions, Vegeta-sama." Bardock interrupted. Both men thought of the boy who had been the first of their race to grace this planet. When they came across him, he had been an agreeable, giggling infant, changed from a blow to the head. But Bardock had taken his son under his wing, training and raising him to be a true Saiya-jin warrior. Kakarrot had grown tall and strong, utterly devoted to his King, his people, and their cause. A strong warrior, brave and true, fearing nothing but the wrath of his King.

But something was different about Kakarrot than was normal for a Saiya-jin. He had a compassion about him, a gentleness even, that seemingly only added to his strength. It was not a liability, and he was therefore accepted by his Saiya-jin peers and the humans as well. And, as much as Bardock would not admit such a thing, he had come to care for this son as deeply as he had his firstborn.

"Comforting to hear." Vegeta remarked eventually. Bardock too, had not given up hope of rescuing the young Prince. Vegeta was glad that someone else still cared for the fate of his son.

Bardock grinned wryly. "So, do you want to hear about my visions, or not?" his words were almost like a steak one would hold teasingly over a starving dog.

Vegeta scowled. "Out with it, Seer."

Bardock's eyes clouded, his expression taut with some sort of mystical hold, a look that made him look both surreal and awe-inspiring. "I have Seen this occur...this morning in my meditations...the vision was so real I felt as if I were standing there, that I could reach out and touch them..." he sifted in his seat, coming to sit in a cross-legged fasion. Vegeta minded not that his boots were on the fabirc of the seat.

"I envisioned," Bardock continued, "the following..."

The bell at the door of younger Vegeta's quarters rang in a mildly annoying tone, and he went to answer it. "What is it?" he barked rudely, irritated at the disturbance.

"It's Nappa, your Highness." the intercom's gravely voice replied.

Vegeta sighed with impatience and pressed the button the opened the door. The loyal guard stepped into room, towering over the Prince in an intimidating fashion. Though Vegeta seemed unfazed. Both warriors were dressed in variations of Freiza's standard uniform, though Vegeta's was much more covering and a bold navy in color.

Vegeta went over to his meager desk, sitting regally and regarding his servant. "What is it you want, Nappa?"

Nappa looked about Vegeta's sparse quarters, lacking the personal effects one would normally see in a person's bedchambers. "I merely came to escort you to the docks. Our next mission is-"

"I know the list of the planets we are supposed to purge Nappa!" Vegeta interrupted, scowling darkly at the elder Saiya-jin. "As I also know what time we are scheduled to leave." the surly Prince crossed his arms.

Nappa tensed nervously. "Forgive my assumptions, Ouji-sama." he bowed his head feebly. So strange that a large man such as Nappa would cover before such a smaller man such as Vegeta. The various aliens on their base who didn't know much of the Saiya-jins always seemed to cast questioning gazes.

"How about you do tell me one thing I don't know. Where is Raditz?" Vegeta demanded. He looked at Nappa disdainfully.

Nappa stepped into the room, bowing before his Leige. "He is on his way, my Lord."

Vegeta sighed once more, this time with exasperation. "He better not be late. I'm in the mood to maim." he announced testily.

Nappa glanced up at his soverign quickly before lowering his gaze once more. "Forgive me, Ouji-sama, but...are you well?" he somehow managed to keep his voice steadied, though he feared Vegeta. Moreso than Freiza, he would hazard to guess.

Vegeta's features softened, almost as if he recalled that Nappa had been his caretaker since birth and was one of the two people still alive that gave a rat's ass about him. "It's fine, Nappa." he answered softly, his expression twisted with emotional and mental agony.

This time it was Nappa who was seething. Enraged could even be deemed appropriate. "It's not right Vegeta! I cannot allow this to continue!" his giant knuckles were bleached white, he was clenching them so tightly. The larger man trembled with barely contained anger. "We must leave! Go somewhere..!"

Vegeta fought to keep his features steady, to morph them permanently into an unfeeling mask. He did not want to attest his fears, his anguish, his outrage, his agony...not to anyone. Not even Nappa. "Go where, Nappa? We have no home, no planet that we'll be safe on for any measure of time. He will hunt me to the ends of this Gods-forsaken galaxy." his voice was dry, his eyes focusing on the window which gave sight to the vast breaches of space.

Perhaps if he gazed at the place where his homeworld once was, it'd reappear. That he'd be five years old again, waking from his slumber to see his father by his bedside, the pride in him evident in his sire's eyes. That Nappa would take him into the wilderness to train against wild beasts waiting to tear out his throat. That tutors would drone on and on about Saiya-jin history that he cared little for, since he'd be making history of his own in due time.

Back to a time when he'd been somewhat innocent. As innocent as a Saiya-jin child could be, growing up in perpetual war, violence, and bloodshed. But it was what he knew, it was what called for him, it was what was lurking in his blood.

But not this...this hired purging, being at the beck and call of a sadistic lizard who asked for entirely too much and took it when you didn't willingly give it. He thought back to the first time, a shock stronger, a hurt deeper than he'd known, even when he'd heard of the destruction of his planet and the death of his race...

The lizard's lisping voice echoed in the recesses of his mind, "Don't fear little Prince...it won't hurt...much." Claws sinking into the tender flesh of his shoulder, not hurting nearly as much as Freiza sunk others things into places he wasn't sure were possible and not something he entirely understood at his young age. He cried out in pain, tears slipping down his face, adding to his shame, and he begging for it to stop, please, no...Father...help me...

But he never came to save him. Nappa-sensei never came either. No one came.

And so it continued, each year. Everytime Vegeta returned from a purging mission, Freiza would beckon him to his private quarters, claimibng he needed to breif Vegeta on his progress. Raditz and Nappa hadn't known, at first, but over the years Raditz had figured it out. He had a clever mind hidden behind his warrior's facade. And soon enough, Nappa knew as well.

Vegeta wasn't sure what was worse: the suffering he endured at the hands of Freiza, or the fact the his last two subjects knew about the entire degrading insult he endured time and time again...

Nappa knelt at Vegeta's feet. "My Prince..." he murmured brokenly. No sooner than Nappa had uttered his hearfelt mantra, the door sang shrilly.

Vegeta welcomed the interruption. "Answer it." he bade his kinsman gently, his anger receeded for now. Nappa had done too much for him, had remained loyal despite Vegeta's want for a throne. Had always been there...

Raditz entered the room, bowing respectfully. "Your Eminence." He took note of the constricted emotion in Vegeta's quarters and he knelt before his Prince much like Nappa had moments earlier. "May I speak frankly?" he questioned, gazing into Vegeta's eyes with unwavering loyalty.

Vegeta nodded. "You may."

Raditz nodded and continued nervously, "Nappa and I have been thinking..."

"A dangerous pastime." Vegeta remarked wryly, feeling the need to ease the tension within his room. Both Nappa and Raditz chuckled slightly.

"My Lord...my younger brother Kakarrot was sent to a planet on the far side of this galaxy on an infant purge. I've checked Freiza's database discreetly and it seemed there are no plans in the future to purge and sell this planet he was sent to. It is seemingly that insignificant." Raditz informed his Prince.

Vegeta's brows furrowed thoughtfully. "What year was he sent?"

"Year 737, my Lord." he answered quickly.

"Ah. So he will be about fifteen standard years by now. I wonder if he successfully completed his purging mission..." Vegeta trailed off lightly.

"The advantage of this is that Freiza destroyed Vegeta-sei before the information of my brother's infant purge was documented. so he has no idea we ever sent Kakarrot there. No one does." Raditz could not contain the excitement in his voice, his features lit with hope. "If Kakarrot did complete his purge, he will be waiting there for us, wondering what took us so long."

"He could be an ally to our cause." Nappa added as an afterthought.

"One of the planets on our purge is somewhat close to this planet, Chikyuu, that Kakarrot was sent to. But not enough to arouse suspicion. Perhaps if we allow oursevles a 'fake defeat' and then somehow dismantle our communication devices...Freiza would never be able to track us. He'll believe we are dead, defeated by the planet's inhabitants."

Vegeta blinked in surprise. He had seen glimpses of Raditz's intelligence before, but never quite so much, nor for this type of plans. "By the Gods...it may very well work." he murmured, Nappa nodding his head in agreement.

"It'll take some time though, Vegeta-sama. We'll need to follow the purge list, as per usual, so we do not send up any red flags..." Raditz warned carefully.

Vegeta shook his head. "It doesn't matter. It's...something. Anything." he replied, for once not having a sarcastic remark on the tip of his tongue. He gazed upon his subjects, the last of his kind. Save for the infant who was now a half-grown man, on a planet that destiny has set him aside for safekeeping. He trembled with the gravity of it all. "Come along, men, we have a purging mission to get to."

The three Saiya-jin stood, the two larger following their leader, as they set forth on a mission unbeknownst to anyone but them...