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Long Way Home

THE KING OF Chikyuu was an old man, one who had been privy to times of peace during his extensive rule. The arrival of the Saiya-jin fifteen years ago had disturbed the careful balance and harmony that Earth had been experiencing up until that point. The King had learned in the ensuing years that even in his older age, he was still entirely ignorant of the universe and its ways, and that he had become arrogant in his old age in thinking he knew anything at all, really.

He'd had his doubts in the beginning, but when the Saiya-jin had helped in subduing the Red Ribbon Army and Dr. Gero, he was more convinced that these intergalactic aliens were speaking the truth. And the Seer, Bardock, had proved himself and his powers true when he predicted natural disasters, wars, and other minor maladies that threatened earth. The Saiya-jin race, or what remained of it, had devoted themselves whole heatedly to Chikyuu and the protection of it. The alien humanoids had started integrating themselves with human society, to the extent of forming an intriguing race of half-breeds who had seemingly inherited the best of both their parents' traits.

Thus far, Earth had benefited from the Saiya-jin's presence and he saw no harm in seeking council with them. So when Vegeta-ou, a man he had come to have much respect for in the past fifteen years, had contacted him with urgency, he cleared his schedule to have audience with him. And so he sat at the head of the table in his board room, waiting patiently for all the pawns of this planetary chess board to assemble. Thus far Vegeta-ou, Bardock, and a young man that Vegeta-ou had introduced as his own wayward son were present.

The president of Capsule Corporation and daughter to Chikyuu no Ou's close friend Dr. Briefs, Bulma Briefs was running late, and keeping the meeting from progressing naturally as it should. The King sighed impatiently, for though he held much affection for Dr. Briefs' daughter, he had other responsibilities that required tending to. "Shall we begin, Bardock-san?" he finally questioned.

The Seer, face fixed in expression of deep concentration, nodded his head in agreement. "They're here now anyway." he replied matter of factually. Even minor details, such as when and where a person was, that no one could possibly know, Bardock seemingly always knew. It still surprised the King from time to time.

True to form, Bulma Briefs strode into the office, Bardock's intelligent and resourceful son Kakarrot trailing closely behind. Both youths seemed flustered and not quite so happy with one another, but their private business was not Chikyuu no Ou's concern and he chose to ignore it. "Ms. Briefs. Kakarrot-san." he addressed both respectively.

Bulma bowed quickly before taking her seat, making it a point to sit where Kakarrot could not chose a seat beside her. "Ou-sama." she intoned softly, placing a tote bag beside her chair that she had brought with her. Kakarrot, unable to seat himself beside his current interest, chose the other side of the table and said nothing.

Bardock stood, facing his companions seriously. "Last night I had a vision of Freiza coming to Earth to destroy it. He is on a vendetta to punish the Saiya-jin, Vegeta-ouji particularly. He will be here in less than a year's time." The severity of his words was not lost on him, and the rest of the table barely concealed heir own individual reactions. It was quite the pill to swallow.

Chikyuu no Ou's heart dropped. "I have known you enough years to believe that what you See is true, Bardock-san. It is just a lot to take in." His hands trembled as he thought of Earth, and its imminent destruction. Obviously, it must be so, or Bardock would have already been explaining a plan to thwart Freiza's attempts.

Bulma suppressed her own gasp, avoiding eye contact with the four Saiya-jin and King that sat around the conference table. Chikyuu destroyed? Everything blown to smithereens, just as Vegeta-sei had been. She felt numb, for she had known Bardock-san her entire life and his predictions had proven true each time. So Earth, the planet of her birth, the only home she'd ever known, had less than a year to live. How cryptic.

Vegeta the younger scowled softly as he absorbed Bardock's spoken vision. That damnable lizard would not rest until he had broken Vegeta-ouji mind, body, and soul. Freiza would hunt him to the ends of the galaxy and back, just to satisfy his own personal grudge against the Saiya-jin race for daring to grow stronger than the Ice-lings. The absolute power that Freiza owned had corrupted him absolutely. He no longer sought after an outcome because of its benefit to his empire, he instead strove after what would satisfy his personal agenda. The demon of his nightmares was drawing ever closer and he was no where near to attaining Super Saiya-jin. Panic, familiar and long withstanding, began to well within his breast.

"We must begin to evacuate Chikyuu. We already have cargo ships that have been prepared for this occasion. 11 to be precise." As quickly as Bulma had gone into shock she had snapped herself out of it. Panic would get them nowhere, but careful planning and calculations could get them somewhere. She could change this nightmare if she was resourceful enough, right? Her father had always told her there infinite numbers of ways to resolve any point in space.

The men all observed her as she pulled a small lap top from her tote bag and began to furiously type calculations into her system. Vegeta-ouji found himself impressed with the woman's quick wit. "How many more can we build before..." The King of Earth questioned, unable to even speak of the devastation that would befall Chikyuu.

"...well, we can't save everyone." she said flatly. There was no use being emotional as she reviewed the data. Frankness was probably best at this point. She typed a bit, chewed on her lower lip, and regarded her small entourage. "Each freighter can only hold 10,000 people. So as of right now, we can only save 110,000 people."

The King's face fell at her clear observation. "Earth's population of Chikyuu-jin is 5 billion right now." he croaked weakly. His heart could give out before Freiza ever even arrived, given this stress. His how life was rout. Everything he'd ever achieved ultimately wouldn't matter. His planet, his people, were in as much danger of extinction as the Saiya-jin were.

Vegeta-ou sighed heavily. He had a similar problem when it had come time to evacuate Vegeta-sei. His people had counted at 250,000 million before Freiza destroyed them, and they could only evacuate a meager 5,000 due to lack of ample cargo ships. "How many more ships can we manufacture this following year?" he queried respectfully to the Master Tech.

Her fingers flew across the keyboard and she sighed heavily. "Only 17 more given our resources. And it is only right to keep the population cared for while they still live, so we can't divert too much away from them or they will know something is awry." Her moral turpitude to provide for the population whom would not be salvaged was beyond the King of Vegeta-sei, but he did not argue. Certain aspects of human culture where not for him to make a opinion or judgment over.

Vegeta-ouji did some quick calculations in his head. "So...we'll only be able to manifest 28 cargo ships to evacuate a population of nearly 5 billion. 10,000 heads per ship only allows...just under 280,000 survivors to escape Chikyuu." he said bleakly when the numbers occurred to him.

It was Bulma's turn to be impressed with the rogue Saiya-jin Prince. "Correct." the delight in her voice at his intelligence was not missed. He was smarter than she had originally given him credit for, though she knew he was not an idiot by any means. But most Saiya-jin were typically warriors instead of scientists or mathematicians.

The King of Earth rubbed his temples. "How...how does one go about selecting who to save and who to..." It was unthinkable, to decide who lived and who didn't. But he had to decide, now that Freiza had decided to end Earth. A cruel decision thrust upon him due to a tyrant's bad judgment.

"It is not an easy thing, to decide one's fate. I experienced a similar conundrum with Vegeta-sei." Vegeta-ou added. And decisions that he'd made as a ruler he regretted to this day. His people were not faring well under his rule. He could admit he felt sympathy to Chikyuu no Ou's predicament.

"To be frank...salvage people who can contribute to the new society that we will have to build. We need intelligent scientists, doctors, people from good back round and standing. Creative people, such as artists, musicians, people who offer promise. And, of course, any Chikyuu-jin warriors would be appreciated." Bulma spoke up, still typing in calculations while she spoke.

The King nodded. "Let me know what you need." he told the Capsule Corp heiress seriously. He had whole heartedly approved of Capsule Corporation working closely on the Saiya-jin efforts, and would continue to do so, despite the difficult situation their presence presented. He needed the Saiya-jin to defend the Chikyuu-jin should the enemy appear, and he needed Capsule Corporation's intelligent inventions to save them also.

Bulma nodded, closing her laptop. "If you excuse me, gentlemen, I need to begin production on this serious undertaking." She stood, and the men nodded respectfully. There was so much to do now, so much to prepare for...

Kakarrot stood abruptly. "Will you be needing an escort, Bulma-san?" They still had not yet resolved their issues, and he longed for a moment to attempt to do so. This tension over their unresolved conflict was unbearable.

The blue haired beauty shook her head. "I can make it alone. Thanks." She left before he could protest and she was glad for it. She and Kakarrot didn't have anything more to say to one another as far as she was concerned. And other things were much more important now anyway.

Bardock, satisfied that evacuation plans had been made, turned to Chikyuu no Ou. There was still business to be handled, after all. "Have you named a successor yet?"

The King shook his head. "No...I have not. Though there have been promising youths..." he answered cautiously. Just what was the Seer trying to get at?

Bardock stood, bowing his head to show reverence. "I suggest you do so. You need to train your heir to competency as soon as possible." He gave no further indication as to why the King needed to choose an heir so quickly, and Kakarrot wondered if perhaps the King wouldn't live to see his people trek throughout the vast breaches of space.

The King frowned while worriedly rubbing at his breast as if his heart ached. "Your honesty is refreshing." he said bitterly. Ever since Bardock had arrived upon Earth, nothing had seemingly gone right. Was it Chikyuu's lot in life to be forever tied with the Saiya-jin? Had they not come to Chikyuu seeking refuge, would they not be facing their destruction now?

Kakarrot scowled softly at his father's callousness, but perhaps Bardock's way was best. At least one knew what to expect. Unexpectedly, his father opened his mouth to speak once more.

"I know you doubt my people and our integrity, but Chikyuu would have met its demise either way. Had the Saiya-jin not arrived upon your doorstep, then Earth would have experience about 25 more years of peace...before Freiza's men came to prime the planet for sale to the highest bidder, enslaving the small number of Chikyuu-jin who happened to survive the ordeal. So, you see, it was all a matter of time, and 25 years hardly matters in the grand scheme of things." Having said his part, Bardock left, leaving Vegeta-ou, Vegeta-ouji, and Kakarrot in the company of the King.

Vegeta-ou bowed his head. "This is where we take our leave as well, though...from experience, I can advise that you compile all of the greatest accomplishments of your people's culture and salvage what you can. Such sentimental trinkets prove of value when one is far from home."

Vegeta-ouji and Kakarrot rose to follow their king, leaving the Chikyuu no Ou to his thoughts, and perhaps, worst nightmare. The youths paused in their steps as the King of Vegeta-sei halted his progression. "Bardock's vision, which will undoubtedly come to pass, only proves that the strong will survive. The stronger you both are when Freiza arrives, the more chance the Saiya-jin and Chikyuu-jin have for survival." His voice was just short of gravel as he addressed his progeny and that of his staunchest ally.

"I will become Super Saiya-jin, the Legendary." Vegeta-ouji murmured, his voice barely audible. He felt the cold numb in knowing that Freiza would undoubtedly destroy Chikyuu as he did Vegeta-sei. Could anything be left unfettered in this galaxy while that white demon drew breath? He felt a pang of remorse that was old and constant when he considered all that could have been on Vegeta-sei had it not been destroyed.

Kakarrot remained silent. He was amongst royalty, and as such his voice did not matter. Instead he watched, hoping that between two generations of Vegeta's best lineage an answer would pop would occur to them.

"If it can save Chikyuu-" Vegeta-ou cut off his own sentence, brows furrowed. 'If' was not a word to be spoken when Bardock had Seen it. Any matter that Bardock had Seen was veritable law. "Train hard over this next year, Vegeta." he finally said, his brain pounding from the information the meeting had gleaned.

He moved to leave, but Vegeta the younger halted his father. "What will you do now, Otou-sama?" his tone was neutral, his expression calm.

The King sighed heavily. "Meet with Bardock." he answered simply. He left then, leaving the two Saiya-jin males to one another's company. Whatever Bardock had told the King of Earth was likely not the entirety of the tale. If he could gain more information from the Seer, perhaps there could be a way to circumvent Chikyuu's death. There had to be something that could be done, but the sinking feeling within his breast told him otherwise.

Vegeta-ouji and Kakarrot exchanged glances before following the King back to the Saiya-jin/Capsule Corporation compound. They wouldn't find answers within the hall of the King of Chikyuu's capitol.

WHEN BULMA RETURNED to her lab, though she barely remembered the journey back, she saw that her assistants had cleaned up the mess in the storage room and had begun cleaning the rest of it thoroughly. She smiled, for her father had chosen his technicians wisely. They were loyal and hard working, thus she rewarded them amply for their efforts.

"Oh! Bulma-san!" One of her techs approached her eagerly. "We've found something unusual. We'd like you to see it." She beckoned Bulma to the smaller office that her two head technicians shared. She followed, curious, and blinked in surprise when her assistant handed her a small softball sized orb. It was orange, with red stars. Two to be precise. She could see her distorted reflection in the gleam of the orb. She held it, inspecting it. Was it a paperweight? Or some sort of decorative feng shui ornament?

"What is it?" She asked point blank, her ultramarine eyes wide with awe.

"We're not quite sure...but most of what had fallen off of the storage shelves were a mishmash of inventions and their corresponding paperwork. So, through process of elimination, we paired this orb with some files regarding research done on-"

"Dragon balls?" she interrupted, feeling faint. This...this was something. If she recalled correctly, her father had mentioned something about a mystical orb he had found, but he had gotten really sick with his emphysema and hadn't pursued the subject further. This dragon ball had been lingering in her mind all morning since she'd skimmed the words off of the papers that were flung about the storage room..

Plus that meeting had been excruciating with Vegeta sitting right across the table from her the entire time. He was sultry and handsome, and the tug of attraction was palpable. Not only that, but he had been on the same page as her, calculating alongside her while they tried to best plan their planet's evacuation. She found herself intrigued by the wounded Saiya-jin Prince, and his mental capability of keeping up with her impressed her.

And now she was the only other human than the King of Earth who knew that Chikyuu's demise was looming in the horizon. Damn it. She was barely twenty and already she'd been privy to more than she'd ever imagined. She felt a deep sense of loss when she considered the future where Chikyuu was no more than desecrated rock orbiting about space. But no one could know about this. She had no one to tell, to weep to. This was a burden she'd carry alone for the next year until Chikyuu did indeed cease to be.

"Thank you, Sakura-san." She took the files and the dragon ball from her assistant, and retreated to her office. In order to forget about Earth's limited lifespan, she'd have to distract herself with her science. She scoured over the paperwork frantically, looking for any sort of answer. Her father's research was not complete, and so if she wanted to discover the meaning of this orb she would have to delve further on her own. But it seemed like there were six other dragon balls and that they held some sort of magical property. She would have to look further into the matter.

At this point any sort of hope was good hope.

KAKARROT SCOWLED AS he stormed through the Saiya-jin compound. On a grander scale, he'd like to say he was upset due to the bad news his father had given them regarding Earth's imminent demise. But, on a minor, more personal level, he was furious at his failed attempts to woo Bulma. He'd screwed up majorly last night with his drunken behavior, and now she was surly with him. So not only was the world literally over, but it was metaphorically over as well. At least it felt that way.

He'd liked Bulma for as long as he could remember. His father had worked closely with hers, and thus he and Bulma had been subject to one another's company quite frequently while growing up. Once Dr. Briefs had passed away, Bulma had risen to take up where he'd left off, and so their communication had only increased, as had his crush when he'd seen firsthand how competent and able she was.

But now it seemed as though he'd blown any chance he had with the blue haired scientist. He usually succeed at whatever he strove towards, so this unexpected failure filled him with a snarling rage. Kakarrot growled under his breath and headed to the training hall. The best solution would be to fight until his fists were as bloodied as his heart. But before he could choose a room in which to train, the demi Saiya-jin youths he'd come to know rather well rounded the corner.

They acknowledged him, as he did them, but one in particular broke from their small group to confront him. "Kakarrot-san, you remember we have a spar tomorrow, right?" Aspara, the short and cute demi Saiya-jin girl, questioned sweetly. She threw her unruly blonde hair over her shoulder and regarded him curiously, hopefully. He wasn't sure what to think of her behavior. He'd been so focused on his thoughts that he was thrown off by this current interruption.

Because of all that had happened recently, he hadn't even given though to the agreed upon spar, but he wasn't going to admit that now, lest he invoke the girl's temper. Saiya-jin females, even demi Saiya-jin females, were a sight to behold when incensed. "Of course. I was hoping to spar today, so if you were willing..." Kakarrot knew Aspara was strong, and could probably withstand several hours of intensive sparring with him.

She seemed hesitant, though eager to accept his reply. Her comrades, previously conversation amongst themselves, turned their attention to them. It made her feel exposed and somewhat nervous. "I can, though it won't be my best, Kakarrot-san." she answered, since she and her companions had just exited their own training room. It was probably evident from her disarray.

He nodded, disappointed, but perhaps others were available for a satisfying training routine. "Very well then. I will see you tomorrow for our appointed sparring match." He blinked when her face, and the other teens, twisted into fearful reverence. They all prostrated themselves upon the ground instantly, and Kakarrot turned.

Vegeta, who had concealed his whereabouts near seamlessly, had snuck up on him. No one had ever gotten that close behind him. Not since he'd been an untrained child. It bothered him more than he would ever let on. "Kakarrot." The Prince was not disdainful or anything of the like, but he was definitely brusk.

Kakarrot nodded respectfully. "Prince Vegeta." He waited, curious as to what exactly Vegeta had to say, for he lacked the authority in this situation.

"It seems you are vexed, as am I. I propose that we engage in a spar to vent this frustration at our current circumstance." Vegeta worded himself carefully, since the demi Saiya-jin weren't privy to the sensitive information that he and Kakarrot were. These youths, Kakarrot included, had all been raised upon Chikyuu, and would probably despair if they knew the bleak future this mud-ball faced.

Vegeta was not emotionally perceptive specifically, but he could read people's stances and their tensions, and saw that Kakarrot was perturbed over something. He assumed it was due to Chikyuu's ill fate, prophesied by Bardock. He was not aware that part of Kakarrot's temper was due to his difficulties in his relationship, or lack thereof, with Bulma. His own agitation, coincidentally, also had to do with Bulma, and the fact that he had seen her escort Kakarrot to his quarters and then fail to leave in a timely manner.

Which only insinuated, in Vegeta's perception, that she and the Earth-raised Saiya-jin were mates. That also implied that she was off limits, unless Vegeta was willing to slay Kakarrot to win Bulma's heart. And not only did he not know Bulma well enough to decide that he'd kill her mate to become the next in line, his people could little afford the loss of Kakarrot's strength, not to mention how it would effect Bardock's ability to prophesy the Saiya-jin race out of further danger.

The Chikyuu-jin scientist affected Vegeta more than he cared to admit. He'd spent the better part of his evening thinking over her strange offer of friendship, and even that silly, single action of the good bye kiss she'd left on his cheek. She was infiltrating his thoughts, distracting him, when she already had a mate at her side, however secretive they were with their relationship. He was feeling a certain degree of malevolence over the matter, actually.

Despite being a Prince and entitled to one's birthright, Kakarrot had seemingly captured the Chikyuu-jin's affections through means inconceivable for Vegeta. What was it that she preferred over the younger Saiya-jin? Would she change her mind, or heart, if she came to know him? Why had she offered her companionship in the first place if she was already spoken for? He felt a mounting confusion, and felt as though a flurry of fists was a better thing to focus his attention towards.

"You honor me, Ouji-sama." Kakarrot replied with a bow. What other Saiya-jin could tell the tale of a sparring session with the Saiya-jin Prince? This was practically the equivalent of gold to the Saiya-jin people.

Vegeta nodded, satisfied. He turned his gaze to the demi Saiya-jin who had still not rose from their bowed postures. "Enough. Return to your duties." The youths, startled, jumped from the floor and left quickly, lest they earn further contempt from their sovereign. "They have much to learn yet." Vegeta remarked in their passing.

"Agreed." Kakarrot looked about the hall and chose a room that would be suitable for the Prince and himself. Wordlessly he walked towards the selected room, and the Vegeta followed. "We can change the gravity, and having training bots at our disposal. Bulma-san's ingenuity have proven useful in the arena of battle."

Vegeta scowled at the mere mention of the blue haired scientist. Women were quite infuriating regarding the inability to decipher their desires. "I see." He looked about the plated room, paying mind the console on the side of the room. He approached it, studying it. The writing was in both Saiya-go, and in the Chikyuu-jin language, and so it was accessible to him. His fingers traced over the screen, and he pulled up the digital gravity controls. "200 times gravity, huh?"

"Yes." He waited patiently as Vegeta explored the controls. Kakarrot had infinite patience where his Prince was concerned. The ultimate battle that would ensue would be a memory he'd hold dear for the rest of his life.

Vegeta set the controls to a reasonable level of ten. There was no use in overwhelming himself if he was not accustomed to the higher degrees of gravity. "Let's warm up, shall we?" he questioned with a toothy smirk.

Kakarrot nodded and snapped into action. Before he could even think, he and Vegeta were burrs skirmishing throughout the room. Vegeta was an aggressive fighter, giving him little time to think of his own strategy. And he wasn't predictable either. The Saiya-jin Prince's time as a mercenary had obviously served him well. He had much more experience than Kakarrot himself. And he was stronger. Kakarrot had known he, in all likelihood, wouldn't win against his liege, but hadn't realized how much stronger Vegeta was than himself until they'd sparred for a short time.

"Not bad, Kakarrot." Vegeta commended as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "But you'll have to be stronger if you're to best me."

"It is not my intention to best you, My Prince, merely stand beside you as a faithful vassal." Bardock had taught him well on how to conversate with royalty, and reassurance of loyalty was a must. Kakarrot dodged Vegeta's fist, but chose not to take the small opening the Prince left unguarded due to his surprise at Kakarrot's pretty words.

Vegeta stood still, effectively pausing the spar, and Kakarrot blinked. Very seldom did a warrior just cease momentum in such a manner. But Princes would do as they wished, most assuredly. "You would swear loyalty to me, to follow me into battle, no matter what my cause?"

Kakarrot was now the one to fall to his knees, sensing the weight behind Vegeta's question. The Prince had been raised under Freiza's tutelage, and as such, it was likely he had few allies other than his elder brother Raditz and Nappa-san. If the Prince was seeking him specifically as a war comrade, then that was an honor he would gladly accept. "Ouji-sama..." he breathed softly, head bowed reverently.

"Pledge yourself to me, Kakarrot." A common practice, to give homage, your word, to your lord. A reasonable request.

"I pledge myself, Kakarrot, son of Bardock, to serve you, Ouji-sama, for all my days. I will attend you throughout conference, give heed to battle summons, and protect you to my dying breath." he swore zealously. He looked up to Vegeta, his expression fixed in bright determination.

Vegeta nodded approvingly. "It is so." he agreed, crossing his arms. Now Nappa, Raditz, and Kakarrot would outfit his personal entourage. Kakarrot was one of the strongest Saiya-jin he'd ever fought, and though still weaker than himself, was a valuable asset. Though Kakarrot didn't yet need to know the esteem Vegeta held him in.

Kakarrot stood, towering over his monarch, and gave the closest equivalent of a smile by Saiya-jin standards. "You honor me, Vegeta-sama."

Vegeta snorted. "Enough of this frivolity. Fight me." Kakarrot chuckled, and Vegeta joined him for a moment before the spar once again commenced. Pleasantries weren't valued amongst warriors. Kakarrot had sworn his loyalty, and that was enough.