Chapter 4

It had to have been the most annoying anthem to a leader he had ever heard, but he had to endure it every single morning before anyone could ever eat breakfast. To his right Nappa was fidgeting, practically dying to just sit at the table and eat. To his left, Raditz was grumbling the words a little bit louder than himself. Aelia and Samphire, however, were nowhere to be seen. This was unusual; if there was food, the two were certainly to be found. Samphire had quite the appetite.

Perhaps it was best they weren't there. He had ten days until Freeza would fulfill his promise and eliminate the planet of Hibi of its superior race. There were no more excuses, only delays. And his warriors were itching to go out and fight again.

"…give thanks to Lord Freeza, ruler of more suns than anyone else," people sang. "Give praise to Lord Freeza, for the commands out of his beautiful lips."

"I think Zarbon would sing 'his beautiful hips'," Vegeta muttered under his breath.

Nappa burst out laughing. Raditz too.

A shout rang across the room, silencing everyone.

"What was that?" Zarbon demanded, coming forward from the front of the room, his expression looking grim and serious. His eyes found Vegeta's coldly. "I believe the monkey king had something to say to all of us concerning Lord Freeza's anthem, wouldn't you all agree? Please, do share."

"Why, how kind of you to notice! I'm sure you'd be quite content to hear what I'd have to say about you, Zarbon," Vegeta smirked, completely unafraid of that idiot and his pampered looks. "I hear Freeza's got a new place for your pretty face at night. Careful; he might mess up your hair and if left in all night, it might stain."

The room was filled with laughter. Zarbon grimaced, snapping his hand in the air to silence the laughing soldiers. "Laugh all you want, Vegeta, but at least I have a position guaranteed in Freeza's empire," he pointed out coldly.

Vegeta let out a laugh as he crossed his arms, completely amused. "What, bent over?"

Zarbon's face grew ugly as he took a few steps forward while everyone around them laughed. "Why you pathetic little-"

"Careful! If you get into a fight and I punch your jaw you might not be able to perform your special duties," Vegeta sneered, easing his body into a fighting stance.

Before Zarbon could say anything else, Freeza's voice rang out over a loudspeaker. *I don't hear any SINGING!* it boomed, shaking the tables.

Casting looks at everyone else, the men resumed their anthem. Vegeta held a look of triumph as Zarbon muttered wordless threats and returned to his position at the front of the room, conducting them through the last few verses.

A pity that a couple of laughs didn't make the problems go away.

Elsewhere tucked in her own quarters, Samphire was looking a little guilty as the brush ran through her hair, guided by gentle hands. The thought pulled, tugged at her, and finally she came out with it. "I feel so stupid," the Saiya-jin sighed.

"Do not, you meant no harm and I'm sure the Prince has forgotten all about it," her attendant assured her. "Besides, there are more important things to worry about now."

"I haven't considered anyone but myself recently," Samphire admitted over her shoulder as Aelia rose to return the brush to its place. "Well, and my goals, of course."

"You're looking out for the last of your race in whatever way you can," Aelia pointed out as she returned with a small instrument and sat on the other side of the bed. "You've been betrothed to Prince Vegeta ever since you can remember, you know? Maybe even before you were born. Aren't you a couple years younger than him?"

"Three," Samphire mused. "And… Vegeta was pronounced engaged at what age? I wanna say maybe two years old."

"See?" Attaching small picks to her fingers, Aelia plucked a few strings, listening intently. She wrinkled her nose before moving her other hand up to adjust their sound, tightening the strings. "It was set up before either of you knew each other."

"Yeah, true," Samphire hugged her knees, sighing again. "It's just… I don't know. I really believe the rumors, y'know? I really, really believe that Freeza destroyed our planet. So I don't know why we're just sitting here not doing anything about it or getting revenge. Vegeta's mentioned in passing that he's probably afraid of us. But if he's so goddamn strong, why be afraid of us?"

"Because your kind is talented," Aelia responded, testing a few more strings before smiling, satisfied. "You can fight and fight and even be defeated and once you rise you're even stronger. You really think that Freeza is like that? Even if he was, there's no one strong enough to challenge him. If they do and they defeat him, his power level probably won't just rise depending on his defeat. That's a unique thing only to your race! So, if a Saiya-jin defeats him…"

"That's really true," Samphire nodded, resting her head on her knees and rocking a little. "So, why stay here then?"

"Well, I'm sure the Prince is thinking of some kind of way for you all to survive. He may not exactly care about anyone but himself really, but he does care about you all in his own way. You're all he has left of what would've been his subjects. His people."

"You sound like he wouldn't save you too," Samphire pointed out. "You are half-blooded. I'm sure he'd take you with us. Besides, he owes you."

"How so?" Aelia blinked.

"You keep me from bugging the shit out of him!"

The girls both laughed. Samphire couldn't help but smile when they were finished. They didn't have happy or peaceful moments often. Not with Freeza ruling anyway. This was why she cherished Aelia so much. She could've stopped serving her the moment the Saiya-jin throne had been technically destroyed, but Aelia didn't. She stayed with her and Vegeta with the rest of the Saiya-jin. She helped them. Was it because she was half? Maybe, maybe not. It was a question Aelia had never really given anyone an answer to.

Aelia was lucky, Samphire found herself thinking suddenly. She was only half-Saiya-jin, so she wasn't stuck with black hair and dark eyes. Instead she had a mid-dark brown hair that just brushed her shoulders and bright green eyes. A person could never tell she was half of their kind; did she ever have a tail? Maybe it was removed? Or maybe half-Saiya-jin weren't born with tails? That would be terrible…

"Why don't the Saiya-jin ever marry for love?" Aelia suddenly asked, setting her instrument aside and taking the picks off her fingers.

"Oh!" Samphire snapped out of her thoughts. "Well, we're too busy fighting and don't exactly really care about that sort of thing. I guess we naturally choose mates that work with our power levels or can provide a decent home. It's common for a Saiya-jin to choose a mate outside of match-making even if they're a noble just because they think the family they can raise will be good, strong, or even rich. Kinda selfish, huh? But it's the way we work!"

"Does anyone ever marry for love ever?" Aelia inquired, seeming shocked at this.

Samphire looked apologetic. "Your father tried."

"You're kidding," Raditz looked incredulous. He leaned against his doorway, shocked.

"Nope," Samphire shook her head. "Aelia gave Vegeta the co-ordinates. Dunno why he didn't tell you."

"There's been something funny about Vegeta lately anyway," Raditz shrugged, looking annoyed. "Shouldn't we have been out destroying the other two planets by now? Nappa and I are dying to get out and just kill something. I hate being holed up in here! And besides, our extra hour in the meal halls is far past used up, so what's the point?"

"More training?" Samphire offered. "Maybe these next two planets are really tough. I wish I could come with you, but I think I'm getting deployed some place else."

"You and Aelia taking off?" Raditz asked.

"I think so, but Aelia is going to try and request she get her month vacation on Hibi later this week before we take off. Freeza hasn't decided yet where he wants to send our squadron."

"We're running out of planets in this solar system," Raditz kicked the wall with the back of his heel, snorting. "Soon we'll have to move. And then it'll be Planet Freeza number… whatever the next one is."

"I think maybe you should go to this 'Earth' once you're done with the fifth planet," Samphire said with a nod, leaning against the corner of the doorway opposite to him. "Try and see if Kakarot is there or not and see why Earth's not for sale yet."

Raditz pondered this for a minute. Finally, he nodded. "Good idea."

"You know, I'll bet he's handsome if he's still alive," Samphire giggled.

"What the hell-"

"Hey, Raditz!" Nappa called out from down the hallway, waving frantically. "Vegeta says he needs to talk to us right away!"

Raditz pushed off the wall, looking excited. "We better be leaving soon!" he called out.

"Oooh, good luck!" Samphire grinned, clapping her hands excitedly. "I'll totally cheer for you guys!"

"See ya later," Raditz winked before running down the hallway to join Nappa.

"Bye, you guys!" Samphire waved as the other two Saiya-jin disappeared down the corridor. As she lowered her hand, she couldn't help but wonder about this missing Kakarot. She didn't think he was dead either. He probably was handsome; she'd seen a picture once of their long dead father, Bardock, and he was pretty handsome. Raditz must look like their mother, she thought.

Where was Kakarot? And what was this Earth like if for some reason he hadn't been able to overthrow it?

Lost in her daydream, Samphire set off to find Aelia. Raditz and Nappa were probably in meeting with Vegeta now. And Aelia… was probably still with Freeza, entertaining him no doubt. That's why she was tuning her pea-pau before.

Yawning, "I wish I had someone to train with!" Samphire headed down the hallway, bored and hoping her attendant would be finished soon so she wouldn't be so bored. Freeza wouldn't keep her long, would he?

The music was still playing when she approached the door. Four guards instead of six or eight this time. "Hey, can I come in?" she asked the guards with a friendly smile. Knowing the answer would be yes, she started forward.

One of the guards grabbed her arm sharply. "Lord Freeza has requested this be private entertainment," he snapped.

Samphire blinked, severely confused. "Huh? 'Private'? Since when does-"

The wheels clicked in her head. "No way," she finally said in a low whisper.

"Lord Freeza has requested-"

Samphire's fist was smashing his face in before he could finish his last sentence.

The other three raised their guns and opened fire, shouting. Samphire managed to dodge the first wave of attacks, planting a firm roundhouse kick on the closest guard. He was sent flying; the new shape in his neck definitely not normal. Samphire winced, silently saying an apology before she turned, a bit too late.

The guards didn't miss. Samphire slumped to the ground, not dead, merely stunned and unable to move except for her face. "Aelia," she whispered. "AELIA!"

The music kept on playing from behind the closed doors.