Like fallen soldiers we will learn, once forgotten, twice removed, love will be the death of you.

Princess Serenity – Queen – Bulma mentally slapped herself, was looking pretty messed up. Purple blood was spattered all down the front of her pretty yellow and blue Sailor suit, and even though she was looking pretty lucid now, the tear tracks were blatant. Her entire face was smudged with ash, and the tears had carved furrows into the dirt and grime. At least Endymion was just a little bloody and bruised, Bulma decided, because if he'd been in any worse condition, Serenity probably wouldn't have forced Vegeta to conduct the wedding out on the middle of the battle field, with the pyres of dead burning. She'd ranted about Vegeta being the only other nobility left alive, and was therefore the only person of high enough rank to conduct the ceremony. Bulma had the sneaking suspicion that Vegeta thought it was romantic. She was right, later in the evening as the still burning pyres hid the sunset, when he pulled her in to kiss her in front of his entire army.

Not many wanted to go anywhere near Bardock, who stood so close to the fire that his hair singed from the heat; he'd bent several pieces of wire into a spikey looking symbol and was holding it in the fire, letting it heat up.

"What's he doing?" Pluto asked a passing Sayajin, gesturing at Bardock. The burly alien grimaced, and leaned in close to answer her.

"Bardock has lost his team, his mate and sons to battle. To watch a dear one perish bravely is an honor, but when you see too many dear ones die bravely, there is only Chaos to blame. So he will brand himself with the Mark, and he will be a testament that Chaos rules us all. It's the Code of Pain." The Sayajin looked like he thought he'd said too much, and walked away hurriedly. Pluto just nodded, and watched as Bardock pressed the heated metal to the flesh of his thigh, rolling with the curve of his limb.

Mars and Chi Chi hung just a little back of her, watching Bardock as well; she turned to them as they started to hover closer.

"Not yet. He'll come here when he's ready." Mars nodded, but Chi Chi still tried to move toward the Sayajin.

"I need to tell him." Tears were close, so Pluto held onto the other woman as she simply leaned for a long moment. "I'm going to have his grandson, and I want him to know, even if he doesn't want to see it." Chi Chi shoved back suddenly, wiping at her tears and struggling to stay on her feet. Pluto turned to Mars, and looked at the other Senshi's aura.

"Two grandchildren, for the price of his sons," Pluto mused aloud, making Mars and Chi Chi exchange looks. "Children, for the price of your lovers." Pluto looked over her shoulder at Bardock, who was turning form the pyre and heading toward her. "Now you can tell him. Show him those marks; I think they mean more than we give them credit for."

Bardock drew level with them, and took in the three women. Pluto curtsied carefully away, leaving Chi Chi and Sailor Mars. Bardock listened to them admit to what his nose could already tell him, and pulled both young women to him. He leaned more heavily than he meant to, but he held on and grit his teeth against the thousand little injuries.

"Bardock," Vegeta stopped far enough away to leave a respectful distance. "I'll list you as k.i.a, if you don't want to come back to Vegetasie," the Prince offered carefully.

Bardock only nodded.

"Your enemy breathes no more," Vegeta bowed slightly, and retreated back to Bulma.

"What did you say to him?" Bulma asked.

"Praise," Vegeta refused to elaborate, turning instead to the Z Senshi. He shook hands with Yaumcha and Krillin, and wished them the best for their fallen comrade Tienshinhan. At least, his condolences where heartfelt in only the most base, Sayajin way possible; Tien had slain his enemies fiercely and without pause, and had won the honor of the goddess.

Vegeta went and stood by Piccolo as the Namek laid three of his people in the ground; he'd brought nearly half a dozen loaded ships of aid, and only three of his people had died. Vegeta didn't wonder too much about that, although he did notice that there were considerably less of them wandering around than he would have thought.

"Not right now, monkey," Piccolo told the prince, then huffed in irritation as Jupiter handed him a canteen. "I'm good." The Sailor didn't even blink as she turned and offered it to Vegeta. He took the canteen, and sprinkled a little water over the fresh graves.

"They die, so that new life may take root," Dende raised his hands up, as if offering his prayer to heaven.

"Tend your own, now," Piccolo told the prince, so Vegeta turned away, Bulma still following him.

"Hey, Vegeta, I, um, I need to tell you-"

"I got you with child intentionally." Vegeta told her over his shoulder.

"WHAT?"

"I didn't know if I'd live or die, woman," Vegeta snarled. "So I made sure my line would continue. What kind of Prince would I be to my people if I left them without an hier?"

"I thought halfbreeds were frowned upon."

"This one wont be," Vegeta growled, and Bulma suddenly realized he was making a bee line back to Serenity and Endymion.

Bulma watched as Vegeta bargained with the newly weds, offering peace in exchange for trade, warriors in exchange for technology, the man power to rebuild in exchange for a ride home. And as a measure of good faith, an heir for an heir. Bulma noticed that the new Queen touched her belly in surprise, and wondered when they'd had time to get busy. It didn't matter now, though, as Vegeta bargained for the ultimate alliance; arranged marriage of the heirs. Bulma didn't know weather to be sick on the behalf of her child, or proud of Vegeta for establishing a long term peace.

The sight of Bardock being half supported by Chi Chi and Mars as the young women led him away from the battle field, completely derailed her thoughts. Loved and gone; Bulma caught up to them, and just for a second, caught Chi Chi's sleeve.

"Dragon balls," Bulma whispered, then ran back to Vegeta; she was already thinking about how to open a branch of Capsule Corporation on Vegetasie by the time he turned back to her.

"We'll be here for another six months," Vegeta pulled her body close, wrapping his tail around her waist. "You need to get down to that company of yours, and build enough space ships to get us back to Vegetasie. I'll be up here, helping them rebuild. You think you can standardize the technology used between the Nameks, the Sayajin, and the Moon Kingdom?"

"Of course I can standardize it!" She paused as the remark sunk home. "Are you making this an official alliance?"

"Yeah. Its about time that the Sayajin people were known for their honor as well as their strength."

Bulma smiled and kissed him, and wondered just where the future was going to take them.

A/N; Savage Garden lyrics again. I'm getting there!