Chapter 32- Search for the dragonballs

'So much for drawing the line at two guys' were the wonderfully inspiring words of Melanie as I shifted my position in the bed, coming face to face with Zarbon. Who luckily was still asleep.

'It was an accident'

'Comfort sex is not an accident. I think you both aware of what you were doing when he took of your clothes' I sighed.

'Look, I don't know. I'd just been raped by the tyrant of the fucking universe, and it was that bad I had to carted of to a healing pod. Zarbon was upset, I was upset, and sex seemed to make it better. I'm not a psychologist but I think the re-assurement that sex isn't always so brutal probably lifted a bit of the scarring'

'I think that's bullshit'

'Maybe' but looking back on it now, it seemed a lot more bearable to think about. I couldn't stay though, because he would call for me again. Deep down I just knew it would never be over if I stayed. And I couldn't expect Zarbon to defend me. Hell, the poor guy had the same treatment when he was a kid. Apparently Frieza still made a pass at him every so often, but he seemed to have learnt where to draw the boundaries. I kicked the stifling duvey of my legs, staring with disdain at seeing my naked body.

I would get dressed, find Vegeta and swear him of new Earth, then get the hell out of this shitstorm.

"Lessa?" Ah, but there was Zarbon to deal with first.

"Yes?" My voice was coarse, parched from the wine Zarbon had dragged in at some point in the night, telling me the best way to drown your sorrows was to steal some of Frieza's best wine and then pretend you had never seen the bottle the next morning. It usually resulted in a guard dying, something which I felt slightly guilty about now looking on the empty bottle on the pristine tiles.

"Are you okay?" It was odd hearing that from him, when really it should have been me asking him that.

"I'm fine" I wasn't, but it could be worse.

"Hm" he hummed doubtfully. He sat up, the cover falling to reveal his perfectly sculptured chest. Although there was a slight stirring of hormones, I was glad to feel nothing more. I had enough confusion in feelings for a lifetime. Ergo Piccolo.

Zarbon popped open his green lips to say something just as a knock at the door interrupted.

"Zarbon sir"

"Yes?" Zarbon had a talent for portraying raw aggression in his tone.

"Frieza demands you continue you search for the dragonballs sir"

"Now?"

"Yes sir" Zarbon quickly leaned over the side of the bed to pick up his blue shorts.

"Tell him I'll be out in five"

"Yes sir" The footsteps quickly pattered of down the corridor.

"Sorry"

"Don't apologize. I'll be here til you get back anyway" The words slipped out before I could grab them back. Luckily he didn't notice in his haste to throw on clothes.

"Right. If Frieza calls just say your ill"

"Won't he cart me of to the medical bay?"

"No" He slipped on the last stocking and stood, his proud handsome self emerging once more. The dregs of the innocent little boy he had shown last night were gone with exception of his eyes.

He softened a little, and brought a hand to my cheek.

"He won't hurt you again" And just like that his touch was gone and the wisp of his cape fled the door.

It was pure luck I had avoided that beast for most of today. He had called only once, when I was feasting on the chewy beef that the ship had endless supplies of. I say he called, when really it was one of his minions.

The strange thing was, the alien had seemed no more than a boy. Yet his eyes showed more wordly wisdom than something of his age should know.

He had made no inclination to tattle on me when he saw my excuse of being ill was so clearly a façade.

In fact, he had watched me with sorrow as he exited backwards from the room.

But when the second call came in a lot later, it was quite clear I had to attend this one.

When I reached the metal door outside Frieza's viewing room, I could hear Zarbon urgently speaking inside.

"So you took care of Vegeta did you?"

"Yes lord Frieza, I did have to transform though"

"Ah yes, the transformation that you hate so much. And did you not think perhaps, that maybe Vegeta had found a dragonball, and perhaps hidden it?" Uh oh.

"No sir" Zarbon's voice wobbled ever so slightly.

"Well, it wasn't so long ago I had a scout in here who informed me had found a village. All the inhabitants were dead. Would you like to know what was wrong with that?"

Zarbon didn't answer.

"It was a village we hadn't been to" The monotoned silence was like hearing a person being hanged.

"So, Vegeta is most defiantly dead you say?"

"Um- not necessarily my lord" Zarbon hastily backtracked.

"Then where is he"

"At the bottom of a river sir"

"Get out there and find him within the hour. You better hope for your sake he is alive because if he isn't, you'll be joining him in hell"

"Yes my lord!" I heard the dull thud of his tail hitting the floor as the door slid open to reveal Zarbon practically skidding out of it.

"Let's go" He offered, grabbing my hand and taking of down the hall.

He waited until we were greeted by the cool air outside before he proffered words.

"I've really messed up" I stayed quiet.

"Let's split up and meet back here on the hour, we've got a better chance of finding him that way"

"And if we don't find him?" I dared to ask.

"Then we had better dig our graves before returning"

"Delightful"

Dead or almost dead people in Vegeta's case, did not have an energy to sense out. So it was coincidence that I had managed to find him, since luck didn't seem to be working in my favour. There had been a tonne of rivers to choose from on this planet, but opting for the smallest one there was achieved results.

As we'd hoped, Vegeta was still alive. He was even vaguely conscious the moment I slung him over my shoulder and struggled to fly with his weight dragging me down.

He was muttering something incoherently, and I half-wondered if Zarbon had taken him out with drink rather than in a head to head fight.

Then again, Frieza had mentioned something about transforming.

Something that Zarbon wasn't complying to indulge me on once we met back up safely on the exterior of the ship.

"He's not going to kill us now though is he" I was probably more hopeful sounding than I should have been giving Vegeta's current state.

"Only if he pulls through. Take him to the healing pods, you know where they are. I'll deal with Frieza"

"Good luck" I offered, once again taking the brunt of Vegeta's weight and guiding it through the hatch. The henchmen were on the ball, three of them picking him up and almost running of down the corridor the second after I slipped through the hatch.

I followed at a more leisurely pace, giving them time to install him within the healing juice.

Stuff that reminded me of amniotic fluid on a better day.

"Will he live?" I asked for the third time.

"He's still in a critical stage. But he has a very good chance yes"

"Thank god" I then slumped into the chair the good doctor had offered me, promising Zarbon I would watch him for any signs of life.

Vegeta looked so peaceful in there.

Hell was going to break loose once he woke up though.