Human Hospitality
by pureleaf
Chapter 17
Unpleasant Dream
Author's Note: Thank you all for your wonderful comments!
With the huge refrigerator, freezer, and the cupboards stuffed with enough food to last at least three weeks, Vegeta felt a huge sense of satisfaction as he took off from Planet 56 and once again chose not to set any coordinates right away.
He had spent close to eight thousand credits on food alone. Vegeta spotted an impressive selection of wine, but limited his selection to six bottles. The sheer amount of food he purchased forced Vegeta to request the workers at the food distribution centre to pack the food into huge canvas packs he could strap on to his back. It took three high-altitude flights (it was cold enough to make Vegeta wish he'd kept his scarf) to get all the food, but he moved so quickly that it was all done before the street lamps were turned off for the daylight hours.
Once Vegeta unpacked the food he actually paid for, took the canvas bag he'd filled at Jabuka's apartment into his small living room and took a seat on the couch. The bag was filled with selections that could be best described as gourmet. The Saiyan snacked on roasted nuts as he looked through a variety of fruit preserves, cheese, dried meats, jars of pickled vegetables, fruit juices and two small bottles of the same liquor he'd had at Sevn the night prior.
Vegeta had also taken a First Aid kit containing healing sprays, bandages, painkillers, antibacterial soaps, basic surgical tools, a packet of single-use syringes, and a vial of local anaesthetic. He hummed with approval and leaned back in his two-seat couch.
"I'm going to keep eating like the royalty I am, regardless of where I am!"
The stimulants were starting to wear off, and Vegeta decided it would be best if he wound down until he could sleep for a few hours and let his body recover. He scrolled through the selection of films and programmes on the hard drive yet again and settled on a film about a creature that drank human blood and avoided sunlight.
"INCOMING VIDEO CALL... INCOMING VIDEO CALL... INCOMING VIDEO CALL..."
Vegeta paused the film and pressed the accept button on the entertainment console. A flat-screen monitor descended from the ceiling and switched on.
"Good morning! Did I interrupt you?" Bulma waved to the camera. She was in a loose t-shirt that hung off one of her shoulders and a pair of black shorts, sitting cross-legged in a high-backed leather office chair.
"Heh, good morning to you too, Bulma. It was early morning on the planet I just left. You didn't really interrupt me... I'm just trying to wind down. Some film about a human-looking man who drinks blood... it's alright..."
"Guess you could say I have great timing! Where did you go? What have you been up to?"
"Planet 56. I did a grocery run and had a few drinks with an old friend at an old haunt I spent too much time at in my twenties."
Bulma knew it was likely a good idea to accept his answer and not ask about what he'd really been up to. "What's with the getup?"
"Needed some armour, so I got some armour. Anyway, why did you call me?" Vegeta looked in the waxed paper pouch for any remaining nuts and found he was all out. He immediately tore into a pouch of jerky to his left and continued eating.
"I wanted to see how you were doing, but I also called to talk to you about monitoring the fuel levels on the ship so you don't wind up stranded somewhere."
"I'll call you back later," he said through a mouthful of jerky, "I'm going to bed soon."
Bulma looked at Vegeta's image on the monitor. He seemed a bit out of it, his face was pale and looked greasy. His eyes seemed bloodshot. "Sure thing, Vegeta. You look kind of wired on something. Are you alright?"
"I'll feel a lot better after some sleep. Good-bye."
The Saiyan disconnected from the call before Bulma could respond and the monitor rose back up into the ceiling. He pulled off his boots, gloves, and armour, turned off the television and all of lights before turning in to bed. He was thrilled to be curled up in a warm, comfortable, safe spot.
Vegeta walked down a corridor kept so cold that breath left his body as puff of steam. The floors were made of cream-coloured marble, the walls looked like carved violet glass. Cape wrapped protectively around his body, Vegeta moved swiftly, knowing it was unwise to stop for even a second when enemies could be hiding in the shadows.
The corridor seemed to dissolve around him and Vegeta found himself standing in a windowless, circular room with cream walls and floor of black onyx shot with bands of royal purple, perhaps four or five feet away from a massive egg that appeared to float a meter above the floor.
"Come, child," a sickening, reedy voice that made the Saiyan's skin erupt in goose-pimples reverberated through the space, "tell me about your training session."
The egg slowly rotated counter-clockwise until Vegeta found himself face-to-face with Frieza in his base form, curled up with his tail draped across his slender, scaly legs, with a large glass of wine in his left hand and chin resting in his right palm.
"Sixteen Saibamen destroyed within an hour, Lord Frieza. I am refining a psychic shock-wave attack that is capable of disemboweling a Saibaman from four metres away. I grow more efficient with each passing day. I wish to go into combat now! Why must I wait?"
Cackling laughter like seemed to turn Vegeta's blood to ice echoed through the chamber. "Ah, Vegeta! You are so eager, but you are still so young! Why push the issue now? Another year of training would do you well before you enter the life of a Planet Trade soldier."
"But Lord Frieza, haven't I proven my strength already? Nappa cannot kill that many Saibamen at a time! Raditz can only kill six in an hour, if he's lucky!"
Frieza extended a manicured hand and ran his icy fingers through Vegeta's hair and brushed a stray hair away from his eyes. The tyrant pinched the young Saiyan's cheek affectionately but the pressure he used bordered on painful. "We must first see to it that you harden your heart completely, Vegeta. You are not like the others- you are truly special. Vegeta, you are like a son to me, and I wish you see you return from the missions I will soon send you on. Be patient and use this time to grow even stronger."
"I wish to speak with my father before I enter combat, Lord Frieza."
"In good time, my boy..."
Vegeta's eyes snapped open and he sat up in bed, discovering he was drenched in sweat and his heart was pounding. He switched on the bedside lamp and eyed his surroundings, confirming he was in his ship and he was all alone. When he glanced over at the alarm clock, Vegeta was surprised he'd slept for four hours.
He took a hot shower and changed out of the thermal gear he'd stolen from the soldier and into flannel drawstring pants and a loose black t-shirt. Still tired but on edge from his deeply unpleasant dream (he refused to call them nightmares) he went into the kitchenette and drank a bottle of fruit juice. Stomach rumbling, he unwrapped a portion of meat, sprinkled it with salt and pepper, and ate it raw. It was good, but meat always tasted best when it was at body temperature or room temperature, he decided.
After sleeping for another five hours, Vegeta finally felt like he'd returned to baseline and considered calling Bulma.
Do I really want to know how much fuel I have, he asked himself, maybe I should just keep going and pick up another ship if this one malfunctions...
He paced around the ship, turning light fixtures on and off and checking his wardrobe to make sure everything was as organized as he'd left it just a few hours prior. For the first time in many years, Vegeta started to thik about his younger brother. He'd never learned where Tarble had been sent, or if he'd even survived his journey through space.
Even if he survived the journey, what are the chances he's out there and thriving? Slim to none. He's long gone, Vegeta, and you're never going to find him. Tarble is dead, along with Father, Nappa, Raditz, and everybody else. There's only one living Saiyan you may be capable of tracking down yet and he's the only one you should think about. Find Kakkarot and quit being sentimental over the sibling who probably forgot all about you, assuming he's even still alive!
Vegeta sat down at the pilot's chair in front of the huge console and mentally prepared himself to call Bulma. He heaved a sigh and typed in her contact number.
"OUTGOING VIDEO CALL... PLEASE WAIT WHILE CONNECTION IS ESTABLISHED..."
To Be Continued