Chapter 20.
Return.

Rhuba found herself in the swing of things working on the floors.
Just a few weeks in and she was almost able to sense what table was requiring drinks and move there.
There was a bit of arguing with other staff because she was accused of stealing tips.
Yena and Uraal took to her defence and explained to Rhuba that although everyone works the same floor, typically, people stick to the same dozen or so tables to make sure everyone gets a fair shot at earning tips.

"And it's something that could have been made clear without yelling," Uraal stated, getting told to piss off by the other woman on her way out of the staff room.
Turning back to Rhuba, "don't mind her, she's always a bit bitchy."

"And a hypocrite," Yena added. "Bullying the new girls and knowingly eating into their tables is her power move. She tried it with me when I started."

Rhuba stayed silent as she peeked out from the staff lounge. Already she could spot the other waitress hoovering up unattended tables.
"I'm going out." Rhuba slipped her heels on again and picked up a tray to get serving.
Between smiles and pleasantries with the customers, Rhuba caught and returned the odd glare from her new rival, but also caught the odd eye roll from Yena and Uraal.

In the evening, Rhuba found herself once again in the strip club. Which meant she had to wear the ears, tight leotard, and hide her tail under a skirt.
Although stripping wasn't part of her job, there were some dances she had to learn and perform when certain tunes came on.
It was mandatory.
But all through her shift, her eyes were on the clock. Her time was so close to ending and she could finally retire to her room and chat with Garagus. IF he feels like answering.

"finally…" She sighed, returning to the counter to have her free drink with her friends.

Clinking their glasses of three hard liquors and one fruity for Rhuba, the ladies prepared to make their way to the staff-only section.

"You still on, darling?" One gent asked Ruble.
"I can be, for you~" She winked, sitting on his knee. "wanna come to my back room?"

Rhuba cringed a little as she followed behind Yena and Uraal.
"What a day." Yena sighed once they were in a secure space.
"Is she going to be okay?"
"Ruble can handle herself. Don't worry about her."

Rhuba got a fright when a heavily built man suddenly walked into the room too.
"Hey ladies,"
"Hi Krona. Almost didn't recognise you with a shirt on." Yena laughed with Uraal while Rhuba sheepishly made her way behind a screen.
"Well don't get used to it. I just came to say goodbye, my ship just got fixed up and I am outta here!"
"Asshole! When was the goodbye party and why weren't we there?"
"Who has time for parties we're not working at?" He clapped back.

Rhuba saw them both giving him a hug, being lifted off their feet as he held them.
Garagus would do the same to her, god she missed it.

"Sorry I never got a chance to know you, new girl!"
"That's Rhu, and yeah it's a shame. You could have been bestieeees!"
Rhuba simply waved with a shy smile. After all, their first meeting was revealing and a little traumatising.
Krona stuck around a bit longer to say his farewells to the other dancers and strippers, but by then Rhuba had snuck off to her room without changing first.

She got some attention on her way back through the club, but a polite shake of the head was all it took to dismiss customers.

When Rhuba made it to her room, her first intention was to kick off her heels and toss off her ears and put her feet up.
"About time." Said the voice inside, but before another word could be uttered, he hit the floor under the weight of a Saiyan woman.

"Garagus!" She squealed. Her tights and skirt were no match for her tail which whipped itself out and wagged in excitement. "When did you get back?"

"An hour ago… What in the mighty Oozaru are you wearing?" He asked, getting a proper look at her wide round ears.

"Oh, yeah. If you'd answered my calls, you'd know I've started working here." Rhuba picked herself up and did a twirl for him to get a look at her outfit. "How do I look?"

"I like everything from the eyebrows down,"

Rhuba grumbled, explaining more in-depth the kind of work she's started doing.
"I really wish we got a chance to speak sooner because I had so much I wanted to get off my chest over the last few weeks. Why haven't you called?"

"Subspace interference." The blackhole did have a lot to answer for in that department, but so too did the accidental energy blast that hit the transmission dish on top of the ship. "But I'm here now, so tell me what I've missed."

"Well, it's been kinda scary putting myself out there. So many strangers keep calling for me and I need to see all of them. And you know there's a girl named Ruble? Every time I hear someone call her name, I get a chill of fear thinking I've been recognised."

"Rhuba and Ruble?" Garagus chuckled but tried to empathise. He really wished he'd been there to support her.
"But you're good, right? No one's bothering you?"

"No, not at all." She held her tongue on the few confrontations with the floor bully. Garagus has enough on his plate, and even more than she realises. "The good thing is, I'm actually making money."

"So, I can skip my next delivery shift?" Garagus asked with a hopeful tone.
Honestly, screw the Patrollers' plan. If the funds are there to leave, he was ready to pack Rhuba into a suitcase and leave right then and there.

"No… Not that much. I'm just a waitress, after all… But that Ruble girl, she actually tried teaching me some techniques."

"Techniques?"

"She's a dancer, super popular with the guests. And she taught me, how to be enticing~" Lowering her eyelids, and pulling on her bottom lip ever so gently, Rhuba leaned close to him. "wanna come in my back room~?"

His reaction, immediate and involuntary laughter.

Rhuba's 'seductive' face dropped as she failed to regain his attention over all his hysterics.
He was laughing way too hard.
"piss off Garagus…" She muttered as her man failed to compose himself.

"I've not laughed that hard in a long time, thank you Rhuba." He wiped a tear away. "You say that to guests?"

"no… I just heard Ruble say it on my last shift." Rhuba made her way to the clothes hanger and dressed out of her uniform.
"Since you are back, I think we need to make up for lost time."

"Oh?" Garagus liked where this was going. But then she started putting other clothes back on. Specifically her training clothes.

"This is the day I kick your ass!" As her vest top covered her back, Garagus could see the toned muscles on her arms.
She had been training hard, and she couldn't wait to taste the fruit of her labour.

"Oh, you want to fight?"

"Yes, but not here. It would be impolite to other guests if we made a lot too much noise."

Rhuba led Garagus to a Gymnasium.

"It's closed this late, but I have a card." She signed herself into the register. "No energy blasts, no breaking things, no mess."

"Fair enough." Garagus gritted his teeth. Energy attacks were his gambit for getting over gravity fatigue. "So, in good faith. I'm going to hit you first."

"Naturally~" Rhuba laughed as she put her guard up.
As a rule, they always gave the first strike to the weaker fighter to set the pace of the fight going forward.
Normally, Rhuba would get to hit first as Garagus was always stronger than her.
But a year apart had changed them.

Garagus lunged forward, striking Rhuba with half of his strength, just in case the difference wasn't as big as he suspected.

Rhuba blocked, grinning at him before returning with a hit of her own, matching his force.
"Come on, you can hit harder than that." She laughed, but as Garagus leapt away before her hit collided, he crashed on the floor. "yikes, are you okay?"

"I'm so used to floating…" Garagus laughed at his own failure. "Why aren't you pining me?"

"Because it wouldn't be fair." She raised her eyebrow. "I'm not helping you up, though. If you can't move, I'm declaring myself the winner."

Sighing, and sucking in a breath, Garagus tucked his knees to his chest and kicked himself into the air. But, he overshot and had to fly to keep from smacking his face on the floor.

Somehow, flying gave him more control than walking. And Rhuba could feel his power blowing against her hair as he suspended himself mid-air.
"So that's how it is?" She laughed, coming off the floor herself and flying circles around him. "Anything outside this is out of bounds. Seriously, don't damage the walls."

"Just, give me a minute…" Garagus dashed to one side of the room, then shot himself back to the other.

Rhuba stretched herself out and rolled her shoulders as he adjusted to flying in gravity.
Although their fight had started, she was willing to let him be the best of his ability before they start for real.
"This reminds me of my first time learning to fly, only it's you who needs the practice~" She snickered.

"This isn't practice." He told her. "This is-"

"Calibrating?"

"Exactly." Garagus slowed to a mere drift in front of her. "I'm ready to go. And this time, if you see an opening, go for it."

Rhuba took a deep breath, rolling her neck one more time, before holding her hand out.

Garagus punched her hand, then blocked a kick.
Grabbing her leg, he tried to slam her down.

"No Breaking!" Rhuba propelled herself up towards the ceiling, slipping right out of his grip. "One rule, I gave!" She shot back down and landed a punch on his back.
Garagus spun after the hit and countered with a punch of his own.

The battle started to get heated. Blows were exchanged faster and faster until finally, with their knees shaking, and brows sweating, they were desperately trying to pin the other.

"How are you this strong?" Rhuba demanded through her teeth.

"I warned you that strength won't be enough!" Garagus was emitting so much power that would be utilised in flight just to compensate for the difference, he wondered what a scouter would read if one scanned them. "shit, Stop!" He buckled and found himself on the floor under Rhuba.

"Why?" She stared down at him, wiping the sweat from her face as she straddled his chest.

"Scouters!" Garagus announced as he sat up, shifting her weight to his lap. "are we detectable in here?"

"Oh, the station has a signal jammer for that kind of reading. Scouters are only good for communications."

"Well then good." He relaxed, falling back on the floor. "Well done, Rhuba."

"you gave up early…" She pouted. "I wanted to win for real."

"Nah. If this were an arm wrestle, I wouldn't have lasted so long without cheating. The fact is, if you walked on our planet as a stranger, they'd think you're an Alpha."

Rhuba looked up at the ceiling in relief that she could relax after such a hard battle.
But for some reason, she doesn't feel any pride in what he told her.
Of course, being an Alpha or an Elite means Nothing now. But even if they still had a people, she doesn't want to be ranked with them.

"Come on. I want you to have a bath before you meet my friends."

Garagus was glad to have a chance at a proper wash.
The small ship he had only had a shower that used reusable chemicals to kill bacteria and replace BO with an oily smell that honestly isn't much better.
Plus, he hadn't shaved the whole time he was gone so it felt good to be clean again.

"Hey handsome~" Rhuba greeted from her bed as he walked in from the bathroom. "You look ten years younger."

"And you don't look a day over sexy~" He grabbed a clean fresh shirt from the table on his way by. "Wait, why is this here? Did you get me a shirt but no trousers?"

"no…" Rhuba looked shyly at the floor. "I might have been sleeping in it…"

"Uh-huh." Garagus sniffed it.

"I have been washing it."

"darn~" He tossed it at her, but had it thrown back at his face.

"I'll go to the ship and get you something to wear…" She opened the door to leave, but not without giving a warning first. "Don't answer the door with your tail out~" She giggled nearly walking right into someone. "Yena, hi…" She bit her lip, looking over her shoulder with frightful eyes.

"Who's tail is out?"

"Oh… My husband just got back…"

"Bollock naked? Put ye'r tail away, Mr!" Yena laughed, calling through to Garagus who'd retreated to the bathroom but still could hear. "Well, I won't keep you from him, but the offer for drinks tonight is still there."

"I was going to introduce you and the girls anyway, so this will be nice before he heads out again."

"Are you sure? Isn't he going to be gravity fatigued?"

"I was, but seeing Her again recharged me," Garagus called from the bed, towel around his waist.

"Oh he's a charmer." Yena laughed, still unable to actually see him.

"no, he's dead if he doesn't shut up." Rhuba gestured for him to be quiet before shutting him inside the room "Would Sterling allow me time off while he's here? I don't really want to miss a second of him being here."

"That's fine, I'll pass the message." Yena walked with Rhuba to the entrance before leaving her.

Rhuba brought several changes of clothes for Garagus to choose from, but many of them were too loose.
"Funny, my clothes have only gotten tighter."

"I'll fill out again. My next ship should have gravity generators. And unlike you, I can actually calibrate mine."

"So?"

"So I'll set mine to say… Five times this?" He grinned. "Then we'll see who's stronger."

Rhuba looked frustrated. It's a game-changer for him to be able to control the gravity he trains under.
"Know what? I don't even care." She stepped forward, her tail reaching out to coil around his. "I didn't feel as happy about beating you as I thought I would… I think I actually enjoy trying to top you more than actually winning."

"Really? Does that mean you'll let me win?"

"Absolutely not." Her eyes locked on his. "I'll make you earn it."

Laughing to himself, Garagus slithered his tail back from around her before both of them made themselves presentable to meet Rhuba's coworkers.

Gathered around the table and with drinks and empty glasses all around, everyone listened to Garagus' work.
"The planet was beyond toxic, but it was beautiful to look at." Garagus could see the familiar stare from Rhuba. She always loved hearing about the journey he and Granate took while she stayed home on Vegeta.
Her friends were also interested in the sights he got to see.

"I bet it was." Ruble sighed. "My people had to flee our planet. Pollution and war just, ruined it. But I heard it might become liveable again within the century."

"That's not too bad. I've heard some recolonisers freeze themselves as they wait for baren words to heal."

"Maybe, but imagine waking up to everyone you ever knew being dead for decades? Too morbid for me. What's the point in a planet without a people?"

Rhuba and Garagus stared at each other.
To talk openly about their experience would invite too many questions, so they just quietly sipped their fruit juice.

"excuse me…" Uraal had been quiet, but suddenly stood up from the table and left. She seemed upset but when Ruble offered to comfort her, she declined.

"That was stupid of me…" Ruble sighed, finishing her drink.

"What's the matter?" Garagus asked.

Yena and Ruble shook their heads before one of them volunteered to speak.
"Uraal's planet was taken over by Freeza's dogs. She and her then-boyfriend managed to escape but, their parents didn't, and her people are scattered."

"She told me that the attackers turned into freakish monsters under a full moon," Yena added.

"It's scary to think the kind of people that exist out there. But apparently, their planet was destroyed by a meteor shower."

Rhuba felt herself go cold. She jolted back to life when Garagus' hand met hers under the table.

"Cosmic justice." Ruble and Yena clinked their glasses together, then reached for Garagus and Rhuba to do the same.

"Justice." Garagus clinked his glass too, followed by Rhuba.

"On to lighter notes." Ruble cleared her throat. "I'm going to be a mother."

"You're pregnant?" Yena's eyes lit up. "wait, no…" She snatched the drink from Ruble's hand. "You can't drink."

"Yes I can…" She snatched it back. "I'm not pregnant. Did you think I got knocked up through telepathy? My husband just promised me after he clears his next assignment and we leave, we can try. So emphasis on Going to be."

"Well, congratulations in advance I suppose." Yena teased.

"What about you two?"

There was a moment of pause as Rhuba looked over her shoulder. It took her a second and Garagus nudging her before she realised who was being asked.
"m-Me?"

"Yeah, obviously~" Ruble laughed but eased up at how trapped Rhuba looked. "Never thought about it?"

"I have." Garagus chuckled. "But every time I bring it up, she freaks out."

"I just don't understand why you hate me so much." Rhuba glared at him.

"I don't hate you-"

"Then why are you trying to hurt me?" Rhuba challenged. "Birthing hurts! You breed me, you hurt me."

Ruble and Yena lowered their heads. A few people had started looking their way.

"I just try not to think about it." Ruble admitted, quietly sipping from her empty glass.

"I can't." Rhuba sighed. "My mother told me how bothersome it is carrying the baby, then how painful it is, how messy it is, just… Noo-hoo-hoo…" She whimpered near the end, almost petulantly.

Yena's eyes darted back and forth between the two other women at the table.
Ruble looked like she was slowly being talked out of it.
"Well… it's only one day."

"After nine months of carrying it in your tummy."

"Nine? For me, it'll be eleven, twelve if it's a girl."

Yena laughed harder.
"I was born in eight."

"It's not a race, ladies." Garagus gave each of them a look. "Why twelve for a girl?"

"I don't make the rules." Ruble sighed. "There's a biology reason for it, but the folk tale is that boys are too impatient to be done right."

"Ha!" Rhuba laughed, patting Garagus' arm. "This one was done right."

Yena smirked at the way Rhuba and Garagus behaved with each other. Rhuba always seemed unsure and shy in the time she'd known her, but Garagus brought this fun and confident side out of her.
"What about you, big guy? You want kids?"

"I asked, but as you can see, she keeps acting like I'm trying to kill her."

Rhuba's smile dropped again as she quietly slumped in her chair.

"Out of interest, would you want a boy or a girl?"

"I get a choice?"

"Some people on my world believed that if you conceive near the end of your cycle, you get a girl, and a boy near the start."

"Does it work?" Ruble asked.

"Yes, fifty percent of the time." Yena rolled her eyes. "Folk tales are stupid…"

"Can we get off the topic of children please?" Rhuba asked, staring at the ice melting in her glass. "I'm getting a refill. Anyone else?"

Garagus went with her while Yena and Ruble went off to try and bring back Uraal from wherever she was hiding.

"Two fruities please." Rhuba turned to Garagus as they waited on their drinks. "I remember my mother talking about me having children. It always made me uncomfortable."

"Sorry, I just always thought you and I would be good at it."

"It doesn't matter if we would or wouldn't. I can't have children!" Rhuba growled at him as the drinks appeared. "I refuse to." She mumbled.

They waited at the table for some time before Ruble returned.
Uraal didn't want to come back down and Yena was staying with her.
"Since it was my bad for bringing it up, I'm going to go throw myself into space or something, you two enjoy your time together."

"No worries, goodnight." Rhuba waved her off as she and Garagus finished their drinks and turned in for the night.

But instead of going to the bedroom, Garagus wanted to return to their ship to inspect something.
"Something?" Rhuba questioned.

"Yes…" Walking down the halls, feeling a sense of nostalgia, he entered the washroom. "You!" He boomed, pointing at the washing machine. "Stay away from my woman!"

"Oh for crying out loud…" Rhuba walked out and returned to the bedroom on the ship. "Come on! I'm sleepy."

"This space is a little more cluttered than I remember," Garagus followed, navigating through to the stacks of boxes. "did you make this mess or did I?"

"Who cares." Rhuba fell back on the bed. "Come get the first workout you've had in a year."

Garagus ripped the shirt clean from his back as he started undressing.

"Hey! I was going to sleep in that!" Rhuba object.

"You're sleeping in Nothing tonight, love."