Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Errant Exile ❯ Late Night Grilling ( Chapter 4 )

Errant Exile

Chapter 3 -Late Night Grilling

"Exile has to have more benefits than just bathtubs." - Khri

Flying! She was actually flying!

Khri tried hard to ignore the fact that she was muddy and soaked to the skin, and just enjoy the sensations of flying without mechanical assistance. There was no hum of engines or weapons fire; the only sounds were the rustling of Piccolo's cloak, the wind in her ears and her own teeth chattering. Once they had left the storms far behind and Khri forgot about the arm wrapped tightly around her middle, she looked down to watch the dark plains and hills pass by as they flew. There was no moon and the stars shone clearly, their lights echoed on the earth in the form of clustered homes and tiny villages. She fought to suppress another intense shiver and failed, but Piccolo didn't complain.

All right, time to apply some discipline and assess this situation, Khri mentally reprimanded herself. I'm on Earth less than five marks when I'm attacked by seven Telkarri and then nearly blown apart by a Saiyan who's race is supposed to be extinct. I then meet two more Saiyans, one of which just happens to be Son Goku, and another yet unidentified alien who, for some unknown reason, I make nervous. Well, I'm off to a smooth start.

Was Son Goku's appearance really just a coincidence? The back of Khri's neck began to itch. Her original drop point was to have been a few miles from Satan City, far to the north of his home, yet he had appeared in the desert, offering help. She couldn't shake the feeling there was more, much more to this assignment than she suspected, but she had proof of nothing. Perhaps the type of questions she knew they would ask her later would give her some insight. That arrogant imbecile, Vegeta, was typical of the handful of Saiyans she'd encountered in her long lifetime, but the boy Trunks and Son Goku himself were anything but typical. Both had the same distinctive scent, Trunks less so, but there was no sign of usual arrogance, guile, mockery or pride. Goku's smile and whole demeanor had been open and honest. She had found herself trusting him immediately, which unnerved her. She gave her head a small shake at her own failings, which she instantly regretted. Hopefully Piccolo would interpret her gesture as another bout of shivering.

Piccolo! Now there was another mystery she hadn't expected. She suspected he was Namekian, but his antennae were hidden by his turban and she hadn't been able to get a good look at his arms. It was a good guess but she couldn't be completely sure; there were several species that were green and had similar features like his large, pointed ears. The handful of Guru's warriors she had met on Namek many years ago had been worthy fighters, but Piccolo hadn't been among them. It was possible he could have been born after her last visit. If he had lived in one of the more remote villages, he would have been whisked to Earth under the strange circumstances that brought the entire population here. Perhaps he'd stayed on Earth after the immigration to New Namek, but why? Khri felt him staring at her again and forced herself to look straight down and watch the scenery pass far below. The last thing she wanted to do was make him more nervous than he already was.

Khri thought back to the moment when Goku's chi light had given Piccolo his first good glimpse of her face. His reactions had surprised her. He was startled, then apprehensive, emotions one would expect a monster to invoke. I must look like a half-drowned rodent who'd been rolled in a box of wet sand, but I'm certainly not monstrous! How could I possibly worry him? There was no mistaking the hard muscle in the arm holding her; he could easily lay her flat without straining himself or using chi if he really wanted to. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his fierce stare focus on her again. It was becoming harder and harder to resist sneaking a peek back at him. Whatever he is, he's attractive, Khri thought. I know a lot of flirtatious, pretty junior officers who would have a hard time restraining themselves around him. Khri's sigh was masked by the wind, thoughts of her shipmates bringing back memories attached to very raw emotions. Those junior officers were now under a new command. Any unacceptable giggling was Ahtai's problem.

The wind abruptly slowed and changed direction. Khri realized she had just run out of thinking time and Piccolo was landing. Beneath her feet she could see a dome-shaped house skirted by several trees, the light from a window casting a soft glow on the ground beside the front door. Son Goku was the first to land, followed by Vegeta and Trunks. Piccolo must have slowed his flight out of consideration for her, a point she made a note to remember as he came to a gentle landing. He bent a little and set her on her feet. "Thank you. And s...sorry about the sh...shivering," she stammered as she released him.

"It wasn't a problem." Piccolo's gaze turned on the house, his eyes narrowed. "Stand back and give Goku plenty of room."

Puzzled, Khri turned to look at Goku. He was standing with one hand on the door handle, scratching the back of his head with the other. Even in the dim light she could see that Trunks and Vegeta were apprehensive. "What's wrong? Is a b...bomb set to explode when he opens the d...door?" she asked Piccolo.

"That's a good way of putting it."

A couple of steps to the side gave Khri a glimpse through the window next to the door. Seated at the table inside was an attractive, middle-aged woman with long, dark hair, wrapped in a bathrobe. Even at a distance Khri could tell she was furious. Goku took a deep breath, opened the door and walked inside. "I'm back, ChiChi, sorry about leaving in the middle of the night, but..."

"You're sorry?!" ChiChi's shrill voice rang out as she flew to her feet, knocking over her chair. "You're home from training less than a few days and you sneak out in the middle of the night without so much as a word, and you're sorry? You come back soaking wet and tracking mud all over my kitchen floor, and you're sorry? What do you think I am, a..."

As the shouting continued, a devious little plan hatched itself in the back of Khri's mind. I'm supposed to watch Son Goku's family, which includes his wife. I guess its time to put away the battle commander personae and bring out the diplomat. "All right, I'll play," she sighed. She felt Piccolo watching carefully as she ran her fingers through her mud-soaked bangs to make them stand out, leaned back and wrung water out of her braid onto her face, then hunched over slightly and hugged herself. The shivering part was all too real and she intended to take full advantage of it. The only flaw in the plan was her armor; the stereotypical "distressed young woman" usually didn't have such luxuries. Hopefully the caked mud and the pitiful look on her face would be a big enough distraction.

Khri walked over to the open door and peered around it. "Excuse me," she said meekly, interrupting ChiChi's reach for a cooking pot, "your huh...husband here and his friends were so k...kind in helping me, I d...don't know what I would have d...done if they hadn't c...come along."

ChiChi's hand stopped before it reached the pot handle. "What? Goku, you brought someone home? And you just left her outside when she's obviously freezing?"

Khri stepped around the door so ChiChi could see her, but remained on the threshold. She let herself shiver in earnest and was surprised at just how cold she really was. "G...Goku offered m...me a p...place to st...stay for just to...tonight, b...but if you prefer otherwise I...I understand. My n...name is K...Khri"

Goku's wife circled the table, ignoring her now red-faced husband, and walked up to Khri. "You're absolutely soaked! And covered with mud! And shivering!" She grabbed Khri by the wrist and pulled her inside. "Was Goku carrying you and drop you by mistake? He's done that before."

"N...no, its n...not Goku's fault at all! He and h...his friends were very heh...helpful."

ChiChi frowned. "Friends? Oh. Vegeta and Piccolo." She leaned out the door. "You two might as well come in. You too, Trunks! The floor can't get any muddier than it is now!"

The kitchen felt smaller as Vegeta, Trunks and Piccolo crowded their way in. ChiChi had been wrong; the floor was now covered in mud from one end to the other. The small woman looked up at Khri and suddenly smiled. "How does a hot bath sound to you?"

A bath? A real bath, in a real tub, with lots of hot water? Khri no longer had to fake her pathetic expression. She was only able to enjoy a good soaking during her brief visits Home. The Aughenai, as spacious and well equipped as she was, hadn't been plumbed for an activity deemed nothing more than a waste of water, and the showers were usually tepid. She let ChiChi guide her to the bathroom and nearly cried when she saw the big, round tub. There were thick towels and a small basket of shaped and scented soaps on a small bench nearby. "Do you need a change of clothes?" ChiChi asked, turning on the water. "I might be able to find a shirt or gi in Goku's closet that would fit you. I'm afraid mine would be too short."

Khri leaned over the tub and watched the delicious steam curl up and around the faucet. "I have a c...clean change in my pack. Th...thank you, ChiChi. I'll t...try to be quick."

ChiChi opened a cupboard and took out a pile of clean towels that had seen more than their fair share of use. "Don't you worry about it," she said with a smile. "I always keep tons of food in the house, and I'm sure those boys won't mind waiting if noodles are involved." She suddenly smiled. "Oh, Khri? You can dump that armor you're wearing right outside that door over there. It leads to the yard. Nobody will bother it."

"Ah." Khri smiled back. "You d...didn't buy my poor little waif routine for one m...moment, did you?"

ChiChi laughed softly and headed for the door leading back to the house. "It was a good try, and I'll just tell them you kept calling them heroes. Whether or not they acted like heroes doesn't really matter. I'll make sure they're fed like kings." She gave Khri a small wave and left.

Well I'll be damned, Khri thought in astonishment. What a performance! She swore she'd never underestimate ChiChi, no matter the circumstances. While the tub was filling Khri shucked off her armor as fast as she could and tossed it out the door. She pulled her clean blacks from her pack and set them aside, then stripped off her soaked undersuit. The chill against her bare skin as she unbraided her hair nearly set her teeth chattering again and made her fingers fumble. Dropping her hair clasp on the floor, she climbed into the tub and dunked herself under the gloriously hot water. Maybe exile won't be so bad if bathtubs are standard issue... Khri held her breath as long as she could, letting the heat soak the cold from her arms and legs. She reluctantly surfaced, reached for the soaps and got to work.

A short time later Khri stood before the mirror, dressed in her black skinsuit and jacket, and finished off her damp but clean braid by snapping the clasp in place. At least the half-drowned rodent now looks like a battle commander, even if she isn't one, she thought at her reflection, chewing at the resentment she was unable to let go. She could pretend, though, and it would probably help her get through the questioning she knew waited in the kitchen. Her soggy clothes were secure in a pocket of her knapsack and she'd given ChiChi the courtesy of rinsing the sand out of the tub. That was one ally she didn't want to offend. She gave her reflection one last inspection, turned on her suit's heating system, picked up her pack and left the sanctuary of the bathroom.

Seated around the kitchen table the three Saiyans, now wearing dry clothes, were finishing off ChiChi's peace offerings with noisy slurps. All three looked up from their bowls as she walked past them to deposit her pack on the floor next to the door. Piccolo stood silently off to one side, eyes closed and arms folded, leaning against the wall. He opened at least one eye to watch her as she took a position across the room. "Are you hungry?" ChiChi asked her as she poured a cup of tea and handed it to Khri. "I didn't let them eat everything."

Khri politely refused the food but was thankful for the tea. "Rather than bombard me with questions, why don't I tell you what I can before you start the interrogation?" she asked her audience. "That way neither my time nor yours will be wasted. Agreed?"

It wasn't the behavior they had expected and it showed. Khri had counted on it, watching their surprise as she took a long drink. "Uh...sure!" Goku said.

"My name you already know. I'm here on Earth because I was assigned to come here. Don't worry, its not an invasion. I'm here alone and everything I brought with me fits in that pack over there." Khri couldn't keep an edge of bitterness out of her tone. Here comes the hard part, for them anyway. She set down her cup and turned to look out the window, arms folded. It was still the middle of the night, and dawn was many marks away. "Those creatures you saw me fighting are called Telkarri. They're what you'd think of as overgrown insects...like cockroaches with a few more brain cells. They move in swarms and leave destruction wherever they go. I was preparing to land on Earth when I came across their recon ship. I merely followed procedure in dealing with it. That ship should never have been allowed to come near Earth in the first place."

Khri heard Goku whisper to ChiChi, "I'll fill you in later," when he saw his wife's alarmed expression.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Why? Who's supposed to prevent it?"

Khri spun around and glared down at him, fists clenched. "Until about thirty Earth years ago, I was!" Her eyes glittered like brilliant cut topaz as her angry stare turned on each of them. Goku, Trunks and ChiChi all wore expressions of surprise, and Vegeta held onto his scowl. Piccolo surprised her again; he was obviously very nervous, so much so she could see sweat beading on his eye ridges as he watched her. She turned back to stare out the window, fingers itching to reach for the security of her diacha, which she'd tucked into its special pocket in her jacket. She had to settle on squaring her shoulders and clenching her jaw instead, reminding herself not to show fang, especially not now.

"Thirty years ago my fleet was assigned to keep the Telkarri from invading this section of the galaxy. We'd had many successes before we were suddenly reassigned with no explanation. The fleet that replaced us...didn't do its job. I almost feel I should apologize for that, but I'm not the one responsible." Khri closed her eyes, feeling the unspoken weight of regret behind her own words. "A short time ago my fleet was ordered back to this sector. The Telkarri had been slipping through holes in the blockade and we were brought back to clean things up. Now that we're back in charge, no further Telkarran ships should get through." She fell silent, feeling she had allowed her anger to say too much.

Vegeta's chronic sneer found its way into his voice. His chair scraped against the floor as he stood up. "You keep saying 'your' fleet as if you own it. Nice use of words if you're trying to pass yourself off as....say...Battle Commander Khri."

"Who?" asked Goku and Trunks together.

"I thought the name you gave us sounded familiar," Vegeta said. "There were just rumors and nobody could prove it, but Saiyan scouts kept talking about this so-called legendary warrior during their visits to the local bars for over a hundred years. 'There's a ghost fleet out there,' they'd say. Hell, even Freeza knew about the rumors. There were all sorts of names they'd throw out, like "Khri the Conqueror, Khri the Demolisher, Killer Khri, Shadow Man and more."

"Vegeta, stop now." Piccolo's voice lacked the steadiness she had heard earlier.

"I don't know why you'd think of trying to use the reputation of some mythical military leader to impress us," the Saiyan continued, "when you're just another female who..."

"Before you continue any further, Saiyan," Khri interrupted, not bothering to turn around, "think about this. Is that what you really believe, Vegeta? That I'm an imposter?" She looked at him over her shoulder, her eyes hard, her smile tight and her voice silky. "Or is it what you want to believe because the alternative is unthinkable?"

Khri let the silence linger for a moment before turning around. To her satisfaction, Vegeta sat down and crossed his arms, content to just glower at her. "As for those names...'Khri the Conqueror'? I've heard of that moniker before. I always thought 'the Demolisher' name was silly, but my Second liked it so I allowed him spread it around during shore leave. But 'Shadow Man'? That one is new to me. No doubt conjured by some drunken Saiyan over a gambling table."

Eyes wide and jaw dropped, Trunks asked, "you mean you really are this Battle Commander? How old are you?"

"Former Battle Commander, if you must know," Khri said with a small formal bow, ignoring the second part of Trunks' question. "I'm here on Earth as a visitor, not in an official capacity." At least not that Eldest has told me...

"Hey! How did you know Vegeta, Trunks and I are Saiyans? Well, Trunks is technically a half-Saiyan. His mom, Bulma, is human," Goku chimed in. "We know we don't look any different than humans because our tails were removed a long time ago. How did you know?"

Khri managed to conjure up a genuine half smile for her host. "You want the honest answer? Saiyans have a distinctive odor. No, please don't get offended, its not bad! Its as if you burned one of those sugar cubes you put in your tea over a flame. That's all."

"I have a question I've been dying to ask," Trunks said, happy to change the subject. "You don't use chi, we were able to sense that. What kind of energy were you using earlier? And can I please look at your weapon?"

Khri reached inside her jacket, her smile widening. "You are correct, I don't use chi. It's hard to explain, but if you think of it as being the opposite polarity of chi you'll have a good idea of how my source of energy works. This," she said as she passed her weapon over to Trunks, "is called a diacha."

Trunks handled it as if it were made of glass. He turned it over and over as Vegeta and Goku leaned in for a closer look. "There are no buttons, no switches. It looks like a solid tube with a handle in the middle, but I saw it change into a bo and a then a broadsword." He held it out, testing its grip and weight. "How do you turn it on?"

"I'm sorry Trunks, but it won't work for chi users. Its nothing more than a funneling device that lets us shape energy in a more direct manner than just blasting it." She accepted it back from Trunks. "I'd show you, but I'd rather not run the risk of damaging ChiChi's kitchen. I'm certain we'll meet again soon and I'll give you a proper demonstration."

"Well, what do you plan on doing in the morning?" ChiChi asked. "You are welcome to stay here tonight, you know."

Khri paused for a moment. "I hope to get to Satan City and tend to some business. Once I find a permanent residence I'll make sure you can contact me, in case there are more questions."

ChiChi smiled wickedly. "Good. That means I can kick these brutes out of here for the rest of the night."

Vegeta and Trunks took the hint. "We're going back to Capsule Corp," Trunks said as he politely pushed his chair back under the table, his father doing likewise. He cocked his head at Khri. "We will be seeing you again soon, then?" he asked eagerly.

"I'm not going to make myself impossible to find."

Vegeta remained silent but he leveled a menacing glare full of warning at her. Khri calmly stared back, her face expressionless, until the Saiyan and his son said goodnight to everyone else and left.

Goku pushed back from the table and yawned, stretching towards the ceiling. "What about you, Piccolo? You want to stay too?"

Piccolo opened his eyes and stepped away from the wall. "I'll stay outside until morning, if you don't mind. Gohan asked me to let him know what happened, and I need to fill him in." He turned and met Khri's eyes, and his own suddenly widened in shock. He was obviously so upset she took a step towards him, hands away from her sides and open to show no hostility.

"What is it?" Khri whispered, trying to let her open expression encourage him to say something - anything - just to give her an idea of what bothered him so much. "Is there something you want to ask me? I can't help if I don't know..."

"I..." Piccolo suddenly cut off what he was going to say, turned, and rushed out the door.

"I don't get it," Goku said as he began to clear the dishes from the table. Khri offered to help but he waived her away. "What is it about you that upsets Piccolo so much? I haven't seen him this upset since...since he had to face the Supreme Kai at the World Tournament!"

Khri's brows raised as she hid her disappointment. "I can assure you, I am not the Supreme Kai. I don't know why I'm worrying him so much, and that's starting to make me nervous too!"

"Maybe he'll tell Gohan," ChiChi offered, empty cups clattering as she placed them into the sink. "At least he's out from under my feet. He still makes me nervous after all these years, so its only fair somebody else returns the favor." She gestured to Khri with a smile reserved for conspirators. "Come with me. I'll show you where you can sleep."

After saying goodnight to Goku, Khri retrieved her knapsack and let ChiChi lead her up a flight of stairs to a sparsely furnished bedroom, illuminated by a small table lamp. A low but very comfortable-looking bed rested beneath a large window. "Don't feel you need to get up early," ChiChi said, placing an extra blanket at the foot of the mattress. "When you're ready to go into the city, I'll take you in our aircar. I was planning on paying my daughter-in-law Videl and granddaughter Pan a visit tomorrow afternoon anyway."

"Thank you again, ChiChi. You've been extremely generous, especially after I showed up dripping on your doorstep."

The dark-eyed woman winked. "If we ladies don't stick together, all those men would run roughshod over us at every moment! See you in the morning." She left and let the door shut with a quiet click.

It was technically early evening aboard the Aughenai, far too early for Khri to feel the need for sleep, but she did. She deactivated the heating unit, took off her jacket and draped it over a nearby chair. She tugged off her boots and set them beside it.

"Oh, I'd better not forget..." Khri opened her knapsack and fished out her slimpad. Upon activation its holographic display blared red, screaming its demand that she contact the ship. She used the stylus to tap in her personal uplink code and send a simple message: 'status is go, recon and all aboard confirmed dead, have made contact with Son Goku, will update soon.' There was a personal message from Sai, expressing both his concerns for her safety and his feelings that Ahtai was doing his best to match her leadership. Ah, Sai, you should have taken the promotion! She responded with a gentle, reassuring reply, then checked the missive list for word - any word - from Eldest. The lack of communication from him reopened still raw wounds. With a long sigh, Khri ended the uplink and deactivated the pad. She returned it to her pack and reached for the fasteners on the back of her suit. Her fingers froze...Piccolo is outside! I don't want to think he'd be too curious, but just to be safe... she switched off the table lamp and the room went dark. Her suit soon joined the jacket on the chair.

The pillow was thick and the ticking full, the mattress comfortable, and the blankets were soft with wear but still warm. All in all the bed was nothing like the one in her cabin aboard the Aughenai; her only complaint was that if she tried to lay flat her feet would stick out the bottom. The sheets against her bare skin smelled faintly of flowers and fresh air. The room was so quiet Khri thought she'd have trouble sleeping; she was accustomed to the distant thrum of the engines and hiss of the air filtration systems. She lay on her side with the bedding pulled up to her nose, watching the field of stars slowly drift outside the window. Maybe exile won't be such a terrible thing for a while, she yawned to herself, closing her eyes. Now if I can only determine why I make Piccolo so nervous... she let herself fall into sleep.

To Be Continued...