Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ RipTide ❯ 15 ( Chapter 15 )

Chapter 15

The two teens struggled as they were pulled into some dark room before they were finally dropped on their knees and cold metallic chains could be felt wrapping around them. The two gasped and struggled, but never got away. A dim light shone down on a seat at the front of the room. Though they couldn't see behind them, the two knew that Berter was still standing behind them.

We make a run for it on three...one...THREE!! The two got up to run, but suddenly felt their ki drop. It was like it was being sucked out of them! Their limbs suddenly felt extremely heavy and the two dropped back down to their knees.

~*~

"We will meet in an hour to discussion the Saiiyan Issue," a fish-looking man said on the vid screen before the transmission ended. Vaya sighed in her seat on the couch. Vegeta paced back and forth, his red cape flowing behind him. The two were already dressed up for the debate, but they still had to think out what to say. Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Vegeta looked up.

"It's Sdhoirm and Zafira!" Sdhoirm spoke from behind. The doors suddenly slid open and the two hurried in.

"We're really going to have to think things through before we let you two out there," Sdhoirm said with a worried look. Vaya stood up, "Why? What's wrong now?"

Zafira couldn't help but frown, "Those people out there want us all dead. The debate hasn't even begun and they're already discussing executions."

The king and queen's eyes widened. Vegeta growled and balled up his fists. Sdhoirm hurried up to him, "Vegeta, remember, power has no place in this fight. You'll have to use your mind."

Vegeta looked at him and nodded.

~*~

A servant walked into the control room and bowed, "Lieutenant Jeiyce has reported good news."

The towering captain's features lightened, "Good! Patch him through!"

The orange-skinned alien appeared on screen, dressed in an all-black fuku with pointy-shoulders and long jet-black gloves.

"Report Lieutenant?" Ginyu looked at him expectantly. Jeiyce could only smirk, "We have the prince and the girl."

"And what about Vegeta and his woman?" Ginyu's invisible brow rose. Jeiyce grinned, "Completely unawares."

"Well then, keep your guests entertained until I give you word to do otherwise." Jeiyce had a very sinister look on his face, "That I will, sir. That I will."

~*~
The council chamber was a rectangular room with a long table in the middle, holding enough chairs for every leader of every race present on Planet Frost. At the present time, every representative was seated, including Captain Ginyu at the head of the table. Still there were four empty seats. The reps were talking in low, conspiratorial voices to each other.
At that moment, the doors slid open and in strode Vegeta, Vaya, Sdhoirm and Zafira, one after the other. Vegeta was first, with a stormy expression that he was trying to hide. Vaya and Zafira were behind him, Vaya looking calm yet serious, Zafira looked slightly suspicious. Sdhoirm was the last to enter, his dark face unfathomable and brooding.
Their entrance was met with uncontained hatred; withering glares and muttered curses were shot at them from all sections of the table. The Saiyan group ignored the other reps and took their seats at the table.
Captain Ginyu stood. He looked around the table once to make sure he had everyone's attention, then he said, "We have called together the council of representatives to decide the deserved fate of the Saiyan race. King Vegeta and Queen Vaya of the Saiyan Empire have graciously traveled here to explain why their people should not be given the same treatment that they have so generously bestowed upon others," he sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
A rumble of anger rippled through the representatives, and the evil mutters began again as Vegeta -- with the support of his mate and his mother and the telepathic aid from his soul-father -- rose to plead for their right to live.

~*~

"So...you are the saiiyan no ouji?" a voice spoke out in the dark. The teens could hear Berter laughing behind them. A short figure suddenly stepped out of the shadows and sat down on the seat under the dim, ice blue light.

"It's about damned time you got here Jeiyce. I was startin' to get bored," Berter said in his raspy voice. Jeiyce chuckled and clapped his hands as light filled the room. Apparently, the orange-skinned Ginyu had acquired himself a bit of wealth from his speeches and signing with other planets. The floor was a smooth brown marble material, shiny enough to see your reflection in. The walls were decorated with tapestries of different alien creatures. The teenagers noticed them and Jeiyce smiled, "My latest kills. When you go travelin' from planet to planet, you tend to get a little bored. I like ta' go huntin'."

Adrian growled at him, but it went unnoticed. His ivory brows rose at the sight of Hitomi, "Well, hello. Who's yer pretty little female friend here?"

"Leave her alone," he heard Adrian growl. This earned a humorous look from Jeiyce, "You have a thing for the lass, eh?"

He smiled and knelt before Hitomi who was glowering at him, shrinking away from him. She could sense an evil aura about him, one that sent shivers up her spine. He slowly reached out a hand towards her cheek, "Though I don't blame you. She is a pretty young thing, isn't she?"

He quickly pulled his hand back before she could bite off one of his fingers, "Got spunk too. I like that in a girl. Perhaps I'll ask to have you spared after the extermination begins."

"What are you talking about?" Adrian's eyes rose as the Ginyu headed back to his seat. Berter spoke up, "He means that once the good captain is done with this debate, he'll have your parents and your people all thrown to the slaughter. When we were still with Frieza--"

"You worked for Frieza?" Hitomi spoke up. Berter nodded, "We were Frieza's bouncers. If there were someone who got way too out of line, he'd call us up to take them out. Of course, he began to favor you monkeys over us and started to call on us less and less until he had no more use for us."

The teens looked at each other. How could the people blindly follow the Ginyu if they were working for Frieza first?!

"Anyway, I like to take little souvenirs with me after a good purge. Something to remind me of the planet's fine points," Jeiyce said before pulling out a blue silk sash from behind his cushion. He breathed in deeply the female scent and sighed.

"Lilandra. A green-skinned Rashia-jin. They were a big threat even before Frieza made that deal with you saiiyans. He sent us to take care of them and I found a woman half-conscious in the rubble. Pretty as she was, I couldn't let the poor thing die out there..." Berter chuckled. Jeiyce smirked, "So I took the lass with me as a souvenir before we wiped the planet clean."

He sighed, looking up, "I can still remember her screams."

The teens looked at him incredulously."You're sick," Adrian snarled. His tan face was flushed.

Jeiyce could only smirk, "Why thank you lad. Of course, you'll probably have dirtier things to say once I take the lass off yer hands."

"What!" Hitomi's eyes shot up. He merely licked his lips and rubbed his hands together, "Don't worry. There's nothing set in stone. Not until the debate's over, that is."

~*~
The debate had gone on for almost an hour and it didn't look like the Saiyans' chances for survival had increased much, if at all. Every argument Vegeta made was met with anger and rude comments. Several times Captain Ginyu called for order, but it seemed like he was only doing it to seem neutral in the eyes of the Saiyans.
Vegeta was very close to losing his temper. It was visible in the way his dark eyes were smoldering with fury, and how every time a nasty remark was made he looked like he wanted to tear that person to ribbons.
Vaya sat beside her mate. She had stepped into the debate only when it seemed necessary, in case Vegeta had no prepared response, or he looked like he was going to do something really bad. Now she had her eyes closed tightly, and her face was white.
Zafira had also been prepared to cool the anger of her son. Whenever Vegeta sat down again, she would reach over and just give him some sort of sign to relax. He always did so, but every time the next person spoke it just flared his temper again, so Zafira could have been ignoring him for all the good it did.
Sdhoirm was the only one who hadn't moved or said a thing the entire time. In fact, it seemed as if most of the representatives had forgotten he was there. He sat forward with his elbows up on the table, his mouth hidden behind his clasped hands. It appeared to Zafira like he was doing some very deep thinking, but she couldn't understand why he had been so quiet the entire time, like the issue at hand didn't even concern him.
"What about the thousands of people that died on my home planet just because the Saiyans had an off-day?" one rep snarled at Vegeta.
"We do what our ancestors have done for centuries," Vegeta shot back. "You can't condemn us for keeping a tradition."
"So it's tradition to murder innocent lives?"
"It is tradition to ensure that only the strong survive!"
Vaya bit her lip and her face seemed to go even paler. Zafira could see that Vegeta was losing ground; everything was being thrown at them too fast. It was over a hundred against one.
She stood up. "I'd like to call for a recess so that all parties may discuss and analyze the debate thus far," she said to Captain Ginyu in a serious voice that almost dared him to tell her no.
The purple alien narrowed his eyes at her, as if scrutinizing her tone for a hint of treachery. Finally he nodded.
"This council will be given thirty minutes to refresh themselves for the next half of the debate. Every representative must report back here promptly at that time."
The council members got up to leave. Captain Ginyu watched the four Saiyans exit the room before the others. He smiled evilly. We've got 'em right where we want 'em.

~*~

Vegeta sighed and collapsed in a cushioned seat, burying his face in his hand. Vaya collapsed in a seat beside him when a cup appeared in front of her face, she looked up and smiled warmly at Zafira.

"Thank you." And she drank carefully from the cup because her hands were shaking. Zafira shook her head and folded her arms. Sdhoirm, on the other hand, was keeping a watch out on all the other inhabitants in the room. Just about everyone was giving them dirty looks in the room, whispering in hushed tones. Probably cursing them or discussing how to deal with them when the debate ends.

We might have to get the Elite ready if all else fails.. Zafira turned to Sdhoirm.

Sdhoirm moved back to face her. It's not over yet. We can still win this. His expression was serious. Zafira nodded, Then we'd better use this time wisely.

"Vegeta, come with me," Zafira said quietly and headed for the balcony. Vegeta blinked and looked up, but without saying a word, got up and followed his mother. The two were greeted with a light, cool breeze as the sun set and the two welcomed it with open arms.

"Take a deep breath and relax," Zafira said and he did so. Vegeta expression turned stormy, "I won't sit there and let a bunch of strangers decide if I should live or die!"

Zafira gently placed a hand on his shoulder and he calmed down, "You'll have to look at things from their perspectives. When the purging squads came to their planets, did they give them a choice on whether they'd live or die?"

Vegeta shook his head solemnly. Zafira looked out on the horizon, "You see why they hate us so much? Our ancestors, our people murdered and slaughtered theirs with as little effort as they would take stepping on a bug. This is why they want us dead. Granted, we won't go without a fight, we have to reason with them. Appeal to their better natures and ask for forgiveness for the crimes of our people."

Then Zafira looked at him, "And end the purging." Vegeta's eyes widened, "Mother--" Zafira placed a finger over his lips, silencing him, "We don't need them. We never did! The only reason we had them is because of Frieza's treaty with us. And he's dead. We have enough space and resources on our planet to last us 10 more generations. We have to stop the unnecessary killing. Or it'll backfire on us in the end."

Vegeta looked at his mother and couldn't help but smile. She was so wise. He now saw why his father cared for her so much and why he would put his life on the line for her.

"Ahem." Mother and son turned around to see Sdhoirm, "The recess has ended."

~*~
The council started up again with strategies rethought and tempers refreshed. Everyone was prepared to defend how they thought the situation should be handled. Captain Ginyu recalled the council to session, and Vegeta stood once more.
"It is true that my people have purged planets of their inhabitants in order to stay in business for longer than we care to remember," he started calmly. "However, I now appeal to the better judgment of the council. We were acting under the orders of Lord Frieza, and we continued to do so after his death for reasons still unclear to us. But I assure you, we have seen the error of our ways. In exchange for the freedom of our lives and culture in the eyes of the council, we will cease all connections and propositions with the Planet Trade."
There was a murmur of surprise that ran throughout the representatives in the council chamber. They began to talk in low voices with each other, in slight confusion as to whether or not they could trust the word of the king of the Saiyans. Vegeta lowered himself back into his seat, carefully watching the other reps. Vaya touched his arm in a gesture of suspense, and a little hope. Captain Ginyu was extremely displeased with how things seemed to be turning against his plan, although he tried not to show it.
But it didn't seem like his hopes were in any real danger, for one representative stood up, still looking angry.
"But how do we know that you will keep this promise that you make? We have no reason to trust your race of murders. What proof can you give us that will show that you mean what you say?"
Vegeta's eyes went wide and he opened his mouth, but no sound came out. However, before he could say anything, Sdhoirm stood up...much to the surprise of everyone in the council.
"I'd like my own chance to defend my race, if it pleases the council," he said softly in his velvet voice. "My name is Sdhoirm...I am also known to some as Maugrim, or the Star Treader."
Captain Ginyu looked suspicious. Again there was an outbreak of hushed voices. Then one voice shouted,
"Let the Star Treader speak!"
Sdhoirm nodded in the speaker's direction. My turn, he sent to Vegeta, who looked surprised but relieved. Sdhoirm waited for the full attention of every representative before he began.
"Our worlds have all changed so radically, and we're all running to catch up," he said, his voice soft but calm. "There is not a person in here who cannot say that they have lost nothing to be here, and right now the Saiyans are the easiest target for blame. But it is always easy to shoot the messenger. Now...I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but I think it would be safe to say that you all found it hard to return to normal after the damage was done. Is this true?"
There was a rumble of grudging affirmation. Sdhoirm nodded.
"You turned to what you knew...things you had done before the catastrophe, comfortable chores and customs, anything that would remind you of the way it used to be. You felt that if you clung to the old ways, it would help you recover from the loss of so many to so few."
There was another murmur of agreement.
"And that's what all of you have in common with your enemy. Under Frieza's rule, we were ordered to purge planets to satisfy his greed, or lose our own lives instead. Given the situation, I assume that any of you, being the loyal leaders, would want to save your people rather than those you knew nothing about."
The representatives cast tentative glances at each other, looking slightly guilty because they knew Sdhoirm was right.
"Frieza gave us that choice. Any actions that resulted in the endangerment or extinction of other species were committed under his orders. We knew what we were doing was needless and cruel beyond our own intentions, but we continued for fear of our own lives. And gradually, later generations began to breed for this very purpose; growing into adulthood to kill, not knowing any other way for things to be.
"But we grew wise to Frieza's intentions. We learned that he planned to destroy us all anyway; like any self-respecting civilization, we fought back. We rebelled against his reign and destroyed him...but we lost many of our own valued warriors in the process.
"And, like you, we tried to turn back. We held onto anything we knew, because it reminded us of days when our loved ones still lived, when we hadn't lost almost everything we had worked so hard to gain in a battle for our freedom. These old ways included the Planet Trade, and by now our warriors were born to destroy. But in time we have come to realize that what we are doing serves no purpose any longer. Our children are born free with no knowledge of a time of slavery and bloodlust, seeing space travel as an opportunity to learn, not murder."
There was a slight ripple of agreement through the council, and some even nodded their heads. Vegeta and Vaya stared at Sdhoirm with wide eyes. Zafira merely continued to listen quietly.
"All I am asking now is for the council to think about what they are planning to do. Murder the entire Saiyan race? For a crime we had no idea we were committing? If you exterminate us now you will be no better than we were. We are what you are; survivors from an apocalypse that we still try to erase. All we ask is that you forgive our actions and believe us when we say we promise that things will change."
Sdhoirm finished his speech and sank back into his chair; that was more talking than he had ever done in his life. There was nothing else he could do, no other argument for Vegeta to make. So they waited for a reaction from the council.

Ginyu growled.
Damn it! I should've done something about him and Zafira when I had the chance! I knew they'd cause trouble!! At this rate, everyone'll be aborting the Galactic Revolt in exchange to work with those damned apes!
He managed to compose himself and rise slowly, lifting his hand to quiet everyone, "I think we should take a brief pause in the break to come up with a final vote on the issue."

~*~
Ginyu rushed down the halls with three members of the G.R. close behind him.
"What'll you do now captain? At this rate, they'll actually start trusting those monkeys," one of the soldiers said. Ginyu turned around abruptly and grabbed him by his neck, "Don't you think I know that, idiot?!"
He threw the man down to the ground and stormed off to the control room.
"Patch me into the Chamber."
"Right away sir," one of the computer techs said. Jeiyce's image suddenly appeared on-screen, "I think it's time move to Plan X."
Jeiyce's smirk turned into a devious grin, "All right, sir."
The link was ended.