Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Royal Namekian Blues ❯ View by Moonlight ( Chapter 39 )

View by Full Moonlight

 

By StarbearerTM

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or Raditz. Toriyama does. I do own Dr. Atomica Stellari, Fermi and Bohr, and other minor fan fiction characters that are not part of the DBZ universe. This is a work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I don't get rich off this.

 

 

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At least three more months had passed since Dr. Stellari had taken up residence in Raditz' quarters. It was two weeks after the fight between Tien and Nappa, and Vegeta was doing everything he could to keep the Saiyans training far away from Metro West. This involved keeping them on Capsule Property by day, and training in Capsule owned natural parks by night. Fermi and Bohr, Dr. Stellari's twins had grown accustomed to their new foster parent. Yet there was one side of him they had yet to experience. A transformation that happened during the full moon.

 

Dr. Stellari happened to wake up in the middle of that night. She wrapped her bathrobe around her and tied the silky sash. Already her belly rounded with the growing life planted inside her by one of the last members of a nearly extinct race. Her body seemed to change to accommodate the new life. Feelings of primal aggression burned inside, and the silvery light shining in the window seemed to exacerbate her. Millions of tingling pinpricks made it near impossible to sleep.

 

Quickly she exited her room, and strode down the hallway towards the twin's room. Fermi and Bohr slumbered there in the bunk beds, she could tell by the gentle breathing. Minds shimmered silently with dreams. She hoped they would continue to sleep. Quietly she crept in, and then leaned down to kiss Bohr on the cheek.

 

"Mommy, you awake?" he muttered.

 

"Go back to sleep, sweetie," she whispered. Bohr accepted her kiss and pressed one to her lips as well.

 

"G'nite Mommy."

 

Fermi blinked from his bed and looked down. His voice murmured, "Mom, why are you awake? You worried about the moon?"

 

"What about the moon?"

 

"You're all crawly like. It's like you can't sleep?" he said.

 

"Go back to sleep hon."

 

"No Mommy are you scared?" Fermi persisted. The five-year-old moved to the front of his bed, and looked down.

 

"I… yes I am. But it's nothing for you to worry about," she said, leaning up to kiss his forehead. "Can you be a brave boy and stay here and look after the house while I go out?"

 

"I want to come with you," Fermi said defiantly. "You shouldn't go out alone, Mommy."

 

"Take us, Mommy," Bohr said sleepily. "Please!"

 

"All right you two, but its straight back to bed," she said. Inside she was grateful for the company of her boys, although they were only six years old. Seeing how Goten and Trunks grew incredibly strong, she figured their powers would defend her if she could not protect herself. To expect mere boys to fight, as a warrior should was unfair, but it was their choice.

 

Fermi slid down, and Bohr rubbed dust from his eyes. Fermi's pajamas were the flannel ones with dinosaurs on them, while Bohr had chosen red ones with various sports equipment dotting it. They quickly put on slippers at their mom's watchful insistence. She strode into her room and changed into a pair of loose fitting Capsule sweats and sandals. By the time she returned both boys were tying the belts of martial arts clothes.

 

"Boys, we aren't going to spar," she said.

 

"It seemed right," Bohr said.

 

"We don't know what's out there. How can we protect you Mommy if we're not in costume?" asked Fermi. He extended his hand to her, and she took it. Bohr moved on her other side, his arm around her waist. Both twins bracketed their mother while she strode towards the balcony. Fermi shoved the door open, his dark eyes peering out. Silvery threads of moonlight beamed down. Dr. Stellari felt the tingling in her spine moving all over her body.

 

"The moon is beautiful, but why are you scared?" asked Bohr, holding tightly to his shivering mother. Fermi narrowed his eyes, and automatically stretched out ki probes.

 

"There's a BIG ki over there," said Fermi, pointing with one finger towards the distant mountains.

 

"And a big full moon," said Bohr, pointing to the silvery orb drifting over the hills. Dr. Stellari was afraid to face it, wondering what would happen.

 

"Are you scared for Uncle Raditz?" asked Fermi quietly.

 

"He's not here, is he?" said Bohr. "Did he turn into a big monkey?"

 

"I… don't know where he is," she whispered. "And I'm scared to look at the moon. I'm… the babies…"

 

"We'll be with you Mommy," said Fermi. "Keep your eyes closed and we'll see for you."

 

"Here Mommy, make a blindfold," said Bohr. She leaned down and let either twin hand her a cloth. She tied it around her eyes. Silent winds whipped her hair, and she felt reassured that they could lead the way. Taking her hands, both twins, squeezed tightly.

 

"I feel that big ki. There's more than one," said Bohr.

 

"Let us help you see, so you won't see the moon," said Fermi. Ki crackled around her two sons, nestling under either armpit. Atomica allowed her ki to envelop her as well. Three figures rose into the night, one of them led by two youths. Through their eyes they saw the silvery moonlight, extending their perceptions to their mother. She had never seen the full moon in her pregnancy; concerned that it might trigger some horrendous change for the half Saiyan-children she carried. Why had she never asked Raditz about this?

 

A loud growl echoed. She felt them touch down for a landing. Wind whistled through trees, and she heard the rustling of leaves. Through her psychic rapport she saw the shape of the hills merging to a cave. It smelled of fresh blood and the ashes of a fire. "There," Fermi said.

 

"It's him, inside there," said Bohr. "You sure you want to see him? He seems kinda sad."

 

"Raditz!" she called out quietly. "Are you there?"

 

No answer came. Fermi let go of his mother's hand, dropping into a defensive stance. Bohr remained back with his mother. A look passed from one twin to another as they saw their mother tense in fear. "Hey! Are you in there or not?" called Fermi.

 

"Come out come out wherever you are!" Bohr added. Small voices echoed against cliffs and rocks.

 

A sudden snarling caught her ears. Fermi and Bohr turned, their eyes broadcasting the images they saw into their mother's mind. On the hilltop above the cave she saw two figures standing and facing the moon. One of them had a long fall of hair, while the other's bald head gleamed in the silvery light. Neither one seemed aware or cared about the newcomers. Bohr helped levitate his mom up while Fermi moved on her other side.

 

"Stay close to me, boys," she said softly.

 

"I'm masking our chi," said Bohr.

 

"They look like they're hypnotized," Fermi observed.

 

Blue lightening crackled down their backs. Tails unfurled from their waists, swishing about. Their eyes rose to the full orb, beaming and gleaming along their muscular bodies. Fully dressed in armor, the figures of Nappa and Raditz merged and blistered. Throwing back their heads they roared to the night. Fur erupted down their bare skin while their eyes glowed blood red. In a matter of seconds their bodies ballooned and erupted skywards. Growing height and mass their voices deepened to growling rumbling snarls.

 

"Watch out!" Fermi shouted as one of them turned around. Shaggy fur covered the bodies of the huge apes snarling moon wards. Glowing red eyes whirled to face the intruders. Jaws opened, lightening crackling in them.

 

"Shield!" Bohr shouted, throwing up his hand. Fermi did the same, forming a barrier of psychic power to ward off the blow. Atomica twisted her body, carrying her children with her.

 

"Boys, let's leave!" she called.

 

"RRAAAGGGH!" the larger of the two apes snarled, stamping towards them. Fermi and Bohr maintained their shield, pulling Dr. Stellari with them. All they worried about now was protecting their confused and scared mother.

 

Just then the other ape whirled around. He reached out with a massive paw to grab the shoulder of the first who must have been Nappa. Long jagged spikes spilled down his back, and his eyes glowed deeper read. A snarl escaped his mouth and he yanked the other around to face him. Loud snarls from Nappa were answered with growling and bared sharp fangs from Raditz. Nappa stopped his nostrils flaring.

 

"You'd better watch it, or we'll fight you!" Fermi shouted.

 

"Don't tempt me, small fry!" came a loud growling snarl.

 

"Don't touch them!" Atomica shouted. "Don't you recognize us?"

 

"Leave!" shouted the first. "Get outta here shrimps or you'll get hurt!"

 

"Go away," snarled the one named Raditz. "It's not safe…"

 

"Raditz?" Dr. Stellari shouted. "It's us!"

 

"We're not scared of you!" Fermi shouted. "You're just two big monkeys!"

 

"You won't scare us or Mommy, or the people in the city!" Bohr answered.

 

"Go Nappa, leave!" growled the shaggy haired great ape. "I'll handle this."

 

"Have fun, whelp," growled Nappa. He stomped off, his huge bulk moving through the trees of the wild. Huge footsteps vibrated till he vanished behind the nearby hills.

 

"Mommy?" Bohr asked. "You sure you wanna stay?"

 

"You don't scare us," Fermi answered. "With your changing and stuff! You worried Mommy!"

 

"You should not be here," the voice answered. "Take your mother and go home."

 

"I'm not frightened of you Raditz, I want to understand," said Dr. Stellari. "This too."

 

"She does, please listen to her, Uncle Radish-man," Bohr pleaded. "She's scared to look at you because she's scared looking at the moon will hurt the babies!"

 

"WHAT was that?" the Great ape form of Raditz growled deeply. His huge head tipped from side to side, undulating impossibly long locks. Bohr wrapped his arms around her waist, covering her belly with his small body. He hugged her around the chest, his back facing Raditz, as if to shield his developing siblings from any danger. Fermi moved to shield both his brother and mother with hands held up. A glimmering shield of psionic power wreathed around the trio, generated by the twins. It solidified into chi as solid as that of a Saiyan's energy attack.

 

"Is it harmful for me, pregnant with Saiyan children, to look at a full moon?" Atomica Stellari asked.

 

"She asked you a question, if you please Uncle. Are you gonna answer or what?" Fermi asked.

 

For a six year old, he was quite articulate. Though they were identical twins, either boy had a distinct personality. Fermi was bold, adventurous and brash, while Bohr was more cautious and sensitive. Both were halves of a whole being, never separated from one another. Being psychic they each shared one another's pain and joy, linked in an intimate bond that few humans could comprehend. Such a bond extended to their mother Atomica; no matter how much distance separated them a piece of her mind was in theirs. Theirs was a bond that started the moment the boys became aware in their mother's womb, and their fledgling powers unfolded. A bond through close contact did not easily diminish.

 

"Bold are you, boy?" Raditz laughed with amusement. "I think they inherited THAT brashness from your side, do you agree Precious one?"

 

"Hurry up with the mushy stuff and answer so Mommy and we can go back to bed, okay?" Fermi asked.

 

"You gotta speak to him with respect," Bohr cautioned him. "He's married to Mommy, remember?"

 

"Our whelps are NOT at risk if you look at the moon, love," Raditz growled down at her, still sitting o his palm. "You are human not Saiyan. And the whelps are unable to look at the moon growing in your belly as they are!"

 

"But they can see with an inner eye," Fermi said quietly. "That was why she was scared."

 

"You said that Saiyans are telepathic. When I was carrying these two around, they could see through my experiences," said Atomica. Fermi moved back to her other side, thrusting his shoulder under her armpit to aid in her levitation while Bohr moved away from her front.

 

"That is not the case now, small ones," Raditz rumbled, extending a huge gauntleted hand. "Bring your mother here. She is tired and there is much we need to discuss."

 

Fermi and Bohr glared up at the gleaming red orbs trained on them. Atomica nodded to them, for they were bearing the brunt of her body weight now. For her to levitate for too long of a time in her pregnant state was a strain. Yet for them it was hardly a chore. She recalled a time when carrying her twins that their unborn minds had reached out and psychically stunned someone who had dared come close enough to threaten her.

 

Their own biological father, Rutherford Stellari. She recalled how he had changed in those latter days. Prone to rages and rants, he would sometimes threaten her with physical harm. Dr. Stellari would stand before him and shout back, making it clear she would not allow such disrespect. Since she never backed down, her husband would back off. But there was one time he actually raised his hand to her, and struck her down. Stellari spat out blood and glared up at him, her hands raised in a defensive gesture. As his fist shot down, he felt a purple radiance shoot out and slam into his body. Pain shot along every nerve, and his fist flew back and hit himself in the head. Every muscle in his body fired at once, and he was paralyzed. Two young minds were filled with rage and anger towards him, centered in the belly of his wife.

 

Struggling to her feet she had kicked him sharply in the ribs and cursed at him. In fear her husband scuttled back and ran from her. That was the last time he was in the same room with her for any length of time. Any attempt he made to reconcile was met with icy rebuff. Eventually her husband realized he was cut off. His nature forever changed by whatever machinations of the red ribbon army had cost him the ultimate price.

 

Shortly after that, Dr. Stellari had escaped and fled with a group to the outside world. Defecting from the Red Ribbon army to divulge its secrets to the world. In exchange for such information, they were granted amnesty and new lives. Along with the young female she had liberated she had forged a new life. Both boys were born knowing little more of their father then that he had died during battle. Another male presence had been in their lives from time to time, and he was 'father' for a while. It was Rutherford Stellari, having accepted 'treatment' for his condition. One last try at being the father they had known. For her sake he had quit Red Ribbon. Father was strict yet kind to the boys, never raising a hand to anyone. He relied on a stern glare to mete out discipline, and the hand of their mother to spank if needed.

 

The dark monster and 'Father' were one and the same. Both twins knew, and yet comprehended that people changed. Unfortunately 'Father' was taken from them when both were only four. Defending them against a Red Ribbon attack to try and reclaim them.

 

"I see," Raditz muttered, glancing down at the woman on his palm, hugging her sons to her. "Only a coward attacks his own mate and whelps."

 

"You killed and exterminated whole civilizations," Atomica said quietly. "And slew your own brother."

 

"Women and children died. But never your own kind," Fermi said quietly.

 

"He wouldn't kill his own children or mate," Bohr nodded. "He never had a mate or children."

 

"Neither did Uncle Vegeta, till now," Fermi glanced at his mother, sensing the thoughts flickering there.

 

"Till now I had nothing of value to protect," Raditz said his voice deep and full of wonder. "Now I know why Kakkarot was 'soft'. It was not weakness but the drive of a male to defend mate and cub and den."

 

"Love is not a weakness. Only to those who don't understand it fully," Stellari looked up at him. "Only to those that have never had it in their lives in a healthy way. The bullies consider love a weakness because it is one thing they could never dominate and subjugate to their whim. And thus they loathe and fear it."

 

"A lot of talk. I'm getting tired," Fermi yawned.

 

"So'm I," Bohr murmured.

 

"There's a place to sleep, safe in the cave below," came the low growl of the great ape above. "I must speak with your mother alone. Do I have your trust young warriors?"

 

"Yeah I guess," Fermi said, moving away from Dr. Stellari. She reached up and pulled off her blindfold. When she beheld the hulking giant soaring over her with her own eyes she started momentarily. Bohr still clutched her waist protectively.

 

"Hes… big…" she managed to get out.

 

"Mommy?" Bohr whispered.

 

"Go with your brother. It will be all right, I promise," she said. "I'm only a thought away."

 

"This way?" Fermi nodded to the great ape. A nod of his shaggy head sent more ripples of movement down the massive spikes. Bohr reluctantly detached himself from Dr. Stellari before levitating down. Either twin levitated backwards towards the sloping hill of the cave they had first seen. Instinct told them the great beast would not harm their mother. Although he was fierce and savage, she had cast a spell on the Saiyan. Her sons retreated to the warmth of the cave where they found a bed of soft moss and leaves covered in cured pelts. It figured that Raditz would have made a small 'hunting' lodge out here without her knowledge.

 

"It was where Nappa and I were first brought. Where Chablis said your ancestors lived millennia ago. Like ours did, in Caves."

 

"Animal pelts, fur, and all. Really," she chuckled. "You are a caveman. You Saiyans get a hold of technology and put it to use…"

 

"As you humans do. The same capacity for violence as we have. It's refreshing to see that such weak creatures are such predators and dominators of their environment. A pity that many of you have abandoned your instincts," Raditz chuffed.

 

"So you run away and bark at the full moon?" she glanced up at him. He moved his other hand to cup around the first, securely cradling her so he could lift her up to behold his terrifying snout.

 

"Another culture reference… was there not a movie where you the female was in a position with a very large primate…" he growled.

 

"I'm going to have to stop letting you watch pay per view!" she groaned, realizing that often Raditz had spent many a late night sprawled before the TV with either boy watching old SF films. He had some fool notion that watching the media would give him insights into human culture.

 

"I always had fun watching the broadcasts of planets we were about to purge. How do you think we found some of them?" he laughed. "You humans have the strangest and most entertaining shows I've seen."

 

"Great, just great," Dr. Stellari groaned. "The fear of every SF and UFO buff is confirmed."

 

"If you saw half the drek that was broadcast from so called 'intelligent' races you'd think them worthy of extermination," he said.

 

Dr. Stellari rolled her eyes, knowing that he was resorting to humor to ease her terror at the sight of his transformation. While she had the detached air of a scientist it was challenged by her own human fears bursting forth. Thrill horror and incredible wonder at something that seemed so familiar. "I kissed that mouth and had that being touch me.”

 

"You're terrified, aren't you?"

 

"I'd lie if I said no," she panted. "But do you think so little of my ability to accept your nature?"

 

"Not you, but your sons. They guard their mother with an instinct for preservation that my race saw as once a weakness. To send males off away from the cave was not always done at such a young age. But it was a distortion of our culture to turn a rite of passage into a way to make money," he laughed.

 

"HAH," she laughed. "You admit it! This bullshit about shooting babies into space wasn't initially Saiyan culture. But you bought their line of drek."

 

"Annoying female," he mumbled.

 

"Without females picking up fruits and nuts for your lazy male asses you'd go hungry. Especially when 20 percent of the time was all you brought kill home!" she laughed deeply.

 

"You humans WERE tree monkeys," he grumbled. "You chatter as much as they do."

 

"Aha," she laughed and held her sides. Something squirmed against her belly, and she gasped.

 

"Are you hurt?"

 

"Your… our… babies just did a back flip," she whispered. "Are you SURE that Saiyan babies don't' transform?"

 

"Saiyans need to LOOK at the full moon to trigger this change, idiot," he sighed. To see a Great Ape snort with disgust was a hilarious sight. Raditz cupped his other hand overtop her, and blackness enfolded her. She yelped at the feeling of dropping.

 

Then the hand was withdrawn. Her eyes adjusted to the night vision, beholding stars overhead. Raditz had simply sat down on his haunches, and was leaning against the hillside to peer down at her. Great fingers lightly rubbed her soft hair as he cradled her body on his left palm. She yelped at the feel of a large index finger touching her curved belly with great delicacy.

 

"Very strong. I chose my mate well. A shame you cannot join me," he murmured.

 

Dr. Stellari choked at his words and heard his regret. She was not saiyan but he still wanted to share this part of himself with her. On her finger gleamed the gold ring he had given her? She had not asked for a wedding band, but this creature had insisted that it was tradition. A father may not share the religion of the mother, but the children must. Just where he had gotten the money was beyond her, but she knew Vegeta paid them a salary like other employees.

 

"Sleep little one," he growled, curling up and laying down. He seized part of his great hair and rested a fold on his lap. Then he placed Dr. Stellari on it so she would be blanketed by it. She felt his breath fanning her to warm her.

***

Instead of cold darkness she felt hot scratchy hardness around her. Mumbling, she felt herself reclining on something firm and solid. She opened her eyes to be blinded by the warm beams of sunlight flickering through gaps in the trees overhead. Two bands restrained her and bound her to the rumbling platform underneath. Although it emitted comfortable warmth, she felt cramped in her bent knees. Especially since one was trapped between two others, and a hard thigh moved between the junction of her legs. She lay slightly sideways with her back spooned into her mate's hard muscled body. Made even harder by his armor.

 

"Wake up, Radz-chan!" she grumbled affectionately, wriggling in him. Raditz had shrunk to his former but still imposing size. Partly under her was part of his massive mane, bits of it tickling her nose. His arms were clasped well above her belly so the babies inside were not under any harm. Even so she could feel the flutter of them inside. Like she had swallowed a butterfly that lightly trembled.

 

"Why are you awake and I'm not?" she mumbled to her unborn. It always seemed the case. Only one before had she been pregnant but it was more then enough to know what she was in for. Lately Dr. Stellari felt more and more heavy then she recalled ever being with the twins. Raditz had said her body was 'changing' to adapt to carrying Saiyans. How could a human body be so pliable to accommodate an alien? Bulma's body had changed but Trunks had been no liability for the first few months. Chichi had spoken often about being pregnant with Gohan. Yet she was one of the strongest females on earth. The daughter of the Ox King she carried the genes of a strong sturdy female, far stronger then normal human women. In contrast Bulma was so delicate that it seemed a miracle she survived pregnancy. Giving birth to Trunks had almost killed her.

 

Raditz twisted over off his side onto his back, carrying her with him. Luckily Raditz knew what to do. She doubted he would allow her to come to harm. He mumbled and blinked, loosing his grip on her. She was not sure if the growling was from his stomach or from his throat but he moved under her with small grumbling of his native language. Dr. Stellari turned over so she was straddling him. Dark eyes opened and blinked up at hers with an annoyed look.

 

"I need to hunt," he mumbled.

 

"That's what you get for dragging me into the middle of the woods. And I'm sure the boys are going to be just as hungry," she mumbled.

 

"Wait here," he said, lightly grabbing her hips. He lifted her off his body, and set her down on the mossy earth of the forest. She watched him climb to his feet and tower over her. He brushed off his armor, and stretched. Bones and muscles popped from the manipulation of his limbs in the morning sun. Large boots left huge footprints on the soft earth as he walked away towards the clearing.

 

Dr. Stellari rose from the ground. She stiffly limped over towards the cave where she guessed Fermi and Bohr were still sleeping. A light mental brush was gently rebuffed by two slumbering minds. She followed the directions towards the clearing. Smoke lightly curled up from a ring of rocks circling smoldering ashes. Raditz hunched over, his hand still raised in a position indicating a ki blast had been fired. She stole up behind him as quietly as she could. Her hands reached out to grab a handful of the soft spikes concealing his back. The ends of his hair dragged in the dust, and she barely touched the nearest handful before he whirled around on her. It took a fraction of a second for him to whirl wildly about on his feet once more.

 

"Too slow!" he snarled playfully. To his shock he saw no sign of his woman. Tossing his head back and forth he suddenly felt something heavy yanking his hair almost out by the roots. He gritted his teeth in irritation. While it remained firmly rooted in his scalp, the object was bringing him close to toppling over.

 

Dr. Stellari however had a death grip on his hair. Raditz had made the mistake of standing up, taking the surprised scientist up two feet higher than she was used to. She bit off her cry of pain at her shoulder being almost wrenched from its socket, and wildly flailed her other hand to grab the nearest second handful. Desperately she yanked down and managed to latch one leg around his hip while the other dangled. Raditz reaction was to twist and shake the strange object off. A familiar scent told him it was she, but since when did she have reflexes enough to grab him?

 

Wrenching her body, Dr. Stellari jerked to one side then the other. Raditz snorted, and then found himself toppling over with contemptuous ease. Just why in HELL could a mere human fell him? He managed to twist his body so he would not land on top of her and harm her. He hit the ground with an annoyed grunt on one knee and his chin in the dust. "Got you, you big baboon… HAH!" Dr. Stellari crowed. However her body was tangled in his mane of hair, dust flying every where.

 

"How in HELL did you do that…" Raditz gasped.

 

"Asks mister I'm superior cause I'm from a higher gravity world?" Dr. Stellari chuckled. He felt the motion of her body heaving with mirth.

 

"Damn it," Raditz grumbled. Secretly he was proud of his woman for toppling him. It had been dumb luck at first glance, but on further thought an image of a white suited being floundering in grainy dust flashed into his head. The image was very poor, as if seen on a primitive CRT screen instead of an LCD or plasma one.

 

"Just cause you're denser doesn't mean that you don't have YOUR weaknesses. Astronauts on the moon can't get up if they lose their leverage so I figured…"

 

"Woman, rejoice now, because I'm quite cranky if I don't eat!" Raditz growled.

 

"You got it now, buddy?" she laughed, straddling his hips. She tried to steer clear of hurting his tail, so she sat on his butt and upper thighs.

 

"I need food, now!" Raditz half snarled.

 

"Sorry," she mumbled, climbing off him. "Damn you're ALWAYS cranky in the mornings."

 

"Foolish woman," he grumbled, dusting himself off. He got up again and returned to the fire pit. Dr. Stellari had beaten him to it, prodding the coals with a long stick.

 

"Hope you hung your food in the trees, because we have bears here," she said.

 

"Damn stupid…" Raditz grunted. Dr. Stellari saw him jerk his head up. He blurred out of sight, and then she heard a loud squalling bellow from the nearest tree. Something black and furry slammed into the ground, followed by Raditz. He twisted the neck of the unfortunate bear quickly breaking it.

 

"I'm not eating bear. You're on your own," she grumbled. "He wasn't hurting anyone!"

 

"I'm hungry damn it," Raditz mumbled, struggling to tear through the skin.

 

"Wait, that's too messy," she said, walking over as he lugged the bear towards them. "Just cut the dang flesh off!"

 

"Don't tell me how to gut and clean my kill woman!" he snarled back playfully, baring his fangs and raising a finger to generate a thin beam of ki.

 

"Let me you showoff," she said, holding something in her hand. Raditz suddenly saw her digging at the skin with a shard of rock.

 

"That will never work," he snorted.

 

"Says you. Obsidian is one of the sharpest things if you break it enough. There's a whole lot of it here. Along with the flint and chert, which you COULD have started the fire with instead of wasting energy to get your kill, and getting hungrier," she said, switching to professorial mode. Raditz saw the blood on her fingers as she struggled to cut through the thick flesh with a sheered off rock.

 

"I suppose I'm not the ONLY one who is returning to instincts," he teased her, realizing what she was doing.

 

"If you're going caveman, I'll show you how we supposedly did it on Earth," she laughed back at him, challenge in the brown eyes. Raditz strangely did not voice the protest, because it made logical sense to cut instead of chewing with his teeth or slicing with a ki beam. That's how he would normally proceed if not using a greenstone bladed cutting implement. He took the flake of glassy rock from her and easily settled about slicing the skin off. Dr. Stellari grumbled at the coagulating blood covering her body and hands.

 

"What the hell am I doing?" she groaned. "Now I'll attract a wildcat or something!"

 

"Watch an expert, woman," he snorted, batting her away. She returned to the fire, grumbling about her own empty stomach. Fortunately her sons were still slumbering away in the cave. Stellari wandered into the mouth of it, seeing the way he and Nappa had arranged it. With a grin on her face she started pressing her bloody handprints to the cavern wall. There had been initials carved in here and there, and whatever cave paintings might have existed was perhaps long since obliterated. She felt in a playful mood, and nothing pleased her more then setting up some crazy hoax to flummox normal people. Call it the overactive mind of a science buff that was herself immersed in it.

 

A slow mumbling came from the two boys curled up in the cured deer hide draped overtop. Stellari had realized it was far colder then she figured without her Saiyan to warm her with his ki. She glanced back to see Raditz tearing into raw meat because he was far too ravenous to cook it. Thankfully Saiyans possessed the necessary guts to digest meat like many carnivores on Earth. She hugged herself and shivered, hunching down to see her sons rubbing at their eyes.

 

"Mommy, is it morning already?" Fermi said.

 

"I don't wanna get up," Bohr complained.

 

"You can sleep in. I have no clue what breakfast will be, but I'm sure Raditz has thought of something," she said.

 

"Glad you're okay, Mommy," Fermi mumbled as she readjusted the fur around him and Bohr curled up to his brother. The activities of last night had tired them out, and she figured it was still quite early in the morning. She had checked her wristwatch, and it said seven in the gloom of the cave looming overhead.

 

Sure enough she heard a crackling noise and smelled smoke. Something roasting drifted into her nostrils and she turned slightly to see the fire had increased to a nice blaze. Raditz was turning an improvised spit with hunks of meat from his bear that he hadn't devoured. A pile of bones lay neatly stacked on one of the flat rocks, and she saw him cracking one open by smashing it with his fist. As if it were a piece of sugar cane he slurped at the marrow inside with his head tipped back. Stellari wandered forwards, hugging herself in the blood soaked capsule sweatshirt. She was quite annoyed she hadn't worn a bra. To one side on a low tree branch the hide and fur of the bear was hanging up to 'cure'.

 

"Sorry," she mumbled, thinking of the black bear that was just getting breakfast, and was now breakfast roasting merrily away. What remained of bits of dried fish and other things were piled near the bones he had picked clean. Thankfully Raditz must have eaten the guts of the thing because she only saw pieces of muscle roasting.

 

"Eat this," he said, grabbing a piece of flesh roasted on a stick and walking towards her. Stellari looked dubiously at the thing, realizing it looked suspiciously like a bit of entrails.

 

"Is that a HEART?" she shivered.

 

"I cooked the damn thing. Normally we eat it raw, but here," he said. Stellari saw the earnestness in his eyes and grasped the stick, groaning at what she was about to do. Squeezing her eye shut she tipped the stick and buried her mouth into something that was warm and tasty. Her first inclination was to vomit, but it DID taste quite good. She forced mouthfuls of roasted bear heart down her throat, hoping her mind wouldn't' register what it was.

 

"Better?" he asked, as she blinked up at him. To her shock she had eaten almost the entire roasted morsel, twice the size of her fist.

 

"Sorry… I don't know what came over me… Did you want the rest?"

 

"Idiot," he laughed, wiping blood off her cheek with one finger, and then dipping it into his own mouth to lick it off. He took the stick with the remainder and finished it off in three bites like eating a Popsicle.

 

"I don't know if the boys will eat bear, but they'll be wanting food soon. Are you going back home with me or do you still want to play back to nature here?" she asked.

 

"You're cold," Raditz said, rubbing her arms with his hands. "Wait here. Sit down and eat some more."

 

"What are you doing?" she sighed as he nudged her to sit on a rock near the fire.

 

"Eat, the whelps need it," he said, snatching up another stick and pushing it towards her. Stellari shrugged and tried to eat the piece of roasted meat without burning her tongue. Instead she licked the juices dribbling down as it cooled. For a few minutes she hungrily devoured each savory mouthful. Morning sunburned the mist off, and she was glad for the heat of the fire radiating into her thin sweats. She heard Raditz from behind, and then felt something wonderfully warm draped around her like a blanket. Fur tickled her cheek and she realized it was a slightly stiff but mostly clean bear's pelt.

 

"How did you get it cured so fast?"

 

"Ki," he shrugged. She gathered it around her, feeling the warmth of the bearskin. He had sliced it into smaller pieces, because her robe was just long enough to cover her without dragging on the ground. To her surprise he had sliced a hole in the center and she was wearing it draped over her like a poncho. Raditz gently urged her up, and then she felt him ripping the blood soaked clothes away.

 

"Hey!" she snapped. Raditz said nothing, and merely pulled the improvised poncho around her, then tied something at the waist so it covered her.

 

"Your clothes are flimsy and unsuitable. This will do till you return. I'll not have you shivering to death out in the cold," he said.

 

"I was hoping for something in leopard or saber toothed tiger," she said, head spinning with the realization that she had gone from modern day to Stone Age in just minutes. Although her arms were bare, the tunic she now wore covered her body and kept it quite warm. He had shredded her pants and retained only a bit to tie around her waist to belt it closed. Thankfully he had left her panties and socks on with her sandals. Another bit was draped around her shoulders like a cape so she could tug it around her and revel in the warmth.

 

"Not so different then what Saiyan ancestors wore," he said quietly. "You think we wore this armor all the time?"

 

"I'm not surprised," she said quietly, as Raditz leaned over. He seemed to be holding the sides of the tunic together and using his ki to seal the bearskin into a makeshift seam. Essentially it was like a shirt of bear pelt hanging to her knees and covering her slightly rounding belly. Bare legs he wrapped the other pieces around and tied them in place with the shredded capsule sweats like leggings. Still her bare toes poked out because the bottoms came just to the tops of her feet.

 

"This some Saiyan ritual?" she asked quietly. Raditz gave her an exasperated look, and she clamped her mouth shut. He still wore his armor, but he seemed annoyed at something.

 

"Female…"

 

"Thank you, it feels very warm," Dr. Stellari blurted out, afraid she had offended him. Reaching out to him she grabbed his hand and rubbed it to her cheek. This seemed to placate Raditz because he turned around and tucked strands of her long brown hair behind one ear. Carefully he reached his hand out to caress her abdomen.

 

"Very strong they are," he nodded.

"The brats need food. Stay here and rest," he said. He grabbed more roasted meat and marched into the cave where she heard the yawns and voices of Fermi and Bohr. Their complaints turned to muffled chewing sounds and laughter. Apparently the idea of roasted bear had gone over far better then she thought. Then again Raditz didn't need to tell two hungry boys just WHAT they were eating. All they cared about was that it probably tasted like hamburger with barbecue sauce. Never mind it was blood and the natural juices of the flesh.

 

Dr. Stellari glanced up and saw either twin hungrily devouring the rest of the meat Raditz had roasted. She rose to her feet and paced the camp area before the cave. Packages of supplies lay scattered that Raditz and Nappa had taken from Capsule for their 'hunting lodge'. Prince Vegeta had told Bulma his men often needed a place away from civilization to be fully Saiyan. So Launch and Dr. Stellari had made certain their Saiyan males had what they needed. After hearing of Tien's treatment of Stellari, Launch had decided that Nappa was far more her sort of man then the martial artist could be. At least Nappa wanted her, instead of rebuffing her affections for his craft like Tenshinhan did. Besides which, Tenshinhan's affections were fully taken with his training partner Chiautzu.

 

Although Chiautzu resembled a boy, he was in reality a Konshin vampire. Ageless and forced to remain in a body that was forever young. His own desires were sated with the affection for a doll, but the intense mental bond he shared with Tien had lasting and unforeseen consequences. Both males were bound in a bond that hat little room for any others to share. To her anger Launch had discovered this.

 

"All right you joker, enough already!" Launch shouted. Dr. Stellari turned her head to see the blonde dashing through the trees. In one hand she carried a machine gun, and in the other she held an animal pelt around her. Nappa burst through into the clearing, seizing her by her waist and hauling her up by her to hang her over his shoulder.

 

"Entertain me!" Nappa laughed, swatting her backside.

 

"Don't make me warn you punk!" Launch responded.

 

"I know you like it rough, small one! Let's play!" Nappa responded. Few females could put up with his swaggering arrogance or large appetites. Launch was the only female on Earth that reminded him of a Saiyan. She was every bit as ruthless in her own way as he. Not to mention he was enormously strong and hopelessly addicted to her.

 

With careful experimentation she'd discovered sex with Nappa was possible. She liked rough, and he delivered. An illegally acquired ki booster around her neck increased her toughness so she could mate like a true Saiyan female. Nappa's eyes fell on the figure glancing up at him. Raditz female blinked and shook her head with laughter.

 

"Hey Professor, what's shaking? I thought we were gonna have the place to ourselves!" Launch rasped in his ear.

 

"Keep the fire lit, woman. We've brought our own kill! Hey whelp! Where are you?"

 

"Here! You said I'd have the place to myself!" Raditz shouted, striding up with two boys trotting behind him.

 

"Hi Uncle Nappa, Miss Launch!" the boys chorused.

 

"What's with the funny clothes mommy?" Bohr chuckled, seeing her in the fur outfit that Raditz had whipped together.

 

"I think it looks cool,' said Fermi. Raditz grumbled a curse in Saiyan, and watched Nappa set Launch down carefully. He dragged the carcasses of two deer towards the nearest tree. Then he slung them up by their hind legs so they dangled.

 

"I'll gut 'em for ya," Launch said. "Just take the load off an' behave yourself in front of the kids!"

 

"Huh, I'll be," Dr. Stellari chuckled, seeing Launch pull the knife out of her belt and walk over to the carcasses.

 

"I want to watch how it's done," Fermi said. Bohr moved close to his mother, his arm around her waist as she hugged him. To Dr. Stellari's surprise she saw Launch waddling slightly, her own belly curving with the suggestion of pregnancy.

 

Raditz sat near the fire, watching as Launch expertly gutted and skinned the game animals. Fermi offered a hand, and eventually Bohr wandered over. Grumbling Dr. Stellari moved over as well because both Saiyan males were glancing pointedly at her. "Stupid pain in the butt," Dr. Stellari grumbled, in passable Saiyan.

 

"You gotta put more emphasis on the third word, sweetheart," Nappa laughed. "Doesn't have the same bite!"

 

"Leave my mate be. Is your woman not enough for you?" Raditz glared at him.

 

"Heh, this one's more then enough. Good thing I persuaded her that I was more fun then that three eyed loser freak," Nappa said to Raditz. The elder son of Bardock grunted, and picked up a large thermos from the side of one of the stones where he and Nappa sat. An outer ring of broad flat stones served as chairs for the Saiyan males.

 

"You look good in bear, Professor," Launch commented.

 

"What now, Ms. Launch?" asked Fermi.

 

"Put these over here. I brought some real food too, for us, cause knowing these two loudmouths this won't be nearly enough," Launch winked conspiratorially at the former Red Ribbon scientist. She tossed a capsule towards the scientist, who caught it after fumbling. A quick bomb revealed a few crates of foodstuffs that Dr. Stellari quickly opened. Flour, sugar, coffee, and pancake mix were present along with breakfast cereal and powdered milk. Even drinking water was contained in bottles.

 

"My thanks," Dr. Stellari said with relief. She started sorting the supplies into piles, watching Launch return to her bloody task. Seizing the box of pancake mix she motioned to Bohr. A frying pan was also in the nearest crate with plastic plates and baskets of silverware.

 

"Bohr, help you mom make some pancakes will you? Fermi, you can keep helping Miss Launch with the rest of what she's doing. You carry the pan to the fire, and I'll set up on that stone there.

 

Fermi grabbed a box of salt and started throwing it over the flat sides of meat that Launch carved off the bones. She had drained the blood into a mixing bowl, and then cut 'bracelets' and a y incision up the front. He helped gather the handfuls of tripe and entrails to drop into other containers she motioned for him to grab. Dr. Stellari put a pot on one heated stone near the fire to heat up water for the flow through coffee bags. Bohr stacked dishes on a second flat rock further out, along with mugs. He handed his mother a mixing bowl. She dumped pancake mix and combined it with water and milk in a plastic-mixing bowl. Before long she set down the skillet with three legs like a spider and started pouring the batter into circles.

 

All the while Raditz and Nappa exchanged battle strategies while swigging on the contents of the 'punch' in the large thermos. It was some strange Saiyan beverage made from blood and fermented fruits. Non alcoholic but bitter with a spicy kick. It was called Ylavoric. An alcoholic equivalent was Ylavorian. Neither of them consumed alcohol save after a fight or a strenuous battle, Dr. Stellari noted with relief. She did not feel like arguing with the fact she was stuck with food preparation because she knew it was the only way she'd properly get breakfast into her sons. Raditz had prepared her roast meat, and she felt it fair to return the favor.

 

Soon she and Launch sat next to their respective males, sipping on hot brewed coffee. Fermi and Bohr gobbled pancakes off camping plates. Each bite was laden with syrup and butter from Launch's supplies. All the dishes and mixing items were tossed into a wash basin to soak till someone cleaned them. Talk varied from one subject to another. "So, where did you pick this up?" Dr. Stellari asked.

 

"Oh, brought some stuff from Capsule after Nappa picked me up," Launch explained. "He'd told me you were up here with Prettyboy, so I figured you and your kids could use some people food. Not to mention soap and fixings for a shower later. Bright eyes told me there was a hot spring here."

 

"I'd hoped to take the boys back soon," said Dr. Stellari. "They'll miss their martial arts lesson, and then there's school…"

 

"I'm sure they can fly back okay. I mean hey, it's not THAT far to Metro West. It'd leave you time alone with your man. And by the looks of it you'll need it," Launch said, helping herself to more pancakes.

 

"How far along are you?" asked Dr. Stellari, pointing to Launch's belly.

 

"Found out soon after you did. Can't say it was a surprise. I always wanted kids though. Didn't figure that their daddy would be some space monkey," said Launch with a laugh.

 

"Does Tien know?"

 

"That's what called it quits," she said with a growl. "That bum had the balls to be jealous after rejecting me al this time. Can't see what I ever saw in that guy."

 

"Nappa's good to you, I take it? I hardly ever see you," said Dr. Stellari.

 

"I've got my business to run. I've gone legit. Better then having the dang law on my tail," Launch said quietly. "Besides, money's good in trucking."

 

"I can't see you ever settling in one place anyway," Dr. Stellari nodded. She knocked back another sip of hot coffee gratefully.

 

"You know if you're gonna have a boy or girl?" asked Launch.

 

"What about you?"

 

"A boy," said Launch. "Nappa's insisting on naming him something dumb like Romain. But I kinda like Sauvignon. Goes with the whole theme."

 

"Wonder what Bliss will think of having a brother," said Dr. Stellari.

 

"She's already been told. She's thrilled of course," said Launch. "It ain't too bad. At least the big guy's chasing after me for a change. Kinda nice."