Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Space Station Z ❯ In The Swim ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine, they've just taken up residence in my head for a while.

I apologize for the delay. First I got lazy and then I got busy…

Space Station Z

Chapter Nine

By RM

Captain Tien straightened his uniform and practiced a very bland face before the heavy elevator doors opened, leading him down the hall to the torture of the day. He had never really been one for gatherings, and ones where he was actually supposed to mingle ranked right up there with things like parades and root canals.

He certainly wasn't happy to be where he was, and after the meeting one week ago, he was relatively certain that the Saiyans weren't too happy about the whole thing either. He knew quite well that Saiyans as a race were not accustomed to discussing much of anything outside of who got to kill the victim first. Captain Tien, although always thinking himself much more sophisticated than those talking monkeys, found a certain level of comfort in that type of simplicity. He had always been a man of action, and his training as a first-class assassin with the Renpou had sent him on many missions where the action was best described as get in and get out with the least amount of mess. In this case, his main concern wasn't that the negotiations would break down and he would have to get into it with the other warriors. Tien was quite confident in his own abilities as a ki-wielding fighter, an attribute that was actually quite rare around the universe. Rather, the concern was the fact that these simple Saiyans knew something that the rest of the delegation did not, and it worried them enough to keep them in line thus far during proceedings. If Freiza really was on his way, or knew of their whereabouts, he'd blast them all off of the map to thin out his list of possible rivals.

Keeping his austere expression in place, Tien strode down the hall, the slight humidity on this level of the station only serving to add to his discomfort. Where in the hell had the pig gone? And it had been days since he had last seen that damn cat. Didn't those two have specific duties to attend to? Couldn't they have offered to take his place at this damn social event so that he could spend his valuable time doing more important things?

He slowed down as he began to chew on the inside of his bottom lip, his spit-shined boots clicking in a consequently slower rhythm the farther along he got. It was at that point that he caught the pathetically hushed conversation blaring in from one of the half-closed service doors to his right.

"…you WILL NOT tell him, you got that Oolong?"

Tien narrowed his eyes at the use of his first mate's name and firmly grabbed the door handle as he thought he recognized the speaker. He couldn't be sure, but it somehow reminded him of a small, blue cat he knew quite well, only the voice was one whole octave lower.

"And why shouldn't I tell him? This isn't part of your assignment!" Oolong's snotty reply shot back from the other side of the partially opened door.

"Will not tell me what?" Tien stated without hesitation as he pushed the door completely open to reveal almost exactly what he had expected to find. Oolong sneaking around in a utility closet with a very pretty girl?

Both heads turned with a gasp and a shocked stare as they were discovered by the last person they were hoping to see at that precise moment. Tien's three eyes glared menacingly at the pair as he continued to hold the door, his larger frame blocking the exit and dashing any hopes of frantic escape.

Oolong quickly shifted his gaze from his Captain to Puar, then back to the Captain as he contemplated his best course of action. Knowing full well that Tien was not the type to beat around the bush, and also knowing that he always seemed to know when his subordinates were lying, Oolong came to a very quick and definite decision.

"Puar," the pig pointed at the attractive, young lady sharing the small space. "She's done this to herself in the hopes that a certain…"

Tien shifted his hard stare at Puar as he swiftly brought up his free hand, stopping his first mate's statement dead in its tracks. This cute, curvaceous thing was Puar? Sure, he'd seen her in several different forms when necessity warranted it, but this? How did she know how to do this?

"You're out of uniform, ensign," his reply was quiet as he eyed her, his mind working a mile a minute as he considered just how he could make this situation work for him.

"I'm sorry sir," Puar replied as she looked down at her feet, her voice sounding much less screechy in her current form.

Oolong shot Puar a smug grin as he placed his hands on his hips, very pleased that someone else was finally getting busted for doing something underhanded.

"Who else knows about this?" Tien questioned after checking the empty hallway, pushing himself into the small closet and pulling the door partially shut behind him. Oolong was the first to be mashed up against the wall, as there wasn't much room left after the two larger bodies had taken up their own space.

"Only the Princesses," Puar replied meekly, pulling on her lightweight wrap.

"I see," Tien responded as he considered this new information, weighing its various practical uses. "In light of this recent…change…I have a new assignment for you. And one that I expect you to handle without complication."

Puar blinked. Tien was very strict on their use of their shape-changing abilities, especially without his direct authorization. She might have expected him to fly off the handle, but certainly not this.

"Oolong," Tien began as he turned slightly, trying to find the small pig. He paused for a moment until he heard a muffled affirmation coming from the corner of the now cramped closet. "You'll steak-out the social. Find an unsuspecting form and make yourself useful. Collect as much information as you can about everyone attending. Puar? You're to use that new shape of yours for a special assignment."

Puar blinked again as Tien slowly peeked out into the hallway, checking to see if the coast was clear. When he was sure, he swiftly stepped out, pulling Oolong and depositing him in the hallway. Once the stout pig was relocated, he stepped back into the utility closet and closed the door completely.

"Those Saiyans are hiding something," he began in a calculating tone. "They know something we don't, and I need to get that information. I don't care what means you use, but you will get close to one of them and find out what it is."

Puar swallowed hard in the darkness, her keen cat vision having no trouble seeing the finger being pointed in her direction as the Captain spoke.

"The Prince may be hard to get to, but the one with the hair, he was at that meeting. He must know something, and he's probably a sucker for a pretty face." Tien tested the door handle before peeking out into the hallway one last time. When the coast was checked, he straightened his uniform one last time and stepped out into the hallway, leaving the door slightly ajar in the process.

"I expect results Puar, and a full report."

*****

A high pitched metallic whirring echoed throughout the lab as the smell of burnt coffee was not so successfully sucked up by a nearby fume hood. Papers and journals lay scattered across the long laboratory station while books, their key pages bookmarked by chewed up pencil stubs, were stacked on an old, cluttered corner desk.

"Be a dear and hand me that wrench."

There was an uncomfortable silence as Dr. Gero glanced uncertainly from the wrench on the tool cart to the distracted Dr. Briefs, who seemed to be quite unaware that his wife had stepped out over three hours ago.

Grasping the metal firmly, Dr. Gero did as requested, handing over the tool with a twitch of his long, bushy moustache. Dr. Briefs simply mumbled in receipt, then began to cautiously tighten the tool around a glass test tube containing a bubbling, yellow mixture.

"So," Dr. Gero finally stated before clearing his throat, "I never did get around to asking you how that meeting went."

Dr. Briefs leaned closer to inspect a large, bent sheet of metal, carefully holding the wrench off to the side. He scratched his chin with his free hand before standing upright to turn and face the other doctor with a thoughtful frown.

"Oh…a…fine, fine. Yes, everything went just fine," he stated quite cheerfully as he began to wave the wrench around, causing Dr. Gero to take a hesitant step backwards. "I picked up on a few things about our guests."

Dr. Gero raised an eyebrow as he stepped behind a stack of papers, then moved with a certain uneasiness to stand behind something that offered more protective cover. "Really? Such as?"

"Well," Dr. Briefs continued on, readjusting his glasses upon the bridge of his nose. "They seem pretty bent on killing one another. And they aren't too keen on custard."

"What would cause something like that?" Dr. Gero asked as he began hooking up a small meter to a large robotic arm on a nearby workstation.

"Well, I noticed it mostly after the chocolate chip cookies were gone."

"I meant the killing…" Dr. Gero clarified.

"Again," Dr. Briefs began, "I noticed it mostly after the chocolate chip cookies were gone."

Dr. Gero sighed, turning as he held two large volt connectors in his hands. There was no doubt that Dr. Briefs was a brilliant man. He could probably out observe anyone in the known universe when it came to scientific research. His major shortcoming however, was that while Dr. Briefs HEARD you, he very seldom LISTENED.

"So it was all over the cookies?" Dr. Gero questioned, the annoyance in his tone quite evident.

"Well…no," Dr. Briefs replied, absentmindedly hooking up his Bunsen burner hose to the stream lined distilled water nozzle. "They all appeared quite nervous about one particular gentleman."

"Did this gentleman have a name?"

"Well…yes," Dr. Briefs hesitated as he thought back, trying to recall the bits and pieces of the meeting when he hadn't been afraid for his life. "I believe his name was Freezie?" It was more of a question as he gave his chin a thoughtful scratch.

"Freezie?"

"Well," he continued with a slight shrug and an extremely casual attitude, "perhaps not. He does hold a sizable empire and he's supposedly very powerful."

"How long has this been going on?" Dr. Gero asked this time, less interested in his work than with the new information regarding a seemingly dangerous individual.

"I got the impression that he's been in power for quite some time. He's quite a long way off though, and it's unlikely that he would bother with this sector for quite some time."

"But it is possible," Dr. Gero prodded, his realistic attitude the complete opposite from that of his long-time scientific associate.

"Anything's possible," Dr. Briefs replied, putting extra emphasis on the last word.

"And I suppose we will somehow end up in the middle of all this," Dr. Gero gave another sigh and shook his head just before his eyes narrowed in thought. "Did you offer them help?"

"Just the cookies," Dr. Briefs stated plainly. "And some custard." The last comment came more as an afterthought before he added more certainly, "they're just here using the facility. Nothing to worry about."

Dr. Gero stood at the workstation watching the other doctor smile quietly at a small, black cat curled up sleeping on a nearby stool.

"Nothing to worry about," he mumbled. Oh yeah. He'd heard THAT one before.

*****

"Cannonball!" Krillin shouted as he leapt into the air just before landing with a roaring splash. Yamcha gracefully dove in after him, readjusting his tight, black Speedo's as he surfaced. Giggling on the edge of the pool sat Marron, splashing around with her toes wearing a practical, but not unflattering, yellow swimsuit while Bulma clipped up her hair on the way to the changing room. #17, already in the pool and now thoroughly soaked, began his own personal water war with the shorter Earthling when he came up for air. Chi Chi stood on the large deck patio overlooking the recreational pool and spa facility, unwrapping and performing the last minute garnishes on the various dishes she had helped Mrs. Briefs prepare for the occasion.

A Mixer.

Mrs. Briefs had always been one for social events, especially ones she could plan. She had planned this ice breaker even before the first ship had landed for the meetings and when she was told that the first big conference hadn't exactly gone great guns, she simply wouldn't take no for an answer. She had laughed it off, casually justifying her little party by saying that, all death threats aside, it was important for these people to get to know each other, and that it was equally important that they all try her new recipe for `Vanilla Creme Surprise.'

"Put this one over there, sweetheart!" Mrs. Briefs practically sang, handing #18 a large tray of assorted meats. #18 gladly took the dish, and nervously eyed the pool as she turned around to continue arranging the table. She was trying to maintain a safe distance from the water, and she was thankful for the excuse to make it not seem so obvious. She had never been overly found of water as a recreation, and in response to that, she had never learned how to swim.

"Hey Yamcha! You look like a drowned rat!" Krillin's voice jolted #18 from her uneasy stare at the pool. The boys were swimming and splashing around, throwing floats and water, every once in a while hitting Marron on the sidelines who would huff once or twice in response.

"What a stupid concept," #18 stated softly as she continued to watch the group splashing around in the pool. "Who ever thought up the whole idea should die."

"I agree," a meek voice replied to the comment as #18 felt a dish being lifted out of her hands, "let me help you with this."

Annoyed that someone would interfere with her attempt to stay out of the pool, #18 turned to stare coolly at the offender. What she found was a very pretty woman with short, two-toned hair, a flawless complexion, and two honey colored eyes, which were quite expressively sizing up the pool with the same mistrustfulness that #18 felt herself.

"You're wearing a swim suit," #18 pointed out with little emotion.

"Not by choice," the woman admitted as she adjusted the shoulder strap on her borrowed, shimmering gold bikini top. Princess Snake had been kind enough to give her something to wear out of her own personal wardrobe. And while she was quite pleased at how she had looked in it when she had tried it on, she had to admit that she still felt naked without all of her fur. "Besides, now that I have a suit on, it doesn't draw attention to the fact that I am not planning on swimming."

#18 considered this philosophy as the wooden planking on the deck shook momentarily. This woman had a point. If she put on a suit, people wouldn't point out the fact the she was the only one NOT wearing one, and in turn, probably wouldn't ask too many questions.

"Point taken," #18 replied, turning quickly to make her way to the changing room before anyone had the chance to say anything. She was halfway to her destination when she noticed the patio's newest occupants, four men with tails.

She knew who they were. #17 had informed her that some Saiyan fighters were on board the station. He had met one in the residential complex and had discussed a possible practice match. At the time, she hoped that her brother would get his smug little ass kicked, and from looking at the size of the Saiyans, she was almost certain he would.

"Something sure smells great!" Kakarott exclaimed as he rubbed his hands together and made his way down the steps to the lower deck level where the food was laid out.

Raditz rolled his eyes as he turned to look at Nappa before following his little brother towards the lower level. Nappa sucked at his teeth following the first two, trying to hold in his disgust at attending a party with a bunch of weaklings. Back at the doorway, Vegeta stood quietly, arms folded across his breastplate, taking in what he could see from the upper deck platform. There were three levels to the patio, each one connected by wide, short steps and bordered by lush, green plants and fragrant flowers. Through some foliage he could see water, and from where he stood he could hear splashing and giggling, which only served to deepen his frown. Still, he had to hand it to this Briefs fellow. The place felt like anything but a space station.

Clicking a button on the side of his scouter, Prince Vegeta stepped down to the lower level to join the others and the deliciously heavy smell of food.

At least, that was his intention before he was distracted by a glimpse of blue and a familiar floral scent. He tried to peer through the greenery to get a better look at the beautiful female he had the pleasure of thinking about for the past few weeks. It had to be her, although he couldn't see much through the plants, and it didn't do much to help his mood when he was forced to stand on his tiptoes in order for his eyebrows to clear the hedge.

"I think we lost Vegeta," he heard Kakarott announce to the lower deck, causing him to trip over his own feet in an attempt to not get caught peeping through the thick growth. Some branches rustled when he reached out to steady himself, and it took him a few moments to compose himself before stepping down to join the others. When his boot finally thumped onto the lower deck, he aimed a stern look at the others, hoping that no one noticed the rustling leaves a moment ago.

"Sire?" Raditz questioned as he turned around to find Vegeta standing with a sour look. His eyebrows raised as Vegeta gave a kind of confused stare, his own brow furrowing in thought.

"If you boys need swimsuits there are some in the changing rooms," Mrs. Briefs butted into the conversation Vegeta and Raditz were apparently having with their eyebrows. "I see you boys are already wearing yours," she giggled, gingerly swatting both Nappa and Raditz on their behinds as she made her way to the patio bar.

"Oh, I swim like a rock," Kakarott admitted with a glance at the water, now visible from the eating area.

"You think like one too," Nappa commented with a laugh, heading towards the pool as he stripped out of his heavy armor. Raditz followed after him towards the pool hoping to spend the day relaxing and floating around.

"That wasn't very nice," Chi Chi commented when the others were gone, patting Kakarott on the back, and noticing for the first time that there was a very lovely, young lady wearing a gold bikini, trying to hide behind one of the planters.

"That's OK," Kakarott stated, sounding cheerful for the most part, "it's true."

"Hi Kakarott!" Bulma greeted the Saiyan as #18 followed her onto the deck wearing a red swimsuit. "Did you bring…" she trailed off, not wanting to look too desperate just in case a certain someone else might be listening in.

Vegeta stood frozen in place when he saw her sway onto the deck, wearing a white T-shirt, his overactive imagination picturing several options for underneath. He had never been to a `pool party' before, and he wasn't quite sure exactly what to expect.

"You mean Vegeta?" Kakarott asked. "Yeah, he's right over there."

Bulma flashed a smile at the shorter Saiyan as she caught sight of him scowling at the bottom of the steps. She noticed right away that he wasn't wearing any sort of swimming attire, although the heavy looking armor that he was wearing only seemed to add to his stunning physique.

"We need to get you into a suit," she stated as she continued to smile sweetly, walking up to him as he stood rooted in one spot. She watched him carefully through that smile as his jaw muscles tightened and his posture became more rigid. Past experience told her that it wouldn't be long until he relaxed a bit, and she thought ahead to how wonderful it would be to get him alone.

"A suit?" Vegeta questioned in a tone that suggested she was some kind of moron to even think of putting him in anything else but his armor. "Don't be daft. I will not be requiring anything but my armor for today."

Bulma was rather surprised that this time when he spoke, she understood him fully. It was a bit disconcerting at first since there were actually two voices. It was a bit like watching a dubbed foreign film in person. His lips were moving one way while the device he wore over his left eye and ear seemed to translate what he was saying into something she could understand. She was a little taken aback with his attitude however, and she wasn't too appreciative of the manner in which he was staring at her.

"Well that's too bad," Bulma answered back as she lifted off her shirt, revealing the light blue bikini she wore underneath. She finished the motion by tossing the garment onto a chair and removing the clip from her hair, allowing it to fall freely around her shoulders as she indiscreetly puffed out her chest. "I hope that breastplate of yours is some potent chromium alloy."

Vegeta remained motionless as his eyes completely disobeyed him, immediately focusing on her chest as she blatantly emphasized the word `breast'. It didn't last long however, as Vegeta quickly snapped out of it, shooting Bulma the dirtiest look he could muster.

Even less pleased with the dirty look than with the condescending tone, she began to seriously doubt her earlier judgement of the man, and unfortunately for Bulma, it showed.

Watching from the sidelines as the pair stood glaring at each other, Kakarott decided to intervene. He honestly liked the human and didn't want to see her get hurt, so he quickly devised a plan to diffuse the situation.

Deftly stepping behind Vegeta, Kakarott gave an easy smile as he reached out and adjusted the translation module on his sovereign's scouter. The Prince gave a growl and a frown as static erupted from the ear-piece and the language being spoken in the background became nothing more than annoying gibberish.

"He'll stop acting up once he gets some food into him," Kakarott informed the blue haired female before Vegeta had a chance to readjust the small device.

Bulma blinked, looking from one Saiyan to the other, before visibly relaxing to settle back into her previously confident self. Vegeta, however, spun around immediately, fumbling with the controls on his scouter.

"What the fuck was that for?!" He demanded angrily.

Kakarott maintained his smile as he looked down at the other Saiyan. He didn't want to answer the question since he didn't know what to say.

"And do not try to…" Vegeta began sternly as he felt something soft slide into his palm, pulling him in the opposite direction from where Kakarott was standing.

Bulma's smile of satisfaction didn't go unnoticed by Chi Chi as she led a semi-flustered Vegeta to one of the several food burdened tables at the far end of the upper deck. She watched with her own slight smile as Bulma slapped a plate of barbecued spare ribs into Vegeta's hands, then motioned for him to come sit with her on one of the far benches. Chi Chi was a little reluctant to let her friend spend time with someone she wasn't sure she could trust. But Kakarott had assured them both that Vegeta could be amiable when he had to be, and Chi Chi knew that if things got ugly that Bulma wasn't the type of girl to take things without a fight.

Satisfied that there was nothing more that she could do, Chi Chi straightened her apron and moved around some relish trays as two shouts followed by loud splashing interrupted her train of thought. Deciding that she should stop fussing and try to socialize with Kakarott, she passed by Krillin, who appeared to be fresh from the pool.

"This place is turning into a sausage party," Krillin mumbled as he dripped across the decking to grab a hold of #18 and Puar's hands, both standing around quietly in order to avoid comment.

"Excuse me?" #18 managed out as his warm hand came into contact with her own.

"We need more ladies in the pool," Krillin stated plainly, pulling the pair further towards the steps, and the water.

"Excuse me?" #18 repeated, her normally steady voice taking on an edgy quality.

"Ladies?" Puar practically squeaked out, instantly forgetting her recent transformation in a moment of panic.

"You two both have the right equipment," Krillin pointed out, the pool's blue tiled edge looming dangerously close as the trio cleared the decking.

"Excuse me?!" #18's voice finally cracked.

"You're both wearing suits," Krillin added, pulling both ladies to the edge before letting them go.

#18 stared at the water, her legs feeling a bit unsteady. She was thankful that no one seemed to be paying her any attention, but at the same time, she was hoping that Krillin would drop dead, thereby diverting her expected action of jumping into the pool.

Puar, still more animal on the inside than anything else, attempted to scurry away before the trouble started. And that was her first mistake.

"Not much of a diver?" Puar heard someone say as she felt her body being steered towards a shallow set of tiled stairs leading into the water.

"N…not really," she stuttered, fighting the urge to claw at the newcomer's eye sockets. There wasn't much else that she could do to break the hold as her feet padded steadily closer to the edge. She didn't dare take her eyes off of the water, and she was praying that whoever it was doing the driving wouldn't simply push her in.

"Ah!" Puar heard a scream as a half-giggling Marron hit the water, #17 standing with a cool grin in the spot she had previously occupied. It was at that point that Puar dared a glance at the one guiding her into the water. And that was her second mistake.

"Hey Yamcha," Krillin called from his spot standing guard over #18's escape path, "stop manhandling the woman and let her get into the pool. We're about to pick teams."

"Yeah, yeah," Puar heard the voice reply as she realized that the object of her desire was the one guiding her into the shallow end of doom by the elbow. She didn't make a sound as her dainty feet hit the water, and she barely felt the tug at her wrap as it was removed and thrown onto a nearby patio chair.

"Cute," Yamcha commented on the dark blue tail now uncovered on the young lady he was practically pushing into the pool. "We have two others with those things here."

Puar felt her cheeks redden, an experience that had previously been extremely rare in her original form. She looked from the handsome Yamcha to the area he was indicating with a wave of his hand. And that was her third mistake.

There, at the tiled line that indicated the separation of the shallow end from the deep end, were two Saiyans trying to drown each other as they splashed around. She recognized both immediately. One was the big bald one who had been ready to kill someone at the medical facility. The other was the one who had been with him, and who had later passed her by with a nod on the space walk. She nearly missed the next step down as her stomach somersaulted and her limbs began to tingle, both due to some reason she wasn't quite sure of.

"Just jump in and get used to the water," Yamcha said, giving her shoulder a slight push. "I have to help set up the net."

Puar hit the water with a yelp, doggie paddling for a few panicked moments before her feet touched the bottom and she realized she could stand without fear of drowning. Her tail immediately rose up, trying to steady her, and it was a move that didn't got unnoticed by the two large aliens dunking each other. She tried not to move as she stood there, tail straight up in the air, fighting the urge to lick the excess water off of her skin, along with the urge to claw her way to the nearest edge.

#18 eyed Puar as she was led into the pool without a fight, and felt a brief twinge of sympathy and disgust all at once for her new friend. It didn't last long however, as a pair of small, bright orange, inflatable devices were practically shoved into her face.

"These will help," Krillin stated casually as he waited for her to take them.

She looked blankly at the offerings before turning her attention back to the shorter Earthling, who seemed quite unassuming of the whole situation.

"I'm wearing them too," he stated plainly, taking her hands and pushing an inflatable over each wrist. "We'll be twins," he added with a chuckle and a smile, almost suggesting that he was onto her and her inability to swim.

"Krillin," she began, her belligerent tone covering up her uncertainty.

"I know," he admitted with a shrug, suggesting that he really didn't care. "Hey Yamcha! My team wears swimmies!"

*****

"Don't slouch."

There was a moment of silence as wavy, blonde hair was pulled into place. And then the snap of bubble-gum.

"And lose the gum."

Launch glared at Haski as they continued their last minute primping down the corridor. She didn't appreciate the pointers, and she definitely didn't appreciate the tone.

"How about trying a sweet, unassuming smile?" Haski offered, never once bothering to glance in her partner's direction.

"How about a swift kick in the ass?" Launch narrowed her eyes, grabbing at her towel and slapping it over her shoulder.

"I'll give you at least a B for effort," Haski replied dryly, placing her hand on the door leading to the pool area. "You've managed to act…passably ladylike thus far," she added with a trace of a smile.

Launch crossed her arms and glared at the wall.

"But don't push it," Haski continued. "It's only been two weeks and this is our first official society call."

The glare didn't waiver as the other beautiful bandit began to push the door open. After another pause of silence, Haski held out her free hand palm up, directly under Launch's chin.

Casually glaring down as her arms remained crossed, Launch shifted her attention from the hand to the door, then once again back to the hand before ungraciously spitting the wad of gum into Haski's waiting palm. Her glare merely intensified as the fingers closed around the pink goo and the hand lowered.

"Don't swim angry," Haski smiled sweetly as she finally pushed open the door, leaving her fuming cohort behind.

And Launch composed herself as best she could, straightened up, and followed her in.

*****

Static.

Nothing but static.

Static on the audio links, static on the video links, and static from the hours of pacing back and forth on the area carpeting. The air itself carried a charge of tenseness, which only amplified the unease and the static electrical shock, every time he depressed the intercom button.

"Anything?" He was trying to keep his cool. It wouldn't do to get nervous and jumpy in front of the men, although he figured that by this time, some of the brighter ones were bound to be suspicious.

"No sir," came the crackled reply.

"I see," he paused to stare at the console. "Very well. Carry on and standby for further instructions."

Pacing back to the head of the very long conference table, Zarbon poured himself a glass of water and proceeded to stare at it darkly. He was at a complete loss, a state he was not very comfortable with. Of course, it wasn't the first time he had found himself in this kind of situation. Working with someone as unbalanced as Freiza certainly had its moments. But there was something about cold, calculated craziness that went hand in hand with punctuality.

Freiza was NEVER late.

And that was precisely the problem.

After realizing he really wasn't thirsty, Zarbon made several turns about the room before quietly pacing over to stand at the darkness framed by a large, circular window. It was always dark at the base, and it was usually raining. Today, both factors contributed to the overall mood.

Where was Freiza? He had gone off on a routine routing near a docile planet known as Yardrat, and well, since then there had been nothing. No word of landing, no word for retrieval, no call for interim troops, no nothing. It was not like Freiza to not be in contact with somebody, especially when that someone was Zarbon. It especially wasn't like Freiza to leave things unresolved when it dealt with additional territories and acquisitions. No. Freiza was organized. Frightfully organized.

It was because of that he always reported back. So where was he?

Zarbon made a face at his flawless reflection. He knew the base could run itself for the time being. He also knew that he could continue to handle things, but not indefinitely. As much as he was loath to admit it, he was a follower, not a leader. Sure, he was motivated, but he lacked direction. The truth was that he didn't really like Freiza, but he needed him around to keep his job, and to continue telling him what to do.

A beeping sounded at the console, prompting Zarbon to spin around with a slight flourish of his cape. Speed walking to depress the blinking button, he managed to avoid the static shock and compose himself in order to make his anxiousness less obvious.

As soon as the link connected, a muffled voice could be heard.

"…bad. Something is definitely up."

Zarbon stood completely motionless as he considered the comment hailing from the other end of the line.

"Yes?" Zarbon finally acknowledged his presence.

"Sir," came the voice, a little louder this time, "we have not received a signal as of yet. The fields are unstable so that may…"

"Very well," Zarbon interrupted as he sensed some hesitancy from the other end.

"Is that all?"

"…No…we've lost Captain Ginyu's signal as well."

"I see."

Silence.

"Sir?"

More static.

"Continue monitoring the area and remain on standby."

Quickly closing the connection, Zarbon considered this new information with a slow, unexpected smile. The Ginyu Force? He could only hope that something evil had befallen those clowns. The five warriors were strong, there was no disputing that, but Zarbon always considered the small unit as nothing short as an untalented cheering squad, and over the years, they had proven it.

Sobering up quickly, Zarbon paced back to the table and the untouched glass of water. He didn't particularly like the remark he happened to overhear. If some kind of signal wasn't received soon, he was going to have to start getting creative with the excuses. And if there was one thing Zarbon was not famous for, it was his creativity.

Freiza and the elite Ginyu Force? What were the odds? What could have happened?

*****

Kakarott stared woefully at the empty plate on his lap, grateful for the lull in the pool time splashing activities. It seemed to him that with each passing day his mood was darkening, and it was becoming more and more difficult to hide it.

Conflicted. That's what he'd become, conflicted. He'd become increasingly edgy since `The Incident'. Part of Kakarott, the part that was pure Saiyan, was glad to be rid of that little freak and his poor excuse for an elite squad. The other part however, the one that saw things differently than a Saiyan, was disgusted with himself for having no other choice than to take lives. Of course, that same part of him had made the rationalization after it happened that it was the only thing to be done. It was only a few days after that the doubt began setting in. At first, it was the sheer guilt associated with killing someone he'd previously referred to as `sir'. But then he realized that sooner or later he'd have to tell Vegeta. And he'd been putting that chore off ever since.

Heaving a sigh, Kakarott set the plate on a nearby patio table and took a slow stroll around to the far side of the pool. Taking one of the side paths, he slowly walked around the tropical gardens until he found another patio, much smaller and with much less probability of him being spotted by someone else.

He had three options.

His first option was to simply ignore it. Things could go on like this forever, he supposed. Except for that big, fat, disgusting emotion called guilt. He had tried to ignore it and move on from the get go, and at first everything seemed OK. Lately, however, he'd turned into what he supposed was this grumpy thing that was absolutely no fun to be around, and he felt like he was losing sight of what was really important, which was simply being happy.

That led to the second option, which was to rely on Bulma to put Vegeta into a good mood before telling him. A VERY good mood. Sure, there were a few flaws to this particular option. He had to rely on Vegeta wanting to be in a good mood, and then him staying in a good mood after the fact. The other problem was that he hated to ask something like that of one of his friends, although she did offer once to occupy him, and she wouldn't have said that it she hadn't meant it. The plus was that this was the most direct approach, and one that he knew he'd have to take someday. Although presently, he could always choose the third option.

He could lie.

He began to pace about the patio as an idea began to take shape.

"That's it! I was called out on a mission with Freiza, and while we were there doing some things, he wandered off and got lost!" He exclaimed with vigor, practicing a stance that any lecturer would envy. He stood there for several moments, and with each passing second his grin waned, until he stood once again staring blankly at the dirty plate he could have sworn he left back on the poolside patio.

They'd never buy it. He knew that. What he needed was some help, although that presented a problem within itself since he would still have to tell someone.

He sighed again as he turned around in another effort of contemplative pacing. He could really only think of one person who might take him seriously. Chi Chi wouldn't laugh at him, and since she most likely had never heard of Freiza, she couldn't possibly get caught in the middle. Besides, Kakarott reasoned, if things went badly, she could always bake something to cheer him up.

With a little more of a smile, Kakarott turned around to make his way back to the main patio. He frowned as he scratched his head, and picked up the garbage, convinced that his brain had stopped working. He could have sworn he had left his plate back near the pool, certainly not lying around on the ground.

"Oh well," he said aloud this time, making his way back to the others, "I suppose this means that I'm supposed to eat something else."

*****

Oolong tried not to grunt as he dropped from the garbage can to the ground, trying to get the taste of dill dip out of his mouth. He had just transformed into a red, juicy apple after being stuck on top of the trash as a dirty plate. So far, he had collected only a little bit of information, but he figured that given a little more time, he was bound to find something out. That dopey Saiyan he had followed earlier had admitted to something, although Oolong wasn't sure what it was, seeing that he had a chunk of potato salad stuck in his ear. Perhaps now was a good time to get a little closer to one of the other Saiyans. Of course, he'd have to change his shape again, since he was well aware that sitting beside one of them as something edible could be a fatal mistake.

Concentrating as he rolled himself under a nearby table, he cautiously peered around himself before halting to rest against a long stone barrier wall separating the patio from the garden. Once there, he changed into a small potted plant, doing his best to look like an average garden specimen. That was the first rule to covert shape shifting. Never change into anything too obvious. However, in this instance, he also had to remember another rule regarding plants and pollens, which was not to sneeze where the acoustics could get him into trouble.

"Well who put you here?" An overly enthusiastic voice practically giggled from somewhere off to his right, just before a pretty woman with blonde hair picked him up. "You belong on the table where the whole room can enjoy you!"

A wave of panic hit Oolong square on the stem as he was totted past a crowd of people. How had he been discovered so easily? Or worse yet, how was he supposed to get himself out of this one?

"There you go!" The woman smiled, placing him on the central table where the food was being served.

Oolong's moment of worry passed as she fluffed his fronds and moved away, realizing that she hadn't found him out at all. Of course, he thought, how could she find out? He was a master shape-shifter. One of the best around. He had even mastered moving and separate parts, a level of ability that was extremely rare.

Several minutes passed before Oolong finished mentally patting himself on the back. He could easily see the whole of the patio from this particular vantage point next to the punch bowl. There was a large table near the corner overlooking the pool and a few smaller tables occupied by people he knew and some others he had only heard of. Captain Tien sat at one of those smaller tables, apparently locked in a discussion with a very cool looking blonde woman, while next to them at the bar sat Princess Snake and her niece Ranchi, both sipping cool drinks with the Nameks. The large table was surrounded by several others that Oolong didn't recognize, and a few that he did. The only drawback was that he would have to be very careful on just how he was supposed to continue to mingle inconspicuously. Other than that, he had to wait for the action to come to him.

"That idiot brother of yours was looking downright miserable," Nappa commented as he leaned over a very plain looking plant in an attempt to accost the cheese dip. "I hope it lasts."

Raditz turned, hoping to catch a glimpse of just what Nappa was talking about. He was sure that Kakarott was off doing something silly, although now that he actually thought about it, his little brother had skipped the earlier game of water polo, which was an activity he normally wouldn't have missed.

"Perhaps it's just indigestion," Raditz shrugged it off, returning his gaze towards the patio bar. "Where's Vegeta?"

"He was eating something," Nappa replied, the obvious change of subject not lost on him. "Last I saw him, he was sitting near that female with the tits."

"And that would be…" Raditz trailed off in a question as he waved his hand, indicating the whole room in general.

"The one with the blue hair."

Both Saiyans stood quietly for a moment as Yamcha walked past the table carrying two very fruity looking drinks.

"The one giving you dirty looks in the pool?" Raditz asked this time in their native language.

"No," Nappa admitted a little perplexed.

"You know, you don't have to be so obvious," the three aliens heard quite plainly.

Oolong gave a shifty glance to the speaker as he once again thought for a fleeting moment that he'd been found out. Raditz and Nappa both turned slightly to find the same female they had just mentioned. The one who had indeed been giving Nappa dirty looks in the pool.

"Who's obvious?" Raditz questioned, looking down at the newcomer.

"Oh, I am so onto you," Marron stated as she stood in front of the dessert plate. She had seen the two aliens mulling around the food and instinctively knew that they were talking about women. She had spent a good chunk of her teenage years at pool parties and after hour beer bashes. From the looks of them, as far as she was concerned, there was no way that much testosterone could be talking about anything else. Well, except maybe sports, and neither of them looked like Steelers' fans.

"You mean, you understand what I am saying to you right now?" Nappa asked this time in Saiyan.

"Please," Marron shot back with a roll of the eyes and a flip of the hair before walking off. "You're not that hard to understand."

Nappa was a bit taken aback by the sheer audacity her statement held. This would be the second time she had said something snotty to him and lived. When he turned to glance at Raditz, he found him frowning.

"Do you think it is at all possible that she speaks Saiyan?" Nappa asked with a slight hint of nervousness that Raditz couldn't help noticing.

"I suppose it's possible," Raditz stated slowly, his attention shifting from the food to the female that had just walked away. The possibility was always there. They knew very little about these people, and although he couldn't explain the plausibility of such an occurrence, he could admit that he didn't know everything. He supposed anything was possible.

Nappa considered Raditz's statement as Yamcha passed by carrying more drinks with the help of a slightly tipsy Puar in tow.

"Hey," Yamcha greeted the pair this time with a friendly smile. "I think we're gonna play some cards at the big table. You guys want to join us?"

Nappa didn't answer the question. Instead he frowned slightly, a little annoyed that some low-level shrimp was butting into a conversation he hadn't been invited to attend.

"Sure," Raditz replied, a little too quickly and a little too friendly for Nappa's liking.

"Great," Yamcha stated, pushing the glasses into Nappa's hands before he had a chance to do anything else. "I'll go dig up some cards and meet you over there."

Grumbling all the way to the table, Nappa sat down in an empty chair not sure what he was supposed to do with the drinks. Raditz followed him, but only after giving Puar a cool eye of approval as she stood near the brownie pan, sampling the frosting.

"Psst!"

Puar looked about herself as she thought she heard something.

"Psst! Puar!"

She looked around again before sniffing at the glass in her hand. She knew she had been drinking. It was extremely difficult to say `no' to Mrs. Briefs' strawberry daiquiris, especially after a few of them and you had forgotten what the word `no' actually meant.

"Um…" she began, unsure of just whom she was speaking to in the first place.

"It's ME!" The voice insisted as quietly as possible.

"Oolong?" She answered, eyes widening.

"Take me over to the table!" He demanded.

Puar reached towards his position on the table, but pulled her hand back after a moment's hesitation.

"No," she replied coolly, yet quietly.

Narrowing eyes that were already concealed, Oolong gave her the dirtiest look a plant could muster. Just who in the hell did she think she was? As far as he saw it, she wasn't even doing her job, whatever it was that she was supposed to be doing. It was all one big party for her, drinking and playing, while he was stuck doing all the menial work. He wanted to spit at her or at least hit her with something rotten as he saw her practically bounce away from the table to join her newfound friends. Some shipmate she turned out to be. He would find a way to get back at her, he thought. He didn't know how, but he'd get her back.

And that's when he saw Yamcha passing by, still looking for some cards.

Sliding into yet another form, a very difficult form, Oolong made his presence felt yet again.

"Psst!"

Yamcha spun around with an easy grace, looking for the person hailing him. There was no one there, of course, but he did give a satisfied smile as he picked up what appeared to be a brand new deck of cards that someone had foolishly left near the punchbowl.

Walking back to rejoin the group at the table, Yamcha sat next to #17 and handed over the playing cards.

"How are we doing this?" #17 asked in his characteristically steady tone.

"Three rounds of red or black to get things warmed up, then deal out for three card gin," Yamcha responded, taking in a head count at the table. They had managed to get a good mix, including one of the green aliens that he hadn't previously had a chance to talk to.

""Red or black?" #17 asked this time, "I know gin, but I don't think I know that one."

"Drinking game," Yamcha answered. "Everyone gets a shot to guess what color the card will be. If you miss, you drink. Just to get everyone in the swing."

It wasn't easy for Oolong to catch the explanation while being shuffled, but catch it he did, along with the coy smile Puar was aiming at the long haired Saiyan next to her. It was at that moment he decided that not only would she lose every hand of this drinking game, but she'd be sure to lose any and every other game she played that night. After all, he wasn't just holding the cards, he was the cards.

"What exactly is the point to this game?" Piccolo asked from his seat in-between Krillin and Marron, his deep voice adding to the overall tension he was feeling.

"Not to lose," Krillin answered back conspiratorially.

"Great," Piccolo replied, drumming his clawed fingers on the glass tabletop.

"You Martians sure are taller than I thought," Marron commented, settling into her seat. "They had the green part right, but not the tiny part."

Piccolo didn't bother looking in Marron's direction, especially after she said something so stupid.

"Unless," she started again with a sly look, "it's all some kind of illusion. Like, you're actually really tiny but you just look big. So for instance, if I were to step on your toes than I would really be stepping on your whole body."

Piccolo continued trying to ignore her, at least until he heard Nappa stifle a laugh from his seat on the other side of her.

"This one took growth hormone," Krillin stated as he leaned over to slide shot glasses in front of the three. "Don't disagree. It's easier this way. Trust me," Krillin added quietly before Piccolo had a chance to respond to the first comment.

Grumbling as he sat back in the chair, Piccolo concluded that his best course of action was to keep his mouth shut. He was trying to be amiable, under orders from Kami, but he was finding it extremely difficult, being the solitary type by nature. This was the type of thing Nail would enjoy. At least, he thought Nail would enjoy. He seemed to like sitting around, waiting for something to happen. Not Piccolo. He'd much rather be stuffing his fist down that overgrown Saiyan's throat.

Just how in the Hell had Kami talked him into this?

*****

It was a medium sized room with all of the latest furnishings. The décor was sleek and subdued, with a long, narrow window spanning the width of the far wall. There were several visible light fixtures, geometrically stylized sconces, strategically placed along the walls in order to optimize visual efficiency.

Despite this, the room was dark, although not dark enough to conceal the delicate hand rising up over the edge of the bed, grasping at the jumbled sheets. It took several tries for the hand to gain its bearings as it groped at the fabric, looking for a firm hold and a relatively non-sticky surface. An arm was soon to follow as the hand pulled, eventually revealing the head and bare shoulders of one recently shaped-changed cat, who was currently looking a bit dazed and quite flushed.

She yawned, blinking several times as her eyes watered, her cat vision having little trouble adjusting to the dim light shining in from the window. She wasn't quite sure exactly where she was, although she was beginning to remember how she had gotten there through the haze of what she figured was the morning and by fuzzy patches of memory. She remembered being at the party, and she remembered leaving the party on the very tipsy side of normal. Just what had happened after that?

"Good morning, my little tigress," a deep, soft voice whispered into her ear just before a pair of warm lips descended onto her shoulder.

She bit her lip as she looked down towards the floor, her cheeks beginning to turn a deep red at the sound of that voice and its thick tone of seduction. It was then that she noticed the large and extremely muscular thighs she sat in-between, and the slightly tanned flesh crisscrossed here and there by small scars only visible to those with keen vision.

And that's when she remembered HIM.

She felt faint and her whole body began to tremble slightly as his legs closed in around her and his attentions shifted from her shoulder to the sensitive skin on the back of her neck. She felt her skin becoming heated and her breath catch in her throat when his body molded to hers, his incredible physique and his unmistakable hardness sending icy-hot shivers all the way down to the tip of her blue tail. She felt his large, warm hands caressing their way from her thighs to her ribcage, and before she could stop herself, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back, releasing a light sigh, desperately hoping that the feeling building up inside of her wouldn't suddenly stop.

Raditz nipped at the top of her ear before grasping her hips, readjusting her kneeling position slightly upwards before bringing her back down onto his lap, pushing himself deep inside of her. He heard her gasp and he tried to bite his lip to stifle his own groan when he was finally all the way in. He didn't wait for her to catch her breath before he began to move her hips. He needed to work up a steady pace before he exploded from the sheer pleasure her tightness was exerting on him. She was still extremely wet, and he sincerely hoped that the workout he had given her a few hours earlier had gotten her a bit more accustomed to his size. She was a wonderfully snug fit, a fit he was quite satisfied in knowing that he was the first to experience. He considered it a sort of rare treat, since he wasn't usually the first one to get at the females. It was also a treat that this one was eager, practically tearing his clothes off the minute they stepped into his room. It was an added bonus that she still hadn't tried to escape.

He maintained a steady pace for several minutes, every now and then slowing down so that he wouldn't lose himself before she had a solid chance to enjoy it. When he finally felt like he had just about reached his limit, he pulled out, picking up her delicate form to throw her onto the disheveled bed. He swiftly followed, crawling over her as she flipped over onto her back. Spreading her legs with his knee, he braced himself on one hand while he guided himself into her once again with his other. He allowed his lips to roam across her jawline before taking possession of her mouth, once again thrusting into her to re-establish his pace.

She wrapped her arms around him, her dainty hands pulling him down as he continued to pound her into the slightly squeaking mattress. She was absolutely terrified. Terrified of him and terrified of what he might do to her once they had finished. But she was even more terrified that he would stop. She couldn't deny that she found him desirable, and she couldn't deny that she enjoyed the feel of him inside of her. At least, not to herself. Denying the whole tryst to someone like Oolong was a completely different matter.

Falling deeper into her own pleasured bliss, Puar mustered the energy to slowly wrap her slender legs around him, not daring to interfere with the desirable rhythm he was retaining. Very suddenly and without warning, she gasped, trying to arch her back as a precursory tingle announced the build-up of yet another sweet climax. She began to squirm underneath him, searching out his lips with her own, but not able to comply with her own wishes from the lack of breath. She had never experienced so much pleasure in her life, and it felt as though her senses were overloading, unable to cope with such intense passion.

Raditz felt her legs go around him, her skin sliding over his with the slickness of sweat. She was truly a joy to ride, and one he was beginning to doubt just one night could sate. He was trying to be a little bit easy on her, knowing that she had to be sore. But when he felt her lips brush against his own, whispering a plea to not stop, he found himself switch it into hyperdrive, thrusting harder with less and less control each time.

His timing and patience paid off when he felt her insides spasm around him, inducing his own release as his body went slack. He didn't bother rolling off of her or rolling her on top of him. Instead, he kept his body on top of hers as his hot breath came out in gasps against her neck.

Catching her breath, Puar blinked up at the ceiling. She wasn't sure if she should be more concerned with his weight bearing down on her, or the fact that she actually rather enjoyed his weight bearing down on her. In her dreams, she had imagined it to be something like this, but even in her wildest dreams, she had never thought he would be so massive.

A small bead of sweat made its way down the side of his cheek, a sober and very physical reminder that things had once again heated up between them. Despite her earlier hesitancy, Puar reached out and tilted his head to the side to slowly groom his tanned skin with her own tongue. When she finally pulled away, Raditz arched an eyebrow as she blankly gazed up at him, a slight blush beginning to show on her cheeks. He was pleasantly surprised that she wasn't all timid, but at the same time, a little curious as to how something so cute and sweet could have a tongue like sandpaper. He found it to be an extremely erotic sensation, and one he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed earlier when they had practically sucked each other's face off while vying for the dominant position.

"So I take it this means you'll be staying for breakfast?"

Puar opened her mouth to respond when she suddenly found her voice fail. Perhaps it was what he said, perhaps it was just the way he said it, or perhaps it was the way his teeth seemed to take on a very prominent quality at the mere thought of food that made her begin to panic. Weren't Saiyans known to eat cats?

Pushing up at his shoulders, she managed to wiggle her way out from under him, leaving him in a heap on the bed. She searched around for her clothing, quickly gathering bits and pieces from various spots around the room. She had to get out of there, especially before he decided to have that breakfast.

Raditz wasn't sure what the problem was. One minute she seemed so clingy and cuddly, and the next minute she couldn't seem to put enough space between them. Of course, this wasn't the first time he had been in this kind of situation. Sexually, he was well versed, and this was a scenario he was familiar with. This was called bolting.

"Where are you going?" He heard himself ask. "We've only just started!"

"I have to get back," she stated in a bit of a rush, pulling her clothing on in an attempt at a hasty retreat. She couldn't bring herself to look at him after what she let him do to her, especially since she knew that she would want to let him do it again the second she turned around.

He watched from his spot on the bed as she juggled with her garments. He knew she was definitely leaving when she made a break for the door. He briefly considered throwing himself in front of the exit, but decided against it since he didn't want to come across as desperate. Besides, he was faster than she was. The least he could do was to give her a head start.

As soon as the door was open, she dashed down the hall, tail trailing low behind her. She tried to make as little noise as possible as she padded to a halt at the junction of the two short hallways. She sincerely hoped that she could find her way out before running into another one of those Saiyans, although she was beginning to have mixed feelings about the one she was trying to get away from. It had been less than twenty seconds and she was sort of beginning to miss him.

"Straight ahead," she heard an unfamiliar voice answer her unspoken question. She didn't dare stop to see who it was as she practically launched herself towards the door, and freedom.

"So I'll see you later," Raditz called out with a slight hint of urgency, standing naked in his doorway. He really did want to see her again. A lot more of her, he thought, watching as she fumbled with the door controls.

"Oh I really don't need to see that," Nappa chimed in from down the hall, just as Puar managed her escape. He turned around to shut the open apartment door after catching a glimpse of his very naked subordinate. It wasn't that he'd never seen a naked male before, he just didn't appreciate seeing one without warning outside of a locker room.

Raditz didn't seem to notice the other Saiyan as he stood rooted in place, grinning smugly in his own doorway. He was feeling much too pleased with himself to acknowledge outside comments from anyone. He was so caught up with staring at the door his sweet, little thing had just scampered out of that he didn't seem to notice Kakarott's bedroom door slide open, or the ladylike grunt of disapproval.

"It's NOT like you need to ADVERTISE!" A very stern yet feminine voice blared from a few steps down the hall behind him. "We could hear you ALL night!"

Both Raditz and Nappa turned with a sort of shocked expression to see a very pretty, young woman striding towards them. She looked a bit ruffled, her hair unbrushed and haphazardly pulled back, her eyes still glassy from sleep or lack of. Despite that, she held herself well, chin up and shoulders back, and she seemed to have enough energy to sass back if trouble started.

"Chi!" They heard Kakarott call from his room, before bursting through the door to pursue the young lady. "I…" he began as he caught up to her.

She turned around with a smile to face him, her finger coming up to his lips to silence him. She didn't say anything. She simply stood up on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss before turning around again and making her way to the door. When she had officially gone, all three stood standing in the hallway in silence. One in awe, one in confusion and one in deep thought.

"Well, he is MY little brother," Raditz finally stated, patting Kakarott on the back soundly.

"At least he has the decency to put some pants on," Nappa mumbled, turning to walk back into the living area.

"I…" Kakarott began again, this time to his brother.

"Let's eat!" Raditz interrupted as Kakarott trailed off a second time.

"…sure," came the hesitant reply. "But Nappa's right. Maybe you should put some pants on."

*****

I'm hoping that didn't suck too badly. I tried to include almost everyone, with a few exceptions. I had to move some scenes out of this chapter to keep it down page-wise so that you could read it without falling asleep. Again, I apologize for the extremely long wait. I've had most of it done for a while but I really wasn't happy with it. So let me know what you think, and with any amount of luck, the next one won't take as long to get done.

-RM aka FatherMcRoury