Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Space Station Z ❯ Talk, Talk ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: They aren't mine. Honest.

Space Station Z

Chapter Eight

By RM

It was a very hot day on a very small island. There wasn't much of a breeze, but had there been, it would have only served to waft around the stale and rather unpleasantly heavy scent of old man and turtle.

"Whoa-wee! Would you look at those babies!" The old man exclaimed as he flipped through a magazine, his lawn chair creaking gently when he shifted his weight.

The turtle offered no comment and continued his lethargic digging through the sand, throwing large flipperfuls into the air. Experience had taught him to pay no heed to the old man's ramblings, especially when he was sizing up one of his many periodicals. He knew quite well that the babies referred to had absolutely nothing to do with toddlers.

"Well," the old man continued on, "I suppose that will happen when it gets cold."

It was quiet for several moments, until the turtle looked up at his friend hopefully.

"Master Roshi," he began a little uncertainly, "do we still have some of those Popsicles left over from last week? They would sure be a nice treat on a hot day like today."

"Well," Master Roshi drawled out as he rose from his chair, scratching his whiskers. "I suppose they might be in the icebox."

The turtle craned his neck slowly, watching his old friend amble towards the front porch of a neat and tidy house, which had recently been resided in pastel pink. It had been Master Roshi's ever since it was built, shortly after he'd purchased the small patch of real estate smack dab in the middle of an ocean. All in all, it really wasn't a bad place to live. It was peace and quiet in a locale that was always bright and sunny, with the occasional exception when it was nighttime and the generator decided to blow.

Leaving his companion outside in the sand, Muten Roshi walked into the modern kitchen of his two-story home, looking for something cold to drink and a few fruity Popsicles to enjoy with his turtle friend on such a fine day. It was odd that he should be enjoying himself as he sat around doing nothing, especially after the rather odd task he'd been given recently by another very old friend.

Kami was an exceptional friend to have. He never got in the way of a good time, he was always up for a game of checkers, and most importantly, Kami never asked for favors. He'd known Kami for years, ever since he undertook the challenge of climbing to the top of Korin tower. He'd been a much younger man back then, full of the ambitions of youth, and also with the notion that he would find some great power upon reaching his goal. What he found however, was an old, wisecracking, white cat and a green man dressed in white robes having a spot of tea while discussing the weather.

Still, the trip hadn't been a total waste. Their friendship had lasted many years. It wasn't chock full of ups and downs, it had never suffered the bitter taste of rivalry, and to date, neither one had ever asked to borrow the other's flip-flops. The real weight of the relationship between them stemmed from the fact that each one knew they could trust the other. While Kami had developed his keen sense of severity from his duties as Guardian of the Earth, Roshi had taken on his own unique responsibilities that went hand in hand with his distinction as one of the world's greatest martial artists. Kami knew he could entrust Roshi with a task of great magnitude, and in more ways than one, it was enough to make Roshi want to puke.

Kami had asked Roshi to baby-sit some balls. Not just any old balls, but the dragonballs, created by Kami himself many years ago when he had first come to the Earth. Roshi knew of the balls and their magnificent power. But Roshi had also known the type of terrible power they could be used for. Despite his rather unruly appearance, Roshi was in extremely good shape, since he never knew when he'd be forced to fend off several beautiful young women at a moment's notice.

Glancing over at the couch from the kitchen, Roshi watched the seven golden spheres glint and glitter in the sunlight filtering in through the open windows. Who was to know if he used the little gems to wish for something useful? A new capsule boat, a brand new barbecue, or even a torrid love affair with a beautiful model who just loved to be naughty with an older, bald man? Oh the possibilities…

"Speaking of Popsicles…" he reminded himself of his current duties, reaching into the icebox to move aside an old, freezer-burned package of waffles. When he finally found the leftovers he was looking for, he grabbed two, and headed back towards the beach, only once giving those flaxen beauties the eye as they sat on the couch.

It was the height of the afternoon as Master Roshi settled back into his lounge chair on the beach with a Popsicle in either hand, each looking quite tasty under the scorching sun. He quietly handed a treat to his friend, who only for the delightful interruption, had decided to take a break from his digging.

There were no other sounds, save for the gentle washing of waves onto the small beach, and the gentle lapping of tongues against ice-cold Popsicles as two sets of eyes gazed out over the watery horizon, one wondering what was for dinner while the other wondered just what that old coot Kami had up his sleeve.

*****

"So what brings you here?"

"Lunch."

Haski's jaw tightened momentarily as she managed to keep her best seductive smile in place. She was trying her damnedest to plug this one for information, although at this point, plugging him across the nose seemed like the better option.

"You came all the way to the Station for lunch?"

"No," came the reply. "Are you going to eat that?"

Haski blinked, shaking her head slowly in disbelief. She'd never seen someone eat so much, and at the same time, so unfazed by her apparent attractiveness.

Kakarott grinned and speared a rather small chunk of meat from the still full plate of food belonging to the table's other occupant. She didn't seem to be too hungry. With each passing moment it became obvious to Kakarott that she was wasting her time. Why did she bother sitting around in a cafeteria if she didn't plan on eating anything?

Haski ran her fingers through her wavy blonde hair before resting her chin in her hand with a sigh. She'd have to approach this from another angle.

"So what do you plan on doing after this?"

Kakarott finally looked up at her with bright, dark eyes, smiling that devilish smile that belonged on the face of small children and psychopaths. "The dessert bar."

"I meant after that," she stated a little more harshly than she would have liked.

"There's something more after the dessert bar?" He asked her as he dropped a small piece of meat into the dipping sauce and glanced at her a bit incredulously. When she didn't answer right away, he noticed the rather heated glare she was giving him, and recognized the tone she was taking right away. He'd had lots of practice with that look from Vegeta.

"You're just pulling my leg," he finally stated with a laugh.

No, she thought bitterly, I'd like to pull off your arms.

"Actually, I think I'm going to head out to do some more training after this…if they've fixed the facility."

"Training? What for?"

"To get stronger."

"Stronger?" Haski questioned, finally satisfied that she was getting more than crumbs for her time. "What about all these people coming on board?"

"People?" Kakarott asked in return. "Oh, you must mean the delegates."

"Yes. Delegates." Finally, she thought, some progress.

"I don't really know anything about that. It has something to do with diplomacy. And Vegeta says that diplomacy is best served cold."

"That's revenge," she quickly corrected him.

"Yeah, Vegeta says that too," he replied, feeling a bit shifty for leaving off the rest of his friend's exact quote. "I personally don't care what it's served with, although I would prefer something without too much green stuff."

Haski raised an eyebrow as she watched him stuff more meat into his mouth.

"It gives me gas."

She blinked, trying to figure out how she had managed to lose control of the conversation once again. "So you have no idea what these delegations are about?"

"Nope," he stated firmly with a smile. "I'm just a third class soldier. They don't tell me much of anything."

The sound of chewing became the focal point as they both sat at the table, one thinking she'd made a mistake by hitting on the wrong guy while the other thought he'd made a mistake about the yellow sauce.

Giving up with a sigh, Haski stood, and without a word of parting, slid her plate in front of the Saiyan. She wasn't sure how much of the information she'd actually been able to get out of him was useful. She supposed that for now, at least, she knew sort of what was going on. Delegations of some sort, although about what she still had no idea. She knew she'd have to think pretty fast in order to come up with a viable plan. But at least she was sure she could come up with something.

Kakarott issued a friendly wave as his new friend left, thankful that she had decided to make good use of her food. He continued grazing for several minutes, until that all too familiar heated gaze made the hair on the tip of his tail stand on end.

"Have you been eating all this time?"

"No Vegeta," Kakarott answered without turning around. "I went back and cleaned up when you remembered you left something at the training facility. Then you never showed up. I got hungry."

"Where are the other two jackasses?" Vegeta asked.

Kakarott turned around at this point, wondering if something serious was up. Vegeta's tone seemed a little unsteady, and he hadn't bothered to insult him yet.

"Maybe the medical unit was knocked off-line too," Kakarott offered with a shrug.

"It has been two hours!" Vegeta complained, walking around to the other side of the table.

"Maybe they ran out of bandages?"

"It was only a scratch! I merely sent them there to keep them out of trouble!" Vegeta growled. He was trying to remain dignified, but the whole situation was really beginning to bother him.

"Well then, why are you so angry?" Kakarott answered, wiping his hands with a clean napkin.

"Because I need Raditz here now! The Nameks have arrived and there's no time to waste! I want to get this all over with as soon as possible!"

"Raditz was right. You need to relax."

"My personal business is absolutely none of your concern!" Vegeta huffed, angry that his subjects might be discussing his personal life on any level.

Kakarott merely shrugged. He'd seen Vegeta much angrier, and the telltale vein hadn't yet popped into the picture.

"I fucking hate diplomacy!" Vegeta vented. "It is for whiners and others who are incapable of fighting for their goals!"

"And just why are we here being diplomatic?" The younger Saiyan questioned. He had never actually been given an explanation as to why they were there in the first place. The last thing he remembered was helping the inhabitants of Yardrat rebuild their homes after `The Incident' when he was urgently hailed by his older brother to meet on some moon he'd never heard of. And he was told to be discreet.

"You are here because you are a Saiyan, and we need you to get stronger so that you may be able to do something more than scream for help when the real fighting starts." Vegeta's usual angry composure had taken on the stern and calculating quality of someone extremely focused. He leaned on the table, his dark, concentrated gaze bearing down on the younger warrior with an eerily tangible quality. The younger Saiyan finally felt a little more at ease when Vegeta turned away, grabbing a fresh apple still untouched after the feeding frenzy.

It was all about Freiza. Vegeta knew that Kakarott had never been there first hand. He'd never been subjected to the berating and humiliations, and he had certainly never been around for the disciplinary beatings. Freiza commanded many troops, and since Kakarott had never been in an elite squad, he'd never actually come face to face with the boss. In fact, the way Vegeta saw it, the young Saiyan was lucky to be alive. He was strong, to be sure, but he had never really been a proper Saiyan. Raditz never liked to talk about it, but after Kakarott's second mission as a child, before their own homeworld had been destroyed, the young Saiyan had suffered some kind of injury, one that affected his memory. It was an accident that rendered him almost completely UN-Saiyan.

"Just stick to your training Kakarott," Vegeta announced, having calmed down considerably in the past minute. "Let those of us with brains handle the rest."

Kakarott's friendly demeanor changed to a cool look as he watched his friend stalk out in search of the others. He knew what they all thought of him. He supposed they were right, to a point, but just because he was different didn't mean he was completely brainless. Contrary to popular belief, he did happen to know the difference between his ass and a hole in the ground. But what he really resented was the fact that the others seemed to think he was about as useful as a hangnail when they hardly even knew him.

Quickly and quietly, Kakarott cleaned up after himself, stacking his dishes and walking them to one of the service tables left for just such a purpose. He normally wasn't one to let things bother him, but just once, he thought, he'd like to be able to tell them that he could make a difference, that in fact, he had made a difference. A very big difference. But of course, they probably wouldn't believe him.

There was no use in thinking about it now. What was done was done. And having figured that, Kakarott now figured it was high time for a late afternoon nap. He'd save the training for later.

*****

She nervously patted down her long dress, hoping that the two royal accomplices didn't just say she looked fine to make her feel better. She felt a little out of place and rather large, not being used to this particular size and shape. She had tried shapes similar to this one before, but even then she was only in those shapes for short periods of time and certainly never intending to be noticed.

Reaching up, Puar tucked a strand of deep blue hair behind her ear. They all decided on short hair, styled in a wedge, the top layer blue like her regular fur while the underlayer was creamy white. Her skin tone was peachy, much like her normal coloring, and doubling for a regular human's coloring with such precision, it was impossible to discern the difference. The gown they had chosen looked more like a modern styled kimono, demure with a high waist, giving her a straight line and offering freer movement underneath to someone who hadn't quite gotten used to the finer arts of frilly, women's undergarments.

Blinking at her reflection in the glass of the lounge, she thought about how cold it must be out in space. It would be nice to finally have someone to cuddle up with, especially on those cold nights.

"You look awfully nervous about something," a taller woman with wavy, blonde hair and deep green eyes stated as she casually leaned a hand upon the glass of the space-walk lounge.

"Me?" Puar ventured, her own voice still sounding unfamiliar after her transformation.

"Name's Launch," the woman introduced herself with a slight nod, and even less of a smile.

"I'm P…uar," Puar hesitated as she glanced at the newcomer. She was a bit unsure about using her real name, especially if Oolong found out. But when she thought about the big picture, she supposed that it ultimately didn't matter. And of course, from the looks of her new acquaintance, she didn't think it would be much of an issue. She wore a loose but fitted cream colored suit, and her hair was pulled back from her face and worn down. Her make-up was fairly simple and expertly applied, giving her already attractive features a stunning grace. She looked every inch a sophisticated lady, but the manner in which she actually presented herself clashed with the elegant visual.

"So…what do you do around here Puar?" Launch asked, looking out towards the stars and the bright blue planet on the other side of the glass.

"I'm visiting," Puar answered, almost feeling as if her responses were being graded.

Launch let out a deep sigh and rubbed her nose as she shifted to fully rest her back against the glass. Haski had left the apartments about an hour earlier, all dressed up and yammering about some sort of important meeting. Not appreciating being left alone with nothing to do, Launch decided to prepare herself to go out and do some investigating of her own. So far, she hadn't come up with much. If Haski's goal had been to find the one place where no one would find them, then she had definitely succeeded. There was absolutely nothing going on around here.

"What is it that you're…" Puar trailed off as the object of her desire wandered into the lounge. She was sure that he would show up eventually, she just wasn't sure exactly when. She had been following him on and off for the past few days. She felt rather silly about it, but she really didn't consider it stalking since it had only been for a period less than three days.

He was walking with his friend, the short, hairless one, and he kept his hands in his pockets as he proceeded with an easy smile. He wore a pair of gray coveralls, smudged here and there with dark patches of grease, but his smooth manner and confident strides gave him the appearance of a tall, dark and stylish fashion model that had purposely added the grime for sheer effect.

Puar clasped her hands together, held in rapt attention as he flashed that brilliant smile of his that made her little heart flutter. Launch simply watched in silence, becoming more taken with the human man the closer he came.

"Good evening ladies," Krillin greeted amiably as Yamcha smiled and walked past with a nod at the two women who didn't seem to be making much of an effort not to stare.

"Tell the others I'll be late," both women heard him say to his much shorter friend. "I have two grids left to inspect."

Puar's breath caught in her throat when she heard his voice, his thick Italian accent only serving to fuel her romantic notions. Launch, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes at the sound, completely annoyed that she could find someone who probably didn't go by the name of `Slugger' attractive.

Puar watched helplessly yet hopefully as he continued through the double doors at the end of the lounge. Her limbs felt heavy and her whole body was becoming weak. Princess Snake and Princess Ranchi had warned her that things may not work out right away, but he had actually smiled and nodded, and to date, he had never done either one.

"If you'll excuse me," Puar heard herself say, making her way in the direction the two men had just come from. She felt a little unsteadied by her first day `success' as she opened the door and wandered down the long space-walk. She was aided somewhat by her tail, its royal blue tip peeking out from underneath the kimono. Princess Snake had warned her against keeping the appendage, but she'd had it all of her life and she found it extremely difficult to walk in a straight line and not fall down without it.

Slowing to a stop in the middle of the long hallway, Puar once again looked out into space and her own ethereal reflection. She was ready to have a big, strong man in her life. She just wondered if the big, strong man was ready for her.

Sighing as she placed her hands on the glass, she felt more than heard the large double doors slamming open at the other end of the encased corridor, as well as the heavy footfalls that followed. Turning her head towards the disturbance, Puar found her little heart making its way into her throat for the second time that evening.

He was just as big as she remembered him from earlier that morning in the medical clinic. Of course, she had been smaller back then, but he also hadn't been wearing his full panoply of Saiyan splendor. She had known he was a Saiyan the instant she saw him then, and being in the military business herself, she had been fully aware of just what a Saiyan was. And even though she currently looked mostly human, she instinctively reverted back to the old, reliable animal adage - if I don't move he can't see me.

At the other end of the hallway and approaching fast, Raditz was having a hard time sorting out his thoughts. Vegeta insisted that he, and not Nappa, be present for the delegations that were about to begin over a week too soon. Everyone had been called in last minute, so instead of the low-key night of relaxation he had planned, he was supposed to sit and serve as a cognitive fib finder in a room full of whiners, and he was sure he was doing a terrible job of hiding his disappointment.

Striding down the hallway, Raditz kept up his brisk pace, side stepping slower traffic and sometimes giving the casual onlooker a polite Saiyan shove out of the way. The shoving served to help him feel a little better about the coming inconvenience of sitting around all night, but to his dismay, most of the others puttering around this evening appeared to have the good sense to stay out of his way. Or at least try to dodge as his muscular frame and overbearing presence oozed its path in front of him. Of course, the scowl wasn't helping. He was never one to overdo it with smiles, unlike his little brother, but he was also starting to realize, thanks to Vegeta, that he very well shouldn't go through life trying to kill everybody. There just wasn't enough time for all of that.

Trying not to focus on any one person or thing making their own way down the corridors, Raditz's attention was drawn to the darkness on the other side of the glass, or what would have been the darkness on the other side of the glass if a particularly attractive female hadn't been in the way.

Puar noticed the large warrior slowing down as he approached her position flush against the glass. Her painted nails squeaked against the smooth surface as she tried to inconspicuously claw her way out of danger with the minimal amount of movement. The look the Saiyan warrior was giving her was making her very anxious. She wasn't quite sure what the look was for, as she had never had anyone look at her that way before. When she thought back to the clinic, she remembered that this one had been the quiet type. She pleaded with whatever higher power, which might be listening, that he would move past her without recognizing her.

Raditz narrowed his eyes at the little female, gauging her reaction as he passed by her slowly. He could sense the sheer panic emanating from her body, the slight tremble of what appeared to be a deep blue tail poking out from underneath her dress. He was almost instantly attracted to this little one, although admittedly, he had no idea why. Outwardly, she possessed the three qualities he looked for when considering a good time. She was sexy, she was female, and she was absolutely terrified of him. The real question was, did she have what it would take to keep him amused?

Regrettably not having the time to stop and find out, Raditz gave her a curt nod and a slight backwards glance before picking up his pace and once again marching down the corridor like a one man brigade. He would make it a point to come back and find this one when he had some time to himself. A definite point.

Puar's fingers once again flattened against the glass when the Saiyan finally passed. She let out the breath she was holding, and willed herself to once again make her way down the hallway. She wasn't entirely sure about what had just happened, but she did know one thing…this new shape was working out for her so far. Two nods in one night! She couldn't wait to try this shape out for a whole day.

*****

He was down in the dumps, an emotional state that he really didn't have too much experience with. The training facilities were still under repair and Vegeta and Raditz had spiffed themselves up and rushed out after dinner to attend their meeting. That left himself and Nappa to sit around, and right now, sitting around with the big guy really wasn't much of an evening.

He decided to take a walk, and he knew exactly where his feet were taking him. He remembered where he had first laid eyes on her and those savory biscuits she had with her. He was hoping that she wouldn't mind too much if he just happened to show up. He was also hoping that she wouldn't mind sharing whatever tasty treat she might happen to have on hand. He rubbed his stomach absentmindedly as he rounded the corner into the cul-de-sac leading to her door. The problem was that he wasn't even all that hungry. He just really wanted to spend some time with someone who didn't smell like old gym socks and who wouldn't try to pin him down by sitting on him.

His whole state of mind stemmed from `The Incident'. Kakarott was the type to bounce back quite well and extremely quickly from just about anything. But `The Incident' was making him quite nervous.

It hadn't been too long ago, and after it had happened, he considered never actually telling anyone, least of all Vegeta. The only other option he could think of was to play the whole thing down. But just how in the hell did he plan on doing that?

"Sorry everyone," he thought out loud as he knocked on the door to the young lady's apartments. "It was an honest mistake. I didn't really plan to kill…"

"Who is it?" A rather cheerful yet dull voice called out as the door was pulled open by an attractive, blue haired, young lady wearing what appeared to be a medical uniform.

"Ah!" Kakarott yelled, jumping back about a foot, covering his rear with both hands.

"Well THAT's a fine hello," she replied, placing a hand on her hip. It was then that she noticed what looked like a brown, furry tail wrapped around his waist, twitching slightly. It was the third such tail she had seen in one day. "Somehow, I'm not really surprised."

"Sorry," he apologized with a nervous smile. "I'm not too keen on doctors."

"Marron?" He heard another female voice call out from somewhere inside. "Who is it?"

As Kakarott stood outside, another young lady appeared behind the first. She was also very pretty, with blue hair and she was wearing a long, white lab coat.

"Hiya," she greeted him with a bright smile.

"You're not a doctor too, are you?" He managed out, not very comforted by them smiling so sweetly.

"Not that kind of doctor," she replied with a smile. "Come on in. You don't have to stand out there all night."

The first one held the door open as he followed the second one into the foyer, all the while eyeing them nervously, keeping a close watch out for anything sharp and pointy.

Marron shut the door quickly, dismissing the visitor with a flippant wave of the hand as she sauntered off. Kakarott visibly relaxed as he watched her go, although he kept his hands on his backside just in case. He had never been over fond of needles, or the people associated with the medical professions who used them.

"I can see that you're not one of Marron's many admirers," the friendly one stated with an appraising smile. "I'm Bulma. What can I do for you?"

"Well," he began, "I'm here to see…" he trailed off as he realized that he never did quite catch her name. "She's about this tall," he added, holding his hand out in order to demonstrate her height. "She's got long, dark hair and dark eyes. She smells real good," he added, raising one hand from his rear to scratch the back of his head. "She's the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

"That would be Chi Chi," Bulma answered as she turned to walk down the hallway leading to the main living area. "Why don't you come and have a seat in the kitchen. She's usually not very far."

Kakarott smiled sheepishly as he followed, not quite sure why he admitted that Chi Chi was indeed the prettiest girl he'd ever laid eyes on, and not quite sure why it would even phase him that he had. It was the truth, after all, and he had never really had a problem with telling the truth.

Until `The Incident.'

Shifting his hand from the back of his head to his forehead, Kakarott frowned. He would have to tell the truth at some point. The whole truth, and nothing but.

*****

"I apologize for that last interruption," Dr. Briefs stated, watching the door to the conference room close once again with a slight nervous twitch. He had always known that his wife was a natural hostess, but in this instance, he was a bit concerned that she'd be serving up a side of her own arm, wrested from her unsuspecting body if she interrupted the meeting to bring in refreshments one more time.

"The pink ones are very good," Mr. Popo commented quietly, not too concerned with the precarious edge the last minute delegation obviously balanced on.

Kami, who sat next to his long time friend Mr. Popo, agreed with a nod as he eyed a second treat. He knew quite well that as a Namekian he only required water for sustenance, but it didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy something more daring every now and then.

There were several light sighs from around the table as most of the assembly tried not to be the ones to draw too much attention to themselves, and the whole setup didn't seem to be helping. On one side of the table, Emperor Chaozu peeked over the edge as he sat next to his sister-in-law Princess Snake. She, in turn, buffed her nails quite conspicuously next to Prince Vegeta, who glared outright through his scouter at the other side of the table. Next to him sat Raditz, dressed in his full battle regalia, intimidating several people, including the young blonde Duchess to his left, by the name of Haski who no one seemed to know. On the other side of the table, across from the Emperor, sat Mr. Popo, who was currently enjoying a treat with Kami who sat to his right. Nail sat between Kami and Piccolo, quite pleased that the latter was bristling with annoyance. Next to Piccolo was Tien, the bald Banmoku who represented the Renpou interests among the delegation. Dr. Briefs sat at the head of the long, rectangular table, large enough to comfortably accommodate the five to each side, and wide enough to ensure that anyone who might try to strangle someone else on the opposite side would have to dive and slide through several layers of cakes, plates and various cold cuts.

"So we all agree what must be done," Nail eventually spoke up when it became clear that no one else would. "The decision must be made as to how."

"You talk as if this is a simple matter," Piccolo replied, eyeing Nail with mild disgust.

"It is simple," Tien glared down the row of people sitting to his left. "There is no doubt of the threat Freiza poses to the entire universe!"

"If that is your attitude, that this undertaking is simple, he will be all over us like stink on shit the minute you fail!" Vegeta mocked from across the table.

"Now that paints a pleasant picture," Piccolo commented without hesitation, crossing his arms and glancing at Tien.

"And you will be next!" Vegeta turned his glare on the Namekian contingent.

"Then you might need something sugary, with all of that running away you'll be doing!" Tien barked back at the Saiyan prince, standing up to lean forward with his taunt.

"Sugar is bad for your teeth," Dr. Briefs stated automatically, looking from his teacup to the two eating sweet treats to his right.

"No one asked you!" Vegeta huffed, startling the old scientist into spilling some lukewarm tea onto himself.

"If we actually could defeat him then, how could we do it?" Emperor Chaozu asked, his rather high pitched voice somewhat breaking the tension bouncing around the table.

"What? Like a best case scenario?" Tien questioned, his anger turning into a sneer as he sat down once again, straightening his dark uniform into place.

"Conjecture is pointless!" Vegeta argued.

"Like a plan?" Princess Snake questioned quietly as she leaned away from Vegeta, moving her chair over slightly in the process.

"More like…a wish…" Kami answered back very matter-of-factly.

"A wish? You've got to be joking!" Tien laughed.

Vegeta glared at the old Namek. He normally would have joined in with Captain Tien's deep laughter, but the look of absolute sobriety on Kami's face, a look that Tien couldn't see from where he sat, kept him from any additional smart remarks.

"I know Freiza," Vegeta ground out, practically snarling as he pointed to himself for emphasis. "You will need something more concrete than a simple wish to defeat him."

Raditz, who remained silent as he watched the others around him all night, nodded in agreement with Vegeta's statement. All four of the Saiyans wanted to see Freiza dead, preferably involving something rather unpleasant. It had nothing to do with the threat he posed to everyone else. It had everything to do with what he had effectively done to the entire Saiyan race, and then what he had done to the remaining four after the fact.

"Then we could always go for something more complicated if you prefer," Captain Tien smirked at the delegation, still completely taken that the fools to his left would have the audacity to suggest wishing for some type of victory.

"You know," Piccolo began as he casually crossed his arms and tilted his head towards the Captain, "who died and made you the fucking smart ass for these proceedings?"

Princess Snake tried not to smile as Tien's whole head practically glowed a soft pink, leading to a fit of rage that she knew he couldn't have. She was the one most familiar with his background, and she knew just how vindictive the man could be. Emperor Chaozu leaned back from the table and against his cushy chair, not too eager to get into it with a bunch of people who looked like they would rather be at war with each other than be at war with Freiza.

"Given some time, we will not require your help to defeat Freiza," Vegeta interjected, the translation module in his scouter serving as a creepy overlay to the harsh Saiyan dialect being spoken underneath.

"Time? Make it enough time and Freiza will find us and kill us all!" Tien vented his frustration out on the Saiyan Prince.

"Only if I do not do it first!" Vegeta raved back, waving his arm out to indicate the entire room.

Dr. Briefs' moustache twitched as he thought about that particular scenario, and about the poor lad's condition when he would have to explain the conference room cleaning bill to his wife. Just who invited these people anyway? Who was this Freiza fellow? And just how had he gotten suckered into this?

Clearing his throat, the old man nervously patted at his shoulder, looking to comfort the little black kitty that didn't seem to be there. One thing was for certain. Gero owed him big time for sitting in on this one.

*****

"So where did you learn how to do all of this?"

"Necessity mostly," Chi Chi replied as she continued chopping her ingredients with a shrug. "My mother died when I was a baby and that left me and dad. I had to take care of things."

Necessity. He understood necessity. He'd learned how to do several things out of necessity. Sensing ki, turning Super Saiyan, and the ability to hold his breath for over ten minutes. He had yet to master the first one, but the last had saved his life on several occasions. "It would be nice to have someone to take care of things," he commented quietly. "Especially the meal part."

Chi Chi smiled down at the diced spinach only briefly looking up at Kakarott and his earnest expression. He looked quite relaxed, having replaced the heavy looking armor she had first seen him in with a very comfortable pair of dark orange sweatpants and a dark blue shirt. Not only relaxed, she noted, but extremely handsome.

"While you're here, I can take care of the meal part," she offered, trying not to blush, or to sound too forward.

He perked up immediately at this, turning to face her as he briefly abandoned his duty as onion dicer.

"Really?!"

When she turned to look into his eyes, she saw that same childlike enthusiasm she'd first seen in him the day she had given him those biscuits. Although she was rather hoping that the same enthusiasm was more for her company than it was for the food.

"Really," she nodded back at him. "As long as you're willing to help me out here and there."

He smiled, and with the silence that followed, cleared his throat, immediately returning back to the second, half-finished onion.

It was then that she realized that his eyes were not watering.

"How do you manage that?"

"Manage what?" He answered as he gauged the perfect thickness for his next slice.

"You're cutting through onions and your nose isn't runny and your eyes aren't watering."

"Oh that," he replied this time with a laugh. "I'm a pro when it comes to smells and fumes." It wasn't a lie. He had perfected several ki techniques over the years, and when it came to funky, eye-watering smells and fumes, Nappa could be considered a virtual factory.

"If I'd known that, I would have had you grate them," she mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Wow! Something sure smells good in here!" Bulma announced as she strolled into the large kitchen area, pulling her hair back into a loose ponytail. Kakarott watched her skeptically from the corner of his eye, still not fully trusting the whole doctor issue. "What'ca making?"

"A light snack," Chi Chi replied, a little annoyed with her friend for interrupting when the gorgeous man visiting for the evening happened to be hers. "Aren't you headed out?"

"Yamcha's late," Bulma stated, sniffing one of the many pots simmering on the stove. When she looked up, she grabbed a carrot and used it to point at Kakarott, who had his back to the two girls, mouthing the words `he's cute' to her friend.

Chi Chi smiled as Bulma took a bite of carrot. It was then that Bulma finally remembered why Chi Chi's new friend looked so familiar.

"Have we met somewhere before Kakarott?"

"Uh…no," came his casual reply.

"You remind me of someone," she added. Dark eyes, an extremely muscular build, thick spiky hair that defied most laws of physics. "Do you by any chance have a brother?"

"Uh…yeah."

"Is he shorter?"

"Raditz?" Kakarott questioned with a laugh. "No, he's taller."

"Oh," Bulma replied, her voice losing some of its usual cheeriness.

"I think you're thinking of Vegeta," he continued, finishing off the remaining onion, attempting to slide the diced bits from the cutting board into a small bowl as Chi Chi instructed. "But he's usually pretty grouchy and definitely not very talkative."

"He doesn't really need to talk," Bulma blurted out before she could stop herself.

"Hello?" A very subdued, unfeeling voice hailed from the front foyer.

Bulma peeked around the corner, looking down the short hallway to see # 17 closing the door.

"Where's Yamcha?" Bulma asked, walking into the living room to find her shoes.

"He's running late. He'll meet us there," #17 replied smoothly, entering the kitchen to take a quick look around. "Something smells good."

"Sure does!" Bulma called out over her shoulder. "Maybe we should skip our late dinner plans and stay here?"

At Bulma's comment, Chi Chi dropped her stirring spoon into a pot while Kakarott turned to smile at the newcomer.

"You're one of those Saiyans," #17 observed with a cool smile, and at what he considered to be a very safe distance. "You should join us sometime at the training facility. I'd love to put my skills up against those of a Saiyan."

"If you ask me," Chi Chi stated firmly and without the full knowledge of what exactly a Saiyan was, "my boy here could probably kick your butt."

Kakarott chuckled as he wiped his forehead with the back of his wrist while #17 merely continued to smile from one to the other.

"It does sound like fun," Kakarott finally admitted with a grin. "I'll have to see if Vegeta can spare me from my own training."

"I'll keep Vegeta occupied!" Bulma boldly proclaimed with a wink as she grabbed her sweater. "Come on Mr. Terminator. I'm hungry."

Chi Chi waved as Bulma pulled #17 back down the hallway towards the front door. She hadn't meant to volunteer her new interest into a sparring match with the others. He looked impressive enough, and it would be nice to wipe the grin right off of that android's face. She sincerely hoped that Kakarott didn't mind.

"It was nice meeting you Kakarott!" Bulma shouted as she opened the door. "Next time you're hungry, bring your friend!"

*****

"I knew you Saiyans couldn't be trusted!" Nail argued, frustrated with the alarmingly powerful aliens and their not so surprising belligerent attitude.

Vegeta leveled his disapproving frown on the Namek, and just as suddenly broke out into a ferocious grin.

"Yes, you all sit there and pretend that none of you have ever been involved in any type of offense."

At the Saiyan Prince's words, Haski bit at the inside of her lower lip, hoping that he wasn't onto her and Launch. She wasn't sure just how she was going to pull her scheme off. Indeed, she hadn't even been sure just what deed she would ultimately be involved in. All she knew was that if the old Namek knew of or possessed a power that could defeat that of Freiza, she would make a way to steal it for herself.

"The Renpou are nothing more than fascists," Vegeta carried on, "enforcing their policies onto the worlds they infiltrate!"

"That's a load of shit!" Tien shouted back, now fully glaring with all three eyes at the two Saiyans. "We maintain order and grant protection to those who desire it!"

"To those who pay for it," Vegeta corrected. "We are very much the same, only I am much more powerful than you could ever hope to be. Just remember that."

"Yes. Well," Kami stated with a slight cough after several moments of glaring. "Such a decision is best left for another time. To be quite honest, I am feeling a bit tired from our long journey here."

Mr. Popo nodded in agreement very quickly, the stress of the situation causing him to stick to the leather of the seating.

"We need to strike…"

"We cannot strike until we know Freiza's whereabouts," Kami interrupted Captain Tien's rebuttal, his strong voice overpowering the other's harsh, partial statement.

Prince Vegeta stifled a growl, balling his fists on the table. They needed to resolve the plans now. If Freiza suspected any foul play on the Saiyans part, they'd be toast. But he could also tell that the Namek meant what he said. There was no use trying to force the issue. Well, it would be of use to him, but not to the proceedings in general. Instead he began to count to ten.

"Then I suppose the delegation is adjourned for today…for the next two weeks," Dr. Briefs announced to the group, fixing his glasses without actually looking at anyone. He wasn't sure just how he had managed to become involved in the discussions, but it had become increasingly obvious after the first two minutes of the meeting that he was stuck there for the duration when the lights failed to flicker.

"I believe that we will all meet again in two weeks time, after we have all thought about what we would do with the power of a wish. If Freiza makes a move before then, we will meet sooner," Kami finished, nodding at the aged doctor.

Tien shook his head with a disgusted twist to his lip as Vegeta crossed his arms, his eyes squeezed shut as he whispered `two.' Princess Snake and Emperor Chaozu exchanged curious glances while Haski narrowed her cool eyes at the old Namek, seemingly sizing him up. Raditz kept his eyes on the other two Nameks, watching for any outward signs of deception and reaching for a sweet treat while Vegeta's attentions were elsewhere.

The Nameks left first, the eldest looking quite tired indeed. Mr. Popo and Emperor Chaozu followed them, each carrying several treats as they went. Haski left with a concentrated nod, obviously preoccupied with some private thoughts. Tien made his way to Princess Snake's side, acting as the proper gentlemen escort. Vegeta was still trying to count when Raditz finally nudged him, letting him know it was time to leave.

"…seven…FUCK!" Vegeta growled. "I fucking hate diplomacy!"

Indeed, he thought, it would be the very first thing to go when Freiza was defeated and a Saiyan ruled the universe.

*****

Sorry about the delay on this. I have had absolutely zero time lately. I am trying to fit everyone in the story, so remember, if you have any requests, I can see what I can cook up. In the meantime, let me know what you think about this chapter. I'm lukewarm on it in parts, so I could use the pointers. Well, enjoy. And hopefully the next part will be more fluffy…And oh yeah…if anyone is willing to sacrifice themselves to go with me to a wedding this summer, I'm looking for victi…er…a date…

-RM