Surviving Together: A New Legacy

Chapter 4 - Assessing the Damage

"About damn time." Vegeta growled as his ship entered Merigh's atmosphere. Much destruction remained after the battle with Cooler. Only a few of Cooler's ship were left behind. "What of Cooler?" Vegeta asked his associate.

Pausing, Garock listened to the rest of the message from Aphara before turning his attention back to Vegeta. "It seems there have been some complications."

"Did they get the scientists?" Vegeta asked, not caring about the gory details of the battle.

"Captain Durka was able to board Coolers ship and move all of the scientists onto his ship. However, when he went back for the other hostages, Cooler hit the ship with a devastating blast." Garock said as he repeated Aphara's message.

"Then all is well." Vegeta smirked. He only cared about securing the safety of the scientists, as they were essential to his battle with Cooler. "Dock our ship with Durka's and get the scientists on board."

"But sir!"

"What of Cooler's location?" Vegeta cut him off. He was in no mood to argue.

Garock paused a moment before he dared to speak again. "He escaped right after he destroyed his own ship, sir."

Vegeta 'hmphed' before he sat down in his chair. Leaning his head upon his palm he stated, "His time will come." He was a little depressed about missing the battle but he was still sure that a war would come. "Tell Durka's ship to prepare to be boarded."

"Yes, sir." Garock nodded as he sent the message along.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ < p>"My King." Aphara bowed along with the commanding officers as they greeted Vegeta.

"I assume you have the scientists ready to board my ship?" Vegeta asked in a condescending tone.

"Yes, Sir." Aphara nodded as she slowly rose, finding it amazingly difficult to take her eyes off of the handsome king.

"How is your captain?" Garock interrupted; interested in the exact details of how the man got injured.

Aphara immediately frowned. "He's in a regeneration tank. He managed to protect his body with his ki right before Cooler's blast hit the ship, but we aren't sure if it was enough. I've never felt anything as intense as Coolers blast and Durka suffered it head on."

"What was he doing on the ship? Hadn't the scientists already evacuated?" Vegeta asked a little irritated that the Captain had not followed his complete orders.

"I know sir.I reminded him myself but one of the scientists told Durka that women had been taken to a lower cell in the ship. The scientist pleaded for us to get them off as well." Aphara sighed as she continued. "Durka is an amazing fighter and a superb leader but sometimes his heart can be too warm." Aphara tried to justify her captain's actions.

Vegeta felt himself flinch as he heard the words 'women taken.' He knew Freeza and his brother were similar in their tastes and he had no doubt what the women were meant for. "Where are they now?" Vegeta asked to the surprise of those around him.

"We put them in a spare room on the lower deck. We can have them killed if you prefer." Aphara asked assuming that was what he was getting at.

Vegeta rolled his eyes at the woman's false assumptions before turning back to Garock. "How much of the planet's population still lives?"

"Um…" Garock thought fast, not expecting Vegeta's interest in the citizens' welfare. "Maybe twenty percent sir but they won't last long. The planet's atmosphere has been compromised. The rest will probably die out before long unless, of course, we move them to another planet." Garock threw in, being the eternal optimist that he was.

Vegeta paused a moment as he contemplated his options. He could just kill them and be done with it but a promise from long ago made him feel as though he had a duty to ensure their safety. "See to it, Garock. Send the women but the scientists come with us."

"Thank you, Sir." Garock nodded, very much pleased with the King's decision. He then turned to Aphara for direction. "If you'll first show me where the scientists are, I will have them board our ship immediately."

"Yes, they're right this way." Aphara nodded as she directed the men to follow her. They all stopped in the small room where the timid Merigh men were located. They were in poor shape but, for the most part, none to seriously.

"I am Garock." The commander introduced himself as he stepped ahead of Aphara and Vegeta. "I spoke with your King prior to this unpleasantness. I assume you were already informed of your planets union with the alliance."

Most of the men nodded in fear knowing better than to disagree. Garock noticed their hesitation and decided it might be easier to continue with a simpler question. "Your King informed me that your department head, Dr. Briefs, understood and accepted the position. Now which one of you is he?"

The scientists all looked at each other cautiously but none dare speak. Vegeta became impatient as he shot a glare at Garock, who had no desire to see the Emperor's rage. "Please feel no fear in coming forward, we have no intention of harming you."

"It is not fear that keeps us silent." Euran stepped forward. "Dr. Briefs is not here with us. We don't know for sure that she lives."

Vegeta along with Garock both blinked in shock. "She? Dr. Briefs is a woman?"

Euran nodded. "Yes, I was with her when Cooler came for our department. Though at the time, he seemed more interested in her physical appearance than her intelligence. She was taken with the other women. That is why I insisted you go back for them."

Vegeta's fists tightened as he turned to Aphara. "You're awfully lucky your captains soft tendencies got the better of him." Vegeta growled. "Where are all of the women?"

"This way sir." Aphara nodded as she led the Emperor two doors down. Garock followed close behind; a little surprised he had missed such a crucial detail.

As soon as the three entered, the women whimpered at the rather intimidating man who entered first. "Quiet!" Vegeta yelled having no patience for any of this. "Which one of you is this Briefs person?"

The women remained silent, very much to the dislike of Vegeta. "Please ladies." Garock interrupted knowing scaring them half to death wasn't going to be helpful in this situation. "We mean no harm. We are just looking to make sure she is alright."

"She's not." A woman from the back of the group came forward.

"Are you she?" Garock asked the short purple haired woman.

"No, I am Lyie." The woman explained. "I work with Ms. Briefs in the science wing."

"Then you know where she is?"

"Dead, in all likelihood." Lyie said trying to hold her anger as she glanced coldly at the man. "But even if she was alive I seriously doubt she'd take a moment to help you bastards out!"

Ahpara's jaw dropped, as she couldn't believe this woman's forwardness. "You insubordinate bitc--" Vegeta grabbed the soldier's arm before she could attack the woman. "Why do you say this?" Vegeta asked the angered scientist, wanting to know exactly what transpired on Cooler's ship.

Lyie tried to hold back her tears as she spoke. "First of all, Bra, or the Briefs person as you call her, had to sit by and watch her ten year old son nearly beaten to death by that lizard. Then she was knocked out and dragged aboard a slimy dirt hole of a ship where she just barely managed to regain consciousness before Cooler showed up. He groped, threatened and tried to mount her right in front of our eyes! And if that wasn't enough he threw the poor woman across the cell like she was a piece of trash to be discarded! I haven't seen so much blood in my life! And if by some miracle that captain of yours, the only one of you beasts who appeared to have any scruples, got her out in time! So, I seriously doubt she'll have any sympathy for your cause since you monsters took your good old time getting here!"

A silence fell upon the room. No one was sure how to respond to the sick reality. Garock stood waiting for Vegeta to unleash his rage and blast the woman right through the chest but he never did. He stood as silent and emotionless as ever.

"Durka had a woman in his arms who was badly beaten when we picked him up after the explosion. That must be her." Aphara slowly offered, breaking the long silence.

"Is she alive?" Garock asked, fearful of the answer.

"Durka told us to put her in a regeneration tank before he lost consciousness. We put both of them in tanks, though the medics do not believe a Merigh woman can possibly survive the injuries she sustained. I haven't been to check on either since before you arrived."

Vegeta stood cold a moment as he took all off this in. Never had he felt such a need to kill Cooler as he did at that second. "Then take us now." Vegeta spoke in a calm and collected tone, though in reality he was anything but.

Aphara nodded as she guided the men to the small med ward.However before they could enter, they were greeted with the sound of yelling.

"Take your hands off me! I will not move one inch until I know my mother is alright!" Trunks growled at the guard who was trying to get the newly healed boy out of the room.

As Aphara entered with Vegeta and Garock, her jaw dropped. "How the hell did he get out of the regen tank that fast!" She almost screamed as she looked at the fully healed boy.

"It only took him two hours to heal, Commander." The medic tried to explain. "I don't know how it's possible for a Merigh boy to heal this fast but he did, and now he refuses to leave until his mother is healed as well."

"Wait a minute." Garock interrupted. "Is this the boy that took a beating from Cooler?"

Aphara shrugged. "I don't know who he is but we found him chained up in a cell on Cooler's ship. I saw his injures. We're talking deaths door.We didn't think he would survive, let alone heal this fast!"

Trunks ignored the arguing as he stared into the tank's small circular window looking at his mother. A mask to help her breath covered her face, leaving only his mother's blue hair as it waved in the water. He refused to cry. He hoped she would pull though this. He felt so guilty that he couldn't protect her, that he couldn't stop all of this. For once in his life he felt weak. However, he was soon distracted from his guilt as he felt an enormous ki walk right up behind him. He jerked his head around as he looked up at the proud man who stood before him, arms crossed, and a look of indifference on his face. "I won't let you hurt my mother." Trunks hissed as he got into a fighting stance.

Vegeta looked down at the boy rather curiously. He assumed that the child was confused and instinctively looked upon him as the enemy. Though, he wasn't surprised by the boys preparation for a fight, he was somewhat perplexed by the child's lack of fear. He knew he must have been able to sense his assume power, so why was he not worried? "You're the boy who fought Cooler?"

Trunks curled his lip. He didn't trust the man. "What's it to you?"

Vegeta smirked. It seemed the boy was both fearless and had spunk. Not even Cooler had the audacity to stand before him with this attitude. "I asked you a question boy." Vegeta shot back, though impressed, never willing to be disrespected.

"And I asked you one." Trunks snarled back. "I don't know who you are but if you're after my mother you'll have to kill me before you can get to her."

"How protective of you, brat." Aphara interrupted the pair as her temper was getting the better of her after hearing what the boy had done before they entered. "The medic tells me you blew up one of our tanks! Do you have any idea how long they take to fix!"

Trunks smirked as the woman began yelling at him, he was in a mood to be difficult. "Thirty-six hours for amateurs like the idiots you have working here; I could finish it in half the time."

Garock stepped forward wanting desperately to diffuse the situation before someone was killed, but before he did he briefly took in the sight. The boys' stance was bizarrely a mirror image of the Emperor. Garock shook away the thought as he continued to speak. "Are you Ms. Briefs son?" Garock wanted confirmation that the boy was whom they assumed and that the head of the science department was in fact still alive and in the process of healing.

"Yes." Trunks said proudly. "And I fully intend to protect her from you bastards!"

"Bastards! We're the ones who saved you. You ungrateful little terror!" Aphara hissed, never having had any patience for children.

"Listen lady." Trunks narrowed his eyes. "I was taught to respect woman but you're really trying my patience. I am not some stupid kid who doesn't know what's going on! I know that 'Mr. ruler of the universe' northern alliance leader is probably the one who sent you here to help us but it was hardly enough! Almost all of our people are dead, including our king, who was my friend! I watched Cooler kill him with my own eyes! He attacked my mother after he beat the shit out of me! I don't know why you think you deserve my respect and thanks when you only helped us so my mother and her colleagues can bail you all out of the mess you're in with Cooler!"

Vegeta blinked as he listened to the boy speak. He seemed ready to take on the world right then and there. He hadn't seen fire like that since the days of Freeza's reign. The boy was right, he knew exactly what was going on and didn't intend on being pushed around. He had to admire that; it was Saiya-jin like. "You may stay with your mother." Vegeta spoke to the shock of those around him who assumed he'd kill the boy for such insolence.

"How much longer will she be in there?" Vegeta asked turning to the medic.

"Um, I am not sure sir. It will likely be hours."

"Fine." Vegeta turned to Aphara. "You will follow my ship back to Planet Frost since the woman can not be moved."

"Yes sir." Aphara nodded. "I will tell my ship to prepare." She bowed before she turned and left.

"Garock." Vegeta turned to the man who was still trying to process everything that had happened. "See that the women get moved to a separate ship to join the rest of the survivors."

Garock nodded as he immediately turned to follow his orders, leaving the proud Saiya-jin and unknowingly demi-Saiya-jin alone.

Trunks glared up at the man. He hated the way the strange man was staring at him. "I suppose you are waiting for me to thank you for allowing me to stay with my mom?"

"I've allowed you to remain with your mother, yes, but your gratitude means nothing to me. You are to show me proper respect or I will see to it that you are taught better manners. Is that clear?" Vegeta asked in a deadly tone.

"There is that 'respect' word again." Trunks rolled his eyes. "Who are you to have my respect?"

"I am a man who should never be trifled with." Vegeta said in an almost sinister manner in a blatant attempt to intimidate the boy.

Trunks 'hmnped' as he turned back to his mother. He felt no need to offer a response to the arrogant man. Vegeta inaudibly growled at the boy's defiance but felt no real need to waste his time with the child any longer. He turned on his heel and left the boy with his mother.

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Author's Note: Ah… I did it, no terribly evil cliffhanger! Ok, so Vegeta's met Trunks, Trunks' met Vegeta… What's next? In the next chapter you find out how Durka and Bulma fair in recovery and actually get the explanation I promised about Durka's connection to Zarra (sorry, but I had to push it off until the next chapter). And after that… well you'll see what happens…