Chapter 3: Destination: Earth and the Past rises

Carbaj watched the resting form of his former best friend and wondered.
It’s like someone has sucked all the energy and life out of her. I wonder what’s happened. I’ve never seen her this bad before…
He cast his mind back to the terrible incident on Nameck, some 9 years ago, to Freiza and his minions, torturing the poor Namecks for their dragon balls. He bit his lip…both he and Zora had snuck on board and watched the battles take place, along with Celry, a fellow Saiyan. He remembered everything.
Gods, it hurt.
His hero, Vegeta, battling Zarbon…
Zarbon…Yeah he was an arsehole at times, but he was nice underneath. He always let me off if I didn’t do my work. Funny how you miss people.
There was a lump in his throat.

He was a little bit like a family member…I used to call him ‘uncle’ when I was really small. But Zora…

The innocents stand, watching in horror as a hero and a Prince fought to the death, the little girl trembling as the centre of her world collapses.
There was nothing they could do.
The Father shifts his form to something demonic, and the Saiyan Prince laughs. They continue to fight, to almost play a game, but no game is being played here. This is survival.
The girl starts to scream, and the boy has no choice but to hold her still as she frantically tries to save the one who created her. Her teeth are sharp and she pierces his flesh through his glove. The boy cries out in pain, but the girl is too late.
Her sire is thrown, his chi fading, the special bond shattered by the cruelty of a war and a madman’s wishes.
Ashes to Ashes
Dust to Dust…

Zarbon’s death killed Zora inside. He knew that. Zarbon was all she had - He was the only one who could take care of her. Information was sketchy, but Carbaj knew that Zora’s mother was dead...
She cried in her sleep, soft shuddering gulps.
“…Don’t cry…” whispered Carbaj. Was she reliving it?

“Father!! NOOOOO!!”

Zora twisted in her slumber, clutching at the sheets. “…Father…”

Don’t leave me Papa! I can’t do this on my own!

“It’s okay, Zora.” He touched her shoulder, but in his heart he knew Zora was fading fast.
Mekon tapped respectfully on the door. “Is anything wrong?”
“Nah, she just keeps talkin’ in her sleep.” Carbaj frowned. “I don’t think she’s gonna last long, kid. What are your plans?”
“I think…we’re going to take the Resistance to Earth. They don’t know about Neo Frieza yet.”
“Aren’t they in for a surprise…”
“But…” Mekon ran his elegant fingers through his short green hair. “Vegeta is there. Zora might commit Enek’Za if we’re not careful…”
“Enek-what?”
“Enek’Za. Revenge. She might hunt down Vegeta and (if he has any) his family. She will kill them all. And should she do so…” Mekon looked petrified. “She will lose her right to be a Shi’nah. They can not take a life of another. She will be reduced to the normal demonic transition…”
“Uh oh…”
“Uh oh? Catastrophe!! There are so few of them left!”
“Why doesn’t Zora just settle down then?”
“Oh, you think it’s that easy?” snapped Mekon. “Do you know how many times the Council of Eight have tried to breed a Shi’nah? They don’t just ‘pop out’! You can’t just bring two together and hope for the best!”
“Take it easy small fry. Explain. What in the world are you talking about? It doesn’t run in families? Then how come Zora has…is the…Shinah?”
“It’s Shi’nah, Carbaj. No one knows how they are created. They just…are. Two of the normal caste can have three fledglings, and here come the forth, wow, it bears the mark. It’s a hiccup in the gene pool…I think. I’ve studied it. It’s amazing. Zora is a technicality, I think. Zarbon had lost his power….I guess he thought it wouldn’t apply to him…”
“But he got a girl up the duff?” Carbaj’s eyes narrowed. “The way you’re saying it, it sounds like they aren’t welcome…”
“They’re not. The Council believes they are troublemakers, but they still need them. Zarbon was given to Frieza on the understanding our Planet was not to be enslaved.” Mekon watched her. “Did Zarbon ever tell you what happened? About Zora?”
“I wondered about the conspiracy behind Zora’s birth for years, ever since I found out where babies come from. I know you Annirians are a secretive race. What’s the go with the most powerful of your people?”
“Ever seen the movie Aliens?”
Carbaj stared. “You’re kidding me…”
“Shi’nah grow like that. Inside the woman…but…it’s hard to explain…Me…I was born naturally…my Mother is alive. But Zora’s mother…”
Mekon hung his head. “We all know what happened, because we felt his grief howl when he found her body. I was told when I was old enough. There had been an accident, a city partially destroyed. Ishanrah…Zora’s mother…had left the city to escape to the mountains. She rested, and gave birth…” Mekon started to sob. “Most survive! I don’t know what went wrong! But Zarbon went crazy! If he’d known he would have taken leave at that time, but he had no idea of when she was due. He would have stayed with her to coax the child into the Realm of the Living! He was furious at himself, at Ishanrah, and Zora. He would have left without her if it hadn’t have been for the local Shaman…They found her crouched over her mother’s body in full form.”
“All I’m seeing is Zarbon’s transformation, here.”
“Maybe one day you’ll see her…but they called her back from the Spirit World, and well…”
“Zarbon smuggled her onto the ship and raised her.”
“Yes.”
“Woah.” Carbaj looked down at her. “I suppose killing your own mother doesn’t count.”
“That’s the weird thing.” Said Mekon. “It does.”

Hell sucked.

He sat daydreaming about the past, about when...

“Zarbon…?”

The warrior turns.
“May I speak with you?”
Beautiful, delicate Ishanrah.
“What’s wrong Isha’?”
She smiles, and holds his hands. “I have something to tell you.”
“What?” He is confused, yet curious. His dulled senses pick up…
“…You’re with child…?!” He sits, watching the female in wonder, feeling the awe of knowing that a fledgling…his fledgling…is growing inside of her. There is also the bittersweet knowledge that he will be called back to do his duty soon…With joy he nuzzles her stomach, feeling the child’s heartbeat.
“…Zarbon?”
Ishanrah’s hands are soft and gentle as they caress his arm. “Is something the matter?”
He is unsure. “…I don’t know…”
“Are you worried about the infant?”
“Am I that transparent?”
The female…Ishanrah…kisses him, her lips soft and cool, taking away the guilt from his face.
“I worry…”
About you.
“I worry…”
About the child...
“Zarbon…”
The infant responds to his name, he feels it move in her belly. It knows who he is.
“It is Shi’nah, Zarbon. I feel it’s strength growing everyday.”
“That’s impossible…” he feels weak. “Shi’nah can’t breed…”
“But you’re not a Shi’nah, lover. Not any more.” She kisses his shoulder, making him tremble. Warrior he may be, he still feels the tenderness in her touch. Gods, how he desires her. But no…he can’t…mustn’t…
She kisses him again, stronger, more demanding. He cannot help but respond, pulling her into his lap, nuzzling the sweet softness…
“…Zarbon…”
“Yess…”
No this is not right, how can this be? This never-
He sat up, frowning.
“Hey, Zarbon! Pass the ball over here!”
Zarbon shuddered. Waking up to see Dodoria in a bikini was enough to give anyone nightmares.

Trunks shifted in his sleep, and sucked his thumb. In his dreams, he and Goten were chasing some horrible things but-
The explosion caused the window to blow in.
“MMMMMUUUUUMMMMMYYYYY!!!!!”
Trunks opened his eyes, slightly confused as to why his own father was screaming for his mother. He looked out of the totalled window and stared at the column of fire.
He picked his nose. “Coo. Wonder what did that.”

The Warrior climbed out of the capsule, and pulled herself away from it’s burning husk. She had been lucky. Very lucky.
The Warrior…it may have been a Saiyan Warrior. But Saiyans don’t have red hair…do they?
She smiled cruelly and breathed in the sweet smell of burning metal and plastic.
She laughed.
Oh yes…the time was now…

~To be continued.