Chapter 4: Invasion!

With a frown, Lady Nashi of the Trezzec continent stalked out of her quarters, her long hair in disarray.
Damn him!
“M’Lady!”
“What is it?”
“It’s Neo Lord Freiza, m’Lady. He wishes to speak with the council…”
“That bastard.” With a swish of silk she strode down the hall to the main room.
It always took her breath away. The room was circular, with massive panels of glass allowing light inside. The view was spectacular - the waterfalls cascaded down the cliffs to the pool below, over the greenery. She smiled, and in the centre of the room, the viewing globe lit up, Neo Frieza’s face torn in an ugly frown.
“Bon nuit, mon seigneur.”
“Hello to you too.”
“What do I owe the pleasure of you visiting us?”
“It’s about that bastard Zarbon…more or less his ill-conceived daughter. Damn that misbegotten whelp!”
“She is second generation Shi’nah. Quite a rarity.”
“I don’t care!”
“Ah, Freiza…” She smiled. “You should really have more roughage in your diet.”
“Don’t be foolish, woman.” Freiza sighed. “As much as you are beautiful, Nashi, I will only tolerate your prattling for so long. I want her, Nashi. I want the Kohbrin, Zora.”
"Don't we all?" She laughed. “And she you shall have.”
"One more thing. I would like to remind you of our deal. I need a regiment of your people to go down to Earth…along with some of your ships. They're small and sleek, capable of getting there quickly." Freiza leered. "I've sent one of my finest warriors, the Saiyan Warrior Celry to that blasted mudball."
"Why not simply blow it up? It's an eyesore."
"Nashi, are you aware of the concept of revenge? What better way to get back at that monkey Goku and his little friends then bringing them beneath my rule? It would be far more interesting, would it not? Think of the fun we could have…"
"Very well Freiza. My men will soon join your precious Celry."
"Excellent. I do so like it when things go my way." The screen darkened as the connection was lost. I suppose it was coincidence they both muttered idiot at the same time, don't you?

Dende was dozing beside a stream. It was one of his favourite past times…
Lately he'd been feeling sad. He adjusted the knob on the radio, and the lyrics of a Dido song, Here With Me, filled the glade. He sung along to the second verse…

I don't want to call my friends.
They might wake me from this dream
I can’t leave this place.
I'll forget all that’s been
I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide.
I won’t go,
I won't sleep…
I can't breath
Until you're resting here with me….

He was lonely. He stopped his slow waltz and sat down, wondering where Gohan might be. Even though he was about 17 years old, he still looked about 12. Namecks lived longer than humans, and it still kind of sucked that he was so small.
He stopped.
Something -
"Blasted greenery!" There was a flare of Chi energy, and a clump of trees died a fiery death. Someone laughed, loud and long. "Oh, yes, this is fun. Where is the traitor, Vegeta? Damn my scouter."
The speaker was immensely tall, and had short red hair, bulging muscles, and a tail.
A Saiyan Warrior!
He gasped and hid in the undergrowth.
Celry smiled at the destruction she had caused. Oh, it was fun.
She was extremely pleased that Freiza had allowed her to take this assignment. Something rose -
The little girl watches her hero talk animatedly to his stupider assistant.
"Nappa! How dare you do this!"
"I'm sorry, Boss-"
"Sorry? You're SORRY?!"
The girl smiles and runs towards the Prince, her Prince, her hero, her world.
"Prince Vegeta!"
He smiles, and she feels uplifted, wanted. "Hello, Celry." He remembers her name. "How is your training doing?" He is proud of her, this fine young Saiyan Warrior. It pleases him that she exists, and that she will one day help to create stronger Warriors. "Doing well, Sir." She turns to Nappa. "Hello, Nappa."
"'Lo Celry." Nappa smiles shyly.
Why Vegeta? She thought. Why did you throw it all away? What was so enticing about Earth? She ran her hands through her mop of red hair angrily. Red hair was a rarity in the Saiyan race, but Prince Vegeta had always said it was the colour of her opponent's blood on the ground, and her victory. She was always his favourite…He didn't like children as a rule, but young Celry had proven herself to be a capable warrior. Much better than that stupid Carbaj. She smiled, feeling satisfied.
The only problem was that she wouldn't be able to hunt down that pathetic Annirian, Zora. Zora had been a thorn in her side since they had met, so long ago. She remembered when they had first met, the Saiyan, and the Annirian…ugh…
Prince Vegeta smiles, and puts his hand on the little girl's shoulder. "This is Celry." The girl stares at he handsome man who is looking down at her, his pale green skin gleams in a curious way, and his hair is shoulder length, dark green. He emits an aura of tranquillity and, now that she thinks about it, sexuality. If she'd been older, she may have picked it up. He wears baggy black trousers and a gleaming breastplate. Clutching his leg, just passing his knee, is a creature that she knows is younger than herself. The Commander's Daughter, ill-conceived, weak, and pathetic. The Annirian, Commander Zarbon, smiles at the tiny version of himself.
"Zora, say hello."
Those wide amber eyes fix her in an innocent gaze, but she twitches, something is not right about this…'Zora'.
"'lo." She murmurs, and hides her face in the commander's pants." 'M Zora."
"You were a little freak, Zora." Muttered Celry. "You never trained. I hated you." She frowned again. "So why did you save my ass when you knew that? How the Hell did you beat Dodoria in that tournament they held? I could never understand it…" She rose upwards, and fiddled with her scouter, searching for some high power levels. If she could get to Vegeta, maybe she could convince him to come and join them…She was young, beautiful by Saiyan standards, and of a good bloodline. How could he resist? If it meant popping out a baby ever year or so, than so be it, as long as she got him…The Saiyans may have been destroyed, but that didn't stop the survivors from restoring the race…She flicked her tail.
"Vegeta…" He'd be a perfect father for a brood of Saiyans…

Deep within the Star Wolf, Zora Talbain lay damp with sweat and rapidly fading. Her reserves of Chi energy were almost up…
“It’s Nameck isn’t it?” Muttered Carbaj, as he peered at her. “Ever since Nameck, she’s been dying slowly inside…little by little.” He shivered.
“That Pinjo prick. She must have used the last of her available life energy to send him off to deep space…There’s almost nothing left."
“Mm.” Mekon leaned against him, seeking security. “I didn’t know she was this far along…Carbaj…do you think we can get to Earth in time? There are Namecks there who can pull her together…”
“What?”
“Do you know what I see, when I look at her? I can see her aura, and it’s leaking away. All the energy inside of her is slowly leaking away into the world around her. If Pinjo hadn’t attacked when her did, she’d be still walking and talking right now.”
“Dammit.”
There was a tap at the door, and Gormac came in. “Pilot” he said quietly. “We need you, Mekon.”
“But-”
“Do you want Zora to get better?”
“Of course I do!!”
“Then come now. We’re almost there. A few more jumps, and we’ll be in safety.”
“Why don’t you just do one big jump?”
“One of the Crystal Drives is broken. We need an even amount of Drives to perform a safe wormhole jump.”
“You’ve lost me.”
“Black holes suck up light. Crystal Drives absorb it and transmit it. The Drives bounce the light back and forth in the Hole, and we’re enveloped in a bubble of light that the Black Hole sucks up, leaving us in tact. Cool, huh!”
“…Right.” Carbaj stood up, still unclear. “You want me up there too?”
“Sure. The more the merrier. Zora comes first, then we can go home.” Gormac grinned. “I can’t wait, to be honest.” He winked. With a growl, the ship moved forward, leaking light from the broken drive, and started to blur, moving toward the distant Haven, Earth…

This was the most distant of all memories. The memory of Father, peering down at her, face torn with concern. She suckles from the warm bottle that he holds. His heartbeat is close, fast fearful. There is no smell of Mother, and therefore, all love is directed to Father. He is her creator, her master for the time she is a child. Warmth. Tears. He weeps, no longer of sorrow, but joy and wonder, of this creature, this life he has created.
Then the memory is gone.
Zora’s eyes opened, and she continued to weep. There was no structure to her memories. They came and went as dreams, but they were cruel.
“…Father…”

The place? Hell.
Time? Too late.
Zarbon had retreated into a tree. It was, as far as he was concerned, the most safest place right now. Napping here might be nice. As long as the blasted Ginyu Force didn’t find him, then that was fine. What was seriously wrong with them? His eyes fluttered closed and he began to snooze.
In his heart he felt bitter and upset. His beautiful little girl…How long had it been? It was so hard to keep track of time…
…Father…
“…?!” He fell out of the tree and hit the ground hard. Zora!
“Zora?!” He listened. Was that her? Yes…yes, it was it had to be, yes, it was her, of Zora, Zora, my little Morning Star…He closed his eyes and saw her again, as a little girl. The image changed, and for a moment, he saw her…taller…longer hair…older…He sat down and hugged himself, concentrating on an intense feeling of love., weeping a little.
“I’ll find you little one. I’ll come back really soon. I love you.”

The monitor at the side of the sick Commander blipped softly, her Chi becoming a little stronger.
Zora turned over in her sleep, and smiled.

~ To be continued.