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All the training exercises, tournaments, and battles he’d had in his life had never prepared him for something like this. The piercing cries of terror from the hundreds and hundreds of inhabitants of this Kami forsaken little planet vanished in a huge bang as he fired a reduced version of his Gyriku Hou, their cries silenced forever. They had landed on Prevedere two hours earlier for what the squad captain had called a routine purge. The squad separated into parties of twos and each hits a continent with orders to clear out all intelligent life with as little physical damage to the planet as possible and if the need arises, turn Oozaru and wipe out any resistance. Vegita laughed maliciously at the fleeing masses as he severed the supports of one of the buildings, crushing those who could not escape. To the members of this purging squad it was a normal clean up job; to him, it was everything that spars with palace trainers and controlled arena battles wasn’t. It was chaos and noise, destruction, terror, panic; the smell of fear, blood, smoke, death, desolation mixed into one heading, intoxicating that filled his senses. This was life.

"Rather impressive crater you left back there." Kakarott said, the bit of sarcasm in his speech.

"Oh well, what’s a planet without a few blemishes; it adds character, don’t you think?"

Smirking at the Prince’s comment, Kakarott watched the running, screaming mass of natives trying to escape the Prince’s wrath. Vegita just fired of random ki shots, hitting whatever and whomever he could before unleashing a Renzokou Kikou Ha on the survivors. An eerie silence fell over the decimated metropolis; the wind blowing through the now empty streets filled the air that had been not moments ago filled with the sounds of chaos.

"There’s no life left in this sector, or in any of the cities in this side of the continent; maybe my father was right, maybe I am a third class at heart."

Kakarott merely floated in the background, disinterested in the Prince’s new game. The taller Saiyajin never discussed his lineage but every time Nappa would bring up the subject of purges; his sparring partner would tense up, the look of barely held back aggression in his eyes. That same look was in his eyes now, as he scanned through the reports that flashed up across the eye piece of the scouter.

"My Prince, there is a resistance movement in the North East sector of the continent. It seems that the high level ki readings we picked up are broadcasting that they will face us in an hour’s time to defend the planet from our, in their words, ‘murderous rampage’. They’ve given the ultimatum that if they win, we leave."

"Stupid creatures, giving out orders like that to the Saiyajin no Ouji. Tell them, Kakarott, through whatever pathetic communications channels they possess, that we will meet them at the assigned time and place and will agree to their demands. I’m sure you would appreciate the competition, after we finished off their military forces you seemed less enthusiastic about the purge."

"You can’t honestly be happy with these defenceless targets, is your aim off from practising in ship?"

"It’s not the target practise, it’s the feeling. Kami, Kakarott, can’t you smell it, the blood, the fear, the death? To think my father thinks he’s punishing me by sending me out into space instead of festering on that worthless rock. Ruling Vegitasei has little interest to me; I’d rather be dead than suffer to listen to dignitaries and deal with imbeciles like Nappa day in and day out. I care about revenge, Kakarott, to feel my father’s fear, to smell his blood, see his death, to prove I am his superior and the greatest of all the Saiyajins. Pleasant warm up for the grand event, don’t you agree?"

Kakarott didn’t reply to Vegita’s confession; merely nodded and contacted the other members of the squad.

"Vegita, the captain is inquiring whether he should start preparing a ki moon to begin the final sweep."

"No, I’ve given an oath to these weaklings that we will leave if we are defeated, Saiyajin honour dictates that we follow our word. When they are breathing through their throats, then the captain and his squad can turn ape to their hearts’ content. The reports said this planet had a healthy trade in technology and agriculture, I’m sure the men wouldn’t mind getting some real food before we return to the ship."

"Hmm, when did I before your personal secretary? The planet’s defenders have chosen a location to the North East of here, about one hundred kilometres. Should we be there to meet them?"

"Why not, we are the guests and I don’t wish to be fashionably late. And you became my vassal when you lost in the arena five years ago."

The two kis flared around the floating figures as they shot off to the direction of the meeting place; the scouter unnecessary as they could feel the power of the planet’s forces already at their destination. Flying low to the ground, Vegita searched out for more target practise before the actual confrontation. They flew over forest now, only the life force of animals could be detected. His senses picked up on a weak power level resembling that of the dominant creatures of this planet when he felt a stab at his ki shield and another. The forest suddenly didn’t seem so empty after all. Motioning to Kakarott, the two dove through the cover of the trees, moving through the thick woods like predatory birds. Seeing a light in the darkness of the woods, they stopped at an encampment, an occupied encampment. There, sitting before a large fire, was a woman; a wrinkled wise face turned to greet their arrival.

"I have seen you, oh tailed bringers of death; the hour is at hand when your Karma will come back to thee."

"What are you muttering about, you old crone? Where are those weaklings that shot at us with those measly missiles?"

"Prince Vegita, I presume. I see a gravest fate for you, the anger and malice of your life and your line will soon be returned to you, for Karma is always returned."

"I don’t care for your spouting of revenge, if those scared warriors are the bringers of justice I think that fate has failed you."

"You kid yourself, oh anger one, if you believe that is your fate. The elves and wraiths of this forest wish only to protect it; your fate lies not on this planet but another. A fitting end it is, oh mighty Prince of the Saiyajins, such a blow to your ego and pride. I swear by the Central star of the heavens, you will be imprisoned in invisible chains and drown in a sea of purest blue."

"Pity you won’t see it, old wench." Vegita remarked as he aimed his finger and fired off a ki shot through the woman’s wrinkled face. The deed then done, he and Kakarott took to the skies again, the rush of the wind filling his ears. From the random noise of the air, a different sound gnawed at the back of his mind. All at once, the light which filled the violet sky faded into pure black and the noise began to grow until it was a mumble, than an odd word or two and finally to a sentence. The black then slowly turned blue, as the sky turned to liquid that stuck his skin and immobilised his struggles. He felt his body sinking in the thick liquid, the once jumbled sound screaming through his mind, echoing in his ears.

"You will be imprisoned in invisible chains and drown in a sea of purest blue."

"You … imprisoned … invisible chains … drown in … sea … blue."

"Imprisoned … chains … in … blue."

"Imprisoned … blue."

"Blue."

Vegita’s eyes snapped open as his lungs expelled the air he didn’t even realise he was holding in. He felt relief flood through his mind as he opened his mouth again and filled his lungs with the life giving oxygen; it was just a dream. His eyes darted around the darkened room, an instinct he had picked up from years in combat and was satisfied that he was not in any eminent danger he relaxed against the soft silk sheets. To think that was over two months ago, maybe even three now, the days and weeks seemed to meld together here. It had been over twenty days since he landed on this planet, had been under the control of that woman, though it felt like an eternity and yesterday all in one since he entered that gas cloud and got separated from the purge crew. He even wondered if anyone had tried to contact the pod or try to find him. What different did it make, he was still here, in this blasted collar and that woman was …

Lightly breathing on his chest. Looking down, his anger at her lessened at the sight of her sleeping form wrapped around his side. The light touch of her cheek and hand rested on his chest, moving slowly with the intake of each breath. His hand tangled in her soft wet hair, the smell of her mixed with his own and the musky smell of recent lovemaking. Her skin damp and luminous in the faint light of the low Moon, a glorious creature she was in her slumber. She murmured and sighed in her sleep and his hand left her hair and began to stroke the mark on her neck, which he had renewed tonight.

Two to one, ‘Mistress’, you’re falling behind again, he thought. They had played that game of hers again, after his encounter with that little witch or healer or whatever she called herself. The irritation of not only receiving no information about the Super Saiyajin was compounded by that pathetic story she told him with those cards. How dare a weakling, a human, tell him he had no direction, no purpose; he was a Saiyajin, and Saiyajin royalty at that, his direction was to kill and be strong, the strongest. His unsatisfactory fight against the girl only added to his irritation and when he walked into the ‘Mistress’s’ study and saw the board, he saw a means of vindication. The game progressed with its normal barbs sent across the room and strikes sent against the opposing army, the sides evenly matched in skill and wit. Silly woman, thinking she could match herself to him, it takes more than skill to win but desire, and that he had in spades after his audience with that green eyed wench. He still could feel the gleam in his eyes as he captured her Home Stone and won the right to a favour. Returning to her room, he asked of her what he had dreamed about all those endless hours of etiquette training, that she pleasure him in any way he desired. At first she had been tentative, her pride like his own resisting the whims of another. After he had taken a stab at her honour and her abilities she took the initiative and his tail, teasing and stroking his fur as she kissed and caressed her way down his body. Growling at her ministrations, it took all his self-control not to grab her and return the favour, though smirking down at her he knew he would get the chance; and he did, over and over again. In all their times together he had never seen her so passionate, so feral, so Saiyajin; she gnawed at his neck as if to give him her own mark. They went at it for hours, collapsing finally as exhaustion overcame them, spent in each others’ arms.

Looking out the window behind him, Vegita was amazed that it was still night fall, the sliver of Moon that barely lit the room hung at three quarters of the way across the night sky. What was going on? He had been completely exhausted not three hours ago but now he felt as awake as ever, and ready for another round. Shifting careful as to not wake the sleeping bundle on his chest, he moved to his side and took her with him, exposing her naked body to his view. He smiled as she whimpered once again, the loss of his heat displeasing her in her unconscious state. It seemed he finally worn his little human out, he could sense her weariness and depleted energy reserves. Reality then hit him, he had felt her ki, as light as it was but he could sense it and he could sense his own; it was weaker than it would be by normal standards but stronger than it had been since, since the fight not two days ago. His collar had been readjusted after he had shown such a jump in power but now, it was back to the level he had achieved fighting against that bastard human. Bringing up his hand to trace the line of her flushed cheek, Vegita smirked at the realisation that had come upon him. You silly human, he thought, the tips of his fingers moving across her lips and down the soft skin of her graceful neck and the light curve of her shoulder. You think you can control the Prince of Vegitasei but taking away his ki, little do you know that the harder you hit a Saiyajin, the stronger they come back. You repress and deplete me of ki; my power comes back, stronger than it was before. It’s only a matter of time before I’m free of this contraption, little one, and you will perform my every desire after that for as you’ve shown tonight, you would make an excellent pet. His fingers then made their way to her breasts and began to tease the flesh of her mounds. His mouth descended to the mark he placed on her neck, causing a fit of shivers down her spine and a soft moan to escape her parted lips. His tail found the spot behind her knee and tickled her; he still had his favour of her and it was not nearly paid, he thought, as he slowly began to awaken her for another round.

~~~~~

Kakarott blinked into awareness, his surrounding slowly coming into focus in the dim light of the bed chamber. Propping himself up on his elbows, he looked down at the sleeping female at his side, the tip of his tail brushing against her calf. ChiChi lightly stirred and laughed in her sleep at his teasing, causing the Saiyajin to chuckle. She soon settled back down and snuggled closer to his side; if seemed she had not recovered from their fight two mornings ago and their spar yesterday afternoon. Now, as the sun began to peak over the horizon, he stared down at the woman who had completely changed his life in just forty-eight hours. Her black hair splayed across the white sheets, shining in the warm glow of the few surviving candles, such a contrast, black against the white.

Amazing this world is, these weaklings with their rules, laws, and loyalties. For a place so primitive and backwards, they had succeed where Vegitsei had failed. Since he had been old enough to fly he knew he was different than those around him; his brain was wired differently, his father used to say. It was rare in the lower classes to have a child of high ki level and he was one of those rare few. Still, he also learned at a young age that power was not what matter on Vegitasei in the end. The titles that were given to all Saiyajins, young and old, were decided not by power but hereditary, the blood that you come from given more weight than the life force that surrounded you. It was blood that in most cases created a great warrior, Vegita being the best example, the symbol of the ideal pinnacle of the race. In contrast, Kakarott’s greater ability than his position was a burden he faced against every day, the stigma of ‘third class’ always over his head and his greater power looked upon with contempt by those of the second and low elite class who he dwarfed in the scouter readings. That contempt had kept him out of everything that would have been worthy of his powers, until the tournament of the guards and the spar with the Prince. In that one day, he had changed the course of his life, or maybe had just given him a better prison to look out from. He was an equal to some of the greatest fighters of Vegitasei, a sparring partner almost equal to the Prince himself but during meals, training sections, every encounter with Nappa, his blood and hereditary ranking would come into it, damning him again. How, how was it that the Saiyajin empire, based on the idea of war and honours power become a planet that honoured and clung to the outdated notion of hereditary? This planet, which did not even exist on galactic maps of the Croix galaxy, had a hierarchy where the greatest warriors fought against each other and the best ruled, as it was meant to be. I wonder if this was what father was search for all those years in space, running away from the repression of Saiyajin society in hopes of finding an oasis like this. Well, Kakarott though as his fingers studied his new lover’s face, I found it father, what every third class has dreamed for since the reign of the first Vegita; I found it and more. What a contrast you are, Amazon, a woman that is stronger than a house of men, the smallest of all the most deadly, the weakest in strength is the strongest in all other aspects and you are mine. A wild creature I’ve found myself too, I will enjoy taming you. With that, he kissed her forehead and disentangled himself from her embrace. The first few streaks of yellow lined the sky as the sun peaked itself over the tops of the cliffs that surrounded the black fortress. Hearing movement from the bed, he turned and watched as his sleeping mate rounded around in the now empty bed, occupying the spot he had just vacated and curled up in the sheets, sighed at the warmth his body left behind. Unconsciously smiling at the gesture, he walked back to the bed and pulled the covers over her small form, protecting her from the coming of the morning and the time when she would awaken. He had very few lovers on Vegitasei, a few of his training mates sisters and cousins, hardly anything that would qualify as anything more than experimenting; virginity was not a prised attribute with either males or females, at least of the low class. On Vegitasei, women were so rare of the species, the high level ki ones would hold tournaments to choose a mate. Lower class ones were used as the guards and whores of the upper Elites, most thought nothing of the second and third class, knowing they had better luck with the Elites. This ChiChi though, she stirred something in him, maybe it was the fact that she had given him everything he was lacking on his own planet, respect and men under his command, but looking down at the bloodied sheets he knew it was more than that. She had lied to him, lied about that man, her ‘lover’ she had called him. He was her lover, her first and her only, the fact that she was his and only his and that she welcomed this brought a smirk to his face; this planet did get a lot of things right. Kissing her on the lips, his fingers brushed the slight puncture marks on her neck.

"Sleep well, little Amazon. I’m going to see what sort of men you gave me." Murmuring in her sleep, her head fell back a little as if urging him to touch the mark again. Laughing at the unconscious gesture, he nipped her nose and left to shower and change. Kreden had informed him that the forces of Bushi would be ready for his inspection at sunrise and he might as well be ready for them.

~~~~~

Dodging a fist aimed at his head and a knee at his back, Kakarott delivered a hard round kick to the side of his third attacker, sending the man sprawling across the floor. In no time another fighter took the downed man’s place and the scene started all over again.

It was amazing what could happen in two days. When he first walked into this hall he had been the enemy; the hostility these humans felt for him was as clear as crystal. Now, as they tested they skills against him, he felt their admiration at his skill and respect for his ability. As they followed the woman who now laid in his bed they would follow him, though some old habits still ran deep. When he had entered the hall, a hush went through the gathered mass, an awkwardness towards the new master of the house. The strained silence ended with a declaration of honour towards the new master of Bushi. Kakarott smiled at the gesture, their loyalty he respected but their fear would keep them in line until their loyalty was transferred to him alone. He should thank the Mistress again for the gifts she had given him, dodging a well placed kick to calf but not nearly as fast with the knee that slammed into his ribs, they were weak but all had the potential and the desire to grow. Grunting lightly at the pain, the Saiyajin decided to take the gloves off and delivered a Whirlwind kick across the faces of his three attackers, sending them careening into the fight arena wall.

"Whose next?" Kakarott asked in a low menacing tone, re-enforcing the fear of the Master into his subjects. His attention was diverted when the light tapping of footsteps tripped his acute hearing and soon the whole hall’s focus was towards the two figures between the large ornate doors. The feeling of the room changed quickly, the loss of ever present fear and awe at their new master was replaced by an overwhelming sense of anger and vengeance. Looking back to the two new occupants of the hall, he noted a face and a uniform he had never seen before, a young boy dressed in black and gold uniform and plate armour.

"My Lord," he could get used to the sound of that. "This boy brings a message from the warlord Enleo."

Memories of that name when he first arrived could not block out the renewed sense of hostility in the room to the young boy, or at least whom he represented.

"Are you the new master of Bushi?" The boy asked, the arrogance in his voice made him wonder if Nappa had beaten him to this planet and had already began to spawn children.

"That I would be, boy. I might ask you how you knew this house had a new master but I would rather know about your own master and your mission here."

"I bring a message from my master Enleo, the Scourge of the Fates to the new master of Bushi. My lord Enleo is a very powerful, very influential man, with eyes at all four ends of the Great Continent. He knows of your existence, the tailed creature that fell from the heavens, and that you had taken over Bushi."

"He knows all this of me and I know nothing of him, I hope he won’t be disappointed?" Kakarott sarcastically replied to the boy’s overconfidence. After all the practice he had received from the over the hill Elites at the palace, verbally sparring with this boy was hardly a warm-up.

"My lord assumed as much and wished to bring you up to speed on the current status between the two houses. My lord is and has been at war with the Lady of Bushi, Lady ChiChi for four years now and sees it unnecessary for an outsider to get involved in a conflict not of their creation."

"Go on." The Saiyajin replied in a low menacing tone, still wondering who this Nappa clone was and why they it had sent its offspring to give him such a message.

"My Lord Enleo will gladly end all hostilities towards this house and that of Modulus for one small item, that Lady ChiChi be handed over to the possession of my lord and master."

"And if I refuse?"

"My lord Enleo wishes you no ill will but leave message that he will not give up this fight and will see you on the battlefield. But if I were you, My Lord Bushi, I would accept the offer of peace from my master; one life cannot be worth the hundreds that will be killed if a battle does occur."

"Well, I’m glad I’m not you because then it would have been difficult making the decision to keep the woman. Tell your oh so gracious ‘Master’ that a Saiyajin does not give up before the battle has begun. I would suggest you go quickly as my new men are a little hard for me to control and little smart mouthed bakas make such nice targets."

Bowing quickly, though made sure not to stare into the eyes of the master of Bushi, the young boy turned on his heel and took his leave as fast as his fifteen year old legs could take him. Laughing at the boy’s lost bravado, he felt the room relax at his words and gesture; they feared this Enleo, and apparently still feared his own motives towards themselves and their Mistress.

"Kreden, as you have been so gracious as to inform me of everything about this house, why did you not tell me of this particular point of interest?"

"My Lord, you have to understand our position. We have pledged our loyalty to you but we still don’t know if you will respect the customs of Bushi, or the politics of the old house. Enleo is the man that in a sense created this house, it was him and his bloodlust, his greed that killed our families and destroyed our old homes. We are the refugees of our homes, the ones that survived and must fight against him. We delayed in telling you until we knew if you were as loyal to the house as Lady ChiChi was."

"What then, might I ask is Modulus?"

"Modulus, I believe it’s some kind of mathematics term dealing with absolute value." Kreden answered back in as even a voice as he could.

"I see; rather stupid of this great and powerful warlord to try to defeat an intangible concept. Has he ever attacked the Sun?"

"My Lord, I fear I cannot give you the answer to the question you ask."

"I suppose not, though I doubt he would be so followed and feared if it were known that he did take a few good whacks at the sun every once and a while." Against their stern façade, a chuckle went through the occupants of the hall; at least levity was appreciated.

"My Lord, I feel it is not my duty to tell you the answers you seek. You must ask Lady ChiChi about that."

Loyalty is never broken to your first master, Kakarott thought as he made his way back through the corridors to his new bed chamber and lying mate. Barking orders to the men to begin warm-up and a good thrashing when he finished with his business, he stomped off in the direction he had came.

~~~~~

A stray beam of sunlight caught ChiChi’s eye and did what the shifting and touching of her new lover, the shouts of her men and the sounds of fighting could not. Blinking herself awake, she wondered why she was still in bed when the sun was in the sky, why she was so tired in the first place and why she had this pain between her legs. Pushing the covers off herself, she wondered in a rather shocked manner, why she was naked. Staring down at the blood stained sheets she remembered everything, waking up in the kennel, being lead through her own house, to her own room like a slave to meet that, that creature. She had stood there, trying to defend herself and her allies from that Saiyajin and she made the biggest mistake of her life. Now, looking down at her body, emotions mixed within her. She was ashamed, ashamed that he had taken her and that she had let it happened; cheated out of her freedom by a thing that couldn’t even appreciate her customs. Yet, at the back of her mind she felt something else, a sense of wholeness and wonder at his touch and what it did to her. Get a grip, you’re going insane, she berated herself. Hoping that the whole nastiness, the fight, last night was all a dream, she slipped a robe over her nakedness and began walking to the bathing area. Reality hit her when the figment of her imagination slammed opened the door to the room and slammed it shut again.

"Are you trying to make a fool out of me, woman?"

"You take over my house, use me like a common peasant girl, and you are yelling to me about humiliation?"

"I was just informed by a small boy of gigantic arrogance that if I hand you over to a certain blood thirsty warlord then the feud between myself and a mathematical symbol and this same warlord would be void."

"You didn’t take the word of Enleo; he’s a lying murderous bastard."

"Fear not, Amazon. Saiyajins do not give into an enemy without a fight, especial not when it means giving up a new pet, liar though she may be."

"How dare you say such a thing to another warrior. Here, all warriors have a sense of honour in themselves and their fellow soldiers; I guess the same cannot be said for your barbaric race."

"Oh, but you forget, you are no longer a warrior. According to your own honour you are mine now and I can do as I wish with you. But as you fancy yourself such a great and noble fighter, tell me who this Enleo is, and I think I have the lying murderous bastard part down now."

Not laughing at his attempt at levity as the men before her had, ChiChi wrapped her arms around her torso a little tighter and stared at the floor.

"Speak wisely, wench, this could mean your life."

"It was four years ago now; my Father, the original head of Bushi house and the head of one of the greatest armies in all of Gaia got into a land dispute with Enleo, a warlord from the East, in the desert region of the central continent. Rumours and talk had proclaimed that he was the most feared man in all the Eastern region, that kings fell before his feet and he left only the bones of his enemy in his wake. My father chose to take the unconfirmed rumours as that and challenged the gold and black devil to a battle. The rumours though proved true and my father’s army and mother’s warriors were slaughtered on that day, the grass is still stained red with the blood. That demon cut off my father’s head and hung it from his castle gates; he tied my mother to one of the spires and impaled her on it, she screamed in agony for three days. I was just lucky enough to escape with my life with a few of the guards of Bushi before he overran it and burned it to the ground. Since that day, I have vowed revenge for my parents against the ‘Scourge of the Fates’, have built this house and my army in their honour. These men who follow you now, they were and always will be my men, my army. Most of them are the men who survived Enleo’s raids on the villages of Bushi after the defeat and share the same vow I do." ChiChi glared at the man before her, uncaring about the tears that welled up in her eyes at the thought of her parents’ deaths; the pride she felt for her parents and her cause was greater than that of her appearance.

Fighting back the urge to take the woman before him into his arms and comfort her, he tensed his jaw and thought about what he would do to this Enleo.

"And who or what, might I ask, is Modulus?"

"Modulus is my only other ally, a slave house that specialises in technology. The Mistress of that house and I have been preparing for a direct assault by Enleo for a week now." ChiChi replied, emotions over the remembrance of her parents’ death and pride again clouding her judgement and allowing her to slip up again. Mentally smiling at the pride of her accomplishments and the grave mistake she didn’t even realise she made, he turned his back on her straight-backed form.

"Well, what’s in the past will stay there, look to the future. And while you’re at it make the bed, and clean this room; it’s hardly fitting for the master of a great fighting house." Kakarott said, chuckling to himself as he left the room, hearing the woman inside scream and curse his name for the whole house to hear.

~~~~~

There were very few items he could escape with when his old house went up in flames, some gold, a little food, a few notes, a lab book of experiments and discoveries and an ear piece with a slap of plastic over the eye; amazing what can get you into so much trouble. He travelled through the An Ceitean’s old territory, past the city-state of Ar and its surrounding villages and finally to the South East, where he started a new life as a slaver at Lunasdal, the crossroads of the desert trade routes. Along the way, he ate the food, burned his notes for heat and nearly lost his life to robbers, murderers, and wild animals on more than one occasion; only one thought sustained him in his journey, revenge against the blue haired brat who had cost him everything. With his meagre possessions, and his basic knowledge, he tried desperately to get himself into one of the few Scribe houses of the area; it was ironically enough his reputation of deceit and violence that saved him from starvation. Joining an organised criminal syndicate, he soon was on his way to a new house, albeit a slave house. He grimaced when he thought about his journey back from ruin, he had taken the long and unpleasant route and often had to crawl on his belly through the gutter to get what he wanted.

Remarkable how things never really change, Gero thought as he walked through the shadowy labyrinth; the tinny echo of dripping water mixed with the low steady thud of his steps and the occasional sneaking of the mice and rats that made this pit their home. The darkness of the underground maze parted a bit in the light of the slaver’s torch only to return to the unknown as he walked past. He never seemed able to escape the dark side of his nature, maybe it was more of his true self than the façade he presented at court, or to almost everyone else but his enemies and that girl, damn her. Since his less than triumphant return, he concentrated all his energies and resources to finding her and the collar and exacting his revenge; and cursing her name every time the Master would ask about or request his invention, his grand weapon, he would proclaim. He was still amazed he could come up with excuses all these years, even when having to stare into those blood red eyes. Well, he was fooling himself if he thought he was truly deceiving anyone with his replies of having to recalibrate the electro-magnetic realignment loop or test the new addition he had just thought up not two weeks ago to make the device more powerful, even to the point of transferring energy from one being into another. The Master had given him a three month reprieve for that one, and Gero knew he had to find that girl soon; the pendulum was swinging lower. He had even purchased the services of the lowest order of merchants, beyond even his own trade in the pedalling in human life, the assassins. He went to the best, or at least by word from the underground, house of assassins in all of Ar, Yoron. He hired the greatest assassin of their ranks, the Shadow, to kill the Mistress of new Modulus, as he had learned from one of his informants. A tightness formed in his throat as he thought of the time and money lost with that stupid venture; their hidden wonder didn’t deliver and was killed for the failure they had brought to the house, but they felt no qualms about keeping his money, no honour among thieves.

Groaning at his own situation, he wondered whatever madness made him try this little scheme again, a stealth attack of his enemy’s stronghold by assassins. Well, at lest these ones came with the guarantee of services. By the hells, that one took a lot of slithering through gutters to achieve, he must be desperate of he was buying the services of the Black Daggers, Nosferatu. Oh well, if he was joining the ranks of the darkness he might as well make friends with their children. And all of this, these hardships, loss of power, influence, decency, if he ever possessed it, just so he would survive for another month. Maybe life was over rated.

"Retinal and finger scan confirmed." a mechanical voice proclaimed, the sound bouncing and echoing off the unseen walls of the tunnels. The swish of a door sliding opened followed and harsh white light now bathed the once darkened passageway, what things get you into trouble. Walking through the opened doorway, his eyes were greeted with a large screen and a room full of huge data storage banks, a far cry from the dinky little toy they gave him at the beginning. Flipping a switch, the room soon hummed with the feel of the machines before him coming to life; it was his master piece. This machine was all that was left of his old life, more than the producing of pathetic weapons and ray guns for that fool of a barbarian, it had cost him his old life but it was all worth it, or it would be. Typing in the codes, the screen before him flashed to life, static buzzing in his ears. The machine slowly whined as the communicator began a search of channels and hit the right one. An image began to form on the screen; to this day it still brought shivers down his spine.

"So, what new excuse do you have for me about your great creation?"

"Forgive me, my Lord, but I have made a break through in my research. The first tests have been performed on the collar with the energy drainer have been proven successful. My assistant has been doing the research on a high powered creature that we found recently on the planet. With some time to work out the bugs, I could have it ready in a few months."

"What, a high powered creature, what does it look like?" The Master said, his eyes snapping to attention.

"I know not, my Lord, I have only received second hand information from an aide to my assistant. As far as I can tell, it is humanoid in appearance, though with the addition of a brown furry tail. I believe they called it a Saiyajin." Damn it, what difference did it make if it was on a three legged cat, he had never shown this much interest in any of these progress reports before.

"What, does this thing have a name? Never mind; I’m finally coming to collect what you have been hiding from me all these years, Gero. I want that Saiyajin and the collar by the time I arrive, do you understand me?"

"Of course, my Lord. I will send word to my assistant at once to complete the tests and sedate the creature until your arrival."

"It had better be there." The Master said, before the image blinked out and the room grew quiet again. The ever attentive lapdog expression changed into one of utter panic at the ultimatum before him. He had never shown that much interest in the collar or ever retrieving, Gero wondered if he ever really did after the girl stole it and he began to make excuses about the unnecessary delays in production. The fear of death at the thought of displeasing the Master was always there but being on an out of the way planet did have its advantages. Now, where once several galaxies separated him from his worst nightmare, soon they would truly meet face to face, the question was only when. Maybe the Fates were really smiling down on him now, he was closer to reaching his goal than he had ever been, and not a moment too soon. Grabbing his torch again, he began the slow process of walking through the tunnels again, his thoughts on all the forces which brought him to this point. Rounding a corner, he went over the carefully laid out plan in his mind, repeating it out loud in the only place he felt he could truly be alone.

"I’m going to have to inform those two that I need both the girl and that collared creature; knowing their kind I’ll be lucky if they don’t just ravage the whole house. I’ll have to send on of my fastest messengers, hopefully they won’t eat this one like the last one."

~~~~~

"So, how are you enjoying your stay at Modulus?"

"Huh, what was that, Babba? I’ve been really distracted as of late."

"I asked you, child, how you were taking to your new home. When you came to me and said you needed help to get into meet the Mistress of Modulus, I thought you were crazy." The old witch said, and after seeing that little display with the sword, I know you’re a little crazy.

"Maybe I am a little crazy, I’ve almost been wondering about that one myself." Kayra replied, still not completely concentrating on what was going on around her. Her senses were going into overdrive it felt, odd echoing sounds and distorted images would flash up and be gone the next.

"You still haven’t answered my question about what you think about Modulus, or what you are doing there." Babba said, as she handed Kayra a small cloth bag. Pulling opened the drawstring; the young woman took a small sample of the red powder on her finger and brought it to her nose.

"This is amazingly good quality dragon’s blood; where did you find this?"

"Well quality like that doesn’t come cheap, I got it from a travelling spice salesmen two months ago, that and some Mandrake and Yarrow. And you’re still stalling on my question."

"Which one, you asked me two."

"I suppose I would ask about why Modulus. If you’re as talented as you claim to be, you should have gone to Ar and become a seer in some great merchant’s house. Modulus is prosperous but hardly a high point on any map."

"When I was younger, my father told me stories about An Ceitean, and all the great fighting, merchant and technology houses that were a part of that kingdom. Of all of the Lords of the Realm, he talked most highly of the Lord of Modulus, the Owl. He said the Owl and his family was always known for their generosity and kindness. I suppose part of me always wanted to see that part of his past."

"A past that is long gone. I too knew of the Owl, more about the rivals it had with the other houses of the Realm and the massacre twelve years ago. Rather a large risk, coming all this way from the Northern Lands and risk death just to see if an old story of your father’s was true."

"Do you ever have visions?" Kayra asked, rather out of the blue. Babba was about to counter again that she was stalling but decided to drop the issue all together; the girl was also flightier than she first assumed.

"What, dreams, premonitions, well the Fates allow me a glimpse, yes. Why?"

Kayra paused again and winced lightly; the sights and sounds pounding through her mind were giving her a headache. She didn’t really want to say why, why she had come all this way. Something just didn’t sound right to say that the voices in your head lead you to a place you have never seen. Of course, now it seemed that the voices weren’t just telling her things, they were screaming them and providing visuals. Looking over at Babba, she noticed that the woman was giving her an odd look. I guess the old woman mustn’t be going through the same thing she was going through. Sighing at the end of the vision, but not of the pain, she tried to remember why she had come here and what Babba had just asked her for. Oh yes, the dragon’s blood in her hand; she had come for supplies. And, thinking about the pain in her head and questions on her mind, she also searched for answers.

"Have you been having any weird dreams lately, any premonitions about a doll or tailed creatures? Anything about a sword or betrayal."

"No, I have had nothing of the sort, though I have had another dream about it."

"It?" Kayra asked.

"The end, the great coming of the evil. I have seen two beasts of emerge for out of the ground and tear through the land. I have seen a white stag and a red lion destroy the world in search for each other, for when they meet it is the end of peace and the beginning of chaos. Their minions and demons rise and attack the chosen ones, being like you and myself to make way for their masters. I have had this dream for the last six years and no one has believed me, a few wrong predictions and they think that every one of them is just a cry of wolf. I think a few more are taking heed this year, the night of the New Moons is tonight. Why, have you had any strange visions about it?"

"No, nothing more than usual." Kayra sighed as she tried to make small talk with the woman before her. After her encounter with the Saiyajin and that girl yesterday she needed to get out of the house, though somehow the woods seemed a little less friendly than they had before. Knowing she needed some supplies that the forest and Modulus’ gardens couldn’t produce, she might as well visit her one-day benefactor.

"What do you make of the vision?"

"Huh, what vision? Oh, the red lion and the white stag, I don’t really now. The only thing I can think of is two houses fighting, but that isn’t much of a stretch, there’s always some territorial war going on. I find that when most haraspexs dream about the future, it’s something that normally has meaning to only them. My mother had the gift to dream the future, sometimes; she would even dream the exact event." Kayra smiled at the thought of her mother, something she couldn’t do for a long, long time.

"Well, what sort of visions do you have then?" Babba asked indignantly.

"I don’t know, ones about other planets and tailed creatures, dolls and devils. I’ve even had a few about a nest of birds being attacked by a jackal. Actually, I was mainly wondering about a girl."

"A girl, rather a mundane subject compared to the ones you have mentioned before. There are a few in the village; one of them is even my apprentice. Did you see her in a vision?"

"Maybe. Well, I mean I saw her in the woods several days ago and again last night in the gardens at Modulus."

"Sounds more like a ghost or spirit than a real person. Did she give you an name?"

"No, nothing like that but you could never forget her. She, she was golden almost: pale skin, long corn silk hair; she even had golden eyes. Have you seen her around?"

"Doesn’t sound like anyone I’ve ever seen in this village, and I’ve lived here my whole life. I’ve heard that when the new Moons approach, the forces of the underworld grow stronger. Maybe what you saw was just a ghost."

Ghosts don’t carry knives, Kayra thought to herself, and they don’t breathe on the back of your neck. Thinking of her saviour, the Bruha’s thoughts were again disturbed by the sounds of screaming and flashes of chaos and agony, louder and more vivid than before. Gasping through her teeth, Kayra curled her body into a ball and gripped her head in her hands, as if to escape the pain.

"What’s the matter, child? I have some willow bark tea or if you know any recipe that will take care of it."

Getting back her bearings, if only a little, Kayra smirked at the suggestion. Obviously the Wisdom Babba did not have such great skills with healing; she had been as taken back as everyone by Kayra’s salve, always an opportunist.

"No, in fact I think I will take my leave and not disturb you further. Thank you for the dragon’s blood, Wisdom Babba."

Weighing the satchel in her hand, Kayra left the small hut that Babba called home and walked through the dirt roads of Alewife to the main thoroughfare-heading east back to Modulus. Placing her hand to shield her eyes from the early morning sun the now dormant visions screamed to life inside her head, causing her to scream at the absolute terror that was occurring before her. The screams of pain, anger and terror echoed so loudly in her skull she felt surely that her eardrums would bleed. Her nose and throat burned with the smell of death, dust, burning and blood. Her eyes could almost not take the terror in front of her; the destruction and carnage as hundreds of whizzing bodies flew at a single source, only to be shot down like insignificant bugs. The last thing she saw was a Lord charging at the sky, the glint of supremacy of a devil and the screams of millions upon millions of life forces dying before she blacked out.

* * * * *

Email Toshiba and tell her what you think at toshiba@vegetafreak.zzn.com

Table of contents
Chapter 6
Chapter 8