In the Air Tonight
By Rayven Darkheart

Chapter 3- When Worlds Collide

Vegeta and Radditz stared in disbelief as they walked into the cafeteria. Groups of individuals that usually hated each other were jammed closely together. Anything, it seemed, to avoid that same emerald girl that had dispensed of Nappa only hours earlier.

Grabbing the nearest of his kind, Vegeta pulled him over and stared him down. "Toran, right?" The Saiyajin nodded, almost happy to be recognized by his prince. "Why do these men avoid that girl like the plague? She can only be 17 or 18 cycles. She has existed less than a third as long as some of those dolts."

Toran spoke softly, curling his tail a tad tighter around his waist as if it were a safety net. "Sir, Zaria may only be 20 cycles, but she commands respect among the men. She killed a man for caressing her tail when she was a mere 10 cycles and has won the favor of Lord Frieza himself."

Vegeta's eye twitched at the name of his lizard captive. 'So the lizard has planted a spy among us. We'll make her wish her mother never let her out of the womb.' He looked toward the girl. "Any information that I need to be privy to? Give me the correct answer and you'll be dismissed in one piece."

Toran physically shuddered. 'I thought Zaria was scary when she was angry.' "Sir, I was in her unit before she was reassigned. Hers was the third unit I've been a part of. Hers was also the best run. The Lieutenant commands with an iron fist, but she also comes back with the fewest casualties. I know she will be missed."

Radditz looked at the girl's back just someone walked passed her. 'This could be interesting.' He was not disappointed. Zaria barely moved her head, not even enough for him to read her lips before she shot a chi blast through the heart of the person that touched her.

Vegeta studied his second in command for a moment before slapping his chest. "Radditz, pay attention will you? We're going to go sit by our newest member. Scope her out and see how much of a spy she is."

He nodded dumbly as he followed his prince over to the seats near the emerald haired beauty. When the girl made no move to stand and salute her prince, Vegeta growled only succeeding in making her raise her head. "Don't you know better than to not salute your betters, girl?"

Something behind her golden eyes flashed and she folded her hands neatly in front of her. "My better? How so?"

A smirk threatened to taint her lips as Vegeta grew incensed. "You are Saiyajin. I am your Prince. I deserve your respect."

"I give my respect to those that deserve it and those of a higher position than myself in Frieza's armies. Since we are both Lieutenants, you are not my better. You are the Prince of my mother's race, not mine, nor my father's. So buzz off, Princey." She looked back at her meal and started eating quietly.

Radditz watched this exchanged with a feigned disinterest. Once he saw Vegeta take a seat, he dropped down next to him and cleared his throat gently. "I believe we have gotten off to the wrong foot. Prince Vegeta only wants his due respect. Is that so horrible?"

Zaria turned her cold gold eyes to the one sitting next to the object of her detestation. She answered with spoken venom. "I believe it is. His race did nothing to protect my mother from the wraith of my father's people. His race did nothing to keep Frieza's army from killing my mother. His race wanted nothing to do with a half breed Saiyajin. Why should I give him any of my respect? He has done nothing to earn it."

Vegeta growled and muttered under her breath. "Why would my race do anything for a half breed like you?" Radditz visibly flinched when the words left his Prince's lips. He knew this wasn't going to end well.

Zaria smiled almost cruelly before motioning for the two males to come closer. "Tell me something, confidentially. That bulky bald headed ass that I beat on is a Saiyajin through and through, right? Not bad for a half breed, I must say." She winked at Radditz playfully and left the table, and a seething Vegeta.

Vegeta continued to seethe all the way back to the team quarters. "I don't care if we need to keep her busy Radditz, this will not stand. I can't share quarters with her. I'll kill her in her sleep…" Vegeta stopped Radditz at the door as he heard yelling. Smirking, he noticed that it was feminine and there was a cruel laugh to go with it. He wanted to eavesdrop on this one.

"I can't believe the men on this damn ship! How dare you touch me! What gives you that right?"

The cruel laughter was soon revealed as Zarbon much to the shock of Vegeta and Radditz. "Dear sister, Frieza only wants the information that he's asked for. Do you believe that you can hide things from him?"

"Be gone! I don't know anything and no matter what you or anyone can or will do to me will change that. Sorry to burst your pretty little bubble Zarbs." The sound of a solid slap filled the Saiyajins' ears before the hatch opened and Zarbon sulked out.

The two males walked in to see Zaria sitting on a sofa wiping blood away from her split lip. She didn't even notice the two of them walk in. Radditz strolled over to her quietly and touched her shoulder. Jumping at the touch, Zaria glanced up and upon noticing who was touching her, growled fiercely and ran to her quarters.

Vegeta started to say something as she slammed the hatch with all of her might. Sighing and sinking down on the sofa that the female had previously been occupying, he looked at his companion. Radditz could only shrug and reply, "Females, who can live with them? This is going to be a long trip."

Zarbon burst into Lord Frieza's chambers and was not all that surprised to find him in his bed with a male concubine. "Sir, we have a problem."