I still remember the dark day when two pods arrived to my planet, when my race was exterminated, when I saw the thin fingers of Death making their way to my body, claiming my soul. You can see the ugly, or beautiful, depending on how it approaches to you, face of the Death when those two red eyes look at you. When he is angry. When he is happy. When he is smiling. My, when he smiles you can feel a million icebergs running down your spine.

And when his men forced me to his ship. Hearing his name makes you want to run away, crying. You can even learn to sense him when he approaches. The continuous thud..thud… thud…thud of his claws, or the fwish, fwish, fwish of his hover chair coming to you.

But, after some days of learning how to control your fear, how to mask your emotions so that hideous lizard won't know how you are feeling, you learn to live through it. When you learn that Zaarbon and Dodoria are too strong, and specially Zaarbon. My, is that guy strong and specially smart.

However, what really surprised me, even of this tyrant, was when he brought a five-year-old to his ship. A saiyan.

Saiyans were known for being specially cruel, no regard for other's lives. Born to be warriors, died as warriors. Lived by their fists, and were also very smart. But, why a little kid? They had told me it was the prince. But, why not taking the king? Why not waiting until the kid was a little bit older?

My scouter beeped loudly.

"Troizker" said Zaarbon "The prince has just arrived. He is in the cell G-7, last floor. Go fetch him. Take him to the throne room. Lord Frieza wishes to speak to him."

"Fine" I answered.

"Wait. First take him to room K-22, tell him to take a bath, to dress up, and then bring him here. Fast"

I sighed and went to the last floor. I didn't know he was a little kid. I had imagined a grown up. Perhaps 20 years old. But what I saw really surprised me.

"Prince Vegeta" I called.

The cells were very cold and small. They were uncomfortable, smelly, and very dark.

A high, broken voice answered.

"Y-yes?"

I hesitated before writing the code to unlock the cell. A little bit of light entered the room, and I could see a small, crumpled form in the corner.

"Prince?" Luckily, I had a flashlight. I directed it to the body in the corner, and my heart ripped apart.

The kid was in a fetal position. He blinked when his eyes got slightly hurt by the light. He was pale, trembling in fear and coldness. He had two thin lines on his cheeks, proof that he had been crying, and huge bags under his big, black eyes.

He had a few scratches and bruises, but nothing too serious. He hugged his legs tighter and hid his face between his arms when I approached him.

"Don't worry, Vegeta. I won't hurt you."

He took a deep breath and looked at me.

"Wh-what do you want?"

"Come with me, prince. I will take you to a better quarter"

He hesitated and nodded. He slowly stood up, but fell to his knees again, a high whimper escaping his lips. Then I noticed one of his legs was all bloodied.

"What happened to your leg, my prince?"

I had noticed he liked to be called prince.

He looked at me, trying to form a deep scowl and to control his trembling lip.

"N-nothing."

"Come on, tell me."

He looked at the floor as he stood up once again, this time lying on the wall.

"The green guy… The tall one with a braid… I refused to come here so he forced me in. When I tried to run away, he grabbed my ankle and… and…" tears began to form in his eyes. He squeezed them shut to avoid crying "…he stepped on it and… there was a loud crack… I think he broke it. Then I couldn't run."

"Oh my… I think I have got the cure for that, but first we must take you to your quarters, kid" I said. I pitied the kid. He was a baby!

I decided to carry him.

A big lump formed in my throat when he began to suck his finger.

How could they take a small child into Frieza's ship? Saiyan and all, he was just a baby!

When we arrived to K-22, I put him on the bed. He sighed in gratitude, being comfortable once again. Then I searched in my pocket and found it.

"Here, kid. Drink"

He looked at the small, transparent container I was holding and raised his eyebrows. Then he looked at me.

"What is it?"

"Just drink!"

He jumped in surprise and sat up. I had been working as a soldier, and although I pitied the little kid, my patience had a limit. His little, chubby hand took the container and he drank it.

"How old are you?" I said.

He looked at his fingers as he raised them one by one, and then proudly showed me his fat little fingers, smiling.

"Five!" he said. I looked at his face. He was relatively… perfect, except for the baby fat that still made part of his cheeks.

I wanted to cry. Would Frieza have mercy on this little kid? I laughed in the inside. Frieza merciful… That didn't make sense. AT ALL.

"My… leg!" he said, happily. He jumped off the bed and hopped around the room. "Thank you, sir"

"Troizker" I said. He laughed with his baby voice. "Now come, kid. Take a bath and dress up."

He nodded and ran to the bathroom. I sighed. A kid! He was a baby, dammit!

When he came out of the bathroom, wearing a sleeveless blue shirt and long blue pants he smiled at me.

"What are we going to do now?"

I sighed.

"Listen, kid. We are not on the playground. We are not gonna play or anything. Right now, you will go to the throne room. Lord Frieza wishes to…"
"NO!" he screamed. He ran backwards until he found a wall. His eyes were wide with fear. He was trembling. "Not Frieza! Anything but him! I… I…!"

"Calm down, boy. What did he do to you?"

"He… he… he didn't do anything to me. But my father said he would punish me dearly if I did anything wrong. My father told me to stay away from him…" his voice broke, his throat closed with tears. He shut up. Warriors didn't show emotions after all.

"Kid, I hate to tell you this but you have no choice. Lord Frieza is waiting for you"

He shook his head, not wanting to believe it. "Please, please! Not Frieza!"

"VEGETA! This is no way a warrior should behave! Now come here and lets go to Lord Frieza's throne room! He wishes to see you right now! C'mon!"

He looked at me and swallowed. Then he nodded and walked towards me.

"I… I am hungry" he whispered.

I sighed.

"Come, I'll get you some food on the way."

I was surprised when his hand reached for my middle finger, wanting me to take him hand-to-hand. I looked down. He didn't look at me. He just stood there, sucking his finger, waiting for me to walk him there.

On the way, we stopped at the cafeteria.

"Tell me something. Do you know how to fight?"

"Yes! My father taught me! We saiyans are a warrior race! We train every day! I am able to fight up to 10 saibamens now, and destroy them all!"

I choked with my own saliva and began to cough.

"Ten saibamens? Are you sure?"

He nodded proudly. I couldn't believe it. Saibamens were weak creatures, but a five-year-old with ten of them? That was something worth seeing! The kid was certainly very, very strong.

I took one piece of meat and a glass of juice and handed then to the kid.

"Come on, we have already wasted a lot of time, child. Eat it fast!"

"But… but… only one piece?"

"How much did you want?"

He didn't answer and just scowled. I began to walk down the hall to the elevators while he followed me.

I pressed the green button and then the last black button inside.

The throne room was in the last floor… The throne room WAS the last floor, actually.

"So… Vegeta. When you arrive there, you shall bow, and kneel before Lord Frieza. You must address him as Lord or Master Frieza, or as Your Highness. Also sire, or sir. Understood?"

"What? NO! I am a prince! The Prince of all Saiyans! I… don't bow down to anyone! My father told me I was the strongest being in the universe, and that one day I will be the Super Saiyan!"

I raised my eyebrows.

"Child, that behavior won't get you anywhere. Now do as I say if you don't want to get punished"

I was surprised. One second he totally feared Lord Frieza, and the next second he was claiming his title as the Prince of All Saiyans. This kid… was something different.