(I swear the title is more grand when I make it...but I guess Apple Chancery doesn't carry over does it?)
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this fanfic except for Katt. Dragonball Z and all related characters belong to some japanese guy. I am of Scandinavian desent...see my point?
Remembering the Past,
Reclaiming the Future.
Part 1: Gathering Storms
..............................................................................(Episode 7: Voyage into the Unknown!)........................................................................................
~(Outside Tier-Sikla, 4000 years ago, Planet Vegeta-sei)~
Baylin-Iklanon stood on a hilltop, surveying the battle raging below him. His battle-tunic barely rustled in the slight breeze that blew from his back, carrying the smell of death away from him. His sword, Veuyo, hung at his side, it's sheath casting bright reflections from it's golden and silver surface.
His silver hair was blown forward at an unexpected gust in the breeze, although he hardly took any notice. His eyes, matching his hair color exactly, took in the battle before him.
His army was holding exceptionally well, only losing an average of six Anarkins for every Liogren, and only half that number with the Zelith. He smiled, a cruel, sadistic smile. Victory was apparent. The Liogren had been fools to attack his stronghold with only three thousand. He laughed aloud, letting the wind carry his laughter to the enemy.
Suddenly, one of the Liogren broke off from the main battle and began flying toward him, energy-saber already generated. Baylin-Iklanon smirked and drew Veuyo, levitating into the air to meet the Liogren.
When their swords clashed together, the entire hilltop below them was swept away by the power released, forming a spinning vortex around where the hill used to stand. Baylin-Iklanon locked eyes with the Liogren tresspasser, noting the intense look in his black eyes as his orange hair was swept backward by the power of the struggle, sword against sword. Bolts of energy crackled between and away from the swords.
Finally, Baylin-Iklanon laughed. "You think to destroy me, Liogren fool?" He querried the Liogren in front of him, still putting just as much effort into the struggle between his sword and the energy-saber of the enemy.
The Liogren opposing him grinned, his cocky attitude apparent. "You have lived too long, Baylin-Iklanon. Your day has come at last." He, too, did not give in any to the struggle, his energy blade holding strong.
Baylin-Iklanon was irritated by the bug that dared to tell him that his time had come. "I will show you the true power of the Akan-ieth, foolish mortal!" As he said this, his hair started to flow upwards, power crackling around him as his energy-level rose. With a cry of triumph that was almost a snarl, his hair flashed from silver to golden as his Veuyo slashed through the opposing energy saber, bisecting the Liogren before he could even make a sound of suprise.
Baylin-Iklanon let the two halves of the corpse fall to the ground far below him, instead looking towards the main battle that still raged, even as the fierce winds of his private battle subsided. He smirked as he held out a hand, gathering energy into it as it pointed toward the battle. "...A god has no time for things like this." He let loose the energy ball, turning away as the screams of the dying echoed in his ears, both of his army and the Liogren as their bodies were consumed by the overwhelming energies released in the attack.
~(Capsule Corporation, Present, Earth)~
Katt woke with a start, sitting up in the bed. She panted, her clothes damp from sweat. 'It was...it was only a nightmare...' She tried to assure herself, noting how the sky was just beginning to lighten through the window, heralding the approach of dawn.
She threw her legs over the side of the bed, reaching down into the pile of clothes to pull on a t-shirt and shorts, too hot for anything more. 'It was...so real though...' She shivered as she thought back to the screams that were still echoing hauntingly in her ears as she struggled to take control of herself.
Finally, after managing to silence the echoes left from her nightmare, she stood and walked over to the window, opening it. Of course, there were bars across it, but it still let in more than enough air to cool her as she went back over to sit on the bed.
She would not be so upset over a simple nightmare, she would not! Sighing, she reviewed over the events of yesterday, putting the dream to the back of her mind. Trunks had only come by once after he had run out of the room before, staying only long enough to set the plate down that had her dinner on it, then leaving. She reflected that he still looked slightly flustered when she had smiled at him that time, most likely his main reason for leaving the room.
Katt smirked. Today he would probably ask her more questions. While she probably couldn't get away from answering at least a few, she looked forward to the possibility of furthering her plans. 'Only a little longer...'
~
Goku looked over the expansive fields, the farmers just starting to go to work as the sun rose, appearing to be meer dots from where he hovered high above. He gazed off into the sunrise, admiring how the sky changed colors in a beautiful display. He reflected that it was because of he and his friends efforts that the sun still rose on this small, blue planet.
Vegeta hovered beside him, also looking out towards the sunrise as they waited for it to become light enough for their planned spar. He too, seemed to be admiring the beauty of the rising sun and the colorful tapestry it painted in the sky.
Goku then gave voice to his opinion on the moment. "...You know Vegeta?"
Vegeta gave his arch-nemisis a sidelong look. "What Kakarott?"
Goku smiled. "...I'm hungry!"
The farmers never forgot the shooting star that burned brightly overhead that morning, one which some said was accompanied by a loud sound. Some said it was the heavens rumbling, others said it was the star exploding. Most, however, remembered hearing something along the lines of "OWIE!"
~
Trunks sighed as he trudged reluctantly and enivitably toward the room where Katt was inprisoned. His hopes that Vegeta would interrogate her today had been crushed when his father went to spar with Goku, leaving the task to him. He sighed again as he turned the corner into the hallway in which her room was situated. 'Hopefully I 'was' just imagining stuff...'
He knocked, then, hearing no response, opened the door to look inside.
Katt was laying on her bed, seemingly asleep, but when the door creaked as he shut it back, she opened one eye and looked towards him. "Are there more questions today?" She inquired, propping herself up on an elbow and smiling.
Trunks nodded. "Yeah, more questions today." He laughed, nervously. "Well, we might as well get started." He sat down on the far side of the bed as Katt sat up strait, purposely as far away from her as possible. "First off, where are you from?"
~
Katt considered his question. She decided to rely on the tried and true story, even if it was mostly true anyway. "...I don't really know...I know that my Master rescued me from..." She paused, deciding it would be best to play on his sympathy.
Trunks frowned. "From what?"
Katt looked like she was slightly afraid to tell him, shuddering for good effect. "...well...really, really bad people...they...well, they wanted to..." She stopped again, letting her eyes tear slightly and biting her bottom lip. "I...I really don't even...want to think about it..."
Trunks' expression became hard. "...I think I understand. Don't worry, you don't have to tell me anymore..." He glanced at her and tried to smile. "Well, cheer up. It's okay now...no one's going to hurt you."
She smiled back at him, hesitantly. 'I don't need to over-play this...but this is way too easy.' "Thank you...it was...something I really don't like to remember..." She paused, mind shifting to another topic. "Hey...um...what did you do with that hand-computer I had with me?"
Trunks sat still for a second, thinking. "Well...I think my mom's trying to decode it...but so far she's not having much luck." He laughed, obviously he wasn't used to his mother failing in many things.
Katt looked concerned now. "You know, it will self-destruct if someone tampers with it too much...not a big explosion, but just enough to render it useless..." Of course, the computer actually had no such thing, but it would definately stall his mother in slicing it. She decided to add one more note just in case. "Also, my diary is on there. I've had it for years...I wouldn't want it to be lost." She yawned. "Guess I'm still a little tired." She lay down again, this time resting her head on Trunks' leg and sighing contentedly.
She could feel Trunks freeze up from her position on his leg. "Wha-what are you doing?"
Katt looked up at him with a confused and sleepy expression and blinked. "I'm tired though...I had a nightmare...I couldn't...sleep..." She closed her eyes, feigning sleep, letting her breathing become more even as she lay on his leg. She could feel Trunks tense farther, then relax somewhat.
She lay like that for at least ten minutes before Trunks gently shook her. "C'mon...wake up." He shook her slightly harder.
Katt murmured something and then yawned for good effect, being careful to look sleepy. "Why'd you-" She yawned again, "wake me up?" She blinked blearily at him, letting him think that sleep was still clogging her mind. She sat up, but leaned back against the wall by the bed, yawning again.
Trunks shook his head. "Okay, we need to finish the questioning. It won't take too long, I promise." His voice carried a note of reassurance in it, and Katt almost laughed out loud. This guy was 'too' gullible!
Katt looked at him sleepily and blinked. "Why don't we just go to see my master...I really don't know why he wanted infor-information." She yawned yet again at the word 'information'. "You people have spaceships don't you?"
Trunks blinked. Obviously the thought had never occured to him. "Well I...yeah we have spaceships...but...ah, I'll really have to talk it over with my dad..." He started to rise.
Katt suppressed the urge to laugh again. This kid had just told her that they had spaceships! That had been one of the things she had been supposed to figure out, just in case one of them tried to escape. She glanced quickly down at the bracelet that suppressed her power. 'Much good I'll be in a fight against them now...' Aloud, she called to Trunks. "I'm...sorry. I really shouldn't have..." She blushed, though on the inside she was smirking.
Trunks seemed to be calmed down by this this gesture somewhat. "Hey...it's okay...I'm just...well...anyway, I'd best go discuss this with my father." With that, he walked from the room, again locking the door behind him. If nothing else, he was thorough.
Katt sighed, any pretense of sleepyness cast aside. She really hadn't been lying about the nightmare...'Sometimes...I wish I didn't...' "Argh!" She clutched her head as it suddenly exploded with pain, making her roll off the bed. She could hear someone scream, although it seemed far off to her as the lines of everything seemed to blur, and darkness once again covered her vision.
~
Katt groaned as conciousness returned. Her head hurt like a spacepod had landed on it. For a moment she considered this as a possibility, then dismissed it as unreasonable.
She was lying on a rather hard surface, and an annoying light kept on shining on her eyelids, probably what had woken her. She could hear voices in the background, although she couldn't make out what they were saying. Opening her eyes, she winced against the sudden light, which was suprisingly quickly removed.
"She's awake..." was the first thing she managed to make out of the assorted mutterings.
Before she could even get her bearing, a hand shot out and, grasping her collar, roughly pulled her into a sitting position. Vegeta's face was the first thing to greet her, obviously angry, as the waves of dizziness this movement brought on subsided. "Awake yet? Good. Now, what happened?" He demanded, glaring at her like she had just caused the universe to end.
She was confused at first by this question, but a shake from Vegeta returned her memories, and the dizziness, very quickly. "M-my head...it felt like it was being crushed..." She admitted, too tired to resist such fierce questioning.
Vegeta's scowl deepened. "Girl! It was your scream we heard!"
Katt felt she should have been embarressed by this, but that tiredness was still clinging to her. Therefore she just shrugged. "I didn't know."
Vegeta closed his eyes angrily, presumably trying not to hurt her in any way. Not like she cared, she was a prisoner anyway. "Okay, Trunks mentioned something about going to see this 'master' of your's. How long would the trip take?"
Katt started working it out in her head. "About two weeks with average technology..."
The man in front of her grunted, but turned away, presumably to think it over. After a while, he turned back to her. "Fine. We'll leave tomorrow. The coordinates?"
Katt was about to collapse from exaustion, but still managed to rattle out the coordinates that her master had given her to rendevous at once she had completed her mission. She wondered belatedly as her vision blurred why she was being so cooporative, but shrugged the question off, figuring she was just tired. She did remember laying back down, but that was all.
~
Goku looked angrily at the Saiyan prince. "Vegeta! That wasn't right! You took advantage of her after you stuck her wi-" His voice started to tremble, "with that needle and whatever was in it!"
Vegeta turned his scowl at Goku. "That was the whole point of injecting her with truth serum, you dolt! Unfortunately, Onna was right, and it put her back to sleep before we could really do any serious questioning."
Bulma decided to intervene at this point. "Goku's right, Vegeta! We could have just got that information by asking her without the truth serum!" She looked angry that her serum had been used for an interrogation, though Vegeta could only guess at what she had thought it 'had' been used for.
Goku nodded his head empatheticly at this. "Yeah! The truth thingy! We didn't have to use it! Besides..." He got a childish, pouty look on his face. "needles scare me..."
Vegeta had had enough. "I DON'T CARE! HOW WERE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT SHE WOULDN'T GIVE US COORDINATES STRAIT INTO A BLACK HOLE?!"
"WE COULD HAVE CHECKED MY DAD'S STAR CHARTS YOU DOLT!" Bulma screeched back.
Vegeta's face contorted in contempt. "If you actually think that old geizer has all the stars and star systems charted..."
Bulma went red, this time with embaressment. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out.
A smirk crept onto Vegeta's face as he walked from the room. "I thought so. Have one of the bigger ships ready to go by tomorrow. Kakarott, invite who you will." Vegeta walked out, his spirits definately improved now that he had something to actually 'do'.
Goku followed him out, his eyes sparkling. "You mean...I get to go on a space trip?" He said this the way you would expect a puppy to act when it's been told it's going on a car trip.
A bored look crossed Vegeta's face. "Of course you baka! You're the so-called 'hero' after all!"
Goku jumped up and down with joy, dashing past Vegeta to tell everyone the good news and invite those who he figured should be brought along.
Vegeta's eye twitched. "If he even thinks about inviting that old fart that lives on that island....I will NOT put up with that...that OLD LECHER FOR TWO WEEKS STRAIT!!!" His voice carried down the hallways, anger carried in every word at even the thought of it. He shuddered. "At least I won't have to worry about 'that'...."
~
The next day found Vegeta and Goku standing outside one of Bulma's large spaceships, screaming at eachother. Well, at least Vegeta was screaming. "KAKAROTT! WE ARE NOT BRINGING THAT OLD FART ALONG ON THIS TRIP!!!"
Goku pouted. "But Vegeetaaa....he was my old martial arts master!"
"I DON'T CARE! I'M NOT BEING STUCK ON A SPACESHIP WITH THAT ANCIENT LECHEROUS HERMIT FOR WEEKS!!!" The vein on Vegeta's head was throbbing as he yelled.
"...but..." Goku twidled his fingers, trying to think of a reason for his mentor to come.
"NO BUTS!" Vegeta screamed in his face, obviously annoyed with the ongoing arguement.
Master Roshi thought that a good time to add his own comment. "Eh heh heh...."
Vegeta, who only took a second to understand what the old pervert was laughing about, got even angrier than before, if that was possible. "THE ANSWER IS NOO!" With this, he turned and grabbed Roshi, launching him into the air where he sailed far into the distance. "THERE! END OF DISCUSSION!!!" Vegeta stomped off towards the ship, leaving a still-pouting Goku behind. "Stupid...baka....ingrate...."
~
Sitting in the forward command chair, Vegeta smirked triumphantly. He was in charge of this expedition, and no one was going to take the job from him. Looking over his should, his eyes scanned over the others who were going to accompany him on this voyage. Earth was getting too boring anyway.
Trunks had a look of determination on his face, ready to take on whatever challenges may be lying ahead. Goku was fidgiting, looking all around like a small child. Vegeta snorted at his behavior.
Also to be accompanying him was Gohan, whom Goku had somehow managed to drag away from his books. Of course, the fact that the baka's son had been blown through a wall might have had something to do with him coming along. The prisoner, Katt, had been stored below in one of the two cells that the larger than average ship boasted.
Vegeta ran his hand over the control panel, glad that he had been given a real ship for once. Not only did it have the gravity room in which to train, but also a kitchen and bunkroom that was, if small, at least not cramped. The ship also sported a much faster engine than the last one he had ridden in, and even included a storage compartment with ajoining cells. Technically, the cells had been made for storing dangerous creatures, but to Vegeta, the prisoner didn't make much of a distinction.
Tapping a few quick keys, the hum of engines was heard in the background as they powered up. Opening a comm channel to the control room where Bulma sat waiting, Vegeta nodded at her. "We're ready to go woman. Don't bother with the countdown." He smirked, cutting the comm channel, then punched the button for lift off.
The ship rumbling as the engines engaged, it was only a few seconds before the sky started rushing up to meet them. With a triumphant yell from Trunks in the background, the ship plowed through the atmosphere into space, the thousands of stars winking at them as they slowly became visible through the thinning air.
Behind Vegeta, Trunks gave a whoop of excitement. "WE'RE FINALLY GOING! YEAH!"
Vegeta's eye twitched.
(A/N: ^_^; Sorry I've been so long in getting this out! School has been...um...hfil? Anyway! Sorry I've made all you all wait this long! I really am! But my own novel and school have been eating up my time like...SOMETHING RAVENOUS! ...so...um...yeah. Well, I hope you liked it! This marks the end of Part 1: Gathering Storms. It will stay the same story. I'm not going to make a separate story for every part...it gets confusing. So, HOPEFULLY the next chapter will be out within a week or so. Please, please review, as it WILL make me get this out faster...has to do with those responsibility issues, ya know? Well, anyway, thank you for reading! _...._....*Whisper* ....it's the blue button!)
Remembering the Past,
Reclaiming the Future.
Part 1: Gathering Storms
..............................................................................(Episode 7: Voyage into the Unknown!)........................................................................................
~(Outside Tier-Sikla, 4000 years ago, Planet Vegeta-sei)~
Baylin-Iklanon stood on a hilltop, surveying the battle raging below him. His battle-tunic barely rustled in the slight breeze that blew from his back, carrying the smell of death away from him. His sword, Veuyo, hung at his side, it's sheath casting bright reflections from it's golden and silver surface.
His silver hair was blown forward at an unexpected gust in the breeze, although he hardly took any notice. His eyes, matching his hair color exactly, took in the battle before him.
His army was holding exceptionally well, only losing an average of six Anarkins for every Liogren, and only half that number with the Zelith. He smiled, a cruel, sadistic smile. Victory was apparent. The Liogren had been fools to attack his stronghold with only three thousand. He laughed aloud, letting the wind carry his laughter to the enemy.
Suddenly, one of the Liogren broke off from the main battle and began flying toward him, energy-saber already generated. Baylin-Iklanon smirked and drew Veuyo, levitating into the air to meet the Liogren.
When their swords clashed together, the entire hilltop below them was swept away by the power released, forming a spinning vortex around where the hill used to stand. Baylin-Iklanon locked eyes with the Liogren tresspasser, noting the intense look in his black eyes as his orange hair was swept backward by the power of the struggle, sword against sword. Bolts of energy crackled between and away from the swords.
Finally, Baylin-Iklanon laughed. "You think to destroy me, Liogren fool?" He querried the Liogren in front of him, still putting just as much effort into the struggle between his sword and the energy-saber of the enemy.
The Liogren opposing him grinned, his cocky attitude apparent. "You have lived too long, Baylin-Iklanon. Your day has come at last." He, too, did not give in any to the struggle, his energy blade holding strong.
Baylin-Iklanon was irritated by the bug that dared to tell him that his time had come. "I will show you the true power of the Akan-ieth, foolish mortal!" As he said this, his hair started to flow upwards, power crackling around him as his energy-level rose. With a cry of triumph that was almost a snarl, his hair flashed from silver to golden as his Veuyo slashed through the opposing energy saber, bisecting the Liogren before he could even make a sound of suprise.
Baylin-Iklanon let the two halves of the corpse fall to the ground far below him, instead looking towards the main battle that still raged, even as the fierce winds of his private battle subsided. He smirked as he held out a hand, gathering energy into it as it pointed toward the battle. "...A god has no time for things like this." He let loose the energy ball, turning away as the screams of the dying echoed in his ears, both of his army and the Liogren as their bodies were consumed by the overwhelming energies released in the attack.
~(Capsule Corporation, Present, Earth)~
Katt woke with a start, sitting up in the bed. She panted, her clothes damp from sweat. 'It was...it was only a nightmare...' She tried to assure herself, noting how the sky was just beginning to lighten through the window, heralding the approach of dawn.
She threw her legs over the side of the bed, reaching down into the pile of clothes to pull on a t-shirt and shorts, too hot for anything more. 'It was...so real though...' She shivered as she thought back to the screams that were still echoing hauntingly in her ears as she struggled to take control of herself.
Finally, after managing to silence the echoes left from her nightmare, she stood and walked over to the window, opening it. Of course, there were bars across it, but it still let in more than enough air to cool her as she went back over to sit on the bed.
She would not be so upset over a simple nightmare, she would not! Sighing, she reviewed over the events of yesterday, putting the dream to the back of her mind. Trunks had only come by once after he had run out of the room before, staying only long enough to set the plate down that had her dinner on it, then leaving. She reflected that he still looked slightly flustered when she had smiled at him that time, most likely his main reason for leaving the room.
Katt smirked. Today he would probably ask her more questions. While she probably couldn't get away from answering at least a few, she looked forward to the possibility of furthering her plans. 'Only a little longer...'
~
Goku looked over the expansive fields, the farmers just starting to go to work as the sun rose, appearing to be meer dots from where he hovered high above. He gazed off into the sunrise, admiring how the sky changed colors in a beautiful display. He reflected that it was because of he and his friends efforts that the sun still rose on this small, blue planet.
Vegeta hovered beside him, also looking out towards the sunrise as they waited for it to become light enough for their planned spar. He too, seemed to be admiring the beauty of the rising sun and the colorful tapestry it painted in the sky.
Goku then gave voice to his opinion on the moment. "...You know Vegeta?"
Vegeta gave his arch-nemisis a sidelong look. "What Kakarott?"
Goku smiled. "...I'm hungry!"
The farmers never forgot the shooting star that burned brightly overhead that morning, one which some said was accompanied by a loud sound. Some said it was the heavens rumbling, others said it was the star exploding. Most, however, remembered hearing something along the lines of "OWIE!"
~
Trunks sighed as he trudged reluctantly and enivitably toward the room where Katt was inprisoned. His hopes that Vegeta would interrogate her today had been crushed when his father went to spar with Goku, leaving the task to him. He sighed again as he turned the corner into the hallway in which her room was situated. 'Hopefully I 'was' just imagining stuff...'
He knocked, then, hearing no response, opened the door to look inside.
Katt was laying on her bed, seemingly asleep, but when the door creaked as he shut it back, she opened one eye and looked towards him. "Are there more questions today?" She inquired, propping herself up on an elbow and smiling.
Trunks nodded. "Yeah, more questions today." He laughed, nervously. "Well, we might as well get started." He sat down on the far side of the bed as Katt sat up strait, purposely as far away from her as possible. "First off, where are you from?"
~
Katt considered his question. She decided to rely on the tried and true story, even if it was mostly true anyway. "...I don't really know...I know that my Master rescued me from..." She paused, deciding it would be best to play on his sympathy.
Trunks frowned. "From what?"
Katt looked like she was slightly afraid to tell him, shuddering for good effect. "...well...really, really bad people...they...well, they wanted to..." She stopped again, letting her eyes tear slightly and biting her bottom lip. "I...I really don't even...want to think about it..."
Trunks' expression became hard. "...I think I understand. Don't worry, you don't have to tell me anymore..." He glanced at her and tried to smile. "Well, cheer up. It's okay now...no one's going to hurt you."
She smiled back at him, hesitantly. 'I don't need to over-play this...but this is way too easy.' "Thank you...it was...something I really don't like to remember..." She paused, mind shifting to another topic. "Hey...um...what did you do with that hand-computer I had with me?"
Trunks sat still for a second, thinking. "Well...I think my mom's trying to decode it...but so far she's not having much luck." He laughed, obviously he wasn't used to his mother failing in many things.
Katt looked concerned now. "You know, it will self-destruct if someone tampers with it too much...not a big explosion, but just enough to render it useless..." Of course, the computer actually had no such thing, but it would definately stall his mother in slicing it. She decided to add one more note just in case. "Also, my diary is on there. I've had it for years...I wouldn't want it to be lost." She yawned. "Guess I'm still a little tired." She lay down again, this time resting her head on Trunks' leg and sighing contentedly.
She could feel Trunks freeze up from her position on his leg. "Wha-what are you doing?"
Katt looked up at him with a confused and sleepy expression and blinked. "I'm tired though...I had a nightmare...I couldn't...sleep..." She closed her eyes, feigning sleep, letting her breathing become more even as she lay on his leg. She could feel Trunks tense farther, then relax somewhat.
She lay like that for at least ten minutes before Trunks gently shook her. "C'mon...wake up." He shook her slightly harder.
Katt murmured something and then yawned for good effect, being careful to look sleepy. "Why'd you-" She yawned again, "wake me up?" She blinked blearily at him, letting him think that sleep was still clogging her mind. She sat up, but leaned back against the wall by the bed, yawning again.
Trunks shook his head. "Okay, we need to finish the questioning. It won't take too long, I promise." His voice carried a note of reassurance in it, and Katt almost laughed out loud. This guy was 'too' gullible!
Katt looked at him sleepily and blinked. "Why don't we just go to see my master...I really don't know why he wanted infor-information." She yawned yet again at the word 'information'. "You people have spaceships don't you?"
Trunks blinked. Obviously the thought had never occured to him. "Well I...yeah we have spaceships...but...ah, I'll really have to talk it over with my dad..." He started to rise.
Katt suppressed the urge to laugh again. This kid had just told her that they had spaceships! That had been one of the things she had been supposed to figure out, just in case one of them tried to escape. She glanced quickly down at the bracelet that suppressed her power. 'Much good I'll be in a fight against them now...' Aloud, she called to Trunks. "I'm...sorry. I really shouldn't have..." She blushed, though on the inside she was smirking.
Trunks seemed to be calmed down by this this gesture somewhat. "Hey...it's okay...I'm just...well...anyway, I'd best go discuss this with my father." With that, he walked from the room, again locking the door behind him. If nothing else, he was thorough.
Katt sighed, any pretense of sleepyness cast aside. She really hadn't been lying about the nightmare...'Sometimes...I wish I didn't...' "Argh!" She clutched her head as it suddenly exploded with pain, making her roll off the bed. She could hear someone scream, although it seemed far off to her as the lines of everything seemed to blur, and darkness once again covered her vision.
~
Katt groaned as conciousness returned. Her head hurt like a spacepod had landed on it. For a moment she considered this as a possibility, then dismissed it as unreasonable.
She was lying on a rather hard surface, and an annoying light kept on shining on her eyelids, probably what had woken her. She could hear voices in the background, although she couldn't make out what they were saying. Opening her eyes, she winced against the sudden light, which was suprisingly quickly removed.
"She's awake..." was the first thing she managed to make out of the assorted mutterings.
Before she could even get her bearing, a hand shot out and, grasping her collar, roughly pulled her into a sitting position. Vegeta's face was the first thing to greet her, obviously angry, as the waves of dizziness this movement brought on subsided. "Awake yet? Good. Now, what happened?" He demanded, glaring at her like she had just caused the universe to end.
She was confused at first by this question, but a shake from Vegeta returned her memories, and the dizziness, very quickly. "M-my head...it felt like it was being crushed..." She admitted, too tired to resist such fierce questioning.
Vegeta's scowl deepened. "Girl! It was your scream we heard!"
Katt felt she should have been embarressed by this, but that tiredness was still clinging to her. Therefore she just shrugged. "I didn't know."
Vegeta closed his eyes angrily, presumably trying not to hurt her in any way. Not like she cared, she was a prisoner anyway. "Okay, Trunks mentioned something about going to see this 'master' of your's. How long would the trip take?"
Katt started working it out in her head. "About two weeks with average technology..."
The man in front of her grunted, but turned away, presumably to think it over. After a while, he turned back to her. "Fine. We'll leave tomorrow. The coordinates?"
Katt was about to collapse from exaustion, but still managed to rattle out the coordinates that her master had given her to rendevous at once she had completed her mission. She wondered belatedly as her vision blurred why she was being so cooporative, but shrugged the question off, figuring she was just tired. She did remember laying back down, but that was all.
~
Goku looked angrily at the Saiyan prince. "Vegeta! That wasn't right! You took advantage of her after you stuck her wi-" His voice started to tremble, "with that needle and whatever was in it!"
Vegeta turned his scowl at Goku. "That was the whole point of injecting her with truth serum, you dolt! Unfortunately, Onna was right, and it put her back to sleep before we could really do any serious questioning."
Bulma decided to intervene at this point. "Goku's right, Vegeta! We could have just got that information by asking her without the truth serum!" She looked angry that her serum had been used for an interrogation, though Vegeta could only guess at what she had thought it 'had' been used for.
Goku nodded his head empatheticly at this. "Yeah! The truth thingy! We didn't have to use it! Besides..." He got a childish, pouty look on his face. "needles scare me..."
Vegeta had had enough. "I DON'T CARE! HOW WERE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT SHE WOULDN'T GIVE US COORDINATES STRAIT INTO A BLACK HOLE?!"
"WE COULD HAVE CHECKED MY DAD'S STAR CHARTS YOU DOLT!" Bulma screeched back.
Vegeta's face contorted in contempt. "If you actually think that old geizer has all the stars and star systems charted..."
Bulma went red, this time with embaressment. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out.
A smirk crept onto Vegeta's face as he walked from the room. "I thought so. Have one of the bigger ships ready to go by tomorrow. Kakarott, invite who you will." Vegeta walked out, his spirits definately improved now that he had something to actually 'do'.
Goku followed him out, his eyes sparkling. "You mean...I get to go on a space trip?" He said this the way you would expect a puppy to act when it's been told it's going on a car trip.
A bored look crossed Vegeta's face. "Of course you baka! You're the so-called 'hero' after all!"
Goku jumped up and down with joy, dashing past Vegeta to tell everyone the good news and invite those who he figured should be brought along.
Vegeta's eye twitched. "If he even thinks about inviting that old fart that lives on that island....I will NOT put up with that...that OLD LECHER FOR TWO WEEKS STRAIT!!!" His voice carried down the hallways, anger carried in every word at even the thought of it. He shuddered. "At least I won't have to worry about 'that'...."
~
The next day found Vegeta and Goku standing outside one of Bulma's large spaceships, screaming at eachother. Well, at least Vegeta was screaming. "KAKAROTT! WE ARE NOT BRINGING THAT OLD FART ALONG ON THIS TRIP!!!"
Goku pouted. "But Vegeetaaa....he was my old martial arts master!"
"I DON'T CARE! I'M NOT BEING STUCK ON A SPACESHIP WITH THAT ANCIENT LECHEROUS HERMIT FOR WEEKS!!!" The vein on Vegeta's head was throbbing as he yelled.
"...but..." Goku twidled his fingers, trying to think of a reason for his mentor to come.
"NO BUTS!" Vegeta screamed in his face, obviously annoyed with the ongoing arguement.
Master Roshi thought that a good time to add his own comment. "Eh heh heh...."
Vegeta, who only took a second to understand what the old pervert was laughing about, got even angrier than before, if that was possible. "THE ANSWER IS NOO!" With this, he turned and grabbed Roshi, launching him into the air where he sailed far into the distance. "THERE! END OF DISCUSSION!!!" Vegeta stomped off towards the ship, leaving a still-pouting Goku behind. "Stupid...baka....ingrate...."
~
Sitting in the forward command chair, Vegeta smirked triumphantly. He was in charge of this expedition, and no one was going to take the job from him. Looking over his should, his eyes scanned over the others who were going to accompany him on this voyage. Earth was getting too boring anyway.
Trunks had a look of determination on his face, ready to take on whatever challenges may be lying ahead. Goku was fidgiting, looking all around like a small child. Vegeta snorted at his behavior.
Also to be accompanying him was Gohan, whom Goku had somehow managed to drag away from his books. Of course, the fact that the baka's son had been blown through a wall might have had something to do with him coming along. The prisoner, Katt, had been stored below in one of the two cells that the larger than average ship boasted.
Vegeta ran his hand over the control panel, glad that he had been given a real ship for once. Not only did it have the gravity room in which to train, but also a kitchen and bunkroom that was, if small, at least not cramped. The ship also sported a much faster engine than the last one he had ridden in, and even included a storage compartment with ajoining cells. Technically, the cells had been made for storing dangerous creatures, but to Vegeta, the prisoner didn't make much of a distinction.
Tapping a few quick keys, the hum of engines was heard in the background as they powered up. Opening a comm channel to the control room where Bulma sat waiting, Vegeta nodded at her. "We're ready to go woman. Don't bother with the countdown." He smirked, cutting the comm channel, then punched the button for lift off.
The ship rumbling as the engines engaged, it was only a few seconds before the sky started rushing up to meet them. With a triumphant yell from Trunks in the background, the ship plowed through the atmosphere into space, the thousands of stars winking at them as they slowly became visible through the thinning air.
Behind Vegeta, Trunks gave a whoop of excitement. "WE'RE FINALLY GOING! YEAH!"
Vegeta's eye twitched.
(A/N: ^_^; Sorry I've been so long in getting this out! School has been...um...hfil? Anyway! Sorry I've made all you all wait this long! I really am! But my own novel and school have been eating up my time like...SOMETHING RAVENOUS! ...so...um...yeah. Well, I hope you liked it! This marks the end of Part 1: Gathering Storms. It will stay the same story. I'm not going to make a separate story for every part...it gets confusing. So, HOPEFULLY the next chapter will be out within a week or so. Please, please review, as it WILL make me get this out faster...has to do with those responsibility issues, ya know? Well, anyway, thank you for reading! _...._....*Whisper* ....it's the blue button!)