Legend

Chapter warning: This is it - more action, less love!
But plenty of love triangle conflict.

Disclaimer: see Prologue

___________________________________________________________


Legend: Secrets

The death star lies ahead, a dark green blip on the radar screen. Under
any other circumstances I would be champing at the bit to start this battle.
But this morning Vejita reopened the neck wounds and sipped a little more
— he’s relishing the torture he’s putting me through. And
this new docility goes against everything I am. This is why I’ve
never mated. No Saiya-jin should be docile. Never. And now he’s demanding
that I drink, too, to finish the bonding process. It won’t be long
and I’ll be compelled to do so.

So I gaze at that blip and tremble in fear. Nashika, I hope you know what
you’re doing!


*********


(Nashika)

His wounds are fresh and he avoids my eyes this morning. Vejita is agitated,
a mixture of excitement and frustration. A pain shoots up my neck and
I realize that I’ve been clenching my teeth. Hard. I loosen a little
bit by rolling my head and shoulders, then do a few leg lunges to get
the kinks out.

“I can feel it, too,” says Yuji, one of my companion warriors,
but he’s not feeling what I’m feeling. I nod.

“I’ll be glad when we can get this started,” I say, and
he laughs, but misses my point entirely.

The engineers bring the death star onscreen. It’s huge, almost as
big as a small moon. But I have no doubt that we can take it. The prince
and the general are standing before the screen, their powerful backs to
us.

“Well, general,” Vejita says and I denote just a drop of poison
in the honey, “who shall we send to scout first? Perhaps our newest
recruits should be at the front.”

Kakarotto turns his head sharply to stare at Vejita and I see him clench
his left fist, the one away from the prince. His muscles bulge with the
intensity of it and even from where I stand I can see a vein begin to
throb in his throat.

“General!” I’m surprised to hear my own voice. “Sire.”
I step forward, thumping my fist on my breast in salute.

“Request to be lead scout on this mission.”

The two men turn to stare at me and Vejita’s scowl would be terrifying
if I hadn’t already committed myself to this. But slowly the right
side of his mouth turns up in a smirk.

“What do you think, General?” he asks.

I gaze at Kakarotto, willing him to say “yes.”

He rallies. “If Nashika wishes to be lead, then she shall be lead.”

Right answer, General!


*******


(Kakarotto)

I don’t know what she’s planning, but it’s obvious that
this is what she wants. I watch as she and Yuji leave the hatch and streak
toward the death star. Her tail waves loosely behind her, almost as if
she’s saying that this is just a romp in the park. Then I remember
her hidden power, and the fear I felt for her begins to diminish. Isn’t
it love that fueled my fear? Ah! The bond is less binding if I can still
admit to love!

She and Yuji disappear from sight within seconds and I find that I’m
smiling. But Vejita has been watching me closely, his upper lip curled
in anger and contempt.

I smile at him and let him stew over what I’m so happy about! My
blood is heating up — I can feel the coming battle! It’s
in my brain, my bones, jetting through my veins. My excitement grows by
the second!

“Sire, I’m suiting up,” I say and leave him without so
much as a salute. I can hear him growling all the way down the hall.


********


(Nashika)

The death star! A giant ship that houses enough fire power to take down
a planet and conquer a galaxy!

Yuji and I come to a stop and hover, searching ki levels. We grin at each
other. Average power levels equal a piece of cake! We let the throttle
out and transmit to the surface of the ship, Yuji going left and I, right.
We need to find the chink in the armor, the place it’s easiest to
gain entry unseen. It’s a slow process, but I find it and signal
Yuji with a flare of energy.

On inspection, we find that the spot in the hull has been battered and
worn thin by space debris and neglect. It’s thin enough to blast
through with minimum energy — we could possibly go undetected. it’s
also very near a bay. Yuji elects to stay, and I head back to the ship.


********


(Kakarotto)

I watch her slight form as she approaches the ship and my breath catches
in my throat. She’s flushed with anticipation, the excitement on
her face making her more beautiful than ever. I close my eyes and sense
her, searching, getting inside her as she enters the bay and opens the
door.

When I open my eyes, she’s standing before me.

“We found a spot!” she says, and her black eyes glitter with
the thrill of the battle to come. Her excitement is infectious as we return
to the bridge to brief the rest of the crew. I can’t take my eyes
off her.

Vejita is suited up in battle gear. He’s scowling as he watches with
folded arms. One finger is tapping on the biceps of the other arm.

“Sire,” I say, “do you think it’s wise for you to
join us? If anything should happen...”

Vejita’s arms drop to his sides with clenched fists, his mouth is
working soundlessly. I admit to the tiniest bit of joy at baiting him,
but I see that the rest of the men are stepping back, and Nashika is signaling
me with her eyes and a barely perceptible shake of her head.

Am I mad? I shrug recklessly. Adrenaline is kicking in, my blood is boiling
and somehow my body chemistry is fighting the bond. Desire fills me, clouding
my vision — desire for battle, for blood. For Nashika.

“It’s time,” I say hoarsely. “Let’s move out.”

Vejita has regained control of his emotions and leads the way to the bay,
but he glares at me as we fly into space. He pulls alongside me, arms
flat against his sides with clenched fists.

“All bets are off, Kakarotto,” he snarls. “If you think...”

“Sire, I have no doubt that you will do your damndest to see her
dead. You’re right. All bets are off.”

As I jet away leaving him to stew in his own hate, I see the shock on
his face, and I laugh.
I’m now absolutely sure I know what her secret is.


********


(Nashika)

I catch up to Kakarotto and look at him questioningly. His jet black hair
is blown flat against his head, his cheeks are flushed, a smile graces
his handsome features. When he looks at me, his eyes are burning with
dark fire, and he smiles and winks at me. Then it’s full steam ahead
as he pulls away from me and disappears.

Within seconds. I’m passed by the prince who takes a moment to glare
at me, and then I’m joined by Shinji, Koro and Torma, who look terminally
perplexed at the whole exchange. I shrug.

Yuji is sitting next to the thin spot when we arrive, paring his nails
with a knife. I almost laugh as he hastily slips the knife into his waistband
and hovers at attention.

Kakarotto inspects the spot and gives us the thumbs up. The seven of us
form a semi-circle around the hull and send out controlled fingers of
ki that slowly burn a hole until it’s large enough for me to squeeze
through. The hole leads to a corridor, and I flatten myself against the
wall, then slip into a recess, trying to orient myself. A few steps down
the corridor takes me to the bay. The controls are unfamiliar to me, but
I manage to push the right buttons, the bay slides open and shut, and
then I open the hatch to let the rest of the crew in. We’re sure
none of this has gone undetected, so the warriors enter quickly and begin
advancing to their designated areas immediately. The prince and Kakarotto
are the last to enter. Vejita slips into the hall and waits for the general,
who enters last, quickly giving my arm a squeeze. He grins and winks again.

The barbarians are at the gate!

continued....