CHAPTER SEVEN: Aftershocks

Radditz faultered as he stood. The landing area was cleared, except for a few patrol officers, and the one who was poking him. He glared at the officer and strode off into the palace with a slight limp, hoping he was still entered in the system as a palace worker. -___ Kijah stood by Bulma, watching and waiting in silence. They were the only two allowed in the room with the king while he woke from his 'coma'. Bulma barely had a recollection of what had happened, and after Kijah told her during the rush on the way in, she ordered the rest of her guard to inform the geneticists that she wanted a full report on what had just happened. She told Kijah not to talk to her about it until after her husband had awoken.

Kijah watched the woman's eyes and wondered how she had survived all of this in one day. Only hours ago, her son, the heir to Vejitaseii had been put in the tank. Shortly after, her life was almost taken and her mate reached a level that no Saiyan, and obviouly no alien had ever heard of. Kijah had never seen her so quiet in her life as she sat by the king's bed, her hand resting on his in replacement of her non-existent tail

Vegeta stirred and Bulma glanced at Kijah, who nodded. She knew he would have a fit if he knew his guards had seen him in such a weakened position.

Kijah turned and walked out, making sure the queen had the room guarded. She trotted down the hall towards Chatsu's quarters, feeling his nervousness about what had happened. Or was it hers?

Chatsu met her halfway and sighed as he leaned in to take a deep breath of her scent, quickly nipping exposed skin of her neck before looking her in the eye professionally. "We have orders from the King's second lieutenant to check our messages." He said, letting his light brown eyes glance around quickly before returning them to her. "He said that we could either be ordered on guard or to the main hall for a meeting."

"A meeting without the King?" she asked as they began to walk to her quarters.

Chatsu nodded, letting his tail free to lay behind him, brushing her calves. "They need to discuss the findings about what they think happened, and the plans for the "tournament" this Frieza guy wants." He shrugged.

Kijah nodded and they walked in silence for a second before Chatsu spoke again.

"Oh, and he said that if we don't have orders to meet or guard, we are free to attend to our off palace families who probably detected or have heard about the incident."

Kijah nodded again as they entered her room. "You checked yours?" she asked, sitting down at her terminal and clicking the receive button.

Chatsu nodded "My father wants me to come down, but they have me on the planning team."

Kijah thought for a second that even with their expectant child, she still had yet to meet the family that raised Chatsu, and to bring him to see her family. Her brows furrowed for a second.

"We'll get to that after all of this commotion calms a little." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

The screen flicked on the first of two messages that had been left. The first was her mother.

"Kijah, please do me the honor of visiting to tell me what exactly just happened! I don't feel like putting up with your brother's endless whining." She said simply and snorted as the screen went blank.

Kijah smirked "She has to ask.. because I'm a higher guard!" Chatsu had seen a few of these realizations over the past few months. Kijah had taken awhile to adapt to being a high ranked guard, and was obviously still getting used to it. She kept the grin on her face as Liena showed up for the next message.

"Hey Kij, I got research duty, and Ka-chan got planning, so we're both being called. I promise I'll tell you everything I come up with! I think I already know what it is anyway" her face contorted as she began to think, but quickly jolted up "Ok well meet me tonight at the training hall... in section d ok? Ja ne Ki-chan! " She grinned and saluted. Something had made her that excited?

Kijah's eyebrows lowered as she thought. Something was definitely going on. She looked up at Chatsu. "Ok. I'm going to go consult the queen, and then go visit my mother " she sighed. "When do your duties start?"

He smirked "5 minutes ago"

Kijah punched him in the thigh. "GO! But meet me in section d tonight. I'm sure Kakarott will be with you, and he'll want to see Liena." She said, standing up and brushing off her guard armor. She still had too much pride to admit she'd miss seeing him.

Chatsu licked his lips and gazed at her. "Tell your Okaa-san I said hello, and don't be surprised if she's angry with you." He turned to walk out her door.

"Why!?" she asked

"Well, that brat's growing, and she'll definitely notice." He said turning outside the opened door. "And she'll definitely be mad since you failed to inform her of your taking a mate and conceiving the heir to your family" he winked, saluted, and was gone. Happy with the last sight of Kijah's surprised and suddenly worried face.

"Kuso." She muttered and grabbed her teleport card and maternity bracelet that she so rarely wore.

Radditz growled audibly as he passed some of the palace warriors who gave him odd looks. Some recognised him from the ordeal, but most just saw him as a frazzled intruder. Especially since he lacked the palace armor that most everyone wore.

He sneered and glanced around at the halls and tried to remember where the King's meeting room was. He knew he had lost his quarters to some guard since his absence, and he hoped the king would even give him time to speak.

Holding the more severely injured of his two arms, Radditz stepped into the open doorway of the room and snorted. A few workers sat at the transmission desks typing away. He cleared his throat

"Where is the king?" he said simply.

The two workers looked at each other before they turned to him, both looking at him as if he had just sprouted another head. "He's in the infirmary. Don't you know what happened?" One spoke.

The other glared at him "Wait wait.. who are you? and how did you get into the palace? "

Radditz curled a lip slightly at the inquiring worker. "I am one of the Kings elite off-world guards. I've just returned from being captured...I was the one who was nearly killed for sport out there."

He turned to the other "And as for knowledge of whatever just happened, I was out cold before I hit the ground. That alien has far greater power than you could ever imagine. I suggest you lead me to the king so that I can relay important information about a possible enemy to him"

The workers looked at each other once, and to Radditz' dismay, faced their machines again.

They spoke with their backs to him."Well wait here, there's a meeting that will be beginning shortly. I suggest you keep your mouth shut though. The assigned guards will all be dressed formally, and won't tolerate someone who looks the way you do."

The other one spoke before Radditz could even think of blasting them. "The king will be out of the infirmary shortly to lead the meeting. You can see him then."

Radditz made a fist, and flinched in pain as he sat in a chair with his back to the opposing workers. His tail had just about lost it's prickle before the palace guards began filing in, each giving him a stare that made his anger grow.

He thought for a second that he may have been better off with Frieza and his colorful little pets.

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"I want you to go back to earth"

Bulma nearly cracked up laughing before she realised he was serious. She turned to her husband, who was slowly pulling on his royal armor. "You're more than a baka if you think I'm just going to bolt out of here at the first sign of danger Vegeta. Our son has yet to come out of that damned tank and I REFUSE to make myself look like even more of a coward in front of the planet."

Vegeta stared ahead solemnly, slowly regaining his posture. "We need to prepare for war, and I don't even know where to start. We aren't a race that was meant to defend our planet! We are an attack force!" he sat once again, a soft growl emitting from his throat as he breathed.

Bulma watched him. He must have so many things going through his mind. Especially to change the subject so quickly. "Vegeta, how do you think I dealt with the armies back on earth? Now I might be an ant compared to these people, but I can help develop some ideas! I'd like to think that my being Queen has more to it than throwing parties and looking pretty!"

He finally let his gaze settle on her. His tail waved wildly behind him, but his face was stone. He still couldn't put his thoughts together. She decided to keep going.

"I told the geneticists to look into what happened to you, and your lieutenant took it upon himself to call a meeting about the problem tonight." Bulma tried to convince herself that she could stop an actual war from even happening.

"We're going to find out what happened to you before we start with a war. Whatever you did scared the hell out of that guy. Kijah said he dropped me right on the spot and took off!" she said, folding her arms.

Vegeta sat for a second more observing her. He finally put two and two together and stood quickly. "When does this meeting start?"

Bulma looked out the window. "Pretty much now, but they are waiting for you"

Vegeta scowled and his eyes flashed. "Kuso! Woman why didn't you tell me earlier!" he hissed slightly before bolting to the door. Just before he passed through the exit, he stopped in front of her, looking into her eyes for a split second.

Bulma watched as he turned and walked out. She flinched slightly as his tail slid across her waist, and followed him, wrapping around his waist as he walked down the hall.

"Go to the heir, make sure he is alright, and meet me in our quarters in an hour." he said without turning around.

Bulma sighed and looked out the window. Deep down she knew war was unavoidable.

She decided to stop worrying for now, going to check on Trunks, and then contacting her father. Maybe he could find something on what had happened to Vegeta.

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She gazed at the horizon as she flew steadily over the village. Kijah had decided to fly rather than teleport, which gave her time to get over a 'casual' meeting with her mother. It was much tougher to get back to the palace using that technique anyway.

The sunset was gorgeous, which was another reason she decided to fly. A well lit sunset was rare. The planet's atmosphere was generally dusty, and the sun filtered through into an orange-ish hue rather than a straight forward glowing ball. She let the wind whip her hair around and took in the fresh air while she could.

Although her and Chatsu had been on small outings over the past few months, it was rare that she got out of the palace.

She saw the protective dome over the palace approaching and slowly lowered her altitude. As she entered the clear dome, she felt the gravity release and floated slowly to the ground, taking the stairway nearest to the landing field to the main doorway.

Kijah glanced one last time out to the sunset, placing a hand over her abdomen. She nodded to the guard (who cast her eyes down to at the sight of red in her armor) and walked in, preparing herself for any news that may come from this meeting.

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