CALL OF THE REBEL
CHAPTER ONE:

 

Ha’ji Vegeta stared blankly out of the large ornate windows, idly listening to the noises that the wa’zuai made in the lower courtyards.

 

~ Honestly, Nappa should take his men and train them someplace else. The noise is killing me. ~

 

That wasn’t the only thing killing the king of Vegetasei. His health was fading fast and the uprisings from the East weren’t helping matters either. To top it all, Frieza and his band of planet purgers were threatening to take over his own planet really soon. Running frustrated fingers through his hair, he walked away from the window and shuffled slowly back to his chair. Sinking into the plush velvet seat, he rested his head in his hands and pondered on what he was to do now. According to his private secretary, the Lords of the three quadrants, of course excepting the Eastern Lord, were in the main chambers awaiting his presence. He did not want to listen to their complaints any more. The Ba’an were beginning to slip into their territories and were now raiding their towns and villages.

 

~ Those ka’tai Ba’an! Why do they cause so much trouble? ~

 

Breaking into a series of lung-wrenching coughs, he barely heard the door to his chambers open or the sound of his trusted adviser walk into the room. Kazak had been with the King since his days as a young prince and so he was not just a secretary, but also a good friend. He knew of the king’s life-threatening illness and he was wise enough to know that the Ha’j did not need him to be a constant reminder about it. Waiting patiently for the coughs to stop, he finally announced softly.

 

“My Liege, the Lords await your honorable presence.”

 

“Hn.” The king replied non-commitally, nodding and barely registering any surprise at the silent presence of the other man. “Where is the ha’ji?” he asked.

 

“He is in the training room, my liege. Do you wish to send for him?”

 

“Please. I think I could use his help in dealing with those l’aruni in there.”

 

“Yes, my liege.”

 

Vegeta waited for the noise of the door closing before sighing wearily.

 

~ Ah…Vegeta, nu sa’un. What is to become of you, when I leave? You have the heart and mind of a warrior, but yet I wonder if it will be enough. Gradun says you are becoming too soft. I fear for you, my child, for the Vegetasei out there will not be as forgiving as you want them to be. ~

 

And so donning on his official purple robes, Ha’j Vegeta stepped out to meet his disgruntled subjects.

 

-*-*-*-*-

 

“HAAAIIIIIYYYYAAAAAA!!!!”

 

The wa’zua watched in stunned disbelief as another member of his team flew out of the room. It was his turn next and he wasn’t sure he wanted to go in to face…

 

“Who the hell is next?” The voice of the Ha’ji bellowed from within the training rooms. “Don’t make me come out there and get you myself!!”

 

“A…Ahi, nu ha’ji. I am next.” The poor Saiyan said shakily as he walked into the room.

 

The prince was drenched in sweat and the tight body suit did little to hide the pure animalistic magnetism of the well-muscled body. He had been in here for hours and yet he had refused to leave. After working out with Gradun, who happened to be his sparring partner, he had wanted more of a challenge, and so he had sent for all the teams of the elite squad to square off with him. Problem was, no one wanted to challenge the over zealous prince. Many had watched in awe and dumbstruck horror as Vegeta had handily dealt with even the toughest of them, all in rapid time, and many had quit in fear. At this point, Vegeta had become increasing irritated at all the pathetic excuses he was getting.

 

Raising an eyebrow at the quaking wa’zua in front of him, Vegeta smirked and then said suddenly,

“BOO!”

 

“AAAAHHHHH!!!” The soldier screamed, falling to the ground and covering his head, as he began begging feverishly. “Don’t kill me! Please don’t kill me! I have a mate and children and I wish to see them grow…”

 

“Tak’na n’hi …” Vegeta mumbled in disbelief. And these were the fighters that were to oppose Frieza?

 

“Get up, you fool!! I am not doing anything to you…yet!!”

 

“A thousand apologies, my lord…” the soldier said weakly, as he stumbled up to his feet.

 

“Just shut up already and get into your defensive position…unless that display just now, was your defensive position…”

 

“No…my lord…I…”

 

A sudden loud beep on the intercom caused the prince to frown at the interruption. Stalking over to the device, he pressed the button and glared into the screen, already beginning to admonish whoever was about to disturb his training.

 

“I thought I told everyone to leave me alone for the next two hours!! Is that so hard for you all to understand?!! I will have to…oh, it’s you Kazak.” He finished softly, realizing his mistake. “What is it?”

 

“Your father seeks your presence in the main chambers, nu ha’ji .” Kazak said quietly.

 

“What is it now? The three complaining Lords again?” Vegeta asked, snatching a nearby towel and running it down his body.

 

“Ahi, nu ha’ji .”

 

Sighing in resignation, Vegeta began shutting down the lights in the large dome-shaped room, “Fine, Kazak. Tell my father that I will be there shortly.”

 

“Yes, my lord.”

 

Vegeta waited for the intercom to turn off and glaring at the still waiting warrior, he signaled for him to leave. Sighing in gratitude, the soldier left quickly, shutting the door silently behind him. Vegeta eventually sank to the floor in exhaustion and in a whirl of tormented thoughts.

 

His father was getting weaker and weaker each day and the uprising in the East was gaining momentum with every passing hour. The armies that had been sent there to quell the fires were either killed or sent back with enough bruises to render them dead. The Ba’an were turning out to be much tougher than they had expected, and Vegeta was not really sure on what to do anymore. The final option they were now looking into was too extreme in his opinion. His father and several other advisors had suggested that the Eastern quadrant be completely obliterated. They had the firepower to do so and that would have solved all their problems, but Vegeta knew that he couldn’t do that because of…because of…

 

~ Kakkarrot…~

 

Wrapping his tail tightly around his waist, he felt his stomach curl again as the warmth flared through him. The boy was a year older by now and he had been unable to get the thought of the kin’tai away from his dreams and thoughts.

 

~ Tak’na !! He is a Ba’an . An enemy to you and a threat to your throne and all you can think about is wanting to see him again? Za’ani , Vegeta! You need your head checked. ~

 

Matters were not going to be made any easier as Radditsu was set to join the fighting forces in just a few weeks. He was sure to be a constant reminder of that amazing night with Kakkarrot and he was sure as hell not looking forward to it. His plan for now, however, was to use Radditsu as a tool, for if the Ba’an  was able to convince his fellow people about the good intentions of the King, he was sure to gather a following and probably an opposition to the rebels.

 

Getting off his feet, he made his way out of the training room to his chambers. Ahi , if all things went according to plan, there was no doubt that he would be able to destroy the Ba’an  wa’zuai  himself.

 

-*-*-*-*-

 

“They had the gull to send messages to me, saying that they would have my head roasted over a spit!! My Liege, such impudence!!”

 

“They burned down two of my villages and looted all the property they could get their hands on!!”

 

“They are worse than barbarians!! They rape all the women and some of the children and then leave them shattered and scarred for life!! They must be stopped, my Liege!”

 

Ha’j  Vegeta stared unseeingly at the three agitated Lords as they continued their rants and tirades about the evils of the Easterners. Sighing inwardly, he wondered where his son could possibly be. He had been sent for over an hour ago and yet Vegeta had not shown his face yet.

 

~ Grrr…hurry up! Before I eradicate these people. ~

 

Feeling a tug on his robe, he jerked out of his stupor and stared blankly at his trusted adviser.

 

“My Liege, the Lords asked for your opinion on the matter.” Kazak said softly, nodding towards the three waiting Saiyans.

 

The king fumbled within his scattered wits for something to say, when the deep raspy voice of his son interrupted him.

 

“I have an opinion on the matter.”

 

~ Finally! ~ “Ahi …what would that opinion be, Vegeta?” the king asked, smiling gratefully as he watched his son, resplendent in his white royal armor and black cape, strut calmly down the long aisle towards the large round table.

 

“It’s quite simple really, pa’un .” Vegeta said confidently, staring into the puzzled eyes of the three Lords.

 

“We simply work from the inside.”

 

A dumbfounded hush fell over the occupants of the room as the words sank in slowly.

 

“Uum…my Liege…I am afraid I do not understand what the ha’ji  is saying. Is he suggesting that we send someone in there as a spy?” The Western Lord finally asked, bemusement in his voice.

 

“That is exactly what I am saying, Lord Sankat.” Vegeta said, a small smirk lighting up his handsome features. “In a few weeks, a wa’zua  from the East will become a member of my elite fighting force.”

 

He raised a hand to silence the protests that were about to explode from the Lords mouths and in a firm voice he continued to outline his intentions.

 

“This wa’zua  comes from a well respected home in the East. In fact, I think some of you might even remember his father. Does the name, Bardock, ring a bell?”

 

This time all the Lords were shocked into silence. Even the King was stumped. Everyone knew who Bardock was. He had been the leader of the early uprisings and had nearly toppled the King in his earlier days in power. But for the past few years, nothing had been heard from the renegade and there had been a noticeable sigh of relief from the other territories.

 

“Bardock’s…son?” The King muttered softly. “But why?”

 

“No!! I refuse!!” The Northern Lord spoke up loudly. “What if he is a spy? How do we know that they aren’t sending him here to spy on us? He will not be a member of the elite! It is forbidden!!”

 

“Since when did you become the lawmaker of Vegetasei, Lord Kaipan?” Vegeta asked coldly. “I haven’t seen you bring up any decent sounding plans lately, so you will kindly be silent until I finish.”

 

“I apologize, nu ha’ji .” The Lord muttered quietly.

 

“Now, as I was saying. His son won the Ra’un fight and he, rightfully, is supposed to become an elite warrior. So in a few weeks, he joins us and since we have heard no opposition from Bardock, it is safe to assume that he is in approval. Once with us, we are to make sure that we give him a good impression. So, if he returns back to his people, he can convince them that we are not the enemy. He might be able to convert a few of his peers and who knows, they might end up squashing the rebels over there.”

 

The king stared at his son with admiration. ~ Hn. He might make a decent king after all. ~

 

“That is brilliant, nu sa’un!! We will carry out this plan of yours. Let us convert the son of Bardock into one of us and by this time next year, the East will be under our control again!!”

 

Vegeta smiled softly at the loud cheer that rose from the three Lords at his father’s words. Although he felt he should be happy at the reception, he still couldn’t help but feel a small twinge of fear at what the future held, if the plan failed.