The New Age Empire v2: Book 2

I've figured the time and date thing out. For all of those curious the date is now Sunday, December 18th. 246 days since the Kamoku-jin released their disease upon Chikyuu on April 15th. Took me three hours. Anyway, I'll add the date to each chapter for now on just for the interested.

~Chapter 13: Goten's New Friend~

Everyone was still asleep when Goku made it back to the ship. It was several hours after the execution and Goku needed to do something to keep his mind from things. Making his way to the bridge, he took a seat in Vegeta's chair and sighed deeply.

"What's wrong Goku? By my data you are not usually melancholy."

"Everything." He sighed once more before looking to where he thought Don was located. "What does your data say about Vegeta?"

"Arrogant prince of a deceased race. Wishes to be stronger than you and will never stop trying. Hard to please and even harder to get along with."

Goku laughed. "That's him alright. But seriously, I saw a side of Vegeta both yesterday and today that I never thought I would see again. He inflicted pain onto someone yesterday and took great pleasure in doing so. Today he got to execute her."

"What did this woman do? He must have had a good reason for such behavior."

"She abducted his youngest yesterday. A crime committed against the royal family is punishable by death. But I wish he had just found another way to punish that woman. No one should have to die for anything."

"All living things die for many different reasons, Goku. You should know that. What if Vegeta hadn't killed the woman? What do you think would have happened then?"

His face scrunched up as he thought. "I have no idea. Maybe things would have gone back to normal and she would have known not to ever do it again. Who knows?"

"Vegeta-oui had to show everyone that certain things just were not acceptable. How many people do you think will repeat this crime after seeing what will happen when they get caught?"

"When you explain it that way..." he trailed off. "I know he told a few media people to be there, outside of the gates. They had to have told the entire world the story by now. But Jakina will have it hard in school. I think maybe she and Bra should be homeschooled. It's definitely too dangerous for them to go to regular old public school."

"What about your granddaughter, Goku? Wouldn't she miss Jakina at school?"

"Well I see it like this: most people don't know that Pan-chan's best-friends with both her and Bra so she wouldn't be in any danger. Gohan and Videl can just leave her in the school she already attends."

"What are you guys talking about?" Goten yawned as he took his seat. "What's wrong with Pan?"

"Pan's fine, Goten. It's Jakina I'm worried about. Yesterday she had been sort of kidnapped from the mall."

Goten's eyes widened as far as they would go. "NANI?! Is she okay?"

He nodded. "She's fine. She beat escaped basically unharmed. Her kidnapper's execution was early morning. I had to watch Vegeta torture her for information yesterday afternoon."

"What did he do to that woman?"

Goku shuddered at the memory even has his soul embraced it. "You don't want to know. Believe me."

Goten was about to question him future but was interrupted by the arrival of Vegeta Jr. "Don, how much longer to that planet?"

"Good morning Vegeta. Did you sleep well?"

He stretched gracefully, much like a cat. "Sure did. About the distance?"

"We are approximately half a light-year from the nearest planet that is free from Ankan's control. ETA is about twenty minutes."

"Sugoi!" Goten shouted. "I don't have to be on this boring ship anymore!"

Both Goku and Vegeta laughed. "We're only going to be down there a few hours at the most," the latter said. "That's barely enough time to stretch your legs. We need to find those magical holding containers, get ourselves to Agalar, and get back home. It's almost Christmas for Kami's sake!"

"Christmas..." Goten sighed as he remembered all of the presents he got over the years. A lot of clothes and school books from his mother, something really cool from Gohan and his father, and the best things always came from Trunks. Of course he gave him a lot of good presents as well. Best-friends were just like that. "Do you think we can do all of this in seven days?"

Vegeta shook his head. "I seriously doubt it."

"Good," Kallen looked out a nearby window and shook her head at all of the stars, "whatever all! Everyone sleep well?"

Vegeta and Goten nodded while Goku sighed as he remembered what his dreams were filled with. He didn't have any nightmares, exactly, but images that would make the Vegeta of thirty years ago jump for joy. They disturbed him. Everyone noticed that Goku wasn't his usually jovial self and of course someone asked him about it.

"Tousan, what else happened back on Chikyuu?" Goten questioned. "Was it the execution?"

"Execution? *What* execution?" Vegeta asked. "Anyone I know?"

"*I* didn't even know her name," Goku said quietly. "But I still felt for her from the point I got her from that warehouse after Jakina beat her up. I knew Vegeta was going to do something that I considered rash but there was nothing I could do to stop it."

"Hold on!" Vegeta exclaimed. "Back on up to the beginning. What the hell happened back on Chikyuu?"

"Your sister was kidnapped from the mall but didn't nothing happen to her. I had to watch Vegeta torture the woman who did it for information and stand by as he beheaded her at the public execution this morning. Neither event qualified for the most horrible thing I had seen in my lifetime but that isn't why I keep thinking about it."

Kallen nodded with understanding. "You worry about enjoying it. Your mind says that you shouldn't but your heart and soul do anyway. I don't think there is much you can do about that. Did you speak with Vegeta?"

"Hai," Goku bit his lip slightly. "He told me that the violence was a part of who I am no matter where I grew up. It all falls back on being completely saiyan. I would think that people with less than full saiyan blood wouldn't be affected as much as Vegeta and I are. I had thought before that if you spent your childhood in a happy and pleasant place that you would also grow up to be happy and pleasant. But it doesn't apply to saiyans. It's like the fighting and bloodlust are in my genetic makeup and no matter what I do I will always have murderous urges." He sighed deeply yet another time. "It's not fair."

"That sure was a lot from you, Tousan. But I slightly feel that way but I'm sure Vegeta and Trunks feel it more. I know that I love to fight and when I successfully defeat someone I feel elated." He shrugged. "I've leaned to just deal with it."

"That almost exactly what Vegeta said!" Goku exclaimed. "So what you're saying is that it's a part of me and I should learn to accept it because it helps to define who I am?"

Goten blinked. "Is that what I said?"

Laughing, Kallen answer him. "Yes, that's what you said. I personally think it's a wonderful idea. You can't choose who you are but you can control what you do. If you don't want to act on the violent side of yourself, then don't! That's what your will is for."

Everyone fell silent to think about what she said until Vegeta broke it with a very off-topic question. "So, what is everyone buying me for Christmas?"

"Christmas?" Kallen asked. "What is that?"

Deciding to fill the remaining fifteen mintues with an explanation, Vegeta began. "Many people celebrate it for different reasons but the Christians believe..."

***

"For the last time iie Goten!" Vegeta shrieked. "We will not spend Kallen's good money on something so idiotic!"

"But it's so cute!" Goten was whining like a two-year-old as he pressed his face against the glass display case of a shop that sold various pets.

"Goten, you don't even have any idea what it is." Goku pointed out. "Besides, I doubt Vegeta would let you keep a pet."

"It's looking at me with those big, sad eyes," Goten said. "Like it wants me to take it home."

'It' was a gray puff ball that resembled a dust mote. The creature had huge blue eyes that caught attention when people passed by, a long gray tail with a ball at the end, and it floated in mid-air. Because it had no visible ears, mouth, nose, or legs it looked just like dust-covered basketball. Goten made chibi eyes at Kallen until she sighed and led them all into the store.

"Consider it my Christmas present, Goten. I know it'll make you happy, whatever it is."

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" He gave her a great hug. "I love you!"

"Can I help you?" The man behind the counter asked them.

"How much is that puff ball in the window?"

"Arf! Arf!" Vegeta joked and Goten and Goku just broke up. Neither Kallen nor the store clerk got it.

"Are you interested in the little Keekle baby?" He smiled. "A very good choice. We take several major intergalactic debit cards and several different curriencies."

"What does the keekle eat? Won't we have to buy special food for it?" Vegeta asked.

"Oh not at all! Keekles eat something that everyone has. It's like a living vacuum. It eats dust! Many people enjoy having one to keep their house clean. They're very neat pets. Once the dust goes in there is no waste so you never have to clean up after them. They enjoy music and just bonding with their owners. You know, I like you guys so I'm going to give you my very last keekle for half the original price!"

"Go on Kallen," Goten nudged her with a happy expression. It was all he could do to keep himself from jumping up and down in place. "Pay the man."

She sighed and pulled out her wallet. "How much?"

"Only three-thousand units!"

The three saiyan's mouths all dropped open but Kallen still handed him her debit card. "Realx guys!" she laughed. "That's only about thirty American dollars. My bank account has a lot of money that I had no idea what to do with anyway. Making someone happy with it is the least I can do."

Goten, eyes shining with emotion, held her hands in his. "Can I marry you?"

"I think I'm a bit too old for you..." she shook her head. "Sorry but no."

The store clerk lifted the keekle from the cage it was in and handed it to its proud new owner.

"What gender is my keekle?" Goten asked as he petted it. Its head was surprisingly soft like silk.

"They're asexual so I guess any one you want."

"It's a he then. I'll call him..." he trailed off in thought. "Bob!"

"Bob?!" Everyone repeated in surprise.

"Yeah! Isn't that a nice name?"

Vegeta reached out his hand to pet Bob. "Yeah nice." The keekle opened it's formally hidden mouth wide and sucked his entire hand in. "What is it doing to me?!"

"That's how a keekle eats," the store clerk explained. "They suck in dust."

Vegeta yanked his hand out of Bob's mouth. "It's not supposed to be trying to eat *me*!"

"Maybe he doesn't like you," Goku said.

"I don't blame Bob," Goten's keekle floated up to his cheek and nuzzled him. "He must be able to sense that you're evil."

Frowning at the little keekle, he crossed his arms across his chest. "It doesn't matter. Papa won't let you keep him."

"I'll speak to him if he says no," Goku said. "It won't hurt to talk to him about it."

They left the shop and continued to walk down the street with Bob darting around their heads. As they came to the city square they saw Taura and Jas sitting on a bench in front of a large fountain. Both looked exhausted but Taura was smiling.

"Hi guys! Who's the little one with you?"

"This is my new pet, Bob." Goten said proudly. "Go ahead and greet them, Bob." Vegeta half-expected him to try to suck in his hand too but nothing happened. He even greeted Jas with affection. The big man's face broke out into a smile and patted Bob gently on his head.

"That is extremely odd," Kallen commented. "Nothing happened to Jas."

"We should get going," Jas said suddenly. Vegeta had been the only one besides Taura to ever hear him speak so the rest were shocked beyond belief. To answer them he said, "Yes I can talk. I just choose not to."

"We're off then. I loaded up everything in the ship before he walked the city," Vegeta told them. "What about you guys?"

"We're having ours delieved to the docking bay. I was wondering, Kallen, if you could shrink my ship down so that we could travel with you guys. It doesn't make much sense to use two seperate ships."

"There's a spell I have to cast on it, Taura, so that it will be able to do that. It'll take me about twenty minutes from start to finish. I'm not the best mage out there so hopefully it'll work the first time."

"How long did it take you to do your ship?"

She blushed slightly. "Three hours but that was my first time. I've gotten better since then."

"Sure then. We'll meet you back at the ship. In the meantime, we can find something to do. Are there any museums or something?" Vegeta asked her.

"Plenty of them. Actually anything you see on the street might interest you. I don't know just how different your culture is exactly but I saw Goten 'oohing' and 'ahhing' at just about everything he saw."

"He's Goten," Vegeta said with a grin. "With a brain that small it doesn't take much to fascinate him."

"Bob, sic him!" Goten commanded. The little keekle enthusiastically sucked up Vegeta's hand again right to his wrist. He shook his arm to dislodge him but the little creature refused to let go. Shrugging, he let him stay. His hand was sort of like a keekle pacifier.

"You know Goten," he began with as much sarcasm as he could muster, "you're *real* funny."

He smiled at him with false innocence. "I know."

"You two just crack me up," she laughed. "I'll be seeing you later, hopefully with a perfectly magicked ship." She walked off down the street to the docking bay.

"Don't damage it!" Taura shouted after her. "It cost me tons of money and I'm still making payments on it!"

"I won't!"

***

It took less time than they expected; only fifteen minutes. Kallen found them wandering around the historical district gazing at the early architecture. She panted as she approached them and had a frown on her face.

"I ran all the way here! There's a *huge* problem!"

"Nani? Is it my ship?" Taura wrung his hands as he contemplated all of the things that could have happened to it. None were very desirable.

She shook her head. "Worse. *Way* worse!" She took a deep breath. "Someone took off with the ring."

"*THE* ring?" Goten asked her. "The ring we need to find Agalar?! Someone stole it?!"

"Yes. After I finished with the Taura's ship I went into yours to wash my hands. For some reason I get the urge to do that after magic. Anyway, I noticed the door to your room was slightly ajar so I peeked in and found it completely wrecked."

"How did you know that someone else did it?" Goku asked. "He's naturally messy."

"It's the way everything was throne around. Drawers were pulled out, their contents dumped onto the floor. I checked Goten's room and it was in the same state. Someone took the Ring of Agalar!"

"Calm down, minna." Vegeta said calmly. "Everything's fine."

"Explain this to us," Kallen demanded. "How is everything fine exactly?"

"The map's in the computer. I did it a long time ago just in case something happened to the ring. The map is projected onto the wall and I had Don record everything that was displayed." He raised an eyebrow. "Besides who do you think took it?"

"Of course it was Ankan or one of his henchmen," Kallen's frown deepened even further. "They were the only ones who knew about it."

"But they don't know about the magical holding containers." Goten said happily. "I hope they travel all the way to Agalar and end up dying."

"We all do, Goten." Kallen said as she led the group back to the docks. "We all do."

 

How many people are wondering about Vegeta's government and his army? ::counts hands:: Well I can't tell you much about it now but it's very important for Vegeta Jr. and Goten to get back to Chikyuu first. It involves the magical water of Agalar. Probably won't be any lengthy details until book three. Hai, I said book three. Surprised?