Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z, it belongs to Toei Animation Co. Ltd and was created by Akira Toriyama. However the Oc's Bakelight, Polly, Infrared and Melmac are mine as is the plot of this fan fiction. It means no harm to the awesome anime and manga! I make no money from this! AN: This chapter will explain just how Bulma could replicate the material so quickly in the first place. Vegeta shows up in the next chapter, but he IS in space. Also I think there would be someone besides Chichi or her mom she might confide her secret in! Thanks to Heiress, ButterflyV and everyone else who's reviewed!

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In the depths of space, Vegeta piloted Capsule 4 towards a place few knew about. Frowning he struggled to chase all traces of the voice of the blue haired being who had totally affected him in ways he never though possible. Anger and resentment flared that he had let someone get so close through the chinks in his armor.

 

A bleeping light told him a planet was nearby. He had gone at least four light years from Earth in the past week or so, and already it did not feel like he was far enough away. Sighing he punched the console button with a gloved finger to answer the message alert. The subspace communicator squawked and static blurred into a hail, “Craft approaching Theleria Minor. Please identify yourself!”

 

“Identify this,” Vegeta mumbled as he jammed the radio. Anger filled him and he needed a convenient target for his anger. Ki flared in his senses and he realized the opposition was just a bunch of puny gnats.

 

A mean smile came over his face. He needed a diversion, and these insects were a Kami send. Whatever deity Vegeta believed in was known to him alone. “Great Father Oozaru, lend me your strength,” he murmured as he reached for the pendant slipped under his collar.

 

It was sapphire blue and was the last piece of whatever jewelry he had to prove his lineage. Nappa had secretly taken it and placed the pendant carved with the face of the great Father Oozaru in the Prince's ship when he returned from his first mission for Freeza. Then he had given the Prince his pendant shortly after and told him that it was given to all Princes when they had made their first kill.

 

Vegeta had kept it hidden in the armor Bulma had taken. She had not seem him remove it and keep it with him in a place only he knew. The huge sapphire in the center gleamed as brightly blue as her eyes. With a disgusted snort he shoved it under his shirt again, where it was pressed tightly to his heart by the hard armor he wore. Quickly he rushed to the airlock, and inhaled deeply. For small periods he could exist in the vacuum of space thanks to a retaining a thin ki film that was nearly invisible and would let some air stay around him. Then the blue glow diminished and Vegeta brought the ship closer to the whizzing bug like craft that suddenly zoomed around him. The spherical capsule ship had passed into the mine field of the Theleria system around what was called Barnard's star.

 

Stupid name for a red giant, Vegeta thought. Suddenly he saw the flare of ki based weapons as the first ships opened fire.

 

“Idiots, get out of my way,” Vegeta said quietly to himself. He didn't want the morons to damage the ship, and now that they had discovered him he would make them pay.

 

Raising a gloved finger he aimed a beam towards the first. The blue ki beam punched easily through the hull of the nearest. Simultaneously Vegeta lifted his other hand and diverted the beams focused on him. They zinged off in other directions, some hitting their neighbors while others faded into the infinite voice of space.

 

He cocked back his hand and hurled a ki ball. The arrangement of the ships reminded him of the bots in Capsule 3, and true to form the ball caromed off all before coming back towards him. Then it slammed back and he held up his hands to block it. Knocked around by the impact of his low ki sphere the ships whizzed back and forth in an effort to compensate.

 

He could feel the flares of ki from the five other ships that were zipping around to surround the spherical Capsule 4 craft. Vegeta backed towards his ship, raising both his hands to field the maneuverable crafts that were only one tenth the size. More beams sizzled around and one almost hit the hull of the ship.

 

“Annoying little squirts. This game bores me,” Vegeta snickered. He launched himself up from the hatch of the airlock and then spanned his arms wide. Taking in the location of each craft he generated another glowing sphere between his cupped hands. As they opened fire, he hurled it forwards into the midst of the two, then phased out and hurled a rapid succession of kiko ha to pick off the others.

 

They all exploded like fireworks, twinkling in the night. Vegeta smirked at the pathetic ships reduced to glittering space dust, then turned to get in his ship again. At the last moment he felt another ki flare and cocked his head around. Ten times more ships formed a glittering swarm that suddenly warped in between him and the planet he was approaching.

 

“Oh give me a freaking BREAK. You asked for it,” Vegeta answered. Leaping off from the ship again, he flared his ki as brightly as a new star. He pushed a booted foot against the ship to send it out of harms way, then rocketed like a comet into the thick of the fleet barreling down on him as they opened fire. Missiles exploded and detonated as beams crisscrossed in plaid patterns of light. Back and forth he dodged and deflected some beams while hurling ki blasts in every direction. Explosions rocked the immediate area of space, echoing eerily silent in the dark void. He could imagine the screams of terror from each blossom of death transported to the next dimensions.

 

When at last he hovered panting, he felt the air in his ki shell thin. Grumbling he realized he'd have to retrieve his space craft. Only two ships still remained, while a dust cloud cloaked his view of the planet he orbited lazily above. Theleria Minor was a small amber colored world in a system of only five planets. The lazy dim red star gleamed and cast him in a blood red hue, transforming his gloves to pink. The prince drifted closer, as the two ships that remained trained their guns on him. He could now see the insectiod faces of the trembling pilots staring at him through their space masks in that fearful vacant look. It was one he knew all too well.

 

“You were foolish enough to challenge the Saiyan Prince. Now die like the nuisances you are,” he felt like saying.

 

One of the ships suddenly whizzed out, and then the first remained. He looked towards the planet, and guessed he must have wiped out their whole armada easily. Something felt strange about seeing that lone fighter aiming weapons and opening fire with all it had on him. Vegeta easily deflected the bolts. Then he realized that the other was sacrificing itself when he saw the hull of the tiny ship glowing red, then magenta, then yellow to white hot. Energies flared full, and then a huge death blossom exploded right before him. Vegeta threw up his gloved hands to block his view as the shockwave threw him backwards. Momentarily he was blinded by the brilliance like a supernova, and tumbled head over boots away from the gravity well of the planet.

 

When he shook off the blast, he blinked and saw his sight swarm back. Whatever air remained was now gone and he needed oxygen, regardless of how long he could hold his breath. Quickly he glanced down at the band around his left wrist that bleeped with the location of his craft. It was close, luck was with him. He used his last poisoned breath to rocket back and slip into the airlock. Closing the metal door he hit the switch and air hissed around him. Vegeta pressed himself to the hull and hit the gravity switch to Vegetasei normal. He landed on hands and knees, gulping in life giving draughts of air.

 

“Dammit. That was careless of me,” Vegeta cursed. He hadn't counted on the species instinct for preservation. Out of the corner of his eye he glimpsed the amber curve of Theleria minor and debated if he should destroy it.

 

Yet something halted him as he drew in another breath. Grumbling Vegeta opened the door to the inner ship and strode in. Wiping sweat from his brow he approached the control console and piloted the craft to get a better look at the planet below. No more ships were rising to stop him. In fact it seemed like there was little left except the twinkling lights from several cities. Should he answer or not? Sighing he tapped his fingers on the console and pressed the transmit button.

 

“Unidentified craft to planet below. If you dare try and attack me again I will utterly annihilate you!” he gritted with a mean smirk.

 

Another message bleeped and Vegeta pressed the button. “Unidentified craft, we surrender! You have proved your supremacy. We are at your mercy.”

 

“Stupid idiots,” Vegeta thought. The chirping insect dialect was similar to one of those worlds he had purged so long ago. Suddenly the victory seemed all too easy, and he saw the planet slowly orbiting as the blue oceans came into view. Seeing that strange shade of blue reminded him of something that he had pressed away long ago. He tore his eyes away with a disgusted growl and looked down at the breastplate marked with black dust which had once been the spacecraft and armada of the planet below him.

 

As the void opened to him, Vegeta cursed his weakness. It was her fault that there were cracks in his armor that she had seeped in through. Just a few months earlier he would have had no qualms using a Gallic Gun to decimate and incinerate the planet to see the star explode in glory. He would have laughed and thrown back his head in exultation of his glory and might.

 

Only a few minor scratches were visible. Suddenly he felt disgust for the weakness of the planet below. He searched his thoughts for a moment and then pressed the talk switch. “Inhabitants of Theleria Minor, listen well. You will not communicate to ANY ally of this incident. Or I WILL destroy you utterly. I will leave your system now and attack no more if you forget you even saw me. Is that clear?”

 

Tense moments of silence ticked off. Vegeta stared at the seams of his gloves and then down at the toes of his boots. Then he heard the bleeping hail. He then pressed the switch for yet another time and heard the chirping replay, “We accept your terms. Go in peace. None will know this ever happened. But will you at least give us the honor of knowing whom we faced in battle?”

 

It was enough that they had no armada and were helpless. Let them live in fear of his name, knowing terror when they heard the Prince of all Saiyans was near. At least one civilization would know the name of Vegeta and cower in his greatness. The only difference between then and now was they would be alive to tell future generations.

He cursed his weakness for sparing such a puny paltry race, but somehow the effort to blow them out of existence hardly seemed a worthy test of one who was to become the strongest and mightiest warrior in the cosmos. No, he would have to find some other way to increase his power and achieve the legendary.

 

“Fine,” he mumbled. “You have the honor of having been attacked by the Prince of all Saiyans. Consider yourself fortunate that you are too weak for me to waste my precious energy to destroy.”

 

“Good journey, your highness… now please leave us and never return,” came the tense answer. Vegeta grunted and pressed the closed link. Angrily he flopped down on the chair and strapped himself in. It was hardly worth being great if there were none to worship and fear your name; Vegeta reflected as he activated the star drive and blasted his way out of Theleria Minor's system.

 

“Damn you Bulma,” he whispered and felt the rage burn in his gut for the sudden softness. That strange sensation he felt was guilt, and he hated it. And he hated HER for making him feel something he hadn't for most of his life. He had forged his armor of hatred for so long that he felt incapable or forbade himself to feel anything but the glee of destruction. Now he had slipped and let someone live to remember.

 

“But they will remember my power. I can always destroy them later, if I change my mind,” Vegeta reminded himself. Suddenly his eyes widened and a new thought crossed his mind. He had power over life and death. Just having the ability to blow them away at any time and have them live in constant fear was another way to prove his might. Humans on earth had many weapons of mass destruction, but they ruled by never firing a shot. Just the knowledge that they could vaporize their world to a lifeless cinder around a cold lonely star kept them from oblivion.

 

Feeling better, Vegeta pushed away the thoughts and fears he was getting soft. He needed no family ties. There was no need for the Woman or that useless planet for him to grow stronger. A whole multitude of worlds spread before him like a feast, and he could instill terror in their hearts as he prepared to face the worst that Earth had to give. For once he controlled his own destiny, choosing when to mete out death instead of listening to the orders of Freiza.

 

“Yes, they should fear me. They should fear the name of Vegeta. And they will. And this will be my power. The power to kill at MY choosing and in my own time. Kakkarot you will die when I say so, like these puny gnats I spared,” Vegeta began to cackle as he rubbed his gloved hands together. He beamed with delight at the sudden feeling of power he now knew he had over the beings of Theleria Minor. It was just the start to what he would achieve when he returned and next faced Kakkarot.

 

Again Vegeta reached into his top and pulled out the pendant. He squeezed it in his gloved hand, murmuring prayers to whoever would hear. Great Father Oozaru he wished would hear. If he didn't then curse him to the Abyss. With those feelings of pride and self control he also felt a warm glow of supremacy. It eclipsed the guilt and the thoughts of the deep blue eyes of a woman he had touched in a passionate encounter. Even when he closed his eyes to sleep that next solar day he could see her face, and smirk. She would be alive to fear and know he could destroy her planet any time he pleased. None on Earth would know when Vegeta would blow it sky high. This was HIS power over Earth that was far sweeter then any destruction of the world would have brought him.

 

Still he felt some strange sense that it was an excuse for something else. As he fell asleep Vegeta had another last disturbing thought. That woman was carrying his son, and he had a family. He was forming a petty attachment that could lead to problems further on. Strangely it didn't bother Vegeta as much as he wished it would.

****

 

Bulma managed to hold her stomach's contents long enough for the other woman to half carry her to the ladies room and into a stall.  Crouching on the floor Bulma Briefs hurled the contents of the morning and afternoon into the porcelain god.  By her Polly Carbonate mopped her with a wet towel and rushed off to get some bottles of water.  "Easy now, easy… here…"

"Oh god… I feel so sick," Bulma moaned.

"Here, rinse with this… you okay?" Polly asked.

"I'm so fucking embarrassed," Bulma whined.

"This will be our secret, okay?" Polly whispered, sponging Bulma's forehead off.  Nodding gratefully Bulma let her new friend wash the stink from her lips and bare chin.  IF her society friends had seen this they would have been all over her with questions.

Polly simply helped her up and back to the table.  Gently she rubbed Bulma's back and held up a glass of cola to help her sip.  Slowly Bulma took mouthfuls and managed to get some down.  Her whole body shook and she felt the seasick feeling washing over her again.  "I've never done that before…"

"It happens.  It isn't the first time and I won't be the last I'm sure.  Usually when it happens to me flat soda helps.  And usually some soymilk of all things," said Polly.

"But…"

"It's pretty typical at this stage, Bulma.  Don't worry.  Its just part of being in the family way," said Polly.

"How did you know…?”

"C'mon, I've done it once myself," said Polly.  "Where do you think my daughter Curie came from, the stork?"

"Oh, duh," Bulma laughed nervously.  She cast her friend a grateful look and then fell silent.  Both women sat for a while in silence, the mood of the afternoon changed by this.  Polly was the only one so far who knew her secret.

"So, you know what you're going to name them?" asked Polly.  "When are you due?"

"I… um… I'm not sure," Bulma murmured.  "I mean nobody else knows."

"Okay.  I see," Polly said.  "Well, I'm assuming since you know, that you want to… um… not get rid of it…"

"No, of course not!" Bulma glared at her.

"Well, it's not my business, but it's your decision.  And well, um if you um… need some advice… and your parents don't know," Polly said quietly.

"You're the only other one," said Bulma.  

"Do I look like I go around spreading office gossip?  Please.  I hate that shit," Polly rolled her eyes as Bulma gave her an intense pleading look.  

"Thank you," Bulma nodded.  

"Does the father know?" asked Polly in a whisper.  "And if he does, is he going to help or not? Because if he isn't, then there's nothing wrong with being a single mom."

"He knows," Bulma said quietly.  "But he's not here."

"And you don't know when he's coming back?  Yeah, I've been there.  Well I guess the only thing you can do now is see a doctor and take the best care of yourself you can," said Polly.

"I'm not ready for this… what kind of mother am I going to be?" Bulma whispered, clutching Polly's hand.

"The best you can," said Polly quietly.  "If you can run a company I'm sure you can raise a kid.  And if you can raise a kid, handling unruly employees is nothing!"

"Shit, my parents… my friends," Bulma whispered, the reality suddenly sinking in.  They sat in the food court, masked by people's anonymity, but they spoke in a hushed tone that made it feel as if they were the only two women who had ever faced this in the history of the world.

"None of my business, but is the dad…"

"It's… a secret," Bulma said lamely.  She wasn't about to admit to anyone, even an employee who had dark secrets that the father was an alien prince who had tried to blow the planet sky high.

"Okay.  But if he does know, that's something.  I'm guessing he's probably a military man or the strong silent type who doesn't care much for kids.  Kind of tough, but I'm sure you'll be fine.  You've got a good head on your shoulders," Polly reassured her.

"Are you kidding me?"

"You're Bulma Briefs, right?  Nobody messes with you," Polly said with a chuckle.  "And Kami help anyone who puts your kid down because they'll get nine shades of hell!"

"My parents are going to freak," said Bulma.  "And…"

"I'm assuming it isn't the baseball players?" said Polly.  "I mean I don't pass on gossip, but I do listen."

"It's not Yamcha's," said Bulma with a roll of her eyes.  

"Oh," said Polly.  "Then it must be… his."

"What would you know about that?" Bulma opened her eyes wide.

"The one who you had the GR capsule built for.  The one that you have the technicians constantly fixing," said Polly.  

Bulma sighed, and shook her head.  Finally she murmured, "If you guessed that, then you know why I want to keep it a secret."

"Not here," Polly whispered, grabbing her friend's hand.  Bulma meekly let her friend walk her out of the mall and out to the parking lot.  Since she was too shaky to drive, she handed Polly the keys.  Quietly Polly turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the lot.  Bulma's red roadster capsule shot out onto the main highway and towards the beach.   In the privacy of the car, they continued their conversation.