Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z belongs to Toei Animation Co. Ltd., Viz, and was created by Toriyama. I do not own the anime or the manga. I own the fan characters Stellari, Fermi and Bohr. I make no money writing this fan fiction and am only borrowing the characters for a while.

Royal Namekian Blues

Father and Son

Trynia Merin

"I wonder how they'll get along," Goku mumbled. He motioned quickly for his brother and biological father to grab his shoulders. Burdock grunted and rested his hand on the same shoulder Raditz did. The lower class guard steeled himself for the nausea of Instant Transmission. So far all the times Goku snatched him in this manner he had all but hurled the contents of his stomach.

Yet again Burdock turned a shade of green lighter than his armor. Heavily he leaned on Goku's sturdy shoulder. Through the corner of one eye he glimpsed blue skies and white tiles spreading in all directions under his boots. "Are you all right?" Goku asked him with concern.

"Fine, I don't need help," Burdock answered sharply. Goku winced at the arm pushing him away.

"Father, he doesn't understand yet," Raditz whispered to his father in Saiyan.

"Hey, anything you can say in that language you can say in mine," Goku interrupted. Both father and son glanced guiltily at a frustrated Goku. Obviously the tension of the past two days had curtailed their tempers. While Raditz normally had a shorter fuse then Burdock, Goku's patience approached the infinite. Except in circumstances of near life and death for his loved ones Burdock noted.

"Boy you've got to have thicker skin. You may be the strongest Warrior among us, but you need to let things slide more," Burdock told Goku.

"Look, I understand, but I'm getting tired of being treated like I'm stupid," said he, biting his lip.

"Kakarotto, you're NOT stupid, but you don't know Saiyan…"

"That's just IT!" Goku snapped, furrowing his brow so his expression mirrored Burdock’s default one. "I don't care about this Saiyan whatever it is culture, you keep FORGETTING I'm an earthling!"

"Father, he's right," Raditz said as Burdock rolled his eyes and shook his head. "don't mock him."

"I'm not I just… look, kid, I can't just change and accept your… alien values so easily. I was fighting for years in one culture that you hardly know or remember. How can you expect me to 'change' just like that?" Burdock snapped his fingers for emphasis.

"Excuse me, are you here for the Hyperbolic Time chamber?" a young voice interrupted. Burdock whirled to see a young Namekian wearing long stately robes. In his right hand he gripped a staff twice his height with a crutch shaped top, his symbol of Guardianship over Earth. Symbols unfamiliar to Burdock spelled out 'Kami'.

"Oh hi Dende! Burdock and Raditz are both here for training. Guys this is Dende, the Guardian of the Earth," he said, extending an arm in Dende's direction.

Burdock crouched on one knee and saluted with one hand extended and the other across his breast. Raditz did the same. Amused, Dende inclined his small head tipped with curved antenna. Goku released his latent hostility in the presence of Earth's Guardian. Always in Kami's presence he calmed easily, and he was glad to see the new replacement had the same aura of pervasive peace. Burdock felt twitchy in proximity to the youth, while Raditz felt nothing but a calm emptiness devoid of worry.

Expecting a boot to rest on his shoulder, Burdock continued in his respective crouch. Raditz already rose to his feet to see an amused Goku scratching his head. "Um… you can get up, Father," said Goku quietly.

"I know what he expects," Dende said, striding up and resting his small hand on Burdock’s shoulder.

"A Namek, huh," Burdock said as he raised his head. "Figures. They always did end up in high places."

"You mean to tell me you know about Namek?" Goku's voice rose in pitch.

"I know a lot of things, Kakarotto," said Burdock. He rose to his feet and stood up with ramrod posture like the proud warrior he was.

"It's just weird cause Raditz here didn't know about the Namekian balls and you did. That's just strange," Goku scratched the back of his neck. Details that ordinary people overlooked puzzled the warrior often giving him deeper insight because he took things at face value so often. Burdock noticed this and was momentarily surprised at Goku's power of observation.

"That's because my first position before… purging was on a scouting team. Someone had to survey the planets that bastard Freeza wanted cleared," Burdock said, looking at Dende with guilt. He couldn't meet the eyes of the young guardian saying such words.

Although the ugly truth hung on Burdock’s conscience, Dende gave him a warm smile. "That's the past, Burdock. I know you saw thing differently but your heart's changed since then. But since you need to train, I'll have Mr. Popo show you…"

A dark skinned figure looked out from beneath his turban. Motioning to Burdock and Raditz he said, "This way gentlemen. Follow me. Remember only two of you can enter the chamber at once, and only stay for a maximum of two days on the outside."

"Who's that?" Burdock whispered to Raditz. Mr. Popo stood statue still with his hands folded behind his back patiently. He seemed to anticipate that good-byes were about to be said.

"Dende's assistant," said Raditz, in Goku's language, not in Saiyan as Burdock had asked the question.

"Good luck," Goku said with a smile on his face. He held one hand out to Burdock and his brother Raditz. Astonished at Goku's sudden change in demeanor, Burdock rubbed the back of his neck at the place where his hair sprouted into a V into the forest of spikes.

"It's a handshake, Father," said Raditz in a whisper. Burdock reached out to clasp Goku's offered hand, and almost flinched when his son slugged him on the back.

"Look, Kakarotto… you take care of your family. I want to see my grandchildren alive when I come out," said Burdock.

"You can count on it. Raditz, don't be TOO hard on him in there. Show him everything I showed you, okay?" Goku nodded. Walking over to his brother he wrapped him in a hug. Raditz embraced him as well, giving him that awkward back pat that he saw so many men on this planet do when in a similar position. Then Goku vanished with a touch of his two fingers to his forehead and an inward rush of air. To Burdock watching him vanish it looked like static crackling on a screen turning off.

Burdock and Raditz followed the turbaned assistant through a maze of tunnels once they passed through the arch of the palace at the far end of the tiled surface. Feeling the thinness of the atmosphere Burdock realized they must be miles above Earth's surface. Also his body felt a slight decrease in the gravity while they walked along. All his senses told him that they were slowly approaching a point of uncertainty that rolled over his mind in waves. That inner eye blinked wide open, flooding Burdock with a parade of images. Mr. Popo stopped immediately, while Burdock pressed both hands to his head. Raditz extended a hand to help his father as he groaned.

"Not now," Burdock gasped. Knees turned to water, giving out on the old warrior. He would have crashed headlong into the floor had Raditz not propped him up against his armored figure. At this point Burdock’s so called 'Saiyan pride' cared nothing about keeping up appearances, so he accepted Raditz assistance. Their gauntlet arms locked just inches between their bodies. In and out Burdock breathed deeply, his armored chest rising and falling significantly. Sweat poured down his tanned forehead matting his spiked hair and making it stick.

"Relax and breathe easily, Mr. Burdock," Mr. Popo urged. "You need to focus your inner vision. Are you a time sensitive."

"A what?" Burdock groaned.

"Father, he knows about your ability it seems," Raditz said as he steadied a shaky Burdock.

"If that's so, then you must be perceiving the waves from the Time Chamber. It will pass if you relax," Mr. Popo said.

"I can't control it!" Burdock gritted.

"What a shame. Such an ability would be a great asset in battle. All I can suggest to you now is not to fight it but let the visions flow like a steady stream," said Mr. Popo politely. Burdock gasped once more, feeling the sturdy arms of his son Raditz holding onto him. Using him as an anchor in the onslaught of images Burdock willed himself to one place. Soon the images shut off like a dammed river. Relief filled him and he blinked up at his concerned elder son.

"Father, easy. He knows what he's talking about it seems," said Raditz.

"Whatever, let's just get to this chamber and get started. I'm anxious to train," Burdock wiped sweat off his forehead with the back of one hand.

"You're here," said Mr. Popo, pointing to a huge set of double doors immediately behind Burdock. Jolting with shock the warrior spun around. It seemed as if he could see waves lapping and cresting when the doors slowly slid open directed by Mr. Popo's raised hand.

"this is it," said Raditz, supporting his father with an arm under his. "It smells… odd…"

"It's… not right," Burdock whispered.

"Once you're inside and the doors shut your body will adjust. It seems that your psychic powers give you a sidereal perception. Making you time sensitive. I think that you'd be able to see tears and holes in the fabric of time as well as precognitive abilities. You should consider honing them once you emerge," said Mr. Popo.

"What do we need to know that Kakarotto hasn't told us?" Raditz asked.

"What about food?" asked Burdock, backing away from the open chamber. Beyond the portal white stretched into a blue void, interrupted only by the presence of a structure similar to Kami's palace outside.

"All will be provided. Now enter. But know that once I shut these doors you will not emerge for what seems to you an entire year," said Mr. Popo.

"Fine let's do it," Burdock grunted. Raditz released him and he squared his shoulders. Now he felt well enough to stand on his own and take his first step into an alien time. Raditz strode after his father who took tentative steps like a bather entering frigid water. Behind them the doors slid shut with an audible clang reverberating into infinity. It seemed like a gong chimed, and then they were peering upwards into a sky filled with shimmering stars undulating.

"Let's take stock of provisions," Burdock suggested. Raditz grunted, and the two of them looked around their quarters for the next earth year.

Within the Lookout's special chamber, ki blasts and echoes resounded in the vast space. A blaze of red fire rocketed across the floor, past the figure that stepped out of its way. Swinging 180 it its course, the blazing ball encompassed the man that resembled Goku, his voice shrilling with a loud battle cry. "Kao KEN times 2!"

"Faster! You need to turn faster, father!" Raditz shouted.

"Try this on for size, kid," Burdock gritted, and then vanished. Energy flared off as Burdock stopped dead ten paces from Raditz who hovered in a defensive position. Distracted by his father dropping the crimson aura, Raditz stopped to correct him. The next moment Raditz felt a sharp blow to the base of his skull generating a thousand twinkling lights in his brain. Then a splintering pain radiated from his kidneys resulting from Burdock’s knee blow to his back.

"Dammit Father, you were supposed to…"

"I'm supposed to learn new fighting moves, not fancy fireworks!" Burdock heaved, regaining his balance.

"Drek," Raditz cursed, rolling over in pain. Bringing up his hand he hurled a blast at point blank range at his father standing over him. Burdock’s hands crossed before his face, his body pushed back but maintaining his ground.

"Raaagh! Times two!" Burdock shouted. Again the aura flared and he thrust forwards with his body. His shoulder rammed Raditz battered body, sending him flying with a kao ken charge.

Just in the last minute Raditz recovered and surrounded his body with a levitation field. He screeched to a stop in midair, and then raised his two hands. Instead of generating a blast, solid spikes shot out with the cry of "Carbon dagger!"

Burdock’s hands flew wildly trying to counter the spikes. Some of them actually penetrated his skin, stinging like dozens of angry bees. "Son of a bitch…”

Raditz dropped feet first on the floor of the chamber. Lightly it glowed blue. "Time out!" he gasped.

"Lazy bum," Burdock mumbled. Burdock mopped copious amounts of sweat from his brow. Although he often wore the red blood stained headband that had once graced Toma's arm, to do so during training seemed almost sacrilegious. Originally he had donned it as a way of keeping a part of his deceased team with him during his avenging attacks at Freeza. Yet now he had stripped off much of his armor except the long pants and boots. Bare chested he had more freedom to move easily in the gravity that increased the closer he approached the large bulls eye of the HTC floor.

"Must I learn this? I feel like a rocket not a warrior!" Burdock grunted catching the towel Raditz tossed to him.

Only fifty paces from him panted Raditz, who stood with slightly bowed back. Down at his sides hung his arms, unfettered by the customary gantlets. Like his father he trained wearing a minimum of clothing as of late. Since they had only entered with one set of clothing, their respective armor neatly sat in one corner of the living quarters of the Chamber housing the twin beds. Fortunately the small capsule Raditz had kept in his armor contained several sets of spare workout clothes. Goku had fetched it from Capsule and slipped it to his brother because he knew they'd both need fresh garments for an entire year.

"It is the way in which I gradually learned to accommodate more power. And finally achieve super Saiyan," Raditz explained.

"I'm starving. Explain it to me while we eat, you overeducated son of mine. I don't know where you learned to use such fancy words around your old man lately," Burdock griped good naturedly. He led the way towards the enclosure's dining room area. Along one wall a large shelf contained dozens of covered jars, each containing food that magically replenished itself. A sink and cupboards above it contained dishes. Burdock grabbed one of the jars and plunked it down, tearing off the cloth and dumping the contents into one of the nearby pots he hauled out of the lower cabinet.

Raditz hauled himself over to flop down on one of the two chairs. Leaning back he draped his long sweat soaked hair across the back and then continued to mop more sweat off his brow. Burdock noted it was his turn to cook food, taking turns in a round the clock KP duty that fueled their incessant training. For the past month they had pushed one another to the absolute limits and back. Only during gaps in the fighting did they bother to talk. Such rare times became more and more frequent with each passing 'day'.

"Rice and beans, curse it. Can't that Mr. Popo bum get us some fresh meat? This frozen stuff is getting me a bit sick," Burdock mumbled, ladling huge scoops of rice out of the pot, and then grabbing spits of roasted meat that had been left to thaw from the massive freezer.

"I could eat anything now, Father," Raditz huffed. "You really haven't lost your touch though I outclass you in power."

"Never could get it through your thick skull how important it is to fight like a Saiyan with more finesse. But at least that younger son of mine put you back on track. Kakkarot's quite a good fighter. Those earth moves do him well," Burdock said, plunking two huge plates of a sort of stew dumped over mountains of rice on the table. He settled into the chair opposite his son and started to shovel food into his mouth with his hand. Raditz dug into his own portion, swearing that he couldn't down it fast enough to fill the empty hole inside.

"So father, you've managed to boost your level twice, but you still have a long way to go to build up more," Raditz observed.

"That technique's good for short bursts, but not for marathon fighting. No wonder Kakarotto doesn’t use it anymore. But at least he doesn't rely totally on energy blasts like Nappa taught you. Better to conserve and let the enemy's power take them out," Burdock said.

"The afterimage is also a good feint and avoidance. Too bad I couldn't master the instant transmission," Raditz grunted.

"You forget easily how each Saiyan's techniques are based on their natural gifts or lack of. Never figured that boy would amount to anything when I first saw him. But now here he is with his own family."

Burdock drained huge draught of ale that other jars contained. He was happy to note that some of the provisions remotely resembled Saiyan tastes. Earth beer and ale closely resembled his favorite beverages. "Don't lecture to me Father. You always DO this!"

"Okay, okay, brat. I know you're sick of hearing me bark at you. So let's focus on something else. Like how you managed to 'snag' that woman of yours." Burdock said, focusing his dark gaze on Raditz. Uncomfortably his son flinched in his chair and sat up straighter sensing invisible hot pokers under his backside spontaneously materializing.

"Father, you bother to ask me NOW! I did tell you…"

"Not the real story, Raditz. C'mon, you know as well as I do what you boast to the crew washes one way, but it doesn't wash with your old man. Seems you took some of my advice seriously," Burdock said.

"I would not have imagined such a frail creature having any potential because Earthlings know how to mask their true power levels," Raditz said, flinching a bit.

“Tell me how you first met, truly,” Burdock said.

Raditz settled down and cudgeled his tired brain. Burdock listened intently as his son spun the tale of what had transpired. “Well you remember when I told you about the plan I made to see if the Prince was a captive or not?”

“Oh yeah? The test? The Prince said it was a load of crap, but it made sense to me,” Burdock said, his mouth twisting into an amused smile.

“All the surveillance taken by Turles former crewmember Chablis indicated that the Prince had returned to Earth shortly before we were all… brought back with her wish,” said Raditz.

“She took a long time sending Turles to return those damn black star balls to their home planets,” Burdock chuckled.

“Indeed those fool Earthlings didn’t know that the old Guardian of this world had made another set before the ones that everyone here knows. I am going to have to ask her where she learned that. Perhaps during the time she was a guinea pig of the Red Ribbon army,” Raditz tapped his chin.

“Nappa and you must have pissed your pants to see the Prince alive,” said Burdock, finishing the remainder of stew on his plate.

“Well, we had heard broadcasts and rumors from the isolated abandoned base where Chablis trained Nappa and I. Since she worked at Capsule, among the weaklings… the humans of this world she learned all she could. But she wasn’t’ sure if the Prince was somehow being controlled by the people of this world,” said Raditz.

“Even though I find it hard to believe,” said Burdock ruefully.

“Chablis experience taught her not to underestimate the Humans’ ingenuity. Our ancestors did so with the Tuffles, but we were almost wiped out due to their superior technology,” Raditz reminded him.

“I know the legends, boy. Mother taught you well enough,” Burdock glared at him. Raditz winced and continued his tale.

“Anyhow, we decided if we showed up at Capsule, the Prince would be drawn out to face us. Then by his reaction we’d see if he was under his own will or a puppet of the humans. The plan however backfired because we didn’t realize that Dr. Brief’s daughter was the Prince’s chosen mate, and she was MOST uncooperative,” said Raditz.

“Hence the game Nappa played that almost got you two vaporized by the Prince, you mean?” Burdock needled. Raditz pictured the day clearly in his mind shortly after he and Nappa had left Capsule under siege and were cornered in a standoff with the VP of Capsule, Dr. Bulma Briefs. When Nappa asked to see Dr. Briefs he didn’t count on the blue haired girl Bulma being the Dr. Briefs who would materialize.”

Burdock by now had loaded both their plates with more food. He couldn’t wipe the smirk off his face that automatically sprung up. Even at such an early stage, Raditz had noticed a female with enough stupidity or arrogance to presume she could handle two aliens. Obviously she had been hiding her true abilities, small though they were.

“You could have killed her, you know,” Burdock said.

“Father, she was the most Saiyan looking of all the weaklings there. I had planned on asking the Prince for her as compensation if we found him later,” said Raditz.

“And it turns out she WAS given to you, Raditz?” Burdock asked. “For your sake I’ll skip asking about the dressing down his Highness gave you two.”

“Thank you,” Raditz heaved a sigh of relief. His eyes squeezed shut as the embarrassment of the Prince’s harangue rang in his ears. Even on this planet Raditz was still considered the bottom of the heap, only a level above servants, concubines and slaves. Never mind that he was more intelligent than Nappa in the ways of economics and negotiation Saiyan style. Although that usually involved taking a hostage, it was far cleaner and more effective then Nappa blowing something up that could be valuable.

“Even the time in hell didn’t change your mind much at that point?” Burdock asked quietly, leaning across the table with both elbows resting on it. The faint blue void of the Hyperbolic time chamber eerily seeped in through the glassless windows of the residential hut.

“Father, she volunteered to become my… distraction,” said Raditz. “And I didn’t forget what you told me all those years in Hell.”

“I see,” Burdock said with a knowing grunt. Raditz pushed away his plate and leaned back in his chair once more.

“I recalled how sick I felt at Kakkarot’s weakness those many years ago. And yet I realized I had done nothing to continue the proud Saiyan race. The Prince and I… we were so caught up in hostile takeovers we were remiss in breeding. But by then there were no Saiyan females. Sure Nappa had several half breeds by his favorite pleasure slave, but the Prince was threatened at the idea of creating any hybrids that would be stronger than he. And he was convinced if he could somehow become immortal there would be no need to ‘breed’,” said Raditz.

“Fool. With all respect, his Highness was corrupted. His father would have insisted he find some way to insure the royal line would continue. But to choose such a fragile breed was a big drop in his pride,” Burdock nodded understandingly.

“However the humans are NOT the weaklings I thought. And if the Prince had taken a woman of Earth as his mate, I realized there was nothing to stop me from doing so as well. And I couldn’t let Kakarotto be the only one to produce warriors. I wanted to prove myself superior by taking a strong mate and giving birth to children that would surpass his. To think a mere CHILD could have defeated me,” Raditz growled.

“But you changed your tune quickly,” Burdock nodded. Raditz confirmed this, and both males looked at one another through their hard Saiyan walls. Rising, Burdock strode past his son and rapped him on the back.

“Time to train, you lazy bum. You get the dishes and join me out in the area. Show me more of Kakkarot’s secrets,” said Burdock. Quietly Raditz did so, relieved his father did not press any further for his motivation at the time. Some things were best left to be said later.

A day seemed like it could last a thousand years. Never mind that one day in the Hyperbolic time chamber lasted an entire earth year. Just waiting for Raditz was killing her, and Kinoha. Stellari drew up her knees in the shelter of the cave. Something within her, perhaps instinct drove her to seek the shelter of rock instead of a modern dome shaped dwelling. Ever since she had first mated with Raditz her entire subconscious was rife with new shapes and images. Stellari had flown at full force toward the cave when something had driven her and she was no longer able to stand it any longer.

A soft whimpering came to her ears. Carefully she rose and strode over to the small nest she had made in the castoff furs. Burdock’s team had come here weeks ago, and they had vacated the 'hunting lodge'. To her surprise she had seen small pieces of bone here from generations ago. Ironically cavemen must have once lived in the area, and now it was a haven for Saiyans, a race as primal as any she could imagine.

Stellari leaned over and scooped up both of her twins. She sat down and held them to her armored breast, hugging to them for comfort. Why did she suddenly feel so lost? Fermi and Bohr were old enough that they were training in the GR with the female Kinoha. Chichi had sought the comfort of a large kitchen and pints of ice cream. Missing her mate badly she had flown here, facing danger.

Somehow it seemed comforting to sit in the cavern where some of Burdock’s team had painted a frieze. Next to ancient paintings in the far end of the cave it almost belonged. Her throat choked up and she wondered if humans could have indeed become like the Saiyans had another ancestral primate predominated. The mere fact that Humans and Saiyans could reproduce though they were two different species blew her mind. They hypothesized that Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal had crossbred most recently. That Neanderthals possessed the power of speech, and had genetically given a tiny contribution to modern humanity because they were extinct.

Stellari's own features and body type was extremely dense for a human. She often joked she resembled the old fertility goddesses with wide hips, stocky frame and thick bones. Now that she had undergone a transformation in ten times gravity, her own body chemistry had altered her bones enough that she had the same muscle mass and toughness of a lower class Female Saiyan. It had only taken a second to turn her TK molecular powers inward and 'change' her bones, but now her increased density could not be changed. Bones were laced with that mysterious natural polymer and carbon nanotubes that mimicked natural Saiyan bone toughness.

Radzia whimpered and Stellari unfastened the front of her armor, then pulled down her shirt to let the daughter nurse. Her son was still fast asleep, and she held him tightly in her other arm. They were getting larger every day, their own bodies compact with muscle. Yet their hair was Saiyan. Raditz genes were fiercely dominant.

There was an equal probability that they would not have tails. But both twins did. Would the Saiyans somehow lose their diversity if they interbred with the humans who were FAR more numerous. Their genetic pool was now very shallow, whereas the human was vast. Thousands of years ago a few thousand in an evolutionary bottleneck had become fruitful and multiplied. Saiyans had never LEFT that hunter gatherer lifestyle. Two races shared a planet, but one prevailed. Tuffles were small and weak like Sapiens, while the Saiyans were tough and massive like Neanderthals. The savage Saiyans were natural hunters, and the cave she had brought Raditz to see had been the home of either sort.

How could Saiyans master their mind and energy yet some still be so 'stupid' with technology. Stellari pondered this while nursing. Her mind seized a possible answer: in the same way that humans could be 'stupid' when it came to not developing their bodies and minds with instinct. Raditz never lost the fierce senses of sight and hearing and smell that her ancestors Homo Erectus and Habilis must have had. The Prince claimed many third class were dunderheads, and she was beginning to think he was right despite their exposure to high technology. Raditz might be far more powerful but there were many principles of science he didn't get. Even Burdock’s intellect was considered slightly above average and his 'genius' was concerned with creating new weapons.

They were the SAME intelligence as humans, despite Vegeta's supposition otherwise. Now the humans were in danger of being overtaken like the Tuffles, unless things were careful. Only a thousand Saiyans still lived, and she was mated to one, with hybrid children. Perhaps years in the distant past some Cromag had mated with a Neanderthal and produced an ancestor of hers.

Grumbling she picked up a small shard of stone and began to play with it. Saiyans used ki instead of stone tools. Yet their dwellings from Raditz memories were strikingly similar to more 'primitive' peoples on earth that lived directly from nature. They had NEVER gone to agriculture like the Tuffles had, instead they raided or traded. Most of their protein was derived from meat, and they had evolved to digest it with special enzymes that humans lacked. Their teeth denoted them as carnivorous. Nevertheless chimpanzees were closest to modern humans and THEY were carnivorous when hard pressed.

"Mmmamama," Radzia murmured.

"Your brother needs a turn. I guess I should hunt something, because there's nothing here," she apologized.

Switching breasts she fastened her top and then let Planck take his turn. The milk she produced based on Saiyan hormones was ten times as rich as human milk. Loaded with fat it was incredibly caloric. Her own appetite had increased to almost Saiyan proportions to keep up. Reaching under her armor she pulled out a capsule and tossed it down. Radzia clapped her hands and cooed as she leapt down and toddled over to the fridge.

"You can WALK now?" Stellari drew in her breath. Barely almost a year and the kid was on two feet! The furry tail gave her more balance, steadying her from falling on her face as it swished back and forth.

"Momma… fdd… f…dd," she grunted, slapping her palm on the fridge. Stellari nudged it open with her foot and revealed the frozen meats and other steaks she'd placed there for such an occasion. Radzia yelped and grabbed a wrapped piece.

"No, you need to peel this off!" she said sharply. Radzia pouted and Stellari motioned her over. Climbing up next to her she held out the meat. Stellari unwrapped the plastic with one hand and struggled to chew.

"Screw it," she mumbled. Holding Planck with one hand she used the small shard of volcanic glass to cut the frozen meat into strips. Might as well nod to her ancestors where her puny teeth failed. Radzia laughed and devoured each piece. Yet she held the last one up.

"I can't eat raw meat," she mumbled. Radzia scrambled up and put her lips over Stellari's to her shock. Raditz often chewed meat and offered it to the kids, but never the other way around. She accepted the 'kiss' and then stroked Radzia's long fall of hair. It was bound up in a braided mass that wouldn't drag on the ground with metal bands of the same metal as her own jewelry.

"Good girl," she murmured.

"Mamma hungry?"

"You talk so soon. I wonder if it's the Saiyan way," she thought.

"It is indeed, Stellaring. What are you doing here?" Kinoha asked as she strode into the cave. Her wounds were newly healed and she wore modified armor with no shoulder blades, instead it had a single shoulder strap like Fasha's. Her tights were shorts, and she wore white gloves and knee high boots.

"Mother, sorry. I just had to get away," Stellari said as the female Saiyan strode over and reached for Radzia. She was glad for the help in child rearing.

"You're wondering why I know how to rear whelps when they were raised in vast nurseries? Only the male children were sent out, not the females. Since there weren't as many of us we were kept on world if at all possible," she said.

"How'd you guess what I'd say?" asked Stellari, still nursing Planck. Fortunately the carcass that was hung up in the cave caught her attention.

"Here, small one, your mother's busy. I'll do this," she said, and then used her ki to slice off pieces of flank. Already the thing must have been gutted, but Stellari felt sick at the smell of fresh meat and carrion. Finally she stopped nursing Planck so Kinoha traded off in order to feed Planck the game. For a time the two of them tended to the children. Both missed their mates terribly, the blinding energies of the Time Chamber blocking out their bonds completely. Only an eerie silence filled both female's minds. It was terrifying. Chichi with her limited bond with Goku could ignore it, but Stellari and Kinoha went nearly mad. Both females dealt with it in their own ways.

As she sat there, Kinoha shook her head. She thought of her younger son, and the strange cloud that she often saw. He called it a flying nimbus. How could someone ride that blasted cloud? What did being pure of heart mean anyhow, Kinoha wondered. She'd seen Gohan step on that cloud, and even the shrewish Chichi without difficulty. Depending on a cloud to fly seemed a weakness at first, but she saw the advantages. Still just why Goku hadn't taught Chichi to fly eluded Kinoha.

"Your two sons are something else," said the slow alto voice of her mother in law.

"Is that a compliment or an insult?" Stellari asked. She crossed her arms over the chest of her armor. It was the same color scheme as her father in laws, but she had swapped red armbands for matching green ones with the wrist guards like her husbands, and overtop the armor she wore a light green lab coat with a Capsule corps patch on the shoulder. The hip guards were the same, but the shape of the breastplate was more like Fasha's.

"You're one hard woman to fathom. I can see why that first born brat of mine saw. A challenge. One stubborn woman like me," Kinoha nodded.

Stellari glanced up from nursing and breathed deeply. She had wanted to say this for a while, and now seemed the right time and place. "Speaking of, I don't mind you taking my children to train, but I feel somehow jealous."

"Why? I'm the best at training whelps. I worked in a whelping center. Training those that weren't sent off world," Kinoha sniffed, uncomprehending.

"That's not the point, ma'am," Stellari said sharply.

"What IS your point?" Kinoha laughed lightly.

"I want to be the one to train them!" Stellari answered. To this, Kinoha cocked a brow. Clearly she was unimpressed.

"Then act like it," said Kinoha.

"I'm stronger then you," Stellari said quietly. "And I am their mother."

"It's the duty of your 'Mother' to assist in the care of the whelps. You shouldn't bitch, Stellaring," said Kinoha clicking her tongue patronizingly.

"I thought it was in your nature to complain, being a female Saiyan," said Stellari firmly. She stood up, then leaned right over into Kinoha's face.

"Then show me if you think you ARE stronger," Kinoha said, getting up and still holding the other twin in her arm.

"All right old woman!" said Stellari.

That first time they had trained Stellari and Burdock had awkwardly gone at it with everything they had. Kinoha had seen them in action from afar, but sensed she was holding back. Kinoha knew very well Stellari was far stronger then she, but sometimes knew that the human woman had to be pushed to the limit. Both their mates trained intensely in the hyperbolic chamber for a whole year. Even though in the chamber time burned far faster than outside, the day dragged like eternity.

Although she would never admit it, Kinoha was pleasantly surprised by the 'weak human' Raditz had chosen as a mate. Her daughter in law was a complex woman, and Kinoha was pleased to know Stellari was growing steadily stronger with each passing day or hour. Even Burdock himself felt his own powers steadily increasing. It had been Kinoha's idea to let the two of them use the room, and Goku agreed. Instead of continuing to train with Burdock or Raditz, Kinoha had agreed to continue training Stellari in the 'hunting lodge'. Raditz was needed and even a day could be detrimental to have any Super Saiyan not protecting the earth.

"I am stronger then you can imagine, woman," Stellari whispered, bringing her nose within inches of Kinoha's. Two pairs of dark eyes locked in a battle of wills.

"You SAY you are human but are you so sure?" Kinoha taunted. Every day Stellari felt like she was getting nowhere but Kinoha saw the differences. Muscle blistered over her entire form.

"Are you blind?" Stellari asked. Tension ran thick, and she was tired of the female Saiyan pushing all her buttons. Part of the reason she'd fled here with her children was because chichi was getting on her nerves. There seemed nowhere she could go for solitude on earth. Saiyan norms Stellari had adopted warred constantly with her human sensibilities. Half the time Stellari and Chichi felt they wanted to kill Kinoha for her smug attitudes on how to best rear Saiyan children. Through more and more time Stellari and Chichi he grew to know her, and she them.

Kinoha flared gold ki, which she blocked with a strange shield. Putting the child down, she raised the flat of her hand to Stellari. Setting her other child down, Stellari snapped, "Are you nuts, around the children?"

"They are the children of warriors. Are you afraid they'll grow up corrupted? You only accepted my son's Saiyan culture because you were afraid of your own weakness, didn't you?" Kinoha taunted.

"I don't have to hear THAT from you, who got yourself killed facing 17!" Stellari taunted back. Hissing, Kinoha drew back her hand and punched Stellari. Backwards she flew out of the cave with the force of the blow, with Kinoha rocketing after her.

Outside the cave, Stellari kicked her mother in law in the gut, pushing her back. Kinoha flipped and then plummeted toward her. She twisted out of the way then elbowed the other female's back sharply. Blows flashed back and forth ever faster till they were neck and neck. Then their hands locked and they were pushing ever harder.

Stellari's scouter bleeped with the rising numbers. Since Kinoha had almost died defending her family, her power had increased incredibly. Oddly enough the rage that Kinoha summoned had brought her energy to nearly fifty thousand. Stellari had no wish to fight her mother in law around her children, even though they were safely inside the hunting lodge. Nevertheless, she knew deep down why Kinoha was pushing her buttons.

With inward shock Kinoha blinked at the numbers on her own scouter. Kinoha saw the girl had far surpassed her former level. Krillin and some of the other humans had reached high, but she knew that she could do whatever it took.

"Yes… you've got rage in there. Use it on me!" Kinoha gritted. "No matter how hard you train you are still HUMAN! And I can still surpass you if I push hard enough. Are you afraid that I could be a better parent then you to your own children?"

"Stupid bitch!" she snarled back. Suddenly she flared her ki, and Kinoha laughed wreathing her body with emerald fire. Harder and harder they wrestled. Then Kinoha raised her hand and let out another loud cry.

Stellari gasped when Kinoha broke the grasp and hurled her away. Stellari rolled over bringing herself up to half kneel. A supernova of fire green flashed white hot like the surface of the sun, as Kinoha shrilled, "Double Sundae!"

It was ten times the power she was accustomed to. Stellari shaded her eyes with her crossed arms and snorted. Easily she blocked the energy, flaring her own aura to compensate. Oddly enough the energy deflected back. "You think THAT attack makes you stronger then a weak human? Don't make me LAUGH!" Stellari shouted back.

"Try THIS!" Kinoha answered, then vanished. Stellari disgustedly let her energies break free, knowing the female Saiyan wouldn't stop needling her till she did.

"You asked for it," Stellari answered. Eyes glowed purple while she drew in her breath and forced her ki to explode around her. She shivered at the massive power influx that thrust into her form, pushing her fragile human flesh to its full potential.

"Heat phalanx!" shouted Kinoha, hands uplifted. Plasma flared from a superheated fist, surging towards Stellari.

"Saturday crush!" Stellari screamed, raising her hand and generating a violet sphere. With all her strength she hurled it towards her mother in law.

The sphere crashed into the longhaired female, snapping her backwards. Propelled through the nearby forest she splintered wood and large trees behind her. Her loud yowl of anger vanished with the ever increasing distance the sphere drove her away with. Only the sounds of cracking splitting wood answered Stellari's curious ears. Then a second later Stellari blocked her view from the blinding purple flash exploding from deep inside the forest. A loud splintering crunch made her grit her teeth, and the resulting cloud of dust and smoke rising from the canopy of the forest a mile away was astounding. Kinoha must have managed to block the sphere only so much before it slammed her into a mountainside.

"Damn," Stellari gasped, shading her face with one hand. She levitated up, and shot forwards through the broken path her attack had punched. Finally she reached a large impact crater in the side of a hill where trees abruptly stopped. The human hovered over the hundred foot wide dent with a sizable hole in its heart.

"Kinoha!" Stellari yelled. Although she knew it would hardly hurt a full blooded Saiyan she knew Kinoha must be badly shaken.

A loud coughing echoed from the deep hole in the heart of the crater. Dust cleared and she saw Kinoha pressed nearly two feet deep in a hole shaped roughly like herself. Armor was singed, but she appeared to be breathing through her smoke darkened face. "Took you LONG enough, human," she coughed, a bit of blood dribbling from the corner of her lip.

"You asked for it," Stellari said, stopping herself from flying down and helping her. She knew that Kinoha's Saiyan pride would be hurt far worse if she did. Such an impact was hardly lethal, and she saw her mother in law slowly pushing herself out of the depression. Kinoha stumbled down the pile of scree, and then landed on her hands and knees.

"Nicely done, human. Too bad I had to push you so damn hard to get you to let go. You can't hold back if you really hope to defeat anyone," Kinoha coughed. Stellari landed near her, one hand extended to help, but trying to hold herself back because of the stern glance her mother in law gave her. Those dark eyes snapped into her gaze as Kinoha brought her head up and stared at her.

"Don't. I'm fine," said Kinoha.

Stellari withdrew her hand and took two steps back. "I know you're a Saiyan warrior. That's why I'm not helping you. But are you hurt?"

"My side's on fire," she gasped. "Nicely done. If I was a fragile human I'd be dead."

"Maybe so. But your Saiyan pride is sometimes stupid," Stellari grunted, and then marched up to reach down and yank Kinoha to her feet. Despite her hand slapping against Stellari, the human growled back.

"How dare you…"

"Shut the hell up," Stellari answered flatly. "You want me to pound you around some more or are we done bitching around to prove a point? I've got two kids who need to be cared for. So damn your stupid Saiyan pride for once and help me care for them."

Kinoha did shut up, and let her daughter in law wrap one long arm around her shoulders. Summoning her energy, Stellari flared her ki around them both. Slowly they rose to levitate above the hole they'd carved out. As they flew back towards the 'hunting lodge,' Stellari said, "I know your Saiyan pride's important, but we ARE on earth. And I've bent over backward to accept your customs. And the least you can do is accept some of mine."

"No… problem. Now let's get some food and get back to training, brat," Kinoha laughed. To this Stellari blinked.

"I hate head games. Half the time I wonder if you're inventing bullshit Saiyan customs just to get a rise out of me!" Stellari answered.

"That proves your bond with my son is genuine. He taught you what you needed to know. And how you should best respond. You proved my point. Now do you feel ready to stop pining over him like a human and care for your brats?" asked Kinoha.

"Your idea of blowing off steam is weird," Stellari mumbled. When they landed at the cave they saw they were not alone.

"What took you so long?" asked Torah as he poked a roaring fire burning brightly in the communal pit.

"What are you bums doing here?" Kinoha asked. Three members of Burdock’s team were skinning and skewering fresh kill to be roasted at their fire. Stellari opened her mouth to comment but Kinoha nodded forwards with her head. Fasha wandered out, carrying either of Stellari's children on her hips. They were happily answering back in rapid fire Saiyan to her coddling and cooing.

"These two were making enough noise to hear across the valley, weren't you, little ones?" Fasha asked.

"Thank you," Stellari breathed.

"I knew they were coming," Kinoha whispered to her. "Otherwise I wouldn't have even let you and I leave them."

"C'mon and sit down. It’s the guy's night to cook," said Fasha with a conspiratorial grin. Relieved, Stellari hobbled over with Kinoha's arm still around her shoulders for support.

"You beat the crap out of her, human," Borgos blinked. He sat down on a huge rock between the cave and the fire pit. Shugesh's belly heaved up and down as the portly member of Burdock’s team bellowed in mirth.

"I saw you two. Nice sparring. You don't pull punches do you, Kinoha?" Shugesh snickered.

"You'd better give me some of that kill if you want to remain, idiot," Kinoha bared her teeth at him. Still leaning heavily on Stellari, she pulled forwards. Stellari helped walk her over to one of the flat stones used for seating. Both females flopped down, ravenous.

"Mommy fight Gramma?" Radzia giggled, pushing away from Fasha. She toddled over and climbed into Stellari's lap automatically. Planck moved over as well and climbed onto his grandmother's lap.

"Pow, smack, crash," Planck answered.

"I hope you behaved for Old man Burdock’s team, you two," Kinoha purred to him in Saiyan.

"Eat this you two before you waste away to nothing," Shugesh said, tossing large haunches of deer meat to both women. Kinoha caught hers one handed and Stellari fumbled to grab the roasted bit headed her way. It was her own daughter Radzia that shot up off her lap and snagged it. Carrying the piece of kill almost as large as she, Radzia dragged it proudly to Stellari.

"Mommy, chew it up for me?" she asked. Stellari laughed, wiping away sweat and pulled a piece off to chew. At least it was roasted.

Next to her sat Fasha, gnawing on a rack of ribs. Torah positioned himself next to his teammate, while the other males argued over who got what of the three large carcasses. Two were deer, and the third was a sizable dinosaur that still roamed the forests around West City.

Together the six of them and two youths shared the portions of fresh kill. A quarter moon rose over the valley, hiding behind the smoke curling skywards. Stellari wearily accepted the appearance of the team, knowing she would soon hear why they were here. Right now she was glad for the food and the distraction of Burdock’s 'unit'. They had come just in time for moral as well as physical support. In a way they were Burdock’s family, just as much as the long haired Kinoha sitting next to her.

"So, what have you been doing?" Stellari asked them.

"Trying to get the humans to stop being scared dreklless of us," said Torah.

"but they don't listen too well," Fasha answered mournfully.

"Not till that bum mate of yours gave us some pointers," Shugesh said through a mouthful of flesh.

"Shouldn't we tell them about those humans whose bus we pulled out of the drink?" Borgos asked.

"Playing superhero are we?" Stellari chuckled. She fed a mouthful of her chewed meat to Radzia, while Kinoha did the same to her son Planck.

"Yeah. I think they were blown away," Torah chuckled.

"Well well," mumbled Stellari. "Is that the only thing they were surprised about?"

"There's a whole list. And if I let him get around to telling it, it'll take all night," Fasha rolled her eyes.

"How are you two holding up, since Burdock and that son of yours are training?" asked Torah, leaning over towards Kinoha.

"Well as can be expected," Kinoha shrugged.

"You kidding, they must be jealous as hell," Shugesh laughed. He reached for a thighbone and cracked it apart with a rock. Then he slurped at the yellowish red marrow dribbling out.

"Burdock never passes up a chance to train. And that loud mouthed mate of yours," and here Torah pointed at Stellari with a blood smeared index finger. "Can't wait to show his old man what he knows."

"Specially since Kakkarot's showed him how t'be legendary," said Borgos, through a mouthful of food. Some bits of meat splattered over his breastplate as he spoke.

"Does that mean we can ALL do that?" Shugesh mused. "Nah, only the best."

"Are you so sure we can't?" Fasha challenged.

"Only males can," said Torah, shrugging.

"Is that so?" Stellari asked, elbowing Kinoha.

"Mmm, not anytime soon. But maybe you'll be a Super Saiyan, little one," she poked Radzia in the stomach. "And your grandfather will be one by now."

"If anyone will come out one, it'll be Burdock. He's the best," said Torah. All of them nodded, and Stellari saw the glow of pride in Kinoha's dark eyes. They all glanced uncomfortably at one another, gnawing on their meat and silently praying it would be so. Burdock would be the most deserving of all of them, for a chance to achieve what Kakarotto and now Raditz had done. For a son to be weaker than his father seemed another assault to Saiyan pride. Talk among warriors had accounted that Prince Vegeta still resented the fact that his son Trunks had become Super Saiyan before he, and pushed himself day and night to surpass the lavender haired halfblooded.