Freeza's Rule

Freeza’s Watching

 

“Look, its Lord Freeza,” went the whisper throughout the room. No one actually dared to look up at the observation deck, but the current in the room shifted. Lazy sparing got more intense and the ones that were already training hard redoubled their efforts.

Raditz trained alone in the corner, trying hard to resist the urge to look up at the Icejin prince that ruled over them. He was among the smallest of recruits, and among the youngest. Unlike Vegeta who could hold his own against many of the adults here, Raditz could only struggle along. No one here wanted waste their own training time to teach a child.

Freeza observed them often, though Raditz gathered from whispers this had not always been the case. He was curious if it was his own arrival that caused the change or if it was something else entirely. In the months that followed his rescue from Planet Jensing, he was not adjusting well to the news of the death of his entire race. Well, outside of himself, his prince, and Nappa. Prince Vegeta had been hopeful that they would find more after he was found, and as each day passed with no news of such a thing happening, Vegeta grew angrier and angrier, with Raditz. In the young prince’s mind, Raditz stole the opportunity for some better saiyan survivor to be found. Raditz did not point out that since lowborn children were considered more expandable than their higher born brethren they were sent out the most and therefore were more likely to be off world when during the planet’s destruction.

Raditz shivered, not from cold, he didn’t get cold, but from the icy stare boring into his head. The urge to turn overcame him, he peaked over his shoulder, only to find himself staring right into the red iris’ of Freeza himself. He quickly yanked his head forward. Freeza was staring right at him, his gaze seemed, triumphant, over what Raditz didn’t know but he was sure it couldn’t be good.

He tried to ignore the overlord and continue his efforts to train. Like any saiyan he enjoyed a fight, a challenge, but training by himself, or when he was hopelessly outclassed was not fun. He continued jabbing at the air, but a heavy weight had settled in his stomach.

The whispers came to a sudden halt. The quiet was choking and Raditz knew what the only cause could be. He glanced over his shoulder again, but Freeza was no longer there. He turned fully to face the empty observation deck, wondering what kind of exit Freeza made that had caused such an oppressive silence.

“How does the son of Bardock fare these days?” came the lizard’s maniacal voice over his shoulder. Raditz jumped with a barely concealed cry, whirling around to face the overlord. Freeza stood before him with a sadistic grin. He was terrified, he felt like a bug trapped in a light, destined only to die. Had Freeza asked him a question? Was he supposed to answer it? Raditz opened his mouth but he could force no sound to leave it. He closed it and opened it a few more times with the same result. Why was it so quiet? Maybe if Raditz heard sound he could remember how to form it. 

Raditz felt nauseous, though a saiyan’s stomach would never relinquish food without direct force or fatality, but the feeling was certainly there. Though it seemed an eternity had gone by, only a minute had probably passed but still it was too long not to answer a direct question from Freeza. The lizard’s smirk only grew wider.

“Lord Freeza, forgive him, he’s a bit slow witted, most low borns are, but he’s fully recovered and ready to serve you, Lord Freeza,” came someone from behind him. The person was gripping his shoulders, he glanced at them, recognizing them to be Nappa’s hands.

Freeza frowned at Nappa who immediately backed off.

“Forgive me, Lord Freeza,” Raditz heard him say, he was still locked onto the lizard in front of him.

   

He swallowed in an effort to wet his dry throat and parted his lips again this time sound came. “I,” what was he meant to say? What was the question he was meant to be answering. Turles had always said to choose his words with care. Was he to thank Freeza? Why would the ruler of a galactic empire care about his thanks? The questions whirling around in his head was making him dizzy and Freeza was still staring.

“Forgive me , Lord Freeza,” he heard again this time it was his own voice. He fell to his knees, partially to avoid looking at the overlord and partially because they were shaking anyway.

“I am…grateful that you chose to save me, and I am ready to serve you,” said Raditz finally finding his nerve.

“Good, little son of Bardock, I look forward to it,” responded Freeza before he strode out of the room. Raditz remained kneeling and the room remained silent for a few minutes more. When the young saiyan finally rose, he found himself the focus of the room. Some were dismissive, some envious, some mocking, or angry. Raditz chanced a glance at Prince Vegeta, he was one of the dismissive ones, Nappa’s were fear filled no doubt from his own silent rebuke at Freeza’s hands.

Flix, one of the strongest warriors there was the first to break the silence. “Seems Lord Freeza is still interested in his pet monkeys, shame the only ones left are of such low quality,” he huffed out in a booming voice. The room broke out in rolls of laughter, Vegeta gritted his teeth, and Nappa balled up his fists, but Raditz breathed a sigh of relief.

 

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Author's Note

Thanks to everyone on this site who reviewed. I honestly forgot about this site for a bit, I'm thirty chapters into the sequel which is cross posted on ArchiveofOurOwn but I'm get to work on updating here. The first chapter of the sequel is already posted it's called Second Life.