In Darkest Knight

Vegeta watched his father pace and curse, barely able to restrain a frown from piercing the carefully emotionless mask that was his court face. He had thought that news of Frieza\'s demise would have made him happy, but instead the King of all of the Saiya-jin race was *furious*. The pr fai failed to understand his father\'s rage; perhaps it had something to do with the King\'s enormous pride in his power, and his jealousy of those who were stronger. /That was why he ordered that baby killed.../ He thought, lips pressing together. \"Father, cease.\" He finally requested quietly. \"Pacing is getting you nowhere.\"

The older male stopped and took a breath. \"You are right, namesake.\" He said softly, but there was something in his voice that sent a chill along the prince\'s spine. He didn\'t have time to wonder as the King abruptly called for servants. \"Let food and drink be served immediately; today we celebrate the return of my son and the liberation of our race.\"

\"Hai, Vegeta Ou!\" They chorused, then bustled away.

\"And find Green Lantern Bardock. I would have him sit at my right hand.\"

\"No! That is, Bardock had an... errand to run, and then was going to continue to watch over Lady Pinache.\" Vegeta Ouji explained quickly, feeling his father\'s suspicious glare like waves of heat from a fire.

\"It will do him some good to leave the infirmary, brat,\" the King said firmly. \"There are better things he should be doing than watching my sister convalesce.\"

/What are you *up* to, Father? Why have Bardock sit at your right hand now, after all of this time?/

***

Bardock hardly needed his scouter to track the massive but wavering ki of the one he sought; he could feel it like the steady hum of electrical equipment, growing as he grew nearer. When he finally arrived, he clenched a hand into a tight fist to help bite back the stream of poisonous curses that threatened to gush from his mouth. He quickly crouched and laid a hand on the infant\'s soft, round cheek, gazing gently into the pain-glazed ebon orbs. \"Its okay, little one... I\'m not going to hurt you...\"

/PAIN/

Bardock gasped. The thought had not been his own. /Your abilities are already surfacing.../

/?/

He smiled and shook his head, deciding to get the ritual over with. \"I make you mine, child...\" He whispered, bowing his head, lapping a little at the blood from the nasty wound. /So sweet.../ The child squirmed uncomfortably, then blinked up at Bardock as he pulled off one of his gloves and rolled up the sleeve of his jumpsuit, baring his wrist. He bit firmly into the translucent skin, tearing into one of the veins, then held it over the baby\'s mouth. The cub opened his mouth, grunting as the hot drops pattered onto his tongue, then smacked his lips as the Green Lantern lowered his hand, and rested the bite against the stab wound. \"Your blood... my blood... *OUR* blood...\" He said firmly, feeling the tentative bond forming.

/... good./ The child decided firmly while Bardock replaced his glove, relaxing as he was lifted from the natural hollow in the grass.

As he did so, Bardock heard a noise from close by, and turned his head. \"Paragus?\" He asked, staring at the wounded Saiya-jin. Then he froze, going stock still as a dark premonition struck, and his face creased into a rageled led scowl. The baby began to cry in response to the shift of his new father\'s mood. \"You would use your son as a *WEAPON*? You are as great a monster as Frieza, you son of a bitch.\" He growled, powering up a raw ki flare that removed Paragus\'s head cleanly from his shoulders. Making a face of disgust, he stripped the dead man\'s cape away and wrapped the baby in it.

/Yuck/

\"I know, but I can\'t carry you in there again unless you\'re covered. There would be questions.\" The baby grunted, but relented. \"Come on, Brolli. Let\'s get the hard part over with.\"

***

He was greeted by a medic as he entered the infirmary; the older alien blinked, confused, at the bundle in the Saiya-jin\'s arms. \"Put him in the *last* regen tank in the far corner.\"

\"Sir, this baby...\"

\"... is *MY* responsibility now. If any of the King\'s men have a problem with it, send them to me.\"

\"Hai, Bardock-san...\" He murmuredd ged gently took the baby from him.

/NO!/ The cub started to whimper, preparing to cry.

\"Its okay, Brolli, he\'ll make you better.\"

/... better?/ He blinked his large black eyes at the Green Lantern.

\"Yes, he\'ll make that awful hurt in your chest go away.\"

/... good./ The baby relaxed again, and allowed himself to be carried off.

Bardock, meanwhile, went to Pinache\'s tank and laid his hand on the glass, telling her quietly--not knowing if she heard him--about what had happened. \"I know you\'ve been wanting a child to raise yourself--the hell with sending him away--so this is your chance. Raised properly, Brolli could be something incredible, I *know* it.\" He caressed the glass. \"Please, get well...\" He murmured, then spun around as a nervous servant entered the infirmary. \"Yes?\"

\"Ah! Master Bardock! The King has ordered your presence...\"

\"Has he now?\"

\"There is a banquet being held to celebrate the events of this day.\"

\"I see.\" He looked back longingly at the tank, then sighed. \"I suppose a short time won\'t change anything.\" His stomach noisily agreed with him, and he smiled sheepishly before turning to follow the servant. \"Lead the say.\"

***

/Such a *TYPICAL* Saiya-jin banquet.../ Bardock thought sourly as he watched the growing food fight at the other end of the table. /*KILOWOG* has better table manners than this.../ He sighed and picked up the meat-encrusted animal bone he had been given, starting to gnaw.

\"Something bothering you, Bardock?\" Vegeta Ouji asked from beside him, slurping noisily from his cup.

\"Just longing for the presence of my colleagues, Oujisama.\"

\"Hmf. I don\'t blame you.\" The prince put the cup back on the table, and crunched on a bird skull, breaking it open to get at the tender brain inside.

Bardock shook his head, chuckling, then looked up as the King stood smoothly, gesturing for quiet. It took several minutes for the sticky combatants at the other end of the table to go still. \"You all know why we celebrate tonight, but no one knows the whole story. As the Green Lantern can attest, I personally saw to the white slug\'s demise.\"

Bardock stared as a cheer erupted. The prince was on his feet. \"That\'s a bald-faced lie!\" He shrieked.

\"Remember your place, brat.\" The king growled.

\"Lady Pinache took the blow that would\'ve destroyed our world, and Green Lantern destroyed Frieza!\"

\"I said SILENCE, boy!\" He snapped loudly. \"I am responsible for you being in this world, and if you keep blathering on like a fool, I will be equally responsible for you being OUT of it.\" He shifted his black gaze to Bardock, who was pale and trembling, and not from fear. \"As for *you*, Captain Bardock, I needs must deliver punishment for you going against my orders.\"

\"Ou-sama, I am a Green Lantern, I acted as I felt would best benefit the planet as a whole.\"

\"My word is *LAW*, Captain. Here the law now: you are hereby banished from my empire.\"

\"Father you can\'t!\" The prince began.

\"Shove it, boy.\" He growled. \"Bardock, you will have three days to remove yourself from the borders, taking your, heh, pet with you. I do not care if you take your older son with you or not, just make sure that *YOU* are gone. There is *one* way for you to prevent being banded a traitor...\" He leaned forward, eyes glinting. \"... give me your ring.\"

\"I can\'t do that, Ou-sama.\" Bardock\'s voice was low and tight and incredibly controlled.

\"Then you had best make certain you are outside of the Empir thr three days\' time, or there will be a price on your tail so high that every bounty hunter in the galaxy will itch to remove that glossy brown pelt of yours. Now get you gone from my sight, you sicken me.\"

***

\"You can\'t go, Bardock.\" Vegeta protested as he watched the Green Lantern quickly and efficiently pack his personal effects.

\"Its for the best, Oujisama. Your father\'s jealousy would have caused the outburst we just witnessed sooner or later.\"

\"I am your Prince, I order you to stay!\"

\"Your father is my King, he has ordered me to go. I\'m sorry, Vegeta.\"

The boy pouted. \"When I am King, I\'ll rescind your banishment, I swear it.\"

\"Thank you. But you should focus on growing up first.\" He cupped the boy\'s chin. \"Don\'t you fret. You\'ll always be able to contact me. I have friends in startling places.\" He touched foreheads with the boy, then straightened. \"Keep watch on Lady Pinache; I don\'t think her ordeal is entirely over yet.\"

\"I will, Bardock.\"

Using his ring, Bardock collected his few bags and left the apartment.

***

A short time and stretch of dice ice in the scheme of things saw Bardock and his sons to Oa, the home of the Guardians of the Universe and the birthplace of the Green Lantern Corps.

\"Bardock, you bring an infant Saiya-jin. Why?\"

\"Masters, the child is my responsibility. I was commanded by my prince to care for him, and so I shall.\"

\"And what of the king\'s order that he perish?\"

\"When he gave the order, the child ceased to be his subject.\"

\"And your interferance with the battle between Senshi Vegeta and the ice tyrant, Frieza?\"

\"The combat had ended when I arrived, and the energy blast would still have caused much damage if allowed to continue on its course. I had... a vision of the planet\'s destruction.\"

\"You were able to prevent it.\" The strange little being cocked his head, conferring silently and rapidly with the others as, with cobweb fingers, they brushed over Bardock\'s memories of the past few days. \"And you also bore a vision of the child.\" He nodded. \"You did the right thing, bringing him here.\"

\"And my birth-sons?\"

\"Radditz will be permitted to dwell here as well. As for Kakkarot... there is nothing we can do. The planet he is on is well cared-for; another of the Corp is there, and will prevent your people from interfering wits grs growth.\"

\"I thank you, Masters.\"

\"Seek your rest, and care for the child. You are all safe here.\"

Bardock withdrew, with his still-frightened oldest son and the sleeping baby.

***

\"My lord, there is no sign of Captain Bardock anywhere in the sector, nor of his family.\"

\"Excellant.\" The King said flatly. \"And my sister?\"

\"It was... *tragic*, Ou-sama,\" the guard drawled, smirking. \"The medics found her mysteriously dismembered as though by some wild beast.\"

\"Bardock\'s work no doubt.\"

\"Of course, Ou-sama.\"

\"And her wand?\"

\"Nowhere to be found. We are assuming that it was destroyed.\"

He nodded. \"Search for another week, then call it off. I will release my statement concerning Pinache then.\"

\"Hai, Ou-sama.\" The guard saluted crisply and left.

Vegeta watched from the gallery, fighting hard to keep his ki from spiking from the outrage and horror; his father had all but claimed responsibility for Pinache\'s death, when Vegeta had just been with the medics, who had been optimistic that she would recover. But now... /I will destroy you for this, Father. By my blood, I will destroy you!/