Dragonball M, Chapter 2: Lighthouse! Across the Shores of Shattered Time!

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Enoki nods.

“Burial is fine for now. When we come back a more proper service can be held.”

She stands, healed, and thanks Slak.

“My ship is over here.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Jinzi shake ahis head at Meagan’s question.

“No, I haven’t. But my father once told me that hatred is a poison. That when you let it in your heart, it consumes all that is beautiful and pure and good. It taints your thoughts and leaves you a lesser person, more like the one you hate.”

He sighs and kisses her forehead.

“I am with you regardless, my love. But don’t lose yourself.”

[Cyke]

Looking to Zaofan, Midori sheathed her sword on her back and slipped her whetstone into her pocket as she said "You are right, of course."

Standing to her feet, Midori walked over to Zaofan as she asked "Hey Zaofan, do you need any help with this?"

The grieving process is often shared, as oftentimes it is necessary to connect with others during a time of tragedy. Zaofan didn't know these Saiyans personally, but that shouldn't lessen the completely avoidable tragedy at all. As such, for Zaofan it's good to grieve with friends, and to know that he was with those who would stand with each other to stop threats like Junjo and Battersea.

"Midori, your assistance would be very welcome. Thank you for the offer."

[Tami]

Jinzi shake ahis head at Meagan’s question.

“No, I haven’t. But my father once told me that hatred is a poison. That when you let it in your heart, it consumes all that is beautiful and pure and good. It taints your thoughts and leaves you a lesser person, more like the one you hate.”

He sighs and kisses her forehead.

“I am with you regardless, my love. But don’t lose yourself.”

Meagan looked up and smiled slightly, "I know your right. If I didn't have you keeping me sane...."Taking a deep breath to calm herself, "the Junjo may have taken some of my people. I don't know what is going on my planet right now, but if the Nagadarr are still in control, the only way that could have happened is if they sold some of them to the Junjo. Either way, this has become even more personal."

[The Dog]

The grieving process is often shared, as oftentimes it is necessary to connect with others during a time of tragedy. Zaofan didn't know these Saiyans personally, but that shouldn't lessen the completely avoidable tragedy at all. As such, for Zaofan it's good to grieve with friends, and to know that he was with those who would stand with each other to stop threats like Junjo and Battersea.

"Midori, your assistance would be very welcome. Thank you for the offer."

Midori nodded and moved over to the first of the bodies of the slain. Kneeling down, she slipped her arms under their back and knees before raising up, holding them with great care. Moving gently to the first of Zaofan's perfectly-made graves, she lowered them into it and began returning the dirt that had been moved to make the grave back, covering them and granting them the dignity of a proper, if quick, burial. Once the grave was covered, Midori stood silently for a moment before moving on to the next.

As she worked to fill the graves Zaofan was making, her mind found itself turning to thoughts of her friends, 'family' and allies. How she would most likely have to attend their burials as well, if not because of the battles they'll face together, then through either disease or the merciless passage of time causing their bodies to fail from age. Barring being killed in battle, Midori knew she would likely outlive most of them and find herself standing at their gravesides. Her 'father' was already in his fifties, and it was only a matter of time until his body failed him. Same for Zaofan, Jinzi, Sarada, Totoma, and so many others.

But Midori, so long as she kept replacing her parts as they aged and failed, could live forever. And even if she didn't do that, her parts ensured she'd live hundreds, if not thousands, of years, watching all those biological beings she knew and cared for pass away due to the nature of their existence.

That was a very depressing thought, but Midori supposed burying the dead of a mass murder perpetrated by a race of alien slavers was the perfect time for such things.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"We need to put a stop to them," Jack nodded, "Wipe out though...let's just kill the ones actually doing the slaving."

What the **** are you doing Jack. You came over here to tell her how you felt, so do it. A part of Jack really did want to tell Sarada that he was done. He was not ready to wait when...and if to be honest.

He wanted to do that still.

Just...not with the smell of burning flesh in his nostrils.

"We'll...take the people who did this down, I promise you that," Jack confirmed as he surveyed the carnage.

Sarada smiled gratefully when Jack pledged his support. "Thank you, Jack."

It occurred to her that he likely left because of her antics with Ishtar. Even if they agreed that they were just friends, it couldn't have been easy watching someone he admitted to caring about flirt and get handsy with someone else. She wanted to make it up to him for being so patient with her. Maybe later, she'd spend some time with him. Have a spar, eat something, and just... talk? Mating didn't seem appropriate, given all they had been through today.

"Hey, did you find your knives in the wreckage?"

"I'm sure something can be arranged," P-Sta shook his head, looking up at the Saiyan. "I wouldn't imagine visitation rights are too difficult to pull some strings for.."

"Mm, yes. Nothing quite like a child visiting their parent in prison. Though, I suppose it's better than visiting their grave." As she said this, she glanced at the twelve Saiyan children who lost their parents this day. Their lives would never be the same. Their families had been ripped apart in the blink of an eye.

She was fortunate that most of her family was still alive. She couldn't even begin to imagine what they were going through at this moment.

This alone was enough to set Ishtar's mind at ease, and with an offering of happiness, gratitude, and the ever-present love, the Oni expressed as much.

"Then I suppose the sooner we finish with this day, the sooner I can show you what all I have learned ..."

And with a few telepathically whispered words of things that the Oni intended to do to Sarada, once their current 'quest' had been handled- whips, biting, and using the Saiyan's face as a chair- the golden-eyed Oni turned her attention back to the planning for the coming assault on the Junjo Slavers.

Oh.

Oh dear.

Ishtar had such a depraved, perverted imagination. Whips, biting, and sitting on Sarada's face? Yes. That would be quite an acceptable means of properly reuniting. Aka Manah wasn't even necessary to properly convey her sheer excitement at what was to come. The big, dopey grin on her face, plus her tail wagging a hundred miles a minute behind her told the tale very clearly.

'I'm yours to do with as you please.'[quote]

Zaofan's posture went from low and slumped, to straight and tight, all the while still maintaining a profound sense of sorrow and seriousness. Overhearing the exchange between Sarada, Ishtar, and P-Sta, and noticing the somber mood that affected even Midori and Jack, Zaofan speaks up. "Sarada. Enoki. Whatever the next course of action is with the Junjo, we should still honor the fallen of today. You have my condolences. Such barbarity is unforgivable."

Zaofan begins floating up. "I don't know what Saiyan burial rites look like, but what we do next with the Junjo must be done to honor the Saiyans." He quietly begins firing light optic blasts into the ground, with just enough power to split dirt and carve out separate graves for each of the deceased. He does this one at a time, almost to the point where each grave looks like a tic marked off on a giant chalkboard.

"I cannot say what the best course of action is, but the Saiyans -- they will be avenged. That is justice."

"We need to put a stop to them," Jack nodded, "Wipe out though...let's just kill the ones actually doing the slaving."

What the **** are you doing Jack. You came over here to tell her how you felt, so do it. A part of Jack really did want to tell Sarada that he was done. He was not ready to wait when...and if to be honest.

He wanted to do that still.

Just...not with the smell of burning flesh in his nostrils.

"We'll...take the people who did this down, I promise you that," Jack confirmed as he surveyed the carnage.

"I'm sure something can be arranged," P-Sta shook his head, looking up at the Saiyan. "I wouldn't imagine visitation rights are too difficult to pull some strings for.."




"And you have my word that even if I cannot stop you, I will try my darndest to do so," P-Sta replied, his composure somewhat less flustered now that he was avoiding looking at Ishtar.

This alone was enough to set Ishtar's mind at ease, and with an offering of happiness, gratitude, and the ever-present love, the Oni expressed as much.

"Then I suppose the sooner we finish with this day, the sooner I can show you what all I have learned ..."

And with a few telepathically whispered words of things that the Oni intended to do to Sarada, once their current 'quest' had been handled- whips, biting, and using the Saiyan's face as a chair- the golden-eyed Oni turned her attention back to the planning for the coming assault on the Junjo Slavers.



While it was true that Ishtar had no such issues- at least in this instance- with the eradication of the Junjo should such a thing ultimately be necessary; the unease that she felt from Sarada was something of a curiosity. Though ... perhaps not so. The Saiyan, to Ishtar's knowledge, had not engaged in the acts of her predecessors when it came to the subjugation and enslavement of other species; and while she was on occasion bloodthirsty ... she was far more measured than one might expect. So in the end, perhaps the unease was warranted.

It was enough to give the golden-eyed Oni pause, at any rate.

Hm ..

Nodding her head finally, as Sarada agreed to the compromise- save first, kill later- Ishtar offered the Saiyan a small smile. "In the end, that is the true goal now ... perhaps the rest will fall into place when we get there; as things are sometimes wont to do. And at the very least, those responsible for what has happened here will be treated to the justice owed them."



"Good enough for now," the Oni replied with a shrug. Whether or not it was in response to his promise to attempt stopping her, however, or his return to 'grace' after averting his gaze ... one could not be wholly sure.

Zaofan's posture went from low and slumped, to straight and tight, all the while still maintaining a profound sense of sorrow and seriousness. Overhearing the exchange between Sarada, Ishtar, and P-Sta, and noticing the somber mood that affected even Midori and Jack, Zaofan speaks up. "Sarada. Enoki. Whatever the next course of action is with the Junjo, we should still honor the fallen of today. You have my condolences. Such barbarity is unforgivable."

Zaofan begins floating up. "I don't know what Saiyan burial rites look like, but what we do next with the Junjo must be done to honor the Saiyans." He quietly begins firing light optic blasts into the ground, with just enough power to split dirt and carve out separate graves for each of the deceased. He does this one at a time, almost to the point where each grave looks like a tic marked off on a giant chalkboard.

"I cannot say what the best course of action is, but the Saiyans -- they will be avenged. That is justice."

Enoki nods.

“Burial is fine for now. When we come back a more proper service can be held.”

She stands, healed, and thanks Slak.

“My ship is over here.”

Zaofan offered his condolences, and took up the task of burying the dead himself. Eventually, Midori joined him. Together, they could likely get it done, but Sarada couldn't let them do it on their own. She owed it to the fallen to offer them peace as they finally took their last rest. She wasn't sure how these Saiyans felt about combat. If they were anything like Enoki, they didn't have the compulsive need to fight to quell their restless spirits. Still, it would to offer them one final word.

Slowly, Sarada walked over to Zaofan and Midori and joined them in burying the dead. Whenever she lowered one into their grave and covered them with dirt, she whispered a short phrase in Vocadoan: "Peace be with you, brother/sister."

It was the least she could do.

[grampagen]

Ochazuke stayed silent throughout the improvised funerary rites, having no particular stake in the matters of offworlders or the politicking of spacefaring races. He'd only known those in the group who'd come to Earth, and, save two, it had been a haven of convenience, a place to lick their wounds, or an idle curiosity. Now, wrest from his work by these alien parties, he was now adrift among the cosmic jetsam in this corner of the universe.

Sloppy work for an advanced race, he mused, There's no good reason to leave a vengeful Saiyan alive...unless...

“Wasn’t Jagam. The Junjo ambushed us with their neural stunner. Took a bunch of us and then killed the rest with orbital bombardments.”

She grimaces as Jinzi arrives with Slak and Chuan, who starts healing her.

“Made it look like Jagam did it to cover their tracks. I woke up before they could take me and managed to kill a few. Grabbed a few kids and bolted for a deep bunker before they slagged the place.”

Enoki nods.

“All the pods look like they got hit, but my old GP ship should still be in the hangar.”

And Sarada and P-sta both remember that Enoki is a former Galaxy Police Officer. One of only four Saiyans to ever go that route. There are currently two on the job, Enoki retired five years ago, and the last was a while ago.

Sarada also recalls that was why Enoki left. She wasn’t liked on Vacado as she tried to overthrow the slave system there and dismantle the Meat Market.

Enoki looks at a Sarada.

“I tried to take you. When I heard you were being thrown to the Meat Market, I was on my way to Vacado to get you out. Heard you escaped on your own though. Good girl.”

She looks at Ishtar.

“Planet has no name officially. We were an unauthorized colony hiding out from Vacado. Dissidents and the like who didn’t like the system. There were only 100 of us. Judging from the pods and bodies, I’d guess they took 30 or so.”

Enoki nods.

“Burial is fine for now. When we come back a more proper service can be held.”

She stands, healed, and thanks Slak.

“My ship is over here.”

"How strange that they would leave the hangar untouched, in spite of targeting the rest of your vessels," he said at last. "Knowing how these Junjo slavers operate this deep in uncharted territory, hunting their quarry, Enoki, why do you think that is?"

Rolling his wrists in the sleeves of his sportcoat, Ochazuke idly thumbed at the Capsule Corp cufflinks. A gleam of fabricated value cast out of uniform twill.

"I imagine that as soon as you fought back your price point shot way up. They left the only the most vulnerable and the most valuable alive."

[Tami]

Meagan looked over at the others working on burying the dead and had two reactions, the first was an image where the dead being buried wern't Sayians, but humans, then it shifted to an image of Chromakai bodies. She shook her head once, as if trying to get her overactive imagination under control and shove those images back into the darkness.

Then she felt a bit of guilt, her own emotions overshadowing the tragedy they were dealing with right here. Turning to Jinzi, "We have to do something or these Junjo are going to attack every planet in the galaxy. We have to stop them, somehow."

[Miburo]

Meagan looked over at the others working on burying the dead and had two reactions, the first was an image where the dead being buried wern't Sayians, but humans, then it shifted to an image of Chromakai bodies. She shook her head once, as if trying to get her overactive imagination under control and shove those images back into the darkness.

Then she felt a bit of guilt, her own emotions overshadowing the tragedy they were dealing with right here. Turning to Jinzi, "We have to do something of these Junjo are going to attack every planet in the galaxy. We have to stop them, somehow."

A familar voice cleared its throat before Jinzi could respond.

"Well...That's not entirely accurate."

The source of the voice stood not far away, scratching the top of his head as his braids swayed gently in the wind.

"It didn't seem like the right time to say anything, since you all were --understandably--upset about what happened to us, never mind what you found." Held continued, glancing at the others as they worked to bury the dead. "But, most Junjo are farmers or miners or something like that. Slavery isn't really a big thing for them."

Sighing heavily, the Nevadian sat on a large rock, gathering his thoughts.

"It's a bit of a long story, but I'm pretty sure I know what's going on here...Or, I have an idea, at least."

[Tami]

A familar voice cleared its throat before Jinzi could respond.

"Well...That's not entirely accurate."

The source of the voice stood not far away, scratching the top of his head as his braids swayed gently in the wind.

"It didn't seem like the right time to say anything, since you all were --understandably--upset about what happened to us, never mind what you found." Held continued, glancing at the others as they worked to bury the dead. "But, most Junjo are farmers or miners or something like that. Slavery isn't really a big thing for them."

Sighing heavily, the Nevadian sat on a large rock, gathering his thoughts.

"It's a bit of a long story, but I'm pretty sure I know what's going on here...Or, I have an idea, at least."

Turning to him, Meagan considered what he said, "Before now, if I ever heard of the Junjo it was in passing and not very memorable. You seem to know a lot more, so, what is your idea?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Ochazuke stayed silent throughout the improvised funerary rites, having no particular stake in the matters of offworlders or the politicking of spacefaring races. He'd only known those in the group who'd come to Earth, and, save two, it had been a haven of convenience, a place to lick their wounds, or an idle curiosity. Now, wrest from his work by these alien parties, he was now adrift among the cosmic jetsam in this corner of the universe.

Sloppy work for an advanced race, he mused, There's no good reason to leave a vengeful Saiyan alive...unless...







"How strange that they would leave the hangar untouched, in spite of targeting the rest of your vessels," he said at last. "Knowing how these Junjo slavers operate this deep in uncharted territory, hunting their quarry, Enoki, why do you think that is?"

Rolling his wrists in the sleeves of his sportcoat, Ochazuke idly thumbed at the Capsule Corp cufflinks. A gleam of fabricated value cast out of uniform twill.

"I imagine that as soon as you fought back your price point shot way up. They left the only the most vulnerable and the most valuable alive."

She pauses, thinking.

“The hangar is hidden, cloaked. For emergencies if Vacado ever came calling. As to leaving me alive.......”

She pauses, eyes widening.

“In case I got out of the bunker, of course I would send out a distress signal. More people for them to get if they intercept the message. If I didn’t, they knew where I was regardless. They would just come back for me and the kids. ****.”

[Miburo]

Turning to him, Meagan considered what he said, "Before now, if I ever heard of the Junjo it was in passing and not memorable. You seem to know more, so, what is your idea?"

"Once upon a time I actually had a job." Held began simply, "It entailed a lot of things that aren't really important for the moment."

Not to mention, It's not like I'm applying for a job interview here....It's not really the place to getting nostalgic.

"Either way, my own people went missing. Large numbers, from all over Nevadian land, with seemingly no reasoning behind it. There one moment, and gone the next..."

Kami, I'm getting a headache just thinking about the headache I got during all that. It's was like trying to track down a team of magicians...

"One thing led to another, and me and my team were charged with investigating the matter. It wasn't exactly easy to uncover what went on, but eventually we found the truth."

Held glanced at the shattered ship, it's fragments scattered all across the land.

"It turned out that they were being sold as slaves, and then I was tasked with hunting the slavers...Our success was..."

He glanced towards the graves, sighing despondently at the state of things. "Well, I would use the term 'successful' loosely, if I had to use it at all."

Still, I thought that group was at least disbanded, if not eradicated....I guess they just managed to pull the wool over our eyes again.

"I've been gone for awhile, but I'm almost certain that we shouldn't be hunting a species, so much as we should be hunting a very particular group."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

She pauses, thinking.

“The hangar is hidden, cloaked. For emergencies if Vacado ever came calling. As to leaving me alive.......”

She pauses, eyes widening.

“In case I got out of the bunker, of course I would send out a distress signal. More people for them to get if they intercept the message. If I didn’t, they knew where I was regardless. They would just come back for me and the kids. ****.”

"All the more reason to deal with them quickly."

Any more time wasted was time the Junjo had to regroup and form a strategy with which to take Enoki and the children. Not to mention them.

...

It was very convenient that they happened to crash land on this planet in particular.

"The group that took us meant to eject us on this planet," she said to the others. "I think they're going to come back, strike us all at once while we're still weak." It made sense. At the time, they had been giving them trouble. There was little doubt they would have taken the ship and killed everyone on board. Ejecting them in a pod not only got them out of their hair, but also gave them the opportunity to get a double kill, so to speak.

[grampagen]

She pauses, thinking.

“The hangar is hidden, cloaked. For emergencies if Vacado ever came calling. As to leaving me alive.......”

She pauses, eyes widening.

“In case I got out of the bunker, of course I would send out a distress signal. More people for them to get if they intercept the message. If I didn’t, they knew where I was regardless. They would just come back for me and the kids. ****.”

Ochazuke chuckled darkly.

Whatever these Junjo are, they are anything but stupid.

"He who pursues two targets catches neither. You would be hard pressed to fend for both yourself and the children in the wilderness alone, much less against a foe laying in wait," he said, "Even if you escaped with them on a single vessel, that would be like flying right into their hands."

There was something to be said of starving out a colony of Saiyans, but that was a thought he'd keep to himself while their mutual enemy hovered just out of reach, their pool of shared resources thinning rapidly.

"And when their ship went down in the space above this planet, they know we are here. Hmm."

He walked over to the ridge that overlooked the upturned earth of the freshly dug graves and concentrated his senses over the horizon, searching for something.

"Still, advanced as their technology may be, it would be wasteful for even poachers like these to announce their attack from the sky above. On the surface, perhaps..."

[Tami]

"Once upon a time I actually had a job." Held began simply, "It entailed a lot of things that aren't really important for the moment."

Not to mention, It's not like I'm applying for a job interview here....It's not really the place to getting nostalgic.

"Either way, my own people went missing. Large numbers, from all over Nevadian land, with seemingly no reasoning behind it. There one moment, and gone the next..."

Kami, I'm getting a headache just thinking about the headache I got during all that. It's was like trying to track down a team of magicians...

"One thing led to another, and me and my team were charged with investigating the matter. It wasn't exactly easy to uncover what went on, but eventually we found the truth."

Held glanced at the shattered ship, it's fragments scattered all across the land.

"It turned out that they were being sold as slaves, and then I was tasked with hunting the slavers...Our success was..."

He glanced towards the graves, sighing despondently at the state of things. "Well, I would use the term 'successful' loosely, if I had to use it at all."

Still, I thought that group was at least disbanded, if not eradicated....I guess they just managed to pull the wool over our eyes again.

"I've been gone for awhile, but I'm almost certain that we shouldn't be hunting a species, so much as we should be hunting a very particular group."

"If blaming an entire race for what one group did, or what one's ancestor's did, then Sarada and I might as well turn ourselves in to the Galaxy Police." Meagan rubbed her hand over her brow as she considered this, "Held, how do we go about tracking the slavers down? How do we stop them? We don't even know how many of these slave ships are out there, how extensive this damnable operation is."