Dragon Ball Z 1. Chapter 1

**CAPTIVE**

* * *

><p>The sun was shining and the atmosphere was filled with the warm sense of summer. The hills were scattered with wildflowers and the sparkling river beside a small group of trees was creating a soft rushing in the distance. Three women were sitting under a large tree, unpacking an array of foods under the shade.<p>

One was strikingly beautiful with blue hair, the other a blond with piercing eyes and the third a raven-haired woman who was beaming at a large dish made up of smoked salmon and vegetables.

"And this one" she said placing the round dining plate gently on the blanket, "is the salmon recipe I've been working on. I think I've finally perfected it! It took a while for me to get the vegetables right, every time I turned around to rinse them the wild pack of animals I call family had already devoured half of the fish!"

Chichi frowned remembering how she had to resort to barricading herself in the kitchen to finish most of her cooking.

"Well it's a good thing they've all left us to some peace and quiet" Bulma sighed as she laid back onto the grass, stretching her arms out, "Vegeta was getting a little restless. I wonder how they're doing out there" she looked up into the blue sky.

It had been a normal afternoon in West City, except that Goku had arrived unannounced at the door of Capsule Corp. He explained that it would be a good idea to round up all of the men and train together on a planet he knew of, to test out their developed techniques on one another. Bulma was comfortable that their planet was safe, but she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about losing the strongest men on Earth for a week.

Goku had assured her that he would be checking in on them daily, under orders of Chichi of course, who also wanted to keep tabs on her family. So the decided group would be Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Trunks, Goten and, after much pushing from 18, Krillin. Yamcha and the others that were unable to make the trip stayed behind on Earth. Bulma had allowed them to take one of her best crafts, with a threat of certain death if her husband and young son neglected to return it in the proper condition.

"So 18" she said propping herself up and giving her android friend a sly look, "I heard rumors that you and Krillin are trying to have another baby"

"I wonder where you picked up that information," said 18 shooting a glare at a blushing Chichi.

"Well the foods all out now, dig in!" she said pretending not to hear.

Bulma laughed and playfully nudged 18, "We all know there isn't anything more fun than trying for another baby, it's the work that comes after achieving our goal that's exhausting" she said picking up a plate.

"Well you're information is incorrect, I'm perfectly content with just Marron. Anyways, I might as well count Krillin as a second child" she said rolling her eyes.

"Hey, where have Oolong and Roshi wandered off to" Chichi said suddenly looking around.

The women had invited the two lecherous individuals to their picnic, but they had seemingly run off.

* * *

><p>Two blond women sat giggling and gossiping as they sunbathed near the river. One of them had just reached around to untie the top of her bikini when she paused and squinted into the bushes behind them.<p>

"That's funny" she said confused, "I thought I just saw something move over there"

"Probably just some wild animal" said the other lazily, turning to tan her back.

Roshi flicked Oolong on his piggy nose, "Idiot! They almost spotted you!" he whispered fiercely shaking his binoculars.

Oolong rubbed his nose annoyed, "Yeah! Well I was the one who found 'em! And those are my binoculars, give 'em back!"

"I don't think so," the old man laughed cruelly as he held the spying device out of the short pig's reach.

Oolong aimed a kick at Roshi's shin and missed, cracking his foot against a large root.

"GAHH!"

Oolong yelled in pain, hopping on one foot. Roshi made a move to cover his mouth, but it was too late.

"EWW!", the two girls screeched in horror as they looked down on the two stunned culprits.

"Hello ladies", Roshi grinned recovering his composure, "I think you'd like a hand with that bikini, eh?" he said advancing on them flexing his fingers.

"Ugh!" the blonds said in unison jumping back.

"There you two are!"

Chichi came stomping towards the four individuals highly irritated.

"All I had to do was follow the sounds of disgust and here you are," she said placing her hands on her hips, "We've been waiting for you for almost an hour! We should've just eaten and left you to your perverted agenda!"

Oolong looked sheepish while Roshi only stared back. There was a few moments of silence and then, "So where were we?" said Roshi turning back to the curvy blonds.

* * *

><p>18 was drumming her fingers impatiently on her knee while Bulma yawned pointedly.<p>

She stared moodily at the untouched food until Chichi, Oolong and Roshi came into view over a nearby hill.

"Finally!" Bulma cried standing up and waving them over.

"Nice hand-print old man" said 18 smirking at the large red mark on Roshi's face, "I'm guessing your victims didn't appreciate your advances"

"No, that actually belongs to me" Chichi said sitting down and helping herself to the cold salmon.

After everyone had had their fill, they all took to enjoying the rest of the afternoon. Bulma, Chichi and 18 talked amongst themselves, and it wasn't long before they realized that Roshi and Oolong had disappeared again.

"Maybe we should just leave them here" offered Bulma loading up her large air cruiser.

"I think that sounds fair to m-" 18 stopped short, blinking at the large growing shadow now surrounding the women.

They all looked up at the bottom of what appeared to be a large craft bearing down upon them.

"What is _that_!" yelled Chichi over the roaring wind caused from the massive ship.

"Who cares, run for it!" screamed 18 yanking both women away from the vehicle.

They landed on the ground a few yards away, tangled up in one another.

Bulma scrambled to her feet as the sound of crushed metal grew louder, "My cruiser!" she gaped open mouthed as the unfamiliar craft destroyed her newly configured masterpiece.

The other two stood up beside her, their hair whipping wildly around their faces.


	2. Chapter 2

When the ship settled everything became eerily still. Bulma and Chichi remained silent, staring in awe at the complex spacecraft before them. It was definitely nothing they had seen before.

It took the shape of a large oval, except each floor of the craft seemed to be spinning or shifting. The size could be compared to a small building, at least 15 stories high. It appeared to be made of a black matte material, with visible lines where different hatches and doors were located.

"I don't like this," said 18 preparing herself for an attack, shielding the two less experienced fighters.

"Those lunatics just destroyed months of strategic upgrades and solid hard labor!" shouted Bulma pushing past 18, "Come out of there and face me you morons!"

Bulma continued to shout obscenities at the shifting craft while the other women tried to drag her away to a safe distance. They all paused struggling when there was a loud hissing noise and all at once the turning and shifting halted. A wide latch in front slowly began to rise, opening to reveal a dark passage. Again 18 braced herself, not wanting to be caught off guard. They stared nervously into the darkness and after what seemed like ages they finally saw something stirring in the shadows.

A tall figure emerged. Chichi and Bulma each gave a tiny gasp, even 18 couldn't keep herself from raising an eyebrow at their visitor. There was really only one way to put it, he was beautiful.

The man stood around 6'1, with long white hair that fell in waves and framed his perfect features. You could tell from first glance he wasn't a human. His skin was tinged with a soft lavender color, and his eyes were otherworldly. 18 recovered after seeing them. It was his eyes that made her uneasy, they were a startling red.

There was also a strange marking on his forehead, a vertical pink line with tiny stitching. His ornate armored suit appeared to be made of the same matte-like material from the ship, except his gloves and boots were both a dark purple. He looked to 18, then Chichi, studying their faces. Then pausing when his eyes finally rested on Bulma.

"Hello"

His voice was not what you would expect to hear from a man with such beautiful features. It was a deep, slow rumble, sexy and rough.

Definitely dangerous.

"And who are you?" 18 asked him coolly.

He answered her without looking away from Bulma.

"Who am I?"

Bulma began to shift, feeling uncomfortable under his strong gaze and glared at him.

"You've got some nerve crashing down in on us like that! Not to mention you wrecked a brilliant piece of art made by yours truly. Who the hell is navigating that thing anyway, are they drunk!" she began to feel brave as she saw his concentration on her break slightly. He glanced at the scattered pieces of Bulma's cruiser behind him.

He gave them a dazzling smile and held out his arms, "My apologies. It was not in my intentions to harm any of you. The opposite in fact" his eyes flashed.

"What do you mean by that?" it was Chichi this time, equally irritated.

"I should introduce myself" he spoke slowly, "My name is Rintul. And you are?"

"Pissed off" Bulma snapped folding her arms.

No matter how attractive this guy was, she was still angry. It would take her at least two months to rebuild another vehicle like the one that lay in ruins at his feet, she hardly had time between work and her family.

"Bulma" 18 said warningly. She could sense there was something terribly wrong with this entire situation. If this was an attack, it would be difficult to protect Bulma and Chichi if there were more men waiting inside.

And her predictions were correct.

"Ahh, so this is Bulma Briefs" he said quietly and made a motion over his shoulder. Three other men filed out behind him, each similar to the man before them. Their eyes were all different striking colors, vibrant greens and icy blues, but all flecked with the same deep red, like the color of blood.

18 inwardly cursed herself at her mistake. She crouched, quickly analyzing her closest target.

"Look. I've got zero interest in why you're here and I'm going to give you one warning-"

The others hadn't reacted as fast as 18, but it was still not quick enough. She was surprised at her slow reflexes as a thin, black metal band zoomed in her direction and clamped itself tightly around her neck, nearly choking her. She made to rip it off but she could barely find the strength to lift her arms, she was paralyzed.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Bulma and Chichi both bound with the same strange force from the choker-like band.

The three men each held a vibrating black orb that appeared to be missing a layer around the middle. 18 guessed this was the reason she was unable to move.

"What, ngh, is this!" she managed to choke out.

"You see" the man called Rintul said advancing on them, " I have no intention of leaving without what I came for. All three of you will have to come with me now. There is no other option".

* * *

><p>"I'm tellin' you, they're gone" Oolong wiped the sweat from his forehead as he slumped against a tree trunk, "Come on, we've been looking for them forever".<p>

A few twigs fell onto his head as Roshi maneuvered between the branches above him, making his way to the highest spot on the tree.

"Perseverance!" is all he said while poking his head through the leaves, searching with the binoculars.

"Well I wouldn't be surprised if Bulma and the others took off by now" the pig whined while looking in the direction of their picnic "You should see if you can spot them at least".

Roshi shifted and searched for their spot with the binoculars.

"Eh!" he cried as what he saw almost made him lose his balance.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I kind of imagined Rintul's voice like Vin Diesel's for those who were having trouble with the description. **


	3. Chapter 3

"What is it?" Oolong asked worriedly, looking up at Roshi's staggered figure.

Roshi was staring in complete horror as he watched the unmistakable image of Bulma disappear into a large, dark craft. Then he saw as the other women came into view, also being herded through the doorway by two large men.

Without hesitation he leapt downwards, landing on top of Oolong's anxious face.

"Get up fool!" Roshi yelled kicking the small pink body as it twitched on the ground. "Were on the way!" he shouted as he took off running.

The old man, though ancient, ran at break-neck speed, dodging trees and bounding over large boulders.

He could see the towering spaceship begin to vibrate and heard the sounds of roaring engines as he reached the last hill.

He skidded to a halt, panting heavily as he watched the oval craft lift off the ground. It hovered for a few seconds before blasting off at an alarming speed into the sky, scorching the ground beneath it.

Roshi shielded his face as a wave of heat and dust blew over him. He had been too late.

He stared into the sky watching the ship disappear as a wheezing Oolong stumbled up behind him.

"What the hell is going on!" he said clutching at a stitch in his side.

But Roshi stayed silent. His mind was racing with a million different questions, but he was certain that whoever had taken Bulma, Chichi and 18 had done so forcefully. He had not recognized any of the men, but he had definitely recognized their body language. Those women had been taken against their will.

* * *

><p>"Let us OUT!" Bulma pounded her fists against the glass wall of their cell.<p>

They had been forced to board, completely disabled by the dark band that was set tight against their necks. The inside of the ship was similar to the outside, dark and shifting. The women were shuffled through the maze-like halls, climbing up into the highest point of the craft. Once placed in a cell they gained most of their physical strength back, the bands having slackened slightly.

"I doubt that they plan to" 18 said sitting on a long bench beside an anxious Chichi.

"Can't you blast us out of here?" Bulma asked plopping down next to 18.

18 concentrated for a moment, closing her eyes. She couldn't find the strength to raise her power level. It was an awful feeling, like being stuck in mud. She began to sweat, but it was no use.

"Ugh" her eyes snapped back open, "This is horrible. I feel so weak with this damn thing around my neck. It's controlling us, that's obvious, but this thing has a stopper on my power level" she reached for the back of her neck, feeling for something to unclasp it, but there was no break in the winding metal.

Bulma let out a loud sigh. She wished that she knew how to teleport like Goku, then this whole mess would be nothing more than a bad dream.

"Hey that's it! Chichi, when Goku goes to check in with you you'll be missing! He'll know somethings up!" Bulma said excitedly. But her friend stared down into her lap, going slightly pink.

"What's wrong? Didn't you say he's been using his instant transmission every night to come see you?"

"W-well I thought you might ask about that but…" Chichi fidgeted uncomfortably, "…When he dropped in yesterday night, I sort of convinced him to stay until morning…" she said finally looking up at the two other women.

"And?" prompted 18.

"And since he stayed the night with me, I told him he didn't have to check in with me for the rest of the trip"

Bulma swore loudly while 18 covered her face.

"The whole point of him checking in on us was to avoid any situations like this!" Bulma shouted motioning to the walls around them.

"Well you try having a husband who runs off trying to play the hero every other day! A girl like me doesn't get the chance to have her man with her all night very often!" she paused lowering her voice, "I thought it would be a nice reward for him. I had no idea we would get kidnapped by some tall, dark and freaky alien".

She glanced nervously at Bulma as she spoke again, "He seemed pretty interested in you Bulma. Did you recognize him at all?"

Bulma pondered for a moment. She knew that she would recognize a face like that had she seen it before, but there was nothing that stood out in her memory.

"I don't think so. Even the name is totally unfamiliar"

"Rintul" they all said together. They were quiet for a few moments as the name echoed around the room.

"I'm so sorry you guys," Chichi moaned, "I really didn't think we'd find ourselves in a mess like this"

"Its okay Chichi" Bulma said putting a comforting arm around her friend, "Better to be abducted by a hot alien than an ugly one, right?" she said winking.

"Don't be fooled by that pretty face of his" 18 warned, "That thing, whatever he is, is dangerous. I could sense the hostility the moment he stepped out of this place".

Bulma sighed and got up to investigate the room a little more closely.

"It's interesting. These walls aren't quite solid" she said examining the strange black material, "Even this glass is unique. But they definitely don't appear to have a weak spot…" she paused tapping the glass as a guard marched by.

"…Although, one of these guards might," she said grinning at the other women.

"Come here you two, we've got to try and get out of here"

A muscular guard with the same white hair and lavender skin as their captor was patrolling the hall of their cell. His eyes were a vivid pink with the identifiable red flecks of his race. He lingered at the end of the hall before turning around, heading back to the other end. He stopped dead in his tracks as he passed his prisoners, staring wide-eyed into the scene before him.

All three women were stripped down to their underwear, in a sort of massaging chain. 18 in front, Bulma in the middle and Chichi as the caboose.

"Mmm see, isn't this nice girls?" Bulma purred rubbing 18's shoulders.

18 sat stiff, her one eyebrow twitching menacingly.

"Just pretend for me here, see it's working" Bulma whispered as she glanced at the open mouthed guard.

18 rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah, its great" she said unenthusiastically.

"Hi there" Bulma stood breaking the unusual chain and stepped up to the guard, making sure to press her chest against the glass. Seduction had always come easy to her.

"We seem to be short one masseuse. You see my poor friend Chichi over there isn't getting to enjoy herself properly. So why don't you come join us?"

The guard seemed to consider this option for a moment before a sharp voice above their heads gave an order that Bulma could not hear properly through the thick glass.

She glared up at the speaker and took a quick step back as the alien raised his weapon and spoke, "You will redress yourselves and continue to wait patiently. Our journey will be over shortly". He turned on his heel and marched back down the hallway.

When she turned around 18 was already half dressed and Chichi was snatching up her clothes muttering angrily to herself.

* * *

><p>Rintul sat alone in a dim room. He was facing a large screen that took the place of the ship's tall windows. He stared at the three women as they sat in the small cell, and listened as they addressed one another. He grinned at the image of Bulma shaking her fist at 18, apparently accusing her of being unconvincing.<p>

"Not surprising Vegeta…to pick a mate with a strong taste for battle…"

There was a knock at the door before the muscular guard swiftly stepped into the room.

He stepped closer to his master, observing the women on the screen.

"These humans are an unusual species. The females seem very keen on pampering one another in times of strife"

Rintul chuckled and pressed a button on the arm of his chair and watched the image of the three women fade as the screen turned black.

"Yes, unusual" he rose and walked to the window, staring out into the blurring darkness as they moved at warp speed "We will need to be careful with the blond, the one identified as 18. She is stronger than the others, I can tell she is not entirely human".

"And the saiyan's mate? We are definite this Bulma woman is her?" asked the guard.

Rintul grinned, "Of course. That prideful bastard wouldn't have chosen a less perfect creature than one like herself" he cocked his head as he considered his new plan.

"I know kidnapping, ah, _Prince_ Vegeta's woman is enough to lure him to our planet…but I think I could damage his pathetic saiyan pride even further by winning her over. She is strong willed, there is no question about that…but is her bond strong enough?"

He grin widened at the thought of Vegeta's utter humiliation of losing his only mate to an enemy. But he knew his main priority, and that was to destroy him.

"And what about the other men they spoke of? Are we prepared for this kind of attack?"

"Don't ask stupid questions." Rintul spoke calmly but the edge of danger in his voice was apparent, "Vegeta is the main target, but if his allies get in our way I'll have little trouble disposing of them myself"

"Of course" he said quickly with a bow" and then added hesitantly, "I'm just hoping we are not underestimating these men"

He winced as Rintul turned around slowly to face him, his eyes burning.

"You are a coward," his voice rumbled like thunder, "A weak minded fool who lacks faith in his ruler and in his own race. They will come, and you will break so easily".

The dim room began to glow red as his anger rolled forth. A bead of sweat ran down the guard's neck as he stood waiting for his master to strike. He had known his words would test Rintul's temper, but his concerns had been doubled as he listened to the three women discussing these men's capabilities.

Rintul drew in a slow breath and exhaled, powering down. He knew it would be useless to dispose of his own soldiers, he would save his vengeance for his enemies.

He turned away from his comrade and walked over to a digital map, checking their progress.

"You may return to your post and prepare our prisoners for travel".

The guard nodded and turned to leave.

"Oh and one more thing" Rintul didn't look up from the map as he spoke "If you ever question me again I'll bury your remains, along with your family's, beneath the city so the vermin can have a taste of true _loyalty_" he said jeeringly.

The guard swallowed and left the room quickly.

* * *

><p>"Come on Kakarot! Quit holding back. Or maybe you've just gotten weaker" called Vegeta, smirking down at Goku as he hovered above him.<p>

Goku shook his head smiling. They had been training all day and into the late evening. The two saiyans were the only ones left fighting on the rocky terrain. Trunks and Goten sat watching their fathers, both becoming very restless. The others had gone back to the spaceship for dinner and Trunks and Goten were afraid all of the food would be gone, but both fathers had told them to stay put and study their sparring session. Trunks groaned as his stomach gave a loud growl.

"This is stupid. They act like we've never seen them go at it before" he jumped up and kicked a large rock off of the cliff they were perched on.

"Yeah" Goten yawned and laid back with his hands behind his head, "You think they'd have gotten bored by now".

"TRUNKS!" Vegeta barked while Trunks gazed longingly in the direction of the ship, "Pay attention. I learned this technique when I was your age. So it shouldn't be any problem for _you_ to perfect it right? Come here now!"

Trunks groaned again and hovered moodily over to his father while Goten laughed.

"Hey Goten, you should come watch too!" Goku called waving his son over who obediently flew next to his father.

The four of them trained until they heard a loud rumble issue from Goku's stomach.

"Well I guess I'm a lot hungrier than I thought! Is everyone set to go in?"

After a little resistance from Vegeta they headed back to camp. It was eerily silent upon entering the ship, which was usually echoing with the group's loud voices.

"Hello?" Goten called looking around the main room.

The ship Bulma had lent them was colossal. It contained three floors, with multiple rooms that could comfortable fit four people, all equip with a bathroom and plenty of comfortable space. It was like a small hotel.

The main floor was deserted, but they could all hear voices issuing from the control room to their right. As they grew closer they could hear the worried tones coming from Krillin and Gohan. The door slid open as they approached.

"I can't believe this. We need to do something and quick" Gohan was talking to someone on the small monitor stationed within the ship's main control unit.

"What's going on?" Goku asked, suddenly uneasy as Gohan turned to face him, his face white.

"Its Mom" he said now moving so that Master Roshi's face was visible on the screen.

"18 too" said Krillin rising unsteadily from one of the chairs, "They've been taken"

"What is this nonsense?" Vegeta addressed the old man on the screen, annoyed by the vague explanations.

Roshi's sunglasses reflected their worried faces as he spoke, "As Krillin said. They've been taken. I didn't get a good look at who took them but I could tell from a distance they were not human, considering they blasted off into space".

Goku's wondering expression turned serious as he questioned the man further, "Was Bulma with them?"

Vegeta who had been standing haughtily in the corner, snapped his head too look at Roshi at the mention of Bulma's name.

"Yes Bulma was with them too. It's been about eight hours since then. I've been trying to catch you all day until Gohan and Krillin finally showed up".

"What would they want with mom, Chichi and 18?" Trunks asked.

"I don't know" Roshi's expression turned dark, "but I could tell they were being forced onto that ship".

"How are we supposed to find them?"

All of them were silent for a few moments while Goku searched for their ki. He shut his eyes in concentration but he couldn't pick up any of the women's energy.

"They're too far away from here" Goku said frustrated, "I cant get a signal"

"Could you see what they looked like at all?" asked Gohan desperately.

"Hmm" Roshi tried to remember what he saw from a distance, "Well they were men, quite tall. They had white hair and their skin was a sort of lilac color. The ship itself was huge, black and all the sides of it seemed to be moving".

Vegeta stiffened at the description of these aliens and their spacecraft.

"What is it Dad?" Trunks asked noticing his reaction. They all turned to look at Vegeta.


	4. Chapter 4

Vegeta did not answer their questioning looks, instead he approached Roshi on the screen, a scowl on his face.

"Tell me old man, did you see any markings on their forehead?" he demanded.

"Eh? Markings? I wasn't close enough to see anything like that," Roshi said defensively.

"Why? Vegeta do you know who these people are?" Goku asked the other Saiyan.

Vegeta had a strong feeling he did know who these men were.

His memory traveled back years to the darkest days of his life, serving under Frieza. He had been a part of the evil overlord's regime, invading numerous planets and wiping out every living creature that inhabited them in order to sell the empty planets to the highest bidder. Vegeta had played a key role in Frieza's destructive actions after the genocide of the Saiyan race, having been handed over by his father the king.

He had been Freiza's lap dog, murdering and erasing all of those who resided in the targeted planets. Then he had discovered the truth about Freiza's responsibility in the complete annihilation of his home planet, the entire Saiyan race massacred, his father gone with them. He gritted his teeth at the thought. A particular assignment to a planet called Rivulia had been a difficult task.

Vegeta had not been expecting the people of this planet to be prepared for his team's invasion, and they had fought back full force.

Their weaponry had been far more advanced than any other races he had encountered, and their army was skilled in combat. It had taken him an entire three days to finally rid the planet of the Rivulians, though many had managed to escape in the process. While analyzing his victims he had noticed that every single one of these aliens were equip with striking features, all of them were attractive by normal standards.

The most interesting quality about them came from the small markings on their forehead. If you were careless during battle and got too close, the vertical line would grow to the back of their necks and stretch, the top of their head transforming into a large, grotesque gap filled with rows of sharp teeth. He assumed their attractive features were a part of a mutation to lure an enemy close enough, only to rip their heads clean from their bodies.

Vegeta's last victim had been their leader, who had been fighting alongside a group of his soldiers within a crumbling castle. As he approached, the leader had commanded one of their group members to flee the scene. As the cloaked figure ran for the exit, Vegeta had sent a small blast of energy roaring after them, he could not afford anymore of these Rivulian's to escape. He watched as the figure fell hard to the ground, smoke rising from a bloody hole in their back. The hood fell sideways to reveal a woman's face. Her red eyes were still wide with terror as her life faded away.

During his time as a servant for Frieza, Vegeta had avoided taking the lives of many women and children, usually leaving their fate in the hands of Nappa. Mostly it was because it was far too easy to kill them, and he had appreciated an equal fight in battle. His thoughts suddenly turned to Bulma and he was snapped out of his trance when Goku placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Vegeta?"

Vegeta jerked his shoulder away, shaking off Goku's hand. He folded his arms and walked away from the group, staring out the window.

"By the description of their technology and appearance…I may know who we are dealing with" he said at last.

They all gave shouts of relief, but Trunks was staring at his father.

"Who are these people Dad?" Trunks asked quietly.

Vegeta glanced down at his son, deciding how much to disclose. It was no secret that he had done Frieza's dirty work all those years ago, but something inside him made him hesitate.

"They're an alien race called Rivulians. I eradicated their people from the planet Rivulia back when I worked for Frieza. I imagine they're seeking a little bit of revenge," he said bitterly.

"Why take Bulma, Chichi and 18?" asked Goku confused "Why not just confront us on Earth?"

"Don't be a fool Kakarot. It will be to their advantage to have us on their own planet. They also have developed weaponry that I'm sure will be waiting for us. But none of it will matter" he growled clenching his fists, "I will make sure to wipe the rest of this filth from existence. And this time I will leave no survivors".

"Are we sure that they'd be back on their old planet?" Gohan asked.

"If these planets never sold, or if they were eventually abandoned, some of the survivors would return in hopes to rebuild. But there usually were none".

"So where is Rivulia exactly?" Gohan asked again.

Vegeta stepped over to the familiar Capsule Corp. control panel and began typing.

"These are the coordinates" he said when he had finished, "It will be around a two day journey".

"Two days!" Krillin groaned, "Who knows what they'll do to 18 and the others in that time". He imagined the three women tied to a spit over a blazing fire, as the hungry, faceless aliens drooled in anticipation.

"Then I suggest you use your pathetic brain instead of running your mouth and get us there" Vegeta said condescendingly.

He turned to leave the room.

"Oh and another thing" he said smirking over his shoulder, "don't get too close or you'll lose a limb. They have a habit of splitting their heads into a giant bear trap when they get upset". Then the doors slid closed behind him.

They all stared after him for a moment, taking in the information they just heard.

"Well I guess we should get going then," Goku said simply, scratching his head.

"Right!" Krillin jumped into the captain's chair and prepped the engines for lift off, "Thanks Master Roshi. We'll get back to you as soon as we can". Roshi nodded and then the screen clicked off. The rest of the group settled themselves in the chairs behind Krillin, discussing possible ideas for their rescue mission. Meanwhile Vegeta sat in his room alone, allowing the thoughts that had been fighting to enter his mind take over him.

He knew that they had somehow discovered his relationship with Bulma. He wondered what else they knew. If they had been watching him, they were bound to have studied his encounters with their previous enemies, possibly even spied on his training. He grunted, annoyed at his paranoia.

Vegeta looked towards his untouched suitcase that Bulma had packed for him. He couldn't ignore the feeling of uneasiness when he thought about his mate. It was her mouth that would get her into trouble, that woman could probably drive an angel to throttle her. But it was her fierceness that also gave him confidence in her safety. She was the strongest woman he had ever met, equal to his tenacity and quick wit.

Yet, it also angered the prince that his enemy would think him weak enough to come after a woman. But he would not stand by and let these fools try and toy with him. When he would finally meet the Rivulian who organized this plan of attack, he would make them regret it. And he would enjoy it.

* * *

><p>They had been saved from utter boredom when Chichi had produced a deck of forgotten cards from her pocket, and pooled together any change they had on them. They all sat playing their eleventh game of black jack.<p>

"Hit me" 18 said glaring at Chichi who flipped over another card.

"Bust!" cheered Bulma, as she snatched a few coins from the floor.

18 grumbled while Chichi collected the cards. She paused hearing footsteps coming near their cell. They all turned to look as the same guard appeared in front of the glass wall, holding three purple sacks in his arms.

He typed a code into the lock and the glass lowered into the ground. They could feel the bands tighten slightly as he stepped into the cell.

"Put those on"

The women stared down at what they initially thought were sacks of clothes, but were actually three oversized cloaks. He threw them on the ground at their feet and waited.

"What's with the ugly garb?" Bulma said picking the cloak up between her fingers.

"Its for your own safety" Rintul spoke as he stepped around the corner.

Bulma couldn't help but look him up and down now that he stood so close to her. He smiled as he watched her look him over.

"Safety from what?" 18 asked suspiciously.

Rintul walked over to Bulma and took the cloak from her hands, "Our people do not know the full details of our journey to the planet Earth. It would be best to keep you hidden from the public in case there are any potential threats upon your arrival," he said slowly.

"You mean to keep them from questioning you" Chichi said angrily, "What exactly _is _your reason for coming to Earth and kidnapping us? What use are we to you?"

He went to throw the cloak around Bulma's shoulder, and at seeing what he was doing she stepped sideways, snatching the cloak out of his hands.

"I can do that myself thanks" she said becoming uncomfortable from the attention.

"Answer her" 18 demanded vehemently.

He seemed unaffected by Bulma's reaction and simply smiled at them.

"I will answer your questions once we get you safely to the castle".

"Castle?" Bulma said sharply, "Where the hell are we going? We want to know now".

He considered her a moment before answering, "My home planet, Rivulia. But the rest of your questions will have to wait. Put those on, we'll be landing in a moment" he nodded to the guard and left the cell.

The guard waited for them to dress, and when they didn't he raised his weapon.

"Okay, okay cool it" Bulma said putting on the cloak. The two others followed suit and then all three sat down as he watched them closely.

18 was silently analyzing her surroundings. There was enough space on each side of him so that if she was quick enough, she could make it past, possibly disabling him of his weapon in the process. She would have to leave the others behind.

18 weighed the consequences. It was possible that if she did escape they would hurt Chichi and Bulma, but if she didn't try, they may never be found. She glanced sideways at the two women who she had grown so close to. Then she remembered the way the alien called Rintul had been so interested in Bulma. It was possible that he would not harm her. That would leave Chichi. 18 had seen Chichi fight, she wasn't amazing, but it would be enough to defend herself.

Then there was the matter of the black band on her neck. It had weakened her greatly, but she had always been fast. If she could get far enough away, it may not be able to affect her.

She had to risk it.

18 watched as the guard's gaze shifted from Chichi, to Bulma then finally to her. She looked down, able to see his reflection in the tiled floor. She waited until finally, he turned his head away, looking down the hall as the ship rumbled and landed. She made her move.

18 bolted to the right, hooking her arm upward, forcing his weapon into the air. The women cried out in surprise as 18 managed a hard punch to his gut. He fell to the floor and his weapon clattered down at her feet.

"I'll come back with the others" is all she had time to say before she grabbed the gun and set off racing down the hallway. She turned the corner and came to a short flight of stairs. She felt a vibration and watched in shock as the stairway shifted downward, replaced by a solid wall. She ripped the heavy cloak off and spun around, searching for another way out.

She blinked at the sudden appearance of a door that rose slowly from the ground. Without hesitation she ducked into the dark room. Her eyes adjusted to the dark and she saw the outline of what looked like an open elevator door, she crept into the small space, panting.

There was a series of confusing characters on a lighted screen. She pressed the last button, hoping for the best. She shifted the gun in her hand as the doors closed and began to slowly descend. The weapon though bulky, was surprisingly light in her hands. There was an odd sensation in her stomach as she felt the elevator shift horizontally, moving to the right then moving downward again. She noticed a tiny map below the screen that showed her progress through the ship's many floors. She smiled as she saw the tiny box steadily move down to the first floor. She was sure she would find an exit there.

At last the elevator stopped and the doors slid open.

18 gave a triumphant laugh as she ran towards an open doorway leading outside. She could see the starry night sky and felt her heart beating hard. She felt the cool air blowing down the hall, and then the pain hit her.

It was like every muscle in her body was fighting its way out of her skin. Like a million different punches, knocking the breath out of her. She fell forward, losing her grip on the gun. It slid forward and hit the boots of someone who had stepped through the open door.

She tried to scream but the pain was too great. She felt her consciousness slipping away, and then it stopped. The band on her neck hummed as she lay panting on the ground.

18 looked upwards into the red eyes of Rintul as he walked to stand over her.

"Is there something I can do for you 18?" he asked grinning down at her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Rivulia is pronounced "RIV-YOU-LEE-AH". Just for clarification =)**


	5. Chapter 5

Bulma and Chichi's cloaked figures stood in the dark cell, now surrounded by more than twelve guards. The women were full of panic.

After 18 had disarmed the massive alien and ran out of their sight, they had sat still in shock until Chichi grabbed Bulma by the hand and they both stepped over the moaning guard. They could see her shadow moving at the far end of the hall, but as they made a move toward her Rintul had appeared through a door a few feet in front of them. Anger etched all over his beautiful features.

He shouted at the grunting guard to stand and he unsteadily rose to his feet, clutching the area 18 had punched him.

"You're useless! I told you to watch her," he said angrily, tossing him another weapon, "Now stay here and wait for the others". He gave the women a dark look as he strode away from them in the opposite direction of 18.

"Get back!"

They were forced backward into the small room and they could hear the distant rumble of approaching footsteps.

That had been nearly fifteen minutes ago. They were too anxious to sit, so instead they stood close together.

It was uncomfortable, all eyes were on them. Bulma watched as a guard's hand twitched on his gun while she shifted her weight.

She looked over at Chichi's worried expression. They were both thinking the worst had happened to 18, Rintul's anger had been too severe not to be concerned.

They both jumped as a voice came over one of the guard's radios.

"We are ready to move out, bring the humans outside the east gate".

"Wait a second, what happened to 18!" Bulma took a step forward and they all steadied their guns.

"Where is she," she demanded again, glaring at them.

The guard gave an order and they were taken roughly by the arms and dragged out of the cell. No matter how many times they asked about 18, their escorts remained silent, and they continued downward through the ship.

At last they reached the bottom floor and were led towards an open doorway. Bulma tried her best to keep hold of Chichi's cloak, in case they tried to separate them. But her hand fell away as they stepped outside and onto one of the most beautiful planets she had ever seen.

They had landed on top of a high cliff. She could hear the roar of the many waterfalls cascading down the tall mountain behind them and could smell the wet rocks. She gazed wide-eyed down into the shimmering valley, where she could make out tiny dark houses that glistened oddly in the moonlight. She looked up and saw that there were three large cornflower blue moons hanging in the starry sky.

A large black castle stood out as one of the moons hung just above it. It was modern looking, a tall narrow building that glistened like it's smaller neighbors. But she could make out the many archways and turrets that still made it look like something out of a fairytale.

She almost didn't notice Chichi's excited words until she saw a blur of blond hair heaved in their direction.

"18!"

Bulma and Chichi caught 18 as she was pushed towards them. They gave cries of outrage when they saw she was stark white and shaking badly.

"What did you do to her!"

"I'm fine you guys" 18 said waving them off and standing slowly upright.

"Your fiend will recover" Rintul said approaching them.

He was now wearing a long black cape that matched his dark suit.

"But let this be a warning to you. You will decide your own fate, but those collars will have a definite part in whether you live or die".

Bulma looked at 18's neck and noticed the bruises beginning to spread around the band.

"If you try and escape, we will stop you easily. 18 only got as far as she did because I wished to witness what kind of skills she possessed…A little unimpressive," he said smiling. 18 only glared back at him while he continued, "I will give you one chance. After that, the next time you make an attempt to escape, you will be executed. 18 has unfortunately no more room for error, so I suggest you make wise choices from here on out".

Bulma made a noise of disgust as a green-scaled creature with a head like a horse was led to Rintul's side. He hoisted himself on its back and gripped its strange protruding shoulders.

"Put on your hoods and keep up. We have a bit of a walk ahead of us" then he steered the animal onward to the head of the group.

"How come he gets a…" Bulma paused, "whatever it is, and we have to huff it?"

"Walk" snapped a yellow-eyed guard pushing his gun into her back. Bulma threw him a dirty look but obeyed, falling in line behind Chichi and 18.

They walked down the rocky path that skirted the large mountain, on into the valley. Bulma couldn't keep from admiring the beauty that surrounded her as they passed breathtaking waterfalls and sparkling pools of water that were separated by smooth ridges, she hadn't seen anything like it before. She thought about the last time she was on an alien planet. Namek had been pretty too, with its many lakes and grassy terrain, but in comparison to Rivulia it was just another round piece of rock.

"Ouch! Watch where you're putting those big purple feet!" Bulma snapped as she tugged her cloak out from under a guard's boot. The long walk was beginning to make her cranky. The guard muttered something that sounded like "crazy human females" as he stalked past her.

"How are you liking the view?"

Bulma started as Rintul's voice sounded in her ear.

She turned and found him leaning down from his extraterrestrial steed, inches from her face. Blue eyes met red for an instant before she stepped away, putting some space between them. He grinned at her and sat up straight.

"Its alright I guess" she replied nonchalantly. He chuckled seeing through her lie. He had been watching her as he fell back from the head of the group and had noted the look of awe on her face as she studied their environment. He was well aware of the beauty of his planet, or at least what was left of it. He shook off his dark thoughts and continued to address Bulma.

"Were approaching the city soon" and sure enough Bulma could see the shimmering black buildings in the distance.

"And when we get to wherever were going, will you explain to us why were being held captive on this hell hole?" she felt he had paid her more attention than the other women, and though she knew she was beautiful, something seemed a little off about his approaches. She hoped her hostility would drive him away, then she thought about Vegeta, and how much he was admittedly attracted to her temperamental ways, but she felt satisfied when she saw him frown.

"You have quite a mouth on you Bulma" he paused, surveying her, "I wonder what else its capable of other than making rude comments" he said seductively.

She nearly tripped as she spun around to glare at him, "Its unfortunate that you'll never know".

Rintul released a barking laugh, he appreciated that she didn't back down. He noticed that the other women were watching them and decided playtime was over. It wouldn't do him any good for them to get suspicious too soon.

"Keep your hoods on ladies" he called nodding at them, "welcome to my city".

They broke through the trees and began passing the glittering black houses. The windows were glowing with light, and sometimes they caught glimpses of their inhabitants. There were mainly families. Bulma noticed that the women of this alien race were also very beautiful, with the same odd marking on their foreheads.

She smiled when she caught a glimpse of a mother holding her young child. Motherhood had been more or less thrust upon her, but she had embraced it with her whole heart. She wondered what her son was doing right now and then guessed he was probably sparring with his father.

She sighed, trying to resist the surge of sadness that threatened to crash down on her. Vegeta wasn't your typical husband and father, but she loved him with every inch of her being. He changed so much, yet he was still the same. They were seldom affectionate in public, but when they were at home it was easier for him to be free with her. She smiled to herself as she remembered the night before he left with the other men. She had packed him a suitcase full of clothes and other essentials. He had scoffed at her, calling her "overprotective and as mindless as her mother", that all he would need is the training clothes on his back. They of course had an argument, which resulted in a heated make out session and eventually led to sex. The next day she watched him walk out the door, her suitcase in hand.

Bulma laughed quietly, reassuring herself that if there were anything that would anger her husband more, it'd be having another man kidnap her. She had to find a way to contact him, but it wouldn't be easy. She absentmindedly put a hand up to the black collar.

The group came to a stop as they came upon a bridge. Bulma looked around wondering what they were waiting for. Then she noticed a strange disturbance in the air in front of them. She squinted her eyes and wondered if it was some kind of force field. After some movement at the head of the small crowd, they began moving again. She peered over the edge of the bridge and her stomach turned at the sight of the dark abyss.

Chichi rubbed her eyes and yawned. Bulma was beginning to feel a little fatigued herself, they had been taken from Earth hours ago and it was bound to be early morning.

At last they found themselves facing the tall black double doors of the castle, which were etched with dozens of intricate designs. She craned her neck around the tall aliens to get a better view.

Rintul stepped up to the massive doors and began sweeping his hand over the small markings closest to him. She felt a gentle wind against on her back as the force field was replaced. There was a series of clicking and whirring noises and the doors began to open slowly. The light inside the castle blinded her for a moment. She was not expecting the dark building to be so bright.

Once her eyes adjusted she could tell it was a large throne room. The interior contrasted dramatically with the outside of the castle. As they moved into the large room she found herself staring around in awe once more.

The cerulean floors and walls were bordered with white marble. Her hood fell backward as she looked up at the high arched ceilings, lined with busts of different creatures. Her stomach dropped a little at the sight of hundreds of pointed spikes hanging down precariously above them.

The only dark object in the room was the throne. The black matte chair was wide with a tall back that seemed to be glowing.

The group disbanded as multiple guards made their way down a narrow hallway to their left. Rintul remained behind with three other official looking aliens, all wearing the same black cape.

"Your rooms have been prepared for you. I think you will find them tolerable", he made a motion and the three officials step forward.

"Wait, you said you would answer our questions once we were here" Chichi said indignantly.

Rintul sighed as if bored, "Well then what is your question".

"Why are we here!" Chichi shouted frustrated, "This is ridiculous, we haven't done anything to you".

They felt the room grow a few degrees warmer as Rintul advanced slowly on them, "It is nothing you have done. But someone you know very well is responsible for you being here. Someone whose destructive lifestyle caused my people to flee this planet for their lives" he looked to Bulma, "I believe you share a marriage bed with this monster. Disgusting".

Bulma bumped into a pillar as she realized they had been backed into the wall by this fierce alien. She blinked back at him, confused. She was trying to work her tired mind to understand his explanation.

"So…this is all because of Vegeta?" Chichi asked him tentatively.

"That _prince_," he spat, "is the sole reason why I am the only living member of my lineage, and is responsible for my people's suffering. He and his crew arrived to my home in an attempt to destroy us and sell Rivulia".

"How did you survive?" Bulma asked quietly.

He turned to her and gave her an odd look, a combination of contempt and surprise. "Thankfully a neighboring planet was able to warn us of their intentions. We were prepared to fight, and many of us managed to escape. We returned later to seize the planet back, but it had been so badly destroyed the buyers had abandoned it".

"Destroyed? Everything looked fine to me" 18 said in a relaxed tone.

He sneered at them and marched across the room behind the throne. He ripped aside a white curtain and turned to them, "Take a look. Especially you Bulma, come gaze at what your lovely husband left for us to return to".

They looked at each other and moved to the other side of the room. Bulma peered through the arched window and gasped at what she saw. The many moons lit up the barren wasteland that lay beyond the valley. She could make out the crumbling ruins of an old city that expanded over miles. All of the vegetation and beauty she had passed on her way from the ship did not exist on this side of the castle.

"How…?" Bulma struggled with her question. How were they in paradise when desolation lay around the corner?

Rintul answered her understanding her disbelief.

"This particular area was where Vegeta and the others camped and remained mostly untouched by their destruction, the mountains allowed them protection. I had to rebuild…it was impossible to restore the old city," he said harshly.

Chichi went to say something but Rintul cut her off.

"That is enough questions," he snapped, his emotions getting the better of him, "Take them to their rooms, and make sure to instruct the men to stay stationed throughout the night".

He left the room quickly, leaving the women with the three soldiers. Bulma allowed one of them to steer her away from the window and down the hallway, all the while lost in thought. Vegeta had spoken to her about his days with Frieza, and he had explained the horrors he had gone through in order to survive, all the while planning to overthrow the evil dictator. Yet, she couldn't help but sympathize with these people, their home had been ripped away from them.

Chichi placed a hand on her shoulder, "Are you alright Bulma?" she asked looking concerned.

"Oh…yeah I'm fine. I was just thinking about what they plan on doing with us" she glanced around but none of the aliens seemed to be listening to them.

18 smirked, "I've got a feeling were not dead yet. I think they're planning on using us as bait, well at least you Bulma".

"So he kidnapped me just to lure Vegeta here?"

"Either that, or he just enjoys talking about him a lot".

"But there's still the question of why you and me 18" Chichi said.

"Hmm…I'm sure it was because we were witness to his little visit. If we had contacted Bulma's ship, the guys would have been hot on Rintul's trail in minutes," 18 gave them a smug look "Rintul made the mistake of underestimating me already. When Krillin and everyone else gets here, he's going to get a rude awakening".

"But they don't even know where we are" Bulma groaned.

"We don't know that. Rintul could have sent a message or something," Chichi said hopefully.

"Just in case…" Bulma spoke in a low whisper, "I intend to find a way to contact that ship. At least I'd be able to let them know were okay".

They stopped talking as they approached an open doorway.

"The one called Chichi. This will be your room".

Chichi poked her head around the corner and then turned back to stare at 18 and Bulma, a look of pure disbelief on her face.

"I wish we were kidnapped more often," she said laughing, and the other women bent around her to see inside the room.

It looked like something out of a five star hotel.

"These are our some of our best rooms located in the castle," said one of the Rivulian soldiers, "However, you will stay in your rooms for the remainder of the night. There will be someone outside of your room at all times, and should you try to leave, we will only assume it is an attempt to escape and you will be punished".

Chichi waved sadly at her friends and bid them goodnight.

They walked a little further, turned a few corners and stopped again.

"18" he said simply motioning to the open door. She folded her arms and headed inside without a word. Bulma felt lonely as she was led up a three flights of stairs, far away from her friends. There was a tall door open at the end of the hall.

"Bulma Briefs" he said stepping aside for her to pass.

Bulma looked around suspiciously as she entered. It was a much larger bedroom than Chichi and 18's. It contained most of the same furnishings, except she had a balcony and more room to move around.

"Okay this is getting creepy," she said to herself.

Bulma spun around as the door slammed shut behind her. She put an ear up to the wall and heard footsteps of the guard patrolling her quarters. The echoing rhythm of his boots made her feel sleepy. Yawning, she pulled off the heavy cloak and tossed it in the corner. She crawled on top of the king size bed and sighed contentedly at how soft it felt. The sheets were strangely warm, and she snuggled under them as a cool breeze floated into her room.

"Hmm, something's missing".

She grabbed one of the many pillows from behind her head and pulled it beside her, wrapping her legs around it.

"A little softer than the real thing, but it'll do".

Bulma woke in the morning, forgetting all about the previous day's adventures. She sat up stretching and groggily reached for her bedside table to check the clock, her alarm hadn't gone off. She stretched her arm out and leaned sideways expecting to land against the small table.

"Oof!"

She looked around confused as she gingerly rubbed her backside. She was sitting on a hard marble floor, in a room that was not hers.

"Wha…"

Then it all came flooding back to her, their alien kidnapper, the black band that still lay tight against her skin. Bulma let out a whimper wishing she were still on Earth, in her own home.

She stood and walked to the balcony, now able to see her surroundings in daylight. If it was pretty at night, Rivulia was even more dazzling during the day. It was warm and she could now see a bustling market beyond the dark houses. The cloudless sky was a hazy pink, and she could still make out the many stars and planets that orbited this strange world.

Bulma drew herself away from the balcony as someone knocked at her door.

"Come in" she said smoothing down her blue hair.

She smiled as Chichi and 18 walked through her door, glad that it wasn't Rintul. The lewd comment he had made to her the night before, combined with his sudden mood swings, had made her uneasy.

"Morning!" she said happily, noticing that 18 and Chichi seemed to be in high spirits.

Chichi grabbed her arm, "Come on, they're taking us to the baths! I'm relieved, I'm not used to sleeping on such a soft bed and my back is in knots".

Bulma glanced in the mirror at her unkempt clothes and hair, "Yeah a bath would be great".

While they were walking she caught 18 staring at her from the corner of her eye. 18's eyes move downward, and Bulma followed her gaze .She was looking at the belt of the officer leading them where there was a small, silver object bouncing on his hip. Bulma saw her mouth move to form the word "key", she looked ahead and gave a small nod.

They were led to other side of the castle, through the gardens that were filled with interesting plants and shrubbery, and into a large, domed bathhouse. There were so many tiny waterfalls and trees surrounding the pool of water, that you could hardly believe you were indoors.

"We will leave you to your privacy. You have one hour to use the facilities, however, I will warn you once more that we are standing guard, and at any signs of suspicious conduct, you-"

"Yeah, yeah we'll be punished. Now get out of here so we can undress!" Bulma boldly pushed the soldier through the open door and closed it on his surprised face.

She turned around grinning at them and held up a small rectangular object.

18 chuckled, "I'm glad you made a move, I couldn't figure out how to unclasp it quick enough".

Bulma held out the strange key in her palm for 18 to look at. It was rectangular and filled with tiny holes.

"Am I missing something?" Chichi asked staring down at the little key.

18 took the object from Bulma and held it up to her face, examining it.

"Last night I heard some of the men outside my door. They were talking about nonsense for a good portion of the night but I thought it would be best to keep listening, and my patience paid off" she handed the key to Chichi, "They brought up a part of the castle that contained a sort of computer, and it's sole purpose is to transmit messages to their shipping squads. They must be bringing in goods from other planets".

18 looked around and lowered her voice, continuing, "Then I heard something fall from one of the guards and I could see this little thing through the crack under the door. One of the guards warned the other not to lose it, because the shipments needed to be imported by early morning and it wouldn't do him any good to be locked out".

Chichi smiled and tossed the key back to 18, "You should have been a government spy. So now all we have to do is find a way to get to that room, and send a message to your spaceship Bulma".

"Yeah and we need to move sooner rather than later. If he notices he's missing this thing he'll probably check us first. But for now, I could really go for a nice, hot bath". The other two agreed and began to undress.

18 hid the key under a small, black rock near the edge of the pool. They all sank into the steamy water and reached for the small green bottles that were scattered around the sides of the bath. Chichi inhaled the scent of the soap before squeezing some into her hand. It smelled like summer.

"You know, if we weren't being held against our will, I wouldn't mind staying here for a little while," Chichi said washing her hair.

"Mmm hmm" Bulma replied, leaning her neck back against the cool rocks.

After their hour was up, one of the officials called for them to get dressed, and that next they would all be dining in Bulma's room. 18 snagged the key from under the rock and shoved it quickly into Bulma's hands.

She began to argue but 18 interrupted her, "No, it'll be easier for you to find a way there. I've had my first strike, they've got double the guards outside my door than you two have. Besides, Rintul seems to like you, you can get away with more" she added smirking. Bulma rolled her eyes but stuffed the key into her bra before they exited.

"My lord has ordered you new clothes to better blend in with our culture. They'll be waiting in your rooms when we arrive, he has sent his personal seamstresses to assist you".

When they returned to Bulma's bedroom three female Rivulians stood waiting for them, their beautiful faces expressionless.

"Hello" the middle one spoke first, "Here we have our traditional Rivulian dress, please allow us to assist you" she said stepping towards them.

"Uhm, I really don't think that'll be necessary" Bulma said kindly, taking the clothing from her hands.

The Rivulian woman nodded, "We are also able to dress your hair as part of the proper attire, if you wish it".

Bulma looked at her complex hairstyle. The weaving braids held her white hair in an intricate updo. A small, dark rock hung from her gold headband. The overall look of it was stunning.

"That I wouldn't mind," she said smiling. One of the other females reached for 18's hair.

"No thanks" she said ducking out of the way.

18 and Chichi dressed while Bulma sat in the nearest chair, the tall alien bent down concentrating on her work. She bowed her head to the three women and left once she was finished.

"These aren't clothes! They don't even look like they cover more than ten percent of my body!" Chichi stared horrified at her reflection in Bulma's mirror. They were all given long, flowing skirts, the sheerness of them not leaving much to the imagination.

"If it weren't for these undergarments, we'd be giving these aliens a human anatomy lesson. And those are even skimpy!" she said turning around to look at her partially covered backside.

"You look good Chichi, reds definitely your color" Bulma called from behind a white dressing screen.

"Well of course it is" she said matter-of-factly, "but I wish we could at least have a whole dress".

The tops of their outfits were all different from one another, but each of them were cropped short, exposing their stomachs. Chichi's was a strapless, keyhole top.

She frowned and put a hand over the large opening, covering her exposed cleavage.

18 looked down at her own blouse. Hers was a blue short-sleeved turtleneck that parted in the back, leaving most of the skin in that area exposed. She shrugged. 18 had always considered her back the nicest part of her body.

Bulma stepped out from behind the screen and couldn't help admiring herself in the reflection behind Chichi.

She had on a black bikini top with purple plating, and her sheer, dark skirt flowed elegantly around her long legs. Black had always looked great on her.

There was a small dining table in the center of the room with a bowl of what appeared to be fruit and a tall pitcher full of water. They sat down and decided it would be the best time to discuss their recent plan of action.

"Okay, so finding this place isn't going to be easy" Bulma spoke to the two women in a low whisper, "but my main concern is getting past our friends out there".

Chichi gave her a determined look, "I can offer a distraction".

"What? No way, they'll fry you with that thing" she said pointing to the collar.

"Look, 18's already been in trouble once, you heard what he said, they might kill her if they catch her again". 18 wasn't afraid, but she saw her point and nodded in agreement.

Chichi continued, "I don't think they actually locked our doors during the night, but there is definitely someone out there at all times. I'll wait until it gets late, then I think I can manage to surprise him. When I get past him I'll come in this direction, I'm betting whoever is watching your door will come after me. As soon as you hear him leave, you need to move".

Bulma stared at her unconvinced, "And what happens if he takes _you_ down?"

"Don't worry" Chichi said looking confident, "I know I can at least stun him".

"I think it's a good plan" 18 said reaching for some fruit, "It'll probably leave you a twenty minute window at the most, so be careful not to get caught up".

Bulma sat back in her chair, feeling that there were too many opportunities for this plan to go wrong, but she looked up at Chichi's determined face and sighed, "Alright, but if things get too sticky Chichi I want you to abandon ship. No one needs to get cooked over this".

Chichi smiled triumphantly and took a bite out of a large yellow fruit.

They finished their meal and were taken back to their separate rooms for the remainder of the night. Bulma found herself pacing, growing more anxious as the sun began to set. She didn't know how much Vegeta and the others knew, but if they were already on their way, it would help to warn them about the force field and at least tell them they were unharmed, and she hoped it would stay that way after tonight.

She stepped up to the balcony and watched as the last bit of daylight faded away over the mountains. There was knock at the door and she turned as a guard walked in.

"My lord requests an audience with you".

"_Oh great_", she thought.

Bulma folded her arms and glared at him, "Do I really have a choice?" but he only looked silently back at her.

"Fine" she said turning back to the balcony. She heard heavy footsteps enter the room, as another set left. The door closed with a soft click.


	6. Chapter 6

Bulma could feel his eyes on the back of her head, but she refused to greet him, instead staring forward out into the distance.

"Good evening, Bulma" he said, drawing out her name slowly. She continued to ignore him.

She focused on a bright star while she heard a chair scrape against the floor.

"Will you come and join me? It will only take a few moments to discuss some… propositions".

Bulma didn't like how that sounded, but it seemed clear he wasn't ready to leave until they had spoken. She turned and saw him sitting at the table, a small smile playing on his lips.

She watched him look her over appreciatively, "Ah, I see you are wearing the Rivulian clothing I made for you and your friends…It suits you very nicely".

She frowned noticing that their outfits matched.

It wouldn't do her any good to run for it, she knew he could either catch her or take her down with the band on her neck.

"What do you want" she said feeling trapped.

"Sit", he motioned to the chair in front of him. She hesitated before seating herself slowly across from him. He surveyed her stiff posture and shook his head grinning, "Are you really that afraid of me?"

Bulma sniffed, "I'm _not_ afraid of you".

She was being half truthful. She wasn't intimidated by him, sure he was muscular and strong looking, but she had spent half of her life around men like him. She was wary of his intentions. It was beginning to dawn on her that 18 might be right, he had some kind of hidden agenda that was specified just towards herself.

He leaned forward gazing at her.

"That's refreshing for someone like me. It's hard to distinguish between those who fear me and those who truly consider me an ally. You seem to be a person of strong opinion, someone who doesn't need the approval of others…and you're incredibly beautiful".

Bulma stared back at him, unaffected by his flattery. At one point every eligible man in West City had pursued her, even while dating Yamcha it had been annoying. When she began her relationship with Vegeta, many of her suitors were scared away, but she still ran into a few ignorant hopefuls every now and then. She would have to add Rintul to that list.

"Listen, I'm kind of tired," she said starting to get up, "why don't you let yourself out".

"Sit"

This was not a polite request, this was a command. His eyes flashed when she continued to stand up.

"I'm not good at handling someone ordering me around, it's always been something I mean to work on but until then-".

"You can either sit, or I can make you sit" he said pulling out a small black orb. Her hands automatically flew to the black collar. His voice was calm but Bulma saw his red eyes narrow.

She glared back and sat back down. The air around them was tense and he sat silent watching her, as if daring her to move again.

"So…" she began, "you mentioned propositions. What are they then?"

She saw him relax a little and he replaced the strange device into his pocket. He folded his hands on the table and looked down at them as he spoke, "I want to start by apologizing for this unfortunate situation you've been placed in. I know you were probably not aware that your husband is a murderer". His words struck a nerve, and she couldn't help as her temper flared again.

"You mean the situation YOU placed me in. And I know all about Vegeta's dealings with Frieza and the world trade organization, so spare me the dramatic speech". She saw his surprised expression as he looked back up from his hands.

"So you know then. You're completely informed on how him and his bloodthirsty crew decidedly eliminated hundreds of people, and seized their homes".

"I know that he had to do whatever he could to survive. I don't pretend to like what Vegeta did to all those people, but his priorities were to live long enough to destroy Frieza".

His expression hardened as she spoke, she could feel the static in the air while his own temper rose.

"That disgusting Saiyan is a disease. He infected thousands of lives with his craving for power. Him and his precious lord-"

"Frieza was his _enemy_" Bulma said cutting him off. She was startled when he slammed down his fist, causing a long crack to stretch across the stone table.

"It does not matter!" his eyes blazed as he leaned further towards her, "What that bastard did to my planet has won him the honor to die a slow and painful death by my own hand!"

Bulma stood and placed both hands on the table, putting her face right in front of his.

"All of it matters Rintul. You don't understand. His options were limited after Frieza blew planet Vegeta into oblivion…" he didn't speak so she rushed on, " He worked under the lies of that maniac hoping one day he'd get the chance to kill him. Imagine being enslaved under someone for years and then one day learn he was the reason you were one in a handful of people left of your race. Besides, he's changed…"

They were inches away from one another. She could feel his hot breath on her face as she looked determinedly into his eyes, willing him to understand. She watched as his hard stare softened. Bulma tried to suppress a smile thinking she had convinced him.

It happened so quickly she hardly had time to react before Rintul closed the gap between their faces. He only managed to brush his lips against hers a she fell backward hitting the chair and fell to the floor.

"What the hell!"

Rintul was instantly above her offering a hand. Bulma knocked it away as she struggled to her feet, slipping on the fabric of her skirt. He grabbed her arm and easily pulled her up, but she jerked it away as soon as she was stable.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to startle you like that," he explained, running a hand through his long hair, looking upset with himself.

Bulma was fuming, too angry for words.

A soldier poked his head through the door, "Is everything alright sir?"

"Yes, yes everything's fine"

The guard nodded and shut the door again. Rintul held his arms out apologetically, "Please…"

"Leave now" she said in a deadly voice.

He dropped his arms and took his place back in the chair "I can see now that my proposition might be met with some hostility, it was not the time for me to act so brazenly, again I apologize" he said irritably.

"Oh yeah your sincerity is really heart warming" she snapped.

Her face was flushed with anger. She put as much space between them as she could.

He held up his hands as if surrendering, "Please, come and sit. I will keep my distance". Bulma didn't budge.

"Fine, stand where you'd like. I want to continue our conversation and explain why exactly I visited you tonight".

She gestured impatiently for him to go on, the sooner he was finished the sooner he would leave.

He took a slow breath "As I was saying earlier. I can appreciate your strength Bulma. I admire very few women, and you are an exceptional individual".

Bulma rolled her eyes at the compliment.

"We Rivulians are very proud of our history. We are a skilled species whose developments have surpassed many neighboring planets. That is why it would be difficult to count you as an equal here. It is unheard of to mate outside our own race".

Bulma nodded, relieved that any intentions he had with her were forbidden.

"But because I am a part of a royal bloodline and the only reason why my people have been able to survive, this issue can be overlooked". She froze as he stood again, walking slowly towards her.

"I would of course have to marry a Rivulian to produce an heir. My people may be able to ignore my indulgences, but they would never allow themselves to be ruled under an Earthling"

She backed up into the balcony and looked down into the dark nothing that surrounded the castle. For one crazy instant she thought about jumping.

"You will stay here Bulma, with me. You will be able to live like a queen, but unfortunately, you can never become mine. But let me urge you that a life here will be worth it. Rivulia will be built into a powerful empire once more. You can be a part of something amazing".

Bulma cringed as he stepped closer, taking her hand.

"You want me to become some kind of sex-slave!" she shouted in disbelief, ripping her hand away, "Look buddy, I've got some news for you. Not only is that idea completely unappetizing, but I'm already technically a queen, I'm not about to demote myself to become some stupid concubine".

He chuckled before grabbing her face with one of his large hands, holding it still as he spoke, "I think you will come to change your mind Bulma Briefs. It is a much better life here as someone useful to me, than someone who is not"

He drew up his other hand slowly and dragged his fingers down her soft arm. She felt the strong urge to kick him in the groin, but he released her. She rubbed her jaw as he walked towards the door.

"You're making a mistake…and it's going to get you killed"

He turned and smiled at her.

"Your concern for me is touching Bulma. But trust me when I say Vegeta is a dead man. It's him you should be worrying about"

He tapped on the door and the guards held it open for him. When he had gone Bulma collapsed back into the chair, thankful that she was alone again. His plans for her had been revealed. And though she had complete faith that her friends would save her, she couldn't help but feel a little unsettled. What if something went wrong? How long would she be stuck on this planet?

She shook off her nerves and tried to forget about that possibility. Chichi and 18 were counting on her tonight, and she needed to stay focused.

It had been about an hour after sunset. Bulma crawled across the bed and sat listening intently, but all was quiet. After a few minutes of silence she let out a loud yawn. The curtains hanging from the balcony billowed in the wind, creating a soft flapping sound. She could hear the waterfalls beyond the city and felt her body growing heavier. She scooted back and leaned against the headboard, inhaling slowly…

Bulma's eyes snapped open as she heard the deep voices of the guards pass her room. She had fallen asleep. She cursed and sat up, wiping the drool from her mouth. She imagined the angry faces of 18 and Chichi scolding her for being negligible.

There was still no sign of movement coming from the hallway outside.

Bulma began to nod off again as two more hours passed.

A small thrill shot through her when she heard shouts coming from down the hall. She tiptoed across the room and put an ear to the door.

"…she's escaped! I think she's heading this way, we need to cut her off before she reaches the stairs!"

"Notify Rintul, I'll go after her"

"What about her?"

The guard made an impatient noise, "She's been asleep for hours, I looked in on her a while ago. Now go!"

Bulma heard their footsteps leave the area. She retrieved the hidden key underneath one of the pillows and stuffed it into her top. She took a deep breath, steadying herself and opened the door.

Bulma blinked against the strong white light emanating from her bright surroundings. She looked down to her right, and then her left, smiling when she saw no one.

"Way to go Chichi" she whispered, "Okay…now where to…"

She decided to go right, away from the directions the aliens had just gone to look for her friend.

She rounded the corner and almost collided with another guard. Thankfully he had been facing the other way, or all of their planning would have been a waste.

Bulma threw herself against the wall, unsure of what to do next. She peeked around the corner slowly and watched him turn down another hall. She silently made her way in the same direction and waited until he was out of sight before running towards a flight of stairs in front of her.

She was thankful to be barefoot as her feet padded softly up the stone steps. She had just reached the top of the landing when she heard a shout down the stairs. Once again, Bulma leapt around the corner and carefully watched for signs of the soldiers.

Her heart dropped when she saw Chichi stumble and fall and the bottom of the steps.

"Stop right now or I'll shoot!"

She rolled over on her back, grabbing at her ankle. She did a double take as she looked up and saw Bulma's blue eyes peeking from around the corner. She smiled and mouthed "Go!" before getting to her feet and sprinting away.

Bulma could hear the guard's heavy boots coming near the stairs. Without thinking she took off the heavy gold headband and flung it at his head when it came into view. It hit him with a loud 'thunk' and he slumped to the ground unconscious.

She set off away from the stairs and passed several doors. She had to hide behind a large statue as several guards jogged down the passage.

When it was silent again she could hear a strange noise in the distance. She concentrated on the sound and realized it was strong gusts of wind. She followed the noise around another corner and approached a round room with three metal doors. There was a tiny window on each door.

Bulma looked through the first and saw a large docking area for spaceships leading out into the night sky. A movement caught her eye as a Rivulian pilot stood at the far side of the dock, unloading a dark craft. She knew she was close.

She looked through the next window and smiled when she recognized a complex computer system with a large screen built into the panel. This had to be the transmission room. She pulled out the rectangular key and looked around for an opening. A black, square section on the wall stood to her left, other than that they were blank.

Bulma quickly stepped over to it, looking for a keyhole but finding none. She began to sweat, she was so close, and it would be horribly pathetic for her to get so far only to be thwarted by this tiny key.

"Come on Bulma, you're the president of Capsule Corp. for Kami's sake!"

She wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt and began pushing the tip of the key against the metal plate, but nothing happened. Finally getting frustrated, she hit the square with her fist, and to her delight it lit up. She watched several white figures materialize as they formed sentences she could not read.

Multiple rows of tiny white dots appeared near the bottom. She looked down at the key again and saw the matching pattern. She placed the key sideways on the plate, lining up circles and holes. The door vibrated slightly and then swung forward automatically. She giggled excitedly and then checked herself, putting a hand over her mouth.

Bulma looked around and then crept into glowing room, the door closing behind her.

There were maps and cargo logs illuminating the walls, but she moved past them quickly to the massive machine.

"Now this I can handle" she said aloud to herself. It would only take her a few moments to decipher their technology so she can access their transmission sequence. She leaned over the many buttons and switches, deciding where to start. The room clicked and beeped as Bulma worked over the large computer.

"Aha!" she cried when the screen hummed to life.

* * *

><p>Vegeta was standing over a cowering Krillin as the rest of the men watched on, looking sympathetic.<p>

"It'll only put us about a half a day behind" Krillin said as a bead of sweat fell from his temple, "I-I'm sorry! I just thought-"

"You weren't thinking at all!"

"Hey what's going on?" Goku said entering the room with an extra large drumstick in one hand and a tub with the rest in the other.

Vegeta threw a hand out pointing at Krillin accusingly, "This genius decided to try and take a shortcut from my coordinates, and now were stuck trying to avoid this storm!"

Goku looked through the window and saw hundreds of meteors zooming around dangerously in the distance, crashing into one another creating large clouds of dust that lingered.

"Oh…"

He took a large bite out of the drumstick, "Looks like we'll just have to wait it out," he said with his mouth full of food.

Vegeta crossed his arms and glared down at Krillin.

"I'm sorry everyone, I'm just worried about 18. I thought heading this way would cut our trip a little shorter"

Goku swallowed and gave Krillin a smile, "Ah don't worry about it Krillin. Vegeta's just as worried about Bulma as you are 18, that's all"

"Tch. I'm only concerned about being stuck in here with you idiots for an extra twelve hours"

He went to exit the room but paused when a loud "hmph" emitted from behind Krillin.

They hadn't noticed Bulma appear on the small screen giving Vegeta the finger.

"Jerk"

"Bulma!" They all cried, besides Vegeta who gave her a smug look.

"Well, well. Having a nice time on Rivulia?" he said mockingly.

"For your information, no! This maniac kidnapped me, 18 and Chichi, and now were being held prisoner in his castle in these horrible rooms…well I mean they're nice rooms…but-"

"Whoa Bulma, what are you wearing?" Goku said squinting at her skimpy outfit.

"Oh" she said looking down, forgetting about her strange attire, "Rintul made us wear this stuff"

"Who?"

"The alien who took us here, his name is Rintul. He's some kind of king or something. Anyway, you guys _do_ know where we are then" she said looking at Vegeta who had used the name of the planet.

"Yes we do," he said smirking, "It'll be nice to have a little reunion with the Rivulians"

"This is all you fault!" she said angrily, "If you hadn't been such a psychopath back in the day, we wouldn't be in this mess". She was irritated at his lack of concern.

"So then. They've admitted to wanting revenge," he stated arrogantly, "Well I'm ready for them".

"Yeah that's not the only thing he wants" Bulma muttered.

"What else is there?" Goku asked curiously.

"Oh he's trying to make me his concubine or something," she said waving her hand dismissively.

"HIS WHAT!"

She fanned her hands, panicking, "SHHH! Gosh you've got such a big mouth Vegeta, they might hear you and come storming in here," she said looking over her shoulder.

But Vegeta wasn't listening. He was enraged, clenching his fists to avoid lashing out.

"Hey Bulma" Krillin said quietly, "How's 18?"

"Oh you know her," she said grinning, "She can take care of herself. Its just these stupid collars they have on our necks" she said tugging at the black band.

"What are they for?" Trunks asked peering at the choker from behind Krillin.

"Hi son! Annoying us mostly. But they can completely control our bodies if they want to, 18 cant even fight because of these things. I'm pretty sure," she said looking a little fearful, "they can kill us too".

Bulma spun around quickly.

She thought she had heard something. Her eyes swept the room, but nothing appeared abnormal.

"Is everything okay?"

"Oh…yeah, just thought I heard something…" she looked around once more then turned back to the screen,"Listen, I just wanted to make sure you knew where we were and that we're okay. There's some kind of force field around the castle too, I don't know any other defenses they have but I can try and find out" her eyes turned back to Vegeta's still fuming figure, "And please don't land here guns blazing. Beside the people in this castle, no one knows were being held captive"

Vegeta only grunted and looked away.

Goku nodded, turning serious, "Our main priority is to get you three out of there. No one needs to get hurt in the process".

"How quickly can you get here?" she asked, hoping it would be soon.

Krilling turned red, "Uhh, well were on our way but we had a little setback. But we should be there two days from now"

Her face fell, "Oh…I had thought a little sooner"

"So did we" Vegeta mumbled irritably.

Bulma smiled at him, misunderstanding his comment, "Well don't worry about it guys. You'll be here before you know it and then we can make our way back home. Okay, now I've got to try and sneak back into my room before-"

Bulma's words caught in her throat as the black collar constricted, sending a quick zap throughout her body. It was enough to bring her to the ground.

She lay on the floor coughing as their worried shouts rang throughout the room.

A shadow moved over her and she looked up into those familiar red eyes.

"Rintul" she managed to gasp out.

"BULMA!"

They were calling out for her, still on the screen.

Rintul crouched down so he was level with her as she sat up.

"I would stay put if I were you Bulma. Another hit like that might take you out for the rest of the night, and that wouldn't be good for either of us," he said grinning maliciously.

Bulma swallowed and stopped struggling. Her neck ached and she felt light headed.

"Ah…these must be your friends," he said looking up at the large screen. He rose from his crouching position and walked into view.

The shouting halted immediately as they laid eyes on the large alien.

"It appears that Bulma has located my conveyance room," he said looking from face to face, searching for one in particular.

"Hello Prince Vegeta"

He had spotted him standing in the center of the crowd, wearing a dark expression.

"Where's my mom, freak!"

Trunks pushed his way to the front of the group so his face took up the entire screen.

Rintul raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed by this interruption.

"My name is Rintul, the leader of the Rivulians," he said eyeing his violet hair, "And your mother is taking a moment to realize that disobedience has its consequences"

Bulma opened her mouth to retaliate but a sharp look from Rintul made her shut it again.

"Move"

Rintul looked back and saw the young boy give him one more furious glare. He stepped aside as Vegeta came closer, looking smugly into the monitor.

"So you're the brave little Rivulian who's behind all of this" he said mockingly, "Well your attempt at retribution is going to land you six feet under, but I can't deny the fact that I'm going to enjoy watching you beg for your life"

Rintul let out a low chuckle, "Bulma had mentioned you were a changed man, but it appears you're as ignorant and self righteous as you were when you first arrived on my planet"

"It's a pity so many of you escaped" Vegeta replied, "This is the perfect example of why your pathetic race would have been better off extinct"

Bulma winced as Rintul clenched the orb still in his hand. The collar responded to his tight grasp and hummed threateningly against her neck. Her stomach turned as she saw the scar-like markings on his forehead quiver and split slightly.

"After you mercilessly slaughtered more than half of my people, we returned back to this planet with the intent to locate your whereabouts and bring you back here" he said baring his white fangs, "Prepare yourself, Vegeta. There will be no mercy given to you, or any of your friends who stand in my way".

"I'll remember to have that little speech etched on your grave" Vegeta said turning away, "Now this conversation is over, you've wasted enough of my time"

Bulma whimpered when the black choker began to send small shocks of pain through her body. Rintul looked down at his shaking fists and loosened his grip. The sound had sent an odd thrill through him.

His lips curled into a cruel smile as he thought of an idea. He knew that Saiyan's were bred to become superior warriors, but many times in battle if they were too overcome with emotion, they would self-destruct. He watched Vegeta closely as he began to bait his opponent.

"Your mate Bulma is a very interesting individual Vegeta, very…intoxicating as well"

Vegeta paused but kept his back to the screen.

"I said I was done wasting my time with you. Warn the rest of your men that I'm coming, you can give them a chance to run away with their tails between their legs…again" the humor in his voice was gone, replaced with a threatening growl.

Rintul heard the change in his tone and continued, "I don't think you want to go just yet. Maybe you'd like to hear about how well I've gotten to know your wife…"

Bulma made an indignant noise and was silenced immediately as Rintul pressed a spot on the black ball. She tried to speak but she couldn't, it was the same paralyzing feeling she felt when he had first taken them aboard the ship. He grabbed her by the arms and heaved her up to a standing position. She was pressed so tight against his chest she was having trouble breathing.

Vegeta turned slowly to face them while the others in the room remained silent.

"Do you consider me a stupid person? You don't think I know what you're trying to do?" he spoke slowly, his voice filled with contempt, "You're only humiliating yourself with these pathetic lies"

Rintul snickered and shook his head, "This is no bluff Vegeta. I've gotten a taste of your little human here, and I don't intend to deny myself something so delicious"

Vegeta's eyes flickered to Bulma's for an instant. Rintul grabbed a handful of Bulma's hair and turned her face towards his, gazing at her as he spoke,

"I'm afraid that I've picked up on a bad habit of yours Vegeta. Just as you arrived on my planet to claim it as your own, I'll be keeping Bulma here for myself. After I've killed you she'll have no reason to return to your pitiful planet"

Vegeta let out a low growl. Rintul grinned at the sound and continued to look steadily into her eyes.

She knew it was coming, but it still was not enough to brace herself as he crushed his lips against hers. The feel of his mouth was unfamiliar and her automatic reaction was to pull away. Bulma made a move to struggle out of his grip but she was frozen. Her head was screaming out in protest.

When he finally broke away from her it was all Bulma could do not to cry out of frustration. She blinked furiously as she felt her eyes begin to swell with tears. His hand fell away from her hair as he turned his attention back to Vegeta.

The usually composed Saiyan was visibly infuriated.

He shook with the urge to kill as his power level spiked, creating a strong wave that rippled throughout the room. The ground of the ship vibrated from his rapidly growing ki, multiple tiles cracking from the pressure of his wrathful energy.

Vegeta's dark eyes blazed with hatred as he ground out every word,

"Trust me when I say there will be nothing left for your pitiful army to bury after I finish tearing you apart"

Everyone tensed as they felt Vegeta's power teeter out of control, but no one dared stop him.

Rintul threw his head back as he laughed cruelly. He had gotten what he hoped for.

The sound drove Vegeta over the edge. He aimed a large blast of white-hot energy at the image of the Rivulian clutching his mate and blew a large, smoking hole into the ship's control unit. Sparks scattered the floor as the wires swung over the melted metal.

Krillin cried out in protest but cringed back into his seat when the prince gave him a threatening glare.

Vegeta's chest heaved with anger as he knocked Krillin sideways and began propelling the ship forward rapidly.

"Are you crazy! Were heading right into that storm!"

"Touch me and I swear I'll leave a nice little hole where your face is!" Vegeta snarled at Krillin's outstretched hand.

Everyone braced themselves as he wove in and out of the rocketing meteors. The ship jumped and jerked every few minutes as the large rocks scraped against its sides. Vegeta's mind was overcome with clashing emotions. He attempted to focus on his piloting but Rintul's sneering face kept reappearing in his thoughts, driving him into a deep rage. He kept pushing the image of Bulma and Rintul's embrace out of his mind, if didn't, he knew he would lose his grip completely.

* * *

><p>Bulma slid to the ground as Rintul released her. She felt her limbs come to life and she launched herself at the large alien. He looked surprised as she punched him hard in the face. It hadn't hurt, but it was definitely the first time anyone had ever struck him. She continued to shove him as she yelled.<p>

"Don't you _ever_ put your filthy hands on me again!"

"That's enough," he said grabbing her arms. She wrenched them away and pointed a shaking finger at him, "If you ever touch me again, I promise I'll kill you before Vegeta or any of the others even get here!"

"Enough!" he commanded, towering over her, but she wouldn't allow herself to be intimidated.

"I swear it," she said in a deadly whisper.

She felt disgusted. She also was worried that Vegeta had believed Rintul's words.

Bulma knew her husband was no fool, but Rintul had been too convincing especially since he had alluded to the incident earlier that night, but he had made it sound like more took place than a simple brush of the lips.

"Lets go" he interrupted her thoughts as he motioned towards the door, "Oh and please don't try and run, I would hate to have to drag you back to your room" he said holding up the black orb.

They left the transmission room and began descending through the castle.

She wanted to avoid speaking to him but her question couldn't wait, "Where's Chichi?" she asked in a flat voice, not looking at him.

"In her room" he said simply.

Bulma's concern drove her to question him further.

"What did you do to her?"

He picked up on the worry in her voice and decided against torturing her with vague responses.

"We caught her eventually. It took a little extra to subdue her but she'll be fine by morning"

Bulma nodded, relieved her friend was at least in one piece. She rubbed her tired eyes, feeling a headache coming on. The night's events had exhausted her, but her mind was still reeling, it would be some time before she would be able to fall asleep.

"Here we are"

Bulma walked quickly past Rintul and tried to shut the door, wishing badly to be alone but mostly just to be away from him. She was forced to look back when his hand stopped it from closing.

"I am aware that you're angry with me, but there's no need to be rude," he said dryly.

She glared at the floor and tried to push again, but he kept it open with little trouble.

"You're lucky I'm only being rude. You haven't seen what I'm capable of when I'm really angry" she said, giving him a seething look, "but you'll see what _he's_ capable of. I hope you have a real good plan Rintul, because tonight you've reserved a nice cozy spot for yourself in hell"

For a second she saw something like fear flash in his eyes. There was a distant sound of footsteps coming toward them. He glanced down the hall as the guard approached. She bristled as he stepped closer to her, speaking in a whisper.

"I wasn't lieing when I said I could make you a good life here Bulma. I only wish you could see who the real monster is, then you'd be able to understand how happy I can make you…"

"My Lord, glad to see things are back under control" the guard said saluting his master as he reached his post.

Rintul nodded at him and then turned back to Bulma.

"Goodnight Miss Briefs…I hope you sleep well" he said softly removing his hand.

Bulma snorted and took the opportunity to slam the door shut. She heard him retreat back down the hall and sank into the closest chair.


	7. Chapter 7

The night sky was beginning to lighten by the time Bulma finally fell asleep. Even though she slept on into the afternoon, upon waking she felt tired and groggy from the unsettling images that had plagued her dreams. Most parts had already vanished from her memory, but she could still remember flashes of her friends and family's agonized faces.

Bulma pulled the covers over her head, shutting out the sounds and smells that reminded her that she was still stuck in a very terrible, and very real nightmare.

Everything had remained silent and undisturbed until around midday when she was addressed by the guard outside her room.

"Miss Briefs, I have orders to escort you down into the entrance" she looked up at him curiously from her perch at the balcony, "I also have a note here from my Lord" he said handing her a folded object.

It was made of a transparent material that swirled with a pearly essence. It felt liquid-like, but her fingers came away dry as she unfolded the strange letter. She began to read the neatly written words in pinkish ink.

_Bulma,_

_I understand that last night's encounter has left you with a much more severe opinion of me than before. Although I cannot fully apologize for my actions, I can however display my deepest regret at your feelings by giving you and the others a bit of time outside of the castle. My ultimate wish is to secure a trust between us, as well as ensure your complete happiness. I hope that in time you will come to understand that._

"If you're ready," he said as she finished reading.

Her excitement mixed with lingering resentment while they made their way to the elaborate throne room. She enjoyed the idea of getting outside and out of the confinements of her room, but she refused to feel any gratitude towards their captor.

Bulma forgot about her anger for a moment when she saw 18 and Chichi come into view, relieved to see that Rintul had been true to his word. Besides a small bruise on her left cheek, Chichi was unharmed.

The room was filled with Rivulians, all talking in small groups amongst themselves. Many of them appeared to be a part of the same official status with matching uniforms. Bulma noticed a group closest to them motion to her and exchange dark looks. She ignored them and hurriedly stepped over to her friends.

"Boy have I got some stories for you," she said smiling at them, "You okay Chichi? You were amazing!"

Chichi shrugged and smiled back at her.

"Lets hold off our discussion until were out of earshot" 18 whispered, noticing the guard watching them closely.

They both nodded and turned to face him.

"So what're we waiting for? I'm dieing to get some fresh air," Bulma said stretching.

"Your transportation will arrive momentarily," he said coldly, turning his back on them as a large group of soldiers came up behind him.

"Great" Bulma said looking disappointed, "some treat this is going to be"

18 looked smugly at the crowd of men, "Looks like they're finally realizing it's going to take a little more than a few brainless guards to keep us quiet"

They waited another five minutes or so before they heard the large doors of the castle begin to click and whirr, unlocking from an unseen layer beneath the surface.

Light spilled into the throne room as the doors swung open, revealing a bright and beautiful afternoon.

Bulma did a double take at the pointed, chandelier-like spikes that swayed dangerously above, responding to the movement beneath it. She now noticed that they were clustered all over the ceiling in different areas, a particularly large group hovered over the glowing throne.

One of the aliens pushed her forward, bringing her attention to the craft that had just appeared before them. They were herded out onto the threshold and Bulma sighed as a warm breeze settled across her skin. The vehicle provided for them was similar to Rintul's ship but in miniature form. The oval shaped hovercraft held two stories, and appeared to comfortably fit at least fifteen people.

The women were completely surrounded by Rivulian soldiers. There was hardly enough room for them to lift their arms as they heaved themselves up onto the ship. A staircase stood in the center of the floor, leading up to the second level. They were forced upward and settled onto a cushioned bench just big enough for the three of them.

Bulma shifted uncomfortably as she felt the eyes of the soldiers watching their every move. The aliens sat with their backs to the circular wall, their heads turned in their direction.

Once the first level of the ship was filled it began to rumble and lifted from the ground. She saw their eyes relax and look away when they finally began to move forward.

The small square windows gave glimpses of the village as they flew down the dusty road, and Bulma could see the many families out busying themselves with their daily duties.

It was an odd sight. The picturesque village was similar to any town on Earth, filled with farms and markets, but the technology and complex machinery scattered about their environment set it apart from anything she had ever seen back home. She watched as the spaces between the dark houses lengthened, until they disappeared altogether, replaced with open fields.

They remained silent through the entire trip, aware that any further contact they would have with each other would be monitored closely. It became darker as they reached the forest and Bulma recognized the many pools of water she had seen their first night on the planet.

It became bright again as they broke through the trees and the ship began to slow. The women looked through the windows, eager to see where they had stopped.

Bulma smiled as she saw the beautiful landscape.

They were parked at the edge of a small lake, a misting waterfall opposite of them created soft waves that rippled to shore. A tiny, spotted green bug landed on the glass just above her nose.

"We have arrived" a cold voice stated from behind her.

She turned and saw the soldiers beginning to exit down the stairs. Nine of them remained behind so there were three escorts for each woman, all carrying bulky weaponry. Bulma fell behind 18 and Chichi's group, exiting last.

They stood in the center of a large meadow, the distant planets barely visible through the bright, pink sky.

One of the aliens cleared his throat, calling for their attention.

"You are given permission to use this time for recreation, the rest of my team will be surrounding this area. If you have any further plans to escape I suggest you reconsider them. Recent orders have been given to us to shoot any prisoners on sight who attempt to flee"

All three of them looked around as the crowd dispersed and moved to spots around the lake and meadow.

He handed each of them a sack filled with food and a small container of water.

"How long will we be here?" Chichi asked.

He tapped the back of his gloved hand and it lit up with small numbers, "You have around two hours, we will be heading back before nightfall"

With that he turned on his heel, marching to his designated post beyond the ship.

Bulma looked at the others and shrugged, "Well, I guess we can make use of a beautiful afternoon"

"Feels a little suffocating with so many pairs of eyes surrounding us" 18 said bitterly.

"Where are they" Bulma asked searching for their figures, "I don't see them anymore"

"Oh they're there. Just beyond the trees, watching us"

An eerie feeling came over Bulma as she watched the wind blowing through the leaves, thinking she could see an outline of a shadow behind a trunk.

Chichi shivered causing 18 to laugh, "Bulma's right, lets at least eat over by the water, then you can tell us all about last night"

They made their way to the edge of the lake and sat down. Once comfortable, 18 and Chichi asked about Bulma's encounter with the transmission room. She described her conversation with Goku and the others, receiving satisfied looks from the both of them. However when she came to the part about Rintul's cruel lies and his forceful kiss they each looked disgusted.

"What a creep" Chichi said angrily, "I bet he was just trying to get Vegeta worked up"

"I think so too," Bulma said earnestly "I'm just worried that he actually believed him"

"Please tell me you at least socked the guy" 18 said, sitting back on her elbows.

Bulma held up her slightly bruised hand, causing 18 to chuckle.

"So when in the heck are they going to get here?" Chichi asked looking hopeful.

"I don't think they'll even be close until tomorrow sometime. They were caught in some kind of storm"

18 sighed and stood, scanning their surroundings.

"I suppose it'd be useless to try and escape again. For one thing we'd be killed immediately. I can feel the tension from here," she said looking into the trees "Besides, we should stay put so Krillin and them at least know where to find us"

Bulma and Chichi made sounds of agreement.

"I wonder what they're plan of action is" Chihi said distractedly, looking out over the water.

"I don't think planning matches their style of entrance, given their history" 18 said dryly, "What _we_ should focus on is finding a way to destroy whatever is controlling these collars. Once they get here we need to move fast or they'll fry us where we stand"

"Can't we just sit back and enjoy the fireworks?" Bulma said lazily, not entirely comfortable with the idea of heading anywhere but her ship once the castle is breached.

"Yeah and you'll be a part of the main attraction, because I guarantee they wont let us leave alive if they can help it"  
>Bulma shrugged, "I'm not giving him any kind of credit, but I don't think Rintul's main objective is to hurt us"<p>

"No maybe not…but it wont stop any of _them_" she said nodding to the hidden soldiers, "I've heard them speaking to one another, they're not very happy that they have to cater to our kind. This is a very proud race and I don't think they would give up a chance to win back their days of watching us"

Bulma knew she couldn't argue with her reasoning. She had also begun to notice their resentful glares.

"Well we've seen Rintul and the guards with those orb things" Chichi said, "But I don't think there's more than one for each of us. They must get passed between whoever is nearest because it was a while before they took me down" she said pointing to the choker.

18 paced in a military fashion and nodded in agreement.

"So, when the time comes we need to locate those orbs and figure out how to destroy them later. As long as we have them we should be safe"

Bulma and Chichi discussed possible ways to meet up with one another once the men entered the castle, concluding that their main priority after locating the orbs is to get outside of the building.

They looked up expectantly at 18 who had remained silent.

"If you don't mind girls I think I'll stay behind" she said smirking, "I'd hate to leave without showing them what us little Earthling women are made of"


End file.
