Little ship, little hole, big problem(Sohko, open)

[november]

((From Vegeta to Namek))

Honestly, this over sized child's ball was just as cramped as the cryo chamber, and Xem was not going enjoy the trip to Namek. He had gotten it from a clone of Xeplika's, who he found drinking away and picking fights just as Xeplika said in Saru city. Funny that he found the keycard to the pod on him and all the info on where it was.

Sadly he couldn't figure out how to get there and Saiyans aren't that nice to lend a hand. He had to find a map of the city himself which led him to the hanger areas. What awaited him was a beat up space pod that probably couldn't survive the journey. In this case it didn't as the already cracked viewport kept cracking. Desperately he quickly put out a distress call and grabbed the emergancy oxygen supply mask that would keep him alive with up to fifteen minutes of oxygen, if the coldness of space didn't get him first.

[Deleted]

A bleep on the sensors roused Drexx from his scans of his systems. He was surprised to see that it was the life-sign scanners that were picking something up, a small faint dot, only a few miles away. If they had traveled only a few miles in any other direction they might have missed it entirely. A single life-sign in the void of space was not a good sign. Drexx checked the other scanners, but none were picking up anything. The being was either not in a ship, or it had been and wasn’t anymore.

Sohko, there’s something coming up on the radar. It’s a life sign.

Drexx stood up and made his way over to a view port, wirelessly urging the ship in the direction of the life-sign. Whomever it was Drexx was determined not to let them die in the cold vacuum of space.

Whomever you are. Hold on.

[Deleted]

Sohko hadn't noticed the blip at first. The was entirely not his fault, one could only blame the handheld Pac-Man game he had found in the ship's glove department. It was obviously a ploy, a manner in which The Man could distract Sohko from the necessities of being a Protector. Of course, this is what the saiyan thought now, after having been drinking the last leg of the flight, or according to his alcohol enabled vision, the last two legs.

Sohko, there's something coming up on the radar. It's a life sign.

This gave the sauced saiyan cause to turn off the game, if only momentarily and listen to the radar. The sound was awfully low, something most ordinary creatures couldn't hear, but an android could probably easily pick up. The controls shifted in front of Sohko and the ship slowly lurched towards the slight noise.

Whomever you are, hold on.

Sohko grabbed the controls which seemed to have a mind of their own. He of course thought it only a side effect of it being an old and out of shape ship. Jerking the controls the saiyan swung the ship in the direction of the distress call which was only now being registered on the ship's out of date scanners.

"Damn skippy, Papa Bear's on his way!"

Pushing the ships controls forward the ship jumped forward like Sohko had seen few do. It may have once been quite a ship. The sudden acceleration caused a loud thud behind Sohko, he only saw a flash of red but didn't need to guess who it was who fell when he heard Kazama's voice quickly following.

"Son of a bitch!"

Sohko shrunk in his seat slightly, but kept the heading and speed precise, an amazing feat for a drunk, only slowing down as they neared the blip. He pulled back on the accelerator and slowed to a mere crawl within the vicinity of the sound. Carefully spinning the ship, he kept a vigilant eye on the void of space outside the cockpit's window. Squinting his eyes, he picked something up just a little ways away.

"Mother of kai! It's a space pod! Crap, the view port looks like its cracking!"

Leaning over he punched the ship's communications system and set it to broadcast before pulling the receiver to his mouth.

"Hey bub! I don't know if you can hear this but if you can, don't worry, I'm on my way!"

Sohko left from his chair and made his way over the pressurization chamber which was the only safe exit while the ship was in space. It was a good thing he was leafing through the owner's manual while he was drinking, before he found the game of course. Punching the button he entered the chamber. The door closed quickly behind him before the pressurization began.

"Shit! Deep breath!"

Filling his lungs with the escaping air, he held in his breath as the process finished. Weightlessly he pushed himself off the wall, slapped the button opening the door into the void. Using his bukujustsu he powered himself through space, knowing that even though saiyans were known for being able to hold their breath for long periods of time, he would eventually need to breathe. He reached the pod in under a minute and channeling ki into his fist he punched the cracking view port. The glass spider webbed but did not crack. It was exceptionally hard material but a view more ki powered punches shattered it and Sohko reached in and grabbed its inhabitant.

The man's body was limp and Sohko surmised that he had lost consciousness. Noticing he had an oxygen mask on, Sohko held it tightly over the man's face as he gunned back to the ship. Darkness was creeping at the edge's of his vision and he knew he didn't have much time left. With every bit of his power he raced through the void, the man tightly in his grasp. At last he flew through the opened door into the ship. Slapping the button which closed the door and initiated pressurization was all he could manage to do before he blacked out.

[november]

The window never fractured before Xem lost counciousness, but he knew why and he cursed that stupid pod as he did. The pod was beaten up and the electronics were faulty. This meant that everything was susceptible to glitch and possibly failure. That is what happened to the pod's life support and the emergency supply. Even though the life support gave out, the emergency support system also gave out, but it still gave him just enough oxygen to remain alive, though unconscious.

"Not even two days out of the chamber and you have to go back to unwilling sleep. Great Xem, wonderful."

In the blackness his mind wandered, trying to break unconsciousness. He couldn't hear a thing, yet he did feel a tug on himself and felt himself in weightless motion. He no longer felt cramped but rather free.. like he had all the space he could ever wish for. Then he felt weight come back to him.

The fresh air of the other ship brought him back to consciousness, but this awakening was more energetic than the last. It was sudden and Xem was on edge in this unfamiliar ship. He was quickly on his feet to observe his surroundings to find he was in what looked like a pressurization chamber. To his side he notice a man who also was unconscious and keeled down to check his vitals. Xem placed two gloved fingers around the man's wrist and found a slow paced pulse, and saw he was breathing.

Xem tried to rouse the man, pushing against him to try and wake him up. Xem didn't realize it but his white haired tail came unwrapped from his waist during this rescue and had come close to stepping on it. This had slipped his mind, even to now.

"Come on now... wake up. I can't give you my thanks if you're snoozing."

[Deleted]

Drexx leaned against the wall, watching the actions of the new guest of their ship very closely. It was his sworn duty to protect Sohko after all, but he sensed strong vitals still within the unconscious Saiyan and felt no need for any emergency acting. Still he was seemingly unobserved as the white haired Saiyan checked Sohko’s pulse.

"Come on now... wake up. I can't give you my thanks if you're snoozing."

“I told him I would go and get you but he didn’t listen, just charged out the air-lock and flew over to get you. I tried to reason with him that I didn’t need to breath, being an android, but he paid me no heed. Don't worry he'll be fine, i'm not sure whether it was the lack of air or the amount of alcohol that he intakes that knocked him out, either way his life signs are strong."

Drexx offered his hand to the new Saiyan.

I’m called Drexx. Who are you? And if you don’t mind my asking, why were you in the void of space alone, that's not somewhere one normally wants to find themselves?

[november]

“I told him I would go and get you but he didn’t listen, just charged out the air-lock and flew over to get you. I tried to reason with him that I didn’t need to breath, being an android, but he paid me no heed. Don't worry he'll be fine, i'm not sure whether it was the lack of air or the amount of alcohol that he intakes that knocked him out, either way his life signs are strong."

Hearing a voice he turned his head to see the android watching him. A lot of saiyans liked to drink. Drinking and fighting seemed to go together. Ha ha. Sometimes the drinking causes the fighting, and sometimes the fighting causes the drinking. Xem never engaged in drinking, it was too risky, but he did sympathized who did, after all he was saiyan.

I’m called Drexx. Who are you? And if you don’t mind my asking, why were you in the void of space alone, that's not somewhere one normally wants to find themselves?

Xem took the Android's hand and shook it slowly, forcing himself to smile but only making a half-smile. Androids were created no? Xem was created in a sense, but his purpose remained unknown to him. He found himself speechless as he could not find away to respond without telling his story.

"And you can call me Xem, but I cannot give the right answer to your question without telling my life's story."

[Deleted]

"Come on now... wake up. I can't give you my thanks if you're snoozing."

Sohko felt someone trying to rouse him and grumbled as he focused his senses. He had pushed his limits, holding his breath till there was only darkness. Without moving he tried to catch his breath, but he listened as the others spoke.

“I told him I would go and get you but he didn’t listen, just charged out the air-lock and flew over to get you. I tried to reason with him that I didn’t need to breath, being an android, but he paid me no heed. Don't worry he'll be fine, I’m not sure whether it was the lack of air or the amount of alcohol that he intakes that knocked him out, either way his life signs are strong."

To be honest Sohko didn’t remember Drexx saying anything at first. Taking a few moments however, he rooted through his booze ailed mind and dug up foggy memories. It was true, Drexx had tried to stop him, tried to reason with him, but it was hard to reason with a saiyan sometimes. Also hard to reason with a drunk sometimes. The combination of the two made it nearly impossible. Sohko was headstrong and had foolishly gone off to save the unknown person, who he had hoped to be a misplaced stripper in his drunken stupor. With his thoughts slightly clearer, he admitted to himself that Drexx, or even Kazama, would’ve been better choices for the rescue mission. Neither needed to breath and both could survive in the vacuum of space.

“I’m called Drexx. Who are you? And if you don’t mind my asking, why were you in the void of space alone, that's not somewhere one normally wants to find themselves?”

As the two were focused on one another, Sohko took the opportunity to move. Finding the head rush of air deprivation, combined with drunkenness, too powerful at the moment he decided that pulling himself off to the side and leaning against the wall was good enough for him. A memory of the old mystic saving someone long ago began to creep into the forefront of his mind so he took a deep drink from his flask and let out a hearty sigh as it was pushed back down deep within his mind.

"And you can call me Xem, but I cannot give the right answer to your question without telling my life's story."

Sohko let out an awkward combination of a snort and a laugh which garnered the attention of the two. Harold, the sauced saiyan’s named tail and closest companion, reached into his jacket pocket opposite the flask and pulled out a pack of what appeared to be cigars. The tail then pulled singled cigar from it, removed its wrapping and placed it between Sohko’s lips before returning the pack to its pocket. Holding up his thumb and forefinger to the end of the cigar, Sohko snapped his finger creating a spark of ki which lit the cigar.

“I hope you don’t mind, I know it’s a bit foolish to smoke after passing out from a lack of oxygen but it helps calm the nerves, you know?”

Taking several puffs off the cigar, he moved it to one side of his mouth as the smoke curled from his lips before he continued.

“I can understand you don’t want to just tell a bunch of strangers you’re life story, even if we did just save your life. These are hard times and it is hard to know who you can trust. So, if it will make you feel a little better, I’ll go first.”

His eye dropped from the pair to the floor as he took a few more drags on the cigar. These were difficult memories that he faced.

“I was raised by the World Trade Organization, you know the Icer Empire’s army. They said they found me amongst the wreckage of a ship. From what I was told, my parents were killed when an asteroid struck our ship. I survived in a beat up space pod. The recovered a sword too, made of pure refined katchin, a family heirloom.”

Sohko stated with a certain sadness behind his words as he stroked the empty scabbard which hung from his the back of his waist.

“I was a brutal warrior, a true example of the organization. I was ruthless, cunning and loyal. I killed thousands upon thousands in the name of the WTO. Probably close to a million by the end of it but I wouldn’t know for sure, I never kept count. Killing wasn’t just my job either; I got some sick pleasure from it as well. I would invent new devilish ways of torturing and murdering. I was the quintessential monster; a demon for lack of a better term. I exterminated entire species, rendered planets and solar systems alike lifeless, and took great pride in it.”

With the cigar off to the right side of his mouth, he held the flask up to the left side and took a long sip. Talking about it made the woman’s conscience pain him. Regret was a powerful emotion.

“One mission I come to this planet, not only to kill its people so our lord could sell the planet to the highest bidder, but also to locate a mystic with incredible powers. At least that’s what the reports stated. I got more than I bargained for however. I tortured villagers until I found out where the mystic was located. When I got there it was just this little old lady. I demanded she came and killed her family when she refused. That’s when she cursed me, old witch, to relive the entire life of anyone I kill. There every memory and every emotion that went with it. Then she fell herself upon my blade and I found out just how powerful she was. Anxiety, happiness, sadness, fear, pride, love all surged through my mind and I thought myself being torn apart from the inside. The pain was excruciating but no less than I deserved I suppose.”

Sohko took a pause to gather his thoughts and word out the ending of his story in his mind before he spoke.

“I was born and bred without a conscience. I didn’t really feel anything until that day. Her memories and feelings gave birth to one though. I am quite literally cursed with a conscience. Tacky, I know, but true nonetheless. Needless to say I couldn't bear the idea of killing again and therefore suffering the curse’s power once more, so I ran away. Fled to my home world Vegeta and then drank myself to oblivion and a half. Even sunk so low as to sell the only thing I had left of my parents, my katchin sword. Several years of drunken debauchery and then I finally met Kazama over there, yeah the big red one, and since then things have moved fast. Met Drexx and his buddy here not soon after. As a matter of fact, I still don’t even know his name, but he is one adorable pup!”

Snapping out of his slight depression at the thought of puppies, being a dog person and all, Sohko looks up at the stranger.

“Well there’s my story bub. So what’s yours? I’m all ears, I love a good story when I’m smoking a stogie and drinking SayCo.”

He said before taking another couple of puffs off the cigar followed by a long drink from the katchin reinforced flask.

[november]

“I hope you don’t mind, I know it’s a bit foolish to smoke after passing out from a lack of oxygen but it helps calm the nerves, you know?”

Xem turned to see that the Android was correct, the saiyan was up, breathing and taking in that smoke. Xem couldn't help but smile, saiyans were incredibly tough.

“I can understand you don’t want to just tell a bunch of strangers you’re life story, even if we did just save your life. These are hard times and it is hard to know who you can trust. So, if it will make you feel a little better, I’ll go first.”

So it would seem Xem would have to tell it... it didn't really bother him to tell it, for there were worse lives out there. Xem had a feeling that this saucy drunk had a worse experience than Xem.

“I was raised by the World Trade Organization, you know the Icer Empire’s army. They said they found me amongst the wreckage of a ship. From what I was told, my parents were killed when an asteroid struck our ship. I survived in a beat up space pod. The recovered a sword too, made of pure refined katchin, a family heirloom.One mission I come to this planet, not only to kill its people so our lord could sell the planet to the highest bidder, but also to locate a mystic with incredible powers. At least that’s what the reports stated. I got more than I bargained for however. I tortured villagers until I found out where the mystic was located. When I got there it was just this little old lady. I demanded she came and killed her family when she refused. That’s when she cursed me, old witch, to relive the entire life of anyone I kill. There every memory and every emotion that went with it. Then she fell herself upon my blade and I found out just how powerful she was. Anxiety, happiness, sadness, fear, pride, love all surged through my mind and I thought myself being torn apart from the inside. The pain was excruciating but no less than I deserved I suppose.I was born and bred without a conscience. I didn’t really feel anything until that day. Her memories and feelings gave birth to one though. I am quite literally cursed with a conscience. Tacky, I know, but true nonetheless. Needless to say I couldn't bear the idea of killing again and therefore suffering the curse’s power once more, so I ran away. Fled to my home world Vegeta and then drank myself to oblivion and a half. Even sunk so low as to sell the only thing I had left of my parents, my katchin sword. Several years of drunken debauchery and then I finally met Kazama over there, yeah the big red one, and since then things have moved fast. Met Drexx and his buddy here not soon after. As a matter of fact, I still don’t even know his name, but he is one adorable pup!”

Man.... Xem would drink to if he had experienced what this veteran had faced. If Xem had a pure saiyan mind he would take a little pride in his actions, but feel sorry that he had killed those who could not fight back. That was his old philosophy, but his 'Creation' or rather a better word 'Re-Creation' took that away. He had a few questions about the saiyan's story but he would save it for later.

"I guess I'll save the questions for later... you may have some for yourself.", he said after a pause, looking at the android as well to indicate he would be saying this to him as well. He didn't have to since the android would hear anyway, but it was a sign of manor and respect.

"First things first... I am way older than you may think I am, for I was almost this age before General Vegeta annihilated the Tuffle race and named the planet after his honor. I served as a scout for him, and was often sent to spy on the Tuffles, so we saiyans could understand them better. They had... technology we couldn't even dream let alone comprehend. This one time I was with a group of three to check out their inner workings..."

He paused for a second to catch his breath. He was nervous talking to them about his past, but he owed way more than his life's story.

"They knew we were coming... and lured us into a gravity room. Their weapons were high tech, but useless against us.. but they could immobilize us by using gravity and did so as they checked us to see which of us would serve for their experiments. I was chosen and taken further down into the facility. The immense weight had knocked me out, and tossed me into an amnesia that I would suffer for years. I could not remember a single thing... and still don't."

Xem held his head tight from slight pain. He constantly tried to remember, up to the point that it hurt his head. When he recovered he continued.

" They gave me a deal, my name... my past... for the rights to experiment on me..... I approved of the deal... and they began working. My brown hair.... became white as snow.... my blue eyes... became a deathly yellow.. and my skin became darker than the fair color I was already. I had to learn to fight all over again, and the Tuffles influence how I did. I grew stronger than when I first arrived. My progress wasn't rapid enough.... so they cloned an unaltered version of me... called himself Xeplika. They made me fight him... but the Saiyan take over had just begun. We broke out.. me and him... He put me in a cryo chamber and sealed me in while he kept the tuffles away. He still lives to this day... but his age must be of that it greatly exceeds the life of Bardock. He left a message on my cryo chamber, along with an intercepted message about Namek. That's where I was going."

This version of his story was condensed but summarized it basically. With a relaxed smile he held out his gloved hand to Sohko.

"I owe you all more than this life can give.... but I can try."

[Deleted]

“How about next time we’re at the bar you buy a couple rounds and we call it even!?”

Sohko didn’t hesitate to clap his hand onto Xem’s and shake it thoroughly, and with a big dumb smile on his face to boot. He had been a loner for so long and in truth, before Kazama, had never had a real friend. Being raised to be a sociopathic genocidal murderer took up a lot of time and didn’t really leave an opening for friends.

“What a story bub! You’re certainly an interesting character! Some might call it a fault in who I am but ever since the curse I’ve been a very trusting person unless given reason not to be. Plus I saved you’re life, so why would you lie to me? Allow me to extend an invitation to our little band of misfits and welcome aboard the SS Hakuna Matata! We are on our way to New Namek ourselves, mostly because it was the only planet in the navigation system.”

Sohko gives a big smile before taking yet another drag on the cigar followed yet another drink from his trademark flask. Using Xem’s hand he pulls himself to his feet before stretching out his muscles.

“So you said you had some questions? Feel free to ask, I am but an open book my friend!”

[anubisx]

So you said you had some questions? Feel free to ask, I am but an open book my friend.

I do have some questions, if you wouldn’t mind.

Anubis X stood up from the doorway he had been leaning on.

Allow me to introduce myself to all of you, formally. I am Anubis X, also called Anubix. I am from the planet of Ra, of the race of Pharaohnians. My people used to rule the entire galaxy, but were brought to the brink of destruction by these beings called Icers. I am one of the last people of my kind. You could say I’m a dying breed. I have fought these beings in the past and even managed to kill one that was trying to destroy my home town. His name was Fraust. He was powerful, and fighting him was painful. When I had destroyed him, I woke up on a different planet, and I ran into this group. I still have no idea what happened to me, and I aim to find that out. But first…I have some questions.

He pointed a look at Sohko. Not a mean look, but a look that showed he had acknowledged what had been said between him and Xem.

You two said that you were…saiyan? Is that the race of the planet that we were just on? And Vegeta…that’s the name of the planet? I’m asking because I have absolutely no idea how I got onto that planet to begin with. You are….

He pointed at Sohko.

Sohko? And you used to be an awful character. The fact that you worked for the Icers…It’s almost more than I can take. But I’m the type to let my heart judge. I didn’t get you being an awful person from the story you told. I can tell. I can judge characters, it was the original role of Anubis. To weigh the hearts of the dead and judge if they were good or evil. And I can tell you right now, you would have been in a lot of trouble in the afterlife. But…there is a difference about you. I can tell you right now, should the witch’s curse be removed….well…the scales would have a difficult time judging. Not because you’ve redeemed yourself, but because you regret it. I don’t know if it’s the curse or whether the curse just actually opened your eyes, but I’m just telling you what I see.

Anubix turned his gaze from Sohko to Xem.

Your soul, my friend, is a lot harder to read. I don’t know anything of this “tuffle” people you speak about, but I don’t envy you for what has happened. I feel that you are someone I can trust, but I don’t know why that is. I shall keep my eye on you, and my heart open. That is all I can offer you, but it is more than I would give most.

He turned his gaze over to Drexx.

They call you Drexx? Why, my lord? And what exactly is an android? I don’t understand. Why don’t you just tell them that you are called Osiris and have them call you that? I’m sorry if I speak out of turn my lord, but you shouldn’t have to hide who you are from these mortals. I mean no offense to them, of course, but my lord, you must understand my confusion.

He let his eyes move from person to person.

I have a feeling there is a lot more about each other that we need to know if we are going to survive as a…cohesive unit.

[Deleted]

Kazama woke up in a stupor as a headache spread like blood through a human's veins. He barely was aware of what was going on in the dark cramped space. Kazama shifted awkwardly in the dark shaft.

All he remembered was walking through this rust bucket that was supposed to be a spaceship when suddenly the ship performed a violent maneuver it shouldn't have. No doubt because of Sohko's amazing driving skills caused Kazama stumble backwards, curse and then tumbled backwards and into a dark shaft that no doubt would have been closed up on a better conditioned ship.

"This is why we don't let drunks drive a space ship," Kazama said as he rubbed his head. With a soft leap he launched himself out of the shaft and onto the level above.

Kazama went over and checked the cockpit where to his disappointment he didn't find the almost permanently inebriated saiyan. He only found the giant furry creature which growled at him as he entered the cockpit. The red majin waived it off and began to scour the ship as he tried to find Sohko in order to take away his privileges of driving the ship from that moment on out.

It took him several minutes as he checked every room when he heard people talking in the other room. He walked through the door frame as the Pharaohnian finished speaking. Inside sat Sohko, Drexx, the Pharaohnian and a new individual who miraculously made it onto their ship even though it was in the middle of space.

I have a feeling there is a lot more about each other that we need to know if we are going to survive as a…cohesive unit.

"That is for sure." Kazama said as he entered the room. He felt the cold gaze of the android fall on him, the curious gaze of the new silver haired guest and the drunken gaze of Sohko. "We need to answer some questions. Like first explaining to me how we managed to add a new member to our crew. Then from there we need to find out how an android, a drunken Saiyan, a Pharaohnian, a Majin and whoever this is how we are going to get along. The only reason I am here is because I really only have one friend in the entire galaxy and that is Sohko. I guess since we are having a pow wow you are getting to know each other.” Kazama says as he walks past the Pharoahnian and over to Sohko. He sees the cigar and the SayCo. Kazama grabs the SayCo out of his hand and takes a quick drink of it his face scrunching at the bite of the alcohol.

The Majin had never taken a drink of before so he had no idea on what to expect. He hands the SayCo back to Sohko, “How the hell do you drink that stuff? It is nasty…now where were we?” Kazama said as he dropped into a cross legged sitting position.

[Deleted]

”We were making formal introductions.” Drexx looked from the majin to the rest of the members of the group. They were certainly a motley crew.

“As to how we acquired another member to our “pow wow” we found him in a collapsing spaceship. He was going to die, so Sohko went out and rescued him. That’s about what you missed Kazama. As to the reasons we’re all here. It seems to be… what do you call it? ‘Fate’”

Drexx turned to face the newcomer.

“Your story is a most tragic one, I feel we all have stories that we should share. As for mine? I was the son of a Saiyan who created androids. Or half of me was. The other half was his murderer. After being shot, my father killed his sons slayer and used the parts of the two of them to make a new creation. Me. Since his death I have been looking for purpose. He gave me the prime directive of protecting, and so I ran into Sohko, and it has been my mission to protect him ever since. I’m not sure of your prime directive, but you are most welcome here.”

He turned to Anubis.

“They call me Drexx because that is what I have always been called. I knew no other name until you came and called me Osiris. And as to what an android is…. “

He stops, and wonders how exactly to explain what he was to Anubis X.

“I am not an organic being, but made of organic parts. I am not living, but am. I am not mortal, but can be killed. Does that satisfy your question?”

A beeping drew Drexx from the conversation and over to a console on the far wall. He examines the console before walking back to the group.

We are approaching a planet. New Namek I believe.

[Deleted]

Sohko listened intently as the animal headed man spoke. It took all of his concentration to focus on the words however because all he wanted to do was scratch him behind the ear and see if his leg would kick. He wouldn’t do this of course, probably, because he knew it might have painful consequences. The story he told was sad, the destruction of his people, the pharaonians, by Sohko’s former masters, the Icers, pulled at his heart strings. His sadness linked to the fact that he was used to be a cog in the tyrannical machine known as the World Trade Organization. The sauced saiyan looked the jackal headed descendant of a “god” in his dark and tortured eyes, which he also saw as adorable, as he spoke.

“Yes I am a saiyan, although I was indeed raised, if you could call it that, by the aforementioned Icers and yes the planet we just left was the saiyan home planet, Vegeta. I can understand if it is more than you can take, after all I am a living embodiment of all you hate. A genocidal warrior, who has eliminated entire species, wiped the slate clean on planets that used to have names but now only designated by a number. I personally have never fought or killed a member of your race but it doesn’t make me any less responsible. Those wars have been over a long time but in the day I was no different than the monsters that nearly exterminated your kind.”

Sohko suddenly found himself unable to look in those adorable eyes, for within them he saw all the innocent people he murdered. The limbs he severed. The children he fileted. A terrible shiver crawled down his spine, making his body quiver. It was a small motion but a trained eye may have noticed it and he covered it up by taking a long drag from his cigar.

“I don’t know whether my heart would tip these scales you speak of, although I wouldn’t be surprised or even saddened if I found myself bathing in the fires of hell upon my death. I’d see it as penance for my misdeeds.”

His eyes casted down to the hand that held the katchin reinforced flask and noticed a slight shake. Grabbing the cigar from his mouth, he lifted the flask to his lips and took a deep drink. He stashed the container in his coat jacket pocket and plopped the stogie back between his lips.

“In truth, I don’t even know if this regret I feel is mine or a product of the witch’s a magic, a result of the conscience which came hand in hand with her memories. Sometimes I wish I could crush an opponent’s head between my fingers and watch their brain matter seep from their shattered skull. I feel the inner darkness, like a constant pain pressing in my chest. At times it is just nagging pinprick, at others it feels as if a hand is in my ribs, clutching my heart and squeezing. The drink helps make it bearable. Maybe you’re right though, maybe my eyes have opened and, hell, maybe I’m on the road to redemption, but no matter what, I doubt I could forgive myself or ever completely overcome the evils within me.”

Sohko takes a few steps towards the doorway before turning to Kazama, a forced smile on his face.

“You were my first real friend in the galaxy too, Big Red. You are also the first man, or thing I guess, to ever knock me down a peg. Talk about setting a drunk straight huh? You set me on this path, or maybe we set each on this path, either way I’m grateful. Oh and my bad about the bump to the noggin, had to get to Xem’s pod right away.”

Walking up to the doorway that functioned as the only plausible exit and entrance to the pressurization chamber, he placed a hand on Drexx’s shoulder. Behind the gears and wires Sohko saw something more. Maybe because they are both weapons of mass destruction who are on path’s different than what’s expected them, or maybe Sohko was is wondering if Drexx has a latte attachment.

“I appreciate the update to your prime directive as you might put it. I, as a man and a saiyan, am too proud to ever admit I need protection from anyone, but I suppose it would never hurt to have someone protecting me from myself. Self-destruction seems to be my prime directive.”

He finishes with a halfhearted laugh after which he strolls out of the room, covering the few steps to the pilot’s chair in moments, and plops down. After looking over the screens, he straps himself in, throws on a headset and grabs the controls. With a smile he hits a button on the headset thus making it so his voice comes over the speaker system.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking; I’d ask that you please strap yourselves in and make sure all chairs are in the upright position. We are on our final approach to New Namek so I’d recommend getting your asses in these seats because the fun has only begun!”

(This isn’t the end of the thread per say, feel free to post at your leisure but I will be posting our… “landing…” post on the Quiet Plains in New Namek soon. I will just be setting it after the events of the thread, so feel free to get in whatever you want, no rush! See you there you squares!)

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Kazama watched as Sohko walked out of the room. For an instance Kazama flashed back to the Moons with the Mezos. Sohko melted away and was replaced by his blue friend Peso.

Peso walked from the room with his sparring gear hanging from his body. His blue skin was littered by scratches and scuffs. A strand of purple blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. When he turned around there was a smile on his face. Kazama stood up as he looked across the dojo at his teacher, he noticed that two Mezo guards stood in the doorway.

"You certainly improve incredibly fast. Not even two months ago I was teaching you how to fight properly. Not that charge forward brawling that the Mezos thought would make you strong." Peso chuckled as the two guards fidgeted slightly in the door frame.

Kazama looked at his hands, there was barely any marks on them despite the numerous hours of training that his teacher had put him through. It was becoming more and more apparent to him that the stories of the Mezos just creating him for the task of fighting was true. He felt a tug at the corner of his mouth as he looked in his teacher's face. It was the first time that the Majin had ever smiled.

Just as quickly as the memory had appeared it disappeared leaving him in the nearly broken down space ship surrounding by the misfits that he found himself calling his travel partners. He could have only imagined what he had looked like but with a grunt he rose back to his feet.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking; I’d ask that you please strap yourselves in and make sure all chairs are in the upright position. We are on our final approach to New Namek so I’d recommend getting your asses in these seats because the fun has only begun!”

Sohko's voice crackled across the intercom which caused the deep red Majin to focus. He figured that since both the drunk and giant piece of juicy fruit started this band of traveling circus which only seemed to get bigger. That it would only be appropriate that Kazama sat beside Sohko as they arrived at the newest location.

The Majin walked out of the room and down the hallway in a half daze. Passing by both droids who happened to be playing some kind of strategy game with virtual monsters. The gold one sounded like he was complaining about some kind of cheating. Then past the furry creature which growled at him as he past.

Soon he was standing in the cockpit while Sohko was playfully pressing the buttons in between taking drinks from his flask. The thought of the nasty taste of SayCo lingering in his mouth almost made him vomit.

"So, onto our next adventure with our ever expanding group of misfits." Kazama said as he dropped into the seat adjacent to Sohko.

"Just try to land this thing without crashing. I may be made out a strange substance neither one of us knows but I have a feeling that a ship crash would more than likely kill me."

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I am done here. So zeni for me please