|
|
Post by Vegia on Feb 26, 2018 12:45:47 GMT -6
Vegia didn’t think it was possible for her to be more bored than she was right now. Earth’s cities were strange places which alternated between weirdly familiar and completely alien. There, she was entirely unremarkable; just one more Saiyan in a cosmopolitan melting-pot which had seen off-worlders coming to the planet for hundreds of years at this point. The villages and rural communities were the exact opposite. There, she tended to be viewed with suspicion on two fronts; firstly, because she was an outsider, and therefore naturally someone to be considered a potential threat, and then secondly because she wasn’t human. She wasn’t sure which she liked more, the feeling of being completely beneath the notice of the humans, or the feeling of being viewed with barely-concealed hostility. Then there were the vast tracts of land like this, where nature had been yoked and harnessed to create a vast expanse of farmland. It was all so disturbingly uniform to her, with little to distinguish one place from the next. When she had begun this mission of hers, intending to scour the planet for survivors from Vegeta, she had thought that it’d be a relatively simple matter. She could fly around the planet in a relatively short amount of time, after all, and the landing site of space pods tended to be pretty obvious. Now, though, she was having to deal with her own rising paranoia that she might yet be spotted by their orbital enemies, and the fact that any Saiyan who was still anywhere near their space pod at this point was all but guaranteed to be beyond saving. She’d found a scattered handful of corpses, but she hadn’t seen anyone of note all day. She was starting to lose faith in her brilliant ‘just keep flying’ strategy… But surely something would break the monotony soon, right? Ochra |
|
|
|
Post by Ochra on Feb 26, 2018 13:33:48 GMT -6
"Hey Ochra! Could you give me a hand?" Ochra looked over from his work, setting the bale of hay he had been carrying for the cows down on the ground and strode over to where Jeremiah was at. The old man seemed crouched down by his tractor, grumbling to himself. "Something wrong?" the hybrid asked. The old farmer looked up at him and nodded. "Yeah. I need to get under this tractor to make some repairs, but the dam jack's rusted to the point of uselessness." Ochra looked at the rusted jack laying on the ground. It had been raining a lot lately. He must have left it out. "Anyway, you're a strong young man. Think you can lift this up for me?" Ochra chuckled. "I thought you had something challenging for me." He reached down, hooking his hand under the front of the tractor, and with little effort, lifted the tractor up. Jeremiah smiled at the sight. "Who needs a jack when I got you. Heck, who needs a tractor?" "Hey now. I'm a Saiyan. Not farming equipment." he replied in a friendly manner. The old farmer chuckled and climbed under the tractor to take a look. Then, as he held the tractor up, something caught his attention. A power. A strong one as well. It wasn't far off, but it seemed to come from the sky. Ochra's golden eyes looked skyward. "What the?" he murmured to himself. "What was that?" Jeremiah called out from under the tractor. Ochra looked down at the farmer. "Nothing. Don't worry about it." When the farmer didn't ask any further, Ochra looked back up towards where he sensed the energy. It was heading towards them. Was it coming this way? Standing out in the open, holding a tractor up, Ochra would stand out if someone was looking from above. Vegia |
|
|
|
Post by Vegia on Feb 26, 2018 14:09:31 GMT -6
If it wasn’t for the constant, background level of paranoia, Vegia would have been at serious danger of falling asleep which she spotted something strange passing by underneath her. The figure holding a tractor straight above his head. On Vegeta, something like that wouldn’t really have stood out at all; but here? Most humans didn’t have the power level required to push a big piece of machinery, let alone hold it directly over their head.
Her suspicion was proven correct as she floated down to the ground, and saw Ochra in the flesh. Tall, bulky, and with an undeniable tail. Yup, this was definitely a Saiyan, and from the look of it, he’d already made some inroads with the locals, that was good.
Vegia wasn’t really designed for hiding herself. With the billowing, bright red and gold robes of the Line of Karo, she held herself like, well, a Royal Guard, and she walked right up to the pair without any hesitation in her at all, stopping a respectful distance away – just far enough to be outside of Ochra’s reach; the ancient sign that she considered him to be a worthy threat. Though, such old duelling practices were hardly in common use amongst modern Saiyans.
“Good day.” She said, politely, giving a stiff nod to the human and his Saiyan companion. “My name is Vegia, of the Line of Karo.”
She turned her full attention onto Ochra, now that the bare minimum level of respect had been paid to the local. He didn’t look injured; but then, neither did he. Looks could be deceiving, and it was perfectly possible that he was paying off a debt of his own to this man.
“It is good to see another healthy Saiyan. Are you… going to need to hold that thing for long? We should probably talk.”
There was a certain underlaying level of urgency to her tone as she finished. The teenager had been rushing around on barely any sleep for days at this point; she was tired, she was hungry, but these things were rapidly becoming friends to her. If she’d found another ally, it would all be worth it – and it meant there were more out there, she couldn’t afford to stop searching yet!
|
|
|
|
Post by Ochra on Feb 27, 2018 5:41:09 GMT -6
The source of the power soon made itself apparent. A young saiyan woman, dressed out in formal red and gold, and with a strength that practically doubled his own. Granted, Ochra shouldn't really be surprised, saiyans could be strong no matter their body shape or size. Ochra just happened to be muscular, while this young woman was petite and deceptively powerful. It was just how saiyans were. The young woman introduced herself as Vegia, of the Karo line. Ochra hadn't really been one for politics, having left to pursue the life of a bounty hunter when he was younger. But still, respect had to be paid, and she might even know of his brothers. Ochra returned his respectful nod. "A pleasure to meet you Vegia. I am Ochra, of the Line 24." Sure, it wasn't as glamorous a name as Karo or Bonemoon, but it was their family dammit. So what if their founder was an android? During all this, Jeremiah had climbed out from under the tractor and was listening to the conversation between the two saiyans. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but he had a feeling it was something important. At Vegia's request that they talk, Ochra nodded and gently lowered the tractor to the ground. They could work on it later, and he had a suspicion she wanted to talk about the group of survivors preparing for a possible Fleet invasion. He had filled Jeremiah and his family in on the details. It just didn't seem right to keep it from them. "Would you like to come into the house? You honestly look like you could use something to eat." He looked back at Jeremiah, silently asking if that was ok. The old man, noticing how tired the saiyaness looked, nodded in agreement. If Ochra was willing to trust her, then the old man was willing to give her a chance. Ochra quietly gestured for Vegia to follow him, as he headed back towards the farmhouse. Vegia |
|
|
|
Post by Vegia on Feb 27, 2018 12:57:18 GMT -6
“I’d love to, but I can’t stay.”
The words weren’t easy for her to say. There really was nothing in the world she would have liked more than to stop a while, rest, eat, and recover her strength. But how could she let herself do that? Every moment that she wasn’t out there working to find and help her people was another moment that they could fall prey to the dangers an unfamiliar world presented. Some were no doubt badly injured, and the World Trade Fleet was, she was sure, hot on their heels. She couldn’t take the risk that they’d blunder into the enemy before they could be united with their fellows.
She could rest when the work was done. Not before.
She dipped her head to the farmer in thanks for the use of his house, and tried to think where she had heard that name before. It took her a while, brow knitted, but when she spoke, there was some certainty in her voice.
“Ochra... I think I knew your brother! At least, we were acquainted. Disho? He mentioned a brother who left the palace to travel.”
She realised her mistake almost as soon as she said it. If she wasn’t so tired, she’d probably have been able to be more graceful with it. As it was, though, she was just suddenly acutely aware that rather than talking to a survivor and giving them hope, she was now relegated to giving bad news – if he hadn’t heard of the plight of their people already.
She allowed herself to be led by the older man towards the farmhouse, and kept her mouth shut after that. She wasn’t intending to stay here long, but now she felt like she at least owed him enough time to explain what she had seen… even if that news was going to be painful to hear.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ochra on Feb 28, 2018 6:21:34 GMT -6
As the girl turned down the offer, Ochra couldn't help but shake his head. "You look like you haven't slept in days. Even with your power, you can't keep running like that. At least get some rest." Saiyan pride was a powerful thing. As a saiyan hybrid, Ochra knew this. But even he knew he had limits and was able to keep them somewhat in check. He was pretty certain this girl was one of the survivors of Vegeta, and knew of a possible invasion by the Fleet. She wouldn't be good to anyone if she worked herself to starvation and exhaustion. But then she mentioned a name. A name Ochra hadn't heard in a long time. His brother, Disho, who had stayed behind on Vegeta and had acted as an adviser for the royal family. This girl knew of his brother? Before he could even think, Ochra had closed the distance between them, and was now gripping her shoulders, looking her right in the eyes. "You knew Disho? Where is he? Is he ok? Did he get off Vegeta? What about Ruco?" Ochra was well aware of what happened on Vegeta, and one of his biggest concerns had been about his brothers. Were they still alive? A small wave of panic ran through Ochra. This was the first big piece of news regarding his brothers, and he was almost frightened to hear what the results would be. Jeremiah seemed to recognize this as he walked over to the young saiyaness. "Let's get her inside first. I'm sure she can tell us everything in there." He needed to give Ochra a chance to calm down, lest the news be bad and the saiyan lose it. Ochra paused, taking a deep breath and nodded, though it was clear he was still worried. Jeremiah gently guided Vegia towards the farm house. As they got closer they could smell something cooking. Lunch was being prepared. Vegia |
|
|
|
Post by Vegia on Feb 28, 2018 12:17:22 GMT -6
Vegia knew how much this news was going to hurt. She knew how much it hurt her, and that wound was why she hadn’t slept much since her arrival on this planet. She’d had the opportunity, she’d even encouraged it in others, but the dreams… what she saw every time she opened her eyes…
The young woman allowed herself to be ushered inside, and her expression had already told the story. For once, the composure of the Royal Guard failed her, and the fact that she couldn’t meet Ochra’s eyes was likely enough for him to assume the worst.
Even the delicious smell of food couldn’t lighten the stone that had settled in her stomach.
Still, she had a duty to do here, too, and if there was one thing that Vegia held firm to over all others it was the importance of duty. She didn’t wait long after stepping inside the farmhouse to begin to speak, and when she did, she worked hard to keep her voice calm and level, and to look Ochra in the eye.
“As far as I know, your brothers were still in the palace when the enemy attacked.” She said, choosing her words very carefully. “We defended it as well as we could, but it wasn’t enough. Before my Father, ordered, me to retreat…” Just the faintest quaver in her voice there, a faint hesitation on the word ‘ordered’. There was a story there, too, no doubt.
She pressed on, “… the Palace was already burning and in ruins. Most of the Royal Guards were dead, and those of us who weren’t, were being overrun. Everyone was dying. At best, that’s true for your brothers, at worse… they were captured.”
The weight of those words was too much for her to bear, and the teenager looked down at her feet, one hand curling into a fist at her side.
“I failed in my duty as a Royal Guard.” She said, her voice cracking completely, now. Tears were threatening, and she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to hold them back. “I understand if you hold me responsible. I’m sorry, and I swear, I will avenge them, but… but if you need me to leave, I’ll, go.”
|
|
|
|
Post by Ochra on Mar 1, 2018 6:04:16 GMT -6
The young woman's face practically said it all. Whatever she had to say, it wasn't going to be good. I mean, what good could come out of what happened to them? Their home planet was invaded, countless saiyans killed, the rest driven off into the cosmos with little to no hope. The fact she could barely look him in the eyes really said it all, even before she opened her mouth to speak. She had been there, fighting to defend their home. But in the end, she had been driven off by all the others, the fate of his two brothers still a mystery, but definitely it wasn't anything good. Ochra was silent, cold as stone. His dear brothers. Sure, they fought, they didn't see eachother eye to eye, but that was what brothers did. And he still loved them. The thought that they might be dead or worse, and with no way to do anything about it, it was tearing the bounty hunter up inside. And now, to top it all off, there was a young woman, virtually beating herself up in front of him, shouldering all the blame for their loss. There was silence between them for a moment, before Ochra spoke up. "When I heard...that Vegeta was being attacked by the fleet. My first action was to get into my pod and make a beeline straight for Vegeta. I had been through a lot in my life, but I was terrified when I heard. I...didn't even make it. My pod was shot up by Fleet ships and left to drift through space. It was only by luck that I even managed to come to this world. Otherwise I'd just be a frozen corpse in space."
"You at least were able to fight for your world, for your family. I couldn't even make it to the battle."Ochra knelt down in front of the girl, bringing himself more to her height before suddenly pulling her into a comforting hug. He could tell this poor girl had been through a lot, that she needed support. They all did right now. "I don't hold you responsible. In fact, I'm thankful for all that you've done. For all that you're doing now." Sometimes, just being reassured you were doing good was all one needed to help your spirit. Ochra gently pulled back, resting his hands on her shoulders as he looked her in the eyes. "Come, you've been through a lot. Get something to eat, get some rest, and then we'll head out." There was no doubting it. When Vegia left the farm, Ochra was going with her. He couldn't stay here any longer. He had been away from the saiyan people long enough. Vegia |
|
|
|
Post by Vegia on Mar 1, 2018 13:44:25 GMT -6
Vegia wanted to scream. She wanted to shout. She wanted to rage that she hadn’t been able to fight, that her father had stolen that honour from her and sent her off in shame and disgrace. She wanted to cry. She wanted to break down. She wanted to do all of those things…
But what she did, was nod stiffly, and swallow her tears. A Saiyan Elite did not cry. A Royal Guard even more so. She pushed those emotions down deep, deep inside, and redoubled her resolve as she accepted the unwanted hug. The show of physical intimacy just made her feel all the more uncomfortable. She was allowing a lie to go uncorrected; allowing him to believe that she had fought when she had not, but… it was, easier, this way. For both of them.
She moved to sit at the table, back ramrod straight and eyes fixed on her own hands as she netted them together on the surface before her.
“I would be grateful for some food.” She admitted, allowing that small amount of hospitality; turning down food was a grave insult, after all, and she really was hungry. She was always hungry. If there was one thing that had remained undimmed by the dire circumstances that she found herself in, it was her appetite. The only Saiyan who wasn’t hungry, as the saying went, was a dead Saiyan.
“I don’t have time to rest for long.” She said, “One of the Princes survived. Prince Vocado, of House Bone Moon. We’re gathering in the North, making a camp of one of the mountains. Others are gathering there now. One of the Ambassadors, an Elite who wasn’t on Vegeta, some soldiers… there are more of us who survived than you might think.”
She made herself smile, though she didn’t feel it in her heart, and lifted her gaze to his. “We have the beginnings of a force. When the World Trade Fools dare to show their faces here… we’ll be ready for them.”
It was a confidence she didn't quite feel. But she knew how important it was to show it; if she allowed her true doubts to show, even for an instant, it would be too easy to fall to despair.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ochra on Mar 5, 2018 18:28:53 GMT -6
He could tell she was being strong. He wouldn't try to push her to let all her pain out. It would just embarrass her. Instead, Ochra stepped back and allowed the young woman to sit at the table, as Jeremiah and his wife brought out food for them. Ochra couldn't help but admire their cooking. It was simple, but it was always filling, despite the notorious saiyan appetite. The woman would probably be a celebrity on Vegeta if she had gone to cook there. As Vegia spoke of the numerous survivors from Vegeta, Ochra nodded his head in silence. He had met two of them already. Nashua and Banzo. Though this was more information than he knew before. He didn't know where they were all setting up, and certainly hadn't known one of the princes survived. House Bone Moon. That name sounded familiar. One of the lesser houses? Guess all the major ones had been taken down by the Fleet when they invaded Vegeta. Damn. They had some strong fighters in those houses too. Still, it was information he could share with the Pride Troopers next time he met them. "I had met two of the survivors previously. Nashua and Banzo I believe. They had told me about the gathering survivors, but this is the first I've heard about any location." He took a drink of the coffee that had been made. He probably should tell her about the Pride Troopers. They could be of help after all, and who knows, maybe she already met them. "Tell me, have you heard of a group called the Pride Troopers? A team of superheroes that make this world their base of operations. They seem nice enough. Perhaps we can arrange an alliance with them. They don't want a Fleet invasion as much as we do." Some extra support might help get her pep back a little. Vegia |
|
