Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Frieza Force Outpost
Acala glared furiously at the trio of imbeciles, her tail snapped behind her like an electrified whip as her ki flared again. A transparent aura engulfed her bruised and battered body. Her scarlet eyes narrowed, scanning each of the newcomers in turn.
The air between them crackled with tension, she could see it in their eyes... Nion's sharp and focused ones, Tato's eager grin, and Mato's poker-faced determination. All three of them shared the unmistakable Saiyan hunger, a feral mix of joy and need for battle.
Despite her exhaustion, the challenge was irresistible. Fighting was a sacred pleasure for her kind, especially one that involved a fellow Saiyan and not the wild beasts of the Death World.
The trio responded in kind, their ki erupting in a synchronized display of power. The girl, Nion, grinned as her black hair whipped in the wind, her aura surging around her in a transparent purplish glow. The brothers mirrored her confidence, their ki flares snapping and crackling like lightning. The ground beneath them cracked, loose pebbles bouncing away, while their tails lashed in excitement. Their identical grins reflected their eagerness for a fight.
Acala shifted her weight, sliding into a defensive stance. Her lips pulled back in a snarl, exposing her gritted teeth in a feral grin. If they wanted to challenge her, then so be it. Even in her current state, she couldn't hesitate to take them on a fight to the death. After all, such was the way of the Saiyans. Her ki caught fire, searing orange flames licking at her limbs. The toxic air parted under the force of her energy. Saiyan children weren't used to ki-techniques, she would use 'Ember Strike' to deal with them.
Her muscles coiled, preparing to lunge at Nion, the leader of the trio, she would rip her throat out first. The loss of their leader from a single blow would be devastating for the brothers, then she could take her time to disassemble them, limb from limb!
Just as her body tensed, preparing to lunge, she felt it... a faint tug almost imperceptible under the rush of bloodlust in her mind. A small, feeble, soft wrapping itself around her tail, it felt delicate... and warm. A sound followed, soft and muffled, so faint it was nearly lost in the roar of her energy.
A cough.
Her blood ran cold, and her lust for battle faltered at that moment as she remembered the fragile life strapped to her back. The tiny Siayan had buried her face into Acala's back, her tail curling instinctively around Acala's in a childish, almost instinctual gesture of trust.
The murderous light in her eyes dimmed and the feral grin dissolved, replaced by a grimace. Her ki flickered, the orange flames dancing around her limbs turned into embers before disappearing entirely.
She straightened, though her tail remained stiff, curled, and angry but hesitant. A tail reflected a Saiyan's state of mind planer than any words could, it was as though their thoughts were visible for all to see.
The trio also noticed that she no longer had any intentions of fighting them, their confidence morphed into confusion.
"What's the matter?
Tato sneered, stepping forward with his fists clenched.
"You're backing down already? Guess you figured out you're outnumbered!"
"Or outmatched!"
Mato added with a sneer of his own.
Nion, however, tilted her head in confusion. Her sharp black eyes narrowing as they studied Acala with a calculating gaze. She knew who the Albino Saiyan before her was, who didn't, the only daughter of the man who led the first rebellion. The Super Elite-Class Warrior, or so they called her when she was born with a Power Level of over 500.
That is until the prince was born.
Still, it was pretty clear to her that the Albino wasn't backing down out of fear... no, something else had caused her to stop.
Nion's eyes darted to the pod resting some distance away before returning to the faint outline of something strapped to the Albino's back.
"Enough,"
Nion dropped her aura as well, crossing her arms.
"It's clear she's not going to attack us. She's protecting something."
The twins' aura dissipated with their leader's, they eyed the Albino with a strange look in their eyes,
"Protecting?"
Tato said the word as though it was foreign to him and without hiding his disgust for it either. His tail lashed out in irritation.
"What are you talking about? She's just a coward!"
"Shut up and look,"
Mato barked.
His eyes followed his brother's, noticing the faint trembling on Acala's tail and the strange way with which it shifted her weight as though shielding something behind her.
"Are you sure she hasn't just ron her armor and is embarrassed about her exposed butt?"
He asked, eyeing Nion questioningly.
Nion rolled her eyes in irritation,
"Anyway, if we are to fight, you both survive so what's the point?"
The brothers glanced at each other, startled by her sudden change in tone, but they followed her lead and let their ki fade.
Acala's voice cut through the tension between them like a blade,
"Say what you want. I don't have time for this."
Nion smirked, regarding her with a mixture of curiosity and interest,
"You're not half as stupid as you look."
Acala's lips twitched into a half-snarl before fading to a neutral expression.
"But you're still gonna have to tell us what you're doing dragging that pod across this hellhole."
Acala hesitated. Her pride wouldn't tolerate her answering someone weaker than her, to tell them to mind their own business would be best. But practicality won. If these three wanted a fight, she couldn't afford it now... not with Spina clinging to life on her back. She relented with a growl,
"There's a Frieza Forze Outpost some fifty miles from here,"
She said in a flat voice,
"I'm heading there."
"Fifty miles?"
Mato whistled, raising an eyebrow.
"That's one hell of a trek for someone in your condition."
"And you were going to drag that hunk of junk all by yourself?"
Tato added, eyeing her with a disbelieving look.
"You're tougher than you look."
Acala glared up silently, waiting for them to go away.
"Well,"
Nion sighed, turning to look in the direction Acala pointed at.
"Looks like we're heading the same way."
"We are?"
Tato asked, confused.
"Yes,"
Nion said firmly. Turning to the twins, she pointed at Tato,
"And since you're so impressed by her effort, you can carry that pod the rest of the way there."
"What?! Why me?"
"It's your punishment for being a loudmouth,"
Nion said, waving him off.
"Now, get moving!"
---
The group took to the air, soaring over the marshes and the barren desert beyond the poisonous bogs. Without the pod dragging her down, Acala could maintain a modest flight speed, considering her injuries still made it difficult to keep up. The trio didn't comment on her lagging behind, but she could occasionally see Nion glancing at her out of the corner of her eyes... more than was necessary to make sure she was following them.
It didn't take them long to reach the outpost that way, with the twins carrying the pod between themselves. The metallic structure stood out against the jagged rocks that jutted from the cracked earth like the teeth of some gigantic creature. The central building was a tall, mushroom-shaped dome, its dull silver exterior reflecting its status as a deserted outpost.
It was surrounded by smaller structures, the functions of which were quite clearly visible, a workshop of some sort, a training ground, a fuel tanker, and a handful of other facilities needed to survive on the planet.
Acala descended first, landing in front of the central building. She turned to the trio, eyeing them warily, her tail lashing behind her.
"Explore the other buildings if you want, just don't touch anything that might get you killed."
Nion raised an eyebrow at her commanding tone but didn't argue.
"Fine. Come on, you two."
As the trio wandered off, not before dropping the pod some distance from the central hub, Acala stepped towards the main building. The doors slid open with a mechanical hiss as she approached, revealing a dimly lit interior covered in dust. She entered cautiously, her scouter beeping as its presence activated the automated systems in the structure.
The doors closed behind her with a soft 'thud,' sealing her inside. A cold, synthetic voice echoed through the entry chamber.
"Requesting identification."
Acala removed her scouter and placed it into a recessed slot in the wall. The voice responded a moment later.
"Identification confirmed. Welcome, Operative 79918022."
The lights flickered on, revealing a sterile interior. Acala navigated the corridors with purpose, heading straight for the medbay. The doors slid open, and she sighed in relief at the sight of the rejuvenation chambers.
Carefully, she unstrapped Spina from her back. The child stirred weakly, her tiny hands clutching at Acala's tail before going limp again.
"Quit the dramatics. You'll be fine,"
Acala muttered, her voice gruff but tinged with concern. She placed Spina into one of the chambers, her hands trembling slightly as she activated the controls. The machine hummed to life, filling with a clear, viscous liquid.
Once the chamber was sealed, Acala turned to the next one. She didn't hesitate before ripping off the rags that remained of the armor before stepping inside. Her body was badly battered. As the liquid enveloped her, Acala's vision blurred, and she allowed herself to drift into unconsciousness.
A soft chime pulled Acala back to consciousness. She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the faint glow of the chamber's interface.
[Treatment Completing In: 10:00]
[09:59]
[09:58]
.
.
.
Acala sighed weakly, letting her head float in the viscous liquid filling the chamber.
"About time,"
She muttered, before closing her eyes again.
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EchoingDusk
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