After a more relaxing afternoon and an effortless dinner(Yamcha ordered pizza), the evening began to draw to a close. Goten was sent on his way, and Bulma, Yamcha, and Bra retired to their respective rooms. Trunks and Takira stood on her balcony, watching the stars.

"Bulma was right," Takira said, "The view is wonderful from here."

"Hmm. It's even better by daylight. You can actually see things."

Takira gave him a questioning look. "You're not still mad at me for what I did to Goten, are you?"

"No," he sighed. "I wasn't really mad at you then, either; I was just worried about Goten. The way he screamed, I thought he was dying."

"He probably felt like it; he'll be plenty sore tomorrow, but no worse than I'll be after that kameha--what was it?"

"Kamehameha. It was one of his father's favorite attacks."

"I can see why," she muttered. "That one nearly took me out."

"Is that why you drained his energy?"

"Not exactly. Mostly, I just wanted to see if I could, and I knew he was strong enough to handle it, even if you weren't convinced."

"I know, it's silly to worry about him, but we've fought together so many times we kind of look out for each other, you know?" He paused. "No, I guess you wouldn't."

"On the contrary," she said, "It was actually fairly common back on planet Vegeta, though no one admitted to it. All told, few warriors fight alone all the time. Often it's impossible, and it's almost always impractical."

"What about you, then?" he asked. She sighed.

"I'm an impractical fighter, I suppose. I rarely had anyone to fight alongside me."

"What about Vegeta?" He said it gently, hoping not to offend her.

"We never got the chance to fight together. We were going to, of course, once he'd defeated Freiza. We were going to rebuild the Saiyan race, track down all of Freiza's kind and wipe them out--oh, we had such plans.

"I left before I could fight at his side. After that I had Vegira with me, but he was too young to fight. He only tried once--and never again." Trunks could see her hands clutched on the railing, knuckles white.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, go ahead, it's the only way I'll get over this. I've shed my tears for Vegira, but for some reason, even after all those years, I managed to convince myself that Vegeta was still alive, that I could find him--and prove that I hadn't failed him completely."

"Failed?"

"By leaving before he returned from his mission, not being there for him. I abandoned him and couldn't even protect his child. Now that I've made it to his home to make my apologies, I find it's too late.

"I'm glad he found your mother and had a family, especially a son as strong as you. He deserved such happiness; he deserved far better than he got from me."

Trunks was silent, drumming his fingers on the railing. Suddenly, he turned to face Takira, and after and awkward moment, managed to ask the question that had been plaguing him since he'd first heard her story.

"I mean no insult, Takira, truly, but if I may ask--what did you see in my father? In the time that I knew him, he eventually learned to care for others, even to love, but he gave the impression that he hadn't until then. What was he like, to stir such powerful feelings in you?" Takira gave careful thought to her answer before replying.

"He was the embodiment of my own feelings: anger, frustrated ambition, blind hope and faith. He also possessed the strength of body and will that I lacked, and yet--there was a certain vulnerability to him, if you knew where to look. I think that's why he came to depend on me as he did; he needed someone to whom he could show that other side, someone who understood him well enough to see why it needed to be kept a secret.

"Don't get the wrong impression. He was never what you would call an openly loving man. He was a Saiyan, and more importantly was raised as a Saiyan. He could have wanted to be lovingly gushy with all his heart--and he had a heart--but it would have gone against the very essence of his upbringing. His heart may have wanted it, but his soul could never reconcile it.

"So you see," she murmured, "he did care for you, probably more than he was capable of expressing." Trunks looked up, surprised. How had she known what he was thinking? As though fighting her own instincts, Takira placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, looking him in the eye.

"Your father was probably the most complex character you could ever hope to meet, but I know this much to be true: one of the dreams he held closest to his heart was to have an heir, a son, a fighter whose raw power and skill would eventually surpass his own. You are the fulfillment of his every wish. Don't let anything convince you otherwise." Slowly, she drew her hand away.

Trunks was stunned, and oddly touched. He hadn't expected Takira to be so--sentimental. Suddenly, it made sense to him. She and Vegeta had become two parts of a whole; he'd been the model of impenetrable strength, and she had taken upon herself his "weakness".

"I think I understand now," Trunks said softly. "Why he acted the way he did, the way you feel pain so keenly--and why you two were so inseparable. You feel lost without him, don't you?" Wordlessly, Takira nodded. She hated to admit it.

"Well, you've just been found," Trunks continued. "He didn't take your strength with him when he died. It's in you somewhere, and it's up to you to find it. I'll help you any way I can; now that I know my father, I'd like to meet you."

"I'm glad one of us does," she murmured. Squaring her shoulders, she attempted to shake off the mood. "Well, Trunks, I could talk all night, but you'd better get going before Bulma burns me at the stake for trying to lead you astray." Trunks snorted. Bulma did tend to be a little overprotective, but he didn't think she'd dare challenge the likes of Takira. Bidding her goodnight, he took his leave, returning to his room. He was about to change for bed when he heard a faint tapping at his window. Curious, he drew back the curtains and uttered a strangled cry of surprise to see Goten hovering outside. Trunks opened the window and Goten rushed inside, looking nervous.

"Goten, what are you doing here?"

"I sneaked out of the house--"

"Gohan's going to kill you!"

"--at Gohan's request," Goten finished. He took a deep breath and related his news.

"Kaio-sama woke Gohan out of a dead sleep to warn him of imminent danger. There are two spaceships headed for Earth. The first is small, only one person aboard, and Kaio-sama couldn't identify him; but by reading his thoughts, found out that he was searching for Vegeta." Trunks frowned. He didn't like the sound of that.

"The other," Goten continued, "is larger, with a captain and full crew. They appear to be in pursuit of the first ship. Their captain's name is Koretz."

Trunks' breath caught in his throat. Koretz? The one who'd killed Takira and her son? Why was he coming? Rather, Trunks thought, what did the first ship want with Vegeta? He turned to Goten.

"You think this may have something to do with Takira?"

"It's possible that it's unrelated, but if anyone is likely to know what's going on, I'll bet it's her."

"She would have told us if she knew she was being followed," Trunks protested.

"I'm not trying to make assumptions, Trunks. Assumptions won't help; facts will, and for those, I suggest we go to Takira."

"Tomorrow morning?" Goten shrugged anxiously.

"I don't know if we have that kind of time. I only know what Gohan told me before he sent me off, but I think there's definitely some urgency here," he sighed, "otherwise I could have waited until tomorrow to tell you."

"Well, then we'd better not waste any time. Come on."

"Trunks, I should really be getting back home before I'm missed. Why do I have to come? She likes you better!" Trunks gave him a disgruntled look.

"Come on, Goten." He left. Grumbling, Goten followed, catching up to him as he knocked lightly on Takira's door. There was no answer.

"She must be asleep. I hate to wake her, but--" Stealthily, they entered the room. The lights were out, but a pale gleam of moonlight shone in the windows and it soon became clear that Takira, whatever her reasons, was nowhere to be found. Goten scratched his head.

"I don't understand. Where would she go?" he wondered aloud.

"You don't suppose she knows already, do you?"

"How could she know? She must have just decided to leave. You didn't scare her away, did you?" Goten had meant it as a joke, but the look on Trunks' face made him regret the statement. Trunks looked out to the balcony.

"That must be it," he whispered. "I did it. I cornered her and she ran away. Damn it!" He clenched his fists as though looking for something to pound. "Of all the stupid, thoughtless--Goten, we have to find her!"

Goten was taken aback by Trunks' impassioned curses, and wondered if perhaps Yamcha had been right. Regardless, though, he could not refuse his friend.

"Okay, Trunks, we'll find her. She can't have gone far. She probably headed back to the city. We can look there first. Just keep quiet! If Bulma finds out we've gone she'll tell Chichi, and we'll both be as good as dead!"