"But nothing, baka, I said I'm going; I don't need your damned blessing."

"Don't make me pull rank on you…not now." Vegeta's eyes widened.

"Pull rank?! Fool! I could kill you, raze this pathetic excuse for a planet…"

"No," Kaio sighed. "I'm afraid it doesn't work that way. Were you alive, it would be a different story, but I don't think I need to remind you that I do deal with the dead almost exclusively."

"Oh? And exactly what are you going to do to stop me, fish-face?" Vegeta asked around a contemptuous snort.

"I could restrain you," Kaio replied calmly, "but for the sake of your pride—I know that's dreadfully important, ouji—I'd recommend you stay put. At least that was you can pretend it was your choice to stay." The Saiyajin bristled, an impressive effect given the natural state of his hair.

"You…dare to imply you can stop me?!" Kaio turned away with a weary groan, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Vegeta, for all I explained to you…and I know half of it just went in one ear and out the other…" Kaio was wrong in that assumption; Vegeta had not only heard all that was said to him, but had guessed quite a bit more, said fact which was the cause of his current mood. "…you still don't understand the forces at work here. I can not allow you to interfere; even if I wanted to, Rou Kaioushin would have my hide."

"I think it's you that doesn't understand, god," Vegeta spat. "My son is out there, my enemy is out there, there is no reason in heaven or hell for me not to be there." Kaio managed a weak smile.

"Well, that much you have right, even if it is by accident." He looked sidelong at the tense warrior, strung tight enough to snap, as always. "The reason this has all gone so drastically wrong doesn't lie in heaven or hell. It bears saying that deities are not infallible…and this particular goddess had made two glaring errors that are now accelerating what we're attempting to slow."

"You mean stop."

"I mean slow, Vegeta. There is nothing that can be done to stop this."

"You said that about Freiza and Buu, idiot." 'And we both know how well I handled those situations…shit. Kakarot's not around either…hell with it. I'll find a way to stop this…'

"We were speaking of destruction of galaxies at that point. This is too big even for you, little man." Vegeta, for once, didn't rise to the bait.

"So you're content to just sit back and wait for oblivion? At least go down fighting, coward."

"If you try to strike against this, Vegeta, going down fighting is precisely what you're going to do."

"At least it will be a warrior's death…not getting perforated by some weak excuse for a lizard, not suicide, and not some wretched ningen disease."

"You thought it was a human ailment that killed you? Not even close. Don't you see?" Kaio's voice dropped to a near-whisper. "He's trying to take you back…but even dead you're not out of the way."

"So Kakarot had the right idea: just get the hell out." Kaio shifted uneasily.

"He had, perhaps, a clever thought with regards to separation. I don't know if his most recent move was such a good idea."

"And why not? He's not going to catch notice now."

"And if they meet?"

"Feh. You're assuming they'll both live that long. Since you say you won't let me off this miserable little dirtball, perhaps you're trying to see to it that one dies, eh?"

"I'm not trying to do anything but keep you from going off half-cocked, and that is plenty difficult enough, thank you very much."

"Then let me go my own way, moron. I didn't enter this agreement so you could baby-sit me."

"Trust me, neither did I, but since you're so bent on rushing off with only half the story…" Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"Hell, god, then just tell me the rest. What's with you and keeping secrets?"

"I'd rather wait to tell you until I have another perspective."

"And where do you plan on gaining a new perspective?"

"I suspect that one of two women will be joining us soon…and I think either will have some useful insights to share."

"WHAT? You're bringing that…that thing here?!"

"If she dies, Vegeta…and it's not a guarantee that she will."

"The day one of those freakish weaklings could beat a super Saiyajin…"

"She's far from her father; don't underestimate her. She may well win this, and if so…well, then things are coming together differently than I would have supposed. After all," he muttered to himself, "Mirai no Trunks is still alive…no reason for him to die here…" Vegeta scowled, glaring.

"And exactly what the fuck did that have to do with anything? Leave my son out of this."

"Wish I could," Kaio murmured, "but I'm afraid none of this is so simple. Between you, Goku, and Moreviv the natural order has been blown to bits…there's no predicting it anymore. That, Vegeta, is why I can not allow you to interfere this time except what I promised you. You've done enough damage as it is."

"Damage? They were about to be killed when I showed up," Vegeta snarled.

"Quite correct," Kaio said evenly, marching back to his house as a signal that the conversation was at an end.

* * * * *

It was, Juunanagou thought to himself, a stroke of luck that Gohan, Goten, and Trunks had already met Azher, and, to varying extents, trusted him. That made it easier to convince them to come on this little jaunt; plainly none of them trusted Juunanagou. He could have cared less…he would have preferred to be simply ignored. They'd pestered him with questions from the moment of takeoff; he'd given up artfully hedging responses and was simply not speaking, leaving them with a last "you'll have all the answers you want after we arrive" just to make them antsy.

At this point they were only giving Azher and Juunanagou a ride to the Changeling planet. Having retrieved Goten, they plainly had no intentions of remaining any longer than necessary. It was, therefore, Juunanagou's job to see to it that they found it necessary, through persuasion or force, whichever looked more effective. He had, for the moment, chosen persuasion.

Takira would no doubt take care of that by her very presence, and Kabu…Juunanagou smiled cruelly for a moment. He couldn't wait to see what they all had to say about Kabu. The brat was proving to be quite entertaining…maybe he could get the bitch to let the kid live. Prophecies be damned, he was just a baby: harmless.

"We're here," Azher announced, stepping back to allow Juunanagou to choose a landing site. A large wing of the palace, adjacent to the throne, had collapsed, making a craggy but convenient site. Ignoring looks for the rough landing, Juunanagou swept to the now-open hatch and with a curt nod, led the way, followed by Gohan, looking protective, Goten, confused, and Trunks, deeply suspicious. Azher brought up the rear.

The Agent bowed quickly and made way as the half-Saiyajin filed in.

"King Deoge, allow me to present Son Goten, Son Gohan, and Trunks Briefs. They arrived on Geo shortly after I did, and I thought it perhaps prudent to bring them." Deoge nodded slowly.

"Azher," this with a gesture toward the newly-arrived Roc by way of welcome, "has told me of you three and what you have already done for my people. I fear you again come at a dire time, friends. Has the Agent informed you of the current state of affairs?"

"Agent? But he's—ow!" Goten edged away from Juunanagou's elbow and glared.

"I thought it best that you brief them, Deoge. If nothing else, it looks like things have changed just since I left. Where is Malak?"

"Dead," Deoge sighed. The Agent didn't look at all surprised.

"And my partner?" No sense spoiling the fun by dropping names now…

"Left to dispose of the body. Even if we can't arrange a proper burial, no general of mine is going to rot in the dungeons."

"She went alone?" Before Deoge could speak, a tiny fist and mop of hair appearing from behind the throne answered the question. Grunting a bit, Kabu pulled himself up until he was perching on the back of the throne, tail swishing as he eyed the visitors. Juunanagou had to struggle not to laugh as Gohan and Goten gaped with twin stares. Trunks was staring as well, but he looked a bit more…cautious, somehow…as though deciding whether or not to panic.

"Ah, were are my manners?" the Agent said with such forced charm that Azher gave him a disapproving look. "I forgot to introduce this one. Come here, Kabu." Snatching the wriggling baby from the throne, he strode back tot he confused trio. Gohan and Goten drew closer, smiling faintly at the child…Trunks took a step back. Juunanagou couldn't be certain, but he didn't think Trunks had blinked once since laying eyes on Kabu.

"Well, he has his mother's hair..." the Agent mused. He looked up, catching and holding Trunks' unsettled blue gaze. "…and his father's eyes." No use trying to squelch the grin now…the look on Trunks' face was just too good.

"This isn't your child, is it?" Gohan muttered, frowning at Juunanagou.

"Mine? Gods, no. Besides," he chuckled softly, "he wouldn't have gotten a tail from me."

"Well, if he's not yours, why are you holding him?" Gohan asked, casting a way glance at Trunks, who was now two steps back, looking confused and hunted both at once.

"Just holding the brat for an associate," Juunanagou answered lightly "I'm sure she'd love to tell you about him herself. She doesn't really trust him with me anyhow…" Normally smooth face twisted in a smirk, Juunanagou spoke up, voice filling the halls, though his eyes never left Trunks'.

"Takira!! Some of your Chikyuu connections are here to see you!"