Gohan had felt the match between Piccolo and Vegeta earlier, but wasn't worried, no more than he was worried about his father and his uncle's match.  He knew they were just training; he trusted Piccolo, and had the feeling Vegeta didn't mean them any harm, either.  He couldn't have explained to anyone how he knew it, but he just did.

He was the first to sense Vegeta return to the cafeteria around noon.  Gohan was also beginning to get a little hungry.  He had snacked a few times during the morning, but he was still a little peckish.  He knew the other Saiyajin would be feeling it even more than he was.

At about the same moment he felt Vegeta's ki enter the room, he also sensed his father and uncle powering down from their own match, and knew they would be there soon.  He smiled happily, looking forward to eating lunch, and hoped they would teach him a few moves afterwards.  Video games were fun, but he wasn't about to spend all day on them.  Like any other Saiyajin, he wanted to fight, to match his skills against another's, to see how strong he could be.

"Hello, Vegeta-san!" he called out happily when the Saiyajin prince walked in, without looking away from his game.  "Daddy and my uncle will be here in a minute!

Vegeta inclined his head in acknowledgement of the greeting, but did not respond as he made his way to the replicator to order up an enormous amount of food.

Moments after Vegeta sat down, Goku and Radditz came in. Goku was babbling some nonsense or other about Earth, and Vegeta couldn't help but smirk when Yamcha looked back over his shoulder to watch Radditz walk into the room.

"I see you left your brother in one piece, Radditz," Yamcha commented, watching as the men made their way into the room. "How considerate of you."

Radditz blinked, surprised that Yamcha was even speaking to him.  There was something different about the way Yamcha was watching him.  He no longer seemed hostile, and even his suspiciousness seemed alleviated somewhat.  Radditz frowned at the scarred human in confusion.  Something had happened, but what?  How could playing video games all morning change his attitude?  If it did, then Radditz would make sure Yamcha spent every morning playing video games, even if it meant he wasn't ready to face Freeza when they landed on Namek.

"Yeah, he'll live," Radditz answered shortly, uncertain what to think of Yamcha's change of heart.  "Although maybe he'll have trouble having more children."  He grinned at Goku, and then groaned when Goku just blinked at him blankly.  There was *definitely* something wrong with his brother, that he seemed so completely clueless about certain things.

Gohan bounded up, dropping his Playtendo controller, as he punched up a veritable feast.  He glanced back at Radditz in confusion at his words.  He didn't remember his father ever mentioning wanting to have more children, and he wasn't even sure how he felt about that idea.  Would he like to have a little brother or sister?  Maybe, but not yet.  He didn't like the idea of not having his father's full attention.

"Chi-Chi would never forgive you if you did something permanent," Yamcha replied as he got up to get something to eat. "And her temper is worse than Bulma's."

"Ah, she isn't that bad," Goku responded, sitting down at the table with the others. "Besides, she is a really good cook."

Yamcha shook his head. It always seemed to amaze him that though Goku was the strongest fighter among them, he never seemed to understand certain things. "Can't argue with that," he agreed, sitting down next to the other man.  "She is a good cook."

Radditz was so surprised Yamcha was acting civil to him that he wasn't sure how to react.  "Yeah, that's nice," he murmured, not really paying attention to what he was answering.  He stared at the longhaired human in confusion.  ::What's going on with him?:: he wondered almost suspiciously.  ::What in the world is he up to?::

"Hey, maybe someone should ask Bulma if she wants to join us," Kuririn interrupted his thoughts as he sat down at the table with his own meal.  "Think she's hungry?"

Radditz shrugged.  "She has a replicator in her lab if she is.  She doesn't have to join us if she doesn't want to."  He turned a blandly innocent gaze towards Vegeta.  "Does she?"

Radditz's innocent gaze did not fool Vegeta for a moment. He knew the older warrior had been in there with Bulma earlier, which explained his knowledge of the replicator in her lab. Vegeta knew that if he said he wanted Bulma to join them, it would be more than a little uncharacteristic of him, which was probably why Radditz had directed the question to him in the first place. He wasn't sure what the other man was up to, but he was certain he was not going to like it.

Vegeta gave a nonchalant shrug. "She can do what she wants," he snapped, and then went back to his meal. The remark surprised no one at the table, for Vegeta rarely said much at mealtimes.  But Radditz was still giving him a look that said he knew exactly what he was thinking.

Yamcha frowned. "Maybe I'll go and make sure she eats," he said after a moment, drawing Vegeta's attention.  "When she is really engrossed in something, she sometimes forgets."

The comment did not do much to appease Vegeta's increasingly bad mood. ::Just great,:: he groused to himself. ::I refuse to allow myself to worry about the woman's eating habits.::

"Unless you wanna go, Kuririn?" Yamcha asked, eyeing the little monk with a smile.  It was well known among the Z warrior that if anyone bothered Bulma while she was working, he would most likely get something thrown at him for his efforts. "After all, it was your idea."

To Yamcha's amusement, Kuririn started sputtering. ::Any second now he will remember,:: Yamcha thought with a grin. He had no idea why he suddenly felt so light-hearted. Was it because of his earlier conversation with Vegeta about Radditz? It had indicated that maybe - just maybe - there was more to Radditz than the baseball player had previously thought.  But whatever it was, it was certainly putting Yamcha in a very good mood.

He knew the moment Kuririn thought of the vid phone, as relief spread across the monk's features like a ripple across a lake. "I can call her if you want," Yamcha teased.

"Yeah, *YOU* call her," Kuririn muttered darkly, sitting down again.  He had risen when Yamcha had teased him to get Bulma.  "I don't think she'll want to come, anyway.  She's probably busy working on something important."

Radditz raised an eyebrow.  Too important to eat?  But then, she did have a replicator in her lab, if she really wanted to eat there.  He suspected she wouldn't want to, that given the opportunity she would be willing to join them.  And the reason for that was sitting right across from him, Radditz thought wryly, as he looked at Vegeta's irritated scowl.

Yamcha chuckled as he made his way past Radditz, brushing by him as he walked to the phone.  He only waited a few seconds for Bulma to pick up. "Afternoon, Beautiful!" he greeted her cheerfully. "Are you going to come down here and eat with us?"

The others saw Bulma blink at them through the videophone.  Her gaze swept around the others in the room, and if it lingered slightly longer on Vegeta, no one seemed to notice.  "Is it lunchtime already?" she asked, sounding slightly surprised.  She glanced away from the screen for a second, then turned back to Yamcha.  "I suppose it is.  I guess so.  I've just finished up something, and if I start the next part, I'll be here the rest of the day.  I should eat something now before I forget.  I'll be right there."  She gave him a brief smile before the screen went blank.

Radditz was frowning at Yamcha.  Had the human warrior deliberately rubbed him when he had walked past earlier?  Or had it been accidental?  The human had been acting strange since he had walked in this afternoon.  Radditz could see that something had changed, he just wasn't sure why, and it irritated him.  Without knowing the cause of this change, Radditz didn't know if it was good or bad, and he couldn't help feeling slightly off-balance.

"She said she would be here in a minute," Yamcha announced as he headed back to the table, brushing against Radditz again before he sat down. "Apparently whatever it is she is tinkering with is going to be an all day event."

"We heard," Vegeta commented, eyes narrowed on Yamcha as he sat down. He had not liked the 'beautiful' remark, even though he had silently agreed with it.

Yamcha shrugged. "I keep forgetting about Saiyajin hearing.  Sorry."

Vegeta simply snorted at the apology and went back to his meal.

It wasn't much longer before Bulma walked in, looking slightly distracted.  She dialed up a salad, then seemed to hesitate a moment before sitting down.  Her gaze drifted to Vegeta, and her brow furrowed slightly.  He didn't look any more approachable than he had been right before he had left her earlier.  When she glanced at him, he scowled briefly at her, before turning his attention back to his food.

Bulma stifled a sigh, confused by his behavior.  She had no idea why Vegeta was acting this way towards her, but it hurt even more than when Yamcha had told her their relationship was over forever.  Hesitantly, she sat down next to Yamcha, automatically moving closer to him for reassurance.  Even if he was no longer attracted to her, they had always been friends, and she somehow felt that he would always be there for her.

Radditz arched an eyebrow at his prince's actions.  He had a vague suspicion he knew what Vegeta was thinking, but wasn't completely sure.  If Vegeta had decided he didn't want anything further with Bulma now that they had slept together once, then Radditz would have no compunctions against moving in.  Yamcha or no Yamcha, he knew Bulma was a treasure not to be discarded so quickly.  He had never seen any woman as beautiful as her, and the longer he knew her - and the better he got to know her - the more he respected her for her intelligence, bravery, and wit.  She was definitely a mate worth keeping, and if Vegeta didn't think so, then Radditz would happily take over for him.

The scowl on Vegeta's face grew even fiercer. It irritated him that his woman chose to sit next to her former boyfriend, rather than him. He did not even consider that his whole manner was sending Bulma the wrong signals, and that he was most likely going to have explain a few things to her.

Yamcha blinked in surprise when Bulma scooted close to him. He recognized the gesture from all the times they had spent together in their youth. Bulma was seeking comfort, but the reason for it had the warrior confused.  "So what are you working on down there? The cure for cancer?"

Bulma glanced up at him, and gave him a wistful smile.  "Nothing so Earth-shattering," she answered.  "I finished modifying the scouter so it only transmits on certain scrambled frequencies, but it will still be able to receive on other frequencies so you can listen in on Freeza's transmissions if you want.  And I've added a few other features to it that I think you boys - especially Goku - will like.  I've made twelve of them, so we have spares in case any of them get broken.  Although I really don't think Piccolo is going to want one.  But I figured I'd make him one, just in case."

"What new features?" Yamcha asked, tilting his head curiously. "What else does it do now?  Fry eggs?"

Bulma shook her head and giggled.  "No.  But I used my capsule technology to create a small compartment in it that will hold a week's worth of food for someone.  Which will be about one meal for a Saiyajin.  I remembered how weak Goku gets when he's hungry, and figured this would help prevent that sort of thing.  It's just enough for emergencies, really.  Just don't lose your scouters, or you'll lose your food supplies.  That's one thing.  I've also added a weapons system in it, for situations where you might be too tired to fight physically.  Maybe just enough to get away or something."

"Damn. You think of everything," Yamcha said, admiration for her apparent in his voice. "That will come in handy.  But it is a little depressing."

Goku swallowed and eyed his friend curiously. "Why?  What's the matter?"

"I guess I was just thinking unrealistically," Yamcha answered, glancing over at his oldest friend. "I was kind of hoping that this was a 'go in and beat the hell out of the bad guy and come back home in a day' thing. Bulma made me realize that getting there is half the battle."  He made a face, showing his worry. "It is quite possible we could be stuck there for a long time."

Goku seemed to consider this and nodded. "Half the battle is getting the dragonballs first. Then we will have to face Freeza."

"And who knows how long finding the dragonballs will take."  Yamcha sighed. "This is going to be a longer trip then I had thought."

Bulma blinked.  "Yamcha, it took me months to find the dragonballs the first time.  I was by myself and couldn't fly, it's true, but when Goku was searching for them later, it took him months as well.  I remember he came to me after he had been hunting them for over a month, and he only had two of them!  And this was on Earth, where we were familiar with things.  It can only take us longer on a strange planet.  Who *knows* what sorts of things we'll have to fight?  Not to mention that Freeza being, and whoever he has with him trying for them as well.  Unless we're *really* lucky, this could take us a while.  Why do you think I wanted all those supplies for this ship?"

Radditz gave a cynical snort, his eyes twinkling.  "We can always steal more from Freeza.  I'm sure Vegeta wouldn't mind the two of us going on a raiding mission if we need anything.  And we can always... accidentally break a few things on the way out."

"Somehow I doubt anything that gets broken will be an accident," Yamcha said dryly. "Especially if a few of Freeza's soldiers go missing."

Vegeta arched a brow at this.  "I wouldn't be surprised if he sends his soldiers looking for us. So most likely you will get to test your skills on some of his weaker soldiers."

Yamcha blinked. "Weaker soldiers? I was under the impression they were all fairly strong."

"The ones he doesn't mind losing," Vegeta clarified. "Most of them have a power level of less than a hundred.  He has a few hundred of those to send after us.  And he has several dozen of about Radditz's power level he considers expendable as well."

Yamcha's eyes grew wide. "Oh..." He made another face. "Shit." He turned his gaze to Kuririn and offered him a weak smile. "Nice knowing you, buddy."

Radditz arched an eyebrow at them.  "Hey, I'm not *that* much stronger than you guys.  And Kakarotto is stronger than I am, despite the fact that he holds back when he fights me."  He grinned when he caught the rueful smile his brother shot him.  "What?  You think I didn't notice?  I would rather you didn't do that.  But I'm afraid of what might happen if you didn't hold back, since we don't have regeneration tanks here.  Speaking of which...."

He turned to Bulma, and put his fork down, looking at her intently.  "Kakarotto believes you can build anything.  Based on what I've seen, I don't doubt it.  If we were to give you the blueprints to a Saiyajin regeneration chamber, do you think you can duplicate it?"

Bulma looked at him curiously.  "What's a regeneration chamber?"

Radditz explained quickly what he had told Goku earlier.  "It would be very useful when we get injured.  And even more useful for training."

Bulma blinked at him, as did the others, including Goku.  "What?  Why for training?  You are afraid of being hurt?"

Radditz' grin grew even wider.  "Not at all.  I would *want* Kakarotto to go all out.  The more hurt I am, the better.  And then I'll even beg Vegeta to beat on me as often as he can.  Get out some of his tension on me."  He winked at Vegeta, who simply scowled back at him.

"Why do I feel as if I'm missing something? You want these guys to beat the hell out of you?"  Yamcha shook his head. "Now I know I will never understand Saiyajin."

"It is not a widely known fact, but the closer a Saiyajin is to death and then is healed, the stronger he will become." Vegeta surprised the group with his uncharacteristic explanation.

"So, basically, the more you fight and get hurt, the stronger you get?" Yamcha said thoughtfully. "Is that right?"

"You could say that," was Vegeta's only reply, as he seemed to lose interest in the conversation and went back to eating his meal.

Yamcha let out a low whistle. "Well, that certainly explains a few things about Goku. Those regeneration tanks will definitely come in handy."

"For us, yes. But not for humans. They are not made to heal other species. Freeza's scientists could not figure out how to change it," came another comment from Vegeta.

"Well, there you go, Bulma. Another thing to work on, especially if you can get it to heal all of us," Yamcha said, winking at her. "You are the resident genius of the group, so I am sure you will be able to figure something out."

"I'm sure I could," Bulma replied, "if I knew *why* they only worked on Saiyajin.  I can't think of any logical reason that would be true offhand, unless all it's doing is taking advantage of some factor that already exists in your people."

"I'm not sure about that," Radditz interjected with a frown.  "When you go in, the tank fills with a fluid that is a combination of sedatives to put you to sleep, and generic Saiyajin DNA.  Saiyajin normally heal faster than other species, and there's something about us that allows us to use that generic DNA to heal even faster."

Bulma was silent.  She wasn't going to tell them, but she was thinking that if it worked on Saiyajin, there was a fairly good chance it would work on humans.  The DNA of the two species was so similar; it might only require minor tweaking.  It would possibly help if she were more specialized in biochemistry, but with the help of her computers, and the knowledge she did have, she could probably figure it out.  And she could always send information to her father to get his input.  It would take a little longer that way, but he knew more about the biological sciences than she did.

"I think I would need to take a look at the blueprints," she finally said after a long silence.  "Can you get them for me?"

Radditz nodded slowly.  "The blueprints *should* be in the scouters.  You said you've modified them so they won't transmit anymore?"

Bulma smiled at him.  "That was the first thing I did.  I didn't exactly want to give away our coordinates to Freeza."

"I'll show you how to get the information out of the database in them, then," Radditz said decisively.  He was about to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand, but then he glanced at Vegeta.  The other Saiyajin was glaring at him, and Radditz had the feeling he was ordering him to act a bit more couth.  The larger Saiyajin very deliberately lifted a napkin and wiped his mouth, staring almost insolently at his prince.

It wasn't that he disliked being polite, it was simply that he and Nappa used to go out of their way to be deliberately barbaric whenever around anyone other than Vegeta or each other.  It had been a sort of silent rebellion against Freeza and his men.  They had learned long ago that nothing they could do would ever change anyone's mind that they were uncouth brutes, so in defiance they had gone out of their way to provoke people by behaving exactly how everyone expected.  It had always irritated Vegeta, who had insisted on maintaining a more coolly polite demeanor.  But Radditz and Nappa - aware that their size and strength made people believe in their brutish barbarianism even more - hadn't seen any benefit in it.  Everyone had assumed they were stupid, and they had found that assumption to be useful to them on more than one occasion.

"Hmm," Bulma replied, feeling strangely distracted.  Almost against her will, she found herself glancing at Vegeta constantly during their meal.  She wanted desperately to say something, to ask him what she had done wrong, but knew she couldn't bring it up in front of everyone.  It was almost as though he were ashamed of her, a thought that filled her with both shame and mortification.  She had always assumed that her beauty, her wealth, and her intelligence would be something that someone would prize, but apparently he didn't feel that way.  To him, physical strength was the only necessary quality, it seemed, and that was the one thing she lacked.

The conversation seemed to drift over a number of subjects - everything from the way Kuririn seemed unable to beat either Yamcha or Gohan at Tekken, to some of the things Radditz and Goku had taught each other when training today.  Bulma tried to keep her attention on what the others were saying, but as the conversation drifted from one thing to another, she couldn't keep her attention on anything except Vegeta.  And the way he seemed to deliberately ignore her sent daggers through her heart.

She stood up, the sudden scraping of her chair on the hard floor catching their attention.  "I'm going to be in my lab," she said hurriedly, trying not to look at any of them.  "Radditz, if you want to come and show me how to access those blueprints, I can try working on those regeneration tanks for you.  But I've... um... I've got work to do."

As she practically fled from the room, Radditz' gaze settled on the plate she had left on the table.  Leaving something like that without putting it into the recycler was out of character for her, but what concerned him was the fact that she had obviously eaten less than two bites.  He didn't know what was bothering her, but everything about her demeanor bespoke of something being wrong.

Radditz' eyes narrowed as it began to sink in.  The only thing he could think of that might have caused it was the one Saiyajin he had always respected.  He turned his gaze towards Vegeta, glaring at the Saiyajin prince.  It wasn't his place to question his prince's actions, and he wouldn't say anything in front of the others where it might be seen as mutiny.  But when they were alone, he was going to find out exactly what had gone on between the two of them.  And if Vegeta were causing Bulma this distress, then Radditz would do his damnedest to pry the woman from his prince's possession, and put her under his own protection.

Vegeta arched an eyebrow as Bulma ran from the mess hall.  Earlier she had seemed fine, but now she was acting as though the entire Ginyu force were after her blood. It was puzzling to him in several ways. When she looked at him it was as if she expected him to do something, but what it was eluded him.

He debated for several minutes what his course of action should be. Normally something of this nature would not concern him.  He would have concluded it was something that humans, despite their similarities with Saiyajin, were just strange about. But the urge to confront the female about what was bothering her was overriding his desire to keep their relationship private. And the look that Radditz had thrown him as Bulma had fled gave him pause.

Vegeta stood abruptly, catching everyone's immediate attention. Goku blinked a few times, noticing that the Saiyajin Prince seemed much tenser than normal, and inquired if there was anything wrong. Vegeta fixed a glare on the younger man that would have sent armies running for the hills.  He snapped out that he needed to show Bulma how to retrieve the blueprints from the scouters before he stalked down the hall toward the lab.

Yamcha blinked several times at the sharpness of Vegeta's tone and the abruptness of his departure. "What's got into him?" he asked no one in particular.

Goku shrugged, looking just as puzzled at the other man. "I don't know, but he sure is acting strange."

"He isn't the only one," Yamcha muttered. "Bulma is acting odd as well."

Radditz merely growled, preparing to follow Vegeta, which caught the attention of the others in the room.

"Now *you're* acting strange!" Kuririn exclaimed.  "Is someone going to tell me what's going on?"  The last ended in almost a petulant whine.  Kuririn could tell something was going on, and he hated being kept in the dark.

Radditz didn't look at any of them, but merely narrowed his gaze on the door through which both of the others had recently exited.  "Vegeta," he snarled, "may be breaking every Saiyajin law there is.  If he hurts Bulma...."

The others stared at him.  Goku blinked.  "Why would he hurt Bulma?" he asked, his tone innocent.

Radditz turned his narrowed gaze on his brother, trying to determine if Kakarot were toying with him.  He decided after a minute that his brother was honestly confused; he didn't understand what was going on between the two lovers.

"There are only a few laws concerning the relationships between men and women on our planet," he finally ground out.  "But if a female chooses a male, and he accepts her choice, then he is *obligated* to protect her, care for her, and never harm her in any way.  It is *her* choice if the relationship ends, not his.  Vegeta may be breaking every law we have by hurting Bulma.  If he is doing so, then I *will* take her away from him, even if he wants to kill me for it."

"What?" Kuririn squeaked out, even while the others stared at Radditz in stupefied silence.  "What do you mean, she has 'chosen' him?  What are you talking about?"

Radditz turned his gaze towards the small monk, and Kuririn quailed under the intensity of it.  "I mean that last night the two of them laid claim to each other.  She did not stay the night with him, but Vegeta has told me on several occasions that if I touch her, he will kill me."

Radditz growled again, a low, angry sound.  "Vegeta has been with many women before, and never have they meant anything to him.  But never before did he pursue one, and never before was one an innocent.  I do not think she would have chosen him lightly.  I believe he told Bulma he would follow the laws with her; that he will stay with her unless she wishes him away.  But her unhappiness shows that he is not treating her well, and that is against our laws.  Prince or not, he will *not* mistreat her, or I will take her from him myself!  He may hate me for it, but our laws forbid him from killing me for it.  A female has the right to choose her mates, and if she chooses me, he cannot do anything about it."

He sat back, scowling thoughtfully, and not really looking at any of them.  "I just have to *explain* our laws to her.  I do not think she understands them yet."

Goku blinked, still looking more than a little puzzled at the entire situation. "I see," he said uncertainly. He really had no idea what his brother had been talking about, but he could tell his older sibling seemed to think it important.  And that was all he really wanted to know.

Radditz' declaration had a more interesting effect on Yamcha than anyone realized. Numerous emotions passed through the young man's head.  It was fortunate that neither Radditz nor any of the others were looking at him, or they would have been shocked to see how his skin paled underneath his tan, as he was taken aback by what Radditz had said. Then just as quickly, his expression changed from extreme hurt to unconditional rage. His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched in an anger that was almost palpable.

"Their relationship is none of our business," the baseball player ground out, surprising everyone with his angry outburst. None of his companions ever recalled seeing Yamcha look so angry or speak so harshly. "Bulma is not Saiyajin, but she can take care of herself.  And if Vegeta has abused her in any way, you can be damn sure none of us would allow it."

Yamcha stood stiffly and glared down at the larger man. "They probably had a fight.  Leave them be; they will work out their own problems without your interference."

The others could do nothing but stare in shock as Yamcha stalked out the door without another word, back stiff with controlled anger.

Goku sighed, wondering what had gotten into one of his oldest friends, to cause the other man to have a temper tantrum.  He broke the awkward silence that had settled upon them. "I think being cooped up on this ship is starting to get to us all. We need fresh air.  Remind me to ask Bulma if we can stop for a break somewhere."

Radditz frowned, his brow furrowing, confused by Yamcha's reaction.  He hadn't taken the Chikyuu-jin warrior to be so volatile.  When had a vorlon bitten *him* on the ass?

Then his eyes widened as realization struck.  He had encountered other races that were entirely monogamous, and it appeared that Chikyuu-jin were the same.  They didn't understand that a Saiyajin would take more than one mate; that one didn't preclude another.  He probably assumed Radditz preferred Bulma to him.

Suddenly Radditz was uncomfortable.  His desire to protect Bulma was instinctive, and he *was* attracted to her, but did he really prefer her to Yamcha?  It was true; he instinctively wanted to choose her, to take a female before a male, yet strangely he found himself hesitant.  He didn't like the idea of Yamcha refusing to be with him because of his choice of a female.  Why couldn't the human male accept them both?  A Saiyajin male would.  Why wouldn't he?

But he knew the answer to that.  Unlike another Saiyajin male, Yamcha wasn't attracted to females.  He wouldn't be able to accept both mates, and to accept his own mate having both mates.  It wouldn't be the sharing that he would have if he had chosen a Saiyajin male.

Radditz growled and stood up, torn between running after Yamcha, and going after Vegeta, determined to protect Bulma.  He knew the other Saiyajin could kill him with a thought; he also knew that their laws would stop him from doing so, if Bulma truly did choose Radditz over Vegeta.  Vegeta might not be *happy* with the situation, but he wouldn't kill Radditz.  It would go against all of their laws, and all of his instincts.

But that didn't mean Vegeta wouldn't beat him until he was *almost* dead.  Radditz just hoped Bulma *could* duplicate those regeneration tanks, or he might end up being so badly injured he might as well *be* dead.

He spun back around to face the others, and noted their confused countenances.  They had no idea why he was angry, nor did they understand why Yamcha had stormed off.  There were nuances to the situation he was quite sure they hadn't yet understood.  Hell, he wasn't sure he understood all of them himself.

"He's wrong," he growled, disguising the true source of his agitation.  "He thinks it isn't my business, but it *is*!  Bulma does *not* understand our laws.  I will *not* allow Vegeta to abuse her by breaking those laws.  It is just... *wrong*!"

Goku opened his mouth to speak then shut it again quickly. He knew something was going on but he wasn't sure what it was, or even if he understood it. "Yamcha is right about one thing though, Radditz. " His words drew the larger man's attention. "If Vegeta physically abuses Bulma, all of us will protect her from him. Even if it kills us."  He frowned, eyebrows pulling together in thought. "But they probably just had a fight.  Yamcha and Bulma used to fight all the time. You are probably worried over nothing."

Radditz opened his mouth to say something, and hesitated.  He really didn't know Bulma all that well, although he *did* know Vegeta, and he thought his little brother was wrong.

"I don't think so," he growled finally.  "Vegeta won't abuse her physically, but that won't stop him from treating her like trash.  The only women he has known or been with since childhood are the whores Freeza used to keep for his warriors to use before a mission.  There were some female warriors in Freeza's army, but they had their own garrison, and we rarely saw any of them.  Vegeta is used to *whores*, not women like Bulma.  Do you really want your friend being treated like a whore?"

Kuririn finally spoke up, his voice an almost hesitant squeak.  He knew a little more about what went on between Bulma and Yamcha than Goku did, and felt compelled to insert his two zenni, despite how intimidating he found the enormous Saiyajin warrior.

"Uh... Goku?  I don't think this is the same thing.  When Bulma and Yamcha fought it was always different.  I mean, I've never seen Bulma act *this* way before, have you?"  Kuririn didn't know how to explain what he was seeing, but somehow Bulma's skittishness - her nervousness around Vegeta - made no sense to him.  When she had fought with Yamcha in the past, always she had been the aggressor, the one yelling and generally angry with the other.  This was, Kuririn knew, a very different case.  He wasn't sure quite how or why, but it simply felt... wrong.

Goku frowned, eyebrows pulling together in thought as he pondered the current situation. It was true Bulma was acting odd. Goku had noticed the change along with everyone else, and now wondered if he should be worried.

Goku had known Bulma since he was eleven years old. He had never been able to understand how fast her moods could change and had just accepted as it being usual Bulma behavior. But now since Kuririn and Radditz - the latter not knowing Bulma as well - had made a mention of it, maybe he should do something about it.

"Well, I doubt she would talk to any of us about what's bothering her, unless...." He looked up at his brother. "We could ask Yamcha to talk to her. She might tell him what's wrong, if there is anything. They are really good friends."

Radditz considered this.  He hesitated asking Yamcha for anything; the other man's reaction to his statements earlier proved that he didn't really understand the handsome human.  He was attracted to him, most definitely, but he didn't understand his attitude or morals yet.

He nodded at Goku's statement.  "We might wait on that, though, "he said, using caution for what might very well be one of the first times in his life.  "I don't think Yamcha is in any mood to talk to any of us at the moment.  Especially not about those two.  We might want to wait until he's calmed down a little."

Gohan beamed at him suddenly.  "Can we spar together, Uncle Radditz?" he asked eagerly.  "Can you teach me some moves?"

Radditz looked startled.  "I think you may have more moves to teach me than I have to teach you, kid.  But if you want, maybe your father can beat on me a little, and if Bulma builds those regeneration tanks, I'll get stronger."

Goku grinned at his brother's comment and shook his head. "Somehow I don't think you will just stand there and let me beat on you."  Goku admitted to himself that he was relieved that his impulsive older brother was showing some restraint instead of running off to confront Vegeta.

He understood very little about the two men, but something in him warned against Radditz' interference with Vegeta and Bulma's relationship. The last thing that group of Z warriors needed was a gigantic squabble over who got to be Bulma's lover.  And he hoped that the situation would soon resolve, for if they were going to beat Freeza, all of them had to work together.

He ruffled his son's hair on the way out the door, sure that the others would simply follow him to the training area. He was not disappointed to find that they did, and the group spent the rest of the day sparring with the others. At one point, he and Kuririn exchanged looks when the pair picked up on Yamcha's and Piccolo's ki levels rising.

"Don't worry about it Kuririn." Goku told the bald monk when his expression showed his concern. "They are probably just sparring like we are. Piccolo wants to kill me, not Yamcha."

Radditz was puzzled by this, but used his newly learned ki sensing abilities to figure out what they were talking about.  It took a few seconds of concentration, but he was finally able to make out the ki signatures of Piccolo and Yamcha, both rising and falling with rapid abruptness.  After a few minutes, he figured out that was an indication they were either fighting or sparring, and he realized there were many useful aspects to this ability of his brothers, and he would need to learn how to use it properly.

~~~*~~~

After Yamcha walked out of the mess hall in a huff, he stalked down the corridors of the ship, not really watching or caring where he was headed. Somehow he found himself in the arboretum. He blinked as he looked around at his surroundings, deciding this was far enough from his personal tormentor that he could try to get hold of his wayward emotions.

He plopped down on one of the benches Bulma had scattered about the garden area, and ran a hand shakily through his hair, trying to make some sense of why he had just had what could only be termed a 'royal hissy fit'.  He dropped his head to his hands in an attempt to rein in his emotions, and to rationalize why he was suddenly behaving like a two-year-old.

After several moments of doing breathing exercises to force himself to regain his temper, he came to a very disturbing conclusion. Radditz was beginning to mean more to him than just an obnoxious flirt who was trying to get into his pants.

Why else would Yamcha - one of the most even-tempered persons anyone could meet - suddenly lash out in anger when Radditz had said he would claim Bulma as his?  Why would that make him act so emotional?  Yamcha couldn't pinpoint what exactly had set him off. It might have been the way Radditz had worded the declaration. Or it could have been the possessiveness in the other man's tone that had caused something in the younger man to snap, and make him act like a wronged lover.

"Bakayarou," Yamcha cursed, not really knowing if he was now angrier with himself or Radditz.  He was certainly furious with Radditz's behavior.  To think Radditz would toy with him the way he had, letting Yamcha think that maybe he wanted more than just casual sex, and then turning around and saying he would fight Vegeta for Bulma.

Yamcha was growing angry, more furious than he could ever recall being at another person. He had never once wanted to hurt someone else simply because they had hurt him. Yet all Radditz had to imply was that he was interested in Bulma, and Yamcha wanted to scream in frustration at the way he felt he was being wronged.  It made him want to beat the living hell out of the other man to ease his humiliation.

But as he became calmer, he became rational, and the reason for it became clear to him.

He was jealous.

That was all there really was to it. Yamcha was jealous that Radditz would flirt with him, imply that he was interested in him on a personal level, and then casually dismiss him as he made his true intentions clear.

::So the bastard was toying with me, was he?  Playing with my emotions because I am inexperienced?  He deliberately kept me confused and off-balance. I didn't even know I liked men until he started this game of his. So I finally admit to myself that I am attracted to him, and decided I was going to do something about it, and he goes and does this. Why that... that....  I am such a baka,:: he thought despondently.

Yamcha squeezed his eyes shut, surprised that he was so close to tears.  He hadn't realized he was so emotionally entangled with the other man; it took something like this to make him recognize it.

He knew that Radditz had given him no promises. Despite all the flirting, all the teasing, Radditz had said nothing about wanting anything permanent between the two of them. It had simply been Yamcha's assumption that once they became lovers they would have a permanent relationship. When apparently all Radditz wanted was a temporary distraction.

The baseball player swallowed hard. ::Well, what did you expect?:: he scolded himself. ::A little white house and a picket fence? Get a grip, baka.::

The bottom line was that Yamcha did not understand him. It hurt him that Radditz could make offers, and then casually dismiss him as if he did not matter.  Didn't Radditz feel anything at all for him? Was it simply a game to him? Did Saiyajin feel love? Were they even capable of the emotion? And could Yamcha accept just having an affair, if that's all it would be to Radditz?

The young man was suddenly very afraid for himself, because he knew without a doubt he would take whatever Radditz offered. No matter what the consequences were, he would do what it took to keep Radditz' attention, even if it meant getting hurt in the end.

He lifted his head from his hands and sighed. "Kami, I am an idiot," he whispered, not realizing he was being observed from nearby.  The other presence took that spoken whisper as a good time to announce his presence.

"All humans are idiots," came a deep bass from behind him. "It is a genetic flaw."

Piccolo had been watching Yamcha the moment he had entered what the Namek considered his own personal sanctuary. Piccolo might not have been an empath, but even he could tell Yamcha needed a distraction to take his mind off whatever was bothering him.  And since he was the only other person in the area, it was up to him to keep the human from floundering.

Piccolo really did not care one way or another what the humans did, at least that was what he told himself. But he did want them to be able to fight when the time came. So it stood to reason that letting one of his... allies... mope about was not only unhealthy, but a fast way to get them all killed by making a stupid mistake on the battlefield.  He considered it his duty to knock some sense into them.

Yamcha's jaw clenched when he heard Piccolo's familiar taunt. ::Just what I needed,:: he grumbled to himself.  "Maybe, plant boy," he said turning his head, eyes narrowing on the turbaned warrior. "But at least I'm smart enough to realize my faults. You didn't even notice you weren't human.  Wasn't the green skin and pointy ears a dead giveaway?"

He watched as Piccolo returned the glare and pulled off his cape, an unspoken challenge in his eyes.  "At least I'm not stupid enough to be mooning over a brainless ape." Piccolo tossed the cape to the ground and paced towards him.  ::Bingo,:: he thought as he watched the younger man seethe at the insult.  Despite the fact that he stayed away from the group, Piccolo had noticed Yamcha's infatuation with Radditz, and it seemed his guess about what was bothering the baseball player was right on target.

"Wanna make something of it, baldie?" Yamcha stood up, feeling the anger build up again.  This time he was angry that Piccolo had noticed his fascination with Radditz, and that his emotions were so transparent. But he somehow knew Piccolo was simply taunting him to get him to fight. Certainly the thought of pounding on Piccolo seemed a little safer than taking out his anger on one of the others.

"You will never keep up with me. You will be screaming for mercy in five minutes," Piccolo sneered, pleased that Yamcha was taking the bait.

"I may surprise you," Yamcha remarked, his body tensing, waiting for the opportunity to strike. "I haven't been hovering over the waterfall for the past week.  Maybe I'll do you a favor and make you eat those words."

"Highly doubtful. You are nowhere near my equal."

"Go to hell!" Yamcha snarled, and launched himself at his opponent.

Piccolo and Yamcha spent the rest of the afternoon trying to defeat each other. Piccolo hated to admit it, but Yamcha had improved a great deal since the last time he had watched him fight. It pleased the Nameckian that Yamcha had gained another level of expertise and that he did not have to hold back quite as much as he had first thought.

Though he was pretty exhausted by the time Piccolo called a halt to their match, Yamcha still found that he had energy to spare. The baseball player was sure Piccolo could have continued their impromptu match for at least another hour, but had stopped for reasons Yamcha could only guess at.  As he wiped his face on his now battered shirt, his stomach made its presence known.  The athlete chuckled. "I am not even going to ask if you want to come and eat," he told the green skinned alien. "I know you don't eat, I can't imagine how you survive."

"Water," Piccolo answered abruptly.

"Eh?" Startled that Piccolo willingly supplied information about himself had the young man gaping at him like a fish.

"All I need to sustain myself is water," Piccolo said simply, the conversation forgotten as he headed back towards the waterfall, leaving Yamcha staring blankly at him.

"Well, I'll be damned," Yamcha finally managed to say when Piccolo disappeared from sight. "Maybe he isn't so bad after all."

Yamcha chuckled at the thought, and turned to go to his room for a shower before he headed to the dining room.

END PART 19