RISE OF THE SAIYANS

By: Cephius

A DRAGONBALL Z fanfic

Chapter 4

	As the ship slowed to normal crusing speed, Talia quickly ran to one of the viewports around the ship and gazed out into space.  As she glaced towards the front of the ship, she could see a comet flying past.  Her eyes widened as she saw the marvel that was outer space.

	"It's so beautiful out here," she said to no one in particular.

	"The views can be very spectacular.  When this is over, I know of a few places you would love to see."

	"Really?"

	"Yep.  My favorite is a nebula about three hundred light years from here.  The colors there make quite the picture."

	She glanced up at her mother, her eyes full of happiness and joy.  Her mother simply smiled at her and shook her head yes.  That caused Talia to giggle and headed back to the viewport, so she could admire the view.

	"How much longer, Tomo," his mother asked.

	"Only a few more minutes, then we should be able to. . ."

	A nearby explosion rocked the ship a bit.  Tomo quickly brought up the shields and checked the sensors.

	"What was that," Talia asked as she stood up.

	"Everyone back to your seats.  And buckle up.  Two scout-class ships have spotted us."

	Another explosion, this one closer than the last, rocked the ship.  Once everyone was seated, he quickly began evasive maneuvers, dodging out of the way of the attacking craft's fire.  Another barrage of fire lanced out towards them, but Tomo's quick reactions looped them out of the way.

	He then spun the ship around in a tight circle, bringing his forward weapons to bear so quickly, that the first ship could not get of the line of fire, and was struck by three of the four lasers from Tomo's ship.  Though the shields held, the enemy ship pulled back out of range quickly, to give their shields time to recharge.

	"Mother, do you know how to work the secondary weapon systems console," Tomo asked as he continued to dodge the fire.

	"I think so.  It's been a while."

	She unbuckled and ran to the console, quickly buckling into the seat.  She glanced at the console, and remembering her earlier training, she quickly brought the secondary weapon systems up to full power.

	"Ready," she called out.

"Prepare to fire on my mark," Tomo said as he brought his ship around for an attack run.

	It took Tomo a bit of maneuvering to get near enough to one of the scout ships to get his weapons to have effect.  He lined up his ship with the scout ship and followed it, even as it tried to evade or shake them off.

	"FIRE!"

	She hit the buttons and watched on the mini-viewscreen as the lasers struck home, slamming into the shields and buckling them.  A split second later, four lasers slammed into the engines of the ship, causing the ship to spin out of control for a few moments before the engines overloaded, exploding in a brilliant ball of super-heated gases.

	Tomo's ship rocked as the other scout tried it's best to take them out.

	"Talia, head over to the console to your left.  They control the rear weapon systems."

	"But I don't know how to use them," she replied, a bit scared.

	"I'll tell you how to use them," his mother said.

	She quickly agreed and headed over to the console.  Before she arrived at the chair, the ship was rocked by another barrage of enemy fire, flinging her past the seat at the weapons console.  At the last moment, she grabbed the chair and held on for dear life.

	"Are you okay," her mother asked.

	"Yeah," she said as she climbed into the seat and buckled herself in.

	"Okay, now push the green bottom."

	"Got it."

	"Now raise the three levers on your left all the way up."

	"Okay."

	"Did the indicator above the levers go all green."

	"All three of them."

	"Okay, now hit the yellow button below the blank screen."

	Another blast rocked the ship.

	"We're losing shields!  Please hurry!"

	"The screen's on."

	"Good, now, when the central circle on the viewscreen lights up, it means you have a lock on the target.  When it lights up, pull the two triggers on the control sticks."

	"Okay."

	The first couple of times she tried, she missed wide.  However, it kept the other ship busy enough to not get a good lock on their ship.

	"I'm going to let them fly right past us.  Mother, you've got first shot.  If you miss, it's all up to, Talia."

	He let the ship get closer and closer to them.  As the enemy ship fired, he pulled up slightly on the ship and slowed down very fast.  The shots went underneath the ship and the enemy ship had to bank down so as to not hit them.  Tomo engaged the maneuvering thrusters and spun the ship around like a top to face the ship.  His mother fired her weapons, just glancing the enemy ship, but enough to lower the shields.  Talia, very worried about everything, imagined the arcade games she played every once in a while when they went to the capital city.  The first shot went behind the ship, but the second shot hit dead on.  The lasers punched through the cockpit of the enemy ship, instantly killing the pilot and causing the ship to go out of control, straight for the planet.

	"Good shot, Talia."

	She just sat there, silent and shocked.  She had just taken a life.  She didn't know how to react.  The only thought that she could think of was that she had killed someone.

	"Talia," Tomo asked.

	His mother unbuckled herself and headed over to her.  She saw that she was in shock.  Her eyes wide open, terror racing through them.

	"Mother, what is going on?"

	"It's Talia.  She's gone into shock."

	"Why?"

	"She's never taken a life before."

	Tomo paused for a second, realizing the situation.  He had forgotten that she was never a fighter.  Never been in combat.  Never had to take a life to defend another.  He had seen it many times while he was in the Galactic Army.  The terror that ran through their eyes and mind of the horror they had just done.

	Tomo changed the ship's course towards the planet, carefully avoiding any of the patrols or large capital ships.  Once they entered the atmosphere, Tomo plotted a course outside one of the battle areas.

	"Mother, take control of the ship."

	"Where are you going," she asked.

	"I have to go save my friends," he said calmly.

	He walked over to Talia, seeing the terror in her eyes.

	"Talia, it's Tomo."

	She blinked and turned her head towards him.

	"You realize that if you had not stopped that ship, the three of us would not still be here.  You saved us."

	She blinked and stared at Tomo for a minute, then nodded, sanity returning to her eyes.  Then, she cried.

	"We'll be okay.  Get going.  Your friends need you."

	"Okay," he said as he stood up.

	"Be careful," Talia said to Tomo.

	Tomo turned around and smiled.

	"Take care of mother for me."

	She nodded.

	Tomo exited the control area and opened the nearest airlock door, the air rushing in through the opening.  He jumped out, watching as the airlock door closed and the ship headed for it's programmed destination.  He knew his mother and Talia would be okay, but, in the back of his mind, he was concerned for them.  He stopped his fall and concentrated for a few moments, then changed directions flew on towards  the battle areas.  He knew who was there.  His long-time comrades.  His friends.