Unexpected Happiness (Vegeta x Goku)

Chapter 34

Bardock ran a hand through his hair before looking down at the multiple pages of notes on the table. Kakarot looked exhausted as he sat across from him with Vegeta. The beta was trembling with his hands tangled in his hair while Vegeta rubbed his back. "I know you're tired Kyuata," The older man said. "But we need to go though everything one more time." The beta just whimpered tiredly and shook his head."I know this is hard, but it's important Aiyo." The prince purred in his mate's ear while wrapping an arm around him. "You can't freeze up tomorrow. I promise this is the last time we'll ask you to do this until the hearing." He said giving a firm look at Bardock. Kakarot was being pushed to his absolute limit and couldn't take much more at this rate. "....kay." Kakarot said softly as he brought his hands out of his hair and stared at the table. Bardock frowned but braced himself for the pain and fear that would be on his son's face. "Kakarot I need you to tell us how you received your mission assignment."Flashback Heavy thudding echoed through the empty training hall as the teenager furiously attacked one of the weighted training bags. He just wanted a team assignment! Was that really such a bad thing? All his classmates had theirs or were on track for specialist training. Growling he threw all his weight into a blow. Panting he glared at the bag. Bitter resentment filled him knowing if his father had done that the bag would have been knocked from the ceiling where it hung. All Kakarot accomplished as he stood there panting was shifting the bag a scant few inches before it swung back into its place. It wasn't fair! He trained harder than anyone else he knew, why couldn't he be strong like his father and brother?! Why couldn't anyone see past the fact he could give birth?! He was more than that. His teachers already admit he was one of the best in pure hand to hand. He just wanted to fight and help his race. Kakarot clenched his eyes shut and punched the bag once more as his fist struggled to push the bag back. He just wanted to accomplish one thing!"You certainly take after your father." Kakarot spun around ready to tell them to go away only for the words to die on his tongue. He immediately snapped to attention and saluted knowing the man could be foul tempered even at the best of times about lack of respect. "General Retaso.""At ease Kakarot." The man said waving him down with a relaxed tone. "I think considering the late hour we can excuse the formalities. I must say your father certainly trained you well. Half the recruits I run into at this hour wouldn't have done even half of what you just did.""Thank you sir." The beta said unsure how to process that comment. "Didn't your father just come home from an extended assignment? I would have thought you would be home with your family visiting instead of training." Shame colored Kakarot's cheeks as he turned and picked up his towel to wipe the sweat from his face. "Is something wrong?" Retaso asked seeing his anger. "Forgive my boldness, but you don't seem to be yourself." Kakarot sighed and moved to sit on the nearby bench. "My father and I disagree about my service in the military." He said softly. "He doesn't think I should keep training and should find something else. He won't even sign off on a team assignment for me. I've tried going to other commanders but they won't go around my father's orders.""I'm sure your father is only doing what he feels is in your best interest." Retaso said sitting next to the teen. "You are still very young Kakarot. Sometimes what we think we want isn't what is best for us. Bardock, despite my personal dislike for him, is an amazing tactician and knows his trainee's limits better than they do.""I don't want to become a breeder." Kakarot admit. "I don't think he understands that. The only reason an alpha would want me is because I can bare cubs. Unless I prove myself somehow I won't be able to find a strong alpha. He's the one that taught me from the beginning. I know I'm ready for a team assignment. All my combat instructors say I'm ready and I've gotten some of the highest marks out of my class.""Is that so?" Retaso said quietly. "That's quite impressive. But you know it's not just fighting you have to be concerned about. You have to have other skills as well.""I can't get official training without a squad assignment." The beta said, frustration creeping in. "I'm not saying I'm anywhere close to ready for the combat zone but I can at least be assigned a squad and start training with them." "I see. You certainly are passionate aren't you Kakarot. I think I might have a solution to your problem.""Sir?""What do you know about off record assignments?""They are only assignable by the highest command, General or higher. I don't see what that has to do..." He looked up at the alpha confused. "You aren't seriously considering me for a secret assignment, are you? Sir I'm not even a full fledged member of the military yet.""No, but you are perfect for what I have in mind." The older admit. "I want to change things for betas and women Kakarot. As of now they are restricted from missions where heavy combat is unless we add additional members to teams. If a beta or female were to somehow be shown capably completing, let's say a solo mission for example, it would create grounds to argue for a change in how mission assignments are given. You can help me with that Kakarot.""But I'm not..." Kakarot shook his head. "I'm sorry sir but I think you have the wrong person. Surely someone more experienced would be better.""Yes but should they refuse the mission I would be forced to remove them from active service to keep them from discussing or bringing attention to the assignment." Retaso shrugged. "With you, right now this is nothing more than a hypothetical scenario as part of a training exercise. The ramblings of a commanding officer's desire to change things. Imagine it though, the first beta to successfully complete a solo assignment. That would certainly garner you some respect and attention from strong alphas would it not?" Kakarot nodded unable to deny it. It would get him some positive attention for once, to be known for something besides 'general Bardock's son' or 'the weakest'. "I can see the wheels turning." The General said light heartedly. "Still this is all purely hypothetical...""What if...what if it wasn't? " He chuckled nervously. "I mean how would it even work? Just getting a pod would be practically impossible. They'd never make it off planet without getting caught and arrested." "You underestimate me Kakarot. Rest assured we have figured out that little snag. How else do you think off the books assignments are done?" The beta conceded that point now that he thought about it. "What happens if the person fails?" Retaso's face became grave. "Sadly in some cases the person or team in question is killed or left to fend for themselves. It's unfortunate but they know the risks when accepting the assignment. Those are of course much higher risk assignments than what I have in mind, something as simple as a recon or base demo would be ideal. The goal here is success, not completely turning the tide of this war. However, you would face serious repercussions if you did fail your assignment and had to call for assistance. You would regrettably be arrested and likely incarcerated, at the very least you would be removed from the military. In your case it would also affect your family. It's possible your father could lose his position and maybe even face an investigation and prison time himself. As for your brother he might escape the aftermath unscathed but he would be cast in a poor light due to your actions. Not to mention if you did for some reason die it would be assumed you were a deserter or at least an over eager cadet that regrettably stole a ship and thought he knew better.""That said Kakarot, I'm afraid we are treading dangerously close to the point I will have to take action. Should we discuss this further I will have to assume you are serious about this path and are committed to it."Kakarot thought long and hard. He knew the risks and consequences were huge. But the idea he could be more than he was, to not be the weakest and accomplish something was tempting. At this rate his father was likely to keep him in training until he washed out or ended up mated. He knew for a fact if he was marked his time in the military would be over. His alpha would keep him at home and use him to birth cub after cub. He'd heard the threats and whispers enough to know it was true. Two of his classmates had already ended up that way and the looks he sometimes got were enough to make his hair stand on end.He could show his father he was wrong. Prove he was a capable mate and maybe stay in the military."What do you want me to do General?" Retaso smiled at him and gently squeezed his shoulder in a show of support. "You have the same guts as your father Kakarot." He said before sliding a disk from his pocket. "All the details are in here. Simply insert it into your scouter and read. Once you've memorized the relevant details destroy the disk." Kakarot felt a wave of apprehension as his hand paused over the disk. "If you take this disk you understand failure isn't an option, are you sure?""I'm sure."Flashback End "I was given my assignment by General Retaso." Kakarot said tiredly finishing his story as he stood in front of the council in the public court. He almost balked at this whole thing when they found out his hearing would be a public one, but Geta and Teti said this would be for the best. Bardock and Vegeta sat nearby, both prohibited from sitting on the council due to a conflict of interest. "The assignment was to destroy a communication relay on a planet near the combat zone. The disk had details of what dock to report to and at what time my departure would be along with a brief summary of the planet's geography.""And what exactly went wrong?" Yasi asked softly. "The base was much bigger than a relay station. It was a bunker with at-at least 4 times the number of estimated soldiers. Z-zarbon was there too." He stumbled over the name shaking in fear a bit. Even now he hadn't completely moved on from the torment the green haired male put him through. "What do you have to say for yourself Retaso?" King Vegeta demanded. The general snorted in dismissal. "I think we've let this farce go on long enough." He said with no hint of anger in his tone. "Can we even trust Kakarot to tell the truth?""You dare accuse him of lying?!" Vegeta snarled getting to his feet. "I wouldn't lie!" Kakarot said in frustration. "I told the truth!""Retaso he had no signs of deceit." Tonopo said softly. "You can not simply accuse him of lying.""I'm not implying he has lied, merely said what he believes is true. Nine months and neither he nor his mate or family have come forward with this information until now? These supposed 'orders' I gave him? What proof do we have that any of this was not fabricated by Bardock?""You make a grave accusation Retaso." KV growled after silencing the outraged shouts of the crowds. "I do not make it lightly sire. Did this beta not have a severe episode the last time he was before this council? It's a matter of record that Kakarot has the most severe case of rusak'maan in recent history. Who's to say Bardock is not simply using his son's infirmity to take out his vendetta on me?""If I wanted to do that, I wouldn't need my son to do it!" Bardock snarled. "General Retaso does raise a fair point." Broly admit. "I was present for the prior break down and Kakarot could not tell his hallucinations from reality. Eight months is an incredibly short time to have progressed from that to where Kakarot is now.""I propose a test." Retaso said suddenly. "A simple question, proof Kakarot is indeed possessing of his mental faculties." KV saw the approval of the other council members."Kakarot, are you willing to answer Retaso's question?" The beta shifted anxiously before looking over at his mate for reassurance. Vegeta simply nodded to him. "Okay....what's the question....""What year is it Kakarot?""Year?" The beta said confused. "It's a simple question, what is the current year?" "Umm....it's 752." Surprised murmurs instantly told Kakarot he was wrong and his heart plummeted. "I rest my case, if Kakarot can't even tell what year it is how can we trust he understands what he 'remembers'? I don't blame Kakarot, he is simply a victim of his own father's ambition.""I object." Paragus stood from where he sat. "Paragus, you have information to share?" KV asked. "You are aware I am currently treating Kakarot. I find this accusation that Kakarot is mentally unstable untrue." He said approaching the now anxious beta. "It is well known that sufferers of rusak'maan have certain difficulties, one of which is difficulty with the passage of time. Kakarot suffered inhumane conditions where he was isolated in a bare room, in some cases darkness, and drugged repeatedly for 15 years. As a result his mind has blocked his perception of the passing of time. He can not accurately determine the year simply due to the fact anything beyond a day has lost its meaning. That does not mean he is mixing up his memories or confused.""Father, in your professional opinion is Kakarot capable of telling the difference between his own memory and something told to him?" Broly asked. "More than capable. Kakarot has worked incredibly hard on his therapy and besides very specific triggers is perfectly able to discern reality.""Thank you Paragus." KV said. "Retaso any further defense?""Let's say for a moment I did in fact give Kakarot this assignment. Why would he chose to accept it? It's a well known fact beta's and women are forbidden from taking solo assignments. All he had to do was report me to his father, and yet Kakarot deliberately took on this mission and left the planet to complete it.""Just what are you implying?" KV demanded. "How can we be sure that Kakarot didn't betray us from the very beginning." Outrage resounded through the room. "I didn't!" Kakarot shouted over the noise. "I didn't say anything!""But you wouldn't have to would you?" Retaso accused. "Am I the only one that finds it suspicious that Kakarot, a third class of no significant ability or notoriety survived 15 years under Frieza as a prisoner? No one has survived 15 months under that tyrant let alone 15 years. He was then used to attempt creating a new hybrid race? Attempts that only resulted in two human-saiyan half breeds? How can we know for sure Kakarot didn't willingly go along with his plans?""I didn't!" Kakarot shouted as he started trembling. "I didn't want it! Any of it!" Vegeta was behind him then and pulled the distraught beta against his chest while he growled at Retaso. "You sick bastard! How dare you accuse him of that!" Bardock roared with a snarl. The councilman smirked.
"Your son survived fifteen years as Frieza's whore. How can you prove he didn't willingly spread his legs?" "I think I can help with that." Turles said from the side entrance of the room as he dragged a short blue alien into the room by the cuffs around his wrists. "Sorry I'm late, I had to collect our witness. Got wind of this rat hiding out in the theta sector and couldn't let him miss this appointment.""Turles!" Tonopo shouted. "Guards, don't just stand there arrest him!" Retaso snarled. "I'm sorry but I can't do that." One of the door guards said nervously. "He's a traitor!" Someone shouted. "He works for me." King Vegeta said cutting through the noise. "Turles is an undercover operative working for me, any action taken against him is considered the same as subverting the law.""What!" Retaso shouted angrily. "What's the matter old chap? Is that a problem?" Turles smirked. Kakarot paled as he finally recognized who was with Turles and immediately fought to back away from the small man with a look of terror on his face. "It's alright aiyo, he can't hurt you." Vegeta purred in his ear while holding the beta tighter. "Calm down. You're safe, I promise.""I think it's safe to say my son recognizes you." Yasi said coldly. "State your name.""My name is Sorbet, I work as scientist under Lord Frieza." He flinched when Turles growled a warning. "And what was your job?" Brolly asked, irritation plain in his tone. "I oversaw the projects on planet Frieza 228. Specifically the breeding program.""A breeding program for what exactly." A council member demanded. "What do you think, soldiers." Sorbet snapped irritably. "Lord Frieza wanted to create powerful hybrids to defeat your armies. If we'd had more than one breeder it might have worked. That's why we needed Vegeta, we weren't getting anywhere and we needed more test subjects. So we paired him with our carrier to breed more saiyans to continue the project with.""And Kakarot was the carrier in question?" Broly asked. "Who?" The scientist was obviously confused. "I don't know that name.""How peculiar, your witness doesn't even know Kakarot by name." Retaso said with an air of suspicion. Sorbet rolled his eyes uninterested in whatever game Retaso was playing. "I never learned subject 01's name. He refused to reveal it under any circumstance and ultimately went feral.""But you would recognize him?" Tonopo asked curiously. "Most likely. I've been responsible for watching him every day for over a decade. Did he even survive your attack on 228?" Yasi growled from his place next to KV at how uncaring the scientist was being towards his adopted cub. "He's standing to your left." Kakarot was shaking in Vegeta's arms when dark eyes turned to stare at him, studying him like they always had. Anxiety reaching a breaking point his tail flared lashing the air as he bared his fangs and hissed. Vegeta nuzzled his neck and softly whispered something in his ear to calm him down but that wild gleam was still in his eyes as he pressed tightly to his mate. Sorbet raised an eyebrow and chuckled hollowly. "That's him alright, I almost didn't recognize him with his changed appearance. I recognize the scar though. Zarbon went too far one time and tore open his throat. I'm the one that stitched it up so he didn't bleed out.""You shouldn't have...." Kakarot said softly, hate lacing his tone. "I didn't want you to...""So you can speak." Sorbet mused. "I saved your life, a little gratitude would be appreciated.""You tortured him." Vegeta snarled and he held Kakarot close and tried to help him relax. "You had no right to treat us as you did.""For having mistreated you, you seem rather close to 01." Vegeta bared his fangs at the scientist. "Enough." Broly snapped. "There's one more question. Did Kakarot willing join this project?" Sorbet snorted in amusement. "He fought so hard to escape he actually attacked Lord Frieza and regularly attacked project workers and guards; willing is not the word I would use to describe his behavior. He was captured and brought to me in the lab by Zarbon.""Get this garbage out of here and into the cells. He will face judgement for his crimes." His majesty said gesturing for Turles to remove Sorbet."So this is all the evidence you have?" Retaso said standing from his seat. "The testimony of Frieza's henchman and Kakarot's 'confession'?""We have data taken from 228 itself detailing everything that happened there including footage of Frieza's games and numerous instances of torture and Kakarot's escape attempts." Bardock growled defending his son. "That's all well and fine, but no one here is asserting Kakarot wasn't on 228, or his highness." Tonopo said. "And while it supports that Kakarot was not a traitor it still isn't sufficient proof General Retaso was the one to actually give him the assignment leading to his capture. It also means that regardless of circumstances Kakarot did leave the planet unauthorized.""As such he faces incarceration for theft of military equipment and insubordination." Retaso said with a sigh. "But you told me to go! You gave me the assignment!" Kakarot shouted as his panic started building. He couldn't be caged again, not again..."You have no physical proof I did any such thing." "What if we did?" Vegeta held him tighter and let a low purr build in his chest desperate to keep Kakarot from having an episode right now. His father would never allow Kakarot to be locked up, especially not with his condition. "The charges against Kakarot would be reduced if not dropped entirely given he was simply following orders from a superior officer whilst still a trainee." KV said answering his son. "You would have to have the actual orders I supposedly gave him." Retaso said with a hint of arrogance. "And as we know he admits he was told to destroy those orders.""But I didn't......" Kakarot said softly. You could hear a pin drop in the chamber as Kakarot looked up from the floor finally. "I didn't break it. T- my father taught me to keep orders....I hid them.""There is no possible way you could still have those orders!" Retaso snarled. "He does and I can prove it." Bardock said coldly. "My son might not have been exceedingly strong but he was smart with an affinity for surprise tactics. He hid his orders in the one thing he knew would be safe from destruction." He pulled the pair of burnt tags from his pocket where he kept them for safe keeping. Turning he handed them to Kakarot who tentatively held them close. "Kakarot, will you show me how it is you've hidden your orders with your tags?" KV asked gently. Both Yasi and Bardock nodded to him with encouragement while Vegeta let go of him before gently nudging him towards his father. Kakarot was obviously nervous as he walked closer with his tail swaying and twitching behind him. "Like this...." his soft voice came out in the quiet room as he carefully slid his nail along the edge of one tag to open the hidden slot. "Tags don't break or burn. But they're soft on the edge. Only holds small things though...." The disk slid into his hand and the beta gave it to his father in law. "You made this?" Broly asked surprised. Kakarot nodded not meeting much bigger male's gaze. "You are positive this is the disk you were given 16 years ago, Kakarot?" Yasi asked while his husband placed the disk inside a datapad. "Yes." He nodded more to himself. "They never found it. Z-Zarbon...he never looked."The datapad displayed the damning evidence for them all to see. As they turned their attention back towards the man he was already lunging at the Kakarot while the beta stumbled backwards. The older alpha clamped a hand on Kakarot's throat and pulled him into a chokehold. Kakarot whimpered and pulled at his arm frantically while his family shouted in concern. A ball of ki formed only a breath from his face causing him to freeze. "Come any closer and Kakarot dies!" Retaso snapped.