#the idea of Wille being a future king and them navigating that royal life together is so much more interesting

[crownedwille]

.

[imnxtsorry]

important notes: this is my about and my main verse, v. free woman, and because I am canon divergent I have to ask you to take the time to read at least the bolded parts of ‘before and during the trilogy’ and all of ‘after the trilogy’ so you know what to expect. I’m not happy with her canon finale, so I will not be writing her raising Will’s child as a single mother, and characters from following movies would have to interact with Elizabeth after a bit of plotting/changes in timeline, thank you.   There are other verses all of you can check out at the bottom, to explore different aus/canon divergences/what ifs scenarios, knowing that everything can be changed/plotted so that your muse doesn’t feel goodmodded..

BEFORE AND DURING THE TRILOGY

Elizabeth's mother, Rose, was happy with her ordinary life as a lady, mother and wife. She was also curious, a day-dreamer, who encouraged Elizabeth to dream too, and to learn whatever her heart wished, as long as she would keep in mind that she’d have to follow society’s expectations when older, at least enough not to bring them shame. Rose also loved traveling, so whenever it was possible and appropriate she'd visit new places with her family - which was led her to an early death at sea. This is one of the reasons Elizabeth, who took a big interest in pirates, was allowed to read every book on the subject she could find, to the point of knowing pirate songs by the time she moved to Port Royal; that and her father being so loving and soft to her. Her mother is still a big influence in her life, a drive to do what she thinks is right and not only what she's told, and Elizabeth has warm memories of their life as a child and of how much her parents loved each other. Which is also why Elizabeth does not hate everything about her life as a 'lady': she did show genuine happiness at the sight of the new dress her father gifted her (until she tried it on and it was too tight), there is no reason why she shouldn't like social events involving dancing, or for some decorum to not be appreciated. On the other hand, a woman living in those times had limited options, too limited for Elizabeth, who expected Will to address her by name and not titles, who finds intimacy in breaking protocol, who does enjoy the freedom that comes from ignoring rules that mean nothing to her and have no real use (and of course in following her own rules and morals, for example waiting until the wedding night to be with Will despite clearly wanting it that badly). She enjoys adventures, swordfighting, leaving propriety behind in favor of honesty and closeness.

For these reasons Elizabeth never got close to other ladies growing up, feeling they wouldn't understand, and why I believe she never truly saw James Norrington for what he was, the qualities of him she could have appreciated, or not until it was too late. 

After the Curse Of The Black Pearl, Elizabeth and Will find out that they have too many communication problems to work, not sharing their deepest thoughts and pains, not knowing how to end fights - defensiveness, leaving the room in the middle of an argument. So they end up 'breaking up' before they ruin their relationship entirely. This sends Elizabeth down a spiral of self-doubt and self-discovery, because something she believed certain was gone so easily, and because she found herself unable to lean on the man she thought she'd love forever. Who was she meant to be? Could she be good and rebellious, true to herself and happy, but also make her loved ones happy? Once Beckett arrests them, things progress the way they do in the movies except for her and Will being romantically together, and any deviation from canon beside that will depend on our threads. It’s unlikely that Jack and James would know about the breakup before she tells them.

AFTER THE TRILOGY

If everything has gone like in canon, and our threads are set after, Elizabeth has taken her belongings from her father's house, which she can't inherit because she's an unmarried woman and will go to her cousin. He'd be willing to let her have it but she can't imagine living in it without her father, so she uses her pirate king title to get a smaller place on an island nearby, from where she can be given a ride to Shipwreck Island when needed there.

Thing is, Elizabeth's idea of freedom feels limited as pirate king too, since she has to stomach horrible acts the other pirates do, and would find no happiness in attacking people who haven’t attacked her first. She has only been able to give a new rule: to leave women and children alone (unless the women are warriors attacking them). Anything more, like asking pirates to leave good people alone, is just not possible without a mutiny. Teague supports the king and most are terrified of him but there is only so much that can be imposed, and Elizabeth has to ignore other bad acts to keep his 'subjects' appeased enough to follow the few directions she gives.

So now Elizabeth is having little adventures there and then, involving secret treasures and legends, nothing to do with pillaging innocent villages, and trying to find compromises that will let her sleep at night, while also refusing to start a new life as a lady somewhere else, because she'd be suffocated by expectations and protocol. She will still do whatever it takes to survive, she’ll scheme and not even involve other people in her plans unless cornered or due to exceptional reasons, but she will still despise the idea of leaving someone behind if there is another choice, of not trying everything to save others, to be honorable even at personal risk. She certainly does appreciate affection and some gentleman acts in her direction, she just doesn’t want to be bothered with the “coldness” that comes from being proper.  And yes, she still intends to wait until married to have a ‘wedding night’, her moral compass matters to her no matter what people expect of her as a pirate or as a woman. And her moral compass says she must keep fighting until she feels she has found the perfect balance between everything she wants and what life will give her.

little headcanons: -her father has a brother in London, who married and had two children, Mary and Anthony. Anthony is the older cousin who approved of Elizabeth’s ‘odd’ behaviors when they were kids and is now married to a woman who would also like her. For this reason he would help her with money and shelter if ever needed. Mary is determined to be proper and quite judgy, and will embarrass her to death if given the chance. -Elizabeth loves dancing, walks, reading, watching plays and playing boardgames.  -she has some pretty mundane wishes when it comes to her future family

OTHER VERSES

v. mrs turner. for will rpers only: they don’t break up after the first movie, and events can follow the next movies or be completely different in threads. Point is they stick together and navigate this new relationship - which after all is a big change after years of keeping proper distance.

v. hold on. she doesn’t break up her engagement with James Norrington even if she does help Jack escape his hanging - whether because not in love with Will or because Will never confessed his feelings. In the second movie she’s likely looking for James in Tortuga on top of wanting to free Will, and ends up joining Jack anyway.

v. follow the compass. threads about random plots like ‘soulmates au’ and the like. The events of the movie can or cannot happen depending on what we’ll decide.

v. fine woman. threads where the movies haven’t happened (or not yet and will happen later than in canon), and Elizabeth is living her life as a lady and growing sadder, longing for more. The stories will start from there. This includes threads with Will or James where their relationship develops in a different way (slightly younger Elizabeth etc.)

v. bring me the horizon. threads where the movies haven’t happened or not yet but one way or another she runs away looking for adventure. May or may not be kidnapped and brought to Tortuga. Her reputation ruined, she has to make a life there.

v. gilded ship. after the events of the movie, regardless of other differences from canon, she can’t return home because she has been ‘outed’ as pirate in most lands, being the king and all, and has to adapt to a pirate’s life and/or look for other options because she doesn’t want to be trapped that way either.

v. captain. one way or another, it’s Elizabeth who succeeds Davy Jones. Threads can be set before, maybe during, and of course after, when she comes ‘home’.

[adrrianraines]

choose me.

—chapter i. | chapter ii. | chapter iii.

genre: romance

fandom: playchoices: the royal romance

pairing: LiamxMC (Riley Brooks)

disclaimer:

characters used are owned rightfully by pixelberry. all rights reserved. this is a trr UA (universe alteration) original idea storyline. unlike an AU or Alternate Universe, Universe Alterations or UAs are set in the canon universe, but with "alterations" to accommodate the plot.

grammatical errors, misspellings & typographical errors that i might have overlooked are to be expected. **also, my apologies for the long delay! thank u for doing the proofreading with me, @bi-cookie 😘

taglist:

–of course, hmu if u wanna be tagged for an update! for these lovely people who wanna be tagged in this mess, thank you! ✨

@miss-raleigh-carrera @sunandlemons @wolfychoices @juminssi @onomatorina @ao719 @vaticanwaltz @texaskitten30 @princess-geek @janezillow @cordoniaqueensworld @thecordoniandiaries @omgjasminesimone

Sometimes, the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn’t mean to take. — Angela N. Blount, Once Upon an Ever After

Four rowdy guys stood outside the breezy New York City night, ready to take on whatever it’s willing to offer. One of them, however, was not as patient as the others.

“Who are we exactly waiting fo—” But when Drake turned with an expression that equates bafflement, he was caught in an loop of awestruck surprise instead. “—woah... You look… different. Wow.” Drake’s tone alerted the others, their gazes then focusing towards the figure coming out of the bar. Maxwell gaped before swallowing several times. He was able to regain his temporary immobility by nodding in eager appreciation.

“You look hot!” The Beaumont Lord blurted, totally unaware of his surroundings. One gentleman was not very pleased with this. Liam’s eyes narrowed, mouth preparing to reprimand Maxwell’s choice of words and behavior.

Riley, on the other hand, had a different thing going on inside her mind. Her prompt reply immediately silenced Liam’s attempt for words.

“Thank you. You’re not so bad yourself.” Her tone was saccharine, face producing a smooth wink which caused Maxwell’s cheeks to flush. Liam stared in shock at how, in an instant, the empty and almost translucent bars on top of Drake and Maxwell’s heads appeared then began to be filled with a shade of red.

Much like his own.

Now, how does a gentleman deny such an obvious display of attraction?

He felt a tug of pain inside his chest and the yearning that was caused by her absence grew. This was a reality in which Riley never met him yet but the longing he felt negates the rational thoughts he was trying to settle himself in. Liam watched how her hair swayed against the wind, how her lips curled into a smile as she conversed with the others, how she smoothed the pleats of her green dress as she straightened herself. Then, he immediately stopped.

You wouldn’t want to scare the lady now, would you? He scolds himself.

Riley’s gaze caught him. It was as if, all in slow motion, the wind got knocked out of his pipes, rendering him incapable of coherency. Liam carefully kept his mouth shut and pressed a smile on his face as he watched her approach him. His heart thundered while a million thoughts ran rampant inside his head. Yet, time seemed to slow down for them.

“Liam.” She called, her eyes twinkling against the dimly lit city lights. He was quiet, unbearably so, that Riley looked worried. “Are you okay?”

“My apologies, I…” Liam, who always was a master of his own emotions, did his very best to push the lingering tinge of jealousy at the back of his consciousness. He slowly reached out to take her hand in his to brush his lips against the softness of her skin. “It’s just that... You look breathtaking, Riley.”

“Oh…” Her cheeks flushed, and he almost did a somersault. Riley quickly recovered by teasing him. “Thank you, kind sir.”

“But the night demands us journey and you will be our navigator.” He grinned, letting his fingers brush against her own for a bit longer before pulling away. It wasn’t hard to ignore that Riley’s cheeks flushed red before clearing her throat.

He was pleased.

“I have the perfect place for all of us tonight. I promise you guys won’t regret it!” She says, and Liam, as the one who already lived through this moment, smiled to himself. He knew where exactly they would go.

“The beach?” Drake put an emphasis on the word as they all found themselves sinking mildly against the fine sand of the shore in a beach somewhere in the city. The moon was shining high in the sky and the waves were calm. There were not much people in sight.

“Oookay. Not what I had in mind, exactly.” Maxwell commented then stunned everyone by removing his shoes and folding the edges of his pants up. “Hah! I’m not gonna say no to this!”

Drake only shook his head and followed with Tariq in tow who’d been grumbling about how expensive his shoes were. Moments later, all three of them were splashing each other and laughing. Maxwell and Tariq were focused on attacking Drake which deliberately almost pissed him, if only he weren’t attacking them himself.

Liam removed his coat and slowly laid it down against the sand. He turned and urged Riley to sit with him, in which she followed without question.

Silence passed and Liam grew antsy. He wasn’t sure of how to tackle the changes that were beyond his control nor grasp.

“So pray tell, what exactly brought all of you here?” She broke the silence first, her gaze searching. He looked at her while biting his lip, as if unsure how to respond.

“I should thank you first... that was rude of me to forget. Forgive my rashness.” Liam smiled. “This was a great idea.” Being this close with her only drove him at wit’s end. His mind travelled to how he wanted to kiss her that moment. How he missed her touch. It took a good amount of self restraint as he focused on the more important topic at hand. “The guys are having fun because of you.”

“You’re welcome…” Riley trailed, smiling softly as she leaned in a bit.

Too close. His mind did a little scream.

Focus. He commanded. This is not the time. He knew better. Yet, his body move of its own accord, ignoring the warnings his thoughts deliberately showed. Easily, his hand found itself caressing the side of her face. At first, her eyes widened... then she bit her lip, and slowly... she closed her eyes.

The tiny string of sanity that was keeping him together snapped.

Liam leaned to close the distance between them, lips just lingering a few inches away from hers.

It’s not too late to back out. A voice inside his psyche reprimanded. And for once in his life he didn’t listen.

He kissed her and the flame in him, slow and deep, flickered alive. Their lips stirred in sync, mouths doing a little dance together. His hand now held the back of her neck, while the other firmly held her waist. Her hands gently curled against his chest, as if pulling him close. He couldn’t stop himself, not if he’s obviously aching to be with her again. Everything around them seemed to vanish like thin smoke in a clouded veil.

It felt forever. She tasted angelic.

And once upon a time, she married him.

When the kiss ended, they were both gasping for air. Liam briefly closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers as Riley let out a small giggle.

“That’s a first.” She commented which made him chuckle. “But you didn’t answer my question.”

Oh dear. He let out a soft sigh. Riley noticed the change in his expression and almost began to take back her question. Liam straightened himself, gaze never leaving her. She deserved the truth, much like how he disclosed the information the very first night that they met each other.

“It’s my Bachelor Party...” He breathed. Riley’s eyes widened.

“What?” Her voice faltered yet it was loud enough that he could hear the surprise in her tone. “You’re going to be married?”

“Yes. However... whom I’m yet to marry remains unknown.” He smiled sadly and she looked more confused than ever.

“I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

“The truth is… I’m the Crown Prince of a Kingdom.” Liam began and he carefully studied the different emotions that presented themselves in her visage. Surprise? Confusion? Disbelief? Amazement? It was all present.

He leaned back when she didn’t answer. “I have to carefully choose a bride for my country before the end of the year.”

“Wow… that’s… a lot to take in.” Riley’s voice trembled the slightest. “So, you mean to say that you’re a real prince…?”

“I believe so, if you’d like to humor me.” He laughed at how that almost sounded like a joke. But the weight of the crown always kept his sanity rooted to the ground. Riley was the only one who could shake him to the core.

A Prince must never let his emotions dictate his decisions. Much less a future king should let his internal turmoils affect his governance. But right that moment, with her features being illuminated in the moonlight, the sound of his friends’ laughter and the crashing waves against the shore rendered him vulnerable.

Liam thought long and hard at how empty he felt since he woke up without his wife by his side. The idea of losing his family churned his stomach into knots and the possibility of him losing her this time, albeit permanently, left a sour taste in his mouth.

“Liam?” She said as a tremulous smile graced her lips. The wind carries her voice to him. He gazed that it hurts to even look at her, knowing for a fact that right now, she isn’t his to hold. But he can’t not look at her, not when the breeze that came from the sea swayed her hair, fingers beginning to itch to hold her.

It would be so easy to close the distance between them once more, just to kiss her, and declare his love then. The heat of jealousy whenever he thinks of how mesmerized both Drake and Maxwell were with her earlier produced a writhing sensation in the pit of his belly. It was unbearable.

Then, Liam reached out to take Riley’s hands against his own as he whispered the words he never thought and couldn’t keep himself from declaring, “Come back with me to Cordonia.”

Liam woke up with a start.

There was a reverent knock on his door as he tried to rub off the remnants of sleep from his eyes. He swung his legs down the carpeted floor accompanied by a soft groan then moved towards the door. With a soft click and a twist of the knob, his eyes widened upon the visitor who made themself known in front of him.

“Bastien?” He asked, a bit confused.

“Your highness.” With a curt bow, Bastien greeted Liam. “May I come in?”

Still bewildered, he stepped aside and was immediately drawn towards the familiar decorations of his surroundings. His eyes immediately narrowed, thoughts slowly forming a riot inside his head. He turned sharply towards Bastien who looked as equally alarmed as he is.

“Where am I?” Liam blurted, almost as if he didn’t know where he was. The King’s Guard only looked at him, certainly caught off-guard with the question.

“...You’re in Cordonia, of course.” Bastien answered, voice firm with certainty. Liam almost toppled over his feet but he caught himself immediately. In a swift motion, Bastien was immediately by his side.

Cordonia? He rubbed his forehead, as if he was trying to recall the past events that transpired. He recalled being in New York—his Bachelor Party. Right! His Bachelor Party!

“Liam.” There was a mixture of worry within the depths of Bastien’s eyes and Liam couldn’t afford to provide an explanation of such bizarre events that jarred his mind. “Drake told me about this. What’s happening?”

“I…” Liam began, doubt lacing his thoughts. He bit his lip then shook his head after. “I’m quite alright. Thank you, Bastien.”

“Tonight’s the Masquerade Ball. The King asked me to check on you.” Bastien gave him a do-over before stepping back. “Then, I will leave you to prepare.” The knight nodded, though unsure, but proceeded to walk out. When Liam was sure that he’s finally alone, he slumped back to his bed, head hanging low, mind trying to remember the events from the night before.

Masquerade Ball… So, it hasn’t been a full day yet since he last saw Riley.

But why was his memory extremely clouded? It was as if he couldn’t remember ever going out with her. From his previous night’s memory, he knew they went together to the beach and had a magical night that was unbearably hard to forget. Yet, he wasn’t sure if they ever went to the Statue of Liberty. He wasn’t sure how their short trip to the beach rolled out after he told her he is a prince.

Something was amiss.

“Tonight will be the start of the Social Season.” His father’s voice - King Constantine of Cordonia - gently reminded him. The orchestra inside already began playing and they were only waiting to be announced. Liam squared his shoulders and nodded as an answer.

So far, so good. Just like how the previous events happened.

“I have an announcement to make, son. Be sure to be there.” His father said as they all walked towards the large ballroom doors. Not a minute later, the trumpets sounded and he could hear his father’s name together with his step-mother being announced.

“His majesties, King Constantine and Queen Regina!” The herald’s voice echoed and the grand doors opened. The lights basked the royal couple in shimmering glitters. There was a round of applause as he watched his parents walk together towards the center stage, surrounded by all other nobility present inside.

The herald stepped outside and looked at Liam as a signal before he nodded for confirmation. “His Highness, Prince Liam!”

He squinted at the blinding luminscence of the ballroom—ears tingling at the unanimous chorus of claps from what seemed like a hundred pair of hands. He walked and smiled to each noble who greeted him. Liam’s eyes caught several noble women giggling while coyly smiling at him, masks hiding their countenance.

He never expected to undergo the pain of choosing a marriage partner once more. Never in his lifetime had he dreamed of going through similar situations again. His heart constricted at how ridiculous and pitiable he was before he met Riley, nestled in all these fake visages. Pleasing and making sure to never commit a single mistake while being forced to marry for the Kingdom he was expected to take care with as much as what his hands could handle.

One by one, the ladies that were present to win his hand in marriage were announced. He heard a couple of names he knew but none of them mattered when he didn’t hear Riley’s name being called nor the house she was supposed to represent being declared.

His vision caught a few familiar faces in the crowd—Olivia, Hana, Penelope and Kiara. They were huddled together on one part of the room, then several noblewomen he couldn’t even remember and some other figures of Cordonia’s circle of nobles. He carefully scanned the crowd, trying to find the face he wanted to see the most. Yet, all were futile as most of the ladies wore masks for the ball. As what he could remember, she wore an ensemble of clothing so stunning it knocked his breath away. But to his surprise, no matter how much he scanned the crowd, he couldn’t find her. Nor Drake and Maxwell for the case.

Wouldn’t she have arrived already? He asked himself. Or has he missed the announcement? Truth to be told, he couldn’t actually recall hearing her being announced. He was that preoccupied. Yet, even seeing her in Cordonia back then was what surprised him the most.

The herald blew his trumpet again, the sound gathering the attention of everyone inside the crystalline ensemble. “The King would like to say a few words!”

A flood of shush echoed throughout the men and women alike as they halted their business to listen towards the esteemed King of Cordonia. His father beckoned him to step closer. Liam’s feet gingerly walked towards his father, unsure of why he was suddenly being called in the middle.

“My dear citizens of Cordonia, I welcome you all! I hope from the bottom of my heart that all of you are enjoying the festivities our Kingdom offers tonight. Truly, all of you are shining brighter than the stars in the sky.” His father, through practiced pleasantries to diplomatic talks, announced. The nobles slowly clapped one by one until it became a chorus of deafening noise.

“However, as much as my family would love to extend our personal greetings to each lady who graciously presented themselves for this year’s social season, the Royal family has come to a decision that would benefit the entirety and all the while, securing the Kingdom and its future. I, as the current King of Cordonia, do announce that we have already chosen the most suitable candidate for the throne.” There was a hush amidst the crowd. King Constantine took this opportunity to continue. “Hence, the Social Season for this year is going to be postponed.”

The sudden announcement not only shocked Liam but also collectively earned gasps from the people itself. Murmurs then began to break out as furious ladies expressed their grievances of the sudden change of plans. However, Liam stayed rooted, eyes wide and unbelieving towards his father.

“Ah, we would like to extend our deepest and most sincerest apologies. This is selfish, I’m perfectly aware. But for the circumstances that presented itself, we would also ask for the gracious support from the people of this Kingdom as we announce the chosen Lady.” Liam’s ears rang badly, breath turning ragged, gaze in a daze as he tried to process everything. “I would like to formally make it official that I will be stepping off the throne and... therefore, paving the way for the Crown Prince to be crowned as the new King of Cordonia!”

Everything happened impeccably fast, almost like a haze or a gust of wind. Liam couldn’t even process the information himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Queen Regina with a lady wearing a mask from behind the stage. Then, the two of them made their way towards the center as the crowd collectively gushed and murmured among themselves.

He couldn’t think straight.

He heard Olivia’s voice from the crowd, fiercely stating her defiance against the sudden decision.

“I’m insulted, dear Prince. It wouldn’t be a good image for the people to see their future leader caught in a binge.” The masked Lady strutted to his side, voice familiarly eerie and calculating. The smile on her face impossibly cold yet determined.

Liam’s eyes shifted in a frenzied manner as he tentatively took a step back in perturbation. The familiar blonde hair and piercing gaze cut through his facade despite the mask she wore.

It wasn’t supposed to go this way… it wasn’t supposed to go this way. His mind ranted.

And then louder. This wasn’t supposed to happen...!

“Here we present, the new Queen-in-Waiting together with Crown Prince Liam!” He breathed several times as he tried to relax himself. Then, Liam squared his shoulders and plastered the fakest of all smiles he could ever managed and focused his gaze ahead. He could feel Madeleine smirking by his side as she gently wrapped her hand on his arm, pulling him a bit closer to her. The herald continued to announce. “Please, help us welcome Countess Madeleine of Fydelia!” The herald’s voice boomed in an excited cheer as he presented the two of them, standing side by side.

King Constantine clapped his shoulder before breaking into an applause himself. The herald then stepped closer and bowed down before offering the microphone back to the King himself.

“Beautiful, indeed. The future of the Crown are in good hands.” The mirth reflecting on his father’s face was no match against the blinding chandelier lights. “I’d be more than delighted to share with you all that preparations are in tow and the wedding will be happening in a month’s time!”

A month?!

Liam heard the large double doors creaking, and when he tilted his head to take a look, his world came crashing down in an instant. She heard. Dear god, she heard everything. His eyes softened at the sight of beauty that was beyond his reach, dressed like an angel and the most captivating pair of eyes he had ever seen hiding beneath a masquerade. Riley was there, rooted to the spot together with Maxwell and the Duke of Ramsford, frozen and completely stunned in silence as much as he was.

Then, as the trumpets collectively played a congratulatory tune and the crowd of nobles slowly loosened up from the surprising news then started cheering. His emotions only screamed in pain as his thoughts wildly raced towards the lady that just made her grand exit from the ball just after a few moments.

Within the chaos of his own mind, the enclosed space inside the dance floor, the fast beating of his heart and the utterly problematic situation he caught himself into, Liam couldn’t breathe.

His hands curled into fists. His ears started ringing in silent frustration. He froze in place.

And when the love of his life exited the grand doors, he couldn’t even move to run after her.

[duhragonball]

[FIC] Luffa: The Legendary Super Saiyan (94/?)

Disclaimer: This story features characters and concepts based on Dragon Ball, which is a trademark of Bird Studio/Shueisha and Toei Animation.   This is an unauthorized work, and no profit is being made on this work by me. This story is copyright of me. Download if you like, but please don’t archive it without my permission. Don’t be shy.

Continuity Note: About 1000 years before the events of Dragon Ball Z.

Previous chapters conveniently available here.

[26 May 234 Before Age.   Interstellar Space.]

It was taking too long.

Aboard the Emerald Eye, Zatte stood in the engineering room and held her finger over a button on on of the consoles.  Next to the button was a time display, which counted down to zero.   When that moment arrived, she would press the button, which would disengage the ship's hyperspatial drive.  After that, she would take sensor readings and compare them to other readings she had taken several hours earlier.   After that, she would begin laboriously calculating the ship's position relative to her destination.  

Normally, all of this would have been done automatically by the ship's computer, but its navigational functions had been sabotaged by King Rehval's agent, Pozet.   Pozet's mission was to keep Zatte out of the way while the rest of Rehval's plan fell into place.   Zatte had destroyed her hours ago, but she had to admit that the miserable creature had probably succeeded anyway.   Pozet's original plan was to confuse the navigational computer by replacing its charts and tampering with its fundamental understanding of the universe.    The genius of this had been that the ship appeared to be working properly.    It set a course and followed it perfectly.  The only problem was that it now believed the shortest distance between two points was an elliptic curve, so the ship simply flew laps in space, unaware that it was getting nowhere.  Zatte had solved that problem by disconnecting the navigational system altogether.    Her plan was to fly the ship manually, and navigate by the stars, but this was no simple matter.    The longer it took, the more Zatte wondered if her efforts made any difference.

At last, the timer reached its end, and Zatte pressed the button just as the display read zero.   The engines made a low hum as they reduced power and the ship returned to normal space.  She sighed with relief, then activated the ship's sublight thruster.   With that, she turned on one heel and left the engine room to go to the observation deck.

Ideally, Zatte would have done all of this from the bridge, where engineering and sensor controls could all be accessed from a central location.   But the bridge had been badly damaged during the fight with Pozet, and it would take days of repairs before life support could be restored there.   In any event, the ship needed to move through space for a least a half hour so the sensors could get the necessary data for her to calculate her position.  There was nothing she could do in the meantime, so she preferred to spend her down time on the observation deck, where she could see the stars for herself from the transparent canopy that surrounded it.  She walked past a pair of tables where she had been working on her calculations, and sat down in a lounge chair to stare at the heavens.

The brightest star was the sun of the Pflaume system.   She had made that much progress, at least.   Her best guess was that it would take four or five more jumps at superluminous speed to bring the ship close enough that she could navigate with greater confidence.    Until then, she had to be careful.   A single, long trip at superluminous speed would cover more ground, but even a slight error in the math could put the ship far enough on course to delay her, even further.    Fuel was also a consideration.   Pozet's little "detour" hadn't consumed too much antimatter, but it was enough that Zatte couldn't risk running the engines without being certain they were going the right way.  

"I'm trying," Zatte said as she looked up at the star.    She wasn't sure if Luffa was even there.  Pozet claimed she was, but she might have been lying, or simply mistaken.   It was also possible that Luffa was dead by now, or that she had found some other means of escape.   Or maybe...

"Maybe you really did buy what King Rehval was trying to sell you," Zatte said to herself.    "Maybe the two of you left together.   Or you're waiting for me to show up, so you can laugh at me to my face."

She didn't really believe it, but she couldn't entirely dismiss the possibility either.    Saying it out loud forced her to confront it.  Luffa was too proud, too contemptuous of Saiyan royalty.   Even if Luffa had feelings for Rehval, there were too many incompatibilities there.  And Rehval had lied about a great many things since Zatte and Luffa had met him.  And yet... Zatte still couldn't convince herself that it was impossible.  

Luffa's telepathic powers had allowed Zatte to see into her mind.  They had tried to cut back on this, since the exchange of unvarnished truths about their innermost thoughts and feelings had caused a rift to form in their marriage.   Still, Zatte knew enough to know what her wife truly felt towards her.    They were in love, that much was unquestionable, but there were many things that left Luffa unsatisfied.   She would have never admitted it, but Luffa had a homesickness to her.   It wasn't a longing for any particular place, but she missed her family: not just her parents, but also the family that she might have had with her late husband and unborn son.   It frustrated Luffa to be apart from other Saiyans, and it frustrated her to be among them, only to find that they didn't share her lofty ideals.   Maybe Rehval had an answer to those issues.   In spite of his moral failings, maybe he had something to offer Luffa that Zatte simply couldn't provide.  

Perhaps that was what troubled Zatte now.   She couldn't truly believe that Luffa would join him, but she couldn't quite shake the possibility that Luffa should join him.   If Rehval had some happiness for Luffa, some way to cope with the unspoken longing Luffa felt, and if Luffa rejected this, then what?   Zatte also wondered how she herself would handle the same choice.  Rehval was trying to secure the future for the Saiyan race.   What if he was right?   If Luffa refused him, then was she condemning her own people to ruin?   No Dorlun could make that kind of choice, but then, Luffa was no Dorlun.   Luffa was willing to risk everything for what she thought was right.   She was even willing to jeopardize her own people.   That idea horrified Zatte, but maybe not as much as the alternative.

She imagined arriving on Pflaume to find Luffa dressed in royal blue, her short black hair framed by some elegant tiara, her arm in the arm of Rehval.    Her marriage to Zatte would be effectively over, but the Rehval Dynasty would be preserved for centuries.   The Saiyans would prosper and thrive for generations to come.    The next Super Saiyan would be born to the royal house, and he would lead his people to an even brighter tomorrow.  That made all the sense in the world, but not for Luffa.   It just didn't fit her.  

On the other hand, Zatte could imagine arriving at Pflaume, and finding Luffa standing over Rehval's broken body.   Regicide and interstellar incidents meant nothing to her.   The Saiyan Kingdom would declare war on the Federation, and there was no telling what would happen in the aftermath.    It might take decades for another Saiyan leader to arise, and their fate as a species would be uncertain at best.    Luffa would smile that savage grin of hers, and spit on the body of the Saiyan King.   "He had it coming, Zattie," she would say.  "And so does anyone who has a problem with that."

That Luffa seemed much more realistic to Zatte.  More importantly, that version was the one that excited her, the one that inflamed her passions.   No Dorlun could ever do that, but then, Luffa was no Dorlun.   Zatte was beginning to wonder if she was much of a Dorlun herself.   Her people would never dream of standing with someone so dangerous as a Super Saiyan.   If Luffa was willing and able to jeopardize her own species, then what could she do to others?   Zatte often wondered if she rationalized Luffa's behavior as a way to justify her own approval of it.  She also wondered if she was simply overthinking things.

By the time the ship's sensor scans were complete, Zatte was no closer to an answer than before.   She was grateful for the distraction the sensor data would offer, though she knew it would only make her more frustrated in the end.   The computer could help her calculate the coordinates, but only up to a certain accuracy.    Without the navigational computer to read data and adjust course automatically, the best she could manage would almost certainly be billions of miles off-course.   Persistence was her only hope.  Each try would bring her closer and closer to the target, and then she would finally reach the goal.  

She only hoped that there would be something to find when she got there.

*******

[26 May 234 Before Age.  Planet Pflaume.]

There was no trace of Xibuyas or King Rehval on Pflaume City.   By now, Luffa could only assume that they had either escaped or been killed in the attempt.  Alone, and with nothing better to do, she focused on keeping herself alive.  

The battle with her son had severely damaged the city's interior, though they had both been careful not to hit the outer hull.   That didn't seem to matter much, as the low groaning she heard suggested that the hull had been taxed to its limits anyway.   A city directory on one of the less broken levels showed her the way to the operations center, where a crew of engineers and technicians normally kept the city floating in the Pflaumian atmosphere.   This crew had abandoned their posts along with everyone else in the city when Rehval had it evacuated, but Luffa expected to find something she could use at their stations.   Information, equipment, supplies, any of these would improve her chances.

The ops center was located near the bottom of the city, requiring Luffa to dig through tons of debris to get at it.   Blasting her way through was too risky, so she burrowed down the old fashioned way.   To conserve her strength, she powered down to her normal form.    Her Super Saiyan power gave her the strength to clear the rubble faster, but speed would get her nowhere if she damaged the very facility she was trying to reach.    For an hour, she threw chunks of metal and plastic over her head, occasionally using her ki to cut through the more unwieldy pieces.   The hull continued to groan, and she was sorely tempted to transform again, though she could find no practical purpose for it.  

"I don't need you," she muttered, addressing her transformed self.   Over the years, she had gotten used to the idea that her transformation was a part of her, but never completely.   Early on, it had taken a great deal of concentration just to suppress it, and even then it seemed to claw at her from the inside of her skin, demanding to be released.    In a way, she was more comfortable in that form.   Her senses were sharper, and her body was stronger and faster.    

Instead, she curled her tail around her body, and looked at it while she dug.  This had been her source of strength throughout her life.   The tail was the weakest, most vulnerable point of the Saiyan anatomy.   It could be overcome, but the training needed to strengthen the tail was far more difficult than the work needed to build up an arm or a leg.  It was a rite of passage for a Saiyan warrior, or at least that was what her mother had taught her.    For most Saiyans, overcoming the tail's weakness was the most harrowing challenge of their lives.  Defeat that, her mother had promised, and you can defeat anything.    For Luffa, training her tail was probably the fifth or sixth greatest ordeal of her life at this point, but it still gave her comfort in times of trouble.  

Only, this time, it wasn't helping much.    Looking at her tail only reminded her that Rehval had cut his own tail off.   He was the king of the Saiyans, and he preferred to mutilate his own body rather than deal with a minor inconvenience.    Then he took her own son from her, raised him as his own, and cut off his tail.   There were plenty of Saiyans on Planet Saiya who still had their own tails, but it apparently didn't bother them at all to be ruled by a man who would willingly amputate his own.   He took children from their mothers, and his subjects meekly tolerated this.   It made her sick to her stomach, and as the rage welled up inside her, she wanted to release it in a storm of golden light--!

No.  She refused to give in to that.   This was a battle, as much of a battle as she had faced with any warrior.   Her opponents were time and despair and the environment.  She had to stay focused, or they would destroy her, and then King Rehval would be able to claim victory.   She refused to give him the satisfaction.   And so Luffa denied her Super Saiyan power, refusing to indulge the golden thing that howled from within her.  

When she reached the operations center, she was encouraged to find that it was well-reinforced, and had withstood the upper levels collapsing down onto it.  It also had very little in the way of security, and she was able to force open a door and reseal it with no difficulty.    Luffa found a command terminal and called up a status report.  The good news was that the hull had not been breached, and the ops center was designed to be able to function and sustain a crew even if the rest of the city were to be destroyed.     That meant this was the safest place to wait for help to arrive.  

The bad news was that the city was losing altitude.  Planet Pflaume was an ice giant, and while Luffa had a general understanding of its composition, the ops center computers gave her a precise display of her problem.   Unlike terrestrial planets, Pflaume had no solid surface.   Its core was composed of iron, nickel, and silicates, and this was surrounded by a mantle of "ice"-- a mixture of water, ammonia, and methane.   Despite the term "ice", these chemicals were actually hot and fluid because of the immense pressure at that depth  Without a solid crust to separate the mantle from the atmosphere, this boundary was arbitrarily defined by a certain pressure: about 1.5 million pounds per square inch.   Similarly, the "surface" of Pflaume was arbitrarily defined as the depth where the atmospheric pressure was equivalent to that of a terrestrial planet, about 15 pounds per square inch.   Pflaume City floated just below this altitude, and while it was designed to withstand higher pressures, the outer hull would buckle if it sank too far into the planet.  The city's propulsion systems were riddled with backups and failsafes to keep it aloft, but these had been damaged during the battle, or Rehval had sabotaged them to make certain she never escaped the city alive.   According to the computers, she had very little time left.    

She stood up from the command terminal and searched for any food the crew had left behind.  The situation was grim, but she saw no reason to die on an empty stomach.   There were several crates of emergency rations in a back room, and she devoured these as quickly as she could, using the time to consider her problem.  

It was conceivable that she could move the entire city with the power of her Super Saiyan form.  She had never tried anything like that before, but she couldn't rule out the possibility of simply carrying the entire city to a safe altitude.  The problem was that she would have to concentrate her force onto a single point somewhere along the city's superstructure, and she suspected that it wasn't designed for that.   It would be like trying to balance a large animal on the tip of a nail.   Even if the nail were impossibly durable, the animal would simply be punctured by the nail and fall.  

The ops center was smaller, and she considered trying to cut it apart from the rest of the city, but she wasn't sure if it was designed to support a crew without the rest of the city surrounding it.   The temperature outside was well below the freezing point of water, with gusts of wind moving at supersonic speeds.  There was no oxygen to breathe in the Pflaumian atmosphere either.  As strong as Luffa was, she would be killed almost instantly if she ventured outside the city.  

"I'm trying," Luffa said aloud as she drummed her fingers on a table in the ops center break room.    None of this would matter unless someone came along to find her.   Even if she found a way to keep the city floating, sooner or later something else would go wrong, or she would exhaust her supplies of food and water.   The only thing keeping her going was the fact that Zatte was headed for Pflaume City when they parted, and the only thing Rehval had done to stop her was to send that homunculus after her.   Pozet was nothing more than a cheap copy of Zatte, and Luffa was completely confident that the copy was no match for the original.  She was certain that Zatte had defeated it and was on her way.   All Luffa had to do was stay alive in the meantime.    She had let Zatte down before, but she could honor her in this respect at least.   She could find a way to survive, and then...

Before she could continue on that train of thought, an alarm sounded in the ops center.    Luffa leaped up from the table and raced back to the command terminal.  She couldn't imagine how things could get any worse, but the status report explained it all very simply.    

Two of the propulsion thrusters were gone.  For a moment, she thought that the computers were telling her that they no longer functioned, but then she realized that they were literally no longer connected to the hull.

Luffa had no idea how this had happened, but her best guess was that they had been shorn off of their mountings by the atmospheric currents.   By now, the city had fallen to an altitude where the pressure was several times more intense than normal.   While the hull could withstand that pressure, the weather patterns buffeting the city were now denser, and the winds hit with greater force.   Without those thrusters, the city would only sink even faster, and sustain even more damage.   There was no time to waste.   She had to do something quickly, before--

Suddenly the entire city shook, and she heard a very loud noise.  It was already too late.   She checked the readout at the command terminal, which confirmed her worst fears.    Methane levels had skyrocketed in the past few minutes.   The outside atmosphere was leaking into the city, and that could only mean the hull had begun to crack open.   The ops center was still safe for the moment, but she only had a few minutes left.    She had to do something, and quickly, before--

And then, at last, Pflaume City imploded.

NEXT: The Morning After.