Hugh frantically keyed in the access codes and finally the letter combination to open the gates. Something bothered him, he didn't know what it was, but the feeling of nervousness grew stronger and stronger. It was like an animal instinct awakening in him and warning him of danger. The shapeshifter ignored it, his feelings were unimportant at the moment, the prisoners took precedence.




When he had confirmed the entry again and a green light flashed in one corner of the screen, he exhaled with relief.




They actually did it. A blissful smile lay on his lips as he turned to Skeije. She didn't smile, seemed to be completely lost in her own world. Not only the expression on her face, but the waves he could receive from her mind showed that she was not happy. The guilty conscience in her had awakened again, tormented her and prevented her from rejoicing with him.



Hugh's joy at the successful freeing of the slaves was slowing down. At what price? Of course the result, the rescue of so many young people who didn't deserve to die, was more than gratifying, but didn't they destroy something too?


He wondered what these events would do for Skeije.


He stared at her wordlessly, but then took her almost imperceptibly trembling hand in his and gave it a light squeeze. The slave looked at him with sad eyes.




"Do you know you've just saved over 800 lives?" He asked quietly.


She looked at him in surprise. "What? So many?"


But her voice didn't match. She just couldn't make it sound enthusiastic or happy.


Hugh ignored the strange sound in her voice and the fact that she still looked so sad.




"You're a heroine now!" He said proudly and put his fists on his hips like a little boy showing his friends his newest toy.



Skeije couldn't react, another voice made the blood run cold in her veins.


"A dead heroine!" Said the familiar voice sarcastically.


Skeije recovered quickly. She didn't know why, but somehow she was happy to hear that voice. When she turned to Vegeta, a soft, knowing smile graced her lips.




So now she was going to die after all. Well, then she wouldn't have to live with the knowledge she loved to have betrayed without him being able to take revenge.


Maybe she could manage to explain her point of view to him, but only maybe.


"The night was pretty short, wasn't it WOMAN?"




Hugh was the first to take the initiative. Alarmed by the growing glow in Vegeta's right hand, he rushed forward and stood protectively between the prince and the slave.




"No, prince, don't!It was me who did it all! Skeije can't help it, I forced her to betray you. I only told her last night when she was alone in the bathroom, she didn't know anything about it !!! Kill me but let her live please! "he shouted, his voice trembling with despair.


"She is no longer a child! The woman can decide for herself. Move to the side, I'll deal with you later.", Vegeta growled and turned his palm towards Skeije.




"He's right, Hugh, please go away! This is none of your business now. It's a matter between him and me, understand?", Skeije's unusually determined voice rang out from behind him and he suddenly felt himself being pushed aside .


A little confused, he looked at the slave, but did not give up yet.




"If you kill us now, you will have done nothing. The prisoners have been freed and you can no longer do anything about it. Come on, do it!"But it won't do you any good except to quench your thirst for revenge! "he called bravely to the angry Saiyan.




* Gradually the guy really gets on my nerves *, thought Vegeta and now seriously considered whether he should pulverize the chatterbox first.


"Please Hugh, be quiet! I told you that this is none of your business.", Skeije tried to silence the shapeshifter.




Vegeta had meanwhile taken a few steps towards the two of them and tried to keep his anger under control. If he wasn't interested in the reason for what she was doing, she would be dead long ago. But he couldn't just kill her like that, even if he wanted to, to ease the pain, to heal the wound she had inflicted on him.


How could she do that ??? She, the only one he'd ever shown anything but cold ... after all they'd shared over the past few days.




He just didn't get it.It was as if everything was going in circles, the feelings she had shown him, what she had told him, what she had ... done and now what totally contradicted all of that. Yes, like a spiral that turned faster and faster and drives the viewer crazy because he could not find an end. He hoped to find out why she was doing this, so she was still alive, just to stop the spiral and show him the end.




"Go!" He said suddenly to Hugh and pointed with his finger at the door.


"I'll deal with you later. You don't have to try to escape, I'll find you!", The prince growled and pointed again energetically in the direction of the exit.


"But ... but ... no, I won't leave Skeije alone!" Said Hugh and stood in front of the slave again.




"No Hugh. Go. Please!" She said calmly and looked at him pleadingly. It helped. He gave Skeije another questioning look and then ran past Vegeta outside.

With a quick movement he closed the door and now looked at Skeije punishingly. The little kiblast was gone.




A few minutes of silence followed, in which the two just looked at each other in silence.


"Why?" He finally asked, almost in a whisper.


Skeije smiled.


"Imagine being given an ultimatum. Either you betray me and save 800 of your people, or you do not betray me and are guilty of letting them knowingly die, of becoming the murderers of your own people decided for me or for your people? "she began softly.


Vegeta was confused. Yeah, how would he decide? He did not know. Yes, he would look for a middle ground.




"You could have asked me! I'm not a monster, you know that!" He replied.


True, she could have asked him. A new feeling arose in Vegeta. Pain. Did she trust him so little?



But she was still smiling.


"Yes, I know that. You are the only Saiyajin here who has not faced me as a monster. But you are the prince of this people. It would have been reprehensible if you, the cool, callous prince, freed the prisoners would have.


You would not have helped me. Or? Would you have that It is your honesty that I appreciate so much about you. This honesty also means that you have to be faithful and loyal to your people and their laws and traditions. You, Vegeta, would never have betrayed your people, not even for me. "




He thought. No, he certainly wouldn't have.


Skeije seemed to read the answer on his face.


"Do you understand now? I couldn't make so many lives dependent on your decision. I'm sorry. I just can't let you kill so many young people just for your amusement."Just so that your people have something to laugh about at this festival, can delight in the pain of others and bathe in the blood of innocent people. Do you understand me, Vegeta? "




Yes, he understood. He could understand why she did it, but he couldn't forgive.


"I didn't do that for myself. I did it for her. There was a human among the prisoners. He's almost a child. I just couldn't let that happen," she added quietly. She was still looking into his eyes, looking for a movement, a reaction, anything that could tell her what he was thinking. But the expression on his face remained hard. So it hadn't worked. She sighed.


"Now you have your answer. I was only doing my duty. Now it is your duty to kill me."




There, a movement! She could literally see it working inside him. He cocked his head, the look of pain in his eyes. Only she was allowed to see him.


"Do you love me?", he finally asked quietly and looked at her carefully.




Skeije smiled. A gentle, happy smile. She felt the lump in her throat grow again that would soon take her voice away.


"Yes, so much that it hurts when I think about you. When I think about the fact that I had to betray you, when I think about the fact that I must never touch you again, that I must never see your feelings again, then it tears my heart apart. Yes, I love you, so much it hurts. "




Now it was out what she hadn't been able to tell him hours ago because her voice had failed. Now it was out and she was glad that she had been able to tell him.


Now the tears finally came, only a few, but they did come.




Vegeta was still standing there, not moving and looking at her in disbelief.


So she loved him. At last he understood. What he had always known secretly, now he experienced it firsthand.There were more important things than love or feelings, it wasn't just for him. In certain situations, priorities had to be set. And she did. In a way, he was even a little proud of her.


Skeije was strong enough to put her own feelings aside and give priority to other things.




Yes, now he understood. Hesitantly, he took a few steps towards her and pulled her towards him, forcing her to look at him. He saw the pain in her eyes and knew she was telling the truth.


With the hand in which the deadly energy had flickered minutes ago, he now wiped the tears from her cheeks.




Then he took her left hand and found what he was looking for. She was still clutching the bottle of poison. He smiled and then shook his head.


Then he took the vial and unscrewed it.


The slave stared at him in alarm. What was he going to do now?

"Go!"