The sun shone brightly that morning, enhancing the colours of the square Bulma and Chichi where passing on their way to the market. In reality, Chichi had intended to go with Elise, but she had had an urgent engagement at the last moment, and uncle Ox forbade Chichi to go out alone. So, since Aunt Harriet was visiting the queen, Bulma was chosen as her escort. Usually she loved to look around among the stalls in a market, and the island had the most exotic and fascinating one she had ever seen. But this time she was feeling a little restless. That day there would be the monthly reunion of the Committee, and she was really looking forward to it. It would be her second one, but this time she knew what to expect.

The Committee was composed by a score of people, mostly Hawaiian nobles, but there were also an handful of foreign merchants. The trait they all had in common was the completely indifference towards what the Committee should do. They were in that association only to further their proximity to the throne, and to the king. To put it brutally, they didn't give a damn about the matters on the order of the day. Moreover, they had come to the last reunion only, it had seemed, to criticize everything that had been done, without bothering to give any suggestion regarding how to improve it. That had been also the first, and only, time Bulma had seen them, till now, since they had never come to the office premises to help and do some work. All in all they couldn't be considered part of the Committee, they did nothing to earn their wages! All the work was on Royston, Raditz (who was Royston's right hand even in this) and now herself.

She frowned remembering the reaction of the 'phantom associates', as Royston called them, when they had met the new member of the Committee and had realized that it was a young woman. They had basically told her to quit playing the Good Samaritan and return where she belonged: at home.

It was on that occasion that Bulma had learned why Vegeta was called 'the sinister man'. Till that moment, she had seen him as a sarcastic, cynical scoundrel: irritating and ill-mannered, certainly, but not really scary, and she had assumed that he was always like that. Afterall, she had seen the interaction he had had with Lieutenant Mason and Goku on the day of her arrival at Honolulu. Even then he had been only a little annoying and sarcastic, like he had been around her during her stay on his ship. But what she had seen, even if she hadn't known it at the time, was not his normal behaviour. During the Committee's reunion she had got to see the real behaviour he usually had, and she had remained greatly surprised.

He had looked at the men sitting at the table around him with an expression on his face that had given her the creeps. His face had become tenebrous and expressionless like a mask of destiny, save for the eyebrows knitted in a way that hardened him almost to the point of dehumanizing him. When he had told them that HE had already made his decision, and they would have done well to accept Miss Briefs or could leave the Committee, in his voice he had had the stiffness of granite. Needless to say, they had immediately quit their remonstrance. Even she had been intimidated by his sudden change in behaviour.

She had asked Raditz about it, and he had explained her that Royston usually wore a cold mask when dealing with others. He let it slide, and let his real self emerge, only when he was with someone that he respected or trusted. Bulma mused if this meant that he respected or trusted her. Well, whatever that meant, she was happy that he behaved more 'normally' with her. He was really annoying, but it was far better that having to witness the inhuman stone he usually was.

Chichi delighted squeal broke her from her musing and she looked around in the market to see what had captured her cousin's attention. It was a cute bird she had never seen before. It had a stale-grey body with small patches of yellow feathers under its wing and on its thighs. It was slender and had long tail feathers. The merchant that had him, among many other birds, told them that the feather of that 'o'o 'a'a had been used, in the days before the coming of white men, to make the colourful cloaks and helmets of Hawaiian royalty. They nodded, interested, and, after spending a good amount of time looking at the various kinds of birds gathered there, said goodbye to the talkative merchant.

Continuing their walk among the stalls, they saw one covered with flowers. While they admired them, Bulma saw a strange lady's hat. It was the hat that Elise always wore. She was sure that nobody could have an identical one. Elise had it made specifically for her: it was fairly large and of a bright red colour, with leis wrapped around the spherical crown. It was decidedly not an usual sight and Bulma suspected that she had wanted it to draw attention, the French woman just loved to be the center of the attention.

She was leaving with a quick pace a small alley and, before they could reach her, she had already disappeared into another side street. Chichi, glancing at the figure, commented: "But, isn't that Elise? I thought she had pressing affair to attend to this morning." The last sentence was said with a confused tone.

When they reached the alley, they were forced to stop by a horse coming at a gallop. They noted that the alley was a dead end while the rider reined in the horse. He had a hazel outfit with a broad-brimmed hat, and was no other than Yamcha. He spent a little time to exchange a few words with the women. He explained that Madame Dreux had lost the way among that maze of alleys, and he had had to give her the indications to reach the place she was searching. After that he excused himself, saying that he had a meeting with Kiwi, and left Bulma and Chichi to their tour.

An hour later Chichi had bought all the things she needed and they were on their way home when, among the crowd, Chichi spotted Goku. She quickly went towards him with a beaming expression on her face. Bulma smiled seeing her cousin so happy, and followed her but, looking at Goku, her face lost the smile and acquired a frown: Goku was animatedly talking with a small, and strangely familiar-looking, man completely unaware of their approach. The small man gave him what seemed an envelope and Goku hurried to hide it inside his uniform.

The small man turned to leave and, by now, Bulma was near enough to recognize him: it was Chun Ho! Bulma remained greatly perplexed. He was one of Royston's crew members, what was he doing with an English officer? The answer came to her like a shock: Goku had the task of controlling Royston and finding proofs of his illegal activities, maybe Chun Ho worked for him as an informer! The idea made her feel strange. She should be happy that they were doing their best to entrap a criminal, but her vicinity to Royston in these last weeks had let her see a side of him that had gained her respect, in spite of everything. From her stay on his ship she knew that, even if he wasn't a trusting person, he had great faith in his men and she didn't want to see that trust betrayed.

Shaking her head she scolded herself for such thoughts. He was a criminal! It didn't matter that he made such a good job in attending to the necessities of the island's needy people! If he chose to violate the law he had to pay! With those resolutions in mind, she put her uneasiness away and greeted warmly Goku. He was only doing his job, afterall.

The young man, however, seemed oblivious to his surrounding, his eyes fixed in the direction Chun Ho had disappeared, a serious expression on his usually cheerful face. Chichi, still beaming, tapped his shoulder.

"Yes, what's the matter?" He said absent-mindedly, turning towards Chichi. Then he blinked, seeing who was before him, and his demeanour changed abruptly.

"Chichi! What a beautiful surprise!" he smiled cheerfully "I didn't expect to meet you here! What are you doing?" He then saw Bulma for the first time.

"Oh... Miss Bulma, you are here, too... Nice to meet you again." His smile had faded a little and he nervously took a quick glance towards the place Chun Ho had recently vacated.

Chichi asked him what he was doing in such a place during his duty hours. Goku smiled and told her that he had been assigned to a detachment that had the task of ensuring there were no incidents at the market. Chichi seemed really delighted by the prospect of seeing him even here, in addiction to the times he was on duty during a ball. Then she started a small conversation and Bulma, after listening for a while, excused herself saying that she had a meeting she should attend. She left Chichi alone in company of Goku, but her cousin didn't seem to mind very much.

Soon Bulma reached the building that hosted the Committee, was greeted by Haku, the young Hawaiian that worked as an errand boy, and entered the room where meetings were hold. Royston was already there, along with Raditz, but of the other members there was still no trace. After the usual brief greeting from Royston, she took her place at the table, and used the time she had left to re-examine the points on the agenda. The main issue was the spreading of leprosy in one of the minor district on the edge of the town. During the last meeting Bulma had suggested to isolate the district as a way to stop the epidemic, and now she really wanted to know if her suggestion had been helpful.

Coming out from her musings, and having nothing interesting to do till the arrival of the 'phantom associates', she took the time to really study her 'superior' for the first time.

There must have been many people that would consider him good looking, Bulma thought, and she was objective enough to give him that advantage. The warm sun of the islands had tanned his face in a permanent way, and he possessed even some characteristics that reminded her of a jungle wild animal, wary and lethal. He showed a rare stealth and seemed always alert, as if he was taken up with hunting an unsuspecting prey.

Royston met her eyes, saw her staring, and raised an eyebrow questioningly. Bulma started and averted her eyes, snapping out of her fantasies. What was she doing? Thinking about that criminal and examining his aspect! There was work that needed to be done, and surely her fantasising wouldn't help.

Half an hour later they were all occupied enduring the complaints of the 'phantom associates' who seemed to think that stopping the progression of a leprosy epidemic was a little thing, easily done. Vegeta let them rant for a while, and Bulma thought that he was merely tuning them out. She couldn't blame him: their remarks were petty and completely out of topic. They probably didn't even know what Vegeta was talking about, only doing their best to belittle everything he had done. It dawned on her then that for the first time since she knew him, she had thought of Royston as 'Vegeta'. That was really strange! Such a display of familiarity was highly unusual for her. The only people she called by name were young, innocent men like Goku or Haku, because they were like children for her, and close friends. She couldn't understand why her mind regarded Vegeta as an intimate acquiescent. That really puzzled her.

After the bored men finished berating all Vegeta's accomplishments, and Bulma had the good news that her idea of sealing the district was working, since the cases of contamination were decreasing, the discussion turned on commenting court politic. At that point Vegeta let out a growl and said: "Since it's obvious that we finished 'discussing' the points on the agenda, the meeting is over. I'll inform you when we'll hold the next one. Haku!" he called aloud, and the boy entered the room, "The gentlemen are leaving, lead the way." The boy nodded and opened the door wider for them.

"What!? But, we weren't done!" A fat man, all dressed in red, complained.

"You are now." Vegeta stated coldly. "Farewell, gentlemen." He got up and headed to the door leading to his office, followed by Raditz as usual. Bulma often wondered if Raditz ever left his captain's side at all.

Before entering in his office, Vegeta turned towards her and said: "Miss Briefs, please bring me the list you are currently working on."

Bulma nodded and, after the last member of the Committee had left the meeting conference room, went to the room Vegeta had assigned her as office to retrieve the list. It contained all the medicines that the Queen's Hospital, the only hospital of the island, needed. She had been compiling it in this last month, and it was the first job that Vegeta had given her, so she wanted it to be perfect. To that end she had managed to obtain the help, albeit forced, of Doctor Scott, the physician of the white community. She had dragged him inside the hospital to check what it lacked, so that Vegeta could buy it, since the restocking of public healthcare structures was among the many Committee's obligations.

Bulma entered her office and went to the desk near the windows, where the list was. The sun lightened warmly the room, and it combined with the vase full of multicoloured and sweet-smelling flowers on a small side-table to give an air of vitality to the place. It wasn't a really large room, but the high ceiling managed to make it seem ample-sized. The only furniture, desk apart, were a card holder and a small cupboard, but Bulma had all that she needed to do her work.

After collecting the list, she returned to Vegeta's office. Strangely the door was only ajar. She paused to knock when she heard her name.

"I don't understand why you like to antagonize Miss Briefs so much, captain." Raditz's voice was saying. Bulma's hand froze in mid-air, and she moved her head towards the door's opening a little to hear better. It wasn't that she wanted to eavesdrop, she told herself quickly, but the question was one that she had wondered about many time, and she was curious to hear what kind of answer Vegeta would give.

"What?" She heard Vegeta's surprised voice "Why such a curiosity, Raditz?"

"Well, it's only that usually you are not so... open. You are always so cold towards other people, save for the one you know from a long time that had gained your trust, and you ignore women as if they don't exist. It's strange to see you so playful with a woman you barely know."

'Playful?' Bulma thought 'If that is Vegeta's idea of informality, I really don't want to know how he treats someone he hates!'

Vegeta snickered. "That's true, but she has that effect on me, so serious and committed to good deeds, like Mason, I can't resist the urge to tease her. It's too much fun to see her reactions. She is always so quick to lose her temper, it reminds me of Toma's wife." His voice lost the amusement of a moment before, and became sombre. "She has never been the same again, after his death. He was really a good subordinate, like all the other members of our squad, afterall."

"Yes, they were great guys." Raditz said with melancholy. "I can't believe they're gone like that, they were so full of life! I want to avenge them so much, but I don't know how. If only we had a clue about who was the principal of that sabotage!"

"You already know my theory. It was probably one of the high-ranking members of Freeza's band. We were becoming a little too good, and that must have unnerved a lot of people."

"Well, whoever he was, he has made a huge mistake. We are still alive, and when we'll find out the culprit..."

"We'll teach him not to touch the members of my squad, never." Vegeta concluded, with a voice so ominous that Bulma gave a start, and goose-bumps appeared on her arms.

She knew that he was dangerous, but she had never thought he could sound so... implacable. And she was working alongside a person like him! She must be careful, who knew what he was capable of doing when seriously provoked.

On the other side of the door there was now silence so Bulma, after a minute or so used to regain her self-control, knocked and entered to give Vegeta the list he wanted to see.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, at the Briefs' residence...

Yamcha was walking back and forth in the study, while Kiwi sat on a couch pulling his moustache.

"I don't know what we can do." Yamcha said "We need to get in touch with our Chinese agent but he is under watch. If the soldiers see us talking with him, they'll figure out everything!" He passed an hand in his hair nervously.

"Well... maybe we could give him the instructions he needs during his work at the market. You know that he has a stand where he sells fish. " He stumbled, wiping the sweat that covered his forehead and trailed towards his small moustache. "We would be considered only clients, and nobody will suspect a thing."

Yamcha regarded him, narrowing his eyes "You're already drunk, aren't you?" he said looking pointedly at Kiwi's trembling hands and, more specifically, at the bottle they held.

"I'm really nervous" Kiwi said, as an excuse "It helps relaxing me. However, what do you think of my idea?"

"Yes, I think it could work, with a little change. It would be suspicious all the same if two MEN went to the market to buy fish. That's a servant job."

"Well, we can't send a servant. They're not really reliable." He thought for a while, took a swallow from his bottle and then widened his eyes. "A woman! We could send one of your familiars. A woman at the market would be totally overlooked, and inconspicuous."

"I don't know... Chichi is a terrible nosy-parker, and she is too close to that damned soldier, if she lets something slip we could be in trouble."

"Right, she is out of the question, and your mother is too talkative for my tastes, she too could put us in trouble. Do you think you could convince that lovely French lover of yours? "

"Who? Elise? Are you crazy? She is a great woman, but she is too astute and dangerous. She would want to know everything, and I don't really trust her that much. We need someone more naive that won't think we are involved in something criminal. Someone that will keep her mouth shut."

"Ehi, what about your fiancée?"

"Bulma? She isn't my fiancée, yet. But you are right, she is perfect! She doesn't get friendly with anyone, and she surely won't say a word if I ask her not to. But she is bound to ask what this is all about. What will we tell her?"

Kiwi smirked. "The truth. We'll tell her that we need to give instruction to one of our subordinates regarding an important affair, and that we don't want the competition to ruin our plans, so we have to use such a ploy. The only thing we won't tell her is the nature of our commerce." He brought again the bottle to his lips, took a long sip and smirked in a knowing way.

Yamcha smirked back.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A week later...

Bulma was once again at the market, bathed by the bright afternoon sun, taking advantage of the fact that she had nothing pressing to do for the Committee, or it would be better say for Vegeta, since he was the boss and the only one that made decisions or assigned tasks. Not that he had that many people to boss around: his only subordinates were her, Raditz and Haku.

Returning to the reason she was at the market, she had to admit that she had been greatly surprised when Yamcha had asked her to give a message to one of his associates in such a strange way, but he had explained her that it was an affair where the most secrecy was needed. And so, here she was, with a small envelope folded till it could be hidden in her closed hand.

Uncle Ox hadn't been happy that morning, when she walked down the stairs and told him of her going out. As usual Aunt Harriet would be out that afternoon, visiting one of her many acquaintances, it was a common occurrence, she could never be found at home in the afternoon, save when she had someone visiting her, at least. And since the young maid that usually accompanied her was out of town and the other servants had all tasks they needed to attend, her aunt had convinced Chichi to go with her. Bulma had seen no problem: she could go alone at the market. But her uncle had strongly objected since it was not proper for a young lady to go out alone, without an escort.

Usually Bulma was a dutiful observer of the behaviour model for a real lady, but only if it didn't interfere too much with what she wanted. So she ignored her uncle and that afternoon went nevertheless to the market.

Finding the Chinese fisher wasn't very hard. Yamcha had told her where his stand was and so in a few minutes she managed to reach him. As Yamcha had told her, she brought some fish, afterall it would be very good for dinner, and, when she handed him the money, she made sure to give him the envelope.

The little man remained startled for a second and eyed her suspiciously, but then he hid the message in a pocket and continued to serve the other customers as if nothing had happened.

Her task completed, Bulma turned to go home... and stared in the black eyes of Son Goku. He was leaning against a palm, not very far from the Chinese man's stand, and was staring at her with a serious expression. His gaze moved from her to the Chinese fisher, and then to the pocket where the man had hidden the message, eyes narrowing and returning on her with thoughtfulness.

Bulma wondered what his problem was. She saluted him with a nod and he answered with a bow. Then she left the market and headed towards home, while Mason reached Goku. They saluted, then Mason asked the same question he had repeated from the start of their watch.

"Any suspicious movement, soldier?"

Goku's gaze moved to the retreating figure of Bulma, and he hesitated a little before answering.

"No, sir. Nobody approached him to give him instruction. Only normal customers."

"Damn! They must know that he is under watch! Well, continue to watch, maybe they will approach him later on, I hope." Mason said. They saluted again and the lieutenant departed.

"Probably they already have." Goku whispered when he was alone, still looking in the direction where Bulma had disappeared.

"Our great leader won't be happy when I'll tell him. It seems that he is right: to rid the island of that band of opium traffickers it's time to be a little more direct." He padded the internal pocket where rested the envelope that his agent had given him a week before.

The following morning, a little before dawn, Vegeta was facing the sea on the beach near his house. He had just finished his morning training, and was quite hot from his exertions. In his line of job a good knowledge of fighting techniques and martial arts was really helpful and he trained his body everyday, to be always ready for a physical confront.

'Villains are usually really violent brawlers.' he thought with a smirk. He removed his shirt, and used it to wipe the sweat from his face and torso. It wasn't very hot, yet, but it was not by any means tepid. He discarded the shirt on a rock and started to walk alongshore. A good walk should relax him.

After having walked for a long time, he spotted another person on the beach.

'Strange, normally there is no one at this hour on this beach.' Vegeta thought, squinting his eyes to make out who it was. When he succeeded, a smirk appeared on his lips.

'The very person that I needed!'

Bulma was sitting on the sea-shore, with her stare lost in the golden dawn. The sky was really beautiful, a light azure near the yellow sun that emerged and dark blue if you turned your head up. She was so engrossed that she didn't notice Vegeta approaching.

He was strolling slowly when he spotted her sitting on a rock above the waters, which seemed pretty deep in that place. He came near her without making a sound and, when he was behind her, said aloud: "Well, mermaid, how are you?" (It was a nickname that he used only when he was trying to get a rise out of her.)

Bulma, startled by his voice, stood up abruptly, losing her balance and falling in the water. She got up with difficulty, completely wet and dripping.

Vegeta burst out laughing and Bulma, recognizing his usual evil laugh, addressed him with fury.

"Do you find it so amusing, Mr Royston? Well, let me say that you are the rudest man I ever..." Her voice died in her throat, when she turned to look at him, and her eyes widened staring at Vegeta... dressed only in a pair of black pants. His bare (and very muscular, she noted) chest came as a shock for her. She had never seen a gentleman so scantly dressed and it embarrassed her terribly.

So, she turned her back to him, still in the water till her waist, blushing furiously from head to toe.

"Please, go away!" She exclaimed, with a hoarse voice.

Vegeta remained a little surprised by her sudden change, then remembered his state of undress.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll be really brief." he said, amused by her discomfort. "I wanted to talk with you about your involvement in affairs that you probably don't understand completely."

"What? I don't understand what you mean, Mr Royston." Bulma said puzzled.

"I'm referring to the message you delivered yesterday. I didn't know you were in league with those two... 'gentlemen'." He replied coldly.

Bulma turned to look at him, forgetting about his indecent attire.

"...What? How... how can you know?" She was greatly surprised.

"Easily, I know almost every event happening in the illegal market. It surprises me that you are one of the parts involved."

"Illegal market?" Bulma exclaimed, full of astonishment.

Vegeta examined her face with sharp eyes. "I should have known that you wouldn't participate in something like that." he simply said "I see that you don't know what you did. I'm afraid that Kiwi and your soon-to-be fiancé are involved in something that is not legal. You could try to bring them back on the straight and narrow, if you want. It would be a great idea."

"They... involved... not legal." she repeated shocked. "That can't be true!" She attempted to sound outraged, but a quick glance at his serious face told her that, true or not, he believed in what he was saying. Her thoughts were in turmoil, and her eyes trailed down, unfocused.

For a few minutes she remained silent, trying to think of something that could confirm his charges. Bulma had to admit that Yamcha and Kiwi were really closed off when it came to their job, and Yamcha was often nervous and jumpy... almost as if he had something to hide.

'I must confront them about it.' She decided, rousing herself from her daze... and realizing that her eyes had been subconsciously on Vegeta's chest the whole time she had been lost in thoughts.

She flushed again, diverted her gaze and murmured, stammering "I... I'll go to confront them right now. And... I think you should leave... and go to put something on..." She blushed even more. 'What made me say something like that?' She berated herself. The serious expression left Vegeta's face, and a malicious smirk replaced it.

With an amused "As you wish, milady." he left. But Bulma heard perfectly him snickering and saying something that sounded suspiciously like "Poor little thing. Too much for her virgin eyes."

"I hate him!" She whispered, affronted, while she climbed on the low rock she was sitting before and went towards her home to change... and to hopefully reassure herself that Vegeta was in error.

* * * * *