Just Checking In (Invite Only)

Upon his arrival, Vocado would perhaps notice a distinct change in the attire of the guards the stood at attention before the castle gates; sleek black uniforms, with white trimmings. Far too refined for a Saiyan one might say, but Zuqetta allowed for free variations of the design which caused some to go sleeveless or wear their own boots along with the uniform. It was designed after the royal guard uniform Zuqetta had given to Jagaimo, with much less flair and very specific coloring to denote rank amongst the soldiers. Of course, with how likely worn Vocado was from his year long excursion, it was entirely possible the detail would completely slip by him.

One thing that remained constant however were the forms of communication; though surprised, the guards would waste no time in saluting the Captain of the Shredder Corps. Saiyans were never considered K.I.A unless a body was found, no matter how many years passed, so to see Vocado returned was a moment eliciting celebration and pride amongst the troops. One of the guards would send a message out through his scouter to notify the Queen; whether Vocado noticed this or not as he passed through the gates another story.

Vocado, unlike many, was familiar with the castle; while Saiyans like Tulse often found themselves lost whilst searching for the throne room, once Vocado found himself in the throne room, he'd find a several small changes here and there, one such change being the lack of the throne itself. The most recent challenge had seen it destroyed, an example being set of the changing tides; the grand hall of the throne room sported nothing more than the dais and an interesting purple carpet that stretched from the entryway to where the throne once sat.

Minor details Vocado might have noticed involved the design and lighting; where previously there was a powerful, commanding atmosphere with light coming solely from either the high windows or torches, now the entire hall was incredibly bright, allowing for a comfortable and inviting vibe. High above, strung along the rafters was a plethora of strange lights; while Saiyans wouldn't know the origin, the lights were in fact Christmas lights sourced from Earth. The pillars one would pass as they made their way to where the throne once sat had also changed in design; the smokey stone coloring being replaced with a snowy white, with intricate carvings of the empire symbol emblazoned upon them in gold. It was clear that of the many things Zuqetta sought to do, brightening things up was at the top of her list.


In a brightly lit room deep within the castle, Zuqetta sat before a desk; in her hand, a pen she continuously twirled between her fingers as she hummed curiously. Splayed out upon the desk, documents of several different types; the handwriting across the different documents atrocious, prompting a slight sigh from Zuqetta. "Heh, literacy rates could use... a bit of improvement." Her tail swayed behind her comfortable, carpeted floor.

A knock at the door would catch her attention; before she could even offer whomever was knock to enter, they would speak up. "My liege! Urgent news!" he'd announce, causing Zuqetta to feel a slight worry.

"Dang it, ANOTHER intruder?" she'd sigh heavily.

"Vocado of Bonewood, Captain of the Shredder Corps, has returned from his year long excursion!"

"Bonewood?" she'd question, snickering a bit, "Is that an innuen- OH! Vocado!" The realization of who was being announced suddenly hit her, "Awesome! Hey, send him this way, okay? I'll get ready!"

"Understood!"

Vocado would have surely made his way to the center of the throne room by the time Zuqetta was notified; he'd have had the chance ot notice all the changes if he cared to look, one final change being the addition of a door a the back of the room. Large, ornate, and a contrasting gun metal black compared to the newly white walls; a pair of guards stood before this entryway as well. The door would open, a soldier exiting and rushing to Vocado without hesitation-

"Sir!" The guard would salute; he kept a stone face expression, but it was clear he wanted to cheer at the Captains return, "Her majesty has been informed of your arrival. She's asked to have you escorted to her personal chambers." he'd state plainly, turning about to escort Vocado through the black doors, "Good to see you back Captain!" he'd finish, a sharp grin coming to his face.

Through the black doors would be a stair way, a simple design which led to a newly erected hall; the windows which lined both sides the the wide hall allowed a great deal of light to shine through, before finally the two would be upon a pair of rather heavy looking thick steel doors. Standing guard outside the door, yet another pair of guards, yet these two garbed differently than the ones Vocado had seen thus far. While the design still matched Jagaimo's uniform, these guards wore uniforms of white with red highlights and gold trimmings. Both these guards were woman, rather tall and on the husky side; while it was true plenty stood a bit taller than Vocado, these two guards towered at nearly seven feet tall each. Of course, their power still paled in comparison to the Super Saiyan they would see.

Once Vocado had arrived, the two guards would alert Zuqetta who was getting prepared within.

As Vocado gave his comment, the guard escorting him would break into a moment of hearty laughter before recomposing himself. "Sir, I think that's the last thing you'll need to worry about." he'd remark as they made their way down the hall.

As Vocado approached the room, one of the female guards would give two knocks on the door before entering, leaving only the one remaining outside to prevent Vocado and his escort from entering. She raised a brow at Vocado's appearance; she couldn't sense energy and didn't currently have a scouter equipped, but she wasn't ignorant to the Super Saiyan of legend. A smirk came to her face for reasons her own, but her posture wouldn't relax; as much as she wanted to pounce, she was still on the job. Only a moment later, the door would open again and the female guard would exit and stand off to the side allowing Vocado to enter.

What Vocado would see upon entering the room might've surprised him; despite being her personal chambers, it lacked one of the many things such a room required, a bed. The room was wide and well kept, windows graced each wall, these ones with actual glass unlike the rest of the castle; Zuqetta certainly liked keeping things lit. A door was off to the side of the room, but it remained closed and it's mysteries for Zuqetta alone. Being a tower room, the ceiling was high, and seemed to have weird shapes of stars and moons that didn't look like something carved into the ceiling, but rather like something stuck onto it. A couch would over beneath one of the windows with a folded blanket, but the largest piece of furniture besides was the ornate desk and it's accompanying tables adjacent to it, each with papers sprawled atop and documents piled high.

"Well well well! Good ol' Captain of the Shredder Corps!" Zuqetta would announce as Vocado entered, standing in the center of the room with her arms crossed, garbed in her royal armor, "Where the heck've you been!? Jaggy wasn't keen ta lead your unit despite being lieutenant or whatever, ya know how difficult it was ta keep them together while you were away?" she'd snap in a playful manner, "Not difficult at all actually, ya trained them well! But they've been hecka bored just huntin' Saiba-beasts that come too close to the city." she'd say with a laugh.

With a pleasant breath, she'd relax her posture and offer Vocado a wide grin, her tail swaying behind her playfully as she did. "Anyways, good ta see ya again, bet I wasn't who your were expectin', huh?"

Vocado's reaction of surprise was pretty humorous, though Zuqetta's expression would become a pretty unamused pout as he poked fun at her size. She wanted to give a response of her own, but considering his much more formal responses and the information he brought, Zuqetta was quickly distracted from the remark.

"Hmm, hardly-" she'd respond with a light sigh, "I did get to fight him, but that was more of a training experience. In the end, Taori chose to retire to an undisclosed location with his wife and child." she'd explain, feeling she could trust Vocado with the information; she knew how close the two had worked together, and didn't see Vocado as a threat, at least not to Taori.

Zuqetta wouldn't dwell on that portion of the conversation however, her expression becoming one of interest and excitement as a more interesting topic loomed. Quickly she'd turn about, rushing over to her desk to grab a few papers before materializing a scouter upon her face.

"More importantly, you've conquered some planets!? Now that's exciting stuff!" she'd remark with a sharp grin, "I've been going through the records, and Saiyan's have hardly made any headway on expansion projects since that whole Tuffle war began. Couple unnecessary busts, some even MORE unnecessary slaughter and thievery, but no conquests!" she'd explain, clicking on her scouter as she speed read through some files, before her gaze on Vocado would narrow.

"You didn't eradicate the indigenous species... did you? It's hardly a conquest if there's no one left to rule!" she'd say in an annoyed tone; if he had, she wanted to chastise him, but considering he actually had something still put together unlike the asteroid fields left in Lottus' wake, she couldn't complain too much.

"Don't get me wrong, I know death is gonna happen-" she'd state as she removed her scouter, "-but I don't want us known as a culture of murderers and barbarians, we're warriors! We can expand, create, and uplift just as good if not BETTER than any other!" she'd state firmly; though quickly, she'd realize she was getting ahead of herself in her excitement. She was still new to this, and Vocado was one of the first to approach her and speak to her like she was actually a leader. he didn't quiver or quake as though she'd kill him on the spot; and he wasn't too informal and friendly like Jagaimo was. He was a man who spoke and moved with sensibility of his position and his surroundings, and Zuqetta needed to follow suit and approach the information he'd brought with more than just a sudden barrage of questions.

She'd catch herself, clearing her throat as she brought her hands behind her back and looked towards Vocado with a more respectable expression, genuinely impressed with his accomplishment. "Captain Vocado of Bonewood, great work out there! Your accomplishment will be a boon for the Kingdom, I'm sure!" she'd congratulate with a soft smile, her tail sweeping the floor as it swayed behind her happily, "Though... are ya gonna turn off the blonde any time soon? Can't imagine it's good for ya health ta stay Super Saiyan for too long, at least not after Zuci got sick." she'd say with a small laugh; if Vocado found himself comfortable remaining in the form however, she wouldn't pester him about it.

Zuqetta was happy to hear Vocado's remarks; even through his sarcasm, he came off respectfully, his brusque attitude merely his flavor as he explained his thoughts and the situation. She'd laugh a bit, finding some of what he said pretty ironic; despite so many of the Saiyan soldiers looking up to him as the prime example of what a Saiyan should be, here he was being exactly what many of them weren't. He was no savage that went off on slaughtering sprees, he was no machine that merely did a duty without thoughts of his own; he displayed critical thinking, and better yet, sought to use what they'd claimed in their victories rather than just raze it all to the ground.

The most important resource to use, the Tuffles-

"They hardly bend to my authority-" Zuqetta would begin with a minor huff as Vocado undid his Super Saiyan form, "-but for the most part, when I've asked them to help, they've helped. So I'm certain they'll join the expeditions if I put in a request." she was worried Vocado wouldn't take her stance well, but though she was Queen, she made it a point to issue orders rather infrequently, instead making "requests" even amongst her own people, "Heh, I'm more worried any troops we send along with them might cause trouble, we'll need ta make sure ta whip them inta shape before they go!" she'd say with a sharp grin, "Hmmm, and maybe have some of the Tuffles do some drill too, at least enough so they can run away without losing breath. They'll be pretty useless if their tech fails them."

She couldn't help but tease, even to now she hadn't had a positive interactions with the Tuffles so it was a bit fun to be so playfully mocking. Of course she wouldn't act as such out in public, but here in private it seemed fine, which reminded her-

"Oh! I'm supposed ta say something like "at ease" right? You can go ahead and relax here! Heh, we're not at the barracks or ina public place!" she'd express with a smile, "That's some hecka endurance training! Ya beat Zuci in terms of sustained days, but it looks like it's Zuci's win for keeping it on overnight."

She'd laugh a bit, enjoying the mini challenges she was forming in secret, though would tilt her head slightly with a curious expression as Vocado questioned her own ability to use the form. Then the realization struck, it was obvious he wouldn't know; he'd been off world the whole time, he'd never seen the challenge!

"Gah! No wonder you're so skeptical! Here I am talkin' ta you like we spoke just the other day, and you're probably thinkin' I'm just some figure head ta keep up appearances!"

She chastised herself internally for being so relaxed and casual with everyone; it wasn't likely a mannerism that would ever fade away, but at least now she needed to clarify things with Vocado. Her Mana Veil would drop, thus allowing her true power to finally be on display; a small pressure now falling upon the area, though with Vocado's strength, he was unlikely to feel the increased weight. Those in the distance that could sense her flinch, some few turning their gaze towards the castle; which those equipped with advanced scouters would suddenly receive alerts to a greater power, luckily by this point many were already aware of the strength of their Queen, so there was no cause for much panic.

"Hehe, I can keep this on my head just fine!" she'd say with a sharp grin as she adjusted the crown on her head, "If you're interested, I don't mind provin' it to ya! But uh-- not here, I'd rather not bust up my office!" she'd finish with a laugh.

Seeing Vocado relax on the couch made things much more comfortable, Zuqetta still wasn't too accustomed to maintaining the typical commanding tone and stoic personality of a ruler. Honestly, she didn't typical try to do such a thing EVER really! Which just made the fact that Vocado would relax even better than it initially seemed, causing even Zuqetta to relax a bit with a pleasant sigh. She laughed at the way Vocado spoke of Zuci, it seemed he knew her well and that was a pretty pleasant surprise itself. "Runt!? She's taller than you!" she'd say with a sharp grin, pausing momentarily when Vocado said princess.

She'd return a soft smile to the Captain, but wouldn't make a comment on it; she enjoyed it so much more when she was referred to as a Princess that a Queen. Queen simply felt too commanding, too dominant, but she wouldn't dare tell this to Vocado; as Monarch, regardless of what people called her, she knew she had to both appear and BE strong for her people.

Vocado went on to explain more, speaking first of his lacking strength then of the issues the Kingdom was facing. To Zuqetta, she felt him plenty strong, not like he'd fallen behind in the least! Being a military leader however, it made sense why Vocado would feel this way. Regardless of how he felt about his power, it was clear his mind hadn't degraded while he was away. Despite the title he previously held as War Master, his thoughts were less on conquest and more on improvement of the Kingdom, something Zuqetta found rather admirable. Even more interesting though, was that Vocado was willing to accept the truth of not just the Tuffles transgressions, but the Saiyans as well; it took two to tanga as they said, and the Saiyans were just as responsible for the destruction of the Vegeta region as any Tuffle they typically tried to blame.

Next however, came a rather surprising reveal from the man; it was one quickly followed up, but surprising none the less.

"Whaddya mean, bratty!?" She'd say with an annoyed but playful pout, placing her fists on her hips as she looked down at Vocado. She'd quickly break the appearance however, giving a small laugh, "I was a kid the last time we met! With... not so great teachers-" she'd remark, averting her gaze awkwardly as she remembered Blizzard, "-anyways, that was nearly two years ago, I've grown!" she'd insist, standing a bit straighter despite her unchanged height.

"But, thank you for telling me." she'd remark, knowing his teasing was hardly the point of his statement, "I have a vision for the future of our people, I'll admit. And if you think that vision of mine is leading us down the wrong path, I'll always accept your challenge, you're deserving of an honorable fight. If your past accomplishments and dedication to the Kingdom didn't prove it already, you willingness to admit such a truth to me would be more than enough." she'd say with a respectful expression, giving Vocado a smile before taking notice of his extended hand.

"Oh!" a shake wasn't what the Captain would receive however, as Zuqetta excitedly took Vocado's hand and closed it into a fist, before giving the Budoshi standard "fist-a-bop", a sign from Zuqetta of the trust she had in the Captain. Of course, it was merely what the Earthlings would call a Fist Bump, but Zuqetta only did it with those she was willing to trust, and would give Vocado a rather toothy grin as she performed it with him, even if he didn't understand it.

The ritual of sorts performed, Zuqetta would step back over to her desk, excited to speak on the matters Vocado had already discussed.

"Hm, well I haven't encountered anyone myself with comparable powers... but, to be fair I also don't go starting fights with any of our more prominent neighbors." she'd laugh, "I have a good friend on Earth, he's a half-Saiyan capable of assuming the form as well. To my knowledge, he has friends capable of similar power, though I've never met them."

Zuqetta would pick up a small stack of papers, pausing momentarily as her expression darkened by a bit, "There was, or maybe IS, a Namekian as well... King of the Mazoku he calls himself, he fought Lottus to the death. HIS death of course." she'd remark, "I've met him a few times, he's insufferable and believes us to be no more than savages."

She'd turn to face, Vocado, a serious expression on her face, "He seeks to usurp the throne with some pawn of his, a Saiyan he's placed under his thrall. Heh, that HAS to be the case, 'cause I don't see ANYONE being dumb enough otherwise to follow someone like him considering how he speaks, especially of Saiyans." Zuqetta was clearly wary of these Mazoku, but would calm herself with a short breath before softening her expression, "Well, he's dead, but I can't say "passed on", much like Lottus he seeks to return. I've placed magical wards at the place of his death as well as some few places I could find across the wastes where the veil is thin, so we'll SEE how successful he'll be!" she'd challenge rather proudly.

Her excitement would suddenly bolster once she'd finished speaking of the Mazoku; she'd rush back over to Vocado with the papers she held in hand, offering them to him without hesitation.

"Now, all that aside, take a look at these!" she'd insist, "You had a palace education, right? Are you good with numbers?" she'd question, seeming more and more enthusiastic as she began to point out what each paper was about, "Look here, this one is the first completed project! I noticed the high cost of using the Healing Tanks in the medical ward, the machines themselves aren't too expensive to produce, but that healing liquid stuff is a pricey import! And can you BELIEVE that most lower class didn't even have access to the stuff!?" she'd finish with a huff, "Well, I've converted two floors of the castle into not merely a medical ward, but an actual hospital! Heh, still tryin' ta get staff with better bedside manners, but just look at these cost reductions! I took inspiration from the Earthlings! They have pretty outdated tech and practices, but it's enough to get any Saiyan back on their feet quickly without the need for the Healing tanks!"

Zuqetta's excitement for the hospital project was the one she was likely most excited about, bringing equal forms of health care to the people was her most desired change after all. Though she was quick to point out the other issues she was tackling.

"And this one here is tracking the revenue across Sadala, you know we didn't have TAXES!? The Kingdom's treasury was nearly a hundred percent fortune accrued through conquest! Hehehe, well, our people can remain tax free, but I've begun implementing a small levy on off world imports, as well as issuing a small fee to vendors that have been setting up stalls in the market district! And so far, I've kept it small enough not to bother anyone. I'd like to increase it, but at least for now we have a stable income coming into the Kingdom!"

She would of course refrain from mentioning the fact that the accrued funds was still less than the kingdom spending, feeling a bit embarrassed about it. Perhaps she was being too softhearted, there was plenty of riches they could amass with stricter taxes after all, but tyrannical was the LAST thing she wanted to come across as.

"And this one here, these are the plans for my revision of our educational systems. This one here is an overhaul of our military structure, oh! you'll LOVE the Grand Hall of dining!" she'd say with an excited smile, however, her enthusiasm would noticeably drop as she recalled one important detail.

She'd leave the papers with Vocado, stepping back a bit; she seemed hesitant, but would give a sigh as she looked towards Vocado with a serious gaze, a mix of worry but determination.

"Actually... I made one big change the moment I took the throne." she'd say heavily, but despite her hesitation she had no intention of reversing the change, "I've issued a sweeping decree, ending the hierarchy of bloodlines our people have followed for generations. Noble houses won't have what they've amassed in their lives taken from them, but from now on, there is no "noble blood" or "lower class". I've met plenty with and without strength despite their bloodlines, and in my society, what I want to promote is merit. Those who increase their strength, those who let their accomplishments speak for them instead of their blood, and if the old nobility doesn't wish to lose what they have, they need only gain strength and accomplishment." she'd say firmly, closing her eyes momentarily.

Would Vocado accept changes such as these?
Was she pushing too much on him at once?
Regardless, she had no intention to back down...
Powerful lower class warriors stifled due to their rank, weak nobility riding the coattails of their ancestors blood... It all made her sick, and she wouldn't hesitate in changing such a toxic system.

"Meritocracy!" She'd announce firmly, a word coined from her friend Cilas, "This is the system I seek to maintain, I hope that something like this... doesn't harm your view of me too much."

She couldn't know Vocado's viewpoint; plenty of nobles already hated Zuqetta for the change, and surprisingly, so did some heavily traditional lower class despite how the system sought to help raise them from their lower station. For just as many who were upset with her about the change, there were just as many who embraced it; all she could do was listen now to Vocado's feelings on the matter, and wouldn't judge regardless of his views.

Zuqetta beamed with delight at Vocado's responses; it was as a godsend to have someone who she could actually converse with on matters such as these. That wasn't to say she hadn't tried with plenty of others; the common Saiyans had no idea what she was talking about, and ex-nobles were constantly trying to coerce her into making a change that would benefit THEM specifically, rather than everyone. There was of course Calot, he was able to understand even more than Zuqetta, but was perhaps just as cold as he was calculating. He didn't argue with Zuqetta when she pushed on what it was she wanted, but she could tell he was still coming out of his shell of optimized efficiency.

"Permits and licenses sound perfect!!" she'd remark excitedly, "I thought it might be too soon to start implementing such things, but it'd DEFINITELY help with keeping track of everything. Not too mention, I'd finally be able to start gathering revenue from the old nobles, you wouldn't believe how recluse many of them have become since I took the throne." she'd say with a lighthearted sigh, her tail swaying behind her playfully.

Vocado went on with a warning in hand, and one she'd taken great consideration into already. She was glad to hear it mentioned; even as she argued with ex-nobility or with business owners on changes or renovations, none spoke their minds as truly as Vocado did. Was it because he knew her prior to her taking the throne? Perhaps, but it could have also been just how much he himself sought to see the Kingdom prosper, regardless of who warmed the throne.

"Well then, it might be a good idea for you to sit at the council whenever I'm thinkin' about such sweeping changes." she'd remark with a slight laugh, feeling rather whimsical, "Ya saw the interior of what used ta be the throne room, yeah? What you saw, was the new and improved council room!" she'd announce pridefully, "It's still a work in progress, but once everything is set up, I hope for it to become a place for Saiyans to gather to speak freely of the changes they wish to see! Representatives of their walks of life, regardless of blood, Saiyans of all types coming together to reshape Sadala as one!" she'd continue placing her hands behind her back as she paced within the room a bit; her gaze wondering off happily as a soft smile came to her face, "I think, that'd make a beautiful Sadala."

Vocado had been amicable to the discussion thus far, something that came as a relief to Zuqetta having known how he supported those that came before her. While Taori had made a show of a final battle against the Tuffles, ending the long war that'd gone on since before Zuqetta's birth, it was clear he was well averse to change. He was no manic warmonger hellbent on endless battle, but neither was he an innovator seeking to expand either in territory no power. She hadn't thought of it before, but it certainly started to put things into perspective, considering how underutilized the Tuffles had been while Taori still ruled.

Vocado spoke further, going onto a matter that caught Zuqetta's attention proper. He sought forces and purpose, proposing a mission to the outer sectors of the galaxy. Area's untouched by the Empire, with resources to grown the Saiyan Kingdom; she of course knew the true meaning behind his words, but would join in on the wordplay in use, keeping the underlying truth something between the two of them.

"You will have it." she'd say sincerely, "With you experience and past accolades, if you desire it, I would have you as my War Master. Though, as there's currently no war here on Plant to fight, it'd be a boon to have someone of your caliber leading the expeditions into the outer rim." she'd remark, moving over towards her desk and quickly gathering some papers she had stashed in a drawer, "There are so many civilizations out there who haven't even mastered space travel, threats from pirates could come at any time seeking their untapped resources!" she'd say with a huff, writing on the documents she'd acquired before moving back towards Vocado.

Her tone had come across as genuine concern, but Vocado would be met with an enthusiastic smile as Zuqetta approached, "With that in mind, it's only right that we help them. We have the power to do so, it would be criminal to leave them without the knowledge and protection to survive our harsh universe." she would hold out the papers, offering them to Vocado, "Captain Vocado, War Master of Sadala. As Monarch, I hereby grant you the authority of our nations Trailblazer. You are to go to these unfortunate worlds with both a contingent of Saiyan troops, and a unit of Tuffle researchers." she'd declare, her tone much more fitting for her station, "Bring these worlds into the Kingdom's fold, that we might protect them from the unknown." she'd smile, "And naturally, it isn't like we can supply everything to these worlds, so use the researchers to determine each planets worth. We can use their resources to help uplift them, and of course, it only makes sense to send a good portion of those resources back to Plant-" she'd smirk, looking away for a moment before glancing up towards Vocado with a most innocent smile, "How else would we continue to help others, right?"

It might've been difficult to tell whether or not Zuqetta was speaking truly of helping, or was secretly speaking of conquest. Regardless, she would never admit to more than what she'd already said. The end result would be further planets held by the Kingdom, with those civilizations guarded and uplifted by the Saiyans. Communication was a must for such a venture, and so within the documents handed over to Vocado, he would find requisition forms for a new high end scouter, as well as new battle gear. Half the military would be at his command for this venture, with notations indicating between two to three Tuffle scientists per world, depending on value.