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"Where is he, Vegeta?!" Goku raged. His nemesis stood not more than twenty feet away, clad in regal garments and with an air of arrogant nobility about him. The larger saiyan warrior flexed his muscles until the veins in his bulky arms looked just about ready to burst."What are you talking about, Kakarott? What the hell are you even doing here?" Vegeta asked. The guards surrounding him did not take their eyes off of the intruder for a split-second."You know exactly what and who I'm talking about, Vegeta! You had no right to kidnap a helpless child! Bulma’s worried sick," Goku scolded, glaring at Vegeta. The lavender-skinned palace soldiers stiffened at the perceived threat toward the visiting royal."Who are you to preach to me what my rights are, you self-righteous lout? King Chrystal makes the laws around here," Vegeta replied, gesturing towards said sovereign. “He says all offspring belong to their biological fathers. You're on the wrong planet to tell me what to do."Vegeta threw a glance over his shoulder to the mentioned monarch—the violet-skinned man in kingly threads sitting on a golden throne with purple velvet drapes. King Chrystal had no idea how the man in the orange gi had suddenly appeared in his throne room or why the madman had begun shouting at one of the royal guests. The king’s anger and indignation were dwarfed by his bewilderment and confusion. He observed the scene without uttering a word.Vegeta turned to Chrystal and started muttering something to him in a melodious unearthly language. Goku raised an eyebrow, surprised that Vegeta was able to enunciate such sounds as the alien tongue required. He figured the saiyan prince was explaining the situation. Chrystal listened intently and gave a nod before turning to scowl at Goku with displeasure.Vegeta returned his gaze to Goku as well. "You want to settle this in a more appropriate setting, clown?" He swept his velvet cape back in a dignified manner and signaled for one of the servants. Two attendants came up behind him. One undid the buttons adhering the cape to the prince’s armor and the other took the garment and folded it up carefully. Goku gasped.Vegeta knew immediately what had shocked his adversary. He waved the appendage he knew the other saiyan had noticed casually around in the air behind him. "Don't worry, Kakarott. I won't be in need of it." He momentarily chuckled at Goku’s alarmed expression. "Not this time.”As much as Vegeta’s aristocratic appearance surprised Goku, the latter concealed his reaction to avoid provoking any more arrogant behavior. The regenerated tail had caught Goku off guard. He growled low in his throat, which only had the effect of widening Vegeta's delighted grin.Goku peered around at everyone in the room—King Chrystal, the guards, the servants, various other high-ranking individuals, and Vegeta, the one and only. He recognized the look in their eyes. It was the same glare he and the Z fighters gave every nemesis that had threatened Planet Earth. It was the glare he had given Frieza. He was considered a threat, a serious one.Vegeta stepped forward in his princely armor, head drawn down. The royal seal of the bygone Planet Vegeta marked his left breast. He lifted his head to meet Goku's stare. "If you want to duke this out, I know of the perfect nearby wilderness area to do so." He snapped a finger, not averting his eyes from Goku's. One of the king’s fierce-looking guards stepped toward him."Mereinme gata shim shim, Feldspar ibe Peridot," Vegeta commanded. The guards accompanied them to the front entrance, an elegant pair of crystalline double-doors. They appeared over eighty feet in height and sparkled above them. Goku felt a bit overwhelmed by the towering threshold. Peridot opened a small control panel and input a computer command. The enormous doors began to slide open, providing a grand view of the endless sky and the vast city surrounding the palace.Vegeta floated up into the air and whizzed away into the blue-green midday sky, followed by his guards, and then by Goku. The palace entrance slid shut behind them. Once I get that brain-damaged idiot alone, I'm going to gut him alive and watch him squirm for hours on end. Who the hell does he think he is calling me out right in front of Pellucian royalty? And how dare he just IT into the King’s throne room? Babbling dolt! But, perhaps, I can alter this situation to my advantage, Vegeta thought as he flew, his hands fisted into tight balls.Goku snuck a glance at the magnificent palace they had left behind as they soared into the distance. It was like a great gleaming jewel mountain on the horizon, surrounded by a glistening city. Goku's brows furrowed more, noticing the air of superiority Vegeta was exuding. He did not really want to fight the slighter man, but Goku could not let him get away with his crime. It was the Earth saiyan’s responsibility to retrieve Trunks and bring him home. He had to succeed.Vegeta, Goku, and the two royal guards flew over cities and villages of multi-colored gemstones until they came to a wilderness clearing, an open meadow of magenta-blue knee-high grasses hemming a forest. Vegeta halted in mid-air, as did the others, and turned around to face his foe.As Goku stared the prince down, he silently wondered why Vegeta had taken the baby to begin with. Was the act simply a tactic to get the Z fighter on the battlefield with him? Was he in it for revenge over his defeat on Planet Earth? Goku did not know, but he hoped to find out.A malicious grin crept up the side of Vegeta’s face. Goku noticed this and bore his teeth at the show of vanity. The prince wrapped his tail around his waist protectively and readied himself."Well, Kakarott," he spoke, "if you're ready to receive the pounding of your life, I'm ready to dish it out." He got in a fight pose, signaling to Goku to do the same. All inclinations to suggest they talk it out fell to the wayside as an immediate threat came to Goku’s physical wellbeing. The royal guards barreled out of the way before Vegeta shot forward with blinding speed and a fist ready to wreak havoc. He swooped down and aimed a punch at Goku's stomach, but the other warrior was lucky enough to barely dodge. He could tell Vegeta was just toying with him.Goku knew he could easily defeat Vegeta by going super saiyan and he knew that Vegeta also knew this, so he began to wonder why Vegeta was even bothering with a battle in the first place. The Earth saiyan felt inclined to point out that they were nowhere near matched in strength, but his curiosity to find out what Vegeta was up to suppressed his urge to end the fight swiftly. The Z fighter fought back, mostly staying on the defensive. He noted that Vegeta had improved greatly and he could not help wondering if the royal saiyan had any tricks up his sleeve."Ah!" Goku shouted in pain, putting a hand to the back of his head where the other warrior had landed a hard kick just moments before. The assault continued relentlessly."Oops! Sorry, Kakarott," Vegeta sneered in sarcasm. "I forgot how much brain damage you've already managed to obtain. Please forgive my negligence." He threw a one-two punch combo at Goku's face, missed once, but the second jab nailed the orange-clad warrior straight in the jaw. "Hope you won't end up missing too many of your teeth. Not that you’ll have use for them by the time I finish with you," Vegeta spat as he swung his fist backward for another punch."Enough!" Goku declared, but Vegeta ignored him and continued the attack. "Stop it, Vegeta!" Goku shouted, putting up a hand to block him. “I said stop!” Vegeta halted in mid-air, just feet away from his opponent, with a look of surprise on his face. "This is stupid, Vegeta. What are you doing? Why can't we just talk about this first?" Goku asserted, appearing cross but calm.Vegeta gave him an incredulous look. "You want to talk?" He paused, scoffed at his opponent, and slowly lowered his fist. "What would an elite fighter have to say to a holier-than-thou lunatic like you? You come here and start preaching to me, yet you have no authority to speak of. You're absolutely pathetic. What could I possibly care to hear from a witless peasant?"Goku's brow wrinkled. "I came here for a reason and it's not because I want to fight with you.""Really?” Vegeta returned, his eyes flaring in anger. “That was some pretty tough talk you used back at the palace. What could possibly explain the change of heart, I wonder? Just realized you don't really stand a chance, eh? That's what I thought, you hypocritical coward.""Shut up, Vegeta! I’m not a coward!" Goku bellowed. The blatant insult and the saiyan prince’s stubbornness severely irked the lower-ranked warrior. Goku suppressed the urge to pound Vegeta into the ground and forced himself to calm down. He took a deep breath and then spoke again. "Why did you do it, Vegeta? Why?" Goku asked calmly, wiping blood from his lower lip.Vegeta raised a brow. "Why did I do what?” he shot back. “I'm not going to talk to you if you won’t even bother to explain what you’re talking about. Presumptions are not a healthy thing, especially when dealing with foreign cultures." He shot a glance at his native bodyguards.Goku snarled in response. "Where’s Trunks?” he demanded, fed up. "Why did you take him?"The prince feigned a look of puzzlement. "Trunks...? Isn't that something you earthlings wear under your clothes to keep your balls in place?" Vegeta replied, scratching his head.Goku rubbed his temples, frustrated. "No, Vegeta! I’m talking about the baby, Trunks Briefs. Bulma sent me here to bring him home. Dr. Briefs said he saw you kidnap the kid right out of the infant ward just before the surgeon arrived,” the Earth saiyan charged."Oh!" Vegeta slapped his forehead. “You must be talking about Prince Vegeta V.” The elder prince gave Goku a rather dramatic eye roll and clicked his tongue at the enemy. “He is my child, you fool. I have every right to have him in my possession. In fact, with his father is precisely where he belongs." Vegeta leaned forward and grinned widely as he jested, “For a minute there, I thought you were accusing me of stealing someone’s underwear. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”"No! You had no right, Vegeta! I came here to get Trunks back and I'm not leaving without him. He needs his mother. There is no way you can justify tearing them apart like that. It's wrong, period. No matter what planet you're on or what the laws are, I won’t allow it. Now, you have two options, you can either give up Trunks voluntarily or I'll make you give him up. I don't care what it takes. But I'd prefer to not have to use violence unless it's absolutely necessary.""Oh, no! Please, Kakarott!" Vegeta squeaked, pretending to cower. He paid no heed to Goku’s angered expression as he chuckled, putting his hands on his hips. “Really now? I’m shaking in my gold-tipped booties.” He heard Goku growl low in his throat. Soon enough, Vegeta dropped the act and lowered his voice to a deadly tone. "What are you gonna do, idiot? Spank me?”"You act as if you’ve never been defeated. Did you forget who the super saiyan is around here already?" Goku finally inquired, growing weary of Vegeta’s jokes and mind games."Why, yes. I suppose I must have, considering how much of a joke this seems to be. You can't be serious, clown. You're not going anywhere with my son. If you had me broken and bleeding in the Pellucian dirt, imprisoned, or tortured to the brink of madness, I would never give away his location," Vegeta sneered, beholding the other saiyan with disgust written all over his face."Alright then, Vegeta," Goku said, trying as hard as he could to contain his anger. The prince’s stubbornness and snotty behavior was really starting to get to him. He had to exercise a great deal of self-control to stay calm and reasonable. "I'm giving you. One. Last. Chance." He paused between words. "Repeat: One. Last. Chance. Tell me where the baby is or else!""Or else? Or else what ?" Vegeta challenged, still amused."Or else this!" The small mortal form of Goku erupted on the alien horizon in a show of golden light and heat, power pulsing through every one of his veins. The sheer energy from the great transformation caused the ground to quake and tempest-like winds to howl.The guards’ scouters exploded on their faces and they both gaped in shock. They looked to the prince they had been hired to protect. Vegeta was on his own now. He knew it and so did they. He signaled to them to get out of the way of the battle, so they made a beeline for the nearest shelter. They peered back from behind a boulder several hundred feet past the prince.Vegeta, unaffected by the transformation save for his hair being ruffled from the blast of wind, scoffed at his rival. A very angry and very super saiyan Goku was staring him down fiercely, grinding his teeth. He looked like he could have been a lion in a past life, golden mane and all. Two pairs of eyes, one turquoise, remained locked on each other as if the slightest diversion would spell death. They uttered not a syllable until the winds calmed and Goku's form became nothing more than a suspended light source like the sun, causing no further weather disruptions.Goku kept his eyes on Vegeta, who stared back with the same scowl on his regal face. Vegeta's demeanor changed sharply. His frown turned to a sly smirk, which turned to a wicked grin. And his silence turned to a light chuckle, turned to laughter, turned to evil cackling. The royal guards glanced up from behind the great rocks to see what the hubbub was all about. As far as they were concerned, there was nothing worth laughing at. "Oh, okay, Kakarott," Vegeta tried to speak, roaring with laughter in between every phrase or so. "If you were ready to turn things up a notch already, then why didn't you just say so? Judging from your stalling, I thought you just wanted to spar around for a bit," Vegeta finished, finally containing his delight. "No, but seriously," he continued, "if you've had enough play time, then I'm just fine with that." Vegeta snapped his neck from side to side without breaking eye contact, readying himself for the real carnage.The warrior prince started gathering power into the center of his being. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his core and on pulling all his physical, spiritual, and mental energy into that spot. Tiny pebbles on the ground started to jump and bounce as a subtle vibration rippled through the alien earth below. The wind caught speed again and it swirled blankets of dust and exotic pollen around the two floating figures. Goku sneezed and rubbed his nose, then returned his gaze to Vegeta's mysteriously changing form. Tiny sparks of electricity, like little lightning bolts, began to encircle the other saiyan's limbs every now and again. They gradually became more active until Vegeta's hair would have been standing on end if not for its natural erectness.Vegeta released a great roar as the transformation overtook his being from the inside out. Bolts of lightning erupted from the sky and roasted segments of vegetation around him. His eyes opened slowly and Goku noticed they were glazed over. It was then Goku realized what was happening. Vegeta had done it. He had achieved the ultimate transformation for any saiyan warrior. Goku and his friends had previously believed he would never make that accomplishment. Theoretically one had to be pure of heart and the legend predicted there would be only one. But, in fact, there were now two. Vegeta's energized aura turned into an eruption of pure energy which pulsed and stirred the atmosphere around the royal fighter, his hair changing before Goku’s eyes.Goku looked on in awe as the two eyes staring back at him went from turquoise to black to turquoise to black. Vegeta swung his head back and bellowed. His pupils seemed to disappear altogether and then reappear as turquoise orbs. The transformation was complete. Wind, dust, and leaves swirled around him. A golden halo appeared around his now heavily-muscled figure, brighter than Goku's. The prince looked like a god. Every strand of fur on his tail radiated gold. It uncoiled from around his waist, slow and seductive like a snake. Goku was shocked.The two super saiyans floated in the air for a while as the reality of the situation settled in. This was going to be no quick and easy scuffle and they both knew it. What was worse, Vegeta had his tail. If he wanted or needed to, he could use it. How powerful could he become with a simultaneous super saiyan and giant ape transformation? Could he go ape at all while in super saiyan form? Goku had no way of knowing and that was unsettling to the Z fighter.In spite of Vegeta's achievement, Goku was not about to back down on his mission to rescue a helpless child and reunite him with his grieving mother. The whole Z gang was counting on him. He was Bulma’s only hope. The weather disruptions abated in the wake of the transformation. The royal guards were astonished as they peered out from behind their shelter. They glanced at each other with wonderment and back to the super saiyan prince. Then they both beamed with optimism, relieved that their side actually stood a chance against the extremely powerful foe.Vegeta blinked a few times and smirked. "So," he began, "any second thoughts about what you're doing here, Kakarott?" Vegeta snickered in satisfaction at Goku's more humbled demeanor.Goku closed his mouth and his face hardened once more. Of course, he would not back down. "Nope. No second thoughts. I've got a job to do and I'm not leaving until it's done.""Or until you're dead,” added Vegeta. "Whichever comes first, right? Either way, this won't be as easy as you thought, will it?" Not waiting for a reply, Vegeta snapped a finger for the guards. "Feldspar!" he said, addressing the shorter of the two by name. The soldier came forward and Vegeta whispered something in his ear. Feldspar bowed and flew off to do the prince's bidding. Peridot, the taller guard, remained behind. The prince did a few stretches, keeping an eye on Goku. The latter gazed back, rolling his eyes at Vegeta for stalling. The Z fighter had a multitude of questions, but he knew well enough to hold his tongue. Vegeta likely would not answer them anyway. "Alright, Kakarott," Vegeta said, getting into fight mode, "you ready for a lesson?""Lesson?" Goku inquired, raising an eyebrow skeptically."Yeah, I'm going to teach you," Vegeta said, throwing a kick into the air for emphasis on the word 'teach,' "some good old-fashioned respect for Pellucian law and order.""Pellucian?" Goku blinked in curiosity."Yes, idiot. Pellucian. We are on Planet Pellucid. If you’d done your homework, you would know that," derided Vegeta. He flashed a grin. “Ready for your lesson now, Baka-rott?”"I'll settle for a debate," Goku shot back."There is nothing to debate. The boy belongs to me. He is my child and heir. Nobody questions that fact around here, except you. And you’ll soon regret it. I'll make an example of you. I ought to kill you just for coming to Pellucid without an invite, let alone threatening to put your grubby peasant hands on the young prince. That’s inexcusable." Vegeta's eyebrows lowered in warning as he brandished a fist. “You have no right and I’ll make you pay for your shameless audacity.”Goku gritted his teeth. "What about Bulma's rights? This isn't about me, Vegeta!""It's not about you... even though you're playing the role of police, jury, judge, and executioner all in one, huh? We don't need you for that around here. We already have such services. And as for the woman, she has no rights to the boy. Not by Pellucian law nor by common principle.""You don’t decide what's right and wrong based on your selfish desires, Vegeta!" Goku charged."Do you just want to chat or do you want to get this over with? I'm dying to get rid of you and an argument can go on forever, whereas battles are much quicker. A fact that is very much to my liking,” the prince announced, clenching a fist. Goku was about to open his mouth to reply, but Vegeta cut him off and growled, “Shut up and fight me, punk!” Eager for the battle to continue, the elite threw an energy blast at the third-class warrior to get him on his toes again. It worked. Goku sucked in a breath and teleported off to the side just in time. The Earth saiyan remained floating in the air after dodging the attack, waiting for a second assault. None came."Well?" Vegeta spoke up."Well what?" Goku replied, confused."Aren't you going to attack me?" inquired the royal."I was waiting for you to attack me."The prince cocked a brow. "But you're the one who wants something.”"You don't want anything?""Only for you to leave this planet in peace, Vegeta replied."No can do," Goku returned. The lower-ranked fighter disappeared and reappeared behind Vegeta. He swung his leg around, dealing the unsuspecting man a hard kick to the side of the head. The assaulted prince whizzed past the one guard and collided with the boulder he had been hiding behind only a few minutes prior. The soldier cringed from the sound of the impact and from knowing how dead the saiyan traitor would be as soon as the prince got his senses back.Dust swirled around the site of the demolished stone. Not even giving it time to settle, a very pissed Vegeta flew out of the cloud and swiped at Goku with his fist, missing at first, but then nailing him in the abdomen with a well-timed kick. The golden-orange warrior flew back a few meters and held his stomach in pain, coughing and gasping to breathe. Meanwhile, Vegeta wiped at a rivulet of blood flowing out of a cut on his temple from the other man’s kick.After a brief moment of recovery and assessment, they were at it again full force, kicking, punching, blocking, dodging, kneeing, pounding, and jabbing in a typical high-flying super-powered martial arts battle fifty feet or so in the air. Their super saiyan movements were too fast for Peridot to keep up with. They were moving at such incredible speeds that he could not even see them. Every now and then he could momentarily spot a foot or fist or feel a swift unnatural breeze, but otherwise the meadow seemed deserted. Never in his life had he witnessed such incredible power. He had heard the rumors of the warrior who killed Frieza, a fighter with incredible and unmatched strength. But nobody seemed to know who it was exactly. The guard guessed it could easily have been one of these two fighting on the battlefield before him.The combat continued for hours until dusk came and the two small suns in the maroon-magenta sky were on the colorful horizon, one already half-disappeared into night. It appeared that the two fighters were evenly matched—punch for punch and kick for kick. They could not defeat each other and the battle was bound to go on until both were either too tired or too badly injured to continue it. The fight and its two participants began to slow down considerably to the point that the Pellucian guard was able to watch and see what was actually going on.Both fighters were bloodied, broken, and bruised from head to toe as a result of the long battle. Their clothes were shredded and stained. Goku's outer gi shirt was entirely gone and all that remained was the dark blue undershirt. Vegeta's left boot was ripped open and his toes were showing. Goku had a gash across the left side of his face. Vegeta had a broken nose. Soon enough, Goku made another attempt on Vegeta’s tail and Vegeta was pissed about it. He stomped down on Goku's shin, snapping the bone and provoking a pained cry from the injured warrior. Vegeta laughed cruelly and crushed down harder, making the larger man shriek in agony.The prince was so frustrated that he was becoming ruthless, wanting to end the fight and his nemesis for good. Yet still he held back. Peridot wondered if pride alone could be the reason that the elite had not resorted to using his glimmering appendage yet. The saiyan royal family had been legendary for a pride that knew no bounds, so it would not come as a surprise. Vegeta flew back a few yards to catch a breather when the other fighter was down. While he was almost desperate enough to use his tail, he suddenly remembered that he still had one more ace. He feared going ape would make him seem like a coward or a quitter. He had a healing reputation to worry about, plus his pride simply would not allow it until he was past all hope.The prince began secretly forming his last-ditch plan to end the stalemate battle once and for all. Vegeta coughed, wiped his face, and spoke up. "Alright, Kakarott, I'm giving you one last chance to take back all those idiotic things you said and leave. If you don't, it will mean your death and that of your friends, family, and entire planet as well. I suggest you take the bargain—leave now and I'll leave you and yours alone. You have my word as the Prince of all Saiyans."Goku coughed up some blood. "I’m not leaving without Trunks!"Vegeta growled in anger. "It’s a fool’s errand, Kakarott!” he exclaimed, almost pleadingly. “You would endanger your entire planet over this? I don’t understand." Vegeta wondered if the earthly saiyan thought he was bluffing. In the back of his mind, even Vegeta himself was not sure."Hand over Trunks and I'll leave," Goku asserted, still with determination."You’ll not lay a hand on my child! How did you feel when Radditz tried to take your son?”"That's different,” Goku retorted. “I never stole him from his mother in the first place.”“If you think it's wrong to separate a mother and child under any circumstance, then you’re a fool!" Vegeta roared. “A simplistic lout! And I don’t owe you an explanation for my actions!”Goku growled. “You owe one to Bulma though!”“She knows damn well why I took him!” Vegeta blared, deciding it was time to end the stalemate once and for all. He readied his final attack. The prince gathered all the energy he had left into the palms of his hands, every last ounce of strength. "Enough of this, Kakarott! It's time for you to die.” The earthly saiyan was visibly confused by Vegeta's words and he was still trying to recover from the last attack when Vegeta threw his final blast. "Big Bang Attack!" he bellowed as he released an enormous amount of energy, everything he had left within him."V-V-Vegeta!" Goku's eyes went wide in panic as he turned to flee.The blast would have surely been a direct fatal hit if Goku had not attempted to get out of the way. Instead, it only impacted his lower body and sent him flying at light speed into a patch of forest, leaving a smoldering crater where a group of alien trees with pink and violet foliage had been seconds earlier. The exhausted prince flew over to the spot where Goku had fallen. The man lay in the pit unconscious and back in his original form, a complete mess of a fighter. It would have been easy to finish him off if not for a hint of guilt that stayed the deed. Vegeta hovered for a while, looking at the battered form, almost wanting to attack, yet holding back.After a few minutes of the prince trying to decide what course of action to take next, the larger man seemed to rouse. A groan let Vegeta know just how much pain the other saiyan was in. The prince turned away slightly in thought, not knowing what to say. Once Goku’s vision cleared, he noticed the royal hovering near him. But Vegeta was staring off into the distance with a solemn bearing on his face. "Ve… Vegeta?" the Z fighter rasped, one of his eyes swollen shut.He started trying to push his body up off the ground and hissed in pain. The smaller man did not reply for a few long moments, but eventually he turned his body back around to face Goku. His visage was blank. “Go home, Kakarott. And never come back. I’ve been too generous so far. You had better leave before I change my mind,” Vegeta warned, clenching one of his fists.When Goku’s mind cleared, he realized he could not fight anymore. He was broken in body and his mind and spirit were not unaffected. He did not understand the feelings of self-doubt stirring in his heart. There was just one thing that prevented him from doing what Vegeta said and going back to Earth without Baby Trunks. "Bulma will be furious. And so will Chi Chi. I can't go back empty-handed.” When he realized he had said his thoughts aloud, Goku wanted to slap himself.But Vegeta’s response was not cruel. "It's not your fault, Kakarott. You tried.""That's not good enough," Goku shot back. “I’ve never failed Bulma before!”"Why are you trying to impress that wench?" Vegeta spat, furious that a fellow saiyan would be at the beck and call of such a pitiful being. He could hardly relate to Goku’s desire to please people. King Chrystal was one of the few people in the universe with an opinion Vegeta valued."It's not just her. It's all of them, all of my friends will think I'm a failure!" Goku added, his eyes growing wide. “Nothing will be the same. I can’t go back without the baby, Vegeta!”"They are all bigger failures than you will ever be! Why are you so concerned about what they think anyway? Is it really that important? You're acting like the woman getting her hands on the boy is a matter of life and death for you. I don't understand why the bitch can't just have another brat if she is so damn desperate for one! I left her womb well enough intact."Goku appeared angry. "You don’t understand the bond between mother and child at all.”Vegeta scoffed. “I had a mother once, you know. Don’t say such ignorant things. You only make yourself sound even dumber than you actually are,” he said with surprisingly little venom in his voice. He turned away and crossed his arms. “I know the mother-child bond.”Goku gazed up at Vegeta with his lips slightly parted. After a while, he had to swallow a lump that had formed in his throat from the royal’s admission. Moments later, Vegeta heard Goku utter a whimper and glanced over his shoulder. "I don't know how I'm going to face them.”Vegeta somehow felt compelled to give his foe a bit of advice. He turned back to Goku. "You need to change your attitude, Kakarott. Act like a saiyan. You are not a slave to expectations!""I'm still scared, Vegeta.""Facing your fear is what makes you a warrior." Vegeta hid his surprise at Goku's revealing so much vulnerability all at once, if only to pay back the favor from Planet Namek."It's not just me. I feel bad for Bulma.""Don’t! She deserves what she got!" Vegeta spat.Goku blinked. "Why? What are you talking about?"Vegeta bit his lip and quickly covered up with a "Nothing! Don’t worry about it, Kakarott!" in response. “It’s really not your problem. Why don’t you go home now? You must be hungry.”Goku paused awkwardly and then whispered, “I wish there was a way to give you both what you want.” He frowned. “I know he’s your baby, too, Vegeta. I really do. It’s just that I hate to see families torn apart. It’s so depressing. Why did you have to leave Bulma behind?”"That problem is between me and Bulma," Vegeta retorted, trying to get Goku's mind off of it so he would finally go. “Please just leave. I’m tired and hungry and I know you are, too!”"All right," Goku acquiesced, bowing his head in shame. "Bye, Vegeta.""Bye, Kakarott," Vegeta replied almost in a whisper.Goku put two trembling fingers to his temple and then disappeared into thin air. Vegeta sighed with relief. His heir was no longer under threat. Now, he could finally get back to his life and ambitions for the future. With that, the saiyan prince finally succumbed to his injuries and passed out cold. Peridot immediately flew over and dutifully carried him back to the palace.…"Now, don't you worry about that creep, Bulma. My Goku's taking care of him. I promise your baby will be fine. You'll see, sweetie. A few more hours and he'll be back in your arms," Chi Chi told her blue-haired friend in a soothing tone while offering her a warm cup of green tea.“No thanks, Chi Chi,” Bulma politely refused, plucking another tissue out of the box on her lap.Gohan sat in the corner trying to write a biology paper, only to find that he was distracted by the noise the women were making. "Hey, Mom, can I go to the school library to study?" he implored."It’s too late, Gohan. The library is almost closed." Chi Chi took a sip from her teacup and let the warm liquid slide down her throat. “You’ll have to wait until tomorrow, dear.”"When is Dad getting back? He's been gone for hours," Gohan groaned, getting edgy. He put down his pen, repeatedly finding his attempts to focus futile. He was too worried."I honestly have no idea, honey. I certainly hope he gets back soon, though," Chi Chi replied, getting up to prepare Gohan his usual late night snack. She went into the nearby kitchen."I just wish we could have sent him earlier," Bulma sighed, recalling how she had been unable to find the Son family when she had needed them right after the alleged kidnapping two weeks ago. As things had turned out, they had gone to visit Chi Chi's extended family."Oh, I'm so sorry we forgot to leave our contact information before we left, Bulma. I'm the one who should've thought of that. If only I'd been thinking," Chi Chi lamented, feeling negligent as she turned on the oven and got to work preparing a light meal of homemade lasagna.Bulma snuck a glance at Chi Chi's belly and tried not to let her green-eyed monster loose. "So do you know what you are going to name him?" the blue-haired woman inquired in an unexpectedly pleasant tone of voice. She hoped that acting optimistic might make her feel optimistic as well.Before Chi Chi could answer, her attention was diverted by a loud knock on the door."I wonder who that could be at such a late hour,” Bulma thought aloud.Chi Chi shrugged and stood up. Then she casually sauntered over to the door, unlocked it, and pulled it open, immediately gasping at the awful sight befallen her. "Goku!" Chi Chi exhaled in surprise as the man collapsed at her feet, unable to hold himself upright any longer.Bulma perked up. "Goku’s back?" she hollered with excitement, scrambling up from the couch and sprinting over to the front door at top speed. "Goku! Goku! Where's my baby? Where's Trunks? Tell me, Goku!" she cried frantically, nearly tackling the injured warrior."I… I couldn't…" Goku rasped, his face white as a ghost's. It had been about thirty minutes since the fight had ended. Due to his injuries, Goku’s aim with his instant transmission had been terribly off. It was a wonder he had been able to find his way home at all. Chi Chi could see that her husband had lost a lot of blood and his condition was not good at all."You couldn't what?" Bulma inquired expectantly. Goku passed out before he could answer her question. "You couldn't what?" Bulma shrieked, shaking the unconscious man."Oh, no! What did that horrible monster do to my poor sweet Goku?" Chi Chi cried. She wedged herself in between her husband and Bulma, cradling the broken man in her arms."Do we have any senzu beans?" Bulma asked instinctively, wanting to bring Goku back to his senses as soon as possible. She intended to interrogate him as to the whereabouts of her missing newborn and her patience was running short. Every moment that had passed since Trunks’s disappearance had been a torment to her and she had not had any restful sleep since."They’re out of season," Chi Chi said. "We'll have to use the regeneration tank at Capsule Corp."Bulma nearly cursed. The regeneration tank would take so much longer than a senzu bean. The blue-haired genius wanted the answers to her questions and she wanted them now.Gohan dashed over with panic on his face. "Oh, no! Is my daddy okay?" He kneeled down beside his parents and took his father’s wrist. “He’s got a pulse!” The demi-saiyan glanced around and added, "Where's the baby? I thought you said Dad was coming back with Bulma's baby, Mom."Gohan’s innocent observation pushed Bulma over the edge and she burst into tears again. She sank to the ground, hiding her face in her hands as she wailed. "Gohan, pick your father up and bring him to the car. We're going to Capsule Corp," Chi Chi instructed, rubbing Bulma’s back briefly. The young genius stood up slowly and tried to compose herself.Gohan carried Goku over to Bulma’s yellow Ferrari. After running inside briefly, Chi Chi helped him gingerly put the man in the back seat. "Vegeta didn't do this, did he? I'll kill 'im!" he seethed.Bulma shuffled over, looking absolutely miserable. "If this is Goku’s state, I can only imagine what state Vegeta must be in. Looks like it was a pretty nasty fight," she muttered, sniffling."I don't care if Vegeta got beat up too. I'm still going to kill him! He hurt my daddy," Gohan retorted, looking down at his father’s pitiful condition. "And he stole your baby. Why would you have any sympathy for that jerk? He’s just a selfish and heartless monster!""I don't know. I thought I loved him." She entered the driver's side and shut the door behind her."Are you sure you should drive, Bulma dear? Since you're so upset right now?" inquired Chi Chi.Bulma wiped her eyes. "I'm okay, Chi Chi. I am. I can make it to Capsule Corp. Come on, get in and let's get going." Bulma unlocked all the doors and Chi Chi got in next to Bulma and laid her purse next to her thighs. Gohan got in the back seat and cradled his father's head in his lap.Bulma sped along the highway like a bat out of hell, making the trip to Capsule Corp short indeed. Chi Chi kept asking her to slow down for the injured passenger, but Bulma would speed up whenever the other woman's attention wandered, egged on by the need to hear the news Goku had to report on the baby front. Once they arrived, Gohan carried his father to the anatomy science lab of Capsule Corp, wherein the regeneration tank was stored. With Chi Chi’s help, Bulma dusted it off and put it on the proper settings. Soon enough, Goku was suspended in a warm healing fluid laced with saiyan DNA. Meanwhile, Bulma, Chi Chi, and Gohan waited in the living room while he recovered, watching TV and trying to get their minds off of things.Mrs. Briefs strolled in and offered everyone some hot chocolate in light of the chilly weather. Winter was well on its way in West City and some winds were blowing against the house from outside. Everyone refused the offer except Gohan, who was apparently getting the munchies."Hey, Mom, I'm hungry," Gohan expressed, trying not to sound whiny. He took a sip from his mug of hot cocoa and swirled the melting marshmallows around with his spoon.Bulma gasped and turned to Gohan's mother, who was knitting on the couch. "Chi Chi, you didn't leave the oven on, did you? You were cooking before Goku showed up.”"No, sweetie," Chi Chi replied calmly, fully attentive to her needlework. "I remembered to turn it off. I’m always careful with things like that." She appeared to be working on a Christmas scarf."Hey, Mom!" Bulma called into the kitchen."Yes, sweetums?" chirped Mrs. Briefs, banging around a few pots and pans."Gohan's hungry," she declared without looking up from her Chic Mom magazine again."Not a problem, princess. Gohan honey, what would you like?""Do you have anything with beef?" Gohan inquired, very interested indeed."I can make you a few hamburgers,” offered the kind blond woman."Yummy!" Gohan said, his mouth watering."Anything for you ladies?" Mrs. Briefs addressed her daughter and the dark-haired woman. Chi Chi shook her head amiably and continued on with her knitting activity."No thanks, Mom. I can't even begin to think about food at a time like this,” Bulma replied."Poor dear. Can't I get you anything?" Mrs. Briefs asked."Maybe an Advil might help. I'm getting a headache," Bulma divulged, rubbing her temples."Absolutely! Just a moment, schnookums." The blond woman turned on a heel, strolled back into the kitchen, and began perusing the medicine cabinet for the requested medication.Chi Chi sighed, lowering her knitting to her lap. "How much longer will this take? I'm worried about my Goku. He's been in that tank for an hour already,” she expressed."At least five more hours, Chi Chi. Better than a month-long hospital stay, though.”Gohan chimed in, "It sure is. I can tell you that from personal experience." He recalled his days in the hospital following the battle with Vegeta and Nappa. Hospitals frightened him. Although they bothered his father even more—a fact well known by every member of the Z squad.Dr. Briefs suddenly entered the living room with briefcase in hand, back from a long day working in the lab. "Has my grandson returned yet?" the elder inquired aloud.Bulma broke down and started to sob her heart out again. Gohan slapped his forehead and Chi Chi let out a sigh. Mrs. Briefs ran to Bulma’s side and placed her hands on her daughter’s shoulders, giving her a soothing back rub. "Oh, dear," she whispered to her husband. "It probably won’t be a good idea to mention little Trunksy-poo around Bulma-kins for a while.""Oops,” Dr. Briefs replied, placing a hand behind his head. “Terribly sorry, my dears.”"My baby," Bulma squeaked, clenching her fists. Streams of tears leaked down her pretty face. She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them. Burying her face in them, she cried bitterly."Oh, angel bunny cupcake puppy pie," her mother gently crooned. "I'm sure Vegeta dear didn't mean any harm. He didn't mean any harm, buttercup. Maybe he’ll come back on his own.""I miss my baby, Mommy. I want him back," Bulma squeaked. Lying down on her side across the couch, she put a hand to her stomach and reminisced on the final days of her pregnancy. The energetic infant’s movements and her lullabies remained etched in her memory, haunting her dreams. Her rational mind understood the child’s absence, but her heart and soul did not."Mommy knows, honeybuns. Mommy knows,” her mother replied softly, giving Bulma another quick hug before returning to the kitchen to finish cooking Gohan's meal.…Chrystal stood by the regeneration tank in the infirmary, patting his full abdomen. The section of the castle was located by the royal training grounds where guards were often injured and in need of treatment after drills. The king loosened his night robe around the middle for greater comfort. "How is he?" he inquired, keeping an eye on the dormant saiyan suspended in the healing fluid.The physician on duty checked the monitors, noting that all of Vegeta’s vital signs were normal. "Prince Vegeta needs another hour or so, Your Majesty, but he will recover shortly.""I suppose we'll have to wait till tomorrow to find out what happened,” the king divulged to his escort, the elegant Queen Bijou. “The guards never found out who the strange warrior was.”The king’s mate was a beautiful woman by all Pellucian standards. She had long dark purple hair, bejeweled with various sparkling accessories, light violet skin, a fine figure, deep cerulean orbs, and long lashes. She was also an excellent co-ruler, beloved by the people, without whom the king would never be able to rule even half the planet. "That was some powerful warrior who showed up today. We're lucky Prince Vegeta was able to take care of himself. I'm glad we didn't underestimate him like those silly fools at the Patissian Empire Convention,” Bijou noted.The king chuckled at his mate's keen observation. "I know. Usually only peasants assume that a bereaved royal becomes one of them. It’s such a boorish notion. Anyone as highborn as the Visduchess of Belekoy and the Margrave of Galetta ought to know better.""Indeed,” answered the queen. "Blue blood does not turn common unless the royal gene pool is diluted by generations of ignoble procreation. Prince Vegeta’s blood is pure."Chrystal put a hand on Bijou’s shoulder. “Just think, dear. Picture how mortified the Paties will be in a few short years when Vegeta publicly inaugurates the new empire and ratifies the Charter of Cosmic Accord. They’ll be squirming in their seats,” he expressed.Queen Bijou grinned up at the king as he ran his hand along her delicate jawline, admiring her beauty. “That sounds delicious,” she replied as they paused for a deep kiss.After drawing back, Bijou let out a blissful sigh. "Our people have been so jubilant in the wake of Frieza’s downfall. It's a wonder we survived his reign at all. Everything would have been lost for us long ago had it not been for the late King Vegeta coming to our defense.”"I know, he sacrificed his own for ours,” agreed the king. “And I plan to repay him in kind.”"The traitors in Relish Court have been spreading rumors that he was a degenerate and a true ally of Frieza. And they seem to be getting away with it too. What are we going to do?”"Their time will come, my love. We must be patient." Chrystal watched as the queen rested a hand on the thick glass of the regeneration tank, looking in. He cleared his throat. “The saiyans were a noble warrior race and they lived by their vows to protect their allies. King Vegeta only befriended Frieza to protect his empire and ours from that maniac. While the effort turned out to be misguided and futile, he did what he thought best for his people. He was a good man and a great warrior. And, with our guidance, Prince Vegeta will be an even better leader than his sire.""I can't begin to imagine the horrors he must have lived through under Frieza,” lamented the queen as she gazed at the submerged warrior. She sucked in a breath and turned to her mate, smiling optimistically. "A new age is dawning. We must be well rested for its arrival.""Vegeta will regale us with the tale of his crusade tomorrow," the king declared. “To sleep!”"Yes, I’m exhausted." Bijou's eyes sparkled in the light from the hall as she let out a yawn. The Pellucian royal couple left the infirmary accompanied by palace personnel, as usual.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hours passed. Chi Chi started to yawn and rub her eyes and Gohan fell asleep on the couch, face buried in a comic book. As for Bulma, she went to the lab and paced in front of the regeneration tank, unable to get the anxiety out of her head. She side glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 2:30 in the morning and Goku only needed one more hour. Bulma was getting impatient.

"Come on, Goku," she urged in a low voice, fidgeting and pacing some more.

The time seemed to pass so slowly. Finally, an hour later, the buzzer went off and got Bulma's attention while she was dozing. Goku appeared to be asleep as the tank started to drain. In reality, he was wide awake and in complete dread of facing the others. He considered pretending to be exhausted in hope they would let him rest. Then again, knowing Bulma, she probably would not.

Bulma ran to get Chi Chi and Gohan, who jumped up despite their sleepiness and followed her to the lab. By the time they got there, the tank was already half-emptied. Once finished, it opened automatically. "Goku honey?" Chi Chi murmured, the first to speak. "Are you okay, dear?"

Goku appeared to be very groggy indeed. He rubbed his eyes and started to climb out of the tank with his wife's careful assistance. "I think I'm okay, Chi,” he returned, a bit wobbly.

"Goku, what happened?" asked Bulma. She was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"Well," Goku murmured, reluctant.

"Where's my baby?" she squeaked, almost afraid to hear the truth.

"And where's Vegeta?" Chi Chi added, speaking the royal’s name with a distinct tone of disgust.

"Hold on, guys. Can’t I change into dry clothes first? I’m all wet and my hair is soaked,” Goku pleaded. "It’s really uncomfortable. Then I'll answer all of your questions. I promise."

"Here." Bulma tossed him some fresh clothes and he went into the restroom to change.

He came out in a pair of blue jeans and an orange polo shirt, hands in his pockets. "Alright, guys, you can probably guess that I don't have good news,” he finally divulged. Bulma gulped audibly.

"You might want to sit down, Bulma," Chi Chi suggested with a hand on her friend’s shoulder.

Predictably, Bulma burst into tears again and ran over to Goku, taking hold of his shirt collar and shaking him frantically. "Where’s Trunks? Where’s my baby, Goku? Tell me! Oh Kami, tell me where he is before I have an aneurysm! Please, Goku! If he’s not okay, I’ll just die!"

"I don't know where Trunks is!" Goku admitted, trying to gently pry her hands from his neck as he felt his air supply cut short. "Vegeta wouldn't tell me. He was very stubborn.”

Gohan and Chi Chi tried to restrain Bulma. The young genius was on the edge of going totally ballistic. "Bulma sweetie, please calm down," Chi Chi pleaded in a calming voice.

"Dad, tell us more. What happened?" Gohan inquired, eyeing his father with curiosity.

Goku sat down and gestured for the others to do the same, which they did. "I almost feel like we should have the whole Z team together so I can tell them all what happened at once,” Goku said, trying to stall. There was nothing he hated more than being the bearer of bad news.

"We're having a barbecue tomorrow and you can tell everyone then. But you've got to tell us three now!" Bulma charged. “I can’t wait any longer. I’ve waited two weeks already!”

"Okay! Well, I did find Vegeta with my instant transmission. He's on a planet called Pellucid. It’s maybe about one-and-a-half weeks away from Earth if you’re traveling by space pod."

"Never heard of it,” Bulma and Gohan replied in unison.

"I didn't know where I was until Vegeta told me,” admitted the full-blooded saiyan, rubbing the nape of his neck. "So Vegeta is on this breathtaking planet," he continued with a sigh, "basically living like royalty.” Goku paused. “Well… correction, he is considered royalty there."

"Royalty? Royalty my ass!" Chi Chi spat in indignation, brandishing a fist in the air. "That scumbag doesn’t deserve the time of day, let alone a royal title!" she roared.

Goku put up a hand. "I mean it, Chi. He has servants and guards and fancy clothes and, and, and everything. When I used instant transmission to find him, I ended up in the middle of a giant throne room! It was kind of embarrassing, to be honest. All the guards were looking at me like I was there to kill their king or something. It was crazy, I’m telling you!" he retorted.

"Woah," Gohan uttered, fascinated.

"Don't tell me you couldn't handle those guards, Goku!" Chi Chi scolded.

Goku raised an eyebrow. "The guards weren't a problem, Chi. Vegeta took me away from the palace so we could settle our conflict man-to-man. I mean, I expected him to be willing to fight me himself… but… but I didn't expect him to go super saiyan!" he exclaimed.

"Super saiyan?" Chi Chi, Bulma, and Gohan shrieked all in unison.

"Yeah! I couldn’t believe it either," Goku conceded.

"But I thought you had to be pure of heart to turn super saiyan, Dad," Gohan protested.

"I guess not," Goku replied with a shrug.

"That doesn't make any sense,” Chi Chi uttered. "How could he go super saiyan? The thought of that… monster with so much power is frightening and sickening." She shuddered at the thought.

"He's not a monster, Chi Chi," Goku protested. “You ought to know that there’s some good in everyone, whether they know it or not. And I’m pretty sure that includes Vegeta.”

"Goku's right, Chi Chi. He’s not a monster. He's just a big jerk!" Bulma confirmed. "And by the time I get done with him, he's going to be pork roast! Goku, where precisely is this so-called 'Planet Pellucid' anyway?" Bulma inquired, a look of determination befalling her features.

"You're not thinking about going there, are you, Bulma?" Goku inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"You are darn right I'm thinking about going there, Goku! That's probably where that muscled dork took my baby,” charged the fiery blue-haired woman. “I’m going to get him back!”

"Don't even try it, Bulma! You'll get crushed!" Goku countered.

Bulma cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I could tell the gravity there was at least five times Earth’s normal gravity. You'd have to do a lot of training to even be able to survive the descent in a spacecraft," Goku warned.

"Then train I shall!" Bulma declared.

Goku almost slapped his own forehead. "Even if you did manage to get to Planet Pellucid you'd never get past the royal guards at the palace gate! Plus, there is a law on Pellucid stating that biological fathers own all their children. Women have no rights to their kids. So you can't even try to sue the guy for child custody in their court system. They'd just laugh at you!"

Bulma suddenly looked psychotic. "Wh-wh-wh-whaaaaaaat? That's the most fucked up…" she screeched, unable to find the right words to express her anger before Chi Chi chimed in.

"How could they have such a terrible law?" Chi Chi derided, putting a hand to her heart.

"It's called patriarchy, Chi Chi," Bulma replied angrily, beginning to pace again. "Gosh, now what am I going to do? I have to think of a plan," she wondered aloud.

"Taking poor little children away from their loving mothers? How utterly awful!" Chi Chi said, grabbing hold of Gohan protectively. Gohan was visibly annoyed by the affection.

Chi Chi was about to ask what Goku planned to do next, but she was cut off by Bulma’s further interrogation. "What happened after Vegeta went super saiyan, Goku?"

"We fought,” Goku replied.

"And…?"

"For hours and hours."

"Yes, go on," Bulma encouraged, leaning forward.

Goku put his hand behind his head, feeling fidgety and uncomfortable. "Yeah, hey… look you guys, I admit I'm a little reluctant to tell you all about just how Vegeta licked me." Gohan, Chi Chi, and Bulma simultaneously fell on the floor. "Heh heh," Goku laughed, simpering at the group. "You see," he slowly continued, "for a while we were in a stalemate battle until we got into another verbal argument and then Vegeta threw an attack that almost killed me."

"Well, you’re healed now, so you have to go back!" Bulma demanded.

"What good would that do?” Goku inquired, downbeat. "How will my chances of success be any better? Oh, and I forgot to mention that his tail grew back. Vegeta didn't even use it in the battle. If I go back, he’ll get mad and probably use it to finish me off. He also said if he ever sees my face again, he’ll blow up Earth. Judging from his history, he just might be serious."

"This is a problem,” Chi Chi sighed, putting a hand over her face.

"Ya think?" Bulma snapped at her pregnant friend.

"No need to be rude, Bulma,” Chi Chi replied. "I was just thinking out loud."

"No need to tell me how to act, Chi Chi," Bulma spat back, pointing accusingly at Chi Chi’s swollen pregnant belly. "You don't even have a kidnapped newborn to worry about."

"Hey, now, Bulma! It's not Chi Chi's fault what happened. She just wants to think of a solution," Goku returned, playing the peacemaker as usual. “We all are! We’re on your side.”

"Well, I have got a solution for you, Goku. Let's send the entire Z squad!" Bulma declared, both fists thrust up into the air with enough determination to lead a whole army into battle.

"What about Earth?” Goku protested. “If we provoke Vegeta again, he might just destroy it."

"Fuck Earth!" Bulma shouted, unrelenting. "I want my baby back right now!"

"One baby isn't worth the entire planet, Bulma," Gohan retorted, earning himself a deadly glare.

"Well, guys, I don't know what to say," Goku uttered, scratching the back of his head.

"It looks hopeless,” Gohan lamented, face cast downward.

"I'm sure sorry, Bulma," Goku said, trying to offer consolation to his friend.

“If you hadn’t let Vegeta live all those times that you let him off scot-free, this never would have happened!” Chi Chi charged, glaring at her husband. “And now he’s too powerful to control.”

Bulma turned fiercely on Chi Chi. “If he’d killed Vegeta, Trunks never would’ve been born!”

“Well, I’m sorry, but I’ve had enough of this agitation! If only you had better taste in men. You could have had anyone you wanted on the whole planet with your wealth and looks, yet for some reason you chose Vegeta of all people!” Chi Chi blared. Gohan grabbed a hold of Bulma as she made to attack Chi Chi. She struggled to get at the black-haired woman screaming obscenities, but Gohan effectively held her back. Chi Chi just turned away from the enraged genius. “Hmph.”

“Attacking Chi Chi won’t help,” Goku said. “It won’t bring back Trunks. I wish things hadn’t turned out this way, but life’s not always fair. At times, we have to learn that the hard way.”

Bulma's face went ghostly pale. "You… you're not… g-g-giving up on me… are you, G-Goku?" Her blue eyes filled with tears. Bulma gazed at Goku with her big, sad, puppy-dog orbs.

Goku shrugged dejectedly, feeling even worse than before. Seeing his pitiful response, Bulma again burst into tears. This led her to literally throwing a screaming, crying, kicking tantrum the likes of which the Sons had never seen. Chi Chi seized Goku by the ear and dragged him down the hall as he whined about having his ear pulled. He realized he was in for a serious discussion.

"You, Son Goku, will not enter my house, communicate with my child…" Chi Chi felt a kick in her lower abdomen, "err… children," she corrected herself, "nor eat my food until poor little Trunks is in his crib safe and sound and Bulma is back to her good old self. Do you understand me?" She instructed, staring him down. “I don’t care what has to get done. Do it!”

Goku managed to gently pry his wife off his ear before replying. "But, Chi, I tried as hard as I could. I don’t understand what you expect me to do." He stepped back and scrunched up against the wall as her displeased gaze bore down on him. “What about endangering the Earth?”

"How is it that you spend up to twelve hours a day training and yet you are unable to defeat that little hell-bound ass-troll who attempted to invade Earth not more than a few years ago?" Chi Chi yelled, baring her teeth. “I don’t understand, Goku. How is that even possible?”

"I don't spend twelve hours every day, Chi Chi. Vegeta trains more than me these days since you won't let me train as much as I would otherwise. How can you expect me to keep up with him?"

“You are twice his size, Goku! You have no excuse! And if you’re not going to make yourself useful otherwise by, say,

getting a job

, then you had damned well better excel at what you always waste your time doing anyway!” the woman hollered, nearly blowing out Goku’s eardrums.

“Now, hold on, Chi! I’m not that much bigger than he is. In a battle, it isn’t just si… it isn’t just… size that… that cou…” Goku’s response tapered under the pressure of her icy stare. His wife just stood there regarding him with her brows furrowed, arms crossed, and her foot tapping at a timely pace on the floor. "What?" Goku asked, putting a hand behind his head.

She remained staring at him, quite overtly galled, for a few long moments. Then she turned to go, but she stopped and looked back once she arrived at the door. "Tomorrow the entire crew is getting together at Bulma's for a barbecue. I'd like to see you tell them the same thing you just told us without putting forth a plan to set things right. And it had better be a good one!”

Goku gulped audibly and simpered. The expression was not received well, so he dropped it. Chi Chi turned and paced back towards the lab. Goku's shoulders slumped.

Man…

he thought.

I’m in a tight spot.

He sighed inwardly and followed her back to the lab with his head down.

"Come on, Gohan. We're going home now," she said, picking up her purse with her needlework and heading for the exit. She sounded calmer than before, yet still agitated. When Goku tried to follow, Chi Chi stopped dead in her tracks. This caused father and son to stop awkwardly too and look at each other, confused. "Goku," Chi Chi spoke without turning around to face him.

"Yeah, Chi?" Goku answered, unsure of what was going on.

"What did I just say?"

Goku started to get scared. "You s-said that I have to come up with a plan to fix things before tomorrow's get-together,” he reiterated. “I’m on it, I swear!” he added defensively.

"And what else did I say? I said before Trunks is back in his crib safe and sound, what three things will not be happening?" she inquired very directly, barely glancing back at him.

"Uh…" Goku peered at the back of her head, confused.

After an awkward silence while waiting for an answer that never came, Chi Chi abruptly turned and strolled right up into Goku's face so that their noses were hardly a fraction of an inch apart. "One, you will not enter my house. Two, you will not speak to my children." She counted each one off on the fingers of her left hand, keeping her eyes locked with her husband’s.

"Hey!" Gohan whined, not liking the sound of that in the least.

Chi Chi continued, "Three, you will not eat my food." She paused. "Any questions?"

"Yeah, how am I supposed to come up with a plan if I have nowhere to sleep and nothing to eat? My brain needs fuel and rest to function, you know," Goku retorted, suppressing a tone of anger.

"Yeah," Gohan added, "and until Dad's back in the house, you can forget about me studying!" The boy grabbed a hold of his father's hand. "You can't kick my daddy out of his own house."

"Gohan, this is between me and your father," Chi Chi scolded.

Gohan kept a determined look on his face and a good hold on Goku.

After another long pause, Chi Chi finally relented. "Alright, you can come home, Goku. But I swear to you here and now that you will be sleeping on the couch until further notice. Mark my words!" She locked eyes with him for an extended moment and then turned to leave.

"I th-think I can handle that," Goku replied, wiping away a bead of sweat from his forehead.

…

If you have ever been forced to sleep on a cheap old couch, you probably found it to be considerably uncomfortable. If you are a large person, your whole body may not have even fit properly and you may have woken up with cramps from sleeping in strange unnatural positions all night. That is exactly the fate suffered by Goku following Chi Chi's threats.

Our selfless hero tossed and turned the rest of the night, finding he was unable to attain an acceptable position no matter how hard he tried. Worse than that, his mind was plagued by the task he had to do. Even his dreams were invaded by the incessant urge to fix things.

The next morning he woke up to find his bright-eyed nine-year-old looming over him with a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice in one hand and a large plate of syrupy pancakes in the other. "Hey, Dad! Did you sleep okay?" Gohan inquired with a big grin.

"I guess," Goku murmured wearily, not moving. His eyelids were too heavy to stay open for more than a few seconds, so they slid shut again as he fell back into a state of unconsciousness.

"This is for you, Dad," Gohan said, snapping Goku out of his slumber.

"Oh," Goku mumbled. "Thanks, Son." He slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. When he tried to stretch, he felt something pop in his back. It sent a sharp pain down his spine. He was quick to take note of the painful crick in his neck as well. Goku groaned in misery as Gohan set the plate down on his lap and the orange juice down on the glass coffee table.

His thoughtful son then returned to the kitchen and came back with his own plate and glass. "I'm excited about the barbecue today, Dad. There's gonna be ice cream, you know," Gohan remarked, plopping down on the recliner. “And I also heard a rumor about cake, but I can’t confirm it.”

"When is it again?" the elder inquired, rubbing his eyes with a fist.

"I think it's at noon," Gohan replied, picking up his utensils.

"And what time is it now?" Goku asked, looking around the room in hope of locating a clock.

"It's nine-thirty. I'm glad it's the weekend because I got to sleep in,” the young boy expressed, cutting his pile of buttermilk pancakes right down the middle with a fork and knife.

"Oh boy," Goku grumbled, rubbing his face in an attempt to wake up. "That means I only have two and a half hours,” he whispered to himself, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling.

Gohan heard. "Two and a half hours for what?" he asked, shoving in a mouthful of food.

"I, uh, I have a job to do," Goku revealed, taking a hold of his own knife and fork and digging in.

"Oh," Gohan uttered with a tone of concern. "You're… you aren’t going to try to fight Vegeta again, are you, Dad?" Gohan stopped eating and looked worriedly at his father.

"Not exactly," Goku replied, unsure of how to explain.

"What are you going to do then?" asked Gohan, probing his father for answers.

"I'm going…. um… I'm going to go talk to Vegeta," Goku stuttered, feeling unsure of his plans and whether or not they would prove fruitful. “Maybe he can be reasoned with.”

"Will that do any good?" Gohan had clearly picked up on his father's insecurity.

"I hope," came Goku's blunt reply.

Gohan recalled Vegeta’s genocidal threat. "What if he gets mad that you showed up again?"

"I'll try really hard not to get him mad," Goku voiced with a shrug.

"How?" Gohan asked, fearful.

"Well, I won't threaten him or anything. That's what he was mad about before, I think. I’ll just be polite," Goku explained, unable to come up with a better answer for the time being.

"Be careful, Dad," Gohan warned before he started stuffing his face again.

"I will, Son. So where's your mom?" Goku asserted, welcoming a change of subject.

"She went shopping to get a present for Bulma,” Gohan divulged.

"I thought Bulma's birthday was in the summer?" Goku cocked a brow, wondering what his wife was really up to. It got him worried that she might be planning something against him.

"It's not a birthday gift. It's a 'feel better' gift. Like when you get sick, only in Bulma's case she's depressed. You know how people bring you presents to heighten your mood. Mom also feels bad about the fight they had yesterday and she wants to make peace," Gohan explained.

"Yeah," Goku returned, pausing. "Gee. Poor Bulma." He sighed.

"What is it, Dad?"

"I hate feeling so…" he paused, sighed again, and then finished, "unable to help."

"I know that feeling,” Gohan replied.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I felt that way when the saiyans arrived and everybody was fighting so hard, but I just got scared," Gohan recounted, recalling the painful memory. He hated to think of it.

"You were young, Gohan. Don't blame yourself," Goku advised in all sincerity. Gohan had been five years old at the time and had been extremely sheltered by his overprotective mother.

"I'm just saying, I know it's a bad feeling, Dad." He paused. "But you're the best! You’ll think of something. Not all problems can be solved with muscles. Sometimes we have to use our brains."

"That's exactly what I'm thinking, although I don't think I'm very well practiced," Goku admitted.

"That's probably why Mom calls all the Z fighters muscle-heads all the time. I don't think that  she's right, Dad. I think you’re a lot smarter than either of you realize,” Gohan asserted.

"Thanks, Gohan."

"You're welcome, Dad."

After a few minutes of silent dining, Goku stood up with his empty plate. "Well, I had better get going. I'll want to be back in time for the barbecue,” he expressed with a sigh.

"Where should I tell Mom you went?" Gohan asked, wiping his mouth.

"Err… I'm not sure my idea will work and I don't want to get everyone’s hopes up. So tell her I went to meditate about the situation," Goku paused and added, "to try to think of a solution."

"Okay, Dad. If you say so."

"I said so alright."

Gohan laughed at that. "See ya at noon, then?"

"See ya, Gohan." Goku waved goodbye and went to the master bedroom to get dressed.

…

"I know, but I still feel like I've lost one of my best advisors,” King Chrystal lamented.

"That kind of treachery is no different than a friend stabbing you in the back. You have my condolences. I can only imagine my father having experienced greater afflictions," Vegeta said.

"Certainly you must've gotten a taste of them,” Bijou chimed, seated next to the king.

"I was young. My father taught me things I would need to know about leading the saiyan people, but I knew few of his personal struggles. He only shared with my mother. I am sure he would’ve lost his mind without her," Vegeta conceived, thinking back to a bygone time.

"Neither would I maintain reason without you, my jewel," the king crooned, intertwining his fingers with Bijou’s. She was visibly charmed by the attention and compliment.

A tiny baby woke up in his cradle to Vegeta's immediate left. He had a few tufts of lavender hair atop his little head and a long tail of the same color. The child began to fuss, so Vegeta offered him a finger to hold onto for reassurance. The baby’s violet appendage coiled around it tightly, refusing to let go. The physical contact soothed the infant and he went back to sleep.

"Your son becomes more alert each day,” Bijou observed, peering at him from across the table.

"That he does," Vegeta replied. There was a period of silence as Vegeta toyed with his son's feet.

"Even without a mother, I can already tell he's going to grow into a great man,” King Chrystal asserted, giving his consort's hand a quick squeeze. “And an even greater king.”

"Thank you,” Vegeta replied, attention still focused on the child. “I expect great things of him.”

A servant poked his head in, looking for the king and queen. "Your Majesties?"

"Yes, Bauble?" Bijou acknowledged, raising her head.

"Princess Sapphire, your eldest daughter, has returned from her trip to the aquatic planet of Wasseria,” Bauble informed them. Vegeta's eyes widened immensely.

"Well, do bring her in,” the king chimed in merriment. He was undeniably pleased since their daughter had been gone for a full Pellucian calendar year on her travels to other worlds. The servant promptly obeyed and retreated from the verandah to do the king's bidding.

"You remember Sapphire, don't you, Vegeta?" Bijou suggested.

"Yes, of course. How could I forget the girl who put Tarzanium gum in my hair when I was five?" Vegeta replied, rolling his eyes lightly. “She certainly liked to get my attention.”

Bijou giggled. "Oh, and Sapphire is going to be charmed by the new addition to your family,” she alleged, gesturing to the baby. "She absolutely adores children—the younger, the better."

"Sounds like a typical woman to me,” Vegeta conceived.

“I think that would describe her very well,” Queen Bijou replied. “She’s always primping herself and fawning over the strongest warriors in the arena. She loves to throw them her fancy scarves.”

"Yes, just like her mother did once upon a time," the king added, taking his mate’s hand.

Vegeta chuckled. "Well, Sapphire is more than welcome to fawn over my son.”

“She'll undoubtedly be excited to see you again too after so many years,” Chrystal added.

"I must ask her what Wasseria was like. I hear the aquatic kingdoms are breathtaking. I have forgotten how many there are, though," Vegeta replied, looking pensive for a second.

"Seven. And our daughter has likely visited them all,” Queen Bijou boasted. "She’ll love to show you her recorded memoirs. It’s one of her favorite hobbies whenever she travels."

"My hope is to make allies of the Wasserian leaders,” Vegeta admitted.

"If they are as wise as I believe, then they will seek you out first and befriend you," Chrystal mused. “It would be a diplomatic gesture and, if one comes, the rest are sure to follow.”

"Yes, it is a critical time for military alliances in the wake of Frieza’s downfall," Bijou expressed, taking a sip of her authentic Pellucian wine from the rainforests of Luster Bay.

"And you know how saiyans enjoy seafood,” Vegeta added, leaning back in his chair to stretch.

"Of course. Plus, if you’re lucky, Queen Frigida of the Arctic Empire might offer to do ice sculpture work for you as a diplomatic gift for your coronation. Royals travel from all around the cosmos to obtain an icy monument of themselves from the arctic craftsmen. They are utterly stunning, but hard to keep cold if you happen to live in a warm climate,” the queen explained.

"An ice palace would be stunning, wouldn't it?" Vegeta contrived, conjuring up a mental image.

"Stunning, yes, but also quite freezing I’m sure," the king judged.

Vegeta shrugged. “Sometimes I like the cold.”

Bauble came back in and they all turned their attention to him. "Your Majesties, your daughter has declared that she is exhausted and she has gone to her chambers to take her siesta early."

"Was she told that Prince Vegeta is here?" Bijou inquired in disappointment.

"No, Your Majesties, we could hardly get a word in with her. She just went straight up to bed."

"It's no problem,” Vegeta replied to the Pellucian royals. "I can talk to her later on. She must be very tired from the long trip. It would be best to just let her sleep for now."

"Yes, I agree,” the queen replied. "Alright, Bauble, you are dismissed for now."

"Thank you, milady." He bowed to them and left.

"We can surprise Sapphire with you and your son at the next meal,” the queen proposed.

Vegeta grinned. “Can’t wait.”

…

Goku, now fully dressed, paced back and forth in front of the queen-sized bed in the master suite. Every few minutes he would glance at the clock on the dresser and let out an agitated sigh.

Man. What am I going to say to Vegeta to keep him from strangling me to death?

Goku mused in distress, stopping to stare at a patch of carpet for a while.

And from destroying Earth?

This was his mental preparation. For the same reason coaches give encouraging speeches to their teams before a big game, Goku had to give himself a pep talk before carrying out the potentially suicidal idea he had.

Too bad I don’t have a coach,

he thought.

Other than myself, of course.

He plopped down on the bed and ran a hand through his hair, frowning at the situation. Then he heard a sound from outside. Goku shot up in a flash and sped to the window, peering out with caution. Chi Chi had just pulled up in her red hover car. She stumbled out with a shopping bag in hand, looking as ticked off and hormonal as ever, and then slammed the car door shut behind her. A large sweat drop trickled down Goku's forehead and his cheeks turned a slight tinge of blue.

I guess it's time to get going,

he thought to himself, putting two fingers to his forehead for the sake of concentration.

Vegeta, here I come. Please don’t kill me!

And he was gone in a flash.

Goku materialized on the private veranda outside of King Chrystal’s and Queen Bijou's royal bedchambers. The two Pellucian royals and their saiyan guest were pleasantly exchanging words at a fine ruby table in the same eloquent language as before. It was full daylight.

Goku found that he was half-hidden by a red velvet drapery a few feet behind the king and queen. It was the curtain that marked the threshold between the bedroom inside and the veranda outside. Vegeta was so intent on his conversation with the royals that he did not even notice the other saiyan dressed in blue jeans and a pullover—a combination of alien clothes that would make any Pellucian with the faintest fashion sense cringe. Goku noted that it was much warmer here than on Earth, where winter was on its way. He started to sweat under his warm clothes.

Goku tried to discreetly get the prince's attention.

"Psst! Vegeta,"

he whispered, waving.

For a few seconds, Goku remained unnoticed as Vegeta stayed attentive to the conversation between himself and the other royals. Slowly and haphazardly, Vegeta's eyes wandered from his friends to Goku's waving hand as he finally caught sight of the other saiyan. He jumped up from his seat, startling his friends, and stared daggers at the trespasser. "You again? What’re you doing here? Get out!” Vegeta shouted, brandishing a fist in the air to ward off the perceived threat.

"Hey, Vegeta, I just wanted to…" Suddenly the young prince started crying, sensing his father’s distress. Goku raised a brow in curiosity. "What's that?" he asked in puzzlement. He peeked over the table and spotted the cradle and small wriggling form swaddled within.

"Stay away from my son!" Vegeta barked, standing over the crib protectively. "If you come anywhere near him, then I will tear you limb from limb, you stupid fucking peasant!"

King Chrystal bolted up from his seat and shouted for the guards, whereas Queen Bijou ran around the table to help Vegeta defend the child. She picked up the crying baby and cradled him in her arms, holding him protectively and standing behind the elder Vegeta.

Goku held up his hands to calm everyone. "Vegeta, I'm really sorry to bother you, but I just want to talk, honest!" he announced loudly in the uproar. No one could hear him as the armored guards charged in. They surrounded the badly-dressed intruder with their weapons drawn and ordered him to surrender in Pelluci. He raised his hands all the way up in the air to show his compliance.

Vegeta snarled at him as the guards finished their shouting and quieted down until only the crying baby could be heard over the sound of a soft breeze. Finally, the prince spoke. "I thought you might have at least half a brain when you surrendered and returned to Earth the other day. I thought I made myself very clear when I said I would destroy you and that mudball you call a planet if you so much as came within a lightyear of my offspring. How was this not clear to you, you brainless cretin? Tell me how that wasn’t clear to you, damn it!" Vegeta spat venomously.

Goku gulped. "Vegeta, I'm not here to fight you. Really, I just want to talk about something. Can we do that? Can we talk in private? Please, Vegeta!" Goku pleaded, clasping his hands together pitifully. "Please…" he squeaked again as Vegeta's infuriated gaze bore down on him.

The prince's mouth was shut and his brows furrowed. He crossed his arms over his chest angrily and huffed. Goku's eyes remained locked with Vegeta's as the prince’s cape fluttered in the wind. Vegeta finally spoke up, clearly irritated. "Am I to take it that you again invaded the Pellucian royal palace with no invite, only this time simply because you want a free audience with one of the royals therein?" The prince stopped and waited for an answer, tapping his foot angrily.

Goku did not answer. He just looked down, embarrassed, and gulped.

"You know, idiot, when Pellucian citizens want an audience with the king or queen, they must wait until a specific time of the day, on a specific day of the week, when commoners are at last permitted inside a specific wing of the palace and allowed to present their most significant problems and conflicts to the king's representatives. If they get exceedingly lucky, they might see the king himself.” Vegeta paused, then suddenly bellowed, “

You do not enter the palace at your leisure, peasant!

That is a serious crime. That's what assassins do. And assassins are very much looked down upon on Planet Pellucid. Are you an assassin, Kakarott?" The prince tilted his head intimidatingly to the side as he waited for an answer. “Well, are you?!”

"N-n-no…" Goku answered nervously.

"Really?" Vegeta replied skeptically. "Then what were you thinking by coming here again?!"

Goku scrunched up. Vegeta's intention to publicly shame him was working. "Gee, I'm so sorry, Vegeta. I didn't know all those rules and this was the only way I could find you and I really need to talk to you and I didn't know how else to and I'm really sorry!" he squeaked, red-faced.

Vegeta slapped his forehead.

"Fine,

Kakarott. What do you want? And hurry it the hell up!"

"Um, I, um… I…" Goku stuttered, feeling awkward at trying to explain himself with a bunch of weapons pointing in his direction. "Err, you see… I… it’s just…" Vegeta raised a hand to silence the other saiyan. He leaned over to whisper something covertly to the king and queen, both of whom gave a nod when he was done. Vegeta pushed aside one of the guards surrounding the intruder, grabbed the idiot by his hair, and dragged the fool away. “Owiieee, Vegeta, that hurts!”

“Shut up, Kakarott.” He turned to two of the guards, both of whom Goku recognized. “Feldspar ibe Peridot. Shim shim.” He stalked off pulling Goku behind him and the guards followed.

The two guards accompanied Vegeta and Goku all the way through the bedchambers of the king and queen, into the royal hall, down the royal hall, down the swirling emerald staircase, past the ivory double-doors of the grand ballroom, down another long hall, and finally to the elegant and gilded doorway that composed the entrance to Prince Vegeta's personal suite.

Peridot grabbed a hold of the door handles, both of which were adorned with a swirling combination of gold and onyx, and swung them open, revealing the interior of Vegeta's luxurious bedchambers. The prince’s suite was smaller and more compact than the king and queen's but just as extravagant. The spacious bedroom was draped with sheer gold-threaded curtains. They surrounded a big round bed and marked the threshold leading to the prince’s private veranda. The velvety bed, like the one in the king and queen's suite, was circular and not rectangular like Earth beds. It was hoisted four feet above the ground, taller than the beds Goku was used to seeing. The golden comforter was also round and it fit perfectly on top of the mattresses beneath.

Vegeta led Goku through the bedroom, past an onyx sculpture of himself in a regal pose, and past a large painting of him as a child with his parents and a few other young saiyans who appeared to be siblings. Finally, they were out on the veranda with a magnificent view of the city. There was a trendy golden table and a few well-cushioned veranda chairs that matched.

Prince Vegeta pulled out one of the chairs as the guards took their places by the entrance. "Sit, Kakarott." It was more of an order than an offer. “And don’t you move a fucking muscle.”

Goku settled himself down in the chair, finding it to be incredibly soft and supportive.

Vegeta sat down across from him. "Alright, Kakarott. What do you want?" he asked, quite curious. “I’m making an exception for you because you are the only other full-blooded saiyan still living. Please be aware, this is the first and last time I make such exceptions for anyone.”

Goku cleared his throat and sat straight up in his seat. "Well, you see, it turns out that certain people are even more upset than I thought they would be about… you know, me not bringing the baby back. And, um, I was just kind of hoping that I might be able to, well, mend the situation?" Vegeta cocked an eyebrow skeptically. "Without doing anything that would upset you!”

"I thought I told you already you can't please everyone," Vegeta reiterated, rather annoyed that Goku had brought this up again. He clearly recalled the conversation at the end of their battle.

“I don't really have a choice," Goku uttered. Vegeta sat back with his arms crossed over his chest, ready to get this over with. "So, if it's okay with you, there are a few questions I'd like to ask. If they're too personal, you don’t have to answer. But I need to ask just so I can try to come up with a… a resolution. Is that okay with you, Vegeta?" Goku asked, careful not to anger the prince.

Vegeta cleared his throat and said, "I can't guarantee an answer, but you are free to ask."

"Okay, thanks, Vegeta!" Goku replied, perking up and putting his hand behind his head.

Vegeta hated that gesture, but he suppressed his urge to get irritated at the other saiyan. Instead, the prince merely stated, "I have just one question, Kakarott, before you get started.”

"Yes?"

"Why, oh why, are you so intent on sucking up to all of your earthly friends? Why worry yourself over something that is not your problem and that you would not be able to fix even if it was? Please, just walk me through your mode of thinking because this mindset of yours is completely foreign and alien to me. I don’t understand it at all," Vegeta shortly explained.

"Well, you see, certain people are intentionally turning it into my problem,” Goku replied.

"Like who?"

"Like Chi Chi," Goku explained with a nervous laugh.

Vegeta raised a brow. "How is your mate turning it into your problem?" He paused. “And

why

?”

"Well," Goku said, laughing again, "she made me sleep on the couch for one." All Goku got for that was a puzzled look from Vegeta. "You know," he explained, "because I failed to bring Baby Trunks home. I’m running on close to zero sleep, so excuse me if I don’t make much sense."

"Baby Vegeta,” corrected the prince.

"Right," Goku replied. "So she made me sleep on the couch and she almost kicked me out of the house, but Gohan protested so she decided not to do that. So you see… when I have to sleep on the couch, that's my problem. I didn't sleep well at all because of it. And my back hurts a lot. It’s a horrible way to sleep. Horrible, Vegeta! And, well, you can see how that's my problem, can't you, Vegeta?" the Z fighter over-explained. “Like I said, running on close to zero sleep.”

"What the fuck do you mean she

made

you sleep on the couch?" Vegeta retorted.

"Because I couldn't defeat you and bring home the baby, she didn't let me sleep in the bed. She said I had to sleep on the couch instead. And our couch is really smallish and cheapish and very much lacking in comfort,” he admitted. “And I have to keep sleeping there until I get Trunks.”

“Vegeta,” the royal corrected again.

“Right. Sorry.”

"So she forced you to sleep on the couch?" Vegeta puzzled over the notion.

"Yes."
"As some type of punishment?" Vegeta conceived, looking skeptical. Goku nodded. "Kakarott."
"Yeah?"

"How old are you?"

"Um, I'm twenty-nine,” Goku replied, scratching his head.

"So you’re not a child, are you?"

"No." Goku looked confused.

"You're an adult. A fully-grown man. Right? You sure as fuck look like one to me."

"Y-yeah…" Goku was not sure where this interrogation was heading.

"If you're an adult and a saiyan, then why is some weak pathetic human female trying to punish you like you're five? Answer me that! And, furthermore, why are you allowing her to do so?!"

"Um…"

"Kakarott."

"What?"

"You were right in saying that you have a problem to fix, but that problem has nothing to do with me or my offspring. Do you understand me, Kakarott? Your problem revolves around no one other than yourself and your bitch of a mate,” Vegeta stated bluntly, praying for the message to get through to his brain-washed subject this time. “You need to man the fuck up.” Goku frowned. “I’m sorry if the truth hurts, Kakarott, but it must be said. You might even thank me one of these days for being the only one who had the balls to break the news to you.”

"Well," Goku hesitated. "Look, Vegeta. I do honestly feel bad for Bulma too. I want to help fix the problems between the two of you. It's not just for my sake, really it isn’t."

Vegeta held up his hand. "Perhaps, but we have a greater problem at hand,” the royal declared.

"Okay," Goku whined, exasperated with that subject. He slumped in his seat. “But that is my problem. Please, don't worry about it, Vegeta. I'll handle Chi Chi, I promise."

"No, it is not just your problem!” Vegeta raged. “The fact that you are allowing a weak human female to punish you as one would a child is degrading to the entire saiyan race as a whole. This is just as much my problem as it is yours," he pointed out, clearly married to his beliefs.

"Can we address that later?" Goku groaned, not in the mood to discuss his marital problems.

"Why not now?" Vegeta snapped in a demanding tone, banging a fist down on the reinforced table between them. “You brought this topic up and I’ll bet you knew it would enrage me!”

"Because, to be honest, I care more about Bulma's problem than my own. Look, we'll go back to the Chi Chi problem before the day is out. Okay? You have my word," Goku promised, begging.

Vegeta hesitated and then relented. "Fine, Kakarott. I think you seriously need to straighten out your priorities. But whatever. Have it your way." Vegeta abruptly turned and gave an order to Feldspar in Pelluci. The guard promptly bowed to the prince and left to do his bidding.

"Thanks, ‘Geta," Goku replied once the guard had left.

Vegeta looked slightly annoyed at the stupid nickname but decided to ignore it. "So what do you want to know?" he inquired, helping the discussion move along at a timely pace.

"Well," Goku leaned back in his seat and lowered his eyes, trying to remember where he was planning to begin. His attention was suddenly diverted when he caught a glance of Vegeta's tail wriggling under the table. He craned his neck downward to get a better look at it.

"How did you get your tail back?" Goku suddenly inquired.

Vegeta scoffed. "Please, Kakarott. As if I'd tell you the secret behind the greatest source of my power. Do I look like I was born yesterday? I’m not an idiot!” he charged.

"It's not that, Vegeta." Goku paused and whimpered. "I just want mine back too.”

This revelation was news to Vegeta, so the royal cocked an eyebrow skeptically. "You… want your tail back? Then why did you get it removed in the first place?" he asked with a faint tone of outrage. “And why would you want it back knowing you can’t control your transformation?”

"I didn't have it removed myself," Goku conceded. "Kami permanently removed it when I was just a kid so he could restore the moon. I told my friends it was my choice because I didn’t want to sound ungrateful to Kami for all the training he gave me. And if you learned how to control your transformation, then couldn’t I learn too? How did you do it?" he queried.

Vegeta’s jaw dropped. "Wh-what?" he hissed. "Did he even bother to ask your permission?"

"Of course not. I would've said no. Obviously," Goku retorted. “It was my body part!”

"What the fu… Fucking cosmos, what is it with earthlings surgically removing other people’s body parts? Damn it, Kami! They're obsessive about it," Vegeta griped, clenching his fists.

Goku shrugged. “There’s even this weird practice called circumcision where a doctor…”

Vegeta held up his hand. “I know, Kakarott. And I think it’s absolutely disgusting. Now, don't tell me you're not even pissed about it?" the prince derided, feeling as wrathful as ever.

"I don't know," Goku replied sheepishly, twiddling his thumbs.

"What do you mean 'I don't know'!" Vegeta spat. “That’s the most pitiful response ever!” Goku shrugged. "Hmph," the prince huffed. "Well, maybe if you earn my trust in the future, I'll tell you how to get your tail back,” he conceded. The prince was somewhat pleased to learn that Goku was not in total revile of his saiyan heritage as he had previously been led to believe.

Goku perked up. "Really? Gosh. Thanks, Vegeta!"

Vegeta waved him off as Feldspar returned with a servant who had a large mug. The cup was filled with a steaming beverage. Vegeta took the mug and dismissed the servant before taking the first sip. Feldspar retook his place at the side of the entrance, across from Peridot, his partner.

"So, anyway," Goku continued, "on to the Bulma issue."

"Indeed,” agreed the smaller saiyan.

"If I may ask, and with all due respect, why did you take Trunks?"

"Vegeta."

Goku groaned at Vegeta's correcting him yet again. "Vegeta, how am I supposed to tell the difference between the two of you if you have the same name? Isn't that going to get really confusing?" the Z fighter pointed out. “I don’t get why you named him that.”

"You can call him Prince Vegeta,” he recommended. "I’ll be king soon so it should not be that confusing. I had the same name as my father and I was the spitting image of him, yet no one got confused. My offspring, on the other hand, only resembles me a little. It's been a family tradition for fifteen generations, Kakarott. If you get confused that easily, then you need help."

"Okay, so why did you take Prince Vegeta?" Goku reiterated, agreeing to use the compromise.

"For starters, I want to live with my son so I can raise him to be my heir. But I don't want to live on Earth cause Earth sucks. So I took him with me. I can't train him when we live on separate planets. Nothing personal, but I would think that obvious." Vegeta took another sip.

"Why don't you want to live on Earth?" Goku pried. “What sucks about it?”

"Is that a serious question?" Vegeta asked, staring Goku point blank in the face.

"Yes, it is," Goku freely admitted.

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "I hate that planet.”

"Why?" Goku asked, curious.

“Because it sucks.”

“How so?”

“It’s full of weaklings. Duh.”

“Is that all?”

“No. There’s also the fact that you live there.”

Goku frowned. “So what?”

“I don’t like you.”

“Why not?”

“Probably because you’re a saiyan, yet you allow pitiful weaklings push you around. I find it hard to respect you for that reason,” Vegeta admitted. “No offense.”

Goku’s face went blank. Vegeta said nothing in response to his demeanor. Suddenly, Goku jumped up. “I was abandoned on Earth as a child! How was I supposed to know how to be a saiyan? Huh, Vegeta? And why should I even care about being like the people who abandoned me?” Now, it was Vegeta’s turn to have a blank face. “Well?” Goku spouted angrily.

Vegeta shook his head in disapproval. “Kakarott, can’t you see that by rejecting your heritage, you’re only hurting yourself? You don’t have enough respect for your own person to stand up for yourself against your earthling mate. And instead of finding the courage to do so, you are making up excuses by blaming the rest of us saiyans for your own shortcomings,” he returned.

Goku was speechless. He thought for a minute, then stopped. It was too much to think about. “We keep going off on tangents, Vegeta. I need to be back to Earth at noon."

"I don’t know what time it is on Planet Earth, so I can’t really help you out with that. Sorry," Vegeta replied, taking another sip from his mug as if nothing at all had happened.

"So we're clear on why you left the planet with, err… Prince Vegeta. Well, maybe there's some way we can make this separate planet thing work," he conceived. Vegeta cocked a brow, unsure what Goku was getting at. "How do you feel about giving Bulma visitation rights?"

"What's that?" Vegeta had clearly never heard the term before in his life.

"It means that she gets to see ‘Prince Vegeta’ on occasion. For visits."

Vegeta’s eyes widened. He jumped up from his seat and pounded the table. "Absolutely not! That wench gets nowhere near my son! Do you understand me, Kakarott? If she gets within lightyears of him, I’ll blast her into the next dimension!” Vegeta bellowed, startling his seated companion.

Goku fell backwards in his chair, but he quickly scrambled to straighten himself and the chair up. "Wh-why not, Vegeta?" he replied, puzzled by the prince’s alarming outrage.

"That woman is

unfit.

Unfit, Kakarott!" Vegeta hissed. Goku shook his head, not understanding. Vegeta groaned, "This is not something I ever wanted to speak of. I wanted to put it in the past.”

Goku frowned. "I’m sorry, Vegeta, but I can’t help unless I know.” Vegeta growled in annoyance. "Please!" Goku pleaded. “What do you think is wrong with Bulma? Why is she unfit?”

"This is going to take a long explanation. It goes back to when we were mates."

"Uh, huh. Go on," Goku encouraged. He was very curious as to how the two had come to be in a relationship in the first place. Truth be told, it was a mystery to the whole Z crew.

Vegeta stood up and rubbed his eyes, looking exasperated. "Follow me into my chambers, Kakarott,” he instructed. The prince dismissed the guards and they had soon left. Goku obeyed and followed Vegeta into his room as soon as Feldspar and Peridot were gone. "Sit," Vegeta ordered, indicating a very cozy-looking golden-threaded recliner in the sitting room. The new setting was used primarily for more private conversations. Goku plopped down in the recliner.

"What I'm most worried about is that you won't believe a word of what I have to say, Kakarott. I wouldn’t believe it myself if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes!" Vegeta exclaimed.

"Try me." It sounded like a challenge.

Vegeta paused. "How long have you known this woman, Kakarott?" he asked, pacing back and forth in front of Goku. His behavior made him seem very anxious indeed.

"Since I was eleven years old," Goku recalled. “So eighteen years or so, I guess.”

Vegeta whispered to himself, "That's a

fucking

long time." He rubbed his face with both hands.

"Yup," replied Goku. "We were childhood friends."

"Do you feel you know Bulma well?"

"Yeah, I do."

"What would you say if I were to tell you that this woman is the height of shameful hypocrisy on Planet Earth?" Vegeta crossed his arms and stared Goku down, waiting for an answer.

After a long pause, Goku finally replied, "I'd probably, um, ask why you thought that?"

"You know what, Kakarott? I do think that. I think exactly that for a number of reasons. For one, when the woman discovered her pregnancy, she didn't want the child. Now, she wants him.”

"So what? She changed her mind." That was a bit of new information for Goku, but he was not overly surprised or by any means outraged at Bulma's apparent change of heart.

Vegeta sneered. “A change of heart means little in this context,” he sighed, staring at the floor. Looking anguished, the prince put a hand to his head and whispered something unintelligible.

"Huh?" Goku asked, putting a hand to his ear.

"She tried to have the brat

killed,"

he voiced again, speaking up even louder than necessary.

Goku jumped in surprise before a look of abject horror overtook his being. "Wh-wh-

what

?"

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"You heard me, Kakarott," Vegeta snapped, taking a seat of his own facing the other man. He kicked off his boots and curled his legs up onto the cushion with him, getting comfortable.

"Vegeta! What the…?" Goku wailed, leaping up from his chair, eyes wide in shock and doubt.

"I told you you wouldn't believe me!" Vegeta accused, crossing his arms angrily.

Goku cried in a panic, "What do you mean she tried to have him killed? When?"

"It was months ago,” recalled the royal saiyan, reminiscing.

Goku cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "I thought he was born only two weeks ago."

"Yes, he's two weeks old," Vegeta conceded, unsure of what Goku was getting at. Goku put a dizzy hand to his head and stared into space, feeling disoriented like he had just woken up from a dream. "Kakarott?" Vegeta said in an attempt to bring the other Saiyan back into reality.

"I don't get it," Goku said, eyeing him. "How can someone try to kill you before you're born?"
Vegeta scoffed. The notion was much easier for him to imagine than it was for his subject, at least now that he had learned of such things. "Easily," came Vegeta's reply. "They can have you torn limb from limb and sucked out of the womb in pieces. An unborn child is helpless.” Goku gasped, wide-eyed and speechless. "Just ask her, Kakarott. She'll probably tell you the truth. The bitch thought it was her right to do such a thing. Not only did she try to slaughter him, but she attempted to justify it to my face!" Vegeta shouted the last three words for emphasis. His grudge against his ex was still quite fresh as Goku could plainly see. The prospects for reconciliation between the two of them were starting to look dimmer and dimmer to the earthling saiyan.
Goku almost didn't know what to say. All he could think to do was find out more information. "Wh-what do you mean? How could Bulma do something like that?" he asked, still in disbelief.

"I don't know," Vegeta murmured, leaning back in the chair and looking up at the domed ceiling above. "I suppose she so couldn't stand the thought of bearing the child of an alleged psycho like me that she simply had to rid herself of said offspring before he even saw the light of day."

Goku remained silent as Vegeta rose to his feet and clenched a fist in determination. "You see, Kakarott? You’ve been deceived. That woman is so intent on having the boy dead that she tricked you into coming here to 'save' him from me. She knows I’d never let her kill him, so she seeks to get him away from me by any means possible. A newborn child can’t defend itself, you know, so I must defend the boy until he is old enough to protect himself.” Vegeta paused. He let out a breath a moment later and finished, "That's why I told you I won't be letting that psychotic bitch get anywhere near my son." He turned again and plopped back into his seat.

"Vegeta," Goku said with a bit of uncertainty and apprehension, "I-I don't know about that."

"I know it's hard to believe, Kakarott," Vegeta related. “Bulma is an amazing liar. I bet she pretended to be totally devastated when you failed to bring him back, didn't she? She's just trying to appeal to your soft spot, holding on to any hope she has that her evil plan might succeed." Goku stared at the floor. "I fell for her lies too. I was just as foolish as you," Vegeta admitted after a long silence. "She lied to me about so many things and then tried to justify her actions.”

Goku remained silent for a moment and shook his head. "Vegeta, I don't get it. I've known her for years and, as far as I know, she loves children. It doesn't make any sense that she would ever do anything like that." He ran a hand through his wild hair. “I can’t wrap my mind around it.”

"I know it doesn’t make any sense, Kakarott. But have women ever made sense to you?" Goku had to admit that Vegeta was right on the money with that one. Vegeta bowed his head and lowered his voice as he murmured, "I should've known that she was too good to be true."

That caught Goku's interest. "Pardon? What do you mean, Vegeta?"

The prince hesitated before answering. "I used to think that she would make the perfect queen, Kakarott. I wanted so badly to make her my queen. I chose her, her out of all other women on the Earth. I could have chosen anyone, but I chose her.” Goku cocked an eyebrow. Vegeta perceived the other man's curiosity. "Let me show you what I'm talking about, Kakarott."

"Okay," Goku replied with a pleasant smile, happy to know that Vegeta was willing to share.

Vegeta walked over to the wall and clicked open the golden cover to a hidden control panel. He took off his white gloves and held them under his left arm as he quickly typed a code. The lights in the room lowered automatically and a 3-dimensional image of a spinning green globe appeared in the middle of the sitting room. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

"This is going to be the new Planet Vegeta, Kakarott." Goku looked on, wide-eyed and stunned. "This prime real estate used to belong to a primitive race known as the Archayans,” the prince explained. "Frieza wiped them out about a year before you killed him. King Chrystal and I destroyed the remnants of Frieza's colony and now I have claimed the entire planet as the future capital of my new empire,” Vegeta said, admiring the breathtaking image. Goku was speechless again. Vegeta turned to Goku and paced in his direction, one fist clenched. His determined eyes remained locked with Goku’s bewildered ones. "Do you understand what I'm talking about, Kakarott? I am going to rebuild the saiyan bloodline, only this time I’ll make it even better than it was before. And why is that, you might ask? Because, unlike my father, I'm not obsessed with keeping the saiyan gene pool ‘pure.’ Thanks to you." Vegeta pointed a stiff finger at Goku. The Z fighter almost toppled over in surprise, but he steadied himself quickly.

Vegeta continued, "Thanks to you, I've realized that racial purity can actually make a bloodline weaker. Your union with a human woman was the catalyst for that. Gohan proves that the saiyan-human combination is much stronger than a pure human or saiyan could ever hope to be. It's utter perfection!" Vegeta mused in delight. "And as for the young prince, I can't wait until he grows up. He's destined for greatness. I just know it. He will carry on my legacy into the future when I am gone, just as I have done for my father. Just as he did for his father before him." Vegeta's ambition was plain to see, and Goku couldn't help but have admiration for that. The Z fighter remained silent but listened intently. "So you see, Kakarott," Vegeta ardently construed, "since I'm starting this new empire, I was on Earth for awhile seeking a suitable human woman to serve as queen to the new saiyan empire. I thought the blue-haired vixen was perfect. For one, she's a technological genius. That's a trait I certainly wouldn't mind in my offspring. The empire would give her an opportunity to expand her business beyond that humble blue planet. You may think she’s rich now, but that’s nothing compared to what she could have had as my queen.” Vegeta’s tail twitched in agitation. “But I was wrong in thinking she’d make a great mother.”

Goku frowned. He felt guilty for having started a fight with Vegeta now without having even asked for the prince’s side of the story first. His shoulders and gaze fell before he glanced up at Vegeta again. "I'm sorry that happened. At least you were able to save Trun… Prince Vegeta."

"Just barely," Vegeta shot back in a low tone.

Goku raised a brow. "Huh?"

"I said, just barely," the prince reiterated. Goku looked puzzled. "I almost failed to save him. He is so lucky to be alive right now,” Vegeta clarified. “I got there in the nick of time.”

"What do you mean you almost failed?"

Vegeta sighed, preparing to recount the unfortunate events. "It was eleven weeks after he was conceived. I could tell it was a boy at the very moment of conception. It happened one night after I'd been mating with the woman for quite a while. I was thrilled,” he said, clenching a fist. "It didn't occur to me that the pregnancy might come as a shock to the woman. A bad shock, to be certain." He paused, puzzling over the situation. "But I don't get it, Kakarott! If she didn't want a brat, why did she breed with me in the first place? Normally, there is an unspoken agreement that a child is to be expected from such activities. I'm surprised one wasn't conceived earlier!"

Goku scooted closer to the prince to listen more intently since the royal was speaking in such a low tone of voice. "Yeah? Go on,” he egged, trying not to sound too eager.

Vegeta huffed. "Ten to eleven weeks later, she woke up one morning with some bad nausea."

Bulma sat up in bed at three in the morning feeling just about ready to spew her guts out. She placed a hand over her mouth and quickly glanced back at her bedmate, the infamous Prince Vegeta, to see if she had disturbed him. He appeared to be asleep, so she got up and went to the bathroom, where she retched the few contents of her stomach into the toilet. It was nothing more than some nasty green bile, which made her feel even more nauseated just looking at it.

She tried to go back to sleep, as exhausted as she was. She lay there, sick and restless, until the twilight started to gleam through her bedroom window and she felt Vegeta begin to rouse.

"Hey, Vegeta?" she murmured softly, getting his attention.

"What is it?" he replied, sitting up and beginning to dress.

"Are you going to be in the gravity room again all day?" she asked sheepishly.

"Yes. Why?" he replied bluntly, uninterested.

"Nothing. It's just that I'm going in to see my doctor and I don't think I'll be the one making lunch today. You'll have to settle for my mom's cooking,” she explained, not getting up herself.

"I'm utterly heartbroken,” he stated sarcastically, pulling on his training boots.

"I knew you would be." She giggled, catching onto his insincerity immediately.

"Hmph. I don't have time for your frivolities, woman. I am going to train," Vegeta harrumphed. He pulled on a sleeveless shirt and paced out of the room without looking back.

"I'll be back for supper!" she called after him, not receiving a reply.

At four o'clock later that day, Vegeta was still in the gravity room when he heard her hover car pull up outside. He stopped doing pushups and walked over to the window.

A very peeved-looking Bulma slammed the car door behind her and slung her purse over her shoulder. "Damn it…" he heard her mutter to herself. She was not happy.

Vegeta snickered to himself, thinking how beautiful she was when she was pissed. He was looking forward to finishing training today so he could hopefully get in another very much enjoyable argument with her.

Hopefully her mood won't have improved by the time I finish,

he thought.

He got back to doing his pushups, only this time working twice as hard in hope of finishing his workout early. It was not until about eleven-thirty that night that Vegeta was done with his training for the day. He entered the kitchen, heart set on raiding the refrigerator, when he heard Bulma having a serious discussion with her mother in the next room over. Bulma sounded upset, which instantly put a smile on Vegeta's face. The Prince of all Saiyans decided to listen in on them before barging in to start a fun little quarrel with the fiery-eyed blue-haired vixen.

"Sugar bear," her mother said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "you know I'll respect your decision, whatever it may be. And I know your father will too."

"I know you will, Mom." Bulma paused. "Damn it! Why did this have to happen again?" she lamented, lying down sideways on the couch. "I haven't missed a single pill in a year. Birth control is so overrated,” she complained. “I don’t understand what I’ve done wrong.”

"Have you been using any other methods, sweetums?" asked Mrs. Briefs. "You know they're most effective when you use more than one at once, like condoms. Have you been using those?"

"It was the heat of the moment, Mom, and I didn't have one to spare,” she lied. The young genius was reluctant to admit that although they had been doing the nasty for quite a while, all that time Vegeta had been refusing to wear any condoms and Bulma had not been demanding enough.

"Mistakes happen, darling,” her mother sympathized.

"I've made too many mistakes, Mom,” she replied, downhearted.

"Well, I'm not one to judge," Mrs. Briefs replied thoughtfully.

Bulma sighed. "Thanks, Mom."

"What frivolous things are you silly women blabbering about now?" Vegeta taunted, barging in with a large plate piled high with sandwiches and turkey legs and whatnot.

"Nothing, Vegeta," Bulma hissed between clenched teeth, hoping to Kami he would not start yet another fight. The man appeared to be very much in a warmongering mood.

"Exactly what you always blabber about, woman. You have nothing important to say so why not put a sock in it?” he spat, stuffing his face and strolling past her. She tried to slap his ass as he passed by, but the devilish attempt was thwarted premeditatedly by Vegeta's hand, which caught hers in midair. "Nice try, wench," Vegeta mocked, stuffing another big bite of sandwich into his mouth. “It seems your reflexes have much in common with your conversational abilities. They suck! Instead of lazing around the house all day, maybe try exercising once in a while.”

"Oh, hush up, you jerk!" she spat back, tossing a pillow at him as a last-ditch attempt to get the best of him. He caught the pillow underhanded and chucked it back in her direction overhanded in one smooth motion, nailing her in the head. He snickered at the anger his action aroused.

Vegeta left the room hoping she would follow and continue the dispute, but he was disappointed to find she did not. Instead of trying harder for her attention, he went upstairs and took a shower, thinking bedtime would be his next opportunity to anger her. Though he could not help but wonder in the back of his mind what that conversation with her mother had been about. It gave him an uneasy feeling, so he just let the warm rivulets of water wash away his worries.

A week later, Vegeta returned to the kitchen for lunch with a towel draped around his neck. To his surprise, Bulma was not there as expected. This time she had failed to inform him that she would be gone during the day. He came upon the fridge to find a note stuck under one of the magnets.

'Vegeta,' it read, 'I have a doctor's appointment today at one, so I won't be there to make lunch. Lasagna is in the freezer on top of the icebox. Directions are on the back. Hope to see you at dinner. Love, Bulma.' Vegeta appeared outwardly puzzled before he noticed what it said below that. 'PS: My cell is 555-245-5678 just in case you need anything. Dad's in the lab.'

Vegeta could not explain the unfamiliar sinking feeling he felt after reading that note.

Didn't she just have a doctor's appointment last week?

he thought, confused.

She better not be getting sick while carrying my heir. Perhaps I should be more careful about stressing her out.

"Forget it," he told himself, "I'm just overreacting. It’s probably nothing." He tossed the note in the trash, opened the freezer door, and pulled out the box of frozen lasagna.

I told that damn woman I don't even like lasagna,

he cursed inwardly, ripping open the box.

Kami damn it, I can't stand women!

Vegeta sighed and turned toward the microwave, unwilling to deal with the stove. His eyes noticed the clock on the microwave, which indicated it was half past noon. He had been training longer than he had intended to.

He opened the microwave door and put in the cardboard plate of lasagna after poking a hole in the top to let the fumes out. Just before his finger could type in the cook time, the phone rang, startling him out of his stupor.

Stupid human-built contraption!

he grumbled inwardly as he went to pick it up only to find that Mrs. Briefs in the next room over had beaten him to it.

"Oh, hi, dear. Did you get there alright? Not too much traffic?" chirped the excessively friendly blonde woman before listening for a moment or two in silence. "Something private? No, I don't think anyone's around. Go ahead, sweetums. What is it?" Vegeta felt the mischievous urge to listen in, so he naughtily picked up the receiver as quietly as possible and put it to his ear, careful not to breathe into it and alert the speakers to his eavesdropping presence.

"It's almost my turn, Mom, and I'm kind of nervous. Not to mention that is the worst clinic I've ever been to! The doctor looks sleazy and the bathrooms are a mess. Is there any maintenance around here? I wish there were female doctors here today. One of them just left," Bulma whined over the phone, peeking over her shoulder as the old male doctor greeted his next patient.

Bulma’s worried remark made Vegeta concerned. He did not want any unqualified doctors treating his pregnant mate. He was about to say something when Mrs. Briefs chimed in again.

"Would you like to reschedule?" her mother asked.

"No, no," Bulma replied. "I can’t wait any longer. Before you know it, it'll be too late to get an abortion. I'm going to go ahead and do it. But just for future reference, never go to the West City Women's Health Center for your ObGyn, Mom. I strongly recommend against it," she urged.

Vegeta was puzzled at what Bulma was talking about. Abortion? ObGyn? He cursed to himself, hating that after several years of speaking the earthlings’ language, he still had to look in their stupid dictionary on occasion. "Thanks, schnookums, I'll take your advice,” Mrs. Briefs giggled. "Anything else before I head off to the hair salon, Bulma dear?" she asked.

"Um… oh, the nurse is calling me, Mom, I gotta go. See you tonight."

"Bye-bye, butter muffin."

"Bye, Mom."

Vegeta gently put down the receiver and walked through the living room, past Mrs. Briefs, who chirped, "Oh, hi there, Vegeta! Back from training already? Have you had lunch?"

His only response was "Hmph" as he passed and headed into the library, perusing the shelf.

Ah, ha!

he thought as he found what he was looking for, an oversized monster of a book entitled

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.

He scanned the "A" section, repeatedly sounding the word out under his breath. "Ab-or-tion, ab-or-tion, ab-or-tion, ab-or-tion," he whispered until he came across the correct word in the dictionary—

a·bor·tion: the expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus usually resulting in the death of that embryo or fetus.

"Embryo or fetus? What the hell are those?" Vegeta cocked an eyebrow and tried to flip to the "E" section, but he ended up in the "F" section accidentally and decided to pursue the second term instead. "Fe-tus, fe-tus, fe-tus…" he repeated, sounding out the word as he searched.

He came upon the word. A moment later, a gasp escaped his lips. The book slipped out of his hands and fell to the coffee table below, knocking an empty mug to the floor.

"No,” he said aloud, his mind swimming. "Sh-she wouldn't do that..." He cursed to himself.

He sprinted back to the kitchen and rummaged through the trash, finding the note Bulma had left him. He grabbed the telephone and dialed the number Bulma had written. "555-245-5678," he dictated as he dialed. He put the note down and pressed the receiver to his ear, aggravated by how long it took to start ringing given how fast his heart was pounding in his chest.

He nearly bit his nails down to the nub during the five long rings, only to end up with a voice message. "Hi, this is Bulma!" Vegeta's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. "I'm not available to answer the phone right now, but if you would be so kind as to leave a message I can get back to…"

Click!

Vegeta slammed down the phone with an angry snarl, breaking it in two.

"She wouldn't… I'll kill her!" he hissed to himself, panicking.

Suddenly Mrs. Briefs entered the room, looking delighted as always. "Oh, hi, Vegeta, I swear I just thought I saw you go into the library. Gee, are you fast!" she giggled.

"Where's Bulma?" Vegeta asked frantically.

"At a doctor's appointment,” she replied in a pleasant voice.

"Where?"

"Oh, um…" She thought for a minute, then continued, "I believe she's at the West City…"

"West City Women's Health Center, right!" Vegeta quickly cut her off, recalling the phone conversation. "Where is this place? How the hell do I get there?" he demanded.

"Oh, you're familiar with the place? You'd probably have to get directions from Bulma or her father. I'm just terrible with urban locations,” Mrs. Briefs proclaimed.

"Damn it!" Vegeta cursed aloud. He sped past her and down the hallway towards Dr. Briefs' laboratory in hope of finding Bulma's father. He spotted him talking to an employee. Vegeta forcefully pushed the employee aside to get the good doctor's attention.

"Where is the West City Women's Health Center? I need to know immediately!" Vegeta blared, stomping a foot for emphasis. The sound of the stomp thundered through the whole building.

"Oh, that's just off of Main Street,” he replied, puffing on his pipe. "I’m sure I could probably draw you up a pretty simple map, my good friend. It's quite easy to fi…"

"Show me!" Vegeta roared, interrupting the other man as he snatched him around the waist, blew a large hole in the roof with his ki, and flew up and toward the massive city.

"Wow," Goku uttered. "That must've been terrifying, Vegeta. I’m so sorry that happened!”

"I wasn't done, Kakarott."

"I know," Goku replied, “but I felt obligated to say something. I can tell that this whole thing is really bothering you. I wish there was something I could do to help."

"There's nothing you can do, Kakarott," Vegeta groaned. "It's over with. My son is safe, but the burden of knowing his mother once tried to kill him will always be with me. So, anyway, I flew towards the city with the woman's father in my arms pitching a fit…"

"V-Vegeta, wh-what are you d-doing? I-I'm afraid of heights!" Dr. Briefs yelped in a high-pitched voice, arms and legs flailing around frantically for something to grab a hold of.

"The sooner I find the West City Women's Health Center, the sooner you'll be on the ground. Now, tell me where it is!" Vegeta ruthlessly ordained. “Or else I’ll drop you!”

"Well, Main Street is in th-that direction,” Dr. Briefs nervously replied, pointing a shaky finger toward a couple of rows of particularly tall buildings. "Wahhh!" shrieked the doctor as Vegeta zoomed off in that direction at light speed. "Hey, slow down! I think I'm gonna be sick!"

Vegeta hovered just above Main Street. More than a few pedestrians noticed this and started pointing up at him in awe. The prince ignored them. "Here we are, now where do we go?"

"You n-need to find 10th avenue," replied Dr. Briefs, trembling.

Vegeta lowered himself down far enough so he could see the signs indicating the streets that crossed Main Street. "That's 5th. But where is 10th?" Vegeta shrieked.

"They're in numerical order. See? That next one is 4th, so you have to go north to find 10th."

"Which way is north?!" Vegeta bellowed.

"That way!” He pointed north. Vegeta flew past several avenues until he came to 10th. "There it is!" Dr. Briefs pointed to a sign, indicating the building behind it was the place Vegeta sought, the West City Women's Health Center. “Now, for the love of Kami, please put me down!”

Vegeta dove down in a hurry and dropped the nauseated doctor on the grass lawn right outside of the clinic, sprinting through the doors at top speed. He immediately went to the front desk. “Where the hell is Bulma Briefs? Tell me, damn you!” he commanded of the nurse.

"She's seeing the doctor right now, sir. You'll have to wait." Instead of complying with the nurse on duty, he snatched her clipboard and discovered that Bulma was in room 406. "Hey! You're not allowed to see that!" the nurse cried, snatching it back from him. But Vegeta just ignored her and sped through the door, down the hall, to said room. He broke down the bulky wooden door with an enraged roar, causing Bulma and the old abortion doctor therein to shriek in terror.

"Vegeta? What in Kami's name are you doing here?" Bulma shouted, covering herself up. She was lying down in a white gown with her feet in stirrups, legs spread.

"What am I doing here? What in Kami's name do you think

you’re

doing here?" Vegeta roared, snarling at the gray-haired doctor off to the side. “Back it up!” He pointed menacingly at the doctor. "If you killed my son, I swear to Kami I will tear you limb from limb, old man!"

"Sir," the doctor replied, nervously standing his ground, "you are trespassing and invading a private doctor's appointment. If you don't leave, I'll have to call security to remove you."

Vegeta ran over to Bulma and placed a hand on her stomach. The blue-haired woman tried to slap it away, unsuccessfully, of course. He breathed a sigh of relief after sensing the minute ki within her womb. His son was thankfully still alive and unharmed. It was an immense relief.

"What are you doing here, woman?" Vegeta demanded angrily after backing away.

"That's none of your damn business, you jerk!" Bulma spat back, fist raised.

"I swear, woman, if you don't tell me why you're here now, then I'll…"

"I’m here because you got me pregnant, you oaf!” she shrieked, cutting him off.

"Of course, you're pregnant, woman! What did you think would happen? Did you think a fucking

cabbage

would come out after our numerous mating sessions?" he bellowed.

Bulma blinked. "Huh?"

Vegeta slapped his forehead. "Foolish woman! When women have sex with men," he explained as if to a five-year-old, "they get pregnant. Hasn't anyone ever told you where brats come from?"

"Of course, I know where babies come from, Vegeta. I'm not stupid!" Bulma retorted, even more enraged. "But I was on birth control and it failed," she explained, then added angrily, "thanks to a certain high and mighty royal pain in the ass for refusing to use a condom, asshole!"

"Wha…? What are you talking about?" Vegeta spat back, appearing totally bewildered. "You said those little rubber pouches were for increasing sexual pleasure." Vegeta stood there in shock, barely able to process the news. His mate had lied to him about the purpose of condoms. What else had she lied to him about?

So the woman has been trying to trick me to avoid bearing my child. No wonder she tried to kill him!

he thought to himself angrily.

"No, idiot, they are supposed to prevent pregnancy and disease,” she divulged in rage.

"What the fuck?" Vegeta hissed.

Not only does she despise the thought of bearing my offspring, but she also thinks I'm diseased! Stupid bitch!

Vegeta ground his teeth, utterly seething.

"Vegeta, this is no time for an argument! We were in the middle of something, you jerk. You shouldn’t even be in here!" Bulma asserted, silently urging him to drop the subject and leave.

"In the middle of slaughtering my heir, you mean!" he swiftly retorted.

"What the…? Wait a minute, Vegeta. You better tell me you weren't actually

trying

to get me pregnant this whole time…" she hissed, drawing her aqua eyebrows together dangerously.

The doctor backed into a corner, sensing another major fight was about to erupt. He would have tried to sneak out of the room if the furious muscle-bound man was not still blocking the exit.

"Of course,” Vegeta replied, calmly.

"You’ve been having sex with me this whole time for the sole purpose of impregnating me?" she hissed, more furious than before. “You… you used me. How dare you!”

"No, woman, I think sex feels good. Mating is not just to make brats. Everyone knows that. What a ridiculous question!” he replied, rolling his eyes. “I used you for pleasure and procreation.”

"Damn it, Vegeta! You had no right!" she screeched, fiery-eyed. “You’re such an asshole!”

"You're coming with me, woman." He snatched her by the wrist, much to her discontentment.

"Vegeta, you ass, I'm not even dressed!" she shouted in a shrill voice.

Vegeta snatched her clothes, which were neatly folded on one of the chairs, and threw them at her. "Then hurry up and put your stupid clothes on, whore! We're going home,” he instructed.

"Not with you in the room, asshole!"

"After this," Vegeta replied, rounding on her dangerously, "there's no way in hell I'll be leaving you alone with my son from now until the moment that he's born. Besides, it’s not like you have anything I haven't seen before. Now, get dressed!" Vegeta commanded.

"How the hell would you know if it's a boy or not?" she asked, as curious as she was angry.

"I can sense it. A she-brat emits different energy waves than a male," he explained, growling.

Bulma glared at him skeptically and then said, "If you want a baby so badly, then you had better carry it yourself and fuck up your own dainty figure for life, asshole!"

"Don’t be ridiculous! Saiyan males can’t get preg…"

"Exactly!" she interrupted. "You don’t have a uterus, so you're not the one who gets to decide when or whether a woman bears a child. It's none of your damn business!" she decreed.

"I'm not deciding anything. It's too late for you to not have a child. You already have one inside of you. Now that you have him, you can't just kill him and say nothing ever happened.”

"Oh, really?" Bulma spat sarcastically. "Well, look who of all people is giving me a lecture about the morality of killing," she retorted. “You psychotic mass murderer, you, you…!”

"I've never killed my kindred. You're attempting to destroy your own flesh and blood!"

Bulma growled in exasperation. "This is such bullshit, Vegeta! It isn’t even a child yet. It’s just a growing lump of tissue and I do not intend to carry it to term! Not out of wedlock! Everyone will think I'm a prostitute. I’m a public figure and I have a reputation to worry about.”

"Better a prostitute than a child killer." Vegeta halted, then fiercely snatched her by the neck and lifted her up off the ground. "Listen to me, woman," he hissed. "Listen loud and clear. If any harm comes to my son before he is born, I will hold you personally responsible. If you kill him, I will tear you limb from limb. So Kami help me, I will. Do you doubt my words, woman?" She shook her head in terror, unable to speak. He had never used this amount of force with her ever before. Something had clearly changed within him. He had become ruthless. "Good!”

When he released her, she gasped and coughed for air and put both hands to her throat. She could not believe what he had just done. Fear flooded through her every vein. “Y-you…”

Vegeta turned to the doctor, seething. "Get. Out." The doctor compliantly nodded and rushed out of the room. Then the saiyan prince turned to Bulma. "As for you, get dressed. Now!"

She glared at him, but his icy stare silenced her, and she finally complied. Bulma Briefs was not one to take orders, but this was the first time in the two and a half years of their cohabitation that she actually feared him. She had not felt that way toward Vegeta since Namek. After he had moved in to Capsule Corp, Bulma had grown very accustomed to him and was one of the only earthlings that showed no fear whatsoever toward the arrogant Prince of all Saiyans.

"Hurry up, woman," Vegeta spat, leaning against the blank wall with his muscled arms folded across his chest. She pulled her blue jeans up her thighs. "My patience wears thin."

"I haven't had relations with her since I found out about that," Vegeta confided to the other saiyan. "It shocked me so much that she would attempt something like that that I could hardly look her in the face anymore. She isn’t who I thought she was when I met her.” Goku did not have anything to say. He just looked down at the floor and ran a hand through his hair. "Even after that the harpy’s audacity was mind-boggling, Kakarott. She just went ahead and named the boy after

underwear

and then decided it was within her rights to have his tail amputated like it was some kind of defect," Vegeta lamented. He paused and rounded on Goku. “But the young prince is perfect just the way he is. He’s the most beautiful child I’ve ever seen. And I would opt to be Frieza’s bitch for eternity before I’d hand my only child over to that hellcat Bulma!”

"So then… there’s no chance you might, you know, forgive her?" Goku inquired sheepishly.

"None whatsoever! I’ve never been a particularly forgiving individual. But after this? After that weak, pathetic, human female defied me in such a… no,

betrayed.

She betrayed me. She is a treacherous and lying scumbag. Lower than the lowest, slimiest bag of sludge to ever infest the swampiest planet in the entire galaxy and the universe!" he bellowed in impassioned ire.

Goku paused, thinking it wise to change the subject. "Who is going to be your queen then?"

Vegeta looked up, pleased to change to a more pleasant topic. His fit of rage vanished quite suddenly as a thoughtful look befell his visage. "Maybe one of King Chrystal’s daughters. I have my sights set on Princess Sapphire. I knew her when we were children. I don't know if she could bear me offspring as strong as a human female could. But, if Sapphire refuses, I will consider returning to Earth in search of a more worthy human mate. It’s hard to say,” he expressed.

"You think she’ll say yes?" Goku inquired curiously.

"I don't know. I’ll have a better idea when I see her again for the first time, I’m sure. She has plenty of suitors to choose from, being the king's oldest daughter. But she'll probably find my proposal to be the most attractive," Vegeta said with a sly grin, weaving his fingers together.

Goku frowned. He could hardly imagine Vegeta married, his attention consumed entirely by some snobby alien princess. The Earth saiyan doubted Vegeta would have any time to spar with him after that. "Vegeta," Goku said, causing the royal to turn and look at him. "Do you even really need a queen? I mean, aren't you like one of the greatest warriors in the universe? I should think you'd be able to do just fine ruling a kingdom on your own. Did Frieza have a queen?"

Hearing this, Vegeta's mouth began to turn upward into a crooked smirk. "Why, Kakarott. I’m surprised you’re not reluctant to acknowledge my abilities. I must say I'm impressed."

"No way, Vegeta. I'd say it's obvious!” Goku exalted. Then he quickly added, "So you don't really need a queen, then. Right? I mean, I’ve had enough woman troubles myself as you well know by now. Why invite that kind of aggravation into your life? At least, I think you should get to know this girl very well before you decide whether or not to tie the knot with her."

Vegeta blinked. "It's not about me 'needing' a queen, Kakarott. It's just that it's always good to have a reliable mate and someone I trust to take care of the kingdom if I pass away before my son is ready. That's usually the role of the queen," Vegeta explained. “But I see your point, I do intend to get to know her well before I make any proposal. I haven’t seen her since we were children, after all. Who knows? She might have changed for the worst. I hope not, though.”

The two saiyans sat in silence for a few moments until they both yawned simultaneously. Vegeta raised a brow. “You’re tired too?” he asked. “It’s almost siesta time on Planet Pellucid. I thought you said it was full daylight on Earth earlier, unless I’m remembering wrong.”

Goku blinked. “It’s full daylight here too though.”

“Yes, but Pellucian days are very long so everyone sleeps in the middle of the day and then again at night. It’s because there are two suns in the sky. The night is brief here compared to Earth.”

Goku frowned as his stomach rumbled. “When do you have mealtimes?”

They both heard a jingling bell. “Right now,” Vegeta replied, gesturing toward the sound. A guard held the bedroom door open as a well-dressed waiter rolled in an impressive spread of Pellucian delicacies. “Everyone has a meal before siesta. If you’d like, I can order a second portion from the kitchen,” he offered as a combination of delicious scents filled the room.

Goku’s mouth watered as the covered platters of precious metals approached the sitting room where they were. The waiter rolled the serving table right in front of Vegeta. He said a few things in Pelluci and then started to uncover the dishes. One looked like some delicious roast animal the size of a small pig, another looked like oversized dumplings with some kind of dipping sauce, and there was also a platter filled with an assortment of bizarre alien fruits or vegetables, among other things. Vegeta straightened up in his seat, preparing to eat. He cast a glance at Goku. “Are you staying for siesta dinner, yes or no?” he asked. “I can have another spread just like this one ordered and sent up here in no time if you want to stay, but you better tell me now.”

Goku poked his fingers together. “You’d do that? I am hungry. In fact, I think it’s lunchtime in West City,” he remarked, taking a glance at his wristwatch. It was almost noon.

Oh, no! The barbecue.

Goku had completely forgotten about it. He jumped up out of his seat. “I almost forgot, Bulma is hosting a barbecue. I’m supposed to, err… um… oh, gee, what’ll I do now?”

Vegeta raised a brow at him. “What’s the problem? You don’t want to go?” he asked.

Goku shook his head. “But I have to. Chi Chi will be furious if I don’t show up. She said if I don’t put forth a plan to fix everything, she won’t let me speak to Gohan. But knowing what I know now, I can’t just bring your son back to Bulma. I don’t know what to do,” he said, rubbing his arm. “Should I just tell Chi Chi about what Bulma tried to do or should I confront Bulma herself? I don’t think it’d be wise to just bring this up to the crew at the barbecue.”

Vegeta sighed. He slapped a hand to his forehead and dragged it down the length of his face. “Kakarott, you’re obviously too hungry and tired to do all that now. Why don’t you just eat something, take a nap, and then go back to deal with your friends once your brain is working again? Who cares about some stupid barbecue? I’m sure your mate will get over it.”

Goku’s stomach rumbled again. It was too tempting. Both exhausted and starved, he could not just turn down Vegeta’s generous offer. “Alright, I’ll stay for now. You’re right, my brain isn’t working properly right now and I am very hungry. I’m just really anxious about dealing with Chi Chi and the rest of the gang. I’ve never been expected to fix something unfixable before.”

Vegeta said something in Pelluci to his waiter, who nodded and left. Then he took one of his big ‘dumplings’ and dipped it in a sauce. “Another spread will be along shortly. Don’t worry about those turds, Kakarott. They’ll have plenty of fun at the barbecue without you. Besides, guiuchi puts barbecue sauce to shame any day,” he expressed, chomping down on the dumpling.

…

A few hours later, Goku opened his eyes. He shot up to find himself resting comfortably on the sofa in Vegeta’s sitting room. His vision blurred from sleep, he rubbed his eyes and looked around. After enjoying a lavish meal with Vegeta, they had watched a great Pellucian movie at the prince’s recommendation. The movie had long since ended. Goku scrambled off the couch and searched in his discarded shoes to find his wristwatch. While it was broad daylight outside on Pellucid, the time on Earth was very much later. "Eight P.M.?" Goku cried aloud, rousing the prince who slept in the round Pellucian bed. Goku had slept way past the barbecue and now it was almost bedtime back on Earth.

Oh, no!

he thought in panic.

My goose is cooked!

"Kakarott?" Vegeta rasped. "What are you doing, baka?"

"Vegeta? I’m in trouble! I fell asleep and stayed the whole day. Everyone must be worried."

"Who cares?" Vegeta retorted. He closed his eyes again and settled back into the luxurious mattress, completely carefree. “Just tell them you were training or some shit.”

"Chi Chi will be furious! Kami, I have to get back." He put his shoes and watch back on.

Vegeta sat up and stretched. "I don't see what the big deal is."

"The big deal is I bet they're worried sick. Chi Chi gets really moody when I don't show up," Goku whimpered, struggling to tie his shoelaces as fast as he possibly could.

Vegeta heard Goku mutter "Ow" under his breath as he was bending down for his jeans.

"What's wrong with you, Kakarott?" the prince inquired, stretching out on the bedspread.

“Just a muscle cramp that’s healing from last night. It’s nothing,” Goku returned.

“Ha!” Vegeta snapped. “It’s what you deserve for letting humans push you around.”

Goku chuckled. "At least it's not as bad as a needle.”

"Hmph.” Suddenly the prince’s eyes shot wide open in realization and a fiendish grin curled his lips upward. Vegeta called out to Goku in a sing-songy voice, "Oh, Kaakaaroott!"

Goku glanced up suspiciously. "Um, yes?" he replied, curiously eyeing the prince.

"I was just wondering if you're still interested in getting your tail back?" Vegeta inquired in an all too-friendly manner, twiddling his thumbs innocently in his relaxed position.

Goku forgot all about the funny feeling he had and jumped up with excitement. "I am, I am!" he cried, bouncing around excitedly. “I’ll just have to be really careful about the full moon.”

Vegeta's smile widened considerably. "Perfect!" He got up and walked into a spacious closet lined with training spandex and other clothes of a more elegant persuasion. Vegeta came out wearing a fresh jumpsuit that he had not slept in. "I'll be right back.” The prince turned around and let out a loud burst of insane cackling as he headed for the bathroom.

Goku face planted on the floor.

Now, what in the heck was that about?

he wondered. Moments later, Vegeta emerged from the bathroom with both hands behind his back. "Um, Vegeta, what are you hiding there?" the Earth saiyan inquired, swallowing visibly.

"Nothing, Kakarott. Now, I'm going to have to ask you to lie down on your stomach with your eyes closed. Think you can manage that, baka?" Vegeta inquired innocently.

Goku gulped again. "M-may I ask why first?"

Vegeta closed his eyes and chuckled lightly. "Silly, innocent, and naïve saiyan of an earthly persuasion," he teased. "Didn't I just tell you? You want your tail back, don't you?"

"I do, but what exactly does getting my tail back involve? If I may ask?"

"Do as I say and you’ll find out.”

"I'd rather you tell me what you're going to do first.”

Vegeta laughed wickedly. "Of course you would, Kakarott. Of course you would.”

Goku stood up and backed away. "Okay, Vegeta, quit it now. You're scaring me."

Vegeta’s eyes flashed with delight.

"Scaring

you? Oh my, I had no idea. Your poor thing, I must come across as being terribly insensitive,” he continued, stepping closer to his prey.

"Yeah, stop looking at me like that. I mean it. And what's behind your back?" Goku demanded.

"Come on, Kakarott. Just be a good peasant and do what I say. I promise you'll thank me... someday." A bead of sweat ran down Goku’s forehead as he backed farther away from the royal. "The only way you’re going to get your tail back is if you do what I say, Kakarott."

Goku finally relented. "Alright, Vegeta. Just don't do anything sneaky, okay?"

Vegeta crossed his fingers behind his back before replying, “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Goku began to turn toward the lush couch, peering nervously at Vegeta every few seconds. The prince stood perfectly still, both hands remaining directly behind his back. Finally, as Goku lowered himself to his stomach over the bed, he glanced back just in time to see Vegeta take a step forward. The royal saiyan had haphazardly stepped right in front of a mirror. The reflection revealed that Vegeta was actually hiding something quite dreadful indeed behind his back.

"Needle!" Goku shrieked.

Vegeta's eyes went wide.

How did he know?

Vegeta turned around to see the mirror. "Damn it!" he hissed, rounding on Goku.

Oh, well. This is going to be fun either way.

Goku turned on a heel and headed straight for the veranda, only to be cut off by Vegeta. The prince was delighted to observe the taller man's aghast blue face. All his hair stood on end as if he was a frightened cat. If he had a tail, it likely would be puffed up like a porcupine’s. Vegeta roared with laughter. "Going somewhere, my dear peasant?" he taunted. "It's not very polite to just leave without saying goodbye. You should know better." Vegeta held the needle up in his right hand in full view and side glanced at it with a malicious smirk on his face. "Oh, perhaps it was

this

which caused you to depart so abruptly. Not to worry, Kakarott. I’m sure I won’t feel a thing."

"You… you're evil!" Goku cried, pointing accusingly at Vegeta with a shaky finger.

"That's right, Carrothead. I'm your worst nightmare, live in person and ready to rumble. Now, if you would be so kind as to offer me your ass, I will be so kind as to plunge this nice, long, sharp, and

very

pointy needle into it." The self-satisfied prince roared with laughter and squeezed the end of the syringe a bit so that some of the green liquid sprayed out of the tip.

"S-s-s-stay away f-from me with that th-thing!" Goku warned, tripping over his own feet. Before he knew it, Vegeta was on top of him and reaching for the back rim of his jeans.

"Get that thing away from my butt!" Goku slapped his hand away. The Z fighter managed to roll over onto his back. Locking hands with Vegeta, he tried to wrestle the smaller man off of him. This proved not to be overly difficult, as the prince was a lightweight in comparison.

Once Vegeta was on his back, Goku stood up and stumbled away. "You little meanie!" he cried, pointing angrily at Vegeta. "Don't even think about doing that ever again! You know that I hate needles. Even if you’re pleasant sometimes, you really do have a mean streak, ‘Geta!"

Although Vegeta was pissed at being so easily defeated, all he did was stand up and cross his arms, shooting the Z fighter a smug look. "Duh, idiot," he replied, amused. “I’ve never denied that. Why else would I be having so much fun? You're such a pansy, Baka-rott!"

"Am not!"

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too."

The childish argument went on like that for about ten lines until Vegeta got fed up and put a stop to it. "Shut up, Kakarott! This is stupid. If you want your tail back, then you have to take a needle with regeneration serum in the ass. Otherwise, you will be cursed to remain a tailless loser for the rest of your days,” the prince explained, his demeanor turning serious.

"Regeneration serum?"

"That's what this is," Vegeta explained, signaling the needle.

"You… mean there's no other way?" Goku whined, hanging his shoulders in disappointment.

"Not that I know of," Vegeta admitted.

Goku appeared crestfallen. "Darn it! I was really looking forward to getting my tail back and the one way to do it just

had

to be the only thing I’d never be willing to do to save my life! It's just not fair!" Goku plopped down on the floor and sat there, whimpering sadly to himself. He looked up at Vegeta again. "Are you sure there's no other way? Can't I take it by mouth?"

"No," Vegeta said. "It has to be injected directly into your tail spot to work."

Goku groaned again. "Now, what do I do?"

"I’ll tell you what you do, idiot! You get over your pathetic aichmophobia. It makes you act like a sniveling little coward. If I were you, I'd be absolutely ashamed!" Vegeta admonished.

"Aichmo-

what

? " Goku looked up, confused.

"Aichmophobia. You know what a phobia is, don't you?"

Goku paused. "Um… a fear?"

"Exactly. Figure it out, stupid. It means fear of needles."

"Why such a big word? Why can't people just say 'needle phobia' or something like that?"

"Don’t try to change the subject! You need to get over your stupid fear."

"I can’t, Vegeta!"

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Have you ever even tried anything?"

Goku looked up. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Hypnosis, maybe?"

"Hypnosis?"

"Maybe we can try that later."

"I don't know about that, ‘Geta." Goku laughed nervously. "I guess as long as you promise not to hypnotize me into doing anything, well, bad. You wouldn’t do that, would you?”

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "It doesn't work that way, genius."

"What doesn't work that way?"

"Hypnosis. I can't make you do anything you don't want to do. If I knew how to do that I would've used such mind-control on you years ago when I wanted to purge Earth with you as my partner, remember?" the prince reminded him, starting to look irritated again.

"Okay," Goku conceded. "But I don't have time for that right now. I have to get back to Earth."

"Later, then."

Goku scratched his head. "When can I come back?"

"In an Earth week.”

“Aw, that long?” Goku’s shoulders slumped.

“Yes. I'm a busy man, Kakarott.” Vegeta tossed something to Goku, which he caught easily. The item resembled a scouter but without the eyeglass part that provided readable numbers for power levels. “You can page me with that, but only if there is some kind of huge emergency. Just press the button on the earpiece and leave a message. I’ll call you back when I’m available.”

Goku appeared delighted. “Oh, thanks, Vegeta!”

“And don’t worry about the Pellucians. I'll explain everything to King Chrystal and Queen Bijou so they’ll understand that you are now familiar with Pellucian law and will not be breaking it again. You’re lucky I have that kind of influence. Otherwise, you’d be in deep, deep shit. Now go, Kakarott. I have training to do before siesta breakfast,” the prince decreed.

Goku disappeared into thin air before Vegeta had finished putting on his armor. The prince called a servant to help him finish up. "Did you sleep well, Highness?" Opal asked after she arrived. The young green-haired maid always came to tidy his chambers after he had slept in them. She buttoned his cape to his left shoulder as he looked himself over in the mirror.

"Yes, as always. How is my son?" Vegeta replied, adjusting his clothes in the mirror.

"The young prince was a little fussy during siesta, but he fell asleep again after being fed by the wet nurse. He’s been napping peacefully for about three hours,” she replied.

"Good." Vegeta paused for a moment as Opal buttoned the cape to his other shoulder. "Is Princess Sapphire awake yet? She and I haven’t gotten to see each other yet.”

"Yes, sir. I was just in her chambers a few minutes ago. She is excited to see you again.”

"Excellent. Make sure that someone brings my son to the dining room after he is finished with his next breastfeed. I'm sure Sapphire will want to meet him as soon as possible.”

"I’ll let the wet nurse know," she said, finishing. "Anything else I can do for you right now?"

"No, you’ve done well. I'm off for training."

"Goodbye, Your Highness." She bowed and pushed open the door, allowing him exit. When the prince was gone, she proceeded with her twice-daily routine of cleaning his bedchambers.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"I'm home!" Goku announced, materializing in his home on Mount Paozu.

"Dad!" Gohan cried, bolting to the front door and giving his father a hug.

"Hey, Gohan," Goku greeted.

"Where have you been?" Gohan asked. "I was worried that Vegeta might have hurt you or something. I ended up telling everyone you went to talk to Vegeta. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't. Sorry I took so long. Kami, it's almost bedtime and I'm not in the least bit tired."

"Mom's really mad. She thinks you chickened out. She was the one to explain to everyone what happened at the barbecue. They're all concerned about Bulma and the baby," Gohan admitted.

Goku laughed nervously. "Well, you can tell your mom I'm going to talk to Bulma right now and that I promise everything will be alright. I have an idea now of how to settle all of thi…"

"Son Goku!" Goku was cut off by the shrill voice of his wife.

"Chi Chi?" Goku called. "I'm in here, honey."

"There you are, Son Goku! Boy, are you in trouble. I can't believe you flaked out on us at the barbecue. Bulma practically had another meltdown in front of the whole crew. I don't know how much more of this she can take. I think the poor girl is going to loser her mind. She…"

"Don't worry, Chi Chi," Goku interrupted, trying to calm her. "I'm going to talk to Bulma right now. I'll set everything straight. I promise. Just you wait and see,” he said.

"It's late, Goku. Where have you been?" Chi Chi scolded, wagging a finger at him.

"I was talking to Vegeta," Goku explained

Chi Chi’s eyes widened in disbelief. "For more than

nine hours?"

"Yeah,” Goku admitted. He laughed nervously, putting a hand behind his head in the typical fashion. "I guess we got carried away. I'm sorry that I totally lost track of time."

"And you don't even have the baby? You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Goku."

"Well, you see, Chi, it turns out things are a bit more complicated than everyone thought at first. I need to go talk to Bulma now, but I'll be back as soon as possible. Promise."

"Well, I'm coming with you," Chi Chi announced, turning to the closet and pulling out a winter coat. "Just to make sure that you don't upset her again," she warned. "And if you do, boy will you be in for a long hard talk! You just wait, mister. Now get your coat on, Goku.”

"No, Chi Chi! What I have to say to her is private. I promise I'll do my very best to not upset her. You have my word,” Goku promised. She stared at him suspiciously for a long moment. "Please, Chi! It's very important that I talk to her alone," Goku added, trying to convince her.

"Fine, but I'm calling her first thing in the morning."

"Okay," Goku relented and then turned to Gohan. "I'll see you in the morning, Gohan."

"Bye, Dad. I wanna hear all about what you and Vegeta talked about, 'kay?"

"Sure thing, Son. See ya!" Goku put two fingers to his forehead and disappeared in a flash.

An instant later, Goku found Bulma out on her balcony overlooking the city. Her head was tilted backward and her eyes were open, reflecting the stars they observed. She seemed to be in contemplation, perhaps wondering where in the night sky her missing child might be. The next thing Goku noticed was what she had in her hand—a lit cigarette. The smoke fumes swirled upward and disappeared into the blackness above. Goku knitted his brows in concern. "Bulma!" he cried, causing her to jump in surprise and drop the cigarette off the balcony.

"G-Goku?" she gasped, trying to compose herself.

"You shouldn't be smoking!" he admonished.

She stared at him for a second as if trying to register what he had just said before her brows drew together angrily. "Well, Mr. Smarty-Pants, how graciously would

you

handle losing a child? Huh? Goody two-shoes!" she spat, before turning back toward the city. She rebelliously pulled out another cigarette from the pack in her nightgown pocket, taking her lighter in hand.

"How long?" Goku interrogated. "Did you smoke during your pregnancy?"

Bulma rolled her eyes at that before replying. "Do you honestly think Vegeta would let me get anywhere near anything that he even remotely suspected would harm the baby? No way! Not that I would've endangered the baby anyway, but he was way too much a control freak to let me have even the slightest amount of freedom during my pregnancy,” she snapped.

"Well," Goku retorted, "you shouldn't be smoking now either. Your health matters too."

Bulma ignored him, simply putting the next cigarette between her lips and lighting up.

Goku sighed. "Come on, Bulma. There are better ways to cope."

Bulma let a moment of silence reign before she replied, "I don't care."

Goku rubbed his forehead and plopped down on a balcony chair. "Fine, Bulma. Listen."

"So where have you been?" Bulma asked casually without looking at him. She behaved as if his earlier whereabouts did not really matter to her. But he knew she was faking her indifference.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he covered his face with his hands. "I am sorry I missed the barbecue. I got carried away talking to Vegeta. I can see I was there all day."

"Ah-ha! So you

were

talking to Vegeta. That's what Gohan thought."

"Yup."

"Well, how'd it go?" she asked, turning to face him.

"It depends how you look at it. From my point of view it went fine, considering that we did not get into any violent fights or anything,” Goku explained, not sure where to begin.

"I see," Bulma said, looking at him skeptically.

"The reason I'm here is because, well, I need to talk to you."

"Okay."

"I got Vegeta's side of the story. Now, it's your turn."

"You got Vegeta's side of what story?"

Goku glanced around as if he thought it was obvious. "The story of why he took the baby," he expressed. The Earth saiyan paused and then asked, "So why do you think he took the baby?"

Bulma shrugged. "I dunno. To spite me, I guess. He hasn't hardly exchanged a word with me since before…" she quickly halted her speech, carefully picking out the words she wanted to use. "Well, since a long time. Let's just say his behavior totally changed during my pregnancy."

"And you have no idea why?" Goku inquired.

"Because he's Vegeta,” Bulma replied petulantly. “I don't know if you've noticed, Goku, but Vegeta doesn't exactly have an award-winning personality. He’s a total jerk."

"But you said his personality totally changed."

"Not his personality, his behavior." She laughed a little. "It's kind of hard to explain."

"Well, here's what Vegeta told me," Goku asserted, getting ready for what he knew would likely be a very difficult discussion. "He believes that you're out to get Trunks."

Bulma paused for a minute as if Goku's words had not registered. She shot him a confused look. "Um," she replied slowly, "I'm out to get Trunks

back

from him, if that's what you mean."

"No, that's not what I mean at all. Vegeta thinks you want to kill Trunks. That's why he took him away right after he was born. It's because he cares about Trunks. It's not because Vegeta's trying to spite you at all. He genuinely believes that you mean to murder your son.”

"Wha-wha-

what

?" Bulma cried in disbelief.

"And he thinks that because he claims you tried to kill him before he was born!" Goku added.

Bulma stared at Goku for a long moment, trying to register what he had said. Then, a second later, she rolled her eyes at him. "Wait a minute, Goku. Let me guess. This is about the abortion, isn't it?" she inquired. She crossed her arms and peered at him as if he was an ignorant child.

Goku scratched his head. "Um, yeah. I think that's what he said it was called. A-bor-tion." Goku paused and his eyes went wide. "Wait, Bulma! Are you telling me you did try to kill Trunks?"

Once again, Bulma rolled her eyes. "Listen, Goku, you have got it all wrong and that's probably because you've been listening to

Vegeta,"

she said, adding a tone of distaste to Vegeta’s name.

Goku's eyebrows drew together and he stood up, eyeing her in suspicion. "Bulma, did you try to kill Trunks before he was born or not? Surely, you can give me a straight answer to that."

"I tried to terminate the pregnancy because I didn't think I wanted a child at the time,” Bulma retorted. “Doing so would've been my right, Goku. Ever heard of Roe v. Wade?" Goku stared at her agape, shaking his head. "Well, I'll tell you what Roe v. Wade is,” she explained, tapping her cigarette butt on the railing to make some of the ash fall off the end. "It was a Supreme Court decision ruling that women have the right to make private medical decisions with their doctors alone and without interference from outside sources. That includes the abortion decision."

Goku blinked a few times. "I'm confused."

Bulma groaned. "About what?"

"What does this Roe v. Wade thing have to do with killing people before they're born?"

Bulma blew up at him, "You can’t kill someone before they’re born because there’s no person before birth!" She paused for a moment, calming herself, and added, "Catch my drift, Goku?"

"Huh?"

"An embryo is not a person."

"Embryo?" That word rang a bell, but Goku scratched his head.

"Yes, an embryo is an entity that exists in the body of every pregnant woman which will become a child eventually if allowed to grow. If not, it’s just a mindless ball of tissue."

Goku appeared completely puzzled. "Entity?"

Bulma sighed. "Sorry, Goku. I'll try to keep this simple for you. An embryo is like a seed and you and I are like plants," she explained, slowing down her speech as to allow him to register it all. "Every plant used to be a seed, but seeds themselves do not qualify as plants. Understand?"

"Uh…"

"In other words, an embryo is what becomes a person, but it itself is not a person."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not born yet."

Goku asked, "How does that make it not a person?"

"Because it's attached to the body of a real actual person."

"And how does that make it not a person again?"

Bulma groaned in frustration. "One person cannot live inside the body of another. That concept is beyond ridiculous. Can you even hear yourself talk, Goku? It’s embarrassing!”

“But that's what I thought pregnancy was,” Goku returned. “One person living inside another."

"Well, you thought wrong, Goku."

"Wait, wait,” Goku blurted. “Are you saying that when Trunks was inside of you, he wasn't a person, and therefore it would have been okay for you to hire a doctor to kill him then?"

Bulma paused. "You put it rather harshly. But, yes. In the same sense that swatting a mosquito on your arm is killing, so is abortion. Not exactly a crime, if you ask me,” she said bluntly.

"Your son has the same worth to you as a mosquito?" cried the horrified saiyan.

Bulma panicked. "What? No, Goku! No!" She walked straight up to him and took his hand, bringing both it and her other fist to her chest. "I love Trunks with all my heart," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. “I would never compare him to a mosquito as he is now.”

Goku pulled his hand away and shook his head, backing up. "Bulma, you’re making me really confused now. If I didn't know better, I would think you were trying to divert my attention away from the main issue with all these silly points you keep making,” he expressed.

"Oh, really?" Bulma replied. "And what's the main issue, Goku? If you don't mind telling me?"

"That you tried to kill Trunks! How could you do such a thing, Bulma? I thought you loved children! Why, Bulma? Why?" Goku backed away, a look of betrayal in his eyes.

"An embryo or fetus is not a child, Son Goku! How many times do I have to say that?"

"Don't lie to me. I hate it when you lie to me! Do you think I'm too stupid or something to handle the truth? I know full well my second child is a child and a person right at this very moment! He doesn't need to be born first," Goku cried, glaring at his lifelong friend. "Just because I was a bit naïve when we first met doesn't mean I haven't come a long way since then."

Bulma appeared both surprised and skeptical. "When have I ever lied to you, Goku?"

"Plenty of times. You never told me why my tail had to be removed. You, Krillin, and Yamcha withheld the truth. None of you ever told me that I was the one who transformed into a giant ape and killed my grandpa. I had to figure that out myself when the saiyans arrived. You just thought I couldn't handle the truth about myself. Well, some friends you guys have turned out to be!"

"Goku, hold on now," she said, approaching him.

Goku floated up into the air, ready to depart. "Now, I know how Vegeta felt. He said you lied to him too. You’ll have a hell of a time earning his forgiveness. So good luck trying, Bulma."

"Wait!" Bulma cried.

"Let me know when you're ready to apologize," Goku said, disappearing into the night sky.

With her eyes on the heavens, Bulma collapsed to her knees. She threw her head into her hands as sobs of hopelessness poured out of her. But Goku was already gone and could not hear.

…

Vegeta strolled through a courtyard next to a lovely woman with lilac skin and aquamarine hair. The infant in her arms hiccuped and went back to sucking on its tiny fist. “That is a horrific story, Vegeta!” Princess Sapphire exclaimed, holding the baby closer. “Poor thing, I can’t believe someone would… No! I can’t think about it.” She shook her head in disgust.

“I know. It’s awkward having an heir without a queen. There’s a danger in making a false story, but at the same time the truth might put off potential ally leaders,” the elder prince conceded. Sapphire gave him a look of sadness. “This other saiyan by the name of Kakarott told me not to dwell on it,” he admitted, “but I can’t seem to help it. I really was smitten with her.”

“Well, Kakarott is right. Maybe I can help you forget about it. With the pressure you’ll be under soon, you need to have your mind as grounded as possible.” She paused to think. “I know! Why don’t we take a royal retreat to the Copulah Ravine for the Moonstone Miners’ Festival? I recall when we were kids you wanted to go so badly, but you never got the chance.”

Vegeta thought for a minute, sighing as he scratched his head. “I don’t know. I still have a lot to do. I’m not even halfway through rewriting the Tome yet, but I do want to go.”

“We’ll only be gone for three days. Revising all the old saiyan laws and statutes can wait for a bit. I really think it’ll be good to take a break. I’m sure Mother and Father will agree.”

“Well, alright,” Vegeta relented.

“I’ll go tell them right now,” Princess Sapphire quickly announced. “How about we meet at the amphitheater after you’re done teaching that martial arts class to the soldiers?”

Vegeta shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”

“Alright, I’ll see you later.” Sapphire handed the baby to Nurse Ivory and flew out of the lush courtyard toward the throne room. The beautiful princess was gone in a split second.

Peridot called to Vegeta from the entrance to the royal hall. “Prince Vegeta, all of your pupils have gathered and are awaiting your arrival, sir,” the man quickly announced.

“Good,” Vegeta replied, approaching the guard. “Let’s go.” Suddenly, the prince felt something buzz against his chest and his eyes popped open. “Kami damn it, Kakarott!” he hissed to himself. “Not even a full day goes by and the baka is already abusing the damn scouter I gave him.”

“Your Highness? Is everything alright?” Peridot inquired.

Vegeta waved him off. “Yes, yes, Peridot. Just give me a minute.” The prince brought the scouter to his ear and pressed the call button. “What do you want, Kakarott?” he snapped. “I happen to be very busy right now. I thought I told you only to contact me in emergencies!”

“But Vegeta! You were right! I talked to Bulma,” Goku exclaimed from the other end of the line.

“Of course, I was right,” Vegeta replied, rolling his eyes. “Now, did you call me about anything important or just to restate what I’ve already told you?” he queried, sounding cross.

“…”

“Kakarott, I have enough to worry about without you pestering me every five minutes!”

“Aw,” Goku murmured. He sounded disappointed.

“I mean it. I don’t want to hear from you again for a week. Is that understood?”

Goku grumbled, sounding like a petulant ten-year-old. “I guess.”

“Good. Now beat it, baka. I have to go.” With that, Vegeta ended the call.

“Meanie,”

Goku whined as the line went dead.

…

Two days later…

Bulma turned the Gravitron up another 0.5 until it was at two times Earth’s gravity. Her body fell flat against the floor, but she just gritted her teeth and struggled to crawl to the exercise mat five feet away. “If you’re not going to help me, Goku,

I’ll just have to do it myself,”

she proclaimed through a clenched jaw. When she reached the mat a few minutes later, she clicked a button on the remote control and turned the big screen on to a sitting aerobics television program.

“And one, and two. Lift your leg up, and two. Breathe in, and two. How are we doing ladies?” came the effeminate voice of Wayne Blonda from the TV. “You got this one, girls!”

Bulma huffed and puffed, barely lifting her leg off the floor.  At last, she screamed her frustration and tried to throw the remote at the TV, missing due to the additional gravity. “Damn it!”

The screen suddenly changed to an image of her mother, Mrs. Panchy Briefs. “Sorry to interrupt, sweetums! Son Chi Chi is on the line again. Can you pick up the phone in there?”

“Tell her you couldn’t find me,” the young genius snapped.

“Again? Schnookums, you know she’ll only keep calling until she gets a hold of you.”

“I don’t care,” Bulma murmured below her breath. “I can’t talk to people right now. Please, Mom, just… I don’t know. Just tell her I can’t talk. I’m really, really,

really

busy.”

Mrs. Briefs sighed. “Alright, Bulma dear. But you had better come out for dinner or I’m going to really start worrying,” she chided. “You’re starting to act like Vegeta did when he lived here!”

Bulma groaned. “Okay, Mom. Just call me when it’s ready,” she grated.

Mrs. Briefs nodded and turned off the screen. Back in the kitchen of their home, she picked up the phone again and put the receiver to her ear. “I’m sorry, Chi Chi. Bulma doesn’t want to talk to anyone right now. She’s in one of her moods. Now, I’ve got to get back to the stove, but I’ll have her call you back as soon as she’s feeling better.” She gently put down the receiver.

…

Chi Chi slammed down the phone on the other end of the line, nearly cracking the device. “This is not acceptable! First Goku disappears for days and now Bulma refuses to speak to us. Gohan, I think we need to call the Z crew together and go over to Bulma’s place,” she declared worriedly. Gohan looked up from his homework as his mother began rummaging through some drawers and looking frustrated. “Ugh, what a mess! Where did your father put that darn phonebook?”

“Who are you going to call, Mom?”

“Krillin and Yamcha. And if you could go find Piccolo for me, I would really appreciate it. Hurry back,” Chi Chi returned, searching through some disorganized loose-leaf papers.

“Sure thing.” Gohan quickly put away his arithmetic homework and flew out the front door. “Be back in a jiff, Mom,” he called back. Soon, he had disappeared into the bright blue sky.

Chi Chi finally found the phonebook at the bottom of a stack of papers and dialed Krillin’s number. Conveniently enough, Yamcha was at Krillin’s house when the phone rang. Before long, everyone had gathered together and they were all on their way to Capsule Corp in West City. They found Bulma’s parents out on the back porch. Mrs. Briefs was putting dinner together on the patio table and Dr. Briefs was on a business call while waiting for the meal to be ready.

Chi Chi slammed the car door shut and waltzed right up to Bulma’s mother. “Mrs. Briefs, we’re so sorry to show up out of the blue like this, but all of us are incredibly worried about Bulma!”
“Speak for yourself,” Piccolo muttered, crossing his arms and leaning back against the Son family car. “The only reason I came along is because Gohan begged me to.” Gohan jumped right out of the vehicle and waved to the Briefs family with a great big smile on his face.
“So what’s the deal?” Yamcha asked, getting out of the car. “Does Bulma need our help?”

Suddenly a sweaty red-faced Bulma limped through the back door of the patio, muttering and cursing under her breath. She was too preoccupied with her own thoughts to notice the visitors.

“Oh, lovely! You’re all just in time for dinner! Please, do sit down. I’ll go get some extra chairs,” Mrs. Briefs chimed, looking delighted. She placed a casserole down on the table and shimmied past her daughter, who raised an aqua eyebrow in confusion as her mother passed by.

“Bulma!” Yamcha exclaimed, observing the poor woman’s condition. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Who did this to you?” He ran over to her and inspected her for injuries.

Bulma almost jumped out of her skin. “Y-Yamcha? What are you…” She looked behind him and noticed Chi Chi, Gohan, Piccolo, and Krillin all standing on the lawn looking at her. “What the heck are you guys doing here?” she inquired, her eyes growing wide with surprise.

“We came to check on you, Bulma,” Chi Chi divulged. “You have us all scared half to death. What on Earth happened to you? And we haven’t heard from Goku for days either!”

“N-nothing happened,” Bulma proclaimed. “I-I’m fine, I swear. I’ve just been busy training hard in the Gravity Room, so obviously I’m a bit tired. I don’t know how you guys do it!”

Krillin scratched his waxed head. “I don’t get it, Bulma. You’re a girl, so you’ll never be able to take on Vegeta no matter how hard you train. What are you really up to?” he inquired.

“I’d like to know the same thing,” Chi Chi added. “And I’d also like to know why I haven’t been able to get a hold of you for the last two days. I thought something must be terribly wrong!”

Bulma sighed wearily. “I’m sorry about that, Chi Chi. I’ve just been incredibly preoccupied.”

Chi Chi sat down at the table across from her. “Do tell,” she said, probing for more information.

As all of her friends surrounded her, pleading for answers, Bulma Briefs sighed and plopped down on one of the patio chairs. “Alright, guys, here’s the deal…” she began.

…

Two small space pods raced through the solar system, heading for Earth. As they neared their planetary destination, the computer system in each altered the gas mixture to awaken the occupants from their stasis. A small spiky-haired male stretched and turned on the intercom.

“Gure? Are you awake? We’re almost there.” He heard some shuffling but received no response.

Just when he had begun to worry, a small female voice came through the receiver. “Yes, I’m here. It just took a second to get that mask off of my face. Is everything okay?”

“Yes,” he replied, “just checking in before we land. It looks like we are entering the atmosphere. I just had the computer do a quick scan of the planet and it detected several high power levels.”

“Oh good. We’d better find your brother before they catch up to us. We have almost no fuel left.”

The man glanced down at his fuel gauge, confirming his companion’s report. “Yes, I see your point. I’m going to try to quickly reprogram the computer to land us closer to the high power levels.” He typed a command in and waited. “Alright, we’ve altered our course just a little. This should buy us some extra time. With any luck, we’ll land right by him.”

“Good. See you when we land, dear,” she said, ending the transmission.

The pods descended through the Earth’s atmosphere and zipped through the sky over West City, causing citizens to look up and point. They plunged into a mountain just on the eastern outskirts of the metropolis, leaving two smoking holes through the colossal land formation. The two pods finally landed in a deep valley, replacing the abundant forest therein with a smoldering crater.

…

“So you see, guys, I won’t be able to get around on Pellucid unless I can withstand the heavy gravity,” Bulma explained, yawning in fatigue. “Do you mind if I go catch some z’s now?”

“But Bulma, what about Goku? What makes you think you’ll be any more successful in finding Trunks than he was?” Krillin inquired. “He even fought Vegeta hand-to-hand, but he still could not get any information out of him. Surely, you have a better plan than to just train.”

“Yeah,” Yamcha added. “I’d like to know how Goku plays into all of this.”

“G-Goku?” Bulma uttered, eyes popping open.

Of course. Goku. How could I forget about him?

she thought, mentally slapping herself. If she left him out of the picture, they would all know that something was up. She did not want to reveal too much information to the crew.

“You haven’t told us what happened between you and Goku the other day. He said he was going to go talk you, but he never came home after that and I haven’t seen him in a few days,” Chi Chi revealed. “I don’t know about you guys, but I think something smells fishy.”

“No worries, Chi Chi!” Bulma spouted. “It’s all part of the plan. Goku is going to help me get

into

the palace,” she lied, not wanting to reveal Goku’s change of heart or the reason behind it.

Chi Chi’s eyes popped open. “Wha…? Really?”

“Yup, but it’s top secret so nobody say anything about it to anyone!” Bulma uttered, looking a bit flustered. “Not a word! I’m only letting you guys in on the plan because I trust you.”

Chi Chi raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Well i-if you say so, Bul…”

Suddenly, Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin, and Yamcha all simultaneously bolted up out of their seats, instantly silencing the two women. The four Z fighters stared into the eastward sky.

“What is it, guys?” Chi Chi asked, taken aback.

“Someone’s here,” Yamcha said. “Someone with a detectable ki but not Goku or Vegeta.”

“Who could it be?” Gohan wondered aloud. “I don’t recognize the energy.”

“Come on, guys,” Krillin declared. “We better go check it out. It could be dangerous.”

Gohan started to float up into the air, only to have his heel snatched by his mother. “Oh, no, you don’t, young man! You’re not getting involved in any more of these ridiculous battles. I won’t have you falling behind in school like you did while you were on Namek. Piccolo, Yamcha, and Krillin will just have to suffice this time unless your father decides to show up!”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Piccolo retorted. “We don’t even know if these power levels are hostile or not. Just let the kid tag along. I won’t let him get into any trouble. You have my word.”

She still looked skeptical. “Come on, Chi Chi,” Krillin said. “We just want to check it out.”

Chi Chi huffed. “Fine, but Gohan better be back soon. He has school tomorrow morning.”

“Don’t worry, Chi Chi. We’ll be back soon,” Yamcha replied.

With that, the Z fighters rose up into the air and sped off toward the source of the commotion, leaving the Briefs and Son Chi Chi behind on the Capsule Corp patio.

…

The man and tiny alien female rose to their feet as the hatches of their space pods opened.

“Alright. Now, all we have to do is look for the highest power level and that’s sure to be him,” he spoke, pressing a button on his scouter. He scanned the horizon. “Hm. Several high power levels seem to be coming toward us. But the highest one is in the opposite direction.”

“I wonder who else is here aside from your brother,” replied his companion.

The man shrugged. “Let’s go meet them and find out,” he suggested, rising into the air. “Ah, there they are!” He pointed into the sky as four distant figures appeared and began to grow larger. He lowered himself to the ground again and waited beside his tiny mate.

Gohan, Krillin, Yamcha, and Piccolo flew over. The four landed nearby and examined the oddball alien duo with raised eyebrows. “A saiyan!” Krillin exclaimed, noticing the waving appendage behind the taller newcomer. “Look, he’s even got a scouter!”

“Ve… Vegeta? Is that you?” Gohan uttered, totally confused.

Tarble blinked. “No, I am not Prince Vegeta. But I do happen to be looking for him. My name is Tarble and this is Gure,” he said, signaling his cute little companion. “Would any of you happen to know if that high power level off in the distance might be Vegeta? A nice Namekian told me I would be able to find him on Earth,” the saiyan divulged. There was a moment of silence.

“Vegeta has left this planet,” Piccolo finally revealed. “So I’m afraid you are out of luck.”

“Wh-what? Oh, no! Tarble, what are we going to do?” Gure exclaimed in her little voice.

“Really? When? We need his help! But we don’t have enough fuel for another trip into space,” Tarble explained worriedly. “Please, if you can help us find him, we’d be very grateful!”

Krillin stepped forward. “You guys aren’t hostile, right? We were worried you might be here to do harm to this planet when we first sensed your presence. That’s why we rushed over.”

Gure appeared shocked at the shortest human’s remark. “No, of course not! Why would we want to harm this poor little planet? We’re here because we need Vegeta’s help. We’re terribly sorry if we had you all worried. It wasn’t our intention at all!” the little woman exclaimed

Everyone looked relieved, although Yamcha’s relief was mixed with confusion. “And what makes you two think someone as selfish as Vegeta would be willing to help you?” he inquired skeptically. “Vegeta isn’t exactly the charitable type, you know. In fact, I’ve never known him to help anybody unless he knows he’ll get something out of it for himself.”

“That may be true, but we’ve run out of options,” Tarble conceded. “A hostile alien force has followed us here and my big brother might be the only one who can help! I’ll get down on my knees and beg him if I have to! Besides, he might be willing to help family.”

“Big brother?”

Piccolo, Gohan, Yamcha, and Krillin shouted in unison.

“Vegeta’s got a little bro?” Gohan asked, dumbstruck.

“Yes, but if Vegeta’s not here, we’re doomed!” Gure proclaimed. “Unless any of you know where to find more saiyan space pods. Or perhaps some fuel. Do you?” she beseeched, hopeful.

“Come with us,” Gohan replied. “I think we can help you out.”

Gohan led everyone back to Capsule Corp, where Chi Chi, Bulma, and Bulma’s parents were sitting on the patio eating dinner and waiting for the others to return from their scouting.

Chi Chi jumped up when she spotted the strange saiyan. “Who are you? What do you want?”

Tarble cringed backward. “N-nothing, ma’am. I just came to this planet looking for Vegeta, but this friendly Namekian has told me he is not here. I was hoping one of you could help us. Gure and I,” he gestured to the two-foot-tall round-headed alien female with him, “are stranded on this planet because our space pods are out of fuel. If you have any more fuel, we need your help!”

Everyone was silent for a moment until Gohan spoke. “This saiyan says Vegeta is his brother.”

Chi Chi and all three Briefs fell out of their seats.

“What?”

Bulma cried. “Vegeta has a

brother

?”

“Yes, my name is Tarble. So you know Prince Vegeta? Can you help me find him, miss? Please, it’s very important. A terrible brother duo named Abo and Cado have followed us here. They’re incredibly strong! If we leave now, we can lead them away from your planet. Please, do you have the kind of fuel we need?” Tarble beseeched, pressing his hands together pleadingly.

Bulma stood up, a determined look on her face. “I’ve got something better.”

…

Five minutes later, Tarble, Gure, Piccolo, Yamcha, Krillin, Gohan, Chi Chi, Bulma, Mrs. Briefs, and Dr. Briefs were all standing in front of the Gravitron. “We designed this based off of the saiyan space pods,” Bulma divulged. “I’ll let you use it if you train me to withstand five times Earth’s normal gravity. Please, you have no idea how desperately I need this training!”

Tarble blinked in surprise. “But there’s no time! Abo and Cado will be here any minute!”

“No, I mean you must train me while we’re traveling in space. I’m going with you. We can leave now. Let me go pack some clothes,” she quickly explained, turning to go back to the building.

“But where are we going?” Gure inquired.

Bulma paused. “To find Vegeta.”

“Ah! So you know where he is?” Tarble asked with a hopeful expression.

“Yes. He’s in a place called Planet Pellucid. It’s not too far from here,” she divulged.

“Pellucid?” Tarble blurted. “I know where that this. I went there twice when I was a kid!”

“Good! Then we won’t have to stop for directions. You can help me set the coordinates,” Bulma said, turning and running toward Capsule Corp. Soon enough, she had disappeared inside.

Tarble turned to the others with an amiable smile. “It was awfully nice of you all to help us out. I don’t think we could ever thank you enough,” he expressed, giving them all a polite bow.

Krillin squinted at him suspiciously. “Are you

sure

you’re Vegeta’s brother?”

Tarble frowned. “Of course, I am.”

“I mean,” Krillin continued, “you look like him and all, but you sure don’t act like him.”

“Heh,” Tarble chuckled. “Yeah, we’ve always been opposites,” he admitted.

Everyone in the room except Tarble and Gure fell over again. Tarble blinked in surprise. “Is… is something wrong?” he asked, looking confused. “Is it something that I said?” Gure shrugged.

Gohan got up from the floor. “How much younger are you than Vegeta?”

Tarble thought for a minute. “I think about two-and-a-half Earth years. Why?”

Gohan scratched his head. “So you knew each other as kids?” he asked. Tarble nodded. “Wow.”

Yamcha glanced at Gure. “Why don’t you leave your friend here with us? It’ll be safer for her.”

Tarble and Gure glanced at each other. “You would be willing to look after her for me?”

“Of course,” Dr. Briefs chimed, puffing his pipe. “She can stay right here at Capsule Corp with us. We’d be glad to accommodate you, my dear. There’s plenty of rooms available.”

Gure bowed to him. “Thank you so very much, kind sir. But I would prefer to stay with Tarble. I don’t want anything to happen to him,” she replied. “I’m afraid of him going off alone.”

“No, Gure. I think we should accept the offer. I don’t want you getting hurt,” Tarble retorted. “I promise, I’ll come back for you when this is all over. You know that I will.”

“But, Tarble, I don’t want you to have to face Abo and Cado alone!” she cried, running to him.

He kneeled down to embrace her. “It would put my mind at ease if you were safe. Please, Gure.”

She sighed sadly. “Alright, Tarble. If that’ll make you happy.”

“Thank you,” Tarble returned, looking very relieved.

“They’re here!” Krillin exclaimed, pointing towards two space pods thundering through the sky overhead. One of them rammed through and completely demolished one of the tallest towers in the city. Screams could be heard in the distance. “Yamcha, run! Go tell Bulma to hurry up!”

Tarble and Gure grabbed a hold of each other, looking fearful. Dr. Briefs took Tarble by the hand and led him into the Gravitron. He got the coordinates of Planet Pellucid from Tarble and set the route, then explained how to use the gravity controls. Tarble listened intently and gave a nod.

Finally, Dr. Briefs lowered his glasses and looked Tarble directly in the eye. “Keep my daughter safe,” he beseeched in a very serious tone. “You seem like a trustworthy man.”

Tarble nodded again. “Yes, sir.”

Bulma sprinted up the stairs into the Gravitron. “Hurry up with that suitcase, Yamcha!”

Yamcha barreled in dragging an overstuffed suitcase behind him. “Geez, Bulma, you always overpack every time you go somewhere! Can’t you encapsulate this stuff first?”

“No time!” Bulma retorted. “We’ve got to get out of here ASAP!”

“They’re heading this way!” Krillin shouted from the Capsule Corp lawn.

Bulma shoved Tarble into the passenger launch seat and took her own place, buckling up for safety. “Buckle up, Tarble,” she decreed. He promptly obeyed, following her example. “Clear the launch site!” she said into the loud speaker. “Move, people, go, go, go!”

Dr. Briefs, Krillin, Yamcha, Piccolo, Gohan, Gure, and Chi Chi cleared the area. “You are cleared for launch,” Dr. Briefs announced through the intercom. “Forget the countdown!”

Soon enough, the Gravitron had blasted off towards the heavens. Everyone remaining on the ground all sighed in relief, but their respite was short-lived. Two dots appeared on the horizon barely half a minute later. “Chi Chi, Gure, Dr. Briefs,” Piccolo snapped. “Get inside. Now!”

They all did as the Namekian instructed and discreetly peered out at the scene through the closed blinds of the living room window. A rotund red alien with two horns on his head and a rotund blue alien with one horn landed on the lawn, leering grotesquely at the tense Z fighters.

“Can we help you two?” Piccolo asked nonchalantly.

Abo smirked. “Why, yes. We happen to be looking for a saiyan about yay high,” he said, holding his hand five feet off the ground, “and a young Tech-Tech woman. Have you by any chance seen either of these individuals?” he inquired in a diplomatic enough tone of voice.

“Ah,” Piccolo replied, clicking his tongue at them. “It seems you just missed them both. How unfortunate. Better luck next time,” the Namekian informed them with a look of satisfaction.

Abo and Cado’s composure suddenly disappeared. “Wh-what? What do you mean, Namek? Which way did they go?” Cado asked, clenching a fist. “We must find them right away!”

Piccolo shot a glance skyward and they both looked up. Abo hit a button on his scouter, which soon confirmed what the Namekian had said. “He’s right! They just left the planet!”

“Where are they going, Namek?” Cado charged.

Piccolo grinned at him. “I believed they mentioned something about going to a ‘Planet Pellucid.’ Never heard of it myself, so I can’t help you with the coordinates,” he admitted.

“Damn! Quick, Cado, back to the pods.” Ado glanced back to the Z fighters before departing. “We thank you, friends. Perhaps some time in the future we might be able to pay you a longer visit. Until then.” They flew up into the air and disappeared in the direction they had come.

Gohan, Krillin, and Yamcha ground their teeth angrily, but Piccolo kept smirking as the invaders vanished. “Those jerks! Who do they think they are harassing Tarble and Gure?” Gohan spat.

Gure poked her head out of the house. “Are they g-gone yet?” she murmured, trembling.

“Yeah, they’re gone,” Krillin confirmed. “So what’s with those guys? Why are they after you?”

Gure stepped onto the lawn. “They used to work for Frieza,” she explained. “Since Frieza’s death, they have been terrorizing my home planet Tech-Tech. For some reason, they hate saiyans. So when they discovered Tarble and I, they gave him the beating of his life in front of me and nearly killed him. I used my psionic powers to trick them into thinking he was fleeing from them rather than lying on the ground bleeding. They ran after the illusion and that bought us enough time to steal their space pods and use them to flee to one of Frieza’s abandoned planets.”

“Oh, really? Wow,” Yamcha exclaimed, unintentionally interrupting.

Gure nodded. “I found a regeneration tank in one of the deserted colonies and used it to heal Tarble. But Abo and Cado refused to take their humiliation in stride. They sent for two more attack balls and used the time Tarble needed to heal to catch up with us. We barely escaped the abandoned planet with our lives. They were right behind us. Since then, they’ve been pursuing us from planet to planet. It’s been about a whole Earth year now that we’ve been on the run from them,” she admitted, tears starting to form in her little dot eyes. She fell to her knees and cried into her hands. “We j-just want to live in peace, but they won’t let us.”

Chi Chi, standing in the doorway, walked over to Gure and put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, poor dear. We won’t let them hurt you any more.” She turned to the Z fighters. “Gohan, Piccolo, I need you two to do whatever it takes to find Goku. We need his help for this.”

Gohan and Piccolo nodded and flew off together to go in search of Goku. Gure took Chi Chi’s hand. “Thank you so much, miss. You’re too kind. What is your name?”

“I’m Chi Chi,” she said warmly. “Goku is my husband. He’s a super saiyan and is strong enough to put those two bullies in their place. I’ll make sure he does just that. You have my word!”

Gure smiled up at Chi Chi. “You think we could send him after them? Maybe he can help Prince Vegeta fight them. I’m not sure the Prince of all Saiyans will need help. But if he does, it would be wonderful to have your husband on our side,” the little alien girl remarked.

Chi Chi gritted her teeth slightly at the use of the word ‘Prince’ accompanying Vegeta’s name, but she hid it well enough. Now was not the time to dwell on silly old grudges. “Of course,” the human woman replied, forcing a smile. “That’s just what I plan to do.”

…

As they flew back to their space pods, Abo pressed the call button on his scouter. “Brothers Grim to Mothership. Come in Mothership. This is Abo calling from an unidentified planet.”

For a moment, Abo was nearly deafened by a loud radio buzz, but then a voice came through the receiver. “Mothership to Abo. This is Apex. I hear you loud and clear. What do you need?”

“The refugees have fled again. This time, they’ve gone to Planet Pellucid in a new ship. We need you to look up the planet’s coordinates and relay them to us as soon as possible. Also, contact all starships immediately to see if any are near enough to the escape route to head them off before they arrive. They may or may not be in saiyan pods, so tell everyone to be on the lookout.”

Abo could hear the sound of typing for a few moments. “Read and sent,” came the reply soon enough. “Planet Pellucid is a binary star planet with coordinates 9322XY. Now determining the location of any available starships.” Another pause came. Abo winked at Cado to let him know that they had found the coordinates. Cado gave his brother a look of triumph.

“Starship 49B2

Dark Oblivion

may be close enough to head off targets. Estimating potential ambush coords. Sending them to Captain Hoc Mareth. He will report directly to you. Is there anything else I can do for you today, sir?” came the voice of Apex once more.

“No, that covers it. Thanks very much. Out.” As the call ended, Abo glanced over his shoulder to his brother Cado and grinned. “We got ‘em,” Abo declared. Cado grinned back. The two brothers landed by their attack balls and got in. Ado quickly set the coordinates and soon they blasted off into outer space, laughing wickedly during the entire ascent. Soon, they would catch their quarry.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A few days later…

On the opposite side of the planet from Capsule Corp, Goku slept naked on a lush tropical island beach. A dying campfire sent plumes of hazy smoke up into the starlit sky and the bones of a giant fish lay discarded some yards away. The gentle breeze and rush of the ocean did little to calm the Earth saiyan’s troubled dreams as he tossed and turned on the warm fine-grained sand.

Since the failed battle, Goku’s mind had been awash with confusion and chaos. Vegeta’s story had made his distress a million times worse and it did not help that Vegeta had shouted at him over the scouter. By going away for a few days, Goku hoped to help himself mentally process all that had happened. But it did not seem to be working. When the Z fighter’s troubled unconscious mind detected two fast approaching powers, he bolted up from his slumber and peered around the beach, trying to reorient himself to the physical world that surrounded him.

After he had gotten his bearings, he stood up in the sand and realized that he had gone super saiyan in his sleep.

That’s how they must’ve found me,

he thought. He analyzed the approaching powers. It was Gohan and Piccolo.

Something must be wrong.

Goku quickly dressed himself in his usual orange gi outfit and immediately teleported to the location of his pursuers.

Gohan and Piccolo stopped in mid-air, eyes wide. “Dad!” Gohan cried, looking both relieved and excited at the same time. “We’ve been looking for you for days! Where have you been?”

Goku scratched his head. “Gee. Sorry, Son. I’ve been meditating a lot. So what’s up, guys?”

“Goku, we have a situation,” Piccolo immediately divulged.

Gohan nodded his agreement with a much more serious look on his face. “We need you.”

“What kind of situation?” Goku inquired.

“IT us back to Capsule Corp and we’ll tell you,” Piccolo replied.

“Alright, hold onto me,” Goku instructed. Piccolo put his hand on Goku’s shoulder and Gohan put his hand on his forearm. Goku put two fingers to his head and all three of them vanished.

…

“Excellent. When will they be ready to head to Earth?” Vegeta inquired, pleased that his plans were finally all coming together. After all the work he had put into them, it was a great relief.

“A couple of days, Your Highness,” the scientist conceived. “We have enough top-notch geneticists to get the job done within a few months. Although we could probably cut that down to weeks if you would lower your rigid standards just a little bit,” he added.

Vegeta knitted his brows. “Don’t be ridiculous, Dr. Zircon. I must have superior stock to breed my hybrid warrior populace. I will have nothing less than the best!” the arrogant prince declared.

“Yes, sir. I will tell them to take their time,” conceded the scientist.

Vegeta grinned. “Good,” he replied. “Keep sending me your progress reports. You are dismissed for now. I will look forward to hearing from you, doctor,” the saiyan royal concluded. Dr. Zircon nodded. He rose to his feet and turned to leave. “Oh, and doctor,” Vegeta added. The Pellucian scientist glanced back over his shoulder and Vegeta tossed him a bag of coins. “This is for all the extra work you’ve been putting in. I know it must be a strain on you and your lab staff serving two crowns at the same time. It won’t be for much longer. That, I guarantee.”

Dr. Zircon opened the bag and poured several rare Presunian coins into his open hand. He grinned. “Thank you, Your Highness. I will ensure that this endeavor has been well worth your while.” The genius geneticist pocketed the money and then turned to leave.

“Highness, Princess Sapphire wishes to see you,” Feldspar spoke, entering the laboratory.

Vegeta groaned slightly.

I shouldn’t have promised her a retreat while I’m so swamped with business,

he
thought, cursing his earlier foolishness. “Tell her to come in,” he replied.

Princess Sapphire rushed into the room and ran right up to Prince Vegeta. “Hey, Vegeta! All the arrangements have been made. We can leave today. I’m so excited!” she declared.

Vegeta forced a smile on his face. “Great,” he said, “but I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut the trip a day or two short. I have some very important ventures underway. I hope you don’t mind.”

Her face fell. “Aw,” she said, sounding disappointed. “But what about the cosmic light show on the last day of the festival? It’s the best part. It’s spectacular and it’s different every year.”

Vegeta frowned, having wanted to see the legendary show since he was five. “Well, alright. I suppose if I can engage in some business while we’re there, then we can stay for the light show.”

Sapphire smiled. “Sure, you can do that.” But she eyed him cautiously. “But you better not be like Father and end up working through our entire retreat,” she warned, narrowing her eyes.

“Ha!” the prince replied, throwing his head back. “The only way that could happen is if some unforeseen emergency were to occur. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

“Good. We can eat together in my private dining hall and take off. Later!” She turned and left.

Maybe this won’t be so bad,

Vegeta thought hopefully. He really did want to go.

Feldspar came in again when the king’s daughter had gone. “Your Highness, all of the Lacolic diplomats have arrived. I have them in one of the drawing rooms and they’re ready to see you.”

Vegeta suppressed another groan. “Right. Send them in.”

This is going to be a long day.

…

“Good. That’s better,” Tarble lauded. “I think you’re getting the hang of it, Bulma.”

Bulma wiped some sweat from her brow and nearly collapsed on the floor. Tarble caught her. “Is it alright for me to take a break now?” the young woman murmured, panting.

Tarble shrugged and placed her back on her feet. “Yeah, I think you’ve earned it.”

“Thank Kami!” she declared, taking a seat on her exercise mat.

“Here,” Tarble said, offering her what looked like a small transparent pill. “Swallow this. It will help your muscles recover faster. Then we can start again from the top.”

“Thanks,” Bulma said, taking it and trying to swallow it. She choked a little.

He offered her a glass of water. “Here, Bulma. Your throat must be really dry after all that exercise.” She took the glass and started chugging it like there was no tomorrow. “After a five minute break, we can up the gravity again,” he said, causing her to spew water out of her nose and cough. Tarble’s eyes popped open in concern. “Are you alright?” he asked.

Bulma’s face fell after she was done clearing her throat. “Why is this so hard?” she groaned in a raspy voice, coughing a bit more. “It’s like… worse than all my education ever combined.”

“Because you’ve never done it before,” he replied, smiling. “Once you get used to it, it’ll feel no different than Earth’s gravity. And then when you go back to normal gravity, it’ll feel like you’re walking on air,” he revealed. “It really is the funniest feeling. You’ll see what I mean.”

Bulma fell silent before gazing at him suspiciously. “Why are you so nice?”

“We’re not playing the why game now, are we?” Tarble asked, making a face.

“Oh, come on!” Bulma retorted. “I have only asked you two why questions.” She folded her arms shakily over her chest, agitated. “Seriously, though. Why are you so nice?”

Tarble raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Well, I don’t know. Why is anybody the way they are?”

“No, I’m serious. You’re related to Vegeta. And everyone knows he’s the biggest prick in the universe! How is it even remotely possible that you have managed to become a decent person?”
Tarble stepped back. “Well, do you have a brother or sister?” he inquired.
Bulma shook her head. “No, I’m an only child. What does that have anything to do with it?”

“Well,” he explained, “lots of brothers and sisters behave differently on purpose. Really, it’s a psychological thing some people use to avoid being compared to their siblings.”

“Do you and Vegeta have any other brothers or sisters?” she asked after a brief pause.

“We had sisters,” he divulged, “but they are all dead now.”

“How many?”

“Three,” he replied.

Bulma blinked. “Names and birth orders?” she charged.

Tarble grinned nervously. “Well, let’s see. There was Guma, Verdure, and Herbace. Guma was the firstborn. Verdure was the second born. Vegeta was third born. Herbace was the fourth born. Then I was the last.” He paused, raising a brow. “Why so curious about all of this?”

“So,” Bulma said, ignoring his question entirely, “you knew Vegeta when he was just a kid?”

“Well, yes. I last saw him when I was six or seven,” he conceded.

Bulma pulled her legs in to sit cross-legged. “What was he like?” she asked.

Tarble gave her a look of annoyance. “He was just like Father if you must know.”

“And what was your father like?” she queried further.

“Arrogant,” he huffed.

“Hm,” replied Bulma, looking blankly at him. “I guess Vegeta really hasn’t changed that much over the years after all. So were you all considered princes and princesses on Planet Vegeta?”

“Yes, but Vegeta was the crown prince—the heir to Father’s throne,” Tarble explained. “That’s why he bears the honored name of Vegeta.” He paused to think for a moment. “So why do you want to find Vegeta anyway?” he finally asked. “You’ve made me quite curious.”

Bulma drew her brows together resentfully. “Because he took something that belongs to me and I want it back,” she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest and turning away to sulk for a bit.

Tarble appeared surprised. “Really?” he said, scratching his head. “What the heck did he take?”

“My baby,” she divulged.

“What?”

Tarble spouted, falling backward and landing on his rear.

“That’s right. Vegeta kidnapped my son Trunks and I’m going to Pellucid to get him back. I don’t care what it takes!” she declared, bolting to her feet despite the intense gravity.

An expression of complete confusion befell Tarble’s face. “What interest could a saiyan warrior possibly have in a human child?” he wondered aloud, scratching his head.

Bulma gritted her teeth. “Well, you see,” she murmured, “he’s kind of… well…” She seemed to struggle with the wording, but then she rounded on him fiercely. “He’s the father! Okay?”

“Wh-

what

?” Tarble bellowed. “You’re telling me that I have a

nephew

?”

“Hey,” Bulma chirped, ignoring the saiyan’s apparent shock. “Maybe you can help me get my baby back from Vegeta. Perhaps you can get Vegeta to reveal where he is!” she said excitedly.

Tarble backed away cautiously. “I d-don’t know, Bulma. The very last thing I want to do in this lifetime is incur my brother’s wrath!” he replied, trembling. “I’ve got a lot to live for!”

“Oh, come on!” Bulma shot back. “You’re a saiyan prince, for Pete’s sake. Where’s your damn pride?” she derided. A drop of sweat appeared on his brow and he gave her a nervous smile before gulping quite audibly. Bulma was tempted to roll her eyes. “Well, listen. We still have a good week left for you to find your nerve. Perhaps it’ll just take some time,” Bulma decided. “Remember,

you’re saiyan royalty.

You don’t let anything stand in your path!”

Tarble wiped his brow. “Perhaps we should get back to your training.”

“Absolutely!” Bulma agreed. “When you see how driven a mere human woman like little ol’ me can be, I’m sure you’ll realize that you’ve got everything in the universe going for you. So let’s do this, Prince Tarble!” she decreed, brandishing both fists in the air over her head.

“R-right,” Tarble conceded, turning up the gravity. He saw Bulma stiffen, but her tenacity held her upright. “Now,” he continued. “We won’t have enough time before landing to get you totally comfortable with the intense gravity. It will still be quite strenuous on you for a while. But if you keeping making this amount of progress, you should survive the descent. Getting around on the planet’s surface will still be hard though. My suggestion is that you keep training as well as you can on your own while I go off to find Vegeta. I’ll lead the bad guys away.”

Bulma gave a quick but resolute nod and they continued with her training.

…

“What do you mean that Vegeta has a living brother?” Goku exclaimed. “I thought we were the only two pure-blooded saiyans left in the universe!” Then, all of a sudden, Goku’s eyes snapped open as he recalled the family painting he had seen in Vegeta’s private suite on Planet Pellucid.

“I know, but has Vegeta ever been known to say much about his background?” Krillin inquired.

“N-no,” Goku conceded. “But, like I said, Vegeta said he and I were the last two pure-blooded saiyans in the universe. That’s what he told me on Namek. I was sure that it had to be true.”

“Goku, are you saying it surprises you that Vegeta might be a bald-faced liar?” Yamcha retorted.

Gure stepped forward. “I don’t believe it is likely that Prince Vegeta is aware Tarble survived their planet’s destruction,” she explained. “King Vegeta sent him away just before the war with Frieza because he was not strong enough to fight. Prince Vegeta was on Frieza’s ship at the time. He may be under the impression that Tarble died along with the rest of the saiyan people.”

Goku blinked at the two-foot-tall alien, having just noticed her. “Who are you?” he asked.

“My name is Gure. Tarble came to my planet when he was seven. In Earth terms, I’m his wife.”

“W-wife?!” Goku sputtered. The woman looked nothing like a saiyan, so the news was rather shocking. Gure nodded and then giggled. “Well, I want to meet this so-called brother of Vegeta’s as soon as I can,” Goku declared. He thought back to the painting he had glanced in Vegeta’s suite on Pellucid. “What does this Tarble guy look like anyway?” he asked.

“He looks a lot like Vegeta,” Gohan revealed. “I almost thought he

was

Vegeta, to be honest.”

Goku brooded for a minute. He had only seen the family portrait for a few split seconds, so he had trouble recalling some of the less prominent faces on it. The king and prince’s had been the most obvious. He considered teleporting back to the prince’s chambers to get a second look, but he did not want Vegeta to get mad at him for coming again without an invitation. He sighed.

“So can you help us, sir?” Gure quickly queried. “If so, you’ll have to leave for Planet Pellucid immediately! Abo and Cado are already ahead of you and not far behind Tarble. Please, help my husband! I beg you!” she pleaded, taking a hold of his orange pant legs.

“Sure thing,” Goku replied. “And getting there in time won’t be a problem. I can easily beat them to Pellucid in a split second with my trusty instant transmission technique.”

Gure scratched her pearly smooth head. “Instant transmission technique?”

Goku nodded and demonstrated by teleporting to the far side of the lawn. “See? It’s a method of teleportation using your mind,” he explained, pressing a finger to his temple. “I learned how to do it a few years ago on Planet Yardrat. I saw Vegeta using it just a few days back.”

Dr. Briefs suddenly appeared in the yard. “Goku! I’m so glad you’re here, my boy,” he declared, puffing on his pipe in the usual manner. Goku teleported back over to the others.

“Hiya, doc!” Goku greeted, giving a wave. “Say, where’s Bulma? I need to ask her something.”

“Bulma? My daughter went with the new saiyan to Planet Pellucid,” Dr. Briefs informed him.

Goku appeared alarmed. “Wh-what?”

“That’s right,” Gure confirmed. “Miss Bulma decided to accompany Tarble to Planet Pellucid. They told me to stay here so that I would be safe from our evil pursuers.”

Suddenly, Goku drew his brows together. He knew immediately what it was that his childhood friend was after.

Did she learn

nothing

from that talk we had?

he huffed inwardly.

At the quizzical look on everyone’s faces, the Earth saiyan’s expression lightened again. He reminded himself that he should not jump to conclusions.

Hm. Perhaps she just wants to reconcile with Vegeta like I suggested. If only Vegeta were a bit more forgiving, this could have a real nice outcome,

he thought whimsically as visions of fairytale happily-ever-afters danced through his head. As charming as the thought was, Goku still had feelings of anger and betrayal to wrestle with.

What am I saying? Bulma doesn’t deserve Vegeta after what she did.

“We thought you knew that she would be going to Planet Pellucid, Goku,” Chi Chi chimed, interrupting his thoughts. “Bulma said you were part of the plan to get poor little Trunks back from Vegeta. She said something about you helping her find a way inside the palace.”

Goku’s eyes widened. “What?” he uttered.

So she isn’t looking for reconciliation after all! She just wants to steal Trunks back from Vegeta like before.

Clearly, the blue-haired genius had elected not to tell the Z gang about their argument because she would then have to reveal the reason for it—that she had tried to kill Trunks before he was born. Goku’s jaw tightened.

Bulma is not going to get away with this!

he thought, realizing his initial suspicions had been correct.

The Earth saiyan had to admit that the young Briefs woman was even more cunning than he had previously thought. Goku sat down on the patio steps to analyze the situation.

Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if she plans to use Vegeta’s own brother against him to retrieve the baby,

he considered. Goku knew he would have to fill Vegeta in on these new developments.

“Well, Goku? Are you part of the plan or not?” Chi Chi charged, snapping him out of his reverie.

“Mom,” Gohan remarked, “Bulma asked us not to talk about this, remember? She said it was top secret.” Goku gritted his teeth again. Of course, she would not want him to know.

“Well, I don’t like being left in the dark all the time!” Chi Chi shot back, crossing her arms and resting them atop her swollen belly. She turned away from the crew, huffing angrily.

Goku raised a brow, trying to piece together what the others were saying. He needed to find out more information. “How does Bulma plan to survive the intense gravity on Pellucid?” he asked.

“Tarble is training her,” Dr. Briefs explained. “During our last transmission, she looked totally exhausted. Poor girl’s never worked so hard in her life, I tell you. Not even in grad school.”

“My little girl is so determined!” Mrs. Briefs chirped, wiping away a tear of pride and happiness. “I’ve never been so proud in all my life,” she squeaked. “She’s a real mama bear!”

“So you really can’t tell us anything else about the plan, Goku?” Krillin inquired. “Please, we promise we won’t tell anyone! Right, guys?” he said, looking to the others for confirmation.

“Right!” Gohan agreed. Chi Chi and the others nodded their agreement as well.

Goku suddenly saw red. “Bulma lied,” he snapped, startling everyone. They all looked at him with confusion written in their eyes. The Earth saiyan seemed to look past them, unsmiling.

“About what, Goku?” Krillin inquired cautiously. Gohan and Chi Chi appeared to be speechless in response to their loved one’s unexpected outburst as well as they stood there agape.

“You’ll have to find out from her,” Goku conceded, turning away from them. “I have got to get myself to Pellucid to help this Tarble guy, but there’s a few things I’ll need to do before I go.”

“Goku honey, is everything alright?” Chi Chi inquired, looking very concerned. She approached him and placed a warm hand on his forearm. “You’ve made me very worried.”

“No, Chi Chi. Everything is not alright. I’m sorry, but I can’t divulge any more information right now. It’s a complicated situation. I’m still trying to process it myself,” he said, patting her hand.

Dr. Briefs looked from Chi Chi to Goku and back again. “Everyone, let’s give these two some privacy and see if we can go and contact the spaceship,” he said, beckoning the others to follow. Goku nodded his head as everyone but him and Chi Chi followed Dr. Briefs into the laboratory.

When everyone had gone inside, Chi Chi moved her hand to Goku’s shoulder. “Goku sweetie, I ought to apologize for my behavior over the past couple of weeks. I shouldn’t have blamed you for any of the awful things that have been going on. I know you always try your best and you have the very best of intentions.” She slowly fell to her knees and started to cry, causing Goku to turn his head in surprise. “I’ve just been so stressed out,” she continued. “Why did all of this have to happen in our third trimester? I really hope it doesn’t affect the baby. I just don’t know what to do, Goku. I’m so worried!” she bawled, hugging her own stomach protectively.

Goku kneeled down next to her. “It’s alright, Chi. Sometimes life throws curveballs at us. But we’ve always gotten through it, haven’t we? We’re survivors, you and I.”

She threw her arms around him, catching him off guard. “Thank you so much, Goku dear,” she whispered, wetting his gi lightly with her tear-streaked face. “You’re an angel sent to Earth.”

“Hey, I know!” Goku suggested. “Let’s go to the Yimbaro hot springs for a few hours? That ought to help you unwind a bit. Besides, I won’t be needed on Planet Pellucid for a few days since it’ll take Bulma and Tarble another week yet to arrive. What do you say?”

As much as he wanted to get in contact with Vegeta right away, Goku knew he had important family obligations to attend to. Chi Chi’s temperament and mental wellbeing could harm the health of their unborn child if they were not vigilant. That was what the doctors had said.

“Well, alright,” she conceded. “But if the water’s too hot, I won’t be able to stay in for long on account of the baby.” Chi Chi appreciated the gesture. It had been years since Goku had taken time off just to spend with her. The more she thought about it, the more she missed the old days.

“No problem,” Goku replied. “We can also just lounge on the beach. It’s a lot warmer in Yimbaro than it is here since it’s so close to the equator. Come on, let’s get going.”

“Alright,” she agreed. “Let’s do it.”

Goku put his arms around her waist and they disappeared.

…

In the outreaches of space, the

Dark Oblivion

moved into position as it prepared to ambush its newest target. Scout pods sent out earlier had confirmed that the refugees were traveling in what appeared to be a very large space pod. From the images sent back, Captain Mareth could see that it was actually a highly-modified version of the typical saiyan attack ball.

“We must find out who the scientist is that designed that vessel,” Mareth declared, turning toward one of his loyal minions. “He could turn out to be invaluable to us.”

“Certainly, captain. We will probe the occupants for information as soon as we have them in our grasp,” Necron confirmed, the captain’s little fish-faced minion. He fiddled with the controls for a minute and then gestured towards the main radar screen. “Ah, here they come!”

“Excellent,” Mareth replied. “Turn on the cloaking field.”

Necron nodded. “Already done, sir.”

Mareth grabbed a hold of the intercom and shouted loudly into it, “All hands to stations. The enemy approaches. Man the suction beam. Clear the landing area. Hurry, you ingrates!”

The entire crew bolted up and began running around the ship in what looked like a scene of complete and total chaos, preparing for the ambush attack as per the captain’s orders.

Captain Mareth smirked. “Poor fools. I bet they have no idea what they’re about to fly into.” He cackled wickedly as the suction beam shot forth and seized the refugee ship in mid-flight.

…

Aboard the Briefs’ space pod, Bulma and Tarble were in the midst of chatting with the Z gang back at Capsule Corp through the interstellar video telephone. “Yup, there’s nothing to worry about, guys. We’re making great time,” Bulma reported happily with two thumbs up.

As if on cue, the ship’s momentum changed sharply. Bulma and Tarble went tumbling across the floor and collided with the titanium wall. Tarble’s body acted like a cushion for Bulma’s during the sudden impact, to her great fortune, and they were both luckily uninjured.

“Ow,” Tarble mumbled, rubbing his head.

“Bulma! What’s going on?” Yamcha shouted through the big screen. “Where’d you guys go?”

“Alert! Alert!” blared the ship’s computer. Red lights began flashing wildly. “The Z Commando is caught in an alien tractor beam. Alert! Alert! Hostile forces are to be expected.”

Dr. Briefs shoved Yamcha out of the way. “Bulma, get to the controls!” he exclaimed.

“Whaaaaa…?” Bulma screeched, pushing herself up off of Tarble. “Why didn’t you warn us about the enemy ship before they caught us, you stupid computer?” she spat at the machine of her own making, brandishing a fist. Tarble got up and brushed himself off.

“Target was using cloaking device,” reported the computer.

“Damn it!” Bulma cursed.

Just as Dr. Briefs began giving instructions, the screen turned fuzzy and buzzed off completely.

“We’ve lost contact!” Dr. Briefs reported. He turned to Gohan. “Quickly, boy, go get your father. Hurry now! This is an emergency. My daughter and Tarble might be in big trouble.”

Gohan quickly complied and ran to find his father.

“Oh, no!” Gure cried at the top of her lungs. “Tarble! It must be an enemy ship affiliated with Abo and Cado. They’re going to hurt him. Please, somebody do something!”

…

When Gohan got back to the Capsule Corp lawn, he discovered to his dismay that his parents were missing. Fortunately, Bulma had thought to lend Chi Chi a cell phone earlier just in case she needed to contact Goku again in an emergency. Before Chi Chi or Goku could even step foot in one of the steamy pools, Chi Chi’s cell phone was buzzing like a beehive in a spring meadow.

Goku glanced around curiously for the source of the noise. “What the heck is that sound, Chi?”

Chi Chi dug into her purse. “It’s just the cell phone that Bulma gave me. I wonder what they could possibly want.” She snapped the device open and put it up to her ear. “Hello?”

“We need Goku right now! Where did you kids run off to now?!”

Dr. Briefs cried frantically.

Chi Chi toppled over and dropped the cell into the spring. “Ouch!” she uttered, rubbing her ears.

Goku ran over and kneeled down beside his wife. “Chi, what’s wrong?” he inquired worriedly, looking puzzled. He helped her up from the ground with a hand. “You alright?”

“What?”

Chi Chi replied, much louder than necessary as if her hearing had been compromised. She pointed to the cell phone at the bottom of the pool and then pointed to her inner ear.

“Oh,” Goku said, scratching his head.

Thankfully those things are designed to be waterproof,

he thought. He dove in, retrieved the phone, and put it up to his ear as he resurfaced. “Hello?”

“Goku! Is that you? We need you back at Capsule Corp immediately!” Dr. Briefs bellowed.

Goku ground his teeth and moved the device away from his sensitive ears. “Owiiieee!” he spouted. “Why is the volume turned way up?” the Earth saiyan asked his wife.

“What?”

Chi Chi shouted back, unable to hear.

Goku turned the volume down and put the phone back to his ear. “Calm down, Dr. Briefs! We’ll be there in a second,” the man replied, jumping out of the hot spring. He quickly started putting his gi back on and handed Chi Chi her own clothes as well. “I owe you a date, Chi.”

When they were both dressed again, Goku teleported them back to Capsule Corp.

When Dr. Briefs spotted the two of them, he rushed up to the Earth saiyan. “Goku, Bulma’s ship has been attacked! We lost contact with her and Tarble. They could be in serious danger!”

“What? Really?” Goku shouted, alarmed.

Vegeta is not going to be happy about this…

Goku thought. Chi Chi tweaked her ears, trying to understand what was going on.

“Yes!” Dr. Briefs retorted.

“Mr. Goku, you’ve got to find Tarble! I’m begging you!” Gure cried, grabbing hold of his pants.

Goku thought for a minute. “Alright. Hold on, guys.” He got out the scouter Vegeta had given him and pressed the button to page the prince.

Okay, ‘Geta. This time I’ve got a real emergency, so you better pick up!

He placed the device on his ear to await the royal’s response.

“Hey, that looks kind of like a scouter,” Gohan uttered. “Where the heck did you get it from?”

“Vegeta gave it to me,” Goku explained. “He was a lot friendlier the last time I talked to him.” When they all blinked cluelessly, Goku added, “It was the time I came home late. Remember? He gave this to me so he could contact me if he wanted to and vice-versa.”

Yamcha, Krillin, and Gohan were agape.

“Why didn’t you tell us about that?”

they all charged.

Goku shrugged. “You didn’t ask.” All three fell into a pile on the floor. Goku peered confusedly at them and went back to listening for Vegeta’s response.

“Come on, ‘Geta,”

he urged.

…

Back on Planet Pellucid, Vegeta and Sapphire were regaling themselves in the king’s winter palace at Copulah Ravine. They both leaned against the balustrade around the front veranda of the palace and observed all goings-on at the Moonstone Miners’ Festival below.

Knowing Vegeta had a great many things weighing on his mind, Sapphire had elected to loosen him up by introducing a peculiar Pellucian refreshment known as

panache.

In Earth terms, if Absinthe and magic mushrooms had a love child, panache would be said bastard offspring.

Vegeta took another sip from his goblet and roared with laughter at Sapphire’s farcical remarks concerning the folksy dancing style of a few of the clumsier peasants in the town square below.

“No, seriously, Vegeta. I think someone ought to alert the town’s physician. That man’s condition looks serious,” she jested, downing another pint or two of the boisterous beverage.

“You think that’s bad?” Vegeta replied. “Try going to Earth.” Despite his intoxicated condition, the prince felt something buzz on his chest. “What in the…?” he uttered, feeling for the scouter.

“What is it, Vegeta?” the princess inquired. “You’re starting to feel the chest tickles already? Maybe you should slow down,” she suggested. “I don’t want you passing out on me.”

Vegeta rolled his eyes lightly. “Please, you’ve already drunk twice as much as I have,” the prince retorted, pulling the device out of his armor and squinting at it. “Ah, my pager.”

“Maybe so, but I’m used to it. It doesn’t affect me as much,” she retorted.

“Kami damn it, Kakarott,”

Vegeta murmured to himself.

“Is someone trying to contact you?” she inquired, peering at the device.

“Yes,” Vegeta replied, hiccuping, “but it’s just that third-class saiyan Kakarott. I told him not to contact me for a week. It’s like the baka thinks the universe revolves around him or something!” Vegeta snapped, crushing the device. “There. That ought to teach him. Abuse it and lose it, baka. That’s what I always say,” he said, tossing the broken pieces aside and taking another sip.

The princess hiccuped. “What if it was something important, though?” the princess replied nonchalantly. “I mean, I doubt it. But it’s possible,” she said, shrugging.

“Knowing Kakarott,” Vegeta retorted, “his woman’s menstrual cycle would be sufficient reason to call me. He’s not exactly the shiniest gem in the treasure trove if you catch my drift.”

Princess Sapphire chuckled. “Sounds like someone I’d like to meet.”

Vegeta shrugged. “Sure, I’ll introduce you sometime. Why not? If nothing else, you’ll definitely find him amusing. To be honest, sometimes it’s hard to tell whether he’s an idiot or a genius. I know it sounds weird, but it’s hard to explain. I’m telling you, this guy is a mystery.”

Sapphire thought for a minute. “No, I knew someone like that once. I can’t quite seem to recall his name just now. But I’ll think of it. He was better amusement than the official court jester. It’s too bad he was killed by Frieza several years ago,” she lamented, sipping her drink.

Music began to blare from the ballroom inside. While the peasants had been celebrating for well over an hour, the palace affair had only just gotten started as it took some time for all the invited nobles to arrive. “We should dance later,” Sapphire said over the sound of the music.

“Sure. But let’s wait until we sober up a bit. I don’t want to go out there on the floor looking like a drunken monkey,” Vegeta replied. The princess chuckled and nodded her agreement.

…

“Gee, I wonder what’s taking Vegeta so long,” Goku wondered aloud, annoyed.

Come on, Vegeta. You said this thing was for emergencies and now we finally have one! Wake up!

“Goku, there’s no time! They could be killing Tarble as we speak!” Gure cried, still in a panic.

“Why? Do you think it’s those same bad guys you told me about before? I don’t see how they could’ve caught up to him so quickly,” Goku said. “Plus, weren’t they just traveling in saiyan pods? Those things aren’t big enough to attack someone in mid-space.” He paused.

“Are they?”

“I don’t know for sure,” Gure replied. “I just have my suspicions. And I’m really worried, Goku! There’s a lot of outer space out there and anything could happen to them!” she exclaimed.

“What did you say their names were again?” Goku asked. “The bad guys, I mean.”

“Abo and Cado. They are terrible, Goku! They really want to hurt Tarble,” she cried.

Chi Chi appeared very concerned. “Oh dear…”

“Dr. Briefs, how do you propose I track these guys down?” Goku inquired. “Did you implant some kind of tracking device on the ship or something? What can we do?”

Dr. Briefs nodded. “I did, but something seems to be blocking the signals. It must be some kind of alien technology. Can’t you use your instant transmission trick to find Tarble’s energy signal?”

Goku blinked. “But I never met Tarble in person and I don’t know what his energy signal feels like. I’m just not familiar with it. Furthermore, it’s extremely dangerous to try to teleport into a spaceship. If my aim is even a hair off, I could end up in the suction of outer space! I may be pretty strong, but I don’t think I can survive that type of environment!”

“That’s no problem, Goku,” Dr. Briefs replied. “I can fit you with a spacesuit that would allow you to get close enough to find your way there. Do you think that would work?”

“Well, there’s still the problem of finding the right energy signal with my mind and I don’t know what to look for because I’ve never met this Tarble guy!” Goku expressed worriedly.

“What about Bulma? You’ve known my daughter since you were a boy! Can’t you find her energy signal?” Dr. Briefs spouted. “Surely you can, my boy. At least try!”

Goku shook his head. “I’m afraid Bulma’s ki is too weak from such a great distance.”

“Maybe I can help,” Gure chimed. “My people are well known for our psionic powers. If you guys can get me closer to where Tarble and Bulma were ambushed, I might be able to find Tarble or Bulma’s psychic signals. If they haven’t moved too far away, that is. So we must hurry.”

“Really?” Goku and Dr. Briefs replied in unison with hopeful looks on their faces. She nodded.

“Okay, so where were they ambushed?” Goku inquired.

Dr. Briefs led everyone to a computer in his laboratory and looked through some files. “It says here the coordinates were 9300XY, in the Beta quadrant,” Dr. Briefs explained. Goku responded with a blank look on his face. “It’s about a third of the way between Earth and Planet Pellucid.”

“Ah,” Goku replied, still blank-faced.

“Do you have a spacesuit that would fit me, Dr. Briefs?” Gure inquired.

“Actually, yes,” he replied. “I designed one for a mischievous little pig named Oolong more than a decade ago. Let me see if I can go find it,” he said, disappearing into a storage closet.

“Alright, guys,” Goku said, speaking up. “It looks like we’ve got a shot at finding them, but I really ought to inform Vegeta that his brother is in trouble. He knows a lot about these enemies since he worked with them for most of his life. His help could prove to be critical.”

“But what makes you think he’ll even be interested in helping, Dad?” Gohan inquired.

“I’m just hoping that he will,” Goku replied. “It looks like I have no choice. Since Vegeta’s not answering his scouter, I’m going to just have to go to Planet Pellucid again without an invitation. I’ll just have to hope to Kami nothing bad happens. I’ll be back here as soon as possible.”

Gure gulped audibly. “Be careful, Goku! We can’t do this without you!”

“I will,” Goku swore, determined. He put two fingers to his forehead and vanished in thin air.

…

Goku materialized in an extravagant lounge in the winter palace. The entire interior was nicely decorated with frosted crystal, elegantly carved to resemble ice. Vegeta and a violet-skinned woman were relaxing on two white velvet divans crowded with matching pillows. They were chatting in the local tongue, as expected. Two glasses with a bubbly rose-colored beverage stood half-emptied on the crystal clear table between them as they laughed at each other’s jokes.

Goku ran over to Prince Vegeta and pulled the royal forcefully up onto his feet. “Vegeta, why didn’t you answer your scouter? We’ve got a serious emergency and it concerns you!” the Earth saiyan immediately charged. He heard the prince hiccup rather loudly and raised a brow.

Vegeta looked up at Goku with blurry confused eyes. “B-Bardock? What are you doing here? I thought you were dead!” exclaimed the intoxicated royal. “You look good for a dead guy.”

“Vegeta,” Princess Sapphire said, obviously quite a bit more sober than her saiyan companion, “that isn’t Bardock. Bardock had a big scar on his face. Remember? I think you’ve had enough panache.” She grabbed both glasses and moved them away from the prince.

“Hey!” Vegeta protested, reaching for his.

Goku peered at Sapphire. “What’s wrong with him?” he exclaimed.

The princess hiccuped and put a hand to her chest. “Pardon me. Is nothing,” Sapphire replied in a clumsy accent. “He has just had a little too much drink. You would not happen to be ze famous Kakarott, would you?” she inquired in the earthly tongue, standing up and steadying herself.

Goku was surprised she spoke his language, but he nodded. “Yup, that’s what Vegeta calls me.”

Sapphire curtsied lightly. “How do you do? My name is Princess Sapphire. Is pleasure to make acquaintance with you, my new friend,” the princess expressed, extending her hand elegantly. Goku was unsure what to do with the hand, so he stared at it and scratched his head in confusion. Sapphire chuckled and withdrew her hand. “I see you not familiar with our Pellucian custom. No matter. I am sure Prince Vegeta will enlighten you sooner or later,” she expressed.

Vegeta almost tripped over his own cape and staggered a bit. He grabbed a hold of Goku’s arm to steady himself. “Wh… wha’s this you were saying about an emergency, Goku-rott?” he slurred, hiccuping. “Sorry, my fuzzy’s a little mind right now.” He rubbed his head with his free hand.

“Vegeta, you need to sober up right now! Your brother Tarble is in serious danger and I need your help!” Goku cried. “What are you doing getting drunk anyway?” he chided.

Vegeta hiccuped again. “My brother Tarb… What are you talking about? That guy’s been dead for ages.” He paused. “Hey, wait a minute… How did you know I had a brother named Tarble?”

“Because he’s alive, Vegeta! And he came to Earth looking for you,” Goku reported. The Earth saiyan turned to Sapphire. “Please, Your Highness, this is serious! Vegeta’s brother and a human friend of mine are in really big trouble! What has Vegeta been drinking to get him like this?”

Sapphire put up a hand. “Say no more, Kakarott.” She shouted to one of the guards in Pelluci, “Carnelian! Order the servants to bring us two detoxifying pellets and some water at once!”

“Yes, princess,” came the reply. Carnelian made his way through the highborn couples on the ballroom floor and fled down the fancy dome-like hallway. Then he was gone.

“Don’t worry,” the princess said. “Here on Pellucid, we have quick remedy for intoxation.”

Goku put a hand behind his head in the typical fashion. “Whew, that’s a relief!”

Vegeta almost fell backwards, but Goku caught him. “Steady now, ‘Geta.”

“Did… did you say that my brother is alive, Kakarott?” the saiyan royal inquired in confusion.

“Yes, Vegeta, that’s precisely what your subject said,” Sapphire confirmed.

“I don’t get it. How… that’s not… that can’t be possible. How could he have survived?”

“Hold on until the servants bring the pellets. This’ll make a lot more sense to you,” she said.

Goku pushed Vegeta to sit on the divan as the latter rubbed his head again. Then Goku looked around. “Ah,” he remarked. “What’s going on? You guys throwing a party or something?”

Sapphire nodded. “Yes, it is special time of year in these parts.”

A male servant came in carrying a silver platter with two small white pills and two crystalline glasses of water on top of it. “Your Highnesses?” the man said, getting their attention.

Sapphire swallowed one pellet and Vegeta swallowed the other. “Alright. Lie down, Vegeta,” she said in Pelluci. She lay down on her back on the divan and Vegeta did the same on his.

“Ugh,” Vegeta said, crinkling his brows. “This makes me nauseous.”

“I know. It only last for a few seconds. Just breathe deeply and try not to spew.”

Vegeta nodded and did as she suggested. About half a minute later, both of their eyes popped open again. Vegeta sat up, fully sober. “Wow. That was one hell of a trip,” he said, confounded.

Sapphire sat up too. “I know. That was pretty crazy,” she said, rubbing her temple. “But that’s nothing. Just wait until the light show. Nirvana can’t even begin to describe the experience.”

“Now I have to piss,” Vegeta said.

“That would be the detoxification working,” Sapphire explained. “Let’s go.”

“Be right back, Kakarott,” Vegeta said in the Earth tongue. Both royals disappeared down the hall within a few split seconds. Goku blinked in surprise. They reappeared a minute or two later.

“Kakarott, what’s that you said about Tarble?” Vegeta inquired, running up to the taller Saiyan again. Princess Sapphire skidded to a stop behind the prince, just as interested as he was.

“Tarble was in space in one of Dr. Briefs’ Gravitron ships and it got hijacked by some unknown force. Come back to Earth with me and we’ll explain everything! Hurry, we don’t have much time!” Goku exclaimed. Vegeta had a lot of questions, but Goku grabbed a hold of his shoulder and teleported them both back to Planet Earth before he could even think to ask.

…

An instant later, Vegeta and Goku materialized in the Capsule Corp laboratory. Dr. Briefs, Gure, Chi Chi, Gohan, Yamcha, Krillin, and Piccolo all jumped up in surprise at the new arrival.

“Wow, I forgot how weak the gravity is here,” Vegeta noted, hopping up and down a bit.

“You,”

Chi Chi hissed, glaring daggers at the velvet-caped prince.

She charged at Vegeta, but Goku stepped in front of him and held her back. “No, Chi Chi! I wouldn’t do that if I were you!” Goku exclaimed. “Think of the baby!”

Vegeta looked confusedly at Chi Chi. He blinked and glanced down at the black-haired woman’s swollen belly. His eyes popped open in surprise. “Kakarott? You… you are going to have another child?” the prince inquired, taken aback. Goku nodded, simpering. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks, ‘Geta!” Goku replied enthusiastically.

“Listen here, you spike-haired space pirate! You better bring Trunks home or else!” Chi Chi spat.

A large bead of sweat formed on Goku’s forehead in response to the unexpected confrontation. “S-sorry, Vegeta. She doesn’t know what she’s saying,” he said, blushing with embarrassment.

“No worries, Kakarott. I know it’s just the hormones talking. Now, let’s get down to business.” The prince swept his cape back regally and approached Dr. Briefs. “What is this business about my brother Tarble, old man?” he inquired, leering at the intimidated scientist.

“Well,” Dr. Briefs began, swallowing hard, “y-you see… Bulma and Tarble…”

“Bulma?

How is Bulma involved in this? Where is that wench, anyway?” the royal inquired, peering around the laboratory. He did not see any sign of the blue-haired woman.

“I can explain!” Gure announced.

Vegeta jumped in surprise at the two-foot-tall alien woman. “Who… who the hell are you?”

“My name is Gure,” she said. “Tarble is my mate.”

Vegeta jumped again. “Mate?” he replied, incredulous. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am! Please, Your Highness, you’ve got to help him! I’m afraid he may be in serious danger if our enemies have gotten a hold of him!” she cried. “Won’t you help your brother?”

Vegeta decided to put aside his skepticism. “What enemies are you referring to?”

“Abo and Cado, they’ve been chasing us from planet to planet for a whole Earth year now!”

Vegeta narrowed his eyes, remembering. “You know them?” Dr. Briefs asked.

The prince nodded. “Oh, I know them, alright.”

Gure recounted the entire story to Vegeta from how Tarble was able to survive the destruction of Planet Vegeta up until the alien ambush on the Z Commando when they had lost contact. When she had finished, the little woman broke down into tears. “So, p-please, Your Highness. Will you help us find him? I’m begging you!” she cried. “I can’t live without my Tarble.”

Vegeta narrowed his eyes. “But why would Bulma bother to go to Pellucid? She doesn’t actually think she has a snowball’s chance in hell of finding my son, does she?” he inquired.

Goku drew his brows together. “Vegeta, your little lovers’ spat with Bulma is going to have to wait. We have bigger problems on our hands,” he pointed out, tempted to slap his forehead.

The prince tensed at Goku calling Bulma his lover, but then he forced himself to relax. Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. “I suppose you’re right, Kakarott.”

“I was going to tell you, Vegeta,” Goku replied. “But there was no time!”

Vegeta snapped his head back. “No matter, Kakarott. I must relay everything you told me back to King Chrystal and Queen Bijou. We’ll need their entire fleet to help us track down the ship that took my brother and Bulma. There’s a good chance these aliens are the same space pirates that have been attacking the Pellucians’ shipments of precious metals and kidnapping their women and children. If there’s the remotest chance of catching them now, we must make every effort!” The prince paused. “But before I do that, we should test the plan you were discussing. Dr. Briefs, do you have any more space suits? If this alien girl’s abilities are as she says they are, we might have a chance of finding them within the next couple of hours. In situations like this, every second counts!” he exclaimed. Dr. Briefs nodded and ran off to fetch more space suits.

“Hurry!” Vegeta called after him. He turned to Goku. “Focus, Kakarott. If you can get us to roughly the location where the ship was taken, we might have a chance at finding them before it’s too late.” Goku nodded. He closed his eyes and searched the stars with a focused mind.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Abo and Cado docked their ships in the main port of the

Oblivion

and disembarked upon a small welcoming committee made up of the captain and the highest-ranking members of the crew.

“Quickly, turn the ship around and head for former Frieza Planet 392,” Cado instructed. Captain Mareth gave the orders and most of the crew ran off to carry them out as fast as possible.

“Now, where are the prisoners?” Abo demanded. “We’ve been waiting far too long for this.”

“In the brig, my lords. The male is indeed a saiyan as you said. However, the female was not as you described. She does not appear to be a Tech-Tech by any means,” Mareth replied.

Cado raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean, captain? What is she?”

Captain Mareth beckoned the two to follow him. “Come and see for yourselves.” He led them down a hallway and some stairs into a dark part of the ship that was mainly used for storage.

Suddenly a shrill female voice screeched, giving all of their eardrums a painful beating. “Ew, ew, ew! What is that? Kill it, Tarble! Kill it!” cried the terrified female. Another shriek followed.

Abo and Cado’s eyes shot open in surprise. “What the…” Cado murmured.

“That’s the woman. She looks kind of like a saiyan but without a tail. We’re not sure what her species is or where she is from exactly,” Captain Mareth readily admitted.

“Gross! It’s looking at me!” came the voice again, followed by yet another feminine shriek.

Abo narrowed his eyes. “She could be from Earth,” he suggested.

His brother scoffed. “Yeah. Well, whatever she is, she’s a total loudmouth,” Cado said. “I’m surprised the crew hasn’t gagged her. Someone needs to stuff a sock in her.”

Captain Mareth snapped a finger. “Eureka! Why didn’t I think of that?”

They all had a good chuckle at the girl’s expense. Mareth led Abo and Cado to the prison cell containing the two captives. All three of them peered lecherously at the prisoners. Bulma screamed at the top of her lungs as she caught sight of them, whereas Tarble turned blue in the face and backed himself into the far recesses of the cell with his tail between his legs. Abo snickered evilly in response to Tarble’s delightful fright. Cado, on the other hand, had his eyes on an entirely different prize. He leered at the woman with shoulder-length aqua hair.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here? I think this little gal could fetch quite the price on the slave market. Don’t you think, brother?” he muttered to Abo in their native language. “Then again, why not just keep her for ourselves? After all, good work is so hard to find these days.”

Fortunately for her, Bulma did not speak the alien tongue and just stared at them in confusion. “What are you two big ugly gumballs yammering on ab…” she began in outrage, only to be silenced by Tarble’s hand over her mouth. He hurriedly shushed her.

Unlike the earthling, Tarble understood every word the men spoke and he gritted his teeth at them. He pulled Bulma to the back of the cell. “Leave her out of this! It’s me you wanted. Why do you have to bring her into it?” he snarled, only to receive malicious chuckles in reply.

Abo grinned as he leaned into the bars, intimidating the much smaller hostages. “That will depend entirely upon your cooperation, monkey boy,” he said, laughing some more.

Tarble swallowed audibly. “C-cooperation?” he repeated nervously. “I see.”

Just as Abo was about to say something, Bulma shrieked as another small scaly pest with a long tail and glowing green eyes ran across her feet. The captain rolled his eyes at her squeamishness. “Those are just the black dreks, girl. They’re hard as wolrot to get rid of, but they’re harmless.”

Cado glanced at Captain Mareth. “Gag the female and move her to my personal suite,” the high-ranked alien pursuer ordered in the Earth tongue. “We need to speak to the saiyan alone.”

Bulma’s face went deep blue. “What? No way! I’m not going to your suite. Yuck! Stay away from me, you big red boil!” she spat. “You’re the ugliest thing I’ve ever laid eyes…”

Tarble knitted his brows and pulled Bulma behind him. “You will not touch her! She has done nothing to you and ought to be set free,” he asserted, though he knew it would be pointless. The captain raised an arm and pointed his hand squarely at Tarble. “No!” cried the saiyan as his body went stiff. Tarble grunted and hissed, but he could not move so much as a pinky finger.

Mareth smiled and, with a tilt of his head, signaled to his first mate to go in and fetch the female human. “What are you doing to him?” Bulma bellowed. “Tarble, snap out of it! He’s not even touching you,” she cried, trying to shake him. Cado laughed at her distress. “Come on, Tarble! You’ve got to protect me!” Her face went blue again as she heard the door to their jail cell open. Captain Mareth’s hideous first mate, a bat-like creature with fangs, red eyes, but no wings to speak of entered the cell and approached her. Bulma started throwing anything she could find at him, primarily rocks or pieces of metal that had dislodged from the numerous storage crates that were found in their cell. “Stay away from me, you overgrown rat!” the woman shouted.

“Ack!” the first mate cried in surprise, before slapping away the pieces of shrapnel. “Come here, you little hellcat!” the creature demanded, grabbing a hold of her slim wrist.

She slapped him across the face with her free hand, but she accidentally cut herself on one of his protruding fangs. He simply licked the blood off his face and unceremoniously hauled her over his shoulder, pinning her there with a strong arm. “Careful, Lord Cado,” he said humorously. “It seems you have chosen a rather feisty one.” Cado’s only response was a lecherous grin.

The first mate shut the cell door behind them and Captain Mareth released his hold on Tarble. The saiyan prince promptly ran up to the bars and slammed his body against them furiously. “Don’t you dare lay a hand on her! You hear me? Harm that girl and you’re dead!” he bellowed at the top of his lungs, punching and kicking futilely at the reinforced bars.

“If I was you, I’d be a little more concerned about my own skin, monkey,” Cado snapped back.

Suddenly the ship began to shake like an earthquake had hit and red lights began to blare on and off in a state of emergency. Abo, Cado, and Captain Mareth were all caught completely off guard and tumbled to the ground simultaneously along with the first mate. Bulma landed in a heap on top of him and the others, while Tarble was thrown hard against the bars of the cell.

A feminine computer voice could be heard repeatedly chanting, “Alert! Alert! Ship has entered a hidden asteroid field! Alert! Alert! Ship has entered a hidden asteroid field!”

“Run, Bulma! Get out!” Tarble cried, seeing her chance. Thinking quickly, Bulma rolled off the miscreants and darted away through crates and other storage items that had fallen into the aisles. She found herself to be much faster and more agile than expected after all the intense training.

Captain Mareth glared at his first mate. “Sin, you fool! She’s getting away! Catch her, quickly!”

Sin stood up and stumbled after her as the red lights continued to blare in warning. Another boom was heard and several small meteors shot like bullets through the hull of the ship. Suction sounds could be heard. Three of them raced inches in front of Abo and Cado’s horrified faces. “Your hull isn’t strong enough to withstand small debris?” Abo charged in outrage and terror.

Mareth reddened slightly. “My lords, the masking system requires a soft hull to work. We’re built for ambushing merchant ships, not navigating asteroid belts,” he explained, putting a hand behind his head. “But rest assured I have enough piloting experience to get us through this.”

A panicked voice came through Mareth’s scouter. “Captain! We’re hemorrhaging our air supply and there are still more space rocks coming at us! We need you at the helm this instant!”

“Calm down, Rage. Send the repair crew to find and patch the holes. I’ll be up there in a few seconds,” Mareth shouted back into the scouter. He turned to Abo and Cado briefly. “I’m sorry, my lords. Duty calls.” He disappeared up the staircase to the upper levels of the starship.

Another flaming space rock flew right past Bulma’s face, causing her to skid to a halt and yelp in surprise.

Kami, that would’ve killed me!

she thought in panic, glancing over her shoulder.

Sin appeared to be perusing the storage crates, looking for her. Fortunately for Bulma, he had not heard her yelp over the sound of the blaring sirens. She ducked below one of the crates when he peered over in her direction and started crawling away, unseen. She rounded a corner, hoping it would lead back to Tarble’s cell. With any luck, the cell would be unguarded in the commotion. Directly above her on the main level, Captain Mareth was busy at the helm steering the ship out of the path of numerous giant asteroids. He spotted a break in the asteroid field and made for it.

“Captain, because of that first hit, we lost one of our hyperspace drive engines. It’s slowing us down,” explained the co-pilot. “It’ll be harder to dodge the big ones!”

“I’m a little busy right now, Rage. And don’t think I haven’t noticed!” Captain Mareth replied as the ship rumbled again. “Are the holes in our hull being patched right now?”

“The repair crew is down below. I haven’t heard word from them yet, though,” Rage admitted.

Bulma squealed when three aliens ran past her. She ducked in between two crates. To her relief, they were too busy to bother with her. Out of curiosity, she spied on them. They ran up to a wall and skidded to a stop, patching a hole in the hull of the ship that was sucking out the oxygen with their supply kits. Bulma’s breath hitched in her throat as she realized how thin the atmosphere had become. She tried to calm herself so her body would require less oxygen.

Hurry,

she quietly urged the repair crew. She figured she had better move before they finished the job and came back to get her. The young earthling rose shakily to her feet and steadily jogged back toward the brig of the ship. But the cell was empty when she got there. Tarble was nowhere in sight.

…

Back on Earth, Vegeta, Goku, and Gure were suited up. Dr. Briefs had fitted the spacesuits with transmission devices so communication back and forth would be easy. “I think I’ve got an approximate location,” Goku said, his eyes closed in concentration. “Although I’m not sensing any power levels. But it may just be the distance. It’s difficult to say.”

“Take us there, Kakarott,” Vegeta affirmed, taking a hold of the taller man’s shoulder.

Suddenly Dr. Briefs cried, “Wait!”

Vegeta rounded angrily on him with a fist. “Do you want us to save your daughter or not?”

Dr. Briefs cowered away from the angry saiyan and stuttered a response. “B-but I haven’t attached your oxygen supply yet. You don’t want to asphyxiate within a few seconds of reaching your destination, now d-do you? It won’t be a pleasant experience, I guarantee!”

Vegeta’s eyes widened and he lowered his fist in acquiescence. “Fine, old man. But hurry it up!” he snapped, turning his back so that Dr. Briefs could attach the oxygenation unit to his suit.

Dr. Briefs lifted up the backpack-like device and connected the tubes and circuits up with Vegeta’s spacesuit. “Now, these are the newest models of self-contained breathing equipment that I’ve designed. The carbon dioxide converter is so advanced that it can supply you with air indefinitely. Until the battery runs out, that is,” the gray-haired man proudly explained.

All Vegeta said was “Hmph,” but Goku and Gure seemed a lot more intrigued.

“Neat-O!” Goku said, admiring the device. “Dr. Briefs, you

are

a genius!”

“Thank you, my boy,” Dr. Briefs replied, attaching Goku’s unit next. “The battery itself can last a few days, but the surface of these spacesuits are fitted with solar power cells that can recharge the battery if you get close enough to a yellow star like our sun. These indicators on the wrist tell you how close to empty the battery is, the quality of the air you’re breathing, and whether there are any leaks in the suit.” He attached Gure’s unit last and stood before them. “Any questions?”

“No!” Vegeta snapped. “Now, let’s go!” He grabbed a hold of Goku’s shoulder again.

“One more thing!” Dr. Briefs spouted, causing Vegeta to groan. The scientist grabbed a tube protruding from Goku’s breathing pack. “These extra tubes are in case you need to share an air supply in the event someone’s unit malfunctions. They attach like so,” he said, demonstrating by attaching Goku’s suit to Gure’s. “Try not to get separated and have a safe trip!”

Vegeta turned an eyebrow upward. “You mean to tell me, old man, that there’s a chance that these nutty contraptions of yours might fail on us?” he hissed, glaring at Dr. Briefs.

“That is, unfortunately, the case with everything we know as ‘technology,’ my boy,” replied the good doctor nonchalantly, puffing his pipe. “That’s why we always take precautions.”

Vegeta rolled his eyes. “Are we

finally

ready to go then?” Dr. Briefs gave a nod of approval.

“Bye, Dr. Briefs,” Goku said, waving goodbye. “Thanks for all your help!”

Dr. Briefs saluted the happy-go-lucky saiyan. “Godspeed, Goku.”

Goku, Vegeta, and Gure disappeared in thin air. They reappeared in a vast emptiness. The two saiyans glanced all around to assess the place. “Well, Kakarott, it looks like you’ve literally IT’ed us into the middle of nowhere,” Vegeta declared grumpily. “Not a star or planet for eons.”

“No!” Gure cried. “I believe Dr. Briefs’ spacecraft crossed through here before being ambushed. I can detect a dying trail of psychic signals from both Tarble and Bulma.” She paused. “They were talking about a child? Hm. I don’t understand. Tarble was feeling fear, though Bulma was not.” She opened her eyes. “I don’t think you’ve taken us far enough yet, Goku.”

Vegeta considered her words. “Perhaps a little closer to Pellucid then, Kakarott?”

Goku nodded as they both placed their hands on him again. They disappeared and reappeared in a new location, which was not much different. “Sense anything, Gure?” Goku inquired.

Gure narrowed her eyes and concentrated. “Let her focus, Kakarott,” Vegeta said in a low voice, observing the Tech-Tech woman calmly. The Earth saiyan nodded his agreement.

After a few minutes, Gure’s eyes popped open and she appeared to be very frustrated. “I think you might have taken us a bit too far, Goku. I can’t detect a thing,” she expressed.

“Great job, then, Kakarott,” Vegeta snapped sarcastically.

“Hey! Cut me a break, Vegeta. I’m trying to track two kidnapped people blindly in outer space here. It’s not an exact science, meanie!” Goku retorted, feeling grumpy. “Now, put your hands on me again. I’ll see if I can’t get us a little closer to our previous location.”

They did as he instructed, but their luck was not much better. Goku had to teleport them more than thirty times before Gure was able to pick up on a trail again. “Oh dear, I’m afraid the signals here are only slightly stronger than the first place we checked,” she said, groaning in frustration. “And all this honing in is starting to give me a headache,” the poor woman grumbled.

“Aw, hey! I think you’re doing great, Gure. And I can help you with the headache thing once we get back to Earth. We can take a break if you’d like,” the Earth saiyan suggested.

“No! My Tarble is out here somewhere and I won’t rest until we find him!” Gure decreed.

While Gure and Goku were distracted with their conversation, Vegeta was staring off into the distance. Goku noticed and raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “You okay, ‘Geta?”

“Look out, woman!” Vegeta blurted without warning. He blasted a tiny flaming asteroid into nothing just a millisecond before it would have reached Gure’s helmet. From the speed it was going, there was no doubt it would have killed the Tech-Tech instantly had it made impact. Gure shrieked in fear and hid behind Goku. “Look, you fools, we are right on the edge of a dangerous and fast-moving asteroid field,” Vegeta said, pointing toward the big dark rocks.

Gure nodded and gulped. “I think it’s safe to say they probably were not ambushed anywhere along here. No pilot in his or her right mind would drive their ship anywhere near this.”

Vegeta scoffed, causing them both to turn and look at him. “Perhaps, but I highly doubt Bulma was in her right mind. And knowing Frieza’s former forces, there’s nothing they won’t risk to get what they want,” he expressed, turning away from them and crossing his arms.

Gure blinked. “What do you mean, Prince Vegeta?” she squeaked, slightly tearful.

“That’s not my daughter’s fault, Vegeta!” came Dr. Briefs’ defensive voice over the transmitter. “You did take her son, after all. Of course, the poor girl wasn’t in her right mind.”

“What?”

cried Gure, unable to believe what she had just heard. “Who took whose

what?”

“If you knew she was unstable, then you never should have let her leave Earth in one of your spaceships, old man,” the prince retorted calmly. “Stop blaming this on me!”

Dr. Briefs groaned. “We both know that girl has a mind of her own,” grumbled the aged scientist.

“Hmph. If I was her father, I would not have been afraid to put my foot down!” Vegeta snapped.

“Guys, guys! This is no time to argue,” Goku declared, the ever-dedicated peace-maker and mediator. “We’ve got to put our differences aside and keep up the search here.”

Vegeta grinned. “Agreed, Kakarott. And that is precisely why you, Dr. Briefs, need to

butt out.

You’ve already done your part, thank you very much,” the saiyan royal spat. Dr. Briefs could be heard clapping his hand over his face through the transmitter. Vegeta chuckled in amusement.
“Now, Kakarott,” he said. “You and Gure need to stick together as we explore the perimeter of this asteroid field. Your job is to protect her from flying debris as she searches for those psychic signals. As for myself, I’m going this way to try and detect any power levels. If we find nothing, then we’ll meet back up in an hour or two. Got it?” the prince decisively commanded.

Goku nodded, taken aback by Vegeta’s take-charge attitude. “Sure thing, ‘Geta. Sounds good.”

Vegeta flew off into the distance and disappeared in a twinkle of light. Goku took hold of Gure’s hand and led her off in the opposite direction. Gure began to focus her psychic energy again throughout their flight, but soon Goku had grown bored of the awkward silence between them. “So what’s this Tarble guy like?” he inquired out of the blue, breaking Gure out of her trance.

Gure jolted. “Oh, my Tarble? He’s wonderful. It’s too bad you weren’t there when we first arrived on Earth, Goku. We could’ve avoided this whole awful situation,” she replied, lamenting.

Goku frowned. “I’m sorry about that. I guess we just weren’t expecting any visitors. Things on Earth have been pretty peaceful for a few years now,” he admitted, adding,

“with the exception of the whole baby situation,”

under his breath. His face reddened a bit, not that it was visible.

Clearly he had not said it low enough because Vegeta had heard. “Kakarott, Gure, will you two please put a sock in it? I can still hear you through my transmitter and you had better not start talking about me when you think my back is turned,” harrumphed the saiyan royal.

“Oh… Gee, I didn’t mean to,” Goku replied apologetically. “But, you know, I don’t judge you.”

“That’s beside the point,” the prince snapped. “This topic of conversation is not appropriate while we’re searching for missing persons. You need to let the Tech-Tech focus.”

“But I do want to know, Prince Vegeta,” Gure replied. “Please tell me!”

“You’ll get all the details later when we have Tarble in our possession. Now, please do your job and look for those psychic signals. You might be our only hope of finding anything.”

Determination overtook Gure’s little face and she nodded solemnly. “Yes, Your Highness.”

Though the others could not see, Vegeta’s lips curved upward into a smirk at Gure’s reverence. “Good. I’m turning off the transmitter now so we won’t distract each other. If you need me to turn it back on, then just page me with the purple button on your helmets. Goodbye for now.” He turned off his transmitter with a bleep and welcomed in the vast silence of outer space. The peacefulness did not last long, however, because soon a tiny flaming asteroid sped by Vegeta’s face undetected. Vegeta realized he was about to fly into an asteroid storm and immediately powered up to the level of super saiyan to prepare himself for the great onslaught. Many miles away, Goku glanced over his shoulder when he felt Vegeta’s energy rise sharply.

“What is it, Goku?” Gure queried.

“Vegeta just powered up for some reason,” Goku explained, raising an eyebrow. “Hm.”

“Oh, no! Is he in trouble? Does he need our help?” Gure inquired, then she suddenly gasped. “Hey! Maybe he’s found something! Let’s go see what it is! Please, Goku!”

Goku shook his head. “He’d turn his transmitter on if something had gone wrong. He probably just entered the asteroid field or something. I think he’d let us know if he was in trouble.”

“Are you sure? Maybe we should go back just in case. I’m not finding anything out here,” Gure replied, focusing her mind once again just to double-check. “Nope, nothing.”

“I don’t know, Gure. I think we ought to do what Vegeta told us to. He did seem to have a plan after all,” Goku suggested.

And I doubt he’ll be happy if we ignore his orders,

he thought.

Gure groaned. “But there is nothing here, Goku. I don’t think a spaceship has been through this part of space in at least a century!” she proclaimed. The Tech-Tech stopped to think for a minute. “Hm. Maybe the ship really did go into the asteroid field,” she said, thinking out loud. “It’s the only thing that makes any sense for the trail just disappearing like that,” she mused.

Goku appeared nervous. “Perhaps that’s true, but I don’t think I should take you in there. If Vegeta hadn’t been so alert before, that little rock would’ve killed you in the blink of an eye!”

Gure pulled Goku’s arm backward, forcing them both to come to a halt. He glanced back at her. “Now, see here, mister,” she said in an authoritative voice, wagging her finger at him. “If by going into that asteroid field, I stand even the slightest chance of ever seeing my beloved again, then that’s what we’re doing! Understand?” she ordained, pulling him towards her until their space helmets nearly clacked against each other. “I won’t take no for an answer!”

Goku gulped and gave a nervous nod. “Alright, but stay by me at all times. If a rock so much as scratches our suits, I’ve got to IT us back to Earth pronto.” Gure nodded her understanding.

…

Princess Sapphire raced back to the main palace as fast as her ki could carry her. Even the guards following her seemed to be slightly out of breath from the exertion.

So much for a royal retreat,

she thought to herself. Sapphire could not be all glum, however, because this new development with Vegeta’s alleged long lost brother intrigued her. As she approached Eclat City, she realized the palace guards’ scouters must have sensed her approach due to the big welcoming committee awaiting her arrival on the front steps of Eclat Palace. She grinned.

Good. They know something is up. With any luck, Father will already have been briefed on the situation.

Sapphire touched down in front of the hundreds of guards on the grand palace steps. “Your Highness,” greeted the captain of the guards, Captain Welry, “what brings you back from your retreat so early? And where is Prince Vegeta? Your early return has surprised us all.”

Princess Sapphire felt a bit irked about having to explain everything, but she shrugged it off. “We may have an emergency on our hands, Welry. Where are my mother and father?”

“King Chrystal is in the throne room and Queen Bijou is meeting with some diplomats from the planet Atmo. What is so important if I may ask, princess?” Welry inquired.

“Prince Vegeta was teleported off Pellucid by the tailless saiyan from Earth known as Kakarott.”

All the guards within hearing range were taken aback by the news and gasped loudly.

“Really?”

cried the shocked captain. “Oh my, this

is

important. I will tell the king and queen right away!” the man announced, turning toward the palace entrance without hesitation. Princess Sapphire clapped a hand down on Welry’s shoulder to stop him. He peered over his shoulder as a big bead of sweat dripped down his lilac temple. “Yes, Your Highness?” he queried.

“It’s not what you think, Welry. The prince was not kidnapped. In fact, it could be far more serious. Kakarott told Prince Vegeta that his brother, Prince Tarble, was still alive. He told him this right before whisking him away, presumably to Planet Earth,” Sapphire explained.

Captain Welry’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Im-impossible… How could that be, Highness? I thought Prince Vegeta was the only surviving member of the saiyan royal family.”

“As did we all,” the princess expressed, grinning. “But that may not be the case after all. Please, we must see my father at once to tell him all the details. Let’s go to him.”

Welry nodded. “I’ll see to it you get an audience with His Majesty as soon as possible, princess.”

“Excellent. I’ll be waiting by the Court Hall entrance,” Princess Sapphire replied. She walked through one of the side entrances of the palace, followed by her eight personal bodyguards, and eagerly awaited her chance to speak with her father King Chrystal in person.

…
Bulma shivered in the thin cold atmosphere of the ship’s cellar. To her relief, the emergency lights had stopped blaring, although the ship kept rumbling now and again with turbulence from the asteroid storm outside. Fortunately for the lives of everyone on board, it seemed that the captain of the ship was a competent pilot and was effectively steering them out of harm’s way. Despite her shallow breathing, Bulma tried to deduce where Tarble might have been taken. The trick would be to track him down without getting caught herself. She examined the empty cell and saw that the door had been left ajar. Could he have escaped? she wondered hopefully.
There was a great deal of dust all over the cellar floor from just how messy the place was.

Does anybody sweep down here ever?

Bulma wondered. Judging from the imprints in the dust near the jail cell’s door, it appeared that there had been a struggle—a brief one. The big ugly gumball aliens had clearly overpowered Tarble and dragged him off somewhere. Bulma pushed some crates and debris out of the way and discovered the route Abo and Cado had taken likely not but a few minutes earlier. “There you are!” came a harsh voice from twenty paces behind Bulma. The young Earth woman jumped around in shock and fell against the external bars of the cell she had earlier been imprisoned in. Her face went blue with fear and she began to tremble and stutter.

Observing this, Sin’s demeanor turned very cocky indeed. “Ha ha, little one. You were clever in evading me for this long, but I managed to follow your delicious scent nonetheless. Your active female hormones could give up your location from miles away, sweetheart,” the creature warned her, approaching her slowly with the intent of intimidating her as much as possible.

Bulma tried to run, but skidded on the gravel, fell down, and skinned a knee through her sleek black leggings. “Ouch!” she cried, holding the injured joint tenderly. “You big brute, look what you made me do,” she snapped angrily. “Why don’t you just pick on someone your own size? I bet it makes you feel like such a big powerful man picking on a helpless woman, doesn’t it?”

“Shut your trap, doll-face,” Sin snapped back. “Don’t you get it, girl? You can run, but you can’t hide from me. No matter where you go, I will always be able to sniff you out.”

Bulma quirked a brow. “Sniff me out, huh?” she repeated as a light bulb illuminated in her brain. She narrowed her eyes and discreetly lowered one of her hands to the floor next to her bottom.

“That’s right. This nose of mine has no equal on the ship,” he said, taking an exemplary whiff of the cellar air. He sneezed but continued to approach. Eventually, he was only a few paces away.

“Well, gee. I guess I’d better give up then. I clearly don’t stand a chance against such superior olfaction to my own,” she ribbed, subtly grabbing a fistful of the grime on the cellar floor.

Sin’s eyes gleamed. “My, oh my, a woman that can see reason? You are a rare breed. It’s too bad someone outranking myself already laid claim to you.” He shrugged. “Oh, well. Now, if you’ll just come quietly and not give me any more trouble, I’d appreciate it,” he said. He extended a gloved hand to grab her by the upper arm and then he gracefully pulled her to her feet.

Bulma looked up at Sin with big blue eyes and smiled innocently, causing him to lower his guard. Then she shoved a face-full of grime and sand into his eyes and nostrils, careful to avoid contact with his fangs. “Get a whiff of this, rat-face!” she spat, tripping him over a crate and then sprinting off after the tracks left by Abo and Cado. As she ran, Bulma was surprised again by her own speed and strength which must have been on account of Tarble’s training.

A furious Sin coughed and sputtered as his prey escaped his clutches. He tried desperately to wipe the grime out of his face but only succeeded in rubbing it into his eyes more. He snarled in anger. “I’ll get you for this, wench! You will feel my wrath soon enough!” he shrieked after her.

“Smell ya later, bozo!” she shouted over her shoulder, flipping off the first mate as well. Not that he would be able to see it with all the dirt in his eyes, but it was still a satisfying thing to do.

Bulma rounded a corner in pursuit of the telling footprints but ran smack into a wall.

Oh, no! A dead end!

she thought, glancing back over her shoulder nervously. “Hm. Where could they have gone?” she wondered aloud, backing up slightly. Then she saw the lines along the wall. In fact, it was not a wall at all but an automatic doorway of some kind. It was not very well concealed.

But how to get it open…

Bulma pondered, placing a finger on her lower lip. “Well, there’s always the cliché approach. Open Sesame!” she announced loudly. Bulma waited, but nothing happened.

Bulma stomped a foot in frustration.

Darn it, I really hoped that would work.

She crossed her arms. Peering downward and to the left of the door itself, she spotted a rectangular lid covering something on the wall. She figured it must be an electric circuit. Maybe it controlled the door in front of her. Sighing, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her Swiss army toolkit. “Guess I’m going to have to do this the hard way,” she said, snapping off the lid. She quickly got to work fiddling with the circuits. As she tinkered with the system, she began to hum a tune she had not heard in a while. She was pleased with her progress until she heard footsteps coming toward her.

“I think she went this way,” came the gravelly voice of Sin. It was much rougher than usual from the coughing and sneezing fit the Earth woman had cleverly caused him only minutes earlier.

A blue hue crept onto Bulma’s face. Without thinking, she dove behind a storage crate as the first mate came onto the scene accompanied by two huge space thugs who looked like they had come from some swamp planet. All three of them screeched to a halt as they rounded on the automatic door that Bulma had been trying to open. The first mate’s two henchmen peered around looking for clues, causing Bulma to duck low behind her crate to avoid detection. She had just enough of a glance to identify them as two members of the repair crew that had passed her earlier.

With their emergency uniforms removed, their hideousness was fully revealed. After they had patched the hull, the first mate must have recruited them to help with the search to hunt down the escaped female prisoner.

Oh well, at least we can all breathe now,

thought Bulma.

“Look!” said the thug on the right, pointing at the open electrical circuit and the discarded lid.

“Hm,” Sin said, picking up the lid and snapping it into place. “She must have rewired the door to open. Follow me, boys.” He stood back from the door and spoke the words, “Open Sunflower!” The door slid open with ease and all three of the men disappeared through the entrance.

Behind the crate, Bulma snapped her fingers.

Wrong seed. Oh well. When opportunity knocks…

She slid stealthily through the open door after the aliens but realized she had gone a little too slowly when the door closed behind her and gave her butt a little pinch. Bulma clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a squeak of pain and surprise and quickly backed into a dark corner where she hoped not to be noticed, rubbing her behind with her other hand. To her relief, her three hideous pursuers were running away from her down a long hallway.

“I don’t get it, boss. Why would a girl go to Captain Mareth’s Torture Wing, especially when the back door to the escape pods is just the next door over?” inquired one of the bat alien’s cronies.

Sin shrugged. “Well, you and I both know women ain’t too bright, especially her. The pretty ones never have any smarts,” he laughed. “I guess they’ve been selected for beauty over brains.”

“Yeah, I guess that you’re right, boss,” echoed the idiot’s voice as all three of them disappeared around a corner, laughing at their own sexist joke. The noise they made slowly faded.

Bulma seethed. “No brains, huh? Well, I just outsmarted you nitwits, didn’t I?” she mumbled angrily to herself. Sudden realization hit her and every inch of skin on her body turned a distinct blue. Her teeth chattered and her limbs trembled.

“D-did that guy just say this place is the T-T-Torture Wing?”

she sputtered, backing up towards the door she had just come through. “I’ve got to get out of here and find that other door to the escape pods they were talking about!” she said, turning around. “Open Sunflower!” The door slid open on cue. Bulma almost crossed the threshold but stopped dead in her tracks. “Oh, no! But what about Tarble?” She bit her nails down to the nub trying to decide what to do.

My goodness, what a moral dilemma,

she thought.

But then again, even if I find Tarble, I doubt I’ll be able to help him. I’m just a woman! Nobody would blame me for saving myself…

she thought, inching toward the open door again. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to come to a decision. Suddenly, an unidentified scream erupted from the dark depths of Captain Mareth's Torture Wing, knocking Bulma off of her feet in shock. “Darn it, Tarble!” she finally declared. “This is the first and last time I’ll ever stick my neck out for you, so you had better be grateful, saiyan!” She jogged softly down the hall after the first mate and his henchmen, trying to avoid making too much noise with her footsteps.

…

Goku and Gure flew into the fast-moving asteroid belt carefully, dodging flaming space rocks left and right. Goku chose to take a much less aggressive approach to the asteroid problem than Vegeta had. With Gure securely in his arms, he hopped from asteroid to asteroid, gliding back and forth gracefully as if engaging in some elegant form of space ballet.

“Sense anything yet, Gure?” Goku asked, dodging a few tiny bullet rocks here and there.

She instructed,
“No, Goku. You’ve got to fly much farther in.”

“But the farther in we go, the more dangerous it is! See,” he said, pointing. “The largest and fastest rocks are ahead of us and they’re more densely packed than at the outer rims!”

“I know it’s dangerous, Goku. But, please, do it for Tarble!” Gure begged.

“Well, alright, but I won’t be able to dodge anymore. I’ll have to make my own path by blasting the asteroids apart with my ki,” Goku explained. “I’ll need you to hold onto me.”

Gure climbed onto his back and held on tight.
“Then do it!”

“Fine,” Goku replied. Flying into the densest part of the storm, Goku powered up and started firing ki blasts at the largest of the asteroids heading toward them. Every now and again, he had to IT Gure and himself out of harm’s way as the giant rocks crumbled into large and still-dangerous fragments of their former selves. “Ah, gee, this is getting out of hand!”

“Go that way!” Gure told him.

The Earth saiyan nodded and brought the Tech-Tech woman delicately through the narrow path he kept making in the asteroid belt. Finally, they reached a calm pocket in the storm, allowing the both of them about thirty seconds of rest. Suddenly a beeping sound was heard in both of their helmets and Vegeta’s voice could be heard loud and clear through the transmitters. “Kakarott, Gure, get over here at once! I have just found something!” announced the proud prince.

Goku could not believe his ears. “Really, Vegeta? What is it?” he asked in disbelief.

“Teleport to my location and I’ll show you, baka. I’ll flare my energy to help you find me.”

Vegeta powered up so that Goku could easily sense his ki despite the countless miles and asteroids between them. “Alright, Vegeta. Gure, let’s go,” Goku declared. He put two fingers to his helmet and they both vanished and reappeared behind the Prince of all Saiyans.

Goku and Gure peered around and noticed what Vegeta was proudly standing on. It was big enough to be an asteroid but by no means rocky enough. It appeared to be a giant, shiny, black piece of a spaceship. Looking at one side of it, they could see that it was badly damaged.

“What is it, Vegeta?” Goku asked.

“A hyperspace jet, of course,” the royal replied. Vegeta started walking on the surface of it, causing the orientation of the thing to rotate until some sleek script appeared in silver paint.

Goku and Gure examined the script with confusion. They looked up at Vegeta. “It’s written in Frieza’s mother tongue, you dolts. It says

Dark Oblivion.

This piece of technology was part of a starship that used to belong to Frieza,” Vegeta explained. “At the time, it was a spy ship. My guess is that it has since been repurposed as a pirating ship for attacking merchant vessels.”

Gure’s eyes popped open and she pulled away from Goku to examine Vegeta’s discovery. She placed a hand on the metallic surface and closed her eyes in concentration. Goku watched her. Suddenly Gure gasped and jumped back, causing Goku to jump slightly as well in surprise.

“What is it, Gure?” Goku inquired.

“This is it!” she cried. “Tarble and Bulma were on this ship before this piece was knocked loose. I can feel it. The signals are fresh and strong. And they were terrified, Goku. Terrified!”

“Oh, no!” Goku said. “Do you think the ship might have been destroyed by the asteroids?”

“No,” Gure replied. “Tarble is alive. I know it. I don’t know how, but I know that he lives.”

“Great!” Vegeta announced. “Now, all we need to do is find this ship and we’ll find them.”

Goku appeared to be seriously lost.
“But where will we find the ship, Vegeta? It could be long gone by now. Do you know which way it went?” the Earth saiyan asked hopefully.

Vegeta shook his head. “I do not know which way it headed after picking up the Z Commando precisely,
but I do know where the

Dark

Oblivion

makes port,” the prince replied with a smirk.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Tarble grunted at Cado’s rough treatment and tried to use his other senses to gather any information he could about his surroundings. When the brothers had taken him from his jail cell, they had gagged and blindfolded him. He felt someone tear the gag off his mouth.

“Alright, monkey. Before we begin, we’re going to give you one last chance to tell us everything you know. You are well aware of what we’re capable of, so don’t think for even a second that you can withhold even the tiniest detail,” Abo threatened as his wicked brother Cado secured the younger saiyan prince’s ki-depleting shackles to the wall of the dimly-lit room.

“That’s right, runt,” Cado chimed. “And you don’t have your puny little woman to save your sorry tail this time, so you had better cooperate and do as you’re told,” he warned.

“It’s like I told you guys last time, I don’t know anything about a treasure. Every possession my people had was destroyed when Frieza attacked Planet Vegeta,” Tarble snapped back.

“Still playing the ignorance game, are we? I think you can recall how rapidly we grew weary of that charade back on Planet Tech-Tech. In fact, had you just told us what we wanted to know to begin with, we might have been willing to spare the Tech-Tech people their righteous fate,” Cado construed, tugging sharply at the heavy chain around Tarble’s slender neck.

The saiyan prince gagged as his air supply was abruptly cut short. His eyes widened in horror. When Cado finally released the chain, Tarble felt the burn of hatred rise up in his saiyan blood. He glared at them in disbelief. “Wh… What did you do to them? How could you? They were peaceful. They never harmed anybody!” Tarble screamed at the top of his lungs.

Cado yawned in disinterest while Abo retorted, “Precisely, ape! They were loathsome bleeding-heart weaklings, a waste of space on such a valuable planet as Tech-Tech. Boy did that pretty little mudball garner a commendable price on the auction market, though.”

Cado grinned. “Indeed. We heard through the grapevine that the Mudslippers are very pleased with their new home world,” he added spitefully, leaning back and casually pouring himself half a glass of some foul-smelling beverage. He took a sip and finished with a refreshed,

"Ah!"

Tarble squeezed his eyes closed. “N-no. I can’t believe it. I won’t! You’re lying!” he shrieked. “You’re lying just to upset me. You can’t fool me! The Tech-Tech are fine!”

Both brothers burst into laughter. “Believe it, monkey. We called in special troops to purge the planet after you fled like a coward. They had very few difficulties overcoming the planet’s meek defenses. All those weaklings are capable of is a few measly mind tricks, after all!” Abo laughed.

Tarble gritted his teeth and turned away. Denial was the only defense he had against unthinkable reality. He refused to believe what they were saying. The Tech-Tech people were fine. They had to be. They were a people who had willingly adopted an orphaned saiyan child and accepted him as one of their own. The thought of them meeting such a grisly fate made Tarble lose faith in life. He could not live with himself if he thought the Tech-Tech had been punished on account of him. The guilt would simply be too much for him to bear for the rest of his life.

…

Bulma peered around another corner in caution before venturing farther. The place did not meet her expectations for a ‘Torture Wing.’ There was no filth. No skulls or discarded bones and no implements designed to tear and carve into flesh. In fact, the place looked pristine. “Man, that cellar was more of a

Torture Wing

than here. This place looks more like the wing of some fancy urban hospital,” Bulma uttered to herself as she crept quietly down the long hall. She held both of her sneakers in one hand so she could tiptoe around in her socks as quietly as possible.

She made the trip down the endless hallway, checking every room along the way. Each one was deserted and held no clues regarding the true horror of the place. At the end of the hall, Bulma turned another corner and came to yet another endless corridor identical to the first. “Great! Just great!” the young woman cried in frustration. “This place is an enormous labyrinth. How am I ever going to find Vegeta’s brother and still find my way back to the exit? I mean, I have always had an awesome photographic memory, but this is just ridiculous!” Bulma blared.

The blue-haired girl gritted her teeth in frustration and kept walking. “Now, where could those ugly jerks have gone? If I’m not careful, they might just find me first. And then I would really be done for!” Bulma thought fearfully, trembling a bit at the disquieting thought. The Earth woman swallowed a lump in her throat. “It’s no problem, Bulma girl. All you have to do is use your superior intellect to stay one step ahead of those creeps. Stop underestimating yourself. Those guys are so clueless that they make Vegeta look like Albert Einstein. And that is saying quite a lot, now isn’t it?” she declared, reassuring herself as best she could of her abilities.

Eventually Bulma reached a section with another hallway crisscrossing the one she was already on. There were three directions to choose from—she could go left, right, or straight ahead. “Hm. I wonder which way I should go,” she thought aloud, glancing from one hallway to the next, and then back the way she had come. “Geez… Everything looks the same no matter where I go. How did Abo and Cado navigate through here without getting lost? There has to be a way to do it. And I’m going to figure out what it is!” she declared, more determined than ever.

“Alright, I’ll go this way,” she decided, heading down the left hallway. A blood-curdling scream erupted from somewhere not too far down that very same corridor, startling Bulma so much that she fell flat on her face on the hard metal floor. What sounded like some low chuckling was all that followed after the ear-splitting shriek. Bulma glanced up from the floor with a big red spot in the middle of her forehead and a face blue as ice crystals. “Oh, m-my,” she whispered to herself. “Well, that doesn’t sound like Tarble at least. Poor wretch.” She swallowed hard and, trembling, pushed herself up from the floor. “Better not go that way after all,” she declared, gathering up her shoes again and deciding to head in the exact opposite direction. Bulma walked until her feet ached. Without the cushioning of her shoes, the floor was very hard indeed on her poor tender soles. But she was still afraid of making too much noise to put her squeaky sneakers back on.

As she neared the end of the hall, she recognized what looked like a dead end. Her jaw dropped about six full inches. “You have got to be kidding me! I came all the way down here for this?” she cried in fury, bewailing the injustice of it all. She dropped to her knees and tears welled up in her big blue eyes. “I’m so sorry, Tarble. I’m never going to find you in this nightmarish maze. I might as well go back, find an escape pod, and get the heck out of here before it’s too late.”

Hanging her head in defeat, Bulma turned around and dragged her aching feet back in the other direction. She nearly slipped on the floor when a tremendous rumbling sound erupted from somewhere behind her. Her heart stopped and her breath got caught in her throat as she slowly turned around to come face-to-face with… absolutely nothing. The hallway was still empty all the way to the dead end wall.

It must be coming from one of the rooms,

she thought to herself. Another softer sound followed. Bulma raised an eyebrow.

That... sounded almost like breathing.

The young woman put a hand to her ear and listened carefully before deciding that the strange noises were coming from one of the rooms on the left side of the corridor.

“What could that possibly be?” she whispered, stealthily flattening her body against the left wall of the corridor. She slowly crab-walked toward the open threshold. Nearing the suspicious room, Bulma peered gingerly around the corner, careful to remain silent and out of sight. What she saw inside made her face turn whiter than a ghost’s.

Oh my. More bad guys!

she thought. On the right side of the room was a table piled carelessly with what appeared to be various drugs and medical items. There was one alien about the size of Zarbon leaning back in a chair that looked ready to tip over. He had one big gold-tipped boot extended up onto the table and was snoring loudly.

Getting a closer look, Bulma glimpsed another alien of an entirely different race snoozing in another chair behind the bigger alien. He was short and stocky, only slightly larger in size than Fortune Teller Baba. She discovered that the small alien was the one making the soft breathing noises. Bulma could not make out much of what either individual looked like because they were dressed head to toe in saiyan uniforms, complete with gloves and full-body jumpsuits. Both also wore helmets with the visors drawn over their faces. The only patch of uncovered flesh was the big alien’s neck, which was black as soot and scaly in texture. The last thing Bulma wanted to see was whatever else might lie beneath those uniforms. The mere thought made her queasy.

Something on the big alien’s lap fell to the floor and shattered loudly. Bulma tensed and jumped back out of sight, expecting them both to rouse from the noise. When she heard nothing but more snoring, she peeked into the room again and assessed the damage. It appeared to be an empty bottle of booze, now reduced to fragments. The two space pirates were intoxicated, she realized. Suddenly, a brilliant idea popped into Bulma’s head. It was so brilliant, in fact, that she quickly considered that it might be one of, if not the most brilliant, of all the ideas she had ever had in her life. She chuckled low in her throat as she crept past the threshold into the large room, being careful to step over broken glass, discarded animal bones, and used medical supplies.

As soon as Bulma was all the way inside, she was finally able to see what the far left side of the room had been concealing. She gasped in horror and dropped her sneakers to the ground. “Oh. My. Kami,” she uttered. At last, the genius had discovered the secret behind these mysterious chambers. It appeared that the rooms were empty when not in use, but each one had a wall that dropped down to reveal a vast closet of the most horrendous torture devices imaginable.

Bulma could not believe her eyes and had to do a double take. As she stared at the open closet in horror, her attention was suddenly diverted by something wet soaking into her white cotton socks. Her gaze dropped down as she stepped out of the purple puddle collecting on the ground. It was right in the middle of the room and appeared to have no obvious source. “What the heck?” she whispered, eyes darting around looking for clues. Just then she heard a drip and glanced upward. What she saw above her hanging from the ceiling just then, she knew would haunt her for the rest of her days. A Namek with four missing limbs and a spike that looked like it had been thrust up into the mouth and all the way through the back of the skull was dangling from the ceiling by fish hooks pierced through the shoulders. The man was deader than lead.

Bulma fell back and felt bile rising in her throat. She puked on the floor next to her repeatedly. With tears in her eyes, she could not bring herself to look at the sight again. It was too appalling. She knew now that no matter what happened, she would have to find Tarble. She could not live with herself if she left the poor prince to this kind of fate. With a new air of determination, she pulled herself shakily up from the floor and turned burning eyes to the two napping perpetrators. She could only guess that the booze had been used to celebrate the successful breaking of yet another hapless victim. They had thought they deserved a reward for such a crime.

Monsters!

Bulma kicked off the sock soaked with the Namekian’s blood. She returned to the table that the heartless murderers were seated at and perused the selection of drugs available. Without a word, she loaded two large syringes with the strongest tranquilizer she could find and injected both creeps simultaneously. To her immense relief, neither one stirred. She waited a few seconds for the drugs to take effect and then grabbed the smaller alien first, stripping him of his armor and jumpsuit down to the skivvies. He was an ugly green toad-like thing, but Bulma did not care anymore. After seeing what they had done to the Namek, nothing could faze her now.

Bulma stripped to her undergarments and used her stretchy leggings to bind her breasts and rear end flat against her body. She pulled on the alien’s expandable navy blue jumpsuit, followed by the gold-tipped boots and white gloves. Finally, she wriggled the stretchy armor over her head until it fit snugly around her torso. “Last but not least,” she said to herself, “I’m going to need a helmet to hide my gorgeous face. The little guy’s is too small, but the big guy’s just might fit.” She pulled off the bigger alien’s helmet and stuck out her tongue at just how ugly he really was. The creature was like a charbroiled skeleton under the visor. “Ugh, no wonder you were wearing this, bud. I don’t think even a mother could love a face like that,” she said, trying on the helmet.

With the visor up, she peered around the room and saw an automatic door in the back of the torture closet. “All right, let’s see what else we have to work with here,” she said, sauntering over to it and pressing the open button. She glanced inside and raised an eyebrow. “A bathroom? Well, that’s good. I needed to pee anyway,” she said, happily taking the opportunity to relieve herself. When she had finished, she stood up and examined herself in the full-length mirror. “Hm,” she said. “Not bad. But something is missing.” She looked herself up and down, and then down and up again. Then she snapped a finger. “I know!” She gathered a big wad of toilet paper and stuffed her crotch with it. “There, I look like a man. Now I just need to test my man-voice.” She cleared her throat and said “Aye-aye, sir,” in the deepest voice she could muster.

Not the best I’ve ever heard, but I think I can at least pass as a young man,

she thought to herself.

Bulma strode out of the bathroom. “Now, to deal with the two perpetrators of this awful crime,” she declared, glaring daggers at the alien pirates. With a great deal of difficulty, she stripped the Zarbon-sized alien of his saiyan armor as well. She found some ki-resistant shackles and cuffed both brutes together to the back wall of the closet. After a lot more searching through the horrible items that the room contained, she found what looked like an incinerator built into one of the side walls of the closet.

Must be for corpse disposal,

Bulma thought. The young woman turned it on and incinerated the alien’s clothes, as well as her discarded shirt, socks, and sneakers.

“Sorry, duds. You looked great, but I can’t leave any clues behind, can I?” she announced as her earthly garments burned up to ash. She incinerated one of the scouters but kept the other one and programmed it to display numbers in her own language. She also reset the device so it could not be traced back to the puny pirate she had taken it from. Most importantly, in her search of the room, she had discovered what it was that allowed the space pirates to navigate the Torture Wing with such ease. There were two small bubble cars, much like the one Frieza had been known for riding in. On the dashboard, a small computer screen generated a map of the entire labyrinth.

“Well, well, well...” she declared. “Isn’t this handy? Now, let’s see. How do you drive this stupid little gadg…” She pressed a button and the device zoomed forward and crashed into the wall. “Oomph!” Bulma uttered. She sat back and put a hand to her helmet. “Good thing I was wearing this,” she murmured woozily. “That could’a been a real bad accident. Ouch!” The young woman steadied herself and stood up, brushing herself off. “Alright. I think I’ve got it now. This is the accelerator and this little joystick is the steering.” Before long, Bulma had the vehicle out in the hall and speeding back up the same corridor that she had previously come down.

…

After documenting the findings with a series of photographs, Vegeta demanded that Goku transport himself and Gure straight to Planet Pellucid. To be discreet, Goku teleported the three of them directly to Vegeta’s personal suite in the palace. The trio kicked off their spacesuits and followed Vegeta, who rushed right into the hall. When they caught up with the prince, Goku and Gure found Vegeta speaking to two guards in Pelluci in a very serious tone of voice. When the shorter saiyan was done, he turned back to them. “The king is in the throne room speaking to his daughter Princess Sapphire. We must go there at once!” determined the royal.

Vegeta, Goku, Gure, and the two guards raced down the royal hall until they reached the grand foyer—the internal entrance to the throne room. Just as they arrived, the king burst through the huge double doors, followed by his daughter and a legion of guards. He stumbled to a halt just a few paces in front of Vegeta’s party. Princess Sapphire’s eyes beamed with recognition when she caught sight of the saiyan prince. “King Chrystal?” Vegeta uttered, surprised.

“Prince Vegeta? You’re alright! My daughter has told me everything she knows,” he said.

Vegeta nodded. “Yes, I’m fine. Kakarott is the one who informed me about my brother. It seems Tarble and one of Kakarott’s friends have been kidnapped by Frieza’s ex-troops. They are aboard a starship called

Dark Oblivion.

I have a strong suspicion that this is the pirating ship responsible for the thefts and kidnappings aboard Pellucian vessels, Your Majesty,” Vegeta expressed.

“Really?” Chrystal replied, gasping in shock. “But how can you be sure?”

“I’m not,” Vegeta replied, “but I know where

Oblivion

calls home. If we find it, it just might lead us to your missing people and property. I also know that the starship lost a jet in an asteroid field within the last few hours. If we hurry, we might be able to beat it to former Frieza Planet 392. We will never be able to spot it in outer space, so we’ll have to plan for an ambush on the ground.”

The king turned to the captain of the guards. “Ready the fleet, Welry!” he commanded. He turned back to Vegeta. “Prince Vegeta, you are the strongest warrior I know. Will you do me the honor of commanding my army into battle?” King Chrystal beseeched, extending a hand.

Vegeta’s eyes popped open in astonishment. “Yes, of course,” he finally replied. “I will, but…”

“Yes?” Chrystal replied. “But what?”

Vegeta shot a glance at Goku. “Can I have Kakarott as my second-in-command? None of this would have been possible without him,” the prince explained, gesturing to the other saiyan. “And his own strength does rival mine, ignoring his lack of a tail, of course,” he added.

King Chrystal shrugged. “I suppose it’s alright if he’s willing to do the job.”

Vegeta locked eyes with Goku. “Kakarott, we’re going to battle and I need you to serve as my second-in-command. Please, agree to this. I need someone reliable. And I know you won’t fall in battle against those weaklings,” he explained. “King Chrystal is giving us his army.”

Goku blushed fiercely at the flattering request. “Gee, Vegeta. I never helped command an army before,” he muttered bashfully, rubbing the back of his head. “I don’t know anything about it.”

“Don’t worry, Kakarott. You just follow my example. I know you can do it.”

Suddenly Chrystal noticed the small Tech-Tech woman standing to Goku’s left, completely dwarfed by the saiyan’s towering frame. “And who is this little lady?” he inquired politely, flashing her a grin. Gure flushed and giggled as she curtsied before the king.

Vegeta glanced down at the small marshmallow alien. “Her? Oh, her name is Gure. She’s my… sister-in-law,” he admitted, flushing slightly. “She is mated to my brother, Tarble.”

“She is, huh? Then ask Princess Gure if she’d like to stay with my daughter and queen. I’m sure they would love the company while us men are away,” the king graciously offered.

Before Vegeta could translate the offer for Gure, Princess Sapphire protested. “But Father, I want to go with you! I could be of great help on former Frieza Planet 392. I swear!”

"Absolutely not, Sapphire,"

the king snapped. “It’s far too dangerous for a princess. I command you to stay here with your mother. It is your royal duty to help her look after the planet whilst the bulk of the guards and I are away. You know that as well as I do!” he scolded in a firm voice.

“But…” she began, only to be silenced with a wave of his kingly hand.

“I’ll hear no more of this. Take this young lady to one of the deluxe suites. She is Prince Vegeta’s sister-in-law and that makes her a very honored guest on Pellucid. I trust you to see to it that all her wants and needs are met until the moment I return,” King Chrystal bade, dismissing her.

Princess Sapphire hung her head slightly. “Yes, Father,” she reluctantly replied. “Come, Princess Gure,” she said, switching to the Tech-Tech tongue. “I’ll show you to your lodgings. Would you prefer a view of the ocean or of Eclat City?” she inquired, beckoning Gure to follow.

“Oh, either one sounds lovely,” Gure replied, skipping after the princess. They chattered away. Before they disappeared around a corner, Vegeta thought he had spotted a smile on Sapphire’s face. He smirked, having been surprised to learn Sapphire was quite an accomplished linguist. It would be excellent if the two females got on well with each other in the men’s absence.

Suddenly the king interrupted the saiyan royal’s thoughts. “Let us board the mothership right away and get settled in while the fleet is gathering. Come, Prince Vegeta, Kakarott,” Chrystal beckoned, leading them into the throne room and then out the main palace gates.

…

Abo chuckled. “It’s so good to know your customers are satisfied with your work, isn’t it, brother? Makes the job all the more rewarding,” the alien flouted shamelessly.

Tarble’s breath hitched in his throat. “You bastards. So you killed them all? Every last one?” he cried in disbelief. "But... but

why

? They never did anything to you! How could you?"

Abo and Cado both faked a gasp, feigning offense at the accusation. “Heavens, no!” replied Cado. “Don’t be ridiculous, you primitive ape. That would be a total waste of free backbreaking labor. No, no, no! You have us all wrong, boy. We kept the most docile Tech-Tech alive, of course, which fortunately turned out to be the vast majority of them. We sold the women off for many a handsome price and sent the men to mining camps on the Tech-Tech moon,” the creep explained, shaking his head at what he had determined to be Tarble’s foolishness.

Abo chuckled. “Do you have any idea about the sheer size of the priceless senzite deposits on the moon there? Somebody has to dig all of that white gold out of the surface and melt it down into pearl sensine for us before we can sell it,” he added. “Those tiny men are perfect for that.”

Tarble squeezed his eyes closed in grief and swallowed hard before trying to muster yet another question through gritted teeth. “And… what… what of the children?” he murmured.

Cado feigned a sad sigh. “Alas, sweet prince,” he began, “some of the young ones were useless and had to be disposed of. They don’t grow up fast enough to be profitable in the slave trade.”

Tarble’s entire body went numb and then he started shaking. “Uh, oh, brother,” Abo teased, snickering. “I think that vein on the monkey boy’s forehead might be about to burst. It would be a pity if he bled out before we even have the chance to end him for ourselves.”

“Cruel bastards!” Tarble howled, thrashing against the chains. “You killed them? How could you? They were just children! Murderers! You will pay for what you have done!” he snarled.

Cado backhanded the saiyan hard enough to send him hurling into the wall, almost knocking him unconscious. He sneered at Tarble. “You’re in no position for revenge, ape. This is your very last chance. Tell us about your father’s treasure or pain will soon become your only friend.”

Tarble shook his head clear, feeling dazed from the assault. He heard some shuffling and realized his enemies must be readying the first method of torment. Not knowing exactly what was coming was even worse than knowing he would be tortured. He shifted his head painfully and blinked his eyes, trying desperately to dislodge the blindfold and get a glimpse of his surroundings. But it was futile, as the leather-like eye mask had been secured very well by his captors.

“I already told you two. I don’t know anything!” Tarble bellowed helplessly, squirming in apprehension. “Don’t hurt me!” He heard footsteps approaching him. Cado scoffed and tugged hard on the chain around Tarble’s neck. The saiyan could feel the villain’s foul breath on his face and his whole body tensed when he felt Cado pull back as if about to strike him again.
“Then perhaps this will jog your…” Cado began, abruptly cut off as the first mate and his two lackeys appeared unexpectedly in the doorway. He dropped the saiyan and raised a brow at the unforeseen visitors whose faces turned red when they realized whose presence they were in.
“You?” Abo muttered, looking at the first mate. “What are you doing here?” he asked, gazing questioningly at the flabbergasted men. Sin was speechless for a moment, mortified that he had stumbled upon the wrong party.

"Well?"

Abo demanded, much more sharply.

Sin flinched at the harsh tone. He gulped before trying to muster a response. “M-my lords? Oh dear, pardon our intrusion…” he stuttered, his face turning from red to blue at Abo’s icy glare.

Cado rolled his eyes at his brother. “Calm down, Abo,” the alien chided. “This man is just doing his duty and coming to inform us that he’s caught the feisty female and left her in my cabin, as per my orders. Isn’t that right, buddy?” he said, giving the first mate a quick wink.

Sin and his cohorts stared back at Cado for a second, trying to process what he had just said. Suddenly, they all simultaneously placed hands behind their heads and gave their superiors a few big nervous grins. “Wh-why, yes. Of course, Lord Cado. She’s all gagged and hogtied like you ordered in your personal suite. Nothing to worry about here, my lords. Now, g-go back to what you were doing and feel free to take your time. Everything has been taken care of. Hasn’t it, boys?” he lied, shooting a warning glance over each shoulder for support.

His accomplices both nodded much more dramatically than necessary. “Y-yes. Of course, boss,” they affirmed in unison. “It’s all taken care of. Please, do take your time with the saiyan.”

Cado grinned. “Well, that is good to hear.”

Sin laughed nervously and wiped away a big drop of sweat from his hideous brow. “N-now, if you please, my lords, we have many other important duties to attend to…” he expressed.

“Of course,” Abo conceded. “You are dismissed. But don’t interrupt us again.”

Sin swallowed. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Lord Abo. We’ll just be going then. Come along, boys.”

“Good…” Cado began, but the trio had darted off like bullets before he could finish, “…bye.” He looked at his brother and shrugged. “Guess Mareth runs a pretty tight ship,” he said with a shrug.

Abo rolled his eyes. “Indeed.”

…

“Step on it, men! We’ve got to find her quick before they finish with that damn saiyan,” Sin cried in a panic, driving his bubble car through the exceedingly long corridor at breakneck speed.

“Y-yes, boss,” Bebo replied nervously as they drove.

“Any power level readings from the rooms along here?” Sin inquired, glancing over his shoulder at his companions. They both shook their heads. “Keep checking your scouters as we go.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t a mistake tellin’ a lie back there, boss? What’s if Lord Cado takes a break and goes to his cabin and finds out we weren’t telling the truth?” Bedo asked.

“Then we’re done for, you nitwit! Lords Abo and Cado are not known for their mercy any more than Captain Mareth is,” Sin snapped, severely distressed. “We’ll be barbecued, I tell you!”

Bebo and Bedo’s faces simultaneously turned blue. “W-well maybe we should’ve just told the truth then, boss,” Bedo stuttered, his body starting to tremble in trepidation.

“Don’t be stupid,” Sin promptly retorted. “They would have annihilated us on the spot if we had done that! Honesty doesn’t win you any points aboard the

Dark Oblivion."

Bebo thought for a minute. “I have some friends up above that could maybe help us look for the girl, boss. They won’t tell no one because they both owe me a big favor,” he chimed.

Sin shot a glare at Bebo over his shoulder.

"Why didn’t you say so in the first place?"

he spat angrily. “Get them down here on the double! We need all the help we can get!”

“Yes, boss.” Bebo pressed the call button on his scouter. “Calling Bile and Retch. Come in Bile and Retch. I need you guys’ help with something. It’s urgent! Please, pick up.”

“This is Bile,” came a voice. “Retch is off-duty and sleeping. What do you need, Bebo?”

“I’ll tell you when you meet me in the cellar,” Bebo replied. “Hurry, it’s important. Wake Retch up right away and bring him with you. I need both of you for this. We’re in big trouble!”

Bebo heard Bile sigh. “Fine, be there in ten minutes,” the man grumbled.

“Boss, you and Bedo keep looking for the girl. I’m going to meet up with my pals and we’ll do a search of the West Wing,” Bebo reported. “You got it? We’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you for that, Bebo,” Sin replied, sounding greatly relieved. “I owe you one for this. Drinks are on me tonight if you find her before we do. See you in a few.”

Bebo saluted Sin and sped his bubble car off down a different corridor.

…

Back on Planet Pellucid, Goku, Vegeta, Chrystal, and a small legion of the king’s guards arrived at the mothership. When Goku first laid eyes on it, he had to do a double take. He could scarcely believe the sheer size and majesty of what he was seeing. It was a monster of a vessel. The Pellucian mothership was big enough to carry a medium-sized city at the very least. Goku rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Not even Frieza’s ship back on Planet Namek could compare. There were hundreds of maintenance crews cleaning the surface of the ship and preparing it for use.

Vegeta quickly took notice of Goku’s astonishment. “What you are looking at is known as the

Queen Bijou’s Justice,

Kakarott. She is the mother of all warships,” he explained.

“Wow…” was all the Earth saiyan could muster in response. “It’s… it’s

huge,

Vegeta.”

“Indeed. She can fly almost as fast as a Saiyan space pod once she gains momentum, which is remarkable given her sheer mass. And the king’s aerospace engineers might be at the cusp of a technological breakthrough that could make her even faster than a saiyan pod,” the prince added, smirking. “If they succeed, they will put the Briefs’ pathetic little Gravitron invention to shame.”

Goku gaped. “Amazing!” They touched down on the ground as the maintenance crews finished up. A hatch big enough to load an army dropped down, allowing them to board the ship.

Two servants showed Vegeta and Goku to their respective suites. As Vegeta was settling into his room reading, he heard a knock on the door. “Enter!” he called. The automatic door slid open and Goku appeared in the threshold. “Kakarott? What is it? What do you need?”

“Hey, ‘Geta,” Goku greeted, entering the prince’s suite. “I was wondering if I could go get the other Z fighters from Earth before we leave Planet Pellucid. It won’t take long, I promise. I could use my instant transmission.” Vegeta quirked an eyebrow upward at the proposal. “They are strong fighters, Vegeta,” Goku explained. “They could help us. And I’m sure they’ll be willing to help on account of Bulma. Can I bring them, Vegeta? Can I, can I?” he begged.

Vegeta thought for a minute. While he certainly was not fond of the other earthlings, putting them on the frontline could certainly help to reduce Pellucian casualties. In Vegeta’s mind, that was certainly a desirable objective. “I guess so, Kakarott. But either you’ll have to be willing to share your suite with them or they will need to stay in the soldiers’ quarters. Also, you must ask King Chrystal for permission to bring them aboard. This is his warship after all.”

Goku gave Prince Vegeta a big smile. “Oh, I already asked him… with the help of a translator. He said yes, but he also said that I had to get your permission as well. Thanks, ‘Geta!”

Vegeta’s eyes popped open in surprise. “Right... Well, you’ll want to hurry it up because the king’s army is already boarding the ship. It won’t be long before we’re ready for takeoff and I don’t want them to accidentally leave without you. In fact, come directly here when you’re back so I know that there will be no need to stall the ship’s launch. You got that?”

Goku nodded. “No problem. I’ll be back in a jiff!” he replied before disappearing into thin air.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at the spot Goku had just vanished from and shook his head in disapproval. “That baka is way too cheerful for an army officer. We’re about to go to war, for fuck’s sake,” he complained to himself right before going back to his reading endeavor.

…

Bulma discovered from the map on the bubble car’s dashboard that Captain Mareth’s Torture Wing actually did have a certain degree of logic behind its design. While the map did not indicate which rooms were occupied, which would have been useful, she was able to figure out how to check each room on the map in the quickest and most efficient manner possible.

Her strategy was to check the North Wing first, which she had done. Thanks to the speed of the bubble car, it had taken about half an hour. She moved on to the West Wing and hoped for better luck. It was to her good fortune that the rooms were always left open, presumably because Captain Mareth wanted everyone within earshot to hear the screams emanating from them. Keeping a sharp eye open, Bulma snuck a glance into each room as she zoomed by.

As Bulma sped along the sleek corridors, she tried to push the memories away of what she had seen so she could focus on the task of finding Tarble. It was very difficult. In the back of her mind, she began to preplan the blueprints for a memory eraser device, as her current task was so thoughtless and mind numbing. In her distracted state, Bulma did not notice the three red dots approaching her red dot on the map from one of the corridors up ahead. Before she knew it, she had to slam on the breaks as she nearly collided with three other bubble cars that suddenly turned the corner and headed straight at her. The other three drivers did the same.

As there were no seat belts, everybody fell out of their vehicles and landed on their rears. Bulma rubbed her butt as she stood up.

Whoa… what just happened?

she wondered, dizzily. “Retch, what’s the deal? You were supposed to be watching the monitor! We could have crashed!” Bebo chided his friend, giving the other man a quick pop on the back of his helmet.

“I was? Oh right, I forgot,” Retch replied, standing up. “Sorry about that.”

Bulma recognized Retch as a very tall reptilian alien. She backed away slightly as he rose to his full height of about eight feet tall. She also recognized Bebo from before, but she had not seen the third alien. He was entirely unfamiliar. “What’s your name, soldier?” Bebo demanded.

Bulma suddenly realized Bebo was talking to her and her heart started to pound.

N-name? That’s right, I need to think of a male name… oh, let’s see…

She immediately straightened up and saluted him just as she had seen the others do before. “Catastrophe, sir,” she began accidentally in her normal voice. She realized her mistake and cleared her throat. “Ahem, pardon me. My name is Catastrophe, sir. Forgive my negligence. I’m a new recruit,” she said in a deeper tone.

Bebo raised his visor. Bulma prayed he would not ask her to do the same. “Catastrophe, eh?” he said, rubbing his chin. “I like it. You staying in the soldiers’ quarters, Catastrophe? I haven’t seen you around before. You seem like a neat fella. I’d like to get to know you.”

“I quite literally just arrived, sir. The captain requested an engineer from base. I was in the vicinity, so they sent me,” she replied, hiding her nervousness surprisingly well.

“Ah, that makes perfect sense. I suppose you’re here to fix the damage from the asteroid field we stumbled onto?” Bebo suggested. “It was a doozy. You got your work cut out for you, pal.”

Bulma nodded. “That’s right.”

“Excellent, excellent. I’ll let you get back to your duties, soldier. I’m glad we met. Hope to see you around,” Bebo said, getting back in his bubble car. He returned the salute.

Bulma did the same. “Same to you.”

“Wait, Catastrophe,” chimed the third alien, the one that Bulma did not recognize. “I think I’m having a problem with my bubble car. It keeps making a funny noise and it vibrates, unlike the others. Do you think you could take a look at it for me real quick?” he inquired.

Bulma’s eyes popped open in surprise. She was glad the helmets had visors so they could not see how much she was sweating underneath. To her benefit, the jumpsuits also had an impressive ability to absorb perspiration and keep the wearer comfortable. “C-certainly,” she said, stepping down from her bubble car. “That should be no trouble at all. Let me have a look-see.”

The alien grabbed her hand and shook it, nearly breaking the bones. She bit back a cry of pain. “The name’s Bile. Let me show you where the problem is,” he said, pulling her to his bubble car.

…

Tarble felt a harsh hand slap him across the face, whipping his head to the side. Someone grabbed him roughly by the hair and tore off his blindfold. Though one of his eyes was already swollen shut, the other could still see quite well. “Alright, ape. I want you to see everything we’re going to do to you. Perhaps if you get a nice visual, you can be convinced that withholding information from us just isn’t worth it,” Cado snarled, sneering at the helpless prisoner.

Tarble spat out a loose molar. “You guys are wasting your time,” he rasped. “I don’t have any information or items that would be of any value to you. If you want to find a treasure, you should explore some other route. Perhaps see a fortune-teller. I honestly can’t help you.”

Cado glanced at Abo over his shoulder. “He needs more convincing,” chimed the blue brother.
Cado turned his head back to Tarble, grinning. “You’re a determined one, ape. I’ll give you that. To be honest, I admire your bravado. Too bad,” he lamented. “Perhaps, in a different lifetime, we could have been partners. Oh, well. No sense in pondering upon what ifs now is there?” Cado stood up straight, turned on a heel, and walked right into the torture closet. “Now, let’s see. What can I use in here? Ah, found it!” He walked back out carrying a razor-sharp blade.
Tarble felt his heart stop and his face went blue. A loud bout of laughter erupted from Abo’s corner of the room. “Ah ha ha ha ha! I thought you saiyans were supposed to be fearless. You’re not afraid of a little butter knife, now are you, prince-y boy? Where’s your saiyan pride? Or do you even have any?” ribbed the amused spectator, sitting back in his seat to watch.

Bulma’s words flashed in Tarble’s mind.

“You’re a saiyan prince, for Pete’s sake. Where’s your damn pride?”

She had chided him for being afraid of angering his own brother on her behalf. Tarble’s jaw tightened. He gritted his teeth.

What is pride anyway? If I’m happy with my life, then why do I need it?

He paused.

Well… I was happy. Before these two creeps showed up on Tech-Tech. Gure and I could’ve lived the dream life. Why did it have to end?

he lamented, feeling a tear prick his swollen eye. He forced it back and lowered his gaze to the floor.

“Aw, I think we hurt his feelings, brother,” Abo cruelly teased.

“Speak for yourself,” Cado retorted, chuckling. “I’m just his physical tormenter.”

Abo huffed. “Yeah, well. When’s it gonna be my turn? You’re taking it too slow with him. If I’d gotten to start this time, he’d be screaming for mercy by now. If we keep moving at this snail’s pace, he might break some time next century,” Abo chided, crossing his arms over his chest.

Cado rolled his eyes and sighed. “I already told you, brother. I’m conducting an

experiment

here to test saiyan endurance. If we jack it up too fast, then we’ll miss the important points of change in his distress level. Why is that so hard for you to understand?” the red one snapped back.

“Who cares about saiyan endurance? The apes are almost extinct. With any luck, they’ll be gone within the next century. Come on, Cado. This is starting to bore me,” Abo whined.

Cado groaned. “I

promise

things are about to heat up if you would just hold your horses, Abo.” He walked over to Tarble and grabbed a hold of the neck of his jumpsuit. They had already removed his protective armor before shackling him in place to allow for a more effective beating.

Expecting pain, Tarble clenched his eyes shut and tensed his whole body. But instead of the stabbing or cutting into flesh he was expecting, Cado simply cut down the front of his jumpsuit all the way to his waist. He cut up the sleeves too and then tore the entire top off.

Abo rolled his eyes. “Great. What are you going to do now, brother? Tickle him till he croaks?”

Cado threw the jumpsuit pieces in the incinerator and rubbed his temples. “Abo, if you bear with me, I promise I’ll have him screaming in the next couple of minutes,” he snapped back.

Cado returned his evil gaze to the hapless saiyan and pulled a three-tailed Archovian whip out of his belt.

“You feeling lucky now, punk?”

he hissed, approaching a very fearful Tarble.

“Kinky,” Abo remarked, chuckling.

A bead of sweat trickled down Tarble’s forehead and Cado grabbed him by the throat. “I didn’t think so. Now, if you don’t want to feel more pain than you ever thought physically possible, I would recommend you spill the beans here and now, saiyan,” he spat.

Tarble squeezed his eyes shut, pleading, “I would if I could, but I don’t have what you want. I wish I did, but I don’t. I swear it! I don’t know what to do to appease you. Tell me what to do!”

Cado scoffed. “If you don’t tell us the truth, saiyan, then this is only the beginning. Your death will be slow and painful if we even allow you to die at all. It will drag on for days, weeks even. If that’s what it takes to get a little bit of information out of you, then so be it!” Cado declared, throwing the saiyan prince up against the wall before shackling him to it.

…

Goku teleported Krillin, Yamcha, Piccolo, and Gohan to Pellucid. Piccolo was convinced to go on account of nothing interesting happening on Earth for a while. He was bored and needed to get off of the planet. Because Piccolo had decided to go, Gohan had wanted to tag along as well. Goku and Gohan had known better than to try and ask Chi Chi for permission because neither of them had any doubt that she would say no to Gohan leaving. So they had snuck off. Better to ask forgiveness than permission, they had collectively decided. It was the best they could do.

Krillin and Yamcha were happy to come too on account of Bulma. Of course, Goku had yet to reveal to his friends the details of how the venture would go. So when they all materialized on Planet Pellucid in front of the biggest spaceship any of them had ever seen, Goku was compelled to explain the full extent of Prince Vegeta and King Chrystal’s involvement.

“Vegeta says you guys have to stay in the soldiers’ quarters,” Goku construed as they all walked toward the open entryway. “I don’t know what they’re like because I haven’t seen them, though. I’d let you all stay in my room, but there’s only one big bed. So there’s only enough room for Gohan and me, unless someone doesn’t mind sleeping on the couch or floor.”
Piccolo scoffed. “Let me remind you, Goku, that I don’t require sleep. This won’t be a problem for me at all. I would like to know how long the trip is supposed to be, though. From what you have told us, it could be anywhere from a few hours to a few years,” the Namekian grumbled.
Goku blinked. “Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. We’re going to a place called ‘former Frieza Planet 392.’ It’s a week away from here. It’s where we think Bulma and Tarble have been taken.”

“Planet 392, eh? Geez, Frieza sure wasn’t known for his creativity, was he?” Krillin chided.

Goku shrugged. “I guess not.”

Krillin rolled his eyes. “Anyone could think of a better name than that. How boring! What I don’t understand is why someone doesn’t rename it now that Frieza is gone,” he remarked.

Yamcha laughed. “I bet everyone’s been saying that. When I get there, I’m going to name it Planet Yamcha,” he declared. In response to everyone’s skeptical looks, Yamcha shrugged. “Well, why not? No one else is bothering to rename it. It sounds better than Planet 392.”

“Come on, guys,” Goku said. “They’re ready to launch. We’d better get on board. I need to let Vegeta know that I’ve returned. Why don’t you guys find your way to the soldiers’ quarters and get settled? Any of the higher-ranking individuals around here should know how to speak our language. You might have some trouble communicating with the regular soldiers, though. They only seem to speak the local tongue. You want to come with me and find Vegeta, Gohan?”

“Sure, Dad. But I’m still mad at him for hurting you before,” Gohan replied, crossing his arms.

Goku raised an eyebrow. “Let it go, Son. You shouldn’t hold grudges.”

Gohan hung his head slightly. “I know,” he reluctantly conceded.

“Come on, guys. Let’s go.” Goku soared onto

Bijou’s Justice,

flying over the heads of the many guards and soldiers rushing around on the ramps below. The others quickly followed. Goku sent Piccolo, Krillin, and Yamcha off to find their own lodgings and led his son to Vegeta’s suite.

Goku knocked casually on the door. “Vegeta? You in?”

“Enter!” was all he heard, so he pressed the button to open the automatic door.

“I’m back Vegeta! And I brought Piccolo, Yamcha, Krillin, and Gohan,” Goku reported.

“Great. It looks like we will be launching in the next five minutes,” Vegeta said, looking up from his reading. He spotted Gohan and quirked a brow. “Why’d you bring your brat here?”

“Aw, no reason,” Goku replied, putting a hand behind his head. “I just wanted to show him around is all. We’re going to head back to my room now,” he said, turning to leave. Then he paused and looked back. “Hey, Vegeta, when are mealtimes around here?”

Vegeta slapped his forehead. “Didn’t the servant explain anything to you when he brought you to your room?” he inquired in irritation. “If not, the imbecile failed to do his duty.”

“Uh. He tried, but he had a really strong accent and it was hard to understand,” Goku conceded, embarrassed. He started twiddling his thumbs and shuffled his feet at Vegeta’s puzzlement.

Vegeta sighed. “You can order food from your room whenever you are hungry, Kakarott. Just pull on that lever right above the head of your bed and a servant will come take your order. If you wish to eat with the soldiers at standard mealtimes, then go down to the galley. I wouldn’t recommend it, though. It’s crowded and you have to wait in line to get your meal.”

“Ah,” Goku replied with a blank face.

Vegeta stared at him. “Is that all you wanted to know?” he continued, looking slightly annoyed.

Goku scratched his head. “Yeah, I guess it is.” He looked down at Gohan. “Hey, Gohan. Are you hungry by any chance? Do you want to go order something to eat?” he asked.

Goku waited for an answer, but Gohan’s face was completely blank as the boy stared at Vegeta’s elaborate living arrangements in astonishment. Goku waved a hand in front of his young son’s face. “Gohan? You okay? Hey, Gohan. Come on. This is no time for meditation.”

Gohan snapped out of it. “Wha…? What happened?” Gohan said, rubbing his head.

“You went googly-eyed. You feeling alright, Son?” Goku asked, scratching his head in concern.

Vegeta raised a brow. “The medical center is on the third floor if your offspring needs a doctor.”

Goku blinked. “It is? Well, that’s good to know. Thanks, Vegeta!” He closed the automatic door to Vegeta’s suite and then led his son down the hall to get a look at the rest of the ship.

“Wow,” Gohan murmured.

This garnered Goku’s attention. “Wow what, Son?” he asked, scratching his head.

“You weren’t kidding about Vegeta living like royalty, were you, Dad?” Gohan remarked.

Goku shook his head. “Nope, sure wasn’t. But our room is pretty nice too, Gohan. Not as upscale as Vegeta’s, but still I think we’ll be quite comfortable. Ah, here it is,” Goku said as they arrived. He pressed the button and the automatic door slid open to reveal the agreeable interior.

“Hey, not bad!” Gohan remarked. He ran in and jumped on the rotund bed, bouncing a bit before settling down on his back and putting his hands behind his head to relax. He stared up at the nice painted ceiling. “I wonder how the other guys are holding up. This place is great!”

Goku shrugged. “I’m sure we can check on them later,” he said, sitting down on the bed. “Now, let’s get some grub!” He pulled the lever as Vegeta had instructed. “Pellucian food is delicious.”

…

After about ten minutes of trying to figure out the bubble car’s complex computer system, Bulma was finally able to give Bile’s vehicle a clean bill of health.

Thank goodness I’m such a genius. Otherwise, this scheme would’ve never worked!

she thought, crawling back out from beneath the floating car. “You’re good to go, soldier. Let me know if it gives you any more trouble.”

“Thanks, pal! If you need any favors yourself in the future, I’m your man. See you around,” Bile replied, mounting his newly repaired mode of transport. Bulma breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Whew… It’s finally over. And they still don’t have a clue who I really am! Yup. This is definitely one of the best ideas I’ve ever had. And I’ve had some doozies alright,

she thought, gloating.

“Come on, men. Let’s keep looking for that blue-haired girl,” Bebo proposed. “Oh, by the way, Catastrophe. If you happen to find a girl with blue hair that looks kind of like a saiyan without a tail, catch her for us, will you? She’s an escaped prisoner and we’ll be in big trouble with Lords Abo and Cado if they find out we haven’t found her yet. Thanks, buddy!”

Bulma’s eyes popped open.

That’s right. Maybe I can ask them where those gumball freaks are. If I find them, I’m sure to find Tarble,

Bulma thought. “Certainly. I’ll be on the lookout. By the way… you wouldn’t happen to know which room Lord Abo and Lord Cado are in, do you? I’m supposed to… um… deliver a private message to them. And it must be in person.”

“Hey, no problem, Cat,” Bile replied. “Bebo, which room did you say those two were in?”

“They’re in Room 556 in the South Wing. But I don’t recommend you seek them out just yet, Catastrophe. They’re busy with a prisoner right now and they will not be happy if they are interrupted again,” Bebo explained. “A moody pair, the two of them are.”

Bulma put a hand behind her helmet. “That’s no problem at all. I can just wait until they take a break to deliver the message. Thanks for letting me know,” she said, giving another salute.

Bebo, Bile, and Retch saluted her back. “See you later, Cat,” Bebo said as they sped off.

When they had finally disappeared from sight, Bulma pulled off her helmet, wiped the sweat from her brow, and breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Bulma, you need to get a medal for that performance. No, seriously, girl. You deserve an Oscar, hands down,” she said, chuckling. “Who knew I could think on my feet like that?” Suddenly she gasped. “Wait. Those guys said that Abo and Cado are busy with a prisoner right now. They must be hurting Tarble! I’ve got to hurry to Room 556!” she exclaimed. Pulling her helmet back on and kicking the bubble car into gear, she darted down the corridor at breakneck speed, heading straight for the South Wing.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

About an hour after the launch, a servant came to Vegeta’s suite to inform him that the newest model of saiyan armor was ready for him. The prince jumped up from his reading spot on the sofa and demanded the suit to be brought to him at once. He could hardly wait to try it on.

Vegeta stood in his dressing room about fifteen minutes later, checking himself out in the mirror. During his brief retreat with the Pellucian princess, King Chrystal’s scientists had completed this suit of the most high tech saiyan armor to date as per the saiyan prince’s orders.

The design was sleek with a pure white stain-resistant jumpsuit, silver boots and gloves, and expandable silver armor outlined by obsidian. As requested, the Vegeta family royal seal marked the left breast. The prince was also presented with four different styles of capes for the ensemble: one red velvet, one black, one white, and one red on the inside and black on the outside.

Vegeta tried on all four and liked the black one the most. He considered the possibility of requesting a silver cape as well but decided to save that idea for later. Just as he ordered the other three styles put away in his wardrobe, he heard a knock on the open door to his suite. He glanced around the corner and caught a glimpse of the big orange baka standing in the entrance.

“Come in, Kakarott,” the prince said, adjusting his gloves.

Goku came in and his eyes widened in awe when he saw Vegeta’s new garments. “Oh, wow, Vegeta. That armor looks amazing!” he exclaimed, astounded. “Is it new?”

“Yes,” Vegeta replied, eyes closed in a self-satisfied manner. “I can’t wait to test it out on some planet’s surface. It’s pretty comfortable too. Much softer against the skin than other material.”

Goku’s eyes lit up. “Really? Can I have a suit like that, Vegeta? Pretty please!”

Vegeta quirked a brow and took note of Goku’s big pleading eyes. The baka was trying to use puppy-dog eyes on the prince to get what he wanted as if the fool thought it would work. “Um, well. I can order you a suit later, perhaps when we get back to Planet Pellucid.” Goku’s face fell in disappointment. “The new armor is experimental, Kakarott,” the prince explained. “This is the only piece that has been completed to date. There should be another suit with a slightly different look finished in a few days. But it will also bear the royal seal, which you are not privileged to wear, I’m afraid. However, if you don’t mind wearing an older model, I can get you set up with some regular saiyan armor right away. Like the kind you saw me wearing on Planet Namek.”

Goku frowned. “Nah, I want the pretty white outfit,” the Earth saiyan grumbled.

Vegeta rolled his eyes.

Spoiled baka.

“Well, you’ll just have to wait then, Kakarott. Once we return to Pellucid, the design’s blueprints will be sent to a factory to have this new armor in mass production. I will gladly order you one then,” he declared, returning his gaze to the mirror.

As he admired his reflection, the prince remembered something. “Bauble, what about the tail piece? When will that part be ready?” he inquired, turning to the Pellucian servant.

“In a few days, Your Highness. They’re still working the kinks out, I’m afraid,” Bauble reported.

Vegeta did not look bothered. “That’s alright. You can’t rush perfection, after all,” he replied.

Tail piece?

Goku thought, scratching his head. The Earth saiyan wondered what Vegeta was talking about, but he did not want to irritate the prince with too many questions.

Vegeta grinned as he turned attention to Goku. “If everything goes according to plan and we succeed in our mission here, it is fairly certain that the king will throw a palace ball to celebrate. I’ll send you an invite, Kakarott. You’ll have one of the best dinners you’ve ever eaten in your life and there will be a lot of cool things to do afterward should you choose to stick around.”

Goku’s mouth watered at the mere suggestion despite how full he was from his earlier meal with Gohan. “You would do that for me, Vegeta?” he squeaked. “That sounds like fun!”

Vegeta shrugged. “Sure. Why not?” The prince suddenly felt himself being snatched up from the floor and squeezed tightly in a big bear hug. His face turned beet-red. “No, no, no, Kakarott! Put me down right now! No hugs!” the royal demanded, trying to push the larger saiyan away.

“Aw,” Goku grumbled, disappointed. He put Vegeta back down on his feet and pouted.

Suddenly Vegeta’s eyes were diverted from Goku to the only servant in the room, who was apparently trying and failing to suppress a snigger. “You didn’t see anything, Bauble!” the prince snapped. “If I hear any rumors running around about this later, you’ll be sorry!”

Bauble promptly nodded, straight-faced, and cleared his throat. “Yes, Your Highness. My lips are sealed,” he said, making a hand gesture that Goku did not recognize. “You have my word.”

Vegeta resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Fine. You are dismissed.” Bauble bowed and left through the open door as fast as his feet could carry him without breaking into a full sprint.

“Don’t ever do that in front of people!” Vegeta scolded, shaking a finger at Goku. “Anyway, later tonight, the king and I and all the important parties will meet in the conference room on the fourth floor to discuss our plan of attack. You are expected to attend and I suggest you bring the other earthlings with you. They will all have parts in the undertaking once we reach 392. We all need to work together if we want to retrieve Bulma and Tarble before the serious fighting starts. Once it does, things will get very dangerous for Bulma and there’s a good chance she will get hurt if she is not safely aboard

Bijou's Justice

when the king’s army attacks. Understand?”

Hearing the news, Goku’s expression turned serious and he gave an austere nod. “Got it.”

“Good.” Vegeta tossed Goku a few scouters. “Wear a scouter and someone will contact you when it is time. Give the others to your friends so they will know when to show up as well.”

Goku caught the scouters gracefully. “Okay, Vegeta. I’ll go find the guys right now. I’m pretty sure Krillin and Yamcha are in the mess hall eating. I don’t sense Piccolo with them, though. He’s probably meditating on one of the lower floors. See you later, ‘Geta!” he said, leaving.

…

Bulma sped towards Room 556 as fast as she could. She knew she had to come up with a plan to get Abo and Cado out of the room and distracted long enough for her to sneak in and snatch Tarble from under their noses. Given that Tarble was a saiyan and could likely run faster than the bubble car, she figured the best way to get back to the cellar would be for Tarble to carry her on foot, so she was quick to memorize the route displayed on the computer screen.

The biggest challenges, she thought, would be to get Abo and Cado out of the room and distract them until she could free Tarble from whatever restraints he might be in. Bulma pulled out the DynoCaps she had brought with her and considered her options. One capsule contained a flying submarine boat, another an archaeological robot suit, and the third was labeled “miscellaneous.”

Hm. The boat is too big to be useful in here and I’m not sure the robot suit would do much for us either. I guess I’ll have to test the miscellaneous one and see what’s inside. Maybe it contains something that could be of use to me,

she thought.

Hey, anything is worth a try!

Bulma stopped the bubble car and took the DynoCap out of its container. She pressed the tab down and tossed it a few yards down the corridor. It exploded into a cloud and, when that cleared, a container about the size of a large suitcase lay on the floor.

Hm. I don’t remember this,

Bulma thought. She popped open the mysterious case and examined the contents. “Oh, that’s right! I used this thing to store all my old inventions. How could I forget?”

The case contained a dragon radar, a few pieces of PP candy in their wrappers, a special hand grenade, a pistol, and… a micro band!

Darn it! If it weren’t for those awful dreks, I might’ve thought to check this thing back in that jail cell with Tarble. We could’ve escaped!

she lamented, chastising herself for her earlier squeamishness. “Man, as great of a genius as I am, sometimes I can be such an idiot!” she exclaimed, slapping herself on the forehead. “Stupid pests.”

She snatched the PP candy, grenade, pistol, and micro band and re-encapsulated the container with the dragon radar. She put the capsule back in its slot, stashed the candy, grenade, and gun in her chest armor, and put the micro band on her wrist.

These could definitely come in handy. Alright. I think I’ve got a rough plan worked out. Onward to Room 556!

Bulma jumped up on the bubble car and slammed on the accelerator. She sped down the hall again.

Hang on, Tarble. I’m almost there! I hope to Kami that you are okay. Don’t you dare die before I get to you!

…

The longer the search took, the more frantic Sin became. “Keep checking your scouter, Bedo! She’s got to be around here somewhere. We’ve already checked everywhere else and the other men are scouring the West Wing. We’re going to find her soon, I know it!” he cried, beads of sweat flying off his face as the duo zoomed down the long white corridor.

Bedo pressed a button on his scouter. “Hey, boss! My scouter does detect something. Ah, there’s two of them,” he said. “Whoever they are, they’re farther down this hallway.”

“Then step on it, nimrod!” Sin cried, slamming the accelerator. He sniffed the air.

The scent is very faint, but I’m sure the girl has been down here. I know she has. One of those power levels must belong to her! I just know it. It has to or we’re all going to be dead!

“But boss, I don’t think the girl could be one of them. The power levels are too high. I don’t think she’s that strong,” Bedo replied. “Plus, who could possibly be with her? It couldn’t be that saiyan. Last time we saw him, he was with Lords Abo and Cado in Room 556.”

“It has to be her, you fool. Don’t you understand? She’s managed to evade us for this long because she’s stronger than she looks. She must have been hiding her true power level. Our biggest mistake was in underestimating her on account of her being a female. Perhaps she’s a saiyan that lost her tail. Who knows? I just don’t see any other explanation!” Sin exclaimed.

Bedo blinked. “This room up ahead is it. She’s in there with some other person!” he said, pointing to one of the rooms on the left side of the corridor before the dead end wall. Both men slammed on the breaks, jumped out of their vehicles, and screeched to a halt at the threshold to the torture room. What they saw made them both face plant on the ground simultaneously.

Sin pushed himself up and stared in horror at the revolting sight. Bedo did the same, his arms going slack. “That.
Is.
Disgusting,” Sin remarked. “I will never be able to unsee that,” he added, crawling backwards out of the room and trying to rub the vision from his burning eyes.

“B-b-boss, I think this is going to haunt me for the rest of my days,” Bedo added, looking away. “To think, Pitch and Proteus…? I didn’t think they swung like that! My eyes are on fire!”

“Quick, Bedo. Let’s get out of here before they wake up! We must never speak a word of this to anyone! It didn’t happen! Come on, hurry!” Sin beckoned, jumping back on his bubble car.

As they sped back up the corridor, Bedo’s lips started to quiver. “B-boss, I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to look those two in the face again. What are we going to do?” he squeaked.

“Nothing, Bedo. Stop thinking about it! That’s an order. It didn’t happen, you hear me!” the first mate decreed, trying to reassure himself as well. He was trembling. “N-n-nothing ever happened. We’re still looking for the blue-haired girl. Keep your eyes on the prize, Bedo.”

“Eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize…” Bedo kept repeating to himself, pushing the thoughts of his crew mates’ apparent perversions to the back of his mind.

“Check your map, Bedo,” Sin suddenly said. “Three other cars are heading this way. It must be Bebo, Bile, and Retch. Maybe they found the girl! We gotta stop and ask them.”

“Eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize, eyes on the prize…” Bedo continued.

Sin bumped Bedo’s bubble car with his own. “Snap out of it! We’re about to meet the others.”

Bedo jumped at the unexpected bump and looked at Sin with terrified eyes. “Y-yes, boss.”

Three other bubble cars sped around the corner and came to a halt. Sin and Bedo did the same with their own bubble cars. All five drivers dismounted their vehicles at the same time.

Sin approached the others. “What’s the news, men? Have you found her and brought her to Lord Cado’s cabin yet?” he inquired, looking hopeful. “Oh, please, please, please, say you have!”

Bebo scratched his head. “No, boss. We looked everywhere and there wasn’t a sign of her.”

Sin’s jaw dropped about six inches at the unbearable news. “You c-can’t be serious. You morons had better look a hell of a lot harder or we’re all done for!” he shrieked at the top of his lungs.

Retch jolted. “Maybe she isn’t in the Torture Wing. It’s possible that she could have spotted one of us and went back to the cellar. I don’t see any other explanation, sir. There’s no sign of her at all. We even got another guy helping us look and we haven’t heard back from him yet either!”

Sin quirked an eyebrow, surprised. “Another guy?” he inquired. “Who?

Are you sure he won’t snitch to our superiors?

You had better be sure, damn you! If he opens his yap…”

“Yes, boss,” Bile said. “There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just the new engineer from base. I think he said his name was Catastrophe. He’s great. He even fixed my bubble car for me. I’m sure he won’t do anything to get us in trouble with Lords Abo and Cado or the captain.”

“What?” Sin said, confused. “New engineer? We didn’t send for any new engineers. And there certainly is no one named Catastrophe aboard this vessel. I would be one of the first to know!”

“Sure there is, boss,” Bile replied. “I saw him with my own six eyes.”

Sin narrowed his own two eyes at Bebo, Bile, and Retch. “What did this ‘Catastrophe’ fellow look like?” he inquired, scratching his chin. “What was this man’s species?”

They all looked surprised at the inquiry. “We’re not sure, boss. He was wearing his helmet and visor. Why do you ask, sir?” Bebo inquired, scratching his head like a clueless moron.

Sin clenched his teeth. “Where did you last see him?” he inquired. “Take me there now!”

Bile blinked. “How come? I’m sure he can’t be there no more. He seemed like a pretty busy guy, going around fixing machinery, delivering messages, and whatnot. The captain might get mad at us if we hold him up and keep him from fulfilling his duties, boss,” he said.

Sin raised an eyebrow. “Delivering messages, you say? To whom was he ‘delivering messages’?”

“To Lords Abo and Cado,” Retch chimed. “He said he had a private message for them that had to be delivered in person. But don’t worry, boss. We warned him not to interrupt them while they’re busy with that saiyan. He understood and said he would wait till they were done.”

Sin’s eyes bulged out of his head and his jaw dropped.

It’s her! It has to be. Only these idiots would be stupid enough to fall for a cross-dressing trick like that. She must be going after her little saiyan friend… Wait. What am I saying? No woman would be bold enough to try a stunt like that. But this is no ordinary woman!

He suddenly gasped in realization.

Oh, no. If Lords Abo and Cado discover her before we do, they’ll know I lied. We’ll all be goners, the lot of us!

“Something wrong, boss?” Bebo, Bedo, Retch, and Bile inquired all in unison.

Sin jumped on his bubble car and sped off. “Follow me. Hurry! There’s not much time,” he cried, nearly breaking the accelerator as he darted down the corridor.

How did a mere female manage to outsmart me like this? It makes no sense. Oh please, oh please, oh please, let me be wrong!

…

Chi Chi sat up in bed and did a few stretches. “Oh, my aching back,” she murmured, rubbing along the sides of her spine. She yawned and pulled her feet over the side of the master bed.

I’m still pretty tired, but I do feel a little better after that nap. I wonder where Goku and Gohan are,

she thought to herself. Suddenly she heard a knock, so she went into the living room and made her way to the front door. Upon opening the door, she was met with the very welcome sight of her father’s gleeful face. “Dad! Thank you so much for coming over,” Chi Chi greeted, giving him a quick hug. “Sorry about my appearance. I just woke up from a nap. I’ve just been feeling so drained lately,” she murmured, plopping down on the couch and placing a hand on her belly.

“I understand, honey. Your mama was totally exhausted for the whole nine months before you were born. You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. So how are you and the baby doing otherwise?” her father inquired, sitting down on the recliner. “No medical problems?”
Chi Chi shook her head slowly. “The baby is cheerful enough, but he’s practicing his martial arts on my guts all the time,” she groaned, placing a hand on her abdomen. “I don’t think this kid is ever going to sleep. It’s nothing like when I was pregnant with Gohan,” she said with a sigh.
The Ox King appeared a bit concerned. “If it’ll make you feel better, I can order you a prenatal masseuse, sweetie. Would you like me to do that?” her father generously offered.
“Maybe later, Dad,” Chi Chi replied. “I’ve still somehow got to summon the energy to fix an enormous meal for my family before they get home. Presumably, Gohan finished his homework already and left to go swimming with his father while I was napping. If that homework is not done, boy are those two going to be in trouble!” she ground out, drawing her brows together fiercely. Then she dropped the angry expression and yawned, rubbing her sore back.
The Ox King chuckled. “Aw, I’ll go check in Gohan’s room. Maybe he’s still in there doing his homework. The kid never makes a sound when he’s busy writing an essay or studying his math,” he said, rubbing the back of his head. He turned toward the back of the house and disappeared into the boy’s bedroom. Chi Chi closed her eyes and began to doze a little. When the Ox King got to Gohan’s room, he observed that Gohan was indeed absent along with all his books, notebook, and his knapsack.

Hm. Maybe he decided to go to the school library. He always does have an easier time studying there.

The giant saw a piece of paper sitting on Gohan’s otherwise spotless desk.

Oh, good! He left a note. What a good kid,

thought the Ox King.

He picked up the note and read. “Hi Mom! This is Gohan. I just wrote this note to let you know there’s no reason to worry.” Immediately, the Ox King’s interest was piqued and he frowned. He continued to read, his expression growing more fearful with each sentence. “Dad thinks that he knows where Bulma and Tarble have been taken. So Yamcha, Krillin, Piccolo, Dad, and I have gone to find them. We already dropped by the school to let them know I’ll be missing a few days. They gave me some extra homework and I brought it all with me, so I won’t be behind by the time we get back. If anything, I’ll be ahead of the other kids! And don’t worry about my safety either, Mom. We’ve got all the strongest fighters with us and we suspect the enemy to be pretty weak. The risk of the other guys or me getting hurt is very slim. Be home soon. Love, Gohan.”

By the time the Ox King finished reading the note, his face was bluer than the sky on a clear sunny day.

Oh, no! Well, I’m not worried about Gohan. I know he’s a big boy and he’ll be just fine with his Dad and Piccolo around. But in Chi’s condition, she’s not likely to take this well. If she finds out they left to find Bulma, she’ll have a heart attack. Kami knows what could happen to my new grandson if she gets stressed! I’ve got to find a way to cover up for these guys until they get back. But I don’t even know how long they’ll be gone! Oh, no, what am I going to do?

He heard Chi Chi’s sleepy voice from the family room. “Dad? Is everything okay in there?”

The Ox King almost jumped out of his skin and turned in her direction. A large bead of sweat began to form on his forehead. “Y-y-yes, honey! Everything’s fine. It looks like Gohan finished his homework early and, um, went to a friend’s house to study some more. Nothing to worry about, dear,” the giant stuttered out, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

“Oh, really?” Chi Chi called back, pleased. “That’s wonderful! Could you bring his work in here? I’m awfully tired, but I need to check over his answers before he turns it in tomorrow.”

The Ox King felt a tinge of panic rise up in his belly. “Y-you want to check over G-Gohan’s homework? Oh, th-there’s no need, Chi Chi. You ought to be resting, honey. I can do the homework check for you, no problem. You know, better yet, why don’t you go take another nap? You look exhausted, sweetheart. Don’t even worry about dinner. I can go get us some takeout from a nice restaurant. I really think you ought to be resting. Really, Chi Chi, you should be taking care of your own health so that baby can grow up big and strong like his older brother. I don’t want you to overexert yourself in your condition. What do you say, sweetie? You want to rest up a bit more before dinner?” he asserted, speaking much faster than he intended.

There was a momentary pause before Chi Chi finally replied. “Um, Dad. Can you repeat what you just said, only much more slowly? I hardly caught a word of it.” The Ox King collapsed facedown on the floor. “Well?” Chi Chi said, after waiting a few seconds for an answer.

The Ox King crawled over to the door of Gohan’s room and pulled himself back up to his feet using the wooden doorframe. “I said,” he repeated, in a more controlled manner, “I’ll go get some takeout for you all from a nice restaurant so you don’t have to cook, sweetie. I think you should be resting in your condition and taking care of that baby in your belly.”

“Oh! Well, that’s very nice of you, Dad. But there’s a big trout in the fridge from this morning. I don’t want it to go bad. I really ought to get cooking. It’ll take at least an hour to cook all the way through and I know a couple of starving saiyans who could be home any minute demanding enough food to feed an army out of me,” Chi Chi replied. He saw her turn over on her side on the couch, eyes still closed. To his relief, she yawned again. “I am awfully tired, though.”

A light bulb illuminated the Ox King’s brain. “Then I’ll cook it for you! Really I think you ought to rest, Chi Chi! Let me take care of dinner,” the big man desperately pleaded.

Chi Chi rolled her eyes lightly beneath closed eyelids. “Oh, Dad. You don’t know the first thing about cooking,” she chided, smirking at the silly proposal. “It was a sweet thought, though.”

“Ah, well…” the Ox King replied, trying to stall. “I guess if you insist, honey. Just take it easy. You know what? Why don’t we divide up the work? I’ll check Gohan’s homework for mistakes while you cook dinner. That way, you won’t have as much work to do. I may not be a great chef, but I can certainly handle a few little math problems,” he expressed, laughing nervously.

Chi Chi sat up on the couch. “Well, alright. As long as you let me give it a once-over when you’re done. I guess that sounds reasonable. Thanks, Dad!” She stood up, placing a hand on her lower back for support. “I have to get cracking on that fish,” she said, waddling to the kitchen.

The Ox King breathed a sigh of relief, but then his heart dropped again like a rock.

A once-over? She wants to g-give Gohan’s homework a once-over! Aw, great. Now, I have to forge a bunch of math homework for a nine-year-old boy. Ah, gee. The work of a grandpa is never done… nor is it easy, for that matter. I need to have a talk with my grandson and son-in-law when they get back. What were they thinking leaving me in a situation like this?

he thought, hanging his shoulders.

The Ox King sighed and, biting the bullet, he started rummaging through the drawers of Gohan’s desk to see what the boy had been studying. To his great misfortune, all of Gohan’s work was gone. The kid really had taken all his homework with him on this newest little escapade.

“Aw, nuts! It’s going to take a miracle to get me out of this one,”

he whispered, biting his fingernails.

…

As Bulma neared the South Wing corridor, her heart began to skip every other beat.

What if I’m too late? What if they already killed him?

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Oh, no. Poor Tarble.

As she approached her destination, she thought she heard the cruel sounds of something striking hard against bare flesh and groans of agony, but she prayed it was just her imagination.

Come on, Bulma girl. No matter how bad it is you’ve got to face your fears. That’s the only way you’re ever going to get out of this one alive! No matter how scary it is. I’ve just got to take the bull by the horns!

As she grew closer, her first fear was confirmed. In one of the rooms up ahead, Tarble was pleading for mercy. She could hear his terrified voice quite clearly. The sickening sound of a whip echoed through the halls, followed by a pained howl. It made Bulma’s stomach churn.

Suddenly the sound stopped and Bulma could hear the villains cackling as Tarble whimpered. “I bet you are sorry you defied us now, aren’t you, saiyan? So you thinking about telling us where Daddy hid his treasure yet? Or do you need more…

convincing,”

came the cruel voice of Cado.

Tears ran profusely down Bulma’s face. She had never heard the ugly sounds of such a brutal beating before. She realized how sheltered she had been for all of her life.

Those bullies! How dare they hurt him like that! Oooh, I swear if Goku or Vegeta were here they’d be dead meat! But since they’re not here, I’m going to have to try to get Tarble out of this on my own.

She turned her car and drove into an empty room, stashing it in the corner. Then she darted back into the corridor and snuck up to Room 556. As much as she dreaded the sight she was about to behold, she knew there was no way around it. To help Tarble, she was going to have to look at him, no matter how badly they had brutalized him. She snuck a glance around the corner. All she saw was Abo sitting at a table, watching the scene to the far left of the room with amusement.

Okay,

she thought.

So they’re both in there. Now, to get them out so I can get in.

She pulled the hand grenade out of her chest armor, pulled the pin out with her teeth, and threw it as far as she could down the corridor past Room 556. Before it even went off, she darted back into Room 554 wherein she had hidden her vehicle.

Ka-booom!

It exploded and rumbled down the hall, shaking the floors and walls as if another meteor shower had struck. Bulma peered out into the hall. Both Abo and Cado ran outside to check it out as expected. “What in the heck was that?” Abo cried.

Bulma shrunk herself until she was about two feet tall with the micro band on her wrist and made a break for Room 556 while both of the villains’ backs were turned. Without even looking at Tarble, she unshrunk herself and dropped a few pieces of PP candy on the table. She shrank herself again, this time down to the size of a mouse. “All right, creeps. Let’s see if you have a sweet tooth,” she whispered. Against her better judgment, she shot a glance at the left side of the room and bit her bottom lip hard. Tarble was not in good shape. His whole torso was bruised, bloodied, and covered in more lash marks than she could count. His body was like a ragdoll leaning against the chains. With his hair and face soaked with sweat and tears, he looked totally drained and only barely holding onto consciousness.

Oh, no! He’s not going to be able to run for the exit in this condition.

Bulma sighed.

Alas, the work of a genius is never done.

“Do you think it was another asteroid?” came the voice of Cado outside the room.

“I don’t think so, Cado. The sirens would be ringing. Maybe it was a piece of failed machinery? Your guess is as good as mine. Something must have exploded, but it’s hard to say what.”

“Anyway,” Cado said. “It doesn’t look like the ship is in any danger. Let’s just get back to work. Someone else can clean up this mess. When we’re done, we’ll page a custodian.”

Both aliens reappeared in the doorway and Bulma ducked behind one of the legs of the table.

“What’s this on the table?” Abo remarked, noting the presence of the PP candy. “I can’t believe I didn’t see this before. Well, I must have knocked something over when that explosion hit.”

Bulma crossed the fingers on both of her hands.

Please be stupid enough to fall for it, please be stupid enough to fall for it, please me stupid enough to fall for it,

she kept mentally repeating.

“It looks like candy,” Cado said. “Mm, tasty. Why don’t you try some, brother? It’s pretty darn good,” he declared, sucking on a piece. “Tastes like caramel or something of the like.”

“I’m not a big fan of sweets, but this kind of work always leaves me famished,” Abo admitted.

Bulma had to hold back a whoop of triumph until she was sure both aliens had ingested the candy.

Alright, just give it a little time to take effect…

she thought impatiently.

“Alright,

Your Highness

, break time’s over,” Cado murmured with an evil chuckle, approaching the exhausted saiyan prince once more. Bulma saw Cado douse Tarble with something in a glass he was holding. Wine or some other beverage, she figured. Tarble hissed as the liquid burned his exposed raw nerves. Bulma gritted her teeth in anger and watched Cado take hold of the chain around Tarble’s neck, shaking him. “Wake up, ape! Don’t think for even a second you can buy yourself more downtime by pretending to be unconscious. We’re not stupid!”

You wanna bet?

Bulma thought. Just as Cado drew back an arm preparing to slap Tarble hard, the Earth woman pulled out her pistol and shot the big red alien right in the butt. He hopped back holding his ass and dropped Tarble. “Don’t touch him, you big ugly Neanderthals!” Bulma cried, darting out from beneath the table. She adjusted the micro band, setting it back to normal size.

Abo and Cado both jumped around in shock and glared daggers at the disguised earthling as she returned herself to full size.

“Who in the hell are you?”

they both cried in unison.

Bulma popped off her helmet and made rude faces at them. “Nah nah! You guys are so fat that you don’t even need a planet to live on. You’ve got your own gravity field

and

atmosphere!” she mocked, blowing raspberries at them. “And don’t even let me get started on your mama!”

Both of them gasped and stared at her in shock. “Im…

impossible.

It’s that girl! How did you escape from my cabin?” Cado charged angrily. “Sin said he left you hogtied!”

Bulma rolled her eyes. “Sin lied, you idiot. I never got caught to begin with and I never even saw your ugly old cabin. Now, back away from the saiyan before you make me

really

mad!”

“Bul… Bulma?”

Tarble rasped, trying painfully to lift his head so he could see her. “Is that really you?” He coughed and then winced in pain, wriggling slightly in his best effort to get free.

“Save your strength, Tarble. I promise everything is going to be okay,” Bulma told him. “Now, get away from him, you punks. That’s an order!” Abo and Cado continued to stare in shock for another few seconds, but then they both suddenly burst out laughing boisterously.

“Ah ha ha ha! So you think you can defeat us, do you? Woman, your power level can be counted on one hand. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!” Abo cried as Cado fell to the floor holding his aching sides.

“She is a great comedian, isn’t she, brother? Maybe we did underestimate her after all. I guess we better apologize before she beats us up, huh?” Cado replied, howling in amusement.

“Yeah,” Abo said. “She might make us laugh ourselves to death. Wouldn’t that be some way to go? Ah ha ha ha ha! I think I saw that in a movie once. Can’t remember the title.”

Bulma looked slightly peeved for a moment, but then she smirked. “Give it up, girly,” Cado sneered, finding his composure and getting up from the floor. He rounded on her. “I’ll tell you what. If you get down on your knees and lick my boots clean, I promise to go a lot easier on you later on. We all three know you don’t stand a chance against either of us.”

“Oh, yeah?” Bulma retorted, flashing him a wicked grin. “I think the toilet says otherwise!” She pointed a stiff finger straight at the restroom door in the back of the closet. Then she started chanting “Peepee peepee peepee peepee peepee peepee peepee peepee!” repeatedly.

For a second Abo and Cado looked discombobulated at the woman’s strange utterings. Then both of their faces flushed red and they both held onto their stomachs in grave discomfort. Cado was absolutely mortified. “I… I gotta go to the bathroom, Abo!” He ran for the back.

“No! Me first, me first!” Abo cried, making a break for the narrow bathroom door. They both dove for it at the same time and got stuck right in the threshold. “Move it, Cado. I think I am going to be sick. Get out of my way!” he exclaimed as they both started to break wind.

As the pushing and shoving continued, Bulma snapped the micro band off of her own wrist and slapped it onto Tarble’s. “Don’t worry, Tarb. I’ll have you out of here in a minute. She set the micro band on his wrist to shrink him until his head was small enough to fit through the shackle cuff around his neck. He groaned and seemed to pass out as she pulled his arms and legs out of the shackles and picked the toddler-sized saiyan up, gently pulling him over left shoulder.

She sprinted out of the room and jumped onto her bubble car in Room 554. Kicking it into gear, she zoomed off down the hallway with a tiny Tarble in her possession.

Now,

that’s

how you pull off a genius rescue! Way to go, Bulma! I always knew you had it in you!

she thought to herself.

…

Princess Sapphire and Gure stayed up late into the night in the palace spa, getting facials done, soaking in mud baths, and chatting away. While Sapphire had considered sneaking aboard

Bijou’s Justice

to take a part in the action, she knew from experience that she would never get away with it. Her mother would report her missing and then her father would not rest until every crook and cranny of the mothership had been searched high and low. She sighed.

Instead of tempting fate, Princess Sapphire elected to fulfill her obligations as per her father’s orders. It was a tough decision, but it turned out to be well worth it. She had discovered a new friend in Gure and seemed to greatly enjoy the Tech-Tech woman’s company.

“Your Highness, I feel so much better now knowing that Vegeta is out there looking for Tarble,” Gure conveyed, sighing in relaxation as she sank farther into the mud. “Some of the earthlings seemed to imply that Vegeta wouldn’t care about his brother. It had me worried.”

“Oh, Gure. Why don’t you just call me Sapphire? There’s no need for such formalities,” the princess replied. “We’re practically sisters already. Wouldn’t you say so?”

Gure’s little dot eyes sparkled. “Really? Gee, thanks. Well, Sapphire, do you think the chances are pretty good that Vegeta will succeed? He seems like the kind of guy who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Which, in this case, is certainly a good quality to have.”

Princess Sapphire pursed her lips. She feared that telling the truth might distress Gure. Sure, she thought Vegeta would find Tarble. The uncertainty was of the state that he would find the other saiyan prince in.

Queen Bijou’s Justice

would not reach Planet 392 for several days and plenty of bad things could happen to someone in that amount of time. Princess Sapphire knew she could lie and say she was certain that Tarble would be fine, but she did not want to get Gure’s hopes up only to have them come crashing down in a worse case scenario. She resolved to sugarcoat the truth. “Well, Gure, I think chances are pretty good that Vegeta will come back with Tarble. But even so, we should try to mentally prepare ourselves for the worst. Just in case.”

When Gure’s face fell, Princess Sapphire mentally slapped herself.

This is what I get for being frank with someone that I don’t know well enough to be frank with,

she thought, chastising herself.

Whatever happened to my discretion?

She rose out of the mud bath and squeezed the mixture out of her hair. “Listen, Gure. Why don’t we go do something more active? I think the only way we’re going to stay sane until we get word back is to keep our minds off it.”

Gure groaned and sank down lower in her mud bath until her lower lip touched the mud. “I don’t know, Sapphire. I don’t feel so good,” she murmured, feeling a tear prick at the back of her eye.

Sapphire glanced over her shoulder at the Tech-Tech. She turned around and kneeled by the side of Gure’s mud bath, examining the small marshmallow alien closely. “Well, I don’t know much about your kind, but I’d say you don’t look so good either,” she remarked worriedly.

Over the past hours that Sapphire had known her, Gure’s skin had been a clean waxy white. But it was now yellowish and heavily beaded with sweat. The young princess crinkled her aqua brow in concern. “What is wrong, Gure? It couldn’t just be what I said, could it?”

Gure gritted her teeth, shaking her head. “No, not at all.” She bit her lip and paused. “Sapphire, Pellucid doesn’t have any moons, does it?” she inquired, rising shakily from the bath.

Sapphire blinked, helping Gure get out. “We have five moons. I’m sure at least two of them are full right now. Would you like to go see? They are quite lovely on a clear night like this.”

Gure stiffly shook her head. “Not a good idea. Full moons have certain…

effects

on me. I think it’s happening right now, in fact. Oh, I need my Tarble,” the little woman whimpered.

“Effects? You mean like the effect they have on saiyans?” Sapphire inquired, raising a brow.

“Sort of,” Gure replied.

Sapphire crinkled her brow in concern. “Can you control the effects like Vegeta can? What’s going to happen? And how can I help you? Do I need to get you a doctor?”

“I don’t know,” Gure murmured. “I’ve never gone through the change without my mate. I need my Tarble. Oh, I wish he was here. I don’t know what I’m going to do without him.”

“Here, let’s go get washed up. I’ll take you to the…” But before Sapphire could finish, Gure fell to her knees on the floor by the mud bath, still covered in a coat of mud.

“Oh,” Gure groaned, feeling woozy. “Oh, no, Sapphire. I can’t stand up. It’s happening. I’m scared. I’ve never changed without Tarble. I need him to distract me from the pain. I don’t know what I’ll do without him!” she cried, curling into a fetal position. “It’s going to hurt!”

Sapphire pulled on her own mud robe and placed Gure’s over the Tech-Tech’s shivering form. “I’ll help you as best as I can, Gure. Is this normal for your kind? Tell me what to expect.”

Gure swallowed. “Y-yes. This is normal for the men and women of my race. When a certain gland in our brains senses the waves emitted by certain types of full moons, it begins to pump our blood stream full of hormones,” the poor woman explained in a shaky voice.

“So, it is for reproduction then?” the princess inquired.

“Yes,” Gure replied. “The Tech-Tech moon is full one time a year. That is our mating season. We don’t need to see the moon. We just sense it. But we can complete the transformation faster if we look at it. The transformation itself is not very painful if a Tech-Tech is with his or her love when it happens. But it can be agonizing without them. Oh, Sapphire, I’m frightened! I am not good with pain,” she murmured, her eyes filling with tears.

“I need my Tarble.”

Gure’s tiny mud-cloaked body started to pulse and quiver as the moon waves took hold. Tears streamed from her eyes. Sapphire held onto her hand. “It’s alright. I’m here. I’ll help you get through this as best as I can. It will be alright, Gure. I promise,” she cooed reassuringly. As she watched the transformation in awe, it seemed as if the Tech-Tech was growing taller and larger.

Cracking sounds could be heard as some of the small woman’s bones broke and reformed and then broke and reformed again. Gure shrieked in agony. “Ow! Oh, Tarble, where are you?” she cried at the top of her lungs. “I need you, Tarble! I can’t live without you!”

The Tech-Tech’s body grew to a more humanoid size and feminine curves began to form where none had been previously. Slender pointy ears grew from the sides of her head and flesh-colored straight hair grew from her scalp until it extended about halfway down her back.

“Oh, my!” Princess Sapphire remarked, stunned by the effects of the transformation.

Gure let out another cry as the transformation completed itself. Her tear-stained eyes extended into almond-shaped orbs. Then everything suddenly abated. Gure lay on the floor of the palace spa, breathless from the change, but relieved that the ordeal was finally over.

Sapphire put a hand on her forehead. “Is everything okay now?” she inquired in apprehension.

Gure nodded wearily and pushed herself up from the floor to a sitting position, wrapping the mud robe tightly around her. She ran a hand through her pallid hair. “Yes, it is over. Oh, that was awful. Thank you for being here for me, Sapphire. I would have been so much more terrified if I had been alone,” she replied, giving the princess a hug. “I’m ready to go get cleaned up now.”

Sapphire helped Gure to her feet. Though the Tech-Tech was still nowhere near as tall as the Pellucian princess, she had at least doubled in height. “Wow, you’ve grown!” Sapphire remarked.

Gure giggled. “Yes, I know. I’m almost as tall as my mate in this form. With a nice pair of high heels, I can even make Tarble look up at me,” she conveyed, laughing at the notion.

Princess Sapphire chuckled too. Suddenly, her eyes popped open as an idea lit up in her brain. “Hey! With that body, I bet you could fit into our stylish Pellucian clothes. You want to come with me and see what Pellucian fashion has to offer?” the princess suggested.

Gure clapped her hands in excitement. “Oh, that sounds like fun. Let’s have a fashion show! I can’t wait,” she replied, giggling. The two women went to the hot spa showers, removed their robes, and cleaned the mud from their bodies, laughing and talking about clothes and men. When they were done they put on fresh garments and made a beeline for the tower of the royal tailor.

…

“Don’t worry, men. If the woman was in disguise, there’s a good chance they wouldn’t recognize her even if they did see her. All we have to do is catch her and bring her to Lord Cado’s cabin before Lord Cado goes there!” Sin exclaimed as his men raced down the South Wing corridor.

“You really think Catastrophe was a woman under the visor, sir?” Bile asked skeptically. “What kind of woman would be able to fix complex machinery like my bubble car here?”

“We’re clearly not dealing with any ordinary woman, Bile! We must all be on our guards this time. Whatever you do, do not underestimate her!” Sin warned. “That was my downfall.”

All of the crewmen nodded, but they still appeared puzzled. As soon as they rounded a corner, they saw that part of the corridor a ways down was, in fact, a smoking crater. All five of the space pirates slammed on the breaks and hopped out of their bubble cars to check it out.

“What in the cosmos happened here?” Sin exclaimed, staring in horror at the damaged floor, walls, and shrapnel-embedded ceiling. Suddenly they all heard the sounds of a spat coming from Room 556. “Come on, men. I don’t know what’s going on, but I think Lords Abo and Cado might appreciate our help, whatever it is,” the first mate expressed, beckoning them.

Sin, Bebo, Bedo, Bile, and Retch jogged down the hall to Room 556 and poked their heads inside. Collectively, they were all hit with the worst of possible smells. Abo and Cado’s heads were still jammed in the bathroom threshold, struggling to get unstuck. The butts of both of their navy blue jumpsuits were suspiciously dark brown in color and seemed to be leaking.

“Ack! What’s that stench?” Retch cried, holding his nose. “It’s worse than Planet Methate!”

“Great cosmos, Retch. You’re right. Pew! Yuck, I think I’m going to puke!” Bile cried, turning greener than usual and backing away from the scene with a hand over his mouth.

Sin’s lips started to quiver in horror. “L-Lords Abo and Cado?” he inquired, staring at the scene.

“Sin? Sin! Is that you?” Abo said, writhing to get a glance into the main room.

“Y-yes, my lor…” Sin began, but he was promptly interrupted by Cado’s fury.

“You’re a dead man, Sin! You never caught the blue-haired woman to begin with! She was here and she stole the saiyan prince from us. When we get free, we’re going to tear you to pieces and scatter your parts

all over this galaxy!”

Cado shrieked in ire. “Help us out of here!”

Sin’s face turned blue as he backed away in terror. “Yeah!” Abo chimed. “And the same goes for all your pathetic lackeys! You’re all dead meat!" Bebo, Bedo, Bile, and Retch jumped in fear.

“What have you gotten us into, Bebo?” Retch cried, brandishing a fist at him.

Bile rounded on his buddy as well. “Yeah! Now, we’re going to die and it’s all thanks to you!”

“P-please, my lords. Give us another chance,” Sin pleaded, falling to his knees. “We can make this right. It wasn’t really our fault! That woman turned out to be far more cunning than any of us suspected. Please, don’t execute us! We can do better. I know we can! Oh please, my lords!”

“Not a chance! You signed your death warrant when you lied to us about having caught the woman and put her in my cabin. Now we’ve lost the saiyan Tarble too and you are to blame!” Cado spat, struggling harder than ever against his brother’s bloated frame.

Sin’s face went from blue to white, as did the faces of the other crewmen. “B-b-boss, what do we do now?” Bedo stuttered, trembling in fear. He was not ready to meet his maker.

Silence reigned before Sin jumped to his feet. “Last one to the escape pods is a rotten drek egg!” He jumped on his bubble car and sped away as fast as the vehicle could carry him.

The other men looked at each other awkwardly for a few seconds before rushing off after him in their own bubble cars. “Wait up, boss! Don’t leave us!” Bebo cried, slamming the accelerator.

They all disappeared down the corridor, provoking outrage from Abo and Cado unlike the two brothers had ever known before. “Bloody cowards! We’ll find you! No matter where you go!” Abo warned. “You can’t evade us! We’ll track you to the

ends of the universe

!”

“Yeah!” Cado chimed. “And when we do, you’ll all wish you’d never been born!”

But it was too late. The men were all gone.

…

Chi Chi hummed away in the kitchen while the Ox King frantically tried to come up with advanced algebra problems to solve. As he listened to the distracting clink and clank of pots and pans, he started to think that lying might not have been the best approach to the situation. In all likelihood, Chi Chi would flip even more than she would have otherwise if she found out now. And, unfortunately, the Ox King was not sure how long he could keep up the charade. As he sat there fretting, he started to pray for a miracle.

Anything to get me out of this!

he thought.

Just when the large man was about to give up and spill the beans, he heard the sound of dishes crashing in the kitchen. “Ohhh!” he heard Chi Chi cry. He bolted out of Gohan’s bedroom.

“Chi Chi? Is everything alright?” the Ox King shouted, rounding the corner into the kitchen. He found his daughter hunched over at the kitchen counter, wincing and holding her stomach in pain. “Chi Chi, darling! What’s wrong?” he cried, rushing over to her side.
“I think… I think the baby is coming,” Chi Chi murmured through clenched teeth, lowering herself down onto one knee. “Oh, ouch! Oh, the contractions! Ahh!”
The Ox King gasped. “It can’t be! He’s not due for a whole two months! Gosh, Chi Chi. I’ve got to rush you to the hospital right away!” he cried, looking around frantically.

Chi Chi nodded painfully. “Oh, ow! Dad, go to the master bedroom. There is an emergency hospital bag on the dresser. Hurry! I’ll try to make it out to your car,” she groaned, leaning on the kitchen counter. She reached over and turned off the stove. “Oh dear, it’s too bad about the fish.”

“No, Chi Chi! You stay put. I can get the bag and carry you. Don’t worry, honey. Everything is going to be okay,” the Ox King reassured, patting her back. He bolted like lightning to the master bedroom and threw the emergency hospital bag over his shoulder and then bolted to the car and dropped it in the trunk. In less than thirty seconds, he was back at Chi Chi’s side. He picked her up carefully bridal-style and carried her to the car. “Daddy’s got you, sweetheart.”

“Oooh, oh, Daddy! The contractions are getting worse. Please hurry!” Chi Chi cried as he placed her in the passenger’s side seat. She struggled to buckle her seatbelt over her swollen abdomen, so he helped her once he had taken his place in the driver’s seat. She cried out in pain.

“Is your water still intact?” he inquired. She nodded. “Good. We’re still in the clear. Don’t worry. We’ll be to the hospital in no time. Just do your deep breathing. It will help with the pain.”

Chi Chi nodded and started doing her breathing exercises. “Oh, Dad, I wish my Goku was here. When I’m in the hospital, would you see if you could find him for me? I would be very grateful.”

“Of course, dear,” her father said, patting her knee. He rode down the dirt road toward the city hospital, driving at breakneck speed—but as carefully as he possibly could.

By the time they arrived at the hospital, Chi Chi was in agony. The medics at the curbside helped her into a wheelchair and rolled her into the emergency ward. The Ox King sat in the waiting room, sweating buckets and twiddling his thumbs as he feared the very worst.

Oh, I hope she’s okay. I don’t know what I’d do if anything ever happened to my baby girl,

he thought anxiously.

The wait seemed to take forever. Finally, a nurse appeared in the room. “Mr. Ox King?”

The Ox King jumped up. “Yes! That’s me! How is she, nurse? Is she okay? Is she going into premature labor? Please, tell me it’s not serious!” he cried, sniveling at her feet.

A bead of sweat formed on the nurse’s brow and she put a hand behind her neck. “It’s alright, sir. The doctors weren’t sure if she was going into premature labor or if it was just a false alarm, so they gave her drugs to stop the contractions and we wheeled her over to the maternity ward. Dr. Bulberry thinks she’s suffering from exhaustion and stress, so he intends to monitor her for a few hours at least. You might be able to take her home tonight. Also, Mrs. Son requested to see her son and husband. Do you think you could get in contact with them for her?” she inquired.

“I’ll try. But… could I perhaps speak to Dr. Bulberry in private?” the Ox King inquired. “There’s something he needs to know. I’m worried it could affect my daughter’s health.” The nurse raised a brow in curiosity. The Ox King looked desperate. “Please, it’s important! I gotta speak to him.”

The nurse smiled. “Of course. I’ll let the doctor know and we’ll call you when he’s available.”

The Ox King appeared relieved. “Great. Thanks!”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When Bulma finally found her way back to the exit with an unconscious Tarble, she was so relieved. She stashed her bubble car in the corner of one of the torture rooms so nobody would find it and figure out where she had gone. Just as she was about to make a break for the exit, she heard the sound of several bubble cars rapidly speeding in her direction. Her face turned blue and she ducked back inside the room just in time to avoid detection by them.

“Hurry, men! We’ve got to get to those space pods before Lords Abo and Cado get free or else we’re dead meat!” came a familiar rasping voice. It was Sin, the first mate. Holding Tarble over her shoulder, Bulma peered carefully past the threshold as the five sped past.

Bulma smirked. “Looks like I won’t have to worry about those goons anymore,” she whispered to herself, snickering. With Sin, Bebo, Bedo, Bile, and Retch in a rush to get off the ship, Bulma felt pretty relieved. However, the moment of reprieve did not last for long when she observed the red blood all over her white gloves. Tarble was bleeding and needed medical attention fast. He was in no condition to make a clean escape from the ship along with her.

I have got to find a safe hiding place for us. The storage cellar is our best bet. With all those crates and stuff, they will have a lot of trouble finding us for sure. I’ll bet we could hide there for days!

She waited until the space pirates had disappeared through the exit before approaching it.

“Open Sunflower!” Bulma commanded. The door slid open and she gingerly peered out. Nobody was there so she entered the cellar and tiptoed around, looking for a good hiding spot. Some of the crates piled up against a wall were as big as cars. She put Tarble down on his belly on top of a smaller crate and cranked the top off of a large one. She stood on her tiptoes to examine the contents.

Robotic equipment? Hm. Maybe I can make use of this stuff,

she thought.

Despite the contents, it still looked like there was enough room inside the crate to hide her and the saiyan prince. It would be a bit cramped, but at least they would be safe. But first Bulma needed some bandages and disinfectant. She pulled out her remaining DynoCaps and selected the one containing the robot suit. She pressed the tab and tossed the capsule down an aisle.

“I know there’s got to be a first aid kit in there somewhere. There always is,” she murmured as the rotund robot suit appeared at full size. Bulma opened the hatch and stepped inside, cranking up the seat to reveal the small medical container. “There you are!” she said, grabbing it. She re-encapsulated the robot suit and put the DynoCap away in its slot as usual.

“Alright, I have got to do this quick before anybody comes along,” Bulma said. She reset the micro band on Tarble’s wrist to unshrink him. As he grew back to normal size, he uttered a groan of pain and seemed to look around groggily, unable to process where he was. “It’s alright, Tarble. It’s me, Bulma. I’m going to treat your wounds real quick, so hold still,” she instructed.

He looked at her through glassy eyes.
“

Bulma?

Why are you still here? You should’ve escaped.”

Bulma narrowed her eyes at him. “And leave you at the mercy of those chunky sadists? They would’ve tortured you for Kami knows how long and then eventually killed you!” she retorted, applying a gentle disinfectant to the stripes on his torso. He winced but did not cry out. “Sorry if this hurts, but it’s not as bad as putting alcohol on it,” Bulma said, beginning to apply bandages to the open wounds. “Oh, well. It could’ve been worse. They could have torn off your arms and legs and stabbed you in the brain with a metal spike. At least these cuts can be remedied.” She finished with his front and helped him sit up so she could treat the back.

“Thank you so much, Bulma. I don’t know what I would have done. They were trying to glean information from me that I just do not have. I was totally at their mercy and they had none to spare,” Tarble explained, wincing every now and again. “Such brainless cretins.”

Bulma raised an eyebrow. “What kind of information?” she inquired curiously.

“Something about my father’s so-called ‘treasure.’ I’ve never heard a thing about it, but they claim that such a thing exists. They wouldn’t tell me what made them so sure about it, though.”

“But your father is dead, isn’t he?” Bulma asked.

“Yes, of course. But Abo and Cado thought that he left a treasure behind somewhere far from Planet Vegeta in case the Vegetan treasury was ever ransacked. But, like I said, that theory could be totally false. I’ve never heard anything about my father hiding a ton of riches away on some other world,” he replied. His stomach rumbled. “I’m so hungry,” he murmured, shivering a bit.

“I’m sorry, Tarble. I wish I had some food, but these bandages are the best I can do for now,” Bulma replied, frowning. “I don’t know where to even begin to look for this ship’s galley.”

Tarble swallowed a lump in his throat. “I understand. However, my wounds will not heal without nourishment,” he conveyed. “We’ve got to get off of this ship somehow or we’re done for.”

Bulma gritted her teeth. “Oh! If only Goku or Vegeta were here, these guys would be absolute toast. But I don’t see how they could ever possibly find us now. I don’t even know where we are!” she lamented, plopping down next to him on the crate after she had finished applying the bandages. She pulled her knees in and hid her face in them, feeling miserable.

When she heard Tarble chuckle, she looked up in surprise. “What’s so funny?”

“Well,” Tarble replied, “it’s been a long time since I saw Vegeta last. But if he’s anywhere near as clever now as he was when we were little kids, then I am sure he will find a way to track us down. The real question is, will he get here in time to help us? I certainly hope he will.”
Bulma appeared skeptical and then a look of indignation befell her. “Pfft! Vegeta’s not clever,” the earthling snapped back. She crossed her arms angrily over her chest and huffed.
Tarble raised an eyebrow. “Let me ask you this, Bulma. Have you ever bonded with my brother over anything other than sex?” the saiyan inquired. “Sorry to get personal.” Bulma’s eyes popped open and she pondered the question for a moment, unable to think of anything. Tarble took her silence as an affirmative reply. “Then you don’t know him as well as you think,” he retorted. “If he chooses to make it a priority, then he will find us. I have no doubt of that.”

Bulma swallowed and felt a tear prick at her eye.
“I hope you are right.”

…

In the hours after Bulma had humiliated Abo and Cado, escaping the Torture Wing with Tarble, the bowels of the ship had swarmed with guards. From their hiding place inside the cellar crate, Bulma and Tarble were able to gather bits of information about what was going on outside.

Captain Mareth was furious about his first mate and four other crewmen going AWOL and stealing five escape pods from the

Oblivion.

But his wrath paled in comparison to Abo and Cado’s. Once the two brothers had dislodged themselves from the bathroom door and changed into clean uniforms, they were seen stomping around furiously, threatening their inferiors with dismemberment if they failed to find the escapees within the next five minutes.

Men were running around, compelled by death threat to partake in the search. With three powerful and pissed superiors on the ship, the crewmen were utterly terrified. Bulma almost felt bad for them and had to remind herself that they were all technically ruthless pirates. She stopped peering through the peephole in the side of the crate and leaned back against the wall.

“Any ideas how we might be able to get out of here, Bulma?” Tarble whispered, looking hopeful. “You are the brilliant one, after all. If anyone can think a way out of this, it’s you.”

“We’re going to have to wait until the chaos dies down. Until then, we should try to get some sleep. There may be nothing to eat, but at least we can rest,” Bulma whispered back. “Just try to keep your power level down so they can’t find us. Do the best that you can.” Tarble nodded, though he was unsure of how to suppress his power level. He tried meditating, partly in hope of forgetting about the ravenous hunger that tormented him more than his wounds. Bulma lay down against the hard machinery and did her best to get comfortable. She yawned and closed her eyes. “Mm. If only there was some light in here, I might be able to make another micro band. When I wake up, I’ll try to find a light source. Too tired to think right now,” she murmured, dozing off.

Tarble remained silent. Because of his injuries, Bulma had been willing to give up the most comfortable spot in the crate for him. However, he was still miserably sore and too hungry to sleep. His stomach rumbled and he put a hand over the bandages on his wounded belly. Tarble looked at the micro band on his wrist after Bulma had fallen asleep and considered what the earthling had told him about it.

I may be stiff and sore, but if I don’t get something to eat soon, I’m going to pass out and never wake up. With this device, I can make myself small to avoid detection and maybe go looking for the ship’s galley. There’s got to be food somewhere aboard this hellbound vessel,

he thought to himself.

I’ll just have to sniff it out or die trying.

He adjusted the setting as Bulma had described and slowly shrank himself down to the size of a black drek. He climbed up onto Bulma’s leg and then up her Saiyan armor onto her shoulder pad, where he was able to reach the peephole she had been gazing through earlier. While he could have flown, he intended to heed Bulma’s warning about keeping his power level down even in his miniaturized state. He poked his head out of the peephole and glanced around.

The floor rumbled as crewmen stomped back and forth through the aisles. They looked to be growing weary themselves, but the men were unable to give up the search on account of Abo and Cado’s threats. At an opportune moment, Tarble shimmied through the peephole and jumped like a flea onto the hip protector of one man’s saiyan armor. He maneuvered himself to hide on the underside and peered out to see where the crewman was headed. He would have to memorize the route in order to find his way back to Bulma before she woke up and found him missing.

The overworked crewman turned out to be mindlessly circling the aisles, only paying lip service to the search so the brothers would not kill him.

Well, this isn’t going to get me anywhere,

the saiyan thought. As Tarble and the space pirate passed by the row of jail cells for the second time, the prince took the opportunity to jump from his host onto a small crate. From their initial capture, Tarble remembered where the stairway to the upper level was in proximity to the jail cells. He ran across the crates like city rooftops, jumping and hopping between boxes and over gaps. Finally, after passing about three walkways, he turned right and caught sight of the staircase they had come down while in bondage. Tarble licked his lips.

I know there’s got to be food up there somewhere. Once I find the galley, I can eat my fill and even bring some back for Bulma. I know she’ll appreciate it, plus she’ll be able to think better on a full stomach.

Suddenly, Captain Mareth came around the corner quite unexpectedly. Tarble’s face went blue and he ducked behind a crate. The captain stopped mid-aisle and glanced around, then shouted loud orders over his shoulder. “Look alive, men! With the others guarding the escape pods, they have no chance of getting off the ship. We’re sure to find them within an hour!” Captain Mareth turned around, swooping his red cape behind him, and Tarble glanced an opportunity. He ran at the man and leapt onto the back of his saiyan armor just before the cape flew around to obscure it. The prince cleverly avoided prying eyes by hiding beneath the cape. He knew the captain of the ship would be privileged to take a break now and again, perhaps to go to the galley for a bite. Soon Tarble felt hopeful as Mareth headed toward the staircase to the upper levels.

As they ascended the staircase, Tarble kept his eyes peeled for anything that might be useful in an escape. About five crewmen rushed down the stairwell. “Any word, men?” Mareth inquired.

One of them stopped halfway down the stairs and turned around, giving a salute to the captain. “No, sir. No sign of them yet,” he obediently reported. “We’ll keep looking, of course.”

Mareth rubbed his temples and groaned. “And what of Lords Abo and Cado? Where are they?”

“They went upstairs to the elite galley to dine, but their moods have not improved at all, especially not Lord Cado’s. He is not happy at all about losing the woman, sir,” the crewman admitted, taking a pause. “Are you going to try and talk to them, Captain?”

Captain Mareth shook his head. “No, I’m not going to tempt fate. I don’t think there’s anything I could say that could calm either of those two down right now. If we’re not careful, they will start carrying out their threats. Judging from their history, no one on this ship is safe.”

The man nodded. “Good plan, sir.”

“Keep looking,” Mareth instructed.

“Aye.”

Captain Mareth reached the top of the staircase and stepped through the automatic door to the second floor. Tarble had to squint his eyes because the lighting was much higher quality everywhere on the ship save the cellar. At first, it felt way too bright to the miniature saiyan. Tarble clung tightly to the back of the captain’s armor and climbed over to his hip protector to get a good look around. It was the same hallway that he and Bulma had been dragged down after they had been seized from the Z Commando. He remembered the experience well.

Maybe our ship is still there. If I can find that button Bulma told me about, I might be able to encapsulate it and sneak away… although that doesn’t address the problem of how to escape with it from the

Oblivion.

But maybe Bulma can think of something. She knows more about technology than anyone,

Tarble thought. From his hiding spot on the captain’s hip protector, Tarble glanced down the hallway.

It’s one of those doors far ahead on the right. It looks like that’s where this guy is heading. I hope the ship is still in good shape and not too well guarded.

Captain Mareth paced farther down the hall and pressed a button to open an automatic door on the right side. He turned to go inside and crossed the threshold. The first thing Tarble saw put a big frown on his face. The Z Commando was in pieces, taken apart by a group of crewmen under the directions of an engineer. The pint-sized saiyan hung his shoulders in disappointment. Upon his entering, all of the workers straightened up, saluting the captain. “At ease,” he told them all. They promptly went back to their work. “How are those blueprints coming along, Tanzor?”

A withered old alien looking similar to an armadillo approached Mareth. “Very well, captain. I’ve made several astounding technological discoveries. Whoever designed this vessel had a great scientific mind indeed. I would love to be partnered with him on a project or two. I’m sure we would have a great deal to learn from each other,” the old man reported. “Have you by any chance found out who he is? I cannot wait to meet the brilliant fellow.”

Captain Mareth shook his head. “Not until we find the escaped prisoners. Only they would know. Based upon what Lords Abo and Cado reported, we can be relatively certain that the inventor responsible came from a planet known as Earth. Our databases have very little information about that world, however, so the inventor could prove to be quite difficult to find.”

“Indeed,” Tanzor replied. “The only indication we could find from the computer systems on the ship was a prominent symbol using double C’s. That’s not much to go on, so I do hope you find the escapees. I look forward to meeting this great genius and perhaps picking his brain.”

Captain Mareth chuckled. “Indeed. We had better find them soon for all of our sakes. I don’t know how much more patience Lords Abo and Cado have,” the man expressed warily.

The conversation between the captain and scientist continued, but Tarble all but went deaf to it after his eyes caught sight of something in the corner of the docking garage—a long table piled with platters of gourmet food. He hopped down from Captain Mareth’s hip protector and darted behind a toolbox lying open on the floor. The scent of food permeated the air and Tarble’s mouth watered in anticipation.

So hungry,

he thought, salivating.

I could eat an animal the size of Nappa... even at this size.

He noted the elongated table had a red tablecloth, which he would be able to hide beneath. The main obstacle was the twenty feet of open space between himself and his target. With many prying eyes and nowhere to hide, it would be a bit of a challenge for him.

Tarble could not even disguise himself as a black drek because he would be blasted for sure if anyone saw one of those scuttling near the food. He glanced around, up, down, and all over the vast garage searching for options. When Tanzor turned away, the saiyan started to back slowly toward the table. Suddenly Tarble bumped into something and froze. He looked up. It was a crewmate glancing nervously at the captain and then at the gourmet food on the table. Tarble had backed into his boot. The prince surmised that the gourmet spread was off limits to anyone of low rank on the ship—not surprising, to say the least. Such fine dining was usually reserved for the higher ranks among space pirates, particularly those formerly associated with Frieza.

Tarble seized the opportunity and jumped onto the hungry crewman’s boot, snickering. If anyone were to get caught now, it would not be him but the big green fish-face oaf he was hitching a ride on. As his host tiptoed closer to the table, Tarble kept his eyes on the exquisite finger foods and hors d’oeuvres available. Just when his destination was no more than four feet away, Tarble felt his host flinch and utter a strained gasp in his throat. The tiny saiyan glanced up in surprise just as an energy beam dissipated from the chest of his now-dead host. Suddenly, everyone in the room had eyes on the deceased sneak thief as he fell face-down onto the floor with a loud

Thud!

The surprised saiyan was quick to hop to the side so he would not be crushed.

Absolutely brutal!

Tarble thought. He overcame his shock and took the opportunity to sneak along the corpse until he reached the lifeless eyes, only a foot away from the leg of the table. He glanced out from behind the dead man’s head and waited until every horrified face in the room gradually shifted from the victim to the perpetrator—Captain Mareth. Right when that happened, Tarble made a break for the table leg and hid behind it, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Instead of climbing up the table leg as per his plan, Tarble stared at Mareth in curiosity as the cruel captain’s gaze gradually shifted from the fresh corpse to the wide-eyed audience. “If I or any of my officers catch any of you sneaking food belonging to us, you will be executed on the spot. That man knew exactly what he was doing and he chose his own fate. Don’t make the same mistake as him because you
will

not

live to tell the tale,” Mareth warned. When the crewmen continued to stare in horror, the captain suddenly barked, “Back to work, you slugs!”

They all jumped in fear and promptly went back to their duties, ignoring the dead body on the ground entirely. Captain Mareth went back to talking with the unfazed engineer. Tarble scratched his head at the oddness of it all and started to climb up the table leg. He jumped like a flea to the silky tablecloth and climbed up onto the tabletop, ducking behind a bowl of exotic fruits just as Mareth glanced over. As soon as the captain’s attention was again diverted, Tarble started to pig out, stuffing fruit, breads, and pieces of cured meat into his mouth at a breakneck pace. The tiny saiyan prince crammed so much down his throat at once that he had to pound on his bruised chest to force it all down, making his dark eyes water from the terrible pain.

But that was nowhere near enough to stop him with his hunger as it was. The first time that Abo and Cado had beaten Tarble to a pulp was the only other time he could remember ever being this hungry—and that was a long while back. Once he had gotten out of the rejuvenation tank, he had felt like there was a black hole forming in the pit of his stomach. Tarble and Gure had enough time to fill up on some tasteless freeze-dried cuisine left by the planet’s former inhabitants before Abo and Cado arrived and they were forced to flee yet again. If he was totally honest with himself, Tarble had not had a single decent meal with his mate since before the arrival of Abo and Cado on Tech-Tech. He sorely missed the romantic candlelit dinners and beautiful evenings together watching the Tech-Tech sun descend on the gleaming horizon. Reminiscing on the past reminded him of Tech-Tech’s fate and he felt a tear prick at the back of his eye. He held it back and kept eating, determined to survive this madness and make it back to Gure somehow.

…

The Ox King waited nervously to hear back from the doctor. By the time the nurse finally called for him, he was near sweating bullets. He stood up shakily and followed her back to the doctor’s private office. When he got there, the room was deserted. “Where is he?” the Ox King cried.

The nurse giggled. “Calm down, sir. Dr. Bulberry will be along in a minute. He’s just finishing up with a patient. Please take a seat and get comfortable,” she said, leaving him in the office.

The Ox King sighed and sat down on the plush chair in front of the doctor’s desk, twiddling his thumbs and looking around the pristine space.

Dr. Bulberry must be a neat freak,

he thought. He noticed a few different odd items decoratively displayed upon the doctor’s desk and reached forward to examine them. One was a bird’s nest with fake eggs, painted with Easter colors. The Ox King heard the doorknob turning and jumped a foot in the air, nearly scattering the eggs all over the room. He used his keen martial arts skills to catch them gracefully in the nest and return the nest to its rightful location—all before the doctor even appeared in the doorway.

Dr. Bulberry came in with a wide smile on his face and glanced at his clipboard. “Mr. Ox King, I take it?” he said, strolling over to shake the giant’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

The Ox King stood up to receive him. “That’s right, doc. It’s great to meet you too. I’ve got something important I need to talk to you about so I’m glad you were able to come.” After they finished shaking hands, the doctor moved to the other side of his desk and sat down facing the Ox King. “You see, Dr. Bulberry,” the horned sire began, “I’m worried about my daughter.”

Dr. Bulberry smiled. “Oh, I don’t think there’s really anything to be worried about, Mr. Ox King. It’s not unusual at all for women to have false alarms like this in the third trimester. Granted, they can be rather frightening, but abnormal they are not,” the man explained.

“No, no,” the Ox King replied, glancing around warily. “There’s a…

situation

at home I’m afraid may cause my daughter distress if she finds out about it in her condition. Chi Chi is very prone to overreacting to things, especially when they involve her son Gohan,” he explained in a low tone.

Dr. Bulberry blinked. “I see,” he said, leaning forward with interest. “And what is this situation that you are afraid might be overly distressing to your pregnant daughter?”

“My grandson has gone with his father to find a missing friend. It could be dangerous and that type of thing really makes my little girl panic. It’s even worse considering they both snuck off without asking Chi Chi for permission to go. I don’t know how long they’ll be gone exactly, maybe a week or two? Gohan was polite enough to leave a note trying to reassure her everything would be okay, but I know from experience that will be no consolation to my Chi Chi.”

Dr. Bulberry thought for a minute, processing the information he had just been offered. “And what precisely did you want me to do about this?” he inquired. “As a medical professional, I really can’t get involved in my patients’ private lives, as much as it frustrates me at times.”

The Ox King scratched his bearded chin. “Is there any way you can keep my daughter in the hospital until they get back? I mean it

is

for her own good. I wish her husband and son hadn’t run off like that, but they did and now I have to deal with the fallout. If Chi Chi almost went into premature labor when she thought everything was fine, then imagine what’ll happen if she has a panic attack. Knowing her, she might even try to find them and she’s in no condition to run off on crazy adventures! What do you say, doc? Can you help me out?” he pled, looking hopeful.

The doctor was taken aback. “Mr. Ox King, do you realize what you are asking me to do? Your daughter doesn’t require a lengthy hospitalization and to keep her here with no medical need is malpractice. I could lose my medical license if any of the nurses or other doctors were to report me. Plus, her insurance simply won’t cover unnecessary medical expenses,” he explained.

“The insurance isn’t an issue! I’ll pay for it out of pocket. Please, doctor!” the Ox King begged.

Dr. Bulberry rubbed his temples. “I’m sorry, Mr. Ox King. I just can’t do it. It wouldn’t be legal.”

The Ox King’s face fell. “S-so… there’s nothing you can do? But what if my daughter faints or goes into premature labor for real? She and the baby could get hurt! If something bad happened to either one of them, I’d never forgive myself!” he cried, getting down on his knees.

Dr. Bulberry leaned back in his chair and analyzed the situation. “It’s true that stress can be very bad for a pregnant woman. If money isn’t an issue as you suggested, then perhaps I can

advise

her to take a vacation. You can tell her that you will house-sit for her and keep things running smoothly at home while she takes some time off to relax. Meanwhile, perhaps your grandson and son-in-law will come back. It could be very beneficial for her, now that I think about it. In fact, there is a reputable pregnancy retreat right off the coast, but I warn you—it is

very

expensive.”

The Ox King jumped up in glee. “That’s a great idea! Why didn’t I think of that myself? I’ll go back to the house to pack up for her and book her a flight to paradise tonight! Oh thank you, Dr. Bulberry! Thank you so much! Oh, but wait, she might not want to go alone. I should send a friend of hers with her to keep her company. Oh, darn. Bulma would have been a perfect choice, but maybe her mother would like to go instead! I’ll ask Mrs. Briefs right away. Thanks, doc!”

“Sure,” the doctor replied. “But don’t schedule the flight until after eight tonight. We were hoping to monitor her for a while longer. By the way, let me get you a brochure for the place. It has wonderful accommodations. I’m sure Mrs. Son will be very happy there,” Dr. Bulberry expressed, opening a drawer in his desk and rummaged through the contents of it.

The Ox King could hardly contain himself. “Right, doc! Of course, doc! I’ll follow all of your advice. I’ll be back to pick her up around eight like you said. See you then!” he said excitedly.

Dr. Bulberry stood up, handed the giant a brochure, and then shook his hand again. “I’m glad to see your main concern is your daughter’s safety. At first, you had me a little worried that you might just be trying to cover up a lie so you wouldn’t have to face the consequences,” the doctor expressed, laughing at what he thought to have been an asinine suspicion.

The Ox King took the brochure and rubbed the back of his neck nervously with his free hand. “N-no, of course not. That’s something only a kid would do, not a mature father figure like me,” he replied, echoing the doctor’s laughter. “No, siree. I’ve got my priorities straight, alright.”

“Good, good, Mr. Ox King. I’m glad to hear it,” Dr. Bulberry said. “Let’s plan to break the good news to your daughter together just before we discharge her—when you get back, of course.”

“Sounds great to me, doc. I’ll be on my way now,” the Ox King replied, leaving. As soon as he was outside in the hall, he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“Whew! Looks like things just might work out for old grandpa after all,”

he whispered to himself, giving a sigh of relief.

He stopped for a minute in the corridor and opened the brochure. Every hair on his body became electrified.

Yikes! That’s a steep price!

he thought, sweat beading up his forehead again. Then his shoulders drooped.

But I guess I have no choice. Anyhow, nothing’s too good for my little girl.

He paused.

Goku and Gohan, you two better get back soon or I’m going to end up in the poorhouse!

…

After stuffing himself for a good half hour, Tarble finally began to feel full. Even his lash marks did not hurt so much any more. He sat down rubbing his bloated belly and gave a quiet sigh of satisfaction.

Wow! I feel so much better. Now, all I have to do is find a way to smuggle enough food back for Bulma. It sure is a good thing that humans have such small appetites,

he thought, glancing around for ideas on how to accomplish this latest ambition of his.

He peered through one of the holes in a chunk of Ventrilican red cheese, spying on the occupants of the huge garage. The men were still busy disassembling the Z Commando and Mareth had thankfully left the room to see to other duties. Even the aged scientist Tanzor was preoccupied with overseeing the labor, taking measurements, and examining bits of equipment. The saiyan needed a route for sneaking as much food out of the room as possible without being seen.

Tarble spotted a ventilation shaft on the ceiling, but it was far too high up. If he tried to fly, there was a good chance someone in the room would see him. The prince backed up and peered down the wall behind the table. “Bingo!” Tarble declared, glimpsing another vent conveniently hidden by the tablecloth. He would have to remove the metal panel to get food through by pulling out the screws, so he hopped down and grabbed a hold of a length of the grill. He climbed to the first screw on the top left and began turning it loose by hand using his saiyan strength.

He placed each loose screw quietly on the tabletop to avoid alerting the crew. Once he had removed the last screw, the panel pulled loose from the wall. Tarble gently lowered it to the ground and peered inside the ventilation shaft. The dark tunnel had small areas of light where other vents were located, both in the outside hallway and in other areas along the garage wall.

Perfect!

Tarble thought. He climbed back up onto the tabletop and hauled one large piece of alien fruit down to the open vent at a time, stashing each one safely inside the tunnel before returning for another. Once he had collected all of the fruit, he wrapped an apple-sized bundle of cured meats together in a napkin and loaded it into the shaft as well. He had to gather about ten bundles before he had cleaned the table of the rare delicacy. The only things left were Archovian tarts, Zarik icebird eggs, some nuts and legumes, and an array of sliced vegetables with dipping sauce.
Tarble took everything but the veggies, as they were placed toward the front of the table and were too visible to the crewmen. Once the ventilation shaft was stuffed full of exotic delicacies, Tarble knew it would be best to cover his tracks. He yanked one of the metal grills on the vent panel open so he would be able to crawl through and then went about screwing the vent cover back onto the wall. Once he finished, he slipped through the open grill and bent it back to its normal position. Success! Tarble thought, doing a little dance of victory. “Ooh, ouch!” he murmured, holding onto his injured sides. “Shouldn’t have done that. Still sore,” he chastised himself, wincing. Once the pain subsided, the saiyan prince looked down the clear side of the ventilation shaft. Before he could haul the food down the tunnel with him, he knew he would need to scout out a route to an open vent near Bulma’s hiding place in the crate.

Good thing I have a decent sense of direction,

Tarble thought, beginning the jog down the vent shaft. He glanced back over his shoulder. “You wait there, lovely victuals. I’ll be right back,” he said, breaking into a sprint. He darted down the dark tunnel, stopping to check his location at every other vent or so. Every now and again he had to hop over a chasm leading downwards into the cellar. Once he reached the tenth vent or so, he finally caught sight of the door leading to the lower level.

Great! Now, I just have to go down one of the vertical shafts and find my way to the storage crate Bulma’s hiding in. I bet she’ll be really happy about having something to eat! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay her enough for saving me, but I can certainly try,

Tarble thought, walking up to the edge of another downward shaft. “Well, this one is as good as any. Here goes,” he said, jumping down into the deep dark pit. He hopped from side to side down the tunnel, feeling his way along with his saiyan intuition despite the consuming darkness. Of course, he knew he could make an energy ball to illuminate the shaft, but Bulma had clearly warned him to keep his energy level to a minimum by refraining from ki use.

To Tarble’s relief, there was a vent close to the bottom of the tunnel shedding light on the ground. It allowed him to land gracefully and he darted over to the nearest vent to peer out.

Ah! I can see almost everything,

he thought, peering down at the rows piled with crates from a bird’s eye view. The pirates were still swarming, marching around and doing their rounds searching the cellar for him and Bulma. Tarble saw the captain speaking with a man and decided to listen in.

“Alright, Seth. I’ll appoint you as my new first mate for now since there is no one else more qualified at the time. But I expect you to perform the job to the very best of your abilities. A first mate aboard the

Oblivion

has a very important role, I hope you realize,” Captain Mareth lectured.

“Yes, Captain. Of course! I’ll do my best to serve your every need,” the man replied, removing his helmet graciously and kneeling before his superior. Tarble discovered that the new first mate looked remarkably like a human. He had a square jaw, emerald-green eyes, spiked blond hair, and stood a little over six feet in height. In other words, the man was a pretty boy.

Tarble thought little of the captain’s new favorite other than making a note to keep an eye on him. The saiyan’s gaze turned away from the pair and began to analyze the layout of the room. While the ceiling was not very high, the cellar itself made up quite a vast area. Tarble spotted the staircase to the upper level and glanced back to the far wall which the car-sized crates were piled against. He knew the one on the corner with the tiny peephole was the one containing Bulma. Smuggling the food down there would not be easy with the search party occupying the cellar.

Tarble knew if he could attract the search party elsewhere, it would be a lot easier to get the food to the earthling. One of the vents conveniently hung down from the ceiling right over the target crate. All Tarble had to do to get there was move another twenty feet straight ahead, take a right turn, go another twenty feet, take a left, and up ahead would be the vertical drop to the target vent.

First things first,

Tarble thought.

I’ve got to haul all the food as close to Bulma’s crate as possible. Once that is done, then I can worry about how to distract or get rid of the pirates long enough to get the food to her.

He glanced back up the vertical shaft that he had just come down, and took a great leap back up, hopping nimbly from side to side until he reached the top.

He had to make ten trips from the garage to the cellar. When finished, he sat down on a piece of fruit atop the pile of victuals and rubbed his eyes.

Aw, great. Now, I’m tired. How long has it been since I last slept?

He yawned deeply.

But I can’t sleep here. If Bulma wakes up and finds me gone, she will flip out. I can’t do that to her after all she has done for me.

Suddenly Tarble heard strange echoes in the ventilation shaft. They sounded like shuffling or scurrying. He listened and realized that they seemed to be getting closer. He jumped up.

Oh, no! If that’s what I think it is…

Numerous pairs of glowing green eyes appeared in the dark shaft several yards down, rapidly approaching. “No! Shoo! Stay away, you pests! This food isn’t for you!” Tarble snapped, blocking the dreks’ path and brandishing a fist to scare them away. They kept coming regardless until they were less than a foot away from him. There were hundreds of them. Tarble figured they must have followed the scent of the food all the way from somewhere on the upper level. When one of them tried to jump over his head right into the pile of food, Tarble punched it in midair and sent it flying past the others. “See? That’s what you get when you try to steal a saiyan’s food! Stay back or I’ll break all of your scrawny little necks!” he threatened.

The reptilian vermin were unfazed by the threats. Tarble growled low in his throat.

Darn it! I’ve got to somehow get rid of them without using my ki so they won’t eat everything. Plus, I’ve got to try to do it without making too much noise or those thugs down there will figure out something is going on in the ceiling vent shaft.

The prince gritted his teeth as he faced off with the army of dreks.

This is not going to be easy. What am I going to do? Oh, Gure, I wish you were here.

…

As Vegeta prepared to leave for the war council, he heard a strange buzzing sound in his private suite. He glanced around the bedroom in confusion and followed the noise over to the storage closet. He pressed the button to open the automatic door and found the pile of luggage that the servants had packed for him. “Ah, the spacesuits from Capsule Corp,” Vegeta said, observing what the servants had collected from his palace chambers. “I ought to remember to thank Bauble for being so thorough in his packing.” He rummaged through the three hefty outfits and discovered that the buzzing sound was coming from the transmitter in one of the suits. He pulled it out of the helmet, pressed the speaker button, and then placed it against his ear.

“Goku? Gure? Anyone? Someone please pick up!” came the frantic voice of Dr. Briefs.

“What do you want, old man?” the prince impatiently inquired, tapping his foot on the floor.

“Oh, thank goodness! Is that you, Vegeta? What happened? Are you still searching for signs of the ship that took my daughter? I admire your determination, but I am surprised that you have not gotten hungry yet!” the Capsule Corp scientist remarked. “Or Goku, for that matter.”

“No, we’re not still looking. We know where Bulma and Tarble have been taken, so we are going there now in a Pellucian warship. It will take several days to get there,” the saiyan explained.

“Oh, thank Kami! That’s such a relief.” The old man paused. “Tell me honestly, Vegeta. What do you think the chances are that Bulma is going to be alright? This not knowing thing is driving me crazy. Her mother and I are worrying ourselves sick!” the grieving father decried.

“Reassuring you is not my job, old man. But if you must know, I think that there’s a fairly good chance we’ll find her alive,” Vegeta said. Dr. Briefs seemed to give a sigh of relief. “However,” he added, making Dr. Briefs hold his breath on the other end of the line, “just because she might be alive does not necessarily mean she’ll be okay. You wanted a straight answer and you’ve now received it. Now, I’ll get these other transmitters to Kakarott so that you can contact him directly. Perhaps he can fill you in on the details.” Vegeta gathered the devices from the other suits.

Dr. Briefs took a big gulp before replying. “Wh-what do you think c-could possibly happen to her out there?” he inquired hesitantly, obviously terrified to hear the answer.

Vegeta rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you look at a photo of her pretty face and take a wild guess. I’ve got a war council to attend and no more time to waste with you, old man,” he said bluntly.

“Wait, wait!” the doctor cried. “There’s just one more thing!”

“What?”

the prince spat, irritated.

“The Ox King called earlier and said that Chi Chi is in the hospital for premature contractions. Please let Goku and Gohan know as soon as possible!” Dr. Briefs exclaimed.

“You can just tell them that yourself,” Vegeta snapped. “Now, stop wasting my time!” He promptly turned the transmitter off and strode out into the hallway. The guards Feldspar and Peridot stationed in front of the royal’s suite dutifully began to follow him.

“Your Highness, King Chrystal wishes to meet with you privately after the war council is dismissed,” Feldspar reported. “Would you be interested in joining him for dinner?”

“Certainly. I’m always honored to dine with my Pellucian friends,” Vegeta said, turning a corner.

“Excellent. His Majesty will be very pleased to…” Feldspar began, gasping when Goku, Gohan, Krillin, Yamcha, and Piccolo appeared before them, forcing the royal trio to come to a halt.

Vegeta’s eyes shot open in surprise. He saw his royal guards tense and quickly gestured for them to relax. “Kakarott, just what do you think you’re doing?” the prince snapped.

“Hi, Vegeta! Here we are, as promised!” Goku replied, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as usual.

“You shouldn’t be bringing the earthlings to the Royal Wing. They aren’t allowed here. Only you are because you’re my second-in-command. And, of course, I make an exception for your offspring as it is your job to supervise him,” the prince expressed, folding his arms across his chest. Feldspar and Peridot seemed to be fairly discombobulated by the sudden development.

“Oh, really? Sorry, Vegeta. I didn’t know. I was hoping you could show us the way to the conference room. This ship is really big and it’s easy to get lost,” Goku explained, sheepishly putting a hand behind his head and rubbing the back of his neck in the typical manner.

Vegeta suppressed a groan. “Peridot here will show you the way. I’m supposed to come in through a different entrance than the general public as per tradition, so I cannot accompany you personally,” he explained, delivering the order to Peridot in the guard’s native tongue.

“Say… what language is that, Vegeta?” Krillin inquired. “I’ve never heard anything like it.”

Vegeta raised an eyebrow. “It’s called Pelluci, the official language of Planet Pellucid. What do you care anyway, cueball? We’ve got more important things here than cultural awareness.”

Krillin shrugged. “Just curious, I guess. Oh, and one more thing, Vegeta. Where did you get that new armor?” the short earthling asked, scratching his shiny bald head as he ogled it.

“It looks awesome!” Gohan chimed. “I like the cape and the white jumpsuit.”

Vegeta ignored Gohan and answered Krillin’s question. “I ordered it from Pellucian armor engineers. I’m sure Kakarott can tell you all about that. He’s requested one as well. Now, if you don’t mind, we all need to get to the council chamber at on…” he began, getting cut off again.

“Goku’s getting one? Then can I get one too? It looks really stylish!” Krillin eagerly said.

Vegeta huffed. “You can order one for yourself, but you’ll have to pay for it,” the royal decreed. “And it won’t come cheap, not even

after

the design has gone into mass production.”

Krillin frowned. “Well, where did Goku get the money for one? He doesn’t even have a job!”

“He’s a saiyan, you fool. He gets his free,” Vegeta snapped.

Krillin’s jaw dropped in indignation. “No fair! Why should he get one for free just because he’s a saiyan? You don’t even like him!” the earthling male exclaimed in an accusing tone.

Vegeta rolled his eyes at the shorter man. “My feelings toward Kakarott are irrelevant. He is currently serving the crown, which entitles him to free military supplies by saiyan law.”

Before Krillin could start ranting about how ‘saiyan law’ was obsolete, Yamcha chimed in. “What’s that red anchor symbol on your chest?” he inquired, pointing to Vegeta’s left breastplate.

“My family emblem, you moron. By Kami, don’t you clowns have anything better to do than interrogate me all day? You are going to make us all late for the war council!” Vegeta snapped, pushing a path through the group of earthlings. “Feldspar, shim shim!” he called.

Feldspar hurried after the prince, while Peridot stayed behind to lead Goku’s party to the council chamber. Suddenly Vegeta stopped in mid-stride and spun back around. “Oh, Kakarott. I almost forgot.” He tossed the Earth saiyan the two other transmitters he had pulled out of the Capsule Corp spacesuits. “Dr. Briefs needs you to contact him later because he has something important to tell you. But I suggest you wait until after the council is dismissed. See you upstairs,” Vegeta declared, turning on a heel and leaving. Again, Felspar followed behind him.

Goku caught the transmitters. “Thanks, ‘Geta!” he called, waving goodbye. He looked at them. “Ah, he even remembered to get Gure’s. That was nice of him.” The remaining guard gestured for the earthlings to follow with a wave of his hand. They did, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

“Gee, Vegeta seems to really be in a rush these days. He can’t even spare a moment to answer a few simple questions,” Gohan whined, crossing his arms. “Too bad, cause I was pretty curious myself. What did he mean by family emblem? Do we have a family emblem, Dad?”

Goku shrugged. “I don’t know, but I can ask him later if you want. But, yeah, I agree about Vegeta being too busy. I miss the old days when I could get in a good sparring session with him nearly every day in the old Gravitron. Sometimes we would even spend all day training together in the gravity room or wilderness,” the Earth saiyan lamented. “At the time, I thought it would last forever. I guess those days are long gone.” He peered down at his feet as he walked.

“Meh,” Yamcha replied. “I’m just thankful Vegeta’s preoccupied with something other than trying to take over Earth or the rest of the universe. They say boredom can be a breeding ground for evil, so at least we don’t have that to worry about,” he remarked, giving a small chuckle.
Krillin rolled his eyes slightly. “I would agree with you, Yamcha, if Vegeta hadn’t developed a penchant for stealing kids from their mothers. Other than that and the fact that he is still very much an arrogant prick, I would say that he has gotten a lot better than when we first met him.”
Yamcha rolled his eyes back at Krillin. “If it’s his kid, then who cares? I sure don’t,” the taller earthling replied. “Besides, I heard the kid was born with a tail. Who wants some giant ape rampaging about on the full moon? To be honest, I’m glad Vegeta took him.”

Krillin rounded on Yamcha. “So the truth finally comes out, huh?” the former monk accused. “I’ll bet you think it serves Bulma right since she left you for Vegeta. Admit it, Yamcha, you’re holding a grudge against Bulma! You’re just jealous. Maybe you shouldn’t even be here!”

Goku jumped between the two humans. “Whoa, guys! Calm down. This is all old history. There’s no need to bring it up. It’s over and done with. Yamcha is entitled to his feelings.”
Yamcha put a hand to Goku’s chest, holding him back. “Just so you know, Krillin, the break up between Bulma and I was entirely mutual. I don’t harbor any negative feelings toward her about it. If I did, I wouldn’t have come on this mission to rescue her. How dare you accuse me of such a thing! I may not have always had the most respectable lifestyle as far as being a desert bandit, but I do respect women and their choices. Always have, always will!” he snapped back. Peridot stopped walking and turned around, watching the argument develop with a raised brow.
“If you guys really want to argue about this, you’ll have to wait until after the meeting with King Chrystal and Vegeta,” Goku decreed, pushing them apart again. “But if you ask me, I think it’s silly. Who cares how Yamcha and Bulma broke up, Krillin? It’s none of our business. Now, let’s go!” he ordained, gesturing to Peridot to continue leading them to the council chamber.

Peridot nodded and started walking again, as did the others. An awkward silence developed between the Z fighters. Yamcha and Krillin walked with their heads down and their hands in their pockets, feeling the tension rise awkwardly. Gohan observed that they both seemed to avoid eye contact with each other all the way to the war council chamber and he frowned.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Tarble clashed with the army of black dreks, using his superior strength and speed to keep the nasty creatures at bay. He was not sure how long he could keep up the defense, however. He had bigger fish to fry than pest control and this pint-sized battle was eating up his time and energy. The ventilation shaft quaked, knocking Tarble off his feet. The drek army squealed in terror and scattered as Tarble ran over to the open vent and peered out to see what had caused the uproar.

Abo and Cado had appeared in the cellar, raving mad. “Don’t tell me you idiots haven’t found them yet! We’re sick and tired of waiting. You fools aren’t even making a real effort to find them and you will all pay for your incompetence!” the blue brother snarled, aiming an energy beam at one of the terrified crewmembers. The man was disintegrated in a fraction of an instant.

Tarble glanced back at the drek army as they rounded back toward the pile of food.

This is the perfect opportunity while Abo and Cado are down there terrorizing the crew. They’ll be too distracted to scout for my energy level while those two are throwing a fit.

The saiyan prince turned around and prepared his own attack on the pesky dreks trying to steal Bulma’s meal.

“Uzi Deathshot 4000!” Tarble shouted, blasting the crowd of black dreks with a powerful concentrated energy beam. The first hundred in the front were vaporized instantly, but another legion of dreks followed after them. Tarble repeated the attack three more times until he was sure there were no more dreks coming down the tunnel. He glanced out of the vent again and saw that the chaos below was still going on. Suddenly, Tarble’s heart stopped in his chest when he saw Cado crush one of the storage crates out of sheer anger. “Find them now or you are all going to die!” he shrieked, preparing to aim a blast of energy at an entire row of the crates.

Oh, no!

Tarble thought.

If they start destroying crates, they might destroy the one Bulma’s in! What am I going to do? I have to think of something fast! Geez, it’s always just one problem after another. When will ever life cut me a break?

the poor forlorn prince thought, sighing.

A light bulb suddenly illuminated in the depths of the saiyan’s mind. “I’ve got it! I’ll go to the upper level and create a distraction, then shrink myself back down and disappear before anyone can catch me! They’ll abandon the search in the cellar and start seeking us out on the upper levels. Then I can sneak back here and get the food to Bulma. I just hope no more of those nasty pests show up again while I’m not here to defend the food,” he murmured to himself.

But before this plan could be carried out, a new development occurred in the chaotic scene below. Captain Mareth’s new first mate ran down the stairs into the cellar and leapt on top of a crate. “Everybody, listen to me! Stop everything you’re doing! Lords Abo and Cado? We have good news. We are sure the prisoners are still aboard the vessel, but they have escaped from the cellar. Some food from the upper level has gone missing. They must be somewhere on the second floor! Everybody head upstairs right now to continue the search and we’ll post guards at every door to the cellar to make sure they can’t sneak back down!” Seth declared loudly. Abo and Cado’s anger left their faces and they started to look absolutely perturbed.

Tarble was agape as all the pirates did as the first mate instructed and rushed two by two up the stairwell to the upper level. It was just too good to be true.

You’ve got to be kidding me. Just like that? Wow, they must have discovered the table I raided in the garage. Good thing I thought to cover my tracks! They probably don’t even know that I’ve shrunk myself,

he thought euphorically.

As soon as the cellar was cleared of pirates, Tarble kicked out the downward facing vent over Bulma’s crate, hopped down, unshrunk himself, and lifted the top off. The first thing he saw was the young earthling woman huddled into a fetal position, shaking and crying. She yelped when the crate was opened. “Don’t hurt me, please!” Bulma desperately pleaded.

“Bulma! It’s just me, Tarble. I snuck away with the micro band to find food. Now I have some hidden up in the vent overhead for you,” he explained, shooting a glance up at the ceiling shaft.

“T-Tarble?” Bulma murmured as he gently put the top of the crate back down.

“I’ll be right back,” Tarble said. He flew up to the open vent, reached inside, and gathered all of the food into his arms. It was not a huge meal, hardly even a snack by saiyan standards, but it would be enough to stay a human’s hunger for sure. He returned to the crate just as a trembling Bulma peeked out cautiously. He offered her the food. “Hungry?” he inquired. “We’ll need that brain of yours working at top capacity if we’re going to get out of here in one piece.”

Bulma sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes as she picked up a piece of fruit. “Th-thank Kami, Tarble. I was asleep and then suddenly the whole crate starting shaking and I could hear what was going on outside. I was afraid those gumball freaks were going to destroy all the crates down here and me along with them. And when I realized you were gone, I totally panicked.”

“Heh,” Tarble replied. “Sorry about that. I used your invention to go in search of food.”

Bulma raised an eyebrow and looked at what he had to offer in his arms. “You’re giving me

all

the food? But you’ve got to be famished yourself. You’re a saiyan, after all!”

“Oh, I was, but I already stuffed myself when I was the size of a mouse. Now that I’m big again, I’m surprised that I still feel full. This invention of yours is really neat!” Tarble exclaimed.

Bulma smiled. “Thanks, Tarble. I certainly wouldn’t have been able to rescue you from those creeps without it, that’s for sure,” she admitted. “Then again, I might’ve found another way.”

“Do you think you might be able to find parts around here to make another one of these? I’m thinking if we can both be small at the same time, it’ll be a lot easier to escape from this awful pirate ship without getting caught,” Tarble said, taking the band off and handing it to Bulma.

“Perhaps. That’s actually a great idea! I’ll have to find all the necessary parts though. This could take awhile, maybe up to a few days. I invented this a long time ago so I hardly remember how it works, to be honest. But I suppose as long as we can stay hidden for long enough, there is hope.”

“Oh!” Tarble blurted, snapping his fingers. “I wanted to let you know I found the Z Commando too. We won’t be able to use it because the crew has taken it apart to learn about its technology. But I’m sure we’ll think of something, especially with you here. You’re brilliant!”

“Thank you, Tarble,” Bulma said, biting into a juicy piece of purple-spotted, pear-shaped fruit. “Mm. This is delicious. I wonder what it’s called. I’ve never tasted anything like it before.”

“I can’t identify the fruit, but I do know what a few of these other things are,” Tarble replied. He tore the top off of a smaller crate and put all the food on top of it as a sort of makeshift plate. He handed the 'plate' to Bulma. “Anyway, it’s all tasty and will help you recover your strength.”

Bulma dug in, scarfing the exotic tarts, cheeses, meats, and fruit with fervor. “Thanks for going to all this trouble for me, Tarble,” she expressed after swallowing a large mouthful. “I know we humans don’t eat much, but I’m pretty famished!” she conceded, taking another big bite of fruit.

“No problem. Well, now that I’m not hungry anymore, I feel just about ready to collapse. I can’t even remember the last time I got to sleep,” Tarble replied, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

Bulma stopped chewing for a second. “Yeah, Tarb. Your eyes look pretty red. But, hey, your body is looking better. How do you feel?” she inquired, examining his injured torso.

“Way better after eating. It doesn’t hurt nearly as much. I think as long as I get some good rest I should heal up pretty quickly,” Tarble replied, rubbing his bare shoulder bashfully. Even if he had a top, he would not be able to wear it in his condition. He was just too sore from the beating.

Bulma glanced around. “Well, once I’m done eating, would you help me move things around? We’re going to be stranded here until I can make the new micro band. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to make our hideout more accommodating. Maybe we can find something to sleep comfortably on in the other crates and get started taking apart some of the equipment in here to make more room for ourselves,” she suggested. “Who knows what treasures this room might contain?”

“Great idea! I’ll do most of the moving. Some of this stuff is bound to be heavy. I’ll get started searching for anything we can use for bedding right now. Take your time with your meal. There’s no use in getting a stomach ache,” Tarble suggested, helping Bulma climb out of the crate.

She sat down on the top of the crate to eat comfortably, watching Tarble as he began to rummage through the other boxes. Both of them were careful to keep the noise level down.

…

When Chi Chi woke up from several hours of sleep in the maternity ward, the first thing she saw was her father’s face smiling at her. “Dad?” she rasped, rubbing her eyes. “What happened?”

“You don’t remember? You were having some painful contractions, so I brought you to the hospital. They gave you drugs to make them stop. Do you feel better now, honey?” the Ox King inquired. He moved aside and Chi Chi caught sight of Mrs. Briefs with a big bouquet of flowers.

“Hiya, Chi Chi! I thought I’d bring you some flowers from my garden as a get-well gift. Your father says you gave him quite a scare,” the blonde woman chirped, placing the flowers on Chi Chi’s bedside table. “Oh, but I’m so excited about our vacation together! It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to spend any quality time with my favorite ladies. We’ll have so much fun!”

Chi Chi looked confused. “Va… vacation?” she murmured, sitting up slowly and placing a hand on her swollen abdomen. The contractions were gone entirely and the baby was resting.

“That’s right, honey,” the Ox King chimed. “Doctor’s orders. You’ve been under too much stress. I’m sending you and Mrs. Briefs to a specialty pregnancy retreat for a week or two. Don’t worry about Gohan and Goku, I’ll house-sit for you and take care of everything at home. Your plane leaves in about an hour, so up and at ‘em! We’ve got you all packed up and ready to go.”

Dr. Bulberry pushed a wheelchair into the room. “Feeling better, Mrs. Son? You’re ready to be discharged. Do you need help getting up, ma’am?” he inquired, wheeling the chair over to her bedside. Mrs. Briefs and the Ox King moved aside to make way. “Here we go now.”

Chi Chi scooted her legs until they hung over the side of the bed and put a hand to her head. “H-hold on, this is all happening so fast. I’m confused,” she uttered, glancing around groggily.

“What’s wrong, Mrs. Son? Are you still in pain?” Dr. Bulberry inquired.

“N-no,” Chi Chi hesitantly replied. “I feel better, I really do. But…”

“But what, honey?” the Ox King inquired, wiping a bead of sweat away from his brow. “If you feel okay, then what are you confused about? Your head doesn’t hurt, does it?”

“Well,
Dad,
I can’t just drop everything and go on vacation,” Chi Chi asserted, rising slowly to her feet and placing a supportive hand on her lower back. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Briefs, but I have responsibilities at home, a family to take care of.” She drew her brows together. “Whose crazy idea was this anyway? What about Goku and Gohan? They need me, Dad!” she said.

The Ox King reached forward. “Now, Chi Chi, think of the baby. Goku and Gohan are a lot more independent than you think, plus I’ll be there to house-sit for you. I’ll keep tabs on Gohan and make sure he does all his homework and I’ll check it all when he’s done. I promise.”

Chi Chi rounded on him. “But, Dad, you’re not a housewife! You can’t cook and clean and…”

Dr. Bulberry put up a hand to silence Chi Chi. “Mrs. Son, your father makes an excellent point. His only concern is the safety and health of yourself and your unborn child. You’ve simply been under too much stress lately,” he explained. “And it greatly concerns us both.”

“That’s right,” the Ox King chimed. “You’re right about having responsibilities, but you’ve got to straighten out your priorities, sweetie. Your biggest responsibility right now is taking care of that little baby in your belly. Stress can be hard on a pregnancy. I’m begging you for the sake of my new grandson, take Dr. Bulberry’s advice. Please, Chi Chi!” the Ox King begged.

Chi Chi’s face relaxed some and then she sighed. “Well, I guess if the doctor really thinks I should…” The Ox King, Mrs. Briefs, and Dr. Bulberry all nodded at the same time.

Mrs. Briefs giggled. “Believe me, Chi Chi, you’re making the right decision. I was hesitant about going on vacation too because I’ve been oh-so worried about my Bulma. But my husband told me that sitting around the house and worrying will do nothing for my complexion and it certainly won’t help my daughter get home any sooner. And you know what? He was right. So here I am. Besides, when Bulma gets back, I don’t want to be there to greet her with stress wrinkles all over my face!” the ditzy woman exclaimed, putting a hand to each cheek. “That would be awful!”

Chi Chi blinked in a confused manner. “Well, okay… but isn’t it dangerous to travel in the third trimester, Dr. Bulberry?” she suddenly inquired, turning to the doctor with concerned eyes.

The Ox King shook his head and clicked his tongue at his daughter. “Chi Chi, Chi Chi, Chi Chi… do you really think you know better than a trained medical professional? It’s a pretty short plane ride, sweetie. I promise you two will be safe and so will that little baby boy.”

“How short?” Chi Chi inquired, raising an eyebrow.

“An hour is all,” Dr. Bulberry chimed. “It’s a small tropical island just off the southern shore with quite a reputable retreat and spa for women who are expecting, just like you.”

The Ox King smiled. “That’s right, honey. You’ll have the best time of your life, I promise. So do you think you might be ready to go yet?” he asked, suddenly looking rather hopeful.

“We’re going straight to the airport from here?” Chi Chi inquired skeptically.

The Ox King nodded. “That’s right. You’ve got first class seats and an attendant with a wheelchair will be at the curb to pick you up,” he explained, whipping out the tickets.

Chi Chi’s face softened at the news. “You… you really went to all this trouble for me, Dad?”

“Of course. You’re my little girl, Chi Chi. I’ll take care of everything at home. Don’t you dare worry about a thing!” her father warned, wagging a finger at her in a mock-stern manner.

Just as Chi Chi was about to leap into her father’s arms for a hug, she paused. “Oh, but what about luggage? Do we have enough time to stop by home first? I’ll need a few things.”

“You’re already packed. I used a DynoCap so you’ll have everything you could possibly need with you, plus plenty of spending money for souvenirs if you wish,” the Ox King said, taking the wheelchair from Dr. Bulberry. “Come along now, the plane won’t wait if we’re late.”

Chi Chi hesitated, but she finally shrugged and sat down in the wheelchair. “Alright. Let’s do it!”

“Yippee!” Mrs. Briefs exclaimed, jumping up and down a few times.

The Ox King rolled the wheelchair with his daughter out of the hospital room and down the hall with Mrs. Briefs in tow. “I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank you enough, Daddy! This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me!” Chi Chi said, beaming happily.

“Oh, sweetie. Your happiness is the only reward I need and you know it,” the Ox King replied. In the back of his mind, he heaved a huge sigh of relief.

I can’t believe this is actually working. For a minute there, I thought I was done for! I’ll have to send Dr. Bulberry a thank-you card for sure.

…

“I’ve found something!” Tarble called to Bulma as she finished her meal. He pulled a couple of fine luxury blankets out of a small crate and patted the surface of them. “Sooo soft!”

The woman hopped down from the crate she was sitting on and walked over to him. “Wow! This material is

amazingly

soft. These blankets must be stolen goods. I wonder what they’re made out of. Must be some kind of priceless luxury cloth or silk,” Bulma said, examining his find.

As Tarble ran his hand across the velvety material, the feeling of the cloth began to seem oddly familiar to him. He gave one blanket to Bulma and took another for himself, pressing his face against the material and inhaling deeply. Suddenly the man’s eyes popped open.

“What is it?” Bulma inquired, taking notice.

“I… I think I know what this is,” Tarble said hesitantly, “I’ve slept on this type of linen before when I was a kid back in my father’s palace. I can’t remember what this is called exactly, but I know where it comes from. And you’re right, Bulma. It must be stolen because it’s incredibly expensive. Only royalty and the ultra-super-rich can afford such fine bed linens.”

“Really?” Bulma asked, immediately taking great interest.

Tarble nodded. “Yeah.” Bulma and Tarble heard a thump from the ceiling overhead, reminding them that they were not alone on the ship. “Before we relax, I think we need to get the stuff out of that crate so we can be comfortable in there. Someone could come down the stairs any minute and we’d have to hide. We also don’t want to leave any clues to suggest we’re still down here.”

“Good thinking, Tarble,” Bulma replied, staring nervously at the hung ceiling. She put the plush blanket down and went back to the crate they planned to hide inside of. She pulled the top off and reached down to the tubing and smaller pieces of equipment. “Alright, I got it.”

“Good idea, Bulma. We should get all the small pieces out first before I haul out the big pieces of equipment. We’ll make less noise that way,” Tarble remarked, hopping inside the crate to help.

Together, they were able to efficiently remove all the small pieces of robotic equipment and hide them in other crates in less than five minutes. There were five larger pieces. Only three of them were able to fit in other crates, so Bulma had to anxiously spend some time taking the other two pieces apart by hand so they could be stowed. As the young tech genius worked, Tarble noticed her collecting bits and pieces of material, such as screws, microchips, and other things. “Are you taking that stuff to make the micro band with?” the saiyan prince inquired curiously.

“Yeah, among other things,” Bulma replied, not taking her eyes off of her work. As parts of the equipment came loose, she handed them to Tarble. “Find somewhere to hide this.”

“Sure thing,” Tarble said, searching through the other crates. He stowed each piece away neatly, making it look like they had been packed that way intentionally to avoid suspicion.

“Alright, this is the last piece,” Bulma said, yawning deeply. “Wow, I’m so exhausted. I don’t think I can get any more work done right now. I desperately need to sleep. What about you?”

Tarble yawned too. “Same. Now that we’ve got full stomachs, we should get some shuteye. You can continue working on the new micro band when we wake up,” he suggested.

“Great idea, Tarb. We make a great team, don’t we?” Bulma said with half-lidded eyes, laughing a bit. She took as many of the luxury blankets as her arms could carry and waddled over to the crate they would be hiding in. Tarble opened the top for her and she dropped them in. “Come on, let’s get as comfortable as possible and go to sleep.” They climbed into the crate and passed out.

…

The council chamber was a massive dome located in the dead center of the ship. It was like an amphitheater with a narrow aisle leading to the stage or pulpit. The aisle itself was lined with uniformed guards holding spear-like weapons of some kind. The Z fighters were in awe as they entered the place. It was already full of the Pellucian army’s highest ranking officers, who took up nearly every seat available. Goku, Gohan, and the others had to stand at the back since they had come in just before the start of the war council proceedings. Peridot had run off, but he soon returned and furnished all the earthlings with little earpieces serving as universal translators.

Everyone put theirs on as a Pellucian announcer came onto the stage and began speaking. The earpieces translated his words for the Z fighters. “Without further ado, I present His Majesty King Chrystal and His Royal Highness Prince Vegeta,” the man declared through some kind of mic that amplified his words all over the vast chamber. He stepped to the side and the guards lowered themselves to one knee as the king of Pellucid entered the room first, followed closely by Vegeta. Both king and prince were wearing some kind of headset with a mouthpiece to amplify their voices. King Chrystal was the first to speak. “Friends and subjects, as you all know, and for some time now, a mysterious force has been intercepting our supply ships and stealing our people and property. A vast amount of our wealth has been lost this way. We believe strongly that Prince Vegeta and another saiyan have uncovered a crucial clue as to the identity of the enemy responsible. That is why we are launching this warstrike. In addition, there are two recently missing persons who must be recovered from the

Dark Oblivion

before the

Queen Bijou’s Justice

can attempt any assault on our enemies. I will let Prince Vegeta, the commander of our armed forces, take over this discussion now and explain the rest to all of you.”

Vegeta stepped forward as the king retreated to a seat near the pulpit. Dressed in his best, he had the appearance both of royalty and of a serious force to be reckoned with. His vestments and outward demeanor served to give the army confidence that he was a competent military leader. “For all the officers of our military and the people of Pellucid who are watching at home, I have a very important message. With the help of many advisors, I have just finished putting together a preliminary strategy which I believe will be effective in achieving our aims in the war effort. A great deal of your valuable property has gone missing. Even more importantly, many of your people have gone missing as well. It is my promise to you that I will not rest until as many of these people and valuables have been recovered as possible and brought home to Planet Pellucid where they belong. As we speak, scouts who were already in the vicinity have been deployed to assess the precise situation on former Frieza Planet 392 as it currently stands. We now know what we are dealing with in terms of enemy numbers and weaponry. If the press will please cut the transmission now, I must speak to the council alone concerning our strategy.”

The room erupted into a roar of approval from the crowd, almost startling the Z fighters. The audience certainly did seem to have confidence in Vegeta. Yamcha leaned over to the others and uttered, “Geez, you guys. I had no idea Vegeta could be such an effective politician.”

“Me neither,” Goku admitted.

Krillin snorted. “I’m going to withhold my approval until

after

his plan proves effective, if it does at all,” he replied skeptically. “Even so, I still don’t like the guy for hurting Bulma.”

Vegeta raised his arms to quiet the audience, which worked quickly. “If you please, I’d like you all to withhold your praise until after we have a successful battle. Now that the transmission to Planet Pellucid is off, we all need to talk serious business here,” he decreed. He reached into the neck of his armor and pulled out a small control. Clicking a button, a massive 3D hologram of a spinning red globe appeared right above the pulpit. It was large and detailed enough that every member of the audience could easily see it, including those all the way in the back.

“This is former Frieza Planet 392. Most of the planet is covered in oceans of a highly-potent acid called fluoribonium. Any spacecraft that falls into one of these oceans and its occupants will be unrecoverable, so steer clear of them. There are currently ten known military bases on the land surface of the planet, three more than there were just before Frieza’s death. Before our attack, a special rescue squad will be deployed to recover the two recently missing persons in question and I will be among them. Currently, the missing persons are believed to be aboard the

Dark Oblivion

, which has yet to make port. According to intelligence, it is expected to show up just hours after our arrival. Therefore, to avoid causing alarm,

Bijou’s Justice

is going to be hidden behind the farthest moon of 392 with a cloaking device as extra insurance against discovery. Spies will be stationed within the landing field while I go inside with one other person in order to conduct a search for the missing persons. Meanwhile, a few powerful warriors will be sent as a distraction for Abo and Cado to facilitate the search and rescue process,” Vegeta continued.

Suddenly a member of the audience raised a hand, but Vegeta gestured for him to put it down. “You must wait to ask your questions at the end. Write them down if you must in the meantime. I will be open to questions as soon as the war council is ready to conclude. As for the attack itself, we will go over this shortly before the rescue squad is deployed. Spies are currently uncovering the whereabouts of the missing property and people. Once we have enough intelligence on this matter, we will be able to assign attack strategies to different legions of the army. All I can reveal right now is the general strategy. There are eleven legions aboard this ship. Two legions will be responsible for attacking the main base and one for each of the outliers. It should be relatively easy to overwhelm each location with the sheer numbers that we have brought with us.”

After that, Vegeta went on detail what sort of weaponry the enemy had and where their main strengths and weaknesses were located. “The most important action we must complete is to take out the central guns that can shoot destructive beams of pure energy far past the atmosphere and easily take out large ships. Attack units will be used to destroy these guns first and foremost,” he continued. “The attack units must be perfectly coordinated such that all the guns are destroyed at approximately the same time. The element of surprise is going to be our best friend.”

Half of hour later, Vegeta had finished explaining his strategy and it was time for questions. Nearly a quarter of the officers in the room raised their hands. Vegeta started at the front and worked his way back. On the last row, one Pellucian man rose to his feet when the prince called on him, turned on his speaker, and said, “Your Highness, who are the two missing persons?”

“That question is irrelevant,” Vegeta replied. “I will only answer questions related to the war strategy. Besides, if we are successful, you’ll find out the answer to that question later. Next.”

Another officer rose to his feet. “My lord, do you have a Plan B in case we are discovered?”

“Yes,” Vegeta replied. “I intend to go over that information in a few days when we have gathered more intelligence. I promise, you will all be kept in the loop of the newest developments.”

Finally, Vegeta got to the end of the row and saw that both Krillin and Yamcha were raising their hands as well. He blinked in surprise and pointed to them. “I intend to call a special meeting with the Z fighters right after this assembly. Can your questions wait until then?” he inquired.

Both Z fighters put their hands down. “Oh?” Krillin said. “Yeah, that’s fine.” Yamcha nodded.

“Very well, everyone is dismissed except the spies and the Z fighters. Please make your way out. Kakarott, get your ass up here now and bring your friends,” he declared, gesturing to the pulpit.

Goku snapped to attention as the majority of the room rose and started to exit the vast chamber. He turned to the other Z fighters. “Alright, guys, let’s go talk to Vegeta,” he declared, leading them through the departing crowd. Once they reached the pulpit, Goku smiled at the prince. “Hi again, ‘Geta. I like your plan so far,” he remarked. “But you didn’t go into detail about how you are planning to pull off the search and rescue mission. Is that what you’re meeting with us for?”

“Precisely,” Vegeta replied, taking off his headset and setting it aside.

Krillin blinked in surprise. “Oh, good. That was my question too.”

“And mine,” Yamcha added.

“I figured,” Vegeta replied as five Pellucian men in special jumpsuits approached. “Kakarott, I’d like to introduce you to Iridum, Planitum, Rhudimo, Osmum, and Silver. These five men are expert spies and they too will be part of the extraction process along with you all. Now, you and whichever of your friends you choose get to have the fun role in this process. Your job, baka, is to go to the planet looking like some random pissed off space punk who’s seeking a good fight. When the pirates’ forces arrive approach you, you tell them you heard Abo and Cado were fierce fighters and you are seeking to test your strength against them. Those arrogant fuckers won’t be able to resist the challenge, I guarantee. So, basically, your job is to distract those assholes while I and one other individual sneak aboard the ship and search for Tarble and Bulma.”

“Yay!” Goku declared, loving the prospect of a good fight. “Thanks, Vegeta!”

Vegeta turned his attention to the other Z fighters. “Okay, now which of you is the stealthiest?”

Piccolo, Gohan, Krillin, and Yamcha all blinked in surprise at the unexpected question. Yamcha hesitantly raised his hand. “Well, I-I used to be a desert bandit. That required some stealth.”

“Then would you be up to the challenge of sneaking on the ship with me to seek out Bulma and Tarble?” Vegeta inquired, pointing squarely at Yamcha. “I need a stealthy and clever partner.”

Krillin jumped in front of the other Z fighter. “Yamcha isn’t qualified! He doesn’t care about Bulma,” the short man chimed, glaring back at Yamcha over his shoulder. “I’ll go.”

The former bandit knitted his brows in anger. “I do care about Bulma. I consider her a friend!”

Vegeta glanced back and forth between the two as they started to argue with an expression of confusion on his face. “What the hell are you two busting each other’s balls for? I thought you were allies. I don’t need any troublemakers on this voyage! If you don’t watch yourselves, I’ll have you sent back to Earth before we even get to 392,” threatened the saiyan prince.

Yamcha frowned. “He started it!” he said, pointing to Krillin accusingly.

“I know he did. That’s why he’ll be the first to go if he doesn’t straighten up,” Vegeta replied.

Krillin gritted his teeth in anger. “I’m not going anywhere until Bulma and Tarble are safe!”

“Then behave yourself and you can stay,” Vegeta shot back. He rubbed his head in exasperation. “Alright, listen you all. Here’s the rest of the plan,” he began, only to be interrupted again.

“But I still think I’m more qualified for this mission than Yamcha,” Krillin declared.

Vegeta stomped a foot in anger. “Alright, alright! I don’t care which of you comes. He’s stealthy and you’re small. Both are advantages. If we have to flip a coin, we’ll flip a coin, but do not you dare interrupt me again!” the saiyan warned, glaring at Krillin with a balled fist.

A sweat drop formed on Goku’s forehead. “Krillin, just do what he says. Geez.” He turned his attention back to Vegeta. “Sorry, ‘Geta. They were arguing before the assembly.”

“Tell them to save it for when they get back to Earth!” Vegeta snapped.

Goku turned to Krillin and Yamcha. “Vegeta says to save it for when…”

“We know!” they both shouted in unison.

Goku blinked. “Oh, good.”

“Anyway,” Vegeta continued, gesturing to the purple men in jumpsuits. “These Pellucian spies are going to be posted in the landing field of base FZ1, which is the only base on the planet large enough for the

Dark Oblivion

to make port at. Their job is to watch and make sure that Bulma and Tarble are not taken off the ship while the search party is inside looking for them.” He took the controller in his hand and clicked another button, which brought up an image of a huge black spaceship. “This is the

Dark Oblivion

. The first place that we are going to search is the cellar at the lowest level of the ship because that is where the brig is located. It’s where we are most likely to find any prisoners that may have been taken captive. Kakarott, when you challenge Abo and Cado to a fight, make sure you take them as far away from base FZ1 is they will allow. I don’t want them interfering with the search. If we don’t find them in the cellar, we search each level of the ship bottom to top until we find them. We may have to take hostages for interrogation to get information,” Vegeta informed them, eyeing Yamcha and Krillin. “Which of you is the most prepared to do that? We may have to hurt them to get information out of them. I can, however, guarantee that we won’t have to kill them because we will be carrying heavy duty tranquilizers with us. We can simply put them to sleep for twenty hours after the interrogations.”

Yamcha looked hesitant. “What do you mean hurt them? Like torture them?”

“Only so much as is required to get the information that we need,” Vegeta clarified.

Krillin drew his brows together. “I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to rescue Bulma!”

“In that case,” Vegeta replied, “there’ll be no need to flip a coin. You’re the one coming with me, cueball. I need someone like you who is sure of himself and will stop at nothing.”

Krillin shot Yamcha a cocky look, but Yamcha just crossed his arms petulantly. “Fine, whatever. I’ll go with Goku. It’s not that big a deal anyway,” the latter expressed. “I just wanted to help.”

“Kakarott,” Vegeta said. “Make sure you steer clear of the acidic oceans.”

Goku smiled. “Sure thing, ‘Geta.”

“Alright, I think that covers just about everything for now. We’re going to have another war council and another private meeting afterward in a few days’ time. Any questions before we conclude?” Vegeta inquired, glancing from Z fighter to Z fighter. “Now’s your chance.”

Gohan raised his hand. “Can we have saiyan armor?”

“Yes, you will be issued

regular

saiyan armor before we arrive. The kind that I’m wearing will not be available to the public for some time, so you will have to wait for it,” Vegeta explained.

“What exactly is my role?” Piccolo inquired.

Vegeta cast a glance at the green man. “You help Kakarott. Maybe you can fight one of the idiots while he fights the other. Work it out amongst yourselves who gets who,” he replied.

Piccolo nodded his agreement. Gohan raised his hand again. “One more quick question, Vegeta. Since I’m half-saiyan, does that mean I get the new armor free when it comes out too? You said my dad was going to get his for free because he’s a saiyan, so I was just wondering…”

Vegeta growled in annoyance. “That question is not really relevant to this operation, Gohan.”

“Please!” Gohan exclaimed, putting his hands together. “When else am I ever going to get the chance to ask you? You’re always busy all the time. I really want the new armor.”

“What do you need armor for anyway?” Vegeta barked. “You’re more of a nerd than a fighter.” The half-saiyan peered at Vegeta pleadingly. “Puppy-dog eyes do not work on me, kid. Any other questions that are actually relevant to this operation?” he asked. Gohan frowned.

The prince peered from Z fighter to Z fighter again. No one raised a hand, so he dismissed them.

…

Gure emerged from behind the red velvet curtain wearing a beautiful long backless red dress. “Hm. I don’t know, Sapphire,” she declared, spinning around in front of the mirror. “I like it, but I think it would be more suitable for balls and parties. What I really need is some spicy lingerie for when Tarble gets back. Something that will drive him wild, you know what I mean?”

Princess Sapphire’s eyes widened in surprise, but then she drew her brows together and waggled them. “Oh, I see what you are saying. You have an itch that needs to be scratched. Well, I think we can take care of that,” she replied, calling the seamstress over. When she appeared, Princess Sapphire beckoned her with a sly finger. “Miss Ruby, we need some provocative underthings, if you know what I mean,” she said suggestively, giving the young seamstress a wink.

Ruby looked excited at the suggestion. “Oh, that is my specialty, Your Highness! And what a beautiful body I have to work with here,” she remarked, admiring the young Tech-Tech woman. “I’ve got some ideas for special designs, but for now I have a few new pieces that might fit her just right. I’ll go fetch them right away,” she declared, shuffling off into the back of the shop. It was not long before she re-emerged with a stack of boxes. “These should all be in Miss Gure’s size. I’ve got some bikini-type items with sheer glittercloths, stockings, and heels that come in different colors. I suspect that black in particular will look excellent on the Tech-Tech girl.”

Gure took the boxes and placed them on the nearby tabletop, opening the first one to look through it. What she saw caused a stirring between her legs. “Oh, boy! Tarble is going to go nuts for this, I just know it! Let me try it on,” she announced, grabbing the garments and rushing back behind the privacy screen. Before long, she strutted out in a pair of black panties and bra cups that were accompanied with glittercloth stockings and a diagonal hemline shirt with one sleeve extending down her left arm. The matching black heels in particular made her look fabulous.

Princess Sapphire giggled. “Oh, you look delectable in that, Gure.”

Looking at herself in the mirror, Gure started to chew gently on her bottom lip.

Oh, Tarble. I need you. Please, my love, you have to make it back to me. I’ll be lost if you don’t,

she thought.

“Look at you, ma’am,” Ruby remarked. “Your moonlit skin doesn’t even need any makeup. You look like an angel dropped out of the heavens or a lunar goddess. Prince Tarble is so lucky.”

Gure laughed. “Oh, you’re too kind,” she said, playing with her alabaster hair. Then she sighed.

“Is something wrong, Gure?” Princess Sapphire asked. The poor girl had to still be worrying about her lost mate, the princess figured. Sapphire rose to her feet and trod over to Gure, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Vegeta is a very clever and determined man. I know he’ll find Tarble.”

Still peering into the mirror, Gure put on a subtle smile. “Even so, I think I need to keep busy or else I won’t stop dwelling on this. Let me try on some more of the outfits,” she suggested. “I’d like to keep this one, though. Tarble will love it for sure. Which one do you think I should go for next?” she inquired, sifting through the other boxes. “Ooh, a pink babydoll. Do you think I might look good in pink? I don’t think I’ve ever worn it before,” Gure said, holding it up in front of her.

“You might. It’s worth a try. But you know what? I thought you looked pretty good in purple before. We have great beaches in Eclat City and I think that would make a very romantic date for you two to go to the beach together. We should get you a purple bikini too,” Sapphire replied.

Ruby smiled. “Oh, we have an excellent variety of swimsuits in all colors, designs, and sizes. I’m sure I can find something like that, Your Highness. I think it would look great on her too. Our swim department is just the next room over. Let’s go have a look-see,” she proposed.

…

Several days later…

Chi Chi let out a relaxed sigh as she lounged on a beach towel beside Mrs. Briefs, both women shiny with suntan oil. “I’m telling you, Panchy. I think this has to be one of the best ideas my father has ever had. Even the baby has calmed down since we got here. And the massages have made my cramps go away entirely. I almost feel like I’m not even pregnant,” the black-haired woman remarked, rubbing some more oil on her swollen belly. “It’s great to feel normal again.”

“The food has been to die for,” Mrs. Briefs replied. “Ain’t it such a relief not having to cook for a while? All your stress wrinkles have gone away. I swear you look ten years younger, Chi.”

Chi Chi smiled. “I have to say, you look fabulous too,” she said, stretching out on her towel. She rolled over onto her side facing her friend. “And you’re right. I had no idea how much stress I was under, taking care of a family all the time. Though I do wonder how everything is going at home. I’ve felt so blissful here, I haven’t even thought to call home yet. I ought to do just that,” she added, reaching over to find her purse. The cell phone was buried at the bottom.

Mrs. Briefs smiled. “Ask them if there’s any news on Bulma for me, will you, dear?”

Chi Chi nodded as she dialed her home phone number. “Gohan should be getting home from school right about now,” she said, putting the receiver to her ear. “I can’t wait to hear his voice.”

It was not until the tenth ring that someone picked up.

…

The Ox King had only just gotten back from Capsule Corp when the phone rang. He rushed over and picked it up. “Hello, this is the Son residence. It’s the Ox King speaking,” he said.

“Hey, Dad!” came Chi Chi’s cheerful voice. “How is everything going at home? I just wanted to let you know I am having a great time on my vacation with Panchy. How are Gohan and Goku doing? Any problems with school or homework? And has it snowed yet?” she inquired.

The Ox King immediately felt his blood pressure speed up as he was bombarded with questions. Fortunately, Chi Chi appeared to be in a good mood. All he had to do was keep her that way and hopefully his little scheme would not be discovered. “Oh, hi, honey! Yeah, they’re doing great. No problems at home. We got a light flurry yesterday, but nothing substantial. So what’ve you and Mrs. Briefs been up to? Anything fun or mostly just rest and relaxation?” he asked.

“Relaxation is fun, Dad,” Chi Chi retorted in a light-hearted tone. “As far as excitement goes, I have had too much of it in the past. I wish I could slow down this much all the time, but I will have to come home eventually. Anyway, the accommodations are stunning. We get massages two times a day and pregnancy yoga classes. The food is great, the beach is a blast. In the evenings, we even have light social events with dancing and music on the beach! It’s fun and yet not overly stimulating. Ooh, I had a facial earlier today and now my skin is as soft as a child’s.”

The Ox King smiled. “It’s wonderful to hear that you’re enjoying yourself, sweetie. You deserve it. You have worked so hard keeping everything on track at home for years now.”

Chi Chi giggled. “Oh, it’s all in a day’s work, as they say. Has Gohan gotten home from school yet? I miss hearing his voice. I would like to talk to him for a bit if you don’t mind, Dad.”

The Ox King’s heart stopped.

Uh, oh. Now what do I do? I gotta make up a lie and I gotta make one up quick!

he thought. “Oh, um, he’s not home just yet. I’m sure he will be soon.”

There was a pause in the conversation before Chi Chi spoke again. “But, Dad, I just checked the time. He should be home by now. He didn’t get detention, did he?” she said, sounding a bit mad. “He’s never gotten detention before. I swear if I find out that he got detention, that young man is going to be in big trouble! I’m going to call the school just to make sure. I’ll call you back, Dad.”

“That’s not necessary!” the Ox King exclaimed, feeling panicked. “I’ll call them for you. You just relax and I’ll call you back real soon. Like I said, let me handle things at home here for you. I’ll let you know if there’s any trouble, honey. It could just be that Gohan elected to walk home with a classmate. I mean, who knows? Maybe he’s got a crush at school!” he blurted.

Another pause. “Uh, Dad, don’t you think Gohan’s a little young for that?”

A big sweat drop formed on the Ox King’s head. “Oh, yeah. I forgot. Well, let me call the school like I said and I’ll get right back to you. I’m sure it’s nothing. Gohan’s grades have been straight A’s as usual this week. In fact, he even got extra credit on a quiz the other day!” he lied.

Chi Chi seemed to shrug over the line. “Well, alright, Dad. As long as you promise to call me right back. I’m trying to stick to your advice about letting you handle things this week. I think you’re right. I mean, I really do need to let loose more, especially now that I’m pregnant again.”

“I’m glad to hear it, honey. Anything else before I phone the school?”

“Yes, Panchy wants to know if there’s any news on Bulma. If you could also call Capsule Corp to give us an update, that’d be great. Anyway, I guess Goku’s out training since you haven’t offered to put me on the phone with him,” Chi Chi remarked with a sigh. “Oh, that husband of mine. What am I going to do with him? I wish he’d just settle down and get a job so we wouldn’t have to be on such a tight budget most of the year. But, no, he’s just gotta train, train, train.”

The Ox King let loose a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, he’s training. Not sure where.”

“Anyway, I’ll let you get to it. Panchy and I need to put on some more suntan oil before we turn into lobsters out here. Oh, if I don’t pick up, please leave me a message. I might be a little busy in a few minutes,” Chi Chi replied. “It’s almost time for the evening massage.”

“Sure thing! Talk to you soon, honey,” the Ox King said.

“Bye, Dad,” Chi Chi spoke, ending the call.

The Ox King was sweating bullets by the end of the conversation. “Ah, gee. What am I gonna do? She’s going to insist on talking to Gohan, I just know it,” he lamented, sitting down at the kitchen table to sulk. “Hm, I wonder if there’s a way to get in contact with them. Dr. Briefs might know. If not, I’m going to have to think up a pretty elaborate lie to get out of this one!”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Vegeta growled as he stomped down the corridor, followed closely by a pair of guards. He stopped in his tracks and rubbed his temples. A headache had been developing for the last couple hours, but he had not yet had the time to do anything about it. They were almost to 392, which meant he was constantly busy with intelligence calls, military meetings, and, of course, doing whatever it took to keep King Chrystal in the loop of what was going on. It would be only fourteen hours until they arrived at the farthest moon of 392. Intelligence from spies at the base indicated that the

Dark Oblivion

was set to arrive just hours after

Bijou’s Justice

.

The timing was perfect.

Queen Bijou’s Justice

had already turned on her state-of-the-art cloaking forcefield, which meant that no attack balls or other smaller ships could leave while it was on. Fortunately, no one needed to. The spies on 392 had intercepted transmissions between base FZ1 and the

Dark Oblivion

, learning there were two prisoners lost aboard the ship. The transmissions did confirm that there was a saiyan prisoner aboard. Vegeta was worried because he knew it would be hard to find Tarble and Bulma if even the ship’s crew could not find them for a whole week. The prince needed to call another meeting with the Z fighters to share the new info, as it would be relevant to the search and rescue operation that they would all be involved in.

Fortunately, Vegeta did not have to go all the way down to the soldiers’ quarters to find them. “Hey, Vegeta!” came the voice of the irritating Earth saiyan. Vegeta spun on a heel and spotted the Z fighters walking his way from the end of the corridor that he had just come down. “We've been looking for you, ‘Geets. Where you been?” Goku greeted as they approached.

“Kakarott!” Vegeta blurted, turning to walk toward them. “There you are.”

Goku and the other Z fighters stopped on a dime when they got close enough to observe the royal saiyan’s face. The Earth saiyan looked mildly alarmed. “Vegeta, are you okay? You look like you haven’t slept in a week,” Goku remarked, noting the circles under the prince’s eyes. He blinked, observing as Vegeta rubbed his eyes and forehead. “You got a headache or something?”

“I’ve been busy!” Vegeta snapped. “I have news I need to share with you morons. Come with me,” he instructed, pushing past Goku to lead them all to a conference room. Goku grabbed Vegeta’s bicep, stopping him in his tracks. The guards tensed. Vegeta knitted his brows sharply and glared up at Goku. “What do you think you’re doing? How dare you touch the royal…”

“‘Geets, you’re not going to be able to lead a search party or command an army in your current state. You need to get some sleep,” Goku argued, tightening his grip on the other’s arm. “Will you let me try something I learned on Planet Yardrat? It should help and I haven’t had the chance to use it yet. Please, Vegeta! I’ve been dying to try it,” the Earth saiyan eagerly beseeched.

Vegeta growled in irritation and pulled his arm back. “I don’t need your help, idiot!”

“Clearly you do because you’re being a meanie right now,” Goku retorted, causing the other saiyan to ball up his fists in anger. Vegeta turned on the other warrior, his gaze emanating hatred.

Krillin and the others jumped back in alarm. “Uh, Goku, you should probably leave him alone right now,” the short one blurted. “I don’t think he’s in any mood to tolerate any kind of…”

Ignoring his friends, Goku knitted his brows decisively and buried his hands in the prince’s dark hair. He pressed his palms to Vegeta’s scalp and squeezed his eyes shut in concentration. Vegeta furiously grabbed a hold of Goku’s wrists in an attempt to push him away, but Goku held on as the guards pointed their weapons at him and started to shout in Pelluci. The saiyan prince was just about to knee the Earth saiyan in the groin when he felt a warm and very pleasant tingling sensation begin to envelop his aching skull. It started at the points of contact with Goku’s large fingertips and spread outward from there. Vegeta’s muscles gradually ran out of tension as rapid relief came to the pain in his head. His grip on Goku’s wrists loosened and he started to slump.

The other Z fighters watched in tense fascination, as did the guards. A few moments later, Goku withdrew his hands. With the pain gone, Vegeta was left with nothing but his immense fatigue. No longer feeling wired, he yawned and rubbed his eyes. Realizing what had happened, he drew his brows together and glared up at Goku in irritation. The lower-class saiyan had a big, dumb, self-satisfied look on his face. “I don’t know what sorcery you think you just performed, but if you touch me like that again, I’ll hit you so hard that

Bardock will feel it

!” Vegeta roared. Then he turned and stomped away. “Follow me, all of you. I cannot retire until after we’ve gone over some important things,” he said to the Z crew, folding his arms petulantly as he walked.

Goku immediately followed, as did the guards. At first, the other Z fighters stood there with stunned looks on their faces. But when they realized they were falling behind, they ran to catch up to the others. Gohan blinked in curiosity, forgetting what had just happened when a question suddenly occurred to him. “Hey, Vegeta, who is Bardock?” Gohan abruptly asked. The other Z fighters immediately hushed him, not wanting to aggravate the saiyan prince any further.

Vegeta glanced back with a raised brow. “Your saiyan grandfather,” he said shortly.

Goku raised a brow. “Are you talking about my dad, Vegeta? You knew my father?”

Vegeta rounded on the orange-clad individual with a warning expression on his face. “Interrogate me now and you will sorely regret it,” he spat, shaking a fist. His voice held surprisingly little venom, which caused Goku to raise a brow. It sounded more like a minor scolding than an actual threat. Vegeta snorted, turned back around, and kept going as if nothing had happened.

Goku and Gohan glanced at each other as a million questions bubbled up in their brains. Despite Vegeta’s words, he did nonetheless appear to be in a much-improved mood compared to when they had first encountered him. When they arrived at the conference room, the prince appeared to have an infinitely subtle Mona Lisa smile on his face. “Alright, everyone, take a seat. After we wake up tomorrow, we will arrive and it’ll soon be time to deploy to the planet’s surface. Let me remind you all to keep your ki suppressed. The ship’s cloaking device helps to hide our power levels, but you might still be detectable if you have a particularly high ki and you don’t keep it in check. I’m sure all the pirates down on the planet’s surface are equipped with scouters. When we get there, I encourage you all to destroy every scouter you find. That’ll put us at an even greater advantage,” Vegeta spoke as all of the Z fighters settled into their seats around the oblong table.

Yamcha raised his hand. “Hey, Vegeta, how are we going to get down to the planet’s surface without being detected?” he suddenly inquired with a worried look on his face.

Vegeta grinned. “It’s quite simple really,” he replied. “We’re going to wear space suits and have Kakarott gradually teleport us down toward the planet’s surface. Krillin, the Pellucian spies, and I are going to be wearing special ki-suppressing camouflage jumpsuits underneath, which will allow us to remain concealed. You and the others, however, will not be needing one since your job is to be as visible as possible to distract the pirates down on the planet’s surface.” The prince glanced at Goku. “Kakarott, how well do you think you can pretend to be evil?”

Goku put a finger to his lip. “Well, I’ve never tried to do that before. You said you wanted me to act like a space punk. Fortunately, I’ve met plenty of those, but I guess first I need to know what exactly is expected of me,” the Earth saiyan explained. “Like how do I introduce myself?”

“Good question,” Vegeta said, clapping Goku lightly on the shoulder. “Your lack of a tail is going to be advantageous for us in this situation. Basically, we do not want Abo and Cado to have any idea that you have any knowledge of or interest in Tarble or Bulma. Therefore, don’t tell them that you are a saiyan at all. Pretend to be a megalomaniac from some other planet.”

“But wait,” Gohan blurted, raising his hand. Vegeta raised a brow at him. “Abo and Cado have seen me before. I was there when they came to get Tarble, but Tarble and Bulma had already left. They might recognize me and figure out why we are really here. Come to think of it, they saw Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu too. Didn’t they, guys? Maybe we should rethink this plan.”

Vegeta’s eyes widened in surprise. “I did not know that,” he admitted, rubbing his chin in a thoughtful manner as he considered the new information, “but I’m glad you thought to tell me. Alright, with that in mind, I think I have a better idea then. They never saw Kakarott, right?”

Goku shook his head. “I wasn’t there. If I had been, we could have avoided this whole mess to begin with. We never would have had to send Tarble to Planet Pellucid,” he pointed out.

Vegeta waved a hand. “Well, what’s done is done. The important thing is they don’t know who you are. Now, my new plan is this. You are going to go challenge them alone, Kakarott. At least at first. Yamcha, Gohan, Piccolo, Tien, and Chiaotzu can come along to search the ship with me and Krillin. We have enough camouflage suits for everyone who wants to participate. The most recent intelligence from the planet’s surface has informed me that Tarble and Bulma are aboard the

Dark Oblivion

but that they have somehow escaped their captors’ clutches. They are hiding somewhere on the ship. Therefore, we’ll need more search parties to enter the ship in order to find them since they won’t be in the brig. Raise your hand if you want to be part of the search party. If not, you can stay aboard the ship until the war begins. After the rescue, you are all free to participate in the fighting as much as you’d like. Which of you is up for search and rescue?”

They all raised their hands, even Piccolo, who was not keen on staying on the ship and being bored. Gohan looked a little nervous though. “Are we all going to split up?” he inquired. “I’m only nine. I don’t think I should be alone. I thought originally that I’d be staying with my dad.”

“If you want a partner, I can pair you with someone. However, we will all have communication devices with us that allow us to speak to each other. Technically, even if you’re physically alone, you’ll be in contact with the others. Kakarott, are you comfortable with Gohan partaking in this operation without your direct supervision? If not, he can stay on the warship,” Vegeta said.

Goku looked surprised. “Oh? I have faith in Gohan. He’s strong enough to protect himself from any enemies he might encounter, but it would probably be better if you paired him with Piccolo or someone else since he doesn’t sound comfortable with being on his own,” he replied.

Vegeta strode to the head of the table and opened a concealed control panel, pressing a button. A holographic image of the

Dark Oblivion

appeared over the table. “We split the search parties into three. Two people do the top levels, three the middle levels, and two the lower levels. I will be searching the cellar with Krillin. Do any of you have a preference for who you are paired with?”

Krillin jumped up from his seat. “Nothing personal, Vegeta, but I’d prefer to be paired with Yamcha so he doesn’t try any funny business,” the short Earthling expressed, glaring at his taller friend. “I don’t trust him not to try to sabotage this whole operation just to get back at Bulma.”

“Krillin, for Pete’s sake!” Yamcha blared, jumping up as well. “I don’t have anything against Bulma! Why are you acting like this? Just because I made one little comment about…”

Vegeta smacked a hand down on the table in irritation. “Damn it, you two. I’m not going to pair you if you’re going to argue on the ship. This is a stealth operation and it requires staying quiet and concealed. We are essentially spies, except we aren’t there just to gather intelligence. So I suggest one of you either stays on the ship or you settle your differences now. What is this about anyway? I thought you two Earth numskulls were friends,” the prince snapped.

Krillin and Yamcha continued to glare at each other, but then the latter looked at Vegeta and frowned. “He’s mad at me just because I made a minor comment days ago. I can’t believe he hasn’t forgotten about it by now. I didn’t mean anything by it. And I don’t want to get back at Bulma in any way, shape, or form!” Yamcha insisted, crossing his arms petulantly.

Vegeta turned his attention to Krillin. “So what’s your problem with him?”

Krillin still looked angry as he turned his attention away from Yamcha. “Forget it,” he mumbled, sitting back down in his chair. “It’s nothing that you would understand since you obviously don’t like Bulma either. I don’t understand how you jerks can be so mean to her. She has never done anything to either of you. She’s an innocent woman who didn’t deserve to have her child taken!”

“Krillin, you’re making a lot of presumptions thinking that Bulma is innocent,” Goku remarked.

Vegeta blinked. Then he drew his brows together. “Kakarott is correct. While I admit that I no longer like Bulma, that does not mean that I think she deserves to be killed or harmed. If I wanted her dead, I would have ended her myself. So my personal feelings toward her will play no part in this mission. I will take her retrieval just as seriously as I will take Tarble’s retrieval and I feel relatively confident that Yamcha feels the same way. He has had minor arguments with her in the past, but that doesn’t mean that he hates her enough to sabotage this mission. If you really think that he does, Krillin, then maybe you are the problem and not him,” Vegeta said.

“Yeah!” Yamcha retorted, shooting Krillin a snooty glare.

Krillin frowned at Yamcha. Vegeta rolled his eyes. “Now, drop the subject or else!” he warned.

Gohan raised a hand. “Vegeta, can I go with you to the cellar?”

Vegeta waved a hand nonchalantly at the boy. “Sure, whatever. Piccolo, Yamcha, would you two like to search the upper levels?” the prince inquired, receiving a nod of agreement from both. “Krillin, Tien, and Chiaotzu can take the middle levels,” Vegeta decreed. “Meanwhile, Kakarott will distract the most powerful individuals, including Abo and Cado themselves. By the way, Kakarott, the first thing you should do when you see both of them is to destroy their scouters. That way, no one can communicate with them. And don’t let them out of your sight after that.”

Goku nodded. “Sure thing!”

“Tell them you’re from a distant star and are seeking to challenge them for control of the galaxy. Refrain from destroying the lower parts of buildings at the base. That’s probably where King Chrystal’s stolen property is. If you want to blow up a few watchtowers in an act of intimidation, go ahead. And, of course, attack balls and other small ships are fair game too,” Vegeta acknowledged. “It’s important you don’t share too much information with them. Don’t tell them your real name or that you are a saiyan and don’t tell them how you got so strong.”

“Got it! But what should I tell them my name is if they ask?”

Vegeta shrugged. “Just make something up, like Cooeyvanderbullseye. I don’t really care.”

“Okay!” Goku extolled. “That sounds easy.”

Vegeta sighed. “Just try to make it believable, Kakarott. I gave a very bad example. Anyway, your goal is to incapacitate them and not kill them if you can help it. We need to take them into custody for questioning to find out who their boss is. I suspect it might be another member of Frieza’s family, but I cannot be sure. Whoever it is constitutes a threat to Pellucid and must be eliminated at a later date. Once the search and rescue mission is completed, the others and I can come to help you with the fight, assuming you even need any help. Now, any more questions before we conclude this meeting? You better ask now because I will not be available for the next eight-plus hours,” he asserted, panning his gaze from person to person.

Gohan raised a hand. “Do the questions have to be relevant to the search and rescue thing?”

“Yes, or the ensuing battle.”

Gohan’s shoulders slumped. “Darn,” the boy uttered, causing the prince to roll his eyes. No one else raised a hand, so Vegeta dismissed them all and returned to his room to catch up on sleep.

…

The Ox King sped over the highway in his vehicle, heading toward West City. No one had picked up the phone at Capsule Corp when he had called. Rather than waiting to call again later, he hurried over to the complex in the hope of seeing Dr. Briefs in person. Soon enough, he hit the early evening traffic of West City and had to go slowly, which unnerved him to no end.

By the time the Ox King finally arrived at Capsule Corp, he was pretty frantic. He screeched his vehicle to a halt in front of the compound and dashed out, running straight up to the intercom at the front. He pressed the button. “Hello? Is Dr. Briefs here? This is the Ox King and I need to see the guy immediately! It’s an emergency,” he raved, hopping from foot to foot.

A robotic voice came over the intercom. “Dr. Briefs is in his laboratory. Please come in. I will send word to him that you are on your way, Mr. Ox King,” said the voice just before buzzing him in. Having been to Capsule Corp numerous times before, the giant knew just where to go. He raced through the lobby, completely startling the receptionist who was on staff, and into the Atrium. In the gardens, he rushed by a group of Namekians as he headed straight for Dr. Briefs’ lab. When he got there, he was about to bang on the door, but luckily the door opened.

“Ah! Goku’s father-in-law, what a pleasure to see you again,” spoke Dr. Briefs in greeting. “Mr. Ox King, is it? The computer told me you had some kind of emergency. What can I do you for?”

“Thank goodness you’re here, doc! I got a real tense situation. You see, when Goku and Gohan left, they didn’t get Chi Chi’s permission. Well, I was worried about my daughter’s health, so I tricked her into thinking that Gohan was just at a friend’s house and then I sent her away on a pregnancy retreat. She almost went into premature labor because of all the stress she’s been under lately! I can’t let her find out that Gohan is off in space somewhere or the poor girl might have a miscarriage, but she called me earlier wanting to talk to her son over the phone. I’m hoping that you know some way to get in contact with Goku and Gohan. Maybe if I tell them about the situation, they’d be willing to talk to her on the phone and pretend that they’re still at home. Do you know any way to contact them? I’m really worried about my daughter’s health!” the Ox King frantically explained, hopping from foot to foot the whole time he spoke.

“Sir, please calm down. We can certainly reach out to them. Whether they are available to talk or not remains to be seen, but I could easily hook them up on a phone call to Mrs. Son. That is a pretty simple request if I do say so myself,” the doctor replied, puffing his cigarette. “Maybe with their reassurance, your daughter will start to feel better and more relaxed. I’m sure your unborn grandson will be just fine. Come, let’s go into my lab and see if we can’t get those two troublemakers on the line,” he said, opening the door wider so the Ox King could enter.

“Goodness gracious!” the Ox King replied, shaking Dr. Briefs’ hand. “I can’t even begin to tell you what a relief this is. I’ve practically gone gray this week, I’ve been so worried about this.”

Dr. Briefs led the Ox King over to a small call center in the corner of the vast laboratory that was filled with myriad test subjects and contraptions in different stages of experimentation. There were a few employees milling about, performing different scientific duties here and there. Dr. Briefs did not pay them any heed as he sat down at the small desk, picked up the phone receiver, and pressed a button. “This should page them with a buzzing sound. If they’re available, they should pick up any second. Now, all we have to do is wait to hear from them.”

It was a tense ten seconds. The Ox King nearly bit his fingernails down to the nub as he waited. Finally, a familiar child’s voice came over the line. “Hello? Dr. Briefs? This is Gohan.”

“Gohan!” the Ox King cried. “Oh, thank goodness! You’re alright. It’s Grandpa here. How are things going with you and your father? You getting all that homework done?”

Gohan sounded happy as he replied. “Grandpa! It’s great to hear from you. Yes, everything is fine with me and Dad. We’re going to reach our destination in the next day or so. With any luck, we’ll be able to sneak on board the pirate ship right after they land and find Bulma. Word from the spies on the planet is that Tarble and Bulma are lost aboard the ship. They must be in hiding somewhere and we’ve got to seek them out. It’s not going to be easy I’m afraid because the ship is huge. But Vegeta, Yamcha, Krillin, Piccolo, Tien, Chiaotzu, and I are going to be participating in the search. We’ve split up the work in the hope of finding them as soon as possible before the war starts. Vegeta thinks Bulma might get hurt if the battle starts before we’ve found her, so the search and rescue is the first priority. As for my homework, I finished it all yesterday! I was very careful about that so I would not have any distractions when we arrive at the bad guys’ planet.”

The Ox King placed a hand over his heart. “Oh, my boy, you have no idea how relieved I am to hear that! Oh, thank goodness! Your mom is going to be so pleased,” he expressed.

“I’m pleased to hear that too. I’ve been so worried about my daughter,” Dr. Briefs chimed. “If she’s managed to evade them, then nobody will be able to hurt her. I’ve been so worried, but she’s a clever young woman. I really must remind myself not to underestimate her.”

The Ox King smiled and nodded his agreement. Gohan chuckled. “Yeah, I bet she’s outsmarted those creeps! I just hope she can keep it up until we get there to rescue them,” the boy said.

“Now, Gohan,” the Ox King began in a serious tone, “I’m going to need a big favor from you. It concerns your mother. She’s been under a lot of stress lately and she almost went into premature labor. Fortunately, I got her to the hospital in time and they were able to stop the contractions. I sent her off on a vacation with Mrs. Briefs to help her relax. However, I haven’t told her that you and your dad left. I’m afraid she would freak out too much and possibly suffer a miscarriage or premature labor. I need you to do me a big favor and talk to your mom over the phone and pretend that you’re still on Earth. She just needs to hear your voice so she can stop worrying.”

There was a momentary pause. “You… you want me to lie, Grandpa?”

The Ox King bit his lip. “Well, it’s just a little white lie to protect your ma and your little brother. Once you’re back on Earth and she’s back from vacation, we can tell her the truth. She might be mad, but at least she won’t stress out too much. Heck, if you manage to find Bulma, she might even be proud of you! I’m sorry to put you in this situation, my boy, but I really am worried.”

Gohan seemed to shrug over the line. “Well, okay, as long as we come clean afterward. I really don’t like lying to my mom. I’ve gotten in real big trouble when I’ve done that in the past.”

“Yeah,” the Ox King replied, “but you’re a big boy now. You’re starting to make your own decisions and your mom is going to have to learn how to respect that one of these days.” He laughed. “Boy! Knowing her, I bet she’s going to have a real hard time when you start turning into a teenager. Anyway, Gohan, I’m really proud of you for going on this quest to find the Briefs girl. You’re a real hero, kiddo. Do you have some free time now to chat with your mom on the phone? Just, uh… Hm, I think we’ll be calling her from a Capsule Corp phone number. Tell her that we came over to Capsule Corp when you got home from school because you wanted to ask Dr. Briefs about a science project at school or something. We need to give her a reason for calling her from a different number. On that note, Panchy Briefs is with her at the retreat and she wanted to know if there was any news on Bulma. Just make conversation and tell her you heard from Dr. Briefs that Bulma had escaped and hidden somewhere on the ship. Hopefully, it’ll calm her mama’s nerves a bit. Those poor girls, I feel terrible for them both right now.”

“Uh, yeah, I guess I can do that. In fact, I did a science paper on human biology yesterday. I suppose I can pretend that I’m still working on it and just came here to get some science advice on it from Dr. Briefs. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d used him as one of my sources,” Gohan noted. “And, sure, I’ll tell her about Bulma and pretend Dr. Briefs told me the news.”

The Ox King breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Kid, I owe you a big one for this. For spring break, I’m taking you to Dream Land. Got it? You’re doing me a huge favor here, Gohan.”

Gohan chuckled. “No problem, Grandpa.”

“Shall we go ahead and get Chi Chi on the phone now?” Dr. Briefs proposed.

“Yeah!” both Gohan and the Ox King said in unison.

…

Ten hours later…

Vegeta opened his eyes after the first decent sleep he had had on the

Bijou’s Justice

. He heard a knock on the door as he sat up in bed and stretched. “Enter!” he called, turning on the lights.

Peridot stuck his head inside the suite. “Highness, we are set to reach 392 in four hours’ time. King Chrystal just wants to make sure you are ready when the time comes,” he said. “Also, he has more bits of intelligence to share with you. You might want to call a final meeting.”

“Indeed, I’ll be ready,” Vegeta confirmed, pulling aside the blankets and draping his bare feet over the side of the round mattress. He stretched his back again before hopping lightly down to the floor. “You can tell the king that I’ve awakened and am now preparing myself. I need to call another meeting with the Z fighters anyway. Tell him I’ll be there in twenty to thirty minutes. Have breakfast sent up to my suite in ten minutes. I’ll have showered by then.”

“Yes, Prince Vegeta,” Peridot replied, bowing. He took his leave.

Vegeta slipped off his black trunks and headed straight for the shower. Fifteen minutes later, he was dressed in a fresh white jumpsuit and silver gloves and boots. Breakfast had been wheeled in and placed on the table in his room, which he rapidly consumed in the usual saiyan manner. After drying and brushing his hair and doing his oral hygiene routine, he finished his dressing by putting on his silver-breasted armor and red cape. At last, he was ready to go see King Chrystal.

As he exited his suite, he was followed by his two guards as usual. The trio marched straight to the intelligence room on one of the middle floors of the ship where King Chrystal was waiting with his technicians and top officials. He rose to greet Vegeta as the prince entered. They each patted their own right breast in a formal gesture and then sat down at the conference table.

…

Bulma sighed and refocused her small light source. The week she and Tarble had spent in hiding had been very hard on them both. Everything was a challenge. And working on something as tiny as a micro band inside a shipment crate with such pathetic lighting was a real strain on the young genius’s eyes. “Ugh, I’m still missing some pieces. I need to find some more circuits in the other crates. Unfortunately, I can’t make an exact replica because the parts aren’t exactly the same kind I used on Earth. But this one should perform the same function once it’s done. It might end up being a bit bulkier to wear, though. Not that that should cause any major problems.”

Tarble nodded. “Alright, I’ll check to see if the coast is clear.”

Bulma rubbed her forehead. “Sorry this is taking so long. I would’ve had this done in a day back on Earth. Normally I have ample space and lighting, but this is really a serious challenge.”

“Hey, don’t be sorry,” Tarble replied, lightly patting her shoulder. “Maybe if we look around enough, we might be able to find another battery-powered lamp of some kind.”

Bulma put her tools back in their case and leaned back against the wall of the crate, closing her eyes. “Give me a few minutes. I seem to be developing a headache here,” she remarked.

Tarble grinned. “Hey, maybe I can use the original micro band while you’re taking a break. I’m starting to get hungry again. I can go to the galley and get us some more food.”

“I’m not hungry, but go ahead and get some for yourself,” Bulma replied, closing up the old micro band and handing it over to Tarble. “I could use some more water though. I think our canteen is almost out. This brain work really gets me thirsty sometimes.”

“Sure thing!” Tarble replied, snapping on the micro band. He shrunk himself down to the size of a mouse and hopped up to the peephole in the side of the crate. “I’ll be back soon.”

The first thing he did was assess the area that he could immediately see. Nobody was around. He hopped up onto the top of the crate, crouching low, and checked out the rest of the vicinity. An alien in a white coat with a clipboard in hand was taking inventory of the crates a fair distance away. Fortunately, there was only one individual. Tarble shrugged and hopped up to the overhead vent that he had used many times before. Before long, he was traveling through the ventilation system. It was a complicated maze that he had had to memorize. Fortunately, he now knew precisely where the galley was located. Getting food was just a matter of stealing it from there and transporting it down to the cellar. It was a chore to be certain, but at least Bulma had given him a DynoCap with a briefcase he could stash the food in and shown him how to use it.

When Tarble was about halfway to the galley, he happened to overhear a hushed conversation from a hanging vent as he jumped over it. He stopped in his tracks and turned back, deftly sliding down to the vent cover over the speakers and peeking out through the slits. Abo, Cado, and Captain Marek were in a private conference room together. “So don’t worry, my lords. They may have avoided us thus far, but they won’t be able to much longer. In a few hours, we’ll land on 392 and bring the heat-seeking units aboard. Once all the men are off the ship, we will scan the whole thing top to bottom until we find them,” Captain Marek indicated with a sly grin.

“Finally, a real solution,” Cado extolled. He chuckled. “I can’t wait to get my hands on that blue babe. I’ll march her butt-naked off of the ship in chains as punishment after we catch her.”

Tarble gritted his teeth.

Like hell you will,

he thought, putting a hand to his ear so he could hear better. He had to know the details of their plan or he and Bulma would be in real trouble.

Marek was the next one to speak. “Heh, heh,” he chuckled. “All we have to do is unload all the troops the moment we get there and send in the men with the sensors. Make sure every man has his helmet off as he exits the ship so the saiyan and woman can’t pull one over on us and sneak out with the crew. Let’s not forget how clever they are. I am sorry we have to go to this much trouble, my lords, but I’m sure it’ll be very rewarding in the end when the prisoners are ours.”

Tarble felt his heart speed up. They were setting a trap and he could not see any easy way to get out of it.

I’ve got to tell Bulma about this as soon as possible. Maybe she can think of a way out.

Abo laughed wickedly. “I can’t wait. How long until we land?” he inquired.

“Just seven more hours,” Marek replied. “If it weren’t for us losing that hyperspace jet some days back, we’d be there already. But we’ll have the ship repaired as soon as we get there so it’ll be nice and fast again, not that that’ll do us any good for now. We’ll just have to be patient.”

Cado rubbed his hands together greedily. “Well, at least there’s the anticipation. We’re going to catch them for sure. I just know it. Oh ho, when I get my hands on that saiyan again, he’s going to wish that he was never born. I have something great in store for him this time, oh yes…”

Tarble’s face turned a slight tinge of blue and he swallowed a lump in his throat.

“What’s that?” Abo wickedly inquired.

Cado grinned evilly. “There’s a powerful illusionist and mind-reader on 392. It’d be fun to have him pretend to be the saiyan’s Tech-Tech girl so we can pretend to torture her in front of him.”

Abo raised a brow. “Why not just send some ships back to Earth and capture the real thing?”

“She’s not very powerful. That’d be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I figured it’d be easier to use the illusionist. Besides, we don’t really need the real girl for anything. I highly doubt the saiyan shared any information about King Vegeta’s treasure with her. He would’ve been sworn to secrecy as a child. Our only use for her would be to use her against the saiyan. He might be able to keep quiet when we take the skin off his back, but just imagine if he thought we were going to hurt his girl. I bet he’d start singing like a bird in no time at all,” Cado pointed out.

Tarble wiped some sweat from his forehead. At that moment, he could not have been more grateful that the Briefs had offered to house his wife for him. The possibility of Abo and Cado hurting her in front of him was unthinkable to him, so he forced the notion to the back of his mind. He simply could not stomach it. He could not even begin to imagine the reality if such a horrible thing came to pass. Tarble knew they had wanted to get their hands on her ever since she had humiliated them back on Tech-Tech. Fortunately, it did not appear to be one of their top priorities now, but there was still a possibility they might return to Earth later to seek out Gure. Or heaven forbid they go back to destroy the whole planet and Gure along with it.

“Good point,” Abo said. “No need to go out of our way for that.”

Captain Marek cracked his fingers. “My lords, that sounds like an awful lot of fun. I wish I could join you, but I’m going to have my hands full when we land getting all the cargo unloaded.”

“Any other business to attend to, Captain Marek?” Cado inquired.

The captain shook his head. “Nope. I just had to inform you all about the plan to find those two stowaways. We’ll have them back at our mercy in less than ten hours. I’d say that’s worth a small celebration. Shall we go get some drinks, my lords? If you have time, that is.”

“Of course!” Abo declared, jumping up.

Tarble hopped back up the duct and continued on his journey to the galley, thinking deeply about what he had just heard. He reached the mess hall first and took the opportunity to snatch a big sandwich off the plate of a crewman who had excused himself to go to the bathroom. The result had been an all-out brawl between pirates over the missing food that the saiyan prince had found hilarious. Once he was done devouring the sandwich, he proceeded to the galley and brought as much as he could carry in the encapsulated briefcase down to the cellar for Bulma. He truly was fascinated with how little food humans needed to survive. In a way, he envied them for that fact.

When Tarble got back to the hideout crate, he found that the alien who had been taking inventory was out of sight around a corner. The saiyan prince unshrank himself and knocked three times on the crate to gently alert Bulma to his presence.

“Come in,”

she said in a bare whisper.

Tarble cranked the top open.

“Hey, Bulma,”

he uttered.

“The coast is clear. We can look for the missing pieces as long as we keep the noise down. We need to hurry because we’re going to be landing in seven hours and the bad guys on the ship have a plan to find us when they arrive at their destination. I overheard a conversation between Abo, Cado, and the captain.”

Bulma looked slightly alarmed.

“Only seven hours? Oh, geez. Tarble, while I’m looking for the missing circuits, you need to look for an additional light source. Either that or we keep the top open while you stand guard in case anyone comes along. In fact, I think that second plan sounds better unless you find something quickly,”

she replied, climbing out of the shipping crate.

Tarble offered her a hand in assistance, which she accepted.

“Good thinking.”

…

“This is a critical tidbit of information, King Chrystal. We need to call another military meeting to let all of our armed forces know about it. If we’re careful with how we coordinate our attacks, we can prevent any of the hostages from getting hurt. We might even find captured Pellucians among them,” Prince Vegeta expressed. “First and foremost, we need to ensure all the officers know where this underground prison is located. We must avoid firing any missiles at it.”

“Yes,” King Chrystal replied. “I think that is a good judgment call.” He rose from his seat and addressed the intelligence officials in the room. “Call another meeting in the Atrium right away.”

Vegeta stood up as well and brushed himself off. “I’m going to go find Kakarott and the Z fighters. Once we have found their friend and my brother, it might be wisest to send them off to liberate the prisoners before the war even starts. They might be able to get most of those people to safety, given they are all strong enough to overpower the average prison guard. Besides, it’s just about time to suit up for the mission anyway. I’ll make sure they’re all ready.”

“I have an idea,” Chrystal said. “You take them off for a second meeting and I’ll make the announcement to the rest of the troops. We’ll meet up again just before we send you off.”

Vegeta nodded and headed out of the room. As he exited, his two guards followed him as usual. The prince put on a headset and pressed the call button. “Come in, Kakarott. I need you to bring yourself and all your friends to Spy Room B2 right away. It’s on the top floor. I’m sending word so you will be given security clearance. This is very important. I need you all to meet me there ASAP,” he announced into the speaker before taking his finger off the button.

Prince Vegeta and his guards made it to Spy Room B2 first. It was not long before the Z fighters flooded into the room as well. “Hey, ‘Geets,” Goku greeted. “I got your message. So what’s up?”

“Greetings, Kakarott,” Vegeta declared as Peridot and Feldspar removed his cape and folded it up. Just as the last of the Z fighters, Chiaotzu, entered the room, the Pellucian spies arrived as well, bearing saiyan armor and other garments. “It’s almost time to suit up for the mission. Are you all mentally prepared? If anyone has any hesitations whatsoever, you better tell me now.”

“We’re ready,” Goku returned, shooting his fellows a serious look.

Vegeta glanced at the other Z fighters, all of whom appeared to be just as determined and prepared as their orange-clad leader. The Pellucian special forces started laying the garments out on the conference table. Prince Vegeta removed his bulky gloves. “Everyone partaking in the search and rescue is expected to wear a ki-dampening invisi-suit over their armor. I’ve had our spies bring the right fit in all vestments for each of you,” Vegeta explained as he started pulling on his own invisi-suit over his armor. It was a semi-transparent bodysuit with a hood to cover the whole head. He left the hood off at the start as he demonstrated its use. Built into the suit were a utility belt and wrist controls covered with the same material as the rest of the suit.

“Did you say that thing is called an invisi-suit, Vegeta?” Krillin inquired.

“Yes!” Vegeta barked. “Now, shut up and pay attention.” As he turned a dial on his wrist, his body gradually began to disappear until only his head and neck were visible.

“Whoa!” cried the whole Z crew at once.

Yamcha appeared astounded. “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in my life!”

“We get to wear that?” Krillin asked enthusiastically.

Vegeta shot them all a look of aggravation. “You all need to take this seriously. If one of you botches this operation, whoever does so will have to answer to

me

. Now, listen closely. These invisi-suits are very delicate. They work with micro-electrical circuits wired throughout the suit to bend light around the wearer. You are not perfectly invisible. As you can see, if I move, I distort whatever is behind me,” he said as he demonstrated said motion in front of one of the spy’s faces, making the man appear momentarily deformed. “This suit simply makes me much harder to see. However, if you break so much as a single fiber, a whole section of the suit will become visible. Try not to touch anything sharp or wiry. If you must, take off the suit or part of the suit in order to do so. Another advantage to the suit is that it makes not just your body but also your ki invisible where scouters are concerned. The ki-dampening switch is on the underside of your left wrist,” he said, showing them. He turned it on. “Now, try to detect my ki. You can’t. It’s because the suit has weakened my ki signature. This makes it difficult to fly when the ki-dampening effect is turned on. Kakarott is going to have to gradually teleport us down onto the planet in freefall. Fortunately, the gravity on the planet is only about seventy-five percent that of Earth, so we should be able to land on our feet without injury. That’s why, Kakarott, it’s very important that you aim to have us fall onto land. If we fall in the acidic oceans, we’re dead.”

Goku nodded his understanding as Vegeta clicked a button on the table panel. A holographic image of 392 appeared over the conference table where the high-tech garments were laid out. The locations of the bases were highlighted in bright blue against the red globe. Vegeta pointed to an area outside of the main base and highlighted it in green. “This is a cloudless planet. As we fall from the atmosphere, you should be able to see where we’re going Kakarott. We need you to aim us toward this area using your IT technique. We will be wearing special spacesuits over our invisi-suits over our armor. The spacesuits have cushioning on the inside which should prevent these invisi-suits from getting damaged when we land on the planet’s surface,” Vegeta detailed.

“Once we land in this open plain here, we shed our spacesuits and rendezvous to the outskirts of the main base FZ1. There’s a mountainous ridge surrounding the southern border, so it should be relatively easy to sneak up without being spotted. As a precaution, we’ll turn on our invisibility as we get close. From there, we watch and wait for the arrival of the

Dark Oblivion

. Any questions about any of that?” Vegeta inquired, glancing around from Z fighter to Z fighter.

Several of the Z fighters raised their hands. Vegeta called on Gohan first, who asked, “What’s the belt for? I noticed it has lots of stuff on it. Is it something we’re going to use for the mission?”

“Ah, yes,” Vegeta replied. “I’m glad you asked about that. I had almost forgotten.” He turned himself visible again and pulled out what looked like a small handgun. “This is a tranquilizer gun and all these little cartridges are full of tranquilizer fluid. This is what we use if we need to get rid of someone without making a scene. The cartridges self-destruct within seconds of hitting a target, so there are no clues left to the cause of the victim’s sudden bout of sleepiness. If one dose isn’t enough, hit the target with a second dose. Larger targets usually require larger doses. Keep that in mind. Once you hit someone, hide the body somewhere that it won’t likely be found if possible. I don’t expect we’ll need to use these much as long as we’re careful not to get spotted. Now, any other questions about the utility belt, the mission, or the ensuing battle?”

Yamcha raised his hand and Vegeta pointed to him. “When you’re wearing that, are you able to see yourself if you look down at your own body?” Yamcha inquired curiously.

“No. You will be invisible to yourself, but you should be able to feel where your body parts are,” Vegeta answered shortly. “It’s not as disorienting as you think. Anyone else?” Vegeta asked. Tien raised his hand next with a very serious look on his face. “Yes?” Vegeta said.

“What if we bump into each other?” Tien inquired.

Vegeta nodded. “Another good question. While we’re moving together, we might have to hold hands while one person leads everyone else in a line behind them. That way, we’ll know where everyone else in our party is in proximity to ourselves,” Vegeta explained as Tien seemed to cringe. “I know, I don’t like the sound of holding hands either, but it might be necessary. While we’re sneaking onto the ship and during the freefall, I would suggest that we go in this order: me, Kakarott, Gohan, Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, Krillin, and the Pellucian spies. Does anyone have a problem with that order?” he asked. No one said anything. “Good. Other questions?”

Chiaotzu raised his hand and Vegeta called on him. “Do we all need to wear that headset you have on under our invisi-suits?” Chiaotzu asked. Vegeta nodded. “Why?”

“When we go our separate ways on the ship for the search, we must remain in communication with each other, as well as the mothership. That is what these headsets are for. Do not worry, they are pretty comfortable,” Vegeta indicated, pointing to his. “And they won’t tear the invisi-suits either.” Krillin raised his hand next. “Yes, Krillin? You have a question as well, I take it?”

Krillin opened his mouth to speak, but before any sound could come out, a Pellucian guard suddenly burst into the room quite unexpectedly. “Your Highness, forgive this interruption,” Feldspar announced, glancing around at the Pellucian spies as well as the Z fighters.

The man appeared to be quite flustered, so Vegeta waved him over and he rapidly started whispering into the prince’s ear in Pelluci. Every other person in the room raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “What? Oh, really? You don’t say…” Vegeta uttered. Feldspar drew back and nodded. “Excellent, thank you for letting me know. You may now return to your post.” Feldspar bowed and then left the room. Vegeta turned his attention to the Z fighters. “He was just coming to inform me of the most recent intelligence we have received from base FZ1. Our spies have discovered that not only are Bulma and Tarble still missing aboard the

Dark Oblivion

, but the captain of the ship and Abo and Cado have formulated a plan to discover their whereabouts as soon as the ship lands at the base. They are planning to send the whole crew out of the ship before they send in three specially-trained individuals with heat-sensing technology to find them. This gives me an idea, in fact. Before the

Oblivion

lands, we must all be right at the landing field. We will follow these three individuals onto the ship. As soon as they discover the missing persons for us, we can knock them out and snatch Tarble and Bulma right out from under their noses. This is going to be easier than I thought, but it is of utmost importance that we discover who these three seekers are going to be and find them before the

Dark Oblivion

lands at FZ1.”

The Z fighters blinked at the new information. “Any more questions?” Vegeta inquired, panning his audience. “We’ll split up the way we discussed before, but this time to follow the heat seekers onto the ship and rescue Bulma and Tarble before the enemy gets their hands on them.”

“I forgot what I was going to ask,” Krillin said.

“Well, try to think of it,” Vegeta replied. “I have one more part of the plan to share with you all before we’re done. Then it will just be a matter of time before we all have to suit up and deploy.”

“And what’s that, Vegeta?” Goku inquired.

Vegeta had a serious look on his face as he pressed a button on the panel. The spinning globe hologram started to zoom in to base FZ1 as the image became more detailed. What appeared to be a large underground area became highlighted. Vegeta pointed to it. “This is one area of base FZ1 that must be protected under all costs. Kakarott, when you go to the base to terrorize Abo and Cado, make sure above everything that you do not damage this area. It contains an internment camp of kidnapped men, women, and children who are destined for a covert slave market that services all planets that have been bought off the Cold family market.”

All the Z fighters gasped and Vegeta nodded solemnly. “That’s right. The planet trade market may have been Frieza’s number one most lucrative business, but it went hand-in-hand with his second most lucrative business: the slave trade. The reason I’m concerned about these people is that Chrystal and I believe that some of them may be Pellucians who were captured during mercantile missions to other planets. They are loyal Pellucian citizens. It is our duty to free these individuals and return them to Pellucid so they will not be subject to the horrors of slavery.”

“That’s horrible!” Gohan cried. “Those poor people!”

“Oh,” Vegeta replied, “it’s worse than you think. These people are beaten into submission, permanently branded, and some of the males may even be castrated depending upon what type of slave duty they are destined for. The most beautiful females are sold as pleasure slaves to be subject to a life of humiliation and rape at the hands of powerful lords. It’s not a pretty picture.”

“Castration?!” Yamcha, Tien, and Krillin all bellowed at the same time in abject horror.

Goku and Piccolo scratched their heads. “What’s castration?” Goku inquired. “Is it bad?”

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Goku. “I wouldn’t expect the ballless green man to know what castration is, but you, Kakarott?” he remarked, shaking his head in disapproval. “Yes, it’s bad. Don’t worry about the details. Just know that it is very, very, very bad. Got it?”

Goku nodded his head and swallowed in apprehension.