Chapter 10

 

Although Cumba did not much care for Avo or Cado he was prompt in arriving to relieve them. He would have been there sooner but he needed to make sure that Nappa was kept sufficiently busy so that he did not remember Bulma. He also had to make sure that no one else found out about the future Queen before the time was right. On the way to the camp Cumba was half regretting not finding some other peasants to baby sit Kakarott. However he only had to watch Kakarott for five minutes before realising that indeed somehow Kakarott had picked up unusual Ki manipulation techniques and had become stronger. Much, much stronger, perhaps even strong enough to give the Prince more than an equal match, the thought was not comforting.

Cumba knew Vegeta. If Kakarott somehow did manage to beat Vegeta than Vegeta would not rest till he was strong enough to beat Kakarott. It was all well and good for a peasant to get that obsessed with someone or something but a Prince had other duties that Cumba knew Vegeta in his obsession might ignore. The more frightening prospect was if Kakarott was to somehow kill the Prince. Cumba shuddered involuntarily. He did not even want to think of the consequences of that.

Avo and Cado were out the camp as soon as the judged it safe to leave without meaning any disrespect to Cumba. Watching their fading trail of Ki as they headed for their respective homes Cumba contemplated how he could best gauze Kakarott's power. He could spar with Kakarott but if indeed Kakarott was coming up with special Ki attacks to use against the Prince that he was unlikely to show them to Cumba during sparring sessions. Than there was the whole issue of how to get Kakarott to spar with him in the first place. Cumba was a noble man. It would injure his dignity if a peasant like Kakarott said no to his offer of sparring and no Kakarott might just say. Cumba was so wrapped in his thoughts that he did not hear Kakarott walk up to him, 'Hi Cumba.'

Cumba nearly jumped. Turning Cumba levelled an annoyed glare at Kakarott, 'What do you want?' he demanded.

Kakarott put a hand behind his head and smiled that foolish grin of his, 'I was just wondering would you like to spar?' sometimes things can turn unexpectedly in your favour.


She was so tired she was actually hoping that Vegeta had actually forgotten about her. No such luck as Vegeta's arms circled her gently as soon as she was a safe distance from the lab. Before she could even protest she was being carried down the secret passage towards the prince's chambers held tightly by powerful arms. 'Did you really think you could avoid me?' wondered Vegeta in amusement.

Bulma leaned against him and wished, 'Vegeta I wasn't trying to avoid you but I need rest. I have to face your father tomorrow and I want to be alert.'

Vegeta good mood was ruined at the mention of Bulma's meeting with his father. But she was right. She did need to be alert for tomorrow's meeting. Especially since Freeza would be there. 'Well, woman,' said Vegeta, 'looks like tonight you are going to have to somehow keep your hands off me.'

Bulma lightly hit Vegeta on the shoulder, 'O like I am the one who has problems keeping her hands to herself.' She said pointedly. Vegeta chuckled but said nothing as he took her to his room and watched over her as she slept.


'Grandpa, Grandpa please wake up.' Pleaded the little boy with tears in his eyes. His grandfather might not be the most saintly of creatures but he was still his grandfather and Gohan did not want him to die. Somehow over the months he had spent with Bardock Gohan had began to love him deeply and he found the sight of Bardock collapsed on the ground, his lips turning a deathly white as his pupils moved rapidly from side to side from under his eyelids.

'No use.' Whispered Toma. Worry filtering into his voice, 'We have to get him to a tank.' Stooping down he put Bardock over his shoulders and took of towards the ship. Followed closely by the others with Gohan flying shoulder to shoulder with him.


The round spacecraft of Freeza slowly took up a stable orbit around Vegitasei. Shortly after a hatch opened revealing a pasty white creature sitting in a black and gold toned hovercraft. A green creature with almost feminine features and a dozen of so other assorted humanoid creatures followed him. They headed for the planet surface immediately and was met there cordially by the King of Vegitasei and some of his chieftenants and major ministers surrounded by more than enough guards to make up a small army, Freeza noted in satisfaction. Good the monkeys were still afraid of him. If there was anything he despised more than cowardice, bad haircuts and military insurrections it was lack of fear of himself. After all Freeza lived to strike terror in the hearts of all, especially little children. His lips curled up in an unconscious grin as he thought of little kids wetting their beds after hearing horror stories featuring him.

'My dear King Vegeta,' mused Freeza when K. Vegeta had presented him with respectful bow, 'how good to see you again. I trust everything has been well.'

'I thank you for your kind concern Lord Freeza.' Answered K. Vegeta. 'Everything has been very well. We have added a new planet to our empire as you might have heard.' Freeza nodded, 'This planet is proving very useful. There will be a demonstration of a new technology we have acquired from this planet this morning in fact. I hope you shall be able to join me in viewing this demonstration.'

'O I wouldn't miss it for the world.' Said Freeza with a charming smile. 'After all earth like all the other planets in your empire will soon be mine and I do want to know what I am getting.' He added to himself as he got out of the hovercraft and fell into step next to K. Vegeta.

'Dedoria is not with you Lord Freeza.' Noted K. Vegeta as he led the way in side the palace.

'O no. He has a special assignment.' Freeza cryptically replied.


Cumba did not know how but somehow Kakarott had gotten very, very good. So good in fact that Cumba found himself calling Vegeta and telling him to train hard if he did not want to be disgraced at the match. Vegeta was sceptical of Kakarott's so improvement but he did what Cumba asked. He began to train even rigorously. Every moment he was not with Bulma or eating he spent in training. The result was that his Ki dramatically improved. As he trained however he could not help but feel that unlike before he met Bulma, when he trained to improve his Ki for the sake of improvement itself, now he had more personal purpose. He wanted to protect Bulma. He wanted to make sure he was strong enough to make sure that no one, no one was able to pry her away from him.

Whatever the reason behind his rigorous training the end result was still the same. Vegeta was stronger than ever before and though Cumba could not pinpoint Kakarott's Ki exactly he was sure that he was going to be a very good match for Vegeta. It was in a sense good thing since Vegeta has been itching for a good fight. Cumba just hoped that Kakarott didn't actually succeed in beating Vegeta. That could be… trouble some. By no means did the king have to be the strongest warrior on the planet but Vegeta would not take defeat lightly. Things were delicate already. Cumba really, really didn't want to have to deal with the hurt pride of the Saiyain Prince.


The blue tinted liquid glowed faintly as the occupant inside the tank slipped into an even deeper coma than before. The little boy placed himself firmly in front of the tank and watched his grandfather enclosed inside the dome shaped regeneration tank with wires attached to his torso and a breathing mask covering most of his face. He knew the thing was meant to help undo whatever that thing had done to him. But Gohan still felt uncomfortable about the whole thing.

His discomfort only increased when the medical staff kept going on about irregular brain wave patterns and stuff like that. The only female in his grandfather's team demanded to know if he was going to be alright minus the medical jargon. The medic gave a hesitant, 'Yes.' Gohan was as satisfied as he could be.

'It's no use. We might as well go without him this time.' said the big fat Saiyain. What was his name? Panboukin, that was it. Suddenly Gohan didn't like him, not that he ever really liked him, how could he think of going some where without his grandfather? Think he was being foolish Gohan pushed the thought away.

'Fine.' Said Toma. As second in command of the team it was this was now his decision. He spun around and pivoted out of the room. All but Celipa followed.

She kneeled in front of Gohan and told him softly, 'Don't worry. Bardock will be fine. We will be on Meat. Who knows with any luck you and him will be able to join as when me have the victory feast.' She said with a smile.

Gohan didn't return the smile. He knew that they were going to Meat to purge it and he could be happy about that. But he did give a small nod of his head. That seemed to satisfy Celipa and she got up and left to met the others at the lunch pad. They were going to use single man pods for the next mission. She stopped at the door of the medical bay and looked back once more towards the commander and his little grandson. The little boy was now sitting cross-legged in front of the tank. Determined to not be chased away by the medics. Celipa smiled. She really did like kids. One of these days she was going to have one of her own. Well she would have one as soon as Toma got it through his thick head that she more than liked him. The sub-commander could be amazingly dense sometimes. Sighing she left the medical bay. She knew full well that the Commander would follow them as soon as he got out of the tank. After years of working with him and the rest of squad they had reached the point that they pretty much shared the same thoughts. As such she knew what Bardock would think and do when he got out of the tank. No one however could have guessed, would have believed Bardock's thoughts while he was in the tank. Bardock hardly believed the images flashing in his comatose brain.


'Come on, Kakarott. It's time we headed for the capital.' Said Cumba.

'Already.' Wondered Kakarott, 'But the celebrations are still about a week away.'

'True.' Acknowledged Cumba, 'But the kings wants everything in place before that. Besides your friend Bulma has finished with her work and is going to be doing her demonstration soon. I want to be there for that.'

Kakarott nodded, 'I see. Okay than let's go.' Charging up Cumba took to the air motioning Kakarott to follow and headed towards the capital at a fast pace. Making Goku wonder that Cumba was very anxious to get there.


He wanted to scream. He wanted to yell till he had no voice to yell anymore. The images in his head were ripping him apart. Vegitasei, his beautiful planet a charred cinder, his people becoming nothing but half-remembered legends. An indistinct figure stood and laughed as Vegitasei burned. When was this going to happen? He wasn't sure. But it would be soon, very soon. He had little time. He had to wake up. He had to warn them. He had to warn the others. He… dead… they were dead or going to be. His squad, his friends… dead… NO… he would not allow that. With every ounce of energy he had left he broke through the artificially induced coma.

He opened his eyes slowly and saw Gohan sitting in front of the tank. 'Gohan.' He thought to him.

'Grandpa.' The boy screamed out with joy as he noticed Bardock's eyes open and the heard his voice inside his head.

'Step back.' He commanded as he began to power-up. Gohan got the hint and stepped well out of the way. The clear dome of the tank exploded and Bardock was out of the tank and clutching Gohan in tight, affectionate hug.

Surprised Gohan hugged Bardock back. Insanely wondering what was going on, if the alien made his grandfather do this than maybe he didn't do anything really bad. 'Grandpa are you alright?' asked the little boy in a concerned tone of voice.

'No.' answered Bardock as he let Gohan go and hastily began to tug on his armour. 'Something really bad is going to happen and I am not sure I will be able to stop it.' said Bardock truthfully.

Gohan looked at Bardock intently. After a minute he said, 'You can do anything. I know you can. Don't worry.' Than he added equally eagerly, 'I'll help. I am really strong, now and I'll help.' Bardock stopped and looked at the boy for a minute.

Than he smiled and said, 'I know you are strong and I will be needing your help.' So saying he picked the boy up and literally flew to the lunching pad.


It happened so quickly that no one was sure what happened. Celipa went to take care of a bunch of Meat natives that showed up on their scouters. Another bunch showed up on the opposite side. Panboukin was about to take of after them when a killing Ki strike hit him on the back. Suddenly he knew only darkness.

It was than that Celipa returned and came face to face with someone she never thought her team would ever have to face. After all, they were the best purging squad in the entire Saiyain army. But that didn't seem to matter anymore. She was next to know only darkness, unable to ward off the men who ganged up on her. Totepo followed suit, only Toma remained. But not for long.


Bulma had finished her work just as the deadline expired. But they did not ask for her immediately. Freeza was fashionable late. He arrived a day late. Not that Bulma minded but she was bored. Freeza's eminent arrival put Vegeta on guard, not to mention that he was soon going to have to kill his father. Despite having been trained for it all his life, it still took a bit of mental preparation. Bulma truly wished that this could all be done another way. But Vegeta told her it couldn't, Cumba told her it couldn't. She had no choice but to believe them.

'Bulma.' came Quish's low voice, 'The king is ready for us.' Bulma nodded and followed Quish to the throne room. Fear was not far from her psyche now. But she pushed it aside and concentrated on the task at hand. But she knew she would be feeling much better when this was all finished.


Cumba and Goku arrived in the capital with about one-hour in hand before Bulma's demonstration. But as soon as he arrived Cumba realised that in the tension of the up-coming events he had forgotten to prepare a place for Goku to stay. For one minute Cumba felt sheer panic. He could put him in the slave quarters. But that place was hardly secure. But than again where would Kakarott go? Where couldn't he go? His tail-less status meant that despite his appearance he could not blend in with the other Saiyains. One tended to notice a missing tail in a society where tails acted as status symbols.

'Don't worry.' Said Kakarott in a quiet voice, 'I am not going to run.'

Cumba jumped, 'How did you… never mind. Fine you can stay at my quarters than.' So saying he led the way. Thinking absently what his other noble born companions where going to say if they ever found out that he was allowing a commoner, a tail less commoner stay at his quarters within the imperial palace. 'Feh, who cares. They are all jackasses anyway.' Thought Cumba to himself as he showed Kakarott to the spare bedroom.


He was too late. Bardock stood staring at the scene around him feeling detached and cold. Gohan stood next to him staring wide-eyed. They were all dead. Panboukin, Totepo, Celipa, Toma… no wait Toma wasn't dead not yet. Bardock rushed to his side. 'Toma are you alright? Who did this?' he demanded.

'Freeza…' Toma wheezed out, 'He betrayed us… he betrayed all of us…' suddenly the Bardock knew who the shadowy monster in his visions was. It was Freeza. Freeza was going to destroy Vegitasei. Freeza who had tricked his people into becoming slaves. Freeza who cared for nothing in this entire universe save for power and mindless destruction. Freeza who was worse than the Saiyains in so many different levels, it was Freeza. Toma glanced down and saw to his surprise Celipa's body lying to his chest. Suddenly he realised that he cared for her. He smiled and looked back into Bardock's eyes, 'Listen. Go back to Vegitasei. Recruit our comrades and show Freeza the true strength and power of the Saiyain people...' Toma said as darkness came over him and he joined the woman in his arms. Quietly Bardock got up.

'Grandpa.' Said Gohan softy as he stared at something in his hand. Bardock looked down. He was clutching a blood soaked rag. Bardock stared at it and briefly wondered how he had come into possession of it. 'Don't worry.' Said Gohan for the second time that day, 'We will find a way to stop Freeza.'

'O but first you have to find a way to stop me and my merry band of men.' Bardock and Gohan whirled around to come face to face with Dedoria surrounded by a bunch of assassins.

* * * * *

 

Author's note: I was going to finish this in ten chapters but I think I might just finish this chapter here. So watch out for chapter eleven. Here's a little teaser,

'How dare you touch her?' screamed Vegeta.

'How dare you fall for her?' K. Vegeta screamed back.

****

'You hurt my grandfather.' Said Gohan, 'Now I hurt you.' And threw the largest Ki sphere Bardock had ever seen straight into Dedoria's chest. The pink blob's scouter must have been broken, he did not move. After all Dedoria was charged up fully, why did he need to? The idiot found that out when a giant hole suddenly appeared in his chest.


Table of Contents
Chapter 9
Chapter 11