Chapter 9
Alchartz sat in his command chair staring out the window through the passing clouds and pale sky when the two ship scientists Steel and Gold walked in.
'Alchartz, the radar suggests that our friends are staying in West City, all four of them. I believe Kakarot will be there as well.' Steel said. Alchartz continued to stare out the window.
'Then we shall go there.' He replied.
'Alchartz, before we go through with this, I just thought I would let you know that I have been doing some research on the Saiyans on this planet. Since we've discovered that Kakarot's Earth name is Goku I have been asking some of our allies about him on other planets. They say he is the same person who defeated Frieza.' Gold said. Alchartz continued to stare into the pattern of clouds. 'Maybe he's not a vicious Saiyan like the others, is it really necessary to cause pain to someone who has helped us rather than hindered?'
Alchartz turned around to face his servants. He stared hatefully into their eyes. 'If his intentions were to help us, why has he befriended the prince who is notorious for destroying innocence?' Alchartz said. Gold sighed.
'The Saiyans had their own grievances with Frieza, Kakarot was most likely avenging them. We shall continue as planned.' Alchartz explained and turned around to face out the window yet again. Steel and Gold left.
'He has a point.' Steel said. Gold nodded.
'I suppose you're right, there is no way a Saiyan could be anything else but a bloodthirsty killer.' Gold approached a window of a ship and looked down at the houses below. I just don't understand why he didn't destroy the inhabitants of this planet.
Bardock had been awake for a while, usually he would be up by now, but today he just lay in bed. He woke up to another vision, one that gave him a clue as to who they might be dealing with, it followed on from the vision he had had the night before where he was bleeding to death, while his son looked at him with no sympathy or compassion. He saw eight people standing over him, all from different races he had slaughtered in the weeks leading up to the demise of Planet Vegeta. Bardock and his crew had conquered several planets, but from is vision he left the wrong people alive. He decided there was no point lying in bed all day and he got up. He entered the living room to find a large quantity of empty plates stacked on the table and more being served to five hungry Saiyans. Chichi saw Bardock walk in and told him to take a seat. He did so and he carved into the food, just like the others.
'How was your sleep Bardock.' Gohan asked.
'It was alright, but I think my psychic powers may have come in handy for a change, I saw a vision and I think I know who we are dealing with.' He said. Everyone stopped eating and stared at him.
'Really? Who?' Goku asked. Bardock explained his vision, but left out the fact he was bleeding to death. He explained the characteristics of the eight people in his vision, their races, their traits, what makes them unique.
'Two of the people came from a race of highly sophisticated scientists called Chebs, who had manufactured medicines and technology never thought possible, these were probably the ones who designed the energy altering compound. Two more are from a warrior race known as Brontians, they are a bit like the Saiyans, but nowhere near as powerful. One of those was most likely the one that entered the tournament.' He said, trying to avoid the conversation about how he knew all these races. He suddenly remembered the leader, Alchartz. He knew the face well. It was a face he could never forget. In his vision, Alchartz looked malicious yet thrilled. However, on their first meeting he was fearful. His sad green eyes poked out through his orange tinged skin, looking for mercy. Bardock now regretted giving it to him.
'The leader is an Artmolian. A master tactician race. I can understand why he is the leader. Very cunning and very strategic. His right hand man is from a race called the Moltions, not a very strong or smart race, but extremely honest and loyal. There was another one there, a Kanassin, like me they have the ability to see into the future, and the eighth I didn't get a good look at, but I'm sure he has some strange power.' He stated.
Vegeta stared at Bardock, he knew exactly how Bardock knew of all these races, they were the ones he had killed before Planet Vegeta blew up. He had wanted to go to the Brontian planet himself, but as soon as he was about to leave it was reported that a band of low levels had already done the job. Vegeta decided to keep his mouth shut about it for now, well at least around Kakarot.
'That is quite a team.' Gohan said. 'Bardock, your psychic powers aren't so useless after all, you were able to figure out seven of the eight of our enemies and figure out what their strengths were.' Gohan said. Bardock smiled awkwardly, he knew the truth, but at this point, he believed the truth was left better unsaid. He looked over to see Vegeta staring at him with accusing eyes, he looked away quickly.
'But Gohan.' Goku said with his mouth full. He swallowed hard. 'The guy who caught me, he said he wanted to get revenge on the Saiyans? Why is that I wonder, surely all those races can't all have a problem with Saiyans, can they?' Vegeta smiled.
'Well, we did slaughter a lot of people.' He said and shovelled in another lot of food. Bardock excused himself and walked outside. Vegeta followed him hastily.
Bardock exited the doors of Capsule Corp and looked silently into a flower garden Mrs. Brief's had tended to. He heard footsteps come up behind him, but he already knew who it was.
'So, Bardock.' Vegeta said, Bardock turned to face him.
'What is it?' He asked. Vegeta smiled.
'Did your psychic powers tell you they were here to get revenge on your son for your actions?' He asked. Bardock sighed. 'You should have left the elite jobs to the elite soldiers, we wouldn't have left any survivors.' Vegeta bragged. Bardock grew angry.
'Just because you're the prince doesn't mean I can't kick your arse.' Bardock said. Vegeta laughed. He was enjoying his power in this situation, knowing that his physical power had been drained.
'Don't worry. I won't let Kakarot know about your little secret yet. It's more fun this way.' Vegeta said and went back inside. Bardock stayed outside wondering if he should just blast Vegeta or not, he decided against it.
In the lab, Bulma and her dad were working tirelessly, they had managed to crack the molecular codes surrounding the virus, but trying to figure out how to stop their spread was a completely different matter. Bulma gently poured a drop of chemical into another one, but a cloud of smoke appeared and the liquid completely dried up. She sighed.
'It's no use.' She said. 'These chemical compounds are so state of the art, I'm starting to doubt if they actually exist.' Dr Brief's was busy transferring chemicals from one test tube to another, he put a green liquid into a yellow one and it turned completely crystal clear.
'Success!' he said. Bulma looked up at him.
'I think this is our answer Bulma.' He said. Showing her the clear substance.
A few hours later Bulma walked out to the living room to find it completely deserted. She went outside to find the crowd watching Goku and Krillin, who were standing opposite each other. They were looking very seriously at each other. Bulma watched as the two spoke.
'Krillin!' Goku said. 'I want you to punch me in the stomach as hard as you can. I want to see if I can still take a punch. If I still have a high level of endurance then I might be able to fight.' Krillin looked at him.
'But Goku, I don't want to hurt you or anything…. Wow, am I really saying this?' He said. 'Ok, I'll give it a shot.' but before he charged he thought. I'll just punch him lightly, just in case.' And his fist connected with Goku's stomach, sending him to his knees and coughing up blood. Krillin flinched.
'Oh no, Goku, are you alright?' He yelled.
'Well, I think that settles it.' Goku spluttered, a smile crossing his face. 'Krillin either didn't use his full power, or he's gotten extremely weak.' Goku got up still holding his stomach. 'If you were using the power I knew you had, I think I wouldn't be alive right now.' He laughed.
'Um guys!' Bulma yelled. 'Sorry to interrupt you killing each other, but I think we've reached a breakthrough, come through I want to show you something.' She walked back inside. Everyone followed her into her lab.
She held up a vile of pale blue liquid.
'Dad and I have managed to create a replica of the drug that was injected into Goku.' She said. 'This is it, now we still aren't exactly sure what everything in it does, but we were able to figure out its chemical structure.' She put the light blue vial down and picked up the clear one.
'This is what we've come up with, we've combined what we know with some educated guess work and come up with what we believe to be an antidote. However, its only temporary at this stage, it acts more as a shield against the virus rather than a cure. It will stop it, but it will eventually wear off. I would give it maybe an hour.' Bulma said. 'We'll try and think of something else in the meantime, but until then, this is the best we can do.'
'Bulma, that's fantastic!' Goku said. 'Even if it's just temporary, it's still better than nothing, right?' Bulma sighed.
'There is a problem though.' Everyone looked at her. 'When the barrier wears off, I'm afraid the symptoms that you experienced when you were first injected with the drug will return and may even become worse than before.' She said. 'It would leave you in a lot of pain, it may even kill you.' The smiles quickly left everyone's faces. The cure was more deadly than the disease.
'Well, we don't really need it right now.' Piccolo said. 'It's not like we're in any danger here.'
'Well, if something does happen, the medicine will be in my lab.' Bulma said, Goku walked up to her and grabbed the vial, looking at the liquid.
'So do we just drink it?' He asked. Bulma suddenly grinned.
'Nope, we have to inject it directly into your blood stream.' Bulma said, Goku turned pale.
'Does that mean…' He stuttered. 'a…needle.' Bulma nodded. Goku put the vial on the table and backed away.
'You know, Piccolo's right. We're in absolutely no danger here, I think it's best we wait for another cure. You know one that isn't so… invasive.' He said timidly.
'Seriously Kakarot!' Vegeta pouted.
