Chapter 9

It was just lucky for them that they landed in the port that they did. If it had been any other port, they might not have met such a Saiyan Rights advocate right off. As they climbed out of the spaceship, the woman caught sight of them and came running over. She stopped right in front of Vegeta and hissed, "Are you a Saiyan?'

"Of course I am, you stupid creature. What are you blind?"

The woman ignored Vegeta's harsh words and whispered, "Haven't you heard what happened? Why are you walking around where anyone can see you?"

Before the startled Vegeta could answer, she wheeled on Chichi and Bulma. "Hurry! Disguise him! If anyone knew there was a free Saiyan around, you'd be in big trouble. If you don't want him to end up like the others, disguise him quickly!"

Then she turned back to Vegeta. "I really do think it is awful what has happened to your kind. I just want you to know, I will never eat a Saiyan tail." Then the woman began to turn and walk off, but Vegeta grabbed her shoulder roughly.

"What did you just say?"

The woman gazed at Vegeta in surprise and said, "You haven't heard? Hmmm, maybe we'd better talk. Why don't we go back into your ship?"

Curious, both Chichi and Bulma agreed, and they reentered their ship. There the woman explained everything.

After she was done, there were a few moments of silence, then Vegeta slammed his fist down. "I refuse to believe it. It is impossible!"

"Possible or not, it's happened. Now, you'd better disguise yourself. Even without a tail, I tagged you as a Saiyan. Which means everyone else will too."

"What about Goku," Chichi cried, grabbing the woman's arm in a helpless gesture, "have you heard anything about my husband Goku?"

"You mean the Goku? The most powerful Saiyan alive? That Goku?"

"You have heard of him?" Chichi cried, relieved. "How is he? What's happened to him?"

"His prowess in the pits is legendary. It is said when they captured him, he had already taken down hundreds of the Ylgu-Gubs. In only a month he has broken every record on winning points. It is said that when he becomes truly angry he turns into a great, powerful beast, and it is said he has a golden tail as well, and right now they are having an auction to see who gets his tail when they cut it off."

Chichi sat back horrified, her face going pale. "What?" she screeched, and promptly fainted.

The woman shook her head. "My advice to you is to get out while you can. If you go in there and try to break him out like I have a feeling you are going to, you don't stand a chance."

Bulma fanned Chichi and smiled at the woman. "Don't worry," she said, "you're talking to one of the brightest minds in history. I'll have a plan. Now, thank you for your help. It is nice to know what we're dealing with."

The woman shook hands with them all and left. Bulma tried to wake up Chichi, while Vegeta brooded in a corner. "Curse you, Kakarott," he murmured, and then fell silent. He sensed that Goku truly needed his help this time.

A man pulled back in the shadows and watched the woman leave the spaceship. Then he followed her. When she turned down a dark street, he instantly attacked, putting an arm around her neck and pulling her into the shadows.

"If you answer my questions," he hissed, "you will not be harmed. Now who was that Saiyan?"

"I don't know," the woman gasped, "they never gave me their names."

"Did the two women give you any clue who they might be?"

She shook her head, but as he slowly tightened his grip, she finally gasped, "One of them said she was the wife of the Saiyan Goku. That's all, I swear! Please let me go!"

The woman felt the man pause, and then she heard a soft chuckle. The quiet voice said, "That's plenty. Thank you. You've been most helpful."

With that, the grip on her throat disappeared and when she turned around, no one was there. With a heavy heart the woman headed home. She had a feeling she had just done something terrible.

Goku and Kakarott were chained in the ship, and both settled back as it took off. Once again, their senses were completely cut off.

"I feel so blind every time that happens," Kakarott murmured.

"Me too."

They sat quietly, until finally Kakarott said, "So, who's King Kai?"

"A friend of mine, though sometimes he can get on even my nerves."

"Oh."

They passed the time quietly, catching up on the last few days. They avoided discussing the fight the Kakarott had been in with his father and talked of other, simpler things.

Soon they felt themselves touch down. The Ylgu-Gubs opened the doors and led them back toward the huge palace.

They were locked in their cells and left alone with the silence.

Ryuso had been the very best for as long as he could remember. The top of his class, the sharpest, the most stealthy, the cleverest. That was why Suldrera had hired him. For someone of her stature and power, she only had to settle for the best. Ryuso was her hidden card in the deadly game she played with her Uncle, and he was good at what he did. However, to find this woman, had been one of the most difficult jobs in his entire career.

Ryuso was good at what he did, but at times he had been tempted to shake the little brat Gohan and yell, "Where is your mother! Nothing you have told me had led me to her!" but because he was the best, he didn't. Instead he waited patiently, playing the kind security guard. Listening for hours upon hours to the boy's prattling.

But now, finally, his patience was paying off. The exact woman he had been searching all these weeks for had just dropped in his lap. Now all he had to do was keep up with her ship.

That was turning out far more difficult than he had expected as well. The design of the ship she was in was unlike any other he had ever seen. It was fast and sleek, and even his state-of-the-art Phobenixus 3000000000 was having a hard time keeping up with it. After he got the woman, he was thinking about keeping the ship as well. After all, he needed a consolation prize.

Somehow, the ship also seemed to know unerringly where to go. It veered away from the Arena Planet and headed straight toward Suldrera's Palace. Ryuso sent a message on Suldrera's special frequency, and waited patiently for a reply. Finally, Suldrera's face appeared on his dash-board.

"What news?"

"I have found the woman, Lady Suldrera."

"Ahhh, good. Where is she?"

"Actually, she is heading straight toward you. Why don't you have a welcoming party ready?"

"I might just do that. Thank you, Ryuso. You are so very kind. Anything you would like?"

"Yes, Lady Suldrera. I wouldn't mind keeping their ship, if it's not too much trouble."

"I feel as though you deserve it. What else should I expect with the package?"

Ryuso chuckled, that was what he loved about Lady Suldrera. Everything was so well placed in her mind. Already the wife of Goku had become a "package."

"You may expect another female, unknown, and a small, male Saiyan. Also unknown. I have no information about either of them."

"That surprises me. However, for an added precaution, I will send a hundred Ylgu-Gubs to welcome them. That should cover it, should it not?"

"Yes. I think that would cover Goku, himself. Any other Saiyan should be a cake-walk."

"Yes."

"Thank you, Ryuso. Anything else?"

"No, Lady Suldrera. By the way, your uncle is planning on starting a war between Yicox and Mnelryu. Just thought you might want to know. See you in approximately 33:02."

"Good bye."

Suldrera's face disappeared and Ryuso smiled to himself. Soon, very soon, Suldrera would give him what she'd promised, and then he would have everything.