QUEST FOR POWER 2: CHALLENGE KINGDOM
By Konrad
PART 9
Damnit! That was all Vegeta could repeat to himself as time was inexorably winding down for him. Floating in deep space, disoriented, his energy and his life slowly draining from him, his efforts at finding a way to safety proved useless and there was nothing left for him to do but die.
The dying Prince recalled a brief lecture Bulma had given him on the numerous ways deep space could kill unprotected beings. Asphyxiation was an obvious and certain killer. Certain, that is, if decompression hadn't yet caused irrepairable damage to the body, expanding tissue to unnatural proportions. The impossible cold would be another deadly effect, like a silent monster both more hidden yet more present than the first two. It was certain that Vegeta's Saiyan body would last several minutes longer than a human body could in these conditions. It was just as certain, as he simultaneously felt the cold biting at his skin, his organs stretching from within, and his lungs struggling for air, that it'll make his agony only that much more longer and painful.
Vegeta reflected back to Sulfus' taunts on how useless he had become. The Saiyans were alive somewhere striving without him thanks to his unknown sister. His son from the future had just died at the hands of a madman, a death he as his father failed to prevent. Then again, at least he still lived in the present. Wasn't the fact that the future version of Trunks had come back to the past in the first place proof that he had done well without him anyways? My son... the sister I'd never know... Bulma... they're all better off without me. The Prince reflected solemnly. The remaining vestiges of air left his lungs and he felt himself suffocating increasingly rapidly. So he wasn't going to die bloated or frozen like a comet destined to fall back on the planet, at least that much he knew as his mind was on the cusp of falling unconscious.
Suddenly a brilliant light filled Vegeta's sight. He felt himself jerked violently by a strong force and the cold instantly gave way to intense warmth. Something got a hold of him and was dragging him in a direction he couldn't figure out at first. A few, but long, seconds later, Vegeta felt air rush back into his lungs. His insides were no longer subject to intense pressure from within and the chill had long vanished from everything but memory. He looked up to realize that he was back in the Orion space station, in the arms of Sulfus.
"How you feeling?" The Kosajin asked him abruptly. "You weren't out there for too long for a Saiyan so you probably won't need any special treatment. We gotta move. This part of the station hasn't been damaged but it won't stay that way for much longer. We can still make it to the ships if we hurry."
Vegeta nodded absent-mindedly as Sulfus carried him away and back to the evacuation ships. He could barely understand what had happened. Only minutes ago, Sulfus and him were set to kill each other. Now the Kosajin had saved him once already and was leading him out of the doomed wreckage.
"W-Why...?" Vegeta started, his weakness keeping him from saying more. Sulfus stiffened momentarily, then relaxed as he continued leading them to safety.
"I have my reasons... some the same as Cooler. Others different. It's all because of him." The Kosajin started calmly, ignoring Vegeta's obvious and increasing puzzlement. "Cooler didn't like that Freezer wanted to exterminate the Saiyans. They never agreed on much really. Cooler saw Freezer as particularly brash, amongst other things. But most of the other leaders in the Planet Trade, including the two's father, King Cold, wanted to see your race dead or at least didn't mind. Only Dudan was on Cooler's side, thinking the Saiyans made good soldiers to call upon. So Cooler, with my help as well as Dudan's, had a few dozen Saiyans sent away secretly for 'missions'. Then we gathered them all on a small moon where they now live for the most part. Very few of us in Cooler and Dudan's armies knew about this. We'd call them up once in a while for critical secret assignments. A few years ago, the Planet Trade leaders started dying off so we thought it was safe to bring some Saiyans more openly into the top ranks of our forces. People like Djoukien. Our bosses themselves though did not live much longer than anyone else unfortunately..."
"And... this sister... that you mentionned?"
"Her name is Kita. She was born not long before the extermination but well after you had been taken in by Freezer. As a result, you'd never have known about her. As for you, Cooler wanted to save you too but it was impossible at that point."
"But... why'd he want to that... in the first place?" Sulfus sighed at the question.
"I'm not sure. Or maybe I think I know. He said it was the same reason as for Dudan, that the Saiyans were useful. But I think it was really because of his mother. She raised him... differently... than King Cold did. Cooler was much more like her."
"And now... you're a bit like Cooler too today." Vegeta remarked, smirking through the pain. Sulfus chuckled at the suggestion.
"Maybe. For a guy who's half-dead, you ask a lot of questions. Perhaps we'll see about that one day. But first, let's get outta here."
"Fair enough." The Prince concurred and the pair continued to make their way out of the doomed vessel.
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"18!" Aurora cried out as the Android was brutally tossed aside, body rolling to the floor. She lunged at their opponent but was easily knocked down. "Ow!" She whimpered.
"Alright, so let's continue with our chat, shall we?" Cerion said nonchalantly.
"Our 'chat'?! What makes you think I want to talk with you? You just come out and attack us out of nowhere, you crazy hag. The hell do you want from me anyways?"
"Hey! First of all, your friend there attacked me first after I clearly and politely told her to get out of here, so that's not my fault." Cerion pointed out to the barely-breathing Android, lying on the ground.
"And if there's a good reason why she attacked you?" Aurora sneered back.
"Secondly, what I want from you is you!" Cerion declared, pointedly ignoring the Kosajin's comment.
"What?! What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's because you're powerful, more so than you think. Or at least you got that potential." Cerion began, extending her hand to Aurora. "I can explain to you more about it and even teach you... because, really, it's what's in me too. If you just let me..."
"You... you want me because of my power?" Aurora muttered as her face dropped, prompting Cerion to raise an eyebrow.
Huh?! Not quite what I expected... "Anyways..."
"Get away from her, you're not having her!" Android 18 spat at Cerion. She struggled to get up but, with the fire of defiance burning in her eyes, she took forceful steps towards the Goddess.
"You again? I can't be bothered with you. Just don't move." Cerion launched casually and raised her hand, waving it absentmindedly in the direction of the Android. Almost immediately, 18 stopped moving.
"What...? What's going on? I can't lift my legs anymore."
"That's me, I put a mental command inside your own brain ordering you not to move. Now if I can get through with this without more interruptions..." Cerion informed, then she paused herself in shock as 18 managed to, barely, move one leg. "What the hell...?"
"You're not... getting... your hands... on her... stupid witch!" 18 spat. Sweat running down her face in torrents, she struggled mightily against Cerion's mental grip but nonetheless slowly took another step forward, followed by another. The Goddess meanwhile gritted her teeth as much in frustration as in effort.
What in the name... How can she be strong enough to resist my mental commands? What kind of strength does she have? She wondered as she put the weight of her power into her mind control efforts. That's it! I got to exterminate her.
"I don't know how you're doing this but let's see if you can move a bit faster with a little... incentive." While still restraining the Android's movements as much as she could, Cerion prepared a large blast in her hands. She smirked as 18's expression to horror at the realization that she wouldn't be able to move fast enough out of the way of the blast.
"18, no!" Aurora yelled desperately as the Goddess fired her shot and she almost instinctively disappeared from sight. Cerion immediately tried to home on her movements. But a strong gust of wind, containing bits and pieces of Aurora's ki, passed over Cerion and almost overwhelmed her senses, causing the startled Goddess to leap back. Sensing a shuffling behind her and the wind blowing clear, she spun around to see Aurora gently cradling the barely-conscious Android 18 after having taken her safely out of the path of the blast.
What the hell was that?! It was neither speed nor teleportation. It was like... she was the wind? But how? Cerion wondered as she panted heavily. Bad enough the other one almost exhausted me struggling against my power, but this...?
"Why is it always like this?" Aurora lamented softly to know one in particular. She started to massage 18's sore spots, knowing it wouldn't do much to her overall condition, hoping she'd at least distract her from the pain she was obviously in. Her silent fight against Cerion's control had visibly worn her out. "Everybody's asking me to do something. Father, Raikou, Gohan, you... I don't even know what the hell I want or what I should do."
"Listen, Aurora. It's called the 'Chuu' gene." Cerion said quietly after taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a few moments. "It gives those who carry it unrivalled power. Not only are they able to reach the highest limits of their heritage and quicker than any other, they're also able to go well beyond those limits. They can develop powers over the mind, space and time. And they can also live to be several centuries old. In practice, for lack of a better term though it's appropriate enough, those who have awakened their Chuu genes call themselves 'Gods'. And, Aurora, you are a God." Cerion paused to let that information sink in.
"A God..." The Princess mused to herself. "So all I am is because of that?"
"Well..." Cerion paused to reflect on Aurora's previous display. Something else there. "Something else there too probably. Maybe it's your Kosajin heritage. Strong as it may be though, it's still nothing compared to your capabilities as a Goddess. But it's not just power, it's responsibility. Unchecked or unsure of how to use their powers, or both, Gods once ravaged the Universe. You don't want to be a threat to your friends or others, now do you? That's why I must see to you, Aurora... if you let me." Cerion extended her hand and smiled gently down at Aurora.
"Get away from her!" A shout, masculine this time, interupted.
Startled, Cerion spun around to see Tenshinhan speeding at her in a blazing trail of energy. She barely managed to jump out of the way of the Triclops' fist, letting it impact the ground, and hopped some distance away to safety. When she recovered, Tenshinhan and Raikou, who barely a step behind, were standing firmly in the way to Aurora and 18.
"You?!" Cerion sneered.
"Yeah, me." Tenshinhan spat back. "Not too disappointed?" As they continued to trade barbs, Raikou was able to lend a supporting hand to Aurora and 18.
"Very. I'd rather have an interesting interruption to my business than a pair of self-important weaklings."
"Gohan told me all about you. Quite the gig you got there. Threatening kids into joining whatever your stupid cause is?" As he responded, the Triclops took careful note of Cerion's hastened breath. "And from the looks of it, you don't look like you're in shape to do much to even either of us. It seems whatever we felt you doing a few minutes ago did a number on you."
"Oh, I got plenty left for idiots like you." Cerion hissed.
- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -
"There." Sulfus stated as he fastened Vegeta into one of the remaining evacuation vessels. "I set it to head for and land near Surge City, so you'll get back to Raikou quickly enough."
"Right." Vegeta replied weakly but gratefully. "Oh, by the way..."
"Yes?"
"We'll have to actually finish a fight for once." At that both men erupted into laughter.
"Ok, I really got to get you out of here before we explode with this whole place." Sulfus pushed a few more buttons and soon Vegeta's craft was racing away at great speed.
Damn, can't catch a break since I stopped the dangerous life, can't I?! He mused to himself as he eyed another escape ship. Alright, now my turn...
Suddenly the Kosajin's hidden senses told him something was terribly wrong. Out of instinct he ducked and the business end of a cleaver swipped above where his neck was only a moment ago. Quickly, Sulfus leapt away and turned around. There stood a new stranger, a strongly built male with his green eyes barely visible through the red mask that otherwise hid his entire face including his forehead. His only other discernible physical feature was his blond hair falling down from the top along the sides of his head. He stood at least a few inches taller than Sulfus. His right hand held a weapon like a pole cleaver, from end to end longer than he was tall, except it seemed to crackle with energy.
"You are Sulfus of the Fire Kosajin?" The man asked. A visible furrowing of eyebrows was the only answer he needed. "I am Reaper of the Shintaisei. And by order of my Lords, you are to die here and now!"
That power, like Cerion's... No!
- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -
"This is far above you. You, the Android and the Lightning Kosajin aren't involved in this. Get out while you can." Cerion barked again.
"You don't get it, don't you?" The Triclops replied matter-of-factly.
"Get what?"
"This has everything to do with me. As a matter of fact I take this personally. These are my people, these are my friends... This is my squad, my responsibility." Cerion, Raikou and Aurora looked on briefly at Tenshinhan, processing the seriousness of his talk. Ok, not quite the effect I was going for I think. After a moment Cerion sighed.
"You probably won't believe me but this is my responsibility too." Cerion began. "I'm not some sadist but I must do what's truly right. It's not for myself when I say the power held by these children, Gohan and Aurora, can be a danger if they're not trained properly. That's why I must be this harsh."
"So you say." Tenshinhan calmly responded. "But I still don't think that's enough to take away their freedom or their lives. At least give them a real choice"
"Incidentally then, that leaves me no choice. I..." Cerion abruptly cut her sentence, suddenly staring up at the sky, her jaws open in horror and her eyes frantic. "What, Reaper...? Sulfus, no!" She screamed and promptly disappeared from sight.
The hell was that about...?! Tenshinhan asked himself, stunned at the sudden departure. What's going on? Not moments later, a familiar ki was touching his senses.
"18! Aurora!" Gohan cried out as he came barelling down at high speed. He touched the ground and rushed to 18's sides. "Is she okay?! I came as soon as I felt that woman's ki. Damnit, she better not have hurt her!"
Aurora nodded silently, though still feeling weary, as Gohan helped to support Android 18's body. Meanwhile, Raikou came up to the Triclops.
"Now that was handy. What'd you do to her?" The Lightning Kosajin spoke.
"Nothing." Tenshinhan answered tersely.
"So what got into her?"
"I don't know. But I do know we must be the last thing on her mind right now."
END OF PART NINE