Chapter XII: Presumed deceased

Even after almost two months, some of his wounds were still open. The lack of sleep and food stopped his saiyan body to regenerate properly. He was a proud warrior, as all saiyans, but he failed on the last mission he was assigned as a servant of the saiyan empire; protect the prince.

He was no nanny, and his task was more symbolic than anything, since the biggest threat for the prince's life, was the very same creature who destroyed the empire. He could not and would not protect Vegeta from Freeza, not just because it was an impossible task, but also because he didn't longer cared too much. Nappa was already an old saiyan, me might looked as if he was in his forties, but those were only his saiyan genes, the reality was that he was around his sixties, and he was tired.

'I'm too old for this shit' Nappa thought while walking through the fleet of pods.

"It was about time" Said the blue alien with long blonde hair.

"We had inconveniences Ban" responded the saiyan.

Ban looked around Nappa as if he was searching for something "Where's the midget?"

Nappa frowned at the insult "THE PRINCE" he corrected. "I don't have to report anything to you".

"I guess" said the alien scratching his blonde beard. "But you do have to do it for Freeza, he requested your presence as soon as you both arrived. But I suppose you're the only one attending as a punching bag" He said smirking.

Nappa growled and walked through the space station, it was one of the biggest stations in Freeza's empire. It could accommodate thousands of the largest spaceships models. The metallic walls, and white antiseptic floors and ceilings didn't helped with the general cold temperature. Nappa had been living many years there, but he couldn't get used to it, he lived too many years in the saiyan dessert weather of planet Vegeta.

Outside Freeza's chambers, there was two levels of doors, each door guarded with two big intimidating aliens. Nappa waited at each door in order to get authorization to see Freeza.

"Oh there is one of my monkeys!" Chuckled Freeza turning to see the saiyan, after he did, he frowned. "And where is MY favorite monkey?".

"I don't know Lord Freeza, I fear he might died". Answered Nappa stammering a little bit.

"HOW" Said Freeza in a dried tone and wide eyes.

"We-We were attacked, before we even landed, or pods were intercepted, Vegeta was behind me, at certain point I was able to see his pod and I saw ships firing at him. Then I landed still being shoot by their ships, I managed to handle the fight until hours later I was able to turn into Oozaru and I defeat them... but Vegeta..." Nappa made a pause looking down. "He never landed, he... I saw the ships shooting at his pod on space, I think... they killed him".

"Well what a bodyguard you are" said Freeza smirking and whipping Nappa's body with his tail. Then he lifted an arm and shot a blast at him. Nappa laid defeated on the ground.

"Dodoria!" Said Freeza, the fat pink alien ran to his side. "Take the monkey to the regeneration tank". Dodoria didn't hesitated, and took the Nappa out of the room.

After Dodoria left, Freeza turned to look at a huge window frowning.

"Do you think he was telling the truth my Lord" asked Zarbon with respect.

"I'm not sure, but I do doubt our little monkey died so easily"

"Do you think he escaped?" asked Zarbon walking near Freeza.

"He might, after all, you know those filthy monkeys are not that smart." Freeza made a pause and looked at Zarbon. "Go to the communication central and ask them for a report on Vegeta's scouter, and the functioning of his pod. We have to make sure the ape is alive, and if he is, he will pay for his disappearance."

Zarbon nodded and left the room.


'Is that?...' "Dodoria, wait!" Screamed the long haired saiyan.

The pink alien turned to the voice who called him, he was still dragging Nappa. "What the hell do you want".

"Wh-What happened? Where is Vegeta?". Said Radditz

Dodoria smirked "Dead" he was amused by the look of the other saiyan with the news. "And this bald one will be too unless I take him to the regeneration tank" with that being said, he kept walking dragging Nappa to the health wing. Radditz followed him.

"What do you mean dead, what happened, Freeza killed him?"

"I wish, but no. The monkey got himself killed on a mission" smirked Dodoria.

Radditz stood in silence, not believing the pink fat alien's words. After what felt like an eternity to him, he ran to the health wing. Once in there he saw how Dodoria was setting Nappa's tank, after he did it, Dodoria left the room smirking at the younger saiyan. Radditz sat in front of Nappa's regeneration tank, waiting for him to wake up.

Four hours later the tank began to show a green light, Radditz stood up quickly and opened the door. Nappa opened his eyes while watching the confused saiyan in front of him.

"What happened?" asked Radditz.

"He's gone" Said the older saiyan. Radditz watched him in silence while he got out of the tank, waiting for him to keep explaining.

"We were attacked, it was an ambush. Vegeta was behind me, but they opened fire to our pods, in space. He didn't even got the chance to fight them".

Radditz stood with wide eyes watching Nappa. After a long silence he said "So.. it's over". Nappa looked at him.

"I mean... he was our last hope. We can't avenge our people... so it's over" He said watching to the ground.

"You sound like a fucking weakling" grunted Nappa. "I haven't been holding all these years to give up like this. Somebody else will try, we're not the only race destroyed by Freeza, the most powerful yes, but there're others who also hate him, and when that day comes, I'll die in battle". He said leaving the room.

Radditz heard his words, but he didn't follow him, thinking about what he said. After a while, he walked where their rooms were, to see Nappa sat on his chair/bed.

"Did you see him being destroyed?" asked the younger saiyan.

"They shot his pod!"

"I know, but yours was shot too, wasn't it?" said Radditz.

Nappa thought with wide eyes, and nodded.

"Then maybe he's not dead, maybe his pod was damaged and he landed somewhere, or maybe..."

Radditz didn't end the idea, thinking Nappa knew what was on his mind.

"He wouldn't... or would he?" said Nappa.

"It's possible" said Radditz lowering his voice, even when there was nobody else on the room to listen.

"He wouldn't just escape, you know as much as I do, that his only goal in life is to kill Freeza" whispered, almost grunting Nappa.

"I didn't say he escaped to avoid it" Radditz made a pause. "But you know how we can't get any stronger here with Freeza, we're being constantly beaten but we're not getting any power out of it, we can't sleep, we can't eat, and we can't use the regeneration tanks to get one hundred percent healed. You know that, and he knew it too, maybe he left to train... you know, to ascend"

"Come on Radditz, after all these years, you still believe in that fairy tale? There's no such thing as the super saiyan, it's just a legend we used to tell our cubs" Answered Nappa.

"The king said it was real, and he said Vegeta would do it, he's the most powerful in our race in hundreds of years, if there's a saiyan who can do it, is him".

"I honored the king as much as you did, but he was pretty much intoxicated with how powerful Vegeta was when he was born. All saiyan fathers believe their sons are going to be the most powerful warriors".

"Well I still believe in the legend. After all like you said, it's a legend, not a fairy tale, which means it's true at certain point. I just hope Vegeta is alive and left for those reasons" Said Radditz sitting in his chair.

"I also hope for that too, but still, big part of me thinks he's dead".


A/U: Short chapter! But I'm currently working on the next one, I had a lot of work these days so soon as I get home... I just want to sleep.

I want to thank NNP for the huge help. Also all those who took the time to write reviews, thank you very much for your words.