Chapter 2 – Broly Laughs
"Chief Krill."
The plaque on the door made Jaco nervous as he paced back and forth in the waiting room at Galactic Patrol HQ. The wait to see whether Krill was still incensed about his embarrassing moment from yesterday knotted his stomach.
The doors slid open, revealing a woman of short stature, roughly the same height as Jaco. She wore a Galactic Patrol uniform, but her voluptuous chest made the uniform unable to zip up completely, exposing a noticeable cleavage that Jaco had to look away from. He cleared his throat before he stood at attention.
"Chief Krill is ready to see you, Mister Jaco," she announced and led him in. As the doors slid closed behind them, Jaco was a bundle of nerves. He approached the desk while Krill was busy admiring a picture frame of himself standing next to the Galactic King, a stately being who was basically a head with many tentacles underneath wearing nothing but a crown. Krill held one of the King's tentacles in his hand, yet it was worth noting that the tentacle in question was not the King's you-know-what.
When Krill spun in his chair to face Jaco, sweat beads were already on the Patrolman's forehead. He wanted to be anywhere else but in this office. Even less so, he desperately wanted to avoid the asteroid simulation training room. Just play it cool, Jaco, and you'll be back in your quarters in no time. And what is with this woman that's still here with me?
The voluptuous woman waited for Krill to address Jaco, standing at attention with a polite smile on her pink face framed by shoulder-length hair that was a shade lighter than lavender. In her hands, she held a digital tablet to write notes, logging the meeting that was taking place.
"Patrolman Jaco." Krill had a grandfatherly look to him. Gentle, firm eyes and a mustache that vibrated whenever he spoke. "You understand why I have summoned you here today?"
Jaco prayed his legs wouldn't give out on him. "I do, sir, and I don't think I'm going to like it."
"If you are feeling tense, Mister Jaco, I recommend breathing exercises," the woman advised. It was hard for Jaco to pair such a high-pitched voice with those 'assets.' She showed him a few diagrams from her digital pad. "I can teach you a few stress-relief techniques later after you complete the asteroid simulation test."
Jaco tilted his head as he looked at her, then pointed her out to Krill.
"Sir? If you don't mind me asking," Jaco whispered, leaning close. "Who is this woman with the giant bazooms?"
The woman looked confused, tilting her head. She glanced down at her chest and blinked. 'Giant bazooms?' she mumbled.
Krill cleared his throat. His stern gaze was still on Jaco before it relaxed, motioning to her.
"She is our newest graduate: Abbalo. Finished in the top one percentile of her class," Krill explained. Her information was listed on a separate digital pad on his desk. "She scored a single percentage point lower than Agent Merus himself."
"What?!" Jaco exclaimed. He shot her an astonished look, eyeing her up and down. He couldn't believe his eyes. How does a woman of her 'stature' manage to score just below Agent Merus of all people? Jaco leered at her a moment.
"Suspicious. How do I know you didn't cheat on those exams, missy?" he asked her, arms crossed.
"It would be a grave dishonor to my family if I cheated, Mister Jaco," Abbalo was straightforward, sparing no expense in her words.
Jaco hummed a satisfied nod. "Well, you are telling the truth, at least. These peepers of mine are quite perceptive, you know," he said.
"Of course they are, Mister Jaco. I've read your file; your eyesight is exemplary." Abbalo's sweet tone reverberated so much throughout the room that even Krill went red in the face. He coughed into his fist.
"Ahem. As I was saying, I will be assigning Abbalo to you, Jaco. She will assist you and rely on your expertise to help ease her into active duty with the Galactic Patrol. Since she aced the asteroid simulation test, she was the ideal choice to help you pass."
Jaco cleared his throat. "Sir? You know I always work alone, right?"
"Yes, Jaco. But for now, Abbalo could use a veteran Patrolman such as yourself to break her into the organization. Top marks are nothing without hands-on experience. Dismissed."
Jaco felt a soft groan escape his throat. He hung his head as he walked out of the office. Abbalo followed close behind, feeling optimistic yet professional. Once they were both out of Krill's office, she closed her data tablet, stopping Jaco in his tracks with an overjoyed expression on her face.
"Oh my gosh! I can't believe Chief Krill assigned me to you! I'm so excited!" she squealed, jumping up and down on her feet. Jaco reeled back, forced to avoid looking at her bouncing melons. What is with this odious female?!
"I'll have you know, first of all," Jaco said, hoping to calm her down enough to get her to listen. "I am taking this 'partnership' with a massive grain of salt. I have zero tolerance for ineptitude or whatever it is you plan on doing with, ahem, those." He pointed to her breasts, and Abbalo poked them herself, another tone of confusion crossing her face.
"I have so many questions!" she gushed, ignoring Jaco's leer. "How long have you been with the Galactic Patrol? What's it like working for the Galactic King? When was your first arrest? Did you have a favorite criminal? Is Agent Merus as cool and mysterious as everyone says he is?"
Jaco rounded down on her with a scowl. "Will you stop that?!"
Abbalo flinched, shrinking down a moment, but she kept her imposing smile when she straightened herself.
"I'm sorry, Mister Jaco! I'm just so excited to work with you! I'm your biggest fan!" she gushed, blushing as she looked down sheepishly.
"My biggest fan, you say?" Jaco said, hand to his chin. He couldn't help but give her a sly grin and stood as tall as he could, even though he was only an inch taller than she was.
"Very well, Abbado!" Jaco boasted. He bent his leg to assert his signature pose. "I, Patrolman Jaco, consider you my official apprentice! The work will be harsh, brutal, but well worth the accumulated wisdom!"
"Oh, thank you, Mister Jaco! And it's Abbalo, by the way," she quickly corrected him. Still, Jaco was already on his way out of the waiting room to the large circular tube that rotated around the central spherical hub of the Galactic Patrol HQ. She quickened her pace to keep up with him and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Mister Jaco, simulation room number 3 is the other way," she informed him. Jaco's legs buckled.
"D-do we, do we, have to…?" he asked nervously. He was certain his legs would eventually give out on him, leaving him floundering on the floor. If he could ground himself and not move the rest of the day, it would be a million times better than taking the simulation. Abbalo grabbed his arm, leading him in the other direction against his will. Jaco's brittle, shrill groans were almost echoed throughout the building as other Patrolmen walked by.
Some officers and agents snuck in a few chuckles as they passed by. Abbalo kept politely tugging Jaco's arm to force him to move again whenever he stopped. Jaco's face went pale before the sight of Simulation Room 3.
"I, I think I forgot something in my quarters! Be right back!" he shouted. Abbalo's grip on his arm was surprisingly firm, preventing escape. He exclaimed his displeasure loudly before the door opened. Once Abbalo escorted him inside the dimly lit room, the door closed before Jaco had enough time to make a move. A single light hovered over a chair in front of a replica panel with buttons and throttle, the same model as a Patrolman's ship console. Abbalo then eased Jaco into the chair. For a moment, Jaco completely forgot about the room to marvel at the comfort.
"Goodness, have these chairs always been this comfortable? I must get one for my ship!" he said. He shifted his body along with the cushions that hugged his spine, sighing happily. "To bask in the comfort of such a chair with a cold glass of milk in my hand. That would be the ideal lifestyle," he mumbled to himself.
Abbalo nodded. "I have the same chair in my quarters, Mister Jaco," she informed him. "The best quality to maintain good posture."
Jaco glanced back with a surprised look on his face. "Poss? Huh? Wha-?"
Reality quickly returned to Jaco, face-to-face with a giant screen. His hands shook as they snagged the throttle.
"You should loosen your grip, Mister Jaco," Abbalo noted. Jaco made a sound in his throat that sounded like a kitten mewling for its mother.
"Okay!" Jaco squealed. His teeth began to chatter, hands shaking even more now.
"You're far more likely to make mistakes if you don't approach the simulation with a clear head," Abbalo reiterated, only to receive a repulsed look from Jaco.
"How can I have a clear head when my corpse is going to be splattered all over some space rock?!" he yelled.
Abbalo raised an eyebrow. "But this is a simulation," she said. "Nothing can physically harm you."
"Speak for yourself! You're not the one who has to take this!" Jaco screeched, his voice an octave higher.
"Don't worry about failing the first time. The simulation is always the same, so you can memorize patterns and anticipate incoming debris more easily," Abbalo explained. Despite Jaco's natural light-blue face, a deeper shade of blue faded in, matching his dark purple-blue complexion along his body. He was too frightened to recognize her assuring tone.
She bowed and went to the panel on the wall. "The simulation will begin in thirty seconds. Good luck, Mister Jaco!" she said encouragingly and left to stand outside the room, watching Jaco on a display panel as his face looked at the projection screen with dread.
Jaco screamed while the simulation was running. He swerved his body left and right and cowered in fear as he released his grip on the controls when a virtual asteroid crashed into the ship's cockpit.
The simulation ended with a score of 42% on the display screen, large enough for everyone to see when they walked past the room. Jaco let out a shrill cry of disdain, curling up into a ball on the chair.
"Forty-two percent," Abbalo noted when she entered the room. "It's a decent start, at least!"
Jaco's cry was slightly louder as Abbalo entered a few keystrokes on the wall's panel, resetting the simulation. Jaco put his hands together.
"Please! Get me out of this nightmarish experience! I'll give you anything for a passing grade!" Jaco pleaded, and Abbalo blinked.
"Uh, I know I'm still entirely new, Mister Jaco," Abbalo explained. "But I was the only one Chief Krill entrusted to ensure that you'd score above the threshold. He told me I was the most courteous out of your fellow officers, whatever that meant."
"You don't know what it's like for me, Abbado!"
"It's Abbalo, sir."
"You don't know what it's like!" Jaco repeated. "I'm a laughingstock now that they know my horrible secret!"
"Um, beg your pardon, Mister Jaco, but your aversion to navigating asteroid fields isn't a secret," Abbalo informed him.
"I know they're laughing at me," Jaco ignored her again, whimpering to himself. "The higher-ups and my fellow Patrolmen are probably laughing at me this very second!" He gulped when he saw the display of a virtual asteroid field light up again. His hands shook as he gripped the throttle again. Abbalo rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Whenever I feel nervous, I always remember the advice my father once told me," she said, and Jaco looked up at her.
"What advice would that be?" Jaco asked nervously.
"I'll disown you if you quit," she said with a smile and left the simulation room.
"That's not reassuring!" Jaco yelled back, uttering another agonizing wail when the word "Get Ready!" blinked on the screen with a countdown going from "3" to "0."
After several more grueling sessions, Jaco wobbled out of the simulation room, ready to pass out. Abbalo stood by with her data tablet. She tapped a few things on the screen, giving him a nod with a pat on his shoulder.
"Fifty percent! You've improved by a wide margin for your first day, Mister Jaco!" Abbalo chirped. Jaco's sideways glance wanted her to feel every waking moment of the terror he experienced.
"I can't face my peers, Abbado," Jaco said, and Abbalo corrected him again. "Abbalo."
"It's too embarrassing!" Jaco hung his head low and stared at the floor, ignoring his mispronunciation. "Forever doomed to be assigned menial jobs now because I cower before space rocks!"
"I'm sure they must want you to succeed if you mean that much to them, Mister Jaco," Abbalo assured him, and Jaco stopped, turning to face her. He cleared his throat, composing himself.
"I will give you ten percent of my next month's salary if you can do a little re-programming for me," he said, leaning forward to whisper that last part in her ear with his hand shielding his mouth. He wanted to be sure he was out of earshot of anyone eavesdropping, yet Abbalo's smile never wavered.
"Chief Krill advised me of your intent to bribe your way of this, Mister Jaco. I can assure you that I am quite well-paid for my job. Father would be so proud of me," she boasted, going a bit red in the face with her smile widening.
Jaco put his hands together, pleading again. "Fifteen percent," he offered, and Abbalo chuckled.
"If I told you what they were paying me, Mister Jaco, no amount you'd offer would sway me to your favor. The Chief chose me because I am honest to a default!" she said.
"Oh, come on!" Jaco cried as Abbalo walked on ahead. Exiting the lift to the second floor, Jaco ignored bemused looks from other patrolmen, mewling in his throat.
The doors to his quarters slid open. "You'll score that sixty percent soon, Mister Jaco. I know you will."
"Stuff those words of encouragement between your bazooms, Abbado. I haven't earned any of it," Jaco sneered. Abbalo wanted to correct him once more yet was still unclear about what Jaco alluded to concerning her chest. She shrugged and bowed at him.
"I shall meet you here first thing tomorrow morning. Rest well, Mister Jaco!" she said.
Jaco desperately needed a distraction to take his mind off the worse experience of his whole career. His eyes regarded a digital image of Cheelai hovering above his desk with a sneer. The petite, sassy, white-haired, green-skinned woman gave the camera the stink eye while flipping it off with her middle finger.
"Just you wait, you dirty thief! I'll have you in my grasp soon!" Jaco pointed to her image and sulked as he sat in his chair, arms crossed.
Back on Vampa, Cheelai was still sleeping soundly in her bed. Her positioning throughout her sleep cycle looked awkward as she lay on her stomach, one leg dangling off the edge of the mattress while her right arm was bent above her head. Her loud snoring could be heard from the kitchen as Lemo prepared breakfast. By the time he was finished making Cheelai's food, the clock on the wall above the front door had read close to lunchtime.
He couldn't believe how heavy a sleeper Cheelai was, yet he hoped that the aroma of his cooking would bring her out of bed. He gave her a few more minutes as he flipped over the omelet on the frying pan, lightly seasoning it with fresh herbs, spices, and chives before he took it off and plated it for her.
He stood at the door to her bedroom after setting the table with the still steaming egg dish on its plate nestled comfortably on a placemat with a pair of chopsticks at the ready. Next to the omelet was a plate for fruit and a glass full of orange juice, freshly squeezed. He was eager to make sure that his new companions were well-fed with only the most exquisite dishes and hoped that they'd avoid the idea of consuming any more of those ugly smelling insects that roamed the planet.
With an eye on the egg dish, he strolled over to the lump under the covers and nudged it with his hand.
"Cheelai, it's almost noon, get up," he said in an annoyed tone. Why was she such a repulsive morning person? How can he afford to get anything done if this woman spent the whole day in bed?
"Come on, Cheelai, your food's ready. Let's go," he reassured her and only got an audible grunt from her in response. She shrank into her blanket, pulling her arm and leg inside with a heavy groan.
Lemo scoffed loudly, rolling his eyes. He grabbed the blanket and tossed it off the bed, glowering at her with his arms crossed.
Cheelai unconsciously patted around the bed and couldn't feel the blanket anymore. She sat up in a panic, eyes wide open.
"Blank…blanket…where's my blanket?!" she yelled, eyes darting across the room. When they fell upon Lemo, he grabbed the fabric off the floor and tossed it back to her.
"Breakfast is ready," he said flatly, adding as he left, "and put more clothes on!"
Despite wearing a sleeveless shirt and a pair of boxers, Cheelai stuck her tongue out at him, diving under the blanket again. "No! Nyeh!"
"Damn it all!" Lemo said, storming back into the room. He struggled to pull the blanket, forcing the two into a tug-of-war. "Come on! Let go, already!" he shouted.
Cheelai's grip loosened until it slipped out of her hands, the momentum causing Lemo to fall onto his butt. She glared at him, hovering over the edge of the bed as her blanket lay on top of Lemo. "I'm not a kid, Lemo! That whole excursion yesterday left me exhausted!" Cheelai yelled. Lemo had already folded the blanket before setting it down beside her.
"Your food's getting cold. Hurry up and get dressed," Lemo said in a flat tone. He didn't care how exhausted she was. Good food is going to waste, and he'll be damned if his plate wasn't empty before she left the table.
"Ugh! Fine!" Cheelai said, throwing her hands up. She pinched the bridge of her nose before wiping the sleep off her face, straightening herself out on the bed. She adjusted the strap of her top, stifling a yawn. "What time is it?" she asked groggily.
"As I said, it's almost noon!" Lemo called back.
Cheelai's face lit up in surprise. "What the hell, Lemo?!" she yelled, poking her head between the doorframe at Lemo. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?!"
"Because the clock you threw at me last night broke, remember?" Lemo told her, directing her to the damaged alarm clock that was still on the floor. Cheelai completely forgot about what she had done during her outburst and sighed. "Oh, right."
"Oh, right, indeed," Lemo reassured her. "The last thing we need on this death planet is for us to lose our cool. It's bad enough we got a walking supernova like Broly around, ready to explode at the slightest inconvenience."
"Hey, you leave that issue to me, alright?" Cheelai's eyes were determined despite still looking sleepy, yet Lemo did understand what she was alluding to. After much discussion, he agreed that Cheelai should help Broly control his temper. Thankfully, neither of them needed to worry about the shock collar anymore.
"Fine, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, but eat my omelet first before it gets cold."
Cheelai walked out of the room, enticed by the aroma of the egg dish that wafted under her nose. She could feel her mouth begin to drool and cursed herself for reacting so quickly. She pulled up the chair and sat down, studying the dish before her carefully. "This's an omelet?" she asked.
"Don't tell me you never had an omelet before," Lemo said dubiously. Cheelai examined the omelet with her chopsticks like a surgeon ready to operate.
Lemo kept staring at her, waiting for an answer. "Yes, I know what an omelet is, Lemo! I've just never had one before," she finally told him. She was embarrassed, having never tried one of these simple dishes, yet she quickly broke off a part of it to put it in her mouth. She almost dropped her utensils the moment the flavor hit her tongue. She gasped at the taste; it was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Each bite was savored, lost in a melange of butter, herbs, and spices.
"Lemo," she finally managed to say after she swallowed. She wanted that taste to last forever. "How is it you never told me how good you are with cooking? I've never tasted anything so delicious before."
"What? Did you honestly believe that I spent my whole time recruiting members for Freeza?" Lemo said, his tone sour. "I was a revered and well-respected chef before Freeza took over. It's insulting to have my creativity restricted so much!"
Cheelai couldn't say anything else as she ate, taking her time to enjoy what Lemo had prepared for her. She sympathized with his inability to pursue his dreams, lamenting that soldiers of the Freeza Force likely had to abandon their prior lives for lifelong servitude.
Once she ate everything, she sighed happily. "That was well worth the risk of leaving the Freeza Force, Lemo. I can't wait to see more of it," she said.
"Thanks," Lemo said. "That means a lot." He sank into his chair, exhausted.
"So, what did Broly say about your cooking?" Cheelai inquired.
"I've been cooking all morning since before sunrise," he spoke as though he had just fought a long and harsh battle, his eyes looking distant. Cheelai got a good look at him now, and she could see how deflated he looked. She wondered if Lemo had the energy left to fix the door to the bedroom today but brushed the question aside.
"I cooked non-stop like a madman, Cheelai. The big guy kept eating, cleaning each plate I brought to him. And yet, he was still asking for more! If this is what it's going to be like cooking for a Saiyan, I'm going to eventually need a team, not to mention a bigger kitchen."
Cheelai couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm sure he appreciates all the hard work you've put into it, though. He'll have all the energy he needs and then some," she said. The outside of Vampa still had that sickly yellow-green atmosphere to it. "I intend on making him laugh today."
"Good luck with that, I guess," Lemo said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Cheelai replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Vampa's the last place one would think to crack jokes," Lemo said, pointing to the outside with his thumb. "This planet is all that he knows. I'm not saying you won't succeed. But just remember he's been through the grinder with his old man zapping him with that shock collar whenever he looked ready to blow a gasket."
Cheelai leered at him, crossing her arms. "He's going to laugh, Lemo. Trust me," she said, drumming her finger against her arm. Her leer became more devious once her lips curled into a smile.
"What's with that look…? It's creeping me out," Lemo said, ready to fall back to the kitchen.
Cheelai leaned forward, pointing at him. "You're going to help me make him laugh," she proposed, and Lemo rolled his eyes. "I knew it," he groaned.
Lemo began clearing the table. She wasn't about to let him off the hook that easily. "Fine, I'll help you. But at least let me tidy up the place and fix the door while you frolic about with Broly."
Stretching her arms, Cheelai rose from her seat. "When did he leave?"
"Couple hours ago, I think," Lemo said. He looked at the clock on the wall above the door. "Sounds about right. He didn't specify where he was going, though," he added as Cheelai returned to grab a change of clothes. "Though I did hear him say he might try and play with Ba."
"It's going to be hard tracking him without our scouters," Cheelai said as she walked to the bathroom. "I'll have to track him the old-fashioned way once I'm ready."
About an hour later, Lemo poked his head from the kitchen to see her load her blaster pistol, double-checking it.
"You're going by yourself in the wilderness with all those bugs roaming around?" Lemo asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you that eager to see Broly again?"
"Hey, I know I'm a good shot, Lemo," Cheelai assured him.
Lemo shook his head like a disappointed father. There was a brief pause as he stared at her. He shrugged. "Go. I ain't gonna stop ya. But if I don't see you back by sundown, I'm packing everything to leave Vampa." Cheelai reacted with a repulsed look on her face.
She rounded on him. "You're going to leave Broly alone on this planet, just like that?!" she shouted. "I would never do that to him if I were in your place!"
"Calm down! Did I say I was going to leave Broly behind?" Lemo said, offended.
Cheelai paused, releasing his arm. "Well, not really, no."
"Then don't assume that I would be so cold-hearted. Think before you mouth off angrily like that next time, Cheelai. Go and keep him company. I'm sure he'll appreciate it."
She never relented in the look she gave him, but it did help her relax hearing Lemo's assurance that he'd still take Broly should the worst happen. Though now that she thought about it, she couldn't imagine Broly taking it very well if she didn't survive the trek to meet him.
"Sorry," she whispered. "I guess there's still a lot more I don't know about you."
"In due time. Just don't forget my suggestion to keep things from escalating. Cooler heads will prevail, Cheelai. I don't want our bickering to upset Broly," Lemo said. It was reassuring to hear his sage advice. Cooler heads were needed, at least for now.
Cheelai reached under her spandex top, revealing a heart-shaped pendant that doubled as a locket that hung around her neck. Her fingers traced the smooth metallic surface to a small button on the left side. The locket opened to reveal a picture of herself with another man, their faces pressed together and smiling. She smiled fondly at the picture, touching it with her finger before she closed it, clicking it shut. Pressing the locket against her chest, she let out a small sigh before slipping it back under her uniform.
She had the pendant kept in a small box among her belongings, only taking it out each night to look at the pictures before she went to sleep. After experiencing all these colossal events the last few days, she began to attach it around her neck to keep it on her at all times, except when she needed to bathe to avoid damaging the metal. She didn't think she ever needed to be more attached to the pendant, yet here she stood.
The winds along the top of the jutting buttes throughout Vampa were harsh and tedious, funneled through the sparse network of holes before being absorbed into cavernous entrances. Despite the sun shining above, the winds were colder the higher up they were, making her curse the temperature under her breath that misted in the air.
She contemplated taking the ship to fly across the planet to search for Broly. She would've considered it had she not saw Broly zip by far off near one of those green beasts. As long as he was up in the air, she could make him out among the hundreds of beetles scurrying along the ground. "I really wish I had my scouter right now," she grumbled.
Peering over the edge of the butte, she could visualize where the footholds were safest to step on as she climbed down. It was risky yet manageable due to her flexibility. The Capsule house by the cave couldn't have been higher than thirty feet from the ground.
It took her some time, but better to be safe than sorry. Once she was low enough, she jumped from the foothold to land on the ground. Wiping the dirt from her gloved hands, she scanned the area for signs of those beetles, unholstering her blaster. She trod carefully, aiming where she might have noticed one of them nearby. So far, so good.
The wavy, jagged landscape was trickier to navigate than the first time she visited the planet. The wrinkled land stretched as far as her eye could see. Beetles huddled around beast "pools" to get in their lunch.
"Geez, how did Broly and his dad manage to get around this planet so much?" she asked herself, narrowly falling on her face after her foot caught a gap in the ground. One of her yelps alerted a nearby herd of beetles, and they all spun to face her, hunger in their eyes.
"Shit!" She aimed and fired her blaster, taking two down with clean shots through their heads. Unfortunately, there were several more still on their way, forcing her to step back. She kept shifting her gaze from the herd of beetles to the ground to make sure she wouldn't trip.
Her marksmanship was remarkable, taking down each one as they were closing in until there were only four left. Two flanked her from behind while she stared down the two in front, searching for an opening.
"If you don't want to end up like your friends back there, I suggest you back off!" she warned the beetles as they moved in closer, but their menacing grins and piercing eyes ignored any warning uttered by the diminutively sized woman.
One moved forward to pounce from behind, but she tucked and rolled out of the way. She shot a blaster bolt that pierced through its midsection, killing it before it ever hit the ground. The other three trampled over the corpse to chase her.
Cheelai rolled back into a kneeling position and boosted herself off the ground with her feet, jumping out of the way of one of their tongues lashing out like a whip that narrowly avoided latching onto her leg. Then, with careful aiming, her next shot severed the insect's long tongue. The beetle screeched and howled as it thrashed wildly, stampeding towards her as she landed. She knelt and fired off a few quick shots into its head, yet it kept moving towards her before it crashed into the ground. The other two were immediately behind it, using the first one as cover to get the jump on her.
She led them on, running towards one of the beasts directly ahead. "This way!" she yelled from behind.
Full of adrenaline, it boosted her agility and freedom of movement, avoiding hazards as the beetles chased her. She narrowly overshot the edge of the ground that opened itself to the crater where the beast slept, flailing her arms to keep her balance, but the two beetles were closing in on her fast. "No, no, no! This is bad!" she yelled, the ground giving way under her feet.
Her impact woke the beast as a pair of fierce red eyes stared directly at her. The two beetles halted at the edge, leering at her with a predatory gaze, their never-ending tooth-like grins eager to feast on more than just simple plasma from their favorite feeding spot.
"Hey, how about you two get more acquainted with each other and forget about little old me?" she asked politely to the beetles and the beast, her voice on the brink of full-on panic. She was short of breath, staring between the beetles and the beast and quickly rose to her feet to aim her blaster from the beetles to the Vampa Beast.
"Back off, you three! I'm a crack shot with this if you haven't noticed already!" she warned them, but the beetles couldn't care less about her threats. They stalked toward her while the beast's mouth curled into a set of teeth that grinned at her, approaching to pounce.
Who am I kidding here? Why did I think this was a good idea to travel across this land to search for Broly when I could've just waited back at the cave?! Stupid stupid stupid!
Chiding herself for her bold attempt to search for Broly, she wasn't paying attention as the Saiyan himself swooped down to grab the beetles from behind, snatching their legs. They quickly turned to hiss at him, but Broly's determined glare was intimidating enough that they tried to run away instead. He twisted his body around to toss them into the air several hundred feet away, turning his menacing glare back to the beast in front of Cheelai.
"Go! You're not safe here!" Broly shouted after her, and Cheelai hurried to the ground above as quickly as she could. "You don't have to tell me twice!" she said in passing.
The Vampa beast was still intent on making a meal out of the green-skinned woman and made a move, launching its face straight at her. Broly knocked it back with a punch so hard the beast's head whipped back. He grabbed Cheelai and flew up. Wrapping her arms tightly against his chest, she buried her face, hoping Broly would take her someplace less dangerous.
Locating a tall enough rock spire, Broly landed, releasing Cheelai from his grasp. She backed away when she saw how distressed his face looked, staring at her.
"Why did you travel into their territory by yourself?!" he yelled.
"I don't know?! Maybe I like the thrill of trekking across dangerous terrain!" Cheelai yelled back. She knew her heart was racing. She was reacting to Broly's distress with some of her own. She pointed to the beetle carcasses that other beetles were now devouring. "There, see? Look how many I killed before you saved me!"
Broly frowned, watching the beetles cannibalize their own. Some of the beasts reached far enough to scoop up a beetle or two in their mouths. But it didn't seem to change his expression as he approached her, staring down. She began regretting ever referring to him as a softy with how intimidating he looked.
"You don't know Vampa. Father and I survived because we were strong. I don't want to see you hurt or worse."
Cheelai holstered her blaster, sighing. "I'm a lot tougher than you give me credit for. I don't get hurt that easily."
Sitting for the first time since brunch, she realized her face had been drenched in sweat, wiping it with the sleeve of her coat. "That's one hell of a workout," she whispered to herself.
Easing back, she could see Broly was still upset by the way he looked at her. "Look, Broly, one thing you're going to need to realize is that I know my way around. I may not look very strong, but I've got a lot of strength in here to survive," she told him, tapping her head.
"I still don't like seeing you walk on Vampa by yourself," Broly said. "I want to keep you and Lemo safe."
Despite how upset he was, she still wanted to show him that she was okay with a grin on her face. "I know you do. Come, sit," she said, tapping the surface beside her.
Much of Vampa's topography was the same, no matter how far Cheelai searched. She hoped for something unique that stood out, yet it was more of the same. Same beetles, same beasts, same buttes and same rock spires. She sighed. "Exiled to a place like this. No one should have to suffer a lifetime here."
"Father said it was the ideal place for a Saiyan to train so they could be strong," Broly said. "I may have been born somewhere else, but I would still call this place my home."
"Well, I don't. I'd rather be on a less hostile planet right about now," Cheelai said. She studied the buttes a few more times, trying to get an idea of what they could be used for.
"What's with those rock formations, by the way? Some have a lot of holes in them," she asked, pointing out the closest one to Broly.
"They are tunnels that lead underground where a fearsome creature lives. A creature many times larger than Ba. Father called it an Underdweller," he explained.
Cheelai gulped. "A-An Underdweller?" she asked nervously.
Broly nodded. "Some time ago, before I met you and Lemo, an Underdweller attacked us. Father would've died if I didn't save him. You can see the trails they leave as they burrow deep underground," Broly said, pointing to several hill-shaped formations beyond the beasts' nests. He traced a finger along the rock, adding two dots near the end of one. "This is us. The Underdwellers are at least this long."
"Holy-!" Cheelai gasped, hand to her mouth. Her face sank. "Like I don't have enough to worry about on this planet as is."
She wrapped her arms around herself, trying not to shiver again. Broly's hands went to the knot on Ba's ear that secured it to his waist, unsure whether to untie it. Cheelai was still reeling from her nerve-wracking experience escaping the beetle herd, nearly eaten alive by a beast in the process.
She brought her legs up to wrap her arms around, holding herself tight to keep warm. "Dammit, even under the sun, it's freezing up here!"
The cold wind made her shake. "I should've put on a second layer under this coat," she groaned. Her shivering stopped when she felt something warm and heavy wrap itself around her shoulders.
Touching the object, it felt soft despite a few coarse sections. Realizing it was green fur, she threw it off in a panic, scurrying away from it. "Broly! Help!" she shouted.
She stopped when it dawned on her what it was. Broly picked up Ba's ear and draped it back onto her shoulders. She couldn't believe her eyes. "Broly…?"
"You're shivering," he told her. "Ba's ear will keep you warm."
Despite the stench, it did as it intended. The shivering stopped.
"You took it off your waist…? I, I don't know what to say," Cheelai said. She closed it around her. It was soft, yet she remembered how durable it was. "Thank you, Broly," she whispered.
He looked more visibly uncomfortable the longer he was without it around his waist. Cheelai eased it off her shoulders, handing it back to him. "Here, you can have it back," she told him.
"But you're cold," Broly said, despite his urgency to take it.
"I'll be fine. Your pelt has too much sentimental value for you to part with it," Cheelai said. She closed her hands around his and the pelt. "Guess today wasn't a good day to make you laugh, huh?"
She didn't know what about that sentence made him smile and chuckle under his breath, but she craned her neck to look at him, surprised. "Was that a laugh I just heard?" she asked. Broly looked away. "That was a laugh. Not quite a belly laugh, but at least I got you smiling again."
After tying Ba's ear back around his waist, Broly pointed at the dead beetles, most of them eaten. "You are strong if you were able to kill so many of them," he noted. He no longer felt angry about her foolish decision to venture into the lion's den. Instead, his eyes had the look of someone impressed by her show of bravery.
"Well, us Freeza Force soldiers have to be, you know?" she chuckled. She wished she hadn't said that now after Broly's face changed. "Sorry," she said quickly. "Former soldiers."
She unholstered her blaster to inspect it, wondering if there was still enough power in it to fire. She knew she needed to make every shot count and was proud of her marksmanship. However, it would be necessary for the coming days once they started searching for a new home that wasn't a death trap.
With a satisfied nod, she holstered it again, pacing back and forth in front of Broly.
"We need a plan to gather information on any planets that Freeza hasn't conquered or sold yet. With you as our muscle, he wouldn't dare come near us anymore, that's for sure. You're a potent fighter, and we're going to need that power if we want to survive out there."
She stopped when she noticed that Broly was still eyeing her quietly, and she examined herself.
"What? Is there something on me?"
Broly looked away sheepishly. "I don't see anything different on you."
Cheelai raised an eyebrow before both went up. Wait, was he checking me out just then?
Now it was Cheelai's turn to get in a good look at Broly's physique and shook her head. Think clearly, Cheelai! We can't waste time ogling each other!
"So, Broly." She quickly changed the subject. "Is there anything exciting to see on Vampa?"
Broly thought it over for a moment, scanning the landscape below. After a few seconds, he shook his head.
"I don't know what exciting means, but what you see is all there is on Vampa," Broly informed her. Cheelai's face dropped. "Seriously?"
She didn't want to give up. Perking herself up again, she spun around, pointing everywhere. "Come on; there can't just be these weird rocky outcrops, bug herds, Ba look-a-likes, and whatever ginormous-possibly-a-worm thing you described earlier. There has to be something on this planet that's worth a look?"
Broly wasn't sure. He was too deep in thought to notice that Cheelai took his hand to get his attention. She put her other hand on his arm and nodded behind her.
"Why don't we go and find out? Care to give the lady a tour?" she said in a pleasant tone. She climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders. His natural musk overpowered her nose, making her gag. "Oh, God...! You need a shower as soon as we go back home."
Just roll with it, Cheelai, she thought. You wanted the tour, so tough it out.
"Okay, Broly, show me Vampa!" she shouted. The acceleration of Broly's flight from the rock caused a mild freakout on her part, launching from the rock so fast he caused a sonic boom mid-way.
When he was high enough, Cheelai clamped on tightly to his body. "Okay...! I didn't expect to go that fast," she said nervously. She gulped when she saw how high they were. "Woah! That's way higher than I thought we'd be."
Broly maintained a consistent pace while flying, giving Cheelai enough time to adjust herself on his back. A myriad of Vampa beasts slumbered below as the beetles latched on with their tongues. It was remarkable, yet gruesome, how both species interacted with each other. The beetles fed off the beast while the beast gobbled up a few at a time.
For the most part, all Cheelai could see of Vampa were the same sights. Beasts, beetles, and rock formations ate away at her excitement until she spotted a large mound moving eastward. She pointed it out to Broly.
"Hey, is that the Underdweller or whatever you called it?" she asked.
Broly frowned, nodding. "Yes. We need to avoid it."
"Come on," Cheelai retorted. Although quite anxious to heed Broly's advice, she couldn't help but be curious. "How bad could they possibly be?"
Her answer came when the colossal creature exploded from under the rocky terrain, its head shooting upward. Cheelai's face seemed to lose all color at once as she laid eyes on its white scaly features.
It didn't have eyes from what she could notice, yet it had several barbs along its body that were used to burrow through the ground. In addition, four large mandibles protruded from each corner of its mouth, opening to reveal rows upon rows of razor-sharp and pointed fangs inside as it closed in on one of the Vampa beasts. Scary movies were one thing she could enjoy. This one, not so much.
Cheelai yelped as the worm pierced the beast with its four mandibles before dragging it inside, leaving a crater where it once rested. She wanted to throw up the delicious omelet she ate earlier. "I think I'm going to be sick...!"
Broly stopped mid-air, making sure to keep his distance. Cheelai was ready to faint. "Let's go somewhere else, quickly. I don't ever want to see another one of those for as long as I live," she said weakly.
Broly changed direction with a burst of speed, flying back the other way. He circled Vampa until he noticed an unoccupied chasm that, on closer inspection, looked bottomless.
"Hey, Broly? That looks like an Underdweller-sized hole. Maybe it's not a good idea to go down there?" she asked. She was ready to go back to the house and crawl under her bed.
Broly hovered above the opening, checking for signs of Underdweller activity. Then, when the coast was clear, he began to descend towards the opening.
"Hey!" Cheelai shouted, bopping him on the head. "What did I just say? I don't want to be near that thing!"
"It's fine," Broly assured her. At least he still sounded confident. "The Underdweller is still far away."
Cheelai blinked, confused. "Wait, wait, wait. You can sense something like that?"
Broly nodded. "Yes, I can sense its energy as it moves. For now, it is safe to explore this area."
Suspicion was Cheelai's first intuition.
What was with these Saiyans and their strange abilities? The more curious she was about them, the more she began thinking how much she risked her life staying with them. Yet with Broly, she couldn't help but feel secure, so long as he was still acting normally and not enraged.
"All right, Broly," she told him, taking a deep breath. "I'm taking your word for it. But we high-tail it out of there the moment we see something that could have us for dinner."
He flew down into the monstrous chasm entrance. It wouldn't surprise the two if it led directly to the center of Vampa. Several connecting tunnels to this vast gaping hole were large enough for Broly to walk through without needing to lower his head. When he landed, Cheelai jumped off his back. "Let's check this place as quickly as possible. I don't want to overstay our welcome," she said, looking behind her at the abyss.
She immediately unholstered her blaster and examined the area for potential threats. She stayed close to him as the two walked further into the tunnel.
It wasn't as dark as she expected. Her intuition kept saying to fetch her flashlight but stopped when she saw the walls and ceiling illuminated with a soft light. Not enough to detect everything, but subtle enough to guide them.
"What's with this tunnel?" she wondered. "Broly, do you know where that glow's coming from?"
"I have never seen this place before," Broly said. He guided himself along the tunnel wall with his hand. "I do not know what is in here."
The overall atmosphere of this tunnel bothered Cheelai. She wanted to be suspicious, yet each glance behind her yielded no signs of anything following them. There were no other branching paths from what Cheelai could notice, yet as she traveled further down the tunnel, something began to bother her. There was a lack of an echo.
Broly ducked his head frequently to avoid stalactites, except for the one stalagmite his foot had struck. He cried out in pain, but the noise was immediately absorbed into the darkness.
"I don't like it here," she whispered. She stopped and checked on Broly. "Are you okay?"
Broly grunted a nod. "Look, Broly, if we don't find something interesting in here soon, I'm turning around," Cheelai told him.
The source of the illumination grew brighter further ahead. It was barely noticeable, but Cheelai breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally!"
The two stopped before a series of gemstones embedded all over the walls, ceiling, and floor. The light of one of the stones illuminated her face as she examined it more closely. "These are beautiful," she remarked.
She tried pulling at it, but it was stuck so deep into the wall it might as well have been another one of those stalagmites.
"Dammit. Hey, can you pull these out by any chance?" she asked Broly, wondering if he could do it. He pinched the gemstone between his fingers, plucking it out with minimal effort. He dropped it in her hands. The stone felt smooth to the touch, its cool glow enticing.
"Lemo is going to lose his mind when he sees these!" Cheelai beamed when she held the gemstone to her face. "These have to be worth a fortune if we find someone to buy these!"
"I do not understand," Broly said as he puzzled over the gemstone in her hand. He plucked another one, holding it beside the first.
"Gem collectors go crazy for discoveries like these!" Cheelai said. "We'd be so rich we could easily buy ourselves a planet!"
She laughed and hugged Broly. She then pointed out several gemstones along the wall. "Let's grab as many as we can before we head back."
Broly went to work, grabbing gemstones of varying sizes off the wall. Cheelai slid them into her coat pockets until they were close to spilling out. One, in particular, was as big as Broly's head. With an extra bit of force, he propped one of his legs against the wall below the stone, pulling hard with both hands until it snapped off, forcing him to stumble backward.
Cheelai's eyes went almost as big as the gemstone itself when she stared at it. It was too heavy for her to lift. She realized the ones she put in her pocket were weighing her coat down against her shoulders. "I think you'll need to carry that one," she told Broly. He knelt to pick it up, but his hand stopped. His head whipped to stare down the emptiness of the tunnel further ahead. "Something is coming," he whispered.
Cheelai's breath caught in her throat. "Seriously? Are you sure?" she hissed.
"It's moving fast, whatever it is. It must have heard us digging these out of the walls."
Cheelai sprinted back to the small dot that was the light from outside. "Well, don't just stand there! Run!" she shouted at Broly.
It was difficult to navigate the way back in a run due to the stalagmites she needed to avoid, yet Cheelai managed, holding her pockets up to prevent the gemstones from falling out.
Whatever Broly sensed began emitting a sound that they could both hear, approaching them fast. It was a mixture of grinding and clicking as it moved, closing in on them.
"Hold on to me!" Broly shouted and grabbed Cheelai with one arm, holding the large gemstone in the other. His strength broke through the stalagmites as he charged through the tunnel. The way out was coming up as quickly as the thing that was following them until Broly's eyes widened.
"Underdweller, right below us!" he shouted. "Don't let go!" he reminded Cheelai.
He powered up and jumped from the ledge before propelling himself up out of the chasm. Whatever it was that made those sounds suddenly emerged from the tunnel, crawling along the inside of the chasm with a long sinuous body, using their barbed legs to climb upward. They chewed into the rocky soil with a large set of mandibles, opening a new tunnel for them to dig through.
"That thing was chasing us?!" Cheelai shouted, going blue in the face. Watching the insect move, she noticed that it had left its droppings behind, stuck to both the chasm wall and along the new tunnel it dug. Her stomach wrenched when she saw that those droppings were the very gemstones she had Broly pluck from the tunnel walls. "Please tell me I didn't stuff my pockets with glowing bug poop," she said with a disgusted face. She hastily emptied her pockets, tossing the gemstones away. She then reached for the one in Broly's hand. "Let it go, Broly, they're…bug droppings," she groaned.
The heavy gemstone Broly dropped fell directly into the mouth of the emerging Underdweller, bursting from the chasm entrance. Cheelai screamed.
The worm chased after Broly, forcing him to channel energy to move faster. She could feel his body tense up as though he was getting angry while powering up.
The worm eventually gave up its pursuit and burrowed itself back into the ground, creating another chasm. Cheelai breathed heavily, clutching Broly's upper body so tightly her nails almost pierced his skin. She closed her eyes. "Please don't let it chase us," she whispered to herself repeatedly, her voice shaking.
She lost track of time while holding onto Broly. The next thing she heard was Lemo's voice. "…lai!"
Her eyes snapped open, looking everywhere. Once Broly eased her off of him, she collapsed on her knees. She was breathing so heavily that Lemo worried she might be hyperventilating. "Cheelai! Take it easy! Deep breaths!" Lemo shouted.
"Giant worm…giant…worm…glowing bug poop," Cheelai stammered through her breathing.
"Cheelai…?" Lemo said but yelped when she grabbed his coat, pulling him to her.
"Lemo, we really need to get off this planet!" Cheelai exclaimed. Lemo cocked an eyebrow.
"I-I know that! But we need to draft a plan, remember?"
"We don't have time!" Cheelai yelled, eyes wide and frantic. "There's a giant worm crawling underground, and we watched it swallow one of those big green beasts whole!"
Lemo's jaw dropped. "What did you say?!"
"I can't take this place anymore, Lemo!" Cheelai shrieked. She turned to Broly, laughing nervously with tears in her eyes. "Please tell me you don't hold any sentimental value to this planet?!"
Broly's hand immediately went to Ba's ear around his waist. Cheelai could see how uncomfortable he must be, watching his friends freak out like this.
Ba emerged from his crater, scarred where Paragus had shot its ear off. He could still tell where Broly was since he looked directly at him with his menacing red eyes. Broly patted the smooth fur with his hand and nodded back at Ba. He knew that the time would come for him to say goodbye to the beast before he left Vampa for good. It was not worth staying if it meant scaring his new friends away. No place was safe for them while they were still here.
Cheelai's hands were still shaking with the urgency to hold them down so they could stop. Her first instinct was to grab Broly's hand. The security of holding a strong hand like Broly's calmed her down. She leaned into his arm, touching it with her forehead. "I understand if you don't want to go. But Lemo and I can't stay here anymore." Her voice was shaking. "I don't want to die."
Broly lifted her chin, shaking his head. He wiped her cheeks with his fingers. "I do not want you to die, either. You and Lemo are as important as Ba's ear. I do not want to let you go."
Cheelai wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Thank you," she mumbled into him.
Broly eased her off of him, looking at the two. "I will go with you to find a new planet," he said.
Lemo laughed, sounding overwhelmingly relieved. "Well, all right, then!" he shouted. "You won't regret being with us, big guy! I promise ya!"
"I need a moment," Cheelai said to the both of them. She paced back and forth, steadying her breathing before she approached them again with a relaxed face. "Okay, I think I'm good."
"Well, then!" Lemo said, rubbing his hands together. "Now that everyone's calm and composed, time for ol' Lemo here to wallop you both with a good joke!"
"Joke?" Broly interjected. Lemo kept rubbing his hands together. "Alright, stop me if you heard this one before."
"Lemo," Cheelai said, waving at him. "Broly doesn't know what that means."
"Well, you will now, big guy," Lemo said. He cleared his throat. "Alright. So, these two soldiers from the Freeza Force were out on a survey mission to one of their occupied planets. They made sure to keep an open channel so they could communicate with their ship.
"As they look around, they get jumped by this big ferocious animal, right? It badly injured one of them before the other managed to kill the sucker to save his own skin.
"The first guy then signals the Command ship. 'Emergency! We have a man down! I think he might be dead!' he yelled.
"The Command ship responds. 'Can you confirm with us whether the soldier actually is dead?' A few seconds later, blaster fire could be heard. Then the first soldier comes back. 'Alright, now what?'"
Cheelai let out a snort, covering her mouth, laughing behind her hand. Broly stared at Lemo with a blank expression.
His non-reaction alerted Cheelai, who stifled a few more giggles before taking a deep breath. "I don't think he got the punchline, Lemo."
"What's a punch line?" Broly asked.
"The point of the joke that makes the audience laugh," Cheelai explained. "See, the command ship wanted to confirm whether the second soldier died of his injuries, but the first soldier misinterpreted their request and ended up killing the guy. Do you get it?"
"No," Broly said, rubbing the side of his head with a finger.
"In any case, that helped take my mind off what happened earlier, Lemo," Cheelai said. "Thank you."
"Glad to hear it." Lemo still seemed to beam with pride at the joke he told but eyed Cheelai suspiciously when she stared back at him with a mischievous grin.
"What're you up to, Cheelai? You got that look on your face again," Lemo remarked. Cheelai played coy, strolling around him. "Oh, nothing in particular," she replied, hands in her coat pockets.
Lemo cleared his throat. "Anyway! I fixed the door to your room," he informed her. "That's nice," she said casually.
"That's nice? Seriously? I fixed your door! I do believe a thank you is in order!" he shouted. Cheelai giggled. Leaning towards him, she gave him a peck on the cheek while at the same time grabbing the toque off his head. "Thanks, Lemo!" she yelled, sprinting away.
"Hey! Give that back!" Lemo shouted. "Gotta catch me first!" Cheelai shouted back.
She toyed with him as the two circled the ship back and forth. As Broly watched, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming urge come over him. It began as a snicker while watching the two scurry about around their ship while Cheelai's mocking tone countered Lemo's cries of anguish. Eventually, he couldn't hold it back any longer. He howled, roaring with laughter as he pointed at the two.
Cheelai stopped running. Overwhelmed by a sense of warmth, she watched Broly laugh with a fondness in her eyes. Lemo used this moment to snatch his toque back from her hand and secured it on his head, giving her a dirty look. The chase left him breathing heavily, bending forward. With each breath, his ears were drawn towards Broly's laughter. "Huh, well, I'll be damned…!"
Turning to Cheelai, he fixed the toque on his head. "That was dirty, by the way."
"But it worked, didn't it?" she replied with a smug grin. Then, she walked up to Lemo and gave him an actual kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for fixing my door."
Lemo grunted, wiping his cheek. Broly was still laughing, happy tears falling down his face. He began to calm down when Cheelai approached him.
"That felt good, didn't it?" she asked him. Broly wiped his face.
"I am grateful for laughing, Cheelai," he said, composed enough to add the "OK" sign to his gratitude. She returned it along with a wink. "Anytime."