Chapter 3 – The Black Market Ship
"Broly, stop…!" Cheelay giggled in her sleep. "That tickles…! Cut it out…!"
She clutched the pillow in her hands, nuzzling her face into it. "My turn," she mumbled. She continued nuzzling her face until she made kissing motions with her mouth, pressing her lips against the pillow.
She kissed and stroked the pillow until her eyes fluttered open, suddenly going wide. Relaxing her grip on the pillow, she blinked a few times. "What the hell was that?" she asked herself.
Sighing, she rolled over onto her back, staring at the ceiling. That same ugly ceiling constantly reminded her of the room she shared with other children at her old orphanage on Planet Midori.
Sitting up on the bed was a far better option than staring at some cruddy beige ceiling, she figured. If she knew where her life as a street urchin would've taken her, leading to watching those unsettling green skies on Vampa at night, she would've stayed at that damn orphanage, or maybe even enlist in the Freeza Force at an earlier age once they began terraforming the planet.
Nevermind. I'd rather stare down a beetle than Freeza right about now, she thought. Now she knew what Lemo meant when talking about not pissing the Emperor off.
Flopping back onto her pillow, she turned and rolled around, trying to go back to sleep. She was on her back again, brushing hair away from her face. "Dammit, now I can't get back to sleep."
Crawling over to the edge, she sorted through her clothes on the floor, shaking her head. Nothing useful she'd want to wear. The drawers were packed with clothing pre-chosen by Goku's friend, but nothing suited her style. Eyeing her spandex uniform, she breathed another sigh.
She grew to loathe that uniform, a glaring reminder of her brief tenure in the Freeza Force. If she could find a decent outfit with some comfortable shoes, she could ditch the uniform or even burn it.
Soon. Cheelai slipped into her uniform and battle armor, hoping for the day she'd never have to wear it ever again.
If there's one place I know that would have info, it'd have to be Chili's, Cheelai thought while sliding her fingers into her gloves. Tapping her boots to secure them, she loaded a fully-charged power pack into her blaster, holstering it.
She was going to scold Lemo for ignoring the creaking of the door as she opened it, hoping that Mr. Fix-it-all was as heavy a sleeper as she was. But the one she was more worried about waking was Broly.
She glanced outside for a sign he'd be sleeping near the house, expecting the giant lump sitting against the wall as he's done several nights.
The green hue in a cloudless sky was more unsettling now that she had a decent view of the night. Nights back at Midori were peaceful; the skies painted a palette of beautiful colors along the wilderness outside her orphanage. Every night had her by the foot of a tree, counting the stars in the sky until she fell asleep, carried back to her room by the matron.
After the Freeza Force began terraforming Midori to accommodate their new owners, things calmed down for a while. Regardless of what the planet was renamed to, it was always Midori to her. The new regulations imposed by the Freeza Force confided the orphans to the building under strict orders not to leave. She could no longer sit by the tree or play outside because the children were kept safe and secure.
That wasn't what she wanted. She wanted adventure. She wanted to make a name for herself as she grew older.
Not long after she escaped, the Freeza Force converted the orphanage into a recruitment base for the kids to be forced into servitude under the Emperor's protection. Stowing away on board transport ships, Cheelai never had time to settle down on one given world. She would steal to survive, and what she stole gave her what she believed was her calling in life. The daring life of a thief, exploring and discovering the galaxy, establishing connections on various worlds, all under the nose of Emperor Freeza.
Until she was forced into servitude, she always thought how amusing it would be to steal from one of their ships. But, once rumors circulated about Freeza's death, it was a golden opportunity. Yet with a crippled roster of malcontents serving what little remained of the Freeza Force, the thrill of looting the mightiest power of the universe ebbed like the ripples on the surface of a pond.
Everything leading to this brief stay on Vampa didn't give her enough breathing room. The older she became, the less likely she'd ever want to seek the thrills of space exploration. Vampa was way more than she bargained for.
But, she knew she still had many years in her before she stopped caring about what the universe had to offer. Those bugs, beasts, and that horrifying experience with the Underdweller was merely a setback, or so she thought.
Her first instinct after closing the front door to the Capsule house was to find Broly. Maybe he couldn't sleep either? All she knew for the moment was that Lemo was snoring on the couch.
The Saiyan was too large to fit on a proper bed; no mattress was long or wide enough for him to sleep comfortably, nor was she sure it would support his weight. Moreover, several hundred pounds of muscle might break the bed frame if he slept on one.
While Broly soared the skies with her on his back, he spoke of sentry duty with his father, Paragus. They'd rotate sleep shifts to monitor their surroundings for any beetle activity, killing what they could to survive another day until a ship picked up their distress signal. "Father would never say it, but he was grateful for the both of you to rescue us," Broly told her.
She found him sitting on the floor of the cave, back propped against the wall. She squatted down to get a better look. Despite the darkness, she could still make out his face as he slept. She waved her hand, wondering if he would sense her movement to grab her arm, but he was in as deep of slumber as Lemo was.
The gentleness of his sleeping face was admirable, considering how much she stared at it. A calm and serene face hid incredible rage, the rage of a warrior raised to fight, eat, sleep, and survive. When she first saw Broly show signs of anger, she had no idea how unsettling it looked. Even more unsettling was the way Paragus treated that anger. How could such a gentle face look so menacing when angry? And how could such a father condition his son to use his anger as a weapon against his enemy? She'd never forgiven him for that, even after his death. She hoped that with enough kindness and support for Broly, she'd never have to see him lose himself in his anger ever again. She wanted his gentleness more, his face that laughed, smiled, and enjoyed all the wonders life offered.
Her hand went to touch Ba's ear. It was still surreal, seeing him without it tied around his waist, sacrificing a part of his reserved nature to keep her comfortable. When her thoughts cleared, the first one that came to mind was how adorable it was. Barely a fortnight ago, she was scolded for suggesting he remove it because of the stench it gave off. Was this one gesture a sign that he was starting to open up to her? She wanted to do the same. He was a simple creature with a complex upbringing. Surely opening up to him and putting her trust in him wouldn't be that hard, would it?
She reached with her hand to touch his face. There was still a part of her dream where she had her hand pressed against that sweet face of his that enticed her to do the same now that she was awake. Her hand froze before it reached him. Does he get angry when something woke him abruptly? Maybe later, she thought. She left to start up the ship to leave Vampa.
Sure, she could go with her first instinct and try "Chili's Spare Bar," but there might be something closer to this system she could visit to obtain information.
Most junk dealers she knew were too shady. They'd sooner stab you in the back and keep your money if they knew where you got it from. She thought of visiting Cuit, but the loaf had such an anathema to Freeza that paying him with the Emperor's money would turn him off and turn her away. There were abandoned Freeza planets that could still hold inhabitants, but none were close enough to waste the power cell of the ship. One was home to retired Thief Guild members that could give her a lead, but she dismissed it. No, if we're going to do this right, it needs to be a planet that Freeza hasn't put his grubby little hands on.
It was settled, then. Cheelai plotted her course and entered Hyperspace, emerging outside of a sector where a lone spaceport that doubled as a bar floated around, protected under an energy dome.
Several ships entered and left through the dome. It was crafted to provide a breathable area for patrons to walk to and from the port and bar while at the same time gentle enough to allow ships to enter and leave as if they were passing through a bubble. Chili's Space Bar was famous for not only being the most popular but for being the only bar in the universe with the best-tasting alcoholic beverage. A red neon sign marked "Chili's" had a red chili pepper in place of the letter "L."
A fight broke out between a Freeza Force soldier and a scaly blue-skinned alien with a huge scar over his right eye. He was a near-neckless hulking brute, laying into this poor fellow with haymakers to knock him out. Clasping his hand around the unconscious soldier's ankle, he dragged him to the edge of the energy barrier, tossing him through.
Cheelai gulped as she watched the unconscious soldier float aimlessly in space. She recognized that brute and often lamented anyone foolish enough to provoke him. He was one of three named Salamand, the leader of a trio of thugs called the Salamand brothers. Newcomers often confused the trio for bouncers when they visited. I wonder if he still remembers me? She wondered.
Parked near the dome was a Galactic Patrol vehicle. Cheelai rolled her eyes. "Great, just what I needed," she said as she passed through the barrier.
Most of the good parking spots were all taken save for the perimeter where the Patrolman's ship was stationed. Landing two spaces away, she sorted through the credit sticks she stashed in her coat pocket. "This oughta be enough to get something tangible," she said.
She scanned the area for any sign of a guarding space cop. As she walked towards the Patrolman ship, she wanted to chuckle. "Oh, this is perfect."
When the coast was clear, she propped open the front of the ship, where the engine's power cell lay like a treasure waiting to be seized.
The closer Cheelai walked to the bar entrance, the louder she could hear the Galactic Patrolman inside. Concealing her face under the hood of her coat, she walked past the open sliding doors. It was even better than she expected once she recognized the Patrolman in question. Jaco, Jaco, Jaco. Are you still obsessing over capturing me?
She wanted to have some fun with this and shadowed Jaco as she listened to his inane yelling while interrogating the bar patrons.
"Now remember, if you see this woman, report it immediately to your nearest Galactic Patrolman!" Jaco shouted. The one to his left, a woman of similar height to him also dressed in a Galactic Patrol uniform, held a projection of Cheelai's face on a device. The patrons glossed it over and nodded carelessly at him. They were more interested in either conversing, drinking, or gluing their faces to a sports game on one of the giant screens.
"Has anyone seen this criminal within the last few days?" Jaco continued. He had the woman shove Cheelai's projection near their faces. "Has she passed a nearby star system? Maybe she visited a planet recently?"
Jaco waited a few seconds, but no one bothered acknowledging him. The pair stopped behind the Salamand brothers.
"Ooh, maybe those large muscular men might know something," the woman said. "Excuse me!"
"Abbado! What are you doing?!" Jaco hissed, but the woman was already reaching up to tap them on their backs. They spun around on their stools, expecting a large man behind them, but they had to look down to see who it was. Cheelai hid her face while watching the scenario play down with a grin on her face. Idiot woman's going to get her and Jaco in trouble.
"Well, hello there, cutie! What brings you out here?" asked Geck, the one to Salamand's right, a reptilian alien with ridges that covered the entirety of his skull, framed by his blue scaly features, similar to Salamand's but slightly lower along the face.
"Hi, there! I'm Agent Abbalo of the Galactic Patrol! Have any of you seen this woman? Mister Jaco and I are searching for her!" she asked, showing Cheelai's image to them.
Mister Jaco?! Cheelai almost blew her cover when she snickered behind her hand, admiring the fact this woman seemed serious about her job as a Galactic Patrol officer despite her high-pitched voice. Salamand paused for a moment, his eyes shifting to get a better look at the projection on her device, yet Abbalo missed the recognition on his face. Salamand looked around the room and froze when he saw Cheelai. She put her finger to her mouth and winked at him, turning around to walk in the opposite direction.
"Never seen 'er before," she heard him tell the female officer. He snapped his fingers, and a server dropped off another set of filled mugs for the group to drink.
Jaco was right behind her. He gently pulled her aside.
"This is official Galactic Patrol business, gentlemen! I'll have none of you flirting with my apprentice or ogling her massive bazooms, understand?" Jaco warned them.
"We weren't looking at her or anything. We swears it, officer!" said Iguan, the one to Salamand's left. He, too, had similar features to Salamand but with a light blue hue. "But if you insist, I'll gladly oblige!"
Cheelai glanced behind her to see Iguan reach back with his hand to smack Abbalo's rear. "Kyah!" came Abbalo's cry as the device toppled out of her hands, crashing to the floor. Jaco picked the broken device off the ground and scowled at the trio.
"Now see here, you oafs! That is no way to be treating a lady, much less an officer of the Galactic Patrol! I should have you all arrested for disorderly conduct!"
"Go ahead. I'll wait for your squad to show up," Salamand told him, lounging back against the counter as the trio laughed amongst each other. Jaco continued bickering with Salamand while Abbalo was in the middle of rubbing her rear. Cheelai shook her head. That should keep him preoccupied while I talk to Chili.
Rounding the large central island, Cheelai saw the man in question. Red skin, above-average height, and wearing a finely tailored vest and trousers, Chili was the ideal individual tailored for this kind of employment. He earned his reputation as a respectable bartender from his demeanor alone, standing with an almost regal air to it. He wiped a glass when his ears picked up the sound of a familiar voice.
"Chili!" Cheelai said discreetly, keeping her voice low. Chili paused in the middle of wiping a glass to view Cheelai's face framed by the hood of her coat. A friendly grin appeared underneath his thin mustache. He walked over to her and gave her a stately bow.
"A welcome return for the snowy-haired madame," Chili said in a musical tone. Cheelai peeked beyond the island behind Chili and moved further down towards the middle.
"I wouldn't be so secretive about this if those space cops weren't here," she said. Chili gave her a casual nod and resumed wiping his glass, bringing it above his face to give the clean glass one final appraised look before he settled it into its placeholder, tucking the cloth into his apron strings. He then disappeared under the counter for a moment to retrieve a bottle and a shot glass, placing them in front of Cheelai.
"I have graciously saved your favorite, Miss Cheelai," he said. The slim bottle had a dark purple liquid that, when shook, emanated a shimmering set of colors that glowed various hues of red, purple, and blue before they faded back to its darker color. He waited with his hands folded in front of him to see whether Cheelai would give him the credits to buy it.
"Holy sh-," Cheelai said, nearly gasping. It had been years since she last drank from that bottle but remembered it fondly. It never failed to impress her how eidetic Chili's memory was; he knew which drink each customer ordered and could remember their drink if they ever came back, no matter how long they had been away. The label on the bottle read: "The Blossoming Nebula." One too many shots from this alcohol would knock anyone out, yet it was the most delicious tasting drink in the universe, not to mention the most appealing. Cheelai had a knack for knocking back several shots of this before she was too uncoordinated to move carefully and often had someone take her back with them to their Guild.
She checked her inside pockets. I hope I don't get carried away like last time.
Pulling out one of the credit sticks, she slid it towards Chili. Usually, credit chips were standard issue currency outside of Earth's Zenni. But in this instance, credit sticks that had Freeza's Imperial logo grafted into them were a rare sight to behold. One would have to be extremely lucky to receive such money and live to brag about it. Each one was worth 100,000 standard credits, which on Earth would equate to one hundred million Zenni.
Chili couldn't hide his expression of disbelief at the credit stick before him. He took it with a shaking hand and appraised it.
"My word…!" he muttered. "Please forgive my lack of composure, Miss Cheelai. When and where did you get a hold of the Emperor's currency?"
"Let's just say I've been through a lot these last few weeks," Cheelai said. Chili regained his composure, tucked the stick in his front breast pocket, and opened the bottle of The Blossoming Nebula. He poured a shot and swirled the liquid's colors to illuminate them in front of her. They spun around, and from the surface, they formed the image of a galaxy. Cheelai was mesmerized before she grabbed it, raising it to him.
"Cheers!" she said and downed the contents. When she set the glass down, a wave of bliss washed over her. For a few seconds, her mind projected the universe. Colorful galaxies and nebulae swirled one after another before she needed to hold herself up against the counter. It had been some time since she last tasted The Blossoming Nebula. The first drink in over a year left her in a mild daze before she recovered. "Wow," she sighed. She composed herself, brandishing her "OK" sign with a smile.
"Take the bottle with you. I'll consider this credit stick as a generous tip on your behalf," Chili informed her. "And I do use the term liberally."
Cheelai blinked. Was Freeza's reward worth that much? She wanted to investigate but knew she couldn't waste any more time and got down to business.
"Thanks, Chili. I can't stay for long, not with those two patrolling the area," she said and glanced over at Jaco once more. He abandoned his engagement with Salamand and was interrogating a group of people playing cards at a table. "That idiot'll get himself killed picking a fight with the Salamand brothers," she said, shaking her head.
Cheelai and Salamand established a mutual bond of trust during her time in the Guild. If she knew anything about them, it was that they were never going to rat her out to the cops no matter what. It was more comedic than anything for a scrawny pipsqueak like Jaco trying to act tough around them.
"You can rest assured that I will not divulge information concerning the lady Cheelai to the Galactic Patrol. As far as I know, she does not exist, nor has she ever come to this fine establishment," Chili said.
"Thanks, Chili." Cheelai poured another glass and got a clearing of the throat from Chili as a warning not to consume that alcohol so quickly. She almost forgot again what it did to her last time.
"What do you know of planets near Vampa that Freeza hasn't conquered yet?" Cheelai got straight to the point. Chili contemplated the question for a moment.
"I often heard soldiers brag about their conquests for Lord Freeza," he said, still respectful of Freeza's title despite a low grunt from Cheelai. "What little remains in this quadrant are uninhabitable, a waste of the Emperor's time. Yet, I did hear about attempts to explore unknown regions along the south quadrant. Either the soldiers abandoned the search for new planets within those sectors, or the Emperor himself had them blacklisted."
"Do you think Freeza kept an archive of those blacklisted planets stashed away somewhere?"
"If he has," Chili said, "he will likely have it kept under heavy security to avoid divulging its contents."
Cheelai scoffed at that info and drank down the shot. Another wave of galactic ecstasy hit her, causing her to giggle. She needed another moment to hold herself against the counter. Oh baby, did I miss this!
Realizing she needed her wits to keep her sober enough, she passed the glass back to Chili. Two hits of that drink were more than enough. "Well, I found a new guy with my buddy Lemo who can muscle his way through just about anything," she explained. "He's the most powerful fighter in the universe! Even better? He's a Saiyan!"
She tapped her nose when she said that. Chili flinched at the sound of the word. "A Saiyan, you say?"
"Yeah. His name is Broly, and he wailed on Freeza like you wouldn't believe! Lemo and I watched as this guy pounded the crap out of the Emperor for a good hour before this other guy showed up and-"
Chili made a cutthroat motion with his hand to Cheelai, interrupting her. When she perceived his distress, she glanced behind her. Faces were drawn to her now. It seemed as though the mention of a Saiyan fighting and winning against Freeza ruffled a few feathers among the bar patrons.
Cheelai gulped. "Me and my big mouth again!" she hissed to herself.
Chili pursed his lips, placing the cap back on The Blossoming Nebula. "I do not have much info to provide with regards to your query, Miss Cheelai, but there is a vessel that roams the galaxy. The owner of this ship is a gentleman who goes by the name of Paprika." Chili whispered the name to her to avoid drawing further attention. He then slipped her a card with a set of numbers on it. "He often stations his ship within those galactic coordinates."
"Paprika…?" Cheelai mulled over the card for a moment. "How come I never heard of this guy before?"
The patrons behind Cheelai rose from their seats. It seemed as though the look on Chili's face invited them near Cheelai now more than ever.
"If you're going to procure blacklisted items, he's your best option. But, I must warn you, he's a very dangerous individual, and you should never underestimate him by any means. If that Saiyan is as powerful as you say he is, you're going to need his strength to get you through dealing with such an infamous dealer. So you'd best leave now before trouble escalates."
Grabbing the bottle to tuck it in the inside pocket of her coat, Cheelai adjusted the hood on her head and spun to face the growing mob that was eyeing her now. Two shots of that blissful liquor gave her a significant buzz, which she realized when she saw the room briefly spin at the same time she spun to face the angered patrons. Sober up, Cheelai! You can drink the rest later!
"H-hey there! How's it going?" she asked. She backed away slowly but wasn't expecting to walk right into Abbalo's chest, which caused the young Galactic Patrol officer to let out a squeak as she backed away quickly, holding her ample bosom. Cheelai spun around and did a double-take at the officer's chest. Geez, those are huge!
"I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention!" Abbalo said and stopped when she saw Cheelai's face. "It's you!"
Cheelai cursed under her breath. "Look, lady, I got an angry mob about to cause a lot of trouble in this bar if I don't leave immediately. Tell that idiot you didn't see me, alright?"
Abbalo observed the angry patrons nervously, then swallowed. She steeled herself and drew her blaster pistol out from its holster.
"I-I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to leave! Mister Jaco would be upset if I did!"
"Seriously?" Cheelai said, raising an eyebrow. Jaco would be pissed she gave them the slip? Cheelai wanted to laugh at this big-boobied woman's face. She quickly drew her blaster and aimed it point-blank at Abbalo's face. Cheelai was the calmer of the two; her gaze had the look of an adder ready to strike.
"Abbado, how many times do I have to repeat myself not to wander off on your o-!" Jaco began but stopped dead in his tracks when he locked eyes with Cheelai. Peering over her shoulders at the mob behind her, his hand lowered itself to his blaster, ready to take it out.
"I knew it!" Jaco shouted, stabbing a finger in Cheelai's direction. "Couldn't resist your old stomping grounds, huh, Cheelai? Good work, Abbado!" he told Abbalo. Abbalo whispered her correction to him, but Cheelai ignored Jaco and kept her gaze focused entirely on the young woman.
"Listen, Abbado," Cheelai said. "It's Abbalo," Abbalo responded.
"Whatever. Abbalo, you realize that idiot's the most incompetent space cop in the whole Galactic Patrol, right?" Cheelai said, netting a scowl from Jaco.
"I'm not incompetent, you ninny!" Jaco stammered. Abbalo's face changed, clearly not appreciating the insult Cheelai hurled at Jaco, and she gripped her blaster more firmly this time.
"I won't have you bad-mouth Mister Jaco like that!" Abbalo yelled.
Cheelai narrowed her gaze, smirking. "How good are you with that blaster, Abbalo? Probably not as good as I am." Jaco's blaster was in his hands now.
"You can't possibly shoot the both of us at the same time, Cheelai!" He said, threatening her. "Abbado is the second-best graduate of the Galactic Patrol academy next to Agent Merus!"
The angry mob suddenly paused at the mention of the name and slowly backed away. Merus's reputation alone made sure people wouldn't try anything foolish, and Jaco had that sort of leverage while he was on duty. He wanted to be sure Abbalo was learned enough to handle tough situations where a blaster wasn't always needed.
"Am I supposed to be intimidated by the top brass of the Galactic Patrol?" Cheelai boasted. She took a step forward, but Abbalo's blaster was still firmly trained on her.
"Stand down, missy. We're taking you in and putting you away for a long time," Jaco said. Cheelai kept grinning at him, which only made Jaco even more annoyed, and she reached with her free hand into her coat pocket.
"H-hands where I can see them!" Abbalo said, and Cheelai ignored her. She pulled out a small glass tube with a green crystal inside, connected by two metallic discs, and Jaco's face froze.
"Sure, you could arrest me. But you won't be going very far without this." She dangled the glass tube in front of them. Jaco eyed it nervously and gulped.
"I-I'd be cautious with that if I were you," he said, sweat beading on his brow. Cheelai suddenly raised the tube above her.
"Everyone, stay back! I have, in my hand, a power cell! One jolt, and the whole place goes up in beautiful fireworks!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing. The Salamand brothers merely snickered among each other and kept drinking from their mugs while Chili rolled his eyes and resumed cleaning another set of empty mugs the servers returned to him. The mob no longer felt the urge to jump at Cheelai and instead went back to their tables, opting to ignore her. Jaco raised his hand towards her.
"Thieving, making threats against the Galactic Patrol, and now holding this fine establishment hostage? You're only making your situation worse!" Jaco said. Abbalo's hands were shaking while holding the blaster. It was her first time engaging a wanted criminal, and despite her intelligence, real-life experiences still made her green in the gills.
"You might be right, Jaco. Here, catch!" Cheelai said and tossed the tube in the air. In a panic, Jaco rushed to grab it as Cheelai made a run for it, shoving Abbalo to the side before she could pull the trigger. She spun around and opened fire, knocking Abbalo's blaster out of her hand with a precise shot before she exited the bar. Abbalo clutched her hand as Jaco caught the glass tube, relieved to see it undamaged.
"We still have a chance to catch her, Abbado! Let's go!" he called to her and sprinted out of the bar. Abbalo hesitated to correct him; instead, she retrieved her blaster to holster it, following him. By the time she caught up with him outside, Cheelai had cleared the barrier in her ship.
Jaco stamped his foot. "Damn you! You, you thief!" he screamed, shaking his fist.
"We'll get her next time, Mister Jaco!" she said confidently but couldn't hold back the pain on her face and put her hands together, bowing in front of him. "I'm terribly sorry for my lack of composure, sir! I had her in my sights, but I hesitated!"
Jaco waved her off. "It happens, Abbado. After a while, those nerves will wash away, replaced with that wonderful thing called experience." He flashed a "V" with his hand, and Abbalo clapped.
"You never cease to amaze me, Mister Jaco! And please call me Abbalo, sir."
"Huh?"
"Abbalo, that's my name. You've been mispronouncing it the whole time, sir," Abbalo said, marveling at Jaco's aloofness.
"I have?"
Abbalo tilted her head, puzzled. "Have you not noticed, sir?"
"Well, I'll be darned! How astute of my apprentice to be so conscious! Excellent work, Miss Abbalo!"
"My pleasure, Mister Jaco!" Abbalo gushed.
When her ship emerged from Hyperspace, Cheelai flew to Vampa's orbit, clearing the planet's atmosphere to dock beside the Capsule house. One more shot of The Blossoming Nebula would've had her crash into the house instead.
"I wonder if Lemo knows anything about this Paprika?" Cheelai asked herself as the side door slid open. She pored over that name a few times in her head and chastised herself for never hearing about this man before. If Chili was wary of this fellow, he must be as dangerous as they come. But was Paprika as dangerous as Freeza, she wondered?
She hesitated to bring Broly along to meet Paprika. If something went wrong and Broly lost his temper, they might not be able to stop him. There had to be a way to calm him down that didn't involve some stupid shock collar. Stifling a yawn, she was ready to call it a night.
She quietly stepped inside. As she tiptoed towards her bedroom door, a throat-clearing froze her in place. She clasped her hands to her mouth and goggled at Lemo when he switched on the light, wearing a scowl on his face.
"Lemo! Don't ever do that!" Cheelai hissed. Her heart jumped when she spotted Broly in the corner of her eye.
Both men stared at her. She wasn't expecting Broly to be in the room as well and needed a moment to compose herself before addressing the two.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Lemo asked.
"Yes, I'm aware, Lemo," Cheelai said, her eyes meeting the clock on the wall behind her. Broly had a tired look on his face but did his best not to take his eyes off of her as she unzipped her coat to hang it by the door.
"Why should you care where I go or when?" Cheelai said. She didn't care that Lemo was upset.
Broly, however, looked even more concerned. "You left without telling us. I was worried you weren't coming back," Broly muttered, and Cheelai's face sank.
"What?! No! Broly, please, don't ever assume that! Why would I leave you?" she told him, hurt in her voice.
It pained her to see him act like a sad, frightened animal, worried their owner abandoned them. She walked over to him to take his face in her hands. "You're our friend Broly, and we stick together. I'm sorry I didn't say anything because you were both sleeping."
"Could've at least left us a note saying you were going somewhere," Lemo said through a yawn. Cheelai went to retrieve the bottle of The Blossoming Nebula from her coat pocket and set it on the table in front of them.
"So, you went to a bar," Lemo noted, studying the bottle. His face lit up when he read the label. "Is, is that what I think it is?!"
Cheelai smirked and swirled the bottle to ignite the colors inside. Broly was mesmerized by the way they moved, watching the liquid converge into many different colors.
"How does a bottle make colors move like that?" Broly asked.
Cheelai shrugged her shoulders. "Beats me. But you can't get any better than The Blossoming Nebula, which Chili gladly let me have."
Lemo leered, disappointed. "Don't go spending our reward on booze, Cheelai. We need to be more careful, not to mention resourceful. We need parts, food, fuel, and ammo if we're going to be scouring the universe for a new planet. So why go to some random bar in the galaxy?"
"It wasn't some random bar, Lemo," Cheelai said, annoyed that he'd think so little of Chili's Space Bar. "Besides, Chili gave us a lead!"
It was half-true based on what Chili told her. She assumed that whatever Paprika held on to, it would have to be legitimate. She felt excited to divulge the news, despite getting a confused look from Broly. "He knows of a man who can help us find information on all the blacklisted planets Freeza archived!"
"Wait," Lemo paused, then it hit him. "The Chili? The famed bartender who remembers everything? Now that takes me way back. I haven't had a drink at Chili's in decades!" Lemo said. Cheelai opened the bottle and took a swig from it before passing it to Lemo, shuddering at how good it went down. Lemo took a sip himself, and he, too, was overcome with the shocking taste of euphoria.
Handing the bottle back to Cheelai, he licked his lips. "So who's this guy he recommended?" he asked.
"You ever heard of the name Paprika before?" Cheelai asked as she put the cap back on the bottle.
"Yeah, I have," Lemo replied slowly, his face darkening.
"Who is Paprika?" Broly asked. Lemo leaned against the wall between the bathroom and the couch. He folded his arms across his chest and mulled over how he would explain this.
"Rumors spread around the Freeza Force about certain individuals that got on Freeza's bad side. I don't know a whole lot, but the biggest rumor was that Paprika stiffed him out of a potential deal for a planet and ran off with a lot of the Emperor's goods and money. I wouldn't be surprised if he does have his hands on the blacklist, among other things. Bad things tend to happen when that name gets thrown around. I'd hate to be the poor sap who ever lived long enough after the name reached Freeza's ears."
Cheelai felt weak in the stomach. Someone known to have messed around with Freeza himself must be as infamous as they say. If the alcohol weren't still making her imagine galaxies in her mind, she'd be sickened by now.
"Sorry, Cheelai. I don't think seeing Paprika for a list of planets is worth it," Lemo said. Cheelai shook her head, giving him that mischievous grin he grew to despise. "No, we're going to meet him," she said.
Lemo's eyes almost bugged out of their skull. She retrieved a pair of credit sticks from her coat pocket and dangled them in front of Lemo. "These guys love money, and we've got plenty to give to him." She turned to Broly. "Broly, I'm going to need you on this one."
Lemo shook his head. "Absolutely out of the question. I'm not risking our hides for the potential to come back empty-handed."
He planted his feet firmly on the floor and scowled at her. Cheelai ignored him and sauntered over to Broly with a grin on her face. The alcohol gave her enough of a buzz that images of the universe framed Broly in a different light, making him look more attractive.
"Surely you wouldn't want to see any harm come to little old me, would you?" she sang, and Broly blinked.
"No. I don't want to see you get hurt," the large Saiyan told her.
"Then you'll protect me, won't you? Be my knight in shining armor?" Cheelai asked, hands behind her back. She caught Lemo's audible disgust from behind and smirked.
"What is a knight in shining armor? I have no armor on me," Broly said, feeling his bare chest.
"Don't fret over it too much," Cheelai began. "But I will need your power for this one if Paprika's as bad as Lemo says he is."
She took Broly's hands and gave him a pleading look. Her gaze made his cheeks flare-up. "I will accompany you," he told her.
Lemo groaned. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you!" he warned, pointing to the both of them.
"Who do you take me for?" Cheelai said, giving him a playful look. Lemo rolled his eyes again and lied back down on the couch.
"Whatever. We'll iron out the details in the morning," Lemo muttered and shut the lamp above him before tucking himself under his blanket. Cheelai watched Broly make his way out the front door.
"Where are you going?" she asked, stopping him. "Why don't you stay here for the night? C'mon, don't be a stranger."
"It's too small for me," Broly said as Cheelai opened the door to her bedroom.
"There's still room in my bedroom," she said, motioning with her finger to lure Broly. She began to giggle when his cheeks went beet red. "Relax, I'm kidding," she chuckled. She walked over to him, grabbing his arm to pull him down so she could reach his head. She then planted a small peck on his cheek. "I couldn't do that to you. Good night."
Cheelai was the last to leave the Capsule house the next day. Both Lemo and Broly were waiting for her by the ship. Broly gave her a small wave with his hand, still struggling with forming Cheelai's signature "OK" sign.
"Keep working on it, Broly!" she said before peeking inside the ship. One of the seats taken out earlier to make room for the Healing capsule had been secured back inside for Broly to sit on while Lemo was busy entering the coordinates Cheelai provided him in the ship's computer. Broly ducked under the door to sit on the back seat, allowing Cheelai to strap in the safety belt across his chest. He watched Lemo tap on the comm panel.
"I don't expect you to learn any of this sophisticated technology, Broly. So don't bother asking if you have questions forming in that head of yours," Lemo said, eyes focused on the panel. "Alright, everything's set. Let's hope this trip isn't a disaster."
Cheelai strapped herself beside Lemo, giving a warm look to Broly before turning to him. "You're in the lead on this one," she said. "Great," Lemo replied sarcastically.
Lemo grunted at Cheelai, shoving her feet off the panel after she began lounging on her seat. "Don't go dirtying my ship!" he barked.
"Our ship," Cheelai barked back.
"Hey, I make sure this stays clean," he said. "I don't see you doing much of that, not with the way your room looks!"
"Are you two fighting?" Broly asked. Lemo and Cheelai exchanged looks before going red in the face.
"No," Cheelai said, earning a confused eyebrow from Lemo. "No, we're not fighting. Fighting is something that, well, fighters do. Lemo and I tend to have, um, disagreements?"
Lemo was having trouble believing a single word but shook his head, sighing. "Let me put it in simpler terms. The three of us, we're sort of a family now. The more time I spend with Cheelai, the more she comes across as a bratty little sister I knew back home who didn't want to do anything."
Cheelai glared at him, ready to sock him with a right punch. "In any case," she said, relaxing her fist, "Lemo's got the general gist of it."
"A family?" Broly asked. Cheelai nodded. "Yeah. You okay with that?" she asked.
"Whenever Father spoke of family," Broly explained, "he would say how proud Saiyan warriors were to raise strong children. Father always said he was proud of how strong I had become."
"Even though he put that shock collar on you, treating you as his pet?" Cheelai asked, her acrid tone still showing disdain for what Broly had to go through while wearing that disgusting piece of metal around his neck.
He reflexively touched the area on his neck where the collar used to be. Cheelai could still see the fear in his eyes.
"It scared me, wearing it. But I know why I wore it. I cannot hate Father for what he did," Broly said but didn't say another word on it.
"Should've been a better way to control your anger," Cheelai whispered, staring ahead. She kept getting looks from Lemo, nodding back at Broly, and she sighed loudly, rolling her eyes. "Fine, I'll go sit with him. Just pilot the ship, already," she said.
Cheelai switched to the back to sit beside Broly. The juxtaposition of their size looked more obvious when they sat next to each other.
"I'm still not forgiving your dad for what he did to you. Let's be clear on that," Cheelai said, arms folded across her body armor.
Broly acknowledged her apprehension with a nod. "You may not be able to forgive him, but whatever this forgiveness is supposed to mean, I believe I am able to forgive him."
"'bout to make the jump, you two!" Lemo warned them. Cheelai watched the stars zip past as the ship entered Hyperspace, emerging a few moments later in a desolate area of space mired by a spacious and colorful nebula far away.
The ship flew towards an oblong-shaped vessel with pyramid-like spires jutting out from three long sections connected to the central hub. From above, it looked like a three-pronged boomerang. Lemo kept their ship at a safe distance and hailed it.
"State your business," a low voice greeted them.
"Is this Paprika's ship? We wish to conduct a business transaction," Lemo said.
"Master Paprika doesn't simply conduct business with the first ship that comes into our sensor range. Do you represent a Guild, the Galactic Patrol, or are you with the Freeza Force?" the voice stated, emphasizing the last option. Cheelai stopped Lemo from answering, covering the intercom mic.
"We absolutely cannot tell them we were with the Freeza Force, no matter what," she whispered.
"Your uniform kind of betrays that, though," Lemo noted about the Freeza Force battle armor Cheelai still wore. She closed her coat around it as he pressed the intercom button.
"We represent neither. We seek information that we understand Master Paprika is in the business of brokering, and we have the money to exchange for it."
Money talked more than anything else in the universe when it came to these shady business types, most of which ended up fostering a soured reputation with Freeza. Paprika was most notorious for this, and the way the voice emphasized the Freeza Force with a hint of acid meant that they'd have to hightail it out of there quickly should that vessel be armed to the teeth.
The hatch opened seconds later, and Lemo piloted the ship into the cargo bay. Two humanoid-looking aliens watched the three disembark. Other ships parked in the docking bay, similar in build to that of the vessel, were lined in a row beside a set of floor lights that led to the door behind the aliens. Cheelai took it all in, remarking on how vast and nearly empty this bay was. She expected cargo boxes and crewmen working round the clock offloading everything, but there was nothing but the two shady aliens staring at them with blank faces.
A stately-looking alien approached the trio. "My name is Coriander. I am Master Paprika's business associate. Follow me, please," he instructed. Cheelai remarked that these aliens and Coriander were identical in appearance, yet the one leading them looked more intelligent.
Lemo led the three as they followed Coriander to Paprika's private chamber. Broly kept poking his finger at the tech along the walls, which forced Cheelai to clear her throat to get his attention. "Stop touching everything," she whispered to him.
The doors to Paprika's chamber opened to reveal a dark room with a table in the middle, illuminated under a ceiling light. Coriander graciously presented the room before them. "Master Paprika has been informed of your arrival and is expecting you," he said, adding as he left them, "If you'll excuse me."
The room gave off an ominous tone as though it concealed more than what they could notice. Lemo wondered if the room held all of Paprika's stock of items for sale, but there wasn't sufficient lighting to show him.
The businessman known as Paprika was busy examining a set of jewels with a magnifying lens when he raised his crimson-colored head and pointed ears to watch them enter.
A huge toothy grin greeted the three. The light reflecting off of one of Paprika's gold teeth made Cheelai flinch.
"Welcome, friends! It is an honor to conduct business with you! I am in the business of selling priceless artifacts and information that come to me, but I am also interested in buying whatever it is you might want to sell. For the right price, of course!" he told them.
His thick accent and short build unnerved Cheelai as he stared at her while licking his lips. He hopped off his chair and waddled towards them on stubby legs. This odd-looking businessman was so short that his head just barely came up to Cheelai's mid-section.
He extended his hand in gratitude, which Lemo took. "Come, come," Paprika said, leading them back to his table. "Come to my table, and we shall negotiate for my wares!"
He climbed back onto his chair. Cheelai took a couple of steps forward as a precaution, watching Lemo as he perused the various items on display, organized by category from what one would expect on a black market ship: Jewelry, illegal weapons outlawed by the Freeza Force and Galactic Patrol, and pieces of technology meant for computer use, most notably data chips. Lemo stopped before the tray that contained them.
"I notice you have an interest in forbidden information? Those fetch a high price, my friend," Paprika said, and he pushed the tray forward for Lemo to get a closer look. Paprika's wry grin and occasional wink at Cheelai turned her stomach in knots, and it was only making her ire rise. Broly, meanwhile, was fascinated by the jewels and eyed a few crystals where he could see his face partially reflected in them. Paprika took notice of this and smiled up at him.
"Does your large friend enjoy the look of precious articles of jewelry? I could fashion a necklace of gems to fit around his neck if you want," he suggested.
"No thanks," Cheelai said coldly, and Paprika shrugged his shoulders. Lemo took a few seconds to pore over the data chips, Paprika's vulture-like stare eagerly awaiting an offer.
"Is there a particular item among this collection you wish to purchase?" Paprika asked.
"Yes. Do you happen to have a copy of planets currently blacklisted by Freeza?" Lemo asked, and Paprika's face lit up.
"Ahhh, you are in luck, my friend! I am the only businessman across the cosmos to carry such a rare list! Brave souls sell quality information at a high price and come away pleased with enough credits to retire and live on a paradise planet of their choosing. This particular list is current and up-to-date with a fetching price of one million credits."
"ONE MILLION?!" Cheelai bellowed, drawing all eyes to her. Paprika couldn't help himself but laugh, and Lemo shot her a look. She scoffed and walked over to Broly while Lemo searched his bag.
"Surely the female must understand the value placed on such an item? It is a highly valuable trinket. Most of these other items are only worth half that amount. What say you, my friend? Do we have a deal?" Paprika asked with his toothy grin, waiting for Lemo to fork over the money into his open hand.
Lemo counted the credit sticks in his bag and saw that he had only half of the reward Freeza gave them. "Cheelai, gimme your half, would you?" he asked
Cheelai froze. Lemo waited a moment as Cheelai kept her eyes fixed on the jewels while keeping Broly's hand from touching them.
"Cheelai, you have your half in your coat, right?" Lemo asked, giving a polite smile to Paprika.
Cheelai hesitantly reached into her coat and pulled out four credit sticks to hand to Lemo. She closed her eyes and bit the bottom of her lip. When he counted only four of them, the realization hit him.
He glowered at her. "You gave a whole credit stick to Chili?!" Lemo barked.
Cheelai put her hood up, hiding the embarrassment on her face, while Broly plucked a ring from one of the trays and held it up to his face. He sniffed at it and mulled over the metallic scent it had before dropping it back with the others. Lemo pinched the bridge of his nose, holding the nine credit sticks in his hand.
"Ah, it would seem you are light, my friend. How unfortunate for you," Paprika said, grinning.
"Could we negotiate a price that would be acceptable for you in this case?" Lemo asked, glaring at Cheelai, who apologetically shrugged her shoulders.
Paprika paused, rubbing his hands together. The rings clinked together as he mulled it over, grinning at each of them before settling his gaze on Broly.
"I could cut the price down, sure. Provided that you throw in an extra incentive to the deal," Paprika offered, and Lemo gulped, watching Paprika stare at Broly.
"What sort of incentive?" Lemo asked.
"What you currently have in your hands plus the services of your large friend. If I am not mistaken, he is a Saiyan, correct?" Paprika asked, and Cheelai's face darkened, glaring at him.
"Excuse me? Broly's not a bargaining chip!" Cheelai spat. Paprika chuckled, his laugh sounding like a blend of sandpaper and hiccups.
"Those are your options, my friend. Otherwise, no deal," Paprika stated but raised a finger in the air. "However."
"However? Is there another way?" Lemo asked, and Paprika chuckled again. Cheelai grumbled at the sound of that laugh as her hand gripped her blaster.
"I will slash the price by one-quarter if the female here provides some exquisite 'services' to my underlings. They do tend to get lonely sometimes," Paprika said, and Cheelai pulled out her pistol, aiming it at him. Lemo rushed to restrain her.
"Cheelai!" Lemo shouted. He tried to force Cheelai to lower her weapon, but she shrugged it off, re-aiming her blaster in between Paprika's eyes.
"I'm going to pop one in your head, I swear it," she hissed.
"Cheelai!" Lemo repeated. Paprika seemed unfazed, neither by her threat nor the pistol aimed at his head. He laughed again.
"Keep up that laugh of yours, and I'll add a few holes to your windpipe!" She said, staring daggers at Paprika. He relished this attitude so much he kept laughing to spite her even more.
"CHEELAI!" Lemo was right in her ear, screeching.
"WHAT?!"
"He's not alone in this room! He wouldn't be laughing like this if he wasn't well-guarded!" he said, and Cheelai's intense glare shifted to Lemo for a moment.
"So?! Broly can take them out, wherever they are!" she said. Broly had a contraband weapon in his hand, staring at the three as the shouting escalated. His brow began to furrow.
"How do we know for sure they're not as strong as he is?" Lemo said matter-of-factly, and Cheelai's grip tightened on her blaster. "Dammit…!"
She kept her pistol trained on Paprika. That damn laugh of his egged her on until she had enough. Opening fire, the blaster bolt was absorbed into an energy field while the little imp continued laughing at her mockingly.
"You little…!" Cheelai shouted at Paprika, who grinned back at her, maliciously.
He snapped his fingers. "Kill them, but leave the Saiyan intact. He will make for an exquisite bargaining chip."
Four white auras flared to light the room. More of those brainless loafs Cheelai saw earlier approached the table, yet they looked bulkier. Their initial attacks were aimed at Lemo and Cheelai, but they did not expect Broly to suddenly appear between them, catching their fists. The burly aliens pressed on, forcing the Saiyan's hand. The tension in the room began to shift as Broly pushed back, growling. The faces of the muscular men widened as their wrists were bending back. Both Lemo and Cheelai saw Broly begin to lose himself in his anger.
"Uh oh," they both said. Lemo backed away with Cheelai as he stared at Paprika. "Call them off, Paprika! If that Saiyan goes berserk, he'll tear your whole ship apart!"
Paprika chuckled, rubbing his hands. "I find that unlikely!" he boasted. He pressed a button under the table.
Broly fought off the four large men simultaneously. Each attempted hit on him only fueled his anger, prompting him to strike back with a punch that sent one of the muscle-heads flying back to crash into the wall behind Paprika.
The button Paprika pressed opened the doors behind Lemo and Cheelai, spilling in more of these duplicates. They aimed blaster rifles and opened fire in the room.
Lemo and Cheelai split off from each other to take cover. Lemo hid behind Paprika, using the businessman's own barrier as a means to shield himself from blaster fire before retaliating with a salvo of his own. Cheelai used the cover of darkness along the wall, sidling her body until she had a clear shot of the group, firing behind them.
Paprika continued to seek amusement in this whole debacle, laughing as he watched Broly fight off the remaining three muscle-heads. Equally amusing to him were Lemo and Cheelai engaged in a blaster fight with a group of twenty.
The man Chili labeled as one of the most dangerous businessmen of the universe did not anticipate how effective Lemo and Cheelai were in their marksmanship. One by one, the minions took shots to the head, falling dead to the floor. It was starting to make him nervous as his laughter died down.
A muscle-head struck Broly in the face with a forward punch, yet it barely made the Saiyan's head move. Broly pushed his face back against the fist and grabbed the alien by the wrist, snapping the man's arm in a clean break. Screaming in pain as he backed away, holding his arm, the muscle-head did not expect a follow-up punch from Broly that plowed through his skull, ejecting his brain matter from the back. The Saiyan's eyes then began to shift from black to yellow.
The remaining two burly aliens began to panic, backing away towards the ones with blaster rifles. They took a few hits among the cross-fire, dodging the rest to avoid adding more holes in their bodies. Broly fired an energy blast from his mouth, vaporizing them both.
The hapless group ceased firing at Lemo and Cheelai once they saw the enraged Saiyan stampeding towards them. They redirected their blaster fire at Broly, but not before the Saiyan grabbed one by his face and slammed him to the floor. Of the twenty that Paprika summoned, six remained after watching one's head become a part of the floor. A horrified gunman screamed as Broly grabbed one of his legs to toss him unceremoniously into the wall so hard his body pierced through the metal.
Paprika pushed more buttons on his table, adding layers to his energy barrier once the Saiyan spun to stomp towards him. Broly repeatedly punched the barrier until it began to crack. One haymaker later, and it shattered completely.
Escaping under the table, Paprika watched Broly grab the table and throw it to the far wall, scattering the contents all over the floor. The table shattered and splintered, leaving the shady businessman cowering before the enraged Saiyan.
Broly roared, which only made Paprika scream louder. "Don't kill me! Please!" he bellowed.
Lemo used the opportunity to search the floor using the light from outside the room to help him see. When he saw where the data chips had landed, he scooped up as many as he could into his bag. "I've got the data chips! Let's go!" he shouted, waving at Cheelai.
Broly lifted his leg, ready to stomp on Paprika when Cheelai stepped in between, raising her hands. "Broly! It's over! We have what we came for!" she yelled.
Broly lowered his leg, breathing heavily through his teeth. He didn't move another inch, allowing Paprika to crawl to safety near the back of the room. Cheelai gently lowered her hands to Broly's, wrapping her fingers around them.
"Chee…lai…!" Broly grunted. His yellow eyes faded back to their natural color.
"Yeah, it's me. You still remember us…?" Cheelai said. She kept her tone as soft as she could make it to soothe him until she felt sure he was calm again. "Come on down. You're still high up there."
Broly glared at Paprika until Cheelai reached up with her hand to touch his face. "It's fine. He won't bother us anymore," she said. Broly's scowl lessened until it looked more saddened than angry.
"I lost control," Broly said. He saw the bodies in the room, frowning. "I killed a few of these people."
"It was either them or us, big guy," Cheelai said with a grin. "Don't worry about it."
It was Cheelai's turn to glare at Paprika. She pulled him up and slammed his tiny frame against the wall, shoving the tip of her blaster against his chin.
"You want a deal? How about this one," Cheelai warned. "Don't tell anyone what happened here, and we won't have to come back for a second visit. Got it?"
Paprika nodded quickly. "They're just data chips! I can acquire new ones, of course!" he said nervously. Broly gave him one final intimidating look before they left the room to head back to their ship.
Broly blew open the cargo bay doors with an energy blast, retreating into their ship before Paprika's smaller ships and containers were sucked out into the vacuum of space.
Once they were in the clear, Lemo made the jump into Hyperspace. Cheelai was on her feet, hopping up and down in excitement. "YES!" she exclaimed.
Her excitement amused Broly as he watched her pump her fist, twirling around the room. He did not anticipate what happened next, however.
In her excitement, Cheelai jumped to wrap her arms around Broly's neck and shoulders. Without thinking, she pressed her lips against his, kissing him. She closed her eyes, embracing the kiss for a few seconds until she released him, still full of adrenaline.
"You…are so damn cool!" she said, staring into Broly's eyes. "I'm…cool?" Broly asked. She nodded. "Way cool!"
It took her a few seconds to realize what she had just done a moment ago when she watched Broly touch his lips. Oh, my God. I kissed him!
She frantically tried to change the subject. "I love y-...! Um, your ability to handle all those big guys on your own!" she said, only she was red in the face. No! It's worse! I almost confessed my feelings!
Her hand immediately went to the pendant under her uniform. "E-Excuse me." She quickly strapped herself in beside Lemo.
"One of those data chips better be Freeza's blacklist, or this whole trip would've been a bust," Lemo said, eyeing the bag between them. Cheelai's eyes were front and center on the computer, avoiding Broly as the Saiyan touched his lips again, about as red in the face as Cheelai was.
"Once you're done ogling the computer, start analyzing these data chips for me while we have time," Lemo told her, handing her the bag.
"Huh? Oh, right, the data chips," Cheelai said.
The first few chips the computer scanned produced nothing useful. Some contained disturbing footage, which was quickly discarded after Broly, of all people, grimaced at the video.
The computer scanned half a dozen data chips from the pile before the ship emerged from Hyperspace, clearing the small asteroid field before they reached Vampa's orbit. Lemo examined the rest of the pile in the bag and sighed. "Gonna be a long day for me," he said, sighing.