Saiyan Awakening
Chapter 3- The Hurricane Touches Down
"My father defined strength as the number of fleets he commanded. He sought to rule by firing beams of destructive energy at planets from space and it worked for him. But if you want to inspire true fear show them their enemy and give them free shot at their opponent. When they fail and realize they are at their enemy's complete mercy they are ready to be ruled. That is what specials can do. The Frost people have a saying; 'to the strong go the trophies of victory.' Let that be the rule of the Planet Trade. Let the specials rule without question. Let them walk the space lanes unchallenged. This is the age of Frieza and together we will write an epic of blood and victory."
-Frieza, at his installation as Supreme Director of the Planet Trade in the year 675 AD
On Arlia, the resistance wages a war against the planet trade. In the depths of space a young Saiyan warrior begins a journey to duty and tragedy. On route to Kanassa, an exiled prince prepares for battle. The sinister Zarbon holds a Saiyan warrior captive. This is not the universe you knew; this is the universe of the Saiyans.
Arlia, On Z-Day-
Bardock watched with his forces as the two divisions of Planet Trade Conscripts met the Arlian Grand Army. The two forces exchanged blaster fire with one another as the Planet Trade Special made their flanking movement. That was the key moment in the battle. Half of the Arlian Shadowwarriors, with General Dagul leading them, would fight the Planet Trade specials while the other jumped into the thickest part of the maelstrom.
Bardock had the other flank. He and his Saiyan would engage the Planet Trade specials while the Garm Technosoldiers would reap a vengeance upon the conscripts. He saw the specials take flight and prepare their classic, and fatally predictable, maneuver. Bardock was about to counter and duplicate it. Surprise was an advantage. "All teams standby. This is it. If we succeed we put the scent of death upon the Planet Trade. If not, we die here with this world. I have a lot of fight left to do, so we all go home and they go to their graves." The Planet Traders were just above Bardock's cutaway. "Now! All units attack."
Bardock followed his own order and launch into the sky. His force of Saiyans was smaller than their enemies, but the surprise allowed each of his warriors to get an undefended attack in, negating in one pass the Planet Trade's superiority. Then it was one on one duels. Bardock took on a squid like alien. He dodged one of it's attacks and then got in a hammer blow to the alien's back, snapping it's spine and crushing organs and it fell out of the sky. "FOR GARMIA!" Bardock heard the battle cry of the Garm as the flew into the thickest number of conscripts, waves of fire erupted from the center of the Planet Trade force as whole companies were burned alive by the hot flames, flames forged by pure hatred and the inner fire of vengeance.
Bardock surveyed his troops. Beeta was engaging a Frost Fighter who looked to have the advantage. Then he closed to deliver a ki punch to Beeta and found himself entangled in the energy chains of the Saiyan Warrior's unique skill. Beeta had learned how to manifest chains of pure energy to wrap and paralyze his opponents. The Frost Fighter was at the Saiyan's mercy and Beeta had little. He used the chains that projected from body to crush his hapless opponent. The head, arms, legs, and tail popped off as the chains squeezed the joints. Beeta finished it by vaporizing the torso. On the other side, Bardock saw no sign of the Arlian Forces. His heart skipped a beat and then with his mind he felt their presence. They were using their invisibility and swords to deliver a one sided massacre to the Planet Trade.
In hours it was over. The burnt landscape had been the funeral pyre of the Planet Trade Army. Bardock sat on the ridgeline as Beeta had gone off with Dagul to examine the Planet Trade ships. He heard Tiamat sit down beside him.
"They will be back and soon. Communication said the got off a message after our ambush occurred they are still decrypting it though."
"Tell them not to bother. I know what it is. 'Resistance forces on Arlia. Massive ground losses. Unable to retreat. We're going to…….Send reinforcements. Oh god…..' That is what it said or what it will."
"You have seen it?"
"Just now. They are going to send a Selan."
"The Executor."
"Yeah, Frieza's best general. His most cruel, inhuman, and tactical agent he has. His army has five divisions, two are Saiyan."
"We're in trouble, aren't we?"
"We are."
Orbiting on the dark side of Kanassa's Moon-
Vegeta stood in the ops center of the World Ship. It was a large room, abuzz with activity as technicians and helmsman dashed to their stations as the general quarters alert went off. Vegeta was caught up in the commotion as he made his way to the upper deck of the center. That deck was the tactical control. As he pulled himself onto the deck as he crawled off the ladder, he realized he was late. At a holographic display Nappa and Nail were arguing as they overlooked a map. Slug sat in a chair facing a window. Through the window was the moon of Kanassa. "Vegeta come over here." Slug called.
"Yes Slug. Why can't I see the planet?"
"The moon is between us and it. We can't see it and they can't see us. It was the one thing that Nail and Nappa agreed on."
All the planning sessions had eventually detoriated into shouting matches between Nappa and Nail. "What are they arguing about now?"
"Nail wants to use the bombers to blast the main barracks complex, so he can force enemy fighters to come out and be ambushed by ours. He figures you can build more barracks if you need too. Personally I think Nail is more right than Nappa is."
"Agreed." Vegeta turned to his second. "Nappa, get over here." He waited for the bald, one-eyed, soldier to meet him. "We are going with Nail's plan, we don't need the barracks. As long as the research center and spaceport remain we have what we want."
"Very well, but can I suggest that we have half our fighters escort the bombers, while the other half stays in the cloud bank."
"I will take Nail up on that."
"As will I. They are my fighters. Nail, get to your fighter. Nappa, will you do coordination?"
"Certainly." Nail turned and shook Nappa's hand and left the conference room. Nappa took the seat to Slug's left and put on the headset.
"All crews prepare for battle stations, fighters prepare for launch. Dragoon Two, take up positions for pre-emptive launch. Bombers prepare to the follow the Knights out, Lizards you got rear guard duty. Forward batteries, the communications satellite are your target. Helm, take us into the open, maximum tactical speed."
Vegeta felt the worldship's engines come to life as the massive ship moved from behind the moon of Kanassa. On the tactical holograph, he saw the moon, communication satellite, and the worldship. On the holograph was a red line, which the worldship approached. "Point of no return." If anyone noticed or cared what he said they didn't show it. As the worldship crossed the line, Vegeta saw it turn and the satellite vaporize as a yellow beam lanced out of the ship and took out the satellite.
"All Fighters deploy as order, number one target authorized."
A chorus of replies came over the intercom as the fighters deployed.
* * *
Nail fixed his tactical display as the chrono on his control board clicked down to his launch window. He saw through the open fighter bay doors the last pair of strike bombers leave. "Blasted sloths, take all day to get their big butts out the door." That was the distorted voice of his wingman, Merc.
"I am sure our comrades will be pleased with the assessment of their craft." Nail heard through his comm the laughs of his squadron.
"Sorry sir."
"Just keep your eye on your tail and all will be forgiven." He saw ticker hit. Clasping his breather on, he yelled, "Launch."
He gun his engine and his triad shot out of the hanger followed by the other three triads. They angled toward the planet and speed after the rest of the force at full speed. The bombers disappeared through the clouds and on Nail's display he saw them start hammering the barracks. "Knights, we have hostiles coming in from the harbor. Four diamonds."
Pola voice responded. "Four diamonds? They outnumber us command."
"Just get the bombers out, green knight." That was nail's signal.
"Lizards, form up we are about to have some fun." Nail saw the Knights form up on a missile salvo, when they fired it caught a single diamond in front. All four interceptors went down in flames. As the other planet trade interceptors prepared a response Nail's force broke through the clouds above them and opened up with pulse guns. Five enemy craft were torn apart by the attack. The Knights then pounced and jumped the remainder with pulse guns as they turned to pursue Nail's force. It was over. "Command, this Nail, request permission to hunt and seek."
"Permission granted, happy hunting Lizards. Knights, you are escort for the bombers. Bombers, you have target two authorization."
Planet Frost-
Zarbon stood in the main hall of the Planet Trade's Supreme Directorship. He was less than pleased. He stood a few meters from Lord Frieza, who sat on a warm chair. In the center of the room was an open arena where Frieza's best executioner was demonstrating his favorite techniques. General Zorn, now the Planet Trade's Intelligence Chief, stood opposite Zarbon. He was a Saiyan, one of the few who had supported neither House Vegeta nor Paragus's army. He pledged allegiance to House Frost and Frieza himself solely. He hid any emotion or thoughts he had under his stony face. He had, over Zarbon's objections, suggested to Frieza that the resistance was on Arlia and that was the source of the heavy weaponry the Planet Trade ran into.
Standing next to Zorn was the Selan General, Drake Tepis. A cruel man, by even the standards of Frieza and others. He was known as the man who led the assault on Garmia and had ordered its entire people killed by impaling. The executioner was one of his people.
In the center of the arena, Executioner bowed to Frieza. "Are there anymore sheep that need cleansing my lord?"
"Ah, Raz, you love your work too much. Yes we have two more." Zarbon bit his tongue. They did this every time he finished with a victim, it was a sick game they played and enjoyed. Worse it was his slaves they were executing.
Next came an insectoid male, who stood several feet taller than his killer did. He lashed out at the Selan, who effortlessly moved out of reach. "My lord this one is not broken."
"Then break it." Raz manifested a staff of pure energy and smashed the side of the insect's body with it, crushing ribs and the arms that moved to shield them. He then thrust the poles flat end into both sets of compact eyes. As the creature fell to it's knees, Raz went behind it and morphed the pole into a lance and drove it through the creature's back. He lifted the lance and body up and implanted it in the ground.
"My lord may I have the last one."
"Of course, but I have something special in mind." Frieza clapped and two guards brought out the Vern girl, Gera. Gera was the last of her race. Twenty years ago, Zarbon found her nearly broken child corpse in the wreckage of her world. He had kept her thinking her child mind might be fun to abuse. He had chosen otherwise and as much as he could adopted her. He figured that taking care of her, as his own child was the only thing he ever did which meant a damn thing. Now he would watch as she died.
Raz manifested a knife and cutoff her clothing revealing the streamline reptile skin underneath. Then he went behind her and opened a cage and led something out by a collar. When Zarbon saw the six-legged, three-meter long creature, he visibly cringed. It's white scale, long neck, and four horns only belonged to one creature. "A Frost Dragon." They drank the blood of their victims, using it to stay warm. The guards released Gera and crowded around Raz. Gera backed away as the creature. As she did it fired a sedative-laced thorn from its body, which paralyzed her. It waded over to her and drove it's straw like mouth into her belly. She screamed in pain and her eyes locked with Zarbon's and plead for help. He looked away. The creature drank in her blood and as the color faded from her she went limp.
"Well done Raz. You are demised with thanks. Now Zarbon, I want to make you understand that…"
"Lord Frieza." Frieza turned to Zorn, who dismissed the courier standing beside him with a wave of his hand. "Report from Arlia." He approached Frieza and handed him the sheet.
"Zorn, have your spies confirmed the presence of resistance forces?"
"Yes, three groups; Tiamat's, Beeta's, and Bardock's." Zarbon heard a hiss as Zorn said the name.
"Drake!"
"Yes my lord."
"Take your force and head to Arlia as soon as possible."
"I can leave before dawn. It will take three days to reach there."
"Good don't fail me Drake."
"I am going myself. If I fail, I will die in the process." The Selan general turned and walked out.
Kanassa-
Vegeta fell out of the massive dropship as it hung in the air, deploying waves of troops, most the mercenary forces of Lord Slug. The world was dry. The heat and lack of air moisture hit Vegeta hard. He saw others in the forces react similarly. As far as Vegeta could see, there was nothing but a huge sandy prairie. 'Too much open ground. Forget about watching the flank this world is a giant mobile warfare training center.'
He landed softly and his force formed up. Nappa had landed a little north of his position. The third force was to the southeast. The training center was in the east and Vegeta had the center of the line. The plan called for him to link up with Nappa on the way. Together they would 'callout' the forces gathered at the training facility. While they were engaged the southeast force would come up from the south and hit the facility, just as they would be forced to call up their reserves. Vegeta had figured that the over correction would weaken the forces engaged with him and allow him to take the center.
Vegeta and his force flew off toward the training center and met Nappa's force about halfway. He flew next to his Prince and turned to speak. "You know I have a bad feeling about this."
"Why is that Nappa?"
"Well, there is no pickets."
Vegeta realized he hadn't even seen or scouted any Planet Trade conscripts. Standard procedure for any of their permanent bases was to have round the clock patrols. Even if those forces had chosen not to do battle they should have been seen. "They probably just were called back. I doubt they have the discipline to maintain the frontlines on this backwater world." Vegeta knew it was a lie, and by the look on Nappa's face he knew it too. Kanassa was not a backwater world. It was the operational capital of the Planet Trade's Expansion Zone.
On the horizon, the training facility loomed into view and grew as the strike force moved closer. They cut back on the burners. Vegeta came ahead of the line and summoned his energy to boost his vocal cords. "PLANET TRADE FOOLS, WE ARE THE FORCES OF THE RESISTANCE AND I, THE RIGHTFUL RULER OF THE SAIYAN PEOPLE DEMAND YOU SURRENDER." The defenders responded with laughs and focused blaster shots. Seven hit Vegeta in rapid succession. They didn't do any real damages but annoyed him. His force started responding with energy blasts, most hitting the pillbox and bunker walls that the defenders hid in. Vegeta was about to unleash a shot when he heard a whistling through the air.
"Get down Prince." Nappa grabbed him and threw himself to the ground. Several loud explosions ripped through the sky and heard screams. He looked up to see black clouds.
"What was that Nappa?"
He didn't respond. Vegeta pulled himself out from the slack weight of Nappa and saw a metal in his back a pool of blood was under his legs. Vegeta check his heartbeat and vitals with the scouter and was relieve to discover he was just unconscious. He looked around to see similar displays of carnage. He let out an almost feral cry of rage and took off for the fortress. Energy blasts greeted his attack, but anger and an energy shield held the annoyances at bay. The wall couldn't stop him and with all his strength he dove at it and smashed through. A handful of conscripts were in the corridor with him. As they turned to flee, he struck. Vegeta grabbed the neckline of the closest one and fired a blast through his chest. Another fled down the hall but Vegeta flew behind him and with a sweep of his hand beheaded the Planet Trader. The last three were down the hall but Vegeta pressed his wrist together and released a concussive wave of energy at the cowards shattering the bones of their body. He continued through the base taking out terrified conscripts, who were neither trained nor capable of fighting someone like Vegeta. Someone might have surrendered, he wasn't sure nor did it matter, he killed fighter, runner, and quitter alike. To him the next hour was one bloody smear. In the end, with every Planet Trader dead in the base he walked out and saw Slug stand before the combined force.
"Well that was an interesting show. Now what were you thinking?"
"I wasn't. Sorry if I ruined your plan. Is Nappa alright?"
Slug shook his head. "Nappa is fine but there is a great many of our people who are not and some, even of your own, who will never leave this place." To highlight his point, he looked to where a young Saiyan girl was dropped into a freshly dug grave. Vegeta was somewhat ashamed that even with his small force he could not put a name to the girl's broken body.
Bardock's words spoken to Vegeta, a year ago, when he was given control of a fresh squadron, came back to haunt him. 'Remember Prince we are a movement. All those that follow us do so because something in their heart says it is the right choice. I remember the name of every person, who I have sent to his or her deaths. Toma, Fenris, Cucum…' Vegeta softly growled as he wondered how many names he would need to remember before this war was over.
"We have a problem Slug."
"What Vegeta?"
"There was about a half a cadre worth of soldiers in there, no more."
"Where did the others go?"
"I don't know, but I didn't see any canons either so unless they were hurling those shrapnel shells…"
"Blast this is going to get complicated."
Planet Vegeta-
Raditz sat in a small bar. He had yet to head to his quarters, he didn't want to be alone here and yet part of him did. He downed the last of his malt and ordered another. The bar was about a block from the spaceport and seemed to be visited by exclusively warriors. But unlike the others he had seen and visited for a short time, this one was dark. Each of the booths had a semi-transparent cloth over the open end. Most of the bars guests wore dark clothing and elements the hid their faces. The bar's name was the Traitor's Tab. Raditz didn't understand that but for some reason he felt at ease here.
Newscast filled the room, with most of the booths small video screens lighting up and the big one over the bar joining them. The young lady on the screen spoke up as the logo of the Planet Net rotated behind her. "Two days ago, Planet Trade forces suffered a minor setback on Arlia. This setback was engineered by Saiyan Traitor and Alienist, Bardock. Reports indictate that revolutionary forces suffered severe losses and that much of the 2nd Planet Trade Division escaped unscathed. We go to a press conference by War Minister Romaine…"
The video screen flipped off. Raditz had found out earlier today that this Bardock was his father. When he ignorantly told a man who greeted him in the first bar he visited, he got a punch in the face. "What a traitor he must be. I have no family, no honor, and no self-respect. Only this." He put his hand on his armor, right beneath it was that pendent.
"Hey fellow, you okay in there? We don't like if you get so drunk that you start hallucinating." Raditz turned to a girl, about his age, move back the curtains. She had a jumpsuit, which tightly clung to her body. The logo on it was of the bar.
"I'll be fine." He was slurring and he knew it. As he move to grab the new malt she had brought he tipped over in his booth and puke on the floor.
"No, you won't. I hate first time drunks. C'mon, you are going home." Raditz tried to lift himself out of the booth, but the flesh was weak, or maybe just to drunk to get there.
"Wish I could."
"C'mon I will get you there." With that she grabbed his arm and yanked him out of the booth and out the door. He slightly realized that she grabbed his identification card and led herself to a turbo rail and took him to a large building structure. He was a little helpful now and was able to get up the stairs and into his apartment he assumed without her help, but she stayed in the wings none the less.
When he got into the room he found the toilet and puked again. "Why did you help?"
"Something my dad taught me to do. Nice room." It was a sarcastic tone for sure. It wasn't that nice. It had to rooms. One with a bed and another with a toilet and shower. "What about your dad…?"
"Raditz. He's a traitor." He didn't care if she slapped him and ran out the door, he didn't want her here anyway. "The Great Bardock." He laughed as he said it. "So what's a strong girl like you working in dark hole?"
"My father was…is one of the men under Bardock, that's why. My mother and older brother were executed by Frieza and I was sold into slavery of Lord Zorn, he lent me to the bar's owner as fill-in waitress."
"I'm sorry. I…I…I"
"Don't be Raditz and the name is Diva. I hope I see you again." She walked out. In Raditz's ears he heard a slight sadness.
To be continued…
Chapter 4- A Heart of Ice
Drake marches across Arlia unhindered and the Resistance suffers a momentous casualty on Kanassa as they hit a huge setback. In the midst of this, an assaination is planned that might devastate the Saiyan Government, but who will benefit from the greed of one man. And the fate of Fasha is revealed.
Chapter 3- The Hurricane Touches Down
"My father defined strength as the number of fleets he commanded. He sought to rule by firing beams of destructive energy at planets from space and it worked for him. But if you want to inspire true fear show them their enemy and give them free shot at their opponent. When they fail and realize they are at their enemy's complete mercy they are ready to be ruled. That is what specials can do. The Frost people have a saying; 'to the strong go the trophies of victory.' Let that be the rule of the Planet Trade. Let the specials rule without question. Let them walk the space lanes unchallenged. This is the age of Frieza and together we will write an epic of blood and victory."
-Frieza, at his installation as Supreme Director of the Planet Trade in the year 675 AD
On Arlia, the resistance wages a war against the planet trade. In the depths of space a young Saiyan warrior begins a journey to duty and tragedy. On route to Kanassa, an exiled prince prepares for battle. The sinister Zarbon holds a Saiyan warrior captive. This is not the universe you knew; this is the universe of the Saiyans.
Arlia, On Z-Day-
Bardock watched with his forces as the two divisions of Planet Trade Conscripts met the Arlian Grand Army. The two forces exchanged blaster fire with one another as the Planet Trade Special made their flanking movement. That was the key moment in the battle. Half of the Arlian Shadowwarriors, with General Dagul leading them, would fight the Planet Trade specials while the other jumped into the thickest part of the maelstrom.
Bardock had the other flank. He and his Saiyan would engage the Planet Trade specials while the Garm Technosoldiers would reap a vengeance upon the conscripts. He saw the specials take flight and prepare their classic, and fatally predictable, maneuver. Bardock was about to counter and duplicate it. Surprise was an advantage. "All teams standby. This is it. If we succeed we put the scent of death upon the Planet Trade. If not, we die here with this world. I have a lot of fight left to do, so we all go home and they go to their graves." The Planet Traders were just above Bardock's cutaway. "Now! All units attack."
Bardock followed his own order and launch into the sky. His force of Saiyans was smaller than their enemies, but the surprise allowed each of his warriors to get an undefended attack in, negating in one pass the Planet Trade's superiority. Then it was one on one duels. Bardock took on a squid like alien. He dodged one of it's attacks and then got in a hammer blow to the alien's back, snapping it's spine and crushing organs and it fell out of the sky. "FOR GARMIA!" Bardock heard the battle cry of the Garm as the flew into the thickest number of conscripts, waves of fire erupted from the center of the Planet Trade force as whole companies were burned alive by the hot flames, flames forged by pure hatred and the inner fire of vengeance.
Bardock surveyed his troops. Beeta was engaging a Frost Fighter who looked to have the advantage. Then he closed to deliver a ki punch to Beeta and found himself entangled in the energy chains of the Saiyan Warrior's unique skill. Beeta had learned how to manifest chains of pure energy to wrap and paralyze his opponents. The Frost Fighter was at the Saiyan's mercy and Beeta had little. He used the chains that projected from body to crush his hapless opponent. The head, arms, legs, and tail popped off as the chains squeezed the joints. Beeta finished it by vaporizing the torso. On the other side, Bardock saw no sign of the Arlian Forces. His heart skipped a beat and then with his mind he felt their presence. They were using their invisibility and swords to deliver a one sided massacre to the Planet Trade.
In hours it was over. The burnt landscape had been the funeral pyre of the Planet Trade Army. Bardock sat on the ridgeline as Beeta had gone off with Dagul to examine the Planet Trade ships. He heard Tiamat sit down beside him.
"They will be back and soon. Communication said the got off a message after our ambush occurred they are still decrypting it though."
"Tell them not to bother. I know what it is. 'Resistance forces on Arlia. Massive ground losses. Unable to retreat. We're going to…….Send reinforcements. Oh god…..' That is what it said or what it will."
"You have seen it?"
"Just now. They are going to send a Selan."
"The Executor."
"Yeah, Frieza's best general. His most cruel, inhuman, and tactical agent he has. His army has five divisions, two are Saiyan."
"We're in trouble, aren't we?"
"We are."
Orbiting on the dark side of Kanassa's Moon-
Vegeta stood in the ops center of the World Ship. It was a large room, abuzz with activity as technicians and helmsman dashed to their stations as the general quarters alert went off. Vegeta was caught up in the commotion as he made his way to the upper deck of the center. That deck was the tactical control. As he pulled himself onto the deck as he crawled off the ladder, he realized he was late. At a holographic display Nappa and Nail were arguing as they overlooked a map. Slug sat in a chair facing a window. Through the window was the moon of Kanassa. "Vegeta come over here." Slug called.
"Yes Slug. Why can't I see the planet?"
"The moon is between us and it. We can't see it and they can't see us. It was the one thing that Nail and Nappa agreed on."
All the planning sessions had eventually detoriated into shouting matches between Nappa and Nail. "What are they arguing about now?"
"Nail wants to use the bombers to blast the main barracks complex, so he can force enemy fighters to come out and be ambushed by ours. He figures you can build more barracks if you need too. Personally I think Nail is more right than Nappa is."
"Agreed." Vegeta turned to his second. "Nappa, get over here." He waited for the bald, one-eyed, soldier to meet him. "We are going with Nail's plan, we don't need the barracks. As long as the research center and spaceport remain we have what we want."
"Very well, but can I suggest that we have half our fighters escort the bombers, while the other half stays in the cloud bank."
"I will take Nail up on that."
"As will I. They are my fighters. Nail, get to your fighter. Nappa, will you do coordination?"
"Certainly." Nail turned and shook Nappa's hand and left the conference room. Nappa took the seat to Slug's left and put on the headset.
"All crews prepare for battle stations, fighters prepare for launch. Dragoon Two, take up positions for pre-emptive launch. Bombers prepare to the follow the Knights out, Lizards you got rear guard duty. Forward batteries, the communications satellite are your target. Helm, take us into the open, maximum tactical speed."
Vegeta felt the worldship's engines come to life as the massive ship moved from behind the moon of Kanassa. On the tactical holograph, he saw the moon, communication satellite, and the worldship. On the holograph was a red line, which the worldship approached. "Point of no return." If anyone noticed or cared what he said they didn't show it. As the worldship crossed the line, Vegeta saw it turn and the satellite vaporize as a yellow beam lanced out of the ship and took out the satellite.
"All Fighters deploy as order, number one target authorized."
A chorus of replies came over the intercom as the fighters deployed.
* * *
Nail fixed his tactical display as the chrono on his control board clicked down to his launch window. He saw through the open fighter bay doors the last pair of strike bombers leave. "Blasted sloths, take all day to get their big butts out the door." That was the distorted voice of his wingman, Merc.
"I am sure our comrades will be pleased with the assessment of their craft." Nail heard through his comm the laughs of his squadron.
"Sorry sir."
"Just keep your eye on your tail and all will be forgiven." He saw ticker hit. Clasping his breather on, he yelled, "Launch."
He gun his engine and his triad shot out of the hanger followed by the other three triads. They angled toward the planet and speed after the rest of the force at full speed. The bombers disappeared through the clouds and on Nail's display he saw them start hammering the barracks. "Knights, we have hostiles coming in from the harbor. Four diamonds."
Pola voice responded. "Four diamonds? They outnumber us command."
"Just get the bombers out, green knight." That was nail's signal.
"Lizards, form up we are about to have some fun." Nail saw the Knights form up on a missile salvo, when they fired it caught a single diamond in front. All four interceptors went down in flames. As the other planet trade interceptors prepared a response Nail's force broke through the clouds above them and opened up with pulse guns. Five enemy craft were torn apart by the attack. The Knights then pounced and jumped the remainder with pulse guns as they turned to pursue Nail's force. It was over. "Command, this Nail, request permission to hunt and seek."
"Permission granted, happy hunting Lizards. Knights, you are escort for the bombers. Bombers, you have target two authorization."
Planet Frost-
Zarbon stood in the main hall of the Planet Trade's Supreme Directorship. He was less than pleased. He stood a few meters from Lord Frieza, who sat on a warm chair. In the center of the room was an open arena where Frieza's best executioner was demonstrating his favorite techniques. General Zorn, now the Planet Trade's Intelligence Chief, stood opposite Zarbon. He was a Saiyan, one of the few who had supported neither House Vegeta nor Paragus's army. He pledged allegiance to House Frost and Frieza himself solely. He hid any emotion or thoughts he had under his stony face. He had, over Zarbon's objections, suggested to Frieza that the resistance was on Arlia and that was the source of the heavy weaponry the Planet Trade ran into.
Standing next to Zorn was the Selan General, Drake Tepis. A cruel man, by even the standards of Frieza and others. He was known as the man who led the assault on Garmia and had ordered its entire people killed by impaling. The executioner was one of his people.
In the center of the arena, Executioner bowed to Frieza. "Are there anymore sheep that need cleansing my lord?"
"Ah, Raz, you love your work too much. Yes we have two more." Zarbon bit his tongue. They did this every time he finished with a victim, it was a sick game they played and enjoyed. Worse it was his slaves they were executing.
Next came an insectoid male, who stood several feet taller than his killer did. He lashed out at the Selan, who effortlessly moved out of reach. "My lord this one is not broken."
"Then break it." Raz manifested a staff of pure energy and smashed the side of the insect's body with it, crushing ribs and the arms that moved to shield them. He then thrust the poles flat end into both sets of compact eyes. As the creature fell to it's knees, Raz went behind it and morphed the pole into a lance and drove it through the creature's back. He lifted the lance and body up and implanted it in the ground.
"My lord may I have the last one."
"Of course, but I have something special in mind." Frieza clapped and two guards brought out the Vern girl, Gera. Gera was the last of her race. Twenty years ago, Zarbon found her nearly broken child corpse in the wreckage of her world. He had kept her thinking her child mind might be fun to abuse. He had chosen otherwise and as much as he could adopted her. He figured that taking care of her, as his own child was the only thing he ever did which meant a damn thing. Now he would watch as she died.
Raz manifested a knife and cutoff her clothing revealing the streamline reptile skin underneath. Then he went behind her and opened a cage and led something out by a collar. When Zarbon saw the six-legged, three-meter long creature, he visibly cringed. It's white scale, long neck, and four horns only belonged to one creature. "A Frost Dragon." They drank the blood of their victims, using it to stay warm. The guards released Gera and crowded around Raz. Gera backed away as the creature. As she did it fired a sedative-laced thorn from its body, which paralyzed her. It waded over to her and drove it's straw like mouth into her belly. She screamed in pain and her eyes locked with Zarbon's and plead for help. He looked away. The creature drank in her blood and as the color faded from her she went limp.
"Well done Raz. You are demised with thanks. Now Zarbon, I want to make you understand that…"
"Lord Frieza." Frieza turned to Zorn, who dismissed the courier standing beside him with a wave of his hand. "Report from Arlia." He approached Frieza and handed him the sheet.
"Zorn, have your spies confirmed the presence of resistance forces?"
"Yes, three groups; Tiamat's, Beeta's, and Bardock's." Zarbon heard a hiss as Zorn said the name.
"Drake!"
"Yes my lord."
"Take your force and head to Arlia as soon as possible."
"I can leave before dawn. It will take three days to reach there."
"Good don't fail me Drake."
"I am going myself. If I fail, I will die in the process." The Selan general turned and walked out.
Kanassa-
Vegeta fell out of the massive dropship as it hung in the air, deploying waves of troops, most the mercenary forces of Lord Slug. The world was dry. The heat and lack of air moisture hit Vegeta hard. He saw others in the forces react similarly. As far as Vegeta could see, there was nothing but a huge sandy prairie. 'Too much open ground. Forget about watching the flank this world is a giant mobile warfare training center.'
He landed softly and his force formed up. Nappa had landed a little north of his position. The third force was to the southeast. The training center was in the east and Vegeta had the center of the line. The plan called for him to link up with Nappa on the way. Together they would 'callout' the forces gathered at the training facility. While they were engaged the southeast force would come up from the south and hit the facility, just as they would be forced to call up their reserves. Vegeta had figured that the over correction would weaken the forces engaged with him and allow him to take the center.
Vegeta and his force flew off toward the training center and met Nappa's force about halfway. He flew next to his Prince and turned to speak. "You know I have a bad feeling about this."
"Why is that Nappa?"
"Well, there is no pickets."
Vegeta realized he hadn't even seen or scouted any Planet Trade conscripts. Standard procedure for any of their permanent bases was to have round the clock patrols. Even if those forces had chosen not to do battle they should have been seen. "They probably just were called back. I doubt they have the discipline to maintain the frontlines on this backwater world." Vegeta knew it was a lie, and by the look on Nappa's face he knew it too. Kanassa was not a backwater world. It was the operational capital of the Planet Trade's Expansion Zone.
On the horizon, the training facility loomed into view and grew as the strike force moved closer. They cut back on the burners. Vegeta came ahead of the line and summoned his energy to boost his vocal cords. "PLANET TRADE FOOLS, WE ARE THE FORCES OF THE RESISTANCE AND I, THE RIGHTFUL RULER OF THE SAIYAN PEOPLE DEMAND YOU SURRENDER." The defenders responded with laughs and focused blaster shots. Seven hit Vegeta in rapid succession. They didn't do any real damages but annoyed him. His force started responding with energy blasts, most hitting the pillbox and bunker walls that the defenders hid in. Vegeta was about to unleash a shot when he heard a whistling through the air.
"Get down Prince." Nappa grabbed him and threw himself to the ground. Several loud explosions ripped through the sky and heard screams. He looked up to see black clouds.
"What was that Nappa?"
He didn't respond. Vegeta pulled himself out from the slack weight of Nappa and saw a metal in his back a pool of blood was under his legs. Vegeta check his heartbeat and vitals with the scouter and was relieve to discover he was just unconscious. He looked around to see similar displays of carnage. He let out an almost feral cry of rage and took off for the fortress. Energy blasts greeted his attack, but anger and an energy shield held the annoyances at bay. The wall couldn't stop him and with all his strength he dove at it and smashed through. A handful of conscripts were in the corridor with him. As they turned to flee, he struck. Vegeta grabbed the neckline of the closest one and fired a blast through his chest. Another fled down the hall but Vegeta flew behind him and with a sweep of his hand beheaded the Planet Trader. The last three were down the hall but Vegeta pressed his wrist together and released a concussive wave of energy at the cowards shattering the bones of their body. He continued through the base taking out terrified conscripts, who were neither trained nor capable of fighting someone like Vegeta. Someone might have surrendered, he wasn't sure nor did it matter, he killed fighter, runner, and quitter alike. To him the next hour was one bloody smear. In the end, with every Planet Trader dead in the base he walked out and saw Slug stand before the combined force.
"Well that was an interesting show. Now what were you thinking?"
"I wasn't. Sorry if I ruined your plan. Is Nappa alright?"
Slug shook his head. "Nappa is fine but there is a great many of our people who are not and some, even of your own, who will never leave this place." To highlight his point, he looked to where a young Saiyan girl was dropped into a freshly dug grave. Vegeta was somewhat ashamed that even with his small force he could not put a name to the girl's broken body.
Bardock's words spoken to Vegeta, a year ago, when he was given control of a fresh squadron, came back to haunt him. 'Remember Prince we are a movement. All those that follow us do so because something in their heart says it is the right choice. I remember the name of every person, who I have sent to his or her deaths. Toma, Fenris, Cucum…' Vegeta softly growled as he wondered how many names he would need to remember before this war was over.
"We have a problem Slug."
"What Vegeta?"
"There was about a half a cadre worth of soldiers in there, no more."
"Where did the others go?"
"I don't know, but I didn't see any canons either so unless they were hurling those shrapnel shells…"
"Blast this is going to get complicated."
Planet Vegeta-
Raditz sat in a small bar. He had yet to head to his quarters, he didn't want to be alone here and yet part of him did. He downed the last of his malt and ordered another. The bar was about a block from the spaceport and seemed to be visited by exclusively warriors. But unlike the others he had seen and visited for a short time, this one was dark. Each of the booths had a semi-transparent cloth over the open end. Most of the bars guests wore dark clothing and elements the hid their faces. The bar's name was the Traitor's Tab. Raditz didn't understand that but for some reason he felt at ease here.
Newscast filled the room, with most of the booths small video screens lighting up and the big one over the bar joining them. The young lady on the screen spoke up as the logo of the Planet Net rotated behind her. "Two days ago, Planet Trade forces suffered a minor setback on Arlia. This setback was engineered by Saiyan Traitor and Alienist, Bardock. Reports indictate that revolutionary forces suffered severe losses and that much of the 2nd Planet Trade Division escaped unscathed. We go to a press conference by War Minister Romaine…"
The video screen flipped off. Raditz had found out earlier today that this Bardock was his father. When he ignorantly told a man who greeted him in the first bar he visited, he got a punch in the face. "What a traitor he must be. I have no family, no honor, and no self-respect. Only this." He put his hand on his armor, right beneath it was that pendent.
"Hey fellow, you okay in there? We don't like if you get so drunk that you start hallucinating." Raditz turned to a girl, about his age, move back the curtains. She had a jumpsuit, which tightly clung to her body. The logo on it was of the bar.
"I'll be fine." He was slurring and he knew it. As he move to grab the new malt she had brought he tipped over in his booth and puke on the floor.
"No, you won't. I hate first time drunks. C'mon, you are going home." Raditz tried to lift himself out of the booth, but the flesh was weak, or maybe just to drunk to get there.
"Wish I could."
"C'mon I will get you there." With that she grabbed his arm and yanked him out of the booth and out the door. He slightly realized that she grabbed his identification card and led herself to a turbo rail and took him to a large building structure. He was a little helpful now and was able to get up the stairs and into his apartment he assumed without her help, but she stayed in the wings none the less.
When he got into the room he found the toilet and puked again. "Why did you help?"
"Something my dad taught me to do. Nice room." It was a sarcastic tone for sure. It wasn't that nice. It had to rooms. One with a bed and another with a toilet and shower. "What about your dad…?"
"Raditz. He's a traitor." He didn't care if she slapped him and ran out the door, he didn't want her here anyway. "The Great Bardock." He laughed as he said it. "So what's a strong girl like you working in dark hole?"
"My father was…is one of the men under Bardock, that's why. My mother and older brother were executed by Frieza and I was sold into slavery of Lord Zorn, he lent me to the bar's owner as fill-in waitress."
"I'm sorry. I…I…I"
"Don't be Raditz and the name is Diva. I hope I see you again." She walked out. In Raditz's ears he heard a slight sadness.
To be continued…
Chapter 4- A Heart of Ice
Drake marches across Arlia unhindered and the Resistance suffers a momentous casualty on Kanassa as they hit a huge setback. In the midst of this, an assaination is planned that might devastate the Saiyan Government, but who will benefit from the greed of one man. And the fate of Fasha is revealed.
