CHAPTER 29 – The Plot Thickens!

Disclaimer: not mine, don't sue

Goku shifted nervously in his seat, waiting for the older Saiyan to speak. He couldn't even begin to guess what the guy would have to say to him, but it seemed like it might be important, what with all the trouble he was taking to think about it.

Finally Radditz spoke

"You are not human"

"Oh yeah, I know that. Kami told me before we left that I'm actually a Saiyan or something, which makes me a lot stronger than a regular human and it might sound crazy, but before my tail got cut off I could turn into a giant monkey!"

Radditz was momentarily taken aback, but was quickly pleased that he had a lot less to explain to his brother than he had anticipated.

"My companion and I are also Saiyans…" he began only to be interrupted by an eager Goku.

"Really? Cool! So, did you know my family? Is that furry belt round your waist a tail? Can I touch it??"

"Slow down!" Radditz growled, "yes I did know your family, in fact I AM all that's left of your family. Yes, this is a tail and no, you can't touch it!"

A look of complete bewilderment crossed Goku's face

"So, are you my dad?"

"No!" Radditz was beginning to dislike this simpleton of a brother; if it weren't for the kid's immense strength he probably wouldn't be bothering with this "I am your brother, Radditz. Your real name is Kakarotto and you were sent away from our home planet as an infant to destroy the population of earth, since your power level was judged to be too low for you to be of any use on Vegetasei"

"Riiiight, but I lost my memory and now I don't really want to kill anybody, everyone has some good in them and everyone deserves a chance to live" Goku finished with a big goofy grin, Radditz felt sick.

"How did you gain such immense strength if you have no love for battle?"

"Oh don't get me wrong, I like to fight, its my favorite thing apart from eating, I just don't want to kill anybody!"

Radditz nodded, slightly reassured.

"You have a pure heart, you are naïve, had you lived on Vejitasei, such things would have made you an outcast."

"Well then I'm glad I didn't live there!" Goku's eyes flashed defensively, making Radditz more nervous than he wanted to admit, but he continued.

"Such things are of no relevance now, what is of relevance is that you are getting yourself into a war with Frieza by bringing back Vegita, you do not know what danger you are getting yourself into, brother."

"I don't care about the danger, Frieza will come to my home sooner or later and when he does I'm going to make sure we have the best chance of beating him possible. I'd do it myself if it weren't for this pesky space-time continuum thing that Kami keeps saying is so important."

"Beat Frieza yourself? You have no idea what you're talking about! Even Vegeta, the strongest of us was no match for him!"

"Well I'm nearly as strong as Vegeta and if I can become a super Saiyan then I'll stand a damn good chance!"

"You can never become a super Saiyan, you are of a lower class, and you do not have the potential"

"I think I do, after all when I was born I "didn't have the potential" to be stronger than you or your buddy out there, did I?"

Radditz sighed, perhaps he was right, but it all just seemed too impossible, like hoping for a miracle. Still, if they wanted to wish Vegeta back he couldn't stop them, Goku was too strong. And he certainly didn't like the idea of Vegeta coming back to find that he'd refused to aid in his resurrection for fear of a war with Frieza.

"I will help you collect these dragon balls" he sighed

"Great! We should be able to collect them really fast with your help! What about your friend out there though?"

"I somehow doubt he will question your authority after such a humiliating defeat" Radditz couldn't help but smile, seeing his arrogant commander beaten like that had made his year.

Goku also grinned, and then remembered one little problem

"Uh… but you can't kill any of the Namekians ok?"

Radditz blinked.

"Why not?"

"Just, because I said so, ok?"

"And I can promise that I won't, but Nappa is a very different matter."

Goku frowned, but then shrugged lightheartedly

"Well, if he won't do what I ask I might have to hurt him, but I won't let him harm anyone while we're here"

Radditz was uneasy at this thought, Nappa was far too stupid and far too arrogant for this plan to run smoothly. There was little they could do about it now, however, and both decided to retire for the night. Radditz disappeared into the night with the immense lump of Nappa, still out cold, on his shoulder. Krillin sighed as he watched him leave; things were never simple in his life, ever.

Approximately six hours later, all three Saiyans, plus Krillin and a large party of Nameks met at a safe distance from the Nameks' hidden Village (Goku's decision) and resumed to resume their hunt. Nappa was surly and repeated made it clear that he was only there "to serve the prince" and that he didn't want any "stinkin' green freaks" coming into contact with his vastly superior self. The Nameks merely shook their heads at this and continued on with the hunt, trusting in Goku to keep his bizarre new friend in check.

Mean while, back at the earth team's camp, Yajirobe sunbathed and silently congratulated himself on having avoided any kind of work or danger on his first venture into space. Goku was so naïve to have believed his story about not having a hover car. As if he would've come to a potentially dangerous planet without any means of escape from life threatening situations. What else would he do if they were attacked? Run? Yeah right.

As it was, that little "white lie" had bought Yajirobe a few days vacation on a pretty planet with near tropical weather and a space ship, which did pretty much everything for him.

"This is the life!" he chuckled to himself as he stretched out on the soft blue grass. "No Karin sending me on 'errands', no mass murdering maniacs, and not a cloud in the sky"

However suddenly the sunlight seemed to dim "aw I jinxed it!" Yajirobe groaned as he sat up and opened his eyes, expecting to see fluffy green clouds ruining his sun, instead he saw the same perfect clear sky, if only briefly, before everything went dark.