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`The Machine`

Summary: Sailor Mars and Mercury are sucked into the DBZ world, changing fate, and bringing back one of the deadliest enemies to conquer the Z fighters.

Chapter 9:

Freeza's In This Too?! Mirai Reveals Bulma's Hope!

*Yamcha*

Clouds rumbled over the plush green landscape, reminding me of home. I stared off the cliff edge over to the horizon, drinking in the alien emerald sky and the strange rounded vegetation. Namek was similar to earth in many ways. It's atmosphere, though thinner, was an oxygen-nitrogen mix and it had vast oceans as well as mountain ranges.

There was a variety of animal life-forms, ranging from amphibians to large dragon-like creatures. All in all, a human like myself could make himself very comfortable on a world like this.

I drew in a breath of fresh unpolluted air. I was on an alien world . . . I never dreamed it would happen, but here I was surveying the vast plains of Namek . . .

"Yamcha." Krillen's voice called from behind. He and Piccolo walked out of the elder's snail shell shaped domicile. For at least an hour, they spoke with the new elder of Namek, Maeru. I stayed outside, uncomfortable without leaving a guard. The Nameks were peaceful people. They farmed the land and some worked magics, but none, as Piccolo pointed out, were warriors as powerful as we were. Moreover, I hadn't a clue as how to talk or act around these people. Both Krillen and Piccolo did.

Pale, Krillen walked to the edge of the cliff and dove his hands into the pockets of his sweat pants. Bad news, I figured. Our luck of late tended to go from bad to worse. "One of the Namek Priests disappeared two days ago."

"Porlunga was summoned shortly after." Piccolo gruffly added. "Maeru believes three wishes were made, one resulting in a battle, but not between the missing Namekian and an enemy. He says he felt Goku's Ki."

"What?" I scratched my head, then rubbed my chin. "Someone wished Goku back?"

"I'm afraid so." Krillen refused to meet my gaze. I could tell he was frightened. Then again, out of all of us, Krillen freely showed his emotions and didn't care what we thought of him. I admired that, for I was gravely ashamed of what I felt. "Damn, damn, damn, Metal Cooler's still one step ahead of us all the way."

"There were no witness' to the battle. In fact, all inhabitants of the villages in that area are gone." Piccolo folded his arms, anger flickering on his face. "There is only one other person I can think of who could be responsible for this. He's smart enough for such an elaborate plan. He's also familiar with all those on Namek."

"Who?" Krillen looked up, straining his neck to peer at the tall Namek demon king. "And why two of them? We already know about Cooler."

"Freeza." Piccolo explained. "I doubt that Cooler could do this alone."

Fortunate for me, I never encountered Freeza in an actual battle, or Cooler. But I remembered the stories about them. Freeza I had seen when he came to Earth, along with Mirai Trunks. Cooler was the brother of Freeza, a warrior prince in his own right, determined to destroy the one responsible for dishonoring his family. As I recalled, it wasn't out of love, just out of spite. "A mechanical Freeza now, isn't he?"

"Yes." Piccolo nodded. "Most likely."

"Those spheres." Krillen snapped his fingers. "I knew there was something familiar about them. They were seamless, like Cooler was . . ." Urgency washed over his features. The small monk slapped his forehead and cursed. "Baka! I'm so fucking stupid! It's a trap! Those things are still on earth. How much do you want to bet, he calculated we'd run off to Namek with Piccolo and leave those things with Bulma and the others?!"

Cold terror seeped into me leaving me numb with realization. I shuddered a breath, hating myself for being talked into leaving her. Bulma . . .

I squeezed my eyes shut not wanting to imagine her in danger. "Fuck!"

"No use complaining about it now." Piccolo snapped. He pushed us towards the edge of the cliff and lifted himself from the ground. "Let's get back to the ship and return to earth."

~~~

Bulma . . . trapped on earth with multiple time bombs and a monster capable of eating worlds.

The image prickled the hair on the back of my neck. Hastily, I flipped switches and set the ship's controls into place. I'd never forgive myself for leaving her. My instinct was right all along and I should have listened to it. Around me the engines rumbled, steeling my attention. Everything sounded smooth. I did a last systems check, made sure everyone was strapped in, then began the sequence for lift off.

In two days we'd be back on Earth. Hopefully, if it was just Cooler and if he did capture Goku, it would take him longer to subdue or kill the Saiyan. I highly doubted he'd just kill his prisoners. In fact, at one time, Cooler tried to steal both Goku's and Vegita's energy for Big Gheti-Star. My gut strongly suggested that was the case now.

If we were real lucky, we'd get to earth and discover Piccolo was wrong, and Cooler was alone, without his brother.

Somehow, I knew we'd find trouble.

The Capsule Corp. ship quaked, then the familiar sound of jets kicked in. The landscape beyond began to diminish and sky rushed up. I gripped the steering column, holding it still. The shaking steadied out, leaving only the vibrating of rocket engines in its wake.

Clouds vanished and the sky darkened until eventually only stars came into view. New Namek became nothing more than a green white sphere below. Moments later, we broke from orbit into the vastness of space.

With a sigh of relief, I laid our course into the flight computer and set the auto pilot. We could relax for the moment and prepare for the possible conflict. "That's it, we're on our way." I pressed my back into the seat and stretched my arms over my head.

"I'll see if I can contact earth." Krillen said, unstrapping himself.

"Good idea." I looked over at Piccolo. The Namekian sat, arms folded in the corner.

Together Krillen and I crossed over to the interstellar communicator. Surprisingly, it bleeped and a small red light began to flash. Someone was attempting to contact us. My stomach tightened. I stared blankly, expecting the worse, but praying it was Bulma. "Keep your fingers crossed." I whispered. The monk at my side nodded.

"It will be ok, Yamcha. Nothing can outsmart Bulma."

I didn't have blind faith in anyone, save perhaps Son. However, even that had its limits. A screen dropped down from a panel in the ceiling and an image fuzzed into focus. Bulma, wide eyed and anxious, scanned our faces. After a second or two, she relaxed. All in all, she looked healthy. Still, I noted a little uncertainty in her slightly slouched shoulders and fidgeting fingers. Trying to hide the concern in my voice, I spoke, "Bulma."

"Thank Kami I reached you." Her voice reverberated, and the image crackled with static. "You won't believe what has happened in the past two days."

"Let me guess. Those little balls, one attacked you, right?" My own voice betrayed me, though not to my surprise. I was terrified for her.

She pressed her lips together, then nodded. "Then I guess you've found out what's going on?"

"No, Piccolo just came up with a painfully frightening hypothesis." Krillen informed. "What we do know is . . . Prolunga was used for three wishes, a village of Namek is now a ghost town and there was a battle. Maeru claims he felt Goku's Ki."

Bulma caught a breath, then brushed her hand through her hair. "Damn it. Then you don't have him?"

"No." I studied her features. Her brow furrowed and she stood in deep contemplation. "Bulma, we think, although we don't have proof, it's Cooler working with Freeza."

"Just circumstantial evidence, eh? " Bulma fiddled with an ear ring."Let's assume what ever got Gohan and Vegita got Goku. I know for a fact it wants Saiyans. Freeza, interesting. The name I heard was simply The Machine."

"What?!" Krillen and I gasped in unison. In the corner, Piccolo lifted a fleshy brow, then fell back into his meditations.

"Where did you find this out?" I formed fists, knuckles turning white.

The woman's face wrinkled with worry. She looked down, folding her hands neatly on her lap. "Mirai Trunks is here."

"Trunks?" Krillen stepped forward. "Why did he return? What the hell is going on?"

"It's a long story." Bulma began. She then explained the arrival of Vegita's future son and the death of his home at the hands of a mechanical horror he called The Machine. By the time Bulma finished, Piccolo returned his attention.

Krillen and I stood silent, trying to absorb the newest complication in what was becoming a very urgent situation. Krillen broke the silence with a whistle. "When it rains it pours."

"You can say that again." I said.

"How's Mirai Trunks now?" Krillen sat heavily on the floor, cross legged.

"Ok, so far he doesn't seem affected. Nor did he mention Cooler or Freeza, just that The Machine needed Saiyans who were very powerful." Bulma answered. She yawned. If I knew Bulma right, she hadn't slept since Mirai Trunks's arrival. Damn it, I should have been there.

"He doesn't have to mention him." Piccolo remarked, sarcasm edging his words. "I wouldn't be surprised if they're both responsible. But we'll see in time." He folded his arms, cold gaze falling from person to person, then finally settling on Bulma. "Watch the boy. He can no longer be trusted."

"I know what I'm doing. Rei's a healer, so if anything goes wrong, she can help." Bulma angrily snapped. "Yamcha, Krillen, Piccolo, just get back home. I don't know how long our enemy or enemies will take to attack, but when he or they do, we definitely don't have enough back up."

"Don't worry." I ventured consolation. What I really wanted was to be at her side, taking care of her. Especially now. She was vulnerable and alone without Vegita. Even if he was a prick, I trusted him to take care of Bulma, despite how he denied it. After Cell and Buu, Vegita had changed. "I'll push the engines, we'll be there in no time."

~*^*^*~

*Rei*

I stood by the closed door to Trunks' room. It was sort of ironic, the cute little kid turns out to be a sexy teenager. At this, I couldn't help but think of the others. Usagi would probably forget about Mamoru in an instant, and start drooling. Minako would have heart filled eyes, stalking the poor guy. Makoto would blush madly, mumbling that he looked like one of her old boyfriends. And then, the only sane ones, Ami and me, would have to straighten things out.

As incongruous as that sounded, I missed them a lot. It made me wonder how long we'd be here, and if everyone even knew we were gone. I know they would figure it out, but if they knew we were gone from our dimension gone. Setsuna would probably figure it out, but even her power had it's limitations.

I sighed, were we stuck here forever?

Tenshinhan was on the other side of the door, both of us guarding the entrance, listening and feeling for a change in Trunks' spirit. "Tenshinhan," I whispered, still particularly uncomfortable under the monk's intense stare. I know he didn't mean to, but his third eye saw straight through people and into their soul and mind, literally.

"What is it Rei?" He replied politely.

"You . . . and everyone else, are warriors. I mean, each of you has incredible powers, including strength, flying and Ki attacks, right?" I inquired.

"Not each of us are as strong as the Saiyans, but we're stronger than the people on this planet." He answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Can . . . well, can humans learn those abilities? Like Ami and me? If we did, it would help you in fighting, wouldn't it? I'm not planning on staying on the side-lines, Cooler and I have a score to settle."

Tenshinhan's eyes widened slightly, and it gave me the impression that he never thought of the idea. He nodded, slightly, thinking things through in his head. "There's a chance we could teach you two," He agreed. "But I'm not sure how long it would take. Both of you seem to be able to concentrate fairly easily. And that's all that it is, really. Concentration and spirit energy."

I nodded and smirked. What would the girls think, once I went back home? How would they react to a flying Ami and Rei?

~*^*^*~

*Bulma*

I walked through the halls from my lab and met Rei and Tenshinhan. "How is he?" I asked in a whisper. Mirai Trunks wasn't getting any better, despite the fact that he had only been scratched and that over a day had passed.

I was getting worried, and Piccolo's words gnawed at my mind. "Watch the boy. He can no longer be trusted."

I shuddered. Despite the fact that Piccolo was on our side, and had been for a while, his monotone and independent attitude still sent chills up my spine. (AN: Which is why he's one of my favs. What can I say, I have a thing for bad boys, despite their . . . species. O.O Resume reading!)

"Not many changes in his spirit," Tenshinhan answered truthfully and I winced. The monk could learn how to lie, hearing the truth all the time was painfully aggravating.

I nodded, "Ami and I are going to take the tissue samples from him."

Rei nodded and opened the door. It made me feel weird, her doing that. I had a glimpse of myself being taken to Vegitisai if my husband's planet was never destroyed, and people bowing before my feet, opening doors and rolling red carpets. I needed sleep, all this stress was making me delusional.

His face was still sickeningly pale, and beads of sweat ran down his face. 'Trunks . . .' I thought sadly.

He groaned and his eyes suddenly opened, and he shot up in a sitting position, despite his injuries. He wiped the persperation on his brow and probably tears along with it. Trunks then glanced around, as if he were confused on where he was.

"Bad dream?" I asked, interrupting him from his thoughts and from mine.

Trunks shook his head. "Not really, I'm fine." He mumbled. The boy had an insane duty to honor. From what I recalled, Trunks' pride was almost as strong (though he'd never admit it) as his father's. The boy often humbled himself and was extremely polite, but in the end, he knew his power was unmatched.

From recalling this, I dropped the subject. "Then let's get to the lab and take the samples." I said. 'I wonder how his pride will stand up to a shot?' I thought wholeheartedly. Every Saiyan I've encountered so far, had been afraid of needles. I smirked; they were capable of defeating enemies and saving worlds, as well as destroying them, but none of them liked shots.

~~~

Trunks's eyes squeezed shut briefly as pain paled his features as I removed a tissue sample from his wounded arm. Carefully, I placed the scraping of flesh on a slide, dotted it with solution, and handed it to Ami for study. "It wasn't that bad, was it? Kami, you're a big boy Trunks! Chibi Trunks and Bra react less when they're getting shots."

The lavender haired youth shook his head. He examined his injury. "I may be a warrior, but I don't have to like the pain." He reached over to my tray and picked up a cotton swab, dipped it in alcohol and cleaned out his wound. "Do you think they've multiplied?"

"I'm sure you've got a whole host of the little buggers in you." I said, remembering how they tried to rebuild themselves when we were studying them earlier. "Well, we're up against a rock and a hard place, Trunks." I assisted him in rewrapping his injury, then watched him jump off the examining table to the floor. "If we can't use any of our close range scanners on you to watch the Nanites, how the hell are we going to study them and you?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead. The nanites in me may be different than the ones in the ball, but I don't think it's wise to take the risk of infecting all your computers. There is information there that The Machine cannot have." The boy slipped a tattered brown leather jacket on over his black long sleeve shirt, then rubbed his bad arm thoughtfully. "I do think you should listen to Piccolo about me. I can't tell you how long I'll be in control of myself."

"Yeah, I know, but Tenshinhan over there has true sight and he can tell when you're lying. And if so, then I'll sick Rei on you" I tilted my head toward the three eyed monk and his companion, Rei, who was looking quite surprised. Tenshinhan nodded toward Trunks, a tiny smile on his face. There was very little anyone could hide from him. Tenshinhan saw into the soul. "Relax, Trunks." I touched his arm and disliked it immensely when he shied away from me. He acted like he had some horrid infectious disease we couldn't fight. "Trunks, trust me."

"I'm trying." Sighing, he walked to the window, pale face lost and confused. To lose as much as he had would destroy me. I admired the boy's spirit. At least he was thinking about trying to fight. "There are more important things than me though. Finding the spheres and containing them is our best bet. I can help you and Ami design a device capable of detecting . . ." he trailed, banging his forehead into the glass in frustration. "Damn, damn, how can I do anything with these things inside of me? I can't even trust myself, can I? Tenshinhan can't see everything, not if it's subtle."

"I see a great deal, Trunks. You must trust yourself and your ability to know your own body." Tenshinhan advised.

I knew very little about Ki and the discipline it required, but I did know those who practiced it knew their bodies very well. "Tenshinhan is right, Trunks. You have to shake this depression. I know it's hard. You've lost a great deal, but being depressed isn't helping you." Again, I placed a hand on his arm. He didn't pull away. Instead, he met my gaze with hollow moist eyes. The loss of his mother, even his father, to this monster broke his very will. I touched tears with my fingers, wanting very much to pull him close and treat him as if he were my Chibi-Trunks. In the end, he was a very different person, raised by a grimmer Bulma and Gohan. "I know what you're thinking." I said softly. "Your father thought that way too. He didn't want to get close to anyone because he was afraid to lose them. Well, Trunks, the first person he really loved was you, and I'm sure in time it would have made him better."

"He loved you, Mother." Trunks said knowingly. "He told me in the Room of Spirit and Time. He just didn't know how to say it. He admired your stubborn will and refusal to be intimidated by him."

Vegita, he loved me. I sucked in a startled breath, hearing it tremble. Wasn't this what I wanted, to know the truth? He loved me. All my catering, all my concerns had paid off. "You can't be talking about my Vegita."

"I am." Red faced he looked down to his feet, and shifted uneasily. "You made him very nervous. He didn't know how to express himself, so he never said anything. He could only act angry because that's the easiest emotion for Saiyans to feel."

"I saw it too, Bulma." Tenshinhan said softly. "Vegita cared. His pride prevented him from doing anything about it. After all, he was a warrior prince in love with a human who'd never lift a sword."

"I'm such a fool," I mumbled. After Buu, Vegita had been more caring towards Chibi Trunks and Bra, and to me to. But he never actually said that he loved me. Yamcha had been right. I'm spoiled, selfish and conceded, too stubborn to look past my nose.


Tenshinhan leaned his head back against the wall. "It wasn't all you, Bulma. He was just as much a fool."

"Pride runs in the family, mother. Even mine." Trunks admitted. "I will make an effort to think positive."

"That's my boy." I embraced him. He stiffened, awkward arms slowly winding around my shoulders. Pressure of his face against my shoulder and neck followed. He called me mother out of respect, but a part of me knew it ran deeper than that. He wanted me to be the mother he lost. He, like his father, didn't know how to ask. I patted his back affectionately, glad he wanted to open up to us. "Trunks, this is your home as much as it is ours."

He pulled away, rubbing tears from his eyes with his coat sleeve. "Thank you . . ."

"Bulma I hate to interrupt," Ami called from the computer terminal. "But I think there might be hope."

"What do you mean?" Rei asked her. I joined him at the other side of the room, Tenshinhan and Trunks not far behind.

Ami pointed to the image of cells and a few scattered nanites. The nanites were trying to link bridges to the cells. Like virus', they injected the cells with their material and began to replicate within them, creating a sort of cyber-cell. The process was slow and The Machinery involved was very different than the ones we studied earlier. "These were designed to affect flesh. They're also up against his immune system." Ami indicated to various white blood cells and antibodies gathering around the infected tissues. "I would say he has quite some time before they replicate enough to affect his muscular and nervous system. If they get that far."

"But the people from my time, when they were infected, it was only a matter of hours, if that, before they became a part of The Machine . . ." Trunks said, leaning in so his hands rested on Papa's chair.

"What kind of contact did they have, son?" Rei asked as Ami enlarged the image of white cells.

"They were injected . . . Oh, I see. They were exposed for a longer period of time. Got it, I just got a scratched." He reached down to the mouse. "May I?"

"Go ahead." Ami lifted her hands away and allowed Trunks to move the arrow about the screen. He focused on each nanite and studied it. After a few moments he nodded to Ami. "There should be at lease four different mechanical components inside of your tissue. We only have one. It will have to build the remaining three, but I believe these nanites need to have a large population before they can begin to replicate the others. As I recall, each nanite is a part of a bigger organism. They have to work together. They can't be isolated. It's sort of like a bee hive. They're drones working on making the organism they are inside of a larger drone. Nothing is individual. Separate one, it will shut down because it needs the others." The teen explained, leaving me in awe.

She really did know her stuff. "We can work with that." I said, getting an idea already. "If we can find the signal they communicate with, then we can shut them down. If we're lucky, we can do this before they begin to make different nanites. I'm assuming the different ones are needed to knock down your defenses and take over your body and soul . . ."

"To put it crudely, yes." Trunks agreed. "We have to work fast, mother. I do think I'm safe to monitor. I won't infect the computers like the sphere so that's a plus."

His confidence had returned, but I knew it would once he had something to concentrate on. Nothing was hopeless. By Kami, not as long as I was alive. I'd protect him with my life. Most of all, I had to find a cure if I was to save Vegita. "Ok Trunks, let's get cracking. Ami, I want a MRI, CAT Scan and a Ultrasound of Trunks. Let's see exactly where those little bastards set up residence and if there are any others we've missed!"

|

*Setsuna -- Sailor Pluto*

My Princess was ready, she had made her decision. And now, we were to complete it. In a few hours we were to gather at the bay. Hotaru was staying with Haruka and Michiru, and I was to stay at the Time Gates.

It wouldn't be long. Hotaru understood, though she was pained. With her power added to mine, we could open the forbidden Dimensional Tunnel. It would create a rip in time, and would close only when the person came back.

There was a catch, though. The Senshi would have to do Sailor Teleport at the right time. They'd be sent to wherever Ami and Rei were, and the Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru and I would have to do a different Sailor Teleport.

If we could even afford to leave. Because of the rip, anything could come here, but nothing could go back after sixty seconds. We'd have a limited time. And I still wasn't sure if this were to work.

It had only been tested once, and that was by the Queen of the Moon herself. It had worked, but that was how many fates had changed across the universe, in all dimensions. Which was why it was now forbidden.

I was only to use this technique for the utmost emergency, and I had no choice. Everything would change in the next few hours.

Everything.

**********

Author's Notes: Heehee, this chapter took long to write. Sorry but I had to make some technical assumptions and research took a while. Why research you ask? Because I take absolute pride in my fic!

Thanks a bunch to all those who have bared with me, and millions of apologizes if this seemed to be dragged on. ^_^;; Gomen nasi.

Next time: Chibi Trunks and Goten get into some trouble, and so do the senshi! Also, will they be able to train Rei and Ami? Hmmm. . .

FIND OUT NEXT TIME! Review Please!

IMPORTANT NOTE: I will check the pairings February 28, 2002 at Midnight. So be on the lookout and vote!