"They're getting stronger!" Bulma yelled joyfully. "The antidote seems to be working!"
Bulma and Chi-Chi hugged with Abigail, and Jessica joining in. Kirillin, Bardock, Raditz, Turles, Nappa, Gohan, and Gerald smiled and congratulated each other on the success of the mission.
Over in the corner Roger nodded his head and teleported away. Nobody noticed for a few minutes.
Yambia entered the room and looked around. "I thought I felt Roger's ki here." She said.
Bardock looked over to the last place he seen Roger. "He was just right there." Bardock pointed.
Yambia stretched out her senses and couldn't feel him. She tried to communicate with her husband, but received no reply across their bond. It was if he had shut himself off from her.
"I can't sense him at all!" Yambia said distressed. "This isn't like Roger at all! What has happened? And who the hell are you!?"
Gerald looked down at his self. "Oh, sorry mom!"
Gerald sighed and powered down. As he did, his form shrank back to that of an 11-year old boy.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAHHH" Yambia screamed turning towards Bardock, Raditz, Kirillin, and Jessica. "What the h-hell happened to Gerald?"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roger teleported to the farthest ki he could sense on the planet and flew as far from that as he could. He touched down on the top of a small mountain. It was rainy, and windy, and cold. Roger didn't feel a bit of it. His body was numb. His mind was totally turned inward.
"How strange. In just a few short hours I went from a being secure in his moral convictions to a cold-blooded murderer." Roger thought.
Roger let the wind-driven rain pelt against his skin. The howl of the wind offered him no comfort. Roger had never suppressed his ki this low before, but he didn't think he could handle anyone's company right then.
His thoughts raced between total guilt, and pseudo rationalization.
"It was self-defense wasn't it?" Roger thought. "They would have killed all of us if given the chance."
Then Roger remembered the look in Jessica's eyes and another wave of guilt tore at his heart.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Let go of me you low class baka!" Vegeta suddenly pushed himself away from Goku. "I won't have you carting me about like an infant!"
"Vegeta! You're awake and much stronger!" Goku said elated.
"No thanks to you, Kakkarot! Do you know how long I've been smelling your armpits! A lesser Saiyan would have died immediately!" Vegeta floated up a few feet further. "Where the hell are we anyway?"
Goku smiled. "Same old Vegeta." He thought to himself.
"Well, I'm not sure, but when the force dragging us along disappeared, I figured that the best thing to do was to get back to where we started." Goku said.
"Well, I don't know, but without any other logical choices that way is as good as any." Vegeta said. "Let's go!"
Vegeta and Goku flew for around an hour, or what seemed like an hour, until they arrived at a portal of sorts. It glowed with a white light.
"What do you think Vegeta?" Goku said.
"I don't know, but every fiber of my being says we should go through." Vegeta said.
"I think so too." Goku smiled.
"After you Kakkarot." Vegeta waved towards the portal.
"No really Vegeta, you are too kind, but a low class such as I should never go before the King of all the Saiyans." Goku smiled wide.
Vegeta smirked. "Together then?"
"Let's do it." Goku agreed.
"Okay. On your mark... Get Ready..... Go!!!!" Vegeta said as he and Goku started running towards the portal. Just as they reached it, Vegeta stopped and shoved Goku through the opening.
"Hey! No fair....." Goku's voice dwindled as he disappeared.
"Hahahahahaha! Kakkarot! I always get my way!" Then Vegeta jumped through the portal.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Everyone's attention had riveted on an obviously upset Yambia.
"Cough!... Quiet down! Can't you see your king is trying to sleep!" Came a weak but regal voice from issued from the hospital bed.
"Chi-Chi. I'm starved! What's the chances a Saiyan could get a decent meal around here!" Goku teased.
Everyone turned towards the bed in stunned silence. Then Kirillin smiled and started laughing.
"Goku! Don't you ever change!" Kirillin said as everyone else cheered and welcomed the two warriors back from the brink of death.
"Alright! Enough! Woman stop slobbering all over me!" Vegeta finally said after letting it go on for a conspicuously long period of time.
"How'd I get here anyway?" Goku asked.
"Bulma sighed." It's a long story guys."
"Well we seem to have nothing but time right now." Vegeta said. "Somebody better start talking before I get angry!"
So everyone started telling the story with each person filling in his or her own set of details.
At one point in the story, Bardock, Raditz, Gerald, Kirillin, and Jessica became very evasive about what happened in the lab other than Roger retrieved the antidote. Vegeta's sharp mind picked this up immediately.
"Stop!" Vegeta said. "What happened to Coldar?"
"Sire?" Bardock stalled.
"What happened to Coldar and Icia?" Vegeta repeated impatiently.
"Oh! Icia? I don't know." Kirillin said. "I thought Gerald had her."
"I did, but I kind of lost track of her when...." Gerald trailed off.
"When what dammit!" Vegeta yelled.
"Sire, that information is highly personal." Bardock said.
"Personal to who?" Vegeta's eyes narrowed.
"Personal to Roger." Jessica said.
Vegeta looked at the team members one at a time. These warriors were loyal to each other. Who ever picked them for this mission couldn't have asked for a finer crew. Vegeta's expression softened a bit.
"Okay, that will be all for now. However Bardock, I expect the team leader to file a full report with my before tomorrow, and that includes the missing details. Do you understand?" Vegeta assumed that Bardock was the leader.
"Roger was the team leader and he's missing at the moment." Raditz spoke up.
"Missing?" Vegeta stretched out his ki and couldn't sense the saddened warrior at all.
"Is he dead?" Vegeta said.
"No, I believe he is hiding his ki so we can't find him, for now any way." Bardock answered.
"Now wait just a damned minute!" I'm Roger's wife and I demand to know what you are not telling us!"
Yambia's ki started to rise along with her anger.
"She's right you know." Goku said. "She deserves to know what happened." Goku said.
Everyone looked at the team members. The team members looked at each other and came to a consensus.
Bardock spent the next few minutes filling in the missing details.
Everyone sat in silence for a moment contemplating what he or she had heard.
"What a moral dilemma!" Gohan finally said. "To kill, or to risk the annihilation of your race, and the enslavement of the universe!" Gohan felt sorry for Roger that he had to face such a decision.
"I don't see what the problem is." Vegeta said. "Letting them live would have been a mistake!"
"That's what Bardock and I said as well." Raditz offered.
"I think Roger made a good decision." Yambia said. "I really can't think of any reason to let them live and about a billion reasons why they shouldn't."
"Remember though that although Roger has the body of a Saiyan, his mind and experiences are that of a human." Goku offered. "Although some humans do kill, most are good people that are taught that killing is almost always wrong except in matters of self-defense."
"But this was self-defense!" Vegeta exclaimed. "He knew the risks of letting them live."
"It's not that simple." Bulma said softly. "Roger would have no problem with this if he killed them in combat as a matter of protecting himself or others. But these icejins were totally helpless. Most of them died without even knowing what hit them, or even seeing the face of their opponent."
"There wasn't time for a prolonged battle." Jessica said. "As it was we made it off that planet with about a minute to spare before it blew. Roger was not only forced to make such a horrible decision, but he was only given seconds to do so. I have to admit, for a few minutes I was scared of him for his behavior. But under the circumstances, I don't think he was really given much choice."
"I don't like his decision, but I have to agree." Goku said. "He really wasn't left with too many options."
"If we were all just regular Saiyans, this conversation would probably not even be happening." Bardock said. "But Roger isn't a regular Saiyan, and this incident has hurt him to the core. I felt it."
"We have to find him!" Yambia said. "I hate this! I can't even feel him through our bond!"
"What? That's impossible! That would mean that Roger's completely disassociating himself!" Vegeta said.
"What does that mean?" Goku said.
"It could mean that he is contemplating something horrible!" Vegeta said.
Vegeta stood shakily to his feet. "We've got to find him!"
"Oh no you don't mister!" Bulma reacted. "You're not fully recovered yet."
Vegeta swayed unsteadily. "I'm fine woman! Now get out of my way!" Vegeta looked into Bulma's eyes with that, "Please, I have to do this!" look.
Bulma stepped out of the way. "Fine! But if you collapse out there don't say I didn't warn you!"
Bulma knew that Vegeta and Rogers had shared some experiences together, but he didn't know he cared for him like this.
"Kakkarot! Get the hell out of that bed and see if you can possibly make yourself less useless!" Vegeta ordered.
Goku smiled. "That sure is a funny way of asking for help."
Vegeta glared daggers at him.
"Okay! Okay King Vegeta! I'm up, see? What do you want me to do?" Goku chuckled.
"My ability to sense ki is.. ummm... impaired right now, probably due to the poison. Since next to mine your ability to sense ki is the best, see if you can find Roger." Vegeta knew that at least half a dozen people on the planet had more sensitivity to ki than he did, but he wouldn't admit it. He was right about one thing; Goku's ability was the best.
Goku concentrated a bit for several seconds, a frown came on his face. Goku then put two fingers to his head and concentrated harder, then harder still. His frown kept deepening. Finally he opened his eyes.
"Roger is not on this planet, or on any planet near here." Goku said.
"What?" Vegeta exclaimed. "How is that possible? Your ki senses are on the blink or something, try again!"
Goku repeated the same processes.
"No, I assure you that if Roger was on this planet, I would know." Goku said.
"S-Search the o-other world" Yambia said.
"Why didn't I think of that!" Goku repeated the process once again.
"Nope, isn't there either." Goku finally said.
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"Where the hell could he be?" Bardock exclaimed.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roger was so withdrawn into himself that he didn't notice that the rain had stopped, or the wind had died down, he didn't notice the 40-degree temperature change.
A small ki ball landed a few feet from Roger.
Roger immediately went into a defensive stance looking around frantically for the source of the attack.
"What? What happened? Wait, I know this place. This is Tao Kaioshin's world. What am I doing here?" Roger asked.
Since no answer seemed forthcoming, Roger began to look around. The Ultimate Kai wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Oh Great! Add "Trespassing on God's planet " to my list of sins King Yamma!" Roger bemoaned.
Roger continued to look around and his eyes caught sight of The Eternity Pool. Curious, he walked over to it. He tried not to look in, afraid of what he might see, but something seemed to be compelling him to look into the water.
Roger didn't see anything at first and was about to turn away when the water started to swirl and churn. After a few seconds, an image began to form on the surface.
It was he. He was standing in the lab; Bardock was several steps behind him. Coldar was at his feet. It was at the point where he made his fateful decision.
Only this time he didn't grab Coldar and toss him. This time he didn't fire the 20X Kamehameha wave. This time, he turned to Coldar.
"If I ever see you again, I will kill you!" Roger then turned on his heal and left the lab with Bardock.
"Is he trying to say this is the decision I should have made?" Roger thought.
The water started churning again. Then another image formed. It seemed to be several years later on the Planet Vegeta. Gerald and Jessica were both about five years older. Jessica a young woman, and Gerald in his late teens. Incredibly, King Vegeta was bouncing a baby on his knee. Roger himself was talking to Jessica on the other side of the room.
Suddenly Tora broke into the chamber.
"What is the meaning of this Tora!" Vegeta yelled handing the baby to Bulma.
"Sire! An Icejin ship has just dropped out of hyperspace and is in orbit around the planet!" Tora exclaimed.
"What?" Vegeta screamed. "Get every warrior you can muster! We are going to protect this planet!"
Vegeta, Tora, Gerald, Jessica, and Roger powered up and took off out the window.
What followed next was a blur of battle images. Two dozen Icejin/Saiyan hybrids, and hundreds of Icejins poured from the ship in high orbit and descended on the planet. Roger watched, unable to rip his eyes away, as all the people he knew and loved were destroyed. All except on.
Finally even King Vegeta himself succumbed.
Then Coldar with his robotic legs threw the death ball that destroyed the planet.
"So. You think you made the wrong decision?" The Ultimate Kai said in Roger's mind.
"I don't know! Even if my decision were the correct one for the Saiyans, does the ends justify the means?" Roger was practically in tears.
"Hmmm...... That is a good question. Look back into the pool at the great and terrible power that avenges the Saiyan Race. You did notice that Goku was not killed by the Icejins, right?" The Ultimate Kai asked.
"Yes, I did notice that." Roger asked curiously.
"He, Chi-Chi, Gotarm and Kirillin went back to Earth to visit some relatives." Tao Kaioshin pointed out. "Look into the pool again."
Again the water churned. This time the image was of an incredible warrior that had achieved the Ultimate Saiyan level. He was in space above the Icejin homeworld.
Gotarm's eyes glowed briefly, and the planet exploded. Not only that, but every Icejin anywhere in the universe fell down dead. Even those with Icejin blood in their veins.
"That's Goku's son!" Roger said. "Why did he do that?"
"The Icejins destroyed Earth, including his mother and father." Tao Kaioshin answered.
"E-Earth?" Roger stammered.
"You knew that if you let them live that the destruction of Earth was a possibility." Tao Kaioshin stated flatly. "Additionally, the Icejin/Saiyan hybrids transmute the Icejins until none are left. They stage a reign of terror unparalleled in history. Eventually there are only two type of beings, Icejins, and slaves.
"Perhaps, sometimes, the ends do justify the means." Tao Kaioshin finished.
"B-But, how do I make those decisions! I'm not you! I don't have perfect knowledge! I don't want to play God!" Roger screamed in his mind dropping to his knees.
"You use the intelligence you have been given." The Ultimate Kai answered. "You are the compilation of a great deal of work and effort you know. You have been given the knowledge and experience of great people. Rogalle is in there, you even have retained information from the people you've merged with. Piccolo, Nail, Kame, and even Vegeta are all contributors to your knowledge and decision making abilities. You made a human decision based on that knowledge, made it for good reasons, and carried it through. In the process you saved trillions of living beings from death or enslavement. In your place, under the same circumstances, I would have done the same as you."
Roger was shocked at that statement.
"Now you know why I've separated myself from the affairs of the living. Well, mostly any way." Tao Kaioshin smiled in Roger's mind.
"Look, I cannot tell you how to feel, or how to deal with your own conscience in this matter, all I will say is that you shouldn't beat yourself up over this." Tao Kaioshin said.
"I'll try not to. It may be awhile before I can stop though." Roger said.
"I understand, but I think you can heal now." Tao Kaioshin returned. "Okay, off with you then."
Before Roger managed to thank him, the Ultimate Kai teleported Roger back to the corner he was in before he teleported away from the medical facility.
After Roger was gone, Tao Kaioshin smirked. "I know how you feel Roger. Sometimes I don't like playing God either."
Roger managed to materialize into the middle of WWIII.
"And just where the hell do you think they should start looking Vegeta! Goku has already said that he's not on the planet, or even in this damned quadrant of the Galaxy!"
In the meantime, Goku who had not stopped trying to find Roger snapped his head around to look at him.
"Ohhhhhh!! So that's where you were! I would have never guessed!" Goku said.
"That's King Vegeta to you woman, and I don't care where they start looking! We're not going to sit here on our ass while Roger is missing just because Kakkarot's head is on the fritz!" Vegeta yelled.
"Umm.. Guys?" Goku tried to get Bulma and Vegeta's attention.
One by one, everyone started looking where Goku was looking and seen Roger. Yambia ran to him and embraced her mate. Everyone else smiled and greeted him.
"Maybe Kakkarot's head is like a television! It needs a couple of good kicks to get it working!" Vegeta snapped.
"Well that certainly explains the frequency of our broken televisions on Earth!" Bulma yelled back.
"Guys?" Goku tried again.
"That wasn't my fault! That guy should have never of cheated on his mate! I had to blast him!" Vegeta said.
"That was a soap opera you baka!" Bulma was red in the face.
"GUYS!" Goku yelled.
"WHAT?!?!?" Bulma and Vegeta glared at Goku.
"I found Roger." Goku answered.
"What? Really? Where?" Vegeta said
"Over there." Goku pointed to a place over Vegeta's shoulder.
Vegeta and Bulma turn and see Roger.
"You know Kakkarot, you really could have told us sooner!" Vegeta said with a scowl.
"Ummm... Sorry... I guess.." Goku scratched the back of his head.
After a few minutes of lively talk, Bulma notices the invisibility belt around Kirillin's waist. She noticed that the entire team had them.
"What's that?" She pointed to Kirillin's belt.
"Oh! I forgot all about this! You'll love this!" Kirillin reaches down and turns the knob. He disappears from sight.
"It's an invisibility belt!" Kirillin's disembodied voice exclaimed
Kirillin reappeared.
"That reminds me Kirillin. We have a promise to keep." Roger said.
"That's right! In all the excitement, I almost forgot about it!"
Goku remembered that part of the story.
"It's hard to believe that Tien is a prince!" Goku said.
"I don't know about being a prince, but I always figured that he was not from Earth." Vegeta said.
"Who wants to go with Kirillin and I?" Roger said.
"Vegeta why don't you go!" Bulma said.
"What? How can I possibly leave! I'm the King! I have responsibilities here!" Vegeta protested.
"Come on Vegeta! You haven't been out of that Palace for anything but official duties and sparing with Goku for months!" Bulma said. "You need the time away! Besides, this would be a great opportunity to see if these people want to trade with us!"
Vegeta looked at his mate. "Very well then." Vegeta said out loud. "Besides, this might turn into something interesting." He thought.
"I'll go!" Gerald said.
"Count me in this time!" Yambia said.
"Me too!" Chi-Chi volunteered.
"I think I'm sitting this one out." Jessica begged off.
"Nappa and I missed the first trip, so we will join the team for this trip." Turles said.
"Good! Bardock?" Roger asked.
"I think Raditz and I have had enough adventure for one day. Besides, this sounds more like a diplomatic mission than anything else. I think we'll stay here." Bardock answered.
"Goku?" Roger asked.
"No! Goku is not going!" Chi-Chi spoke up. "I want an adventure to tell everyone about, and if Goku is there, he will just do everything and save the day and no one else will even notice me! Besides, I've been training!"
Chi-Chi threw a barrage of punches and kicks into the air. Even Vegeta had to admit to himself that her speed was impressive. Her ki had grown considerably since the last time he saw her as well.
"Well, if that's the way you feel about it Chi-Chi, I'll stay here." Goku looked hurt.
"Well, if Chi-Chi is going, then I am too!" Abigail said.
Raditz had been training his mate for the past eight years. "Show them what you can do!"
Abigail smiled. "Here I goooo!!"
Abigail flashed into Super Saiyan level Two.
"Ha! You're not the only one!" Chi-Chi yelled as she followed suit.
"Chi-Chi! When did you start doing that?" Goku looked dumbfounded. Vegeta's jaw almost hit the floor.
"About three months ago. Right after Gotarm was born." Chi-Chi said.
"You guys power down! The equipment in this facility is sensitive! It will probably all have to be recalibrated now!!
Chi-Chi chuckled. "Alright Bulma. Sorry about that."
Both ladies powered down to normal.
"Amazing!" Kirillin said.
"Everyone that is going should meet back at the Palace Gates at noon tomorrow. Get something to eat, and get a good night's sleep." Roger said.
Everyone talked for awhile, then broke up and headed out towards their perspective homes.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Author's note: Okay, this marks the end of the Icejin Saga. For those of you that wish to see a King Tien Saga, review and let me know.
Aren't I a stinker? :c)
