Hello. Sorry it has taken so long to update, but it's been pretty sad around these parts for the last week and a half. One of our neighbor's sons was struck and killed by a car just a couple hundred yards away from my driveway. Apparently he was goofing around with another kid when he darted out in front of a car. The driver was doing the speed limit and actually slowed down a bit when he seen the kids. The boy suddenly swerved right in front of him. A second of carelessness, that's all it takes to take away a great kid. He turned 14 just last month, and excellent student, an outgoing boy with an easy smile. My daughter used to baby-sit him when he was younger, so he spent a great deal of time in our home. His mother is completely distraught, and his father isn't much better. My wife and I helped make the necessary arrangements and cooked meals for them. His father went back to work today, but I don't know how he did it.
On a high note, my nephew is fine and spent the last week in Germany on leave.
Well, on with the story!
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As they flew along over the water and islands, Bulma was deep in thought about the young man flying along at her flank. So much power and so much intelligence are not usually wrapped up in the same package, but here is a ten year old boy possibly the strongest being in the universe, and genius level intelligence that Bulma suspected, with no small amount of irritation, surpassed her own. And to top all of that off, Jessica was right, when he is in his adult form he is a pure hunk!
Gerald noticed Bulma looking at him.
"Gerald, can I ask a question?" Bulma said.
"Sure, what is it Queen Bulma?" Gerald answered.
"Back in that last dimension, you saved all of our lives because you said you knew the planet's orbit was eccentric. But you didn't have any equipment, or a computer, or even so much as dime store telescope, how did you do that?" Bulma said with no small amount of amazement in her voice.
"I could feel the other planets in that solar system, twelve in all, but not all of them were native to that solar system, and two of the planets were one at one time. I could feel the energy of the planets and both suns. Gohan taught me the calculations when he had me program his computer to chart orbits. It was an exercise he had me do. But once I learned the calculations, I really didn't need the computer any more. I believe that the smaller sun was once a rogue star that slowly got pulled into the larger stars gravitational field and trapped, this warped the orbits of all the rest of the planets." Gerald explained. "Then it was easy to mentally visualize a model of the solar system in my head."
Bulma listened to Gerald's explanation slack jawed. What Gerald was so cavalierly describing was a massive numbers crunching effort, even for Earth's most complex computers.
"I see..." Bulma finally managed to say.
"How did you know how to close that thing and save the Earth?" Chi-Chi asked.
"Oh, you mean the warp singularity?" Gerald said. "Well, Gohan says he isn't real knowledgeable about quantum physics and warp theory, but he did teach me some basic principles he had picked up. I remembered those and well, just sort of took a blind shot. Fortunately, it worked."
"Ha! You guessed?" Vegeta chimed in.
"Yeah, basically." Gerald looked sheepish "I really didn't have time for anything else."
"True, the Earth was starting to come apart at the seams." Chi-Chi reflected back.
"Well, either way you got the job done, and that's what was important." Vegeta said.
Vegeta touched down on one of the larger islands. Plant and insect life was abundant, but no larger animals could be seen.
"Okay, let us get our bearings. I'm getting some pretty big ki readings in that direction, one larger one off that way, and a lot of background ki from the ocean itself, like there's a lot of large animals under the water." Vegeta stated.
Gerald also stretched out his ki. "Yeah, there are things down there that make a Blue Whale look like a guppy!"
"Blue Whale?" Vegeta asked.
"The largest animal on Earth, between 75 and 90 feet on average, 110 tons." Bulma said. "After all the time you spent on Earth and you never heard of a Blue Whale?"
"I had better things to think about woman!" Vegeta scowled.
"Look!" Gerald suddenly flew up into a small tree and came back with an arm full of what looked to be a bit larger than normal bananas.
"No Gerald! If you want to eat we can get some food out of the capsules. We have no idea if the local food is safe to eat or not." Bulma warned.
Gerald looked a bit crestfallen, and threw the bananas to the ground.
The bananas exploded.
Gerald and Vegeta seen the coming explosion, and grabbed Chi-Chi and Bulma then flew at super speed with Jessica out of harms way, well above the island.
Or rather, where the island had been. Nothing was there now but a huge mushroom cloud.
"Well, I'm glad I didn't eat those." Gerald said panting slightly.
"Yeah, talk about heartburn." Jessica grinned.
"What the hell was that?" Vegeta asked gruffly.
"I wouldn't know unless I analyze it." Bulma said.
"Seems like everything we come across is trying to kill us since we came into these dimensions." Jessica said.
"Not everything, but what I find more disturbing is that we seem to be herded to going to one place." Vegeta said.
"Herded?" Bulma asked.
"Yes, we are in a situation that inherently has only one place to go if you want to leave." Vegeta explained. "I don't like that at all! We have no real control over this situation at all."
"True." Chi-Chi said. "I'm not comfortable with that either. It's like we are being manipulated."
"Exactly!" Vegeta exclaimed.
"So, what do we do about it?" Jessica asked.
Vegeta's eyes averted to his boot. "I honestly don't know. The only thing we can do is go forward. Let's head for that one large ki."
"We seem to have another problem. The grouping of large kis are headed this way at a high rate of speed. They seem to be headed straight towards us. ETA six minutes." Gerald said.
Vegeta confirmed what Gerald said. "They sensed our ki?"
"Could be, but it's more likely that they seen or heard the explosion." Chi-Chi said. "They weren't moving until after the explosion."
"They are strong, but nothing we can't handle." Vegeta said.
"True, but maybe we should avoid confrontation until we can ascertain what we are dealing with." Jessica said.
"Agreed, let's head out towards the larger ki and see if they follow us after reaching here." Vegeta said taking off.
Everyone else followed him.
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Roger sat on the Royal Throne of Vegetasei and was about to nod off when Bardock came in and announced that Chive had returned on schedule.
"Show him in." Roger said absently, his head still pounding, then please send for a glass of water.
"At once my liege." Bardock bowed then left.
"I think these guys are taking all of this way to seriously." Roger thought as he looked up to see Chive approaching.
Roger got up and walked over to the young man. "Thanks, I really need this!"
"Are you well?" Chive asked.
"I'm fine, just this damned headache brought on by Bardock's poison! Where's that water!" Roger demanded. Roger stopped for a second.
"Damned! Now I'm starting to sound like Vegeta!" Roger thought.
Just about that time Bardock came back with a tray containing a pitcher of water and a glass filled with ice.
"Thanks Bardock." Roger said as he reached for the glass, but Chive beat him to it. Chive poured the glass full and handed it to Roger.
"Thank you Chive." Roger said as he downed four of the pain relievers and drank the water to wash them down.
Roger eyed the youth. "For someone that was bent on killing me less than an hour ago you sure are being helpful."
"My father said that I have embarrassed the family and I will need to make that up. I want you to know that I'm never going to get drunk again." Chive said looking at his boots.
"I think we would all appreciate that Chive. However, I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you. It was a youthful mistake exasperated by alcohol. We need never mention it again. If you want, I will speak to your father about it." Roger offered.
Chive seemed surprised. "I try to kill you and you want to never mention it again?"
"That's right. Water under the bridge, as they say back on Earth." Roger smiled.
Chive only looked a bit stunned. "Father's right, you are different."
"You disapprove?" Roger said.
"No, I'm just confused. You show weakness to your enemies, yet you are not weak in any way."
"Compassion is not a weakness Chive. Things have changed on your world. I think these changes are for the best, what about you?" Roger asked.
"I'm not sure, I don't know...," Chive said.
"Well, it's something for you to think about over the next couple of weeks over at the Medical Center." Roger smiled. "You are dismissed."
Chive turned and walked out of the throne room.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A slow, worn looking ship made it's way through space on a direct heading toward Earth. The hull had been patched in several places, and the identification markings had either been covered, or had not been repainted in years. The ship had been designed by a people long years before they developed faster than light capabilities to carry crew and cargo from their neighboring planets and solar systems. Inside the ship, all was silent, as the ship seemed completely deserted. That is, unless you were to stumble onto the large cabin in the rear of the command center. There slumbered the valiant crew of this particular vessel. Almost fifty women lay in cryogenic repose, most of them Saiyan. One woman's dream was focused on finding her son.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Whew!" Goku complained. "That smell is overpowering!"
It was true, flowers that seemed to go on forever smelled nice, but the scent was so strong that it completely overpowered your senses. Everyone's eyes were watering.
Piccolo was particularly sensitive to the odor.
"Maybe if we fly higher the smell won't be quite so bad." Piccolo suggested as he gained altitude with Goku under one arm. The rest of the team followed.
"Not much better." Uub said. "But at least my eyes stopped with the waterworks."
"So where are we headed?" Hercule Satan asked.
"Not sure. This ki we've been following keeps changing positions. Like he's either super fast, or teleporting around the area." Piccolo answered. "Just about the time we start getting close, his ki jumps to another place."
"Yeah, I sense him too. I think I can catch him." Uub smiled. "You guys keep heading toward him and I'll see which one of us is faster."
"Go for it." Piccolo said.
Piccolo and the others changed directions once again and headed straight for the ki signature.
"Now!" Uub said as he phased out of sight.
"What are these creatures?" A rail thin being with light green skin and huge bulging eyes asked his self. "Could they be the ones? The ones foretold to me?"
He was a cautious person. He didn't want to be seen until he was sure the strange people he was watching didn't mean him any harm. But he was almost sure they were the ones.
"Who else could it be after all?" He rationalized. "Better keep my distance for now though." He thought after he sped away yet again.
He reappeared some distance away and smiled. "Good, let's see if they can catch me!"
An arm suddenly clamped around his throat.
"It looks like we've caught you." Uub said.
"What...? How could you do that! No one is faster than I." The creature was obviously shocked.
"It was no real effort." Uub smiled. "I will let you go, if you promise to stay here. We just want to talk to you."
"Okay! Okay! Just let me go!"
Uub released his grip and flew back as the creature turned to face him.
"Who are you and what do you want here?"
"My name is Uub, and we have come here searching a well that is supposed to grant wishes. Ever heard of it?" Uub said.
"No, there is no such well on this planet." The creature said.
"Who do I have the pleasure of addressing?" Uub asked
The bony man eyed Uub for several long seconds. "I am Sanandro."
Sanandro was a perfectly ridiculous looking creature. He was light green in complexion, with nearly transparent skin revealing a great deal of his insides. He was rail thin and about 12 foot tall. Uub had thought that the creature was fragile before he grabbed him, but felt real strength instead. Sanandro's arms were incredibly long and thin. Both his arms and his legs ended in a ten-digit hand or foot.
"What manner of creature are you?" Sanandro asked.
"I was just about to ask the same thing of you." Uub smiled. "I am human, from the planet Earth."
"I am Yargothi. Actually, I am the last Yargothi." Sanandro said sadly. "We once ruled this entire sector of space! Now, I am all that's left, and I am only here until he comes."
"He?" Uub asked.
Sanandro leaned toward Uub. "Yes, the one that will restore the universe to its proper place."
"The one of legend?" Uub asked.
"Yes! He! I will give him this!" Sanandro unclenched one of his rail thin hands to reveal another crystal embedded in his palm.
Piccolo and the others arrived.
"What's the story Uub?" Piccolo asked.
"This is Sanandro, he is the last of his people." Uub said. "He has another one of those crystals."
"I see." Piccolo said.
Sanandro caught sight of Goku and his bulging eyes popped out even farther. He flew in close to Goku and looked him up and down.
"You are he!" Sanandro finally exclaimed. "You will set us all free!"
"If you say so mister." Goku said tiredly.
Piccolo had become increasingly concerned. Goku's ki was waning lower and lower with each passing hour. If they didn't find a way back to their own dimension soon, they could lose him.
A tear had flowed freely down Sanandro's face.
"You don't know how long I have been waiting for this! Doomed for an eternity in this place! Waiting for you!" Sanandro said with seeming joy.
Sanandro's voice took on a low tone. "You must defeat him! You must defeat the evil! Only then can we know true freedom."
"Who do you mean?" Piccolo asked.
"Please! His name cannot be said!" Sanandro suddenly shrieked covering his ears. "He is evil! That is all!"
"Take it easy! You don't have to tell us." Piccolo said covering his own sensitive ears from the screeching.
Sanandro looked relieved.
"You must be strong." Sanandro whispered leaning forward toward Goku's ear.
"I'm afraid I'm not very strong right now." Goku sighed.
"Your strength will come to you, it is looking for you now." Sanandro smiled. "Do not worry."
"I hope you are right." Goku said.
"I am. Now that I've met you, I can see and hear what is happening." Sanandro said cryptically.
"My long wait is finally over. You must go to the door, it is in the Valley of Delvia, she is an evil sorceress, beware! Just follow the sun, and you will come to it." Sanandro said as he stuck out the hand with the crystal.
"What are you doing?" Piccolo said as Sanandro started glowing.
"I am going to be with my people." Sanandro looked almost gleeful.
Sanandro glowed brighter, and brighter and with one final flash his seemed to break apart into small glowing sparks which faded as they fell, leaving the crystal to fall into Goku's hands.
"Whoa! That was weird." Mr. Satan looked at Buu. "Kind of sad too."
"Buu think so too!" Buu said.
Piccolo took the crystal from Goku and tossed it to Mr. Satan. "Here, put these with the other two."
"Will do!" Mr. Satan said as he slipped the crystal into the pack.
"We still don't know what we are supposed to do with those things." Piccolo said.
"No, no we don't. I think it's one of those things that we will know when the time is right." Goku smiled.
"Well, I guess we follow the sun." Uub said.
"Yeah, I guess we do." Piccolo said. He had similar thoughts as Vegeta and wasn't particularly comfortable with being given no other choices as far as ways to go went. He also felt they were being herded to a point not of their choosing.
"I can think of no other alternatives." Piccolo said as he and Goku flew off toward the afternoon sun.
Everyone else followed.
