"So just where the hell are we Vegeta?" Chi-Chi demanded to know.
"How the hell should I know woman?" Vegeta snapped back. "We've been following that ki now for almost half a day and it doesn't seem a bit closer than the second we started!"
They had stopped on one of the islands to eat and Gerald had picked up a rock and was studying it closely.
"Look at this Queen Bulma." Gerald motioned her over.
"What is it Gerald?" Bulma said coming over.
"The molecular structure of the matter on this planet is slightly different base than our own molecular structure." Gerald said. "Whenever we touch something, it destabilizes. Then when it comes into sudden contact with other matter on this planet... Well watch."
Gerald flung the rock to an island several miles from the island they were currently on. The rock struck a tree and exploded. Seconds later there was nothing left of the island except for an expanding mushroom cloud.
"It's like having a nuclear arsenal at your disposal." Gerald smirked. "I would also be careful about stomping my feet if I were you."
"Good suggestion." Jessica said as she lifted herself off the ground and finished her meal in mid-air.
"Bulma, I think it's time for one of those vile leaves. I'm feeling pretty bad." Chi-Chi said holding her head.
"Sure Chich, coming right up." Bulma tried to sound cheerful, but there were only three of the leaves left, after that Chi-Chi would be comatose again.
After dinner was finished and the mess packed up, Vegeta started thinking about the best way to proceed.
"We can use instant transmission to take us there. If he's just moving we will surprise him, if he's creating a false ki reading, we won't be any worse off than we are now.
"Sounds like a plan." Chi-Chi said. "I have the terrible feeling that Goku needs us more than ever."
Vegeta shot Chi-Chi a sudden look. "Me too woman, me too." Vegeta placed two fingers to his head. "Everyone grab hold." A second later they were gone.
Vegeta, Bulma, Jessica, Gerald, and Chi-Chi reappeared over what must have been the largest landmass they had yet seen on the planet. From what they could tell, it was about the same size and general shape as Australia, back on Earth. It was very green, and well populated with game and insects. In the distance a dense forest could be seen.
In front of them, and slightly lower, they spotted a small, pointy eared boy who looked no older than four or five by Saiyan standards. He was looking in the direction that they had just came from. He was talking to himself.
"What the hell? Where did they go?" The impish looking creature started looking around frantically.
Vegeta motioned Gerald to follow him and they both phased out and appeared behind the curious looking creature.
"Looking for someone?" Vegeta said.
"Whaaat?!?" The imp turned around and flew back away from them at the same time. It regarded Vegeta and Gerald for several long seconds. "How did you do that?"
Vegeta smirked. "A good magician never reveals his tricks."
"You're not wizards!" The imp declared. "There is no magic in you!"
"True, we are not wizards, or at least not the kind of wizard you are used to." Vegeta smirked.
"What do you want here?" The imp demanded to know.
"We want to leave this dimension but we need to get someplace." Gerald said. "Do you know anything about a dimensional door that is operated by a crystal?"
The imp eyed them suspiciously, then looked at Vegeta hard. "Is that him then? Is that the one that I was told would come?"
"The door you seek is on the other side of the planet. It is guarded by an ancient race known only as 'The Masses'. Nasty customers, hive mentality, I'm surprised that you didn't run into one of their patrols." The Imp said. "Fighting them would be suicide, but it's the only way to get to the crystal, and the door."
Vegeta and Gerald immediately started scanning for ki on the other side of the planet. Billions of kis of the same sort they felt before immediately registered on their senses, with one extraordinary ki in the center of the population.
"Why don't they live on this side of the planet?" Vegeta asked.
"They are not indigenous to this world. They came here and started a base colony and started slowly expanding outward. They've already killed most of my people, the original inhabitants. Most of us are living underground now, where they don't seem to have an interest in going." The imp said.
"My name is Gerald, this is King Vegeta of the Saiyans." Gerald suddenly remembered his manners.
"My name is Basrul." Basrul said bowing.
"Thank you for the information Basrul. Perhaps we will get to return the favor one day." Gerald said as he and Vegeta started to fly back to the others.
"Wait! What are you going to do?" Basrul asked.
"We are going to get the crystal, and use the door." Vegeta said without pause.
"Are you that powerful then?" Basrul asked wide-eyed.
"We are Saiyans." Was Vegeta's only reply.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The lumbering ship finally entered the solar system that held the planet that was its destination. At it's current speed, it would take three days to reach Earth orbit, the prescribed time the computer needed to thaw the occupants of the sleeper chambers. Tell tale lights on the chambers turned from red, to green as the process was started.
The leader was programmed to be thawed six hours before the rest of the crew, and had already started. The cabin window revealed a large gaseous planet, with a huge red eye gazing angrily at people in the chambers.
An oddly mechanical voice could be heard.
"Starting Cryogenic Recovery. Estimated Completion Time: 73.46 hours. Beginning production of oxygen/nitrogen atmosphere. Gravity generator on standby."
A small droid flew around throwing switches and pushing various buttons.
After 64 years, the flight would soon be over.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bardock woke with a start. Something was different. Something twinged in the back of his mind, something that was good, and warm, and familiar feeling. Bardock reached out through his bond but only felt the same coldness that he always felt. Partially connected still, but it was like someone placed an ice wall just before he could touch her mind. "Celeria" Bardock muttered.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So, that's the plan then. Any objections, input, comments?" Vegeta looked at his team members.
"How do we know that that strong ki is the one with the crystal?" Bulma asked.
"We don't, but in all probability, that's where the crystal is at." Vegeta answered. "It's our best bet."
"We instant transmission right at that strong ki, snatch the crystal, find the door, and boogie out of there before the rest of them can attack us. Seems simple enough to me, and we don't have time to waste anymore, I feel it in our bones." Chi-Chi said.
"Let's do it then!" Bulma said as worried for her friend as Chi-Chi was for her husband.
"Okay, Gerald would you do the honors?" Vegeta smiled at the boy.
"Sure thing." Gerald put two fingers to his head, concentrated for a minute. "I think I can instant transmission us to a position above the strong ki, perhaps they won't spot us immediately."
"Good, everyone grab on." Vegeta ordered.
A split second later, they all reappeared in what appeared to be a throne room, a very opulently appointed throne room. The walls were encrusted in various jewels, and the high vaulted ceiling looked to be entirely made of gold, or a similar substance. Directly below them was what seemed to be a female, partially humanoid, but with heavy insectoid features. Her eyes were bigger than normal, and multifaceted, like a bee's eyes would be. She had two long, thin antennae sprouting from the front of her head, a few inches above the eyes. She had two pincers protruding from her mouth. She had long blonde hair and wore a diamond tiara. She wore a very beautiful dress, and held a scepter in her right hand.
Between her antennae was the crystal they needed.
Vegeta pointed and the rest of them nodded their heads.
"Gerald, we will both go down, you let her see you, and I will make a grab for the crystal while she's distracted." Vegeta communicated mentally.
"Understood." Gerald gave Vegeta the thumbs up.
"Wait! Shouldn't we locate the door first?" Bulma asked mentally.
"Blast! That's right! Where is the door?" Vegeta asked.
Gerald started casting his senses around and concentrating.
"About two miles in that direction there are some kis that are simply walking back and forth as you would expect a guard to do. Perhaps they are guarding the door?" Gerald speculated. "Wait!"
Gerald placed two fingers to his head and disappeared for just an instant, then he came back.
"So?" Vegeta asked.
"No, that wasn't the door, but I did spot it about seven miles in that direction." Gerald said. "There is a huge creature of some sort standing in front of it. You can feel its ki."
"Yeah, it's not a very big ki though, so it shouldn't be much problem." Vegeta said. "Okay, now that we know where the door is, let's go."
Vegeta and Gerald lowered themselves slowly toward what appeared to be the queen of the hive and Vegeta gave Gerald a signal. Gerald then floated down in front of the queen.
For several seconds neither the queen nor Gerald said a word.
"Hi." Gerald finally managed to say.
Shocked out of the surprise of seeing such a strange creature in her throne room, the Queen started sending signals for help through her antennae.
That's when Vegeta made his move. As fast as light the Saiyan King snatched the crystal out of the queen's head. The signals suddenly stopped and the queen crumpled into dust.
"She's called for help." Gerald said.
"It doesn't matter, we will be out of here before they get here." Vegeta said as they all heard an angry buzzing from outside of the throne room. "Everyone let's go!"
Chi-Chi, Jessica, and Bulma joined Vegeta and Gerald as Vegeta instant transmissioned them all out of there.
Out of the frying pan, into the fire.
They all appeared in front of an enormous amphibious creature of some sort. It looked like an enormous toad, but with a longer body, like an alligator. The thing spotted them almost immediately and snapped out it's tongue trying for a quick meal. Jessica dodged just in time to keep from being on the menu.
"That's disgusting!" Bulma said.
The toad took a couple more tries but the Saiyans were just too fast.
Vegeta had just powered up to blast the creature when a loud angry buzzing sounded behind them. Everyone turned to see thousands of bee people with hundreds more arriving by the second. The bee people turned their backs on Vegeta and the rest, and the buzzing sound started rising in pitch.
Vegeta covered his ears in pain, as did the rest of them.
"What are they doing!" Vegeta yelled through clenched teeth.
"Hypersonics!" Gerald yelled back.
"Arrrggh!" Vegeta screamed trying to raise his ki, erect a ki shield, anything to get away from the rising sound. The pain was too intense, Vegeta couldn't concentrate, and he was starting to black out.
Bulma, Jessica and Chi-Chi were rolling on the ground with their hands clamped over their ears, which offered little relief. They were screaming in pain.
"I can't transform!" Gerald said to himself. "I can't focus my energy!"
Suddenly something sticky and wet hit Gerald in the back and jerked him violently backward. Gerald wondered vaguely how the toad wasn't effected by the hypersonic sound before being swallowed by the monster.
"G-Gerald!" Jessica cried out.
"Damned you!" Vegeta said as he extended an arm out. For just a second, he managed to form a ki ball, but the bee people increased the noise and Vegeta lost his focus.
Vegeta fell and hit the ground hard, screaming in agony.
Vegeta was on the edge of consciousness when a light brighter than the sun exploded behind him.
Toad parts flew in all directions.
Above him now was Gerald, in his Ultimate Super Saiyan form, looking angry.
Gerald screamed and another explosion rocked the planet. The bee people evaporated in front of Vegeta's eyes.
The noise stopped.
Vegeta stood up and looked around. The city that once stood with the Palace as its center was scrapped flat. Nothing stood but bare dirt for a hundred miles. Behind them, the toad was nothing but a charred and burning carcass. Beyond the burning lizard, stood the door.
Nobody said anything for a long time.
"Gerald. How did you overcome the sound?" Bulma said.
"The toad's body dampened the noise far enough to allow me to focus my energies." Gerald said.
"Of course." Bulma said. "Why didn't I think of getting swallowed by a 70 foot toad to save the day."
"I didn't exactly think of it." Gerald smiled.
"Okay Vegeta! Let's use that crystal! Goku needs us now!" Chi-Chi was suddenly gripped by an overwhelming sense of urgency.
Vegeta wasted no more words and flew directly toward the door followed closely by Bulma, Jessica, and Chi-Chi. Gerald lagged a bit behind the rest.
Vegeta shoved the crystal into the indentation and the three women jumped through.
"Hurry up boy!" Vegeta yelled as he stepped through the door.
"Vegeta no!" Gerald heard Jessica yell as the door closed in his face.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Carnage's hand was sliding through the air straight at Goku's heart. He was too weak to move, too weak to fight. It was over.
"Fight Goku!!" Chi-Chi's voice suddenly rang out in his head as strength flooded back into his body.
"Chi-Chi!" Goku suddenly found that he was holding Carnage's hand in his own. He had caught it mere millimeters from his chest.
"Whaat?!? How?" Carnage said surprised at her opponents sudden burst of strength.
Goku gave her the look that only Goku could give.
"You have no honor." Goku said as he continued to power up. Goku burst into Super Saiyan Level Five, but didn't stop there. With a blood curdling battle cry he broke through to level six for the first time in his life.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Damned it! The door disappeared before the kid could get through!" Vegeta said.
"Fight Goku!" Chi-Chi suddenly yelled.
Everyone turned to look at her.
"Yes! I feel him too! Kakkarot is here!" Vegeta actually laughed out loud.
Bulma gave Vegeta a sidelong glance.
Vegeta faded back to his usual stoic attitude. "Well, I mean I'm glad that one of my subjects is still alive."
"Sure Vegeta." Bulma said. Privately she thought that it was the most "human" response she has ever seen out of her husband.
"What about Gerald?" Jessica asked almost in tears as she picked up the crystal and put it in her pocket with the other two.
"He'll be alright. We'll get him back somehow." Vegeta said. "But right now we have trouble. Kakkarot is turning up his power massively! He must have broken the barrier and gone Super Saiyan Six! There is someone close to him that's even stronger!"
"Stronger than Goku? No way!" Bulma said.
"I'm afraid so." Vegeta said.
Suddenly, they all disappeared.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Carnage pulled her hand out of Goku's grip massaging her fingers. "Damned it! This guy is strong! I'll have to transform to beat him now. Wait!! That's the other three crystals I sense! I must get them!"
Carnage's eyes started to glow as off to her left Vegeta, Bulma, Chi-Chi, and Jessica appeared out of nowhere.
"Look out everyone!" Goku called.
Vegeta took a quick survey of his surroundings. "Kakkarot is still standing, Buu is regaining consciousness slowly, Piccolo is done for the day, unless he gets a senzu bean or something soon he's a goner, and Mr. Satan is down for the count. "What? Mr. Satan? What the hell is he doing here?"
Carnage momentarily took her attention off of Goku to eye Jessica. "You have the crystals. Give them to me girl."
"I don't think so." Jessica said backing away.
"Well, you leave me no choice but to take them then." Carnage lifted a hand and Jessica felt the crystals start to float out of her pocket.
Suddenly a foot contacted squarely with the side of Carnage's head. Off guard, Carnage sailed through the air through what was left of the far wall of the citadel, crashed into a mountain side bringing half the mountain down on her.
"10 Times Kaaa.. Meeee…. Haaaa…. Meee…. Ha….!!" Goku followed his foot attack with his most powerful attack which vaporized the mountain Carnage hit, and most of the country side beyond. The explosion rocked the whole planet.
"You got her!" Jessica exclaimed.
"No, I've only bought us a few seconds at best. Vegeta! There's only one way to beat her now!" Goku smiled.
"Oh you know I hate that Kakkarot!" Vegeta lamented.
"Not much choice. Fuse or die. You choose." Goku said simply.
"Blast! I hate it when you're right!" Vegeta spat. "Okay, let's do it then."
Vegeta powered up to Super Saiyan Six and was relieved to find that he had to lower his ki a bit to match Goku's highest.
"Fuuuuu.. sion! Ha!" Twin voiced called out.
The light from the transformation was almost blinding. When it died away, an far more powerful being stood where two had been previously.
"Oh yeah! Ultimate Gogeta lives!" Gogeta announced.
