'She's Alive.' She thought stunned. Weren't they all dead? Desperation keyed her as her fingers flew across the alien boards. Screw that she couldn't read the language, yet, she understood photos and computer readouts. She found learning programs and translator systems. Downloading all she could find she kept gathering records into the portable disk that she had nabbed from the table. Grabbing the helmet she programmed the computer to download all the languages into her mind. It took most of the day and she knew she had missed two meals when it finished. Unable to have used to computer system that was feeding her the many languages of space she used the catalog system of the entire inventory that had been taken from various conquests. It took her no time at all to find the loot from Gero's space station. And the air pipe delivery system took only a few trips to deliver all the capsules to her. She spent the most of her hours figuring out what was in each one if it was labeled and uncovering her personal ones. She decided to save the rest for later when the download system finished. Instantly all the symbols made sense, and so did the camera displaying the goings on in the docking bay. Enlarging the screen she felt her heart stop. The Z-team, all terribly thin, and Goku? He was with three others, dressed differently, and beaten badly. The Ginyu fool who had trashed the majority of the labs was bragging to the near dead quartet. Staying only long enough to pull up a map to get her to the bay she was soon racing down the halls. Personal toy in hand, her gun/phazor. Ki or not this would pack a punch to any ass that dare get in her way. As she proved to the four-eyed geek and the orange skinned pimp that had been blocking her way. And since the doors leading to her destination were locked she used her second favorite battle accessory, explosives, to open it. It worked like a charm. Distracting the purple bragging dork and giving her ample time to knock him out. She knew he was strong, thus would not be out for long. Turning she aimed to the alarm system that was harming her sensitive ears. It went up in smoke and explosions as well.
Looking to the voice she winked at the ex-desert bandit. With a few well-aimed shots she had Yamcha, Krillin, and Tien freed from the ki repressors. They gave her all looks of gratitude before she gave her orders. "Z-team defensive unit now!" Guards were already piling into the bay and she knew she had no time to waste. Running to the fallen body of Goku she began pulling him into the nearest ship. Not knowing why she did the same with the other three men he had been with. Starting with the smallest one, Soon Krillin was by her side as she dragged the bald man up the ramp as well. A bleeding Tien and Yamcha brought the last figure up, hitting the close button they were soon safe for the moment. Taking toe the controls she ignored her newly discovered friends. She needed to get them safe first; Gero had traveled all over the place in her time with him. She knew exactly where to go. Not daring to put in the co-ordinates she gave the ship the general direction to go. Ripping plates off of the computer hardware she began disabling the few tracking systems built into the ship. A few scans and some common sense and she was rid of them all. Returning to her pile of men she saw that all were unconscious, and bleeding badly. Looking around the tiny ship she saw the opening to the tiny medical bay. One by one she filled the regeneration tanks. Typing them to work she had three bodies left, the three she knew nothing of. 'I'm only helping you since you're with Son-kun.' She thought while removing the armor of the first one. All three she had, by some miracle, lifted onto the cots. Now she had to tend to them. It didn't help that she was ready to drop with fatigue. The languages she had acquired had taken a lot out of her, but her will was enough to let her continue.
18 glared at the male who dared try and touch her. Looking up she tried not to worry for the girl she had taken as a little sister. Bulma was alone in a ship full of horny men. And 18 may not have seen her clean in quite a few years but she knew that Bulma was a looker. With nothing better to do she began to bang her head against the wall she hardly noticed the sound she was making.
"Whoever is making that noise quit!" One voice ordered. And 18 taking to orders the way she did, did not listen. "Alright you insufferable bitch."
"What did you call me?" 18 growled moving to her feet. The figure of an approaching woman was a quaint thing. In short an excuse to beat someone and vent out her frustration. In fact it was just that reason she had been sold for a second time. "Look here girl, only one person can get away with calling me that and you sure as hell ain't bluebell." She seethed going eye to eye with the brown-eyed girl before her. Just as they were about to rip into each other the door opened. 'Role call time.' 18 thought disgustedly. The list was long and she didn't much pay attention to it.
"Fighter seven-two-eight."
"She's not here." 18 called out highly amused. "She and I were switched at Frieze's base. I'm 18, Briefs ain't here bub." She heard the girl gasp at her side. But said nothing until her name was called.
"Pan Chi-Chi."
"Present!" She drawled in a bored tone. But the moment the guard left she turned on her.
"You mean Bulma Briefs?" 18 paused as well, did this girl know Bulma?
"Who are you?"
"Chi-Chi Pan, I'm her friend, we met when she was still just a kid, though I'm not one to talk I'm only two years her senior."
"I've heard a lot about you. Bulma talks highly of you. Princess of Fry Pan Mountain." In what time they could have harmed the other the one called Chi-Chi had proved her identity and convinced herself that 18 actually was a friend of Bulma. "She's out there, causing trouble no doubt." She mused leaning beside the girl who was the unspoken in charge of the other fighters.
"If not she'd dead. Bulma never does anything half ass." Chi-Chi added gravely. Both knew that they had someone to trust now. One having craved it, the other having missed the company she had grown used to. Both knew that they would not be alone for a while. Neither knew that they would have one long trip ahead of them.
Well? The next chapter holds a bath and a little confrontation between prince and Chikyuu native. Sparks will fly, scathing words thrown about. Can't you wait?
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~BUM~