Tempest of the Tirani

Gohan glanced around, observing the old faces as Vegeta, Piccolo, Snare, Goten, Ubuu, Goku, Dende, and Popo listened to the new arrival with severe interest. Vegeta seemed particularly interested, though he tried as much as possible to fiegn boredom. Gohan sighed. Still too much pride to admit that he was bored out of his mind lately. Same as all the rest of them, most likely. It had been years since there was any kind of conflict, and this was definitely a worthwhile possibility.

"They are on their way here," Banira's sudden outburst threw Gohan's thoughts off track.

"What exactly are they?" Piccolo asked.

"They are conquerors, warriors... They travel throughout all of space in order to find the one thing that they truly seek..."

Just then, Trunks came roaring to a halt, sliding in to the middle of them. "Guys! I have some news for you!"

"Well, you might want to hold it, Trunks," Vegeta nodded to his son. "Any experiment you've succeeded at is overshadowed by this stranger."

"No, I-" Trunks looked at the others, sighing. Suddenly, he saw Banira, opening his eyes in shock. "You're a god?"

"Quite bright for a mortal," the elfin figure replied, letting out what could have been a smile, before years of whatever torment he had been through. "Nonetheless," he offered. "We don't have much time. The Tirani are on their way to this Earth, in this universe."

Gohan perked up. "This universe?"

"They travel across dimensions," Trunks interrupted. "And now they are in ours."

"Once again, I am impressed. Yes, they are now in this universe, and they are on their way to conquer and destroy it, just like the others that they have ravaged... just like my own."

"How did you get here?" Goku stepped forward as he inquired.

"I was a prisoner on their ship. They use the gods that they collect from each universe as trophies, it seems... None of us are quite sure what exactly they are after."

"Trophies?" Trunks asked, propping his hand on his chin. "What about energy?"

"Yes, that possibility has crossed our minds as well," Banira nodded. "But there is just something about the way that we are kept... as if on display for someone to see. They pull the life from our bodies, yes, but that doesn't seem that it's all that they want."

"Any ideas?" The scientist asked again.

"Wait a second," Goten said. "How can they do that? Cross dimensions, I mean."

"It's just like time travel," his older friend answered. "I doubt that they can really control it so much as they know how to keep on going."

Banira eyed Trunks oddly. "Yes, that is the same thing I gathered... they're nomads, with no real destination, just the means to move."

"Trunks, you're awfully well informed," Vegeta said, gazing at him curiously. His son shrugged.

"It's a little bit of a theory that I've been working on... plus, I could feel the ki... it all just seemed so unnatural." Vegeta didn't seem too convinced. Gohan frowned. Neither did he, for that matter. Trunks sure seemed in the know for a simple scientist...

"Nevertheless," Piccolo interrupted. "They're on their way here. What are we up against?"

"It's hard to describe just what they are," Banira explained. "Unlike most gods, I am an expert in fighting, and I possess tremendous strength-"

"Yes," Snare spoke up. "I could feelt it." Gohan smiled. So he had some of that good old wisdom that Piccolo had always had.

"They totally overpowered even the strongest fighters in our universe, as well as myself," Banira continued. "They usually take the mortals to another area of the ship... and I have no idea what happens there. All I can hear is the screaming." The defenders of Earth began to glance around nervously. This was beginning to become more and more of a desperate situation with every sentence. "They are ruthless, and have no souls," Banira began to tremble, anger and frustration in his tone. "And their way of fighting and power is something to the likes that I have never seen before. They rely on mentality rather than brute strength, which makes them the most dangerous aliens to ever exist. You can not outsmart them, you can not surprise them."

"Speaking of surprises," Dende said, whipping around to stare off into the sky. "We have some visitors..."

Piccolo ran forward. "The Tirani?!"

"No...these are different..."

Gohan cocked his eyebrows towards them. How could they not feel the beings? Then, it hit him. "They have no ki."

"No ki?" Vegeta stepped to his side.

"Like the androids," Goku said solemnly. "Let's go meet them. Vegeta, Ubuu, and myself will go handle this situation. The rest of you stay here- the Tirani are close." Gohan noticed the wide grin that was momentarily on Vegeta's face. The saiyajin prince was once again in his pure form. Ubuu nervously made his way forward, looking around at the other fighters... he had obviously never been in real combat before. "We're counting on you, guys."

And with that, Goku, Vegeta, and Ubuu took to the skies, racing to meet whatever evil concoctions had just landed on the planet...