"This is worrying." Bardock grumbled as he took his new scanner off my incubation pod.
I fell asleep soon after Bardock arrived after my 'birth', so I've been in and out of it all this time. Still, they apparently moved me from the hospital or whatever the Saiyans call it to what I can only describe as their incubation pod at their home. My 'new home', I suppose. It was a weird feeling at first, being inside the pod. It felt like I was in the womb again (and I didn't even know I was inside Gine before I was born), but I soon got used to it. When I finally regained a semblance of real consciousness, It had been a year, apparently. To say that was surprising would be an understatement. I had been asleep for a year straight! And I still feel exhausted! Sigh. I guess I'll never escape being perpetually tired.
Still, it is a bit worrying that every day since I've woken up, Bardock has been coming whenever he can to place a scanner on my pod. From what little I heard from him, that scanner he had was for determining something's battle power. It must be fairly important for Saiyans since Bardock said something about how they were a warrior race. At least, that's what I understand from what little I have heard. Kind of hard not to come to that conclusion when Bardock keeps mentioning my potential for battle.
I wouldn't really care about my own bp since that stuff sounds stupid anyway and shouldn't be used to determine a person's lot in life, but I can't help but be concerned when I constantly see Bardock grimace at what the scanner was showing him. It can't be that bad, right? Even if I'm a low-class warrior, it can't be awful, right? I mean, I'm a Saiyan now. I should at least be stronger than a normal human, right? I mean, they're an alien race, and I know they're alien because of the tails and all the sci-fi stuff I've seen so far! That's when Gine walked over to her husband with a worried look.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
"...Yeah. It's just… I'm still not getting a reading from Orion." Bardock replied. "It's like he has no potential for battle."
Uh oh… No battle power? That…doesn't sound good at all, but what do I know? Still, that's even worse than I imagined. I'm lower than a low-class. What's...going to happen to me?
"A-Are you sure it's not just a problem with the scanner?" Gine tried to ask.
"No. This is the latest model, and I tested it before I got here. And these pod scanners are better at determining a child's power level than our scout scopes are." Bardock replied with a tightened fist before he looked at me again. "...Let's take him out of the pod."
"Wh-What!? Are you sure?" Gine asked with concern.
"He's been in there long enough. Maybe staying in the pod is what's causing this. Perhaps he's stronger than the scanner is letting on. I'm sure he'll show us how strong he is once he's out on his feet." Bardock said.
Wait, I'm coming out? I don't know if that's a good idea. Of course, no one could hear my thoughts, so my opinion didn't matter, and Bardock began to drain the pod. A feeling of dread formed in my stomach as the liquid drained, leaving only me laying on the bottom of the pod. Was I...always this heavy? I couldn't tell while in the pod while it was full. I know the water gave me that weightless feeling, but this new feeling of weight seems...a bit much. I don't know if I can even move like this.
Bardock kept going as he picked me up and prepared me for life outside the pod. He put me in a standard Saiyan suit and sat me on the floor. As soon as he did, I fell to my knees immediately. Everything was so heavy. What, is this planet's gravity stronger than Earth's? Is that why everything is so heavy? But shouldn't I be having an easier time moving around here since I'm a Saiyan now? I'm still pretty young, but it shouldn't be this bad, right?
"Okay, Orion. Come here." Bardock told me as he crouched a small distance away from me.
He wasn't far away, but with this weight on me, it felt like he was miles away. I looked at Bardock with a doubtful expression, giving him a face that could only be described as 'you're joking, right?'. Bardock seemed to understand, and his expression became more stern.
"Orion, I am your father, and you will listen to me. Walk over here." He demanded.
Umm…I don't have a choice, do I? Resigned to my fate, I did my best to push myself up onto my feet. I'm a little over a year old now, so I should be able to walk a little. So I pushed. And pushed. And…pushed. And that's when I realized something was wrong. I actually couldn't move. That's when I started to panic. Why can't I move? A sense of fear started to form in my stomach as I began to get up onto my feet desperately. It felt like I had 50 cement bricks weighing me down, or perhaps the saying 'my arms felt like actual jello' would convey this feeling better.
I quickly gave up on trying to stand to my feet and tried my luck at crawling, only to realize just how much trouble I was in. I was moving now, but I was slower than a snail. It felt like jugs filled with gallons and gallons of water were tied around me as I tried to move. I felt powerless. I looked back to Bardock, only to see his stern face was now showing deep concern.
"He can hardly move by himself." He muttered as he put a hand to his chin, a bit of sweat forming on his face.
"H-He might just need a bit more time in the pod." Gine tried to say. "This planet has stronger gravity than many other planets, so some Saiyan children have a tough time adapting to it when they are just babies. It's rare, but-"
"That can't be what's happening here." Bardock immediately objected. "I've never seen a Saiyan child struggle so much with just simple movement. And with what the scouter kept showing whenever I tried to get a reading on him…" Gine looked confused before her eyes widened.
"No, that's impossible! There's no way that Orion has no power level at all! Every creature gives off at least some power level, even if it's low."
"Then we have to assume that Orion's power level is too low to even measure with the scouter." Bardock then sighed as he ran his hand down his face. "I've heard very rare cases where the scouter gets a reading so big it short-circuits the device, but I've never seen a scouter fail to pick up a power level because it's so low it's impossible to read." Bardock then looked back at me with a look of pity. "There's nothing we can do. Once they discover Orion's power level, he'll become an infiltration unit."
"But infiltration units almost never-!" Gine shouted.
"There's nothing we can do." Bardock calmly told her, though there was a slight bit of anger in his voice. "That's how things are, and there's nothing we can do to change it. They should be here to check Orion in a few ticks."
My eyes widened when I heard that. Who's 'they'!? And how long are ticks compared to standard measurements of time!? I looked back to Gine, who looked like she was on the verge of crying. She's really emotional. I…don't know how I should feel about seeing her like this…
Is what's about to happen to me really that bad? I mean, what are infiltration units? Am I going to be sent somewhere? If that's the case, then maybe if I'm lucky, I'll be sent to Earth or this world's equivalent. If I could go back to a place that's similar to my home, I'll take it. I mean, being one of these infiltration units can't be as bad as these two are making it out to be, right?
Knock, knock.
"Excuse me! We're here for the Power Level Assessment." A voice called out from outside. Bardock turned to face the door with a blank expression.
"...They're here." He simply stated. "Gine. Get the door."
"B-But-"
"Do as I say. And don't let them see that expression of yours. Overly emotional Saiyans are looked down upon, even for matters like this." Bardock told her. Gine nodded slowly and quickly pulled herself together before heading to the door. Bardock then looked back to me, once again giving me a look of pity.
"...Sorry, kid." That's all he said before he sat me up on the ground.
I couldn't help but tilt my head at that. Sorry? For what? That's when I heard other people approaching where we were. As I moved my head to see who it was, I saw Gine leading three other Saiyans to where we were. I didn't recognize them, but they weren't wearing normal Saiyan armor. They were wearing normal chest plates, but they were over gray cloaks for some reason. They looked like the doctors from the hospital when I was born, but they weren't doctors. They were…something else.
"So this is your child?" the tall, lanky Saiyan asked Gine.
"Y-Yes. His name is Orion." Gine answered.
"Orion…" The small female Saiyan with blue hair mumbled before looking over to the large, brutish Saiyan. "Scan him."
The large Saiyan nodded, took out a tablet-like device from his cloak pocket, and turned it on before pointing it at me. I felt a cold tension as the large Saiyan waited for the tablet thing to finish scanning me. There was a small beep sound, and the large Saiyan raised an eyebrow at the results.
"What's wrong?" The female asked. The large brute didn't respond as he handed the device to the lady, who gave the device a quick look before gasping. "What? This can't be possible."
"What's wrong?"
"The scanner says the kid has a power level of '0'. It's like it can't even detect a power level from the kid."
"What?" The lanky Saiyan exclaimed in confusion. "The scanner must be malfunctioning."
"Impossible. This is a brand-new model. It worked fine yesterday." The woman stated before looking at me with a look of curiosity. "What we have here is a first in Saiyan history. Either this child's battle power can't be measured and put into a power level, or he's so weak that the scanner can't even pick him up." The woman then sighed before shrugging. "I'm interested in seeing what this problem actually is, but we have our orders from the king. Every child over a year old who doesn't have a power level that reaches the standard is to either become an engineer or an infiltration unit, depending on their power level. And this poor child isn't giving us any readings, which only leaves him with one of those options: Infiltration."
At that, Gine averted her eyes, which only worried me. The lanky Saiyan turned to face Gine and gave a sympathetic bow.
"Apologies, miss. I know this is your first child, but you know how it is with us Saiyans." He said.
"...Yes. Of course." Gine replied softly in a defeated tone.
"Excuse me for butting in, but as his father, I thought I might as well ask." Bardock suddenly said, his face neutral to everything that was going on. "Do you have any idea what planet Orion will be sent to?"
"No. The planet each infiltration baby is given is selected as the child is loaded into their pod." The lanky Saiyan replied. "However, if I had to give a guess as to what kind of planet will most likely be chosen for him, I would say-"
"Monmaasu." The large Saiyan finally spoke. "I heard talk of sending an infiltration unit to that planet today, so it is very likely this child will be the one sent there."
"Monmaasu?" Gine questioned.
"The giant planet? Where everything is massive?" Bardock asked.
"Oh, right. That planet has recently been under Lord Cold's radar." The lanky Saiyan said. "Since everything on the planet, from plants, natural structures, and even the creatures are many times larger than normal, they've been wondering if valuable resources might be several times larger as well. So Lord Cold is having us Saiyans investigate, and as usual, we'll be sending an infiltration unit to the planet first to check things out before we send real troops there. Of course, the danger is just as high as other planets' infiltration units are sent to due to the size of the lifeforms there. But that's how it goes. The survival rate of infiltration units is practically zero, after all."
My heart sank when I heard that last part. The survival rate is WHAT!?
"Oh well. If that's where the kid is being sent, there's no saving him." The lady Saiyan sighed as she picked me up by the tail.
As soon as she touched my tail, intense pains and chills shot through my body, and I felt my entire body lock up in place. It was like I was suddenly paralyzed. Not only that, there was a constant ache now spreading all around me, like this lady was pressing down on a really bad bruise. It was one of the worst feelings I had ever felt in my entire life, which is saying something since I've died once already, though that was instant death. I couldn't even muster a cry of pain or agony before I went limp.
"Now then, little guy, time to take you to the dock to ship you off to Monmaasu. Don't hate us if you die out there. You have only yourself to blame for being born weak or special." How is that my fault!? "Who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky and arrive during a full moon. Even with no power level, your Oozaru form will let you survive. Either way, we'll be leaving now. Wish your kid the best of luck. He'll certainly need it."
They didn't even wait for Bardock or Gine to respond before taking me away. I couldn't even shout for them to save me. I couldn't even reach out to them in a desperate attempt to ask them to save me. There was nothing I could do except accept that I was being taken to a ship that'd send me out to a dangerous, hostile world where I was almost entirely destined to perish. And for what reason? Only because I'm weak, apparently. Only because a machine told them that I wasn't good enough.
Heh, what is this? It's too painfully funny to me. Why does a simple number of all things determine my lot in this new life? It's just too cruel to hand a child this kind of fate. Just…what are these Saiyans?
Perhaps it was due to the pain of being carried the entire way by my tail, but I didn't even notice when we had finally arrived. I was completely focused on the pain shooting through me from my tail before I was dropped into a small container. I fell smack on my face before tumbling to the back of the seat. I did my best to sit myself up, but the container door began to shut before I could even make sense of anything happening. That's when I realized I was in a pod thing that must be the ship they'll be sending me out in. I did my best to escape the pod, but it was impossible with my lack of movement. The pod was sealed shut and lit up on the inside, with the various buttons and monitors inside being activated from outside the pod.
"Coordinates imputed. Destination: Monmaasu." A computerized voice stated. Uh oh. And that's when the pod started hovering in the air. Double uh oh. "Launching in 5…4…3…2…1…" Oh…Crap BASKETS!
BOOM!
The sonic boom created by the pod flying straight out of the planet's atmosphere forced me to the very back of the chair inside, not from the g-forces as the pod was too advanced for the passenger to feel any of that, but the suddenness of it all knocked me back. I slowly sat up and rubbed my head before realizing it was easier to move now. I moved to the pod's window and looked out and-wow, I was already really far away from the planet. Damn, these things move fast. Wait, now's not the time to focus on how cool the pod is. I'm heading to a planet where I was going to die! I immediately began to look for some way, any way, to change my fate.
Looking around the pod in desperation, I quickly noticed something odd. Why…is everything in English? Shouldn't the buttons and tools inside a Saiyan spaceship be written in the Saiyan language or whatever alien language they use? Wait…don't tell me that, coincidentally, English just so happens to be some sort of 'Universal Language'. That would be a stupid amount of luck on my end and totally cliche, but I guess I shouldn't complain. Still, what a lucky break for me. Perhaps what I lack in power, I have in luck. I…sincerely hope that won't be the case in the future. I would hate for this to be a trend, especially since luck has a tendency to run out. But hey, at least things are looking good for me now that-
"Hyperspace boosters online. Engaging cryosleep."
I turned around to the console and saw gas coming out of a small vent. Cryosleep? Like the sci-fi thing where astronauts are put into a coma-like state to save on resources during travel and make the trip feel not as long? Uh, no. No way. There's no way I'm gonna-zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
"Now entering the atmosphere of planet Monmaasu."
"Zzzzzzzzzzz…"
"Landing in 5…4…3…2-"
BAM!
"Aaaah!" The sudden explosion woke me up with a violent impact. I bounced out of my chair and slammed into the front of the pod, quickly waking me up from my nap. I groaned, rubbing my head as I came to my senses.
"Landing strategy intercepted. A sudden movement of rock formations was the cause of the sudden, early landing. Missed destination." That was the pod's excuse for the horrible crash-landing I had just endured. "Scanning atmosphere for discrepancies in the database… None detected. Atmosphere safe for Saiyan Infiltration Unit. Opening pod now." And without waiting for my consent, the pod doors opened, letting the warm light pour into the spaceship.
I covered my eyes as I squinted out what was outside the pod. After my eyes had adjusted, I was met with very rocky terrain. Islands actually surrounded by water, and my little pod seemed to have crashed right onto one of them, smashing through the small mountain on the island and falling down to the base of it. Damn it. I'm on that giant planet, aren't I? Monmaasu, is it? Shit, that cryosleep stuff works like a miracle drug. I haven't slept like that since I was actually a kid.
Great… What am I going to do now? I'm stuck on an alien planet in the body of a Saiyan toddler. Actually, how long was the trip from the Saiyan homeworld to Monmaasu? I have no idea, but I don't feel any different. Well, I do, actually. It's a lot easier to move now, though not like how it was in my old adult body. I still have the body of an infant, but at least I can move. I can actually walk on this planet, so the gravity must be less than the Saiyan Planet. And although I'm stuck in the middle of the ocean on a random small island, I can see the incredibly bountiful mainland with a lush forest. Maybe I really am just lucky. Hmm…this might be the giant planet, but maybe this won't be as bad as I thought?
That's when I saw one of the islands in the distance move. No, it didn't just move. It was currently moving. No, it wasn't just the one. All of the islands, including the one I was on, had begun to move. I felt a pit of dread form in my gut. Oh…no. This can't be good.
That's when a GIANT ALLIGATOR popped out of the water and roared like a T-Rex.
It was at that moment I knew…I had fucked up.
I did the only thing that seemed logical at the time. I screamed bloody mary and dove back into the pod, spamming every button I could find in a desperate attempt to close the pod door PLEASE GOD, CLOSE THE DOOR!
Miraculously, I found the right button, and the door swiftly closed right as the freaking monster croc ate the pod! I could tell because now I was inside the thing's mouth, and he was trying to crush the pod with its teeth! Oh c'mon! Why do I get stuck on the planet with giant killer gators that have islands as shells on them!? Who the hell came up with a planet like this!? Who thought this was okay!?
I'm on the clock now, so it's do-or-die time! With a prayer in my heart, I quickly began scanning over the buttons and do-dads inside the pod for something that might save me. There has to be something, anything, that can save me. I even checked every nook and cranny in case there was some kind of instruction manual for these things, so I don't have to test my luck, yet again, by randomly clicking buttons. After all, while infiltration units are hardly meant to survive, on the off chance they do, they'll have to fly this thing back home, right? So there has to be something here that'll help them figure out how to work this thing. I mean, it's not like Saiyan kids are just born with that knowledge, right?
I paused as I started to think about the chances of that possibility. Now that I think about it, that's…actually sort of plausible. Shit…
I shook that terrifying thought out of my head and continued my search, picking up the pace as I heard the sound of large teeth gnashing the outside of the armored pod. I searched and prayed until I found it. An answer to my begging and desperation. It was a small compartment that was almost unnoticeable to unearth the chair of the pod. There was no way a baby or even a young kid would notice a hidden compartment like this. I quickly opened it and found what looked like one of those scout scopes Bardock had when I was still in the hospital, a remote, and what looked like a note.
The note read as this: 'If you have found this, then you should be of age to use these tools. You have done well to survive this long by only using your latent talent and Saiyan instincts to conquer, so use this scout scope to help you conquer this planet. This remote control can also control the Saiyan pod you came in. Should you accomplish your mission, click the green button on the side console to have the pod return to your home world, Vegeta, and you'll be welcomed home and be allowed to become a full-fledged warrior in the Saiyan Army.'
I scoffed. Risking life and limb just to join an army where I'll risk my life again in even more dangerous scenarios is totally not worth it. That's when I learned my first lesson about this world I was reborn in: Saiyans are idiots. Either way, thanks for the scope, the remote, and for telling me how to get this thing to send me back.
I quickly slammed my small hand into the green button on the side panel that the note detailed, and I heard the engines start to roar as the pod readied to fly once again. I examined the scope as the pod started to float, pushing against the jaw of the beast that was trying to eat me.
I messed around with the scope for a bit to see how it worked. Damn, it really is an old model. Actually, how old is this telescope-looking thing compared to modern Saiyan tech? A few years? A decade maybe? I shrugged as I continued examining the tool.
As I continued doing that, the pod finally finished starting up and burst out of the gator's mouth, completely shattering its teeth. I looked out of the pod's window to look back at the gator, who now had a gaping hole in its teeth. Hah! Suck it, you overpriced handbag! You didn't even dent the pod!
I gave a sigh of relief as I leaned back into the chair of the pod and continued fiddling with the scope I had. Hmm…Night vision and thermal vision alongside power level reading? That's impressive, actually. Useful too. That's when the same computerized voice from the pod spoke once more.
'Saiyan Attack Pod online. Location: Outer atmosphere of the planet Monmaasu. Pod Designation: Saiyan Infiltration Unit 34965. Primary objective: Conquer planet and/or determine if planet is worth conquering for its resources for Planet Vegeta. Error. Attack pod on course off of planet. Insufficient time has passed for mission objectives to be completed. Is the mission complete? Would you like to land on Monmaasu again?'
I paused as I thought about it. I was planning on heading back to the Saiyan homeworld, planet Vegeta I guess it's called, but is that the right decision for me? I was sent here because I was weak, and I'm still weak. I haven't done anything. What would happen should I return so soon, having not done anything here at Monmaasu other than surviving that gator attack? They could just send me back, or send me to another planet with its own dangers, or even worse, kill me for not accomplishing my mission.
I hate to admit it, but I'd be in just as much danger there on that Vegeta planet as I am here on Monmaasu. But what can I do? I can't conquer this entire planet by myself. I'm weak. I'm not a real Saiyan. I don't have their strength or killer instinct. That's the truth. I don't stand a chance against any of the creatures on this planet if they're all like those alligator things. There's nothing I can physically do to accomplish the mission, and since I don't know any other coordinates for any other planet, I'm stuck between these two terrible choices.
That's when my new Saiyan tail entered my field of vision, and a thought hit me.
Who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky and arrive during a full moon. Even with no power level, your Oozaru form will let you survive.
That's what that one lady said before taking me away, right? Oozaru form? What's that? Is that a Saiyan thing? That's when an image suddenly entered my head. A giant monster that looked like King Kong with a tail. It had glowing red eyes that screamed of the creature's bloodlust and a roar that made mountains shake before they were blasted away from the monster's mouth beam. I don't know where I got the mental image from, but I somehow knew that's what an Oozaru was. That's what I would become if I looked at a full moon if I were to believe that lady's words.
The mere thought terrified me.
No, I refuse to ever rely on that monstrous power. I don't care if I am a Saiyan now or if I'm incredibly weak without that form. I'm still Human, and I prize my humanity over my Saiyan heritage.
Wait…my humanity. That's when an idea sparked in my head. I'm not really just a Saiyan child. I still have my adult Human mind and soul. I don't have to go about things like a normal Saiyan. I can do things my own way.
"C-Computer." I spoke my first words, the first usage of my new vocal cords causing me to cough a little. Damn, should I even be able to talk now? I don't even sound like myself, and my new voice doesn't even seem ready for use right now. I don't even like my new voice, but still, I pushed through the dull, uncomfortable pain caused by speaking. "Land back onto Monmaasu. Somewhere with no creatures nearby if possible."
"Confirmed. Changing flight path back onto Monmaasu's surface. Suitable landing spot found. Touchdown will occur in 5 ticks."
With that, the pod changed its course and headed back to the planet I was just on. I sighed again as I laid back down in my chair. I can do this. I'll just stay on this planet until I can complete the mission. I don't actually have to conquer it. All I have to do is discover if this planet truly is worth the trouble of conquering. Those Saiyans that took me away before said it themselves. I was sent here to discover if the resources on this planet are as massive as everything else.
So I'll stay here until I can prove whether that is the case. And while I'm here, I'll do my best to try to get even slightly stronger so that when I arrive back at Planet Vegeta, I'll be able to move at least, among other things. I'm a Saiyan with the soul of a Human, and even though I'm weak, I still have a pride that's fitting for both races. I felt my fists tighten as the pod continued heading back to Monmaasu. I'll show them. I'll show them what this weakling is capable of.