Author's note: A lot is happening now! Don't be fooled into thinking the obvious. This is a twisty plot, one that I have never seen before. And yes, the girls will remain a MAJOR focus in this fic…but, there are others….so get ready!

Three Rivers of Justice

Chapter Four

"What?" Piccolo asked, feeling certain he had just misunderstood Gohan.

"My….dad." Gohan said. "He…he came back to Earth…he told me I had to leave with him….alone." Gohan broke down, crying uncontrollably.

"It…it can't be!" Piccolo said. "Goku wouldn't do that! He loves Earth! He wouldn't leave it!" Piccolo knew he had to keep pushing Gohan for answers. "Was he alone?"

"No." Gohan sobbed. "I didn't see anyone else at first, but then…when I told him we needed to go see mom…he …he hit me."

Piccolo tried to hide his anger. "Then what?"

"That's when I saw the others….I didn't recognize anyone …." Gohan said, coughing. "Why? Piccolo, why did my daddy do this? He hit me…over and over…and finally, I don't remember anything."

Piccolo felt Kami's presence and wondered what his take on this situation was.

"Talk to me old man." Piccolo said. "Could Goku have become evil?"

Kami was sickened. "Not the Goku that we know, no. But, remember, he was sent here as an infant to destroy the planet. Perhaps something has happened in space that brought back all his memories…..perhaps, something has changed him."

Piccolo made sure that Gohan did not hear his conversation with Kami.

"Piccolo? Are you there?" Gohan said desperately. "Don' leave me!"

"I'm here." Piccolo said. "But I need more answers. Right now, all I know is that you are on a ship somewhere is space. Get up and look around. See if you can find out anything….anything that will help us."

Gohan managed to stand, although his legs felt weak and the room was spinning. He held onto the wall, inching along until he found a doorknob. Slowly, he turned it and his eyes were assaulted with a bright light. He paused, trying to become accustomed to the light. Suddenly, the door swung completely open, filling the small room with enough light to see his surroundings.

"Where do you think you are going?" Goku asked from the doorway.

"Daddy!" Gohan shouted. "Daddy, what's wrong? Please tell me?" He wanted to jump into his father's arms.

Gohan's thoughts were open allowing Piccolo and Kami to hear every word as if they were in the room themselves.

"Shut up, brat." Goku said angrily. "Unless you want me to rearrange that face of yours….again…. you'll learn some respect around here."

Gohan couldn't believe it. It was his father's voice, his face, everything. But, the words were not. "You're not my daddy!" Gohan shouted.

Goku laughed loudly. "You are right about that…your real father is gone! But, now, I will be able to realize my true destiny! Soon, that pathetic planet Earth will be under my control, just as it should have been from the beginning." Goku walked forward, all hint of kindness and concern for others, gone. He slapped Gohan with an open hand, sending him crashing into the wall.

It was all that Piccolo could do to keep the mental link. His anger was causing him to lose focus. "Control yourself….for the boy!" Kami shouted. Piccolo took several deep breaths.

In the room, Goku could be heard laughing. It was the same sound they had heard so many times before, but all emotion was gone.

"Don't worry." Goku said. "In a few weeks, after you have been sufficiently prepared, you'll see that my way is the only way."

Gohan wiped the blood from his lip. "Prepared?"

"Oh, yes. Making a true warrior out of you will take some preparation. In the end, you will come around to our way of thinking." Goku stood there watching as another figure came up behind him.

"Well, I see our newest guest has awoken!" The voice said.

Before Gohan had a chance to register the owner, Piccolo knew. He gasped and then, the connection was lost.

Vegeta wasted no time listening to the girls any longer. He powered up and attacked.

Even Rideria backed off as she felt the Saiyan's enormous power. She stood off to the side, taking note of his flawless fighting technique. Within minutes, the remaining four Nameks were laying helplessly on the ground.

Vegeta had his hands around the throat of a younger one. "Tell me what your mission is! Where is the boy?" He demanded. "Or I'll rip your limbs off one by one!"

"You are a Saiyan!" The Namek shouted. "I would rather die than reveal anything to you!"

Rideria stepped forward. "Well, I am not a Saiyan. I am a Namek. So, tell me what your reason is for attacking this planet as you have done?"

The man was shocked when he heard the soft voice. "You…..you are a female?" He asked, suddenly unconcerned about the large Saiyan hands that were around his neck.

"Yes. I am." Rideria said hatefully. "Do you have a problem with that?"

The Namek glanced around at Rikola and Rhyne. "All? Female?"

Vegeta had endured enough. "Who gives a damn what they are!" He shouted, squeezing the man's throat. "I want answers and I want them NOW!"

"New Namek has been virtually destroyed." The young man said angrily. "By Saiyans."

Vegeta's surprise was evident. He let go of the man's throat, but kept a knee in his chest. "What do you mean? There are only two Saiyans left, and I'm one of them! And I have never been to your cursed planet!"

"It was not you, but…another." The Namek's voice seemed saddened. "The one you call Goku."

"YOU'RE LYING!" Krillin shouted.

"No, he is not." Piccolo said. He had just arrived and landed next to Vegeta. He took just a moment to seek out his disobedient daughters. Seeing they were in one piece, he continued.

"I just spoke to Gohan, through a mental link." Piccolo said. "He said that Goku was the one who kidnapped him, beating him into unconsciousness." He turned to the other Namek. "What happened to my people?"

Vegeta removed his knee and stood up, anxiously awaiting the Namek's answer.

"The Saiyan, Goku….the one who had rescued our people before, he….he killed so many….only a few escaped with their lives. Our planet is in shambles, all the resources stripped from the ground. Again, we have lost our home." The younger Namek sat up, rubbing his throat.

"Kakarott?" Vegeta shouted. "That moron doesn't have it in him to purge a planet!"

"I know what I saw!" The Namek shouted. "He arrived, peacefully at first….pretending to be our friend! Then…..he changed, bringing a large fighting force with him. But, he did most of the killing…he…he enjoyed it!" The Namek said. "Less than a dozen remain, counting the ones here with me. The rest are on the planet, hidden in caves."

"You used the Dragonballs to get here?" Piccolo asked.

"No. They are safely hidden. That was the Saiyan's objective, but our people died to prevent them from being used." The Namek said. "We stole one of the ships from the Saiyan's army and escaped before they could stop us. We overheard him talking about Earth. His Saiyan child was on this planet…. He had plans for obtaining his son."

"So you came here to kill Goku?" Piccolo asked.

"Whatever it took, yes." The Namek said. "He must be stopped!"

"This is crazy!" Krillin shouted. "Goku would never turn on the Nameks! Not on Earth and certainly not on Gohan!"

Piccolo tried to explain. "I heard it with my own ears, through the link with Gohan. It was Goku's voice." Piccolo answered, still angered and worried about Gohan. "They are on a ship….Frieza's ship."

Vegeta's face was red with fury. "Frieza? Alive?"

"Yes. I heard his voice as well." Piccolo said. "I don't know what has happened to Goku, but right now my concern is Gohan. The boy is in great danger."

"Goku has joined forces……with Frieza?" Krillin asked, his mouth suddenly dry and bitter. "No…."

"I believe with more meditation, Kami and I can locate the ship." Piccolo said, turning to the young Namekian man. "I need to know if you will help us recover the boy, or should we kill you and your accomplices now?"

The Namek stood up, being about a foot shorter than Piccolo. "I know who you are." He said to Piccolo. "You fought along side the Saiyan on our original planet. You became a man of great honor to our people….Dende spoke a lot about you and the Namek you fused with, Nail."

"That is all well and good, but answer my question." Piccolo said, clinching his fists.

"First, you answer mine." He said bravely. "Are you still a man of honor?" The younger Namek asked.

Rhyne was the one who stepped forward. "Of course my father is a man of honor!" She shouted, baring her fangs. Rikola and Rideria stepped up as well. "Father, we will stand by whatever decision you make. We'll get Gohan back." Rikola said firmly.

"You have three amazing fighters there." The younger Namek said. "Especially that one." He pointed to Rideria. "She could have easily killed me, given a little more experience." Rideria stiffened at his remark.

"I am Kaizer." The Namek said. "If you will allow us, I believe we can be of service in retrieving the boy you speak of. But, know this……the Saiyan you call Goku will be killed….I will not give up until my people are avenged."

"NO!" Tien shouted. "This makes no sense! You can't ...can't kill Goku!"

"No one is killing anyone!" Piccolo yelled. "First we get Gohan! Then, perhaps we can figure out what has happened to Goku!"

"Isn't it obvious?:" Vegeta said frowning. "Kakarott's memories from his original mission have resurfaced. Must have been his battle with Frieza on Namek. If this has occurred, the one you call Goku is already dead. But, Kakarott lives!" Vegeta was angry as he shouted. "If so, then the boy is in more danger than you can ever imagine!"

"What do you know about the plans Goku discussed?" Piccolo asked Kaizer.

"Well, he wanted the Dragonballs. When he didn't get what he wanted right away, he became angry and began killing everyone. His power was remarkable!" Kaizer said. "He tortured our elder, but he would not reveal the location of the Dragonballs. Finally, the Saiyan became enraged and went on a killing spree."

"How did you escape?" Vegeta asked the young Namekian.

"We tried to rescue several of the children, taking them to the safety of one of the underground caves just after the fighting started. We were only gone ten minutes, but when we came back, it was over." Kaizer lowered his head. "He let our elder live, forcing him to watch as his children were murdered." Kaizer gritted his teeth in anger. "The Saiyan said he had to retrieve his son, then he would come back for the Dragonballs."

"So, he will be headed back to Namek." Piccolo stated. "Then, that's where we shall go." He turned to the other fighters. "You will remain here, in case Earth is attacked by Frieza and his army."

"Not me." Vegeta said. "I want to see Kakarott myself!"

"Do what you want, Vegeta." Piccolo said. "But don't get in my way, understand?"

Vegeta smirked, but remained silent.

"You will need to find Earth's Dragonballs and hide them." Piccolo said. "If we fail, then they will eventually return here."

"Piccolo, please……this is Goku…." Krillin said desperately. "Don't kill him…"

Piccolo stiffened. "If Kakarott is alive, then Goku is already dead. I will kill Kakarott if I have to."

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