Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty
Written by: Feraligreater328 and StevenBodner
Edited by: StevenBodner and SparkerLightning
A/N: For those wondering what Parsl sounds like, I've imagined him as a much more nasally Handsome Jack voice.
Chapter 124: Planet Kamikiri
In Mid-Class Deployment Depot #42...
The entirety of the Warhammer stood in the hangar they had been ordered to report to, watching as news flashed by on the screen. It was the same news that had been playing for the past three weeks. A round-the-clock coverage on the untimely murder of King Vegeta II.
The new king, Vegeta III, stood on a platform that loomed above the various press that were gathered about. He stared at them with a subtle flavor of disdain pouring from his eyes. "We still have no new reports on the murder of my father. The killer was very careful to leave no trace of evidence, though we are constantly pursuing new leads. Sadly, whomever slayed my father did not leave so much as a fingerprint in... their wake..."
For a moment, to any onlooker, it would seem as if Vegeta III had started to make a "huh" sound, before correcting himself to a more ambiguous "thuh". He had almost tipped more of a hand than he had ever planned to.
And then, King Vegeta III quickly changed the subject to several sweeping reforms that he was planning to implement under his regime. Changes that he extolled would bring about a revelation in Saiyan society. But, as he did this, most members of the Warhammer shifted their focus from him to the person behind him. Cassava looked like a regal painting in her royal refinements. Bespoke like a painting, gaudy like a painting, carefully detailed like a painting...flat like a painting, faded like a painting, dead-eyed like a painting...
The rest of the Warhammer joked and japed, pointing out Cassava's new tiara. Some of them wished her well as they moved on. Some of them assumed she had already forgotten they had existed, that Cassava had escaped to a better life and left the dirt and muck of low-class scum like them behind. Some were utterly indifferent, seeing her as no more than a promoted former boss. Once all of those rank-and-file had left, gone to the ship to meet their new commander, the few remaining Saiyans continued to stare up at the screen.
Fasha spoke with a flat, but somewhat broken voice. "She looks soulless. Like they've killed her dead and stuffed what was left..."
Panbukin attempted a joke, but the wavering of his voice drained any humor from it. "I-I bet she's stuffed all right...imagine the food that Elite Saiyans get to enjoy..."
Totepo frowned, sad ripples rising well into his receding hairline. He reached down at placed a hand on Gine's head, who had started to sniffle and lightly sob once they had gotten a clear shot at Cassava's once vital, sparkling eyes. They were so dull now. Turles glared at the screen with his own look of sullen anger, he stared at the crest holding the regal cape around Cassava's neck, like a tag on a collar. He tightly gripped the cape wrapped around his own neck, Cassava's former vestment that he had never been allowed to return. "We should start making our way to the ship. Our new commander is waiting to address us all..."
Everyone else nodded and turned, starting to walk away. Turles followed along, though he did steal one final, scornful look at Vegeta III as he marched off. Toma began to walk away as well, but he also turned back. The young man looked to Bardock and thought about that day on DDL. The look on Bardock's face when they realized that the ship couldn't be fixed. He called out. "Yo, Bardock."
Bardock was blunt. "Get lost, Toma."
Toma didn't even flinch. He simply nodded and then went on his way. Now alone, just the two of them, Bardock and Taro both stared up at the screen. At Cassava. Bardock opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't even make the beginnings of words start to come forth. Years ago, he wouldn't have cared. But now, now he was genuinely scared that Taro might, well, hate him. He thought it over again, and then Bardock spoke "You two were close, Taro. Is she going-"
Taro, this time, was the blunt one. "Get to the damned ship. Parsl has been a prick as long as I've been forced to know him. He'll raise seven shades of hell if we aren't there for his prissy little speech."
Bardock cocked his head. "Parsl?"
Taro nodded. "One of our new king's personal chums. I doubt he was Cassava's first choice, but he's who we're stuck with."
Bardock briefly thought to say more, but then he simply nodded and left. Somewhere in his emotionally stunted heart, he knew that he had done more damage to Taro than he ever might be able to comprehend. Once Bardock was gone, Taro simply stared up at the screen. At Cassava, her head hung low as if that junky tiara weighed a few tons.
Decades ago...
A younger Taro, his head of hair still thick and farther forward on his scalp, stood with an annoyed air as he waited to be introduced to his new assignment. A successful low-class, but never more than that, Taro had been chosen based on his merits to watch over some dangerous new weapon that King Vegeta had discovered. He rolled his eyes and thought to himself. 'Of course. I'm a good soldier, but born expendable. Of course, I get an honor like this...'
Suddenly, as if a switch had been flipped, the wall behind Taro went from opaque to clear, allowing a blinding light to shine through. He turned and saw, to his confusion, a single Saiyan girl sat with her head down. He sneered. "What the hell...?"
"Your assignment."
Taro turned and saw two of them standing there. They both had a Saiyan build, but with eyes and hair of an un-Saiyan-like color. Tuffles, perhaps? Half-breeds? He didn't dare question. These two bore the Crest of House Vegeta. And Taro didn't want to end up dead in a landfill somewhere.
One spoke clinically while the other typed away on some gadget. "The task is simple. King Vegeta is done with this one. So your duty is to keep the subject safe and nurture her growth. It is in King Vegeta's great interest that she be allowed to flourish and grow stronger. You are to keep her under constant surveillance and report any noteworthy behavior at once."
The typist spoke. "We shall prepare for updates every month on the month."
Then, before Taro could say a word (or even ask the brat's name) the two of them left. Taro growled under his breath. "Charming..."
And then, he opened the door and walked into the room with the girl. It was a sterile, white room. One of the ones that they could move from place-to-place with a transport ship, Taro reckoned. Briefly, the thought flickered in his mind that made him ask how long that girl had actually been in here. But he didn't really care. He looked at her as a burden. "Hey."
No response. Taro grinded his teeth, walking over and grabbing her by the arm. "I'm talking to-"
A warm stickiness accompanied a fearful whimper. Taro pulled his hand away, releasing the arm and found that his palm was covered in thick crimson. The girl shivered in place as she held her tightly bandaged arm, splotches of crimson seeping from beneath the bandages.
Taro examined the girl closer and saw, to his shock, all four of the girl's extremities were wrapped in bandages. She looked up at him with glittering, shattered eyes as she mewled in place. She seemed to be getting smaller and smaller by the second. She spoke in a quiet, wavering voice. One that was exhausted and drained of any feeling. "P-Please...don't hurt me anymore..."
Taro gripped his fists tight, thinking about the exact wordage those eggheads had used.
"Done with this one."
And then, as Taro would have described it years later, it was like something snapped in his mind. Like something planted deep within the meat of his brain had broken to pieces. He could feel hot, raw emotion that had seemed muted before flowing into his mind and body. Slowly, as these feelings returned, Taro kneeled down. He studied the girl's face and thought about how pretty she was, and about how much he had always cursed his stature and his looks. Somewhere within, Taro had always wanted a kid of his own.
He reached out and rubbed a rough, but gentle finger across her cheek to wipe away a single, streaking tear. "I ain't gonna hurt ya. Sorry. My job is...to protect ya. Understand?"
She glanced up at him, her eyes untrusting. Taro sighed. "I won't let anything hurt ya again. I swear."
Her face remained untrusting, but her body became just a bit less tense. Taro nodded with a small, caring smile. "So, what's your name anyway?"
It took her a moment, but the child managed to speak in a tiny squeak. "...Cassava."
Taro nodded and then, slowly and deliberately and avoiding any sudden jerks or movements, he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a firm squeeze. She was caught off guard for a few second, but then Cassava wrapped her arms around his neck and burst into tears. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you..."
Back with Taro (in the present) …
Taro stared piteously at the screen, seeing those same eyes he had seen all those years ago. He gripped his fists tight and remembered her last words to him. "Protect them, Taro. It's what you've always been good at~"
Good Cassava. Kind Cassava. The strongest Saiyan. The least Saiyan-like Saiyan. As selfless as ever. Taro pressed his meaty hand over his stinging eyes and turned away from the screen. "I'm a goddamned liar, Cassava. I'm so sorry..."
Within Cassava's former quarters...
Parsl, son of one of the foremost Elite families on Planet Vegeta and proud member of Vegeta III's inner circle, sat at his new desk. Though it was technically a used desk. It was the desk of that thing that Vegeta III had married, passed onto him like an unwanted hand-me-down.
Parsl smashed the heels of his boots into the desk again and again, leaving cracks and splintering wood in greater and greater quantities the more he did it. He sneered like a child sent to time out and stared at the vaulted ceiling above him. His fingers were tented and tapped together again and again with a subdued fury. "God damn you, Nappa. God damn you, Paragus. God damn you, Zorn. God damn you, Vegeta."
Parsl remembered the words from his so-called "friend". He remembered being told that one of them would be put in charge of this sweating garbage barge of living detritus to keep Cassava placid. Vegeta knew she'd be keeping an eye on things here, even if he forbade it. And heaven forbid that the supposedly submissive wife lose her cool and fly the roost for the sake of a bunch of nobodies.
Parsl was a martyr. That's what it was. They were supposed to have a fair fight, loser being left to watch this simmering dung heap. But then Nappa, Paragus, and Zorn collectively decided that Parsl would be footing the bill this time. To hell with Saiyan honor, this was a job for Parsl they had declared!
And so, here he sat, his healing wounds from the three-on-one drubbing barely visible. Parsl slammed his feet into the desk again and nearly broke it in half. "GOD DAMN YOU ALL!"
His temper close to boiling over, Parsl picked up the receiver that was connected to the ship's PA system and snarled into it. "WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE MY LEFT AND RIGHT HANDS?! I REQUESTED AND AUDIENCE WITH THEM MINUTES AGO! WAS I NOT HEARD?!"
As if on cue, the door to Parsl's new office opened and Taro walked in. The shorter Saiyan's eyes immediately locked onto the damage that had been done to Cassava's former desk and a vein bulged from his temple. Parsl looked at him with a sneer of disgust. "Egh, a midget. Cassava really did have no taste in subordinates, huh? Why aren't you crawling through vents or something?"
Taro gripped his fists tight. He would have killed Parsl right then and there if he thought that he had the slightest chance. But, with a Power Level of 4,500, Parsl would have been able to kill Taro pretty effortlessly if the thought ever occurred to him. Parsl was a different level. There was only one other person on the entire ship that could hang with him. Taro took a silent breath and sighed out. And then he thanked life's good graces that Bardock had a short temper.
Taro put on a professional face as he marched up to Taro's desk and set down an envelope. On it was two words written in Cassava's messy scrawl: My Successor. Parsl grabbed it with disdain, crumpling it slightly. "What's this about, midge?"
The older Saiyan remained stoic. "Orders from our new Queen, sir. Queen Cassava left one final edict on her way out. It is regarding who will be filling the empty lieutenant's seat. She felt that he was deserving of such an honor."
Parsl rolled his eyes, vaguely remembering in a debriefing he didn't want to attend being told of this. "Oh. Right. Well then..."
The snobby Elite ripped open the side of the envelope and pulled out a thick packet of papers. All of the information on his new man. A low-class most definitely. But, if low-class Saiyans were dogs, then Parsl felt himself a good trainer. He would teach this retch to sit, roll over, and play dead before long.
Parsl's eyes went wide as he looked at the paperwork. "WHAT?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
In the main hall of the Warhammer ship...
Turles was in stunned disbelief as he stood there, Cassava's pristine white shroud wrapped around his neck. He stared at the roster of new quarters assignments, telling each soldier where they would be bunking on the ship, and he could come up with no conclusion other than there being some kind of mistake.
Printed on that sheet of paper, tacked next to the wall where every name from Bell to Tursa was inscribed, was a planogram that placed Turles' name where Bell's had once been. In Bell's office, in Bell's quarters, in the spot reserved only for those considered worthy to serve in the leadership of the Warhammer. That spot had remained empty for years, a tribute by Cassava to a dearly departed friend. But now...
Turles shook his head. "Someone is playing a prank. They've gotta be. M-Me?!"
Fasha was smiling from ear-to-ear. She playfully slugged Turles on his fleshy arm. "Nice job on that promotion, bud~!"
Turles turned and was immediately yanked off of the ground, being brusquely sat onto Totepo's shoulder and hoisted high enough for everyone in the room to see. There was jeering and jokes, praise and laughter, and all other manner of celebration from the crowd. Finally, as Toma called for three cheers, the reality set in and Turles smiled. He knew this had to be Cassava's handiwork. The young man's eyes became misty and he roughly wiped his arm across them. "Cassava..."
Turles' eyes shifted down and he saw Bardock standing there with a smile as well. It was a smile that Turles genuinely loved to see. He chuckled and flashed his teeth to his big brother. Bardock snorted. "I always told her you were better for the job. Smarter and more creative. People like you are meant to lead people like us. At least, that's how I feel..."
Bardock's face became moody, thinking of her still hurt. Thinking of what he did to her still hurt. But Panbukin quickly cleared those clouds away. "Come on, you grim little bastard! Your little bro just got the deal of a lifetime! Smile and cheer with us!"
Bardock allowed a ghost of a chuckle from his throat and then elbowed Panbukin in the gut. "Shut your damned mouth, fatass!"
Panbukin clenched his aching belly and sneered. "Asshole..."
Bardock snorted. "Forever and for-always, tubba-guts."
Toma watched this go on with a bemused look on his face. He remembered his interaction with Bardock back in the hangar and shrugged. The Bardock from today was nothing like the Bardock from when they first met, so that was a little blessing all on its own, he supposed. Toma started to slowly move in, to try and separate the two of them if things got out of hand, but then a nasal voice called out and everyone snapped their attention to the stage. "Attention! Eyes up here, scum!"
Standing on the stage were Parsl and Taro. Taro looked annoyed, to say the least. And the look on Parsl's face was somehow even more vulgar. His nose was twisted up, as if he smelled a smell he didn't quite gel with. The siding of his boots was frayed and splintered as if they had been repeatedly slammed in a piece of wood. Parsl was blunt. "Tullece-"
Taro corrected. "Turles."
Parsl shot Taro a look that would have set dry wood ablaze and then corrected himself. "Turles. Get up here. Now."
Turles quickly nodded and leapt down from Totepo's shoulder, marching up onto the platform to the cheers of his comrades. He looked into the crowd and saw his friends. Toma shot him a thumbs-up, Fasha shot him a finger gun, and Gine blew a small kiss. Turles' face flushed red as a tomato and he quickly turned to his new commander. "N-N-Nice to meet you, sir!"
Parsl's face was streaked with undisguised disgust. He looked down at Turles' hand as if it were some strange, hideous creature being offered to him. This nothing, with his small body and a metal stick in place of an arm...this NOBODY dared to offer him a handshake?!
Perhaps gaining some meager power convinced this thing that it was a person, but Parsl was not one to engage in flights of fancy. He would not allow this THING to feel comfortable anywhere but in its natural place. Parsl didn't even raise his hand to slap Turles' away as he turned to address the crowd. "Okay you flea-bitten scum, listen up and I'll try not to use to many advanced, pardon me, big words. My name is Parsl and the days of you slothing around and sucking the jam from between your toes is over!"
He stomped his foot. "No longer are you lead by some puffed up nothing pretending she has authority; you are now under the command of a real elite. And in my book...a book being one of them there word holders that make yer head meat hurt somethin' awful...you all have a lot to prove to me! I'm granting you my valuable time; you will pay me back with results!"
Parsl splayed his hands out. "It's a simple command! Simply do as I say and this relationship shall work out well. Disobey and be dispatched. Are we all clear?"
The looks of hatred and loathing were apparent even to someone as entranced with their own musk as Parsl. But he didn't care. Their hatred was a non-factor, because Parsl planned for all of these gibbering chimps and defective macaques to be dead and buried by the end of the year. He might have had the Warhammer thrust onto him by force, but he would in turn force it into a shape he liked. The era of Parsl's Warhammer had only just begun!
Within Turles' quarters...
"Let's kill him!"
Toma snorted as he crossed one leg over the other. "And how do you plan to do that, Panbukin? You think you're stronger than that guy?"
Panbukin clenched his teeth. "Probably not. But I bet you the moment he turns his back his head ain't stronger than hammer or a rock!"
Fasha rolled her eyes. "I'd put money on that. After that speech, I can't even comprehend how thick that guy's skull is. Did he really think that would land anybody on his side?"
Totepo shook his head. Gine agreed. "He probably knows it didn't. But, like my older siblings always said: Might makes right. And he's definitely a lot mightier than us..."
Bardock sat disinterested in the corner, staring out the window of the ship as it sailed through the infinite ink of space. This window in Turles' new quarters just so happened to face West. Turles himself sat at his desk, leafing through paperwork and looking at a map of the planet they were heading to conquer: Planet Kamikiri.
Panbukin sneered. "I don't give a shit! Somehow, some way, we gotta clobber that asshole!"
Taro's voice called out from behind. "Now presenting Commander Parsl!"
Panbukin nearly leapt out of his seat, bowling over in a panic and looking towards the door. There, stood Taro, no Parsl in sight. Taro chuckled. "Pretty jumpy, huh? Well maybe that'll teach you to watch your mouth."
Taro helped Panbukin up and sighed. "Look, Panbukin, I hate him too. But you can't just talk about outright mutiny like that. Parsl would kill you without a second thought and 99 percent of the people on this ship wouldn't be able to stop him if he did."
The shorter Saiyan looked off to the side. "But that still leaves a small, but potent one percent. Right, Bardock?"
Bardock didn't answer, his thoughts lost in the stars. No one else would know (he'd never tell them) but he was connecting the twinkling lights in the distance into the shape of Cassava and Tursa's faces. He missed them. Quite genuinely and quite dearly. The emotions knotted in Bardock's chest were tight and almost suffocating, but he didn't know quite how to untangle that knot. At least, not at this moment.
Taro sighed. "Look. This guy is a clown. But he's from Vegeta III's personal circus. He's an elitist snob, but he wouldn't be on speaking terms with our new king if he wasn't strong. 4,500 is a pretty big number, all things considered..."
Panbukin sneered. "He's nothing compared to Cassava. She'd crush him if she were still here..."
In that instant, Bardock stood from his spot by the window. As he trudged by, he gave Panbukin a harsh kick to the ribs before exiting Turles' new office and walking away. Taro closed his eyes with a sigh that was also kind of a moan. "Dammit. I was really hoping I could nudge him toward that mutiny. He's strong enough to kill Parsl in just a few attacks..."
"Well then, I'm glad he left."
Everyone in the room turned and looked at Turles, who was placing pieces onto the map of Planet Kamikiri. The young man was clearly strategizing as he placed contingent after contingent around the map. He looked up. "What do you think, Taro? Good strategy, right? If we do a blanket invasion, then we can neutralize all of the threats at once without fear of reprisal from reinforcements. It might make the battle drag at first, but over time it will allow a more and more rapid expansion..."
Taro looked at the map and nodded. "Good plan. Exact opposite of Parsl's, so he'll probably tune you out, but I think it's a good plan."
Turles sighed and slumped into his chair. "Well, I'm going to present it anyway. This will also allow us to harvest as many secrets as we can from the Kamikirians. Maybe they have some tech, some medical procedures, or some war strategies that we could appropriate..."
Taro sighed. "You really are a bright kid, Turles. I'll give you that..."
The older Saiyan sat down where Bardock was sat mere moments ago. "Are you really going to waste your time smashing your head against that wall, Turles? Parsl isn't going to respect you. It's not in his nature. You're a cockroach to him. At best, a cockroach."
Turles shrugged. "Well, maybe I'd like to think differently. This room is full of nothing but people that have changed their minds in the past. Right?"
The young man snapped is fingers and everyone flinched. He looked up. "That's what it was, yeah? A snap? One that suddenly allowed just a hint of morality to spring up from within you? Like a tab in your brain had popped?"
Taro, Panbukin, Totepo, Gine, and Toma all looked stunned. Fasha cocked her head. "No idea what you're talking about, bud. Never heard a snap before."
Turles nodded. "Me neither. But, then again, I was an unplanned accident and you spilled out of a female Tuffle upon birth. We were never normal Saiyans to begin with..."
Fasha stood. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Turles waved her off. "Nothing. It's just a trend I've noticed as I've talked to people on this ship. A snap. A sound that everyone seemed to have heard that has no explanation. Even Cassava heard it. But...that's just something I've been thinking about on the side. It's not important..."
Turles cleared his throat. "Look. My point is, we shouldn't be too hasty in judging Parsl. He's a standoffish jerk, but he could change. The Universe is constantly changing, right?"
Taro groaned and rolled his eyes. "I take it back, Turles. You're a moron."
Turles smirked. "Think what you will. All of you are welcome to. I just like to believe in people. We've all come together from various backgrounds and become thick-as-thieves. Is it too much of a stretch to think that Parsl would be capable of such a thing? If we got to know him, I mean?"
Taro was ready to call Turles a fool once more, but then he recalled Cassava's fondness of the boy. Of his personality and spirit. The shorter Saiyan clamped his hand over his mouth and stared out at the same stars Bardock had been staring at. "Planet Kamikiri...something about this trip is putting a pit in my gut..."
Weeks later, on Planet Kamikiri...
There was panicked screams echoing from every speaker on the ships bridge as various Warhammers enjoyed the fruits of Parsl's plan for conquest. The Kamikirians were a powerful and hardy race and the snobbish Elite's willful ignorance of that was of no help. The Warhammer was being annihilated in this battle, with a quarter of their forces having been slain in the five days they had been on this world.
Taro and Turles were both at wits end, Taro wanted to be out on the battlefield and supporting his men the best way he knew how: with his fists. Turles just wanted to make sure that everything was okay, not only in general but especially with his friends. He listened to each speaker on the bridge squeak and crackle, hoping that anybody's voice would come ringing through. 'Panbukin, Toma, Fasha, Gine...I'd even take Totepo. Just...anyone...'
The two of them would have left the ship in a heartbeat if they were at all able. Unfortunately, they were both metaphorically shackled by Parsl's hysterical command. The Elite refused to accept that this was a losing effort, instead insisting that the soldiers on the field push themselves even harder. He refused to leave the ship or to allow his commanders to leave...because that would be admitting that he was wrong, and he couldn't have that.
Taro watched on one of the screens as another cluster of Warhammer soldiers met their ends at the bloody claws of the Kamikirians. The beasts were little more than giant praying mantises, but that was the problem in-and-of itself. They were giant praying mantises. They had diamond-hard outer shells, razor-sharp scythes attached to their arms, mandibles that could pop a head like a grape, and powerful legs that allowed them to clear thousands of feet in an instant. Without a proper strategy, there would be no defeating them. And, what was worse, they had become savvy of Saiyan tactics since the last attempted invasion and had destroyed not just their own moon, but they had polluted their own atmosphere in the process. With the moon gone and the Power Ball rendered ineffective, the Warhammer had lost access to their biggest trump card!
Turles slapped his hands onto a console, shuddering as he listened to the rattling death cries of dozens of his fellow Saiyans. As he stood there, the simple truth of the Warhammer became utterly evident: they weren't built to handle something like this.
It was true that they had all grown strong and that there had grown some real talent in their ranks...but the Warhammer was originally built to be one gigantic entourage for Cassava, the strongest Saiyan ever to live. Without her, and without her leadership (Parsl's style was less leading by example and more screaming until he got what he wanted), the Warhammer stood very little chance against these Kamikirians. Anything short of an army of Elite-Class Saiyans would find this challenge cruelly daunting.
Finally, Taro lost his cool. He picked up a chair and winged it directly at one of the screens. "Parsl! Why the hell are the three of us just standing here?! This is infuriating!"
Parsl sneered at him. "Quiet, dwarf! If the grunts are out there dying, that's their own fault! We're leadership! We shouldn't have to dirty our hands doing what the ignorant masses we lead should be able to do! If they die, we'll just have to make sure to replace them with stronger soldiers for the next campaign!"
Taro screamed. "You disconnected little idiot! There won't be a next campaign if we all die on this one!"
Turles could hear the two of them arguing back and forth, but the sound was quite muted. The young man had on his headset and he was listening intently. There were hundreds of voices on the comms system all raging at once. And the battlefield Scouter installed in the ship was unable to detect specific power levels. It was an overwhelming rush, but Turles just wanted to hear any one of their voices. Just some sign that they were alive out there.
Turles was trembling. And the sound of Parsl screaming at the top of his lungs wasn't helping. He felt like he was going to collapse from the strain. But then he pictured Tursa...and then Cassava. He thought on Cassava's smile and her unwavering faith in him. He gripped the hand on his prosthetic tightly. And then, finally, he heard a voice.
"ANY SUPPORT FOR US OUT HERE?! HELLO?!"
Turles' eyes snapped open and he flipped a switch to open the communication channel. "FASHA! Is that you?!"
There was a brief, but quite loud buzz as if something had exploded on the other end, but then Fasha yelled. "Yeah! It's me! I'm, like, the only person from my squad who hasn't been chopped into pieces! I've blown off the heads of six of these damned things, but now they're just flinging energy attacks at me from-"
*BZZZT!*
Fasha continued. "-cover! They've got me pinned behind a spire on top of a building a few blocks away from where Parsl had us land the ship. But if I try to retreat, they're gonna kill me!"
"She ain't the only one! Totepo and I are in the shit too! We got separated from Gine and Toma a while ago!"
Turles called out. "Panbukin?!"
Panbukin chuckled, but it was a tired chuckle. "Who the hell else?! We're currently ducked into an alleyway, but it won't be long before we're found! I can hear those things' feet clicking on the ground..."
Toma spoke next. "We're alive too, but we're trapped in a building and Gine's really badly hurt. Her head is gushing blood like a damned faucet..."
He grunted. "I could probably escape by myself, but I don't wanna risk getting her killed."
Finally, the voice that resonated with Turles the most spoke up. "Tell me which building and I'll be there in a minute, Toma."
Turles gasped. "Bardock?"
Bardock rose his voice just a bit. "Turles! Come on, man! We know you have it in you! Provide some leadership where that dipshit Parsl won't! Tell us what we gotta do to win this and get back to Planet Vegeta!"
Fasha agreed. "Yeah, hurry up Turles! I don't wanna die here!"
Panbukin chuckled. "Don't pressure the little guy. I'm sure he's thinkin' of somethin'~"
Toma spoke matter-of-factly. "It's Turles. Of course, he is. Guy's the smartest Saiyan that ever lived."
Turles looked down at his hands again, the prosthetic was gripped tight. He gripped his fleshy hand as well. And then, he managed a smirk. "Okay! It's not full-proof, but I think I know a way to take care of the Kamikirians, at least the ones in this city, in one shot. But I need all of you to be ready to help out, okay? So, Fasha and Panbukin, you guys and Totepo stand by. Bardock, you go and get Toma and Gine. Got it?"
A chorus of "Right!" echoed back in Turles' ear. He nodded and ripped off the headset. Tossing it aside, Turles marched over to the bickering Taro and Parsl and shoved them each back. Parsl sneered. "How dare-"
Turles turned to Taro. "Panbukin and Totepo are trapped and Fasha is pinned. Can you go and help them back to the ship?"
Taro nodded. "Damn right I can."
Turles nodded back. "Good. Get on the comms and order everyone else back to the ship. They respect your voice. They'll retreat if you command it, Taro."
Taro didn't even question, he simply turned and marched off. "Gotcha. Consider it done, Turles."
Parsl sneered. "Ugh! A midget listening to a cripple. Disgusting. And who put you in charge, boy?!"
Turles turned to Parsl, a fiery look in his eyes. "Cassava did, but that's beside the point, Parsl."
Parsl flinched. Turles marched up to him. "Look, everyone else might have a problem with you. Hell, you might even have a problem with us. But I believe in you, Parsl! I think that you have what it takes to take over this outfit and lead us and show King Vegeta and all of your other Elite friends that they were right to trust you with this! You're already strong, but I think that you can be a great leader too! I know it!"
Turles offered a handshake. "So, please...just let me handle strategy this time and after that we can work together! We can do this, Parsl!"
Parsl regarded Turles with disdain, but this time he actually endeavored to slap the boy's hand away. It sounded like it pained him to say it, but Parsl managed to croak out a single word. "Fine."
Turles smiled. "Great~"
Over with Panbukin and Totepo...
Hearing Turles remove the headset, Panbukin and Totepo knew that things were going to be alright. They stood back-to-back, each scowling as a Kamikirian filed in on either side. The two bug warriors each let loose a shrill shriek, as if to let their companions know that they found prey to slaughter. Panbukin sneered. "How the hell did these freaks even managed to build a city this advanced anyway?!"
Totepo roared and charged his foe and Panbukin did the same. They each charged and threw a blast at their opponent, kicking up a cloud of dust before charging in with a punch and a kick respectively. Panbukin's senses availed him and he leapt back just in time to avoid being beheaded. He cackled. "You oversized cockroach!"
Totepo, meanwhile, was shoved back by his Kamikirian foe. The heels of his boots kicked up gravel and pavement, but managed to lift it and slam it into a wall. Panbukin's foe tried to stomp on him, but the pudgy Saiyan rolled out of the way. The Kamikirian's wings began to buzz and it turned at lightning speed, burying the tip of its scythe-like hand into Panbukin's thigh. The Saiyan grimaced, but quickly snapped the blade with his fist. The other blade came crashing toward Panbukin, but Totepo solved that issue, heaving his foe into Panbukin's and smashing them both to the ground.
The hulking Saiyan helped his hefty partner to his feet and they both retreated back, each firing another blast. Panbukin's attack harmlessly crashed into the Kamikirian's tough outer shell, but Totepo's shredded away a wing. The two bugs made it back to their feet and shrieked. Totepo grunted and elbowed Panbukin's arm. Panbukin nodded. "Yeah. This is pretty friggin' nuts..."
The two insect monsters charged at their Saiyan foes and Totepo roared, firing off a blast from each hand. Panbukin shouted. "He told you both to shove it!"
The two bugs slashed through the blasts with their scythes, coming for another killing attempt. Panbukin and Totepo each ducked, just barely avoiding the attacks. Totepo came shooting up like a rocket, uppercutting both bugs in their soft underbellies. The two things screeched and each coughed up some kind of green slime. Panbukin followed this by spring-boarding over his massive friend and kicking the two in the face, sending them flying back down the alleyway.
Totepo chuckled and looked up, only to gasp as a flying slash made of energy came shooting forward and crashed into his stomach. Totepo went sprawling back, a jet of crimson blood shooting out of him. Panbukin growled. "Goddammit! Massive Catapult!"
The stocky Saiyan tossed a two-handed ball of ki towards his foes, only for both to leap into the air and dodge out of the way. Panbukin stumbled back. "Totepo! You good, bud?!"
Totepo responded by kicking Panbukin out of the way and firing an Angry Launcher from his mouth. The blast shot up and met its target, crashing into the face of one of the Kamikirians and blowing its head clean off. The other Kamikirian came crashing down and Totepo responded by grabbing Panbukin by the ankle and tossing him at it. The beast quickly dodged, hissing with delight and burying a scythe into Totepo's shoulder. The hulking Saiyan grunted...but then he smirked. The Kamikirian let loose a screech that made it plenty clear it was confused.
Panbukin called out. "I'll clear things up~"
The Kamikirian turned just in time to have its dead partner's scythe rammed through its eye. The beast shrieked and stumbled as Panbukin ripped the scythe out, spinning and using momentum to cut the things head off in one sleek motion. He chuckled. "We've had some real geniuses leading us these past few years. Guess it made us a bit smarter too~"
Panbukin looked down at Totepo and gave a thumbs-up. Totepo returned it. And then, Panbukin used his new weapon to slice a scythe off of the other Kamikirian. He thrust it into Totepo's hands and helped the injured hulk to his feet. "Now we just gotta stay frosty, partner. I'm sure Turles' plan is playing out as we speak..."
Atop a building with Fasha...
Fasha peaked her head out from behind the spire of her little encampment. A blast immediately shot towards her and she just barely managed to pull back in time. She watched as her split hairs fluttered to the tile beneath her and cringed. "Join the sniper division, Cassava says. They'll never target you, Cassava says. Too busy with everyone else, Cassava says..."
Fasha took a deep breath and sighed. "I miss you, Cassava. Damn it..."
Fasha looked out towards the ship. In the distance, she saw three specks come shooting out. Taro, Turles, and Parsl. The shortest of them (definitely Taro) was headed off in the direction that Panbukin and Totepo said they were hiding. The other two went off in a different direction entirely. Fasha took a deep breath and sighed. "Turles has this covered...so I need to make sure he's covered..."
That recent attack solidified Fasha's assumptions. She knew where the ones that were keeping her pinned were. She summoned a ki blast into her hand and nodded. "Show time..."
Fasha tossed the ki blast towards her foot and then sent it flying high up with a kick. "Hunting Arrow!"
The ki blast went slowly arching into the air, and then shot down like a missile. The hidden Kamikirian barely had any time to look up before the blast shot through its skull, blowing its head into pieces and producing a volcano of green blood. Fasha leapt to the top of the spire and closed one of her shimmering purple eyes. "Okay..."
She could pinpoint at least 18 different Kamikirians. Six of them were in Taro's way, the rest were blocking off the path that she saw Turles and Parsl were flying down. She extended both arms, making guns with each finger. Fasha took a deep breath and then exhaled it. "Gotta clear the way for them..."
Ten shots were fired within the span of a second and ten Kamikirians fell dead on the ground. Five of the casualties were the ones in Taro's way, leaving him one to kill on his own. The other five were ones that were trying to attack Turles and Parsl from behind. Fasha followed the path those two were heading down and traced her way to what she assumed was their destination. The one non-futuristic looking structure in the entire city. A massive, round nest not unlike a hive. "I see. Turles and Parsl are going to cause a ruckus there to distract the hoard. Clever."
Fasha dodged a flying slash that was aimed directly at her head and then flipped in the air, firing a shot that killed the attacking Kamikirian with little fanfare. She turned her attention back towards the hive and nodded. "Okay. Gotta take care of that hive's vanguard..."
Fasha fired six more shots, blasting apart several of the buildings surrounding the hive and crushing multiple Kamikirians with rubble. Fasha steeled her gaze, watching as more of the bugs sprang up and started to fly. They were coming right at her. She nodded and adjusted her hair. "Fine then. Bring it!"
And then Fasha started firing at the approaching swarm.
Within a Kamikirian base...
Toma took a shallow breath and let it out. He looked down at the injured Gine, cradled in his arms, and shook his head. He could hear the Kamikirians trying to tear their way through the pile of rubble that was blocking the entrance to the building they were trapped in.
Toma was surrounded by the smoldering corpses of the last battalion of Kamikirians to attack the two of them. They had all burned rather easily against the searing embers of his Flame Ballet. But Toma was low on energy now. He grumbled. "Damn it, Bardock...hurry up..."
The rubble dislodged from the entrance even more. It wouldn't be long now. Toma clenched his teeth. Finally stirring after her head injury, Gine's eyes cracked open. She looked up at her protective comrade. "Toma...I'm sorry. Y-You can leave me if you have to..."
Toma shook his head. "Quiet, Gine. You know that's not an option. I won't just leave you here..."
She sounded worried. "But what if you get killed protecting me...?"
Toma shot her a friendly smile. "Then we walk into the afterlife together and wave bye as you go to Heaven and I go to Hell."
She smiled. "Do you think I'm gonna go to Heaven? Really?"
Toma sighed. "Gine, if there's any single Saiyan that's going to Heaven, it's you."
She chuckled and more blood began to pour from the gash. She cringed in pain. Toma gently patted her back. "Just be still. Bardock'll be here any minute..."
She spoke again. "I wanna be with him. Ya know? Like...get married and stuff..."
Toma nodded. "I know. I know."
She continued. "I like Fasha too though. But I also know that you like Fasha. You don't hate me, do you?"
He sighed and rolled his eyes. "You're delirious, Gine. But no, I don't. You're fine."
She whined. "Can't we all get married?! Wouldn't that be nice?!"
Toma could feel her tears dropping down onto his arm and he sighed. "Sure Gine. Whatever makes you happy. Not sure Bardock would go for that, though..."
She whined again. "But it would be so-MMPH!"
Toma clamped his hand over Gine's mouth as the rubble crumbled and the Kamikirians began to file in. He snarled under his breath. "Shit. Come on, Bardock. Where the hell are you...?"
Suddenly, Toma shuddered as a stream of green slime splattered on his shoulder. He looked up and saw one of the Kamikirians hanging from the ceiling, right over him. Toma sneered. "Dammit! These things are way too stealthy for my tastes!"
The Kamikirian shrieked and the entire battalion was on top of the two of them. Toma gasped in horror, assuming it was all over. But then the lot of them crashed into a massive, spherical barrier. Toma was confused at first, but then he looked down. Cradled in his arms, Gine had a determined look. "I won't let us die here either!"
Toma smirked. "Nice work, Gine! Maintain that barrier!"
She nodded and then Toma sprang into action. Using his free hand, he summoned a Flame Ballet and pressed it to the barrier. All at once, his flaming energy spread across Gine's barrier, turning it into a ball of fire. The Kamikirians shrieked and leapt off and Toma looked towards the exit. The path was clear. He looked down at Gine and shouted. "Gine! Propel us towards the door! We're getting out of here!"
She nodded. "R-Right!"
Using all of the energy left in her tiny, injured body, Gine forced the bubble barrier towards the exit. Several Kamikirians tried to get in the way, only to be burnt and knocked aside by the searing orb. The exit was in sight and Toma smiled wide. "We're home free!"
But then their progress was stopped. A massive Kamikirian, bigger than all of the others, stepped into the barrier ball's path and slashed down with its massive scythe. The barrier split in two and Toma and Gine both crashed into the ground, hurt by their own momentum.
Toma was wincing as he pushed himself up. He looked over to see that another gash had been split into poor Gine's head. She was out cold. He looked up and saw the Kamikiran looming over them, its scythes drawn. He snarled. "Dammit..."
The young Saiyan was prepared for death. He closed his eyes and waited for the hot, sharp pain of being stabbed to send him to his eternal rest. This anxious expectation evaporated when he heard a shriek of pain from the beast. Toma looked up and saw a sight that would have once brought on a headache, but now brought on a cooling wave of relief. The massive Kamikirian fell over dead and Toma and Gine's savior landed right next to Toma, offering a hand. "Come on, you lazy ass! It's time to stand up!"
Toma chuckled and took the extended hand, listening to his bones creak as he was hauled to his feet. "Took you long enough, Bardock~"
Bardock rolled his eyes. "I'm here, ain't I? Now grab Gine, we're getting our asses back to the ship!"
Over with Totepo and Panbukin...
Once again, Totepo and Panbukin found themselves surrounded by Kamikirians. Panbukin could feel the sticky blood drying on his leg. Totepo was shaky and barely able to stand from the blood loss on his gut. Each of them held their new weapon, a Kamikirian scythe, aloft and slashed at any bug that got too close. Panbukin sneered. "This ain't good. We need back-up, now..."
Totepo grunted and looked up, his face suddenly lightening up. They were going to be okay now. Surprising Panbukin, back-up landed feet first onto the head of one of the Kamikirians in front of him, stomping it to the ground and splattering it. Taro turned and glared at the two, motioning with his arm. "Come on, you lugs! We're done here!"
The Kamikirians in front of him charged and Taro roared at them. He raised his hand into the air and slammed it onto the ground, firing a ki blast straight into the ground. "Aftershock Burst!"
Taro's ki erupted from several spots on the ground, engulfing the Kamikirians and blowing them into pieces. There was a clear path now. Taro turned and shouted again. "Come on! Hurry the hell up!"
Panbukin and Totepo both nodded, casting their weapons aside and making a break for it with Taro at the lead. Panbukin called ahead to him. "Yo! Taro! What's the plan here?! These things are fast! I don't think we can outrun them with them being this close to our asses!"
Taro was unconcerned. "Don't worry about that! We got back-up from someone a lot faster!"
Panbukin turned to see a Kamikirian right on his tail. He gasped. "Y-Ya reckon so, Taro?"
Taro smirked. "Yeah. Fasha hasn't gone home yet~"
A ki bolt shot right into the head of the Kamikirian on Panbukin's tail and blasted its skull apart. The beast screeched and fell to its side. Shortly after, the next five behind Panbukin fell over dead as well. The stocky Saiyan looked up to a nearby rooftop and saw Fasha standing there, covered in Kamikirian viscera and breathing heavily. "Put a pep in your step, fatass! We gotta get out of here!"
Fasha continued to run along the rooftops, she looked exhausted but determined. "But hey, Taro, we're gonna have to take a detour right? Toma and Gine are still trapped!"
Taro shook his head. "Bardock has those two. We just need to get back to the ship and corral everyone back in safely. After that we'll engage the thrusters and blow these bugs straight to Hell!"
Taro looked back at the three young Saiyans and smiled with pride. The three of them had truly grown over these past few years. He sighed and stopped in his tracks, holding out his arms behind his back just as Totepo finally gave out. The hulking Saiyan collapsed onto his shorter superior, and then Taro went back to running.
Panbukin chuckled. "Damn, you okay there, Taro?"
Taro's prideful smirk turned into an annoyed sneer. "Don't push your luck, Panbukin."
Panbukin smirked. "I'm just saying..."
Taro snapped. "I've had enough comments about my height to last a damned lifetime! Keep your smart-ass remarks to yourself!"
Panbukin looked from Taro and Totepo up to Fasha. She shook her head at him and he sighed. "Fine. Sorry. I'll lay off the jokes for now."
Taro nodded. "Good. Now let's get back to the ship. Double time!"
Back with Bardock and Toma...
Gine limply dangled from her place, tied to Toma's back. The girl was truly out cold, leaving her two male counterparts to do most of the heavy lifting in her stead. The Kamikirians came in for a blitz, but Toma and Bardock sent several foes each flying back with a series of punches and kicks. Toma was exhausted and nearly stumbled over with Gine attached to his back, but Bardock was there to catch him.
Toma righted himself and wiped his thumb under his nose. "Thanks, man."
Bardock rolled his eyes. "Keep it together, dumbass! We gotta clear these things out and get back to the ship!"
Four more Kamikirians came rushing in, their scythes drawn and their hellish shrieks echoing out. Even unconscious, Gine still trembled at the sound. But Toma didn't let them get within an inch of her. He tossed out a Flame Ballet that lit two of the Kamikirians alight. "Burn, you sons-a-bitches!"
The other two came rushing from a different angle, only to have Bardock shoulder charge into them. They both went sprawling back in a heap and Bardock called out. "Riot Javelin!"
The blast engulfed both Kamikirians and killed them in a grand explosion. Bardock motioned towards the exit. "Come on, already! We need to get out of this building!"
The two Saiyans quickly made for the exit, but what they saw when they arrived into sunlight and fresh air was enough to give them pause. Dozens, if not hundreds, of Kamikirians were perched on the buildings. The faint buzz of their wings filled the air with a constant drone. One could even here the beginnings of a shriek in each of their insectoid throats. Bardock scoffed. "Well shit. What do we do here?"
Toma didn't answer, he simply shouted and fired an Eye Beam attack, slicing off two of the Kamikirians' heads. The rest of them shrieked and launched towards Bardock and Toma. Bardock chuckled. "Well, I can't say I'd've done any different~"
And then Bardock leapt into the fray. Just as he had always been, Bardock was like a mad Saiyan buzzsaw. He leapt from Kamikirian to Kamikirian, bursting through them like cheap paper and letting their dying remains fall to the ground without a second thought. Toma followed to keep up with his more violent partner. He spear-kicked a Kamikirian away, scowling as it crashed into a nearby building. He followed up that kick with a Flame Ballet, causing the insect monster to burst in flames.
Toma smirked in satisfaction, only for his head to suddenly become quite woozy. He could feel himself falling, but couldn't correct it. Five continuous days of war would do that to a person. Toma was braced for impact, only to suddenly feel a hand wrap around his ankle. He fluttered his eyes, trying to make his attention focus. Once the clouds in his eyes dispersed, he saw Bardock standing there and firing blast after blast into the buzzing hoard below them.
Toma sat up and checked on Gine. Once he was sure she was okay, he turned his attention back to Bardock. "Y-You saved me...again."
Bardock finished his attack and waved Toma off. "Yeah yeah. Don't mention it."
Toma cocked his head. "But...why? I didn't think you cared..."
Bardock took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He turned to Toma and sighed. "Look, I'm not going to stand here and bullshit you. I haven't turned a new leaf or whatever. I just...I've been thinking more about what she would do, now that she's gone..."
Toma nodded, suddenly realizing what was going on here. "You...feel guilty, huh? You're pissed at yourself about forcing Cassava back to Planet Vegeta. Right?"
Bardock snarled. "Don't talk about shit that you don't understand! I-"
Toma stood, his legs still shaky. "It's fine. It's just us here, Bardock. You don't have to keep up the front. Just...be real with me for a minute, okay?"
Bardock opened his mouth to speak, only for a Kamikirian to suddenly leap up behind him. He turned to face it down, but was shocked as yet another Flame Ballet came shooting past him and incinerated the beast. Bardock turned back to Toma, seeing him slumped against a wall. Toma spoke in pained growl. "Turles has...always told us about the real you. The one that feels things and cares about things...Cassava forced us to see more of that as she drew us all together..."
He shakily pushed himself back up. "You don't have to act like this emotionless, hateful monster Bardock. We aren't going to hurt you. We aren't going to hurt Turles. This isn't the alleyways of Planet Vegeta..."
Bardock gripped his fists tight. He looked annoyed. Toma continued. "We're your friends. Both of you. Not just Turles. We...want to get along with you, man. You can open up to us and talk and tell us how you feel. You don't have to be...afraid of that..."
Bardock's fists were shaking. He looked like he was going to blow his top. Toma made one final appeal. "Turles doesn't want you to keep living that way. Tursa wouldn't have wanted that either. And we all know that Cassava wouldn't want that. So, come on..."
Bardock was silent. The whole of Planet Kamikiri seemed to fall dead silent. Bardock sighed. "I don't wanna have this conversation right now. We need to get back to the ship, Toma..."
Toma groaned, doubling over and trying to restore his balance. "Ugh. Fine. Whatev-"
A fist entered his line of sight. He looked up and saw Bardock standing there, glancing away as if embarrassed. Bardock grumbled. "But, thanks for saving my skin a minute ago, Toma. I..."
He kept the fist raised. "Just...thanks."
Toma nodded and brought up his own fist, bumping it against Bardock's. "Yeah. Anytime."
At the main Kamikirian base...
Turles and Parsl's journey to the Kamikirian hive was one much smoother than Parsl had ever expected. For most of their trek, they hadn't had to face more than a handful of Kamikirians in an actual fight. The majority that they had seen were already quite dead, their insectoid heads exploded into neat little piles of viscera next to their still twitching bodies.
Parsl was stunned. Turles simply nodded and smiled. "Nice job, Fasha~"
The two of them landed and both ran into the hive. Turles turned. "So, Parsl, my idea is-"
Parsl cut him off. "I don't need to hear the ramblings of a lame cripple. I can see what the plan is here. We're going to cause a disturbance in their nest to get them all into one point. Duh."
Turles nodded. "Yep. And then, once they're all in one spot, we're going to use the thrusters on the ship to torch this place and take them out. We won't have won the war, but we'll have crippled them enough that a few more battles will let us take the planet!"
Parsl sounded annoyed. "Yeah yeah! I could've guessed that too! You don't need to talk like you're the leader! I! Am the leader!"
The two of them quickly made their way to the center of the hive, finding it crawling with Kamikirians. The insect beasts shrieked and lunged towards the Saiyans, but in this matter Parsl was most prepared. He shoved Turles to the side. "Watch how an Elite does it, boy!"
The bugs all lunged at Parsl, but the Saiyan merely smirked. He held his hand aloft and shouted. "Tsunami Explosion!"
A massive wave of energy shot from Parsl's palm, looking like a typhoon straight from the angriest of oceans. The Kamikirians had no way of avoiding it as they were all swallowed up and burned away. Turles cried out. "Oh my gosh, Parsl! Nice shot!"
Parsl wickedly smiled. "Of course, it was a nice shot, fool! I am the second strongest of King Vegeta's retainers behind Zorn! I will not be bested by mere insects!"
Turles chuckled, but then he looked up and gasped. One Kamikirian had managed to dodge. Silent as the night, the bug shot down with its scythes crossed. It was going to scissor Parsl's head clean off. Reacting quickly, Turles formed a ring with his fingers and shouted. "Kill Driver!"
The ring shot up and crashed under the Kamikirian's jaw. The energy ring exploded through the top of the monster's head and it landed on the ground next to the stunned Parsl, twitching and dying. Turles quickly got to his feet and ran past Parsl. "Great! With those guys all dead, all we have to do is damage this hive and the others should come running back!"
Parsl looked from Turles' back to the dead Kamikirian on the ground. "Y-You saved my life..."
Turles was cheerful. "Of course, I did! That's what teammates are for, Parsl! You'll see as we continue doing missions! We all support each other!"
Parsl looked at the Kamikirian again, and then back to Turles' back. "You saved...my life..."
Turles was still cheerful as he charged a Sudden Storm. He aimed up at what appeared to be the main root of the hive. "Yeah! Don't mention it, Parsl! I'd happily do it again!"
The young man fired off his Sudden Storm and watched with calculated pride as the ki bolts crashed into the root of the hive, ruining its structural integrity. As large, twisted bits of woven bug-silk and various pieces of structural wood and rock began to fall, Turles called out. "Okay! We're done! Now we just gotta-"
*BANG*
A trickle of blood came oozing from Turles' mouth. He felt a searing hot pain right in the center of his back. Turles stumbled forward, his body lurching and all feeling leaving his limbs. But then, Turles looked down and realized the pain was a lot worse than he had realized at first. Not only did he have what he could only assume was a hole in his back, but he also had a hole on his chest. And it was spurting blood like a faucet.
Shakily, Turles turned his head and looked back. He locked eyes with the culprit and gasped. "P-P-Parsl..."
Parsl looked at Turles with bored disdain. He walked towards the young man as he collapsed, looking up at the collapsing structures of the hive. "I guess I gotta complement you on a hive well-destroyed. Nice one, cripple."
Trembling, Turles reached out with his prosthetic hand and tightly gripped Parsl's ankle. Parsl glared down at him. Turles gasped. "Wh-Why...? W-W-Why...Parsl...?"
Parsl chuckled. And then, with a look of utter scorn, he kicked Turles' prosthetic arm, tearing it off and sending it flying away. He coolly sighed. "There we go, now we're being honest. No subterfuges and helping hands. Now we see what you really look like, you disgusting crippled loser~"
He stomped his foot down onto Turles' face and grinded his heel into the boy's cheek. "Saving my life?! Saving my life?! Where did a nothing like you find the nerve?! How dare you save my life?!"
Parsl removed his foot and spat on Turles' face. "The nerve."
As Parsl turned to walk away, Turles called out to him again. "P-Parsl! Wait..."
The Elite looked back at Turles and saw that the young Saiyans face was streaked with tears. He held up his trembling, remaining hand. "Please...don't leave me hear...th-the thrusters are going to..."
Parsl smiled wide. "Burn you alive~ I know."
Turles gasped his eyes going wide. Parsl raised his hand up and pointed his index finger. He fired another spate of beams at Turles' back, piercing it an additional fourteen times. He fired again and again, savoring each pained squeal as Turles' voice became quieter and quieter until, on the fourteenth shot, no sound came out at all.
Parsl chuckled and walked away. "Hopefully you'll be reborn as someone who knows their place, trash~"
On the path back to the Warhammer ship...
Bardock and Toma were both in a dead sprint for the Warhammer ship. They could see the heat warping the air around the thrusters and they knew that they didn't have long left. Toma turned to Bardock and called out. "Hey, you're faster than me! Take Gine and get to the ship quicker, just in case!"
Bardock shook his head. "Shut up, Toma! We still have plenty of time! We stick together in case any of these ugly bugs try to jump us!"
Toma fell silent for a moment, but then he nodded. "Gotcha."
"You act like it would be a big loss if you got jumped~"
Bardock and Toma both cringed at the annoying voice approaching from behind. They both looked up and watched as Parsl soared over head, flying towards the ship with a victorious smirk. Parsl chuckled. "This is excellent! My plan went off without a hitch! This will surely earn me top praise back on Planet Vegeta!"
Toma clenched his teeth. Bardock called up. "This was Turles' plan you overbearing, snobby dipshit! I ain't letting you bastards take credit from him again!"
Parsl glared down at the two. He wanted to stop and deal with them, just as he had the cripple, but knew that might leave him at the mercy of the ship's thrusters. He turned his eyes back forward and prepared to jet off, but then a shadow got right into his path. That shadow was Bardock, and the two of them glared into each other's eyes. Bardock spoke bluntly. "Where is Turles, anyway?"
Parsl felt a lump in his throat, but quickly dispelled it. Lying was a specialty of his just as it was for folk like Paragus and Zorn (Nappa was too dumb to properly lie). Parsl put on an air of annoyance, rolling his eyes. He needed to make this act as believable as possible to avoid a confrontation here and now. On the ship, Bardock would be easier to deal with. "Your pathetic sibling came across a soldier with some rather gruesome injuries. Multiple shots to the back. Crushed beneath rubble. He insisted I go on without him. I imagine he took that weak link back to the ship for treatment."
For a moment, Parsl thought that Bardock saw through his pristine falsehood, but then Bardock turned his attention to the ship. "Dammit Turles. You could at least call..."
The lie had worked. Parsl watched as Bardock and Toma continued their trek towards the ship with a victorious chuckle. "Excellent...~"
And then Parsl followed, thinking on how he would put these problems to rest for good and totally secure his hold over the Warhammer. On that ship, the pain in the ass would meet his end.
In the Warhammer ship...
And so, the plan went off without a hitch. The rest of the surviving Warhammers made it onto the ship and not one of them noticed any certain person missing. All of the faces no longer there were simply written off as casualties of war.
The thrusters of the ship were fired up and, just like Turles had explained, the extra charging time gave them extra power. The flames of the thrusters spread over the Kamikirian capital in seconds, turning the destroyed city into a sea of flames and death. The ship lurched forward, but the navigation team quickly corrected matters and got them steadily rising into the air. They had used their initial burst to fry the last of the Kamikirians, so now it would take them a few minutes before they could make their leap through the planet's atmosphere and back into space.
In the commons area of the Warhammer ship, the exhausted young Warhammers had all gathered. Toma, Fasha, Panbukin, Totepo, and Gine all sat in a huddle. Gine was fading in and out of consciousness, mainly due to her head injury, but she managed a brave smile.
Taro stood off to the side, himself quite exhausted. Parsl had ordered him into his office to discuss something, but the shorter Saiyan had decided he needed a minute to take a break before dealing with his thoroughly unpleasant commander.
Bardock, meanwhile, had gone off towards the med-bay. Ostensibly, it was to find Turles...but Toma had also noticed Bardock eyeing Gine's injury as if he were trying to calculate how many bandages she would need. The med bays were bound to be full, so Gine needed some kind of treatment until then.
It was when Bardock came marching back that things began to truly unfold on what had happened on the planet's surface. Bardock had a concerned look on his face. "Have any of you seen Turles?"
They all looked at him, visibly confused at the question. Bardock had gone to find Turles, after all. Surely, he had located him by now. But the look in Bardock's eyes quickly told them that something wasn't right. Panbukin stood. "What do you mean? He's supposed to be in the med bay, right?"
Toma nodded. "That's what we heard."
Bardock shook his head. "Well, he's not."
Fasha perked up a bit, her exhaustion fading. "Is he in his office?"
Bardock shook his head. Totepo took the bandages and began to patch Gine up. The youngest of them looked up at Bardock. "H-He has to be on the ship, right? I mean, it was Turles' plan to fire the thrusters off! He wouldn't have mistimed and stayed behind! H-He's too smart for that...!"
There was a pregnant silence in the room. Bardock turned, a man possessed. He was making a beeline for navigation. Taro quickly ran after him. "Hey! Bardock! Don't jump the gun, now!"
Bardock glared back at Taro, his stride becoming even faster. "No! I'm not taking a chance on this! You guys all search the ship! I'm going to go to navigation and make them-"
The door leading from the room opened and a hand came shooting through, slapping into Bardock's chest and sending him flying back. Bardock hit the ground with a thud and glared at his attacker: Parsl.
Parsl sneered. "What are you all doing loitering around here?! You all stink. Go to your quarters at once!"
His eyes narrowed. "Except for you, Bardock..."
On a personal level, Parsl had nothing against Bardock. He didn't care enough to. But Turles' words earlier had struck the nastiest little cord in the Elite's head. This boy was growing way too big and way too fast for a mere low-class. Parsl had to nip this issue in the bud if he was to ever take the Warhammer as his own.
Very briefly, Parsl turned his glare from Bardock to the others. "Are you gibbering fools deaf?! I said get lost! Now get-"
"You."
Parsl turned his attention back to Bardock. The young man had stood, his pupils the size of pinpricks. "You're the one that told us Turles was in the med bay. I asked around. They hadn't seen him..."
Parsl was non-plussed. "And?"
Bardock continued. "You lied. Wh..."
His lips turned from his normal scowl to one dripping with a blind fury. Bardock's nose wrinkled and his canines scraped across his bottom teeth. "What did you do?!"
Parsl maintained a cool head. But then, he closed his eyes and shrugged. A smug grin spread across his face as he began to chuckle. "What do you want? A play-by-play? There's nothing too artful about it. I simply defended something your flea-bitten brain would have no concept of: Saiyan Pride. You see, when an Elite like I am embarrassed by something lesser, that afront must be addressed. Therefore, I did nothing major. I simply did my duty...and disposed of trash that began to think it was treasure~"
Everyone's eyes went wide. Bardock was trembling in place. He had a look of white-hot hatred on his face. Parsl took a fighting stance, looking smug. "Allow me to show you what I mean."
But then, Bardock did something that caught Parsl off-guard. He turned and immediately ran the other way. Before anyone could even start after him, Bardock was at the controls for the hangar door. He smashed his fist onto the button and the shudder began to rise, opening up a view to what could only be described as Hell!
It was a sea of flames down on Planet Kamikiri. The sight of various Kamikirians burnt to a crisp in the flames below was almost maddening. It was a burning funeral pyre for an entire species of people. Bardock looked down at this ocean of burning death and he felt that same pressure in his chest as he had felt before. Just as he was about to leap, two firm hands wrapped around each of Bardock's arms and held him in place. Bardock turned his attention to his new captors, seeing Panbukin and Totepo on either side. He snarled. "What are you doing?! Let me go!"
Panbukin was blunt. "So, you can jump into that?! Are you insane, man?! You'd burn to death in seconds!"
Bardock sneered and struggled, the difference in his strength and theirs immediately apparent. "Screw that! If he's down there, I gotta go get him! I gotta-"
"Allow me, gentlemen~"
A fist came arching around Bardock's head, smashing into the upper bridge of his nose and sending him flying back as if he'd been clotheslined. Bardock crashed into a pile of crates, but was quickly joined by Panbukin and Totepo, both of whom had been easily thrashed. Bardock sat up as blood began to pool on his forehead. It trickled down his face like a mask. Parsl stood next to the open door, the silhouette of flames making him look especially ghoulish. "If you want to jump into the flames, you are more than welcome to. But only after we finish our business, low-class. I still need to prove a simple fact of life to you~"
Bardock didn't give a damn about Parsl at this moment. He stumbled forward. The burning sting of blood in his eyes making him squint as he made for the shutter doors again. Bardock thought he felt a cut on his cheek as well, just above the scar Cassava gave him, He didn't care. That didn't matter. He stumbled to the door and looked down into the hellishly hot sea of fire again. "WE CAN'T LEAVE HIM HERE! WE CAN'T! TURN THE GODDAMNED SHIP AROUND!"
He felt that slimy bastard's touch on his shoulder again. Bardock was whipped around and came face-to-face with Parsl. His lips were raised into a bow of utter scorn, his teeth shined dully bright due to the fire and made the flesh on his lips almost translucent. Parsl snarled. "WE AREN'T TURNING THE DAMNED SHIP AROUND FOR CRIPPLED, LOW-CLASS SCUM!"
Parsl's fist smashed into Bardock's cheek scar and sent him crashing to the ground. Shakily, Bardock pushed himself up and reached a hand out towards the flames as they slowly got farther away. "NO! TURLES!"
Bardock was frozen in place. This was something that he had always feared, but had always pushed into the deepest parts of his brain. His body couldn't act in any way to compensate. Parsl stood over him, a look of sick delight in his eyes. He knew just what to say before he booted Bardock into the fire below. "Do you wanna know his last words, Bardock? Do you?"
Bardock's body shuddered, but couldn't move. Parsl licked his lips. "I just need a second to think on how to make the sound. Each of the fifteen yelps was different as I fired energy beams into that fool's back~ The first was loud and sharp~ Then it became quieter. And duller. And quieter. And duller..."
Parsl was pulling his foot back to give Bardock a kick. "And quieter. And duller. And quieter. And duller. And-"
Suddenly, as quick as a bolt of lightning, Bardock reared up and smashed Parsl across the face with his fist. Parsl went stumbling back and tightly gripped his jaw, sneering at what felt like gravel in him mouth. He spat and several shards of broken teeth clattered to the floor. He looked up. "You little-"
Knee to the face! Parsl stumbled back again and Bardock lunged onto him, screaming with a hoarse rage and pounding into the Elite with everything he had in him. Parsl felt ribs crunch, muscles tear, skin split! Bardock fist smashed into the indent of Parsl's left eye and he felt something burst in the socket, followed by a darkness blacker than black.
Parsl stumbled back and cried out in agony. Bardock screamed again, so loud that blood erupted from his throat, and went for another attack. But this time, Parsl was ready. The Elite Saiyan pulled his hands to the side, summoning a ki blast in each, and then clapped them together on the sides of Bardock's head. The ki exploded and surged out of Parsl's palms, engulfing everything north of Bardock's throat. Parsl cackled. "See?! No matter how strong you are, you'll never-"
Parsl's blood ran cold. In the illumination of his own attack, he could see the silhouette of Bardock's head. The shadows from the ridges and contours of the boy's face made an appearance, looking not unlike a skull wreathed in flames. The shock was enough to cause Parsl to falter. And that falter provided just enough time for Bardock to burst free of the attack, his burned face shooting towards Parsl's like a rocket.
Bardock's head crashed into Parsl's and sent the Elite Saiyan crashing onto his ass. He growled and tried to get back to his feet, but Bardock was already on top of him. The boy was holding a piece of the shattered, metal crates aloft and brought it down with all of the force he could muster. The metal hunk crashed into the side of Parsl's head, jerking his entire neck to the side with such force that the vertebrae within crumbled and the precious cord they protected frayed and snapped as if dry-rotted. Parsl went tumbling across the floor and then landed, falling very still. His breathing was ragged, but he was alive. And in the worst pain of his entire sheltered life.
And just like that, all of the strength and the fury left Bardock. He fell to his knees, the shadows of pain resting on his cheeks and under his eyes as grim reality began to set. Bardock curled into a ball, a fetal position of pain and terror. And he loudly began to scream into the floor. His comrades approached him, but only Gine dared to get close. She placed her hand on Bardock's shoulder and felt him shuddering.
But then, a voice called out from off to the side and everyone snapped their attention towards it. "WH-WHAT ARE YOU F-F-FUH-HOOLS D-DOING?!"
Screaming from his spot on the ground was Parsl. His body jerked and jittered like it had electricity going through it, but no real movement was being made. His broken neck was making sure of that. The Elite Saiyan snarled through clenched teeth. "You just s-saw him! He attacked me! He-He's a t-t-traitor! A trah-haitor! D-Do what needs to b-be done!"
Blood erupted from Parsl's mouth. "P-Pick me up off of this f-f-filthy floor and then t-toss him out!"
Everyone stood there, staring at Parsl. His eyes were wide and manic, but he was clearly quite helpless. He looked like he was about to start screaming again when, suddenly, Toma marched over and did as he was told. He picked Parsl up, slinging the Elite's arm over his shoulder. Parsl cackled. "Good! Good! Good job, Toma! You-"
Toma cut him off. "Shut your mouth and listen up, Parsl. It's about time you learned about the Warhammer."
Parsl flinched as much as his paralysis would allow. Toma glared over at him. "Cassava always made one thing clear to all of us. And that thing was that we're all alone in this world. Cast offs. But, in spite of that, we're also quite lucky..."
Toma began to walk, but not towards a seat to set Parsl in. Parsl snapped. "What are you doing?!"
Toma continued. "She always said we were lucky because we ended up with each other. Outcasts are miserable, but misery begets company. We belong together. That's how it's always been. In the Warhammer, there is no sin greater than betrayal..."
Parsl tried to jerk himself free of Toma's grip, but he could barely feel anything below his chin. Toma snarled out his next sentence. "We loved Turles, you piece of shit!"
Toma stood at the edge of the shutter doorway, he and Parsl both staring down into the hellish flames below. Parsl was now quite terrified. "N-No! Toma! Wait! I-I-I-"
Toma shoved Parsl out of the ship. The crippled Elite stared down at the flaming hellscape below him and he heard Toma speak in a quiet voice. "Burn, traitor."
Parsl's death wasn't instantaneous, not by Toma's ears at least. The crippled traitor landed into the burning ruins of what was once a building and shrieked at the top of his lungs. That shrill yell of fear and pain echoed out, only seeming to get louder and louder. Toma was unmoved, smashing the button to the shutters with his fist and turning away as they came sliding down.
Toma joined the others back around the screaming Bardock, watching with a numb sadness as his fellow Saiyan smashed his forehead against the ground. There was a puddle of blood oozing across the floor. Gine, her injured head still throbbing, gently rubbed Bardock's back. "Bardock, please stop. You're..."
Gine's words caught in her throat as Bardock raised his head from the ground once more. She expected a look of fury, as was Bardock's typical response. But Bardock's face betrayed no anger. His was a mask of grief, pure and undiluted. He screamed again, as if mortally wound and tears ran from his eyes and down his cheeks. He smashed his forehead to the ground again and again, screaming at the top of his lungs and sobbing his heart out.
And then the true horror of the situation set in and Gine's eyes overflowed as well. "Turles. Oh god. Oh my god, Turles...!"
Fasha's body began to shudder and she fell to her knees. Toma smashed his fist into his forehead and sobbed. And the Panbukin and Toteppo, the two grimmest of the group, also both broke down.
Taro stood across from the lot of them, a look of pity on his face. The older Saiyan sighed and pressed his hand to his eyes as his own dire realization hit him. Parsl was dead, Turles was dead, and Cassava was gone. That left him in charge of all of this. Taro bit his lower lip and let loose a shuddering sigh. And then he began to walk towards the ships bridge. "Hey, brats..."
None of them looked up, in fact Fasha fell even lower. Taro sighed again. "The Warhammer is dead. Vegeta III will see to that now that we've gotten one of his lackeys killed. So, we need to start packing our parachutes..."
Taro looked back at them: Toma, Fasha, Panbukin, Toteppo, Gine, and Bardock. "The others will find their own way. I know they will. But...if you're all okay with the idea...I think I'd prefer we all stick together..."
Bardock screamed again, tears and blood mixing on the floor. Taro sighed. "Take as long as you need. I know it's hard. Loss is hard. But once you're all done...come and find me. And let's see where we can take things from here..."
Back in present day...
Bardock's eyes slowly cracked open as he felt the de-stasis mist of the Attack Ball spray over him. His body was aching from lack of movement. His muscles felt less like elastic and more like plastic. He groaned as he sat up. "Just like the good ol' days..."
The older Saiyan looked down at the flowerpot and the ki-restricting handcuffs sat in his lap. "Right then. Enough dreaming about the past..."
The hatch to the Attack Ball slid open and Bardock stood. Above him was an inky sky full of twinkling stars. Around him was nothing but cold, barren rock. It was frigid out here, and the air had that artificial taste to it. Around Bardock, as he walked, various rocks floated in the soupy lack of gravity. Above head, he could see the lights of various buildings shining from around the titantic, rocky shelves that hung above.
Bardock had set the navigation in the computer to what he vaguely remembered as a set of coordinates from the West Galaxy. Beyond that, he ordered the computer to simply seek out the biggest cluster of energy signatures it could detect and land him there. Bardock sighed. "The closest cluster was an asteroid belt..."
Stepping to the edge of the asteroid he had landed on, Bardock looked out over the various settlements. All of them shined with a light that could only be described as untrustworthy. Teeming hives of scum and villainy all around, with nary a Frieza Force nor Galactic Patrol to unify them. Bardock nodded. "Okay. I guess this is a good place to start..."
