Bulma races through the sky pushing the cargo plane from her set of Capsule vehicles as fast as it will go. She follows the beeping of the Dragon Radar directing her to the location of the Four Star Dragon Ball. Her passengers converse behind her in the cargo hull finalizing their plan of attack.
"Okay one more time," says Chichi.
"I'll go in first to get his attention focused on me," says Goku.
"Krillin and I won't be far behind to hopefully catch him off guard and act as the first line of backup if Goku gets in trouble," says Yamcha.
Krillin nods in agreement with a hesitant gulp. His eyes never leave the floor.
"And finally," says Chichi, "Bulma will fly over to drop Master Roshi and I off to grab Gohan and get out of there."
With that, the group moves away from each other to prepare mentally for the task at hand. Goku approaches Yamcha who is stretching his right shoulder by swinging his arm in a windmill fashion.
"You sure you're ready to fly down there from up here Yamcha?" asks Goku.
"Like I told you. After watching you and Krillin do it in the last World Martial Arts Tournament, I taught myself how to do it too," says Yamcha. "That said, I'm glad we flew in a plane because I can't fly very fast yet without using a lot of ki."
Yamcha notices Krillin intently focused on the metal floor.
"You know, the only time I thought I was catching you guys was when I learned the Kamehameha for the previous tournament," he says. Then speaking directly to Krillin, "but Krillin, you surprised everyone by using it your first time that same tournament. I couldn't believe it. Then after Tien and Chiaotzu showed us it could be done, you mastered flying for the next one. You are incredible."
Goku smiles as Krillin's face lightens up with some positivity for the first time since boarding the plane.
"I hope you guys are ready," says Bulma over her shoulder. "We're nearly there."
The group of warriors steel themselves for the rescue mission to come.
###
Cui lands with an arm wrapped around a Gohan's waist. Gohan cries despite having no tears left after the long flight. He kicks and screams in a bid to break free.
"Stop your wailing already!" says Cui. "I need to make a report and can't have you screaming in the background.
"Besides, you should be happy for the opportunity to join the greatest empire in the universe rather than becoming a worthless weakling on this soon to be destroyed planet. You should thank me actually, for saving your miserable life."
When the tantrum does not subside, Cui offers a threat.
"Either stop your crying or I'm going to lock you in my pod until you do."
This only causes Gohan to intensify his outburst.
"Fine, have it your way," says Cui.
He pulls out a flat remote from under the neckline of his armor and presses a button. His spaceship unseals as the door drops down. He shoves Gohan inside and closes it up immediately to prevent escape.
As he walks back up the crater made by his landing, his scouter goes off. It detects a power level beyond anything he has encountered on this planet so far. Cui spins around trying to follow the direction indicated by the device as the source of the danger. It points directly to the space pod where he deposited Gohan. The device continues to careen upward through the six hundreds before slowing down and settling just over seven hundred.
"I'm–impossible," says Cui. "A child couldn't have a power level that high. It's over twice as strong as his low class father. And, and even if he did, power levels are supposed to be static and only change slightly over long periods of time. How can his change so drastically this suddenly?"
He takes a deep breath.
"Get a hold of yourself," he says. "Obviously it's time for a new scouter. This one has finally gone on the fritz.
"Anyway, time to report in. Argh–eh–hm. This is Cui providing a status update. Kakarot has failed to prepare this planet for colonization. I repeat we will need an extermination team sent in to eliminate the native population. When my ship finishes recharging, I will return to base with more in depth details. I am bringing an interesting souvenir, though. Kakarot had a son who could be useful to us. Cui signing off."
The visitor sits down atop the crater waiting for the energy source of his ship to finish replenishing itself in order to lift off of the planet. He checks his scounter again, pointing it at the kid in his space pod.
"It's still fluctuating around seven hundred," he says, annoyed.
He rocks back and forth slightly while patting his thighs with each hand in an alternating manner. He always hates waiting around in between missions when he could be out conquering the next planet for the empire. Then he remembers something that could alleviate his boredom.
He strolls down the crater's slope and opens his ship. Gohan cowers to the back as Cui's arm somewhat hesitantly reaches in while his scouter continues to remind him of the supposed threat the child's power level poses. He grabs hold of the orange sphere atop the boy's head and holds it up to his face to examine it.
"Tell me kid. What is this strange jewel? Is it worth anything?" he says.
"I–I don't have to tell you anything you big, big, evil meanie!" says Gohan, starting to cry again.
"Hm. So you have a little fight in you after all. How about I make a deal with you? You tell me about this jewel and then I won't kill your family and friends," says Cui.
"My daddy's not afraid of you. He's the strongest person there is!"
"Ha, I've got news for you punk. Your daddy may be the biggest fish on this tiny pond of a planet, but where I come from, he's not even worth snacking on," says Cui, grabbing Gohan by the collar and lifting him to the sky.
Fear enters the boy's eyes now, and his power level begins to drop.
"Now tell me what I want to know."
"It's a Dragon Ball," says Gohan, weeping.
"See. Was that so hard?" says Cui. He shoves Gohan back in the pod. "Now is it valuable?"
"It could be I guess. If you find someone who knows what they do."
"They? There's more than one? And what do they do?"
"My daddy says if you collect all seven, a magic dragon is summoned that will grant any wish asked of it."
"That's quite a story. Seven magic balls that summon a wish granting dragon," muses Cui. "You know. Maybe I will join the extermination squad. It could be fun trying to find the other six while destroying this place. It would certainly break up the monotony of killing weaklings."
Just then, Cui's scouter goes off indicating several strong power levels approaching his location.
"What the?" he says. "These are the same readings I got from Kakarot and his gang of losers. But how could they know where I am?"
"I told you my dad wasn't afraid of you," Gohan says in triumph.
"You little brat. There's still no way they could have found my ship."
"My dad has a radar that can find the Dragon Balls," Gohan says. "You didn't know that, did you? Now you're going to be sorry."
"A radar huh. If these jewels really do give off an energy signal that can be detected, then maybe there's some truth to your little story after all. Thanks for the information, kid. I'll be sure to take that radar from your father's dead body when I kill him and his pesky friends."
Cui smiles horrifically while allowing himself to entertain the thought of actually making any wish he wants for a moment.
Gohan's brief moment of superiority ends in a renewed terror. Cui locks up the pod again and walks out of the crater. After getting several yards away from it, he stops.
"And as a little insurance for success," says Cui. "I've got a surprise for them."
He pulls a vial from his armor with caps on both ends and a divider separating it into two halves. One half is full of tiny green spheres while the other holds an almost luminous green liquid. He drops to one knee and opens one end of the bottle. He dumps the little orbs into his palm and works them one at a time so they drop to the ground spread evenly apart. He casually pokes each one beneath the surface before unscrewing the cap on the other side. The liquid spills forth over the disturbed soil.
"Drink up little ones. You're going to have some fun soon."