The door opened to Bill's room he nearly jumped up when it happens. He had been trying to get back to sleep after Mai had gotten up to use the bathroom. Bill looked and saw with the little bit of light he had who it was, it was Gohan in his pajamas. The boy saw Bill and from what he could tell was surprised that Bill was even up.
"Dad you're up?"
Bill nervous he said loudly so that Mai in the bathroom could hear "Yeah son I'm up."
"Bad dreams again?"
"Yeah."
Gohan strolled up and crawled onto his bed. Gohan hugged him. The boy obviously thought that this would make him feel better instead it made him feel awkward. He wasn't wearing any clothing the sheet was around him but that was it.
Bill hoping to get the boy out of the room before he discovered Mai asked him "Gohan why aren't you with your mom?" Sure, it was rare that he asked this sort of question of Gohan but times they were tough.
Gohan pulled away then he sniffed "My gruncle's dragon ball is broken."
Bill grabbed a flashlight that he had in a draw in his nightstand and flashed it on Gohan. He was holding a perfectly round stone. Bill looked at it and sighed.
"I showed it to mom and she got really sad afterwards."
He sighed yet again Kakarrot hurt her "It means that she has lost another good friend." But he supposed she hasn't lost him completely.
"Am I a monster dad?"
Bill was taken aback "What do you mean by that?"
"The last two humans that we meet with tails like mine killed people."
Bill felt like vomiting his boy was nothing like those monsters and certainly nothing like Kakarrot. He grabbed hold of Gohan and maybe a little forcefully said "NO! Your nothing like them. Not even in a little bit. Your kind and gentle and they were nothing but monsters."
Gohan was simply unconvinced he could as Gohan said "Mom said I need to beware others with tails like mine."
"And she was right to tell you that. Many with your tail are not so nice."
"Are you scared of my tail dad?"
Bill looked him in the eyes even though it was dark. He wouldn't give him details but just enough to convince him of the higher truth. "Before you came along a man with a tail did some very horrible things to me. He took away some people that I care about deeply and he did the same with your mom. But that was that man and you are you. A mere fact of a tail doesn't make you anything, good or bad. I was nervous when I first meet you, I grant you, but you proved that you are good. You can choose who you want to be."
His words stung his tongue he knew in this moment he was a hypocrite, but this applied to Gohan not to him. He was just a bad man that kept worse men from the door. He was just a spy and liar.
Bill held Gohan close as Mai emerged from the bathroom having put on most of her clothing. She then proceeded to use all her UNIT training to escape the room without making a sound. Gohan fell asleep and Bill used the opportunity to get on at least some underwear.
In the future he thought he was going to have to start locking his door.
On Earth
Romulus was holding court. Since his father and the rest of what he thought was his kind was away, he was left in charge. Well to be truthful Moff Black was really in charge but he would be pretending that Romulus was in charge. He sat on his father's chair high above were the rest of the court were.
Romulus remembered his father word that 'Gero's were made of steel and were wolves among sheep'. That he was strong at the strong merely need to prove their strength. He didn't know if he could eat men like his father did but all he needed to do was prove his strength.
They strolled a man in, he was a ragged thing. The guards had given him a real work over. Black read the charges. He was guilty of spreading slander of the party and the Emperor. Of having an alternative lifestyle. Of being a Resistance member and a traitor.
The man didn't seem a threat to Romulus. Instead he looked like a dog that had been beaten. He had been starved and left in a dirty hole by himself until he confessed. He looked broken.
His mind was screaming different things throughout the proceedings. He knew what he had to say but it felt wrong. He looked at Remus who seemed to equally be at least sympathetic to this broken thing.
He felt like he was about to say something he shouldn't but then it was like he felt his father behind him judging him. He suddenly felt his sister's eyes. He knew she licking her lips looking for more reasons why she should be Empress after father died.
Romulus spoke like he was possessed by the mouth of his father "Death by boiling acid. Live on camera and shall as your Prince I shall do the pouring."
Remus looked distressed, but Livy was bitter.
Romulus came down as they brought in a tub. It would take a while for the acid to heat up but in the meantime, Remus came and accosted him.
"Brother what are you doing?"
"The man is guilty he deserves death."
"Yeah but this seems wrong."
Romulus forcefully he said "We are gods as our father is. We cannot be wrong we are strong so be strong. This is our empire not our sister's. It is mine by right."
Romulus walked with feet that weren't his own and when the time came to pour the acid with hands that weren't his own and listened to the screams with ears that weren't his own and saw the horror with eyes that weren't his own.
None of it felt good, none of it was his own will but he thought 'This is how things need to be.'
On TV Videl watched the execution. The first couple of times she had vomited but now this did nothing to her. The words better him than me came to mind and the idea of anyone who betrays the Emperor deserves this also. This all just started to feel normal.
People die, and they die horribly when they question the status quo. No reason to dwell on it. She got back to finger painting. She made a picture of what she just saw and she wasn't alone most of her class seemed to be now making pictures of horror as their teachers encouraged them.
Yardrat
Kakarrot sighed as he looked at the monument of a saiyan in the ruins of the monastery. It was disappointing to know a group of people that may have worshipped him were now all dead.
A young officer in his Moral Order uniform with his laughing skull on his cap approached him. "My Lord we have begun to search the planet for evidence of where they may have gone. Now that we have confirmed that they have left."
"Round up all of this world's populace get them to talk." He pointed at the statue. "Do you know what that is son?"
He asked not sure "A statue of a saiyan my lord?"
"It's called proof. Inform the archeologic team to get down here to dig this place up. Hominids are the true masters of this universe and I believe this statue is proof of that fact."
The Captain heiled and did as he was bid.
Kakarrot knew that according to intelligence that Frieza and the Ginyus had already passed him and even if they left right now, they would still beat him to Namek but that didn't really matter. The plan was already working. The fleets were going to use this opportunity to attack. Nothing would stand in their way and the galaxy would be his.
This planet however had his attention. It felt weird like Korin's tower. Obnoxious powers were at work here.
Instinct was telling him to go so he did. He flew to the ruins of a town. Sniffing the air, he found a piece of her gi ripped from her during what must have been quite a fight. He inhaled her sent. Must have been from her pants he thought.
"She must be getting a lot stronger. She'll probably put up quite the fight." He smiled. He put the bit of cloth in his pocket and then began to scout around.
This planet was a mystery to him. Nothing about this place seemed to add up. It had forest next to deserts. Something was screwy here and it was not just that monastery. Finally, he came to a tree a gnarltree at the center to clearing in a forest. The tree seemed to invite him to land. He found himself landing drawn in like a moth to a light.
The area seemed to become misty around him. It suddenly became twilight despite it begin morning when he landed. The mist around him seemed to take shape in front of him was Tien a dent in his chest.
"You killed me."
Kakarrot rolled his eyes "Oh please. You think I'm stupid. Number one if he had joined me. I would have let him and the rest, Chiaotzu, his baby momma and his kid. Hell, I let his kid live. If your trying to make me feel bad, word to the wise, try not to play to my guilt because I have no guilt. Everyone I will or have killed had it coming." He chuckled, and Tien was gone.
"Whoever is doing this come out and make this quick."
A figure coming out of the mist "No you won't."
Kakarrot looked to see a version of himself dressed in the same clothes as those dead monks. When he spoke Kakarrot noticed that he spoke like a hick like he had spent years living in some nowhere mountains.
"Well who in the hell are you supposed to be."
"My name is Son Goku. A saiyan from Earth."
"Well friend the name's Kakarrot Gero Earth's Emperor."
"The monks said I'd see a dark version of myself. I'd didn't think he'd be so weak."
Kakarrot growled this guy was already pissing him off by just being here "I'd hold my tongue. You don't know who I'm really."
"By just looking at you I can tell that you're some low life murderer."
Kakarrot lunged at him only to find himself easily pushed back by Son Goku with a punch. The other Saiyan was clearly stronger.
"What a shame. So much talent wasted trying to hurt people."
Kakarrot chuckled on the ground "Life's a waste. Why don't you do something that you find fun like I have."
Son Goku seemed to ignore that statement "The monks aren't here so they told me to tell you something in person."
Kakarrot kicked at him but he easily dodged him.
"Your own actions will be your undoing. One of your son's will kill you until that day live in fear. And by the way." Son Goku hair turned golden. His eyes turned blue. His aura grew and was golden. "I guess this is what you'd consider true power?"
Kakarrot was stunned he could feel the power that was coming off of him. It was incredible to say the least.
"Stay there in the dirt monster. It's where you belong."
He walked away turning his back on him. He disappeared into the mist that seemed to be dissipating. The world came back and he found himself in some mud.
The captain was on the radio asking where he was. He wiped the blood from his face from the punch from earlier. He thought so it wasn't just a dream.
Kakarrot laughed then "Mistake number one. Let your enemies live and they'll stab you in the back. Oh, my friend you have just show me what real power looks like. The jokes on you now I know what I'm looking for. I guess that means Chi-Chi's kids a-no-go. Oh well still got plenty of kids without him. Everyone always underestimates me like you do. I'll reward you for that arrogance one day. In the meantime." He put his hand to his ear. "Captain ready my ship. We'll leave a team here. While I go on to Namek." He looked at the tree. "Thanks for the advice."
On a ship approaching Namek
Vegeta strolled into the bridge. Raditz and Nappa were already there. The moment he entered the crew jumped up and heiled.
All of the Saiyan's were now dress in Gero made armor as opposed to their PTO armor. They were in their colors.
The admiral spoke to the prince "My Lord we are making our final approach to Namek in an hour or so, we will arrive. We have confirmation that we are not the first ones here. A ship it appears just landed on the planet's surface but it's not Frieza's. It appears that my Lord there is a third party in play."
Vegeta grinning "Very good. Find us a good place to land and see if you can find them and the Namekian before we land."
Sitting in the chair getting heiled felt good. He had to admit that lacking Saiyans these humans fit nicely. Respect was a good drug. After he got immortality and killed Frieza and Kakarrot he was going to keep around the humans. The Prince figured that they would bow to whomever was the strongest which would soon be him.
It had been quite fortunate that Kakarrot had decided to not be here. Vegeta figured that he could gather them all long before Kakarrot came or Frieza. He would be King of the Saiyans, the new Emperor of Earth and Milky Way.
Yes, destiny had finally come. He would rule and there won't be a damn thing anyone in the universe could do about it.
On the view screen appeared an image of the green world. It did not seem to have continents like the Earth instead this planet was defined by an endless archipelago and a single snaking ocean in-between. It was an old planet nowhere near as vibrant as the Earth's. Its core was cold growing colder. This planet was an old woman that was waiting for death.
Vegeta spoke to both Raditz and Nappa "The Ginyu will most likely come before Frieza gets here. We have all grown stronger than before. We will kill them, and we will avenge our people and show them what his sick joke of sparing us is going to cost him."
The two nodded in agreement. Vegeta stared at the planet he saw to him destiny approaching.
Namek
The radar was flashing red. Ships from Earth were coming Bill knew that this meant Kakarrot was coming. He looked at Chi-Chi, but it was pointless arguing with her or Bulma they had all this idea that it was ice cream and rainbows if they summon the dragon and no amount of logic was going to convince them otherwise.
"Since we're not going to listen to reason then. We're going to have to capsulize the ship and hide the kids and wounded somewhere so they can't find them."
The group nodded in agreement and they soon emerged onto the green world. Its water, sky and land where all practically one color. It was odd to say the least and a little unnerving. Bill thought that it would be a problem when they need to find something as this planet gave the impression that this was an accurate representation of this entire planet.
This planet revolved around three suns, so night was only once every thousand years or something but there was no time to do the math. Days could at best be judged by which sun was in the sky or not but that would mean there are three calendars here. It had no moons or tides. Yes, this place was quite foreign.
They capsulized the ship and went looking for a place to hide. Not far from where they landed, they found a cave and decided to set up shop there. With true military precision they got set up. The kids even helped. When they finally got all set up it was go time.
Chi-Chi putting her foot on a rock said "Alright it's time to make friends. Sorry but I'm going to need your radar Bulma. Gohan and Trunks your coming with me." Bill and Bulma both looked upset and confused. Chi-Chi took the radar out of Bulma hands. "Now the reason why is simple I don't think the Namekians will respond really well to armed soldiers coming into their town and I might need their help to fight the Saiyans. Gohan has trained with me and so has Trunks I'll keep them save."
Before more could be said the three left, Gohan and Trunks both quite eager to get in on the action while they left two frustrated parents behind.
Bill looked at his watch it said land fall was imminent "We don't have much time."
Chi-Chi and the kids quickly found a village. The people also quickly looked to find them. They all possessed powers like Piccolo and Kami. Chi-Chi and the kids landed in town. The Namekian all looked very much a little, like the planet they lived on they were green in shades.
They didn't at all seem very advanced. Chi-Chi knew from Bulma that they had built a spaceship, but this seemed pre-industrial. Their clothes were all handmade and it looked like their homes had no floors. They tended gardens with hand tools. This was not an advanced place.
A crowd surrounded them with a mix of curiosity and fear. It seemed visitors were unheard of here.
An older Namekian came forward. He was kind of like Kami if he was darker and pear shaped. So, he didn't look much like him but definitely gave a similar vibe.
"My child my name is Elder Moori. I must ask you who are you and why have you come here."
Chi-Chi and the kids bowed but Chi-Chi did the talking "Moori my name is Chi-Chi, and this is my son Gohan and my friends kid Trunks. We have come here because I must have your dragon ball and warn you of the terrible monsters that are coming to your world."
There were gasps and whispers it would seemed she scared them.
"Very well. Allow me to see into your thoughts to see the truth of your heart and your claims." Chi-Chi nodded, and he came forward and touched her head. He seemed sadder. "I see. You mended your heart. You have faced much young warrior and triumphed. You are indeed worthy of the dragon ball. However, this business with the Saiyans is quite troubling. You must take this to Guru at once."
"Guru?"
"Our planet's Guardian the eldest Namekian. Father to me and all others who live on this planet."
"Father?"
"My people don't reproduce like you Hominids we are all what you would call Asexual."
"Oh well so your going to take me to him?"
"No but Dende will." A young Namekian came forward he looked nervous. "He is this tribes future elder. I need the strong ones to protect the tribe, but he shall serve as a good guide. Come now child I have seen her heart she is pure they will protect you."
Dende came to them and bowed. "I will help you strangers."
Both Trunks and Gohan seemed happy with this it looked like this would be there first experience with a kid their same age. However, the smiles died as they felt Vegeta. The Empire had come to Namek.
Next chapter touchdown. So, it seems like Kakarrot way of doing things is being learned by the next generation huh.
