I wish I owned DBZ, but I don't. I own DVD's and tapes, but it just isn't the same. Nor do I own any legal imprinting of whatever theme I'm using, such as a crossover with another anime, movie or TV series. Did I think it up? Yes. Was I the first to think it up? Probably not, but I digress. I also don't own the rights to any of the music pieces you see selected, just the merchandise, such a shame. The artists that created them are geniuses and we all must bow to them.

Chapter 34: Schemes

It was several hours later before Torev returned to the base. Once he did, he again found his new team in the hall, only it was much more battered than it had been before, with the Kihon Brothers looking quite beaten up, though Ginyu also had a partially torn and cracked uniform. Lightare had been healed and was in a fresh uniform, but that didn't keep him from glaring hard at Torev when he reentered the base. Torev only made mental notes as he passed them all, though he did find Frost waiting at the throne, smiling the entire time.

"I see you have returned, such wonderful timing. I was about to call a meeting with Doctor Wheelo to discuss operations. Come back here in about an hour so you've had time to clean up and eat a meal, I know how important that is for you Saiyans. Ask your mate to please attend. Captain Ginyu, that goes for you and your team as well. Your matches were quite impressive to watch, your team has earned a respite," Frost declared. Torev merely rolled his eyes a bit and gave Frost a very short nod before exiting the hall. He was disappointed in his brief time out of the base, but through no fault of anyone there. He had chosen to move out to the barren countryside where he could meditate in an effort to find a deeper power forming within himself. When he didn't find it, his frustration boiled up, and so did his borrowed demon energy. While he knew that he shouldn't get impatient, he still found it problematic. He found Kaon waiting for him, but she was soaking in a boiling hot bath instead of the bed.

"I take it training didn't pan out like you had hoped," Kaon said without looking when he entered the room, her hair wrapped in a towel while the rest of her was submerged below the neck.

"Not exactly. This method to increase my power isn't going to be an overnight thing is it?" Torev asked.

Kaon turned slightly with a concerned expression, "No, you'll have to rely on my generous donations of energy. I hope that's okay."

Torev smirked as he removed his black top, "I can think of worse ways to wait."

Kaon grinned as she glowed with pink and purple energy, "Good, because you'll have to earn it."

"Well not too long this time, Frost has called a meeting in about an hour. I trust that's enough time to take care of the chores and get a decent meal," Torev said as he began removed his pants.

Kaon stood up, dripping wet, "Well, depends on how long you last this time. So, you better get over here."

Exactly one hour later, Torev and Kaon walked into the hall, fully dressed this time. There they found Frost, Soren, Sorbet, Captain Ginyu, Buro, Kati Cash and Doctor Wheelo waiting. Kati and Wheelo stood the furthest apart, which was not a surprise. There were also many other soldiers on the far side, but they were not to be involved. There were also three human looking figures standing in place but not moving not far from Wheelo, though Torev sensed nothing off about them.

"Ah, my friends, welcome. Mistress Kaon, is the penthouse comfortable enough for your tastes?" Frost asked. Torev's eyebrow raised at the sudden hint of courtesy, but said nothing as Kaon grabbed a hold of his hand.

"Well, it was. You might want to get someone in there to replace the bed, and reinforce it next time," she admitted as she blushed slightly.

Frost smiled, "I would expect nothing less. How about you Lord Torev?"

Torev's eyebrow remained raised, "It's adequate."

"Buro, assign a team to attend to their room immediately. We can't have our honored guests sleeping in a broken bed after all," Frost said as Buro nodded and quietly turned on his scouter to communicate.

"So, what is this meeting all about? We all have more important work to do than to concern ourselves over a glorified hotel suite," Wheelo grumbled as he appeared to fumble around with something in his lab coat.

"Yes doctor, I agree. So, what were your conclusions about your cyborgs' ability to procreate?" Frost asked. Wheelo noticeably hesitated to answer, but Sorbet was only so happy to step forward.

"After careful examination of the technology involved, I have to say that the cyborg humans that have already been transformed will not be able to reproduce. Most of them only have a few internal organs remaining and use mostly artificial parts to replace both critical and non-critical functions," Sorbet reported.

Wheelo scowled at the small blue alien's prompt report, but nodded, "Yes, I am afraid that is the case Lord Frost."

Frost's smile faded, "Very well then, you are hereby not allowed to mass produce cyborgs, or at least not without my say. The ones you have already transformed will remain part of our fighting and security force here on Earth, under my command. The rest of the humans will be subjugated to supply my army with natural resources. I believe our spy drones detected a large deposit of minerals that would be beneficial under the Southern Ocean. Sorbet, begin making preparations to drill there immediately." Sorbet bowed and stepped away to mimic Buro and quietly speak into his scouter.

"And what am I to do then? I've put too much time and effort into these projects to let them go to waste," Wheelo argued.

Frost nodded, "Yes you have Doctor, and I keep my word. While you help me with the project Sorbet told you about, I will allow you access to our research to aid in developing a new and powerful body to inhabit once completed. In addition, I would like you and your assistants to work on providing stronger armoring for our ships and begin construction on a shipyard here on the surface. I would like your daughter to head up that portion."

Wheelo was incensed, "What?! I refuse to work with her ever again!"

Kati snorted, "Yeah I'm not crazy about this either, Daddy."

Frost smirked lightly, "Well to be honest, I don't think compliance will be an issue, as I could just settle the argument and put you both in the grave. Since I'm sure that is not what you want, unless you have a better option that suits me, that will be the arrangement. Kati will work with you to help build my shipyard and will report to Sorbet. You will report to Sorbet about my other project that I have assigned to you. Sorbet will report to me, and if I feel that either of you are slacking or interfering with the other, then some more drastic actions will be taken. Is that understood?"

Kati bit her lip but bowed her head, "Yes Lord Frost."

Wheelo grumbled a bit, "Fine, I accept. On one condition."

Frost's expression turned to a hint of a glare, "And that is?"

"She has to defeat one of my new advanced cyborgs that I brought to demonstrate. With your go ahead, I will show them to you now," Wheelo said as he pulled a small controller out of his pocket. At once, all three of the people nearby tensed up and walked towards him. In front were a blond male and brunette female in plain black clothes that both looked eerily like the girl that Kaon had barbequed alive. Torev could only guess that they were related in some way. Behind them was a slightly taller and older man, who gave Torev a very intense glare. This one appeared to have a body that most definitely did not belong with the head, as it was much larger and bulkier.

"These two you may recognize somewhat, they are James and Jill, Jessica's parents," Wheelo said with a gesture.

Frost chuckled, "You really have a way with your own people don't you doctor?"

"Is that praise, Lord Frost?" Wheelo sneered slightly.

"Perhaps. And what are their abilities?" Frost asked. Wheelo snapped his finger and the two cyborgs sprang to life, moving around the room in rapid fashion, phasing in and out as they maneuvered. They began sparring with each other at furious speeds far past a normal human, giving off small clashes of light. The soldiers were temporarily in awe, and even Ginyu seemed impressed by the display of speed.

"You may stop," Wheelo ordered as the pair suddenly halted mid-punch and then landing again.

Kati looked slightly discouraged, "Do they have any mental awareness left Daddy?"

Wheelo grinned at his daughter, "Only what they need. I think you will find them to be valuable assets to your fighting force, Lord Frost. More so than her."

Frost was amused, "And the third one?"

Wheelo looked excessively pleased, "That one is Stevens. He volunteered for this, and thus I was able to make a much more potent cyborg from him."

"He volunteered? Why?" Kati asked.

"Well, that boy did him a great disservice some time ago, wrecking his physical body and maiming him for some minor transgression or something. He made many enemies that way, and that has only inspired them to accept my gift of power. Of these three, Stevens is far and away stronger," Wheelo said with a tight grin.

Torev cleared his throat abruptly and leaned towards Kaon, "Wonder what he did."

Kaon glanced at him, "Let's just say he really liked children."

Torev scowled, "Ah, pedophile, got it."

Frost smiled brighter, "Well, shall we find out? Kati my dear, pick which one you would like to fight against."

"Against both of Jessica's parents," Kati boasted.

Torev's eyebrow went straight up as he felt that was a distinct mistake, Stupid girl is gonna get herself killed.

Frost was equally surprised, "Are you sure that's what you want my dear?"

Wheelo's face lit up with glee, "Oh this should be quite a treat then. If you are anything like Gero's Android Sixteen or Eighteen, you haven't a chance of defeating these two."

Kati appeared to sigh slightly as she stepped forward and tossed her lab coat aside, "I'm not really much of a fighter and I might not win, but at least I can still think for myself. That's worth a lot more than someone stuck inside their own body, unable to do anything. At least after they're gone, they can join their little girl in the afterlife." She glanced at Torev as she said that, earning a curious stare of respect.

Kaon even shrugged, "The girl has spunk at least."

Frost smirked, "Clearly, you must take after your mother."

Wheelo scowled at the intended insult, "Well if you want to die that badly, I won't take that wish away. Lord Frost, I ask that this contest be no holds barred, killing allowed."

Frost glanced at Kati, who dropped into a fighting stance, "Looks like she accepts, but I retain the right to end the match if I see fit."

Wheelo nodded, "James, Jill, attack!" The room broke out into a fit of rapid movement at the two cyborgs engaged the lone Android. Kati avoided the initial attacks by simple dodging before leading them further away from the group so that she had space. Once there, she turned, punching towards Jill's head and missing by inches. James capitalized on the mis-timed attack and charged in, headbutting Kati backwards. Kati phased out, catching James with a surprise kick to the side, only to be tripped by Jill. On her way down, Jill attempted to bury an elbow into Kati's neck, but missed when Kati phased out. Jill's elbow struck the ground with such force that it became stuck in the floor, trapping her there momentarily. Kati used the chance to backflip acrobatically and charge after the stunned James. When she arrived, she buried a fist that put him into the far wall, startling a pair of soldiers as they scrambled to get out of the way. She carefully aimed and fired a quick energy blast that further embedded James into said wall.

Kati then phased out again and reappeared between the throne and Jill, who was still struggling to free her robotic arm from the floor. With her right arm, Kati reached to her left and pulled her forearm straight off at the elbow, revealing a sizeable cannon barrel underneath. Bright blue energy charged into it as the room darkened and she aimed at Jill, who was literally stuck in the crosshairs. Just as she would have fired, a larger pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. Stevens picked Kati up in a bear hug and squeezed tightly as she cried out in apparent pain as her blast dissipated and her detached arm fell to the ground. She kicked mightily but was unable to escape the larger cyborg's grasp.

Torev scowled at this, God damnit. Both Jill and James were able to recover due to this interference and walked towards Kati with cold, murderous intent.

Frost shook his head slightly, "Pity, I was looking forward to what she had in store for your creations doctor. But she did agree to no holds barred."

"Y-You always were a c-cheat Daddy," Kati exclaimed between struggles.

"No rules in combat, girl. I thought after all this time you would've learned that. Finish her off!" Wheelo ordered. James and Jill's palms lit up with bright gold as they closed in on the captive Kati, who could only watch them close in. Just as they were at point blank range, a flash of gold streaked by, and two sets of arms fell to the floor. James and Jill turned to see Torev, glowing in Super Saiyan form with an energy blade extending from his hand.

Torev smirked at them, "I don't recommend moving." The two cyborgs looked at each other but did not heed this, and attempted to move towards him, only to spark vividly and literally fall apart joint by joint, creating a pile of broken parts that littered the floor.

Wheelo's jaw dropped, "But, t-that's not fair!"

Torev spat at the pile of parts, "Please, like you're one to talk about fairness."

Frost folded his arms, "No holds barred, which means anything goes. Your man interfered first, doctor."

Wheelo growled in a hint of rage, "Fine, Stevens, drop her, I want you to kill him!"

"Now we're talking," Torev grinned evilly as Stevens dropped Kati, who scrambled to get away. Torev, gleefully charged in and intended to bury his fist into Stevens' chest, only to have it stop cold at the point of impact. Torev was mildly surprised by this before opening up a flurry of powerful punches and kicks to Stevens, who didn't budge an inch from them. Torev finished the flurry with a strong punch to the cyborg's face, which only made it turn slightly.

Torev smirked, "Oh look, the mad doctor finally made one that isn't completely worthless." Stevens grunted slightly before swinging a backhand hard into Torev's jaw, sending him sprawling backwards in painful surprise. Much of the room, Wheelo included, was surprised by this, more so as a stunned Torev laid on the ground for a moment. After a few seconds though he hopped back to his feet and rubbed away the blood that had trickled out of his lip. His smile did not fade though as his body and aura sparked with Ki lightning. The rush of wind that followed knocked down most of the room's occupants as Torev transformed to Super Saiyan Two, causing the room around him to darken substantially. The only bystanders that were able to maintain their positions were Frost, Kaon and Ginyu, though in Ginyu's case he still had to guard against the force of energy. Stevens himself also had to block against the force of energy, but didn't have a problem recovering and was now walking slowly towards Torev.

"Let's see what you've got Pedo-bot!" Torev challenged as he lifted off the ground.

Stevens abruptly phased out, reappearing quickly to punch at Torev's side. His punch stopped dead in its tracks when Torev met it with his own fist, and a struggle for dominance ensued. Stevens surprisingly began to push Torev's own attack backwards. Torev's eyes widened as he scowled, and noticeable hues of purple energy began to erupt from his golden aura. This apparent surge of energy was enough to force Stevens backwards, causing the cyborg to stumble and lose his footing. Torev pounced at the opening and phased out, smashing the cyborg over the head with a double ax-handle. Stevens bounced off the ground, and Torev's fist filled with gold and hints of purple energy as he charged in. With a mighty battle cry, he punched straight through Stevens' torso cleanly, to which the body sparked vividly and dropped to the ground. Torev yanked his fist out, tearing several pieces of metal and wires out with it, before charging more energy to aim at the now helpless cyborg. Stevens growled slightly and struggled to move, but could not due to the massive hole in his chest.

"Someone better call an exorcist, because I see a dead man!" Torev declared as he prepared to fire.

Frost suddenly phased in next to them with his arms still folded, "That's enough, Lord Torev."

Torev's deathly glare shifted to him for a moment before he stopped charging his energy, "Tch, why bother saving this scrap heap? He won't be of any use against any of our stronger enemies."

Frost smiled lightly, "But against weaker ones he will be. I would hate to waste all of the Doctor's time and effort. He can learn from this experience and be a more effective fighter after the appropriate repairs are made." Across the room, Wheelo looked utterly dismayed at the outcome of the fight, while Kati breathed a noticeable sigh of relief. This did not go unnoticed by Kaon, though she didn't give Kati much more than a warning glance.

"And with that, it is settled Doctor, do you agree?" Frost asked with a slightly raised tone.

Wheelo grumbled to himself slightly before nodded, "Fine. I'll agree to this arrangement." Kati eyed him suspiciously as she grabbed her lab coat and put it back on. Torev's lip twitched slightly before he abruptly powered down and walked away from Frost and the downed cyborg.

Frost maintained his smirk before glancing at Soren, "Have you had any success locating our foes?"

Soren shook his head, "I am afraid not, but the galaxy is a large place to hide in. If they are still traveling at high speed, then it is doubtful even I could locate them easily. Your commander assures me that they have not yet stopped at any known outposts as of yet."

"That is correct wizard, our spy drones are deployed across the galaxy within our territory and beyond it. If they stop within just a few star systems of a single drone, we can find them within a day," Sorbet said with hint of pride.

"Perhaps you should use the same fervor to locate the new Planet Namek," Soren sneered slightly, prompting a very disgusted frown from Sorbet.

Frost sighed, "In any event, inform me when they have been found. Any plan is useless without knowing that first." Sorbet saluted immediately while Soren merely bowed his head.

"If there is nothing else, I would like to get back to my lab. Come Kati," Wheelo ordered as he walked towards the exit while Stevens struggled to get to his feet. Kati did not look as enthusiastic about going with her father and the injured cyborg.

Frost took note of this, "Remember Doctor, she is not to be harmed from this point on."

Wheelo glared at Frost, "I told you I accepted the deal."

Frost's eyes starred into Wheelo's as his energy flared just slightly, "See that you don't forget it." Wheelo felt a shiver of fear go up his spine as the Ice Demon stared him down, but nodded.

Frost then looked away for a moment, "Major, Commander, accompany them with a squadron back to the Doctor's lab. Captain Ginyu will lead it to ensure that there are no problems." Wheelo bit his lip slightly but didn't dare protest this as he clearly felt the heat of Frost's orders at his back. Torev watched this with a hint of concern, but also a lot of annoyance.

Kaon eyed him suspiciously, "What is it lover? Are you actually concerned for her safety?"

Torev grimaced, "Don't be ridiculous. I'm just annoyed that he stopped my fight with that tin can."

Kaon grinned, "Well, clearly Frost is concerned if he's willing to send that many troops with them. You should be too. She can't be your little spy if she's dead."

"I told you to stop digging around in my head," Torev warned.

Kaon giggled slightly, "But it's so fun. Besides, I think you should worry more about your little outburst. Trying to control or suppress your demon energy as a Super Saiyan is not a good idea. It is reactive to aggressive emotions, and as a Super Saiyan, that is magnified. It is better to just go straight to full power if you're going to use it at all, at least until you're used to it."

Torev glanced at his fist as he held it up, "Yeah I noticed that." Kaon nodded knowingly and wrapped her arm around his as they went towards the exit, with only Frost watching their silent conversation. While he certainly didn't hear their thoughts, he had a decent idea of what might have been shared.

"Soren, over here," Frost said simply.

Soren snapped his fingers suddenly, instantly transporting himself to Frost's side, "Yes Lord Frost?"

"Tell me, Lord Torev has been alive again for a few days now, what do you make of him now versus when he was revived?"

Soren shrugged, "I would not cross him if that's what you mean."

Frost shook his head, "That is not what I meant. Only a fool would do that unprepared. Would you call the revival a success?"

Soren bowed slightly, "It was an unorthodox plan with an unexpected outcome, but yes I would call it a success. I have seen no obvious signs of instability, and if Mistress Kaon has, she certainly hasn't revealed it."

"And your master, what does he think of this?"

Soren smiled, "I would not venture to guess. Time will tell on that subject. Is there anything else?"

Frost mused for a moment, "Refocus your efforts to find the new location of the Namekians. Sorbet's scout drones and various spies should be sufficient in locating the Saiyans. If they happen to go to New Namek, so be it, saves us the trouble of finding them all again later. However, I don't think Vegeta would pull such a stunt given the current stakes."

Soren nodded, "It is far more likely that they would come back here as soon as they can muster an offensive."

"Agreed, which is why finding them quickly is important so we can prepare. I do not want Lord Torev trying to make a move against them alone," Frost stated as he folded his arms.

"Yes, his Saiyan instincts would get the better of him in that regard," Soren replied in agreement.

Frost frowned, "That isn't the only reason. Ask your master to come to my chambers later today, I wish to speak to him and you, alone."

Soren bowed again, "At once."

As directed, Soren made his contact with his supposed master, and Frost found himself waiting beside the wizard in his private throne room. He had made sure to restrict anyone else from entering, including his most trusted soldiers, and while he normally would have included Kaon, he chose not to in this case. That didn't do much for his patience, which was wearing thin as he waited, his tail lashing at the air randomly. Soren made note of this impatience and wisely stayed at a distance. It had been two hours since he had made contact, having been told to wait longer. Frost spent the time starring at the walls, glancing over occasional reports that were being sent to his computer console. He was about at his wits end when the air in the room shifted drastically. A shadow appeared on the wall and formed into the shape of a tall humanoid, but the identity of the newcomer remained concealed.

"What is it?" the shadow asked.

"My apologies my master, but Lord Frost wished to speak to you immediately," Soren said with a bow.

The shadow visibly snorted, "Thank you for repeating your message, my ears work fine wizard. As you know, I have other tasks that require my attention, as do you."

Frost cleared his throat, "Pardon me, but you have answers I require. For starters, where did the Saiyans flee to? I'm sure that it is within your power to find out, since Soren apparently cannot."

The shadow's head shifted towards Frost, "While that may or may not be an option available, it is not necessary. Your scouts will find them out soon enough. What you choose to do from there I will leave to you."

Frost's lip twitched, "I have mobilized my army, I have taken in the Saiyan Witch you sent me, and I have allied myself with a living copy of the boy I despise along with an Earthling that has chaotic ambitions far beyond what I should tolerate. We have conquered Earth and chased our mutual enemies from their own home, all while leaving my empire virtually leaderless and effectively defenseless against the Renegade Saiyans and other adversaries. All of this I did at your direction when you warned of a greater dark power that will arise had I not acted. The very least you can do is give me some input, or is that too much to ask?"

The shadow took a moment to respond, prompting Soren to speak up instead, "I'm sure what Lord Frost intended was…"

The shadow snapped towards Soren, apparently scaring him into silence, "I told you wizard, my ears work fine, and Lord Frost's concerns are valid. Try to speak for him again and you will find yourself in a most hellish situation." Soren bowed and backed up a step, opting to not respond back.

The shadow refocused on Frost, "Tell me Frost, how much do you know about your own universe? How large it is, who rules it, who would threaten that rule of it?"

Frost's eyes narrowed, "Those questions imply that you have aspirations to change the status of at least one of those answers."

"Very good, perhaps you know more than I gave you credit for. My goals are multi-faceted, much like the universe is a tree with many branches. When a branch grows old and withered, it should be discarded, else the entire tree can be afflicted with rot. In this case, I would define this universe and specifically this timeline as showing signs of becoming one of those branches should things continue as they have. I would like to prevent that outcome," the shadow claimed.

Frost's head shifted slightly to focus more on the words he was hearing, "I take it that means there is more than one universe out there, and more than one timeline than the one I am familiar with."

"Correct, but you already knew that. A universe has several realms, or layers you could say, such as the afterlife domain or dimensions if you prefer. Some of those domains are connected to others directly, while others are not. What you could deem the mortal domain, your world and outer space, is often connected with various layers in some way. However, those connections lead to other realms as well. The Zerg and Protoss found their way here through a tunnel between universes that should have remained undiscovered and sealed. It was wise of you to mine the tunnel and effectively prevent any more intrusions into this universe. Speaking of which, you can consider this universe and this timeline functionally as your reality. There are many realities out there, and it can be dangerous to change one. That is what the rulers of this realm have allowed to happen far too often, rather than taking a firm hand in preventing such disruptions. Myself and my organization, well, we believe in preservation above all. And the eventual result for your reality is not to our liking as it will likely end with everything being swallowed up by the same darkness. You see, time is only supposed to flow in one direction, but it does have a tendency to branch off into what we would call parallel timelines where there are only small, subtle differences. A larger shift due to what we could deem outside interference creates greater instability. Enough instability and the reality in which it is created in will crack and shatter apart. And within the very fabric of every universe lies a dormant darkness that should never be awakened, as it will swallow that universe and all of its denizens one by one until it has taken over everything. It has many names, but we prefer to simply call it The Void," the shadow summarized.

Frost's lip twitched again, "So the instability is the eventual darkness, and the problem will essentially solve itself by wiping out the unstable reality? What is the issue?"

"The problem therein is that this darkness will spread to other realities. Think of your universe as part of a grid with potentially hundreds and thousands of individual timelines attached to it, each having both similarities and differences from each other. One of those realities being taken over by this darkness can and will result in others being pulled in, much like the gravity well of a black hole but on a much grander scale. Within this darkness, one will not find peace or even the sweet release of death, but an endless void of horrors your wildest dreams could not fathom. Normally, should this happen, the reality in which it occurs would be eliminated. However, if the darkness quickly spreads like a virus would, the gods themselves would not be able to stop it in time," the shadow continued.

Frost folded his arms, "So if that is the case, why have you and your group allowed so many changes to this reality?"

The shadow gave a curt nod, "You catch on quickly, son of Frieza. It was not my group per se that chose to interfere, but you have met the opposing side's agent before. In fact, she saved your life more than once, which was not supposed to happen."

Frost frowned, "A fact I was reminded of by my father for decades. Grandfather Kold had warned him not to attempt to reproduce at such a young age for our race, but my father insisted on an heir after encountering some being named Beerus."

"Beerus is a God of Destruction, the opposite of a Supreme Kai. He is not someone you want to cross and can eliminate great swathes of this universe with barely any effort. But he is not evil. Rather, he serves as a balance to creation run rampant. Should he judge a species unworthy of existing, he can wipe out their home planet at his leisure, and he often had your father serve as his stand-in for such events as he tends to hibernate for long periods of time. He authorized Frieza to wipe out the Saiyans, though I believe your father wanted to do that anyway due to his fears of a god-like Saiyan arising to challenge his rule one day."

Frost huffed slightly, "A fear that was somewhat warranted, but I wouldn't call the Super Saiyans god-like."

"Well, that cuts to the heart of the matter," the shadow said as he lifted his right arm.

The darkened arm was held at length as a form of light energy emerged from it. Physical forms appeared much like a video screen within this ball of light as it expanded to take up nearly half of the wall the shadow was projecting from. The forms included various planets exploding, a strange blackness overcoming others, and images of Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Verto and the other Saiyans battling both each other and various opponents. Frost recognized what would have been unfamiliar faces to anyone else as the Renegade Saiyans, in addition to Torev and Kaon. Some of these images showed Goku and Vegeta with differently colored Super Saiyan forms than Frost had seen before, though Verto's was consistently black, gold or silvery-white in color. The vision showed excessively violent battles and planets cracking apart as a result. The darkness of The Void began to emerge at random places. Various forms of life were shown being swallowed by the darkness as strange dark creatures took over the vision. They were not unlike Saiyans, humans and many other lifeforms, but they appeared to be taken over by the same darkness, as if it were an army of doom come to life. They were also not unlike the demon forms he had seen out of Kaon and to an extent Torev, but Frost could tell that they were much more corrupted. In latter parts of the vision, it showed the Saiyans being overwhelmed by the same darkness, and then being taken over by it and used to carry out whatever the dark designs were.

Frost's eyes remained narrowed, "What was that power they were wielding?"

"Power of the gods, far beyond what you can believe," the shadow replied.

Frost sighed heavily as the vision eventually ceased, "So what you're saying is that because time has been interfered with too much, this darkness will emerge because of the Saiyans, or am I reading this vision of yours incorrectly?"

"That is essentially it yes. The excessive thirst for battle and power that every Saiyan has, in addition to their genetic ability to grow stronger rapidly, will lead to this eventual outcome. Similar things have happened in other universes and realities, thus why time is not supposed to be trifled with unless needed. They were wiped out before the darkness of The Void reached a critical point. These Saiyans however have the potential to step over the plane of the gods themselves and severely disrupt the cosmos and all of creation, and they eventually will. The darkness of The Void will then spread uncontrolled as a result, until it has swallowed everything, with no one able to stop it. That is why I have violated our own rules as much as I have, to prevent this from happening. It is a necessary culling, not one we take lightly," the shadow finished.

Frost closed his eyes, "I can see the logic in your plan, however that does not explain Lord Torev and Kaon. They would not exist without all the interference, correct?"

"They are a necessary piece of this plan as well, as the best way to counter Saiyan power is with Saiyan power. They are also a deterrent should my plan fail, and the darkness be unleashed suddenly. We would need powerful assets to counter the threat, but when we no longer need them, they are to be discarded, which I'm sure you understand," the shadow said knowingly.

Frost smirked, "Only too well. About Lord Torev, I respect his strength as long as we see eye to eye, however he may prove to be too dangerous to ignore for long. I suspect he is looking to gain power to eclipse my own quickly, by any means. While I do not wish to share my father's fear and arrogance, I am not stupid either. Can I count on outside support from you should that become a problem, or will you grant me leave to deal with it?"

The shadow's head turned just slightly, "I see, you don't trust the Doctor to hold up his end of the agreement you just made."

"Only a fool would trust him for longer than necessary," Frost admitted.

"Your concerns are warranted, Frost. Know that I will not allow you to fail should you be backed into a corner; you have my word. Now, I will leave the pursuit of the Saiyan threat and occupation of Earth to you. Success means you are effectively this reality's ruler, failure means doom for us all," the shadow said as he then vanished.

Frost frowned as the shadow disappeared completely from view, "Such a riveting ultimatum."

Soren finally dared to step back into Frost's view, "Was that satisfactory, Lord Frost?"

Frost grimaced, "For now. However, he was not completely truthful in what he claimed, was he?"

Soren's eyes closed, "As he said, you catch on quickly."

Frost grinned slightly, "I suppose we will just have to see what fate has in store for us." A loud beeping drew their attention as Frost's throne console lit up.

Frost pushed one of the buttons, "What is it?"

"My Lord, the Saiyans, we found them!" a random alien answered.

"Where?"

Kati Cash maintained a suspicious eye on her father's avatar for the entire journey to his new lab, one which she did not know the location of yet. They had flown about halfway to North City before they descended into an area just on the edge of the frozen tundra, though within a month she expected it to be completely covered in snow as it was nearly winter. Behind her, Captain Ginyu, Sorbet and Major Buro flew in a tight formation along with a few nameless soldiers. Next to Wheelo flew the battered and injured Stevens, with a poorly patched and slightly sparking hole where Torev's fist had gone through. Most of the flight had been silent, apart from a few bystanders on the ground that looked up in wonder, though they were ordered to move along quickly by the soldiers nearby. Kati saw an entire village being herded towards some sort of camp that was setup just off their flight path but didn't dare ask about any details. She already had a pretty good idea without actually finding out. Once the group touched down, Wheelo rolled up his sleeve to reveal a small computer display attached to his forearm. It didn't appear to be due to any extra device and must have been part of this particular robotic clone, though Kati had not seen that design before. He pressed a few buttons before the ground shook for a moment and then slid open, revealing that the entrance was covered in grassy snow. The opening revealed a rounded blue metal tunnel nearly three meters in diameter. The door over it was many meters thick of solid metal that Kati doubted she could punch through if it came to that. Despite the tunnel having plenty of room to descend through, it still required each person to go through single file to fit comfortably, and Captain Ginyu brushed into a little extra snow that fell into the darkness on the way in.

Kati's eyes narrowed, So this is where the main lab is now. I guess it is close enough to the battle site that was blown sky high by the Saiyans, and it's somewhat close to the North City hideout but not close enough to be considered conspicuous.

The tunnel led to an eventual landing platform and a tighter hallway after a long way down. Kati hadn't counted, but she was fairly certain that it was nearly a thousand meters below the surface. The hallway itself was very dimly lit by floor lights, and while she didn't have any issue seeing due to her artificial eyes, it was still a bit bothersome to the aliens in the group. Another hundred meters or so brought them to another thick metal door, though not as large as the entrance in the snow had been. Wheelo opened it to reveal a huge room that had obviously been carved out and covered with the same blue metal. Kati's eyes darted all around it to quickly capture as much of it as she could. On the far side, she recognized a very swollen brain inside of a large robotic head casing that was filled with fluid, and she could barely take her eyes off of it, knowing what it likely was. There were multiple workstations throughout the lab that featured several faceless robots working on different projects. There were two copies of Doctor Kochin as well, one who was busily welding some sort of large metal pieces together, and another one that was looking through a microscope next to a few larger bubbling tanks. Kati's eyes adjusted automatically as she attempted to see what was in the tanks, but she was unable to at that distance.

That's got to be the nanites' main container, meaning this is where they process and program them.

One of the Kochins glanced up to see their arrival and put down the welder, "Welcome friends to our primary laboratory. I hope you are all doing well."

Wheelo's avatar scuffed slightly as he handed his lab coat to Kochin, "Hardly your concern, Kochin-Nine."

Kochin-Nine smiled, "Well, you did program me to be considerate of guests."

Wheelo shook his head slightly, "I also programmed you to attend to repairing all equipment above all else. As you can see, Mister Stevens took quite a bit of damage, get to it."

Kochin-Nine bowed, "Of course, Doctor."

"So, you have different Kochins working for you now at the same time?" Kati asked.

Wheelo smirked slightly as he glanced at his daughter, "Well it is more efficient than just one. Some of them have different personalities due to some sort of programming glitch I haven't been able to solve yet."

Kati snorted in disbelief, "I'm surprised you don't have twenty copies of yourself running around then."

Wheelo blinked sharply, "Accurately controlling more than one or two at a time is very taxing, Kati. You would know this if you hadn't betrayed me before."

Kati scowled, "You really want to have that conversation about betrayal again, Daddy?"

Sorbet cleared his throat, "Enough. You two have your orders from Lord Frost. Doctor, I have prepared all of the data you will require on this pad, and Major Buro will be giving you Lord Frost's blood samples to analyze." Wheelo took the pad from Sorbet as Buro handed over several sealed metal vials, though he did look hesitant about it.

"You are to do everything in your power to search for answers in Lord Frost's blood," Buro reminded.

Wheelo smugly looked at the vials, "I understand perfectly. I will put Kochin-Ten in charge of this particular task as his main specialty is biology and nanotechnology. May I also use this for my project?"

Buro turned on his heel, "Once we have results, do what you want with it. It's not like we need it returned."

Sorbet glanced at Kati, "The village above is near where the shipyard will be constructed. Report there after you and your father have worked out the granular details regarding armor. I will leave the guards outside to escort you there. Come Captain, it is time we return to base."

Ginyu gave him a nod and followed both Buro and Sorbet back into the hallway, shutting the door behind him and leaving Kati in the chamber with her father and his assistants alone. Kati was very weary of this, but Wheelo made no obvious move towards her as he set down the materials he was given. He pressed a few buttons on the nearest console and watched at the trio of aliens traversed the long hallway towards the wider tunnel.

"Ungrateful human should be happy Lord Frost agreed to this," Sorbet grumbled over the speakers. Kati's eyes widened slightly as she dared step closer, though Wheelo held a finger to his lips to stop her from speaking.

"I have my doubts that he will produce any results that we haven't already found in Lord Frost's genetic code. We've already purified him of any traces of the Saiyan blood transfusions. I would like to use our medical nanotech on him to find out more, but I do not trust this Doctor not to take advantage of it somehow. He already has too much of our technology at his disposal," Buro stated.

Sorbet nodded, "Agreed, that is a chance we must not take. We must also make sure that the Doctor does not succeed in creating a new physical body that is more powerful than Lord Frost. That is part of the reason we are using his daughter to spy on him from within. At the first sign of treachery, he should be eliminated. Would you agree with this, Captain?"

"Absolutely, treason should not go unabated. I've been on Earth long enough to know that humans can be very duplicitous, even to each other," Ginyu replied. They then entered the tunnel and flew upwards, which quieted the room once again. Wheelo gave off an obvious angry sigh as he waited for his other camera feed to show that they had exited the tunnel, before turning towards Kati.

"So, were you aware of this plot?" Wheelo asked first.

Kati grimaced slightly, "I was. Lord Frost asked it of me in person."

Wheelo's hand clasped into a fist momentarily, "As I suspected he would. Well, we will just have to make the best of it."

Kati's head turned slightly in confusion, "I don't follow."

Wheelo grinned at her, "I'm sure you don't. Lord Frost doesn't know you like I do, certainly wouldn't know you well enough to know that you are here to spy on him for Bulma and the Saiyans. That tunnel out there will be perfect for any outgoing transmissions you would like to make that will not be monitored, as you may have been able to tell. Go ahead, go make your report to them."

Kati's head turned again, "Really Dad? You're that paranoid now?"

Wheelo held up a single finger, "On the contrary, I want you to report everything Frost and that clone of the boy is up to back to your newfound friends. I have come to realize that this alliance is not going to last, and I need the Saiyans here if I am to have any real hope of capturing them, or retrieving any scientific material past what I already have for my experimental Mark Seven."

Kati's eyes widened, "You have a Mark Seven model now?"

Wheelo's grin maintained, "Oh yes, and I do not need much more to complete it, just a little genetic graphing to add to it. Specifically the Saiyans', as Frost has already given me what I need in these vials. I not only want an everlasting cyborg body, but also one that can survive outer space and grow stronger. Gero made a nearly successful monster out of Cell, I am merely taking it a step further. So, you see, I need them back here to complete my work."

Kati stared at him in disbelief, "You're serious?"

Wheelo nodded with a dark smile, "Oh yes. You will do your new little job Frost gave you regarding the shipyard, and tell me and your friends what he's up to. You will keep what I am telling you now from Frost. Or else, well, the alternative isn't so good."

Kati tensed slightly as Wheelo stepped a bit closer, "And that is?"

"You may have overheard that Frost forbade me from performing a mass transformation of humans to cyborg slaves. Don't do this little chore and I will do exactly that, and no one will realize it until it is too late. I had already developed a delivery system that has been working to infect every human being around the world using a new, aerosolized form of nanites that can travel by air or water. When the Saiyans left, I activated the device, by now it is spread to everyone on the planet. Once I press the button, they will transform everyone in a matter of hours. They are programmed to transform all humans to cyborgs, and to eliminate all alien DNA. I admit that the programming scripts are not yet ready on the latter front, but I have time before that would become an issue. Regrettably, it will not affect you as you are entirely mechanical now, but that is a minor issue. And if you happen to rat me out to Frost or Torev and I am confronted, well, I will tell them it was your plan. I have already created the artificial evidence for this," Wheelo summarized.

Kati couldn't believe what she was hearing, "You would do that to everyone? You really have gone over the edge Dad."

Wheelo sat down in the chair that was next to the console, "I'm just covering my ass dear daughter, like you did. Now go on, run along to your job. I'll be sending a shipment of new metal armoring to start putting around his ships in the morning. Oh, did I mention it is a special blend that is resistant to attacks on par with the Super Saiyans? Not only is my Mark Seven and other models going to be coated in this material, but the humans and cyborgs onboard those ships will eventually be able to commandeer them for me when the time is right. Frost's army will be either dead or stranded, and I will take his place as leader of a grand armada. So, you see, there are several phases to this plan. All you have to do is obey my orders again and I don't push the button."

Kati's eyes narrowed, "Something is off about this Dad, you're either lying or bluffing about this. Even you don't have enough scientific power to pull all that off, not with so many variables."

Wheelo folded his hands together, "Perhaps I am, I guess time will tell. Run along now. I suggest you play this right and convince your friends to come home sooner rather than later and I may not even have you killed when it is all said and done." Kati glared at him before turning around and leaving the room, letting the door slam slightly on her way out. The other Kochin, Kochin-Ten, walked over as he held his cane to steady himself.

"Masterful bluff Doctor Wheelo. I do believe you have frightened her into submission," Kochin claimed.

Wheelo smirked as he watched the camera feed of Kati leaving through the hallway, "We'll see if it bears fruit. When will the aerosolized nanites be ready?"

Kochin glanced at the clipboard in his other hand, "By my new calculations with Lord Frost's technology, another month until the programming is completed, and then we will be ready to infect the entire planet. It is a shame that they were not ready prior to the invasion, but it would have been another year before results had it not gone forward."

Wheelo nodded slightly as he stood back up, "Yes, but all the better to be able to leap ahead when the time is right. My enemies will destroy each other, and we will reap the rewards, my friend."

Out in the hallway, Kati entered the tunnel and slowly began to fly upwards. Once she felt she was out of range of any recording device, she rolled up her sleeve to reveal a sizeable watch with a screen that opened up on the inside.

She pressed a button and promptly spoke into it, "Hawk, this is Eagle. The nest has been built."

A blonde woman with short hair appeared on the screen, "Eagle, I read you. The line is secure, ready to receive transmission."

Kati sighed heavily, "Tights, I hope you have a lot of pen and paper for what I'm about to tell you."

A/n: There will be a short hiatus for likely the rest of the year while I deal with some heavy stuff, people that follow me on social media know why. 2020 has been rough for all of us, and I recently had to put my furbaby down due to cancer which was very difficult and still is. That being said, I have plenty of motivation to continue onward, once I can get through this month and likely November. And there will be a dedication chapter at some point.