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Chapter 31:
WHAT MAKES HIM TICK?
Previously on Consumed by the past:
Gohan had been transported to a maximum security facility on Wanasa Prime, as a part of his punishment. He is now one of the prisoners of the great Wanasan Federation. He has made new allies and enemies on the first day already, but quickly established himself as a powerful "reder". Soropo, his new friend, is fascinated by Gohan, whereas his enemy, Blorgho, is disgusted by the Human-Saiyan hybrid. How will Goku's son survive in this prison and will he make more enemies than friends? Continue reading and find out!
The bracelet started beeping and flashing, indicating a message for the young half-Saiyan. As he glanced at the screen, some symbols actually made sense. It said something about food, so he knew it was most probably time for breakfast, or whatever they called it here. As he wanted to step from his cell, the force field didn't lower itself, which was strange.
"Hmmm, that's weird," he said to himself, "why won't it turn off?"
"Because you are not going to the nutrition period… yet," a voice said outside his cell.
"You sound familiar," the boy replied and approached the force field, "is it you, warden?"
"Indeed I am, Gohan," she responded back and revealing herself. "It is very rare for me to visit a prisoner like this, so you must know you are very special to me."
"I don't know about that, but the last meeting we had, was not very pleasant at all."
"You must understand I have my duties to perform. My superiors expect nothing less than perfection and complete faith in them."
"So what's the occasion then? Surely you won't escort me to the canteen."
"I like your attitude, young Gohan. You are so confident, so tenacious and possess strong will to improve yourself," the warden explained and ordered the guards to lower the force field. "This is why I came to visit you, actually. This facility is not just a prison, it is also a research complex. We study prisoners, both their physical and mental capabilities, testing them in various ways, trying to learn as much from other alien races and their potential as possible."
"Let me guess, and I am the first Human-Saiyan hybrid, so you need to collect more info as well. I might be young, but I am not stupid."
"Getting straight to the point, eh? Very well, it saves me all the boring talk and other crap I was planning to say. Putting it simply, we are going to run some tests and after that, you can have your food. The nutrition period will be over by the time we are finished, but the canteen has been informed to provide you with sustenance once you return. If you fail to cooperate, you will be electrocuted and then deprived of sustenance, and we both know your Saiyan side requires lots of calories, so you wouldn't last more than a few days."
"In other words, I have no choice. I can't say I am surprised."
"I am glad we agree," the warden smiled, "follow me, then."
The half Saiyan was escorted by the warden and a few security guards, exiting the current wing and making their way to another level via the secure elevator. Once the doors opened, they passed a few high security checkpoints until arriving at their destination. The room placement looked like some sort of testing facility, with each room containing a specific test to perform, either being of physical or psychological nature. Some of them were empty, but some occupied by other prisoners, performing these tests. As they finally arrived to some sort of an admission area, a Wanasan scientist was already waiting for them.
"Good morning warden. I see you have brought new company," he greeted them all.
"Yes professor Tset, just as we discussed before," the warden greeted him back.
"I have heard so much about you, Gohan," Tset said while walking around the boy and examining him, "Yes, yes, indeed he has Saiyan genes. The physique and tail indeed prove this. I am very excited to find out what your traits are."
"In all due time, professor. You know we have rules and procedures to follow. This is not your standard reder to be taken lightly," the warden reminded him.
"I never liked these things, since they interrupt our work. Paperwork everywhere, procedures this, procedures that. Science doesn't have time for all this!"
"Yeah, yeah, spare me this monologue, professor. We've had it too many times already," the warden answered back and pointing at Gohan, "Get him prepared and dressed up, I have some private things to talk with professor Tset."
The guards escorted Gohan to another room, where he was dressed in a special test suit, covered with sensors and made of the most durable material this complex could offer.
Once Nosirp was sure nobody was there, she continued: "Our highest superiors want to run all possible tests on Gohan. Do whatever it takes to obtain all the needed data. How is the DNA testing coming along?"
"We have made some progress with the DNA, but still far from an active serum of any sort. Initial testing does show, if combined with our already used serum E-3, it should enable a larger boost, but for a shorter time. We are trying to develop it in a way that would lengthen the duration or, in the most aggressive scenario, provide a permanent boost. In any case, it will be more potent, but now it is too unstable, so it is not being tested yet on our augmented soldiers."
"My superiors need results as soon as possible. Do whatever is takes to get it done and to get all the data needed from Gohan's physiology. If he resists in any way, you have full permission to use any means necessary to force him to cooperate."
"Yes warden, I understand. You can rely on me and my colleagues."
"Very good. After you're done, bring him to the canteen for his sustenance, if he will be hungry at all. We might have plans with him, but I intend to keep my promise of him being able to eat, if he cooperates fully, of course."
With all the orders relayed, the warden made her way back to her office. Her part was done and now she can only wait until tests yield the much needed results. On the other hand, Tset's part had only just begun. He was tasked with supervising the project and making sure the new serum gets tested, refined and prepared for safe use as soon as possible. The fact that Gohan is most probably their strongest prisoner, his DNA and tests will prove most beneficial in this process. Wanasa Prime and the Wanasan people will never be defeated again. They have the technological capabilities to defeat any enemy, and this time it won't be any different.
The lead scientists met with Gohan, who was now in a high-tech durable test suit. It was mostly black and grey, with some white outlines. The sleeves and pants were short, but the entire suit resembled a Saiyan jumpsuit, which can be worn under the armor itself, so it was a bit too tight for his taste. His bracelet was removed for the testing period.
"This is too tight for me. I am used to loose clothing," the boy said.
"This is the proper suit in order to conduct tests, whether you like it or not," Tset responded back and checked if everything is fine: "Sensors seem to be working fine, all looks fine, but your tail is missing."
"It's wrapped around my waist for protection," Goku's son sighed.
"That won't do. Your suit has a special opening for it at the back. This way we will make sure your tail won't interfere with any of the tests or sensor readings. Come on, you know what to do," Tset was getting impatient.
Gohan wasn't amused at all and was getting irritated by Tset, but as he didn't have a choice, he somehow unwrapped his tail and pulled it through the whole on his lower back.
"Great. Let's start with the tests." Tset informed everyone.
The first test: strength. There was a large machine located in the middle of this room which could simulate various levels of weight. Gohan had to progressively lift as much as he could, without going Super Saiyan of course, since that wasn't allowed or he would get electrocuted. The boy had no trouble lifting more and more until it became progressively heavier.
"He definitely could beat the record if he upgraded himself," one of the scientists said.
"You mean transform into a Super Saiyan?" Tset corrected him.
"Yes, I meant that, professor."
"We were given in depth intel about him, yet you haven't memorized it, like you were told to," Tset criticized him.
"I am sorry, professor, this is just so overwhelming witnessing this."
"This is no time for personal feelings, my friend. We have much work to do, so don't get distracted so easily. Remember, he was the one who blew up the other research compound. If he could, I am sure he would have done the same here so we need to keep him under control at all costs!"
"How about… you let me use my Ki so I can lift more?" their conversation was interrupted.
Tset looked at Goku's son, who was struggling with the current level of weight, "I'm afraid that is not possible in this test. You have already done really well, so we are moving on." Having said that, he turned to one of his colleagues: "Make sure all the data is recorded and processed properly. I don't want to repeat any of the tests twice."
"Yes, professor, I will monitor and double-check everything."
Second test: endurance. Similar to the previous one, but now Gohan had to endure the increase of force on his body. His arms and legs were locked into special holders which could move either towards or away from him. At the start, his arms and legs formed an X shape, but then the machine started to increase the force, slowly moving the holders towards the boy's body. He had to resist as much as he could to not bend his limbs too much. The force was soon getting really strong, causing the boy to start sweating and struggling as he tried pushing the holders away. As an automatic response to this, he wanted to raise his energy by just a little, but was quickly reminded by Tset.
"Do not do that, Gohan! Raising your power will lead to you-know-what. Just use the strength you have, without powering up."
"Easy… for… you to… say," the half-Saiyan replied, struggling with the test.
"He's had enough. Reverse the polarity and let's see how he does when he is being pulled apart."
Just as that, the holders stopped exerting force towards Gohan, and started moving away, pulling his limbs in the opposite direction. The half-breed started pulling the holders back, but the force intensified with each passing moment, forcing the boy to step up his game as well. Just as before, the scientists were very impressed with the results and wanted to test his limits even more. The force on Gohan's body started to get a bit painful. His limbs were stretched to their limit, but he endured, just as always. He was extremely close to just burst into a Super Saiyan, but was very well aware what would follow. Combining the pain from this test with the one from being shocked is not something he wanted to experience; who would blame him.
"Increase the force, let's see what he is really made of," Tset ordered.
"AAAAAHHHH!" the boy started screaming when his limbs were pulled apart with an even greater force.
His muscles were tensed, with a vein or two popping out because of the stress they were under. He put last ounces of his strength and started pulling the holders back, but Tset increased their force even further.
"AAAAA…..GRRRRRRR," Gohan started getting angry in pain.
"Isn't this a bit too much, professor?" one of the scientists asked.
"Nonsense, I want to see what he is capable of. Super Saiyan or not, I want to know his limits, his secrets to this strength. If we are to survive, some sacrifices need to be made for the good of our people."
Gohan couldn't take the stress anymore, so there was only one way out, although a very painful one. He instantly transformed into a Super Saiyan and immediately getting shocked by the suppression chip. Despite the immense pain, he endured for a moment longer, braking the holders, and the machine with it, and getting his limbs free. The split second he was free, his golden hair returned to charcoal black. He fell to the floor, gasping for air and feeling completely exhausted. The alarm went off and the room was sealed shut with force fields.
"Crap, how did he manage to transform?!" Tset was shocked.
As the security guards stormed in, the warden already contacted Tset via the communicator.
"Tset, what the hell is going on!? I see the alarm went off in your area. What's happening?"
"Everything is fine, warden. Just a little too much excitement during one of the tests. The boy is still here and incapacitated."
"I knew this would happen! I had a feeling you would try to push him too hard! You are lucky that your invention works, otherwise he would have blown a giant hole into this facility. Get the situation under control, NOW!" she ordered him.
"You heard the warden, shut off the alarm! The tests are concluded for the day. Pick up the Saiyan hybrid and get him out of the test suit. I want all data processed and analyzed until tomorrow!" Tset distributed the orders to everyone around him.
The force fields were lowered and the guards were able to reach Gohan, who was trying to get up, but his muscles and body just didn't have the strength. They picked him up and carried him to the next room, where the research staff swapped the test suit with the regular red prison uniform and attached the high-tech bracelet back to his wrist. Just as he was ready to go, Tset entered the room, smiling like never before.
"You have just broken a very expensive machine, young man. I have seen this happen only twice, and I have been here for quite a while."
Gohan looked at him with exhausted eyes, "You… should be glad… that's all I broke." "The Super Saiyan transformation does indeed provide you with a significant boost in strength," he replied and started looking at Gohan's tail, "Saiyan physiology is so fascinating, all the way to its building blocks, the DNA. I have been given information about what your tail actually does. Hard to believe the Saiyans actually possessed this ability, but, on the other hand, you were a mighty warrior species. Wanasans were not blessed with suck genes, but did develop high intelligence, which enabled us to get where we are now."
"Technology will only get you so far, Tset," the boy said with a smirk.
"That is where you are wrong, Gohan. Science and technology, with your help, will open up vast new possibilities. We have studied and tested hundreds of prisoners, obtained a lot of knowledge and information from their physiology and DNA sampling. You have witnessed the culmination of this in the form of our super soldiers. True that they weren't a match for you, but just looking a few dozen rotations (Wanasan years) ago, our strongest super soldier was probably a hundred times weaker. As for you, we are finished for today. Take him to the canteen, as promised by the warden and back to his cell."
The guards nodded and carried the exhausted half-Saiyan out of the testing facilities, used the elevator, marched through the hallways and left Gohan in the canteen, which was currently empty, since nutrition period ended some time ago and prisoners are not allowed to be there after that. Luckily, he was feeling a bit better, so he was actually able to walk to the food dispenser and select a dish. This time, it was of yellowish color, so he thought it might be corn related. When taking the first bite, it didn't taste like corn at all.
"How naive of me," he said to himself, "but at least it doesn't taste bad. I am starving."
The meal quickly ended up in his stomach, so he ordered another portion from the food replicator, which had the same faith – devoured by Gohan's stomach. Two guards were standing at the entrance to the canteen, responsible to get the boy back to his cell. Once he was done eating, they escorted him out of the canteen, through the hallway and to the half-Saiyan's own, personal cell. He practically fell on the bed, feeling exhausted from the tests. His muscles were a bit sore from all the stretching, but nothing he wasn't used to. The shocking treatment from him going Super Saiyan is something that saps his strength the most. It is something he had never felt before; the pain feels like it is coming from within him, surging through every fiber of his body.
From where does this pain come from? The bracelet is not for that, and I don't have a collar as well. It has to be something else… something I can't see. Whatever the case, I need to find the source and disable it. No idea how to go about this, but I guess I have time for find out, since I can't do much in this prison.
As he was lying in his bed, Soropo came visiting, since he saw the guards escorting him back.
"How you feeling, Gohan? I didn't see you during the morning nutrition period."
The boy lifted himself on his elbows and looked at his visitor: "I know. Wanted to go but received unexpected guests. They did some physical tests on me, but luckily I broke one of the machines, so we stopped."
"I can see it must have been difficult. You look exhausted."
"Yeah, but not because of the tests. This electrocution is the problem. It just saps my strength completely."
"I know. They have designed this suppression method to be as effective as possible. Not only that, but the intensity can be modified as well. Looking at you, I assume your setting is probably near the highest. Have seen other inmates get shocked a lot, and they managed to get up on their feet, moments after being shocked. In your case, regular setting, most probably, is not enough, so they had to ramp it up. And regarding the tests, I was afraid this might happen. Several inmates have experienced the same thing. Seems like they find you intriguing and want to know more about your species."
"Well that is putting it mildly. One of their scientists said they plan to do something with my DNA and improve the super soldiers. I don't like that one bit."
"We all know about them; they are the strongest Wanasans by far. Very few people are selected to train and become a super soldier. They are the elite among elites, at least what the public is told, but I believe they are doing some experiments, just as you said. And that "research" which was, emmmm… you know? I think it is some sort of a secret military installation. The research part is only the cover. How would you explain all the tall walls, secure perimeter and so many guards?"
"Whatever they are doing here, or there, it seems to be working. Voluntarily or not, these super soldiers are pretty strong, just like me in my Super Saiyan form."
"Uh, what? Super?" Soropo was confused.
"Never mind, let's just go to the recreational area. I need to walk a bit and get out of this tiny cell."
"Yeah sure, just take it easy, we have plenty of time before the next nutrition period and my daily chores."
. . . . .
While Gohan was having his problems, Kyuuri was having her own. It has been a few days since her training started and it has been a real hell hole. The singularity had somehow changed the rotation of the planetoid she is currently on, forcing it to revolve around its axis. Due to that, she is exposed to continuously changing gravity forces, either pulling her to the ground of trying to suck her into the singularity. On top of that, the surface is constantly bombarded by space debris, varying from small rocks, boulders, to giant asteroids, the size of entire houses. Despite all odds, she is determined to persevere and improve herself. Each day she comes back to the hideout all bruised and tired. Koshi provides her with his healing solution, to speed up the recovery time, since she insists on going back to training every single day.
"You are probably THE most stubborn person I have ever known," Koshi said while mending her injuries.
"Tell me something I don't know," she replied back, smiling.
"To make your day better, Gohan is doing much worse than you. According to my informant, they have started conducting tests on him. He did turn into a Super Saiyan, but was immediately incapacitated, proving the Wanasans are capable of keeping him in check."
"Those are wonderful news, Koshi. As being his enemy, I am delighted by that, but the warrior side of me is not happy, since there is no honor in that."
"I knew you'd say something like that. You haven't changed one bit since you fought him for the first time," Koshi smiled back and applied more healing solution on Kyuuri's wounds.
"We are all prisoners of our own motives and impulses. Asking someone to behave or act differently than what they really are, is practically impossible. One can fake it for some time, but sooner or later, your true nature shows."
"Can't argue with that, if I am being honest. I know you have only been training for a few days, but do you see any progress at all?" Koshi wanted to know.
"Honestly, I do. It's been so long since I trained under this kind of gravity and conditions, so results show faster at the beginning… until diminishing returns kick in. The longer Gohan is kept from training, the smaller the gap between us gets."
"What about Endou? I have been thinking it for a while now… if all what you said is true, then she really did use us to get Shingo's power. We've been loyal to her for a long time, and to Shingo as well. We didn't deserve being discarded like some, I don't know, used pawns or toys. I can't count how many times we saved her ass and stood by her side, when no one else would."
"No worries, my friend, she won't go unpunished. Sadly, we are no match for her at this time. Once I am able to train up and you come up with any counter measures to her spells, then we can begin planning our little revenge. As long as those annoying Kaioshins, or Endou, for that matter, don't find us, we can prepare properly."
"I agree. Luckily, I already have some ideas how to counter some of her magic. Just need to finalize and perfect them. It won't be much, to be honest, but could give us the edge during the most crucial part of the battle."
. . . . .
Nosirp and Tset, on the other hand, were in the middle of their private meeting in Nosirp's office.
"You're really pushing your luck, Tset," the warden continued, "We are lucky to only have lost the test machine."
"Please, warden, this was expected. We haven't even tested his Super Saiyan transformation yet."
"If you ask me, you have already received a dose of that, not to mention a facility wide alarm which almost caused me to fall from my chair."
"Your concern is understandable, warden, but you need not worry. His base form is not strong enough to pose any threat during the tests."
"And Super Saiyan one and two?" she interrupted him.
"The same, as long as the inhibitor chip is keeping him in check. We can test his true potential in the special chamber with our most advanced tech, which is the culmination of our long research. The obtained data should be priceless."
"I don't doubt in our technology, professor, it is the "human" factor that concerns me. I know you have your methods how to do things, but bear in mind that both of us serve a greater goal. I will be damned if your scientific urge for the unknown endangers this. We all remember the occasions when you went too far, one time almost blowing up an entire research wing."
"Yes, yes, I know. But in my defense, we did obtain the much needed data, which enabled us to move forward with the serum refinement."
"Anyway," she said and looked out the window, "just make sure to follow the procedures and proper precautions next time. Which reminds me, when will you conduct the Super Saiyan test?"
"Should be within a few weeks. The absorption chamber is being tested and prepared as we speak. We are modifying it accordingly, just to ensure it will perform at 100 %, without any risks of overloading or malfunctioning."
"Excellent," she smiled, "I don't want any slip ups. Be sure to brief your colleagues thoroughly. I want everyone to be prepared for everything."
As Tset was walking through the hallways, on his way back to the testing facility, Gohan and Soropo crossed his path. The young half-Saiyan gave Tset a very menacing look, almost like he was about to attack, but, of course, nothing happened. The scientist quickened his pace to outrun them safely.
"Who was that?" Soropo asked.
"It was that scientist who conducted those tests on me. I would only need a minute with him to set things straight."
"You're not the only one," the Wanasan replied, "lots of us have grudges against particular staff members, but frankly speaking, not all of us are strong enough to actually do something, even if we had the chance."
"It's not always about strength. I used to think like this, but soon realized it can just get you into more trouble."
"Can't imagine of all the people, you would get in more trouble. You can blow up a planet of two with ease, if you wanted."
"True, but how does that help me? It is just a constant concern, holding you back, to be honest. The exact same thing happened when I fought our strongest enemy back on Earth… I was afraid of blowing up the planet, not wanting to use my full power. In the end, I was lucky my dad was by my side, giving me the needed determination to just let loose and vaporize the enemy in one huge energy blast."
"When you put it that way, it seems having such power is more of a burden then a blessing."
"Sometimes it really feels that way, but I have embraced this gift and I intend to use it to protect my planet and the people I love. Once I somehow escape from this prison."
They finally reached the recreational area, which was full of other inmates. Soropo immediately noticed a few reders, one of them being Blorgho.
"Oh boy, we are gonna have problems," Soropo said with a shaking voice.
"No worries," Gohan replied, "let's just ignore them and go to the other side. The last thing I want is getting annoyed by these guys. I've had enough problems today already."
While they made their way to the other side of the recreational area, most of inmates' eyes had already been set on Gohan – the newest reder and addition to this prison.
"HEY, BABY!" Blorgho started yelling across the giant, spacious recreational area.
Gohan didn't react and kept walking, with Soropo following him, albeit a bit shaky.
"HEY! I'M TALKING TO YOU!" Blorgho screamed even more.
The half-Saiyan still didn't respond or look back and continued walking, but did start getting annoyed by all that screaming. Blorgho ordered his followers to intercept the boy, blocking his path.
"Oh no, they're coming," Soropo panicked and wanted to run away, but was too late.
Once both of them were surrounded, Blorgho made its grand entrance.
"Nobody disrespects me like that and gets away with it, Earthling. I haven't forgotten the even in the canteen."
"We are just passing by. I don't want any problems and I am not in the mood for a talk," Gohan replied.
"Yeah, I noticed the tiny Wanasan follows you around like a pet."
Gohan's eyes narrowed, indicating anger, "Soropo is NOT my pet. Now let us go. I don't want to hurt anyone."
"Yeah, yeah, you were lucky in the canteen, since you caught me by surprise," Blorgho tried boosting its self-confidence."
"Sure, whatever. I am REALLY not in the mood for this," the boy started getting annoyed.
"Well, you have no other choice," Blorgho replied and signaled one of the security guards not far away, who nodded back and contacted the warden via his communicator. "Warden, do you see this?"
"Yes. Let them continue. Nobody interferes until I say so. Let's see what he will do."
The previously mentioned security guard looked at Blorgho and nodded twice, signaling it everything is taken care of. At that time, two of Blorgho's henchmen grabbed Soropo.
"As I said, you have no choice. We are going to move this meeting of ours to a more secluded and quiet part of the facility. Please follow me, otherwise Soropo will get in a lot of trouble because of you."
"Tsch, you're really pushing your luck," the demi-Saiyan said and continued: "Fine, let's go."
Everyone made their way to the lowest level, still accessible to inmates. It was where the laundry was done, but at this time, nobody was there, hence no guards as well, only surveillance cameras. Soropo was still being held by two of Blorgho's goons, all others were preparing to deal with the boy, including Blorgho itself.
"I told you that you will pay for the canteen incident. Get him!" it issued the order.
A few of the goons attacked him, but everyone missed, since the boy evaded all of their attempts. He knocked out two with a single punch, and the other 3 followed quickly after that, but managed to get back up, although in some pain. They re-grouped and launched another wave, consisting of 5 attackers. Just as Goku's son was about to knock them out permanently, his chip activated, paralyzing him for a moment, enabling the assaulters to get some decent hits. A few punches and kicks to the face, stomach and back, forced the half-Saiyan to his knees.
"Heheh," Gohan smiled with a smirk.
"What's so funny?! Did you get hit in the head too hard?" Blorgho laughed.
"I'll be honest, it is hard not to raise my energy during a battle. For me, it is like an instinct that kicks in automatically. Should be a good test against you and your minions."
"You're just bluffing. Make him pay!" Blorgho was insulted and ordered another attack.
Its henchmen started the assault, but this time, the boy was ready with his swift retaliation. A few moments later, all the attackers were on the ground, either knocked out cold or moaning in pain. Gohan didn't go unscathed; he did get a few bruises and a bit of a bloody nose – so basically nothing. This got him thinking.
It's not easy fighting while being suppressed to the max. Every fiber in my body is screaming to raise my energy in order to fight properly. Just normal attacks from these goons can cause pain and mild injuries. I have to admit, this Wanasan tech is doing a much better job than I ever anticipated. Bulma would love to get her hands on this.
His thoughts were interrupted by Blorgho: "Not bad, kid, but they were the weakest of us all. Beating guys like these is something we do for breakfast."
"We? Don't you mean, you?" the boy was confused.
"No, WE," Blorgho smiled and 3 more reders appeared next to it.
All of them seem to be the same species as Blorgho, whatever he, or she, is. Pale white scales, like lizards, but no claws or tails. Their species is known to have very minor differences between genders, so of course Gohan had no idea who is male or female. They are all bipedal (having two legs) and two arms, just like a Human. Their faces have similar features as a Human, or Saiyan, but look a bit more robust, having no visible nose, eyes being further apart and being of blue-yellowish color. Their hands have three fingers and their leg structure resembles those of cats and dogs. All of them were quite tall, around Piccolo's height, who was actually the tallest among the Z-fighters. Gohan, compared to the Namekian, was about to his waist (not including the hair, of course). Two of them had a collar around their neck, but one didn't; same as Gohan.
"Friends of yours?" Gohan smirked.
"And your worst nightmare here," Zorgho, one of Blorgho's, close friends added.
"We'll see about that," Goku's son replied and prepared himself.
3 attacked him, but the one without the collar remained still. Since the boy didn't want to risk getting shocked, and that would be disastrous now, he kept his energy level as low as possible. Hence, his speed and strength were affected, but he was still a match for all 3 attackers. It also seemed that all of them knew very well how to control their Ki without getting electrocuted. Is it something that they have learned during their imprisonment, or is it a trait of their species? One thing is for sure, Gohan had to finish this quicker, rather than later, or risking another electrocution. The fight raged on for a few minutes, until the boy was victorious, although bruised badly and with a bloody nose and his bottom lip. Blorgho and the others were either knocked out or unable to get up anymore. The last member of this unknown species, stepped forward and smiled.
"You have some very impressive skills, Gohan," it said.
"You know my name?" the boy responded.
"Unlike Blorgho and the others, I actually get to know the new inmates. Some of us use our brains properly, and some are just pushovers, preying on weaker prisoners."
"Probably I don't have to tell you that I hate it when people push around weaker ones."
"It is how you can survive in here. If others push you around and claim a dominant position among the inmates, they are the ones that rule on the inside. As long as we are here, we are running this place."
"Tsch," Gohan smirked and spit some blood on the floor, "that's the problem. The moment I walked into this place, I had a feeling I was being watched. Blorgho didn't just start picking on me on his, her own. It was you who gave the order, wasn't it?"
"Very perceptive, and yes, it was me. I test all new inmates that don't have a collar."
"You don't have one as well as I can see. Do you know how they keep you in check?"
"Of course I do. It seems you have no idea, do you?"
"Enlighten me, please," the boy smiled.
"I'm afraid not," was its last response, before vanishing.
The moment Gohan heightened his senses, Zorgho's fist was already in his stomach. Since the impact was much greater than Goku's son had anticipated, he spat blood from his mouth while holding his stomach when falling on his knees.
"You are no match for me. None the less, I could use someone like you with that skill. I am offering you to join us. Others won't approve, of course, but I don't care."
When the pain subsided, the half-Saiyan was back on his feet.
"Join you? I don't think so. I don't intend in staying here for long."
"That's a shame. In that case, you will follow our rules."
"Never," was all that Gohan said.
Zorgho attacked once more, but the boy managed to parry its attack. He counter-attacked but Zorgho defended as well. The fight was heating up and both were evenly matched. Blow for a blow, kick for a kick, nobody had the advantage, until Zorgho kicked it up a notch and managed to outclass Gohan in every aspect. As the half-Saiyan was lying on the ground, barely keeping his eyes open due to exhaustion and injuries, Zorgho came up to him, grabbed his hair and lifted his head.
"I told you… you are no match. Time to go to sleep."
As it prepared to deal the final blow, the warden shouted via a nearby speaker, "Enough! Return to your cells, immediately. That is an order! Team Bravo, clean up the mess and get those inmates to the infirmary!"
Zorgho just smiled and left. At that point, Gohan's vision became very blurry, until he passed out completely. Bravo team stormed the area and carried out the warden's orders – cleaning up the entire section, leaving no evidence behind. All the inmates, who had more serious injuries, were transferred to the infirmary for treatment. You would think, as strong as Gohan is, he would get up quickly, but that was not the case. A few hours passed until he finally regained consciousness. His body was sore and his head felt like it will explode at any moment. There was nobody in his room, he was alone with the medical devices, which he was attached to for monitoring the life-signs.
Who was that fighter? He took me out in a matter of minutes. Can't even remember what exactly happened in the end. His movements were so fast, and his punches so powerful. How did he manage to output so much strength?
While he was alone with his thoughts, the doors opened and Tset walked in.
"I see you are finally awake. How do you feel?"
"Beat up. Why weren't we stopped? Who is that guy? How is he so strong?" Goku's son started shooting questions.
"Wow, slow down. First we need to make sure you will be alright. So far the medications seem to have kicked in. You should feel better in about a day. As for your questions, that was Zorgho, the strongest prisoner we currently have."
"Strongest? I… I mean, something wasn't right. None of them got shocked. I saw collars on all of them, except this Zorgho guy."
"That is correct. Zorgho is a reder, like you, so the collar is not enough to subdue her (yes, she is a female). Same with you, actually."
"So how do you control us then?" the boy wanted to know.
"You know I can't tell you that. We use another method, is all I can say. Tell me more about the fight, about Zorgho."
"I think you set me up. There was nobody down there except me and those, whatever they are. Only I was electrocuted, and none of them, so something is very odd. Were you testing my power? My fighting skills and instincts? Tell me!"
Gohan's pulse increased, signaling his frustration and causing a medical device to beep faster.
"Calm down, Gohan. This was not planned at all. The warden decided to let the events play out by themselves. We could have intervened in the recreational area, but decided to see how the events will unfold. It was also the opportunity to see how Zorgho and others would react to you. Regarding your power, we will test it in a few weeks, I can assure you that. A very special chamber is being finalized, where you will be able to power up."
Just then, Nosirp entered the room, "Again giving away secrets, Tset?"
"Warden… I didn't…"
"I don't wanna hear it. Just leave us and continue working on the chamber. It needs to be operational as soon as possible."
Tset left swiftly, and the warden closed the door behind him.
"You probably have questions regarding Blorgho and his gang, right?"
"Did you come here just to say that is classified or something?" Gohan responded.
"Not at all, actually. I think it is fair to let you know what you're up against. After all, this isn't the last fight with them. We want to study you, and them, more thoroughly. There was no one that can go toe-to-toe with Zorgho and his gang, until now."
"Didn't expect anything else, to be honest."
"You really hate me, don't you? Well, guess what, I don't care, Gohan. I am here for a reason, and same goes for every single one of you. I have my duties to perform, and I still think you're a cold-blooded murderer, but I am supposed to provide this info to you, personally. Blorgho, Zorgho and their kind, have the ability to power up, similar like you do it, but their energy is almost undetectable, even by our collars and related tech, which I can't disclose. What actually happened is that, your energy is suppressed to practically nothing, while they can utilize a decent amount of it without getting shocked."
"But Zorgho doesn't have a collar, just like me, yet I get shocked frequently."
"Because a different suppression method is used on both of you, and other reders which possess great strength. Collars are not enough, as Tset probably already explained. Don't bother asking how we control you, it's classified."
"If they are so strong, how come they don't try escaping or doing something?" the boy became interested.
"To put it simply, and not revealing classified info, we have something they need, literally."
"Why are you telling me all this?"
Nosirp replied with a smirk on her face: "Because I want to see you fight seriously and still lose, just like you did now. I want you to pay for your crimes against my people in any way possible. Being locked up here is not enough for a mass murderer like you."
The machine started beeping faster again, since Goku's son heart rate began increasing. He couldn't do much since he was still in a bad shape, and restrained to the bed with durable belts. The more he tried getting free, the more the machine beeped.
"Don't bother, you can't get free. Look at you, in a bad shape, powerless and restrained, yet the tenacity is still burning within you. All the data we received about is very much true," the warden smiled.
She actually leaned over the boy and gave him a few slaps to the face, to make him even angrier. The boy was really mad, but didn't want to risk getting shocked in this condition. A doctor came storming in because of all the machines beeping, "What's going on? His readings are erratic!"
"Nothing doctor," Nosirp replied with a calm voice, "he is upset for losing to Zorgho, that's all." She turned to Gohan and waved, "Get well soon," and left the room.
The doctor opened one of the medical kits and took out a syringe with a clear liquid inside. He administered it into Gohan's blood stream, "This will calm you down."
A few moment later, his heart rate returned to normal and he fell asleep.
Notes:
This is it for this chapter =), I hope you liked and enjoyed it. Am trying to write new ones as best (and fast) as possible, but sometimes it takes time to get the creative juices flowing. Have a bit more stuff to do regarding my current job, and other stuff in my private life, so I am not spending a lot of time writing. Am eager to close this prison chapter as soon as possible, since I want to start a new one with some very interesting ideas =), which, hopefully, you will like as well. As always, please leave a review to let me know what you think. Stay safe and healthy!