Long before they reached the infirmary, Goku knew something was wrong. He could feel it in faint throb of Vegeta's energy. So he was no longer walking casually next to Laswe. He was running.

"Hey—wait—Goku!" Laswe cried as he buzzed after him, struggling to keep up.

"Something's wrong, Laswe!" Goku insisted, bolting even faster down the corridor, "I'm sorry, but we have to hurry—come on!"

Laswe huffed and puffed, gaining ground on him. "Come on! Subtle changes in energy can mean just about anything! You don't know…" They slowed down and came to a halt, seeing the crowd of guards gathered outside the infirmary. "…That."

Goku spotted the tower of white in the crowd, squeezing in through the bodies and running up to him. "Oom'Bagu, what's happened?"

"Goku," Oom'Bagu turned and sighed.

"Guardian!" Hameus called out to Laswe, his blue skin a shade violet as he pushed some of his men aside, "Thank God you're here, sir."

"What's going on?" Laswe piped, glancing from the head guard to Oom'Bagu, "Has there been a security breach?"

Oom'Bagu turned back to the hologram projected from his fusion band. "Sepis, explain the situation to Justiciar Laswe."

"It was a glitch," the image of Sepis explained in an extremely anxious tone, "A glitch in the system…I'm trying to track the source of the conflict now."

"Okay…" said Laswe patiently, "So what does that mean? What's happened?"

"I'll tell you what it means!" Dr. Tottle pushed his way through the crowd, his face covered in sweat. "I was here when it happened, equipment all started firing at once, triggered a complete system overload." He jabbed his finger viciously at the sealed door. "And now my patient is trapped in there with three other prisoners who shouldn't even be there just because some lazy idiot screwed up the examination orders!"

"You mean Vegeta?" Goku asked, his eyes wide with worry.

"Okay, that put's things into perspective, thank you," Laswe snarked.

"It's a disaster," Oom'Bagu stated blatantly, "We don't even know what's going on in there. And until Sepis can find the source of the conflict and reverse the lockdown, there's nothing we can do."

"We're ready to mobilize as soon as the locks are down," Hameus assured.

"But until then we're sitting ducks," Laswe observed, landing on his tail and crossing his arms, "Great, just great…" He whined with irritation, but suddenly his wings fluttered to attention. "Wait a minute!" He elbowed Goku. "Monkey boy!"

"Huh?" said Goku.

"You can get in!"

Oom'Bagu frowned. "What do you mean, Laswe?"

Laswe's tittered, his brow lowering. "Well it just so happens our Legendary Super Saiyan knows instant transmission.

Oom'Bagu's eyes widened, looking at Goku.

"Hey, you're right!" Goku chimed.

"It's perfect!" Laswe insisted, "He could zip in there and put every section of the infirmary in the clear and be back in time for lunch!"

Oom'Bagu turned fully to them. "Is this so?"

"It's true," Goku assured, serious intensity entering his eyes, "Sorry if you feel like I tricked you. I probably should have told you about that technique when I first came onboard, but I honestly didn't think to."

Oom'Bagu hummed deeply, fingering one of his engraved cuffs. "It's not exactly protocol but…all right." He turned to Goku, lifting up the Saiyan's arm and touching his monitor. "Stay in contact and follow instructions. I want you to get the doctors out first. Then report to me on the state of the patients."

"Right," Goku nodded, taking his arm back. He stepped back and pressed two fingers to his forehead.

"Kakarot, wait!" Dr. Tottle called out, running up to him, "Once you get the other doctors to safety you must get inside my lab post-haste." He looked down. "I have a horrid feeling in my gut."

"Don't worry," Goku replied, "I'm getting Vegeta out too."

He vanished, returning a moment later with one of the doctors under his arm. The guards quickly ushered him away and the saiyan was gone again. He returned thrice more, the physicians in a nervous state but unharmed. The fifth time the doctor he brought back was unconscious and he was coughing, face all blue.

"Goku," said Oom'Bagu, catching him by the shoulders, "Are you alright? What happened?"

"Some kind of…" He paused to hack. "Gas had filled up the place. I nearly passed out as soon as I got there."

"Sleeping gas," Dr. Tottle declared, examining the unconscious doctor, "An emergency fail-safe in case a patient is in danger of harming themselves or the physician attending them. Entirely harmless."

"Do you need to rest?" Oom'Bagu pressed.

Goku coughed into his fist and shook his head. "No, I'm fine. There's still people in there."

"Well then you better get your ass back in there, Saiyan," Laswe nudged, his tail giving him a little tap.

Goku drew in a deep breath and straightened up. "Mm. I'm going back in." He raised a hand and vanished.

(**Scene Break**)

Tupa felt the chair come down on his head one more time, gagging out another outcry as blood ran down between his eyes. Each blow was accompanied by his assailant's screams. He screamed on and on and on like he was the one being struck, the chair starting to get bent out of shape. He brought it down one more time and then froze, mouth gaping open in a gargle cry, his face twitching wildly. He looked down and gave another horrible shriek, throwing his head back.

"It's not my fault…" Vegeta declared, body quaking, "I'm trying…I'm trying…why won't you stop, I'm trying!"

"Goddamn it, Lacor, get him off me!" Tupa cried, his head tentacles snapping up and arms braced against the floor.

Vegeta screamed again, his voice reaching disturbingly high notes as he started bludgeoning him with the chair even more wildly. "Why won't you leave me alone?! Can't you see I'm trying?! But he won't die! He won't die! Why won't you die?!"

"LACOR!"

Vegeta raised the chair again and was tackled by the grey mutant. "Okay, fishy, that's—" He gagged as suddenly his tongue was caught in a fist, the hand holding it making a serious effort to rip it out.

"I'm telling you, they won't die!" Vegeta screamed, bracing his foot against Lacor's chest, "Why aren't I strong enough?!" He started to shake, his breathing escalating, and released another shriek. "I'm trying, leave me alone!"

"Goddamn it, this was not part of the deal!" Tupa shouted, grabbing Vegeta from behind and prying him loose. The mad prince twisted in his arms and dug his fingernails at Tupa's throat, clawing at it like a wild animal.

Resetti glanced up from the computer bank, frowning slightly. "I did try to warn you."

"That damn harpy bitch!" Lacor snarled, pounding his fists against the floor, "She said it'd caused extreme paranoia, but she didn't mention he'd turn rabid!"

Resetti ducked as a piece of debris flew his way and resumed fiddling with the computers. "What part of 'extremely psychotic' didn't you understand?"

Tupa roared, slamming Vegeta against the wall and holding him there as he struggled to stop Vegeta's legs as they pinned viciously against his neck in an effort to break it. "No shit! Why don't you get over here and help us, huh?!"

Resetti sighed and shook his head. "Whatever happened to letting him put up a fight to excuse his injuries as self-defense?"

Lacor found the bloodied tool and lifted it off the ground. "He was supposed to be too crazy to be a real threat to us." He heaved up the tool and brought it down hard on Vegeta's head.

Vegeta froze, blinking. A second later two lines of red ran down out of his hairline. He touched the blood and stared at it on his fingers.

"The hell—did he just break or something?" Tupa blinked, wiping the blood off his own brow.

"He can't decide what's reality anymore, fool," Resetti dryly explained, "Pain, bodily needs, passions – they all mean nothing to him now. They only mean whatever the new world in his head makes them to be."

"Chocolate…" Vegeta finally muttered, turning his hand about, "Why is it always chocolate?"

Lacor stared for a moment longer and finally smiled. "Now this is more like what I had in mind…" He raised the tool over his head again.

Something blocked it. An arm. Lacor stared at the black mass of spiked hair before him, a head turning to glare at him. The tool slipped from Lacor's hand and he backed off.

"The…am I losing my mind too now?" Tupa gaped at the man in orange, "Or did that guy just appear out of nowhere?"

Goku eyed the three criminals severely for a moment and turned back. "Vegeta…are you alright?" He reached out a hand towards him.

Vegeta licked the blood on his fingers curiously, spinning around just as Goku's fingers touched his shoulder. "The light!" he screamed, his fist connecting with Goku's chin. He shuffled backward, a hand gripping the side of his head, his eyes wide and wild. "That light…that light…no, please…that's the one thing I can't destroy…put it out…PUT IT OUT!"

Goku stared at his fellow saiyan in utter shock. "Vegeta, what's wrong? What's happened to you?"

"SHUT UP, I'M TRYING!" Vegeta screamed, clenching his fingers up in his hair as he threw back his head.

"Vegeta, what's happening to you?!" He reached out for him again.

"No, stop! It burns!" Vegeta shouted, leaping back from him. He threw out a palm up at him, shaking. "You…you…why you?"

Goku stopped, staring at Vegeta's wide eyes. He studied him for a long moment and finally took a step back. "Vegeta…it's just me. It's Goku. You know…Kakarot?"

Vegeta's hand lowered a little. "Kakarot," he repeated.

"The Saiyan from Earth, remember?"

Vegeta's hand lowered the rest of the way and clenched into a trembling fist. "Yes, I know…I have to kill him….I have to kill them all…" He gripped his head. "Put out the light…put it out…put it out…!"

"Vegeta, I don't understand," Goku earnestly stated, holding up a hand, "What light? Please, whatever it is, let me help you."

"Help him?" Tupa scoffed, "We gotta take that sucker out before he tries to kill us again!"

"Kill…" Vegeta said softly, his eyes twitching at the floor, "It's the only way…kill it…make it stop." His eyes shifted to the side, looking at something. "Must I? Yes. Yes…"

"Well shit…" Lacor said as Vegeta reached into a split drawer and came up with a scalpel.

"Vegeta, no!" Goku hugged Vegeta from behind, lifting him off the ground just as he was about to sprint at Lacor with the knife. Vegeta shrieked, dropping the weapon and thrashing. "Please, tell me what's wrong! Why would you—"

"NO, YOU WILL NOT DESTROY ME!" Vegeta howled. He twisted around in Goku's grip, grabbing his face like he meant to crush it.

"Vegeta, I'm not trying to hurt you!" Goku shouted back, shaking him to make him lose his grip. Vegeta started screaming again, ripping at the arms that held him and finally trying to sink his teeth into Goku's impervious flesh. "Alright, that's enough!" He shoved his wrist up deep into Vegeta's mouth like a bit, forcing his head back against his chest and dropping to the floor with him, wrapping his legs over his arms to hold him still. "Calm down, Vegeta," he ordered.

He held him as Vegeta continued to violently struggle, but able to move little at this point. Goku watched him as he gave off muffled screams, his brow tight. What was wrong with him? It almost reminded him of that moment back when Babidi had invaded his mind. Was that what it was – was something attacking him from the inside again? He watched Vegeta twitch and squirm, squealing like he was being tortured. And then he saw it: Vegeta's eyes fixated with terror on a blank spot on the wall.

Goku's widened in realization. "That's it!" he declared, watching the prince's shuddering eyes, "I get it now. You're seeing something I'm not! Is there someone there?" Without even putting much consideration into the action, he planted his hand atop Vegeta's head. "Show me, Vegeta. Let me see what you see."

He let Vegeta's energy flow into his own, the world around him warping and changing. The images didn't want to come at first. They were erratic, noises coming at him from all directions. Goku tightened his grip on Vegeta's forehead, forcing their energies to match. At last, clarity came.

He heard it. "Kill them. Kill them. Kill them all." It was a soft, airy voice without origin. It echoed all around and wouldn't stop. "Kill them. It's the only way. It's the only way, Vegeta. Kill them. Kill them all. Kill them. You must kill them. Kill them! Kill them now!"

"Who are you?!" Goku shouted, trying to find the source of the voice, "Why are you doing this to him?!" He looked down. "Huh?!" he cried as suddenly the floor turned to blood, pooling from Vegeta – but he wasn't hurt, it was just running down his arms and legs like a river from a mountain. The echoing voice persisted and Goku looked sharply around once more. He spotted the three criminals over his shoulder, his jaw dropping. They looked all mangled and disgusting, their eyes glowing red. "This can't be right!"

"I'm getting tired of waiting, Vegeta…"

Goku froze. "That voice…that one's different from the others." He squinted through the warbling images around them…and spotted a small being, a long tail rigged like a worm and straight, black horns coming out of the sides of his head. "Frieza?!" Goku gaped, "But…that's not possible! You can't be here!"

"If you can't kill them, I'll just have to find some other use for you…oh that's right…there is none." He slowly turned, pointing a charged finger down at Vegeta. "Shame."

Goku swatted the bolt. It went straight through his hand, Vegeta's chest exploding open with a spray of blood. The prince screamed, biting down even harder on Goku's wrist as he twisted. Goku stared wide eyed down at the wound and watched it magically close. "What is going on?!" Vegeta just breathed for a moment, but soon went into another frenzy as Goku lowered his hand. It was then he noticed it – the golden light glowing about his arm. "Super Saiyan?!" Goku cried, staring at it, seeing the same light run down his legs as well, "How can I be…" He look from himself to the blood floor to Frieza standing there with a dark smile. Goku's brow lowered. "It isn't real." He tightened his hand into a fist. "I'm the light you were talking about. But I'm not going to hurt you, Vegeta. I've come to help you. You hear me, Vegeta? What you're seeing isn't real!"

"What the hell is he saying? Has he gone crazy too?" The two brutes came a little closer, watching them, their mangled bodies swaying in a sickly manner.

"I haven't a clue. And I'm not about to get involved. I can't be certain…but I think he's Saiyan too. If so, I know who is he. In any case, I'm keeping him as far away as I could throw him."

"If he's who you think he is, I don't think you could throw him at all…"

"Well aren't you the clever one today?"

Goku turned to look at them again, his brow lowering. There was something about Vegeta's image of them he hadn't noticed before – all three of them, they all had some kind of threads coming off them. It was like…like what? He focused, thinking intently for a long moment, then it hit him. Like puppets! They were like horrible marionettes. "And I think I can guess who's pulling the strings," he said to himself, his grip on Vegeta tightening, "It's Nevrrest, isn't it? She's responsible for this."

"Vegeta…"

Vegeta's eyes locked straight ahead again, his entire face and body trembling. Goku followed that gaze, seeing a figure standing perfectly posed in the distance. It came closer, the blood softly splashing underfoot and stood again, ankles together. "Bulma?" Goku said with surprise. It was definitely her, but she didn't look quite like herself. She was dressed in royal Saiyan garb, an armored chest plate decorated with gems and a red cape running down her back, blue hair lovely and hanging below the shoulders. In her arms, she held a bundled infant, only the child's pale arms visible, reaching out and gurgling.

Her lovely painted lips parted. "Dishonor. Dishonor. You've dishonored us all. Kill them all and die in battle. But you can't even do that, can you?"

"Vegeta, that's not Bulma," Goku tried to make his friend look away, "Bulma would never say that. Don't listen, it's not her!"

She came closer and held out the bundle to him. "A son does not deserve to be born to such a father. He doesn't deserve to be born to this shame." She brought the baby close to herself once more and reached a hand behind her. "That's why…that's why…" She held up an ornate dagger, her eyes gazing emptily down at Vegeta in vindictive disgust. "He won't have to be."

Goku slapped a hand over Vegeta's eyes as the blood splattered across him, but still the prince's muffled shrieks rang. And then he felt it – the inside of his palm became damp and two thick, wet lines ran down Vegeta's cheeks. Goku's jaw gaped in horror. "Vegeta…" Lowering his brow, he pulled him up higher on his chest and tightened his arms around him. "Don't you dare, Vegeta. Don't you dare give in now. Don't let her take away your pride. You hear me? Don't you think of giving up, even for a second!"

The voices continued to echo around them, whispering demands for Vegeta to kill everyone. But then Goku heard another voice, faintly calling out his name. Goku gasped as he released himself from Vegeta's delusions, becoming aware of his monitor blinking and the voice rising from it.

"Goku! Goku! Goku, report!" Oom'Bagu's voice called out, "What's going on in there?"

"I'm here," Goku finally answered, glancing down at the device on his wrist, "It's Vegeta – he's seeing things that aren't there. Horrible things."

"And he tried to kill us!" Tupa shouted before Lacor elbowed him hard in the stomach.

"I was wondering," Oom'Bagu rumbled, "I've been empathically tracking you and the emotional storm has been unbearable."

"Kakarot!" Dr. Tottle's voice suddenly cut in, "Can you blindfold him? If he's hallucinating, that might serve to calm him. Otherwise, if he keeps going at the rate the warden's describing he could go into shock."

"I can cover his eyes, will that work?" Goku asked, planting his hand over Vegeta's face once more, "I got him pinned right now. He's hearing these voices telling him to kill people and they're driving him crazy enough that he keeps trying – even me!"

Oom'Bagu growled. "Sepis, I need that lockdown reversed now!"

Goku waited – it was all he could do at this point. He considered using instant transmission to get Vegeta to the others, but Oom'Bagu told him to stay put. Covering Vegeta's eyes did seem to help…a little bit at least. Goku knew he could still hear those voices and who knew who else might be visiting him? He was pretty certain that the fake Bulma and Frieza weren't the only ones. He held Vegeta close, speaking words of encouragement, hoping that somehow they would reach him through the horror and the haze. The three prisoner kept their distance from them the entire time, hardly speaking a word, watching Goku with nervous, intent eyes.

A long last, the blast doors pulled back into the walls and the entry way flew open, an entire column of guards pouring in with their weapons ready. Lacor, Tupa, and Resetti immediately dropped to their knees and put their hands behind their heads, watching as Oom'Bagu, Hameus, and Laswe followed the column in. As soon as the lab was secure, Dr. Tottle also raced in, looking around frantically at the state of his lab and then rushing to Goku and Vegeta's side.

He snatched a scanner off this desk and passed it over Vegeta, still struggling in Goku's grip. "By the ancients, look at those blood pressure levels! Heart rate, adrenaline, hormones – they're all completely out of control."

"Can you help him, doc?" Goku urgently asked.

"I'll damn well try, Kakarot, but I gotta figure out what's wrong with him first." He put the scanner away and reached for a syringe. Goku instantly shut his eyes and turned his head away, biting his lip as Dr. Tottle stuck it into Vegeta's insert. He gave one of the machines a frustrated smack as it refused to turn on at first and then placed the vial of blood inside. He watched the vial float through a green field as the machine tested the contents.

Oom'Bagu came up behind him. "Well?"

"Warden, it doesn't work instantly, give it a moment," Dr. Tottle told him with irritation, "In the meantime, can't you use your empathy to get my patient under control?"

"I cannot," Oom'Bagu replied somberly, glancing at Vegeta, "His current madness is too powerful for me to grasp."

"Warden," Hameus interjected, glancing up from his wristband, "The entire infirmary has been made secure. The worst is over, sir."

"Worst of it?" Laswe scoffed, flying over to Goku, "Your optimism is appreciated, Hameus, but would you look at this guy? Come on, Goku, let's get the poor psycho on a bed at least."

"Good idea," Goku nodded.

Laswe grunted, puffing his muscles up a bit before grasping Vegeta's legs. The prince started screaming and thrashing again as he was carried between the Saiyan and Ponachi over to his bed. "GET OFF ME!" he howled, "SHUT UP! SHUT—UP! I'LL DO IT! I'LL KILL THEM ALL!" Goku's expression was pained as they forced him down on the bed, the restraints snapping over his wrists and ankles.

"Okay, this isn't working!" Laswe piped, shoving a hand against Vegeta's chest, the bed shaking all over the place. He turned and snapped his fingers twice at the guards. "Hey, quit the staring contest with those three and help us out over here! Get something to tie him down better before he hurts himself!"

"Try that drawer," Dr. Tottle pointed, "I keep the extra restraints in there – in with the surgical equipment."

"Doc!" Laswe cried, hovering over the bed as they harnessed straps over Vegeta's torso and thighs, "Seriously, you gotta get over here and sedate this guy! I swear, he's gonna break the bed or something!"

A trill came from the machine, Dr. Tottle's eyes dancing over the read outs, a look of utter disbelief and horror covering his face. "I…can't." He leaned close the screen and then dashed over to Vegeta's bed, ripping open his IV machine.

"What do you mean you can't?!" Laswe piped, hissing as Vegeta's tail whipped up around his neck and tried to throttle him.

"I mean he's been poisoned!" Dr. Tottle shouted, grabbing one of the emptied bottles from the machine, "Serpha, Moximalon, and Kardst. No wonder he's hallucination so violently." He snarled and threw the bottle over his shoulder.

"What?" Oom'Bagu said in the deepest of voices, "How?"

"No time, everyone back off and keep quiet!" Dr. Tottle quite harshly shoved all the guards away. "Laswe, bring me that drawer over there! Kakarot, over by me! We gotta act fast or the damage might become permanent."

"Permanent?!" Goku cried.

"No time to gawk, Kakarot, I need your help!"

"Gah—what do you need me to do?!"

Dr. Tottle seized Vegeta's tail in one hand and Goku's chin in the other. "The one thing you Saiyans are good for – monkey see, monkey do! Now watch closely." He lifted Vegeta's whipping tail stiffly into the air and began to massage three specific points on it in a circular motion. He passed the tail to Goku. "Now you do it, and don't stop!"

Though he didn't understand it – maybe it was some kind of special technique? – Goku did as instructed, massaging those three points exactly as the doctor had. Laswe fluttered back with the drawer, Dr. Tottle digging through it rapidly. With no further commentary, he wrapped a bandage around Vegeta's head, completely sheltering his eyes in darkness and used a waxy substance to plug up his ears. Clasping his hands together anxiously, Dr. Tottle took a step back and waited. Gradually, Vegeta's screaming died down into feverish mutterings and finally just groans.

Dr. Tottle absolutely wheeze with relief. "Keep it up, Kakarot, it's working."

"What am I doing exactly?" Goku had to ask, his hands working methodically over the tail.

"Stimulating the hildialog glands to…oh folly." He shook his head at Goku's stupefied expression and sighed. "Somehow I doubt you know this, but your species tails aren't anything like the average tail; they're complete biochemical factories. Your oozaru transformations? Normally for a body to forgo such an drastic biological change would be extremely painful. But the hildialog glands in the tail produce an enormous amount of 'feel good' chemicals whenever the transforming occurs, making it a rather euphoric experience instead of a incredibly painful one. It's why you so often get those big, stupid grins right as you begin to change."

"Oh," Goku blinked, "So um…what does that have to do with what I'm doing right now?"

Dr. Tottle sighed again. "Let me put this in terms you'll understand – basically, you're currently sucker-punching the pain centers of his brain." He gave the subdued Vegeta a grim look. "It's only a temporary solution, though. He's going to need a full detox to reverse this. And we can't let his adrenaline levels get that high again – it's what catalyzes the poison."

"What I think we all want to know," Laswe interjected, "Is how he got poisoned in the first place!" He turned sharply to the three inmates. "Any ideas?"

"Well there's only two ways it could have happened," Dr. Tottle replied. He put a hand to the IV machine. "This is automated, so it's technically possible that during the disturbance his medication got randomly swapped…"

"Which is very unlikely…but definitely the case," Resetti spoke up in his cold, professional tone, "I knew exactly what had happened the moment he got off that bed. I tried to warn these two—" He indicated Lacor and Tupa. "—to keep their distance from him. Sadly, they did not listen. As you can see, the consequences were quite…violent."

Dr. Tottle's eyes focused on Resetti narrowly. "…But," he strongly pronounced, "The chances of all three being randomly selected by the error are astronomical. Which leaves the other option."

"It was done so intentionally," Oom'Bagu completed, his brow very low. He moved through the guards up to the detained prisoners. "Have you anything to say?" he demanded.

Lacor's jaw shifted…and a corner of his mouth slowly lifted. "Ah hell…" he shrugged, "I don't know about you, Tupa, but I'm not risking death row just because ol' Resetti decided to have a bit of fun."

"Yeah," Tupa agreed, "Especially after his playing around nearly got us killed."

Resetti's head jerked. "What?" he gaped.

"Sorry, Resetti," Lacor mildly smiled, "While your threats were quite sincere and I'm not normally a squealer…I'm not covering for you when a gig is so clearly up."

"What?!"

"Yeah, I'm with Lacor on this one," Tupa growled, eyeing Resetti accusingly. He looked up at Oom'Bagu. "Cause I want you to know we were not involved. We did smack the monkey, but only cause he attacked us first after Resetti was done with him."

"Here's the truth, Warden," Lacor continued, looking to Oom'Bagu as well, "When things got funny, Vegeta didn't get up right away. I started talking to him, exchanged a few harsh words."

"And then I saw Resetti sneak over there and swap out the meds," added Tupa, "Told us you'd blame the computer or whatever and to keep quiet or he'd pump us with something."

"Didn't take long for the prince to start going waaay crazy," Lacor continued, "Started throwing things so we tried to hold him down."

"Yeah and you can see how that worked out."

Resetti couldn't speak. His whole face had turned red and every time he opened his mouth a torrent of nonsense word and ill-composed sentences spilled out in an utter rage.

"Quiet!" Oom'Bagu boomed at him.

"And what about this?" Goku interjected, standing up and pointing to the bloodied tool on the floor, "When I came in, you were about to hit him with this."

"Ah…yes, I clubbed the shit out of him with that," Lacor chuckled, "Was hoping to knock the sucker out. Didn't work, he hardly reacted to most of the blows. Crazy."

Goku's eyes shifted to Resetti, who was turning from bright red to blue. Something was bothering him about him…what was it?

Hameus stepped up next to Oom'Bagu, folding his arms. "I don't know if I buy it, Lacor," he stated skeptically, "A man with your record just sitting tidy when there's a chance for violence?"

"You have a point, guardian," Lacor raised his hands slightly off his head as he shrugged, "There's nothing sweeter than the feeling of blood splattering on my cheeks. But as much as I love breaking bones, I love living more. I wouldn't do anything that would risk my death sentence vote being recalled." His eyes raised, looking directly into Oom'Bagu's. "Isn't that right, Warden?"

Resetti's face was purple now. "You…you…!"

All eyes were on Oom'Bagu, the Gregorik's visage extraordinarily dark. He turned away from the prisoners, his clothing made ridged by his standing fur. "…Hameus…take Resetti down below…"

Resetti leapt up, his eyes wide and bloodshot. "No, they're liars!" he screamed.

"And see to it that he remains there a month for every day that it takes for Vegeta to be restored," Oom'Bagu's rising voice declared. Frieza's former torturer squealed and cried pitifully as the guards pulled out rods, a cord of energy leaping from each and wrapping around him, dragging him away to face his punishment. Oom'Bagu turned around, glaring coldly down at Tupa and Lacor. "As for you both…your cell's communication privileges are revoked."

"What?!" Tupa cried, his jaw dropping, "But we didn't do nothing!"

Lacor hit him harshly with his hip. "Oh shut up, you, that's more than fair. We can't prove we weren't involved, after all." He smiled. "Besides…somehow I think I'll enjoy the silence."

Oom'Bagu drew a deep, restrained breath, looking to the remaining guards. "That is all. Have them shackled and returned to their cells. Immediately." He turned away once again. "I can bear their presence no more," he said quietly as they were removed.

A sickly silence fell over the infirmary, interrupted only by Vegeta's incoherent mutterings and groans. At last, Laswe gave a sigh and lifted himself into the air. "Go on, Oom'Bagu. Get some rest. Please. I'll handle things from here."

Oom'Bagu's eyes shifted to him wearily, finally answering in a nod. "Thank you." He left, saying nothing more.

Laswe watched him go and then looked to Goku, the saiyan sitting faithfully by his prince as he earnestly massaged his tail. He sighed again, fluttering over and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Look, Goku…I'm really sorry this happened. If…if you still want to try to…if you want to talk about…hell, if you want to talk about anything, I'll listen."

Goku didn't realize it himself, but his hands were shaking. "Thanks, but…I don't know what I'd say." He looked at Vegeta, a shadow passing over his face. "We're the last of our kind and I can't even keep him safe." Vegeta suddenly cried out as Goku's grip tightened on his tail. "Ah!" Goku gasped in surprise at his own fingers, releasing it. He stared at his palms, watching himself tremble.

Laswe chortled with concern. "Are you going to be alright, monkey boy?"

"I…" He tightened his trembling hands into fists and forced them to still. "Yeah…I'm just…I'm just gonna stay here with Vegeta. I'm sorry for wasting your time, Laswe."

Laswe severely shook his head. "Goku, you haven't done a damn thing wrong. Just…this is a harsh business, you know? And you…I've never see anyone try so hard. At anything."

"Trying isn't enough," Goku stated harshly, his fists starting to subtly shake again, "Trying isn't going to save Vegeta. Trying isn't going to stop…" He stilled again and looked back at Laswe, pressing out a soft smile. "It's all right, Laswe. Go help the others. I'll be fine."

It was the closest thing Goku had ever told to a lie.

(**Scene Break**)

It wasn't getting better. No matter how hard he tried, Goku couldn't find his usual calm. He knew he wasn't supposed to get involved, but he couldn't get it out of his head. Because he realized what is was about Resetti that had bothered him: he didn't have an energy dampener on him. Which could only mean one thing – he didn't have energy to stop. He wasn't a fighter. He didn't move like one either.

So how had a guy like that snuck up on Vegeta?

He also knew what he'd seen – the puppet strings in Vegeta's madness. The whole thing had been a big lie. Nevrrest had planned it all to make Vegeta suffer. Goku placed his hands on his knees, clenching his teeth and grunting. This feeling…it wasn't one he felt often. But he knew what it was. It was rage. He was utterly enraged at what had been done. It was a lie. It was all a lie. Vegeta hadn't been beaten in self defense. That Lacor…his eyes…how dare someone so awful smile like that?!

Vegeta's twitched under the restraints. "Wha…what…wha…"

Goku looked at him. "No one should have to suffer this much…" He reached out and grabbed Vegeta's hand, squeezing firmly. "I'm sorry, Vegeta. I'm…" He started trembling violently. "I'm sorry I've let this happen to you!" He blinked and tears ran from his eyes, his brow clenched. "I've let you down. Every time I leave your side something horrible happens. And it's my fault!"

"No, it's mine," Dr. Tottle firmly interjected, pushing something that looked like a casket over by Vegeta's bedside. He leaned over the machine and pressed some buttons. "I'm his doctor, I'm responsible for him, not you."

Goku looked at him. "But—"

"No buts," Dr. Tottle cut him off, the device's transparent lid opening, "Everything that happens in this infirmary is my fault. Everything. And I let my lab be turned into a…torture table!" He turned and grabbed Goku's arm, pulling him from Vegeta and pointing to the door. "Go on out, I need to work."

Goku's eyes widened sadly. "But…"

"What did I just say?" the doctor scolded, "You're too upset to be helpful so go take a walk and calm down…or punch something, whatever works. Just go."

Goku opened his mouth to further protest, but bowed his head and stuffed his hands into his tunic, walking slowly and somberly out of the infirmary. With nothing else to do, he began to wander, struggling to hold back that the sickening, helpless rage he felt inside. For the first time, he found himself doubting whether he'd be able to keep his promise. He wanted to do the right thing. That's was it. That was all. When had the right thing become so impossible?

The computer warbled a few times, turning him aside from restricted areas as he continued to blindly wander, the dark energies of Prison Ship 7 washing over him. But then he felt something new, a small, wavering energy. And he heard a new sound.

Crying.

Goku looked up, his own grief vanishing into concern. He followed the sound, leading him to an alcove adjacent to the hallway where a small insectoid was curled up and shaking. "Sepis?" he said with shock.

The Arlian's head jerked up with a gasp, his antennae quivering as he stared, blinking tears from his bulgy red eyes. "Son Goku…I…" He held up a hand as Goku took a step forward. "No please, don't come any closer! Just…just…" He gripped his shoulder, shutting his eyes and starting to weep once more.

Goku stared at him for a moment before slowly lowering into a squat before him. "Sepis…what's wrong? What are you doing here?" He eyed the empty bag next to him curiously.

Sepis trembled so heavily, it was made audible by the clattering of his plates. His free hand slipped up and gripped the side of his head. "Son Goku…tell me something…" His eyes opened as the tears rolled past his ridged mouthparts. "These dragon balls of yours…they can grant just about any wish, right?"

"Uh," Goku said with a start, blinking a couple times, "Well…yeah. From what I've seen, anyhow."

Sepis sobbed, planting his face into his hands. "Can they stop me from being such a weakling and a cow-war-d…?" The last word was broken by his weeping so that it was nearly indiscernible.

"Sepis," Goku said softly, wondering what could be wrong that he would say something like that. He reached out hand to him, gently touching his shoulder.

"No!" he cried, pushing his hand away, "Please, just leave me alone!"

"Sepis I…" He trailed off suddenly and sniffed twice. What was that smell? He looked at his hand and his jaw dropped. "Is…is this blood?!" he cried, inspecting the sticky yellowish-green substance on his fingers. He reached for the Arlian again, grabbing him firmly this time by the wrist and pulling his hand back. Yes, there it was, his cloak as wet about the shoulder.

"No, please, leave it be," Sepis whimpered.

"It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you," Goku tried to assure him, pushing back the cloak to reveal a ring of puncture marks, "That looks bad! How did this happen?"

"It was my own fault – please let me go!"

Goku looked at him softly and held out a hand. "Come on. It's all right, Dr. Tottle can patch you up. It's gonna be okay, you don't have to be scared."

"No, he can't!" Sepis continued to whimper, clutching his shoulder once more, "No one can. Not even friend Nevrrest must know. I don't want her to see me like this. I want to be strong." His red eyes looked at him desperately. "You must tell no one about this! Please!"

"Sepis, I don't understand," Goku pleaded in return, "Why won't you let me help you?"

"You must tell no one!" he insisted, "Please!"

"But why?" He grabbed his shoulders. "Please, Sepis, just tell me why! What's happening to you?" He felt the sticky blood on his hand again and looked at the puncture marks once more. "Wait a minute…those look like…" He gasped, his mind flashing to the shark-like teeth of Lacor's jagged smile. Goku's jaw tightened.

It came again. It came again and this time he couldn't hold it back. Goku stood up, his teeth clenched and whole body quaking as he hissed and growled. "It was him," he angrily choked out, "That man with the awful smile. He must have…but why would you…?" Sepis looked up at him with wet, red eyes and Goku's expression melted. "You're…part of it. It's not just Nevrrest…it's you!" Sepis looked down and covered his head. The rage crackled across Goku's visage. "Grr—WHY SEPIS?!" he shouted at him, cutting his arm through the air, "Why would you do something like this?!"

"Please…don't hurt me…" Sepis begged, curling up in a ball.

"Gerh!" Goku tried to choke back his rage, grinding his teeth and clenching a fist. "…You're right, Sepis," he said at last in a soft, dark tone, "You are a coward. You're so scared, you refuse to see the truth that's right in front of you. Cause you know this is wrong, don't you…DON'T YOU?!" Sepis started crying again. "Well you have to stop…if you don't you're gonna end up the same place Nevrrest is headed." He tried to draw a breath, tried to calm himself, but there was nothing for it. As he watched the blood seep from Sepis's shoulder, his anger flared once more. "I can't take it anymore," he hissed, turning away, "I can't just…stand back and keep letting bad things happen! I…I have to…" He raised his clenched fists and in a flicker vanished.

"Huh!" Sepis abruptly looked up, rapidly glancing around.

But the Saiyan was gone.