Sneaking had never been Vegeta's favorite tactic as a warrior, but there were times when it was necessary. Even though the battle was mostly over, the cell blocks were still littered with escaped prisoners, meandering over the bodies of the guards. But despite their casual stances, he knew they were just itching to come across someone else to kill. None of them could sense energy, so he had that in his favor. But with a broken leg, moving, especially at the speed he needed to, was difficult, though he was no stranger to pain and powered through it. What made for his greatest disadvantage was the fact that the prison ship's interior had been intentionally designed to make sneaking virtually impossible. The only way he could manage was by playing a leap-frog game, ducking in and out of the open cells whenever no one was looking. All in all, it was a slow, frustrating process. But manageable.

Vegeta shoved his back against the wall as he dashed into a fresh cell, listening and sniffing for his foes. Three of them ahead. He sniffed again. No, four. Grunting, he very slowly peeked out, spotting them. He was lucky this time, they were too busy talking to each other to notice their surroundings. He used this opportunity to duck into the next cell, shooting past a hapless soul who had been left in their cell. The prisoner made some kind of cry as he came in and out of his field of vision, forcing him to move even faster into the following cell in case the sound drew attention. He waited. Seemed they had ignored it. Good.

He could hear their voices now.

"We'd better get a move on or we're gonna miss the rest of the action," said one.

"Ha! I can't wait to see all their faces once we're on the Hammer."

"Huhuhuhuh," Vegeta couldn't help but viciously chuckle, lifting a corner of his mouth. Fools. They haven't the slightest clue what's coming. Sorry, but nothing's going to compare to your faces once I show you what a true warrior looks like.

"It's gonna be quite the party," said another, "All that fresh meat. I heard the boss says to kill everyone we come across."

"Fine with me! I've had my power bottled up so long I swear it's been giving me cramps for years!"

Vegeta carefully slipped out of the cell.

"I hear that. Bet ya I can still blow through a dozen bodies at once!"

As they laughed, Vegeta bolted past them, racing the last stretch of the cell block. The door out of the prisoner compound didn't give him any trouble, seemed next to nothing was locked anymore. However, from here on out, there was a problem – sleek halls and no cells to duck into for cover. Vegeta's brow lowered at the sight of it. Well, there were no prisoners in sight yet. And if he came across any, he's just have to improvise.

As he headed down the corridor, he came to his first cross section. His eyes shifted around and took a step back. "All right, Oom'Bagu. Which direction is it?"

He didn't have to wait long for an answer, a strange internal twinge, much like the instincts he felt in combat, told him to keep going straight. As he continued, he hadn't reason to even stop and ask again, each turn coming naturally to him. He had to admit, the bear had delivered on his promises so far. Though, he wouldn't know the full extent of what this empathic bond would allow him until he was free of his shackles.

Finally, it happened – and right in front of the damn infirmary of all things. Vegeta pressed his back to the wall, peeking around the corner at the two thugs, dressed in red with numbers glowing on their shoulders just like the rest. He waited, seeing if they'd move on. And when they didn't, his brow lowered. There was no way to get past them without being noticed. So there was only one other option. It was risky, without his senses he couldn't be sure how strong they were, but at a glance they didn't look to have a power level much more than a thousand. And with any luck, their defenses would be lowered.

He slid a foot forward, putting his weight heavily on his good leg. He waited, making certain their attention was elsewhere, and leapt out at them. "Heads up!" Vegeta shouted, clocking one in the head as hard as he could with his metal incased arms. His tail snapped around the neck of the other, yanking him off balance as Vegeta spun and nailed him as well. They both landed at his feet. Vegeta chuckled, but soon bared his teeth. "They won't be out long from an attack like that," he observed and raced to the infirmary door.

It was locked. "Damn," he cursed but then looked at the number next to it. He recognized it. "Dr. Tottle!" he called.

There was a noise inside and a speaker came to life. "Prince Vegeta, is that you?" Dr. Tottle's familiar shrill voice remarked.

"Yes. Yes!" Vegeta replied, actually relieved to hear the old turtle-man, "I require your—"

"You little brat!" Dr. Tottle shouted over him, "What in the ancients' sight do you think you're doing out of your cell?!"

Vegeta's face fell with dry irritation. "Doctor—"

"No! You should know better! Shame on you, Vegeta!" he sharply scolded, "Shame, shame, shame! You get back to your cell right now or you can't even begin to imagine how much trouble you're going to be in!"

"Doctor—"

"Ah-ah! No excuses, Vegeta!" Dr. Tottle prattled on, "This isn't scheduled free-time, you know. You keep wandering around outside your cell you're going to get spanked so hard when the cavalry arrives that you won't be able to sit for weeks."

Vegeta's head slumped forward, glaring up at the ceiling. "Doctor…"

"Now go back to your cell and behave yourself! You might even get some merits if you—"

"DOCTOR!" he barked, losing his temper, "Shut uuuup!"

"Fine! But when they drag you in here to make sure you haven't hidden anything up your anus, don't come crying to—"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" He hissed a few times, calming himself, glancing over his shoulder at the slumped prisoners. "We haven't time for this. I'm not an escaped prisoner. I was released by your justiciars to put an end to this madness, but I can't fight if you don't first let me in and remove—"

"Oh-ho!" Dr. Tottle interrupted again, "I see how it is! Whatever caused the inhibitors to fail didn't work on yours cause yours is manual! So you think you can use your Saiyan wit to trick me into removing it for you! Ha! Fat chance, my little princeling!"

"No, no, no!" Vegeta scowled, growling heavily, "Damn you! Look, you want proof, just take a look at my eyes! I'm empathically bound to one of your justiciars right now!"

"Oooh! Good one!" he shot back, getting feisty, "And what do you know? All the security cameras are down! So the only way I could check to see if you are telling the truth is by opening the door!"

Vegeta growled. "I thought you claimed not be frightened of me."

"I'm not," he assured, "I'm actually trying to look out for you, Vegeta. Now get wee ass back in that cell!"

"I'm not lying, Doctor!" Vegeta shouted.

"I don't believe you, Prince!" he shouted back.

Vegeta growled, struggling to compose himself again. "My leg's broken. Does that interest you?"

"The hell did you break your leg?!" Dr. Tottle piped with disbelief, "Seriously! How many bones can you manage to break in barely over a week?! What are you, a masochist?! No! You know what? I don't believe you – that's ridiculous!"

"Doctor, open this door right now!" Vegeta snarled.

"I'm sorry, your highness, but no means no!"

He lost it. "OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW OR WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"

"That does it!" Dr. Tottle snapped back, "I'm leaving this conversation and putting on my music – very loudly!"

Just then, as Vegeta was on the verge of throwing a complete temper tantrum, he got a very strange urge. He didn't know why or stop to think where it was coming from, but he went with it anyways. "Oh fine!" he mocked, "Go say a prayer to your 'old gods' why don't you?! But I have to wonder, why are they 'old' exactly? Is it because they're just as decrepit and useless as you are?!"

There was a long silence. The door opened. Before Vegeta could react, a green arm snapped out from the doorway and seized him by the collar so fiercely his eyes bulged. "Oh you think you're funny, do you?" said Dr. Tottle with the deadly cold of Lord Frieza himself, "Well, funny man, nobody makes light of my gods." Vegeta's expression grew even more stupefied as the elderly doctor lifted him up by the front of his shirt. "Now you take that back right now or I swear by all that is holy I'll pump you so full of vachlorpi that you'll swell up like a—!" He blinked at Vegeta's energy pulsating gaze. "…Oh." His face flattened. "Warden, you prick."

"You were putting me the hell down?" Vegeta stated, eying him threateningly.

"Yes, yes, sorry," Dr. Tottle grumbled, letting go of his shirt and dusting him off. He snorted and waved. "Well hurry up and come in then."

"Finally," Vegeta grunted, following him through the doorway.

A meaty hand slammed against the sliding door before it could close.

"Ah!" Vegeta jerked, spinning around.

The two prisoners grinned angrily at him, chuckling as one held the door open. Vegeta's teeth clenched and he tightened his stance as they came towards him. They wouldn't have their defenses down this time…but he was a saiyan warrior. He wasn't going to back down from a fight, even in this state.

"Damn you, Doctor," he rumbled as he prepared to fight, "You happy you took so long now?!"

As he said this, a loud crackling noise sounded behind him and a shadow rose, dwarfing his form. The two prisoners' faces fell with horror. Vegeta turned, losing his balance in shock as a giant, muscular green monster roared, complete with enormous claws, a spiked shell, horns, and a thick grey mane of hair. The prisoners wailed with terror as the beast seized them by the back of the neck and soundly cracked their heads together. Vegeta gaped as it dropped them on the ground, the room shaking as the creature lumbered over to a cabinet, activating a set of electric bands and bound the two prisoners together.

The dragon-like beast glanced his way as he finished tying the knot. "And what are you staring at?" he flatly demanded, his voice powerful and deep. He twisted his neck about with a cracking sound as the body shrank and transformed, leaving Dr. Tottle standing in a unitard. "Phew," he sighed, rubbing the back of his head, "I hate it when I do that."

Vegeta blinked between the doctor and the shredded remains of a lab coat on the floor. "You mean to tell me you've been capable of a transformation like that all along?"

Dr. Tottle chuckled, massaging his shoulder now. "You think they'd let me treat some of the most dangerous men and women in the universe without being able to defend myself?" He laughed again. "Why do you think my old hospital used to send all the Saiyans and other brutes my way?"

"You're not a warrior," Vegeta almost accused, getting up.

"Not by trade," Dr. Tottle agreed, securing the door again, "But the ability to fight is a handy skill for anyone to have. But I'm lucky, that transformation is only something one out of five males of my species can perform. Made me quite popular with the ladies back in the day—"

"Doctor," Vegeta snapped.

"Yes, yes, get up on the examination table and I'll have a look at that leg of yours."

Vegeta grunted, allowing himself to feel the pain of his leg for the first time the whole trip as he lifted himself up onto the elevated surface. Dr. Tottle came back with a portable scanner and passed it over him. He frowned at the results.

"You lost a lot of blood recently," he remarked, "But there's no exist wound."

"Let's just say your 'Hammer Syndrome' is actually the result of a vampiric shapeshifter," Vegeta replied, hissing a little as the doctor felt over his thigh, "And it leaves no mark behind."

Dr. Tottle frowned at him. "If you were anyone else, I'd say you were joking. But this is you we're talking about." He looked at the result of the scan again. "Well, I have some good news. The break isn't that severe. Lucky for you, Saiyan bones have always been extremely dense. A good regenerative wrap should restore it to health in an hour or so."

"I'm afraid we don't have that kind of time to waste," Vegeta growled, moving to get up, "The Hammer's about to be seized. And once that happens, the rest of the fleet will be made to self destruct."

"Now I wish you were joking," he replied, looking a little pale. He planted a hand against Vegeta's chest, stopping him from leaving the examination table. "But that doesn't mean you have to go back out there without medical attention. There's another way. I can do an emergency patch on the bone."

"Well then do it!" Vegeta commanded, getting back up on the table.

"There's a catch, though," Dr. Tottle insisted, "It's going to hurt. A lot. And by a lot, I mean a lot lot. Like imagine having your tail stretched by an oozaru. I could numb you first, but—"

"Just do it, Doctor!" Vegeta snapped, "I don't care how much pain is involved."

Dr. Tottle turned, eyeing him warily. "You might in a moment…but all right." He rummaged around in a drawer for a moment, returning with a four-pronged instrument. "You're completely sure about this? Cause once I start, I won't be able to stop."

"Don't question me – now do your job!"

"Very well then…" He directed him to pull down his pants to expose the break and sank the four thin prongs into his flesh. That hurt a little. Dr. Tottle turned a monitor towards him, squinting at the screen as he pressed some buttons. "Everything set…all right, Prince. You'd better brace yourself…"

Vegeta glared at the wall, thinking he was ready. He wasn't. Vegeta had experience many kinds of pain in his life of different varying degrees. This one was a flavor of its own, so powerful that his vision went white and all his sense blurred. From there, he only caught blips of things. The distant sound of his own voice screaming. His body thrashing. Dr. Tottle's arm pinned against his collarbone and shouting something at him.

But it passed. "There! There!" Dr. Tottle cried, removing and holding up the bloodied device, "You're all right." Vegeta panted, a droplet of sweat running down the side of his forehead as he regained sense of himself and his screams died down. "Though it would have been over faster if you'd managed to hold still better."

"Let me up," Vegeta grunted, pushing his arm aside. He panted for a moment longer, wetting his mouth and pulling his pants back to his waist.

"Try out the leg," Dr. Tottle advised, sitting the tool aside, "See how it feels. I completely sealed the breach, so you should be able to use it just fine now. Just try to avoid putting too much strain on it or you might destroy the sealant."

"No promises, but I'll keep that in mind," Vegeta responded, hopping twice and kicking a few times.

"Hold on for a moment," he prompted, going through his stores again, "Before we go about removing those shackles, I'm going to give you a shot. Just a little something to give your body a kick-start on replenishing the blood you lost." Vegeta held still as the doctor expertly injected his arm. "You've certainly had a rough day, haven't you?" Dr. Tottle remarked as he pumped the needle, "First you had to recover from that psychotic episode, then whatever that damn broadcast was about, then all that rubbish at your trial…"

Vegeta's eyes shifted to him. "You were watching my trial?" He cracked a smile. "I must say, Doctor, you care even more about me than I originally thought."

"Nonsense," Dr. Tottle grunted, removing the needle and deposing of it, "I wasn't even hardly paying attention. Just glancing at it – occasionally – between sanitizing the lab and such."

"Of course," Vegeta chuckled. He looked over at the lab's shackler, turning serious again. "But no more delays, Doctor. I need my strength restored and this battle isn't going to wait for me."

"Well go ahead and stick your arms in the shackler," Dr. Tottle motioned, heading towards his computer, "I'm going to retrieve the code necessary to remove the lock on your inhibitor."

Vegeta did as instructed, kneeling before the shackler just as he had that morning and inserting his arms up to his elbows. The humming sounded, followed by an uncomfortable sensation across his skin. He pulled his arms free and flexed his fingers, sighing with relief and glowering with anticipation.

"All right, I'm ready, Vegeta," Dr. Tottle called him over, a couple of small instruments and a jar filled with some kind of gel before him, "Just take a seat and pass me that tail of yours."

"Gladly," Vegeta answered, his tail lifting off his waist.

Dr. Tottle laid the tail down on the table, taking a precision instrument to the shackle. He moved the tool in an elaboration motion, touching several spots in succession. The pinned popped, Vegeta gasping softly as he felt it grate against the bone. "There we go," Dr. Tottle remarked, removing the pin completely, "Now all we have to do this to remove the clamp …and…there!" It popped open, falling onto the table.

It was almost as overwhelming as the pain a moment ago had been. After weeks of being dampened and weakened in every way, Vegeta felt the power gush up the length of his tail like a hurricane, his muscles visibly swelling as it filled every corner of his being. The return of his enhanced senses was deafening, the first several seconds almost too much to bear as every sight, smell, and sound enhanced – had it always felt this way? Vegeta panted, putting a hand to his mouth, actually feeling sick at first. But in the span of a couple breaths is passed and then he was grinning with glee.

"Oh yes," he purred, holding up a pair of clenched fists. He spun. "YES!" he screamed, putting a fist straight through some machinery.

Dr. Tottle's face turned absolutely flushed. "Gods—DAMN IT SAIYAN!" he howled, stomping, "Don't start breaking things!"

Vegeta only chuckled, debris falling as he removed his arm from the machinery and then kicked it, shattering the rest. To the doctor's further disdain, he then gripped his collar and ripped it clean off like it was tissue paper.

"Argh, you really are a brat," Dr. Tottle complained, expertly grabbing his tail again, "Hold still, damn it, unless you want permanent scarring on your tail." He took the ointment and rubbed it thoroughly into the fur where the shackle had been, wrapping a bandage neatly over it. "There."

Vegeta whipped his tail from the doctor's grasp and tightened it firmly over his hips. "Quiet now, Doctor," he ordered, "I need to concentrate."

"On what?" Dr. Tottle asked.

"I said quiet!"

"Well fine," he snarked, folding his arms.

Vegeta grunted and glared straight ahead, the mauve flames continuingly rising pass his eyelids as he honed his energy sense. Oh how small they all were, power levels all under ten thousand…no, there was one that stuck out – the imposter. She wasn't hiding her power level right now and she felt a thousand times stronger than anyone else he could sense…no, there was also Nevrrest. He could feel her too and unlike on Earth she wasn't hiding her power this time. It was…astronomical. Perhaps it was true after all. Perhaps, even without the core, she had ascended to heights equal to his own.

But there was one energy signature he'd been hoping to feel most of all that just wasn't there. Vegeta looked down. "So it's true then…you really are dead…aren't you, Kakarot? The mightiest warrior in the universe…and you fall to trickery and poison."

"What?" Dr. Tottle's eyes widened with horror, "Kakarot's dead?! Oh no…no…"

Vegeta teeth set on edge, grunting angrily. "How dare you? How dare you die so pathetically like that?!" His fist clenched, the other Saiyan's silly, good-natured face flashing repeatedly through his mind. "You should have known better! You stupid, trusting fool, always seeing the better in people where there is none! You…" A sword hung over him in his mind. Don't do it, Krillin! Then, they stood together on the planet of the Kais, each holding a golden earring. You'll have to forgive me guys…but no thanks. I think some things are even more important than victory.

And then just hours before… YOU'RE NO FRIEND OF MINE!

Vegeta's arms fell loosely down at his sides. "No…it was I who was the fool. All this time, you've stood by my side, and I never once thought to stand by yours. We were warriors together and I failed to watch your back. So you perished to an unworthy death…" Blue and white flames of energy began to rise around his form. "I let that freak steal your life and your honor…you, who have done nothing but fight to protect mine!" His fist rose again, trembling viciously as it clenched. He glared off where he could sense Kakarot's stolen might in the distance. His brow narrowed as he hissed and the energy around him blazed. "YOU MONSTER, HOW DARE YOOOOU?!"

"Aaaaahhh!" Dr. Tottle screamed as he and all his equipment and containers were sent flying across the infirmary as waves of energy exploded off Vegeta's form as he howled in rancor. The doctor grabbed onto a cabinet and held on for dear life as the power kept him and every else sailing.

In the Council Chamber, all heads turned, marveling at this power, though they had felt it before. And on the threshold of the Hammer, the false Nettelish froze. "No…" she said, eyes wide, "That can't be right."

"Oh my gods!" Dr. Tottle continued to scream.

"I swear by every inch of my saiyan pride this atrocity will not go unpunished!" Vegeta shouted, bent and fists upheld, "Your slayer is an unworthy fiend! And she will pay dearly for every drop of your blood she has split. Oh yes. She will fall by my hands! Then she will know the price of defacing the name of a Saiyan and the greatest warrior who ever lived."

"Vegeta, stop!" Dr. Tottle angrily and desperately pleaded, "You're wrecking my entire laboratory!" The doctor and every else finally clattered to the floor as the energy died down, but still rippled angrily around the prince. Dr. Tottle dug himself out from under debris, glaring at Vegeta's muscular backside.

Vegeta's head turned ever so slightly. "Doctor. I suggest you move to a different section of the infirmary and prepare yourself. They'll be many patients for you by the time this battle is over." His brow lowered. "And it will be over soon."

Dr. Tottle gave him a bemused and wondrous look. "How powerful are you, exactly? No Saiyan was ever this strong!" Vegeta didn't answer, looking ahead again and Dr. Tottle wandered hurriedly up to him. "You're really going to take them all on, aren't you? All by yourself. That just doesn't seem practical or possible."

"I'm no ordinary Saiyan," he harshly assured, marching towards the door, "Nor have I been for quite some time. And soon this entire fleet will know that."

Dr. Tottle frowned and then his eyes widened. "Wait. Are you saying you're a…?" Vegeta's eyes shifted back to him and the corner of his mouth rose. Dr. Tottle continued to stare and finally he gave a crafty chuckle. "So…Kakarot wasn't the only one to achieve the legend. But you won't even need to transform, will you? Not against those muscle heads, no. Hehehe…perhaps you Saiyans are good for something after all." He walked up to him again and firmly clasped his shoulder. "Make 'em shit themselves, little man."

There was a bright flash of light as Vegeta took off down the hall, shooting off at fantastical speed towards transit tube to the Hammer. Dr. Tottle sighed, looking over the shattered remains of his lab and began to pick through the debris. It took some time of searching, but at last he found a set of special, green candles. He lit one, pushing his desk upright again and planting it atop. He watched the flame for a moment as it flickered and knelt before it, crossing an arm over the other in a prayer stance with a bow.

"Sacred, forgotten ones," he said aloud, his head bow, "Reach out and grasp the lost soul of the Saiyan Kakarot and bear it safely into the light…"

(**Scene Break**)

His fingers…they were so pale and cold. And all he'd been able to do is stare at them, motionless. But even without his body, he'd still had his mind and used every bit of willpower he had just to cling to life. But he knew he couldn't hold on for long. He was dying and nothing would stop that.

Goku blinked. Wait…that was movement! I'm…I'm moving again! He blinked again. That's it…come on, body! A creaking, groaning sound emerged from his throat and the tips of his fingers twitched. Hurry up! We don't have much time! I have to find a way to do something or all those people are gonna die! His hand moved, feeling at and gripping the floor. Goku gasped a desperate, weak breath as the paralysis drained from his muscles.

"Oh man," he choked, clinging to the carpet, "She didn't leave a drop left behind for me to use…! It's…so…hard to breath…" He tried to get up but fell uselessly against the floor again. "No…doubt about it…I'm dying. I doubt I got much more than…a minute left or so." He let his head fall. "Boy…did she ever get me good or what. I might not be able to do anything after all." He wheezed in a breath and looked at his monitor, still clinging to his wrist. "But I gotta…at least try…to warn them." He dragged his arm closer to his face. "Computer…"

But no matter how many times he called, the computer didn't answer. He sighed helplessly. "Well…so much for that idea…I guess I should have figured she…wouldn't leave me a way to call for help." But as he lay there, he felt something. It was hard to sense anything in this state, but like Vegeta had said, a powerful energy was hard to miss even when senseless. Which was ironic, considering who he recognized it as.

Goku's pale lips smiled. "Vegeta…I'd know that energy anywhere…wish I could help you, buddy, but it looks like you're on your own on this one. Don't think I'm…gonna…last much longer."

There was no questioning it, death was coming for him. He could feel a lull blanketing his mind and his body letting go. Maybe it was best to just let it. If Vegeta had his energy back, then he'd be out fighting that monster for sure. He'd stop her. After all, Vegeta wasn't about to let people die anymore than he would. He felt terrible for making him face this on his own, though, especially since he was partially responsible, considering it was Goku's energy she was using. Should he just let it go? After all, there was nothing he could do and holding on like this was pretty painful.

But as he thought this, a vision of all his friends and family flashed through his mind, their smiles seeming to shine at him all the way from Earth. No. They wouldn't want him to give up. They'd want him to do whatever it took to stay alive.

"Come on, then!" he barked at himself, "You gotta think of a way not to die!"

Goku's eyes moved all over the room, trying to spot anything that could help survive. But there really wasn't much to be had. What could be done for a man who'd been drained dry of every drop of blood? Every time his heart tried to pump his empty veins it was like someone was hammering him in the chest. Goku himself wasn't even sure how he was still kicking, other than out of pure refusal. But that wouldn't last him much longer. If only he had a sensu bean on him, then maybe—

"That's it!" he gasped, lifting his head again. He rolled onto his back and reached into his tunic. "Misado's fruit! If I can just take a bite, I bet I'll make it!" He felt around more anxiously. "But where are my capsules? She…she didn't take them, did she?" He rolled onto his side again and looked ahead. "There they are!" he brightened, spotting the case on the table. He gritted his teeth, forcing his arms under him. "Now I just gotta…get to them…!"

But his body didn't want to cooperate. It took every bit of strength he had to just move barely an inch forward. His goal was only several feet away, but it might as well be a mile. But Goku didn't care. If he could only move an inch at a time…then inch by inch, he would fight towards life.

He gritting his teeth and straining, he dug his elbows into the carpet and began to crawl.