On Prison Ship 7, she had the element of surprise. On the Hammer, the security force was ready for what was coming. Even with the communications down, the forces from Seven had pulled back to the Hammer to make their stand and alerted the rest of the marshal and guardian core. So Nettelish – or more accurately, the being who wore her as a mask – expected a number of losses on the side of her minions this time. But she wasn't concerned. This would be a proving, weeding out the useless and unworthy. She had to her advantage that she was incomprehensibly more powerful than any of her foes. She also had made sure that Vegeta's trial had wearied the entire fleet.

The Hammer would fall. And the infinite power of the Quantum Fusion Core…would be hers.

Bodies fell like leaves before her, civilian and warrior alike. She stepped over them without hesitation or second glance, swatting any who'd attempt to face her into oblivion. Her minions struggled to press forward, following in her wake, but she moved with the absolution of a god. The power of a super saiyan…she almost regretted not draining Vegeta as well, or at very least keeping him around as a snack. But once the Quantum Fusion Core was under her control, feeding would be almost unnecessary. The poor saps of this fleet – soon to be her slaves – would provide her with more power than she'd ever need.

Once again, her hand came forward, sending forth a spray of death from her palm. By the end of it, the entire wall of defenders that had once stood before her was nothing more than dust. Moments later, a scream sounded behind her and blood splattered the wall, a large droplet hitting the side of her cheek.

"Aah…sorry about that, boss," Lacor chuckled, approaching from the right, his chin dripping with it.

Nettelish sighed heavily and wiped the blood off her mask with a finger, flicking it away. "Take a break, Lacor. I need you to deliver an order to the rest of our force."

"No problem," he assured. He ran his tongue around his mouth and smiled. "What is it?"

"First," she spoke, "I want you to remind them that breaking into any locked rooms will not be tolerated. Any civilians smart enough to seal themselves in are worth keeping and will be kept alive as fuel to the core. Second…" Her glowing eyes landed sharply on him. "I want the Arlian Sepis found and brought to me alive. And make sure they understand by alive I mean completely. Not half alive. Not severely beaten. It will put a serious kink in my plans should anything happen to him." Lacor took a step back as her hand glowed with energy. "And if anyone puts a kink in my plans…"

"I'll make sure they get the message, boss," he fervently assured, "We'll get the bug for ya."

She giggled sweetly, squinting her eyes as she lowered her hand. "Good. Now hurry along. That's a good boy."

The expression faded as he hurried off, her violet gaze following him. It had always been interesting, the effects Nettelish's personality had on her. And she'd worn her as a mask for so long, sometimes it felt like she truly had become her – the intense desire for combat, her sweet, personable ways, flares of sass and wit. It was a good form to wear. Though, it would be nice to have variety again, slipping into a new body every day like a change of clothes. She would become the invisible ruler of the galaxy. And this time, there'd be no super saiyan to rise up and conquer that which was sovereign.

But such thoughts aside, there was still one more feeding to be had. With a flutter of her robes, she turned ahead to continue the slaughter.

(**Scene Break**)

Sepis worked as hard and fast as he could, but it wasn't easy. A prisoner interface was designed to have very limited access, so he had to break through all his own firewalls before he could even begin the hack. A slow, anxious process. He glanced up at the visual feed he had on his friends, the Justiciars, knowing their own efforts weren't much better. Misado's vines had only just barely made the smallest crack in the door. Who knew how long it would be before she'd break through it? He could see Nevrrest pacing about, her hands behind her back. She too glanced his way through the screen.

"How's it coming, Sepis?" she asked.

Sepis sighed. "As well as expected, friend Nevrrest," he answered, "I've got access to the mainframe now, but I can't do anything with it yet."

"Hopefully our foes are too busy fighting to pay mind to anything the computer's doing," Nevrrest stated wearily. She turned and eyed Oom'Bagu accusingly, "Speaking of which, where the hell is that damn monkey?"

"Crossing the transit," answered Oom'Bagu, his eyes closed, "He'll be on the front lines soon."

"Good," she snarled, "So help me, if he doesn't fulfill his end of the bargain…" Her fist tightened, gaze trembling with anger and grief. "After all…every second wasted is another of our people dying."

Sepis fingered an antennae thoughtfully as Horkion did his best to calm and console her. "There's one little piece in all this I don't understand…" he mumbled.

"What's that?" Laswe perked up in his chair.

"Oh," Sepis blinked, "It's just…" He turned back to the computer and kept working as he spoke. "I think it's pretty clear at this point what the entity's plan is. Seize the Hammer and the core and self-destruct the rest of the fleet…but she has to know as long the other five fusion bands exist, it's a liability to her plans. So the only way she could fix that would be manually going inside the core's containment and adjusting the nodes."

"That's probably what she's planning, then," Horkion shrugged, one hand massaging Nevrrest's tense shoulder, "We know she must have stolen the shape of one or more of the tech guys in order to patch the system."

"But that's just the thing," Sepis explained, gesturing briefly, "Very few in the tech department have the codes necessary to open the containment barriers. And even if she does have those codes…I'm the only one who would have the skills to make an adjustment like that." Nevrrest's eyes snapped open wide. Very wide. "So I don't know how she thinks she'd—"

"Sepis. Get out of there," Nevrrest spoke, a cold chill in her voice.

Sepis froze. "What?"

"Get out of there right now," Nevrrest ordered, gripping the sides of the screen, "They're coming for you."

"Now hold on," Laswe interrupted, raising his hands, "There's no need to panic. I'm sure she took a drink of Sepis's blood long ago just like she did the rest of us."

"No," Nevrrest hissed, her feathers standing on end, "I know she hasn't cause Sepis has never had Hammer Syndrome!"

Sepis started shaking.

"But neither have I!" protested Horkion, "And she still got my blood somehow!"

"You've been hurt in combat," said Nevrrest, shutting him up, "Sepis hasn't. I've always kept him out of out of harm's way!"

"Friend Nevrrest…" Sepis whimpered, his eyes unmoving, "What do I do?"

"Get out of there," she repeatedly, her eyes sharp and intense, "You're not safe. Get out of there and stay hidden – and I will come for you!"

Without thinking, Sepis instantly bolted to the door. But the instant he saw the blurs he shut it again, screaming as dents bubbled against the blast plating.

"Sepis!" Nevrrest cried out.

He started hyperventilating, his eyes quivering and then snapping shut, curling into a ball and gripping his head as the pounding continued. "Oh God, oh God, oh God…oh God!"

"Sepis," Nevrrest spoke rapidly and urgently, "Sepis, listen to me. Listen to me, Sepis. Concentrate on the sound of my voice!"

"I'm trying!" he squeaked.

"Listen to me, Sepis," she firmly repeated.

"Oh God, friend Nevrrest, I don't want to die!" he nearly sobbed.

"You're not going to die – I won't let that happen!" she promised, shaking the screen a little, "Just concentrate. Think. Find a way out of there."

"I can't, it's a holding cell – it's completely sealed!" he wailed as the pounding grew more intense.

"You're brilliant Sepis!" she insisted, not taking her eyes off him, "You can find a way. Do it. Do it now!"

"I'll-I'll try," he shuddered.

"Good," she encouraged, "Now come on!"

Struggling to control his shaking, Sepis reached inside his cloak and plucked a tool off the belt he'd brought with him. He grew lightheaded as the door began to buckle under the assault, the tool humming as he passed it over the floor, ceiling, and walls, his mind racing.

"It's no good," he whimpered, "There's no way out!"

"Then make a way, Sepis!" Nevrrest commanded.

He grasped another tool, nearly dropping it as his hands shook. He grabbed it again and adjusted the settings, getting down on his hands and knees. The rattling of his body became the so severe it made the floor panels shake. A moment of inspiration hit him. "Wait of minute! This alloy is polarized! Maybe with the right frequency I can…!" He squealed as the door buckled again and pressed the tool to the floor. The panel became as malleable as paper. "Heh!" he wheezed, "I think I just found a flaw in my design!" He pulled back the panel and squeezed underneath. "I'll have to fix that later!" His tool hummed and the panel turned solid and impenetrable again.

Nevrrest let out the breath she'd been holding and a relieved laugh, shutting down the receiving end of the feed as the door was breached but a minute later. She watched with cold hate as several prisoners poured in – including the brute she'd sicked on Vegeta – and looked around with irritation at the empty room.

"He was here," sounded Tupa, his twin head tentacles curling about. The turned to the others. "Spread out and find him! He couldn't have gotten far."

As they emptied out of the room, Nevrrest's brow flattened and she shut down the connection completely.

"Great," Laswe grunted, folding his arms, "We're blind now."

"At least Sepis got away," Horkion encouraged.

Nevrrest hissed, her sharp teeth showing themselves from her pallet. She clenched both her fists and screeched in frustration and rancor, and explosion of red surrounding her. She pointed at Misado, glaring with glowing yellow eyes. "Get through that door immediately!"

Oom'Bagu rumbled, still sitting with eyes closed. "I have alerted Vegeta to Sepis's plight."

"No," she seethed, "I won't put Sepis's life in that ape's filthy hands!"

"We have no choice," Oom'Bagu answered, "You have no choice."

"Krrrttrrr…" she ground her beak with frustration. The red faded from her feathers and scales. "Fine…fine! What the hell am I supposed to do anyways?" She sat, putting her head into her hands. "What the hell am I supposed to do?"

(**Scene Break**)

The red shirts of Prison Ship 7 were so focused on pressing forward through the Hammer's defenders, they hadn't expected anyone to come from behind. When they caught the first glimpses of him, they thought nothing of it. After all, he wore red too. But it didn't take them long to recognize that slight stature, fixed brow, and flame of spiked black hair.

"Vegeta?" said one as the door smoothly closed behind the Saiyan.

"What's he doing at this party?" said another, "I didn't think he was on the guest list."

Vegeta's red boots planted and squared, watching them silently under a flat expression, mauve flames rising from his eyes.

"He ain't," a big one answered.

Someone cackled. "Oh I get it. He must be one of the party favors!"

Vegeta's eyes shifted.

A handful approached. "I call dibs on his legs."

"I'm going for the tail. See if he sings."

They were on the ground. No one had even seen the prince move. As far as they could tell, their fellows had just hit the deck for no apparent reason, Vegeta still a statue. The others were left gawking with horror.

"What…what the…?"

"Wait a minute?! Where's his shackles?!"

"Oh shit!"

Vegeta's eyes shifted back to them. He started walking forward.

"Quick!" cried the one at the front, throwing up his palm, "Smoke 'em!"

Like a chorus of angry dogs they unleashed a storm of energy blasts at him. Vegeta hardly seemed to notice, walking through dust clouds that billowed around him, the assault crashing harmlessly against his form. The closer he got, the more terrified their faces grew, eyes bulging and jaws trembling, blasts even more desperate. Finally, the attack ceased as Vegeta walked right up to one of them, the taller prisoner looking ready to die of fright.

Vegeta raised a hand…and slapped him lightly across the face.

The others screamed as the receiver became a dent in the wall, his tongue hanging stupidly out as his eyes spun. Vegeta looked at the rest of them briefly and walked past.

"Amateurs," he snorted, "Get back to your cells. You aren't even worth my time."

He didn't even have to look back to make sure they obeyed, squeals filling the air as they rocketed back down the transit tube. Vegeta lifted his chin and glanced about, sensing ahead of him. The rest wouldn't be jokesters like that. They'd be professional killers, each capable of wiping out the population of an entire planet. Not a threat to him…but deadly to the rest of the fleet. He'd be swift in taking them out.

And then he'd face Kakarot's murderer…and reclaim his friend's stolen honor.

Growling, his feet left the ground and he shot off down the hall into the depths of the Hammer.

(**Scene Break**)

Lacor stared at Nettelish as she stood with her eyes closed and arms crossed. "Uh…boss?" he asked hesitantly, "Is everything all right?"

"Quiet," she harshly ordered, not moving.

Lacor grunted warily and took a step back, turning as Tupa and several others filed with the broad hall, already filled with a large group of red shirts. Lacor eyed Tupa, hoping to be communicated some good news. The boss's disposition was bothering him enough as it was. Tupa's expression did not return what he'd hoped.

"Boss," Tupa spoke up in his deep, clear voice.

"What?" Nettelish irritably snapped.

"We had the bug cornered in one of the holding cells. But he somehow disappeared. We're still looking for him."

"Ahahahaha…" she chuckled, finally opening her glowing eyes, "Arlians…don't…just disappear." She stroked her covered chin. "He must have found a way into the mechanical lines…which all lead to the core. Yes, that's where he'd head. Nothing's more precious to him and he might try to sabotage us…" She looked at her minions and her eyes twinkled. "No matter. I will head him off there. In the meantime—" The hall door buckled twice and exploded. "Shit!" she said angrily, turning to face the debris.

A chuckle sounded, Vegeta's crooked smile slowly revealed as the dust drifted away. "Well, would you look at that. Caught up with you already and I haven't even gotten started."

Nettelish turned, putting a hand to her thick hips. "Hello, Vegeta," she said in almost a song, "You're looking surprisingly well. I would ask how you got out of your cell, but I'd say that answer's made fairly obvious by the glow in your eyes."

"I'm here to take back what you stole," Vegeta stated seriously, glaring at her with a hard, impenetrable gaze.

"Oh?" she remarked, "And how exactly do you intend to do that?"

He raised a hand and clenched it into a fist next to his head.

"Oh I see," she continued, "You're under the impression that you're about to crush me in some kind of battle. I must admit…something inside me is very tempted to oblige you." She turned. "But no. I've already had more than enough fun with you and I don't have time for a second date."

Vegeta chuckled viciously, his teeth clenched in a sneer. "You're a fool if you think you can turn your back on me, you freak."

Suddenly, Nettelish threw back her head and gave a high, pretty laugh. "Oh Vegeta, Vegeta, darling. Whatever did happen to you in those ten years? When did you learn to care so much? Or maybe you're just being arrogant as usual. You know very well what power is inside me right now…and whose it was. And that he was stronger than you'll ever be." The rage burned in Vegeta's eyes as she stroked her chin, turning again. "Not to mention I still have fusion…but still, I have to give you credit. It's a better death to seek than the one I previously offered. But again…another time."

Vegeta put a foot forward. "Do you honestly think—" He grunted and reared as she thrust out her hand at him, the mere shockwave of the motion knocking him back. The dozens of minions that surrounded her obnoxiously chuckled.

"Don't you understand yet?" she smoothly mocked, "I am Lord Frieza's one true heir. The very last inch of all his magnificent exists in me. And Nevrrest was right – you are nothing more than his pet monkey."

Vegeta seethed so fiercely he nearly drooled. "You can't even begin to comprehend the grave you're digging yourself into, woman. It was enough that you used me for your own ends. It was enough that you murdered Kakarot! But now you dare mock me?!"

"Aaaand there you go," she smiled, folding her arms, "Letting that senseless wrath fill every corner of your being. You're all talk, Vegeta. Oh for certain, you've grown incredibly powerful. But your strength has never mattered to anyone but yourself. And it never will." She chuckled darkly and her minions laughed with her. She turned with a flourish. "Deal with him," she ordered.

They all stopped laughing. "Uh, what?" said Tupa.

She turned. "I said deal with him."

Vegeta cracked a grin as a terrified murmur ran through the former PTOs. "Ah, boss," anxiously smiled Lacor, "I'm not one to normally question orders…but uh…are you sure that's a good idea?"

She chuckled. "For me? Yes. For you? Probably not."

"It's-it's just normally I'd be happy to, of course!" Lacor continued to protest, glancing Vegeta's way, "It's just last I heard he clocked at over fifteen thousand! Now that's over twice as strong as I am and—"

Vegeta busted up laughing, sending shivers of horror through the scarlet minions. "Fifteen thousand? Is that really what you think?" He laughed again. "I haven't been that weak since before Namek."

Lacor's eyes grew wide and he drew back. "Oh God…what are you now then? Thirty thousand?" Vegeta's smile grew. "Forty? Sixty?" Vegeta started to chuckle. "Oh God…not eighty thousand?!"

Vegeta's laughter turned even more cruel. "Oh…I don't think there's a scouter in existence that could measure me now."

"Oh shut up, you're bluffing," Tupa scoffed, sweating, "Ain't no damn prince of the apes that strong."

"It doesn't matter how strong he is," Lacor finally concluded, "My point still stands."

"Oh dear Lacor," Nettelish hummed as she headed down the hall, "You don't have to worry about disappointing me. I don't actually expect any of you to win."

Their faces turned pale. "But…boss—!"

She laughed, putting a hand to the wall. "Don't worry, he won't kill you. You see that light in his eyes? He's empathically bound. And your old warden wants you all alive cause he thinks that order can be reclaimed. But it can't. All you have to do is entertain him for me a little."

"Generous," Vegeta remarked, watching her with a crooked smile, "Even though I know you're only trying to buy yourself time, I appreciate the gesture. Though…it will hardly even count as a warm-up." His face flattened. "You're wrong about one thing though. Any action I take is of my own will, not the Gregorik's." He raised the corner of his mouth. "That said…the only one I'm out to kill is you. The rest aren't even worth the effort."

"I can't promise you'll get to fight me," Nettelish smoothly countered, "But I promise I will kill you today. One way or another."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Vegeta shot back.

She didn't answer this time, shooting down the hall at blinding speed and disappearing through the far doorway. The rest of his foes looked at him with sweaty, angry expressions.

Vegeta smiled at them. "Well don't just stand there like a bunch of lame fools – even if that is what you are. You were told to 'deal with' me." He stretched out an arm and motioned them forward. "Come on, then. Don't keep me waiting."

His amusement further grew as the whole lot of them looked at each other and got into a huddle, like some Earth football team. Chuckling, he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, putting the toe of one boot off to the side of the other. But as he did so, he felt a twinge and pull inside, an urge pressing him to attack. Vegeta grunted uncomfortably, gripping a hand to his chest. The Gregorik. It was against Oom'Bagu's will that he not immediately take them out. The urge pressed him to be efficient.

Vegeta growled angrily at it, twitching. "Shut up," he demanded as the desire got worse, "You don't control me, bear. Put me in chains again and you can force your will upon me. But this is my battle and I'll do as I see fit." His chin lifted as the huddle broke apart, the prisoners turning to face him with serious, anxious expressions. "Are you done wasting my time then?" he called to them, "We both know how this will end, so you might as well get it over with."

Lacor clenched his razor teeth. "Okay, boys!" he cried as energy exploded around their bodies, "Hold nothing back!"

Vegeta's face flourish with zeal as they rocked at him. "Now that's what I like to hear…" He clenched, throwing himself up at them.

In an instant, the entire force had him completely surrounded on all sides, a giant ball of kicks and punches that swarmed in the air. He had to give them credit, it was a good effort. Of course, their attacks didn't even begin to scrap the surface of being a challenge for him, moving easily through them and blocking occasionally just for fun. But why not let them think they had some chance in hell for now? After all, he wasn't in this to just defeat them – that was child's play. No, he wanted to break them, so that they wouldn't even consider continuing their invasion of this vessel.

It was working too. He could see the confidence growing in their strikes, his 'inability' to do anything but defend slowly assuring them. He pushed it a little further, allowing the occasional strike to slip through, so they could feel the thrill of their limbs colliding with his flesh. He even lowered his defenses a little so that his body would buckle with the impact. He waited for it. It happened. The fear left their bodies and turned into excitement.

And just then, he stopped fighting entirely. He lowered his arms and just floated there, letting them absolutely wail on him harmlessly. It must have taken them a full thirty seconds to even begin to notice, he'd worked them up so. But when they finally realized what was happening, the terror set in ten times worse than before. The attacks all died away, leaving capable of nothing more than gaping and quivering.

He lifted his head…and smiled. "Pathetic." He threw his arms out to the side and they went flying. They squealed and howled as a storm of energy raged from him, their bodies bouncing haplessly through the halls and piling up on top of each other. Lacor sunk his fingers into the slippery side of a wall, holding on with all his might.

The storm ended and Vegeta gritted his teeth. "Time to get to work."

Moving fast than any of them thought possible, he ricocheted through the halls, dispatching each of them with the simplest of strikes. They were all out cold in less than a second. But he didn't stop there. He shot with unfathomable speed throughout every section of the ship he could sense them in, taking them out and leaving the Hammer's defenders standing alone with dumbfounded expressions.

Lacor opened his eyes as the gust around him ended, both horrified and relieved to find he was the only one still standing. No, wait, he could hear something. Saliva rolling past his jaws with anxiety, he peeked past a pile of unconscious bodies to see a figure standing alone. He recognized the purple-ish red skin.

"Tupa?" he called.

Zoo-BAM! Tupa embedded in the wall from a strike of Vegeta's fist, the ship's shielding rippling down the entire length of the hall. Lacor fell backwards with horror, scooting away on his hands as Vegeta turned his icy black gaze on him.

"You…you weren't kidding!" he cried, sweat visibly rolling down his face and neck, "You…you really must be at least a hundred thousand!"

Vegeta stopped walking towards him. He watched the mutant for a long moment and raised a corner of his mouth. "Well…that's probably about how much I'm using right now, yes…perhaps a little more. But what you don't understand, Lacor, is a true warrior never uses more energy than he needs in combat. But…in your case, I think I can make an exception."

Lacor's eyes grew wider and wider still as Vegeta began to howl as he charged, the golden light flashing and almost burning him. "Oooh," Lacor helplessly shook his head, "Now that's just not fair."

"What's the matter, Lacor?" darkly grinned the super saiyan, "I thought you said you didn't care about a fair fight?" There was a noise and he was standing over top of him. He pointed a finger. "Get up," he scowled.

Lacor held up his hands as he slowly and extremely uneasily got to his feet. "Now Vegeta…why don't we talk about this?"

"What?" Vegeta chuckled and grabbed the front of Lacor's shirt, his hair waving as the energy swirled around him, "Do you need a bathroom break? You look like you could use one."

"Just hold on for just one minute!" Lacor insisted, swallowing, "Before you go blowing me away, you should think about something. I don't care what the hell you are anymore, but what do you think you'll gain by saving this fleet? You'll just end up the same as before – chained up like a dog or put down like a dog. I'm not dumb enough to think you'd be on our side, but how about this? We call a truce and you help us put an end to the Justice. Then, you can do whatever the hell you want!" He took several sharp breaths. "You hearing me in there Vegeta?! Or have you really let the Warden cloud your mind from reason?"

The mauve flames flickered about Vegeta's eyes, mixing with the light of the green. His grip on Lacor's shirt tightened.

"Oh come on, Vegeta!" Lacor shouted, his heart racing, "Who do you want revenge against more, me or Nevrrest?! Or are you just a puppet?" Vegeta extended a finger. Lacor panted, drooling as he stared at it. "It's decision time, Vegeta. What are you gonna be? A prisoner? Or a prince?"

Vegeta's brow lowered. "…I don't have to be either. It doesn't matter what you or the bird woman or anyone else says of me. Do you know why, Lacor? Because I am more than the crown prince of the Saiyans. I am more than a prisoner of The Justice. I am more than a murderer, a traitor, or even warrior." He smiled. "I am legend."

The finger moved, but no energy came out of it. Instead, Lacor gagged and spat up blood as Vegeta poked him across his body over a hundred times in less than a second. Vegeta then tossed his disabled and battered form on the ground. He paused for a moment as he considered Lacor's moaning form and stepped on his wrist. Lacor screamed as it broke under Vegeta's boot. The Saiyan lifted his foot again a moment later and walked past.

"Stay down," Vegeta ordered, the gold leaving his hair.

Lacor coughed. "You…didn't kill me. Heh…I guess what the boss said about you and the Warden was right."

Vegeta glanced back briefly. "No. You aren't worth my time. None of you ever were." He glowed with a glaze of white energy and shot off. Kakarot…I hope you're watching right now. This next one's for you.