As they flew, Vegeta had already caught up with them on a deserted road by a cliff. 16 was given the chance to take him on, but declined it because Vegeta wasn't Goku. 18 took up the task, so she and Vegeta closed in on each other and began trading blows. Their fight took them up into the air and onto the nearby freeway, where they wreaked havoc on the unsuspecting drivers. When they ended up back where they started, a truck appeared behind 18, but it was blown to bits by Vegeta's energy blast that was supposed to hit her. 18 head-butted Vegeta, and then she hit him with a palm strike right into the cliff side.

"There they are!" Trunks said. He and everyone else stopped in midair above the battlefield. "Dad, are you alive?" He got his answer when Vegeta stumbled out of the hole the impact with the cliff caused.

17 looked up at the new arrivals, and said to them, "This is between those two. If anyone interferes then I'll—"

Ranch went Super Saiyan. "Krillin! Tien!" she shouted. Like they discussed before they got there, the three of them immediately began sending down a barrage at 17, just as Raditz and Piccolo did the same to 16. As they started their attacks, Trunks rushed in to get closer to his father but didn't get himself involved in the fight yet.

"Stay out of this, boy!" Vegeta told him angrily.

"I will until I can't anymore," he retorted.

Krillin and Tien kept up the bombardment to act as a distraction as Ranch disappeared and reappeared. The two let up the attack, as Ranch closed the distance and attempted to try and land a hit. But 17 managed to dodge her blows time and again. When another one of her strikes missed, 17 took advantage of her movements, and kneed her in the gut, immediately followed up by a punch to the face. As she was introduced to the ground, Tien and Krillin jumped in to back her up.

After Piccolo and Raditz stopped their attacks, Raditz went Super Saiyan, and the two of them sped into the kicked up cloud of debris. They found 16 and started to team up on him. But 16 didn't do anything other than dodge their attacks. The cyborg didn't even bother using his arms to block anything; it just indifferently avoided everything that was thrown at him.

Krillin and Tien doubled teamed 17, but they're kicks and punches were just as useless as Ranch's, who got back up and joined the fray again. Even with three attackers 17 was able to block everything, all with a smile on his face. Suddenly 17 jumped back away from the fight, when he landed he bent his knees, and then he sprang right back at them.

"Krillin!" Ranch cried, upon realizing who he was aiming for. She got in front of him, and held up both her arms to block 17's punch. The force of the hit sent her flying back right into Krillin, and they were both sent tumbling backwards. 17 took advantage of Tien now being alone by getting up close and hitting him so hard in the gut that he passed out.

"Monster!" Ranch was already flying back at 17 before Krillin even got back on his feet. She threw a punch with her right fist, but 17 caught it with this bare hand. With a smirk, he kicked her exposed right side. She felt her ribs crack, and Ranch was slammed right into the cliff. Ranch fell to the ground again unconscious, the Super Saiyan getting knocked right out of her.

17 then turned his attention to Raditz and Piccolo, neither of whom managed to land a hit on 16. He landed a punch in Piccolo's gut, and while he was incapacitated, 17 charged at Raditz. 17 threw a kick to the head that Raditz managed to block just in time. But 17 quickly grabbed him by the throat and slammed into the cliff. Damn, how could I be so stupid, Raditz said to himself. He had used up so much energy just trying to hit the big one, that he left himself get compromised.

"Care to explain to me why you thought this was a good idea?" 17 asked Raditz.

Raditz met his gaze, but then it fell when he noticed Piccolo trying to stand back up, and then he saw to his horror Ranch sprawled on the ground. "Bastard," he managed to say as he was being chocked. "I'll kill you for what you did to her." Meekly raising his hands, he struggled to say, "Double—"

But 17 head-butted Raditz before he could fire the attack. Out of the corner of his eye 17 saw Piccolo charging towards them, so he grabbed Raditz's arm with both his hands and threw him full speed at Piccolo. Raditz slammed into Piccolo, they both crashed to the ground unmoving, and Raditz's Super Saiyan glow faded away.

When those fights had gotten started, round two between 18 and Vegeta had also begun. 18 started things off again rushing forward and sucker punching Vegeta into the air. He managed to recover, and delivered a blow of his own that sent her into the rocks below. "Eat this!" he shouted, sending a destructive blast right at her. 18 caught it full on, but when the dust settled all he managed to do was damage her clothes.

Removing her torn jacket, 18 told Vegeta, "So, that all you got?"

Enraged at the insolence, Vegeta charge in for a barrage of attacks. For a while he seemed to be pushing her back, but all he was doing was expending more and more energy with every punch he threw. Quickly the advantage he seemingly had fizzled out and 18 started to push on Vegeta. When 18 spotted an opening, she landed blow after blow on him, until she hit him hard enough that she sent him flying into a boulder.

"Alright, enough!" Trunks shouted, going Super Saiyan. Drawing his sword, he jumped and charged at 18 with his sword raised over his head. When he slashed down, though, she simply blocked it with her forearm, breaking his sword. As he was stunned by this, 18 kicked him out of the way.

"Damn it, boy," Vegeta grunted in pain, standing back up. "I don't need any help!" He powered up once more, and rushed at her. But 18 dodged, and kicked him right in the chin. As he stumbled around trying to recover, 18 came up behind him and delivered another kick. This time she caught him on his side, and the blow broke his arm.

"Father!" Trunks tried to come to his defense, but 18 just blocked his attack and landed the back of her fist against his head, making his glow dissipate.

"Don't think I'm down just yet!" Vegeta shouted, firing a blast at 18 with his good arm. She easily dodged, grabbed Trunks by the leg, and slammed him into Vegeta.

"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" 18 said, slightly annoyed. She approached Vegeta lying on the ground, and placed her foot on his unbroken arm. "Maybe this'll teach you a lesson." And she pressed her foot down, causing him to yell in pain as the final Super Saiyan aura faded.

By the time that Krillin had managed to get back on his feet after the hit Ranch took for him, the fight was just about over. He had watched, panic-stricken, as one-by-one all the Super Saiyans, Piccolo, and Tien were taken out in quick succession.

"Interesting," 17 said. "Vegeta and Raditz can both change their hair color."

"Yes, so can the boy and the girl," 18 replied. "But we don't have any files on them. I wonder who they are."

"It doesn't matter, they aren't any threat."

Krillin watched over them in fear, unsure what to do now. 17 and 18 then caught sight of him jumped back onto the road close by to him. Krillin took a few steps backwards, trembling with dread, positive that he was about to die.

Noticing this, 17 chuckled lightly. "Relax, the fight's over and you're no threat. All we care about is Goku," he said, causing Krillin to react. "Well, Sis, we should go."

As they turned to walk away from him, 18 asked, "Shouldn't we ask him where Goku is?"

"We could, yes, but then we'd lose all the fun in hunting Goku down."

"You're ridiculous."

They walked up to 16, who was staring off in the distance. "What are you looking at, 16?" 17 asked.

"All the fighting scared the birds away," the giant answered.

"Look, if you still want to drive there we should fly somewhere more busy," 18 said.

"Good idea."

As it looked like they were about to take off, Krillin gathered up every bit of resolve he had, and ran up to then, yelling, "Wait!"

All the cyborgs paused, and 17 asked, "What?"

"Please don't kill Goku! He sick and hasn't done anything to you!" he pleaded.

Nearby Ranch stirred, and she opened an eye to see Krillin standing up to the cyborgs. No, you moron. Run! She wanted to get herself up, but couldn't muster up the strength.

"You make a fair argument," 17 teased, "but killing Goku is what we're programed to do. Can't be helped."

"But—but that was Dr. Gero that programed you to do that! And he's dead! You saw to that! So please!"

"No," 16 replied. "I am programed to kill Son Goku."

"Well you heard him," 17 said as if it were out of his hands. "We're killing Goku."

Krillin grit his teeth, and forced himself to say, "If…you…go…then…I'll…" He lost his voice and was about to raise a fist, when 18 approached him. He recoiled and she closed in, sure that she'd kill him.

Instead, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "That's cute. Good luck." 18 went back to her companions and they flew off together.

As Krillin watched them fly away on their way to kill Goku, he spotted Ranch, who saved him by taking the brunt of that punch for him. If the cyborgs were to be stopped, he had to heal his friends first. Checking his pouch, Krillin saw that he had six Senzu beans left—just enough for all of them. He started with Ranch, and put her in a sitting position before putting a bean in her mouth. She was just conscious enough to know what was happening, so she chewed the bean and swallowed. All of sudden her strength returned and all the pain went away. She stood up on her own, amazed as always at the results.

"Thanks. Give me some so I can help here. Go give one to Trunks," she said quickly.

"Right," he said, giving her three. "And Vegeta."

"Uh—sure," she said indifferently. Tien was closest to her, so she went over to him, feeling responsible for how he ended up. If she hadn't been tossed aside like she had, then he wouldn't have taken on 17 alone. When he began to stir, Ranch quickly went over to help her dad and Piccolo.

"Ranch?" Raditz asked as he sat up. "Ranch! Sweetheart! Are you alright?" he asked desperately, putting his hands on her shoulders.

She smiled somberly, and placed her hand on his forearm. "Still in one piece, by some miracle."

"Ranch, you okay?" Trunks called out as soon as he was back on his feet.

"Trunks!" she cried in relief, going over to meet them, causing Raditz some discomfort. "I'm fine. Those beans sure are something," she said, rubbing her healed ribs. Off to the side Vegeta had gotten back up, and isolated himself so he could seethe on his own.

"Damn!" Raditz exclaimed, pounding his fist into his palm after he stood up. "Those cyborgs were way stronger than what we prepared for!"

"How come they didn't just finish us off?" Tien wanted to know. "They could have easily done it."

"We can't underestimate them again," Piccolo said, as Vegeta continued brooding nearby. "We won't get so lucky next time."

Suddenly Vegeta let out a scream, powered up, and flew off in a rage.

"Damn it, not again!" Trunks said running, and about to power up.

"Trunks!" Piccolo and Ranch said together, making him stop.

"Leave it, he needs to be alone," Piccolo said.

"Yeah…we need to regroup," Ranch told him. She was tempted to speak her mind, but once again refrained.

Raditz stepped up next to his daughter. "Vegeta just suffered a massive blow to his pride. He was decisively defeated despite becoming a Super Saiyan," he explained. "Trust me; you won't be able to get through to him right now. It's best to let him simmer."

"It doesn't change the fact that even with four Super Saiyans we were still tossed aside like rag dolls," Tien said, clenching his fists. "Even with Goku I don't see how we could've possibly beaten them!"

"Yeah," Trunks agreed, dejected, "and somehow these cyborgs are even stronger than the ones from our time."

"Ugh, I was just hoping that was imagination, but you're right," Ranch moaned in dismay. "Just how screwed up is this frickin timeline?"

"Calm down," Raditz told her, actually smiling for some reason. "All that means is that we have to get strong enough to finish them off. Once that happens and you go back home, the cyborgs in the future should be no problem for you."

"Silver lining, eh, dad?" Ranch said appreciatively.

"Great, but how do we get stronger?" Tien demanded.

"For now all of you should head back to Goku's house and move him," Piccolo told them.

"Sure…but what're you going to do?" Krillin asked.

Looking troubled, Piccolo replied, "I'm not sure."

"What? Come on, i know you've got something."

"Yes, Piccolo, I know that look. If you got a plan just tell us," Raditz said.

Getting angry, Piccolo shouted, "Shut up, all of you, this is something I need to do on my own." He let off an energy blast and flew up into the air. "Don't follow me, and just focus on getting to Goku!" Piccolo took off.

"What was that all about?" Tien asked in confusion, watching him fly away.

"Didn't you see where he's going?" Krillin said, pointing in the direction Piccolo went. "He's going to see Kami. You see—"

"No matter," Raditz interrupted, despite wanting to know as well. "Piccolo is right; we need to get back to Kakarot and move him."

They all agreed and took off into the air. As they went, Krillin went up to Ranch, and said, "Hey, thanks back there. If I took that hit full on I might've been killed."

"No problem," Ranch said, smiling. "From what I heard you're one of Uncle Goku's best buds, aren't you? Least I could do." Then she remembered. "But it was stupid the way you tried to talk down those monsters—brave, but stupid. I wouldn't do it again if I were you. Also," she went on quizzically, "what the hell was up with the bimbo kissing you?" she asked, confused.

Flustered, Krillin answered, "I have no idea."