Saiyan Sovereignty
Part 2
Black Magic

To be able to drink one of the oldest alcohols in human history was an honour. One Bulma took too far and was now quite tipsy. The rice mead was strong, but amazingly rich in flavour. She smiled as the men around her grew louder and louder in their merry making. Between the Eastern men and the Saiyan's, language was slipping in and out of each others dialect. They had been through a lot together, their comradery was very strong, that was easy to see.

"Then Kakarot turned around, he had it all over his face!" Raditz roared. All the men followed suit and smashed there glasses on the table in delight at Kakarot's expense, to which he could only laugh and shrug his shoulders.

"I wasn't going to let it go to waste" He laughed.

Bulma had been introduced to all of the main leaders of the resistance. The short Monk was Krillin, the tall fighter with long black hair was Yamcha, and the man with the third eye was Tien, all of which were from the mainland of the Eastern countries. The older Saiyan was a man known as Kolard, he was Raditz and Kakarot's father, Bardock's second in charge during the resistance against Frieza's invasion of Vegeta. When Kolard found out the boys had met with the resistance, he left his post as well into the darkest point in the night, to join them.

The bunch of men, all with their own strengths and fighting styles had formed a formidable group. They managed to remain undetected for months, all while carrying out strategic blows to the empire. Bulma was not privy to their current plan, but she had a feeling it was to do with the armada in the bay outside the port.

The Saiyan brothers had sat her down and informed her, in between giving her a crash course on where they stand currently in the war, about their plan to recover the Prince from the grasp of Frieza.
It turns out that Frieza had some type of black magic within his inner circle. That, with the gun power, was the real reason the Saiyan forces fell. The brothers explained to her, they could withstand bullets. This power was not common, but it could certainly be achieved by most, if not all of the Saiyan race. It certainly had been common in the ranks of the Saiyan forces.
Krillian, Tien and Yamcha had also all reached this level of enlightenment, as they called it in the east. This was where the problem of the Prince being an interrogator came into the picture, their Master, Master Roshi, had been captured by the Cold Empire's forces a few weeks ago. A stronghold had been found and an ambush had been carried out. Master Roshi was detained and taken back to the Cold's front. Everyone else had been slaughtered. Including many of the groups friends and loved ones. It had been an especially horrible loss for the men. He knew everything, about the teachings of the east, the rebellions plans, their strongholds, about how to achieve enlightenment. He would be turned into a weapon, and their secret plan, their trump card would be lost.
With the black magic that had been rumoured to be used in the Empire's strength. They could not put aside the chance of Vegeta using this power. The Prince had a success rate of 100%. Which Bulma, as a scientist agreed with the group, it just did not happen in nature. This black magic, what was it? Or, who was behind it?
This news had been weighing heavily on Bulma's mind. The Alcohol had numbed her thoughts, but they now returned with velocity.
Her face had betrayed her, She felt Kakarot's hand on her shoulder.

"You ok kid?" He asked softly.

Bulma looked down at her hands in her lap. Would she ever see her loved ones again? Would she ever return? It seemed every time she made progression, something new leaped up to drag her back down to depression. Her feelings so heavy, she found it hard to even think of moving forward again. This black magic, it made her shutter. Her mind went a million times an hour to give a reason to what it was. But she knew, she needed more information to determine its cause. She knew in her heart of hearts that a reason, an explanation was behind it. The language that was used in this time, the here and now, it could not even explain how lightning was possible. They used words like magic, Gods and powers to explain things they did not understand.
She knew this, she was a scientist.
But why did she feel like the reason, the person behind this black magic was more terrifying than any made up force.

"I think I need to head to bed" She finally said looking up at Kakarot.

She was met with a wide smile.

"Another round before you go!" He shouted, standing suddenly from his chair, raising his glass high in the air.

Bulma laughed and nodded.

Bardock turned to meet the gaze of his wives eyes. They were dark with despair, this was a suicide misson. The King had not been seen since Frieza's forces had taken over. He would be in the lowest dungeon, behind the most insane amount of guards. Bardock was crippled and lead farmers sons to their deaths. Surely, he would perish on this mission.
He broke contact with his love, he heard her drop and scream a sound he had never heard before. She had lost her Son's, her home, her life. And now her love.
Was the sacrifice worth it? Would he really die in vain.

The sound of his Son's voices over the futuristic technology, Bulma's promise to find them. How? Was she a sorceress?
Bardock shook his head slightly. No, she had explained to him, this was not magic. It was science. He had to trust her, put his faith in her. He couldn't possibly understand like she did.
She had brought the sound of his Son's back to him. Was it a trick?

"No" He muttered under his breath.

He felt them, through the device. He knew. He knew it was his son's. This plan had to work, they had to find the King and bring him to the boys. And quickly. Time was against them.

"Yaaaahhh" He screamed to urge his horse to use it's powerful legs.

The men behind him followed suit and they ran toward the horizon, mud and water surrounding them as they went.

"Ok, let's go over the plan again. With the arrival of Bulma and the information she brings, it changes everything" Radditz started as the others took their seats at the table.

"So we are changing up the plan, or are we completely changing wind?" Tien asked. Ever insightful.

"We have to, don't we? With all that we have learned in the past weeks?" Kakarot asked the group, looking for someone to concur.

"Indeed we do" Radditz said looking toward Bulma.

Bulma's throat felt like it was going to close up. This was the first time she had been in the room while they spoke tactics, plans and secrets. They had fed her information, at a rate she assumed so they could test her loyalty, and Bardock's too. They could not prove her innocent beyond a reasonable doubt. Her things had been taken from her, and someone was outside of her room the entire time.
They were not unkind to her, the opposite actually. They were hospitable and socialised with her, but they did not let her get close. Right up until now.

Her items, her capsules and other items she had on her were thrown on the table. The sound they collectively made, as they collided with the table were deafening, the room was dead silent. She sheepishly looked up at the brothers. She was going to have to tell them everything. The time had come.

"It's time Bulma" Kakarot said, genuinely kind.

"Right" She said looking down at her hands.

How the hell was she going to do this! Would she show them like she had to Bardock. Or should she try from the beginning.
She felt the eyes of the room pear into her like a magnifying glass. She was now being interrogated. With all the knowledge she had come to learn from the past weeks, about all the men, each one and their personalities, she knew what her only option was. The truth.

She took a big breath in and stood up. She looked around the room as the men all meet her stare with their own.

"I'll start with the device we used to contact Bardock. I know, I understand that this will be hard to comprehend. But…" She started quietly.

Some of them shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, some sat still like rocks.

"This is a part of something called technology, just like Frieza's guns are technology" She started, trying to reference something they understood.

The receiver twirled slowly in her hands as she searched for more words. Kakarot was the first to break the silence.

"So that thing is a weapon?" He asked.

"No, I mean, not really. It has advantages, but it does not kill. Just like having a roof over your head gives you an advantage, but cannot be used as a weapon" She explained.

"So technology is a tool? Is knowledge?" Tien pondered.

"Yes! Tien, yes! It is a tool. And with every tool, there is a reason why it works, and why other things don't work as well." She explained.

"So it is a tool to communicate? Like… a letter?" Krillin said shyly.

"Exactly, it is like a letter, it sends a message, but it sends the sound of our voice" Bulma started.

"Ohhh man, my head!" Yamcha complained.

"Quiet, let her explain!" Radditz growled.

"So tools, they evolve, they change, people invent new tools that are better than the last… right?" She asked.

"Like a new ship, better, faster, stronger.." Krillin asked.

"Yes, they develop, they become better, faster and stronger with time. We start with a letter, and over time, and through much hard work and brilliant minds, the technology goes from a letter, to this… a transmitter to communicate in an instant, with our voices" She tried to explain.

The men were so enamored with every word she said. It seemed they were following her direction. So she pushed forward, to the twist. To her reality.

"Ok, well this technology, this tool, is from, and I'm from… the future…" She said watching for a reaction.

"What?"

"The what?"

"No way?!"

The room erupted. Chairs went flying as the men stood up in surprise. Bulma slunk down, shielding herself physically and mentally as she prepared for the worst.

"You mean to tell us, you are not from this time? But from one so far in the future, projecting your voice instantly to another country is a regular occurrence?" Tien mused.

Bulma looked up past her hands. The men understood?

"It isn't magic? It is technology?" Kakarot deduced.

"Y..yes, that's right. So you mean you all believe me?" She asked.

"This stuff, we thought it was magical…" Krillin laughed.

"Your explanation, it may make more sense" Radditz said softly. "But can you prove it? Show us what else these tools do" He said more loudly this time.

"Sure, I can. Well I think, look in my time, a lot of your daily issues have been fixed with tools. Think of your ancestors, thousands of years ago. They did not have tools like you do now. Time is always changing, things and people are always changing. I don't know how I came to be here, but I turned up at Bardock's farm after a failed test of a new tool. I think, I hope I can return to my time. But the world needs my help at the moment, and I will need help to get back. I don't belong here, the longer I am here, the more things will change. I can't… I can't explain the huge consequence of me being here. But please believe when I say, I have to leave." She basically begged.

They all considered her and her story. And one by one it seemed they came to the conclusion.

"We will see your worth and the truth of your words when Bardock retrieves the King" Kolard, the older Saiyan finally said.

The group nodded in agreeance. Bulma's trial had begun, if Bardock did not succeed. She had no way of proving her tool had worked without magic. Bulma smiled slightly at their powers of deduction. It showed why they had not been caught so far. They were the best.

A gust of chilling wind whipped around Bardock and danced through his clothes like a playful animal. He stood still with two other men, while they surveyed the area from a point of elevation.
Riding for weeks, with a capsule of food to keep them strong, they had arrived at the outskirts of the capital.
It was large, circula shaped and dark brown hues laced the horizon from all the wood that had been used to build the structures. They could make out shapes moving within, around and toward the dock to the east. It was busy, and full of the Cold Empire's men. Getting into the interior would be the toughest part of the mission. The surveillance started now. They would need to source clothes, to best hide their identities. The guards routine would need to be memorized and a plan would need to be set to enter the bustling streets undetected. One inside, they would need to find an information source loyal to the Saiyan's. Getting into the prison, it would be tough, but unexpected. The element of surprise was in their favour. For now at least.

Over the past weeks of riding and camping in the cold, damp, cruel magnificent countryside. bardock had been drilling, teaching and training the men he took from the village. They had come a long way in a matter of weeks. They were Saiyan's after all, and Bardock had trained troops for most of his life. They were very proficient at surviving on practically nothing, resourceful with different weapons and now understood basic tactics of warfare. They were nowhere near ready enough for the incoming mission. But they had to succeed. Every man here understood this. The pride and strength of the saiyans was an asset that Bardock intended on wielding in their favour.

The surrounding forests would offer coverage, some areas were still so green and thick it would be impossible for a large group to travel through. They would study and use the land to aid them. They knew this country better than the invaders. This tactic had been used for as long as men had been around. Tried and tested, it would be the only way they would enter the city without discovery.

"Two men, at that point on a rotating shift so we don't lose a second of information" Bardock staited.

"Yes sir" They said as they moved quickly to the arranged spot.

"It has started" Bardock said with his eyes closed, thinking of his family.