Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ at all.

Chapter 26: Information

18 looked around the lab and sighed in annoyance. She had been around labs since she could remember…which that might not have been too long, but still it was a common scene. She always felt like a strong woman that wasn't unnerved by anything but labs…there was just something about them that made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"So you don't remember what part of Earth you are from?"

"No." 18 said as she brought her attention back to Bulma. "All I know is that Gero apparently found my brother and I then gave us these 'gifts' to defend ourselves."

Bulma had already examined her body through one of her many machines and was now looking at the results as 18 sat on a table. "Well from what I can tell almost your whole body has been transformed, but you still have enough human left in you to function normally. Not sure about the aging. Your cells are consistently collecting energy to use it to fight, so they aren't dying. It's quite remarkable really. I might have to experiment on myself on that one-"

"Don't!"

Bulma looked up from her computer at 18's harsh answer.

18 caught herself and looked away. "I don't' know why and I know that it sounds a bit hypocritical but every time someone asks to get experimented on…I don't know, I have this urge to stop them."

Bulma nodded then looked at her results again. "Well 18 you could be subconsciously trying to tell yourself something….Ah yes I see! There has been a lot of things done to your head. With every cell that has been energized it is odd that all of your brain cells are not."

"Are you trying to say that I'm dumb or something?"

"No, what I'm saying is….look at this picture here." A giant digital screen popped up from Bulma's computer and it was a close up of cells that seemed to be consistently getting electrocuted. "These are some of your cells in your body. See the energy going through? Now this is your brain…"

A picture of a brain came up and there wasn't nowhere near as much and in some areas it seemed like there wasn't much movement at all. "Looking at the rest of your body, if your brain was firing on the same level then you would probably be one of the smartest people in the universe. But as you can see your readings are actually normal."

18 got up and felt the familiar feeling as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up again. "And what about these parts here?" She pointed to the darker areas.

Bulma looked at her computer to be sure. "These are the areas that effect your emotions and also…memory."

18 grew angry quickly and kicked the table over. "That son of a-I knew it! He's been purposely attacking my memory? Is that what you are telling me?"

Turles came in at that point. He and Krillian had been waiting outside. They both heard the crash but he informed Krillian to wait. He didn't trust the robot and was ready for any possible attack toward Bulma.

Bulma glanced at Turles and then back to 18. "It looks like…that may be the case."

"For how long?" 18 asked.

Bulma put in a quick calculation. "Comparing to the generated rate and enhanced growth of the other parts of your body…years. Probably sense you were a child."

18 turned her back to Bulma because she wanted to cry…there were many times she wanted to cry…but she couldn't muster up tears and she couldn't even remember the last time she shed even just a single tear. Now she knew why. She thought something was wrong with her but there was actually something messed up with her head.

Bulma felt bad for her and was going to take a step towards her but she saw Turles shake his head 'no'. She wanted to ignore him but he could be right in this instance.

18 turned back around. "Is there a way that you can…help me? Can you get my memories back?"

Bulma's mouth fell open and then closed. "I…I can try. The human brain is a remarkable thing. If you are subconsciously remembering things then there is a possibility. But I could possibly do more damage than good. The best case is that I need to know what he did to you. He has had to inject you with some type of shot-"

"He does. Every time we get an upgrade the first thing he does is shoot us with something to knock us out. Could that also be the cause of it?"

"Possibly but he could give you multiple shots. But if he had actually harmed you as children I would think that would have been one of the first things he did. It wouldn't make sense to upgrade you then take your memories away. You would be too much of a threat."

"Knowing him it would all probably be mixed into that one shot. He's always complaining about how sensitive I am…"

"Really?"

18 narrowed her eyes. "I know I might not be like other humans but I am not like his other robots. He might not need to take away my memory this time but he could try and take away more of my emotions so I would be more obedient." She bit out.

Bulma sighed and crossed her arms. "This is still a theory. I don't know for sure if this is-"

"I'll get it for you."

"What?"

"I'll get the syringe for you. Then you can reverse what he did to me and my brother."

"I can't make any promises…"

"You have to try. Krillian said I could trust you. If I do this…betray and steal from him then-"

"So you do know where he is." Turles finally spoke out accusingly.

18 narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't know where he is, but I do know that Gero wants me, which means that he will no doubt send my brother to find me. He wants to give us our final upgrades."

"And you didn't want them?" Bulma curiously asked.

"I have a feeling that if I go under again, I will probably completely lose everything that I am."

Turles wasn't sure if he was buying everything she was selling. "And what about your brother? He want's these upgrades doesn't he?"

"He always wanted to get stronger. I don't understand why but he is obsessed with it."

Turles wasn't sold on her not wanting the upgrades but decided to table that for that moment. "I will take this information to the king and we will see what he decides."

18 didn't like that at all. "You can take whatever you want to the king. But if my brother shows up and leads me to that shot then I am going to take the opportunity."

Turles slightly growled and stepped forward. "You are on planet Vegeta, ruled by King Vegeta. If you value your life at all then you will obey your king!"

18 stepped closer to him and sneered back, "He is not my king!"

Bulma quickly got in the middle of the small space that was still left between the two stubborn people. "Guys listen, we don't have to fight about it. 18 you need to realize that although this is an opportunity for you, it's also an opportunity for us as well. We all want to take Gero out. He is our end game so we need to work together."

18 slid her eyes away from Raditz then to Bulma and crossed her arms. "Fine. But if these brutes follow us then 17 will notice."

"I can always put a tracker on you."

"Gero would be able to detect it once I get near him."

Turles crossed his arms and said, "Just get close enough with it that your brother won't notice it or Gero won't detect it. We 'brutes' can do the rest."

18 thought about it for a second then nodded in agreement. "Fine, but you only have one chance and very little time. If I know Gero, he has already sent my brother and he will be here shortly."

"I'll go alert the king." Turles said as he walked out of the room.

Bulma chuckled a little. "Careful 18, or you might find yourself a Saiyan suitor."

18 rolled her eyes. "Not interested."

Bulma sat down at her desk to work on the tracker but was amused about the new topic. "So do you want someone to be interested?"

18 blushed slightly and then rolled her eyes as the coloring of her cheeks were once again replaced with its normal pale color. "There's too much going on for me to care to be interested."

Bulma chuckled through her obvious lie. "If there's one thing I've learned about love, it's that it tends to happen when you're not looking for it and especially don't want it."

"I don't love anyone!" 18 yelled back at her.

Bulma held up her hands in defense. "Ok, ok I was just curious. I mean-"

"Will you shut up about it?" 18 yelled even louder as she stared at the door.

Bulma was confused but then followed her line of sight and saw Krillian standing there. She looked back and forth at them and then smiled as the light bulb went off in her head. "I see."

18 glared at her and then Krillian nervously scratched the back of his head. "Is everything ok? I was waiting outside but then I saw Turles leave and then I heard you yelling-"

"Everything is fine. You need to get back to Yamcha before he disappears with the other survivors."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to lead the Saiyans to Gero."

"Uhh isn't that dangerous? I mean you've seen what Gero is capable of."

"I'm confident in my abilities. If I Know 17 he knows where I am and is already thinking of a way to get in here undetected. He'll lead me to Gero and I'll lead the Sayians to him."

Krillian walked up to her. "But what about your brother. If he turns against the Saiyans-"

"I'll deal with them."

"Ok well be careful."

18 smiled at him. "You too."

At the moment Turles came back with a troop of Saiyans. "We are ready to proceed. Bulma do you have the tracker done?"

Bulma was so engrossed with the little soap opera before that she almost completely forgot about it. "Yes I have one already to go. Just as soon as you feel Gero would begin to detect it then destroy it. The Saiyans should be able to track you."

18 nodded took the small tracker and pinned it to the inside of her sleeve near her elbow. She looked at Krillian and seemed like she hesitated to say something but then just nodded to him and walked out the room with Turles.

Krillian sighed heavily.

Bulma smiled sympathetically to him. "I believe that everything will go right but for the odd chance that it doesn't, this could be your last chance to tell her how you feel."

Krillian looked at her with a red face colored with embarrassment. "But I didn't-Did she?-I mean why would you say that?"

Bulma stood up and placed frustrated hands on her hips. "Look it doesn't matter how I know! Just go run and tell her that you love her before it's too late!"

Krillian jumped at her yell and hurriedly ran out the room. Turles seemed to be giving 18 instructions right near the entrance of the palace when he strolled up with confidence. "18!"

She turned around while the watchful group of Saiyans looking on with slight annoyance.

"What is it Krillian?"

Krillian gulped at the audience and his confidence depleted by 40%. "I-uh-I just wanted to say…that I…"

"Yes?"

"…I hope your mission goes well because I would really like to see you again." He said with his cheeks blazing hot.

18 seemed disappointed with his sentence and she ignored the Saiyans chuckles of laughter of Krillian's obvious attempt to show affection. 18 just walked over to him and bent down to kiss him on his cheek. She then winked at him and said, "I'll see ya later."

Krillian nodded and simply said,"Right, sure!"

18 waved goodbye and walked outside the palace leaving the Saiyans to laugh at Krillian.

Krillian ignored them and turned to walk out the palace from a different area so that he could go back and inform Yamcha and the other survivors of everything. But with all the chaos going on in the world, it seemed to pale in comparison to receiving a small kiss from his girl.

Turles who watched the whole thing wasn't amused by any of it. If anything he was confused as to why such a strong and beautiful woman would want such a small weakling? But none of that was important at the moment.

"Shut up!" He yelled at the laughing group of trackers. "You all are the best on the planet and you have a job to do. So disperse and get it done."

The Saiyans all nodded and then left in different directions out the palace to keep a watchful eye on their prize.

Outside…

18 didn't walk 2 blocks away when familiar arms grabbed her and pushed her against a wall. "Hello sister? What are you up to?"

18 rolled her eyes at her brother. "What do you want 17? I am not going back to Gero. We have talked about this." She said pushing off the wall and walking in another direction."

17 got in front of her. "Why were you in the palace? And don't lie to me because you know I can see through it."

18 sighed in annoyance. "I went with Krillian. He wanted to let the Saiyans know that he and Yamcha had nothing to do with Gero's attack."

17 folded his arms as he recognized the truth in his sister's eyes. "Why did you have to go in there with him?"

"Yamcha thought they could possibly attack him and I told him that I wasn't going to let that happen."

17 watched his sister's face then busted out in laughter.

"What is so funny?" 18 asked annoyed.

"You like that little runt? Why did you stoop so 'low'?"

"That's not funny 17. Why don't you mind your own business?!" She yelled as she once again began to walk away from him.

17 stopped laughing. "Ok, ok. I'm done. So where is your husband to be?"

"He left to go tell Yamcha that the Saiyans don't consider him or Yamcha a threat."

"So you were with the Saiyans?"

"I was mostly with Bulma. She sees me as another Earthling."

17 stared at her for a moment. "I have to admit Sis. I was getting a little worried. But you have to be telling the truth otherwise they would be taking you apart on a lab table if they knew what you really were. We can't trust these people. You can't even trust your boyfriend-"

"He's not my boyfriend."

"Whatever. It's just us. You and me alright?"

18 crossed her arms. "I told you I'm not going back to Gero."

17 rolled his eyes. "He said just one more upgrade. That's all I need to get rid of him."

"Are you crazy? You could get rid of him now if you wanted! You're just power hungry."

"If he can make me more powerful, US more powerful, then we should take the opportunity!"

"I told you no!"

"Then what are you going to do? Where are you going to go?"

"I don't know. But right now I'm heading towards the restaurant district and I will figure the rest out later."

"18! I hate him too. But the truth is we don't know what other dangers is out there. Don't you think I worry about what happens when I go under his knife too? But that's why we have to stick together. Something could happen to me if I go by myself and who would protect me? No one. I need you 18. I can't do this without you."

18 waited for a minute then sighed. "Fine. But promise me this is the last time."

"Promise."

"Fine let's go."

"That's the spirit!" 17 said as he put his arm around her and led her into a different direction.

On a rooftop nearby.

One of the trackers tapped his scouter that picked up their whole conversation. "Did you hear that Turles?"

"Sure did. The girls should win an award for that performance. Proceed cautiously. Follow the tracker and when she destroys it then alert me immediately."

"Yes sir."

Meanwhile…

Kakarot, Raditz and Vegeta were all breathing heavily waiting for the next person to attack. They all had been going at it nonstop ever since Vegeta had his fight with 18.

Kakarot was having fun but he was also getting hungry. "Hey guys can we please get something to eat?"

Vegeta was about to call him an idiot when his own stomach growled. "Fine. We will eat something and then get back to training."

Raditz couldn't help his smart mouth, "Geeze Vegeta all this over a woman. Maybe you should have let Bulma have a go at her so they could settle things woman to woman."

Vegeta sneered at him and just as he walking past he punched him deeply in the gut making him spit up blood. "Have a 'go' at that!" He said before leaving out.

Kakarot came to his side and put his arm around his neck to help carry him out. "You knew that he was going to react that way."

"I know but couldn't help it. He's acting like she broke his arm or something."

"She hurt his pride. And Bulma is the only person that can get away with that."

"True. Hey Kakarot lets find a tank first then eat."

"Well I'll put you in a tank, but food comes before pain for me."

"Of course it does."

...

Bulma who was having a grand old time looking through 18's schematics was pulled away from her interesting work to have a meal with her husband. "Vegeta how can you eat a time like this? At any moment she can meet Gero and all Hell can break loose."

"Woman food provides energy for battle. Besides you need to eat as well."

Bulma blinked at her husband. She realized that she really hadn't eatin anything since the attack started. She tried to have breakfast that morning but really didn't feel like it at all. She took comfort in the fact that Vegeta had noticed and wanted to make sure that she was taking care of herself. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right." He said before he continued to munch on his assorted meats, grains, and vegetables before him.

Bulma popped a piece of meat in her mouth and then said, "Vegeta I was thinking about you becoming a Super Saiyan. There has to be something other than strength that guarantees the change-"

Vegeta held up a hand to let her know to stop as he took a sip of his drink to wash his food down. "Woman stop right there. You are talking about a subject you know nothing about. You stick to your science and I'll stick to fighting."

Bulma was more than annoyed at that. "Vegeta, the two go hand in hand. Everything you do with your body is scientific. And I am going to finish saying what I have to say whether you like it or not."

Vegeta glared at her. "Do not forget your place."

Bulma flipped her hair over her shoulder and chewed on another piece of food. "If you wanted a more obedient wife then you should have married her. So as I was saying, I think it would be good if I interview Bardock and your father to figure out exactly what it is that you need to push you over the edge to become a Super Saiyan-"

"ENOUGH! I need to get stronger! That's it! If there was some type of formula then it would be easy and anyone would be able to do it! But I am not just anyone and I will have my moment. And I don't need your help!"

Vegeta said as he stood up and stormed out.

Bulma was so floored by his words that she once again lost her appetite. She pushed away from the table and started to walk out the dining room but stopped as the King was in her way. He was coming in to join his son and daughter in law but stopped once he heard their argument. He didn't know why he waited and listened but perhaps he was just curious of his son's reactions.

Bulma bowed and then said, "I am sorry your highness-"

"Do not apologize. I know of my son's temper. Saiyans do not like help. They want to prove themselves. You insulted him by offering."

"I didn't mean to insult him."

"Still you did. Vegeta is determined to do this on his own. He always has been. Sure he'll take your robots and your gravity room, but that's still him fighting. Him training to get stronger. For you to possibly give him another way is like saying he failed."

Bulma bit her lip in frustration. "I just want him to get he always wanted."

The king pondered that. "You really do care for him don't you?"

"Yes sire."

He walked around her then sat down and popped a piece of meat into his mouth and motioned for her to sit down. "I will only grant you this one moment. This one time to ask me as many questions as you like about my transformation. Do not ask me again. Am I clear?"

Bulma would have loved to have this conversation in her lab where she could record it but she was not going to push and was just going to have to remember everything that was said. "Yes sire."

"Alright go ahead." He leaned back into the chair half interested in her questions and half enjoying the opportunity to talk about his strength."

Bulma's first question was obvious…"How did you become a Super Saiyan?"

Author's note: Hello all! Sorry it has taken sooooo long to put up another chapter. This is a setup chapter to some awesome things to come. A lot of foreshadowing in here... (Hint, hint). Please let me know what you think and Review!