Bardock walked in one of the many conference rooms in the palace where Nappa, Raditz, and Brolly were already present. All that was missing was the king and his mate. It was a smaller party than one would have thought in planning a rescue operation for the prince, but King Vegeta thought that the less people that knew, the better.

The alpha gave a respectful nod to the others in the room, and all but Raditz returned the gesture. Bardock held back a sigh over that. He knew that his eldest son blamed him for Kakarot's disappearance, and the green clad saiyan couldn't hold it against him. He blamed himself as well.

His alpha son was angry and hurt after all these years, and their relationship was strained at the best of times. More than once had guards been called to help break apart fights that had broken out between the two. Now it was perhaps once every few months that Bardock saw his son.

"Gentleman," Yasi's voice drew Bardock out of his thoughts, and he felt his nerves act up at the sight of his rulers. "Thank you all for coming. I hope that we can proceed in finding my son now that we don't have to deal with the windbags in the Council."

Chuckles came from around the room that the general didn't share in. He had a handheld device in his hands that he kept glancing at periodically, and he felt unsure if he should bring up what he had despite the fact of the information was something that they needed.

"What do we know about the planet my son is on?" KV asked wanting to get started.

"Its small, the size of some moons honestly." Nappa input "All the data we have lists it as non important, a way station or medical facility of sorts. The planet is listed as 228 in the database, apparently barren of sentient life before it's conquest. Nothing of note in climate, mineral deposits, resources, nothing. Personally I don't get why the Colds even bothered with it."

"If the information I found is accurate, it's a research facility." Bardock said drawing everyone's attention. "Given the stable nature of the planet it certainly makes sense. Nothing to disrupt delicate procedures or risk exposing the facility short of invasion."

"For what?" Brolly asked cautiously.

"It's purpose is to allegedly produce better soldiers for Frieza's army. It's been in operation for some time, years even. From what I was told, he's also kept what goes on there quiet through rather forceful means which is why this is the first we've heard of it. I don't think it was coincidence Vegeta ended up there or that he was captured."

"You make it sound like his capture was planned rather than circumstantial." K. Vegeta said looking at his old friend.

"It might have been, just not for Vegeta." Bardock finally said. "I've looked over the reports and what I saw of the battle site, I don't think it was a coincidence there were 2 battalions of soldiers and members of the Ginyu force on a simple supply base. Frieza for whatever reason was gunning for a saiyan, and they got Vegeta purely by chance. He took the assignment last minute, and it was originally slated for a 2nd class demo team."

"You think Frieza wants to use a saiyan for his project." Raditz stated.

"It has to be a live subject for whatever he wants. Otherwise they'd have taken bodies from any of the conflicts in the combat zone. The set up on XR-56 was that for capture. Had a second class team gone they'd have been overwhelmed and either killed or forced to surrender if they couldn't transform." Brolly offered following the general's logic. "We'd have lost an entire team."

"Bardock," K. Vegeta called from his place at the head of the table. "Were you able to obtain the whereabouts of Frieza?"

"That's the bad part. My source told me Frieza is on 228, has been the whole time he's been off grid." The alpha trailed off. Shouts of uproar filled the room.

"Are you fucking kidding me? How the hell are we supposed to rescue him now?!" Raditz shouted gripping the edge of the table.

"Bardock…you're sure?" Yasi looked almost desperate for there to be any chance there could be a mistake. The general couldn't meet the consort's eyes.

"I am curious how he got said information, I've been trying to find that lizard for months." Brolly said calmly. "I would like to speak with your source myself. Apparently my network could use improvement."

"I'm asking you to not make me answer that, Vegeta." Bardock said giving his old friend a hard look. knew Bardock couldn't lie, that his friend worked hard to make sure his entire career was spotless and to always operate above the table. That his friend was dodging….he was worried what his friend had done.

"Bardock, you have to give us something."

"I might have spoken with a…neutral party." The general said choosing his words carefully. "I had the opportunity and knew we couldn't afford to miss it." He didn't miss the knowing look his eldest gave him and couldn't help the sigh of relief that came out as his son didn't out his actions.

"I don't care if he called King Cold and asked him, what are we going to do about bringing Vegeta home?" Yasi finally snapped.

"Can't we just storm the planet?" Nappa looked over at the other warriors. He nodded his head over at the saiyan across from him."If we have Brolly with us as part of the team, we shouldn't have any issues. I mean, he is a super saiyan."

"We need to get Frieza off the planet. If he's there when we go in, it'll be a shitstorm." Raditz huffed.

"Nappa, even if Brolly came with us, he would have to engage Frieza. Their battle would probably destroy the planet, killing the team, Vegeta, and whoever else was there." Bardock's voice was muffled as he rubbed his face.

"That's right. Plus if I leave, who will protect Vegetasei from the rest of the Colds? We can't leave the planet defenseless." Brolly crossed his arms over the red and white armor covering his chest.

"What if we draw back the army to compensate?" Yasi asked. He tap a spot on the table, and a hologram of The Saiyan Empire flickered above the table. Vegetasei was in the center with white points of light representing planets under saiyan rule while red lights showed planets under Cold rule. The whole image lazily rotated in the air. "Surely if our main forces are here, they won't attack?"

"We'd lose the planets along the combat zone if we did that. These planets here," K. Vegeta pointed to a few lined up along a band of yellow where different colors of light switch back and forth. "Are where we get the majority of the supplies to make our body armor. And a few over here on the other end, develop the ship technology we use. If we draw back the army, we risk loosing these planets."

"This will require stealth." Bardock murmured as his eyes studied the map. The rest of the room seemed to fall away, and the general typed at the seamless keyboard embedded in the table. The hologram stopped moving and zoomed out some to include the planet where Vegeta's signal was coming from. It was a good distance from the combat zone, but there was a rather large planet roughly mid way between Frieza 228 and the zone. The 3rd class solider narrowed his eyes as he pulled up the specs on it.

The larger planet, Frieza 204, was rich in minerals that were essential to computer components. A plan was slowly starting to form in his head as he looked at the distance between 204 and 228. His lips were twitching upwards as he calculated the risks and trouble the team would go through.

"I know that look," King Vegeta's voice brought Bardock back to the room. The rest of the group had fallen silent while the general worked with the holographic map. "What do you have in mind, Bardock?"

"Well, we need stealth for this mission. I doubt Frieza or his men know about the chip, otherwise we wouldn't be getting a signal from it. We can't go storming in because that would only be a risk to the team and Vegeta, however we can invade another planet." The green clad warrior pulled up the world that had gotten his attention. The blue and gray planet rapidly grew as it's information appeared beside it.

"This planet, Frieza 204, is close to the zone. It's rich in cadmium and lead which is needed for computers circuits. We can target this planet to get Frieza off 228 long enough for the rescue team to extract the prince. After that, we and the distraction team leave."

"So you want to send an assault team on a suicide mission?!" Nappa shouted as he partially stood. "I know you aren't totally sane, Bardock, but have you completely lost your mind?!"

"Sit down, Nappa!" K. Vegeta barked at his son's combat partner. "He does bring up a good point. You're talking about at least 50-100 saiyan warriors going to their death. As much as I care about my son, I can't condone something like this."

Yasi looked pained, but he was in agreement with his mate. Bardock could see that the Royal Consort was at war with himself and he felt sympathetic for the small beta.

"I understand, sire," Bardock calmly spoke once more. "Which is why I suggest that General Brolly leads the attack. All we need to do is simulate his ki signature here while he's gone, so the Colds won't be sure on his location. If we take out 204 communications relay after the first initial warning and project the simulated ki, they won't be able to warn others if Brolly is on 204 or not. Frieza will be forced to go investigate which will allow the team relatively safe passage."

"And how exactly are we going to project said ki level? No one else on the planet comes close." Raditz snapped.

"I don't think we need a person. We need a beacon that scouters will register as being at General Brolly's power level." Bardock explained. "Its not a complete plan and there's a lot of holes we need to work out, but it's the best I've got. I'm open to any suggestions from others."

"What is the practicality of waiting for Frieza to leave?" K. Vegeta asked after a moment. "He can't stay there indefinitely, you said the planet isn't equipped for that ."

"It could be months, maybe over a year. Even if he left there's no guarantee he won't take Vegeta with him unless it's a less than desirable situation." Bardock offered.

"Not to mention we'd have to build the team with whoever was available or leave fighters who are needed in this side of the war sidelined." Yasi said tiredly. "We can't just sit on our hands and wait. We don't know what is going on in that research station but I do not want to leave Vegeta there longer than absolutely needed." He didn't have to say what he really thought, the whole room thought the same thing. Vegeta might not have that long.

"We will discuss this further after gathering some more information." K. Vegeta said. "If we are going to use a stealth approach like Bardock suggests we need more information. I will ask some of our allies if they know any more while Yasi and Brolly meet with R&D to see if such a beacon is possible. If we can solve that issue we can begin working on the others. Nappa, see what you Raditz are able to find out about the planets in the area and other tactical information that could be of use. I hope whoever you talked to will continue to give you information, Bardock. Bardock…."

"I'll look into possible alternatives as information presents itself."

++KV++

Bardock let himself walk home, making no effort to get home quickly regardless of the late hour. Home was bittersweet nowadays. Gine was gone, Kakarot was gone, Raditz was gone. Honestly with how little the alpha was actually around and being the only one living there other than Kakarot's pet that visited every now and then he should have just moved into the barracks. But he couldn't leave it. He and Gine had built it themselves. He couldn't leave no matter how painful it got because at least when he closed his eyes and remembered he actually felt happy for a change.

He sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. The meeting could have gone worse even if nothing was set up for now. At least Raditz kept his mouth shut on who he suspected the general got information from. Otherwise he could have been in a lot of trouble. Turles had made a name for himself, and was wanted by the Colds and the Saiyan Empire for so many criminal acts Bardock stopped keeping track. Anyone who associated with the space pirate was subject to punishment. Only Bardock's violent and public argument with his brother decades ago had kept their family from becoming outcasts. Kakarot had never met his Uncle and Bardock had never bothered to even tell him about Turles' connection to their family.

Friend or not, if King Vegeta found out about how he got the info there would be hell to pay. He was more grateful than words could express Ve had never ordered Bardock to bring Turles in. Falling out or not, Bardock didn't want one of his only remaining family members to die. Maybe it was the new found gratitude he had for his brother for helping him. There was every possibility Turles would be executed by whoever captured him first.

Bardock came to the door of his house and just looked at it with unseeing eyes like it held the answers to all his troubles. He could almost smell Gine cooking and hear the voices of his sons as they argue over training just behind the door. Raditz use to yell at Kakarot for biting him or doing something unexpected during their practice bouts, and sometimes the general would wait just outside of the door to listen to his boys.

He leaned forward to rest his forehead against the stone and squeezed his eyes shut. He wanted the king to ok his idea so he could volunteer to be in the rescue team even if he knew would likely assign him to it anyways. He had to find out if his son had been there, and he had to get Vegeta. He was almost tempted to hop on a ship to go there himself if he knew for certain he wouldn't be captured or killed himself. Tarro, what he wouldn't give to have things the way they had been, for the phantoms in his memory to be real.

"Damn it, Bardock. What are you doing?" The alpha hissed at himself quietly. One of his hands curled into a fist and he slammed it against the door by his head. "Get your head in the game! You're not going to be of any help if you get distracted. Focus!"

He took a few breaths to get his head out of the past. No one was there. It was just an empty building that had nothing but faded memories. Bardock lifted his head off the door and turned the knob only to let out a muffled shout of surprise when a hand grabbed him by the front of his armor and pulled him inside.

The air got knocked out of him as he was slammed against a wall. He let out a snarl and moved to punch his attacker feeling a stab of fear that something had happened to Atarau while he was gone when a fist slammed in the side of his face.

"What the hell were you thinking?!"

Oh, it was just his eldest. With a growl, he shoved the younger alpha off him.

"How nice of you to actually come home for once, Raditz." Bardock said dryly before moving passed his son towards the kitchen. Raditz snarled and reached for his father again, but Bardock wasn't in the mood to put up with his older son's temper tantrum. He grabbed the larger wrist, twisted, and flipped the burly male over his shoulder into the floor before stepping over him.

He found the bottle he was looking for in the cupboard over the fridge. The bottle was tall and thin, filled with a clear sliver tinted liquid. If he was getting another blasting from his son, he wasn't doing it sober.

"Have you completely lost your mind?" His son snapped from the doorway. "You contacted him, didn't you?"

"We needed information to get on with the rescue mission, and I was out of options." He said not looking his son in the eye as he swirled the fluid in the bottle before taking a long draw. "Are you going to rat me out or insult me some more? It's late and I have training to oversee in the morning."

"Do you even care about anything anymore?" his son asked after a moment. "Consorting with criminals, drinking, mother would have kicked your ass."

"If she was here, this wouldn't have been an issue to need the drinking." Bardock snapped. "And as for 'kicking my ass' she kicked my ass plenty after she found out about the argument that finally made your Uncle leave our lives." He laughed a little at that. "Gine was so pissed she kicked me out for two days."

"You are going to flush your entire career and life down the toilet at this rate!" Raditz snapped. "Its bad enough you got Kakarot killed, now you're talking to criminals. What's next you going to follow your brother? Get dozens more saiyans killed-"

"I did it for Kakarot." Bardock hissed cutting his son glaring venomously at him.

"What?" This stopped the younger alpha's tirade, and he looked closer at his father. Seeing the general's expression had most of the anger Raditz was feeling vanish. "You still think he's alive?"

Bardock rubbed his face where Raditz had hit him earlier as he debated on whether or not to tell his oldest what he had learned. Ever since Kakarot's disappearance, their relationship had strained so much that it was almost nonexistent. Raditz….he deserved to know something.

"Turles' information suggested it." The commander took another drink from the bottle as he sat down on a stone chair by the kitchen table. "He told me that Frieza's army has standing orders to bring any saiyans they capture to that planet even back before Kakarot's mission. Even if he's not there, there could be information on where he was taken or what happened to him."

Bardock just sloshed the silver liquid in his bottle while his oldest son remained silent. He knew what the other was thinking. The general couldn't bring himself to look at the long-haired warrior and see pity on his face. Every time he got a possible lead on Kakarot's location or situation, pity seemed to be the only thing he would get.

It made him want to hit whoever was looking at him like that; and if Raditz had that look, Bardock would start a fight with his oldest son. After a couple more minutes of silence, the alpha set the bottle down on the table, but didn't let go of it.

"Look. If you nothing else to say, leave. I told you before that I have to oversee training in the morning, and I really don't want to have a fight with you tonight. It's been a long day and if you really want to beat my ass, then do it at another time. It's late." Bardock's tone was almost harsh, but the commander had had enough that day.

"Fine." Raditz turned to leave. "I just hope you know what you're doing. As long as Turles is giving us useful information to help Vegeta and you keep me out of it, I wont say anything either."

Bardock heard the door slam shut, and he released a breath he didn't even realize he was holding. It was not often that he was able to talk down his hotheaded son, but he was grateful for it all the same tonight. He looked at the bottle feeling his senses start to dull and decided that the hangover would not be worth it in the morning. He corked the bottle and got up to put it back in the cabinet for another day.

A scratching sound came from the back door in the kitchen. The familiar sound had the saiyan's spirits lifting as he made his way over to the door. He opened the aging wood to see Atarau outside safe and sound. Blood was all over her mouth and paws and in her mouth were a few desert rabbits that looked to be freshly killed.

"More food, huh? You eat anything?" He asked the large cat creature as he stepped aside for her to enter. Atarau was a Two tailed Night Puma, unusual with her silver coat instead of black or charcoal but otherwise normal. He gave her to Kakarot for his 13th birthday, and she had been so tiny she easily fit in his palm twin tails and all. Now the feline was massive and easily reached his waist and had fangs that would likely rip a man's arm off.

The elder saiyan hadn't had the heart to get rid of her once Kakarot was gone. She missed Kakarot as much as he did at times. The cat was prone to wandering into the jungles and wastes surrounding the city, but she always returned and had an uncanny sense to know when Bardock was home from a mission or needed a pick me up. He never gave half a thought to a lot of the things Atarau brought him as "food" over the years, but she'd yet to bring home anything bad.

He took the offering of pest creatures and set them in the sink to finish bleeding out before getting a damp rag to wipe her muzzle with. She was content to let him if her purring was any indication. Setting aside the cloth he scratched behind her ears watching in faint amusement as her eyes closed in bliss.

"I'm one step closer, girl." He said softly as he looked in her large purple eyes. "I'll be able to find out where Kakarot might be as soon as we have a plan together." Atarau just licked his hand before giving him a nudge.

"Yeah, yeah I know. Time to sleep." The cat purred and followed him as he cut off the lights and entered his bedroom and collapsed into the furs of his nest and lit the fireplace with a burst of ki for some warmth and added comfort for them both. The alpha yanked his armor off over his head and tossed it over by the door. He'd deal with it later.

Atarau curled up around Bardock and covered him with her fluffy tails. The saiyan felt grateful for her as he buried his face in her soft fur. She was always looking out for him as best she could. The large cat purring soon lulled him to sleep.