Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z, Akira Toriyama does and created it. My fan character Tomic, and any others not part of the series belong to me. This story means no harm to the anime or manga

Second Chances for Bardock's Sons Chapter 3

By Trynia Merin

Beta read by Sarah Slutz January 2008

Meanwhile, Raditz mate's pod was punching her way down through the atmosphere of a small blue planet. Her cryogenic swirled around with the mist of the revivification mist. Her eyes took in the big blue marble etched with feathery long clouds. Red and brown continents peeked beneath, tantalizingly familiar.

Tomic gasped as she felt the impact of her craft. It bounced twice then rolled to a stop. Slowly, she kicked the hatch open, and inhaled her first breath of Chikyuujin air. Sweetly the familiar fragrances enticed her out of the small space she'd been squeezed into. She struggled out, holding the sides of the pod's frame. Around her, rose the sides of the bowl like crater she'd made.

"Great Father Oozaru, I should have splashed down," she thought, shaking herself off. Staggering as she got used to the lower gravity, she peered around, blinking in the sunlight. Focusing thoughts she levitated upwardly to the rim, pressing buttons on the blasted scouter that she forgot she was wearing. No sense in scaring anyone unduly from the arrival. Chances were that someone noticed the impact and was already on their way.

Luckily, there were no strong power traces, save small minuscule ki signatures flickering in the yellow metallic lettering across her scouter. Tomic landed on the side of the crater, and took her first steps on the vast plane that she had crashed upon. There were mountains and rice patties as far as the eyes could see. Nearby, her vision discerned farming fields, but her pod had smashed through the large canopies to land in the middle of a forest area.

Suddenly, she was startled as she noticed massive ki signatures rushing forward. Glancing up she saw the tree canopies bust open, and a large toothy grin snapped down at her. Instinctively she leaped away, as the jaws clamped down on empty air, missing her by mere inches. Her stomach rumbled, and Tomic realized this was not a threat, but dinner. Instantly she raised her hand, focusing a ki beam at the monster. It dodged in confusion, swinging its tail around. Tomic zipped in, and then grabbed its tail, swinging the creature around like a hammer at the Olympics.

In a dusty heap, the tyrannosaurus crashed into the far hillside. Leaping up again, she landed on its neck, and then squeezed tightly. Pinching hard she found that nerve at the base of its skull that would kill the creature. With a final squeeze she twisted and snapped its neck. Beneath her, it stopped twitching.

"Finally, I was starving!" she exclaimed, sliding down to look at the prey she'd killed. The stupid dinosaur was reddish in hue, perhaps twenty feet high. Tomic quickly set to work trying to skin and gut the animal. Before she could catch herself she had simply started to devour raw flesh from peeled skin. Blood from the dinosaur splattered over the black and white armored breastplate of her third class suit. Birds trilled and twittered around her, leaves rustling in the quickening wind. She glanced overhead to gazed at the blue vault of the heavens. Fluffy clouds drifted across to partly obscure an almost bottomless, splendid view. Tomic noticed small distant trails indicated a jet liner overhead. She watched its course's trajectory, seeing it heading toward civilization.

Snapping to her feet, she caught a smell that made her nose twitch. Diesel and the smell of charred automotive exhaust. A moment later, she heard what sounded like an internal combustion engine. Tomic jumped down into the crater, and quickly punched buttons on the remote she drew out of her vest.

"Allrveg!" she grunted. "Dhryoommant! Levitrahhh!"

It glowed a cherry red, levitating upward. She gave a few more shouted commands and she caused the space pod to drift back into the cover of the nearby trees. Gathering branches and throwing them into the hole, she covered the Saiyan pod easily, leaving what looked like an empty crater. Hopefully she could come back for the pod later, with nobody being the wiser.

"Last thing I need is some idiot trying to take it apart before I get started," she mused, grabbing her discarded scouter. Reaching back to her memories of a former life she struggled to remember how to mask her ki.

A bleeping caught her attention. She slipped the scouter on, punching the trans-galactic link button. Nappa's harsh voice grunted, "Well, are you there, whelp?"

"I am, lieutenant commander. I've landed on the third planet in this system without any resistance. I'm going to survey the area, and start my search immediately," she said.

"Good. And you thought you couldn't' hack it? Better get a move on, and finish whatever it is you're doing. We're almost done here on Oceanus. That mate of yours is taking his damn time on Aztec and he's worried SICK about you!"

"What about Cabernet," she asked.

"You've been asleep for six months," said Nappa. "Something's happened to her, whelp. Consider yourself lucky."

"Cabernet? What…" asked Tomic.

"Someone thought they could get to me through her. Well, I proved 'em wrong. Let's just say that there's one less planet filled with squid stinking up the sky," Nappa said.

"Who is that, I must know!" yelled the regal voice in the background. It was none other then the Prince Vegeta himself!

"Excuse me… yeah… I'm talking to her now! WHAT?" asked Nappa.

"Let me talk to her," came a second voice. A voice she knew very well, that of Raditz her own mate.

"Raditz? Are you all right, where's Cabernet?"

"Tomic, thank Great Father Oozaru you're alive!" Raditz uttered quickly. "Are you all right?"

"I'm here on Chikyuu! That's what the natives call it. So far I've hid my pod. What's going on?" Tomic asked.

"Have you found any trace of Kakkarot?" Raditz questioned.

"I'm just about to look. What's going on?" Tomic repeated.

"Cabernet… met with an unfortunate accident," Raditz said quietly. "Nappa. He went insane. I… tried to stop him. But it was too late."

"Is Cabernet OK?" asked Tomic.

"We've found what we were looking for. You have to find my brother soon. I'm going to join you in six months if you don't call back with any progress. Things are not well here," said Raditz.

"I heard his voice. You have found him! That's wonderful! Well done!" she laughed.

"We've found him. But the price was… not well," Raditz voiced softly. "I'll tell you more when I can. We're having difficulties with one of the hostile takeovers."

"Hostile what?" yelped Tomic.

"We're finishing what he started. And we're trying to clean up the mess Nappa made when Cabernet… was slain," said Raditz.

"How?" Tomic asked, stunned.

"She gave her life to save the Prince. She'll be remembered as a hero. You must find Kakkarot. We need every available Saiyan in six months," Raditz told her.

"Who's that you're talking to?" cut in the Prince's harsh voice. There came the sound of swearing and a large blast.

"My mate, sire… she's landed," Raditz voice informed the other.

"Listen to me, third class. Private Tomic is it?" cut in the voice of Prince Vegeta.

"Your majesty?" she said quietly.

"Yes, idiot. I want you to listen and listen well. You're to make every effort to take control of that planet you're on. I don't care HOW you do it, but you've got to secure it at all costs! I'm sending your mate to assist you, and he'll arrive in three months to complete whatever you haven't."

"Do you wish me to clear it?" Tomic asked meekly.

Vegeta barked from light years away over her scouter, "Assess it and get me a suitable workforce. Kill all those who oppose you, and get me ten of the most eligible females on that miserable mud ball. And a thousand slaves. Use the Saibamen in your kit and do so! What you do with the rest of the inhabitants is of no consequence. You can kill them or do whatever you wish. But you'd BETTER have that planet ready for my arrival in a year, got it?"

"You're coming HERE? But…"stammered Tomic.

"That's right. Honestly, I'm not surprised he picked you as a mate. You're just as idiotic as he is. You'd best prove your worth and get things ready! It will be all the worse for you and your mate if you screw this up! I'm angry enough as it is!" The Saiyan no Ouji snapped.

"Yes… your majesty," Tomic spluttered. "As you command."

Vegeta grunted, "Now I'll have your mate talk to you. I've got a little pest problem to take care of. Serve me well and you'll live in glory. Fail me, and you'll suffer Cabernet's fate! Now get to work!"

"At once… and sire… welcome back," Tomic muttered quietly.

"Don't suck up. It's not seemly for a Saiyan warrior," Vegeta snorted.

Minutes later she heard Raditz's anxious voice, "You still there, Tomic?"

"Yes… what's going on… he's alive? But he wants to come HERE? That's insane!" she groused.

Raditz's hiss indicated she should be quiet, "Don't question him. I'll be there as SOON as I can to help you. But I'm counting on you to find him. And do whatever it takes to convince him. Don't be squeamish or sentimental; just take control of that planet. In whatever way you can. If you can at least eliminate any major threats in three months time I'll be there to help you mop up and we can get it ready for his Majesty's arrival…"

"Raditz, what if I can't find Kakkarot and ask him to join us?" Tomic whispered.

"Don't worry about that now. Just follow his commands. And keep Kakkarot alive, whatever you do!" Raditz grunted.

"I miss you," Tomic admitted.

Raditz continued with a tight voice, "I can't talk any longer. I'll call when I can. You must contact me the instant anything happens that goes wrong. Not that you aren't capable, but you're right when something does feel wrong. But I can't tell you now. Then the link died, leaving Tomic to sit on the ground of the new world, and consider how to find Kakkarot without purging the planet yet and getting him to join their cause.

Back on the ruined Oceanus, the Saiyan no Ouji terminated his link. A blast crashed near him, and he diverted the next. Wildly Nappa spat blast after blast at the buildings around them, screaming his mate's name. Vegeta had heard about the blood rage that happened the instant a Saiyan's mate was killed. Poor Nappa had to be taken down before he went insane. The only way to accomplish that was for the Prince to engage him in single combat and beat him into submission.

"Shut up you idiotic fool!" the Prince shouted, raising two fingers. Raditz snapped off the link, looking in a panic as he saw the young warrior facing off against an enraged Nappa. Around them lay the smoldering remains of the Mantissan forces. Bodies were piled in ranks of five, while Nappa held two golden skinned creatures by their hair. His armor was shattered, and he threw them aside, backing away from the Prince.

"That's enough! Knock it off and listen damn it! She's DEAD, and you can't bring her back! So stop this self-pitying and listen to me! I give the orders got it?" Vegeta hollered at him.

"Sire… please… I must have my revenge," Nappa stammered.

"Idiot," he growled. "I won't ask again! Stand down! I swear to you that she will be avenged but we've wasted ENOUGH time with your ranting! I'm anxious to return to the ship and see what remains of this mess!"

"Nappa, please, you must listen to him. You must be patient, for Legendary's sake. This isn't the way!" Raditz grunted as he advanced on his comrade.

"Stay back. I'll deal with him. He's gone insane. I was afraid of this," Vegeta grunted as he motioned Raditz to stay back. The Third class backed away, standing near one of the space pods that lay in a cluster of three.

Nappa saw the burning anger in his prince's eyes. Slowly, he dropped to the ground, huddling as his rage dissipated. He knew the glowing radiance from the Prince's two fingers could drill a hole in his chest easily. Deciding duty was more important than revenge; he dropped into a submissive salute.

"Sire, I yield, and beg your forgiveness," uttered Nappa in a broken sob.

"That's better. Now get up, and pull yourself together. Stop groveling like a worm and remember your pride. I want you to take whatever things remain and clear this mess while I communicate with your superiors. Hopefully THAT wasn't a cock up," ordered Vegeta.

"I planted the seed," said Raditz quietly. "Your majesty. I'm sure that once it germinates..."

"That idiot Turles always DID take too much time to do a job," cut in Vegeta. "But at least he doesn't' make a MESS. You could learn from him, Nappa. I want to speak to him when this is through. I'll go meet with him, and see the state of affairs. Why does he insist on radio silence? Will it make any difference?" the Prince snorted, kicking aside a detached head. It rolled over and over, landing against Raditz's boot.

"Alvegasei is no more," voiced Raditz with a deathly quiet stare. "I'm afraid our Master has found out our plan, and taken his revenge."

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Vegeta hollered at him.

"Because you were busy with Nappa. I just got an automated distress message to stay away from the home world. And I've been trying to reach Commander Turles but I can't get through…"

"You and I will settle things here. You will go see if you can get a clearer signal with the pod equipment while I make sure Nappa's going to behave. Then you'll report back on my behalf and have him come here. I need to speak to him myself. And see if there's any hope of retrieving this sorry mess that this idiot Paragus has made in my absence," Vegeta mumbled.

Raditz bowed his head, glad to have something to do. A horrible gaping hole filled his soul, telling him of a great loss. Although he had been angry with his father when they left, something told him that there would be no more time for reconciliation. When he sought his father's voice in his mind, all he got was emptiness.

"Father," Raditz whispered, swallowing hard. He glanced up at the stars, throwing himself upwards toward the main city complex. He'd seen a communications relay there, which could cut through the static jamming Turles frequency so Raditz could signal him to come here.

Stars peeked out of the gathering ultramarine shading light sherbet green to the horizon. A yellow disk lay to the right of the newly set departing rays of the sun, while a distinctly red pinprick of light seemed a few degrees behind it. Glancing up from the improvised campsite, the observer marveled at the strength of her newly acquired eyesight.

"Venus, Mars, and Jupiter," she mumbled, dropping bits of wood in a pit of circular rocks. A huge dinosaur carcass had been all but picked clean, evident by the bleached white ribs curving up in semicircles to cast odd shadows on the cleared earth. At the rim of the huge crater that was half filled in, the spiky haired creature turned back to her campsite. Mumbling, she picked up the bleeping device set to one side with the pile of dark armor.

"Great, as I planned! The inhabitants have noticed me. And I can lure Kakkarot out to meet me," she thought. Fortunately the battle powers were mere puny fives on the horizon. Tomic raised her hand and generated a glowing ball of ki. With a chuckle, she hurled it up from the hill, to glow strangely in the gathering gloom. Slowly, it whirled and zipped over the nearest field, forming a vortex. Tomic directed it mentally to bob and weave into separate spheres. Within minutes, it pushed down the crops with the force of its power into a flattened disk worthy of a crop circle artist.

The dazzled farmers gasped, rushing back to pay more attention to the newly made crop circle next to the previous one. Day after day, Tomic amused herself scaring off the local farmers with a wide array of strange markings. Giggling, Tomic had just enough time to levitate silently over the nearest wheat field. Using cold ki, she pushed down against the spires, forcing them aside to bend at the stalks by exploding the water 'nodes' in them. Back and forth she whizzed, generating the largest 'crop' marking she had created. It amused her to no end, trying to think of ways to somehow 'warn' the humans to stay back without killing them.

For a week after her first landing, she had silently observed the broadcasts from all over the planet in various languages. She determined through night flights and extended day flights out of radar detection, that she was near North City. It was on the opposite side of the planet from where Kakkarot must live. Lately, she had not been able to pick up many traces with her scouter save two VERY powerful ones that moved slowly. Sighing, she thought hard about how she wanted to approach this.

Indefinitely, she could keep the humans away from her with glowing balls of plasma, making them think there were little green men lurking. Other crop circles deterred them from her pod's landing site. She had already vaporized chunks of siderite to simulate meteors when a local group of scientists came to examine her pod's crater. They deemed it a simple chondritic meteorite and took the fragments away. To deter radar detection she used her plasma balls, something called Atomic Flux she had learned through modifying her alchemy powers and Saiyan ki.

"I don't want them to find me. If they don't find me, I won't have to kill them," she reasoned. Tomic hated purging needlessly. She would much rather study and sell the life forms as pets or slaves rather then destroy them. It seemed like such a waste. And she was called soft hearted by many a Saiyan…

Eventually she would have to 'purge' on some level. The civilization of this world intrigued her, for she saw the huge tanks with R R in two sideways triangles moving from one train of mountains north. Red Ribbon army, she determined. Another set of armored vehicles she saw on the first day here, near North City was marked with 'imperial' markings indicating the King of the World. The country she had landed in was a simple farming community, where science was limited to improving agriculture. Experts to examine the 'UFOs' came from the University, but most of them were into the pseudo science of UFO-logy. Using tricks from her observations of their culture made it easy to bombard them with misleading evidence.

"Do I find some way of saving them? I must convince the Prince not to destroy the beings of this world. Not when they'd make better slaves. Such wholesale waste of life is unnecessary," she mused.

A loud woman's scream reached her. One of the local farmers nearby, with a battle power of fifteen raised his rifle. Tomic discerned them after peering through her scouter. Her Saiyan night vision saw the shapes of two marauders soon after hearing them. All wore uniforms bearing Red Ribbon markings.

"Stand aside! We're taking this farm for our leader!" shouted the epaulet dressed man in a long black coat.

"But you were destroyed! The Red Ribbon army was destroyed three years ago!" gasped the obese farmer in his blue overalls and a pair of slippers. Tomic had christened him Farmer Brown, who had a middle aged wife. Glaring from behind thick glasses he raised his rifle to cover the men spilling out of the armored land rovers.

"The rumors of our demise were GREATLY exaggerated, Mister Brown. If you willingly give over your farm we wont' kill you. Colonel Blue requires foodstuffs for my men. We haven't eaten proper food for days."

"Where will we LIVE?" asked the farmer.

"That's your problem. And if you happen to tell the King we're here, that's the entire better that he gets the message we're not completely beaten! Setback but not beaten!" laughed Colonel Blue.

"Monsters!" he snapped.

"Step aside or die," said Blue.

"Never," said Farmer Brown.

"I strongly urge you to look behind you," said Blue. He motioned, and one of the soldiers jumped out of hiding, grabbing the farmer's wife and jerking her back. He put a knife at her throat.

"Damn!" the farmer dropped his gun.

"Stupid weakling. I don't like defiance. Give over the farm or your wife gets a new lesson in entertain…"

"Please let her go! I'll let you do whatever but let her go!" said Brown. He dropped to his knees, trembling.

"Oh, no backbone now?" Blue sneered. "She's a rather lovely creature. Blond hair, middle aged. Too bad she's stuck with a fat slob like you."

"Shut up!" the woman screamed, spitting in his face. She bit down on her captor's hand, and he gasped in pain.

"Bad idea, you stupid cow," Blue snapped, rubbing the spit away. He raised his hand and slapped her hard.

"Coward," said Brown, struggling to his feet. Blue punched him hard in the jaw, felling him.

"Leave them alone at ONCE," growled a feminine voice. Blue spun his head around to see a large figure suddenly glowing in a blaze of amethyst.

"Holy HELL, what the devil are you?" Blue growled. Blond hair fluttered from beneath the brim of his Red Ribbon cap. His blue eyes fixed on the face of something out of nightmare.

"Get away from them now, human worm, or I'll disintegrate you where you stand!" Tomic snarled, light gleaming off her green scouter lens. She hurled several spheres toward the men holding the farmer's wife. Instantly they disintegrated into nothing, and she landed unharmed to the dust.

"I don't know who you think you are, or WHAT you are, but you'd better stop now!" Blue stammered.

"It's… it's an ALIEN! I told you there was a UFO!" stammered one of the soldiers, Lieutenant Green.

"Shut up! There's NO such thing as aliens! I tell you it's one of King Piccolo's monsters!"

"But King Piccolo was killed!" stammered the men.

"Shut up! Identify yourself!" Blue snapped, his men aiming to the farmer and his wife.

"Leave now, or die. The choice is yours human. These creatures are MINE to study!" Tomic snarled, levitating towards them in purple flames that buffeted her hair about. Intentionally she increased her aura, gleaming with shimmering purple plasma to give her an eerie glow.

"I don't' care what you are, you animal. Kill her," Blue snapped at Lieutenant Green. "I'm sure Dr. Gero can take you apart if you don't surrender willingly, monster." He struggled to fix his gaze on her to freeze her, but the female moved. His vaunted mind tricks were feeble against the alien threat to his terror.

"Don't insult me with that pitiful power. You think to stop me, a Saiyan warrior with a mere level of one hundred?" she snorted.

"Destroy her!" Blue shouted, and his men opened fire. Tomic whizzed out of the way, then caught a few of the bullets in her hands that seemed awfully slow. Hurling them back she killed each of the targets she hit instantly. Whirling spheres surrounded her, as she came between them and the farming couple.

One of the shots grazed the farmer. He landed with a gurgle atop his frightened wife. Another shot crackled off, whizzing past Tomic's cheek and slamming into the woman's forehead. She dropped under her husband, dead instantly. Growling, Tomic raised her hand, directing a beam of white ki directly at the heart of the battalion. Instantly the men were consumed in her plasma blast, charring their bodies with white hot fire. It spread from man to man, and then they all dropped in smoking remains around her.

"You… you… killed them all!" Gasped Blue, who alone remained alive. A wide ring of bodies laid flat and scattered around them.

"I did. And I will kill YOU if you don't get the HELL out of here NOW!" Tomic screeched, gnashing her long canines.

"You'll pay for this, monster!" Blue whimpered, turning tail and bolting in the direction of the land rover.

"Coward," Tomic snorted, shaking her head as she allowed him to leave. Soberly she turned to the bodies of the farmer and his wife. Why had she tried to save them? She started to gather up the bodies of the men she'd killed, somehow grouping them in ranks of five. When she tallied up the lines, they equaled one hundred exactly. She'd ended up killing all those soldiers while trying to save two who were just as insignificant. Perhaps it was the pitiful cry of the whimpering woman that drew her attention.

Out of the blue, yet another thin cry caught her attention as well. Tomic shot toward the farmer's house. She left the bodies where they were, continuing to hear the cry. Carefully, she trod through the doors of the still lit farmhouse. A television flickered, with the simple furniture arrayed around it. Through the bedroom piled high with quilts she moved, till she pinpointed the source of the noise.

Sitting in the middle of a playpen, a small toddler howled his head off. Tomic groaned, turning her face in the direction of him. He lifted his arms, still howling for his momma and dada. "Drek," she swallowed, not sure of what to do.

"Shh," she whispered, leaning over. Ripping off the scouter, she placed it at her armored hip. Reaching two gauntleted hands near the babe she picked up the sixteen month old, who was still wailing incoherently. A small bottle of half prepared formula sat on a nearby table, alongside with fresh diapers. Poking a finger under its diaper she noticed it was thankfully dry. Tomic felt small fingers dig into her hair, pulling at it.

"Mamma!" the baby wailed.

"Great Oozaru, what do I do?" she caught herself mumbling in the harsh language of the creature she'd become. Now the baby was an orphan thanks to her. What did she care about these beings that she now dwarfed with her battle power? Automatically her mothering instinct kicked in to hold the baby close and rock it, putting a blanket between it and the hard surface of her armored breast. She sat in the old rocker; giving it the bottle it was denied. Blue eyes looked up into hers with a question, trusting because she held the food.

"I could easily kill it, but I don't want to. It didn't ask for this," she thought. Maybe she could take it to the city and leave it behind at the local hospital. Maybe on this planet they did that for orphaned babies.

"Come on, little one; let's get you out of this place. There's nothing for you here," she said, once she finished giving it the bottle. Tomic took the time to change its diaper and find warm baby clothes, and then held it as she gathered what remained of the babies things. These she packed into a yellow bag decorated with lambs and duckies. Stopping only to place the baby in a bassinet, she toed the front door closed and locked it with a key she found hanging in the kitchen.

Tomic held the now peaceful infant, who was pulling on her hair and making loud half syllables of speech. Sighing she rocketed off into the air, the bassinet in one hand and the baby's bag in another. The armored female Third class Saiyan touched down somewhere in North City, peering about. Keeping to the shadows, she followed the sirens and signs to the Orange Star Hospital.

Bewildered gasps sounded as orderlies and others backed away in fear as she landed amid them. The imposing figure was just less than six feet, but her gleaming armor and fierce stare sent them in terror. She hissed threateningly, and then set down the bag.

"You, come here!" she shouted. "You nurse. This baby needs your attention!"

"Who… what ARE you miss?" gasped the nurse, who was regaining her wits.

"Forget me. This whelp needs care," Tomic said, holding out the bassinet.

"You… this makes no sense,," the nurse said, recovering her wits. She adjusted her pinned back hair, glancing at the other orderlies who had gathered at the sight of the space creature staring at them.

"Here. Take him," she barked, lifting the baby out and placing him in the brave nurse's arms. "Here are his things."

"Wait, where are you going!" another male orderly shouted. "This makes no sense!"

"We don't ask questions. If she's leaving an abandoned baby you KNOW it's our policy not to ask!" hissed the nurse holding the peaceful baby. It immediately started to cry at the retreating space monkey who let her tail unfurl slightly as she retreated.

"Monkey woman!" mumbled a nearby kid. "She's got a tail!"

"No way, she looks human," mumbled someone else.

"Don't just stand there, get out of my way!" she snapped harshly. "And be glad you're all alive!"

"Hold on there, miss… whoever or whatever you are. I can't let you go disturbing the peace," came the sharp voice of two police officers getting out of their car nearby. Seeing the gathering, crowd they'd moved up to investigate.

"What are you doing here… identify yourself!" the braver of the two officers stammered.

"Something sent here to destroy you," she said quietly. Suddenly she blurred out of view, to appear behind the policemen.

"Hey, stop right there!" he shouted. She rocketed into the air, zipping away at a fast pace. Had she made a fatal mistake?

Soon she heard the sounds of helicopters in pursuit. Tomic mumbled, ducking her course near the crash sight and the farm nearby. Finally after having hidden like a beast she had made a first contact with the humans of Chikyuu. A police helicopter caught sight of the smoking vehicles bearing scorched Red Ribbon army markings.

Tomic used the distraction to rocket away at top speed. She reached the shelter of the farmer's house, and then rapidly emptied the contents of their larder. She ate as quickly as she could, and then carried the rest off in her arms to the forest beyond. Fortunately the policemen were too busy gaping at the devastation around them to notice one space monkey eluding them.

Next morning in West City, a new day dawned bright and sunny for Capsule Corps. Within the large yellow dome at the heart of the metropolis, the family owners of the multinational corporation sat around the table eating breakfast. Most people weren't aware that the true founder and CEO of Capsule was an unassuming short lavender haired scientist who had a propensity to carry his pet kitty Scratch over his shoulders. Stubbing out his lit cigarette, he settled down behind the kitchen table.

Mrs. 'Bunny' Briefs his young platinum haired wife, rapidly churned out pancakes from the electric skillet nearby. She'd earned the nickname from her husband years ago when they were dating, so most people thought it was her real name. Wearing a tube top, tight Capri's and a frilly apron, she hummed a saccharine cheerful song along with the morning radio show.

Mrs. Briefs took a chance to peek at the small photo album she was putting together while waiting for the pancakes to turn golden brown. It had been a whole week since Son Goku and Chichi had gotten married. The party had been a triumph for Bunny, having pulled it together at the last moment. Life had settled down considerably after the bots had cleaned up the main Capsule garden dome. She giggled looking at the picture of Son Goku and Chichi after the ceremony. She admired how cute Chichi looked in her gown as Son Goku swept her up wearing his tux. Calling Nimbus he had leaped onto the golden cloud hovering like a magical carpet, and whisked her off to their honeymoon.

After flipping two more pancakes over, she poured more batter onto the skillet. Then she returned to the album, turning to a picture of the Best man and Maid of Honor. Bulma clung to Yamcha's arm, wearing a robin's egg blue gown that came to her ankles and matching high heeled sandals. In a blue cummerbund, white tuxedo, and blue carnation boutonniere, Yamcha was beaming a winning million zenni grin to the camera. In the next photo Bulma glared at him, because his hand had wandered down near her butt.

Another picture on the next page showed Son Goku drooling as Chichi held onto a large cake slicer before the enormous cake. The opposite photo showed her thrusting a huge piece into his mouth, while icing covered part of both of their faces. Then there was a shot of Son Goku and Chichi wrestling in the cake as she stuffed his face and he teasingly smeared icing on her cheeks. In seconds, he had devoured the whole thing with Chichi sitting on his lap in the pile of crumbs while everyone groaned. Looking a bit perturbed, she had endured the stares when Son Goku started to lick the icing off her fingers. Yamcha had waved everyone away, saying it was time for the tossing of the bouquet.

Dark coffee steamed from the pot that she tugged off the coffeemaker. She poured three mugs set at the three places in the small breakfast nook. Scratch mewed a tired yawn, straightening up only to stretch briefly before he curled around Dr. Brief's shoulders again. Pulling out a cigarette the scientist inserted it between his lips to light it again. Mrs. Briefs waved her hand, wrinkling her nose in distaste. Although she hated the fact her husband and daughter smoked, she refused to let it dampen her spirits.

"Dear you can have your cigarette AFTER we eat?" she bubbled, setting down freshly sliced cantaloupe in the center of the table, along with a huge stack of pancakes and dish of crisp bacon.

"All right dearest, for you," he sighed, stubbing out his smoke and letting her pick up the ash tray to empty and clean it. He stared at the wedding album his wife was leafing through, and then sighed.

"Bulma did catch the bouquet," said Bunny. "Do you think we'll be making her wedding plans anytime soon?"

"Isn't it time you got married to Yamcha already?" snorted Dr. Briefs.

"He's so handsome and so sweet and well mannered, he'd make a great husband for our little Princess," said Bunny.

"Well some people here don't seem to want to settle down," Dr. Briefs mumbled.

"Good morning mom, dad," Bulma Briefs yawned. The blue-haired heir apparent to her father's corporation leaned over to kiss her father on the cheek, then her mother. The soon to be a college graduate Bulma then yawned immensely. She blinked azure eyes blearily in her effort to wake up. Slowly, she plunked on the chair opposite her father, and picked up the fresh cup of coffee. Between two hands she rolled the cup, letting it warm her cold fingers.

"Did you have fun with your little friends the other day?" asked bunny. "Have you heard from Son Goku or Chichi yet?"

"I'm sure they don't wanna be bothered mum," Bulma yawned again, scratching her scalp. A pale purple robe with dark purple stars hung partly open, showing a pair of comfy sweats bearing the Orange Star High logo. Bunny slippers covered her feet, and she crossed her legs, lazily sipping her coffee.

"Well I should know better," Bunny giggled. "Knowing newlyweds they'll be so wrapped up in each other and discovering the joys of good sex that they won't…"

"MOTHER!" Bulma yelped in protest, her eyes popping open. "I'm eating here!"

"That's nice dear," Dr. Briefs said, from behind the newspaper screen he'd just erected.

"Where's that young desert bandit bad boy of yours, hmm?" asked Bunny. "And when is he moving back in?"

"Mother, please, Yamcha and I are just going steady, but we're not engaged or anything!"

"I'm sick of you stringing the poor boy along! You NEED to talk about a future together!" Dr. Briefs said sternly.

"Dad, he's my boyfriend!" Bulma argued, drowning her pancakes in a lake of Vermont syrup. She slathered them with butter, and then cut into the stack violently.

"Soon to be FIANCEE I hope," added Dr. Briefs. "Honestly, can't you accept his proposal?"

"Oh it's so romantic, you and him," sighed Mrs. Briefs.

"For your info, daddy dear, he's going to be one of the BEST ball players this season!" Bulma announced. "And the last thing I want to do is hang around with a bunch of jocks."

"Then he can support you with a real job. Honey, what the deuce are you waiting for? He would look excellent married to the future president!" asked Dr. Briefs.

"Your father has a point, dear," said Bunny, settling into her chair. She nibbled at her smaller stack of pancakes, watching her husband and daughter face off when Dr. Briefs dropped his paper to glare at them both.

"Fine. But you'd better make him propose to you within the next year," Dr. Briefs frowned. "I don't want my daughter to be without a good man at her side. Even though you're the one who's going to be running this place after I'm gone, you have a public image to keep up. And he'll take care of you!"

"Just think of what it will mean having a young handsome baseball player on her arm? A trophy of trophies," said Bunny. "And they'll have BEAUTIFUL grand children!"

"Mom really," Bulma groaned, sinking into her chair. She set down her fork, and nibbled absently on a piece of bacon. "What if I don't get married?"

"Bulma, honey, you NEED to be married!" said Dr. Briefs. "Whatever you do reflects on us. What sort of message does it send for our little girl to be a spinster? Especially when she's the President of the company and needs a good strong man to help her run things?"

"President?" she blinked.

"That's right. When you graduate from college, I'm making you the Vice President, young lady. It's time that you assumed the role we think you're perfect for. You'll run this company just as well as any man, but you need someone at your side," Dr. Briefs said.

"Fair enough, dad," said Bulma, blinking in shock.

"You've matured a lot, dear. But you must stop chasing rainbows and settle down if you're going to do us proud," said Dr. Briefs. "I only have one daughter. And I wouldn't mind having a few young inventors to show the ropes to. Don't wait forever to get married!"

"OH Daddy, you really are something," Bulma sighed, shaking her head. She finished her first stack of pancakes and eagerly stabbed two more with her fork to pull onto her plate.

"I know you will make us proud whatever you do, Princess," said Mrs. Briefs. "Prince Charming or not. And Yamcha is the handsomest man you've yet met!"

Bulma almost spewed her coffee when she read the newspaper Dr. Briefs lifted up. He glanced up, seeing black splotches on the soaked print, asking, "Dear, what's wrong?"

"Gimmie that! Didn't you see that headline?" Bulma gasped.

"Can't you let me read the paper in peace, princess?" Dr. Briefs whined.

"Dear, do calm down," Mrs. Briefs insisted.

"Don't tell me you didn't NOTICE this headline about the Red Ribbon army!" she wailed.

"WHAT?" Dr. Briefs gasped, looking to where she pointed. Smoothing out the coffee soaked paper he read the telltale lines.

"Red Ribbon not Defunct: One hundred soldiers fried to crisp by mysterious energy," Bulma read.

"But they were destroyed by your friend Son Goku!" said Dr. Briefs.

"Somehow some of them survived. How's that possible, unless Yamcha was right after all, damn it!" Bulma cursed. "Damn it, I half hoped they were joking, but WHAT were they doing and what wiped them out?"

"Maybe one of your Z fighter friends?" asked Mrs. Briefs.

"It says here the only survivors were a half dead farmer's wife, who died shortly after policemen arrived, babbling about a monster in armor who saved them," mumbled Dr. Briefs. "Strange. That doesn't sound like the Earth's Special Forces, dear."

"Wait, lemmie see. Huh, this is the same farm where they saw a big meteor crash last week, and reports of UFOS and strange crop circles… no way, this is TOO weird," Bulma blinked.

"You should talk to those Earth's Special Forces and ask them if they've seen this. Whatever caused these Red Ribbon men to die it looks like it was ki caused," said Dr. Briefs. Excusing himself he got up and picked up the phone, stopping only to scratch his cat under its chin.

"I'll be right back. I'm gonna call Yamcha," said Bulma, pulling her hair up.

"You know that boy's only trouble," said Mrs. Briefs. "Even if he DOES have a cute ass!"

"Mom, come on!" Bulma groaned, as she rushed out and grabbed a jacket. Shoving feet into her shoes she burst past her father on the phone with his CEO and other company members, warning them of the Red Ribbon threat. His voice babbled with questions, asking any of them if they'd seen or heard what was happening corporate wise.

Wearing a pair of jeans and a Capsule T-shirt, Bulma buckled her fanny pack at her hips, filled with a box of Hoi Poi capsules. Carefully, she selected one, and tossed it down. In a puff of smoke appeared her custom stratos air bike, gleaming in the sunlight.

"Crap, oh crap, this is too weird," Bulma mumbled, jumping onto her air bike. What surprised her was the whole ki thing. Gunning the bike she shot off toward the direction of the reported problem. She turned on the radio, listening to any news broadcasts.

For about an hour, she sped across vast forests and other lands. While she could have taken a hydro jet or hovercraft, she preferred feeling the wind whipping through her blue hair. It didn't seem fair that the Earth's Special Forces could fly and she couldn't. Even Goku had learned how years ago, even though he rode Nimbus most of the time instead.

Glancing in her rear view mirror, she saw two white streaks racing out of the west near her. They blew up into orange specks, then materialized into the figures of two familiar young men in fighting gi. It was Krillin and then Yamcha, wearing their orange fighting outfits with the Kamesenin patches on the right breast and back. Yamcha's black hair fluttered past his face like a banner, free in the wind.

"Bulma, what are you doing here?" he exclaimed, surprised.

"You heard about it too?" she asked, glancing into his handsome face. It was twisted into a concerned frown.

"Yeah, something about a monster from outer space frying Red Ribbon guys to a crisp. Major weird. I don't like it," Krillin commented. "Master Roshi sent us guys to check up on it."

"I was headed to warn you, Bulma, but I guess you heard it already, huh?" Yamcha said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about that. Let's just figure out what's going on," she said to him.

"Tien and Chiaotzu are on their way as well," Yamcha said. "We're gonna check it out, Bulma. What has your dad said?"

"He's going nuts on the phone. If the Red Ribbon army's survived, Capsule's in deep crap," said Bulma with a glum look.

"Could this be what Baba foretold?" asked Krillin.

"That energy was ki," said Yamcha. "I sensed a huge power that was WAY beyond anything I've felt."

"King Piccolo?" asked Krillin.

"Maybe. But that doesn't jive with what that woman said on TV about a space warrior woman," Yamcha said.

"A what?" Bulma screeched.

"You don't always watch TV first thing in the morning, huh, Bulma?" Krillin teased.

"Excuse me," Bulma snorted. "Explain that wisecrack?"

"Um nothing Bulma it's just that I saw on the morning news something weird happened. Some armored space alien landed and carried a baby to the hospital in North City last night. People said she glowed purple, and it made me wonder what the HECK it could be. It doesn't' sound like Piccolo," said Krillin.

"I saw it on TV too. They had video footage," said Yamcha. "If you turn on your bike's radio they might be showing it still. It's on every TV newscast on ZTV."

Bulma flicked on the TV screen on her air bike's console. She saw the ZTV reporters preempting and chatting about something strange. Behind the newscaster's head was a huge question mark over top a flying saucer, and she gawked. Shivering she saw the black and white security camera footage flashed seconds later on the ZTV news brief update, "Eyewitnesses reported seeing a figure about six feet in height, wearing black armor and carrying a baby bassinet at about 2 am. Apparently the figure, who was female, spoke in English, dropping the baby off at Orange Star County Hospital. She made no threatening moves, but when approached by police, she moved at blinding speed. People are advised to remain indoors and calm while local authorities investigate…"

"That's crazy. She moved so fast it's like…" mumbled Bulma.

"Like Goku does?" asked Krillin. "Man… and that's not all…"

"Wait a minute, what's this?" asked Bulma, gasping as she saw the footage of the being turning. Something furry waved before the camera, then wrapped around the creature's waist.

"That woman… had a TAIL! And it looks JUST like Goku's did!" Krillin spluttered, looking over Bulma's shoulder as they flew along.

"That's weird! How on Chikyuu…" Yamcha spluttered.

"Look out for that TREE!" Bulma squealed, gunning her bike at the last second.