Chapter 3 - Bardock
Rygal VII: The latest in an endless string of worlds to be set in the sights of Frieza. Just another jewel he fancied, another system in his collection. What was different about this world were two things. One, the native inhabitants had developed technology surpassing even that of Friezas' forces. And though not a space faring race, the people of Rygal VII possessed weaponry and engine technology unlike anything ever encountered by Friezas' empire. Secondly, it was the first world to be conquered by an entirely saiyan invasion, or at least, after all of the capitol ships that were sent had been blasted out of orbit.
The saiyan king Vegeta had proposed a possible, albeit reckless, solution. He would bring a carrier just outside of Rygal VII's weapons range and deploy thousands of drop-pods. Released in waves, and flying full throttle, the tiny craft would be difficult to shoot down. Once planetside, the rygeans' orbital cannons would be of no avail. Then the saiyans could destroy their defenses, allowing the fleet to move in for the kill.
After some consideration, Frieza consented to the plan. After all, he had nothing to lose. If the saiyans were destroyed, then their over-inflated egos would be taken down a notch. If they succeeded, then the defenses would fall, as would Rygal VII. All things considered, a win-win scenario.
"Tora, Fasha!" Shouted Bardock "Prep your pods, we're almost at the co-ordinates. Borgos, wake that slug Shugesh. And tell him if he doesn't get up I'll toss him out the airlock." Aboard the carrier "Bloodlust", the saiyan invasion force was making ready to mobilize. As final preparations were being made, a call was heard from the far end of the corridor. "Commander on deck!" All of the soldiers stood at attention. Emerging from the fore hatch was a gargantuan man.
Eight feet tall, covered in muscle, and completely bald (a rare sight among saiyans), the mans name was Nappa. He was a high ranking general in the saiyan army. Most of the men onboard knew him by his reputation, which was nothing short of being a savage, bloodthirsty killing machine. "Damn Borgos, he's even bigger than you." whispered Fasha. Who's the punk? wondered Bardock. Next to Nappa stood a young man, sixteen at the oldest.
"Listen up maggots!" bellowed Nappa. "This" he said gesturing to the youth "is Prince Vegeta. He will be my second in command during this operation, and you will follow his orders without question. I hear otherwise and you'll be flying home without a ship, got it!?
Bardock had heard of the prince. Everyone had. Not even a year ago he had happened upon the saiyans' ancestral home-world. It was his actions that led to the discovery of a great legend. A legend about a long forgotten power. A power that no saiyan had attained for two millenia. The term for it had not been recovered, but these ultimate warriors, these "Super Saiyans", were supposed to posses power that exceeded anything. Even Frieza.
Many of his race believed the legend, and also that if any of their race were to ascend to that level, it would be the Prince. They called it destiny. Bardock dismissed it as a fairy tale.
Nappa and Vegeta made their way from one end of the deck to the other, inspecting the troops. Bardock smirked. So that's the prince eh? Looks a little short for a legendary super warrior. As soon as Vegeta passed him, Bardock activated his scouter. Five-thousand huh? Not bad for a little pipsqueak, but hardly anything to write home about. That's what Bardock thought. What escaped him was a quiet, yet condescending, "Hmph"
Vegeta halted. Turning round, he marched back toward the man who'd made the noise.
The young prince stopped, sizing the man up. Middling height, cut down body-armor, and the characteristic spiky black hair and dark eyes of any saiyan. He already knew that everyone on this deck was a low ranking soldier of little social standing.
Vegeta stared coldly at the man. "Did I do something to amuse you soldier? Because it sounded to me like you found something funny when you checked your scouter." Bardock lowered his eyes to meet the Princes'. "It would have been funny, if the General had been joking about allowing a kid to play around on a battlefield."
Nappa made no effort to control his rage and hit Bardock in the gut with a hard punch, knocking the wind out of him. "Insolent bastard! Beg the Princes' forgiveness before I crush your skull!" As Bardock fell to his hands and knees, gasping for air, Vegeta knelt down waiting for the man to catch his breath. After a brief fit of coughing Bardock spoke again. "Y *cough* you punch like a woman" he spat. "Bardock, no!" cried Tora
Nappa quivered with fury, but Vegeta howled with laughter. The furious saiyan general was about to carry out his threat, but Vegeta stopped him. "Bardock eh? Well Bardock, I've though of a suitable reward for your cheek." Turning to his companion the prince said "Correct me if I'm wrong Nappa, but isn't everyone on this deck supposed to go down in the fifth wave?" Nappa nodded. Vegeta flashed a sinister smile. "Well then, seeing as how you're itching for a fight so badly, I'm going to let you go first."
Bardock gave a defiant look. "Good, I hate long waits." Vegeta merely laughed again "I'm glad, but you might not find yourself so eager when the shooting starts. Nobody likes being vaporized before they even land. But maybe that wouldn't be such a bad fate. I mean, you're only a low class after all.
Vegeta had expected the man to lunge at him for the insult, but he simply glared. "I'll be!" Vegata declared. "Your smarter than I gave you credit! Turning on his heel, the prince strutted down the corridor followed by Nappa. As soon as they were gone, Tora and Borgos helped Bardock on his feet. Everyone else resumed their preparations.
Tora looked at his friend earnestly. "That wasn't a wise thing to do you know." "Who ever said I was wise?" Bardock replied. "Shugesh shook his head, chuckling "You punch like a woman…" "That reminds me" said Fasha coldly as she strode up to Bardock and hit him in the gut again, forcing him to double over. "Yeah," Bardock coughed. "I don't know why he got all bent out of shape. It was a compliment." His crew laughed as they settled into their pods.
As the hatches sealed, a countdown displayed on their scouters and began to tick away. Five minutes. After that they'd go out as the first wave. Despite loving the thrill of battle, nobody was glad to be going in first under these circumstances. They'd be launched straight into the fresh defenses of a tenacious enemy with superior weapons. If they made it down in one piece…then the fun would begin. But the anti-aircraft fire they had to penetrate would be intense, and the First wave would take the heaviest casualties during the descent, and nobody knew what was in store for them on the ground. In five minutes, they'd be catapulted straight into hell.