Yamcha sighed. "I wish the Saiyans weren't hogging the gravity ship."

Dr. Briefs laughed. "What would you do if they weren't using it? And pass me the five-sixteenths socket wrench."

Yamcha rummaged through a pile of tools. "I'd train, of course! Here you go."

"That's a five-eighths socket wrench, you musclebound hick!"

"Dad!" Bulma called from the other side of the room. "Be polite! He's still my friend."

"Fine. That's a five-eighths wrench, you individual who can't tell a five-eighths wrench from a five-sixteenths wrench." Dr. Briefs tossed the wrench back into the pile. "And I don't think you could handle high-gravity training at that level. If you tried to train in a hundred times Earth's gravity, you'd be crapping out your own spine before I could say 'I'm not that kind of doctor'!"

"Please. I'm at least a thousand times as strong as a normal guy, I should be able to handle a hundred times Earth's gravity easily. I could handle five hundred times as easily as you could handle…um…two times?" Yamcha handed another wrench to Dr. Briefs.

"I don't see me doing any athletic activities in double Earth gravity, kid, let alone fighting. That one's a three-sixteenths socket wrench. See? It has a three and a sixteen here on the side."

"This would be a lot easier if you kept your tools organized. And I don't see you doing athletics in single Earth gravity, doc."

"Yamcha!" Bulma shouted. "Don't make me come over there!"

Dr. Briefs sighed. "'Make the spaceship, Gramps! Make a bigger gravity chamber, Gramps! You're a lazy old man, Gramps!' I don't have to put up with this."

"I'm not happy about it either, Dr. Briefs. Like I said, I'd like to be training to fight the robot people Reese told you about—is this the one you're looking for?—instead of acting as a lab assistant."

"That's a breaker bar, not a socket wrench! I'm not exactly impressed with your lab assistant work, but from what Bulma's been telling me about your track record, you're not much good at fighting either."

Bulma sighed and put down her tools and walked over to the men.

"Oh, that is low!"

"But is it incorrect? I think you just have to accept that you're not going to do anything to stop them and find what ways you can to help the others save the world. Hell, why do you think I'm taking time out of my day to make these frivolous toys?"

Bulma jabbed a socket wrench at her father. "Here, Dad. Yamcha, if you don't want to help, why don't you go train with Tenshinhan? Maybe see if Chiaotzu wants to help over here."

"Chiaotzu couldn't tell what size a wrench is without counting on his fingers!"

"That doesn't even make any sense!"

"Well…well…" Yamcha stood up. "Maybe I will! Maybe then you'll realize how useful I am!"

Dr. Briefs sighed. "You can't even tell a breaker bar from a socket wrench."

"Shut up! It's an honest mistake! So what if I'm not the most mechanically inclined?"

"What do you think you're doing here?" Dr. Briefs asked. "Writing poetry?"

Bulma chuckled. "He's not very good at that, either. Not for lack of trying…"

"Oh, that is the last straw. Ha ha, Yamcha got killed by a saibaman! Ha ha, Yamcha's covered in coolant! Ha ha, Yamcha can't tell two identical types of wrenches apart!"

"Breaker bars are not iden—"

"Shut up! I'm going to train with Tien, and no I'm not sending Chiaotzu here!" Yamcha stormed out of the room.

Bulma glanced at the pile of wrenches. "Yamcha's right about one thing, though. You probably should organize your tools."

"I can find the tools I need, I don't know why Yamcha's having so much trouble."

"Oh, really? Can you find, say, a 20-watt cordless soldering iron?"

"Naturally!" Dr. Briefs began rummaging through the tools. "Ah…no, that's a 15-watt…um…miniature air hammer…here we go!"

"That took almost a whole minute! If you had your tools organized—"

"Hey, do you guys know where Puar is?" Yamcha yelled. "I don't want to leave without him!"

Dr. Briefs snapped his fingers. "Of course! Puar would be the perfect assistant! He could just transform into whatever tool I needed!"

Bulma sighed and went back to her work.

[line break]

Tenshinhan leaned against a large rock. "You really did get stronger on Namek. I'm impressed."

Krillin chuckled as he lay back on a path of grass which survived their sparring. "You'll need to train a lot to catch back up to me!"

"I wouldn't say a lot. And don't get comfortable. Master Shen was a heartless bastard, but he taught me and Chiaotzu some effective training methods."

"Ha! Master Roshi didn't teach us anything but training methods!"

"That doesn't seem very…effective."

"Hey, it worked. Look at Goku!"

"He's a Saiyan."

"So's Vegeta, and he was probably trained by the best tutors their king could find."

"…Point taken." Tien closed his eyes and ran through his match with Krillin in his mind, searching for times he could have dodged, blows he could have landed; slowly, he constructed a way he could have won the fight, studying it for lessons on how to improve his combat technique.

"Hey, Tien?"

"What?"

"Have you been thinking about Reese?"

Tien sighed and opened his eyes. "What about Reese?"

"Well, he says that thing where he gets yellow hair and beat Goku up was Super Saiyan, but I thought that Goku was a Super Saiyan, and he doesn't look anything like that."

"So?"

"I was thinking…who else do we know that's normally nice, but gets violent and good at beating people up when her hair turns yellow?"

"…You don't think Reese is Launch's son, do you?"

"It makes sense. Doesn't it?"

"I guess. And if he thinks it's a Saiyan thing, it means she found some nice Saiyan to settle down with—"

"A what Saiyan?"

Tien looked behind him. "Oh, hey Yamcha. Did Bulma finally kick you out of her house?"

"What? No, I decided I was sick of how I was being treated and left!"

Tien smirked. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Yeah! …So, what were you talking about?"

"I think Reese is Launch's kid," Krillin said.

"The blonde hair?"

"Yeah."

"Huh. I hadn't thought about it…but it makes sense. I'd expect him to have a third eye, though."

Tien shivered. "Ugh. Not that he's my and Launch's son, that he's the son of Launch and a Saiyan!"

Yamcha chuckled. "Where would she find another Saiyan? Vegeta and Goku are the only ones left! I mean, aside from Gohan, but wouldn't that be kinda weird?"

Tien counted Saiyans on his fingers. "Raditz August of last year, that pirate in December, Nappa and Vegeta last month…and that's just the ones who came to Earth in the last year and a bit. Earth's practically a Saiyan magnet."

"…Okay, you've got a point. I hope it's a nice Saiyan like Goku, and not one out to kill us all like…"

"All the others," Tenshinhan finished. "Yeah."

Yamcha swallowed. "…So, Krillin, I'd've thought you'd train at Kame House?"

Krillin shrugged. "Right now, there's nothing I can do there except throw kamehamehas at the ocean, and the Royal Department of Fish and Wildlife told me to stop that. They say it's bad for the tuna. And since the power-up Guru gave me, just about everyone's a lot weaker than me, except Piccolo and the Saiyans, and they're way too strong. Tien can come close, but a lot of his best techniques tire him out a lot."

Yamcha laughed. "Really, Tien? I thought you'd gotten more out of King Kai's training than that. I know I did. You might be stronger than you were before fighting the Saiyans, Krillin, but so am I. I'm ready to spar if you are!"

Krillin levitated himself off of the ground, floating up several feet. "Sure. I might not be at a hundred percent right now, but that should give you a fighting chance."

"As if! But I'll hold back for you."

Tien raised his left and middle eyebrows. "Yamcha, you can still sense energy, right?"

Yamcha shifted into a fighting stance. "I'd have thought you'd learn by now that raw strength isn't everything, Tien."

Krillin elbowed Yamcha in the gut, driving him to the ground.

Tenshinhan smiled. "And I'd have thought you'd learn by now that it's still important."

[line break]

Reese brought a pile of dirty bowls over to the sink. "The food was delicious, Chi-Chi. Thank you!"

"Don't mention it. Like I said, it's nice to have company over." Chi-Chi chuckled. "You have quite a healthy appetite. It's pretty clear you're part Saiyan."

Reese blushed and stared at the ground. "Um, sorry."

"It was no trouble at all! I'm used to cooking for Goku and Gohan. Thank you for offering to help with the dishes." He's such a polite boy. His parents raised him well.

Reese began rinsing out one of the bowls. "It's really no trouble, ma'am."

"Are you sure?" a third voice asked. "You should probably be training."

Chi-Chi spun around. Standing just outside the window with his arms crossed was Piccolo. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Goku went to train with Vegeta. I figured that Gohan could use someone to train him until his dad comes back…if he does."

Chi-Chi stormed over to the window. "Well, for your information, Reese is training Gohan, so we don't need your help!"

Piccolo smirked. "Really? That must be an exotic future training technique. It looks just like he's simply washing dishes while Gohan studies."

"Gohan doesn't need to be training every hour of the day, you know!"

Piccolo shook his head. "These androids…they would kill Vegeta. He's almost as strong as Goku, and he normally trains as much as he can get away with. If we're going to have any chance of surviving, we need everyone to train as hard as they can. Vegeta, Goku, Gohan, me…Reese."

Reese sighed but didn't look up from the sink. "Sorry, Mr. Piccolo…I promised I wouldn't get in the way of Gohan's studies. And that I'd help wash dishes."

Piccolo frowned. "I see. Well, luckily I didn't make any promises like that."

"Would it be that bad to not train Gohan all the time?" Reese asked. "I mean, from the stories I've heard, Goku's amazing! I'm sure that if he can figure out how to turn Super Saiyan, he'll be able to win easily!"

Piccolo shook his head. "Goku is amazing, yes. So is Vegeta. So am I. Goku's the strongest of us, but not by that much. If the androids could crush all of us together so easily in the future…we all need to be in top form."

"If training's so important, why are you wasting this time talking with us?" Chi-Chi demanded.

"I know the Multi-Form technique," Piccolo explained. "Two of me are sparring in the forest. Look, Chi-Chi, if you won't let me train Gohan, at least let me check his technique."

"What do you take me for? 'Check his technique'? Don't think I don't know you're planning to kidnap him again the moment I turn my back."

"Considering Reese's training techniques, I think it would be for the best."

Reese sighed again. "I'm standing right here."

"I know. Prove me wrong."

"I will! Once I'm finished with the dishes and Gohan's finished with his studying."

"What could Gohan possibly be studying that's relevant to the world-ending androids?"

"Well, um—technically, they're cyborgs. I just simplified it a bit for Goku, since my mom said he was, ah…"

"Yeah, I know him. That doesn't matter, Reese. Cyborgs or androids, they'll kill us all if we're not ready! When peace returns, Gohan can study for peace…but this isn't the time." Piccolo sighed. "Look, how about a compromise. I want Gohan to get better at fighting androids or cyborgs or whatever they are. You want Gohan to learn. So how about Gohan put down his books on insects or tree birds or the history of medicine or whatever useless junk you're having him learn, and have Professor Reese teach some applied robotics?"

Reese put a large dish in the cabinet with a clunk. "Teach what now?"

"Tell him about the androids. Their strengths, their weaknesses, how they work, anything you know."

That's just as worthless as training! Worse, actually—at least if Gohan trains now, he won't need to train as much if another threat comes up that only Saiyans can handle.

Reese grabbed another bowl. "I…I could do that."

Chi-Chi frowned. "Hold on. Reese, how much do you know about electronics? In general?"

"Plenty! My mom taught me, she's the best in the world with tech. Um, in my time, I mean, I hear the Briefses are peerless in this time."

"Could you teach Gohan about electronics in general, including what applies to the cyber people?"

"Um, sure? Should I finish the dishes first?"

"Lecture while you wash," Piccolo commanded. "We don't have time to waste. Speaking of which—" Piccolo flew off towards the woods.

Chi-Chi considered having Gohan continue studying his textbooks anyways, but he came out of his room. "Reese is going to be teaching me about robots?"

"You were eavesdropping?" Chi-Chi asked coldly.

Gohan stared at his feet. "Sorry, Mom. I felt Mr. Piccolo's energy, and…wanted to know what he came here to talk about."

Chi-Chi sighed and leaned against a wall. "Well, no harm done. I was about to tell you anyway. Reese?"

The boy from the future focused on the bowl he was washing.

"Reese?"

"Sorry, I'm just trying to think about what to start with. Um…"

[line break]

Vegeta blocked one punch from Kakarot, then another, and a dozen more in sequence, each time taking a step backwards and to the side, trying to move backwards in a circle and search for an opening and block Kakarot's blows. The prince hoped that, perhaps, once his strange Super Saiyan aura ran out, Vegeta could strike…

Too soon, he found himself backed against the wall of the small gravity chamber. With no room left to back up, Vegeta felt Kakarot's blows land harder on his forearms. Worse, Kakarot realized the position Vegeta was in, and stepped up his attack, using reserves of strength he had conserved through the entire match. Vegeta, on the other hand, had held nothing back, and had nothing left to rely on. Kakarot's punches began slipping past Vegeta's guard, or simply hitting his arms hard enough to cause damage.

Within a quarter-minute, Vegeta had collapsed. He suspected he had a broken nose and at least one black eye. Kakarot simply hopped away and silently began solo combat exercises, letting Vegeta struggle to his feet and out of the room.

Vegeta took a deep breath once he was in the weak Earth gravity. It isn't fair. I am the Prince of all Saiyans, the last of the royal line! I should be the Super Saiyan, not that low-class hick! Why? What's so special about Kakarot?

Vegeta slammed open the door to the Earth woman's residential complex and looked around, trying to remember where the nearest cleansing chamber was. Down this hall, turn left there, second door to the right after the kitchen? I hope so. I won't let the Earthlings see me in this condition…not until I know what condition it is, at least.

Vegeta heard footsteps before he even reached the kitchen. "Goku? Vegeta? Oh, it's—what the hell happened to you?"

"Seven bouts against Kakarot," Vegeta muttered as he turned around.

"Geez, he didn't hold back, did he? Your armor's ruined, and your face..."

Vegeta crossed his arms. "Save your pity, Earthling. I hardly see how you could even start to—"

The Earth woman crossed her arms back. "It's not pity, it's concern. If you keep going like this, you could kill yourself before the androids even get here!"

"And what would you care?"

The Earth woman glared at Vegeta. "You're one of the strongest people on the planet. If you die, the world's more likely to be destroyed by androids." She started walking towards Vegeta. "I'm not sure what you're thinking, but that's it. Come on." The Earth woman grabbed Vegeta's arm.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To get you healed. We've got a little hospital at the compound."

"Why—"

"You'd be amazed how often something me, Dad, or our employees are working on explodes." The Earth woman started leading Prince Vegeta to the hospital.

"I don't need your primitive Earth medicine, Earth woman."

"Don't just call me 'woman,' man. My name is Bulma. And I'm sorry we don't have any of your advanced space medicine, but you need something."

"…Fine. But I have one request, Earth woman."

"Bulma."

"I have one request, Earth Bulma. Training consumes much energy, and I—"

The Earth woman sighed. "I can get you something to eat. Don't worry."