Lost Sanctuary

Chapter 01-Eviction

"Chi-chi, it's okay, we'll bring him back," Bulma attempted to reassure the housewife while she bawled over the loss of her husband and son.

"Shut-up all of you!" A voice yelled from the heavens. They all looked up as fear etched across everyone's faces. It was the last person they wanted to see after all that transpired.

"It's Piccolo!" The green warrior known as Piccolo landed upon the ground, seemingly annoyed at the idea that this alien from another planet had come for Goku and Gohan.

"Where's Son?" Piccolo barked.

"A… an alien took him and Gohan away…" Krillin stuttered.

"Damn, I'm too late," Piccolo growled. He had flown as fast as he possibly could to catch up to the invader with no luck.

"You met him?" Krillin asked.

"Unfortunately, he came after Son for not doing something," Piccolo spoke in a grim tone of voice. "And seeing he's even more powerful than Son, we're pretty much screwed."

"What do you suggest we do then?" Master Roshi pondered.

"We pray."

The space pod he came in was already cramped enough, so he was fortunate to find the space pod that Goku had originally come in. Tearing off all of the roots and debris covering the sphere's sides, he managed to open the hatch to find that the ship's computers were still operating. Wasting no time, he threw Goku in before throwing the boy into his lap. The hat fell upon the ground outside of the ship and Vegeta paid no heed to what he had allowed to go unchecked.

"Stupid Earthlings and their utterly useless accessories…" Vegeta muttered before programming the ship. He would ensure that it would reach its destination. The hatch closed; locking the father and child within the confines of the ship. It began to hum with an eerie tone before it shot off into the heavens; vanishing moments later. 'Now that I have come for Kakarrot, I will make sure he doesn't return to this planet unchanged...'

Gohan woke slowly and found that he had been lying on his father's lap. Panic set in when he noticed that there were stars flying outside of the strange round window. He realized then that this wasn't rain and shook his father as hard as he could.

"Daddy! Daddy! Wake up!" Gohan begged. A low groan escaped the older male's lips and his eyes fluttered open slowly.

"Gohan? What's going on?" Goku asked his son who looked at him worriedly.

"I don't know what's going on! I just woke up! Where are we going?" Gohan asked.

It hit Goku right then that he wasn't even at home nor was he even dreaming of this sudden nightmare he had been propelled into. He reached over to the control counsel and tried pressing random buttons. Beeping noises were heard, but there was no change in the direction of the ship.

"There's no point in trying to get out of the ship Kakarrot," Vegeta's voice spoke loudly over an intercom. "That is if you don't wish to die in the vacuum of space…"

"Where are you and why are you doing this?" Goku growled angrily.

"I am in the other ship and I am doing this in order to ensure that you fulfill your role," Vegeta confirmed. "After all, you are a third-class soldier and if I killed you now, what fun would that be? In any case, I could ensure your son's safety if you do exactly as I say."

"…if you kill him…" Goku realized he had no actual threat when Gohan was clinging to him in fear.

"The boy will be just as useful as you are," Vegeta confirmed. "After all, I will ensure that he too is programmed."

"Programmed?"

"Yes, to kill, to pilfer, to torture and ravage the world so we can sell it on the intergalactic market," Vegeta purred in such satisfaction that it sickened Goku heavily. "When we reach our home planet, I will see to it you are programmed immediately."

Goku leaned his head back against the back of the chair. He looked down at his son who had been silently crying for the past few minutes now.

"Gohan, I promise you will never kill anyone while I'm able to protect you…" Goku embraced his son. He had to be strong for Gohan right now. If not, the boy would lose what security he had left.

It felt like weeks before Goku awakened to the rattling of the ship while it burned within the red skies. The atmosphere felt heavier as he winced from the intense pressure. Gohan whimpered in pain from the extra gravity pressed upon his body. Then, there was shaking outside of the ship before it suddenly stopped. No sooner did the ship stop moving, Goku realized that this intense pressure wasn't going away and attempted to stand to no avail. Gohan felt much heavier upon his lap now and it was hurting him not being able to lift the child at all.

"Daddy, I feel so heavy…" Gohan whimpered.

"You are heavy…" Goku agreed, cringing in pain. The ship doors suddenly opened and Vegeta was standing there with guards at each of his sides. They grabbed the boy from Goku's lap immediately. "Gohan!"

"Daddy!" Gohan tried reaching for his father before he was dragged off into a building, the door hissing shut behind him.

"Where are you taking my son?" Goku yelled at the guards who were now reaching for him.

"To the programming chamber… you'll go there once you get your tail back…" Vegeta vowed.

"No, let me go…" Goku struggled, but it was in vain; especially in the increased gravity that weighed him down. The efforts were a complete waste of energy and he was breathing hard afterwards. The soldiers took him into another building where he was dragged down the long corridors to a medical room.

Upon reaching this small cramped quarter of an office, he was thrown upon the table. Instantly, he was stripped of all of his clothing and against his will. He struggled against both the gravity and the shackles holding him down while a doctor suddenly came out of nowhere. Despite his struggles, he was kept down and eventually sedated.

"Daddy…" Gohan whimpered while strapped to the chair.

"Your father's not going to save you… now, let's get you programmed properly…" the taller male replied before Gohan felt straps holding him down and a helmet placed on his head. "In time, you will be a true Saiya-jin warrior despite the lesser blood flowing through you… you will embrace your heritage… your true ancestry…"

"Let me go!" Gohan cried angrily.

"Until you are programmed, you have nowhere to run…" The male closed the hatch that muted the boy's cries before hitting a second button. Inside, Gohan stopped yelling and went deathly still before falling slack. "See, it's easier if they just give into the brainwashing…"

Elsewhere, there were soldiers gathering underground by a mysterious leader. A silent hand motion was given as a command and explosions rocked the programming facilities above.

"Shit, not this again, guards!" the doctor yelled. It was apparent that there was some sort of resistance upon the planet; one that was orchestrated by a resistance group; however, whoever's hand it happened to be was never noticed nor was the group caught.

Still, the soldiers lined the hallways, searching for the latest rogue group when someone appeared behind the doctor and knocked him out. Shackles were undone around Goku's form which at the time was completely unconscious. Sliding a tile back over the hole in the floor, there were no signs of the group even entering the room.

"This is stupid plan Vegeta and you know it!" a voice yelled in the background.

"I'm aware of it, but the Tuffles believe that I am working for them," Vegeta's voice echoed against the walls, matching the frustration the other carried. "Besides, I'm sure King Appel will be pissed right now."

"You know this isn't helping our cause…" the same voice pleaded.

"Right now, we don't have a choice Tarble. Kakarrot's even weaker than you are and I will be sure that he is properly trained."

It was during the argument between the nearly identical Saiya-jin princes that Goku began to come to. The Earth-raised Saiya-jin's eyes opened before he jumped up and slid into a fighting stance despite how drugged he happened to be. He felt the slightest adjustment in his balance due to the regenerated tail behind him; however, he stood his ground.

"You! Why are you doing this?" Goku yelled at Vegeta.

"Kakarrot, what I said before was a cover-up. Yet, you were expected to come back after you had completed your mission," Vegeta warned him. "Either way, you are not able to return to Earth nor can you do anything to save your son right now."

"You left my son behind with those monsters?" Goku hissed.

Without warning, Vegeta slugged the emotional male; thankfully, he held back a lot of his strength. He glared up at the man who had taken him away from his home and he wanted vengeance; however, he knew he didn't stand a chance fighting him, let alone saving his son when he learned the hard way he was helpless. Already, he felt a bruise forming on his cheek and he continued to hold such a hatred glare on the man who evicted him from his home.

"We had no choice. You were more capable of our cause than that half-breed." Vegeta sneered.

"That half-breed you speak of is my son and I demand that we go back and save him." Goku retorted.

"Unfortunately, they already found the path we had used and sealed it," Vegeta countered with a hint of regret in his voice. "We cannot go in and easily save your son. He will be programmed whether you like it or not."

"W-why you…?" Goku would have fought the prince had it not been for Tarble grabbing him from behind.

"My brother's right," Tarble agreed with the elder royal. He tried to defuse the situation, knowing Vegeta's patience with the third-class was waning with every word he had said. "We can't do anything right now and it'll be better if we wait for a better opportunity to rescue your son."

"I don't need either of you to tell me what I can or can't do." Goku growled.

"Kakarrot, right now, our people are suppressed by the Tuffle alliance bearing its weight on us and enslaving our entire race," Vegeta told the younger warrior. "We had been trying for hundreds of years to break those chains; however, with each new Tuffle ruler that ascended to the throne, they had ensured their race's supremacy. Our very planet was stolen because of them."

"How can I believe everything you told me so far is true?" Goku queried.

"You either do or you don't and just accept being programmed by them," Vegeta spat. "Now come, we cannot stay here long. The tribe awaits your return Kakarrot and I am not to disappoint."

Goku slowly rose to his feet. He hated the name Kakarrot as much as he hated the fact that he was on an alien planet. Still, if there was a tribe, then perhaps he could learn more about the enemy in order to save Gohan. There was still hope; but alas, it seemed at this moment horrifically dim. Yet, it still glimmered there almost though it was a star far out of one's reach.

For the time being, the Earth-raised Saiya-jin could only pray to any merciful god for his son's safety and hopes of reuniting with him in due time for better or worse.

To Be Continued…