Wow, thanks for the reception last chapter guys. Wasn't expecting that at all. I'd like to thank Sigfried Wild, King of Konoha, Anonymous Void, and jcogginsa for their reviews. It means a lot and I hope to keep hearing from ya'll.
On another note, sorry about taking so long to post this chapter. Had some important school work I had to deal with, so this was put aside until now. Enjoy
"You did what?!" Coten shrieked. "You imbecile! You've told them our exact location! Now it's just a matter of time until they get here!"
"Yes, I know," Cell replied annoyed. "They do have the other keys we need, old man, and what better way to get them then by challenging them and killing them off?"
"That's not the point!" the scientist shouted. "Those fleabags could try and kill Dr. Wheelo! That mustn't ever happen!"
"Well, what's done is done," the bug-like android said. "They'll be here soon and my colleagues and I will make sure they're out of our way permanently. That's all there is to it."
Coten growled. "I should have you dissembled and tossed into outer space for your insolence, you bucket of bolts. I've had it up to here with you and your brood's impudence and if you keep disobeying me, I will have you dealt with in a move of finality. Do you understand me?"
A scowl appeared on the android's face. "I've had enough of your pettiness, old man." That was when a smirk appeared on his face. "I think you're usefulness to our group has to come to an end."
Raising a hand up, Cell powered up a ball of energy in his hand, ready to use it on the old man. However, when he tried to use it, he found he couldn't. It was almost as if he was paralyzed.
"Did you honestly think I'd bring you back to life without a few safeguards?" Coten crowed, staring at Cell with delight. "I installed chips in all of you to prevent you from harming Dr. Wheelo and I. No matter what you try, you cannot and will not disobey us without reprisal. Now, I think it's time I made an example out of you."
However, before the old man could carry out his threat, Dr. Wheelo's booming voice stopped him. "That's enough Coten."
Coten jerked his head to look at the looming brain. "But Dr. Wheelo! You can't allow this insubordination to go without punishment!"
"It's perfectly alright," the brain assured. "We were going to have to deal with these nuisances sooner or later. It shall perhaps prove beneficial to be rid of them in the long run."
Coten was stunned speechless. Although he did try to argue the point, all the old scientist could do was sputter nonsense. It was a scene that put a smirk on Cell's face.
"You may leave us, Cell," Dr. Wheelo then ordered. Doing a mock bow, the android then left the room, still reveling in his satisfaction.
"Wheelo was right about one thing; this should prove beneficial."
Cell stopped in his tracks and turned his head, seeing the newly repaired Gero leaning against a wall with his armss crossed over his chest.
"What do you have in mind?" Cell queried.
"Oh, you'll understand once the fireworks begin," the old man said. "We may not be able to inflict harm on those two but I know some people that may be able to do so."
The bug-like android's eyes twinkled with interest. "So I did good I take it."
"Very good, Cell, very good."
"Videl doesn't look like she took it too well," Trunks whispered to Goten.
"Yeah, no kidding," the Son boy agreed. "She looked as if she was gonna kill Gohan on the spot."
Before the two young saiyans, Gohan stood immovably as Videl wore a look of fury on her face. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that the Satan girl was gonna be left behind while the three saiyans went in and took care of their business on the Moon. While Videl refused to be left behind, like all of the other times, Gohan insisted that all of the humans stay behind. It was very likely something akin to a war would break out on the small rock. There were scores that needed to be settled once and for all and Gohan intended on making sure they remained settled this time.
"If this is cause I let that oversized bug get away with the key, then you've got another thing coming buddy," Videl threatened.
"I've already told you three times, this has nothing to do with the key," Gohan reiterated. "I don't want to get anyone hurt in needless conflict. This is a fight that me, Goten, and Trunks started and we're damn sure gonna make sure we end it."
That caused the daughter of Satan to growl. "You are not leaving this ship without me, you got that?"
"And you aren't leaving this ship; even if I have to get Tien and Sixteen to hogtie you," Gohan countered. "Both of them understand what I mean."
That caused the girl to jerk her head to look at the two, a scowl firmly fixed on her face. "Is that true?" she challenged.
"As much as I agree with you Videl," Tien started, "I get the feeling we'd only be in their way."
"You're not helping," she snarled.
"Sorry."
Sixteen, however, seemed to have a different outlook. "I agree; we need to keep casualties to a minimum."
"See, someone agrees with me," Gohan said, not stopping the smirk that was crawling onto his face.
"However, I must insist that I go along."
"You selfish pig!" Videl accused. "You're just thinking only of yourself!"
The android shook his head, disagreeing with the claim. "I, like the saiyans, have a score to settle with Gero and his underlings. It was one of them that killed me and I intend on repaying the favor."
That made Gohan look thoughtful. "You make a good argument," he conceded. "Okay, you can come with us. Everyone else stays."
"That's not fair!" the Satan girl roared.
"Videl, for once, listen to me," Gohan said with a deadly tone. "This is not your fight. Stay out of it."
All Videl did was glare at the Son boy. "This isn't over," she finally said before storming out of the room.
"Wow, she's pissed," Goten commented.
"No kidding," Trunks agreed.
That was when Tien stood up from his chair and turned to address Gohan. "I know you're use to fighting by yourself," the bald man said, "but sometime you're gonna have to get over this 'I fight alone' stuff. You've got others willing to help bear your burden; let us help. If you keep pushing us away, you'll find yourself all alone and with no one to blame but yourself." And with that, the former bodyguard left the room as well.
"Everybody ready?" Gohan asked, the sound of his voice distorted by the voice transmitter.
Standing in an airlock room, the three saiyans each wore a bulky spacesuit; something they weren't altogether comfortable wearing. It was necessary though, since the atmosphere of the Moon was nonexistent.
Sixteen was the lone occupant of the room that didn't have one of the suits on. Thanks to his mechanical stasis, his need for oxygen wasn't as grave of an issue as it was for the other warriors.
"As ready as we'll ever be," Goten replied through his own transmitter. "I can't wait to get out of this piece of crap suit."
"You're telling me," Gohan grumbled.
That was when Sixteen moved to the hull door, grabbing onto the wheel-like handle, and spinning it clockwise. The sudden suction of air was heard and soon after, Sixteen flung the door open and leapt out. The three saiyans followed his example soon after.
To say that Earth's Moon was a barren place would've been completely wrong. Artificial mountains jutted out from the rock's surface, showing that there had been some attempt to colonize the place. To further prove that point, scattered all over the place was long-discarded construction equipment.
After the humans had obtained the environment-creating technology developed by the Plutonians, scientist and engineers had poured countless resources and time into making the Moon inhabitable. They had been successful too, giving the place a suitable atmosphere and soon after, a civilization.
Unfortunately, the residents of the Moon soon decided that they didn't need the Earth and declared they were their own separate world. Since Gero had been in control of Earth at the time, he hadn't taken that news very well. Under the guise of a generator failing, he turned the Moon's atmospheric machines off and simple let all of the denizens of the Moon die as they were sucked into the void of space or suffocated from lack of oxygen. There hadn't been another colonization attempt since.
Ever since the argument between Gohan and Videl, it had been a concern as to where on the Moon a base could possibly be. It had been worried so much that people's nerves were beginning to tear. That problem, however, had been solved as soon as they arrived near the rock. Out of all the deadness of the place, one of the artificial mountains was active as rays of light filtered through open holes of the place.
It was to this mountain that the saiyans and android made their way to, albeit clumsily. When one didn't have a gravitational force weighing them down, it was quite an awkward trip from one place to another.
All the while, the four warriors were paranoid, always searching for some sort of trap that would obstruct them on their journey to the mountain; yet nothing happened. It was almost as if they were being allowed to come this fair.
Not a feeling any of them enjoyed.
Soon, they reached the side of the artificial edifice, fortunately with the sun at their backs. Being in the shadow of something in space was not a very good experience, as most space travelers knew.
And thanks to the sun's light, the group of four found an airlock door in plain view; just another thing to add to their paranoia. This whole thing was way too easy to be real.
When Sixteen opened the door, the saiyans plunged into the room, soon followed by the android sealing it shut. Waiting a few moments, the trio of saiyans waited until Sixteen informed them that air had filled the room.
Removing his helmet as quickly as possible, Trunks said "Damn am I glad to get out of this thing." Not wasting anymore time, the last saiyan prince tore off the rest of the bulky suit. With the same line of thinking going through the Son boys, the saiyans were out of their space suits and ready for their next challenge.
"So what's the plan?" Goten asked enthusiastically.
"I would advise stealth," Sixteen suggested. "We can overcome our obstacles in an easier fashion following that course of action."
"That would be a waste of time," Gohan said. "They already know we're here; might as well go introduce ourselves and blow them all sky high."
Turning then, the saiyan walked to the door opposite the one they had used previously and opened it, crossing its threshold.
Sixteen stared at the blatant action as Goten followed his brother. "Is this how he leads every mission?" the android spoke aloud.
"Pretty much," Trunks answered. "We don't like to waste time with stealth unless it's very efficient." And with that, the last remaining saiyan followed after his comrades, Sixteen following shortly after.
What the group found after exiting the room was a very long corridor that ended with a set of heavy-set doors. Along the walls were randomly placed doors, giving the sense there was more to the place than it actually was. Not wasting any time, the four warriors headed straight to the large doors at the end, pushing them open soon after.
The room they encountered was very large with pipes running along the walls and a few doors at various points. There wasn't much other than the podium towards the far end of the chamber. Oddly enough, the far wall was completely covered in darkness.
"Why Jericho, what a pleasant surprise."
The heads of the fighters jerked to look at the source of the voice, finding a decrepit man in a white lab coat and leaning on a cane.
"Coten," Sixteen acknowledged. "It's been awhile."
That caused Coten to chuckle. "It has indeed, though I am curious why you're in the company of saiyans. I was under the assumption that you had fled from Earth to live in exile."
"And I thought you would've continued to remain out of the attention of the universe," the android countered.
"Touché," the old man replied. "But unlike you, I prefer fighting for a worthy cause instead of a fool's errand."
"And your cause would be?"
"Why, to restore the human race to its proper place in the universe of course."
Sixteen frowned. "And I presume you'd be the rightful leader?"
"Of course not!" Coten exclaimed, sounding almost distraught with that line of thinking. "The great Dr. Wheelo would reign eternally, just like he was supposed to do from the beginning of the universe."
"Geez, what is with you humans and controlling everything?" Goten complained. "It's almost as if you believe you deserve to be top dog. I don't know who this Wheelo guy is, but he must be deluded if he thinks he deserves that."
"Silence!" Coten roared. "How dare you speak of Dr. Wheelo in such a manner?! He's is the greatest mind in the entire universe!"
"And there's the oversized ego," Trunks added. "And to think we let these windbags run us all over the galaxy."
"How dare you?!" Coten screeched.
Throughout the whole exchange, unbeknownst to the room's occupants, a red light glowed on the dark side of the chamber. It remained there, hovering in midair for several seconds before vanishing.
Suddenly, a loud, booming voice echoed throughout the room. "Coten, I believe a prime specimen has fallen into our laps."
The old man swung himself around to face the dark wall. "Really Dr. Wheelo? Which one?"
"The tallest saiyan, he is perfect for our first mind transfer experiment," the booming voice announced.
With that announcement, all four warriors steeled themselves, Gohan in particular. He had no idea what the two "scientist", as they called themselves, were talking about; but what ever it was, it had to do with him.
That wasn't a thought he found comforting.
"That's an excellent idea!" Coten crowed. "We can set aside the artificial body and given you a fully functional one! Brilliant!"
"Hey!" Gohan shouted. "I have no idea what you're talking about, but I'm no test subject. You better stop that nonsense or the last thing you'll see is my fist making friends with your face!"
"Now, now, don't be upset," the old man soothingly said. "You've just been given the greatest honor of your worthless life. Dr. Wheelo has taken a liking to your body and we wouldn't want to cause any undue stress to it."
Then with a speed no old man should have, Coten threw his cane holding arm up, the head of the stick facing the warriors. Pressing a hidden button on the cane, the head flipped open and fired a large beam at its targets.
Instinctively, all four warriors leapt out of the way, landing in different places of the room as an explosion erupted. However, the moment Gohan's feet touched the ground, wires burst through the metal floor, wrapping themselves around the saiyan's body; a sense of déjà vu overcoming the Son boy.
And before the saiyan could free himself, a large voltage invaded his body, causing the fighter to scream in pain.
"It has begun!" Coten proclaimed. "It's only a matter of time until Dr. Wheelo has taken full control of the saiyan's body and lives amongst the living once again!"
To Sigfried Wild: Yep, that was Cell, if the beginning of the chapter didn't answer that for you. I've got a couple more twist for this story so I hope you'll enjoy it.