Chapter Eight - Life or Death
Bra had been sitting in the Regen Bay for the past six hours. The others were worried too, of course, but she felt it worst of them all. Unlike all the others, she had two people she loved on the line here. Her brother and her mate. Every half-hour or so she'd move from sitting in front of Trunks to sitting in front of Goten and Bulma had taken up residence in a chair in the corner. Bra suddenly looked up and out the door as her Father entered the room.
"Any word?" Bulma asked.
"The guys at Capsule Corp say they just finished shifting their resources over to the problem and are working on an anitdote now." Vegeta said. "But 18 contacted me a moment later saying she may have had something and asking me to meet her here."
Bulma and Bra glanced at each other, both wondering what the Android woman might have possibly had. They waited in silence a moment longer and then heard footfalls in the hall. A second later 18 stepped into the room with a young woman behind her who looked very nervous. "Master Vegeta, Mistress Bra, Lady Bulma." 18 said nodding to them each. "I'd like to introduce my daughter, Marron." she motioned back to her.
Vegeta stiffened a bit. He'd had that feeling when he saw the woman. But he hadn't thought she was on Saiya. Well, it would make finding her later easier. "What is it 18?" he asked.
"Marron..."
The young woman nodded and took a deep breath as she moved in front of 18. "Sir... I heard about your son and Master Goten earlier and... I wanted to try and help. I used 18's computer to do some research on the Poison and then access Capsule Corp.'s records and systems. It took me a while but... I think I figured out an antidote..."
"You're kidding!?" Bra cried jumping up, the worry on her face vanishing.
"I think it will work." Marron said glancing over to her. "The simulations I ran worked so... I don't see any problems... the computers factor in everything..."
"How did you get something so fast?" Bulma asked. "Capsule Corp. just started it's own work..."
"They already had the answer, they just didn't know." Marron replied. "They had it for almost three years without a clue. Two different research groups were working on the Kiss of Death plant. One for an antidote and one for a power source. If they would have compared notes the antidote team would have been done years ago. I just did it for them."
Vegeta frowned. "Can we produce the antidote here?" he asked.
"We can." came a new voice. Everyone turned to see Dr. Gero standing in the doorway. "18 contacted me first asking if I could produce the compound in my lab. It only took about ten mintues." he held up a vial and showed them the swirling neon pink fluid. "This is only enough for one person, if it works I can make more. However, there is a minor risk involved. If the person's system doesn't flush the waste created by the antidote fast enough they could still die. But at least this way there is a fighting chance."
"The Eawpon woman, try it on her first." Vegeta ordered. "If it kills her, well, no harm done. If it works..." Gero nodded and moved over to the Regen Tank. He took the vial and poured the contents into a nearby syringe and then nodded to a tech to drain the tank. A moment later it was open and Gero was injecting the fluid into her arm. "How long will this take?" Vegeta asked.
"A matter of moments for the effect to start, we wont know the full results for about an hour though."
They all watched as a few small bubbles formed under her skin across her body but soon faded. This lasted for about thirty seconds and then she seemed perfectly fine. "Well, she's past the first stage." Marron said. "She didn't explode, that's a good sign."
Gero smirked. "Indeed."
Marron moved over to a nearby chair and took a seat. She sat there just starring at Spear laying in the bottom of her empty tank. Vegeta watched her closely for a long moment before glancing over to 18. The Android was alternating between watching her daughter and looking over at Trunks. "Damn Human has to go and screw with my mind." he thought looking at Marron again. "If her antidote saves Trunks..."
"Master Vegeta." Gero said walking up beside him. "There is something else I need to speak with you about." He motioned to a corner of the room away from the others and the two walked over to it out of ear shot. "I was contacted while making the antidote. A man by the name of Xeno Biphoa, head of the Geozan 7 Xerudia extraction project. They found something frozen in the ice there. Something most... interesting."
"What is it?" Vegeta asked.
"A space pod." Gero replied. "According to the transponder signal... Bardock's space pod."
"What? But... how could... he's dead! I saw Cooler kill him!" he hissed.
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17 sighed as he looked at Pan's Regen Tank. In a few moments it would be draining and she would emerge, probably in a really good mood. He hated having to ruin that mood. He'd been looking forward to the next week himself, probably as much as she had been. But now... He'd already made arrangements and at a word he would have her on a flight back to Saiya. The Android didn't like Goten very much but he was Pan's uncle and she did look up to him a good bit. He could understand why though, he'd been the one raising her while Gohan was off on business.
He glanced up as the tank beeped and the fluid began to drain from it. He pushed off from the wall he'd been leaning against and walked over to Pan. It only took a second for the tank to empty and the cover to open. She smiled at him as she grabbed the change of clothes he'd brought her and started getting dressed. "Did you wait for me this whole time?" she asked.
"No." 17 said with a sigh. "I tried to get a little work done while I had the time." He ran a hand through his hair. "Pan... something's happened back on Saiya. Gohan contacted me earlier trying to get in touch with you..."
"What is it 17?" Pan asked pulling on her shirt and then turning to look at him.
"It's Goten and Trunks. They've been poisoned... and it isn't looking very good for them right now."
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Tien gazed in at the seven orbs that would save all the Humans on Earth. During one of their hunts for the Dragonballs years ago Enzeru had noticed that simple lead would interfere with the energy signal of the Dragonballs. Enough lead and you could block the signal from detection completely. So after tracking them down last time they locked them away inside a lead case to hide them so that the Masters could't make use of them anymore.
Things had been hectic during the past six hours. Enzeru and Mitsuki had set about with the gathering of the items they wanted to save. Everything would be placed into capsules and then into pockets so they could take the stuff with them. Meanwhile Krillin and Yamcha were trying to calm down the general public which had since learned of the incoming threat.
Tien had tried to figure out the point of sending Frieza. Cold and the new Master, Inferna, were already on the planet. Well, they had been. The two had left the world just over an hour ago and Earth was once more void of Masters. The Empire's soldiers were packing up and leaving as well. In just a few more hours the only ones left on Earth would be the Humans.
"Tien!" Enzeru called from behind him. The tri-clops turned from the seven Dragonballs and looked over to where Enzeru stood in the doorway to the room. "More news from Saiya, this time good news." she said. "We just got word in now because of how hectic things have been. Six hours ago Goten and Trunks were poisoned by some Eawpon woman." Enzeru grinned. "It's the Kiss of Death."
Tien sighed. "That's good news at least. Unless the Masters can pull off a miracle it'll be two less of them to worry about."
"You don't seem as happy as I'd expected." Enzeru said walking over to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Tien said turning from her and looking at the Dragonballs again.
Enzeru moved in closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist before resting her head on his shoulder. "You're lying." she said. "I can feel it. Something is bothering you."
Tien remained silent for a long time as he just stood there. "It's just... Earth wont be here this time next week. It just makes everything feel so hopeless now." He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before turning around and looking down into her eyes. "It just shows how little we can really do."
"It shows how strong we are." Enzeru said. "Vegeta's afraid of us, that's something at least."
Tien shook his head. "Vegeta's not afraid of us, he's afraid of a Hybrid that he dosen't know about coming along. It would be nice but it's not going to happen. The Sai-jins are way to careful about that."
"Don't worry so much Tien." she said. "Tao's eventually going to find the ancient's Homeworld. When he comes back we'll be that much more powerful." She leaned up and kissed him. "Come on, we have work to do.
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Tao and Nail had been moving along through the thick trees and underbrush for only about ten or fifteen mintues so far. The rain still had not let up, it had in fact grown more intense as they'd walked. Neither had said a thing as they traveled picking their way along, both lost in their thoughts. Nail's mind was on his world and his people. He wondered how they were doing. Last time he'd seen Dende the young Namek had been asking him to be careful and he'd promised him he'd come back, Nail didn't intend to break that promise.
Tao's thoughts were on matters of the future, not the past. He had a plan for getting off the planet and for getting to his next destination. What he didn't have was a plan for getting more supplies. Now that he had company on his trip his supplies would go down faster. Granted, the Namek would only be drinking water since they didn't eat, but that was still a concern. So was his dwindling food supplies. He'd need to check the routes to the next world for a way point that would be safe to stop at. Hopefully he could purchase his supplies this time around.
Both suddenly stopped dead however, the Namek in mid step. They simply froze where they stood and pushed their powers as low as they would go. A large power was nearing them rapidly. Expanding his senses Tao realized the person was heading straight for Ginyu. Both warriors glanced up through the trees as the power neared hoping to catch sight of just who this power belonged too. As the powers neared they realized it was not one person but two of them.
A second later two streaks flew by over head and the two warriors below glanced at each other. "Jeice and Recoome." Nail said. "I wonder what they're so excited about?"
"I wonder what they're doing back here already." Tao said. "When I arrived the other day they were just leaving for somewhere. There's no way they could have gotten there and back already..."
"Perhaps a ship malfunction?" Nail asked.
Tao remained silent for a long moment as he thought back to his arrival. He knew how the large saucer ships worked fairly well, they couldn't just stop dead or turn on a dime... "No. I don't think that's it." Tao said after a moment. "I passed by them at a good distance out by the eigth planet in this system. My ship is faster than their saucer ship, plus taking into acount the time to turn one of those ships around..."
"They saw you coming in?"
"No. Freiza probably contacted them shortly after you escaped. Ordered them back to the planet. But I have no doubt their radars would have picked me up when I came in, they just ignored it. So they know where my ship is."
"Damn."
"We'll have to chance flying for it, full speed. If we're lucky we can get to the ship and into space before they catch us. It shouldn't be more than a two mintue flight to my ship."
"Right." Nail said nodding. He and Tao lifted into the air and drifted up above the trees. They cast a glance after the retreating forms of Jiece and Recoome before speeding off towards Tao's ship. The Human quickly outpaced the Namek on the flight. Both of them also felt Jiece and Recoome slow for a moment as they took off. They'd been detected.
By the time Nail reached the area he'd seen Tao descend into he could feel Ginyu, Jiece, Recoome, Zarban, and Dodarla nearing him. He dropped down quickly and landed near the ship. It looked like an enlarged space pod. As Nail's feet touched down Tao emerged from inside. "Get into the ship quickly. I'll stall our pursuers."
Nail nodded and got into the ship as Tao floated up above the trees again. After a moment he could feel that they were all close enough and moved his hands up to his face. "Solar Flare!" Tao cried as the brilliant flash filled the sky above the trees. He knew it could have been brighter if it hadn't been for the clouds but it would hold them off long enough to get away. Quickly he dropped down into the trees and entered the ship. He moved to the controls and pushed the launch button just as the door finished closing.
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It had been nearly a half hour since he'd contacted Gero and ten mintues since he'd gotten the return message. They were to retrieve the pod and determine who was inside, if anyone. A ship would be by in about two weeks to pick up the pod and whoever may be inside. Xeno sighed as he leaned back against the cold ice. He was at the bottom of the tunnel again watching the others dig out the pod. If something bad happened he was the one in charge and would be the one to take the blame. So he was going to make sure nothing did happen.
They still had a lot of work to do. The ice was thick and they had to go even slower than normal. Damaging the ship could cause the air in the pod to escape which would break the natural cryostasis. Any occupant would be dead in a matter of seconds from the cold in that case. No, they had to extract the pod slowly and then slowly thaw the person. Flash freezing for cryostasis, slow and steady for revival.
"Xeno... come here a minute." Eve called over. The alien glanced up and saw her pressing her ear against the cold ice where she was working. He shivered instinctively at seeing her skimply dressed form in the midst of the cold around them.
Standing up he moved over to her. "What is it Eve?"
"Take a listen." she said motioning to the ice.
Xeno looked at her for a moment then moved in closer and listened closely. "What the hell?" he wondered. "Talking?"
"Sounds like it. But I can't make it out. Could be a recording inside the ship."
Xeno nodded and turned. "Someone go get a sound amplifier!" he ordered. He turned back and listened to the sounds again but still couldn't make anything out. It was about five or ten mintues later that someone handed him the audio amplifier. He aimed one end at the ice encased pod and then plugged it into the computer.
At first nothing but gibberish came through the speakers but then bits of speech became noticable as Eve adjusted the settings. After a moment they could hear the sounds coming from the pod. "Ghairanadkr wa...n dogonikaock kill bnoxoenznour Kakkarotto aboecekjzqeio uionkieb musztic." From there it was nothing but static and then it repeated itself a second later. Most of the message was gibberish but two words did stand out. "Kill" and "Kakkarotto".
"What the hell?" Xeno wondered.
"Warn, kill, Kakkarotto..." Eve said.
Xeno glanced over to her. "Warn?"
"Near the begining. I could just barely discern an r sound to 'Wa...n' part. The message seems to have been some kind of warning meant for Master Kakkarotto. About someone being killed maybe?"
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Shin gazed out over the gathering of sparring warriors. He'd spoken to both Olibu and Pikkon already, both were willing to aid him in training the warriors from Earth. Olibu was more than willing, especially after learning that his home world was about to be destroyed by one of the Masters. After speaking with the two of them he'd tracked down the two Metmorians the Grand Kai had spoken of. After a quick demonstration of the skills they possessed and could teach to his selected warriors Shin asked for their help in the training as well, and recieved it.
Now he was scouting the warriors for anyone else that could be useful in the training. Unfortunately most of the warriors here, while powerful, were not of the calibre he needed for this. True, the Metamorians were weaker than the Humans they would be training but their skills were the important matter. So far Shin had not seen any skills from these others worth passing along. "Perhaps I am overlooking something..."
"I believe you are." the Grand Kai said walking up beside him. "You have scouted my world quite thoroughly for warriors but you have not gone beyond it."
Shin looked over to him for a moment and then suddenly smiled. "I know who you are thinking of, and you're right, they would be perfect for training my warriors."
"Enzeru and Mitsuki specifically I should think."Nodding, Shin looked back out over the fighters. "Well, it couldn't hurt. Have you spoken to North Kai?"
"Yeah. He's ready for your warriors whenever you can send them. He insists on training them on his planetoid for some reason."
Shin nodded. "That's fine." he lifted into the air a few feet. "Time to go track down a few souls." he said. And with that he shot off over the horizon and around the planet. After a few moments he saw the golden clouds coming into view and flew toward them. It only took a few moments to reach the clouds and break through to the other side. Turning around, he landed on his feet gently. A nearby ogre stared it him in shock as did a few others but most merely ignored this new arrival.
He ignored them as well as he looked for those he sought. He knew of several warriors residing in the H.F.I.L. that would be more than happy to help him in defeating the Masters. "Now, where could they be..." he wondered. Suddenly the sky in the distance lit up with bright flashes of light as loud cracks echoed across the landscape. The others either didn't notice or were used to it. Shin grinned. "Just follow the sounds of battle." he thought. "I should have known."
Shin walked off toward the sounds of the fight and started up a nearby hill. As he crested it he saw two of the people was was looking for standing on the ground and looking up into the sky and figured the other two were the ones fighting. "Come on!" one of the two on the ground suddenly yelled up at the two that were fighting sounded exasperated. "Focus!" he cried crossing his arms.
The two fighters stopped and one looked down frowning. "If you'd let me transform!"
"Forget it! You wouldn't get a workout that way. The idea is to train to get stronger, you can't do that if you're more than 30 times stronger than your opponent."
"But Father!"
"No buts!"
"Why the hell does it even matter if we train! We're dead!"
Shin grinned. "He does have a point Bardock." he said looking down at them from where he stood. The four dead warriors turned their attention toward him. "Though it is good for us that you keep insisting on training."
"Supreme Kai, what brings you down here?" Bardock asked uncrossing his arms.
"The chance to escort the Masters down here." he replied. "A chance at defeating them has come along, one I don't intend to let slip away. I was hoping the four of you would be interested in training a few warriors."
"Who could possibly stand up to them?" Raditz asked landing. "Last time I heard Kakkarotto's power was over a million in his base form."
Shin nodded. "Yes. His power has only gone up since then, and he's now capable of transforming to the third level of Super Sai-jin. And there's also far more Masters now than when you were alive. 19 of them in total."
"So how could anyone stand up to them?" the man beside Bardock asked.
"With the right training and a little help from us, it can be done Daimao." Shin said. "I've already attained the help of four warriors from the Grand Kai's world as well as one of the lower Kais. This isn't just some last minute thing, if we do this it is going to be a long and hard process, for my warriors and for you."
"What's in it for us?" the fourth man asked as he landed and crossed his arms frowning.
Shin expected as much from him. "Life." Shin replied looking over at the large bald Sai-jin. "In exchange for helping train the Humans I can arrange your ressurections."