The Arena wasn't a small structure by any means. Large didn't even come close to fitting. Enormous even seemed understated. From the north wall to the south was five miles. It was four miles from the east wall to the west. And the entire thing stood three hundred feet tall. The Battle Pit, the portion of the Arena where the fights would occur, took up the middle of the structure. Four miles long, north to south, and three miles wide, east to west, leaving a mile wide ring around it.
The stands stretched up steeply starting a hundred feet above the ground and going up the full two hundred to the top. The massive ammount of space under and behind the stands was reserved for other needed things. Bathrooms, concession stands, security posts, hallways, gift shops, and even games to entertain spectators before, between, and after the day's fights. And, of course, the building's systems. Air conditioning, power cables, relay units for the cameras, security cameras, and power monitors that constantly scanned the halls for anything unusual.
Unusual consisted of building or fluctuating Ki from an individual, lack of Ki from an individual, specific waveform signatures, and unknown energy patterns. Building or fluxing energy could denote either a coming attack or an agitated or highly nervous individual. Lack of Ki would most likely mean a machine which could house all kinds of dangers, including bombs that could cause major damage to the building and possibly kill a lot of the civilians present.
As for specific waveform signatures, there were still several dozen known dissidents within the Sai-jin population alone. Not to mention the hundreds that existed on other planets. Their waveform signatures, the distinct pattern of their Ki output, had been plugged into the system's databanks. If they entered the building they'd be recognized by their energy patterns and security would descend on them in seconds.
The system was even able to read more than just Ki energy. Nearly a hundred different energy types had been programmed into the system. In most cases it couldn't read any kind of level from these energies, just detect their presence, but for a few it was possible to read amounts. Transal energy, Compaq waves, Optigyd energy, Univar energy, Anatoma waves, and even Proton waves, the energy that Mijima and Gainin possessed. All thanks to hundreds of hours spent by Bulma pouring over a computer terminal over the last seven years.
All of this information was fed into the Control Box which was located in the middle of the North Wall right below the stands. It had windows looking out into the Battle Pit so those on duty could watch the fights to. If it weren't for Vadora being in the tournament she'd be one of those on duty in the Box. However, with her participating in the fights that left the head of Arena Security, Mellona, in charge.
Right now Mellona was staring at three readings she didn't particularly care for. One was a Transal energy reading of about fifty though slowly increasing. It was originating from the space down below where the Erido generators were located. She'd sent a team to investigate but they'd reported finding nothing. Her best guess was that whatever was causing the Transal energy to appear was what had been draining the energy from the generators previously.
The other two readings were far more disconcerting. The one was a waveform signature recognition match for an alien named Mazda. A man who was very outspoken about not wanting his world, Sedana, to join the Sennari. He, like a number of people formally under the rule of Frieza, Cold, or Cooler, distrusted the large and sprawling Sai-jin Empire and believed the Sennari was merely a ploy to have the races lower their defenses so the Sai-jins could take the galaxy in one quick swoop without resistance.
Mazda hadn't done anything drastic, yet. Simply kept spouting his speeches of remaining independent from street corners and rooftops to anyone who would listen. Just to be safe, though, Mellona had dispatched an undercover security guard to keep an eye on him. If he did anything suspicious, or went somewhere he shouldn't, the guard would detain him.
The third reading was, by far, the most troubling. It wasn't exactly a waveform signature match, but at the same time it was. The system could identify the race of a person by their waveform signature so long as five or so members of their race had previously been entered into the database. The larger the compilation of energies the better the chance of an accurate reading. Mellona was hoping this one wasn't accurate. Otherwise, there was a Changeling in the Arena.
Sighing deeply she looked over to the tracking system screen. She'd sent a guard out to investigate this as well. The power reading was small, only two hundred, but Changelings knew Ki suppression so there was no telling just how powerful this one could be. The Changelings were one race in the galaxy that the Sai-jins and the forming Sennari hadn't bothered to contact. Beyond not knowing what reception they'd receive from the Changelings themselves they knew that the Sennari would get no where fast if it was associated with them.
Her investigating guard was nearing the Changeling's location now. It had apparently taken a seat in the stands, about three rows back from the front and directly over the V.I.P. Box that sat in the middle of the South Wall. The alien's location made her even more nervous. The Queen and her friends were in the V.I.P. Box.
"Mellona, do you read?" came a male voice through the scouter she wore.
"Yeah, I'm here Rapin." she said, leaning back into her chair. "Do you have a visual?"
"I have a visual but negative confirmation. The person is covered, heavily."
"Covered?"
"White cloak, hood pulled up, and some sort of reflective face mask, I think." came the reply. "I can't get the best of looks."
Mellona sighed. "What about basic physicals?"
"Subject did stand a moment ago, to let another spectator down the aisle. I'd say about four foot three. The cloak was flat so I don't think there was a tail, at least not a Changeling one. I can't really get a feel for the build, I don't know what's fabric and what's person."
Mellona pursed her lips. "Changeling females don't have tails, their physiology is considerably different than that of the males, more so than any other race." she said thoughtfully. "It could still just be an error but I'd feel better knowing for sure."
"Suggestions?" Rapin asked. Mellona heard a faint hint of fear in his voice. She didn't really blame him. He'd encountered Frieza once on another planet and, while not being injured himself, had witnessed the tyrant decimate an entire troop of Super Elites, ten people with powers over two hundred thousand each, without even so much as moving.
"Keep an eye on them. I'm going to check into this myself." she said before receiving a relieved confirmation of orders. She then differed command in the Box to her second in command and made her way out of the room. During this exchange there was a sharp, millisecond long, spike to the Transal reading down by the generator room from fifty to three hundred. But just as quickly as it appeared it was gone, and it went unnoticed by the preoccupied security personnel.
Meanwhile, in the V.I.P. Box beneath Rapin and the suspected Changeling, Bulma was sitting in one of the many soft plush chairs that could be found there. They were a stark contrast to the hard super plastic chairs that made up the bulk of the arena seating. Even the cushioned chairs that comprised the lowest five rows weren't as comfortable.
While the others were all in their normal street clothes Bulma wasn't. One of the pitfalls of being royalty, you had to be dressed up for functions like this. She had on a light blue one-piece body suit, much looser than those worn by everyone else in the Arena as it was a dress type and not for combat.
Over the body suit she had on her formal armor. It was purple with red trim to it and a sea green abdominal pad. This armor didn't have shoulder straps or even the padded fins of normal battle armors but solid armor fins that flared out to give her arms room to move. Finishing off her look she also had a pair of golden hoop earrings in. It wasn't the most comfortable of outfits but there wasn't much she could do about that.
The Queen wasn't the only one taking advantage of the room's comfortable chairs. Marron had lain down on hers and was currently sleeping. Roshi had picked out one near the window into the Battle Pit and was currently observing the crowd through a pair of binoculars, no doubt looking for the Nudians he'd heard where in the stands, since their race never wore clothes. Hercule was sitting directly to her left watching a small hand held screen turned to one of Planet Vegeta's local TV stations.
The Ox King had to have a chair brought in for him, none of the normal ones were large enough, but was now sitting two seats over on Bulma's right. Between them sat Chi-Chi. The entire non competing collection of friends, minus Chaotzu, who hadn't been feeling well. The group would grow as the day passed, the others would be coming to join them in the V.I.P. Box as they lost their fights. Or won them, even. Since only the first round of matches was to be held today the fighters were free to leave if they wished after their fight ended.
"Still an hour and a half before the first match." Bulma said, glancing up at the clock on the wall. Turning to look over to her friend she saw the woman fiddling with the metallic bracelet she wore. It was the only thing that kept the woman from being crushed by the gravity. Hercule, Ox King, Roshi, and Marron all had one of the devices on as well. Bulma hadn't had need of them for almost six years. "Having problems with it?" she asked.
"Huh? Oh, no, it's fine." Chi-Chi said. "I'm just not used to it yet."
"Don't worry, before long you'll forget it's even there." she said. Of those wearing them Chi-Chi's was set the second lowest. Both Marron and Ox King were sent to 10, completely negating the planet's gravity to Earth levels. Chi-Chi's was at 8, a setting she'd put it to herself after fidgeting with it for a few hours shortly after arriving. She insisted it was fine that way, though she'd been a bit sluggish at first. The purple haired woman suspected her friend had done it to make up for the fact she'd be missing her morning exercises during the stay at the palace.
As for Roshi. Roshi's was set to three, last Bulma saw. She wasn't sure what it was at now, he kept changing it. He'd started with it off, had turned it up to five a few hours later, and then down to two, up to five again, then down to three. She figured he didn't want to admit that she could take the gravity while he couldn't, even if she was stronger than him these days.
Which she still had trouble processing. She hadn't expected the gravity to have such an effect on her but not only was she completely adapted to it now but she was exceptionally more powerful than she had been when she'd first started getting used to it. Tangerie and Mango had only intended to get her up to basic flying strength but that training, coupled with the gravity and her own workout routine, had pushed her power up considerably. Enough now that she was noticeably stronger than the aged Master. Though her skill in a fight was barely passable.
Her musings were broken a moment later as the com station by the door beeped. Wondering who could be trying to contact them and why she made her wave over to the station. "Bulma here."
"Queen Bulma, it's Mellona. Is everything ok there?"
Bulma narrowed her eyes slightly. Mellona's voice had a hint of worry in it. "Everything's fine, why?"
"Well... I don't mean to worry you ma'am but... it is possible there is a Changeling almost directly above you." the Sai-jin said. "We got a waveform signature match for the race but have yet to make visual confirmation. It could be nothing but... has your security shown up yet?"
"No, they haven't... which is odd, they're usually where I'm going before I get there."
"Yaam and Kurat were the ones assigned, correct?"
"Yes."
"Alright, I'll put a check in and see if I can find them." Mellona said. She'd covered most of the more than five miles from the Control Box to Rapin's location thanks to the Turbo Runners, little lifts that ran up, down, left, and right, and at rather good speeds. As the Runner she was riding slowed to make a turn around the corner into the south section of the arena she cued into the com network and contacted the duty officer on shift in the Palace.
"Rowan, palace operations." came the bored female voiced greeting.
"This is Mellona, head of Arena security." Mellona said quickly, wishing the Runner was faster. "Do you have a position on Yaam and Kurat? They should be guarding the Queen in the V.I.P. Box but she's not seen them."
"One moment please." came the reply. Mellona knew what the other woman was doing, she was accessing the GPS in the scouters of the two Sai-jins in question. "Hmm, this is odd..."
"What is it?" Mellona asked, a sinking feeling starting to form in the pit of her stomach.
"I'm not getting a signal from either soldier." Rowan said. "Hold on, I'll check the records." There was silence again for several moments and, by the time the voice came back, the Runner had stopped and Mellona was moving down the hall toward Rapin. "Records show them last down in the N4SC6 corridor heading toward the staff cafeteria."
"Understood." Mellona said quickly cutting that link and patching in to the guard she had posted in that area. "This is Commander Mellona, go check the staff cafeteria for Yaam and Kurat." she ordered, cutting off the opening response from the guard. "If you find them, tell them to get their asses to the V.I.P. Box, now, before I skin them. Let me know after you check the room out."
"Yes Ma'am."
By now she was only a few steps behind Rapin. Walking up to him she looked out into the stands. With an hour and fifteen minutes to go still they weren't very full yet and it was easy to spy the snow white cloak in the seats. "That our possible?"
"Yeah." Rapin said with a nod.
"Alright, you stay put." she said walking off. She steeled her nerves as she neared the other and took a deep breath as she turned down that aisle. The person in question turned to look at her as she neared. They did indeed have a mirrored face mask on hiding their face. They also had a good ammount of clothing on too, everything was covered by, at least, one layer, sometimes two or three. "Excuse me, could you come with me please?" she asked, managing to keep her voice even and free of the nervousness she felt.
"Is there something wrong?" a muffled voice asked. It was clearly female and, even through the distortion of the mask, had a sweet and silky quality too it. The kind of voice you'd expect of a famous movie star or singer or something. That voice calmed Mellona a bit, it certainly didn't sound like a threatening or dangerous voice.
"Just come with me please." she pressed.
The figure remained motionless for a moment before standing and bowing slightly to her to show compliance. She lead the white clothed woman back down the aisle and then up to and passed where Rapin stood, the other Sai-jin falling into line behind the two women without a word. It was only a few minutes walk to the closest security room and Mellona locked the door behind her. The three of them were now perfectly clear of being watched or overheard.
"I'd like to apologize first." Mellona said. "But our scanners picked up something we need to look into. Could you remove your mask please."
There was a tense moment of silence as no one moved or spoke. The two Sai-jins were both still on edge and quite nervous. Then, finally, the cloaked woman sighed. "I should have guessed this guise wouldn't work. You guys are really on the ball here." she said as she reached up. She moved the hood of the cloak back first and then took hold of the bottom of the mirrored face mask and lifted it up and off giving the two Sai-jins a clear look at her.
Rapin's heart leapt up into his throat and he swallowed, trying to force it down. Mellona visibly tensed, the sinking feeling in her stomach getting worse. The heavily cloaked woman was, clearly, a Changeling. She had strips of deep purple skin that ran from directly below her eyes all the way down her face, her neck, and then down under the cloak she wore. Her skin elsewhere was white, as pale white as Frieza had been in his fourth form, and that of the cloak she wore.
Atop her head was the glistening glass like plate that shielded the crown of a Changeling's head. While Frieza's had been purple, and Cooler's blue, hers was a bright red. Mellona also noted the stubs of horns on the sides of her head. The almost horizontal protrusions that should have been there were not, the black projections ended shortly after exiting her head. The ends were smoothed over, filed into neat perfection, but there were still the tell-tale scars on the bone indicating that the horns had been broken off.
She also noted something quite unexpected in the woman's black eyes. A tinge of fear. It caught the Sai-jin woman off guard for a moment, as did the Changeling's next words. "You don't need to be afraid of me." she said simply. "I mean neither you, nor your efforts here, any harm."
"Why are you here then?" Mellona asked, her voice catching a bit.
"Looking for someone." she said after a moment. "Another Changeling, one we only learned about ourselves only two years ago."
"What?" Rapin asked.
The woman was about to begin her explanation when Mellona raised her hand to silence her. The guard she'd sent to locate Bulma's guards was contacting her. "Did you find them?"
"Yes ma'am. But..."
"But what?" Mellona asked, her eyes going to the Changeling before her.
"They're dead, ma'am. Ki blasts through the chest. Them and the entire staff in the cafeteria."
Mellona closed her eyes. "How many?"
"Thirteen."
"Understood. Return to your post and keep your eyes open."
"Yes ma'am."
Mellona thumbed her scouter's controls and changed frequencies. "General Kele, it's Mellona, head of Arena Security. We have a breech."
"Come again?" came the gruff voice of the head of Palace Security, disbelief in his voice.
"I don't have time to explain. I want the first through third divisions down here as back-up security ASAP and I want you guarding the Queen... her assigned guards are already dead."
"By the Kais." Kele said in shock. "I'm on it ma'am, we'll be there in ten minutes."
"Understood." Mellona said, ending that transmission. She then turned to the other Sai-jin. "Rapin, I want you to guard the Queen until Kele arrives."
"On it Commander." he said bowing quickly and then leaving.
Mellona then turned her eyes back to the Changeling. Reaching up she thumbed her scouter again. "Yes, is this Fighter Control? Good. I need you to find the King, tell him there's a code Blue Alpha 7 and he can find me in Security Room S9."