As those in Otherworld were getting ready to watch Appla and Olibu's match Vegeta was making his way out into the battle pit with his father, Hotaru, Piccolo, and Nova. He had decided that now was as good a time as any to deal with the whole Changeling issue. Perhaps the best time as most of the people in the galaxy were currently watching the arena.
As the audience noticed the group flying out, the four faces of the Sennari and the female Changeling who now wore no disguise, a sudden silence fell over them. They knew that, at last, they would be getting the information they had been calling for since the end of the previous day's matches.
The five of them flew out to the middle of the battle pit and landed, the arena's cameras following them closely and the powerful microphones trained on them to pick up anything they said. "Many of you have expressed... concerns about Nova's presence here, and the reasons for it." Vegeta began. "Until now we have been unable to release the information as we were still tying up a few points.
"Yes, Nova is... or I guess I should say, was... related to the Cold Family. Like in our own past, when Cantala resisted Rasbara, her branch of the family has resisted first Blizard's line and then Frigid's. She was a member of a resistance group within the Changeling population, though she did not work actively until Cold's death on Earth. Since then her group has taken control of the former Cold Empire to fill the void their demise has created, with her at the head.
"She and her people have spent the last seven years rebuilding themselves and establishing a new order within their people. Then, a few years ago, Nova learned that there was one more member of the Cold Family left. One who sought to continue that Empire. Kuriiza was one of the reasons she came here, to see me. To warn us that he was out to cause problems with the Sennari so that rebuilding his family's empire would be easier."
Vegeta turned where he stood, his eyes gazing over what he could see of the distant crowds. The individual people nothing more than specks at this distance. "Other than this she came to offer us assurances that she and her people would not be causing us trouble. The Changelings that were not with the Cold Family suffered as much, if not more, than the rest of us."
The Sai-jin royal paused as a murmur built up in the crowd. He'd expected that. People didn't like it when they were told their blind and blanket hatred was misplaced. "Yes, you heard me right. The Cold Family viewed other Changelings as their greatest threat, not some outside race. They were arrogant enough to believe that only beings such as themselves could rival them in power. So those Changelings that opposed them were dealt with more severely than other races.
"Even those who did not outright oppose the Changelings, or who worked directly for the Cold Family, were oppressed and monitored closely. And so they, just like us, are recovering. Rebuilding. And they wish to rebuild more than just their own people. They wish to rebuild their ties with the other races of the galaxy on more equal and cooperative footing."
Again the noise of the crowd built but this time Vegeta did not wait for it to die on its own. He raised his right arm, his hand closed into a fist, and the Sai-jins in the crowd instantly went silent. A few glares from them soon silenced the others in the crowd as well. "I believe they deserve the chance, and they know it will take time and effort." he paused for a moment and then glanced over to Nova. "And now I shall let her address you herself."
Nova nodded to Vegeta and then gazed around her at the crowd. She could already hear the restless murmurs building. "As King Vegeta has said..." she began. "I am Nova, current Queen of the Changelings. I have taken up the mantle of ruler of the Changelings to prevent senseless in-fighting and violence in bids to claim the throne. I, and my people, do apologize for the suffering caused by the Cold Family...."
She trailed off there and glanced at Vegeta and the others as the noise in the stands had built rapidly while she'd talked. It was now next to impossible for even those standing with her to hear her. Piccolo scowled and raised an arm firing a blast of energy into the air. It rose about two hundred feet and then exploded in a bright flash of white and a thunderous crack that shook the entire stadium.
The crowd went almost completely silent in seconds. "You can complain all you want to later." the Namek growled. "But right now keep your mouths shut and listen." At this the murmurs that had remained died down to levels even the Namek's ears couldn't pick up.
Nova gave him a small nod and slight smirk and then returned to her speech. "I understand that you do not trust my race. I hope, in time, those wounds can be healed and our races can live together in friendship." she paused again and took a deep breath. "But I have come here with more than just kind words and hopes for the future. I have come to set up a process with the Sennari. A process to return those worlds stolen by the Cold Family to their rightful people."
The noise exploded around them much louder than ever before. Not even the matches had earned a volume of noise this great. This time Piccolo and Vegeta let them go, let them talk. They all understood exactly what conversations were now occurring. Displaced races were discussing the prospects of returning home, something they never could have dreamed of just a decade ago. Meanwhile races that had come to inhabit those worlds were discussing what would happen to them when the original owners returned to reclaim them.
As happy and excited as some were others were distressed and worried. The matter would be cleared up shortly but it was best to give them time to absorb the situation first, before going on. It was a good ten minutes before the volume began to subside enough the five in the battle pit could hear themselves thinking again. Noticing the settling of the crowds Vegeta raised his arm and closed fist again and brought them down to a low murmur.
Knowing she wouldn't get complete silence Nova decided to continue over the current talking and whispering. "Those of you who have taken up residence on worlds taken by the Cold Family will not simply be thrown out." she said. "This will be a long process that will take decades, perhaps even centuries, to complete... but I am intent on seeing it through to the end. Working together with the Sennari we will review each race and each planet's situation on a case by case basis."
Her eyes roamed over the crowds and she noticed that the noise had faded almost completely now. "Many of the taken worlds are uninhabited now, formally used by the Cold Family as military outposts and abandon now by our people. They will simply be returned and aid will be given to reestablishing the cities of those worlds. For those worlds now occupied by another race we will hold discussions between the original inhabitants and the current."
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, collecting her thoughts. This here could easily be a stumbling point but she believed she and the others had come up with the best solution. "The Sennari and Changeling nation will together arbitrate the meetings between these races. We will see first if co-habitation between the races is possible. Failing that we will attempt to work out another solution acceptable to both races. But...."
She trailed off. Part of her wished Vegeta was giving this portion of the speech but the effort was being spear-headed by the Changelings which meant it was her proposal to make. "But in the cases of an impass in the matter.... The original inhabitants hold the rights of the planet. We WILL do our best to come to a peaceful and equally fair outcome for all but that may not always be possible.
"There are many worlds that are both abandoned and whose original inhabitants are no long around, destroyed by the Cold Family. These worlds will be used for those displaced by this process. I know it is a lot to ask, to have entire civilizations pick up and move to a new world. We will do what we can to make this as smooth and comfortable as possible, and to avoid having to uproot races from worlds they have lived on for decades, or even centuries. But concessions will have to be made and favor will always go to the original inhabitants...."
Nova stopped as the crowds erupted again. She could pick out some panicked cries but they were few in number. For the most part the noise was cheers and applause. Behind her Vegeta smirked as he looked around. Who would have thought, just a week ago, that a Changeling could stand on Planet Vegeta and get cheers from a crowd like this.
And, as he looked closer, he realized she wasn't just getting cheers, just getting applause. People were starting to stand up. Never would he have dreamed that a Changeling would recieve a standing ovation on Planet Vegeta. It was a good sign, a very good sign.
The issue would be with worlds that didn't want to concede to the original inhabitants at all. Ones that would go so far as to pull from the Sennari so that the galactic government had no power over them, no saying in the course of their world. Strong arming those worlds and forcing them to cooperate just wouldn't be viable. Hopefully the races that had wanted to return to those worlds would be content with remaining where they were, or moving to one of the abandoned planets.
He knew that the Tanarians were already in debate about what they would do. Hotaru had spoken to those on the planet and contacted the Tanarian council still back on her world about the issue. They had learned earlier that morning that their original world was now the home of another race, one that had moved in a few years after they'd fled, upon purchasing the planet from Frieza, along with a fifty year 'security contract' that said Frieza wouldn't attack them to remove them from the planet as he had done with the Tanarians.
He hoped most races would be as easy to work with as Hotaru's. The people were already leaning to not even going back to their original world. Many of them wanted to, older generations wanted to go to where they were born and to show their children their home while younger generations wanted to see where they had come from. But they did not want to displace another race for their own ends. A race that had done nothing to them beyond buy their world, after it was already cleared, because their own world was dying.
What had struck Vegeta as most impressive was that it was Sakura, the ten year old princess, that had come up with the current plan being debated. Allow the fifty year contract the race had taken out with Frieza to expire, give them the twenty or so years that remained to find themselves another planet and to prepare for the move, and then reclaim their world. After all, the race had already been planning for a 'worst case scenario' where Frieza came back at the end of the contract.
Vegeta spared the Tanarian queen a glance as he thought back seven years to when his son from the future had come back with Sakura and when he had learned that they were mates. He didn't know if the same course of events would happen in this time-line or not but he hoped some of Sakura's logic and sense of duty would rub off on Trunks before his mother spoiled him too much.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Otherworld, Grand Kai's World, Otherworld Stadium
Bardock and Pikkon stood center ring, each holding the other's right fist in their left hand. A red aura was flashing brightly around Bardock while a blue one pulsed around Pikkon, each warrior trying to break the other's grip and get in a blow while they were off balance. "You've gotten better." Pikkon said, smiling. "Last time you couldn't even keep up with me with the Kaio Ken."
It was true. Seven years ago not even his maximum ability with the Kaio Ken was enough to keep up with the dead alien when the two had fought in the semi-finals, even with the alien still wearing his weights. Bardock hadn't even known that at the time, though. Because of that he'd stayed with just the Kaio Ken, wanting to make the fight interesting, and had ended up losing.
Goku had done better right from the start. His own maximum power with the Kaio Ken hadn't been much below that of Pikkon's weighted power. It had been close enough that the dead alien had elected to remove his weights, much to the shock of the three Sai-jins present, and King Kai. That's when Goku had transformed and they soon learned Pikkon's full power.
He hadn't been as powerful as Perfect Cell but he had been stronger than the highest level of power Cell had used for most of the tournament, including during his fight with Goku. It, coupled with the alien's skill, had been enough to get passed even Goku's skill, and his strategic usage of Relocation, and win the tournament.
But things were different now. Now Bardock was only using a nine-fold Kaio Ken and his power was greater than that of Pikkon while wearing his weights. Bardock smirked. This time would not see a repeat of their first battle. Bardock suddenly leaned back and then rocketed his head forward smashing it into Pikkon's. The blow broke the other warriors grip on the Sai-jins fist and Bardock used it to punch him the face knocking him back as he released his hand.
Pikkon did a couple of flips in the air and then landed with a soft click. Suddenly the green man began to glow blue. Not an aura but actual blue light from his skin. The Sai-jin remembered this move from the last tournament, from when it had been used on Goku. He braced himself and readied for it as the alien called out, "Hyper Flash Attack!"
Just as the blue light began to fade Bardock made his move. Both warriors vanished from the ring and then, and instant later, re-appeared with a loud bang and crash. Dust and debris shot into the air from the ring and rained down on the spectators. "Impressive." the Grand Kai said from where he sat.
"What exactly happened?" Kibito asked.
"I'm not entirely certain how Pikkon's Hyper Flash Attack works." began the Grand Kai. "Somehow he is able to teleport and attack at the same time. But Bardock just use the Yardrat technique of Relocation to intercept him mid attack."
Back in the ring the battle had resumed once again even though the dust cloud had yet to settle. Bardock ducked under a roundhouse from Pikkon and then came up driving a punch for the warrior's lower back. But the Sai-jin's fist caught only his cape as he slipped around the swing and then shoved his elbow back smashing it into his face. The Sai-jin stumbled back a step as Pikkon spun and then slammed an open palm into his chest knocking him back.
He flew out of the dust cloud a couple of feet and was nearing the edge of the ring before he vanished. There was a loud crack a second later and a small shockwave blew apart a section of the settling dust cloud. Bardock had appeared behind Pikkon and attempted a downward punch into the top of his head but the alien had turned and managed to block with his arm.
Bardock quickly pulled back and then spun around snapping out a kick for Pikkon's head but the green man deflected it with his free arm and then slammed his knee into Bardock's stomach. "You may have a slight advantage in power." he said as the Sai-jin pulled to a stop. "But I have more than five thousand years of experience."
The Sai-jin smirked. "I'm only just getting warmed up. Kaio Ken times ten!" There was a burst of red as the Kaio Ken flared up around Bardock again and then the Sai-jin was on the move charging his opponent once more. Pikkon was unprepared for the sudden increase in speed and caught a fist to the face that sent him surging toward the stands.
He was only a few feet away when his body suddenly flashed blue and then he vanished. Almost instantly there was a loud crack and then crash as Bardock slammed into the ring. Pikkon appeared a half second later at the ring's edge facing the stands. He turned to face the downed warrior who was slowly climbing back to his feet. Once he faced him again he brought his arms up and then started going through a set of motions Goku recognized from his fight seven years ago.
"Thunder... Flash...."
"GAH!" West Kai cried as Pikkon's voice rang out. "Not again!"
The Grand Kai shared in the sentiment, especially since Pikkon was facing in their direction. He stood quickly and held out his arms as the dead warrior's voice called out once more. "Attack!" Suddenly flame like energy surged out from Pikkon's outstretched arms and closed fists. Bardock had only just gotten to his feet and barely had time to raise his arms to block.
The attack had only been going for a couple of seconds when a scream began to sound over it. And then, in a bright flash of gold, the alien's attack was shattered. Bardock was panting lightly, a few bits of his armor cracked, as he lowered his arms from deflecting the attack. "Well, that's that." the Grand Kai said as he took his seat again.
Kibito blinked as he stared down into the ring at the Sai-jin. Golden aura pulsing around him and golden hair standing straight up. "This is... unbelievable..." he said slowly. "He is... nearly as powerful as I am."
"It truly is remarkable." Mikomi agreed, just as the Sai-jin vanished. There was a loud crack followed by another a second later as Pikkon slammed into the wall between the stage and the stands which made Bardock the winner.
"Ha!" King Kai cried. "Looks like I've got a new lawn mower!"
"No way!" West Kai countered. "That doesn't count, Pikkon never took off his weighted clothing!"
"It does too count! You never said he had to take it off, just lose, and he lost!" King Kai retorted. "And you kept gloating last time when Pikkon beat Bardock before he could transform. This is no different!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
Elsewhere in the stands Appla stood up with Sora so they could make their way down to meet up with Goku and Bardock again and head out for the day. "Well, looks like it's Goku and Bardock in the finals." she said.
"I didn't really expect otherwise." The Tanarian said as she made her way through the crowd. "Pikkon's only hope of getting that far this year was to take out Bardock before he transformed. Though from what I felt today the Finals should be worth watching."
Appla nodded in agreement. Goku and Bardock were still really close in power. Goku had pulled further ahead, just slightly, in the last seven years. But it still wasn't enough to tip the balance any.