Chapter 14: Declaration of War
I'm pretty sure I said I'd be away on Sunday, so here's chapter 14 ahead of schedule—I was going to write this for Wednesday, but it didn't take nearly as long as I thought. It is a bit shorter than usual, but that's not due to me being rushed—I just stopped writing at the natural chapter-end-thingy-place.
The Ginyu Force charged into battle, Jeice swinging for Tien, who blocked his first punch. Burter ran right between Gohan and Yamcha, bowling them over, and Recoome leapt at Zarbon, who gritted his teeth. Concentrating hard, he activated his transformation, his muscles bulging out as his skin became hard and scaly and his face monstrous and reptilian. Zarbon launched a vicious elbow strike at Recoome's face, but the giant soldier took it without flinching, kicking Zarbon into the air and sending him flying away.
Jeice kept up the pressure on Tien, throwing a series of rapid punches and kicks. Tien retreated, blocking and dodging with expert precision. Jeice overbalanced, staggering past Tien, who hammered him away with both fists, sending the red-skinned warrior skidding along the floor in a clod of dust. Tien ran the other way, towards Vegeta. Jeice jumped to his feet, pursuing. Tien ground to a halt, Vegeta in front, Jeice behind. Vegeta was already preparing for battle. Whoever I go for… Tien thought, the other will attack me from behind…
Burter stopped on the other side of his opponents, as they climbed to their feet.
"Wow, this guy's fast," Yamcha moaned.
"That's right!" Burter grinned. "I'm the fastest being in the universe!"
"Ah, haha, no." Yamcha shook his head.
"W-what?"
"Well, Vegeta over there has a much larger ki than you—and Tien's about equal to you now, and he can increase his energy with the Kaioken technique. A greater ki boosts your speed—there's no way you can be as fast as them with that kind of power."
"S-shut up!" Burter spluttered. "Prepare to die!"
"Oh, here we go…" Yamcha grimaced. "Gohan, watch yourself!" He pushed the kid out of the way as Burter came around for another high-speed rush, knocking Yamcha to the floor. Gohan spun around, firing an energy beam at Burter's speeding form. Burter darted to the side, Gohan's blast detonating on a cliff behind him as he continued his charge, smashing into Gohan and launching him into the air.
Zarbon landed on his feet, spinning to face his motionless opponent. Recoome grinned. "So, Zarbon, you think you're really something, huh? Frieza's right-hand man!" He began to walk slowly towards Zarbon. "Well, I was serving long before you were—and you're just small fry to me!"
"Hrr…" Zarbon growled. "We'll see!" He jumped forwards, charging an energy bolt between his hands. Recoome's fist swung at him, and Zarbon twisted to the side, catching Recoome's arm and vaulting over it. Bringing his arm back around, Zarbon shoved the charged energy into Recoome's face, detonating it and staggering the towering fighter back. But Recoome just righted himself, resuming his grin—albeit minus a few teeth. "Nice try, bud!" Zarbon kicked at Recoome, who blocked with his forearm, his other fist crashing into Zarbon's face and sending him tumbling backwards.
Tien glanced back and forth, and was about to make his choice when an energy blast took Jeice off his feet. Tien and Vegeta swung around to see a tall Namekian warrior in a black jacket, standing with one smoking hand extended. "Nail!" Tien grinned. "You're here to help us? That's great!"
Nail smiled. "Guru sensed the saiyan's arrival, and sent me to warn you." He shot a glance at Vegeta. "It seems I'm too late, but I can still help out here."
"Thanks!" Tien turned away from Nail. "I've got Vegeta—can you handle the red one?"
"If you say so." Nail shot off towards Jeice, who was just standing up.
Vegeta nodded to the Earth's most powerful human. "Time for round two, Earthman." Tien frowned, feeling his ki rising. "Haaaah…Kaioken times five!" The times-five increase was much easier now that Guru had unlocked his power. He kicked at Vegeta, who vanished, appearing behind him. Tien turned as fast as he could to block Vegeta's first strike, but it was a feint, and the real punch got past his guard, knocking him back. Wiping blood from his nose, Tien raised his guard again as Vegeta pressed his advantage.
"So, you work for Frieza? Figures." Tien ducked under another swing from the saiyan's arm, launching a quick counter-attack that Vegeta batted away.
"Hah! Not for long, I won't." The prince ducked under another swing, then launched a barrage of punches that Tien struggled to dodge. He jumped above Vegeta, flying towards him with both feet extended, and Vegeta grabbed a leg in each hand, throwing Tien to the ground.
He jumped up and away, firing an energy wave volley which impacted Tien as he tried to stand, flooring him again. Vegeta fired one final, larger blast, but Tien shimmered and the beam went right through his afterimage. Vegeta turned to see Tien flying at him from the side, and the battle resumed, close-ranged punches flying at high speed, each flawlessly blocked, countered and returned.
Burter ran up to Gohan's prone body, preparing to kick him while he was down, but stopped short when he heard the cry: "Spirit Ball!" Burter saw Yamcha's energy sphere just in time, jumping away to avoid it, but to his surprise it turned with Yamcha's directions and followed him. Yamcha gestured left and right as Burter fled the attack, and while it couldn't keep up with him, it was fast enough that he couldn't stop running. Banking left, Burter made straight for Yamcha. "If I take you out, you can't maintain that attack!" Yamcha left the Spirit Ball just enough energy to continue in a straight line, then stopped controlling it and placed his hands together at his side. "Kamehame…HA!" A bright blue beam of energy shot out towards his oncoming opponent. Burter grinned as his scouter beeped. "Is that all? That kind of power isn't even a challenge!" He skidded to a halt, backhanding the beam away.
"Actually, I just wanted to slow you down!" Yamcha gloated.
"Huh?" Burter remained oblivious until the Spirit Ball hit him in the back, knocking him over.
Jeice opened with a quick uppercut which Nail sidestepped, smashing into Jeice's side with his elbow. Jeice jumped away, grimacing in pain, but managed to block Nail's next punch, kicking up into the Namekian's face and following up with a knee to the stomach. "How'd ya like that, greenie?"
Nail somersaulted away, remaining silent. They faced off for a few seconds, then without warning, Nail darted forwards, making to punch Jeice, but at the last moment opening his hand and blasting out a massive energy wave. Jeice was flung away, landing on his back as Nail leapt towards him.
Zarbon charged back into the fray, grimly determined to survive the battle. "You're powerful, I'll give you that…but there's no way I'm giving up this soon. Nothing will stand between me and my wish!" He fired a two-handed energy blast into the ground, propelling himself up and out of the way of Recoome's wild attack. He landed behind Recoome, who spun around and gripped Zarbon's shoulders, trying to crush the bone under his hands. Zarbon grunted with pain, but smiled. "Hey…did you forget about that blast just now? You think it was just to dodge?" He raised one hand into the air, and on cue his energy beam burst out of the ground under Recoome's feet, engulfing him. Zarbon rolled away as the hold was released, struggling to his feet as Recoome strode out of the explosion, armour smashed and torn, but with only minor burns to his body, and of course still grinning. "Heh…you're more fun than I expected."
"Damn!" Zarbon clenched his fists. "Can nothing kill this brute?"
Vegeta mistimed a block, and Tien landed a solid punch to his face. Tien followed up with a kick to Vegeta's abdomen, but his next punch swung through empty air. Vegeta darted around, kicking him in the small of the back, and grabbing both Tien's wrists, pushing against him as Tien tried to push through Vegeta's hold and punch him again. "Damn you…Earthling…" Vegeta hissed. "I am from a race of the galaxy's finest warriors…not only that, I am the prince—the highest of the elites! Where are you finding the strength to oppose me?!"
"If you must know…" Tien grunted, his blood-red aura flaring around him, "I do a lot of sit-ups and push ups—and drink plenty of juice!"
"Juice? Juice?!" Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "To hell with your juice! You can't sustain this technique forever, whereas this is my natural strength! If we keep this up, you'll quickly be worn down!"
"Think so?" Tien grinned. "If you weren't so focused on boasting about your power, you'd have noticed me, slowly positioning my hands like this…" while pushing against Vegeta, he'd moved his hands into forming a triangle with his fingers.
"Wait…"
"TRI-BEAM, HAA!" A burst of yellow light exploded outwards, hurling Vegeta away. Tien knew he only had a few seconds to act before Vegeta got back up. Jeice and Nail were trading blows, Burter was back on his feet and was dodging Yamcha and Gohan's attacks with ease, and Recoome was slowly advancing towards Zarbon, brushing his energy blasts off like they were nothing. Tien flickered and vanished, relaxing his Kaioken down to a three times boost—he'd need to save energy for Vegeta.
Burter raised his hand to punch Yamcha again—his already-scarred face was bloodied from the beating he'd received—when Tien appeared in front of him, kicking him in the chin. Burter's head snapped back with a vicious crack, and he toppled backwards, falling to the floor. "Woah—I think you killed him!" Yamcha exclaimed. "But, uh, thanks."
Tien put the guilt aside. He didn't have time now. "I guess I don't know how to control my new power yet. Got to go." Recoome had his hands around Zarbon's neck, and was squeezing the life from their unlikely ally. Tien flew over at full speed, slamming his forearm into Recoome's ribs, feeling the bones buckle and give way. Recoome wheezed, dropped Zarbon and collapsed. Tien sped off, seeing Vegeta start to recover and knowing he was almost out of time.
Nail dodged a punch from Jeice and kicked him into the air. Tien appeared next to Jeice as he flew upwards, hitting the last Ginyu Force member's shoulder with the edge of his hand, shattering his arm and causing him to pass out from the shock.
Tien landed in front of Vegeta, his aura flaring up again as he powered up to Kaioken times five. "Well, here we are again."
"Just die! Just stop breathing already!" Vegeta roared, hurling himself at Tien and staggering the three-eyed human back with a furious combination of vicious attacks. Tien jumped away, preparing to launch his counterattack when he felt a large power level approaching. He could see Vegeta, and the others arrayed behind him (including Zarbon, who was wearing the scouter he'd taken from Jeice's body), had noticed it too. "Huh? Who could that be…" He let the Kaioken fade out, preferring to conserve his energy—the technique was still very draining, even with his new strength.
"I think I know…" Vegeta grimaced. "Three powers, each greater than Captain Ginyu's…Cooler's Armoured Squadron."
"Uh…who's what?" Yamcha raised an eyebrow. Gohan didn't have anything to add, but inside was trembling at the thought of yet more strong enemies.
"What? First the Ginyu Force and now this…" Zarbon groaned. "They were supposed to fight each other, not all get in my way!"
"Ah, so that was the grand plan." Vegeta smiled. "Set Frieza and his brother against each other. Not bad. Of course, my plan is far worthier of a true warrior!" He indicated his assembled enemies. "I was counting on whoever I came across on this planet to give me a good challenge, and so far you haven't disappointed—though I just wish it didn't have to be an Earthling…" his disgust was clear in his voice (his prejudice against humans mainly due to his failed assault on their home planet). "But I've already pushed my strength well beyond what we thought was the limit for saiyans. If I can come back from the brink of death just once more…I'll become powerful enough to tear Frieza into pieces! I shall be the legend…the Super Saiyan!" He grinned, imagining himself destroying the tyrant Frieza—and his brother too, he supposed, while he was at it. "All I have to do is fight, and recover from, a hard battle before Frieza becomes immortal. And with your motley crew—" he indicated Tien, Yamcha, Gohan, Nail and Zarbon, "—and the armoured squadron together in one place, that shouldn't be too—" An energy beam cut him off, detonating in his face and knocking the saiyan prince to the ground.
The Armoured Squadron descended, their leader-the blue-skinned, blonde-haired Salza, decked out in his brightly-coloured body armour-smirking as Vegeta fell. "The moron…all he ever does is talk." The three soldiers of Cooler advanced. "Who's next?"
Q: I foresee a truce between Cooler and Frieza to take on Goku Raditz and Vegeta. Vegeta dies, Raditz becomes a Super Saiyan as does Goku possibly from a mutual cause such as Gohan, Krillin and possibly Tien dieing, Raditz fights Frieza and Goku takes on Cooler. alternately I also foresee due to Vegeta's training that he and Goku become Super Saiyans via pride and honor of his race and something else(possibly a comment from Frieza) and Goku's reason death of Raditz. I can't see all three of them becoming Super Saiyans on Namek.
A: One or more of those things may or may not happen. Vagueness!
Q: Vegeta as the leader of the Ginyu Force is...interesting. It was definitely unexpected! I'm surprised to see Frieza treating him with (relative) deference; after all, Frieza hates the Saiyans. But I suppose that having so much power really helps. What is this planet with 100x Earth's gravity? I must say, I did not expect to hear that Vegeta had been able to train in higher gravity - very nice twist.
A: I think it is due to Frieza's vastly greater power. He really doesn't care that much what position Vegeta has—from his point of view, it won't last. Frieza will. (Spoiler: He might not.)
Q: Vegeta taking over the ginyu force is a brilliant twist. I'm very excited to see what Tien is capable of now that he's been powered up.
A: Well, hopefully this chapter's helped, though he'll stay in the limelight until Goku and Raditz arrive.
Q: Okay here's who should be Raditz "GIRL" either Launch or Zangya. Zangya could come after the frieza saga during the training of the android saga. But of coarse it could be someone because your the author, but just giving you options, but i would like you to have Zangya Raditz's GIRL
A: I've already addressed the Launch questions, but I should remind you that Zangya was sealed away and set loose by Cell's self-destruction and King Kai's planet being blown up—Bojack Unbound 'happened' right after the android/Cell saga. And I'm not sure if I'm going to put Bojack and his gang in this story. There are a couple of movie characters (besides Cooler et al) who will be in this, but I'll say no more on that for now.
Q: Man why is gohan so weak on the namek saga? even if it's cannon it almost seems amazing how much he improved after a while. Awesome chapter, like always, the new role you gave vegeta is pretty great but how are you going to get someone injured enough to use the healing tank and be a match against frieza? i would also like to point that saiyans seem to get bigger zenkais when they try new healing methods (vegeta with senzu bean and goku with healing chamber) so you could use that. also, you better give an explanation about a planet with 100 times earth's gravity because that would make a lot of frieza's henchmen waaaay stronger, maybe you could say the buildings frieza built have normal gravity and vegeta trained on the planet's surface. anyway keep going
ps: Salza and the others are around 1 million according to a magazine (i think)
A: Well, Gohan's calm power went from 1000 on Earth to 1500 on Namek, then almost ten times that (14,000) after Guru's power-up…of course, he still had trouble with the Ginyu Force. So I'm not sure what you mean by him being weak. He got angry and kicked Dodoria through a wall while still at "1500", so he definitely still has a lot of hidden potential.
Good point about the planet with 100x gravity, but I know how I'll address that later. As for fighting Frieza, wait and see.
Finally, I've seen scans placing the Armoured Squadron all between 150,000 and 200,000.