Chapter Seventeen
A slight shudder from his chair brought Goku back awake. He opened his eyes and saw Saiyan armor. For a moment, he was disoriented and thought he was back in the past, fighting against Nappa and Vegeta to save the Earth. He tried to pull back as the gloved hand reached in the chamber towards him, but there was nowhere for him to go.
"Eat this," Vegeta said, pushing something into Goku's mouth.
"A Sensu?" he asked, chewing groggily. Already, he could feel the healing power of the bean flowing through his body, but still felt slightly weak.
"Only half of one," Vegeta answered as he pushed the other half into Gohan's mouth.
Goku noticed his arm and ankle restraints were gone and stood up effortlessly. "Where did you get it?"
"Nossoreg isn't the only one who keeps himself prepared."
Goku watched Trunks work feverishly at the computer controls. "You really had me going there, Vegeta! I really thought you two had betrayed us. Why didn't you let me in on that part of the plan?"
"You're not a very good actor," Vegeta said.
"I guess you're right." Goku looked closely at Vegeta. "I can't tell if you're the real Vegeta or the clone."
"Clones don't talk. Now hurry up, Trunks can't stall for long."
The Goku and Gohan clones waited obediently nearby and they quickly switched clothes with them. Vegeta then ordered the clones into the chambers and set them in place.
"Trunks has locked the transmitters, so the computer will read you're in here, but we don't want to press our luck. Nossoreg isn't a complete idiot. Get the women to safety and get back as soon as you can."
"Right," Goku agreed and Gohan followed him out the door and back up to their rooms.
"We've got a problem, Dad," Trunks said. "The clones don't give off enough energy. They're going to drain too fast and Nossoreg will know something's up!"
Vegeta thought quickly. If his plan was going to work at all, he had to give Goku enough time to get to Korin's and back again. Without a word, he unlatched the clone closest to him and sat in the chair himself.
"Dad! What are you doing? You can't handle the amount the computer was taking from both Goku and Gohan!"
"I'll hold on," he promised his son. "Just do it before I change my mind."
When Goku entered his room, he suddenly found himself flat on the floor. He cleared the stars from his eyes in time to see another chair flying in his direction.
"Chi Chi! It's me!" he shouted. The chair halted just inches from his head and he gulped at the close call.
"Goku? Is it really you? Why are you dressed like that?"
"I don't have time to explain." He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the shared living area where they nearly collided with Gohan and Videl. "Gohan, I'm going to get Bulma."
"Can anyone tell me what's going on?" Chi Chi demanded.
"Later," Goku called back over his shoulder. He entered Bulma's room and stopped short when he saw Vegeta sitting in the chair next to the bed where she was laying. Then he remembered it wasn't really Vegeta.
"Oh good, Goku. This 'thing' was beginning to give me the willies," she said, jerking a thumb at the clone. She struggled to sit up, but Goku didn't give her time. He scooped her up in his arms and ran back to the others.
"Grab hold everybody," Goku said and placed two fingers to his forehead. They disappeared just in time.
Nossoreg entered the door to his prisoners' rooms to inform the women their husbands wouldn't be returning anytime soon. He would've used the intercom, but it was one of the systems taken off line. A minor inconvenience, considering the reason.
He checked the first bedroom and found it empty. Thinking they were just visiting, he checked the second. It was empty as well. A feeling of anxiety started to set in as he headed for the last room. The sole occupant was Vegeta, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Where did they go? Where are the women?" Nossoreg asked. When there was no answer, he fumed with anger. "They were just here a minute ago! Where did they go? Answer me!"
When Vegeta still did not speak, Nossoreg finally figured out what happened. Vegeta had switched clothes with his clone. He pressed a button on his remote control and a panel on the wall slid aside, revealing a hidden computer. He angrily punched some buttons and the monitor showed him the transmitter locations of the three Saiyans and their clones.
"This can't be right!" he exclaimed. "According to the computer, you're not even here. Someone's tampered with the sensor readings!" He began searching the computer files for the missing transmitters.
"Oh no! He's onto us, Dad!" Trunks cried out. He tried to block Nossoreg's actions, but he knew the system better than Trunks did. The right readings were flickering onto the screen and there was nothing he could do to stop them.
"Trunks! What is Vegeta doing?" Goku and Gohan appeared right in front of Vegeta's chamber, startling Trunks.
"The computer was showing the difference in the amount of energy being drained," he explained. "He had to step in to buy you some time. Are they all safe?"
"They're fine, now let's get him out of there," Goku said and Trunks' fingers flew over the keyboard.
"It's not working!" Trunks shouted in frustration. "Nossoreg's locked me out of the controls. He knows! What should we do now?"
"The first thing we have to do is get Vegeta out of there," Goku said and fired a blast at the chamber.
The glass shattered around the unconscious Vegeta. Goku and Gohan struggled to break the arm restraints and pry his hands from the panels. They could feel the panels trying to suck energy from them as well before they were able to get his hands free. They dragged him from the chair and laid him on the floor.
"Vegeta! Can you hear me?!" Goku asked, shaking him gently. "Trunks, check his signs on the computer."
"Nossoreg's shut this computer station down," Trunks answered. "I don't know how much energy the computer took. Do you think he'll be all right?"
"We've got Sensu beans," Gohan said, taking one from the pouch. "Here, Dad."
Goku pushed the small bean into Vegeta's mouth but, since he was still unconscious, he couldn't chew it.
"Maybe the bean will dissolve a little and heal him enough to bring him around," Gohan hoped.
Goku didn't answer, but feared they may have been too late. He could barely sense any life at all in Vegeta's limp body. His breathing was almost too shallow to see. Vegeta's only hope was for Goku to transfer some of his own energy to him.
Just as he was about to place his hand on Vegeta's chest, the door of the lab slid open and Nossoreg entered, flanked by the Vegeta clone.
"Come to me!" Nossoreg ordered.
The other two clones stood up from where Vegeta had tossed them and went to stand close to their master. They each raised their arms, their palms toward the Saiyans, ready to attack. Goku knew they'd be able to defeat the clones, but wasn't so sure they could protect Vegeta at the same time.
"You were all very clever," Nossoreg admitted. "Very clever indeed. I was completely convinced Vegeta and Trunks had decided to join me. Now I find out I was played for a fool! I don't make mistakes more than once! I will get the chamber back online. Then you'll be drained of your energy once and for all!"
Nossoreg turned and walked out the door with the clones close behind him. A low hum sounded all around them and a faint grid of light showed that Nossoreg put up an energy shield all around them, completely sealing them inside the room.
"We're right back where we started!" Gohan yelled in frustration.
"No," Goku disagreed. "At least now the women are safe. Nossoreg won't be able to find them without these." From inside his armor, he withdrew three wrist bands and crushed them before tossing them into the corner of the room. "Goten, Krillen, and Yamcha will watch out for them."
"Do you think Dad will be all right?" Trunks asked. He leaned over Vegeta and felt a slight breath coming from his mouth.
"I don't know, Trunks," Goku admitted. "But I've known your Dad to come back from damage worse than this. He's too stubborn to just fade away."
"I hope you're right. If only I'd have been able to override the computer in time!" he said, angry at himself.
"I know you did all you could," Goku said. "Nossoreg was just a little faster than we expected."
"What should we do now, Dad?" Gohan asked.
"I'm not sure. Maybe we can make a break for it before Nossoreg gets us back into those chambers. If not, the entire universe is doomed.