Gohan looked like a deer in headlights. He remembered the palm haired man after Vegeta died. He was Videl's Emperor. The man from the poster that he once found on a planet. The man was declared on it the liberator as it showed Frieza severed head and chains of slaves being broken.
In his father's night terrors Kakarrot name was screamed more than once, he must have killed his first family.
Kakarrot was the reason they were in space why they had no Earth. Now it made sense every time he had caught his father panicking about his tail. When he was young had used that face of that man on the poster as the shorthand for evil along with that handled trident.
"I don't know what gave you that idea. We don't want to trouble now. So, we're leaving." Gohan snapped back to reality. The aliens were pointing their blasters at them and a standoff had emerged, with Tarble having the high ground.
"Sorry but I don't think so."
"What gave you the idea that I was asking for your permission."
"You weren't but I'm not letting you. That boy is too important to me."
"My son is no concern of yours."
"I would say he is. He's the son of the man that burned down my world, killed my family along with my wife. I think he's very much a concern of mine."
Bill grabbed hold of his revolver there were only four of his blue bullets left. He would have to make them count on this Saiyan.
"Buddy I'm not going to let you hurt him."
"I see it in your eyes. We have been fighting the same war. Part of me want to hurt your 'son' but I don't intend to. Part of me wants to hate all you imperials but I know that you were all just given I bad lesson from my people. Your far from serving him. You stole away with one of his sons and one of his wives by the smell of it. King Kai told me that you all were hurt by this monster. If I take Gohan and tell the bastard about it. I could get him to come to me. I want that fight even if it kills me. You see I don't have much to life for anymore other than one thing. I want to kill that murdering bastard. There in nothing else in the universe left for me but seeing him died. I want to bash his head in till his grey matter comes out. I want to rip his still beating heart from his chest and feel it stopped. After that I can waste away into nothing. I would not care if it sends me to hell. In fact, I welcome death to send me there, for he will be there, and I can kill him again. I would do anything to make that happen. I don't think I even care anymore whether or not the innocent, are in the way or not. So, tell me do you think I'm going to stop just because of you."
Bill smiled much to everyone surprise. To Bill this was all quite familiar. The universe did truly have a sense of humor. He pointed his revolver at him as he cracked up laughing like a maniac. He could feel death around him, and he could only feel joy in this moment.
Tarble confused and perturbed "What's so funny?"
"Because that was my line. Mai, Gohan I'm sorry. I love you all." He said as he prepared to pull the trigger.
Videl stood their staring at the exit, not know yet what to do when she felt someone's approach. The yellow stripe on the black armor told her who it was, it was Washington.
"Oh, good so the computer wasn't lying." (He heiled her.) "Come on Captain. Commander sent me to get you while the others took them down."
Videl broke a sweat. The twins would make short work of Gohan, Trunks and Chi-Chi. They won't surrender. Maybe she…
"Trooper you go back to ship but give me your side arm first."
She took the blaster setting it to stun. She left her cave having still no idea of what she was going to do.
Bill was about to pull the trigger as Tarble point at him with his finger.
"I don't know what you think you going to accomplish with little bit of archaic tech, but I assure you I will kill you if you fire it."
"You think I care if I die at this point. Hell, I welcome it. I was a bad man whose only purpose in life was to keep other bad man from the door. I failed but at least I can die in the attempt."
"Dad stop. We can take him."
Bill shook his head "I was wrong to shelter you Gohan I see this now. You got to understand that this world doesn't give you options. It was always just kill or be killed. I never wanted you to see the world as I saw it, but you're going to have to take care of your mother. I know I wasn't the best man or father that I could have been. I'm sorry about that but you're already a better man then I ever was. Keep it up."
A loud throat cleared, and everyone looked to see 17 having made the noise. 18 was standing right next to him the two both looked smug. They were dressed in their black. Their soulless blue eyes were just as Tarble remember them last time.
"We looky here bro. It's a two for one sale. Our primary targets and Tarble."
"I know how much you like sales sis. Oh and I told you we didn't get him last time."
"I said we didn't get him either. This embarrassing how many times we've let get away. I say we get him this time on principle of the matter."
17 nodded "Agreed. Maybe the Emperor will put us one of the posters."
Tarble had been grinding his teeth as his aura rose turning from white to yellow as he clenched his fist. In a rage between his teeth he spit out the word "Demons".
"Pff he's copying me again."
"Yeah but it is more fun when he does that. Hey, Tarble remember when we attacked those people that you swore to protect in the refugee camp. Aw good times."
Tarble yelled out "I'm going to rip you apart!" As he charged him. He was unleashing everything he had on 17.
17 while blocking him and said to 18 "I'll take this one. You get the wayward Prince and momma."
The two disappeared into the trees as 18 appeared in front of Bill before he could react and back handed him away.
In a second the red aura came around Gohan and he yelled out "Don't you hurt my dad!" And he charged her.
His fist meet her hand and she grabbed it. In a second, he realized how out matched he was with this cyborg. Her fist meet his face and he was thrown back.
"Well looks like Jr you can't copy me, can you?"
Gohan spat some blood onto the ground. "I don't need to, to beat you."
A kamehameha blasted 18 away as Chi-Chi had decided not to play bystander.
Meanwhile Trunks was about to get in on the action when he heard a click. He turned around to see that Mai and his mother had been capture by the commando team.
"Cutie if you don't want us to show you your mother's insides, you going to laid down that sword and come quietly."
"Cowards! Let them go."
"I can't do that cutie. Now put the damn sword down or I have Wyoming here pull the trigger!"
"If you do, I'm going to cut you in half."
"That won't bring you mom back. Now put it down." (Trunks dropped his sword.) "Good boy. Now kick it over here and put your hands up."
Trunks kicked his sword to them with his hands up. "You're not going to get away with this."
"His majesty is the law and you rebels are under arrest. So yeah, we're going to get away with this. Carolina cuff…"
They were interrupted as a blast hit Wyoming and Maine knocking them away but their shields clearly absorbing the blow. Erasa looked to see the Tech-Tech's having fired the shots and both Bulma and Mai diving out of the way as the aliens opened up on them.
Trunks was over to her in second and punched her helmet off. Erasa fell to the ground but kicked upwards to land both her feet into Trunks's gut. Trunks was sent airborne as she jumped to her feet.
There was a thin line of crimson running down her face from her nose that she wiped off as she yelled up to her soldiers "Kill all of those creatures. Don't let them leave! I'll take this one." She dropped her blaster and flew up to meet Trunks in the air.
"You know for someone in a tin can you actually know how to kick."
"The suit just makes me stronger. Videl isn't the only one who knows how to use ki and fly."
"Guess mom, Mai and Bill just didn't put any effort into it."
"Guess so… Now let me show you the might of the Empire."
"Bring it on."
Tarble was unloading everything he had at 17 but all his punches were being blocked. 17 was showing no signs that this fight was hurting or even winding him. All the cyborg was doing was smiling at him. The twins always reminded him of the night Tech-Tech burned. They may have not had any of the Emperor's looks, but they smiled like him.
All of the innocent that they had killed was nothing but a joke to them. Tarble managed to kicked 17 into a tree then punched him to the ground.
He shouted out as he put his hands up "Galick Gun." He fired downwards at the cyborg and it exploded taking a great deal of the forest in the blast.
Tarble had put a lot of himself into that blast. He looked down knowing what he was going to see. He saw the dust settle and 17 just standing there without a scratch on him.
17 was smiling while dusting himself off "Man Tarble that was better than last time. If I actually let you live you might do some damage in a couple of years."
"I'm going to rip you apart toaster!"
17 flew up in front of Tarble "'Toaster' is that the best you could come up with? You are just full of disappointments, aren't you? A failed hero and failed saiyan your nothing but a failure aren't yah."
"You sound like my father or my brother. I didn't want to be either. I just want you dead toaster."
17 appeared in front of Tarble and punched him in the face. "It's time I stop playing around with you."
18 was merely standing there with no damage done. One handed she had deflected the wave away. Her hand pushed some of her blonde hair out of her way. Gohan got to his feet as she spoke with a chuckle "Funny. The idea of humans standing up to me and my brother."
Chi-Chi snapped at her "Your human too."
18 shook her head "Nope. I'm a cyborg. The good doctor made me and my brother more than 'human'. The emperor is a just god. They turned some street urchins into his weapons. Now I have the power."
Chi-Chi to Gohan "Come on we'll take her together."
Chi-Chi charged her while Gohan stood still. Chi-Chi was about to attack when Gohan appeared in front of her and got through 18 guard delivering a punch to her head while Chi-Chi got her in the legs.
The two unloaded a ton of punches on 18 and then the two kick her away. Gohan and Chi-Chi put their hands together and yelled out "KAMEHAMEHA" The combined blast shot 18 away and exploded blowing up more of the jungle.
Mother and son got into stance as they stared at the dust.
"We got her!"
"Yeah but did we do anything?"
"At least we know that attack works mom."
The dust cleared at 18 was their undamaged merely brushing herself off. 18 "Do you know how long it take to get dust off my clothes? You two are going to pay."
Chi-Chi sighed "Somehow, I felt that one coming."
The iron weight of Erasa kick hit Trunks in the arm. He managed to catch her punch while driving her to the ground while he gripped her leg.
He let her go as her heard a gasp only to get her fist in his face. He felt his nose break and in pain he walked backwards.
Erasa got to her feet and Trunks shook off his daze. Trunks's nose was gushing with blood as he spoke "You know that didn't tickle."
"Don't worry. In a few seconds, you won't be able to feel a thing."
Trunks smiled as despite his pain he seemed to be enjoying himself. Trunks "Hey that's my line."
A reddish aura surrounds him, and he charges easily getting by her defenses and kicking her skyward. In midair he picks her apart as his speed easily passes her speed.
Trunks knocks her to the ground. She lands with a thud and even makes a crater into the soft dirt. Trunks lands next to the crater and looks to see that the Tech-Techs have been slaughtered by the imperials. They surround him as Erasa gets to her feet.
"You think cutie that it would be that easy."
"For a second there I kind of did."
Tarble could no longer defend himself as a rain of 17 punches rains down on him. Tarble is now being thrown around like a rag doll. 17 knees him in the chest and he can feel his ribs crack while his breath is knocked out of him.
17 grabs him by the throat "I'm losing count of how many times we've been in this situation Tarble 5-10 times? Doesn't matter this is the last time."
17 grinning grabs hold of his robotic arm and begins to pull. Tarble tries to scream out but he is being strangled at the same time. Everything is going dark for him and he starts to see the light.
Thinking quickly, he uses his real arm to fire a blast with everything left in him at 17. The blast makes 17 let go of his throat but 17 doesn't let go of his arm.
Tarble now minus one arm loses Super Saiyan and he helpless falls to the ground landing not far from Trunks. He is panting and bleeding but still breathing.
At nearly the same time both Chi-Chi and Gohan are forced into this circle by 18.
Trunks, Chi-Chi and Gohan get back to back as they are surrounded by the team.
Erasa claps as she has made it to the circle. "Well I can't say you traitors didn't make it interesting now hands up or we'll shot all until there is nothing left."
Tarble chuckles "Stupid they want you alive not dead. They won't shoot." He says as he clearly passes out on the ground.
Chi-Chi grinned at Erasa "Sounds like we have nothing to lose."
Erasa grinned back "Are you sure about that?" She pointed. To 18 pointing her hand at the unconscious Bill and 17 pointing his hand at the hiding Bulma and Mai behind some trees.
"Can you save all three and yourself with your disappearing act?"
Chi-Chi broke a sweat even if Gohan helped her they couldn't save everyone on time. Chi-Chi began to raise her hands.
Videl was rushing towards the battle as she noticed the fog that messed her upcoming out of the trees rapidly approaching were the fight was.
Videl managed to outrun the fog and panting arrived at the fight. She got in between 17 and 18. She saw her boys and girls had done their jobs she wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.
"Captain. Oh, good we're just about to…"
Videl yelled out "We're retreating!"
Erasa and the cyborgs at the same time shouted "WHAT?!"
"The fog is coming. We can't beat them when it does. WE'RE LEAVING!"
Erasa shouted back to her "We have them dead to rights!"
Videl merely stared at her and Erasa relented. 17 and 18 stared at her.
"What happens to the bombs in your chest when you disobey a direct order from a member of the Royal family?" 17 and 18 relented and the team disengaged.
Videl and Gohan looked at each with Videl unable to look for very long as she took off with the others.
Chi-Chi fell to her knees as the fog rolled in. Chi-Chi "Well I didn't know how we were going to get out of that."
Trunks with a confused look upon his face asked Gohan "Did your 'friend' just save us?"
Gohan sadly smiled "I'd like to think so."
All three looked at Tarble as Mai and Bulma came over.
Bulma said with her eyes raised "So what are we going to do with him?"