How can you work for the monster that killed your people and destroyed your home?

The words worm themselves to the forefront of Vegeta's mind. He marches over to Bulma who still cowers in the back of the vehicle. Two Dragon Balls sit in the open trunk behind the last seat.

"Is Kakarot a liar!"

"Who's Kakarot?" says Bulma, mumbling.

"The Saiyan from Earth of course."

"His name is Goku."

"Don't mix words with me. Tell me what I want to know. Is Kakarot a liar?"

Pent up anger from being a captive releases. "No! Goku's not like the rest of you Saiyans who just show up and destroy people's lives."

Vegeta's eyebrows raise up.

"Goku is kind and caring. He'd never tell a lie or try to cheat. Honestly he's too noble and naive to act in bad faith against anyone, even the likes of his greatest enemies." Vegeta furrows his brow, scrutinizing her words. "What do you think Goku lied to you about anyway?"

"That's none of your concern."

Vegeta spins and walks away. Bulma shouts after him.

"Well whatever it was, he was telling the truth."

The words hit like a blow to the back of the head.

###

Dodoria stomps on the back of a downed Namekian. He grabs the wrists of his victim and pulls the arms outward and back. They tear at the shoulder and rip free. He tosses the arms aside as the Namekian bleeds out from the bloody stumps.

Dodoria's hyperventilating breaths calm as the rush of violence subsides.

"Sir," says a soldier.

Dodoria stabs with a glare. The soldier steps back.

"What? Speak!"

"We aren't making very good time staying as a whole group. Perhaps we should make smaller parties to hunt down the Nameks since they are just getting farther away."

"Hmm. Maybe you're right. This group really didn't put up much of a fight. Still, those two big power levels that popped up on our scouters could be a threat to anyone but me."

"That must have been a fluke. None of their power levels were more than a couple thousand, except for the one we already captured. Surely the rest of us can handle the stragglers."

"I suppose you're right. Send everyone out in groups of five or six with a scouter. Anyone taken by surprise by this riffraff deserves to be left behind."

Raditz watches Dodoria organize the new groups from afar. He stands beside Goku who lies on a stretcher.

A bleeding bruise stains Goku's forehead. He winces as pains rend his abdomen and lower back.

"Why are you guys hurting innocent people?" Goku says with whispered words. "They don't deserve it."

"Maybe not," says Raditz. "But they're weak and have something valuable. That's all it takes to invoke Freeza's wrath."

"And what about you? Why do you work for such a tyrant? Especially when they treat you like nothing."

Raditz pokes at his swelled up cheek. It stings, and the corner of his mouth twitches.

"It's either join them or be killed by them. I didn't really have much of a choice if I wanted to live. Freeza never had any tolerance for insubordination."

"I see."

"That thing you said about 'rank and power not mattering in a fight,' did you hear that somewhere?"

"Yeah. My dad used to say it."

Raditz's eyes widen and flick to Goku before calming down and suppressing the rising surprise and hope.

"But you look younger than me, and I barely remember anything from before planet Vegeta was destroyed. Did you and your father escape together?"

"No. Dodoria killed him and his crew before Freeza blew up the planet. I met him years later. It's a bit of a story."

Raditz does not hear the last half as his attention fixates on Dodoria. His mind plays the first sentence over and over again. His eyes burn with fury.

"That's quite a wild claim," says Raditz, keeping his breathing in check. "Some might even say treasonous."

"But I don't work for Freeza."

"You may not think so, but Freeza doesn't see it that way. As far as he's concerned, he owns all Saiyans. Better watch what you say if you know what's good for you."

###

Vegeta places a fourth Dragon Ball in the back of the land cruiser Bulma sits in. He turns his back to her and leans against a panel.

"So what makes Kakarot such a noble person?" he says.

Bulma glances at Vegeta. She tries to figure out what he could possibly want or do with any information about Goku. She sighs before speaking.

"I'm not sure anything made him that way. Ever since I met him as a boy, he's always cared about the well being of others. He's never bothered anyone not hurting someone else. I think that's why everyone likes him so much. And why so many martial arts masters have trained him."

"Training?" says Vegeta. He spits on the ground. "A Saiyan should get stronger through battle alone."

"He's definitely had lots of fights. And every enemy seems more impossible than the last to defeat. But the challenge never seems to scare Goku. He has always risen to whatever level he needs to."

"Tell me more about these battles of his."

Bulma recounts Goku's adventures against the Red Ribbon Army and King Piccolo as well as competing in the World Martial Arts Tournaments.

Vegeta cracks a smile. "Now that sounds like the Kakarot I fought on Earth. Still, it doesn't explain how someone of such low class could achieve the power of an elite warrior. It's never been done before."

"Based on what I've seen from Goku, anyone can achieve anything if they grow up in a nurturing world."

"Nonsense. Kakarot must be some kind of freak. Reality is dictated by power. Everyone serves the person above them. No one ever amounts to anything more than what role they were born into."

"Whatever you say. But maybe that limited thinking is what's holding you back while Goku keeps getting stronger."

Vegeta glares over his shoulder. Fear forces Bulma to shrink herself as small as possible.

Vegeta bangs the panel he leans on with his fist and walks away.

###

Dodoria mutilates another Namekian victim. Ecstasy fills Dodoria as he takes pleasure in the torture and brutality. It works him into a frenzy as he rips his victims apart.

Goku grimaces and turns away. Raditz watches with numb emotion.

"Raditz, was it?" says Goku.

Raditz spares him a glance.

"Can you tell me about Dodoria's special power? All the opponents I've fought until now haven't been able to use their full power levels in a single technique, but he can."

Raditz grunts. "Knowing won't do you any good. You'll never be in a condition to challenge him again."

"Humor me."

"Whatever. Dodoria basically encases himself in a shell of energy. He becomes a tank. He doesn't even flinch when struck. As you say, it makes perfect use of his power level. I've never seen anything break through it. I don't know what kind of power it would take."

"I see. Thank you. I'll have to come up with something for that."

Raditz rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "You think more like a Saiyan than I gave you credit for, but I'm telling you it can't be done."

"I've heard that before, but it's never stopped me."

"I guess not. I remember back on Earth, when I was watching your battle with Vegeta on my scouter, I thought there was no way that could be Kakarot. How could a low class like me go up against the prince? But you did it. Somehow."

"You shouldn't sell yourself short. I think there's a strength inside of you waiting to blossom if given the chance."

The comforting words unplug an emotion in Raditz he cannot describe. His mind races to remember the last genuine compliment he had gotten, free of any backhanded slight contained within. None come to mind. But this man he had never met before, had even fought on the opposite side of, gave one without a second thought.

Raditz takes a hard sniff to bury a stinging sensation at the back of his eyes.

"Whatever," he says, and stomps off.

###

Vegeta sets a Dragon Ball next to five others. Bulma moves as the chassis wobbles.

"So can these things really grant any wish?" says Vegeta.

"Just about," says Bulma, absently.

Vegeta raps his fingers on one of them.

"So someone could wish for immortality or infinite power?"

"I don't know, I guess. What's it to you?" says Bulma with an exasperated tone.

"Even bring the dead back to life?"

Bulma looks over her shoulder at him.

Vegeta grins. "That's why you're here isn't it? To bring back the ones who died on Earth?"

"You're a monster. You kill my friends and now you're going to rub salt in the wound. Honestly, don't you have anything better to do? Find a hobby you jerk."

Vegeta chuckles. "You've got the anger at least, but where's all the drive that brought you across the universe? Giving up won't bring your friends back."

"I'm not exactly in a position to change anything."

"Maybe you're in the perfect spot to change everything."

Bulma tries to discern his meaning. Vegeta leaves her with a coy smile.

###

More bloodshed. Dodoria breathes deep the fumes of battle. The smell of blood intoxicates him.

Goku tilts a tired neck to Raditz.

"I can tell you don't like the slaughter," he says. "I can see it in your face."

"It's not worth my while if they can't fight back."

"That sounds like something a Saiyan would say, but I don't think it's you."

"Shut up, you don't know me."

"I can sense an empathy coming from you."

"Nonsense. I'm just upset with how stupid they are. These weak insects should have sworn their allegiance to Freeza's empire when they had the chance."

"You're kind of like me, you know that? I don't like to fight those weaker than me either. And I'd never use my power against them unless I had to."

"Shut up already. I'm nothing like you. You grew up on a happy little planet. I've had to grind under a tyrant's boot. There's only one way to survive that. You'll either learn it quick or die."

"My father was stubborn like you. But he came around the longer I spent with him."

"A true Saiyan can never be persuaded from the lust of battle."

"Oh he still definitely wanted to fight a lot. But I'd like to think his love of conquering dimmed a bit."

"Doubtful. If he's anything like my father, he'd choose battle and conquering over his own son any day."

"Bardock told me he wished he could have spent more time at home with his family. He said the demand of Freeza kept him and his other son away from each other. He said he would have been there if he could. I don't think I'll ever get the chance to meet my brother, but I wish I could."

Raditz sniffles. Goku sees his eyelids turn puffy and pink. Raditz rubs a finger under his nose.

"Something on this planet really irritates my nose," he says while stepping aside.

The chirping of scouters fills the air. A strong life force surprises Goku with its familiarity.

Krillin? Is that really you? Be careful.

A yellow explosion of ki above Dodoria and his crew rains down enough beams to strike each one of them. The grunts are incinerated immediately. Dodoria rises from the smoke of the attack. To confront Krillin.

Goku detects movement beside him.

"Gohan? I didn't even sense you."

Gohan sets Dende down next to Goku.

"Sorry we took so long. We had a hard time catching up while keeping our ki suppressed."

"Let me heal you," says Dende.

He places his hands over Goku's chest. Golden waves radiate from his palms and fingers. They sprinkle across Goku. Relief comes quickly.

"This could take a little bit. Your injuries are quite severe."

"I'll go help Krillin," says Gohan.

"Be careful son," says Goku. "You don't have to beat him. Just stall until I'm fit."

Gohan nods and sneaks off low to the ground.

Krillin makes a nervous swallow as Dodoria closes in.

"They told us you could change your power levels," says Dodoria, "but to go from 2,000 to 13,000 is quite impressive. And just in time too. I'm bored with these tiny morsels. I'm ready to sink my teeth into something bigger."

A greedy smile parts his lips and reveals his teeth.

Krillin darts away, but Dodoria appears in front of him. Krillin cowers back in fear.

How can he be this fast? he thinks.

"Hold on there little one," says Dodoria. "You can't leave before I show you a little hospitality."

Dodoria claps his hands together above his head and prepares to swing them like a hammer. His scouter rings out and points to his left.

Gohan drives a punch into his cheek. Dodoria's head turns a fraction.

"Looks like I get two to play with."

His hands break apart and backhand Krillin and Gohan in the side of the face. He slams the crooks of his arms into their stomachs, knocking the breath out of them. He smashes his arms together so Gohan and Krillin crack backs and heads.

They fall helplessly to the ground. Dodoria drops fast after them and drives his elbows into their bodies. The force crashes them hard against the ground.

Aches deep in their bones plague their attempts to stand up.

"We need to keep him back with ranged attacks," says Krillin.

"Right."

Krillin cups his hands at his hip while Gohan raises his above his head. They charge their ki and shout the names of their techniques at the same time.

The blue and yellow beams fly from their palms to strike Dodoria. He smiles as a pink sheen shimmers across his body. He charges into the beams. Each hit one of his pectorals and spray around his shoulders as he plows through them.

Krillin and Gohan's faces turn to fear as their attacks do nothing to slow their opponent. Dodoria crashes into them. He pins Krillin's chest beneath a boot and Gohan's head beneath the palm of his hand.

They yell as the crushing weight deforms their bones.

"I'm going to enjoy squishing you to bloody puddles," says Dodoria.

His sharp nails dig into Gohan's skin as he squeezes harder. Krillin gasps for air as his ribs flatten. Their screams grow louder.

Dodoria feels something slip under his armpits and lift him. He looks back and finds Raditz grappling him.

"What's the meaning of this?" says Dodoria.

Raditz leans back to lift the massive physical and ethereal weight of Dodoria. He centers the mass over his hips as his victim kicks with arms and legs. Power swells in his core as he remembers the faces of his father and crewmates. His childhood dream of growing up to be a member of his father's squad bubbles up from a long suppression. With a gut tearing effort, Raditz hurls Dodoria at the nearest rocky hill.

Dodoria thumps the stone wall and drops to one knee.

Raditz's eyes shift to where Dende tends to Goku. He watches his scouter tick up.

"That was a big mistake," says Dodoria.

"No, the mistake was you killing my father!" says Raditz.

Dodoria frowns. "Hmph. Now who spoiled my little secret. I've been waiting a long time for the satisfaction of telling you myself. Now it's ruined."

Cruelness lifts Dodoria's lips. "But it sure was fun using your father and his worthless team one last time before killing them myself."

"Daburu Sande!" says Raditz, firing reddish beams from both hands. A memory of waving goodbye to the five person squad before he was old enough to work for Freeza fuels his attack. The beams merge and clash with Dodoria's pink shield.

Dodoria glides forth against the minor resistance. He lowers his head and drives hard at Raditz. His spiky dome bashes his opponent's stomach. The spikes pierce the armor and stab the abdominal muscles.

Raditz loses strength and his attack disappears. His arms fall slack as he topples backward.

Dodoria grabs Raditz's face with a suffocating hand. He lifts the Saiyan from the ground by the jaw. His other fist starts pummeling the punctured stomach. Each strike widens and deepens the existing wounds while bruising everything around them. Dodoria feels saliva and bile cough up against his palm.

He smashes the back of Raditz's head on the field and steps on the shoulder of the robot arm.

"Since you decided to betray the empire," says Dodoria, "it's only right we take back our property."

He grabs the upper arm of the robotic appendage. His boot sinks deeper into the shoulder.

"Now I've heard you've got to be very delicate when disconnecting these, otherwise it'll set off every single nerve it's attached to."

Dodoria gives a violent twist. Raditz screams as a hundred shocks assault the stump of his arm.

"Oops, did that hurt. Let me try again."

Dodoria twists the arm the other way. Raditz screams again. Unrestrained teardrops form on his lashes. Raditz bangs on Dodoria's shin to get free.

Dodoria yanks the arm upward. Blood seeps around the seal between the skin and metal. Raditz yells as the torment continues, and his efforts mean nothing.

Dodoria pulls with slow, torturous intent. Electricity crackles as the circuits and metal shred. Raditz cries in agony. Blood spurts as the nerve connectors snap and send shocking pain into each one.

The arm finally gives and fully separates. Dodoria casts it aside. Blood pools beneath the metal rim lining the fleshy stump.

Dodoria laughs at the sight.

"I promise to kill you just as slowly," he says.

"Masenko!"

Gohan's yellow blast showers over Dodoria's face. He gives an annoyed look to the interruption of his fun. Gohan is nowhere to be seen.

Dodoria searches for the attacker. A bump to the back of the head alerts him to Gohan's presence. Dodoria spins with an outstretched arm. His elbow stabs Gohan's side and sends him flying.

A flash of light from the corner of his vision leaves him looking over his shoulder. An energy formation unlike anything he has ever seen spins towards him. The flat disc gleams with a razor's edge.

His eyes widen with surprise as he twists away from the attack while ducking. A sharp bite to the side of his neck sets off danger bells in his brain. His armor ability cuts like paper as the technique spills his blood.

Dodoria finishes his spin to face Krillin. He claps a hand to the deep gash in his meaty neck.

Shit, I can't believe he dodged it, thinks Krillin. Now I'm in for it.

Dodoria blisters with rage. How can a weakling pierce my technique? he thinks. He watches Krillin's power level deflate to half of what it was. He yells his frustrations.

"You little creeps are just full of surprises. Congratulations, you just moved to the top of my priority list."

A pink aura flares around Dodoria as he dives at Krillin.

Fear sinks Goku's heart as he pushes off the ground from a seated position. He summons the Kaioken while Dende calls after him.

"Wait Goku, you're not fully healed."

Dodoria cracks skulls with Krillin. The spikes on his head cut deep gashes into Krillin's incense burned forehead. Blood takes to the air while consciousness fades. As Krillin flips from the brutal bashing, Dodoria grabs a leg and hoists him high. He readies a devastating fist. A euphoric bloodlust fills his mind with the anticipation of the kill.

Goku fires a Kamehameha. With the head of his beam ripping across the air at Dodoria, Goku flips on top of its back end. Upside down with his back to his opponent, the attack follows his hands to form a loop. He allows the force of his technique to propel him toward Dodoria parallel to the wave of energy below him.

Dodoria holds out palm to intercept the blast. While he blocks the explosion, Goku reaches him and swoops overhead.

Using the momentum of his wave, Goku springs from it and kicks the wrist of the hand holding Krillin. The fingers unclench, so Goku can grab Krillin and retreat to a safe distance. His eyes lock with a glare from Dodoria.

Goku spares a look at Krillin who hangs in his arms.

"Hey buddy, how you doing?" he says.

"I'm seeing double," says Krillin.

"I'm going to need your help. Do you think you can do another Kienzan?"

"I think so."

"Okay, get ready. I'll make you an opening."

Goku assists Krillin in finding his balance to stand. He leers at Dodoria as the enemy approaches with a confident smile.

"Back on your feet already, eh. Son of Bardock."

"So you do know who I am?" says Goku.

"Oh yes, the family resemblance is strong."

"I guess Bardock made a strong impression after all."

Dodoria frowns. "I never forget anyone I kill. I enjoy it too much. So don't think your father was anything special. But it's rare I get to enjoy torturing the offspring of any of them, let alone two of them."

"Two?"

"That's right. You didn't know? Raditz is your brother. I've had a lot of fun with him over the years."

"You're a monster. No one should take pleasure in the pain of others."

"Well, aren't you a noble Saiyan? But maybe you should check your people's bloody history before preaching to me."

Anger flares in Goku's voice. "I would stop anyone from doing it. Saiyan or otherwise. It isn't right!"

"No wonder you didn't fit in with the others. Violence was the only thing I could respect in a Saiyan. You're more boring than dirt. But I suppose there's still some fun to be had beating down a pacifist."

Dodoria sticks out his neck and fires a fast beam from his mouth. The orange energy surprises Goku. He shoves Krillin aside and evades so it flies past his stomach.

Dodoria appears behind him while swinging a spiked forearm. The flail smashes Goku's upper back and drives his face and chest into the beam. As the friction rips at his victim, Dodoria grabs both of Goku's arms and places a knee against the middle of his spine. He pulls back and bends Goku over it. He glances at Krillin, weary of his ability.

Goku feels his arms twist in their sockets and threaten to jump out of them. He grits his teeth and summons the Kaioken. Dodoria's scouter rings as the red aura flares.

Dodoria pulls harder, but Goku's strength increases rapidly. As his arms return level with his chest, he pulls Dodoria closer. His power peaks, and he slams his head back against the bridge of his enemy's nose.

Dodoria flinches from the force, but it is Goku who suffers a bruise to the back of his skull. He rips his arms free and wheels around. As he does, he swings a spinning kick into the side of Dodoria's head. Pain infuses his shin yet his foe does not flinch.

Dodoria smiles and uppercuts Goku before he can recover. He grabs Goku's boot to prevent him from flying away. He swirls him over his head by swinging his arm in wide circles. The Kaioken sputters out.

As Goku comes around in front of him, Dodoria slaps him flat against the ground. He slams him a few more times with a whipping motion before leaving Goku on his back. Dodoria hops and butt drops upon Goku's stomach.

Goku screams as his torso flattens. Dodoria punches his face over and over.

"Leave my dad alone!"

Dodoria stares at his scouter as a power level spikes upward.

Gohan shoulder rams Dodoria in the chest, knocking him free of Goku. He charges hard against the adversary to push him away.

Dodoria digs in his heels and slows his momentum.

"Impressive for a punk," says Dodoria, "but you obviously haven't been paying attention. Your attacks don't hurt me."

He claps his hands together around Gohan's head. The shock wave rings his ears and blurs his vision. Dodoria squeezes his hands.

Gohan yells and claws at the fleshy knuckles, but he cannot break the vice.

"Let him go!" says Goku.

"Or what?" says Dodoria. "What's going to stop me from crushing his head, or breaking his neck?"

Dodoria shakes Gohan violently so Gohan's neck acts as pivot for all the force of the sudden starts and stops. Gohan cries in agony.

"What can you possibly do?"

Dodoria laughs with glee. The laughing cuts off. He jumps and pulls in his knees. Krillin's Kienzan flies beneath him and sails off harmlessly. Dodoria smiles as he looks at Krillin. His scouter counts down as Krillin's stamina diminishes.

"I hope you didn't really think I'd forgotten about you. I was just using the boy to make you act out of desperation. I saw on my scouter how your power level swelled and then dropped dramatically after the first of those attacks. I knew I just had to wait for that sign and avoid one more. That was your last chance. Now you're all going to die."

Krillin drops to his knees.

"I'm sorry Goku," he says. "I'm sorry Gohan. I failed."

He collapses to the dirt.

Dodoria grabs Gohan by the back of the head and turns his face to Goku.

"I'll let you watch the last fearful expressions of your son as I splatter his brains!"