Thoughts

Computer Speech/Robotic Speech

"Speech"

Disclaimer: DC and the Dragonball Franchise belong to their respective owners; I own nothing.

Chapter 69: Steam III


January 4th

Age 763 (2013), Qward

"Master, you've been unusually quiet all day," An eerie voice called out to Sinestro. The clattering of heels followed the words, and the sound grew louder and louder as a woman sauntered toward the Korugaran. Sinestro's back was turned, but within seconds he knew who his visitor was; only one person had the gall to approach him during a moment like this.

"Lyssa Drak," Sinestro drawled as the woman finally reached her destination, coming to a dead stop beside him. She eyed him curiously, but the Korugaran kept his stare forward, totally ignoring her presence.

"I have foreseen something," She whispered softly into his ear. A yellow eye swiveled in her direction, and Lyssa knew she had her Master's attention.

"Speak then, don't hold your tongue!" Sinestro barked impatiently. He had little time to spare. He was overseeing a battle. Hundreds of feet outside his towering cavern, his recruits, down below, were fighting the Qwardians, and they were winning. It was a veritable slaughter. Buildings were being vaporized, tanks were being torn apart, and the horrified screams of the victims filled the air.

The Qwardians were a highly militaristic race that resembled the Thanagarians in spirit and appearance. They wore gold-winged helmets and grey-padded uniforms with heavy tan utility belts and matching boots. A large white circle was emblazoned on all their outfits, providing the perfect target for the members of the Sinestro Corps, and the Qwardians were dropping like flies. Their weapon of choice, a gold-forged lightning bolt, was ineffectual against Sinestro's soldiers.

The Korugaran hadn't wanted things to reach this point, but the Qwardians had been so defiant. When the Oans had banished him to the Antimatter universe following his dismissal from the Green Lantern Corps, the Qwardians had saved him. They'd been his only allies, his only friends, and the people he'd schemed with. Millenia ago, the Guardians of the Universe had wronged them, and they'd held on to that hatred for eons.

The Oans thought emotions clouded judgment and were an impairment to rational thinking, and that was partially true, but emotions also sparked creativity, and the Qwardians had that in droves. They could craft nearly any weapon, and Sinestro used that to his benefit. He beseeched the Qwardians to forge him a new power ring, and they accomplished the task in record time. But there was a stark difference between the ring the weapon smiths had crafted and the one Sinestro had previously owned; the Qwardian's ring was powered by yellow energy, fear.

Fear was the nemesis of every Green Lantern, and for generations, yellow energy had been a constant thorn in the side of the Oans. It was ironic but fitting for fear's power to fall into Sinestro's hands. He'd warred against it for decades, and that emotion had ultimately been the cause of his banishment. The Guardians, in their infinite wisdom, had found him guilty of instilling great fear into the hearts of the Korugarans following Hal Jordan's visit to his homeworld.

It was an unjust verdict that still boiled Sinestro's blood, but it was of little importance now; he'd moved on to greater things.

The Guardians had sent him to the Antimatter universe to rot and perish, but he'd turned the tables and found the instrument of their demise. However, it wasn't a deed Sinestro could accomplish alone; he required help, and that meant returning to the positive matter universe. His Yellow Lantern ring had provided the means for that, and once Sinestro had stepped foot in his old stomping grounds, he'd enacted his plans, and it had been relatively easy. Two handfuls of rings had scoured the universe for worthy candidates to join his Corps.

Lyssa Drak had been his first recruit, followed by Arkillo, Karu-Sil, and many others. They hadn't initially been on the same page, but they'd all fallen in line once Sinestro had proven he was their superior. They returned to the Antimatter universe shortly after that, and the Qwardians were less than pleased. Sinestro's soldiers were viewed as an invading force, and the hostilities between his faction and the Qwardians had begun that day.

Little incidents flared up here and there, but Sinestro had tried to keep the peace, if only for the sake of his power rings. The Qwardians were fantastic weapon smiths, and he needed their aid if he was going to build his army, but an unforgivable act eventually forced his hand. One foolish Qwardian killed one of his Yellow Lanterns after a heated dispute. There was no backtracking after that, and no peace offerings could mend death, only bloodshed, and that led Sinestro to where he presently stood today, watching the Qwardian's annihilation.

It wouldn't be a complete genocide; he planned to keep a few of them alive, he needed them to forge more rings after all, but a show of force like this was necessary to keep his troops and the Qwardians in line.

"My vision, Master, is of the utmost importance," Lyssa Drak urged. She'd held his attention for a millisecond, but Arkillo's bombardment on a horde of Qwardians had ripped it away. The battle would soon be over, but even then, would her Master grant her the audience she desired? There was only one way to be sure. Her power ring hummed to life.

Sinestro's face twisted into a scowl as a yellow brick wall suddenly materialized in front of him. It was opaque and completely obstructed his view of the fighting. He growled and whipped his head around to face the woman so many had branded a witch.

Her skin was blue as Neptune, her eyes were yellow, and her sclera was black. She wore an obsidian cloak, with complimenting knee-high heeled boots and a revealing bathing suit that would've made a Tamaranean blush. Her lengthy silky hair was dark as night, and a large, floating, thick book was chained to one of her black-gloved hands.

"This had better be worth it," The Korugaran threatened. Lyssa Drak humbly bowed and gave him her assurance.

"It is, Master," She swore. She raised her head and locked eyes with Sinestro. He was a tall, slender man who, despite his height, didn't look physically imposing, but his dark yellow eyes were even more haunting than her own. His skin was red, like all Korugarans, and his slick-backed hair was as black as his uniform. His outfit, the standard of all Sinestro Corps members, was an intertwining mix of black and yellow bearing the symbol of the Yellow Lanterns, the open mouth of the fear entity Parallax

"Well, get on with it then," Sinestro huffed. He crossed his arms and awaited the pressing news that had caused her interruption.

"The universe will soon be unprotected and shall be yours for the taking. This battle is inconsequential in the grand scheme of fate. The war to end all wars is coming, and it will require us to leave this wretched place."

Sinestro's lips curled into a frown. "I've heard you say that countless times, Lyssa. Your visions are part of the reason why I'm assembling the Sinestro Corps. But if you have nothing new to share, you can depart from my presence and leave me to more important matters." Sinestro motioned his hands, dismissing her, but Lyssa's heels remained entrenched in the ground.

"Don't make me repeat myself," Sinestro raised a hand, and a tiny yellow scythe formed above his ring. It expanded until it was the size of a claymore. The construct dangled in front of Lyssa's face, but the blue-skinned woman showed no sign of fear.

"I also had a vision about Frieza," She said calmly. The words bought her some time and helped cool Sinestro's anger; he retracted the scythe.

"You should've said that first," Sinestro grumbled. He shattered the weapon and began pacing the ground. "Speak. Tell me what you saw."

"I saw Frieza in his ship, surrounded by scientists and his father. They were desperately trying to repair him."

"That's unnecessary; my power ring saved him from near death and will sustain him until he awakes from his comatose state. Once he's conscious, he can use the ring to construct an even better body, one of his own making." Sinestro contended.

"True as that may be," Lyssa conceded. "The Planet Trade Organization will put their faith in the hands of their own. They know nothing about a Yellow Lantern ring."

"They'll find out soon enough; the entire universe will," Sinestro smirked. He'd taken great steps to ensure that his plans succeeded. He'd bribed General Wata to secure Vegeta's escape to Namek, which had resulted in Frieza's defeat, and he'd sent a Yellow Lantern ring to rescue the tyrant from the depths of space. So far, everything had been as Lyssa had foreseen; her visions hadn't failed him yet.

"Frieza will showcase the might of the Sinestro Corps to the universe, Master, but – "

"- But what?" Sinestro snapped, cutting her off. He didn't like the tone of her voice, and the look in her eyes was troubling.

"I know you've been planning things according to my visions, but the future I've seen regarding Frieza has shifted."

"You told me three Saiyans would stop Frieza from retrieving the Dragonballs, correct?"

"Yes, Master."

"You told me that combining Frieza's power with a Yellow Lantern ring would destabilize the Green Lantern Corps, correct?"

"Yes, Master."

"And you told me that the universe would be mine to rule after the war between the Planet Trade Organization and the Guardians of the Universe, correct?"

"Yes, Master."

"So what has changed now? What has your new vision shown you?"

"Frieza's fate hangs in the balance. He was destined to decimate the Green Lantern Corps with your assistance before falling in battle, leaving you in command of his empire, but now his path is murky."

"What do you mean by murky? Speak plainly," Sinestro ordered. He stopped his pacing and narrowed his eyes, focusing them on her.

"Two warriors whose faces are unknown to me have altered the timeline that once was, shifting Frieza's fortunes."

"Positively or negatively?" Sinestro inquired. Change wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"That is yet to be determined, Master, but what I can say is this; the Earth shall be torn asunder."


January 4th

Age 763 (2013), Oa

"Excuse me, sorry, pardon the interruption," Hal Jordan apologized as he forced his way through a massive crowd. His words did little to ease the ire of the people he bumped into, and he received a myriad of frowns, scowls, and glares, but the former Air Force pilot didn't dwell on them. He had a destination to reach, and he honestly couldn't blame the sea of bodies for their rude reactions; tight congested spaces like this were sure to put anyone in a sour mood, even Green Lanterns.

Nearly all the officers of the greatest police force in the known universe were assembled on Oa today for unknown reasons that had everyone guessing. Hal heard the chatters as he darted through the crowd. Some Green Lanterns speculated that a Guardian had died; after all, only something of significant magnitude could require a gathering like this. Others pondered if Sinestro had finally been found; the Green Lanterns had been hunting him for months now. But there were a few, like Hal, who thought this meeting was related to the Planet Trade Organization.

Hal had warned Goku and his friends to avoid Frieza at all costs, but the gleeful Saiyan had taken his message as a challenge. Goku had been ecstatic about the prospect of fighting someone as powerful as the space tyrant, but that shouldn't have surprised Hal; all Saiyans were thirsty for battle, even the good ones. Hal had little experience with Saiyans, but every Green Lantern he spoke to swore that Saiyans were bloodthirsty warmongers, with Goku and his son being the only exceptions. Hal took the words with a grain of salt; the Corps was obviously biased against Saiyans due to the Planet Trade Organization, and no species could all be alike, though most Saiyans did seem to have a propensity for violence.

Goku was no different, but Wonder Woman's husband at least channeled his zeal for fighting in a positive manner. He was one of the Earth's greatest heroes who constantly raised the bar for what was possible. Hal hadn't heard any news about Goku in weeks, and he was starting to get worried, especially considering the media blackout the Guardians were enforcing. The blue dwarf-like leaders of the Green Lantern Corps refused to share any news about Frieza's expedition to Namek. The homeworld of the Dragonballs wasn't a planet that the Green Lantern Corps or the Planet Trade Organization had any jurisdiction over.

For centuries the Planet Trade Organization had largely ignored Namek, finding little value in a harsh planet that was burdened by three suns. Willing buyers were nonexistent, and the Namekian system was far out of reach. There was no point in wasting fuel to travel to a world with no valuable resources, at least from the perspective of the Cold Family Dynasty. Namek's one and only valuable asset were the Dragonballs which were shrouded in mystery.

At best, the universe considered them mere myth and legend, and the Guardians had toiled for centuries to keep it that way until the Saiyans had unfortunately spilled the beans. Once Frieza had overheard the revelation of their existence following Raditz, Nappa, and Vegeta's incursion on Earth, all hell broke loose. The Dragonballs didn't remain a secret for too long after that; word quickly spread throughout the universe, and the ramifications of that news were still ongoing. Countless factions, from galactic empires like Thanagar to bounty hunters like Lobo, all had their eyes set on capturing the Dragonballs now.

The Green Lanterns were all that stood in the way of total chaos, but the Corps was restricted and limited in their capacity to assist the Namekians. Hal still couldn't understand it; helping people was literally part of a Green Lantern's job, but there was always so much red tape regarding that, and there was no greater example of this than the Planet Trade Organization. The Cold Family Dynasty enslaved planets and sold them profits while the Guardians stood and did nothing time and time again. The Oans, of course, justified their reasons for avoiding bringing King Cold and his sons to justice, but it was a crock of shit. It all boiled down to politics, a galactic game of chicken, and the threat of mutually assured destruction.

The Cold Family, for all their faults, actually helped unite a lot of the planets they subjugated. An invading conquering force usually tended to do that, and as Hal was quickly learning during his time in the Corps, most worlds weren't as peaceful as Earth. Calling the Earth peaceful was quite a stretch but compared to most places in the universe, the third planet from the sun was the garden of Eden. Truth and justice usually prevailed, at least in Hal's neck of the woods but the same couldn't be said for the rest of the universe.

The Planet Trade Organization provided order and a firm pair of hands that shaped and molded the planets within their borders. But Hal had yet to see that, and he likely never would; Green Lanterns were expressly forbidden from interacting with the PTO. Even something as harmless as simply visiting one of their worlds could result in strict punishment with dire consequences. That was one of the first things Kilowog had warned him about when the pink alien had taken him under his wing.

"Nice of you to finally join the party, Poozer," Kilowog said as Hal stumbled into his back. Someone in the crowd had pushed the Earth-born Lantern, propelling him into his drill sergeant. It felt like he'd slammed into a brick wall.

All Bolovaxians were stoutly built, and Kilowog was no exception. He'd been a scientist in his past life, before the Corps, as hard as that was to believe, and he'd been considered average size on his homeworld. But here, on Oa, Kilowog was one of the tallest Green Lanterns. His skin was blush, his lips were lacking, his jaw was enormous, and his tiny ears were pointed upward like antennas. Truthfully, his face resembled a pig's minus a few slight differences, like his porcine nose, but Hal would never dare say that out loud.

Kilowog turned around and smiled at Hal, extending his humungous hand for a shake. Hal's head was still ringing, but he grasped the manus and shook it, or rather Kilowog shook him. Kilowog's strength was overpowering, even accidentally, and the eight-foot-three alien left Hal's hand throbbing when he released it.

"What kept you so long?" Kilowog asked.

"Traffic," Hal deadpanned. He looked around and saw that he'd finally reached the front of the Green Lantern assembly, where Kilowog had told him to meet him. It was near the edge of a gargantuan cliff. Hal looked down and saw nothing but jagged rocks and stones for miles and miles. One wrong step would've meant his end…..if he didn't have a power ring.

The view from the plateau Hal stood on was breathtaking, but the plateau itself was small and unimpressive. It barely managed to hold the Green Lantern Corps. There was breathing room only, and everyone was packed together like a can of sardines. Surely, there were better locations to host a meeting than this? Hal was staring at them.

A couple hundred feet away, there was an expansive mountain range that all Green Lanterns were familiar with. It was one of a handful of locations where Kilowog took rookies for training or, as Hal preferred to say, routine beatings. Kilowog was a taskmaster, and his lessons came with welts, bumps, and bruises that lingered for weeks, or in some rare cases, like Hal's, a lifetime. Hal swore he'd never be able to have kids after Kilowag had slammed a bat construct into his nuts under the guise of teaching him about sneak attacks.

To this day, Hal reflectively grabbed them every now and then just to make sure they were still functioning. Beyond the vast mountain range stood Oa's capital and only city. It lacked a name, and no one had ever found that odd until Hal had brought it to the Green Lantern Corps's attention. Every city back on Earth had a name, regardless of how small or large it was, and Oa's only city certainly was gigantic. It made New York City look paltry in comparison.

The Guardian's City, as Hal had aptly named it, was a bright and bustling technological marvel fueled by one thing. It was impossible to miss and was the shining beacon of the Green Lantern Corps, and even from this distance, Hal could see it. Ethereal green energy poured out of the Main Power Battery. The constant stream of energy that symbolized the collective willpower of the universe rose vertically and pierced Oa's rainbow-colored skies. Sometimes it was even visible from orbit.

A colossal lantern-shaped device housed and stored the energy. It overlooked the city, and the Guardian's base of operations served as its stand. The Guardians, also known as the Maltusians, or Oans, were a cold, introverted, unfriendly species. They were quite possibly the oldest intelligent lifeforms in the universe, but age hadn't taught them much about decorum or manners.

They seldom made public appearances, and hearing from them directly was as rare as a supernova.

That was why Hal was still in shock as the Guardians flew towards him and the assembly, even though he knew they were coming. A dozen Guardians were floating in the air, and most wore stern, stoic expressions. Gathnet and Sayd were the only Guardians who looked even remotely amiable, and that was usually the case. Without a doubt, they were every Green Lanterns favorite pair of Guardians.

The Guardians were short dwarfish deep-blue-skinned aliens that all looked far too similar for Hal's liking. Almost all the males were balding, minus a few exceptions like Ganthet, and all the women had already lost their hair long ago. Their scalps were completely clean-shaven and made Hal grateful for the bundle of brown hair on his head. They wore flowing red robes with the Green Lantern symbol engraved on them.

"Lanterns, we come to you with important news!" Ganthet announced as he overlooked the large flock of Green Lanterns. A myriad of eyes shifted in his direction as soon as the words departed his lips. The Guardians hovered in a circle, but he stood alone in the front, acting as their mouthpiece. "Frieza has fallen in battle."

The words whipped the crowd of Green Lanterns into a jubilated frenzy. Loud cheers broke out, cries of joy were heard, and celebratory chants in a multitude of alien languages filled the air. Everyone was ecstatic, but Hal's reaction remained subdued. He had too many questions to participate in the festivities.

"As many of you are aware, Green Lantern Hal Jordan is the officer of Sector 2814, and his sector is home to the planet Earth."

Hal could feel the heat from the stares as every Green Lantern in his vicinity turned to face him. He didn't mind being the center of attention, but not during times like this. Ganthet continued speaking.

"A group of Earthlings ventured to the planet Namek seeking to summon the great dragon Porunga. Once they arrived on Namek and began searching for the Dragonballs, they encountered Frieza and his forces."

What the hell, Goku? I specifically warned you not to engage with Frieza! Hal mentally cursed. Their conversation in the hospital had truly done little to deter the Saiyan.

"The fighting that ensued has since decimated Namek. The Planet Trade Organization's actions were ruthless, and they stooped to new lows to find any and every Dragonball that they could. But the visitors from Earth were valiant defenders of the innocent and fought to protect the Namekians."

Were. Has. Was. Ganthet keeps using past tense while referring to Goku and his friends. Hal suddenly realized. That was a troubling sign.

"One of the Earthlings perished by Frieza's hand during the calamitous fighting, and at that moment, an ancient power was awakened. The Earth-raised Saiyan, Son Goku, transformed into the legendary Super Saiyan."

You could hear a pin drop as soon as the information was divulged. The Green Lanterns were too stunned to react, but Hal was left scratching his head. Unlike most of his peers, he didn't even know what a Super Saiyan was. He could ask his ring later, after the meeting was over, but judging from his comrade's reactions; a Super Saiyan was something to be feared.

"I'll fill you in later, Poozer," Kilowog whispered to Hal, and the Earthling mouthed him a silent "thank you."

"Goku promptly unleashed the might of a Super Saiyan and vanquished Frieza, but not before the despot destroyed the planet; Namek is no more."

Goku's dead! They're all dead! I shouldn't have let him be so gung-ho about the trip to Namek; I should've prevented him from leaving Earth in the first place! Hal berated and blamed himself. Earth was his sector. If anything, he should've been the one who died fighting Frieza on Namek. Damn the Guardians and their rules!

"We sent Alpha Lanterns to inspect Namek's ruins, and after a thorough search, they located a Thanagarian satellite that was still partially intact. Using their skills, they retrieved the satellite's data and uncovered actual footage of the events on Namek, which will be shared with you all at a later date."

"So what's the point of this meeting then? Why gather us all here? You could've easily uploaded that footage to our rings and called it a day." Hal blurted out. He leaped into the air before Kilowog could pull him back and flew towards the Guardians for answers.

"Your questions are valid, but you are out of line, Hal Jordan," Ganthet said as Hal landed in front of him. He was fond of the Earthling, but he could not and would not display any signs of favoritism in front of the other Guardians. They were already glowering at Hal and telepathically demanding that Ganthet reprimand him.

"You're right; my bad, I'm just really curious to know what's going on," Hal explained. It was only a partial apology, but it served to smooth things over.

Ganthet nodded. Unlike his brethren, he understood the inquisitive nature that most of the universe's species shared. "Frieza's defeat will have galactic ramifications."

"What kind?" Hal asked the question he already knew the answer to.

"War. War is coming."


January 4th

Age 763 (2013), Apokolips

Sulfur. Turles would never get used to the pungent scent of sulfur. It was an omnipresent entity that blanketed the skies, streets, alleyways, and even the homes of Apokolips. No amount of odor eliminators could get rid of the smell; it was inescapable. It lingered in Turles' bushy hair; it served as an unwanted cologne and even seemed to seep out of the Saiyan's pores.

Bardock's brother had traveled to numerous planets across various galaxies and had seen his fair share of mephitic worlds, but Apokolips was in a league of its own. It took the cake without even trying, but the denizens of the hellish planet had long since adapted to their surroundings; it didn't bother them. Even in Armagetto, the largest slum in Apokolips, where the stench of sulfur was the foulest, the residents there didn't bat an eye at their poor conditions. Darkseid had browbeaten his subjects into accepting their state of life.

Apokolips was a gigantic monstrous world fueled by its blazing fire pits. They churned day and night, round the clock, ceaselessly, and were the cause of the near-pitch-black smoke that consumed the skies. There was no sun on Apokolips, and even if there had been one, massive plumes of flames and smoke would've blotted the celestial body out. The fire pits had thermal exhaust ports that belched infernos into the depths of space. They were a protective aegis around Apokolips, and any invader would have to think twice before daring to approach Darkseid's

domain.

As unlikely of a scenario as that was, it had happened before. Apokolips and its mortal enemy, New Genesis, had waged a seemingly unending war eons ago. Turles didn't know much about it, but according to the tales he'd heard in passing conversations, both planets had nearly been destroyed as a result of the devastating fighting. But somehow, peace had eventually been brokered, and both parties ceased their hostilities. The truce was simply referred to as The Pact, but the details of that pact were still unknown to Turles.

Maybe that was the information Darkseid wished to share with him today. Turles stood at the foot of a throne's long staircase, anxiously awaiting his employer's words. The throne ascended like the heavens and nearly touched the mosaic ceiling of Darkseid's palace. The Apokoliptian's seat was so high and distant, Turles had to squint to see him, but Darkseid's presence was impossible to miss. Glowing, red, pupilless eyes glared back at Turles, and the Saiyan quickly averted his gaze as their eyes crossed paths.

Turles shifted his attention elsewhere and focused on the room's other occupants. Granny Goodness, Desaad, and the Female Furious were all present, standing still as stone on the opposite side of the staircase's base. The base was wider than most Apokoliptian houses, but the steps leading to Darkseid's throne got progressively smaller the higher up they went. One of the Female Furies, Lashina, winked at Turles, but he never saw it; he was too busy scowling at Desaad.

Desaad had relentlessly tortured him for days upon his arrival on Apokolips. Darkseid had ordered the deed, but Desaad was the one who had done it. Turles would never forget that, no matter how much he pretended it was water under the bridge. He didn't currently have the power to retaliate against Darkseid, and he likely never would, but Desaad was a weakling. One day soon, one day very soon, Desaad would be at his mercy, and he would enact his revenge.

"Turles." Darkseid's deep baritone voice snapped the Saiyan out of reverie and sent a chill down his spine. He straightened his posture and turned to face the dark lord of Apokolips, who was floating down the steps. Darkseid landed with a hard thud that shook the floor, but Turles managed to remain upright.

"Yes, Darkseid?" Turles answered hesitantly.

The Apokoliptian inched closer and closer to him, his enormous boots scrunching the ground until he stood within arms reach. Turles prepared himself for the worst. Darkseid's eyes hovered over him, glowing bright as stars. In his brief time on Apokolips, Turles had witnessed Darkseid vaporize scores of citizens on a whim, and he was likely next, but he wouldn't go out without a fight. Turles poured Ki into his fists, waiting for Darkseid to strike, but an attack never came; instead, joyous news flew out of the dark lord's mouth.

"Frieza is dead."


A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 68!


Q/A:

Guest: Your idea sounds like something that happened to Goku in one of the Dragonball AF fan mangas.

scl04: The blade that Future Trunks wields will be the atom-splitting sword. Shayera's history in the DCU is incredibly convoluted and confusing; there are multiple versions of her. In the New 52, she was rebooted as the Empress of Thanagar, and following the Rebirth relaunch, she's remained that way. The DCAU version of Hawkgirl is more in line with the pre-crisis version of her. The PTO really isn't on good terms with anyone, galactically speaking; they have tons of enemies. Wonder Woman would die before she lets Maxima's wish come true, lol.

ENDDRAGON369: Maxima will eventually have a child with a Saiyan, but it won't be Goku. Wonder Woman would never let that happen, lol. Many of my reviewers seem fond of a potential Starfire/Gohan pairing.

gotham0101: Thanks for the kind words. In the comics, there are multiple versions of Wonder Woman's daughter. She's named Stephanie, Hippolyta, and Donna in different versions. I would use one of those names for this story, likely Hippolyta or Donna.

Vault Hunter: Cell, the Androids, and Future Trunks' timeline will all be explained in due time. I don't understand why you were irked about galacticempires having information on Goku. The explanation of how they obtained that information was provided in the previous chapter. Thanagar sent spies to observe Namek, and they deployed satellites to surveil the planet while Frieza was there. Almerac intercepted some of that video footage, and that's how Sazu gained access to it.

Before Sazu brought the film to her queen's attention, she researched who Goku was because she knew her queen would be interested in him. The discussions on Thanagar Prime and Almerac took place over a week after Frieza had been defeated. That's more than enough time for either galactic empire to do their homework on a backwater planet like Earth. Maxima's ignorance in the comics was the comics; this story is an entirely different can of worms. I don't recall ever saying that Maxima would be paired with Superman; I've only consistently stated that he wouldn't be paired with Lois Lane.

In the DCAU, Maxima was impressed with Superman defeating some robots, and in the comics, she was impressed because he defeated Draaga and rebuffed Mongul's order to kill. Superman has better feats than that in this story, and his list of accomplishments will only continue to grow.

400roc: Trunks already has a sibling, Bra. I'm not hyping up what occurred between Vegeta and Harley. Reviewers keep asking me about it, and I've been responding to them. I've read some chapters of Dragonball Kakumei.

Just a bored Highschooler: Some DBZ movie characters will appear, and some have already appeared.

kaffeenator666: Shayera's last name is Hol, not Thal, due to marriage. I have a transformation planned for King Cold. I haven't seen Kuriza used in many fanfics, so I decided to include him in this one, and he'll play a role in a later storyline. I've been trying to build up more of the galactic lore in this story. I did a poor job of that in earlier chapters.

You saw a bit of Darkseid in this chapter, so I hope some of your cosmological questions were answered. Very soon, Trunks' timeline and Cell will be explained. No one has correctly guessed what I have in store, and I'd be shocked if they did, lol. But I'll drop this hint, Trunks' passenger will be a female DC character. This is still a very vague hint, but you and other reviewers are welcome to keep guessing who she'll be.

I don't mind long reviews; I love and welcome them. They're the best type of reviews. They let me know that people are paying detailed attention to the story, and that inspires me to write more. I can't give a concrete answer on when the teen heroes will start to appear, but it will be around the time when Gohan is a teenager, and he's currently five, so story-wise, it might be a while. But the Teen Titans will appear during the gap between the Cell saga and the Buu saga.

2000wires: Android 17 and 18 have already appeared in this story and will be featured in the next story arc.

Lector Noob: The people who died in Manhattan haven't been resurrected yet. Manhattan is currently undergoing reconstruction. How much citizens know about the Saiyans and Vegeta will be explored.

Guest: SSJ4 is my favorite SSJ form aesthetically, and if it appears, it will most likely be toward the end of the story. I like your idea, designs of the SSJ God forms are lazy to me, and SSJ4 would've been a much better choice than what we got from DBS.

Guest: In hindsight, a lot of the story arcs could and should have been better. That sentiment is part of the reason why I wanted to do a rewrite, but this story has progressed so far now that it'd take ages to get back to this spot in a rewrite. I had a lot of great ideas, but the execution was often poor or lazy. All I can do now is continue to improve as a writer and ensure that future story arcs are better than past ones. I think anyone who is currently up to date with the story can see how much my writing skills have progressed since some of those arcs you mentioned.