Thoughts

Computer Speech/Robotic Speech

"Speech"

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

Chapter 74: Vestiges III


January 18th

Age 764 (2014), The Southern Ocean

"I'm sorry, My Lord; the trail has gone cold."

Aquaman had suspected that was the case, but the confirmation of that reality was no less disheartening. The king of Atlantis angrily slammed his trident into the ground. The large glacier underneath Arthur's feet shook as the force of his blow echoed all the way down into the ocean, stirring the waters. The Atlantean soldiers in them glanced toward their liege, who was barely visible, and frowned. The rippling waters spoke volumes; they had disappointed their king yet again.

A soft hand reached out and grabbed Aquaman's shoulder, beckoning his attention. The king turned around with rage in his eyes, but those emotions quickly dissipated as he spotted his wife.

"Mera? When did you – "

"- I arrived minutes ago. It was a little hard to track you, but I found you." The queen said, cutting her husband off.

"That answers one question, but there's still a host of others. You're supposed to be in Xebel on a diplomatic mission. What are you doing here?" Arthur asked with narrowed eyes. He was glad to see his wife, but these circumstances were odd. Mera stood in all her glory, jade eyes bearing into his, with a gold crown atop her long damp red hair. Her shiny green and gold one-piece suit was still wet, indicating she had just risen from the sea. Water was dripping off the fish scales that comprised her outfit.

Mera sighed. "I can tell this is going to be a long conversation, soldier," she called out to the Atlantean who had delivered the bad news to Arthur. He was kneeling with his head hung low. "Leave us. You are free to go."

"As you command, My Queen," the Atlantean stood up and bowed politely before taking his leave. He walked toward the edge of the tall glacier, where his king and queen were standing, and jumped off it, diving into the frigid water below.

Once the soldier was out of earshot, Mera spoke once more. "The negotiations with my father went terribly like I told you they would. You insisted I go, ignoring my warnings, and now I fear that I've worsened the relationship between our two kingdoms. You should've seen the anger in my father's eyes when he saw the crown on my head. He'd heard whispers that I married you but seeing is believing. The negotiations were short; he banished me from the city and told me that Atlantis will never have peace with Xebel." Mera's voice cracked, and her eyes became watery. She was on the verge of tears recounting the tale, but Arthur pulled her into a hug before any teardrops slid down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry; I should've listened to you," Aquaman said as he comforted his wife. He held her close, stroking her hair as he apologized. "I'll defer any plans related to Xebel to you going forward, okay?"

Mera leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "It's about time you finally gained some sense," she chuckled and broke their embrace, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "As pressing as the news about Xebel was, that's not why I tracked you down, Arthur."

"Really?" Aquaman raised a brow. "What news was so important it couldn't wait until I returned to Atlantis?"

"This," Mera said as she dug into her pocket and pulled out a technologically advanced silver bracelet. "It's been beeping nonstop for the past hour. Your friends in the Justice League have been trying to contact you." She gave the device to Arthur, who was initially reluctant to take it, but after she pried his gloved hand open, the Atlantean king had no choice but to accept it.

"I don't want this," Aquaman grumbled as he squeezed the bracelet. "And calling them my friends is a stretch, Mera. They're acquaintances at best."

"Colleagues, teammates, associates, whatever you want to call them, I don't care. They've been trying to reach you. You should answer them."

"I don't have time for this right now, Mera. Unless it's another alien invasion or some event on that grandiose of a scale, it can wait. I'm hunting Vandal Savage. You know what he did to our oceans, to Tula, what he planned on doing to the rest of our people. It's been over a year since the Starro invasion, and Vandal has been impossible to track. One of our spies finally got some new intel on him today. I'm so close to locating him and finally bringing him to justice."

"I understand, Arthur; trust me, I do," Mera placed a hand on top of her husband's. "Your mission is noble; I won't deny that, but I heard what that soldier said to you while I was walking across this glacier. Your trail has gone cold. Whatever leads you thought you had are gone. You know that deep down. This is just a waste of time now. You need to focus your attention on more important matters." Mera pointed to the bracelet in Aquaman's hand, which had continued beeping throughout their conversation. It was buzzing incessantly.

"Fine. Whatever makes you happy, My Queen," Arthur said the words sarcastically and rolled his eyes but complied with his wife's request. He pressed several buttons on the bracelet's touchscreen, and multiple blue holographic messages popped up. There were so many to toggle through, but Mera helped Arthur scroll until he arrived at the message from today's date. The Martian Manhunter had left him a voicemail. Arthur pressed play.

"Aquaman, by the time you receive this message, the Justice League will already be under attack. Our assailants are unknown, but they've gathered in mass numbers. They plan to destroy the Hall of Justice. Once you hear this message, please come as quickly as possible; we'll need your help. I know you're unfamiliar with our team bracelet's technology, but check the data feed to stay updated about what's happening. I'm signing out; I hope to see you soon."

"Who would dare?!" Arthur growled as the voicemail faded. "Attacking the Hall of Justice is a fool's errand. What group of villains would have the gall to do that? Even Black Manta isn't that brazen."

"I don't know, Arthur, but you need to go now," Mera urged. "Those land dwellers will be in a dire situation without you. I'll accompany you too if that's what you – "

"- Accompany him where? To an early grave?" A voice suddenly asked from above. Arthur and Meera looked up and saw a small crowd hovering over them. The congregants all wore similar uniforms, didn't appear to be human, and had strange devices attached to their faces.

"Who are you?" Mera demanded. The hairs on her neck were standing up. She had a bad feeling about this.

"They're…they're…aliens! They're Frieza's soldiers!" Arthur exclaimed as he jogged his memory. J'onn had telepathically relayed the events on Namek to him months ago. The Frieza Force symbol was one of the few details he remembered. The interlocking f letters were emblazoned on all of the soldiers' armor. Aquaman took one last look at his wife and spurred into action.

Arthur raised his trident and summoned lightning, aiming it at the squad of enemies in the sky. It caught them off guard and struck them, sending thousands of volts of electricity coursing through their veins. An aurulent light irradiated the sky, drawing the attention of the Atlantean soldiers in the ocean. Their king was engaged in battle. They leaped out of the water to assist him.

By the time the soldiers climbed the glacier, King Arthur and Queen Mera were in the full heat of battle. Their foes surrounded them, hurling Ki blasts from above without care or concern. Aquaman managed to deflect most of them with his trident, shielding him and his wife, but they still caused damage. Arthur inadvertently deflected the attacks into other nearby glaciers, shattering them on impact. They melted into the ocean with giant splashes.

If just one of these Ki blasts landed, Mera and Arthur would lose the only solid ground they had. Mera refused to let that happen. The queen of Atlantis summoned the waters from the ocean. She used her hydrokinesis and brought forth two massive pillars of water. She shaped them into enormous fists and thrust them at her enemies. With her Atlantean soldiers providing cover, Mera was able to land direct hits on her foes before they even realized what had happened.

The watery knuckles slammed into two pairs of enemy soldiers and sent them sailing.

Mera ordered the Atlanteans closest to her to follow them. They did so without fail. Four Frieza Force soldiers were out of the way, for now, at least, but nine remained. Arthur was holding his own, but it was clear the king was starting to get agitated. These aliens were tougher than they looked, and they refused to fight fair.

The opposition had no qualms about sacrificing their comrades. Arthur's initial lightning attack had only ceased because one soldier had used his comrade as a shield to break free from the electric shock. Frieza's soldiers came in all shapes, sizes, and hues, but if they were anything like Earthlings, that meant a considerable portion of their bodies was comprised of water. Arthur levitated into the air, dashing off to face one of the enemies firing at him, but not before relaying a message to his wife.

He spoke to her telepathically and only said two words, Do it. Mera's eyes widened. She knew what her husband was implying, but she'd never done it on aliens before. She wasn't sure what would happen, but she had to try. Mera's eyes glowed as she concentrated, hands trembling. Her enemies' attacks abruptly halted as they started choking. Their skin shriveled, their vision blurred, their pulses became erratic, and before they knew it, they had taken their last breath.


January 18th

Age 764 (2014), Chikyu, West City, Capsule Corp

Your mother aged well for a human. The words lingered in Bulma's mind as she contemplated them. What did that mean? Was that a joke? It had to be because it couldn't possibly be true. She'd never been pregnant. Birth control and condoms had assured that, and heck, the only man she'd ever been sexually active with was Yamcha, despite what the tabloids said about her.

Even if she'd somehow birthed an alien baby without her knowledge, there was no way he'd be this old. Bulma was only thirty. The handsome youth in front of her was in his mid to late teens or early twenties at most. His mother would have to be nearly twice Bulma's age. The math didn't compute, but Bulma couldn't help but feel a strange familiarity as she examined the boy.

His warm eyes were blue like hers. His hair, which was unusual, to say the least, was lavender and equally divided on both sides of his head. It likely took meticulous combing, but the boy's hair formed two identical opposing arches that drooped down to his ears. A few loose strands of hair dangled over his forehead, but Bulma couldn't tell if they were intentional or not. His eyebrows were the same shade as his hair.

He sported a short indigo jacket that featured the Capsule Corporation logo on its left sleeve. Bulma had never seen that design before, but it was possibly a knockoff. His shirt underneath the jacket was black and resembled a tank top. His pants were dark grey and upheld by a white belt. His ankle-high boots were the color of rusted gold, and they lacked shoelaces. But the most alarming part of the boy's outfit was the sword on his back.

His sword was visible over his shoulder, but Bulma couldn't decipher its brand. The sword's pommel was either white or silver, and its hilt was wrapped in black leather. Its handguard was metallic, but the remainder of the blade was stuffed inside an orange scabbard attached to a navy blue strap that clung to the boy's chest. It was undoubtedly a deadly weapon, but the boy didn't indicate any signs of aggression; his partner was another matter, though.

The tall woman talking beside the boy reeked of violence, and it seeped out of her pores even amidst the casual conversation they were having. Bulma had spent enough time around Vegeta to recognize the signs. This woman was dangerous, incredibly dangerous, and could flip at any given moment based on her body language. Bulma's initial instinct to back away from her had been correct.

The girl was the same height as Wonder Woman or slightly taller and shared the Themysciran queen's olive skin tone. Her eyes were ocean blue and seemed to carry a heavy burden. Her hair was a long dark river that cascaded far beyond her silver tiara and shoulders, stopping just shy of her thighs. Her hair was predominately black but featured several prominent burgundy streaks. Her lipstick and a significant portion of her outfit were red. Her clothes were reminiscent of gladiators. She wore segmented metal armor that left little to the imagination.

Her cuirass was the largest piece of her armor, but it only covered half of her abdomen. It was held together by three red bands that looped in triangular directions across her chest. One of the bands was connected to a small metal pauldron that extended over her right shoulder. Two thick metal bracelets covered the front of her forearms, and red bands were wrapped around them. Her pants, if they could be called that, were nothing more than a long red and black loincloth.

Two curved metal fragments formed a makeshift belt, upholding the loincloth, but they never intersected. Bulma was curious to know what would happen if a breeze suddenly blew. Would the loincloth lift or stay in place? A luminescent whip or a lasso was strapped to her hip, and it glowed an ethereal red. Red bands crisscrossed down her knees to her metallic boots, and they looked anything but comfortable.

The girl was undeniably beautiful, and her physique was practically perfect. Her skin was unblemished, she was well-sculpted, muscular in the right places, and had the proportions that nearly any man would desire, but that didn't stop her partner from bickering with her.

"I warned you not to say anything, Fury," the boy scolded the tall woman beside him. He looked irate, but she shrugged nonchalantly.

"Trunks, you know we've been bouncing around the time stream creating potential paradoxes, and Kami knows what else. We have bigger issues to worry about than me giving your mom a compliment."

"You….you….you said it again, Fury!" Trunks snapped.

"Whoops, my bad," the woman apologized, waving her arms defensively.

"Thanks to you, she knows my name, and she knows she's my mother. If things don't play out like they're supposed to, I might not exist in the future due to that."

"That's a fair point; I won't argue that, but she knows my name too, thanks to you," Fury rebuffed.

"She heard you say my name as soon as we got here. These were your exact words: did we finally make it? Are we in the right year, Trunks?" He twisted his voice, trying to imitate hers, but it only drew her anger.

"I don't sound like that!" Fury stomped her foot. "My voice isn't that high-pitched."

"How would you know?"

"Because it's my voice, dumbass."

"Takes one to know one."

"That's it? That's really the best rebuttal you had? I know you can do better than that; you're not even trying."

"We don't have time for this, Fury," Trunks sighed and rubbed his temples. He could feel a headache approaching.

"Let's just spill the beans to her and get it over with already. I know you want to be aloof and mysterious, but this isn't a Terminator movie. We can save a lot of time by just cutting straight to the point."

"You've never even seen the Terminator; how would you – "

"ENOUGH!" Bulma abruptly screeched at the top of her lungs. She was at her wit's end. "Who are you? What the hell are the two of you talking about? I keep hearing random babbling about the future, claims about your parentage, and so on so forth. If either one of you is on drugs, I can get you the help you need. The Capsule Corporation is dedicated to the rehabilitation of addicts. We fund several rehab facilities across the globe."

"Did your mom really just say that?" Fury asked in disbelief as she nudged Trunks on the shoulder.

"Yeah…yeah…she did," Trunks drawled.

The duo shared a sweatdrop. Those were the last words they'd expected to hear from Bulma's mouth, but the heiress had never been shy about sharing her thoughts. Trunks cleared his throat and stepped closer to his mom, hoping to clear the air, but she was frightened.

"Back away, I'm warning you! I have pepper spray, and I'm not afraid of using it!" Bulma shouted as she frantically dug into one of her lab coat's pockets. "I don't want to, but I'll do it if I have to!" she threatened. She lifted the small canister in front of her face and was about to press down on a button to release the spray, but Trunks snatched it out of her hand before she could.

"This is going to be so embarrassing to talk about when I return to the future, Mother," he groaned. Trunks crushed the aluminum canister in his hand and rolled up one of his sleeves. "Before I traveled to the past, your future self warned me that your past self would be highly skeptical of my claims if I spoke to her. Fortunately, I brought proof of my heritage. TIGHTS, would you do the honors?"

Bulma's eyes widened. "How do you know about – " she started to say, but a familiar electronic voice interrupted her before she could finish.

"Hello, Trunks; how can I be of service today?" TIGHTS asked. Bulma glanced around in confusion, trying to locate the voice's origin. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked its screen, but TIGHTS was dormant. Trunks lifted his arm and pointed to the watch on his wrist.

"That's impossible!" Bulma exclaimed. She stepped back in shock, squinting as she inspected the device Trunks' was gesturing toward. It resembled a watch but was more technologically advanced than anything she'd ever seen. "TIGHTS is my AI; no one else has her, and she's only programmed to follow orders from me or – "

"- Members of the Brief family." Trunks finished for her. "You've never told anyone this, at least in the present, but the password to TIGHTS is a science fiction novel your sister once planned to write. The name of it was – "

"- Stop," Bulma interrupted. "I believe you. You're telling the truth; there's no way you could possibly know all this information if the claims I've heard weren't true. You are my son." Bulma conceded. The words felt strange to say, but Trunks' unexpected hug alleviated any lingering concerns she had.

"It's so good to hear you say that, Mother. When the time machine got destroyed, I feared I'd never see you again, but we finally made it to the right point in time, and here you are. It appears our time traveling hasn't altered anything too drastically." Trunks breathed a long sigh of relief as he finally separated from Bulma, but her face was full of panic.

"What time machine? How did it get destroyed? What necessitated your need to travel back in time?" Bulma placed a hand on her chin, rattling off questions. "But most importantly, who's your father?"

"Vegeta is his father," Fury said, earning a glare from Trunks. She'd sat in silence, watching the mother and son's heartwarming embrace, but it was time to get to the point of her mission. "For Athena's sake, don't give me that look, Trunks. You didn't plan on telling her, but someone had to."

Trunks gave Fury one last sour expression and switched his gaze back to his mother, who was at a complete loss for words.

"Vegeta? Vegeta! He's a rude, pompous, arrogant, self-important, recalcitrant, stubborn, obstinate prick who takes being royalty far too seriously. There's no way I'd ever have his child, much less sleep with him. My skin is crawling just thinking about it, and besides, Yamcha and I are in a relationship. Well, actually, we aren't currently together, but we kind of are; it's complicated. What would ever possess any version of me to bear his child?"

"Trunks' older brother asks that same question all the time," Fury snorted.

"Do you plan on telling her everything? You're sabotaging our mission!" Trunks was fuming. Their time-traveling mishaps had been bad enough, but those had been accidental. Fury's actions were intentional, and the flow of time would most assuredly change now.

"I have two children with Vegeta?" Bulma asked incredulously. "Kami, take me now."

"No, I'm your only child with him. He has another one with Harle -" Trunks started to say but quickly caught himself. "With another woman, but that's not important."

"The hell it's not!" Bulma snarled. "Were you about to say, Harley? As in Harley Quinn? I know they were teammates once."

"No," Trunks said, but his face betrayed him. He was never good at lying to his mother.

"I should be surprised, but I'm not. Vegeta's a typical chauvinist pig," Bulma humphed. "Him having two kids with two different women is in line with his character. The next time I see him, I'm going to slap him. But please, at least tell me I had enough sense to avoid marrying him."

"You didn't marry him," Trunks responded, eliciting a sigh of relief from his mother.

"Future me isn't a complete idiot, then. But still, I wonder how she manages to co-parent with Vegeta. You seem like you've turned out alright. You don't have any of Vegeta's…..Vegetaness." Bulma put air quotes around her last word.

"No…Vegeta's dead. I never knew him," Trunks said sullenly.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to – "

"- It's alright. You didn't know," Trunks dismissed. "Vegeta died while I was still a baby, but it wasn't due to natural causes. He was murdered, and the monster that murdered him is part of the reason why I traveled to the past. Your future self built a time machine, taught me how to use it, and sent me back into the past to prevent Vegeta's death and countless others."

Silence followed Trunks' words. Bulma was unsure what to say, but eventually, the Capsule Corp heiress gathered herself. "The pieces to this puzzle are starting to make sense now. You're from a post-apocalyptic future, I assume?" Bulma asked, and Trunks nodded. "I understand who you are and why you're here, but who is she?" Bulma pointed to Fury, and she answered.

"I'm Goku and Diana's daughter."

Bulma rubbed her eyes with both hands and whistled. "I wouldn't have guessed that, but in hindsight, your outfit and appearance should've made that obvious. You have both of your parent's features." Bulma remarked. The smile on Fury's face was identical to her father's. "I'm guessing Frieza's the one responsible for the state of the future? It makes sense considering the time when you guys showed up."

"Frieza?!" Trunks and Fury shouted in mutual confusion. "What's he got to do with anything?"

"He's invading our planet. Look around you; Yamcha and Vegeta just fought some of his soldiers before they took off."

Trunks and Fury inspected their surroundings, and true enough, a battle had recently taken place here. Several buildings were on fire or completely demolished, smoke clouded the sky, and in the distance, the wails of fire trucks and police sirens could be heard. Trunks and Fury's jubilation had caused them to overlook what was happening around them.

"TIGHTS, what day and year are we in?" Trunks asked his watch.

"Today is January 18th, 2014, or Age 764 in the Chikyuan calendar," TIGHTS answered.

Trunks' heart dropped. His head was spinning, and his vision was blurring. "Are you alright?" he vaguely heard his mother ask as he sank to his knees. "This isn't right. This isn't right!" he yelled, pounding his fists into the ground. "Frieza attacked Earth on August 18th, 2014. What the hell is going on?"


January 18th

Age 764 (2014), Washington, Argus Headquarters

"Cover my six; I've got your front, Etta!' Steve Trevor shouted as he aimed his weapon. It wasn't a gun by traditional standards; it didn't fire any bullets, but the lasers it discharged were far deadlier. They were artificial Ki blasts, the latest invention from Argus's research and development department. The Ki guns, as multiple scientists had dubbed them, were just prototypes, but now was as good a time as any to test their usefulness in the field.

So far, they were proving to be invaluable tools for Steve and his non-Metahuman agents. Nearly all hands were on deck as Argus's forces waged a veritable war against squads of alien invaders. The front lawn of Argus's headquarters served as the primary battleground, but other skirmishes were simultaneously taking place all across Argus's property. It was a massive plot of land, and every square inch had to be defended, no matter the cost.

Only thirty minutes ago, things had been relatively peaceful and calm inside Argus's five-story building. Steve had been in Chi-Chi's office, hashing out plans for a new mission involving the location of the fabled city Eth Alth'eban. Numerous criminals and villains across the United States had been vanishing without a trace over the past few months, and there was a growing suspicion that the League of Assassins was somehow connected. Steve wanted to track them down, but the League of Assassin's home base had never been found, not even by Batman.

The Dark Knight had battled the League of Assassins numerous times across countless locations but never in their primary base of operations. Steve had been on the verge of calling Batman to reconfirm specific details when one of his agents suddenly burst through Chi-Chi's door. Etta Candy had arrived nearly out of breath, with beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. Steve and Chi-Chi had initially been annoyed by the interruption, but once Etta's explanation had begun, those emotions withered away.

Etta had brandished Steve's bracelet, which had been left in his office, and played the message the Martian Manhunter had left for him. J'onn J'onzz's voicemail had been a dark herald, announcing Frieza's invasion. Even now, as Steve battled against Frieza's Forces, he still didn't understand how the galactic tyrant had bypassed all of Argus's security measures. The alien soldiers currently attacking Argus's headquarters should've been detected by Argus's satellites.

Somehow, someway, Steve had yet again failed to protect his nation. It was becoming a problematic reoccurring theme. Maybe Amanda Waller was right about him; maybe he truly wasn't up to the task of his role. His mind was full of doubts, but that hadn't stopped Steve from doing his job. Shortly after J'onn's message, Steve had put Argus's headquarters on high alert. Every agent in the building had been armed and prepped for battle, even the ones like his secretary, Victoria October, who had never stepped foot in the field before.

It hadn't taken long for Frieza's Forces to finally arrive, and once they had, all hell broke loose. Frieza's troops held the skies and used their aerial advantage strategically, smiting Argus agents left and right and cutting off any possible escape routes for survivors. Argus had several agents who were capable of flight, but their numbers weren't significant enough to offset the massive disparity. And to make matters worse, the helicopters and jets Steve had planned on using had all been shot down before liftoff.

Chi-Chi, Fire, Ice, Dr. Light, and a few others were Argus's only defense in the skies. Things weren't all bad, though; the force field around Argus's headquarters was still holding up and had yet to be penetrated. Either the Frieza Force's attacks weren't that potent, or the destruction of the facility wasn't the primary goal; whatever the reason, Steve was grateful. He had enough problems to worry about already.

The gun in Steve's hand hummed as he fired it repeatedly. He and Etta Candy were positioned back to back, ducking and rolling through the grass as they let off shots. Several of them missed, just due to the sheer speed of their targets, but the ones that landed instantly vaporized their prey. The Ki guns had multiple gears with numerous options, but Steve and Etta had their weapons set to kill. Steve would've preferred to stun his enemies and interrogate them later, but that wasn't an actual possibility given the current circumstance.

The situation right now was to kill or be killed. The stakes were life and death, and Steve was praying Argus would come out on top. In the air, Chi-Chi was doing her best to ensure that. She handled multiple foes, dispensing swift justice in the blink of an eye. Her power level had risen significantly since Starro's invasion, and unfortunately, that may have been one of the reasons why Frieza's troops had elected to attack Argus.

Fire and Ice were providing support as Chi-Chi slashed through swaths of enemies. She'd expected Frieza's soldiers to be more intimidating and powerful, but they'd been utterly disappointing so far. She couldn't sense their power levels for some reason, but she doubted any of her foes were even as powerful as Raditz. These soldiers had to be bottom-of-the-barrel peons. The warrior in her wanted a challenge, but that was irrational.

The current flow of events provided the best odds for Argus, and that's all that mattered. Chi-Chi ignited her Ki and prepared to launch a Kamehameha. Dozens of enemies would be wiped out once she unleashed her attack, but as the Ki gathered in her palms, her concentration began to lapse. She was distracted. A grating beeping noise was growing louder and louder.

Chi-Chi's eyes scanned the skies and saw several Frieza Force soldiers frozen, mumbling incoherent words as they clutched their Scouters. Their attacks had ceased, but why? They were in the middle of a battle. It didn't make sense, and Chi-Chi's confusion grew as she witnessed the invaders scramble to remove their Scouters. They looked petrified, and it was at that moment when an epiphany struck Chi-Chi.

"Everyone, take cover!"


January 18th

Age 764 (2014), Cadmus Island

"The reports are pouring in. Argus, the Hall of Justice, Capsule Corp, and numerous other locations are under attack. An unidentified giant spaceship has breached Swiss airspace and has ignored all commands to land and surrender. All our intel indicates that the Planet Trade Organization is responsible for the ongoing calamities. We intercepted a message from the Justice League, and they stated that Frieza is seeking the highest power levels on our planet. He wants to eliminate them. The invasion has begun, and I believe Cadmus Island will be next on Frieza's hit list. We need to act now and strike preemptively, but I can't issue any orders without your approval first. What course of action do you want us to take, Ms. Waller?" King Faraday asked as he walked beside the Secretary of Metahuman Affairs.

Amanda Waller looked at him, blinked, and continued trekking across the beach. It was a beautiful picturesque day. The sun was shining brilliantly; there wasn't a cloud in sight, the tide from the ocean wasn't too strong, and the temperature was in the mid-eighties. Amanda couldn't ask for anything more except for silence from her companion, but her subordinate wouldn't grant her that. She walked for another twenty yards before King Faraday posed his question again.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry to disturb you during one of your breaks, but this is urgent. I need an answer. Cadmus central intelligence is highly concerned, and you should be too. Some of the smartest minds in the world reside on this island, and if they were to – "

"- That's correct; some of the world's smartest minds do reside on this island," Amanda Waller cut him off and adjusted her red tie. They were both wearing matching black business suits. "And that's the precise reason why I'm unbothered about the ongoings of the outside world."

King Faraday scratched his temple, confused. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

Amanda eyed the man from head to toe and sighed. "Of course, you don't." King Faraday was a tall, slender man who was far too young to have a head full of grey hairs. Some of his coworkers claimed that an incident during his service had a spy had frightened him so terribly his hair had changed color overnight, but Amanda knew the truth. King Faraday was fearless, and he'd proven that a thousand times over. He was an exemplary soldier, but unfortunately, his conformist ways sometimes interfered with his ability to think outside the box.

"There's a reason Cadmus Island has never been located since its creation. Argus doesn't know where it is; the Justice League doesn't know where it is; even the president is unaware of its location. This island is cloaked by magic, science, and psionics. You'd have an easier time finding Themyscira than this island. I dare to tempt fate, but for all intents and purposes, this island is impregnable."

"You're sure of that?" King Faraday asked doubtfully. "I'm still relatively new to your staff, so I don't know the full backstory behind Cadmus Island, but preventive measures should always be taken."

"And rest assured they will be. Irrespective of my confidence in our security, I won't jeopardize what we've been building on Cadmus Island."

King Faraday nodded and suppressed a smile. Amanda Waller was as uncompromising a woman as any he'd met, and that was saying a lot considering his ex-wife. His primary role on Amanda's staff was to provide counsel, but her plans were often set in stone. Today was a rare win for him.

"Should I dispatch the Genomorphs or perhaps one of our other genetically engineered lifeforms?"

"No," Amanda refused. "Awake the Androids; I want to see them in action."

"But the Androids aren't – "

"- Aren't ready yet. I know. I've heard that statement countless times, and I'm sick of it. I'm starting to think I've given our scientists too long a leash. Dr. Gero, Professor Ivo, and Dr. Wheelo have made big promises with very few results. I've provided them with more funding than they could've ever dreamed of, and my patience is wearing thin. Tell them those Androids better be ready, or I'll personally offer them to Frieza's Forces for slaughter."


A big thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 73!


Q/A:

guardianx15: Goten wasn't born in the future timeline.

Agrimika: Mecha Cooler probably won't exist in this story, but there's always a possibility. Blue Beetle will appear at some point. This shared universe has a multitude of powerful villains that haven't made an appearance yet. They'll be plenty of enemies that can challenge the heroes before the Majin Buu saga.

BrianShooter672: Superman will always be willing to give people the benefit of the doubt and believe they can change. Goku's death during the Cell games isn't guaranteed in this story. Goku doesn't know how to drive, but it would be funny to write about him getting his license.

Historiasrandom: Keep pushing and striving; things will get you said in your review about a potential Raven/Gohan pairing is logical, and you made a strong argument for her.

Kabuto S. Inferno: I hope you wound up having a good make good combinations, and as you mentioned. Superman's relationship with Batman is probably why his dynamic with Piccolo works so well, minus a few differences. In a previous chapter, in response to another reviewer, I mentioned a future storyline called Justice For All. That storyline will deal with a lot of the questions you posed. The specifics of the technology Batman used will be explained. Wow, you pretty much guessed what Frieza was up to.

I have plans for Cooler, but he won't visit Earth for a while. He'll have plenty to deal with in space once Frieza is defeated, and that will occupy most of his time. Cooler will play a role in Kuriza's development, but I can't say what it'll be quite yet.

Hentaigod69: The Goku/Wonder Woman pairing won't change.

Guest: Superman won't be paired with Lois Lane.

Fuckmegun: Fury's personality in the comics matches her name, is all I'll say, lol.

scl04: The kill vs. no kill ideologies will likely be a constant tug of war going forward. I think it's fair to call Tien and Chiaotzu 'the bald team'; Chiaotzu's amount of hair is negligible. Argus's failure to detect Frieza's arrival will be explained. I think you answered your own question about Batman's latest invention; he's well-known for having a plan for everything. "Batprep" is an online phrase for a reason, lol. Some Frieza Force soldiers did have Ray Guns, but the ones that attacked the Justice League didn't.

Vault Hunter: I don't know if you've seen Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F,' but in that movie, Frieza brought a large host of soldiers with him to Earth and wound up killing almost all of them for being too weak. A similar concept is at play in this story. Martian Manhunter has a lot of remarkable abilities, but many people often reduce him to just being a flying brick. I didn't show Batman building a new suit with upgrades, but Batman popping up with new inventions out of the blue is in line with how he's usually written. In Batman: Endgame, he appeared with an exoskeleton that was capable of taking out the entire Justice League.

You raised some excellent points about Superman's stance on killing. I completely forgot about the Kryptonians he killed on a parallel Earth. If I'm not mistaken, that's from a fairly old comic. You're correct about the Saiyans and their involvement with most of the significant events thus far, but don't fret; you'll still get to meet Superman's daughter. I have a chapter, possibly two, that will be dedicated to the future timeline.

ENDDRAGON369: Raven or Starfire seems to be the most popular pairing from my reviewers. The results of Harley and Vegeta's one-night stand were finally mentioned in this chapter.

Preston2006: I can't say when Shazaam will appear, but it will happen eventually. Android 18 and Shazaam would be a weird pairing for multiple reasons.

guardianx15: I can't really answer any of your questions because they're all spoilers, but you have some good guesses.

DCTitans: To be honest with you, I'm not really a fan of Jon or Damien. They might get swapped out with Superman and Batman's other children. If they do appear, it won't be for a while.

Dontus -not Donut- Powerus: Yeah, Frieza won't be sliced to pieces in this story. Goku won't fight Frieza, but Spirit Fission would come in handy. Goku's height will remain the same, but it would make for some great comedy between him and his wife.

gotham0101: Themyscira is magically hidden. The Frieza Force has no way of finding Donna.

Maou09: Gohan/Supergirl isn't happening in this story. I've been adamant about that for a while, lol. I think that pairing has been overdone in this section, but I do like Kara as a character.

Jetty1: Wow, I'm glad I was able to inspire you to do some fan-art. Where can I see your fan-art? You're right; this version of Goku hasn't learned that he's responsible for Grandpa Gohan's death. That could create some tension down the line. I love your Vegeta idea, and I'll probably use it, lol. I really appreciate these types of reviews; I can tell that you've paid attention to the story. You've mentioned details that happened so long ago. Yamcha and Fire would be a good pairing.

Jackalope89: Zatanna will be in Gohan's age group in this story. Fire or Ice are possibilities for Yamcha, though. Gohan and Raven do have issues controlling their emotions. If they had a child and he or she inherited those same problems, it would be terrifying, especially when you consider all the power that child could potentially have. I don't know anything about Lilith; I'd have to read some comics about her. The fight against Frieza will be epic; I can't wait until we finally get there.

Guest: I chuckled when I saw this review because I just recently reread Forever Evil. It was one of my favorite story arcs in the New 52. I have plans for an Earth-3 plotline.

Rocksteady: You left a lot of reviews, so I'm just going to respond to your important ones. The fight between Vegeta and Superman was always meant to be an illusion. The Amazo, the Suicide Squad, fought was an incomplete android. Superman's power has been steadily increasing throughout the story. This story would have been really short if Superman had been at his full strength from the get-go.

The origin of the Red Ribbon army's dragon radar was never stated. It could've been Dr. Gero, but who knows? They were inferior models, though, and Amanda Waller wanted the best quality. Wonder Woman's storyline was way too long, and in hindsight, I would've done it differently. Your Sinestro question is a spoiler, so I can't answer that, but you'll find out what happened in the future timeline.

Darkseid has an alliance with the Planet Trade Organization, but the PTO and the Green Lantern Corps have been locked in a cold war. As a bounty hunter, Turles is a free agent, and his actions won't result in any political ramifications. Frieza won't be humiliated. Tights is 17 years older than Superman; that pairing wouldn't have worked.

Anonymous Mastermind: Darkseid has an alliance with the Planet Trade Organization. The Beerus/Darkseid question is difficult to answer because Darkseid has multiple avatars, and they aren't all the same. If Gohan formally becomes a hero, I'll stick with the Saiyaman name. I don't see a reason to change it. Gohan will be a member of the Teen Titans down the line. Another vote for the Raven/Gohan pairing, lol.

Goku, Gohan, and Diana are all incredibly famous. They live in a remote area and have been separated because of their adventures, so you haven't really gotten to witness the full extent of their fame. Gohan's been home-schooled by Bulma thus far. Yes, Yamcha will be paired with a DC character. As far as the Androids go, I can't speak on that.

kaffeenator666: You'll find out how Frieza overcame the Justice League and Argus's safety measures soon. DBM Bra is awesome, despite what many fans say about her. I used to read Bringer of Death in high school, but I never finished it. Yamcha will get a power boost, but it won't involve Android machinery. Yamcha will be paired with one of the heroes, but I can't say who at the moment.

wolf master97: I've never watched DBZA; I know nothing about it.

North: I agree with you on that point. Superheros are symbols, and killing typically besmirches their values. I had to increase Mecha Frieza's threat level because I skipped over the Namek saga, and it was entirely lackluster in this story.