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33
Death sentence
My men are preparing to depart. From the ship's glass window, I can see them, lined up in an orderly row, waiting for their moment to enter and don their brand new battle suits.
The Saiyans were not invited to this party. They were told I was going on a mission, and their scouters were deactivated to ensure their compliance. The very moment I leave this planet, those insects will be crushed by my army. They should be honored, after all: they will be the first of their kind to disappear, the beginning of the most spectacular genocide this Universe has ever seen.
The communicator in my fingers buzzes, waiting for a response from the other side. The primates have distracted me for a while, but I'm not ignoring this other matter even if I have neglected it lately.
Finally, the screen lights up.
«Any news about Father?» I demand, cutting him off before he can talk. He sighs.
«All good for me too, thanks. He's still undecided. He wants to get closer to Zanda to better keep most of his troops under control, but he's afraid of moving too far from the center of his System.»
«That doesn't matter. I just care he doesn't get too close to my System.»
«I doubt it.»
I'm relieved. Having Cooler as a neighbor has already been a fairly significant worry in recent years. If Father also decides to move nearby, I know that will become a problem. I've had enough of family reunions.
Since King Cold abandoned his old Planet Number One, which had become inhospitable with only two out of three Stars, Cooler has been updating me on his every intention. I'm not delusional enough to think he he's not doing the same with him. I know that Cooler is the linchpin around which this triangle revolves; his interest in both me and our father would never allow him to unbalance it or even let one of us be destroyed by the other, even if I'm sure that in a possible clash between us, my dear brother would side with Father. However, I'm willing to put up with being spied on as long as Cooler remains my source of information about Father, before things happen and it is too late to prevent them.
«Am I seeing wrong, or are you on a ship?» he says.
Precisely. Well, I don't care if Father knows what's about to happen.
«How attentive. Yes, I'm leaving for Planet Vegeta. I've decided to wipe out the Saiyan race.»
«An ambitious purpose. They've done something to deserve it, I suppose.»
«They did. That Monkey King of theirs intends to cut off my head and impale it next to his throne. His words exactly.»
«He must have been very brave to say them in front of you» he teases, and I realize that I've said more than was appropriate.
«I have my spies» I say, trying to deflect. Cooler assumes I have my own methods for spying on my subordinates, but I'm not going to confirm that the scouters are part of it until there's a slight hope of hooking his up to the network. I have to be convincing enough anyway, because he doesn't insist.
«I'm not surprised someone finally decided to turn on you. It was a bad idea, though. They'll get what they deserve.»
«Oh, they will.»
«You need men?» he asks, and he couldn't have said anything more offensive.
«I told you this to let you know, not because I need help.»
«Understood. I'll send a few ships to scout, just to be safe.»
«Don't you dare, Cooler. This is my territory. Let me handle it and don't interfere.»
He shrugs.
«As you wish, little brother.»
«Good for you. Call me back if you have any news.»
The connection abruptly ends, leaving me with a distinct sense of irritation because I'm well aware of what's coming next.
Go ahead and tell King Cold everything, this time he'll have to agree with me.
I look out the windows. The boarding is almost completed. Only one soldier is missing and, as if he'd read my mind, Zarbon enters a few moments later to tell me of his fate.
«Dodoria is on his way» he says. «He and his team have cleaned up a few planets, most recently Meat. It looks like the mission is accomplished.»
«Good, but we won't wait for him. Tell him to follow a course to Vegeta and intercept us on the way. We'll leave immediately, as soon as this scum decides to hurry up and get on board.»
«Immediately» he nods and I watch him start the scouter while the last men set foot on the ship and the lower hatch closes behind them.
«Leave me alone until further notice» I tell him. I have a couple of things to do now.
A few moments later, when the engines' tremors become powerful and Val's land begins to get further away, the desire to reach planet Vegeta becomes frenzy. I still have the communicator in my hands and decide to indulge my idea. I need Dodoria here on board, but I have other resources that could be useful for a bit of deep cleaning.
I make the call: I've been ignoring his daily report for days because of those stupid Saiyans and the thoughts they put in my head. I wonder if the face I'll find in front of me is the one I expect.
When he answers, I realize that Ginew is still in the body he had taken a few months ago. He must have settled in there.
«Mighty Frieza, I pay my respects» he greets me deferentially.
«I need you and the Special Squad for a quick job.»
He becomes attentive. «I'm listening.»
«You will contact Sorbet and he will tell you which planets to visit. Your task is to exterminate every Saiyan you meet. Every last one.»
«The Saiyans?» he says, clearly disoriented. It's clear he doesn't understand, so I'll explain.
«Exactly. I have decided that their race in this Universe is one too many.»
«If they disrespected you, they'll get the punishment they deserve» Ginew says, and I laugh. His ardor is unbridled; I'm sure his prey will have a really unpleasant time.
«Disrespected is an understatement. Make it painful, Ginew. I'll leave you with complete freedom over the methods, as long as you don't leave even one of them alive.»
«Lord Frieza, you can be sure of that» he says, smiling. I know he, unlike the reckless Dodoria, would never fail a mission like that. «We'll leave immediately. Just enough time to notify the team and receive instructions from Sorbet.»
«Have fun.»
I disconnect the call and think. Planet Frieza Number Twenty-five is quite far from Vegeta, but the Special Squad has the Attack Balls, and moving with them is not a problem.
In a few days, the entire Universe will be completely cleansed of its worst garbage, or almost. Apparently, the little prince has brought his personal monkeys with him, even if he has not allowed them to descend to the planet to prevent them from interfering. He wants to be the absolute protagonist of his game, and I will allow it, just as I allowed him to keep his dogs without putting them down. Three Saiyans are manageable; two more do not make a difference.
Now, the moment I've been waiting for most anxiously is upon us. As Val disappears, I connect the scouter and forward the most important call of the day.
Nothing appears on the screen, but the auditory transmitter immediately begins to buzz. The device vibrates, the frequencies align, and after a few moments, he answers.
«Mighty Frieza?»
His voice, heard through the scouter, is only slightly distorted despite the vast distance separating us. In fact, it's practically identical to the one that Gichamu continuously records, given that the source is the same. This reminds me of his words, and I can't help but clench my fists at the thought of what this scum says about me when he's not too busy trembling in front of me.
Let me see how low you bow before me, you filthy monkey.
«King Vegeta» I say, trying to keep a neutral tone. He shouldn't be alarmed, not now: he will have the chance very soon. «I'm calling to inform you that your son has left for his first mission as Commander. He didn't want a team with him.»
He doesn't speak, but he's clearly worried. I'm sure I will soon hear live everything he isn't telling me.
«Also, I decided to come visit you. I have urgent business to discuss: a mission of vital importance that will require your entire army. Don't let any of your men leave Vegeta until I get there.»
«As you wish» he says, submissively. One thing is certain: even if there were a Super Saiyan, it certainly wouldn't be this useless being capable of bragging only behind my back. I laugh.
«I'll be with you in a few days. A couple at most» I warn him.
«We're waiting for you.»
Anxiously, I imagine.
I smile and end the communication, then switch the scouter to a different frequency, that of my First Engineer. The bait has been cast, the waters are agitated, and the fish will go crazy soon.
The scouter buzzes.
«Lord Frieza, you're connected» Gichamu says without hesitation. I know it's not a great idea: I could be consumed by anger listening to him, but I can't help myself.
I hear footsteps. As I had anticipated, the Monkey King avoids speaking with me in front of his men to avoid displaying his cowardice and submissiveness: I regret not humiliating him more at court when I had the opportunity.
The footsteps stop when he enters a room full of his rabble, as the voices indicate. The silence is total when they see him return.
«Your Highness, what happened?» someone asks, alarmed. The poor King must look very stressed...
«We have a problem» the Monkey King's voice sounds as intense as before. The tone is different, though: more confident, determined, undaunted. His men must consider him a great King, brave enough to challenge the Perfect Being himself. If only they knew that he does not even have the courage to speak in front of me...
«For some reason, Frieza decided to come here. He spoke of a mission of vital importance and has commanded that no one leave the planet until he gives the order.»
The background buzz rises, worried.
«What are you going to do, Your Majesty?» someone asks him. He takes a deep breath.
«I don't know. He probably really wants to give us a mission, but then why force everyone to stay on the planet? I have a feeling.»
«What feeling?»
«A bad one» he states. «I fear he wants to attack us, but I don't know how.»
I'm surprised by the King's insight. Is he really not completely stupid as I assumed?
«Should I spread the word?» his advisor asks. He pauses, then rejects the idea.
«No, I haven't spread panic so far and I won't do it now. The population must remain unaware or we will be in total chaos.»
«But, Your Majesty, we should save them. If Frieza attacks us, his army will raid the cities!»
«We can't evacuate the whole planet!» he states. «We don't have the ability to do so, and besides, what if I'm wrong? How would we explain to Frieza the breaking of his orders? We'd be condemning ourselves with our own hands!»
They nod in agreement, and no one says a word until King Vegeta, after what seems like careful contemplation, decides to show me that any hope I have in his newfound intelligence is a waste of time.
«I will go to his ship myself and stop him before he can threaten us.»
The voices in the background become animated. Even his men seem to realize how stupid that idea is.
«I don't know if it's a good idea, Your Highness. I don't mean to disrespect you, but Frieza is too powerful for you alone...»
«I'll bring my best men,» he says. His simian pride is sizzling at the indisputable truth. «All the best Saiyan warriors will come with me. We will destroy his ship, and he will have no choice but to perish before our fury!»
What a brazen insolent man...
No one seems convinced, but no one dares to deny either. His court is worthy of him, luckily for me: at least I will not encounter useless resistance.
«And what about Prince Vegeta, His Majesty?»
«We will find out where he sent him and we will go and get him after his defeat. And now, gather our best warriors. We have no time to waste! I will call the tyrant myself as soon as I find a decent excuse. We'll leave in three hours!»
«Aye!»
«And remember, my men... we are Saiyans. We will fight as Saiyans. If necessary, we will die as Saiyans, but we will not bend!»
«We will not bend!»
«Long live the Saiyans!» shouts King Vegeta.
«Long live the King!» his court replies. And, as usual, the connection suddenly goes dead and Gichamu takes over again.
«Shall I inform you if there is any news?»
«Yes, and I give you permission to listen to our call. Compare it with his real intentions and tell me if he comes up with any strange moves.»
I turn off the scouter with a click and sit back in my armchair. My business is finished, and now I will relax and wait for the Monkey King to find a plausible excuse to justify the invasiveness of what he wants to do. I don't feel anger, just annoyance and a strange sense of excitement. I'm eager to see what King Vegeta will do next.
Next chapter:
The first martyrs