Chapter 3 Red Faction - Night of Knives
The Warden sat at his office, eyes locked on the active monitor before him. On screen was several relayed images from one of the many monitor stations within Galactic Prison Prime.
All showing different camera angles across Sector 7: The area assigned to serve as the general quarters for the underworld scum that served as audience for the Galactic Death Tournament.
As predicted, several dozens of these criminal scum displeased with the day's proceedings carried out whatever plans they choose to rectify the situation or cut their losses.
For the latter, some of these people chose to leave. This is fine, his subordinates have planted well hidden trackers inside every space worthy vessel these scum arrived in.
It simply reserved their judgement for a later date.
Most of these displeased criminals plotted to take matters in their own hands, meaning they would attempt to wound or hurt the fighters that caused their loss of fortune due to their misplaced bets. Others planned on sabotaging future fights so their bets can be favorable.
Predictable, evil motivations and moves.
"Looks like there are several dozen scum plotting to act against our rules of hospitality." The Warden said to his audience standing at attention before his desk.
Three of his subordinates -officers whom were in charge of security for the areas were the participants of the tournament were housed- awaited his orders on the situation.
"While expected, its astonishing how these people think such evil will bring them fortune..." The Warden moved his gaze to his subordinates. "Proceed as we planned, kill anyone of these scum that try to harm the participants. I'll instruct the security detail in Sector 7 to keep their eyes open but withhold any engagement unless these criminals start a riot or fight amongst themselves."
"It'll leave a poor taste in everyone's mouth, protecting criminals from criminals. A necessary sacrifice with our current goal in mind..." The Warden waited a moment before adding.
"However, those two smugglers...Something is up with those them. Let them fend for themselves, one seems more than capable of doing so anyway." The Warden concluded.
"Sir?" One of the GP officers tilted his head down. "With that sort of logic, shouldn't most of the participants also be left to their own devices as they are strong enough to defend themselves?"
The Warden laughed. "You're right! That's a weak excuse that'll confuse your men." He stood up, slowly. Smirking, The Warden offered this to his subordinate.
"Then how about this...They are lying to us, so why should we offer our protection?"
The officer took a few moments to roll the idea in his head, then nodded. "Agreeable, sir."
Captain Drak studied the holomap updating in real time before him. The amount of alerts going off across the board was astonishing.
Every sector was under attack and not by the probing like assaults from earlier but a general offensive.
No one expected these Frieza Fanatics -a name many of the ranks have been calling their foe these days- to have the capacity to launch such a large scale operation.
Once more, Commander Ledgic has surprised us. However, the impacts from this surprise offensive have been negated due to the new polices introduced 3 years ago including the measure to raise the strength of every soldier to a new standard of 10,000.
Only 4 sectors were showing sighs of given ground.
Sector 22 -the purposely weakened line to lure the enemy in and crush them with a stronger, fresh force- had been falling gradually in according to estimations. Eventually, the enemy would assault planets and installations held by the stronger legion held in the 2nd line. Then they will be held in place while two other similarly strengthened legions will attack from the flanks.
Sectors 5, 8, and 12 on the other hand were falling rapidly. The forces that held those sectors belonged to a collection of planetary governors and other such allies who chose to hold some level of autonomy instead of being absorbed by Red Faction. These woefully pathetic soldiers were being ripped apart like paper mache.
The red Scouter currently upon the demon's face beeped. Drak pressed the comms channel open by holding the singular button upon the device. "Report."
"Captain Drak, we have received confirmed reports of Serpentine mercenary clans among the enemy forces." The familiar voice of Daizu said. "In fact, these clans make up the bulk of the assaulting forces."
Captain Drak let out a breath. "So that's how they gathered the numbers for this offensive...Anything else?"
"Aside from our allies flooding the communication channels with screams for help and curses blaming us for their failures? No sir, nothing further to add."
"Very well then. Keep me informed of further developments." Drak closed the channel, leaning back and rolling the creek in his neck. He had been standing in the same position since this offensive had started hours ago.
His attention turned to the newly installed door, now sliding open as his awaited guest entered the room.
"Glad you can make it, Bardock." Captain Drak nodded in greeting, gesturing with his right hand to the spot he wished the Saiyan would stand by. "Please, join me."
With that same serious face he had on most the time, Bardock stepped to the holomap. "How bad?" He asked, crossing his arms as he took in the information portrayed before him.
"Bad enough, but not a disaster." Drak soundly replied. "I'll be deploying you to Sectors 5, 8, and 12. You will have one legion as backup to hold the line and push the enemy forces back. They are currently having a field day, rolling over our allies."
"With troops as weak as theirs, I'd be surprised if they weren't." Bardock replied. "This is an immediate departure, I take it?"
"The sooner the better." Captain Drak turned his body to the Saiyan. "Besides, this will be as best a debut to your newfound powers as any."
"And put the fear of the Kais into these fools." Bardock allowed himself a smirk. "Can't wait to see them panic when they see it."
"Indeed." Captain Drak turned back to the holomap. "I've been keeping Lord Riddic in the loop, given the unexpected audacity of the enemy. While the Sectors I'm sending you to do need an immediate response, I have a feeling Commander Ledgic is holding some cards back..."
"So are you telling me to rush?" Bardock raised an eyebrow.
"On the contrary, take your time wiping these zealots and their mercenary friends out. I'm merely stating my suspensions." The demon replied. "Regardless of whatever Ledgic and his officers might have planned, there is no possible way they accounted for more than one Super Saiyan to be active at once..."
"That said, they might have developed some hopeful countermeasures to the unstoppable killing machine, so do take care."
"Of course." Bardock said, remembering Todocama. "No more gambles without proper plans from me."
"Whatever methods you deem necessary." Captain Drak turned his head to the Saiyan. "Just get the job done, no need for heroics. We have Lord Riddic for that..."
Bardock chuckled. "I didn't know you had a sense of humor."
"It surfaces now and again." Drak replied. "Unless you have any questions, you have your assignment. Dismissed."
Commander Ledgic stood around a holotable with several of his staff officers, studying the back and forth tied of battle ragging across several planets.
A general offensive they managed to scrap together with the goal to cause as much havoc as possible to draw these rebellious traitors attention away for their true goal: Ravaging Planet Hope with an elite strike team.
They have no chance of defeating Riddic, the Legendary Super Saiyan. Not as they are anyway.
Their only option besides roll over and die or submit was to make this Red Faction he has formed suffer as much damage as possible. In other words, make life as miserable as possible for this invincible killing machine.
That said, things have not gone according to plan. Ledgic had hoped that the forces them mustered would've pushed the entire frontline back, instead they were only gaining ground in 4 Sectors.
In 3 of these areas, they were pushing the enemy so far back that there was a real chance of encircling the enemy front along several Sectors or at least cutting off their supply lines.
From what prisoners they have collected, they've learned that these Sectors were maned by allies of Red Faction rather than the impressive and far stronger troops holding off the majority of the frontlines.
There has to be a response from the foe to deal with the threat, otherwise they could risk losing so much more.
And that mean deploying some powerful forces...or in this case one single powerful force of nature that can move more quickly that an entire formation of soldiers.
Whenever reports arrive of the Super Saiyan being spotted, Ledgic would send the signal to the elite strike team waiting behind the lines and strike at the capital of this insurrection. There would be massive casualties on all sides, sacrifices the Loyalists could hardly afford. At this point, it barely mattered.
All that did, was the amount of damage they could inflict upon their greatest foe.
"Not quite the uproar we've planned on creating." A staff officer commented, leaning back to cross her arms. "Looks like those rumors were true..."
"What rumors?" Another officer asked.
"The ones about these rebels raising their standard fighting power." The first officer replied. "I though they were crazy, but it looks like they really have implemented a system were they have all their frontline soldiers at a power lever of 10,000."
"It would explain a lot, given how passive our foes have been these past three years." Commander Ledgic cut in. "Here I though they were consolidating their gains and establishing their domestic side...though they could've been carrying out such tasks as well. It would've been foolish not to, given their manpower and resources."
"Compare that to ours and how we managed to pull together something this grand scale." A human looking staff officer stated. "That surprise effect on the traitors must be high."
'Though that surprise is countered by the enemies current resilience.' Commander Ledgic thought to himself before turning his head to one particular red-skinned individual.
"Let us not forget that the credit to this offensive lay solely on the shoulders of Lieutenant Lethi whom gathered the resources necessary to launch this attack in the first place, along with raising enough funds to play several Serpentine mercenary clans to fill the ranks."
Lieutenant Lethi, a member of the Demon Race with red skin, two horns that stretched toward the sky with dark purple hair shaped in a mohawk that stretched down past his neck between them, grey-black eyes, a well defined nose, and stood at a little over 4ft, stood awkwardly, shuffling his feet clearly at unease being in the same room as so many officers.
"You give me too much credit..." He started, scratching the back of his head. "All I did was what I usually do...nothing to praise about it."
Commander Ledgic smirked. This is the typical Lethi, always degrading his real worth.
"Nonsense. We couldn't have pull this operation off without your efforts."
"I'm just a logistic officer with a specialty in architecture." Lieutenant Lethi looked away. "I'm nobody special."
"Please, stop that." Ledgic held up his hand.
"You have proven yourself on two separate occasions. The first being your contributions to the fail operation to reclaim the shipyards of Kotus II where you pointed out the structural weakness of the station. If the commanding officer had more than a collection of garrison soldiers, we may have reclaimed or destroyed that instillation from those rebels."
The rebels in question didn't seem to have an affiliation with Red Faction, however they were surprisingly organized.
Perhaps a coup-faction lying in wait for the right moment with a leader who wanted to take control of the organization instead of destroying what refused to fold into a replacement like Red Faction.
While these souls were a threat to be addressed, the main focus of their efforts will always be Riddic and his forces.
"Yea well, I guess I did help the odd there." Lethi admitted, pulling his gaze back to Ledgic.
"And I will be counting on you to continue to do so in the future." Ledgic added. "Now, let us return to the task at hand and await the appearance of the Super Saiyan."
A few hours later...
"Appleton." Cu muttered the obviously false name of the man lurking in the shadows, a name he learned when Rouge finally returned a short time ago, as he paced back and forth. "So this Appleton is the one behind this?"
"That, or a stand in." Rouge replied with the shrug of his shoulders as he sat upon his bunk. "We both know how monarchs act, always sending proxies when they can't be bothered to handle it themselves."
"Perhaps. It is concerning that he knows who we are. Bold to state so from the start." Cu continued, crossing his arms before stopping his pacing. He looked away from his partner, glaring at the force field that sealed them in this cell.
After the last match in the Galactic Death Tournament, the guards escorted all the remaining participants held in that locker room/gym to cells made for two. They took care to make sure that all the occupied cells were far from each other and stationed a pair of guards to stand watch.
Cu's mind was occupied with their current revaluation that he missed something vital before his eyes, turning his head back to Rouge.
"What did the he say afterword?"
Rouge leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms behind his head. "Oh just preaching about how I should join the true PTO, that a valuable asset such as me would help further their cause greatly."
"What cause?"
Rouge shrugged. "He didn't say, guy was smart not to say too much too soon."
"Did he press you for an answer?" Cu rubbed his chin.
"Not really. He was pretty chill actually." Rouge smirked. "That Surge guy got pissed as I took my time messing round. After that amusing moment, I told Appleton I'd think about it. He nodded and said I look forward to your favorable reply. Classy, right?"
Cu let out a sigh. "That guy is a different sort of trouble...and then there's Surge...If only we knew more about their relationship."
"Oh yeah, that reminds me." Rouge leaned forward. "You were part of the crew that sprung him from jail a few years ago, aren't you?"
Cu smiled. "I'm surprised you heard of that. Yea I was, though I doubt he'd remember me by sight. Most of my race looks the same given we reproduce asexually."
"Ha, probably." Rouge turned his head. "What do you know about him?"
"Surge?" Cu leaned back as he sat on his bunk. "Nothing more than what's in the databanks. Big time criminal warlord known for his ruthlessness who ruled a good portion of the Northern Galaxy before being taken down by King Cold."
"Nothing about his powers?" Rouge asked.
Cu searched his memory for a few moments before answering. "Nothing...why?"
"I got a feeling he's got some tricks up his sleeve." Rouge rolled his shoulders, rising to his feet. "Speaking of tricks, noticed the guards are missing?"
Cu's eyes widened, he jumped to his feet and looked past the barrier. He cursed under his breath, realizing he was too deep in thought to notice that fact earlier.
"When did they leave?"
Rouge tilted his head to the left, then right. "Bout halfway though the story I told you when I got back."
"That long?!" Cu turned his head to his partner.
"Yeah, I thought it was a shift change at first, then I thought they were just arrogant and decided to leave us alone for the night."
"That last one doesn't match up with their actions thus far."
"Right?" Rouge chuckled. "I didn't think anything on it but now I have a pretty good idea. Tell me, what do your senses tell you right now?"
Cu blinked a moment before catching his partner's meaning. Even though the concept of naturally detecting energy from living creatures without a device like the Scouter had been introduced years ago, there are still those amongst Red Faction that couldn't quite come to terms with it or just forgot they can do that now.
Embarrassingly, Cu was one of those individuals.
The purple humanoid focused his senses and quickly discovered what Rouge was hinting at: Dozens of souls were moving about, many heading their way. Others he felt were gathering around other, much more powerful figures...
It only took Cu a few seconds to deduce what this meant.
"They wouldn't!" Cu cried out.
"Seems like they would." Rouge smirked, the force field keeping them trapped in the cell failing a moment after. A few seconds after that, the lights went out.
"I'll give these corrupt cops credit," Rouge started, walking out to the hall.
"They got a better imagination then I expected. Either these scum get lucky and kill some of the worst criminals the Galactic Patrol have arrested up till now or said criminals wipe out a bunch of fools too blind by anger and empty wallets to follow the rules. Whatever happens, more evil is cleansed."
"So you're sure these are members of the audience?" Cu asked, stepping out to the hall and stopping beside Rouge.
"If those cops were as weak as the powers I'm feeling approaching us, they wouldn't even have a chance in hell of holding this prison." Rouge stated.
Cu shook his head in disbelief. "I should've assumed this was a possibility. They really did lay it thick with the whole justice bit..."
"No worries!" Rouge turned to the purple humanoid, smirking as he slapped the man's shoulder. "Just think of this as some late night exercise to work out that slop the fed us earlier."
Cu let out a laugh. "That food, if they really call it that, really was horrible huh?"
Rouge smiled but didn't reply. He turned around as Cu did the same. The two stood back to back as the underworld criminals arrived.
These weaklings hoped the darkness would give them an advantage in their planned assassinations tonight, completely ignorant of the fact that such a measure was absolutely useless against foes far stronger than they, let alone many could sense their approach.
So when the front ranks of the group that decided to take out Rouge suddenly dropped to the floor, all who saw were petrified.
Moving too fast for their eyes to see, Rouge and Cu were already amongst these underworld scum. The didn't hold back much, just used enough force to break necks, snap spines, punch holes through chests, with speed that made them appear like phantoms if anyone saw them.
Realizing their target was taking them apart like child's play, those with guns -ballistic firing guns- opened fire indiscriminately cutting down any in their path. This fratricide cause several fights to break out among the criminals ranks.
As that moment, Cu allowed himself to be seen, drawing the attention of the gun wielders who promptly focused fire. The purple man surrounded himself with a barrier, not to protect himself from the bullets that would mostly do nothing to him if them made contact but from what his partner was about to do.
Sparks ranged out as bullets pinged harmlessly against Cu's barrier, providing a further distraction as Rouge took up position in the center of the hall.
Stretching out his hands to both ends, he fired multiple energy blasts. The sudden brightness in the otherwise dark hall blinded many of the assailants before they were consumed by the attack.
Screams filled the halls as Rouge laughed in delight, killing dozens of these foolish criminals before the remaining numbers fled in terror. Their regret at conducting this night attack didn't save them, as Rouge continued to fire energy blasts at each fool in that hallway with such control and accuracy that not a single blast was wasted.
It was over in minutes. Scorch marks and ashes were all that remained of the dozens of souls that thought they had a chance against a force far stronger than they ever dreamed.
Cu lowered his barrier, letting out a breath. "I didn't know you could control all those blasts with pinpoint accuracy." He stated. "The fact that not a single attack impacted against my barrier...makes me feel like that precaution was a waste."
"Whatever makes you feel save my guy." Rouge replied, stepping towards Cu. "Sides, like you said. You didn't know. I'd have maaaaybeee done the same in your shoes."
Before Cu could reply, a clapping echoed in the hall. Accompanied by the sound of footsteps, the clapping grew closer and closer.
Cu turned around as Rouge stopped near him just in time for this new arrival's form to emerge from the darkness.
The Warden, still clapping with a smile on his face, took three more steps towards the pair before halting.
"Very impressive." He started. "For a pair of smugglers, you two handled yourselves well...almost like you were soldiers of...I don't know...some grand galaxy spanning organization?"
'You little bastard.' Rouge thought. 'So that's your game...'
"Maybe we were part of some said organization at some point in the past and decided to change jobs." Rouge replied with a smirk.
"That's quite the career change." The Warden's eyebrows went up in false shock. "I thought being a soldier would have much more stable pay and benefits than a smuggler."
"Lets say for hypothetical reasons that the outfit we may or may not have been apart of had trash benefits and treated their employees like slaves." Cu added, following his partner's lead.
"That so? A shame." The Warden placed his hands on his hips. "I too know what its like to be underappreciated by your employer."
At that point, the light came back online.
"Ah, they restored power in this block." The Warden briefly turned his gaze to the lights. "Quite a stream of bad luck we're having tonight, with all these blackouts across cell blocks and some scum who lost their money taking advantage of it."
"Yeah. Hell of a coincidence, huh?" Cu crossed his arms. "So what now?"
"Now, I escort you back to your cells." The Warden tilted his head. "Unless you wish to make a run for it?"
Rouge let out a laugh "Tempting, but we had enough exercise for tonight."
He turned around and marched off toward the cell. "I hope you're good a bedtime stories, Warden. I'll need to be tucked in after all this excitement."
The Warden let out his own laugh. "Not on your life, scum. Not on your life."
Meanwhile...
Captain Dogma sat at a desk in a quaint admin office within the shipyards of Kotus II. She chose this location as her personal office, due to its proximity to the command center for the whole instillation and her personal tastes.
She likes small spaces.
Captain Dogma wore the standard Battle Armor among the PTO ranks with shoulder guards, the symbol of Sub Zero's faction patched on the stomach area. She wore a dark blue skin suit beneath it that left nothing to the imagination. In addition, she wore white gloves and a full visor helmet that masked her face, adding an aura of mystery.
Before her were several datapads all containing information upon their current operations, details on future plans, blueprints for the new type of ships they would be mass producing for years to come, and other relevant data.
Currently, she was writing a status report to Lord Sub Zero, her patron.
Her savior.
Her god.
To say that Captain Dogma was a fanatic in any matter regarding Sub Zero is an understatement.
She owed him everything and would repay that kindness with everything she can give.
Which is why she took the defense and management of these shipyards of Kotus II very seriously.
The shipyards in question is in the simplest of terms a massive metal ring stretched around the world of Kotus II. The planet itself providing a near infinite amount of resources for ship building.
It is said that even if the likes of the Usurper and his loathsome family were to build 100,000 space vessels in 5 years using the resources of Kotus II alone, they can build 20 times that amount in the 10 years without even thinking of the planet running out of materials.
That said, they still needed some shipments of materials and parts vital to producing ships. Circuitry for example.
Or rare metals found on asteroids in the Iris System that if applied as a sort of coating upon ship hulls made them far more durable...
While the attack some weeks ago put their schedule back a few days so they can restore the damages done to the instillation, Sub Zero's plans were moving forward without any major difficulties.
Captain Dogma smiled as she finalized the report, sending it to her master a moment after.
Here, in the shipyards of Kotus II they will forge a new fleet that will usher in a reclamation.
The reclamation of the Planet Trade Organization from the unworthy into the hands of the rightful hair of the once glorious and benignant galactic empire...not that this Red Faction wasn't doing its best to be a close copy.
A shame that the galaxy was on the right track before her lord could organize his return. Yet, it wouldn't be just if he wasn't at the reigns.
Thus was the mentality of Captain Dogma, most loyal of Sub Zero's military officers.
She placed the datapad upon an open spot on her desk before picking up another and studying the data within.
Meticulous though it maybe, Dogma tackled any task set before her with 100% effort.
As she has done and will do anything and everything asked of her in furtherance of the plan.
No task too difficult.
No price too step to play.
For her savior.
For her god.
She would burn the galaxy and remake it all with but a word uttered from his mouth.
And thus ends another entry to Dragon Ball Double S!
Hello everyone! Its been over a year since I worked on this huh? Well, as I stated last entry, I've been focusing on one of my other stories as the end is in sight with that one while this one has barely begun tbh given how much I plan to cover.
That said, I've been in need of a change of pace, thus why I wrote this up at this time.
This entry is more of a "what else is happening in the galaxy" episode while the GDT is happening. I like my world building after all.
Not too much to say on this one outside of events that are running parallel to the main focus of this arc which will be touch upon again later.
And criminals foolishly thinking they can get revenge for their loss of money.
The next entry will be a return to the tourny matches though so look forward to that.
As always, any questions feel free to ask and thanks for reading this :D
Events on a galactic scale are unfolding as the first day of the Galactic Death Tournament ends. The Frieza Force unleashed a general offensive against the bulwark of Red Factions, dozens of worlds are engulfed in battle Commander Ledgic plots to lore out the Super Saiyan. How will he react, and the galaxy at large for that matter, when they learn of a second Super?
Captain Dogma works to carry out Sub Zero's long term plans; creating a fleet of ships far more durable than the current standard. Does this hint at an explosive crusade to restore the Planet Trade to what it once was during Blizzard's time?
As the second day of the Death Tournament approaches, the galaxy moves ever onward in these uncertain times of war. Who will survive the coming matches?
Find out what happens, next time on Dragon Ball Double S!