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Royal Namekian Blues	By : Polymer Category: Dragon Ball Z > Het - Male/Female Views: 6332 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own DragonballZ, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 20
- 21
- 22
Royal Namekian Blues: Trunks' Revelation ( Chapter 21 )
Anime: Dragon Ball Z
Genre(s): Sci-fi / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Alternate Universe
Author: StarbearerTM

Disclaimer: I dont' own Dragon Ball Z. I only owe Bliss Simms and Dr. Stellari, and a few other minor chars that aren't DBZ. I don't get paid for this!

Summary:
Trunks relates his story to Goku and the Z fighters. And a week later, two former Red Ribbon employees are introduced that hold secrets that might help Bulma develop a new weapon against the Androids. They are Bliss Simms and Dr. Stellari.
Royal Namekian Blues

Note: For Maccam who suggested that the story jumped around a lot, I wrote this chapter to try and tie up some loose ends between Chapter 20 and the most recent ones. Thanks for the suggestion. I hope this chapter clears things up!

Goku looked on in shock, as did the other Z fighters as Trunks stood there over the ruins of the party. Vegeta strode over towards his son, glaring at him intently. Trunks coughed and glared at everyone assembling around him, their eyes filled with shock at the way in which he glared down at Yamcha.

"You have to tell me, where you met her!" Trunks glared down at him.

"I� she was from East Mountainous City!" Yamcha stammered, feeling something warm and wet dribbling between his thighs. It puddled on the floor.

"Easy now," Goku said quietly.

"You don't understand, Goku," Trunks glared at him. Blue eyes glazed over with the depths of sorrow Goku had seen in the eyes of men far older who had seen death and far too much off it.

"Explain to them, boy," Vegeta snapped. "Tell them what you've told me. Don't pull any punches. These weaklings need to know what will befall them if they get in our way."

"Let Yamcha go first," Goku said softly. His rounded eyes narrowed into widened slits, as he lowered his gaze towards Trunks.

"When he tells me what I want to know first! How long have you know this woman? Tell me!" Trunks snapped at Yamcha. He stammered, licking his lips as he blinked up at Trunks.

"Please I didn't know! I swear! She said she recently got out of college, and her family had just moved to West City!" Yamcha babbled. "We've only been dating for a week or so!"

"You paraded her around capsule! Did she see anything she SHOULDN'T?" Trunks asked.

"You let that tramp lose around Capsule?" Bulma shouted at Yamcha. "What the HELL were you thinking?"

"Bulma, calm down," Goku implored. "Trunks, who do you think you are? I know that you're from another time and place, but why are you terrorizing him?"

"That's simple. Because I have to do whatever it takes to stop my future from becoming yours. You'll all die unless I help you!" Trunks glared at him.

"You should have told him," said Bulma quietly, to Gohan.

"Told me what?" Goku asked.

"I'm Bulma and Vegeta's son, like you just found out before," said Trunks angrily.

"Vegeta, how's this possible?" Goku blinked. "I can't believe it."

"He's my brat," Vegeta smirked with pride. "And the Woman's."

"I took my mother's time machine to get here, to try and meet with you Goku. But instead I've had to tell Father and Mother here. When they were on Namek, my father and mother mated and she carries a son. A son who will be me. But in my time, Vegeta and Bulma got together during the three years before the Androids emerged," said Trunks. Yamcha shivered in fear as Goku looked on, his eyes widening in shock as they had before.

"That's still crazy!" Goku stammered, glancing from Bulma to Vegeta.

"What, the fact that I took this loudmouthed woman as my mate?" Vegeta snickered.

"But I still don't get it," Goku stammered. "I thought that Yamcha and Bulma were together. I just still don't see why you and him..."

"That's none of your business, Kakkarot," Vegeta coughed. "Must they know EVERYTHING, Boy?"

"In my universe, you and mother got together because you were lonely. Because Yamcha and my mom didn't get along. For ten years they dated, and then they realized they weren't meant for each other. Vegeta, my father here was training in a GR Bulma created for him. Because he demanded it, and because she wanted to stop him from terrorizing Gramps," Trunks admitted, glaring at Goku.

"Man," Goku whispered, shaking his head.

"Mom said that she saw how alone Vegeta was," said Trunks softly. "And she was just like him. Everyone thought she had all she wanted. But she was so much like Father. Rich, powerful, and unreachable. Because she had to be. And only she could understand Father. And accept him for who he was."

"But did Vegeta die with the rest of us in your universe?" Goku asked. Trunks squeezed his eyes shut painfully.

"Yes," said Trunks sadly. "Which was why I had to act. And I can't let ANYONE destroy my parents and my friends. I won't let anyone get in the way of me stopping hell from happening on Earth. Not even you, Goku. You're a hero in my time. But you didn't save us. You weren't around."

Goku hung his head. "Man, I wish I had come. I would have understood. But please Trunks, just let Yamcha go."

"Goku, shut up! Don't you see that Trunks is telling the truth?" Bulma shouted angrily.

"Woman, stay out of this. The brat's got it all under control," Vegeta whispered, grasping Bulma's arm and gently tugging her to stand behind him. Bulma's blue eyes blazed with outrage, but she pressed her lips shut into a firm line as Vegeta whispered into her ear.

"I swear to Kami I had no idea she was one of them!" Yamcha sniffled, tears in his eyes.

"You have to believe him," Krillen said quietly.

"We didn't know!" Marron bawled, burying her face in Krillen's jacket.

"I think we can believe him," said Goku firmly, suddenly appearing right next to Trunks. He had appeared out of nowhere, startling the youth considerably. Still Trunks did not let go of Yamcha's lapel. Instead Trunks whirled his head to glare at Goku.

"Fine, whatever you say. But unless you listen now, everything that you care about will be gone completely," Trunks said with a still low calm that resembled the pale gaunt silence in a war zone. He let go of the front o Yamcha's collar, and stepped back. A collective gasp of relief was released when Yamcha scooted backwards, slipping on the glossy ballroom floor to dart behind Krillen.

"Let the kid talk. I wanna know what the hell's going on," Launch gritted, pushing in front of Tien. "I warned you guys that bitch was bad news but you wouldn't listen!"

"The woman is right," Trunks said, glancing at Launch's narrowed gaze. Krillen and Marron, Tien and Piccolo all arranged themselves in a semicircle around Trunks, Vegeta and Bulma. The Heiress of Capsule corps stood near the fallen body of 23, Yamcha's ex girlfriend, while Vegeta clutched the head in his other hand like a grisly prize. He finally wrapped it in one of the napkins from the table, to stop the looks of disgust the other weaklings were giving him. It wouldn't do for them to ignore Trunks because they were took squeamish at the sight of blood.

"Spit it out already, sheesh!" Launch glared at Trunks.

"I was supposed to meet with you Goku that day. And because you came late, I had to confide in Gohan and Bulma," Trunks explained, his blue eyes gleaming with frustration. His hands formed fists at his sides, his young face smirched with the soot from the explosion. He momentarily turned his back, slowly pacing around the expanse of the ruined ballroom. Vegeta stomped up to where Goku stood by chichi and Gohan, shaking his head.

"What he's saying is that in three years, some clown named Dr. Gero is going to create several tin cans that wipe all you losers out," Vegeta snorted at Goku. "And this brat and your son are the only survivors. Didn't you tell him, kid?"

"I wasn't sure if I should. I thought it was better if Trunks said it himself," Gohan blinked up at Vegeta. Slapping a hand to his forehead he cursed under his breath.

"Are you SURE you inherited ANY sense, you idiotic fool? Considering your grandfather was a scientist� why are you suddenly proving you can be as stupid as your father?" Vegeta shouted at Gohan.

"I'm sorry, Vegeta, I just figured Trunks should tell him, since he was going to be here anyway!" Gohan retorted.

"In a year you will die from a heart virus. Didn't you tell him, Gohan?" asked Trunks.

"Goku, is what he saying true?" Chichi stammered, grabbing his chest.

"I haven't been feeling bad at all really," Goku glared at Trunks. "Gohan DID say something�"

"I didn't want to worry him too much, till he actually got sick. You know how my mom gets," Gohan whispered.

"Excuse me young man, what have I told you about keeping secrets?" Chichi snapped at Gohan.

"Enough of this bullshit!" Vegeta barked his harsh voice cutting through the chatter. "Shut up! Unless you have something useful to say!"

"How dare you�" chichi started.

"You heard him, shut up," Bulma snapped at her. Chichi snapped her jaw shut, blinking in shock at Bulma's loud voice.

"Thank you," Vegeta glanced at her. "Now since you all seem incapable of listening to the brat, you'll listen to me. Unless you train your asses off in the next few years, you'll all die. IT doesn't get any planer then that. So either train now, or get the HELL out of the way of those of us who really know what we're doing!"

"Jeez Vegeta, we get the point!" Krillen glared at him.

"Oh I'm sorry Baldie was it too rough for your poor little ears?" Vegeta taunted him, giving him a nasty leer. Krillen wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole. As Marron opened her mouth to say something, Bulma shot her a nasty glare.

"Don't EVEN say it," Bulma snapped at her. Marron's chin wobbled, and she looked ready to burst into tears. She hung tightly to Krillen's jacket, her eyes misting over as she bit her lip.

"Goku, you're all dead where I come from. Androids 17 and 18 kill all the Z fighters in one blow. I was afraid this was going to happen now. IF it wasn't for Father here," Trunks said. "IN three years, Dr. Gero's creations make Freiza look like a walk in the park."

"You'd be shit off my boots," Vegeta said with a superior smirk at Goku. The Saiyan's mouth dropped open wide then snapped shut.

"That really stinks. You're saying I'm gonna die of the heart virus unless I take some of Gohan's medicine� but will I recover fast enough to fight them? Especially if they're showing up too early?" Goku blinked at Trunks. Krillen and the others fell over in shock.

"HELLO aren't you WORRIED that you're going to die and leave your wife and son homeless an don the streets?" Chichi glared at him, raising her hand to give Goku a good swat on the side of the head.

"Someone shut her up before I blow her up," Vegeta mumbled under his breath.

"C'mon, let's take a walk," Launch snapped, grabbing Chichi's arm and dragging her out of the banquet hall despite her protests. Tien whispered a silent thank you as Chichi's screams and shouts vanished to a nonexistent level.

"All right, tell me what's going on," Goku said sternly. Trunks wheeled around, staring Goku right in the eyes.

"Dad, you should listen to him," said Gohan quietly.

"In three years all of this will be gone," Trunks began. He closed the gap betwixt himself and Goku in a few steps.

"Okay, you've got my attention. Gone how?"

"Gone as in utterly destroyed, Dad," Gohan nodded.

"Get on with it!" Vegeta snarled. "For crying out loud, this Dr. Gero makes the tin cans, the tin cans slaughter half your weakling race, kill the Z fighters. And you're out of the race Kakkarot because you die of a heart virus. Only your brat and the kid survive. He learns to fight from your brat Kakkarot, and his mother builds a time machine he uses to get here. It's THAT simple. So either train your ass off, or two tin cans will destroy all life on this stupid planet!"

"Okay Vegeta, I get it. If those two robots you told me about are supposed to show up in three years, why did SHE just attack us now," Goku asked, raising a brow. He nudged the remains of Shasta with his booted toe.

"Apparently they decided to show up early," Trunks said, kicking the body with his toe angrily. "These androids are monsters, Goku. No matter what my friends or me did we couldn't stop them. And now that THIS has happened�"

"So you're saying we've got a chance to stop it," Goku nodded.

"Are you going to train or not. That's my question for you?" Vegeta glared at Goku.

"What do you think? Of COURSE I'm going to!" Goku blinked at Vegeta, rubbing the back of his head as he gave an awkward grin. "You know me well enough, don't you Vegeta?"

"Whatever Kakarot. But you and I STILL have a score to settle when this is through," said Vegeta, shoving a finger in his face.

"Absolutely, Vegeta," Goku nodded. A small smile crept over his face, and he gave a firm nod.

"I'm still going to beat the crap out of you, third class, make no mistake," said Vegeta.

Piccolo who had been silent till now strode up on Goku's other side. "So, Goku, how do you plan on training?"

"Would you like to be my training partner then?" Goku asked Piccolo cheerfully.

"Whatever you do is your affair. I don't care. Just stay out of my way," Vegeta glared at both of them. "And you make sure he doesn't die on me, Namekian."

"Not going to happen," Piccolo grunted at Vegeta, glaring down at the Prince from his impressive height.

Bulma strode up and slid her arm around Vegeta's waist. She said firmly but quietly, "Well you're not the only ones who will be busy. I've got some nasty ideas for a weapon that might be able to stop these androids. I could study this one here to see if my neutrino disrupters could work."

"Humph, at least you have some sense, woman," Vegeta grunted, slipping his arm around his mate's waist as well. "I suppose you'll want me to haul that carcass back to Capsule?"

"Well, if you won't I will," said Trunks, walking back with a white scrap of cloth in his hands. He wrapped Shasta's body in it, and hefted it up.

"Eww, that's kinda gross," Gohan commented. "But I guess you've got a point."

"He does, Goku," said Bulma quietly. "Now, Vegeta can we please go home? I'm not feeling too hot right now."

"Let's go, woman. Come boy; let's let these clowns get to their pathetic training. We've much work of our own to do," Vegeta said, glaring pointedly at all the Z fighters numbly looking on. He boosted Bulma into his arms, and strode out into the open air with her. She clung to him shakily, the events of the past hour finally sinking in.

Trunks hesitated before following. Goku saw him turn and face him expectantly, as if wanting them all to say something. Goku cleared his throat, and said, "Well guys, are you all going to just stand there or are we going to train?"

"Let's get to it already. We're not getting any stronger standing around," Piccolo nodded.

"Then let's get to it," Goku said brightly. In a matter of seconds his serious demeanor evaporated into the cheerful bluster of a fighter before a simple karate match.

"Whatever you say Dad. And Trunks, I'm sorry I didn't tell them sooner," Gohan said, glancing first to his father, then Trunks.

"Don't worry about it. Just train hard," Trunks sighed, giving Gohan a weak smile.

"Right," Gohan nodded.

"Are you all in?" Piccolo glared at a silent Tien, Krillen, and a shivering Yamcha who was still huddled on the floor hugging himself.

"I want to get those bastards who did this� to Shasta," Yamcha said with a bitter look on his face. Slowly he crawled to his feet, wiping tears from his eyes.

"You sure you're up to this?" asked Tien.

"Shut up and try and stop me," Yamcha snapped, pushing Tien out of his way as he stumbled off. He glared at Trunks, then suddenly blasted off in a streak of white towards Capsule. Krillen glanced at Marron who was still sniveling into his shoulder.

"I'm in," he said quietly.

"Count me in too," said Tien. "Now if you'll excuse me I've got to go find Chaiutzu and Launch, and explain. Then it's off to the mountains."

"Tien, before you go� Let's meet in a week or so, and see how everyone's doing," Goku said.

"Sure. I'll be in touch," Tien nodded. "Krillen, if you hear from Yamcha let me know."

"Uh huh," Krillen nodded. He glanced at Marron who lifted her head to blink at him with tear filled eyes.

"This is horrible," she sniffled.

"C'mon hon, let's get you home," Krillen whispered, taking her hand. Tien grunted, turning around and striding gracefully out of the room.

"Enough talk. Get your butt over to Master Roshi's and train already," said Piccolo, glaring down at Krillen.

"Sheesh, relax will ya? I hear you! One grouch is enough with Vegeta!" Krillen glared at Piccolo.

"Hey, calm down guys," Goku urged them.

"Okay Goku. See you later. See you guys later. Stay in touch this tine Goku, okay?" Krillen nodded, glancing at the few fighters left standing there in a small formation.

"Sure," said Goku with a small smile. "Bye, and take care okay?"

"Thank you everyone," nodded Trunks quietly.

"Later," Krillen waved, dragging Marron out by the hand. Piccolo shook his head, rolling his eyes as he stared down at Gohan.

"I'd better go tell Mom you're going to stay with us, Mr. Piccolo," Gohan said. He rushed out quickly to find Launch and his mother and inform them of the change in plans.

"Thank you for taking me seriously. You won't regret it," Trunks said, as Piccolo and Goku's eyes fell on him. Goku soberly nodded, then turned to Piccolo.

"don't worry about it. I'm just sorry I wasn't here to meet you when you first came," Goku said softly.

"So am I," Trunks said, with a sad look that Piccolo swore resembled disappointment. Before Goku could turn to shake his hand, Trunks blasted off through the holes in the roof. Soon he was a small glimmer on the horizon. Piccolo and Goku exchanged looks of worry.

"C'mon, let's go already," Piccolo said, grabbing Goku's shoulder. Sadly Goku followed him, taking one last look in the direction Trunks and Vegeta had flown. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had somehow let the lavender haired youth down. A strange page had been turned in fate, and Goku hoped that he would be strong enough to face the challenge ahead. Bulma's strange collectedness both astonished Goku and disturbed him. Gone was the flustered blue haired girl he had guessed would panic. Bulma Briefs had a very calculated calm look in her eyes when she mentioned the development of her neutrino disrupter. Piccolo recalled that she had taken such a weapon to Namek, and almost used it on Vegeta. But she had never tested it before then. He had only remembered that detail because he had seen the slim metallic pistol adhered to her belt under that yellow vest so many months ago on his home world.

"You saw it too, didn't you?" Goku asked Piccolo.

"What, Bulma?" asked Piccolo. "Yeah. She's taking it pretty well isn't she?"

"Too well," Goku said quietly.

"You should be glad she's got her wits about her. That weapon she was describing might be helpful if something goes wrong," Piccolo grunted to Goku. Sighing, Goku strode out next to his friend, his heart sinking with a sudden shiver of fear. Bulma's demeanor closely resembled that of Trunks, and it was more then apparent that Trunks had the fanatical look of Vegeta in his eyes when he had held Yamcha before him at his mercy.

It was the look of a desperate man. One who would stop at nothing to protect his family even at the expense of those he called friend. Goku knew the look all too well. He only hoped Vegeta and Trunks would see the value in hope instead of desperation in the months ahead.
****

It had been a week since the big explosion at Bulma's corporate party. It was called the blast that changed everything. A young man claiming to be Bulma's son had showed up out of nowhere and the latest fling of Mr. Yamcha had proved to be a Red Ribbon android.

Unfortunately her life wasn't the only one that had been shadowed by the sleeping giant that was Red Ribbon. Dr. Gero wasn't the only scientist running projects that forever changed recruits into potential monsters. Colonel White, a high ranking official had a small side project that involved enhancing psychic powers with genetic engineering. Dr. Gero had helped him develop small nanotechnology that could tinker with genes and tap the potential of the human mind. They had seen tapes of the Earth's Special Forces, and together they had forged two separate projects.

The volunteers were known by names, and were Dr. Gero's children. As for Colonel White, he had his own 'children' who were young scientists and professionals scoring high points on their esper abilities. He had gone around to many colleges under the guise of a parapsychologist gathering data for a book, and secretly tested the gullible volunteers for nascent powers. Then he had taken the results to Dr. Gero. Together they selected the best for Colonel White's psychic soldiers.

Two had survived the process, and escaped with their lives. Those two were Bliss Simms, and Dr. Atomique Stellari. And fate had brought them eventually to Capsule. Such an ironic twist of fate was now becoming all too apparent after the explosion. Shasta Seltzer, the one time girlfriend of Yamcha was one of the Androids Gero had created. Since she had been an agent of Dr. Gero, would they suspect all that had past ties to Red Ribbon, even if they were cut?

Thinking of these horrible developments, Dr. Stellari returned to her laboratory with a sigh. She slammed the door shut and realized the sash was still up past the yellow warning line. Quickly she darted across the tiled floor to pull the glass sash down and banish the ether smell to a quick blast of air. Across the front of the glass she had used black marker to draw pictures of various organic molecules. It had been a joke to push fun at the other materials chemists because they always added their various reactions and molecular pictures as graffiti on their fume hoods.

Never mind that she drew molecules in a way that resembled something out of a classic chemistry text. Her knowledge coming into the job still assumed carbon bonds were neat little 90-degree angles. When she had given her research presentation to the others, namely the polymers group they'd laughed in her face. Dr. Stratton had grabbed a black marker and drawn several zigzags overtop her neat little structures to let her know the reality of 100 years of chemistry advancement.

"Stupid know it all," Atomique grumbled. She ran her hand over the plastic top of her desk, and then plunked down into the vinyl-covered chair behind it. Everywhere she saw this thing called plastic. In place of metal, wood and glass it was all polymers. It was a horrific joke that something had recently changed her life forever, giving her the ability to manipulate Carbon and comprehend the strange way in which it was formed. Although by day she was just another organic chemist among a hundred making new miracle materials for Capsule, she held a strange secret.

It was all her husband Professor Stellari's fault she reflected, pulling out the heart shaped locket from around her neck. Inscribed on the front was a small symbol that bore the initials R&R. Just why she kept it was her own terrible secret. The initials denoted her husband's last employer before their divorce. The locket was issued to female employees upon completing five years of service to the Red Ribbon army's R and D division. Ten years ago she had passed the interviews after getting her Ph.D. at West City University. She had met a young scientist there who had just completed a post doc under a new benefactor. He had promised her that he could get her the job of a lifetime if she came away with him, leaving her family behind.

Out into the mountains he had taken her to a small city called East Northern. A small community had been established for the think tank of scientists gathered for the sake of pure research. Her whole work had been based on developing new plastics for use in military applications. When she found out her employer was the Red Ribbon army she was certain it was a job that would be lucrative, but she had her misgivings. Along with her husband, they had undergone a strange procedure that allowed them to access the full powers of their minds.

In her husband's case it enhanced incredible clairvoyance and telepathic powers. He could instantly read and control minds, and see things at great distances. For her, she became a telekinetic capable of manipulating molecular bonds. Because she comprehended things according to chemistry, her power was limited to reforming things once living into strange plastics of any shape or size.

Using the raw materials presented before her she moved alongside a half dozen men and women who were showing off their new abilities for Colonel White. She had grabbed the wood and hastily formed it into a strange oily sludge that resembled the crude oil they had recently learned to convert to gasoline. Then seeing the crystals and diamonds they had formed, she suddenly shaped the sludge into a translucent barrier. The other TK master Professor Anthracite had shown his talents by taking the coal from one of the nearby mountains and shaping it into gleaming diamonds. He then hurled them like stars to land in the wood that the other wood and water of the artificial lake. Kneeling on the ground she generated purple ki that warped and thickened the oil into plastic. Before she knew it everyone was shaking her hands and shoving her into the assembled Red Ribbon scientists.

She pushed images of her colleagues and crushes out of her mind. What did it matter now that she was in a new life? Stellari, the red ribbon operative and telepath was the one who proposed. Along with his strange mind powers he could turn the elements of air and things like hydrogen to glowing plasmas. His elements were the gaseous ones that could glow with charged particles, or generate huge explosions by combining hydrogen with oxygen to form water.

Her name seemed a joke, because carbon was seen as a mundane thing. Yet Carbon was the core element of life. For all her work under the special psychic corps of the Red Ribbon Army, alchemy incorporated transmuting living matter into strange new substances like plastics and oily sludge. In turn she could change raw cotton into Polyester, or form hard diamond from a lump of coal. She even stumbled upon a transmutation that could take anthracite coal and shape it into tiny red particles that could form long microscopic tubes that conducted electricity better then graphite.

How ironic that when she finally could get away with her two sons, she was working for the biggest rival Capsule Corps. She had gone to them after knowing the horrible realities of what was happening to people. Not only were they genetically manipulating psychic people to soldiers, they were also using nanotechnology to create far worse and more destructive things.

So when the small youth with the tail had attacked, Dr. Stellari had made good her escape. She and a young technician named Bliss Simms. Together they turned themselves into the King's authorities. In exchange for providing information about the Red Ribbon's black book projects, he had given them full pardons. New identities were created, and they found themselves working at one of the biggest corporations after a referral from one of the King's science ministers. He had friends at Capsule Corps in West City, and was more then happy to refer them to Dr. Boxers Briefs.

Under the direction of the old scientist, Bliss and Atomique were put to work in the polymers and materials science division. They perfected the making of carbon Nanofibers, and fullerenes. Minute electronic structures that resembled miniature molecular soccer balls. Although she had to keep her powers under wraps lest others fear her, she had a nice salary and a career that allowed a good safe place for her two sons Fermi and Bohr.

Of all the scientists, only Dr. Briefs and his daughter Bulma knew her secret, except for Bulma's ex boyfriend Yamcha. Not to mention the houseguest of Capsule who had terrifying powers of his own. Prince Vegeta of the Saiyans, who was rumored to be an alien being. He was also rumored to be the father of Bulma Brief's new child who she was three months pregnant with. They had seen the horrible explosion that resulted from the public announcement of Bulma's new engagement to him, and so anyone exhibiting strange powers who wasn't a member of Earth's Special Forces was suspect.

Buried deep in the bowels of the laboratory she slid another ground glass piece into place. A screw clamp held the small round-bottomed flask that she forced to sit in the sand. Atomique wiped sweat off her forehead with the sleeve of her white lab coat. Before her in the hood with the draw down glass sash force fully upward she assembled her latest sculpture. A series of tubes formed a condenser fed by rubber hoses and electronic wires. The hood was an alcove in the wall of a laboratory that had an overhead fan drawing off any deadly chemical vapors. All she had to do to complete her experimental setup was to plug in the heating elements and draw down the glass sash that separated the alcove from the rest of the lab.

Noises in the hallway alerted her from her immediate task. She tore herself away from the hood, crossing the laboratory floor and wending her way around the lab benches. Poking her head out of her little domain, which consisted of Polymer lab 20, she glanced left and right to discern the source of the noise.

"Can't you build a ki proof GR?" complained Bulma Briefs, hands on the hips of her own white lab coat. She stood just inside one of the labs further down which comprised the metallurgic department. Another white smocked figure wearing a lab coat that bore the Capsule Corps logo shrunk backwards into his laboratory doorway as Bulma advanced on him.

"Didn't the metal alloy I just sent down make any difference?" Dr. Tensile groaned. Just inside the lab, one of his assistants peered around his shoulder.

"Metal's supposed to be the STRONGEST thing we can make. If I can burn the midnight oil building the damn chamber you can at least be more THOUROUGH in the upper limits! Didn't I tell you to give all your readings to Engineering?" she asked.

"Metal can only do so much under the force of gravity!" Dr. Tensile sighed. "It's designed to resist any..."

"It resists GRAVITY," Bulma glared at him, shoving a piece of blackened blue metal under his nose.

"This looks to be melted from an intense plasma source," he groaned. "Did you ask someone in..."

"Your Metal may be GRAVITY proof but as far as energy ready, it SUCKS," Bulma huffed.

"Dr. Briefs, we've done all the tests the Senior Dr. Briefs requested, but there are limits even to our latest alloys," he said.

"Fine. You get together with two other consultants from North City this afternoon and get cracking. I shouldn't complain because you've done exemplary work, but we're under enormous pressure," Bulma Briefs sighed. As head of R and D under her father, she was an absolute genius when it came to assembling electronics. Yet materials science wasn't her strong suit. That's why she had the entire top two floors of the West City research department devoted to developing metals, ceramics, and polymers capable of withstanding any sort of devastation a weapon of war or industry would throw at her.

"Watching the fun?" Dr. Stratton asked, giving her a prod. Dr. Atomique Stellari nodded glumly, blinking at her colleague, a platinum blonde haired woman who was in her early fifties. Dr. Stratton had the polymer lab just down the hall, having developed some of the newest plastics for a new sort of armor that Capsule was testing.

"And how," Atomique mumbled, shaking her head. It already swam with the latest in scientific developments. As the newest scientist for Capsule, Dr. Stellari was no stranger to filling her mind with the progress of hundreds of journals. What most of her colleagues failed to recognize was that this scientist also had a hundred or so years of technology to cover in only months.

"Back to the salt mines," Dr. Stratton said and patted her on the shoulder. "It gets like this all the time."

"I know, but she is right. Metal only works so well," said Dr. Stellari.

"I know. Plastics rule," Dr. Stratton laughed.

"Amen to that!" added her technician, Mr. Melmac who chimed in his two cents. Shoving a bleached blonde streak out of his face, he slapped his palm down into Dr. Stratton's.

"And they say youth is wasted on the young?" Dr. Stratton laughed high-fiving him again. "Let's go test that latest batch of UL254."

"Still working on your infinitely long polymer?" she asked.

"It won't be relegated to science fiction forever. The only problem is that it forms under an explosion, and lasts about two weeks. But then it disintegrates without warning," she said.

"I remember when you wore a business suit of it to the last awards convention, and then everyone was pointing and staring at you," Mr. Melmac blushed.

"You mean it disintegrated and you flashed everyone in the conference?" Dr. Stellari blinked, wincing at the mental image of the female scientist in the altogether.

"I'm glad my panties weren't made of the stuff," she said.

"Yikes," Dr. Stellari chuckled. She fingered her lab coat and happened to catch Dr. Briefs jerking her head in their direction.

"Is there something wrong ladies?" Bulma glared at them.

"Oh, nothing, just watching the show, Ma'am," Dr. Stratton apologized.

"Please tell me one of you plastic junkies can help with the Vegetasei project," Bulma pleaded, rushing over with the click of stiletto pumps against tile floor. Dr. Stratton and Dr. Stellari both fought the urge to duck back into their laboratories at the intense blue gaze.

"You needed a ki proof plastic. Maybe one of us can help. How hot of a temperature are we talking?" asked Dr. Stratton. "Just last week my technician Bakelite had something that could withstand 2000 degrees Fahrenheit."

"It's not just the heat, it's the energy," said Bulma quietly.

"I might be able to help as well," Dr. Stellari nodded.

"See to it that you do. Our newest client's rather demanding, and my father's getting his butt chewed red," Bulma bit her lip, glancing from one scientist to the other. A few paces back, the laboratory technicians Mr. Melmac and Ms. Bakelite crept out of Dr. Stratton's lab. At the same time, Mr. Infra emerged from the third lab down, where he noticed Dr. Stellari's generous curves encased in her new lab coat. His eyes deviated south of the border, taking in Dr. Brief's creamy white legs and Dr. Stellari's short and shapely hips disappearing beneath blue and white cloth.

"Just give me the parameters," Dr. Stellari said. She swallowed hard; taking the binders that Bulma handed her then Dr. Stratton.

"What are you looking at! Get back to work!" Bulma yelled. Like pigeons fleeing a statue the white lab coated chemists and engineers scuttled back to their various labs up and down the hall.

"Rrrow," Mr. Infra licked his lips before Ms. Melmac grabbed his arm and yanked him back into the lab.

"Stop gawking and start putting that blood south of the boarder to good use you pervert!" she hissed in his ear.

Across the green, Dr. Stellari and Bliss Simms were heading back to the labs. Bliss caught sighed of Bulma Briefs standing under a tree, talking animatedly to a gun toting blonde with narrowed eyes and a sharp voice. Bliss grasped, stopping Dr. Stellari. "Who the HELL is that? She's got a GUN?"

"I don't know, but Bulma seems to know her," Atomique said.

"Dr. Briefs, are you okay?" Bliss asked, rushing over.

"Hey mind your own business!" Launch shouted, aiming her rifle at Bliss.

"Relax!" Bulma cried, darting between them with both hands waving before her. "She's a friend!"

The honey haired Bliss turned to Launch, asking her, "So what's with the machine gun? Is she allowed to HAVE that on capsule property?" asked Bliss.

"If it's ANY of your beeswax, I'm looking for Tien! Does bright eyes work for you or something?" Launch shouted to Bulma.

"She's one of my scientists. Launch, meet Bliss Simms. Bliss, meet Launch. She's on the rough side but she's no enemy."

"Humph, nice to meet you. Now if you don't mind getting lost I was RIGHT in the middle of talking to Bulma here!" Launch glared at her.

"C'mon let's leave them be," Atomique said, grasping her friend's arm.

"You should listen to your friend. She's got sense at least," Launch grunted. "Who's the smart one?"

"Dr. Atomique Stellari," said Atomique, holding out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Launch. You're Tenshinhan's girl right?"

"You heard of me? Huh, imagine that. Yeah, I'm his lady all right. Do you know where he is?" Launch glared at her.

"Uh why don't we all sit down and have some coffee?" Bulma laughed nervously. Atomique grabbed Bliss' arm, tugging her back a bit.

"Relax. If Bulma knows her," Atomique whispered.

"She's got some weird friends," Bliss said.

"They're on the level, Launch," said Bulma, taking a bit of grass and tickling Launch's nose. Suddenly she let out a terrific sneeze and instead of a blonde; a demure indigo haired female stood in her place wearing the same clothing.

"What the hell?" gasped Atomique and bliss together.

"Oh my goodness what am I doing here Bulma? I thought we were having tea and we're out here� who these two people are?" she asked.

"Oh boy," Bliss shook her head. Atomique figured it was just as well. She'd seen seriously weird things, but this took the proverbial cake.

Just then an alarm clanged across the complex. Security guards bustled about the women, who exchanged confused glances. Bulma's cell phone trilled. She pulled the small flip phone out of her pocket and said, "Yes, Dr. Briefs here. What the hell is going on?"

Bliss Simms and Atomique Stellari watched the other half of the tense conversation, barely able to make out the words over the shouts and clanging alarm. Bulma pressed her finger in her ear, face twisting into a look of anger, then terror. Confused, Launch blinked from where Bulma had strode off to holler at someone over the phone to the two female scientists huddling together.

"What's wrong?" Launch asked.

"You guys stay here. Launch, come with me. If you don't mind. Something's gone seriously wrong, and I might need your particular skills," said Bulma, frowning intensely.

"I'm trained in martial arts," Bliss offered, rushing off after her.

On the way towards the source of the rapidly trotting guards, Bulma snagged one of them rushing forwards with heavy armaments. He glanced at her worried, "Dr. Briefs, you'd better keep behind us till we figure out what's going on."

"I know. Two intruders. Are they saboteurs or what?"

"We don't' know yet. Too bad we can't get that Prince of yours to help us," said the guard.

"What do you mean?"

"His Royal Nastiness announced clearly that he was going to train in the wilderness the last time we checked. The bots were ordered not to stop him, and I had forgotten to tell you," the guard stammered.

"Great. Is anyone ELSE here?"

"Mr. Yamcha's on his way. We've called him as soon as the trouble came about. And we also called Master Roshi's residence," said the guard. He escorted Bulma quickly to one of the guard shack monitors. Forgotten, Bliss and Atomique moved after her and lunch to peer over her shoulder at the monitor. The sight caused Bulma to pale, her eyes widening in horror.

"I need Project X43," Bulma said. "Get everyone evacuated to the emergency complex. Use the underground tunnels."
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Royal Namekian Blues