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Breaking the Prince (Part 2)	By : Doog Category: Dragon Ball Z > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2235 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of its characters. I will not make a profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
A/N: As usual, reference material is English sub of Dragon Box Set.
Chapter Eight
The swamp smelled like wet, rotting filth. Unfortunately, the whole planet was swamp. Though most of the ground was covered by some measure of sludge, a deeper collection of murky water crawled along nearby. The trees lining the green river were skinny and sickly, growing from the putrefied soil and into the fetid gas that hung low in the atmosphere. Their spherical growths of vegetation obscured a view of the city in the distance, but not the results of the attack. Explosions leapt high into the hazy sky, burning the pollution out of the air.
The warmth of the fires pushed the once-stagnant air in their direction and Vegeta decided the swamp had actually smelled better before it had been ignited. He and Nappa stood in a muddy clearing, waiting for the Saibamen to complete their task. The latest strain could be grown from ground even as hostile as this, and the inhabitants of this planet did not warrant the use of even one elite Saiyajin. Instead of striking directly, Vegeta and Nappa had sent the Saibamen with orders to attack from the far side of the city. Some of the Numajin might escape into the surrounding swamp, but they would be pressed into the waiting Saiyajin.
Though Nappa had not used their entire supply of Saibamen, the army they had grown turned out to be more effective than expected. The only difficulty was that the Numajin’s power levels were so weak that the scouters could not distinguish them from lower forms of life. Vegeta’s scouter gave no warning until the first Numajin was already leaping out in front of them. Vegeta gutted it with a blast of ki, now alert for all movement. Nappa crouched, also watching the foliage. Vegeta relaxed, permitting Nappa to take over. Very few followed the first, but Nappa killed each of them, piercing them with narrow beams of ki that arced between the trees. Only two managed to make it to the clearing.
“Heh. This race truly is pathetic,” Nappa said as he straightened, nose wrinkled at the stench. “Did the Saibamen really get the rest?” Vegeta refocused his gaze beyond the treetops to the now-smoking buildings.
“It doesn’t matter.” Vegeta stared at the body of the first Numajin, crumpled in the damp soil. Its exoskeleton was made of dark yellow and green pieces, but its lifeless eyes glowed a bright pink in the drab surroundings. It had been running blindly forward, practically jumping on top of them in its attempt to live. Vegeta sneered at the idea of something so weak. Disgusting.
“Let’s get to work,” Vegeta announced, turning away from the horizon of black smoke. Nappa grunted an affirmative, moving to the nearest tree. Using one thick hand, he grabbed and uprooted it, tossing it to the firmest ground available. Nappa sat on it and Vegeta joined him, the makeshift seat settling into the muck. Vegeta pushed one of the buttons along the side of his scouter, bringing up its central database.
Numasei was located along their planned course, but that was not the reason they had stopped there. Its race and value made it an insignificant target, but it was the first destination they could reach since they had received a new mass of data for nearby planets. The PTO was growing quickly behind and alongside their path, so information was more plentiful now than before. Vegeta’s renewed proximity to established Freeza Planets sharpened the edge of his paranoia, though there was no way to know if Freeza was anywhere close-by. There had been no official notifications as to Freeza’s movement for years and no clue as to the actions of his elite force since Susumisei.
Vegeta accessed the collections of data, separating out the most relevant items and sending them to Nappa’s scouter. They sat in silence, looking over the information. Vegeta always started by reading the special notes for each planet, looking first for anything that would be of unique use to him.
Almost directly after beginning, however, a short scouter-to-scouter transmission interrupted his work. Vegeta knew that it had to be from Raditz, since the remaining Saiyajin’s scouters were the only ones directly linked to his own device. As head of their squadron, Vegeta received routine notifications and warnings, and could monitor his team directly if he desired. This transmission was a message that Raditz had reached his destination, Chikyuusei.
Brushing the update aside, Vegeta continued to review files. Only a few had notations regarding unusual properties. There was a race with a cloaking technology that seemed to surpass the best used by the PTO, but an army had already been dispatched to attack them. A few other groups were noteworthy for their potential use as new soldiers, particularly a species with strong regenerative abilities. Another race, though primitive and limited in number, was said to make use of mysterious powers. Vegeta stared at the picture accompanying the file: dark skin and fleshy antennae. Races that lived up to these sorts of rumors were rare, but Vegeta felt a pull to investigate this planet further. Unfortunately, Namekkusei was located beyond Chikyuusei and outside of the path to their intended meet-up point with Raditz.
While researching Namekkusei, a communication signal came in from Raditz’s scouter. Vegeta almost ignored it, but decided that it was better to receive it if it meant preventing Raditz from making a bad decision.
“What is it?” Vegeta skipped the customary acknowledgements.
“Vegeta-sam—” There was a whistling of air that ended abruptly, as if Raditz had come to a stop mid-flight. “Vegeta-sama, this communication is to give you a status report.” Vegeta noticed that Nappa had stopped what he was doing, distracted by the sudden break in silence.
Annoyance increasing, Vegeta repeated more loudly, “What is it?”
“I have landed on Chikyuusei and located Kakarrot,” Raditz responded, but he sounded to be struggling with something, and the muffled sound of screaming was audible. “I regret to report that his power level is low and he has failed his mission. He is...living among the Chikyuujin.”
Vegeta blinked at that, then broke into laughter, his impatience giving way to amusement. “Ho? Your brother is a weakling, making allies of his victims? Is this normal in low-class trash? I knew your brother would be deficient, but he has exceeded my expectations.”
Raditz didn’t dare interrupt, but as soon as Vegeta paused to laugh some more he attempted to explain. “Kakarrot was injured and does not remember who he is. He is...he is also missing his tail.” This struck the smile from Vegeta’s face.
“What?! Then...” Vegeta’s mind slowed, hindered by the horror of imagining the shame and defeat of losing one’s tail. His thoughts began to circle a time and place where he had almost lost his own, but he forced his mind back to the present. “Then...he is of little use to us. Do whatever you like with him, just be sure that you leave for your next mission on schedule.”
“Vegeta-sama, I should tell you that Kakarrot has—” Raditz began, the muffled screams growing loud and then being cut off once more.
“I don’t care about that less-than-Saiyajin garbage. Complete your mission. You can burn Chikyuusei if it pleases you, just be on your way shortly.” Vegeta was stern, angered by the thought of one of the only remaining Saiyajin being so spineless. Why hadn’t more real warriors managed to survive?
“Understood, Vegeta-sama,” Raditz agreed after a short pause. Vegeta ended the transmission, attempting to brush aside the bad news.
“Raditz found his brother?” Nappa asked from beside him.
“Yes,” Vegeta replied tersely. “But he is worthless. Get back to work.”
Their focus was soon interrupted when Vegeta received another automatically-generated update. This time the signal regarded a power level over 700 detected by Raditz’s scouter. The scouter’s threshold was low for this sort of warning signal since Raditz was not expected to encounter powerful beings on Chikyuusei. Whatever it was, it wasn’t Kakarrot, since the warning had not been generated when Raditz had found him. Still feeling dismissive towards his weaker comrade, Vegeta chose to ignore the signal. With any luck, he thought, whatever it is will kill Raditz and Kakarrot both. Of course, Raditz was powerful enough to handle something of that strength, but ridding himself of the nuisance of the low-class warrior was a pleasant thought.
The distraction was enough for Vegeta to realize that he had developed an appetite, and he ordered Nappa to gather some food. Within minutes, Nappa had pulled one of the Numajin’s bodies closer, determined that the flesh was more edible when heated, and built a small fire using wood and a blast of ki. Nappa had just speared a section of the Numajin’s arm and began to heat it when Vegeta received the same warning signal for the high power level. What is that idiot doing? Why doesn’t he just kill it?
Vegeta decided to listen through Raditz’s scouter to investigate. Though he did not often take advantage of the ability, he could make a direct connection with all scouters worn by soldiers under his command, allowing him to access audio and power level readings. There was little point in doing this now, but he hoped it would provide a distraction from the familiar burning-swamp smell emanating from his intended meal. Raditz might wonder at the appearance of the indicator for the link, but Vegeta had the right to monitor his team as he desired.
Information flooded his screen regarding several power levels within Raditz’s vicinity: 710, 322, and 334. Raditz’s voice, low and menacing, filled Vegeta’s left ear. “How did you know about this place?”
A higher, more distant voice responded, but Vegeta could only make out some of the words. Vegeta adjusted the filtering of the audio to better hear the voices in the background.
Raditz continued, “Very well. I’ll ask you a different question then...What the hell have you come here for?”
“It’s obvious, ain’t it?! We’ve come to take my boy back!” The voice was clearer now. Vegeta frowned. Was Raditz playing around with some of the Chikyuujin? It hardly seemed like a valuable use of his time.
“Which means, even though you may be a Saiyajin like us, you don’t want to join our group?” Raditz responded.
Vegeta was thrown into further confusion. Saiyajin like us? Is he speaking to Kakarrot? Then...his boy?His...son?! It was impossible; it had to be a Chikyuujin child. Vegeta missed the next exchange of words, turning to Nappa instead, who was eating a piece of Numajin flesh.
“Nappa—listen to this.” Vegeta extended the connection to Nappa’s scouter.
"Don’t tell me you’ve made the ridiculous determination that if the two of you attack me you can win!” Raditz challenged his opponents. Nappa stopped chewing as he listened.
“That’s enough of your tiresome drivel!” a new voice shouted. A fight certainly seemed imminent, but who was who? One of them was clearly Kakarrot, and one might have been his “son,” so was the third a Chikyuujin ally? None of this made sense, however, as Chikyuujin were not supposed to have power levels beyond ten or so. There was more indiscernible speech until a new power level reading came in: 408. Had someone joined? No, it appeared that one of them had raised their power level. Vegeta’s eyes widened.
How has this become so bizarre so quickly? Is this what Raditz tried to tell me? Vegeta knew of races that could change their power level, but it was incredibly rare, especially without a transformation of some sort.
“Maybe now we can have ourselves a little bit better of a fight,” the higher voice announced as yet another elevated power level reading came through: 416.
Two have raised their power levels? Kakarrot has raised his power level? A Saiyajin has raised his power level without transforming into his Oozaru form?!
“Vegeta—” Nappa began to ask a question from beside him, but Vegeta hurriedly waved him to silence. They listened in concentration as Raditz and the two unknown adversaries continued to exchange threats for a few minutes.
Raditz finally announced the start of the battle. “You’re a disgrace to our family! Die!” The fighting was brief, then Raditz returned to making threats.
He’s toying with them. Perhaps he’s too stupid to realize the consequences of what he’s seeing. There was more pointless chatter punctuated by fighting, which in turn was occasionally interrupted by spurts of insults. For as unexpected as the situation seemed and as weak as Raditz was, he certainly seemed to have the upper hand. By the sound of Raditz’s gloating, he had noticed that he was being listened to and was deeply enjoying the opportunity to show off to his superiors.
Events continued to go in Raditz’s favor until his scouter registered a new, even higher, and increasing power level that surpassed 1,000. “He’s able to concentrate his battle power into one point and raise it up?!” Raditz seemed to be speaking directly to his audience, expressing his surprise at his new phenomenon.
Vegeta’s hands tightened into fists. So many new techniques, and from a low-class warrior who has gone native...who doesn’t even have a tail...! Yet another power level reading surpassed the last, and based on Raditz’s reaction, it was from the second opponent. What is going on?
There was a loud explosion, but Vegeta knew that Raditz had escaped unscathed since the signal remained intact. Seconds later he could hear Raditz making his own ki attack. Vegeta felt his muscles flex involuntarily at the violence, and could sense Nappa’s body growing tense beside him. Their Saiyajin natures were roused by the sounds of battle, and Vegeta’s bloodlust stirred at the prospect of an opponent that could fight with such interesting skills. He regretted that he could not be present to observe the unique abilities for himself. The idea of learning from such lowly creatures had Vegeta sneering indignantly, but so did the idea that they knew something that he did not. The experience was wasted on a low-class Saiyajin like Raditz.
Another increased power level reading joined the now long list down the side of Vegeta’s screen. “Battle power 1,330?! A-All of his battle power is gathered into just his fingertip! Dammit! These guys can manipulate their powers at will!” Raditz was definitely addressing Vegeta now, and sounded quite flustered. Not only could both of his enemies raise their power levels, but they could also manipulate and raise the power level of their ki outside of their bodies.
Chaos filled Vegeta and Nappa’s ears, then there was silence. Again, the signal remained intact, so Raditz must have alluded all attacks. “Ha!” Nappa exalted, punching the air in front of him. The reaction startled Vegeta, who had been wrapped up in his own thoughts. “This is an exciting fight,” Nappa announced appreciably, turning to face his prince. Nappa’s casual attitude dumbfounded Vegeta until he stared at his comrade’s grin. Nappa didn’t understand any of the implications of what they were hearing; it was simply entertainment for him.
“You’re going to pay for this! I’m through playing around!” Raditz’s voice grew loud and angry in their ears, pulling Nappa back into his delighted focus as Raditz presumably closed in for the kill.
Instead of the sound of a ki explosion, however, they listened as Raditz’s shout caught in his throat. Vegeta watched as Nappa’s expression faltered, then turned to face the rotten river before them, straining his ears. Laughter from the higher voice, Kakarrot’s voice, chattered through their small speakers.
“You got careless, didn’t you?” Kakarrot chided playfully, still laughing. “I’ve got your tail!”
Nappa growled disapprovingly and Vegeta’s eyes narrowed as he tried to listen. They both knew what that meant: Raditz was almost certain to lose. Though Vegeta had never given the reason why, he had encouraged Nappa to join him in further desensitizing their tails to being held and squeezed. Raditz, however, had not been present for this conditioning, and was therefore as susceptible to the pain and instinctual paralysis as Vegeta had been many years before.
Raditz emitted choked groans, obviously incapacitated. “Why, you...when did you get behind me?” he gasped.
“Piccolo! Now! Do that thing one more time!” Kakarrot shouted.
So the other is called Piccolo? Vegeta stared at the only remaining mystery battle power, the reading of 710 that had not changed.
“No! Damn that Raditz! What a fool, allowing his tail to be grabbed,” Nappa fumed, speaking over Piccolo’s affirmative.
“K-Kakarrot! Are you planning to kill your one and only brother?” Raditz sounded out of breath. Nappa continued to express his outrage, covering Kakarrot’s response until Vegeta waved him to silence again.
“...Going to kill my son, don’t you go saying that self-serving junk!” Kakarrot was now completely serious.
Vegeta’s ear caught on the mention of a “son” again. Is it possible...?
“I-I’ll stop! I’ve had a change of heart!” Raditz’s voice held an edge that Vegeta recognized as real desperation. “I’ll leave this planet without making any more trouble!”
Nappa and Vegeta both cringed. The shared shame of having one of their own reduce himself to such measures was painful even across the great distance of space. Though the words were lies, it was pitiful to beg for one’s life, let alone to be prideless enough to do so in front of one’s prince. They listened in uncomfortable silence as the one named Piccolo expressed his well-founded disbelief at Raditz’s promises.
“P-please! Believe me, my younger brother,” Raditz implored. Nappa turned to face deeper into the swamp, apparently not wanting to listen anymore. “Truly, I have done some cruel things up to now. To you...as well...but I will keep my promise, no matter what!”
Beneath his initial reaction of disgust, Vegeta could feel his excitement increasing. What had seemed like a predictable outcome was now turning into new possibilities. If Raditz didn’t survive his encounter with his traitor brother, then Vegeta would have reason to go to Chikyuusei and see Kakarrot’s new techniques for himself. Raditz didn’t deserve to live anyway; his grievous lack of basic defensive tactics and his attempts to curry pity made him as contemptible a traitor as his brother. Just kill him, Vegeta thought. He couldn’t stand to hear Raditz begging anymore. Not only was it disgraceful, but it made Vegeta edgy for reasons he did not want to think about.
“Y-you really mean it?” Kakarrot’s voice was low enough that Vegeta almost didn’t catch it.
Impossible. Does he actually believe him? Vegeta felt his opportunity slipping away.
“I-I really do!” Raditz affirmed, no trace of triumph in his voice.
“No! Don’t let go of his tail! That’s his tactic!” Piccolo tried to interfere.
“I’m begging you, Kakarrot! B-believe me,” Raditz gritted out one last plea.
Piccolo shouted something unintelligible, but it was not loud enough to cover Raditz’s smug laughter and the sound of a solid impact that followed.
“Tch.” Vegeta stood up from the log and instead sat on the Numajin body lying in front of them. Nappa would probably read his reaction of disappointment as shared disgust, so Vegeta didn’t mask his expression. Vegeta winced when Raditz announced himself as a “first-rate warrior,” but he decided he was mostly unconcerned with the rest of the fight. The transmission became dominated by Kakarrot’s screams and Raditz’s conceited remarks. Vegeta briefly considered ordering Raditz to stand down. He could ignore his original plans and make the journey to Chikyuusei to examine these interesting techniques in person. That the trip would take over a year and was well out his way, however, made it difficult to justify the potential attention it might draw from PTO overseers (and therefore Freeza). Vegeta concluded that simply learning of the possibility of a Saiyajin manipulating his power level at will was a valuable enough hint in his path to becoming a Super Saiyajin.
“He doesn’t deserve victory,” Nappa muttered behind him. “That weak—” He was cut off by the arrival of another increasing power level reading. Vegeta was snapped back to attention as he watched the level increase from 710; it was the third member of the alien party. The figure increased unsteadily and erratically, until a higher priority message overrode the feed. Raditz’s pod had been destroyed. Vegeta’s eyes widened at the warning flashing on his screen.
“W-What is this?” Raditz was clearly dumbstruck.
Who is it? Vegeta hastily dismissed the message regarding the pod and switched back to the live list of power level readings. Several voices were speaking at once, but Vegeta could only make out what sounded like another alien name.
“Battle power...one thousand...1,307?!” Raditz announced as the reading reached its apex.
“Stop picking on my father!” a new, shrill voice screamed. There was a loud crack followed by heaving, uneven breathing that signified Raditz had taken damage.
“Kakarrot has a son?!” Nappa exclaimed, echoing Vegeta’s own thoughts.
“That’s impossible,” Vegeta hissed as he turned to look over his shoulder, but faced forward again when Raditz’s voice returned.
“You little brat,” Raditz growled. “Now his battle power is a mere one?” The reading flashed across their screens, confirming his finding.
He’s just like Kakarrot. He can change his battle power without transforming...is this a trick of the Chikyuujin? Yet he is more powerful. He must have Saiyajin blood.
“Hmmm...” Nappa seemed to be contemplating something as Raditz announced he was going to kill Kakarrot’s son. “There was a war many years ago...afterward...their women...”
“What are you—” Vegeta began to disregard Nappa’s ramblings, but Raditz seemed to have been taken by surprise again. The noises of struggling and shouting merged to form chaos, but Raditz had definitely lost control of the situation.
“Let me go, Kakarrot, you idiot! You’re going to get it too, clinging to me like this!” Raditz ordered, but his frustrated grunts continued.
“I’m going to die together with you,” Kakarrot laughed. Vegeta’s eyes narrowed. This was the worst possible outcome: losing one of his soldiers and the possibility of seeking out Kakarrot for himself all at once. A final power reading came through: 1,485. Raditz began to plead again, but it was obvious that his efforts were pointless. There was shouting, then a long silence. Vegeta saw another warning flash across his screen. Raditz’s power level was dwindling at a rate that indicated he was rapidly dying.
“Damn..to think that I...would be done in...by these guys...” Raditz grunted. “Who would have thought...that Kakarrot...would even lay down...his own life...”
They are all prideless garbage, Vegeta thought poisonously, watching Kakarrot’s power level dwindle along with his brother’s.
“...can come back to life right away.” Vegeta only heard the last of what Piccolo said, but it pulled his attention from his disappointment.
“What?!” Raditz gasped. Vegeta held a hand over his earpiece, pressing it more firmly to his head.
“We have these nice things called Dragon Balls here on this planet. By asking of them, any desire one may have can become possible. Bringing the dead back to life, for example,” Piccolo explained nonchalantly.
Vegeta’s stomach was in his throat. Was this what he had been looking for? Surely something that incredible couldn’t be real. It has to be a primitive tale...
“Damn it all...still, you’ve told me something good...the entire situation up until now...has been communicated to m-my two pals, deep in space. They know that I’ve been done in...and they will be sure to come here...” Raditz’s voice was fading along with his life. Vegeta had his confirmation that Raditz had been aware of the live connection. His rage boiled that Raditz would be so stupid as to mention his superiors in the first place, let alone that they had been listening. He was tactically incompetent. Unable to do anything but fume quietly, Vegeta pulled an arm off of the Numajin below him and held it over the ki fire while he listened to Raditz’s dying words.
“...And while they’re at it...” Raditz’s laughter was thick with blood as his power level reached critical levels. These were the empty threats of a dying creature. Vegeta knew that Raditz was aware of Vegeta and Nappa’s missions, but seemed to be unable to hold himself back from one last attempt at striking fear into their enemies. “Maybe they’ll use those whatever-you-called-them things...to have me brought back to life.” There was a longer pause, during which Vegeta considered the best course of action in this unanticipated situation. Though his immediate reaction to Raditz’s threats was mocking rejection, he found himself compiling the reasons for altering their course to Chikyuusei and the justifications he could give to the PTO if he were questioned on the matter.
Raditz was still trailing off. “...It was a short-lived joy, wasn’t it? You guys are no more than worms, after all...” There was one last loud impact, then a final notification: Raditz was dead. The signal was cut as the scouter automatically locked and powered itself off to keep the enemy from accessing its information.
“That miserable Raditz...he’s dead,” Nappa acknowledged, deflating.
“He’s pathetic! I mean, really...” Vegeta agreed, trying to sound as unaffected as possible as his mind flooded with endless new possibilities. He took a bite of the Numajin flesh poking out of the hard shell he had just warmed over the fire, but the acrid flavor and gooey texture made him spit some of it out before attempting to chew. “For him to be killed by someone with a battle power of just a bit more than a thousand.” So now we can go kill them ourselves, and see if their little legend is true, but how to suggest...? He couldn’t be too direct. Nappa could not be trusted with too much information; anyone could be his enemy, even his closest comrade. As with Raditz, Nappa did not have the intelligence to know which information to share or not if he were questioned. Furthermore, Vegeta did not want to ask him to lie because it would draw attention to the matter. Questions of loyalty or discretion aside, if anyone from the PTO thought Vegeta was planning something, he could lose his first real opportunity to make a move.
“What should we do? Put this planet on hold and go there?” Nappa asked innocently. Though this was exactly what he wanted to do, Vegeta had not wanted to propose it so openly. Impulsively, he verified that their scouters were not actively sending out any signals. They had not been directly monitored for years now, so why did he feel the need to be so excessively cautious?
“They mentioned something—” Vegeta spat the chewed but equally disgusting piece of Numajin flesh out. “—Interesting, didn’t they? Dragon balls...or something.”
“Yeah. It sounds like they can grant any wish,” Nappa said solemnly.
The phrase “any wish” created more ripples in Vegeta’s mind as he stood. He had been patiently fighting for almost a decade now, slowly increasing his power level through his own sweat and others’ blood. No matter the risk involved, he could not face another ten years of toil without first exploring this potential opportunity to kill Freeza.
“Alright. Let’s go,” he ordered.
“We’re going to bring Raditz back to life, right?” Nappa asked, still sitting on the log. Vegeta turned to him, raising an eyebrow.
“Don’t make jokes! We don’t need that good-for-nothing any more.” Nappa’s face showed only confusion. It occurred to Vegeta that Nappa might actually be affected by the loss of Raditz. Given that so many of their race had already been killed, was Nappa that sentimental over the loss of one more?
Vegeta turned away and stepped forward, looking into the dense vegetation. Dozens of scenarios played through his mind before he settled on one, the only possible solution to every obstacle he could ever face from this day forward. He just had to sell the idea in a way that didn’t give away his true intentions.
“We won’t ever grow any older,” he said as he began to walk forward, hearing Nappa rise and fall into step behind him. “But instead have eternal youth. How does that sound?” He turned back to see that Nappa was still confused, but at least not as disheartened as before. “If that were so, we could enjoy fighting forever.” The promise of endless years of satisfying conquests finally broke the spell of Raditz’s death, and Nappa grinned.
“I get you. That would be great!” he raised a fist, even laughing a little in excitement. Convinced that Nappa would not think through the ramifications of attaining such power, Vegeta looked in the direction of where their pods had landed. It was a short distance, so he began to walk. They left the clearing, moving away from the river and deeper into the humid forest. In the shadows of the denser trees, Vegeta remembered something that Nappa had begun to say earlier and became curious.
“You mentioned a war,” Vegeta spoke over his shoulder, stepping to avoid a puddle of water.
“Huh?” Nappa stepped ankle deep into the sludge, growling in irritation.
“A war...and women?” Vegeta’s interest was just enough to overcome his normal impulse to avoid speaking about what life had been like before Freeza. Nappa had many stories, but Vegeta had not wanted to listen to them once he had been separated from his people. What had been painful before was now excruciating, especially since he had learned of Vegetasei’s fate. To hear of his people was to think about their loss, and he could not bother himself with the sort of emotions that plagued the weak.
“Ah! Yes. One of the finest wars I ever fought. The spoils were...beautiful,” Nappa chuckled, instantly reminiscent and...something more. When Vegeta looked back at him, he was grinning stupidly. “Their women were very similar to ours, you see. Big and strong...not quite Saiyajin, but close enough. They fought like Saiyajin women, too.” The grin became sharper, crueler. “Usually we would kill them after we were done with them, but we kept a few around to serve us. I was there for nearly a year, overseeing everything.” Vegeta’s stomach curled in on itself a little. He felt disgust at the idea of finding another species’ women attractive, but the conversation was also becoming uncomfortable for other reasons. Something in the way Nappa spoke about the alien females was summoning distant memories of nightmares, both imagined and real. The words “fought like Saiyajin women” inspired visions of foreign but well-muscled female forms, standing firm even as their men were slaughtered. He imagined their defiance turn to desperation, their bodies overwhelmed and broken by their Saiyajin conquerors. The rare threat of empathy summoned tactile ghosts of physical helplessness. Instead of the faceless, defeated women of Nappa’s recollections, images of his own contorted form darkened the edges of Vegeta’s mind. He forced the ideas away, trying to remember the screams of his own victims, the sensation of their bodies breaking against his.
“...they were all ugly, misshapen,” Nappa hadn’t stopped speaking. Vegeta first wondered how Nappa could breath in the suddenly nauseating heat of the shade, then how much he had missed. “They were all dead at birth, or died just after.” Vegeta stopped walking and turned to look up at Nappa.
“So you’re saying a hybrid is possible? Kakarrot could have a son?” he narrowed his eyes.
Nappa was stunned by the abrupt inquiry, but slowly nodded. “It has happened before...just...not...”
Vegeta resumed walking, contemplating this new information. He had always thought it impossible to have a child of his own. The idea of creating a monstrous half-Saiyajin was far below what he would consider, nor was it something he even wanted to imagine. In fact, it made Kakarrot all the more a traitor. Not only had he failed his race by being born weak and allying with an enemy species, but he had also betrayed his bloodline by contaminating it with Chikyuujin filth. He couldn’t wait to meet Kakarrot and destroy the offensive offspring he had created, to make him pay for his insults to his prince’s pride. Compared to Nappa’s accounts, though, Kakarrot’s son was clearly different.
“Everything else aside, Kakarrot’s son’s battle power was unusually high compared to Saiyajin children,” Vegeta stated as they reached their pods. He leaned against his door, mulling over this counter-intuitive fact.
“It could have been some kind of mistake, couldn’t it?” Nappa suggested.
“No, there’s no mistake,” Vegeta rejected the idea outright. “Raditz did actually take a great deal of damage from that kid’s strike.” Vegeta paused and Nappa hummed a hesitant agreement. “Apparently when our blood is mixed with a Chikyuujin’s, it results in a hybrid with mighty power.” Vegeta’s brow creased.
“Hmph, a Super Saiyajin, you mean?” Nappa sounded amused behind him. Was the entire PTO’s skepticism at the existence of the Super Saiyajin affecting even him? It was Super Saiyajin blood that made Vegeta’s family royal, and Nappa was more equipped than any other alive to remember the history of their people. Vegeta considered challenging Nappa’s insolence, but brushed the comment aside.
“I get it. If we were to produce those guys one after another, then once again Saiyajin rule will no longer be a dream,” Nappa proposed.
Horrified by the ridiculous notion, Vegeta almost expressed his complete disapproval of mating with others, but thought of a response that Nappa would not question. ” You’ve got to be kidding. Just watch those guys grow and gain even greater power for themselves. Then it will be our positions that are in danger.” Vegeta entered his pod.
“That would be true,” Nappa conceded, now sitting in his own pod.
“In any case, we will exterminate everyone on Earth.” Vegeta attempted to keep Nappa’s focus on the fight ahead, and not the end goal.
“Three days should be enough for that,” Nappa guessed. Their pod doors shut and Vegeta activated his launch as he transferred new coordinates to their navigational systems.
“Until then, let’s have ourselves a good, long sleep for the first time in a while,” he spoke via their scouter-to-scouter communications.
“Yeah! I’ll look forward to seeing you in a year,” Nappa announced before falling into stasis-induced silence.
Vegeta watched as his pod synced with his scouter, plotted their route, and gave an estimated travel time. Instead of immediately activating the stasis sequence, he continued to review the files on his scouter, first of Chikyuusei and then of the planets along their route. Of course, it would be suspicious to change course abruptly without an obvious reason. Vengeance for their fallen fellow-Saiyajin was not a sufficient reason, nor were Chikyuusei’s resources. His best strategy appeared to be to set a course for another planet along the route to Chikyuusei, and only begin travel to their true destination after they had conquered the decoy planet. This would minimize the amount of warning the PTO would be given as to his true destination and limit the number of those close enough to respond directly. If he were questioned directly, he could feign ignorance, perhaps claim that he was simply covering Raditz’s route after his death. With any luck, his response would be lost in the bureaucracy of the PTO and not be passed along to Freeza.
Without much effort, he was able to find the perfect planet to act as the false destination: Arliasei. Due to its size and well-established civilization, it had been initially rejected as a potential target for Raditz, but it was appropriate for Vegeta and Nappa. Arliasei was about half the distance to Chikyuusei, so it would buy Vegeta a substantial amount of time.
Once the coordinates and the stasis settings were set, Vegeta found himself in the sort of silence that allowed reflection. He weighed the benefits of his gamble: the chance to witness techniques yet unseen from a Saiyajin, the promise of eliminating a race-traitor and his son, and the chance at something much greater than he could have hoped.
Did he dare to hope? The idea of objects that could grant any wish was reminiscent of tales that Vegeta had never been young enough to believe. A corner of his mind wanted to compare it with his belief in the Super Saiyajin legend, but it was fundamentally different. The Super Saiyajin was alive in his blood. It was a legend, but one that had been passed verbally through hundreds of generations of Saiyajin. For his race, this oral history was the only way in which anything, including its people, lived beyond the reaches of death, and was therefore sacred. How could the promises of this alien race compare to the legends of the Saiyajin? Yet in mentioning the Dragon Balls, the one called Piccolo had been so confident, even before knowing that he had an audience. His words had not felt like the idle boasting of a victorious warrior, but more casual, as if he were speaking common knowledge.
If the Dragon Balls were real, Vegeta concluded, then both he and Kakarrot would defeat death in their own ways. According to his ally, Kakarrot was going to be wished back to life. Once Vegeta obtained the Dragon Balls, he would wish himself immortal. Kakarrot’s return from death would ultimately go to waste and his demise would be complete once Vegeta disposed of his disgraceful son as well. Instead of dying with the history of his race, Vegeta would keep his own legend alive, gaining endless power until the entire universe knew and feared him. That decided, Vegeta turned his attention to the only other remaining Saiyajin: Nappa.
As soon as I am sure that eternal youth is mine, Vegeta decided, I will kill Nappa. Being the only remaining Saiyajin would complete his transformation into one of the unique, elite fighters in the universe. Even in his work to become a Super Saiyajin he had never intended to share such power with his unintelligent servant. Nappa was his to use as he saw fit, and he owed him nothing for his years of rightful loyalty.
Even if Chikyuusei is a pointless mission, I will be closer to that other interesting planet...what was it? Namekkusei...Vegeta thought as he activated the stasis control.
****
Vegeta stood on the open door of his pod, surveying Arliasei below him. He and Nappa hung as high as was possible in the barren planet’s atmosphere, still energetic after their unchallenging mission. The civilization that the scouts had reported had long since been destroyed under one terrible ruler, making the planet almost worthless. Though it was a waste of time to conquer it for the PTO, it had served its purpose as a false mission. No one had questioned their path yet, which Vegeta could not yet confidently label as a good or bad sign. A new Freeza Planet was in development relatively close to Chikyuusei, but the small, incomplete outpost seemed to be no real threat. All he cared about was that they were much closer to their destination now. The idea was feeding an excitement in him that he could no longer suppress.
For a moment, he considered the red gas hugging the planet’s surface, its moon hanging not far above it. He tried to remember what Vegetasei had looked like from Freeza’s ship when he had first left home. The image had been mingled with the views of so many countless planets that only a generic picture, a fabricated memory, remained.
Is this what Vegetasei had looked like, hanging in the blackness of space, suspended as though it would be there forever? Vegeta thought of Freeza obliterating it, probably with not much effort, as he was about to replicate now. He couldn’t help but imagine Freeza’s delight at its destruction and hardened his heart, compelling himself to hold the image in his mind.
“Get out of my sight, you good-for-nothing planet!” Vegeta spat as he raised two fingers toward it. His arm stiffened with effort as he forced a thick beam of ki from his fingertips, directing it at the equator of his target. The ki took several seconds to reach Arliasei’s surface, then made the planet glow with the overload of energy.
Nappa and Vegeta were bathed in light but didn’t turn away from the brightness. “They’re beautiful when they’re obliterated, no matter what planet they happen to be,” Vegeta spoke softly as Arliasei’s moon was drawn into its now imploding planet. Vegeta was still seeing his home world.
Even as he denied himself the weakness of grieving, he allowed his anger to swell at the thought of Freeza eliminating Vegetasei. His rage was appropriate, useful now more than ever. For the first time, he had an immediate goal, a direct course of action that might lead him to the vengeance for which he had hungered. He was finally and truly serving himself, acting for his and no one else’s benefit. Even if Chikyuusei held no gift of eternal youth, Vegeta decided that the great risk he was now taking was well worth it, if only to feel as alive and in control of his own destiny as he did now.
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Breaking the Prince (Part 2)