Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ REPRISAL UNBOUND ❯ Chapter 12 ( Chapter 12 )

AN: Earlier that morning at the URSO headquarters building...

"When was it first detected?" Asked Dr Briefs as both he and the man who stood by his side waited for the lift they were riding in to reach the third sub-basement level.

"Only upon entrance of our atmosphere." The URSO technician answered him. "Before then it never left so much as an echo that any of our scanner satellites were able to pick up."

The lift came to a halt and the door opened. After removing his security key and closing the small hatch, Dr B and the young male technician walked out and took the immediate left, heading towards a pair of double doors at the end of the hall.

"Do you have any idea what it is?" Dr Briefs continued.

"There are a number of non factual speculations, sir."

Once at the double doors the technician punched in his access code on the keypad and pressed the submission button. A green light shown and an affirmative sounding chime was heard, he held the door open for Dr Briefs to enter before following.

"And they ranged from some sort of communicative device to a cleverly concealed bomb."

Dr Briefs sounded an amused chuckle. He found it amazing that even within the stations of highly educated minds, fear and paranoia could still be counted as widespread traits among the ranks of such so-called `great' minds.

~ And these people are looked up to? Depended on to pioneer exploration and study of the final frontier? Humph! ~

"But like I said," the technician repeated himself. "None of the assumptions are based on solid factual evidence. We don't know what it really is, it could be anything."

"Is there anyone outside of the URSO or those associated with them that know anything about this?"

"No one Dr Briefs," the technician quickly answered, as if it was detrimental that it remained that way. "In fact only a handful of those attend the URSO meetings have any knowledge of this."

"Who else is included?"

"Well beside us two, and those who assigned to study the device, only the vice and head chairman know."

Dr Briefs refrained from asking any further questions, deciding that he'll wait until he had a chance to study the `mysterious' device himself firsthand.

They had to pass through at least two more security doors before they reached the hall that held the research laboratories. When they had entered the specific lab that contained the device, Dr Briefs took in the selected small team. Excluding himself and the young technician that had led him, there was only one woman along with three other men. Dr Briefs immediately recognized one of them as the one whom his daughter had been conversing with at the last URSO meeting that she had attended. He never did catch the name though.

Dr Briefs then turned his head to take in the appearance of the laboratory itself. On one side, sealed away in its own section or small chamber by reinforced glass, clamped down to table was the object that could only be assumed as the `device' the young technician was talking about. From what Dr Briefs could see it looked like a solid smooth metallic rugby ball.

"Has the residual radiation come done to tolerable levels yet?" He asked alerting all to his presence.

Everyone looked confusingly at each other and after a moments hesitation the man Dr Briefs had seen talking to Bulma approached to answer his question.

"According to the computer monitoring the radiation levels, it won't be within safety levels for another few hours or so."

"Then we wait." The finalised tone that Dr Briefs used told the team that he had finished addressing them as a group and they all turned their attentions back towards their individual posts. He then turned solely on the man who replied to his previous question. "I recall that you launched with my daughter at the last held URSO meeting."

"Yes sir," he answered. "My name is Jiro Shizema." He eagerly extended his hand and Dr Briefs shook it.

* * *

AN: Early afternoon at the Capsule Corp...

Bulma pulled on the stopper chain and emptied the wash basin. She grabbed a small soft peach coloured cotton towel off the rack beside the basin and pat dried her face. Raising her head to the mirror she gave herself a good look over.

Her eyes were only faintly red now, and her cheeks were free of tear streaks. The rosy tint of her skin wasn't too far from removed from her natural complexion. It didn't look like she had been crying for hours; and she was very glad. She didn't want anyone to know about what had happened between Vegeta and her during the late morning. Her mother was out and Trunks wasn't due back from school for another hour and a half. As for her father, with such a high demand for his presence, the URSO had arranged for a suite to be provided for his convenience at their residential block. He hadn't set foot on the Capsule Corps grounds in days.

The ringing of the phone in her bedroom pulled her from her freshening up. She walked towards her side of the bed and picked up the receiver, having long since learned that any device that had unfortunately been placed on Vegeta's side of the bed, and having emitted a sound that disturbed the sleeping prince from his rest would often be utterly destroyed. She couldn't count how many telephones and alarm clocks he had blasted or crushed with his bare hands.

"Moshi, moshi?!"

"I'm really sorry to disturb you Ms Briefs," said the antsy voice of Ken. "But I have your father on line E-6 and he wanted to urgently speak with you."

~ Shit!!! ~ She cursed to herself. "Fine, Ken." She sighed, knowing it wouldn't be fair to tell him off for the inconvenience of his call. "Can you patch him through?"

"Certainly." He replied with noticeable relief. The line went dead then and a few seconds later, Bulma heard the voice of her father.

"Bulma, what's going on?" He asked confused. "I've been trying to phone home with no luck for ages now."

"Nothing dad," she reassured him.

Bulma had purposely put a block on all incoming calls so that nothing could interrupt her during her little dark sulking, sobbing, self-pitying spell, as she tried to explain Vegeta's behaviour to herself. However, it now appeared that she had forgotten to disconnect the emergency line as well.

"What is it that's so urgent?" She asked immediately averting the subject.

"Several days ago an object was sensed entering our atmosphere. We now have it within the sub-basement levels of the URSO building."

"What is it?" Bulma asked. The scientifically inquisitive side of her persona began to push its way to the fore and the questions began to pour out. "Is it a meteor? A piece of a spacecraft? A probe? Is it some kind of communications device?"

"It's not really a communications device per se, but it does hold a great deal of information."

"Information? What information?" Bulma began to rattle on. "Who is it from?"

"Bulma," Dr Briefs spoke calmly, wanting to go step by step. "We're assuming that the object is some type of computer data or information storage device. All the transcribed data is written in some alien language and as for the audio informa…"

"There's recorded sound as well?!" Bulma interrupted.

"Yes." Dr Briefs was now beginning to feel a bit miffed. "As well as the on screen data there is also a holographic projection of an alien female speaking."

"Wow…sounds like quite a find." She said almost wistfully. "Is any of this linked to the unknown object that passed through Saturn's rings?"

(AN: Refer to the beginning on chapter 2.)

"We have no idea, Bulma." Her father answered. "But I honestly think that the key to at least some of all this may lay in translating the data that is in the storage device."

"This alien female," Bulma further enquired. "What does she look like?"

"You'll see for yourself." He said.

"Nani?" She said surprised. It was the first question that he hadn't answered directly.

"I said you'll see for yourself when you get here."

"Otousan, I'm really…really not feeling up to all of this." She said excusably, expecting her father's understanding and acceptance.

"Bulma, you are the only person on this planet, besides Vegeta, who has any experience with translating alien languages." He told her with resolution. "And I want you to bring both of your Saiyango and Namekian language programs with you."

Dr Briefs was referring to the two programs that Bulma had spent much personal effort and time creating that helped translate both written and spoken Namekian and Saiyango.

The love for learning or having some knowledge of alien languages was awoken in her when she had been forced to learn Namekian from Mr Popo for the adventurous trip to Namek that Krillin, Gohan and she had to undergo. Of course he hadn't taught her the entire Namekian dialect; there wasn't merely enough time for that. But it had been enough to operate Kami's spaceship by vocal commands and enough to decipher the labelled controls and computer screen display as well as spark an almost unquenchable thirst for different alien tongues.

As for the rest of Namekian tongue, she had asked the Nameks that she had temporary housed to teach her and they had been more than happy to do so. It was quite an enjoyable and interesting experience and at the end of it all she was able to carryout fluent conversations with them. Not only that, but she had learned quite a great deal about the Namekian way of life, not to mention their anatomy and the practically limitless regenerative capabilities.

When it came for her to learn Saiyango; it had been a completely different story. The only person in the galaxy that could have told her was none other than her Saiyajin mate, Vegeta. She first remembered hearing him speak Saiyango during one of the times that he made love to her. He had been grinding sensually into her body and he had been moving his mouth all over her neck and her ear and spoken words that Bulma had no understanding of. Not that she was able to catch all the words as she was having her senses overwhelmed by what he was doing to her body. All she remembered regarding what he had said was that it was incredibly erotic and made the experience all the more pleasurable.

The first couple of times that she had asked him to teach her he had instantly refused, saying she lacked the intelligence to learn it. Of course she had thrown a fit and called him something very unpleasant and he returned her comments with some verbal poison of his own. It had taken her an act of almost torturous sexual seduction to get him to change his mind. All it had required was a bed, her body, his body, a generous amount of fragrant massage oils, and her skilled hands and mouth. She was forced to remind herself, more than four times, that it was for his pleasure not hers why she was going through this, so as not to get carried away as she massaged and moulded his body with her own. Not that she didn't receive any pleasure from the experience, because she most certainly did.

Unsurprisingly, the body on body massage she had initiated had lead to great sex. After that he had finally conceded, with the mother of all smug grins ever to grace his features plastered on his face, to teach her Saiyago. At the end of it all she had then recorded her accumulated knowledge of the two very different alien vernaculars on two different, but inter-operational programs.

Bulma frowned as just realised that her thoughts were once again being plagued by the certain Saiyajin no Ouji that was the one responsible for her current state of mind and who had given her the two bluish purple armlet like `tattoos' she now wore and probably would continue to do so for several days more. She wasn't ready for any of this. She didn't feel like putting on a brave front to face the world.

"Look, Otousama…" She struggled to speak with the respect that her words conveyed. "I'm not really feeling one hundred percent. I've taken the rest of the working week off for recovery in fact and I…"

"Bulma…" It was now her father's turn to interrupt her. "By now you should know that at certain times, regardless of how you `feel' business always comes above all else."

For a short time Bulma was speechless.

"Now, I want you to get ready as soon as possible and come to the URSO building with your language programs and a unobstructed focused mind." Dr Briefs told her.

"Otousama…"

"It would be best if you brought a bag with toiletries and change of clothes for several days." He wasn't leaving her any space for argument.

"But…" She began, but never got a chance to complete her protest.

"We have no idea how long translating this will take, so may have to spend some time here."

"What about okaasan and Trunks?"

"Don't worry, you can call and tell your mother everything after you've arrived. She and Trunks will be fine and Vegeta can take care of himself."

"But dad?!"

"I will not be repeating my orders, Bulma." He said total absolution. "We'll be expecting you as soon as possible. Goodbye."

Bulma stared at the phone incredibly when the dialling tone sounded after her father had hung up. She sounded a very loud and very angry curse word as she did so.

~Just who does that man think he is?! My superior?! ~ Bulma was forced to acknowledge the answer to her question was not only `yes', but it was an affirmative on two different accounts as well.

Not only was Dr Briefs was her father, though she was heiress to the Capsule Corporation conglomerate, he being the original sole founder was still her superior and boss. It was beside the point that she had taken an active part in company merchandise production and research and development since the tender age of twelve years.

Slamming phone down and growling very Saiyan like, Bulma stamped into her walk in closet and began to follow her father's, or in his current choice of role, superior's `orders', beginning with a hunt for suitably smart but laboratory practical attire.

* * *

Trunks jabbed and kick with everything he had, but none of his blows came into contact with his father's body. The elder Saiyajin was just too fast and powerful.

They had been at this since for almost two hours since he had come home from school and the child was beginning to feel the battle was taking its toll.

Trunks saw a heavy kick come flying his way and he quickly brought up both his arms to his face for protection. Though it was a successful block, Trunks immediately wished that he had dodged it instead. His forearms were on fire! He may have blocked it, but the stinging sensation he felt told him that had that dodging them would have been the best calculated move.

Vegeta allowed him to back off and watched his son's face twitch between trying to maintain a battle masked face, instead of crumbling into a pained expression as he rapidly rubbed his forearms before going back into fighting stance.

Both warriors silently watched the other, neither yet making a move. But Vegeta was suddenly surprised as Trunks, in an abrupt blast of energy, shot towards him at high speed. Expecting his son to attack either his head or torso area, Vegeta was completely unprepared when Trunks suddenly performed a powerful sweep that floated him, nicely setting Vegeta up for a powerful two handed blast. Vegeta crashed into the gravity chamber wall, cracking the interior area his body came into contact with. Pieces of the smashed wall fell to the floor along with a scraped but otherwise an injured Vegeta.

Not surprisingly, but not to his wishes either, Trunks watched, while emitting a small frustrated growl, as his otousan steadily rise from the floor as if nothing had happened. Then fine white lines of power, reminiscent of tendrils of lightning flickered from around his body, and when he had finally raised his head to stare levelly at his son, Trunks could distinguish neither ebony nor emerald green. Only white…Only an emotionless, compassionless, empty white. And his power! The ki Trunks felt emanating from him just began to grow and the gravity chamber began to shake violently.

Then, suddenly starting as a whisper of a growl from the depths of his throat, that then steadily formed into a very loud, almost madness filled roar. As if on cue, Vegeta blasted forward towards Trunks and began to unleash punch after punch, and kick after kick in an incessant frenzy.

It took every iota of speed Trunks possessed to move out of the way of his father's striking limbs. Every other strike that Vegeta let loose was too fast for his son to manoeuvre around so he was forced to block with his forearms and knees. It wasn't long before Trunks began to feel that every blow he blocked felt like an indestructible anvil, (even for a demi-Saijyajin) was taken to his limbs. Using a quick short burst of speed, Trunks managed to put a safe amount of distance between himself and his father. Though very temped to turn super Saiyajin and go all out in battle, as young as he was, Trunks was experienced enough to assume that the full blooded Saiyajin he was facing off against would do so likewise. And with his obvious lack of control at the moment, the gravity chamber they occupied, the private residential sector that was their home, the Capsule Corporation compound, probably the entire conurbation they were situated in would fair very badly. Vegeta was a warrior who had the power to destroy entire planets after all.

~ Worse case scenario… ~ Trunks thought to himself, ~ He could destroy the entire city and everyone in it! ~

"Otousama…" Trunks tried to talk calmingly. "We have to stop this."

"Fi-i-ght…" A single drawn out rasping word was his only reply. He then fired what he considered to be a small weak blast at Trunks, who bated it away with a swipe of his fist. But it was a careless action that resulted in the severe damage of the control console.

"Something's not right." He tried to reason further.

"I… said…fight." He then began a slow pace towards his son who mirrored the reversal of his father's actions.

"WARNING. WARNING." The simulated computer voice began to speak. "Containment limit has been reached."

Trunks had to force himself not to look around as the natural reddish hew of the pressurised room changed to violent flashing crimson and at the tolling of the emergency siren.

"Automatic override systems compromised! Gravity simulation and door control must be operated manually." The computer voice said.

"Shit!" Trunks cursed. This so-called sparing session between father and son needed to be brought to a conclusion, and Trunks knew it. If the chamber were to explode there was no telling what kind of damage would be done to the surrounding area.

"Fight me!" Vegeta lunged forward to deliver a two punch and pivot kick combination.

"No!." Trunks said jumping out the way. "We have to stop! Everything will be destroyed if don't!"

"Do you think I give a fuck?!"

"Otousan…" Trunks was now totally confused and very worried. "What wrong with you?! Why won't you even listen?!"

Vegeta again leapt forward to flurry of blurring punches and kicks, and it was only Trunks very best efforts that kept him from sustaining severe damage.

~ If the fool won't fight then he is of no f use to me! ~ Vegeta irrational and chemically influenced mind reasoned. He brought the base of his palms together, fingers outspread like eagle talons, and he began to gather his ki. Trunks looked at his horror.

~He…wouldn't…~ He tried to convince himself. But when he saw the concentration of golden energy in the space of his father's palms, he began to have grave misgivings. Despair began to sink in when he realised that Vegeta was only pouring more and more power into the now growing ki ball.

~ I don't have a choice…~ Trunks likewise placed his hands together and began to quickly gather his energy. Not giving his father a chance to put any more power into his ki ball, Trunks immediately fired his charged blot, and to avoid being blasted Vegeta was forced to prematurely let loose his own. The two beams clashed with the ferocity of a continent destroying tsunami that sent earth quaking shockwaves throughout the Capsule Corps complex.

Inside the working offices employees raised their voices in bewilderment, fear and panic. Some went to grabbing hold of the walls to remain standing while took cover under their desks.

As they continued the unwavering battle, the shockwaves began to increase and both Saiyajins showed no sign of stopping. Vegeta only slowly added power to his beam which Trunks did likewise. Some of the perspiration that fell down his young face entered his eyes, causing them to sting , blurring his vision.

"WARNING!!! WARNING!!!" The voice of the computer now sounded even more urgent. "STURCTURE FAILURE IS IMMENENT. ALL COMBATANTS MUST TERMINATE THEIR EXERCISE IMMEDIATELY!!!"

Trunks' face fell into a horrified expression. It was a necessity that this battle ended straight away, regardless of who won, and he knew that his father would not stand to be the one to lose. Only when he had won would he stop. Only when he no longer had am opponent to fight against would this match be over.

~I will end this then…the only way I can.~ He frowned determinedly. ~BOY is this gonna hurt like a bitch! ~

Trunks clenched his blue eyes shut, and in one quick decisive movement he dissipated his beam and brought his arms up in front of his head and chest in a form of a protective cross and as expected Vegeta's beam hurled unrestrained, full blast into the little demi-sayajin

Trunks was shoved to the opposite side of the gravity chamber and crushed by the full weight of Vegeta's blast against the enforced wall. The cries that emitted from his still developing voice box were saturated in the pain of more than one kind. The small shirt that was apart of his school uniform, vaporised as quickly as a sprinkle of rain water upon magma. The comfortable but flammable cotton that made up a hundred percent of his trousers ignited to only char is legs. The leather and rubber of his school shoes bubbled and liquefied to meld with the soft skin of his little feet. The high pitched screams of his unbroken voice rang unyieldingly within the chamber and even permeated all spaces throughout the Capsule Corp compound as it continued to rise in volume and pitch. It was distinctly loud and clear enough so that all who heard knew it was the agonised howls of a mere child.

Yet throughout all this, Trunks knew that this monster, who apparently seemed to want nothing more at the moment other then to terminate his short life, was not his real father. So, with his last coherent thought he offered exoneration.

~ O..Otou…sama…I…forgive you… ~

For some unknown reason, the power of Saiyajin no Ouji's beam slowly lessened. Within moments it ceased all together, allowing the body that it once pinned into the child size made crevice crash to the gravity room floor.

From where he stood, far on the other side of the chamber, Vegeta saw no movement coming from the tiny body.

to be continued…

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