Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Royal Namekian Blues ❯ Hyperbolic Time Chamber II ( Chapter 68 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z, it belongs to Shonen Jump, Toei Animation Co. Ltd., Shuisha Bird studios. I only own the characters of Chablis and Stellari. They mean no harm to the anime or manga, nor does this fan fiction. Thanks to butterfly V for her suggestions and to all of you who have commented. For those who have pointed out the banality of my `fan girl' Japanese in early chapters, it is being edited out of the first parts. There's always room for improvement. To those of you reading this, comments criticisms are welcome. Flames too, but they'll be given the consideration that they deserve. If any readers have something to ask or to say, go ahead and email me if you don't feel comfortable posting it in a review.

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Royal Namekian Blues

 

Hyperbolic Time Chamber Workout

 

By Trynia Merin aka StarbearerTM

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Within the Lookout's special chamber, ki blasts and echoes resounded in the vast space. A blaze of red fire rocketed across the floor, past the figure that stepped out of its way. Swinging 180 it its course, the blazing ball encompassed the man that resembled Goku, his voice shrilling with a loud battle cry. "Kao KEN times 2!"

 

"Faster! You need to turn faster, father!" Raditz shouted.

 

"Try this you bum," Bardock gritted, and then vanished. Energy flared off as Bardock stopped dead ten paces from Raditz who hovered in a defensive position. Distracted by his father dropping the crimson aura, Raditz stopped to correct him. The next moment Raditz felt a sharp blow to the base of his skull generating a thousand twinkling lights in his brain. Then a splintering pain radiated from his kidneys resulting from Bardock's knee blow to his back.

 

"Dammit Father, you were supposed to…"

 

"I'm supposed to learn new fighting moves, not fancy fireworks!" Bardock heaved, regaining his balance.

 

"Drek," Raditz cursed, rolling over in pain. Bringing up his hand he hurled a blast at point blank range at his father standing over him. Bardock's hands crossed before his face, his body pushed back but maintaining his ground.

 

"Raaagh! Times two!" Bardock shouted. Again the aura flared and he thrust forwards with his body. His shoulder rammed Raditz battered body, sending him flying with a kao ken charge.

 

Just in the last minute Raditz recovered and surrounded his body with a levitation field. He screeched to a stop in midair, and then raised his two hands. Instead of generating a blast, solid spikes shot out with the cry of "Carbon dagger!"

 

Bardock's hands flew wildly trying to counter the spikes. Some of them actually penetrated his skin, stinging like dozens of angry bees. "Son of a bitch…”

 

Raditz dropped feet first on the floor of the chamber. Lightly it glowed blue. "Time out!" he gasped.

 

"Lazy bum," Bardock mumbled. Bardock mopped copious amounts of sweat from his brow. Although he often wore the red blood stained headband that had once graced Toma's arm, to do so during training seemed almost sacrilegious. Originally he had donned it as a way of keeping a part of his deceased team with him during his avenging attacks at Freiza. Yet now he had stripped off much of his armor except the long pants and boots. Bare chested he had more freedom to move easily in the gravity that increased the closer he approached the large bulls eye of the HTC floor.

 

"Must I learn this? I feel like a rocket not a warrior!" Bardock grunted catching the towel Raditz tossed to him.

 

Only fifty paces from him panted Raditz, who stood with slightly bowed back. Down at his sides hung his arms, unfettered by the customary gantlets. Like his father he trained wearing a minimum of clothing as of late. Since they had only entered with one set of clothing, their respective armor neatly sat in one corner of the living quarters of the Chamber housing the twin beds. Fortunately the small capsule Raditz had kept in his armor contained several sets of spare workout clothes. Goku had fetched it from Capsule and slipped it to his brother because he knew they'd both need fresh garments for an entire year.

 

"It is the way in which I gradually learned to accommodate more power. And finally achieve super Saiyan," Raditz explained.

 

"I'm starving. Explain it to me while we eat, you overeducated bum. I don't know where you learned to use such fancy words around your old man lately," Bardock griped good naturedly. He led the way towards the enclosure's dining room area. Along one wall a large shelf contained dozens of covered jars, each containing food that magically replenished itself. A sink and cupboards above it contained dishes. Bardock grabbed one of the jars and plunked it down, tearing off the cloth and dumping the contents into one of the nearby pots he hauled out of the lower cabinet.

 

Raditz hauled himself over to flop down on one of the two chairs. Leaning back he draped his long sweat soaked hair across the back and then continued to mop more sweat off his brow. Bardock noted it was his turn to cook food, taking turns in a round the clock KP duty that fueled their incessant training. For the past month they had pushed one another to the absolute limits and back. Only during gaps in the fighting did they bother to talk. Such rare times became more and more frequent with each passing 'day'.

 

"Rice and beans, curse it. Can't that Mr. Popo bum get us some fresh meat? This frozen stuff is getting me a bit sick," Bardock mumbled, ladling huge scoops of rice out of the pot, and then grabbing spits of roasted meat that had been left to thaw from the massive freezer.

 

"I could eat anything now, Father," Raditz huffed. "You really haven't lost your touch though I outclass you in power."

 

"Never could get it through your thick skull how important it is to fight like a Saiyan with more finesse. But at least that younger son of mine put you back on track. Kakkarot's quite a good fighter. Those earth moves do him well," Bardock said, plunking two huge plates of a sort of stew dumped over mountains of rice on the table. He settled into the chair opposite his son and started to shovel food into his mouth with his hand. Raditz dug into his own portion, swearing that he couldn't down it fast enough to fill the empty hole inside.

 

"So father, you've managed to boost your level twice, but you still have a long way to go to build up more," Raditz observed.

 

"That technique's good for short bursts, but not for marathon fighting. No wonder Kakkarot doesn't use it anymore. But at least he doesn't rely totally on energy blasts like Nappa taught you. Better to conserve and let the enemy's power take them out," Bardock said.

 

"The afterimage is also a good feint and avoidance. Too bad I couldn't master the instant transmission," Raditz grunted.

 

"You forget easily how each Saiyan's techniques are based on their natural gifts or lack of. Never figured that boy would amount to anything when I first saw him. But now here he is with his own family."

 

Bardock drained huge draught of ale that other jars contained. He was happy to note that some of the provisions remotely resembled Saiyan tastes. Earth beer and ale closely resembled his favorite beverages. "Don't lecture to me Father. You always DO this!"

 

"Okay, okay, brat. I know you're sick of hearing me bark at you. So let's focus on something else. Like how you managed to 'snag' that woman of yours." Bardock said, focusing his dark gaze on Raditz. Uncomfortably his son flinched in his chair and sat up straighter sensing invisible hot pokers under his backside spontaneously materializing.

 

"Father, you bother to ask me NOW! I did tell you…"

 

"Not the real story, Raditz. C'mon, you know as well as I do what you boast to the crew washes one way, but it doesn't wash with your old man. Seems you took some of my advice seriously," Bardock said.

 

"I would not have imagined such a frail creature having any potential because Earthlings know how to mask their true power levels," Raditz said, flinching a bit.

 

“Tell me how you first met, truly,” Bardock said.

 

Raditz settled down and cudgeled his tired brain. Bardock listened intently as his son spun the tale of what had transpired. “Well you remember when I told you about the plan I made to see if the Prince was a captive or not?”

 

“Oh yeah? The test? The Prince said it was a load of crap, but it made sense to me,” Bardock said, his mouth twisting into an amused smile.

 

“All the surveillance taken by Turles former crewmember Chablis indicated that the Prince had returned to Earth shortly before we were all… brought back with her wish,” said Raditz.

 

“She took a long time sending Turles to return those damn black star balls to their home planets,” Bardock chuckled.

 

“Indeed those fool Earthlings didn't know that the old Guardian of this world had made another set before the ones that everyone here knows. I am going to have to ask her where she learned that. Perhaps during the time she was a guinea pig of the Red Ribbon army,” Raditz tapped his chin.

 

“Nappa and you must have pissed your pants to see the Prince alive,” said Bardock, finishing the remainder of stew on his plate.

 

“Well, we had heard broadcasts and rumors from the isolated abandoned base where Chablis trained Nappa and I. Since she worked at Capsule, among the weaklings… the humans of this world she learned all she could. But she wasn't' sure if the Prince was somehow being controlled by the people of this world,” said Raditz.

 

“Even though I find it hard to believe,” said Bardock ruefully.

 

“Chablis experience taught her not to underestimate the Humans' ingenuity. Our ancestors did so with the Tuffles, but we were almost wiped out due to their superior technology,” Raditz reminded him.

 

“I know the legends, boy. Mother taught you well enough,” Bardock glared at him. Raditz winced and continued his tale.

 

“Anyhow, we decided if we showed up at Capsule, the Prince would be drawn out to face us. Then by his reaction we'd see if he was under his own will or a puppet of the humans. The plan however backfired because we didn't realize that Dr. Brief's daughter was the Prince's chosen mate, and she was MOST uncooperative,” said Raditz.

 

“Hence the game Nappa played that almost got you two vaporized by the Prince, you mean?” Bardock needled. Raditz pictured the day clearly in his mind shortly after he and Nappa had left Capsule under siege and were cornered in a standoff with the VP of Capsule, Dr. Bulma Briefs. When Nappa asked to see Dr. Briefs he didn't count on the blue haired girl Bulma being the Dr. Briefs who would materialize.”

 

Chablis had tried to play her human guise to the hilt, but she was torn between loyalty to her human masters and her Saiyan roots. Raditz felt impatient and annoyed amongst the weaklings, but he was still in shock at the idea of the Prince allowing himself to live among them. Perhaps the Prince knew something he and Nappa didn't. He was all too painfully aware of how misjudging the human's abilities had cost him his life.

 

"Dr. Briefs, relax. If you just tell them what they want to know, then they'll leave us alone," said Bliss. The Capsule security trained weapons on both Saiyans, new weapons that closely resembled those that the Tuffles had once used against the Saiyans. Bliss herself must have shared the secret of the neutrino disrupter with Bulma. Later on he realized that Bulma herself had stumbled across it. Although Nappa and Raditz had increased their powers tenfold in Chablis' regimen, they realized the weapons could leave them temporarily vulnerable to attack.

 

"Bliss do you know something we don't about these guys? Who are they and what do they WANT?" an older voice had shouted. To his surprise Raditz saw the dark haired one behind Bulma wearing transparent discs on her eyes push her way to the front.

 

"Hey you! What do you want?" Stellari shouted. "Give it to me straight! These games aren't necessary!"

 

"Dr. Stellari, please, not now!" Bulma groaned, squeezing her eyes shut. To Raditz' amusement the guards had parted from the force of her small hand shoving them back. Instead of the lean tall lankiness her body was compact and sturdy like a Saiyan female who had recently given birth. Irrevocably the hips would widen enough for a male to tell a female had born children.

 

"Stellari, get back!" Bliss glared at her. "I know you have your own abilities but these two are out of your league!"

 

"Move it, Dr. Briefs needs us!" Dr. Stellari glared at them. Raditz realized this must be the human that Chablis had possibly spoken of. Yet she seemed so weak.

 

"Dr. Stellari, get BACK now. He'll kill you."

 

"I don't think so. If someone stands up to them, they will back off," said Stellari boldly.

 

“Your funeral,” Bulma murmured. “Don't say I didn't warn you!”

 

"Excuse me you two gentlemen! In case you're wondering, this is Dr. Briefs you're speaking to. I'd show her some respect if you want some help. So why don't you tell us what do you want here with us?" Dr. Stellari shouted at them, polite but angry. Her eyes glistened with fear though, Nappa noted.

 

"Humph, you're braver then most, woman," Nappa said. "But I wasn't talking to you."

 

"Hold on, Stellari. Please, tell Dr. Briefs what you want, and then we can all relax," Bliss glanced up at Nappa.

 

"Let me talk, Nappa, if you don't mind. Excuse me, Dr. Briefs, but let me put it simply. Nappa and I want to know where Prince Vegeta is. So if you don't want a bunch of bother, you will simply and calmly tell us what we wish to know, and your friends don't get hurt," Raditz said, striding over and standing before Bulma.

 

"I'm not telling you anything!" Bulma glared at him.

 

"Take care, Dr. Briefs you're making this VERY difficult," Raditz said glancing down at her.

 

"Then talk to me, Mister… Raditz is it?!" Dr. Stellari shoved between Dr. Briefs and Raditz, glaring up at Raditz. Like a shield she blocked his view of them, despite everyone's protestations.

 

"What do you think we've been trying to tell you for the last hour you dolts?" he grunted, glancing down at her. He stomped just before her, and she flinched slightly, but did not back down.

 

"Just leave us alone," Bulma said shakily.

 

"Your employee is smarter then you are. I suggest for your friends sake you let her speak, since you're not forthcoming!" Raditz glared down at Bulma peering over Dr. Stellari's shoulder.

 

"What she means to say is, that she's confused as to your motivations, Mister Raditz. You only want to know where Vegeta is, right, MISTER Raditz?" Dr. Stellari said, projecting her voice to sound more confident then she felt as she glared up at the longhaired Saiyan.

 

"Are you INSANE?" Bulma snapped. "Why are you telling them that?"

 

"Dr. Briefs, its okay just cooperate! Nappa isn't here to hurt you, neither is Raditz. Just calm down!" said Bliss.

 

"Hmm, you're hardly a warrior, small one," Raditz grunted as he glanced down at Dr. Stellari. "But you're in the way. So I think since you're foolish enough to not move, I'll have to do the honors."

 

He grabbed Dr. Stellari up by the back of her lab coat despite her shout of protest. Holding her above his head he dangled her out of the way then moved one step closer towards Bulma. Bliss wrapped her arms around Bulma from behind, pinioning her in place. Raditz then said calmly as if he were addressing a board meeting, "Now Dr. Briefs, where were we?"

 

"Don't you dare hurt her! Hey! Listen to me you big ape!" Dr. Stellari shouted, suspended from Raditz gaunted hand. "You're making a big mistake."

 

"Shut up, female. If you didn't amuse me so I'd kill you now!" Raditz glared at her, swinging her before his face.

 

"Uh oh," Dr. Stellari gulped.

 

"Put her down. Please!" Bulma said quickly. "Look you two are making a BIG mistake. IF you don't stop this now you'll BOTH be in bigger trouble then you can possibly imagine!"

 

"Please, make him stop dad!" Bliss shouted up at Nappa, in Saiyan.

 

"Don't move human, if you value your life," Raditz grunted, setting Dr. Stellari down and yanking her roughly towards him. Forcing her to stand directly before him, he held her shoulder tightly.

 

"I won't," she muttered. Dr. Stellari bit her lip, mumbling about her stupidity.

 

"Ms. Simms you had BETTER shut up!' Bulma yelled at Nappa's daughter. Raditz realized their careful plan was unraveling before their eyes.

 

Bliss glanced up at Nappa, then to Bulma. She said, "Why shouldn't we tell them where Vegeta is? He's their prince, right? And Nappa won't hurt you! I swear."

 

"Makes sense to me," Dr. Stellari said. She stood before Raditz, who was staring down at her peculiarly with his dark eyes at the nape of her neck.

 

"This is funny, but we're on a time schedule here, so tell us what we want to know, Dr. Briefs. Can't you persuade her, Bliss?" Nappa glared at her. Bulma glared at him furiously.

 

"Excuse me, sir. Mr. Saiyan is it? That's what you are right?" Dr. Stellari shouted at Raditz, turing her head around to do so. He cursed inwardly again, realizing this idiotic woman was going to get herself killed by being a `hero' and showing weakness. Raditz had raised a brow at the spunk. A mere scientist had no clue of what she was doing, unarmed and vulnerable.

 

Bulma shouted and struggled as bliss suddenly held her hand tightly over Bulma's mouth, then locked her arms behind her. "I'm sorry Miss Briefs, but you're endangering us all if you keep resisting. I know you'll probably fire me, but it's for your own good!"

 

"You sure she's in charge here?" Nappa glanced dubiously at Bliss struggling to restrain a kicking and squirming Bulma.

 

"Bliss, what are you doing?" Stellari blinked at her.

 

"I'm sorry, but I need Bulma to cooperate. You need to trust me!" Bliss sighed, shaking her head. She turned back to Bulma, who kicked and struggled all the more.

 

"Please, don't let him kill her! She's only trying to protect Dr. Briefs! Listen damn it!" Dr. Stellari snapped.

 

"You are a fool, woman!" Raditz said.

 

"EXCUSE me?" Stellari asked.

 

"Will you be SILENT, you damn fool earth female? Do you want to die so badly?" Raditz barked. Raditz spun his captive so she faced him. Suddenly he seized Professor Stellari by her neck. Her dark eyes gleamed up at him, and she clutched his wrists with both hands. Instead of picking her up, he simply glared down at her with a small pressure on her windpipe.

 

“No,” Stellari said quietly, blinking up at him.

 

"Good that's better," Raditz murmured, glancing down at her. Overtop the transparent discs she wore over her dark eyes she blinked up at him, struggling to regain her control over her pounding heart.

 

"You have much nerve, little one. Aren't you terrified of me, a ruthless Saiyan Warrior who could crush your windpipe like a raw twig of petrite?" chuckled Raditz.

 

"Then you'd be stupid because I can help you find what you're looking for," she croaked. "But you're not an idiot if you're such an 'advanced' species?"

 

Raditz released his grip on her neck slightly. Suddenly he felt a sharp cracking blow as she leapt up and punched him in the jaw. He let out a grunt followed by an evil laugh, catching her other hand. "Well well, you got lucky, but you won't get another shot again," Raditz taunted her.

 

"Let me go and I'll show you," Stellari gritted, baring her teeth at him. Her left hand was throbbing with pain and her eyes glistened with tears she tried to hold back. Raditz clasped his huge hand swallowing up her abused fist and she suddenly felt a crackle of great ki surge through it.

 

"You're a fragile creature but I have to admit that did smart a bit," Raditz murmured.

 

"God damn space monkey!" Stellari snapped at him. Pain abated in her hand, as the bones seemed to reknit under the energy surging through her. As soon as it had started, the ki transfer stopped.

 

"Is that the worst you can do?" he snickered. Still holding her upraised hand, then transferred his grip to her upper arms. Oddly they fit the diameter of his grasp perfectly. Soft fat covered hard muscle and dense bone quivering with fear and the struggle to exert control. In her eyes gleamed a light similar to what he'd seen in his father Bardock's expression: defiance. Those eyes darted all over him, examining him like a specimen although she was shaking in her high heeled shoes. Yellow figures bleeped across his scouter, shocking him because her rating had increased from an even 100 to almost 500.

 

He brought his nose close to hers whispering, "Just who are you? Are you not afraid of a true Saiyan Warrior?"

 

"I… I'm Dr. Stellari, Capsule Materials science division," said she, forcing herself to stare him directly in the eyes. She bit her lip hard, pressing her knees together. Red painted nails dug into his wrists as she raised her hands to clutch the bindings of his hands. Suddenly a strange plastic started to coat Raditz hands.

 

"A scientist? Like Dr. Briefs. Very well, Dr. Stellari, now tell me who the others are?" he smirked.

 

Stellari blurted out, "Vegeta is probably training in the Gravity Chamber. If you want one of us will stay here to ensure your good faith while Dr. Briefs contacts him!"

 

"Fine, you know what you want. Now will you go on your way, or do you have to keep Launch hostage?" Bulma had glared up at Nappa. Her blue eyes frosted over with hatred as she regarded Bliss with them. Just how did her employee, whom she had trusted for the last few years with top projects, get involved with these two monsters? Was she responsible for bringing them here?

 

"Bliss, you knew this all along didn't you? What did you do? How are you involved with these two… aliens?" Dr. Stellari shouted at Bliss.

 

"You'll know soon enough. Just relax. They don't want to hurt you," Bliss glanced back at her.

 

"I'd listen to your friend, human," Raditz chuckled down at his captive. Dr. Stellari raised a dark brow at him overtop her 'glasses'. He smelled fear and something else, akin to arousal. Apparently the female enjoyed looking at him because he found her eyes diverting to the hard muscles of his arms and legs frequently.

 

The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and Raditz realized he could have some fun with this female perhaps. She had serious guts confronting him in her weakness. Those lenses were obviously primitive means of correcting extremely weak eyesight, and her senses were woefully pitiful compared to his. Yet the flickering numbers of his scouter suddenly chased away the frown. He released her right shoulder, raising his hand to tap the control. Dr. Stellari's brown eyes narrowed, watching him like a predator, taking in every bit of information. He could almost see the wheels turning, just like the rapid intelligence in the eyes of the blue haired woman named Bulma Briefs.

 

"Watch it, handsome," Dr. Stellari said. "I'd look at your hands if I were you!"

 

Raditz glanced down to see a strange plastic coating his left wrist. With a flicker of ki it melted away. "Hmm, how did you do that? Impressive, but hardly something that could stop me!"

 

"It only takes two inches of plastic to kill someone, applied in the RIGHT places, handsome," Dr. Stellari said menacingly.

 

"Since you are so loyal to Dr. Briefs, Professor, you may remain in my care while Bliss takes Mrs. Briefs to contact Vegeta," said Raditz, seizing Dr. Stellari's arm and dragging her towards him. "What do you think Nappa?"

 

Bardock by now had loaded both their plates with more food. He couldn't wipe the smirk off his face that automatically sprung up. Even at such an early stage, Raditz had noticed a female with enough stupidity or arrogance to presume she could handle two aliens. Obviously she had been hiding her true abilities, small though they were.

 

“You could have killed her, you know,” Bardock said.

 

“Father, she was the most Saiyan looking of all the weaklings there. I had planned on asking the Prince for her as compensation if we found him later,” said Raditz.

 

“And it turns out she WAS given to you, Raditz?” Bardock asked. “For your sake I'll skip asking about the dressing down his Highness gave you two.”

 

“Thank you,” Raditz heaved a sigh of relief. His eyes squeezed shut as the embarrassment of the Prince's harangue rang in his ears. Even on this planet Raditz was still considered the bottom of the heap, only a level above servants, concubines and slaves. Never mind that he was more intelligent than Nappa in the ways of economics and negotiation Saiyan style. Although that usually involved taking a hostage, it was far cleaner and more effective then Nappa blowing something up that could be valuable.

 

“Even the time in hell didn't change your mind much at that point?” Bardock asked quietly, leaning across the table with both elbows resting on it. The faint blue void of the Hyperbolic time chamber eerily seeped in through the glassless windows of the residential hut.

 

“Father, she volunteered to become my… distraction,” said Raditz. “And I didn't forget what you told me all those years in Hell.”

 

“I see,” Bardock said with a knowing grunt. Raditz pushed away his plate and leaned back in his chair once more.

 

“I recalled how sick I felt at Kakkarot's weakness those many years ago. And yet I realized I had done nothing to continue the proud Saiyan race. The Prince and I… we were so caught up in hostile takeovers we were remiss in breeding. But by then there were no Saiyan females. Sure Nappa had several half breeds by his favorite pleasure slave, but the Prince was threatened at the idea of creating any hybrids that would be stronger then he. And he was convinced if he could somehow become immortal there would be no need to `breed',” said Raditz.

 

“Fool. With all respect, his Highness was corrupted. His father would have insisted he find some way to insure the royal line would continue. But to choose such a fragile breed was a big drop in his pride,” Bardock nodded understandingly.

 

“However the humans are NOT the weaklings I thought. And if the Prince had taken a woman of Earth as his mate, I realized there was nothing to stop me from doing so as well. And I couldn't let Kakkarot be the only one to produce warriors. I wanted to prove myself superior by taking a strong mate and giving birth to children that would surpass his. To think a mere CHILD could have defeated me,” Raditz growled.

 

“But you changed your tune quickly,” Bardock nodded. Raditz confirmed this, and both males looked at one another through their hard Saiyan walls. Rising, Bardock strode past his son and rapped him on the back.

 

“Time to train, you lazy bum. You get the dishes and join me out in the area. Show me more of Kakkarot's secrets,” said Bardock. Quietly Raditz did so, relieved his father did not press any further for his motivation at the time. Some things were best left to be said later.