Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Tycho ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Earth, Sol System

11.2.43

1610 Hours

Jake could feel the group of warriors was already gathered at the lookout. How he was going to explain this new development, he had no idea. The flight there gave him plenty of time to think about how ludicrous the situation really was. The girl's power of persuasion was certainly developed. He would have to be careful of that.

He gracefully landed on the white marble floor of the floating inverted dome and let go of Eve, who moved off to the side and behind him. All of the warriors were gathered together, except for Vegeta, who stood aloof, still eyeing him suspiciously. Dende stood behind them. 18 was nowhere to be seen.

Piccolo was not happy with the addition of another person to the lookout. "Who's the girl?"

Sabre sighed. He decided the best way to deal with the situation was to simply put it off. "The girl is none of your concern. She'll be coming with us. She won't be in our way."

"This girl is our concern. And so are you. You have no right to bring an ordinary girl here. This ground is sacred an-"

Dende interrupted him.

"No, Piccolo, I don't think she is an ordinary girl. She's…different somehow. But I believe she is also the least of our concern at the moment." Piccolo grunted but said nothing.

Goku stepped forward.

"Okay Sabre, I don't know if we're ready to go off and fight another battle. We'd like to help, but, things around here have been rather hectic lately and we're not sure if going off into space would be the best thing to do right now. We'd like to know more before we make a decision."

Sabre understood their reluctance. Going off to war never sounded like a good idea. "Alright. What is it exactly you would like to know?"

"Well, we'd like to know more about this enemy you're facing, and more about you."

"I'll address the former first. To be honest, we don't know all that much about them. They first attacked us roughly two years ago without warning or provocation. Necron biology is a mystery to us. We do know they aren't carbon-based life forms." Goku had a blank stare on his face. Sabre had forgotten that although this group of warriors was powerful, they hadn't had much in the way of formal education.

"They aren't made up of the same stuff you and I are. Whatever it is, our scientists have never seen it before. Their army is vast. In every engagement, we have been outnumbered at least four to one. We have not been able to establish contact with them, nor have they shown any interest other than destroying everything they find." Sabre paused, realizing the effect he might be having and decided to switch tracks.

"I know this is hard for you to believe," he said. "You have never been asked to be a part of something like this before and your experience has been limited to maniacal villains and their henchmen. This is on a much greater scale. This is a war." Tien wasn't convinced.

"But why do you need us? If there are all these Saiyans and Nameks and other races in your Coalition, why can't you train them?" The question was certainly valid. Everyone had thought it was a bit odd that this uber-powerful warrior would venture so far outside of his Coalition to seek help when there should be plenty of viable alternatives where he came from.

"All of our other assets are currently engaged. Our strongest warriors are needed on the front. There is no time to pull them back and put them through the training I have developed for you all."

"Then why are you here? Unless, of course, if you aren't the strongest after all," challenged Vegeta.

"I am the only one capable of training you to the extent where you would become useful assets," was Sabre's flat reply.

The air seemed to grow heavy with tension until Goku asked, "And what about yourself?

"I am a human, born on Eridia, in the Tycho system. I was raised by my parents until I went off to the Academy. It was there I discovered my ability to transform. After that I was `recruited' by the GCS military. I have been with it ever since."

Goku was about to speak, when Eve, silent and still until now, cut him off.

"I'm sorry, but what the hell is going on here? And what the hell are these green guys? What the fuck have you gotten me into?" Jake spared her a glance.

"I told you that you had no idea what you were getting yourself into."

Eve was panicking. "You're goddamn straight you didn't! Get me out of here, now! I'm not going off to some war with aliens I didn't even know exist! Take me back, now!"

"Do you want me to take you back to the alley where I found you?" was his cold reply. That shut her up.

Goku was concerned. "You mean you just met this girl? Where did you find her?"

"I told you, it is not your concern." The edge in Sabre's voice caused the warriors to tense. They were not about to be caught off guard if things got out of hand.

Dende realized the need to diffuse the situation. "Goku, I'm sure he has his reasons. It's alright. The girl will be better off with him. I do not know exactly why, but I can feel that she does not belong here. As for his intentions, I feel that you can trust him."

"Dende's right. As much as I don't like this guy, Kami is telling me the same thing," Piccolo admitted.

"So, guys, where do we go from here?" Goku turned and asked his friends, scratching his head.

"Let's go inside and discuss this some more," proposed Tien.

Goku agreed. "Good idea, Tien. Uh, Sabre, why don't you wait out here while we go over a few things. You could show, you're uh, lady friend around while we talk."

Sabre nodded and took Eve with him to the edge of the lookout. The rest of the group turned and went inside the lookout's meeting chamber, where Bulma and Chi-Chi were currently residing. They had already agreed to come along with the stranger, but with the new information, he provided planted seeds of doubt in their minds. And his reluctance to discuss the girl's presence there did little to earn their trust.

"So, Goku, did you tell that man you're not flying off into space with him?" Chi-Chi asked, tapping her foot.

"No, not exactly, you see-"

Chi-Chi exploded. "Damn it Goku, I'm tired of you always going off to fight! All I want to do is be with my husband and son and live something resembling a normal life! How can you even trust this man?!"

Vegeta laughed. "Ha, Kakkarot, you can't even keep your woman in check!"

"Shut up, Vegeta," ordered Bulma.

The Saiyan prince was incensed. "Woman, don't you dare talk to me like that!"

Trunks stepped in before the warring couples got out of hand. "Look, everyone, calm down. I know we've all been under a lot of stress lately, but we have something important to decide here. Are we going to go, or not?" Vegeta looked as if here were about to once again insult his son from the future, but he said nothing.

Tien spoke first. "Well, if what this man says is true, we don't have much of a choice. We'll have to fight these Necrons some time. I say we go."

"Yeah, I'm with Tien on this," said Yamcha.

Piccolo made up his mind. "Although I don't like this entire situation, especially coming right after fighting Cell, I don't see what choice we have. Sabre could force us to come with him, if he wanted to."

Trunks felt differently. "You're probably right, but I don't think he'd do that. He's a little off, a little cold, but I think we can trust him to an extent. He did come to us for help, after all. Didn't I do the same with you guys?"

"You're right, Trunks. If his people are in danger, we should try and help him. I think we'll have a fighting chance if we work together." A smile spread across Goku's face. "Maybe you can even come with us, Chi-Chi."

Goku's wife sighed with resignation. "Fine, Goku, I'll allow you to go, as long as I can be with you. I assume you'll want to take Gohan with you, and I'm not staying home alone any more."

"Good luck with your woman, Kakkarot. I hope she is not too much of a distraction for you," Vegeta snorted.

"Well, Vegeta, if Chi-Chi is going with them, then so am I. This would be a fantastic opportunity for me to study advanced technology. Who knows, I may even be of some use." Bulma relished the look on Vegeta's face.

"There is no way you ar-" Bulma put her index finger in the enraged Saiyan's face.

"Yes, I am coming, and no, there is nothing you can do about it. That's all there all this to it." Vegeta let out a roar and stormed out of the room. His characteristic behavior lightened the mood in the room. At least some things would never change.

Goku turned to Krillin, who had yet to say anything.

The tiny man sighed heavily. "Well, if you all are going, I might as well follow. I don't have a good feeling about this, but I don't want to let you all down. So much for settling down with a quiet life."

Goku was glad that everyone agreed. "Alright, I guess that settles it. But what do you guys think about that girl? I get a strange feeling from her, not a power exactly, but something like it."

"Yeah dad, I know what you mean. Maybe that's why he brought her here?" Gohan offered.

Tien said to Goku, "Well, we all know asking him won't get us anywhere. But by the way he's acting, she must be pretty important to him."

"Even if they just met?" Yamcha asked.

Tien shrugged. "I guess we'll find out later."

Goku clapped his hands. "Well, if we've come to a decision, I guess we should go talk to Sabre. Anyone else have anything to add?" Piccolo did.

"I don't think we should let our guard down. Even though he is asking us for our help, we are getting ourselves into a something we have no experience with. We need to be careful."

"Agreed. Anything else?"

Each had their own reservations, but none voice them. Goku wanted to go, so they followed; that's just how things were. The group moved outside to find Sabre and Eve where they left them, at the periphery of the lookout. Eve was sitting at the edge, her legs dangling over, and Sabre was standing erect, the wind gently rippling and tugging at his uniform. It didn't look as if they were talking. Vegeta was leaning up against a pillar in the courtyard, grumbling to himself. The group moved over to the two newcomers, who seemed oblivious to their return.

"Have you come to a decision yet?" Sabre asked, his back still turned.

"Yes, we've decided to come with you, but, Bulma and Chi-Chi have sort of demanded that they come too."

Sabre turned around and looked at the two women, who stood glaring at him, arms folded. He said nothing for a moment, then, "That is acceptable. When will you be ready to leave?"

Before Goku could respond, Android 18 dropped out of the sky and landed behind Earths' defenders. She pointed to Sabre and said, "I'm coming with you." If anyone had been looking at Krillin, they would have seen his face light up.

"Fine. May I ask why you have decided this?"

Her eyes darted to Krillin. "No, you may not," she replied tersely.

"Fair enough. As for the rest of you, my ship in orbit is waiting for my signal to pick us up."

Chi-Chi stepped forward. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but Goku, Gohan and I all have to pack. I am not going off into space without the proper belongings."

Bulma felt the same. "Trunks and I have to get some things together too. Vegeta too; he left all his stuff back at Capsule Corps when he walked out."

Sabre was satisfied. "Very well. Gather your belongings. I'll be here when you are ready to leave. The sooner, the better."

The group mingled for a few minutes, then went their respective ways. Goku used his instant transmission to bring his family back to their home. Trunks and Bulma left in a Capsule craft, after trying in vain to get Vegeta to come with them. Krillin and Yamcha left together for their own homes, which had been vacant for quite some time. Tien, who was a wanderer, left to find Choatzu and tell him of the events that had transpired. Piccolo and Dende went back inside the lookout to discuss some matter that they wished to keep private. That left Vegeta and Android 18, who waited on different sides of the Lookout, absorbed in their own thoughts.

Jake stood and looked out into the sky, then down at Eve, who hadn't moved or said anything since her outburst. Although she was silent, he could feel the agitation stirring in her mind. This girl was an anomaly, who in no way fit into his mission parameters. Her telepathic abilities, though limited, were increasing, and neither he nor anyone on board his ship was equipped to deal with a potentially rouge telepath. But, it was his fault she was here, and he would have to deal with it the best he could. Part of that involving having a successful conversation with her. He racked his brain with something neutral to breach the silence with.

"What do think of all this?" was the best he could come up with.

"Well, now that I've found out aliens exist, that people can fly, and that fact that I'm sitting on the edge of a giant, floating palace, I think that this is pretty fucked up," was her sarcastic reply.

"I guess it is."

She stood up and looked into his eyes. "What's going to happen to me?"

"I don't know. For now, you'll be traveling with us," he felt something dancing about on the edge of his mind.

"You're hiding something from me."

Jake grabbed Eve by the throat and lifted her off the ground, taking the girl by surprise. The presence left his mind. He spoke slowly and deliberately. "Don't ever try that again. Do you hear me? Do not look into my mind ever again." He released his grip, and Eve fell to her knees, gasping and coughing.

"You're just like them," she gagged out.

Sabre turned and looked out into the sky. "No, I'm not." The words sounded hollow, even to him.

Vegeta, some distance away, pretended not to notice what transpired. 18 looked over curiously, but said nothing.

When she could breathe normally Eve asked, "Why did you even bother to take me here?" Her words were venomous.

Jake looked back at Eve. "Because I took pity on you. But do not think because I pity you that I will allow you do what you please. You can't enter other people's minds without their permission."

"Why? So they can just lie? That's all people do, anyway."

"If that is what you believe, then fine. But you know the consequences if you try to enter my mind again."

"Fine. Whatever."

Jake turned away and looked back out into the sky. The girl was definitely street-tough, and most definitely jaded.

The two remained in a tense silence until sunset. It was a majestic sight from this altitude-the color of the sky changed from yellow, to orange, and finally to red as it sank below the horizon. Eve sighed.

"This is so beautiful. I've never seen a sunset like this." Jake could feel Eve's mind calming. "I'm…I'm sorry for trying to get into your mind. It's just what I've always done. It's why I've always been in trouble. You were right."

Jake was pleased the girl was settling down, finally. He chose to be honest with her. "Eve, when we get to Coalition space you'll be taken into the hands of the Psi Authority. Untrained, unregulated telepaths are too dangerous to be left to themselves. You've already seen that first hand. You're power is limited right now, but one day it will grow beyond your control and become destructive. That is why I brought you here."

"What are they gonna do to me?"

"I don't know." He honestly didn't. Psi Authority was a separate government branch with little oversight. It was well known, however, that it was best to stay out of its business.

Eve sighed again. "Yeah, well, I guess it's better than staying here. Not like I had much of a life to begin with." The young blonde girl looked back out on the descending night sky, shivered, and crossed her arms. She was really quite beautiful, standing there against the backdrop of nightfall, her hair gently being tossed about by the strong breeze. No, not quite beautiful. She was picturesque.

Jake headed to the interior of the Lookout, thinking about the one beautiful woman he did know. The woman he loved.