Royal Namekian Blues

Bulma's Sleuthing and the Disturbing Truth

By Trynia Merin

Disclaimer: I don't own the Anime or the Manga. I make no money from the writing of this fan fiction. The fan characters Stellari, Bohr and Fermi belong to me, as does Dr. Minos. Note: Vegeta and Bulma DO feature heavily in this chapter. Read ahead!

Stellari still wore the new armor. Ever since the whole nightmare had started she had not felt the desire to remove it for fear of being killed. Eerily the timing of her receipt matched the exact day 17 and 18 had emerged into the gambit. Now she was thrust headlong into the midst of a huge war where she felt woefully underpowered.

Her thoughts centered on her children. Guilt wracked her and she grabbed the coat to wrap around her bare shoulders. Still it didn't help and she smelled the scorched fabric. Unwrapping it from her shoulders she glared at the burns and holes rending the favorite raincoat from what 17 had done. "Dammit! That stupid juvenile delinquent! This was from Italy!"

Disgusted she threw what was little better then a tattered rag down. Anger burned in her that represented far more than a stupid raincoat. Something about what Yamcha had said during combat grated on her nerves. How dare he accuse her of such things when he had forever altered his body, some would say mutilated, by Dr. Gero's Android technology?

"I can't do this again, I can't," she whispered. Stellari ripped the scouter off. She pushed her face into her hands, still covered by the red wristbands. Her hands brushed against the sweat and blood on her forehead and she started to cry. In and out her chest heaved while she tried to force back the sobs. Her small fingers threaded through her messed up hair and made it stand on end a bit so she looked more like a wild woman then before. She had cut it into a layered bob in an effort to make it more manageable, now it was matted with sweat, blood and lord knew what else.

"Precious one," came Raditz voice. He strode into the trees that were planted near the training area.

"What?" Stellari asked, glancing at a pair of black boots. Raditz wore his old armor, since his other was badly damaged in the fight with Yamcha.

"The Prince needs you back in there," Raditz said.

"Raditz, I just needed a minute," she breathed deeply.

"I know you did not wish to fight again. But the Prince has need of you. I have need of you," said Raditz.

"So do our children," Stellari said.

"Kakkarot's mate is watching over them," he said.

"She's a fighter as well. And yet you have me Gohan fighting when others would…"

"Don't underestimate yourself in my presence, woman," Raditz said sharply. "You are the mate of a Saiyan third class warrior. I myself know that you have combat training. And it is needed."

"I'm sorry," Stellari said, brushing tears out of her eyes. "I'm okay."

"You are not," Raditz answered. Reaching out he pulled her gently to her feet with a strong hand. She leaned against him, pressing her face into his armored chest. He allowed her to cry, rubbing her back with his hands like he had seen Goku do to comfort Chichi.

"I guess I'll have to be," Stellari murmured, lifting her head up after a minute or so. "There's no time for crying."

"Precious one, you are human. I cannot expect you not to feel your emotions. But don't close yourself off from our bond and me. If you are troubled, I will know one way or the other. The Prince would not order you to fight if he did not think you capable. You are needed, and you have a duty," said Raditz quietly.

"For what purpose? The Saiyan race is what I see before me. After the Androids, what happens next?"

"That is a good question, but now is not the time to ponder it. We must survive and save this world first. Then we will see," said Raditz.

"Are you two quite done?" Vegeta's harsh voice cut in.

"Yes sire, apologies," said Raditz, kneeling. Stellari swallowed hard, forcing back unshed tears as she knelt next to her mate.

"I'm sorry, your Majesty. What are your orders," Stellari asked in a wavering tone that took willpower to keep in check.

"You will join Bulma and I and recover our lost warrior. I will not have my son and warriors getting in the way of my own objectives. You will tell me what you told Goku, and you will let me know all strengths and weaknesses, Professor," said Vegeta.

"Mentally?" asked Stellari.

"That would be best," Vegeta said. "You will open your mind to me, and share what you know. That will eliminate the need for talk. We'll be leaving in the next half hour."

"Vegeta, how's that possible? She's not Saiyan," Bulma said.

"She's the mate of one of my warriors. As the Prince of all Saiyans I can communicate with any of my warriors wherever they may be. And that includes those they have taken as bonded mates. It's not something I can do with just anyone, Bulma," said Vegeta. Striding up to Stellari and Raditz, he placed his gloved hands on both their foreheads.

"Relax," said Raditz quietly. "And enter my mind. I will do the rest."

Stellari swallowed hard then closed her eyes. Over her bandanna forehead Vegeta's hand pressed, sizzling with blue ki. Raditz own mind moved in hers, and she pushed back her emotions. Within minutes Vegeta's hand retreated, and he grunted.

"That will do. Let's be off, shall we?" Vegeta said, motioning to Bulma.

"That didn't take very long," said Bulma.

"A well disciplined mind is a good thing," said Vegeta, glancing at Raditz. "Enough chat. Come!"

Bulma pressed the controls of her jetpack while Vegeta's ki flared around him in a royal blue aura. He blasted off in a blue meteoritic trail with Bulma close behind him. Raditz rose next, glancing down at Stellari who pressed both hands to the ground and thrust up with one leg to shoot up next to him. Oddly he blinked at her then motioned her to follow. Just why he had not bothered to assume she needed help was beyond her. Bulma's jet pack allowed her to fly comparably fast to the Z warriors, enveloping her in a small protective force shield to afford her the same streamlined envelope the Saiyan ki would have resulted in.

Vegeta couldn't be encumbered with carrying her and fighting. It was better to fly under her own power. Stellari's scouter blipped with the Prince's traces, and that of her mate. Only a small signature less than 15 indicated Bulma, different from the artificial power cells in her jetpack.

"Vegeta," Bulma said through her bond.

"What is it Bulma?"

"You should have let Trunks come…"

"Bulma he's besotted with Bliss. I can't have passion clouding my judgment or his," he said.

"But you're passionate with proving you're the best! Can it be your reach exceeds your grasp?"

"What are you implying?" Vegeta glared at her.

"18 whipped you badly. You're trying to prove your Saiyan pride. But on this planet we had a saying that pride goeth before a fall."

"I am the Saiyan Prince!"

"Yes, I know. But that doesn't make a difference to them. They're machines, Vegeta. We're flesh and blood, and they don't care about our morals or pride. They've got their own code. This is just a game to them!" Bulma said.

"This is not the place or time for this, Bulma!" Vegeta barked aloud.

"Sire?" Raditz started. Stellari's hand reached out to touch his arm.

"You both land and try and find a back entrance to the complex. If you find one, Professor, signal us," Vegeta said. Bulma growled under her breath, knowing Vegeta wanted to finish her argument away from his subordinates. All of them knew he'd absorbed what he cold of Stellari's knowledge of the bases. Even her knowledge was limited by the fact she'd only been a small part of Dr. Minos projects. Provincial knowledge was useful, but only in the right context.

"As you command, Sire," Raditz nodded. Motioning to his mate, they both broke off and landed on the beach. Bulma and Vegeta touched down near the entrance of the bunker. Her scouter pinged lightly with background power sources of the kis of local animals. No sign of the infinity batteries yet existed.

Some inner voice seemed to whisper into Raditz and Stellari's ears. Glancing at one another they crept closer to the source on the beach. Instinct seemed to dictate their paths, and they only questioned once what was drawing them like moths to a flame.

"What are we doing?" Stellari asked.

"I don't know. Can't you hear it? Someone's calling to us," Raditz whispered.

"This is dangerous!"

"It could be Bliss. Saiyans can communicate telepathically on many different levels. You and she share a sisterly warrior bond. It's more superficial then the ones we share but…"

"We need to focus," Stellari said. She led the way to the rear bunker entrance, and touched the entry coder with a finger.

"Stop," Raditz insisted. "Your code may no longer work. Allow me."

He touched the end of his finger to the pad, charging the dust around it to stick to the small grease spots left by fingerprints. With his ki alone Raditz pushed each key in a likely pattern. Then it fizzled and popped open. "Too easy," Stellari muttered.

"Be on your guard," Raditz nodded. Going first, he slowly stepped inside. He trod lightly for one accustomed to higher gravity. Stellari felt his hand slip around hers, a purely human gesture of protectiveness.

Bulma and Vegeta meanwhile slowly rounded to the front. Bulma adjusted her scouter, struggling to pin down any traces of the plastics or Android infinity batteries. Vegeta kept his distance, his eyes narrowing while invisible ki tendrils probed. Nothing echoed back. It was like echolocation in bats that would send out clicks and see how they bounced back. Vegeta knew that it was possible the androids were nearby, but thanks to their vastly different power source they had no ki.

"Vegeta," she whispered.

"What, Bulma?" he grunted.

"Why didn't you let Trunks help you!"

"You should know better than to ask me that, Woman," Vegeta snapped back. Bulma tensed, her forehead furrowing much like his.

"Bullshit. It's Saiyan Pride. Why is it so difficult to admit you need help?"

"I'm the Saiyan Prince," Vegeta said, glaring up at the double doors that dwarfed them. Bulma was both glancing around for an entry coder and staring at readings through her scouter.

"Yeah, but so is Trunks!" she snapped at him. "What's your point?"

"I… did allow him to assist me," Vegeta sullenly answered. "But I must prove…"

"I know, you want to prove to Goku you're the best. But isn't it better to do that by being the FIRST one to defeat the enemy while in a team rather than going it alone?"

"If I wanted to 'go it alone' you wouldn't be here," Vegeta responded. "And this is deplorable, sneaking around instead of fighting! If we DO find them, you'll reactivate them so I can fight them properly."

"All right, but promise me you'll call Trunks to help if you're in over your head!"

"He's training with Nappa. And Raditz and that other scientist of yours, his mate are nearby," said Vegeta.

Bulma's wrist computer bleeped, and she raised a gloved hand to tap in the keys. Vegeta grunted, standing to the left with his fists gleaming blue. With shock Bulma saw she was covered skin deep in a blue shell of ki. Vegeta's frown told her why, in case she was about to be booby-trapped he wanted her alive. A quick series of taps on the keys accessed the mainframe, and then Bulma was able to bypass the Red Ribbon locks.

"Ta da!"

"Too easy. You should have let me blast it in," Vegeta growled.

"Well I DO need you to push it open," Bulma said.

"Idiotic woman," Vegeta growled. So saying he wedged two gloved hands into the door and easily thrust it open. Slowly he tiptoed in, then extended a gloved hand to Bulma. She gently touched hers to his, then waited as Vegeta formed a small luminescent ball of ki to hover overhead. It cast everything in a ghostly blue radiance overtop the crack of sunlight thrusting into the dark. Stealthily he tiptoed in, with Bulma on his heels.

"Nothing," Vegeta grumbled. "If I tell you to leave, you will follow my orders, right?"

"Sure, but I'm detecting infinity batteries this way… they use a neutrino power source that leaves a signature on these modified scouters. Do you have your disrupter?"

"Yes woman," he grunted, fingering the device around his neck like a collar. It resembled the segmented bands of his armor, and tucked under the turtleneck of his blue shirt. Trunks and Nappa were wearing them also. Vegeta closed his eyes, and then reached out.

"What are you doing?"

"Shh, perhaps I can communicate with her. You see what all these devices are," Vegeta said.

"Red Ribbon war machines," Bulma said, raising her microcomputer bracelet to direct beams at them. The holofield would scan each of them, and beam the information back to her father's computer banks at home.

Vegeta winced, sensing nothing. With each of his warriors he had formed an invisible mind link, much less deep then the one he shared with Trunks and Bulma, but still discrete. As the Prince of all Saiyans he had the highest psychic ability to instantly broadcast mental orders to any Saiyan warrior loyal to him. Suddenly a thought popped into his mind. Chablis had wished for the Saiyans loyal to him to come back, but wasn't Burdock among them?

"Earth to Vegeta," Bulma's thoughts came in.

"What?" he asked.

"You might want to see this," she said, motioning him into the room. At a terminal she pointed a gloved finger.

"What is this?"

"I'm logging into their data banks. Apparently there are more pieces of technology on lower levels. And not ALL of them are earth."

"What?" he blinked.

"I need to get down to a lower level," she said. Vegeta snorted, and watched her lead the way to what appeared to be an elevator shaft. She demurely latched the lock, and then Vegeta pried it easily open, the metal rending in his fingers like taffy.

"No car," she said.

"I need no trifle, hang on," Vegeta said, sweeping her off her feet. Bulma peeped as he stepped into the shaft, and dropped. She cried out for him to stop ten floors down.

"Here," she panted.

Vegeta aimed a finger at the double doors before she cold protest. Like a precision cutter, Vegeta directed the thin beam to slice around the doors. Then he used a booted foot to kick the door down. Bulma yelped when it crashed to the floor with a hollow clang. "WHAT?" he grunted, carrying her in?

"You want to announce us with a brass band?" she complained.

"So, that will draw any enemies to fight!" Vegeta answered, then set her down on her feet again. "You need to lose weight."

"Shut up, fat-head," she responded. Vegeta smirked at the verbal jab. He knew she was suppressing a great amount of fear, and that their verbal sparring would keep her mind from it.

Immediately Vegeta's floating ki orb cast light on a series of familiar objects. His mouth dropped open while his narrow eyes widened at the things that he had not expected to see. "Woman, do you see what I do?"

"Vegeta, that's s…"

"Saiyan space pod?" he pointed with one finger. "How the HELL did they get their hands on that?"

"It looks like the one Raditz came to earth in," she said. "But that one dad and I took into our lab."

"This is Nappa's," he grunted, rushing up to touch it with a gloved hand.

"How can you tell?"

"Please, his space pod is marked with his name just here," he pointed to tiny letters around the porthole. "Unlike the Ginyu models there is no ghastly painting on the front."

"You mean like Goku's?' she asked. "That he used to get her from Yardrat."

"Indeed. But how did they get their hands on this? I thought I told Nappa to blow his up!"

"Well that's not all… look!" she pointed. Vegeta snarled to see other objects from here to there. Including scouters, a tiny suit of armor, and two long cylinders the diameter of a salt shaker and the length of his palm.

"How the HELL did they get hold of these?" Vegeta demanded, reaching out to touch them.

"What are you doing! They might have it alarmed!"

"These I thought were destroyed with Nappa's space pod. I had hoped to retrieve them, but to find them HERE?"

"If they're so valuable why are they in HIS pod?" she asked, trying to get a better look at them.

"Because to store them in mine would be too obvious. These are a huge part of Saiyan history, Woman," he said, holding them up, one clutched in either hand.

"What?"

"The lost Saiyan Race bank. The last piece of my planet Nappa took with us before Freeza could get his hands on it. The entire history of my people is encoded in genetic fashion," said Vegeta, his eyes gleaming with pride.

"Wait, you mean there is a RACE BANK, and you hoped it blew up?"

"Better than others get their hands on it! But if these bastards…"

He quickly examined them, then sighed with relief. "Good, they're still sealed. I suppose these morons had no idea what they were…"

"This is like a workshop. Looks like they gutted this space pod and other stuff. But did you not THINK it would have survived?" Bulma asked.

"I had hoped it had, but now, these fools must pay," Vegeta said softly. He thrust both cylinders into his armored vest, then glanced around at the other things.

"Now we know how they knew about Saiyans," she muttered.

Before Vegeta could stop her she poked her head into the pod, whose door hissed open. He rushed over, grabbing Bulma's arm to keep her from sitting down. "Be careful, fool! You don't want to end up in space do you?"

"No, but Vegeta, it looks like the computer's gone!"

"WHAT?" Vegeta snapped.

"Look for yourself! The navigational computer has been ripped out! It looks like they downloaded a lot from this pod."

"Shit," Vegeta cursed. He yanked her out by her forearm.

"I don't like this… what else could they have?"

"I don't aim to find out. Stand back," Vegeta said. Bulma opened her mouth to protest, but then Vegeta yanked her behind him. Aiming the flat of his gloved hand, his palm began to glow. A wide beam shot out and enveloped the pod and other objects in a blue halo of fire. In seconds the equipment was sent to oblivion in a blinding flash that seared her eyes.

"VEGETA! Are you crazy?"

"Nobody will have this," Vegeta said menacingly, tugging Bulma after him. "What else did your computer tap locate?"

"There's something else here. I think we're only a few floors from the lab Dr. Stellari described… shouldn't we contact her and Raditz?"

"I sense they're almost there," said Vegeta. "Let's join them."

Grasping her up in his arms he walked to the elevator shaft, and then rocketed towards their destination. Bulma bit her lip to keep from yelping in shock and fear at the rapid descent. Like going deeper into the bowls of hell they dropped into the red Ribbon base.

Led by a similar glow of ki, but gold, Stellari strode at Raditz side through the darkness. So far all they had seen were corridors and emptied labs that were just places for testing new weaponry. Both had descended stairs to lower levels, Stellari telling Raditz the way to go from memory. Her bare shoulders were painted amber in the light of Raditz ki, and he felt her misery grow.

The memories were bubbling up from a past life she wished she had forgotten. Tight lipped she only spoke two or one word sentences to direct them. Raditz was content to follow a half step behind her along the warren of tunnels through more staircases and other rooms. Some were still filled with caches of battle droids, and then other strange things that looked like specimens.

"Disgusting," Raditz chuffed, his eyes narrowing to see the weird creatures occupying one lab.

"This is the genetics lab," she said. "Dr. Minos failed experiments. He did many unorthodox things."

"But all of this was where you worked? You're a polymer chemist!"

"Yes, but my plastics made artificial tissues and coatings to contain the creatures as they grew. Plus this was where… the modifications to me… happened."

"Modifications?" Raditz asked. Stellari hugged herself, pacing around the lab where the freaks of nature drifted in silent death like a sideshow gone wrong.

"Let's get out of here," she said, walking more rapidly so they exited the chamber and entered what seemed a vast space with many small doors and passages leading off.

"Where are we?"

"The main assembly center and living quarters of those altered," she said. "Many of us lived in small quarters off this main place where we were given our briefings. Those alcoves contain examination rooms and conditioning chambers…"

Raditz quickly walked around the rooms to the side, seeing strange devices that were gutted or covered in dust, chairs, and other strange machines. All seemed devoted to probing or testing. Others seemed like pieces of gym equipment with electrode attachments. Stellari wandered around as well, till Raditz quickly rushed back to where she continued her solitary trek. At first she seemed to be taking in the place for old time’s sake in a random orbit, then it narrowed to the tight steps of someone facing a hard part of their past.

"Genetic engineering?" Raditz blinked, catching her shoulder. She stopped by a huge door bolted with three massive deadbolts. An entry coder like the others they had seen was there, still gleaming and ticking with energies.

"It smells nasty," Raditz winced. "Like the androids."

"Damn," Stellari said. She reached to touch the door, but then she saw the bolts were already drawn back. The door creaked open, startling her.

"Someone's already exited," Raditz indicated. "The smell trail comes toward us, not from outside to inside."

"How can you tell?"

"Saiyans are hunters born. WE can tell an outward trail from an inward. It smells both of plastic and of flesh," he said. Small dried spots indicated a fluid had dripped, then dried. Stellari gripped Raditz hand, walking through the threshold. More tanks on their sides were closed. But there was one at the far end of the others that was wide open, glass and plastic shattered in many pieces. Stellari cried out, pressing her hands to her face.

"No, dear GOD no!" she wailed.

"This is the source," Raditz growled, his nose wrinkling with the stench of what smelled like regeneration tank fluid, plastic and human flesh. Small drips of liquid pool don the floor, leading in a spotted speckled trail to just outside the door. The cylinders were all on angles; their half-glassed tops bolted down and secured. But judging by the fragmentation pattern, and the outward curve of the metal fragments, Raditz decided something from inside HAD broken out.

"Raditz, can you tell how long this thing has been out?"

"The trail is still fresh," he said.

"But the locks were ENGAGED! All except here!" she protested, turning to him with scared eyes. "That means that whatever escaped expected someone would come looking!"

"Damn," Raditz whispered, his insides twisting with the fear he sensed from her. "But there is nothing else here…"

"It's that thing," Stellari whispered, trembling as she dropped to her knees. "It's out… out in the world."

"What thing?"

"21," Stellari stammered. "It's real, and it’s OUT there…"

"Twenty one?" Raditz growled. "It doesn't smell like the androids and yet it does…"

"Shit, we're doomed," Stellari swallowed hard.

"What's going on here?" came a sharp voice. Raditz pulled Stellari to stand, hugging her tightly. Through the door rushed Vegeta and Bulma, both taking in the sight of the room with puzzled gazes.

"Shit, this looks like one of the holding facilities, and dear GOD what's that?" Bulma pointed.

"Something smells awful," Vegeta wrinkled his nose. "Like those fucking tin cans! But worse!"

"We've found the nest of the beast," Raditz answered.

"What's wrong with you woman! Why are you cowering in fear! Have some backbone! You serve the Prince of all Saiyans!" Vegeta snapped at Stellari.

"Vegeta, calm down!" Bulma shot back.

"No… he's right," Stellari said, pushing away from Raditz. Vegeta grabbed her shoulder and yanked her to stand in front of him.

"Explain, Professor," he demanded.

"IT… it's out… it broke out… you can see…" Stellari stammered.

"Yeah, big as life," Bulma said, striding up to look at the shattered cocoon of sorts. She dragged a finger through the oily fluid and sniffed.

"Smells like Regeneration tank fluid, doesn't it?" asked Vegeta, letting go of Stellari so she swayed on her shaky feet.

"Exactly. Whoever did this used something like your Saiyan regeneration tanks and some nutrients to grow something…" said Bulma.

"Grew is right," Stellari panted, struggling to grip her self-control.

"Shit Vegeta, that means that 21 is alive and well, and worse, it's not an android. It's almost like a…"

"Clone," said Stellari, her voice cracking. "With all the best genes of all of the Earth's Special Forces. We've got to find it and STOP it… before it's too late."

"You mean before it snacks on the other tin cans?" Vegeta cocked a dark brow. "I agree. But perhaps we should allow it to consume the others THEN fight it. Then we will have one foe to fight, instead of many!"

"No Vegeta, that's INSANE!" Bulma protested.

"So? Four Super Saiyans can destroy it, potentially five if Kakkarot's Brat has ascended."

"Sire, is that wise?" Raditz asked.

"We will start the hunt NOW," Vegeta said eagerly, his eyes gleaming. "At LAST an adversary worth my attention. How good it will be to see it gobble up those infernal tin cans!"

"Vegeta, you mustn't let that happen," Bulma said quickly.

"Try and stop me woman," Vegeta glared at her. "Are you on my side or theirs?"

"Please Vegeta, just don't shut the others out!" Bulma pleaded.

"Let's go now woman! Can you track it with your devices?"

"I don't think so," Stellari said.

"Raditz, you and I will do this the old fashioned way. By smell of course," Vegeta laughed harshly; his eyes alight at the thrill of the hunt. Nothing so primal existed to a Saiyan full blood then hunting a prey with great powers. Raditz nodded his own eyes alight with glee. Sweeping up Bulma in his arms, Vegeta rushed off, his nostrils flaring with the smell. Raditz grabbed Stellari, and both females protested as their males followed the outward trial. Just what they would find was anyone's guess.

Only a short way out from the Red Ribbon Base, Vegeta glared at Raditz. He stared back with questions in his own dark eyes. Slowly he nodded. To their surprise, their mates veered around to land on the ground once more. Vegeta and Raditz set their mates down, and looked at one another. "What," Bulma asked.

"You'd best remain here. I've something more your style," Vegeta said.

"That being? Leaving us behind?" Bulma grumbled.

"I need you need to find Nappa's computer. I need to know if it can be tracked down," said Vegeta.

"That's going to be tough," Stellari said.

"I'm sure you two can do it. This is Saiyan's work. You'll only slow us down," said Raditz.

"Males," Stellari rolled her eyes. "All right. At least now I can feel less guilty about the kids."

"Trunks is probably scared to death," Bulma nodded. "All right Vegeta, let's do it your way. But don't be bullheaded."

"You know I'm right," Vegeta started.

"Don't rub it in!" Bulma interrupted. At the same time Stellari glared at Raditz standing over them stoically.

Both males exchanged a look, then blasted off to leave Bulma and Stellari standing on the beach. Nodding to each other they decided to check back in the base first for anything they might have missed.

"This way," Vegeta whispered. He narrowed coal black eyes to slits, inhaling the faint scent of the morphing fluid.

"Agreed sire. The trail grows ever stronger," Raditz nodded. Both Saiyan males glided stealthily at an altitude low enough to keep them from visual contact, their legs barely trailing the ground. Such a fine tuned levitation was a typical way a Saiyan could sneak up on an unsuspecting prey.

Through the bushes ahead they heard screaming. Raditz tensed, and Vegeta did as well. Over the tops of the bushes they saw the skyline of a small town near the beach. Other than a few voices screaming, all they could hear was a loud cry of pain.

"Sire, there are hardly any humans left," Raditz commented.

"Isn't hard to tell from their puny kis," Vegeta said unimpressed. "But that thing… there… look at it!"

A suited man begged, trembling at the feet of a tall slender thing. Mottled green spots covered its carapace, under which a long tail telescoped out with a scorpion shaped barb at one end. Two points rose like extended rabbit ears from its head. Both Saiyans saw how intensely it fixed its gaze on the terrified human.

"Interesting," Vegeta said. Raditz nodded. Both of them watched as the pleading human scrabbled at the creature's feet. Uncaring, the predator sank the tip of its tail into the neck of the trembling elderly man. Before their eyes they saw bulges rise from the tip imbedded in skin to travel along the tail to where it joined the body. Simultaneously the human body shriveled like a deflated balloon

"Just like a Hornamath from Carapace 5," Raditz commented under his breath. "It's sucking the bodily fluids out of him."

"I've never seen a creature like that that killed so efficiently," Vegeta marveled. "Could this be a worthy adversary to prove my superiority?"

"It must be 21," said Raditz. "The stench confirms it."

"Stay here, Raditz. We shall watch how the creature hunts, before we engage it. Then I will challenge it," Vegeta said.

"Is that wise Sire?"

"You question my orders?" Vegeta glanced at him.

"You're the Prince, and it's my duty to protect you," Raditz said automatically. "Perhaps we should wait and see how I'd fair against it, so you can observe its tactical strengths and weaknesses so you can better conquer it."

"You have a point. It seems thinking has come more naturally to you, son of Burdock," said Vegeta quietly.

The shriveled raisin of a man dropped like an empty plastic wrapper. Soon the wind blew it away to dust along with the wad of zenni the man carried. Vegeta and Raditz slowly circled the perimeter, suppressing their ki and keeping their eye on its next victim. The being turned, gold eyes flickering back and forth as its tail swished very much like a Saiyan's tail. Something about it reminded Vegeta about his own race.

"It moves like one of us. You suppose it knows we are here?" asked Raditz.

"Obviously," Vegeta snickered. "Which is what I wanted. Come Raditz; let's have some fun. Just like the old days."

"Sire, the last time you said that, Nappa and I had to pull your tail out of that…" Raditz groaned, his mind flashing back to a time when the foolhardily young Prince had disobeyed their better judgment and gone off half cocked because he was bored."

"I'm not a stupid whelp, Raditz. I'm far more powerful," said Vegeta. "Now let's go! The hunt is on!"

Sharply cocking its head the other way, the figure of 21 slowly spanned its carapace, resembling a beetle's. The long tail retracted underneath, and an aura glowed around it. Both Raditz and Vegeta gasped at the sudden burst of live ki that spread. It was not an android, and yet it was. For a second the flare of power told them it was far in excess of anything. Vegeta smiled in enthusiasms to see the thing levitate up, and take off in a blaze of white ki. Nodding to Raditz, the two Saiyans rocketed off after it. Behind them the inhabitants of the town lay like shriveled heaps of dust from what 21 had wrought.

At around the same moment that Raditz and Vegeta had sighted 21, Piccolo touched down on Kami's lookout. Energies crackled between the two Namekians who regarded one another. Leaning on his staff, Kami slowly strode forwards. His wizened face wrinkled with concern at the other half of himself.

"You left them at a bad time," said Kami quietly.

"They're too strong for even us. And till Nappa and Trunks emerge, we need to have every available fighter at his peak strength," Piccolo responded. Long silence lasting minutes indicated the stream of thoughts passing from the Demon lord to the Earth's Guardian. Kami's normally shriveled face seemed to wrinkle even more with Piccolo's reports of the battle.

"It was foolhardy for Goku and Krillin to take on the ones called 16 and 18 so soon," Kami shook his head. Sorrow of the infinite sort filled his dark eyes, ones that had seen far too many battles and were destined to see many more.

"I tried to warn them," Piccolo snorted. "You know why I'm here?"

"Indeed I do. You came because of my own desire," Kami said. Two pairs of dark eyes stared into one another. Piccolo's eyes widened in horror. He threw up his hands to negate the next thought they shared.

"No thank you! I've had enough personality adjustments for a lifetime!" Piccolo protested. Kami sighed.

"You will be the dominant part of the mind if you wish. But perhaps it is time for us to be whole again."

"Are you sure?" Piccolo blinked. "I don't like this at all."

"If you truly wish to save Gohan and Earth, it is. The Earth needs a warrior, not a guardian. And I know of your plan to bring Dende here. Even so the Namekians are gathering the dragon balls to send him here. But you have little time. There is another menace even greater than the ones called 16, 17 and 18…" said Kami.

"What could possibly be… wait a minute…"

"I sense a great evil. Its ki is a mixture of Namekian, Saiyan and human. If such a thing were possible, we must be quick."

"I know," Piccolo gritted. "Well, let's get on with this. Gohan's in danger. He just HAD to rush in to save his father from 16… and there's no telling how long Krillin can distract 18…"

"Yes," nodded Kami. "Let us be again whole."

Piccolo looked down at his hands carefully. He strode forwards on pointed booted toes towards the elder Namekian. His heart pounded with dread of the unknown, an irrational fear that he would cease to be who he was now. While the instinct for self-preservation burned hotly, the warmth he felt for Gohan doused it in an instant. Gohan needed him, and he had to be there for his pupil. Piccolo did not question why this was so, he simply knew what he had to do.

"All right," Piccolo said, stopping only six inches from where Kami stood. The grizzled guardian lifted a skeletal hand. Tentatively Piccolo did the same.

"I'll be there soon, Gohan, don't worry," Piccolo caught himself saying. Reality blended in a sparkling purple blast of light.

No sooner had she arrived at home then Bulma and Stellari had rushed to Capsule to see their children. Their efforts to find anything else were fruitless; except for the slim disc that Bulma carried containing pieces of vital information. It only took her moments to drop them off at Capsule's IT department.

"How long have you been wearing the armor?" Stellari asked her. "I know I probably could have asked all long…"

Suddenly the device let out a shrilling beep. Bulma punched her side buttons and so did Stellari. "What the hell is that?" Stellari asked.

"Wait… it's a huge energy reading… almost off the scale! What on earth…"

"It looks even larger then Vegeta's or Trunks. Could it be Nappa and he?" asked Stellari. Bulma struggled to narrow the focus. Stellari aimed her scouter one way, while Bulma did the other.

"It's coming from the south," Stellari said.

"That's not the direction of Korin's tower," Bulma said. "It's… it's from the direction where Krillin and Piccolo went with Gohan…"

"It's gone," said Stellari. Sure enough the bleeping trace dropped to a more modest one.

"Try scanning for apparent levels," said Bulma, pushing the studs on the side of her pink lens device.

"Nada," Stellari shook her head. "Whatever it was, it's suppressed."

"You really should wear contact lenses," said Bulma.

"I do have them," Stellari said. "I just don't usually wear them for lab."

"I wonder what the hell that was, unless it was Goku going Super Saiyan. That must be it," said Bulma, trying to hope for the best. "I mean he did say he was going to try and find another level."

"Or it could be Vegeta," said Stellari. "But it's the wrong direction."

"Vegeta's not in that direction," said Bulma, narrowing her eyes.

"How do you know?"

"And you're fully bonded to Raditz?" Bulma smirked.

"What's THAT supposed to mean?" Stellari glared at her.

"Let's not worry. I want to check on Trunks," said Bulma, motioning to her. Two pairs of boots touched down on Capsule's back lawn. They rushed across the yard from the Capsule 4 to Bulma's mansion, through the back door. Once inside the kitchen they saw everyone clustered around the table eating a late lunch.

"Mama!" whimpered a voice from across the nursery. Stellari rushed in her arms outstretched.

"Mommy, you're okay!" Fermi shouted, lugging Planck in his arms.

"Mommy! We were so worried, don't scare us!" Bohr protested. He clutched Radzia who was in his arms as well. She dropped to her knees and felt her twin boys shoving their way into her arms. Two twin boys held their younger siblings tightly, choking her. Small bodies pressed to her with their warm, soon blurred by the tears dripping down her face.

Bulma's heart ached for her son Trunks. Just to feel him squirming in her arms was worth the fright. Little Trunks pressed his face to Bulma's chin. She wrapped him close in her arms with a soft blanket draped over the hard shell of her armor. Small teeth nipped her ears from the shifting of two Saiyan children and two six-year-old boys clinging to her back and shoulders. They pressed the babies into her arms, then clung to their mother's shoulders. "I missed you. Mom's so sorry to leave you for so long."

"Mommy, we knew you'd beat the bad guys. Is Daddy…"

"Chasing them down and kicking their butts?" Bohr completed, swinging his fists. Stellari kissed both their foreheads, fighting more tears. She rose to stand arms full of two Saiyan babies nipping and tugging at her hair. Furry tails curled around her wrists and loud yowling sounds told her they were both glad to see her. Still Fermi and Bohr twined their little arms around her legs, and she wished she could hold them all at once. Strong arms twined around her neck with the tiny fingers gripping. Radzia's hair tickled her nose.

Bulma sat on the couch, cradling trunks and sniffling. Her son stoically looked at her with cobalt blue eyes. Stellari plunked down with a twin on either side leaning against her armored body. Still she held her children, heaving in great sobs. "Don't cry Mom," Fermi said at the same time Bohr pleaded, "Don't cry mommy we were protecting 'em."

"If I never saw you again," she whispered.

"No way. Daddy would beat them up, and so would Uncle Goku!" Fermi said.

"Mommy you're cold," Bohr realized, snuggling up to warm her. A loud purring noise rumbled her chest, emanating from the two bodies nestled in her arms.

"They're… purring like kittens," she realized with shock. She hadn't always held them so close but Fermi and Bohr were both stroking the other twins backs that it dawned on her how Saiyan this was.

"Like lions," Bohr nodded.

"Or Dad does when he's snoring," Fermi laughed.

"He was good as gold, sweetie," Bunny said to Bulma who rocked Trunks tightly to her.

"He's a good little guy. Has anyone tried to attack?"

"Not with my security system in place," said Dr. Briefs, looking up from his paper.

"Aunt Chichi's fast asleep upstairs," Fermi reported, lifting his head from where it rested on Stellari's shoulder. Bohr clung to her red clad wrist, rubbing his cheek to it.

"We were good. She was worried about Gohan, who's out hunting robots with Piccolo," Fermi added.

"We even chewed up the meat an' fed it to 'em like Daddy told us to," Bohr giggled.

"Aunt Chichi thought we were being sick," Fermi frowned.

"You took care of them yourself?" she asked.

"We didn't want Aunt Chichi to freak out. She was so worried about Gohan when he left," said Fermi.

"Good boys. I'm just feeling awful I left you behind," she mumbled.

"They were no trouble. But Mrs. Son was quite… frantic. My doctors had to sedate her at one point," Dr. Briefs frowned.

"Those two angels of yours are very handy with babies," said Mrs. Briefs.

"I'm sorry," Stellari sighed.

"That's Chichi for you. Damn it," Bulma swore. "If I had known…"

"She misses her son, naturally. But how goes the robot hunt?" asked Dr. Briefs.

"We need to find a lost computer ripped from a Saiyan space pod, Dad," said Bulma.

"Oh my goodness, that IS serious," Dr. Briefs coughed, sitting straight up.

"Is Aunt Bliss in trouble?" Bohr asked, wide eyed.

"Yes. And Trunks and Nappa are training to find her," said Bulma. "And Vegeta and your Father Raditz are also out there, with your Uncle Goku and Piccolo and Gohan, and Krillin."

"Will we fight?" asked Fermi.

"No, you're going to stay here and help us take care of the kids," said Stellari. "You can still continue to train, but maybe you can help Mommy by being good big brothers like you've been doing."

"Okay!" saluted Fermi and Bohr.

A terrible battle raged in Gingertown, now emptied of its citizens. Huge scorch marks bore witness to the game that 18 played trying to find new clothing. It was here that Goku, Krillin and Gohan had found her and 16 ransacking the stores and scattering glass on the street like a dusting of snow. People had run screaming in fear, emptying the area in minutes.

Krillin gathered up the fallen battered form of Gohan. Only minutes before Gohan had blindly flown in to defend his father from 16's sneak attack. Only to get blindsided by 18's infinity blast. Piccolo had arrived from wherever he had disappeared to before. Now his power rocketed off Krillin's ability to even sense.

"Give up, you can't win!" 18 said bored as she drifted back. Krillin’s kicks had no effect. Piccolo shouted for him to retreat. Blonde hair half obscured her face as Android 18 levitated above the rocky planes of the wasteland area. Piccolo's white cape flapped his face stern and filled with a new light and knowledge.

"Shut up and let's get this over with," he boomed.

"You're different. Not sure what it is, but I can't say that it's a bad thing. C'mon, let's see what you've got, Jolly Green Giant," 18 taunted. "Hopefully you're better entertainment then that Princess of all Saiyans."

"Piccolo be careful!" Krillin urged.

"Get Gohan out of here to safety!" Piccolo shouted. "This is my fight now!"

"Gohan, Krillin get out of here!" Goku's voice shouted. Krillin blasted off, cradling Gohan in his arms.

"Take him to Kami's lookout! Get Trunks and Nappa!" called Piccolo.

"Now that we've had a warm-up, let's begin?" 18 chuckled. Ice blue eyes focused on the Namek.

"I'm much stronger then you think, lady," said Piccolo with a knowing smirk. His hands raised up, crackling with energy. 18 flung her own arms wide, readying herself for whatever was to come.

Goku flew out in a wild series of punches that 16 managed to stay one second ahead of. For the first part of the fight he and the robot had simply tested the limits of each other's powers. Till a sucker shot slammed Goku in the chest, and Gohan just had to jump in without considering the consequences. Darn Piccolo just HAD to leave them at that moment to go to Kami's lookout. He couldn't say he blamed Piccolo, and yet his timing was poor. However the massive levels of ki radiating from the caped body stunned even the Super Saiyan serving as 16's punching bag.

"OOF!" Goku gasped, smashing into the side of an apartment building. Masonry and bricks flew out, accompanied by a puff of dust. Coughing and gasping, Goku crawled out of the hole that was shaped exactly like him to see 16 hot in pursuit. The corners of Goku's lips perked up into a smile.

"Make this easy on yourself. I have no wish to cause you necessary pain," said 16.

"But I’m having such a good time. You're pretty strong, you know," Goku said cheerfully. "Although I'm pretty mad at what your friend did to Gohan."

"That was not in my programming to harm him. That was 18's fault," 16 apologized. Then his fist shot out. Goku's armband intercepted it, then his knee flashed out to block the kicks.

"TAOYKEN!" Goku shouted. A bright flash exploded in 16's face.

"Compensating… compensating," 16 droned on. Goku's look of astonishment vanished; exchanged for another look of pain from the ki blast that directly caught him in the face. His own eyesight faded, and he struggled to reach out to his other senses.

"You should know better than that, Goku," said 16's voice.

"AHA, there you are!" Goku laughed. His kick slammed into something solid, knocking it flying. Within seconds his eyes watered over and tentative sight returned to his eyes.

"Special beam CANNON!" Piccolo gritted. The spiraling beam sizzled out, only to crash against the blue sphere that 18 erected around her.

"Is THAT all you've got?"

"No," Piccolo grinned, vanishing. 18's field dropped, then suddenly an arm snaked out and wrapped around her neck. Keeping well back, Piccolo's arm had extended beyond her field, and he swung her back and forth like a rag doll. Her head flopped along with the rest of her body snapping the other way. Soon he let go propelling her into the pile of rubble Goku's fall had caused. He cupped his hands and formed a black sphere between them, focusing all his ki.

"HELLZONE GRENADE!" Piccolo thundered, lobbing the black light towards the fallen figure. For a mile around the negative darkness flooded all the sunlight. Nothing could be seen nor heard for a matter of seconds. Piccolo hovered unharmed above the roiling darkness pushing the ruined city into a pile of ashes in its wake. When the sunlight finally peeked through the dark rolling pillars of smoke, all that remained was a large bowl shaped crater.

"Wow," Goku gasped, hurling a ki blast to catch 16 into the face.

"How was that?" Piccolo laughed.

"Futile," said 16. Another Rocket fist slammed into Goku's gut, knocking the wind from him. Pinned by the projectile he was propelled across the blue sparkling sea. At a distance of two miles a huge death flower blossomed, its red petals spreading in all directions like a chrysanthemum of fire.

"GOKU!" Piccolo shouted.

"You made a grave miscalculation," 16 commented. "And now I must finish the job."

"Come back here you!" Piccolo shouted. 16's energy flared, and he zipped away even faster than Piccolo could track him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a scarlet blaze. Just in time he swung his hands up to block the red sphere hurtling towards him. It pushed the Namek back with its force despite the crossed wrists thrown up to ward it off.

"GGGHHHH," Piccolo grunted, eyes slatted against the sizzling energy almost blinding him. He flipped his body down sharply, sending the sphere upwards. Vertically it shot like a rocket, then exploded harmlessly miles above in space to temporarily cast a blood red hue on the landscape before fading.

"Lucky," said 18, hovering in the dust of the now dead city. "But you ruined my clothes, you creep!"

Her vest hung off her shoulder in tatters, revealing the white torn sleeves of her shirt and a creamy white shoulder. A black lace bra peaked through the shredded garments. 18's features twisted into a nasty scowl. "And you're going to PAY!" she shrilled. Her index finger pointed at Piccolo.

"Is that all?" Piccolo taunted her. "How sad you've nothing better to do with all that power then to just play these stupid games."

"THIS GAME IS SERIOUS!" 18 screamed at him. "NOBODY messes up MY CLOTHES, you creep! I'll blast you into nothing!"

"Come on and try," Piccolo motioned with his hands.

Sweat poured down their foreheads. Bulma groaned as she tried to press her hands to the floor and perform a solitary pushup. Nearby Stellari grimaced trying to pull her chin up to her folded knees. Around them the entire room glowed red. A digital indicated blinked at 5 G's. Both women were blowing off steam waiting for their husbands to return after having put their children down for a nap. It was almost three in the afternoon and both of them judged that Trunks must have been in the time chamber for at least six hours.

"Vegeta's taught you some moves. You were pretty impressive," Stellari panted.

"I feel like my bones are going to break… how can you stand this?" Bulma gasped. The exobraces she wore were barely helping her compensate.

"I… have carbon nanofibers woven into this armor," said Stellari. "IT… braces my body. That's one of the components of the Saiyan armor that gives it toughness and lightweight strength."

"Raditz was training you?" Bulma asked.

"Yes, wasn't Vegeta training you?"

"Yes, but you didn't have a gravity chamber!"

"I trained a bit with weighted garments," Stellari huffed. Bulma armored casing whirled perfectly with her movements. The lightweight materials worked well.

"That's six months my baby boy's been alone with Nappa," Bulma swallowed hard.

"We should get back to the lab and see what else we can figure out," said Stellari. Bulma's remote control stopped the gravity, returning it to 1 normal earth G.

Stellari sank to the floor, wiping sweat from her face. Bulma joined her, after shedding the combat G suit. Still her blue hair was held back in its band. Both women regarded each other, frustration on their faces.

"That's a pretty diadem. A Planet Vegeta Azurite," said Stellari. "You've been wearing it for a while."

"Vegeta insisted that if I was going to fight, I needed to look like a Saiyan Princess. They did wear ceremonial armor in wartime even if they only fought when there was no other choice. Or if two females vying for the Prince's attention did so," Bulma shrugged.

"There's just been no sign or anything from Vegeta. I HATE being left behind," Bulma added, after she walked towards the shower stall.

"We should be using this time to hunt down that console ourselves," said Stellari. "There are only a few places it could be."

"Then… let's go," Bulma nodded. Soon both females went and showered in the bathroom of the GR chamber, then helped themselves to armor and spandex. Fortunately she had their armor cleaned by one of the bots and checked over for repairs.

Bulma slid into the blue bodysuit then tugged it over her head. From across the locker room she saw Stellari with her back to her, adjusting a sports bra and black spandex that went under the breastplate. She pulled up the skintight pants reinforced with lightweight armor, marveling at the minute traces of Raditz handiwork. Unlike the white Vest Bulma hauled over her head this was 100 percent Saiyan handcrafted. She dragged the vest overtop her head, with the green shin guards attached, then reached for the red wristbands laying next to one of the scouters.

"Ah," Bulma nodded, toweling off her hair. She twisted it into a French braid, then slipped the jeweled diadem around her forehead that she had been wearing earlier. Then she thrust her feet into the tall thigh high boots, and tugged on her gloves. Oddly they gazed at each other, reality of their situation settling in. Despite their differences in rank, they were both still human. They exited the capsule 4 and crossed the lawn again to the main mansion.

"Mom, you have fun training?" Fermi asked, looking up from helping to feed his little sister. Bulma picked up her baby from his chair and took the bottle momentarily so she could feed him. Stellari held her son that Bohr passed her. She gave him a hug, then walked over to sit by Fermi.

"No sign of that missing console. I've had my bots looking everywhere. And we haven't heard anything from Vegeta or Mr. Raditz," said Dr. Briefs.

"Nothing from Daddy," Bohr said quietly, leaning against Stellari's lap.

"Oh my I do hope they aren't beaten up by those nasty robots," Bunny briefs said, fixing a few sandwiches.

"Where's Chichi?" asked Bulma.

"She's still sedated. It seems she can't stop from getting upset. The doctor says it's probably lack of sleep and hormones," said Dr. Briefs, pushing his glasses more securely on the bridge of his nose. He rustled the paper in his lap distractedly.

"Has the program decoded that Red Ribbon database tape we brought back?" Bulma asked. She had made copies of the downloaded tapes and passed them onto Capsule's best computer hackers, for traces of any secret files that might tell the whereabouts of the strange console. But nothing.

"No," Dr. Briefs shook his head.

"Is it some kind of futuristic looking thing?" Fermi raised his head.

"Why do you ask?" Bulma said.

"I had some weird dreams about one," Fermi blinked.

"Where?" asked Stellari. "When?"

"While we were nappin'," Bohr said innocently. Stellari's eyes widened with delight.

"Wait a minute," Bulma blinked.

"No, it could be a lead," Stellari said. "Fermi, where did you see it?"

"It was all foggy like," Bohr wrinkled his nose. "And really dark like a cave. And there were some people that looked like those dolls they put in the stores."

"Mannequins dummy," Fermi corrected him. "Yeah, and they were laughing. And then someone smashed the thing. And the dream went poof."

"Anything else you can remember?" Stellari asked.

"This is hardly scientific," Dr. Briefs coughed.

"Wait Dad, they ARE psychic," said Bulma.

"Can't remember anything much more. But one of them had dark hair, and the other was blonde like Aunt Bliss with really weird eyes," Fermi said.

"Thank you. That must mean…"

"18 and 17 have that console and Bliss. No wonder they wanted her," said Bulma.

"Did you hear or see Bliss at all?" asked Stellari.

"Yeah, I heard her crying. IT was really scary," said Bohr.

"The next time either of you have a special dream you must tell me or your father immediately," Stellari said quietly, looking at both her sons.

"I can't get around this… you mean they're clairvoyant?"

"One of their underdeveloped gifts. And it isn't always reliable. But my guess is, their concern for Bliss was letting her somehow reach out to them," Stellari said.

"Auntie bliss is our friend, and she's scared," Fermi said.

"Very scared!"

"You two keep trying to see if you get any more images. If you do, think them to me as hard as you can," Stellari urged.

"But why can't you track her on that scouter?" asked Fermi.

"Somehow the androids are blocking her ki," said Bulma frustrated. "And they seem to be able to jam our scouters now."

"Crap," Stellari grumbled. "Well, I guess we have to somehow go after them… and at least find where she might be."

"It's too dangerous," said Dr. Briefs. "You should wait for Vegeta and Raditz to return, or at least Trunks and Nappa."

"But it won't hurt if we go look," said Stellari.

The phone jangled, and Bunny leapt up to get it. Everyone fixed his or her eyes on the phone, and she passed it to Bulma. "It's for you…"

"Yes?" Bulma asked, cradling the phone.

"Bulma is that you? It's Krillin!"

"Krillin where are you are you okay?"

"I can't talk for long. I'm talking from a public phone. But we've spotted 16 and 18… they're not doing anything yet. Just looking around…"

"Is Goku there?" asked Bulma.

"Yes. We're trying to see if we should try attacking them or not… but I don't think it'd be a good idea… but Piccolo… he's done something REALLY weird," said Krillin.

"What do you mean, weird?" asked Bulma.

"He's um… he's… changed," Krillin said. "It's just that he's found a way to boost HIS strength like Vegeta and Trunks did."

"How? Is he some sort of a Super Namek?" asked Bulma.

"No wonder," Stellari said.

"What?"

"Bulma, my scouter was going haywire earlier. Like a huge energy source was suddenly created…"

"Krillin did you hear that?" asked Bulma.

"What, you mean your buddy? If she saw an energy spike that was Piccolo changing," said Krillin excitedly. "He's become a Super Namek."

"A SUPER Namek?" Bulma swallowed hard. "Is that possible?"

"It is if you fuse with Kami," said Krillin.

"He WHAT?" Bulma gasped.

"Fused with Kami. Like he did with Nail on Namek. He said something about being called 'the Namek'. We're about to try and fight 16. Goku's gone to try and face him and get him to tell us where they took Trunks girlfriend, and where 17 is hiding. Oops I got to go find 18… I mean…"

"18?" asked Bulma.

"Sorry, got to go! Piccolo's about to take her on!" said Krillin quickly. Sounds of explosions crackled in the background and then the line bleeped annoyed.

"Krillin… KRILLIN!" called Bulma.

"What's wrong?" Dr. Briefs asked.

"Daddy, tell Trunks and Nappa if and when they get back that mom's gone out. Stellari, are you with me?"

"Where are you going?" asked Fermi.

"To follow your little dream," said Stellari. "Be good!"

"Careful mommy!" both twins called, rushing to hug her. She and Stellari dashed out, after handing Trunks and the others back. White boots pounding the ground next to green toed ones covered in red cuffs. In their halter tops their chests bobbed slightly. The quick press of a stud activated the jetpack under Bulma's cape to launch her in the air the same moment that Stellari levitated herself up.