Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z or Full metal alchemist. Funimation brings us these master works of anime on DVD. Toriyama created DBZ, and Full Metal Alchemist belongs to its own creators. I can only claim responsibility for the plot and the character of the Mantissans, Androni and Cybernam. As well as Atomique, Parsnip, Fermi, Bohr, Merlot, Cabernet and other fan characters here. The only pay I get is your reviews so please keep them coming! And my thanks to those who have already reviewed! Kudos and hugs to you!

Payment in Full

A Terrible Price for the Saiyan no Ouji

How had they gone wrong, Radditzu wondered?   The images of the last few hours burned in his mind.  He had finished his transaction on Aztec and collected two million Aurites for his job, plus a few slaves to send back when Napa's distress call reached him.  It took a week to reach him in the pod, and when it finally landed he had emerged to a wasteland of bodies.

 

Oceanus was ninety percent ocean.  What amazed Radditzu was the presence of grey choking smoke in the atmosphere when he first cracked open his hatch.  He coughed; glad his Saiyan lungs could filter out the ash and particulate matter.  Fires billowed up from patches of oil slicks bobbing here and there.  Radditzu’s pod floated lazily on the dense oceans, and he managed to push it to the beach nearby.  Waterlogged bodies washed up with the advancing tide lapping at his toes.  Sand was stained green and black with ichors and bodily fluids.

 

“Great Oorzu, this is overkill,” Radditzu shuddered.  While he was hardened against major damage the wholesale slaughter made even his stomach turn.  Even though Radditzu decimated many planets, he usually gave the inhabitants a chance to surrender.  His standard proof of loyalty was the sacrifice of one hundred inhabitants piled up in groups of fives by the major leaders.  Then he would decide if the indigenous peoples deserved death at his hand or life as slaves if requested by his employer.

 

Some employers wanted no native life forms, so he would start by destroying the armies first.  With a quick series of explosions peppering major population centers, Radditzu disintegrated major cities.  The explosions killed swiftly and cleanly.  Then he would hunt down the armies.  If two warring factions fought one another he would play one against the other to kill each other, and then confront the survivors.  If there were nuclear weapons he would disarm them and let them kill each other like civilized beings while he watched.  Then the victors died a warrior’s death. So had been Aztec’s fate.

 

But this was wholesale slaughter.  Napa’s trademark.  Unfortunately the planets seas swarmed with bodies and trash.  Rubble lined the beaches with the faint tentacled bodies of the Squiddoids.  They lived both beneath the surface and in the surface cities.  Two factions existed.  The terrestrials in their carapaces versus the water breathers.  If he had been on the case he would have given superior strength to the warriors who fought without devices so they could wipe out their enemies. Then he would wipe the victors out in a vast hunt.

 

Idiots! This planet isn’t fit for ANYTHING!” Radditzu cursed.  He always was careful to leave the natural resources of whatever planet he purged in good condition.  Clearing the ‘vermin’ often meant the intelligent beings.  The wildlife he ALWAYS left intact.  Then came the job of putting whoever was left to clean up the pollution they’d dumped into their habitats.

 

“Gods what happened?” Radditzu wondered, punching his scouter.  “Napa, Cabernet, can you read me?”

 

“Radditzu!  Thank Father Oorzu!  We’ve found the Prince’s suspension pod.  Lock in on our signal and bring the armor with you!”

 

“What’s happened? This planet is a wasteland!  WHY?  You know they won’t pay us if it’s polluted by our takeovers!” Radditzu bellowed, pacing around the beach.  He kicked the trash and bodies littering the beautiful white sand in disgust. 

 

“Vermin!” he cursed.  “You can’t even take care of your own planet.  Good thing we’re taking it off your hands.”

 

“Radditzu!  Get here as fast as you can!  They’ve betrayed us!  The contract’s off!” Napa gritted.

 

“How?”

 

“Petra has killed Brecchus.  As soon as I landed they knew I was coming.  They attacked me but I did my best to slaughter them… then Cabernet…”

 

“I was tricked as well!  The planet I tried to clear was already worthless.  The inhabitants had destroyed themselves with neutron bombs.  It’s riddled with radiation.  Quick!  We need you!  There’s too many of them!” Cabernet’s voice blared.

 

Radditzu snatched the canister of the Prince’s belongings he had so carefully preserved.  Armor, a scouter, and new garments were neatly packed away with vials of Saibamen for the Prince’s training.  Clutching it under one arm he barked orders to the pod to seal itself.  Then he rocketed into the polluted air, hacking as he went.  A thin sheen of gold ki enveloped him, and he shot over the thick blanket of clouds.  Once above them he saw the vast ocean through the gaps.  As far as the horizon he saw the grey streaks of oil.  The atmosphere surged with billows of flame from h ere and there, as the cheap petroleum used by the Oceanoans burst into fire one after the other.

 

Artificial reefs built of concrete and steel lay twisted and broken.  Across his scouter bleeped the homing signal, Napa’s battle power of 23000.  Apparently he had kicked it up a notch.  Unfortunately the planet’s moon had been blown to dust, he could tell by the new ring of particles settling into orbit around the vast blue grey sphere.

 

“Worthless after all,” Radditzu lamented.  “What a waste of a good planet.”

 

On the main continent he blasted inland.  Vast armies lay strewn with broken land tanks and amphibious boats.  He saw the telltale scorch marks that bore witness to an Oorzu form letting full with his powers.  Hadn’t Napa learned how to generate artificial moonlight?

 

“No,” mumbled Radditzu.  It would have to work if they were to rescue their comrades. 

 

In a vast circle marked with a trench two Saiyans blasted the waves of remaining Oceannon troops back.  The water breathers marched up in ranks, their bubbling aqualungs hooked to the vast goldfish bowls covering each tentacled head.  Napa’s armor was pitted and cracked.  Corpses, some of them half eaten by the look were piled into makeshift barricades.  Two space pods were huddled, with a large regeneration tank partly shielded on two sides by a ruined wall.  Further inland he saw the spires of what had once been the capital city of the land dwellers, smoking and charred.

 

“Saturday CRUSH!” Radditzu bellow, lobbing a purple sphere to blast his way through to them.  Cabernet backed away towards the regeneration capsule, containing the body of the most priceless treasure.

 

At the center was Napa and Cabernet, fighting for their lives.  Against a full-armed battalion of Oceanans armed with Androni mind amplifiers.  Radditzu threw himself in the fray, cutting through the waves of troops.  He reached the two Saiyans closing ranks around the space pod.

 

"What's going on?"

 

"Took you long enough!" Cabernet gasped, holding her side.  Blood stained her hand as Napa held back the army in a wide ring.  He spat a huge blast into them, causing them to scatter like ripples caused by a falling rock in a pool.

 

Radditzu, dropping to a landing gasped, “What’s going on?”

 

“Napa, hold them off, I’ll show him,” Cabernet gasped, pulling him inside.  Napa hurled another megaton blast, and then bellowed to the newly sprouted line of Saibamen.  There were only ten left, and they were already tearing their way into the encroaching armies.

 

In the shelter of the ruined walls Cabernet crouched, rubbing her hand over the main bubbled dome of the regen tank. With his face hooked up to a mask, the young Prince’s eyes were closed as if in peaceful sleep.  “They had him in this fortress.  Napa broke in, but then they all started attacking.”

 

“What went wrong?” Radditzu whispered, setting down the canister of the prince’s things.

 

"Get it open, and revive him.  Then get him the HELL away from here while I hold them off.  We've been betrayed!" Cabernet shouted.

 

"Right!" Radditzu nodded, punching buttons on the side of the suspension capsule. 

 

“AS I said before, we were betrayed.  The world I was sent to purge was already a wasteland.  The two surviving bands of people were blowing each other to shreds.  There’s little left.  It’s just as bad as Arlia was…”

 

“Damn it,” Radditzu cursed.  He stabbed buttons on the regen tank’s mechanism.

 

“I’m glad you know what the hell you’re doing. Guess your old man taught you some science after all!”

 

“Shut up.  I’ve started the revivification sequence, but it will be at least another thirty minutes before it disengages and it’s safe to take him out,” Radditzu mumbled.

 

“When I came here it was in the nick of time. Napa and I have been holding out here.  We managed to keep them back for two months, but they kept attacking.  First with their monsters, then with some crack troops.  They took out some of our saibamen, and we’ve been eating the dead. They taste HORRIBLE,” Cabernet made a face, spitting out whatever she was chewing on.

 

“Drek.  It only took two months for me to clear Aztec. They gave up, and I called Turles to get the survivors. The tree’s almost ready for harvesting.  But then I got your distress call and only just landed a few minutes ago. What should we do?”

 

“You bring the prince around.  I’ll do what I can to help get Napa and me out of here.  If we don’t make it, you have to take charge of the Prince…” she said.  Reaching at her belt she threw him several psycho chrome discs.

 

“What are these?”

 

“Discs to bring him up to speed.  And we’ve tried to contact that mate of yours, but these bastards on Mantissa set up a scrambler that won’t let us get anything through.  It took some ingenuity to get your scouter!”

 

“Damn it all,” Radditzu cursed.  At last the revivification clicked into halfway.  All around them the screams of the dying resounded. 

 

“Stay here,” Cabernet barked. She rushed out again to plant the last vial of Saibamen that Radditzu handed her from his emergency kit.  Soon another line of green warriors sprouted, marching into the fray to be blown away.

 

"These are Mantissan devices," Napa yelled. "Get the Prince to safety whelp!  You gotta go NOW!  To the ruins!  While you have a chance!”

 

Fluid drained out from around the Prince's prone body.  Reaching in, Radditzu grabbed the semiconscious figure and rocketed away from the fray at top speed.  He knew that it would take precious time for the Prince to come out of his suspended animation.  Cabernet and Napa were buying it for him.

 

***

The ruined palace loomed ahead.  Gently Radditzu cradled the sopping wet body of his Prince against his chest, while holding the canister of belongings at his hip.  Wildly he glanced about, his scouter bleeping at the sign of any enemy.  Fortunately no battle powers existed inside.  He landed, rushing into the doors.  The large metallic gates were ajar.  He kicked the door open, and then shoved the latch down with his elbow.  Quickly he rushed through the various chambers. 

 

At last he found a suitable place to hole up and get to work.  In the cover of a small building he discovered sleeping chambers.  Most of the furniture remained intact.  Into the central bed chamber he carried the Prince, noting the vast canopied bed laying untouched.  Piles of discarded clothes and scattered bits of treasure gleamed in the ghostly grey light seeping in from the high set windows. 

 

Radditzu dropped the canister.  Carefully he strode over to the vast bed, and set the Prince down on it.  Wet oozing fluid puddled into the soft sheets.  He propped Vegeta’s head and shoulders up with one of the cushions that were made of natural spongy material.  When he was satisfied the Prince was comfortable he turned back to the canisters.  He opened up the cases of armor and other effects needed. 

 

Upon a low table he cleared of food dishes he arranged a gleaming white breastplate with gold shoulder flashes.  Next to it he placed an armored skirt, and a set of gloves.  Neatly folded was the AE suit that went underneath, one size fits all.  Spotless white boots were set next to a top of the line scouter, straight out of Bardock’s workshop.

 

“Wonder what they got to eat around here,” he mumbled.  Radditzu scouted the area for any foodstuffs.  Minutes later he returned with containers of emergency rations and a set of gold encrusted dishes.  Painstakingly he set them out on the table by the armor, judging what was safe to eat.  The Prince would be ravenous when he came around.

 

AS Radditzu continued preparing the food, his ears twitched with a low groaning.  His dark haired head swirled around to behold the small figure stirring on the bed.  Slowly Radditzu tiptoed forwards, hoping not to startle the Prince, because his scouter bleeped with the upsurge of battle power.  “Ten thousand.  Low for him, but promising,” Radditzu mumbled in respect.

 

Slowly the small figure opened dark eyes, his face twisting into a scowl. Snapping bold upright the Saiyan no Ouji leapt to his feet, then stumbled on the vast bed.  A blue sphere of energy crackled from his hand, crashing inches from where Radditzu dropped to his knees.

 

“Sire! It’s me!  You’re safe!” Radditzu shouted, averting his gaze.

 

"Where… what's going on!" the Prince rasped, rubbing his eyes.  Vegeta plopped down on the side of the bed, holding his stomach.  The burst of adrenaline petered out.

 

Radditzu rose from his crouch, rushing over to kneel immediately before his master.  He reached for Vegeta’s shaking hand, rubbing it over his widow’s peak covered forehead.  "Sire, you're awake!  And not a moment too soon!"

 

"Who's there?  I demand to know what's going on!" the Prince rasped, shakily sitting up.  Fluid dripped down from his torn garments.  His crest of dark hair fell haphazardly around his face.

 

"Napa and Cabernet have rescued you.  They're facing some obstacles. I'm trying to protect you till you recover,” Radditzu said as Vegeta shakily stood up.  Although his inclination was to help the young ruler, he knew the Prince was very proud, so he backed away.

 

Shakily the Prince staggered forwards, then braced himself on his guard’s shoulders.  Slowly he pushed himself up to stand while Radditzu remained crouched.  “Get me up, idiot,” he mumbled, indicating Radditzu was free to help him stand on his own.

 

“I know you don’t want help so I…” Radditzu stammered, afraid of what might happen if he insulted the young ruler.  Fortunately Vegeta was more than willing to let him lead him over to a nearby chair sitting before the table he had set.

 

"What's been going on?  How long have I been asleep?  Damn it!" Vegeta shouted at him.  Although he was a diminutive Saiyan, his body crackled with terrible blue ki at that moment.  It evaporated the fluid from him before he sat down.

 

Radditzu draped a salvaged blanket around his master.  He said quietly, "Easy sire you've been asleep for two years standard.  Much has happened.  This scouter's been programmed to beam the information into your mind.  And I've fresh armor for you there and food.”

 

“Humph, I see.  Well, at least someone has some sense around here,” the Prince mumbled, rapidly devouring what was set before him. Between bites he glared expectantly at his soldier, who waited for leave to speak.

 

"Well, what’s going on?  That fool Paragus will have much to answer for.  Where's Freiza?"

 

"Slain at Brolli's hand," said Radditzu, sitting Indian style before the Prince’s table.

 

"Bastard!  He denied me my revenge!  Where is the traitor now?" the Prince cursed, leaping to his feet.  Dishes scattered as he slammed his fist down.

 

“On Alvegasei,” said Radditzu.  “The new home world.”

 

“I see.  So where are Napa, and the others?”

 

“Only a few are loyal to you.  Myself, Commander Turles, Sub commander Napa, his family, and mine,” said Radditzu.  “And all of their crew.  But there are none others we know of now.”

 

“You’ll be rewarded for your loyalty, make no mistake.  But those who did this to me shall pay dearly,” the Saiyan no Ouji growled.

 

“I will be pleased to slay them with my own hands as you command,” Radditzu nodded.

 

“Brave and loyal as always, even if you are somewhat literal minded.  A pity your father’s intelligence didn’t grace you completely.  But no matter,” sighed Vegeta.  He snatched the blue bodysuit from the table, and began to pull it on.

 

Quickly he donned the chest plate, and then stamped his feet into the gold toed boots.  As he dragged on the gloves he saw Radditzu punching buttons on his scouter.   Catching the scouter tossed to him he slid it over his ear, punching the button to activate it.

 

“Napa and Cabernet are holding off our enemies.  You’ll see that there are discs to update you on the events that transpired while you slept,” said Radditzu. 

 

Vegeta grunted, catching the discs and inserting them into the side of his scouter.  He sat down on the chair, folding arms across his chest to let the events flicker through his mind.  Slow meditation gave way to the barrage of images that made him ill.

 

“Drek, this is intolerable!” he cursed.  “What a cock up this is!”

 

"I'm sorry sire.  We bought your freedom at a terrible price.  But we knew it would be worth it that you could reclaim what remains of the race from Brolli.  He's insane!"

 

"Wait a moment fool!  I'm only just downloading the info now!" Vegeta snapped as he sat down on the bed. 

 

“We did all we could, as you can see,” mumbled Radditzu.

 

“Well, you are proof that there are some I can trust. What’s this about you finding a mate?  What took you so damn long?”

 

“I was waiting for the right opportunity, sire.  There was an interesting contract we took, that brought Napa and me into a parallel dimension. The Destroyers were capable of making devices that could transport our pods across space time sideways.”

 

“True.  And what’s this about another… me?”

 

“We saw you alive in this other universe.  On a small blue planet where you ruled the inhabitants.  Your powers were incredible to behold, and instead of bothering you and enlisting the aid of your doppelganger we left him be.  And knew that if we found you, that you’d grow in power to surpass the legendary,” Radditzu said.

 

“I know I’m destined to be a Super Saiyan fool, my own father said so!”

 

“Brolli achieved it, sire,” said Radditzu as Vegeta watched the images of Brolli’s transformations.  He shivered when he saw a much older version of himself in futuristic streamlined armor, spreading his arms.

 

“That’s me!  But damn I look so fucking old,” Vegeta grumbled.  “At least I still have my good looks.  And who in HELL is this blue haired WENCH hanging on me?”

 

“I don’t know sire.  She’s the mate your other self chose.  And you produced a son and a daughter.”

 

“These creatures are so pitifully weak and you expect me to believe that my other self MATED and created an HEIR with it?”

 

“The half breeds were so powerful, Sire. They’re very much simian in nature.  While our ancestors retained our tails, my father hypothesized that these ningen, on a planet called Earth were descended from tailless primates.  They’re just like us, except for their weaker bodies and lack of ki.”

 

“Interesting.  But what has THIS to do with me?  Is this a preview of what I could achieve?  How is it possible that I…” he trailed off, seeing the terrible transformation his other self underwent.  A small smirk grew into a maniacal grin.

 

“I knew you’d be inspired.  This version of you achieved super Saiyan at a far greater age.  What’s to say you can’t achieve it now?” asked Radditzu quietly.

 

“Is it only because of this small blue planet?”

 

“Something about that world is conducive to achieving Super Saiyan.  My younger brother in that universe ALSO achieved the same power.  And he had offspring that did as well.  Your son and daughter in that time also did so.  But they were of greater power.  But yours was equal to that of my brothers…”

 

“Humph the nerve.  But in all honesty this is quite refreshing.  Does that Father of yours know if this world exists in THIS universe?”

 

“Yes it does sire.  But the events you see here happened twenty years ahead of our universe’s time line.  There is a being who knows the events intimately.  And she is now on this universe’s Earth.”

 

Unfortunately Radditzu had forgotten to tell him of the other most important artifact.  While he heard Tomakt’s talk of ‘dragon balls’ he figured it was delusional ranting.  Great objects of power, called Philosophers stones were another elusive treasure.  But he had see no such objects when he left with Napa and the female alchemist.

 

That twist of fate was strange indeed.  Prince Vegeta quietly regarded his foot soldier, with a smile upon his young visage.  He nodded slowly, and then stood up.  Resting his boot on Radditzu’s shoulder as the soldier crouched before him he said, “Well done son of Bardock.  You’ve proven your worth.  I look forwards to speaking to this mate of yours.  Is she there now?”

 

“She should have landed.  But Napa and Cabernet need your aid.  Our last customers, the ones that showed us where you were, betrayed us.  They gave their devices to the inhabitants of Oceanus, and they are capable of the same power levels as we,” said Radditzu.

 

“Show me, so that I might slay these losers and show them the price of crossing the Saiyan Prince,” Vegeta laughed.  Forming a white gloved fist, he generated royal blue ki.  Radditzu nodded, rushing out and leading the way.  Both Saiyans rocketed into the air, blasting off from the ruins.  Within seconds, Prince Vegeta and Radditzu joined the fray.

Meanwhile, Radditzu's mate was punching her way through the atmosphere of a small blue planet.  Her cryogen swirled away with the mist of the revivification mist.  Her eyes took in the big blue marble etched with feathers of long clouds.  Red and brown continents peeked beneath, tantalizingly familiar. 

 

Tomakt gasped as she felt the impact of her craft.  It bounced twice then rolled to a stop.  Slowly she kicked the hatch open, and inhaled her first breath of Chikyuujin air.  Sweetly the familiar fragrances tantalized her out of the small space.  She struggled out, holding the sides of the pod frame.  Around her rose the sides of the bowl like crater she'd made.

 

"Crap, I should have splashed down," she thought, shaking herself off.  Staggering in the lower gravity, she peered around, blinking in the sunlight.  Focussing thoughts she levitated upwards to the rim, pressing buttons on the blasted scouter that she forgot she wore.  No sense in scaring anyone unduly from the arrival.  Chances were that someone noticed and was already on their way.

 

Luckily there were no power traces, save small miniscule kis flickering in the yellow metallic lettering.  Tomakt landed on the side of the crater, and took her first steps in the vast plane that she had crashed upon.  Mountains and rice patties as far as the eyes could see.  Nearby her vision discerned farming fields, but her pod had bashed through the large canopies to land in the middle of a forest area. 

 

Massive kis rushed forwards.  Glancing up she saw the trees bust open, and a large toothy grin look down at her.  Instinctively she leapt away, as the jaws clamped down on empty air.  Her stomach rumbled, and Tomakt realized this was not a threat, but dinner.  Instantly she raised her hand, focussing a ki beam at the monster.  It dodged in confusion, swinging its tail around.  Tomakt zipped in, and then grabbed its tail, swinging the creature around to her shock like a hammer at the Olympics.  In a dusty heap the tyrannosaurus crashed into the far hillside.

 

"Damn, how strong am I?" she wondered.  Leaping up again she landed on its neck, and then squeezed tightly.  Pinching hard she found that nerve at the base of its skull.  With a final squeeze she twisted and snapped its neck.  Beneath her it stopped twitching.

 

"I'm sorry, but you were in the way, and I'm starving," she said, sliding down to look at the prey she'd killed.  The stupid dinosaur was reddish in hue, perhaps twenty feet high.  Tomakt quickly set to work trying to skin and gut the thing.  Before she could catch herself she had simply started to devour raw flesh from peeled skin.

 

"Ugh," she muttered, dropping the bones.  Blood from the dinosaur splattered over the black and white armored breastplate of her third class suit.  Birds trilled and twittered around her, leaves rustling in the quickening wind.  Tomakt dropped to her knees, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

 

"I can't do this, I just can't," she whispered, pulling the scouter off her face and letting it drop.  For the first time in days she fell headlong on the grass and cried.

 

Her self-pity didn't last long because she rolled over to look at the blue vault of the heavens.  Fluffy clouds drifted across to partly obscure an almost bottomless splendid view.  Small distant trails indicated a jet liner overhead.  She watched the course's trajectory, seeing it heading towards civilization. 

 

Snapping to her feet she caught a smell that twitched her nose.  Diesel and the smell of charred automotive exhaust.  A moment later she heard what sounded like an internal combustion engine.  Atomique leapt down into the crater, and quickly punched buttons on the remote she drew out of her vest.

 

"Allrveg!" she grunted.  "Dhryoommant!  Levitrahhh!"

 

It glowed a cherry red, levitating upwards.  A few more shouted commands and she caused the space pod to drift back into the cover of some trees.  Pulling branches aside she covered the Saiyan pod easily, leaving an empty crater.  Hopefully she could come back for the pod later, with nobody being the wiser. 

 

"Last thing I need is some idiot trying to take it a part and drag it to Area 51," she commended, grabbing her discarded scouter.  Reaching back to a former life she struggled to remember how to mask her ki.

 

A bleeping caught her attention. She slipped the scouter on, punching the transgalactic link button.  Napa's harsh voice grunted, "Well, are you there, whelp?"

 

"I am, lieutenant commander.  I've landed on the third planet in this system without any resistance.  I'm going to survey the area, and start my search immediately," she said.

 

"Good.  And you thought you couldn't' hack it?  Better get a move on, and do whatever it is you're doing.  We're almost done here on Oceanus.  That mate of yours is taking his damn time on Aztec and he's worried SICK about you!"

 

"What about Cabernet," she asked.

 

"You've been asleep for six months," said Nappa.  "Something's happened to her, whelp.  Consider yourself lucky."

 

"Cabernet?  What…"

 

"Someone thought they could get to me through her.  Well, I proved 'em wrong.  Let's just say that there's one less planet filled with squid stinking up the sky," he said.

 

"Cabernet?"

 

"Who is that, I must know!" yelled another voice. 

 

"Excuse me… yeah… I'm talking to her now!  WHAT?"

 

"Let me talk to her," came another voice.  The voice she knew well.

 

"Radditzu?  Are you all right, where's cabernet?"

 

"Precious one, you're alive!" Radditzu said quickly.  "Are you all right?"

 

"I'm here on Earth!  That's what the natives call it.  So far I've hid my pod. What's going on?"

 

"Have you found any trace of Kakarot?"

 

"I'm just about to look. What's going on?"

 

"Cabernet… met with an unfortunate accident," Radditzu said quietly.  "Napa. He went insane.  I… tried to stop him.  But it was too late."

 

"Cabernet…"

 

"We've found what we were looking for.  You have to find my brother soon.  I'm going to join you in six months if you don't call back with any progress.  Things are not well here," said Radditzu.

 

"What about the Prince?"

 

"We've found him.  But the price was… very high," Radditzu said softly.  "I'll tell you more when I can.  We're having difficulties with one of the hostile takeovers."

 

"Hostile what?"

 

"We're finishing what he started.  And we're trying to clean up the mess Napa made when Cabernet… was slain," said Radditzu.

 

"How?"

 

"She gave her life to save the Prince.  She'll be remembered as a hero.  You must find Kakarot.  We need every available Saiyan in six months," he said.

 

"Who's that you're talking to?" cut in a harsh voice.  There came the sound of swearing and a large blast.

 

"My mate, sire… she's landed."

 

"Listen to me, third class.  Private Tomakt is it?" cut in the harsh voice that she knew so well, only it was higher pitched.

 

"Your majesty?" she said quietly.  "You're alive…"

 

"Yes, idiot.  I want you to listen and listen well.  You're to make every effort to take control of that planet you're on. I don't care HOW you do it, but you've got to secure it at all cost!  I'm sending your mate to assist you, and he'll arrive in three months to do whatever you haven't."

 

"Do you wish me to clear it?"

 

"Assess it and get me a suitable workforce.  Kill all those who oppose you, and get me ten of the most eligible females on that miserable mud ball.  And a thousand slaves.  Use the Saibamen in your kit and do so!  What you do with the rest of the inhabitants is no consequence.  You can kill them or do whatever you wish.  But you'd BETTER have that planet ready for my arrival in a year, got it?"

 

"You're coming HERE?  But…"

 

"That's right.  Honestly I'm not surprised he picked you as a mate.  You're just as idiotic as he is.  You'd best prove your worth and get things ready!  It will be all the worse for you and your mate if you screw this up!  I'm angry enough as it is!"

 

"Yes… your majesty," she stammered.  "As you command."

 

"Now Ill have your mate talk to you.  I've got a little pest problem to take care of.  Serve me well and you'll live in glory.  Fail me, and you'll suffer Cabernet's fate! Now get to work!"

 

"At once… and sire… welcome back," she said quietly.

 

"Don't suck up.  It's not seemly for a Saiyan warrior," he snorted.  Minutes later she heard Radditzu's anxious voice.

 

"You still there love?"

 

"Yes… what's going on… he's alive? But he wants to come HERE?  That's insane!"

 

"Don't question him.  I'll be there as SOON as I can to help you.  But I'm counting on you to find him. And do whatever it takes to convince him.  Don't be squeamish or sentimental; just take control of that planet.  In whatever way you can.  If you can at least eliminate any major threats in three months time I'll be there to help you mop up and we can get it ready for his Majesty's arrival…"

 

"Radditzu, I'm scared, but don’t tell him…" she whispered.  "Something feels VERY wrong."

 

"Don’t worry about that now.  Just follow his commands.  And stay alive, whatever you do!" Radditzu grunted.  "I swear I'll come for you, alive or dead."

 

"I miss you," she whispered.

 

"I can't talk any longer.  I'll call when I can.  You must contact me the instant anything happens that goes wrong.  Not that you aren't capable, but you're right when something does feel wrong.  But I can't tell you now," he said with a tight voice.  Then the link died, leaving Atomique to sit on the ground of the parallel world, and consider what had happened.

 

Back on the ruined Oceanus, the Saiyan no Ouji terminated his link.  A blast crashed near him, and he diverted the next.  Wildly Nappa spat blast after blast at the buildings around them, screaming his mate’s name.  Vegeta had heard about the blood rage that happened the instant a Saiyan’s mate was killed.  Poor Napa had to be taken down before he went insane.  The only way to accomplish that was for the Prince to engage him in single combat and beat him into submission.

 

"Shut up you idiotic fool!" the Prince shouted, raising two fingers.  Radditzu snapped off the link, looking in a panic as he saw the young warrior facing off against an enraged Napa.

 

Around them lay the smoldering remains of the Mantissan forces.  Bodies were piled in ranks of five, while Nappa held two golden skinned creatures by their hair.  His armor was shattered, and he threw them aside, backing away from the Prince.

 

"That's enough!  Knock it off and listen damn it!  She's DEAD, and you can't bring her back!  So stop this self-pitying and listen to me!  I give the orders got it?" Vegeta hollered at him.

 

"Sire… please… I must have my revenge," he stammered.

 

"Idiot," he growled.  "I won't ask again! Stand down!  I swear to you that she will be avenged but we've wasted ENOUGH time with your ranting!  I'm anxious to return to the ship and see what remains of this mess!"

 

"Napa, please, you must listen to him.  You must be patient, for Legendary's sake.  This isn't the way!" Radditzu grunted as he advanced on his comrade.

 

"Stay back.  I'll deal with him.  He's gone insane.  I was afraid of this," the Prince grunted as he motioned Radditzu to stay back.  The Third class backed away, standing near one of the space pods that lay in a cluster of three.

 

Nappa saw the burning anger in his prince's eyes.  Slowly he dropped to the ground, huddling as his rage dissipated.  He knew the glowing radiance from the Prince's two fingers could drill a hole in his chest easily.  Deciding duty was more important then revenge; he dropped into a submissive salute.

 

"Sire, I yield, and beg your forgiveness," said Napa in a broken sob.

 

"That's better.  Now get up, and pull yourself together.  Stop groveling like a worm and remember your pride.  I want you to take whatever things remain and clear this mess while I communicate with your superiors.  Hopefully THAT wasn't a cock up."

 

"I planted the seed," said Radditzu quietly.  "Your majesty.  I'm sure that once it germinates."

 

"That idiot Turles always DID take too much time to do a job.  But at least he doesn’t' make a MESS.  You could learn from him, Nappa.  I want to speak to him when this is through.  I'll go meet with him, and see the state of affairs. Why does he insist on radio silence? Will it make any difference?" the Prince snorted, kicking aside a detached head.  It rolled over and over, landing against Raditzu's boot.

 

"Alvegasei is no more," said Radditzu with a deathly quiet stare.  "I'm afraid our Master has found out our plan, and taken his revenge."

 

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Vegeta hollered at him.

 

"Because you were busy with Napa.  I just got an automated distress to stay away from the homeworld.  And I've been trying to reach Commander Turles but I can't get through…"

 

"You and I will settle things here.  You will go see if you can get a clearer signal with the pod equipment while I make sure Napa's going to behave.  Then you'll report back on my behalf and have him come here.  I need to speak to him myself.  And see if there's any hope of retrieving this sorry mess that this idiot Paragus has made in my absence," Vegeta mumbled. 

 

Radditzu bowed his head, glad to have something to do.  A horrible gaping hole filled his soul, telling him of a great loss.  Although he had been angry with his father when they left, something told him that there would be no more time for reconciliation.  When he sought his father's voice in his head all he got was emptiness.

 

"Father," Radditzu whispered, swallowing hard.  He glanced up at the stars, throwing himself upwards towards the main city complex.  He'd seen a communications relay there, which could cut through the static jamming Turles frequency and signal him to come here.

 

***