DRAGON BALL Z
AT ANY COST
CHAPTER I: THE LOST LORD
BY
Sgamer82
The Star Cluster is, as it name implies, a cluster of over 50 stars. Whether or not it is a natural phenomenon has been debated by the scholars of the Universe for millennia. It circles the Galaxies like the moon of a planet. But its orbit is erratic, always changing. This orbit makes it all but impossible to trace where the Cluster is going or where it's been. Its existence is only known due to random sightings of starfarers who claim to see dozens of stars in close proximity. The heat at the center of these fifty stars is so great it has yet to be accurately calculated by astronomers.
There are, as with all things unknown, legends and myths surrounding the Star Cluster. And one such legend has brought a ship from the Pola Empire to this place of mystery.
LOCATION:
Ten Light Years from the Star Cluster in the Western Galaxy
Subra, High Priest of the once glorious Pola Empire, stared at the Star Cluster in awe. Not only was the sight more amazing than he had dared dream, but it means the manuscripts he had found could indeed be true. Ever since the Battle of Kelvi, the Pola Empire had been going downhill. There were numerous revolts by slave races that had heard of the success of the Tsrufaiya. The Tsrufaiya, the Saiyan sub-race that defeated the late Queen Iciicla, had themselves been harassing the Pola. Attacking military outposts, assisting in slave revolts, and even recruiting other races into their ranks.
The successor to Queen Iciicla, Fridgardo, was doing nothing to stop them. He thought sooner or later the monkeys would realize the Pola were invincible and return to their place as slaves. Subra knew this would never happen, the Tsrufaiya were just like their Saiyan cousins, and they would fight until either they or the Pola Empire were destroyed. Subra also knew that the idiot Frigardo would never realize this on his own. Subra had to seek help for the empire, and the only way he could think of to get it was to seek out the Lost Lord. The first King of the Pola race.
He had learned of documents concerning The Lost Lord in the Imperial Library. But he had doubted their truth, for they had given an exact time and place where the Star Cluster could be found. A thousands year old document that claimed to place the unplaceable would have been thrown out by Subra in a second. However, he was desperate to find the Lost Lord and this was, indeed, the first solid lead he had encountered. And now Subra knew that the time of Prophecy was at hand. That the coming days would either renew the Pola's greatness or doom them forever.
Compared to definite destruction with Frigardo as the leader of the Empire, it was a bet worth making.
* * * * *
The disc-shaped Pola ship got closer to the Star Cluster. When it had reached the range Subra desired, it launched several projectiles into the stars making up the Cluster.
The projectiles were Nova Bombs, Explosives with the power to destroy entire star systems by obliterating the system's sun. Each bomb was aimed at a star of the Cluster. Fifty bombs for fifty stars. Each one found its mark. Several giant explosions littered space as the Star Cluster went nova. In a matter of seconds, one of the greatest mysteries of the universe was destroyed.
* * * * *
When the powerful glare of the exploding stars had finally faded, Subra had all of the ship's sensors focused onto what was once the Star Cluster. For several hours the scanners read nothing. But eventually, the scanners spotted a life form out there.
Amazing! Thought Subra, It is true! It took some time for the scanners to find the life form's exact location. When they did Subra looked at the location they noted through the windows. When Subra finally found what the scanners saw, he was awestruck.
Floating in the field of stars was a six-foot long reptilian creature. It was black as space, and wore what seemed to be gray body armor with markings on the right chestplate.
Subra knew, at that moment, the Lost Lord had been found.
END OF CHAPTER I