"Hah, this is what you brought me, Nappa? You thought a weak low-class would be able to train-AGRH!"
The high-pitched taunt was cut off as a foot slammed into a short boy's face, sending him flying across the training room and skidding to a stop. He slammed into the reinforced wall with a loud 'thud,' and then crumpled to the ground in a heap. Prince Vegeta shoved himself to his feet, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip as he glared at Bardock, who was standing across the room with a smirk on his face.
Vegeta looked exactly as I remembered him, as he was pretty much a tinier version of the Vegeta from the show - he had a small, yet muscular, body with spikey hair, and he even already had a widow's peak. Across from him, Bardock's arms were crossed over his chest as his eyes locked with Vegeta's, and he reached up, casually wiping a bit of blood off his own face.
"Talking when you should be focused on fighting is a quick way to die, Prince," Bardock called out, his voice laced with a smugness that only served to make Vegeta's glare intensify, "You're strong, but not very smart, eh?"
"S-SHUT UP, YOU LOW-CLASS!" Vegeta screamed in response, his body tensing as he launched forward towards Bardock again.
I chuckled as I watched from the side of the room, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed as well. It had been two days since I first met with Bardock, and now, for the first time, Vegeta was getting to train with the low-class Saiyan. And, unfortunately for the Prince, it wasn't going like he wanted it to. Bardock was far weaker in power level, but the difference in skill between them was astronomical.
So far in the battle, Vegeta had managed to land a few blows with his overwhelming strength, but for the most part, Bardock was dodging and weaving through Vegeta's wild attacks with an ease that was honestly a bit embarrassing for the future king. Vegeta's attacks were powerful, yes, but they were also wild, sloppy, and predictable. He relied on brute force and on overwhelming his opponent with raw power. It was a common flaw for a young, powerful Saiyan like Vegeta, as he had never truly needed to learn how to fight properly. He had never faced an opponent whom he couldn't simply overpower, and he had never had to truly fight with his life on the line.
Vegeta was born powerful, but he was also born with a golden spoon in his mouth - he was pampered, to the point that his trainer was me, Nappa, who was one of the strongest Saiyan elites. But Bardock was different. He was a survivor, as he had spent his life on the front lines, fighting against opponents who were often stronger than him since he was a child. Instead of fighting against Saibamen in a controlled, riskless environment, he had been fighting with his life on the line as he conquered entire planets. He had learned how to fight smart, how to use his opponent's strength against them, and how to exploit their weaknesses.
"I'm going to tear you apart, you worm!" Vegeta roared as he launched a flurry of punches and kicks at Bardock, who simply sidestepped and ducked under each attack with a smirk.
Vegeta grew increasingly frustrated over the next minute, as Bardock dodged every blow, and would occasionally throw a counter-punch or kick of his own, and while they were weak compared to Vegeta's, they were precise and well-placed. They were aimed at the gaps in Vegeta's defense - which was currently damn-near nonexistent - and came at the most annoying times possible. Each blow landed time after time, and while they didn't have the force to send Vegeta flying, they were clearly annoying him and wearing him down. It was like watching a wasp annoy a bear, and I was enjoying the show immensely.
I knew that this was exactly what Vegeta needed. This was a training he couldn't get anywhere else - not with the simple, predictable Saibamen, nor with any Saiyan Elite. His status as the Prince meant that, even if we were Saiyans, no one would go too far against him. Our race was brutal and cruel, but we weren't stupid. No Elite would dare to give Vegeta a real-deal ass-whooping out of fear of gaining King Vegeta's ire.
But, Bardock? A low-class Saiyan who didn't fight with any fancy style, but simply to survive? A man who had grown up in the slums, and who spent his days experiencing the real, true barbaric nature of our race?
He didn't give a shit about Vegeta being the Prince. If anything, he seemed to be enjoying this because Vegeta was the Prince.
"You'll have to be faster than that, your highness," Bardock taunted again, ducking under a wild right hook from Vegeta and responding with a quick jab to the prince's ribs, "All that power, and you don't even know how to use it. If I had your strength, then I'd be an Elite too, you know? Do you think you're special just because you got born lucky?"
"AHHH!" Vegeta screamed in frustration, lunging forward with a powerful punch that shook the very air as it flew towards Bardock.
This punch was different from the others, as it was faster and wilder, and it was clear that Vegeta was putting all of his frustration and anger into it. But it was still a wild, predictable blow, regardless of the force behind it. Bardock saw it coming from a mile away, and he simply sidestepped it, letting the punch fly past him and slam into the reinforced wall behind him. The wall cratered under the force of the blow, and dust filled the air as Vegeta's fist was buried deep within the metallic material.
Before Vegeta could pull his fist out of the wall, Bardock moved. In a split second, he was in front of the huffing Vegeta, and his leg shot upward, slamming into the prince's jaw with a loud 'crack' sound. Vegeta's head snapped back, and he stumbled backwards as a spray of blood flew from his mouth.
"Is that all the pride of our race has to offer?" Bardock asked, a wide grin on his face as he watched Vegeta stumble, "A temper tantrum and a few wild swings? I'm disappointed! I was hoping for a real fight! Or is beating up Saibamen all you can do?"
Simply put, Bardock was perfect for this because he would give Vegeta what any true warrior needed. He would ragebait the fuck out of him. Only then could he learn not to lose himself in his anger every time someone taunted him, and thus also learn to not be a complete moron.
"SHUT UP YOU BASTARDDDDD!" And, clearly, it was working, as Vegeta screamed in rage and flung himself at Bardock again.
"We're not going to get in trouble for this, right? He seems really mad..." I glanced to my side as a female voice spoke, taking in the form of Fasha, one of Bardock's squad members, who was standing next to me as she also watched the sparring match - which was less of a spar and more of a beatdown right now.
"You'll be fine. I'll ensure nothing happens," I cut off her worries casually, smirking at the sight of Vegeta and Bardock going at it, "Trust me, the Prince isn't the type to go and cry to his father about something like this."
I had been a bit concerned about that at first, as I worried that Vegeta would complain to the King about being forced to train with low-class Saiyans, and thus get me in trouble. I was one of the top-level Elites that King Vegeta actually gave a shit about, but I wasn't immune from his ire if Vegeta complained enough. My position as the Prince's trainer was pretty secure, but it wasn't like I was bestfriends with King Vegeta or anything - a direct complaint from the Prince could easily see me replaced. There were plenty of other Elites who would jump at the chance to curry favor with the King by taking my place. I had walked a fine line by bringing in a squad of low-class Saiyans, and I knew it.
But my gamble had paid off in more ways than one. Because Vegeta's pride was, and always had been, both his greatest strength and his most exploitable weakness. He would rather die, or in this case get his ass beat by a low-class, than admit to his father that he couldn't handle it. Complaining to King Vegeta would be the same as admitting defeat, and that was something the Prince would never do. He was too proud, too arrogant, and too convinced of his own superiority to ever ask for help - especially over a low-class. He would see it as a sign of weakness and a stain on his pride that he had to complain to his father about a mere low-class being able to defeat him. He would rather suffer in silence and spend every moment training to surpass Bardock than admit that he needed help. He was a true Saiyan in that regard, and that pride was a double-edged sword.
And, as I watched Vegeta's wild, sloppy, and anger-fueled assault on Bardock - which was very unsuccessful, as expected - I knew my bet was paying off. The Prince was learning a lesson he couldn't get from any Saibaman or any Elite too scared to truly challenge him - he was learning humility. Or, well, he was learning how not to be a complete idiot in a fight when someone gets in his head. He was learning that raw power wasn't everything, and that a skilled, weaker opponent could still defeat a stronger, overly confident one. Most importantly, he was overall just learning how to genuinely fight.
"If you say so. It was really ballsy of you to even try this," Fasha hummed at my slide, then glanced over at me with a smirk as her arm rose, and her hand rested daintily on my muscular arm, "I like that, y'know? I've always been into muscular guys, too. I've heard you go to a nearby bar a lot, right? How about we go get drinks tonight, and then you can show me how luxurious an Elite's house is after!"
I gave Fasha a bland look. The woman was built the same way that many Saiyan women were, as she had smaller breasts from intense training that emphasized her pectorals, but a huge and meaty ass from the same training that made her lower body stand out. Saiyan culture just tended to guide the women towards this body type, as constantly training their upperbody caused their pecs to grow bigger - and thus make their breasts stand out less - while lowerbody training made their rears stand out far more. She was definitely attractive - hell, she was actually insanely attractive, as she had a beautiful face that was framed nicely by her short hair - but right now, it felt shallow.
I knew I shouldn't be caught up in the past, as I had left my old body behind me, but as she reminded me physically of Cassa, I simply brushed her arm off.
"I don't do hookups," I said simply, and her smirk faltered in surprise as her arm was pushed away.
"What? You... don't do hookups?" Fasha's eyebrows shot up in disbelief, staring at me as if I had just said something insane, "But... every Saiyan is always itching to have sex! Are... Are you into men?"
"No," I replied dryly, keeping my answer short and to the point, though I could understand why she was surprised.
Saiyans were a lustful race, and for us, sex was as common as eating or training. I thought that hook-up culture in my past life was pretty prevalent, and pretty gross at times, but Saiyan's took it to a whole different level. Most Saiyans weren't in a relationship - not a closed one, anyway. They'd sleep around all they wanted, as a race of warriors who were bursting with testosterone were bound to seek a way to let out their built-up urges.
I was once again reminded of how lucky I'd been with Rota's body being the one I'd taken, as Cassa was one of the few Saiyan women who was content with a single boyfriend, and not searching for sex outside of that relationship.
"I just don't care for it," I shrugged as Fasha was still staring at me like I was crazy, with her jaw literally hanging open, "I'm interested in love, not shallow pleasure."
This was something that had carried over from my first life - the one before I was reborn in this world - as it was something that wouldn't change. Sex was fun and pleasurable, but doing it with just any random woman you met at the bar felt shallow. I had felt strange in that sense, as everyone in that life had glorified sex to such a high degree, and yet I hadn't cared for it outside of a relationship. Now that I was a Saiyan, that strange feeling had been multiplied a hundred times over, as sex in the low-class districts was so common that you could even find people fucking openly on the streets.
"Well... I agree, actually," I blinked, taken aback as I glanced over at Fasha, who was blushing slightly as she scratched at her cheek sheepishly, "I was never into that type of stuff either. I've never actually had sex before, and I was saving myself for someone I really loved, but- ah, that's stupid! Forget I said anything! it's just, um... You're pretty good-looking, and you're in tight with the King, so I figured I should try something, you know? I don't know if I'll ever meet someone I really love anyway, so it was worth a shot to gain some status, right? Haha... ha..."
I stared blankly at Fasha for a moment, taking in her words as she trailed off with an awkward fake laugh, and then I chuckled. As I did, her face tensed, and she puffed out her cheeks as she glared at me, clearly thinking I was laughing at her virgin confession, even as I wasn't.
Instead, I was chuckling as I realized that this world truly is a strange place. I figured that a woman as attractive as Fasha had plenty of men crawling over her, and yet, she was still a virgin - something which I didn't think I'd ever see. In this society, on this planet, and with this race of warriors, that just wasn't something I imagined. Hell, I had seen Saiyan men and women hooking up in the most bizarre of ways since I had come to this world - in one instance, I had literally seen a Saiyan woman just walk up to a man in the middle of the street, kiss him, and then pull him into an alleyway. From the noises coming from that alleyway, I could only assume what had happened next.
But, as I thought about it more, I couldn't blame them. Saiyan society was a meat grinder for the weak - those who were born weak would die young, and those who were born strong would live long enough to see their children die young. There was no room for romance or love in such a society, as death was always lurking around the corner - it was always a risk that came with every mission, or even just from an angry Elite deciding they wanted to vent, and you being the unlucky person they vented their frustration on. To a Saiyan, life was short and brutal, and they had to make the most of it. Sex was a way to do that, as it was a way to feel alive in a world that was constantly trying to kill you.
But, even more than that, I was laughing at myself - or, more specifically, at Nappa. That this meathead had somehow managed to get himself into such a valuable, sought-after position of power that something like this could happen. That someone like Fasha, a rare instance of a Saiyan woman saving herself for a man she truly loved, would chuck that out the window at the chance to experience the Elite lifestyle with me. Truly, even in this fantasy world, life was cruel.
"Shut up! Don't laugh at me!" Fasha snapped, her glare intensifying as I continued to chuckle at her expense. She reached up, and her hand shot towards my face, but I caught it easily, my massive hand wrapping around her smaller one.
"I'm not laughing at you," I said, my tone softening as I looked down at her with a grin, "I'm laughing at this world. It's a strange place, isn't it?"
Fasha's anger softened into confusion as she stared up at me, her glare fading away as she tried to process my words. She was expecting me to mock her, or to push her away, or to laugh at her for being a virgin, but instead, I was being... gentle? Kind? It was probably a strange sight for her, seeing a Saiyan Elite, especially one as large and imposing as me, act this way.
"What are you talking about?" She asked, her voice softening as she looked at me with wide, curious eyes.
"It's funny, right? That in a world full of warriors, where everyone is living and loving like any mission could be their last, there are still idiots like us. Idiots that want real love, and who would rather risk dying as virgins than losing our morals for pleasure," I shook my head as I let go of her wrist and grinned down at her, "I just thought it was funny to meet a fellow idiot."
Fasha blinked at my words, staring up at me blankly for a moment, her eyes locked with mine. Her cheeks started to turn red as she blushed, and I quickly turned away, clearing my throat before she could respond.
"Never mind, forget my words," I grunted, realizing I was being a bit too un-Nappa-like right now, "Just, focus on the spar. You'll be the Prince's sparring partner next, alright?"
"I-I am?! No way, he's way too strong! Damn it, what did Bardock get us into?!" Fasha's blush quickly faded away, though she gave me one final soft look before she huffed and glared at Bardock, who was still battering the Prince as he dodged the anger-filled and seemingly never-ending assault.
But, as I glanced back over to Fasha, I couldn't help but feel my heart throb a bit. I knew it was wrong to think like this, but in that moment, she reminded me of Cassa in more than just the looks department. It was unfair to Cassa to think like that, but right now, I wasn't Rota anymore. I was in a new life, where I'd never be able to be by Cassa's side again. And, right now, despite all the friends Nappa had, this new life was incredibly lonely.
For just a split second, I regretted turning down her offer a minute earlier. Then, I simply ripped my gaze away, looking back at the training in front of me. Now wasn't the time to be sentimental.
Saiyan life was hard. It was brutal. It was a life of fighting, and in a world of fighting, such emotions would only get in the way.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Commander Bage," I called out casually, approaching a man who was casually sitting behind a desk, his posture lazy as he glanced up at me. I had been meaning to do this for the past few days, but now was the first chance I'd gotten, as we'd been busy with training.
He was a Saiyan with short, spiky black hair that was faded on both sides, leaving only a mop of hair on top that was styled forward. His head was long, with a strong jawline and high cheekbones that gave him a gaunt, almost predatory look. He had a muscular body, but not in the bulky way of most Saiyans. Instead, his build was lean with a compact strength that made him look almost like a spring - as if his lazy body could become a killing machine at the drop of a hat. His armor was different too, as it looked like typical Saiyan armor, but it was marked with a symbol on the left breastplate - a circle with a stylized 'C' inside it.
"Nappa," Bage's face turned into a large grin, and he stood up from his chair as he held out an arm towards me, "Drop the 'commander,' will you? It makes me nervous to see you talking all stuffy like that!"
His voice was strange, as it had a bit of a southern drawl to it, and when I had first met him, I had questioned if there was a Planet Vegeta equivalent of the South.
"Ha!" I grinned widely back, doing my best to be as Nappa-like as I could while I stretched out my arm, my hand slapping into his with a firm handshake, "I heard you killed a man for missing the 'commander' part the other day!"
That wasn't a lie either - the man in front of me was someone I didn't recognize from my prior knowledge about this world, but he was incredibly dangerous and someone with a short fuse. He was one of the biggest offenders as far as 'Elite's blowing off steam by beating the fuck out of low-classes' went.
"Hah, that was just some low-class bastard who came back complaining about his mission! Something about his whole squad dying on it or somethin,'" Bage wrinkled his nose in disgust at the very idea of the man he had killed, "He was screaming at me as if we haven't all been on difficult missions! If he wanted his squad to survive, then he should've been stronger, right, Nappa?"
"I couldn't agree more," I nodded, though I definitely could've agreed more in reality, as Bage's words were cold and ruthless. But I didn't voice that opinion, because it wasn't something Nappa would say.
"So, what did you come find me at work for? I usually don't see you unless it's at the bar!" Bage asked, a grin replacing his annoyed expression as he turned his focus back to me.
He walked back around his desk and then plopped back down into his chair with a lazy slump. He then gestured to the chair opposite him, which I gratefully took, as I didn't like towering over everyone, since it made me feel a bit like an oaf - which Nappa definitely was, and I needed to act like at times, but it wasn't a feeling I enjoyed all that much.
"I need a favor," I said bluntly, getting straight to the point as I always did with Bage, as I knew he didn't like beating around the bush.
"A favor? You need to borrow some money or somethin'?" He grinned at me, though we both knew I didn't need to borrow money.
I was one of the highest-ranking Elites, and thus had a lot of money coming my way - even if I didn't need it. As one of the strongest Saiyan Elites, the currency on Planet Vegeta was pretty much useless to me. I had enough power to take whatever I wanted, and unless I was doing something to piss off King Vegeta or another Elite, no one would say a thing about it. In this world, power was all the currency you needed.
Beyond that, I already had a luxurious home, and the bartender at the bar Nappa frequented was too good of friends with him to ever demand payment. Right now, money didn't matter. I was more concerned with my survival and with ensuring that the people I cared about survived as well.
Right now, I had a request that only this man could fulfill. Bage was a longtime friend of Nappa, who was now me, so we had a certain level of trust between us - as much trust as two ruthless Saiyan warriors could have, anyway. I needed to use that trust to get what I wanted, which was to send a specific squad on a long-term mission. I needed to get them off of Planet Vegeta before it was destroyed, and Bage was the only one who could make that happen.
He was a Saiyan who was hard to get along with at times, but right now, I was very glad that Nappa had spent years building a friendship with him. I had struggled to maintain that friendship a bit, as Bage was a bit of a hardass, and went beyond even the typical cruelty of a Saiyan. He was a friend who frequented the same bar I did, which I had to go to daily to ensure I didn't look suspicious since Nappa had been going for years, but he was also one of the 3 commanders of the 'Saiyan Army' - which, essentially, meant he was one of the commanders of most of the Saiyan race. Aside from a small portion of the population who focused on non-fighting jobs, like the Bookkeeper, or the doctors who managed the infants and healing pods, pretty much every Saiyan was part of the army that served King Vegeta - who, in turn, served Frieza.
As one of the commanders, Bage was, essentially, a glorified mission distributor. He worked directly with King Vegeta and even high-ups in the Frieza Force to decide which squads would be sent on which missions, and on any rewards they would get. He was also one of the three men with the final say in who became a mid-class or Elite through promotion, though when I had been Rota, Dakon had asked a different commander for permission to promote me. I hadn't realized how much of a blessing that was, as I doubted someone like Bage, who looked down heavily on lower-class Saiyans, would've let me be promoted easily.
"I don't need your money, Bage," I scoffed, leaning forward in my chair as I looked at him, "I need you to do something for me. Something... that's off the books."
Bage's grin widened, and he leaned forward as well, his eyes gleaming with interest, "Off the books? Usually, I'd kill someone for asking something like that, but if it's you... I'm interested. What is it, Nappa? You finally decided to kill King Vegeta and take the throne for yourself? If so, then count me in! I've always wanted to see what it feels like to be the king!"
He was joking, mostly, but there was a hint of seriousness in his words that told me he would indeed join me if I decided to do that. Bage was a loyal friend to Nappa, but he was also a ruthless Saiyan who was always looking for a way to climb to the top. He was a man who had once been a low-class himself, and was a rare instance of a Saiyan with enough talent and determination to rise through the ranks on the basis of his own strength. He was a dangerous man, but he was also a useful one, which was why he was the perfect friend to have on this planet.
"It's nothing that drastic," I shook my head, a smirk on my face as I looked at him, "I need you to send a squad on a mission. A long-term mission."
Bage's grin faded a bit, replaced by a look of confusion, "A mission?"
"Yes," I nodded, keeping my expression neutral, "Squad 775. I want them off this planet for a long, long time."
It was a bit of a gamble to personally request this from Bage, but it was one that I was willing to take. I couldn't personally help Cassa or my old squad, as right now, I was the man who killed Rota. I was their enemy. Instead, all I could do was use my authority and connections in this body to try to help them.
Bage stared at me for a moment, his expression shifting from confusion to amusement. He leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Squad 775? If it's 775, then it'll be... let me guess, they're a mid-class squad, right? Why do you care about a bunch of weaklings like that? I heard you even brought in some low-class weaklings to train with the Prince lately..." Bage's expression shifted again, becoming serious as his eyes sharpened, and then narrowed at me, "If it were anyone else, I'd have busted into that training room myself after I heard about that. Since it's you... I'll just ask. You've been acting a bit strange lately. Are you growing soft, Nappa?"
"Not in the slightest," I replied, my eyes boring into his as I did my best to give nothing away about the nervousness that crept up at his accusations, "If you knew who these low-classes were, then you wouldn't have a problem. I chose them because their leader reminded me of you."
Luckily, through meeting with Bage so many times in the bar, I knew a lot about him. In essence, Bage was like a self-made billionaire - a man who had once been in the slums of low-class, and a man who had seen his squad members die around him as he fought tooth and nail to survive. That was the reason he looked down on low-class Saiyans so much - because he had once been one, but he had climbed the ladder. He had seen the process with his own eyes and had taken fate into his own hands as he clawed his way to become an Elite. For a man who had been at the bottom and crawled all the way to the top, he despised the others at the bottom who didn't do the same. He saw them as weak and lazy. He had the talent, the drive, and the greed to strive for the top, and he hated that all the others at the bottom didn't have that same grit. He looked down on them because they couldn't do what he had.
"They... reminded you of me?" Bage raised an eyebrow at me, and I simply nodded.
"A man named Bardock. He's a low-class, but he had the power of a mid-class, and the balls to become an Elite," I continued, causing Bage's eyes to widen a bit in interest, "The only reason he hasn't is because of his squad. He values them more than his own life, and won't abandon them for the chance to rise in the ranks. He's an interesting Saiyan, isn't he?"
Bage stared back at me for a moment, not saying anything, and then slowly his lips curved into a grin, "Ha, if you say so. Then, about this squad you want sent on a mission?"
"They pissed me off," I said, my grin turning cruel as I leaned forward again, my large frame making the chair creak, "A brat named Rota. He said something to piss me off, so I killed him on the spot, but the rest of the squad... they pissed me off, too, so I won't let them off easy. I want them gone. I want them sent on a mission so long and so boring that they'll wish they were dead by the end of it."
My words were blatant lies, but I needed to convince Bage that I wasn't doing this because I cared about them. I was Nappa - I was a Saiyan Elite. Bringing in Bardock's squad was already pushing it, and admitting that I wanted to send out a random mid-class squad on a long mission to 'protect them' from something Bage didn't know was coming would be far too suspicious. Instead, Bage needed to think I was doing this out of spite - that I was doing this to punish them, and not to save them.
This was the best bet I had - to send my old squad on a long mission. If it were a simple conquest mission, then they could complete it in mere days and return. I didn't know just how long it would be until Frieza decided to end our race and destroy this planet, so I couldn't risk that. I needed them on a mission - a long mission that would take years to complete. But long missions were long for a reason: They were dangerous. I needed them to be sent on a long mission, but one that wasn't overly dangerous.
"I've already spoken with the Bookkeeper, and he told me of a perfect place to send them," I continued, lying again, as the Bookkeeper had nothing to do with the planet I chose, "I want them sent to a planet called Namek."
This was the perfect solution that I had come up with - Namek. It was a peaceful planet for the most part, with the only danger there being the climate shift that had once wiped out most of the Namekians, but which would've taken place hundreds of years ago. Right now, the planet would be pretty similar to how the Z-Fighters found it when they arrived, if a couple of decades earlier. There were some powerful fighters there, such as Nail, who could kill the squad, but I had an idea for that as well.
"Eh, a planet called Namek? Never heard of it," Bage just shrugged at my words, and I continued.
"We don't have much intel on it, just that there's a rumor about a bunch of magical wish-granting balls being there," I chuckled, my tone rising as I spoke as if the idea of wish-granting balls was ridiculous, "The Bookkeeper says there's some quest the inhabitants will send you on so you can use them. I want them to play nice with the inhabitants and complete whatever trials they have to get access to these balls. I want a full report on whether this wish bullshit is for real or not, and they can't come back until they have proof, one way or another."
While the Namekian Warriors could very well kill Cassa and the rest of the squad if they tried to conquer the planet, I could ensure this wasn't a conquest mission. It wasn't like Frieza or King Vegeta knew of Namek's existence - no one did, except for me, and now Bage. He could send the squad there with the orders to be friendly with the Namekians, who were an overall peaceful race. They wouldn't attack the squad as long as the squad didn't attack them. Then, they'd be caught up on Namek for at least a year, if not more, going around and proving themselves in the various Namekian village trials before being given access to the Dragon Balls.
That was when this became a bit of a gamble - the Dragon Balls themselves. It wasn't like they could just wish to kill me and avenge Rota, as the dragon wasn't that powerful, but they could definitely make some wishes that would fuck me over. In the end, I'd just have to hope that they didn't try to use the wishes against me and instead used them to benefit themselves. I could potentially be betting my life on such a hope, but to give them a chance to survive the destruction of Planet Vegeta, I was willing to do so.
Bage stared at me for a moment, his eyes blank, and for a moment, I thought he was going to refuse me. But then, he threw his head back and let out a loud, booming laugh that echoed through the office. He laughed for a long moment, slapping his knee as he did.
"Hah! This is why I like you, Nappa!" He exclaimed, his grin stretching across his face, "Sending a squad of proud Saiyan warriors to a planet to play nice and do trials? That's torture! That's the worst thing you could do to them! It's perfect for a group of mid-classes who pissed you off!"
He continued to chuckle for a moment, then he looked at me, and I saw the mischievous gleam in his eye. I could tell he liked my idea. He liked it a lot.
"But... I don't know if I can do it," I blinked as, despite seemingly being intrigued by my request, Bage shook his head lightly, "Not right now, at least. There's been an order from Frieza himself to the commanders - an order to not send out anyone on missions for the time being. He even sent out an order to recall anyone currently on missions, regardless of their estimated time or importance. I guess he wants to take a headcount of the Saiyans on the planet or somethin'. Maybe he's got new scouters again, like when he first took over for King Cold?"
As he spoke, I froze, my mind whirling for a moment. A direct order from Frieza to not send out anyone on missions? Not only that, but to recall everyone who was currently out on a mission?
That definitely wasn't because he wanted a headcount, nor because he had new scouters for us. There was only one reason Frieza would do that.
The time had come. Frieza was going to destroy Planet Vegeta, and he was going to do it soon.
But that led me to another issue - Planet Vegeta was about to be destroyed, and yet, I was still here, as was Prince Vegeta. Vegeta was out on a mission when Planet Vegeta was destroyed, which was the reason that he had survived in the first place. Right now, I had to assume that something I did had changed that fact.
The reason Vegeta was on the mission was different depending on what source of my prior knowledge I decided to trust - in the Bardock special, Vegeta had personally requested to be sent on a mission shortly before Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta. If that was the reason Vegeta had been gone, then the fact that I had brought in Bardock to train with Vegeta could have changed that. Now, Vegeta wasn't bored with easily defeating Saibamen, so he didn't barge into Frieza's throne room to request a mission as a result.
The other source I could trust was the Super Broly movie, which showed Vegeta already being out on a mission when the recall order came in, and he simply ignored it. Considering my current situation, that didn't seem to be the case, as Vegeta would've already been sent on the mission. He clearly hadn't been, as the recall order had been sent out, but we were both still on Planet Vegeta.
Either way, this meant that my time limit had run out. I didn't know how long Frieza would wait for the Saiyans to be recalled back, but that could be anywhere from a couple of weeks to mere days. Overall, I needed to find a way off of Planet Vegeta, and I needed to do it quickly. Luckily, I hadn't just been focusing on training myself and Vegeta solely for the past few weeks, so I had a backup plan for if anything didn't go as I expected it to.
"You can sneak them out anyway, can't you?" I pressed, raising an eyebrow at Bage.
Stealing a Saiyan pod wasn't nearly as easy as Bardock made it seem in the movie, as I had done a bit of digging and found out that every pod was kept track of, and anyone who stole one would be quickly found out. Then, they'd be hounded down, either by Saiyans or by the Frieza Force, so they wouldn't get far. If Frieza hadn't just destroyed Planet Vegeta immediately after Bardock sent Goku away on a stolen one, then he likely would've been tracked down pretty quickly.
But, for Bage? One of the commanders, and one of the few people who could directly order someone to be given access to a Saiyan pod? He could get away with it, and no one would question his authority on the matter.
"You want me to risk my neck just so you can get revenge on a bunch of weaklings?" Bage huffed, looking at me dryly, but just as I thought he was going to refuse, a large grin spread across his face, "Hah! You really are a funny guy, Nappa! I'll do it, if only so I can feel like I'm doing something to go against that arrogant fucker, Frieza, for once!"
"I appreciate it, Bage," I grinned back at him, but then raised an eyebrow at him, "Also, do you know when Frieza wants everyone recalled by?"
"He said to recall everyone immediately, but with some missions taking place on faraway planets, the recall won't be finished for around a week," Bage answered casually, "For some reason, he seems to really want everyone here, so I bet he'll wait two weeks to ensure everyone has returned."
Two weeks. I had two weeks before Planet Vegeta was destroyed.
I had managed to secure a path out for my old squad, but now, I had to secure a way to survive for myself.
Luckily, even if Frieza didn't send us on a last-second mission to ensure Prince Vegeta survived, I knew exactly where we could go.
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"Bookkeeper," I called out, waving a hand casually as I strode through the halls of King Vegeta's palace and approached a familiar man.
"Ah, Sir Nappa! Wonderful to see you again," The man grinned widely back, "What can I do for you?"
"I just need you to find another Saiyan for me," I answered, causing him to raise an eyebrow at me.
"I can do that. Who do you need to find?" He quickly closed the book sitting on the desk he was standing behind, and moved to look at the massive, towering bookshelves around us.
"It's an infant, this time," I told him, which caused him to blink in surprise.
"An infant? For what reason?" He asked, but he quickly stiffened as I simply narrowed my eyes at him.
"Unimportant. I just need you to tell me where this infant is," I pressed, and he nodded quickly.
"O-Of course, sir! What's their name?" He asked, looking at me curiously.
Slowly, my lips twitched up into a small grin as my eyes locked with his.
"Broly."
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AN: Thanks for reading! Sorry for the gap in updates, but this will be updated more frequently again! I've recently cut down on which stories I'm writing, so along with I Was Reincarnated As Frieza, The Champion Just Wants A Good Fight, and The Fisherman, I'll be updating this one consistently.
And, as always, this story is updated twice as often on Patreon.com/Koyon ! There are 3 more chapters posted there already!