The Frieza Saga...
Five terrified nameks stepped timidly out of their home: the children cowering behind the village elder - with good reason. Before them stood the all-powerful Frieza, along with Dodoria, Zarbon, Nashi, and a handful of other henchmen. It took little time to acquire the fifth dragonball. Unfortunately, during this time, other namekians came in to defend their village. Dodoria quickly eliminated these few, but the elder took this time to destroy the remaining scouters - making it almost impossible to find the remaining dragonballs. For this, the elder paid with his life. Dodoria then found two namekian children to bully, killing one, which brought some unexpected earthlings to the remaining one's rescue. Frieza ordered Dodoria to eliminate all of the intruders. It was later learned that Vegeta, a former employee of Frieza, may have increased his power, even exceeding 24,000.
Zarbon and Nashi stood by the water's edge, waiting for Dodoria to return. It had been well over an hour since he had been dispatched to destroy the earthlings and namek. Frieza was quickly growing impatient and angered that Dodoria had most likely failed his orders and was delaying the gathering of the remaining dragonballs.
"No matter," Frieza muttered. "Dodoria was expendable. All that really matters are the dragonballs." He turned to Nashi. "Nashi, you've just been promoted - don't disappoint me."
"No, of course not, Master Frieza," Nashi said as Frieza turned away from them again. She looked to him a moment longer, considering what had just occurred and what he had just said about Dodoria.
"Zarbon, I want you to find me the rest of those dragonballs. I'll be waiting at the ship for you with these five." Zarbon nodded his head as he and Oren, another under Frieza's command, place the three they were holding with the two on the ground beside Frieza. Zarbon, Nashi, and Oren then rose up into the sky.
"I want you two to find out if there are any villages that way. If you find anything, return to me and let me know. Don't try to take on the nameks by yourselves – there are some that are still too strong for you, got it?" Zarbon ordered.
"Yes, sir," replied Oren.
"Right," from Nashi.
"We'll meet back at the spaceship in approximately three hours from now. Head out!"
"This would be a whole lot easier if we had our scouters," Nashi said quietly.
She and Oren had been searching for the better part of an hour and had found nothing.
"Look, over there - that must be it," Oren announced.
They landed on a butte adjacent to a destroyed and still smoking village.
"I don't believe it! A village we haven't even attacked yet and it's already destroyed!" exclaimed a furious Oren.
"Well, it certainly won't hurt to have a look around, especially since we have to report back to Frieza," said Nashi, "unless you want to go back now-"
"Huh, funny..."
Nashi then spotted an injured namek dragging himself to the nearby lake. She flew over and landed in front of him: blocking his way. He looked up: startled and desperate. She knelt down.
"Tell me, who did this?"
"It was a saiya-jin warrior," gasped the wounded namek.
"Named Vegeta?"
"Ungh, the dragonball-"
Suddenly, a blast of energy hit the namekian, killing him. Nashi looked up to find Oren, grinning. He then noticed Nashi's obviously peeved expression.
"What did you just do?" Nashi breathed slowly, trying to control her anger.
"I, uh... y-you found out that Vegeta did this, he took the dragonball-"
"Did it ever occur to you in your simple mind that maybe this namekian knows, no, excuse me, may have known just where that dragonball and Vegeta may be?!?"
"Well, I, uh..."
"Report back to Frieza-sama now, and tell him everything. I was not the one to send you back, though - you did that on your own. Got it?"
Realizing that Nashi practically just sentenced him to death, Oren replied: "Uh, yes Nashi." Oren flew off.
"Baka..." Nashi shook her head. She continued to search the village but found nothing without her scouter. "Oh, boy. This isn't good," she sighed. Nashi flew off to make her own report to Frieza.
Nashi walked to Frieza's main chamber. Just before she was about to enter the door she heard a blast and a scream that was accompanied by Oren's body flying out the door, slamming into the opposite wall. Nashi gulped and entered the room. There she saw Frieza facing the door, obviously infuriated. Zarbon was there as well, his face consumed by disbelief and fear. Frieza spoke:
"And what about you? I hope you have a better report than he did."
"I searched the village - there was nothing there Master Frieza," Nashi replied, unaware of Zarbon's encounter with Vegeta.
Frieza growled. "Zarbon, bring Vegeta to me now. You had better set your hopes on him being alive."
Zarbon nodded quickly, face visibly paled from fear.
"Apuul!" shouted Frieza.
Another creature of Oren's race came into the room. "Yes, sir?"
"Contact the base planet and call for the Ginyu Special Force. Tell them to bring scouters! There's no need to delay things any further." Frieza smiled. "The Ginyu will be here in a few days. Go now!" he ordered. Zarbon and Nashi looked at each other, shocked.
"Uh, yes, Frieza," Apuul ran off. Zarbon turned to Frieza.
"The Ginyu? Forgive me for saying so but I don't think we need them here! I've got the situation under control, you've got to trust me!"
Frieza looked at Zarbon. "I've got a strange feeling about the saiya-jin."
"Nani?"
"A strange feeling?" Nashi asked.
Frieza explained. "For some time now I've felt that there may be a very powerful saiya-jin developing, and now there's a chance that this premonition might be coming true. And it's not just Vegeta who I'm concerned with anymore."
"But the only other saiya-jins besides Vegeta are those earth saiya-jins and they're far inferior to him!" Zarbon said, trying to understand Frieza'a apprehension.
"I can't believe you'd let those weaklings even concern you for a moment Frieza - you're much stronger." Nashi stated.
"So, you both are telling me that I'm given to fantasies, is that correct?"
"No, sir!" they quickly responded.
"I thought so." Frieza turned to Zarbon; "You'd better find Vegeta and bring him before me."
"Uh, yes, sir. Right away!" Zarbon ran off. Frieza then spoke to Nashi.
"Nashi, go get a rejuvenation tank ready for Vegeta when Zarbon returns. I want to know where that dragonball is as soon as possible!"
"Hai, Frieza-sama." Nashi raced off to the recovery room. The Ginyu? Frieza must be serious...
Nashi, Apuul, and Zarbon stood in the recovery room looking at the tank that now held Vegeta.
"Hmph... I never thought that we'd ever be treating the wounds of a traitor," Zarbon said.
"Are you sure that it's wise, Zarbon? I mean, you had to transform to beat him because you were too weak in your normal state - and that's nothing to be proud of. What happens if he tries to escape?" Nashi asked.
"It's Frieza's direct orders that we find the location of that dragonball and we certainly won't find out if he's dead!" snapped Zarbon.
"Hai, Zarbon," Nashi acknowledged.
Apuul turned different knobs and dials, trying to obtain a better reading. Nashi stood behind him, a frown upon her face, also looking at the readings.
"This isn't good at all," grumbled Apuul. Nashi turned as the door behind her slid open, revealing Zarbon. He walked up to Apuul.
"How is he?" Zarbon asked.
"Well, um, hard to say," Apuul said, avoiding the fact that Vegeta wasn't healing.
"His pulse is slowing down - I'm not sure he's getting better," offered Nashi.
"What?! He's got to get better or everyone in this room going to get a lot worse, you got it?" threatened Zarbon.
Apuul gulped, thoroughly shaken. "Uh, yeah." Nashi just looked at Zarbon who was looking into space, obviously thinking. Everyone here means him, as well, and he knows it. Nashi thought. I know he's just following orders, but it makes no sense. Something bad is going to happen if Vegeta heals, I know it...
Zarbon and Nashi stood behind Frieza in the main chamber. Frieza was at his usual hovering altitude, gazing out the dome window.
"So Zarbon, tell me, how is he doing?" Frieza inquired, referring to Vegeta.
"Well, it seems Vegeta should be recovering very soon," he lied. Nashi glanced at Zarbon, not believing that he had just lied to Frieza. Frieza landed softly on the floor, still looking out the window.
"Then you should be grateful," Frieza said, slightly turning his head.
"Uh, yes," nervously agreed Zarbon. Just then an enormous explosion rocked the ship. Nashi nearly lost her footing whereas Zarbon practically fell flat on his face. He spun around to face the direction of the blast, furious.
"What the hell was that?!" he shouted.
"Find out," Frieza ordered. Zarbon took off with Nashi following. Even Frieza raced towards the source of the explosion. They were running through the halls when another blast shook the ship. Nashi was thrown into Zarbon who in turn was thrown into the wall.
"Oh, great! It came from the recovery room!" exclaimed Nashi.
"Well, don't just stand there!" ordered Frieza. All three took off again. Upon reaching the recovery room door, Zarbon opened it to see a chaotic mess. Smoke, glass, and busted machine parts were strewn around everywhere: all coming from the tank that Vegeta formerly occupied. A gaping hole had been blasted into the wall of the ship, exposing the outside.
"He's gone," said Nashi. Zarbon ran to the hole in the wall.
"Impossible!" he said.
"Hurry and go after him! You hear me Zarbon - find him!" Frieza bellowed.
"I'll find him," growled Zarbon, on the brink of a fit of anger.
"You'd better, or you shall regret it dearly."
Zarbon flew out the pre-made exit and searched around the ship.
"Where are you saiya-jin, you couldn't have gotten away so quickly. He must be hiding." Zarbon looked around, finding no trace of Vegeta. "When I get my hands on you..."
Nashi checked for a pulse on Apuul, finding none she began to think. Where would Vegeta go?
"Haven't found him yet, huh, Zarbon?" Frieza quipped, peering out the gap. "I'm giving you one hour to find him, and then I'll make you take responsibility for his escape - and you will die for it!"
Vegeta wouldn't just run off, it's not in his nature...
Zarbon continued flying around the ship, but with an overdose of rage and without his scouter, he turned up nothing.
The dragonballs! "Oh, no!"
"You fools! I'm still on the ship!" a taunting voice yelled from the hallway.
Frieza whipped around. "Wha...!?!"
"What was that?" Zarbon flew to the ship.
"Vegeta's going after the dragonballs!" Nashi yelled as she raced out of the room, followed by Frieza as another explosion rocked the ship. Zarbon caught up with them as they reached the main chamber to see the window blasted open - the dragonballs gone. Frieza burst into the chamber.
"The dragonballs!" roared Frieza.
"Damn you, Vegeta!" Zarbon bellowed. He flew out the window. "Where did you run off to, huh?!" He looked around, "I swear to kami you're going to pay!"
"What are you waiting for, you fool?! Don't you think you've messed up enough? Go find him! NOW!" Frieza demanded.
"Yes, sir."
"Stop apologizing, and get your act together! You are a disgraceful warrior," Frieza reprimanded them both, his back to them, but was mainly targeting Zarbon for allowing Vegeta to escape. They were kneeling on the floor of the main chamber, heads bowed, ashamed. Frieza slammed his tail onto the floor in fury. Zarbon and Nashi winced. "Not only have you allowed Vegeta to escape you let him take my dragonballs. Did I leave anything out, Zarbon?"
"No, sir."
"He couldn't have just disappeared with five dragonballs. He must be hiding somewhere nearby. I will check the ship. You two search outside thoroughly. As I said - I want Vegeta back in one hour."
"One hour? But without scouters...?" breathed Nashi.
"Do you have a problem with that, Nashi?" Frieza lifted his tail to reveal a break in the floor caused by the small impact of his tail. Nashi and Zarbon gulped.
"One hour," Frieza repeated.
"Yes, sir." Zarbon said, almost a whisper. Zarbon got up and walked toward the window. He tapped Nashi, who was still kneeling in fright, on the shoulder to get her out of her trance. She snapped out of it and rose to follow Zarbon as he took flight out the window.
After nearly an hour of searching, Nashi and Zarbon saw Vegeta flying off into the distance. Zarbon looked off into the direction. Still turned away, he spoke to Nashi. "I want you to go back to the ship. Tell Frieza that I'm going after Vegeta." He started to leave. Nashi reached out to stop him.
"Alone?" she asked. Zarbon didn't answer, but tried to leave again. She reached out and turned him so that he faced her. Nashi tried to get him to look at her. Giving up, she sighed.
"Zarbon, be careful..."
Zarbon looked up. Nashi looked at him and then away as she continued.
"I've heard a rumor that whenever a saiya-jin fights and heals once again, he gets stronger. I don't know how much, but, whether you'll admit it or not... you had a hard time beating him before. Just - don't get yourself killed, all right?" Nashi looked up into Zarbon's face once again and then rose a few inches. She reached out and held his face gently as she kissed him sweetly on the lips. Zarbon stood frozen for a moment, shocked, but then returned the kiss. His arms reached down to embrace her, his hands resting upon the small of her back. Nashi then broke away, looked at him once, and flew off towards Frieza's ship. Zarbon did nothing for a moment; then forced himself to go after Vegeta.
