The gravity room was similar to the ones Raditsu had used before - stark white, with a pillarlike gravity generator in the center of the room. However, THIS gravity room was way bigger and much better equipped, with various weights and other items. Apparently Freeza was a rich fellow.

"We'll start off in twenty times gravity," Rikum was saying. "By the end of three weeks, you'll probably be training under a hundred times gravity. Got it?"

Raditsu nodded along with the others.

"Brace yourselves. Baata, turn on the Gravitron."

"Right," came the hissing reply. The huge blue Baata strode towards the machine, touching a few buttons.

Raditsu was suddenly forced to a near squat as a huge oppressive weight slammed down on his shoulders. He resisted the urge to groan with effort as he moved to a standing position.

"Fuck!" Kakarotto groaned. Raditsu noticed that his younger brother was struggling to rise. "How... do you STAND it, Raditsu?"

"I just do, idiot," he replied with a half-grin. There was nothing like insulting Kakarotto to relieve stress.

"Alright!" Rikum roared. "Let's see what you got! Show me the strongest energy attack you can manage!" He pointed a huge finger at Bardock. "You first! Attack me! The rest of you, step back!"

With a sharp nod, Raditsu stepped back with the others to watch his father at work.

Despite his age, Bardock was still a highly skilled fighter - a fact which Rikum was about to see. Clenching his right fist, Bardock began to focus his ki into the hand. After a few seconds, his fist was surrounded by a fiery blue nimbus. "Kouri-Dama," he said softly before drawing back and launching the fireball at Rikum with a loud roar.

The fireball slammed into the huge soldier and stirred up a large smoke cloud. A frigid wind whistled about the room, biting at Raditsu's face as the icy bomb hit.

As the smoke cleared, Raditsu could not help but gape.

Rikum was unscathed.

"Not bad," the huge redhead replied. "Not bad at all, old-timer."

Bardock looked a little surprised, but muttered a brief "Thank you" before stepping back.

Rikum's finger jabbed in Raditsu's direction. "Now you."

Raditsu stepped forward. It was time to show this big oaf his full power. "I'm not going to hold back," he muttered as he clasped both hands clam-like in front of him, aimed at Rikum. He began to focus his ki, and a blue nimbus appeared between his fingers, slowly expanding and creating a fiery blue aura around his body.

Rikum blinked.

It was time to fire. "Hidoku Dan!" he shouted as the attack began to fire, a vast beam slamming into Rikum at full force. Raditsu began to sweat as he triggered the second phase of the attack. Massive pulses of ki began to follow the first blast, expanding the dust cloud massively. Ignoring his body's screams of protest, Raditsu added a final huge pulse that smashed into where Rikum was and sent a fierce wind whipping at his hair. Finally, he lowered his hands.

After a few moments, the dust cleared, revealing Rikum. The huge man's armor had been totalled by the blast, and he was actually bleeding. "Wow," he said simply. "This one's got potential."

"His power level went up to thirty five thousand when he fired off that beam," Baata said in a low voice. "It's settling to a steady ten thousand now."

"Take over for me," Rikum ordered his comrade. "I'm beat."

"Right."

"C'mere." Rikum looked at Raditsu with an interested gaze.

Raditsu walked towards him, and they moved to one side as Kakarotto stepped forward to unleash his best attack onto Baata - [The Galick Gun, I bet,] Raditsu mused.

"Where did you learn that attack?" Rikum asked him.

"I made it up," Raditsu admitted.

"How?"

"Wasn't hard. I just took a basic Galick Gun attack, altered the firing pose, increased the energy output, and added the pulses for extra punch. Why?"

"Just curious. Listen here - I'm going to train you myself. You have real potential-"

"Is that the best you can do?" came Baata's loud comment. Apparently, Kakarotto hadn't been able to satisfy the blue soldier.

"...Potential that I think I can help you unlock," Rikum continued. "Baata will work with these others, but you and I will train in a different room. With enough time, you'll be able to achieve a power level of two hundred thousand or higher."

"I see," Raditsu nodded. Two hundred thousand... Stronger than most elites! He'd be a Super Elite! Only fighters over power level one hundred thousand made Super Elite.

"Let's watch this next one," Rikum said suddenly. "The big guy's up." He turned and leaned against the wall. Raditsu did likewise, watching Nappa prepare.

Raditsu had seen Nappa attack before, so he wasn't surprised when the Ultimate Skill attack exploded from the huge elite's mouth. Baata didn't seem too surprised, either - he stood motionless as the attack hit him. A large cloud of smoke engulfed the room, but when it dissipated, Baata was barely scathed save for a trickle of blood coming from his mouth.

"Impossible!" Nappa said with a sharp intake of breath.

"Low power level," Baata shrugged. "I'll give you the skinny on it now. Bardock achieved a maximum of fifteen thousand. Raditsu achieved a maximum of thirty five thousand. Kakarotto achieved a maximum of seventeen thousand. Nappa achieved a maximum of twenty thousand. The existing records already have Kiwi's maximum listed at twenty one thousand."

"So how'd Raditsu get so strong?" Kakarotto asked in a confused tone.

"That's what Rikum is going to try and find out by working with him. The rest of you will train with ME. I'm not an easy master - you will HURT after every single training session. If you slack off, you'll hurt even more." He cracked his huge knuckles. "Get the point?"

A series of nods served as the reply.

"Good. We start the real training tomorrow at oh nine hundred. There's an orderly outside who will show you to your quarters. Scram!"

Raditsu followed his friends towards the door, but Rikum's hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Stay a minute," the huge soldier invited him.

"Yeah?"

"Listen. If it turns out that you become official members of the army, there's an opening on the Ginyu Force - we've been looking to replace Gurudo for months. Maybe you'd like the position."

"I'll think about it," Raditsu promised. "Thanks." With a slight smile - a gesture he rarely used - he stepped out the door.