Night Battle

I was starting to panic, Bardock was going to start his plan of evacuation. But I haven't even gotten the coordinates of planet Namek plus if that wasn't enough Gine was still in medical stasis! 'Dammit Think!' I demanded losing patience with myself. After contemplating a little while I finally decided on a course of action 'It's a long shot but… System!' I called out in my mind. ~Ding-Ding~ came its automatic response. 'Are you able to interphase with the technology in the physical world?'

I crossed my fingers hoping. ~Ding-Ding~ Affirmative~ said its robotic voice, surprised by its response I wanted to call out in joy "Finally something is going right!" I honestly didn't want to rely on the system too much but currently, I felt I had no other choice.

Feeling better I then noticed Bardock standing in front of my pod with a serious look on his face. Looking closer at the gruff man in front of me I realized, although he was handsome the somber look on his face made the thirty-something man in front of me look aged. Obviously, he hadn't been getting much sleep due to his curse he received on his last mission, and at this moment I could tell the weight of his decision was getting to him mentally.

Bardock could have fought a billion battles and won them all but it was killing him that he had no way of winning this one. I realized for the first time his family meant more to him than I originally thought. "Kakarot, I am not a good man. Some would say I am more like a demon… The same can be said for most Saiyans. But most of all I'm not and have never been much of a father. I ignore my family, train for hours and days at a time and when I am done, I spend little to no time being the person that your mother and brother and now you need… I'd like to blame this on our culture or my parents because this is the way I was raised.

But when I was out on a mission this time someone put me in my place… and I swore I would come back here and be the husband and father you guys deserve. I realize now… that can never happen" Bardock sighed then closed his eyes and turned his head towards the sky. "One day…" He continued. "you will stand at the top of all Saiyans and you will not need anyone because you will be strong… But there is a long time between now and then. Believe it or not, I know this to be a fact." He chuckled then smiled and if I wasn't seeing things, his smile showed a pride he had for his son's future. "For reasons, you may not remember later I need to get you off this planet so I won't go into details about the reason.

But if there is any part of you that can remember this, I want you to protect little Broly." Bardock waited a moment before he continued trying to get his thoughts in order. "I have a friend that can get stolen… I mean after-market equipment and I'm going to send you both to the same planet… I know the family of Broly and they are power-seekers and since the king has already taken interest in him… I believe it would be best if he isn't here when the King finds out about my deception." Bardock's angry face reflected in my containment pods window and I couldn't help believe our faces were probably mirroring each other in more ways than one.

"It's best for you two to stay together. Kakarot, one day you may wonder if your parents truly love you…" His voice hitched when he said the last word. "And I won't be there to let you know, so listen to my words now son. We Saiyans are a lot of things… 'Bastards, heartless warriors, and those are probably some of the nicer things they say about our race. But we care for our families. When you are out there wondering through the universe remember this and try not to make the same mistake with your own family." His voice was breaking at this moment and it was hard to hear all of his words.

But I think I heard "I love you, your brother and your mother… goodbye" As he turned his head and swiftly walked out the door, I seen him rubbing his eyes trying to clear his vision. For the first time since I was reborn and meet Kakarot's family (I say Kakarot's family because I think of myself as Goku and this world's original as Kakarot) I came to understand their dynamic a little. Originally, I thought Bardock was a bastard that was expecting too much from his son and was merely an absentee husband who probably didn't care much about her or maybe just a passing fancy.

But now I understand that Bardock loves his family he is simply a workaholic, and his relationship with his son Raditz was probably his attempt to teach him to be tougher. He went about it all wrong and before he realized, it was too late. I found I admire this person a little and I wish I could like to get to know him better. A part of me is saddened I may never see him again.

As for Broly accompanying me on my trip to earth, I'm frightened about the concept and strangely I am also kind of excited to have a powerful companion to grow and battle together. Suffice to say I am conflicted, and the very notion about the two struggles makes me wonder if there actually are two parts of my soul clashing against each other, and I wonder is the other part as conscious as I am.

That night I woke up hearing footsteps, 'Odd' I thought. 'Usually, the alien creatures that periodically roam through here checking the pod's status didn't make a slight sound. Due to their small statures and light bodies, it's rare to hear them move around, much to my frustration. I mean, if you are a warrior and your senses are genetically honed for battle, what do you fear most?.. you guessed it assassins.

Not that I am a warrior yet and these little birthing assistants aren't assassins, but still it rakes at my under-developed senses to no end. At first, I guessed it must have been Matron Potota but after a few paces I realized these steps were different... they seemed deliberate and purposeful. I could feel a power emanating from each step and sound caused my heart to clinch.

Matron Potota's steps were even and light the difference was night and day. No, these steps reminded me of a predator, they created the feeling that caused me to want to hunker down and prepare for battle. I could tell some of the other infants were feeling the same, some started to whimper and cry while others seemed to get strangely quiet awaiting what the intruder would do next. If I said I wasn't fearful I would be lying, but a part of me wanted to jump out of my pod and greet these fears head-on and die if necessary.

I started to coil my Ki inside my body without realizing it, a part of me was shouting for me to back off. The Ki I felt rolling off of the intruder is far too powerful, but there is another part that didn't care at all. The very fact he was more powerful than me was all the more reason for the battle.

The figure approached the pods his face covered by darkness but if a person focuses one feature could be seen clearly... Spiky pointed hair much like his sons. King Vegeta… I guess Bardocks report didn't have the effect he wished. Like a wraith King Vegeta glides through the narrow roads between the pods, quickly locating the one he was looking for and like a death god he stands before Broly's container turned coffin and stabbed quickly down. Broly has always been a solemn child, unlike most children wasn't a cryer I dought he has ever whimpered in his life. The threat of the intruder towered above him and the killing blade awaited him outside the round pod.

Not excepting but defiant, and I had to admit both sides of myself are in awe of this infant's courage. This child wasn't a reincarnated remnant of a past life, an intruder into this world. No, he was always supposed to be 'Broly the Legendary Super Saiyan' He was more a king than the grown Saiyan standing in front of an infant's pod. A king doesn't need to kill all competitors before they gain enough power, the Saiyan way is to defeat an enemy at their strongest. This trash in front of his pod couldn't even be considered a Saiyan anymore because he has given into fear, Saiyans eat fear.

This is the feeling I get when I see Broly's expression in the pod before King Vegeta, he must have felt the same because King Vegeta's rage exploded and the dagger in his hand accelerated faster. Before the dagger reached the viewing area of Broly's pod a hand quickly reached out and knocked the weapon away… Surprised the king raised his head to see what fool would dare to interfere with his strike. "You…!" Recognition lit the face of the middle-aged king, and it was quickly replaced with rage. "How dare you. You have committed treason and I will have your life Bardock!"