Chapter Text
Vegeta's relationships with other Saiyans was complicated.
With his father it was distant. Vague memories of early training and being paraded about. Quiet moments together in their private quarters that were rushed and sometimes tense. Training and speeches but no real conversation. Then again, there wasn’t much conversation to be had with a 4 year old, no matter how advanced Saiyan children were.
His Brother was even harder to describe. He remembered his favourite food, how he loved to be read to and the obsession with the history section of the library. He remembered the day he left. One moment there, the next gone. Whispers of good riddance and his father's tight eyes and silence.
The teachers and trainers and care givers were a blur. Random faces and
Nappa was downright complicated.
Nappa with a nanny. Technically the role had been called guardian of the heirs but it was a Nanny position. Nappa had the power and training to take care of children. He was good at it. If their home had never fallen he likely would have had a very lucrative career being hired by other elite families to rear their offspring until Vegeta or Tarble themselves had had offspring. But that's not what happened. No, what had happened was Vegeta had been given as hostage to Frieza and Nappers' role had become an odd and complicated one. His duty was to care and guide but he also had to listen and obey. But the as they grew up insanely quickly and Vegeta grew to both respect and hate Nappa in equal measure.
When their world was destroyed Vegeta had acted aloof . Raditz in his desperation to scene like a grown-up had done the same. Looking back on it, it's laughable considering they were the same age. Nappa and the three other saiyans that have managed to survive had all been grief stricken. Those three men had families and loved ones. As much as saiyans go on about not having very much attachment they certainly made it clear that they missed those they loved. Kres pretty much drank himself to death. Zeeni became suicidally obsessed with his job. He took on every dangerous mission that came his way until eventually he got whatever death wish he had. Hunus had gone missing. He'd been on a mission with the Ginyu force and no one was entirely sure what had happened. But considering the Ginyu force had barely survived that mission it wasn't surprising that Hunus hadn't.
Nappa diminished. When they had a chance to relax he would drink and fall into bed with any woman that would have him. As time went on it became any one that would have him. Vegeta didn't like thinking about that very much. He'd speak of their home from memories that were tinted by Rose. It made Vegeta and Raditz both annoyed and nostalgic for something they'd never had. Raditz would sometimes speaks of it as well but his stories were all about the third class way of living. It was difficult to relate when most of Vegetas' very young life was spent learning about diplomacy and how to survive under Frieza's foot.
That was also the issue that Nappa was not supposed to be trained as a true fighter. Like every Saiyan he was able to defend himself and was capable of doing the job as a purger but that was not where his Talents lay. Give that man a room full of recruits and he would show you just how good he was as a teacher and a guiding hand. But as time wore on and the Empire marched forward things changed full stop and Nappa found himself on the front lines more and more along with Vegeta and Raditz. And it was painfully obvious that his Battle lust would often take far more control than it should. And it only got worse as the years moved on. Vegeta wondered if he'd killed Nappa because he truly grew sickened by him or if some tiny part of him thought of it as a mercy. Maybe if he dwelled on it long enough he would have an answer but he didn't really feel like doing that.
And then there was Raditz. Raditz The Runt.
Vegeta never learned where that nickname had come from. By Saiyan standards the man was strong. It pained him to admit it but he was also skilled. He had to be. As one of the weakest on Frieza's payroll he was someone who had to use every dirty trick in the book to survive. He purged planets but he was often sent to the ones that simply required rebellions and management. Muscle to be used when and where it was needed. He traveled alone quite a bit and when he was on missions it showed. He knew information and traded favours across the galaxy. At times his connection had Vegeta a little jealous.
When Raditz was with them it was an odd situation. Because Raditz had been the only other Saiyan of his age around. There is no way not to grow close to someone in that situation. They couldn't really be friends, not with the differences they had but there were many many times where they'd been able to pretend the world or another life were just two soldiers having a drink or waiting for the next mission. But something always came along and shattered that illusion. And eventually the Facade wore thin. Resentment and cruelty seeped in. There were a lot of good memories when it came to Raditz, but also a lot of bad. Quite a few embarrassing ones if the Vegeta was being honest. Not that he was ever going to tell anyone about those.
Oh gods, Raditz might actually tell people about them. His newly possessed powers made it so his fear of being hurt was no longer something that would keep him respectful nor quiet. And one thing that Vegeta knew about Raditz was he liked to tease. He's a jackass and thought it could be amusing when it was turned on someone else but he didn't really want it turned on himself. Besides, he already knew that Bulma was absolutely frothing at the mouth to learn some stories of himself during his youth. The last thing he wanted was her finding out about some of the shenanigans he'd gotten himself into.
Which was why she seemed so interested in joining in on this trip to visit Raditz again. Roshi had agreed to go and see the man, talk with him. Considering some of his student pasts, he was someone who knew how to deal with a bad past. But Raditz was no con man or bandit or assassin.
He was a Saiyan, and his past was littered with as much blood as Vegeta’s.
Lucky for his pride Bulma had been called away by Hedo and Vegeta had grabbed the old man and left.
“So, anything I should be wary of?” Roshi asked, his staff laying across his knees.
“Raditz was always better at first impressions when we needed to seem non aggressive. I don’t know how he feels about his brother right now, so say nothing unless asked.”
"Didn't seem friendly last time I saw him."
"He was coming to pick up a brother he believed to have failed his mission. Frieza would have had all out heads if earth had been on his radar and was still unsalable by the time he got here." Vegeta adjusted course, "Not to me-actualy, that doesn't matter."
"Bullcrap. I need any info you can give Vegeta. Now spill."
For a moment Roshi thought Vegets was going to ignore him, but he spoke. "Raditz refused to believe we could be the only Saiyans left. We were scattered everywhere. Plenty of planets where we had settled and had colonies over the centuries. He didn't believe there weren't a couple of half breeds of maybe a few retired soldiers out there. Anyone really. When he finally remembered Kakarot, it lit a fire in him. His disappointment upon finding him was likely massive."
"Why though? Surely he'd be happy to see his brother alive and thriving."
"Maybe if Kakarot remembered who he was." Vegeta hesitated. "But he didn't. As said, disappointment makes fools of people."
"That explains the demand for 100 corpses."
"Probabaly hoped the killing would kickstart something in Kakarot's head. But living with a population that long makes you reluctant to do that, so I'm not surprised Kakarot didn't do it."
“Do you think he’ll change?"
“If Raditz is anything, it's adaptable.”
Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z
“So it works with rodents.” Bulma said and watched the rabbit scamper about.”
“Very well. No mutations so far and very healthy.” Hedo explained and gave the animal another lettuce leaf. “We’ve also managed to breed a healthy Bumblebee Queen and several drones, and several other pollinator type insects.”
Bulma folded her arms over her chest and smiled. This was excellent. Suno wanted progress, and this was progress.
"How quickly can we move onto larger mammals?"
Hedo glanced over at his laptop. "I'm reluctant to do so until we know the rabbits can breed true. We don't want to pin our hopes on something that can't reproduce after all."
Bulma quelled her enthusiasm. Hedo was right. This was still babysteps. They needed to do this properly as well as fast. "You can as long as you need. Any news on the hibernation team?"
Hedo frowned, "Sadly no. It can send a Cyborg into sleep mode, but it can't so much for humans beyond make them comatose. Aging and metabolism remain normal. Slowing those is doable, but keeping the machines small enough and power efficient is going to be a problem."
It was a major problem. Some humans with ki training were able to go into a medication that was similar to hibernation, but those beings took years of training. In an emergency there wouldn't be time to train people in that discipline.
He wondered about an implant, but he doubted people would be willing to be augmented like that. Plus it would likely require several components for that to even work. Hedo needed a safe, biological way to place someone into sleep without hurting them. But science wasn't quite there yet, and -
"Magic," he said.
"What?" Bulma asked.
"Magic. If we can't find a widespread scientific hibernation, why not magic?"
Bulma thought about it. "The Dragon balls might work. But that's a risk. And Baba would expect a stupid price for something like that." she thought for a moment, "But Baba isn't the only magic user that we know. And SunRis is likely to know a couple."
"If we work this right, we can combine science and magic." Hedo grinned and laughed, "Oh, that is so cool. Can you imagine the possibilities of what we could do by combining the mystical with the power of Science!"
Bulma grinned back, and felt a pang of nostalgia for the excitement Hedo was feeling. The pure joy of discovery and the prospect of a challenge.
God, where had that feeling gone? Bulma’s introspection was cut short by her watch alarm, informing her of a accounting meeting she needed to go to.
“I have to split Hedo. I’ll speak with Suno and find out what kind of magic advisers they have.”
“Understood. Have a good day Mrs Briefs.”
“You Too Hedo.”
Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z
Piccolo said yes.
Dende just sat and stared, mouth agape.
"If you don't close your mouth you're gonna catch a fly." Mr PoPo said, and Dende's jaw snapped closed with a click and he winced, which greatly amused both Piccolo and Mr PoPo.
Dende had invited Piccolo for tea, and was ready with a long speech about co-operation and safety. He expected to have to argue and conjole and bring Gohan in to help.
He had not been expecting Piccolo to say yes.
Piccolo had already known what was coming. It didn't take a genius to understand that if they needed to strengthen their ties to friendly aliens, then it would be the Namekians. And Piccolo knew he would likely be asked to help. At first he had convinced himself to say no, that he wasn't going to make things easy. But then he realised that it was stupid of him to be so short sighted. This wasn't just about his discomfort and dislike of interaction with those outside his most trusted. It was about the whole earth.
And he would be lying if he wasn't curious about the others of his kind. Dende was a fine companion and a good friend. but piccolo saw him as a child. Yes he was the same age as Gohan, but a teenager compared to Gohan now. And that also reminded Piccolo of the fact that in the years of his own people, he was a child too.
He wanted to know more, learn more. But he did not wish to admit that to others, so this was better. As a teacher he could listen and learn and ask without anyone thinking it strange or trying to treat him like some child.
"Someone needs to teach them how to properly defend themselves. And it gives earth a few extra fighters as well." Piccolo said. "So, do we know when to expect our first student, or are we still waiting on an answer?"
Dende stared and shook his head, "No news yet. I spoke with Moori, and he is gathering the council. They will be making a decision soon. But it's seed harvesting time, so that takes precedent."
“How long until that is done?”
“How long is a piece of string?” Dende said.
Piccolo gave him a confused look.
“Oh, Gohan said it. There's no way of knowing.”
“But…you can know the length of the string, you can measure it.”
“I don’t know, it's a human thing.”