The Bond

Sol was setting the coordinates, his green skinned hands flying over the controls of the ship. He glanced out the window, watching the blur of stars zooming by. Leaving Namek behind was hard, but he wasn't going to let whatever this was unchecked. He rolled his shoulders as the auto pilot engaged and stood. It was going to be a long trip, but the source of the darkness wasn't a surprise… Planet Xeknos, one that he had been to before, long ago…

He went to one of the other rooms, intent on getting some water. As he entered the room, his mind racing with how the inhabitants of Xeknos were now posing a problem again, he heard scuffling. Blinking, he looked around and saw a shape rush out of the room into the main chamber. He ran after it, expecting an enemy- how it had gotten on his ship, he had no idea.

However when he darted into the main room, he saw a familiar face looking back at him with a sheepish smile.

A teenage Namekian stood before him, wearing crudely made battle armor, and a strange homemade dagger at his hip.

"Hez!" Sol snapped, staring at the young Namekian with anger, "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you get on the ship!" said Hez innocently, "I thought-"

"No!" Sol went to the controls, "I'm taking you home- this is too dangerous."

"Sol!" Hez whined, rushing to his side, "You can't! I don't know where you're going but you can't go by yourself!"

"You're still a child!" Sol snarled, looking back at the boy, "This is far too dangerous, don't you get it?"

Hez's eyes gleamed, "Dangerous? How? Where are you going?"

"It's none of your business," Sol growled.

Hez grabbed his arm, "It's that darkness. You're chasing it! Like a real warrior!"

Sol ripped out of his grip, "Listen, I used to be a galatic warrior, keeping peace where I was sent, I know what I'm doing, and I don't need a kid slowing me down!"

Hez seemed a bit hurt by his words, "But.. but I've been training!"

"You could have been training since you could walk and that still wouldn't be as long as I've been training," said Sol sharply, "You're too young for this, you're going home!"

He began messing with the controls, eager to end the auto flight and return to Namek, but… something was wrong.

"Status Locked." The computer said.

"What?" Sol hissed, trying to mess with the controls again.

"Access denied," the computer told him flatly, "Trajectory set for Planet Xeknos."

"No, go back to Namek!" Sol hissed, hitting the controls fiercely, "Stop trajectory, end auto flight!"

"Access denied."

"Shit!" Sol hissed, "These firewalls, they're not Namekian, the tech that's infiltrating isn't ours. Someone's in the system."

Hez was at his shoulder, a worried frown on his face, "What does that mean?" he asked.

"It means whatever is on Xeknos, it wants us to come…" said Sol gravely, "And there's not a damn thing we can do about it.

*scene change*

"This ship is equivalent to the one that I built for Goku to send him to Namek," said Dr. Briefs as he led the four of them into the round ship, "It should get you to this planet Xeknos, especially since he sent the coordinates to my computer… I'll warn you, it seems he is very intelligent with technology."

"I'm not worried," snapped Vegeta, "Cowardly little bastard… We'll get the human back and while we're up there, they'll show us how to control the Bond."

"We still don't know about that Vegeta," said Katima fiercely, "We will not play their games, we're getting Krillin and getting home."

"Hmph," Vegeta scoffed, "I don't understand why you don't want to jump at the opportunity to get stronger. We could face anything!"

Because I'm not sure you can handle that power, Vegeta…Katima thought to herself.

"Rilan!"

Outside the ship was Bulma holding a very upset looking Trunks. It was as if the toddler knew his dad was leaving.

Rilan decended the steps and hugged the two of them, "I'll be fine," he assured softly, "We're going to get Krillin back."

Gohan was beside Bulma. He was looking at Katima.

Katima went down to hug him, "Keep Earth safe, understand?" she said.

Gohan nodded, "I just wish I could come," said Gohan, looking at the ground.

"You need to protect our home," said Katima sharply, "We'll be fine. And you got Piccolo here to keep you company."

Piccolo, not too far away nodded. He had decided to stay on Earth since his Kami side was still linked to it. He would help Gohan in case anything happened.

"Get Krillin back!" Yamcha called, running up with Puar on his shoulder, "You show those alien freaks who's boss!"

Katima laughed, "Don't worry, Yamcha."

She and Rilan got into the ship again ass Dr. Briefs exited.

"Good luck!" he said as the door to the ship closed.

The ship was a bit bigger than the one that Goku had used and the one that Katima and Vegeta trained in back before the androids arrived. It had four chairs, and the four of them quickly sat in them and strapped in. Rilan took the pilot's seat. He typed in several things, and then braced himself, "Launching in ten!" he cried.

18 had a harsh look on her face. Katima was surprised how much the android had grown to care for Krillin the past months. Vegeta had his arms folded, looking bored, as if he wished they could just instant transmission there and have it be done. Katima touched his mind softly and he looked at her. She smiled at him and he sort of smiled back but returned to his brooding.

The ship then launched. Kaitma braced herself as her stomach was left down below as they were sent sailing upward. She shut her eyes as the room shook violently, clenching her hands to the arm rests. It seemed like it lasted hours, but finally, the room calmed. Katima opened her eyes and saw out the windows nothing but stars. She had been in space before, back when she, Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma went to Namek, but she was still awestruck by the endless amount of stars.

"You can take off your seatbelts now," said Rilan, standing.

They all did so. Vegeta instantly went to the window to peer out, and place one arm against the glass, leaning on it. Katima could feel the eerie emotions coming to her from the bond.

"Vegeta…" she started.

"I don't get it," he growled.

Katima frowned, coming to him and placing a hand on his shoulder, "What?"

"That race, this planet we're going to. Frieza never knew about it. It's possible that it was just out of his scanning range when he patrolled, but for a race to be so powerful as he says?"

"It was a long time ago, remember?" said Katima, "He said it had been what, centuries since they knew the bond?"

Vegeta shook his head, "Something isn't right…" he breathed.

*scene change*

"Eagla. You've returned."

Eagla slowly descended the ramp of his ship. He had the limp body of the small human tossed over his shoulder. The fresh smell of his home planet was welcoming. He had a small group of greeters to welcome him home. Among them was the Elder Karik. He frowned at Eagla as he approached.

"You… you have a human."

"Yes."

They both spoke in the same strange mono tone. Eagla flipped the human- Krillin, was his name? off his shoulder and into his arms to show the Elder.

"So they didn't listen to reason."

"I tried your plan to appeal to the Saiyan Prince. It seems the idea of ruling the galaxy no longer appeals to him, or at least, he cares too much about the others to truly pursue it," said Eagla, "They mistook my words for a wish for tyranny."

Karik was examining Krillin's unconscious face, "So you took one they cared for. Are they coming?"

"Indeed," said Eagla, "Have the hackers found the source of the other ship heading our way?"

Karik nodded, "It appears to be a Namekian ship. Two passengers. They're positive that it's Sol."

Eagla closed his eyes for a moment, a soft smirk coming to his lips, "Good. And the ship?"

"They can no longer change its course. It is enroute."

"Hmph," Eagla nodded, "Good. The only survivor of the galatic warriors… Other than myself and…"

The one called Krillin was beginning to stir.

Kerik looked at him from under his fray of snowy white hair, "Will he be an issue?"

Eagla looked down, "I will put him in a cell. Keep me updated."

*scene change*

Sol could see the planet. He retracted from the window, a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. He went to the other room where Hez was sleeping and kicked his side lightly, "We're here," he said darkly.

The teenage Namekian opened his eyes and jumped to his feet, "What do we do?" he asked.

Sol was pulling on his old armor as he spoke, "They want us here, so that means they'll be waiting. We'll likely be surrounded when we land sine they're going to land us right where they want us. Another thing..They probably weren't expecting you to be along, it's likely they know there's two of us on here, but they're not expecting a kid. They'll use you to get to me," he turned, glaring at Hez, "You stick to my side, understand? Do not try to do anything heroic or ballsy. It will just get you in trouble."

"I don't understand, Sol," said Hez quietly, "Who ARE these people?"

Sol looked away, his eyes shut, "The people of the planet Xeknos are emotionless, or at least, they used to be. They were a race of people capable of combining two souls into one."

"Like how we fuse?" asked Hez.

"No," said Sol, shaking his head, "They would bind two souls together, but keep separate bodies. It was such a unique tactic that it's virtually impossible to tell who is bound to who. They would use this to make their powers stronger. At first it was just a self defense thing. They were originally a very peaceful people. However, a long time ago one of them turned… strange. He started showing signs of emotion, something that their race technically wasn't truly capable of. It began to spread, but their feelings were wrong. They were never meant to feel emotion, so when they started to, it made their sense of life all strange.

"The bonds that they made with one another began to become corrupt. It seemed that emotion intensified it, making it far more powerful than before. Using this, two beings that were bound together were a force to be reckoned with. But since their emotions were so unstable, it made their bonds unstable as well. It was actually the thing that saved us.

"They tried to take the region at one point, guided by some strange misconception that it belonged to them, that it had from the beginning. Myself and the other galatic warriors fought them. We would have lost if their bonds had not been so unstable. Because of how their… weird emotions effected one another's mind's, it killed them from the inside out. Soon, there was no one left that was bound to someone else. After that, there was no one left that knew how to place the bond, the technique was lost…"

"So what do you think their doing now?" asked Hez, "And what made them think the galaxy was theirs in the first place?"

Sol went out of the room, the young Namekian following him. He went to the window and propped an arm on it, "If you ask me, there's a single mastermind behind the entire thing. He was the reason they started developing false emotions and conceptions. And he's what's behind this now. The real question is, what they think they're going to do. Without the Bond, they're nothing. Their race is relatively weak. So why try the same old thing again when they know they'll be defeated?"

"So you think there's some guy behind the scenes," said Hez, "Pulling strings? But what does he want then?"

Sol shrugged, "Who knows? He wants to rule the universe? Another Frieza?"

"But why use these people?" asked Hez.

Sol frowned as their ship entered orbit, "I'm not sure. But we're going to find out. Get some armor on."

*scene change*

Krillin blinked his eyes open. His entire body ached. Slowly, he propped himself up and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms. How much did he drink at the reception? He looked around, expecting to find himself in one of Bulma's guest rooms.

Slowly, he remembered.

"Shit…" he hissed.

He was laying on a stiff cot in a small plain room. It was gray in color and had a single door with a small window toward the top of it. It had no handle, at least, not on this side.

Krillin slid off the cot. He was still in his tux, which was singed slightly from when he had been electrocuted. He went to the door, was too short to see out the window, so flew up a bit to look out of it. He could see a long hallway before him, also gray in color, moor doors to the left and right. He appeared to be in the end room.

Where was he? And the others…

All he could remember was that whip thing flying at him, and the pain of electricity being pumed into his veins. He could also remember 18's voice screaming his name…

Oh 18…

He landed. The hall was empty- should he try to escape? He wasn't sure what sort of bad guys he was dealing with here. He stretched out his senses, trying to feel for any power sources higher than his own. He couldn't feel anything too dangerous, in fact, it seemed that there was no life-forms close to where he was.

Krillin stepped back against the other side of the room. He opened his palm to the door, ready to blast it open. However, the second he charged his ki up to make a orb of power, it was like lightning filled to room. Electricity coursed through Krillin and he screamed and fell to the floor, twitching for a moment. He lay there in pain, groaning for a moment before he heard the door open.

He looked up to see a white haired man, not the one that had kidnapped him, but looking similar. He looked down at Krillin with a bland expression.

"Human. You are awake." He had the same strange monotone voice as Eagla.

Krillin propped himself up on his elbows, "Where am I?" he demanded.

"You are on planet Xeknos in the holding cells of building 789, section 4," said the man evenly.

Krillin blinked at him, "Why am I here?" he asked.

"The two Saiyans could not be convinced so Highest Eagla was forced to give them a reason to come," said the man plainly, "You were weak and easy prey to him."

"Weak?" Krillin jumped to his feet and launched at the man.

It was surprising how fast the man reacted. The second Krillin jumped into the air to swing a punch, there was a hand at his throat. He yelped and flailed, grasping the wrist of the hand that held him.

"We apologize for your involvement, human," he said as he walked into the cell and plopped Krillin on the cot, releasing him, "We have information that the Saiyans are in route now. You're confinement will not be long."

"Screw you!" Krillin snapped, and dove off the cot, sliding between the man's legs and rushing out the open door. Sometimes with was great to be so short.

He bolted down the hall, glancing back only once to see the man casually walking after him.

What kind of people were theses? They were so empty- totally devoid of emotion- Eagla hadn't seemed that bad- not that shallow.

Rounding a corner, Krillin yelped and skidded to a stop. It was the man, the same one from his cell, he was right spank in front of him! How did he do that? He had been walking- he had been all the way back-

"We would like to ask that you be compliant," he said, looking at Krillin with his head tilted to the side, as if curious to the fact that he was running.

"C-Com- How did you-?" Krillin shook himself, it didn't matter. He steeled himself and powered up, "Look pal, I don't care what's going on here, you're not going to use me to get to my friends!"

He began to unleash a fray of punches and kicks, yelling out as he did so, but this guy was fast. He was swiftly blocking each blow, as if he knew where they were going to hit before they did so. Krillin hissed in annoyance and jumped back.

"Fine," he hissed, putting his palm to the ceiling, a energy disc forming there. The man looked at it with a frown as it grew, "Block this!" Krillin yelled, "DISTRUCTO DISC!"

He threw the disc with all this might at the man. Foolishly, the man brought up and arm to block it.

He didn't stand a chance.

The disc cut straight through his arm, then his torso. He fell to the ground in three pieces, strange light blue blood spraying and spilling everywhere. Krillin held a hand over his mouth, trying not to let himself feel sick and he flew over the remains, making his way down the halls again.

It seemed that that man had been the only guard, which was strange to Krillin. As he made his way down the gray halls, he finally found a lobby like room, however this was also empty. He saw that there were surveillance monitors mounted up behind a big desk, two that were of different angles of the cell he had been in and the rest of the halls. He saw the body of the guard on one of the monitors and looked away. He hadn't wanted to kill the guy, but what else was he supposed to do?

Still, he found it strange that this seemed to be an entire prison yet the only cell that was occupied was his own, and there was only one guard. He shook himself and went to the doors, opening them to step outside…

This place looked so… plain.

Towering buildings were everywhere around him, but they were extremely symmetrical in design and placement, as if whoever had made them was OCD. They were incredibly plain in color, just gray tones as far as his eyes could see. The streets between the building were all wide and gray in color, however, the closest one was pretty far off, in fact, he just now took in how the building he had exited was surrounded by a large courtyard and fence. He jumped up to fly, and easily went over the fence.

As Krillin shed his jacket, (it had been brand new too, and now it was ruined!) he realized that this place was virtually empty. He flew across the streets, between the buildings that were so ridiculously large in scale, yet there were no people to show for it.. in fact, as he flew by, he noticed that none of these buildings had windows.

Krillin looked up, taking in the equally gray sky. Where was he? This definitely wasn't earth. So that guy had taken him to his planet… He didn't remember anything past being shocked at the wedding reception. But what kind of planet was this? And where was everyone?

Just as these thoughts crossed his mind, he looked up to see a ship going across the sky. He had seen a ship like it before- the Namekian ship that he, Bulma, Gohan, and Katima had taken to Namek! What was a Namekian ship doing here? He blinked and paused in his flying, tossing his coat aside to let it fall to the streets below. It was landing nearby. Krillin flew up to get above the buildings and saw that there was in fact an end to them. But at their end was the largest structure he had yet to see. It was massive, and held the most personality out of the entire city. It had towers and outdoor walkways, and small flying vehicles flying around it. So that's where everyone was…

It looked like a giant gray castle, and the cars flying around it didn't look any more colorful. Krillin saw the Namekian ship land within its gates, and small dots of people surrounding it. Krillin looked around himself, gritting his teeth. Whether or not that ship was from Namek, it was a ship that could get him home.

He refused to let himself be the bait for these people to get Katima and Vegeta.

Krillin steeled himself, and flew toward the castle.

*scene change*

Katima rubbed her eyes sleepily. She slowly rolled over, reaching for Vegeta, to wrap and arm around him and continue sleeping, but when her arm flopped onto the mattress she sat up. Vegeta wasn't in the room with the rest of them. She saw 18 and Rilan both sleeping on their own beds. Katima still found it odd that 18, being an android, slept.

She reached out with her mind, feeling for his power level and his presence in the bond. She felt him upstairs in the control and viewing room, and his emotions from the bond were dark. She frowned and quietly slipped out of bed and went up to the room above.

Vegeta was in his pajama pants, staring out of one of the windows, arms crossed, making the muscles on his back stand out. Katima took a moment to admire how the starlight outside reflected on his toned body, since he had not turned the lights on in the room, it had a beautiful effect. She could see his face in the window's reflection. His eyes were hard, his face set. He looked like he did when he was about to go into battle or start training.

"Having trouble sleeping?" Katima asked softly, her bare feet padding across the floor toward him.

Vegeta's eyes flicked to hers to watch her approach through the window's reflection. He didn't move to welcome her in his arms or face her to speak. His eyes went back to watching the stars.

"Something's bothering you," said Katima flatly.

Vegeta snorted.

"This entire thing could have been avoided, you know," he retorted.

Katima raised a brow, "What are you talking about?"

"This," he nodded at the stars, "Us going to save Krillin. If we had just gone with that Eagla person, no one else would have had to gotten involved."

"Vegeta, we couldn't just let them have the knowledge of the Bond, you heard that creep, he wants to abuse it, to use it to become the next Frieza and Cell. If we helped that happen then what would the point of beating Frieza and Cell in the first place had been?" Katima reached up, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, resting her hands on his chest, "We can't help them with this, Vegeta. We're going to get Krillin, put an end to them, and get out."

"Katima, we need to know how to unlock the Bond's potential," hissed Vegeta. "Think of it, we could be unstoppable!"

"Vegeta!" Katima turned him around, grabbing his upper arms, shaking him, "God damn it, don't you get it? Vegeta, you can't be unstoppable- you wouldn't be able to handle the power responsibly!"

Vegeta seemed shocked. He stared at her, eyes wide and she felt the shock slowly turn to anger in the bond.

"H-how dare you!" he shouted, yanking himself out of her grip, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you still have darkness in you Vegeta," said Katima flatly, pushing him slightly, making him hiss in rage, "If you had too much power, you would just become another Frieza."

Vegeta glared at her, fury in his eyes, gritting his teeth. However just as he opened his mouth to retort, Rilan's voice came from behind them.

"You know some of us are still trying to sleep…"

Katima whirled around and spotted him, looking drowsy and standing there in a tank top and pajama pants. 18 was just coming up from the lower deck, looking rather frustrated.

"Problem?" Rilan asked, looking between Katima and Vegeta.

Katima felt strong hostility from the bond. She snorted and walked away from her husband, pushing past Rilan, "None at all," she snapped, decsening to the lower deck.