Book 3… START!
Back on the Super Carrier, whose name I still did not know! Somehow, I'd managed to get past the blockade and found myself now standing in Doc's med bay. Shortly after getting in contact with the ship I had them prepare a space for the Saiyan clones. I wasn't sure what to expect. But, now I was just waiting for the news as Doc checked over their charts and information.
I had already told her everything that had happened. I sighed… I didn't like the idea of sitting around like this. I was unsure of everything. My new ki. Where I was going. If I could even do a good job raising new Saiyan's. I could talk up a good game, but… It wasn't like I ever had experience raising kids.
I was an only child. I had dated a few guys before, but… never anything serious. Nor had any of those relationships progressed very far. Could I really take on a few dozen children and teens? I let my ki flow. Feeling it flow through my veins. Strangely… It felt warm.
I didn't get to brood anymore. Doc came back. If she had ever left that is. Her hologram stood opposite of me.
"What's the prognosis?" I asked. My tail giving away to my worry. Just that feeling. That concern. It bothered me. I didn't know if I could handle this burden.
"Well, I'll spare you the technical details… But, the clones would have failed, normally. You're evil ki however has reinforced and done something to their body. I ran through numerous tests, and they should be fine to exit within a month or so."
Her first words had me holding my breath only to exhale. "That's good…" A month or so to prepare for their arrival would be nice too.
"In the meantime, I'll make sure they get a proper education using your ships technology to feed information into their brain."
I nod. "Good, just make sure I'm around when you let them out. They'll likely be feral." Doc nodded in turn. Agreeing with my assessment.
"Now, I'm not entirely sure why, but I assume you wanted Aspa on the other side of the ship because of your evil ki?"
I nod again. I'd already informed her what happened with the clones and Lazarus.
"Right, well, I'll need some blood samples and a proper reading. Mind stepping inside the enclosure?" She took my blood and I walked into the enclosure. She babbled on with techno stuff. Frankly, I wasn't in the mood. I've been thinking way too much lately. I felt like my brain was going to melt.
Evil ki, strengthened my body. Gave me a healing factor. It also changed how my ki acted. Attempts to create Galick Guns or Kamehameha's all failed. My new ki was unstable and limited to the area around me. Focusing it in my hand creates red black balls of highly explosive and unstable energy.
The energy was also incredibly versatile. Coating my body like armor to take hits. Able to form shields and empower my blows. Able to form simple constructs. The constructs were even able to channel energy themselves, although they were much slower. The constructions, however, were limited in capacity. Their density was poor, and their strength was roughly about half as strong as I was.
It also functioned differently. My ki was reusable to an extent. I could coat myself in it for long periods of time without issue. Empowering my blows saw very minimal loss only because it was offsetting the blowback of the attack. Creating and throwing out energy balls, however, consumed lots of it.
Constructs cost nothing, but if they were attacked, they could be worn down. Directly affecting my total ki.
In essence, evil ki was a far more efficient method of ki use. Made for long term engagements. In exchange, however, it loses its ability to commit long range attacks. This wasn't mentioning the other issues. The changes to my cells to allow for me to utilize evil ki meant I didn't have a huge reservoir to pull through, but I had much greater staying power in turn.
Another way to put it would be that I simply exchanged a huge battery for more energy production. My need for food had hardly changed, nor has my slow and steady gain in strength from working out. If anything, losing the battery makes it easier to get stronger. My cells still store a bit. Just not nearly as much as before.
At the end of the tests… I had just one more thing to do.
"You have a room set aside for me to meet Master?" I asked in worry. I had no idea what was going to happen. I just only hoped it wouldn't end badly. But… I trusted this feeling. Plus, it wasn't like I could avoid him forever.
"I do… And your suits directly send me your vitals."
Huh… Creepy. "Well, lead the way." And so, she did. I walked and followed the lit-up lines to my destination. A side room set aside for training. I hesitated at the door and took a moment before stepping up. It slid open and revealed the interior. Master was sitting on the opposite side of the room.
At the sound of the door opening, he stood and faced me with a smile.
"Cammy told me that your new ki might be a problem." I wasn't quite sure what to say, and in the end. I settled for the simplest method.
"See for yourself." It burst out and he frowned. Only for that frown to change into surprise. My aura, like a shark smelling blood in the water charged for him. He used his own aura to beat it back, but it couldn't stop it.
"Rettas what the hell!?" I heard Doc over the comms.
"Trust the process Doc." I said with confidence. A confidence I completely lacked. She didn't complain anymore, but the tendrils of evil ki drilled through his aura and into his skin. In response, his aura exploded out.
"This!" I heard Doc yell out over the comm, but I didn't have time to answer. Master yelled and charged me. I met his charge with my own. Before we could cross fists he juked out of the way and swung a kick at my head. I barely blocked before he slid on the ground and tried to sweep my legs from under me.
I responded by leaping up. Only for him to grab my shadowed tail. He hadn't grabbed my actual tail, thanks to the ki protecting it. But… It still bothered me. I twisted, abusing my flexibility to turn and swept a kick at his face. He pulled my tail in response and I adjusted driving my foot into his face.
Only, he stopped it with his free hand at the last second. His eyes were notably empty. His body was swelling. Muscles pulsing and rippling. His teeth grit.
I couldn't hold back. He was weaker, but much more experienced than I.
"TENTACLES!" My aura surged out into dozens of tentacles. Master burst back and unleashed a barrage of blasts to beat them back. I hit the ground and dashed forward through the barrage. Using my aura to deflect blasts. I closed only to meet face to fist. The blow wasn't nearly enough to take me out, but it did piss me off.
Another kick came fast. I decided to simply take it and strike back. He abused his flight to not only get a hit off, but also to avoid my strike. The old man was like an eel. Slippery and moving. Abusing his ability to fly with his ki to make sudden bewildering movements.
Having enough, I went all in.
"BARRAGE!" I sent my own barrage out. He replied with his own barrage. The two energies mixed and exploded with even greater force that shook the whole room. Paneling along the walls quaked and cracked from the force. I couldn't hit the bastard. Every attempt to grab him ended in failure as my ki was slowly whittled away, but his own ki was rapidly drying out. Faster then my own at least.
Instinctively he must have understood that as well. A final burst of ki and he crossed to the opposite side of the room and put his hands together. I felt goosebumps along my arm and spine.
"Really you old fucker!?" I could feel his ki condensing for a single final blast. I tried to abort it, but he still managed to maintain his mobility as he dodged and worse… I couldn't just let that attack hit. The damage to the ship would be insane.
I went faster. My tail whipped out so fast I saw after images. Still, the old man dodged it all. He flew over me as I tried to grapple him one last time. That ball of energy was right in front of my face. Gathering all my ki, I did what I could. I face tanked it. The energy hit me and scored a deep gouge in the ground. I felt exhausted. My ki had been significantly reduced as I charged through the smoke.
I tackled the old man and began to beat his face in until he went unconscious. I panted. Heaving. Sweat covering my frame. I needed to train up my ki. That would take some time… thankfully we were heading back to the base the pirate baron had set aside for us.
Doc wasn't happy about the beat down, but I had to wait around as Master recovered. I half expected him to wake up and start attacking people. He didn't… thankfully.
He really didn't talk much. Just kind of woke up. Looked around and himself. He almost seemed disappointed in himself. I could see why; he did lose control. Doc ran him through some tests and gave him a clean bill of health. His body had been improved. Which meant, my evil ki had an effect that improved the physiques of Saiyan's, but it also drove them insane for a little while.
I wasn't exactly great at condolences or, necessarily, helping people's moods. Seeing Master, so depressed had me frustrated. Which why I just left. Leaving it to Doc to handle.
I sighed and headed to my room. Maybe I should just lay in bed. Put on a drama… eat some food. All good ideas. My pride still stung after master had kicked my ass. At least this day wasn't going to get much worse…
The ship shook. Klaxon roared out. I barely had the time to swear when the lights were cut. Everything went dark. Silent. Nothing.
In a blink. I found myself somewhere else. A courtroom of sorts. I took in my surroundings confused. I was flanked by armored guards. Both wielding metal rods. I couldn't feel my ki, I was in manacles.
I wiggled my toes…
I didn't get the chance to piece those thoughts together when an authoritative voice bellowed out from before me. A judge.
"You, Rettas the Super Saiyan are charged with Piracy, murder and genocide of the highest order. What is your plea?"
I stared. Countless options running through my mind. Settling on a single response.
"WHERE THE HELL ARE MY DAMN BOOTS!" I lurched forward. Only to be pulled back and to get hit over and over with metal rods. The sound of a gavel echoed out.
"Order! Order! ORDER in the court!" The pair stopped after the third cry. My whole body was aching. No, somehow those blows actually really hurt. I was lifted and placed back on the stand.
"You're boots and ship have been detained until your release. However, I find you guilty of your crimes, Rettas the Super Saiyan! And sentence you, to life in the Abyssal Prison!"
Huh… I didn't even bother arguing. It all just seemed to, odd. I was dragged away and before I knew it, I was in a cell. The manacles were off, save for a pair of somewhat fashionable bracelets. My ki still didn't respond to me. It was still quiet. Silent.
Huh… I looked at my cell. A small square. Toilet set into the wall. A sink to the side. A small metal cot against the wall. A single flickering light above that buzzed…
Guess… I'm a prisoner now?
I had so many questions…