Dragon Ball Zedux - The Bardock Saga

The Bardock Saga

[Author's Note: This is heavily influenced by Team FourStar's version of the DBZ story and characters, as well as MasakoX's What If storylines. I will try not to outright steal scenes or jokes, but it's bound to happen at some point. Also, this story will be entirely in script format, because it is meant to be adapted into other mediums in the future.]

In the vast, empty expanse of space, finding a peaceful corner to live in is a nearly impossible task. Millions of stars and planets paint the galaxy, and among them, the number of planets able to sustain life is only in the thousands. The universe is a deadly, inhospitable place, a plane of existence which is in constant conflict with itself. This conflict, this eternal struggle between those who wish to survive and those forces acting to destroy them, is no stranger to the warrior race known as the Saiyans. Although entirely humanoid apart from their tails, Saiyans possess natural combat abilities beyond that of any other race in the galaxy. The Saiyans are feared by all who know them as ferocious conquerors. The natural ability and viciousness of the Saiyans drew the eye of the Great Warlord, King Cold, who offered them a place in his military in exchange for their total subjugation. In his lust for conquest, King Vegeta I accepted the allure of Cold Force technology in exchange for his people's freedom. For millennia this arrangement was kept, and the Saiyans served King Cold by conquering planets and selling them to the highest bidder.

King Cold was at first a vicious and terrible emperor, leaving the galaxy in unimaginable fear and darkness. However, as the eons passed, and new Kings of Vegeta rose and fell, King Cold became an old, decrepit shell of his former self. Cold's empire was powerful and vast, but without the flame of youth to spur Cold's temper, he failed to live up to the harbinger of terror he once was. Five years ago, King Cold appointed his son, Freeza, to succeed him as Galactic Emperor. Freeza is much the same as his father, with one distinct difference... he is more cold-hearted than his father ever was, and Freeza ruthlessly commands the galaxy with an iron fist.

Somewhere in the vast reaches of the Freeza Empire, a young Saiyan warrior with black, spiky hair and a distinct facial scar is conquering the planet Kanassa along with his compatriots, Selypa, Pumbukin, Toma, and Toteppo. Bardock admires his handiwork, watching the sanguine blood of his enemies drip down his hand and forearm. The satisfaction of having slaughtered an entire planet fills the young Saiyan with a deep intoxication. As Bardock ruminates on the success of his conquest, a native Kanassan, who Bardock thought he had killed, leaps from the ground, and before Bardock can react, strikes him in the back of the neck. A shockwave fills Bardock's body, sending him falling to the ground, unconscious. The Kanassan is easily dispatched by Toma, who goes to ensure that Bardock is alive. Bardock awakens momentarily, uninjured, but the tingle from where he was hit remains. Bardock tries to make sense of this feeling as his friend's voice becomes clearer...

Toma: Bardock, you alright?

Bardock: Yeah, I'm fine. Little shit thought he could get me from behind. Don't know what he was thinking, I mean, doesn't he see what we did to his friends?

[The feeling dissipates, allowing Bardock to clear his mind and take measure of his surroundings. He sees his long-time comrade and friend Toma kneeling beside him, and his other comrade Selypa lands near the two.]

Selypa: Well I think what he did was courageous. Against all odds, making one final attempt to avenge his race? It's kinda heroic if you think about it like that.

Bardock: Oh, don't get all sentimental on us, you killed just as many of them as we did!

Selypa: Hey, I can respect the people whose races I've destroyed. I mean, it's just a job, nothing personal.

Bardock: I guess you're righ- AGH!

[Bardock feels an intense shock as his vision goes white and he abruptly falls to the ground. After several seconds, he begins to see hazy images of a massive spaceship floating above Planet Vegeta. It appears to be Freeza's flagship. The moment he processes the image, however, he wakes up again in a flash of light.]