Bringer of Death

Android Saga - Part 8: Supremacy

Android Saga - Part 8: Supremacy  

A gentle breeze, alive with the smells of late spring, wafted through the short grass. The brightly glowing sun, unhindered by clouds, warmed the Earth gracefully as it approached its noon position in the sky. Nearby, a few oblivious squirrels chased each other wildly across the grass and up trees, blissfully unaware of the destructive force being unleashed nearby. 

In the clearing, bordered by a bluff on one side and a cluster of leafy green trees on the other, two powerful beings were locked in mortal combat. Hovering just over the cliff were two other strange figures: androids. They were mechanical beings designed for the purpose of killing even the most powerful living fighters. Just on the edge of the tree line stood the heroes of the Earth-each one wearing a determined look as they watched what was taking place between the two warriors in the center. 

SSHRRIIEEK, came the sound of tempered steel ripping like paper-mâché. One of the fighters, a pale plump android, had fallen to its knees, crying out in furious, strangled yelps. Vegeta, the golden Super Saiyan who restrained it, was digging his fingers further and further into the machine's wrists. The foolish abomination had tried a blind, head-on assault against the most powerful Saiyan to have ever lived, and its futile efforts had been halted by nothing but a simple wrist flick from the prince. 

"Ah," smiled the Saiyan, "so you do indeed feel pain. Or is this just frustration? Hard to tell..." 

Dr. Gero, whose true identity was still unknown to the Z fighters - so far, the moustached cyborg had been careful to refer to himself only as Android 20 - had begun to show concern for the first time. Vegeta's sudden transformation into a golden warrior has been unnerving enough, but now he realized the extent of the prince's new power. 

'How could my calculations have been so inaccurate? I have made far too many errors so far, and the odds continue to stack against me. If 19 does not find another chance to steal energy, the damage he takes from Vegeta will completely drain his reserves and he will begin to malfunction. I CANNOT allow that.' 

Still unmoving, to Gero's right, was the giant android designated #21. Until now, it had been completely silent, but it slowly turned its huge head towards its leader and spoke in a low mechanical growl. 

"Unit 19 is outdated. He will lose." The words were accented strangely, as if they had to echo through the droid's body before they came out its mouth. Its vowels had a tall, strange inflection. 

"We will wait, 21. Android 19 may yet have an opportunity to steal more energy with his left arm." 

The baggy pants of #19 were pressing hard against the soft dirt as it continued struggling to get free. Yet every time it jerked, more of its right hand was torn from its forearm; it had already lost all functionality in its fingers. Suddenly, the white faced robot slung its left hand around and gripped Vegeta's right. Thinking to begin absorbing more energy through skin contact, 19 briefly smiled. But as its lips began to part in a grin, Vegeta kicked the droid right in the stomach-a truly powerful blow which nearly pierced through its entire body. Gasping in pain as oil leaked from its eyes and ears, 19 released its hold on Vegeta's hand. It had not gained a drop of power-in fact, that one kick had drained nearly all the power it had possessed. 

Now doubled over in a ball on the ground, 19 couldn't even find the strength to look at its opponent. Too many of its systems were damaged, and Dr. Gero had made it too humanoid-its vital gears and wiring were all in its now-crushed upper torso. With each passing second, the terrified droid crawled backwards, scooting on its hands and knees. When it finally gathered the strength to look back up at Vegeta's terrible eyes, the droid's messy face was one of pure terror. It had not been programmed to handle defeat; its programming was practically childlike.