Reprogrammed

The Past Comes Back to Haunt

Cooler?" Trunks repeated. His eyes widened. "Wait, I remember now! Frieza did have a brother. He came to Earth several years ago to take revenge. But I was told that Goku killed him."

Cooler laughed. "Not quite, though it was a close call. My kind are known for being great survivors. I survived my battle with Goku, but only just. And now I have been reborn through the power of the Big Gete Star."

"The what?" asked 18. "What's the Big Gete Star?"

Cooler laughed, motioning to the large metal structure that had enveloped the planet. "This is the Big Gete Star. It's the greatest scientific achievement ever created."

Trunks snorted. "I've heard that before."

"It's true." Cooler told him. "You see, the Big Gete Star was at one point nothing more than a single computer chip that was floating around in space for who knows how long. Then it began absorbing the debris of other ships that have been destroyed. It grew and grew until it became the magnificent structure you see before you."

18 looked at the Big Gete Star in disgust. "You call that magnificent? It looks like a damn parasite."

Cooler chuckled. "Yes, in a way it is. You see, the Big Gete Star destroys other planets and sucks up its energy for power. But even that isn't enough. That's why we need the residents as well."

"For what?" Trunks demanded, getting the feeling that he wouldn't like what he would hear.

"We need their energy." There was amusement in his voice as he spoke. "That's what these robotic soldiers are for. My Cyclopian Guards round up the residence and bring them back to the Big Gete Star to be chopped up so their energy can be used."

"That's sick!" 18 shouted.

"No," Cooler told her, "it's survival of the fittest. The strong prey upon the weak."

"And where do you fit into all this?" Trunks asked.

Cooler grinned. "Well, if you must know, my remains floated around in space for several days with what was left of me rendered useless. I thought I would be resigned to this fate until I either starved to death or succumbed to my injuries, but it seems that Fate had other plans. I ended up floating right into a field of space debris and was absorbed by the Big Gete Star. I was fused with the computer itself, becoming part of the Big Gete Star. But you see, unlike a computer, I have willpower. It wasn't long before I infected the entire ship and took control of it. Then I constructed a new body for myself; one that's even stronger than the one I had before."

Trunks figured out the rest. "Then you came here to take revenge."

Cooler chuckled. "I did consider going to New Namek first and killing off the saiyan's green friends, but I couldn't wait any longer to see Goku dead. So if you'll be so kind as to tell me where the saiyan monkey is hiding so I can kill him, I'll be most grateful."

Trunks sneered at him. "Sorry to rain on your parade, but Goku's already dead. He did a long time ago."

Cooler seemed surprised by this. "What? He's dead? He can't be dead!"

"He is." Trunks assured him. "But I'll be happy to fight you in his place."

Cooler scoffed at this. "An earthling isn't worth my time. You can just die with this planet."

He began to fly away, but Trunks fired a blast of energy him, cutting him off. "You shouldn't underestimate me. I'm a saiyan too."

"You're what?" Cooler demanded. "Impossible. You can't be a saiyan. Aside from Goku, who you now claim is dead, the only ones left are Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz, and I heard that the last two were killed."