The low hum of atmospheric thrusters cut through the quiet valley as three lower-tier Frieza Force scouts dropped into the gorge. Equipped with standard-issue armor and hand blasters, they fanned out across the scorched Namekian plaza, their boots crunching on glassed earth and shattered stone.
The central crater was enormous. Smoke still bellowed from the center where the dual energy blast had detonated, but there was no body. No pulverized bones, no armor plating.
Only heavy scuff marks dragged through the dirt toward the edge of the pit, a few spatters of drying purple blood, and absolute silence.
"Scouter check!" the lead scout barked, tapping the side of his green visor. "Anything?"
"Nothing, sir," the second soldier replied, sweeping his display over the cliffs. "Zero power readings within five hundred miles. But look at the ground. Its completely charred."
"Zarbon's signature vanished right here," the lead soldier muttered, a cold drop of sweat running down his neck as he stared at the dragging marks. "He didn't just lose... he was completely overwhelmed."
Back aboard the flagship, the silence in the command deck was terrifying.
Frieza stood at the massive glass viewport, his short tail flicking rhythmically against his leg. Behind him, the lead scout knelt, his body visibly trembling as he delivered his report.
"N-No sign of Lord Zarbon, sire..." the soldier stuttered, staring fixedly at the floor plating. "Only... only a crater and signs of a heavy struggle. His scouter signal ceased entirely."
Frieza didn't turn around. He raised his small, three-toed hand, holding a delicate glass of red wine up to the light of Namek's suns.
"First Dodoria," Frieza said softly, his voice a smooth, icy purr that chilled the air in the room. "And now Zarbon. My two finest commanders... vanished into thin air like morning mist."
Click.
The glass in Frieza's hand shattered into a hundred microscopic fragments, wine and liquid crystal dripping onto his white forearm. The scout flinched, pressing his face flat against the floor.
"Vegeta isn't just surviving," Frieza murmured, swiveling his chair around slowly. His crimson eyes were blazing with a cold, murderous fury. "He has brought help, and they are methodically hunting down my inner circle."
He leaned back, resting his chin on his fist, his dark purple aura flickering erratically around his shoulders.
"Operator," Frieza commanded, his voice dropping into a low, lethal register. "Contact Planet Frieza No. 79. Patch me through to Captain Ginyu immediately."
The communications officer scrambled wildly at his console, his fingers flying over the keys. "S-Sire! The Ginyu Force? They're currently stationed on the front lines in the Mid-Childa sector—"
"I do not care if they are conquering the universe," Frieza interrupted, his tone instantly silencing the room. "Tell them to drop everything. I want the entire squad on Namek, equipped with our newest scouters. If these monkeys want to bite... I will just have to discipline them."
Meanwhile, miles away, in a shaded cavern near the northern sea, Vegeta and Escallion sat in the dark, resting after the fight.
Vegeta leaned against the rock wall, his arms crossed, a dark grin playing on his lips. "Frieza's scouts are useless out here, but right about now, he's realizing Zarbon isn't coming back."
Escallion adjusted his forearm guards, his dark eyes fixed on the cave's entrance. "He won't send scouts again. He knows base soldiers are useless against us."
"No," Vegeta agreed, his smile fading into a grim, sharp stare. "He's going to call in his ultimate hounds. Which means our time just ran out."
Through the shadowed mouth of the cavern, a subtle shift in the air caught Escallion's attention. High above the jagged coastline, two small energy signatures were moving fast across the teal sky, cutting through the thin clouds toward the western horizon.
Escallion's eyes narrowed as he focused on the horizon. "Look up."
Vegeta leaned forward out of the shadows, his eyes tracking the two faint streaks in the sky.
Flying low and fast, carrying a large, glowing One-Star Dragon Ball tucked under his arm, was Krillin, with Gohan trailing right behind him. Having just left the Grand Elder's spire, their speed was far greater than before, their movements fluid and confident.
Vegeta's eyes widened slightly before turning into a lethal, sharp glare. "Those little earthling rats..."
He stood up, his boots grinding against the stone floor of the cavern. "They've got one of the Dragon Balls."
Escallion stood up beside him, his dark eyes calmly following the two figures as they disappeared over a distant ridge. "They've got to be heading back to their rendezvous point. They don't know Frieza's scouts were sweeping this sector earlier."
"They're naive," Vegeta growled, a vicious smirk creeping back onto his face as he stepped out into the daylight. "They think they can play under the radar while we do the heavy lifting with Frieza's commanders. But they just delivered another piece of the puzzle right into our laps."
Vegeta looked back at Escallion, his jaw set. "We tail them quietly. We find out where they're hiding their spheres, take the One-Star ball, and secure it before Frieza's backup arrives."
Vegeta and Escallion dropped into a low, gliding flight, keeping their Ki strictly locked down as they tailed the two earthlings. They stayed hundreds of yards behind, using the towering rock pillars and heavy Namekian cloud cover to break their line of sight whenever Krillin or Gohan glanced back.
"They're moving fast," Escallion noted quietly, his eyes tracking the two distant specks as they darted over a jagged mountain range. "The kid's power... it's noticeably different than it was on Earth."
Vegeta sneered, his eyes narrowed on Gohan's flight path. "It doesn't matter. Even with their full strength, they're still just soft earthlings."
Up ahead, Krillin hugged the large, amber One-Star Dragon Ball tight against his chest, completely unaware of the two Saiyan shadows trailing in his wake. Beside him, Gohan kept checking their surroundings, but with Vegeta and Escallion suppressing their energy completely, the pair were flying blind to the danger behind them.
"Drop down here," Vegeta instructed, dropping his altitude until his boots nearly scraped the teal grass of a wide plateau. "If they've got more than one sphere stored away, we grab the whole batch in one stroke."
Escallion nodded silently, adjusting his flight angle to mirror Vegeta's. They crested the ridge just in time to see Krillin and Gohan dive sharply down into a dense, forested canyon, heading straight toward a hidden cave concealed beneath heavy ajisa branches.
Vegeta landed heavily on a rock ledge overlooking the canyon entrance, his boots kicking up a small cloud of dust. Escallion touched down silently a pace behind him, his dark eyes locked on the dense ajisa branches concealing the cave mouth.
Crossed arms, a dark, arrogant smirk plastered on his face, Vegeta didn't bother keeping his voice down.
"Come on out, you earthling pests!" Vegeta's voice echoed boisterously across the canyon walls, cutting straight through the rustle of the trees. "I know you're in there, Krillin! And bring the kid with you!"
Inside the shadowy cave, Krillin nearly dropped the One-Star ball in sheer panic. Gohan instantly dropped into a low fighting stance, his breath catching in his throat.
"V-Vegeta?!" Krillin squeaked, his face going completely pale as cold sweat poured down his forehead. "How... how did he track us without a scouter?!"
Vegeta's sharp laugh echoed into the cave entrance. "Don't bother trying to sneak out the back! You're completely cornered! Hand over the Dragon Balls you're hoarding, and maybe, just maybe, I won't tear this canyon apart with you two inside it!"
Escallion stepped forward to the edge of the ledge, looking down at the brush with a calm, stoic gaze. "You're wasting time hiding. Hand them over."
Recognizing there was nowhere to run, Krillin swallowed hard, clutching the large amber sphere tightly against his chest as he and Gohan slowly stepped out from beneath the canopy into the open sunlight.
Krillin's eyes widened in sheer horror as he took in the sight above, not just Vegeta, but Escallion standing right beside him, completely unharmed.
"Two of them..." Krillin whispered under his breath, trembling as he stared up at the two Saiyans. "Gohan... what do we do?"
Gohan stepped out of the cave entrance first, his fists clenched tight at his sides, his eyes blazing with a fierce, stubborn light as he shielded Bulma, who cowered just behind the rock face. Krillin stood beside him, holding the One-Star Dragon Ball with a white-knuckled grip, his legs trembling but his jaw set.
"We aren't giving you anything, Vegeta!" Gohan yelled up at the ledge, his power flaring in a sudden, sharp burst that rattled the loose gravel around his boots. "We came here to save our friends, and we're not letting you take these balls!"
Vegeta's eyes narrowed, a ruthless sneer creeping onto his lips as he uncrossed his arms. "Brave words for a brat who—"
Right on cue, the teal sky above the canyon tore open. Five brilliant, fiery white streaks ripped through Namek's upper atmosphere at horrifying speeds, trailing long plumes of smoke as they arced over the northern horizon. The sonic booms hit a second later, a deep, atmospheric thrum that made the very ground beneath their feet vibrate.
Vegeta's sneer instantly evaporated. His face drained of color, his pupils shrinking as he watched the five meteors streak across the clouds.
"They're here..." Vegeta muttered, a cold drop of sweat rolling down his temple as panic threatened to break his composure. "Frieza actually called them..."
Beside him, Escallion didn't flinch. His dark eyes remained completely calm, tracking the landing trajectories with cold, calculated precision.
"The Ginyu Force," Escallion said smoothly, crossing his arms. "Just as we anticipated when we killed Zarbon. Frieza was never going to sit on his hands after losing his top two officers."
Vegeta snapped his head toward him, his jaw tight. "Anticipating them doesn't change the reality, Escallion! They're monsters! Five freaks with power levels that make Zarbon look like an insect! They'll sweep this entire planet and track down every dragon ball on this planet before the sun sets."
"Which is exactly why we aren't wasting time or energy fighting these two," Escallion replied smoothly, pointing a gloved hand down at Gohan and Krillin.
Down in the canyon, Krillin and Gohan looked up at the sky, feeling a sudden, heavy dread settle over the air, as they sensed the distant ki.
Escallion turned fully to Vegeta, his voice dropping into a low, sharp tone of pure logic. "You and I were just enough to kill Zarbon, which means we get slaughtered if Ginyu or Recoome catch us alone. However insignificant the earthling's power levels have risen."
Escallion leaned in slightly, his dark eyes locking onto Vegeta's. "And right now we need numbers, distraction, and their Dragon Balls. We make a temporary alliance right now. We use their spheres to grant your wish for immortality, and with four bodies on the field instead of two, our odds of picking off the Ginyu Force one by one actually work."
Vegeta stared at Escallion, his jaw grinding as his royal pride warred violently against the cold strategy they had discussed. He looked down at Krillin and Gohan, then back at the massive dust clouds billowing over the distant horizon where the five pods had just slammed into the earth.
Vegeta let out a harsh, bitter breath, stepping to the very edge of the cliff.
"Fine," Vegeta barked down into the canyon, his voice echoing loudly. "Change of plans, earthlings! Listen up if you want to keep breathing!"
Krillin and Gohan exchanged guarded looks, but Vegeta didn't wait for them to respond. He leaped down from the ledge, landing hard on the canyon floor with Escallion dropping silently in beside him.
"Listen to me very carefully, because your survival depends on how fast your little brains process this," Vegeta snarled, his eyes dark and deadly serious. "Those five streaks that just ripped through the sky aren't standard Frieza trash. That's the Ginyu Force, Frieza's personal execution squad."
Krillin swallowed hard, clutching the One-Star Dragon Ball tighter against his chest. "E-Execution squad?"
"Zarbon and Dodoria were glorified lapdogs compared to them," Vegeta spat. "There are five of them, led by Captain Ginyu. Every single one of them is a mutant freak with power levels that outclass anything you've ever seen. And unlike the fools we've been killing, they brought Frieza's newest models of scouters. They can pick up energy signatures from hundreds of miles away, and they'll scan this entire sector in minutes."
Escallion stepped forward, his calm, analytical tone cutting through Vegeta's sharp aggression. "Their objective is bound to be simple. Hunt down the rogue Dragon Balls, kill anyone hiding them, and bring them straight to Frieza. Right now, Frieza holds 3 spheres at his ship. You have one. We have three stashed away."
"If they get their hands on even a single ball from either of us, Frieza wins and everyone on this planet dies," Vegeta interjected, stepping up to Gohan and looming over him. "Our only move is to team up right now. We take your sphere, retrieve our two, and collect the rest to make me immortal before Ginyu's squad locks onto our positions."
Gohan stood his ground, his brow furrowed as he looked between Vegeta and Escallion. "Immortality? Why should we trust you with a wish like that? You'll just turn around and kill us!"
"Because an immortal Saiyan is the only thing standing between you and complete annihilation!" Vegeta barked back, his aura flaring for a split second. "Once I'm immortal, I can wipe out the Ginyu Force and kill Frieza myself. You get to live, your planet stays safe, and I get my revenge."
Escallion looked down at Krillin, his dark eyes fixed on the amber sphere. "He's right about the threat. Divide our strength, and we get picked off individually. Combine our numbers, suppress our Ki, and move fast, we might actually pull this off."
Krillin looked up at the sky where the smoke trails were settling, then at Gohan, and finally back at the two Saiyans.
"Fine..." Krillin breathed, sweat running down his forehead as he reluctantly held out the One-Star Dragon Ball. "A temporary truce. But the moment Frieza and those freaks are gone... we have a deal to settle."
----------------------------------------
Aboard Frieza's flagship, the atmosphere was suffocating. Frieza stood at the center of the bridge, his crimson eyes cold as he stared through the viewport. Below on the landing strip, five distinct white pods broke through the clouds, slamming into the metal deck in a thunderous succession of steam, sparks, and hydraulic roars.
The pressurized doors hissed open in unison.
Out stepped Captain Ginyu, his towering purple frame and black horns glinting under the lights, followed immediately by Recoome's massive, muscular bulk, Burter's towering blue form, Jeice's flaming red mane, and the short, four-eyed Guldo shuffling along behind them.
"My Lord Frieza!" Captain Ginyu boomed, his voice carrying an absurd level of theatrical gusto that echoed off the hull. He snapped his arms wide, pivoting sharply on his left heel. "The galaxy's most elite, most glorious, and most magnificent special fighting force has arrived!"
In perfect, rehearsed unison, the five warriors dropped into their extravagant positions:
"RECOOME!" Recoome bellowed, dropping into a deep squat while thrusting his chest out and winking dramatically at the bewildered bridge crew.
"BURTER!" the blue giant roared, striking a speed-runner's pose with one leg kicked high into the air.
"JEICE!" the red alien yelled, spinning twice before striking a sharp, hand-on-hip pose with a flashy gesture.
"GULDO!" the tiny alien squeaked, hopping into a squat with both arms flailing wildly.
"CAPTAIN GINYU!" the purple leader roared, leaping directly over Guldo's head to land squarely in the center, thrusting his pelvis forward and spreading his arms like a majestic bird of prey.
Together, as one unified, absurd spectacle, they shouted at the top of their lungs:
"AND TOGETHER, WE ARE... THE GINYU FORCE!"
A burst of pyrotechnic smoke flared behind them, a personal touch Guldo had rigged to their pod thrusters.
Frieza stood perfectly still on the bridge, his expression entirely deadpan, a tiny muscle twitching beneath his eye as he looked down at his grand officers. The bridge crew looked utterly mortified, entirely unsure whether to clap or sprint for the exit.
"Splendid," Frieza purred coldly, his voice dripping with forced politeness as he floated down to the deck level. "As charmingly... dramatic as ever, Captain."
Ginyu instantly dropped the pose, snapping to a crisp, formal military salute. "Forgive the grandeur, Lord Frieza! But a proper entrance inspires fear in the enemy and morale in the troops! Now, we received your urgent call. We brought the absolute newest scouter models straight from headquarters!"
Jeice tossed a sleek, dark-cased scouter toward Frieza's palm, which the tyrant caught effortlessly.
"Vegeta has gone rogue, and he has a partner," Frieza explained, his red eyes narrowing. "They have butchered Dodoria and Zarbon, and they are actively hunting the Dragon Balls. I want them brought to me alive... or broken. And I want those spheres secured."
Ginyu's purple face lit up with a dark, confident grin. "Consider it done, Lord Frieza. No rogue monkeys can outrun the fastest squad in the universe!"
Ginyu turned to his men, striking a brief, sharp finger-point pose. "Men! Spread out! Scan every high-density sector on this rock! Let's show these Saiyan pests what real perfection looks like!"
"SIR!" the four bellowed in unison, immediately activating their new scouters with a flurry of high-pitchedbeeps, before blasting into the sky like four colorful comets, leaving Frieza standing alone on the runway in cold, quiet solitude.