[notes: somewhere around episode 60-something, Vegeta, Krillin, and Gohan, get their butts kicked by Ricoom

Dragonball Z is the creation of Akira Toriyama, and therefore every character mentioned (with the exception of Koan, Cumber, Baiba and Kado) belong to him. Don't even think about stealing my characters!!! Not that I've ever seen that happen…

Notes: somewhere around episode 60-something, Vegeta, Krillin, and Gohan, get their butts kicked by Ricoom. Goku has just arrived on the planet, Ginyu has the Dragon Balls, yada yada. I didn't try to get the dialogues exact…but in any case, be warned that this story is rather fragmented, and my explanations are necessary. As the story progresses, they won't be anymore. Please don't be frustrated! This was the best place to begin, but I didn't want to describe everything that you can see in the show. Thanks!

Oh, and this is not Vegeta's long lost sister or cousin or anything. I've seen that done too many times….

And finally, there's only a bit of violence in the beginning chapters, but later on there is some adult content! Be for-warned! When Bulma's involved, can you expect anything less?

Falling Short

Prologue 1: Namek

Koan watched the sky from the entrance to her cave. Brilliant flashes of blue-white light streaked and flared against a bronze horizon. She shuddered at the rising and fluctuating power levels. "The real fighting has started," she murmured, bracing herself as the ground trembled beneath her cloth boots.

"Are we going?" her son asked anxiously, tugging on her pant leg. "Are we?"

"Yes," she replied hesitantly, stepping away from the small shelter that had for son short a time been their home. "If this continues, there won't be much of Namek left. We have no choice."

Oh God…Gohan…. Krillin could only watch, horrified, as Ricoom's final blow sent the young boy flying. He landed somewhere out of the older man's sight with a sickening thud. "Gohan…Gohan!" He tried to turn his head to see what had become of his friend, but his entire body had by now grown numb. He waited, praying for Gohan to stand, to run away, but he couldn't' even hear his breathing. No…Goku, why aren't you here? If only….

Ricoom laughed. It was a horrible, mocking sound. It's over Krillin's mind whispered over and over. It's over now. Freeza has the Dragon Balls, Gohan's gone, the Nameks are gone, even Vegeta. It's over. Goku's not coming. Even if he does, it'll be too late. We'll all be dead. Damn it all….

"Hey."

Krillin opened his eyes, and was surprised to see a young, black-haired boy kneeling beside him. "Go…Gohan?"

His vision cleared, revealing a boy about six years old dressed in the baggy red pants of a Namek. He looked human, though his skin was several shades darker than most. "My name's Cumber," he said quietly. "Can you move?"

"I don't think so," he admitted weakly. "Where…?"

"The big guy's bragging to his friends," Cumber said, anticipating his concerns. "The other kid's hurt really bad. My mom's with him. Is he your friend?"

"Mom?" Krillin grimaced as Ricoom's booming voice declared Cumber's presence to his comrades. "Listen, kid, this is bad. I don't know how you got here, but you gotta go--and your mom, too."

The boy frowned. "But we can't let these guys get away."

"Goku will get them." I hope. "We can't do anything."

"Goku?"

"Hey, there. What have we here?" Ricoom was moving towards where Gohan had landed. "I didn't think there were any girls on this planet. Maybe it's my lucky day."

Krillin squirmed, trying to see, but his body refused to obey. "Cumber, you and your mom gotta run," he insisted. "Take Gohan. Don't worry about me--I'm finished anyway. Save yourselves."

Krillin didn't see what happened. All he saw was Ricoom, tumbling onto his back. Though he righted himself in an instant, the audience was shocked by the connected hit. "Damn," the giant muttered, rubbing his jaw. "Guess I underestimated ya."

Now within Krillin's line of sight was a woman dressed in a dark violet, sleeveless jumpsuit with a thick black belt. Her black hair was cut short to frame a determined, though still rather attractive face. Her figure was covered in a layer of slender muscles as testimony to her strength.

"That's my mom," Cumber said proudly. "Her name's Koan."

Vegeta stared at the strange woman in shock. A woman? Here? He squinted, wondering if it was perhaps the woman that had been with the bald guy and Kakarot's son earlier, then immediately discounted the possibility. This one was obvious a fighter--probably more speed than strength, but well-conditioned. A quick glance about and he noticed the boy next to Krillin. They look…like Earthlings. But how did they get here? And why didn't they show up until now?

The woman turned her head to face him briefly, making a scan of him with her eyes. The severity of his condition must have alarmed her, for her focus quickly returned to Ricoom. There was something…eerily familiar about her. She couldn't be….

Ricoom began to power up an attack, and already the strange woman was in motion. Though she refused to take the offensive, her speed was just enough to keep her out of Ricoom's blast range. She even managed to guide him away from the wounded fighters. Her style is like the Nameks of this planet Vegeta thought to himself, concentrating on this mystery to keep from feeling the pain. But the way she moves…she's not human. What the hell is she?

Ricoom fired several shots at once; this time, the woman's speed wasn't enough to keep her from taking one of his beams. She didn't cry out as the energy ball scared her left side and arm. Her belt broke, dangling at her side as she regained her balance and breath.

Vegeta paused, looking again. The thick coil that had once been wrapped around her waist wasn't just hanging--it was swinging gently, back and forth. It…it can't be. The black-haired tail twitched as she gripped her arm. She's…a Saiyan?

"Well, what do you know," Jees declared. "The girlie's a monkey. Guess our little friend's not the last one after all."

Koan's head snapped up, glaring at the orange-skinned man. Though she'd suspected that the injured man in armor was a Saiyan, this new information startled her. The…last? What does he mean? The last…Saiyan? Her gaze flickered back to the Saiyan; his teeth were tightly clenched in pain and restrained anger. Their enemy spoke truth. So, it really was true. The Saiyans are all gone.

Koan's pondering was cut off by a massive swell of power over her senses. She straightened as Jees and Berter's scouters bleeped a distressed warning. Something was coming at an incredible speed; instinctively she returned to join her son. Cumber had felt it, too, and was glancing about in search. "Mom…."

"I know." Nearby, Freeza's men--the Ginyu Force, she'd finally determined--were arguing over their scouter readings. "Stay very still," she instructed her son.

"It's…it's Goku," the short bald man said joyfully. "Goku, finally. Goku..." He sounded so glad that for a moment Koan wondered if he'd lost his mind.

A flash of red light alerted everyone to the presence of the newcomer. Koan tensed, expecting an attack at any moment, but the figure circled the area once and then came to a halt in front of the unconscious, broken child. It was a man dressed in orange with a strange symbol printed on his back. His black hair stuck up from his head in what appeared to be a Saiyan style. He couldn't be. Saiyans aren't that fast. Besides, Goku's not a Saiyan name.

The man bent down, lifting the boy into his arms. Koan cringed. That must be his son. She turned away, not wanting to see his reaction to the boy's fate. Though the boy was not yet dead, with his neck broken it was unlikely that he would ever recover. She knew the pains of parenthood very well, and did not want to be distracted from the fight by his grief.

"Wow, thanks Dad."

"Gee, you sure got messed up a lot. Are they really that strong?"

"Yeah…we couldn't do a thing."

Koan turned back, stunned by the sound of the boy's voice. Both strangers were heading for them; the boy who, a moment before half dead, was now fine. They regarded Koan and her son with a bit of wary curiosity. Realizing that her proximity to the bald man was the cause of the man's cold concern, she quickly moved several steps back.

The man--Goku?--knelt beside his friend. "Boy, am I glad to see you," the smaller man croaked.

"Everything's going to be just fine now, Krillin. Here, eat this." Goku handed him a small bean. As soon as he'd finished eating it, he climbed to his feet without any trouble. Koan and Cumber could only gawk.

"H-Hey!" called Ricoom. "What the hell do you think you're doing? They're supposed to be dead!"

But Goku ignored him, instead facing the woman. "You're a Saiyan, aren't you?" he asked in a serious tone. "I came here to get the Dragon Balls, not to fight you. You should probably find someplace safe to stay until this is over."

Before Koan could answer, Krillin spoke up. "Goku, it's okay. She was helping us."

"Oh, really?" Immediately his manner changed; his features lit in a grin, and he extended his hand. "My name's Son Goku, and this is my son Gohan."

Koan regarded his hand quizzically. A…greeting? She put her hand out in the same fashion, and was surprised when he shook it firmly. "I'm Koan," she introduced, wincing a bit at his strong grip. "This is my son, Cumber."

Cumber enthusiastically shook all three of their hands, laughing at how silly the gesture seemed. "Gohan, how old are you?" he asked.

"I'm almost seven."

"Wow, you're just about my age."

"Really?"

"Hey!" Ricoom called, now forgotten. "C'mon and fight, 'ya show off!"

Goku didn't even glance back. "Looks like a lot has happened. I'll have to catch up quickly. Come here, Krillin." He placed his hand flat on the short man's bald head and closed his eyes. Cumber and Gohan exchanged curious glances. After a moment Goku opened his eyes once more. "Wow, I had no idea how rough things were for you guys. I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner."

"Uh…what?" Krillin rubbed his head. "What did you just do?"

"I read your mind. Isn't it wild? I'd never done it before, but I had a feeling that I'd be able to."

This man…what is he? He's definitely hiding some kind of amazing power. But what? Koan studied him carefully as he bantered a bit with Krillin and Gohan, then with Ricoom. This familiar feeling…is he also a Saiyan? But he doesn't act like it at all…. Her thoughts were interrupted by Goku's sudden shout.

"Vegeta!" He tossed one of the strange seeds toward the injured man, who had not moved since Goku's arrival. "Eat it, Vegeta!"

As he did so, Koan grabbed onto Goku's sleeve. "Vegeta?" she repeated incredulously. Could it be? "As in, Prince Vegeta?"

Goku blinked in confusion. "Yeah. You know him?"

"Well, not really, but…." She looked to Vegeta again. This time, she began to recognize him; the face, the eyes--it was definitely Prince Vegeta, the supposed heir to their world. A strange feeling rose inside her, watching the shock that spread across his face at his sudden restoration.

Before she could consider this new development more, Goku had stepped onto the battlefield. "Don't worry, guys," he was saying. "I'll take care of this myself."

"Your…yourself?" Krillin sputtered incredulously.

On the other side of the field the Saiyan Prince snorted, unimpressed by the man's attitude. Koan could see, however, a disconcerted look in his eye. He must feel the same thing I do, she thought, ignoring the conversations going on around her. Ricoom is incredibly powerful, even after fighting all three of them, and yet Goku is perfectly calm. Can he really hide his power level that well? Despite the severity of their situation, she couldn't help but glance at Vegeta. His entire face had suddenly grown pale in shock. He knows something. What does he see? She looked back to Goku, straining for some indication of what had so startled Vegeta. What she felt was a gentle undulation of power, resting just within the man's aura. It was at the same time familiar and strange. He's definitely hiding his power, but how much? Enough to beat Ricoom?

And Vegeta…the Prince of the Saiyans. The orange one called him the last. Then he, Cumber and I are all the last? But what about this new man, Goku? She swallowed hard. I wonder…does Vegeta recognize me?

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