Frieza's flagship, command lounge.
Six hours of silence had turned the air toxic.
Frieza floated in slow circles, tail lashing, wine glass empty and forgotten on the armrest. Five orange spheres sat in a neat row on the table like obedient pets. Two were still missing.
The octopus-headed technician stood rigid, eight tentacles knotted together, praying not to be noticed.
Frieza finally spoke, voice soft as frost.
"Six hours. Dodoria and Zarbon are either dead… or wishing they were."
He drifted to the viewport, staring down at the endless green-blue day that now felt like mockery.
"No scouters. No sensors. My elite guard vanishing one by one." A thin smile. "There is only one creature on this planet capable of that."
His reflection in the glass smiled back, eyes glowing red.
"Vegeta."
The name tasted like poison and candy.
"You greedy little monkey. Did you think killing my dogs would scare me? Did you think you could steal my wish?"
He turned, tail curling with delight.
"Five days. The Ginyu Force arrives in five days with brand-new scouters, spare parts, and five fresh corpses for me to play with. Run all you like, prince. Hide. Gather your little balls. When they get here, I'll hunt you the way you deserve: slowly."
His laugh started low, then climbed into that familiar, child-like giggle that froze blood in veins.
The technician dropped to his knees, trembling.
Far across the planet, inside a shallow cave lit by eternal daylight.
Krillin sat with his back to the wall, staring at nothing.
Gohan slept fitfully beside him, fists clenched even in dreams. Dende curled in the corner, green skin pale from shock.
Krillin's voice was barely a whisper.
"We almost died today. For a kid we didn't even know."
He rubbed his bald head, remembering the pink monster's roar, the heat of Dodoria's ki as it closed in.
"And then… Vegeta just erased him. Like swatting a fly."
He glanced at the sleeping boy.
"Gohan doesn't want to admit it, but we only lived because Vegeta felt like it. Not because we're strong. Because he decided Dodoria annoyed him more than we do."
Krillin pulled his knees to his chest.
"Goku's coming. Six days. He keeps saying he'll be stronger…"
A bitter laugh escaped.
"But Vegeta was already stronger. And whatever happened to him out there… he's not even playing the same game anymore."
Outside, the twin suns blazed on, indifferent.
Two storms were gathering on Namek.
One wore a white cape and a child's smile.
The other wore Saiyan armor and carried two and a half million reasons to end an empire.
Five days.
The clock was ticking for everyone.