Make One!

"Haa... huh?"

"Why's the ship going at full speed? Where's Frieza going?"

Betkas had just woken from his deep sleep. He suddenly noticed the planets streaking past the window and frowned in confusion. Then he looked around and saw that Vegeta and Nappa still hadn't returned. He could only rub his hair and head outside.

Click!

The door slid open, and Betkas headed to the treatment room he'd visited before. He wanted to see if Vegeta and Nappa were still being treated. Otherwise, why were they still nowhere to be seen after he'd slept?

Click!

The doors slid open, and Betkas went inside again. Aside from Vegeta and Nappa, who were still being treated in the tanks, no one else was there. Even the Antenna Alien from before was gone. Betkas stepped forward and looked at Vegeta and Nappa, who showed no signs of waking. He murmured, "They still haven't woken up after all this time. Just how badly were these two hurt?"

Betkas couldn't know exactly what had happened afterward, but he was sure Vegeta and Nappa had fought a tough battle. Even as Great Apes, it must have taken a great deal of effort to wipe out all the Chicks Aliens on the planet. They might even have fought themselves to exhaustion. Betkas was certain that at least one of them had transformed into a Great Ape—and that they hadn't dared to change back.

After all, the planet's inhabitants were exceptionally strong. If they ended their Great Ape Transformations and ran into another powerful fighter, they might never have made it back.

"By the way, where's Frieza hurrying off to?"

Betkas walked over to a large screen and began to study the information displayed on it...

"Urgent notice? Proceed at full speed to Planet Feland? What kind of place is that? What could make Frieza in such a hurry to get there?"

Betkas quietly read the few words in the universal language on the screen, curious about what kind of place could prompt Frieza to act like this. He didn't yet know how dangerous Frieza's destination was. Of course, that danger was for him, while he was still weak.

Betkas glanced back at the still-sleeping Vegeta, then slowly headed for the door. "Once Vegeta wakes up and gets a Scouter, he'll know I'm stronger than him. That might really piss him off... All these years, he's seen me training so much. He'll probably train even harder than I do. I hope this doesn't provoke him too much. I don't want to become 'Son Goku'..."

After leaving the room, Betkas headed for the mechanical workshop. Other than a few restricted rooms, most of Frieza's spaceship was open to everyone, so he didn't need to worry about being punished. The workshop was where the aliens who repaired machinery worked. He planned to have them make him some weighted gear.

He clearly remembered that, in the original story, Son Goku and Piccolo had fought Raditz while wearing Weighted Clothing. When they took it off, their power levels surged. They could also suppress the battle power detected by Scouters.

He planned to ask the aliens to make him a set of combat-oriented Weighted Clothing. First, it would help him train. Second, he didn't want to provoke Vegeta. Who knew how Vegeta would react when he woke up and saw that Betkas was so much stronger than him? With his pride, it wouldn't be pretty. Betkas didn't want to fall out with Vegeta just yet. They were kin of the same race, after all.

When Betkas reached the workshop, he heard a series of "Bang! Bang! Bang!" sounds coming from inside. They were very faint, though, and could only be heard once he was through the door. Betkas guessed they were trying not to disturb anyone. If someone was in a bad mood, they could be killed over the slightest thing. That was why they didn't dare make too much noise. The aliens working here weren't very strong, after all.

"Hm?!"

The moment Betkas walked in, the aliens inside tensed up and looked toward the doorway. But when they saw that it was only a child, they relaxed a little. Then they noticed the Scouter over Betkas's left eye and grew uneasy. Only combat personnel were allowed to wear Scouters, and they were usually fairly strong—more than powerful enough to deal with low-ranking workers like them.

"Make me a set of Weighted Clothing. It should weigh about fifty kilograms. How long will it take?"

Betkas didn't bother with any false politeness. In Frieza's crew, might made right. He wasn't going to lower himself for these weaklings. Instead, he pointed rather rudely at one of the aliens, who looked like a catfish. The other aliens, with their odd appearances, trembled nervously.

"W-we can do it in an hour..." the catfish-like alien answered anxiously, afraid that Betkas might kill him if he made a mistake. It had happened before: a worker who'd refused a request had been killed by the person who made it. So they didn't dare delay and answered at once.

Betkas's lips curved into a smile. "Then get started. I want to see it in an hour. I hope you're not lying to me..." He went over to one side, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes as if dozing. Seeing this, the aliens each got back to their work.

"My body's still too small. It hasn't finished developing. Wearing something too heavy would only hinder my growth. Fifty kilograms might be my limit for now. Well, I'll try it first and see..."

Betkas narrowed his eyes and watched the catfish-like alien prepare the materials. He thought to himself that getting stronger was good, but he couldn't overdo it. Rushing often led to disastrous consequences, and he didn't want anything terrible to happen. Only steady progress could keep him safe. There was no need to ask for a hundred kilograms of Weighted Clothing right off the bat. He'd probably get crushed before he got used to it...

"The body is the capital of the revolution. The revolution hasn't succeeded yet, so I still have to work hard. I'll see how it turns out in an hour. If it doesn't work, I'll have them make another set..."