Chapter 2- The Prayer-Part 2 (Updated)

With Vegeta's recent betrayal and a Star Destroyer ominously close to Sadala, the planet was on high alert. The situation was escalating, and Vice Captain Frisee recognized the need for strong leadership. She promptly contacted her captain.

"Captain, this is Vice Captain Frisee. We have an emergency," she relayed through her communicator, her voice filled with urgency, hoping for her captain's immediate response.

After a moment of silence, her captain's voice came through, hoarse but authoritative, "...Frisee...What happened? I know you wouldn't contact me unless absolutely necessary. What's the situation?"

Frisee took a deep breath, her nerves on edge. However, she held onto her resolve, knowing that their planet's fate hinged on their actions.

"A Star Destroyer is at our doorstep. I need your guidance, Ma'am," she confessed, her voice barely audible.

"Star Destroyer!...I see…" Her captain paused, her voice dropping into a chilling tone that sent shivers down Frisee's spine. "Let me guess, it's Vegeta's ship, isn't it?"

"Yes, Ma'am. It's King Vegeta's Chariot," Frisee felt puzzled at how her captain could identify the ship without further details.

"Understood. I'll be there momentarily," the captain's voice echoed through the communicator, the icy tone hinting at the impending storm.

"Roger that, Ma'am," Frisee confirmed, her heart pounding in her chest.

About 30 minutes later, Frisee watched as the captain entered the war command center. Clad in full battle armor with a captain's cloak billowing behind her, she presented a formidable figure.

"Captain in the room," Frisee announced, quickly vacating the captain's chair. The room fell silent as all eyes turned toward the entrance, everyone standing up and offering a salute in respect for the Empress of the Strategic Division.

"At ease," the captain, Gula, commanded as she took her place in the captain's chair.

"Vice Captain, give me a sit rep," she ordered, her voice as cold and unyielding as steel.

Frisee quickly relayed the details, King Vegeta's betrayal, his ominous pact with the Evil God, the foreboding presence of King Vegeta's Chariot, and the space laws detected on the enemy ships.

Gula listened silently, her gaze fixed on the vast battle map before her, considering her next move.

"How long before Delta Squad arrives back? They have an ENDIVE mother ship, they should be able to return soon," she asked without looking away from the map.

"Tris, report," Frisee commanded.

"Yes, Ma'am. According to the latest update from Nach, the Delta Squad should arrive in approximately seven hours. They managed to secure a rare space law crystal, which has greatly reduced their travel time," Tris responded, maintaining composure despite the tense situation.

Gula, her gaze still fixed on the battle map, nodded. "A space crystal, you say. That's good news. Once Cress and his team arrive in our system, instruct them to infiltrate the Chariot. They need to assess the situation from within. If it's viable, they have my full authorization to take control of the ship. Their squad has proven their capabilities time and again, and I trust them to handle this task," she stated, her tone authoritative and resolute.

She paused for a moment before continuing, "However, if for some reason the takeover is not feasible, their priority should shift to a different strategy. I want them to place an energized space crystal in the engine core. That should disable the ship's main cannon. We can't afford to let that weapon remain operational."

Tris listened attentively, absorbing the Captain's commands. She promptly relayed them to the Delta Squad. The response was swift; within ten minutes, they received the Delta Squad's acknowledgment. This rapid communication was a testament to the efficiency and discipline of their forces, even in the face of a crisis.

After issuing these commands, Gula continued to review the battle map. The enemy cannon fodder on all fronts had been annihilated, but the Saiyan losses had been catastrophic. The mortal Saiyans had been corrupted by the Evil Saiyan God, further complicating the situation.

"Vice Captain and SAGE, to my ready room, now!" Gula commanded. Her tone left no room for argument as she rose to leave for her ready room.

Inside the ready room, Gula sat with her eyes closed, facing Frisee and a holographic display of SAGE. After a few moments, she opened her eyes, a cold gleam in her gaze that Frisee could have sworn wasn't there before.

"SAGE, is there a ship that can escape our sector undetected?" Gula asked, her question catching both the AI and Vice Captain Frisee off guard.

"Captain, we have a modified Dauntless class warship ready to go. However, if my suspicion about your intention is correct, I would suggest the prototype ship that young master Orach had been working on," SAGE replied.

"A prototype ship? My son has been tinkering with ships? And you're suggesting we use it?" Gula asked, her eyebrow arched in a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

"Yes," SAGE, the advanced artificial intelligence system, replied in a tone that was as close to helpless as an AI could manage. "The young master has been studying the primordial laws, including those of space, for years now. He'd been working on a theoretical model for an engine that would employ these laws for space travel. He kept it a secret, working in his lab away from prying eyes. Seven months ago, he assembled a miniature working engine as a proof of concept."

SAGE continued, "Once he succeeded in a controlled environment, he took it upon himself to procure an attack pod from your ship. Given his status as the young master, no one dared to interfere. He successfully dismantled the pod and rebuilt it to his design. The ship has successfully even completed test flights. However, assuming you'd disapprove, he took the liberty to delete the flight logs. But over the years, I have learnt to create backups when it comes to the young master's adventures."

Gula processed the information she had just received. Her son, Orach, was a renowned figure in the empire. Although he currently maintained a serious demeanor as an officer, his past as a mischievous child was not forgotten. He had once caused SAGE's system to lose data and crash. This act alarmed the higher-ups and prompted a meeting of all division captains. Both Gula and Cress wore embarrassed expressions that day, promising to discipline their son when they returned. SAGE, however, took its own precautions and began creating a separate backup for any data related to Orach, granting access to Gula.

"So, let me get this straight. My son, without informing anyone, built an outrageous invention, took an attack pod from MY ship without anyone stopping him, and NO ONE thought to inform me? And you, Frisee, you too kept quiet about these tests he'd been conducting?" Gula demanded, her voice laced with a mother's worry and a commander's anger.

"Ma'am, we…" Frisee stammered, struggling to find a suitable explanation.

SAGE cut her off, "Ma'am, this is the young master we are talking about. YOUR son. Plus, he is a recognized scientist. No one in your division would dare to interfere with his experiments."

Frisee could only nod in agreement. Gula's eyes twitched at the AI's words. She knew he was right, but her maternal instincts wanted to scold them for not keeping her informed.

"Recognized scientist or not, I would have liked to be kept in the know," Gula said, her voice softer now.

Changing the topic, she turned back to SAGE, "What have you deduced?"

"That you are planning to have the young master escape using that undetectable ship since the ships showing signs of laws indicate that the Evil God personally took action," SAGE responded.

"Haah…You got me," Gula admitted with a sigh. "How soon can the prototype be prepared?"

"It's already primed and ready. The young master had it stored ready," SAGE replied.

"Good. Let's do this. Prep the modified DAUNTLESS class warship as well. Have it follow the attack pod. Ensure the pod sends coordinate data to the warship in real time so that even minute course corrections can be followed. Fill the warship with essentials, weapons, his lab equipment, Mecha, and technology from our world. Lastly, create a terminal copy to be installed on both the prototype ship and the DAUNTLESS. Go!" Gula commanded.

"Understood, Ma'am," SAGE responded, disappearing from the ready room.

"You've been awfully quiet," Gula remarked, turning to Frisee.

"I agree with your plan," Frisee replied, her voice heavy with concern.

Gula narrowed her eyes as she looked at Frisee. After a moment, her stern expression softened into a smile.

"You really do love him as a little brother, don't you?" Gula asked, her voice soft.

"Yes, Ma'am. If that God is involved, then he is definitely coming here," Frisee said. Gula nodded in agreement. "We will make our stand here and fight him till our last breath, perhaps even end this. Meanwhile, our bundle of joy, our race's hope, escapes from all this," Gula stated, her voice firm with determination.

"Yes, Ma'am," Frisee responded, echoing Gula's determination.

"Go," Gula commanded, signaling the start of their plan.

"Cress suggested we deploy our Star Destroyer against Vegeta," Gula barely voiced out, her words a whisper. The suggestion lingered, reflecting the gravity of their predicament. Her husband's strategic foresight, usually comforting, now filled her with eerie foreboding.

"Your mind, my love, can be a terrifying place," she admitted, her voice shaking. "Your worst-case scenario analysis with Nach had me position Sadala's Star Destroyer near Vegeta. Despite its strategic potential, I quietly hoped it would remain hidden, cloaked in stealth."

A moment of silence followed as she pondered the enormity of the decision before her. Her heartbeat echoed in the quiet, shattered by the vivid memory of her son rushing to her side on the battlefield. His face, a harsh mask of fatigue and determination, was a cruel reminder of their harsh reality.

In his recently attained Super Saiyan God Blue form, her son shielded her from a sudden assault, his body ignoring the pain as he pushed her to safety. She could still remember seeing the brief silver aura around him, a clear sign of the Ultra Instinct form. But what haunted her was the sight of her son in agony, his blood staining the ground and her armor, igniting a primal fury within her.

Driven by a blend of anger and guilt, her maternal instincts surged. The words 'Kill them all!' reverberated in her mind, underscoring her palpable desperation to protect her child. She retaliated with a powerful attack, a single sword swing. Her grasp of the primordial laws of destruction became evident, as she demonstrated her unwavering resolve to defend her son.

Remembering the burning sensation of her son's blood on her hands and shoulder served as a stark reminder of the toll the ongoing war had taken on them. This chilling memory was mirrored in her icy gaze, reflecting the horrors they had seen.

She soon got to work and compiled important files about their race, their countless millennia-long history, and their legacy. She entrusted this past to her son, hoping he could use it to shape a brighter future. She sent these files to SAGE, instructing them to add them to the terminal prepared for her son's escape.

However, as she began to write a personal message for her son, the bitter realization that she might not survive this ordeal filled her with overwhelming sadness. The thought of her son reading her last words, her final testament of love, was heart-wrenching.

After forwarding the encrypted message to SAGE for upload on both ships, a weight seemed to lift from her shoulders. She sought solace and strength in prayer to her deity, Mata Parvati. "Mother of all, please guide my son and bless his journey. If I cannot be there for him, please ensure his happiness. I understand my son and I know the our loss will weigh heavily on him. I pray that he finds companions who will stand by his side and bring joy into his life," she said as silent tears began to fall. "Oh, how I long to cradle his children, to feel their tiny hands, to see their innocent smiles," she whispered, her voice choked with longing. "But if my deepest fears are realized, I may be denied this joy." She held back more tears, her voice growing stronger. "Divine Mother, I implore you, grant my son the strength to endure, the resilience to flourish, and the ability to find joy in the face of adversity," she prayed. Her words were a touching testament to her profound love and a mother's inherent worry for her child.

As her prayer ended, a wave of calm swept over her, even as tears stained her cheeks. Her thoughts turned to her son, strong yet vulnerable, carrying the burden of war on his young shoulders. "He is so much like his father," she mused, "brave, intelligent, and stubborn."

She recalled her son's first display of his father's stubbornness, as a boy eager to prove his worth. The memory brought a faint smile onto her face, a fleeting moment of joy amidst the storm. She wished she could cling to these memories a bit longer, but she knew she had to get back to her tasks.

Although the thought, "He will be alone," still lurked in the depths of her mind, she dispelled these dark thoughts by recalling her ardent prayer, "May he find companionship, love, and happiness. May he never walk in solitude."

With a final glance at the terminal, she rose from her seat, her heart heavy yet hopeful. She had fulfilled her role as both a mother and a leader. As she made her way back to the command center, she erased any signs of tears, her expression turning to cold determination for the decision she was about to make.