The three Saiyans had fallen into silence for some time. It was a rare moment of peace, but they all shot up to their feet when they heard a loud explosion not far from them.

“What the hell was that?” Nappa asked aloud while Raditz ran his scouter. Vegeta meanwhile quickly scooped up his armor, tugging it down over his head, before quickly pulling on his white gloves.

“What are you getting, Raditz?” he demanded, grabbing his green scouter. He slipped it on and activated it.

“It’s Tanus and his men! What the hell is he doing? Frieza said not to kill anyone!”

“He’s wiping out the city!” Nappa yelled in disbelief. “That little moron! He’s going to get us all in the red with Frieza!”

“Zarbon, come in,” Vegeta hissed into his scouter, turning away from his comrades. He waited a few seconds, hitting his scouter impatiently when he heard nothing but static. “Damn it, answer me!”

“What should we do?” Raditz asked, looking anxiously back at Vegeta as the prince turned back to them. “Frieza said if any of us-”

“I know,” Vegeta spit out. The tyrant’s threats had been specific – everyone was slated to die if anyone disobeyed his orders. The methods of death were promised to be horrifying and painful down to the last gasp. Vegeta didn’t want to imagine it as his mind raced for an explanation. Finally, he concluded, “Tanus must have known he couldn’t win the competition. This would be his third time getting passed over. He must want to die, and it seems the fool wants us all to die with him. It’s the only explanation.”

The Saiyans exchanged glances while explosions grew in the distance. Finally, Nappa and Raditz both looked to Vegeta, silently waiting for his decision. Killing another man in Frieza’s army was forbidden if you were unranked, punishable with immediate death.

“Frieza won’t kill me. Don’t worry,” Vegeta arrogantly boasted. He then looked back towards the explosion and his eyes darkened with anger. “Tanus though will pay for putting my life at risk. He is going to die by my hand, right now,” he swore.

“But, Vegeta-” Nappa worriedly started, not liking his prince’s impulsive plan. He staggered back a little when Vegeta blasted off, nothing but a streak of blue light in the sky. A small look between him and Raditz, and the younger Saiyan tossed their stash into Vegeta’s space pod, before closing the pod latch door.

Then they both took to the air, flying after Vegeta.