Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or Dragon Ball GT. This is a work of fiction, any resemblance of actual persons is of pure coincidence.

Bardock Reborn

Background: Ryanna is a human that has lived at Capsule Corps since the reincarnation of Buu. Since she has been an assistant of Bulma Briefs she has figured out the secret of the Saiyans, and the mysteries of the Cell games and the Z fighters past. What she doesn't know is that she would become more involved than she originally planned.

Author's note: I use Ryanna as a solid original character in a lot of my fan fiction work. I rarely change her looks but often alter her race, and personality in order to fit with the storyline. Please don't base your thoughts on her from what you might have read in previous fics to this one. Thank you!

Chapter 1: Saiyan DNA

Life threw unexpected curve balls everyday. To Ryanna, those curveballs were bright glowing balls of light that often zipped past her head every time she tried to make her way from Capsule Corps front lawn to the safety of her and Bulma's Laboratory.

She had been living with the Briefs for about five years, both as a member of the Capsule team, but as a family member. She had no relatives to speak of since a series of unfortunate events left her a 16 year old orphan. She worked her way through college and had gotten the opportunity to intern at Capsule with Bulma. She liked to think she was an asset now considering her high GPA, and ability to remember facts off the fly.

It was her notations on detail that had her unraveling the truth behind Vegeta. When she had confronted him about it he had revealed everything to her, much to Bulma's dismay. It wasn't that she couldn't be trusted, but the fact that they had kept it a secret for so long it was more natural to. Which was fine for her. The secret included her now, and it gave her a chance to explore new possibilities with her scientific brain.

Vegeta's Saiyan DNA was a gold mine of scientific resolutions in her opinion and she often begged for samples, of hair, blood, and skin in order to test and possibly concoct ways to cure new illnesses and diseases, not to mention extend life and youth.

The Z fighters were a wild bunch, and she had yet to meet them all. Vegeta, Trunks, and Bulla were just tips of the branch that covered the Z fighter tree. Yamcha, Puar, and Oolong were city slickers that wandered around West City and visited Capsule frequently.

There was Master Roshi, Krillen, Eighteen, and Marron, that rank in the beach bum area of the team. Piccolo, Dende, and Mr. Popo resided on the lookout which she had yet had the privilege of seeing, but she would weasel her way there eventually. The real people she wanted to meet were the Sons. She had heard all the tales of Goku, or Kakarott as Vegeta called him, and found him absolutely fascinating.

She found the entire Saiyan race fascinating. To think that there had been a whole raced that thrived off of the joy of fighting, and even built a type of society on it. Their attitudes, their minds, and even their bodies had all been adjusted to work for one thing, battle.

"Are you still fiddling with that stuff?" Bulma Briefs leaned over Ryanna's shoulder to peak at the computer screen. "Comparisons of Human and Saiyan DNA?"

Ryanna rolled back from her computer and rubbed a kink from her neck. "Just some tests. I've been working on comparing the links of Saiyan DNA and Human DNA. After all since we can conceive with them we had to have some sort of commonality right?"

"That's true," Bulma sipped her coffee and took a seat on the chair next to her. "I've thought about it before, but never put it to work. I didn't really have the time too, I was so busy worrying about the safety of the world. Not to mention Vegeta wouldn't let me near him with a needle. I still don't understand how you managed to convince him to give you samples."

"Easy," Ryanna grinned, "I upped his ego, playing hard on the Prince of all Saiyans gist, and how it would greatly benefit him if I were to help him replenish the Saiyan race. After all if I'm right, I can isolate the gene and turn any normal human into a Saiyan hybrid."

Bulma's amused glanced turned starry eyed. "Really?" Bulma glanced back at the screen looking over her work. "Whoa, you don't miss a trick. This is high detailed stuff Ryanna." Bulma laughed. "And here I thought I was the genius."

"You are," Ryanna leaned back looking up at the ceiling enjoying the lack of tension in her back and neck. "I'm just detail oriented, and organized in my thinking. I wouldn't have ever thought of this if I hadn't known Saiyans existed." She glanced back up at Bulma. "I'm completely enthralled Bulma. I've been studying these samples for several years and I have to say it's fascinating, especially with the half breed samples Trunks has given."

"Why the half breed? Something unique about them?"

"Oh yes, I was blown away really. You see when I looked over the blood samples I saw two different types, one with Saiyan DNA and one with Human DNA and it seems that little by little the Saiyan DNA has been taking over his body. He could technically pass as ¾ Saiyan with the amount of it in his DNA."

"How is that possible? Trunks acts more human than Saiyan."

"I know and that's what kind of puzzled me really. So I asked if I could analyze his brain tissue."

"Brain tissue?"

"He pretty much had the same reaction as you." Ryanna laughed. "It was an easy process and he obviously lived through it." When Bulma didn't seem amused she continued. "Anyway I analyzed that part and found that the majority of his brain was of human DNA like that had been overtaken by human except for in the senses. His sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch are all linked with Saiyan DNA. So it got me thinking about how Saiyans worked. Their common links as a species."

Bulma gave a thoughtful look then turned to the computer to read the reports. "Common Saiyan qualities: an internal lust of battle, food, and sex, a sense of pride, and family, and a will to win even at the cost of ones life. Well that may be for Vegeta, but Goku's not exactly prideful or sex crazed."

"Oh I beg to differ." Ryanna stands up. "He may not show it like Vegeta, but I have a feeling that Goku is just as proud and sex hungry as Vegeta." She tapped her fingers together her eyes going off as if lost in her own thoughts. "Let me put it to you this way. From what I've heard of Goku he's a real down to Earth guy. Strong, battle hungry, a bit of a glutton, but he always has his own values in life. Take the story with his brother for example. No matter how much Radditz tried to push him, or persuade his judgment by using the peaks of a Saiyan's hunger, Goku resisted. This is because he had already set his morals and pride on Human life, not a Saiyan life."

"You do have a point. Well I say you certainly have my interest peaked. Let me know if you want any help on this." Bulma pushed away from the computer. "If you have a minute, I could use your hands on my own little project."

"No way!" Ryanna laughed circling the machine in front of her. She had seen pictures of it, as well as heard stories, but never in a million years would she think it would be standing here before her. "A time machine, are you serious Bulma?" Ryanna laughed and stroked the cool metal. "It looks just like the pictures you showed me."

"I knew you'd like it. When I showed it to Vegeta he just "hmphed" in that princely way like it's a waste of his time."

"Vegeta can go suck an egg. This is cool." She opened the hatch and climbed in looking at the gadgets and switches. "How far done are you?"

"Just about. It needs to be taken for a test ride, but I want to run a few diagnostics on it first. After all, time travel is no ordinary matter." Bulma puffed on her cigarette stroking her baby. "Trunks helped me with the detailing, but other than that I built her from memory from the ground up."

"See, you are the genius. Who else could build a time machine from memory?"

With her ego inflated Bulma pushed her shoulders back proudly. "Why thank you. Now then, I'll be running diagnostics on her tonight so when you're down here working on your DNA serum be sure no one touches it. With all the wiring in it's easy for her to be jump started ahead of time."

"You got it Bulma!" She signaled and took one more long lasting look at the machine. Time travel, and a new possible cure for diseases. Things were looking up and bright for Capsule Corps.

She lunched with Vegeta, bribing him with food in order to get him to talk to her about his former home planet. "It was destroyed by Frieza right?" She questioned buttering a roll and nibbling on the end.

"Yes, I was tucked away in his ship at the time. My father had sniffed out that he had planned to destroy our race and had ambushed inside. He was killed along with all his men with barely a flick of Frieza's wrist." Vegeta sighed. "That was Forty Four years ago."

"Awful. He was that powerful?"

"At the time he was the most powerful being in the universe. That was because we Saiyans had put barriers around ourselves thinking we could only achieve so far." Domesticated slightly over the years Vegeta casually strung his arm over the back of the chair. He had become accustomed to normal Earth life, but with his own way about things. He still considered himself the boss, but he occasionally put the training wheels down and getting the hang of fathering rituals such as playing video games with his son, and spoiling his daughter.

"You had stories of the Super Saiyan passed down through history. Apparently he had gone mad through power in order to achieve it. We've learned that's not quite necessary."

Vegeta looked at her over the rim of his cup. She was an odd human, and one of the few he was actually fond of. She had an avid interest in his race, and he admired her spirit. In a lot of ways she reminded him of Bulma without the blue hair.

"Now you mentioned Goku's father, Bardock."

"Yes, apparently he too made an attempt at resistance. He charged Frieza head on right there in the atmosphere and sent him once last farewell before the planet exploded."

"How did you find this out?"

"Frieza liked to gloat." Vegeta wrinkled his nose at the foul memory. "I think that's enough for today. Don't you have some sort of serum you're working on?"

Ryanna looked to her watch and cursed. "You're right." She downed the rest of her coffee. "Thanks for lunch Vegeta. I enjoyed it!" She picked up her purse and hurried back to the labs. Vegeta watched her leave his eyes, their cold stern black, staring blankly. When he was with Ryanna he was always reminded of his past, and despite the sting in his ego and heart he had learned to ignore it, learned to accept it. In fact, he found it healthy to reminisce, and remind himself of why he pushed his body to it's limits everyday, and cherish the family he had now.

"Vegeta?" Bulma walked up taking Ryanna's original seat. "You okay?"

"Yes," he said plainly sipping his coffee and pretending to read the paper. "How is your little time machine going?"

"Actually not so well," Bulma sighed. "I ran the diagnostics, and it's still showing some faulting balance. The power that pushes it to the speed of light is making it so the mechanisms inside are becoming unreliable. I'm afraid to test it on an actual person and have them stranded somewhere in the past or alternate universe." She glanced up seeing Vegeta had left during her speech and she frowned. "That man, honestly, would it kill him to stay and listen?"

Ryanna watched the liquid slowly seep from the test tubes and into the syringe vial she had attached. It was almost complete and her fingers were itching to pry it away and give it a test run. "Just a little longer." She backed off not wanting to accidentally grab it ahead of time and ruin her first sample of the serum. She looked around at Bulma's time machine and gave a wistful sigh. "Time travel… just imagine the possibilities." She looked around carefully stepping over cords and such. She found the blue prints and studied them thoughtfully her brain memorizing the details from head to toe. Bulma really was a genius.

Ryanna could remember details at the tips of her fingers with her photographic memory, but she had always admired Bulma for her natural knack of "out of the box" dreaming. She was a scientist, but Bulma was also a dreamer. Rarely did you find two such opposite characteristics in one person. Ryanna thrived to be just like her.

She jumped when a beeping noise emitted from the machine snapping her from her daydream. "Huh, that's weird. The tests must be done. Oh speaking of which!" She hurried over the cords to her test tubes smiling when the last drop of serum sank into the vial and settled. She picked it up carefully admiring the glowing blue substance. "Hello little beauty. I can't wait to test you out." The beeping emitted again and she looked at the machine seeing a flickering red light on the dashboard. "Okay, something must be wrong. Let's take a look."

She climbed up the ladder into the cockpit and saw the blinking red light. "Hmm, engine warning. The engine shouldn't even be on why is it-" she gasped as the glass dome closed over her. She panicked looking at the numerous switches and knobs trying to remember which one opened it. "Wait, wait!"

The explosion rocked the building and Bulma jolted from her place. "Oh no, what was that?" Rushing downstairs she coughed as smoke and fire emitted from the lab where the machine once was. "Ryanna! Ryanna are you down there?" She pulled out the fire extinguisher battling the flames with sweat pouring down and a gut wrenching fear lacing her eyes. When the smoke cleared she saw nothing but some melted down test tubes and sparking cords. No Ryanna, and no time machine.

~ Planet Vegeta, 45 years in the past ~

Bardock, third class Saiyan and leader to his team strolled through the outskirts of his city. He was between jobs and bored out of his mind. His hover scooter kicked up dust as he skirted around looking for a good place away to secretly train and build up his fighting potential.

His group was slowly becoming the best of the best, even stronger than some of the elite fighters in Frieza's army. Frieza, that name was still a foul taste in his mouth. He ruled his Saiyan race like a tyrant, but had proved to be a formidable force. His abilities enabled him to destroy planets of the homes he saw fit to conquer, and his menacing ways gave him an edge of fear over countless kings and rulers. One day, he vowed, one day he would be strong enough to defeat Frieza, and then, oh and then they would see what Saiyans were truly capable of.

The explosion caught him off guard and he skidded off his bike jumping fluidly. What the hell was that? He walked to the source dust kicking up so heavy he had to shield his eyes. He saw the craft, an odd oval shape that was bent and twisted from its impact. "Odd shape for a ship. Why did it land here?" He heard groaning and rushed around to peak inside at the figure. He gasped seeing the face of a beauty. Her long curling hair draped over her face like a veil. Blood leaked from her temple and arms and her hands were clenched around something.

"A woman," he knelt down prying her hand open and seeing an empty syringe the needle still pricked in the tissue below her thumb. He looked over her body and saw the tail hanging limply over her leg. "She's a Saiyan."

First chapter! What did you guys think? I was going to wait until after I finished "Why Can't We?" However I couldn't hold it in anymore! Besides I thought you all could use a treat since I've been taking so long with updates. I blame the economy and their stupid budget cuts! LOL. REVIEW PLEASE!

Next Chapter: Stranded in the Past