h-two? UH-OH! (Open/Help!)

Casca couldn’t be the reason Namek didn’t work.


She wouldn’t let it.


“I got an idea, stay tight,” the young Saiyan conveyed over the radio to Flip. “The ship will not go down tonight, promise.” No explaining would make up for the fact someone forgot the precious wada, maybe a Saiyan, maybe not. There was finally something that needed securing and Casca found an opportunity to prove herself after the Namekian have been so good to them.

Ditching the headset as Flip began to speak again, Casca removed the security uniform to reveal her tactical suit and armor as she carelessly darted down the endless rows of gambling machines.

Like a hurdler, Casca maneuvered over and around the playing tables stopping only slightly as she heard Shymer and Gleem begin the night’s entertainment. “Perfect, now I can’t hear myself think,” she said as she heard the music as she rounded the corner.


“I like this song,” Casca barfed out as she ran into a Namekian family trying to enjoy the concert.

“So,” said the small Namekian child. Casca poked her tongue out at the boy trying to make him laugh, nope. “This Saiyan is making fun of me,” the child complained to his parents.

“Shh,” Casca suggested as she tapped the boy on the crown of his head before after-imaging away from the conflict. Beginning the pursuit anew, the young Saiyan felt she needed to scoot quickly before more Namekian families became disgruntled. Running towards the threshold sererating the Casino from the ship’s Hotel, Casca drew speed as she closed in.

The young Saiyan found herself in the lobby of the Big Gamble’s all-inclusive, five-star hotel, located conveniently near the Casino. Stumbling into more Namekian guests, Casca after-imaged to the top of the massive foyer and looked for her next move.


STAIRS TO THE CARGO BAY


“Bingo,” Casca huffed as she leaped from chandelier to chandelier until she had a clear path to her destination. Holding her breath, the young Saiyan catapulted herself over the crowd of green being helped at the front desk and rolled into the endzone. Hearing a couple of gasps as she thudded to the ground, Casca raised her fist with her thumb in the air to indicate to the crowd she meant business.

Shouldering the door open, the young woman jumped the stairs as made her way to the ship’s cargo bay. Casca made herself thin as she avoided people employed by Flip, dodging the staff that actually do their job on a daily basis, she attempts to prove that she could do hers. Kinda. Maybe every other day.

Who knows, but Casca was determined to find out as she boarded one of the Big Gamble’s extra lifeboats. “Flip, won’t even know I’m gone,” she said as after she accidentally bumped the ship’s communication display on, meaning anyone could be listening. “Time to go for a swim,” she hummed as the small pod roared to life. Waiting for the hangar doors to open, Casca readied herself as her pod automatically ejected itself from the Gamble.

“Vamonos,” Casca said as she gestured to the hanger as it’s lights faded from view. “I’ll be back,” she said as she took control of the escape vehicle’s controls. Manually causing the craft to aerodynamically stall, Casca buckled herself in as she aimed to crash into Namek’s great ocean off of the shore of the Ajisa Mainland.

“I got you, Flip.”

Casca scrambled as she tried to release herself from the ship’s safety restraints for they did their job, so far. Knowing she had to react quickly, the young Saiyan manipulated the nylon belts to her will, removing enough before she tied it around her waist.

Contemplating if she planned this correctly, the Saiyan did a practice round of holding her breath. She sucked in as much air as possible as the ship sunk deeper and deeper into the ocean. Seconds mattered, so when Casca’s body chooses to give up it brought back memories of the past few weeks.

Escaping Vegeta wasn’t enough, the young woman could feel the pressure of the hunt from the bottom of the ocean. Summoning breath for another trial, Casca closed her eyes to see the face that haunted her as of late.

The face of a Monster.

Punching the thin barrier between her and the sea, deeply disturbing thoughts existed within Casca’s mind. She instantly regretted the strike once as water started sprouted from the small impact.

The face of the Konatsian.

Knock, knock!

“I’m coming in,” Casca spewed as she touched a heavy foot down on the hangar floor. Stomping as she atlas-ed the leaky container on her back, the young Saiyan hurriedly made her way to the large maintenance elevator in the back of the hangar. “Secure this Riddles,” she said with a voice to imitate her superior.

Shakily, Casca dropped the space pod at the feet of the giant water reserve of the ship. “Why stop at one,” the head of security for the Big Gamble, Riddley, questioned as the Saiyan leaned against her jimmy-rigged pod.

“Lemme be right back,” the young woman joking said as she ran in place. “It’s gotta be enough for the night. No showers, and only flush if you go number two,” she said as she crossed the alien and patted him on his shoulder. “Keys are in the ignition.”

“Where do you think you are going,” Riddley shot through her playful banter.

“To get a drink, shifts done,” the Saiyan said. Powering up, Casca produced an outward force on everything in the room, causing the chief of security next to her to close his eyes. Clothes now dry, the woman powered down as she strolled out the door.

Climbing the stairs, navigating through the hotel lobby, and standing on the casino floor, Casca watched as the Namekian families enjoyed their time. “Can’t get much better than this,” she said as she grabbed a drink off of the plate of a passing by bartender. Spitting out the alcohol, Casca stomped off to the dance hall’s bar.

Waiting for several minutes as the Namekians hogged all the wonderful water, Casca took two for the road. “That’s what I’m talking about,” she commented as the water dripped off her chin when she finished one of the glasses. Noticing a little Namekian child, the Saiyan changed levels as she handed the little one her spare. “Grows on ya, you’ll like it,” she said as she handed the young one the glass full of water.

Seeing the life force of the Namekian change from dry and standoffish to thrilled and hyped, Casca knew she performed at least one good deed today.

Clapping with the music as she entered the dance floor, the young Saiyan needed to see for herself if the rumors were true. If Namekians were truly as great at dancing as they claim. Enjoying another cup of water, Casca waited for Flip at his table as she watched the Namekians break it down on the dance floor.

For a second, Casca thought she saw the planet's Guru popping and locking in the crowd.  "Naw, couldn't be."

Leaning back in Flip’s private booth, Casca felt like she made it. Overseeing the entirety of the dance floor, she watched as the Namekians moved to the music, not as alien as you’d think. Generally glad at least for one night, no one would go thirsty, the young Saiyan waved down own of the Gamble’s staff. “Could I get another wada,” the Saiyan nudged her empty glass to the end of the booth’s table, possibly poking fun at the fact she was sober and enjoying herself.

Seeing Flip, the young woman went for the hug but was surprised to see her teammate take to his seat before greeting her. Following suit, Casca sat opposite the ship’s owner, Flip Fortuna, the leader of the Syndicate. The pores on the Saiyan’s neck opened, as the body combated the physical need to grab a drink with Flip, but she resists. Images of Yogu sprang into the young woman’s head, ending on the warped features of the Monstar.

“How’s that water coming,” Casca called over the music of the dancehall. “Nice to see you too,” she said as she gripped her friend’s hand before he had to spoil her appetite. “Outta my paycheck? I thought I deserve a bonus,” the growing anxious Saiyan spoke as she snapped her fingers rather rudely for her drink request to be satisfied.

A young Arcosian squirtled across the floor, rolling forward while carrying a crystal clear vase of the good stuff. “Me wada,” Casca said as she reached.

The attendant walking past their booth, the Saiyan’s temperament went up another notch. Trying not to show her frustration, Casca volunteered herself to oversee the new shipment Keech would most likely have already arranged. “How’s that sound? I will personally head down to Namek and watch over the whole process. One day of work, for one week of pay, deal?”

Extending her arm, the teammates made a toast before the real negations began.

A break did sound nice.

“How did this turn from us talking about a superior beverage known as water, something the Namekians love by the way, to us talking about my health. I’m fine,” the Saiyan tried to wrap up the conversation there. “We can still hold this place together, just you and me. No need to go hiring outside help just yet.” As much as she wanted to maintain her standing in the day-to-day affairs of the Big Gamble, the Saiyan tried to sound reassuring knowing most of her designated responsibilities were well beyond her knowhow. Looking out the window, the young woman was forced to rekindle the only reason they were here in the first place.

“Namek is just different than I thought,” Casca sipped her water as she tried honesty for a change. “How can you go back down there after witnessing what that Monstar did to Oboe? Or to the Konatsian.” Kicking her legs out, the Saiyan sunk deeper into her chair.

Flip was a brilliant importer, but unless he could import an army, Casca believed a leave from duty should be the last thing either one of them should do. They were here for a reason, a reason she tried to remember as she rubbed her forehead in an attempt to fight off the thoughts of the Monstar. How can someone she met twice dominate her mental bandwidth to the point she lacked the will power to think? Frustrated to the point water wouldn’t alleviating her developing migraine, she took a sip of Flip’s drink.


And it wasn’t bad.


Maybe Namek didn’t have to be so bad.


As the aftertaste of the alcohol shocked her taste buds to attention, Casca had a moment of déjà vu. “It’s what reminds you, you’re alive,” the Saiyan unknowing said out loud, mistakenly repeating one of the last things she told Yogu before he lost the battle to his inner Monstar.  

As if from Vegeta himself, serotonin rushed through the Saiyan’s body as the dots began to connect. Taking another sip of Flip’s drink, Casca began to visualize the overarching design before she loudly confessed, “What about our Plan-B? Who’s to say lightning won’t strike twice.” She starred optimistically at Flip. “Now, we just need someone to be the B. The Bait!”