Celes moved down the hallway, her footsteps measured, calculated.
Her ki sense expanded outward, mapping out the barracks ahead before she even crossed the threshold.
The doorway was already open, a minor detail, but one she noted carefully. No alarms, no signs of immediate alert.
She stayed at the end of the hallway, taking a moment to assess the situation.
The readings were clear:
One soldier in the back, seated—absorbed in something, likely reading.
Two more at desks, engaged in cleaning, movements casual, unaware.
Three soldiers occupied in the gun range—focused, firing rounds, distracted.
And one last soldier, caught mid-change, half-dressed, entirely vulnerable.
Seven total.
None of them realized what was coming.
Celes exhaled, steadying herself.
Celes shot forward, her speed a blur, too fast for anyone to react.
The first two targets, seated at their desks, barely registered the danger before her ki blades pierced their skulls, cutting off their existence in an instant.
Without pause, she retracted the blades and whirled toward the next target.
The soldier in the process of changing had just begun to scream, a desperate attempt to raise the alarm.
It didn't matter.
Celes extended her ki blade, its length sharpening as she spun in a fluid motion.
With a single strike, his head separated from his body, silencing him forever.
She didn't stop.
Her focus snapped toward the gun range at the back of the barracks, where three guards had taken notice, their movements shifting, preparing to investigate.
With her ki sense, she also locked onto another presence, one stronger than any other in the base.
Seated in the far back, isolated in a soundproof room, still absorbed in whatever he was reading.
There was no doubt.
Gas.
Another Heeter.
Another target.
The guards were moving.
Celes acted instantly, darting toward the entrance of the gun range.
Instead of rushing directly inside, she kicked off the wall, propelling herself upward with precise control.
Now hovering above the doorframe, she pressed her body against the ceiling, hidden in the shadows, a predator waiting to strike.
Moments later, the three guards entered, weapons raised, battle-ready, but still unaware of the danger above.
She waited.
As the last soldier passed beneath her, she dropped.
A sharp thrust downward, her ki blade piercing through the top of his skull, the energy slicing through bone and brain before his body even registered the pain.
A quick pull, the blade retracting as she twisted into motion.
The remaining two guards turned, too slow, too late.
Celes lunged toward the closest guard, her movements a seamless flow of speed and precision.
With her right ki blade, she slashed through the back of his knee, severing tendons, sending him crashing backward in an uncontrollable fall.
Before he could even hit the ground, she twisted, bringing her left blade forward, driving it straight into his chest, ensuring instant elimination.
Her turn didn't stop there.
With her right hand already in motion, she released the blade, hurling it forward with deadly accuracy.
The last guard had just begun to react, his eyes wide, weapon raising, panic setting in.
It didn't matter.
The ki blade hit home, piercing straight through his forehead, cutting off any hope of retaliation.
His body jerked once, then collapsed, the energy fading from existence as Celes rose to her feet, her focus shifting toward the next objective.
She was done here.
The soundproof room awaited.
Celes stepped forward, her movements silent, precise.
The soundproof room loomed ahead, the final space within the barracks, where Gas, one of the last remaining Heeter's, unknowingly awaited his fate.
She pushed the door open, the hinges giving the slightest creak.
Gas sighed loudly, his tone sharp with irritation.
"I told you not to bother me while I'm working!"
He turned, papers in his hand, his expression twisted with impatience, ready to berate whoever had dared disturb him.
But as he turned, he realized.
It wasn't a guard.
It wasn't anyone he expected.
It was death itself, standing behind him.
Celes didn't waste a second.
Her ki blade was already in position, hovering just against his throat, and with a single stroke, she sliced through.
Gas' eyes widened, his body twitching once before collapsing forward, blood spilling over his unfinished paperwork.
The third of the four Heeter's, eliminated.
The blade withdrew in a single, fluid motion.
Only one remained.
She left the barracks behind, moving forward without hesitation.
Silent yet deliberate, each step carried her deeper into the base, eyes scanning the surroundings.
The fortress was utilitarian, built for efficiency, not elegance. Steel walls reinforced but plain, corridors functional yet unremarkable, lighting dim but sufficient. Everything had a purpose, no wasted effort, no unnecessary refinement.
She reached the command center, the next battlefield in her silent war.
Her ki sense flared outward, scanning the room.
Three signatures.
Two stationed at opposite sides, their fingers tapping away at keyboards, occupied, focused, unaware.
One seated at the center, positioned on a raised platform, dominant, controlling, likely leading the remaining forces.
But there was something off.
The one in the center shifted, his posture tense, his gaze flicking around the room.
Something wasn't right.
He could feel it, the way the air felt heavier, the way the usual hum of activity had shifted.
Yet, he couldn't pinpoint why.
His fingers drummed against the console, his breathing just slightly quicker than before.
A creeping sense of unease settled over him, but there was no visible reason for it.
Not yet.
Celes took a breath, her grip tightening.
She stepped forward, no longer hiding, her movements deliberate, controlled.
Her arms rose, fingers forming the familiar gun motion.
Before the two soldiers stationed at the computers even had time to react, two precise ki blasts erupted from her fingertips.
The energy struck them both from behind, piercing straight through the backs of their heads, their bodies jerking forward before slumping lifelessly over their consoles.
The room fell into an eerie silence.
The remaining figure, seated at the raised platform, stiffened.
Elec's breath caught for a moment, something was wrong.
His gaze flicked downward, eyes locking onto the fresh bodies slumped at their desks.
Then, slowly, he turned around.
And he saw her.
Celes stood there, watching.
Elec's breath hitched as he took a step back, his hands gripping the edge of the console.
"Who the hell are you? What do you want?"
Celes remained still, her eyes cold, unreadable.
"I've come for your life."
For a moment, Elec simply stared.
Then, a smirk twitched at the corner of his lips, his confidence momentarily returning.
"You're playing with fire," he muttered. "All it would take is one press of a button—every guard in this facility will come running. You'll be dead before you take another step."
Celes deadpanned, unimpressed.
She stepped forward.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Elec's confidence shattered instantly.
Panic rushed through him as he slammed his hand down on the console, activating the alarms.
The facility erupted with flashing red lights, blaring signals echoing through the halls.
Elec reached for his weapon, pulling it free with trembling hands.
With desperation overriding strategy, he fired—laser rounds tearing through the air, blazing toward Celes in rapid succession.
She didn't flinch.
A ki shield materialized around her, absorbing the blasts effortlessly.
She kept walking.
Elec kept shooting, his panic spiraling into full-blown terror.
Nothing was stopping her.
Celes closed the distance, stepping forward until only a few feet remained between them.
Elec's trembling hands fumbled for another shot, his breath ragged, his eyes darting for any possible escape.
There was none.
She raised her hand, energy crackling at her fingertips.
A ki ball took shape, its pulsing light casting sharp shadows across Elec's face.
His breathing hitched as he finally stopped firing, his mind scrambling to process what was happening.
Then, Celes spoke.
"The Namekian and Cerealian child send their regards."
Shock flashed across Elec's expression.
For a fraction of a second, his lips parted, but before he could utter a single word, Celes thrust the ki orb forward.
A searing wave of destruction erupted, the energy punching straight through Elec's chest, burning a hole the size of a watermelon through his very core.
His body jerked violently, his final breath escaping in a broken gasp before he collapsed forward, lifeless.
The last Heeter was no more.
Celes lowered her hand, the remnants of her ki fading into the air.
It was over.
The Heeter's, eliminated.
But the mission wasn't finished yet.
Her gaze shifted toward Elec's lifeless body, her eyes locking onto the bone necklace wrapped around his waist.
It held no deeper meaning to her, no true significance beyond what it represented.
Revenge.
Not hers, but Granolah's.
Without hesitation, she reached down, unclasped it, and took it with her.
A silent tribute.
A message.
Celes turned, leaving the command center behind, her focus now on the last remaining obstacles in the fortress.
Her ki sense flared outward, zeroing in on a room not far from her location, the communication room.
Inside, two signatures pulsed with panic, their energy erratic, desperate.
They knew.
They weren't soldiers anymore.
They were prey.
Celes reached the communication room, her pace steady, unrelenting.
She tried the door.
Locked.
Without hesitation, she raised her hand, energy gathering at her fingertips.
A sharp blast erupted, the ki tearing through the metal door, shattering its frame and sending debris scattering as she stepped through.
On the other side, the final two guards turned, eyes wide, panic setting in, their hands scrambling for weapons.
Too slow.
Celes formed her fingers into a gun motion, and in an instant, two precise ki blasts tore through the air.
The energy struck dead center, each blast hitting straight between their eyes before they had the chance to react.
Their bodies slumped, lifeless.
With the last of the guards eliminated, Celes shifted her focus forward, her eyes locking onto the communications console.
Her mission was almost complete.
Celes activated the console, fingers moving across the controls as she established a connection with the Galactic Police headquarters.
It took a few minutes, static interference, sluggish signal processing, but finally, the line connected.
A dry, uninterested voice crackled through the speaker.
"Galactic Police. What's the issue?"
Celes' tone was calm yet firm, delivering the reality without hesitation.
"A criminal syndicate has been eliminated."
Silence.
The officer's demeanor shifted, now noticeably more alert.
"Which syndicate?"
Celes didn't flinch.
"The Heeter Syndicate."
A sharp static crackled through the speaker, followed by hurried whispers in the background.
Now they were listening.
Now they cared.
The officer's voice returned, more direct, focused on the facts.
"Where did this happen?"
"Cereal System's asteroid belt. Their stronghold."
More murmuring. More urgency.
No skepticism now.
Just professional assessment of the situation.
"What's the current status?"
Celes glanced around the Communication Center, scanning the screens flashing with alerts.
"No remaining leadership. The stronghold is crippled. Forty slaves and thirteen prisoners are still here, awaiting extraction."
Silence hung on the line for a brief moment before the officer responded, this time with a sense of urgency.
"Understood. We'll mobilize an extraction team immediately. Based on current patrol routes and available forces, arrival time will be approximately eight days."
More muffled voices echoed in the background, orders being relayed, preparations beginning.
Then, the officer's tone shifted, now more inquisitive, more focused on Celes herself.
"Who are you? What's your connection to this incident?"
Celes remained still, her expression unreadable as she considered her response.
Her purpose here was fulfilled, but now, the attention had turned to her.
Celes kept her tone steady, unshaken by the shift in focus.
"You can call me—Velex."
A name rooted in her Saiyan heritage. A name that would soon become feared across the stars.
A beat of silence.
Before they could question her further, she terminated the connection, shutting off the console with a final, decisive motion.
For a moment, the command center was eerily quiet, the weight of the moment settling over her.
She let out a slow sigh, rolling her shoulders before turning away.
There was still work to be done.
Celes retraced her steps, moving through the facility's corridors until she returned to the command center.
The facility's alarm lights still flashed, casting pulses of crimson along the metallic walls.
She approached the console, fingers hovering over the controls.
Then, with a single command, she disabled the alarms.
The blaring sirens faded into silence, leaving behind only the hum of the stronghold, now nothing more than a hollow shell.
But she wasn't finished yet.
Celes turned away from the command center, her steps steady as she made her way through the facility.
Finally, the prisoners.
She reached the inner section of the stronghold, where the holding cells were located. The thirteen captives remained inside, their energy signatures still trembling with uncertainty.
The moment she stepped through the threshold, all eyes locked onto her.
For some, there was fear.
For others, hope.
Without hesitation, she raised her hand, channeling her energy into the locks, forcing them open with precise blasts of ki.
One by one, the doors swung wide, the restraints clattering to the ground as the prisoners slowly stepped forward, unsure whether to believe what was happening.
Celes met their gazes, her tone firm but neutral.
"You're free. The ones who did this to you are gone."
Silence filled the room, then a slow, dawning realization spread among them.
Some collapsed in relief. Others whispered, their voices raw, disbelief still gripping their minds.
A few stepped forward, as if trying to speak, but Celes didn't let them linger in uncertainty.
"The Galactic Police are on their way," she continued, her voice carrying authority. "They'll be here in eight days to extract you."
Expressions shifted, some filled with relief, others still wary, uncertain of what came next.
Celes turned away, leaving them to process their freedom.
She exited the prison, moving through the facility's corridors.
And then, with a surge of power, she vanished, teleporting back to Planet Cereal.
(Words: 2349)