It was early in the morning when Raditz found me in my laboratory.
I had been working all night calibrating a new device, and I was so absorbed in my work that I barely noticed the sun rising outside.
The door slid open behind me.
"Bulma."
I turned to see Raditz standing there with a plate of food in his hands.
Breakfast.
He walked closer and set it down beside my console.
"You didn't sleep, did you?" he asked.
I blinked and glanced up at the clock hanging on the laboratory wall.
Seven in the morning.
…Right.
I hadn't slept at all.
Raditz crossed his arms.
"I saw the lights still on when I went to bed at two in the morning."
I sighed and rubbed my eyes.
"I might have gotten a little carried away."
"A little?" Raditz muttered.
I grabbed the plate and started eating quickly.
"If you want to know what I've been working on all night, follow me."
He raised an eyebrow.
I tossed him a football-sized drone from the table.
"Carry that."
Raditz caught it easily and stared at the device.
"What is this?"
"You'll see."
We walked to the training room while I finished my breakfast.
The moment we stepped inside, I pointed at a small control panel on the drone.
"Press the green button and hold it for twenty seconds."
Raditz shrugged and did exactly that.
A soft green light appeared on the panel.
"Good," I said. "Now channel your ki into it."
He looked skeptical but followed the instruction.
Twenty seconds later, a short beeping sound echoed through the room.
Then the mechanical voice of the Oracle module spoke.
"New user registered."
Raditz blinked.
"What exactly did you just make me do?"
"Keep channeling your ki," I said calmly. "And say: activate New Moon system."
Raditz frowned slightly but obeyed.
"Activate New Moon system."
The drone suddenly lifted into the air.
It floated behind his back, humming softly.
Raditz opened his mouth to ask another question—
But his body suddenly began to change.
His muscles expanded.
His height increased.
Within seconds he stood nearly eight feet tall.
His aura surged violently.
I glanced at the scouter display.
Power level: 60,000.
Exactly ten times his base.
Raditz looked down at his own hands in disbelief.
"What… did you do to me?"
I finished the last bite of my breakfast before answering.
"It's similar to the artificial moon technique Vegeta used."
Raditz's eyes narrowed.
"The fake moon?"
"Yes," I said. "But better."
I pointed at the floating drone.
"It emits the same wave pattern as a full moon, but only to the registered user."
Raditz looked at the drone hovering behind him.
"So that's why you had me register my ki."
"Exactly."
I continued.
"Without your mechanical spine, the system wouldn't work properly. And even if another Saiyan had a mechanical spine, the drone would still ignore them unless they were registered."
Raditz glanced at me.
"That's why it isn't affecting you."
"Correct."
Even though I had a Saiyan tail now, the drone recognized only Raditz as its user.
Raditz examined his larger body.
"…I look ridiculous."
"You look menacing," I corrected.
At eight feet tall, he certainly did.
After a moment, Raditz looked at me again.
"Why did you build this?"
I folded my arms.
"Because you and Goku are taking the second ship to Namek."
Raditz nodded slightly.
"That was the plan."
"But you won't leave until the senzu beans are available," I continued.
"The drone will help you keep up with Goku's Kaioken."
Raditz frowned thoughtfully.
"My mechanical heart can multiply my power too."
"Yes," I replied. "But only for ten minutes."
I gestured toward the drone.
"This form lasts until your stamina runs out."
Raditz glanced up at the floating machine.
"And it keeps absorbing ki from me?"
"Exactly."
The drone hovered behind him, feeding off the energy radiating from his body.
"It also contains an Oracle module," I added. "So it will automatically adjust its position during combat."
"In other words," Raditz said slowly, "it stays out of my way."
"While still powering you up."
Raditz looked impressed.
"This is basically the Oozaru transformation… without turning into a giant ape."
"That was the idea."
I had no intention of letting him lose control in a full Oozaru form.
Raditz eventually asked another question.
"Who's going on the first trip?"
"Me," I answered.
"Along with Nappa, Krillin, and Piccolo."
Raditz nodded slowly.
"That explains why you want me to prepare Nappa."
"Yes."
He hesitated.
"You're sure it's safe bringing him?"
I smiled slightly.
"It is."
I walked over to the console.
"As long as his revenge against Vegeta remains his main goal, he'll cooperate."
Then I added calmly:
"And just in case… I installed a protocol inside his mechanical spine."
Raditz raised an eyebrow.
"A failsafe?"
"If he tries to attack me—or anyone I designate as an ally—the Oracle system will shut down his ability to channel ki."
Raditz chuckled.
"Remind me never to betray you."
"Good idea."
I turned back to him.
"When you and Goku leave later, train as hard as possible."
Raditz looked confused.
"With senzu beans?"
"Yes."
"Senzu beans can heal almost any injury and restore stamina instantly."
That meant they could push their bodies much further than normal training allowed.
Then I said something that made Raditz pause.
"No matter how strong you think Frieza is… you're wrong."
Raditz frowned.
"He's stronger than that?"
"Much stronger."
I didn't elaborate.
I then showed him how to deactivate the drone.
"Voice command," I explained.
He practiced once before I continued.
"The drone can also convert into capsule form."
The machine shrank into a small capsule in his hand.
I handed him two more capsules.
"Backups."
"In case the first one breaks."
Raditz raised an eyebrow.
"These things can break?"
"They absorb massive amounts of ki," I replied.
"They're durable—but it's always better to be prepared."
I added one final safety rule.
"The voice command won't work while the drone is in capsule form."
Raditz nodded.
"Preventing accidental activation."
"Exactly."
Three drones activating at once would be completely unnecessary.
Finally, I turned toward the exit.
"I'm going to sleep."
Raditz laughed.
"You think?"
"Tell Krillin I'm skipping training today."
I was already half asleep as I walked toward the door.
"Because I may have forgotten to sleep last night."
The last thing I saw before leaving the training room was Raditz staring at the capsule in his hand, clearly trying to process everything.
Meanwhile, my brain was shutting down from exhaustion.
And the moment I reached my room—
I collapsed onto the bed.