The next day, Mai was going down to the laboratory with Gero.
"You're about to see things no one else on this planet has seen," he said. "No one else comes down here."
"And now me." Mai said softly and he nodded once.
"Now you." Gero said smiling.
Then the elevator stoped and it's doors opened.
On the first level, she discovered rows of benches covered in instruments and glassware. The ceiling had articulated arms of different sizes, always displacing something or reaching to a device to manipulate. Screens were bipping and running constant strings of numbers and displaying various diagnostics. The air smelled nothing particular though, the ventilation was well built and operated. Mai made a step back and turned in a slow circle to face Gero, her eyes were glimmering with excitement.
"Okay..." She said trying to calm her breath. "This is... a lot!"
"This is just the first floor. After building the super computer, it is operated by it and totally autonomous."
"What? A super computer?"
"Yeah, it's way down below."
They visited rapidly B2, B3, B4 then B5. Night Dog had expanded it and dug further in the hill, Mai nearly fell because of stupefaction as it was a real treasure throve!
When she believed there would be no further possibilities for her to be even more surprised by Gero, B6 surpassed anything she could ever imagine.
The heavy and always working machinery continuously fabricated components which were continuously sent either upstairs, or with various materials and machines descending from upper floors to a central giant humanoid figure. It was an upper body of a bald man, with plain features. His four arms were holding, modelling and processing with multiple tiny tools and robotic arms popping out and merging back from and to them, large pieces of equipment and nearly completed machines. A large sarcophagus was laying close to it, surrounding by terminals and dozens of displays.
This was Nigh Dog, who grew and learned endlessly, animated by a sacred machine spirit, and his training machine.
Mai looked at the giant computing unit, back at Gero, pinched herself, and repeated it in loop for a few moments. Gero was already used to it, and as he ignored her behaviour, explained:
"This is Night Dog, and the sarcophagus is used to train my body to perfection."
"Night Dog..." She muttered, still trying to wake up.
"PRESENCE ACKNOWLEDGED. MASTER WELCOME BACK'.
PRIMARY OPERATOR STATUS: BIO SIGNATURE UPGRADED.
UPDATE: NEW BIO SIGNATURE REGISTERED.
UNKNOWN LIFE FORM: HELLO!"
Mai's eyebrows shot up and her eyes opened wide.
"Hello Night Dog! I'm Mai!" She presented herself, jumping and waving her arms at the giant.
"LIFE FORM: MAI.
REGISTRATION COMPLETE.
ACCESS STATUS SPECIFICATION REQUESTED."
"Secondary administrator, add full access to the laboratory facilities."
"REQUEST STATUS: EXECUTION.
EXECUTION: COMPLETE.
SECOND ADMINISTRATOR STATUS SET: MAI."
Mai took a few steps closer to the main console of the computer and rested her fingers lightly on the back of the luxurious and strangely shaped chair. The chair in question here, is a gaming chair, but modified to feel as good as an armchair.
"This is where you spend your time, right?"
" Mostly, usually it's divided between sleep, the sarcophagus and Ki training in the garden, this chair is barely used in fact."
"And the helicopter trips? The luxurious restaurants?" She asked.
"Only with you, my love. I truly wanted you to understand that you deserve only the best, I'm not pompous but I believe my woman deserves it all."
Mai felt her heart melting once again, and the laboratory visit ended just like than.
Later that day Gero came back and tasked Night Dog to examine the three dragon balls and make a radar to locate them precisely wherever they were on the planet. Then his eyes paused on the new assembly unit in the form of a large bell.
In his tragic life, bent to revenge, Gero successfully created only two machines that remained loyal and true to him, and thus until the end. The first one was the super computer, and the second one was C-19. This purely synthetic android was not equipped with the infinite energy reactor but had the capacity to steal Ki to augment it's power. And now the new Gero wanted to recreate it using all the improved components Night Dog was working on for years. The design would remain the same but it's fat frame will have more purpose than aesthetics. It will contain more more armouring, missiles, reactors, and processing power. Instead of two shiny red bumps on the palms of it's hands, the Ki and energy absorbing captors would be placed all around it's body in extremely miniaturised form, making it undetectable by it's adversaries. It will gain more power, and a computing order will prevent it from disclosing this secret to any one, as in the original series it had a greedy and cowardly personality.
"Proceed to the fabrication of one C-19 unit."
All Night Dog's computing power was suddenly focused on it's new task, and all needed resources were diverted to the bell-like structure.
"PROJECT C-19: FULLY MECHANICAL COMBAT CHASSIS. CYCLER-POWERED. EXPECTED DURABILITY: HIGH. EXPECTED MAINTENANCE BURDEN: MODERATE. EXPECTED LETHALITY: SIGNIFICANT."
"The fabrication authority is yours," Gero said. "Apply the improved schematics."
"RESOURCE ALLOCATION: 99% OF LAB CAPACITY FOR 2 HOURS."
Indeed, years of the original doctor's work, were summarised in two hours, and for an infinitely better product. Victor truly felt pity for the original Gero at this moment, lamenting the wasted genius.
The process was soundless, components were adjusted and fixed with a microscopic precision, Gero monitored the streams of results appearing on the displays with fascination, no human brain would get this kind or result, ever.
"[FAB] CYC-A678 – integrity 100%
[FAB] CYC-B345, CYC-C975 – integrity 100%
[WARN] – CYC-C cooling margin UNNECESSARY. SUGGESTION: MORE POWER CORES."
"Unnecessary, add more neuro-cables and shock absorption plates instead."
"NEW DIRECTIVES: APPLIED."
Night Dog was still improving the android while it was already in fabrication and the scientist had to regularly point the direction for the desired result.
Later, Gero was looking at the finished but still power downed android, C-19, that looked like a toy. It was based on an action-figurine in the first place though. Mai was with him as she came to check on him, he was about to miss dinner. She folded her ams and said:
"That's unsettling. You could place it at a nightmare circus, it should have some success holding balloons."
"This is the goal. It will be seen as harmless and dumb, while it's all the contrary. It is the strongest being on the whole planet, equipped with computing power largely surpassing hundreds times the sum of all computers of the country, not counting in Night Dog of course."
"What?! It is even stronger than you? What would happen if it decides to revolt?"
"No risks, it will be the perfect house maid and security guard. It will be as sentient as a human though, so we should treat it as if it is like you and me."
"So he'll fill in the role of the creepy jobless uncle that roaches in our house?" Asked Mai, her eyes blinking. In two days she believed this was it, and then suddenly her fiancee fabricates a fully sentient android. She completely gave up trying to process her thoughts about it and chose to roll with the flow.
"Let's call him uncle Fester then." Proposed Gero.
"Oh my god Gero! At least give him a normal name, like Pete, or Connor, or Cooky..."
"Uncle Cooky it is then."
"Do you really plan to literally put uncle in his name?"
"Yeah, of course, and I bet the children will love it!"
"The.. The children?!" Surprisingly exclaimed Mai, face red and looking at him.
"Night Dog," Gero dodged. "Bring C-19 online, set his name to Uncle Cooky."
"UNIT C-19 ONLINE.
UNIT SET NAME: UNCLE COOKY.
GREETINGS: WELCOME TO THE WORLD."
C-19's head tilted as micro-motors whirring softly for a brief instant. Its gaze swept the room once, then locked on the glass behind which Gero and Mai were standing. Gero felt the hair on his arms prick. For the first time he truly experienced the dread of facing a being with a power level infinitely higher than his. One tenth of Dondoria was definitely a joke in the grand scheme of things.
"Dr. Gero, Mai Gero identified." It said. The information related to his creator and his wife-to-be were already implanted in it's synthetic brain.
"Hello uncle Cooky..." She said flabbergasted, waving at him.
Uncle Cooky's voice was very high pitched, one could tell it's a man's voice, but still, it was surprisingly very high pitched. He sounded like Jen-Ping Su playing the role of the laughing villain in the movie Born Invincible.
"No one would consider him as a threat for sure..." She continued.
C-19 proceeded to leave the room he was stored until now and advanced toward the couple. Together they left the laboratory, and as Mai proposed to make him visit the house, he rejected stating he already knew the layout, and just asked if he could get a room assigned.
Gero and Mai talked with him regarding his work schedule preferences, if he wanted them to get him a bigger television, video game consoles, maybe build a pool or a wood-made hidden base on a tree. He accepted all the proposals, the greedy bastard he was, but did not ask for any special schedule, he would do the needed work whenever it was needed. Everything was arranged by Gero, who threw the task to Ludovine, just telling her his weird and long lost brother returned. Weird uncle path it is, so let's play it to the fullest.
"C-19, your first task." Gero said, giving his android a smart watch and and a dragon ball.
The synth put the watch on his wrist and activated it, putting his finger on the crown. The energy passed trough it and activated the little device. A projection of the planet appeared in front of his eyes, not like an hologram, but as augmented reality. There was no need for a third party to look at it. What was reassuring, was that Gero didn't hear any "Tobby is free!"
"Additionally to the dragon ball you are holding, I've stored two other ones inside Night Dog. Your task is to retrieve as discreetly as possible the four remaining ones. Do not kill and don't be seen except if your personal integrity enters in the equation. Any questions?"
"All clear, master. This should be quick." Confirmed the android and it's persistent image dissipated gradually a few moments later.
Gero was sweating, to see it on television or reading it in a manga was totally different from witnessing it in real life. He finally understood why the original Gero feared C-17 and C-18 so much, it way beyond logic, it was a guttural fear that came from the most inner parts of one's being, one's soul. Unsurprisingly C-19 got back just a few minutes later, with the missing dragon balls.
Set off on an adventure to search for dragon balls trough the world, only to get one wish granted in the end? He is standing at the pinnacle of science, fighting against the grasp of death itself in perpetuity, and with only eight years remaining to live at most he needed to spend his time efficiently.
Gero tasked C-19 to recover the two balls that were still with Night Dog and bring them to the garden. He also called Mai to witness the miracle that defined the whole franchise.
As the seven dragon balls were lying together on the ground, with a stoic and always smirking expression, the android was standing next to Gero. And Gero was looking at Mai's shenanigans. It felt like the whole world was waiting for Mai to finish the installation of the deckchair as she was afraid that a new emotional shock would make her lose consciousness this time. Her horizons had been broadening a bit too fast these past weeks. Once she was comfortably installed and ready, it was the most anticipated time ever for Gero since he arrived in this world.
"Shenron, I summon you!"
Nothing happened at first then it began with a sound that wasn't a sound at all, more like a strange feeling.
A vibration spread gradually, getting more and more intense as it was thrumming up through the ground. The seven orbs started to shine more and more until they became seven little suns, and rose up in the air. The light engulfed everything around them and Mai's mouth was agape, not knowing anymore what was real or false. She was really glad she was not standing right now.
Under the brightness, a thick darkness devoured the sky, and a giant green asian dragon appeared with a ferocious roar! While the lightning was sparkling in the dark clouds, the dragon flew and coiled for a long time, until it found it's summoner, and glared at Gero with huge and intimidating golden draconic eyes.
"Good, now tell me your wish. I will grant it whatever it may be, but I will grant one fish only..." Said Shenron, displaying his big menacing teeth, his whiskers undulating like snakes in the wind.
"I want you to grant me two big wishes, in addition to this one. Otherwise I will have to collect the dragon balls the next years to come, and I am sure you are aware why it won't be good for either of us."
The dragon stared at him wordlessly for a long moment, then declared: " Granted, now tell me the two big wishes you want granted."
"The first big wish, I want fifty thousand megatons, in the form of bars weighting ten kilograms each, of each of the following metals. Adamantium, adamantine, adamantite, auramite, phrik, necrodermis, ceramite, plasti-steel, from the universe of Warhammer 40000."
The dragon stared at him in silence for a long time, Gero was sure that even Shenron was wondering what the fuck was that request. No immortality? No eternal youth? Nor providing enough food to eliminate any risks of starving?
"Granted. Now tell me the second big wish." Said Shenron as his eyes shone. The whole scenic garden was crushed by the ingots of legendary and sacred metal, stacked in form of immense towers, towering over the gigantic mansion and reaching kilometres of altitude. Gero knew he fucked up big this time, he should have demanded for much more.
"My second big wish: I want, stored inside an Hyper-SSD card, with twice the storage space as necessary, all the knowledge the men living on Mars, in the universe of Warhammer 40000, had ever had access to. After and before the age of strife."
One could tell the dragon was silently cursing him as even it's facial expression managed to show it's anger. After a long moment the dragon replied:
"Request impossible. I will need seventy-eight Hyper-SSD cards to make your wish possible. Ask me for something else."
Then Shenron knew he fucked up.
"I want, stored inside one hundred Hyper-SSD cards, with twice the storage space as necessary, all the knowledge the men living on Mars, in the universe of Warhammer 40000, had ever had access to. After and before the age of strife."
"Your wish is granted. So long."
Gero used his martial reflexes to swiftly grab the storage cards that appeared in front of his from the thin air, and C-19 retrieved the dragon balls that were about to get dispersed.
Victor didn't wish to get the Emperor's powers, or anything else than the alloys, metals and technology for a simple reason. There is no warp in the universe of dragon ball. Except for Zeno, nothing was eternal either, he was stuck using what truly defined the mankind and was exaggeratedly boosted in this world. The power of science.