The stars twinkled in the cold darkness that was space. Each was glittering, bright, glowing. It wasn't something that one could replicate by shinnying a light through the holes in a black piece of paper. Every single one of these stars was its own light like a spirit with its own freedom.

Except one spirit, one star in its own right was trapped, and one day it would break free.

Sadly, captivity does strange things to stars… and spirits, changing them in ways we can only begin to imagine.

A ship glided aimlessly through space only holding six passengers. They were each enjoying their trip each in their own way, whether to train, socialise or explore. Not a single one could anticipate how a nice friendly out-trip could turn bad.

It was time.

4567 read the gravity machine. Four thousand five hundred and sixty-seven times Earth's normal gravity, enough to turn a feather that was dropped a millimetre from the floor would have enough force to smash through titanium with little effort.

The air particles were jammed so close to the ground by the intense pressure making it impossible for anyone to breath without assistance and so the one person in the room, Goku, wore a special breathing mask over his mouth and nose or he would have long since suffocated.

And somehow in this intense environment the saiyan trained.

Breathing hard as his arms shot forward in mock punches.

Groaning when his legs were wrenched from the ground to execute kicks.

Sweat pouring and pouring down at the speed of bullets with every movement of his body. Each muscle ached for this awful torture to end just for a second of rest.

Goku strided towards the gravity machine, his walk full of strength and grace. It was as if he merely shrugged off the immense force that pounded down on his body and every move. Lightly touching a few buttons and suddenly the gravity released, not completely but only to the point where it was only two thousand times normal, an incredible might still, yet a little better. His hands reached up to the mask and carefully unfastened it and gently placed it on a hook next to the controls.

The slightest gesture was a bit of poetry in the making. A true master piece from the greatest of the martial arts world. It seemed nothing could stop this amazing, yet humbling demonstration of power and self-control.

Then at the moment that seemed to be the climax of this gorgeous scene, a grumble rang through the air and the saiyan looked down at his stomach and smiled. "Snack time!" he chirped.

Of course one can speak too soon.

In a second Goku bounded over to the refrigerator that was in the corner, swung the door open and was digging through the fridge's contents. Yanking the fruit drawer open, he eagerly reached in. He had a hankering for one… two… or a dozen ripe firm bananas.

His hand wrapped around something and pulled it out. He found his banana all right but it wasn't exactly the way he had pictured it, especially in the firm part. It was a blackish mess that made a squishy noise with even the slightest movement of his hand and darker innards strongly resembled the sort of slime that a slug produces.

Curiously, he put it up to his mouths his tongue delicately touched it and he made a face.

"Ugh," said Goku making a face. Though saiyans were notorious for not being picky (even when they should be) but this was too much and he tossed what had once been a piece of fruit over his shoulder then went back to rummaging through the fridge.

To his horror every bit of edible food was had been flattened. Despite virtually everything in this room including Goku's clothes had been designed by the Briefs to withstand incredible gravity, they had neglected to remember that the food might not.

He sighed, once again looking over the carnage, and his shoulders sagged when another grumble from his hungry belly.

Then thinking for a second, he brightened. Wasn't there more food in the living quarters?

With that Goku dashed towards the door, his eyes, his step light. The only thing on his mind was chicken and ice cream and milk and chocolate and bread and virtually any sort of food except bananas (his appetite for those had mysteriously vanished).

Unfortunately he should have thought about that one piece of food in general and as he went along one of his feet landed on the mess of a banana on the floor and instead of prancing along, he pranced upside down and smashed his head against the floor.

With the force of the still incredible gravity pushing down on him and the hard floor, Goku's eyes closed and drifted into unconsciousness.