Ultimate Bardock - Chapter 2: Baxter Building

(Baxter Building, New York City, 24 hours after the Incident…)

After he agreed to the proposition of the strange man, Bardock was taken into a strange room. The place consisted of walls and a floor completely covered in a glowing green grid pattern, similar to the technologically advanced training chambers that only elite members of the Frieza army were allowed to use.

Bardock had been locked up there. The closest thing to an exit was above him. Suspended in the air, there was a large hexagonal platform with glass windows. He could see that several people were inside, watching him, their silhouettes framed by the light. The glass was translucent enough that he could also see them.

At that moment, however, Bardock wasn’t focused on his observers. His attention was entirely on the books and artifacts they had given him. At first he hadn’t understood what these things were supposed to be, but after a little while his mind began to piece it together: they were meant for him to learn their language, their culture, their history. Once that realization struck him, the process became strangely easy. His eyes darted through words and phrases, and the foreign symbols soon began to take shape as meaning.

And that was strange. Bardock had never been the intellectual type. He was a fighter, a strategist in battle, capable of reading an opponent, yes — but never someone who cared for books or scientific knowledge. Yet here he was, tearing through their language as though his brain had been rewired to learn faster than before.

It must have something to do with those needles I felt pricking me all over my body…

The thought came unbidden, and for a moment he froze, the dictionary still open in his hands. He remembered it vividly now — not here, not when the humans touched him. No. He had felt it before, in that brief, terrifying instant when he was suspended in the void of nothingness. The moment after Frieza’s massive supernova bore down on Planet Vegeta, when his body was about to be consumed by the explosion… something had pulled him away.

And in that black, endless void, he had felt them — sharp pinpricks all over, as if unseen forces were probing him, altering him, testing him. He hadn’t understood what it was then. He still didn’t. But the sensation had been real, and it lingered in his mind now like a warning.

That wasn’t the humans. That was something else. Something that happened to me before I even set foot on this world.

Bardock clenched the book tighter, his knuckles whitening. He didn’t know what had changed in him during those fleeting seconds in the void, but he could feel it inside — his instincts sharpened, his mind clearer, his ability to adapt stronger than ever. Whatever it was, it hadn’t killed him. It had rebuilt him.

Suddenly, he heard a voice echo through the room’s speakers. It came from the glass observation platform above him.

“Hello there!! Barrdok, you hear me?!” shouted the same human who had convinced him to come here. Bardock’s eyes twitched in annoyance at the mispronunciation of his name. It wasn’t the first time, but something about hearing his heritage mangled grated on his pride. Still, he forced himself to remain calm. Losing his temper now would solve nothing.

“I hear you loud and clear, human,” Bardock replied in a rough but surprisingly coherent English. These were the first words he had uttered in their alien tongue.

The reaction above was immediate. He could hear gasps, muffled chatter, the sound of papers being shuffled, even the clumsy bump of someone knocking over a chair. They hadn’t expected this. They hadn’t expected him.

The silence stretched for a few seconds before the speakers crackled back to life.

“I see the books we gave you were useful… although I have to admit, I’m still impressed by your learning ability,” the scientist’s voice returned, calmer now, though tinged with awe. “Usually, a normal person takes six to twelve months to learn a new language. I’ve even seen some extraordinary people manage it in as little as a week. But this—this is the first time I’ve ever witnessed someone master a completely alien language in a single day.”

Bardock smirked faintly, though his tone remained blunt. “Maybe that’s because I’m no human.”

The words sent another wave of discussion through the platform above. He could practically hear the panic in their voices, the hurried scribbles of pens, the clicks of recording devices.

He had decided not to hide it. What sense was there in pretending? They would uncover the truth sooner or later. Better to lay it bare on his own terms than let them feel clever for discovering it themselves.

“I-I see…” the voice stammered at last, less confident now. “We suspected as much, but we still had our doubts. You look very human in appearance—ignoring the tail, of course.”

Bardock’s brow furrowed at the comment, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

The voice hurriedly continued. “I-I hope you don’t take it as an insult! It’s just… unusual for us. To see someone nearly identical to us but with such a distinct… feature.”

Bardock studied the glass platform above, then relaxed slightly. The scientist hadn’t meant disrespect—it was simply the clumsy honesty of a human trying to make sense of what he couldn’t understand. He let the tension bleed away, though he didn’t let his guard down.

“Putting that aside,” the voice went on, regaining some composure, “I realize I never introduced myself. My apologies. My name is Franklin Storm. I am the Director of the Baxter Building—the place you are in now. This facility was created to advance human progress, to push us toward the next stage of our evolution. Some would even say we’re the closest thing to a Future Foundation this world has.”

Bardock tilted his head slightly at the unfamiliar terms, but his sharp gaze stayed locked on the source of the voice.

“What matters here,” Franklin continued, his voice firm now, “is that we want to offer you a deal. One that could truly benefit you.”

That made Bardock’s interest spike. His body shifted, his tail curling with tension as he raised his head toward the glass platform above.

A deal? What kind of deal could these fragile beings offer me?

“Seeing as I have your attention,” Franklin said, “I’ll be direct. The deal is simple: you will tell us everything about yourself. Where you’re from. What you are. What you were doing before you arrived here on Earth. In exchange for this information, we will provide you a place to live here in the Building. Food, shelter, security—at no cost. And perhaps more importantly, we will protect you from being taken by other… agencies. People in power who may not be as understanding as we are. Some of them would want to study you. Dissect you. Perhaps even weaponize you.” His tone hardened on the last words.

Bardock’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t like the sound of that at all.

“The choice is yours,” Franklin said. “But I must ask for an answer quickly. I’m under immense pressure from those very agencies right now, and I can only delay them for so long. This offer will remain for one minute. That’s the most time I can give you.”

Bardock’s mind raced. He didn’t trust them. He didn’t trust their promises, their sudden generosity, or their supposed protection. These humans were weak compared to him, but he wasn’t blind to the possibility that they had their own tricks. Weapons. Restraints. Things designed to counter threats like him. He had been caught off guard before, and he wouldn’t let it happen again.

I don’t like this deal. And I don’t like these humans. But letting myself be captured by these “other agencies” sounds worse. I don’t know their methods—if they’ve developed ways to suppress ki, if they can trap me or weaken me. It’s too much of a risk. Better to play along, gather information, and wait until I know enough to escape on my own terms.

The choice became clear.

His eyes hardened as he looked up at the platform. His voice was steady, commanding.

“Human… I agree to your deal.”

Above him, silence fell once more. Then Franklin’s voice returned, carrying both relief and unease.

“Very well… then let’s begin.”

(A few minutes later…)

Bardock’s arms ached. The “shackles” clamped onto his wrists weren’t ordinary bindings—they were heavy, seamless restraints of black alloy that covered his hands entirely, locking them into rigid fists. He had tested their durability once when no one was looking, flexing against them with enough force to crush steel, but they didn’t even creak. Not even a vibration. Clearly, these humans had prepared for beings of far greater strength than themselves.

The Saiyan warrior walked silently through the sterile halls of the Building, flanked on all sides by a squad of armed soldiers. Their weapons—strange rifles that hummed faintly with energy—were always trained near him, ready to fire. His tail twitched, irritated by their caution, but he forced himself to remain calm. Play the game, he reminded himself. Learn their world. Bide your time.

Doctor Storm walked at his side, hands folded behind his back, trying to maintain a calm, diplomatic demeanor.

“I’m very glad you accepted our deal, Mister Bardock,” Storm said warmly, though Bardock could hear the exhaustion in his voice. “It seems like lately all we’ve had here are… complications. It’s good to finally have some progress. But enough of that—I’d like to introduce you to someone who will be working very closely on your case. He’s… enthusiastic about meeting an alien. So I ask for your patience.”

Bardock cut him a sidelong glare, annoyed at the implication that he was some kind of experiment to be gawked at. But he gave a curt nod. Patience. For now.

Eventually, they stopped in front of a large white double door. It gleamed with reinforced plating, humming faintly with magnetic locks. Storm gestured to the soldiers, and without a word, the men dispersed down the hall, leaving Bardock alone with the director. The sudden absence of guns pointing at his back was welcome, though Bardock’s instincts told him he was still being watched—sensors in the walls, cameras hidden in the corners.

“Well, here we are,” Storm said, straightening his tie. “Inside you’ll find Reed, as well as others who were affected by the… incident. I’ll be entering with you, of course. As I mentioned before, the deal requires constant supervision by my personnel. I trust you understand.”

Bardock’s jaw tightened, but he gave a silent nod. Of course. They want their leash on me at all times.

Storm opened the doors. Bardock’s scouter-less gaze sharpened immediately, scanning the room ahead—ready for danger.

The sight that greeted him was not what he expected.

Two humans were locked in combat at the center of the room. One was massive, his body a living mass of jagged, orange rock, each movement cracking the air like boulders grinding together. He wore only a torn blue bodysuit stretched over his colossal form. The other human, much thinner, fought with equal ferocity but in a bizarrely alien way—his limbs stretched unnaturally long, twisting and wrapping around the stone giant like serpents constricting prey.

Bardock froze, eyes narrowing. He had seen mutants and monstrosities among Frieza’s army, but this? This was something different. Humans can do this? He clenched his shackled fists unconsciously.

“My life is ruined because of you!!” the rocky one roared, swinging a fist that shattered the wall beside them like plaster.

“Ben, please!! Just let me explain!!” cried the elastic one, his voice strained as his body contorted and wrapped tighter around the creature’s limbs, trying to bring him down.

Bardock felt a flicker of unease. If ordinary humans could mutate like this, then this world was more dangerous than he thought. He had chosen correctly by waiting.

“What’s happening here?!” Storm’s voice boomed across the room, carrying the weight of command. The combatants froze, startled, their chaotic struggle halting mid-motion. “Reed! I believe you said you were going to calmly explain the situation to Ben Grimm—not destroy my building fighting him!”

The stretchy human—Reed, apparently—quickly released his hold, his arms snapping back into normal shape with a rubbery whip.

“Th-that’s what I was trying to do, Professor! But Ben’s… not exactly in a state to listen right now!”

“State?!” the rocky man spat, glaring down at his craggy fists. “Look at me, Reed!! I’m a monster!”

“Mister Grimm!!” Storm barked, his voice cutting through the tension. Both men snapped their eyes toward him. “I know you are frightened and furious over what’s happened, and I sympathize completely. But if you continue to damage my Building and assault my staff, I will have no choice but to let S.H.I.E.L.D. take you into custody. And they will not be as kind as Mister Richards or myself.”

The name hit Bardock’s ears sharply. His gaze flicked upward. S.H.I.E.L.D.? Another faction? And Storm’s warning—he fears them as much as he does me. Interesting. I’ll need to learn everything I can about this “Shield” soon.

Ben Grimm stiffened at the threat. His massive shoulders slumped, his fists slowly unclenching. He turned away, muttering something under his breath as Reed gave a cautious nod of thanks, rubbing his sore arms.

Storm wasted no time. “Putting that aside—Reed, I’d like to introduce you to Bardock.” He gestured toward the Saiyan.

Reed’s eyes widened, his curiosity overtaking his frustration.

“Oh my god… it’s an honor to meet you, sir!!”

Before Bardock could react, Reed’s arms stretched across the room in a blur, his hand clasping Bardock’s shackled fists in an eager handshake while his head and torso extended forward until his face hovered just inches away from Bardock’s own.

Bardock stiffened, his instincts screaming at the sudden invasion of personal space. His tail bristled, and for a moment, the Saiyan nearly lashed out despite the restraints.

“My name is Reed Richards,” the scientist said breathlessly, grinning with the wild spark of a child who had just cracked open the universe’s greatest toy. “I never imagined there was intelligent life inside the N-Zone! Incredible! I’m so sorry if we disrupted your… home.”

Bardock’s eyes narrowed, his brow furrowing. N-Zone? Was that what these humans called the void he had been drifting through? Or was it something entirely different?

Before he could ask, Reed’s gaze dropped—and lit up again. “Wait—you have a tail!” he exclaimed, reaching out without hesitation and wrapping curious fingers around it.

Every nerve in Bardock’s body screamed. His tail twitched under the stranger’s grip, and for a heartbeat his instincts roared to unleash a blast of ki that would erase the man where he stood. His jaw tightened, muscles coiling, the urge nearly overwhelming. It took everything he had to swallow his warrior reflexes and restrain himself, reminding himself he was in alien territory, surrounded, and not yet sure of the strength of his hosts.

“That’s enough, Reed,” Storm snapped, his tone sharp. “Remember—no physical contact. We don’t know if he carries pathogens, or if you might expose him to something harmful. Until further tests, he is not to be touched.”

Reed blinked, realization dawning on him as he felt the tension radiating from the warrior’s body. He released Bardock’s tail reluctantly, his elongated arms snapping back to their normal proportions with a faint whip of elasticity. The scientist straightened his coat, offering an awkward but genuine smile.

Dr. Franklin Storm adjusted his glasses, dark circles under his eyes betraying the weight of the last few days. His voice came out weary, almost hoarse, as if every word cost him effort.

“Well… Bardock, this is Mr. Reed Richards and Mr. Ben Grimm. I’ll leave you boys to… get to know each other with our guest.” He paused, rubbing his forehead as though fighting a splitting headache. “I’ll send Johnny here in a while, once we finish running the initial tests. Apparently, he can… ignite himself at will.” His tone was flat, drained of wonder, his gaze distant as if already drowning in another worry.

For a second, he hesitated at the door, the shadow of grief flickering across his tired eyes. “Still no trace of Susan… not a signal, not a sign. Maybe she’s out there… somewhere. Maybe the machine scattered her farther than we thought…” His words trailed off into silence.

With a sigh that sounded like the weight of the world pressing on him, Dr. Storm pushed the door open and disappeared through it, leaving Bardock in the awkward company of Reed and Ben.

"So..." began Reed on an ankward tone, "where do you come from?"