Kuririn and Gohan continue to struggle against the tentacles of the sea creatures. Raichi and Zarkuro explain that the planet they are on is worthless. When their ship was forced to crash-land here, they were trapped. When Bulma showed up with Kami-sama's ship, after tumbling over the cliff when they first arrived, the pair were about to steal the ship right then and there. However, the same spacial phenomenon that forced them to crash-land in the first place had re-appeared, and they would have to wait until it cleared up before they could take off.

     While Bulma was still unconscious, they probed her mind to learn about the Dragonballs, Namek, and so on, then used the information to devise an elaborate illusion to keep them occupied. However, as evidenced by a thick fog on the planet's surface, the conditions for take-off are as good as they are going to get, and Raichi and Zarkuro decided to reveal their hand. Raichi steals the Dragon Radar, and the two of them take off for the ship. With Gohan and Kuririn unable to move, Bulma is forced to go after them alone.

     Arriving at the ship, Raichi assures Zarkuro that according to his scan of Bulma's mind, all they have to do is give verbal commands to the ship to make it operate. What they didn't know is that no one had bothered to translate the command to open and close the ship's main door out of the Namekian language. Bulma catches up and hides behind some rocks, watching the trouble the two thieves are having.

     More sea creatures show up, and Kuririn and Gohan are both pulled underwater. One of the creatures loses its grip, freeing Gohan's right arm. He lets off an energy blast, propelling himself downward even faster and pulling loose from most of the tentacles. With another shot, he maneuvers himself across Kuririn's path, and the two sets of tentacles become entangled. With both of them partially freed, they blast themselves toward each other. Locking their left hands, they continue to blast away with their right hands. The two of them spin around each other, causing a whirlpool to form within the lake. The sea creatures get caught up in the current, and start to drift away.

     Raichi and Zarkuro still cannot get inside the ship, and decide to go after Bulma for instructions. They find her hiding place just as Gohan and Kuririn work themselves free. Raichi and Zarkuro order Bulma to open the door. Bulma proposes they all leave together, but Raichi and Zarkuro say their destination is 50 years away. Bulma reluctantly calls out "Piccolo" to the ship, and the door opens. The pair hops onto the platform, but before the door closes completely, Gohan can be heard shouting "Piccolo!" The platform returns to the ground, and Gohan and Kuririn can be seen overhead. Zarkuro and Raichi take fighting stances, but both are defetaed with a single blow from Gohan and Kuririn, respectively. The fog has almost cleared, and Kuririn, Gohan and Bulma hurry back inside their ship. On the way up, Bulma thanks the aliens for telling them how to escape. Taking off, Bulma steers the ship for a gap in the phenomenon, and they narrowly escape, setting course again for the planet Namek.

     As Zarkuro and Raichi curse their luck, Vegeta, en route to Namek in his space pod, vows to get the Dragonballs for himself before Freeza can.

     Chichi changes the flowers in the vase next to Goku's bed as Goku tries to sneak away again. It has been nearly a month since Gohan left, and Chichi wishes she had packed nail clippers for him. Goku actually makes it out the door — only to be caught by his doctor and nurse, who had been expecting this.

     34 days out, the ship approaches a blue-green planet that registers as being Namek. Everyone is excited and belts themselves in for landing. At Bulma's command, the ship finds a grassy spot near a river to land. Bulma begins preparing equipment to take atmospheric samples to determine if they can breathe the air, but Gohan and Kuririn rush right out. Gohan remarks how smiilar the landscape is to the palce he was trained by Piccolo. Bulma yells at the other two for their reckless behavior and checks her Dragon Radar. Sure enough, she gets readings for seven Dragonballs. Kuririn pinches Bulma's cheeks to make sure she is not another illusion. After slugging him, Bulma and Kuririn dance for joy as Gohan senses a number of poweful Ki in the distance. Bulma tells them not to worry, that they must belong to the Namekian natives. Piccolo and Kami-sama had fairly large Ki as well. Gohan and Kuririn worry that the Ki have an unfriendly feel to them, but Bulma reminds them how Kaio-sama said the Namekians were a peaceful race. Kuririn relaxes somewhat, and they decide to head toward a location where four Dragonballs were already gathered together and introduce themselves.

     As Kuririn tries to laugh off his nervousness, a small spacecraft falls to the ground in the distance behind them. They all recognize the shape as being the kind of pod the Saiyans came to Earth in. It must be Vegeta, since he is the only Saiyan left! Kuririn and Gohan quickly mask their Ki, and are forced to decide whether to remain on Namek with Vegeta and attempt to gather the Dragonballs, or return to Earth immediately, giving up hope of reviving their friends. Kuririn decides that if Vegeta gets the Dragonballs, they will be doomed anyhow, and decides to stay, as does Gohan. Bulma wishes them luck, saying she can go back to Earth and return with Goku in just over two months' time.

     Vegeta emerges from his space pod, cursing Freeza and vowing to gather the Dragonballs first. Only by wishing immortality upon himself does he stand a chance to defeat Freeza. Using the Scouter, he locates Freeza's position, and is able to tell that he has brought two others, named Zarbon and Dodoria, with him.

     At the Kame House, the Turtle Hermit speaks via a radio-phone with Bulma, who fills him in on what is happening on Namek. As Kuririn and Gohan wait for her to finish, another space pod falls through the atmosphere! The three of them are left to wonder why another Saiyan ship should arrive.

     Some distance away, the lifeless form of a Namekian native drops to the ground, bleeding. A battle-suited soldier, carrying an enormous Dragonball, presents his prize to Freeza. A mysterious figure in a dark hoverpod comes forward to praise him. On his right side is a large, pink-colored porcine humanoid; on his left, a fair, bejewelled warrior. Both of them carry similar large Dragonballs under their arms! With Freeza's party carrying four Dragonballs, only three remain to be found.