Chapter 12: Interlude 2: True Purpose
"...reports tell us that the attack was targeting the USJ; a UA off-campus location that trains their students in rescue operations. Details are tight, but one of our teams is in a UA conference room as we speak, as the principal promises to disclose what he can today."
Crunch Crunch Crunch
"What are you watching?"
"Oh, hey Grandpa." Ben didn't take his eyes off the living room TV screen, fishing out more chips out of the bag on his lap. "Just watching some TV. They're doing a report on what happened at school yesterday. Want to see what mister Nezu has to say?"
"In fact, I do!" Grandpa Max let out a chuckle as he made his way from his room's doorway to sit by Ben. Ben could feel the couch sink from the additional weight, so he scooted over. He held out the bag, holding the opening towards his grandpa. "Want some?"
"No, I'm good. Just make sure not to spill on the couch. Chip crumbs are a pain to get out." Grandpa Max pushed a couple napkins towards Ben, who accepted wordlessly, putting them under his hand.
"Oh? Ladies and gentlemen, we've just received word that the UA press conference is starting. We now go live to UA for this breaking news!"
The Tennysons watched as the screen switched from a professional news broadcast background to a crowded room. The room was large, but barely furnished. The audience was on foldable chairs, and the podiums in front were simple wood with a single microphone attached. There were only two podiums, but of drastically different sizes for two very different people.
The first one had Nezu behind it, in his standard principal outfit that he seemed to never be without. The only thing different about him was that his usual easy smile was replaced with a more neutral expression, giving nothing away. The second podium was larger than usual, probably because All Might was behind it. The hero was in a special suit tailor-made to accommodate his large form, giving him a more professional aura. His famed smile was there, but lacking any emotion behind it. It seemed to be plastered on, in the same way how Nezu's neutrality did not leave either. The two faced an ocean of reporters from all sorts of news outlets, from TV, newspapers, magazines and many others, all with cameras rolling and microphones pointed at them. Nezu tapped his paw against his microphone, sending high-pitched noises echoing throughout the room. With no more noise, and all attention on him, Nezu cleared his throat and started speaking.
"Everyone, thank you for gathering on such short notice. Some of you know the story already, but for those that do not, I will summarize the events that transpired. Yesterday, at around 3 PM, one of our heroic studies classes at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint facility was attacked by an unknown villain organization. This group utilized a warp quirk to bypass our defenses and started attacking the students and the facility at large. Our rescue teacher, hero N. 13 and the homeroom teacher of the class, hero Eraserhead fought the villains despite the overwhelming odds. During the battle, they suffered injuries that necessitated medical attention."
"It was not for nothing; their valiant efforts protected the students long enough for me to arrive on the scene!" Nezu slowed down, allowing All Might to jump in. His confident booming voice was of good contrast to Nezu's calm and quieter one. "Even with the element of surprise, their cowardly assault ended in absolute failure. N. 13 and Eraserhead are expected to make full recoveries and none of the students were harmed. With the assistance of the police, UA apprehended nearly every criminal that participated in the attack, with only the two leaders fleeing."
"Oh, so they even captured the guys that ran away? Guess UA was more thorough than I thought." Ben commented.
"Thank you All Might. That's the story with all the details we can disclose as of now. A police investigation is underway in an attempt to identify the two ringleaders that got away. We can now take a few questions at this time." Immediately the room exploded with noise, as chairs scraped back from the enthusiastic force of hungry reporters eager for more. Nezu held up a paw which quieted the crowd a bit. He then selected a young woman near the front.
"All Might sir, who were these new villains and are they something we should be concerned about?"
"Well miss, that is something I can not answer due to a lack of information. The attack consisted of many smaller gangs or individual criminals who are dangerous in their own right, but no match for a professional hero. The individual with a warp quirk is dangerous, but now that we know it exists, we can now properly defend against it. As for the group, all we know is that they call themselves the 'League of Villains' and we have only seen two of their core members. It seems they have few members, seeing as they needed to recruit many other groups for their assault. As of now, I'd say not to worry, but keep an eye on the news." The woman nodded and took her seat, satisfied. Nezu then selected an older woman further in the back with a sharper expression.
"Principal Nezu sir, based on what was said, a portal quirk was used to slip numerous dangerous individuals into an educational facility. How can we expect UA to respond to this breach in security?"
"A question that I am pleased to answer! The moment the USJ was secured yesterday, I immediately began work on revamping UA's security. Not just the USJ, but the entire school is receiving a security overhaul by none other than ADVANT, the elite European security company responsible for the defense systems keeping world leaders safe. That is why we gave the students a day off: the overhaul includes updates to the main campus building as well. While a portal quirk was not something we thought of when we first designed the campus, that does not excuse what happened and we will make sure it does not happen again. I hope you understand that we can not specify what changes we are making."
"Of course. Thank you sir." The lady gave a respectful bow before sitting down. Nezu then jabbed at a middle-aged man on the left side.
"Nezu sir, this new group, the so-called 'League of Villains' seem impressive despite the lack of reputation. The ability to penetrate UA's defenses is no joke! But I must ask: do you know why they did it? What possibly could have been their goal in attacking a school?"
"Principal, if I may?" All Might shot a glance at Nezu, who waved him forward. "Thank you. As for your question sir, I will be honest because they did specify what they wanted. They wanted to kill me. They wanted All Might, the symbol of peace, to lay dead at their feet. To achieve that goal, they did bring a certain individual who was surprisingly powerful. Caught me by surprise, but in the end was defeated like everyone else. They had a goal, but failed and had to run with their tail between their legs. If they want to try again, I'd tell them they are welcome to try!" All Might concluded his speech with a mighty flex and a genuine smile, which got the crowd excited. Ben, however, was not amused.
"I think he meant Ben Tennyson defeated that 'individual.'" Ben made sarcastic air quotes before throwing himself back into the couch with a frown. "He didn't even arrive until I put him a foot in the dirt!"
"Now Ben, that was what we discussed with Nezu in the phone call yesterday." Grandpa Max tried to soothe Ben and then put a hand on his shoulder. It was true- yesterday after dinner the Tennysons received a phone call from Nezu himself regarding how this was going to be portrayed to the public. To give Ben some privacy, they agreed on Nezu's cover-up: giving All Might the credit. It was a believable story because literally no one would doubt All Might's word. It did mean the school had to call the rest of the students in 1-A to not give away what had actually happened.
"I'm sorry but we can not answer any further questions. However, while All Might was answering the last question, I did receive notice that the director of the ADVENT securities team working on the school has agreed to talk a bit on how he plans of defending against a portal quirk and how other organizations can do the same. Please welcome Doctor Tygan."
"Wonder why they had to even publicize what happened at school. Couldn't they have just not said anything? The USJ was kinda out there, aside from my class and the police no one else probably saw anything." Ben wondered aloud as he watched the doctor walk on stage. Dr. Tygan was a medium-sized bald man with dark skin and a serious no-nonsense attitude based on how he professionally answered each question, or refused to.
"Well it has to do with how news regarding villain attacks is published. By law, any public institution has a 24 hour period to officially report an attack. This is to hold the government responsible for information equity. The people have a right to know if their lives or loved ones are in danger, and this is particularly important when it comes to schools. Imagine the outcry if UA didn't come clean and tried to hide this attack. Parents would lose faith and withdraw their kids in a heartbeat." Grandpa Max said as he watched Dr. Tygan push his glasses up the bridge of his nose in response to a particularly nosey question.
"I guess you're right. Never thought about information being shared equally as being a government priority, but with the amount of villains running around in Japan I guess it's important that everyone is informed." Ben thought about what he had just said for a moment. "Hey Grandpa?"
"Yes Ben?" Grandpa Max turned to face Ben, a single eyebrow raised.
"While we're talking about information equi-whatzit, do you know how the American government found us out? I mean, the way Coleson put it, they were waiting for us the moment Tetrax brought me and Gwen back to Earth. If they knew about us already, why did it take them a whole season?" Ben watched as his grandfather raised a hand to drag down his face with a heavy sigh. He then grabbed the remote, turned off the TV and turned to face his grandson.
"Well, it's a surprisingly complex story, so I'll just keep the details to a minimum. I was also curious and did some research of my own while you were at school. While there are a lot of paths leading back to us, the vast majority of them start with Xylene's departure."
"Xylene?" Ben thought hard for a moment, before snapping his fingers. "Oh, right! Your green alien girlfriend!"
"What- oh of course that's how you remember her." Grandpa Max grumbled.
"You know, you never did tell me and Gwen what she meant when she left. Who is 'Rosswell?''' Ben asked.
"Questions later, Ben. But yes, your memory is correct. Xylene was an alien by our human definition, and the first spark for the investigation that would find us out. Remember how she left on a ship? Well, as it turns out, an unidentified space-faring vessel leaving Earth's atmosphere is a massive cause for alarm, especially in the Extraterrestrial Control Division. Seeing that the craft launched from somewhere in the United States, the ECD flew into a panic that night. They meticulously monitor any and all spacecraft in the country, so seeing one so advanced and with no allegiance markers caused them to launch a full-scale investigation. That investigation soon included the events that you, me and Gwen caused around the States as well. Remember Rapid City?"
"South Dakota, nearest city to Mount Rushmore." Ben nodded.
"And the place where you first met Vilgax. Turns out we caused significantly more damage than I remembered. You melted an intersection, left drone husks everywhere, and led Vilgax on a chase that blew up several blocks of buildings. Not to mention Vilgax's ground vehicle was designed to destroy anything it came into contact with. To top it all off, we crashed an alien warship behind a national monument. Must have been a field day trying to cover that up."
"Ahaha, yeah." Ben gave off a nervous laugh. "Guess we should have cleaned up a bit. Got caught up in the mood at that moment. We had a good bonding experience there."
"The other biggest event I could find was at the NASA base in Florida, where Dr. Victor, the mummy and the werewolf summoned Zs'Skayr. Using Corrodium to corrupt the world's lifeforms is not something any nation can just ignore. Thankfully its effects were limited to the United States, and the sudden transformation coupled with a quick reversion back caused some form of memory loss, preventing a mass panic. Sparksville, Bancroft Academy, Camp Opinicon, Maplewood Farm, the Grandsmith's underwater hotel, I think you get the point. The only people at all those places all around the country were us three. Eventually, evidence of us eventually got seized: pictures, videos and interviewing the witnesses of our battles. They couldn't catch us, as they still didn't know where we were or where we were going. All they knew is that you and Gwen had family, so they waited out there."
"Yikes. We were not subtle at all that summer. Kinda remember it differently." Ben rubbed his eyes, remembering the moments where he transformed in hiding, only to barrel into public to do battle.
"It was the last thing on our minds. We were too busy learning about the Omnitrix to bother with cleaning up after ourselves or hiding our presence. It wasn't your fault."
"You mean me and Gwen were learning about the Omnitrix." Ben interrupted. "You knew from the start. You only started to open up to us half-way through that summer. Still haven't really told us about your past even now."
"I did know about the aliens you turned into, yes. I knew that much." Grandpa Max admitted with a frown. "But that panic you had when you first transformed... the power you had and your inability to control it, I couldn't just dump my past on you. You must understand Ben, at this point, that I did a lot in my younger days. I went to space, traveled to other planets and met many people and made life-long friends. And enemies." At this point Grandpa Max had closed his eyes. "Vilgax isn't the only galactic villain that I have crossed paths with. For every heroic story I have, there is one failure. The less you know the better."
"Geez Grandpa." Ben reached out, concerned. "I-I didn't realize it was that bad."
"No, you are right to some extent." Grandpa Max patted Ben's hand, gave him a smile, and then rose up and went back to his room. After half a minute, he came out with a folder. Sitting back down, he produced another remote, one that looked far more advanced than the simple television remote on the table. At the press of a button, a previously unassuming box beneath the TV flickered to life, emitting a soft green glow. "I think it is time I start opening up a bit. Before that however, there is some more bookkeeping to do. I was going to tell you, but I think we should just do them instead."
"What? What's going on? What bookkeeping?" Ben looked at the TV to his grandpa, and then to the TV again in confusion.
"The first one is simple. We are going to talk with our American agent." Grandpa Max said simply.
"Coleson? But why?"
"He wants to check up on you. The details of the contract between Nezu and Coleson has a small subsection where Nezu is to give a weekly report on your behavior. It's nothing too special, just reporting on anything good or bad. Not too dissimilar to what I give your parents over email. The attack on the USJ was definitely something Nezu had to report, and despite what you may think Ben, Coleson does care about your wellbeing. You being an 11 year old is not lost on him."
"Oh. I'm flattered?" Ben watched as the box's glow strengthened and the TV screen started flickering.
"That is the first thing we are doing today. I'll show you the second thing once Coleson's done. Speaking of Coleson, he should be on, right about... now." The box's humming suddenly shifted to a low whirr, and the green glow shifted to blue. The flickering TV screen smoothed out, and a familiar face seated at a desk appeared.
"Well hello there, long time no see. How are you doing Ben?" Coleson greeted the two with a smile.
"Ben? Oh right, we're back to first names. Uhh, doing alright. School's fine. USJ was a bit weird, but other than that it's good." Ben smiled back.
"Wow, your Japanese has improved a lot over the past year! From struggling with basic sentence structure to sounding like a native. Well done!" Coleson's gaze went to the side to meet Grandpa Max's. "Maxwell, thank you again for setting us up with Nezu. Can't have imagined what we would be doing without someone like him."
"It was my pleasure. And please, just call me Max." Grandpa Max replied.
"Can't do that anymore Maxwell! Not with you rejoining the Plumbers! While our organizations are not officially joined, you technically outrank me. Back on topic though. The villain attack. Ben, I know you have been through some crazy encounters that no kid your age should have gone through. I know you are much tougher than you look. But I need to ask: are you ok?" Coleson went back into his serious tone, the same one that gave Ben goosebumps a year ago.
"Yeah, I'm good. Most of the guys there were chumps, my teachers handled them fine. One guy in particular was pretty strong, but I got him eventually." Ben reported.
"Yes, according to Nezu's report the only threats at the USJ was the leader, the portaler, and the one known as 'Nomu.' At least that was what the camera audio says." Ben froze up on that last sentence. Cameras?
"What did you say mister Coleson? I was caught on camera?" Ben asked.
"Ben, the USJ is a massive facility where each of its zones contain a disaster with dangerous elements. Cameras would be needed by law. UA is rich enough to afford a camera system that can pick up audio." Coleson explained, not sure why Ben seemed concerned.
"We just saw a conference of Nezu and All Might reporting about the incident! What if they release footage of me?" Ben asked, waving his arms about.
"Privacy reasons. You are a minor, but still have a right to privacy. If UA wanted to release specific footage of you, they would have to ask for the right to. It would never even come to that, as UA cares about its students, and you are one of those students. I saw the conference too, Nezu and All Might obviously practiced what to and not to say. They would never say anything that would put you in jeopardy."Coleson reassured Ben.
"Oh. Good. That's good." Ben calmed down, leaning back into the couch with his hands on his stomach.
"If that's what you're worrying about, then I've got nothing to worry about. Seems like you are doing just fine." Coleson let out a chuckle. "When we got news that you were caught up in a villain attack not a week into the school year, our branch had a mini panic. The thought that we sent an 11 year old to his death, no matter how strong, killed the mood around here. Guess I can clear the air."
"Oh please. Like I would be taken out by those guys." Ben moved his arms to cross them over his chest.
"'Those guys' are all arrested now at least. If that group attacks again, it'll be with even stronger villains. They lost the element of surprise in that gambit. I know I don't have to tell you this, but be vigilant. You can never tell how villains act, especially if they are willing to attack kids. I just hope ADVENT shores up your defenses."
"Hmm. Can I ask you something Coleson?" Ben asked, to which Coleson gave an encouraging nod. "If Principal Nezu told you about the villain attacks, and your branch deals with advanced alien tech, why didn't you help with rebuilding UA's defenses? No matter how good ADVENT is, I'm sure you guys can do better."
"It's not that simple Ben." Coleson looked down with a sigh. "Believe me, we would have helped if we could. Nezu was clearly shaken when he called me last night. What happened was literally the best-case scenario, the 1%, the improbable, you get the idea. But if we were to offer our help, it would raise questions. How did America know about a Japanese villain attack? Who leaked it? Does this impact how America views Japan? The impact a simple offer to help can have on international relations is unexpectedly huge. No, it is best to just make sure our one charge is alright."
"Awww, you guys do care!" Ben held his hands close to his heart.
"Of course we do, Ben." Coleson answered with no indication that he heard Ben's sarcasm. "Some of us had our reservations about you when this whole thing started, but your actions yesterday proved to all the doubters that your heart is in the right place. You acted not for yourself, but for others, and took none of the glory.
"Oh. I guess I did. Grandpa and Nezu kinda worked out a story to tell the news people. I would have accepted a bit of recognition. Would be nice." Ben admitted, angling his head left.
"If glory was that big of an issue, you would have leaked your actions to the press yourself. You never tried to publicize yourself in your debut summer, and neither during your most recent heroics. We see your actions, and those actions have given us the confidence we need to alter the deal a bit. So listen up!" Ben straightened his back and Grandpa Max's gaze intensified as the Tennysons watched Coleson bring out a briefcase. Coleson opened the case, and laid out the contract that bound Ben to UA. The agent brough out a marker and uncapped it.
"Due to your heroic actions, which serve as proof of your intentions, we see it fit to alter the contract that we have signed. We now recognize that inhibiting your use of the Omnitrix to the extent detailed in the contract may conflict with your heroic duties. As of now, we permit Benjamin Tennyson usage of the Omnitrix outside of school sanctioned areas and events." Coleson punctuated this by running the marker in his hand over several small lines of text, blacking them out.
"Oh, this is great Ben! One less thing to worry about!" Grandpa Max set a hand on Ben's shoulder and squeezed, gently shaking him while wearing a smile. He was happy, but Ben was more confused.
"You can change the contract? Just like that? Isn't there, like, rules against that?"
"Did you read through all the terms and agreements?"Coleson shot back.
"There's terms and agreements on that thing?" At Ben's shocked outburst, Coleson laughed, thumping his fist against his desk.
"Oh, not in the conventional sense, no. Just some smaller lines of text illustrating how the deal is able to shift depending on circumstance." Coleson's voice changed once again, going from his normal one back to his serious one. "Keep in mind that this alteration does not change our desires to see you grow. Remember that the rest of the world still sees your transformations as a quirk. Therefore, if they see you transformed they will assume you are within legal parameters or are in violation of quirk usage laws. We don't want you to feel as if you have gained absolute freedom; try not to transform willy-nilly. This change was to ensure that you can operate as a hero with a clear state of mind. While we don't want you transforming in public, if doing so would save a life, you can now do so with confidence."
"While I am glad you and your branch are trusting Ben more." Grandpa Max spoke up, drawing the attention of the agent. "I can't help but feel like this is happening for more than just what happened yesterday."
"Correct Maxwell. It wasn't just what happened yesterday that influenced this decision. While we can not say for sure, we think that something big is happening, and it may involve extraterrestrial life. If it is, we need Ben to be prepared." Coleson reached beneath his desk to pull out two papers, each with a small summary and a picture.
"This report does not concern my branch that much, but does personally involve you two. It's about Dr. Animo. He's on the move."
"Animo? I haven't heard about him in a year." Grandpa Max brought a hand to his chin, deep in thought. Ben was in the same boat. While Animo appeared a lot in the first half of that summer, he fell off the grid in the latter half. Ben didn't think much of it at the time, Driscoll, Vilgax and Kevin commanded most of his attention.
"That might change. He has left America, that much we know for certain."
"Is he after us? He and Ben certainly clashed a lot, he may be out for revenge."
"While it is a possibility, we actually think he's on a personal mission of some kind. In his preparations for travel he grew sloppy and several of his proxy labs were located. We entered, but found them without power, food or water. He obviously hadn't been to many of them in months. However," Coleson turned one of the papers around and showed the Tennysons a picture of a dark dusty laboratory. Or, mostly dusty in this case. Through the dust leading in and around the lab, boot prints were seen.
"Someone's been snooping in Animo's labs. They got there before us and Animo obviously knew. It's concerning to think that someone may want his research, since that was the only thing missing. Files in safes were missing, computers were taken leaving behind the monitors, you get it. Something fishy is going on and we are trying to figure out what. Animo may not target you two immediately, but stay alert."
"Hmm. Very well. We will be vigilant. And the second thing?" Grandpa Max lowered his hand.
"Yes. This report is, well, extremely concerning. We had to take immediate action, but we could not stop it all." Showing the second report, Coleson gestured to a photo of multiple men being held down, hands behind their heads, and officers in the back handling several large crates. What was in those crates made Ben's eyes widen in shock.
"Hold up! Are those-!" Ben could only see the opening of a single crate, but what he saw was identifiable. Red armor plating, with orange bulbs with cell-like surface patterns. Gray arms with a single joint, extending into a weapon. Vilgax's drones!
"Scavengers reached some of the sites where you did battle with Vilgax's drones. Multiple cases of smugglers trying to escape with tech to sell have been reported everywhere on the United State's border. We apprehended what we could, but we know for sure some got through. We have no idea what is out there right now. It's a bad situation to be sure. Maxwell, I know we are not in a position to ask anything from you, but can you keep an eye out for alien tech being circulated?"
"It's no problem. I'll get on it." Grandpa Max nodded.
"Thank you, we are in your debt. Ben, we did not want to scare you into doing anything. We just wanted to let you know everything that we did so that you are not caught off guard. You have given impressive results thus far. Continue doing so."
"Alright. I'll do my best!" Ben raised a fist and shook it to emphasize his sincerity.
"That is good to hear. That is all. Until next time Ben!" Agent Coleson waved as he reached off screen.
"Yes! See you next time!" Ben waved back until the screen faded to black and the box lost its color and went quiet. Ben then gazed to his right to look at this grandpa while setting his chip bag on the stand next to the couch.
"Still can't get over how his name is Coleson. What are the odds that someone with that name ends up at a government office?" Ben joked, which caused his grandpa to look at him with an eyebrow raised.
"You thought Coleson was his real name?" He genuinely asked.
Huh?
"Wait-what! It's not?" Ben was flabbergasted. Why would he lie about his name? And if he lied about his name, what else did he lie about?
"He told me it's standard protocol when I was about to introduce him to Nezu. There are other agents that he works alongside, and any one of them could have been assigned to us. No matter which one we would have met, they would have all introduced themselves as Coleson. It's to protect them. The ECD can't risk their limited number of agents having their personal information leaked. Probably why they asked for me help, they don't have enough manpower. You'll see it's not just his office. Many other groups have the same things going on." Grandpa Max got up and started walking back to his room. Ben quickly got up and followed close on his heels.
"'Other groups?' Is this about the second bookkeeping thing we have to do?" Ben questioned as he passed through the doorway. Grandpa's room was just as Ben thought it would be: super simple. Pretty much nothing was added, the only major change being Grandpa's stuff neatly tucked away in their designated locations. Ben then watched as he opened a closet door, unveiling a weird floor contraption. A faint Omnitrix symbol was seen on the circular platform, and Grandpa Max stepped onto it and motioned for Ben to do the same. Tentatively, Ben joined him, albeit a bit cramped as they were in a closet.
"Hold your breath and close your eyes. The guys in R&D told me this was experimental, so there may be some side effects." Grandpa Max said as he fiddled with his phone, pressing buttons as the floor sprang to life. The dull colors suddenly glowed with light and sparks and arcs of energy started to fly around their feet.
Fwoosh!
"Woah! What the heck-heck-heck-heck!" In a sudden implosion of force, Ben felt his entire universe shift. His balance was lost and he felt like he was floating through empty space weightlessly. Strange colors and patterns danced around the edges of his vision as Ben attempted to focus his sight on what was in front of him. Lines forming rough outlines of objects flew past him as it almost seemed like he was moving forward as fast as XLR8, but he feet were on the ground, unmoving. Were they? Ben looked down and saw blurry legs, but he didn't feel his. Nausea was starting to settle in and Ben could feel the chips working their way back up.
A sudden, but brutal shift back to clear and stable reality sent Ben to the floor. Staggering off the platform and onto gray concrete, Ben fell to his arms and knees, trying with all his might to keep what was in his esophagus down. Dry heaving, Ben shut his eyes, but even in darkness he could see shapes and colors bouncing around his eyes. Even with all four limbs on the ground, Ben felt as if he was on a rickety platform on rough water. Through his pain, Ben could hear a pair of voices, two of them, growing louder as they approached.
"I told you that the teleporter shouldn't be used on two large organic lifeforms! It's designed to be portable, it is not stable enough for two!" A high pitched voice cried.
"Hey, if you want to steal enough power from the human's power grid to make a Conductiod blush in order to power two instances of the teleporter, be my guest. I guess I'm the only one trying to work within the Plumber guidelines. The second voice, lower and slower paced, shot back.
"Urgh... huh? Are you.. Azmuth? Cloned? Wait..." Ben managed to open his eyes to see two gray figures standing before him. They were so short, that even on his arms, Ben's head still towered above them, forcing the two aliens to angle their heads up to meet his eyes. They looked like Azmuth, with gray skin, green eyes and gills on the sides. Their bodys were very different: one wider and more plump and the second taller with a particularly long neck. The short one has a shiny white suit with a black bottom with two red buttons on the front. The tall one had a blue overall equipped with pockets full of tools.
"Azmuth? I'm flattered that you think so highly of us! But no, we are not. I am Driba!" The short alien gestured to himself before pointing to his taller partner. "That is Blukic. We are the Plumber tech support for Earth's new Plumber force."
"Hey." Blukic lazily waved a hand.
"Oh. Uh, sorry. Guess I only ever met Azmuth." Ben said sheepishly as he staggered up. Grandpa Max held him steady as Ben regained his footing, his head slowly shaking off the travel sickness.
"Ah, of course. Azmuth is the most well-known scientist in the modern day, so it makes sense that the only Galvan a human would know is him. No matter." Driba then turned his attention to Grandpa Max, who he and Blukic greeted with a salute. "Magister Maxwell Tennyson, it is an honor!"
"At ease." With an easy smile Grandpa Max waved the two off. "Do you have the things?"
"Ah, yeah. Here, let me get 'em for ya boss." Blukic walked to a small Galvan workbench and picked up two mini Omnitrix circles and brought them to the Tennysons. Ben watched as his grandpa picked it up and pinned it to his shirt collar. Shrugging, Ben did the same.
"Universal translators, made by us!" Driba puffed his chest up with pride. "Not that you needed to use them with us. To us Galvan, learning Earth's languages is a cakewalk. For everyone else, just talk to them however you'd like and they'll hear it in their most comfortable language!"
"Don't dally here any longer sir, we got some work to do to make sure that the teleporter is ready for your return trip. Your ride should be outside, so get going." Blukic gave a salute, then started walking towards the platform in the center of the room and mirrored what was in grandpa's closet. Driba hastily mimicked his partner before also poking around the contraption.
"Follow me Ben." Grandpa Max strode out the nearest doorway, with the metal door sliding open as he approached. Ben followed, close on his heels, and the two found themselves in a long gray hallway. Dull gray with flickering light, it was not very inviting. The only thing of note was the small vehicle and the large boulder near the gate they just walked out of. Then the boulder unraveled itself.
The only thing human about this alien was its rough shape. It has a thin waist and narrow thighs, but the legs soon formed massive feet made of pale white rock. Its face was built into its neck, a pair of bright orange eyes above a large mouth full of white teeth. In its center was a swirling mass of red, shining and constantly moving around. The alien's body was pale on the inside, but its exterior was tough looking orange rock. Plates of the stuff lined its head, back, arms and hands, and the breaks in that armor revealed black skin. The only clothing it wore was a pair of pants with the Plumber's symbol and color scheme and a universal translator pinned to the waistband of the pants.
"Magister Maxwell, it is good to see you again. Magister huh? I guess we have two of you now that you're back." The rock-alien saluted with a smile. Ben could feel the air buffeting him as the alien moved its arm, a small glimpse into its potential power.
"The pleasure is mine, Garruk. It's good to see a familiar face. Didn't know who was going to be stationed on Earth, but I'm glad you are one of them." Grandpa Max returned the salute, creating a strange contrast of an old man in a red Hawaiian shirt talking to a walking, talking boulder. Said boulder then turned to look down at Ben.
"So you must be the legendary Ben Tennyson. The one who defeated Vilgax. Grandson of Maxwell Tennyson." The alien then spotted the watch on Ben's left arm. "Wielder of the Omnitrix. I am Garruk, Plumber pilot. It is an honor to meet you in person." Reaching down, Garruk extended a massive hand to Ben, who took the handshake.
"Uh, yeah. I'm Ben. Good to meet you Garruk." Ben couldn't help but look in awe at the massive alien in front of him. His hand barely covered Garruk's palm and the Plumber had to crouch to let Ben shake his hand. The awe must have been obvious as Garruk let out a chuckle.
"You must have not seen a lot of aliens up close eh? Well, I can't blame you. Us Galileans are quite impressive aren't we?" Garruk raised his arms to pose and flex, his armored plates quivering with exertion. The Plumber then let out a laugh, arching his back. Ben nervously smiled as he waited out the alien's laughter.
"Enough chit-chat! I gotta get you two to the main hub!" Get in!" Garruk jogged over to the vehicle, which most resembled a golf cart to Ben. It had no roof, and was large with an open trunk in the back to ferry supplies. That was where the similarities ended as the vehicle had six wheels and no engine that Ben could hear. As he got in, Ben wondered what energy source this thing ran on. Alien power cells? A Nosedeenian, like what he saw in Sparksville? A rough jolt forward threw Ben forward and out of his thinking as he threw his hands forward to catch himself.
"Whoops! Sorry, this thing is older than I'm used to! Handles like a drunk Vaxasaurian. Let's see... there we go! We should be good to go now." Garruk fiddled with the dashboard and soon the cart was chugging along smoothly. Ben aligned himself up with his seat to get comfortable, then turned to his Grandpa who was staring ahead, lost in thought.
"So, a teleporter in your closet. Mind telling me how that got there?" Ben asked.
"Well, it came in pieces. While you were at school this week, I went to designated drop points to collect the parts and put them together to form the pad. It is experimental with a capital E: it takes massive power and only works on smaller planets like Earth. Thankfully Nezu helped me hook it up to the city's power directly, so as long as we space out teleports it will be fine. And you can't use it for fun." Grandpa Max dropped a stern gaze at Ben. "Besides, it works as a bridge. One can only go from one pad to the other, and both have to be powered for it to work. Don't expect to use this often."
"Hey, Ben!" Called out Garruk, garnering Ben's attention. "You're still a recruit right? Haven't been in a real alien base of operation?"
"No, not really. And I'm NOT a recruit. I've kicked too much butt to be a recruit." Ben huffed.
"Yeah? Well, feast your eyes on this!" Garruk accelerated towards a large metal wall with a line down its middle. As Garruk neared, the gate let out a puff of steam and the doors slowly parted to let the cart through. A surge of speed later, and Ben was met with a sight that left him in awe.
"Wow." The only thing Ben had seen that came close to this was when he was taken to help his future self on Omnitrix City. Considering that was decades into the future, what Ben saw was even more impressive.
It was like driving into a new dimension. The cart drove down a single lane, but on either side were aliens going about various tasks. Buildings were being constructed, aliens swarming at the sites using their various powers to aid in construction. Half-finished buildings were covered in tarp, sparks flying from behind the blockades as work continued within. Drones flew overhead, many carrying boxes and some swooped down to drop them at the feet of waiting aliens. So many aliens! Some Ben recognized, but many were ones he had never seen before! Some exposed their features with little clothing like Garruk, others looked humanoid and dressed similarly and others covered themselves in cloth or suits. As Garruk took them down the road, people took notice. Soon, aliens were talking amongst themselves while pointing at the cart. They seemed interested in one person in particular though.
"Wow Grandpa, looks like you're one popular guy!" At this point Ben knew his Grandpa was some former big-name Plumber, but this was on a whole new level. The scene reminded him of when All Might would walk down a street, and not a single person could not take notice.
"Hey, your Grandpa is a legend among the Plumbers. He's literally a part of our history." Chimed in Garruk from the driver's seat. "Humans are rare in galactic society, as you guys haven't reached space travel yet. Despite the limitations of his species, Maxwell excelled at everything he did, reaching the rank of Magister at a rate never matched. Even today he is still the Plumber with the fastest rate of promotions."
"Oh come now Garruk! You know I'm not one to flaunt my rank." Grandpa Max's cheeks heated up just a little at Ben's gaze of admiration.
"Heh, good luck getting the rookies off ya then. They've only heard about you, a legend, and now you're here! Aaaaaand, break!" Garruk shouted as he slammed on the brakes of the cart. Thanks to his size and weight, the cart's back didn't fly up. It did not, however, stop Ben from almost flying out his seat.
"Love to stay and catch up Maxwell, but I got things to do! Talk later!" With a final wave Garruk spun his cart around and drove up the road they came. The aliens on the sides still gazed at where the Tennyson's got off the cart, but didn't make moves forward. The Tennysons ended up near the end of the road, where another gate was. Multiple finished buildings were near them, all with the Plumber/Omnitrix symbol on them. Construction must have started here, and moved down the lane, Ben thought to himself. He was about to ask grandpa something, when a familiar voice, bold and joyful, spoke first. A very familiar voice indeed.
"I said we would meet again, Ben, but I didn't expect it to be so soon! How have you been young hero?" A very human looking alien marched up to Ben. He had smooth gray skin but a very muscular body. Clad in a bright yellow suit on top with a white U in the center, a bronze belt bearing a different insignia, and solid white gloves and pants, he was a simple but memorable alien.
"Ultimos!" Ben stood just a little straighter as the Galactic Enforcers approached. Flanking Ultimos was his second-in-command Synaptak and Tini. Synaptak was an octopus looking alien with eight thin yellow limbs extending from his brain dome. His pale aquamarine brain had numerous appendages attaching the brain to the dome it was in, and a face was projected onto the dome. Tini was a massive female Tetramand, with golden armor on her chest and wrists. She wore a skirt similar to Ultimos' pants, with the Galactic Enforcers Insignia.
"Ah, the Galactic Enforcers! I thought your duties would have had you leave Earth a while ago." Grandpa Max approached them with a smile. Ultimos gave a small laugh, his hands on his hips.
"We thought so too! We did, for a time, travel from planet to planet, performing our duty, but our current assignment takes us back around here. We were in the neighborhood, so we thought we might drop in and help each other out."
"Wait!" Ben blurted out, putting the spotlight back on him. "The Galactic Enforcers are a part of the Plumbers?"
Synaptak shook his dome. "Not precisely Ben. Our organizations are similar in function, but we answer to different people and work towards different goals."
"It's like Earth's heroes and police Ben." Grandpa Max helpfully added. "Both are law enforcement and operate for the public good. While they answer to different powers, they often work together because what they are trying to do is often the same."
"Exactly." Synaptak bobbed his dome.
"At the end of the day we find bad guys and put them in the dirt!" Tini smashed her fists together, causing a small shockwave that sent her translator tumbling off her person.
"Whoops!" As Tini reached down, one of Synaptak's tentacles scooped up the translator and fixed it back onto Tini's armor. After a smile of thanks Tini then turned back to Ben. "It really doesn't matter that much. Plumber or Galactic Enforcer, we are all on the side of justice!"
"Well put Tini." Ultimos nodded at her, to which she gave a thumbs up in response. Turning to Grandpa Max, Ultimos's smile wavered, with his companions losing them completely. "Truth be told Magister Maxwell, I had no idea it was you when we first met over a year ago. I'm sorry that I did not recognize you at the time, if I had I would have surely acted in accordance with your rank. Please accept my apologies."
"Don't lower your head Ultimos." Grandpa Max set a hand on Ultimos's shoulder before he could bow. "You were acting in accordance with your laws, working alongside humans you had never met and trying to help a planet that doesn't even know you exist. You did everything right."
Ultimos's smile returned, as did his fellow Enforcers. In the moment of silence, a door opened up, causing everyone to look at one of the buildings beside them. The door opened to blinding light, to which Ben flinched away, raising his hands to block to invading light. A new voice spoke up, muffled slightly as if speaking through a microphone.
"Maxwell, still the same as ever. So humble he can't take a simple apology. So headstrong that he'd act even when in retirement. You may have aged, but you have not changed."
"Big talk from someone decades older than me. Your gills are getting wrinkly, maybe you should retire too." Grandpa Max snarked back, but with a good-natured smile on his face. Truthfully, Ben barely heard any of the banter that followed. He was more focused on the alien himself.
The alien exposed little of itself, as it was in an enclosed suit. A white top and black bottom with silver decals around the stomach and large circles with red in the center on the chest and waist made up the majority of the suit. The arms and legs were attached with black joints, but the strangest part was the head. The Suit exposed the alien's head down to about it's collarbone with a tall cylindrical tube. The alien had mauve color skin, protruding, narrow yellow eyes and gill flaps on the sides of its neck. While Ben couldn't stop himself from thinking the new alien as quite ugly it did have a smile of pure joy as it approached Grandpa Max, who was also starting to walk forward. Eventually, the two stood before each other, stopped talking, and embraced each other.
"It is good to see you again, old friend." The alien sighed, closing his eyes.
"Likewise. As if I could forget you." After a bit, the two let each other go, and Grandpa Max turned to Ben, his smile still not leaving his face.
"Ben, I would like to introduce you to Magister Labrid. He's a good friend, and an even greater Plumber. He was the one that recruited me into the force over 35 years ago."
"Woah, really?" Ben gazed up at Labrid, taking him in. He didn't look tough, but the way he carried himself exuded confidence. Like he had seen the worst of the galaxy and fought through it all to live and tell the tale.
"I'll never forget that day. A human in space fighting a military-level android to save an Andonite! Hah! The way Maxwell handled himself, the moment I saw him in action, I knew I had to recruit him!" Labrid barked a laugh as he approached Ben to offer a hand like Garruk did before him. "Plumber Magister Labrid, at your service Benjamin Tennyson!"
"You can call me Ben. It's what I tell everyone to do." Ben tried to give Labrid a firm handshake as he spoke. First impressions were important after all, no matter how much this guy knew of him before the actual meeting.
"Then call me Labrid. I have enough people calling me by my official title anyways." Labrid gave Ben a smile before turning to the waiting group. "As much as I wish the arrival of the Galactic Enforcers is just a pleasantry, there is a reason you three are here, no?"
"I don't want to ruin the mood, but yes Magister, there is a reason we are here." Ultimos's shift caught Ben off-guard. Previously bold, joyful and confident, Ultimos now sounded serious. His voice was cold, leaving no doubt that he was talking about something of importance. "Our current mission is investigating the Highbreed. They are currently in the middle of something big, and no one knows what."
"The Highbreed?" Ben wondered aloud. Looking around, expecting an explanation, Ben saw Ultimos's mood shift had affected grandpa and Labrid. The two had immediately huddled near Ultimos, and the three were discussing in low but serious voices. Seeing Ben's confusion, Synaptak and Tini moved in to explain.
"The Atasians, more commonly known as the Highbreed, are a race of powerful and influential aliens." Synaptak explained. Then his face contorted into a scowl. "They are also extremely xenophobic, considering themselves to be the highest form of life in the galaxy. An opinion they will share enthusiastically with everyone and anyone."
"I hate those guys!" Tini growled. "We met them once when we were escorting a merchant fleet through their system, and they are just the worst! They claim that they were the first race to exist in the universe and all other life is beneath them! Ugh!"
"Then why do you guys put up with them? They talk big, but can they walk their talk?" Ben asked, only to see the two's expressions worsen.
"As much as I wish it wasn't true, there is no way any of us could beat a Highbreed in a fight. One of their generals could easily take the three of us on. They are unimaginably strong, fast and durable. Cunning intellect and supreme confidence make them infallible. Even you, Ben, with the Omnitrix would be hard-pressed to last long against one." Synaptak said.
"They have often made rude comments in the past but have never made moves on the galactic scale." Labrid's voice cut in, announcing that the three that were huddled had broken out and walked to join the others. "No point in hiding anything from you Ben, you are too deep in to back out now. May as well keep you informed. Ultimos?" Labrid gestured his head to the Enforcer, who cleared his throat and started to speak.
"About three of your Earth months ago, Highbreed ships have been making odd travel patterns throughout known space. Clusters of ships have been reported traveling in specific areas, but never stated their purpose or reason of being. In response, us Galactic Enforcers were sent out to investigate. We found that fleets of ships with minimal escorts were traveling to systems, staying for a time, then leaving. However, the fleet leaving the system was far smaller than the one entering. We attempted to communicate with one of the ships, but were met with, well, resistance. And slurs. Lots of slurs." Ultimos reported.
"Troubling." Grandpa Max stroked his chin. "The areas where the Highbreed were seen, do they have anything in common?"
"Nothing other than the fact that other species lived there." Tini shrugged. "Maybe there is something deeper, but we didn't have time to investigate each planet."
"The reason you did not have any time and why you are here on Earth are the same I presume?" Labrid asked, receiving a nod from Ultimos.
"Yes. A Highbreed fleet was tracked to this system. Knowing Earth's unusual history of alien conflict, we thought it best to inform you in person."
"The fleets, if they were allowed to travel in populated areas, they must not have been military in nature. Were they transportation vessels?" Grandpa Max asked another question.
"We believe so. However, we have no idea who or what was in the ships and where they went. Knowing the Highbreed, this plan has probably been in the works for decades, and will take decades to come to fruition. They probably are banking on the possibility that we would forget about the ships in a few years. We can not let that happen-" Ultimos's answer was interrupted from a flashing red light from a device on his waist. He quickly grabbed it and activated a small screen. His eyes then widened in alarm.
"A report just came in that the Highbreed fleet has been detected leaving the system! Enforcers, we must pursue! Until we meet again Maxwell, Ben!" In a quick flash, Ultimos flew up and left through a door in the ceiling, followed by a floating Synaptak and a leaping Tini.
"Godspeed." Muttered Grandpa Max, still looking at where the Enforcers had left.
"They will need it. The Highbreed are a dangerous adversary. I hope that this does not grow into a galactic-level problem. They wouldn't take their xenophobia that far. Would they?" Labrid spoke mostly to himself. He then shook his head and looked at the Tennysons.
"We should leave the Enforcers to do their work. You two still have a meeting to get too. Follow me." Labrid turned and walked back into the building he first emerged from, with the Tennysons following. "I want to know that I didn't plan for the Enforcers to be there. I don't want you two feeling like you are obligated to assist in galactic issues. It's just that ever since Vilgax went silent, there has been chaos."
"Huh? I thought that by beating Vilgax I brought galactic peace! Wasn't he like a major alien warlord?" Ben was confused. If Vilgax was gone, why would there be chaos? Ben felt a weight in his stomach. Was him beating Vilgax a catalyst for galactic suffering?
"Well, you are right on one thing Ben. Vilgax was a warlord. A greatly feared one. So great was his threat that his very existence prompted many species to do things they would not ordinarily do." Labrid explained. "To protect themselves, species from all over formed an alliance of sorts. Vilgax had proven himself able to conquer entire worlds; even the Highbreed were scared of him. However, that was then."
"Now there is a power vacuum. It had caused pandamonium." Grandpa Max nodded grimly.
"Yes. Now that the single force uniting many unlikely species has been eliminated, the alliance is falling apart. Species are withdrawing rapidly, seeing no need to remain in an outdated alliance." Labrid shook his head. "If that wasn't bad enough, what your Grandfather spoke of is also coming to bear. With the top dog in the villain world gone, many are scrambling to take his place. Pirates, terrorists and other scum are taking advantage of the crumbling alliance. It's all a big mess."
"Don't worry too much, old friend." Grandpa Max reassured Labrid, and to extension, Ben. "It is rough now, but soon things will settle down and peace will be restored. It's just a rough patch."
"I know, I know. It just feels wrong being stationed on Earth while the galaxy is in turmoil. Yet, even here there's trouble. We intercepted the Forever Knights smuggling alien goods just a few days ago. But I should have faith in my fellow Plumbers." Labrid then turned to Ben. "The galaxy is a dangerous place, Ben, with many people in need of help everyday. While it is a bit early to ask, have you ever considered joining the Plumbers like your Grandfather?"
"Oh yeah, of course!" Ben paused for a moment, remembering his current situation. "Well, actually I'm a bit busy with school, I kinda have to do it. But I have free time on weekends! And some days have light homework, so I could help out here! Maybe I could go on missions if you need me! Oh, wait. Where is 'here?' We took the teleporter thing, so I didn't see." At that Labrid shook his head.
"Unfortunately that is classified information. Only high ranking Plumbers here have the coordinates of the base. It's not anything against you Ben. It's for our general safety. You saw the 'base' as it was on your way here with Garruk, did you not? What did you think of it?"
Ben responded fast. "Disappointing. It looked bleak and gray. No offense but, I thought an alien base would be so much cooler."
"That's because construction began one of your months ago." Labrid began to elaborate. "Building a base with the Plumber's needs in secret is not an easy task. Nor a fast one. That empty hallway you drove through is supposed to be full of Plumber vehicles and aircraft, some of which will be spaceworthy. The glorified alley where we are right now is supposed to be a multi-floored circular underground bunker with a prison, barracks, laboratory, the works. Heck, the reason we can't divulge the base's location is that our defensive network is not operational. We're sitting ducks right now."
As Labrid explained, the trio got to the end of the hall, where there was a desk on their left and a door on their right. The door must be leading to something important, as the desk and the person behind it showed signs of combat readiness. The person looked familiar, not in the sense that Ben knew him, but the alien had features that Ben recognized. Pale white scales, green colors dashed throughout, and a maw that looked awfully familiar.
"Wait a sec! You're-" Ben's shout was cut short as the alien stood tall, and firmly put his hands down on his desk. The noise of his hands interrupted Ben and his height advantage silenced him afterwards.
"Let me get it out of the way before you speak. Yes, I am one of the species you have access to through the Omnitrix, Benjamin. However, my name is not one of you childish nicknames, and I will not stand being referred to as such. I am Captain Patelliday of the Plumbers. Nice to meet you." Patelliday then turned to the adults of the group, leaving Ben flabbergasted.
"Wasn't going to say that." Ben muttered under his breath, trying to convince himself that he wasn't in the wrong.
"Magister Labrid. Magister Tennyson. He is waiting for you inside. Please continue." Patelliday then sat back down at the desk, continuing to type away on a strange keyboard onto a holographic monitor. With Grandpa Max gently pushing his back, Ben let himself be brought into the next room.
"Don't take offense to Patelliday Ben, he's just stressed." Labrid soothed once the door closed behind them. "He's taking this base construction very seriously. He's my second-in-command, with Garruk being my first officer. He's close to his own Magister promotion, and if he successfully completes this new base he'll probably get it. He's done a lot of good and he just doesn't want to lose that promotion because of something unexpected."
"Him a Magister, really? He doesn't give me the same vibe as you guys." Ben shrugged it off. Ben then took in what was around him. A simple room, with a white circular disk in the ground in front of three chairs. Labrid and grandpa took seats, so Ben took the last one, assuming it was his. The moment he sat down the disk flickered to life, projecting the image of a familiar looking Galvan.
"Took you two long enough!" Azmuth barked, his form enlarged to allow him to look at the sitting trio in the eyes.
"The fault is mine, First Thinker." Labrid inclined his body into a small bow. "I hadn't seen Maxwell in decades, and I let my emotions take over for a bit. Also, the Galactic Enforcers had news for us as well."
"Hold on, Azmuth? This whole thing was just to meet Azmuth?" Ben asked incredulously. "I thought we could just talk over the Omnitrix, or through grandpa's badge! Why did we have to go all this way for something we could have done at home?"
"Don't be rude Ben." Chastised Grandpa Max. However, he then turned to Azmuth to voice his own concerns. "That being said, Ben does have a point. Why go through all the hoops of bringing us here?"
"That is because what we are to discuss is of great importance. It is something that I would not want just any Plumber to hear, let alone random human." Azmuth then spoke to Labrid. "Before we continue, what is this about the Enforcers?"
"More news regarding the Highbreed. Turns out their posturing in the galactic court is not just bark. They are preparing something large. I will send a full report later." As Labrid concluded, Azmuth raised a wrinkly hand to rub his eyes.
"Gah, just what we needed. Alright, let us-"
"Excuse me, Azmuth, sir? The Galvanic Mechamorphs just sent a report regarding their plans for their reproduction cycle. They wanted your input on something." A trembling voice asked from off screen.
"Oh, of course now of all times! I was going to meet them in person tomorrow, but I guess they can not be patient. Please give me a moment, you three."
Azmuth proceeded to step out of focus, leaving an empty projection while two voices could be faintly heard, but too soft for words to be made out. Taking this opportunity, Ben asked Labrid a question. "Hey, Labrid, is Azmuth a Plumber boss or something? Is he one of the guys Magisters take orders from?"
"Quite the opposite, Ben." Labrid responded. "Azmuth isn't a Plumber at all. He holds no jurisdiction over us. However, his Omnitrix project proves that he has the same goals as us, and we would gladly take the advice of the smartest being in our time."
"Alright, that should end the distractions." Azmuth walked back into the projection.
"Who was that?" Asked Ben.
"That was my new assistant, Albedo. A brilliant young mind, with many ambitious projects planned. He will be of great help with this current project." Answered Azmuth, rubbing his eyes again.
"Are you alright Azmuth sir? You seem tired." Grandpa Max asked, concern laced in his voice.
"A little." Admitted Azmuth. "The Galvanic Mechamorphs are trying to construct a new spaceport on the dark side of Galvan B. To that end, they need more manpower, more people, but the Helix has been giving off some odd readings. It's just been a massive headache."
"Galvanic Mechamorphs?" Ben didn't realize he had spoken aloud until he saw everyone's eyes on him.
"You can turn into one Ben. You call him Upgrade." Grandpa Max said.
"Ah. Ok. But what's this about 'reproduction?'" Ben made air quotes, only for Azmuth to put a hand on his head and shake it at Ben's question.
"The Mechamorphs are not organic Ben. They lack reproductive organs, or any organs for that matter. They reproduce by utilizing the same piece of technology that gave them consciousness in the first place: the Helix." At this point Azmuth's frown returned. "But the readings from the Helix indicate that the potential risk of creating an incomplete Mechamorph is at 10.47% likelihood, far too great for my tastes. The Mechamorphs, the Highbreed, the Arburian Pelarota, there is just a lot on my mind right now."
"Then let's not take too much of your valuable time First Thinker. You were the one to request this meeting. What is it that you wanted to discuss?" Labrid spoke up.
"While a pain in my neck, what we were talking about does segway nicely into what I want to discuss." Azmuth then switched his gaze to Ben, who felt the intensity of the stare bore holes into his body. "Ben, in recent times the galaxy has been thrown into turmoil. Now more than ever it is necessary for you to expand your powers and sharpen your skills."
"I mean, I did expand my aliens during that summer. I got multiple new guys, some I even scanned myself. But they got locked away after a day or two, and I couldn't access them anymore." Ben unhappily explained. He liked the new heroes he got! They were wicked cool, with unique powers.
"The Omnitrix's built in AI deemed the forms that you unlocked too risky to constantly transform into after the first transformation." Azmuth rebutted. "The Omnitrix prioritizes its owner's safety above all else. I coded it myself, even locked away some species as well."
Ben gawked. "You're kidding! You took away all my guys? What could be wrong with them? I scanned Snare-oh, Blitzwolfer and Frakenstrike, so they should be fine right?"
"The individual aliens you scanned were working for Zs'Skayr. The Ectonurite."
"What does that-ohhh. Right. Actually, that makes sense." Ben grimaced.
"After learning about how an Ectonurite's DNA works, I instructed the Omnitrix to lock out any and all species added that may have been in contact with one. It's a risk I could not afford again." Azmuth told Ben.
"Alright, that I get. But what about Wildvine? And Upchuck?" Ben continued.
"You utilized a Florauna against a Mycelium, which have the power to corrupt and control flora. The risk was too great, so it was locked away. As for the Gourmand." Azmuth gave a heavy sign and rolled his head back. "I was unaware they are in the middle of a race war. I only collected a Perk Gourmand sample, unaware there were also the Murks. Even though they share 99.99% repeating similar DNA, they have enough physical differences where the Omnitrix can differentiate between them. Until I can allow the Omnitrix to transform into both races of Gourmand, I don't wish to have you turn into one. I don't want rumors to spread about one race doing better than the other. Stop that headache before it starts."
"Huh. I didn't expect that. Ok, Eye Guy? Ditto?" Ben pressed.
"Both of those were deemed far too different from a human for safe transforming for a human child like yourself. Opticoid's skeletons are made of cartilage, and more prone to stress and damage. I was unsure if that could have a negative effect on your still-developing body, so it was locked away. Splixson's ability to split their consciousness was also dangerous, combined with your traditionally reckless behavior was deemed a risk for your death. With the added fact that Splixson's don't match your fighting style, it was locked away. Both these forms will be unlocked as you age, as the current issues with them will go away with time and maturity."
"Cannonbolt?" The moment Ben said the last alien, there was a visible shift in Azmuth's expression.
"The Arburian Pelarota DNA sample you hold may be the key for the species survival Ben. You encountered someone who could steal Omnitrix DNA on Earth, and the chance that DNA could be corrupted was too high. It was sealed away not because of you, but for it." As Azmuth finished Labrid leaned forward, concern written all over his face.
"An Arburian Pelarota? First Thinker, is the purpose of this meeting perhaps... that incident?" Ben snapped out of his thoughts to see Labrid and Azmuth sharing a look. It wasn't a good look either, as their expressions changed, from neutral to sad. Grandpa Max shared Ben's confusion, his gaze darting from Labrid to Azmuth.
"Yes Magister. It is unfortunate and a travesty, but for Ben to fully grasp his role as the Omnitrix wielder, he must know." Getting a stiff nod from Labrid, Azmuth stepped to the side of the hologram and a different shape started to manifest. A sphere emerged, and color and shapes started to flood the blank shape, forming into what looked like a mini-Earth.
"Maxwell, Ben, this is Arburia." Azmuth announced as the planet finished forming. Peering closely, Ben now recognized that the landmasses were different shapes and located on different areas of the surface. Other than that small difference, it had remarkable similarities to Earth. Most of the surface was covered in blue water, there were white ice caps on the north and south poles, and the continents were a mixture of green and brown.
"Looks a lot like Earth. A lot of life probably flourished down there." Grandpa Max commented.
"Indeed it did. A planet located in an ideal location developed natural beauty rarely seen. From this planet, a dominant species emerged. The Arburian Pelarota." Next to the planet, an alien picture developed. The alien had no head or neck, rather the face was located on the stomach. Large circular orange armor plates dotted the back of hands, arms and spine. Tough-looking black claws protruded as fingers and toes.
"Oh! So Cannonbolt is one of those guys!" Ben snapped his fingers in realization.
"Correct. This species was among the easiest to collect DNA samples from. They were a peaceful species, with no history of violence or a drive for it. They raised their tech level enough to merge into galactic society, and soon became a provider of luxury goods. Salts, shells, pearls, and most importantly: vacations. Arburia's beaches in the summer became one of the galaxy's largest tourist attractions for their perfect climate, exotic beauty and lack of industrialization. In fact, aside from a single spaceport, Arburia lacked a lot of industry in favor of keeping their planet's natural ecosystem in place. A decision that would eventually lead to their downfall." Azmuth paused, looking down. Confused at this, Ben and Grandpa Max glanced at each other.
"What I have been showing you two is an image of Arburia from 2 and a half years ago." Azmuth gave a heavy sigh and turned his gaze towards the planet. "This is an image taken a month ago." The planet's shape flickered as the hologram morphed once more to form itself into a new image. An image that made Ben gasp.
Gone was the blue and the green. Gone were the Earth-like properties that made the place sound like a paradise. Now it resembles Mars more than Earth. Murky reds mixed with dirty brown, swirling around in vast deserts. Where there were once oceans were brown. Where there were once forests, were now brown. Even the poles had lost their white ice caps and turned into brown spots.
"Oh my. What happened? Did Vilgax terraform the planet?" Grandpa Max managed to get out.
"No. This was done by someone, but it was more of something than a person. If my readings from the Omnitrix serve me right, you should recognize this organism." Azmuth created a third image, the hologram morphing the space above the now-brown planet and the Arburian Pelarota. Soon a massive alien formed, with purple bug-like appendages forming its mouth. The front was nothing compared to the rest of its body, which was a murky gray with strange line patterns running around its circumference. Azmuth was right, it was something that Ben and Max recognized.
"That's the thing we saw at Yellowstone Grandpa! The thing I killed using Cannonbolt when we learned it was trying to drain the Earth." Ben turned to his grandpa to see that he had already reached the same conclusions.
"Yes Ben, the one that those three alien cultists followed. And worshiped." Ben watched as his grandpa's features furrowed in worry. "Why would anyone willingly follow and protect something that could wipe-out entire worlds?"
"A question that has plagued the mind for ages." Azmuth folded his hands behind his back as he spoke. "This thing has been a rumor, something passed from word of mouth for generations. It has been given many names, but the most consistent and the official name it was given was: The Great One. Incomprehensibly old and powerful and feeding off planetary energies, it was a galactic level threat. On par with Vilgax as both wiped out planets."
Grandpa Max held out a hand. "Wait, I remember something one of the cultists said when he saw Ben as Cannonbolt. The axe-wielding one. Something along the lines of that they already visited the planet where Cannonbolt was from." Grandpa Max closed his eyes.
"The Great One caused the Arburian Pelarota to go extinct, didn't it."
"...yes." Azmuth offered nothing else. Labrid too, held his silence and bowed his head.
"Wait, this doesn't make any sense!" Ben exploded. "I beat that thing as Cannonbolt! Every other one of my aliens failed to even scratch that thing, but Cannonbolt was the only one that worked. Heck, I didn't even know how to use Cannonbolt that well, I didn't even know what he could do at first. Now you are telling me that an entire planet of him couldn't beat that thing?"
"You must understand Ben." Azmuth spoke. "That the Arburian Pelarota have no weapons, no desire to fight and no real knowledge of tactics. I'm not even sure how you destroyed such a thing as The Great One with that species. The Great One landed on their only space port, during the winter season. With no tourists from other races to bring additional help and their only way of escape destroyed on day one, they realized they had to fight too late. With a military weaker than even Earth's, a dwindling food and water supply alongside a rapidly changing climate, their doom was sealed."
"If I recall correctly, it was a crack in the thing's armor that let Ben get past it's indestructible defense and kill it from within. It was shedding its shell, or something similar, something I would wager only happens once every couple decades with how old that thing is." Grandpa Max fell back into his chair, looking at the exposed ceiling. "It was miracle after miracle that day. First Ben got the ability to turn into an 11th alien, as his 10 stood no chance. Then the thing started shedding while we were close to it."
"I hypothesize that the Omnitrix recognized traces of Arburian Pelarota DNA in the atmosphere as The Great One approached Earth." Azmuth proposed. "It truly doesn't matter how you killed it or not in the end. What matters is that you ended a creature that had ended potentially thousands of inhabited worlds, and who knows how many it could end if it was not stopped. But that does not save the Arburian Pelarotas. They have been classified as extinct."
"Extinct?" Labrid and Max exclaimed at the same time, rising in their seats.
"First Thinker, with all due respect, is this not a hasty decision?" Labrid protested, holding his arms out. "I understand they did not leave their planet often, but surely there are some Arburian Pelarota out in the galaxy!"
"The moment we got reports of the planet and what transpired there, an immediate search for surviving Arburian Pelarota began." Azmuth responded softly, still looking down. "The species has a slow reproductive rate and a skewed sex ratio. Males outnumber females four to one. When the search finished we had single digit Arburian Pelarota, and all of them male. As such, the species has been declared reproductively extinct. The current generation of Arburian Pelarota is the last."
"Aren't there undocumaneted individuals in the galaxy? I know they must be unsavory characters, but they could be the hope for the species survival. Should a search in that department start?" Grandpa Max added his own ideas into the mix.
"If those Arburian Pelarota went through the trouble of leaving Arburia illegally, then their personality matrices will not align with our scientific plea." Azmuth shook his head again. "We had trouble finding peaceful Arburian Pelarota. There is no way, or real good reason, to search for those with less savory personalities when they would think this a trap. Even if we did find one, there is only a small chance it will be female. What then? Force her to reproduce like an animal? It's a dead end."
"So there is nothing we can do. Arburian Pelarota will go extinct in this generation." The Magisters slumped their shoulders in defeat.
"I wished it was not so, but yes. The current generation is the last, unless drastic actions are taken. There is a single beacon of hope for the species." Azmuth raised a finger and pointed it at Ben.
"That hope is you, Ben Tennyson."
"W-wait, me?" Ben jabbed his own finger into his chest. "I'm just an 11 year old kid! How could I save a species already doomed!"
"You wield the Omnitrix Ben." Azmuth started slowly. "Remember it's original purpose. To allow species to walk in the literal shoes of others. To bring the universe just that much closer together through understanding. Species come and go, that is just the natural cycle of life. What happened to the Arburian Pelarota is a tragedy; they went through a wildcard event that killed them off too soon. While we mourn their inevitable death, they soon will be forgotten in time. It happens to all tragedies. While we think them unforgettable, time wears away all."
"W-w-why not you then?" Ben anxiously scratched around the Omnitrix. "You can remove it, right? If you need to do something with it, I'll give it up to save an entire species, honest!"
"Me? Use the Omnitrix?" Azmuth threw his head back and barked a sarcastic laugh. Bringing his gaze back to Ben, he cracked a sad smile. "I may have built the Omnitrix Ben, but I would be a poor user of it. I, who lost faith in not just himself, but the universe, from his own mistakes, could never use the Omnitrix to become a hero for the Arburian Pelarota. At the end of the day, the Omnitrix is just a tool Ben. It can only be used for good or evil if it's wielder is so inclined."
"But how can I use the Omnitrix to save them?" Ben pleaded for an answer.
"By being them." Azmuth's tone grew firm. "Transform into Arburian Pelarota. Be an Arburian Pelarota. Demonstrate to the universe that even if the species is decades gone, they live on through the Omnitrix! Soon you will be a hero on Earth. Then you will start your journey to be a hero in space. By bringing the Arburian Pelarota along with you, you prevent its legacy from dying out. Sometime in the future, when the technology and right planet present itself, maybe this wrong can be corrected, and the species that was killed off too early can be given a second chance to flourish."
A flash of yellow forced Ben to shield his eyes with his right arm. The Omnitrix was glowing with a bright yellow light, and whirling mechanical sounds could be dial as the Omnitrix dial rotated on its own. As the light finally subsided, Ben saw the Omnitrix was dialed up, but the faceplate was yellow and no silhouette could be seen. Then the dial faded back to it's normal green hue and a familiar figure was seen in the hourglass. It was a short, stubby and roundish character.
Cannonbolt was back!
"Remember that each one of your aliens has their own story Ben." Azmuth lectured as the Omnitrix dialed down. "They are not just forms with powers that you must use to fight. They are all a part of their own species, and becoming one, you carry their culture and very identity with you. It is a heavy burden, but that is what it means to be the Omnitrix's wielder. Never forget it's true purpose."
Beep Beep Beep
"It's nearly midnight. We have to be going back." Grandpa Max rose from his seat, Labrid following. "You have school tomorrow Ben. You've got a lot to think about, so sleep on it. Thank you Azmuth, for telling us everything." Grandpa Max gave a salute, and Azmuth responded with a head nod. He watched in silence as Labrid led the Tennyson's out of the room.
'Ben Tennyson. We'll make a hero of you yet.' Azmuth's smile creeped back onto his face as he pressed an off-screen button.
The hologram flickered and died, casting the room in darkness.
Omnitrix profile 'Tennyson' updating...
DNA restriction lifted...
Cycling into the main library...
Calibrating...
Finalizing...
Complete
Omnitrix Form #12 - Species: Arburian Pelarota, Hero Name: Cannonbolt