Chapter 1: The Rescue
The Space Cafe held many fond memories for Ben Tennyson. He, Gwen, and Kevin had stopped here with the Tiffin on their way to deliver the little goo-ball to Jarrett. The little guy had somehow taken control of the Omnitrix and caused it to change Ben into Rath. It was one of the only places in the galaxy outside of Earth where Ben could get a smoothy and decent chili-cheese fries. Sitting in the booth he and his friends had occupied, Ben looked around him and wallowed in memory.
"Ben," called Rook? The hero glanced at his partner. "Do not look now, but SixSix and SevenSeven are in the corner, speaking to an Incursean. Ben glanced in the direction Rook was staring, and, sure enough, there was a frog there chatting with his least-favorite assassins. Rolling his eyes, Ben muttered, "what's she doing now?" He knew they would have to check this out. If Attea was hiring these clowns, she was up to no good, again. Still. The two plumbers took pains to pretend not to notice the whispered conversation in the corner, but when the two Sotorragians got up to go, Ben and Rook quickly settled their tab and followed.
It wasn't long at all before the two mercenaries met up with their sister, EightEight, raising the danger level just a hair more. As the nasty trio walked into one of the Cafe's landing bays, Ben and Rook hung back to listen. SixSix started things, announcing, "he'll pay us eighty-million, but half must be in Incursean Scrip." As the two Plumbers watched, EightEight went on a tirade about the cheap-ass frogs and their games. Ben couldn't help laughing. Still, apparently old eighty-eight needed a new suit, so the trio decided to take the job. As the Plumbers watched, the two boarded their ship to head out on whatever dirty job Attea had for them.
"Get the ship, Rook," said Ben, as he dialed up Echo-Echo, one of his stealthier forms. "I'll hold them up..." Rook quickly agreed and swiftly ran back to his Proto-truck. Ben meanwhile rushed over to the Sotorragians' ship and hunted up a way in. The tiny alien found it in the form of a broken access panel. Wrenching the panel open, Ben quickly began crawling towards the ship's interior. He could feel the ship taking off and, momentarily a panel closed behind him, sealing the route back. Nervous now, Ben rushed forward. Last thing he needed was the Omnitrix timing out and leaving him stuck. Minutes later, Ben slipped through an access grate and crash-landed in the engine room, just as the Omnitrix timed out.
Picking himself up, Ben glanced around. Like most mercs, the numbers trio had tech from a hundred species. Some of it was stolen Plumber tech. A lot of it was Incursean, showing just who those three liked to work for. It was all very fragile. If worse came to worst, he could always use Four-Arms or Diamond-Head to wreck something important and disable the ship.
Leaving the engine room, Ben began to explore. The ship wasn't big, seeming to be only a little larger than Rook's Proto-truck. Maybe he'd seen too many Galaxy Wars movies, but this ship was just the sort of ship Ben imagined thugs tooling around the galaxy in. As he walked, a shudder in the ship's structure announced that they were using the hyperdrive, which meant that Rook would have to track them. Ben had a tracking beacon embedded in his Plumber's badge for just such an emergency, but he didn't want to activate it yet. On a ship this small, it wouldn't take long for the Numbers to find him.
Indeed, slipping down the narrow corridor from the Engine Room, Ben very nearly ran into one of them. The little one, TwoTwo, was playing with a ball in a section of the corridor, and Ben realized that this might be an opportunity. Keying the Omnitrix, he brought up Peck, one of his 'cuter' forms, locking the Omnitrix on just in case. Then he lay down in the hallway right where the little girl would find him.
"Why do you always bring TwoTwo," muttered SevenSeven? The child was a liability, even if she was their sister. "Do you want to leave her behind if we have to steal another ship," growled EightEight? She was annoyed at having to take their sister with them, annoyed that he was annoyed, and annoyed that he had the nerve to bring it up after all the times she'd told him to drop it. TwoTwo seemed oblivious to all of the by-play, strolling along behind the three Sotorragians, cradling her latest toy. None of the three assassins had even noticed the new doll. Their eyes were on their surroundings, and their thoughts were on the dozens of explosive charges they were carrying.
Ben's mind was on that too. Why were they carrying bombs? This was an Incursean ship, and they were working for the Incurseans, so why were they carrying piles of bombs? Who were they going to blow up? The answer became clear when their nasty leader announced, "I have to go up and keep that little bitch distracted. Get the bombs set and get back to our ship, and don't let TwoTwo wander off this time!" The two brothers grumped their understanding of those orders, and the smaller of the three killers split off from the group.
Ben's hackles went up. They were going to whack Attea. It had to be. Why else would they need to distract her? Why else would they be bringing bombs to a supposed meeting? And then, what was he going to do about it? Was he actually going to stop them? Attea and her dad had tried to kill Ben on occasions too numerous to mention, and Attea had brought him more trouble than he knew what to do with. At the same time a corner of his mind thought that Attea was at least a Frienemy. He knew her, and he could reason with her. If they killed her, who would he get then? The mystery frog from the Space Cafe? The more he thought about it, the more he realized he had to stop the plot.
I'm outnumbered, thought Ben. And, if they play their cards right, they can blame me for bringing the bombs on board. He would have to go meet the lioness herself, and he'd have to make a personal appeal to convince her she was in danger. Fortunately, neither of the brothers seemed all that interested in babysitting. TwoTwo wandered off, leaving Ben free to slip away. As soon as he was out of sight, the hero went back to his human form, then dialed up Bullfrag.
Attea was in her office, staring at the latest reports from the field. She was in a bit of a bind just now. She'd had no idea when she deposed her father that things were this bad. The Deathless Incursean Empire was going bankrupt.
It was crazy to think it, but they were reaching the point of diminishing returns on their conquests, and her dad's habits of conquering useless little planets that had no useful resources sure hadn't helped. She had garrisons scattered across a thousand barren rocks and dustballs, and she had to keep all of them supplied with food, fuel, and weaponry. On top of that, after centuries of doing nothing, the Tetramands were flexing their muscles and threatening to start taking out some of her most important fortress planets. Looma Red Wind thought this was some kind of fucking game! Only they were playing the game with planet-smasher weapons.
A knocking at the door announced she had a visitor. That was strange. She'd given orders she wasn't to be disturbed. Attea had been intending to check her mail, look at a couple of things, then take a nice, long bath–one of the luxuries she had as Empress. Instead, she'd been sitting here in her robe, staring at this screen in a state of despair while her bath went cold. Now she reached under her desk and drew a small pistol, secreting it up the sleeve of her robe as she turned for the door.
"Who's there," she called? There was no answer. Quietly, Attea padded over to the door of her suite. She was becoming just as bad as her dad–paranoid and hostile–and it had put a severe cramp on her love-life. Sad to say, but Ben Tennyson was the closest thing she'd had to a date in forever. Attea flicked on the viewer to get a good look at her visitor and shivered as she caught sight of Bullfrag. Speak of the demon, thought the young Empress.
What the fuck, thought Attea? He turned me down. Why did he come back? Her mind conjured all kinds of scenarios, while her heart conjured up entirely different ones. In the end, curiosity won out. Opening the door, she greeted Ben with, "change your mind, Tennyson?" Ben gawped at her. He was expecting the purple flying-jacket, cap, and tights. He was hardly prepared for the sexy red robe, and he sure as hell wasn't expecting Attea to have hair. She had short, reddish-purple hair done in a severe, military cut, and Ben had to admit, it looked good on her. He was astonished to realize that Milleous's brat was all grown up–and pretty.
On her side, Attea licked her suddenly-dry lips as her fantasy walked into her quarters. She couldn't help noticing the way he looked at her. Was he actually attracted? Had something changed? Shaking off the daze, Ben shut the door announcing, "you're in danger, Your Highness. Get dressed. We need to get you outta' here..." Attea frowned at him. What kind of game was he playing? "I'm not going anywhere with you, Tennyson," growled the little Empress. She pulled that pistol on him.
Ben rolled his eyes. You really wanna' do this now, he thought? "Tell me, how many times have I tried to kill you, Attea," asked Bullfrag? Attea blushed, her skin darkening to an emerald shade. She'd tried to kill Ben a few dozen times. While she was blushing, Ben disarmed her with his tongue. Grabbing her by the arm, he dragged her towards her bedroom, explaining, "your pal, EightEight's, got her brothers planting bombs on this ship, while she comes up here to stall you..."
Pulling her arm out of his grip, Attea growled, "she works for me! I sent her on a mission..." Ben was curious as to just what mission that was. At the same time, he really didn't have time to ask. EightEight was on her way. Having been on an Incursean ship on a dozen different occasions, Ben knew his way around, so he had taken a shortcut. He knew the killer wouldn't be far behind, though. As Ben debated knocking the crazy bitch out, a chime announced that death had arrived. Frowning at the second suspicious interruption, Attea went to the door and checked. Just as Ben had said, Crazy-Eights was there on the other side.
A thrill of fear shot through the young Empress. Attea asked, "Ben, you saw somebody hire her to whack me, didn't you?" With a nod, Bullfrag answered, "an Incursean. Big fella. Reminded me of your dad..." "Uncle Vanos," rumbled Attea. Before Ben could ask who uncle Vanos was, Attea was running past him, into her room. "Stall her, Ben," she shouted. He heard cloth rustling. Returning to the door, Ben opened it to reveal Crazy-Eight's alien visage. He imagined the bitch was some kind of ugly under that armor.
"What can I do for youse," asked Ben? EightEight stared at him in puzzlement, wondering who this overgrown tadpole was. How had he gotten in here? As far as she knew, Attea had no mate. "I'm here to see the Empress," announced EightEight. Ben answered that with a salacious grin, announcing, "the Empress is having a bath..." EightEight glared at him for suggesting that he was the reason for Attea needing a bath. "It's urgent," growled EightEight. "Sure it is," retorted Ben. The assassin took up a looser stance. Ben did the same.
The Sotoraggian needed to know her target was still here. She needed to see Attea. "She'll have your tongue," growled EightEight. "Maybe you'd like some tongue too, sweetcakes," asked Ben? That was almost too much. The killer's hand darted for her pistol. Bullfrag's tongue slapped her hand. "Hey, sweetcakes, whassamata wit you," he asked? "Show some respect..."
Attea was just pulling on her jacket when Bullfrag came flying through the doorway of her quarters. Diving over the bed, the little Empress leveled her pistol and let fly, nailing her former henchman as she came through that door. "Fuck you, bitch," snarled Attea! "You want to blow me up?! Take that!" Ben grabbed Attea by the scruff and ran for the secret passage he knew Attea would have in her quarters. As EightEight shouted curses at them and lit up Attea's bedroom with gunfire, Ben hauled her target through a secret door and out of there. "How the hell did you," howled Attea? "Your dad had one just like that," retorted Ben. They needed to get off the ship. "Do you have a shuttle or something," asked Ben?! "Hangar deck," said Attea. "Left turn up ahead!"
EightEight was beside herself. Somehow the mark was on to them. The job was in jeopardy–and her brothers and sister were in danger. Keying her communicator, she shouted orders at her two brothers. She needed them to head their target off in the hangar and delay her until EightEight could get there. They needed to keep her on the ship. If she got off, they'd be chasing her all over the galaxy.
Ben and Attea rushed into the hangar to find SixSix and SevenSeven waiting on them. "Shit," snarled Ben, as he reached for the Omnitrix. As the two assassins opened fire, Ben transformed into Terra-Spin. Within moments a gale-force wind was lashing the hangar and hurling the two assassins, the shuttles, the fighters, and anything not nailed down along the length of the bay. As he went whirling towards the hangar doors, SixSix thumbed the detonator, causing the explosives they had spread to ignite.
Attea was thrown off her feet by the massive jolt of the explosions. As Ben listened, more explosions went off and then more. Not just their bombs, thought the Plumber. Those were secondary explosions. They hit something vital. This ship's going down! Ben changed back to himself. Grabbing Attea by the wrist, he ran for the escape pods. It was the only way they were getting off this tub.
Meanwhile, SixSix was getting an earful from his sister. She was on her way down, and she wanted to know why the hell the charges were going off early. "It's Tennyson," shouted SixSix! He could barely hear her over the sounds of the ship breaking up. "He's grabbed the runt and run off," shouted SixSix. "Are we ready to go," demanded EightEight? "Do you have TwoTwo with you?" There was a pause just then, and she knew the answer without him saying a word. He didn't have their sister. He'd lost her. "You idiots," shouted the eldest sibling! "Find that kid, or I'll skin you myself!"
Ben and Attea raced for the nearest escape pod, all thoughts of finding a ship to escape in forgotten. Attea had hoped that if she could get off the ship, they might not destroy it, but that hope had gone out the window the minute they'd spotted those two thugs in the hangar. Now she just hoped they could survive this.
Explosions continued to ring out, shaking the ship to its very bones, ripping through steel, and venting atmosphere. Hundreds of Incurseans were dieing. The rest were engaged in a mad rush to the escape pods. Ben could hear them–and feel them–as a series of softer explosions among the more violent blasts that were destroying the ship. The first pod they came to was gone. Then the second.
Racing down the row, they found that most of the lifepods on the hangar-deck were already gone, taken by the hangar crew and the ship's pilots. "Don't you have an alien for this," shouted Attea?! "Nope," retorted Ben! "Not one that would save your butt too!" Skidding to a stop, his eyes fell on the last pod on the deck. Ben stepped forward, but Attea hauled him back just before a massive steel beam would have fallen on him. Behind them, a bulkhead gave way, opening the deck to space, and the two found themselves fighting their way forward against the pull of the vacuum. Ben was torn between reaching for the Omnitrix–and letting go of Attea–or trying to fight the fury of the void. "Grab my belt," shouted Ben as he drew her hand to his waist, and then he was twisting that dial, calling up Bullfrag.
Attea's favorite Incursean lashed out with that long tongue, catching hold of the handle for the escape-pod's door, and then he reeled them in, dragging them to the pod. Grabbing hold of the pod door, he threw Attea in, then dragged himself in after her, kicking the switch to fire the pod as he did so.
Attea found herself squashed beneath the handsome hero, staring up into those beautiful green eyes. It was funny, but she hadn't noticed at the time she met Ben's Incursean form that he had green eyes instead of the normal red. "Wow," breathed the Empress. "You're amazing." Ben chuckled, "I get that a lot, babe." Climbing off her–disappointing the pretty Empress–Ben said, "well, we got away. How's about you get on'at radio and call for help?" Attea lay there a moment, staring at him and thinking.
Really, her mind was racing in circles. She was here with the man of her dreams–who'd just rescued her–and at the same time, she had three crazy assassins, who technically worked for her, trying to kill her. Her uncle wanted her dead. Her flagship was destroyed. Again. And then there was the fact that Ben Tennyson was Bullfrag. The man of her dreams was her worst enemy. What the fuck, she thought? Was she cursed?
"Oh, shit," announced Ben! Attea sat bolt upright. Ben was staring out the window, and when she looked over his shoulder, she could see EightEight's ship blasting escape-pods. They weren't playing. As the horror of that–of seeing hundreds of her people being slaughtered like rats–sank in, Ben spun for the controls. Pounding his fist into the switch for the thrusters, he sent the pod spiraling out of orbit. The Frog-Princess went nuts then, clawing at Ben's arm, trying to get at the controls. "We'll burn up," screamed Attea! "Better chance than facing those guns," retorted Ben. Pushing her aside, Ben grimly focused on the controls. Piloting was more Rook and Kevin's thing. This was going to take all his skill–and maybe even a little juice from the Omnitrix.