Hey guys! I'm new to the Ben 10 Fandom but I'm a longtime fan of the show. I wrote this story in response to the utter lack of stories having to do with Ben's Necrofriggian (Big chill) Kids. So without further ado, please enjoy the story!
-10-
Rook shifted uncomfortably in his seat, sending a sidelong glance in his partner's direction. Ben had been unusually quite throughout their voyage to the Monoceros system. They were on their way to Kylmyys of all places.
Rook had already been a bit of a nervous mess when he was told of the assignment, the planet was famously known for being one of the coldest places in the galaxy, and his species didn't handle extreme cold very well. He was a plumber though so he had to—as the earthlings say—suck on up, or was the expression suck it up? He pouted in frustration and drummed his fingers on his ships steering wheel. At least he wasn't the only one who was unsettled about the mission. It was obvious that something was bothering Ben, he had never seen the young hero so quite before. Normally Ben was a loud impulsive ball of energy bursting with sass and poorly made decisions. The silence was unsettling.
"Have you ever been to Kylmyys?" Rook asked expectantly, already knowing the answer was yes. He had read Ben's file after all. He was just hoping the question was enough to get Ben talking again. "If you have, maybe you could tell me of your adventures there?"
"Why," Ben frowned as he continued looking out the window and into the vastness of space. "You know the answer already."
"I-I well yes, but you often like to tell me anyway." Rook replied, his concern only growing.
Ben's reflection in the window smiled faintly before becoming solemn again.
"Hey rook, how much do you know about big chills culture?"
Rook blinked in surprise at the sudden change in conversation.
"You mean Necrofriggin culture." Rook tentatively corrected before continuing on "You cannot keep denoting an entire race by the name of one of your alien forms."
"Sorry." Ben apologized softly as he pulled his knees up to his chest, shoulders slumping slightly as he hugged them. Rook was right, he really should know better. Especially since…. Ben squeezed his eyes shut, nope, he wasn't about to start thinking about them again. He shook his head and turned his attention to his partner.
Rook froze when his eyes met Bens for the first time since they left earth. He was unable to name the various changing emotions that seemed to be running through those green orbs. This Ben was different from the overly confident one he was used to dealing with.
"So you know how we're heading down there to make sure the—." Ben paused, he almost said big chill again. He winced as a metal nest and small blue wings flashed through his mind. "Necrofriggian ospring that had been born across the galaxy a year ago enter the planet's atmosphere safely for the first time?"
Rook nodded as he placed his ship in autopilot and gave Ben his undivided attention.
"Well what about them entering the planet's atmosphere for the first time isn't safe?" Ben asked hesitantly.
"You mean you do not know of the poachers?" Rook blurted out, he would have launched into lecture about how Ben really should read the missions objectives before actually going on it, but he held his tongue when he saw the blood drain from Bens face.
"Poachers" Ben repeated, his voice cracking slightly as his mind was suddenly clouded with a nervous bundle of parental instincts that he didn't even know he had.
"Yes," Rook replied, studying his partner carefully. "Young Necrofriggian wings are worth a fortune among the criminal underground. Especially after they have absorbed solar radiation for the first time. One set of wings could power a city like New York for three years before finally turning to ash, I am sure you can imagine why there is such a high demand for them. Millions are born every 80 years yet only a few hundred of them make it to their home planet alive."
Ben looked horrified, and he had the right to be. Especially since his mind was suppling him with a mind numbingly large amount of disturbing ways that big chills kids could get murdered.
"But," Rook continued, not at all liking the quite terror that his partner seemed to emitting. "That is why you and I are going there now. To make sure all of them make it home safely to their nestmaker."
Ben froze, and if rook didn't know any better he would have said that the young hero's mind had just blown a fuse.
"Nestmaker?" Ben whispered softly as he turned his attention back to his window. His mind now suddenly full of familiar images that kept him up at night, wondering if he really had done the right thing. He thought that they didn't need him….even though he had wanted them too…and now after hearing that word…
Rook was sure that Ben did not intend for him to hear that word but Rook chose to clarify it's meaning regardless.
"Yes, Nestmaker. Necrofriggians are genderless and reproduce A-sexually, so they lack terms like Mother and Father and instead use the term Nestmaker. Their young will usually stay with them until they reach adult hood in 5 years. It is fascinating really."
"What happens if the Kids can't find their Nestmaker?" Ben asked.
Rook noticed how Ben seemed to almost be forcing himself to keep his gaze out of the window. His body was tense as if he wanted to open the ships door and jump out. Rook inadvertently locked the ships exists after his previous thought left his mind.
"Well," Rook began. "It depends on their lineage and how strong they are. If both of those things test out well then it is likely that another Nestmaker will gladly take care of them."
"And if those two things don't check out?" Ben asked, heart hammering in his chest.
"They will.." Rook's answer was stopped by a sudden transmission that projected onto the center of the ships windshield. A blue hooded Necrofriggian was staring at them, red eyes full of what Ben could only guess was unease…not that He could blame the alien, he felt it too…
"You are entering Kylmyys air space. My name is General Effect, if you fail to fully identify yourselves you will be shot down." The General warned, his voice reminded Ben of a pissed off, long time, smoker, who had just been told that they had to go lite one of the cancer sticks out in the parking lot if they wanted to use it.
"There will be no need for any shooting sir." Rook said as he flashed the general his plumber badge. "We are here to offer our services."
"Your services fail us time and time again, you damn red spot. What makes you think you'll do better than the ones sent 80 years ago?" The general spat.
Ben felt his stomach drop…. the previous plumbers failed….Ben shook his head. He was not about to let those negative thoughts control him. He had kids to save.
"Well for one. I'm here." Ben said, green eyes steeling over as he held up his arm to show off the omnitrix "And I swear to you that those basters won't be able to even lay a finger on those kids."
"Ben Tennyson," Effect hummed in approval. "It's about time that the plumbers sent us a warrior instead of a nestmaker. Land your ship. We will talk inside."
The hologram blinked off and Ben quickly turned to Rook who was looking slightly pissed off with how he had just been treated.
"What did he mean by Warrior instead of nestmaker? I thought they were all nest makers?" Ben asked.
"Well," Rook took a breath and switched his ship back into manual so he could go about the delicate process of entering the planet's atmosphere. "Their culture splits every Necrofriggian into two categories as they grow up. Nestmaker or Warrior. Generally a warrior is often cold, calculating, brutish and narrow minded, while a Nestmaker is nurturing and kind hearted but generally considered to be the weaker and— well as rude as it is— the dumber of the two social classes. Warriors exists to protect the nestmakers and the young, and because they cannot be distracted by young of their own, their reproductive organs are removed when they come of age."
Ben blinked, "So despite not having genders they've managed to gender themselves?"
Rook laughed.
"That is a good way to phrase it."
"That's kind of messed up…" Ben said with a frown. He wondered what would happen if the general found out that big chill had kids. Would they discredit him if they found out he was technically a nestmaker? It was obvious they thought Rook was one and they didn't seem to want to listen to a word he said.
Ben sighed and dragged a hand down the side of his face. This mission just kept getting better and better.
-10-
This was the first time Ben had ever been to a Necrofriggian city, he had been to a few villages on the planet, sure, but never a city. It was awesome, gorgeous even. He'd never seen homes that were completely carved from ice before.
A tall tower stood in the center of the city, Ben could see ships coming and going from what he assumed to be its boarding dock.
"I'm guessing that's where we're going?"
"Obviously." Rook replied as the ship quickly reached the destination.
As Rook landed the ship Ben noticed the General and a few other Necrofriggians were waiting for their arrival.
As soon as his ship was on the ground, Rook activated the standard plumber suit he would need for the planets climate, pulling the hood up over his head and the breathing mask on when the transformation was done. He tossed a small white cuff to Ben.
"What's this?" The young hero asked in confusion.
"Your new plumber suit. Just put it on your other wrist and press the green button to activate it." Rook explained.
"I'll wear it just in case," Ben said as he slipped it on his other wrist. "But I think I'll pass on using it for now. Uncle Max somehow managed to convince Azmuth to give him the lifeform lock for big chill, so…yeah."
Rook watched as Ben fiddled with the watch and entered a few codes before dialing it to big chill and slamming down the button.
Within a matter of seconds his human partner was replaced with a very tall, very slim, Necrofriggian.
"Well, I'd hate to keep the company waiting." Ben said, pointing in the direction of the general and his group. "Let's go."
Rook Steeled himself for the cold before opening the ship door. His fur bristled when he stepped on the docks snowy ground.
Ben, who had already phased out of the ship, laughed at his partner's reaction.
"It is not funny Ben! There are no winter months on my home planet, and since I have not been on earth long enough to experience your planets winter this is the first time I have ever even set foot in snow!" Rook growled as he pointed at the ground for emphasis.
General Effect Joined in on Ben's laughter and dropped an arm around the Hero's shoulders.
"The nestmaker you protect is quite an interesting fellow." Effect Snorted.
Rook's eyes flashed dangerously, his fur bristled even further.
"Ben and I are partners. He protects me as much as I protect him. Also I am a Revonnahgander, your peoples ways do not apply to me. So I would appreciate if you stopped treating me as if they did."
The general rolled his eyes, or at least that's what Ben thought he was doing.
"Everfrost why don't you escort Our Revonnahgander guest to where he is needed." Effect said in a flippant manner.
Ben had to bite his lip, yelling at this ass hat would get him nowhere, so he did the best he could and mouthed sorry to Rook as the Necrofriggian guard dragged him in a different direction.
"Follow me Ben Tennyson, we have much to discuss."
-10-
Well what do you guys think? Review please!
Chapter 2 will be up soon!