Ben curled into a little ball underneath his covers and shivered. "Man, how is this fair? Worst thing I got over the school year was a cold, and now that I'm vacation I can't get out of bed."
Red blinked his eyes confusedly and shook his head. "School?" he asked. "What are you talking about?"
Ben sniffled and pushed his face into his pillow, muffling the words so that Red had to strain the hear him. "School is where humans go to learn stuff. But it can be really boring. Getting off school because you're sick or better yet, because of a snow day is a good thing."
Red frowned trying to follow Ben's logic. "So, you want to get sick?"
Ben laughed and little before it devolved into a coughing fit. After he had calmed down he shook his head. "No, no," he said quickly. "I don't want to be sick, not like this and not over my summer vacation. It's just that if you get a little sick, enough so that they don't want anyone else to catch it, then you don't have to go to school over winter break."
"Oh," Red said slowly, still not quite understanding.
Ben sighed and curled up again. "I don't like being sick," he said softly.
Red patted Ben's shoulder for comfort and smiled. "Few do," he said.
Ben smiled back and curled into the pillow falling asleep in a matter of minutes. Red sighed and leaned back in the chair, trying to sort out his own thoughts. After a few minutes he decided it was too taxing and took a small nap of his own.
Hoverboard paced in front of the screen, wondering how he was going to convince his leaders that they needed to jeopardize their mission because a human child was sick. He sighed and rubbed his head, his own argument feeling weaker and weaker as he repeated it in his head.
He sighed and continued to pace nervously trying to think of something to say that would help his case. The screen flashed and Ta'ha'lach's face appeared on it. Hoverboard did not notice and continued to pace in front of it nervously. Ta'ha'lach's eyes followed his vassal's movements for a little while before he cleared his throat.
Hoverboard jumped about a foot into the air and whirled around to gaze at his leader sheepishly. "Greetings, great one," he said nervously. "How are you?"
Ta'ha'lach's eyes narrowed. "I'm doing fine," he said slowly. "Although you seem to be a different matter. What is wrong, soldier?"
"Noth…" Hoverboard started then decided against it. "Actually," he said. "I have something to talk to you about."
Ta'ha'lach nodded. "I am listening, soldier."
Hoverboard cleared his throat and took a soldier's stance, his arms stiff at his sides and his chin up and proud. "Great one, the holder of the Omnitrix is extremely ill and needs to be returned to his planet so that he can recover. I request temporary leave from the ship to take him to Earth so that he may recover."
Ta'ha'lach frowned and was silent for a bit. "Soldier…"
Hoverboard plunged on. "I am well aware of the risk it imposes and I am willing to take any and all blame for the consequences of this decision. However, I must state that if the host of the Omnitrix is not well then it may have unseen consequences for the Omnitrix its self."
Ta'ha'lach closed his eyes as if he was thinking. He leaned back in the chair he was sitting in and took a deep breath. "How… how ill is the holder of the Omnitrix?" he asked slowly.
Hoverboard rubbed his head slowly and shook his head. "That's the problem sir, we can't tell. We know so little about human illnesses that it's impossible to have something to compare it to. His guardian seemed fairly upset when I called him though."
Ta'ha'lach's lips twisted, the crystal rubbing together and making a grating noise that almost made Hoverboard wince. "I will grant you permission soldier, as long as you agree to accept any and all consequences that occur because of this decision."
"I give you my word as a soldier," Hoverboard said in all seriousness.
"Very well then," Ta'ha'lach said and nodded. Then a small look of concern passed over his eyes. "Solider?" he asked.
Hoverboard stood to attention once again. "Yes, great one?"
"Am I getting soft in my old age?" Ta'ha'lach asked uncertainly.
Hoverboard shook his head and saluted his leader. "Of course not sir," he said. Then he relaxed and smiled for his leader's benefit. "No more then I am, sir. If you are growing soft then I am far beyond you."
"Thank you, solider," Ta'ha'lach said and gave Hoverboard a small smile.
"Any time," Hoverboard replied and saluted his leader one last time before the screen went blank. He relaxed slowly and stared at the blank screen, gathering his thoughts about himself. "All right, time to do this."
Hoverboard glanced at the eight aliens in front of him and frowned. "Where is Red?" he asked.
"With the kid," Sun said simply. "Asleep."
Hoverboard rubbed his eyes with his hand briefly and sighed. "All right. Here's what's going on. I received permission to take the kid… I mean Ben down to Earth to find out what's wrong as long as I'm willing to take care of any resulting consequences myself. So, I will split us up into two teams, one team comes with me and the other stays here. Okay?"
Umi nodded from his tank. "I'll stay here, I can't survive very long out of water and the humans appear to live on their landmasses."
"I'll go with you," Sun said, raising his hand and stepping forward.
Hoverboard nodded and glanced at the remaining six. "Well, Red will probably wish to go with us so is there anyone else who is cares either way?"
Tech scratched his chin and frowned thoughtfully. "I should probably stay here so that I may keep the ship running smoothly."
Hoverboard nodded, "Good idea," he said.
"Rampage will stay here," Sun said sternly. The dog like alien began to whimper but Sun shook his head and he stopped. "Sorry big guy, too many things can happen."
"I will go," Impulse said simply.
"I'll stay here," Stinky said. "I'm too noticeable."
"You mean your stink is too easy to find," Sun teased.
"Watch it, hothead," the insect-like alien muttered.
Specter floated in front of them and his lone eye flowed along its track until it was level with Hoverboard's own gaze. "I would like to go," he said quietly. "However I believe Accelerate's powers would be of more use to you then mine. Should an emergency arise speed may help more then anything else."
Accelerate nodded. "I agree," he said. "Also, I would like to go. Earth seems like an interesting place."
Hoverboard nodded and then glanced at Specter. "So you'll stay here?" he asked.
Specter nodded his shapeless head. "I'll be on backup," he explained. "Should anything happen here or if anything happens there and you need help, I'll be on standby to come down."
Hoverboard nodded, agreeing with his comrade. "I know you haven't had a down time for awhile. Can you handle being on standby constantly?"
An aura of amusement seemed to permeate to room as Specter hovered up and down quickly. This was, Hoverboard guessed, equivalent to a laugh. "I have no need for such things as sleep or resting periods. I'll be fine."
"Very well," Hoverboard replied and nodded. "Well, since that is all set, let's get ready to go."
Hoverboard walked into Ben's room where Ben was still fast asleep and Red was just starting to wake up. Hoverboard walked over to Red and shook his top arm roughly. "Wake up, soldier."
Red snorted and stood up, from sleep to attention in less then a second. "Yes, commander," he said gruffly and saluted with two of his arms.
Hoverboard smiled, just a little as he said "Stand down soldier."
Red grinned sheepishly at Hoverboard and shrugged. "Sorry."
"It's all right," Hoverboard assured him. "Come on, we're going to Earth."
Red heaved a sigh of relief and picked up the sleeping Ben from his bed. "Thank goodness," he said and walked out of the room.
Hoverboard glanced from Ben's sleeping face to Red's own determined smile. "You're quite fond of the human," he said offhandedly.
Red nodded. "I decided that I'd rather save the few people I know then the millions I don't. I'm a simple person and I just want to make sure those that I know are safe." He paused and shifted uncomfortably. "Is that wrong?"
Hoverboard was silent for a bit as they walked down the hallway to where the ship was waiting to take them to the Earth. He took in a slow breath then shook his head as he exhaled. "No, it's not," he assured Red.
Red smiled and nodded, seemingly at ease. "Thanks," he said gruffly and walked into the hanger.
"No problem," Hoverboard said to himself, wishing he could assure his own conscience just as easily.
Ben grumbled and woke up slowly, leaning against something soft. "Hm?" he asked slowly.
"Morning kid," a deep voice said.
Ben shook his head to clear it. "Morning already? I don't wanna go to school…"
There was some laughter as Ben gathered his wits about him. "Wait," he said slowly. "Oh."
Red laughed and ruffled Ben's hair gently. "Don't worry about it. We're going back to Earth but you don't have to go to school."
Ben grinned up at Red. "Can I get that in writing?" he asked.
"What for?" Sun asked from a different seat, across from Ben's and Red's.
"So I can use it on my teacher next year," Ben said with a grin. "Dear Mrs. Butterfield, I am excused from school today to help save the world. My large alien friend can vouch for me."
"I don't think so," Hoverboard said gently but he too was grinning slightly.
"Darn," Ben said playfully as he leaned back in his seat and started to drift off again.
"You seem to be in a better mood," Accelerate noticed.
"Sleep helps," Ben said and then he curled into his seat and didn't say anything more for the remainder of the trip.
"It sure does," Red agreed in a low voice. He chuckled as Ben fell back asleep, feeling a little better about himself now that he finally understood what he was striving for.
Yay, here's an update oh patient readers! Sorry it took so long, as this is completely AU it's hard to write it and not have a ton of plot holes, you know? Plus some health issues etc. Regardless here's the next chapter to prove I haven't abandoned the fic nor do I not no longer like Ben 10. Heh, double negative.
Enjoy the fic and I'll see yas next update. Hugs and cookies to my reviewers!
In response to a few reviews I'd like to say this.
I have made it perfectly clear that this story is an AU. I knew Ben 10 would continue airing while I began this fic somewhere in the middle of season 1. So anything that may or may not happen with the aliens that doesn't fit is because I'm not following the show's canon. Thanks.
