The entire Plumber base was on high alert; in a state of constant work and even panic. It had been at least a week since Vilgax's audio log to Menct was heard by Magister Tennyson. Because of that he ordered an entire state of emergency…preparations for war.
If the log was right, the Incurseans would come at full force; one big blitzkrieg of sheer might to take Earth and destroy the Plumbers. It'd be a gamble; they had no foothold in the system so if they were pushed back, they'd be able to survive the onslaught.
But still…the hardest part was knowing when the frogs would attack…when they would bring havoc and hell to the Earth.
"Guys…now what?" Yenth asked everyone, the team present in the boardroom…the very same one they saw Rubiac alive and well for the last time before…the mission. The air was heavy with grief and sadness; he didn't even get a proper funeral…there was no time. Aquas spoke up, taking his place at the front of the table, fists clenched and doing his best to put the depression out of mind…to do his damned job.
"We keep fighting, Yenth." He spoke, tone stern and deep, drawing everyone's attention. "The Incurseans are coming to Earth and will be here any day now…Undertown already evacuated the mere second they knew the frogs were coming and Ben right now is dealing with the crowd of humans upset and infuriated over the info of aliens living among them. When the frogs come, we gotta hit them hard, and—"
The alarms went off suddenly, and when the screen flickered the entire team saw why. The screen showed a clear view of the boundaries beyond Earth…and they could see dozens of Incursean ships rapidly approaching Earth, along with a massive, imposing Flagship…that was where the Emperor was no doubt.
"…time…to fight…" Menct spoke, rising and balling his hands into fists, clad in his armor from before; repaired and restored. "Time…to…WIN." He roared, everyone standing along with him, Aquas grabbing for his communicator.
"Then we best get started; once this siege's over we're gonna get some smoothies, on me." Yenth and Frogert both cried out in joy at the notion of that. Maxwell's voice projected into Menct's HUD, the Aluneca paying full attention to the man to hear what needed to be done.
"Menct, you and your team need to get moving to the surface yesterday! We got a shield up to block the Incurseans from getting in but they're piercing through slowly; some small ships have already managed to get through and breach the planet. You need to get to the anti-air guns and take them down before we can get them automatically powered up."
"Why were they manual anyhow?!" Yenth exclaimed in the link, Menct wincing from the shrill voice.
"Because we had to divert all power to hold the Incurseans back, Yenth; if that flagship gets down here we're doomed. We'll have no real way to repel that thing, especially with that planet cracking beam it can fire. The sooner we shake them off the sooner we can survive this attack." Nodding to the aged man's words, Menct started moving along with the rest of Epsilon Squad, ascending various levels before finally reaching the roads above the base. Already they could see a green tint to the sky; a means to tell them all that the shield was up…but it wouldn't hold forever with how fervent the Incurseans were to break in.
"The Anti-Air guns are lined all over Bellwood; there's others across the world but other Plumber teams are tending to those," Max's voice resonated in Menct's helm, as the Aluneca already started walking when several yellow blips showed up in his HUD. "There's a total of six you all need to activate and man until we can divert enough power to keep them automatic. From the reports, I've been told a few ships managed to breach the shield…take them down fast and quick before any other frogs get any funny ideas."
"Yeesss…" Menct watched his team split up; the Aluneca taking up his E-Handgun and moving on all fours. The closest Anti-Air gun was atop a…Mr. Smoothie's.
While it was dumb, Menct was just glad it meant he didn't have far to go, the Aluneca leaping up onto the large smoothie sign and pressing his badge down on the Omnitrix emblem atop it. The entire sign rattled before soon opening up, forming a large pair of white and green twin cannons, the seat being equipped with a large screen in front of it already displaying the targeting reticle. Menct clambered into the seat and gripped the controls, HUD syncing with the targeting systems and already pinging an Incursean ship in the distance…they breached over Bellwood it seemed.
Good, Menct wanted to silence a few of them.
His thumbs squeezed the triggers and white hot plasma fire erupted from the lengthy barrels; peppering the Incursean ship and causing its right side to explode, the wreckage impacting the ground and exploding further. Menct noticed another one, and he open fired again; the same results happening only more violent and explosive.
"Menct, come in," Aquas said, Menct perking up and mashing his hand down on his COM-Device. "What's your status?"
"Fffffiiiinnnnee….hossstttilllless ddddoooowwwwwnnnn."
"Good to hear; anyhow Magister Tennyson ordered all Plumbers stationed in Bollywood to return back to HQ…he told me that one way or another that shield was going to fall despite our best efforts. He wants us to help lead a makeshift offensive against the flagship; the guns should be about ready to fire by now so c'mon and run back." Menct was hesitant…but he had no true choice; leaping off the gun and watching it automatically aim at numerous things. Menct was beginning to see that indeed this was a war; the Incurseans were bringing a full offensive army and they didn't plan to rest until the world was destroyed…
…the problem is Menct really didn't know how dedicated or hell-bent they were on this plan.
"So, are we all set?" Aquas asked the large team, Yenth and Frogert working to load a few crates filled with spare ammo onto a Plumber ship; much of the team present to listen to the mollusk speak. "This could be our most dangerous mission ever…participating in a major raid of the Incursean flagship."
"Run this by me again though," Tarator spoke, clipping his rifle to his back. "Our mission is to attack the flagship and fleet along with the other Plumbers, keep off the enemy from Ben's own vessel, and ensure he defeats the emperor?"
"We've gone up against Incurseans yeah but we've yet to ever contend with the head honcho of the Incurseans himself; Emperor Milleous didn't get to be the Incursean Emperor through a damned raffle; he fought and killed to get where he is. Fighting someone with that much ferocity could be dangerous, even if we're together."
"Yeah but…here's an idea." Frogert said, setting down a crate and huffing in response. "We could-ack- go in with Ben. I can hack into Incursean COMs and even get us a safe passage into the flagship without them knowing. We can walk right up to Milleous and force a surrender from him."
"…Frogert…did you listen to a word I said? Milleous isn't a push-over like the Incurseans we've fought. He and those with him will expect an inside job…the only way we can make your plan work is if we can secure an Incursean ship to sneak in with…and…we blew those up with the AA guns."
"Weeee….tttttrrrryyyyy…." Menct finally spoke up, taking up what looked to be some sort of laser minigun. "He….mussst be….stopped." The Aluneca's words were sincere. Based on the frog's track record, he literally always had a trick up his sleeve that could turn the tides of a battle to his favor…and this was no doubt the same. He could have a planet destroying bomb onboard the flagship that'd explode the mere second the ship crashed, he could have some sort of weapon that'd instantly eradicate the Plumber forces, he could even have some sort of being present to do his bidding; nothing was to be removed when dealing with the Emperor.
They needed to hit him first, and make it count.
"Menct, are you sure you want us to go after Milleous directly?" Aquas asked, much of the team already inside the ship, awaiting takeoff. "Because doing so is…well essentially going against orders. We could face demotion, hell even incarceration for something like this. I need to know now if risking everything is truly worth it." Menct did think on all of this…the others would, at the very worst, just be imprisoned for a short time for disobeying orders like this but the Aluneca…he could be given worse. He knew the Galvan Azmuth was…wary of him; Menct was also well aware that he could try and not only have Menct imprisoned, but exiled due to something like this…he bore the greatest threat and yet he was the most determined.
Menct nodded his head. This was worth everything…they had to go in and do something.
They had to give their own final effort to save not only Earth, but possibly the whole galaxy from the Incursean rule.
The ship filled in with the others, Frogert manning the controls as best he could while everyone else geared up and made sure their weapons were charged and properly primed for battle. Bella ensured her field medical kit was prepared, Sarc meditated in the corner, and Tarator tuned his energy knives; eager to pierce a frog's head. Menct slipped his helmet on and watched the HUD tune to match the current firearm he had equipped; the lengthy energy based assault rifle resting comfortably on his back. Through the glass canopy the blackness of space greeted him…and the purple flashes in the distance already told him of the battle waging on. They were late yes, but they weren't out; Frogert gripping the controls and jerking both sticks backwards, flying upwards to follow an ally ship into the dogfight waging on over the planet's surface. The shield had long since fallen…and that was the plan; they needed to push the Incurseans back before they could make contact with Earth.
"Every single Plumber ship, open fire at the flagship!" Max's face appeared on a screen situated in the dashboard. "If we cripple it they'll retreat; none of them are willing to fight without their Emperor."
"Yes sir, and the best part is already know where to aim." Frogert mashed his thumbs down on the triggers, lime green lasers peppering an Incursean ship that got too close. The looming flagship gradually got closer and closer, Aquas took a deep breath, taking up his own E-Rifle and approaching the hatch.
"Everyone, change your COMs over to the private one; we're doing the solo operation."
"Solo operation?" Veele asked, adjusting her own helmet and doing as asked. "What do you mean by that?"
"He means we're going in to attack the frog directly." Tarator confirmed, sheathing his dagger and ensuring his COM was switched before doing as asked. "We're following Ben Tennyson inside of the flagship and going to assist him directly in taking the emperor down."
"Whoa whoa; what the hell do you guys mean?!" Yenth asked, back to his paranoid state as usual. "Weren't our orders to stick with the rest of the guys and help hold the Incurseans back—"
"I know what our damned orders were, Yenth." Aquas snapped, clenching his fist and letting a breath of air escape him. "I know what my orders were…but even where we are now I'm seeing how this'll turn out in the end." He gestured out the window, to the scallions of Incursean ships zooming around, some managing to bring down Plumber ships in a hail of explosive death. "We're outnumbered at least a hundred to one; they have countless soldiers, countless bodies to throw at us while we have limited resources and extremely limited amounts of soldiers. If we keep this desperate effort up…none of us will survive the war. If we don't do something drastic soon, then they'll no doubt touch down on Earth and manage to destroy everything we hold near and dear. As your captain, I'm refusing to let that happen. When Rubiac died in front of me, I promised I'd ensure that no one went through the same agonizing pain I did when I lost my damned father…that means Earth as well. We're Epsilon Squad, the god damned best of the best the Plumbers have to offer! We're gonna go in there, force Milleous off his throne, and save this whole god damned galaxy, or at the very least die trying." At the Orishan's nod, Frogert slowly turned the control sticks, causing the ship to gradually turn to the side and cruise ever so slowly towards the Flagship.
"What are the odds of us coming back from this mission?" Tarator asked, holding his E-Handgun. "What are the chances of us pulling this off?"
"A helluva lot less than that on Peptos, or Hathor. Once were in there's no other way to get out aside from either competing our mission…or dying, unless we can jury rig one of the Incursean ships and pilot it back without getting hit by our own boys. If anyone wants to back out, let me know; I'll arrange for that as best I can…but if we don't do something, everyone everywhere dies." Not a single person raised their hands. "…I'm honored to have teammates like you…hell…I'm honored to call you all my friends. We stuck by one another, for better or worse, and we made it out time and time again…but I fear that luck we have could finally run out, and when it does I want you to all know, I'm proud of you guys."
"Likewise to you, sir." Hauntra said, Menct able to see tears steadily flowing down her face…those weren't tears of inspiration no; they were of fear.
She was scared of dying…she was scared of this mission being a failure, and them all perishing alone and cold in the darkness of space. Bella's hand squeezed the girl's, giving her a small nod to not only reassure her…but confirm that she wasn't the only one scared.
"Frogert…how long until they start firing at us?"
"Twenty seconds; with our distance from the other Plumber ships they'll be able to concentrate more fire onto us and try and take us down."
"Understood, no matter what happens you don't slow down…punch us right into the hangar and get us inside." The plasma fire already started, and Menct's COM exploded with warnings and shouts from other Plumbers, telling them to retreat and pull back.
He ignored them…this was for the greater good.
The purple plasma fire ripped one of the wings of the ship clean off; everyone grasped onto something and held on for dear life while Frogert did his best to get them where they were needed…to get where they needed to go.
"Guys, we're not gonna make it…" He warned, both wings clipped and the ship flying with the momentum the jets created before they were blown off. Sarc finally looked up, stern eyes focused before he rose to his complete height.
"We'll make it." Was all he spoke, before the ship collided with the purple metal of the hangar, skidding across the ground and crushing hapless Incurseans before it finally came to a standstill.
Menct was first to dive out the hatch, landing on the cold ground and firing at an Incursean who survived, taking him down without mercy. The hangar was sealed up and the ship was down…there was no escaping.
"Helluva landing." Aquas spoke, dropping out and shaking himself off. "Alright, we're splitting into teams for this one. Frogert, how good are you at reprogramming Incursean tech?"
"Like…so so."
"Close enough; you and Sarc get one of the ships we didn't destroy up and running. Veele, you, Hauntra and Yenth keep them covered and kill anyone or anything that tries to interfere. The rest of you are with Menct and I; we're storming that throne room and we're finishing this mission." He already made his way to the door, Menct being the first to pick up on the sounds of approaching Incurseans.
"I give you my word…we're all making it out alive…Rubiac said this to me once…and I don't plan to end my story the same way…"
Another Incursean splattered against the wall, Menct letting out a savage roar as he stepped over the body. He, Aquas, Tarator, and Bella had been on a desperate campaign for a good long while, running through halls filled with Incurseans while open firing and taking them down. Menct's armor sported a series of slashes and burns from taking stray hits but he remained active; taking cover behind a corner as two Incurseans open fired. Tarator popped out from the makeshift cover and fired quickly; the scavenged Incursean Blasters being enough to kill them both.
"We need to hurry; sooner or later they'll realize we're here…and then it'll hit the fan officially." Menct did show some concern as Tarator walked ahead, limping the entire way. Earlier he had gotten peppered trying to protect Bella…even with his armor he took several shots and despite the medical treatment the damages were clearly showing. If he continued to overexert himself, death would come faster than anticipated for the Sotoraggian.
"Gooooo….baaaacccckkkk…" Menct spoke, the Sotoraggian glancing back to him. "Yoooouuu…bleeeedddddiiiinnng."
"Menct, I've had worse; I'm fine."
"Tarator, head on back." Aquas cut in, reloading his E-Rifle and shouldering it. "You're doing good but you got shot at least seven times giving Bella cover…even with that power armor you wear I know you're bleeding under there."
"Sir, I'm fine-"
"And I say you're not…look you're too important to lose here; hell you're all too important to lose. Menct and I can go on ahead; you return back and give the others some covering fire as Frogert gets that ship up and running. Bella, you too."
"But what happens if either of you get injured out here? Neither of you are super soldiers—"
"We don't need to be; we just need to get tactical and get focused…besides," He pointed out the window, the dogfight waging on and the view of Earth growing larger gradually. "We're not exactly with a lot of time to argue. I'd rather just risk as little as possible for a mission like this. At least this way if push comes to shove you all can escape if it hits the fan harder than anticipated." Menct saw concern continue to radiate on Bella's face…but…not before a door opened and an Incursean soldier sprung out, managing to fire once before Menct snapped his neck in a flash.
Bella was against the wall, panting and huffing, Tarator atop her, as smoke rose from the smoldering hole on his chest where he took another shot for her; the skin seared and the blood already oozing from the wound made.
"You need…to stop being so careless…" He breathed, placing his clawed hand over the wound to keep pressure on it…odds are a lung was impacted, and he'd need medical treatment ASAP.
"See, that shit right there's why you two need to get moving now. The way back should be cleared but if you don't go now the next guy might manage to hit closer to home." Wordlessly, Bella complied, managing to crawl out from under the Sotoraggain and hook her arms underneath his armpits, dragging him across the floor and back to the hangar; pistol in hand just in case she came across anything.
"Let's move…they'll get back in one piece, I know it." Menct was…disturbed.
Aquas sounded unsure there…typically the Orishan was always sure of things.
Menct smashed through another door, running as fast as possible while Aquas followed behind, taking shots at any frogs they missed. The Aluneca let out another roar before open firing at a horde of Incurseans guarding a set of double doors; all six hitting the floor and giving the duo the chance to approach the doors…Aquas managed to pinpoint exactly what they were once they were close enough.
"If I can remember from the Hathor mission," He said, eyes drifting to the scanner next to said door. "Then this is where Milleous is hiding. Once we're through here Menct it's do or die; the Emperor's best could be waiting to kill us…if push comes to shove, I need you to get out of here and run to the others…I don't wanna die like Rubiac but if it comes down to it…I'll gladly die to ensure we win this war." He spoke, rubbing his clawed finger along the console.
"Iiiii….refussseee." Menct spoke, reloading his rifle and shouldering it, crossing his arms defiantly. "I…won't…leave you…we're a team…and as such…I will fight." Aquas only chuckled in response.
"Classic Menct…like all the other missions you always fought to your last breath 'n still managed to come back from those somehow. I can't even begin to count the amount of times I thought you were dead…like with Looma, or from that wound on Hathor, or hell; on Peptos when you came back pretty much half dead yet just…refusing to die. Before we even met you, I didn't know where the squad and I'd go…probably on clean-up duty for other Plumbers or even worse, guard duty in random places. But, thanks to you, we're the best of the best; Max Tennyson calls upon us for even the harshest mission because he knows you'll be there to save us all when the time came." Another laugh left Aquas, his head slowly shaking. "In all fairness…I don't deserve to be captain…you do. If it wasn't for you, the Tetramands'd have conquered Earth, Hathor would belong to the Incurseans, and the frog princess out there would have managed to kill Vilgax and strengthen her people's resolve. That's why, if we survive this, I want you to lead the squad from here on out." Menct…didn't know what to say. He'd be the leader of the team…that sort of responsibility he didn't think he was capable of. Before he could speak up, they heard a rush of movement; both of them drawing their guns and aiming down the hall.
"Whoa, chill guys! It's just us!" The form of a Tetramand came into view; the Omnitrix emblem on his belt showing it was Ben, along with Rook, Menct lowering his gun in response to the reveal. "How'd you two get here? I thought Rook was the only one dumb enough to crash the Proto-TRUK into the dang flagship." Menct could see some irritation flare up on his partner's face.
"We crashed on purpose," Aquas spoke up, returning his gaze to the console next to the bulkhead doors. "We knew an aerial assault against the airship with limited Plumber forces would inevitably lead to us losing, and Earth being taken. So, my team and I staged an assault of the flagship alone."
"And here I thought I was the only reckless hero…where's…the rest of your friend's anyhow?" Ben shifted back to his normal form after the Omnitrix timed out, though Menct could hear him swear to himself regarding the apparent Randomizer function.
"Back in the hangar; covering it and ensuring we have a way out of here. Suicide mission or not, I still want my men to escape this ship after the frog emperor is dealt with."
"Good, thought something happened to 'em…so…any ideas how to get in? The Omnitrix's acting weird so—" Menct's claws dug into the door, barely piercing it before the Aluneca extended both arms; the energy blades materializing before he rammed them into the doors again, watching smoke rise in response to the attack. His arms twisted; slowly but surely he started to force the doors apart, bit by bit!
"…Menct's more than reckless…he makes Kevin look tactical…" Ben muttered, rubbing his face but smirking when the doors were forced open.
"Well well well…seems youse finally arrived to see Earth's doom." The croakish, gravelly voice of the Emperor resonated; Menct squeezing the trigger of his gun in three rapid bursts to kill the Incursean pilots who attempted to stand. Ben looked away but Aquas ignored it…he was numbed to the carnage caused today.
"I think you have it wrong; this your doom, not Earth's." The handgun was leveled with his head, the Orishan taking slow steps and keeping the gun on the frog. "Call off your forces and surrender, or I'll paint the wall with your damned blood."
"Such language! Well, makes sense consider'n non'va got any sense…Glukos…dispose of them." A sudden shard impacted the gun; sending it clattering from Aquas' hand as the Emperor's friend came into light.
Menct was, for the most part, absolutely disturbed.
Glukos was another Aluneca!
He looked close to Menct in look but his muscles were less defined and slimmer, head being more like that of a grasshopper's compared to Menct's own form. His chitin was a merger between emerald and copper, and he wore only a pair of black pants; a pair of insect-like wings fluttering on his back. His own tail, much longer and tipped with a hooked sickle for a blade, tapped at the ground…as he lowered his right arm; coated in cyan, crystalline spikes.
Those were of a Petrosapien…he…ate one?!
"Menct, is that a friend?" Rook asked, to which the Aluneca hastily shook his head, taking up arms.
"Me? A friend to a mere halfbreed," This one had a clickish tone to his voice, a rumbling laugh leaving him moments later as the crystals along his arm receded and the chitin returned to the same tone as the rest of his body. "How primitive! I am Glucousian…but…the frog has deemed it better to refer to me as Glukos." His five fingered arms crossed over his chest, tail swishing the ground while he stared down the heroes. "These Plumbers really are pathetic if they let a Half-breed join their ranks."
"What gives though man! Aren't you supposed to be some sort of peacekeeper where you come from?" Ben shouted, trying to rapidly get the Omnitrix working, in vain. "A good guy, like us?"
"Not every single Aluneca is a damned goody two shoes like you've been led to believe, boy. Some of us seek power…we seek control…but the Guardians deny us this right; they deem us monsters and lock us on planets with nothing but hellish fire! I had the luxury to be trapped on Pyros…and I use the term luxury a little more loosely than I'd like. But, why control ourselves? We have the power to bring an entire universe to its knees…yet we protect."
"With great power comes great responsibility." Aquas piped in, gun shifting to focus on the enemy Aluneca. "That's how it goes—"
"That's a philosophy created by those without power; a lie beaten into the heads of everyone. Why show cowardice and weakness when you have all the power in the universe?!" His hand lifted, and it gradually deformed and shifted until appeared blocky and multicolored, like that of a Segmentosapien. "I gave in to the temptations long ago…and this one here freed me; letting me gorge myself on those weakest to gain their species' best."
"But…why?" Rook asked, his weapon drawn and primed. "Why serve Milleous then?"
"Serve? Dis guy don' serve me; I'm helpin' him with his own goal as he helps me with mine. Call it a quid pro quo or whatevah the heck it is. He wants a Celestialsapien to feast on…once we get Earth I'll be more dan willin' to help 'im get it." Menct's hands tightened on his weapon in fury. This all was wrong on so many levels…this Aluneca was tainted and corrupt; he was abusing his powers and yet none could stop him.
"But, I suppose our exchange has come to an end…now…face me; I could use a good meal of the Omnitrix wielder." Menct open fired, Glukos' arm shifting to form that of a Conductoid; absorbing the shots before merely firing a single gold beam at Menct; the Aluneca barely dodging.
"Gooo! I killll traitor!" Menct screeched, open firing rapidly before he managed to hit the enemy Aluneca; a burning scar forming along his shoulder from the stray shot.
"Lucky…but I best show why luck pales in comparison to raw power." Both his arms regressed to normal before he lunged; Menct catching his arms and holding them back with his own claws.
And then he watched fire spread along them; the DNA of the Pyronite kicking in. If Menct didn't do something he'd burn and die! His foot rose and planted itself in Glukos' stomach, sending him skidding back; just in time for a sharp roundhouse kick to connect with the back of his head.
"Pick on him, you pick on me." Aquas said, moving to stand next to Menct; fists risen as he took a fighting stance up. Ben and Rook were combating the emperor…this fight was theirs.
"Hmm, no matter…you'll both be dead soon." Yellow, shell like armor coated his form; Glukos rolling into a ball before charging at Menct. The half breed took the hit entirely; slamming into the wall and grunting in pain. Not wasting time, Glukos shifted back and sent his arm into Aquas' chest; the Orishan hitting the wall as well.
"Come now, I'd have thought you'd be at least entertaining…but as you are now this is just poor." Menct rose again, helm cracked but his fury blossoming. Glukos sprang at him, legs spinier like a grasshopper.
Menct's fist crashed into his head, sending him into the ground.
"Hah…that actually hurted…shame it means you perish faster now." Ice shot from his maw, freezing Menct's legs and preventing him from moving. Glukos' hand shot towards his head and Menct's hand clamped down on his forearm, trying to prevent the enemy from grasping his throat.
And then he heard his COM ping; Tarator was talking.
"Aquas, do you report in?" The Orishan's fist smashed into the back of the power-hungry Aluneca's head, causing him to snarl and focus on him. "Yenth and Sarc have been busy."
"How so—" He ducked down to avoid a strike, pulling his firearm out to shoot Glukos in the stomach twice only to wince when the flesh and chitin began to regenerate and heal. "Damnit…anyhow you were saying?"
"They set a series of bombs along the places they figured the thrusters would be; we have about twenty seconds before they explode."
"…and did they even consider that we're still here?!" The ship lurched violently; Milleous smashing into Menct and shattering the ice…but…also managing to shatter his leg.
"That crunch noise…I liked the sound of that, now hold still and lemme break the other leg!" He bounded off Menct; the Aluneca managing to stand and send his fist upwards, cracking it against Milleous' head and sending him across the room. His leg began to snap and repair itself; Menct turning just in time for a crystal shard to strike his side, the Aluneca snarling and grabbing the spike, trying to remove it from his form. Glukos' arm shifted back to normal, and before he could strike Menct again the Aluneca ripped the spike from his side and drove it upwards…
…Glukos' other arm grasped Menct's wrist, and a snap later told everyone he broke it.
"You're a worthless halfbreed," He chided, releasing Menct's arm just in time to deliver a sharp punch to his ribs; a bone or two internally snapping from the impact. "So fragile…you can't even heal properly, let alone fight me in combat." He shoved Menct back, the wounded and pained Aluneca dropping to a knee, the agony clouding his thoughts…the hunger screaming at him, telling him to feed and restore himself. "Hell, you can't even heal at all unless you slay someone; my body always recovers no matter what…and the ten species I've consumed made my own DNA perfect compared to your own failed and dying one." His hand clenched around Menct's neck, the Aluneca managing to grasp the other's claw and attempt to prevent him from squeezing…from silencing him once and for all.
"But, now it's time to remove you, for good—" A green laser impacted him, Glukos releasing Menct and staring at Ben. He stood there as Eyeguy, hand smoking from the ocular beam he just fired.
"Get offa my friend, alright ugly? I can do this all day!" Another lurch came, and this time Menct hit the window, the Aluneca able to see just where the ship was.
…the flagship did touch down on Earth, in Bellwood...just it crashed, more or less; thrusters destroyed and many of the ship's defenses powered down. Menct did stand despite the agony; Glukos was focused on Ben now…there was not much he could do. The Aluneca started moving, body healing and bones snapping in place, a shrill roar leaving him before he smashed into the Pure breed; arms locking around his waist and sending them both towards the window. Aquas fired seven shots with his handgun to weaken the window just enough for both Aluneca to fly through the window. Menct already hearing the buzzing noise of Glukos trying to fly; soon to remove Menct and let him fall.
That was why the half breed reached his free hand up, grabbing onto one of Glukos' wings and tearing it clean off, phlegm green blood spurting from the wound before Menct tossed the worthless appendage to the side, letting it fall.
"GGGGGHHHHHAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" The scream of Glukos crying in pain filled Menct's airs, and soon both of them continued to tumble to the ground, Menct using the high fall to literally slam the pure breed into the earth and leave a crater within the flagship's from its impact in the park, soon standing up.
"I…am…not...worthless…" His helmet slid off, clattering against the ground. "I…am…Menct." Numerous Plumber ships converged on the location, the rest of the team arriving along with Ben and, thankfully, an apprehended Milleous.
"Ben!" Aquas was first to notice Max, and…Menct could see him cringe.
Right…they did disobey direct orders. The aged man wrapped his grandson in a hug, almost as if he thought he'd never see him again…made sense since Menct had the sneaking idea Ben crashed his own vessel.
However, Max's joyed look soon turned sour when he looked towards Aquas.
"Captain, what were your orders?"
"…assist in helping the Plumber fleet."
"And why did you go forward despite the risks? You'd all have died in there had you been unlucky."
"…sir, I didn't see any alternative; had we stayed in the air we'd have eventually lost compared to their considerable forces. I made the call that seemed best and the result was…less than expected."
"No, it wasn't…that was somethin' I expected from Ben; means you're well on the way to fitting Rubiac's boots then." Max sighed, eyes turning towards the captured Milleous. "Now, to put you in a deep hole you'll never escape from."
The frog's sudden smirk was what made Menct less than confident.
"I think not." Surrounding them were a series of Incursean vessels, and already reports were coming in all over the globe of mutated, deformed To'kustars; laying waste to anything and everything they could. Several even landed in Bellwood, already beginning to smash and destroy whatever they could get their hands on.
They took the flagship down…but at what cost?
"Call the damn monsters off, now!" Aquas' pressed the barrel of his E-Handgun to Milleous' head, despite Max trying to talk him down. "Tell them to back down or I take you down once and for all."
"Whoa, we can stop him just…not like this!" Ben shouted, hand clenching down on Aquas' wrist, trying to dissuade him from pulling the trigger.
"I'd listen to Tennyson if I were you," Menct turned towards Attea, a snarl resonating from his maw. "You kill daddy, and I tell our good pal Dr. Psychobos to let the mutants run amok…they won't leave a single person alive once their done. Shame it means we don' get ta rule over you all but…fair is fair." Menct resisted ever single urge to shoot her in her smug face. Aquas eventually sighed, lowering his gun and sliding it into his holster, stepping back.
"Nows here's what gon' happen," The emperor spoke, cuffs being removed, just as the pure breed Aluneca rose from his crater. "All you Plumbers're gonna surrender, you'll turn Earth over ta us and you," He pointed a fatty finger at Ben. "Never show ya face around here again; I hereby exile you from dis planet, forever!" Ben wanted to fight, Menct could see it in his eyes.
"Ben, no." Max spoke up, the defeat in his voice making Menct feel…despair, for once in his life. "At least this way…I know you're alive. We'll figure something out…just…this is the way things need to be."
"Send this one too," Menct's fist clenched when he heard Attea speak up, the barrel of her rifle pointing at his side. "Don' need two dang Aluneca 'round when we's gotta better one." Aquas was tempted to grab his firearm…Menct could see this.
"Doon't." He spoke, the feeling of dread finally crushing his hope, like a walnut under a heel. "You stay…I go…" He spoke, crossing his arms slowly and lowering his head. "There is…a waaaay out…I can fix this…" Menct could tell Aquas desperately wanted to believe him, the entire team did…but the Aluneca knew it'd be close to impossible with the odds presented to them.
It really seemed like despite their best efforts, they've lost.
The shackles kept Menct's arms bound; the Aluneca's separate exile pod being sealed. He could see the faces of his friends even without his helmet…he could see they were all in cuffs, about to be led off to various parts of the world to be locked away like the rest of the Plumbers. He was without his armor, only clad in his shorts, as his gaze traveled upwards briefly to see Ben in his own pod, being launched…like how he would be in a short while. The sense of dread and failure weighed on his shoulders…he could have fought harder and prevented this from happening; from the Incurseans truly winning.
…he couldn't even pull a miracle. The frogs stripped him of his armor and left him in the world of darkness; if he or Ben ever returned to Earth the Incurseans would lay waste to the planet and kill every man, woman, and child in their wake. Menct looked up at the face of Aquas…and he tried his best to speak, to tell him something, but the pod was sealed to the point where his words fell upon deaf ears.
He wanted to tell them he'd find a way to save the planet…there'd be a way to save everyone and everything.
His own pod started up, and Menct sighed, the sudden lurch telling him he was rapidly leaving Earth's atmosphere and going off to god knows where…perhaps to a hostile planet or even a sun.
He felt something, his arm was loose. Menct looked to the cuff and with a lurch he ripped it free, using the talons to pry his other out. He was free yes but…how to escape the pod? And even then, where would he go?
The shadow of a planet ahead filled his vison…Menct then knew what he was to do.
Wherever he landed, he'd break free, and he'd find a way back to Earth to save it.
He was a Plumber, and they saved the galaxy…no matter the cost.
To Be Continued…
(I haven't actually watched Ben Ten for some time, so I had to improvise for a lot of this. I say it turned out pretty okay, all things considered.)