There was a blur of colors and noises, all smeared together into a sensory nightmare that made Ben fight to go back to sleep. Purple and red and white, and spinning and mixing like clothes being tossed around a washing machine. The silence was deafening, making his ears buzz, but beyond that Ben could barely make out someone yelling. He had to strain to hear and even that was far too loud.
His head was pounding as though he'd been knocked over the head with a bus. And he knew what that felt like from experience, thanks to an embarrassing encounter with Dr. Animo. Ben had the thought that he should tell the voice to shut up. He did try, but he couldn't feel his lips or hear himself so he wasn't sure if it was working or not. But the voice got louder still, a deafening whisper, so he didn't think that he had been successful.
Hands grabbed his shoulders, cold and bony. They were shaking him, Ben could tell, but the rocking motion didn't register. Mostly, what Ben noticed was that the colors were swirling more rapidly than ever. He saw grey and black and gold, flecked in with everything else. He squinted, trying to see the shapes of everything more clearly, but that made the blur over his eyes worse so he gave it up. In a way, he wasn't too upset. He couldn't feel much of anything, which was nice. Ben had the distinct memory that he had been in a lot of pain very recently and wasn't excited for a repeat event.
He tried to close his eyes, but the shaking grew in intensity and the colors mashed together into an ugly shade of carob brown. It was almost as though the world was angry with him for being tired. The thought made Ben chuckle, which seemed to appease whoever was shaking him. The hands eased him down, though Ben hadn't been aware that he was sitting up.
Flat on his back, some sense of touch was beginning to return. Ben licked his lips and realized that, not only could he feel it, but his mouth and throat all the way down to his stomach was horribly dry. The table he was on was cold and the chill leached into his skin with no shirt or blanket to stand as a barrier. Ben stiffened in discomfort. He had only been awake for a few minutes and was already regretting the decision to open his eyes. Maybe if he had just laid still, he would have been allowed to go back to sleep.
The hard hands from before returned, far more gentle in their touches. One hand propped itself under Ben's head, tilting him forward and up a little bit, while the other brought the rim of some sort of cup to his lips. The shape and texture wasn't pleasant to drink out of, but as soon as water slipped down his throat, Ben forgot all about it. He was too exhausted to bother grabbing the cup and swallowing it all immediately, so he laid still and thoroughly enjoyed every second that was spent with the cup tilted toward him. When it was eventually pulled away from Ben, it was because it was empty. His muttered, disjointed protests that probably made no sense were answered and he was rewarded with a second drink.
He could hear well enough to know that the person cradling him like a newborn was a man but not well enough to know what was being said. Was the man talking to himself, talking to someone, singing, humming, having a computer take notes for him? Ben couldn't say.
After the second cup, it was apparently decided that he couldn't have any more water. As he was laid back down, Ben tried to stretch out only to be met with a stabbing pain that shot up through his abdomen and spine. He groaned and went still.
Unfortunately, the hands (which Ben was now awake enough to realize had to belong to a person, though he couldn't place who) took his movement as permission anyway. They propped up his shoulders and pushed up insistently. Unsupported, Ben's head lolled back against the table. He couldn't stop the flare of annoyance he felt. First he was supposed to lay down, now he was supposed to sit up. Couldn't whoever-it-was make a decision and stick to it?
Besides which, sitting up meant using his stomach muscles to hold himself there and Ben didn't even need to try to know that doing so would be painful beyond belief. The frustration drove him to push back against the hands trying to lift him away from the table, cool and uncomfortable though it was. But doing that only made the person respond with more force. Apparently, "no" was not an acceptable answer.
The noise that left Ben's lips was an instinctive groan that rumbled in his chest and had nothing to do with the conscious desire to make noise. It seemed like every little twitch and whimper he made was met in kind by the person trying to make him stir. There was no end to it. So, fed up and in pain, Ben forced himself to move.
That simple decision made everything snap. His eyes were already open, but in an instant, all of the spinning colors clicked into their proper place and the echoing noises became one voice and the distant discomfort became a burn so acute that it made Ben choke on a breath and shoot straight up, grasping for something to anchor himself and chest heaving for oxygen that wouldn't come as the chill in the air hit him like a brick to the head. Hair hung in front of Ben's eyes, a few shades darker and plastered to his skull with the cold sweat that soaked his body. He focused on that because if he focused on everything else, he knew he would pass out again. The nausea was already threatening to bring the water he had swallowed back up.
"Woah, easy. Careful not to strain yourself, Ben," a voice muttered next to his ear. Sharp hands that felt like ice on Ben's heated skin settled onto his shoulders, jagged thumbs rubbing soft circles into his skin.
Nothing else was said, which was a relief. Ben closed his eyes against the brightness that made his eyes sting and focused only on what he could feel. His entire body was stiff and aching, but the pain in his side was still the worst. Nothing new there. He ran his fingers over the metal table he was sitting on. He felt his hair brushing his forehead, the Omnitrix heavy on his left wrist, the air on his bare torso, his pants and shoes weighing down on his tired legs, the comforting presence of having someone next to him… Those things, Ben listed in his head on loop like a mantra before he eventually trusted himself enough to speak.
"Popigai." He wheezed out the Petrosapien's name and held his breath until the violent urge to cough passed. Once it did, Ben continued. "What… happened? I was… we were… and Argyle— Is he still here? Or did I—?"
"Don't force anything," Popigai said with a surprising amount of gentleness. He removed his hands and stepped away, giving Ben room to breathe. "You were out for a while and the medicine that I gave you was pretty strong. Especially for a human. Take a minute to just orient yourself, alright? I managed to scavenge some food when I got the water and having something in your stomach will help you feel better."
All Ben could do was nod, and even that made his head start spinning again. He watched Popigai move away, digging through a small box of supplies. It was only then that Ben began to take notice of his surroundings.
The room wasn't one that he recognized. It almost looked like a cafeteria, only it was far too small. It was lined with metal tables and chairs, which were the only splashes of color against the white walls, ceiling, floor, and doors. The lighting was so white that Ben almost thought the room itself was glowing, before he was finally able to pick apart the details of the circular bulbs that were beating down on them.
They definitely weren't in a medical bay, but Popigai had a pile of medical supplies with him anyway. Ben didn't need to unwind the fresh bandages wrapped around his abdomen to know that the stitches had been redone. It was Ben's fault that they started coming out in the first place but he couldn't help feeling glad that he had been unconscious for the procedure.
Before his thoughts could go any further, Popigai had returned to Ben's side. He was holding something that was probably supposed to be an alien fruit. It had a circular shape and what looked like a peel, though Earth fruit wasn't sky blue and speckled with orange flecks. Hesitantly, Ben took it. He wasn't in any position to be picky. Popigai hadn't peeled it, so he took a bite out of it like he would an apple.
The peel was paper-thin and sticky in his mouth, though smooth in his hands. Focusing on chewing gave him something small to do which, if Ben had to guess, was probably at least part of Popigai's intention in giving him that particular food. It was tasteless but its juice felt soothing on Ben's rough throat so he looked away from Popigai and focused on eating.
They were both quiet while Ben finished the fruit. Once he was done, he felt more awake and less like he was on the edge of a meltdown. Actually, Ben was glad that his memories of waking up were fuzzy and unclear. What little he could remember was embarrassing, especially considering that Popigai was supposed to be able to rely on and depend upon Ben. He couldn't keep wasting their time.
Mind made up, Ben braced himself and swung his feet over the side of the table. He was immediately hit by a wave of vertigo but still met Popigai's look of surprise with determination. "So, what's the plan?"
"Plan?" Popigai echoed, incredulous. "We've successfully managed to contact the Plumbers. They confirmed an intercept will be possible once this station docks somewhere for repairs, which they will have to if Rook was right when he mentioned that their target destination is the Andromeda galaxy. In other words, Ben, we have nothing to worry about. There's nothing else to be done until the Plumbers arrive and arrest the perpetrators." He gave Ben a considering look. "And hopefully, bring a human medic to attend to you."
Ben ignored that last part. He was tired of repeating "I'm fine," and had the distinct feeling that Popigai wouldn't have believed it regardless. "Just because we're getting backup doesn't mean we get to sit around doing nothing," he snapped. "That's just more of a reason we need to go after them. This station is huge. When we dock, do you really think the Plumbers are going to have enough people to fully search this place before Argyle and Murowa can get away? And then where will we be? Right back at square one, except we won't have anymore leads. If they can get out of the galaxy, the Plumbers aren't going to go after them. You know that as well as I do." He crossed his arms, scowling, but the seriousness of Ben's point was apparently lost on Popigai.
The cadet shook his head, placing his hands on Ben's shoulders. Surprised, the hero didn't get a lot of time to steady himself and resist before he was being pushed back down against the table on his back. He had never been physically forced like that by an ally before. Even Popigai seemed a little embarrassed by what he had done, though still resolute.
"You're going to end up killing yourself if you keep pushing," Popigai said with such certainty that it made Ben pause. "I talked to Gwendolyn about your injuries and—"
"Woah, you did what?" Ben jerked right back up into a sitting position, jaw dropped. Of course, he quickly realized his mistake when white-hot pain stabbed through his abdomen and Popigai had to steady him to keep Ben from toppling off the side of the table. But even so, that wasn't enough to convince him to lay back down. "You can't tell them what happened to me! They don't need to worry about what they can't control, they need to focus on the mission!"
Popigai gave him a thoroughly unimpressed look, face creased with anger. "It was either tell them what happened and get some proper medical advice or sit there and let you bleed out!" He retorted, almost shouting. It was that most he had ever raised his voice to Ben and, a little bit stunned, the teen went quiet. "Gwendolyn gave me some pointers in fixing your stitches and bandaging more thoroughly! Not to mention, if she hadn't helped me pick apart some of these alien medicines to give to you, you would be in a lot more pain right about now. So stop being so unreasonable and self-righteous and accept that you're not a god, Ben! You're human!"
There was quiet between them for a moment. Ben knew that he ought to keep it that way, that he shouldn't say anything, that he had no business to protest when Popigai only wanted him to be safe, and yet—
"You're wrong," he muttered.
The cadet arched an eyebrow. Which, all things considered, was better than a scowl. "Excuse me?"
"You're wrong!" Ben shouted, hands curled into fists. "I'm not a human, I'm a hero! People rely on me! I don't get to have these weaknesses and doubts and fears! I've got a job to do and responsibilities to look after! I can't be sitting back here doing nothing when people are being hurt! I'm not the priority here, alright? Someone else can take the Omnitrix if anything happens to me, but civilians aren't just nameless, faceless masses of people that heroes rescue and brag about to the cameras! They're individuals and that can't be replaced if I make a mistake! There's just too much riding on this, alright?"
His perfectly logical arguments meant nothing to Popigai, though. The cadet jabbed a finger in his chest though, annoyingly, Ben noticed that he was holding himself back to keep from accidentally hurting the teen. As if he was fragile. "You're being self-destructive to a narcissistic degree, Ben! You can't save anyone if you're dead!"
"Narcissistic?" Ben snapped right back, flushed with anger and embarrassment. "You think I'm doing all of this for myself? Do you think I enjoy risking my life?"
"Well, you're certainly not doing it for anyone else!" Came Popigai's shout, almost cutting Ben off with the need to spill the protests bubbling in his throat. "I don't want you risking your life! Your friends and family don't want you risking your life! Do you think for even a second that your friends would be attempting to break the laws of physics to somehow get here as fast as possible if you weren't the one in danger?"
"That's not—" Ben bit his lip. His face was burning, from the back of his neck to the tips of his ears. "They're not coming for me. They're coming for the millions of people who need us. I'm— I'm not more important than that."
That made Popigai's expression soften, though not by much. "I'm not saying that they don't care about the people in danger," he soothed, "or that I don't, but I worked with them in setting up this rescue mission, Ben. You're kidding yourself if you think that you aren't or haven't always been the main priority."
Ben went quiet, looking down at the table as he thought. He had always known that he was important to Gwen and Kevin and Rook, and they were important to him too, of course, but he had never heard it spelled out like that before. It was always something that they kept subtle. A cursory "Are you okay?" after a mission, wordlessly covering each other in the heat of battle, the unspoken safety net that came with a team as close as theirs, and yet… He had never quantified it in that way.
It suddenly occurred to Ben that, while he had been kidnapped and helpless for almost a week, Rook had been leading a complex and difficult rescue plan. He had united the Plumbers and Arkein, not for the Petrosapien victims, but for Ben. And Gwen and Kevin had been at his side every step of the way. A part of Ben felt ridiculous thinking that, as though he was full of himself enough to think that hundreds of soldiers would die for him, but he knew what would have happened if he had been there. If Conway's kidnapping attempt had failed, he and Rook would be right where they started. And regardless of Argyle's plans, Rook would have never been stupid or foolhardy enough to try taking up arms himself.
Not like he already had, anyway. Not like Ben would have done, had their situations been reversed.
Quietly, all Ben could manage was, "Oh."
Popigai set a hand on the hero's shoulder, giving a squeeze. "If they were here, you know that they wouldn't want you to run head-long into a fight with an injury like that." He chuckled weakly. "When I told Gwendolyn the details of what happened to you, I thought she was going to pass out. She was far from pleased."
Despite himself, Ben managed a smile at the mental image. Gwen had been gone for so long that, in a selfish sort of way, it felt nice to imagine her worrying about him like she always used to. "Yeah," he agreed. He didn't look up at Popigai, content to stare at his legs stretched out over the table in front of him. "They wouldn't be very happy to see me like this. But they'd also know that they wouldn't be able to keep me sitting on the side lines. It's not who I am."
A scowl came to Popigai's face, far from the hesitant smile he'd had a moment ago. "I could tie you to the table," he pointed out.
Something inside of Ben flinched. Outwardly, his only reaction was to narrow his eyes and hold up the Omnitrix, fingers already hovering over the dial. When he spoke, his voice was icy. "You could try."
There really wasn't anything to say to that, so Popigai didn't waste his time trying. Instead, he was quiet for a few moments. Then, resigned, "Can I at least convince you to nap?"
Sleep actually sounded amazing, but Ben wasn't about to admit that. He looked over at Popigai apprehensively, but still managing a smile — if only for appearances sake. "Sure. After we've got Murowa and Argyle secured under lock and key, I'll gladly sleep for as long as you want me to."
Even as Popigai scoffed, a smile tugged at his lips. "I suppose I should take what I can get. But I will be holding you to that."
Ben grinned. He had gotten his way and, even if his side was already aching in protest, he knew that he wouldn't have been able to forgive himself for resting while Murowa and Argyle were probably torturing those poor Petrosapiens. Considering that Red Sleep was the only real way to keep that species imprisoned, and how its effects were irreversible, Ben wasn't sure that the people he rescued would even been in one piece. That thought scared him more than he wanted to admit. But Ben Tennyson didn't waste his time being terrified: he took action.
"So," he began as he turned himself sideways to face Popigai once again, "the plan?"
There was a moment where it seemed like Popiga wasn't going to answer, but then the cadet heaved out a sigh and deflated. "To be honest, I don't have one. Up until a few minutes ago, the goal was to keep you from killing yourself or letting someone else finish the job, but you threw that out the window." He rolled his head in a gesture that was probably supposed to emulate an eyeroll. "If you really want something to do, I suppose we should lay out what we can accomplish. We don't have many resources available to us. Although... " He perked up. "There are still some of our soldiers on board that we could probably rely on if we found them."
"There are?" Ben arched an eyebrow. He vaguely felt as though he ought to know that already, but even with his stab wound monopolizing a lot of his attention, his head was still pounding. It was probably a side effect of that weird alien medicine. "Great! Did you get into contact with anyone?"
Popigai gave him a funny look — so they probably had talked about that before — but nodded. "Only a few soldiers were given communications. Rook felt that it would reduce the chances of the enemy being able to follow our movements, otherwise they would be swiping headsets from anyone who went down. But, to answer your question, yes. While I was on call with Gwendolyn, I was on that same frequency, and did actually manage to spend a few minutes talking to someone who stayed behind."
They could have left it like that, but even drugged and in pain, Ben wasn't stupid. He noticed Popigai shifting away and avoiding eye contact. He scowled. "So who was it? Who did you talk to?" No response. Had Petrosapiens possessed lips and spit, Ben was certain that Popigai would have been innocently whistling. Any lingering suspicions that Ben still had were increased tenfold. "Popigai."
Throwing his hands up, the cadet let out a surprisingly childish groan of frustration. "Fine! It's not like it's a secret, I just know that you won't like the answer." He shot Ben a fugitive glance out of the corner of his eye. "It was Tetrax. And Conway. They were on the same team together, see. They were in charge of destroying this station's power source. They decided to stay behind just to, you know—" He shrugged one shoulder noncommittally. "—settle some unfinished business."
It took a moment or two for Ben to remember how his mouth worked. "Tetrax is still here," he said slowly. Popigai nodded, a guilty frown on his face. Ben ignored that and pressed on. "And he's working with Conway. The guy who kidnapped me and got us in this situation to begin with. Dozens of Petrosapiens died today because of his actions and you guys are working with him. Willingly. Gladly."
A wince. At the very least, Popigai lifted his head to meet Ben's steely gaze. "I wouldn't say "gladly." Gwendolyn especially looks to constantly be on the verge of jumping him, but… yes. We're working with him." He paused. Then, softly, "You can't honestly think that Tetrax hasn't killed more people than that."
And, no, Ben didn't. Instead of conceding the point, his glare hardened. "Yeah, I know. An entire planet-full. I'm sure you remember what it was like to die." Even as the words slipped out, Ben regretted it. Popigai's face twisted into a discontented lour. But he said nothing so, a little shaken and determined not to show it, Ben continued. "So do I. More than once, actually." He shifted self-consciously, ignoring the curious look that Popigai shot him. "I know that I'm technically the one who brought you all back, but I wouldn't have been able to if Tetrax hadn't hunted Vilgax down, stolen back your magic crystal, and basically forced me into it. He's felt awful about what he did this entire time. Really, he's the one who saved your people. Not me. And even before that, he was trying to do better. He is doing better. So he deserves a second chance for that much, at least."
Though Popigai pursed his lips, he didn't disagree. He thought about it for a minute before clearing his throat. "You have a lot of friends and allies that are former criminals or who have done some morally questionable things. To you, specifically." He smiled wryly. "There are a lot of rumors about your friendship with Kevin, is what I mean. I'm not going to pry, because it's not my place, but I think it's safe to assume from your silence that those rumors aren't entirely unwarranted. Anyway, I have no feelings toward Conway one way or the other, but Rook made his stance on the issue very clear. I think that you could benefit from giving him the benefit of the doubt."
"Rook said that?" Ben faltered, caught off guard. Of all people, he hadn't expected Rook to be so… what? Forgiving? Compassionate? Merciful? None of those fit Rook. He was a very morally black-and-white sort of guy and he could hold a grudge like nobody's business. So if he was the one to forgive Conway, there was probably a reason for it. Something stupidly twisted and complex that only Rook could warp in a way that would make sense. Personally, Ben didn't see it. But he was willing to admit that, perhaps, a near week spent miserable and confined had made him a tad bitter. "...yeah, well, good for Rook. But I reserve the right to stay mad at him for as long as I feel like," Ben settled on childishly.
The tense atmosphere between them eased as Popigai cracked a smile. "That's fair," he agreed amicably. "So, if we're still working out a plan of attack, do you want to see if we can track them down? They would both be very helpful in a fight."
Quickly, Ben shook his head. "No. I mean, if we run into them, that'd be really convenient and all , but I think that we'd mostly just waste time by trying to hunt them down. It'll be easier to just focus on catching Murowa and Argyle. Which brings us to the next order of business: I know that Petrosapiens have a weakness to Red Sleep venom, obviously, but do you know anything about Pes— uh, Nemuinas?" He shot Popigai a considering look. "I don't remember a lot about being Pesky Dust, but I can't think of any weaknesses off the top of my head."
Popigai shrugged apologetically. "Unfortunately, I don't. They're a very secretive species. Other than their natural predator, Neoultima, it's anyone's guess what their weakness is. Assuming, of course, that they have one to begin with."
Unable to help himself, Ben rolled his eyes. "Great. Just my luck." He shoved the thought away. "Okay, whatever. No problem. We'll just focus on Argyle for right now. Might as well get him out of the way while we still can, yeah? Here's what I'm thinking: I use Gutrot to make more Red Sleep gas and we store it in a container or something. A lot of it, too." Ben didn't like the idea of what he was about to suggest, but in all honesty, he couldn't see any other options. How else was he supposed to restrain a Petrosapien? They were considered one of the toughest species in the galaxy for a reason. "We'll have to… soak him in it, kinda." He squirmed, grimacing at the mental image. "I figured that if I use myself as bait, he won't be able to resist. Then while he's focused on me, he won't be able to close up his suit fast enough, so you'll have the opportunity to get the jump on him. In full Plumber suit, obviously."
It went quiet as Popigai considered him carefully. There was an expression on his face that Ben couldn't quite place. "You realize that if we over do it even slightly, this will kill him. His head will be the only thing exposed. You're asking me to shove his unprotected head into a mixture of highly toxic chemicals."
Ben forced himself to hold eye contact — for what he was asking of Popigai, that was the least he could do. "I know."
"And you're fine with taking responsibility if Argyle does die before the Plumbers arrive?" The question wasn't judgemental, only curious.
Truth be told, Ben was wondering the same thing himself.
He managed a nod anyway. "Yeah. I am," he muttered, much quieter than before. A part of him almost wanted to back out, but he couldn't. Like he had said earlier, there was too much riding on them. The safety of millions was worth far more than one individual.
Sensing his discomfort, Popigai smiled. A little hesitant, maybe, but there nonetheless. "You realize what I'm about to say in regards to you using yourself as bait?" He asked. It could have been teasing, had it not been for the worried way he wrinkled his eyes.
The look on his face reminded Ben so strongly of Rook that he had to pause for a moment to collect himself. He tried to mirror Popigai's laid back smile, strained though it might have been, but he got the feeling that he hadn't done a very good job. "What? You mean that I should be taking it easy because I'm hurt? And I'm not allowed to fight him, just get him to follow me? And that we should have safety precautions in place just on the off-chance that something happens and you're not there to help?" He prattled off. "Or am I missing something?"
"I think that about covers it," Popigai assured him with a chuckle. "I just wanted to make sure that we were in agreement."
Arching a brow, Ben smirked, almost offering a challenge. "Oh, really? I didn't say anything about agreeing. Unless you wanna acknowledge that there's nothing you can do—" he paused, "—short of drugging me or tying me down that can keep me in this room while you're out there with Argyle."
Even though he sighed, Popigai shrugged one shoulder and gave a faint nod. "Yes, I figured as much. If we're going to be agreeing on things, how about this? You can do as much as you can stand, but I reserve the right to pull you out or make you stay in here by force if that wound starts bleeding again. Which it shouldn't, unless you managed to stab yourself a second time." He pointed to Ben's side for emphasis. "It's your plan and at least partially your fight, so… I can't reasonably expect you to sit this one out. But I am here to help however I can, Ben. I don't want you to think that you're doing this alone."
Despite himself, Ben softened. He knew that he was going to regret it later but, for the moment, he nodded and set a hand on Popigai's arm. "Yeah, sure. We can do that. Deal, partner?" He asked jokingly, sticking his hand out for Popigai to shake.
The cadet's eyes lit up and he took Ben's hand eagerly. Only, instead of shaking, he lifted Ben's hand up to his eye level and stared as though fascinated by something. "So that is how you humans greet people! It's so ridiculous. What does holding hands accomplish? Isn't it more productive to test each other in some way before deciding whether or not a conversation is worth having?"
Ben snorted, biting back a smile. He gave a gentle tug on his hand and Popigai released it without complaint. "Sorry. I forgot that hand-shakes are a human thing." He flexed his fingers experimentally, amused by the way Popigai stared openly at the little motion. "It doesn't really work the same way with other species, but humans shake hands because when we touch each other, special glands in our skin let us share our memories. It's a really great way to get to know each other quickly."
For a moment, he thought that Popigai was going to call him out on the lie. The cadet blinked slowly, looking from Ben's hand to his face and back again. Slowly, he lowered his head into his hands and let out a shaky sigh. "Of course. It all makes sense now," he muttered.
As much fun as it would have been to convince Popigai that humans could fire lasers from their toes or see color with their tongues, Ben only let himself have a few more chuckles at the Petrosapien's expense before smoothing himself back down into the seriousness of the situation. They had work to do, after all. As good as it felt to laugh and smile, Ben had more important things to be doing.
"For the plan," he said, rousing Popigai from his thoughts, "I was thinking… They have cameras in this part of the station, right? They can probably see our every move even if I turn the Omnitrix off. So what if we took that advantage away? We can knock out the cameras just in this section, which leaves them with a block that's completely dead. And if I turn the Omnitrix off, they'll have no way of knowing where I am. Obviously, we can't do much against Murowa, but we can at least get Argyle, right? He'll come looking for me too, I'm sure of it. So after we've got him drawn in, I can lure him to our trap and spring it on him. It'll be easy," Ben finished proudly.
Popigai was quiet, staring up at the ceiling as he thought hard. "Yes," he said slowly, only after several minutes of deliberation. "I think that will work well. I can only assume that they haven't attacked us by now because they're working on a plan of their own. Forcing them to come to us is a good way to take that advantage away." He nodded toward something behind Ben. Confused, the hero turned to look and was surprised to see a peranite shard sticking out of the wall near the ceiling. "That was the only camera in here. That's visible, anyway. I destroyed it before you woke up because I noticed it moving. Don't worry," he assured Ben, "all they know is that you're injured. And considering how much blood you trailed behind yourself before we ran into each other, I think it's safe to assume that they already knew."
Though he grimaced, Ben nodded. Popigai had a point, after all. There was no way that Murowa, at least, didn't know how badly Ben was hurt. "You like my plan, then?" He asked. "Nothing to add or subtract?"
"I don't think that math has anything to do with this," Popigai said off-handedly. "But no, I don't have any suggestions. For what little we have to work with, capitalizing on one of our only advantages is a good move. A good start, at any rate. We should go for it. What do we have to lose?" He asked weakly.
Personally, Ben could think of quite a few things. Based on the look on the cadet's face, though, he knew that all too well. Ben chose not to answer, instead giving a nod. "Yeah. You got a point. C'mon, we might as well set-up now. They know where we are so there's no telling how long until they decide to make a move."
He made an attempt to stand, balancing on shaky legs with his hands curled around the table for support. Popigai automatically moved closer, setting a hand on Ben's back. Any other time, the teen might have been annoyed, but he had agreed to accept help. And not that he would admit it, but having another person to help him stand straight was an enormous relief. He let out a slow sigh, biting back a protest as he put his full weight on his feet. One hand subconsciously curled over his side, pressed over the section of his bandages that was speckled with red.
"Do you have a shirt?" Ben gestured down at himself. "Not that it would provide much protection, but I don't like the idea of coming face-to-face with killers while I'm half-naked." He tried to make a joke out of it but the attempt fell flat.
"I can see how that would be uncomfortable," Popigai agreed with a grimace.
He turned away, moving to that box where he kept the first aid supplies. Ben wavered on his feet but managed to stay standing straight without help. The surge of pride in his chest made him feel pathetic.
After a moment of shuffling, Popigai pulled out the shirt that Ben had gotten on the station earlier. The only drawback was that both sides were soaked through in dried blood. The fabric was already dark, so all the stain did was make a splotchy part of the shirt look blacker. Ben tried to pretend that it was water. He held out a hand for the shirt and ignored how his arm was shaking. That was an awful lot of blood. He could feel more of it, dried and crusty along the table and under his fingers, but stoutly forced himself not to look.
"Thanks," he muttered, shrugging it on over his head. Lifting his arms tugged on his stitches, making Ben wince, but Popigai hung back and didn't try to help. He couldn't decide if that saved what remained of his dignity or not but, after a moment of thought, Ben decided to be grateful anyway.
"I wish I could have gotten a clean shirt for you. I would have, but there were… more pressing matters," Popigai apologized awkwardly, eyes flickering as though he was unsure if he should be looking at Ben or not.
The hero shook his head. "It's fine. I don't mind," he lied. The cold, damp stain made his skin tingle where they met. He couldn't pretend that it was water when the feeling of warm, syrupy blood dripping down his side was still engraved into his body. Still, it was better than not wearing a shirt at all. "Let's just… go. Yeah. Let's go."
He started toward the door all on his own, albeit much slower than he normally walked. Popigai kept pace and Ben did his best to pretend that it wasn't only so that the cadet could catch him if he fell. Thankfully, Ben didn't fall. He stumbled once, sure, but only because there had been a loose tile and he had been putting too much effort into each step to pay much attention to the ground.
The touch panel that opened the door was also splashed with blood. Ben almost made a joke about how his blood kept getting everywhere, like confetti or sprinkles, but the humor withered before he even had his lips parted. Swallowing hard, Ben ignored his unease to touch the panel and let the door slide open.
There was the whir of gears, then the high-pitched noise that Ben had grown to associate with blasters about to be fired. A section of the wall across from the door fell away, revealing a glint of metal before Ben was yanked back roughly and all he could see was indigo.
Popigai grunted in pain and, disoriented, it took Ben a moment to realize what had happened. He could feel the heat of the blaster crackling in the air around them but, enveloped in Popigai's arms and shielded by his body, he had narrowly avoided taking the blast to the face. It didn't keep up for long and as the laser cut itself off, Ben heard the wall click back into place and seal it away.
Dazed, Ben stood on shaky legs and watched as Popigai straightened and pulled away from him. The cadet said nothing, merely crossed the hallway and shoved his hand through the wall. Steel crumpled like tin foil, easily peeled away and tossed to the side so that Popigai could grab the barrel of the laser pistol. He squeezed, barely even trying, and Ben couldn't help but wince at the sharp squealing noise that the metal made as it scraped together. The barrel was twisted backward and shoved through the frame. It kicked up electricity, sputtering, and whined as it was rendered useless.
Ben stared, mouth agape. "I… what was that?" He had been shot at before, of course. He couldn't understand why he was suddenly having such a hard time processing it. Everything felt fuzzy. It wasn't spinning, thankfully, but Ben felt detached. His thoughts and reactions seemed delayed.
Shaking his head slowly, Popigai grimaced. He retracted his hand from the wall, looking uneasy. Ben wasn't sure if that was from the near-death experience, punching through the wall, or taking a laser to the back. "A trap," he replied simply. "There will probably be more all over this area of the ship, now that Argyle has activated them. We'll need to keep an eye out." His expression shifted to an emotion that Ben couldn't describe. "Are you alright?"
The question startled Ben from his thoughts, gaze snapping from the hole in the wall to Popigai's face once more. "Me? I'm… yeah, I'm— fine. Fine. What about you? You're the one who took the blast. Didn't it hurt?"
Surprised, as if he hadn't expected the concern, Popigai shrugged half-heartedly. "A little, I suppose. Peranite doesn't conduct heat. My armor took most of the damage." He turned his back to Ben, gesturing behind him at the large scorch mark scarring his meticulously kept white armor. The direct middle was melted, the Dyneema fabric beneath frayed but still holding. What Ben could see of his diamond-hard skin was ashy, but not cracked or broken at all. "Don't worry. We're pretty durable, Ben. It's fine."
As Popigai turned back, Ben wiped the grimace off his face. "Sure," he agreed absentmindedly. "I still don't like you taking hits for me."
The noise that Popigai made was somewhere between a laugh and an exasperated groan. He turned back to Ben, flexing his upper body as though only to prove that he still could. "I know that. But at the end of the day, one of us has skin made out of the second-hardest material in the galaxy, and it's not you." He gave Ben a pointed look. Somehow, the teen managed to keep from squirming under the intensity. "Don't argue about this, Ben. Taking the hit for you was the most logical choice. One of us is replaceable, and the other person is you." He said it as a joke but his smile was so tight that it almost looked painful.
Mouth dry, all Ben could manage was, "I'm not more important than anyone."
He knew that Popigai must have heard him but the cadet continued as though he hadn't. "If that trap activated when we opened the door, there's probably a motion sensor or camera nearby. Do you see anything?"
Ben shrugged half-heartedly, gesturing toward the glint of a camera lens tucked into the seams of the wall above their heads. Little flashes of black set against a steel backdrop weren't very easy to miss. He let Popigai shoot it out without saying anything. He wanted to say something, of course, but he didn't know how to go back to their previous conversation without sounding desperate. Did Popigai think that Ben was important or did he mean the Omnitrix?
Both of them fell to silence as they worked through the hallway. Ben wondered if Popigai felt the tension too but figured that it must be only him. He kept sneaking glances at the cadet out of the corner of his eye that couldn't have gone unnoticed but were ignored anyway. The why of that wasn't entirely clear to Ben but he gave up after a few minutes with a sigh.
Not that there was much time to talk in between ducking laser fire, but still. It was sort of annoying. Ben would have liked to talk about something, but given his current mood, he didn't think that he would be able to keep up a casual conversation for very long. He hated small-talk. Besides, if he distracted them with talking, there was a good chance that they would miss the next time a wall slid back to reveal the muzzle of a blaster. Given that Ben was the one leading them, he would prefer to avoid that.
"How far do you think we should go?" Popigai asked, the first thing he had said to Ben since they started their self-appointed task.
"Missed one," Ben replied instead, pointing directly above their heads. As soon as he did, the panel next to the camera embedded in the ceiling popped open. Ben's eyes widened in alarm as he stared up at the red energy beam building down the blaster's shaft.
A peranite shard buried itself in the barrel of the gun and Ben managed to come back to himself enough that he didn't stumble when Popigai yanked him out of the way. He felt the brief heat of the explosion ghost across his skin, making his hair stand on edge. Looking back, there was a hole in the ceiling and both the blaster and camera were in pieces. There was a scorch mark on the ground where both of them had been standing and bits of metal were scattered around the area.
A little bit shaken, Ben shared a look with Popigai. He smiled in relief and the Petrosapien snorted, covering his mouth to bite back a laugh.
"Probably a few hallways over. We can make a little square since these halls are set up like a grid," Ben settled on. He was finding it hard to suppress his grin, not that it was a bad thing. It was a nice change from his sour mood recently.
"That should work. Each hall has eleven blocks, so… why don't we say a five-by-five grid, to be safe?" Popigai tilted his head thoughtfully. "I was thinking that we should save some of these blasters. They wouldn't do much against Argyle, but they'll at least distract him. They should hurt Murowa, too. Unless Nemuinas have indestructible skin."
"I don't think they do." Ben hummed as he tried to remember the few times he turned into Pesky Dust. "I never took a lot of damage as that alien but I never felt indestructible." He scoffed. "And, trust me, you feel that sort of thing. The indestructible aliens come hard-wired with some sort of instinctive superiority complex." He paused, then added, "Present company excluded, of course."
Popigai laughed. "No, I agree. Petrosapiens are some of the most high-and-mighty beings I've ever come across. I was only ever good in the academic studies at the Academy, so I never developed that ego."
Taken aback, Ben blinked in surprise. "But that shot you just made was amazing!"
An awkward smile came to Popigai's lips. The color of his face deepened from lavender to violet. "Yes, but that's very close-range. I'm an awful shot with my shards. I'm not even that strong. Erm, well, by Petrosapien standards, anyway." He shrugged it off as his flush gradually faded. "Anyway, yeah, I think that we could rewire some of these blasters to work for us. Either we take them out of the wall completely, or leave the cameras that are motion detectors. Of course, that increases the likelihood of one of us blundering into it, but it's the easier option."
Ben nodded absently, deciding to let the personal subject drop as he turned away from Popigai. "I've been keeping count. Some of these aren't actually motion detected. They're being activated whenever we're in the perfect position to be shot, so someone is watching us. Probably Argyle." He turned the corner to another section of hallway, eyeing the smooth, metal walls that were no doubt hiding more unpleasant surprises. "I don't really see him doing grunt work, though. If we can narrow down some of the motion-detector ones, keeping them in the wall is probably our best—"
There was a blur of purple that flashed in his vision, much too dark to be Popigai's familiar crystals. Ben stumbled back automatically, reaching for the Omnitrix. He barely had time to choke back a shout of alarm when whoever it was — the color was all wrong for it to be Argyle — grabbed him by his bare wrist.
He lashed out to absolutely no effect, kicking the Petrosapien in the knee and only getting an aching toe for his efforts. Ben was lifted up and out of the way, tossed almost gently to the side. His side throbbed in protest but he managed to stay on his feet, straightening up just in time to watch another laser blast leave a hole in the ground where he had been standing a mere moment before.
"It's getting really annoying having to be saved from those things," he muttered to himself. With the rush of adrenaline fading, Ben's gaze jumped up to Popigai as he rounded the corner, alarmed, and quickly shifted his attention to the new-comer.
As soon as he did, that distinctive coloring became all the more recognizable. Ben felt his jaw become unhinged, though he quickly snapped his mouth shut as a scowl replaced his bug-eyed look of shock.
"Now, I know what you're going to say." Conway held his hands up placatingly, looking more nervous than Ben had ever seen him. "'How dare I,' yeah? Well, in my defense, I—"
Though he said nothing, Conway automatically quieted as Ben crossed the few feet separating them. He arched a brow, confused, and made no move to stop the teen's approach. The anxious look in his eyes was quickly wiped away when Ben grabbed him on the inside of the elbow — the same way he had when Conway first back-stabbed him — and squeezed as hard as he could.
The noise that Conway made was unquantifiable. Ben had no words to describe it with, only that it radiated pain. He let go only once the Petrosapien had collapsed, forced to take a knee as he clutched the soft spot in his nigh-impenetrable body. Had there been human skin or blood vessels there, Ben was convinced that he would have left a bruise. Maybe next time Conway would think to wear his armor properly instead of leaving his arms and legs exposed.
"Was that really necessary?" An exasperated, albeit relieved, voice chimed in. The sound of it sent a chill down Ben's spine, eyes wide. He had to compose himself before he could turn to face Tetrax.
The empty elevator shaft behind him answered the question of where both of them had come from. Ben couldn't figure out if he had been stupid enough to miss the sound of the elevator doors being pried open or if it was some sort of wiring malfunction. He doubted that they would have taken the effort to climb up an elevator shaft if it was functioning properly.
Ben lifted his gaze to meet Tetrax's, only to just as quickly look away. "Yeah," he said, managing to sound far calmer than he actually was. "It makes me feel better. It's not like I forgave Kevin without kicking his butt a few times first. And I'm pretty sure that I punched you at least once."
Though the Petrosapien smiled, it was tense and forced. "Yes, well… You can always return the favor if it helps. I know I deserve it." He extended his left arm, rolling back the metallic fibers of his armor to display that sensitive area of the inner arm.
For a long moment, Ben only stared. It was tempting, in a twisted sort of way that made him uncomfortable. He sighed, dragging his eyes back up to Tetrax's wary expression. "Nah, it's… I'm good. Thanks for offering anyway." He forced a smile, little more than a twitch of his lips, but Tetrax relaxed as though a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Ben turned to Conway, still on the ground, and extended his hand. "Sorry about that. Need help getting back on your feet, dude?"
Conway sort of smirked, darkly amused by something, but accepted Ben's hand. His grip was as soft as possible, taking care not to crush the slender appendage in his grasp as he hefted himself to his feet. "No need to apologize. I earned that, didn't I?" He glanced over his shoulder at Popigai, then turned his attention to the laser that had almost killed Ben. Again. It wasn't firing, so it must have been part of the motion-activated variety. "That was a hell of a greeting, though. Does saving your ass from getting fried make us even?"
Despite himself, Ben cracked a smile. "I'll think about it. It took Kevin five years for me to like him again and sometimes, I think I'm still on the fence about it," he joked. Cracking jokes felt familiar. Easy, almost. It didn't fix the turbulent feelings in his chest but it certainly made it easier to pretend that they weren't there.
"So," Tetrax spoke up, stepping forward. "Care to fill us in on all that's happened, Ben? I assume you have a plan for taking down Argyle." Even as he said that though, Ben could feel his stare slip down to the blood-stain taking up most of the left side of the hero's abdomen. The glimmer of concern in his eyes was unmistakable.
Uncomfortable, Ben couldn't help but shift a little bit closer to Popigai. He knew that his friends had every right to be concerned and yet he didn't want to acknowledge it. "Yeah. I do, actually." He forced himself to stand up a little bit straight, squaring his shoulders. "You guys can help us out. Do you think you can trust me?" His hand drifted to his wound self-consciously. "Trust me to know what I'm doing, I mean."
Tetrax and Conway shared a look. Whatever passed between their gazes, they both quickly reached the same conclusion. "Absolutely," Tetrax chimed in as Conway nodded.
Trusting them in return was going to take some time but Ben felt himself smile anyway. It was a start. "Alright," he sighed, giving Popigai a side look. The cadet only flashed a grin, a clear sign that Ben was going to handle this conversation on his own. The trust on display made Ben's chest warm with affection and he turned back to the latest additions to his team. "We're going to capture Argyle before the Plumbers show up, okay? Here's how we're going to do it..."
A/N: Or, more aptly titled: "The one where literally all they do is talk and that's it, so I hope that you like dialogue."
This next chapter got incredibly long, so I split it into parts for ease of reading and navigation. I don't expect anyone to sit through a 12k word chapter — frankly, I've been pushing it with chapter-length as it is.
The next two parts are still the same chapter, they're just being posted separately. Part One will go up on Sunday, as normal, and Part Two will go up on Monday, to give my up-to-date readers some time to finish the first part. It won't be a long wait, so see you all then!
Chapter Thirty-Three: Down in Flames (Parts One and Two)