Rook Shar knew when her father was angry and he wasn't angry now.

Oh, he had been. For the whole work day, she sensed some unspoken tension between her father and her eldest brother. She tried sticking by Blonko as much as she could, trying to gauge the source of the conflict, but her brother wasn't saying anything. She knew Da and Blonko were going to talk about it when she and the rest of the family went inside to wait for the sun to rise again. She expected to come back to find the two glaring and exchanging silent, but meaningfully sharp looks. At worst, yelling. She didn't expect to find Da standing on the field alone.

"Get back to work," her father told the family before they could question Blonko's absence. "Blonko will be back soon."

They began working but Blonko didn't come back. As the day passed, Da's anger slowly began to fade into concern. He didn't say anything, not wanting to worry his wife or children, but Shar was no fool. She could see the quick glances past the terraces and the way Da's fingers twitched around his harvesting tool. Eventually, the others began to notice it too.

"When is Blonko coming back?" Young One asked, swinging his tiny harvesting tool in a way that would normally earn him a scolding. The fact neither Da nor Bralla were saying anything was telling.

"Do not worry yourself, grey tail," Da assured him but Shar could see the tightness on his face. "Your brother will be fine. I am sure he did not go far."

It was at this moment one of the neighboring farmers overheard and came over to talk with an urgent look in his eyes. Speaking in hushed whispers, Shar couldn't quite hear what they were talking about but she knew it couldn't be good. She thought she heard something about trouble at the next village over but she couldn't be certain.

"Blonko is probably just hiding from the girls in the village again," Shim commented quietly, eyes not leaving her father and neighbor. Shar tried her best to muster a smile but she kept her lips shut. Normally, she was all for making fun of her eldest brother with her siblings but today, she knew she couldn't put her heart in it. Da's worry was scaring her.

The neighbor left and Da returned to his work, not saying anything to the family. Shar tried focusing on her own work but her attention kept flickering back to Da. Unable to stop herself, she blurted out, "What did the neighbor say? Is Blonko okay?"

Da let out a long breath and straightened, placing the tip of his harvesting tool carefully against a stone by his feet to avoid any unnecessary damage. "Your brother stormed off in the direction of the lakeside village. The neighbors say there was some trouble there."

"What kind of trouble?"

"A fire. And possibly some aliens."

The women of the family froze, looking up. Young One's tail went up with interest but he seemed to sense now was not the time to get excited over the possibility of alien activity on Revonnah. Shar knew better than to assume any alien presence was bad but paired with a fire, she was sure this was bad news. She hoped her brother was okay.

As if on cue, familiar footsteps sounded and a voice sliced through the worry in the air. "Father! Father!"

"Blonko!" Genuine relief spread across Da's features as Blonko barreled into him. Da wrapped his arms around him in an uncharacteristic display of affection before placing his hands on the boy's shoulders and looking at him sternly. "Do not do that again."

"Forgive me, Father," Blonko replied and it sounded like he meant it. "I saw something strange and I had to investigate."

"Did you see the aliens?" Young One piped up, unable to keep quiet. He dropped his harvester, letting it clang against the ground, and he scurried over to his brother. He latched onto his leg, showing how worried he'd been but he was young and unable to ward off his childish curiosity for long.

Something unreadable flashed across Blonko's features. "I believe so."

Shar knew there was something he wasn't sharing but she didn't say anything. Now wasn't the time. And Da was still fretting and she wasn't about to interrupt that. "Are you injured?"

"No. I am unharmed," Blonko responded but he didn't sound as confident as he should. He lifted up his left arm. "This attached itself to my arm. It is stuck and I was unable to remove it."

Da frowned and took his hand, lifting Blonko's arm so he could see it better. Shar tried not to seem nosy but she couldn't help but lean over a bit so she could peer at it better. It was a strange thing, unlike anything she had ever seen. It was metal, clearly, but melded into an unnatural shape obviously designed to fit a wrist. Likely not a Revonnahgander wrist, judging by its thickness. And the white wires and the dial with green markings- they looked complicated. Whatever this was, it was definitely alien.

"Bralla, Shar," Da instructed, "please hold him. I am going to see if I can use my harvesting tool to get it off."

"You are not going to cut his hand off?" Young One asked, clinging to Blonko's leg a bit tighter.

"Of course not," Da responded, trying and failing not to scoff. "I am just going to try to cut the metal. Do not be concerned. I will not hurt your brother. Now, go play with Shi and Shim. We will resume the harvest once Blonko is free."

This seemed to appease Young One and he scampered off with his two youngest sisters, leaving the eldest of the family to help Blonko. Trying her best to keep a strong stance, Shar shifted her footing and took a place beside her mother bracing Blonko's arm. Blonko didn't really look nervous but he seemed apprehensive. Eager to get the contraption off but appropriately uneasy to have a sharp object so close to something so vital. He trusted Rook Da though, they all did, so a calm washed over them and they left Da to his efforts.

Da started by trying to cut the gadget off. He scraped the tip of the tool against the metal but it didn't leave so much as a scratch. He then tried to maneuver the tool between Blonko's wrist and the device but a yelp from Blonko stopped that attempt before it got very far and Da went back to scraping.

"Have you tried pressing these buttons?" Shar asked when Da put down his harvesting tool to wipe his brow. Nothing he was trying was working and he was getting tired.

"No." Shar wasn't sure if Da and Bralla were buying it but she could tell her brother was lying. Maybe he'd figured out what the device was for, or maybe hitting the buttons had something to do with how it had gotten stuck to him in the first place. Either way, it was rare to see Blonko lie and Shar was getting curious. What did he know about this strange contraption?

"Perhaps we should visit Master Kundo," Bralla suggested, speaking up for the first time that day, gentle voice drawing everyone's attention. Da's expression shifted and Shar knew he was pondering her words. Shar wouldn't say it was rare for her mother to speak but she was by far the most quiet member of the family, which was saying something. Everyone in the village valued her wisdom. They listened when she spoke, and for good reason. She always had good ideas and she certainly had a good idea here. "If tools cannot scratch it, the Stone Cutter might be able to."

"Would that not break my wrist?" Blonko questioned with a frown. Shar and Bralla released him, sensing that Da's attempts to free him were over. "It is only the beginning of the harvest season. I would not like to burden the village by being unable to contribute this year. The device is not harming me. Maybe it would be better to wait."

"Master Kundo is very skilled," Da pointed out. He looked to Shar. "I need to resume my work here and speak to our neighbors about what happened to the other village. Take your brother to Master Kundo and see what he thinks of the contraption. If he can get it off without harming Blonko, consent for him to do so. If not, listen to whatever he has to say and come back to the field. We wasted many daylight hours already."

"Yes, Father," the siblings echoed and turned away, snatching their harvest tools off the ground before taking off. Now that some of Shar's worry was starting to wash away, she was starting to get a bit excited. They almost never got time off during the daylight hours, especially during harvest season. And to see Kundo, that was even rarer. Blonko trained with him somewhat extensively but the rest of the family never saw the man much. This alone made the trip worth it.

Kundo preferred to be isolated but he and his family were still members of the village so they didn't live too far off. Their home was a ways from the center of the land and Kundo's lair sat at the edge of the territory, far from the terraces and closer to the stones where amber ogia grew wild. A fitting spot for a fighting master. Here, he had the peace to focus on his training and his skills made him adept to tend to the fruit in more remote areas.

He wasn't in the fields when Shar and Blonko arrived. They saw a few members of his family but no Kundo. Thankfully, the farmers were kind enough to direct the pair to the cliffs where Kundo was supposedly harvesting the stray fruits who managed to grow there. Why he didn't wait until the end of the season when they were scraping for every last fruit, Shar didn't know but she knew better than to question someone as respected and revered as Kundo.

Brother and sister walked in silence. As they neared the cliffs, Shar realized she should have tried to say something to her brother on their way. Figure out what he wasn't telling, try to comfort him, anything. But they were here and it was too late to say anything now. "Master Kundo!"

A figure hanging from the cliffside, harvesting tool in hand, looked up at the sound of his name. "Who is it?"

"Rook Shar and Rook Blonko! Rook Da's eldest son and daughter," Shar called in response. "We need help!"

"I am coming!" Kundo yelled back in response. He hooked his harvesting tool over his shoulder and began clambering back. It looked difficult, he was on a nearly vertical surface, but he did so with ease. With stunning strength and agility, Kundo found the tiniest footholds on the cliff face and made his way back to the solid ground. Not for the first time, Shar wished she'd taken after her brother and studied Revonnah Kai under Master Kundo. She knew the basics but it was not meant for her so she never learned anything to this degree. It was fascinating to watch though.

The elder Revonnahgander landed neatly before the two. Blonko was familiar with him but Shar felt the need to bow her head or avoid his gaze. She didn't, of course, but it felt like she should. Kundo just had a presence to him.

"What is wrong?" Kundo asked, looking down at the pair. "Is there trouble?"

"No. Well, yes but it has passed," Blonko explained hurriedly. He held up the device on his wrist. "There was an attack on the lakeside village. Aliens, they say. I went down to help them put out a fire but this got stuck to my wrist. I was unable to remove it and neither was my father. My mother suggested your Stone Cutter technique may have some use if nothing else works."

Kundo put a hand to his chin in thought and leaned over to inspect it. "Is this a trap of some sort? A hunting device meant to catch smaller prey?"

"I… Perhaps. I had not considered that," Blonko admitted and Shar had to say that was a good suggestion. Not one she believed but a good one. Clearly this was some kind of technology and that was out of all of their expertise, except maybe Blonko's but he wasn't saying anything.

"What have you tried so far?"

"My father tried cutting it with a harvesting tool," Shar explained, "but he did not even scratch it. He attempted to wedge the tool between Blonko's wrist and the contraption but it did not work."

"I do not think there is very much room between me and the… um, trap," Blonko added. He rubbed it absently with his free hand. "It does not feel tight nor does it hurt but I do not think there are any gaps."

Kundo hummed in thought before turning and beckoning the pair after him. "Come. I have a few weapons in my dojo that are stronger and sturdier than a harvesting tool. One of them may be able to break the trap."

Shar had never been to Master Kundo's dojo. Visits were always reserved for committed students of Revonnah Kai, which she was not. It was exciting to be here, to see the wrestling mats and all the gear, but there was little for her to do other than brace her brother's arm while Kundo chipped away at it with various weapons and tools. They were interesting and Shar would have liked to hear about them but Blonko seemed to recognize them all so Kundo didn't talk much while he was hacking at the contraption. He let her hold them sometimes when switching between weapons or trying out some kind of alternation. It wasn't very satisfying though. What she really wanted to do was swing them around but alas...

Shar wasn't sure how much time passed but at some point she realized they were wasting a good work day. She wasn't one to complain about such a thing normally yet the amount of time they'd spent on this was becoming alarming. Blonko had already disappeared for a good portion of time today and she didn't want to worry her father any more than necessary. "I do not think any of these tools are going to do any damage."

"Agreed. I believe it is time to try the Stone Cutter," Kundo stated and made his way outside. "Blonko, follow me. Shar, keep your distance."

Both did as they were told. Blonko followed Kundo to an open patch of land lined with stone, undoubtedly a place where the Stone Cutter had been used many times before, while Shar hung back. She kept her eyes fixed on the pair though. Like all things surrounding Revonnah Kai, the Stone Cutter had captured her curiosity.

She couldn't hear what the two were saying but she knew some kind of exchange was taking place. Blonko braced himself and Kundo swept a foot back, throwing himself forward to bring his hand down on the metal device. The force from the blow knocked Blonko off his feet and he clutched his wrist, as if pained. When Kundo offered a hand to help Blonko up, Shar saw that the apparatus was still on his wrist. The Stone Cutter failed as well.

"It did not work," Blonko stated unnecessarily as the pair returned to Shar. He rubbed his wrist and grimaced. Shar shot him a questioning look and he replied with a reassuring smile. "I am uninjured, sister. Do not worry. It merely aches. I am sure I will feel normal soon."

"I do not understand why the Stone Cutter did not work," Kundo mused, eyeing the device with an unsettled glint in his eye. "Alien technology is more formidable than I thought. It does not belong here."

"Perhaps we should visit Magis-"

"Do not visit Wat-Sen!" Kundo snapped so harshly that both Blonko and Shar flinched. The Revonnahgander seemed to catch himself quickly enough to calm down before his fur could fluff out but it was clear that he was getting worked up. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Return to your family. Gather some of the loose amber ogia on the way, make sure the time we spent today wasn't wasted. Give me time to ponder this. I will find a way to remove the trap before the harvest season is over or we will explore more unsavory methods."

"Unsavory?" Shar echoed. Young One had asked about that but he was a child. His mind could cook up the most bizarre things. But for Master Kundo to suggest… "You want to remove his hand?"

Blonko looked alarmed and Kundo put up a hand to silence him. "If it is necessary, then yes. Blonko is one of Revonnah Kai's most gifted students. I do not like the idea of him being harmed by alien technology."

Shar could understand that but she didn't necessarily agree. Blonko's hand was… Well, his hand! He needed it. It was a part of him. And he said the contraption wasn't hurting him. Was something that extreme really necessary? She glanced at her brother, trying to gauge his reaction, but Blonko didn't seem to want to argue anymore. With a neat bow, he thanked Kundo for his time. Unhappily, Shar did the same. "Thank you for your efforts, Master Kundo."

Master Kundo nodded once before retreating, undoubtedly ready to return to his farming. Blonko and Shar adjusted their harvesting tools on their backs and hurried away, more than ready to leave that place. Shar wouldn't say she was frightened. After all, how could she be frightened of one of her fellow villagers? But she felt uneasy being there with Kundo so worked up like he was. She knew he hated aliens and technology, alien technology even more, but disfiguring her brother sounded extreme, even for him.

They stopped by a small patch of amber ogia on the pathway from the cliffside farms to the center fields. Blonko spotted a patch hidden by stones and quietly pointed it out to his sister. She spotted another patch a bit farther up and took that one for herself. They could spend some time here on these hard to harvest spots before they headed back home. Good, Shar wanted to talk to her brother a bit before they returned.

"I know you are hiding something," Shar spoke as she wedged her tool between two stones. Careful not to break them, she jiggled the tool, trying to get the sharp part to catch the vine and slice the fruit free. "There was something you did not tell Father or Master Kundo."

"It is not your concern," Blonko told her. He got to his knees, trying to wedge his harvesting tool into the crack between the stones at a different angle.

"It is my concern when you are lying," Shar responded without hesitance. Feeling some frustration building up, she jabbed her tool a bit harder than she normally would. "This is serious, Blonko. If you do not want to tell Father, I would expect that you would at least tell me."

That made Blonko hesitate. "I know. I just do not know how to explain what I have learned about this device and I am not sure that I want to."

"Come on, Blonko," Shar sighed. Brallada, what was with him? It was just a hunk of metal. Why was he being so paranoid?

"Be careful with your harvesting tool," Blonko cautioned. Shar responded by jabbing her tool a little harder than she had been but she immediately regretted it. She felt something crack under the tip of her tool. Alarm flashed across her brother's face. "Shar!"

She felt the ground shake. She glanced over her shoulder and saw rocks coming loose from up the cliffside. How they were disrupted by such a small change, she did not know but she did know they were barreling down fast. Faster than she could dodge. She looked in her brother's direction, hoping he was far enough to escape but she didn't see him. All she saw was a green flash and suddenly she was flying through the air.

"Antigravitesla!"

She flew faster than the rocks fell but also farther. By the time the rocks hit where she had been standing, she was halfway across the clearing. Her back hit a tree, the sturdy object intercepting her path. Hard. It hurt but her skin didn't break upon contact. Whatever force possessed her released her abruptly, letting her slump down against the tree trunk. She looked up, trying to figure out what happened to her but also trying to locate her brother. But instead of her brother, she saw the impossible.

A tall figure was floating where her brother had been standing. One arm extended, he faced the landslide of rocks only they weren't falling. No, like the figure, they were hovering in the air like- like- Shar had never seen anything like it before.

She couldn't see the figure's face but she could tell it was straining. It moved its hand ever so slightly and suddenly the rocks were hurling back into the cliffside and the figure was blown back. She sidestepped it, letting it fly past her and slam into the same tree with a loud crack. Grabbing her harvester, she ran up to it and pressed the tip against its neck before the figure even had the chance to groan or open its eyes.

Up close, she could easily tell that this thing wasn't a Revonnahgander. It was tall and slender like one but there were slight differences to its build that said otherwise. And if that wasn't enough, its coloring and hair was a give away. It didn't have any fur, save a few tufts on its head and on its face. Instead, it had pale green skin and a tight jumpsuit that covered everything below the face.

"Who are you?" Shar demanded, twisting the tool so the sharp part dug into the stranger's throat ever so slightly. "What are you doing here?"

"Sister, it is me," the figure croaked, eyes wide. "Rook Blonko."

Shar didn't believe it. Not for a moment. This wasn't her brother. No, her brother had fur. And orange eyes. And he was shorter. And he didn't wear things as ridiculous as this. But she could see the earnest look on his face and that made her hesitate. He smiled nervously and Shar dropped her weapon. That was definitely her brother. Somehow, this creature was her brother.

"I think we need to visit Magister Wat-Sen."


It was a little while before Blonko turned back into a Revonnahgander. This transformation seemed to startle Shar equally to, if not more than, the first.

"How did you do that?" she demanded once he was back to normal. Well, normal as he could be with this metal thing stuck to his wrist. "What was that?"

"The device allows the user to undergo some kind of transformation," Blonko replied. He looked at it and the apparatus glared back at him, warm green replaced by angry red. It had done this before. He tried prodding the selection menu back on to no avail. It seemed to be powered down for now. "I transformed by accident when I found it. That is why the fire started."

"You started a fire?!"

"It was an accident," Blonko responded, trying to ignore the guilty feeling in his chest. It really was an accident but he'd still been unable to stop the fire before it hurt the land. It hadn't spread to the trees or the village but it had scorched the earth and he didn't think he could ever forgive himself for hurting his beloved Revonnah. "I did not mean to do it."

Shar frowned, sensing his sudden distress. She put a hand on his shoulder as they walked. "Do not worry, brother. I am sure that Magister Wat-Sen will have some answers."

He knew she was correct but he did not feel much better. "You are right."

She smiled and tried brightening the mood. "So other than Antigravitesla, what other forms are in that contraption?"

"What?" Blonko did not understand her question.

"You know… Antigravitesla. That's what that alien said his name was."

Blonko scowled. "I do not think that is what it was doing."

"Why else would it be shouting nonsense?" Shar responded almost cheekily. Blonko did not have an answer for that. His sister grinned victoriously and shouldered him playfully, her earlier shock already replaced by her usual spirit. "Come on, tell me. What are the names of the others you have seen?"

"The one who started the fire said Archfiend," Blonko told her hesitantly. "The second is a water creature called Tidetail Wave."

"That is a silly name."

"It is," Blonko agreed. The path began to fade into mere stones as they left the villagers' usual stomping grounds. "We can think of a new one, if you would like."

"No. If Tidetail Wave is what he wants to be called, Tidetail Wave is what we shall call him."

Blonko rolled his eyes. "They are not their own beings, Shar. They are just me."

"Nope. They are them and I will call them by their names," Shar declared with a playful glint in her eye before coming to a stop. "Here is the entrance to the tunnel. I do not understand why Magister Wat-Sen feels the need to live so far away."

"He is not that far," Blonko replied as the two stepped into the mountain. It was true, it was not very dark and light could be seen trickling in from ahead. The tunnel was not very deep but it decisively placed a divide between Wat-Sen's home and the rest of the village, even more of a divide than the one between the village's center and where Kundo placed his dojo.

"If I was far, little rascals like you wouldn't be showing up as easily as you are," Wat-Sen spoke up from his seat outside his home as Blonko and Shar stepped into the light. As Blonko said, it really wasn't that far nor was Wat-Sen's home very different from what the siblings were used to. It had the same traditional material and structure as the rest of the homes in the village. This one was just placed behind the mountain. And it wasn't even a big mountain. It wasn't even big enough to hold terraces.

Besides, it was a nice set up. Wat-Sen was close enough to maintain friendly relationships with the village and get supplies when needed but he was far enough that he had enough room to store his Plumber gear and didn't run the risk of any village children getting into it or pestering him when he needed some solitude. Blonko supposed there could be some kind of connection between Kundo's dislike for Wat-Sen and the distance placed between the two but he never felt the need to dwell on it much. He liked both elders and they both seemed happy enough with this arrangement.

"What brings you here?" Wat-Sen asked, not getting up from his seat. It looked like he'd been sunning. "One of the other villagers told me there was some alien trouble by the next village over. You got more news about that?"

"Yes."

"No."

Shar and Blonko exchanged a glance. Technically, neither of them was wrong.

Wat-Sen scratched his head with one hand. "Well, which is it?"

"Blonko was near the incident when it happened," Shar explained. She grabbed her brother's arm, jerking it roughly. "This device attached itself to his arm. Father's tools and Master Kundo's Stone Cutter could not break it. It allows him to transform into other beings."

Blonko wished his sister could be a bit more discreet but he was grateful for his presence. Where he could be shy and hesitant, she could not. She always said what needed to be said. He just hoped Magister Wat-Sen wouldn't laugh at him because he really needed some help here.

"Egad!" Wat-Sen exclaimed at the sight of it. Blonko did not know what that word meant but Wat-Sen fell out of his chair so he assumed that the man recognized it. Scooting over on his knees, Wat-Sen came closer, eyes as wide as amber ogia blossoms as he gazed at the device on his wrist. He lifted his hands, as if awed, but did not touch it. "The Omnitrix! I never thought it was real, let alone that I'd see it with my own eyes."

"So you know what it is?" Blonko asked, something akin to hope bubbling up in his chest.

Wat-Sen nodded. "You could say that. I've only heard the legends."

"Legends?"

"The story goes that this brilliant Galvan- you see, that's this super intelligent species at the edge of the galaxy- built this device to allow someone to access the DNA of a bunch of different species and transform into them. Now, I don't know if this device was meant for peace or war but I can tell you I heard a lot of arguments about it back in the day. I have to say I'm surprised it ended up on your wrist, Rook Blonko."

"I am as well," Blonko admitted. He glanced at the device then back at Wat-Sen. "So do you know how to remove it?"

"Remove it? Gods, no," Wat-Sen replied with a shake of his head. "That watch there is Galvan tech. It's stuck there. I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to remove it. Unless you died or lost an arm or something."

"We are not removing my brother's arm!" Shar shouted before Blonko could even flinch.

Wat-Sen put up his hands defensively. "Wasn't saying we should. Did someone say that they would?"

"Master Kundo," Blonko told him, trying to keep any sullenness out of his voice. He didn't look up from his watch. "He said if we could not get it off by the end of harvest season, he would resort to that."

Wat-Sen frowned. "Well, I don't know the guy well but I doubt he'd want to put one of his best and brightest out of commission for such a silly reason. I'm sure he's just worked up from all the activity lately. He'll come around."

Blonko suddenly remembered the fight from earlier. "The drones!"

"What?"

"After I found the dev- er, the Omnitrix," Blonko explained, already heading for the exit, "I found three drones. The lakeside villagers fought one and I fought the other two with the Omnitrix. They're still in the lake. You should-"

Blonko cut himself off. He wasn't actually sure what he expected Wat-Sen to do. Something, at least. There were alien devices on world and he should probably do something about it sooner or later.

"Do Plumber things?" Shar suggested helpfully with a shrug.

Wat-Sen raised an eyebrow. "Scrap 'em? And trace them to their source?"

"Yes."

"That."

Wat-Sen sighed and stretched, his back creaking and cracking in the process. "I'm getting the sense my easy days are coming to an end. Lead the way, you two. Let's hunt down those drones."


Wat-Sen hadn't really believed Rook Blonko found the Omnitrix until the boy transformed. It wasn't that he thought that Blonko was lying. It was just- Well, how unbelievable was the Omnitrix to begin with?

"Brother!" Shar shrieked as Blonko threw himself and his new aquatic form into the lake, splashing his sister in the process. A long snouted head surface and chattered playfully, as if laughing. Wat-Sen shook his head. The most powerful device in the universe and it was being used to further a sibling rivalry. Shar crossed her arms in mock anger. "Tidetail Wave is a jerk. I shall remember this."

Wat-Sen watched the boy carefully as he swam around the lake as easy as any water native being and searched his mental library for the name of this alien. Tidetail Wave was what Shar had called it but he knew that was a nickname, of course. The creature looked strangely familiar…

"Delphinus," Wat-Sen said aloud, the name forming in his mind like a light switching on. "Or dolphin, as the natives call it."

"What?" Shar looked up from where she was trying to splash her brother back. Tidetail Wave looked up at him, equally confused.

"Dolphin, that is what this species is called," Wat-Sen explained, trying to recall whatever he could about this species. Who was it that told him about them? He wanted to say Patalliday but his gut was telling him it was Tennyson. All water worlds got muddled up in his memories. There were just too many. "They're from a water covered planet called Earth. They're sea hunters but not fish, if I'm remembering right."

Tidetail Wave blew water out through his blowhole as if in agreement.

Wat-Sen cleared his throat, trying to draw his attention back to the matter at hand. "You said there were drones?"

Tidetail Wave nodded and whistled before diving down into the lake. A few moments later, he resurfaced with a hunk of metal in his teeth. With a heave, he tossed it in all its dripping glory onto dry land. He dived down again and soon came back with the second drone, this one impaled by a few harvesting tools.

Shar pulled the spears out of the machine, the metal groaning as it strained. "We should return these to the village. And you said there was a third drone, yes?"

Tidetail Wave nodded and clicked. He pulled away from the edge and swam in a tight circle, chattering in the process. Shar and Wat-Sen exchanged a glance, silently asking if the other understood what the dolphin was saying.

"Maybe we should wait until you change back. How long does that normally take?" Shar asked. Tidetail Wave whistled and reared back, waving his fins. Shar sighed. "That was a stupid question. Nevermind."

"You saw him transform before, right?" Wat-Sen asked, eyes not leaving the alien. "How long did it take for him to change back?"

"A few minutes?" Shar ventured with a shrug. She looked back to her brother. "It has not been long. Have you tried changing back, Blonko?"

Tidetail Wave responded with more chatters and clicks. Wat-Sen sighed. "That device on him looks like a Plumber translator. We should be able to understand him."

There was a flash and suddenly the dolphin was replaced by a Revonnahgander. Blonko yelped as his head went under the water and scrambled to pull himself out. Dripping wet, he told them, "I believe the time outs are random. I was trying to tell you that before the drone had chased the villagers that way. I am sure that they defeated it but we should still investigate."

"Let me have a look at these drones first," Wat-Sen told them, getting down on one knee and popping a panel off the drone to get a look at the inside. "Maybe I can figure out where they came from."

"Blonko and I will collect some branches and leaves to hide them so no one touches them until you can retrieve them," Shar announced and grabbed her brother's sleeve, dragging him away.

"Very clever, Shar," Wat-Sen praised and he meant it but the girl was already out of earshot. Turning his attention back to the drone, he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. He understood the basics of it, of course. Fundamentally drones weren't all that complicated. Hover mechanisms and weapons systems were pretty universal. That wasn't what he was looking for though. Anything unique that set this model aside from others, anything that could tell him where this thing came from.

They were dual tiered disks with a gap between the layers and a power cylinder keeping them together. On all of his adventures, Wat-Sen had seen plenty of drones built this way but what he hadn't seen were the marbled orange orbs placed on it. Some kind of power container, perhaps? Or maybe just a watermark left by its creator, assuming these things weren't mass produced in an industrial factory. He could feel the stirrings of an idea in the back of his mind but no complete thoughts formed. He had no idea what these were.

By the stars, he was getting old, wasn't he? He knew these were newer models at least. If he was young and spry enough to keep up regular duties, Wat-Sen probably would have some experience with these things by now or at least run into one on a mission. The woes of retirement, he supposed. He could still get some use out of these things if he hacked their mainframe but that would take some time. Right now, they'd just have to navigate blindly.

"Did you find anything?" Shar asked, startling Wat-Sen out of his thoughts. Blonko trailed behind her, dragging some leafy branches. He set them down on the unattended drone and fluffed them up, trying to cover whatever he could.

Wat-Sen got to his feet, knees creaking, and shook his head. "Not yet, no. Tonight I'll break out my old gear and see if I can trace a signal. Right now, we should focus on finding that third drone. Pick up these harvest tools. We can get into the village under the premise we're returning them."

"Do we need a premise?" Blonko asked but picked up the tools as instructed. "We are not malintented."

"Always good to have a plan," Wat-Sen told them and began walking in the direction of the village. He gestured for Shar to pick up the rest. "You carry them. My bones are getting too old for this."

"If you are lifting with your bones, I do not think you are doing it correctly," Blonko responded as he adjusted the harvesters on his back. He was tall for his age, nearly as tall as a grown Revonnahgander, but these tools were designed for grown men and the straps fit the tool awkwardly on his back. Shar didn't even try to use the straps, instead opting to carry them. Wat-Sen didn't take much pity on them and began leading the way.

Wat-Sen was familiar with this village, even if he didn't frequent it as much as the village the Rook family lived in. The Rooks' village was closer to the mountains, their farming consisting of terraces and wild amber ogia sprouting up in the more obscure places. The lakeside village was much flatter and their land had much better water access. Wat-Sen didn't know if this helped the crops any but he imagined it did. He wondered if the mountain village ever tried seizing this land. They had the region's Revonnah Kai master, afterall, so they had the warriors to do so if they wished. But maybe he was just projecting the rest of the universe's violent tendencies onto these peaceful people.

The journey was easy. Thanks to the flatness of the land, there was no need for paths and it wasn't difficult to spot buildings in the distance. Some farmers had noticed their arrival as they neared and intercepted them when they were about halfway from the lake to the village.

"Halt and state your business," the head farmer of the patrol barked but he didn't sound hostile. Maybe a bit wary of Wat-Sen but he seemed receptive to the younger Revonnahganders' presence.

"I'm Magister Wat-Sen," Wat-Sen introduced, though the statement probably wasn't necessary. He was an alien. Everyone knew who he was. He gestured to his companions. "These two are Rook Blonko and Rook Shar, from the village up the mountains. Blonko helped with the fire earlier and told me you had some alien sightings. I already found two of the drones. I just wanted to see if you'd taken out the third."

The head farmer eyed Wat-Sen but his face relaxed a bit when he saw Blonko. "I am relieved to see that you are safe."

Blonko smiled politely. "I have returned with the harvesting tools you left behind."

"Thank you," the farmer responded with a dip of his head and gestured for his fellow villagers to retrieve them from Blonko and Shar. He turned back to Wat-Sen. "My men fought the flying machine but did not defeat it. After some time, it became uninterested in us and left. I do not know where the fire-starting demon went either. Someone told me it fell into the lake but none of us have returned. I fear it will cause more trouble if we do."

"Well, I visited the lake on my way here and I saw nothing," Wat-Sen informed him. Blonko was the fire demon, right? He didn't know of any fire wielding species that looked like demons but generally fire-wielding lifeforms didn't take to water very well. Blonko seemed fine but the fretful part of Wat-Sen wanted to break out his medical tools and listen to the boy's lungs to make sure he was alright. Though he had turned into an aquatic alien right after so maybe it evened out? "You should still be careful though. I'll keep looking for alien activity but I can't be everywhere at once."

"Of course. We appreciate your efforts, Magister Wat-Sen," the farmer replied and folded his hands together to perform a neat but slight bow. "Forgive us if we ever seem unwelcoming. You understand that we are naturally off-put by aliens in this region."

Wat-Sen waved him off. Yeah, it hurt at first but he was used to it at this point and it didn't really bother him like it used to. "Don't worry about it, brother. Now stay safe out there."

"Will do," the farmer replied and turned away. The rest of the farmers followed them. Wat-Sen wouldn't say it but it pleased him that none of them shot him distrustful glares over their shoulders as they left after everything that happened. He sensed tension and unease among them but the lack of outright hostility counted as progress in his book.

"Well, this was a waste of time," Shar stated, putting her hands on her hips.

"At least we returned the harvesting tools."

"Enough with the harvesting tools."

"It is harvesting season. They need them."

"You are insufferable, Blonko."

"It is harvesting season," Wat-Sen noted, "which means your father probably wants you two back in the fields. We've had enough excitement for today. I'll bring you two back home and then I'll get started on tracing those drones."

Blonko and Shar sobered up. "What do you think they are doing here?"

Wat-Sen frowned, wondering how much he should tell them. He had suspicions but nothing solid yet and he didn't want to scare them. "Well, normally aliens are after your amber ogia and if it was just the drones, I'd say that was the case but with the Omnitrix here, I'm not sure. I can't help but think something bigger is going on."

Blonko looked at the watch. "This device is very powerful and if what you say is true, it is well-known so I would not be surprised if many people are after it."

"That's why we gotta keep quiet and keep our heads down." Wat-Sen paused as he was met with blank stares. "That is an Earth expression. It means don't say anything and don't let anyone see you transform."

"I was not planning on letting that happen nor do I plan on transforming much," Blonko replied evenly, rubbing his wrist absently. "I do not doubt I will be able to keep the Omnitrix hidden."

Wat-Sen cracked a smile. That was just about all he could hope for. If someone found out about the Omnitrix's presence on Revonnah, he didn't think he'd be able to keep the planet safe on his own.


The Omnitrix was on Revonnah.

A lowly world compared to the ones he'd had seen. From the visuals provided by his drone, he knew this was a farming world and he had no interest in farming. At least that meant this planet wouldn't have any formidable defenses. It was bad luck the battle had resulted in the Omnitrix being lost but karma was in his favor today. It wouldn't be hard to retrieve the Omnitrix from this world.

But the Omnitrix bearder was stronger than he had assumed. He'd used his Delphinus form exceptionally well, like he'd already mastered it. Other than that, the drones had only observed him in his Phantophage form so the observer didn't have enough data to estimate how powerful he was but he knew he would have to proceed with caution. He didn't think this planet had many warriors but he couldn't afford to make any mistakes. Not right now, not with the Omnitrix so close. It was almost within his sights. It felt like he could almost touch it.

A finger jabbed the intercom and the observer spoke into it. "Drone #2814, continue to scout. And send your location to Tetrax Shard."