Scout knew his pacing was stressing out Ship but he couldn't help it. He hadn't seen Rook in hours and he couldn't help but fear the worst.

"Do you think he's alright?" Scout asked his new friend, trying not to bite his nails. That wouldn't be good for his claws or his teeth. "I mean, that field wasn't supposed to hurt him but... Oh Luna Lobo, what if we killed him and it's our fault?"

"Ship, ship." Ship was bouncing around again. Scout couldn't read his tone but it was only feeding his anxiety.

"Malware wasn't even really fighting that hard! Maybe we were too hasty. Rook would've been able to talk him down eventually, right? Or- or he's the Omnitrix bearer. He's probably got some kind of alien in there strong enough to beat Malware. Or-"

"Ship!" Ship barked, drawing his attention to the door of the medical facility. Scout's head snapped up to see Rook walking out the front doors, looking just as healthy as he did when Scout saw him that morning. Maybe a little roughed up but he was walking and all in one piece so that was good enough for Scout.

"Rook!" Scout bounded over and skidded to a stop, staring like he couldn't believe Rook was really in front of him. He almost didn't believe it. Xylene seemed so worried when she ran off! And Scout knew Rook had taken a bit of a beating as Kringl in addition to whatever damage Ship's field did. It was unbelievable that Rook was just okay after all that. Unable to voice all of this, he threw his arms up and said, "You're alive!"

Rook chuckled. "It seems I am."

"I thought you were mummy mush!" Scout exclaimed as he rushed forward to embrace his friend. Rook seemed surprised by the action but Scout didn't even care. It just felt good to know his friend was there.

"The field didn't affect him much. The Omnitrix just timed out and his natural form just got overwhelmed from the sudden change, with the magnetic field and all," Xylene explained. Scout jumped. He hadn't realized she was there. Or Bahrvad for that matter. Where did he come from? He thought he was helping Albedo lock Malware back up.

"If anything, his fur got messed up more than anything else," Bahrvad joked, earning a glare from the Revonaahgander. "It was sticking up all over the place."

Rook sighed and put his hands on his hips. "If you are done, we should get going."

Scout tipped his head, still reeling too much to follow the conversation. "What? Where?"

"Did Albedo not tell you?" Bahrvad asked. Scout shook his head. "There's a ceremony tonight. Taking down Malware was a big deal. The Galvans want to commend you for it."

Scout blinked, surprised. He really hadn't given anything like that any thought. They were Plumbers, or training at least. Seeing danger and running toward it felt natural. It was their job, afterall. And they were getting congratulated? That was nice, he supposed, though he did wonder if they really deserved it.

Rook shouldered Scout, pulling him out of his thoughts, and smiled. "Come on. Let us get those knots out of your fur. You look almost as bad as I did and I had just gotten out of an electrical field!"

Scout smirked and shoved him back. "Shut up, you know my fur looks better than yours anytime of the day!"

"Ship! Ship, ship!"

"Yeah, yeah. We'll give you a bath too, Ship. You'll be so shiny the other Galvanic Mechamorphs won't know what hit them!"

Lllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It was clear Azmuth didn't want to be here. That was fine because Rook didn't want him to be here either.

"As many of you know, the mutated Galvanic Mechamorph I keep in my lab escaped today. In the past, he took the lives of many Galvans and Galvanic Mechamorphs alike," Azmuth began. Rook swallowed. He didn't know Malware had a history of, uh, violence. Actually, he didn't know any of Malware's history. He'd just assumed that the attack today was a one time thing. Was it a common occurrence? "Thankfully, his attempts to hurt the Galvan race were thwarted without any injured thanks to these two visitors, Rook Blonko and Scout Alazraqui."

Rook kept his chin up and shoulders square as he looked out at the audience. They were mostly Galvans but there were a handful of Galvanic Mechamorphs and offworlder Plumbers as well. He didn't recognize many and he doubted he would recognize many more if he was any closer. Still, it was a bit humbling to be looking at them all like this. It was a reminder. Of what, Rook wasn't positive. That he was just an individual, of how small he was, how far he had to go, that sort of thing.

He tried to relish the moment but he couldn't. Too many thoughts running through his head. But he forced them down and smiled. It was what they expected of him, afterall, and he was never one to displease.

The crowd clapped as Azmuth finished and Rook caught Xylene and Bahrvad's eye. They looked proud, almost, to see him and Scout up there. They probably were. He hoped they were. If Rook wanted anyone to be proud of him, it was probably those two.

Albedo came out on a hover platform and presented each of them with what Rook assumed was the Galvan equivalent of a medal. It was more than just a piece of metal, Rook could tell that much, but he couldn't make much sense of it at the moment. He couldn't wait to crack it open and see what kind of wiring awaited him inside. But to his surprise, Scout shook his head and refused it.

"We don't deserve these," he spoke lowly, too quiet for the audience to hear. "We didn't even do anything. Well, you did, Rook, but it was Ship and the Galvanic Mechamorphs who took Malware down."

Rook found himself nodding. As thrilling as it was to get awarded, Scout was right. "I do not think Malware had any harmful intentions. I do not think he planned on escalating very far."

"I understand your positions on the matter," Albedo told them, matching their quiet tones. He had a fake grin plastered on his face, directing it toward the crowd to ward off any question that he was doing anything other than his job. He spoke through his teeth. "Just take the medals for publicity's sake. Malware's a big name on Galvan Prime. News of his escape travels fast and his recapture even faster. There would be questions if you weren't recognized."

"But this ceremony doesn't even do anything. There are real problems here, Albedo."

"I know. I convinced Azmuth to clear his schedule and speak to you two in person. You can give him your qualms then."

The flash of surprise was so strong Rook found the medal in his hand without even realizing he took it. "Thank you."

Scout put his ears back unhappily but he accepted the award. "I want to talk to Azmuth about how the Galvanic Mechamorphs are treated here."

"You will have the chance."

"And I want to talk to Malware," Rook added. Now, it was Albedo's turn to be surprised but it didn't seem like a bad kind of surprise. Mutely, he nodded and Rook nodded before turning to the audience and giving a friendly wave. He could suck up to a crowd if it meant he'd get the answers he sought.


"I sense you are upset with me."

It was another day before Scout and Rook got the chance to return to the labs. As Albedo promised, they got the chance to talk to Azmuth and Malware but Rook wanted some time alone with the mutated Mechamorph and Azmuth was nowhere to be seen which left Scout and Azmuth wandering the museum halls.

"You think?" Scout responded sarcastically. Ship hopped up onto his shoulders and prodded him in the face gently. Scout rolled his eyes. "Ugh, fine. I'll knock it off if you knock it off, buddy. Look, Albedo, how you reacted to Ship really upset me. I know… I know this is your world and maybe it's not my place to say anything but you knew what Ship is and you did nothing. No, you did more than nothing. You told us to ignore him so he'd lose hope of helping Baz-I and melt. That's pretty messed up, man."

Albedo pursed his lips and fell silent but Scout knew he wasn't ignoring him. He was thinking. Deeply. That was a bit more than Scout had hoped for. He half-expected Albedo just to blow him off again but it seemed like he'd really put some thought into this, even before now. Scout's ears pricked, listening carefully so he'd hear whatever Albedo had to say when he found the right words.

"I won't try to justify my actions," Albedo stated, surprising Scout more than he thought it would. "I know I made a critical error. The Galvanic Mechamorphs have earned my respect."

"Even if they didn't, that doesn't mean you can be so careless about them."

"That is true, I suppose," Albedo conceded slowly. "I believe… I believe the Galvan race could learn something from you, Scout Alazraqui. And you too, Ship."

"Ship?" Ship cocked his head, peering at Albedo before bouncing excitedly. "Ship! Ship, ship!"

Scout couldn't keep his tail from wagging. Ship's was too, if the pointed end of his body counted as a tail. "You mean it?"

"Galvans are still intellectually superior, of course," Albedo responded and Scout wasn't sure if he was really being arrogant or just saying it out of habit "but I must admit that sometimes we're… lacking when it comes to the more, um, empathetic sphere. And that prevents us from being the most we can be."

"You got that right," Scout snorted. Albedo raised an eyebrow. Scout coughed awkwardly. "Sorry. I know you're trying to apologize."

"I understand you're from the Anur System. I would be interested to see how your perspective could benefit the relations between the Galvan race and Galvanic Mechamorphs. After you leave, I would like to remain in contact. I know I for one could benefit from hearing thoughts that are not my own," Albedo told him. "And, if you would be willing to set aside the past few days… No, nevermind."

"No, I want to hear it," Scout insisted, coming to a stop to properly look at the Galvan. "What is it, Albedo?"

"I was going to suggest we attempt… friendship. You are a very peculiar creature, Scout. I believe I would enjoy conversing with you semi-regularly after you depart. Even on matters outside of science and race relations."

Scout broke into a grin. "I'd enjoy conversing with you semi-regularly after I depart too, Albedo. As long as you don't bully Ship anymore!"

"Ship, ship!"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Albedo replied with a smile.


Malware was back in his cage when Rook entered. It wasn't all that obvious, just an energy field boxing him into the corner of the lab, but both knew it was there. It was depressing, almost. Like seeing an animal locked up in a zoo, far from its friends and migrating grounds. Malware looked unhappy to be there but it went unsaid that everyone knew exactly why he needed to stay constrained.

"I looked up what you said on the extranet," Rook told him upon his arrival, walking through the wide door frame leading up to Azmuth's lab. At the moment, Azmuth was nowhere to be seen. Good. Rook wanted to talk to Malware alone. Azmuth's presence would only muddle things up.

Malware looked up. "What?"

"'We ought to be their Adam, Omnitrix bearer, but instead we were their monster,'" Rook quoted, coming to a stop a few paces away from the imprisoned Mechamorph. "You said that during our fight. It is a reference to a piece of literature from Earth. Have you read it?"

"No."

Rook gave him a look.

"...It's my favorite story. I haven't read it in awhile. Before Azmuth, y'know... Malware gestured to the energy field around him. "Before I started having my, uh, episodes, I used the extranet a bit and I found that book."

"It is an allegory of another story," Rook said, sitting down on the metal lab floor. Malware watched him for a moment before settling down himself. It was almost domestic. It reminded Rook of all those hours he spent sitting on the floor with his siblings, sharing stories and toys. He wasn't quite sure how he felt about Malware being in his sisters and brother's place but he found himself unbothered by it. "I could not find the original. Have you?"

"Yeah. Not on the extranet though," Malware explained, lifting his head a bit. "There was this human who used to come by once in a while. He told me about it. His name was Max, I think. He was one of Xylene's friends, you can ask her to get into contact with him if you want to hear the story yourself."

"I want to hear it from you," Rook told him earnestly and he meant it.

Malware paused. "Well, um, so in the original story, this omnipotent being called God made a being called a human in his image. I'm not really sure why. I think it's kind of cruel to bestow life upon someone like- Um, anyway, God called the first human Adam. He was supposed to be the first of his kind. Until he was ready, God took care of him. He gave him a safe place to live, he gave him a companion, he kept him happy…"

"That sounds nice," Rook murmured, "but not very realistic."

"I guess," Malware muttered with a shrug more telling than his tone. He probably didn't want to hear Rook's commentary but it wasn't like it was untrue. "It's just a story. But the humans wrote another story. The one that you found."

"Frankenstein."

"Yeah. Well, in that one, the human tries to be God from the other story and make life. Only, he wasn't perfect. Humans are very flawed, apparently. The human turned his back on his creation. He had to learn everything on his own and there was no one to teach him the ways of the world or introduce him to people or anything like that. He ended up being really lonely. He didn't have a place in human society and he became a monster because of it."

Rook nodded along. He didn't know what that was like, not exactly, yet something about Malware's words resonated with him.

"The monster wanted a friend but his creator refused to make another one for him and that made the monster turn against him," Malware explained. "I never asked Azmuth for someone like me. I- I could never do that. Everything hurts all the time. My body, that is. I would never want that to happen to someone else. I wanted friends though but my mutation infected other Galvanic Mechamorphs so I asked Azmuth to fix me. He's my father, like God was to Adam or Frankenstein to the monster. He should have fixed me but he just… didn't."

Rook frowned. He wished he was surprised but he wasn't. He'd only seen Azmuth a couple of times but from what he knew, he wasn't a very compassionate being.

"He kept saying he would. Albedo tried sometimes and so did Xylene, whenever she was here, but they're not Father. They don't understand me like he does. Only Azmuth knows how to help me. He doesn't want to though and that's almost worse than living like this," Malware told him quietly. He lifted his hands, looking down at his red-trimmed claws. Sharp, not round like a normal Mechamorph. And he said it hurt. Rook couldn't imagine what kind of pain Malware must be in, both mental and physical, to be stuck in a body like his all the time. "But then you came along."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You. Adam had someone to share the burden of life with. And the monster wanted one. I thought…" Malware trailed off. "The Omnitrix rewrites your DNA. It mutates you. You're still you, you're not like me, but you're different. You know it. Everyone else knows it. I thought… I don't know, maybe you'd understand."

"I do," Rook told him. He didn't know how to express how much he really did. There were no words that could really say it. "Maybe not exactly but I understand how you feel. When I got the Omnitrix, I thought I was a monster. And when I found out I could not take the Omnitrix off, I was angry. I did not ask for this. Azmuth's device changed me without my consent. And when Azmuth refused to even talk to me-"

"-you got angier."

"Yes. I got angrier," Rook went on, "but that does not give me the right to take my anger out on the Galvan race."

"I know," Malware groaned childishly. Rook suddenly realized that Malware probably was, in fact, a child. The realization was jarring. Ship was only a few days old but he was an animal. How old did a Galvanic Mechamorph need to be to an adult? What about a mutant? Surely Malware hadn't reached that point yet, even if he was decades older than Rook physically. "It's just… It's been so long."

"I understand." He didn't, not at all, but his words seemed to console Malware somewhat, if the relief spread across his features meant anything. "I am supposed to talk with Azmuth tomorrow. Would you like to be there when I do? Perhaps we would both be able to better voice our qualms with the other there."

"I'd appreciate that… Sorry, I don't know your name."

"Rook Blonko."

"It's nice to meet you, Rook Blonko."

"It is nice to meet you too as well… Brother."

Rook didn't know Galvanic Mechamorphs could smile but that was definitely what Malware was doing.


Scout spotted Azmuth passing his lab on his hover platform just as Albedo and Scout were making their second loop around the museum. It was enlightening, having a guide like Albedo, but Scout was starting to get bored. He could only spend so much time looking at artifacts and lab work he couldn't understand before he craved something more stimulating. He was a creature of motion, afterall.

"Hey," Scout barked, not loud enough to interrupt whatever conversation Rook and Malware were having in the lab but still loud enough to demand Azmuth look up at him. Albedo turned away, stepping behind Ship like he wanted to pretend he wasn't there. That was fine. Scout didn't need him here anyway, not for this.

"What is it?" Azmuth asked, sighing, as he made his way over. "You're the Omnitrix bearer's friend, aren't you?"

"His name is Rook Blonko," Scout told him, ears pressing flat against his head as his eyes narrowed, "and you're going to use it. Luna Lobo, you have no idea how much I want to chew you into mummy mush but Rook still wants to talk to you so I'm just going to tell you this."

"Oh?"

"Listen to Rook. I don't care what he says, just listen to him. And Malware. Assuming he isn't, y'know, being crazy. Rook sees some good in him and you owe it to the Mechamorphs to at least hear them out. I always looked up to you, Azmuth. Everyone does, not just Academy students. Everyone. And I have to say, meeting you is pretty disappointing. Sure, I get it. You're old and you're busy. I don't care. A load of people respect you and maybe you've done something to earn it but you don't act like it. Start acting like it, Azmuth. You have a responsibility. Not just to the Galvan Race but to the Galvanic Mechamorphs, Malware, and Rook. You made them what they are. A parent's first priority should always be their kids and you've always failed them. Get your act together, Azmuth. Be better."

Azmuth merely raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you done?"

Scout didn't realize he'd gotten so worked up but he was breathing hard and his teeth were showing. He forced his lips back down and tucked in his haunches. "Yeah. I'm done."

"Good. Because I have work to do."

Azmuth continued on his way and Albedo stepped out from behind Ship. The Galvan looked a bit pale when he glanced up at Scout. "I… Wow."

"Yup."

"I envy your guts but I would not want to be you right now. Azmuth isn't the petty type but if you ever need something from him, I do not doubt he will remember this."

"I know," Scout sighed. He turned his gaze down the hall in the direction Azmuth left. "But I don't really care. I meant what I said. I'm sure, like… I don't know. I'm sure he thinks about this a lot. I mean, how can't he? He's the First Thinker. Smartest being in the galaxy. He's got to think about these things all the time. But he still ignores them."

"He does."

"I know that nothing I can say will just magically make him change but I hope he thinks, and I mean really thinks, about what it means to be the First Thinker. And I hope he stops thinking and starts acting. I don't have the power to change anything here but he does." Scout paused, head swiveling to look down at Albedo. "He does, right? He's actually in a position of power? I still don't really know how things work here. I didn't just waste my breath scolding him and all that time being angry for him to just be some guy, right?"

Albedo chucked and Scout relaxed, letting his fur lie flat. "No, he's not just some guy. You're right. He does have the power to change Galvan Prime. More than you'd think, maybe. I believe there are many issues we're overlooking. If Azmuth is ready to open his mind to seeing them, I think he could really make Galvan Prime a better planet before his time comes."

Scout smiled and poked Albedo with a claw, gentle enough not to knock him over. "And you'll yell at him for me if he doesn't?"

Albedo smirked. "Of course. What kind of assistant do you take me for?"

"A loud one."

"Hey!"