Ben 10 Fan Fiction ❯ Original Ben Ten: Th Machaliens ❯ Shadows of warning ( Chapter 11 )

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Now you can all believe that when everyone else had found out what Joel had discovered they were all just as shocked and somewhat as devastated as he was, but not as much. Who could blame him…?

All this time Joel thought I was dead and blamed himself for my death, only to find out now that I was his sworn enemy, and out to get him and his entire family as I planned for world domination. To top it all off, it was now completely official that it really was all Joel's fault that this was happening. If he hadn't punched me during the argument we had back, the canisters would never had fallen down, the lab would never had exploded, and I wouldn't had been forced to rebuild myself into the despicable creature I was now and plot my revenge.

As upset as Gwen was, she finally was able to make sense of certain things—Like how there was human blood in the machine oil she had taken, and why I needed to take serum like Camille did and why I had those freak outs and malfunctions…

Despite saving my life, still being part human, my mutation was highly unstable and acted up from time to time. If I didn't take the serum I would be destroyed by own body ripping itself apart.

Finally… it was all making sense! “So… what do we do now?” asked Ben. As if he had to ask. Everyone had to face facts that I was out there to kill them all, and I already had captured other members of their family. We're they dead yet…? If not, what was I doing to them…?

Worse than that… Camille was in more danger than any of them were. She had no serum left to take. As long s she stayed inside the Rust-Bucket, with the air-conditioning on, and the windows blocked up, she'd be fine.

Gwen analyzed the remains of the serum, but just like everyone else, her scientific knowledge wasn't great enough to understand its concepts.

“There's only one thing we can do…” Max said, “We're going to have to fight to put Mykan out of action.”

BJ and Gordon agreed. So did Lucy and Kai. Joel and Camille however remained silent. Too afraid and too upset to say anything knowing the horrible things they had to face! “Are they going to be okay?” Kai asked.

BJ and Gordon knew they would… any time.

…

Meanwhile…

The prisoners were still very much alive within my colony, but all of them were still being physically abused and tortured every hour on the hour by my minions who were still unaware of what Joel and I had been through on Earth. They had their orders.

Carl was really growing angry. “Just you all wait! When my dad and son get here--” but he got jolted by more electricity. “Foolish Earthman!” Mr. Mann sneered. “Your family wouldn't dare show their faces here.”

“Should they… and it shall be the last thing they ever do.” added his wife.

…

Jorgen was on his way to give the troopers a special personal message which was to be given to the enemies, when he could here the sounds of me laughing loud and evilly from my quarters, and he could see green light glowing from under the doors.

Jorgen peeked through the cracks in the doors, as they were slightly opened and what he saw both shocked and amazed him. Ever since I had returned, I had been using the serum I had obtained to use in my latest set of experiments and now…

All Jorgen could say was, “I think the count is getting stronger!”

…

Back on Earth… there was no more questioning about it. The next plan of action was to get into orbit and infiltrate my massive ship and rescue the prisoners themselves. With the bits and pieces f new technology they had obtained… the chances of success were very slim, not to mention the whole trip seemed suicidal, even Ben knew that. “Oh, sure… sneak onto an eleven-kilometer wide ship where there's at least more than a million of those machalien creeps!”

Gwen was glad that at least for once Ben had a sense of logic, but she herself knew there was no other way. “And besides… I think I have a plan of I can put the machaleins out of operation.” Max and Ben seemed to be the only ones who were able to guess what she had in mind. “Gwen, hold on a minute.” Max said trying to caution her, but this time, Gwen wouldn't hear or it. “I'm going to get to work on it and that's final.”

Gwen was going to have to use her strongest spell at its most powerful level she had ever done it before.

“Uh… may I point out one thing…?” said Lucy. “How are we even supposed to get near that big thing…?” She was hitting that my ship was bound to have defenses against outsiders intruding, “How are we even supposed to get up there anyway?”

Max already knew had a way to deal with that. Not only were some of the bits and pieces of tech he got weapons and defenses for battle, but also some parts to fix up the Rust-Bucket so it would fly like a ship. “Gordon, BJ… give me a hand… we haven't got much time.”

So the grownups began to tinker away, fixing up the hull and other parts of the Rust-Bucket so it would be able to survive such a trip.

As the grownups worked, the kids decided to get a little fresh-air, away from the Rust-Bucket while Joel and Camille stayed inside. “Don't go too far.” Max cautioned them.

Gwen studied her spell books non-stop to prepare for her big task. So for once, Ben decided not to torture or pull any pranks on her. Even if he was in the mood… he'd rather be spending his time with Kai… who was still scared out of her wits worry about her grandfather, and now they were all getting ready to confront the entire machalien empire in a fight to the finish too?

“Kai… It's not exactly as if I'm asking you to come.” Ben said to her. “But it's not like I'm asking you to not come either…?” Kai raised an eyebrow making Ben realize he wasn't really saying the right things, “Sorry…”

Kai knew he was trying his best to comfort her, but she also knew that either way, if she stayed on Earth or went with him, she'd be at the mercy of the machaliens; keeping well in mind I also intended to kill anyone who had any alliances with the Tennysons.

“I'm still coming.” she decided. “I owe it to my grandfather… and yours… and even you.”

Ben almost felt like blushing when she said, “…Me?”

Kai finally admitted that Ben had changed just a little since she last met him. “Not that you're my type or anything…” that hurt Ben slightly. What Kai was hinting was how much she was admiring Ben for helping her save her grandfather, and whole world, and other worlds the machaliens had already conquered.

“She's admiring me. Okay… admiring is good.” Ben thought to himself.

Lucy hated seeing those bonding together, and she was already more than prepared to march straight over and give Kai a piece of her alien mind, when suddenly a small explosion from a ray-gun nearly hit her. “Aah…!” she whimpered, “AMBUSH!” she shrieked as a swarm of troopers sent by me attacked.

“Look out!” cried Ben as he tackled Kai and they both rolled down the small slope just before getting shot at. Kai wasn't hurt, just a little dirty, but amazed again. “He saved me.” she thought.

Gwen already leapt into action and began to return fire with her projectiles. “I could use some help here!” she called. Ben brought Kai over to Lucy, “Lucy, protect Kai for me while I help Gwen.” Then he ran off leaving a rather not impressed Lucy to do her job.

While Ben, as Wildmutt shredded the living daylight out of those troopers, and Gwen blasted the rest of them to bits. Ben changed back and high-fived Gwen for another smooth job. Still, realizing how dangerous it was out there the kids decided to head back to the Rust-Bucket where it was safer.

The grown-ups heard of what happened and were glad everyone was safe, but BJ noticed, “Ben… what's that on the Omnitrix?”

There attached to the watch was a little black cube which had to have falled off one of the troopers. As soon as Ben touched it a bright flash of light emitted form the cube. It was a holographic message from me.

“Mykan!” Joel growled under his breath as he gritted his teeth.

“Hmm, mm, mm…! Greetings everyone.” the message said. “As you know I am well aware of your little plan to infiltrate my colony and am well in preparation for your anticipated arrival. Just remember that things won't be quite as easy as before. I have no intention of showing any mercy.”

“I look forward to seeing all of you when you arrive… and especially you, Joel! I can't tell you how eagerly I've been waiting for what shall no doubt be our confrontation.”

Joel clenched his fists hard.

“The clock is ticking… two ways.”

And with that, the message began to countdown from ten… “It's gonna blow!” cried Gwen. Gordo quickly praised the black cub off the watch and pitched it far, far, far away as it exploded in a massive flame. “Looks like I still got that there arm.”

The fact now was clear. I was expecting them, and while it was an odd thing for me to actually warn them with a message about the obvious dangers ahead. “Come on everyone. We have work to do.” Max said. Everyone nodded in agreement.

Before long, The Rust-Bucket looked fairly different with a stronger hull, wing-flaps, thrusters and all the usual things you would need for such a venture. “Are we ready?” Max asked as he strapped himself down tight, everyone else gave him the A-okay sign as they all strapped down, and Kai even held Ben's hand… making him blush for real this time.

“T-minus five and counting.” Max said as he revved the engines and drove down the roads super fast. “Three. Two. One. Engage main-thrusters!” and they had lift-off!

There was no turning back now. With so many lives and the future of the entire universe hanging in the balance the stage was now set for Ben's toughest challenge since Vilgax. He, his friends and family were now heading directly into the jaws of the enemy on a collision course with what would either be victory or the end of all.

It's time… for a showdown with the Machalien Empire!