Chapter 62: Debrief and Divergence
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The crater looked like God's own fist had punched the earth. Plumber operatives swarmed over the devastation with the efficiency of ants cleaning up after a picnic, their black tactical gear making them look like shadows against the scorched ground.
I was back to my human form now and watched from a chunk of fallen masonry as Commander Patelliday barked orders through his suit's speaker, his fish-like features somehow managing to look both professional and deeply confused.
He was a Piscciss Volann, Ripjaws' species. They were such a species that couldn't live without water for long, they'd literally die. So being a Plumber was a dangerous job for this man, and so it was respectable that he bothered to do it, and even reached the rank of Magister through it.
"Perimeter secure," one of the operatives reported. The tigress woman from earlier, now sporting a few new scratches but otherwise unharmed. She seemed to be from Rath's species. "Forever Knights have been detained. Seventeen in custody, three requiring medical attention."
"Good work, Sergeant Ti," Patelliday acknowledged, then turned to survey the massive clearing where dense jungle used to be. His webbed fingers tapped against his thigh in what I was starting to recognize as his thinking gesture. "Now someone explain to me how a simple artifact retrieval turned into... this."
The Ancient One glided forward, still looking fresh as a daisy despite having just gone toe-to-toe with an immortal vampire. Her yellow robes didn't even have dust on them, which seemed deeply unfair considering I felt like I'd been put through a cosmic blender.
"Allow me, commander," she inclined her head slightly. After a few minutes of talk, the situation was clear to Patelliday. Then, she proposed something. "I believe our organizations need to establish better communication protocols for situations involving divine intervention."
Patelliday's gills flapped, which might have been his version of a sigh. "With all due respect, Sorcerer Supreme, the Plumbers have protocols for alien invasions, space time anomalies, and even dimensional breaches. We don't have a form for Aztec goddess showing up and lecturing everyone about cosmic philosophy."
"Perhaps we should create one," the Ancient One suggested with the barest hint of a smile. "This won't be the last time our paths cross."
They moved away, voices dropping to that professional murmur that meant serious grown-up talk was happening. I caught fragments such as "containment procedures," "media blackout," "official story involving gas leak explosions." You know, the usual bureaucratic dance that happened after the world almost ended.
Seeing an opportunity, I hopped off the ruined stone and jogged over to the tigress sergeant, who was busy calibrating her ridiculously large minigun.
"That was some impressive work back there, Sergeant," I said, trying for a charming grin.
She glanced up, her feline eyes assessing me with a practiced neutrality. "Just doing my job, Mr Tennyson."
"No, I'm for real. It was amazing to see. Most people's jobs don't involve using two armored guys as clubs," I pointed out.
A ghost of a smile touched her lips. "They were conveniently shaped."
"Conveniently shaped and you're conveniently beautiful. It's a dangerous combination." I pushed, leaning against a crate. Alright, just to be clear, I wasn't quite attracted to tigers, no, but it was undeniable that her hourglass shape would be considered beautiful. She looked quite similar to Tigress from Kung Fu Panda, if Tigress had two massive claws coming from above her wrists. Anyhow, believe me or not, I wasn't here to hit on her, I was attempting to soften the ground first.
She finally laughed, a low, rumbling sound. "If I were a full-blooded Appoplexian, that line would have earned you a dislocated shoulder. At minimum."
My grin faltered. "You're not?"
"My mother's a human," she said, turning back to her weapon. "Grew up on Earth, thankfully. Otherwise, I'd be just another aggressive, brain-dead meathead who screams 'Let me tell you something!' before every sentence. I got the best of both worlds, I guess. All the strength, none of the uncontrollable rage."
"Speaking of strength," I said, pivoting smoothly. "I've got a little science experiment I'd like to try, if you're game." I held up my wrist, tapping the face of the Omnitrix. "I'm trying to add more alien DNA to my watch's roster. Mind if I get a sample?"
Sergeant Ti raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Is this some weird human pickup line? No, since you want me to touch your watch, is it a kink?"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Neither. I'm just trying to see if I can scan you. For science."
She shrugged, a gesture that looked surprisingly casual on her powerful frame, and extended a hand. "Be my guest. Can't say I've ever had my DNA requested on a first date before."
Her hand, covered in soft orange fur, rested on the Omnitrix. I held my breath, waiting for the familiar yellow light, the satisfying chirp of a successful scan.
Nothing happened.
The watch remained dark and silent. I tapped it a couple of times, feeling like an idiot.
"Huh," she said, a definite note of amusement in her voice. "Guess your watch isn't interested." She pulled her hand back and gave my shoulder a light, powerful pat. "Better luck next time, Mr Tennyson."
She turned and walked away, her laughter echoing softly as she went back to her duties.
I sighed, staring down at the unresponsive device. Way to impress a girl. Jokes aside, I wondered why it didn't work. Was it because she was a hybrid, a half-blood? Or since the Omnitrix already had a pure Appoplexian DNA sample, making hers redundant? In either case, it was a bust.
"Young Tennyson."
I looked up to find Patelliday standing over me, his shark-like teeth visible even through the helmet. "Commander?"
"Walk with me."
It wasn't a request. I pushed myself up, muscles protesting after the Feedback transformation. That form had been incredible, but the energy hangover was real. We moved away from the main cleanup area, stopping near what had been the pyramid's entrance.
"That new transformation," he began without preamble. "The one that absorbed and redirected energy, it must be a new one. But the species is not in our database. Do you know anything about it?"
"Yeah, first time using it, but Omnitrix tells me it's a Conductoid," I tried to keep my voice casual, but inside my mind was racing. Of course, the Plumbers kept tabs on the Omnitrix transformations. They probably had a whole file on me by now. That might be one reason why SHIELD and Nick Fury weren't after me already, because this other organization had marked me before he could notice. "I unlocked it today. Had zero idea it could do… things like that."
"'That' being absorbing the magical output of two omega-level threats and using it to level several square miles of jungle." His tone was carefully neutral, but I could hear the concern underneath. "Benjamin, I need you to understand something. You're not just Max's grandson anymore. That device on your wrist makes you a strategic asset on a galactic scale."
Strategic asset. Great. Nothing like being reduced to military terminology to make a guy feel special.
"The Plumbers will need a full debrief," he continued. "New transformation capabilities, energy absorption limits, potential applications—"
"Commander," I interrupted, spotting movement near where we'd left Grandpa and Gwen. "I get it. Reports, documentation, the whole nine yards. I have a feeling that my grandpa has already discussed this with you beforehand. So I'd leave it to him if this is truly necessary."
He sighed dramatically, shaking his head, "Oh well, worth a try. I was hoping you'd join the Plumbers, but you're not easily swayed."
I could guess that was his agenda. It wasn't evil to want the wielder of Omnitrix to be a Plumber, but I couldn't be bothered. For now, at least. I was about to speak, but my eyes suddenly caught movement. "Ah…! Commander, my cousin's waking up, looks like I have to go. Considering she almost turned into a being of pure energy trying to avenge our grandfather, maybe the paperwork can wait."
Patelliday followed my gaze to where Gwen was stirring, the Ancient One already moving toward her. Something in his expression softened, as much as a fish-man in combat armor could look soft.
"Go," he said.
I thanked him, already jogging away. Behind me, I heard him mutter something about "Tennyson stubbornness" being a "genetic trait." Probably wasn't wrong.
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Author Note: Don't forget to vote, 2nd rank means we get 2-chapters tomorrow as well! Start throwing those stones.