Omnitranyl (Ben 10 Alien Force)

"What are you doing, Max?" asked Azmuth.

"I'm trying to connect to Earth, but up until now I'm not getting a response."

Max was sitting in the pilot's seat, with screens projected in front of him, fingering the keyboards on the armrests. On the screens, a straight line, oscillating slightly as he changed frequencies on the communication channel.

"Computer!"

"Yes, Magistrate."

"Widen the reception area, I am sure the presence of the Galileans in the region is distorting and preventing any wave frequencies from reaching us."

"Yes, Magistrate."

Azmuth walked calmly to a position in front of the pilot's seat, raised his head to Max and asked:

"Why all this desperation to connect with Earth? We are already on course for the planet and, as I see it, all these attempts at communication will end up exposing us to Galvan Prime..."

"I need to know how Ben is going."

"The Tennyson boy? What happened?"

The artificial voice of the ship's computer echoed over Azmuth's voice, making it difficult for Max to hear his questions:

"Magistrate, from my analyses, the frequency 673.98976-0003 Hz presents a satisfactory enough stability to set up a communication."

"Wonderful, thank you, Computer."

"At your service."

Promptly, Max typed in the recommended frequency and waited a few seconds. Suddenly, the straight line of the projected screen began to oscillate with the incoming sound waves:

"Grandpa is that you?" said Gwen.

"Finaly! Yes, Gwen, it's me. Sorry I didn't get in contact sooner, how are things going over there?"

"I have good news, Grandpa, Ben is out of his coma!"

"Coma?" Eunice asked softly.

Without interrupting the conversation with his granddaughter, Max held up his palm to the girl, in a "I'll explain in a minute" gesture:

"What excellent news, Gwen! And is he all right? He doesn't have any sequelae or-"

"I cannot be sure, Grandpa, but I don't think so. Unless you consider it recklessness to have a sequelae..."

"What do you mean, Gwen?"

"He barely woke up and threw himself headlong into a mission and, no, I didn't let him. The airhead snuck out and hid from everyone. I'm heading to the scene right now."

"But what happened?"

"Remember the ships that Kevin and I faced the night of the Albedo attack? Well, Kevin found out that they are called Galvanic Guardians and..."

"What!?" interrupted Azmuth "Please repeat that last bit of information, young lady!"

"Was that Azmuth's voice, Grandpa?"

"That's right. He's here, and so is Eunice." Max stared at the scientist's worried expression. "We're going to Earth right now."

"Young lady, who did you say is on Earth right now?" Azmuth said firmly.

"They are called the Galvanic Guardians, if I'm not mistaken. I'm getting close to Central Park and I can already see the ships, Ben, and the hostages."

"Hostages?" asked Max

"Grandpa, the connection is cut off..."

"Gwen?"

"...ing. What did you ask?"

"What's going on there?"

"The ships have- ... and the Plumb- ..."

Max went back to typing on the armchair keyboards, looking for an improved signal.

"Gwen? Can you hear me, Gwen?"

The static of the communication resounded through the room. Azmuth and Eunice remained silent, exchanging worried glances. Suddenly, the connection re-established itself and Gwen's voice could be heard screaming:

"Ben, no!!!"

"Gwendolin!" shouted Grandpa Max.

A loud, shrill sound came through the loudspeakers of the room, forcing everyone present to cover their own ear canals with their hands.

And then, silence.

Max lowered his hands and stared at the screens with trembling eyes. His face paled and his mouth could only utter the following words:

"No, no, no, no..."

He typed in number after number trying to re-establish communication, but it was a futile effort. Azmuth and Eunice fell silent. In a matter of seconds, a huge mass of anguish filled the main cabin and took over everyone there.

"Max..." said Azmuth.

"Computer!" shouted Grandpa Max.

"Yes, Magistrate."

"Search again for-"

"Max!" said Azmuth again.

"... frequencies with a minimum of stability. We're already-"

"Max!" Azmuth jumped over the armrest, preventing the Magistrate from continuing typing "What's happening on Earth! And what happened to the Tennyson boy?"

The magistrate stared at the scientist's steady gaze for a few seconds. Then he leaned his elbow on the opposite armrest and massaged his tempora with his fingers. He breathed in and out a few times, and then began to explain:

"Ben is the reason I went after you on Galvan Prime..."

Grandfather Max explained to Azmuth everything that had happened up to that point. From Albedo's first appearance and his bizarre appearance. Of the first crisis in Ben's transformation and his attempt to analyze the Omnitrix. The attempts to contact Azmuth and the silence that now explains why. The mission to the Plumber Energy Sector and Ben's second crisis. Of the coma that his grandson was in and his exit in search of the scientist.

The rest Azmuth was already aware of.

Throughout Max's monologue, the scientist remained silent. Eunice interrupted the magistrate from time to time to answer a question, but not Azmuth. He kept his head down, listening attentively and analyzing the information that was being given to him. Finally, after hearing the whole account, the scientist said

"I know what is going on with the boy."

"So can you help him?" Max moved his torso away from the back of the armchair and came closer to Azmuth.

"Yes, I can," the scientist gestured to Max to sit back again. "But first it's important that I explain what's going on with him and the Omnitrix..."

Azmuth jumped out of the armband and walked to the center of the booth. Facing Max and Eunice, the scientist said:

"I ask that everything I say from now on be kept in the strictest confidence, because this is about the workings of the most powerful machine in the universe.

Max and Eunice nodded.

"Computer," said Azmuth.

"Yes, Thinker Azmuth."

"Turn off all the microphones in the room and the voice command function. When we need you again, we will use the panels."

"Yes, sir. Microphones off. Voice command function disabled."

Azmuth let out a long sigh and began to speak.

Just a minute reader, that just knocked on my door.

...

Here's the thing, I just received an interstellar lawyer with a Freedom of Information Restriction Order. According to them, I am not allowed to make public the information said by Azmuth right now. Since I find this tremendously absurd, I will go to the Universe Lawyers Association right now to assert my rights as Narrator to bring you the full story. For this reason, while I go away for a few moments, here are a few words from our sponsors. See you in a bit.

Please wait...

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We are back...

Sorry for the wait, reader, but in the end it all worked out and I managed to overturn this ridiculous injunction!

The problem is that Azmuth has just explained everything already...

Well, then, I'll continue the narration and we'll see about this later.

Azmuth finished his explanation with a downcast face. His eyes remained closed, giving the idea that he didn't want to look at his interlocutors' faces. Eunice had both hands in front of her mouth, unable to say a word. A tear trembled in the corner of her right eye. Max was unable to stand still. Walking back and forth in the cabin, the first sentence he managed to say was:

"He's just a kid!"

He stood by the window that showed stars, an asteroid belt, and the misty trails of a pinkish haze. He ran a hand through his white hair and spoke again:

"How could you do this to my grandson, Azmuth!?"

Azmuth remained silent.

"A child..."

"Max" said Azmuth, "I understand your feelings, but I beg you-"

"How could you, Azmuth? Tell me, how!"

"What I'm trying to say is..."

"All this suffering..." interrupted Max again. "I was supposed to protect him. It was my duty as a grandfather!"

Azmuth was silent again.

"And instead, I practically threw my grandson into the hands of an arrogant scientist with an enormous desire to be a god!"

"Magistrate," said Eunice, "please calm down! Talking like that..."

Azmuth gestured to Eunice, asking her to stay out of it.

"Max, the important thing now is to take care of the Tennyson boy," Azmuth said, jumping onto one of the panels and standing at the height of a human's waist.

The magistrate walked back across the room. Getting close to one of the walls, Max punches against the metal surface, echoing a metallic sound.

"Yes, let's take care of him" Max walks towards Azmuth with his finger raised "You're going to take this damned clock off him and I never want to see your face or one of your creations again!"

"Magistrate, please..." said Eunice.

"I'm sorry, young lady, but your creator is the kind of individual who believes that there are no limits and no consequences for his actions."

Eunice's attention is drawn to a light on one of the screens to her left: Max Tennyson's vital signs were being picked up by his uniform and, to Eunice's dismay, they were high enough to endanger his physical integrity.

"Magistrate, I beg you to try to calm down for a moment."

"How can I calm down?" shouted Max, startling the girl.

"She's only worried about her health, Max! So stop behaving like this!"

"Don't you dare tell me how to act, Azmuth..."

Eunice, aware of the situation that was building up, looked around and ran into the corridor of the spaceship.

"At this very moment, not only Ben, but Gwen could be hurt and this is all your fault..."

Azmuth kept his hands on his back. His eyes remained fixed on the angry and desperate man in front of him. Unfortunately for Azmuth, this was not the first time he had received such a reaction.

"All this could have been avoided if about five years ago you had simply told me the dangers that a device like the Omnitrix would bring to my grandson!"

The beacon of light from earlier, has turned audible due to the increased risk to Max's life.

"I tried to warn you..."

"Warn me?" said Max "You never said a word to me about-"

"I told you that the Omnitrix was not a toy to be left in the possession of a boy like Benjamin Tennyson. And yet, you said you would be responsible for both of them..."

"I can't believe that's your argument!" Max clenches one fist "Do you really intend to blame me?"

Max slams his open hand on the surface of the panel next to Azmuth, then continues:

"You messed with my family, Azmuth...."

Suddenly, Max's voice becomes weaker and weaker. His muscles begin to feel heavy and he slowly begins to sag with the weight of his own body. His eyesight slowly begins to darken. Then he feels someone holding him. A pair of slender arms, but with impressive strength for his physical profile.

Eunice lays Max down on the floor. In her hand, a syringe of anesthetic.

"I'm sorry, Magistrate, but you gave me no choice..."