Knowing Your Enemy

Story
Elektra groans in frustration, John having just left. She plops down in a chair, arms crossed. Ahsoka gives a small chuckle, as she joins Tack up front.

Ahsoka: She can definetely act her physical age. A moody teenage girl.

Tack: Yet, she’s older than the entirety of the Plumbers. Her experience is invaluable. We’re lucky to have her.

Ahsoka: As usual. (She slides her hand in Tack’s.) You’re the greatest general in the Plumbers.

Tack: (Blushing) I get a lot of help.

Elektra spots them, as she leans over to Lucy, who was a few chairs over.

Elektra: Are those two a couple or something?

Lucy: They try really hard to keep it secret, but yeah. They’re a cute couple too.

Elektra: Eck! Warriors have no need for romance.

Lucy: How did you do it? 2,000 years of avoiding men?

Elektra: All the Hunters detest boys. Having a role model that does as well helps.

Lucy: The Hunters of Artemis.

Eddy: We’ve got a distress signal! Coming from the Andromeda Galaxy!

Tack: Andromeda galaxy? The Incurseans are expanding that far?

Eddy: Looks like it.

Tack: Cody, get us there, now.

Cody: Yes sir!

Elektra: They’re trying to spread our forces out. If their focus is wiping out the Plumbers, then they want to make sure we can’t call for backup.

Ahsoka: We don’t need backup.

Cody: Hyperdrive ready.

Tack: Go.

The flagship jumps into light speed, disappearing. End Scene

A small clone carrier flies down over the planet of Aldabra, going over rolling hills of wild grass, seemingly going on forever.

Ahsoka: Ah! Such beautiful scenery! I could watch it go on forever!

Tack: Keep an eye out for anything airborne. I’m not sure what to expect.

Elektra: This is is a waste of time. We should be

Tack: Stuffing it. As Plumbers, it’s our job to help anyone who asks.

Elektra: Sheesh! You sound just like John.

Tack: Who do you think taught me?

Elektra: One day, I’ll meet a Plumber with actual common sense.

Lucy: Oh, we have that. We just have more desire to help others.

Eddy: The signal I’m picking up is coming from underground. About three miles northwest.

Tack: Cody, take us down.

The carrier heads in that direction, diving down. They land, as Elektra inspects the ground, finding disturbances.

Elektra: I’ve got it. A tunnel entrance.

Tack: Cody, check the surrounding area. Don’t hover our location, fan out.

Cody: Yes sir.

The carrier flies off, leaving Tack, Eddy, Ahsoka, Lucy and Elektra to head down the tunnel.

Elektra: Smart. I wish half my Hunters were as talented as you.

Ahsoka: Perhaps Tack could teach them a thing or two.

Elektra: Please! They would never accept a boy teaching them. It took forever to accept Hulka.

Eddy hushes them, as a satellite dish comes out of his backpack, it rotating to detect signals. Then, a Geochelone Aerio approaches them, looking almost exactly like Terraspin.

Galapagus: Oh, thank goodness! You got my signal!

Tack: Glad to be of service. What’s the situation?

Galapagus: Most of my people have moved into these tunnels, which we haven’t used in centuries. I was a little one when I was last down here. Anyway, a species called the Incurseans are here, with some princess running it.

Elektra: Attea. Guess your instincts were right, Tack. If we can catch Attea,

Tack: We have to drive the Incurseans out first. Do they know about the tunnels?

Galapagus: Not that I know of.

The ground starts shaking, as the group looks up.

Elektra: That’s the sound of one of their tanks. They’re right on top of us!

Lucy: If we head up there, we’ll reveal the tunnel entrance.

Tack: Eddy, can you disable them?

Eddy: Yeah. Maybe not enough to hide the entrance.

Tack: Do what you can. Let’s go.

Eddy’s eyes glow turquoise, as the rumbling above stops. On the surface, several tanks had stopped, stalled. Attea yells, angry.

Attea: Get us back moving! It’s bad enough that Daddy sent me to this backwater place, but to be stranded out here! Unacceptable for the Princess! Get us moving, now!

Incursean soldiers keep working, as Eighteight and Trumbipulor join Attea.

Eighteight: (Speaks in native tongue)

Attea: I’m aware of that. Conquering this place can get me on his good side. But to get back in his good graces, I need a monumental achievement, one that he won’t even give me the chance to do.

Trumbipulor: How about smashing those coming up from underground?

Attea turns, seeing nothing. Attea looks at Trumbipulor, who’s ears twitch. Attea nods in understanding, as she motions her hands to the Incursean soldiers, as they follow Trumbipulor’s directive. They all point their blasters, as Tack’s head peaks out of the grass. All the Incurseans point their blasters at his head.

Tack: Hello. Uh, I guess you don’t want directions.

Attea: Got that right! Blast him!

Tack’s neck stretches upward, as the Incurseans have their blasters follow his head, firing up into the air. Ahsoka charges out of the hole, rolling through the grass and kicking an Incursean in the groin, him falling down. A sludge arm stretches out, swiping the blasters out of their hands. Elektra jumps, firing blaster shots, the Incurseans running away.

Attea: Worthless! I’ll destroy them myself!

Elektra: Good luck trying, Attea!

Eddy comes out of the hole, wearing the Toltech Armor. He fires missiles, detonating on the tanks. Tack comes out of the hole, as does Lucy.

Tack: Hello, General Attea, Princess, Scion and Teen Supreme of the deathless Incursean Empire. I am General Tack.

Attea: Finally! Someone who knows and respects my title! So, General Tack. Be honored that you’ll die by my hand.

Tack: Be honored that you get to fight me. I was trained by General John Smith. And I don’t lose.

Attea: I sent a force a few miles south from here. Your reinforcements won’t be here anytime soon.

Tack: Don’t need them.

Attea: We’ll see. Attack!

Trumbipulor leads the charge of Incurseans, as Eddy charges, the two clashing and stalemating. Eighteight pulls out two blasters, while Ahsoka pulls out one blaster, shooting one out of Eighteight’s hand. Eighteight uses her jetpack to fly after it, then opens fire at Ahsoka. Ahsoka ducks into the grass, her popping out and tripping an Incursean.

Elektra has the Proto-Tool in tonfa mode, swirling through and crippling Incursean soldiers, heading towards Attea. Attea whips her tongue at Elektra, who blocks it with the tonfa. Elektra goes in, releasing a series of jabs and a tonfa strike, which Attea dodges and ducks.

Attea: Where’s your boyfriend, orangey? I’ve never seen you without him.

Elektra is angry, and her attacks become more vicious. Lucy spins, knocking Incurseans away with mallet hands. One Incursean comes at her head on.

Lucy: Ha! Foolish Incursean!

Lucy swings her mallet hand, splattering the Incursean’s head, which breaks to sludge. Lucy gasps in horror, as the Lenopan reforms, taking the Incursean form.

Marius: Hello, Lucy.

Lucy: Marius? Why?

Marius: Why do you think? I’m here to kill some Plumbers!

Marius morphs his hands into blades, swinging them at Lucy. Lucy dodges, and drops into a puddle, then tackles Marius like a ram. She pins Marius to the ground, him smiling.

Marius: The Lenopan army has joined the deathless Incursean Empire! There are dozens of us, the super soldiers of the empire, hidden within each army. We are their key, as none of you are prepared to fight, or kill us.

Marius breaks into a puddle, and kicks Lucy off. Lucy stumbles back, as Tack fires several blaster shots, driving Marius off. He disappears into a group of Incurseans that Ahsoka’s fighting.

Lucy: That was a Lenopan.

Tack: They’ve joined the Incurseans. That’s what Grand Magister Labrid was going to tell us.

Lucy: He called our species “super soldiers.” And he’s right. Weapons to fight Incurseans and Lenopans are totally different. If we’re not expecting them.

Tack: We are now.

Lucy: Let me go undercover. The Lenopans are spread through the Empire, I can find my way back, maybe get them to stop.

Tack: Lucy,

Lucy: Please. This may be my only chance.

Tack: (Sighs) I did promise to help you end the feud that exists. I trust you, and wish you luck.

Lucy smiles, as she runs off. She morphs into an Incursean, and disappears into the crowd.

The carrier comes back around, firing laser shots down at the Incurseans. The forces scramble back.

Attea: Don’t stop! Atta!

Elektra hits Attea’s face with the tonfa, her groaning from it. Eddy tosses Trumbipulor back, as Tack charges in, stretching his neck and shouting in Trumbipulor’s ear, him screaming. Trumbipulor chases Tack, as Eddy’s eyes glow turquoise. The tanks activate thrusters, and take off into the air.

Attea: No! Get back here!

Tack: Your choice, General.

Attea turns, scowling at Tack.

Tack: Either leave now, or we’ll take your tanks to space, and destroy them.

Attea: You think I care about a few tanks?

Tack: You will once we attach you to one.

Elektra fires an energy net, pinning Incurseans to the ground. Attea sees this, and Elektra points to the net, then to Attea, then to the tank.

Tack: Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the Deathless Incursean Empire? Or do you want to live to take it over?

Attea: Urgh! Fine! I’ll pull back, for now. Don’t think this is over. If we meet again, Tack, expect me to destroy your entire armada.

Tack: We’ll be ready.

Attea: All forces, fall back!

Tanks land, as the Incurseans pull back, boarding. One of them stops, approaching Attea.

Marius: We can destroy them! Let us get to the ship and we’ll engage them again!

Attea: No. They can control our tanks. Right now, they’ll be expecting an attack. Pull back. That’s an order, sludge.

Marius scowls, as he joins the other Incurseans. The forces leave, as Tack watches. Ahsoka looks around, worried.

Ahsoka: Where’s Lucy?

Tack: Fine. She’s fine.

Elektra: You let her sneak onto the Incursean ship. For what purpose?

Tack: Her request. No purpose.

Elektra: Maybe you are different from John. He never would’ve done that.

Tack: Agreed. Let’s get back to the flagship. End Scene

John is in Incarcecon, which is still under staffed. A small number of Plumbers and clones are running the place, as they throw Kork and Sixsix in cells.

John: Back to jail for you. I want to speak to Kraab.

John goes into the jail cell with Kraab, who was standing in the back.

John: Well, well, Kraab. The man who works for the highest bidder. Tell me. Who’s the highest bidder?

Kraab: No one. I’m working for the Incursean Empire to pay off a debt.

John: Right. Breaking you out of jail here. Leading you, into a massacre. But you’ve got no problem killing people.

Kraab: True. I’m a veteran from the Piscciss war against Pyros. But this, I regret.

John: Why not leave? Why are all the convicts serving?

Kraab: Fear. Of the Intellectuary.

John: I’ve never heard of him.

Kraab: Yeah. No one had. He popped up, out of nowhere, in control of the prison, telling us to take our freedom back. And we did, only to lose it again.

John: Show me.

John turns into Pesky Dust, releasing a green dust, hitting Kraab in the face. He falls asleep, as Pesky Dust enters his dream. He goes back, seeing the scene of Intellectuary’s speech.

Intellectuary: You are all now wanted for murder. Which means a life sentence, or even a death sentence. The only way to escape it is to come with me, and continue the fight against the Plumbers.

Ma: And what if we doggone right refuse?!

Intellectuary smirks, as he transforms into Toepick, one evil glaring eye peeking through the bars of the helmet.

Toepick: Watch well, John Smith. For you shall witness the beginning, of the Cleansing.

Pesky Dust shudders, Toepick’s one eye bearing straight at him. The angle of the view changes, as Toepick opens his helmet, a white light coming through. Pesky Dust shoots out of Kraab, as he wakes in a panic, suffering from a nightmare. Pesky Dust reverts, John panting.

John: What, what is his goal?

Kraab: Genocide. Pure Genocide. This war has no other meaning; he will either conquer the planet and kill its inhabitants, or just destroy the planet. The result will be the same.

John: He? It’s his idea?

Kraab: All of it is his idea. He has the Incurseans under his control, and rules the rest of us through fear.

John: You’re safe here now.

Kraab: He got in once. No one is safe from him.

John knocks on the door, the guard letting her out. John, still shaken, teleports away.

Characters

 * Elektra
 * Tack
 * Eddy
 * Ahsoka Tano
 * Lucy Mann
 * Commander Cody
 * John Smith

Villains

 * Incursean Army
 * Attea
 * Eighteight
 * Trumbipulor
 * Marius
 * Kraab
 * Captain Kork (cameo)
 * Sixsix (cameo)
 * Intellectuary (dream)
 * Ma Vreedle (dream)

By John

 * Pesky Dust

By Intellectuary

 * Toepick (dream)

Trivia

 * The Plumbers learn of the Incursean/Lenopan alliance.
 * Lucy goes undercover in the Incursean army, in an attempt to stop the Lenopans.
 * John learns of the Intellectuary, and is visibly shaken by him.