Ben, Star, Kevin and Gwen just stopped a alien that resembled a elephant.
"How are the energy cuffs, Dumbozo? Comfortable?" asked Kevin. The alien made a loud trumpet sound.
"His name's Trombipulor." said Gwen
"Whatever. I forgot."
"He wouldn't." said Ben. Then Trombipulor let out another trumpet sound. "It was too funny. Anyway, your ride's here." Then a Plumbers ship landed and a Plumber walked out and head to the prisoner. Gwen walked up to the Plumber.
"He's wanted for level 3 weapons-dealing. He's all yours, officer."
"Tennyson, Tennyson, Butterfly and Levin, right?" asked the Plumber. He brought out his badge then a message appeared in front of Ben, Star and Kevin.
"That doesn't look like a medal." said Kevin
Gwen walked over to them. "Because you received your Plumber commendations during a field engagement, your required training is incomplete. Please report to Academy 2814 for field-certification courses." said Gwen
"So in other words. We got to go to school." said Star
After a few days to get ready. The took a Plumber transport to get the Plumbers Academy. Ben and Star were seating across from Kevin and Gwen with a alien also seating next to Ben.
"I don't under stand why we need to go. After all I think we been doing a good job so far." said Ben
"I agree after all we did save the universe." said Star
"Will you give it a rest you two. Especially you Tennyson. If this is what it takes to keep our Plumbers badges, then this is what we'll do." said Kevin
"Tennyson? You are Ben Tennyson, hero of the highbreed wars, conqueror of Vilgax?" asked the alien
"Yeah. Hi." said Ben as he held his hand out.
"It's because of you that I go to Plumber Academy. My name is Tack." Tack then stretched out his neck till he touched his forehead with Ben's.
Ben got a bit confused by this. "Um, what are you doing?"
"Greeting you reverentially."
"I thought it was a really slow head butt."
"Head butt?" Now Tack was confused.
Gwen was looking on her computer to find out more about the Plumber Academy. "This is awesome! Look at the classes we get to take! Weapons and tactics, interstellar law, cultural sensitivity." said Gwen
"Started strong, but then you lost me." said Kevin
"Starship maintenance."
Kevin then cracked a smile. "And you got him right." said Ben
"I wouldn't mind learning about those sweet foldspace engines they're putting in the new cruisers." said Kevin
"Anyway this should be like any other school." said Star
"This is like no school any of us has ever attended. I heard that our drill instructor is the meanest, toughest Plumber in the service." said Tack
"Except for my grandpa." said Ben
"All due respect to your grandfather, Magister Hulka is the most decorated officer in Plumber history, and he expects no less than excellence from his students. But surely he has never had a pupil like the great Ben Tennyson."
They soon got to the Plumber Academy. They left the ship and started to head to there room.
"I think our barracks are this way. I can't get a signal." said Gwen trying to use her Plumber badge.
"Plumber badges don't work on campus. It's against the rules to use them."
"Good thing they're not grading on following direction." said Ben joking
Tack started to chuckle at that. "You are funny, Ben Tennyson." said Tack. Then he pumped into someone with red armor. The alien turned around.
"Eyes forward, you larval dipteroid!" said the alien
"Larval dipteroid? Did cadet no-neck just call my new buddy a..." said Ben
"Maggot? Yeah, insulting." said Kevin
"Technically, he was sort of a space maggot, so there's that." said Gwen
"Are you plebes giving me attitude?" asked the alien
"No, that is the great Ben Tennyson. He's new here, but he's hardly a lowly ple..." But before Tack could finish the alien pushed Tack back not really caring what he was saying.
"I don't who he is. I'm senior Cadet Brannigan, commander of Alpha squad. You are a larval dipteroid who's here to learn Plumber work, so shut it!"
"We got off to a bad start. How about I buy you and Tack whatever passes for a smoothie, and we all start over?" said Ben as he offered out his hand.
"There's been a null void breakout, so Magister Hulka wants all new recruits in their bunks and accounted for. You don't want to make him and me mad on the same day. Do we understand each other larval dipteroid?" Brannigan said as he slapped away Ben's hand away.
This angered Ben. "Ooh. Big mistake." said Gwen
"Brannihan, you just bought a nose full of humongousaur." said Ben as he activate the ultimatrix. But Kevin stopped him.
"We're going, Tennyson. You're not getting us thrown out of here on the first day." said Kevin as he pushed Kevin away. Kevin even grabbed Star in case she did something. Star quickly grabbed her wand and zapped the floor where Alpha squad stood.
"Wait. You're holding me back?"
"Any time, any place." Then once they started to move they all slipped and fell to the floor with a loud bang. As they tried to get up, but they kept slipping to the ground.
They soon got to there barracks. "I should've gone all Armodrillo on him. No Fourarms!" said Ben as they entered the room.
"You should have walked away, which you did, thanks to Kevin." said Gwen
"Yeah, way to have my back, Kevin!"
"To be honest I thought you be for fighting them." said Star
"Keeping your Plumber's badge may not matter to you, but it does to me." said Kevin
"Don't mess this up for him." said Gwen
Then the door opened. "You ladies settling in okay?" said a man
They turned around and saw alien with a metal plate on his head. "You must be Magister Hulka. I'm Ben Tennyson. I heard..." said Ben
"I don't care who you were before you came here! Now you are a larval dipteroid. You aren't fit to shine my boots! But maybe, just maybe, if you shut your hole and learn everything I teach you, you might become a Plumber! Any questions?" asked Hulka in a loud shouting tone
Ben walked over and took a seat on a bunk. "Sir, I wanted to ask about the null void breakout. I was thinking we could help..." said Gwen
Then Halka walked over to Gwen. "Thinking?! Did I order you to think?!"
"No, sir!"
"Then your mind is a blank slate! is that clear?!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Listen up. This is the Plumber Academy. You are here to learn how to do your job, not to help me do mine. So while you're under my instruction, you will study hard, shot straight, fight to win, and above all, follow orders. Got it?"
"Yes, sir!" said Kevin, Gwen and Tack
"I can't hear you!"
"Probably busted his eardrums with all the shouting." said Ben
Then Hulka walked over to where Ben is. "Test me again, Tennyson, and I will wear you like an overcoat."
Kevin quickly pulled him off the bed. "Sorry, sir. One question, sir? I heard you've got more medals than anybody. I noticed you only wear one."
"Report to me on the firing range at 0500! Every second you are late will equal an eternity of suffering!" Then Hulka left them in the room. Kevin, Gwen and tack let out a sigh of relief.
"He needs to cut back on the caffeine."
"That's for sure." said Star
Later at the firing range.
"This is a top of the line Mark 12 Techadorian Multiblaster. It is capable of delivering a maximum energy burst of three petawatts." said Hulka. Witch caused Kevin to whistle. Then Hulka started to disassemble it in front of Kevin. "You will learn to assemble it blindfolded with one hand behind your back." Hulka moved over to Gwens and disassembled the blaster in front of her. "You will keep it cleaned and maintained. Used properly, it will save your life and the lives of those you've sworn to protect." Hulka the disassembled the ones front of Ben, Star and Tack. "A Plumber's blaster is his best and only friend."
"hello, old friend." said Ben
This cause Tack to chuckle a bit. Then Ben noticed Hulka was right in front of him. "Your best and only friend is in pieces! What are you for?! Assemble your best friend! Go! Go! Go!"
They started to assemble there blasters. As Tack was trying to assemble his, he dropped his power back and it slide under some lockers. Ben came over as Tack tried to lift the lockers. Ben then activated the ultimatrix and hit it. "Fourarms!" Ben then lift up the locker. Tack then grabbed his power pack and went back to his station. Ben then put the locker back and noticed Hulka.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Helping my squad mate, sir. His power pack fell under the..."
"Did you read the general orders in your orientation materials on your flight in?"
"Skimmed them, sir."
"This is a learning facility. There is to be no use of superpowers during training, none. You should know that."
Then Ben turned back to normal. "I got bad reading habits, sir!"
Star was having a hard time assemble her blaster. To the point she just used her wand to assemble it. Hulka saw that and walked over to her. "I told to assemble it!"
"And I did." said Star
"I meant assemble it without powers. Did you read the the orientation material or skimmed it?" Star didn't say a thing. "I see, there are to be no use of powers her got that! I suggest you and Tennyson read that on your free time!" Then Hulka disassemble Star's blaster. "Now assemble it!"
It took awhile till Star assemble her blaster. Then they started to fire there blasters down the range. It turned out Star was a natural with firing a blaster. Kevin and Gwen did well. But Ben was a lousy shot. Out of all the shots he fire, he missed everyone. Ben dropped his blaster and then activated the ultimatrix and hit it. "Swampfire!" Ben then shot two fire balls at the target, melting it. Then when Ben turned around Hulka was there just staring at him. Then Ben returned back to normal. "I should probably practice with the blaster more, huh? I'll go do that." Ben picked up his blaster and tried again.
A few days pass in the training grounds. Hulka was standing in front of Ben, Star, Kevin and Gwen. Tack was standing with Hulka.
"The key to using fusion grenades is to reverse the polarity of the magno-catch. So instead of being attracted to your hand, it repels." said Hulka as he gave Tack a fusion grenade. "You first, cadet." Tack pressed a button on the fusion grenade and throw it. But the fusion grenade stayed in his hand. "What's the glitch? We've studied this all week. Reverse polarity and get rid of it!"
Tack was trying to pull it off his hand, but it wouldn't budge. "It will not come off!" said Tack
Hulka grabbed Tack's hand and tried to pull the fusion grenade off. "It's on overload!" Ben, Star, Kevin and Gwen started to go and help. "Get back! That's an order!" They stopped as Hulka turn his back to them. Ben quickly used the ultimatrix. Then there was a explosion. Gwen quickly put up a shield to block the explosion. Once the smoke cleared Star, Kevin and Gwen couldn't see anyone as a they only see a small area a bit destroyed where the explosion happened. Then Ben as a new alien transformation ran up with botch Tack and Hulka.
"Ben!" said Star
"You saved us! You are the greatest Plumber of all" said Tack
"He's a larval dipteroid! He disobeyed orders!" said Hulka
Then Ben turned back to normal. "So I was supposed to let the grenade get you?!" said Ben
"You were supposed to do what I tell you! You'd know that if you were ever listening in class."
"You don't think this was an accident, do you, sir? Tack's glove was tampered with to stay magnetized, wasn't it?" said Gwen
"I get it. This is some kind of test to get us to solve the mystery, right?" asked Kevin
"This is no test. Is someone trying to hurt Tack?"
"Who would want to hurt me?" asked Tack
"It could have just had been a bad grenade." said Star
"So your saying the magna-lock went bad and it was set on overload instead of stun? Gwen's right." said Kevin
"Go back to your barracks." said Hulka
"Someone's out to get you, sir, aren't they? Or you wouldn't let Tack be out of your sight, would you?" asked Gwen
"Mind your own business." Hulka then walked away.
Later in there barracks. Ben was combing his hair with Tack coping Ben.
"Someone tampered with that grenade. Hulka knows who it was." said Gwen
"The only problem he won't tell us who." said Star
"Not to mention he made it clear he doesn't want our help. So I say we get out of here and figure out who is targeting Hulka." said Ben
"Whole place is on lockdown. Breaking curfew is against orders." said Kevin
"Alright who are you and what have you done with Kevin."
"Being a Plumber isn't something you mess around with. if you screw this up, you and I are gonna get into it."
"Well I for one want to find out what going on." Then Ben started to leave.
"Wait for me." said Star
Later that night as the others were asleep. Ben and Star went to there beds. Not that long after they fell asleep the door opened. Then Hulka opened the door and tossed a metal trash can into the room. Then the light turned on as the sound of a trumpet started to play. "On your feet, cadets! Let's go, let's go, let's go!" said Hulka. Kevin, Gwen and Tack got up and stood at attention. As Ben and Star took a bit to get up. "Full gear and ready for dust off in 10 minutes. Your inability to follow orders yesterday and last night bought you a combat exercise.
"Way to go, Tennyson." said Kevin
They started to get there gear on. "Did you at lest find out something?" asked Gwen
"Nope. We couldn't find anything." said Star
They were sent to a asteroid for the combat exercise. Hulka was on a levitating disc.
"You are the Plumbers on duty. Alpha squadron has taken a hostage. Your mission is to rescue that hostage using your Plumber training and not your powers! All multiblasters are set on stun. Go!" said Hulka
As soon as Hulka started the exercise the Alpha squad started to fire there blasters at them. They quickly took cover behind a rock. "Bad new, plebes the Alphas never lose." said Brannigan
"They may be jerks, but they're good." said Kevin
"Not as good as us." said Ben as he was going for the ultimatrix.
"Ben, no powers. We have to do this the right way." said Gwen
"What is the right way?" asked Tack
"Kevin, advance to the boulder. I'll cover you, then follow as Tack covers me, et cetera. Ben and Star, you stay here as backup."
"Why do I have to stay?" asked Ben
"Because you're a lousy shot." said Kevin
Then Kevin ran to the next boulder. "No offense." said Gwen
"Knowing Kevin he did mean to." said Star
Soon Gwen went for the rock followed by Tack. "Or I turn into Big Chill, phase into the ground, and come out behind them. I hate this!" said Ben
Alpha squad kept firing at them. But soon Kevin was captured. Star was about to head up when she say that. "Kevin! Hang on!" said Gwen
As Gwen went out of cover to help Kevin a member of Alpha squad ambushed her capturing her as well. Tack tried to help Gwen. But was knocked down by a Alpha squad member that was hiding behind a rock.
"What did I say? The Alphas never lose." said Brannigan
He didn't noticed that after Star saw Kevin, Gwen and Tack got captured. Star sneaked around and got the jump on a member of Alpha squad before it got her. "Okay , that's it." said Ben. Him and Star then started to charge Ben and Star fire there blasters at Brannigan. This caught Brannigan a bit by surprise.
"Alpha! What's the matter with you?! Take them down!" said Hulka
Brannigan then started to fire his blaster at them. The others of Alpha squad soon noticed this.
"You gonna handle these clowns, or should I?" asked Kevin. Gwen sweep kicked one trip in him up. As Kevin punched the other. Kevin and Gwen picked up the blaster of the ones they knocked down. "Don't blame yourselves. She's devious."
The last member of Alpha squad that Kevin and Gwen didn't attack was soon blasted by Star as she noticed him heading towards her and Ben. Ben then activate the Ultimatrix and hit it. "Diamondhead!" said Ben. Ben started run up the hill that Brannigan was up. Ben morphed on of his arms into a shield to block the blasts from Brannigan's blaster. Once he got to the top he knocked Brannigan back. Brannigan got up and grabbed the dummy hostage and place his blaster to it.
"Nice try, but you still lose." said Brannigan. But Ben started to walk towards Brannigan. "Stay back!" Brannigan started to blast Ben but it didn't effect him. Once Ben got up to Brannigan, he grabbed Brannigan blaster and destroyed it. Ben then grabbed Brannigan lifting him up and let the dummy drop. As Ben tossed Brannigan to the side. Then Ben jumpped and landed right in front of him.
"In case you were wondering, this is what it's like to lose." said Ben
Then Hulka floated in. "The exercise is over. Stand down." said Hulka. As Ben turned back to normal as Hulka got of his levitating disc. "How could you let yourself be taken down? You're supposed to be the elite squad." Then Hulka turned to Ben. "Not only did you disobey a direct order and use your powers, look what your smart moves did for the hostage." Hulka pointed to the damaged dummy that Ben let drop when he picked up Brannigan.
"Come on! If the hostage had been real, I wouldn't have..." said Ben
"You failed. Case closed."
"It doesn't matter how you handle a situation, as long as it gets handled! If you can't see that, you're crazy!"
Once they got back to the academy Ben, Star, Kevin, Gwen and Tack had to clean there barracks with there toothbrushes.
Perhaps you should not have called him crazy." said Tack
"What are you complaining about? I have to use this tomorrow." said Ben
Then there was a explosion. Alarms started to go off, as Ben, Star, Kevin, Gwen and Tack headed to where the sound of the explosion was. They noticed some damage but the big thing was a fire that was going on. The went up to two other Plumbers that were already there.
"Anyone know if he was in there?" asked a Plumber
"Who?" asked Ben
"Magister Hulka! These are his quarters."
"If Hulka is in there, he doesn't stand a chance!" said Tack
"Yes, he does!" said Ben. He activate ultimatrix and hit it. "Terraspin!" Ben float up in the air and started blow a stream of air, that extinguished the fire. Ben turned back to normal as everyone outside the room charged into the room. They couldn't see anyone was in there.
"All clear. No sign of Magister Hulka." said Gwen
Then Kevin picked up a piece of metal. "Somebody likes fusion grenades." said Kevin
"And doesn't like Magister Hulka."
"So, where is he anyway, anyway?" asked Ben
"What's happening here?" asked Hulka as he just showed up. Hulka walked up to Kevin. Kevin gave him the piece of metal he picked up off the floor. "Plumber-issue." Then Hulka started to walk away.
"You know who it is, don't you." said Star
"When your quarters are clean, you can get started on mine."
Later back in there barracks.
"Plumber weapons and tactics, someone with a grudge against Hulka." said Gwen
"Long list. But Brannigan looked pretty ticked when Hulka called him out." said Kevin
"That's not proof though." said Star
"So, what do we do?" asked Tack
"Stakeout." said Ben
They started to follow Hulka. They soon noticed Brannigan was following him as well. Gwen followed him into a equipment depot. Witch Hulka entered as well. Brannigan moved to the right side of the room and Gwen followed. But Branningan stopped as he knew Gwen was tailing him.
"Hulka sure hasn't taught you much about surveillance." said Brannigan
"He did, actually." said Gwen
"We sort of put our own spin on it." said Ben as he, Star, Kevin and Tack appeared. Brannigan didn't noticed them.
"Where is he? Why are you trying to hurt him?" asked Tack
"What are you talking about? I'm shadowing him because he doesn't want a guard." said Brannigan
Then there was a loud crash. It turns out that Hulka was fighting the person that was targeting him. It was a blue skinned fourarms alien. Hulka was holding his own. "I knew it was you all along. I see you didn't learn anything in the null void." Then Hulka was tossed into a rack of weapons.
"I learn enough to break out and come here to pay you back!" said the alien
Hulka picked up a weapon from the rack he was tossed in and fired it at the alien. The weapon fired out a disk the attached to the aliens chest. Then out of the disk four metal arms came out and restrained him. "But not enough to avoid getting lured into attacking me in an equipment depot."
"You ruined my life!" He tried to charge at Hulka. But Hulka fired another disk at him.
"Uou ruined it yourself, Kolar. Plumbers have honor. You've got nothing."
"I may not have gotten smarter." Then Kolar broke out of the restraints. "But I'm a lot stronger!"
Then Ben, Star and Tack got to were Hulka and Kolar were at. Ben activate the ultimatrix and hit it. "Stronger than Fourarms?" asked Ben
"Oh yes!" Kolar ran passed Hulka and started to get in a small brawl with Ben. Ben was able to dodge Kolar then punched him. Kolar then grabbed Ben and pushed him back into a shelf. Then he lift and tosses Ben into the others except for Tack. They soon got up.
"Let's try that again."
Kolar now had Tack above his head. "Nobody move, or I'll tear him in half."
"Hands off my cadet!" said Hulka
"Happily, Magister. But first, you're gonna do something for me." Kolar a portable null void machine and used it on the ground to open a portal. "You're gonna step into this space warp."
"And at the other end lets out where?"
"A small sun in the null void. You won't feel a thing."
Hulka started to walk towards the portal. Then Ben noticed a grapple gun and came up with an idea. "Tack, greet Kolar." said Ben. Once Ben said this Hulka stopped walking.
"What?" asked Tack a bit confused.
"You know, with great respect." Ben was hoping Tack will get the hint.
"Ah! Head butt!" Tack stretched out his neck and head butt Kolar. Thanks to the head butt Tack was free. But when he hit the ground he started to fall into the portal. But he grabbed the edge of the portal to keep himself from falling in. Hulka jumped over the portal and punched Kolar knocking him to the ground. Hulka rand back to help Tack who was just to lose his grip. Kolar was about to attack Hulka from behind. But was stopped as Ben fired the grapple gun on Kolar. Kolar started to pull on the cord. Star, Kevin and Brannigan came to help stop Kolar. But they were still getting pulled towards the portal. Then Hulka came from Kolar side and with the element of surprise was able to push Kolar into the portal. Ben then let got of the grapple gun.
"You pushed him into a sun?" asked Gwen
"I did not. I changed the arrival address to a null void penitentiary. Plumbers are law enforcement, not judges. Don't ever forget that." said Hulka
Then turned back to normal. "Not bad. We saved our instructor's life and used Plumber tactics and weapons." said Ben
"But you still used your power. You just can't resist improvising, can you?" Then Hulka walked away.
"I hope this class is pass/fail." said Kevin
It soon became the day they were heading home. They were packing up for the shuttle home.
"I can't believe I only scored a 98!" said Gwen
"Out of 100, Gwen. Try and unclench." said Ben
"It only takes a 72 to pass, which I exceeded. How you, Ben and Star?" asked Kevin
"I got a 83." said Star
"I got 95. People think I'm not paying attention, but I am." said Ben
"My 98 is starting to look really weak." said Gwen
Then the door opened up and Hulka entered. "To my considerable amazement, you all completed the course, so it's official. You're Plumbers." said Hulka
"But we know that already." said Ben
"Your shuttle home leaves in five." Hulka took his medal off and gave it to Ben.
"Wait. What's this for?" asked Ben
Then Tack started to read the medal. "For demonstration of a Plumber's most essential attribute, the ability to exercise latitude and creativity in problem-solving. Whoa!" said Tack
"Sound like a thank you to me." said Kevin