Ben 10: Justice Incarnate

The Watchtower

The maintenance worker was not going to be happy during his next shift. The Martian Manhunter soon returned from the restroom, looking slightly pale, and was immediately greeted by the beeping of the Watchtower's security console. He sighed, thinking that he needed to adjust his diet. Quickly shaking off his discomfort, he sped to the console and reviewed the alert logs. An unidentified bogey entered Earth's atmosphere. His eyes widened as he examined the trajectory.

"Oh dear…" It was Metropolis. Without wasting a moment, he called Superman. "Superman, this is Manhunter. Do you copy?"

The response was quick. "Yes, Manhunter?"

"I apologize for the late response. I was… indisposed. Our systems detected an unidentified entry into Earth's atmosphere earlier, headed toward Metropolis. Have you noticed anything unusual?"

"Oh, yeah… I'm actually with Ark right now."

In the background, J'onn heard a cheerful voice. "Hey, Manhunter!"

Superman continued, "We had a little… chat with some bounty hunters."

J'onn's eyes widened. "Bounty hunters?! Are you two okay? Has anyone been hurt."

Superman reassured him, "Relax, J'onn. We're fine. There was some property damage, but the civilians are fine."

"Yeah, the only damage is the Police station, a few cars, some light poles, and the street. Oh, wait. Wow. You really did a number on the LexCorp building?" commented Ark.

"Yeah. That was an accident," defended Superman. 

"Eh. Are you sure? I remember how you said you and Lex don't get along. This isn't some passive-aggressive way to get back at him, right?"

Superman was aghast "What?! No!" 

Ark playfully twirled his pistol. "You sure about that? Maybe it's subconscious."

"I'm not."

"Hmm…" sounded Martian Manhunter.

Superman pinched the bridge of his nose. "What is it, J'onne?"

"Ark might be onto something. The last batch of reports I went over regarding Metropolis has a surprising amount of mentions of damage to the LexCorp building."

"Yeah. Because he tries to kill me every other week!" claimed Superman.

Ark laughed. "A likely story…"

"Ark, I know you're joking, but it's all an accident, no matter how cathartic it might feel."

The alien hero pumped a fist. "Hah! I knew it."

Superman touched his face. "In any case, the bounty hunters weren't here to kill us. Well… not exactly. I do think one of them wouldn't have minded it, though."

Ark shook his head. "Yeah. Tall, pale skin, red eyes, 80s biker jacket, and wild black hair. Does he sound familiar, J'onne?"

The Martian shook his head. "I'm afraid not."

Superman shrugged. "I think they wanted to capture us for… something. "

Ark chimed in. "We managed to detain one of them for a bit, but he used some kind of emergency teleport to escape."

Superman added, "And we're pretty sure the other one is still in the system. Ark and I plan to chase after him before he gets any ideas about coming back."

Martian Manhunter hummed in concern. "Is that wise? According to League protocol, I should notify others about this situation. You two have been attacked."

Superman shook his head. "We're fine. I'm confident that Ark and I can handle the situation."

Ark nodded. "Yeah, we're going to ensure he doesn't return to Earth. Problem solved."

Martian Manhunter sighed. "It is unfortunate that the Lanterns have been called off-world. They have much more experience in matters involving alien species."

"Don't worry about it," Ark said. "I've dealt with loads of aliens in my time. We've got this."

"How often," J'onn asked dryly, "have those meetings devolved into violence?"

Ark hesitated for a moment. "Uh… only like two out of ten times. And to be fair, that's usually their fault for escalating."

Martian Manhunter sighed again. He decided to trust his colleagues for the time being. "Be careful. I'll monitor from here and alert the others if the situation changes."

"Thanks, J'onn," Superman said. "We'll keep you updated."

"Yeah," Ark added. "And don't worry about us!"

Metropolis

"Ark, can you fly in space? We'll need to head after Lobo and Bedlam before they get too far."

Ark smirked. In a flash of green light, his Sotoraggian TenTen form shifted, morphing into Jetray—a sleek, red-and-green manta ray-like alien. Jetray floated off the ground effortlessly. "Yeah, space is no problem."

Superman nodded.. "Alright. I'll use the Zeta Tube to grab one of the League's ships. We'll meet near the International Space Station. From there, we'll follow Lobo and Bedlam's trail."

Jetray hovered higher. "Got it. See you there."

"Be ready. Once we're out there, we'll have to move quickly."

"Always," Jetray replied with a grin before shooting into the sky.

Superman watched him disappear for a moment before flying to the nearest Zeta Tube terminal. 

ZETA TUBE ACTIVATION: SUPERMAN. DESTINATION: WATCHTOWER.

Space

Superman had just stepped off the Zeta tube and flew toward the hangar. He commandeered one of the Javelin spacecraft with a flight suit, running through its pre-flight checks. Moments later, he launched the craft, angling toward the rendezvous point next to the International Space Station.

Superman spotted Jetray hovering nearby. Superman activated the comms, ready to brief his partner, when the console blinked with an incoming signal.

"Superman, what do you think you're doing?" Batman asked.

Superman sighed, already anticipating this conversation. "Batman, I can explain."

Martian Manhunter's voice followed. "Sorry, Superman. As you know, Batman designed the Watchtower's monitoring systems. He was alerted as soon as you launched."

Batman continued. "I was busy handling a situation in Gotham when I received a notification about an alien entering Earth's atmosphere—and now I find out you've taken a Javelin without prior clearance."

Superman leaned back. "Ark and I have the situation handled."

"Superman, I strongly object to this pursuit," Batman pressed. "This situation could escalate quickly if not handled with care."

Superman took a breath. "The hunters are specifically after Ark and me, Batman. It's better we lead them away from Earth. If we don't act now, they could return at any time. I can't risk that maniac coming back to Earth, Batman. We've got one chance to drive him away, and we're taking it"

"Wonder Woman could—" Batman began.

"She's dealing with matters on Themyscira," Superman interrupted. "And Green Lantern is off-world. This is our responsibility."

Jetray, who was currently wearing a mouthmask connected to his communicator, chimed in. "Relax, Bats. Supes and I have this covered. Just keep watch for any backup those bounty hunters might send."

Batman weighed the situation. "Understood. But I'll be monitoring closely. At the first sign of trouble, I want an update."

"Noted. Let's move out."

"Lead the way, Supes."

Superman's console beeped as the faint trace of an ion trail appeared on the navigation system. His brow furrowed as he studied it. "As I expected, he's still in our star system. Sensors have picked up his bike's ion trail. He's close. But I can't get a definite fix."

Flying alongside the Javelin, Jetray stretched his wings and smirked. "Alright. This'll be a piece of cake, Supes. We don't even need to go through Hyperspace."

Superman glanced at him, his expression slightly incredulous. "You can do that?"

Jetray tilted his head. "Uh, yeah. Doesn't your fancy ship have a hyperspace drive?"

"Well, yes, I was just surprised that you could do it by just… flying."

"Trust me, I was just as surprised when I tried it the first time. It was purely theoretical until, you know, I actually did it."

Superman chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "I guess you learn something new every day. Maybe I can give that a try in the future. In the meantime, let's see if we can close the gap before Lobo figures out we're onto him."

"Sounds good," Jetray said, folding his wings in preparation for a burst of speed. "Race you there?"

"Let's focus on catching Lobo first," Superman replied, but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes as he pushed the Javelin to its maximum speed. Jetray matched his pace easily.

#

As Jetray and Superman cruised through the silent expanse of space, Ark decided to break the quiet. "So… what's the deal with you and Lois Lane?"

Superman's brow raised in surprise, a faint hint of pink crossing his face before he cleared his throat. "What do you mean?"

"You two seem rather… close," Ark teased.

"Oh, Lois? She's… a great reporter. One of the best. I've had the chance to work with her professionally on a lot of occasions."

Ark raised an eyebrow, his smirk deepening. "Just professional, huh?"

Superman hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words. "Well… she's definitely… dedicated to her work. From what I've seen, she's got a good heart. Passionate about uncovering the truth. Just… maybe takes more risks than she should."

Ark chuckled, shaking his head. "Hey, man. I ain't gonna judge. You seem to like her and aren't afraid to show it sometimes."

"Is it that obvious?"

Ark laughed. "The numerous gossip columns that ship you two are a contributing factor."

"Oh… right," Superman muttered, adjusting the Javelin's trajectory. "Well, as you probably know, being a hero makes relationships… complicated. We haven't started anything official."

"Trust me. I know the classic villain plan of targeting the hero's loved ones," Ark said knowingly.

"So you get what's holding us back." 

"It only really works when your loved one can't protect themselves or if there isn't a pre-existing deterrent," Ark said matter-of-factly. "You got options."

Superman glanced at him, intrigued. "So, what did you do?"

"To be fair, my situation was unique. My previous flame had a living alien battlesuit to protect her. That tended to ward off most threats."

"I see," Superman mused, rubbing his chin. "I think I'll have to consider something else."

"You'll figure it out," Ark reassured. "In the meantime, I've seen the rumor mill online. You know, for a bit, people were thinking Superboy was your secret love child with her."

Superman chuckled nervously. "Yeah… Lois had… questions when she saw Superboy in the field. She agreed to keep the clone thing under wraps. At the moment, she's pushing the narrative that he's my long-lost relative."

Ark laughed, shaking his head. "Sounds about right. That tracks."

Superman smiled. "Thanks, Ark. I appreciate the perspective."

"Hey, what're heroes for?"

Later

As Jetray and Superman continued talking, they grew slightly distracted. Superman and Jetray followed Lobo's trail, leading them into a dense asteroid field. Superman's console lit up with warnings as they maneuvered through them. 

Unbeknownst to them, Lobo watched their approach. "Gotcha, you suckers." He diverted his bike's trail to lead them astray, then quickly hid behind a massive asteroid, waiting for them to pass by.

As Superman made a turn, he heard metal scraping. Superman glanced up as Lobo's grinning face appeared outside the cockpit with a crowbar. 

Lobo then cracked the window with it. "Ding Dong, Lobo calling!"

Jetray and Superman had to shake off the realization that Lobo spoke to them in the vacuum of space while the two heroes were still using their radios.

Instead of panicking, Superman gave Lobo a calm smile. "Hi there." He pressed a button on the console, sending electrical currents surging through the hull. 

Lobo howled as the shock flung him back into space.

Quickly recovering, Lobo clambered onto his bike, revved the engine. "Okay, frag-face, let's tango!" Lobo's bike fired a missile streaking toward Superman's ship. 

Superman fired a laser from the ship's nose, detonating the missile in a fiery burst.

Lobo's bike then unleashed a barrage of twin machine-gun fire. 

Jetray dodged and retaliated with sharp neuroshock blasts, forcing Lobo to swerve wildly. 

Superman was dodging fire and returning shots. A well-placed laser struck Lobo's bike, sending him spinning back.

Lobo reoriented himself and revved his bike. The bike's launchers sprang to life, releasing a barrage of targeting missiles. "Catch me if ya can, fraggers!".

In the Javelin, Superman deployed a cascade of thermal decoys that spiraled outward. The missiles veered toward the decoys and detonated in fiery bursts just behind the ship. "That was too close."

Jetray darted through the explosions. He unleashed a series of neuroshock blasts, targeting more incoming missiles. A few were disabled mid-flight, erupting harmlessly. "Is that all you've got?"

"You asked." With a flick of a switch, new guns deployed, and Lobo fired twin energy blasts. 

Superman banked the ship hard, avoiding the shots, while Jetray fired a rapid volley of neuroshock blasts in return. 

Lobo smirked but was forced to swerve sharply, grazing an asteroid. Using the rocky cover to his advantage, he fired sporadic shots from behind. A fragment of debris clipped Superman's ship, destabilizing its shields.

"Shields down to 70%." Superman reported.

Jetray dodged the debris and fired more neuroshock bolts at Lobo.

Lobo's bike fired back with plasma cannons. 

Superman pulled the Javelin into a barrel roll, narrowly dodging them.

Jetray surged forward, closing the gap. Suddenly, the bike released a dense cloud of cosmic particle smoke, enveloping the area. Jetray, momentarily blinded, banked hard to avoid collision. "What the…?! I can't see him!"

Superman's ship switched to thermal vision and locked onto Lobo's signature, firing a laser shot. The beam clipped one of Lobo's bike's thrusters, causing the bounty hunter to wobble.

Thinking quickly, Lobo fired a missile at a nearby asteroid, causing an explosion that scattered debris. 

Superman's ship moved to shield Jetray, taking the brunt of the impact. "Ship's integrity holding, but it's taking a beating." 

Lobo roared with laughter. "Nice try, blue boy!" From his belt, he grabbed a spiked grenade and hurled it. The device stuck to the Javelin's hull with a menacing clang.

Superman's eyes narrowed. He pressed a button, ejecting the compromised outer panel just as the grenade detonated. The shockwave rocked the Javelin. The panel disintegrated in the explosion, leaving the ship intact.

Jetray accelerated, intending to cut Lobo off. He zipped ahead. But Lobo grinned, pulling his bike into a daring loop. The maneuver carried him over and around Jetray, the bounty hunter taunting him with a mock salute. "Gotta be quicker than that, pal!"

"Oh, you're askin' for it now, Blue Boy!" Lobo snarled, repositioning himself and unleashing another wave of firepower. Jetray avoided the assault, but Superman's instruments flashed red from the damage.

"The ship can't take much more of this," Frustrated, Superman exited the ship, using his heat vision to clear a path through the wreckage,and flew directly for Lobo.

Reaching the bike, Superman grabbed onto one of its machine guns and began tearing it free with brute force. "I guess the only way to reason with you is to take away your toy," he said.

"HEY! Hands off my hog!" Lobo bellowed, swinging his crowbar at Superman. Superman dodged the strike and countered with a powerful punch, snapping Lobo's head back. The bounty hunter grinned through the pain, clearly savoring the challenge. "Now that's more like it!" he growled.

#

A massive, cloaked ship lingered nearby. Inside, the Preserver observed the ongoing skirmish between Superman, Jetray, and Lobo with a satisfied smile.

The Preserver's drone came closer. "Lobo has lured the Kryptonian and the unknown into range."

The Preserver nodded. "Excellent. Fire when ready."

Outside, the battle continued. Superman punched at Lobo, who ducked and swung his chain. 

Jetray's neuroshock blasts constantly forcing Lobo to reposition himself.

Suddenly, a massive vessel shimmered into visibility.

"What the—?" Jetray's attention diverted to the colossal ship.

Before either hero could react, the ship's energy cannons roared to life, firing a beam of concentrated energy. The first struck Superman square in the chest. He let out a pained groan, clutching at his chest as his strength visibly drained.

"Lights out, Clyde," Lobo sneered, taking advantage of Superman's weakened state. His knuckles collided with the Man of Steel's jaw in a devastating punch, sending Superman spiraling backward. The hero fell unconscious.

"Superman!" Jetray was about to pursue when another set of energy beams erupted from the Preserver's ship. This time, they struck both heroes. Jetray struggled as his movements slowed.

In the next instant, a blinding flash consumed both Superman and Jetray. When the light subsided, the heroes were gone.

The Preserver's Ship

Jetray's vision slowly returned, revealing himself encased in a transparent, dome-like containment cell. He quickly scanned the area and noticed Superman in the adjacent cell. The Man of Steel appeared unconscious.

"Superman!" Superman didn't stir, and Jetray's concern deepened.

Looking beyond the cells, Jetray saw strange alien creatures roaming in their own enclosures. Some had bizarre, glowing appendages, while others resembled creatures he recognized from Earth's prehistoric era. "Is that… a triceratops?"

Before he could consider breaking out, a figure floated into view. Draped in green and orange robes, the alien was flanked by hovering mechanical guards. "Ah, the unknown."

Jetray's gaze hardened. "Alright. Who are you, and why did you bring us here?"

The Preserver clasped his hands behind his back, his expression almost smug. "I am the Preserver, curator, and protector of endangered species from across the universe."

Jetray's eyes narrowed. "You're the one who hired Lobo and Bedlam."

Bedlam strode into the room as if on cue, his spurred boots clinking against the metallic floor. "Guilty," he said, tipping his hat. "Nothing personal, just business."

The Preserver waved his hand, and a chest of glittering jewels materialized before the space cowboy. "Your task is complete, and you shall be rewarded."

Grinning, Bedlam scooped up a handful of the treasures. "Lobo's in the hangar fixing his bike. Should I let him know to see you?"

"Yes," the Preserver replied. "I have another… task for the Czarnian."

Bedlam shrugged, pocketing some jewels. "If you say so." He turned and left, leaving the Preserver to focus on Jetray.

The Preserver gestured toward Superman's cell. "I do what I must to preserve species threatened with extinction. For ages, I have gathered the last of many rare creatures, even some from your planet, Earth."

Jetray deadpanned, his tail flicking behind him. "So, it's a zoo?"

"I suppose you could see it that way," the Preserver said, unbothered by the accusation.

The Preserver's gaze lingered on Superman. "Normally, I do not take sentient beings. However, the Kryptonian is the sole survivor of his homeworld. For what it's worth, I was able to collect a specimen from Krypton's sister planet, Argo. However, that one is located at a different site."

Turning his attention back to Jetray, the Preserver's expression shifted to curiosity. "You, however, are an anomaly."

With a wave of his hand, a holographic display appeared, showcasing Ben's various alien transformations, including recent additions like Upchuck and Jetray. "When I first discovered your ability to change today, I believed you to be a shapeshifter akin to the Martians. However, your transformations are far more sophisticated. You assume the forms of entirely distinct alien species with unique abilities. At first, I thought you were simply the last of a rare species, but now… I must ask directly: What are you?"

Jetray tilted his head. "That's a loaded question… You claim to be a preserver of life, right?"

"Of course." The Preserver gestured to the array of creatures in nearby cells. "I initially started my pursuit by collecting the last of various non-sentient species."

"Why?" Jetray asked. "Why do you care? Who really are you?"

The Preserver's posture stiffened. "I am… old. My original name is irrelevant, but I know the pain of being the last." He floated over to a pod.

Jetray's expression softened slightly. "You're the last of your kind?"

"Indeed," the Preserver admitted. "Not unlike Krypton, my homeworld suffered a catastrophic disaster. Still, I tried to move on. But as time passed, I saw the same tragedy befall countless species. Eventually, I made a choice."

"You became the Preserver."

"Yes. I chose to save them in a way I know how."

Jetray glanced around the room, observing the various creatures. "Is this truly the only way you've found to help them? If these species reproduce sexually and they don't have a mate, their survival is already doomed."

The Preserver sighed. "Unfortunately, that is true. On many occasions, I arrived too late to collect a proper pair. I've considered cross-species hybrids, but success has been limited."

Jetray hummed thoughtfully. "You asked me what I was."

"I'd seen nothing like you in the universe."

"I'd like to make a proposal."

The Preserver raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

Jetray straightened. "What if I told you that I'm the last hope for any alien species?"

#

Omnitrix DNA Entry

Name: Jetray

Species: Aerophibian

Home World: Aeropela

Powers and Abilities:

Aerophibians can fire neuroshock blasts capable of shutting down an organic being's nervous system from their eyes and tail. Aerophibians can casually fly at speeds several times the speed of sound. They can maneuver through the air with little to no flapping and extreme precision, unmatched by anything on Earth. Aerophibians can safely fly through water, the Earth's atmosphere, and into space, and travel on an interstellar level. Through sheer speed, they are capable of entering a dimension known as hyperspace much like current Jumpgate technology, without converting the subject matter into faster-than-light tachyons. Aerophibians are resistant to electrical energy.

AN: Special thanks to Seana, Jebest4781, Mecha Destroyer98, vividlearner744, OmegaDelta, Henry Stickman, fearmegu, Kitsune Robyn, Dragon lord, Shooter1344, Alexander, Ajax Roranson, trey, Asaf, DJC, $hane-08, Daniel, nighnight, decimator, Roswell, SpeX, Smoking_ash12, Giorgie Baramidze, Kyan Christian, Professor Xivass, AF360!

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