[chuckles at a photo] Hey, Ben. Look. [shows Ben the photo of them as kids and Grandpa Max with the Rust Bucket being towed in the background while Ben is picking his nose, annoying his cousin] It's us in front of the old Rust Bucket.
[laughs] That's so like Grandpa Max to lose one dumper, then run out and find another. That whole summer was incredible. Remember, Gwen? Hero time, all the time. Kevin was still a bad guy.
Let it go, Tennyson. I know you're here to keep an eye on me.
[Ben kicks down a pile of tires]
We're supposed to be keeping the planet safe from an alien invasion, and we can't keep a motor home from being stolen?
Drop it. (starts to walk away)
(blocking his way) Don't walk away from me!
Is this where you turn into an alien and try to kick my butt?
Kevin Levin. I can't decide whether to trade with you or tear you to pieces. Remember that counterfeit-isotope scam a few years back?
You left me holding the bag, and at the mercy of the Plumbers. I escaped, but now I'm stuck on Earth swapping level-3 tech to get by, thanks to you.
Ancient history. I'm here to make a deal.
[Stands up] I have the Plumber gadget you want. [Shows Kevin the holo-viewer] What do you give me for it?
Look, completely straight, I had this stash of Plumber's technology, but I lost it.
Tell me what I have to do to get.
[Vulkanus holds out his hand, but when Kevin is about to shake it, he grabs his whole arm.]
[Vulkanus squeezes Kevin's hand hard, causing Kevin to groan in pain. Kevin drops to his knees while holding his hand. A machine rises from the floor. A piece of Taydenite rises from the machine and wraps two appendages around Kevin's hand, slowly pulling him in and forcing him to touch the crystal and absorb it.]
First, you're going to pay me back for the double-cross.
[As his whole body starts turning into Taydenite] I can't– stop– absorbing!
Because I don't want you to. You're recursibly absorbing a piece of Taydenite, the rarest most precious living gem in the entire galaxy.
[The Pickaxe Aliens slide Kevin backwards. Two large cuffs rise from the floor and hold Kevin in place as the crystals on his back start growing.]
This is the only piece of Taydenite in this spiral of the Milky Way. Or it was, until you came along.
[With his face turning into Taydenite] You're garbage!
[As the crystals on his back grow larger, Kevin screams in pain. The Pickaxe Aliens climb on Kevin's back.]
You owe me. I'm gonna take it out of your hide, then sell you all piece by piece.
[The Pickaxe Aliens chip the Taydenite away from Kevin's back. The Taydenite fall into the mine carts.]
And I'm gonna do it forever.
Do what you want to me, but Ben Tennyson gets that holo-viewer.
[Vulkanus laughs, then flicks the holo-viewer away towards the wall.]
You're in a bad position to make demands.
[Ben gets a message from Max]
MTMax Tennyson
Ben, if you found this message, you must be in pretty deep. There's a lot I can't reveal yet, but here's one thing I can: You can't go it alone. By now, you're probably meeting some of the other Plumber's kids, but you have to find more. You need to put together a team.