Chapter 1, The man in the hood

Polaris Galaxy, December 31st

2012, 11:58 P.M

I was knocked back as I flew through the air before landing flat on my stomach with an oof, my ears flopped through the air as Ratchet grabbed the Great Clock's lever. He began pulling it with all he had, my eyes widened as I saw him do this. What was this idiot doing?! Had he no idea what I was trying do! If I could rid of Tachyon before he could be a threat, I could save everyone! The president, the guard, the military! Even Kaden and Mora...

"NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" I screamed in anger and shock, my double bladed wrench nearly flying out of my gloved hand as my ears flapped wildly through the roaring wind and energy circling the Orvus Chamber.

I saw him struggle, his legs shaking as he mumbled to himself. For Fastoon's sake, this idiotic fool!? Does he not know that I'm trying to help him! I could get our race back! I could get Kaden back! Luckily though it broke, I smiled now I could fix everything...wait it's not working!

I slowly got up, anger welling up in me as I looked at Ratchet accusingly as I said. "It's not working! WHY ISN'T IT WORKING?!"

IT SHOULD BE WORKING! WHAT DID THIS IDIOT DO, THAT'S WHEN HE DECIDED TO GIVE ME THE DUMBES- "Because it's not a time machine, Alister! The clock isn't meant to alter time! Only keep it!"

My eyes widened as the system said, "Thirty seconds until total system failure."

'Oh my Fastoon...' I thought with closed eyes before opening them and looking around in horror, 'What have I done...Kaden...what have I done?! First I try to kill your son, then this...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...I'm sorry...'

I watched with wide eyes and sadness as Ratchet was thrown back by a bolt of electricity, I hung my head down sadly.

Kneeling down as I thought, 'Kaden, Mora...I'm sorry...'

"I'm so sorry..." I spoke aloud, sadness clear in my voice.

I saw Ratchet getting up, he went for the beam where the lever to turn it off had been to stop it. I immediately got up and bolted to him, stopping him in his tracks. I've lost too much...I lost my race. I lost Mora. Kaden...I won't lose anyone else! If I can keep Kaden alive just a little bit...even if it kills me, then so be it!

"No...let me." I said, now with determination.

"What are you going to do?!" Ratchet yelled as I walked toward the controls.

I ignored him as I prepared to use my wrench as a lever, I then said to him with sadness. "Take care of yourself Ratchet and tell Angela that I'm sorry...tell her I love my little girl..."

I then shoved my wrench in and began to push, the machine turned off as the beam thickened. My last thoughts being before the explosion, 'Forgive me Kaden...'

RATCHET CLANK FUTURE:

OTHER WORLDS

3rd P.O.V

January 1st, 2002

Veldin, 7:15 A.M

Veldin...a planet made up of mostly well nothing. Veldin is a desert planet, it does have it's cities with it's people though. One of these peoples being Grimroth Razz or Grim as most called him, Grim was large fongoid with two tusks sticking out his mouth, one of which is broken. He had two huge ears falling down behind his head like hair and wore a brown leather vest along with a tool belt. Grim also owned an old garage out in the desert near one of the many landing spaces for visiting or stopping spaceships.

He had started up the business out there after he had bought it off of a defective mombot which had been living out there, waiting for something. Something called a Lombax infant, which was impossible since they were all whipped out bye Empero-sorry...Percival. Why the emperor wanted him to call his highness by his first name he would never know. But he could definitely think of a few colorful names for that stuck up, disgraceful, lying, ass of a murderer. That cragmite had killed off the very race that sought pity on him and took him in, he's the main reason that him and Felton left Polaris in the first place!

Then that cragmite decided to spread his influence and rule to other galaxies! Now the only place that son of a Qwark doesn't rule is that recently discovered galaxy! Milky Way was it...? Either way, it wouldn't matter. Soon that cragmite would rule that galaxy and it's inhabitants too. And what could he do? Answer, nothing!

Grim sighed at that last thought as he reached the gates of the city where the cragmite guards stood with their blasters, he stopped at the gates with his identification ready as he waited in line at his assigned booth like he always did. It was something that every citizen of a galaxy that Percival ruled had to do, the main gates when have multiple booths infront of them. Each booth consisted of a class or species, Grim was at the VIP booth now. Even though he wasn't rich and a fongoid, he was in the VIP section due to being good friends with Percival. He still had no idea why he was to address the emperor as Percival though...

"Identification please?" One of the two guards at the booth he was at asked as per usual.

"Alright, here you go Craig." Grim said to him and gave him his identification.

Craig scanned it before giving it back to Grim, "Thank you for your time, Sir Grimroth. Enjoy your time in the city"

Many of the rich and poor citizens in the other booths glared at Grim while others who knew him glared at the people who were glaring at Grim, Grim meanwhile shuffled nervously as he walked through the gates while saying with a wave. "Yeah, thanks..."

The city of Tachyon Central, one of the few capital cities in Percival's range of galaxies was large. Very large, in fact, it was the vacation spot for Percival, whenever he needed one at least... The last time he had one was when he finally took over the Polaris and killed off the last lombax. Sometimes he wished there was something he could do...anything...

January 1st, 2002

Kyzil Plateau, 8:55 P.M

All was quiet in the large, dense, and leafy forest that filled the once bare and sandy plateau. The plateau had once been filled with nothing but dead trees, shrubs, sand, lot's and lot's of sand...along with the race of sandhorned toads which are now...on Fastoon, Tachyon had decided to spare the tiny creatures simply because of how vicious they were. As soon as the lombaxes had fled to that other dimension, Tachyon put all of his defenses around Fastoon to ensure no one. Especially a Lombax! To ever step on that planet! To make sure no one even thought of stepping there, he put the sandhorned toads there. Those little creatures would chomp down anything that set foot there, the only alien that could even stand a chance against those things would have to be a Lombax and the best part...

They are all dead! Even if a single one lived and attempted to set foot on that planet, they would be blasted to smithereens! He had his best cragmites guarding the cities of Fastoon and the best-trained pilots guarding the skies closely! Then there were the numerous ships around the planet and near its surface, oh and it gets worse for others. But better for Tachyon, he has his prison ships there! All of which are disguised as his fighter ships and they hold all of his most hated prisoners, so that way if any non-Cragmite ship were to even have a chance at destroying the ships.

They would have no idea which one to hit! But that's on Fastoon, this is Veldin. Veldin wasn't as heavily guarded...so it's easy for people to get in, even those that are otherworldly...the wind blew lightly in the dense forest as the red grassy ground flowed with it, all the while the silver leaves shown above like they were on fire in the bright sun which shone brightly like the very star it was meant to be. But that burning like image was fading as the sun set and soon someone would arrive as one day ended and another began...

January 1st, 2002

Tachyon Central, 8:57 P.M

"100,000 bolts!?" Grim yelled out in shock to Slim or otherwise known as the once shady salesman, Grim glared at the green rilgarian.

"Woah, Woah. Calm down, Grim. That's as much as I can lower it without the big guy finding out...!" Slim said, pointing up.

"Think it's working?" Slim said into his earpiece while looking at the people beginning to surround them, specifically the rich.

"Yup, got those RYNOs?" Grim asked.

"You bet ya." Slim said with his classic smile.

"You kidding me?! That much for one RYNO?!" He said, angered.

"Come on Pal, I got about a million of these things that need selling! Technically they're 1,000,000 bolts! But I decided to lower the price per the Emperor's request...!" He said with a toothy grin, some gold and silvered plastered teeth there.

Many of the rich aliens looked over with keen interest as Grim said with a huff, "Fine, I'll take it! But you won't be getting me next time, Slim Cognito!"

Grim then gave Slim fake bolts as Slim gave Grim a fake RYNO and said, "Pleasure to do business with ya, Grimmy!"

"Whatever you swindler!" Grim said angrily and walked off as a smile formed under that angry face.

The rich meanwhile began to surround Slim who began getting bolt after bolt after bolt as they began holding bolts up, yelling out demands.

"Please, please. People, there's enough RYNOs for everyone." He said with a trademark smile.

Grim meanwhile smiled as he walked away, though they didn't know it. The rich specifically, those bolts would be given to the poor people of Veldin. 20% would go to Slim and the other 80% to the poor, just business as usual. But business was about to change and fast...because soon, new beings would return...

Eventually, it was nighttime with the stars twinkling above as Grim sat in a bar with Slim, the two of them clanged their Roseberry beer drinks together before taking a large gulp from each of their respective drinks. Loud yelling and laughing in the background of their celebration. Kaden's Hanger Bar was always like this, as were all bars. Just your typical residents drinking their lives away whilst others had a good time with their friends, in this case? Grim and Slim were doing the same thing they always did after making enough bolts to help people, celebrate.

Slim and Grim have been friends since a young age, always getting into trouble over in the Polaris Galaxy and still here just as always. Grim, Slim, and Grim's younger brother Felton all met at a game of Blaster Tag while on the homeworld of Morklon. The home of the fongoids. Since then the three were very good friends despite Slim's constant cons which always made a cragmite laugh once or twice at how, according to them, "pitiful his attempts were to con someone for bolts". These days, however, the cragmites would have their jaws drop to the ground. Today if a cragmite saw Slim, they would be very shocked as Slim now makes over 800 bolts a day with his cons compared to back on Morklon where he'd only make two bolts a day.

Then there are the fun times that the three had together in their games of Lombaxes Vs. Cragmites, where Felton, Grim, and Slim would be on the Lombax Team every single time and each and every time they would win. While most criticized this, calling the three weak for being on the Lombax Team. Many more encouraged them and cheered for their team, especially those who remembered the Lombaxes and their old friend Talwyn whose father had actually met a few Lombaxes. Including Lombaxes such as their leader Lord President Ocelton, The Keeper who guarded a mysterious machine of immense power, and a Lombax who was the General of the Lombax Praetorian Guard which protected all of Polaris and one of the many Elder Councilman for Center for Advanced Lombax Research. Talwyn's father seemed to praise this Lombax even before his disappearance on Veldin, but at the same pitied him as he had been tricked by the Emperor to give him access to Lombax technology which in turn gave the Emperor to create his army and enforcers to defeat the Lombaxes.

But something about it all seemed off sometimes. Not just to Talwyn's father, but to others as well. It was almost as if the Emperor was told by someone, it couldn't have been the lombax that Max, Talwyn's father, had felt bad for as he pushed to stop Tachyon to allow the other Lombaxes to escape. So who had, well no one knew. Not even the Lombaxes knew probably if any were still alive that is. While the Lombaxes were dead and gone, at least that's what the universe though, Grim, Slim, and Felton still carried on their legacy in different ways. Grim decided to be a mechanic just like the furry cat creatures were, though he wasn't the inventive type, he was very good with his wrench. Felton took on the courageous side but kept it hidden, Felton put up a fake cover as the runner of a hotel on Pokitaru. While he ran a long list of hotels and owned them, behind the backs of Cragmites. Him, a technical friend, and a few celebrities such as Skidd McMarx, the pro hoverboarder.

Finally, Slim took on the inventive and more technical side. Building guns, ship mods, gun mods, gadgets, and much more. He even invented the occasional weapon or two for a few bolts. So far, most of his tech comes from old Lombax technology he bought off the black market or collected from old junk piles. Indeed, all three of them carried out the Lombax legacy whether it be in the open or secret.

"Ya know what?" Slim asked as he took another drink from his glass.

"What?" Grim asked as he set down his half-full glass.

"I really wish Razz was here, bet he'd be drinking away and betting on all sorts of stuff!" Slim said with a laugh.

Grim chuckled at that, recalled the constant betting from his brother and the first night of the many many bets. His brother, Felton, bet so much once that he had gotten 3.4 billion bolts! He could still remember Felton's face of glee when he won those bets. He was still remembering until...

"Hey, Grim?" Slim asked, leaning on the table with his crossed arms and his head looking at the table.

"Do you think...? Well, ya know...that there might be at least...a Lombax alive? Somewhere out there? is it possible Tachyon missed at least one...?" Slim asked, looking at Grim a little from the table.

Grim stopped drinking and with a sigh said, "Maybe? I really don't know, Slim...the Emperor sent his army all over the universe to kill all of the lombaxes."

Then something sparked in Slim's eyes, "That's it..."

"Slim, you alright?" Grim asked confused.

"Grim, I know how to beat the emperor!" Slim shouted, standing up which caused the bar to become silent as every alien in the bar looked in their direction.

Grim let out a fake sigh and said, "Don't mind him, he's drunk...again..."

Many of the aliens accepted that and sat down minis a large one which had an antenna with a red blimp at the top sticking out of it, this wasn't just any alien either. For this one wasn't one of the galaxy...or the universe.

Grim sat him back down and then leaned in, whispering whilst not noticing the one alien with the antenna coming closer to listen. "What are you talking about? What do you mean, you know how to beat him?"

"Remember that inventor, the one that is living with you and helps pay the bills with you?" Slim asked, very giddily which was very unlike the con.

"You mean Al?" Grim asked with a raised brow.

"No, I mean your washing machine. Of course I mean Al!" Slim said, joking a little

"What does he have to do with this, Slim?" Grim asked, confused and curious.

"Didn't you say that he once made a multidimensional machine that could open wormholes to other universes?" Slim inquired with a look on his face and in his eyes which spelled desperation and a plan forming.

"Oh no, no! Slim, I know that look! We can't use the Dimensionator, the last time that Al tried it he nearly blew himself up!" Grim said, trying to stop Slim's ridiculous plan.

"But, Grim come on! This could be our only shot at defeating Tachyon and freeing the universe from his wave of terror! Think of how many people we could save, please Grim. Get Al to use his Dimensionator." Slim begged with pleading eyes.

"Slim, we don't even know if it works! How can we be sure that it works?" Grim said, raising his voice a little.

The clearing of a throat broke their conversation as both looked over to a cloaked alien, it was the one with the antenna.

"Can we help you?" grim asked with a raised brow.

"Yes...well, no. See, I think I might be able to help you two." The alien said, his voice sounding a lot like Captain Qwark.

"With?" Slim asked, now confused.

"With proving that your Dimension Thingy works..." The alien said, a smirk forming on his chiseled face.

"How and how do you know about it?" Slim inquired, now suspicious of the alien

"I know about it now because of you two and I can because...well, take look." The alien said.

The alien moved his hat up a little to reveal the face of...

"CAPTAIN QWAR-mph!" Grim yelled out in anger before the man quickly covered his mouth.

"Shhh! Yes, I'm Qwark. But not yours, if that makes any sense...I can prove it too!" Qwark said, desperate.

Normally, Qwark wouldn't do this. But he needed to defeat the Emperor somehow! This was his chance to become a hero to the galaxy, no the universe! This time, Ratchet and Clank wouldn't be there to stop him from being a hero either! Those two, always ruining his image! Always preventing him from being a hero!

Now that he knew how to be a real hero, he could have the spotlight! Not that flarging feline and his little robot friend! It was brilliant plan, one that couldn't possibly back fire either...not this time...

"Ok, how?" Slim asked.

"Simple, this!" Qwark said, pulling out an Omni-Wrench 8000.

Grim and Sim's eyes widened at what they saw, the Qwark from their universe would rather be chucked into a woodchipper than be caught with one! Which meant...

"Now...shall we get to work or not?" Qwark asked with a signature smile.