Hi hi, everyone,

OK, I know I haven't been updating my other stories. Here are some reasons: 1) I have loads of coursework. 2) I have exams this year. 3) I've actually gone and lost the USB pen I save my chapters onto.

So I'm sorry. Is that a cry of, "Why are you writing this instead of finding the fecking thing then" I hear in the distance? No? Well, I'm still gonna tell you.

I've been playing a lot of Ratchet and Clank recently, and I think that it's impossible for Tachyon to be telling the truth at the end of TOD. It isn't plausible that the ENTIRE Lombax population was on Fastoon. They had lives too, y'know.

I'm just telling you all this so no-one tries to bite my head of with evil, harsh remarks about, "Ooh, it said this in the game" or, "You've got it wrong. It happens like this." Please, no flames, my first for Ratchet and Clank.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank, nor do I own any planets, characters, weapons, or anything else recognisable in any of the games.

Bye byes,

Timid Vulpine.

Oh, and P.S. A couple of quick things: 1) This is set after Quest for Booty, and 2) I've given up on naming chapters.

Ratchet stormed out of the cave that housed the Obsidian Eye, only to be grabbed from behind. He turned round, expecting to see Talwyn. Instead, the Smuggler had a firm grip on his shoulder, with Talwyn just catching up.

"Hold on, now, friend," he said. "You may be interested in what my... co-worker has to say."

Ratchet looked at the parrot, who was, as usual, on the Smuggler's shoulder. It squawked at him. "AWK! Not me, pal. AWK! Behind you, behind you. The psycho behind you. AWK!"

Before he could turn, an arrow flew over Ratchet's shoulder, clipping the parrot's wing, causing the thing to take flight and roost in a nearby palm tree. The projectile was followed by a silky-smooth, heavily-accented female voice. "Shut up, you mangy, good-f'r-nothin', sad excuse for a feather duster," she spat, "before I turn you into tonight's main course!" The Lombax turned to the bird's attacker.

She looked like she was a cross-breed between a human and a Markazian, almost as tall as the Smuggler. Her elegant frame was covered by a tribal-looking green poncho, blue three-quarter lengths, a pail yellow t-shirt and brown boots. Her dirty blonde hair was adorned with all sorts of beads, in bright colours. The only thing that broke the caramel skin of her face were her intelligent grey eyes.

In her hand was a lethal looking longbow, and on he back was a quiver full of arrows like the one she'd just fired. She was obviously not someone to be messed with.

"My name is Fenna. You are a Lombax, yes? Not a cross-breed like dat Angela Cross, 'ight?"

Ratchet blinked. "As far as I'm aware." Angela? She's a cross-breed? With what?

"Good." Fenna said. "Not dat I'd think any less of you if you werea cross-breed. But dat's not de point. You ain't the only Lombax left in this dimension."

"Well, yeah, there's Ang-"

"Not what I mean. I mean a pure-bred, Fastoon born Lombax. Just like you."

Ratchet shook his head. "Tachyon said-"

"Dere was a colony called Pandora in the Drogol Sector. A Lombax colony. Tachyon attacked it just after his assault on Fastoon, but-"

Ratchet cut her off. "Look, I'm sure you mean well. And I'm sure you believe whatever information you've been given. But I don't have time to listen to rumours." With that, he barged past her, muttering, "I've got a friend who needs rescuing."

Talwyn wasn't as rude. She turned to Fenna and smiled apologetically "I'm sorry about him. He's a bit pre-occupied."

Fenna just shrugged. "S'okay. I've gotten used to havin' people givin' me de cold shoulder. An' he's 'ight. His friend needs a rescue. De Zoni aren't the well-meanin'... things they try to come across as to strangers."

"Wait, how do you know that the Zoni took Clank?"

"I have my sources." Fenna turned and walked towards the small, dart-shaped ship that was parked on the beech. "Good luck, miss."

Talwyn just stood there. Who is that woman really? Is she telling the truth? Did other Lombaxes survive? And what are the Zoni really? This doesn't make any sense...

"Talwyn!" Ratchet's yell snapped her out of her confusing thoughts and got her running to the small skiff they'd been using.

Ratchet was silent for the entire trip back to the ships. That worried Talwyn. In all the time she'd known him, he had never been silent for this long when aggravated. He always said something, but this time, he just leaned on the rail, staring angrily at the waves. When they arrived back to where'd they'd left Talwyn's ship (and where Aphelion had fallen back to), she was almost scared to disturb him.

"Ratchet," She placed her hand gently on his shoulder. "We're here."

He looked up and saw the worry, permeated with fear, in her eyes. He instantly softened a little, smiling sadly, his eyes holding a wordless apology. Talwyn squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, causing his expression to strengthen. We're going to find him was the silent message that passed between the two, before they disembarked.

"Miss Apogee!" A very exited Zephyr was jumping up and down, waving his arms. "Miss Apogee!"

"Sorry that took so long, Zephyr," Talwyn said as she deactivated her jet pack, landing next to him. "What's wrong? Did Cronk's head come off again?"

"No. Well, yes, but not just that," Zephyr whispered.

"What's going on?" Ratchet asked as he approached them.

"They just turned up yesterday, and they won't leave!" Zephyr whined. "Well, the one in white almost did, but the other girl wouldn't let her."

"Who won't leave, Zephyr?" Talwyn asked.

"Well well, lookie who it is." A Markazian girl, around Talwyn's height and age, stepped out from behind Ratchet's ship. Her short-cut hair was pitch black, her skin was a dark tan colour, and her eyes were reddish-brown. She wore a black, wrap-around, armoured top with short arms, matching black trousers, black platform boots, and fingerless gloves (need I say that they're black?); attached to her hip was a black scabbard that held a katana. Her voice was slightly deeper than Talwyn's, maybe an octave or so, and tinged with amusement. "The elusive Talwyn Apogee. Take a picture, folks. You only see this legendary creature once in a blue moon."

Another Markazian girl stepped around the ship. It was obvious that these girls were twins. They looked the same, only the second had longer hair, tied into a loose ponytail, and she had glasses. The armour she wore was similar to the set that Sasha had worn last time Ratchet had seen her, only in white, with more pockets and holsters. "Stop teasing her, will you? It's not her fault she's terminally shy!"

"Kai? Tessa?" Talwyn stared for a moment before moving forward and hugging them both. "Oh my God! I haven't seen you two in AGES!"

"Well, that's your fault for disappearing for months at a time."

Ratchet just watched and wondered. Was she still going to help him? Or were these girls stealing her away?

Talwyn turned to him. "Ratchet, this is Kai," the one in black, "and Tessa Swordsmith," the one in white. "I've known them since I was ten!"

"Hi." Tessa seemed so cheery at that moment, he couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah, hi." Kai quickly brushed him off and turned this pleading look on Talwyn. "Listen, we need a hand-"

"No," Talwyn cut her off. "Kai, I can't just drop everything and help you. I've got a prior commitment."

Ratchet's ears perked up at this point. He was glad, but that was tinged with a sense of guilt. Of course Talwyn was going to help him. She had promised.

Kai looked thoughtful. "Where are you going?"

"The Breegus Nebula"

"That's where we need the help. What're you doing?"

"Getting back a friend."

"From who?"

"Does it matter?"

"Alright, alright." Kai put her hands up in defeat. "Here's the deal: we'll help you, then you help us. No strings attached."

"Just tell us who we're up against," Tessa added.

Talwyn looked back at Ratchet. After all, it was his mission. "What do you think?"

Ratchet was already in is ship. "Whatever. Just don't slow us down." With that, he shut the canopy and fired up the engines.

"Sorry about him," Talwyn said, after the wind of Aphelion's passage had died down. "His friend is really important t him."

"No problem," Tessa brushed it off.

Kai clapped her hands and rubbed them together. "Now," she said, "who're we up against?"

"Dr. Nefarious," Talwyn bit her lip. Should she act on her suspicions and mention it, risking Ratchet's anger? Clank had trusted them. Or leave it out and risk them getting ambushed? Maybe the girls had heard of them? Maybe they'd think she was crazy for thinking they were the enemy, or for thinking of going up against them.

Oh stuff it! Let's be on the safe side. "And maybe..." Bite.

"The Zoni."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi hi,

Well, that's it. What do ya think? Please R&R. But no flames, please.

I've given up on finding the blue thingy, I've bought a new orange one. I'll try and find the old one at some point.

Well, I'll try and get the next chapter up as soon as I can.

Bye byes,

Timid Vulpine.