Ratchet and Clank: The Dread Lord
Fan Fiction by: Emile the Watcher
Disclaimer: I do not own the Ratchet and Clank IP, that is Sony and Insomniac Games. All I claim credit to is the Story Idea.
Well, Hello all, I don't know how many of you here have read my other Ratchet and Clank work, the Nightmares Series. But I finished it not too long ago, and was trying what to write next, I knew I wanted something in Ratchet and Clank, but I couldn't decide what, Part of me wanted to get right to work on a sequel to Earth Bound, but I still haven't got enough feedback to prove that people would want to read it. So, I was watching The Pirates of the Caribbean and it hit me. Pirates, I want to do a Pirate themed story! So, here you go, the first chapter of my Next Ratchet and Clank piece. Please, read, and enjoy.
{-} Ratchet and Clank: The Dread Lord {-} Chapter 1: The Life of a Hunter {-}
'Pirate Hunter. That's my job, and I'm the best at it. Captain Sasha Phyronix of the Solona Alliance Navy. I have my own ship, the Blue Fire, I have a loyal first mate, a modified Solona Ranger by the name of CR-3. Never once have I failed to bring in a space pirate, or at least bring back proof that they are dead. I have been doing this for five years now, and I have personally seen 356 pirates in the noose, led there by my hand. I've lost count of those that have fallen to my blades, well into the thousands I think. I've well and truly earned my rank, and the respect of my peers.
So why does this newest assignment worry me? It's not like I haven't done this hundreds, no thousands of times before.
That's a lie, and I know it.
This new assignment, this Dread Lord, I have every right to be worried. When the Pirates first came to Solona, the Navy Brass always figured that somebody must be leading them. Eight years ago they came and started pillaging our system. Five years of hunting down this scum and I'm only just finding evidence about some Dread Lord that's been leading them all along? Brass was practically drooling over the fact that we had confirmed there was a leader.
Three months ago I was sent on this mission, track down all leads on this Dread Lord and do whatever I had to to bring him, or her, or it, I guess in to see the noose. I could kill them if I needed to, but Brass wants a show to discourage the other pirates. Over these months, I've heard some pretty fear inspiring stories about the Dreads Helm, and her captain.
I know that the name of my ship, or of even me, strikes fear into the space pirates, and yet everyone that I have hunted down for information has been more scared of this Dread Lord. What does that say about him?
Still, I have my mission, and I'm going to see it end tonight. We finally tracked down the Dreads Helm after it attacked a port on Veldin of all places. We arrived too late to stop the ship, but I found out which direction it went in and we have been sailing in that direction for a week now. My first mate reported a sighting on the black ship early this morning, far in the distance, and we've been using this day to catch up to them.'
"Captain."
Sasha looked up from her log book to stare at the green robot in front of her. She may have only come up to his waist right now, but everybody knew who was in charge here. "Yes CR-3?" her long dark brown hair falling over her shoulder as she spoke.
"The Dreads Helm has noticed us. They've slowed down and we can see cannons being readied for attack. We'll be among them in a few minutes."
Sasha nodded "Good Job CR-3, prepare the rest of the Rangers for battle. I'll be up in a moment."
CR-3 saluted stiffly and turned to walk out of her cabin, closing the door behind him.
Sasha turned back to her book.
'This Dread Lord may be a fear inspiring figure, but they haven't met me yet. I promise this, by the end of the night, only one of us will be standing.'
Sasha closed the book and tucked it into the drawer on her desk. Locking the drawer with the key she kept on the chain around her neck. She glanced around her cabin and smiled softly. The dark brown of the planks had been nice before, but she had added a carpet and a bed, both nailed down so that they didn't move when the ship rocked through the space and seas. She had also added a few wardrobes to hold her spare cloths and weapons.
She thought about changing her clothes before she realized that she slept in her battle outfit last night just in case the pirates had tried something during the night. She glanced down at her black boots that ran up her legs to end just below her knees where they got covered up by the sleek purple material that covered the rest of her body. A small black belt ran around her waist with special loops hanging off it at several points, it also had two holsters that sat on the small of her back. She had dark brown gloves pulled over her hands secured to her body suit by the straps that ran along their bottoms. On her chest just above her breast hung the small golden piece of metal that proclaimed her a captain of the Solona Alliance Navy.
She brushed the fur on her face to make sure it was smooth before she walked over to her bed and took a couple of the hairbands that she had sitting on her nightstand and quickly gathered her hail into a pony tail before bundling that together and holding that to the top of her head with one hand while she reached for her captains hat on her bed with the other. She tucked the three pointed hat down on her head and pulled it snug over her hair. She picked up a mirror and glanced at her reflection quickly before she turned around, throwing the mirror on the bed.
Sasha eyed the black wardrobe and moved over to it, flicking her thumb along the small hook that kept it closed. She swung the doors opened and took a belt with two hooks along its length and snapped on end to a loop on her waist before winding the belt around her right leg and connecting the last hook to another loop that sat on the small of her back. She reached into the wardrobe and took the two long cutlass swords and their holsters from the rack in the back and attached them to the belt she had just wrapped around her right leg. The holsters crossed each other in an x and rubbed gently against each other as she walked.
She reached into the space in front of her again and grabbed another belt, this one had two holsters attached to it though, she wrapped this belt around her left leg in the same style as her right, making sure the hooks were connected. She then reached for the set of double barreled Lancer pistols that were hanging in the wardrobe. She spun the pistols around on her fingers before sliding them into their holsters along her leg. She took two more of the pistols out of the wardrobe and slipped them into the holsters along her back, making sure all of her gear was secure she closed and latched the wardrobe, before turning back to the door to her cabin.
She quickly made her way out, shutting the door behind her, as soon as her feet touched the exposed deck, her voice bellowed out.
"Bring us about broadside and roll out the portside cannons!" She quickly walked forward. "Prepare to board the enemy ship, kill any pirate that resists. But remember, the Dread Lord is mine!" she paused and glanced over her shoulder to the deck above her where CR-3 stood next to the Ranger on the wheel. He gave her another quick salute before Sasha turned her attention to the ship they were closing with.
The pure black ship hid from those in space and among the night when planet side, but now, with the fading sun casting its glow across the waters, the ship stood out in sharp relief.
The Dreads Helm was easily twice the size of the Blue Fire and carried twice as much fire power. It was made out of pure black wood including its mast and sails. Curiously, none of their cannons were rolled out, there was just a large amount of pirates all jeering at them from the opposite deck.
Sasha narrowed her eyes. "It's like that eh..." she said softly as she stepped closer. "Secure the portside cannons!"
A Ranger spoke up from next to her "But Ma'am..."
Sasha glanced at him "That ship has twice the firepower of ours, if we fire our cannons, they'll roll theirs our and blow us out of the water. This is going to be a fight on the decks." Sasha paused and raised her voice. "Boarding parties, at the ready! Deck Guards, Stand firm!" The two ships came side to side as the Rangers rushed around about on the deck. One group of Rangers stayed back from the side of the enemy ship, their arms cannon raised and charged, while they held swords in their other hands. Another group had ran up with grappling guns in one hand and cutlasses in the other.
"Captain!"
Sasha turned and caught a grappling gun as CR-3 tossed it to her. She took aim at the mast of the enemy ship and held it there. "Rangers at the ready..." Sasha trialed off ."Hold..." Sasha waited to see the first pirate peak over the side of the railing down at them. "Fire!"
The Deck guard opened fire, their rounds flashing up to peck holes into the side of the ship, a few stuck the couple of pirates that were peaking over the railing. The pirates fell over the edge of the energy rounds shut them down. Their bodies splashed loudly in the water and as the deck guard started cooling off their blasters. "Fire Grappling lines!" Sasha followed her own commands, pulling the trigger on his weapon and sending the hook up to embed into the enemy ships mast. The Rangers following suit with their own targets. As he line went taunt, Sasha called out. "CR-3?"
"Yes Ma'am?"
Sasha glanced at him with a grin. "Take care of my ship!" Sasha ran her thumb over a second trigger and tightened her grip as the weapons motor kicked in and yanked her body off the deck plates and towards the mast. The gun quickly pulled her towards the hard wood and Sasha grunted softly as she impacted against the dark wood, bracing her body for a moment before pushing off and flipping through the air drawing both of her cutlass with a flourish as she spun. She landed sharply on the deck, her boots clunking heavily and causing the pirates that were around her to turn and bar their swords in her direction, her own swords held out to her side and even to the deck as she crouched down on the deck.
Sasha glanced out from under her hat, head bowed at the pirates around her, the pause lasted for a few seconds. Before she grinned. "Come and get me." she said softly. A moment later as the pirates rushed her the rest of the Rangers climbed over the railing and started fighting with the pirates on the outskirts of the group.
The ones on the inside all slashed with their blades at the same time and Sasha jumped over the blades slashing out with her own blades. Two pirates dropped to the ground, their heads thudding to the deck plates before Sasha had even finished her spin in the air. She landed on the blades of the pirates that had struck at her earlier, trapping the steel below her boots. She quickly lashed out with her blades and four more pirates dropped to the ground before the last five dropped their blades and backed away drawing their pistols.
Sasha dropped her own blades down onto her boots as she drew the two pistols from her left leg and aimed at the pirates. Pulling the trigger and watching the hammers drop down and ignite the energy cells causing the blue rounds to lance out and strike two pirates. She quickly aimed at two more of the pirates pulling the trigger again and dropping the second set of hammers. She quickly holstered the weapons while the power cells recharged. She kicked up her right foot, catching the blade of her cutlass and flinging it at the last pirate, knocking the weapon out of his hand, while she kicked up her second blade in a back handed grip and charged forward slashing up at the closest pirate, sending his hand flying away from his body, at the height of her slash, Sasha reversed her grip on the handle and brought the blade down on the pirate, the blade cleaving the pirate into half's. She sheathed her left sword while reaching down and grabbed her other sword that she had thrown, sheathing it as well.
Sasha reached behind her and drew her other two Lancer pistols quickly firing off the four rounds and dropping another quad of pirates to the deck, holes blasted through their middles. Sasha tucked her pistols back into their rear holsters and drew her blades again charging into the fray, slashing out with her blades as fast as she could, each slice and slash wounding or killing another space pirate. In twenty minutes time, the last of the pirates dropped to the deck. Sasha glanced around at the sudden silence, that was somehow louder then the battle that had just taken place. Her breath came in short pants from her fighting as she recovered. She inhaled deeply and held the breath for a moment, relaxing her body as she slid her blades back into their sheaths.
She pointed to the doors underneath the upper deck. "Search the ship and find me the captain. Find me the Dread Lord!"
As the Rangers moved to open the door it splinted from the force of a series of spinning blue hooks that flew through and quickly decimated the Rangers on the deck, cutting them in half. Sasha dodged backwards underneath a hook as it flashed over her body. As she stood straight back up, one of her guns drawn from her left leg she heard a deep voice.
"I dare say ye found the captain of this vessel." The deck vibrated slightly as the large robot stepped out from the ruined remains of the door. The massive robot had a large gut with a huge orange crack running up with a small valve running across a belt on his chest, from his shoulder hung a large brown coat. His right arm was a hook that was still glowing blue.
Sasha aimed her pistol at the pirate, drawing another pistol from her rear holster to point it at the massive pirate in front of her.
The pirate laughed "Go ahead Lass, pull the triggers, see if your wee shooters do anything to ol Slag."
Sasha narrowed her eyes and pulled the triggers quickly, the four shots lancing out to hit Slag right in the chest. She quickly swapped pistols and fired four more times. Slag laughed again as Sasha frowned. "I told ye lass."
Sasha smiled "Maybe this will." she put two fingers in her mouth and blew a sharp whistle. On the deck of her ship trap doors slid open and began jump pads in the lower deck began launching Rangers up into the air to land on the deck next to Sasha. These Rangers each held part of a cannon that they quickly worked together to build until there were two fusion cannons staring at Slag with their barrels glowing. Sasha grinned as she tucked her weapons away. "Now are you going to come quietly?"
"He's not going to come at all."
Before Sasha could pin down the male voice she heard the click of a fusion cell igniting. Time seemed to slow as she glanced toward the cannons next to her to see if one of the Rangers had fired by accident. While she was staring at the cannon she watched out of the corner of her eye as a small blue ball of fire formed behind Slag and rushed forward, engulfing the squad of Rangers, a second click quickly followed and the other group of Rangers was vaporized as well. By the time Sasha flinched from the heat of the blue flames the Rangers were gone, just a small glowing red strip from the path of the flames.
Sasha drew her blades as she stared at Slag.
"Step aside Romulus."
Sasha narrowed her eyes at the male voice again. Slag grumbled but stepped to the side of the ruined door. Sasha glared into the gloom but couldn't make out anything except for the figure of something that was as tall as her. She could make out the shadow of a large weapon in one hand with a glowing barrel tip that told Sasha this weapon just vaporized her trump card. She watched transfixed as the shadow folded the weapon in half, letting the two large fusion cells fall to the ground, spent. The shadow loaded two more fusion cells in and snapped the weapon closed. Sasha made out the glint of blade that was attached to the top of the weapon.
"First mate Slag..." He spoke again, his voice trailing off.
Slag looked nervous for a moment "Yes Dread Lord?"
"Why is this wrench still alive, and on my ship."
Slag glanced at the still glowing deck "She had a-"
"She outsmarted ye you mean." The figure walked out a bit further, but the sun had fully set and his face was still cast in gloom, although Sasha could make out black boots with a red suit running up his body, dark brown gloves covering his hands. The weapon he held looked like a normal blaster but had a strange center point where the cells had been inserted. "I gave ye one simple task Slag, one simple task. Kill the Captain when she comes aboard." The figure moved out, his back to Sasha while more pirates swarmed out of the deck to keep their weapons focused on Sasha. She frowned when she realized she still hadn't seen his face.
The Dread Lord stood near the railing and looked over. "Ah, the Blue Fire. Ship of the famous Pirate Hunter Captain Sasha Phyronix." The Dread Lord glanced over his shoulder at her and Sasha caught a glint of an emerald green eye. "Lets see how much of a Captain she is without a ship." Before Sasha could react the Dread Lord brought his large weapon up and pulled the trigger sending the large column of blue fire to strike her ship and explode, crippling the vessel. He paused as the middle of the weapon cycled around before he pulled the trigger again, the second sphere of deadly blue fire smashing into the front of the ship, blasting it apart and letting the ship start to sink into the dark blue waters of Veldin.
Sasha snarled and moved forward but stopped when she felt the barrel of a pistol in her back. The Dread Lord laughed and turned back to face Sasha. "Ye think you have a chance Lass?" The Dread lord reversed his grip on his pistol, holding the pistol upside down but holding the pistol with the blade on top ready. "Let her go lads, lets see what the former captain has."
Sasha felt a quick jerk on her holsters as he pistols were pulled out and one of her cutlasses as well. Then the pistol was removed from her back and a ring of pirates formed around her, chanting for their captain. Sasha growled low in her throat as she reached down and whipped out her last sword with a flourish rushing forward to engage the Dread Lord.
Their steel met in a small clash of sparks and Sasha was driving back from the force of his weapon, the Dread lord spun around swinging his blade in a schtying move that Sasha barely caught on her blade, although the impact knocked her back a few steps. She yelled out and swung again, this time bringing her blade down from above. The Dread Lord blocked with his own weapon and Pushed her back before kicking her in the chest with his boot sending her stumbling to the deck planks.
She glared up at him as he laughed softly "Come on Lass, try harder then that. If this is the best that the SAN can bring to bare on me, well, me and the lads don't have anything to fear!"
Sasha darted forward again, leaping in the air to bring the full weight of her body down on her enemies blade. He barred the impact with a small grunt and she saw the glint as he smiled at her with white teeth. "Good, now, make me work for it." He forced her away again and the fight began in essence.
For forty minutes their blades clashed against each other in a flurry of sparks, each impacting briefly lighting up the face of the fighters. Sasha was able to make out the fact that the Dread Lord wasn't even a robot, he was an organic, with fur, like her! Did he make the space pirates himself and now led them as this Dread Lord, or was there another story behind him. Sasha decided that she could figure it out after she had gutted him with her blade.
After one brutal series of exchanged blows, Sasha was too slow to bring her sword up in a proper guard and the Dread Lords thrust bypassed her blade and entered her warm flesh. Sasha gasped at the feeling of cold steel penetrated her body just below her heart. She tried to draw a breath and found that she couldn't. The only thing she could focus on was the heat from the still cooling barrel of the weapon she was impaled on and the cold chill spreading from her just below her breast.
"Pity. I was just having fun too."
Sasha couldn't breath, the cold feeling had been replaced by the burning in her lung. She distantly felt the Dread Lords foot as it connected with her chest and forced her off the blade she was stuck on. She landed harshly on her back, her head tilting to the side, her shocked eyes still blinking rapidly, as a pool of warm red spread out from below her. Everything seemed like it was happening from a distance.
She heard the echo of the Dread Lord. "Throw her overboard lads, let the sea claim her and decide if she lives or dies."
Sasha was aware of the grip of the space pirates, and she knew that she currently hung over the railing like a slab of meat. She felt her body shift as the pirates prepared to cast her off. Before she was flung over though, she heard one last thing, whispered into her ear. "Go back home Lass, and tell your SAN that the last lombax says 'hello'"
Then the pressure on her arms and legs vanished and she felt the wind rush through her facial fur the the cold shock of water blacked her out. She came to a few minutes later, treading water as the fiery remains of her ship back lit the escaping Dreads Helm. "Hold on Captain." She dimly made out CR-3s voice. "I got you Sir, just hold on."
Sasha blinked and let the dark and cold claim her once again.
Oh noes, I do love putting Sasha in dire straights don't I? Apologies, I will tell you this though, she is not dead. She is the main character on this story and after Earth Bound, I can tell you for certain that I will never kill a cannon character ever again, at least, not permanently.
Anyway, since this is a new story and little bit different from most of my stories, I'm not going to continue working and uploading chapters if I don't get some feedback. So! If you want this story to continue, make sure you type something into that little box below here, and click submit. The more reviews I get the better, if I don't get any...well...I'll most likely keep writing, I just wont update the story anymore.
Anyway, Review, leave your thoughts, if you spotted something wrong let me know, if you loved it, let me know. Thanks for reading!
Peace,
- Emile