Ratchet & Clank: ALIEN
By SpaceWonder368
Chapter I: Alpha 9
Alpha 9. Cursed. Ghostly. Haunted. Hundreds of words of the same code are rumored among the cosmos of the Polaris Galaxy. Ever since the eerie, unearthly, and phenomenal creatures known as the Nether overrun the galaxy a year ago, thousands of residents quaver in anxiety, fearing for what can come next.
The Polaris Defense Force has ventured, endeavored to take action, trying everything they can to make the galaxies and even the universe safe. Talwyn, head of the defense force, has conjectured on what could possibly be coming. Lately, the bases have been interfered, and countless of slaughters have followed. Who knew how treacherous these unknown creatures could be?
Talwyn examines her holographic maps, her data, anything to conclude and extrapolate this all. Lately, she felt devastated at Cronk and Zephyr's passing. Her heart wrench with sorrow, as Ratchet and Clank are the only people she has left now. Out of all the things, she missed her father…. and yet she still believes that he's out there…somewhere.
An update shapes onto her screen, and red blinking lights obviously meaning danger. She quirks a brow in fret, agonizing on what could this be about. A large planet came into view, about the size of Mars but two times larger.
It is an extraordinary lavender color, as various canyons and mountains litter it. Two suns, a red dwarf and a yellow dwarf, are shown in the reddish-yellow sky. Caves are represented as shelter, as the area among the planet is pretty much a wasteland, deserted and scorching.
What distressed Talwyn the most is what began to crawl out of the caves. Slithering out are ebony black monsters, eye golden and have razor sharp, rotten yellow teeth lined up against the jaw lines. Keen, horned claws retract out of its scrawny fingertips. It is the shape of a serpent, or rather a dragon. It even has a large tail covered in spikes.
Talwyn can only gawk in awestruck, reverential of this new discovery. She can only watch as the phenomenon scratch the screen with its claws, causing her monitor to turn static and shut it off. She couldn't believe it. She roams around the Apogee Space Station, quickly typing on a keyboard from her transmitter, hoping to communicate with her friends.
"Please you two…please pick up."
The intergalactic duo is in the sweltering planet known as Veldin. The arid, fertile world is as ordinary as it could have ever been. Peaceful, parched, and dry.
Ratchet and Clank are working in Ratchet's little workshop, building a new invention that the Lombax mechanic suggested. Ratchet wipes sweat off of his forehead, breathing heavily.
"Alright pal…. we're almost finished," he muttered tiredly, turning his wrench around to tighten the bolts of the machine. "Just…. one more…. screw." He sighs in relief, gazing at his masterpiece.
Kyzil Plateau is as blazing as ever, being an arid desert planet itself. Several years ago it was used to be destroyed by Drek's Deplanetizer, but luckily the galactic heroes demolished it, as it was their first time saving a galaxy.
"Isn't it great, Clank?" Ratchet spat, emerald eyes targeting his creation with thrill.
Clank taps his chin with a finger, humming curiously as he focuses onto the handiwork. The distinctive design is making a rather advanced display of Clank's original Robo-wings but the wings are two times longer, to have a rather immense wingspan. All in all, the minute robot enjoyed it.
"It's a prodigious and marvelous model, Ratchet," he responds, clearly impressed. "However…. how do you suppose we try this improbable design?"
Ratchet contemplates, dwelling on how this could work. Analyzing his blueprints over and over, an idea spark.
"Well, you see pal," he elucidates sharply, holding the robo-wings in his arms. "We zip these on you just like the previous adjustments made for you. These work all the same like the old ones, but they'll be faster. We can finally dash through the atmosphere."
'The atmosphere?' Clank mulls in nerves. He knew how reckless his friend is, going to extremes, but sometimes he worries that he'll get himself hurt.
"Ratchet…. are you…. positive?" he inquired, hesitant and uncertain.
Ratchet immediately could inspect the once senior caretaker's apprehension. He know at times he's risky and over adventurous, being foolhardy through thick and thin, but he can get himself and Clank in jeopardy.
He wouldn't let anything happen to Clank. Not by a long shot.
"Don't worry pal, everything is going to be o-"
A loud, blaring noise of beeping halts his sentence as his communicator goes off. The mechanic and the robot exhange unhinging and agonizing glances, before the Lombax places his communicator out of his pocket, aware that it's Talwyn who's messaging them.
"Tal?" he queries, wondering what this is all about.
"Ratchet," Talwyn ripostes in panic, a shaky, prolonged breath coming from her. "Remember when the Progs created that rift by the Dimesionator?"
Ratchet's grip on the object tightens, as his other hand curls up to a fist. 'This isn't a good sign, isn't it?'
"Yeah…. of course I do."
Even Clank is at a loss at this, and that would seem so…. strange and bizarre.
"Well…" Talwyn began, gulping before continuing. "…Let's just say more creatures have been released."
Ratchet gawks at the revelation, eyes wide as saucers.
"What? That's crazy!" he debated in possible denial, flabbergasted. "How…. how did that happen? We closed the rift!"
Talwyn exhales somberly, her breathing rigid by fear. "Apparently some weren't sucked into it…. But these aren't Nethers. They're an entirely new species."
Ratchet can feel that his abdomen is in dense knots, giving a very tense feeling. This entire situation is utterly petrifying.
"Wh…. What… What are they?" he stumbled uneasily; clearly disliking the condition they are all in.
Clank anticipated on this all. Not once has he been at such a loss. To unable to follow up on how he can possibly elaborate. It's so troubling.
"They are known as the Nebulion," Talwyn stammered, her voice now steady yet still in tremors. The duo has never heard her to be so afraid. "They come from a planet known as Nebula B24, it is known to be the most treacherous planet in the Polaris Galaxy."
Ratchet and Clank could only listen in detail, puzzling over about the perilous world. If these creatures are as murderous as Talwyn say they are, then they are in deep unpleasantness and misfortune.
"Don't be scared, Tal," the mechanic guarantees softly. "We'll take care of this one."
Even though he knows of the vicious aliens lurking on Nebula B24, that won't stop him from saving the galaxy and possibly the universe once again.
Clank recognized the precarious dilemma also, but being the robot that he is known for, he's determined to stop these beasts.
"Ms. Apogee," he fumbled in clarity, motivation striking his tone. "You can count on us."
That didn't soften Talwyn's concern of them. As she said before, they are all that she has left now. If she lost them, she wouldn't know what to do with herself.
"Alright… just…. Be careful," she vocalized anxiously, before the communicator shuts down the transmission.
Ratchet places it back in his pocket, gripping onto his wrench in a solid, tight grasp. His viridescent orbs gleaming in courage.
"Ready, pal?" he questioned in spirit, to which Clank's optic, verdant eyes narrow in the same feeling.
"I am ready," he answered in obstinacy, fists balling up in perseverance.
They both immediately bolt to Aphelion, leaping into the ship. Already there were the coordinates to the planet, sent by Talwyn. The two are in complete moxie to blast off.
"Aphelion," Ratchet commanded sharply, pressing buttons on his panel. "Send us in warp drive."
Aphelion's boosters flare up tremendously and remarkably, going at top, incredible speed.
"Warp drive commencing. You might want to hold on something tight."
Ratchet's eyes lit up. 'What did she mean by that?'
"Wait….wha-"
He never got to finish his sentence as Aphelion thrusts out of Veldin's orbit.
It took me two years to accomplish my goal of starting a Ratchet & Clank full-fledged story. I am so glad that I am finally starting this and I can actually have the plans for everything. Loads of things inspire this story, especially our main aliens. Heck, even "Alien: Isolation" inspire me to make the aliens.
I hope I did everyone in character; it's a huge pet peeve of mine. I don't favor in OOC content unless it's reasonable or AU. Anyway, this story starts a year after Into The Nexus, just in case you want to know where this all takes place.
Chapter 2 will be coming soon and will introduce how Nebula B24 is really like. Reviews, follows, and favorites are greatly appreciated.