After a quake tore through Veldin, Ratchet and Clank were forced to move to Meridian City. With Ratchet upset about leaving his only home he ever had, and with Clank trying his best to cheer Ratchet up, Captain Qwark just makes it worse.

Space.

It's so huge that if you lost your grilled cheese sandwich in it, it would be almost impossible to find. The magnificent glory of the thriving planets, the sheet of billions among billions of stars and the mysteries that lies deep within a black hole. In fact, space is homed to millions of life forms, commonly known to Earth folk as "aliens". Some friendly, some...not so friendly. Some living organisms while others living machines. No matter the species, they all play a part in maintaining life in this mysterious universe they call home. There are protectors and there are outlaws. There are Antagonists and Protagonists. There is peace and there is adversity. However, in the face of this adversity, the courageous must stand up and fight against it to restore peace in these vast plains of space.

And these courageous citizens of space are two heroes whose names we like to know as -

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RATCHET & CLANK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 1: Ratchet's Kryptonite

Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click.
"Ratchet, would you be kind enough to stop clicking that pen."

Clank, with a stack of 5 books in his arms, shifted his weight towards a small bookcase. With a big shove he pushed the books into a neat pile. On the other side of the room sat Ratchet. He was leaning over a desk gazing over a To-do list.

As the clicking stopped Ratchet retorted.
"Sorry pal, just tell me again why we moved to Meridian City?"

Clank turned to Ratchet with a look of disdain, but at the same time he couldn't help but feel sorry for the Lombax.
"You know exactly why we had to leave. The Quake left Veldin practically in pieces."
Although Clank couldn't see Ratchet's face he felt his sorrow.
"It may be quite a while before they re-build and it's safer to stay here. You do understand, don't you?"

There was a silence between the two friends. Clank stared at his buddy on the other side of the almost-empty room. Ratchet's stare was planted down onto his To-do list. It read:

TO-DO
Eat Breakfast
Unpack
Rearrange tools
Eat Lunch
Stare at ceiling
Rearrange tools again
Gaze at Holovision dumbfoundedly

The silence went on until Ratchet's voice broke through it.
"But this place, it just doesn't feel like home. I miss Veldin."

Clank detected Ratchet's sadness in his voice, but before he could reply a text message tone interrupted them. Suddenly Ratchet elevated his gaze to the other side of the desk; he stretched his arm across and picked up his cell phone. The message read:

Unknown Number
hay ther hEro boy herd u were
in the nayborhood got NE time
to $hare a creeM pie with a old
frend,? : D omgrofl

"Okay, who gave Qwark my number?"

Ratchet stared blankly at Captain Qwark as he rummaged around in Ratchet's holofilm collection. Clank was out the back busily unpacking boxes full of Ratchet's bits and bobs as a favour to him; therefore Ratchet was left alone to deal with Qwark.

"So, how is being President of Polaris going?" Ratchet attempted to start a conversation.

"Oh! You have Lance and Janice season 3! I LOVE these ep -," Qwark cleared his throat," I mean...well someone has to do the job, so why not me? Huh?"

Yeah, or somebody else, Ratchet thought resentfully.
"Besides, I'm getting used to the constant adoration over my epic heroism." No modesty was heard in Qwark's voice as he shuffled towards Ratchet's Holovision clenching a movie disc.

Ratchet felt as if he shouldn't have even bothered asking. He watched as Qwark landed his bodyweight upon Ratchet's frail sofa and flicked through the boring beginning movie trailers on the remote as if he was a natural at it. Ratchet noticed how fast Qwark was making himself at home and decided to act swiftly.

Ratchet ambled up beside the sofa that Qwark was implanted in.
"Qwark, may I ask what are you doing in Meridian City? Aren't there important Presidential matters to attend to elsewhere instead of watching my holofilms and eating my food?"

Qwark took his eyes off the Holovision screen for a split second, "The galaxy is financially stable, the Fongoid tree-lopping strike has been stopped and it's not Wear-Your-Stunderwear-To-Work-Day till ages. I'm here for the Full Moon Festival next week so I am officially on my own vacation."

Ratchet couldn't think of a better word to describe Qwark other than Thick. Or maybe Dim-witted. Definitely Thick though. Although Ratchet knew how idiotic Qwark could be he hoped the role of President would be a wake-up call to him. Apparently it wasn't. Ratchet then asked Qwark about a pressing matter that he wanted to ask him for a quite some time now.

"Well...then what about Nefarious?"

"About who-hah-what?"

"Nefarious," Ratchet said bluntly as he moved his body in the way of Qwark's view of the Holovision, "Stole Clank from me. The Great Clock. Hates Squishies. Any of this ringing a bell? You told me your administration can handle him ages ago. Have they found him or Lawrence yet? And shouldn't that be a larger dilemma than tree-hugging Fongoids?"

Qwark finally forced his eyes away from the Holovision and focused his attention on Ratchet's irritated expression.

"Ah yes, the debut of my cleverly thought-up improvisation Nurse Shannon. I am seriously considering Broadway."
Ratchet lowered his brow at Qwark.
"But in all seriousness," Qwark continued with one of his classic grins, "our search for Nefarious hasn't been as successful as I pledged in my election speech. But in all due respect Ratchet, you really should stop worrying about pitiful things like misplaced evil masterminds and get back to rebuilding your life. You know you have the best view of my office citadel out of that window."

Ratchet almost couldn't believe Qwark's negligence.

That night Ratchet had trouble getting to sleep. Ratchet's only home he ever had was Veldin and although him and Clank had only been in Meridian city for 3 days, he just couldn't get used to his new surroundings. He wished everything was back to the way it was. He dreaded it would be years before he could return to Veldin.

I shouldn't worry about the trials of tomorrow, Ratchet thought as he rolled over.

Because even heroes have the right to dream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ V~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~