AuthorsNote: So here's the next chapter, Sorry for those who saw the last chapter, was a little out of it on Monday.


Later that day.

Ratchet drove the hover car up to his house after dropping Sky and Stella at school, to see an official ship sitting in his front yard. He groaned and parked the hovercraft in his garage. After he locked the car he entered the house to see the new Galactic President standing in his living room.

Ratchets eyes narrowed as he he hit the shut button on the door. The Galactic President turned around at the hiss it made. "Ratchet, how nice to see you"

"Nice to see you too Aquagirl"

She smiled at him as he walked in and sat down on the couch next to Sasha.

"So what did you want to see us about?" Sasha asked as Ratchet started at Aquagirl.

"Well, I don't want to be the one to say this, but, well, It's been nearly eight years. You need to come back. The Galactic Military just hasn't been the same since you left. Ratchet's Galactic Rangers have reverted to their old cowardly status, except for my personal force, and just run from fights. Then there's the Phoenix that has sat in dry dock above Marcadia for the last six years."

Ratchet looked at Sasha and leaned forward. "Why has it been sitting in dry dock for so long?"

Aquagirl sighed "People seem to think it's cursed. Every commander who has had it after you has always been in a battle where something went wrong and they died. We lost five commanders before people just refused to bored it"

Ratchet and Sasha glanced at each other, bewildered by the bad luck of the commanders.

"So you want us to return to duty to possibly die with a cursed ship?"

Aquagirl shook her head "Nothing like that, I just think that you're the only two people who can command the Phoenix. I would really like to see you back in charge of it, restoring its reputation to something good"

Ratchet and Sasha glanced at each other again. Sasha shrugged and nodded at Ratchet.

"I think the answer is still no. Sorry for you wasting your time coming down here, Ma'am."

Aquagirl sighed "I hoped not to have to play this card."

Against their better judgment, both Sasha and Ratchet asked, "What card?"

Aquagirl blinked once "The Galactic Military has been spiraling downwards since you left. Civil unrest has been growing the Galactic Rangers are dieing by the thousands from encroaching forces from the shadow sector. What happens when our defenses fail? Veldin is on the outlaying sectors, the troops will be pulled back to defend the more populated areas. We all know that you are both extremely experienced fighters. But, eventually one or the other will make a mistake, and one will die. Leaving the other to take care of the twins. Then what happens when the last one dies, and the twins are left to fend for themselves? What then? Are you just going to sit back and wait for evil to encroach on your homestead?"

Ratchet bounced up. "Now that is enough Aquagirl.. That's no fair pulling Sky and Stella into this. We choose to leave the military in the past to raise our children, and that's the way it's going to be. Now please leave my house."

Aquagirl leaned around Ratchet to stare at Sasha. "I'm assuming from his outburst you haven't told him that it was you're idea for me to come here?"

Ratchet blinked once and turned slowly to stare at Sasha with hurt and confusion in his eyes.

"Sasha....?"

Sasha looked at Ratchet. "What, what if we resumed active duty and moved the family to the Phoenix?"

Ratchets eyes widened "Do you really want to expose Sky and Stella to that?"

Sasha nodded, "I think they would enjoy it"

Ratchet nodded "well of course they would, they our are kids. But that's not the point."

They both stopped and glanced back at Aquagirl "We'll talk about it." Aquagirl nodded and gestured as she turned around. Ratchet almost flinched when the squad of Galactic Rangers seemed to pop out of nowhere.

"Hey Sarge" CR3 waved as he followed Aquagirl out the door.

"Wow, the technology has really advanced in the last twelve years." He said as the last of the cloaked rangers followed after CR3.

After the door closed Ratchet turned to Sasha, "The Phoenix? Really, how would we raise a family on a starship? And what if we get into a fight and the kids aren't in a safe place, or worse, the Phoenix gets blown up? Not only would we die, so would Sky and Stella."

Sasha glanced down at Ratchet "Well first off, its quite possible to raise a family on the Phoenix. We could home school them. And the ship is plenty big enough for them to run around. You know Stella would love exploring and finding out how things work. Or how Sky would love the holodeck training suite to work on his acrobatics. For a safe place, how about the ship itself? If they aren't in a safe place on the ship, then they're doomed. And if it really came down to the Phoenix blowing up, do you think we would really risk the safety of the crew or our children?"

Ratchet was silent. "You have thought this through haven't you?"

Sasha nodded, "I actually miss being in charge of the Phoenix."

Ratchet paused and stood stock still for a moment before slowly nodding. "Alright, I'm not full on the idea, but we owe it to Stella and Sky to give them the choice."

Sasha sighed softly and gave Ratchet a hug before brushing her lips across his.. "Thanks Rat, This can work, I know it"

Ratchet sighed and walked towards their room, Sasha trailing behind "I hope you're right."

Sasha caught up to him "Cheer up hotshot, We still have some time before we have to get the kids. I think I can cheer you up" Ratchet raised an eye at her as she tugged them towards their room.


Kyzil School

"Hey Stellalosa" Stella ducked her head and pushed through a crowd as her current problem of the moment started pushing his way down the hall. She glanced around for her brother Sky but didn't see him anywhere. She knew she couldn't avoid him forever and that became more apparent when she felt a tug on the back of her clothes and was lifted a foot off the ground.

She twisted around to stare into Banners face. Banner was a Blarg, one whos parents had been killed by Ratchet, or so he claimed. Either way he used it as an excuse to pick on Stella whenever he could. He used to pick on Sky to, until Sky sent him to the nurses office with two black eyes and three broken fingers.

She hung there by the back of her clothes as a ring slowly formed around her. Classic.

"What do you want Banner?" She asked as she dangled there.

"You owe me some money squirt" Banner growled into her face.

Stella wiped some moisture off her face from Banners breath. "I don't owe you anything Bad Brains" Stella said using his nickname earned for being held back three times.

Banner snarled "Why you impudent little rodent" He said as he shook her a bit, causing her ponytail to fall lose, and curling his hand into a fist and drawing it back to punch Stella.

"You don't want to do that"

Banner froze, he looked down at Sky as he walked into the circle of students "You remember what I did to you last time Ban?" Sky asked as he walked up to him.

Banner gulped nervously, and glanced around for a teacher. Finally he hardened his face and glared at Stella.

"You're Little brother wont be around to save you forever squirt" He said as he prepared to lower her to the ground.

"Who says I need him?" Stella asked as she brought her foot up into Banners chin. She flipped as he dropped her and landed on her feet to watch as banner fell backwards into the circle of students which quickly broke up.

"Oh and by the way, he's not my little brother. Were Twins, Bad Brains" She scoffed as she twisted her messed up hair back into a ponytail and let it hang over her shoulder.

"He's not the one who's bad I think"

Stella and Sky froze and turned to see one of the teachers standing behind them. Banner stood up sniffling, "First Sky hurts me, then Stella does as well, I wasn't doing anything."

The teacher nodded "I expected something from Sky, but not from you Stella"

Stella and Sky glanced at each other, In trouble on the last day of school, Their parents were not going to be pleased.

After being sent to the principals office and getting yelled at for near on an hour they were sent to study hall for the rest of the day. When the school bell rang, they were more then glad to turn their books in and get out of there. Their moods improved when they walked out to see Ratchet and Sasha waiting with the hovercar.

They ran towards the car and after giving their parents hugs, they hopped in and Ratchet took them back to their house. As they were traveling Sasha glanced back.

"So how was the last day of school?" she asked her head turning between her two kids. Sky and Stella shot each other a look before both reaching for their pockets and pulling out pieces of paper and handing them to Sasha, who took them with a worried look.

"What's this?" she asked as she unfurled them

Stella looked away while Sky's face hardened "We got in trouble because of that bully that was picking on Stella"

Ratchet shot Sasha a look as he pulled up to the house.

Sky turned his gaze to the back of Ratchet's seat while Stella continued to stare out the side, both making sure they never met their parents gaze. Ratchet pulled in the garage and set the car down gently, he turned off the engine and turned to take one of the notes from Sasha.

After several minuets of silence Ratchet turned to Sasha "I Guess we won't have any trouble with the move after all" She nodded while still reading the note.

Sky remained staring at the back of the seat while Stella's head snapped around "What Move?!" she asked in a worried voice. Even Sky had turned an ear towards the conversation.

Sasha glanced back at her children "We'll talk later, for now, both, down to you're rooms."

Stella moaned while Sky groaned and both hopped over the side of the hovercraft and headed inside. Sasha sighed and Ratchet was silent as they both got out of the hovercraft as well. They walked in and set about getting dinner ready.


AuthorsNote2: Please review, I worry that no reviews mean that my story isn't doing good. So please review. (Sorry Birdface, FF net won't let me delete the review so it won't let you review this chapter again) By the way on a happy note got a job at GameStop, so Awesome :D

Peace,

Emile