Ch.11: Run To Veldin

"Brr!" said Ratchet, as soon as he and Clank stepped out of the ship and onto Angela Cross's home world. "It's really cold out here."

"Agreed" said Clank " even my heating units are having trouble keeping me warm with all this snow. We must head into town and find Angela fast."

"Let's move then," said Ratchet, lifting Clank onto his back, and then the robot and the Lombax headed towards town, looking for the apartment where Angela resides.

The city was large, and it proved at once that it would difficult in finding the address.

After getting lost for a bit, and taking in a few sights from the snow-covered town, Ratchet and Clank finally found someone to stop for and ask directions, a plumber, who was busy at work trying to fix a frozen pipe.

"Uh excuse me Sir" said Ratchet to the plumber, making him turn around.

The big grey and black spiked oaf looked annoyed for a second, before shifting into relief once he recognized Ratchet and Clank.

"Oh it's you boys" said the Plumber " about time you got around here. This pipe is giving me all sorts of trouble. I'm having difficulty getting through all that ice. Help me get rid of it, and I'll help you guys a little, what do you say?"

Figuring that they wouldn't get their directions otherwise, Ratchet and Clank started to help out the Plumber with the pipe.

The ice caked onto the metal had to be at least a foot thick, and the turning valve proved very difficult to move. Breaking the ice was almost impossible. What they needed was a quick thaw, but how could they accomplish that in all this cold?

Suddenly, an idea sparked in Clank's mind.

"Ratchet, the Combuster," he said.

"Right," said Ratchet, immediately getting what the little robot was talking about.

Quickly calling the weapon into his hand, Ratchet equipped the Combuster, set it to low, and then aimed it pipe, melting away the ice with a few blasts of a soft burn.

A smile lit up on the Plumber's face once the pipe was defrosted.

"Thanks boys" said the Plumber " you know sometimes you have to take things slow to reach the heart that lies inside. Angela's house is up that alley and two turns to the left. Take care of yourselves boys. I mean that. Especially for you."

Why did Clank have the feeling that the Plumber was specifically referring to him in that last sentence? The handyman acted like he almost had complete knowledge of the future, but that couldn't be, could it?

"Nah," the robot thought, and decided to put his suspicions to the side for now.

Heading where the Plumber told them to look, he and Ratchet soon found the address that Mr. Fizzwidget gave them, and started knocking Angela Cross's house door.

A few minutes later, the door opened, and the former Mega Corp employee stepped out. When she did however, Ratchet and Clank's gazes widened with shock. Angela Cross almost looked very similar to that of a Lombax.

Was it possible for a member of Ratchet's species to live way out here? Sure there were a few distinct differences between their appearance. Angela was taller for one thing, but still sported the same yellow and brown-striped fur. Her ears were shorter as well, and a long piece of hair twirled from the back of her head, almost reaching down to her shoes.

Did female Lombax's look like this? Neither Ratchet or Clank knew, so Ratchet spoke out the question that he kind of hoped was true.

"Wait Angela… you're…you're a Lombax?"

"Um…no…" said Angela, staring at Ratchet strangely "Who are you guys anyway? And how did you know my name?"

"Pardon me miss" said Clank " we don't mean to be rude. His name is Ratchet and I am Clank. Excuse us for the confusion, but you do look like as if belong to the Lombax race."

"A Lombax?" said Angela curiously " Well, I guess my species does look sort of similar to their kind, but I promise you I'm not one of them. I wasn't born and raised on Fastoon, and rumors say there was a tragedy that wiped out…,"

"Tragedy? What tragedy?" said Ratchet stunned.

"I don't know" said Angela " I'm not a historian. Now why are you two here again?"

Bringing things back to the subject at hand, Ratchet and Clank immediately informed Angela about the Proto-pet and Nefarious's evil plans for the beast. The female's green eyes opened up wide.

"Mr. Fizzwidget that you working on a way to stop it" said Ratchet " so, is there any chance that your method will work."

"Maybe" said Angela " I took it with me after Mr. Fizzwidget let me go. It should have most of the bugs worked out, but it's not a 100% guarantee that it will stop the Proto-pet."

"We'll have to take that chance" said Ratchet " Give it to us, and we'll take it away. If there are any tweaks to be modified, I'm sure Elaris and Clank will figure out."

Nodding her agreement, Angela went back inside her apartment and later came out with the device that would hopefully stop the Proto-pet. Handing it over to Ratchet, she wished both him and Clank luck, and the two Galactic Rangers left, with the key to the salvation of the universe in their hands.

Meanwhile, back at Galactic Headquarters, Cora, Elaris, and Brax were waiting patiently for Ratchet and Clank to return, hoping that the duo had managed to get useful information from Mr. Fizzwidget so that they could stop Nefarious's plan.

"Uh" said Brax, getting bored with the wait " When are they getting back already?"

"Calm down Brax" said Cora " I'm sure they'll be back soon…"

Her speech was suddenly interrupted when an alarm sounded out from the control. Immediately the three rangers sprinted their way there, and Elaris jumped onto the computer, typing away at the keys.

"It's a distress signal!" the scientist said " Isolating the emergency call now!"

The name of the planet popped up, along with a video of a frightened robot screaming for help on the other side.

"Help! Help! We're under attack! Grim's in trouble! Get your keisters down here right now!"

Just like that, the video cut off, leaving the Galactic Rangers looking stunned. Elaris was first person to snap out of her daze, and quickly reached down for the com-link on her control board.

Ratchet was not going to like the sound of this.

"Hmm," said Clank, studying the device that Angela gave them as Ratchet steered the ship back towards HQ.

It was quite an intriguing little device designed to siphon off negative energy so that anything that was to aggressive or violent would settle down instantly into perfect. An ingenious method for controlling the Proto-pet, but like the female suggested, still had some issues to work out.

"When we get back, maybe I…,"

Clank's thoughts were suddenly interrupted when Elaris's voice broke in urgently on their radio wave.

"Ratchet! Clank! Please respond!"

"What's wrong Elaris?" asked Ratchet, pressing a button to answer the call.

"Emergency! Veldin! Under attack! Grim! Hurry now!"

"Got it!" said Ratchet, veering the ship sharply until it was headed for home.

If Veldin was under attack, Ratchet just had to be there. He just wished could stay alive until he arrived, and prayed in his heart that it wasn't already to late.