Chapter 11
Aftermath
His throat raw from screaming Ratchet kneeled with head against the glass of Aquil's window the overlooked the destruction of the ship known as the phoenix. Tears ran down his furry cheeks and several sobs wracked his body. The poor Aquarian had no idea what to do to comfort him, so she just stood and averted her eyes from his grief.
The suddenly he stopped and got to his feet with purpose. He whisked his hand over his face to remove the moisture and began to move to the teleporter.
"Ratchet?" said Aquil.
He stopped but did not turn.
"Ratchet, I...I'm so sorry." she said no knowing what else to say.
He stood for a moment then said in a broken voice. "No, Vox is the one who will be sorry. Sorry he ever even heard the name Ratchet." he turned to look at her then. Murderous fire in his eyes that scared the battle hardened Aquarian. "I'm going to kill him Aquil, I'm going to make him suffer. Suffer more than he has ever made any hero suffer in his sadistic show. I've fought the blarg on their own home world, I've faced monsters who only wanted to feed, and served in the army against a ruthless race of warmongers, but never have I seen such heartlessness, such, evil." then her turned and approached the teleporter again. "I'm going to leave now." he said without looking at her again, which she was thankful for, and amazingly the teleporter cooperated and took him back to his quarters leaving Aquil frightened and confused.
He expected the whole room to rush him at once when he returned, but he came into a room filled with silence. The window showed the Phoenix just like Aquil's. Clank seemed completely lost as if someone had removed his gyro. Jak wore a look of terrible controlled anger, and Daxter's jaw was on the floor.
"R-ratchet, I...I do not..." started clank. Ratchet held up his hand. "I know Clank." he said softly. "I know."
"Clank told us the significance of what happened Ratchet." said Jak. Ratchet thought me might continue but he didn't. There was nothing more to say. Suddenly Daxter came to life.
"HOLY ECO!" he yelled. "THAT WAS THE BIGGEST EXPLOSION I'VE EVER SEEN!"
Jak was on Ratchet in an instant as he howled for the rodent's blood. Even with his injured arm he was able to subdue the angry Lombax.
"What?" said Daxter obliviously. "What did..." he caught the look on Clank's angry face. "Oh, jeez. I uh...sorry." he said.
After Ratchet calmed down Jak let him go and dusted himself off.
"So now what do we do?" he said. Ratchet got to his feet.
"We find our own way out. We make them pay, and most of all we kill Vox. If we accomplish nothing else while we are hear that is what I want. To kill see that worm on the receiving end of an explosive." replied Ratchet.
"Ok but how?" said Jak.
Ratchet looked away. "I don't know."
The whole station seemed to go quiet for the next few days. Not that is was normally noisy but the mood had changed. Hope turned to despair and the entire facility was rank with it. Ratchet didn't know what to do with himself. He moped around the quarters most of the day, and hardly slept at night. Finally when Jak threatened to knock him out if he didn't get some normal sleep he forced himself into an uneasy slumber filled with huge bolts of blue energy, exploding ships and dieing loved ones. Then the day came when the intercom clicked on.
"Attention all Dreadzone contestants." said the voice of Vox. Ratchet's fur stood on end. "You will have undoubtedly noticed the attack on the Dreadstation some days ago. Know this: We are searching for the culprit of informing the Solona Space navy of our location. When we find this individual they will be sentenced to immediate execution. Until then all participants will be engaging in arena combat. That is all." and it clicked off.
"Arena combat? Not that again." said Jak with a sigh. "At least on the planets we can hide, but that arena is a death trap."
"Isn't that kind of the idea?" said Ratchet. Jak shrugged.
"Indeed it is, which is why we must be at the apex of caution while participating." said Clank
"It's not like its hard!" said Daxter. "We just got to blow them away before they have the chance to get us."
"Yea except your never the one pulling the trigger and dodging the plasma out there." said Jak
"Meh, looks easy enough." said Daxter with a wave. "I mean you can do it right?"
"Ha, ha, very funny Daxter." said Jak slightly agitated, "Maybe next time I'll let you get hit by the sniper rifle.
Their bickering continued until the intercom clicked on again and out flowed the nasally voice of Al. "Uh...hello? Is this thing on?" several blows of air followed. "Ah yes, there we go. Uh, will team Darkstar please report to the teleporter please? That's team Darkstar to the teleporter." it clicked off then immediately back on. "Uh...that is all."
So Ratchet, Clank, Jak and Daxter headed over to the teleporter and found themselves in Al's lab. Al himself was crouched behind the counter between them holding up the dart gun he had used on Jak when they had first met.
"Is he safe now? Is he gonna loose it again?" said Al from behind the counter.
"No Al, he's fine. Now put that away." said Ratchet.
"Yea or then he WILL wig out and tear your arm off!" said Daxter and snarled for effect. Jak silenced him with a glare.
Al came out from behind the counter ignoring Daxter's comment. "Ahh...Clank! How good to see you! I missed you on the last visit."
"Yes, I am pleased to see you are well also Al. How has your stay at the Dreadstation been?"
"Ok I suppose, considering the alternative of being shot at." he said while pushing his glasses up.
"Indeed." replied Clank. "I'm sure you are aware the armada attempted to rescue us several days ago correct?"
"Yes, I heard." said Al slightly offended the little robot did not immediately acknowledge the fact that he of course knew. "Who sent the signal?"
"Wait." said Jak Clank could answer, and pointed to a pen and paper. Al handed them to him
"We don't know." said Jak as he wrote:
Is it safe to talk about this?
"Yes we should be fine." said Al. "The security personnel are on break right now."
"Wait you know when the security goes on break?" asked Ratchet.
"Oh sure. George goes on break every four hours on the dot." said Al with a wave.
"How do you know?" said Jak suspiciously
"I visit him every day and chat with him about the various happenings of the heroes. Did you know that Captain Nova wares Proto Pet pajamas!" said Al and began to laugh in his nasally way.
"Are you telling me you have access to the Security room?!" said Ratchet.
"Well...Not exactly. I meet George in the break room one day and he invited me up to the security room to see some of the goings on. Since then he calls me up and we hang out and discuss holo games, comics, and..." Ratchet cut him off
"Do you think you could get the schematics for the deadlock collars?"
"Well, I don't know. George is nice but I don't think he would do that." said Al sheepishly
"Try," said Ratchet. "We have nothing more to lose now."
"Sure, I'll try." said Al clearly not sure of himself. "So who how did send the signal?"
"That was me." said Clank. "I sent is on the way to Sorathos."
Al's eyes went wide. "On the transport ship! How did you do that?"
"Well first..." and they were off on their technical mumbo jumbo that always made Ratchet's head hurt. So he, Jak and Daxter began to look around the Lab. It was full of all sorts of tools and gadgets. Some of them Ratchet recognized from past Gagetron catalogs. When he reached the Armor pods he noticed a new set of armor in them.
"Say Al" he said. Al rolled his eyes, annoyed at the interruption. "What?" he said
"What is this?" replied Ratchet.
"Ahh! That is why I called you here!" Al walked over to the pod and pulled a holo screen out of the side that displayed an image of the armor.
"This is the newest Dreadzone armor I call it the Avenger Armor." He pulled up several statistics on the armor.
"It has gel layers strategically placed to displace more heat and shock than the older model. The Metal is a Carbonox titanium alloy that is thinner but just as strong as the old version making it lighter and much easier to move in. The mechanical hydraulics are stronger and a bit faster. It is basically an all round better armor." Al said proudly. "And I made it."
"Wow Al. That's impressive." said Ratchet. "So do we get to use it or are you just showing it off?"
"You get to use it of course." he said in his superior way. "I made it for Vox and his Executioners after I finished the Plasma grenade."
"You what!" said Ratchet and Jak together.
Al hesitated then said. "I had no choice!"
"I thought I told you to stall!" said Ratchet.
"I did but I couldn't any more. Then they put me on this project. I didn't want to do it but then I was told if I finished the armor you could use it too."
Ratchet stood for a moment. Then shook Al's hand. "Thanks Al. I don't know what we would do without you."
"Probably live a bit longer" said Daxter under his breath but was shushed by Jak.
Al opened up the pods and let Ratchet try on the armor. It fit like a glove and was even more comfortable than the older one.
"I have one for you too Jak." said Al moving over to the taller armor pod and pating it like a pet. "But you will have to wait for your arm to fully heal before you put it on."
"No problem. I should be good to go in a few more days." he said.
"Excellent. Now then, since we have all the business out of the way would you like to stay for dinner?" said Al clasping his hands together.
"Dinner? Since when do you cook?" said Ratchet.
"Me? Cook! Never!" said Al disgusted. "Why the last time I cooked I couldn't taste anything for a week! In fact," he said. "I don't even remember much from that week." He paused with his brow wrinkled until Daxter cleared his throat in irritation.
"Oh! Yea, anyway no, Merk and Green will be cooking."
"Who?" said Clank
"Merk and Green." said Al and as if on cue from the kitchen separated from the lab by a false wall came the harsh voice of Merk.
"No you idiot that's too much pepper, you want to melt his face off?!"
"It is not! This will give it flavor." replied Green
"Yea, until you burn his tongue off! Give me that shaker!"
A scuffle ensued that ended with a loud crash and some cursing on behalf of Merk.
"How?..." began Ratchet remembering the strange robots from Kronos.
"I found them in one of the disposal decks while I was looking from my glasses I dropped in the trash shoot. I smuggled them up hear and they have been my assistants ever since."
From the kitchen came another crash. "That is not milk you goof! That's mayonnaise."
"Great" said Daxter rolling his eyes. "Today we'll be serving the mad concoction of two trashed battle bots. Would you like to go the hospital before or after you eat?" he said imitating a waiter.
"Well their better than me at any rate." said Al with a Shrug.
So they staid to eat, and it turned out to be rather good. But wile everyone else seemed to be in high spirits, Ratchet couldn't help but feel gloomy. All he could see was the blue eyes of Sasha, and the blood of Vox that would soon be on his hands.
