Chapter 13 is up! Two chapters in one day! :) I had to fix a minor loophole in the first chapter, but it's fine now. Sorry this chapter is short. Next one will be longer.

. . .

As we slide down the pipe- erm, I mean conduit- Spog declares as he flies past us, "There you are! I'll show you how we deal with interlopers around here! Let's see how you handle this!"

He launches mines onto the conduit in front of us, which we manage to jump over quickly.

"I'd say we handled that pretty well!" Ratchet shouts at Spog.

After dodging some more mines, Spog says, "You have wasted enough of my time!" Now he starts shooting spinning blades at us. They're harder to dodge, but we manage to avoid them.

"That the best you have, evil-doer?" Qwark asks.

"Perhaps it would be best if we did not provoke him anymore than we already have," Clank tells him.

"Nonsense!" Qwark says. "The best way to defeat a villain is to… is… I don't know, actually."

"If you don't even know the best way to fight a villain," I say, "then how did you defeat Nefarious so many times? Did he just let you win, or what?"

"Hey!" Nefarious snaps. "I'll have you know that I-!"

"Commander," the Steward interrupts by speaking over the speakers placed throughout the area (they sure are thorough with those things). "The interlopers are still alive."

"I know they're still alive!" Spog retorts. "I'm rectifying the situation right now!"

Is he now? Because right now, we're pretty much kicking his butt.

"Are you sure?" the Steward asks, as amused by this as I am. "Because you said that a few minutes ago. Were you being humourous?"

"Yeah!" I shout at Spog, laughing. "Were you being humourous?!"

"Can we talk about this later?!" Spog asks. I'm assuming he's talking to the Steward. We reach the end of the power conduit and land on a platform.

We start blasting minions, and Spog shouts, "Meddlesome interlopers! And you… traitor… I have no words to describe my anger towards you." I roll my eyes as we continue blowing up minions. Spog continues his rant. "You cannot prevent the master's escape! His great crusade will recommence! The Cragmites couldn't destroy him, and neither can you!"

"The Cragmites?!" I exclaim. My friends and I quickly destroy the last minion. "The Cragmites were banished to another dimension eons ago! What could they possibly have to do with Magnus?!"

"It doesn't matter," Spog replies. "You cannot stop what is to come!"

We step onto a large elevator platform, which starts moving upwards.

"You were saying?" Ratchet asks, raising an eyebrow.

Spog flies up to us and slams his fists on the platform. "Special delivery! Let me introduce you to a few of Magnus' newest residents!" A minion drops a trio of weevoids in front of us and I frown. Weevoids? That's the best he's got? Spog then says, "I'm late for filing my complaints about the Steward to the master. Have fun, interlopers!"

We quickly blow the weevoids to smithereens, and the elevator rises up through a hole in a platform. We then step off onto said platform as the Steward says, "Commander, you will have to save filing your complaints for later. The interlopers are still alive."

After a moment, Spog flies up to where we are, very angry. "I will not allow a bunch of meddlesome interlopers to wreak any more havoc on my factory! As the highest-ranking warbot on site, I hereby declare you enemies of the master! Prepare to do battle!"

"Isn't that what we've been doing ever since we were brought to this planet?!" Nefarious shrieks at him.

Spog rises his hands, which transform into what look like giant clothing irons. Then he moves closer to us and we jump to the side as he brings the iron-like things down with a smack. A second too late, and we would have been pancakes.

I equip my Combuster and start shooting at Spog. My friends get out their Plasma Bomb Launchers and blast Spog. The giant robot only becomes more frustrated. "I've yet to lose a battle!"

"There's no day like today, then!" Ratchet declares.

Spog then decides to shoot a laser at us. "I cannot allow you to leave this place! Prepare for the end!"

We dodge the laser and continue attacking. I'm definitely getting better with my Combuster, since I'm hitting Spog quite a bit. Or maybe it's because he's a bigger target.

Then he launches some mines at us. Zephyr says over the comm, "Those explosives look powerful enough to breach his armour! Blast 'em back using your Vac-U's!"

"Thanks, Zeph!" Ratchet says. He looks at me and says, "We'll keep him distracted. You see if you can give him a piece of his own medicine!" An overused quote, but it does fit the situation.

I nod, switching to my Vac-U and sucking up an explosive. I aim and fire at Spog. And I miss. I've got his attention though.

"Pathetic," Spog says, shooting a laser at me. "You and your interloper allies will fail!"

I narrowly avoid the laser, then try launching another bomb at him. This time it hits, and his armour gives way. Spog is stunned for a moment and the Steward says, "I am detecting failure in three out of ten primary systems. Recommend retreat immediately."

"Retreat?!" Spog shouts. "Never! I have them right where I want them!"

"Do you now?" Ratchet asks as I continue to bombard Spog with his own explosives. "Because I just saw her blow multiple holes in your side."

"You aren't warriors!" Spog snarls. "How are you doing this?"

"Because you continue to launch explosives at us," Clank says logically, "and it is obvious that tactic is backfiring on you."

"How dare you insult me in such a manner?!" Spog tries blasting us with more lasers in his rage. We dodge them easily.

Then after a few more Plasma Bombs land no the exposed areas, the Steward says, "Commander, you do not look well."

"Don't worry about me, Steward!" Spog replies, trying to flatten us with his iron fists again. "There's plenty of fight left in this old warbot!"

A few more bombs and he crashes onto the platform in front of us, defeated. I unequip my Vac-U and say, "You were saying?"

My friends also unequip their weapons. Spog tries to speak, but his voice sounds distorted. Clank hops off Ratchet's back for the moment and walks up to the giant robot. "Your voice modulator is damaged, Commander. But if you tell us how to defeat Ephemeris, I believe I know someone who can fix you."

Qwark is about to step up when I say, "Qwark, I'm pretty sure he's not talking about you."

Clank looks at me and nods. Then he points at Nefarious. "You are correct, Adara. I was referring to him."

"Me?!" Nefarious looks surprised. "Are you insane?!"

I walk up to Nefarious and say, "Well, you are a scientist. Last I checked, no one else here exactly has a degree in robotics. Come on. You've saved my butt several times already. And I'm a squishy. Surely you're willing to help one of your own, a robot."

"No." Nefarious crosses his arms and turns his back on me.

I cross my arms too and sigh. "Look, I know that people don't see it, but you have the potential for great things. You've proved that on more than one occasion. But you've been using your abilities for evil. That hasn't exactly worked out for you, has it?"

"It's none of your business, squishy!" Nefarious snarls. He shoves me aside and walks up to Spog. "Fine, I'll fix him. But only to get you to shut up! And all of you- speak of this to no one!"

I should've kept my stupid mouth shut and let Clank handle it. He has more experience with bad guys. Same for Ratchet. As for Qwark… I wouldn't let him even handle a toaster oven.

I watch Nefarious rather overdramatically repair Spog's voice modulator. Within a few moments, Spog is able to speak again. The giant robot rises up from the platform and looks down at us.

"Alright, Spog. We did our part," Ratchet says. "Now how do we defeat Ephemeris?"

"Only the architect knows," Spog replies. "He lives beyond the lighthouse, in the forest of the blue rocks."

Ratchet nods. Before Spog can leave, I say, "One more thing. You implied that you know my father. Who… is he? What's he doing here on Magnus, of all places? Did what happened to me happen to him?"

"Your father is dangerous," Spog replies after a moment. "I'm afraid, considering your… condition, that it would be best if you did not know. Farewell to you five."

Before I can say anything, he flies away. I look at Ratchet. "I guess we just head to the 'forest of the blue rocks' then."