14,504. That's how many words there are, everything else is the AuthorsNotes. This is the single biggest chapter I have written, ever, for anything. Before you read, I would get something to drink, its a long one. To the notes on the chapter I have this.
This covers Years 16-21 of Sky and Stella's life
This Chapter is happy until the end
I have written out the Cardinal Sin of Fan Fiction Writers, and I hope you will still read after this, although I suspect a lot of you wont.
Now, I present to you:
Ratchet and Clank: Earth Bound-Chapter 21: 21 years
Three and a half years later
Sky almost sixteen pulled hard on the joystick of the fighter he was in as a missile corkscrewed from underneath his cockpit. It exploded right where he would have been if had kept going straight. He banked the fighter hard to the left and saw his mother nod out of the corner of his eye. He pulled his fighter into a loop and brought around behind the ship that had fired the missiles. He locked up with his lasers and spat a stream of fire into the ships shields. It dodged away with a barrel-roll and and diving down out of his sight.
Sky killed the power to his engines and pulled the fighter around in a tight turn he scanned his view for signs of his target and gasped when his ship shook from a succession of laser hits. The enemy fighter blazed downwards out of his sight again and Sky kicked on the engines and dived after it. He brought the jinking fighter into his sights and flicked the caps on his missiles. He quickly primed five missiles and sent one after the ship and then quickly swiveled his ship in a gentle circled and let four more missiles fly surrounding the enemy fighter.
To his foes credit it did see this tact coming it quickly killed its engines pulled up over the first missile chasing then dived back down behind it before the other missiles reached it. The enemy then killed its engines and Sky blasted past him, he started to pull up but didn't have time as the enemy's two missiles slammed into the rear of his fighter and fire erupted in his cockpit and darkness surrounded him.
When the lights in the simulator came back on Sky sighed and undid the buckles that held him to his seat. He then pulled himself out and flipped out of the cockpit landing on his feet and placing his fists on his hips while he glared at the laughing figure across the way.
"Every time Sky, every time."
Sky rolled his eyes as his mother dropped out of the simulator.
"It's not very nice to brag Stella" She reprimanded her daughter.
"Sorry mom, Can't help it that I that much better then Sk-Hey!" The last part was directed at her dad who had pulled off her cap as he climbed out of the fighter behind her. He shook a finger at her as she tried to jump at it.
"Stella, Play nice."
Stella rolled her eyes and stopped jumping "Alright dad"
Ratchet chuckled softly and dropped the hat back on Stella's head, she quickly looped her pony tail through the back and made sure it was facing with the beak behind her. Ratchet shook his head and considered his children. Sky stuck his tongue out at his sister who responded in kind. Ratchet decided to spring his surprise.
"Shall we tell them?" he asked Sasha, winking at her.
Sasha smiled and looked at her children "I dunno, I'm not sure they are mature enough at this point."
The twins froze with their tongues out at each other looking at their parents, they quickly drew them back in and leaned towards each other wrapped their arms around the other.
"We're mature." Stella spoke up, poking Sky in the back.
"Yea, real mature." Sky added, returning Stella's poke.
Sasha glanced back at Ratchet "I dunno..."
Ratchet laughed at her "Alright, as I'm sure you know, your guys 16th birthday is this Saturday."
The twins looked at each other then back at their Dad and in perfect sync "No way! Really?" The sarcasm in their voices was plain.
"And just for that, I'm not telling you anything else more then to be in our Private landing bay by 10am on that day."
"Aw"
Ratchet and Sasha laughed and lead their twins out of the simulator room for dinner.
-Saturday- -Ratchet and Sasha's Private Landing Bay-
Stella now sixteen bounced on her toes as the elevator descended the many decks to the hidden landing bay underneath the Phoenix. She was excited for what her Parents had planed. Sky on the other hand, now also sixteen, who was used to sleeping in lately, slouched against the side of the elevator, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Stella was surprised that he had managed to even match with his choice of clothing today.
His black pants crawled up his legs and were lashed to his waist with another black belt, his shirt, also black hung over part of the pants hiding most of his waist with in the fabric. He had a small band of leather running over his shoulder which held some of the equipment Stella made for him. She could see the gloves she had fabricated inlaid with some Carbonox shavings for better grips tucked into one loop. His small cord launcher for those gaps he couldn't jump was hanging from another loop. Stella figured he probably had a few other tools tucked out of sight on his back.
She herself was sporting a simple sky blue tank top tucked into her cargo pants. Her hands were covered with a new version of her Gripper Gloves as she called them, since she had out grown the old ones a long time ago. Her left arm had a band around it that could project a small holographic display connected to the Phoenix's main database so she could pull schematics for whatever she came across. On her head she wore a cap much like her dads except she had added on to hers with a monocle that could drop down over her right eye and zoom in for when she was working something small. It also had the advantage of being loaded with several filters that allowed her to see through walls and went all the way to night vision. Right now the glass piece was folded up above her head and rested next to her ear.
Stella started bouncing on her toes again as the elevator got closer to the landing bay. When the car finally slid to a stop and the doors slid open Stella dashed out into the hanger, she only got a few feet in before what was waiting for them stopped her in her tracks.
"Sk-Sky, you got to see this."
Sky blinked and pushed himself off the wall, he looked out into the bay.
"It must be-Whoa..." Sky's voice left him as we walked out to stand next to Stella.
In the hanger four docks were mounted on the walls two on each side, Sasha custom ship was secured on the first left dock, used the most when the four of them needed to go somewhere. Ratchets new customized fighter sat secured in the second left dock. A smoldering orange, the fighter boasted four engines and a host of weapons, each one pushing the bleeding edge of technology. But it what was what sat in the right side docks that had caught the twins attention. Sitting in these docks and currently being worked on separately by their parents were two brand new state of the art star fighters.
The one being worked on in the first dock by Ratchet looked to be Sky's, it was black and coated with a sheen that made the eyes seem to pass by it. It only had two engines but it sleek design, light body, and slender wings would allow it for quick speed and even quicker maneuvering. Sky stared hard at the body and was pretty sure he saw compartments that were currently hidden in the body that could hold any sort of weapon mounts. This was attested to considering the canopy for the cockpit was currently half hidden in the engine compartment while his dad was working on something hidden in the wing.
Stella's eye were all for the fighter in the second dock which currently had her mother sitting bow legged on a slim nose working on something in the nose. This fighter was colored a dark purple with little stripes of a burnished dark red tipping the wings and nose, they also ran in a circle around the canopy. The fighter had a slightly bigger build then the black one but had a triple engine build, two smaller ones that sat above a larger main engine. There was a pair of duel linked cannons on each wing, the liquid cooling along the sides of the barrels suggest the lasers packed some heavy fire power. The thicker wings also had two dark ports on the front that also suggested torpedo bays. There was a small bulge on the underside of the nose the suggest another weapon.
As the twins kept staring, Ratchet looked up to reach for another wrench and saw the kids. He glanced over his shoulder at Sasha and gave a small whistle. She sat up straighter then craned her body to look behind her at him. He gestured to the kids with his head.
"We've got an audience."
Sasha glanced at the twins standing with their mouths open, eyes wide at the fighters, then glanced down at the small watch around her wrist.
"Damn, that means we've been up all night, huh?"
Ratchet nodded as he grabbed the wrench he needed and went back to working on the wing. He grunted as he struggled to tighten a bolt even further.
"On the bright side, they seem to be, rather, pleased, with their, surprise."
Sasha chuckled before wiping her oily hands on her gray tank top, technically she was supposed to be in uniform, but considering what she was doing, She had decided to take off the top layer of her clothes and work in her underclothes. She swung her leg over the edge of the nose and slid off, dropping the ten feet to the floor. She landed in a crouch and glanced up at her husband.
"Shall I go pick their jaws up off the floor?"
Ratchet laughed "Sure, I'll finish up on this last bolt then come join ya."
Sasha nodded once and jogged over to the Twins who were finally over their shock and talking quietly amongst themselves. When Sasha reached then Stella spoke up.
"Those Fighters, they are ours right? We're not just jumping to conclusions?"
Sasha laughed and crouched down to give her growing teens hugs. She gave them each a kiss then answered Stella's question.
"Yes they are yours, Sky yours is the-"
"Black one" Sky said pumping his fist and running over to climb up the ladder to the cockpit. Stella gave her mom a look before Sasha sighed and nodded. Stella then pumped her own fist and ran over to the purple fighter and climbing up her own ladder. As she pulled her self up rung over run she couldn't believe she had her own fighter, most teens got clothes and such, she got her own freaking star fighter. She reached the cockpit and pushed off from the ladder and grabbing the sides of the cockpit pulling her self in. She glanced around at the small amount of controls and the small currently blank screens. She dropped into the seat and stiffened as bands automatically ran across her chest and over her shoulders holding her tightly against the dark seat. As she watched ther screens lit up and started scrolling data across them.
She heard her mother climbing up the rungs as well, and turned to watch her as she jumped up to the nose and dropped down bow legged again over the hatch she had been at. Stella looked down and saw a release button on her middle, she slapped it and pulled her self out of the cockpit to walk up behind her mom.
"What are ya doing?"
Sasha sighed as she reached her entire arm into the hull of the fighter "Well, we got these as stock fighters, just basic systems. We sent them out to get painted and had a few other systems installed, then sent back here for some last bit of customizing by us." She gave a small exclamation as she found what she was looking for and pulled a small cable up from the hole. Sasha undid the cables connectors and started poking through the wires.
"However, the customizing took longer then we thought. We planned on be doing by midnight, but considering you're standing behind me. We over shot by just a little bit." Sasha finished poking at the wires before she grabbed one and pulled it out a little farther, She reached down and Stella heard her click it into something.
"Go sit in the cockpit and wait for my command."
Stella nodded and walked carefully along the nose and dropped back into the cockpit, the bands snapping back around her.
Sasha stood up and called out to Ratchet "Ratchet, getting ready to test the Antigrav field for Stella's fighter."
Ratchet stopped what he was doing and closed the panel of Sky's fighter. He nodded and dropped down to the ground and walked over to a control panel by the dock.
"Ready down here" He called up.
"Stella." Sasha closed the panel she was working on and stepped off the nose and onto the top part of the dock that folded over the nose. "Find the Antigrav system controls and start them up."
Stella nodded and tapped her central screen, a bunch of things flashed by and Stella studied it for a moment before she found what she wanted. Tapping the controls she saw disengaged in red. She tapped the word and it turned to engaged and glowed green.
"Turned them on." She called out as a hum started to sound from with in.
Ratchet pressed a button and the top part of the dock rose up, Sasha stood sure footed as the dock raised away from the fighter. Stella's fighter floated slowly up from the dock, and she couldn't help the grin that plastered her face as she realized this.
Sasha called down to Ratchet "Looks good up here, how about down there?"
Ratchet walked underneath the suspended dock and held up his hand, he could feel the force of the Antigrav system pushing against his palm. He pressed hard and the fighter raised up just a little bit.
"Good, lowering the bottom dock."
Ratchet walked out from underneath the fighter and lowered the bottom part of the dock into the floor. Stella's fighter descended gracefully until it reached the floor where it floated. Sasha called down to her daughter.
"Okay, now Stella, remember your simulator lessons, grab the stick and pull it slightly to the right."
Stella nodded and grabbed the stick carefully, doing this in a simulation was all well and good, but this was real now. She nudged it to the side and the fighter floated off towards Ratchet who was standing in the middle of the bay waving his hands at her. He guided her to a small pad and held out his hands to stop. When she did he hopped up on the wing and Stella gasped as the fighter wobbled.
"Sorry." He chuckled as he leaned over to look at her screen. "Look, see that new command?"
Stella saw the new command labeled ExAntigrav, she nodded.
"Press it."
She did and the fighter dropped slightly and stopped humming. She looked around and realized she was still floating. Ratchet put a hand on her shoulder.
"Congratulations, you just had your first real star fighter lesson, docking with the Antigravity pads on the ship."
Stella tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice "That's all I get to do?"
Ratchet heard it anyway "Hey, you'll be flying soon enough, we just need to finish working on them." He stood up and waved at Sasha who nodded and jumped across the docks arms to land on Sky's fighter.
Sky who had been watching Stella and grumbling that he hadn't got to use his fighter yet, jumped and visibly strained against his own restraints when his mother landed in front of him with a thud.
Sasha laughed "Sorry, but you need to learn to pay attention to your own fighter anyway."
"How come Stella got to use her fighter already?" Sky asked
"Because, her Antigrav system wasn't working, that's what I was working on." Sasha nimbly walked from the nose to the wing and opened the panel Ratchet had been working on. "Your Antigrav system works."
Sky waited a moment "But?"
Sasha sighed "But for some reason you power source isn't delivering the energy to the fighter. Your Fighter only runs when connected to the Phoenix." Sasha reached for Ratchets wrenches and tightened a few more bolts. She looked over her shoulder at Sky.
"Got any power in there?"
Sky looked at his only screen. It blinked and lit up for a moment before going dark.
"For a second it turned on."
Sasha's eyes lit up and she leaned back to the panel "I know what it is then."
Sky watched and heard something pop inside the wing and Sasha pulled her hand out with a bolt clutched tightly inside it. Sky's screen blinked and the fighter started humming.
"Hey, power."
Sasha laughed "Yep, give me a second to drop down and lower the dock then you're going to guide your Fighter over next to Stella's"
Sky nodded and Sasha stepped off the edge of the fighter and out of sight. A few moments later the grips on top of his nose rose up and he started sinking to the ground shortly after that. He waited till he saw his mother standing away from the fighter before he grabbed the joy stick and pulled it gently to the right. In no time at all he was floating above the pad and Sasha was showing him how to activate it. When the was done the twins both climbed out of their fighters and went to stand next to their parents.
"Well, what do you think?" Ratchet asked as they started walking back to the elevator.
"Best, birthday-" Stella started
"-Gift, ever" Sky finished.
Ratchet and Sasha chuckled and the four stepped into the elevator.
-Two Weeks Later- -Ratchet and Sasha's Private Landing Bay, Phoenix-
"Inventors Mark, are you there?"
Stella jumped in her seat as she realized that the Ranger over her comm was talking to her. She leaned forward and pressed a button on the dash.
"Yea, Bridge, I'm here, sorry, still not used to the call sign."
She heard a chuckle and realized CR-3 was the one being her flight controller today.
"Well, better get used to it Inventor."
Stella nodded and pressed her comm button again.
"Final check is complete Bridge."
Stella and Sky were both strapped into their fighters which in turn were resting in quick deploy tubes inside the landing bay. The tubes would accelerate the fighter and fling it out in combat situations. This was also to be Sky and Stella's first time actually flying the fighters in hard space since their parents finished working on them only a few days ago.
"Ready Stella?"
Stella looked over at Sky's fighter through her canopy. She nodded and gave him a thumbs up.
"Can't speak, oh well, lady's first."
Stella grinned and held fast to her joystick. She spoke up "Bridge, this is Inventors Mark, ready for launch."
"Inventor, Launch has been authorized, prepare for launch tube acceleration."
Stella nodded and braced, the tube she was in went dark then lit up with a flashing series of red lights towards a closed door that was slowly opening. As the red lights started to blink faster Stella slowed down her breathing and focused on her controls. The lights went from blinking to solid and Stella felt the g-forces pull hard on her as she was suddenly flung outside into space.
She pulled hard on her stick and felt her speed slow down, she curved up in a gentle arc over the Phoenix and kicked on her thrusters, bringing her out facing towards the rear of the Phoenix.
"Hows the sky's up there Inventor?"
"Clear Bridge, go ahead and let my brother come up."
"Roger Inventor, launching Shadows Streak now."
Stella aimed her fighter down and looked for her brother as he launched, she saw his tube door open and the lights turn solid. Then she saw a black blur and the doors closed. She looked around and only realized where Sky was when she checked her sensor field. She brought her fighter around and pointed towards where the scanner said Sky was. Stella narrowed her eyes as she couldn't bring her brother into sight. Then she saw a shadow eclipse one star and slide over another.
"Wow, Sky, you are really hard to see."
"I figured as much. Why do you think I chose the name Shadows Streak?"
Stella laughed "I can see that being handy."
"Inventors Mark, Shadows Streak, your current orders are just put the fighters through their flying basics, same as the simulators. Stay near the Phoenix for now, while we prepare the next part of your training exercises."
"Training?" Stella asked.
"Sorry Inventor, its a secret."
Stella saw Sky's ship as it moved between her in the Phoenix "I guess we'll just fly around then."
Stella grinned and eyed the thruster output sitting at 4% "Orders are orders."
Twenty minutes passed in silence as the two pushed their fighters to their aerobatic limits. The entire time the radio stayed quiet and Stella was begging to wonder if their training secret was ever going to happen. Then she heard two voices.
"Lombax Blaze Launching Bay 1"
"Blue Fire Launching Bay 2"
Stella let out a small gasp and brought her fighter around as her parents ships both launched from the tubes at the same time. As their ships flew up over the Phoenix, her parents put the ships through a corkscrew, bringing them closer and closer till the canopy's were almost touching. Then they blasted apart in different directions and came up on either side of their children. Ratchets fighter cruised up to Stella and wiggled his wings while Sasha did the same with Sky.
"Are you guys ready for you surprise?" Ratchet asked
"Yea."
"Ready."
Sasha spoke up "Watch your status boards."
Stella forced her gaze to her left screen and noticed all the red words for her weapons systems. As she watched they all turned green and cycled into the prime system. She heard thunks in her wings as her Torpedoes readied and the hum as her Lasers charged. She grinned and let out a small breath with a word.
"Wicked"
"Follow us to the near by asteroid belt, CR-3 and a few rangers will be launching test drones for you to try your skills on."
Stella was excited as she directed her fighter to fall in behind her mother and towards the asteroid belt. As soon as they entered Stella saw Sasha dip her fighter sharply underneath a large chunk of rock that was spinning towards them. Stella pulled hard on her stick and her fighter curved over the rock. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sky and her Fathers ships also dodging around hunks of rock.
"Mom." Stella asked as she cock screwed her fighter to the side
"Yes honey?" Sasha voice was calm, somehow Stella wasn't surprised.
"How are we supposed to practice like this?"
"Well, In a certain way, we are practicing right now, mainly dodging. But don't worry, it clears up, kinda like a storm."
"It has an eye?"
"Or sorts, look there, that large asteroid, all of these rocks we have been dodging are circling this large one. That's also where we set up the targets. As soon as your dad and I set up near by you can start practice."
Stella was excited to say the least "Alright mom, just let us know."
Stella watched as her parents set well away from some bare rod iron towers with orbs floating above them. She waited until she heard her dads voice.
"Sky, your first."
Stella glanced over to where she knew Sky's fighter was and muttered under her breath. "Lucky."
Sky inside his own fighter grinned across at Stella's fighter before gripping his joystick, he moved his finger over the trigger for his lasers and aimed his fighter at the orbs.
"One second Sky, we need to activate your targeting system."
Sky blinked and in that instant his canopy changed, an aiming retical appeared in the center and an overlay of his weapons appeared on the side. As Sky looked at the display he noticed the retical following where he was gazing at.
"Oh that is so cool."
Sky focused his gaze on one of the orbs and a line appeared from inside the circle darting out and listing off a bunch of stats. A blue bar filled to 100% for shield and a red hull bar was estimated at 50%
Ratchet who currently was tapped into Sky's ship saw what his son saw.
"Sky, don't get to attached to that, its all new technology, its been known to be wrong."
Sky spoke up "Okay Dad, do I get to shoot this thing though?"
"Yes, but first you need to drop into combat mode."
"What?"
"Your fighter is a next generation stealth fighter, your currently in full stealth, your shield is close and hugging your hull, your weapons and everything are powered down and stored inside the body to help hide you. Then finally your canopy is set to reflective on the outside."
"Cool, so, uh, how do I change it?"
"On your screen, their should be a black box. Press it."
Sky saw the box and pressed it, it faded away to reveal the word Stealth. As he watched the word turned white and turned into Combat. Sky snapped his head to the right when he heard a thunk on his wings and saw panels sliding up and over his wings, a laser emitter sliding out and starting to vibrate. The tips of his wings separated and as they pulled away from the body he saw missiles sliding out to lock into a lunching position. He heard a thunk from behind him and assumed it was another weapon. He glanced back at his display and saw three things appear and flash green.
Laser: 100% Cycling at Max Power
Torpedo's: 4 Count 2 Primed
Mines: 6 Count, 1 Primed
"Mines, nice."
"Alright Sky, ready for the bad news?"
"Bad News?"
"Your fighter is focused around Stealth remember, while your torpedo's and mines are powerful your lasers are no where near as strong as your sisters. Also your Torpedo's and Mines are designed to flash big and loud and to blind people giving you a chance to drop back into Stealth mode and get around for another shot."
"Okay, hit fast, and vanish, right?"
"That about sums it up, ready to try that on that target you've got selected?"
Sky grinned "You bet, can I hit it with torpedo's?"
"Lets try lasers first, to knock out it's shields, fly in and hammer the target, then change to stealth as you pull up."
Sky took one hand of his stick and grabbed the sliding switch for his thrusters. He made sure his retical was on the sphere before jamming the thrust forward and blasting down towards the target, as soon as he got close and started peppering it with light blasts from his lasers. He noticed his display showing the lasers percentage constantly going down and being replenished at the same time, it looked if he fired for too long his lasers would recycle.
"So, I can't fire forever then."
He pulled up over the sphere at the last minute and took his hand of his thrusters to touch the combat word. As he pulled up his lasers cooled and he heard three click clunks as his weapons stored away. His retical vanished and he got an unobstructed view of space. He brought his fighter around and saw the sphere he had been shooting at smoking from where his lasers had overpower the shield and sent it spinning from its pole.
"Good work Sky, now, fly back near by Stella, so she can make her run."
Sky nodded and moved over to where Stella was waiting.
Stella already had her thumb on her thruster slider and was waiting, she was pretty sure she saw Sky's fighter come up next to her but was more focused on the target she had chosen.
"Stella, You know how normal weapons react, Sky even got to play with Mines in a simulation, you get to play with the weapon not programed in the simulation."
"Whats that?"
"Look at the side of your retical , you should have four small circles there, look at the blue field and blink at it."
Stella did so and her retical vanished to be replaced with a charging blue bar on the side.
"What happened?"
"You swapped weapons. Your ship is now charging the EMZeron blast."
"Uh, what the heck kinda weapon is that?"
"Fly gently down to the middle of the field. Since Sky's fighter is cloaked mainly, you'll usually be drawing the brunt of attention, so we gave you a weapon we've been tinkering with for a while."
Stella descended and watcher as he parents lifted off from the ground.
"Sky, you need to get clear, come over here by us."
Stella noticed her bar charged full.
"I'm ready now what?"
"Just pull your trigger and watch the fireworks."
Stella did and gasped as the lights dimmed in her cockpit and a yellow flash erupted out from her ship, the spheres still floating around her all crackled and spun wildly before settling down on top of their poles. A second blue flash from her ship sent frost crawling over the entire asteroid. It claimed the spheres quickly and one of them fell off shattering as it hit the asteroid. Stella spun her fighter around to look at the devastation she had reeked.
"That. Was. Sick."
"The EMZeron blast is a mixture of an EMP and a Freezon bomb. Knocks out shields then flash freezes whatever is around you. Ratchet has a version on his fighter, but his is just mainly the Freezon, the EMP from him is a side effect. Mind you, that's only for when your surrounded, a one on one battle you're better off with your normal weapons."
"Makes sense."
"Alright, both of you get out into the open, here come the training bots. Now, these are controlled by remote so feel free to go lose on them."
Stella heard Sky through the radio "Yes."
She also saw his ship transform into combat mode.
"Well, now you're easier to see at least."
She saw Sky's head snap to look at her. "It makes that big of a difference?"
"Yea."
"Huh." His fighter disappeared again. "I like it better this way then."
Stella was about to laugh when her parents came back over the line. "One last thing these drones are armed with basic laser, it'll take a lot to get through your shields, but they will be firing on you, the Rangers, will be trying to take you out of the sky. So, you should focus on them."
To prove her point a blue bolt flashed over Stella's canopy, her eyes widened and she pulled hard on the stick while increasing her thrust, as her head swam from the G's she realized she had just performed a loop and came up behind the drones, six of them had entered the eye. She blinked at her torpedo's icon and targeted one drone, quickly losing two of them after the drone. The drone did nothing and Stella was suspicious when it let the streaks that were chasing it, impact into an explosion. She flew through the shockwave and felt her eyes widen again as the drone was unmarked.
"Sky, don't waste your torpedo's yet, these things are shielded against them."
"What do we do then?"
Stella thought hard "I know, get ready to drop into combat mode, I'll hit them hard them with my lasers and as soon as their shields are gone, drop in and let a torpedo fly."
"Sounds like a plan, I'll fly behind you."
Stella blinked at her lasers and targeted the same drone again, she pulled the trigger and her fighter almost shuddered as her powerful lasers let out bursts of intense red fire. It only took two hits before the shields collapsed and Stella banked off.
"Sky, NOW!"
She saw Sky's fighter appear for a moment and a torpedo spiraling out from his left wing. It curved into the drone and punched right into its hull. Stella thought it was going to bust out the other side but instead it exploded and sent the drone flying off in hundreds of pieces.
"Same plan?"
Stella nodded to herself "Yea, worked once, lets work it five more times."
Sky and Stella proceeded to prove they could out fly the Galactic Rangers as they demolished the five remaining drones in under thirty minutes.
While their children took apart the drones, Ratchet and Sasha watched from their ships, impressed at the natural skill their children displayed in combat.
"Look at that." Ratchet heard Sasha mutter "Already working as a team of two to take down a foe that would be a challenge for one.
"A challenge?"
"Come on, you know what I mean."
"Yea, I see your point."
Sasha gasped as Stella performed a violent maneuver wit her fighter that almost sent her careening into another drone. Right before she impacted though Sky's fighter flashed by and the drone exploded as it hit a mine. She heard Stella thank her brother.
"Are we doing the right thing Ratchet?"
Sasha has asked this question several times over the past few months.
"I know the combat training was for the best, but should we really have gotten a couple of teens their own combat ready fighters?"
"Well, if you look at their background, they don't really come from a normal family."
"Yea..."
"Hey, it'll be alright Sasha, I don't see anything bad coming of this, in fact, I would consider myself honored to fly a mission with them."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"Yes, because that means I trust them to their own devices and to cover me."
"Well, at least there isn't a war for them to fight in right now."
"Yea."
Stella was breathing hard inside her cockpit, and sweat darkened her flight outfit below her armpits. She saw Sky's fighter appear in front of her.
"That's all of them?"
Stella paused and checked her sensor suite "Yea, I don't see anymore."
"That's all of them, time to bring them in."
Stella jumped as her dads voice cut into the line.
"If it means anything, I'm proud of you guys, you did an awesome job."
"Thanks dad."
"Come on then, lets land and we can talk about how your first flight felt."
-Two Years Later- -Starship Phoenix- -Crew Quarters-
Stella now eighteen, was laying back on her bed, flipping through a brochure she had picked up on their last plant side trip. When her door beeped that it was about to be opened she quickly stuffed the brochure under her pillow and put her hands behind her bed and stared at the ceiling. She glanced over as Sky came in, he sat down on the stool by her workbench.
"What you up to?" He asked.
Stella shrugged "Not much, just thinking."
"You're always thinking, about what?"
Stella shrugged again. Sky nodded and let his body go completely still. Stella eyed him with suspicion, Sky grinned, then dived forward and reached a hand underneath her pillow and pulled out the brochure.
"Thinking about this?" he asked as Stella rolled off the bed and made a grab for it. Sky placed a hand on her chest and held the brochure out of her reach.
"Sky, your punk, give me that back."
"Nah, I think I'll go show Mom and Dad."
Stella gasped and stepped back "Sky, no, you can't do that, promise me you will never tell Mom and Dad."
Sky looked at her as he lowered his arms "Surly it can't be that bad?" he asked as she flipped through the brochure. Stella waited quietly until he finished, he looked back up at her with a blank look on his face.
"The Galactic Army, Stella, really?" he asked throwing the brochure back onto her bed.
Stella walked over and picked up the brochure, thumbing through it as she sat down.
"Well, yea." She finally spoke up "Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to actually go out on missions and such? I mean, living on the Phoenix is a blast, and Mom and Dad take us on some missions, but admit it, the really dangerous ones we're forced to stay behind because we don't have the training. Imagine if we had the training, if the only way Dad and Mom could not have us on a mission is if they ranked higher then us and ordered us not to."
"Yea, but Stella, its three years of training, Dad ended up a Sargent because of a fluke, he just proved he was good so they never took his rank away. Imagine being away from our parents for three years, cramped on tiny cots and getting up at four in the morning for training."
"Yea, it would be a change bu-" Stella stopped and held up her hands "Wait, how do you know what time they get up?" she asked pointing a finger at Sky.
Sky grimaced and reached into his pocket. "Because." he said pulling out a wrinkled brochure and holding it out to Stella "I was thinking the same thing."
Stella glanced down at the crumpled front of Sky's copy.
"Great, so, we both want to join the Army, while our parents would just rather have us live normal lives on the outside." she sighed and sat down, she was quiet for a few minutes before glancing at Sky who had returned to his seat on the stool.
"So, are we going to do it?"
Sky thought hard for a moment "I suppose if we don't make the cut, we can always just return here, and pretend it never happened."
"Yea."
Silence
"So, should we go tell our parents?"
"Over dinner."
Sky nodded "Sounds like a plan."
Sky and Stella spent the rest of the time till dinner trying to figure out what they were going to say to their parents. When the time finally rolled around the twins sat across from their parents eating their food silently. This lasted for ten minutes before Ratchet and Sasha glanced at each other.
Ratchet cleared his throat "Alright, whats up?"
"Hmm?"
"You two, are never this quiet."
Sasha took over "You're always pestering us about what ever missions we've been on. If you can come with us next time. Or even telling us what you've been doing all day."
"So, spill it, what's up?"
Stella glanced over at Sky, he nodded and she reached into her cargo pocket and pulled out the brochure. She sighed and slid it across the table towards her parents. Sasha picked it up and tried to stop her heart skipping a beat. She gulped hard and passed it to Ratchet, who took it and studied it for a few moments before putting it back on the table. He finished his bite of food then stood up and gestured to his children.
"Walk with me."
Sky and Stella shot each other a look as they stood up from the table, they glanced at their mother who waved a hand at them to go on. They followed their dad out into the hall, then continued to follow him as he walked. After a while, Stella realized that they weren't really going anywhere specific, just walking. When the group reached the engineering decks Sky cleared his throat.
"Dad?" he asked
Ratchet stopped and clenched his fists, Sky and Stella stopped.
"Dad?" Stella's turn.
Ratchet unclenched his fists and turned to look at them.
"You're sure?" He asked them.
"Well, yea we-" Stella started
"Not good enough! Are you sure?" Ratchet shouted, stepped forward and bending down to match eyes with Stella
Stella took an involuntary step back, she narrowed her eyes and stepped forward glaring into her fathers eyes, she let a small growl slip into her voice. "Yes, I'm sure, I'm eighteen now, and you couldn't stop me if you wanted."
Ratchet glared back for a few moments before smiling. "You'll do fine."
He turned his glare on his son. "What about you, are you sure?"
Sky cracked his neck and glared right back at his father "Bring it on."
Ratchet smiled, and stood straight. He turned his back on his children before sighing once more.
"I'm not going to lie, this is a path your mother and I hoped you would never choose. The last thing we ever wanted was for you to choose the military life." He turned to face them. "You should know, what your used to, its not everything you know." He gestured to the ship around them. "You've seen the good side, this life you've lived so far. This is the good life, if everything goes well with you career maybe someday you'll have your own Starship like your mother and I."
Ratchet turned back away "But, there is a darker side to it, You'll be going through basic, I never did that, I've heard the stories though. From those under my command over the years who thought I wasn't good enough. They told me horrible things, living life on the front lines during a war. Its really nothing like what you're used to."
"So mom, back in the mess hall?"
Ratchet turned back to them "She really doesn't want to see you in this life, shes tried hard to get you to choose another life."
Stella raised an eyebrow "Our fighters?"
"Hopes that you would see a different side of life, maybe once you tasted combat, you wouldn't like it anymore. I on the other hand, hoped it would give you practice that you would need to survive if you did choose this."
Sky and Stella glanced at each other and nodded, they stepped forward "We're still sure." They said in one voice.
Ratchet raised an eyebrow "You know, that's very creepy."
Stella giggled while Sky smiled, his smile turned into a frown quickly though "So, about mom?"
"Ill talk it over with her." Ratchet placed his hands on his kid's shoulders. "Come, lets go break the news."
-Marcadia- -G.A. Recruitment Center- -Two weeks later-
Stella glanced at Sky standing next to her in front of the ship that would take them to basic. He was dressed as she was, green cargo pants and a shirt. They had been given a large duffel bag and told they could fill it with what they wanted to take with them. Sky had his filled with his climbing equipment, some bought, most made by her hands. She saw him stuff some of his darker clothing into the bag as well, she knew that was going to go over well. Her own was filled with some of her gadgets, plus a majority of her tools. She had tried to wear her Gripper Gloves, but the agent in the station had informed her, politely, that they weren't allowed. She heard gasping behind her and she turned to see what was going on. She sighed inwardly as she saw the cause.
"Here we go."
Walking towards the recruiter with CR-3 and three other rangers, and dressed in his Aegis Mark V armor, minus the helmet, was Ratchet. As he made his way through the crowd, the murmurs got louder, and when he reached people in the army, they stopped and saluted. Stella took a small enjoyment in watching the agent jump up from his desk and salute. She frowned however when he pointed in her direction.
Ratchet however, walked past her and tapped a man on the shoulder who turned around and when seeing who tapped him, saluted. Stella focused her hearing towards the conversation they were having.
"You are aware, that my children are entering into the army today, to be trained by you."
"Yes sir, would you like me to take it easy on them?"
Ratchet smiled "No sir, I want you to be hard on them, I want other recruits to look at them and wonder why they have the easy life."
"Really?"
Ratchet nodded and Stella frowned, she turned to Sky.
"You heard that?"
"Yea, is he trying to make it harder on us to get us to leave?"
"Maybe, or maybe he just wants to make sure we really are ready."
"Guess we'll find out."
Stella grinned at her twin "I say bring it on."
-One year later- -G.A Training Planet- -Location Unknown-
"Bring it on you said."
"Thighs burning"
"I know Sky."
"Hes trying to make sure we're ready."
"Lungs on fire."
"I know Sky."
"Bring it on."
"Back Cramping."
"You've said that one already today Sky. Within five minutes in fact."
"I'll say it again."
Stella decided not to waste anymore breath on words. She focused on her running, and her breathing. Why it had to be this particular trail they needed to run, Stella didn't know, but it was tiring her out. She knew Sky was only faring slightly better then her. They had been ordered that morning to run their packs up the near by mountain, all the recruits had been. But of course, Sky and Stella had been ordered to take a different trail, and now they were finding they were hard pressed to keep up with the recruits on the easier trail. Stella jumped up onto another boulder on her path, she heard Sky land next to her. She glanced to the left towards the trail they were supposed to take, then at the cliff wall they found themselves against. She leaned over and put her hands on her knees, breathing hard, she glanced at Sky.
"What do you say, up the difficulty but cut the distance?"
Sky recovered his breath and glanced up "I think you're crazy, and I'm in." He shrugged his pack off and rifled through some the bag before he pulled out two pairs of gloves. He tossed a pair at Stella while pulling on his own. Stella looked at her Gripper Gloves.
"Are you sure Sky, using these?"
Sky scoffed "If they are going to push us harder then the others, they should give us more to work with. Gloves are totally in line, besides they have ropes in the other teams, only fair."
Stella sighed but pulled her gloves on, triggering the switch in the thumb that brought the hidden mechanics inside to life. She put her fingers gently into the cliff face and squeezed, digging into three inches of the rock.
"I love these things." She said pulling herself up and reaching for her next grip, besides her Sky was already three feet above her and gaining. Stella felt the strain in her arms shortly into the climb Sky continued to to pull ahead of her, seemingly unaffected by the 80 pounds on his back. Stella shook her head and continued the climb. By the time she reached the top, Stella's arms felt like jelly but she pulled her body over the side and took five minutes for some deep breathing. Beside her, Sky was sitting on another rock, he was watching his sister pant and smiled.
She glared at him "Who's...Idea...Was...That...?"
Sky laughed "Yours." he stood up, come on, we still got two miles to hike to the rally point."
Stella pulled her aching body off the ground. "Alright" She took off the gloves and threw them at Sky. "Put them away, your gloves too." She started jogging and saw Sky catch up to her out of the corner of her eye. He grinned at her.
"Race ya?"
Stella grinned back, knowing she was going to regret this tonight. "You are on."
When they reached the point where they were supposed to camp Sky and Stella saw that the rest of their training squad had deployed their ropes to get up. Stella raised an eyebrow on seeing the elaborate climbing gear Stella sighed and dropped her pack on the ground, sitting down upon it.
"Well, they better not be mad about us using our gloves."
Sky walked over and dropped his own pack next to Stella's sitting down as well. "Why?"
"Those are the latest climbing rigs. Not really fair taking them on the easy course with that and leaving us on the hardest course with out anything."
Stella's ear twitched right before she heard his voice.
"Who said anything about being fair?"
Stella glanced over her shoulder at her drill Sargent. She locked eye with him for a moment before she scoffed and turned back to watching the other recruits climb over the ridge. When they were all over the edge Stella stood up and faced her Drill Sargent.
"What are you trying to do, break us?"
"I'm trying to make you into soldiers."
"Nuh-uh, your making them into soldiers." she said jerking a thumb over her shoulder. "Your trying to wreck us beyond use. I know my dad told you to push us, to make other recruits wonder why they have the easy life. But if you keep this up, by the time we get out of basic we'll be ruined husks of ou...our...god...really...I'm supposed to be smart how did I miss that?"
Stella turned from the Drill Sargent and started to pace "God, it makes sense."
Sky stood up "What makes sense?"
"Dad. He said he stood behind us, he really wanted us to be crushed. He wanted us to quit."
Sky walked up to her "No way Stella, Dad would never-"
"Wouldn't he, it would be just perfect to make us think that he backed us when he really wanted us to give up on this life."
The Drill Sargent watched with the rest of the recruits while Stella worked things out in her head.
Stella turned back to the Drill Sargent a glare in her eyes. "I repeat what I told my twin when we first joined. Bring. It. On. I can take anything you and my dad can come up with. I'll be better for it too."
The Drill Sargent smiled.
"Now, that's, what I wanted to hear."
-One Year Later- -Marcadia-
Stella stood on the roof a building, dressed in combat gear from the Galactic Army. After she and Sky had graduated at the top of their classes, they had both been singled out by different divisions. Sky had gone into leading a extremely successful team of commands on whole sorts of missions, while she worked Intelligence. Her current assignment was to body guard a dignitary from Marcadia, and she couldn't be more bored. Her own team did more then she did, all she was here really was a look out.
She sighed and walked to the lip, putting a boot on the edge and looking down into the streets outside the galactic compound. She touched the side of her head and continued her conversation.
"I don't get it Sky, why did they put me on this mission, I'm a sniper, the body guard thing is more your style. You and your commandos have a better skill set for this."
Sky's voice came back through her ears "How do you know our skill set?"
Stella waited until Sky sighed "Right, Intelligence, is there anybody you guys don't have files on?"
"You know I can't answer that."
"Right, anyway, this mission is more my style, come on, you can't tell me you don't want a break from the action. Whens the last time you were in towards Marcadia?"
Stella thought of her parents and felt her gaze get pulled up to the Phoenix floating in orbit. "Too long Sky."
"Are you going to try and see Mom and Dad before you ship back out?"
Stella took her gaze back down to the streets "Maybe, I-" she stopped and brought her rifle up to her eye, zooming in on the entrance to the capital building. "Got to go Sky, looks like my job just got interesting."
"Ha, Alright Stella, take em down hard."
"Always." Stella clicked the com-link back into her team channel.
"Rass, am I seeing this right?"
"I dunno Stella," replied her friend "are you seeing that same thing I am?"
Stella adjusted the sight on her weapon "I really hope not, nobody could really be this stupid."
In the entrance people were running from a Blarg who was holding a gun to the head of the Senator she was supposed to be protecting, threatening that unless his demands were met he would pull the trigger and blow the guys brains out. Remarkably the Senator did not seem to be too worried about the gun against his head, in face the male Cezar looked down bored.
"and cute"
Stella paused and shook her head as the last thought floated through her mind. She set the sights of her weapon on the Blarg's head. Changing her mind at the last second she lowered her aim and started to pull the trigger.
"Rass, Jason, Reck, get ready, move on my signal."
Stella heard the com-links click back at her and she pulled the trigger, the blue bolt from her gun flew down the five stories and struck the Blarg on the shoulder, spinning him around. As he leaned against the wall, she saw her team break cover.
Ra-45-S, or Rass, moved in from the left, Jason from the right, and Reck opened the door behind the Blarg, stepping out with with a gun pulled on him. The Blarg didn't move, in fact he grinned, Stella sighed as she looked through the scope and saw this.
"Do they really think they have out thought me?"
Rass's voice came through the line "Cocky I bet."
Jason's rough voice came over the comm. "Now?"
"Three more seconds."
Her team continued to move towards the Blarg, who raised a hand and clenched it into a fist.
"Now."
Each member of her team turned around and drew a gun on the Blarg Commando that was walking up behind them. The Blarg's all froze, unsure of what to do, except the leader who smiled and nodded. Stella pulled the trigger on her rifle and the sniper in the second story window never got a chance to reach for his rifle.
When the sniper round never hit the Senator, the Blarg leader began to look worried.
Stella smiled "That's right, you've been out thought"
The Blarg leader looked around one more time, nervous, then he reached underneath his jacket and pulled out a detonator. He turned to face the senator, reaching out a hand to grab him, but two things happened very quickly. The Senator grabbed the Blarg's hand with his own and deftly twisted it, pulling the Blarg close. The other hand came around and slapped the detonator from his hand. Then a dark blue bolt smacked him in the chest and knocked him in unconsciousness. The Senator dropped the Blarg and grinned up at Stella through the scope.
"So he knows how to track shots, he pulled the Blarg into my shot on purpose."
The senator gave a cheery wave before turning around and returning to the senate building. Stella lowered her rifle and contacted Rass.
"Everything clear down there Rass?" Stella asked as she turned around and headed for her roof access. She dropped down the ladder and straight into the apartment she rented. She headed for the bathroom to change her look.
"Yep, we've got the commandos locked up, that sniper won't be going anywhere, although we've got rangers clearing out his apartment."
"The leader?" Stella asked as she sloughed off her combat armor and dropped it in the trash. She grabbed a coat and put it on zipping it up. She pulled out a hologuise, and disguised her person by turning her fur a dark black and running golden streaks through it.
"Please, Tran broke both his wrists, then your stun round smashed him so hard that if the energy hadn't knocked him out, the force of the impact would have."
"Tran?" She asked, pulling a band out of the pocket of the jacket and doing up her hair into a ponytail.
"The Senator, you didn't know that was his name? I'm surprised Stella, and a little suspicious. You always know every fact about a mission."
"You're good then?" Stella asked as she exited the building, collapsing her rifle into her quick-select watch
"Yea, where you going?"
Stella smiled, as she walked into the senate building, knowing full well Rass was tracking her "Nowhere in particular. Look, we've already taken out the terrorist cell, these five were the last, my missions done and I'm on break. Just mind the guys while I'm gone." Stella pulled out her comlink and tucked it into her pocket before she went a corner of the lobby and sat down to observe Tran.
Tran was standing amongst a small crowd of worry-wort's, brown-nosers, and a few medics. He dealt with them for a moment before declaring to the lobby that he was fine and heading her way. Stella picked up a near by magazine and started leafing through it. She pretended to pay no notice when he stopped in front of her. Tran cleared his throat and she forced herself to look up at him.
"Thank you for you assistance today commander." he said holding out a hand
Stella raised a dark eyebrow, "I have no idea what your talking about."
Tran smiled, "Commander."
Stella sighed and fingered her jacket button, the hologuise turned off and she heard more then one gasp as her coloring returned to normal. "How did you know?"
Tran chuckled "You are very good at your job, but you tried to hard right now, most people in here are nervous because of what just happened outside. You're this calm little rock amidst that, kinda obvious that your used to this."
Tran waved away an adviser who tried to get to him go back and see a doctor. "I'm fine, I really need to talk to the commander."
Tran held out a hand to Stella "If you could follow me to a more private area?"
Stella paused for a moment before taking his hand and following him outside. They walked for twenty minutes before Stella started to get curious.
"Where are we going?"
Tran looked her way "Nowhere, I just want to walk with a beautiful lady."
Stella stopped walking "Excuse me?"
Tran stopped and grinned over his shoulder at her. "Never been called beautiful before?"
Stella didn't answer. Tran turned fully around "Thought so. How many guys do you hang out with?"
"I can't answer that."
"So, just your squad then, two, if the one cyborg can be counted."
Stella stared at him "How do you know who's in my squad?"
Tran looked offended "Word gets around Stella, you can't pull off as many missions as you do and still remain out of the spot light."
Tran took her hand again and started walking, Stella following just out of curiosity.
"I first heard of you and your squad with that mission you pulled on Hoven disbanding Drek's old factory once and for all."
Stella smiled.
"I would like to hear more about your adventures around the galaxy."
"I can't do that."
"How about dinner and a movie then?"
Stella stopped walking again. "You asking me out on a date, me, really?"
"Yes, how about it?"
Stella thought long hard, she had never really thought of ever having a boyfriend. Could she?
"Sure. Where, and when?"
-One Year Later- -Space Station Marc1- -High Marcadia Orbit-
Ratchet stood in the main control of the station dressed in his Aegis Mark V armor, watching the various ships come in for the celebration of the Fire-Lords defeat. Ratchet watched as another ship docked and he sent a squadron of Galactic Rangers to go assist the dock security details. He heard the doors behind him open and he turned to see Sasha walk in. She was dressed in her usual commander outfit. She walked up next to him and sighed.
"How long has it been?" she asked him.
"Seven years."
Sasha huffed out air and turned to face him. "Not since we defeated the Fire-Lords, since we've seen our kids."
Ratchet lowered his eyes "Three years, since they boarded that ship to basic."
Sasha nodded "Right, and we've never gone to visit them why?"
"Stella got it in her head that we were trying to crush them inside basic, Sky followed her lead, and neither of them wanted to see us on leave days. After they graduated they both just started going on missions. You know Stella was on Marcadia while we were stationed here last year, but she never saw us."
"You think shes realized she was wrong?"
Ratchet nodded "Yes, but she doesn't want to face us, afraid she hurt us too deeply."
Sasha grabbed his arm "She did hurt us, but kids do that to you, we still love them."
"Yea."
"Do you think they'll come to the celebration this year?"
Ratchet nodded. Sasha looked down at him.
"Do you know for sure?"
In response Ratchet leaned forward and popped out a holo-display showing an inbound log of people on the station. He highlighted a ship and scrolled through those on board. He highlighted a name.
Commander Stella.
Sasha reached out and touched the name, It expanded and showed a picture of a solemn Stella facing the camera. The file listed her graduation date and entrance into the Galactic Army, after that everything was covered with a classified stamp.
"Why is her file classified?"
"At best guess, I would say she in Intelligence Ranks now, everything about them is classified."
"There's more."
"What?"
"Shes come aboard the with the Cezar Might."
"So?"
"That's a Senator's ship, it belongs to one Tran Daylow"
"Once again, so?"
"So, what is she doing coming aboard with him and not the rest of the G.A. Commanders? I heard rumors shes got her own ship, how come shes not commanding that, or her Fighter, she still uses it."
Sasha laughed, and Ratchet glanced at her. "What?"
"You think shes got a boyfriend, and you don't want him near your daughter."
Ratchet looked away before he smiled "Yes, I am."
Sasha laughed harder and stepped away from her husband, she wiped her eyes and was idlely watching one of the screens when she gasped.
"Ratchet look at this."
She sent a screen to his holo-display with another name highlighted. This screen was part of the new arrivals list.
Commander Sky. His profile was already scrolling across the screen, the dates matched Stella's but where Stella had classified over a lot of profile Sky's held a list of operations he had spearheaded.
Ratchet blinked and held out a hand, Sasha took it.
"Our Children are coming home."
-Two Hours later- -Briefing room A3- -Space Station Marc1-
"For the end of this briefing, I have decided that each Commander will be in charge of a group of Galactic Rangers, along with any of their own troops. While primary command will fall to my self and Commander Sasha, I hold belief in all of you to make your own decisions, you are Commanders after all. All I ask is if you take an action you send us a note so that we note whats going on. During the celebration there will be patrol patterns that we will all follow with Commander Sasha overseeing from the control room. I myself will be in charge of outer space defenses, with two other Commanders and their squadrons. I'll be accepting volunteers for the commanders that join me, as will Commander Sasha for the Overseeing duty. You have two days, if nobody has volunteered by then, we'll select some to join us. Until then, and as of this point, we are all officially on leave, return to your assigned areas, relax, and enjoy the next three days off"
Ratchet and Sasha stood at the head of a large conference table, filled with the G.A.'s full contingent of commanders. Sky and Stella sat on opposite ends of the table about halfway down and made no remarks to their parents. Not even after Ratchet sent them on their way, they had just stood up and walked out with the rest of the Commanders.
"At least they are professional." Sasha told him later when they were in their quarters.
Ratchet nodded pulling off his armor and reaching for cargo pants.
"True, and who knows, it may be a big station, but I have a feeling we'll see them around. For now though, I plan on enjoying this break, its about the only one we get after all." He pulled on a shirt and made sure his quick select watch was on tight before turning to face Sasha.
Sasha was wearing a tank top and cargo pants as well. They paused and laughed at each other before walking towards the door of their suite. When they opened it they were surprised to see a Galactic Ranger only slightly taller then Ratchet waiting for them in the hall way. The Ranger looked like the rest of its kind except for its size and saluted as they came out.
"Yes solider?" Sasha asked.
"I have been sent by my commander to volunteer our squad for the overseeing duty."
"Uh, okay. Who's your Commander?"
"Sorry, no time to talk, I must return to my Commander."
The small Ranger turned around and ran down the empty hall, disappearing around the corner. Sasha watched for a moment before putting her arm through Ratchets and heading the other way.
"Well, I won't pretend that wasn't strange."
Ratchet nodded "I'll second that, never seen a Ranger that size."
Ratchet and Sasha continued walking until they reached the busy hanger bay, off to the side sat the ships that needed repairs. It currently house Sasha Starship, whenever the two had free time they worked on the ship, adding things and modifying it. But what surprised them was the black fighter that was sitting in the next bay. The pilot was currently bent over a panel in the wing pulling at something while the fighter sat in the repair docks grip.
"That's not.." Sasha started, she never finished however when the pilot raised his head and waved at them. He dropped down off the wing and walked over. Sasha broke off from Ratchet and ran forward to give the pilot a hug.
"Mom."
"Sky. It's been too long."
Sasha held her son away from her and brushed a hand across the long hair that grew to almost his shoulders.
"What is this, a ponytail?"
Sky laughed as his moms look "Relax Mom, I was in an area with my squad where haircuts were kinda the last thing on our minds. I'm getting it cut later today."
Ratchet laughed and pulled Sky into a hug as well. "If you want I can cut that hair for you right now."
Sky eyed his father who laughed "With out any weapons."
Sky shook his head "I was right, you were thinking of using a weapon."
They laughed and moved closer to Sky's fighter.
"Whats wrong with it?" Ratchet asked as they got closer.
"The power matrix failed when I tried to start it up earlier, I figured it was the same problem it had when you guys first gave it me. So I've been playing around in the wing."
Sasha gestured at the wrench that Sky had been holding all along "May I?"
Sky handed over the wrench and bowed out of the way "Be my guest."
Sasha took the wrench and hopped up, she layed out on the wing and her upper half vanished into it. Ratchet turned to Sky. "Wheres your sister?" he asked.
Two hands wrapped around his face and blocked his eyes. "Guess." said a voice.
Ratchet pretended to think about if for a moment. "Qwark?"
"Dad!" Stella exclaimed uncovering his eyes and stepping around into his view. Ratchet couldn't help the eyearch that raised itself as he watched his daughter.
Where as Sky was dressed in a simple black flight suit, Stella was wearing a purple and black dress that ran down to just above her feet. Her long hair was pulled back into a ponytail that hung down her shoulder and she had a golden bracelet wrapped around her left wrist
She cocked her head "What?"
"I kinda guessed you were dating, but, greeting your dad in a dress is a little over much I think. What happened to my little tinker girl?"
Stella laughed "Oh I still tinker, just ask him."
Ratchet turned and studied the Cezar who was walking across the bay towards them. He was the same size as his wife, but his fur was almost the color of snow with platinum colored fur tipping the edge of his face. He was dressed in a tuxedo and was stepping around stains in the garage as he worked his way over.
As he approached he spoke up "Forgive our dressings Commander, it was my fault, I insisted on dinner before we came to visit."
He held out his hand to Ratchet who shook it "Allow me to introduce my self Transense Daylow, everybody just calls me Tran though."
"Tran, nice to meet you, if I may, why did you insist on dinner first?"
"I shall let Stella tell you."
Ratchet turned to face his daughter who was currently being hugged by her mother. Sky's fighter floated in the air behind them and Sky was in the cockpit. Sasha was grinning madly at Stella who was grinning back. When Stella saw her father staring at her, she raised her right hand and Ratchet saw the ring sitting on her finger. Tran walked past and held out a hand to Stella who took it and let herself be pulled into a hug.
Ratchet stared at them for a few moments before tapping Tran on his shoulder. Tran turned to face him.
"Lets get a few things straight. If you are marrying my daughter, you better make sure shes happy, if anything happens to her and its your fault, there is no safe place for you anywhere in existence."
"Dad." Stella moaned.
"No, I expected as much, and believe me sir, if anything happens to Stella and its my fault, I would accept any punishment you would deem."
"Good, I think we'll get along just fine then."
-Three days later-
Sasha sat in the control room over looking the various patrol routes, while waiting for the second commander to report in. The doors behind her beeped and Stella walked in her own commanders uniform, it was shaped somewhat like Sasha's but colored a dark red instead, with a few more smoother corners thrown in.
"Commander Stella reporting for duty, ma'am."
"Relax Stella, take a seat and start watching."
Stella blinked. "Your not surprised?"
Sasha shook her head "Nope, your ranger gave it away, I checked all the Commanders to see if they had a small Ranger like yours, and when I didn't find any, I figured she was yours."
"I knew I should have sent Reck instead of Rass."
"It was a nice try though. Now come on the celebration is about to start. Tell me where your squadron is so I know."
Stella walked over and began to coordinate with her mother.
Ratchet meanwhile was flying in a circle outside with the two other commanders, one of which turned out to be Sky. The squads under their command were flying around at various entry points inside the space around the station and they were ready for anything.
So they thought.
It started three hours into the celebration.
Sasha noticed the disturbance on the long range sensors first. She called over to her daughter.
"Stella, what do you make of this?"
Stella walked over and stared hard at the display. "Warp Stream disturbance I would say, something big is about to come out."
Sasha chewed on the edge of her cheek. "I was afraid of that."
"Why?"
"Because, I was hoping I was wrong, and its not something, its somethings."
Stella looked shocked and zoomed out the display, counting the disturbances "Twenty of them. This isn't an accident, not with that many."
"I agree, send out an alert to all the commands on board and start evacuations."
"Alright" Stella ran over to her console and started issue orders. Three seconds later the evacuation alarms started flashing red throughout the station.
"Ratchet?"
"I see it, whatever is coming is big enough to set off the sensors inside the fighters. We're pulling out the fighters from the expected exit zones and setting up fire lines to attack whatever is coming."
Sasha glanced at some of the cameras "Good, we've started the evacuation process here, but people are moving slowly. If it is hostile, you're going to need to hold them back from the station as long as possible."
"How long till the Phoenix gets here?"
Sasha consulted another screen "Not long after the estimated emergence time. I'll be beaming to the bridge to lead the counter-attack if needed."
"Alright, move the cruisers we got to cover the station."
Stella patched into the line "Already on it Dad."
"Get ready, Three Seconds."
"Two" Ratchet tightened his grip on his control stick. He saw Sky's fighter vanish from easy view.
"One." Stella clenched her hands as she watched space.
"Now."
It happened quickly. There were twenty flashes and suddenly the space was filled with large cruisers. They massive ships rivaled the size of the space station and from Sasha could see were well armed for it.
Sasha opened a hailing channel "This is Commander Sasha on the space station Marc1, invading force you are violation Marcadia Space, please Identify and then remove yourself from this area."
There was a pause then a voice sounded "Commander Sasha, how pleasant, I thought you and your husband might be here today. Believe me, you won't get away so easily."
Sasha's mind rewound through the years to the ill-fated scouting missions to earth. "Zen." she growled.
"Ah, you remember me, well them you know I owe you a few things, and I plan on delivering in kind. Please do not fight back, you will just draw this out."
Sasha felt her eyes widen and she tapped into the combat comm "All units, the force is hostile, I repeat the force is hostile, all ships open fire."
Sasha watched as the three cruisers that floated in front of the station unleashed with the giant laser cannons on Zens ships. The beams all hit a different ship and diffused across massive shields before doing any damage to the hulls beneath them. She heard Zens voice.
"Cute, my turn."
Sasha turned her attention back to the comm. "Everybody left on this station, brace for impact, I repeat brace fo-"
Sasha was cut off as Zens ships opened fire. Hundreds of beams leaped across space towards them. The cruisers that guarded the station took a few of the shots, but their shields quickly fell and they were speared with laser fire, subsuming and exploding. The rest of the bolts stuck the station and its massive shield, it held, barely. The power flickered out across much of the station and the large party of people that were left on board were plunged into darkness. Before Sasha could begin to feel relived that they had survived, another barged leaped across space and into the station. The shield collapsed and the station shook as beam after beam impacted.
Sasha and Stella were thrown to the floor and and the room turned red warning of hull intergrity leaks all over the station. Sasha and Stella picked themselves up off the floor and turned to face each other.
Stella spoke first. "I need to go get Tran."
"I understand, go, I'm beaming to the Phoenix when it gets here. Let me know when you got him, I'll beam you guys up."
Stella nodded and put a hand over her ear. "Rass, we need to find Tran, Jason, focus on getting the crowds into the escape pods at this point. Reck, find a spare fighter if you can and go get our ship."
Stella heard the affirmatives and nodded to her mother before running through the door and into the chaos of the station. Sasha watched her run off and turned to see the Phoenix drop into the battle area. She opened her personal comm.
"CR-3 Lock on to my signal and get me up there, and start charging the waver while your at it."
Sasha felt her body tingle ten seconds later as another barrage of lasers headed for the control room, she closed her eyes and felt herself whisked off right before the beams struck and destroyed the command room. Sasha released a breath she had been holding as she materialized on the bridge. She stepped forward to take command.
"All personal on board, we are in battle mode waver, I want our fighter net deployed to protect us and our shields focused towards our foes.
She turned to face CR-3 "Also, if we get out of this, we need to reconfigure the warp."
CR-3 nodded "Yes Ma'am, if I may, I would like to go out and support Commander Rat-"
Sasha raised a hand, "Say no more CR-3, take your squad and go, I bet Ratchets going to need all the help he can get."
Ratchet was actually thinking along those lines at the moment. He was currently leading Sky and the other commander on a strafing run. Their weapons weren't getting through the shields though, and so far, the only thing they had done was weaken the shield.
"Dad, this things got a generator as powerful if not more then the station, there's no way we're going to pierce it."
"I know Sky, we're just keeping their attention focused on us and not the Phoenix."
"Ah."
"Yep."
Sasha's voice cut into the line. "Speaking of guys, if you would pull away from that ship, I'm ready to fire."
Sky and Ratchet pulled off with the other commander following.
"That was quick" Sky commented as they pulled away.
"Your mother and I have been working on the Phoenix. Give us twenty more minutes and this fleet will be toast."
The Waver beam blasted by beneath them and impacted on the shield of the ship. The energy spread across the ship as the shield held.
Ratchet heard sky mutter "No way."
Ratchet saw the shield flicker then fail and the beam pierced the large ship. It started listing then moving towards Marcadia.
"That's one down, recharging the waver."
Space lit up around them as the rest of Zens fleet opened fire on the Phoenix. Ratchet heard Sasha grunt as the beams hit.
"SASHA!"
"I, I'm okay Ratchet, our shields held, barely, I'm evacuating the crew. We can't take another hit."
"Alright, I'll cover yo-"
"Ratchet, there's no time, look, I love you and if anything-"
"Sasha don't talk like that you'll get out and-"
Sasha stared out the bridge towards where the weapons on the other ship were already glowing with charged shots.
"Ratchet, take care of our children."
"Sash-"
Space lit up around them and Ratchets eyes went wide he turned his fighter around in time to see the beams impact on the Phoenix. The shields failed and the bridge was destroyed by a direct hit, soon after the main core was hit and the Phoenix erupted into a giant fireball.
Ratchet tried to tell himself it was nightmare that he would wake up. But he didn't, the Phoenix was gone, and his wife with it.
During all of this Stella was racing through the almost empty halls of the collapsing space station. Rass had found Tran and was leading him to escape pod bays. Jason had gotten out with the escape shuttles, Reck was still out in a fighter. Stella was going to meet Tran and Rass at the escape pod bays and the three of them were going to get out before the stations core exploded.
Stella slid into the hallway the led to the escape pod bays she almost sighed with relief when she saw Tran pacing in front of Rass. He called out when he saw her.
"Stella."
Stella ran into his embrace and hugged him. Rass tapped her on the shoulder.
"As much as I want to let you hug, we kinda need to be going."
Stella nodded "Right, Tra-"
Stella was cut off as another barrage of laser fire struck the station, the bay they were standing in collapsed around them and Stella dove to the floor for cover. When the dust cleared Stella pulled her aching body off the ground. Rather she attempted to, there was a large brace covering her legs that prevented her from getting far. She coughed and looked around for Tran.
She saw Rass moving aside debris to get to her and gasped when she saw Tran on the other side of a barrier of debris. He was sitting on the floor and there was a large piece of metal sitting on his chest, blood leaked out of the corner of his mouth and he coughed.
"TRAN!" She called out as Rass reached her and pulled the beam off her legs. Stella tried to pick herself up again and stumbled to the ground when her legs couldn't take her weight. Rass lifted her up and Stella leaned on her.
"Come on, we got to get to Tran, he needs help."
Rass nodded and started moving them towards the debris blocking their way.
"...st...stop..." Trans voice was filled with pain as he gasped at them.
"...ra...Rass...get...Stella...out of...here..."
Stella glanced at her friend "Rass, don't listen to him we need to help him."
"...Ste...Stella...it's too...late...forget...me...get out of...here..."
"Tran, don't talk like that."
Trans eyes focused on something he couldn't see.
"Stella, I love...you...now...go..."
Another volley of beams stuck the station, a beam burned right through the section were Tran was pinned and Stella watched in horror as his body was dissolved by the deadly light.
"TRAN!" she screamed and tried to move towards the hole, she was cut off as a blast door dropped down sealing off this section of the ship from the cold void of space. She turned to face Rass and saw past her into space where another volley of lasers was striking the Phoenix. She gasped as the shields failed and the bridge erupted into fire as a beam struck it. Shortly afterwords the Phoenix vanished into a fireball. Stella felt her heart give a hollow beat.
"...Tran...Mom..." it was too much Stella sobbed as Rass pulled her towards the remaining escape pods. They reached them, although Stella was still staring off towards the blast door. Rass put Stella down on a seat then turned for the controls. It happened so fast. Another beam pierced the escape pod bay. It heated part of the debris, which included some tanks of oxygen. They exploded and flung metal everywhere, as the pods door was closing Stella heard a swishing sound and turned to face it. The next thing she felt was jagged hot pain across her face and chest. Her brain declared it to much and she passed into the black oblivion of unconsciousness.
Ratchet meanwhile was blinking tears out of his eyes and giving an order he didn't want to give.
"All troops, Retreat to Veldin, we are out class, and out gunned here. Its time to regroup.
"Dad, did..."
"Yes..." "But I wish it wasn't so."
Ratchet launched a warp and led the Galactic Army into a retreat to Veldin.
Well, thats it then, I'm sure you all hate me, I will continue the Earth Bound story just to finish it. I hope you will all continue to follow me on this.
Written with a Heavy heart,
Emile.