The Inhuman Race Chapter 4: Reunion (Part 2), a ratchet and clank fanfic

Well...uh...I have alot on my mind I would like to discuss. Not only on this chapter particularly, but a lot has been going on with Rift Apart. And I personally would like to get all these thoughts out of my mind. So...Here we go.

So, the Lombax girl is officially named Rivet, as Insomniac hinted at, not surprised. I've seen the gameplay and have been really deep diving my mind into what the game may be like, and how I would write such a story into my saga. Of course I'm still 50/50 on my decision, only when I play the game I will have my final decision.

The following will sound like a huge rant coming from me, mostly 'cause it is. So I'll mark the beginning and the end of it; you may skip it if you like.

You know, I don't really know how I feel about the game or even the characters. Coming from a veteran, I honestly am preparing myself for some disappointment when it comes to the story. I know that they said that it would be a "Standalone title", but in my eyes, in order for it to work with this saga, I would be treating the game as a "Sequel" to the original saga. And personally, I'm getting a little pissed that Insomniac is leaving the original saga in the dust. I have a personal theory in my mind that there will only be four main characters in this game (if the gameplay and story hold true), Ratchet, Clank, Rivet, and Dr. Nefarious, plus the slew of side characters. Unless they say something or introduce a voice, I highly doubt Captain Qwark, or even Aphelion will be introduced. Aphelion I can understand with dimension travel, but Qwark? Where's Talwyn? Where's Angela (they need to bring her back)? And for God sake, it's time to move on from Doctor Nefarious. He's so overused at this point that I have reasons to believe this new Nefarious will just be the old Nefarious with a new coat of paint. And if they make the old Nefarious evil again too, then this doesn't really hold up as a connection to the original saga, if it's really its own game, then don't relate it to the original saga whatsoever. And either make a new villain or bring another one back. Here's one for ya, his first name starts with a P, and last name with a T.

;)

With all that being said, I also have the worry in the back of my mind that the game will be much shorter than I anticipated. I don't wish to speculate on length, but in lamens terms, short enough to question a 70$ price tag (Which is already ludicrous for PS5 games entirely).

I guess the idea they're going for is to make a game that can unite veterans (Original) and newbies (Reimagining) together. But honestly, they should save the original saga for the veterans, and if they want to draw newer players; introduce and stick with something new. I only speculate this because they said you only need to play the first three games to understand Rift-Apart, hence the thought that they won't be referencing anything from the future series. What a shame :(

Of course, this is all just my viewpoint and I hope I am proving wrong by all accounts. This game looks amazing and I'm ready for it!

Now onto some more personal news. As mentioned, I am ready for Rift-Apart, and as mentioned in the last chapter (I think), I still need to get my hands on the Playstation 5. Well...let's just say that all has changed.

After missing a huge amazon restock, my hopes for getting a PS5 before Rift-Apart was beginning to fade. Well, I never would've thought I'd be praising the lord above on the morning of April 28th, 2021. After sacrificing an entire night's rest and following the rumor of a Target Restock, by 5pm that day, I officially became a proud owner OF THE PLAYSTATION 5!

I really hate bragging about it, but I just had to get it out. And I do hope all my viewers, and every PlayStation gamer in the world get their hands on such a beautiful and mesmerizing machine. By the time this is uploaded, I will already be in the process of pre-ordering Rift Apart. And not that it matters, but I got the physical (Disc) edition of the console, if you are curious. I really wanted the digital version since I wanted to play my games on a Wi-Fi router XD. But I could care less what I get at this point.

I do hope you all enjoy this chapter. This chapter in particular took WAY TOO LONG to upload, due to the fact that I finished the entire rough draft within a matter of hours, but I hope it was worth the wait. I'm really beginning to enjoy my own writing for this story, and I hope you guys too.

Review Replies:

Guest (5):

-Thank you for your thoughts. I greatly appreciate your point of view. :)

-Meeting Jak and Daxter? It would be crazy I'm sure.

-A podcast? I like the thoughts but won't say much, only because Idk how to respond to this. :)

-Patience, patience. As mentioned this took WAY TOO LONG to upload, but I hope this is worth the wait. :)

Joe Mama (Guest):

-This is exactly why I won't be performing a juggling act as I did with One For All Redux, and Man Vs Machine. If a remake does happen, I will be writing this story in its entirety first, only then, I would start the remakes. But thank you for your thoughts :)

s82161 (OFA Redux):

-I'm not sure if I actually said it in the story or the A/N. But his age would be 16 years old, the same as Ratchet's.

I would like to thank Simpsons22, The Loyal Baphodevi, Yami Null, FoolJester, Theoldblood98, s82161, MasterKuma for following me and my work. Your support means a lot. :D

I hope you're enjoying this story, even through these dark times. Fav, Follow or Review if you would like to show support. I take everyone's enthusiasm and kindness to heart! Stay safe and have good health everyone :)

Disclaimer:

Ratchet and Clank, associated characters, locations, weapons, etc. belong to Insomniac Games. Some real-world companies and organizations belong to their respective owners. I only own the right to some characters, weapons, and events introduced in this story.

Thank you for reading.

Vetega Jungle

Planet Ryllus

7:54 pm local time

Reunion (Part 2)

'I should've known.'

The room was as black as the night sky. Still, thanks to the infrared camera on his E-Phone, a low-resolution holo-screen gave the Lombax a clear sight of an absent face he was happy to see. Jordan Thompson, dangling from the scaffolding like a meaty pinata. He observed the boy struggle to release himself from the single rope. And judging by his inaudible grunts, he hasn't noticed the Lombax yet. Ratchet took this perfect opportunity to surprise the Human, no matter the probable consequences. Ratchet approached the boy, arms crossed; a few minutes of despair should easily make up for three years of heartache. Of course, being the impatient furball he was, he could only savor the moment for thirty seconds flat.

"Having trouble?" he spoke to the boy's ear.

"AAH!" Jordan spun around and struck the alien's face with his right hand.

"Ow! Dude?!" cupping his left cheek, Ratchet took a few steps back. Jordan was now facing the Lombax, robbed of all words. Ratchet illuminated the boy with the light on his E-Phone, revealing the Humans expression.

And there, Jordan saw his two best friends in the flesh. "R-Ratchet?" he spoke.

"Who else?" Ratchet approached the Human pinata. Once within arm's reach, Jordan wrapped his two appendages around his body; he could still show affection even while he was hanging by a thread. Ratchet was agitated by the slap and outraged by his long league of absence. But no matter how angry he was, his warm embrace was enough to sway his current emotions; he never could stay mad at his best buddy. Ratchet wrapped his arms around the boy for a few moments. Jordan soon released the alien as Ratchet turned around to reveal Clank. "Hey, Clank." Jordan said, reaching out to pat the top of his head.

"So?" Ratchet turned to face him as Clank jumped off the Lombax's back. "Am I gonna save you from a hive of teratropes next week?" Ratchet teased, receiving a playful nudge from the Human being. "Well, at least cut me down first."

"I don't know. Ammo's not cheap."

"Ratchet!" Clank yelled.

"What? I'm just kidding." Ratchet equipped his Lacerator pistol and aimed just above the Human's feet. "Wait-" before Jordan could finish, the superheated slug severed the rope and set the boy free. However, Jordan didn't prepare for a proper landing and felt the impact knock the wind out of his lungs. He moaned in pain, the Lombax holding his hand out. Jordan grabbed his right hand as the Lombax pulled the Human up. As Jordan brushed off any lingering dirt from his jacket, he looked towards the Lombax, and the furball did the same. The light was enough to illuminate both their bodies. Ratchet noticed Jordan's new threads and began to notice his deeper tone. And Jordan noticed the Lombax was now a whole inch taller than himself. Yet, like before, the alien was as exposed as ever from the waist up. He had a good mind to banter on the absence of the lovely jumpsuit he got him, but that was a subject he kept to himself, for now. They each paused for a few seconds; a long conversation was due after this mess was solved. "So? You get my message?" Ratchet asked, annoyed.

"Oh. Y-yes, I did." the boy studdered; this would surely be an agonizing reunion. Ratchet and Jordan quickly pushed the subject aside and gazed towards the pedestal, seeing their robot friend approach the mass. "If you're looking for a key, you're outta luck," Jordan said. At that moment, he caught the small Robot open his small chassis and pull the small key out from storage, the exact ornament he left behind back on Pokitaru. Ratchet was still skeptical on the Technomite Race, but Jordan couldn't comprehend how Clank managed to snag that piece. The only one he saw was back on-

His mind quickly pieced the puzzle together. He turned away from the duo. It seemed the "Asshole" he plowed into was Ratchet himself. And judging from the single child kidnapped by the murderous machines, they were both trying to save her; the Human knew the Lombax couldn't deny the opportunity to play the hero. Once he faced the duo once again, Clank had placed the ornament on the pedestal, and the trio waited patiently.

Nothing.

"..." Clank was silent.

"I told him this was a waste of time," he muttered towards the Human.

"Maybe there's something we gotta pull. Maybe-" Jordan and Ratchet were both startled as the ornament began to transform right in front of their eyes. The "insignificant" ceramic sphere began to form into a sizeable mechanism as it formed around the stand. The three saw a bright beam shoot out of the device and hit the three corners of the Pavillion. Gears and cogs were revealed on the other side as it began to power the machine. Finally, the laser fired one last beam to a large glass optical above, showing the ornament's true purpose; A Technomite Starchart.

"Holy..." Jordan muttered, both him and Ratchet moving around the spectacle of holographic planets. Ratchet killed the lights on his E-Phone as the map illuminated the enclosure. Ratchet knew they were one step closer to finding the girl, but Jordan, he could only imagine how much information the U.N.E could collect from this. While Clank downloaded all the information he could from the small device, tiny doors opened on all sides of the room, an ambush. "Oh shit." Jordan rushed to the left side of the room and grabbed both his SMG and helmet. Once ready, the duo protected the robot as small ceramic statues with blood red eyes clambered towards the machine, spiked mace in hand. Ratchet used his wrench and made quick work on one side, while Jordan used his SMG and shattered each one by one. Ratchet stopped for a moment as he heard the sound of Jordan's weapon and caught the marks the bullets left as they hit the wall; he really did cause that bloodbath earlier. He would have to approach him later as the last robot was in sight. Jordan slowly brought his gun up and pulled the trigger.

CLICK!

The Human's brain went haywire in that instant; the mechanism jammed. "Fuck." he muttered. He tried to fix the issue, but the threat drew closer. Quickly, Ratchet threw his wrench across the room and shattered the statue into tiny pieces. The Lombax walked past the boy and grabbed his wrench; while Jordan sighed in defeat, he would have to look into this problem once they were off this flourishing hellscape. "Thank you," Jordan said, the Lombax nodding his head in response. Before leaving, Jordan grabbed the drone from off the floor and examined the frame. The bullet tore through the main housing and rendered the machine inoperable. Jordan just prayed to god that Lawrence hasn't been destroyed in the process. "So what's next?" he asked.

"I have downloaded the coordinates to planet Kalidon." Clank said, climbing back onto Ratchets back.

"I'll send it to your ship. Just make it there in one piece, okay buddy?" Ratchet made his way to the teleporters.

"Wait!?" Jordan exclaimed, stopping the Lombax dead in his tracks. "I..I can't." he said.

"What do you mean?" Ratchet approached the Human.

...

Jordan kept his purpose on Ryllus, in Solana entirely, to himself. But What he did tell him was the fact that Lawrence was temporarily out of commission and would need a Robotic Ignition System to function. Ratchet was ready to start his hour long speech berating the boy and his lack of care for such a vessel, but Clank agreed to fly with him until his ship was repaired.

Once the Lombax used the teleporter to get back to his ship, he opened the cockpit and sat inside. The sight was awkward, only to have the young Lombax by his side. Even weirder, Qwark was nowhere to be found. Whatever the case, Ratchet laid his hand on the throttle, but his mind held him back. He never liked that man, especially after everything he's done to all four of them, but some of Jordan's good nature began to wear on him. At the same time, he would never hear the last of Clank if he found out. Ratchet released his hand and turned to the only eye witness. "Wheres Qwark?" he asked Sophia.

"I don't know," she said, keeping her eyes onto the holoscreen in front of her face. Ratchet glared at the girl before taking his right hand and yanking the device from her ear, again. She shot her eyes towards the Lombax, again. "You don't know?"

"I think he went over there somewhere." she pointed to the empty forest to the east.

"When?"

"I don't know, like, three minutes ago." She sounded sincere. And if her words rang true, there was nothing Ratchet could do. He engaged the throttle and took off into the atmosphere, Clank was sure to understand.

...

"Cmon," Jordan mumbled to himself. While the ship followed behind Ratchets towards Planet Kerwan, Clank sat in the passenger seat as he watched his Human friend try to open the drone like a Novalis Tera-Squirrel would crack open a nut. The boy was oblivious to the Robot's curiosity, using any tool or method to obtain the chip, teeth, and nails included. After two minutes, he was unsuccessful. He groaned in defeat, catching the Robot's lens. "Do you require my assistance?" he asked.

"I don't know." he brought the device closer to the machine. "I just need to get the little processing chip, see it?" Jordan pointed down inside the machine. Without another question, Clank grabbed the drone and worked his metal fingers through the shell, and removed the chip within twenty seconds. "Uh..Oh." the boy was more than impressed by Clank's dexterity; he was glad to have him by his side. "Thank you." he acknowledged, palming the chip in his right hand and focusing his eyes towards the front. The cockpit was silent for 1 minute.

"Jordan? If I may?"

"Hmm?" Jordan kept his eyes to the front.

"What were you doing on that planet in the first place?"

"..." Ratchet or Clank were bound to pop the question sooner or later. And to make it worse, No lie could work its way around the intelligent robot. Jordan knew he would have to break the ice sooner or later but tried to answer the robot to the best of his ability. "I..I was doing something important, nothing for you to worry about."

"That does not answer my question."

"Look, I-I know you want some answers Clank, but now just isn't the best time." he held the chip close. "You understand, don't you?" his slow gaze towards the windshield worried the boy. And Jordan knew it felt wrong to keep everything a secret, even after all this time. This would make the Human keep a mental promise to tell the Robot everything once they had the chance; he trusted Clank enough to keep this information. Jordan grabbed the tiny robot and wrapped his arms around his small torso, greeting him properly. "I did miss you Clank, I missed all of you."

"Yes, we all did too, Jordan." once the boy released the robot and placed him back in the passenger seat, Jordan accessed the E-Phone in his helmet and scrolled through his list of contacts. "Guess it's time to call an old friend."

Big Al's Workshop, Metropolis

Planet Kerwan

6:10 pm local time

Before arriving at the workshop of a former ally, Jordan notified the alien in advance, asking for a "Huge" favor. Al may be a tech wizard in all things robotic. However, he still had doubts about his capability to reintegrate AI like Lawrence back into his vessel. Jordan yearned for the proper smarts to conquer this endeavor without help, but with the current situation he was in, what other choice did he have? As Clank and Al began to decode the chip into a small computer, Ratchet, Jordan, and Sophia sat beside each other and waited.

Needless to say, Jordan was overjoyed to see the rugrat again; if only Sophia could express the same gratitude. Even with his surprise visit, no words were spoken between them. Jordan kept his eyes on her, while Sophia kept her eyes away from him, keeping all of her attention on the E-Phones Holo-screen; It was a strange reunion indeed. Everything appeared different about her; if her height differential and physical changes weren't the obvious giveaways. Jordan hoped this new behavior was related to some form of hormonal imbalance on her part, but kept his worries at an all-time high, as he always did.

The eternal silence was soon to break as Jordan raised his head to see Al and Clank approach them. "So?" Jordan asked, rising up from his chair. "You think you can do it?" his voice treated this whole incident as if this was a typical day in the Emergency Room.

"With a 79 Nanobite Matrix Processor." Al was a sucker for building suspense. "Child's play!" he finished. A sigh of relief escaped the boy; he knew he had the right man for the job. "So, how long will it take? If you don't mind me asking."

"Approximately thirteen-point-twenty-three hours." Clank answered, a single digit high in the air.

"What!?" Ratchet exclaimed, getting up from his spot. "You said it was childs play!"

"I don't care how long it takes!" Jordan shouted towards the Lombax. With a single deep breath, he faced the larger alien. "Take as long as you need to. You can call me once you're done."

...

After Jordan gave Al the necessary contact info, Jordan and his friends left the workshop and made their way towards Ratchet's ship. "There should be enough room for you in here." Ratchet, Sophia, and Clank all climbed into the craft, making sure enough space was made for the Human to squeeze into. Once ready, Jordan climbed onto the wing and towards the Lombax. "Hop in, dude."

Jordan raised a hand to the windshield, and closed the cockpit shut, jumping off the wing and away from the vessel. In that brief moment, Clank told Ratchet everything he heard before arriving at Al's. A sigh of frustration left the Lombax. He opened the cockpit once more and jumped out. Clank looked out the side to see Ratchet catch up to the boy. The tiny Robot knew his Human friend was hiding something.

"Jordan?" Ratchet said.

"If you're so hellbent on saving that girl, then go. I'm not leaving Lawrence behind." he kept his back to the Lombax with both arms crossed.

"Clank told me you're hiding something important!"

"It's none of your business, now go!" the boy took a few steps forward.

"Hey!?" Ratchet moved closer, reaching into his pocket and holding the pristine iPhone 6 into the air, the same device Jordan left behind. There, Ratchet played a little diddy he knew would tug at the boy's heartstrings.

"I don't know if it was about my destiny or what. If you were, then my destiny lies on Earth, where I belong. I...I hope you understand."

The boy kept his back to the Lombax. Needless to say, Jordan's eyes glistened at the thought of his departure. He still felt guilt, and it only felt worse now that he is facing the Lombax now. As Jordan kept his eyes to the city's skylines, a gloved hand touched his left shoulder. He turned to face the Lombax. "If that's why you're here now. Then I completely understand, buddy. You just gotta say it." Jordan gained the right amount of confidence to face the Lombax, embracing him in a tight hug, resting his head on his right shoulder. He still felt guilt from that very morning. Ever since Gettysburg and the roller coaster of a ride these past few years have been, home never felt the same. And at that moment, for what felt like the very first time.

He was glad to be back.

Ratchet wrapped his arms around the boy, patting his backside lightly. "Sorry about the slap. It really is good to see you." Jordan said.

"Well, your a little late for an apology." Ratchet said, quickly moving his wits aside as he heard the boy chuckle. "Yeah, you too, buddy." Ratchet and Jordan released their grip and took a step back. "So? Is it the usual meet up again?"

"Galaxy Burger?"

"You know it."

"Your gonna risk the life of a little girl just to eat a burger with me?"

"Well, I'm not leaving you here."

"I question your judgment sometimes."

"You question my judgment all the time." they both shared a good laugh before heading off.

...

Ratchet was hoping to grab a seat in the Restaraunt and relax. Unfortunately, Galaxy Burger and all major fast food shops in existence carried the strict "No shirt, no service" policy. This forced Jordan into ordering everyone's food alone. It was a good thing this chain had a self-service ordering system that removed all interaction to lifeforms. There, the boy walked out of the restaurant with three double cheeseburger combo meals for each of them. And due to Clank's inability to digest organic food like his friends, Ratchet made a quick stop and bought a small can of premium oil.

Ten whole minutes would pass before they all caught a break to indulge. As much as Ratchet insisted on eating inside the cockpit, much to the dismay of the robot, Jordan found them an excellent spot in a secluded courtyard. Sophia stayed in the ship while Ratchet, Clank, and Jordan hopped on an airtaxi and rode off.

There, the trio sat on a single wooden bench in the soft Corvoxian Snodgrass. Trees circling around them, and it was all topped off with a mesmerizing view of the city behind a dim setting sun. Jordan was always a sucker for beautiful views.

All three of them enjoyed their meals down to the last bite. As Jordan placed the paper waste inside the paper bag, he caught a glimpse of the Lombax crumbling his paper into a ball and throwing it aside. "Dude?!"

"What? People clean these at night."

"Rude." Jordan walked over and grabbed his litter, throwing it into the bag. The trio took in the sight and began to relax; they had alot of time ahead of them before Lawrence would be fully repaired, and Ratchet knew how to kill a few minutes. "So?" he asked, causing Jordan to turn his head. "You said you were on an important mission?" He knew where this conversating was headed, and stretching the truth would get him nowhere. It was time for complete and utter honesty. He placed Clank on his lap and faced the Lombax.

For ten whole minutes, Jordan told them everything, more specifically, the U.N.E. He left the details of his mission vague, but told them about his plan going sour, and was now on a quest to retrieve an essential item. "Do you really believe this object, of yours, is on Kalidon?" Clank asked.

"Well, what other leads to I have?"

"Then I guess you won't mind if we stick around just a little longer?" Ratchet nudged the Human's shoulder.

"Yeah, sure." the boy punched the furballs shoulder. With all honesty out in the open, Jordan took the silence and equipped his Vector SMG, clearing the jam earlier. Ratchet and Clank saw the boy draw the magazine out from the weapon and clear the chamber of any bullets. He then stuck the clip back in its place and loaded the mechanism. "Damn." Ratchet said.

"Yeah, I thought the same thing." of course, Jordan presented the weapon in front of the Lombax's eyes; he was obviously intrigued. Ratchet eyeballed every square inch of the gun; the technology was a significant step forward from the guns he remembered three years ago. It was in that moment that the Lombax made a grab for the grip. "Ooooh no," Jordan said, getting up from his spot and stepping away.

"Excuse me?"

"You're not ready to play with such an elegant weapon."

"Says the guy who obliterated an entire room with a Ryno!"

"Says the guy who failed his weapon safety exam in Bogon!"

"So?"

"Twice!"

"Hey, that safety was broken, and you know it!" Jordan remained still. "Alright then. Prepare to have your mind blown." Ratchet equipped his Lacerator in hand, prompting the Human to shuffle ten feet back. Ratchet pointed the blaster high in the sky, squeezing his gloved finger on the trigger. "See, safety's on."

PEW!

Jordan flinched as a hot plasma slug propelled itself from the blaster and into the air. Next, by some miracle, the bullet struck a hovercar high in the skies above, blowing its vertical stabilizers from the undercarriage. The trio saw the car plummet to the ground below, hitting a few passenger cars in the process. A loud crash was heard, followed by the sound of various car alarms. Ratchet, Clank, and Jordan walked towards the side and peered over the edge, catching a clear view of the destruction. "Eh, that'll buff out." the Lombax commented, regretting every word as Jordan and Clank scolded him, causing him to lower his ears. "Too soon," he mumbled.

With one sigh, Jordan and the group walked away and towards the airtaxi. "Let's just find a hotel for the night."

"I know just the place!"

The Metropolitan Plaza, Metropolis

Planet Kerwan

9:07 pm local time

To Jordan's surprise, Ratchet had full access to the presidential suite of the most luxurious and pristine hotel in all of Metropolis, all thanks to his previous relations with Sasha Phyronix. Six hours would pass as Jordan and his friends did absolutely nothing but relax on the leather sofa and watch various programs on Holovision. All the while, Ratchet told him of all the media attention his planet caused, introducing him to a unique Holovision Network that aired nearly identical clones of various shows and movies back on Earth. As they watched what presumably was Solana's interpretation of Rick and Morty, a question lingered on the boy's mind ever since he left Solana. "So Ratchet?" he caught the furball's attention. "How are things between you and Sasha? You two seemed to hit it off before I left." he nudged his right shoulder.

"Heh, Yeah..." he muttered with a slight chuckle. He looked down towards the floor as his ears bent slightly, giving Jordan all the information he needed.

"Oh," he said. Jordan wished he had something to say to cheer the Lombax up, but some words can't ease certain kinds of pain, especially from his personal life. Jordan remained silent and enjoyed the program with his friends. As the credits rolled, Jordan caught a glimpse of the time. "Alright, well, I'm heading to bed." Jordan rose from his place.

"Already?" Ratchet asked.

"Early bird gets the worm, dude." Clank joined the boy as they both made their way to the master bedroom.

"I fail to understand what birds have to-"

"It's a figure of speech, Clank."

...

Ten minutes would pass before Ratchet would join the boy. Before hitting the hay, however, Jordan took the time to scrounge up an extra blanket and pillow for the angel in the living room. Through the soft illumination of the city nightlights, Jordan navigated through the darkness and saw Sophia laying her body into the firm cushions, keeping her eyes locked onto the holoscreen. Jordan took a deep breath before approaching the girl. He hasn't had a meaningful conversation with her ever since he arrived. Something was bothering her, and frankly, it seemed more complicated to approach her now that she was older. It felt like he was talking to a completely different Lombax. And to make it all the worst case scenario, her attitude was genuinely linked to his absence. He had to make amends with the child, and now maybe the only chance he has before the hurricane that will ensue tomorrow.

"Here, you should sleep better with these." he held the two items out to the girl, prompting her to raise her entire body. Jordan placed the pillow behind her head, and she instantly dropped her cranium onto the soft fabric. Next, the boy draped the blanket over her entire body, kneeling by her side soon after. "You know, I haven't heard a peep from you all day. Something on your mind?"

"..." she kept her lips shut, turning her entire body away from him.

"Oh cmon Sophie." he was sincere, taking his right hand and brushing her hair lightly. "I know it's been three years, but I've had a lot going on, you know? I did say that I had to be there for my people." he was desperate for a single response out of the child. Instead, Sophia swiped his hand away and pulled the covers over her head. Jordan brought his head down, shaking his head side to side. The Lombax wouldn't be tempted so easily, forcing Jordan to restrategize. "Well. Get up bright and early, and there might be a donut in it for you." Jordan got up from his place and rested his hand on her head.

"Good night Sophie."

9 Hours Later...

'Brown ain't gawt da balls to do his dirty wak?!'

'If you was smart, you reconsida your futcha.'

KA-POW!

Jordan shot up from his place on the bed, face moist with sweat, gasping for air. As he slowly began to recover from his nightmare, he observed his surroundings. The rays of the morning sun were seen creeping through the curtains. And directly to his left was a tranquil Lombax, facing away from the boy. He patted the furball on the head and prepared for the day ahead. He pushed himself out of bed and dressed back in his uniform. Once he placed the helmet over his head, the E-Phone alerted the boy of an incoming call. He quickly rushed through the living room and outside to the lobby.

"Hello?" he answered.

"J-Jordan? Is that you?" this wasn't Big Al, and that voice was all too familiar. It couldn't be.

"Anna?" he said, baffled at the fact that she was able to contact him from the other side of the universe. "How?"

"I found that thingy you have."

"Thingy?" she was talking about the E-Phone he left behind. "Ooh." he realized. "Well, uh, how you doing?"

"Okay, I guess."

"Did...Did you tell them?"

"Yeah."

"They're angry, aren't they?"

"A little bit."

"Eh, I'm not surprised. Well, you can tell them I'll be back very soon, okay?"

"Okay."

"And I'm still gonna get you something. That is a promise." he was determined.

"Okay." and she was joyous.

"Alright. I gotta go. Bye."

"Bye." Jordan ended the call, only to receive another within an instant. "Hello?"

"I have reintegrated the AI as you requested." Big Al answered.

"Really? Great! That's awesome! I'll be right there." Jordan hung up on the alien and dashed to the room. Once inside, he opened the bedroom door and began to wake Clank from his charging state. Next was the Lombax. "Cmon dude, time to get up!" he tapped the Lombax's leg multiple times, all in vain as the alien rolled over to the right side of the bed. "I don't have time for this." Jordan grabbed his pillow, raised it over his head, and began to beat the Lombax awake. "WAKE-UP-WAKE-UP-WAKE UP!" Ratchet's eyes shot open as he covered his face from the attack.

"AH! HEY!?" he yelled. "What the fuck man?!"

"Get up! We gotta move!" he threw the pillow at the Lombax's face and made his way to the living room. Needless to say, Ratchet didn't say a word to the boy all the way to Al's Workshop.

...

"Al!? You're a freaking genius!" Jordan exclaimed as he followed Ratchet's ship out of the atmosphere. 1500 bolts have been deducted from his account, but Lawrence was officially back in his craft and fully operational again. As he looked around the cockpit, he looked to the passenger seat to see the young Lombax eating the creme-filled donut he bought her at a small convenience store. She may not have been the early bird like he wanted, but that donut was the first step into rebuilding his bond with her. Jordan began to ponder this moment. It felt surreal just to have Sophia beside her. It seems the effect of being crammed into a tight cockpit with four other beings began to wear on the boy.

Meanwhile, Ratchet developed the same feelings as he looked to Clank. In a way, he felt more alone with his new setup. But Ratchet quickly pushed all sentimental thoughts aside. He had to focus; they had a girl to save. Ratchet input a button sequence on his monitor and contacted the Human, seeing his face appear on the screen. "Alright, Jordan. You ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," he answered with the utmost confidence.

"Transmitting coordinates to Planet Kalidon." Clank said.

"Got 'em."

"Preparing the jump to hyperspace, sir." Lawrence could be heard through the monitor.

"See you there, buddy." at that moment, they took off. Ratchet and Clank were ready to save a child from imminent doom, and Jordan was prepared to reclaim Earth's future.

Hmm, poor Sophia. I think Jordan has broken her heart too many times now. But I'm positive he can patch things up with her.

I didn't mention it before, but how do you guys like this new style of format? I just recently began to develop a pet peeve for the "..." and "timestamps", so I've started adding line breaks in between them to help it stand out more. I hope they're okay with you guys.

As mentioned before, I can't believe it took me two months just to get out an intermission with some warm moments. It ain't action-packed, I know. But somehow, my thoughts just don't like to focus on the more heartfelt moments in these stories, especially for this one. But in order to write a story such as a Ratchet and Clank Fanfiction, in this format or genre, it's absolutely necessary. Maybe it's also because I tend to treat my rough drafts like final copies and strive to make them picture-perfect, even when that isn't the point.

Whatever the case, I hope you liked the little cameo of Big Al. I will say that I did plan to have Slim Cognito in this chapter as well, but I just couldn't find the room for it. It was gonna go with a trip to Gadgetron, but I thought that would carry the chapter longer than it should've. So I left it out.

Well, the "Calm before the hurricane" is done, and the next two chapters will be another two-parter. And I must say, this one is as action-packed as the previous chapters, hey, maybe there's even a twist in there somewhere. ;)

Lastly. I would like to thank SAK-96 for Jordan's gun jamming! He/She is a whiz on firearms and got to talking to me about the specifics of Jordan's firearms. More specifically, what would happen if it jammed in the heat of battle. It was never gonna be an issue throughout this story, but since he/she brought it up, why not? He/She may also be my guide for any future Human firearms that appear in this story.

Thank you for reading.