Fingers impatiently drummed against the desk as Drek continued to look back and forth between the screens. Shortly after the little robot's escape he had sent out a variety of monitor bots to locate and assess the situation. Evidently he had crash-landed upon a backwater world known as Veldin and was taken in by a loathsome little mechanic. With the Galactic Rangers arriving on that very planet soon it would have been the perfect time to bring in the Deplanetizer and completely obliterate Veldin. That would get rid of both of his problems! Alas though he had been informed the station was still charging back up from Tenemule's destruction and wouldn't be ready for another ten hours. A heavy sigh parted from the blargian ceo's lips as he reclined further back into his seat. The universe just so enjoyed playing jokes, didn't it? First it denied his industries its rightful place as the top company in the galaxy and now the perfect chance to secure it was slipping right between his fingers. No matter, Drek was a man of plans! In fact his back-up plan should be arriving right about now...

"Chairman Drek." The leader of the blarg perked up upon hearing the deep voice of his hired help. Drek smiled before turning around in his chair and coming face to face with a pair of bounty hunters. The one on the left was a large and muscular reptilian-like individual sporting a few spikes across the top of his head. No doubt a mingert from planet Ving. He composed himself quite well as he kept his hands behind his back and acknowledged his employeer. The one on the right however was much smaller and female, a kerwanian not unlike Qwark and Nigel themselves. She looked rather impatient as she didn't pay much attention to Drek and instead to the time on her wrist watch. He'll let it slid for now.

"Brax Lectrus and Cora Veralux! I am very pleased you made it on time. As you can see I have a little problem going on." Drek gestured around the room and the current state it was in. Certainly not all that good considering how usually clean and proper it looked. Brax nods his head as he took out a data-pad. "The notes you gave us were brief but got the point across quickly. Is to our understanding that you're willing to pay over four million bolts for the capture of this robot?" He had to make sure. There was no room for being swindled here. Drek pressed a button on his desk and the screens behind him shifted to a warehouse filled to the brim with bolts. "Yes. Six million if you bring him to me dead. Oh! Before I forget recent information has informed us that a mechanic is also with the robot. Bring him as well." No doubt the robot would have told him by now. "Take whatever you need to accomplish the job! Don't leave Veldin until you have the two of them!"

"Understood, sir. Did you get all of that, Cora?" The smaller kerwanian gave a motion with her hand that she did even though it was clear she wasn't paying attention. "Yeah, yeah I got it. Kill the two of them!" Brax rolls his eyes in response. "Or capture them. Not every job has to be about murder." Cora just gave him a look before placing her hands on her hips as the two walked out. "I like killing though. I mean, that's why I'm doing this job!" The larger bounty hunter shook his head in response. "Sometimes I feel like you like it just a little bit too much. It's unsettling."

"Whatever! Come on, ya big lug! Let's go smash some faces in! I wanna hear that mechanic squeal..." Yeah, definitely a little too much.

"...And done! How's it feel?" Ratchet stepped back from his work and observed as Clank moved his newly fixed arm around to make sure everything was working well. The robot smiled as he jumped down from the table he had been placed on. "It feels wonderful, Ratchet. I can not thank you enough for your help." Ratchet gives him a thumbs up before looking over to his clock. "Oh man, we better head out and make it to the rangers!" Clank however tilts his head in confusion. "They are not scheduled to appear on Veldin for another hour though." Ratchet was already pocketing his omniwrench before holstering Clank up. "I know but I don't have a ride on me. We're gonna have to go by foot and it'll take us an hour to reach the area they're in." Clank responded with a simple oh before being placed on Ratchet's back. He didn't mind and it would be quicker than letting him walk alongside the mechanic. The robot couldn't help but ponder to himself as he gazed around the quiet and dilapidated garage once more.

"Ratchet, may I ask you something?" The mechanic's ears perked up as he opened the door to let himself out. "Sure. Knock yourself out." Clank didn't immediately respond as he took the time to figure out the best wording for it. "I have noticed that your garage is not in a good condition nor any other employees being present. Why is that?" A small sigh came out in response as Ratchet started to walk his way through the desert. He always hated having to explain this.

"The garage is my home. I just kind of found it one day and took residence up in it. As for other employees, it's just been me. It's always been me. Alone." His shoulders droop as he looks behind him to see Clank's reaction. "I crash-landed here a long time ago when I was little. Didn't know who or what I was...still don't if I'm being honest." Clank's features slowly contort to sorrow. Oh dear. He didn't mean to upset Ratchet like that. A comforting robotic hand moves to place itself on his shoulder. "Well, you are not alone now. I am here." Ratchet lets out a huff though one can see the small smile tugging at the edges of his lips. "Thanks. Though I imagine once we reach the rangers we won't be seeing much of each other after that." Clank tilts his head in response. "Why is that, Ratchet?"

"Well I mean, the rangers are obviously gonna ask you to come with them and stuff. Plus once I get my sponsorship with them I'm going to head back home." A look a confusion washes over the robot's face. "Sponsorship? Is that all?" Ratchet nods his head in response. "Of course! With that sponsorship I can finally turn my garage into a fully fledged mechanic shop! I'll be swimming in bolts and finally able to afford all the things I want!" Clank blinked as he thought about it. From a logical standpoint it did make sense. Ratchet was not economically well and getting a way to secure a more stable lifestyle for oneself was good. Still though a part of him felt sad upon knowing that. Perhaps it was because it meant he wouldn't be spending much more time with Ratchet. He was quite the nice individual.

"Oh. I see. Well I wish you the best of luck to that." A smile adorned itself on his face as he continued to walk. Just another thirty minutes and they'd be there! Ears however perked up at the sound of something approaching. It sounded like it was coming from the sky? But from what direction? Ratchet wasn't quite sure.

"Ratchet! Jump out of the way!" From the corner of his eye he could spot some sort of bomb falling from the sky and Ratchet leaped out as far as he could and scrambled away before the bomb detonated, throwing dust and sand all up in the air. Ratchet coughed as he stumbled and slowly got himself back up. "Ratchet, Ratchet! Are you okay?" Clank asked worriedly. The mechanic's hands were shaking as he looked back to Clank with a fearful expression. "Y-Yeah...I'm...what's going on?" Ratchet froze at the sound of the approaching blargian airship reaching closer to their current position. Clank's eyes widened with horror. "Oh no. That is a blargian dropship! Chairman Drek has sent it to get rid of us!" Ratchet could only look up in horror and fear at the sight of the dropship staring directly at him. In the pilot seat was none other than Brax himself while Cora manned the gun on the side and a plethora of bombs sitting next to her. Someone was definitely eager to throw them too as she already had two in hand.

"Listen up, both of you! You are to come with us. Any attempts of escaping will result in attempted gunfire. This is your only warning, mechanic! Approach the ship with your hands up!" Ratchet's breathing grew heavier as he took a fearful step back. What does he do? What does he do? Clank on the other hand looked to his left and his right. The best case scenario was to make it to those jaded rock formations. "Ratchet, can you make it to those rocks?" Clank whispered. "Are you crazy? They'll shoot us!" Carefully did the mechanic raise his hands up.

"If they do not, Chairman Drek will. I can assure you of that." Ratchet's green eyes glanced over to the rocks before biting his lip. This was crazy and insane and...it was the only way to survive these psychos. With as much speed as he could muster Ratchet made a dash for the large rock formations. Brax let out an agitated sigh as he turned the ship around to give Cora the scene. They never listened to him! Cora on the other hand was as happy as a kitten as she gleefully chucked bomb after bomb towards Ratchet and Clank. "Dance you two, dance! Aha ha ha! I love this part of the job!"

The pair cried out as they dodged and weaved around the blasts and sand being blow into the air. The two were eventually successful however as they made it to the rock formations and carefully slid between smaller ones and hid. This would give Ratchet just enough time to catch his breath. "U-Uh, now what Clank? Wh-What do we do?" Clank's mind was already racing as he thought up a multitude of possibilities. But which one had the highest chance of success? "I have an idea. Do you have your omniwrench on you?" Ratchet nods his head as a shaky hand brings it out. The smaller bot proceeds to hop off of his back and looks up to them. "I will distract the lady. When she throws one of her bombs I need to hit it back at them." Ratchet's eyes widened in response but before he could respond Clank had already rushed out. "Clank! Wait!"

"Do you see them, Cora?" Brax asked as he turned to his companion. "Does it matter? Let's just blow up these rocks and crush 'em to death! Kill 'em both at the same time! Woo!" Cora responded with an eager grin. Brax however looked on with a grimace. Sometimes his partner could be a little too much for him. "I'd rather not have to bring back our captures in a plastic bag, Cora-"

"There he is!" The kerwanian cut him off with sadistic glee at the sight of the smaller robot coming out from the rocks. He took a defensive stance and waited for their move. The lack of the mechanic was rather suspicious and Brax didn't like that. Cora on the other hand didn't even notice nor seem to care as she activated another bomb. "Accepted your fate, huh? Good on you!"

"Cora, WAIT-!"

But it was already too late. She had thrown the activate bomb towards Clank. "Now, Ratchet!" Out from the shadows did the mechanic come and swung his wrench as hard as he could. It successfully made contact and sent the bomb hurtling right back. The pair of bounty hunters let out screams as the bomb made contact with one of the back engines. The explosion did some serious damage and Brax found himself having a difficult time controlling the ship. "Cora! You idiot! Look at what you did!"

The kerwanian clung to the gun as she spun around. "How was I suppose to know he had a wrench on him?" She shouted back as the ship went about in all sorts of directions. In the movement, a blaster slid down and off from her side and into the sand nearby. "He's a MECHANIC! Of course he'd have a wrench on him!" Brax angrily shouted back as the ship flew off in a random direction as fire and smoke came off of the back. It continued to fall closer and closer to the ground before ultimately slamming into the sand.

"Wow. I...I can't believe I just did that!" Ratchet's heartbeat was going wild as he looked onto the damage. "You did a wonderful job, Ratchet. We must hurry though! Now that we know Drek is after us we can not slow down." The mechanic nods his head before rushing to pick Clank up. "R-Right, right. Good idea. Let's get as far away from those two as much as we can!"

And off he ran as quickly as he could. Though Clank stopped him momentarily to pick up the fallen blaster for further protection. "I don't know how to use one of these!" Ratchet protested.

"Well now is a good time to learn." Clank commented as they made their way closer to their current objective. Unfortunately the sudden attack delayed them quite a bit so there's no telling how busy or crowded the rangers are going to be by the time they make it there...