The Aphileon's engine hummed with heavy signs of distress. It's crew, Ratchet a Lombaxian galactic ranger sat silently watching a holodeck news cast bored waiting for their arrival to their destination. The famous Station Q9 well known for the movie Annihilation Nation. He nearly closed his eyes when the ship took a sudden jerk to the left spiraling past a rouge asteroid. He caught his grip on his chair as he tilted his to his co-pilot a tiny robot that he meant during a freak crash landing. Clank as he began calling him do to the circumstance that they meant each other was holding onto the pilot wheel while using what looked to be a set of metallic rods to fit onto the bottom of his feet.
"Clank." Ratchet spoke up now firmly applying his seats safety fields.
Clank's eyes however were too firmly focused on the space ways that the ship was needing to navigate.
"Um, Clank." Ratchet spoke up for a second time hoping to catch his attention.
"Ratchet you are aware it is not recommended to keep full concentration firmly on the space ways during the events of a rouge asteroid storm." His voice calm though slightly enthusiastic about trying to get to the distressed space station. It was a little ironic to a lot of people how the two's natures had changed so drastically ever since a new mercenary company of sorts had been taking their jobs. Normally Ranger work was free often getting their living from side jobs or in Quark and the other ranger's case publicity and contract deals.
"I'm aware but we don't have much to worry about there is no way that these folks made a deal with this group they are completely" Ratchet looked out the window in complete shock to see the remains of several thugs-4-less ships left in total ruin floating around the "ravaged" Space Station.
Clank looked at Ratchet unamused yet again his sense for urgency though ignored had been right. "Pff." Ratchet quickly responded carelessly "They could easily be taken care of by outside defenses." The two both knew the other one was not buying into the lie. "Just land." He quickly responded before Clank could speak up.
"Affirmative." Clank responded slightly distrustful of their odds of a still ongoing attack.
Landing on the Q9 station proved to make their thoughts yet again distrusting of the situation. Having to pay the standard fair which they charged to the ranger tab they disembarked to see if there was still a good reason to have shown up.
The station's staff payed them no mind confirming the code red alert they sent to the rangers was either a hoax or they got other help. Ratchet sighed in disappointment as he turned toward Clank. "It appears that our services are not needed here." Clank stated bluntly as he continued to follow Ratchet curious on what they would find.
Eventually Ratchet found a none busy employee who was on break. A heavy set Hoolefoid that seemed to be watching process of the water cooling thermalators. "Um, excuse me" Ratchet spoke up. Cautiously remembering some of the more negative encounters with the race. The heavy blue scaled alien looked at him his size surprisingly large even for his race.
Ratchet took a step back cautiously realizing what was going on. The Hooleefoid grinned staticky. "JOOOYYYY!" It screamed shockingly. As it grabbed the two rangers excited at their appearance.
Ratchet panicked as he tried to break from its grip. However, this worker was clearly the superior grappler in this situation. He was certain that he heard Clank's arms dent from the grab, but he was not certain. "I'm glad to be here to." The wombat wheezed out as he managed to get his arm free from the alien's grip. Gasping for air as he hit the floor on his hands and knees. "You guys called saying the station was in danger." He responded looking at Clank who was clearly running an internal system diagnostic on himself.
The Hoolefoid looked at the duo confused as it reached for its internetwork communicator. "Hey boss."
"What Glarous." A dull female voice exited out of the machine. She sounded almost uninterested in whatever was needed at the moment.
"Did we call for the ranger's help?" Glarous asked as he looked at the duo.
"Sending records now please give them to the rangers."
Just then a floating screen flew from down the corridor showing the monitor toward the three of them. The feed was from a few days ago at a bored meeting for the platform.
One of the individuals covered by the dark back ground stood up. "The rangers are always overbooked." He stated displeased with the current raider problem. "It is apparent that the only logical conclusion for this situation is to look for other help."
"Indeed, Quark has proved that the leadership of the galactic rangers has been less than stellar." Another shadowed individual spoke up. "Perhaps if he were to do his job than push it off on the lombax they could keep up during crime sprees." Ratchet looked away as the brutal critique of the trustees hit his ears. Not like they were wrong really.
The monitor continued it's broadcast as it swapped its angle to another chairman. "Then might I suggest this mercenary group?" He asked as he sent a virtual file to the other chairmen.
"RPS." The leader pondered as he read the file. "It appears we will be getting three for the time of one." His voice reflected positive benevolence as he reviewed the information. The screen shutters off and proceeded to dash off down the hallway as Ratchet looked at Clank.
"Oh Dear." Was the only word muttered by Clank. The two already knew the answer to what had happened. RPS had beat them again.
Two days later
Quark had asked for Ratchet and Clank's attention in the emergency room. It has been a bad rough patch with this situation. Many Rangers have left the organization leaving it Quark's personally selected trainees (fan-club) and Ratchet and his unit of himself and Clank.
"Thank you for coming." Quark started his speech before looking in the situation room to ensure it was a matter taken to the upmost seriousness. It became dire as he dimmed the lights to prove his point much to Ratchet's annoyance. He tended to do these meeting more frequently ever since the fan club joined more to prove that he still is number one in the galaxy. "We are here to discuss the decline of the Galactic Rangers."
"Indeed, it seems that we are in dire trouble." Ratchet confirmed examining the reports that the rangers had supplied them with. "Whoever these Remnant protection services are. They may make us none needed."
"Your conclusion is not likely." Clank responded. "We will still be needed for those who cannot afford RPS's services." He stated looking at the files including their asking prices.
"fifteen hundred an hour?" Quark angrily responded as he looked at the prices as well. "That's half of what I charge for holocron interviews." Ratchet nodded annoyed that was all he could think about. "Who are these freaks?"
Ratchet shrugged as he got up. "As dire as this situation is The Aphileon's in need of a tune up." He began to walk away when the door shut on him causing him to jump back. "What?" he turned back to the group Clank's optics were reflecting what looked to be a video feed of sorts.
"Oh dear, you may want to see this." Clank spoke up as Quark was busy groveling for pity of his fanbase… again.
"If it is that Pixelizar again we are not interested." He annoyingly declared as he approached Clank to watch the footage.
The screen showed a section of space as a generic epic voice began to speak up. "Are you troubled by criminals in the midst of space?" Ratchet looked back at Clank confused as to why it sounded so awkward. The monitor's image changed again as a dramatic female voice played over this time. "Do you experience muggings in alleys or clubs?" The image changed again this time showing the Galactic rangers "Have your friends discovered that the rangers were too late?"
"Hey! That last one is not true." Ratchet yelled out angrily at the statement.
"Pick up the phones and call the anti-thugs-4-less professionals. Remnant Protection Services." The image flashed toward what looked like a last generation heavy transporter ship with RPS painted onto it's cover. "That's right Remnant Protection Services. Our skills include the heavy training of special Ranger forces out for hire. Serving justice, protecting the weak for a fair price." The camera shifted to the two figures fighting in what seemed to be a training room.
The Galactic Rangers could not believe what they were looking at Ratchet especially. On the monitor was two Lombaxes. One of them was smooth black hair mixed with small gray patches if the group were to guess he was older by Ratchet by some extent. The other Lombax was pure white in appearance and seemed to be acting in a form of militaristic elegance during his training. She stopped half way through a firing range to look at the camera. "We are RPS and we are ready to defend you." She grinned almost cornily to end this advertisement.
All the ranger turned toward Ratchet confused as to how they could respond to this. "Oh boy." Ratchet spoke up his voice slightly uneased seeing more of himself here in the universe.