Author's note:

First of all, let me apologise for making you all wait so damn long for an update. To cut a long story short, things haven't been going so well for me lately, and I've been struggling to find enough time to write more than a few paragraphs a day at best, let alone in enough to constitute a chapter. Not mention that when I do actually get a chance to sit down and type, my well of inspiration often ends up drawing a blank at the worst possible time, or I'm just too drained from work and nothing clicks like it's supposed to.

But finally we're here, and while inevitably not ending up quite like I'd envisioned, I feel this chapter was the best way to catch up on what the cast has been up to without dragging things out any further. I won't make any promises given how things have turned out of late, but I'll try to have the next chapter out in a much more timely fashion if possible. Or failing that, at least have an omake or such to tide things over until I do. In the meantime though, please enjoy.

I'm always trying to improve as a writer, so please read and review. Constructive criticism is welcome, flamers are not. If you enjoy this story, please feel free to check out the other stories on my account should you wish.

- RevenantReaper337

Disclaimer:

Ratchet & Clank, associated characters, organisations, and intellectual properties belong to Insomniac Games. All other real world organisations and products belong to their respective governments, companies, etc. Original characters, creatures, weapons, etc. belong to me. Cover art belongs to Nekolover3 and is used with her kind permission.

'Thoughts'

Flashbacks

"Speech"

Chapter 46:

Principles and Preparations

Megacorp Automated Distribution Centre C-7B, Smolg Atmosphere

Bogon galaxy

G2.17.99

10.37am local time

Isolated far beyond the reach of most interplanetary shipping lanes and with little redeeming value whatsoever, Smolg was a perhaps one of the last places anybody would even consider setting up shop. The thick, choking clouds of poisonous ether and constant acid rain ensuring that precious little life existed on the surface, aside from a few hardy examples of primitive wildlife. Not to mention the violent electrical storms that roamed the planet's surface and struck without warning, frying all but the most hardiest of equipment and even the occasional ship from those foolhardy enough to attempt remote mining operations.

Yet despite all this, Megacorp had nevertheless thought otherwise and clearly found the means, given the information Angela had managed to dig up from various cross-referenced sources and tracking shipments. The company having wasted neither time nor expense in constructing a vast chain of linked, high altitude platforms; similar in scale and design to the deep sea oil rigs of Earth, albeit standing on support beams hundreds of miles tall and clearly intended for a very different purpose. Their numerous cranes ferrying cargo from numerous storage depots to designated pick up points for cargo barges, fed in turn by multiple conveyors belts from deep within the platform's bowls, or otherwise directly loading them into what at first glance looked like a pair of floating warehouses moored nearby.

It wasn't until after they had landed and caught sight of the equally massive engines protruding from the rear that Ratchet realised the structures were actually ships. Utterly gargantuan, lumbering monstrosities that could easily hold countless thousands of tons with room to spare, let alone the never-ending chain of shipping containers being brought aboard; each one no doubt packed to the gills with Protopets if the cheerful logo and warning signs stamped on the side were anything to go by. The sheer scale of such an operation making all the other sites their group had shutdown so far look like child's play in comparison, and marked a worrying escalation in Megacorp's determination to see the Protopet launch succeed, regardless of cost.

This was in fact the seventh such facility the 'away' team had raided in the last few weeks, and despite the best efforts of Clank, Cash, and himself, they barely seemed to be so much as making a dent in sheer volume being produced and shipped out across the galaxy. Megacorp's vast industrial capacity ensuring that there were already more than enough Protopets in existence to outnumber the galactic population by a ratio of at least three to one, and they had yet to even identify where the damn things were actually being made in the first place. Even with Slim's contacts and Angela running analysis on whatever intelligence they could scrounge up, all they had been able to achieve so far was sabotaging any new storage sites that cropped up, and they clearly couldn't stem the tide indefinitely.

A change of strategy was in order, which was why this particular run was to be their last. Little more than a quick stop over really, before regrouping back at Slim's place and going over the new plan that Angela and Clank had been working on for quite some time now, along with the enigmatic man's input. But that didn't mean that they couldn't have some fun, and having bonded surprisingly well with the Aussie-accented merc who had once fought him to a standstill, Ratchet was determined to both prove himself worth a rematch and win their ongoing wager for who could destroy the most amount of Megacorp property in the shortest amount of time.

Unfortunately for him, however, things... weren't quite going to plan.

"Ratchet, look out!"

Ducking low at the last second, Ratchet cried out in surprise as a heavy plasma bolt just barely skimmed past his head, along with an accompanying blast of heat that singed the tips of his exposed ears. An instinctive combat roll to one side across the mesh-grated floor allowing him to avoid a follow up shot and retaliate in kind with a trio of rockets that splashed against the offending robot guard's hulking torso, followed by a fourth blew its head off entirely. The now empty launcher stowed in favour of his wrench as yet another pack of the ugly, lizard dog-like grulches that roamed these platforms closed in on the lombax with hissing, snapping jaws, and promptly got stuck in once more.

"Thanks, Clank," he grit out, neatly dodging around their frenzied attacks and unleashing a series of single, punishing strikes that sent their broken bodies bouncing across the deck. "Hey Cash, any word on those detonators?"

"On my last couple o' sets now, mate," came the cazar merc's hasty reply over their private radio channel. His voice sounding both hurried and exhilarated in equal measure, punctuated as it was by yet another shotgun blast. "Just got to take care of this big bastard first!"

"I hear ya, I'm almost at mine too," Ratchet shot back while pushing himself into a run towards his objective once more, reloading his previously spent weapons on the move. "Clank, How're we doing for time?"

"Approximately fifteen minutes until estimated arrival of Megacorp reinforcements from the nearest garrison, and only twelve until the first demolition charge is scheduled to detonate," his long time friend intoned gravely. Pausing momentarily as Ratchet vaulted over the remains of a broken crate, before using it as a springboard to reach an active conveyor belt overhead and haul himself up. "Perhaps it would be best to leave the remaining targets to Mr Harding and begin evacuating while we still can, lest we become caught in the ensuing chaos and risk capture or worse."

"Sorry buddy, no can do," Ratchet replied with a grin as he hopped down from the conveyor and on to an upper level in the outdoor storage yard they were traversing, before taking off across the massed blocks of shipping containers at a flat sprint. His legs pumping across the mostly flat surface at a breakneck speed, while natural lombax agility made crossing the gaping chasms between rows look easy as he gracefully leapt over each one in pursuit of the holographic marker projected on his helmet's HUD. "I'm not gonna let Cash beat us to the punch, and besides, what's life without taking a few risks?"

"Much safer, I would imagine," Clank sighed wearily, but didn't comment any further. Preferring to keep his cognitive functions focused upon the task at hand and their immediate survival, as opposed to the reignited 'friendly' rivalry between Ratchet and the cazar mercenary they had been working with these past few weeks. Especially when it involved explosives of any kind, and their worryingly liberal application at the slightest excuse.

Quite frankly, it was times such as these that Clank wondered whether or not his best friend might have some issues with regards to his eagerness for mass destruction. Perhaps an intervention was in order once things had settled down, or at least getting an outside perspective from someone not predisposed to being just as trigger happy.

Heedless to the internal musings of his robotic companion, Ratchet continued to push himself further and faster still; reaching the platform's end at a breakneck speed, before using the momentum and a conveniently placed Levitator pad as a springboard to throw himself into a graceful, arching dive over the edge. The pair of them freefalling for but a few moments as Clank's body reconfigured and shifted into the appropriate form, with wings flaring and thrusters flaring in controlled bursts as he carried them both towards a slowly crawling barge passing nearby in an echo of their entry into the Megacorp games venue back on Joba.

While probably originally intended as an alternate method for maintenance crew to get around, given the detached nature of the individual platforms making up the distribution centre and distinct lack of bridges to connect them together, Ratchet had been quick to exploit the network of Levitator pads for his own purposes and had subsequently gained an early lead on the competition between Cash and himself. Rapidly flitting between platforms and avoiding unnecessary combat for the most part, while subsequently slapping a timed demolition charge on anything that looked even remotely like a weak point or otherwise important to the centre's operation. With support struts, fuel tanks, and cranes being prime targets of choice, while cash went after his own.

But the biggest prize had yet to be claimed; the gargantuan warehouse ships themselves, and Ratchet was determined to get there first.

To this end, the lombax continued to blaze a trail of destruction as he hopped from platform to platform, and the occasional barge that stood in his way. Neither the mutated wildlife Megacorp had seeded throughout as a secondary form of budget security, nor the guard robots much like those he had fought on Todano proving more than a fleeting distraction at best.

So focused was he on that goal to the detriment of anything else, that Ratchet didn't even realise he had an incoming call until Clank's voice and insistent prodded of his shoulder brought his focus back to reality. The Mini-Nuke he dropped between a pair of the appropriately named two-headed Smolgian snappers almost an afterthought as he came to a halt upon the raised walkway between two storage sheds, transferring the audio feed from Wrist Com to helmet before finally answering. "Hey Angela, what's up? We're still kinda busy here."

"Your damn lunatic of a girlfriend is what's up," the older lombax groused, pausing momentarily at the distant sound of something heavy falling over on her side of the line. "She won't take no for an answer and- Oh for the love of... What are they even doing back there? She shouldn't even be out of bed yet, let alone handling that kind of hardware!"

Angela's voice suddenly became more distant, no doubt due to stepping away from the microphone if the slew of curses and angry, stomping footsteps were anything to go by. Frowning to himself, Ratchet continued to listen as he set off along the walkway at a light jog while trying to make sense of what exactly was going on. Vaulting over the safety rail on the far side, and using Clank's Heli-Pack mode to slow their descent enough that they hit the ground running, before deciding to speak up. "Whoa, whoa, slow down there. Who's doing what to who now?"

It took a good several long seconds for Angela to finally get back to him, during which another demolition charge was primed and posted through a warehouse's damaged ventilation duct and quickly left behind. But when she did, the answer made Ratchet's breath hitch and heart pound in a heady combination of joyous relief and outright, renewed worry. Almost missing his step and tumbling off the edge of the platform he was taking off from, had Clank not taken over the Levitator's functions and boosted them clear.

"Okay... so, Ellen woke up just under an hour ago. I've tried to get her to stay put, but she just won't listen, and that Debonair woman's encouraging her! I swear, she's almost as bad as you when it comes to medical advice..."

"She's awake...? Ellen's awake!" Ratchet let out a joyous whoop as Clank guided them in for a final approach. Neatly sticking a three point landing upon the deck of yet another barge whose current course would take them within striking distance of the warehouse ships they were after. "You hear that, Clank?! She's gonna be okay!"

"Indeed I did," the little robot replied from over his shoulder, pausing only long enough for his lombax friend to obliterate a guard robot hovering nearby with a barrage of rockets and let the dust settle. "However, I believe Doctor Cross would not have called in such a manner, were she not concerned."

Oh, right. He did kind of tune her out there for a moment.

Though given how worried Ratchet had been over the past few weeks, it was perhaps little surprise that he felt the need to celebrate for but a few moments. Free from the constant heartache and self-loathing that preyed upon his mind, always wondering if he could have done something, anything to prevent what happened. Keeping himself busy in an effort to drown it all out, and only made worse each time he saw her unnaturally still, comatose form when they came back to Slim's station for resupply. The anguished, pain-filled words he'd last spoken to her during a rare private moment together lingering still in his psyche, fearing the girl he loved would never wake again in spite of the old man's best efforts.

But now he had a chance to make up for what was, perhaps, the worst mistake of his life. To ensure that it never happened again, and to hope that she would find a way to forgive him, even if he couldn't forgive himself. It was an opportunity he had no intention of squandering, and... he probably should have been paying more attention to Angela's ranting, given the last words he managed to pick up through his fugue.

"She needs proper bed rest for crying out! Not some... some... guns and armour fetish fashion show!"

'...Say what now?'

Ratchet blinked at the sudden slew of mental images conjured up, some more interesting than others, before shaking his head in an effort to clear them out. His words a little hesitant as he eyed the gigantic warehouse ships looming ever closer, while shifting to lean against the barge's forward bridge and keeping an eye out for any unexpected surprises. "I... think you'd better start from the beginning..."

Slim Cognito's Ship Shack, [Location Redacted]

Bogon Galaxy

G2.17.099 Galactic calendar

5:03am GST

Even before the whole Protopet fiasco had begun, Angela had always been a bit of a light sleeper, with the slightest noise or fluctuation in temperature enough to rouse her at the most ungodly of hours. It was a habit that had led to many restless nights at the best of times, and only made worse once she adopted her 'Masked Thief' persona and fled from the company's clutches, fearing they would catch up at any moment. Which meant that when the distant, muffled thump of something hitting metal reached the lombax's already sensitive ears, she was already halfway out of bed and reaching for a weapon before her brain could fully engage. Heart racing and bleary eyes blinking away the last vestiges of sleep as she cautiously slipped off of the cot and quietly padded over to the small room's still sealed door, before pushing up against the frame to one side.

It took a good few seconds to remind herself of just where exactly she was, and the fact there shouldn't be any danger here. Jumbled memories of the previous day, and that Debonair woman's insistence on getting some rest, managing to pierce through the fog of her mind, and bring back an annoyed grimace at being treated like a difficult child. But old habits die hard, and given prior experience, Angela wasn't willing to take any chances. Hardly daring to breathe lest she give herself away, and keeping an ear pressed against the door in an effort to pick up any other clues as to what had woken her, while mechanically checking the sidearm she had snatched up from the crate-turned-nightstand and ensuring it was still fully loaded.

It was, and with the corrosive mod she had ordered from Slim Cognito to boot, while her Wrist Com was still powered on, having forgotten to take it off before going to bed. The displayed time making her groan internally at both the early hour and the fact she had ended up sleeping most of the day away, leaving Samus to take care of Ellen on her own, along with their guest.

"It is way too early for this crap..." she mumbled with a sigh, hesitantly reaching towards the door control panel with her free hand and stabbing the solitary button. "But better safe than sorry."

The sensible thing to do would be to simply stay put and call the others to make sure they were okay rather than potentially risk herself against an unknown foe. But long-held paranoia and mistrust had long since coloured Angela's judgement, especially given how secretive their esteemed host was, and she didn't want to tip him or anyone else off just in case there really was a potential assassin waiting outside. The pistol's barrel leading as the door slid open with a quiet hiss, rapidly snapping to either side of the frame in search of targets, only to find the same cramped, empty corridor that valkyrie woman had dragged her along some... what, fifteen odd hours ago?

'Damn, I must've slept like the dead... Now, where did that noise come from?'

Retracing the same route they had originally taken in her sleep deprived state, Angela certainly felt a lot more awake now as she quietly padded along the relatively cool metal floor on bare feet. The faint click of claws with each step and the soft, steady hum of machinery thrumming throughout the station being the only sounds to greet her still straining ears, aside from shallow breathing that only intensified as she reached a door at the far end. The same one that led to Cognito's personal sick bay, where Ellen lay unresponsive and completely vulnerable to any potential attackers, and through which she could hear both a pained groan and someone talking in hushed tones. The words unintelligible thanks to just how thick the door was, but enough to easily recognise Debonair's distinct accent and for Angela to assume the worst.

She still didn't fully trust that Valkyrie woman or her motives, regardless of whether she had previous dealings with Ratchet, Ellen, and clank, or the fact they were on good terms according to Slim Cognito's limited information. It might have just been the paranoia talking, but there was something off about her that Angela couldn't quite put her finger on, and considering what had happened with that Ace Bunyon asshole... Well, better safe than sorry. Especially since she now knew through some of Slim's more dubious contacts that he was the one that led the internal raid on Megacorp's Protopet project labs, setting this entire crisis into motion, and directly responsible for the deaths of her two long-time colleagues and friends. Hell, part of her almost wished Ratchet hadn't killed the man, so she could do the deed herself and gain some form of vengeance for those that were lost.

But that was neither here nor now, and with her addled mind already conjuring up the worst case scenario, Angela slammed a fist down on the control panel and burst through the door. Her pistol raised with a snarl and snapping towards the amused valkyrie leaning against Ellen's cot, only for Angela's words to die on her lips at the scene laid out before her, and all traces of fury with it. The lombax freezing in place and blinking in bewilderment as she took in the sight of a very dishevelled and groaning Ellen; face down in a heap on the floor with her rump sticking up prominently and... probably exposing a lot more than the human would have been comfortable with, given she was only wearing a thin surgical gown. Leaving Debby to stifle her giggles behind a well manicured hand and continuing to look on from afar as Samus darted about in front of her lethargic friend like a humming bird on a sugar high, trying her best to help raise Ellen into a seated position despite clearly not being all there at the moment.

Though given the circumstances, the fact that the recently comatose and largely unresponsive girl was, in fact, sluggishly beginning to move under her own power was nothing short of a damn miracle. Angela quickly blinking out of her stupor, and upon realising that none of the others present had even seemed to register her presence, set her pistol down on a nearby cabinet with far more force than necessary before striding forth towards Ellen's still slumped form with a thoroughly disapproving scowl etched upon her face. "What the hell is going on in here? Why is Ellen on the floor, and why aren't you helping her?"

The last question was directed towards the valkyrie woman stood nearby, along with an intensive glare towards the subject of her ire that was simply ignored by way of an easy going smile and unashamedly Gallic shrug. "Sorry darling, but I could not 'elp myself. If only you 'ad seen 'er face, and 'er derriere..." she trailed off with a content sigh, eyes unfocused and looking towards some distant object that only she could see. "Ees eet not ze most perfect shape for swimwear you 'ave ever seen? I simply must 'ave her model for my summer collection. Zere can be no other!"

"Damn it woman, get your mind out of the gutter," Angela ground out with a weary sigh and withering glare directed at the unrepentant valkyrie. "This is hardly the time to worry about fashion, and you still haven't answered my question!"

Samus, on the other hand, jolted in surprise at the sudden intrusion and demand, shooting a good few feet into the air before she could get herself back under control. Her optics wide and body almost seeming to shrink in on itself as cautiously peeked from around Ellen's mass. Um... I think it might be my fault..._ she volunteered meekly, wincing at the sudden attention directed her way and nervously twiddling her digits together. She just looked so comfortable there, and- and I wasn't thinking, and- and is that a gun? Why were you-_

"Samus, breathe." Rubbing the bridge of her nose and taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Angela continued with a much softer tone. Fervently wishing all the while for a gallon of pure caffeine to help rouse her still sleep addled mind. "Or at least for my sake, tone down your emotional processor a little, so you can think straight. Please?"

R-right, sorry..._ the little robot stuttered sheepishly. Closing her optics and visibly twitching for but a moment, before opening them again with a much calmer demeanour as if someone had flipped an internal light switch. Which actually wasn't too far off the truth, all told. Okay, I'm good now. But, uh... Would you two mind giving me a hand? She's a lot heavier than I thought_

"'m not that fat..." a groggy, rasping voice managed to slur out just loud enough for Angela to pickup, and even then it took a few seconds for her to realise that it was coming from the now sluggishly stirring girl still laying upon the floor. Her limbs moving at a glacial pace and clearly uncoordinated from disuse, but the fact they were moving at all, and consciously at that, meant only one thing.

"She's awake...?" Angela whispered, breath hitching and eyes briefly widening in surprise, before shaking off her stupor and dashing forward to help support the redhead. "Ellen finally woke up, and nobody thought it was a good idea to go get the only half-qualified medical professional onboard?"

"Well, you are 'ere now, are you not?" Debonair answered with a teasing tone as she too moved to Ellen's side with elegant, sauntering steps, before attempting to free her from the fluffy blanket she had somehow gotten tangled up in. "Besides, eet 'as been but a few minutes at most, and you still need to rest yourself, darling. If zere were a true emergency, zen I would simply 'ave Monsieur Cognito give you a call."

"I can rest when I'm dead," Angela grumbled half-heartedly, still feeling far too tired to argue. Ellen's strength slowly but surely returning as she finally managed to raise the girl up into a sitting position with Samus' help, and went through the practiced motions of checking her immediate health. "Pupillary response is good, no obvious external signs of trauma..." She paused a beat, a weary smile tugging at her lips. "Guess it's safe to say 'welcome back to the land of the living', Pearce. You mind telling me what you were doing on the floor with your butt hanging out?"

"Admiring the view, just like Debby was, I'll bet," Ellen dryly returned in both senses of the word, given how hoarse her throat felt, while shooting the smirking valkyrie woman stood beside her a meaningful look. The fact that Debby didn't deny it was confirmation enough. "Maybe you can get her to help with your bedside manner too while she's at it, because it could definitely do with fine tuning."

Shaking her head with a chuckle at the implied jibe, Angela gratefully accepted a can of self-heating, instant coffee from Samus, by way of their stash in one of the sick bay's specimen fridges. The little robot clearly having thought ahead and now handing out drinks to the others, while Angela firmly twisted the bottom ring on what was arguably one of Megacorp's greatest achievements ever. Waiting but a few seconds for the built in heating element to do its thing, before taking a long, refreshing swig of the wonderful black sludge that was an abomination to connoisseurs everywhere, and the perfect pick-me-up for those late nights working on the Protopet project, back when she was still working for the company. Which left a few comfortable moments of silence as everyone else downed their own chosen beverage with careful sips and contented sighs. Ellen opting for a can of instant tea with open curiosity, while Debby poured scorn on what smelt like a cheap white wine, but drank it anyway, and Samus enjoyed a quart of lead based oil with a pleased trill.

"I already told you and the other one enough times before. I'm really not that kind of a doctor," the lombax eventually replied with a tempered smile born of relief. If Ellen was well enough to be trading wits and starting to move under her own power, seeing as the girl had lifted herself back up on to the cot's edge, then she was definitely well on the road to recovery. "But seriously, Ellen, you have no idea how glad we are to have you back, myself included. These last few weeks have been-"

Whatever else she had been about to say was abruptly cut off, however, by a strangled gasp and subsequent, hacking coughing fit as Ellen choked on her tea. Eyes wide and tearing, darting around the room in search of something, and hardly able to breathe between trying to expel the liquid from her lungs, though that didn't stop the redhead from making her shocked response known. "W-week-k-ksss?! Just how long have I been out?"

About two weeks, since leaving Snivelak_ Samus answered with a worried, dainty servo placed upon Ellen's shoulder that quickly evolved into a hug and a torrent of babble. We brought you here to get treatment, and with Megacorp after us, it's the safest place to stay right now. Especially with Clank, and Ratchet, and Mr Harding off doing missions, and that big bounty still hanging over our heads. Oh, I get so worried thinking about it, and please don't get mad! We didn't have a choice, and Mr Cognito was nice enough to-_

"Easy, Samus, easy," Ellen murmured with a gentle pat on the adorable little robot's helm and soothing motions on her back. Finding that her voice was coming a lot easier with each passing moment, thanks to her internal Nanotech supply working overtime on her disused vocal chords, along with strangely pleasant pulse of energy emanating from her chest. "I'm not mad, just really, really confused right now, and wondering where I am and what the hell I missed out on." She paused, frowning as her clarity of thought began to return, and a fresh concern with it. "Actually, where are Ratchet and the boys, and why's Debby... wherever 'here' is? Did... something happen to them?"

And so, with a weary sigh and resigned annoyance at what she had brought upon herself, Angela began to explain.

Megacorp Automated Distribution Centre C-7B, Smolg Atmosphere

Bogon galaxy

G2.17.99

10.49am local time

"So you gave her the low-down on what we've been up to, huh?" Ratchet asked rhetorically, taking a few steps back in order to get a decent run up as the barge he was riding finally got within striking distance of the now looming warehouse ships. "How'd that go?"

"Actually, she took it surprisingly well, all thoughts considered," Angela replied thoughtfully. "I mean, she was a little down about you not being there when she woke up, but other than that, surprisingly well adjusted for someone who's just woken up from a mini coma. Almost suspiciously so."

"You think that has something to do with what the old man did to heal her, and that crystal necklace he left behind?" he asked with a growing, gnawing hint of concern colouring his voice. "She is still wearing it right?"

"Along with that other metal necklace she had before," the older lombax snorted irritably. "Damn stubborn girl refuses to take either of them off."

"Can't say I'm surprised, given who those tags belonged to," Ratchet sighed, before shaking his head at her questioning hum. "It's... not my story to tell. If you really wanna know, you're better off asking her yourself."

"If you say so," Angela answered doubtfully. Her next words a little distorted as Ratchet pushed off the deck at a flat sprint and leapt over the edge, freefalling with the wind rushing past his ears. "But we're getting off track here. Ellen's only just regained consciousness, and the last thing she needs is to be playing dress up with that valkyrie woman, or entertaining ideas of going back into the field anytime soon. Seeing as she won't listen to me and Samus won't say anything otherwise, I need you to convince her to stay put for now so I can run some tests and see if there's still anything wrong with her."

Enjoying the momentary weightless sensation as he pitched into a swan dive, Ratchet whooped with joy as Clank deployed the Levitator once more but a few seconds later, before guiding them towards the closest warehouse ship in a lazy arc. A sudden thought occurring as his darted over the surface in search of a decent landing spot. "Actually, why is Debby staying with you guys in the first place? Not that I'm not happy to have somebody else in the fight, but doesn't she still have her boutique to run?"

"Apparently that's why Cognito invited her in the first place, though I don't know how exactly he managed to get in contact. He said she'd been working on some kind of new armour for you and Ellen ever since the whole... thing in Megapolis." Angela paused awkwardly, no doubt remembering her own less than stellar role in that whole debacle. "Or at least until Megacorp caught wind of it somehow, and decided to pay a visit..."

Slim Cognito's Ship Shack, [Location Redacted]

Bogon Galaxy

G2.17.099 Galactic calendar

5:10am GST

"They just... blew it all up?" Ellen breathed in shock, getting a miserable nod in return. "The whole damn Boutique, and everything in it?"

"Oui," Debby sighed dejectedly, draining the last dregs of her wine before setting the empty can down none too gently. "Anything zat I did not 'ave on myself or in my ship is either lost or in Megacorp's 'ands now, along with most of my designs."

"But why?" the human insisted with rising indignation and a look in her eyes that promised bloody retribution against whoever was responsible. "We only bought a couple of sets of armour off you for crying out loud! What would they gain by attacking you and your business?"

The valkyrie woman simply shrugged, resting her chin on one delicately manicured hand while the other gestured expressively. "I could not say for certain, but per'aps zey are getting desperate to find you and your friends. You 'ave caused them much grief with all ze bombings and sabotage after all, no?"

"And you think they were hoping to use you to get to us somehow?" Angela cut in with a thoughtful frown marring her otherwise passive face. "Which means Megacorp's either really desperate to find us and jumping at shadows, or..." Her eyes narrowed accusingly. "You have something they want buried somewhere, and they're willing to do anything to make sure it stays that way. You mind enlightening us, Miss Debonair?"

If she were feeling insulted then Debby certainly didn't show it, unlike the other two present, who were swift in in giving the lombax an almost synchronised look of disproval. Yet it was the hidden speakers crackling to life in the ceiling above that soon provided the answer, with the oily tones of Slim Cognito making themselves known once again after an extended absence. His amused chuckles eliciting a fresh scowl on Angela's part. "Getting a little paranoid aren't we, Doctor Cross?"

"Says the guy who's never shown his face to another living soul," she countered dryly, arms folded defensively across her chest. "I'm guessing you had something to do with it though, otherwise you wouldn't have thought twice about having her come to your secret clubhouse."

"Observant as always, I see," the ever elusive merchant replied with an audible smirk. "I don't usually discuss other people's business, but in this case I'm willing to make an exception, seeing as Miss Debonair was handling a... special order for me at the time."

"Fortunately I 'ad already loaded ze completed parts aboard my ship before ze attack, otherwise eet too would 'ave been lost," Debby added. "Monsieur Cognito was kind enough to supply ze remaining material, and I 'ad not long finished ze first suit when ma muse rousse awoke."

Perking up from where she and Samus had been sat, avidly listening to the back and forth chatter, Ellen eagerly leaned forward with a curious gleam in her eye. "Wait, 'suit'? Like the up-armoured commando suits you modified?"

"Ugh... non, not like zose tired old things." Rolling her eyes with a huff and dismissive wave of her free hand, Debby shifted slightly to give the human her full attention, along with a dazzling smile that reflected the zeal in her faintly glowing eyes. "Zis? Zis is ze future of personal armour design! Made to order, from ze finest components and keenest fashion sense in all of Bogon. Oh, you simply must see eet for yourself, darling, you must! Come, let us go!"

By now the valkyrie was practically vibrating and bouncing in her seat like an excited toddler riding a sugar high, with Ellen barely managing to so much as open her mouth in reply before a twitching hand shot out to grab her own. Leaving the recently awoken redhead struggling to stay upright on still somewhat uncooperative limbs as she was practically dragged out of the room via the nearest door, with a distinctly worried Samus floating after her and Angela, grudgingly, following close behind. Though it seemed that the lombax had grossly underestimated just how fast a sufficiently motivated Debonair could move, since by the time she managed to catch up and duck inside what passed for the fashionista's temporary workroom, Ellen was already being pushed behind a changing screen and relieved of her surgical gown while being bombarded by a non stop tirade of words.

"Come now, darling. Let us get you out of zat tacky little thing and into somezing much more flattering for your figure."

"Hey, do you mind?" the redhead yelped indignantly, sounding more than a little embarrassed as she squirmed in place while covering her dignity. "At least give me a little warning, would you?"

Or at least that's what it looked like to Angela and Samus as they stood nearby in stunned silence, with the harsh lighting casting Ellen's shadow across the fabric screen and allowing them to see her silhouette in action. Debby quickly returning from the far side of her workroom with a neatly folded, shimmering garment of some kind held against her chest, before passing it over to the underdressed human with a flourish and instructions on how to put it on. Which turned out to be more difficult than anticipated if the fumbling and creative cursing were anything to go by. "Stupid frigging wet suit... How the hell is anyone supposed to actually wear this thing? It's like trying to squeeze inside a bloody hosepipe!"

"Skinsuit, Darling," Debby corrected with a lilting tone as she ferried back and forth with several small hard cases, dropping them in a neat stack at Ellen's side, "and a valkyrie skinsuit at zat. Eet is supposed to hug ze figure, so as to minimise drag when moving quickly and reduce surface friction. Perfect for preventing your opponent from getting a grip in close combat, or per'aps a jealous lover who can not take 'non' for an answer."

"Sounds like personal experience there," Angela sniped with a raised brow and matching smirk, arms folded across her chest. "Anyone we should be worried about?"

"Not unless zey 'ave been discharged from ze hospital anytime soon," the valkyrie replied with a dark chuckle and malicious gleam in her eye; switching back to her usual, exuberant manor before Angela could so much as blink. Almost too fast to follow, but enough to plant a seed of doubt in her mind with regards to Debonair's past. "But enough about me, let us talk about you!"

"Oh yeah? What about me?" the lombax answered, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Zat jumpsuit you persist on wearing for a start, darling!" Debby exclaimed with an energetic wave of her hand, giving Angela her full attention. "It's just so bland and ze colour clashes terribly with zat soft, luxurious fur of yours. Per'aps green, or mauve with ze white trim? Come, let me get a good look at you!"

It was at this point, with Debonair's excitable figure still jabbering away while strutting towards her on those ridiculous heels at a frighteningly fast pace, that Angela realised two very important things. Firstly, that she herself was still clad only in her underwear; having been too tired and fixated upon tracking down the noise that originally woken her in order to properly register otherwise until now. Leaving her feeling particularly exposed, and not unlike a cornered rodent facing down a much larger predator, given the hungry look in the valkyrie's eyes that had her backing up towards the nearest wall post-haste. With any attempts to sidle towards the door neatly intercepted before she had taken more than half a step.

Which neatly led to the second, much more pressing concern of Debby's borderline obsession with her chosen craft, and not knowing when to take 'no' for an answer. Having already been on the receiving end of hurricane Debonair once already, and knowing full well just how impossible it was to shake her off when fully motivated, it was perhaps little wonder that unpleasant visions of being stuck as the valkyrie woman's living, breathing, and entirely unwilling dress up doll for the foreseeable future sprang to mind. Leaving Angela desperately trying to find an excuse to slip away unnoticed, with said opportunity thankfully materialising in the form of Ellen requesting help in making sense of the steadily growing pile of armour components she had pulled from the hard cases with Samus' assistance. Debby's demeanour switching once again along with her intended destination as she spun back towards the other two and waded in with typically bombastic aplomb; leaving Angela to slip back through the doorway and beat a hasty retreat.

It wasn't like she was running away or anything; more a case of having far too much that needed doing and damn little time in which to do it. Ellen's rapid recovery meaning that the next stage in their overarching plan, to take the fight back to Megacorp and hopefully end the Protopet menace for good, could be accelerated now that she no longer needed to keep a constant eye on the girl. Which in turn gave Angela a damn good excuse to bury herself in work, preferably with fresh clothing and as far away from that strange woman and her eccentricities as possible, even if only for a while. Surely a few hours of uninterrupted bliss wasn't too much to ask, and Samus and Ellen could better handle the valkyrie between them both, right?

Megacorp Automated Distribution Centre C-7B, Smolg Atmosphere

Bogon galaxy

G2.17.99

10.53am local time

"I'm guessing things didn't quite go to plan then, huh?" Ratchet asked with a flicker of amusement colouring his voice. Pausing only to eject the spent clip from his Heavy Lancer in mid-run and slam a fresh one home, before hosing down a fresh pack of grulches charging across the upper deck towards him. "So, what happened next, and when can I talk to Ellen? I've been pinging her Wrist Com, but nobody's picking up, so..."

"Probably because it's still switched off, and no, it sure as hell didn't 'go to plan'," Angela groused, sounding like she was sifting through a mass of paperwork if the constant rustling in the background was anything to go by. "Should have known better than to trust Cognito not sticking his nose in when my back was turned. I swear, him and that valkyrie woman working together is a recipe for disaster."

"Like the whole 'guns and armour fetish' thing, right?" he replied with a sly grin, and a disapproving sigh from Clank over his shoulder. The other lombax spluttering in frustration, and perhaps more than a little embarrassment given her earlier choice of words and somewhat straight laced outlook on life. Or at least that is until Ratchet decided to throw her a bone of sorts. "So... What's this big plan you're working on?"

With the rapid subject change and barely concealed relief colouring her voice, Angela began to explain what she had been working on now that Ellen's recovery was going much faster than anticipated. Switching out to his Mini-Nuke and practically incinerating a pair of Smolgian snappers that burst out of a storage crate behind him, continued to listen with rapt interest as he dropped down a level and tucked into a roll before pushing on towards the core of the warehouse ship he had boarded. A menagerie of mutated wildlife attempting to stop him every step of the way, but barely even slowing the lombax down as he skidded around one set of crates and vaulted over a low barrier. While the repeated, reverberating boom of Cash's shotgun from somewhere up ahead acted as a beacon of sorts, giving him a direction to intercept the man and link up so they could finally finish this job, and hopefully get off world before Megacorp reinforcements came crashing down on their heads.

"So basically, you need to get to one of your old bolt-holes on Grelbin, grab some kind of master key that'll help us get inside Megacorp headquarters, then head back to Slim's before anybody knows you were there," Ratchet cut in before she could really get going. Seriously, why did people have to make simple things so complicated? "That pretty much sum it up?"

"...More or less," Angela allowed grudgingly, clearly annoyed at being interrupted in mid-speech. "Though it's a little more complicated than that, given the location and planetary conditions. Not to mention the local wildlife..."

"So why not take someone with you?" a faint, yet achingly familiar voice asked in the background. One that made his breath short and pulse quicken, almost stumbling over a broken crate in surprise before regaining his footing. "I mean, nobody said you had to go it alone, right?"

"Ellen..." he breathed, a wide grin swiftly overtaking his features. "Hey! Ellen!"

"Gah!"

Angela, on the other hand, had apparently lost her balance if the sudden yelp and thud of rump hitting floor was anything to go by. Ratchet wincing as an accompanying screech of metal on metal bore into his ear, swiftly followed by the older lombax's bitten off cursing as she directed her ire back at them both. "Would you stop that already?! You're going to give me a damn heart attack, you idiot! And you, Pearce. How long have you been stood there? I thought you were still going over equipment with Cognito and that damn valkyrie woman."

Slim Cognito's Ship Shack, [Location Redacted]

Bogon Galaxy

G2.17.099 Galactic calendar

6:03am GST

"That 'damn valkyrie woman' does have a name, you know," Ellen replied with a dry tone and raised brow, shifting her weight to lean against the doorframe. "But to answer your question, long enough to get the gist of what you're planning next. We pretty much finished as of five minutes ago, and I thought it would be a good idea to find out where you'd run off to in such a hurry." She smiled faintly, eyeing the still active desktop communications unit Angela had been sitting in front of. "Definitely glad that I did now, though. Hey there, fuzz ball. How's it going?"

"Hey yourself, beautiful," Ratchet replied softly, an undisguised longing in every word. "You have no idea how much I missed hearing that voice."

"Me too," she admitted quietly, suppressing a shudder at the slew of half forgotten nightmares and broken memories that still stirred at the very edge of her mind. "I'm... still not sure just how much of what I remember actually happened, but..."

"Yeah... I get you..." he trailed off, sounding guilty. A long, awkward moment of silence stretching out between the two, punctuated only by the occasional, muffled screech of some alien beast and an accompanying rattle of gunfire.

Or at least that is until Angela had finished picking herself up off of the floor, brushing off her rumpled jumpsuit with one hand and grumbling all the while, before shooting a withering glare at the now armour-clad redhead. "See, this is exactly what I was talking about before. You might've recovered physically, Pearce, even if I still don't exactly know how. But mentally?" Shaking her head, the lombax wearily dropped back into her chair before the communications unit with a sigh and massaged her temples. "There's still just too much we don't know; about what happened to you, and what effect those weird crystals that the old man - and I can't believe I'm saying this - used to heal you, might have had upon your mental state. And even if that weren't the case, you've just spent two weeks in a coma! Running around the galaxy, getting shot at and blowing things up is the last thing you should be doing right now!"

"You think I don't know that?" Ellen retorted testily; pausing to take a deep, calming breath before continuing on. "I'll be the first to admit that I'm... probably not in the right headspace right now. But from what I've heard and with everything that's been happening since Snivelak, time is a luxury we simply don't have anymore, and you're going to need all hands on deck to see this thing through. Including me."

"We might be short of people, babe, but Angela's got a point," Ratchet sighed, the sounds of combat having momentarily ceased on his side of the call. "You still need time to recover, and throwing yourself back into the fight isn't gonna do you any favours. Maybe... you should think about taking things easy for a while and sitting this one out. Or at least until we can regroup and figure out what we're gonna do next, anyway."

Reasonable as his words were though, Ellen's determination wasn't bowed in the slightest. Slowly shaking her head as she pushed off of the door frame and paced towards Angela's side, before finally replying. "I'm sorry, Ratchet... but I can't just... sit back and do nothing. Even if I'm not fighting Megacorp directly, I can still be useful, and tagging along while Angela looks for this 'master key' is a start."

"Now you wait just a damn minute!" said lombax growled, jabbing an accusing finger at the girl's face. "I never agreed to anything, and 'real' doctor or not, what makes you think that I'd even consider letting my patient run off to some hellhole of planet? Especially one that's cold enough to turn your lungs to ice, and teeming with the kind of wildlife that would happily rip you to pieces, when I've spent the last few weeks struggling to so even keep you in a stable condition?"

"To be fair, that's kind of an average day for us nowadays," Ellen retorted, with Ratchet's snickering not helping Angela's mood in the slightest. "Seriously though, nobody appreciates what you've done more than me, and I don't know if I can ever truly repay you in kind. But if this place is even half as dangerous as you say, then you're definitely going to need somebody to watch your back, and I can't see you asking Debby for backup anytime soon."

"That still doesn't mean I'd be willing to even entertain taking you along," Angela groused, arms folded defensively and a mile long scowl etched upon her face. "Sorry, Pearce, but no dice, and there's not a damn thing either of you can do to convince me otherwise."

"Oh really?" the redhead asked all too innocently, before turning to look over her shoulder. "Well if I can't, then maybe they can."

Resigned, but with morbid curiosity getting the better of her, Angela leaned aside and peeked around the girl's armoured torso to in an effort to catch a glimpse of just what exactly Ellen was looking at. A groan of annoyance escaping her lips as she took in the unwelcome sight of Debonair just outside the room's solitary entrance, one hand resting over a cocked hip and an amused twinkle in her eyes, while Samus timidly poked her head around the door frame from several feet up. Her optics shuttering as she took in the scene, and hesitantly broke the awkward silence that had suddenly descended once both of Angela's palms met her face with a resounding groan of frustration.

Um... Is this a bad time...?_

Something a little different this time, with my attempt to combine snippets from two very different chapters I had been considering and blending them together. Partially for the challenge, but mostly because, much as I loved the level in-game, trying to write a full length chapter on Smolg as I originally intended just felt boring, and didn't bring anything meaningful to the table. Instead, I thought it would be better to use an imperfect narrator (or two) with some time skips in-between to sum up what the cast has been up to both during and after Ellen's mini-coma. I just hope it makes at least some sense, and doesn't leave too many questions.

Review replies:

Snow Wolf Alpha - I was honestly worried about how the ending would be received, and that it would feel like a bit of a cop out after everything that came before. But I'm relieved to hear that wasn't the case, though I'd like to think I could do a better job if any similar scenarios pop up in the future, and hopefully make what's happening a lot clearer. That, or avoid it like the plague and go the easier, less frustrating route instead. I'm eager to get Ratchet and Ellen back together myself, but with what I've written and already planned, their actual reunion might take a little longer yet. Though I can tell you that it might not be under the most peaceful of circumstances…

Lightsaviour2759 - Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the arc overall, despite its flaws, and am definitely glad to be moving forward. As for Megacorp HQ, and the final confrontation, rest assured that I've got something special lined up to replace the… frankly mediocre boss fight in canon.

Dovakiin795 - Check your PM inbox, I've listed a rough breakdown of the chapter there. Hope it helps.

Plasmatik - Admittedly, this arc didn't quite pan out the way I would have liked, but hopefully you found it a decent enough read. On the bright side though, there will be fluffiness to come in a few chapters time, but not until after Ratchet and Ellen have reunited once more. Sorry.

Bookwriter94 - Believe me, given how many times I've nearly lost all my planning notes, materials and drafts for this story not once but twice, I know all about computer troubles and have nothing but sympathy for your own. Glad you enjoyed the arc though, bloated as it was in places, and hope you continue to enjoy the next.

Light Seeker 001 - Ah, don't worry. I'm just glad to have you back. As for your question, while Ellen would probably find Nefarious' mannerisms amusing to a degree, probably more so if/when the event of All-4-One come to pass, the whole 'exterminate all organic life' thing would definitely overshadow everything else. Especially since I intend to go for a slightly darker interpretation of canon by the time I get around to Up Your Arsenal.

Razor of DOOM - Given the circumstances, I expect he's already considered as such, if not more extreme measures. But then again, he's not exactly in a position to stop Ellen from going anywhere right now, and he knows all to well just how capable (and stubborn) she can be. Plus, there wouldn't be much of a story if Ellen agreed to stay put and play it safe.

Firestar5277 - Aw, thank you! I'll be glad to get back into the groove myself, and hopefully start putting chapters out at a much more timely pace once I'm back up to speed. I have to admit, action scenes and the like just tend to flow much more naturally for me than dialogue heavy chapters, though I am trying to balance with practice. The fact that you still like my story in spite of it going against the grain of your usual reading preferences is, honestly, praise enough for me, and I hope to continue living up to your expectations.

That wordplay though… (slowly claps) That was both wonderful and face-palm inducing in equal measure. So, I guess it's my turn to leave you with another! Did you hear about the Spanish film studio that just released their own, bootleg version of a popular anime series? They're calling it Juan Punch Man.

DarkEnigma95 - Believe me, I'm more than happy to finally see the end of this arc at long last, though I do wish I had a bit more time for characterisation at the end. Sorry to hear about your sister, but at least you have something to remember her, and hopefully good memories associated with your meeting. Debby is always fun to write, flamboyant as she is, and doubly so when it comes to trading wits and barbs with Angela. It's certainly not her fault that the silly lombax is taking her words the wrong way. Nope, not in the slightest.

Also, the three golden rules for the Ratchet and Clank universe is as follows:

1) There are always more bad guys than you have bullets.

2) You can never have enough dakka.

3) There is no such thing as 'overkill'.

Cortana Hansen - I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the story, and this series so far, and will hopefully continue to do so. Going Commando might be a little dated in places, but it's still a damn good game even after all these years. Same for the rest of the original trilogy, really, though I'd recommend playing the HD collection version if possible. Good luck with your current play through!

GamerHeart - An argument over what though, and why? After all, the only real disagreement they might have at the moment is over Ellen's health and her future role in the team. Unless you're thinking of something else.