Escape to Crusade

By Sarge11

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Crusade, the creatures, and myself.

Chapter 9: Them

Ratchet, Clank, the GP, and Sarge11 are looking for parts for a transmitter. Slim and the Plumber stayed behind to "guard" the ship.

"Hey, Ratchet, you have a Helpdesk wrist link right?" Sarge11 asked.

"Yeah, where's this going?" the Lombax replied.

"Doesn't it have a voice box?" the Private questioned.

Realization flooded into Ratchet. "Uh-hu."

"Bingo, we have our first part," said Sarge11 in a victorious tone.

Ratchet asked, "Why did Slim and our Plumber friend stay behind? They looked scared."

Sarge11 froze apparently with fear. "Move one muscle, and you're gonna find out."

Slowly, Ratchet turned his head in the direction Sarge11 was looking in. And relaxed, he couldn't see anything.

The Lombax shrugged his shoulders. "What? I don't see anything."

Sarge11 was trembling now; and sweating like a steam machine. "Look… harder… Ratchet. They can change the color of their skin to blend in with their environment," he said in a whispered tone.

And then Ratchet saw it; a figure crouched in the bog he was standing next to, just watching him, like a lion watches a gazelle from the rocks.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: If you've seen Signs, you'll know what it looks like. Well, you can at least see the silhouette.

Sarge11's throat went dry. "It's one of Them, we need to find shelter before it gets completely dark when they really start to come out.

But of coarse, Ratchet is Ratchet, and seeing as he's Ratchet, he charged the creature. "Eat wrench you tall son of a bitch!"

And of coarse the ever-idiotic President couldn't help piping up, "Hey! What did I tell you about swearing in front of the Galactic President?"

"Screw it! We're in the wilderness now!" Ratchet yelled back.

"Ratchet! Shut up! Do you want the entire pack to know you're here?" Sarge11 asked and yelled.

"How many can there be?" He replied back.

His question was answered as about fifty more emerged from the muck.

Ratchet stood there, dumbfounded. "Holy shit!"

And then… they pounced!

There's nothing much to say except please R&R!

-Sarge11