The usual folk were in Ratchet's quarters. Those being Sasha, Qwark, Al, Helga, Skidd, Clank, Skrunch, and, of course, the seething lombax himself. He was currently right in front of the holo-vid, inspecting it with Al, who was tinkering with some electric device. Qwark leaned against a wall to the far right with Skrunch by his side….where a picture of himself used to be but was torn off. Helga and Skidd sat on the left couch, the obese one tapping her fingers impatiently, the thin one silent. Clank and Sasha's attention was more on the monitors than the naked holo-vid.
"You say the message was right here?" Al asked, pointing at the blackened screen with his thumb.
"Yessss," it was more of a hiss than a yell. Ratchet explained, "'If you want to find, me then go to Planet Florana. Sincerely, Dr. Nefarious'." He pointed at the screen again, as if he was moving his gloved finger down the lines of the page of a book in order to help him read better. "Do I need to say it again?.?.? We need to go to Florana now!" he suddenly winced in pain for some reason, and rubbed his head, trying to ignore it.
"Hold your horses," Al held a hand out. He fought back a yawn from tiredness and explained, "We need to know everything about this. And that means we're staying here to make sure you saw what you saw."
"Maybe, we should do tests on Ratchet…," Qwark commented with a smirk.
Ratchet glared at him, but shrugged it off. "Listen….it doesn't matter how this message got here! What DOES matter is that we get our butts to Florana. Now."
"You're not going anywhere, Ratchet," Sasha gave him her full attention now. She glared at him from behind the sofa with tired blue eyes. "Not until we know what we're dealing with."
"What's to know?.!" Ratchet could barely keep his temper. "Nefarious is back!"
"I agree with you on that one," Sasha cleared. "But we need to do this calmly and rationally if we want to defeat him once and for all."
"I don't believe this! You were always up for stopping him, and now you're telling me that we need to approach this slowly?.!"
"Ratchet, you should listen to her," Clank pleaded from between the two sofas.
"Nnnngh!" Ratchet leaned against the holo-vid in a mix of frustration and defeat.
"Fine!" Sasha gave up. "Go to Florana, and see what you find."
Ratchet's brow relaxed. "Thanks…..," he uttered before grabbing his wrench that was on the coffee table…and Clank by the arm. The automatic doors closed, and they were gone.
Silence.
Then…
"I know I'm not one to say this, but….," Qwark stood up straight and folded his meaty arms, "…..I'm worried about Ratchet."
"You're not alone, brother….," Skidd's words were too quiet to hear.
"Ya-ha," Helga nodded her neckless head.
"Here here," Al put his device away.
"Which is exactly why I'm sending you with him," Sasha pointed at Qwark….who didn't react exaggeratedly. "I know you don't want to, but Ratchet needs some help. He's been stressed, he's not eating well, and he's not sleeping enough." A deep breath and, "Take your shuttle. That's an order."
"….," Qwark sighed. He rubbed his latex-covered head, and said, "Fine."
Skidd looked up.
Al smiled the smile of a fanboy.
"Seriously?" Sasha was more than surprised.
"Of course!" Helga stood up with a kick of her tiny legs. She walked over towards Sasha ungracefully and practically spat in her face, "'E's Captain Qwark! Trained by me! He's not afraid to go!"
"Well, actually, I'm just going to keep Ratchet from having his head sliced off by the local tribesmen." Qwark then mused, "I wonder if they still remember me….," he rubbed his large chin.
"I'm surprised," Sasha said with a very small smile.
"Don't be, cuz I'll never do it again in the near future."
"Fine by me as long as you keep Ratchet safe. I'll send a team of rangers with you." Sasha then spoke into a communicator on her wrist, "Set a course for Planet Florana."
Despite it being morning for Marcadia's Capital, and past midnight on the Phoenix, Nabla Forest was in the day's late-evening stage. The sun was leaning towards the West (or whatever the locals called it), having no effect on the wildlife--other than the flying creatures--because of the high-rising canopies. The sound of growls, buzzes, native speaking, and mating calls could be heard around the forested planet's evergreen locations. The humidity was rather heavy, along with the large cloud cover that, although vast, still permitted some sunlight to touch the treetops.
It was at that moment, on the outskirts of Nabla Forest, in a small clearing, Ratchet's frequently used ship landed, bringing a few flowers to their demise before 'levitating' one inch above the ground and staying there.
The cockpit's lid opened, and Ratchet--wearing the usual and now his Charge Boots--swung out, followed by Clank.
"Let's go," Ratchet merely said as he equipped his Decimator.
"Wait, Ratchet," Clank stopped him and raised his finger. "We need to know exactly where to go."
"Hmm," Ratchet thought. "He only said to come to the planet…he didn't say where on the planet."
Clank didn't ask anything about Ratchet's sureness towards the situation.
"Wild guess," Ratchet went on, now pacing in front of the ship's nose, "but I think Nefarious probably knew that Qwark was found here. Maybe, he wanted to lure us both here so he can annihilate us before coming up with a plan for galactic domination…… Or maybe, he wanted to set up shop here to build something that would surely wipe us out."
"I agree; Nefarious would want to operate in the place people expect least and…..," he gestured with a tiny limb, "….that would be here."
"Let's search the Temple first," Ratchet said.
"Indeed, we shall. Not to mention admire the local places of worship," he chuckled.
The lombax stared at him, not amused.
"……..Ahem. Let's go," Clank was ready to jump on Ratchet's back, when--
"Not so fast."
The robot and lombax looked.
"I know I never do this," Qwark said as he approached the ship, flanked by five rangers, "but you guys need me if you want any hope of--"
"Go back to the Phoenix, Qwark," Ratchet said before turning around and walking towards the edge of the clearing.
Qwark stared, lips parted. "He didn't even let me finish."
"Captain Qwark, I would like it if you come along with us," Clank tilted his head seventy degrees up to give eye-contact. "After all," he whispered, "Ratchet hasn't really been himself lately."
"Not to worry, Clank," Qwark spoke like he did in the old days. "There's no fear when in the presence of CAPT--!"
"Shhhhh!" Clank held a squared finger up. "Loud noises are likely to alert hostile wildlife!"
Qwark slowly lowered the arm that had risen with a finger extended during his speech. He sighed, "Alright……"
Some of the rangers sniggered, and were unheard.
"Let us catch up with Ratchet," Clank trotted after his friend, who had disappeared from sight.
Qwark motioned with his arm for the ranger to follow. He equipped a Blaster as well.
One hour of trekking had led them through one forest to a clearing and to another forest. The Temple was one hundred metres behind them…no luck there. However, Ratchet had insisted that they keep moving. Clouds had covered the darkening sky completely, and rain was just inches away from falling.
They entered their umpteenth clearing. This one was situated near the edge of a steep hill.
"Ratchet, this is a waste of time," Qwark grumbled. "Let's just call the ships and get outta--"
"No one here forced you to come!" Ratchet lost his temper as he spun around and marched towards Qwark, yelling, "No one's forcing you to stay! So, why don't you get your green carcase off this planet, so I can get back to the mission?"
"What mission?.!.?.!" Qwark bellowed. "This could be a distraction! We come here while the Phoenix is attacked again! This is nothing but a stupid wild goose chase!"
"Why should you care if you'll just flee to your base again?.?.?.? You should just let me do it!"
"Sasha gave me orders to accompany you! I didn't ask to be here!"
"I bet you wailed like the baby you are, refusing to come until Sasha practically shoved you into the shuttle!"
"I came so you wouldn't get killed on account of the fact that you're obsessing over someone who wore briefs until he was seventeen!.!"
Their faces were millimetres apart. Qwark hunched while Ratchet stood on tiptoes. They glared laser beams at one another as they flung retort after retort. Clank and the rangers stared, knowing full-well that it was out of their power to stop them.
"And furthermore--!"
"Shhhhhh!"
"Don't shush me when I'm--!"
"Shut it!" Ratchet hissed and looked away……..listening. "I heard something……"
"?" Qwark quietened and also listened. He was still mad though.
Clank and the five rangers listened.
"……"
"……"
"……"
"……"
"……"
"……."
"……"
"……."
Silence, save the occasional bird squawking.
"I don't hear any--"
"Zip it!"
"…….."
They listened.
The sounds of birds.
"……"
Buzzing of insects.
"……."
Distant animal cries of either victory or anguish.
"…….."
The snapping of a twig.
Ratchet's ears perked up. His head turned.
An animal that resembled a deer was grazing.
Ratchet ignored it and listened, "……."
Qwark swallowed and breathed through his mouth.
Other than their emotionless heads, the rangers didn't move.
Clank's head slowly turned clockwise. He would reach a three-sixty and keep going.
The alien animal grazed, taking no notice of the silent group that was twenty feet away.
A raindrop fell and touched Ratchet's nose. He rubbed it and raised his wrench (he had put his Decimator away a few moments ago).
More drops followed. It was only a drizzle, causing no alarm other than the deer-like being to trot away in search of shelter.
"……"
Ratchet's and Qwark's eyes shifted every which way they could.
"……"
Three rangers found themselves nearing each other from their backs while their fronts continued scanning. They and the other two were aiming their cannons at the trees that surrounded three quarters of the clearing.
The rain was falling at a faster rate, creating several ignorable sounds to occur amidst the vegetation. This caused Qwark's antenna, and Ratchet's ears to drop.
"….."
Qwark knew that speaking again would result in Ratchet hissing at him, so he kept quiet.
The rangers shifted nervously.
Ratchet blinked for the first time in thirty seconds.
Two of the rangers were standing rather far from the group………too far.
And……
The lombax sighed and lowered his arms. He spoke above the rainfall, "It was nothing. Let's keep moving."
"Hold it right there!" Qwark pointed his gloved finger. "Encase you have forgotten, we still have a situation about your ego!"
Ratchet grunted, "My ego to yours is like a psychopathic screamer from Orxon to a snagglebeast…"
"What was that?.!"
"Nothing," Ratchet was already moving. "Clank…."
The robot silently trotted after him.
"Wait just a--!" Qwark was interrupted again that day.
"Sir!" a random ranger called from the group of three. "I think I hear something now!"
"Huh?"
Ratchet and Clank stopped.
They didn't have enough time to turn around.
Thwooosh! Twoooosh! Two large things shot out from the trees straight towards the group in the clearing.
"LOOK OUT!" Ratchet screamed, but it was no use.
C-CRUSH! The two rangers that were the most distant from the group were landed on and reduced to scrap by two mechs. Mechs with robotic riders.
Qwark gasped.
Then--
Thwooosh! Twoooosh! Thwooosh! Twoooosh! Thwooosh! Twoooosh! Thwooosh! Twoooosh!
Another eight mechs emerged from the trees and landed, forming a circle around the group along with the other two mechs.
One of the remaining three ranger screamed, "AMBUSH!"
Ratchet growled, "They were following us the whole time!"
WHAM!.!.!
He was suddenly struck from the side by an eleventh mech. The force was a lot more than he thought and he flew over the grass, over a mech, and over the hill's edge.
"Ratchet!" Clank shouted. He was grabbed by Qwark and forced into the middle of the group with the three trembling rangers.
"Forget about him!" Qwark shouted.
Clank hid under Qwark's form. Now was definitely not the time to be cowardly……….and the costumed man knew it. He aimed his Blaster.
The rangers aimed their arm-cannons.
The mechs aimed their lasers.
"ATTACK!"
And the thunder clapped.