Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet & Clank, or any of its associated characters and lore. That right belongs to Insomniac Games.
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The General's Charge
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Chapter One
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Descending outside Ratchet's garage, Kyzil Plateau, Planet Veldin, Solana Galaxy
Onboard a space fighter of Lombax design just landing where it needed to land, the ship's HD-800 screen broadcasted a Solana Channel 2 News report starring the robotic Darla Gratch to the pilot. "In sport-related news, Annihilation Nation's long running champion, Alister "the Praetor" Azimuth, has once again secured his title from the unlikely event of Scorpio and the Terrible Two's recent team up against him. Upon our asking of when he'll think of retirement, Azimuth had this to say."
Changing the image from Darla to a middle-aged, white-furred with red markings Lombax in professional military armor, the latter said. "I can imagine that some of you are getting bored with me staying at the top for so long, but I promise you all that I'll be throwing my towel once I know for sure that it's a certain someone else's time to shine in the arena. As for who I'm talking about, well, you'll get the idea when he finally makes his debut."
Turning off the screen, the pilot, Alister Azimuth himself, wearing his casual visor, green and black gauntlets, and red jacket vest, jumped out of his fighter to see a younger, yellower Lombax using a scanning device on a small, powered down robot he did not recognize on a table with tools on it. Waving his arm in greeting, Alister called out. "Ratchet!"
His attention gotten, the Lombax youth turned to Alister with a smile and waved back. "Hey, Alister!"
The son of Alister's closest friend, who was killed along with his wife at the time of their son's infancy, Ratchet had grown under his uncle-figure's care into an aspiring mechanic and explorer, yet had been told by Alister himself not to leave Veldin until he got the go ahead from him. Providing for Ratchet since the former's babyhood was actually the reason that Alister took up bounty hunting and later gladiator combat in the first place, but even then, Alister's thoughts were always on Ratchet's welfare.
"I see you've been busy, my boy." Alister commented with a glance towards the robot.
Following his gaze, Ratchet explained. "Oh, the little guy over there came on some minifighter that crashed down near here just before you came back. My scanner tells me that he's just fresh out of the factory work, Blargian design, and has an infobot in his compartment."
"Any idea why he'd be leaving so soon after just being processed?"
"None. I mean, sure, some other robots popped on over to grab him, but I handled them with my wrench and Bomb Glove."
"Of course, you did." Alister shook his head at that since he did tell Ratchet not to get into unnecessary fights when he was not around.
Before either Lombax could converse more, they noticed the robot waking up and unfolding his body. Turning to the two feline lifeforms, the robot said. "Greetings. I take it I owe the both of you for relocating me from my downed ship?"
Alister replied with a hand on Ratchet's shoulder. "Actually that was Ratchet here's doing, I just popped in not too long ago. I'm Alister Azimuth, by the way. And what name do you go by?"
"My serial number is B5-." The robot's introduction was interrupted due to Ratchet raising his arm seriously.
"No, pal, not a number, a name. Everyone should have their own identity."
Thinking over Ratchet's words, the robot looked unsurely even as he jumped from the table he was at and on the ground with a clank that Ratchet's attention. "Well, I am not certain how that would work for me."
"How about "Clank", pal?" Ratchet offered with a grin.
Processing the question, the robot nodded positively. "Clank will do nicely. Thank you, sir." He then showed a serious look as he said. "All the same, though, I am in search for a hero to save the galaxy." Noticing the poster of a muscular sentient in green from Ratchet's garage, Clank then asked the Lombaxes. "Do either of you know where I would find that fellow?"
Looking at where Clank was gesturing towards, Alister laughed good naturedly. "Captain Qwark may have his moments, Clank, but I can well assure you that there are other heroes in this galaxy that can do whatever is needed to be done in a good fashion, minus the exaggerated ego."
"Still, Clank, who or what does the galaxy need saving from?" Ratchet asked in curiosity, prompting Clank to take out the infobot he had in compartment to show the information it had on it.
Depicting the video of a black-haired and bright-blue-eyed Blarg in a business suit that might as well have been shorter than Ratchet, Alister recognized the man as the corporate ruler of the Blarg, Chairman Alonzo Drek, and from what he heard of the little squat's reputation, he did not expect this to be good news. "Hello, citizens of-." Drek's introduction was then cut off by the image of a lush world subtitled Novalis, prompting Ratchet to make a gagging gesture much to the older Lombax's amusement before the video continued. "My race, the Blarg, have a small problem that I can't help but feel partly responsible for. Our planet, Orxon, has become so polluted, overpopulated, and poisonous, that we are no longer able to dwell here. But I, Chairman Alonzo Drek, inheritor of my father's company and all-around leader of my people, have a solution!"
"Planetary real estate?" Ratchet jokingly asked.
As the video continued, the illustration of an artificial planet was briefly depicted with Drek explaining. "We are constructing a pristine, new world using only the choicest planetary components available. So, what does this mean to you, you might ask?" The blueprints of a giant crane-like machine were then shown, followed by a demonstration of that same machine tearing a chunk of mass from an illustrated planet. "Using highly sophisticated technology, which you couldn't possibly understand, we will be extracting a large portion of your planet and adding it to our new one."
"What the scrap?" Ratchet commented more in surprise with neither a similarly stunned Alister nor Clank blaming him.
Drek then guiltlessly added. "Unfortunately, this change of mass will cause your planet to spin out of control and drift into the sun where it will into a flaming ball of gas, but, of course, sacrifices must be made. Thank you for your cooperation."
"Cut!" Someone out of view exclaimed, and Drek's expression darkened in anger as he ranted.
"And if you don't like it, you can take your whiny, sniveling, snot-nosed populations, form a line behind me and kiss my Blargian-!" Drek then turned to his right confused. "We're still on? Well, turn it off you complete idiot!"
With the video concluded, Clank then gauged the Lombaxes' response.
"The people on those planets are hosed, if no one does anything to help them." Ratchet stated to himself before turning to Alister, who scowled at the news in a remembering way. "Anything we can do, Alister?"
Turning towards him, Alister's angry expression gave way to shock. "You're not thinking of coming along on this adventure, are you?"
With a sheepish look on his face, Ratchet replied. "This time, I really, really, really want to go. And it's the right thing to do in a situation like this."
Turning to Clank, who shrugged in confusion, Alister exhaled before showing a nostalgic smile towards Ratchet. "You really are your father's son." Then in a more authoritative tone, he added. "All right, boys, here's how we'll do things. We shall first see what's happening on Novalis before we head for Qwark's home planet of Kerwan. While we'll still be involved, Qwark is the one who can bring information on Drek's plans straight to the Galactic President, and he'll be the one to round up the Galactic Rangers to fight the Blarg on multiple fronts. All in favor?"
"Works for me, General." Ratchet nodded with a knowing smirk.
"You have experience in military affairs, Alister?" Clank asked in curiosity.
Alister's gaze turned to the ground as he answered. "It was a long time ago." Turning to the arriving minifighters, he then added urgently. "And it's about time we leave, boys. To the ship!"
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Thought about a depiction like this for a while, and I wanted to see how it would go. I know it is a bit short, but I find that I like wrapping up short story Ratchet & Clank chapters at certain locations for the sake of argument. I also admit that the Rebellion "armor" from the deluxe edition of Rift Apart might be a bit too youthful, or maybe retro, for Alister at his old age, but it was the best idea for civilian garb I could think of for him.