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Chapter Eight
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Enroute to Gemlik Base
Having learned from the infobot on Hoven that Drek Industries had an offensive planned against Gorda City on the planet Oltanis, Ratchet, Rivet, Clank, and Kit made their way in the tour shuttle to Gemlik Base which orbited Oltanis itself at the time, in hopes of catching Drek and Qwark just before they would attack. While Rivet and Clank directed the shuttle to the base, however, Ratchet's and Kit's telescreen research led them to learn that the attack was already happening while they flew in Space.
"All hope certainly seems lost," the robotic news reporter said aloud while a local, panicked civilian screamed in the background. "Darla Gratch, Channel 2 News."
The newscast over, the two Lombaxes and two robots groaned in dismay at what they saw and heard.
"It certainly is worse than what I expected," Clank commented.
Rivet frowned heavily as she said, "Near as I can tell, your Drek is a lot worse than the one Kit and I have back home."
"Hopefully, we should find a faster ship at the space station," Kit offered a suggestion before sadly adding, "so that we can be of more immediate help next time."
Ratchet then pointed out with some optimism, "Just because hope 'seems' lost doesn't mean that it is! We can still do this!"
"Heck yeah," Rivet agreed with a smirk and a pumped fist directed to her three friends which they reciprocated in kind.
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Gemlik Base, Oltanis Orbit
Soon enough, the quartet arrived at the large hunk of metal connected to a just as large ship that was meant to be part launch platform, part fortress, and all mobile, Gemlik Base itself.
"I'm gonna go on a limb here and say that B.T.S. looked way more livable than this dump," Rivet said upon landing at the base with a teasing smile under her O2 Helmet.
"Even so, it appears that we just missed Drek," Clank replied in concern at not seeing any sign of the Blargian Space Fleet.
"No use worrying about him now, Clank," Ratchet responded before saying, "While we're here, let's take out the bad guys, find a better ship, and then see if those people in Gorda City are doing fine."
Humming in thought, Kit advised, "On that last note, Ratchet, perhaps we should split into two teams off in separate locations? Rivet and I can handle things here, while you and Clank take the shuttle down to Gorda City. It should save considerable time and effort, and we can reunite here later."
"Sounds reasonable to me," Clank commented while the Lombaxes nodded and, in Ratchet's case, passed over the Pilot's Helmet and his Trespasser over to Rivet in the event she needed them.
"Let's find a new ship then, Kit," Rivet said as the yellow robot mounted herself on the former's back and they took their leave of the launch pad.
"Be careful, girls," Ratchet called out as he and Clank reentered the shuttle.
"Clank should be the most careful," Kit replied in equal volume before adding, "Without the power generators, he'll be electrocuted by Oltanis's frequent storms!"
The boys showed thumbs up in understanding at the news before flying the shuttle down to the nearby planet. Rivet and Kit then began to explore the base, using the Trespasser as well as the Devastator and Visibomb Gun Rivet herself bought from Gadgetron venders to make their way further into the space station. After a good amount of time wondering, though, the girls came face to face with someone who immediately got on their nerves.
"Hello, heroes," Captain Qwark greeted the two a bit smugger than he should have been.
Rivet was about ready to swing her hammer, but Kit quickly intervened with a sharp glare at the former superhero as she demanded, "Where is Drek, Qwark?"
The green-cladded sophont merely scoffed in response to the question. "He operates on a spaceship, little lady. He could be anywhere by now." Qwark then adopted a look of confusion himself as he noticed that only Rivet and Kit were before him, prompting him to ask, "Where did your boyfriends run off to?"
"Unlike you, Ratchet and Clank are actually helping people," Rivet ranted before she then comprehended what Qwark specifically said and sputtered in embarrassment, "Wait, boyfriends?!"
Shaking the back of his head just as awkward, Qwark proceeded to explain, "Well, from what I gather, you two aren't related to Ratchet and Clank aside some convenient resemblances, so I assumed that you're couples."
"Well, you assumed wrong," Kit stammered a rebuttal.
"Uh, yeah, it would be weird regardless," Rivet muttered in agreement with Kit's words.
Unfortunately, a sly grin showed itself on Qwark's face that both heroines dreaded. "You two don't sound very convincing in how platonic you all sound to be."
"Kit," Rivet turned to her partner with a pleading look.
"End him," Kit permitted with a dismayed tone of voice. "End him now."
Before the female Lombax could hit the backstabber with her hammer, however, Qwark jumped away from the duo to land on large and wide starfighter with orange windows and six turbines on the back that matched his color scheme. "Come and get me, you precocious lot," he shouted with a challenge in his amused way of speaking.
Rivet snarled at the condescension, prompting Kit to say with affirmation, "To the hanger!"
"Great idea," the Lombax replied and, alongside Kit, found an orange jet fighter similar to the one they used on Pokitaru, which hopefully meant that it was already armed with bullets and rockets.
Quickly getting inside and activating it to launch into Space with the Pilot's Helmet, Rivet flew it straight after Qwark's starfighter and proceeded to open fire on him.
"Come on, Rivet," the spandexed sophont said over the intercom, "I'm doing this for your own good!"
"How do you figure that," Kit snapped while she sat on Rivet's lap.
"If it's not me, it could be someone even worse," Qwark quickly replied before adding, "Now let's have a little facetime."
The starfighter then turned to face Rivet's jet fighter and captured it in a tractor beam before firing rockets in her and Kit's direction. Fortunately, Rivet was able to steer the jet fighter out of the beam and the firing range. Returning to chasing down Qwark, Rivet had to use her vessel's ammo on the starfighter's turbines to tear off its sections one at a time.
"Enough practice," Qwark shouted in annoyance and sinisterly added, "let's have some fun!"
In an instant, Qwark's starfighter accelerated while being covered in an energy shield, and Rivet and Kit had to be distracted by an approaching squadron of orange colored Blarg Space Fighters.
"I'm really getting tired of that guy," Rivet grunted as she fired on the fighters blocking their path.
Kit nodded at Rivet's words as she said, "I dare say that I would not regret stomping on him in my warbot form."
Forcing a laugh, Rivet replied, "Yeah, that would be golden."
Thankfully, with some well-planned maneuvering and aiming, the whole squadron was wiped out, forcing Qwark to react immediately by deactivating his shield.
"Looks like I gotta take you out myself then," he said with determination as large mines were then deployed.
"Then why aren't you facing us man to men," Rivet retorted as she had the jet fighter dodge the incoming mines while shooting straight at the starfighter's engines.
"Rivet," Kit could not help interjecting with a flat tone of voice that made the Lombax realize that she just referred to herself and Kit as males instead of females.
"Uh, not that we can't technically man up, right, Kit," Rivet asked with some forced bravado.
Kit folded her arms and looked away, saying, "I honestly expected that from Ratchet rather than you."
"Oh, to Heck with it," Rivet muttered in defeat and went back to shooting Qwark's final engine off of his ship, causing it to plummet to nearby Oltanis.
"Mayday, mayday," Qwark shouted in fright of the circumstances before yelling as his vessel fell through the planet's atmosphere.
"Serves him right," Kit nodded to herself as Rivet piloted the jet fighter back to the base. After a moment, she then said, "Do you suppose we should inform Ratchet and Clank just in case Qwark survives the crash and comes looking for them?"
Exiting the jet fighter, Rivet shook her head as she replied, "I don't think even Qwark is stupid enough to go back to Drek after that last screwup, even if he had some hope of getting either of the guys." Exhaling in her O2 Helmet, she added, "Would make it easier for himself if he just turned himself in by now."
Kit showed a sympathetic look at the remark as she said, "You still saw some of your friend, Quantum, in him?"
Sighing once more, Rivet then said in response, "It's kind of weird and maybe even crazy to think like that, Kit, but I guess the lines between good and evil aren't easy to see when it comes to people we know in one dimension or another."
"I suppose that is a logical argument," Kit noted a bit saddened. Instantaneously, though, the small robot perked up as she said, "On the bright side, Rivet, I see a Blarg fighter with our names on it!"
Following Kit's gaze, Rivet saw the long, purple ship with a yellow cockpit and two wide wings, and nodded, saying, "It'll probably be a bit cramped for two Lombaxes and two robots, but it definitely looks faster than what we've used so far." After a moment, she then ventured to say, "All of this will make for a good story to tell back in our dimension, huh?"
Making eye contact, Kit unsurely asked, "Would you want me to return home with you, Rivet?"
Gazing at her prosthetic arm momentarily, Rivet shortly turned in her partner's direction and replied, "I admit that I'm not sure how I'd handle seeing your warbot form again, Kit, but you're my friend, and we should at least try to make things right for the both of us."
With a hopeful expression, Kit then held out her right hand towards Rivet, saying, "Team?"
"Team," the female Lombax replied with a reciprocating handshake and smile.
Looking into the distance, the two friends soon saw Ratchet and Clank return in the tour shuttle they had been using since Umbris, and once both sides were caught up on each other's progress, all four then made their way to the Blarg fighter to continue their objectives of defeating Drek and finding a way to return home for Rivet and Kit.
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A bit shorter than what I would have preferred, but it was the best I could do all things considering.
Back on my question last chapter, having looked through the available game guides, I can say for certain that Edwina is not the sister of Bob and Big Al. Kind of a shame, but it opens up some possibilities, at least.
Truth be told, I wanted to feature an early appearance for Vendra and Neftin Prog at the end of this update, but then I realized that I had no idea how they would be aware of what was going on in Solana, especially with the two interdimensional arrivals that are not from the Netherverse like they themselves were.