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 Evil Emperor's Meeting
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Number Woo's Headquarters, Asyanica City, Solana Galaxy
Described as a lawless neon jungle, the space city of Asyanica was built in the form of a small moon and had been under the control of the evil crime lord, Number Woo, and his army of robotic ninjas for many years. Taking a break from his work of reviewing his criminal operations and intimidating his minions, Woo was busy sampling his fortune of bolts in his office when all of a sudden, Asyanica began to stir and be engulfed in light as if it had been caught in a tractor beam mixed with a teleportation beam.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Woo exclaimed aloud in disbelief before he and the entire city vanished.
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Countess Ivana Lottabolts's Palace, Glaciara Comet
While comets were mostly uninhabited, frozen space rocks, Glaciara was an exception, having been colonized by the deceased robot, Count Lottabolts, decades ago and used as an exporter of raw materials such as gems. Now under the Count's daughter, Ivana, Glaciara had also been used as part of a smuggling route that made the music-loving Countess even wealthier.
Hosting another ballroom party of hers in her estate, Countess Ivana had been enjoying herself with dance, music, and gifts given to her by admirers, potential suitors, and other associates when Glaciara itself then shook as if it was experiencing an earthquake. Regaining her balance, Ivana tried to motion for calm, even though she was unsure what had happened herself.
"Everyone, settle down!" Ivana stated in her aristocratic accent, but then, Glaciara was teleported elsewhere.
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Annihilation Nation, Station Q9
Built inside an asteroid, Station Q9 played host to the popular and legal gladiator show, Annihilation Nation, with the robotic popstar, Courtney Gears, being well-known at handing out prizes to the winners. Courtney, however, did not exactly care for this endorsement deal, always having preferred robots over organics and feeling that she could use her time making more songs that were sold simply because people thought they sounded good rather than because the hotbot singing them was attractive.
Her internal brooding as well as the occurring show were interrupted, though, when the asteroid began to shake.
"Well, that doesn't sound good." Courtney commented before Station Q9, with her in it, was gone in a flash.
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High Stakes Room of Le Paradis Des Tricheurs Casino
Also referred to as the High-Rollers Casino, Le Paradis Des Tricheurs was famed for its high security and notorious for catering to robotic criminals. One such outlaw known as the Jack of All Trades from Planet Jorsey was playing cards in the private room with the casino's robotic owner, Nike, and while he was a silent enforcer for hire, Nike had to admit that he knew how to pull a convincing poker face.
Nike's respectful thoughts towards the Jack of All Trades were halted, however, when her casino began to move and be enveloped in light.
"What in tarnation?!" She exclaimed in shock, but it was too late for both her and the Jack of All Trades along with everyone else in the casino.
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Pierre Le Fer's Galleon, Solana Spaceship Graveyard
Located at the edge of the Solana Galaxy, and said to be close to the planet Sargasso in the Polaris Galaxy, the aptly named Spaceship Graveyard was right then playing the stage for a space battle between the Robotic Space Pirates of Pierre Le Fer, who had recently taken the role of leader from his recently mutinied Captain, Romulus Slag, and a fleet of Valkyries under the command of Captains Cassiopeia, Carina, and Libra. While both factions of robotic criminals were strong enough to hold off the militaries of Polaris, the growing power of Emperor Percival Tachyon had forced them all to flee outside their native galaxy, and for numerous reasons, the Valkyries did not want to share Solana with Pierre just as he did not want to subordinate himself to them.
"It would be wise of you to give up now, Monsieur Le Fer." Carina advised sternly as she and her fellow Valkyries fired on the Pirate ships.
From his own vessel, Pierre retorted in his own accent that mirrored Carina's. "I think not, Carina, my belle. I think this is the part where you surrender to me!"
"Then why are you running from us, you coward?!" Libra snapped back as she kept firing.
"Don't waste time talking to this flirty sleaze, sisters!" Cassiopeia ordered. "Just blow him up here and now already!"
"We shall see!" Pierre responded back and was about to command his crew in a rhyme before a visible beam of light engulfed both fleets and they vanished.
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Conference Room onboard the Leviathan
Onboard a long and heavily guarded star cruiser, a lone robot, well-dressed as a butler with bright, blue eyes, waited for his employer's "forcefully invited guests" to arrive. Thankfully, he did not have to wait long. In a flash, nine seats surrounding the room's U-shaped table were filled with numerous robots taken their spot just as the butler robot saw that their prior locations from their ships to the Glaciara Comet itself were teleported just outside the star cruiser.
"Greetings, everyone." The butler said to the nine incredibly bewildered robots. "On behalf of my employer, allow me to apologize for the way we invited you all to the Leviathan, but alas, we had to get you all here all the same." He then bowed at the waist as he introduced himself. "Lawrence, at your service. Shall I fetch anything that would make your time here pleasant."
The Valkyrie, Libra, in her incredibly masculine voice, was the first to make demands. "You can start by telling us what we are all doing here?! And who's your boss, butler bot? I'm going to have words with him soon enough!"
"Oh, wow!" A new, sharp-toned voice entering the conference room commented aloud at Libra's response. "Such ferocity should be expected from a true Valkyrie, if I do say so myself."
With all eyes turning to the voice's direction, the "invitees" native to Solana all gasped in surprise, horror, and even awe while Pierre and the Valkyries looked in confusion at the sight of the skeletal-looking robot with the orange glassed dome on his head. It was at that moment that Lawrence made his cue in introducing his employer, even in his wry tone of voice.
"Ladies and gentle-mechs, I present to you all the sovereign ruler of the universe chosen by destiny, scientific and tactical genius extraordinaire, and the most enlightened sentient among all lifeforms, Emperor Nefarious."
Courtney clapped her hands energetically at Nefarious's entrance followed by Ivana, Woo, Nike, and Jack at varying degrees of enthusiasm. Pierre and the Valkyries, however, still looked confused, considering that they no idea who Nefarious was.
Clearing his mechanical throat first, Pierre then said. "Apologies, Monsieur Emperor, but this is admittedly the first time I have ever heard of you."
Glaring at Pierre for a brief moment, Nefarious then said. "I suppose that much can be forgiven, Captain Le Fer, seeing as how I have been so occupied with the rabble of my native Solana, I have yet to match, let us say, Imperial wits with Percival Tachyon."
"You do indeed put the "wit" in "outwitting", sir." Lawrence commented with a slight bow.
With a knowing look, Nefarious then told his butler. "I'll that that as a compliment, Lawrence. In the meantime, go fetch our guests some drinks." Turning to the others with a seemingly hosting smile, he added. "I trust you won't mind non-alcoholic beverages."
Receiving no complaints, Nefarious then sat at the head of the table and began to introduce his invited guests with some praise here and there before getting down to the matter at hand.
"Simply put, my good friends, I would like to invite you all to the Nefarious Empire."
Trading glances with his fellows, Woo was the first to ask. "What uses do you see for us in serving you, Your Excellency?"
Chuckling, Nefarious then explained. "To start with you, Number Woo, you, like the Jack of All Trades, offer underworld connections as well as the realization of my own capital city in the form of Asyanica. Once properly modified, of course." He then turned to Courtney, Nike, and Ivana. "Annihilation Nation is a useful form of entertainment no different from Miss Gears's music that combined with the High-Rollers Casino and the mines of Glaciara will supply incredible revenue." Then to the Valkyries and Pierre, he added. "And the Space Pirates and Valkyries when combined as one force, will bolster my own Nefarious Army in seizing new territory and riches for me."
Before the others could contemplate in silence, Nefarious then chuckled cruelly. "If any of you have trouble with those terms, you're more than welcome to leave, but, as I'm sure you've all been wondering, there's a reason no one outside has acted in trying to breach the Leviathan and rescue you all. Are you so sure you want to know what could happen inside my cruiser, if you say no?"
Cassiopeia was the first to toast to Nefarious as she said in an impressed voice. "I dare say you're the first man after my own heart, my Emperor." Turning to Carina and Libra with a knowing look, she added. "We're in."
"I stand with Cassy." Carina said with a nod as she toasted as well.
"Yeah, sure." Libra said in defeat.
"It would be my honor to serve you, Monsieur Emperor." Pierre voiced.
Jack of All Trades then raised his own glass as the rest followed suit, leaving a pleased smirk on Nefarious's face.
"To the Nefarious Empire then!" The Emperor cheered.
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I got the idea from remembering Archie Sonic Universe Issue 37. I initially thought about putting Klunk in a situation like this before the events of Secret Agent Clank as the Kingpin, but I had trouble thinking it through, and something told me that Emperor Nefarious would have better luck imitating the spirit of Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik at his most serious moments just like how Doctor Nefarious has become a bit more like Mario's Bowser since All 4 One in my opinion. Adding Pierre Le Fer and the Valkyries as "prospective privateers" to the Nefarious Empire was a nice choice as well, in my opinion.
Most importantly of all, it is plainly unfair that Secret Agent Clank apparently did not name the Casino Owner. In a cartoonish robot kind of way, she looked so gorgeous. And do not get me started on Clank's Going Commando girlfriend, who, as far as I am concerned, deserved her own name, in-game voice actor, and a reason why she did not appear again. Thankfully, for the sake of argument, I gave the Casino Owner the name "Nike" after the Greek goddess of victory in a kind of shoutout to the actress who voiced her in Secret Agent Clank.
