Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart,
Dimensional Warriors.
Chapter 6.
Sargasso, June, 22th, 2021.
9:24 A.M.
"Are you sure?" Alex asked as Bill handed him his Jet Pack. Bill just nodded.
"Yeah brah, your going to need it more than me, going off to save the galaxy and all." Alex looked at the tech and grinned, He then pulled Bill into a hug.
"Thanks bro, Ill be sure to get this back to you." Bill just chuckled.
"Hey you just be sure to get back here in one piece, ok? You and my brother need to meet up so we can ll go hang at The Scarlet Blaster." Alex assumed that was a bar. He nodded, giving Bill a thumbs up and hopped into Rivet's ship. She and Ratchet made a plan to fix Clanks long range communications. So now the four of them were off to the Scarstu Debris Field to see if a friend of hers could provide one. As the ship began it's take off Alex gripped the arm rest of his seat. He was never one for flying and here he was going to head into space.
"You doing ok over there?" Rivet asked. She must have heard his heart rate change. He nodded as Rivet punched in the coordinates.
"Oh yeah just peachy." He stared strait ahead out the window and watched as the sky of Sargasso soon became populated by millions of stars as they flew through the atmosphere.
"This is..." Alex stared in wide eyed wonder at the million moats of light before them. Then a curious thought made itself at home in his head.
"I wonder if they're out there somewhere, in this universe?" He asked as Rivet finally gave him her undivided attention. Glancing over at his stoic face, she could only assume he meant his home.
"You mentioned earth at the hospital. What galaxy are they in?" He smiled as he thought of the craziness of it all.
"The milky way galaxy." Rivet scrunched up her face in thought.
"Yeah can't say it rings any bells." Alex chuckled at the face she made.
"That's ok, I wouldn't expect you guys to know anything about my planet let a lone my galaxy." He sat back in the seat and reclined as Rivet did the same.
"Still got a few hours before we reach Scarstu, got any more good store's you'd like to share?" She asked as Alex smiled.
"Well let me tell you about the time I got stuck out in the woods behi-"
9:42 A.M.
Ratchet and Clank sat in their ship feeling relived and focused.
"So once we get your antenna fixed it's off to find a way to build another dimensionator." Clank nodded as Ratchet went deep into thought.
"If they have Blizar Prime in this dimension then we can at the least get the phase quarts and be one step closer to fixing my mistake." Clank stopped as he let the gravity of the situation sink in. Ratchet however gave him a pat.
"Hey come on now. We had no idea Dr. Nefarious would end up doing anything like this." He set the coordinates for Scarstu and let the auto pilot do it's work.
12:35 P.M.
The two groups met up at Scarstu, Rivet leading the way into Zurki's Gastropub. Alex didn't like leaving his guns at the front desk but hey he wasn't going to complain to much seeing as he could take in his Omni-Beam. The four of them all taking a table near the back of the bar, Alex positioned himself with his back to the wall and his eye's towards the door, old habit's dying hard. As soon as they sat down a waitress came over.
"So what'll it be-" She stopped however when she got a good look at Alex. Her staring however was noticed by the group and Alex began to feel self conscious again. Clank cleared his throat getting the waitresses attention.
"We aren't getting anything to eat yet ma'm, Thank you." The waitress left with a curt nod and Alex soon found himslef the center of attention for his three companions.
"What?" He asked as his smile returned. They all looked concerned.
"Your not phased by what just happened?" Ratchet asked as he looked around the bar getting a better layout of the place. Alex just shrugged.
"If I cared about every single person giving me the stink eye right now we'd probably be up to our necks in a bar brawl." He used his eyes to nod towards a group of shady individuals in a corner. They were indeed looking at the group hard and with eyes that could kill. Rivet rolled her eye in disgust.
"Just ignore them." Alex did just that and the group fell into conversation about how to next proceed.
"So we need to get Clanks long range antenna fixed, I can do that." Rivet glanced over to the bar, Ratchet nodded as Clank spoke up.
"And after that we can focus on getting together the components for the Dimensionator." He looked at the group and they all nodded.
"Which means where going to have to split up correct?" Alex surmised. Ratchet nodded.
"Yup, me and Clank can get the blueprints and find a place to build the gun itself." He looked over to Rivet.
"Do you think you and Alex can get to Blizar Prime and find the phase quartz?" Rivet gave Alex a look of confirmation. He took a deep breath and nodded. She grinned and nodded as well.
"Leave that to us." With their plan secured Rivet and Alex made their way over to the bar. As soon as she got the bar the owner came over and bowed.
"Namaste, and peace be with you Rivet." He looked over at Alex and bowed as well.
"And you have a friend I see." She slapped Alex in the back shoving him forward with her robotic strength. He looked at the bar owner and smiled.
"Hey." Rivet just smirked.
"This is Alex, but long story short we need to get our hands on a signal booster." She looked around and sighed.
"You wouldn't happen to know where our "favorite" fist mate is would ya?" From across the bar however came a gruff and definitely french accent.
"Well,well,well, we meet again wee cherie." Rivet knew that voice anywhere. Turning around the two were met with a robot pirate. Rivet looked amused while Alex was just plain curious.
"I'm assuming that's who we're looking for?" Rivet nodded. Pierre gave Alex a look of utter fascination.
"Oh Mon Cheire, must you break my heart so? Who is this uhh…" He looked Alex up and down.
"Errm is the term bad boy?" He said causing Alex to hike an eyebrow. Rivet for her part rolled her eyes.
"Pierre we don't have time for this, give me the part." she held out her hand. Pierre fained shock.
"Oh no, no, did you follow me here? Another fruitless effort to win my affection?" Rivet just smirked as Pierre hammed it up, while Alex had to fight a snikcer of his own.
"And then to try and make me jealous with your boy toy?" This caused both of them to back peddle.
"Wow, hey he's-"
"Yeah she's not-" Pierre however smirked and held up a hand.
"Save your lies." This silenced the both of them, leaving them standing there red faced but luckily that was all there ego would suffer, seeing as Rivet's patience with Pierre's shenanigans was up.
"I'll fight you for it!" This shut up the robot as he gave Rivet an inquisitive look. He grinned as he held up the signal booster.
"Oh, ho, ho, and what of your friend here Hmm?" Alex snapped his finger's and pulled out his blade.
"I'm game." Zurkie however came from behind the counter and held his arms up.
"Zurkies is a violence free zone. Take it outside." He motioned towards the arena. At this Rivet smirked as Pierre let out a breath.
"I am more lover than fighter." He fiddled with the signal booster before them. "But for you Rivet I will always make an exception." With his challenge declared Pierre left and made his way to the arena. Rivet let out a sigh as she rolled her eye's.
"It is always taxing talking to him." Alex gave a nod.
"I can imagine." Rivet then gave Alex a look of appraisal. She studied his body language, his posture, his heart rate was back to normal. Feeling like she'd been eyeing him up a little to long she stopped with a blush and cleared her throat.
"So you ready to kick some ass?" Alex laughed as he leaned against the bar and looked out towards the arena.
"Sure why not. Can't be any more dangerous than what we've already tackled right?" Rivet starred and smirked. His confidence was infectious.
"Nope. Lets go show that snob who's boss." Alex saw a lone console over next to the big glass window over looking the arena
"That were we sign up?" Rivet nodded. The two made their way over and Rivet took care of the sign up process.
"There all done. Now we wait to get called up." She spun around and saw Alex over looking the arena with a slight frown on his face. Thinking back Rivet kinda felt bad for seemingly dismissing him as her date so quickly.
"Hey uh look I'm sorry about before." She gave a nervous chuckle as she rubbed her arm. Alex glanced her way and looked sideways.
"Huh about what?" He asked making her feel a little on the spot. Rivet went over and stood next to him, starring out the glass letting out a sigh as she remembered her first run in with Pierre.
"The whole boy toy thing." Alex realized what she was talking about and his face flushed red.
"Oh, yeah.. that." He let out a chuckle and waved it off.
"Don't worry about that Rivet, I'm not some super stud, and my ego isn't that fragile." Rivet laughed and then smirked.
"Yeah well it's not like your not a catch." She heard what she said and held a hand to her mouth.
"Did I really just say that out loud." She looked around frantically as Alex processed what she had said. With a face now cherry red he gave her a nod.
"Ah well thanks," He them rubbed his neck as nervous laughter was let loose.
"And here I was thinking that I was ugly or something." This got Rivet's attention, causing her to gave him a look of bewilderment.
"What gave you that idea?" Alex was now confused.
"Uh well back at your place you kinda beat a hasty retreat after seeing me naked, I kinda thought it was because of the way I looked." There was that awkward silence. Rivet slowly went crimson faced again.
"Ah.. no… no you aren't ugly or anything, kinda hot though actually." She muttered that last part as her face continued to do an impression of mars. Shaking her head got her mind out of the gutter as she gave Alex a nervous giggle.
"No, your not gross or ugly Alex, I was just, a little, caught of guard, by just how different, you looked." She again rubbed her arm as Alex soaked it all in. He was genuinely shocked, touched and kinda felt like an ass now.
"I see. Well thanks I guess?" He let out a nervous laugh that helped set Rivets mind at ease as little better. She looked over at the score board and saw that thankfully to her great delight they were next up. She gave Alex a punch to his shoulder and pointed to the arena. He nodded and the two stepped onto the platform.
He was surprised when the floor suddenly opened beneath them, sending them both plummeting to the arena below. Rivet landed on her feet, while Alex just thought fast. Raising his gauntlet clad fist into the air he shot a grapple line up to the ceiling of the bar just as the floor door closed. This gave him enough slack to land and roll with the impact, showcasing his agility to the whole stadium which seemed to get them pumped up. He got up and dusted his jacket off, as Rivet gave him a thumbs up.
"Welcome my fiends to Zurkon Junior's Slaughterplex!" The crowd went wiled at this announcement, after a few moments of cheering the crowd settled down.
Are you ready to witness the excitement!?" They lit up once more in cheer's.
"The pain!? More cheers.
"The carnage!?" Louder still did the crowd get at this statement. Rivet was soon joined by Alex who had his sword out preparing himself for an intense fight by warming up. She gave his routine a look of curiosity and pulled out her War Monger.
"Tonight, fiend favorite Rivet alongside her new companion Alex will fight the thieving, traitorous, pirates, of Captain Pierre Le Fer!" It seems that this was the signal for the fight to begin, because soon portals began to open up allowing the pirates of Pierre's crew to filter through them at an alarming rate.
"You take the left side i'll take the right!" Rivet commanded, Alex doing as he was told, pulling out his Mr. Fungi glove and tossing the distracting shroom into the fray.
"Let's party!" It shouted as it blithely began to blast nearby pirates with glee.
Alex for his part parried a blade sent his way by a single pirate who then backed off and tried to trust again. This time Alex side stepped the weapon and brought his sword down on the pirates arm, severing his limb. Before the pirate could glance at his fallen appendage however Alex sent his sword through the robots face, splitting it in half. This however cost his as he felt another blade rake across his back. He was glad he left his Jet Pack in the ship, because with the size of these weapons he'd more than likely have to find a new one for Bill to use.
"He, he, your not half bad land lover." The pirate screached as Alex dodged another attack, jabbing the robot with his tip, leaving what would most certainly be a nasty would for a human. This only seemed to tickle the robot however who weaved their sword around in a steel wall, blocking all of Alex's counter attacks. Alex slipped up and over extended, earning a fist to the gut, which sent him to his knees. From here however Alex could see a yellow portal form across the arena.
"Thanks for the complement." He said as he reached his hand out, shooting a tether line through the portal and snagging another pirate with it. He then pulled with all of his strength, yanking the pirate through and sending him straight into the swordsman. Alex then grabbed his mace and smashed the two as they tried to untangle themselves from the heap they had gotten stuck in. He glanced around and saw that his Mr Fungi had put in some work before it faded, leaving behind a pile of robo corpses underneath it.
"Hey Alex, you ok?" Rivet asked as she took care of one more pirate. He gave her a thumbs up, and had to hide the fact that he was once more holding his chest. Alex suddenly felt a wave of soothing calm wash over him. Looking down he saw a health box underneath his feet. Feeling reinvigorated he walked over to Rivet who was taking a bit of a breather while the announcer hyped up the crowd.
"One down four more to go." Rivet said as Alex picked up the fallen robots weapons, studying them, and possibly seeing if he could upgrade his arsenal. There Hand Cannon was an interesting weapon for sure, and their cutlass was nothing to scoff at either. The gun shot spiked explosive projectiles, while the sword was huge. The gauntlet glowed as did the weapons, the Hand Cannon and the sword started to devolve into a small cloud of nanites. The cloud gathered around Alex's sword and his revolver witch slowly began to reconfigure themselves.
"Well that's cool." He said as his once single edged blade was now double edged, resembling a longsword more than the giant cleaver it had previously been. His gun however was definitely beefier than before, as he pulled it out of his now modified looking holster he was greatly surprised by it's new look. It was still a single action but more importantly everything about it was bigger. The frame, the grip, the cylinder, and the barrel had all been beefed up to accept larger and more powerful cartridges. The square profile of the gun left little in the name of concealeability but Alex had to admit he liked the copper and steel paint job it now sported.
"Ok this I can work with." He put the gun back in it's holster and smiled as Rivet shook her head.
"You guys sue do love your toys." She snickered as Alex waved her off.
"Yeah well what can I say. Gun's are better than sex." Rivet went read but smirked as she gave Alex a warning look.
"Oh really? And just how would you know that?" Alex froze as he realized what he'd just said and blushed fiercely.
"Uh well you know, its something that I've heard, never experienced-" He gave Rivet a glare however when he saw her laughing up a storm.
"You suck." He grumbled as she regained her composure, tears still streaming down her face as she let out a few more giggles.
"Oh the look on your face was priceless." She let out one final sigh as Zurkon Jr. returned.
"All right folks, lets get ready for our second match out of five!" Alex quickly got his focus back as did Rivet. She glanced over at Alex and smirked while he rolled his eyes and shot a smile her way.
"Audience are you ready?" The crowed roared to life.
"Contestants are you ready?" Rivet and Alex gave him a nod.
"Perfect, then let the second match begin!"
1:43 P.M.
Ratchet and Clank watched from the bar as Rivet and Alex made short work of the next two waves and were currently on their third one. As they tried to not draw attention to themselves they failed to notice a robot following their every move.