Ratchet's ship soared to approach the Blarg Tactical Research Station. It was a ring of pods in a depressing shade of brown and cheap quality glass. One misaimed shot or thrown object could send the entire thing flying apart. Nevertheless, it saved enough for Supreme Executive Chairman Drek to possess several expensive island villas so it was all good. Furthermore there were several parked ships of various sizes and makes, some operational and others condemned to be testing platforms orbiting the main installation. It showed how committed Blarg Industries was to safety when one very large ship that curiously had the only unusual feature of a big red button spontaneously exploded. In any case, the courtier ship made its way past the non-existent security unmolested, because really who would be fool enough to try to come here?
Ratchet and Clank jumped out of the cockpit and walked further into the empty launch bay. The little robot, slightly shaken by the illogical blast that sent their ship slightly rattling had some uncomfortable thoughts queued up in his processing unit. It was rooted in the observation that most organic species group together in family units where parents nurture their offspring. Lombaxes were included on that list; therefore, it suddenly occurred to the robot that Ratchet would have had parents out there, currently worrying where their son was. "Excuse me Ratchet, my apologies but are you not aware we've been at this for several days? Do you not have any parental figures back on Veldin that would be concerned with your wellbeing?" Ratchet flinched and to the robot's eyes looked to be actually cringing, edging away to a safe corner. Calculations of possible reasons for the lombax's behavior raced through the circuits of Clank. Dilated eyes, hyperventilation, and acute signs of stress. It did not compute to a promising image file. "Ratchet? Your home situation, does it distress you?" Ratchet turned quickly the robot. " . Clank, really it's just my ma's probably freakin' out by now. And I don't know how to tell her and pa what's happening right now. Probably because they'll be too busy chewing me out first." Clank's antenna flashed several times as he attempted to parse the words Ratchet said. "I do not understand why your parents would attempt mastication of their offspring's flesh? It is not listed in any available articles on lombax society and custom." Clank said, and Ratchet sighed going into a small lecture of how the cool kits talked.
Back on Veldin
Meanwhile on Veldin under the clear sky illuminated by an orange sun, a single Blarg robot was out on patrol. The clanking and grinding of poor quality craftsmanship screeched out across the cliffs. Small clouds of dust drifted into the air with every step it took, seeking any non-Blarg life to eliminate. Then the robot exploded.
Cara Nova bounced yet another bomb from her glove, her fur standing on end with her insides cold with satisfaction. She casually tossed the bomb behind her, it bounced and pinged against several rocks before it landed on the head of yet another robot drone. In a second, another invader bit the dust. Her eyebrows were in an acute angle, while her mate, Kaden the Keeper of the Dimensionator, followed the trail she blazed. (Kaden had only certain members of the Lombax Central Council to blame for the constant capitalization of his title.) The genius inventor, scientist, adventurer, and guardian couldn't help but let out a sigh of both exasperation and adoration. Seeing Cara among the midst of flaming plumes and the smoking pieces of the enemy just made Cara even more alluring. In any case, Kaden after being mated for so long with Cara could see that she wasn't taking as much enjoyment with blowing up these invaders with criminal intentions.
Security camera footage reviewed a few hours ago caught the scene of Ratchet escaping from robots of the same make that had swamped over Veldin ground. While Kaden was proud that Ratchet had built his own ship from scratch and actually got it to fly, there was the terror of not knowing what had happened to his kit. The lombax dodged a sudden swipe from another robot drone, letting a cryo-mine explode right in its facial plate. A quick whack with his Omni-Wrench sent the machine shattering into several hundreds shards of ice and mechanical parts. In Kaden's mind however there were some things at least that eased his concerns.
For one thing, the kit did manage to take with in his Omni-wrench and bomb-glove. Though Kaden and his friend Alister had always wondered just how Ratchet got an Omni-wrench made by a company another galaxy away, and the current model in any case. Shaking his head and giving cover fire for his mate with a few well-tossed comet-strikes, he considered that Ratchet wasn't completely alone in whatever adventure he had jumped into. Sure that robot was little, but it didn't seem hostile and Kaden hoped that it would prove to be a worthy friend to Ratchet who really needed them. These two things combined with all the mechanical skill and self-defense training he knew his son had made Kaden's heart be slightly more at ease. "Please be safe Ratchet." Unloading energy bolts into several Horny Toads drawn by the commotion, Kaden didn't want to think about how Sara would act if Ratchet died out there on his adventure. He tossed out a comet-strike behind him, the wrench bounced off a robotic commando. Somebody was going to pay in that case. However there was a more pressing matter at the current moment, somebody was attempting to invade Veldin for some reason, and the lombaxes were going to get to the bottom of it.
Meanwhile at the Blarg Tactical Research Station
"Nobody's here? I would have thought there'd be somebody working here." Ratchet said to the empty set of rooms. The lombax was committing a spot of profitable vandalism with the new Taunter the vendor handed to him. Constantly holding down the trigger for a barrage of expletive sounds and insulting phrases not only infuriated any puke colored reptilian Alien Swarmers but also spontaneously collapsing boxes and objects holding some sweet, sweet bolts. Of course those mutant creatures were easily cleared out with bombs once so enraged, leaving the lombax to not worry about any pack tactics. However as they passed by a door, Clank detached from his bolt attachment. Ratchet turned back to see the robot staring at the portal. "What's up Clank?" Ratchet said.
"My sensors are indicating some sort of device is currently being stored behind this door. According to the Gadgetron radar system I've been uplinked to." Clank said and Ratchet made to enter the door to pick up the gadget as one never knew if it would come in handy. His hand on the control panel was halted by Clank's own. "However this door is also an air lock to one of the derelict target practice ships and cargo storage." Ratchet blinked "you mean..." Clank nodded. "Correct, there is a lack of atmosphere for an organic of your size to respire. Wait here, I will attempt to retrieve the device in question." Clank entered the airlock alone to which Ratchet could only tell the robot to be careful out there.
Inside the circuitry of Clank however, surges of electricity jumped from board to board. Finally a chance to contribute to the efforts in searching for Captain Qwark with Ratchet! A lift took him down to the lower levels and Clank beheld the yawning expanse of the storage lot. Lattices of scaffolding connected ships earmarked to be blown up and vaporized by Blarg test weaponry. As an additional cost cutting measure, some of those very same weapons were stored in the same place, perfect for a little industrial accident and insurance fraud. Clank made his first few tentative steps and bumped into a stall. He blinked; it was that same alien from Kerwan again.
"Welcome Back!" the stranger said, arms outstretched in jubilation. "Nice to meet you here, business has been slow here at Crazy H's, perhaps not the best location." Clank wished to question this shopkeeper but couldn't get a word in edgewise. "Ah my robot friend, walking about on you own yeah? It's rather dangerous for a robot of your stature and prestige." The brownish red alien reached down the counter and brought out a large yet slim piece of hardware. "That's why you should invest in some matter of personal defense. Look here" gesturing to the gadget within his hand. "This is the Clank Zapper, a handy little device for any robotic model with XP-18 sisterboards. Electrify your enemies with the excess static discharge from normal operations. It's fun and efficient!" Clank had to compile his thoughts. Here was something that could allow him to contribute and protect Ratchet in the many dangerous situations the lombax kept running into. Yet right here and right now he just so happens to find a solution to his dilemma? Even though he had not been operational for long. Something in this situation didn't compute. "Sir, why exactly are you doing this sir?"
"Please don't call me sir," the shopkeeper said a little too quickly. "If you are doubtful about this weapon's performance then take it for a test run!" Still Clank hesitated, it seemed like a good deal and this alien seemed to be quite earnest. Yet there was still the question of how this alien had set up shop in a private Blarg research station. "The upgrade would allow you to shoot lasers from your eyes." Clank quickly laid hand on the zapper. "So how do I install this?" The robot said, and the alien answered that Clank's innate plug and play technology would take care of that. "Now I may not purchase this right away but.." Clank said before the alien replied that he did say that the robot could have a trial run. Clank zipped further into the lot. It worked better than the robot could ever dream of. Normally Clank had only his fists to drive off the packs of mutated creatures wandering about. The Clank Zapper though discharged powerful bolts of electricity that made short work of them. Truly it made a farce of a mutant Snapper guarding a doorway, where Clank only had to stand there examining his digit joints for any defects while his installed enhancement zapped the enemy into a smoking sizzling heap. Very soon with the aid of some Gadgebots, Clank found the device that had shown up on his radar. He hoisted it into the air, the Hydrodisplacer radiated an aura of light. Then he immediately stuffed it inside his robotic storage before chuckling with success. He returned to the stall via the activation of a drawbridge. "This enhancement performed quite optimally, how much for it?" Clank said. For the robot, the alien would take no less than 100 bolts. Thankfully the robot had that amount on him though he did express surprise that the alien would let something so useful go for so little bolts. To this the alien waved it off and quietly said, "For you guys anything." The transaction was done and Clank was thanked for his business. The robot went to return to Ratchet and the alien shopkeeper jumped back and fell into the void.
Ratchet who had been waiting for only a few minutes straightened up when he heard the airlock door click, and he would deny ever worrying about the robot if asked. "I'm back." Clank said. "So you are." Ratchet said when Clank reached into his storage and tossed something into the lombax's hands "and, I found this." Ratchet bounced it between his hands and inspected the device from all angles, taking a look at the durable alloy and elastic polymer sphere. "Hey, cool! It's a... a... what is it?" Ratchet looked at the robot. Clank had pulled up the relevant file on the network databases. "A hydrodisplacer." Ratchet clung to the device and actually couldn't bear to look Clank in the eye, his ears folded slightly back and with a hint of stress in his voice. "Great, I always wanted one of these... I guess..." The lombax stored it away then turned back to give the robot a hand up reluctantly and with more black than green in his eyes. That the lombax breathed easy when the robot took it wasn't commented on. "Oh Ratchet." Clank said as he took his usual place on the lombax's back. How strange had he really gotten used to it so quickly? Ratchet asked what before Clank answered. "You'll be quite surprised at what I can do now." Ratchet laughed and said he'll look forward to it as they continued through the dark halls.
Meanwhile Supreme Executive Drek was trying to reach the commander, bashing the communication console several times in fact. The only thing that filled the screen was the gentle but harsh drone of static. "Grrr, lousy ingrate, how can I work surrounded by incompetent fools who don't answer to my every whim?" Drek needed that information on the progress of their new planet construction, and the elimination of the competition's resources. Eudora was merely the tip of the iceberg. Seriously Drek considered, he was lacking in competent minions. Yet he couldn't have them be too competent though. The fear of being overthrown or worse have his master plan figured out ensured that there would always be something lacking in the quality of his minions. Still Drek chuckled, steepling his fingers. It would all turn out to be profitable for him especially with that secondary project in store. However, a series of frown lines marked his brow. There had been reports of meddlers getting close to the business of the new planet's construction. Furthermore, there was one small detail of selecting the perfect climate controlled orbit. That last step could wait until the new Blarg planet had finally been completed. The more pressing concern was of those meddlers who had a chance of hindering construction, especially if certain authorities were made aware of the veil of bureaucracy and lies surrounding Blarg Industries' activities. Thankfully he had one of them in his pocket and with a very nice stick to keep him in line. He clicked his intercom and sent another warning to his pawn to take care of any lose ends. Yes Drek thought Everything was coming along nicely.
Unknown to the Blarg leader, on Eudora the robotic commander couldn't answer Drek's call. As his body currently lay on the dust of the planet. Sparks danced in a series of arcs before fading away. On his cranial unit and chassis were large gaping holes. Circuitry and wires lay exposed. The holes were caved inward from the force of whatever made its way through the robot's body from behind. And left sparking was the commander's communicator to Drek. Ambushed on his way from escaping from the sudden appearance of Ratchet and Clank, the remains of the minion of the Blarg left out in the open. Witnessed by none but the few Monarch butterflies and wildlife there. Eventually covered over with the foliage of Eudora, what information and aid the robot had would be forever lost to the forest...
Returning to Nebula G34 and the BTR Station
Ratchet left the large arena like area only slightly out of breath and a gleam to his fur. He had been through several jumps through inappropriately heated chambers lacking in insulation, several electrified fences shut down, and waves after waves of Mutant Snappers with a much larger one, a queen at the end. Thankfully with a combination of heavy weaponry, good old wrench bashing, teamwork and acrobatic feats the duo were able to survive every single work safety violation in the place. It was a pleasant surprise to Ratchet when a trio of Mutant Snappers with their obscene range due to their necks was incinerated by a single bolt of lightning from Clank. It was particularly helpful when Ratchet had to deal with the annoying Snappers that came up to defend their queen. The lombax could focus on bombing the large mutant to bits while Clank zapped off the reinforcements.
The duo made their way to another lab, where sadly another batch of Mutant Snappers broke through observation windows. Ratchet's Omni-wrench was a flash, streaking like a meteor shower into the bodies of the genetic experiments. Powerful pulses of electricity shocked any Snappers that came too close from Clank's softly glowing antenna. But at last Ratchet and Clank stood triumphant among the defeated bodies of their enemies. Then came the sound of a sudden upset of a cabinet. The lombax whirled into a crouch, ready to hurl his wrench yet again. And stopped seeing the source of the noise was some nerd in lab coat and circular glasses. "Whew, I thought I was a goner this time. Some nano-wit in genetics must have left the cages open again." The scientist said.
Ratchet shook his head. "You can come down now." The employee didn't even seem to register Ratchet's words outwardly, coming down and straightening his attire as if his being saved was no big deal. "Honestly, a Gadget Engineer deserves a bit more respect if you ask me!"
Clank had again returned to the ground and tilted his head. "So, you are an inventor?" "Gadget Engineer" said engineer snapped back. "I create revolutionary devices for Supreme Executive Chairman Drek. "For instance... Viola! My soon to be patented Grind-boots. Perfect for any life form on the go." Out from a small pocket emerged a set of metallic shoes with a ridged pair of soles. The lombax looked over to the gadget, they seemed to be in his size apparently and he had wanted to zip along several of those rails he had seen in the several few cities he visited. The gadget engineer looked shifty. "Look, I need to get out of here so I can find a new job. How about I sell you these, at cost?" Ratchet huffed. "Sell? After we just saved your scrawny butt?" The lombax roughly gestured towards the battered mutants and along the path the duo took which was lined with smoking piles of mutant ash and several bodies of Blarg soldiers wielding Pyrociters. Note that coming down from the adrenaline high was fraying Ratchet with the flashes of beating the Blarg to a pulp and their cries of pain. Immoral species they may be, but Ratchet was still barely out of kit-hood. "Alright, I'll give you the employee discount too. Two thousand bolts." The engineer admitted, though it didn't seem like that reduction in price fazed him. Either he was price gouging or he really didn't care how many bolts he had as long as he had some to make his escape. Ratchet paid for the boots. "Well, thanks." The ex-gadget engineer said, tossing the boots into the teen's waiting hands. "I'm gonna get outta here while I still can." Then the small brown alien just entered a small waiting shuttle in the airlock right next to him. Still Ratchet didn't much care looking at the boots, with a bright smile on his face. "Come on Clank let's test these babies out." The robot returned to his customary place and there was a waiting grindrail right outside of the lab.
The lombax jumped, the shoes automatically materializing on his feet. It was great, the rush of processed but cool air past his muzzle, the blur of the dim stars outside of the windowed tube the rail was in, the sharp twists that the lombax made to keep his balance against a series of curves. And all though the ride, Clank sensed Ratchet's heart dancing all the while with Ratchet's laugh breaking through the dreary silence of the near abandoned station. All good things had to end eventually and so they dropped down back in the hanger again. However there was something there that wasn't there before. Circling around repeatedly was another info-bot. At the sight of this, Ratchet could only shrug to the questioning Clank. The unintelligent robot noticed the duo and showed them the video on its memory banks.
The field of black shifted to a heavily urban city with a heavy overcast of shadows and black clouds filled the air. Upon the unkempt but unlittered street was a soldier in full haz-mat gear spraying some sort of mist upon a swamp green slimy amoeba-like monster. A feminine robot appeared on the screen with a logo of a two within a target circle in the lower right corner. "This is Darla Gratch reporting live from Blackwater City. We've just learnt that Captain Qwark will be presenting the grand prize at the Intergalactic Hoverboard Championship, which will be held here over the next few days." The monster subdued the soldier and absorbed him in one gulp. Noticing the unaware news anchor, the amoeboid slowly approached. "In related news, this planet has recently been suffering from an infestation of strange amoeboid creatures. Noted to be similar to the one that plagued the city several years ago eradicated by the acclaimed Captain Qwark. The city's administration has assured this reporter that every step has been taken to eradicate these nuisances. Darla Gratch, Channel 2 news." The last sight before the screen turned off was the roar of the creature as its huge maw towered over Darla. Then, the infobot shut off and entered Clank's storage.
"Did you see that?" Ratchet said to which Clank answered "Yes. I hope the poor woman is alright." Ratchet waved it off. "Aah, she's fine... I think." He didn't feel the need to explain about the lack of ability for most types of monsters in the galaxy to digest metal. Those few that did exist were usually kept in low numbers by constant open season. "I was talking about the hoverboard races. Qwark's there, and if we win well, we can meet him. We can get his over with." Ratchet said. Clank's mouth curved up in with an angle of eighty-five degrees. The two returned to their ship, their goal now in sight.