A/N: SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG!
School and work have been hectic, not to mention having no internet has restricted my uploading.
But I'm back online so expect more frequent updates!
Thanks for sticking around and enjoy! :D
The Chamber was huge. So huge in fact, that if you lost your car keys in there, you'd probably only have a seventy-five percent chance of finding them.
Other than being huge, The Chamber was also symmetrical.
Surrounding the walls were large computers, each seemed very high-tech and had a Terachnoid sitting in front of it, working on various programs.
The room's vast space seemed to be wasted because other than the computers and Terachnoids, The Chamber was rather bare.
Except for the large transparent orb which floated in the exact centre, tubes of varying sizes emerged with different coloured chemicals being pumped into it to aid its occupant;
A bare naked Lombax, curled up in the foetal position.
Dr. Nefarious entered the room and headed towards the orb. He stopped in front of it and held his hands behind his back, observing The Lombax.
Lawrence followed and stood beside him.
"Everything is going to plan, Lawrence."
"What are you planning to do with him once the process is complete, sir?"
The butler seemed to lose his hesitance with calling the doctor by a title, almost as if he'd gained some new-found respect for him.
"The toaster is on his way and Qwark tagged along for the ride. I have a source on Florana who claims he can get them here. Let's just say..."
Nefarious paused for a moment.
"The squishee will be doing some annihilating of his own."
He broke out into a fit of malevolent laughter.
"Very good, sir."
And for once Lawrence wasn't humouring him.
It was very good, indeed.
"Oh, it's been far too long..."
Under the tiki mask was an all too familiar face.
The face of Drek.
The same Drek that Clank was sure he and Ratchet had disposed of on Veldin on their first adventure together.
"Drek?"
He and Qwark asked in disbelieving unison.
"Extreme Ultimate Supreme Executive Chairman Drek!"
The small Blarg corrected in a huff.
"I do not believe that you are still Chairman seeming as you have been presumed dead for four years now, Drek."
Clank contradicted.
"Oh, but I am, you primitive trash can, just of a different race now..."
A crowd of Cyclopic monkeys emerged from the darkness to stand behind Drek.
The silence was so thick you could have sliced it with a knife; even the monkeys were unusually silent.
Clanks curiosity got the better of him; he couldn't hold the question in any longer.
"How did you survive?"
Drek cocked his head to the side.
"How did I survive what? Oh, you mean when you and that space rat blew me into OUTER SPACE?"
His fists were clenched and he was breathing heavily.
Clank simply nodded.
"I ejected myself from the mech-suit before it exploded. I happened to land on an asteroid. Lucky... you could say."
Clank couldn't help but see the irony.
"Have you ever spent time on an asteroid, either of you?"
He continued, giving Qwark an occasional glance.
"Believe it or not, there's not much to do other than dwell on your failures... I could have had all the bolts in the world if it weren't for you two... And YOU!"
He turned his attention to Qwark.
"You could have endorsed the planet; you could have been a hero, along with being filthy rich! But what are you now? Washed up, stupid, traversing the galaxy with a tin can to save the one that's always stealing your thunder?"
The man twitched slightly at the truth being thrust upon him so bluntly.
"I'd say you got an unfair bargain, Qwark."
"Yeah. Yeah, I did."
Qwark uttered.
"You can still have it all. The offer still stands."
"I..."
He moved forwards.
"Captain, you are a good person. You do not need to be in cahoots with Drek to prove that you are a hero, all it will show is that you are a sell out."
Clank said, moving towards Qwark and touching his hand lightly.
He turned and looked into the large green optics.
Clank was right, he was always right.
He turned back to Drek and looked into his light blue eyes.
There was something about those eyes, crazy eyes. Ratchet always said Drek was a bit off.
Ratchet.
He was the real hero. As long as he was around, Qwark would always be second best. Did he really want that? Right now, he had a choice.
Be second best to a space rat or be filthy rich and sell out.
Qwark had already sold out.
What was the harm in doing it again?
"I-"
"WAIT!"
A voice behind them called.
"Argh, not you again! What are you doing here?"
Drek groaned, stomping his foot on the ground.
"Qwark, listen to me!"
Clank and Qwark turned around to face the unknown female. She wore a helmet but the high pitched voice made her gender obvious.
"If you accept Drek's offer now, you're gonna screw up the whole future, but if you don't, sure you're gonna make some mistakes, but you'll end up doing great things, Qwark! Please, just trust me!"
Qwark looked at the girl, then to Drek, then back to the girl again.
"Captain..."
Clank pleaded.
He looked down at Clank then to the girl once more. He looked to the ground and sighed before he whipped around to face Drek and punched him right in the nose.
"ARGH!"
Drek flew against the rocky cave wall, cupping his nose in his hand, the monkeys scattered. Qwark was breathing heavily, he hadn't moved from his most recent stance.
A small rumble was heard and a few crumbs of rock hit the floor.
"Uh oh."
The female sounded.
A large stalactite fell between her and Qwark and she let out a small shriek.
The trio looked at each other and ran towards the exit. Rocks continued to fall, getting larger every time and it looked as if they wouldn't make it out. Drek stood and began to run as fast as his stubby little legs would carry him.
"Wait!"
He shouted, one hand still cupping his nose while the other was outstretched towards them.
"You can't just leave me in here! I order you to get me out!"
The three disregarded his demand and continued to the exit, jumping over the rapidly growing rock mound in front of them and rolling out of the cave into the jungles of Florana.
They lay on the ground for a few minutes catching their breath, Clank being the exception.
The cave entrance was completely blocked of and they could still here Drek's muffled screams.
"Now."
Qwark panted.
"We need a ship."
The female sat up.
"I can help with that."
A/N: I'm proud! Not including the author's notes, this chapter is 1,112 words! Hooray for longer chapters! :D
I hope you enjoyed the smidgen of Ratchet, yeah it wasn't much but it's the best I could do considering his situation.
If you read this far, PLEASE REVEIW!
Reviews mean the absolute world to me, I would really appreciate it.
Thanks for putting up with me, anyways :)