AuthorsNote: Well, here we are again, and, I'm, nervous, excited, and worried. All at once. Since I cliffed it, and this is the end of the Fire-Lords, I'll let you get into it.

Space, Shadow Sector, Unknown area.

Outside, space lit up as the four Frigates main beam cannons on top of the ships glowed and opened fire. A swarm of missiles flashed past the bridge as Aquagirl followed their lead, more missiles joined from the fighters and from the Phoenix as well.

Sasha watched as the beams flashed into impact on the planet ship sending rolling waves of destruction across it. Shortly after the missiles impacted and more explosions tore away at the hull. But even after all that they had barely made a pocket mark in the armor. Sasha targeted a bunch of blips that separated themselves from the planet ship.

"Ratchet time to work, we've got fighters in bound."

"Roger Sasha."

Ratchet pressed a few buttons and glanced over at Clank in the co-pilots seat. "How we doing on heat Clank?"

Clank flicked a few switches before consulting the new readout installed in the dash. "Our new cooling system is working at 100%. But we have the same problem as the Phoenix. The heat is too much for what we have. The temperature is slowly climbing on the engine, lasers, missiles, and shielding system."

Ratchet pulled his fighter away from the Phoenix and glanced at Clank. "No overdrive mode then"

"No"

"Great, couldn't be easy could it."

He patched into the Fighters comm line "Alright, our goal is simple, we do not engage directly, we stay next to the Phoenix and protect her while the waver charges. If need to we can branch out to help the frigates as well, but other wise our goal is the Phoenix."

Ratchet saw few dark ships moving towards them. "Heads up, we're on."

Ratchet gripped the modified joy stick in both hands. He turned his attention to his canopy which started to have targeting data flew across it with a giant recital super imposed matching Ratchet's eye movements.

"I still don't know about this new system Clank."

Clank shook his head while he prepped their next set of missiles "I believe it will boost your combat effectiveness by at least 33.4568%. It also seemed logical to deploy it here, where we would be outnumbered like never before."

Ratchet blinked "I suppose your right." with that he lined up with the first black shape he saw and pulled the laser trigger.

Sasha was watching Ratchets fighter on her display, the wavers progress bar climbed slowly on the side of the screen as his ship charged towards the Fire-Lords ships. The blips in front of his ship started disappearing rapidly as the arrow that marked him reached it.

The blips for the Fire-Lords ships started flowing away from Ratchets arrow.

"Wow, hes really cutting through them."

8%

Back in his fighter Ratchet did a flip over a pursing Fire-Lord ship and unleashed two missiles, they spiraled into the back of the ship and exploded flinging debris everywhere, and sending the ship into a million pieces. Two Fire-Lords floated out of busted capsules on the bottom. Their fire started to fade as soon as they were exposed to space, and before Ratchet had blasted two more fighters away, they had turned to ash and drifted apart.

"Ratchet, I believe we were right to assume this weapon will work. I was monitoring two Fire-Lords from the last ship. They have just collapsed into dust."

Ratchet nodded and blinked at an icon opening the comm line to the fighters. "This is Commander Ratchet, I have just confirmed that the Fire-Lord ships are loaded with their own. Do not let them get close to the Phoenix, to many of those guys get in and this is all over."

A series of rogers came over the line and Ratchet glanced at Clank. "Think we're close enough to the middle?"

Clank nodded "We should be."

"Heat?"

"Danger level is low, now would be the best time."

Ratchet didn't reply just blinked twice at an icon that brought up the weapons currently loaded on the ship. He targeted a Fire-Lord while scrolling through the weapons and let out a burst of laser fire to send him away in pieces. Finding what he was after Ratchet blinked twice again.

"This is Commander Ratchet, any ships close to overheating get close to me."

Sasha glanced at her readout again for the waver. "15% Damn."

She turned back to the status display as Ratchets voice came over the comm lines.

"Hes going to try out the Freezon Bomb" Sasha said aloud "Get our sensors up, I want to record this."

A Galactic Ranger nodded and proceeded to carry out her commands.

On screen she watched as Ratchets arrow reached more or less the middle of the swarm, it flashed twice and suddenly all the blips around him began to drift off in lazy directions. Many of them hitting one another and vanishing off her screen.

Ratchets fighter sat still in space and he wiped off the sweat that was now gathering on his forehead. He glanced around him at all the Fire-Lord ships that were drifting erratically, many crashing into each other. The rest were being tore apart by the rest of the fighters.

Ratchet turned to Clank "Heat?"

"Danger level is medium, computer suggests we perform a cool down."

Ratchet shook his sweat dampened hand off "Yea, its going to have to wait till the cooling system reboots. How long by the way?"

"5 Minutes, and I would advise against any further combat, our systems don't exactly get cooler with our set up, it just slows down the heating."

"I know."

Sasha voice floated out of his speakers "Wow Ratchet, that worked great, it knocked out the entire swarm and we took them out before they could recover."

"Great, so we're in the clear then."

There was silence for a moment.

"Ratchet...The waver is only at 23%, and that was only the first wave, there are three more on the way and another wave launching from the ship right now."

Ratchet blinked "Damn, we're not getting out of this alive are we?"

Another pause "No, or it we do, it'll be a miracle."

Ratchet drifted into silence, outside his ship started to glow blue again as the cooling system rebooted, cold pulsed in waves down his ship and he turned the engine back on. He glared outside at the Fire-Lords that were rushing towards the fighter net.

He took a deep breath and made the comm line private to just him and Sasha.

"For our kids."

"For our kids" was the reply, then "I love you."

"I love you too."

Ratchet closed the comm line, then lined up his recital on the next ship and pulled the trigger.

Marcadia, Presidential Safe House.

Stella was sitting in the corner of the room, her knees touching her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs. She sniffed occasionally and her eyes were red, the fur around them moist from her constant crying. She sniffed again and glanced up at Sky.

He was standing across the room, looking out the window up into space where various flashes could be seen.

Since they had arrived at the safe house, that's all he had done. Stand at the window and stare, and stare. It didn't help much that the Galactic Rangers who were their bodyguards just stood around at attention. None of them even talked like CR-3 did. They only ever responded with a nod or shake of the head.

"They are okay, right?"

Sky's voice surprised Stella and she blinked a few times before answering. "Of course, they are our parents, they can do anything."

There was no response from Sky, so Stella put her head back down on her knees.

"Then, why am I so scared we will never see them again?"

Stella didn't have an answer, so she said nothing. After all how was she supposed to deny that when she was feeling the exact same thing. She sniffed and felt the tears start again.

Space, Shadow Sector, Unknown area.

Back in space, Ratchet and his fighter net had protected the Phoenix through the three waves that had been inbound. He was out of missiles and had fallen to using just his lasers. He blasted the last ship on his screen to pieces and Clank looked over at him.

"Ratchet, I can no longer allow you to use the lasers, they are already at Critical level, Further use and they will explode."

Ratchet nodded and switched to his secondary weapon system. An very basic electric laser with a weak charge. It generated no heat, but it did almost no damage to ships. He activated the comm line to Sasha.

"Waver?" He asked her tersely.

"98% We're almost there, lining up the shot right now. You just need to hold this last wave off a little longer."

"I...I don't know if I can, I'm down to the back up lasers, and the rest of the squad is not much better."

"Ratchet, we're almost there we can't give up now."

"I know."

The fighter net loomed large on the view screen and Ratchet tightened his grip on the control stick. He blinked sweat out of his eyes and desperation took a heavy grip on his heart. Suddenly one of the frigates blasted past his ship, smoke trailing out of its engine.

"Whats that Frigate doing?"

Clank was trying to get the frigate on the comm. "I do not know, Ratchet."

A static masked voice blasted out of the speaker. "Sarge, our cores going critical, allow us to make sure that they go no further. We owe you that much"

Ratchet was silent for a moment, he just tracked the Frigates progess with his eyes. Finnaly he tapped into their comm. "I can see no other way, you'll be remembered."

The frigate blasted into the center of the swarm coming at them, which descended on if like fly's. Two seconds later it flashed once before it exploded, its shockwave sending the Fire-Lord ships flying everywhere, many of them spiraling off into pieces. As the dust cleared Sasha's voice came over the comm line.

"Get clear, we're ending this, NOW!"

Ratchet pulled his fighter to the side and set his eyes on the planet ship. Two seconds later the waver beam passed by his ship and punched straight into the center of it, right where their first volley had hit. The surface area around the impact point caved in as the decks that made it up collapsed underneath the beam. The beam cut off two seconds later and a large hole was left. Nothing seemed to happen for a moment before a large swatch of the ship cut off and launched into space. Less then three seconds later the planet ship imploded. It didn't flash, it didn't shatter, it just kinda sucked itself into a tiny point. Then it blinked once before it was gone.

"That's, that's it, its over. Right?" Ratchet turned to face Clank, who pointed out towards the sphere that had separated before the planet ship exploded.

"I do not think so Ratchet."

A voice broke into their comm lines at that moment.

"Fools" the voice hissed out in a deep bass. "Our plans can not be stopped. You may have destroyed my Spawner Vessel, but I posses an entire army. All you have done is destroy the Scouts that were sent here. I will return with the real army and crush you and your pathetic galaxy. Let you ALL BURN IN THE GLORY OF OUR FIRE."

Ratchets eyes hardened as the spherical ship turned away from them and proceeded to flee.

"Clank, get ready to eject."

Clank looked over as Ratchet snapped on his oxygen mask and swapped out his engine systems.

"Ratchet, what are you doing, at the current heat levels, the ship will explode."

Ratchet winked from beneath his visor "Yep"

Waring lights lit up over the ships screen and the fighter dashed forward towards the fleeing ship.

"What are you doing Lower form?" the voice demanded

Ratchet grabbed the eject lever "Taking. You. Out!"

He pulled the lever sharply and the canopy blasted off ejecting Ratchet and Clank into space. Clank was already in jet mode and darted over to Ratchet. He clipped on and jerked Ratchet away from the sphere as the fighter spiraled into the sphere. The sphere and fighter careened off course and Ratchets fighter exploded in a blue fire ball taking the sphere with it.

"Now, it is over."

Ratchet chuckled, as he took control of Clanks thrusters and directed them back towards the Phoenix. When the pair reached the Phoenix, Sasha was waiting for them in the hanger.

"Good, I wish you hadn't sacrificed your fighter, but we've done our job here. Three frigates have already returned to help push back the Invasion on Marcadia, but it's not looking good. We're already repositioning to enter the gate again."

Ratchet nodded and the three of them headed for the bridge.

"So what's the status of the attacking force then?"

"Bad news, while they were mostly kept away, quite a few ships made it to the surface and are currently razing the capital city."

"The twins?" Ratchet asked increasing his pace.

"I don't know, nobody's picking up at the safe house, but the Rangers could have just been called off to help protect the city."

"You really think that?"

"No"

"Lets hurry then."

Marcaida, Presidential Safe house -Five hours later-

When the drop-ship began to land outside the safe house, Ratchet and Sasha were already dropping down out of the bay. Ratchet front flipping out with Clank and Sasha on a grappling line, their rushed exit was spurned on by the fact that the safe house was smoking in various places and holes in the wall where Galactic rangers laid in pieces.

Sasha passed Ratchet one hand reaching over her shoulder to grip the DreadZone sword as she pushed up against the wall and peaked past. She was wearing Ratchets old armor retooled like his with the cooling system. She glanced out through her visor at Ratchet and activated her comm array with a blink.

"Their safe right?"

Ratchet glanced her way while he plugged his suit into his heavy lancer, giving it a freezing ability.

"Of course." his voice sounded in her ear. "They are our kids, they knew to go to the panic room if things went south."

Sasha nodded "Ready?"

Ratchet didn't answer he just vaulted over the remaining parts of the wall and charged in. Sasha drew the sword with a flourish and followed. The cleared the first room then started moving slowly through the house, heading down where the panic room was.

As they moved into the stairway they saw a Galactic Ranger laying in pieces at the bottom, several piles of ash on the stairs showing where he had managed to take down at least three. Ratchet and Sasha glanced at each other one more time as they found closed doors at the bottom of the staircase, on the other side of these was the panic room.

Ratchet reached out and tapped open the hidden panel in the wall, quickly punching in the code he turned and raised his heavy lancer as the doors hissed and opened. He was knocked into the wall as a blur pounced on him from the other side of the door. Sasha almost swung her sword, but didn't, and was glad she didn't. For when Ratchet hit the wall being punched by the two forms on top of of him, she realized it was her kids. Sasha reached up and undid the clasp on her helmet pulling it off.

"Stella, Sky, stop this instant!"

The twins stopped beating up on Ratchet and craned their heads to see her. Upon confirming it was her, and her scowl, they glanced at each other.

"That means..." Stella started

"That this is..." Sky picked up.

"Your dad." Ratchet finished reaching up and undoing the clasps on his own helmet and pulling it off. He took turns rubbing the twins heads. "Glad to see that combat training paid off."

Stella got grabbed into a hug by Sasha while Sky hugged Ratchet, who chuckled and stood.

"Dang, Sasha taught you how to punch alright." Ratchet said rubbing his sore jaw.

Sky laughed and the family retreated outside to the drop ship.

As they exited the building a Fire-Lord squad flew over them being chased by Galactic Ranger fighters. The Fire-Lord ships dropped several containers near by as they fled the scene.

Sasha pushed Stella towards the drop ship "Sky, Stella, get to the drop ship" She drew her sword and raised it in a defensive stance as the containers blasted apart and thirty Fire-Lords sprung from capsules, all wielding various weapons. Sasha caught two bolts from the first Fire-Lord on her sword and redirected them into the ground. Ratchet opened up with the Heavy Lancer, spraying bolts of ice cold energy at the Fire-Lords. As they impacted into the first few, the Fire-Lords reared back from the blasts. One of them didn't get away fast enough however and its fire died as it fell to the ground and dissolved into ash. The next two fell as Sasha jumped into the side of a wall and bounced at the retreating lines, her sword sliced through their mid sections. They drifted apart into two pieces and she wiped her sword in the dirt as the rest of the Fire-Lords turned to face her.

Suddenly the Fire-Lords started to fall one by one as blue bolts from galactic ranger weapons started impacting on their heads, their bodies collapsing into dust as their heads were blown apart. Sasha turned to give the Rangers a thumbs-up but stopped when she saw who was wielding the weapon.

Stella, was prone on one knee, with a modified Galactic Ranger arm cannon braced against her small frame. She had found a scope from somewhere and attached it to the side., and she was using this to great effect to place the bolts from the gun right into the Fire-Lords mouths. She quickly dropped fifteen of the Fire-Lords before the gun barrel glowed red and started to cool down. Sasha had just overcome her shock when Sky darted past her two orbs in his hand. He leaped up onto an overhang and ran over to where the remaining Fire-Lords were standing. He smacked the orbs he was holding against the wall he was running against and then threw them into the Fire-Lords midst. He ran on and three seconds later the Freezon bombs exploded wiping out the last of the Fire-Lords that had been dropped off.

Stella stood up and disassembled the arm cannon storing it in her cargo pockets while Sky turned back and dropped down next to the still stunned Sasha who was joined by the impressed Ratchet. He shook Sasha's shoulder gently.

"Well, we did want them to know how to fight, I guess we just taught them too well."

Sasha glanced at him "I..yea..."

Ratchet chuckled and pushed Sasha gently in the direction of the drop ship. He waved Sky over and the three of them walked over to where Stella was waiting next to the ramp and trying not to pay attention to the three Galactic Rangers staring down at her.

Ratchet walked up to her and held out his hand. Stella looked around for a moment before she sighed and reached into her cargo pockets, pulling out the pieces of the gun and handing it to Ratchet. Ratchet studied it for a moment before assembling it into one piece and storing it in his quick select watch. Stella's face dropped into a pout.

"Relax, I just want to look it over on the ship." Stella said nothing just turned around and marched up the ships ramp, she sat down next to Sky and Ratchet raised the ramp before going past them to join Sasha in the cockpit. Sasha glanced at Ratchet as he sat down in the pilots seat.

"Recovered yet?" he asked her as he lifted the ship off the ground.

"No, yes, maybe. How can you be so calm?"

Ratchet glanced at her as they tore through the atmosphere, Ratchet checked his scopes to see that the main force of the Fire-Lord ships had been broken and that they were in mass retreat. Yet even as he watched several ships seemed to collide with each other. Ratchet comm'ed the Phoenix.

"CR-3, What's happening?"

"I dunno Sarge, they just started crashing into each other and flying erratic."

Sasha glanced across the cockpit at him "Think it has something to do with us taking out the planet-ship?"

Ratchet shrugged "Maybe."

Sasha glanced back through the open cockpit door where Sky and Stella were sitting kicking their feet. Sasha closed the door and turned back to Ratchet.

"I'm worried Ratchet, did you see the way they just hopped into that fight. There was no hesitation, just pure killing, I had never seen Stella with that look in her face, and Sky was almost joyous while throwing those bombs."

Ratchet said nothing for a moment "I am too, I know we wanted to teach them how to fight, but I never though that they would become-"

"Like us."

Ratchet sighed "Yea, like us."

The rest of the ride up into the Phoenix was in silence. When they landed Sky and Stella ran down the ramp laughing, already playing a game of tag, they passed by CR-3 headed up the ramp to where Ratchet and Sasha were standing.

"Something wrong Commanders?" He asked seeing their faces.

Ratchet nodded "Down there, at the safe house, The twins held their own in a fight."

CR-3 glanced between them "Isn't that a good thing, that's what you guys wanted right?"

Sasha's turn to nod "Yea, but the way they jumped into combat, it was like us. We want them to have as normal as a childhood as possible. Not like us, were I was already cruising about with my father, and taking training tips for our bodyguard."

"Or like me, already out there going after Drek, they are almost the age I was."

CR-3 was silent for a moment "Well, the way I see it, you've done your best with them, at this point you can only let them go and see what happens."

"Yea, I guess so."

CR-3 slapped Ratchet on the shoulder "Cheer up, The Fire-Lords are defeated and the Galaxy is safe again, its time for some R&R"

Ratchet nodded and walked down the ramp, pulling Sasha behind him.

"Where are we going?" she asked, not really trying to stop him.

"Our room, R&R after all."

Sasha chuckled and pulled out of his grip racing past him. "See ya there."

Ratchet grinned and chased after her.

Now, I think there was something special I was supposed to do with this chapter.

-Snaps fingers-

Oh that's right, I was going to tell you what the Restoration Project is. I'm disappointed so many didn't try to guess ha ha, I only had Dudeman and Agent Pointless hit me up with actual guesses.

Well, anyway, ready?

Restoration, is,

is,

is,

is,

Nightmares of the Past, go read it, seriously. I'm going over it with a fine tooth comb and catching all mistakes I made, updating it with stuff from my notes, and generally making it more awesome (In my view).

I expect to see some reviews for that again, ha ha.

Well, that's pretty much it, except for a reminder that the 25th is drawing nearer and you Have to have your submissions in the forums by then.

Also, when I get one submission, I'll put my story up when its done. (dropped it to work on this).

Alright then, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and reading NotP too.

Peace,

Emile.