A/N: "R-Evolve" by 30 Seconds to Mars helped me write the ending of the chapter

Disclaimer: Ratchet & Clank and all characters related to the franchise do not belong to me. They are property of Insomniac Games.


Chapter 12: Aftermath

A gigantic globe adorned with the colours red, orange, brown and scarce spills of green slowly came into view as the constellations of Astarte shone like lighthouses to assure safe navigation into the endless, pitch-dark ocean of space, an abyss full of dangerous paths that never led back home for the hesitant, a dreamlike voyage for the daring, both for the seekers and neither for the timid.

The scenery through the glass of Aphelion's cockpit gradually changed and the vastness of black was blanched by nebulae and was embellished with trillion glimmering stars that rapidly disappeared when the light sent by the system's sun permeated the middle layers of the planet's atmosphere. Thick clouds materialised within a matter of seconds and the darkness of space soon swirled and faded away when the starship was welcomed by a scarlet sky fully under the effect of a setting sun that preluded the arrival of night.

The rocky formations of the planet's surface varied, extending in great size and steepness and the winding precipices joined the scenery of total grandeur. Small streams of lava crossed the rocky terrains and fell from the cliffs shortly after flowing away from their fiery sources.

Aphelion floated above the craggy lands and rivers of lava, thankfully untouched by the lethal warmth they emitted. She maneuvered gracefully beyond the multiple peaks standing between her occupants and the laboratory and eventually landed in front of a massive building consisted of many metal surfaces and large chimneys whose black breaths polluted the air. Countless fossil fuels were embedded on the towering, rocky walls around which seemed to keep them steady and offer them the colour of coal. Right behind the imposing laboratory was a volcano with small torrents of lava flowing on its surface. The laboratory itself appeared to have been built with the objective of taking advantage of the volcano's natural inclination and so it appeared to be part of what was known to whoever dwelled the Astarte galaxy as the Myzangard Volcano.

"How many times will I be left out of action? Did I ever mention how unpleasant it was to be stuck beneath so much snow?" Aphelion's heavily accented voice declared a complaint.

"We won't be long, Aphelion" Ratchet reassured with a grin as he slid his gloved fingers on a button.

"The last time I heard you say that was when you went to planet Kerwan to fix Helga von Streissenburgen's pancake maker. You ended up spending the entire day there. 6 hours, 14 minutes and 47 seconds to be precise. I cannot fathom what took you this long" Aphelion had conveyed curiosity through her otherwise strict tone.

The motion of Ratchet's fingers displayed agitation as they hurriedly pressed the button so the cockpit would open. "Um, how come you remember that?" he attempted to hide his nervousness with a mirthless smile. "You know what, nevermind" he quickly changed his mind about continuing his conversation with Aphelion.

His intention of jumping out of the ship was cut short by Clank. "He ended up turning it into a nuclear weapon. Helga forced him to run the fitness course fifty times in order to forgive him" Clank informed without even bothering to refrain from laughing.

"That explains why he fell asleep on the wheel" Aphelion recalled and tried to sound aloof but Ratchet had caught the underlying tone of amusement behind her seemingly reserved speech.

"You gotta be sh-" Clank gave him a quite forceful push with his elbow and the Lombax's eyes widened, more because he was wondering since when Clank had such strength that his size couldn't possibly posses rather than due to the abrupt interruption. "…kidding me" he breathed out, forbidding his curse to slip out of his mouth.

"Perhaps we should reconsider about not putting the swear jar tactic into practice" the small robot said as he kept looking at Ratchet with partly shut optics. Ratchet could tell Clank was getting delight from teasing him.

"Let's go, tin can" the words brought a warm smile on his face and he lightly pushed his robot friend before finally exiting the starship.

Clank followed suit and Aphelion shut the cockpit after he had hopped out of his comfortable seat. He took idle steps for a few seconds and afterwards moved closer to Ratchet who seemed too absorbed to notice his aimless walking. When he laid his gaze ahead, he was welcomed by the enormous, coal-black mountain that spewed fiery rivers from its peak, a gigantic settlement with artificial light deluging from the windows and moving platforms that declared its incessant activity. "Oh my…"

"I know" Ratchet shook his head mildly but his worried green eyes didn't abandon the colossal building. "Be prepared for anything."

The duo began walking through a ramp that would guide them in front of the main entrance. The isometric tiny openings allowed Clank to observe the lava boiling beneath them and waiting to devour them until there was nothing but scorched bones and metallic parts left. Even if his footing was somewhat unstable, as though he was walking on strings, he didn't let the thought linger and hastened his pacing to catch up with Ratchet, hoping to borrow some of his vigilance and disregard towards danger.

They eventually approached the main gate and as soon as Ratchet stood still to take a good look of it Clank adjusted himself on his harness, positioning himself on Ratchet's back and remaining silent due to his watchfulness.

"Ringing the doorbell doesn't seem to be an option" Ratchet commented and placed his hands on his waist as he raised his head to examine the higher part of the building.

"You do not want to know the percentage of the possibility of us leaving the planet alive if we do such thing."

The raising of his shoulders and a brief, suppressed laughter came as a reaction to Clank's statement. His eyes wandered around and sometimes sparkled in the meantime whenever they fell on the golden-coloured, hot rivers around the terrain. His emerald orbs dawdled on a quite spacious opening that was some feet above the heavy doors. "I just found our way in."

Ratchet's running let Clank know that their attempt of infiltrating the building had just begun. The Lombax halted near the lowest of the platforms and observed them, trying to detect the pattern in which they moved. For a little while, his only action was swift glimpses from one floating surface to another. Afterwards, once the first platform reached his height Ratchet dashed and bent his knees until he could touch the ground. One small push with his palm and his feet were already hovering in the air as Clank activated his helipack and led Ratchet higher than he could go alone.

He successfully landed on the platform and was quick in gaining his balance that momentarily crumbled because of the surface's rapid motion. He swiftly turned to his left, with arms visibly detached from his slender figure, and focused on the next platform that was moving towards him. Ratchet stretched out his fingers before they immediately gathered into his palms and his chest heaved as he inhaled a great amount of air.

He glared at the approaching platform as if it would be its fault should he fail. He omitted breathing in as he ran for it. When he reached the corner of his platform he jumped and outstretched his arm as he hopelessly tried to grab the platform he had targeted. A look of resignation briefly plagued his face but vanished right when he clung on the edge of the platform.

Ratchet exerted his arms so they could carry the weight of his whole body and lift him and Clank onto the platform. He didn't hurry to stand up and treated himself with a moment to catch his breath.

"We have almost reached the opening. One more jump" Clank encouraged his friend and hoped it would be enough to refresh Ratchet's strength.

With a silent grunt Ratchet stood up and spotted the opening a little farther from him. The platform was floating towards the opposite direction but the Lombax remembered the pattern and knew that soon it would suspend its course and redirect it, which would lead him right to the opening.

He had foreseen the sheer halt and so his balance hadn't been broken. The platform started moving to the desired location and the closer it transported them the more fidgety Ratchet's movements became.

"Come on…" he murmured quietly and awaited the right moment to perform the decisive jump. Anticipation grew and dictated the movement of his tail which swayed sideways. "Come on…"

He could almost see inside the building. They were now too close to the opening and the time to act had arrived. Ratchet was as ready as he could ever be. His feet refused to stay still and he willingly gave into the momentum caused by his untamable eagerness. He ran before his chance could be swept away from his hands and jumped.

He felt his frame piercing the air with much velocity and in split seconds he knew his ears weren't deceiving him; the sound of small choppers spinning fast assured him that Clank was also trying his best to get them inside.

Ratchet moved his foot forward and sighed audibly as soon as he felt the soles of his boots land on steady ground. They had made it.

"What did I tell you? A leap of faith!"

He forcibly let the memory of his former mentor fade away so he and Clank could go on with the mission. A slight hop allowed Clank to activate his auxiliary choppers once again so they could safely trespass the great distance that separated them from the floor.

"We made it in. What now?"

"We must find as much information as we can about how the Unseen Destroyer was created" Clank reminded him. "I do hope we also manage to find out who created him."

The lighting of the area was dim and the place was empty. Ratchet spotted a hall ahead of him leading deeper into the settlement but the air there felt unsafe. He took a few hesitant steps forward to observe more closely and as his concern turned greater his expression changed to one of cautiousness.

He felt small waves of heat crashing on his fur and armor even if everything seemed perfectly still ahead of him. His grim suspicion manifested with the lowering of his eyebrows. "Well, whoever it is certainly doesn't want to be found. I think there are lasers there."

"Let me investigate" Clank inquired and parted with Ratchet's Hex-mount in order to inspect the area. His glowing optics remained wide open while looking at the hall. "You are right. The design of these lasers takes advantage of the limitations that any organic's sight has. The lasers move extremely quickly so your vision is not capable of spotting them. Very clever" Clank was unable to resist adding a commendation.

"When we find whoever runs this place you can tell him congrats" Ratchet commented in sarcasm as he motioned to the hall with his hand. "Can you deactivate them?"

"I shall try" the robot offered eagerly and moved to a panel attached to the wall next to him. Thankfully it was at his level and he could easily work on decrypting the safety mechanisms and violate the alarm protocols.

In the meantime Ratchet paced without allowing his emerald eyes to leave the hall. An annoying heat flowed through his chest and stomach and he felt the air hot and humid. Even breathing inside the building made him feel threatened and he desperately tried to find out what was beyond the lasers but the faint light made it impossible. The more he waited the more his combative instincts were being laid to rest and the more his mind raced. His thoughts crept into upsetting corners of his mind and what they brought to the surface only paralysed Ratchet's hope that this would soon end once and for all.

"Save your wit. It may come in use when you go to Everos."

Fear dimmed down his voice to a forlorn whisper. "Please don't let this be a trap…"

"The lasers are deactivated" Clank declared the result of his work and rubbed his tiny metallic palms in pride.

"Well done, pal" the Lombax praised and his head swiftly turned to face the hall. The unsettling warm waves he kept on feeling earlier had dissipated and the two advanced through the hall, now delivered from the fear of getting imprisoned or killed.

Once the hall was behind them they encountered two sealed doors and a small entrance in the middle of them. The secured gates of the other two rooms narrowed down they options and so, they reluctantly walked ahead and entered the next room. As Ratchet was leading the way, once he was inside the area he found tall columns that seemed to form a narrow path.

"What are these?" he wondered as he partly shut his eyes to shield them from the rings of bright neon-blue that shone near the top of each column.

Clank had silently sneaked in and watched the sizeable pillars as he peeked from Ratchet's leg. "They seem to be enhanced with sensory microchips. All alarms will be triggered should we touch them."

"Perfect!" Ratchet exclaimed joylessly. "Okay, we can do this. I'll go first."

"Okay. I will keep your tail away from the columns" Clank spoke with a suggestive tone and his metallic jaw adjusted to what resembled a smile.

"Very funny. You hang out with Aphelion too much" Ratchet feigned annoyance but even if he had tried to hide it, Clank knew he had enjoyed the joke.

His gaze was inseparable from the floor and from the very first step, Ratchet thought ten times before performing the slightest movement. His mind formed a course he would be able to follow and as though he was walking an invisible yet right path he didn't allow his body to diverge from his planned movements. Clank imitated his partner's movements flawlessly but he could see Ratchet was having much more difficulty in keeping away from the columns due to their different statures.

They were progressing slowly but steadily and Ratchet didn't dare to even sigh in fear of triggering the alarm. He glanced ahead of him with a hopeful look, wishing to see the end of the corridor. He smiled widely as soon as he laid his eyes on a large door where the columns seemed to finally disappear.

"We're close, Clank" he informed, relief making his tone light and mirthful.

Only seconds kept them apart from success. Ratchet counted backwards the steps he needed to take in order to be able to move freely again. Five more. Four. Seconds slipped away so quietly, so elusively. Ratchet felt the feat was as good as achieved. They had deceived danger. The silence empowered his motive and the large door called him to walk through and claim his victory over the challenge. Two steps. Soon one more…

He jolted as soon as the continual wailing of a siren penetrated the room and hurt his ears. He turned around and glared at Clank but he found him too far from the surrounding columns. The robot looked as shocked as him, devoid of any words that could help alleviate the anxiety of both.

His green eyes were drawn by something that wasn't there before and as if he was hypnotized they remained there like a moth enchanted by a flame. At the spot where they had come from something blocked the light coming from the hall. Anger diffused all over his face and his fingers desperately searched for a trigger to pull.

His friend's undivided engrossment agitated his small form and Clank was quick in turning to look at whatever Ratchet was staring at behind him so furiously. The glass of his pair of brilliantly shining eyes reflected a familiar face but his reaction came belated for Ratchet spoke first.

"Son of a-"

"Qwark?!" the Zoni robot expressed as the tone of his voice emerged from a state of bewilderment.

The stout man, hindered by the columns as he was, had an uncomfortable position with one arm exceeding the rest of his body on which his head rested. "Hey guys, a little help here? I think I'm stuck."

As though he had been heard by the blinding, the blue lights of the columns turned off and the tall cylinders started sinking in the crevices of the floor until they gradually disappeared. The three occupants of the room allowed silence to settle when the sirens ceased producing any noises and soon, nothing but the tips of the pillars were visible. A sound of a retracting mechanism was heard and the columns were rapidly sent underneath the floor through the holes that were formed with their absence. The last stage of the chain reaction was the sealing of the holes by small, metallic lids.

As soon as he made sure the settlement was no longer reacting to the intrusion Ratchet unleashed the irritation that slowly seethed his insides. "You just couldn't stay out of our way, could you?"

"You don't need to worry, Ratchet. My blaster was just hungry for some action and you two were being all sneaky-sneaky" Qwark's words came out unhindered by any sort of remorse or embarrassment, which only made Ratchet's ire greater. "I wanted to pursue the glory of the battlefield, know what I mean? Ugh, of course you don't. In any case I'll let you know that I will take care of any dastardly amateurs that cross our path."

"What about Zanimal? I told you to send reinforcements. I gave you the coordinates!"

"Uuuh, I thought it would be better if I found out what you were up to" the former president casually raised his open palms facing the ceiling and smiled guiltlessly.

Blackness startlingly fell to smother all colours and after a few seconds of utter blindness the lights flickered until they were steadily shining, accompanied by a trenchant humming of the constant electricity flow. A heavy thud instantly rendered the lights uninteresting and the three trespassers turned to the direction of the commotion simultaneously.

The conflict between composure and sheer instinct left its trail on Ratchet's vision and he blinked to rid himself of the blur harassing his sight. His alarmed gaze remained fixated on the sealed gate but his focus was divided by the small charges of air brushing his cheek. He indignantly lowered his eyelids and glared at Qwark from the corner of his eye. Seeing the source of the aggravating puffs agitated him even more.

"Stop breathing so loudly!" Ratchet ordered a wide-eyed Qwark, who even after the angered demand continued with his huffing.

"Aaah! I think something slimy touched me" Qwark shrieked and moved closer to Ratchet as if magnetised by his armor.

"That was my tail" Ratchet stepped away from the bulky hero with a twist of his mouth adding to his expression of discomfort. It wasn't soothed but instead it intensified when Qwark attempted to grab him and position him in front of his oversized form like an organic shield. "Stop touching me!" the Lombax growled with no intention of hiding his discontent.

"I swear something's watching me, waiting to charge at me" Qwark openly ignored Ratchet's complaints and remained behind him.

Ever since his first days of creation, even Clank had recognised that patience was going to be among his strongest of traits. However at the current situation there was only so much he could put up with. "I demand that you two stop with your nonsense! The doors are breaking and unless we do something about it we will be doomed!" he heard his own internal gears turn faster, responding to the excessive tension flowing through him.

The same kind of banging was now inflicted on the door from which Ratchet and Clank had initially entered. The tumultuous sounds synchronized to a heavy, paced pounding. "I don't suppose fleeing is an option" the tallest of them faintly broke the monotonous sound. "We're trapped."

The bangs kept on targeting the surface separating the ones causing them from the intruders. Clank inwardly trembled due to the clamorous noise as his systems warned him of the great number of enemies yearning to get inside. The brute force they struck with made Ratchet swallow to alleviate the pain caused by his dry throat. In order to avoid imagining what would happen if they managed to break in he searched for an alternate way out with desperate glimpses only to realise, much to his surprise as well as disdain, that Qwark was right; there was no escaping this.

In the blink of an eye, the metallic surface was torn in half and a wide crevice allowed the occupants to see what was behind the door.

Ratchet's eyes became round to betray the shock stunning all his body that ran through, even reaching his feet. 'More Cragmites…'

"These ones seem to have been genetically altered" Clank added to his already morbid realisation as if he had heard his thought. He raised his head with green eyes searching for Ratchet's, their brightness somewhat obstructed by the partly closed lids that manifested his hopelessness. "How are we going to get out of here?" he spoke silently as the strength to talk any louder had been stolen by the armada of Cragmites ready to execute them once they succeeded in getting in.

His search for solace ended successfully when he saw his friend's face. Ratchet's eyes held a glint ignited by a faint grin that seemed a little bit forced. His next words though were sufficient to reassure Clank that not everything was lost. "I have an idea" he plainly announced and outstretched his hand so Clank could reach it.

With an eagerness contradicting the distressed look on his own face, Clank held the Lombax's gloved palm and felt his small frame being elevated from the floor and swiftly get magnetised by Ratchet's harness.

Ratchet's rational thinking dimmed down by the sudden surge of adrenaline that made his perception acute. He had tried his best to sound confident for Clank's sake but within his mind, all whirled down to a sole fight-or-flight scenario with a most probably dreadful outcome. His plan was quite risky but if luck was on his side, it could be what would help him cling to dear life. Normally Ratchet didn't depend on luck but at that point he would welcome it if it decided to show its face in this dark hour.

An excessively loud clang declared the success of the Cragmites; the door had been laid to the ground. He moved until his viridescent eyes spotted Qwark with the intent to tell him what to do but the former president surprised him for a second time that day and was already occupied with the task Ratchet wanted him to be; taking advantage of the narrow entrance that didn't allow masses to walk through it, he had his blaster raised and gripped tightly, absorbed in a rigorous attempt to keep the Cragmites at bay by taking them down one by one as they where confounded by their predicament.

With this settled for the time being, Ratchet stared at the door ahead of him. It was much larger and if the bloodthirsty soldiers managed to break in they would most certainly be outnumbered while already being trapped. He felt something curling abruptly inside his abdomen, creating an unpleasant knot, and lightly winced at the warnings his body was giving him. There was no time for hesitation. It was do or die.

Ratchet's chest heaved to muster all the mental strength he had left and his hands held the Warmonger, then brought it to the level of his sight in order to aim.

"Damn it…" a quivered whisper soundlessly escaped him.

And he fired. The unleashed missiles crashed with the door, causing its external joints to collide with the floor with an irksomely loud noise.

Clank turned his head at an uncomfortable angle and peeked ahead which confirmed his dreary suspicion. Surprise seemed to render his speech deactivated but when he attempted to speak he found his voice barely coming out of his metallic mouth. "You… are destroying the door? You will let them in!"

"Trust me" Ratchet urged him and before he could dwell on the tension running through him he fired the Warmonger for a second time.

After the next set of mini rockets struck the door it finally abandoned the upper horizontal part of the opening and fell, rewarding the soldiers behind it for their great effort.

The big and sharp claws that had taken the place of hands but were still capable of efficiently using a gun were the first thing Ratchet took notice of. That combined with the far taller and sturdier stature they had than what Ratchet remembered from his first encounter with the species was enough to make him start questioning his plan. He was sure it could go far enough so as to leave the particular chamber but after that he couldn't deny his fear of what might happen.

When their menacing, yellow eyes focused on him, glaring at him with an open indication of what was they wanted to do to the intruders, Ratchet knew there was no turning back. As desperate as it seemed, he'd rather continue with this plan than endanger the lives of the three of them with his inactivity. The many weapons the Cragmites targeted at them while marching inside the room necessitated this need.

After storing away his Warmonger he prepared his feet for an exerting race and ran his fingers on the spherical object he was going to use next. He briefly espied Qwark and saw he had made quite a progress on keeping the angry Cragmites' bullets away from them. With no reluctance slowing down his movements he threw the glimmering weapon as close to his enemies as he could.

The miniscule disco ball floated high after touching the floor and instantly emitted lights of multiple colours while a mesmerizing music played in the background. The soldiers found themselves unable to control their actions and with involuntary movements they tuned to the music's beat.

"Qwark, run!" Ratchet shouted at the top of his lungs and finally let loose his legs that ached to give into the frantic running the Lombax was preparing them for.

Kaden's son heard heavy footfall from behind and thus could now concentrate on reaching the door. Before running past the door he gripped the Doom Blades and countless tiny blade saws instantly ricocheted around the room as they were unchained from the incarcerating gun due to Ratchet's prolonged pressure on the trigger. He smirked slyly at his dancing opponents as the first keen blades already started hurting some of them. With many more saws still in maddening motion seemingly promising to take care of the stunned enemies, Ratchet left the room along with Qwark who minded sealing the door behind them.

Even if the enemies standing in their way earlier had been entrapped inside the now locked chamber the trio still had to face the Cragmites blocking them from moving ahead, to the more vital sections of the laboratory.

As though the penetratingly hostile glares and snarls of the Cragmites were being deflected by the silvery armor, Ratchet remained unaffected by the apparent danger surrounding him. Noting that he would have to limit himself to weapons manufactured by GrummelNet due to his inability to obtain ammunition for weapons made by other companies, he enveloped the handle of the Pyro Blaster with his fingers while a resolute stare hardened his features. Pure fire spouted from the metallic cylinder and spread out like a living, hungry being eager to devour whatever happened to be engulfed in its ravenous flames. A few sparks flew dangerously close to Ratchet, momentarily forming bright lines into the deep green of his eyes, but he didn't recoil in the slightest, dead set on feeding the flames with the reptilian-looking creatures, inwardly wishing to see their sinister yellow eyes melt into their sockets.

When pulling the quite sizeable trigger came with no response Ratchet saw multiple bullets race to steal all life from him, now no more held leashed by the weapons' wielders. He rolled forward to evade a great amount of them fired at him. The moment he set his feet firmly on the floor to stand up, the armor's shield activated to keep its wearer unharmed.

His tail remained stiff revealing his full alertness and split seconds after he noticed the calm blue surrounding him he threw a Groovitron ball to counter the fact that they were unnumbered. With their senses enslaved and their self-control bent by the music's tempo, they were now thralls not about to fire their guns for a few seconds. Ratchet's eyes gleamed as he smiled while retaining the rough effect of his aggressive expression, showing that he was admiring the fruits of his labour.

"Nooo! Don't scratch my face! I have an interview tomorrow!" he heard Qwark shout a little farther away, somewhere inside the scene of chaotic disorder and rolled his eyes.

He momentarily let his mind slip into blissful daydreaming and imagined taking down masses and masses of enemies with his Blitz Gun. He bitterly condemned the vendor he came across on his way to Everos for not allowing him to refill the ammunition of his Gadgetron and Megacorp weapons.

"Perhaps my enhanced Time Bomb can aid us in regaining the upper hand" he landed into harsh reality when Clank overworked his voice modulator so as to be heard into the clamorous mayhem.

"I thought you kept those for emergencies" Ratchet already felt his body overexerted due to his shouting while trying to stay out of firing range.

"We are trapped and surrounded by countless mutated Cragmites! If that is not an emergency I cannot imagine what is" the robot stressed out.

His entire system sent warnings of overheating and a sense of intense fear sank within him, lagging his normally extremely quick scanning and calculating functions. Clank was familiarized with the emotion of fear; he had experienced fear even during his first minutes of birth. But that didn't mean he was less displeased to undergo it.

The speed in which Ratchet moved forward, backwards or around would probably become the cause of vertigo for an organic. However, as long as they moved Clank felt safe as the bullets were less likely to strike him or his friend. From the sound Ratchet's next weapon of choice emitted he understood the Lombax was now using the Fusion Grenade. A rather weak weapon for their current situation, Clank assessed, but he theorized that Ratchet was trying to keep his enemies distracted until he could come up with a better tactic to deal with them more efficiently. Or until his force shield reached its maximum duration point and shut down to recharge, he morbidly thought.

He gripped his last Time Bomb from his chest's compartment and readied himself to throw it when a Cragmite managed to get too close to them. The light in his eyes dulled when he realised it would probably not do much. It would merely affect a small area and stun only a few enemies while the rest of them would be free to fire at them. And as capable a fighter Ratchet was, he wouldn't last long once he ran out of ammo.

Clank jolted when a thin metallic component landed just in front of him with cables spurting right out of it. Ratchet had surely felt Clank's jolt just like the way he always felt Ratchet's heart beat loudly every time he was in the battlefield, as though there was an invisible cord connecting the two. His scans identified the object as a protective surface that kept the cables transferring energy through the settlement shielded. In its collapse it had cut some the cables, leaving most of them exposed. And since there was still light in the room, the power had probably been cut in another area of the laboratory.

An idea sprung from his processors which enlivened the glow in his circular eyes. He placed his Time Bomb back into his storing compartment and tried to identify the cables' power source. He spotted it in a nearby room and tried to interconnect with the control panel. If he could override the emergency shutdown he was sure this would allow electricity to flow through the cables.

The success of his plan showed when blazing flares charged from the cables and electrocuted every Cragmite that tried to reach Ratchet from behind. All of them were running so quickly they had failed to perceive the change in time and had dived right into the artificial lightning's fury. The rest of them stood behind the perpetual flow of electricity in fear of suffering the same fate.

Clank's confidence was restored when he saw that the Cragmites posing an imminent threat to them were much lesser now and his initial fear was purged with a smug smile.

Ratchet made a mental note to congratulate Clank for his military inventiveness if, no when, they were out of this pandemonium.

"Stay away, vile creatures! You'll ruin my suit!" Qwark's voice was heard nearby, assuring Ratchet that he was still alive and fighting… for better or for worse.

Deciding to not let Clank's success slow him down, Ratchet spotted a Cragmite abandoning the effort of struggling to aim at the agile Lombax and simply charged at the briefly distracted target with only his razor-sharp claws, blindly following feral instinct.

Both hands thoughtlessly held onto the OmniWrench and used it as a shield to keep the angered enemy at a relatively safe distance. Ratchet bent his knees lightly in order to gain some momentum against his opponent but the sheer pressure on his heels and the burning ache running through his arms told him he wouldn't last long enough like this.

The direct eye contact sent a small shiver down Ratchet's spine but the rest of his body responded with waves of aggressiveness. As if the ancient feud between the two races had been imprinted on every cell, the Lombax's eyebrows lowered to shelter the thunderous ire in his emerald orbs and he gnashed his teeth, exposing his small fangs to intimidate. The Cragmite before him was fueled with the remnants of the same ancestral war as black pupils shrunk to the size of dots right in the middle of pools of firing yellow and preserved his strife to clench the enemy resisting.

The Cragmite had successfully walked through the semi-transparent barrier which meant it was designed to withstand only the fire of ranged weapons. Adding that piece of information to the back of his mind Ratchet raised his head with a constrained movement and spotted a heavy part of a mechanism attached to the ceiling. A small glimpse was enough for his practiced eye to detect one singular component having the shape of a handle which held the entire construction in place. The plan he formed materialised into a determined stare back at his rival. He only had one problem; he had to be released from the close combat he was currently engaged in.

Every harsh movement Ratchet performed Clank could sense. And through the years of their rather unorthodox method of fighting, he had learned to interpret every single one of them. He knew when Ratchet was mildly injured or when the severity of his wounds was great enough to require nanotech. He knew when Ratchet's movements derived from confidence or fear. He knew when he was rigorous or weakened. And what he knew at that moment was that Ratchet was getting exhausted. Should the barrier shut down, he knew they wouldn't make it out alive.

Clank let his optics get concealed as he closed his eyes in uncertainty. This had to work. It had to. There was no way to help Ratchet if he didn't try.

He activated his helipack and gave Ratchet enough impetus to push the Cragmite away from him. Seizing the opportunity Ratchet instantly used his weapon's Kinetic Tether to detach the handle from the swaying mechanism above their heads. And once gravity took hold of it, he ran out of its way and allowed it to land on the gathered Cragmites.

A stupor overtook Ratchet's form. Some seconds elapsed and his consciousness still wavered between insensibility and sharpness before becoming stable again.

"Ratchet, there is an elevator next to us" Clank's voice helped his mind grasp onto reality.

After the neon red light delimiting the elevator's position confirmed his friend's statement, Ratchet searched for the third member of their party. Not far from him was Qwark running towards the elevator with blaster blinding firing the Cragmites chasing him.

"Over here!" the mechanic called out and once the self-proclaimed hero narrowed the distance between them Ratchet stepped on the platform.

The turbulence which rendered the machine out of its rusty condition made Ratchet tense up a little. The light weight on his back disappeared as soon as Clank detached himself of the harness and stepped on the small surface. Looking up Ratchet observed the floor towering above him and when he realised the elevator was already in slow yet steady motion with Qwark not having stepped on it, he widened his eyes.

"Hurry up!" he shouted and hoped the intensity of his voice would hasten Qwark's footsteps.

The one falling behind almost made it to the platform but before hopping onto it to ensure his safety he turned around and faced the army of mutated Cragmites. Both Ratchet and Clank tilted their heads in confusion, unable to comprehend the motive behind his action.

"You brutes thought you would catch Captain Copernicus L. Qwark? Hah!" he began boasting.

Cursing the self-centered nature of their accidental ally Ratchet shook his head while at the same moment Clank lowered his face into his hand. The elevator evaded its initial phase and began descending faster, leading the duo into a lower floor. Ratchet and Clank called for him to step onto the elevator before the height became too great but Qwark looked unaffected by their restless warnings.

"I admire your zeal but this is my last warning. Leave! I have conquered this base!" Qwark announced triumphantly as he steadily took steps backwards in order to get on the elevator which, according to what he had last seen, was there waiting for him. The Cragmites before him marched towards his direction, not even slightly discouraged by his words. "You shall not p- Aaaaaahh!"

With that he fell backwards into the pit caused by the moving elevator. His high-pitched shriek was cut by his inelegant fall and after a few seconds he began standing up, groaning in pain.

With their enemies now left on a dead end, Ratchet took the chance to relieve himself of the nerve-racking battle as it looked like they were safe for now. "So did you take care of the dastardly amateurs? 'Cause it looks more like they took care of you." Clank managed to contain his laughter though he had to try hard to achieve that.

The memory of his graceless fall brought some embarrassment into Qwark. Hoping to erase the image off the minds of the duo he stood up and pretended to brush off some dirt from his shoulder. "Well we're alive, right? You're welcome."

Ratchet's throat produced a very silent growl as an impulsive reaction to Qwark's words. Thankfully when Clank spoke he was encouraged to pay attention to something else rather than the unbearable narcissism of the person before him.

"I am not picking up any signs of Cragmites on the lower floors. However I believe it would be wise if we remained-"

Once its destination was reached, the elevator abruptly ceased moving. The transition from steady motion to total stillness had been so curt a gasp escaped Ratchet while all three of them barely managed to keep their balance.

"Vigilant…" Clank uttered as if he didn't wish to speak but was somehow forced to.

Short, indecisive steps led the trio into a seemingly vast section of the laboratory where blinking lights drew their attention as they came to life in the form of red sparkles before they died down again. Depressing shades of olive green covered the metal walls and floor and a broad screen could be seen in the distance, at the far end of the room.

A noise startled all three of them, luring them to turn around. It felt like the elevator was up for another trick as it gave into motion again and ascended to the upper floors. The area alone unsettled Ratchet and now that he knew there was no way out that he was aware of, he breathed shallowly as though minding the oxygen there was in the room.

He proceeded to reach the screen, an act ignited by the hope of retrieving information concerning the Unseen Destroyer. Clank caught up with him fast while Qwark took slow steps behind them that mirrored his timidity.

As they walked closer to the end of the wide area, Clank's worry resonated into quiet, mumbling words. "I cannot help but think that…"

Ratchet's walking faltered when his mind conceived the lack of focused, steady speaking from Clank's side. His legs suddenly became numb and he ceased walking. He shut his eyes and lowered his head. "I know."

Ardour was also absent in Clank's march which as well slowed down only to stop completely. He sent the Lombax a questioning stare and his entire system seemed to crumble when he collided with Ratchet's forlorn, hopeless look. Their eye contact felt like it was sealing some sort of secret realisation they both had reached. No words had to be exchanged. They same weight sank within the two; they were walking straight into a trap.

Ratchet turned his gaze away, breaking the optical communication between them in order to hide the disarray that his whole being was immersing into. "You did great back there" he fulfilled the silent promise he had made to himself during the battle and took firm steps to approach the screen.

Mere silence followed, the absence of words making even more obvious that Clank was also lost into his millions of bad thoughts and somber scenarios. Neither was certain whether they were doing the right thing, yet neither was retreating.

Before Ratchet realised, he stood right in front of the black screen which reflected the blinking lights and his own form like a dark mirror. He stared at the armor he wore and couldn't resist contemplating its significance. For Kaden it had been a token of friendship, courtesy of Orion, and a gift to the son he left behind and surrendered to a miserable life in the streets, with no parents, friends or anyone to care about him. For Ratchet it had worked as a necessary evil to earn Orion's trust and find out the location of the Unseen Destroyer's creation. His father had left him to grow up on Veldin, all alone. The Lombaxes had neglected to take him with them. Obtaining it had made him and Clank undergo so many challenges, so much hardship. And now they were far from remotely close to beating that merciless tyrant from conquering planets and invading people's minds, taking pleasure in spreading his illness in them slowly and painfully. It could be considered nothing more than a simple objective to further progress to the end of the mission. Nothing more.

When he escaped his bitter reverie he saw into the black glass and realised his face held a deep frown. Once he allowed his features to relax he noticed the wounds on his face, mild scratches running across his fur. He had forgotten about them but not of the ordeals he went through on Silthrin. And the scratches would make sure to remind him for a little longer. Ratchet sighed and that caused an instant yet sharp pain on his chest but he didn't show it. 'I guess anxiety's startin' to get the best of me.'

"This place looks worse than my basement. And Snowball sleeps there mind you" Qwark approached the duo. Neither Ratchet nor Clank turned around to face him. On the contrary they didn't seem at all affected by his arrival.

"I will have to hack this computer to retrieve its data" Clank informed and Ratchet nodded as though agreeing with the idea and permitting him to go on with his plan.

Clank inserted his index finger in one of the computer ports and began searching for information he could save in his own data banks. It was taking longer that the three of them expected though. "Oh no."

"What is it?" Ratchet exclaimed in a burst of impatience.

"I cannot access any information. The only thing I can do is activate the transmission of a message" Clank notified his two companions, waiting for Ratchet's reply.

"Don't do it!" Qwark intervened. "It could resurrect, um… robot zombies?"

"There is not much I can do right now, the message will be transmitted in any case. Unless you want me to stay like this forever that is" Clank's tone openly expressed his discomfort, slightly narrowed optics showing his displeasure about the idea.

Qwark blinked. "Uh, yeah you could do that. It's not like you can die of old age or anything" he hummed.

"It's just a message, Qwark" Ratchet argued in indignation. "Probably the Unseen Destroyer with the usual, boring villain monologue" he added and looked at his robotic companion calmly, voicelessly advising him not to worry.

If Clank had a pulse it would certainly quicken and anxiety would make him sweat had he been an organic. He had a premonition of imminent danger and if he were to trust his insight he would have to believe that this wouldn't end well, especially for Ratchet. He could swear this would probably disturb his dear friend's mental state but he couldn't justify the reason behind these thoughts. And telling him would only worsen the turmoil already troubling him for basically no practical reason. Whatever lay ahead, they would just have to encounter with whatever strength they had within.

After several seconds the robot reluctantly retracted his finger from the port, enabling the message to be played on the large screen. Its blackness was disarranged by flickers and static. The random shapes then took form and a video began playing through the glass surface.

"Hello, Lombax."

The voice was familiar. And so was the form into the screen. A haze momentarily replaced Ratchet's crystal clear vision and when it disappeared, the same form was still there.

"You must be very surprised. Did you really expect I wouldn't take my measures in case I was defeated? Did you really think it would end that easily?"

A wicked laughter filled the place though Ratchet perceived it seconds later. His heartbeat became abnormally quick. As an entirely unconscious reaction, his ears dropped conspicuously and the more he listened to that voice the more agitated his nerves became.

"If you're listening to this message then I'm probably dead. But I vowed to myself I would make sure every single one of your pathetic race would fall. This war will be over only with the victory of the Cragmites!"

His forest green eyes darkened as he glared at the short figure in the screen, the oversized crown on his head deluding the eyes and making him seem taller.

Ratchet closed his eyes and the words reverberated with the same spite. He could even recall the echo caused by the structural shape of the Court of Azimuth.

"I offer you this one chance: go home - join your race, or stay and suffer…"

Memories were now conspiring against him. Ratchet clenched his fists, trying to confront his anger and prevent it from taking control over him. However, even that couldn't stop the shaking of his knees.

"I'm sure you've met my precious experiment. Thírios. A perfect hybrid; Cragmite infused with a Loki's essence. This allows him to manipulate minds among a few more outstanding abilities."

Ratchet watched with gritted teeth and a heart pounding to the rhythm of rage. His mission was now becoming even more personal. Clank's gears turned rapidly and irregularly. Although the situation confounded him, especially because of the premonition he had earlier, he stood still right beside his friend for he knew he needed him. Qwark had moved a little farther, partly hidden behind a metallic box as if the former emperor of Polaris could actually see them.

"I kept him here in a hibernation state and programmed him to wake up years after I travelled to the Solana galaxy. He even received an order from the very moment he woke up; to find you and lure you here. Why you may ask? I prepared a little game, Lombax. A game you and I can play. And now it can finally start. I can't imagine how much fun you must've had so far. And to think you've seen nothing yet."

The Cragmite dictator broke into hysterical laughter, sounding particularly amused. His malicious shrieking made Ratchet's wish to break the screen even more intense. It began pouring out of the Lombax slowly as small, spasmodic movements ran through his entire frame.

"What can I say? I've been a busy Cragmite. I couldn't leave the fate of the last Lombax at the hands of luck. I had to make sure you'll find an agonising death in case I get defeated. As long as you breathe, I will torment you until you die and make a favour to the Universe by ridding it off your pathetic presence!"

A violent trembling gripped his entire body, refusing to let Ratchet go due to his refusal to blow the screen to bits and break everything in the room. Anger became harder to contain at that point but he knew he had to listen to all of this if there was any possibility of finding a way out of this nightmare.

"Now let's begin our game, shall we? Why don't you go to Zanifar and see what you've done to its poor inhabitants? If you ever escape the lab. Oh don't be mad at me, you're the one who hacked the computer and initiated my project. Behold, the Cragmites' last stand. Project After Omega! Hahahahahahaa!"

The screen became black, signifying the end of the message. The three of them stood still, stunned by the words of the transmitter. However, the screen powered up again.

"Oh, and Lombaxes suck!" the Cragmite added before the glass surface became inanimate once more and the dark mirror returning to its place.

A piercing hiss violently harassed the hearing of the three occupants as a viridian blue gas began emitting from the vents of the ceiling, creating an eerie-looking mist as it thickened and formed dense clouds now hindering their vision.

"Damn you, Tachyon!" Ratchet stormed and attacked the screen with his melee weapon, his rage so great it dragged his mind into a treacherous belief that he was posing a threat to the enemy of his species.

He smote the now dead computer again and again, turning its lowest part to useless bits as it lost its intactness with every strike of the OmniWrench. His eyes began to sting as hot liquid made his vision blurry. He shut them and unleashed a violent stream with every powerful strike he delivered, some of them accompanied with cries of wrath. His cheeks burned and his throat ached not only because of his excessive yelling but because of the tears he refused to shed.

After a few moments the effect of hate left his form and it was getting harder and harder for him to move his arms or feet, let alone raise his OmniWrench which now felt like a dead weight to him. It was then the continuous sound of the gas leak reached his hearing and turning the other way brought him face to face with a dense fog. He instantly regretted every deep breath his outburst had forced him to take.

His whole body suddenly felt chained to the ground. An invisible burden was laid on him and clenched by gravity, he leaned his back on the damaged screen and slid to a sitting position.

Defeat overshadowed him like a giant beast intangible to others but perfectly seen by Ratchet's mind.

Project After Omega. Inhabitants of Zanifar.

Cragmite infused with a Loki's essence.

Ratchet knew he couldn't help anyone. And because of that, he felt so helpless. The gas could be deadly for all he knew. All was lost. Chaos unfolded.

Wishing to hide, to disappear, he buried his face in his hands in a futile attempt to disregard reality itself.

A small hand gently yet hesitantly touched him. Driven by curiosity Ratchet revealed his face and saw Clank right in front of him. Compassion and understanding ran across his face but Ratchet could sense raw sadness in the way the robot stared at him and the more he was exposed to it the more his eyes welled up with restrained tears.

Clank tried to come up with any words, anything that could spark any sort of lively movement in the Lombax but it was harder than he believed it would be. "We must find a way to escape, Ratchet" he managed to mutter though no trace of hope or confidence was there to accompany his words.

To his surprise this was enough to bring his friend right up on his feet again. Ratchet's eyes lingered on Clank's warm face before standing up. He searched around for Qwark only to find him lying on the floor, already passed out by the effects of the gas. He found it strange that he never heard a thud coming from him but he momentarily concluded it was because of his uncontrollable rampage that had flooded the room with sounds of violent strikes.

His eyelids felt heavy and he was punished with a terrible headache for his resistance towards sweet, enticing unconsciousness. However, his wish to overpower the weakness running through him could persist only for so long.

Everything twirled noiselessly and the only thing Ratchet felt before oblivion embraced him was the hard contact with the metal floor which sent an acute pain on his arm as he fell on it. Thankfully it didn't torture him for long for all senses disappeared and the blackness danced with blue shadows that carried him away from the reality he so had desired to escape earlier.

Panic made his actions swift and prompt. Clank performed a quick scan on both Ratchet and Qwark's forms and the results he received were thankfully not so ominous; the gas only worked as a sedative which meant they would be conscious in a few hours. To counter this momentary relief, a foreboding thought came to him; Tachyon wouldn't kill Ratchet after announcing he had prepared a game for him. A twisted, anguishing game at best.

Uneasiness filled him with a craving to find a way out. He surmised that since the gas couldn't affect him he could try to detect some sort of exit, maybe even by trying to bring back the elevator while hoping the Cragmites they had eluded wouldn't be on the surface waiting for them.

Before he could take a step, he spotted an orb floating his way. As the sphere surpassed his reflexes, he was shot by electricity that sent a shockwave through his entire circuitry and rendered his sensors out of function. He realised one thing before being carried into paralysing unconsciousness. Not only Dr. Nefarious was equipped with orbs of gratuitous immobilization.

~ End of Part II: Storm ~