Junkyard Asteroid LMP BIZ-2-KT
The isolated asteroid floated through the depths of space. However, it had an important function. Compared to others, this one was huge and housed whole piles of old scrap or garbage. Stations for monitoring were also built, guarded by all sorts of employees roaming around the galaxy. The end of the shift was drawing to a close, as the staff was already clocking out and everyone wanted to go home to their families, friends or even alone. Only two were left, where one was still staring at the security monitors, but his colleague was already putting on his jacket.
"Hey, Freddy," the alien with the jacket tapped his colleague against the shoulder, "Come on, call it a day. Let's have a beer in our pub. I'll invite you, too." His three-eyed colleague continued to stare before raising his hand, "Just a minute...I could have sworn there was something moving."
"Dude we've been through a twelve hour shift week," his colleague whined, "If a little rock flew by for a second it doesn't matter. Now come on, nothing's going to explode." "Yeah...you're right, Slippy," and so the junkyard manager got up, grabbed his jacket, and they both took off toward the parking lots, where they would fly their ship to the pub.
But he was right. Something moved.
"Okay...the cameras are off, keep looking," a deep voice propelled four other figures in the shadows to keep looking for something. All five were robots and their appearance differed from the others. Their leader was red in some places, wore two horns on his head, brown boots and bracers of fur, three spikes on his shoulders and a full beard made of iron on his face.
Also near him was a blue big guy with one eye, whose right arm was very short, but his left was quite long. Also horns on the head, but they were curved down to the side, a wide lower jaw and a cannon on his back was attached.
The third robot was female in design. She was white and purple colored on her body, had an iron hairstyle that slid long down her shoulders. Boots had been automatically attached to her feet, and half a dress covered her rear end, along with two bright blue eyes.
In addition, there was an orange robot with a red headscarf. A face mask covered its lower jaw, a cape hung from its back and boot-like feet. But his biggest feature was that instead of two normal hands, he had two hooked hands that perfected his pirate look.
And the last one had a normal build. He wore a white suit with green dots on it, his face had purple stripes, plus his nose was colored black, which looked like a stub nose, because of the color. Likewise, he had green eyes and had strange, steel hair that was also green.
"The one we looking for is ancient. Most of his parts could have been recycled by now," the hook-handed one wore something under his sleeves that had similarities to a torso, while the blue colossus lifted legs and arms. The two others now found smaller parts that looked like chips or fingers in addition, "We've got a large part of it, though!" They were only missing one important piece. Something the leader in red rummaged through the scrap under his feet, and he just growled menacingly. "Look how they bury our brothers and sisters...but not for long," the bearded one continued to dig before his hand bumped against something hard that even his iron hand felt. He dug through and finally found what he was looking for.
"Guys...I got his head!"
"Yeah, but his lower jaw is completely rusted," the others approached him, "Once again, one of your plans has worked out, Kettil!"
"Yes, Gunar," he pointed to the one in the white suit, who was already raising his non-existent eyebrow in attention, "Call in the Manowar. It's time for the operation!" A button press followed and they already heard it. A ship large enough to contain several pilots came towards the group, where it was fully inscribed with decorations of an ancient mythology and religion from the old, northern galaxy. The troop of five robots climbed in with the remains of the old model after searching all day and flew out to the stars before security could spot them.
The real challenge was now ahead of them.
"Okay, Pluto. Give me all the details," Kettil stood there with his arms folded in front of the aligned old robot, which was long past its best days and was just a forgotten pile of junk. "Well, boss," the hook-handed man had been in charge of that, "it's going to be really hard to patch this one up. We're talking about an old model decades ago, and it's going to take me more time than that!"
"We'll try to rebuild him together in three weeks," the gang all stood around the destroyed bot in a circle, looking into its remains, "If he's alive again, then we're one step closer to our goal. Six beat five!"
Truly, it was a long task. During the first week, Pluto and Gunar had gone to the drawing board to sketch the new body of their dead guest. Many ideas were discarded or abandoned until the two finally agreed on something. "Preferably something that suits the modern age," the hook-handed man stroked the screen, "Something sleek. Fewer cables on its hood and smoother armor instead. White, that's the color I suggest."
"And remember to make him waterproof. That would be embarrassing if a current robot still dies from water," the two bots continued sketching before finally having a complete design. They immediately contacted Kettil, who looked at the whole thing and grinned with satisfaction. He liked this concept.
"Excellent...let's get started!"
The second week was even harder. Each of the five robots reshaped new material, before painting it white and making sure the paint didn't run off. The legs were completely replaced with new, stronger ones. The basic skeleton, which was still to be found in the remains, was kept, in order to be able to attach there a reference point of the new joints. The hood on the head was unscrewed and replaced with the new one, but Pluto stopped his leader in time.
"Kettil, I need to check if the computer chips in his cyber brain are still functional or not. The last thing we need is a robot with amnesia," the red one pulled his hood away approvingly, but then as they stared at his head again, "His jaw needs something new. He's too invaded by rust, so I suggest a mask that can channel the energy into him! Here, screw his new eyes on"
"As long as he will stand, you can also give him a tattoo", Kettil gave the starting signal and attached the new eyes. They were completely red and without pupils and by now his partner had immediately called for help, "EY, MARIT. Bring the mask I created!"
"If you finally stop singing sea shanties, then yes," the female robot stepped forward with said item. The mask was completely black, resembled a muzzle, and two energetic tubes were built onto it. Quickly, both of them screwed it on the patient.
"He's almost done!"
The last and third week was almost over. Pluto was still tapping the buttons with his hooks, while the rest of the crew watched patiently. The pirate had checked all systems, administered updates, and finally then removed the water weakness, "Okay...he's up to date. You can screw the head on!" So the Colossus screwed the hood onto the skull, which resembled two tail fins pulled backwards, making the big bot laugh, "Hehe! New friend ready!"
"Yeah, Widar. Now get over here before you break something," Kettil shouted to Him, before then the squad was back in formation patiently staring at the table with the renewed bot.
"The electric shock I am about to send is very powerful. Don't get too close to him," and so Pluto activated the switch. A tremendous charge of energy and lightning followed, causing the patient's motionless body to twitch and the tubes on his mask to now begin glowing red. "So," the noise had ended as the leader strode over to the pirate, "Did it do anything?"
"Let's see...his vitals are moving slightly...and also his system seems to be back on line...", and indeed the patient was slowly stirring in front of him, but before a new noise sounded from the screen, "That's...his memory chip! It's powering back up, HE'S ALIVE!" The robots rejoiced among themselves. They successfully brought one of them back to the living world and gained a new partner. What they did not realize was that the memories of the revived one were playing in his head, as well as on the monitor.
...The malfunction escaped...
...The next target would be Veldin, sir...
...Go with Qwark to his ship and destroy them both...
...I'm counting on you...Victor!
He snapped up the optics. With a force, he ripped himself off the table and straightened up to his full height, destroying some equipment and drawing all the attention to him, though. He looked down at his hands. He no longer had a red color, but was completely white and...what is that on his mouth? The squad stared at the much larger bot, where Kettil was the first to dare say a word.
"I take it you are Victor von Ion!"
"Where...am I...I was dead," Victor recalled collapsing through water and flying into the air with Qwark's ship. Kettil, on the other hand, reached his hand out to the former battlebot leader, "Welcome to the future! It's been a long time since you were back in tact. Decades have passed and then I heard about you. When I took a closer look at your story, I was sure we could use someone like you!" The elder looked around the ship. Yes, there was something familiar here, but it was also so new that it was as if it had changed in comparison to that time. The next glance then hit the screen that had paused his memory, and at a bad time. For those who destroyed Him were watching. "Victor," no response. The taller one strode towards the screen and stared hatefully at the image. A duo of a furry alien without a T-shirt and a small robot in silver could be seen, making fists at the old general.
"The failure and the lombax!"
And so he punched the picture. "HEY, I needed that," the pirate complained and the rest of the troupe approached again, "Explain to us what you have against Ratchet and Clank!"
"They destroyed me...", Victor remembered too well. He had worked for Chairman Drek, was a good servant and then when the day came and the failure, as he called Clank arose and fled to Veldin. There he allied himself with the lombax and everything went wrong after that, "Why did you bring me back?" The other bots now changed their expressions to a serious look as their leader took a step forward, "We are a group of Independent Robots fighting for freedom from the meatbags. Our team is also called Heavy Vikings. They say we are terrorists, yet they are the real monsters! All meatbags should kneel before us and respect us, and for that we need a general!"
Victor had listened carefully. Honestly, he had always thought of just betraying the Blargs back then and taking control before he was struck down. So these extremists in front of him would prove to be good allies, so Victor straightened in salute and spoke again, "Then we should fight for it together." Kettil liked the answer, but Victor was not done yet, "...BUT! As long as the lombax and the failure are here, we will not fulfill our goal. Help me take revenge, and nothing will stand in the way of freedom anymore!"
"Deal," a handshake from the red and white followed, but before then the purple remembered something: "There's another lombax in this galaxy now...he could be a problem too!"
"One after the other, Marit! Everyone's turn will come," the Heavy Vikings and Victor von Ion finally joined forces. Together, they would bring in a new era for the robots that could not be more glorious and wonderful. The former general was back among the living and his goal has never been more clear. He wants revenge on Ratchet and Clank. Most of all the failure Clank. The humiliation of being defeated by a falsely designed warbot drove him insane, and the lombax didn't help it either. But now he was back, Victor would get his revenge, no matter the cost.
No Chairman Drek,
No Captain Qwark,
And no Nefarious, either,
Victor von Ion was newborn and his own master!
