Chapter 5: The Journey Begins

Meridian City: Ratchet and Clank's apartment

Ratchet sank into the couch in the middle of the sparse living room of the apartment that he and Clank rented while they helped Talwyn. It wasn't nearly as fancy or grand as the one that they had in Metropolis, but neither of them really cared for luxury. As long as it was near to a garage and had a gaming system, Ratchet was content. Clank only cared that it was close to the city center, where most of the businesses and contacts he was working with were stationed.

Ratchet had gotten back from the space station just a few hours ago. The first thing he did was hole up in his room and tinker with yet another ridiculous invention. It was his way of clearing his mind to think. Once he tired himself out, he emerged to the living room where he now resided. After a few minutes, Clank walked in carrying a briefcase full of schematics and presentations that he was using to try and secure a sponsor.

"Ratchet? I was not aware that you were coming to the city today." he paused, taking in Ratchet's appearance, it being eerily similar to the ghost-like manner in which he existed after Alister's death. "Is there something in which I can be of assistance?" he asked, jumping onto the couch.

"I said something…I shouldn't have, Clank." Ratchet said in a monotone.

"I...do not understand," Clank replied quizzically.

Ratchet sighed and sat up. "Talwyn and I...we got into a fight about a job." he paused, rubbing his face. "I didn't want her to go because I thought it'd be too dangerous...and well...I basically told her that she was throwing away Cronk and Zephyr's memory." he sighed once more. "I knew I shouldn't have said it the second it came out of my mouth...but she wouldn't let me apologize."

Clank rubbed his metal chin in thought, one of the many mannerisms that he developed after spending so much time with organisms. "I do not blame her," he said simply. "Why would you think that the mission was too dangerous for Miss Apogee? She has helped you on many adventures before," he asked, perplexed at his friend's sudden concern for her safety.

"Clank...I...I don't know." Ratchet said, though after another puzzled look from his metallic friend, he tried again to articulate his reasoning. "The job came from some old guy that used to know her father or something. He lives somewhere in the...uhh...Krayntixx Galaxy" the lombax finished as he remembered the name. "Talwyn is a skilled fighter, and great shot I'll admit. But in a galaxy she's never heard of? Where neither of us have any contacts? Or know of any of the hostile aliens? I just thought it'd be best if I did this one alone." he finished, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

"If the job is as dangerous as you say, then why were you better qualified to go? And alone I might ask." Clank said, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Look Clank...it's different. I mean...I'm well...a guy. We're supposed to do these things." Ratchet said, instantly realizing how ridiculous he sounded.

"Do you not think that Miss Apogee would worry for you? Or myself for that matter? And I do not understand how your genetic makeup makes you better qualified." Clank continued, thinking that Ratchet was making less and less sense.

"Well of course I know that buddy, but I can handle it. I've been in worse scrapes before and still came out alive. And well...it's just...guys are supposed to do this sort of stuff." Ratchet continued, he himself not really knowing where such silly sounding expectations came from.

"I do not understand. According to your reasoning Captain Qwark would be a better candidate than Talwyn." Clank said, giving another quizzical look. Though a split second later he had calculated a possible explanation. "This wouldn't have anything to do with your romantic feelings towards Miss Apogee would it?" he asked. The lombax all of a sudden caught a coughing fit as the question caught him completely off guard.

"No! I mean…what feelings?" Ratchet responded in a poor attempt to discredit his friend.

"My databanks record over 2,000 different instances in which you have complimented Miss Apogee on her flying, fighting, or physical appearance," Clank said with one of his robotic smirks. "You've known me far longer and I don't even come close. This is the only logical explanation." He surmised with a pointed finger, "Unless of course, you don't really see me as that close a friend." The small robot finished with a false tone of sadness in his voice.

"W-What!? Of course that's not it, you're my best friend, buddy" Ratchet quickly corrected his pint-sized companion. The last thing he wanted was for both of his friends to be angry with him. However, this just made Clank give Ratchet one of his know-it-all looks, and the lombax realized that his friend had outsmarted him. Ratchet sunk back into the couch with a sigh, and stared at the ceiling, trying to find the right words.

"When Artemis' ship exploded...and I thought Talwyn had died...I wanted to crawl into a dark hole and never come out," he said. "Talwyn...she's special, Clank. She's kind, a-and she knows her way around any weapon made, and she's smart and..." he sighed again. "And she hates me now. I just...I'm not strong enough to see her hurt Clank." He finally admitted to his metallic friend. Losing Alister was hard enough, and Ratchet barely knew him. Losing Talwyn after all these years would be magnitudes worse.

Clank gave a small, knowing smile. "Why don't you explain this to her then? I'm sure she'll understand."

"I just can't go up to her and say something like that!" Ratchet said in surprise. "She'd fire her blaster at me, or worse, laugh at me," Ratchet said as he threw his hands up in the air.

"Well perhaps she might, but most likely not. Either way, it seems that she's determined to take this mission, and will even go alone. Which I have to agree is not the best option for anyone." Clank said, placing a metal hand on Ratchet's knee.

"So, what, are you saying that I should follow her after she leaves since there is no way she's going to talk to me after what I said," Ratchet asked, still upset at himself for making Talwyn so upset.

"I did not say so, though I do agree that it is the best plan that we have at our disposal," Clank responded.

Ratchet smiled and chuckled to himself. "Well, you know pal, I might need your help on this one when we get there," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Clank responded, his face also sporting a smile.

Nundac Asteroid Ring

Talwyn groggily woke up from her tear induced sleep. She was still clutching the picture she had of Cronk and Zephyr. It wasn't until now that she realized that last night was the first time she cried for them. When it happened, she was still the captain of the Polaris Defense Force, and therefore her position called for a stern face and words of praise of the two's past endeavors. Then, after her term ended, she was thrown face first into the mountain of bills for the space station. She had been much too busy keeping it afloat that she simply had no energy to give towards emotions. Maybe she had wanted it that way. Maybe all this time she had been running from the inevitable and hiding behind her other, more tangible problems.

Talwyn sighed as she got out of bed and stretched. Today she had to get the station ready for her departure. She wasn't about to let the argument last night get in the way of eight million bolts. Her troubling thoughts soon melted away as she busied herself with the preparations. She packed her bags and weapons that she felt might come in handy. Along with several back up holo-comm systems for her ship. She then set to work shutting down the station, keeping only the primary navigation and security systems up and running.

She took one last glance around her room to see if she forgot anything. On a whim she grabbed her father's picture for good luck. Talwyn then grabbed her duffel and headed to the docking bay. She jumped into her ship, loaded the coordinates that Erus sent her, and then blasted off to an exciting new locale. Perhaps it was her father's adventurous blood in her, maybe it was that she wanted to prove Ratchet wrong, but all the same Talwyn couldn't wait to see what this new galaxy looked like. It would also come as a good distraction from Ratchet and everything else going on.

A few hours later Ratchet and his metal companion cruised towards the space station once more, only to see a distinct difference in the amount of light that usually flooded the surrounding areas. Ratchet maneuvered into the docking bay a bit more carefully than usual, on the alert in the event that they triggered the defense systems. As a dull thud echoed throughout the hangar announcing his and Clank's arrival, he quickly noticed Lady Wraith was gone.

"Aw man Clank, this is exactly what I didn't want to happen!" Ratchet said in frustration. He stared at his hands for a moment, then spoke up once again "Well, I guess we'll just have to follow her there...um…Clank, I don't know where 'there' is. Erus sent Tal the coordinates, but I didn't get a chance to see them before she kicked me out."

Clank thought for a moment "Well they should still be logged on her computer, though it seems that the space station is locked." he said.

Ratchet grinned, "It didn't stop us the first time, pal. Talwyn might get upset, but she'll just have to get over it because we're not leaving her out there alone." he decided. With that, he back flipped out of Aphelion and paused to let Clank jump down and attach to his back.

Together they walked to one of the doors leading to the station's interior and went to work hacking it. After a few tries they were granted access to the station, but also met with the security system which Talwyn had left on. Though, it was much more advanced than the one he faced several years ago. He quickly did a front flip to avoid an oncoming robot. As he landed, he pushed downward on his wrench, smashing the robot behind it before swinging around to smash the first one. Though as he looked around, he saw that several had already surrounded him. Taking out his trusty pistol he made a break in the circle with which he was able to escape the death-bots.

Running down a familiar corridor, Ratchet took out his mini-nukes and threw a few behind him, hoping that the ensuing explosions included a few of the robots. Turning left, he took a peek behind his shoulder to see that there were still three left, and gaining. He put on more steam, dodging bullets from the many turrets that were now popping out of the floor and ceiling. He threw his wrench at one, making it spin around and take out a few of its fellow machines. Ratchet jumped over another machine gun into another room, and smashed the control panel for the door, closing it. He then quickly made his way to the main computer room before the station threw more painful things his way.

Here, Clank jumped off his back and took the task of downloading the coordinates and relevant star maps for that galaxy. Ratchet heard pounding coming from the door to the computer room and scooped up Clank before he stepped onto the teleporter. His body dissolved into air just as a volley of bullets reached the spot he had been previously occupying. Taking a breath of relief, he and Clank jumped into Aphelion before they met any more maniacal robots.

Planet Evukar

Talwyn made a slightly rough landing not being familiar with the planet's geography, but she and her ship were in one piece. She was inside the hangar for Erus' home, which was bigger than she expected. She was a little jumpy, mainly from the long flight, and so she reached for her pistol when she heard footsteps coming from the other side of the cavernous room. Though she relaxed when she recognized the silhouette as Erus'.

"Ah, Miss Apogee, so glad to see your safe arrival," Erus said with a small smile. "Now, uh- where is your scruff friend?" he asked, confused as he was expecting two travelers. Talwyn rubbed her arm and looked at him with a mix of embarrassment and disappointment in herself knowing that this was so important to Erus.

"He didn't come...we had an argument after you signed off," she said. However, instead of anger, which is what Talwyn expected, Erus only nodded knowingly.

"Yes, yes, it is most unfortunate but these things happen with colleagues," he said before motioning her towards a door, secretly elated that his plan was coming along so nicely. "Come, let me show you what you have to work with then. Afterward, we can share a cup of Ar'tac tea. Best in this galaxy." he said cordially as he let the heavy door close behind them.

Little did either of them know that a certain Lombax was well on his way to joining them. Or that, in a far-off sector of the Galaxy, an evil presence was about to put into action an equally evil plot.