Ratchet and Clank: Age of Charlatans

Chapter Fifteen

Time for a goose chase.

***

Ratchet and Clank has to stay one step ahead of Gavin, and fight the remaining members of the traitor team, Adrian and one other. Talwyn, Qwark, and the Serchias need several remote computers activated to do their job and Ratchet and Clank activate them. Ratchet and Clank also activate bridges and deactivate doors, all while keeping Vorselon busy. Once the transmitter is destroyed, Ratchet and Clank destroy Vorselon and meet up with the others back at the Lombax prison.

***

The Lombaxes were now out of the cage, but still unable to leave the outpost until the cage and machine had been destroyed. And there were hundreds of them. Men, women, and children, all crammed in one large room. It was hard for Ratchet and Clank to spot the Serchias in the crowd. But Qwark being twice everyone else's size and wearing bright green helped.

"How do we destroy these machines?" asked Ratchet as soon as they arrived.

Clank pressed a few buttons on the computer. "It seems there is no way to destroy either of them since we lost the gun the smuggler made for us. The Technomites built them incredibly tolerant."

Ratchet rushed over to the Dimensionator 2.0. The gun was tucked safely underneath. He grabbed it, plugged it into the machine, and pulled the trigger. The Dimensionator 2.0, along with the cage that had kept the Lombaxes, suddenly collapsed into a pile of scraps before anyone even noticed Ratchet had found the gun.

"That oughta do it," chuckled Ratchet, tossing away the now useless gun.

The Lombaxes and Serchias emitted a cheer.

"Nice job, Ratchet," cheered Qwark.

"Wait, where's Talwyn and Kaden?" asked Ratchet.

"Over here!" yelled Talwyn. She was in the back, trying to help Kaden to his feet.

Ratchet dashed through the crowded room to his father.

"I can't believe he survived," sighed Talwyn as Kaden leaned against the wall, barely able to stand.

"That much radiation exposure should've killed you," gasped Ratchet.

Kaden grinned and pulled a small ball out of his jacket. Nanotech! Not enough to fully heal him, but enough to keep him from dying. "I'm not exactly what I seem."

Ratchet chuckled. "I'm just glad you're okay. Come on. Let's get everyone back to Fastoon."

*** After a few days***

The Serchias all went home, and the Technomites vanished again. Ratchet and Clank helped the Lombaxes on Fastoon for a few days. Talwyn and Qwark explained everything to the board of directors and gave Ratchet and Clank a few days off. Kaden recovered from the exposure fairly quickly.

One day, Ratchet and Clank were helping a few Lombax children make minor repairs to a house. Fastoon needed a major makeover, but with all the Lombaxes working together, it was not too hard. And Ratchet was overjoyed to be with his own kind.

"Ratchet," called Kaden from the doorway of the house.

Ratchet set down his tools and turned to Clank. "I'll be right back."

Ratchet met Kaden by the door and the two walked, not really having a destination in mind.

"I have a question," said Ratchet. "Is my name really Adlai?"

"Adlai Stolar," replied Kaden. "That's what your mother and I called you. But you've seemed to make a name yourself as Ratchet."

"And if that was my real name, how come you didn't call me that when you met me?" asked Ratchet.

"That would've given me away faster than you on a grind rail," Kaden pointed out.

Ratchet chuckled. "I guess so."

"Are you planning on staying here?" asked Kaden.

"Staying? On Fastoon?" asked Ratchet.

"Well, you've been without your fellow kind long enough."

"That's true," agreed Ratchet. "But then again the Technomites are still out there."

"Whatever you want to do, I'll back you on," promised Kaden. "Even though my place is here, yours may not be. You've kinda become a world saver now."

"If I do stay, what about Clank?" asked Ratchet.

"Clank can stay too," said Kaden. "He's not just a Zoni robot, he's Orvus's son. And Orvus was a friend of mine. I wouldn't turn out his son."

"I dunno," sighed Ratchet. "I'm sure I'll figure it out. And I'll let you know when I do. I gotta go, though."

"Alright, I'll be in the town square if you need me," added Kaden.

Ratchet nodded and dashed off. He wanted to know what Clank thought.

"Clank!" called Ratchet, rushing up to the small robot.

"Hello, Ratchet," said Clank.

"Listen, I've been wondering if we should stay here. You know, make it our new base," suggested Ratchet. "What do you think?"

"If you would like to remain with your kind, I understand," Clank reassured him.

"Would you be staying?" asked Ratchet.

"Maybe for a while," said Clank. "But if you decide to stay with your kind, I have a promise to keep with my own."

"Alright," sighed Ratchet.

"So you'll be staying on Fastoon, then?" asked Clank.

Ratchet sighed. "I don't know. I mean, there should be no reason why I wouldn't want to stay here. After being the only Lombax for years, you'd think I'd jump at the chance to stay with them in my own dimension. But... I mean..."

Some yelling came from the town square. An evil laugh reached Ratchet's ears. Doctor Nefarious.

"Come on." Ratchet grabbed Clank and the two rushed to the center of the commotion.
 
Sure enough, Nefarious, inside a huge robot, was searching for Ratchet and Clank.

"There you are," laughed Nefarious when he spotted them. "I see you brought back the Lombaxes. More squishies."

"Oh, so what? You're evil again?" asked Ratchet.

"I was always evil!" yelled Nefarious. "And always will be!"

Ratchet threw his omniwrench at the leg of the giant robot. The robot buckled, and fell, but did not break.

"Ratche—!" screamed Nefarious, getting cut off by a super weird opera.

Lawrence popped out of nowhere, slapped Nefarious back into gear, and then vanished. 

Nefarious finished yelling, then glared at Ratchet. He pressed a button on his robot and it went into the air. "Good luck catching me this time!"

"I guess that promise will be put on hold for a while longer," said Clank.

Ratchet nodded. "We'd better hurry. Call Aphelion over."

"Does that mean you're going?" asked a voice. Kaden was nearby.

"We'll be back to visit," promised Ratchet with a smile.

Aphelion pulled in and opened her hatch.

Kaden nodded understandingly. "It's your place."

Ratchet smiled and hopped inside Aphelion. "The galaxy needs someone to save it."

Clank pressed the button that closed Aphelion's hatch. Ratchet grabbed the steering wheel and soon, Fastoon was far behind them. But not forever. Just for now.

***The end***