literature

Ratchet and Clank: Lifeforce Chapter 21

Deviation Actions

What-if-Writer's avatar
Published:
919 Views

Literature Text

Lifeforce: Chapter 21

"No trait is more justified than revenge in the right time and place."

-Meir Kahane

Wrath of the Thora Women

...

Nefarious's large get-away ship crashed into the Landing Dock of the Giant Battleship with tremendous force, scraping the smooth sturdy floor before smacking against the wall at the far end of the area. The air lock slid shut behind it, and minions scuttled over with repair tools and the like- but the ship was clearly beyond repair and smoking from every possible opening, crevice, crack and engine.

The hatch of the ship swung open with a smack, hitting against the side of the ship before falling off completely. Smoke drifted out from the inside of the ship, slowly filling up the docks. Nefarious stumbled out, his legs clearly damaged...but his head was far worse.

Nefarious's metal form was shaking with fury and his chest heaved with the pressure of it, his red eyes narrowed dangerously. The minions trembled in fear as he slowly regained his balance, clenched his fists, and began marching out of the docks.

His back was hunched, his head down- he looked oddly like a vulture with smoke coming off him. Lawrence saw him coming, standing just outside the Main Control Helm where the Loki and Tachyon surely dwelt at this moment.

"Welcome Back sir...oh My..." He coolly regarded the cracks and dents in his master's metal frame, "Shouldn't you go in for repair before-"

"Outa the WAY, Lawrence!" Nefarious snapped, smacking him aside. He hadn't raised his voice that much- and in Nefarious's case, this meant trouble.

The automatic door slid open, and all conversation between Tachyon and the Loki that may have been going on ceased instantly.

Nefarious looked like a wreck, and an angry wreck, too. The Loki rose a brow slowly, and Tachyon stared at him, eyes hard and wide, his crooked mouth slightly open.

"...What in the name of-"

Nefarious had thrown a broken minion's arm at him, and it smacked loudly against the metal of his throne. The cragmite scowled indignantly, eyes wide and blazing.

"How is it that I'm always the one getting the short end of the stick around here?" Nefarious snapped, hands on his hips, still partly covered in suit, "How is it that I am the one dealing with the furballs YOU said you dealt with!"

Tachyon gripped his sceptre tight, his knuckles straining, "Silence, you infernal artificial lifeform. I will deal with them in due time."

"In due time." Nefarious repeated slowly, "Oooh, like you have been for the past twenty-five years?! There's still THREE of those pests left, and even though you say you'll finish the job, I'm still dealing with them!"

"So they where together? All three?" The Loki's smooth voice finally enquired. Nefarious grunted, waving an arm,

"PAH! More like trying to take each other apart! That fur-ball Ratchet ran off while the other two clawed at each other like typical Squishie alley cats!"

"Perhaps we'll get lucky and they'll kill themselves in the process." The Loki said in a slow voice. Tachyon had gone quiet, his hands quivering with fury. His gaze was locked on the controls of his throne; Nefarious glanced at him. His eyes where wide and beady, almost shifty. He looked like he was going to explode inwardly.

"So...what else is there of interest? Besides you failing, of course." The parasitic spirit grinned mirthless down at Nefarious, who was now dusting himself off and mumbling incoherent curse words under his breath.

"Hmph. Just that the lombax and his tin can found Qwark and that cat lady of yours, and skedaddled before I woke up. The Orange freak turned on me when I did... guess he got bored of that one in the moronic-looking armour. " He rose a brow suddenly, "Those two know each other somehow."

"The one that tore the minions apart with his bare hands?" The Loki remarked indifferently, though his eyes spark with interest. "...Odd these two show up when information on the Lifeforce surfaces. Marvellous coincidence."

"Indeed." Tachyon spoke at last, his voice low as he raised his head, "And if these filthy miscreants only surface now after years of hiding from my wrath, they must feel confident enough that they know what they are doing..."

Nefarious had a feeling the two crazy lombaxes knew something, but it didn't seem like much. "Who cares, anyway? They have no plan."

"We still haven't located anything yet." The Loki reminded him shortly.

Tachyon suddenly grinned. It would make most normal people's stomachs flip, akin to seasickness at seeing it. "...Oh. I believe I found something when I was in...conference with our archaeologist friends."

The cat-like creature on the hover throne nearby scrutinized him with actual interest, "Oh?"

"Send minions to all libraries in Cobalia. And to Fastoon. There is something I want them to find."

Nefarious folded his arms, in a huff. He hated being behind in the action, especially when someone else appeared to be getting ahead.

...

"Fiver, get down..."

The small-statured Thora tilted his head, his gaze set ahead to the dark woodland meters away. The Research Deck, positioned in a wide clearing, overlooked the valley in which Loki territory lay. Of course, their citadel couldn't be seen above ground.

It was only recent research settlements like this small area had been made; with a few counters built into the rock formations already in the ground, making the most of nature he presumed, using them instead of hover-plates or table legs. He held a telescope in his hands, but instead of looking towards the skies- as he was meant to be doing- he was looking towards the valley.

"I'll be down in a minute, Tayzol. I'm keeping watch." He said, in his usual soft, quiet voice. Tayzol tensed below.

"Words like that will get you into trouble with the Council. It sounds too..."

Fiver supposed the words his brother was searching for was 'military-associated' or along those lines. Anything mildly defensive or offensive, even keeping watch without permission from them, sounded bad to the Council. Most Members of the Council where adamant in the laws of the Thora People; refraining from combat and military strategy unless absolutely necessary.

Or, as others put it, act like doormats until it's too late.

"We're lucky they let us come up here to do our astronomy research." Tayzol said, now irate below, "If they see you out of line on the first day, they could whip back their decision quick as a wink."

"Something's going to happen, Tayzol." Fiver insisted- and it would. "...I have a premonition, a feeling...I need to keep watch."

"On the Loki's territory?" Tayzol eyed the woodlands blocking his view; Fiver being quite higher up, "They flounce in here all the time, Fiver...I don't see why it would be different if they came today."

Fifer looked down, regarding his small tail, and then the dark soil meters below it. He tried to think of a way to explain to Tayzol, but he really had none.

"Old Methuselah says to trust in the Lifeforce and what it tells you through your instincts..." He said quietly, so Tayzol could only hear him if he strained considerably. Tayzol's eyes widened.

The Lifeforce was something no one talked about above ground where untrustworthy creatures such as the Loki could hear; it was an unspoken taboo. Tayzol didn't agree with the narrow-minded Council Members on many things, but the Lifeforce was their only advantage over the Loki species, and its secrets should remain away from their greedy claws whenever possible.

"You've got your head in the clouds, Fiver. Instincts or not, you shouldn't mention these things..." He tried to sound reasonable, but as always, Fiver sighed,

"I know, I know...but what is the point if we do not use them? Use it?" Fiver drifted back down through the air to face his older brother's stiff form, trying to sound adamant and firm despite his small, meek posture, "You must listen to me, Tayzol...my lifeforce is telling me...something is bound to happen."

"What, now?" Tayzol tilted his head. Fiver shook his own,

"No...but perhaps beginning..."

Tayzol decided he'd never understand him.

Ironically, something Fiver would have probably been watching out for happened when he'd ceased said looking out.

"What an amusing little gathering."

As usual, all heads turned to the deep voice, and lo and behold, there was a posse of Loki in their midst. Tayzol let out the most silent but not-so hidden sigh at the sight of them. The other astronomers dropped their things and looked up from their telescopes, jaws hanging open. The Loki group where smirking at them with malicious glee; they were delighted to find them practicing science in such a simple way.

Tayzol hated to admit it, but it was simple compared to these Know-It-Alls. The Council felt science was too dangerous and risky a field that it should be avoided for the most part...something the Loki found absolutely hilarious. They usually claimed it was just an excuse for their blue cousins being stupid.

Fiver seemed to shrink a little, making his already small self even smaller. One of the Loki men, a tall lean one that rivalled the Loki Master's own height, was eyeing him down. Tayzol could have sworn he'd seen a spark of recognition in his eyes.

"What's all this?"

The heavy accented voice of one of the Council Men- one of the two the Thora despised the most- sounded from the tunnel entrance near the centre of the Research Deck. The two appeared a moment later; one tall and thin, the other rather squat and bulky looking, but shorter. Tayzol never cared to remember their names.

"Those are the ones that Tressakay Misow..." Fiver's mouth had a hand clamped over it in seconds. Tayzol glared at him, then the two Council Members saw the Loki Master and went a pale shade of turquoise. He didn't know whether he wanted to laugh at them or cringe.

He then spotted a group of women- young women by the looks of them, had arrived outside the Deck, ducked timidly behind the cover of the trees and tall rocks. They seemed to be expecting something, and they looked both uncertain and afraid of it.

The Loki Master saw the two horrified Council Members and grinned, his large jaw bearing sharp predatory teeth. One of the two swallowed uneasily.

"Well well well." The large purple being crooned, his posse snickering meanly, "If it isn't the most evasive Council Members of the Thora species." He said their specie's name like it was a crude slang term, sneering, "If I hadn't known any better I'd say you'd been avoiding me."

"Yes, well..." The two drew back, only to have the Loki drawn nearer, and their pale faces grew even paler. They looked both terrified and humiliated, and Tayzol found himself trying not to grin.

"Oh, calm yourself." The Loki Master glanced upwards in annoyance, "I'm merely here to offer a little proposition of my own."

The Loki group behind him downright cackled. Tayzol knew they were mocking the two council members on their attempt to buy them off...but he had a strange twisting feeling in his stomach. The Two Council Members glanced at each other, still pale...but something very dark passed over their faces. Tayzol eyed them down.

What're they thinking...?

"RIGHT."

The voice made them all jump, save for the Loki Master, who looked infuriated at being interrupted during his little bullying episode. A bulky, dark-skinned Thora had appeared- the same one that had insulted the Loki Master a few days ago on the subject of women having no interest in him. He swooped in to face the group of purple menaces, not at all equal in their size, but doing much better than the rest of his fellow Thora.

"Clear off, the lot of ya! This is our territory and Methuselah told out yesterday that you couldn't waltz in anymore!"

"Well, if it isn't the Lay-About." The Loki sneered, "You seem much less lethargic than when I last saw you."

"I was calmer then, Yes, I was having too much fun laughing at you inwardly to be angry." The bulky Thora man retorted. "Now clear off, or I'll get Methuselah up here."

"You think I will be intimidated a senile old fool?" The Loki snarled, clenching his fists. He almost looked like an angered wild cat ready to attack. The large Thora Man, with the rest of his fellows watching in both awe and fear, sneered back up at him, tensing as well.

"Oh, you have been before, Old Chap."

The Loki, instead of pouncing into a brawl with him like it seemed he was about to do, pulled out a large blaster and pointed it directly at the Thora Man's head. He reacted quickly, throwing himself forward and using all of his strength to knock the larger spirit backwards, slamming him into a rock face nearby. The force of impact made small shingles of soil and rock fall on both of them.

The Loki Master smacked the Thora Man away easily, sending him plummeting to the ground, and he drew his blaster one more, taking aim- The Thora astronomers seemed to leap up all at once, though they could do nothing-

Click.

The blaster's trigger had been pulled- but nothing happened. That is, nothing but the little spark igniting from its battery. The Loki Master scowled, pulling it closer to access just what had jammed it, an awkward silence filling the area as both respective groups blinked.

Suddenly, there was another sound- not a delicate click of a jammed blaster, but rather a loud crack- the rock face the Loki had been hit against had began to crumble a little. Then, the jammed blaster battery exploded.

The force of the little blast caused the rock face to fall, burying the Loki Master in a shower of soil and rock. The Thora Man had swooped away just in time to avoid it, getting clear of the precarious mountain area.

The Loki looked unharmed; his arm, head and shoulders, free of the rubble, but he looked enraged. The astronomers drew back, and Tayzol, Fiver and the Bulky Thora man all exchanged looks of silent glee, their eyes sparking, but doing their very best not to even grin.

"GET ME OUT YOU FOOLS!" The Loki group jumped like mice at their leader's bellow, and they darted over quickly to free him from the fallen rubble. The Thora gathered around slowly began to retreat, knowing he'd best be let alone to cool off...without any targets to hit.

The Two slime ball council members, Tayzol noted, had fled by now. Fifer tilted his head upwards to the top of the rock face, and his older brother followed his gaze.

Perhaps, from a glimpse, it would have looked like two Thora girls had been up there, on the ledge above. They had drawn back so quickly, he could have been mistaken.

But he knew he wasn't. He grinned at last, he and the other Thora slipping back into the tunnel entrance, leaving the humiliated Loki behind. They hadn't laughed, but merely seeing it had been enough.

The Loki cleared off moments later once their leader was freed, his face twisted into such a furious snarl it could have killed small fluffy creatures with one glimpse. Finally, the Research Deck was abandoned. The group of Thora women had also slipped away unnoticed.

That is, it seemed abandoned. Upon the ledge above the rock face, from which the rubble had fallen, a certain someone burst into hysterics.

Tressakay was holding her stomach, leaning against the rocks, and she tossed the device she'd used to jam the Loki Master's blaster away in hysterics.

The other Thora girl regarded her with a dead-pan expression, despite being worried at what could be the consequences of this little prank.

But, Tressakay continued laughing, barely able to keep herself up. She was basically lying on the flat surface of the ledge and cackling, to the point she couldn't breathe.

"I c-can't breathe...Oh my God his f-a-a-ace..."

A long-fingered hand fell over her teal eye, and she continued chortling away. The other girl cast her a worried look,

"Do you have any idea what he'll do if he finds out...?"

That sent Tressakay into another fit of laughter. The other girl blinked at her worriedly.

Finally, Tressakay sat up, breathing a large amount of air back into her lungs. "He'll be feeling that one for a few years or so. 'Bimbo' indeed..." A slightly darker look came over her grin, and the other girl was a little grateful she wasn't too close.

...

Ratchet gripped the steering joysticks with a tight, vice-like grip. He scanned the dark vastness of space, feeling very uneasy. "...Trisby, are you sure this will work?"

He'd asked this for about the hundredth time, and once again it evoked a sigh from the cat woman sitting in the other piloting seat beside him.

"Yes, Ratchet. It's our only bet..."

He supposed it was. Various news reports had mentioned a Giant Battleship overseeing attacks and takeovers in Polaris; many planets had now fallen back under Tachyon's control. Ratchet had known many cragmites ha still been left in the galaxy, but where banished back to the depths of Reepor as the Dimensionator had been broken. Without Tachyon, they could do nothing.

Ratchet regretted not being more careful. Because of that, they had easily helped the returned Tachyon take over the nearest planets. They really were like swarming bugs, overwhelming the galaxy...

He broke from his hateful thoughts and back to the matter at hand. During most of the attacks, the giant Battleship had always been close, and if not, it could very well be where orders where coming from. The News Reports had ceased for now; many people evacuating out of Polaris or hopping from planet to planet, trying to evade being around when Tachyon's forces hit the next target. The News Reporters had grown too afraid to continue filming anything.

So, their lead was the giant Battleship that had been mentioned. And to find it, it meant following the Villain's not-so subtle attack fleet...it would be like walking right into the deadliest place in the Universe.

Only they were in a ship, not on foot..."

"They won't expect us to waltz right up to them." Trisby said smoothly, "And I can hack a few systems, maybe copy the security pass off one of the Fleet Ships. Make it appear we're one of them."

"Y-yeah..." Ratchet tried to focus on the technical stuff. He knew it would probably help to contact Talwyn now, tell her what happened. She was with the Resistance and Polaris Defence Force keeping the Fleet at bay- if anyone knew where it would be, it would be her. Yet...

"Clank...I wanna call Tal, but we haven't found any trace of Cronk and Zephyr..."

Clank, who was moving around behind them in the ship, tilted his head in a good-natured manner. "She will understand the difficulty, Ratchet. She will be happy to know...some of us escaped." He tried to sound optimistic. The lombax sighed deeply,

"...All right..." He took out his communicator, reluctantly- but then Trisby snatched it out of his hand. He sat there dumbly for a few moments.

"...H-hey! What-"

"The Loki was able to hack into the Asteroid Base. Don't you think He and those other slugs will be waiting to intercept calls to the Galactic Defence Force? We may give away our position if you create a signal now."

"That's quite far-fetched." Clank said, feeling strange. Something didn't quite add up, but he tried to push that idea aside. Trisby frowned at him,

"You don't think they'll be looking for any trace of us...?"

Clank went silent, and the two miniature eggheads eyed each other down. Ratchet glanced between them, chewing on his lip. Finally, Trisby turned back to face forwards, folding her arms. Clank placed his hands on her hips,

"We need to contact Talwyn to find out where the fleet is. We cannot simply guess based on old news reports."

"You asked for my help, and I'm giving it." Trisby snapped, "So do as I say."

"You-"

Ratchet and Clank both fell into silence as the cat woman gave them the most terrifyingly hard glare they'd ever seen. Sasha, Talwyn and Helga could not have pulled this look off all together. They were struck into silence.

A small beeping noise from the radar broke that silence. Trisby turned back to it and smirked.

"Oh look. Giant fleet."

Ladeedaa, throwing art and stories out like mad in the middle of the night. 

Next chapter: what-if-writer.deviantart.com/…
© 2014 - 2024 What-if-Writer
Comments0
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In