//------------------------------//
// Arsenal: Daxx 
// Story: The Sparkle in his Eye 
// by Tatsurou 
//------------------------------//

As the trio landed on the planet Daxx, Big Al contacted them over the communicator.  "From what I've been able to pick up, there are two high security computer terminals in that facility," he explained.  "One in the facility itself, and one out among the islands."

"I guess we're splitting up again," Ratchet mused.  "Don't want to risk missing anything by getting there too late and some self destruct protocol on the data kicking in."

"An excellent idea," Clank agreed.  "Who will take which path?"

"I'll take the islands," Twilight affirmed.  "That's going to involve a lot of aerial maneuvering with the Hypershot.  With the two of you, one wrong step or angle and you fall to watery deaths."  She flared her wings.  "I have a backup in case that happens."

"So we get the heavily defended interior," Ratchet joked.  "Great."

"We shall endeavor to make it through as best we can," Clank agreed.

"Good luck!" Twilight called as she turned.  "Be careful!"

"You too!" Ratchet replied as they took their separate path.

Twilight made her way into the islands, leaping from platform to platform, using her Hypershot both to swing and energize platforms.  She glanced around as she went.  "Huh," she muttered as she approached a large gap.  I'd think the path would be guarded by more than just natural hazards."

As she cleared the gap, a gunship came out of nowhere and opened fire, targeting the platforms she was walking on.

"Eeeyaugh!" she yelped, rushing down the path.  "I guess it is better defended than I thought!"  Once she made it off the breakable metal platforms, the gunship pulled away.  "...I'm going to be facing off against that thing a lot on my way through, aren't I?" she grumbled.

Spreading her wings, she flapped her way up a wall jump slot, reaching a higher level.  Once there, she glanced across a gap spanned by swing targets and Hypershot platforms.  "More metal fan platforms," she muttered as she saw what was on the other side.  "I'm going to have to move fast."  Sighing, she made her way across.

As soon as she was on the metal fan platforms, she started running, as the gunship warped in again to attack.  "Teleporting?" she complained, swinging to the next group of platforms.  "Where did they get that tech?"

Swinging across a few more metal platforms, she reached another solid platform, and the gunship vanished.  "I'm getting sick and tired of that thing," she growled, priming her RY3NO V3.

When she crossed to the next segment of metallic platforms, the gunship appeared again, but it was out of range.  "Get back here and fight!" she yelled angrily as it continued to stay just out of range, making her pursue it as she evaded the missiles.

This time when she reached a solid ground platform, the gunship continued to fire on her, but still out of weapon range.  Screaming in frustration, Twilight leapt across the next series of platforms until she reached a weapons vendor.  When she did, the gunship vanished again, and she growled.  "That's it!" she snapped.  "Next time you appear, I blast you if I have to swing you around in my telekinesis and wreck the base!"  She swung across a pair of swing targets to a wide platform.

When she landed, the gunship warped in...this time in range.  "You're going down!" she snarled, unloading her RY3NO at it.

The gunship hadn't been prepared for the force of the onslaught, and was soon obliterated.  "Ha!" Twilight proclaimed angrily.  "Take that!"

Stepping into the lab that the gunship had been guarding, Twilight found the walls plastered with posters of Courtney Gears.  "So, is Nefarious just obsessed with media stars in general?" she wondered.  Approaching the computer, she began analyzing the data in the computer, and found a music video that Nefarious had apparently been editing for Miss Gears.  Curious, she played it.



Twilight tilted her head as the video ended.  "...I don't know whether to be more upset about Courtney trying to stir up a robotic rebellion...or the fact that that is apparently considered music!  Ugh!"  Growling in frustration, she copied the file to take with back to meet up with Ratchet and Clank.





On returning to the ship, Twilight saw that Ratchet and Clank both looked rather upset.  "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Well, we got in," Ratchet admitted.  "But..."

"Nefarious was able to delete nearly all relevant data," Clank admitted.  "All we were able to determine was that Dr. Nefarious is building a weapon called the Bio-Bliterator, and that a supply transport recently went to somewhere in the Obani Moons system."

"Yeah...that's really not enough to go on for anything," Twilight admitted.  "I got a pretty good lead, though!"

"Oh?" Clank asked curiously.

"Nefarious was editing a...music video...for Courtney Gears," Twilight explained.  "Though I hesitate to call it music."

"Well, Courtney Gears isn't the number one pop star in the galaxy for her singing," Ratchet joked.

"I noticed," Twilight explained flatly.  "Anyway, the lyrics seemed to be aimed towards stirring up some sort of robot rebellion across the galaxy."

Clank tilted his head.  "You think Dr. Nefarious and Courtney Gears are working together?"

"It's highly likely," Twilight agreed.  "I was thinking we could find an opportunity to grill her for information."

"Well, she presents grand prizes at Annihilation Nation," Ratchet pointed out.  "You're already a champion there.  Why not ace a few more easy courses and talk to her there?"

Twilight blushed.  "M-me?" she gasped.  "But...but I hate public speaking!  How am I supposed to talk to a celebrity in front of thousands of people?"

"Pretend she is in her underwear?" Clank offered.

Twilight glanced at some of the music video footage.  "You mean she isn't?"

Ratchet laughed.  "Twilight, you are a celebrity...and a much bigger one than her.  You're a hover board champion, a galactic hero, a Nobel Peace Prize of Conservation winner, and a holo-vid super star.  She should be the one nervous about talking to you!"

Twilight blushed, this time in embarrassment.  "But...but I'm just a kid..."

"Which means your star is still rising," Clank pointed out.  "Hers is reaching the end of its limelight, however, if I'm not mistaken."

Twilight lowered her head.  "Well...I suppose I could give it a try.  I'll...I'll run a few other courses before going after a grand prize, though.  Just to get my nerves out."

A plan of action in mind, the trio got back into their ship and set course for Annihilation Nation.