//------------------------------// // Arsenal: Zeldrin, Leviathan // Story: The Sparkle in his Eye // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// Unfortunately, despite managing to flip her, Courtney Gears didn't actually know anything about Nefarious' plans that was of any use. This, unfortunately, proved Twilight's assertion that Courtney had been disposable to Nefarious, which left the pop star in a rather deep depression. Fortunately, Sasha was able to track down the Leviathan to Zeldrin Starport. Ratchet, Clank, Twilight, Qwark, and Skrunch had been dispatched to the location to deal with Nefarious once and for all. "Does anyone else feel like this is a trap?" Twilight asked as the ship came in for landing. "Of course it's a trap," Ratchet confirmed. "But that's the thing about an ambush style trap; the ambusher only has an advantage over the ambushee if they don't know about the ambush. Otherwise, the advantage goes the other way." "Said advantage being the element of surprise," Clank explained. "And possibly improper grammar?" Twilight teased. "Shut up!" Ratchet complained. The trio laughed happily. Once they landed, Qwark and Skrunch were plainly visible by their ship. "There's the Captain!" Twilight called out, pointing him out. The trio rushed over to him. The Captain and his simian compatriot seemed to be in the middle of a heated debate. Skrunch started off by chirping and squeaking a rather vociferous complaint. "I thought we agreed to put that jungle business behind us," Qwark groaned. Skrunch countered with a vitriolic string of complaining sounds, possibly including a few monkey curse words. "It was mating season!" Qwark defended himself. "How was I supposed to know she was your sister?" He then noticed Ratchet, Clank, and Twilight standing nearby. He chuckled and stammered nervously. "How long have you three been standing there?" "Too long," Clank muttered. "Was she a hot monkey?" Twilight asked. "Twilight!" Ratchet demanded in shock. "What?" Twilight asked. "Skrunch obviously has a fully developed language, since Qwark can understand him. He has a full range of fully developed emotions, since he's getting protective of his sister and upset over whatever happened between her and Qwark. He can use tools, he can fill out a tax form, and he can hold down a job. By all traditional definitions, he is a sophont, as is every member of his species, since Skrunch is not the result of genetic modification. Qwark dating Skrunch's sister is no different then if he were to date...Sasha. Or Helga." Ratchet, Clank, and Skrunch all stared at her. Qwark scratched the back of his head. "Huh. I never thought about it like that," he admitted. "But...but Skrunch is so tiny as compared to Qwark!" Ratchet complained. Twilight shrugged. "So maybe his sister likes 'em big." "Mk-kwak!" Skrunch complained, covering his ears and proceeding to make noises that didn't need to be translated to be recognized as, "I'm not listening! La La La La La La La La La La La!" "Of course," Twilight allowed, "that's assuming Qwark is in proportion to himself..." "...ouch," Qwark said slowly. "Captain, do you require some Aloe Vera?" Clank asked. "Nope," Qwark whimpered. "I'm good." "Can we go before my mind is broken any further?" Ratchet begged. "Right!" Qwark proclaimed as Twilight giggled. "Stop lollygagging and let's get to work!" He gestured behind him to a shuttle that was space-camo black and otherwise unmarked. "We'll use this shuttle to infiltrate the star cruiser completely undetected. Once onboard, we find Nefarious and finish the job." "And when Nefarious springs the inevitable trap?" Twilight asked. "We break it, and if dealing with Nefarious is impossible, steal anything that isn't nailed down," Qwark replied. "And anything we can pry up before the inevitable self destruct system goes off. Are you ready?" Ratchet, Clank, and Twilight all saluted. "Sir, yes sir!" "But only if Daddy drives and I get shotgun for once!" Twilight called out. "Dammit!" Qwark snapped. Once onboard the Leviathan, the group split up to make their way as quietly as they could through the ship. At first, it looked like they'd be stuck fighting their way through a massive force, but Twilight's HUD told her that each of them could be destroyed by the destruction wave of the Rynocerator. As long as she had it, she decided to make use of it. Positioning herself carefully near the roof, she fired one shot, clearing the entire first floor. A quick flight and a second shot cleared out the second floor. "Alright, the path to the elevator's clear," Twilight said into the comms. The group made their way to the elevator to the bridge, riding it upward, the entire group ready for the trap. "Come in, gentlemen," Lawrence greeted them. "We've been expecting you." He then turned to the captain's chair. "The riff raff have arrived, sir." Nefarious spun around to face the group. "Captain Qwark! You've put on a bit of weight since last we met." "Yeah?" Qwark countered back. "Well Courtney Gears didn't seem to mind!" "Anymore than Skrunch's sister!" Twilight added with a giggle. "We're supposed to be taunting the bad guy," Qwark hissed as Nefarious burst into gales of laughter. "Oops," Twilight replied impishly. "I was going to say that I would have the last laugh," Nefarious said as he got his breath back, "but I think I just had it! And now that I've lured you here, I will bear witness to your demise!" He tried to laugh, but wheezed. "Hurts to laugh," he choked out before pressing a button. "Auto-destruct initiated," the ship's computer stated. "Prepare to die." "I'd laugh more now, but I'm laughed out," Nefarious wheezed. "Teleport us out of here, Lawrence." "Of course sir," Lawrence replied, triggering their teleporter as they both warped away. Twilight rushed forward into the wake of the beam, energizing her horn. "Not so fast, you-" Orange light flared along her horn, and she let out a scream of pain before slumping over. "Twilight!" Ratchet, Clank, and Qwark all called out, rushing to her side. "Tried to...track the teleportation...with my magic...and reverse it...if I could..." Twilight gasped out. "They must have...saw it coming...left a trap for me..." "Get her back to the shuttle!" Qwark ordered. "I'll meet you there as soon as I've raided Nefarious' files! I won't take long!" Nodding, Ratchet, Clank, and Skrunch scooped Twilight up and raced back for the shuttle. Using the Charge Boots he'd picked up back on Daxx in conjunction with Clank's Wing Pack, Ratchet was able to get the entire group back to the shuttle in 20 seconds. "Forty seconds to detonation," the ship proclaimed. "Clank, exactly how long will it take the shuttle to get clear of the explosion?" Ratchet asked as he belted the groggy, near unconscious Twilight in. "15 seconds from the moment you press the button, bare minimum," Clank replied. "...tell me the instant the detonation clock hits 16," Ratchet said, resting his hand on the launch switch. "Oo-oo-mkak!" Skrunch complained. "I can't give Qwark any longer than that!" Ratchet snapped. "We all know if it came down to him or Twilight, he'd choose Twilight." He stared at the button. "He already made that choice once." He turned to the ramp, hoping Qwark would make it. "20..." Clank began worriedly. "19...18...17...16..." Closing his eyes in pain, Ratchet pushed the button, launching the shuttle...leaving Qwark to his death.