Arsenal: Thran
Once back aboard the Phoenix, Ratchet delivered the Data Disk to Al to decrypt. From what he said, this one would actually be a challenge to hack through. Ratchet didn't understand what 'Omega class asymmetric encryption' meant, but Twilight and Clank both seemed suitably impressed.
Twilight decided to investigate the fifth vid comic that had been found in Qwark's room, with the hope that it would have some clue to where Qwark might have gone to recuperate. In the mean time, Ratchet accepted a call from Sparkle Squad.
"Sir!" Eagle said as he saluted. "We're happy to report that the 'Noid incursion on Aridia has been dealt with! All robo-noids have been terminated, and their main base been neutralized and conquered. The planet is safe!"
"That's good to hear, soldier!" Ratchet replied. "Seems Twilight's training has done you all good."
"Madd would like you to give something to Twilight," Eagle explained as a new Gadget warped in over the comms. "It's a warp pad. It interacts with various energy signatures to create teleportation points. We used to use it to run away. After securing Outpost X12 here...Madd wants you to tell her he doesn't think he needs it anymore."
Ratchet saluted. "Will do, soldier!"
With the call ended, Ratchet went to deliver that message to Twilight.
While Twilight was overjoyed for Madd's progress, she was even more excited from what she discovered from the vid comic. "Qwark has a secret hideout in the Thran Asteroid Belt," she whispered excitedly. "If he'd hideout anywhere after escaping the Leviathan, it would be there!"
"Right!" Ratchet agreed. "We're going to go make sure he's alright and...find out what's really going on."
The hidden planet in the Thran Asteroid Belt was nearly frozen over, with patches of snow and ice covering the rocky terrain. The presence of Gadgetron Mobile Weapon Terminals and security systems indicated quite strongly that they were in the right place.
"Power scans indicate that the only place kept at comfortable temperatures for organics is the chamber at the top of the tallest tower," Clank explained. "Unfortunately, there is too much atmospheric interference to reach there directly from the ship."
"Any chance you could fly up and take a look, Twilight?" Ratchet asked.
Twilight shook her head. "With how cold this place is, I can barely move my wings. At best, I can manage a couple flaps for extra altitude before I'd have to shake out the ice crystals."
"Right," Ratchet said in resignation. "Looks like we're walking."
Although cold and difficult to progress along, the path was relatively straight forward. The first robotic opponent they encountered were sword wielding lawn gnomes. When they first popped up, Twilight actually stared at them long enough in stupefication that she nearly got hit before Ratchet took them down. "You okay, Twilight?' Ratchet asked.
She shook herself off. "Sorry. It's just...so ridiculous looking."
"That makes it more dangerous," Clank pointed out. "As you just proved."
Nodding, Twilight focused on her weaponry and obliterating obstacles.
The Warp Pad also proved useful, as Twilight was able to analyze the nature of the energy points it used to lock on in order to tweak her teleportation spell. Using the new tweak, she could lock onto the energy fluctuation for instantaneous transportation without having to gather as much of her magic as normal, allowing her both to warp more quickly and instantly evade incoming fire.
Not long after, they encountered robotic Qwark copies with guns instead of hands. As they attacked, Twilight chuckled. "Well, we definitely know we're in the right place now."
After fighting their way through a surprisingly efficient security system of attack robots and lasers, the group eventually made it to the heated chamber that Clank had detected. However, the gate was sealed tight. In order to get in, Clank, Twilight, and Skrunch had to take a smaller underground passage.
Other than large numbers of attack lawn gnomes and laser fields, the trip through the underground passage was no different than any other trip Clank and Twilight had taken together since returning to Solana. After clearing a few gaps and dealing with most of the obstacles with brutal application of Twilight's telekinesis, the final gate was opened.
Returning to Ratchet, they made their way inside. Once there, they found Captain Qwark...looking more or less healthy, but dressed in a white button down shirt and black pants. Most of his hero costume was tossed haphazardly on the other side of the room, and Qwark was staring at his reflection, his hand on his mask.
"C-captain?" Twilight asked, surprised.
Qwark spun around to face them. "Oh, hello! I...wasn't expecting to see you all here...or ever again..." He wiped his eyes briefly. "What brings you all here?"
"We found the escape pod," Ratchet replied simply. "And the data disc you left for us...the phone call...the secret vid comic..." He stepped forward in disbelief. "Why, Qwark? You had changed so much..."
Qwark sighed as he sat down on the bed. "...I'm a coward, Ratchet. You know that better than anyone. I...I can't face Nefarious...or his Bio-bliterator...I'll just...run away..."
"Like you have?" Clank asked.
"If I stayed with you all, as leader of the Q Force..." Qwark sighed. "Then at the pivotal moment when the whole galaxy counted on me...I would have crumbled. I know I would have. I always do. I...can't handle it." He shook his head. "I can't save the galaxy. I can barely manage to save me sometimes. I...barely managed to save Twilight...from my own actions."
He leaned back against the pillows. "When I managed to get out of the Leviathan, I was terrified. I couldn't stop shaking. When I got away from the pod, I threw up. It took me hours just to regain my composure. By the time I'd calmed down...I knew I couldn't go back. If I called you all, you'd bring me back to the Phoenix, put me back in charge...and I'd fail you right when it counted. I realized I had a chance to do one last good thing for all of you."
"Good?" Twilight gasped out. "How is letting us all think you were dead good?"
"Because you're all better off without me," he replied. "You especially, Twilight. You have what it takes to be a true hero. You can save the galaxy. You can save everyone. ...but you measure yourself against others. You can't let yourself shine under your own star. I...I knew you all thought I was dead. I thought...maybe, just maybe, it was better if 'Captain Qwark' did die on the Leviathan. At the very least...it could unite and inspire you all...to do what I couldn't.
"That's what this is all about," he explained, gesturing to the discarded costume and the civies he was wearing. "I was...working myself up to remove my mask. It's just...it's who I've been for so long...I have trouble remembering who I was without it..."
Skrunch, Ratchet, and Clank stared up at Qwark in disbelief. None of them had ever thought Qwark would have such deep reasoning for his actions. Ratchet had given a speech about the death of Captain Qwark...and in a real way, Qwark himself was seeing to it that the hero the galaxy knew died on the Leviathan...for their sake.
"...you think I can save the galaxy?" Twilight asked finally.
"Of course you can, Twilight," Qwark replied. "You've faced down Drek, your own darkness, so much that I could not...what's a galaxy or two to someone like you?"
"I can't handle the pressure any better than you!" Twilight snapped out. "When I think about all those lives counting on me - me! I'm just a filly! - I can hardly think! The only way I can deal with all that pressure...is to forget about it."
"Huh?" everyone asked in shock, nearly simultaneously.
"I can't save the galaxy," Twilight replied. "That's too big for me...too big for anyone. So...to keep fighting, I just focus on...saving two." She smiled up at Ratchet and Clank. "That I can handle. That gives me motivation and drive...just to save two." She then turned her smile on Qwark. "That's all you need to do, Qwark. Just focus on saving one." She brushed her wingtips over the scars that had appeared on her body while Dark Star had rampaged, scars that would never fade. "You did that once."
Surprised, Qwark pulled his shirt open, his fingers stroking the RYNO II scars on his back from where he had leapt to protect her from what would have been a lethal blast.
"All you have to do is find the strength...to do that again," Twilight said softly. "I...I know you have it in you, Qwark."
Turning, she headed back for the ship, the rest of the group following her.
Discarding his shirt, Qwark turned to look at the reflection of the scars on his back. "Just save...one...huh?"
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At this point, if they weren't so far apart in age, I would think you were creating a TwiQuark ship.
Guess who's back~?
Wow just wow....
i am glad on how you are showing quark going back to being a real hero instead of a glory hog has been
This chapter was perfect, it was exactly what i was hoping for in character development.
there
Well, is not easy being a hero.
An enjoyable chapter. Good job.
Now that is exactly what I was hoping for. Great work.
I just have one question for you. when do you think that twilight will return to Equestria or if any of the mane 6 or Celestia will appear. I know that there not part of the story but I would like to see them trying to find twilight at least. ive had this idea since reading this story. just a thought and tell me what you guys and gals think.
6108906
Any answer to that question is a spoiler.
However, know that all such things are taken into account as far as this story is concerned. Of all my Adopted Displaced stories, this one is probably the most thought out in advance. I know exactly what's going to happen at each and every turn.
WOOOO!
Wait...
This Twilight has just inadvertently stated that she runs on the power of friendship...
QUE ORBITAL FRIENDSHIP CANNON!
This is such a perfect chapter! And all I can do is ask for more!
6108552
Erm not that I am promoting it, but if she were at least an adult I would say age is but a number, just sayin'
Ooooooooooo, oooo ooo ooooooooooooo~ Makin' Qwark actually look good!
even now i dont know how it works
... FINE, I'll give the guy a free pass on this one, JUST THIS ONE FIC GOT IT!
It was one thing to change his attitude and become a proper good guy, and also to become more professional and humble, but it's an entirely bigger thing to realize that NO, you are not hero again all of a sudden, you are NOT going to ride your way back to fame and fortune once again, in the end you you know what you've done, what you are and what could happen if you stay on this route.
In the end, Quark finally realized that he isn't the hero he tries to be, he needed to step aside and let other heroes take his place.
And this was all from a guy that did the banana-bobana with a monkey, and for such a 180 in deep, thought provoking personality, you get a me with sunglasses.
orig13.deviantart.net/2371/f/2015/085/a/d/poison_joker_deal_with_it_by_wingweaver7-d8n73g9.png
Looking forward to whatever you make in the future.
Now onward! To QUARK!
It's only reading this that I actually think about the fact that they landed on a planet instead of an asteroid as was stated on the Vid-Comic. Thinking about it, Thran must be a Rouge. A planet that has escaped the pull of a solar system and spins on its own. It would explain a little about why it's so cold there. Though there must be a little geothermal heat being let out to let it only be cold and not unbearably lifeless.
The Lawn Ninjas are a Megacorp reject because they were dangerous. They were mentioned in the vid for the Megacorp Testing Facility. Either... Quark manged to update his base with them, or Megacorp made the same idea. I've kinda wondered about that.
I wonder if twilight is making clanks role in the series less needed and impact full
clank talking to Quark at this part of the game was a big moment for me when playing it for the first time and I do think that Twilight had to give him the talk in this fiction but with twi doing so much, does she start rendering other characters less important? Clank doesn't really have a grand moment of character till the future series after this so i wonder how he will be presented as an important character.
6110580 Clanks speech to Quark only works if he had his original selfish reason for faking his death, what he was doing here was a 'more noble sacrifice' kind of deal, thus Clank was not the one to comfort him...it had to be Twi because that was who Qwark was doing this for in the first place, his way of helping Twi grow into the hero that he know her to be, by becoming the kind of man she knew he could become. at least in his mind, so long as Captain Qwark existed, Twilight could never reach her full potential because she always would compare herself to him or Rachet. in addition, Qwark knew his own limitations, he accepted that he was a coward and not suited for leading Q Force, instead he felt that he was a danger to the mission, so he removed himself for the betterment of the team.
6111387 I do agree with Twilight being the one to talk to Quark, however I'm just wondering how much of Clanks role in the series, till the future games, is going to change because with Twilight we have a character smarter than Clank, Ratchet is more mature because of having to be a parent and Twi also acts as the implosive character that Ratchet acts to level out, leaving Clank kind of a third wheel. He drives the plot forward but doesn't really add much in terms of character. I'm not at all saying that he's a bad character by any means but is he important when Twilight has more or less taken his place and has made Ratchet the mature one, in comparison to the filly alicorn.
6111443
Clank is still important, although his importance won't really become apparent until Deadlocked and Size Matters.
Twilight is the immature one who needs to be guided, and is emotionally vulnerable. Ratchet is more mature and has more control of himself emotionally...when Twilight is there to see. However, he's also very emotionally anchored to his role as Twilight's father, so you can imagine what'll happen if someone hurts her enough she has to stay behind, or if they're forcefully separated.
That's where Clank comes in. He becomes the emotional safety valve for Ratchet. If someone were to cause Twilight serious harm or traumatize her, Ratchet would most likely seek vengeance, and could easily become a monster far worse than anything the trio will fight as a result. Clank's role prior to the Future games is to keep that from happening.
6111452 That is true, without clank Ratchet would of ended the story after Quarks first betrayal . Even after all those years of looking after Twilight he's still young himself and can be quite hot headed. (there needs to be a fire twilight emoticon)
You have done a great job so far with all the small thing like robot skid and all the moments with the weapons so I should put my faith in you. You haven't disappointed me yet.
And thanks for making my favorite FimFic, staring my favorite game series and my current favorite show.
6111452 Actually if i could ask 2 questions:
1: What made you want to add a harem story line with everything going on? I love the idea but i am curious.
2: Why wouldn't Twilight just destroy the blueprints for the RYNO instead of sending them into space?
6111536
1, I added it because of a silly idea I had for towards the end of the story, which I won't explain due to spoilers.
2. I have two reasons there.
Plot Reason: That's how you get the RYNO IV in "Tools of Destruction". It was a little knock on the fourth wall.
Character Reason: Twilight is a scientist. For a true scientist, destroying a creation completely is practically sacrilegious, no matter how horrible the creation is. She couldn't let it continue to exist, but she couldn't destroy it either. This was the closest she could come to a compromise.
6111571 So twilight never considered that it would be safer to keep the blueprints hidden in a single location that only she would know of, instead of sending then across the universe, increasing the chances of someone finding them, say a smuggler, and selling it so someone other than Ratchet, like a minor that looks 18?
It's honestly not anything story wrecking, it was just something that I never got from the games themselves either.
6111582
She considered the most dangerous hands to put that weapon in would be her hooves...since she actually knows everything the weapon can do.
The notes on the blueprints are written in her own personal code, which is galactic standard translated into pig latin, encrypted with a letter exchange cypher, translated into pig latin again, then using a translation of the original text from galactic standard to chinese to french and then back into galactic standard to create a new letter substitution cipher, and then written in multi colored crayon held in her mouth.
...try decrypting that successfully without knowing the steps! Especially when no piece of the notes in the file fragments contains a single whole word.
6111595 well now I have the feeling that Pinkies going to show up with the weapon because she COULD solve such a puzzle my 'feeling' through it.
... begin the universes end...
6111647
Except for the plot reason.
6111650 cannot wait
Stop making Qwark so... So human!!! I cri everi teim!
Don't stop. This is just incredible.
Can I make some request, if you don't mind.
I must say, I love this history, but, the Qwark think is kinda weird, but I accept with the time, but, don't change his original cowardly and kinda dumb personality from the games, his is hilarious in this way. I'm not asking to make him selfish again, just asking to don't change his original way of being Qwark.
Another request, when you begin the Deadlock saga, make Twilight and Ratchet fighting together in the arena. If this is your original idea, forget this part.
Keep up the good work my friend, waiting for the next chapter.
6115206
Regarding Qwark, he is still cowardly. The difference here is that he recognizes his own cowardice, and is learning how to deal with it.
As for Deadlocked, I have a plan for it...and it's important for the overarching story.
6111650 we r talking about the same Pinkie here...right? the Pinkie who shatters the fourth wall on a regular basis? whos so random that even the Lord of Chaos cant explain her?
6115498
I mean that the plot reason means Pinkie won't have access to the weapon because Twilight will be recovering it to use it again.
6115547 and since when have details like that mattered when Pinkie Pie was involved?
6115224
Thanks for answering me.
6115550
Because author says so, that's why.
6115563
awww, dont be like that Mr Author. its not like i would use it as a party cannon or anything, though that might be really fun! oh, oh, on! can Little Twilight make it shoot cupcakes? or just frosting?! that would be really, really great!! oh, oh! fireworks! lots and lots of fireworks!
6115652
No Pinkie. There's only supposed to be one.
6115677 there was only supposed to be one Omniwrench too, but Twilight made another one...
6115857
You don't have Twilight's duplication spell.
6115892 yeah, but ur forgetting something important Mr Author!
6115988
You mean the fact that there can't be more than one RYNO of the later versions in existence at a time due to the physics of the Ratchet and Clank verse?
6116006 nope! its way simpler than that! its the fact that im Pinkie Pie... <pulls a RYNO IV from her bottomless mane dont question it!
6116053
You do realize that's a cheap copy that doesn't actually work, right?
6116094 of course it didnt work, thats y i fixed it...PARTY CANNON GO BOOM!!! <blasts four dozen cupcakes, three bounce castles, a DJ, her setup and six tons of confetti into the room>
6116105 Holly FUCK! yall had a looooooong conversation. but be carefull with the role playing. I nearly got my account suspended just for doing it once!
I like that, "Just Save One". I read a manga once that asked how can you save thousands of people if you can't even save one person, that sometimes to save thousands you need to have the strength to save one. I always love it when this concept comes up
YES, THE LAWN NINJAS!
...The Captain is reminding me of Sunset Shimmer.
Beautiful!