Search the Sky and Investigate the Kerchu Outpost are missions in Tools of Destruction, taking place in Outpost L51 on Sargasso. Ratchet and Clank traded three leviathan souls with the Smuggler for a Decryptor, with which they could unlock the Robo-Wings' launch pad and search for the secret lombax testing facility from the sky.
Walkthrough[]
Search the Sky[]
Utilize your newly acquired Decryptor to unlock the nearby launch pad. The Decryptor uses motion controls, if they are not disabled, although playing without them is easier. The objective is to guide the blue spark to the red input, completing the circuit path. To bridge the gaps in the circuit, use the bridge connector—an orb that can magnetically stick between circuits, facilitating the spark's traversal.
Next, employ the Robo-Wings to take flight, guided by the Zoni. Follow the rings until you safely land, concluding this mission and transitioning into the next one, "Investigate the Kerchu Outpost".
Investigate the Kerchu Outpost[]
Approach the Kerchu gelatonium outpost up ahead, a facility guarded by a kerchu pyroguard. Pyroguards are mechanized threats equipped with a pair of flamethrowers for close-range attacks and the ability to launch fireballs for long-range assaults. While their attacks are relatively easy to dodge, they possess considerable durability. Use either the Shard Reaper or Buzz Blades to eliminate them. Once dealt with, enter the outpost using the Decryptor.
In the second Decryptor puzzle, you must move the bridge connector after assisting the spark in crossing one gap. Be cautious not to bridge the wrong gap, as it could lead the spark into a dead end, resulting in the failure of the minigame.
Upon entering the outpost, engage and defeat the kerchu roller guarding the interior. Rollers curl up into bladed balls and charge at you, becoming vulnerable only to high-damage explosive attacks during their rolling phase. After they uncurl, they are susceptible to other forms of assault. For now, the Shard Reaper and Buzz Blades will suffice. Additionally, take note of the nearby stack of metal crates, which you may have encountered before accompanied by explosive crates. In this case, explosive crates are absent, so explosives such as the Fusion Grenade must be used to acquire the contained bolts.
Employ the Gelanator on the nearby receptacle and ascend onto the platform on the right. While you are technically supposed to follow the linear path using the gadget, which includes traversing some moving platforms, you can alternatively create a large cube up here, turn around, and jump to the final platform you need to reach. Empty the Gelanator into the second receptacle and return outside, descending while flying to confront three rollers on the ground. If needed use a Nano-Swarmers turret for assistance, or rely on the Charge Boots to dodge their rolling attacks and increase the distance between you and the enemies. Once finished, activate the tri-pads using the Boots, thereby setting several moving platforms into motion that must be utilized to reach the nearby structure.
Use the Decryptor to hack the door, noting that there are now multiple paths leading to the end. Upon opening it, prepare to face two pyroguards, followed by a large group of anthropods and grubsnuckers that invade after the pyroguards' demise. All of these foes can be easily dispatched using the Shard Reaper, Buzz Blades, and Nano-Swarmers. Alternatively, the Tornado Launcher is particularly effective against the swarm of native fauna. Ascend the platform in the bottom right corner to access a new weapon: the Alpha Disruptor, an immensely powerful charged cannon. Activate the bolt crank next to it to create an exit route.
As you exit, a bridge will open up, providing a new pathway. The roaming grunthor in this area serves as an ideal target to test the potency of the newly acquired Alpha Disruptor, requiring just three shots to defeat it. Activate the tri-pads, then use the nearby platform to ascend to the plateau where the pyroguard awaits. A single shot from the Disruptor is sufficient to dispatch it. Eliminate the two kerchu rollers on the platform below, then proceed through the doorway. Prior to proceeding upward, open the raritanium chest that lies ahead. As you ascend, confront and defeat additional anthropods and grubsnuckers. At the top, you will encounter another Decryptor challenge, this time involving walls that must be bypassed within a limited timeframe to bridge the next gap.
Following the completion of the minigame, enter the room, which happens to be the testing facility. A cutscene will ensue, wherein you reunite with the Plumber and receive a 3 ¾ Centicubit Hexagonal Washer. Following this, you will receive a transmission from Captain Qwark, marking the conclusion of the mission. At this point, you can either return to the Aphelion to meet up with Qwark for the mission "Return to the Fight Festival", or remain on Sargasso for a while longer to undertake the mission "Soul Searching". Either path leads to optional missions for extra bolts, but it may be easier to stay on Sargasso for now.