As a robotic being, many things about Clank are heightened or improved compared to his organic counterparts. He could see farer, in light or darkness
and perform delicate, complete scans of his environment via his optical sensors. He could think faster then most supercomputers and come to logical conclusions on his own. He could withstand a far greater degree of damage that would prove fatal to soft-skinned creatures. And while his selection of gadgets and weapons may not be as high in numbers as most other species, or indeed many robots, he could make the most out of what he had with remarkable results.
However, the one thing that he prided over all his other senses and functions was the one least known and least understood by his organic companions.
He had one of the most acute senses of hearing ever known amounts machines.
That is not to say that robots do not hear well, far from it, but Clank could hear extremely well.
No other machine had his level of hearing and for a long time this had puzzled him. Everything else about his person served a function, a purpose or at least a little use. What good did heighten hearing do him? Sure, he could hear an approaching creature, be they organic or metallic, long before they come within visual view but what else was it good for?
If anything, it was an inconvenience at times. He literally heard everything around him amplified tenth fold. When he was talking to an officer in a meeting room, he would always hear the hushed voices of crewmembers talking almost silently behind him. When he was about to enter his recharge mode at night he could hear the quite noises of private conversations through the walls and secret activities that should not be heard in such clarity. By anyone. And when he was trying hard to concentrate there was always, always something for his sensitive sensors to pick up.
He loathed it at the worst times and found it distracting at the best of times.
However, there was one good thing about it that had stopped him from getting the problem toned down years ago.
Sitting quietly in the main room of the home he shared on Veldin Clank could hear the strong, clear sound of a drum. Now anyone who has every had the pleasure of looking around the less then tidy home of Ratchet could tell you that the Lombax had a better chance of breathing in space then he did ever mastering any kind of instrument, a drum included. So naturally, the house would be devoid of such an object. This however was not a normal drum he could hear.
This drum was soft, rhythmic, and very soothing. It was also coming from Ratchet himself.
The young Lombax may not realise but he, himself, was a living drum and the instrument he played rested within his chest.
The golden furred Lombax raised his head a fraction from the papers he was reading and stops to look at him with concern. "You alright buddy? You seen a little spaced out"
The voice of his best friend snapped him out of his daze but did not succeed in averting his eyes from his furred chest. He had been staying at Ratchet for a while now and he knew it.
"I am sorry Ratchet. I was just… curious about something."
His eyes caught the movement of two large ears perking up in interest. "Curious about what?" Ratchet's voice held his own curiosity and for some reason that spurred him on to answer.
"I can hear a thumping noise emanating from your chest." He stated softly. The papers and schematics Ratchet had been so engrossed in all morning were quickly set aside and, with a slightly puzzled expression, he glanced down at his own gold chest. The actions brought a smile to Clanks face. He always found it amusing that Ratchet would look for evidence when he quite clearly knew it was there. Like whenever he would say that the Lombax's tail had curled up around the table leg, he would always look down behind him as if to confirm that his tail was indeed, wrapped about the piece of furniture. It was a funny quirk that he had noticed in many organics and one he found he liked.
Tearing his green eyes away from his own body Ratchet raised his head, still puzzled. "You can hear my heartbeat?"
Clank's smile grew and with a nod of his head, he confirmed. "Yes. Very loudly I might add."
Two bright as light green eyes dropped down to stare at the space that Clank guessed the life giving organ was located safely behind a protective shield of bone and muscle. He did not know everything about organic anatomy, especially in species as rare as a Lombax but he knew they all shared this vital organ, this life sustaining part that if damaged would end their life.
In truth he had heard the same sound emanating from every organic he has every met and each one had sounded similar. That is, all except Ratchet's.
His heartbeat was different. It drummed to a slightly different tune, a little faster then most and a lot more pronounced in volume. It was this heartbeat that had always caught his attention and the one out of all the others heartbeats that he care for the most.
Raising his head once more, Ratchet looked into his eyes and Clank could see the faint hints of guilt. "Sorry if I disturbed you or anything. You want me to go in the other room so it's quieter?"
Clank shook his head quickly at the question. The young mechanic had misunderstood his comment. He was not complaining about the strong thumping sound and its loudness, he was merely pointing it out. Nothing more. He had not meant to make him feel guilt in any way.
"No Ratchet you misunderstand. I actually like the sound very much."
Ratchet tilted his head slightly to the side in a way that indicated confusion or misunderstanding. "You do?"
"Of course," He smiled. You have a very soothing heartbeat Ratchet. It is strong and even, a little fast but not unnaturally so." Feeling a little brave Clank carefully placed the book he had been reading earlier on the arm of his arm and hopped down to the floor. "I have always been fascinated by the noise such an organ makes. It sounds different yet similar in each individual. No one had quite the same heartbeat, they each have their own rhythm, tempo, speed and feel." walking up to the chair Ratchet was seated on, he quickly scaled up the side of the piece of furniture until he was standing on the arm, right in front of Ratchet's bare chest.
"Your's I have found has a unique sound to it. It is a little faster then most I have heard but it never sounds erratic like one would expect. It's…different." he held his hand out slightly, gesturing the Lombax's fur coved torso. "May I?"
Ratchet felt a blush working against his skin but smiled down at the little robot standing in front of him. "Sure, knock yourself out." carefully tucking his legs up onto the couch and shuffled forward a bit so he was leaning slightly against the arm of the chair.
Clank noticed the skin on Ratchet face redden through his golden fur. He realised it was a strange request to ask and normally he would have kept his curiously in check but the amused and friendly smile Ratchet was giving him told him he needn't have worried about asking something so ridicules.
Like all things, this was something the Lombax was happy to share with his best friend.
Gently resting his head against the warm exposed fur on Ratchet's chest, he pressed his hearing sensor deep into the crisp golden pelt until he felt the coolness of the skin hidden beneath it. Instantly he heard, no felt, Ratchet's heart pick up in speed and felt his upper body jerk away a little.
"Sorry pal. Metal and all" Ratchet mumbled, trying to hold back a laugh that sounded far too childish for one of his age. The reaction made him chuckle. Of course being made of metal meant he was often cold to the touch. What can you do/
Settling deeper into the fur, he waited a moment to allow Ratchet to get use to the feeling of his metal head against his skin before throwing all his concentration on the noisy organ. If he had thought Ratchet's heart was loud all the way from across the room, the sheer volume of it up close blew him away.
He had never heard anything quite like it. It was deafening.
With every beat, he could clearly hear the lifeblood being pulled and drawn into the separate chambers that made up the heart, then with the next beat shooting back out within the body to perform a complete circuit once more until eventually returning to the heart.
Another thing he could hear with deafening clarity was the pattern in which Ratchet's heart beat. It was always the same. Four sharp, quick thumps immediately followed by two larger but slower ones. It was as if his heart had to take a breath after such fast beats before continuing. It occurred to him how much Ratchet's heartbeat mirrored him. He was just the same, a quick burst of energy followed by a short spell of calmness before becoming fast and energetic once again.
Clank leaned closer to the comforting sound and slowly let his shutters close over his eyes. It was a marvellous sound. So strong and constant, the only thing that kept his Lombax alive and the day that his heart stopped beating would be the day that he…
"Give it too me straight doc. Has my years of women trouble left me with a broken heart?" He felt Ratchet's chest vibrate as the furball laughed at his own wit and Clank, not for the first time since meeting the Lombax, found himself shaking his head in dismay at his childish sense of humour.
"No but I think some of the ice has melted" Oh zing! He would have to file that one away for later.
"Ouch, I think I've gonna have a mark after that burn." Ratchet chuckled again and put his hand theoretically just above his heart, mimicking pain. Clank lifted his head away from the Lombax's body to scowl at him and cuff him playfully on the arm.
"Remind again how old you are Ratchet."
"A hell of a lot older then you" He teased and leaned back into the chair. "But seriously, did everything sound alright? I've not got some dodgy heart problem have I?" Clank could not help smirk at the little tone of alarm in Ratchet's voice as his spoke.
"I am not a doctor nor was I performing any sort of medical assessment of the condition of your heart. I was merely listening to it and from what I have heard, despite the vast amount of unhealthy food you consume you're heart sounds in perfect working order."
"Well that good I- hey, what do you mean by all the unhealthy food I consume? I'll have you know my diet is balanced and appropriate-" Whoa that sounded fake even to him. "-Plus I work out all the time." He flexed the none-existent muscles in his arms and posed dramatically in his seat (If only he knew how much like caption Qwark he looked posing like that)
"See, my body is a temple." Ratchet smirked proudly at his own physic and puffed out his chest.
"No Ratchet, it is an amusement park." another zinger! Man he was on fire today! And Ratchet told him all those nights in the comedy club were all for nothing!
Instantly Ratchets arms dropped to his side his body deflated. "Hey!"
"But there is something I will tell you from listening to your heart."
This captured the Lombax's attention again and like before his large expressive ears perked up in interest. He raised an eyebrow at his partner in crime and smiled. "Oh yeah? And what's that?"
"Out of all the things I have heard, your heartbeat is my most favourite sound"