Ratchet and Clank

Stars Above, Scars Below

By Nathaniel Schrader

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Date: 2002 CE

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Smoke wafted about the black sky, the smell of seasoned meats sizzling over an open grill. The light from Ratchet's garage illuminated what little patio the Lombax had, barely anything that'd be considered civilized. Clank turned the steak over, testing the recipe he had found amongst Ratchet's piles of books. He glanced behind him, noting that the Lombax was still preoccupied with his project, the antique radio he was trying to fix. A smile spread across the robot's face as he turned his attention back to the dinner he was preparing. He wasn't sure what it would taste like, but he knew it had to be good if it needed such expensive meat. Who would have thought one could become so rich by destroying supply crates? He guessed all of Drek's funding had to be kept somewhere… but out in the open would not have been Clank's first choice.

Ratchet huffed as he scratched his ear, looking towards Clank. He smiled and walked over, getting a fond expression from the robot.

"How's your arm doing?" he asked, still smiling. Clank tapped his broken arm with a free finger. It laid limply in a sling Ratchet had made out of his tidiest cleaning rag, a bit drizzled with oil and pink in color.

"It does not hurt, if that is what you are asking," he replied, trying to be humble. Ratchet's face shifted to a more worried, but still happy demeanor.

"That's good… Sorry I don't have the parts to fix it right now. The parts should be here tomorrow." Clank laughed a little.

"It is alright. I did not think you would have the specific part I needed." Ratchet laughed, embarrassed.

"Yeah… sorry about that." Clank shook his head, expression uplifted and enthusiastic.

"Do not worry about it. Here, try this." Clank held up a bit of the cooked meat on his steak fork. The Lombax took it shyly, eating the meat right off the fork, an expression of wonderment following suit.

"That's… great!" Ratchet exclaimed. "I've never had steak that good!" Clank laughed again.

"Better than your mother's, even?" Clank asked, taking back the fork. The Lombaxe's ears fell a little with his smile.

"Yeah," the Lombax responded, tone lowered and baritone. He ruffled Clank's antennae then walked back to his radio. The robot looked back at Ratchet work for a while, but the Lombax didn't meet his look. Had he said something wrong? The robot looked at his arm, a memory coming back to him from not all too long ago. Ratchet was right; Clank knew nothing of him. He didn't know Ratchet's age, last name, or even a simple past.

The smell of burning steak reached his smell receptors as he spaced off, quickly forcing him to flip the steak. With a skilled toss, he flopped the two well-done steaks onto a dirty white platter, dripping a small pool of rich juice into the dipped center. He garnished it with the proper seasonings and took the platter in hand. It was a lot heavier than he had been hoping, but he could hold onto it well enough. Ratchet was still working on his radio, not talking to himself like he usually did when he worked on complicated projects. Silently, the robot lifted the plate up onto the makeshift table made out of an axle and round solar array. He cleaned off the work rags and the little bits and bolts, wiping the table clean and making it shine slightly, blue cells shimmering gently. Clank hoisted himself onto one of the red-cushioned bar stools Ratchet had at the table and took out something he had found in a drawer marked "Garbage." He hadn't seen one before, but knew what it was, as was the case with plenty of things for someone only a few days old. It was white and had been used before, the end mutilated with melted form. He put the slender object down, lighting the wick coming out of it with a lighter he had found in a pile of junk. A candle: lightweight, effective, and… meaningful, so he had been thinking. So many examples of its use ran through his mind, but he thought this was suitable. The Lombax sighed eventually, giving up on his project for the time being, turning around and raising an eyebrow in reaction to the happy Clank and dinner that had been laid out.

"What's with the fancy feast?" he asked, laughing. Clank tilted his head.

"Is it too fancy, Ratchet?" Ratchet laughed again, taking a seat.

"Nah, I haven't had a meal like this is a long time." Clank smiled.

"I hope it is adequate." Ratchet's face widened with a curiously happy look.

"Are… you gonna eat anything?" Clank shook his head.

"I am not hungry, but thank you for asking." Ratchet let out a soft laugh, looking down to his steak.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

"It is not a problem, Ratchet." Clank hesitated, watching the Lombax take a few bites. There was not an excited response like last time, only a quietly seated man. "Is… everything okay, Ratchet?" Clank asked. The Lombax looked up at Clank, then back down to his meal, smiling a weak smirk.

"I'm fine, bud."

"Oh… Okay." The robot began to hesitate as he watched the Lombax quietly eat his steak some more.

"So eh, Clank," Ratchet asked out of the blue, almost startling Clank. "What were you up to before Drek?" Clank thought about the question, a blank occurring.

"I… do not know. I do not think I existed until recently. I was created only a few days ago." Ratchet looked up, swallowing a chunk of meat.

"Really?" Clank nodded, smiling slightly. Ratchet looked down at his food, stuffing his mouth some more. "Huh, I thought you were older than that," Ratchet mumbled with a half-full mouth; he had not eaten all that much in the last week, and this meal was about the size of three of his normal dinners.

"No, I am not," Clank confirmed. Ratchet smiled, wiping his mouth on a rag and continuing to eat. Clank tapped his thumb against the red cushion he sat on. "What about you, Ratchet? What were you doing prior to this event?" Ratchet didn't look up, but slowed in his consumption.

"Eh… not much. Waiting around, building ships, selling repaired gadgets to get money for food, that sorta thing." Clank blinked.

"You did not have a job?" Ratchet laughed darkly.

"Look around this place, Clank. Veldin is the pit of Solana. There's no business except craft business. There's barely an economy because the population is so low, and we don't even have a government!" Ratchet said with laughter, a smile coming through. "Did you know that this place is considered a Class F outpost, not even a civilization?"

"I did," Clank said. Ratchet's expression fell a little as he sat back further in his chair, slumped.

"Eh, never mind. It's not worth telling."

"I would like to know more, Ratchet," Clank said with a hopeful face as the candlelight flickered. Ratchet glanced up, looking past the flames at the robot.

"There's not much to it…" he said, raising his eyebrows and twiddling his fork around on the plate.

"Still… I know little of you, Ratchet. You were right when you said I didn't know anything about you." Ratchet looked up, a sliver of anger nesting in his brows.

"Try to forget that… I didn't mean it." Clank smiled.

"I know you did not." Ratchet stopped his fork, meeting the robot's happy eyes. The Lombax laughed.

"You really want to know, don't you?" Clank nodded. Ratchet put the fork down, putting his hands behind his head. "Well… I remember, a long time ago, waking up to the smell of cookies. This was my first memory, I guess. I used to live with my grandma, even if she didn't look like me. Her name was Jen, what'd you call an Azuri. Tall and slender, faded blue skin and wrinkled, a small snout but really sweet. Never knew anyone but her for a while until one day, when I met someone outside my home. Grandma Jen never wanted me to go outside during the day, for some reason. I didn't understand why until I was being taken by the man I had met. He took me in his ship and I lived with him for a few years."

"You were kidnapped?" Clank interrupted, shocked. Ratchet shrugged.

"Yeah. I don't think much about it, though. He was… a gentleman for lack of a better word, very polite and calm. He was a robot… that was for sure. He always wore a mask and talked like one, and he was always wearing a black suit with a… red trim, if I remember correctly, and black, always freshly pressed dress pants, except for at night, when he wore a black pair of silk pajamas. He still wore the mask, though, even when he was sleeping… He kinda had this sharp but smooth shape to his body, standing really tall, and he had white, sharp hands, like knives. The guy almost floated around with how graceful he was, like a cloud. He kinda reminded me of someone from older days, like a dancer, really thin and quiet. I think he got into trouble with the law, though, 'cause he dropped me off here and never came back, saying stuff like 'there are people who don't want me to have you, and I can't let you be found.' Don't know what happened to him, but I was about eight or so when I was left by myself, so I didn't really know how things worked back then," Ratchet admitted, laughing. Clank stared, amazed and a little disturbed.

"You did not try and find your grandmother?"

"She wasn't my real grandma, but the guy took me halfway around the planet, and everyone I ran into at that point was never really helpful. I snuck into this garage and squatted here and abra-kadabra," Ratchet clapped, smiling slyly. "Haven't moved since. I've made some friends around here that helped me get on me feet and I've been a lazy member of this small society ever since."

"How… old are you now?" Clank asked, feeling bad.

"About fifteen I think. I only know that my birthday is around this time of year. It could be today for all I know." Clank's expression turned morose, reflecting the story he had heard.

"You… never knew your mother or father?" Ratchet hesitated, then shook his head.

"Nope. Never have, never will, probably. My grandma always said my dad was someone really important, and my mom was the same. All I learned about them from her is that they were valued citizens. That's about it," Ratchet mumbled, shrugging again and halfheartedly cutting a bit of meat off the steak, eating it slowly.

"I… am sorry, Ratchet." Ratchet raised a hand to stop the robot, smiling.

"It's alright." Clank sank in his chair a little, shifting uncomfortably and quietly. He looked down at the table, then up to Ratchet.

"Is… your name really Ratchet?" The Lombax looked up, then down again, once more twirling his fork on the plate.

"I don't remember what my Grandma Jen used to call me. The only reason why I remember her name is because I cried about her every night for a while when I was taken. The Robot Man called me Ratchet, so… I just got used to that."

"Oh… I see," Clank replied.

"Don't sweat it; that was a long time ago," Ratchet said, grinning with melancholy. "Your cooking is really good, Clank." The robot let a smile out, though still troubled by the history he had learned.

"Thank you, Ratchet."

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Clank hurriedly opened the faulty oven as smoke poured out of the top. He pulled the baking tray out quickly, sighing with relief as he noted the fine condition of the cake and lack of black crust. He closed the oven with one foot, then turned the oven off by kicking it until it beeped. Ratchet mumbled over in the corner as he tossed and turned in his hammock, sleeping in for a good ten hours now, despite the shining sun and winter breeze, yet the air was pleasantly warm and arid. Drek had been right about the planet being in the perfect spot. Clank set the undecorated cake down on a stool, adjusting his limp arm and looking back at the Lombax. He had been sleeping whilst Clank gathered the supplies needed for this traditional baked confection, calling in a delivery service and finding a few pots and mixing bowls in the storage behind Ratchet's garage. He had to use his good hand for mixing, though, although he didn't fear germs when high temperature baking was involved.

Opening up a white box next to the stool, he unpacked several cake decoration tools. He did not understand why covering a confection in highly concentrated sugar was considered tasty, but he did as the books said. Articulately and carefully, the robot assembled a decoration tool and inserted a green frosting capsule into it. He squirted a little out onto his finger and tasted it, cringing. The sheer sweetness was horrid. He hesitantly decorated the single piece cake's rim with icing, then switched over to a more precise dispensing apparatus. Slowly, he spelled out the word "Happy" in green, then stopped. He didn't know what to put after this. After a moment of contemplation, he wrote out "15th or so birthday!" He chuckled to himself and put the dispenser down, lifting the cake up over his head and onto the table they had sat at last night. Using a bit of bent cardboard, Clank propped the ruined material in front of the cake, out of Ratchet's immediate view, should he wake before Clank was ready.

Looking back to the Lombax again, he walked over quietly and stood under Ratchet's hammock, reaching up and poking him quickly from underneath. Ratchet nearly leaped out of his hammock, sitting up quickly and holding onto the beam it was tied to, wearing only dark blue boxers. A moment passed as Clank laughed, stepping out from underneath the tied cloth of a bed and smiling up at Ratchet. The Lombax chuckled, his ears drooping in awkwardness. He got down off the support beam and ruffled Clank's antenna, getting caught by a metal hand on top of his. The two's eyes met for a moment before they both laughed and looked over at the table. Ratchet raised his brows, then looked at Clank.

"What this?" Clank's grin widened.

"A surprise." The robot made his way onto a bar stool, hand on the cardboard. "Happy Birthday, Ratchet," the robot said coyly as he removed the screen. Sheer surprise washed over Ratchet as his smile faded, speechless. "I… was not sure of what is put on these cakes for comedic effect, so I wrote what I thought fit," Clank said, laughing. Ratchet stepped a bit closer, hopping up on the barstool to get a better look. The little robot eagerly awaited a response, sitting patiently across from Ratchet. The Lombax read over the cake once before looking up at Clank, his expression still stuck, shocked. A grin finally appeared, Ratchet unsure of what to say.

"Clank… did you order this for me?" Clank shook his head.

"I made it, Ratchet," Ratchet's face rose is surprise as he glanced over at the oven, freshly used with a few utilized bowls, still fresh with batter. Ratchet looked back at Clank, clearly happy and waiting for a response. Ratchet's mouth spread into a wide, toothy smile. "Do… you like it?" Clank asked. Ratchet laughed out loud, surprising Clank a little.

"Do you know the last time I got I cake? Gadgetron sent me a cupcake about this big on my birthday last year, along with my bomb glove!" Ratchet said jokingly, sizing the supposed cupcake down to about two inches tall with his fingers.

"Really?" Clank inquired humorously.

"Yeah! Sent me a card and everything for being such a good customer!" Ratchet replied, laughing again. "Clank… this cake is… awesome." Clank chuckled, then stopped, remembering something. He reached into his storage shutter and pulled out the candle from last night, putting it carefully on top of the cake and lighting it.

"Make a wish, Ratchet." The Lombax sat, looking at the little robot with a broken arm. He let out a soft chuckle to himself and blew out the candle.

"I don't think I could really want anything." Clank's eyes tilted, curious. A loud honking from outside caught the two's attentions, Ratchet standing and throwing on his pants, looking at Clank. "Maybe just one thing, though." Clank replied with a curious smirk as Ratchet walked out to the front of the garage, talking to a tall, one eyed robot who got out of a large green delivery ship, not unlike the courier ship the two had used on their adventure for a time. They talked for a moment as Ratchet signed something, then took a package from the robot, waving his hat in farewell as he pulled out and flew off. Ratchet set the package down, a large cardboard box labeled as fragile, almost round and utterly packed with shipping material

"What is this, Ratchet?" The Lombax didn't reply, attempting to open the package, eventually getting a claw into the tape and ripping it. The box literally popped open as packing popcorn erupted out of the box, like giant pink flakes of snow. Clank giggled as Ratchet shook his leg, getting the material off. Carefully, Ratchet searched around inside the package.

"Hm… they should be… aha!" Ratchet announced, slowly pulling out a small metal case, also labeled as fragile. He opened it up to Clank, showing the robot the small orbs various pieces.

"Gadgetron X64 Combat Servos?" Clank asked, astonished. "These are very rare!"

"Yeah they are! I bought them using that PDA we got from "Steve," Ratchet said, rolling his eyes. Clank giggled, staring humbly at the servos.

"These are used in military robots, Ratchet. Why these?" Ratchet grinned, awkwardly chuckling.

"Well I thought… why not! I figured that we'd replace your old ones with all new ones! After all the trouble we've been through… you deserve it! These ones are great, and they won't break under stress as easily." Clank was humbled, his gears spinning rapidly in appreciation.

"That is… very nice of you, Ratchet, but I did not do it all myself. You did most of the work." Ratchet shook his head.

"Nah… I wouldn't have done anything if it weren't for you. Heck I'd probably be dead at this point if you hadn't crashed here!" Ratchet paused, watching Clank's expression. "You saved me, Clank." The little robot was taken back, not sure how to respond. Ratchet just laughed and lifted the robot up, putting him on his back and holding onto him by his ankles. "Let's get that arm fixed."

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"Here… this should do it." Ratchet said, replacing a screw back into Clank's underarm, the broken one. Clank couldn't help but giggle to himself, ticklish as he was. He patiently waited for Ratchet to finish, sitting amongst his old servos on Ratchet's workbench, riddled with junk and spare parts. "Didn't think it'd be that damaged, though… Let's see if I did everything right," Ratchet said to Clank, patting the robot's shoulder. "That new insulation should work right… I'm just glad I had some of the stuff you needed on hand," Ratchet said, laughing worriedly, ears low. "Sorry if it's low quality." Clank looked up to Ratchet, shaking his head.

"I am grateful always, Ratchet. Do not worry about it." Ratchet blushed, laughing quietly to himself. The robot rotated his arm a bit, flexing the fingers and his arm, up and down. He retracted it and extended it out again, smiling with a grand mood. He looked up to Ratchet. "You did a perfect job. I feel better than ever."

"Well… let's see how those new servos work. Here." The Lombax picked up the robot, setting him on the floor. Clank squatted a little then stood up straight, reaching up onto his toes, lowering himself as he tested turning his waist. He chuckled.

"It looks like everything is working perfectly, Ratchet. These new servo are very… liberating," Clank said, chuckling. Ratchet breathed out in relief.

"I'm glad… Never done it on such an advanced robot before. I've done home repair on people whenever they called my ad on the holo-net, but I've never actually seen something as complex as you, Clank," Ratchet admitted. "You're one piece of work, bud." Clank chuckled again.

"Thank you, Ratchet." A breeze wafted through the garage, bringing the sweet scent of the cake to Ratchet as he looked over at it, surprised he had forgotten about the green frosted gift. "You should enjoy it, Ratchet. You deserve it," Clank said, getting the Lombaxe's quiet look of appreciation.

"Hehe… yeah. Take a seat, I'll be there in a minute." Clank nodded, climbing up a bar stool and crossing his arms in his lap while Ratchet turned to some drawers away from his workbench. "Let me see… eh…" Ratchet said, shuffling through a few drawers. "Ah, there it is," Ratchet said, taking out a dull kitchen knife. "Haven't used it for much… I'm used to ordering out for instant dinners. Should be good for this, though."

"I believe so, yes," Clank chirped in. Ratchet sat down, cleaning the blade off a little on his pants and cutting into the cake, its moistly sweet aroma surrounding the table. Ratchet took a deep inhale, his tail fluttering a bit; he hadn't smelled anything this good in way too long. The first piece was cut easily, a fairly average piece. Ratchet gestured the piece to Clank, who kindly took it in courtesy. He was not fond of the frosting… but perhaps the entire cake was worth trying. Ratchet cut a fairly large piece for himself, his stomach empty and demanding the novelty that was the cake. He raised his cake piece up, rather like a wine glass at a toast.

"To you, Clank." Clank blinked a few times surprised by this toast by cake and the honors to him, then smiled back. He raised his piece of cake to Ratchet's, tapping it as some crumbs fell off.

"To you, Ratchet." The two took their pieces and took their bites, Ratchet's expression far more euphoric. Clank enjoyed the baked part… but the frost was far too sweet for his liking. He ate it anyway. Ratchet was cutting a third piece for himself by the time Clank had gotten to the last bit of his own. The robot chuckled.

"I am glad you like it so much, Ratchet." The Lombax looked up, a few crumbs falling out of his mouth as he laughed. He roughly swallowed the dry cake to reply, coughing a bit.

"It's really good!" Clank chuckled again, finishing his piece as he jumped off his seat to get his friend some water. He rinsed out the measuring cup he had used for the cake, filling it with some frigid water from the tap.

"Thank you, Ratchet," Clank said, handing it to the Lombax and sitting back in his chair. Ratchet chugged half the cup of water, grateful for the beverage. "If… it is not a sore subject, Ratchet… I'd like to know more about you still," Clank mentioned politely. Ratchet looked up, about to take a bite out of a fresh piece. He smiled.

"Sure, go ahead." Clank twiddled his thumbs under the table, hands on his lap.

"Well… What of that 'Robot Man' you mentioned last night? Why did you not run away from him?" Ratchet sucked on one of his fingers, getting some frosting. He seemed to think for a moment, then released his finger from his mouth.

"I guess it never crossed my mind. We were always flying, mostly. His ship was inside the planet's atmosphere, but it was way up there, almost without air. I couldn't really leave."

"What about your life with him? I am… curious about what this man wanted with you," Clank said truthfully.

"I'm not sure, really. He always talked about collecting things, about obtaining what he wanted. He had said to me that 'I was his greatest find.' Looking back… I guess that makes sense. I've never seen another one of my kind before… at least in real life." Clank's eyes lifted in wonder. "I've never met another Lombax. All I've heard from people is that not a lot live out here, never have."

"Odd… my knowledge contains nothing of Lombaxes… probably because this galaxy lacks them. How did… you end up here?" Clank asked, leaning forward a bit, truly curious about this friend of his. Ratchet shrugged.

"I dunno. I just remember having a grandma that wasn't a Lombax and living with a robot for about three years, from five to eight years old. I was young… I didn't understand why I'm here, and I still don't," Ratchet said, amused by his life. Clank raised an eyelid, thinking.

"You… must have learned a lot from that Robot Man. You are a very good mechanic," Clank complimented, rotating his freshly fixed shoulder a bit. Ratchet grinned back, chewing on some more cake, more than halfway through the entire confection.

"What can I say? I read a lot of books when I was on his ship. I didn't have anything to do but read and work on his vehicles."

"How big was his ship?" Ratchet's grin widened at the memory.

"It was about half a kilometer long, and about a quarter of a kilometer wide and tall. It was an amazing ship, decked out with stealth technology and full living areas. It was like a museum. He had antiques and all sorts of stuff on display. He never let me touch anything that wasn't supposed to be… but I guess that makes sense if it was valuable. He owned at least a dozen vehicles in his working bay, though. He had motorbikes and smaller ships to boats and hover-cars. He let me investigate them, as long as I let him explain the vehicle, history, and the functions of whatever I wanted to work with. He was obsessed with that sort of detail. Eventually, he brought me a blank chassis and asked me to put together a particular type of vehicle, providing all the parts. He gave me the right book, a pat on the back, and watched me work. The guy was pretty weird!" Ratchet laughed, eating another slice of the now nearly gone cake. Clank sat, utterly bewildered and intrigued.

"He made you make vehicles?"

"Not just that, but weapons, too. Old things, new things, small things, big things. Everything! He was patient about it though. He never gave me a time to finish it by, and gave me his help whenever I needed another set of hands… I never liked getting close to that mask of his, though," Ratchet mumbled, getting the willies.

"What did the mask look like?" Ratchet's face scrunched a little, wiggling his nose in contempt.

"Well eh… It sort of looked like a skull, white, with a black diamond under each of his circular eyes, which were also black and really deep, like, creepy deep, endless… and the mask didn't have a mouth or nose hole, just a smooth curve over where they should have been… He always made me feel a little uneasy when he wouldn't talk and just look at me," Ratchet said meekly, sipping his water.

"That sounds… very eerie…" Clank said, a little upset by the image he had been given.

"Yeah… but I can't say I didn't miss him when he left me. This planet is a heck of a place to grow up in without someone watching your back. Thankfully there are a lot of strangers around here that understand that, and they'll give you a hand," Ratchet added with a gracious grin. Clank nodded.

"It seems like you turned out alright, Ratchet. I am glad you are who you are." The Lombax blushed, timidly showing a toothy smile.

"I'm just glad to have met you, Clank. It's… been really quiet around here for way too long. I've wanted to leave here for a long time, since I can remember… but…" The Lombax faded off, meeting Clank's eyes. "That doesn't seem as important, now, ya know?" The robot felt something inside him with the words, something that felt right.

"I think I do, Ratchet."

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"Hey, Clank! I got the radio working!" Ratchet announced from inside the garage as a shooting star flew overhead. Clank turned around from outside, looking in.

"That is great to hear, Ratchet!" The Lombax jogged over with the newly fixed, albeit dented, cubical red radio, setting it down.

"Um… hm," Ratchet mumbled to himself, looking around. He went over to a crate and pushed it aside, revealing a fine red lounge chair with an oaken support and elaborate design. He hauled it over with a fair amount of effort, heaving at the furniture piece meant for a person three times his size.

"Where did you get that, Ratchet?" Clank asked as the Lombax pushed it outside with a groan, into the dark and under the night sky.

"Next to a dumpster; I guess someone didn't want it, but I'm fine with that," Ratchet said as he finished moving the lounge chair. Clank examined the fabric, petting the fine velvet. "Let me tell you, that was a challenge, getting it across this terrain. Took about four hours to get it here, not counting the nap I took on it on the way," Ratchet jested as he flipped off the main lights in his garage and walked back outside, carrying a heavy, red quilt with him. He picked up Clank and laid down on the giant furnishing, arms around the robot and pulling the blanket up on top of them.

"It is very nice, Ratchet, Clank said, putting his hands on the Lombaxe's holding arms. Ratchet let go for a moment, turning on and fiddling with the radio. "It is battery powered?" Clank asked.

"Solar, but it has a backup battery, and I just replaced it with a fresh one. It should… ah," Ratchet told as he caught a channel on the airwaves. It sounded horrid at first, but eventually stopped hissing and scratching as Ratchet tuned in, finally letting it rest. It was quiet as the song ended, a missed one, but at least the device was tuned for the next.

"Welcome all you late night freaks and monsters," a man with a low, sly voice greeted from within the box. "This is Dark Epoch of Veldin, coming to you live from Kyzil Plateau. Now I wanted to mention somethin' pretty cool now, somethin' I hope you're listenin' to, Lombax. Our Ratchet, yeah that's right, that one, has been declared a hero by the Kyzil Plateau council today, in honor of vanquishing the most un-righteous Drek in his cooperate conquest. When not even the Galactic President would help us, our little ol' Ratchet did and saved all our butts from certain doom. Cheers to you, Ratchet. To all his friends and supporters, let's all give a cheer tonight, one he'll see from his lil' garage on the cliff." Ratchet looked at the radio, then to the skies. Suddenly, thousands of rockets and bullets streamed into the sky, plasma and lasers lighting up the black sky like a ruby dressed in black velvet. Cheers echoed from all around them, both Ratchet and Clank sitting up, listening to a least a hundred different people shout out Ratchet's name.

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about," Dark Epoch said as the cheers died down after a minute. "Here's a song for you, Ratchet. Courtney Gears, 'So You've Found Your Destiny."

"What? !" Ratchet spoke out in a shout, blushing. A bit of laughter echoed from the same supporters around the plateau, only lasting a moment. Ratchet looked down to Clank as the robot gazed up at him, finding the song selection very cute. "I- I don't really like this song…"

"Your favorite song, Ratchet, don't deny it, brother. Now sit back and enjoy the clear skies tonight," Dark Epoch laughed. Ratchet's ears shook a bit in embarrassment, looking off into the distance and lying back down, sighing.

"Hey there, soldier, how are you?" Miss Gears sang gently, an orchestral ensemble behind her, playing a lulling tune. "You're here now, right now, sitting next to me- But tell me, please, that you've found your destiny- for now, I don't want to lose you again, to see you leave, to see you pack and say goodbye- to leave, to let me hang dry, because all I'll do is cry, and all I'll do is cry, without you…" the robot enchantresses' voice echoed lightly, harmonizing with the classical arrangement accompanying her.

"This is a very nice song, Ratchet… I did not know you liked music like this, Clank said, rolling on Ratchet's torso to face him. Ratchet laughed a little, trying not to look down at Clank.

"Yeah well… Epoch knows me a little too well. It's my favorite song," Ratchet leveled off, listening to the mechanical woman sing.

"For all the days, for all the hours I've sat, for every moment of time, I've dreamt of you, my sweet, my angel lifeline- oh deep, oh endless, beating heart, let me hold you close, oh close to mine oh please- there's nothing between us, or holding us back, let's just be you and I, me and your endless sky heart oh please don't defy this feeling- and I, shall be here, just waiting, for you here, my dear, my soldier oh yes my soldier I wait for you…"

"I think it suits you, Ratchet," Clank said quietly, putting his hands on Ratchet's chest and resting his head against him, snuggling between the blanket and the Lombaxe's warm being, closing his eyes. He felt a heartbeat under his hands, light and… alive… young… perfect. Ratchet held Clank closer, holding him snugly against himself and watching the stars.

"Thank you, Clank," Ratchet said, listening to the orchestral solo of cellos and violins, harps and light gongs.

"For what, Ratchet?" Clank asked tiredly. The Lombax nestled his head above the robot's, feeling the weight in his eyes as he narrowed them, seeing a violet shooting star light up the sky. He finally closed them, listening to Miss Gears again.

"Just stay here, destiny soldier… please just stay with me…" the robotic woman sung lowly. Ratchet's eyes dampened as a small smile spread on his lips.

"For everything."