Hello and Welcome. This is my little short story, uh, story. So I do hope you enjoy them. They're in chronological order now but soon if I have any requests they'll be in the order the request came in. So, anyway. Please enjoy.
The young lombaxes and Clank were continuing to look at the communication lines and power grid to access the damage done in Tachyon's attack shortly after deciding to restore Fastoon. Ratchet stayed on the ground while Kori climbed up to look at the damage up close and personally.
"Section 727 has fire and electrical burns," Kori told Clank, carefully poking around in the large cables. "Some of the connections are severed, and relatively intact, but others will have to be replaced completely. We probably could scrounge for parts but there are some that will have to be customized."
Clank nodded. "A code 23 for section 727." He took that down.
Kori moved on to section 728, followed by Clank. Ratchet was slower to follow them, trying to clear a funny feeling in his throat. He rubbed his throat and coughed a few times. This went unnoticed by the other two, as they were busy.
"A code 17 for section 728." Clank dictated.
At section 730 and Ratchet's 18th cough Kori looked at him, concern in her eyes. "Ratchet are you getting sick?"
"Me?" Ratchet pointed to himself. "Nah, I just...uh…" he rubbed the back of his neck. "Got a tickle in my throat."
Clank turned to Ratchet. "You should go and rest. Kori and I can take care of the assessment."
"Guys," Ratchet held out his hands. "I'm fine." He smiled and crossed his arms. "I'm the Hero of the Universe, I don't get sick."
Kori rolled her eyes and went back to checking the cable. "Okay." She moved the wires and cables around. "Section 730 is clean."
"Code 21 for section 730." Clank copied.
They went on for a while, Kori and Clank had been assessing the lines for days. It was at section 780 that Ratchet had to sit down for a while. His legs felt heavy and a nap sounded really good to him. It was also then that his headache first settled in.
Kori and Clank looked at each other for a moment before Kori climbed down to feel Ratchet's forehead. Ratchet didn't exactly fight her off but he did try to make it hard for her. Kori finally held his head still and felt the burn under his skin and fur. "Ratchet, you're burning up." She frowned.
"I'm fine." Ratchet argued. He rubbed his upper arms as he got a sudden chill. "Hey are guys cold?" Ratchet shivered in the middle of a freaking desert.
Clank frowned with concern for his best friend. "Ratchet, perhaps it was best we got you back to your father."
"Yeah," Kori pouted. "Your dad would know what to do."
Ratchet shook his head. "I'm f….fine." His teeth chattered and his body shivered.
"No, you're not." Kori stomped her foot, heaving Ratchet onto her shoulder. She nodded to Clank. "Come on, Clank. We have a stubborn Lombax on our hands." Ratchet complained but he didn't have the energy to fight back.
Clank followed quickly behind, laughing. "More specifically, on your shoulder." Clank's short legs didn't help him keep up with Kori, and he didn't want to get onto Ratchet's back as that would have given Kori more weight to carry.
"Guys," Ratchet complained. "I pr….promise, I'm f….fine." He rubbed his upper arms. Ratchet couldn't hold up his head to talk to them anymore, it felt so heavy and full of cotton. "I can walk y….you know." He spoke into Kori's back.
Kori fixed him on her shoulder. "Not right now." She carried Ratchet to his father and faced Kaden. "Something is wrong with Ratchet."
"Different from before?" Kaden asked underneath Aphelion.
Clank stepped forward, ignoring Ratchet's protests. "He has numerous symptoms: fatigue, chills, sore throat and fever."
"I'm going to put him to bed," Kori smirked and took him to his room.
Kaden smiled under Aphelion. "Don't get into bed with him."
"Not going to be a problem," Kori replied, smiling. Kori took Ratchet to his room and plopped him into his bed. "Night, Ratchet."
Ratchet tried to get out of bed but the softness of his mattress felt so amazing. He settled in and decided going to bed maybe wasn't such a bad idea. Ratchet shivered under his covers but tried to not make a big deal out of it.
The next morning he didn't come out to the breakfast table, so Kaden went to check on his son. Ratchet was sleeping face down in his bed, so Kaden pulled a little on Ratchet's covers to persuade the young Lombax to come out on his own.
Ratchet just groaned and barely opened his eyes to look at his father, and Kaden got to see how his son's sclera turned a light yellow overnight. Ratchet flipped over and yawned wide, revealing the top of his mouth had red spots all over it and more red spots over the young lombax's face and arms.
Kaden stepped back from Ratchet. "Whoa."
"What?" Ratchet asked, still yawning and rubbing his eyes. "What's up, Dad?"
Kaden frowned, keeping his distance from his newly speckled and spotted son. "Kori," Kaden called. "Kori, can you come here a second?"
"I'm not allowed in Ratchet's room," Kori called back.
Kaden went to the door. "This is an exception," he yelled down the hallway. "Bring Clank with you."
Kori did as she was told and she got to see the whole weird picture. Everyone decided that Clank should be the one to touch Ratchet, as they didn't know if it was contagious or not. Kori and Kaden teased Ratchet about his half-nakedness as some time during the night he took off his shirt to get cooler. His body bouncing back and forth from being burning hot to freezing cold.
"Any ideas?" Kaden asked Clank.
Clank frowned. "I am unaware of a disease with such symptoms."
Kori took a deep breath. "Well," She sighed. "If we don't know what it is, we can't treat it." She smiled at Ratchet. "For now let's say it's a cold, I'll get you some more blankets, some water, and some soup."
"Kori," Kaden crossed his arms. "I'll look through some medical articles and see if this is something that Lombaxes have dealt with before." He started toward the door. "Quarantine Ratchet until I get back."
Kori mock saluted. "Yes, sir." But the moment Kaden left Kori stuck out her tongue. "No matter what you have hydration is a top concern due to your immune system fighting off the infection. You'll need all the water you can get." She nodded to herself, turning back to Ratchet. "Stay in bed, and I'll be right back." Kori gave him the stink eye before she left.
"Wow." Ratchet smiled, laughing a little. "Do I look that bad?"
Clank nodded. "Your symptoms are concerning. Considering your jaundice and rash."
"Jaundice?" Ratchet frowned.
Clank grabbed a mirror and gave it to Ratchet. "Yes, your nanotech must be overwhelmed by the infection."
"My nanotech," Ratchet mused, looking at his eyes and the spots on his face interrupting his fur. "Normally nanotech only takes care of physical injuries so I can't imagine it would take care of a disease."
Clank nodded again. "Yes and jaundice refers to how the whites of your eyes are now yellow."
"Thanks, buddy." Ratchet smiled. A shiver came from inside Ratchet, making him drop the mirror and his exhaustion came back. "If it's alright Clank I think I'm going to rest my eyes for a little bit." He yawned and curled up under his covers.
Clank smiled, concerned. "I'll wait for Kori and Kaden to return."
Kori returned in a huff, having gathered and boiled water for Ratchet to keep himself hydrated. She touched base with Clank, taking Ratchet's temperature tentatively. The spike concerned her but she was more concerned that Clank didn't unknowingly spread the infection.
Gently and carefully she disinfected the little robot. "I'm really sorry, Clank." Kori apologized again.
"I understand." Clank nodded, a smile in his voice. "There are precautions to take when the threat is microscopic."
Kori smiled. "And I know you've been underwater countless times but I don't want to fry anything in your circuits." She rubbed the disinfectant on Clank's hands.
"How do you know I've been underwater?" Clank asked gently.
Kori laughed. "What do think Ratchet and I talk about? He's told me all about how you saved several galaxies, and met an interesting group of characters." She sat back and had Clank spin to see she got all his surfaces. "You should be done, but if you want to go find Kaden I wouldn't be opposed."
"Make sure he doesn't get lost." Clank laughed and jumped down from the table. "Perhaps we should call Angela, she might know something."
Kori stopped for a moment. "Who's Angela?" She raised an eyebrow at Clank.
"Ratchet didn't tell you?" Clank questioned.
Kori shook her head slowly. "Nope."
"Perhaps I should go find Kaden now." Clank nodded and quickly made his escape.
Kori blinked for a second. She shrugged and started making soup from the supplies they had left. Something warm and hearty to give Ratchet's immune system the boost it needed to fight off the infection. A nice beef stew with lots of meaty chunks, vegetables, and broth.
Clank and Kaden came back in time for dinner, a slight variation on the soup for Ratchet that Kori had made, in case Kori or Kaden had caught the infection before he was showing symptoms. Kaden more chewed on the end of his pencil then the food Kori had made, still combing through medical journals he could get his hands on.
Kori left Clank and Kaden at the dinner table to bring some dinner to Ratchet. He was awake when she entered but something wasn't….right. Ratchet was conscious but it was like his mind was disconnected. "Ratchet," Kori spoke softly. "I brought you dinner."
"Hm?" Ratchet hummed, turning his head a little bit toward Kori. His eyes weren't dead but...hallow. Ratchet smiled in a funny way at Kori. "Hi."
Kori smiled. "Hi." She sat on the bed next to him. "Sit up, it's time to eat."
"Bossy, bossy." Ratchet complained but sat up. His arms hung at his sides and he simply opened his mouth for Kori to feed him.
Kori laughed a little bit. "You're so lucky you're sick." She fed him a spoon full, he complained that it was too hot. "Oh, hush, you big baby. If it's too hot blow on it first."
"Bossy Lombax lady." Ratchet smiled, laughing like a mad man. "Very bossy lombax lady."
Kori shook her head. "You're yet to see how bossy I can be." They continued like this until the bowl was empty. "Do you want more?"
"Nope." Ratchet shook his head loosely.
Kori nodded. "Drink some water and go back to bed." She gave him some water, helped him drink it and tucked him into bed. "Good night, Ratchet. Call me if you need anything." Kori up and closed Ratchet's door behind her, putting Ratchet's dishes in boiling hot water.
"How is he?" Clank asked, frowning with concern.
Kori sat down at the table. "His fever has gotten worse." She sighed sadly. "He's almost delirious."
"Well." Kaden looked at his companions. "Until we find out what this is we provide supportive care, Clank can stand watch during the night while Kori and I can care for him in the day." His face was serious and yet concerned. "Until his body can fight this off on his own, with possible help from nanotech, we have to take care of him."
As the sun set Clank took up watch in Ratchet's room, Kori and Kaden sleeping right away to get an early start. Kori didn't fall asleep, her mind unable to shut up about Ratchet's rapid deterioration. She ended up sneaking to Ratchet's room to check on him and Clank several times in the night, never truly closing her eyes.
By the time breakfast came around Ratchet showed no improvement, and Kori was exhausted. But she still fed Ratchet breakfast, again being told she was bossy. Kaden and Clank left her alone for a moment and Kori fell asleep eating her own breakfast.
She woke up to feed Ratchet dinner though, despair gripping her heart over his lack of improvement. Night came so quickly and Kori was so exhausted she slept dreamlessly through the night and into the next morning.
"Kori." A voice spoke to her. "Kori, wake up."
Kori woke up with such energy that she almost knocked Clank clear out of his circuitry. "Oh," suddenly realizing what she had done, Kori stopped, "sorry Clank." She rubbed her head. "I just…."
"It's alright." Clank smiled. "I did wake you quite suddenly." He gestured to her bedroom door. "Breakfast is ready at the table."
Kori nodded, smiling through her tiredness. "I'll be right there, don't wait up." She got up and got ready for a new day, but to her surprise when she went out to the breakfast table there was Ratchet. In a thick blanket and looking quite worn himself but there was the Hero of the Universe.
"Morning, Kori." Ratchet smiled weakly at her, eating the bowl of soup put out in front of him.
Kori smiled and bounced a little. "You're not calling me bossy lombax lady anymore!" She clapped her hands and sat next to him at the table, his spots were fading and his sclera were more white than yellow.
"What?" Ratchet blinked. "When did I call you that?"
Kaden, Kori, and Clank looked at each other. Kori sat down at the table next to Kaden, still giving ratchet some space. "You," Kori frowned a little, "don't remember?"
"No," Ratchet shook his head slowly.
The other three exchanged glances again. They wouldn't tell Ratchet that along with calling Kori 'bossy lombax lady' he also had called Clank 'friendly little beep-boop' and Kaden 'old furrball'. But Kori smiled innocently again at Ratchet. "Anyway," She grinned. "Who is Angela?"
Ratchet choked on his soup, coughing a second before looking at Kori. He smiled innocently and cleared his throat. "How do you know about Angela?"
Thank you so much for reading. See you next time!
