So, My first Ratchet and Clank story. I hope you like it.Also, I own none of the characters in this story, they are owned by their prospective companies. I'm just taking them out for some fresh air.Enjoy!And please, review, it's the only way I'll learn!

Space. It's big, huge, gigantic, even. It's also friggin' empty, when you get right down to it. Sure, there are thousands of inhabited worlds out there, but when you really think about it, space is just nothingness. Empty, friggin' nothingness. Empty, boring, gigantic, friggin'-

"Anything interesting?" a voice said, breaking the train of thought.

Ratchet looked over at the small robot sitting next to him in the space ship. Clank was there, looking back up at him, a technical manual in his hands, "Servo Repairs for Idiotic Numbskulls," or something of the sort. It was always an amusing sight, Clank sitting in a seat that was a bit too big for him; he looked like a child on his first space trip.

Ratchet smiled, realized he had been daydreaming out the window, and shook his head, "Nope. Space, its empty, yah know?"

"That it is," Clank responded, turning back to his book.

The navigational computer chirped, as it did so hourly since their trip began, "Thirteen hours to destination."

Ratchet leaned back in his chair, arms folded behind his head, a restless mood upon his face. He couldn't check the holonet, did that already. Six hundred channels and nothing on.

A sigh escaped his lips. "Man, we never do anything important anymore."

"We are opening an ulti-mall on Selsis Three, one could consider that important." Clank never looked up from his book.

"No, that's not what I mean. That's just making a quick bolt. I'm talking about 'saving the galaxy' important. How are we ever gonna top that?"

"Hopefully, we won't have too." The computer screen on Clank's side beeped, and began streaming data. The robot pressed a few buttons, accessing the data, the book off to his side.

Ratchet leaned over, attempting to get a better look at friends screen. "What's this about?"

Clank shrugged, turning his head to the lombax. "I programmed the computer to scan for certain anomalies in space, and I believe it's just found one." The chrome-buffed automaton tapped the screen, and the anomaly in question popped up.

A flash of recognition moved through Ratchet. "A nebula, huh?"

"It appears so," Clank said, "But this particular nebula has a high concentration of tetrion particles."

"Nebulas always have a high concentration of something, that's why they're nebulas. But tetrions, huh? Weren't they used in those failed wormhole experiments a few years back?"

"Yes, I remember reading on that subject."

Ratchet did an inward cringe. He didn't like reminding his friend about his age, or lack there-of. It must be hard of the little robot, only having an observatory opinion on events that happened even up to little over a year ago. But Clank took it in stride, and he was learning more every day. Ratchet would probably never say it out loud, but he was proud of his friend and his perseverance.

"So how far away is it?" Ratchet asked, his hands on the controls.

"We should be coming up on it now," Clank answered, staring outside the ship.

Indeed they were. It was a beautiful sight to behold. The nebula had a strange loveliness to it, as if someone had dripped many different colors of paint on the canvas of space, and then used their thumb to smudge and swirl it around.

"You do realize you won't get very detailed information. After all, this isn't a science vessel."

"Yes, I know," Clank answered, "But I would like to try anyway."

"Why? It's not like it's our problem."

"It is everyone's duty to further the quest of science." Clank had that tone in his voice that suggested there was no arguing with him.

"Alright, alright!" Ratchet held his hands up in mock surrender, "Look, we got a schedule to keep, so how 'bout this? We head to this nebula, register it with the 'Intergalactic Nebula Registry', or whoever does that kind of stuff, and we drop a com-buoy for any passing science ships inviting them to take a look. And, if you want, we can check up on it on the way home. How's that sound?"

Clank pondered over this proposal for a few moments. Ratchet could tell that his friend was disappointed; the little robot always got excited over discovering something new.

"Deal," he finally said, "As long as we stop by on the way back."

"Cool," Ratchet agreed, his hands back on the controls, "C'mon, let's go drop off that com-buoy."