Chapter 6: Forming a Solution

Planet Evukar

Where the hangar had several large windows letting in the little light of the late afternoon, the hall which they entered had little to no light. Most of which was blocked by heavy drapes. Talwyn noted that most everything was covered with a thick layer of dust, and that the air itself seemed stale and old. As if this house had been closed off for many many years. They passed room after dusty room full of furniture covered in sheets and plastic until they came to the more frequented part of the house.

"Erus, why is so much of your home so...empty?" Talwyn asked, trying to find the right word for her thoughts.

Erus didn't look at her, his answer one which he had given himself over the many years. "Things change, my dear." though he sensed Talwyn's perplexed look and expanded. "I was once the Prime Minister of the planet. I opened my home to all of the greatest thinkers and movers of Evukar, including your father, in the hopes to bring us to the next age of technology. And we did. Though after my term had ended...so did the visits from my colleagues" he added, trying to avoid mentioning the mistake; the fire. He opened a door and revealed a simple, yet comfortable room. "This is where you will stay for the meantime. I'm sure the repairs will take a few days and so readied it for you." he said as he gestured for her to go inside. Talwyn set her duffel onto the bed, which had an inviting allure, though she knew there was still business to take care off.

"So Erus, what kind of generators do you need for your project?" Talwyn asked as she left the bed behind.

"Here, I think that a visual would be more efficient than any description that I can give you." Erus replied, leading Talwyn down to the basement. They passed many more dusty rooms until they came to the staircase. It creaked under the weight of the two as they descended into darkness. However, once it seemed almost impossible to see to continue, a few faded lights flickered on; activated by the motion of the two.

Most of the basement was dedicated to the generators. It was just as cavernous as the upper floors had been. If the living areas were considered dusty, Talwyn didn't know what to call the basement. Many of the rafters were sporting ancient cobwebs that hung down like streamers. The air was stale and dank, no doubt due to the moist atmosphere. Talwyn saw that there were a few doors on the far left wall which supposedly led to storage rooms though she didn't ask. Her attention were on the six massive power houses which had been keeping Erus' dream alive all these years.

"Wooow. These are Omega-fluxes. We have a few in our museum back home." Talwyn said. Erus gave a small gruff.

"Well if they've been relegated to history by now, I'm surprised any of these still work." the tall figure replied back.

"So what kind of power were they outputting? With today's market you could probably get two to do the job now, and then two more for backup." Talwyn suggested. Erus rubbed his chin in thought. He was never really an engineer sort, he preferred theory and philosophy.

"Will the power signatures still match though? My work depends on some very delicate machinery that was matched to these original six." Erus asked, a thousand scenarios now flitting through his head about the transition.

"Not sure, we'll have to do some research. Find a model that's close to these." Talwyn said, wishing she could help more. If Ratchet were here, he'd probably know exactly what make and model to get, how to counter any variations in the power supply, and do it all with his special brand of humor. But he wasn't. Talwyn didn't want him here telling her everything that she can't do or was doing wrong.

Erus nodded, and together the two ascended the stairs back to the slightly more breathable air of the main house. Talwyn saw through the faded windows that the sun was about to sink beneath the planet; she hadn't realized how late it was what with the long flight. Erus checked an old antique grandfather clock before saying "Ah, looks like it's time for a bit of dinner."

He led Talwyn down the other side of the hall to a large kitchen wing. No doubt once full with chefs and servers to accommodate the many parties that used to grace the building. But now the counters stood barren, the cabinets full with service ware that hadn't been used in decades. Erus opened one cabinet and pulled out a tray with a couple faded tea cups. He set a teapot in the middle before turning to Talwyn.

"What do you like in your tea dear?" he asked, his face slightly softer with the prospect of an evening with someone to talk to.

"Oh, just plain." Talwyn answered back which brought a raised brow from Erus. "When I was little, I used to empty an entire sugar bowl in my tea." she started with a chuckle "But then one time when my father brought me on an expedition he had forgotten to pack it. I got used to the taste of plain tea and never went back to sugar." she said with a small smile.

Erus chuckled to himself. "Ah yes, Max could be quite the forgetful one at times. However it only made his brilliance shine brighter." he finished, setting a plate with some small biscuits onto the tray as well. Talwyn beamed at the continued praise of her father. Most people had forgotten him in the Polaris Galaxy. "Well, shall we commence to the parlor my dear?" Erus asked in his charming old-fashioned way. Talwyn nodded and followed the man to another room.

Krayntixx Galaxy: Shraos Asteroid Field

"Ratchet, I do believe that we are lost." Clank said matter-of-factly. They had been circling the sector for quite some time trying to find Evukar. With each passing minute Ratchet became more and more frustrated, mainly out of worry for Talwyn.

"I told you we are not lost!" the lombax shot back in exasperation. "We're...just taking a short-cut." he said as he looked out the window of the cabin once more to see if there were any identifiable landmarks.

"A short-cut which adds several hours onto our flight path?" Clank asked confused. "Why don't we stop at the nearest planet and get directions?" he asked his friend. Ratchet shot back a look that meant that was never going to happen and continued to navigate the asteroid field. The large floating space rocks at least gave his mind a distraction as it was taking all of his focus not to smash into them.

"Look, we have the coordinates that Talwyn got. They say that Evukar should be right here." Ratchet said, extremely frustrated. "But all that's here is a bunch of damn rocks!" he said as he slapped his hand against the dash.

"Ratchet, losing your cool will not help us to locate Evukar. Now read off for me those coordinates, please." Clank said, trying to calm his friend.

"Fine." Ratchet said sharply. He quickly read off the coordinates that Aphelion was navigating to.

Clank gave a quizzical look towards his friend. "Ratchet, you did make sure to calibrate the map's axis to this galaxy right?" Ratchet looked at Clank for a moment before slapping his face with his gloved hand.

"I thought you did it!" he said annoyed. However he gave a low sigh and started inputting data into Apehlion's onboard computer. "Well at least we know what's wrong now, it's been almost a whole day..." he said, trailing off.

Clank rested a small hand on Ratchet's elbow, reassuring him that Talwyn was a resourceful young woman and that nothing had happened to her. Ratchet meanwhile had successfully uploaded the star-charts that Clank thankfully thought to download at the space station. He tried the coordinates again and they quickly brought up an actual plant-sized mass on the screen. He then readied the boosters before flying off in the new direction.

Planet Evukar

"So wait wait wait, my father said he found a what?" Talwyn asked Erus. They were well into their light evening meal and Erus was now telling Talwyn all manner of stories from her father's past. He quite enjoyed the company after so many years and was delighted to see that Max's daughter also had a tenacity for science and history.

"He announced to all of the Tri-Galaxy Science Committee that he had found an element that never decayed. But it turned out that it was actually a self-replicating organism." Erus chuckled "Ah yes, your father's youth and passion were a wonderful contrast to all the stuffy know-it-alls, but sometimes it got the better of him." Erus patted Talwyn's hand. "That's not too say that his mistakes were always in vain. It was through one of his wild fantasies that he found interest in Polaris, particularly a race called the Lombaxes."

Talwyn's ears perked up at the mention of her father's last great research. "Wait..he was interested in Polaris before he left the galaxy? Why?" she asked in earnest.

With one elongated arm Erus set down his tea cup before continuing. "He and I at that time were partial to idealism and peace. We knew, or hoped, that a balance of knowledge, technology, and philosophy would bring peace to all of the universe. Now, he had heard of an amazing race of furry beings called Lombaxes. Their technology rivaled our own. And your father knew that if word of it had reached all the way out here, that it just might be worth checking out." he paused, clearing his throat. "Now, he was able to make one expedition before duties here took up his time. But what he told me was beyond phenomenal. It was probably why he moved to Polaris when he did, to learn more of the creatures." He noticed Talwyn's face had gone dark, and not as excited or bright as seemed to be her personality. "What is wrong, Talwyn?"

Talwyn paused and took a breath. "Oh, it's nothing...it's just. My father's last research was on a piece of Lombax technology, their greatest achievement. He had found an artifact about it, but then pirates stole it. My father went after them...but he never came back. Some days I feel like he's just going to waltz through the front door like nothing's happened, and then others..." she said as she trailed off. Erus patted her hand with a knowing face.

"It's alright, dear. Things are always hardest without closure." Erus said. "Was the technology ever found?" he asked, curious.

"Oh, yes, my friend's and I found it a few years after to defeat Percival Tachyon, a tyrant who wanted to take over the universe if given the chance." she gave a small smile, remembering the ensuing adventures. "So, Erus, what kind of projects did my father work on while he was here?" Talwyn asked.

Erus smiled as he slowly got up from his chair. "Here, I'll show you." he said, leading Talwyn to yet another mysterious room.

Planet Limits: Evukar

"Raaaatchet!" Clank yelled, gripping his seat.

"I know! I know!" Ratchet said as he gripped the steering control with both hands. They had finally reached Evukar, and had begun their descent towards the planet. However, a large space whale blindsided them and sent them hurtling towards the dusty surface. Aphelion's alarms were going wild as she read off a number of warnings and errors. Ratchet gritted his teeth as he threw his entire body into righting the craft. Clank closed his eyes praying that their quest wouldn't end with a pile of rubble. However with a bit of skill Ratchet was able to make a safe, if not a bit bumpy, landing outside of Erus' home.

"Sorry Aphelion, I promise I'll buff out those scratches." Ratchet said as he opened the cockpit and looked at the mansion that rose before them. He whistled long and low. "Man Clank check this out. It's like one of those Holo-Vid Celebrity homes. Must be great for parties." he said as he and Clank started walking towards the abode.

Meanwhile inside, Erus and Talwyn were knee-deep in a discussion on the possible uses for the goo that the Ra'aun Glow Worm excreted when an alarm system went off. Erus went into a panic as he checked the nearest computer which said a space craft had crash landed outside. "Miss Apogee, I advise you to arm yourself. I am not familiar with the markings on this ship." he said as he showed her the screen.

Talwyn gasped as she exclaimed. "That's Ratchet's ship!" when Erus didn't seem to follow, she added "My friend that you saw on the holo-link." Erus seemed to calm down a bit more, knowing at least it wasn't rogues or pirates or what else come to steal his work. "But what's he doing here?" she mused. "We might as well go greet them." the young woman added before she and Erus made their way to the foyer. Erus still brought along a small pistol before he opened the door to a more than usual scruffy Ratchet and a very relieved Clank.

"Talwyn! You're here!" Ratchet said, happy to see that she made it without any trouble.

"Well of course I'm here. Why wouldn't I be?" She asked, still upset with him about the comments he made during their last conversation. Erus noted some hostility between the two and took it upon himself to introduce himself to Clank, who responded in an equally polite manner.

"Eh, Clank." Erus started. "Why don't I show you where you and your companion will be staying?" Erus asked, trying to remove himself from the tense situation. Clank agreed and followed the towering being further into the house. Once they were out of earshot, Talwyn crossed her arms and expectantly looked at Ratchet.

"Look...Tal. I-I" he started, though he was quickly cut off.

"Yes Ratchet, I see you." she said snidely. "I see you for what you are, a Class A Jerk."

"Tal-"

"And what's more, is that you actually were nice. And honest. And humble. For the most part anyway. I guess that was all just part of the hero gig right?" she continued, her voice rising.

"Wait, no I-"

"And so I guess that means I'm supposed to be your little woman right? Stay out of the way and don't screw anything up right?" she said, her eyes watering.

"Of course not-"

"How dare you say that I was disgracing Cronk and Zephyr's memory. They helped raise me. But I guess running around and shooting things a few times with them trumps that right?" she started wringing her hands. Ratchet started to step closer, seeing how hurt she was. "You and Clank are all I had. And then you had to go and, and ruin it!" she finished throwing her arms to her side. She closed her eyes to fight the tears that were threatening to come, when she suddenly was enveloped by furry arms.

"I'm so sorry Tal. I really am." Ratchet said as he pulled back. "I should have never said those things...they just came out." he said, trying to avoid revealing his feelings. Talwyn took a breath before continuing.

"Well...then why did you? I mean, something must have made you say them." she said inquisitively.

Ratchet rubbed the back of his head. "Look, I-I was just concerned okay? About you in a strange Galaxy where unexpected...things could happen. But you're right. You're more than capable of holding your own. And I'm sorry Talwyn. Please, please don't be angry with me. I have enough enemies as it is." he finished.

Talwyn gave a small smile, realizing that he was being genuine. "Ahh, all right. I forgive you Ratchet. And I'm kind of glad you're here, this job is going to take a lot more finesse than I thought." she said.

Ratchet grinned "Hey, finesse is my middle na-" he said as he swung his arms around, almost knocking over one of the urns that decorated the entrance. "Oops" he said as he quickly steadied it.

"All right Mr. Finesse" Talwyn said "Let's go meet up with Erus and Clank. I'm sure they're having a blast conversing about science. Erus seemed like he was going to jump out of his chair when he and I were talking." she paused, leaning into Ratchet "I think something happened...that's made him be alone all this time."

Ratchet took this in, and nodded his head. "He might have gone a little crazy in the solitude, we'll just keep an eye out for any peculiar behavior. Hopefully he's just really really eccentric." Ratchet said. Though Talwyn's words did worry her. Last time he knew of a man possessed by a personal project...well it didn't end well. He didn't want any of them to get caught up in something like that.

However, when the duo found Erus and Clank again, Talwyn's suspicions had been correct. The two were having a conversation that rivaled that of the know-it-alls on Terachnos.

"So you are saying that if the gravetic control system compensator destabilizes, then there will be a system failure in the rear temporal proton control system?" Clank asked Erus.

"Yes! And the only way to fix it is to reverse the sonic assembly ray and then flush the flux vacitrons. That is, as long as the photonic particle hyperdrive can withstand the extra power." Erus replied.

Ratchet and Talwyn chuckled at the sight before Erus welcomed them back into the room. The two continued their conversation for a while as Ratchet and Talwyn looked on in a confused daze. However the three moons of Evukar were soon well in the sky and all four decided it was time to rest.

However, the good times would not last long as on the other side of the galaxy a shadowy figure received a contract to steal a very rare, very important artifact. The client was unknown, but the figure did not care as long as his bolts were real. He loaded his tools onto his belt before blasting off to Alamar, the planet of Gems.

Wow guys! Another whole chapter! I thought I'd upload this one early since I'll be busy tomorrow. Please keep writing those reviews. I love love love feedback and what you guys think of the direction I'm going.

Stay Shiny,

~Stardust