"I don't get it; he got all angry with me when I told him I could help while you were on the hover-course. He said I know too much about the Great Clock and-." Kate said quietly as she sat in the backseat hugging her knees firmly against her chest without even finishing her sentence. Ratchet's ears lowered a little and he was silent for a moment before speaking up. "Aphelion, switch to autopilot." [AxoimCity in planet Terachnos correct?] She asked the pilot. "Right." Ratchet replied. [Autopilot is now engaged; go cheer your friend up.] Aphelion says in a kind mechanical voice.

Ratchet climbs into the back with Kate and sit beside her. "Remember what I told you when I found you after you tried running away?" He asked in a gentle tone. Kate thought back and slowly lifted her head. "You said you were used to taking up for other peopl- and you weren't gonna leave me behind…" She said quietly, moving her gaze to meet his. "Right. Why should that change now?" He asked with a light smirk. Kate lowered her gaze again. "Because he's a general, that's why." "He was a general." Ratchet corrected her.

"He's not with the Lombaxes, and probably hasn't been since they left." He stated matter-of-factly. Kate chuckled and shakes her head lightly. "You said it yourself, he's in exile." Ratchet says with drooping ears. "We're friends right?" He asked, his voice matching his mood of depression. Kate nods lightly. "Friends don't hurt friends, in any way. I'm not gonna leave you behind because a friend of my father thinks you should stay put." Ratchet says before climbing back into the driver's seat. He saw Kate smile a little and his ears perked back up.

Secretly, Kate still thought about what Alister told her, and it continued to bug her.