Chapter 14: The Fifth Man

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Bogon, Megapolis on planet Endako. 10 December, 19:14 Standard Time

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"...he won't eat a thing, he won't drink, and he hasn't made so much as a peep of noise since he was transferred from the freighter. He also completely ignores everything we say. A couple of the guards have gotten so frustrated that they've considered getting zap prods."

Angela freezes mid-stride and the human security officer also stops. Angela slowly turns to him, not bothering to hide the fury on her face. "If you or any of your staff dare insinuate that they consider using 'pain sticks', you will have to personally answer to me."

The human holds up his hands in surrender, still cringing pathetically, "They didn't really mean it! The thing is, he's being really uncooperative. It's more like handling an angry prisoner of war than a Megacorp employee who got caught screwing something up."

Megacorp employee . . . ? Don't they know we caught him for sabotage? Angela sighs and decides they must not have read the report again.

They reach the door to the isolation wing where prisoners are held. The human stops and slides his keycard through the reader beside the door. It opens and the plexiglass door slides open. Beyond lie dozens of floors of rows on rows of holding cells. In primitive planets, these cells would be sealed off with metal bars. Here, a much more boring but effective system of plexiglass with energy force-fields on standby are utilized.

"Here we go. Cell number 42." The human slides his card down and the cell door slides open.

Rusko cracks an eye open and flicks an ear towards the door. As Angela watches him stand up, she notes that his ears are curled down in a lombax expression of sadness, of utter despair. Come to think of it, his ears have always been like that. Angela turns around and gestures for the human to leave. He rolls his eyes, a little annoyed at having to hand over his prisoner to Angela, but he defers to her greater rank. The door slides shut and he steps to the side, just out of view.

"I've been seeing a lot of you lately. I wonder why."

Angela turns crossly to the lombax prisoner. "Rusko, it's against Megacorp regulations to allow a prisoner to starve himself to death. From what they tell me, you'd stop breathing if you could."

Rusko doesn't answer, and an extremely unnerving silence begins to grow.

Angela looks up, as if she might see an answer on the ceiling, then back to Rusko. "Ever since we found you trying to blow up the convoy, you've been nothing but trouble. Why couldn't you have chosen a simpler path? Something more peaceful?"

Rusko looks at Angela through eyes narrowed to slits. "What do you expect me to do? You wonder why I was trying to blow up that ship? Why I didn't try some 'diplomatic channels' to fix my damned life? I've only been good at two things. Flying and blowing stuff up."

Angela sighs and places her right hand over her eyes. "And what am I supposed to do about . . . ?" A beat passes, and then her eyes open. You get to hand pick your test crew . . . "How good a pilot are you?"

Rusko turns up his nose, as if Angela had insulted his skills. "The best. There isn't anything I can't fly. I was so good that Stelcorp even hounded me until I worked for 'em. It's run by Ta'ree, that's how good I am."

Angela mutters, "Maybe there is something I can do. Try to keep out of trouble, I'll be back tomorrow."

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Bogon, Megapolis on planet Endako. 11 December, 05:55 Standard Time

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The door to Ratchet and Clank's apartment slides open. Clank looks up at the visitor, rather surprised. "Miss Cross, I did not expect to see you so early. Ratchet is not even awake yet."

Angela steps inside. "Actually, I didn't want to talk to just him. How are you at . . . interfacing with security systems? Perhaps like . . . modifying personnel records."

Clank looks up at Angela suspiciously for a few seconds, and then a mischievous grin crosses his metal face. "I am . . ." Clank examines the back of his hand, rather clearly showing off, ". . . rather skilled. May I ask the occasion?"

Angela glances around nervously, then checks to make sure that the door is closed. It automatically slid shut behind her, so the two are alone in the room. She kneels down closer to him and whispers, "I need you to hack Rusko into the Megacorp personnel files."

Clank rubs his hands together. "Ooh, a challenge. This should be quite fun." Clank laughs to himself, his green eyes glowing merrily with the promise of sneaking through Megacorp's cybernet.

Angela stands up. Clank looks back at the doorway to the bedroom where Ratchet is currently sleeping. Angela follows his gaze, then softly asks, "How's he been doing?"

Clank's hands drop to his polished titanium sides and looks back at Angela. "He just learned that he lost a number of his friends, and though he may try to pretend that he is unconcerned that Captain Qwark is gone, I think he feels some guilt. He's been avoiding the issue, but I think that some action should help him."

Angela walks to the couch and sits down. Clank joins her, sitting on the opposite end. After pondering for a moment, Clank speaks again, "You said you were putting together a crew. I assume you mean for some sort of test space craft?" Angela nods. "Ratchet is a skilled pilot, and his talent with weaponry is unmatched."

A yawn from the bedroom door draws her attention. Ratchet's standing there, wearing a wrinkled flight suit he undoubtedly slept in. "Hey, Angela. What're you doing here so early in the morning?"

"Say, Ratchet. I've got a ship I need to put through a good shakedown cruise. How would you like to help out?"

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Bogon, near Megapolis on planet Endako. 11 December, 07:41 Standard Time

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"I still can't believe the size Megacorp builds their stuff with. This reminds me when I first saw the Phoenix." Ratchet stops talking. The loss he feels is evident, but the last time either Angela or Clank tried to offer words of condolences they were brusquely blown off.

Rusko notices Ratchet's cessation of speech, and he quirks an eyebrow. However, he does not say anything – either because he can't think of something consoling since he doesn't know Ratchet, or he is simply continuing to be silent in public.

The cart jolts as it races over a speed bump. All three lombaxes re-adjust their grip on whatever they are holding on to, since the tiny vehicle has no seat restraints. Angela takes a turn and the hangar rises into view. Rusko gawks and Ratchet quietly takes in the impressive sight. After a minute of driving across the sprawling paved space, they arrive at the hangar building itself, just in front of the same door Felix led Angela through.

The four hop off the cart and proceed through the hangar facility. As before, the Banshee patiently waits in the hangar proper. By now, the last finishing touches have been completed, so no bulky, yellow equipment blots the view of the Banshee. Ratchet looks over it critically for a moment and nods in approval. "Nice. This thing looks way better than my Megacorp Manta."

Angela pauses at the ramp extending from the 'neck' of the ship. "Well, let's get going. Everything's been installed, all that's left are live-fire exercises and the full shakedown. It's on minimal settings now for the first flight, but that shouldn't be a problem."

Clank is the first one to head up the ramp, his titanium feet making a soft 'clink' with every step up the metal ramp. Ratchet walks behind him, followed by Rusko and Angela. The four step into the cockpit and notice a curious thing: the lights in the ship are dark. Clank looks around, then points, "What are you doing here?"

The three lombaxes look towards the forward chair that Clank gestured to. A dark figure sits in it, the shadows and chair entirely concealing his form. The figure reaches forward and presses a button in the controls. The button lights what appears a very bright blue in the dim light, and the lights activate.

Ratchet and Rusko both blink and hold up their hands to shield their eyes from the sudden change in light intensity. Angela squints for a moment but keeps her eyes on the unknown figure. She sees faintly familiar lombax ears, but before she can say anything, the chair turns around.

"Felix!"

"Hello, Chief Cross. Planning on going somewhere?"

Angela narrows her eyes at his threatening tone. "Are you insinuating something?"

Felix shrugs, the gesture smug and flaunting. "It's a little strange to load cargo onto a prototype vessel before live-fire exercises." Felix steeples his fingers and bores his gaze straight at Angela. "There is also the . . . question about your crew."

Angela crosses her arms and continues to glare. "What question? I have a pilot and weaponry officer. Clank is here for communications. As I recall, since I am the commander, I have prerogative – even the expectation – to be on the ship during exercises."

Felix interlaces his fingers and drops his hands to his lap. "Yes, and of course there is nothing suspicious about your pilot. But what about a chief engineer?"

Silence stretches for a long second. Ratchet notices that Angela doesn't look like she's going to respond, and Rusko is still silently evaluating the new lombax, so the hero of two galaxies meekly asks, "About the cargo . . ."

"Such as items like personal weaponry and armor? I know you're up to something. This ship has been my life for the past three years. I practically built it with my own hands. Imagine my surprise when I find out that it's being prepped for the shakedown cruises and I wasn't informed." Felix sends a hard, accusing look at Angela. "Or when I personally check the cargo to see it looks like someone's getting ready to go to war. And the paperwork for your picks are . . . rather unusual, Chief Cross."

Clank, having patiently and attentively watched the conversation, now decides to enter it. "You know that this is not exclusively about final testing of the vessel. However, you have not reported anything yet. Our goal is only one of rescue."

Felix doesn't bother to hide the suspicion and disbelief. A snide, "Oh really?" escapes.

Rusko, having been quietly watching Felix, finally is fed up. "I don't care about how long you've been on this stupid project. This is about my family."

Felix unclasps his hands and looks at the long-striped lombax. "Oh, don't act like you're the only one who's ever lost anything. My sister and two uncles were killed in Allgon City in the Protopet 'incident'. I can't let my personal feelings dictate—"

"All I have are my personal feelings!"

Clank taps his chin, thinking quickly. "Two years ago, there was nothing you could do to save your sister from the Protopets. The fate of Rusko's family is uncertain. In this we have a chance."

Felix looks suspiciously at them, but a discerning eye could see that his resolve is wearing. "What exactly happened?"

Angela glances briefly at Rusko. A few seconds pass and he tries to wait, as if doing so might be enough to change Felix's mind and make him go away. Felix's eyes bore into Rusko, the engineer's resolve starting to harden again. Realizing that Felix will either stop them or help them, the Falnarian lombax sighs. "I was suspected of having ties to the resistance against the Ta'ree. They couldn't find anything solid enough to bring me to one of their show-trials, so they abducted my wife and daughter. All I could think about since then is getting them back."

Felix steeples his fingers again, his eyes dropping as he thinks deeply. He seems to come to a stalemate in his thinking, because he says nothing for several long seconds. Angela decides that they have nothing to lose, so she adds her side. "Megacorp's contract with the Ta'ree isn't supplying them with peace-keeping police units, it's supplying them in a war. Against lombaxes. Rusko's family was abducted by the Ta'ree and taken to concentration camps. Some of the 'police' forces were Megacorp. As Megacorp employees, if we don't do something to stop this then we're condoning it."

Finally, he seems to come to a decision. "Righting a wrong. What might I have done if I had the chance..." What might my sister want me to do? What would I have done if it was her back against the Protopets? He looks back up at the group. "I'm in."

Angela uncrosses her arms and sighs lightly. "Felix, you have no idea what you're getting into. I don't know if you can handle what might—"

"No! You need me!" Felix leans forward, the aggressive posture clearly indicating that he will not back down. "This is a prototype ship, my ship, and I am the only expert on it."

Clank interjects before an argument can start, because it is clear that Rusko is against Felix's involvement. "He does have a point. As it currently stands, we have proficiencies in weaponry and communications, but we have no engineer. It would not be likely that he would be in our way, and he could very likely come in helpful."

Ratchet shrugs, accepting Clank's logic. Rusko stubbornly stands, arms crossed, against the idea. Felix waits expectantly. Angela ponders carefully for a few seconds. "There's no turning back. This is the point of no return. We're going to Falnar, and I don't know what we're going to run into there."

"I don't care. This is my ship, and I'm going to take care of her no matter where she goes."

Angela crosses her arms and taps her arm as she thinks. She uncrosses them and says, "Fine. Everybody get strapped in. We're taking off. Rusko, set a course for the wormhole to Falnar."