~ Chapter 28: Dead Men Tell No Tales ~
Cicatrix Sector
Decommissioned Cragmite War Station "Nova Cannon"
POV: Roslyn
Flynn was by his beloved's side in an instant, hugging her so closely that someone who didn't know better would have trouble recognizing that there were two people standing there. I couldn't hear what they were saying to each other, but it could only be words of such profound relief and gratitude that it would make poets wipe away their tears.
I still stood by the door, feeling more relieved than words can express. I watched as Flynn let her go only to kiss her with passion, something that she returned in full. I smiled and committed every detail to memory… just in case it'd be the last time I would get to see them together.
I didn't notice Ratchet who had trailed behind to secure the hallways. He walked to my side, watching with a smile as wide as mine. "They really love each other, don't they?" he asked, keeping his voice low so as to not disturb the two lovebirds. "Yes, very much," I answered in an equally hushed voice. "No matter what they've been through together; no matter how much they are apart; no matter what happens to them, their love has survived it all and always will."
I could feel Ratchet's eyes on me, and like a silly girl with a classic crush for their friend, I looked. His eyes and smile were as warm and as welcoming as they had always been, but now that I could recognize in his eyes the growing affection that he had for me, it was impossible to resist mirroring his expression.
Flynn, you son of a bitch, you were right after all. My selfishness had brought heartache and pain to my loved ones, but I wouldn't have met Ratchet without it. He who stood by me through every stupid stunt of mine, even despite all my attempts to resist his help and despite me having hid my identity from him for a while. He never, ever turned away. He accepted my flaws and saw someone worthwhile. And I him.
But what could I do? My time was almost up, unless I asked Kathryn and Flynn to live with me in exile, but I couldn't dare ask something so unbelievably selfish from my two best friends. Sending them back with Samus was also out of the question. I was many things, but a coward wasn't one of them.
Even though it might upset him, or perhaps even enrage him; while it might turn his affection for me into distrust or even hatred, I knew I had to tell Ratchet before we could grow closer. I owed him so much more, wanted to give him so much more, but he had to know that our days together were numbered.
Thinking about this inevitability put me in a sour mood, and Ratchet was starting to notice it at this point, but before he could ask why I was frowning while we were in the middle of such a sweet moment, Kathryn called for me. I shot him a weak smile hoping that it would alleviate his concerns, but knowing Ratchet, he'd inevitably ask me about it later, and I would thus inevitably have to break his heart.
I looked over at Kathryn, who had her arms open wide, and I was hugging her tightly not a second later, a hug that she gladly returned. I couldn't help but shed a few tears as we both fell to our knees out of sheer relief. Neither me nor Kat said a word, but words weren't needed in that moment anyway.
I let her go, but I kept my hand on her shoulder as I turned to Ratchet, who was staring at us with a soft smile. I nodded at him to beckon him closer, and his ears lowered a bit in hesitation. He kept his gaze on Kat, who was staring back in curiosity, probably trying to decide if this was someone she wanted to meet. She smiled gently at him, giving him the encouragement he needed to come closer. I introduced him in our native language.
"This is someone I want you to meet," I said. "Someone you'll want to meet, too. This is Ratchet, he helped us find you, together with Clank and Angela (I nodded at the small robot and tall Lombax respectively) and a whole list of their friends."
"He looks vaguely familiar," Kat replied. "How long has he been here? In this dimension, I mean."
"He's never been on Kiada. He was an infant during the fall, and he was sent to another galaxy when his father found him," I explained.
"Who is his father?" Kathryn immediately asked. She was catching on. I expected no less from her.
"He was the only one assigned to stay behind with the dimensionator to give us all a chance. The only one who was presumed to be dead."
Kathryn's eyes widened. "Y-you mean he's my…" she was too emotional to finish the sentence. I nodded. "He never knew that his name is Liam, so he goes by 'Ratchet', but he is indeed your long-lost brother."
Kat tried to keep a neutral expression, but she couldn't keep her face straight, I knew that her brother's fate saddened her. Kathryn had a gentle soul, she always wanted to keep people happy and ease their pain. It's why her dream was to become a doctor, but not even the best medic in Kiada was a match for heartache as big as being reunited with your long-lost brother, after him having been abandoned by his family for over two decades, while you got to live with your family.
Kat didn't just feel sorry for him, she felt guilty. I would've been speechless, trying to figure out what to do, but Kat - being Kat - had an idea right away.
"Can he understand us?" she asked. I shook my head. "No, there was nobody to teach him. He's spent his whole life away from other Lombaxes and Lombax society. Angela is the only other Lombax that he knew, and that was only because she was also sent away as an infant and grew up in isolation. But, I have a solution. For now." I gave her a translator identical to the one I gave to Flynn. "This device will translate for you. No input needed on your part, just talk to him as you normally would."
Kathryn almost snatched it from my hands and secured it around her waist. She then walked up to Ratchet and hugged him tightly. He mirrored her action, and he even began to tear up a bit. They just stood there for a while until Kat finally spoke to him.
"Welcome home, brother."
Obviously we were nowhere near home, but to Kathryn, home wasn't defined by her property but by her family. To her, home was where the people she cared about were. Kathryn had accepted him. Family-like love would come later, for now, all that he needed to know is that she was happy to welcome him as family. At this point, Ratchet's mental dam burst and he started crying, though I had hardly seen such a wide smile on his face.
With all this love, it was easy to forget that we were in an enemy stronghold. It was all too easy to give into that blissful daydream that all was well, and as always, reality had to cruelly take fantasy's stage away. The doors to our only escape swung open, and a terrifyingly tall, thin, blue man wearing a lavish, black suit came striding into the room. His boots were studded, featuring trident-shaped heels, and his long, blue, bony claws were decorated with plenty of bright, marble-colored rings. I doubt anyone wanted to know what those rings were made of. He was clutching a raritanium cane with inset jewels, but that was hardly as eye-catching as his head: a floating skull adorned with golden markings that ruthlessly emphasized his soulless, black eyes, that featured only two glaring, silver pupils. His head was cloaked in brilliant, blue flames, which made the man appear all the more menacing.
As his piercing gaze roamed our faces, he took a cigar from the inside of his jacket and lit it with the fire that was enveloping his head. When he noticed Flynn, who was looking utterly horrified, the man gave a menacing, toothy grin as he gleefully sucked on his cigar before letting the smoke billow forth from between his teeth as he exhaled. "Servus, baby!" he said lazily. His voice was sinister like that of an experienced, cutthroat black-market merchant, and yet had the smoothness of a gentleman. Despite his regal posture, something told me that he could lash out at any moment. "I was wondering where you had run off to," he continued as he tapped his finger against his cigar to discard some ashes.
The man chuckled at our confused stares. "Listen, sales have really gone to hell since you were 'stolen' from me," he began, putting extra emphasis on the word 'stolen'. Though I had no idea what this abomination's name could be, this confirmed my suspicion that he was the one who ran the coliseum, 'The Black Hole', that Ratchet and I - and technically Qwark - had saved Flynn from. I was hoping to avoid whatever lowlife had purchased Flynn, but it seems luck wasn't on our side today.
The man halted his monologue for a brief moment to let out a cry cough, though even then his teeth hardly parted, and his eyes kept drilling into us. "So, I'll offer you clever vermin a deal. If that scrawny furball there comes back with me without any fuss, then I won't have to get my hands dirty. Or need you be reminded what happened the last time you 'tried' to leave?" he added, grinning menacingly at Flynn as he reached out to him, but Kathryn wasn't intimidated. I said that she had a gentle soul, I never called her a pacifist. In an instant she was standing between the stranger and her fiance, holding Flynn's hand as she stared back at him with enough ferocity to make the sun blink.
"I don't know or care who the hell you are, but you are not taking my fiance away from me, you hideous imp!" she spat with genuine hatred. The man stared at her for a moment with an amused gaze before he started cackling, throwing his head backwards as he burst into all-out laughter like a man possessed. Flynn was regaining his composure in the meantime and tightened his grip on Kat's hand, mirroring Kat's furious gaze as well.
"Oh, I haven't laughed like that in many decades. Where are my manners, though?" he bowed dramatically as he introduced himself. "Pluto Hades, proud owner of the Black Hole, a place where warriors either die… or die later. That includes your future hubby there, which brings me back to our little predicament." He glared down harshly at Kat and Flynn as his impatience grew. "I hate to repeat myself, so I'll say this as plainly as I can: I paid a small fortune for him and I take care of my assets. If you think a cute little face like yours makes me reconsider then you little kittens must be even more foolish than I thought. Your future hubby will die in my arena, and I'm here to personally ensure that everyone attempting to deny that inevitability will be waiting for him in the 'great beyond' when he does."
Hades waited for a few seconds, his eyes and Kathryn's own fighting a silent war. Ultimately he scoffed. "Missy, when I say 'move', it's not a request," Hades snapped as he raised his cane to strike Kathryn. Instantly a plasma round zipped past his head; a warning shot by Ratchet. "Back off, you overdramatized cartoon character," Ratchet snapped.
Hades took a step back and looked at Ratchet, and then at Clank, and his glare turned from rage to recognition, and then glee. The scowl on his skull morphed into a wicked grin. "As I live and breathe, the infamous Ratchet and Clank. I've heard some stories about the two of you, but I never anticipated meeting either of you face-to-face. Ignoring the 'saving the galaxy' bits, I'm a big fan. You two know how to take lives with style."
Ratchet raised an eyebrow as he kept his blaster pointed at Hades' head. "Huh. Good to know that I have edgy maniacs in my fan club."
Hades chuckled darkly. "I meant 'style' as in 'you really don't know how to keep your nose from where it doesn't belong'. Perhaps I should help you by removing that nose entirely." He let out some sickly twisted whistle, and a Cerberoid - a rare, purple, three-headed, dog-like alien with piercing yellow eyes - emerged from the shadows of the door, much like its master had done. It towered over us as it approached its master, its head-sized claws scraping against the floor with each step it took. Hades greeted his pet with a few scratches behind the ears of each head. When he lowered his hand, the creature whimpered softly, but one sideways glance was enough to correct the creature's mistake.
Hades chuckled darkly. "Now that I have everyone's attention, let's discuss my-"
He fell silent when he noticed me. "You… you're the Lombax that stole my champion."
I had to look tough, though that was easier said than done. But, Farron trained me better than to let size get the better of me. "Correct," I replied curtly as I stared right back at him and his piercing gaze.
"My, my, what a beauty you are," Haden sneered as he took me in, drawing some more from his cigar. He smirked as if he'd found a precious jewel, it sickened me. "If only you had been sold to me. I'm sure you'd have made a fine champion, in more ways than one."
I didn't feel like asking - or even thinking of - what he was implying, but that comment was enough to get us - especially Ratchet - seething. By now everyone had slowly gathered beside me, ready for a fight, and I drew my wrench, getting ready to strike. The Cerberoid noticed, and emitted a deep growl as a warning, while Hades rolled his head back and laughed heartily. "Oh, such a fiesty one, too! Just the way I like 'em." He raised one of his arms to command his pet to attack, only to be interrupted by a disappointed 'tsk, tsk, tsk' coming from the door.
"I knew ye couldn't be trusted, ye pickle-headed spawn of hell," Captain Harlequinn spat as she came striding into the room with a bored expression. Hades seemed frustrated to see her, and even the Cerberoid grumbled in dissatisfaction.
"Dollface," he called out to her, trying to mask his displeasure, "relax, I was only gonna rough 'em up a bit, you know!"
"Ye can rough 'em up later, bonehead. The good Doctor wants them on the bridge," Harlequinn replied as she crossed her arms.
"Well, he surely doesn't need-" Hades began but Harlequinn angrily shushed him. "All of them, savvy? Alright, ye rustbuckets cage these annoying cats." Harlequinn's minions came flooding into the room, their blasters aimed right at us. Ratchet and Angela still had their weapons drawn as did I, and I exchanged glances with them before they shook their heads. They were right.
Even if we tried to fight, that'd be six against twelve plus Harlequinn and Hades. Angela was still recovering, but she could probably hold her own against two, maybe three of the goons, but neither Clank nor Kathryn were ready for battle, and although we knew Quinn's combat style, Hades and his pet would catch us off-guard. We surrendered quietly.
Hades grew angrier by the second as Quinn's goons harshly guided us into a single file line. The flames around Hades' head burned with seething anger as he approached the robotic captain. "Hey hey, your boss said I could have my champion back! We had a deal!"
Harlequinn rolled her eyes. "Relax, ye smokin' cretin. Ye can have that cursed furball of yours afterwards, but no sooner."
"And what could be so important?" Hades barked.
"That ain't none o' yer business, but if ye wish to join us then by all means, go ahead."
Hades glared at her for a moment before the flames around his head faded a bit. He smirked as he took one last breath of his cigar before blowing the smoke into her face and flicking the cigar at her feet. It seems Hades' skull was as empty as his eyes.
"Well, then lead the way, dollface," Hades sneered before roughly brushing past her.
Harlequinn didn't even frown. She stared at him with a face of steel as she drew a blaster from her belt and shot four times at the Cerbroid: one shot between each pair of eyes, and a final one right in the center of the creature's chest.
Hades' fire burned brightly with rage engulfing his entire body, but Quinn didn't even blink. "That was a rare Cerberoid, you back-stabbing, two-faced piece of-"
Hades didn't get to finish his sentence as two of Harlequinn's goons froze him solid with the combined effort of two Cryshots.
"I ain't partial to pet names, ye bone-headed pillock," she said with gritted teeth. "And I didn't get the title of Captain with kindness, either." Hades' silver pupils darted back and forth, searching for an escape from his icy prison, but without success. Harlequinn chuckled darkly as she brought her face to mere inches of Hades' own. "I heard ye like death so much. Wanna meet him in person for once?"
She turned to her crew. "Eject this simple-minded bottom-feeder and his dead, intellectual superior of a pet out of the starboard airlock. There's a flock of leviathans there that I'm sure wouldn't mind a bite or two. Make sure nothing is left." She glanced over at Hades, whose eyes were wide with fear, and she chuckled darkly. "With that outfit o' his, you'd be doing the universe a favor. After that, get the ship ready to sail. These blasted cats won't take long."
The pirates that she tasked with cleaning up Hades and his pet saluted her immediately, letting out a loud "Aye aye, Captain!" in unison. The rest of the crew kept their blasters pointed right at our heads. We all realized that they had planned this from the very start, but a new question arose: who was in charge?
Quinn strode past us, taking a few warning shorts at our feet. "There ain't no meat on Hades' good-fer-nothin' bones to speak of, so if the lot of ye don't hit the legs, I'm sure those Leviathans lurking outside wouldn't mind a bite o' fresh Lombax."
"That wasn't a coincidence, was it?" I asked her. "You planned on killing him." I was merely voicing the question on our minds, I didn't expect her to actually answer. Instead, Quinn smirked devilishly as she holstered her blaster. "Damn right, lil' kitty cat. Dead men tell no tales," she replied, putting extra emphasis on the second sentence as an implicit threat to keep this incident to ourselves.
So, Quinn was in charge, or at least thought herself to be. I shuddered at the thought of what she was planning for the person that she was leading us to, and more importantly, what role we played in it. I couldn't tell if any of this was a good or a bad thing, but given this mission's track record, I wasn't keeping my hopes up.
HAPPY NEW YEAR MY LOVELIES AND GOOD RIDDANCE TO 2020!
I hope you guys had a safe and happy end of your year, to the best of your abilities. Things have been crazy over here in my neck of the woods, my internet went down for a few days and is still technically down due to very unfortunate circumstances that occurred in a city nearby. As I type this little note I'm currently in a Starbucks parking lot using the wifi to finish up...but hopefully things will be fixed soon. Regardless I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next. Leave a review if you wish, no pressure. :) As always stay safe and stay healthy and look forward to the next chapter!
Oh and before I forget, thank you to my awesome beta reader for helping with the edits!
