Raechyl sat in the back seat of the cruiser as usually, squeezed between her dad's junk and the door. She let out an exhausted sigh and began to twitch her foot impatiently as she stared out the window. As she watched her dad passed the library. "Dad! I have to go to the library!"
"Chill out, I'm taking you to the library!" Ratchet called back.
"You're doing a bad job, you just passed it," she yelled.
"I know what I'm doing!"
They drove on in silence until they stopped at the mall. Here Ratchet helped Sasha out of the car, and then helped out Raechyl. They walked together to a clothing store where Sasha picked out some maternity clothing. Ratchet bought it with his bolts, then they stopped at the food court. Ratchet and Raechyl got fries and Sasha got some milk. Then they left.
On the return trip, Ratchet passed the library again, and Raechyl let out a groan. Her father didn't even seem to hear.
They turned and entered the Starship Phoenix. Raechyl got out and glared at Ratchet. "I thought we were going to the library!"
"It was getting late. I figured we could go tomorrow. The paper's not due for a week."
Raechyl glared. He was right. "Fine, can I go to my room now?"
"Sure," Sasha mumbled, and they headed for their suite. The three lived in the same suite as opposed to the crummy chamber with all the beds that ordinary workers have to sleep in.
As they entered the suite, Sasha flicked on the light, and Raechyl gasped.
"Surprise!"
Before her stood everyone she knew. Clank and his current girlfriend, Courtney Gears, Al, Helga, Captain Qwark, her grandfather, Skid McMarx, Krunk the monkey, and even the protopet.
"Happy Birthday," Ratchet said, putting his arm on her shoulders, "and surprise."
Raechyl hugged her mom and her dad. "Thanks guys."
"Don't thanks us, and anyway you've got presents to open," Sasha said.
Raechyl smiled, showing off her pointy fangs, probably the one attribute she got from her mother and headed into the party. There were cookies, and cake, and brownies. She smiled and thanked every one for coming, then sat down to open her presents. The protopet came up first and dropped his present on her lap. She looked at it. It was a slimy (from his saliva) moon crystal. Very pretty in fact. "Thanks, Protopet," she said, petting its blue fur.
Courtney Gears gave Raechyl her new CD, and Clank gave her a nanobot. Al gave her a laptop and Helga gave her a months pass to use the training courses. (You had to pay to use them if you didn't work on the Phoenix.) Qwark gave her a Qwark jumpsuit like his own, but for her size. She thanked him and threw it away after the party. Her grandfather gave her a cellphone, and Skid gave her a hoverboard. Krunk gave her a banana.
"Thanks for your presents, everyone," She said, still holding her new hoverboard.
"You haven't gotten them all yet." Sasha interrupted. "Here, this if from me. I remember you saying you wanted one."
Raechyl was handed a box with holes punched in it. She opened it and saw a silver tabby cat. It was a boy with pale green eyes.
"It's a cat, straight from Planet Earth. Give him a name."
"Okay, his name will be Seymour Silvernight Deathstalker Merlin Blue. Thanks Mom," she said and began to stroke Seymour.
Her mom eyed her then backed up and Ratchet stepped forward. "Okay, here are my presents."
Raechyl opened up the box to see her dad's weird old hat and his wrench. She knew there were important to him. "But, Dad..."
"No, it's time they were passed on to some one new. Happy Birthday."
"Thanks every one. For coming, and for all the gifts. I have to go to bed now. Sorry, good night." She headed to her room, her gifts in her arm and her cat lagging behind her. She put down all her stuff, changed into pajamas and fell asleep with her new kitten curled up on her feet.
