Yay, broke my record on writing longest chapter yet, hope you enjoy!
"I still can't get over how awesome it was seeing you fight Tachyon!" Julie gushes to Ratchet as they all walk through the halls of the Center, having just left the meeting. "I mean, you just walked right in there and took him down like it was nothing! And the way you kneecapped his throne and stole his ship too, it was amazing!"
"Well, it wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but he wasn't anything I haven't already had to handle." Ratchet says with a proud smile.
"And you do know that you're definitely going to have to let me try some of your weapons out, right? Especially those RYNOs!" She says with an excitedly mischievous look in her eye that worried Mags walking alongside her, and also Clank, who was facing her from being on Ratchet's back in front of her.
"Sure thing! Well, as soon as I get my Arsenal back, that is. Can we do that now, by the way, with my pardon taken care of and everything?" Ratchet asks Kaden, walking beside him.
"We'll probably leave that for tomorrow." Kaden replies. "It's getting late, and it's been a long day. A very long day. Let's just head back home and get us something to eat. How's that sound?"
"I guess I am a bit hungry, now that you mention it. Those City Guard guys didn't give me any lunch, must've been too busy throwing me into a cell to make me sandwich or something."
Kaden smiles. "Great. Is it alright if you give us a lift, Mags?" Kaden asks over his shoulder.
"Sure thing, I'm just happy that we might actually get to do more interdimensional research with the ban lifted, now." He replies. "I have a chance to actually get a good look around in all those dimensions I saw all those years ago!"
"Man, it's crazy to think that we're finally done with appealing every month now." Julie adds. "I'm sure you feel great about that too, judging by your lovely parting words to the Council." She says to Kaden.
"You know it." Kaden replies with a smirk. "Being able to finally say that to their faces was nothing short of therapeutic. I'm glad I don't have to pretend that I like them anymore."
"You never pretended that you liked them in the first place." Mags argues. "This is like, the fourth meeting this year that you've cursed them out, in fact."
He shrugs. "It's the principle of the thing. Now, I can curse them out in perfectly good conscience that it won't affect my chances in ever seeing my son again, now that he's finally here."
He takes Ratchet into a side hug as they walk. "This is the best day of my life." He says with a smile as he looks to Ratchet.
Ratchet returns the smile as well. "Same here."
After a few minutes of navigating the halls, they eventually reach the parking area where Mags left Centauri, all the while insisting that no, Julie is not flying, despite all her pleas and requests to get a chance to impress her new nephew with her flying skills.
"You mean lack thereof?" Mags asks as they exit out onto the parking area.
"Ah, come on!" Julie pouts. "It's only a few minutes away, what's the worst that can happen?"
"Do I really need to answer that after your flight to the City Guard headquarters earlier?"
"Those were different circumstances! This isn't an emergency, so it's not like—"
"You guys already hit your quota today for arguing about Julie's flying skills." Kaden interjects. "Mags is flying, you're not, end of story."
Julie slumps. "But—"
"No."
"Why can't I—"
"Nuh-uh."
She opens her mouth, but then pauses for a moment before grinning. "You're a good dad!" She says quickly.
"Nope." Kaden replies without a second thought, before he registers what she just said.
"Ha!" She gloats while pointing to him. "Gotcha!"
He rolls his eyes. "Whatever, you're still not flying."
"Woah…" Ratchet mutters in awe as they approach a shiny blue ship a little larger than Julie's, with Lombax script on the side near the cockpit spelling out 'Centauri'. "Is this your ship, Mags?" He asks.
Mags gives a proud smile as they stop before it. "Yep. That's my girl." He says as he places his hands on his hips and gazes over it fondly.
Ratchet starts to walk up to it, but not before Clank hops off his back, knowing full well just how mobile Ratchet gets when he inspects a new ship, swinging this way and that as he walks all around it.
"Are those dual-firing proto-ionic thrusters?" Ratchet asks eagerly as he ogles the ship. "And is that trillium plating for the hull? Oh, wow, and the size of that engine compartment must mean that there's a quad-chamber hyperspeed accelerator at least!"
Mags' eyes widen in surprise as Ratchet ducks under the wing to inspect a cannon mounted under it. "Wow, you can tell all that just by looking at it?"
"Hey, you saw my memories, I've been a mechanic ever since I was a kid!" Ratchet replies as he moves to the rear of the ship to look at the main thrusters. "Wow, these even have plasma afterburners!"
"I'm just surprised because I don't think anyone other than Lombaxes had proto-ionic thrusters in the last dimension." Mags comments. "How are you able to recognize them, then?"
"Well, ships have only been getting better since you left." Ratchet answers, now at the front of Centauri, lightly tapping his knuckle against the cockpit windows to inspect the material. "And, well, when I visited Fastoon for the first time, I found and repaired a Lombax ship that was crashed there."
"All by yourself?" Mags asks in astonishment.
"No, Clank helped me out." He says with a nod towards him, standing right next to Mags.
"You were the one who did the majority of the work, though, Ratchet." Clank says. "And even I was impressed in how you understood such advanced technology so quickly."
He shrugs. "I don't know, I just… understood it. Plus, it's a hell of a lot easier to understand how a ship works once it can literally talk to you."
"Not that you actually listen to Aphelion when you upgrade her, though." Clank replies. "It's strange how you always insist that your way is better than whatever her manufacturer intended."
"Well, he's not wrong." Mags says to Clank. "They always give you instructions so there is zero chance of it blowing up and having them be liable, but that also means that whatever they recommend is only just a hair better than stock, so it's always best to ignore them when you want to put some really fun things on there."
"See, Clank?" Ratchet says smugly. "I told you I was right when I called them idiots. The worst that could have happened was that I just voided some warranty that probably expired five years before we even found her."
"Actually, the worst thing that can happen is that your ship explodes, like I just said." Mags argues. "But, if you were able to repair her from scratch, then I wouldn't worry too much. What kind of ship is she, anyway?"
Ratchet places his hand on his chin. "Erm… she says she's an 'Angel-Class Defender'."
Mags whistles. "That's a nice model. I mean, it's practically an antique nowadays, but compared to other ships that must've been left behind on Fastoon, that's gotta be one of the best."
"Antique?" Ratchet repeats with a doubting and slightly offended tone.
Mags smiles. "Hey, like you said, ships have only gotten better since we left. Come on, hop in and you'll see what I mean."
They all then proceed to pile into Centauri, Mags taking the controls while Ratchet takes the passenger's seat, Clank once again in his lap. He makes sure to take note of all the switches and controls and screens that he couldn't already recognize from Aphelion, already getting a sense for how advanced this ship must be. And after Kaden and Julie get situated in the backseat, Mags promptly takes off into the air.
"Wow, that felt smooth." Ratchet comments. "I barely even felt it!"
"That's what some light anti-grav suspension on the landing gear can do for you." Mags says. "And when you got the engine perfectly tuned, it burns fuel absolutely evenly with no sputters."
"What kind of fuel is it, though?" Ratchet asks. "Because no matter how much I mess with the filters on Aphelion, I can never get her to burn as cleanly as you just did."
"It's about one part Gelatonium and two parts refined Nitranium. A bit more expensive at the pump, but believe me, it is worth every bolt."
"Huh, I'm going to have to try that out next time I fly Aphelion. What's the top speed of the thrusters?"
"Hyperspace or sublight-speed?"
"Both!"
As Mags and Ratchet begin to engage in an enthusiastic conversation about Centauri and Aphelion's specs and maintenance procedures, Julie and Kaden quickly begin to lose track of what they're saying as they sit behind them, watching the conversation unfold.
"Wow, do I sound like that whenever I start gushing about weapons?" Julie asks Kaden next to her.
Kaden chuckles. "Yep. Now you know how Mags and I felt when you and Ratchet were ranting about his guns earlier."
"Well… I think we need to get them to talk about something else." She says bitterly.
Kaden shoots her a bewildered glance. "Huh? Why would we do that?"
"Because it's not fair that I only got to talk to Ratchet about guns when Mags gets to talk about ships and fly one!" She says while crossing her arms. "Now he's going to think Mags is cooler than me!"
"Would he be wrong in thinking that?" Kaden asks jokingly.
Julie punches him in the shoulder as he laughs. "Screw you, Kaden, bullying me all day just because of that ticket I got."
"Relax, Julie, I guarantee that Ratchet isn't so shallow to prefer either of you over the other." Kaden says while rubbing his shoulder. "You'll have plenty of time to impress him once we settle down a bit, too. I'll even take him to your lab sometime, if you want."
"Really?" She asks eagerly.
"Yes, really."
"Yes!" She says to herself as she gives a little fist pump. "Tomorrow would be sweet, we're testing out a Starship Splitter Mark II on the outdoor range, got a bunch of scrapped ships as targets and everything!"
"Oh, well, I'm not actually going to the Center tomorrow, so you'll have to think of something else."
"What? Why?" She asks with a palpable disappointment in her voice.
"Because I think that finally getting my son back after two decades warrants a day off to spend some time with him." He states. "Plus, I've been meaning to take a little break sometime, anyways."
"Oh." Julie replies, backing down. "Yeah, that's a pretty good reason. You got any plans for what to do with him, then?"
Kaden shrugs. "Not yet. But I'm sure I'll think of something once we talk for a bit. And I honestly don't care if that's all we do, either, since I'm sure we both have lots of stories from the last twenty years to share."
"I'd hope so, considering he mentioned Tachyon being no biggie." Julie comments. "But, you know, I still gotta say that I'm pumped for you, Kaden. Now you can finally be a dad!"
He smiles. "I know. Good thing I've got plenty of practice, too, having to deal with you and Mags all the time."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" She asks.
"Someone always has to be there to settle your guys' bickering, and it's always me." He answers. "I swear, you act like kids sometimes."
"Well, it's not my fault that Mags is wrong most of the time." She crosses her arms. "And someone's gotta be there to tell him that, too."
Kaden rolls his eyes with a small smile. "Whatever you say, then."
Mags and Ratchet continue talking about their preferred brands of ship parts, mostly consisting of Mags teaching Ratchet about all the Lombax-specific companies and their pros and cons, while Julie and Kaden just enjoy the ride, looking out the window at the sunset that was beginning to form, bathing the sky in an amber orange.
Before long, however, Centauri exits the steady stream of traffic whizzing through the city and begins to fly down towards a neighborhood sitting beyond the tall buildings of the downtown area. And after a few moments of flying over the dozens of houses, they eventually slow and land in front of a modest two-story home.
"Here we are." Mags announces as Ratchet looks out the window in awe.
"Huh. It's so… normal." Ratchet mutters.
Kaden chuckles. "What were you expecting? A mansion?"
"I don't really know what I was expecting, honestly. That's kind of my whole experience with this entire dimension so far, actually."
"Well, don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to get used to it. Now come on, let's see what your new room is going to look like." Kaden says as the cockpit opens, allowing him to hop out and start walking towards the house.
Ratchet looks at the house for a few more moments before looking back down at Clank in his lap. "Well, pal, time to see what my house looks like, I guess."
"I am sure it is cleaner than ours, at least." Clank comments.
"Hey, I clean!" Ratchet argues. "I mean, not when it comes to my garage, but the house itself isn't dirty!"
"Yep, you're Kaden's son, alright." Mags says with a chuckle. "You should probably get going though, he's waiting for you." He says as he points back to the house, where Kaden is patiently waiting at the doorstep, looking at them.
"Oh, right." Ratchet says, before turning back to Julie and Mags. "It was nice meeting you two, I can't wait to hang out again sometime." He says with a smile. "And also, I just want to say thanks again for saving my dad from Tachyon."
"Like I said, it was no problem. And I can see you know a thing or two about ships, so once I see how well you can fly, I'll maybe consider letting you fly Centauri sometime." Mags says with a smile.
"And be sure to visit my lab whenever you get the chance!" Julie follows up, leaning forward from the backseat. "There's all sorts of fun toys we're testing out on the range all the time, and they're all way cooler than flying a ship!"
Mags scoffs. "Whatever you say, you gun nut."
"I prefer the term 'weapons enthusiast'." Julie corrects him.
Ratchet chuckles as he hops out of the ship with Clank before turning around and giving a small wave. "I'll see you guys later." He bids farewell
"Sure thing, Ratchet, it was nice meeting you, too." Mags returns.
"And remember, your Aunt Julie's got all sorts of guns with your name on it!" She adds before the cockpit closes.
Ratchet backs away and takes a moment to watch Centauri take off, seeing Julie hop up front to the passenger seat before they fly off towards the main city once again.
"It's weird to think I have a dad and an aunt now." Ratchet says to Clank as they start to walk towards the house. "I wonder if I'm going to get a brother or something, too."
"Don't worry, I think you're done getting new family members." Kaden replies amusedly as they reach him. He turns around and quickly inputs a code on a keypad next to the door, and Ratchet hears a small series of clicks before it opens. Kaden walks in, Ratchet closely behind, and he turns around with his arms out.
"Well, here it is, Ratchet. Home sweet home." He announces happily.
As Ratchet looked around, he felt that familiar strangeness as when he first called Kaden 'dad' and saw everyday Lombaxes out and about on the streets; something that was unfamiliar, but weirdly comforting. He's never once stepped foot in this place, but even then, it still felt like home.
They were standing in a living room, with a couch facing a decently sized holovision on the wall to their right. On the other wall near it was a large bookshelf, filled with what appeared to be books of science and engineering and math and various technologies, most of which Ratchet's never heard of.
Hanging next to it were a few framed pictures, some of which were Kaden posing with what Ratchet could assume were inventions of his, others with Julie and Mags, and a couple more with Councilmembers that Ratchet vaguely remembered from the meeting earlier, the latter of which had Kaden looking simply content instead of joyful like the others.
But what took prominence was a big picture in the center that was a larger version of the one that Kaden first showed him in the interrogation room, depicting their family. And although it was saddening to be reminded that his mother was in fact gone for good, it just made him more grateful that he still had his dad, who was presently looking at Ratchet expectantly for a reaction.
"This place looks pretty nice." Ratchet says.
"It reminds me of our old apartment in Metropolis." Clank notes.
Kaden smiles. "Perks of being a Councilmember. Let's go see what your room will look like." He says as he walks up the set of stairs to their left. Ratchet follows him, and finds that it leads to a hallway with four doors; two on the left, and two on the right.
"This is the closet, far left is my bedroom, far right is the bathroom, and this one," He says, opening the one on the right closest to them, "Is my office. Or now, your room, once we get it sorted out."
Inside, the room is mostly empty, save for a few sparsely populated shelves and a desk with a chair, and no decorations at all to be seen. Ratchet walks in to look around, seeing that it was the only furniture in the room, and decides to go over to the desk. As he walks up to it, he rubs his fingers across the surface, and looks at them to find a not-insignificant amount of dust on it.
"It sure is… roomy in here." Ratchet comments, rubbing his fingers on his pants.
"Yeah, I'm almost never in here." Kaden explains. "I do almost all of my work at the Center, and whenever I need to something at home, I always just prefer the workshop in the basement. Haven't really been able to find anything else to do with this room. Until now, at least."
Ratchet's ears perk up as he glances over to him. "Workshop?"
Kaden smiles as he recognizes that inventive glint in his eye. "Of course! Why wouldn't a senior engineer for the Center have his own personal workshop? I've got all the tools, materials, and space I need, including some minor bomb-proofing." He chuckles nervously as he finishes that last part. "Although that was a relatively new addition after a few close calls. Last thing the neighbors need is a chunk of my kitchen flying through their window."
"Maybe you can learn a thing or two from your father, Ratchet." Clank says, standing alongside him. "Perhaps you can invest in similar protections for your garage?"
"Why would we waste the bolts on something like that?" Ratchet asks. "We live in the middle of nowhere, Clank. It's not like there's anybody to hurt near us if something goes wrong."
"When something goes wrong." Clank corrects him. "And I was talking more about your own safety, Ratchet. Need I remind you about the debacle with the nuclear-powered rocket sled?"
Kaden raises an eyebrow as he looks to Ratchet. "Why would you need a sled to be nuclear-powered?"
"To make it go faster, obviously." Ratchet answers casually before pointing to Clank. "But everything worked out in the end, didn't it? Now I know to make the kill switch before I strap the thruster onto it."
Clank just sighs before looking to Kaden. "Just be cautious whenever you let him use your workshop."
"Don't worry, I don't think it's big enough to make something like a nuclear-powered rocket sled, so you'll have to be really creative to do some major damage."
"My warning still stands. Doubly so, in fact."
"Don't be so dramatic, pal." Ratchet says to him. "Just a quick question though, where exactly am I supposed to sleep?"
"Ah, right." Kaden says while placing a hand on his chin. "Hmm… Ah, I've actually got something that might do the trick down in the workshop, coincidentally. Come on, it'll be our next stop in your little house tour."
After Ratchet exclaims an excited 'yes!', he eagerly follows Kaden down the stairs they came with Clank in tow, and to a door right next to them. He opens it and flips a switch on the wall, illuminating the stairs leading down further into the basement by an overhead light.
As they reach the landing, Ratchet is hit with the very familiar smell of oil and worked metal, a certain undertone that never seemed to leave workspaces like these. And as they enter the workshop proper, he stops for a moment to awe at the space, with all sorts of tools, parts, and materials strewn about, some of which Ratchet couldn't even recognize, likely being something invented only by Lombaxes. Nearly every surface on the several workbenches in the large room was occupied by a multitude of projects and prototypes, all in varying states of completion, parts and tools and wires scattered among them.
It was comforting, seeing all of this, because it looked just like his garage back on Veldin, only a lot cleaner from a lack of being situated on a sandy planet. Not to say that it was sterile by any means, with many years-old stains on the concrete floor showing that this place is obviously well-used.
"Sorry about the mess." Kaden apologizes as he walks over to a shelf filled with various boxes and components. "I would clean, but—"
"It's an organized chaos?" Ratchet finishes.
Kaden flashes him a smile. "Exactly. Now, let's see if it's where I remember…" He mutters as he starts moving things aside and looking in boxes.
"All of this stuff looks so cool!" Ratchet says as he inspects some of the gadgets on the workbench, from strange arm-looking devices, small metal cubes with wires poking out of the internals, and some gloves that were in the middle of being dissected. But then he sees what looks to be some kind of gun, fully completed as there were no miscellaneous parts sticking out of it, and he picks it up in curiosity to inspect it before turning to Kaden.
"What's this do?" Ratchet asks, holding it up.
"Ah, that." Kaden says, turning his head to look. "Hmm… shoot it at that chunk of durasteel right there." He says, pointing to a piece of scrap resting on the ground beside the workbench.
Ratchet follows his instructions and takes aim with the blaster before pulling the trigger, firing a small laser bolt at the piece of metal. It shines for just a moment before fading away just as quickly, leaving the durasteel completely unchanged. Ratchet is a little confused, but as he gets closer, he could actually see that it… sagged a little?
Curious, he walks over and picks up the fist-sized piece of metal only to find that it just flops in his hand like jelly.
"What the? What did I just do to it?" Ratchet asks as he drops it on the ground, making it land with a 'plop' instead of a clanging thud like durasteel should.
"You used a Jellinator on it, obviously." Kaden replies with an amused chuckle, returning to his search on the shelf.
"Jellinator? Is that all this thing does? Make things all floppy like jelly?" He asks, looking at the gadget in his hand with a confused expression.
"Yep!"
"But… why?"
"Why not?"
"I… Well… Fair enough, I guess." Ratchet says with a shrug as he puts it back down on the counter.
"Is that really all the explanation you need?" Clank asks him.
"Hey, that's the reason I make half the things I do." He explains casually.
"Like Stunderwear?"
"Stunderwear?" Kaden asks, turning his head towards them. "What's that?"
"Electric underwear." Clank answers.
"For self-defense!" Ratchet hurriedly follows up with a raised finger. "I am not responsible for the way some people use them!"
Kaden tilts his head. "How else would they… oh. Oh."
"Not my fault!" Ratchet reiterates.
He chuckles. "Welcome to the life of an inventor, Ratchet, where there will always be someone, somewhere that will find a way to pervert your designs' intentions. And in your case, literally." He says as he turns back to the shelf.
"Shouldn't you be happy about the extra sales, anyway, Ratchet?" Clank asks.
He crosses his arms. "Just because I take the checks doesn't mean I have to be happy about it."
"Aha! There you are!" Kaden suddenly exclaims.
He reaches in and takes out a rectangular metal box, something he needs two hands to comfortably hold, prompting intrigued looks by both Ratchet and Clank.
"What is it?" Clank asks.
"Why, a portable cot of my own design, of course!" Kaden says as he presses a button on it before simply tossing it onto the ground with a thud.
After a moment, the rectangle expands outward into the shape of a small bed, and the top half of it begins to float up in the air, a few feet off the ground, Ratchet recognizing the technology as a very light-duty version of the maglifts he himself typically used when working on ships. But then, the top portion opens in half, the panels sliding down to the sides of the cot, letting a foam mattress pop up to replace the hard metal that previously covered it.
"Ooh, that's neat." Ratchet comments as he takes a seat on it, the cot dipping down slightly as he sets his weight on it.
"I came up with the idea while I was hiding you and the Dimensionator in the Exodus." Kaden explains. "I had to spend a few nights sleeping in my ship, and it was some of the worst sleep I've ever gotten. I mean, granted, I doubt I'd sleep any better in a real bed in that situation, but my back definitely would've felt a lot better in the morning. I wish I had something better for you, but until we get you an actual bed, it'll have to do. Sorry about that." He says, scratching the back of his head.
Ratchet waves his hand. "It's no big deal, I've had to sleep on worse before. And honestly, this is more comfortable than my first bed ever was." He says, laying down on it while resting his hands behind his head.
But as he does, his stomach suddenly growls, and Kaden chuckles. "Right. How about you and Clank go and set up your new room together while I fix us up some dinner in the meantime?"
"That sounds good to me." Ratchet replies as he stands up from the cot.
"Great!" Kaden then uses his foot to press a button on the half of the cot sitting on the ground, and Ratchet watches as it folds back up in the reverse sequence it opened, with the mattress getting covered by the panels, dropping back down to the ground, and the whole thing shrinking back up to its original, portable form.
"It's nice to see that thing working even though I haven't touched it in years." Kaden comments as Ratchet bends down to pick it up, finding it to be a lot less heavy than he expected. "Well, I'll go ahead and let you know when it's time to eat."
They all then head back up the stairs, Kaden going towards the kitchen while Ratchet and Clank head back up to their room on the second floor, cot in hand. With the distinct lack of furniture, it was as easy as simply setting it down on the ground in a corner, and pressing the button to have it unfold once again.
Although, Ratchet misjudged how much space he needed, as the side banged into the wall with a dull thud when it expanded, but a quick inspection showed that it did no more than scratch the wall a little, thankfully.
"Eh, nothing a little paint won't fix." Ratchet says as he sits back down on the cot. He takes a look at the room around him, still almost depressingly empty with the lack of furniture, but it makes him blissful nonetheless. In a different life, this is where he would've lived his entire childhood, and not in an orphanage on a hot, sandy planet. He could've had all sorts of Lombax friends, making things with his dad in their workshop downstairs, and possibly have found a legitimate career that didn't involve getting shot at all the time.
Not that he didn't like being a hero, obviously. He loved it, but it was nice to wonder what a normal life could've been like for him. And sitting in this room, he feels as though he's getting a taste for what it might have been.
"Well, I guess this is where we're living now, pal." He says to Clank contentedly.
"Erm, is 'living' the correct word for our situation?" Clank asks him, standing next to the cot.
Ratchet tilts his head. "What do you mean?"
"We don't live here, Ratchet." Clank explains. "We live on Veldin, in our original dimension, with all of our friends. We are simply visiting the Lombaxes' dimension right now, are we not?"
Ratchet scratches the back of his head. "I mean, yeah, I guess. But it's not like we're actually needed back there right now, what with how peaceful it's been, so I don't see the problem in staying here for a while."
"And how long is 'a while'?"
He shrugs. "I don't know, a couple days, weeks, maybe? I just want to get a good feel for this place, and spend some time with my long-lost, not-dead dad."
"Doesn't that seem a little… long?" Clank asks carefully.
Ratchet furrows his brow. "What are you getting at?"
"Ratchet, we are completely cut off from our original dimension, so if we are needed again, then there is absolutely no way for us to know. And even if it's because one of our friends simply want to spend time with us, they'll have no means of communication, and no way to even know where we are. In fact, now that I think about it, did you happen to tell anyone else where we were going before we left?"
Ratchet thinks for a moment. They were a little hasty about coming here, now that he mentions it. "I guess not." Ratchet answers.
Clank crosses his arms. "Exactly. And knowing that, if you really want to spend more time here, don't you think we should return home when we get the Dimensionator tomorrow to at least reassure everyone we haven't simply disappeared?"
Ratchet sighs.
"Can't we hold off doing that tomorrow?" Ratchet asks. "I mean, yeah, you're right, it's probably best we make sure people don't think we're dead, but… come on. When was the last time anybody called to check in on us? I don't want to just walk back into the City Guard with my dad, only to turn around and say, 'Well, I know you've been waiting for me for two decades, and it was nice knowing you for a few hours, but I gotta leave, bye!'"
"I'm not asking you to leave this dimension forever, Ratchet." Clank clarifies. "I'm simply saying that we must get our affairs in order back home if we are to be isolated from everybody else for so long. It would be irresponsible of us to do otherwise."
"And I'm not saying that we aren't going back home, Clank." Ratchet follows up. "I just… want to spend some time with this family I never got to have. Pretend that I have a somewhat normal life, get to know more about my dad, and learn more about the Lombaxes. I don't want to worry about home in the meantime, so, can't we just put that off for a few days, at least?"
Clank looks at him, Ratchet seeing the way he was mulling over his response. He knew that it'd be ridiculous to up and leave the last dimension, and Clank was right in that they had to go back at some point. But like he said, their home doesn't need a hero right now, and it's not like anything bad is going to happen in the meantime.
"You promise to go back home?" Clank finally asks.
He gives nod with a smile. "I promise, pal."
Clank returns the nod. "Alright, then. But just know that I won't give you more than a week to do so." He quickly adds. "Any longer, and I fear that I may become too paranoid to focus on anything else."
Ratchet chuckles. "You seem pretty paranoid as-is."
"Well, it's not just our friends I'm worried about, Ratchet. I am responsible for the Great Clock, after all, and I can't help but be a little anxious being in an entirely separate dimension from it."
Ratchet's eyes widen. "Oh, right, I forgot about that. Yeah, I'll make sure not to make this visit last too long, then."
"Yes, that would be preferable." Clank says with a smile.
"I can't believe that I still have to remind myself that you're like, the guardian of time itself." Ratchet says as he stands up from the cot.
"I prefer 'caretaker'." Clank says with a raised finger. "I feel as though 'guardian' implies I have more power than I actually do."
Ratchet smiles. "Alright, caretaker of time, then. And speaking of taking care of things, I think we should clean up this room a bit."
Clank tilts his head. "What exactly is there to clean?"
Ratchet rolls his eyes and walks over to a shelf next to the desk, and grabs a book titled 'The Wonders of Mechanics' before walking back over to Clank, and holding it up in front of him.
Clank squints at him. "What are you—"
Ratchet then blows across the surface of the book, sending a cloud of dust into his face that surely would've made him cough if he had lungs. But instead, Clank simply closes his eyes, and waits a moment to let the cloud settle before wiping his face and opening them again to look at Ratchet, unamused.
"You could've just said we need to dust the room." Clank says tiredly.
"I could've, but that wouldn't have been as fun." Ratchet says with a grin.
Ratchet was laying on his cot, engrossed in a book about plasma technologies that he decided to read after finding it on the shelf next to the desk, while Clank elected to read a book about principles of automatons. Seeing all these mechanical concepts from a Lombax point of view was interesting, and it got his inventive mind excited as he thought about different ways to actually start using these ideas.
"Dinner's ready." Kaden says from the doorway, startling Ratchet as he nearly drops the book he was holding.
"Oh, uh, thanks!" Ratchet says, trying to get his heart to calm down after getting scared by his unexpected entrance.
Kaden raises an eyebrow as he closes the book and sets it back down on the cot. "Wait, can you read Lombax?"
"Oh, yeah, I have a friend back home who knows a lot about Lombaxes, and she decided to teach me." Ratchet explains. "Mostly because it got a little awkward when I had her read everything to me whenever she was showing artifacts and stuff."
"Oh, well, I'll be sure to thank her for that. It'd be a little awkward to try and read everything to you here, too." He replies. "But you can take a break from those books to come down and eat."
Ratchet and Clank oblige him as they make their way down the stairs and to the kitchen, Ratchet smelling a nice, savory aroma as they get closer, making his stomach rumble. As they enter the kitchen, he could see a pot on the stove, along with two steaming bowls with glasses of water sitting on an island, furnished with four stools, two on each side. He and Clank take a seat across from Kaden as Ratchet picks up a spoon lying next to his bowl, seeing that it was in fact a stew with chunks of meat and vegetables sitting in a reddish brown broth.
"What is this?" Ratchet asks, picking up a spoonful of the meal.
"Some good ol' Brakterbeak stew." Kaden replies. "I should've probably made something better for the occasion, but I was honestly a little too tired to make anything harder than this." He says with an apologetic smile.
"Hey, it looks better than half the stuff I eat." Ratchet reassures him.
"Are you insulting my cooking?" Clank accuses him.
"No, I was insulting all those packaged meals you made fun of me for eating earlier." He says.
"Oh, good." Clank says, backing down. "Because I was about to let you cook your own meals for a week."
"It's not like I need you when I've got my dad cooking for me." Ratchet says as he returns his attention to his bowl.
He licks his lips before he takes a spoonful of the stew into his mouth, making sure to include a piece of the meat and vegetables. And as the savory flavors danced around in his mouth, he decided that this stuff was good, really good. Not the best thing he's ever had, but it is very far from the worst. But even then, he couldn't help but be a little… disappointed.
Kaden, in the middle of taking a bite of his own, looks up and sees Ratchet's brows furrowed as he looks into his bowl, chewing.
"What's wrong?" Kaden asks, putting his spoon down. "Does it taste bad?" He asks worriedly.
Ratchet shoots his gaze back up to Kaden and quickly shakes his head as he swallows. "No, it tastes awesome!" He reassures him. "But this is my first time having Lombax food, and I just thought it'd be, I don't know, more different than what I'm used to?"
Kaden breathes a sigh of relief as he smiles. "What did you expect? Lombaxes eat the same stuff as the rest of the galaxy." He says as he takes a bite.
"Isn't there something that only Lombaxes have, though? Something like, I don't know, a seasoning? Vegetables?"
"Hmm." Kaden thinks as he finishes his current bite. "Well, there are these certain minerals on Fastoon that are kind of like salt, but a little spicier, I guess. 'Fastoon salt', as it's creatively called."
He suddenly freezes, and then facepalms. "Dammit, I knew I forgot something! Hang on."
He then stands up and opens a cupboard next to the stove, rummaging around a bit before he produces a small container of orange, crystalline flakes. He sprinkles a bit in his bowl, and then into Ratchet's before sitting back down, placing it onto the island.
"There we go, now stir that around a bit and see how you like it." He says.
Ratchet does as he says, stirring it until he can't see the orange flakes in the mixture, and takes another bite, immediately tasting the difference, the slight salty flavor bringing out the meaty portions of the stew with an underlying spice that wasn't hot enough to burn by any means, but enough to give it a little kick.
"Wow, that is good." Ratchet says with wide eyes.
Kaden smiles. "Right?"
"I can't believe I've been missing out on this stuff this entire time!" Ratchet says as he eagerly takes another spoonful. "Well, on top everything else in this dimension." He adds while chewing his food.
"I actually wanted to ask you about that." Kaden says. "What's the most surprising thing about Lombaxes to you?"
"Hmm…" Ratchet thinks as he chews. "Honestly, probably the tails."
Kaden tilts his head. "Tails? What about them?"
"Do all female Lombaxes have those bushy tails, like Julie?"
"Erm, yeah. Why wouldn't they?"
"Because I actually met another female Lombax back in my dimension, and she didn't have one. She said that they just don't have tails." Ratchet explains.
"Really?" Kaden raises a brow. "Well, she's wrong. Are you sure she was even a Lombax? Not a Cazar or something?"
Ratchet shakes his head. "No, Cazars have tails, too, and she was a Lombax, everything else about her said so."
"I don't think there were any other Lombaxes left behind except you and Alister, though. Do you know her name, at least?" He asks, taking another bite of his stew.
"Yeah, it was Angela Cross." Ratchet says casually.
Kaden nearly chokes on his stew as Ratchet says it, surprising both him and Clank as he starts coughing.
"Woah, you okay?" Ratchet asks worriedly.
Kaden raises a finger with a nod as he recovers from his coughing, taking a drink of his water. "Are you serious? She's alive?!" Kaden asks, his voice a little hoarse from the coughing.
"Wait, you knew her?" Ratchet asks with wide eyes, Clank wearing a similar expression.
"Knew her? Hell, little Angie was practically your cousin!" Kaden explains. "Both of your mothers were best friends ever since they were college roommates! When you were born, Angela was a toddler at that point, and you two would play together whenever Lorna came over so that she and Marie could talk about… whatever girl stuff they always talked about together." He says with a wave of his hand. "I don't know, I usually holed up in my workshop when they started gossiping."
"Wait, what? We were that close?!" Ratchet asks in shock.
"Yeah! I thought she died with her mother in the Exodus since they didn't come back with everyone else, but you're telling me that she's still alive?!"
"I… I'm not sure, honestly." Ratchet says as he scratches the back of his head. "I was actually hoping that she managed to make it back here."
"Huh? Why?" Kaden asks confusedly. "Wasn't she back there with you?"
"Well, yeah, but when Tachyon started to pop up again, my friend's dad, Max Apogee, helped her escape. But before they did, he managed to find the Dimensionator and took it to Jasindu, which is where they were last seen before they disappeared."
"Wait, this Max guy was the one who took it from Rykan V?" Kaden asks with some concern. "Is he the reason Tachyon got to it?"
"No, not at all." Ratchet reassures him. "He actually protected it from Tachyon. It was honestly us who let it happen." He says with some embarrassment. "We found it on Jasindu, then it was stolen by some space pirates, then we stole it back, but then it was stolen again by… Well, I hate to call him a 'friend', but then Tachyon stole it from him before we finally stole it back again. For good, this time." Ratchet explains.
Kaden looks at him blankly. "I…"
Ratchet waves his hand. "Long story, but point is, Max and Angela were last seen with the Dimensionator before they disappeared. So, do you know if they managed to make it here, with the rest of you?"
Kaden sighs. "No, there hasn't been anyone else who came back from the old dimension. And if that did happen, me and Mags would probably be the first to know, since we've been watching out for that exact thing in case it's you."
Ratchet slumps, while Clank displays a somber look. "Oh."
"But… that doesn't mean they're not here, though." Kaden says optimistically.
"What do you mean?" Clank asks.
"Well, we only found out about you because you decided to piss off the entire City Guard the minute you got here. But, assuming that Angela and this Max guy aren't as reckless as you, then it is possible that they've just been lying low when they found out about the Dimensionator ban. Hell, for all I know, Angela's been sweeping the floors at the Center and I've been walking right by her for the last few years."
Ratchet smiles a little. "So, now that the ban's gone, do you think they'll show up again?"
He shrugs. "If you're right about them being able to travel to this dimension, then hopefully, that'll be the case. I wish it is, because it'd be nice to see her again."
"Yeah, it would." Ratchet says, poking at his stew with his spoon. "But… was she just born without a tail?"
He shakes his head. "No, she definitely had one. I remember because she'd yell at you for pulling on it all the time." He chuckles. "You always were a grabby baby."
"Perhaps she just lost it in an accident during Tachyon's genocide, and she was too young to remember even having a tail?" Clank proposes.
"I guess that's our best answer without her here." Ratchet says as he resumes eating his stew.
"How did you two meet, anyway?" Kaden asks.
"Oh boy, that's a long story." Ratchet replies.
"Well, we've got the time, and I want to learn all about my son, especially if it's about his cousin." Kaden answers with a smile.
Ratchet raises an eyebrow. "Cousin? I thought you said I was done getting new family members."
"That was before I found out that Angela might not be dead. So, what was she up to in the last dimension?"
"She was doing pretty good, actually, she became a head of Megacorp's genetics division by the time we met her. And there was this one project that she was working on, about these things called Protopets."
For the next half hour or so, Ratchet and Clank take turns describing their adventure during their time as Megacorp Commandos, taking down the Protopets along with Angela's assistance. Kaden hung on every word as Ratchet went on to describe everything about the Protopet debacle, from working with Fizzwidget, meeting Angela, fighting Thugs-4-Less, and finally taking down Qwark at the end of it all.
He found himself feeling even more proud of his son, hearing about his willingness to protect so many others, even if he was still trying to get over hearing about all the danger he got himself in along the way. But, compared to witnessing his fight with Tachyon firsthand, hearing about him dealing with a giant monster really wasn't as bad.
"And, yeah, that's we met." Ratchet finishes after taking a drink of water, setting down next to his long since finished bowl of stew. "We kept in touch, but we eventually just kind of… drifted apart. Didn't have much business in Bogon anymore after I started getting serious about being a hero."
"That's… wow." Kaden manages to say. "You've done more in a week than most do in a lifetime."
He shrugs. "Eh, I'm pretty used to it by now." He says as his sentence slowly turns into a yawn as he leans back with a stretch.
"It is getting late, Ratchet." Clank speaks up from next to him. "You should go to bed, it's been a long day for you."
He waves his hand to dismiss him. "Nah, I'm fine, I want to talk with my dad a bit more, I can stay up for a bit long…" He's unable to finish as another yawn takes him.
Kaden smiles. "He's right, you should head up to bed. I'm taking the day off tomorrow, so we'll have plenty of time to spend together, don't you worry."
"Alright, fine." Ratchet says as he gets off the stool with a small stretch. "Oh, by the way, you got any blankets I could use?"
"Oh, yeah, there should be some in the closet upstairs, first door on the left." Kaden answers. "There should also be a couple of spare pillows, too."
Ratchet smiles. "Thanks. For the room, too, I mean."
"Hey, don't mention it, the least I can do for my son is give him a roof over his head. And hopefully soon, a real bed to sleep in." He says with a chuckle.
"Like I said, I've had worse." Ratchet assures him before turning to Clank. "Well, let's head up, pal."
"Of course." Clank replies as he too gets off the stool and starts to follow Ratchet out of the kitchen as Kaden watches them.
"Oh, one more thing!" Kaden says suddenly, making Ratchet stop and turn around before he gives him a warm smile. "Good night, Ratchet. I love you."
Ratchet looks a little surprised from it, but he smiles regardless. "Oh, uh, good night. I… love you, too." He says awkwardly before giving a sigh. "Sorry, again. It still feels weird being able to say that."
Kaden grins nonetheless. "Like I said, you'll have plenty of time to get used to it. Night."
Ratchet gives a smile and a nod. "Night."
Kaden watches them leave the room and hears them climb the stairs as he too gets up from the stool, taking a moment to stretch and yawn as well. And as he takes their dishes from the kitchen island and to the sink, he hears the closet open and close upstairs shortly before hearing the same from Ratchet's room.
He walks back into the living room and looks up the stairs to confirm for himself, and then heads over to the holovision. He leans down to the player below it, and takes out the holotape with Ratchet's memories, the one he himself recorded back at the City Guard. Now that Ratchet was done for the night, he finally had a chance to the rest of it, more specifically, the one about how he met Alister.
He inserts it into the player and grabs the remote before sitting back down on the couch behind him, taking one more look up the stairs to double-check if Ratchet was retired for good. Not that he wanted to keep his little viewing session a secret or anything, but he recalled how distraught he seemed while they were talking about Alister, and he didn't want to upset him by making him rewatch whatever this was going to be.
He doesn't hear any stirring from his room, only some light talking between him and Clank. Feeling assured, he presses play on the remote, but not before making sure the volume was turned down.
It opens back to the scene he saw at the meeting earlier, with him escaping Tachyon's warship on the grind rails. He immediately presses fast-forward, not wanting to dwell on these memories with Tachyon any more than he already has. But as the scenes and people quickly whizz by silently, he can't help but resume it at the end of Ratchet's final battle with him, when he was defeated.
It brought him great joy in seeing that dirty Cragmite getting what was coming to him. Hopefully now, Marie could rest a little easier knowing that her killer finally met his demise. And seeing the way he bargained for Ratchet to spare him with his lies about how he knew his true name just added a sweet irony to it, too. The way he bargained to spare both Kaden and Ratchet's lives in pity, only to end up begging for his own mercy to no avail. That image of him falling through that black hole would no doubt gain its own permanent residence in Kaden's mind for the rest of his days.
But then, that memory fades, and Kaden mentally braces himself, knowing that this one would be the one involving Alister.
It opens with Ratchet walking along a dusty planet, looking up at what appeared to be a giant scrapped robot, and at the top, a distinctly-Lombax silhouetted figure perched at its top.
"Excuse me!" Ratchet calls out, prompting the figure's attention. "Hi, do you know where I can find Alister Azimuth?"
After a moment, the figure holds up something, and throws it directly at Ratchet, Kaden realizing that it was a grenade. Thankfully, Ratchet's deft reflexes allow him to bat it out of the way with his wrench before he is thrown onto a grindrail, following the figure in a chase.
"You've lost the element of surprise!" The figure calls out in front of him, the voice making Kaden's fur stand on end. "Now killing me won't be so easy!"
"I'm not here to kill you, I just want to talk!" Ratchet calls after him.
"Lies! Who sent you? Vorselon? Nefarious? Neither of them have the spine to kill me themselves!" Alister fires back as he starts blowing sections of the rail behind him.
"Look at me!" Ratchet retorts. "I'm a Lombax!"
"The Lombaxes are gone! I know a hologuise when I see it!"
"Would you stop trying to kill me for two seconds so we can talk?!"
However, Alister simply ignores him and continues to place hazards in Ratchet's path, lobbing grenades at their surroundings to impede him, but to no avail. Kaden would be lying if he said that seeing his best friend trying to kill his son didn't upset him a little, but mostly, he just felt worried about how paranoid Alister was that he had to resort to these measures.
Eventually, Ratchet reaches the end of the rail after losing Alister, and lands back on top of the perch that he originally saw Alister. He looks around cautiously for a few moments, but then he is thrown against the wall in front of him, and the screen goes black as he appears to close his eyes in a wince of pain from the impact.
"Now I've got you!" Alister says in his fierce tone that threw Kaden back into their Praetorian days together.
Ratchet finally opens his eyes, and Kaden's own eyes widen as he looks at Alister's face for the first time in twenty years. It was exactly as he remembered, but it was clear that the combined forces of time and stress of living on the run from Tachyon had aged him considerably. His fur was a little less vivid than Kaden remembered, the bags under his eyes looked heavy, and there was now a considerable amount of scruffy fur on his cheeks that made him look even more like his father.
Seeing that his best friend was alive this entire time for himself made Kaden feel overwhelmed. He was happy of course, that he managed to survive, but he also felt the dull anger from accusing him of being the cause of Tachyon's rise to power. And on top of that, he felt saddened, knowing that he lived for two decades thinking that his best friend blamed him for everything that had happened.
But as Kaden's eyes start to water from the surge of emotions, Alister's fierce look softens as he inspects Ratchet, pinned by his throat with his Praetorian wrench. "It… it can't be." He mutters in disbelief. "You're…"
The scowl on his face is instantly replaced by a large grin. "You're Kaden's son!" He says as he drops Ratchet from the wall, leaving him sitting on the ground while rubbing his throat.
"Forgive me." Alister says in his professional tone as he stands proudly next to Ratchet. "General Alister Azimuth. Four-Bolt Magistrate of the Lombax Praetorian Guard, Elder Councilman for the Center of Advanced Lombax Research, and you…" He drops his formal tone as he looks onto Ratchet endearingly. "My dear boy, look just like your father."
Kaden smiles wryly. He was right about that. And as Alister quickly invites Ratchet into the hut behind them, Kaden can't help but feel relief and happiness at their interaction. Partly because Alister didn't actually kill Ratchet, but mostly because he got the chance to meet him at all, and he was incredibly thankful for that.
As the years went on, with Kaden slowly forgiving Alister for what he did, he realized that his biggest regret was forbidding him from raising his son. Sure, Kaden thought that both he and Alister would've been killed back then, but as Ratchet started to grow up all alone, Kaden wished that he could've just given him to Alister to protect and raise him, so that he would at least know something about his species.
But, unfortunately, he had to live with his anger-fueled decision. And although there was nothing he could do about it now, he could take solace in the fact that Alister got to meet his intended nephew despite everything. And, hopefully, he was able to teach Ratchet a thing or two about their culture.
As Kaden snaps out of his thoughts and looks back to the screen, he is greeted with the picture of Alister's watch, as Ratchet stares directly at Kaden's image.
"I have so many questions…" Ratchet says. "How did you know him?"
He looks up from the watch to see Alister staring out of the window. "Kaden and I were good friends." He says warmly. "He… was a great Lombax. As smart as they come."
It sent a pang through Kaden's heart to see that he was held to such a high regard even after their fallout.
"He was the first outsider to theorize the Great Clock even existed." Alister explains as he turns to face Ratchet.
Ratchet looks down in thought. "And this… 'clock', you think Clank's in there?"
"'Clock' is a rather crude translation of the runes on Quantos." Alister corrects him as he walks over to a chest in the corner of the room. "Specifically, they say 'Keeper of Time'. But yes, I suspect he is."
He then opens the chest before rummaging through it. "You see, according to Fongoid lore, the Zoni are the guardians of time. If your friend is connected to them as you say, he must play some part in its operation. Now, where are those blasted things?" He mutters from the chest as Ratchet turns to look onto a large blackboard behind him, taking up almost the entire wall, and Kaden realizes that they're covered in his own notes about the Great Clock.
Wait, why did Alister have his notes? And just what the hell are they saying about Clank and the Great Clock?
Kaden uses the remote to pause the memory to process this information. It had been years since he last thought about the Great Clock. He tried to continue his research after the Exodus, but it was ultimately pointless, as there wasn't a single piece of evidence about the Zoni or Fongoids even existing in this dimension. But even though he had to abandon that project, he still remembered certain details about his theory, ones that brought a lot of what he said into question.
Most importantly, what did he mean when he said Clank was connected to the Zoni? They were organic beings, not robots. And Clank couldn't have possibly been built by them, as every artifact originating from them was a scientific and technological marvel in and of themselves, but Clank seemed far too simple and rudimentary to be the product of such an advanced race. And even if he was, then how was he possibly connected to a device of such magnitude to control the space-time continuum?
But then, he remembers back to when he and Ratchet were getting Clank back from the City Guard, and how he had an incredible amount of data, and how Ratchet mentioned he was in fact a one-of-a-kind design. It could mean anything, but… was there truth in Alister's statement? Could this little robot sleeping with his son upstairs be connected to the Zoni, somehow?
And, once again, why did Alister have his notes? The only copies Kaden had were at the old Center and his workshop in his original home, and the Center was among the first buildings destroyed in Tachyon's initial attacks. Did… did Alister really scavenge the ruins of his home? When? And why was he searching for the Great Clock anyway?
Kaden wasn't quite sure how to feel about his friend ransacking the ruins of his home for his belongings, but he did know that he was thoroughly bewildered by all these questions concerning the Great Clock. As he picks up the remote to resume the memory, he knew that he was going to have to ask Ratchet about it tomorrow.
"Wait, I thought my father was the only one to stay behind when the Lombaxes left." Ratchet asks, turning back to Alister, still in the chest. "Why didn't you go with them?"
He could see Alister freeze for a moment, before looking up at him sadly, Kaden feeling the pain in his gaze. "Sometimes, the universe has a cruel sense of humor." He says wryly.
He looks back into the chest, but the melancholy in his expression is suddenly replaced with delight. "Ah, here they are!"
He leans down further into the chest before standing back up with something that looked very familiar to Kaden. "Your father's hoverboots!" He says with a grin. "Ready for your first lesson?"
Kaden could see Ratchet excitedly nod his head as the memory begins to fade out.
Despite the dozens of questions running through Kaden's mind about the Great Clock, he couldn't help but be a little amused by that ending. During Marie's pregnancy, and after Ratchet was born, they would argue about how got to teach him what. Among those countless arguments was who was going to have the honor of teaching him how to use hoverboots. After much bickering, it was decided that it would be Kaden. After all, his father took precedence over his uncle, and especially when he was much better at it. That last point only led to further arguments, but they both knew it was true.
But seeing that Alister was ultimately the one who won their squabble, Kaden couldn't have helped but be amused by it. And by the looks of Ratchet's chase this morning, he taught him very well. Probably better than Kaden could have, if he had to do it today. He couldn't remember the last time he actually put on a pair and went for a ride, and he wondered if he could even still use them at all.
But as he thinks about that last thought, he smiles. Maybe he could see for himself if that was the case, after all? He was pretty sure he had some gathering dust in the workshop downstairs, and it'd be the perfect way to spend time with Ratchet tomorrow. And who knows, maybe he's just as good as he remembered, and could try and give Ratchet a run for his money.
Of course, the other possibility is that he'll just eat a mouthful of dirt trying to relearn how to use hoverboots, but he didn't care. He knew this was going to be a blast either way.
But as much as he wants to go downstairs and rummage around for his boots in preparation of tomorrow, his yawns were becoming an astute reminder that it was getting late. He turns off the holovision and starts walking back to his room upstairs.
But as he reaches the top of the stairs, he pauses for a moment next to Ratchet's door. To think that after so many nights of crying himself to sleep in worry if Tachyon killed him or not, and tonight, he's just going to be across the hall from him.
He leans up to the door, and hears nothing but some light snores. He quietly opens it and peeks in, seeing Ratchet fast asleep on his cot in the corner of the room with Clank folded up in sleep mode right next to him. Kaden grins as he watches his son peacefully snoozing away. Even though he's 20 years old now, he couldn't help but think his face looked exactly like it did when he was a baby sleeping in that basket back on Veldin.
But unlike then, Kaden had the peace of mind knowing that this wouldn't have to be the last time he would ever see him. He's still going to be right here with him when Kaden wakes up tomorrow morning, and the day after that, and the day after that, too. He'll never have to lose him again, and that thought made him swell with happiness.
"Night, Ratchet." Kaden whispers. "See you in the morning."
He then quietly closes the door, and heads back to his own room, ready to get the best sleep he's had in years.