The Great Clock, a miracle of science and sorcery, built in the Breegus system and located in the exact center of the Universe! Give or take sixty feet from the last estimation. Its purpose was to regulate and maintain the flow of time, badly broken by an unfortunate incident in which 83 celestial entities were wiped out. The clock would ensure that the universe would not be destroyed in another such disaster, the ultimate contingency plan for when the Valkyries bellow out the Grathorian folk music. In any case the clock, built by the strange interdimensional energy beings known as the Zoni was maintained and taken care of by them, their leader and one single robot. This single robot was Sigma0426A, also known as Sigmund and on one particular day something very interesting happened to him in the Great Clock.
Moving through the halls and platforms of one of the largest and most complex machines in the universe was a single red cleaning and maintenance robot. He was in the middle of adjusting some of the dials on several particular large pieces of machinery dodging past some large electrical arcs that had appeared more recently. Keeping watch over the meter needles, the swaying motion reflected the unease in his own circuits. The former lowly cleaning robot, now junior caretaker of the Great Clock worried about his boss and friend. Orvus the senior Caretaker of the Great Clock, leader of the Zoni and the one who gave Sigmund the chance to be free from his former job at the prison planet Viceron wasn't being like his usual self.
Orvus normally was always full of good humor and he shared the loose focus that all Zoni had, however Sigmund had noticed lately that Orvus had been quite serious and dare he say it, actually stressed during the rare times that he saw his boss recently. Several weeks had passed since Orvus had holed himself up in the chamber named after him with the Zoni leader only coming out for one small thing or another. To Sigmund, it seemed like Orvus was in the middle of some great project, well befitting the current senior caretaker of the Great Clock. The robot judged that this must be so from the constant power diversions that he had to monitor that only came when Orvus was on the cusp of some great realization of genius.
Yet Sigmund was at the end of his rope with worry in regard to whatever it was that had what was just about his only friend occupied. The red robot went to go about another one of his rounds around the clock, maintenance was never done of course!. Several gears had halted, grinding out a ticking that went completely out of rhythm to the rest of the machine as those gears went back and forth between two teeth. Hovering around and actually digging into the gaps between gears, Sigmund could see that it was the same problem as always. Reaching into his body, he fetched a clamp and aimed it into the troublesome spots. Each and every time, he clutched the arms of the tools tightly and pulled out giggling and spinning Zonis out from the gears. Sigmund huffed when the gears began moving again, it was like the energy beings were addicted to getting stuck in the most oddest places. He just had enough of getting out the Zoni from wherever they've gotten stuck for the last time when he was worrying about Orvus. Sigmund went chasing after the disoriented energy beings cheerfully going "Wheee!", intent on giving them a scolding. Even though it was assured that they wouldn't pay a single bit of attention to his words at all. The robot's chase eventually passed by the most important location of the clock, the Orvus chamber when the ornate doors suddenly burst open.
"I've done it! I've done it!" Orvus came out flying around in erratic circles while the rest of the zoni floated out their leader's flight path, quietly standing back. "Sigmund!" Orvus stopped right above the robot's head constantly laughing his own gentle laugh that never had even a hint of ill will. "It may have been tricky but I managed to do it!" All the while, the red robot noted that in spite of Orvus's chaotic flight pattern, the zoni remained upright and kept his hands enclosed on something that seemed small and possibly fragile due to the care that was being given.
"What sir, what?" Sigmund said, wondering just what could have Orvus have come up with this time. While his boss often came up with many useful and ingenious ideas such as the Great Clock and the mnemonic chambers, occasionally ideas like a quantum powered vacuum somehow found its way into Orvus' head. Sigmund still wasn't sure if the dust he cleaned up was actually there or not when he emptied the vacuum bag. The Zoni floated down to Sigmund's ocular sensors and opened up his hands to show a tiny spark of green light. While the red cylindrical robot had the utmost respect for his boss and friend , Sigmund couldn't help a hint of confusion enter his voice. "Oh sir, a night light?" Sigmund guessed.
Orvus gave that little chuckle of his at Sigmund's answer. It was a guilty pleasure that Orvus took each and every time Sigmund took that puzzled look of his. It was much better than the constant panicking the robot normally had while working under him in the Great Clock or the withdrawn behavior that the Zoni observed the cleaning and maintenance bot had when working on planet Viceron. Orvus shook his head, he needed to let Sigmund grow into some confidence one of these cycles, the junior caretaker did good work.. "A good guess but no, Sigmund meet my son." Orvus said holding out the small green light in his hands closer to Sigmund.
Sigmund paused as the words rattled around his auditory sensors echoing within a mind full of sprockets and cartoons until they flicked on a certain set of switches. Ones that if labeled for the curious and inquiring would say panic and be overjoyed. The red robot exploded as various implements installed in his chassis including for some reason a cuckoo clock hung out from various arms as he ran around making various exclamations. Sigmund collected himself barely and bent over to the small light in Orvus' hands, what could he say to the son of his boss? "Hey there little guy." Sigmund internal mechanisms winced, not the best thing to say to perhaps your new boss in the future. The small green light flickered in response.
"Actually Sigmund my son or XJ-0461 as he will be eventually be called, can't hear you. He actually hasn't been born yet, this is his soul." Orvus said and then sighed. "And it'll be quite a while before he can join us here at the Great Clock." Several Zoni came hovering and possibly for the first time, the red robot heard something else besides the normal excitement from the energy beings. For a while there was silence except for the comforting murmurings from the Zoni to their leader.
Then the cleaning and maintenance robot tilted his head "But sir, you've always wanted a son to take over the Clock for you." It was a topic that Orvus had always mentioned about, after all the Zoni had said that the true owner of the Clock wasn't him but the one who would come after him. Of course the constant mentions from Orvus about always wanting a son had nothing to do with the robot's guess, no sir. "Why wouldn't he be able to join us here?" The robot waved his arms about, "and wait what do you mean he hasn't been born yet and isn't that a robot designation?."
Orvus sighed as he sheltered XJ's soul in his hands "There is a robot overseer on a planet named Quartu in the Solana galaxy. She is in charge of the manufacture of giant robot soldiers and sentries for Blarg Industries. However she is aware of the leader of the Blargs, Chairman Drek's foul plan." At this Orvus's face usually tranquil except for the times when amused at a good awful joke hardened slightly. "The Chairman after despoiling his people's own planet is now ripping apart the Solana galaxy in order to create another, all for the sake of cash. Soon the overseer will alter the specifications of one robot, built to rebel and foil Drek's plan."
A sad shake of the head followed "But that would not be enough. Even if the altered programming takes root, a Blarg override command would trigger once that chassis leaves the conveyor belt. The robot would have its will stripped from it and be forced to report her to the Blarg." Then Orvus hands rose to present the small light steadily glowing. "But with the freedom granted by a soul, both influences will have no power over him and he can act according to his own nature, his own decisions. He would go stop Chairman Drek because of his own choices and that would have more meaning."
Sigmund started nodding but then blinked. "But sir, that still doesn't make sense. Why were you in such a rush then? I mean stopping something as bad as planets being torn apart is pretty important." The robot went and rubbed the back of his head. "But you've been well," Sigmund shrugged while waving his palms about, then enlightenment dawned on the often dark celestial entity that was Sigmund as he shifted his face and posture into a pose worthy of being immortalized in marble.
"Ah yes, I have been quite startling of late haven't I? "Orvus said regaining some of his good humor. The Zoni looked out towards the windows that revealed the universe in all its vastness. A look that Sigmund had never seen on Orvus' face before captivated the cleaning robot's attention. A quick questioning "sir?" caused Orvus to turn back from whatever thoughts, deep as they were that was occupying his brain. "Oh sorry Sigmund, it's just that my need to rush came about because that Chairman Drek's plan caught me by surprise."
Sigmund was silent at this admission and further questioned his boss for didn't the Zoni exist in a different relation to time? The robot couldn't even begin to count of all the times Orvus knew of things that had yet to happen. In that case how would Orvus be rushed by what Chairman Drek was doing? Orvus gave another little laugh "Oh Sigmund you give me too much credit. The universe is full of surprises, I don't know everything, even I can be caught off guard." Orvus' face softened and a hint of wistfulness entered his voice. "In any case, it will be nice to see that child again."
On the planet Quartu in the Solana Galaxy the glow of energy barriers filled the near constant night around the Blarg factory as the process of churning out various sentry bots and other militant robots continued. Inside said factory there is no one organic except for one small intruder in a soft cloak pacing back and forth with hands twitching all the while. The normal sentry bots within the factory didn't notice him at all as he paced in front of the main computer where the conveyor belt that dropped out the finished robots was. To a very select group of people found in the Shadow Sector of the Solana galaxy, they would recognize this person as the new chairman and president of Vox Industries.
This person's thoughts were that things were moving too quickly. Executive Chairman Drek had started the planet robbing plan two years too early. To the person that was pacing undetected and unseen in the factory, he considered it his fault. Chairman Gleeman Vox was just as much as a slimeball as Chairman Drek but under better security detail. There was only a slight window of opportunity to be able to rid the universe of this menace. It was rather simple really and a testament to how the universe loves to play dice. After all with the substandard safety protocols that Vox had for his company, it wasn't really a wonder that the railing broke and dumped the chairman into one of the glue boiling vats at the Grand Opening of the third Slugha gluemaking factory.
But no, he couldn't have leave the company alone after that, for all one of the board members might actually take over and become a worse chairman than Vox. So he, the one who changed the route of Vox's tour not in the predetermined path that actually had all the safety features but one that ended up with Vox taking a dive, took over Vox Industries. Well actually if the new president of Vox Industries admitted to himself, it was more like he was shanghaied into the job. He still wasn't sure how it happened in the first place all those memories blurred with his panic over what to do after killing Vox. It did provide a source of income for the new chairman's activities and he had policies changed within the company that would more focus on turning the Shadow sector into a better place to live. Strangely enough the new management worked in spite of the grumbling of the board members as Vox Industries grew by leaps and bounds with a reputable image as well. What with actual safety testing and principles aimed towards quality the company's products began to spread from the Shadow sector of Solana and people actually started to emigrate willingly to what was once the most wretched hive of scum and villainy in the galaxy.
This did however have unexpected consequences and the biggest one was that Vox Industries had become a viable and very profitable competitor within the Solana market. Gadgetron in response had stepped up research and development and with its own reputation built over long years of quality service gained a large following within Solana. However on the other hand between Gadgetron and Vox seizing up the market, it meant that the company called Blarg Industries took a nosedive. The company owned by the Blargg was not doing well in recent years because they've always been known for dangerous and low-quality products. It had only kept itself afloat as the cheaper alternative to Gadgetron's quality.
Yet with the introduction of Vox into the galaxy, the hand of Executive Chairman Drek lost its only advantage in the market. In order to keep being viable, the company went ahead and underwent more dangerous and ludicrous research and in turn stepping up production faster then ever. That however was the biggest problem in the new Vox chairman's view. In order to step up this production, the Blarg Planet Orixon had been drained faster of its resources and polluted further as the factories and refineries worked overtime. The planet, now a horrid amoeboid green became much more inhospitable forcing the Blargs to engage in a mass exodus.
Now Executive Chairman Drek's plan was already in progress and of course the profit minded little son of a Cragmite would be all set to ruin that one once he was done and start the process over again. He would be stopped eventually except for one little problem. While one player in the drama yet to come was already in place but there was a problem with the other one. Strangely enough, it seemed the more things changed, the more things stayed the same but it still didn't change the fact that the one that would start everything hadn't been born yet. Furthermore he couldn't be born because the factor that would make that person what he was, was in the hands of other people. He could delay the manufacture of the certain body that this other special person would reside in but he could do nothing about the actual piece that would make that person the way he was.
In any case, the Vox chairman was thinking about how to further delay his rival and enemy Drek when he was startled by a sudden voice. "Hello there, child." It was voice that the small chairman had never expected to hear ever again. Well actually he realized that the way things were, he did have a chance but he was so caught up in what he was doing that he never gave much thought to this actually happening.
The Vox chairman turned around and gazed above at a welcome sight. In a cracked voice said "Hello again, Orvus" Big green eyes watered slightly at the sight of the Zoni leader ."It's nice to be able to see you again." The wringing hands with white fur went behind the tiny cloaked being's back. The fabric shimmered under the light but there didn't seem to be any pattern on it.
"You're looking well, up and about are you?" Orvus said, though there was a strange wrinkle in the Zoni's brow at the sight of the person in front of him. The question had no harshness in it and the gaze the Zoni had was made with soft blue eyes as Orvus held his son's soul in his hands. Not a single sentry or security robot noticed the two within the room even after all this time.
"Yes, I have certain people to thank for that" The child said looking straight at the Creator of the Great Clock "But I could never resent what they've done" The gaze between the two broken off by the one on the ground. "Even if it ended up as it did at the end." The chairman of Vox Industries blinked and turned back to Orvus. "I guess you're here to do what you need to do, right?"
Orvus laughed, a sound that to the child before the Zoni, never expected to ever hear. Having very few things to feel good about, the child welcomed the sound that echoed around the chamber. "Of course! And well haven't you been busy then?" At the other being's nods, Orvus looked to the conveyor belt, ceaselessly dumping out large and sadly rather dull sentry bots. "From the fact that you are here and that the robotic overseer hasn't been replaced. I suppose you might have had a hand in why the body that my son will be in hasn't left the conveyor belt all this time?"
The Vox chairman looked abashed as much that could be seen through the hood of his cloak as he pulled it down further over his head. Though he still confirmed that yes he was the reason for why the specially devised body by the robot overseer hadn't been yet manufactured. "But now that you're here, I can drop the program right?" At Orvus' yes, the chairman went over to a console and deactivated the program that prevented a certain altered robot from being constructed. The rattling of gears and pistons echoed throughout the halls as the factory built a robot not according to the standard specifications. As the new robot dropped onto the conveyer belt, Orvus wound up in a pose he had often heard of used in that game called baseball. The Zoni let the glowing ball of light loose and set forth his son onto his destiny.
On the screen of the robot overseer of the Quartu factory, a schematic of a normal large sentry bot appeared and was summarily crossed out. With an erroneous beep, a small robot instead tumbled out of the conveyor belt. Shaking his head at his rough entry into the world, this new robot took in his surroundings with his visual sensors for the first time. Across from him among the chamber's green tinted windows and stalled ventilation fans was what his pre-installed database told him was an info-bot. It expanded into a larger screen and the little robot watched in horror the atrocity being committed before his very optics. A sudden set of clunking sounds drew the little robot's attention and he saw that one of his properly programmed brethren come up likely to put an end to him. Seizing the info-bot and storing it inside him, the little robot dodged the sentry's rather clumsy grab at him. Dashing between two pillar like legs. The son of Orvus tumbled and slid down one long exit pipe right into the seat of a conveniently placed jet parked outside. Recovering quickly, the robot launched the jet bringing down its roof and gaining altitude. He didn't care where it was going as long as it was away from here. As his jet left the planet he began to tailed by two other sentry bots in similar jets. The chase was on.
Meanwhile on the planet Veldin tuneless whistling came from a certain lombax as he tightened several bolts on the project he had been working on for several years. Ratchet Nova, in Veldin work jeans, chest harness and rather large gloves had been living on the planet ever since the lombax race had wanted to have a small presence within the galaxy which was named Solana. Veldin was a planet very close to Fastoon's climate and geography and it was the perfect place where the lombaxes could set up an embassy. His father Kaden had been stationed here partly to perform some research at the facility here and partly because he was entrusted with the task of being the emergency escape plan with the Dimensionator that he was still in charge of. Not that many people knew of the second part as the identity of the keeper was a secret that only the Council, the Prime Minister and several high ranking members of the Lombax Defense Ministry knew of.
While it was a new experience for Ratchet, staying in one place for a period longer than several months still didn't help him any in the friend department. There were few if any of his age group that he actually knew, as childhood often ended very quickly on Veldin. Life on this desert like planet especially in the area of the Kyzil Plateau far from the oceans required its people to grow up quickly, though interaction with the lombaxes was improving the standards of living. With the fact that the lombax was also an alien to the residents of Veldin and the other lombaxes here busy with work anyway, things barely changed in the social aspect of his life.
Of course there was one exception and that was a Veldin couple that he gotten quite close to and had helped him immensely in setting up this mechanic's shop. It was an actual useful business here, a repair shop for both ships and minor appliances located in a rather spacious garage. The nice canid looking couple that insisted on him calling them Aunt Millie and Uncle Cog had rented the space out to him for cheap. To Ratchet it became something like a home away from home, giving his parents much needed 'alone' time. After all he was still a teenager and very few teenagers, even ones with few inhibitions about the body as the lombaxes, liked the idea of their parents getting up to some 'fun' in the bedroom.
Thinking back on the relationship he had with Aunt Millie and Uncle Cog, he was reminded of that terrible day where he nearly lost them. It had started on a bright sunny day in Veldin with the sky tinged bright blue and the moon still visible. Ratchet had been staying at the home of the two Veldin natives since Kaden and Cara didn't wish to leave their son alone. While the lombax kit was only ten years old, he could still get into a lot of mischief without adult supervision and taking things apart at the lombax embassy while understandable by those living there, wasn't something that was preferred. However everybody else in the lombax embassy was busy with their own projects and the rest of the Veldin population was rather wary of the strangers from Fastoon. Cogswell and Millicent on the other hand were happy to look after Ratchet while Kaden and Cara worked. The two had wanted children from their own but couldn't at the moment. Still they did treat the boy almost as if he was their own son. It was nearly time when Kaden picked Ratchet up but Aunt Millie brought out some of her dried fruit biscuits. Ratchet with his legs dangling above the floor "Now you can only have two Ratchet dear, you have to eat when you get home."
Ratchet beamed with perked ears, as he reached over to the plate that Aunt Millie set down. His small yellow furred self stretching across the table with his knees on the seat "Thank you Aunt Millie" he said as he chomped down on the biscuit, the flaky bread meshing well with the shocking sweetness from the dried fruit. The sound of coughing brought the lombax out of his enjoyment of the treat. Aunt Millie was coughing heavily into her hand, her brown rust colored fur seeming rather dull. "Aunt Millie what's wrong?"
"Mills you okay?" Uncle Cog came up to his wife hold her shoulder and that's when Ratchet noticed that the brighter red furred canid had dark spots under his eyes. Uncle Cog looked back to Ratchet, "Don't worry, we've been feeling a bit tired sometimes. Got a bit of heavy duty work these few days. It'll pass." Ratchet nodded at this taking the man at his word and went back to finish off that other biscuit. While he was doing this, he saw Uncle Cog gently guide Aunt Millie over to the kitchen for some water he supposed. His ears flickered as he heard the coughing stop for a moment, then return even stronger. Ratchet dropped his biscuit when it seemed like Uncle Cog was coughing as well with both of the two actually making very pained rasping noises.
The lombax had jumped off from the chair, letting it clatter behind him as he ran into the kitchen. Then a harsh copper scent assaulted his noise clashing with the mix of flour and motor oil in the house. Red had spilled onto the floor as Aunt Millie had collapsed onto it, with smudges of blood still on her muzzle. Uncle Cog had slumped down onto the side of a counter clutching his side and wincing as he too coughed harshly enough to send droplets of blood and bubbles splattering in patterns on the pale white tiled floor. The canid looked up and met Ratchet's eyes and tried to call out his name in a soothing tone but broke down into a further round of hacking out in pain.
Ratchet's breathing became short and unsteady as he fumbled into his pockets. Everything became a blur to the small boy's green eyes but his hands clasped onto the reassuring shape of a communicator. His mother had left it with him just in case, Ratchet felt like wanting to talk to his parents. Flicking on the switch only by touch, the beeping sound of connecting to his father's comm-unit never seemed so slow before. Yet his father's voice crackled out of the device. "Ratchet? I'm nearly to Cogs and Millie's house, what's wrong can't wait to get home? Mom's making-"
"DAD! Aunt Millie and Uncle Cogs fell down! They've been coughing up blood. Please get help! I don't know what to do, they aren't moving." Ratchet blurted out as he dropped the unit on the floor when Uncle Cogs slumped down face first. The short lombax was almost crushed under the dead weight of the larger Veldin native but managed to lean Uncle Cog upright against the counter. Ratchet's mind raced, he never experienced anything like this before, well something flickered through his head and he just had a thought. Aunt Millie wouldn't be able to breath in her own blood. He went to gently move Aunt Millie out from the puddle beneath her that now was exceedingly harsh in smell. Ratchet worked carefully and grabbing a clean towel, wet it to clean his watchers' muzzles. A sudden flash from a teleport pad appeared, and Ratchet turned to see his father Kaden standing there with some of the lombax medical team from the embassy. As the head medic sent out orders, Kaden rushed over to Ratchet and wrapped the boy in a strong embrace.
Ratchet flushed as he came to that part of the memory, as he had cried into dad's shoulder as his father had murmured words that the two canids would be alright. It was much later after Ratchet had asked after the two that he had learned that had been sick with Genetic Breakdown Disease. At the time he really didn't understand it but was told that it was when the body went and tried to kill itself. It was a simple enough explanation for a ten year old. Normally it would have been a death sentence on Veldin as medical technology even advanced as it was on the planet could do nothing to ease the pain of passing.
However recently on Veldin a specialized type of treatment had been developed. It used the theory that when one used teleporters, one could filter what was actually moved. So by filtering the parts of the body infected with the disease and leaving them behind while teleporting the person, one could cure the disease. However at the moment the only people skilled enough and necessary equipment to perform the surgery were located all on Fastoon. When Ratchet found out, he recalled almost breaking into tears again and tried to hold it together by adjusting some more fuses in the engine. The days after that were troubled and it followed into Ratchet's sleep, having horrible nightmares where he went to wake up Uncle Cog and Aunt Millie. Yet finding out that their bodies were cold and still, not responding to his voice crying out for them to wake up. To stop sleeping, after all didn't they have work to do? But both Aunt Millie and Uncle Cog remained unmoving in that dream that reoccurred night after night. It had gotten to the point that Ratchet would stay up all night refusing to sleep. Of course that just ended up with him dozing off and having that nightmare follow him into the daylight hours. That was why it came to a relief, Ratchet recalled when he was told that the couple would be alright.
Lombaxes wouldn't leave a wrong remain if they could do something about it. Kaden got authorization to transport Cogswell and Millicent to Fastoon for them to be treated there. All this, the lombaxes did without asking anything in return. The surgery went off without a hitch though there was a rough start to the treatment in which both natives from Veldin had to nursed into a better condition for the filter surgery. In the end however when the couple returned home, they were extremely grateful that the lombaxes saved their lives and moved to have the natives become more accepting of those from Fastoon. The two spread their story and the customers of their business, friends and family. Their networking tactics worked and the lombaxes could more easily mingle among those on Veldin after their work was done.
For Ratchet the first thing that he did when Aunt Millie and Uncle Cog returned was to hug them tightly and not letting go for a good while, not a strong grip as Cogswell commented but well meant. As for the couple themselves, they had a special place in their hearts for the young lombax that helped saved them. That was why when after being complimented on his mechanical skills and wanting to set up his own business, the couple let Ratchet rent out their garage at a price far below what it was actually worth. Though to tell the truth they actually wanted to let Ratchet set up in there for free. However Ratchet wouldn't let them do that and so they ended up with Ratchet paying rent for his sake. He actually had a sizable following as what was brought to him always came working far better than when it was new. His customers didn't know it but Ratchet actually had to restrain himself somewhat from adding such options such as ultraviolet headlights or triple isotope-powered engines.
In any case the project Ratchet had been working on was building his own ship from scrap parts. It was something of a minor bet between him and Uncle Petrov and the ante? It was Uncle Petrov never calling Ratchet Tiny ever again and if Kaden's son lost he'll never be able to complain about it ever again. Not even if he got that growth spurt he was holding out for. Thus Ratchet over the years had gathered nearly all the parts he needed from the ship junkyards and any odds and ends from appliances that bit the dust. As he made the last final adjustments to the ship, his stomach warmed in anticipation. Soon all those long hours would be worth it, never having to hear being called Tiny again and hopefully mom would let him take it out to the nearest planet for a spin.
Turning back to the Gadgetron help desk device on his left wrist he pressed the button to see what it would tell him this time. While he did have the mechanical aptitude of all lombaxes, Ratchet was still young and needed a little help with some parts of ship construction. Most lombax children usually didn't build their first ship and entirely from scratch to boot. Not to mention that it reassured customers that felt uneasy about having a child fix their ship or appliances. A pleasant and cultured female voice merely had this to say "Final step: attach robotic ignition system. Thank you for using Gadgetron helpdesk technology client number 91802." At those words the lombax groaned as he just realized he might have to live with that nickname for the rest of his life. Robotic ignition systems weren't just something a lombax could just pick up off the road side. Ratchet slapped his palm into his face as he tried to come up with some sort of substitution that wouldn't blow up on him.
For the moment however, Ratchet's mind drew up blanks. Every other option that he could had tried such as a Bucky Combustion Drive or a even in the worse case hacking a busted up superluminal modulator required more room in the ship than he had according to the plans he referenced from Gadgetron. Shaking his head and gripping his Omni-wrench tighter he went to adjust his yet unfinished ship further, there had to be something to free up the needed space. And so Ratchet continued working on his ship, not knowing that the universe loving its punchlines would be making sure that a certain windup to its best joke was approaching. After all the more things changed, the more things stayed the same. In this case a certain space ship above him holding a fugitive robot finally shot down by the two other robots chasing him and his ship went spiraling towards a crash landing miraculously near the Kyzil Plateau.