Chapter VIII

Soara never went back to sleep. As the sun once again crept back through the trees, she starred blinklessly at Ratchet and Clank. "How should I do it?" She was saying to herself. "I could just use my sword. But would it be more humane to do it activated or deactivated? And if so, which settings do I put it on? And which should I strike first?" She thought for a moment, then answered herself. "Probably Clank. If he senses anything, he will alert Ratchet." The storm had at last dissipated, so the sun was shining brightly into the mouth of the cave. "Better do it now." Soara told herself. She stood up, and walked over to where Ratchet and Clank were asleep. Ratchet was still leaning against the cave wall, while Clank was slumped over half leaning on the wall, half leaning on Ratchet. "I could probably take them both out with one blow. Soara said to herself. She unsheathed her sword. Without activating it, she raised it above her, preparing to strike. "Come on!" Said a voice inside Soara's head. "Do it! What are you waiting for?!"
"I- I CAN'T!" Soara answered herself. "Pathetic!" Answered the first voice. "You've allowed this Lombax to corrupt you! He has made you soft, and weak!"
"I AM NOT WEAK!" Soara shouted allowed. Ratchet jumped and gave a startled grunt. Before he opened his eyes, Soara put he sword back in it's sheath, and lunged back to the spot she had been sleeping. Ratchet yawned and opened his eyes. "Oh I'm sorry." He said sleepily. "You say something, Soara?" Soara gave a guilty grin. "Nope." She said. "Nothing." The lights in Clank's eyes turned back on as he regained his consciousness. "Morning, pal." Said Ratchet, acknowledging Clank. They both got to there feet. "Let's get going." Said Ratchet, Stretching his arms. "I can't stand to be on this rock for one more day." Soara didn't move. She stared at the ground where she sat. "You feeling okay, Soara?" Ratchet asked her. Without looking at him, Soara answered by saying. "I don't know. I guess I have a lot on my mind." She sighed deeply, finally looking up. "Ratchet." She said. "There is something I need to-" She broke off. Ratchet looked at her. "Yeah?" He said. Soara resumed looking at the ground. "I think we should wait before moving on." She said. "We don't even know where we are going. If there is any settlement here. If we continue to run around like this, it could do more harm then good." There was a pause. "Uh." Said Ratchet, oddly. "Okay, then?"
"Perhaps Soara has a point." Said Clank. "Well, maybe." Said Ratchet, shrugging. "But what exactly will we do in the mean time."
"Um." Said Soara, thinking. "Survey? Maybe?" She said. "Perhaps use the surrounding trees. If we climb high enough, we could possibly see which way we should go."
"Well. Okay then." Said Ratchet attaching Clank to his back. "Shouldn't take too long."
"Yeah." Said the voice inside Soara's head. "But just long enough."
Ratchet left the cave, immediately jumped into the nearest tree, and began to climb. Soara slowly walked out of the cave herself. She however didn't do the same as Ratchet. She had no intention of finding a settlement. Instead, she leaned up against the outside wall of the cave with her head down, and her arms crossed. "See anything in you direction, pal?" Ratchet asked, addressing Clank. "Nothing but trees stretching for miles." Clank replied. "Yeah. Same here." Said Ratchet. "Nothing but a stretch of maroon as far as the eye can see." He made to climb out of the tree. "That seemed relatively pointless." Ratchet then jumped out of the tree, landing on his feet. He saw Soara leaning against the cave. "You see anything up there, Soara?" He asked. Soara slowly shook her head. "Didn't even go up." She said quietly. Ratchet looked concerningly at her as Clank jumped off his back. "Soara?" He said to her. "What is wrong? You've been acting strange all morning."
"Ratchet!" Said Soara suddenly, unable to contain it anymore. She looked up at him, a strange look on her face. "I- Echelon knows where we are. They are on their way here." Ratchet looked at Soara half surprised, half confused. "What?" He said. "But how did they-" The look on Soara's face answered Ratchet's question before he finished. "You!" He shouted. "You've been using us from the beginning, haven't you?"
"No"! Said Soara. "It's not like that!"
"Ratchet." Said Clank. "Perhaps we should give Soara a chance to explain."
"Explain?!" Ratchet Repeated, practically shouting. "Don't you get it Clank?! After Soara's ship crashed, Echelon wouldn't recue her unless she offered us as tribute! She just needed to buy time for her friends to get here." Soara closed her eyes and bit her lip. "Ratchet." She said in a cracked voice. "I am so sorry."
"Save it, Soara!" Said Ratchet putting up a hand. "I thought you changed! I thought you were our friend!"
"But I AM!" Said Soara. "I'm giving you the opportunity to get out of here before-" There was a rumble over there heads. Everyone looked up to see a single vessel, preparing to land not far from their location. "They are here." Said Soara. "Ratchet, listen to me. You and Clank have to get out of here or they will kill you." Ratchet grabbed Clank's hand, who was looking at Soara with a disbelieving look. "Come on, Clank." Said Ratchet, putting Clank back on his back. "Let's go." Giving Soara one last look of deepest loathing, Ratchet turned in the opposite direction and ran through the trees and out of site.
Soara didn't know how long she stared at the place Ratchet and Clank vanished, but she then heard a bit of commotion behind her. Thinking maybe Ratchet had just ran in a giant circle, Soara turned around to see, not Ratchet, but her fellow members of the EchelonVI. Captain Telther, Dr Magellanic, a Markazian male, and the second in command. Also Andromeda, the large Valkyrie, and the twin Cazars, Reese and Shawn Sagittarius. "You have finally come." Said Soara, smiling at her teammates. "I was wondering."
"Spare us, Soara." Said Magellanic impatiently. "You know why we are here. Have you done it? Where is the Lombax?"
"Gone." Said Soara. "He has escaped."
"Escaped?!" Repeated Telther, flaring up. "Soara! You- you incompetent good for nothing FOOL! How could you let a single Lombax elude you? Come on!" He gestured to the other four bounty hunters. "We have to hunt that Lombax done and finish him ourselves!"
"I cannot let you do that, Telther!" Said Soara, blocking the path that Ratchet had gone through. The members of Echelon looked at Soara. Telther and Magellanic looked livid, while the others laughed jeeringly. "No?" Said Telther. "I'm warning you Soara! If you defend this Lombax, and get in the way of our bounty, we will be forced to kill you too!"
"Then so be it." Said Soara, unsheathing her sword. "Because if you want Ratchet, you will have to get through me first!"