ALERT: Special note to all readers, special Authors Note Below :ALERT
Ratchet smiled and turned to face the vid screen in the wall he quickly punched in a planet code that Stella had never heard of before and turned back to them.
After several moments the screen blinked and a large Megacorp symbol appeared.
"Thank you for calling Megacorp, You're call to the 'Gentics Devision Leader' Will be answered momentarily."
Sky and Stella both mouthed Megacorp at the same time, Sky just sitting there, and Stella trying to connect the dots. While they sat and thought the screen blinked again and turned to static.
"Hello?" Angela asked as her face appeared on the screen
"Oh, Hey Ratchet, Sasha, and.....OH are they...?"
Ratchet and Sasha nodded "Yea, we thought you might like to finally meet your god children" Sasha replied.
Angela smiled "Well, Hi Sky, Stella, You've changed a lot since you're baby photos"
Stella focused on Angela "Baby photos?"
Angela frowned at Ratchet and Sasha in turn "That's right, that was all you're parents deemed fit to send me"
Sasha grinned at Ratchet as he cringed, while Sky and Stella giggled.
"Yes well, there's another reason we called Angela, besides just showing you our children"
Angela sighed "Figures, Let me guess you need a favor?"
Ratchet nodded "Sorta, You see somethings happening on the edge of the Galaxy here, and Sasha and I are being called back into active duty."
Angela nodded "And?"
Sasha took over "To put it simply, we don't want to force our children to live on a space ship. So, we want to know if it would be okay, if, well, the twins could stay with you if they decided not to live on the Phoenix?"
Angela's face blanked for a moment "You mean, you would want them to live with me, so far away, in another Galaxy?"
Sasha and Ratchet nodded "If it meant them being safe, yes"
Angela nodded "I'll do it, when can I expect them?"
Ratchet and Sasha looked at Sky and Stella "Like we said, it's up to them. We don't want to put the pressure on, but you'll have you're answer with in the week."
"So you were just calling to check that?" Asked Angela as she put her hands on her hips
"Yeah" Ratchet nodded
"Well, I'm busy, you know that, so only call if you have your answer, okay?"
Sasha nodded this time "Okay, we'll be sure when we contact you again"
Angela gave a curt nod before she closed the line and the Vid-Screen went black. Ratchet and Sasha turned to focus on the twins who suddenly couldn't meet either eyes.
Sasha sighed "Like we said, you don't need to decide now, but....soon"
She slid Sky off her lap and walked towards the door, Ratchet laid Stella down on her bed and joined Sasha "We, really didn't want to do anything like this to you, ever. Most wouldn't think you could handle it, but your father saved a galaxy around the same age, so you should be able to handle it."
Sasha glanced down and felt her eyes moisten, she quickly stepped out into the hall. Ratchet glanced back at both of his kids who were watching him with worry. "Your mother's okay, she's just afraid you'll go to Angela, and she won't see you anymore." Ratchet opened his mouth to say some more then stopped. He blinked then opened his mouth again "I want you both to know, no matter what you choose, your mother and I will always love you, don't ever forget it." With that he turned around and walked outside into the hall, closing the door behind him and Ratchet leading the silently crying Sasha down the hall.
Sky and Stella waited until they heard their parents door close before they turned to each other. They stared at each other for several minuets before Sky finally spoke up.
"Well, what do we do?"
Stella shook her head "How would I know? Part of me wants to go with Mom and Dad wherever they go. Part wants to go to the starship just to explore. Part wonders what the Bogon Galaxy is like now. Then there's the part the scared of all this and just wants to curl up in a corner and wish this all away." Stella glanced around the room before returning her gaze to Sky "No matter what we choose though, It'll affect out entire lives, that's for sure. Either by distancing us from Mom and Dad, or from living in space."
Sky nodded, but stopped when Stella wouldn't quit staring at him "What?"
Stella sighed, "Well, out with it, what's you're view on all this?"
Sky thought about it "Mostly the same as you I think, Part is always wanting to go wherever Dad and Mom go. Part wants to go to the starship to explore and get a new area to practice my acrobats. Part wants to go to Bogon and meet out Godmother in person. Then the part that doesn't know what to do at all and is worried that the wrong choice will ruin our lives"
They both sat on the bed for a moment more before Stella bit her lip, Sky noticed the action "What?"
"What.....What if one of us goes to Bogon, and the other goes with Mom and Dad?"
Sky jumped off the bed when he heard that. "NO WAY STELLA! We can choose one or the other, but I couldn't stand being separated from you. You're my twin, we stick together, twins forever, remember?"
Stella's eyes teared as she jumped off the bed and gave Sky a hug. Of course she remembered when they had made that up. He had just gotten in trouble and Stella had taken the blame to spare him their parents ire.
Stella nodded "Alright, We won't split, but, we still need to decide on something, go to Bogon or to the Phoenix. Either choice will effect somebody who loves us, in a bad way."
Sky nodded in return "But, who do we hurt, and how much do we hurt them?"
Stella and Sky stared at each other, lost for words, They had just met Angela, but it would still hurt her if they had decided to go with their parents after she had agreed to take them in. On the other hand, if they went to Bogon, their own parents would be crushed beyond belief that their own children had chosen to go to another Galaxy instead of with them. They might think their own children hated them. It was a hard choice either way.
Ratchet had left Sasha in their room while he headed out to the garage to work on his ship. Clank had flown over to talk to him, but ended up sitting on a near by desk, after being filled in on what happened in the house, he just sat watching Ratchet work on his starfighter. After several moments of tinkering Ratchet's hand slipped on a tight bolt and he smashed his hand on the inside of the ship. He started cursing almost non-stop. Clank focused on his friend.
"Is something wrong, Ratchet?" Clank asked as he moved along the table closer to Ratchet.
Ratchet stopped his cursing and looked up at Clank "No"
Clank looked skeptical "My sensors can tell when you are lying, Ratchet"
Ratchet paused, after several moments of silence Clank spoke up again "This has to do with you returning to command of the Phoenix, and what the Twins might choose, does it not?"
Ratchet sighed "Clank, what if they choose to go Bogon with Angela, What if they....they....don't love us enough to come to the Phoenix with us? Our own children."
Clank looked dumbfounded "What do you mean? You think that the Twins will not accompany you and Sasha to the Phoenix? Ratchet that is silly, The Twins love you, and Sasha, I know that they will choose to go with you and Sasha to the Phoenix."
Ratchet furrowed his brow "What about you Clank?"
"What ever do you mean Ratchet?"
Ratchet narrowed his eyes "Don't be like that Clank, you know what I mean. This entire time, you've been talking like 'Sasha and Me' never 'Us' as a group. Are you not coming to the Phoenix with us?"
Clank paused "I do not know Ratchet."
Ratchet stood up and wiped his hands off on a rag "You don't want to return to the Phoenix? Don't you want to go on another galactic adventure to save the Galaxy?"
Clank glanced about the room "Maybe... I do not know. I think the Twins are not the only ones who need some time to think."
Ratchet blinked once "Grown used to a peaceful life Clank?"
Clank shook his head "No way, the new places, the new and interesting people, I would not give that up. I am surprised you did."
"I'm surprised I did so willing as well, but I had Sky and Stella to take care of, and that chilled my desire for it. But now that it's been put onto the table in front of me, and with Sky and Stella old enough to make their own choices. Part of me want's to return to active duty and travel the stars again. While the other part wants to stay on Veldin and live the quiet life."
Ratchet paused
"What?" Clank questioned.
"Although, I'm afraid if I did choose that, Sasha would leave me, to take control of the Phoenix by herself" finished Ratchet quietly sitting down in a chair.
Clank walked across the table to put a hand on his friends shoulder "Do you really think Sasha would leave you Ratchet?"
Ratchet blinked "I honestly don't know Clank, she called Aquagirl to ask her and come to talk to me."
"She did?"
Ratchet nodded "Yeah, so obviously she want's to return to active duty, and bring the family along." Ratchet put his head into his hands.
"Clank, I don't know what to do, I've always had a clear path in life, and even the times that weren't I could always blast my way through. Now, I don't want to know what lies down either of the paths in front of me"
Clank removed his hand from Ratchets shoulder "Well, no matter what, you have me to back you up."
Ratchet glanced over at Clank "Thanks Clank" He glanced over at a clock and stood up
"Well, I'm off to bed, I suggest you head home Clank" Ratchet said as he walked out the door.
"Very well, I shall see you tomorrow Ratchet" Clank replied as he blasted out of the hanger with his thruster pack.
Ratchet watched him fly off before turning to his house, he sighed and headed for the entrance.
Sasha's ears perked as she heard Ratchet walk through the house, sealing it for the night. She sighed and dried the fur around her eyes as much as possible. Hopefully in the half light it wouldn't be so obvious that she had been crying so hard. She didn't understand why the thought of her kids not choosing to come with them hurt so much but....It did.
She sat and waited on the bed while she heard Ratchet go about the house closing it up for the night. After a while the door opened and Ratchet walked in, sitting down on the bed next to her. They sat in silence for several moments till Sasha sniffed.
"You're worried too?"
Sasha nodded "What, if they choose not to? Do you really think we'll be okay letting them go to another Galaxy without us if they wanted to?"
Ratchet sighed "I was just discussing the same thing with Clank in the garage. I have the same fears you do, and after thinking about it I don't think we could stop them either way. True, it's a big choice to ask of twelve year olds. But, I also think Sky and Stella can handle it, and I'll support them all the way. Even if it means only seeing them through a Vid-screen."
Sasha sighed and leaned into his side. "How do you do it Ratchet?"
Ratchet scrunched his face up in confusion "Do what?"
Sasha waited a bit before saying quietly "Be so brave..."
Ratchet shook his head "I have you, That's how I'm brave, and I have Sky and Stella as well. If we end up in a fight I know it will be to protect Sky and Stella, and you."
Ratchet placed his hand under Sasha's chin and lifted it so she was looking into his eyes "I don't know what I would do if I lost you, I don't want to think about it. So believe me when I say I'm not brave, I just have the heart to do what others don't"
Sasha sighed again and looked away "Alright, I know this was my idea in the first place, but I always thought the kids would come with us, I didn't stop to think they might not. But, I'll be like you, I'll support them no matter what."
Ratchet nodded and pulled his wife into his lap before laying down on the bed sideways "Good, Now let's sleep on it, and maybe, maybe, the morning will be better."
Stella waited until she was sure her parents were asleep before sliding out of her bed and creeping towards the door, being careful not to wake Sky, who had ended up falling asleep on the floor with an extra blanket. She moved extremely slowly towards the door, so as not to trigger the sensor that would open it. Finally reaching the wall she reached forward and pulled off a small panel that she had disguised as part of the wall. Reaching in she disabled the sensor that trigger the door. Approaching the door she pulled carefully up on it and was satisfied to have it come up with out making any noise. Once she had enough space she slipped under the door and lowered it quietly back down.
She turned to face the hallway and paused, she had never snuck out without Sky, if felt different not having him along side her. She shook her head and moved down the hall, stepping over the laser beam emitters so as not to wake the house, luckily she wasn't going far.
She soon reached the stairs and proceeded up by sliding along the railing and finally landing in the main entrance where her goal was,
The Vid-Screen communicator.
Walking over she tapped out a few commands and waited while the communicator got to work.
"Come on..." she mumbled to herself as she waited "Dad had to have routed the number through here."
She typed a few commands and eventually was rewarded with an contact ID. She grinned and sent the call, hopping that late here was early in the Bogon galaxy for Angela.
SpecialAuthorsNote: So dictated this through one of those audio translator things, if it seems odd thats why.
[Start:1/09/2010 10:48] *sigh* So *pause* Not sure how to say this, cause its an admission of failure. But, uh *pause**sigh* I don't know where to take the story anymore. I think that at any attempt to expand the story now would cause my brain to explode. I just honestly can't think of anything to put anymore, I've been at this point for near on three months now. Still nothing, at all. So, to all the fans, I apologize, I *pause* I need to take a break, story is done now, enjoy what there is. I'm sorry. *sigh* [End:1/09/2010 10:58]