Out of nowhere, something smashed into the scorpion, knocking it back. The creature gave a guttural howl of pain as another smash hit it in the head, breaking the shell around its face and spraying Skyla with a green liquid that could only be its blood. It snarled in rage and turned to face the new attacker, and was met full on by one, two, three blows, driving it back and away from Skyla. A figure jumped into her view, swinging something wildly as it took on the scorpion. The monster was pushed back with each blow, the figure shouting furiously as it struck hard again and again. The creature, temporarily stunned, retreated a few paces with staggering steps. Then the figure turned and Skyla saw them properly.
It was Ratchet...but he was different.
His eyes were blazing fiercely and his whole body was tensed and prepared for battle. His wrench, tightly held in his fist, was coated in green blood and his clothes were covered with flecks of the stuff. The way he held himself, his expression...Ratchet was a Warrior.
"Get back, get back!" he yelled at Skyla as the recovered creature let out a challenging roar. The grey Lombax scrabbled to her feet, her leg only just taking her weight, and took a step back, then paused. She looked from Ratchet to the creature who was readying to attack again. It let out another roar and lunged at both of them.
Ratchet leapt into the air and brought his wrench crashing down on the creatures head, cracking one of its claws and getting them spewed once again with green blood. He glanced back at her as he regained his grip on his wrench,
"GO!" he shouted, eyes alive with battle fire. It was more his look of raw, warrior strength than their situation that sent Skyla stumbling backwards as Ratchet turned on the creature once again. She only got a few steps before her leg gave way and she collapsed to the ground, biting her lip to stop a cry of pain. Using her elbows, she tried to push herself up again as fast as she could. Arms hooked under her body and began hauling her back in uneasy steps. Skyla knew at once it was Maia, and that her friend had been injured to by the uneasiness of their movement. But there was nothing she could do to stop the Cazar as she was dragged into the cave, leaving a trail of blood in her wake. Once they'd reached the fire Maia set her down gently before crumpling to a heap beside her, gasping from the effort. Skyla shook her head as spots danced in her vision,
"You...shouldn't have...done...that," she gasped, her limbs taking on the feeling of jelly. Maia grimaced in pain as she wheezed heavily,
"You're...welcome," she panted, and it sounded like she'd damaged her lungs. The Cazar reached a shaky hand towards where the nanotech lay and held it out to the Lombax. Skyla shook her head, drawing herself up into a sitting position,
"No...you first," she said.
"But Sky..." the Cazar began to protest.
"Drink it, Maia," Skyla hissed, putting her head in her hands. Maia hesitated.
"Drink it, Maia," repeated Skyla, a little louder. She choked slightly and a shudder ran through her body, closing her eyes momentarily she waited as nausea swept over her in great waves. Her ears were ringing, but she thought she could hear Ratchet and the creature still fighting. If he could just keep it away in time for Maia to drink the nanotech... When she opened her eyes she saw Maia carefully sipping from the pouch, her whole body glowing a neon blue colour as the medicine kicked in.
After only one and a half mouthfuls she stopped, anxious to save as much as possible for her friend. She held it out to the Lombax who took it gratefully. Skyla tried to raise the pouch to her lips but her hands were shaking so badly she couldn't drink from it. Her whole body was struggling hard to perform even the most basic functions, she'd been so badly beaten in the past few days and even with her time for healing...it hadn't been enough. Her body was like a house of cards, and the slightest impact could send her crashing to the ground. Taking an attack from giant scorpion was more than enough to send her over the edge.
There was the sound of a body sliding across the floor and a gentle hand was placed over her own, steadying her hold on the pouch and raising it to her lips. Skyla tried to smile her gratitude but only managed a feeble twitch as Maia helped her drink the rest of the nanotech. As soon as the plasma-like liquid slipped down her throat, Skyla felt herself begin to heal, the tiny robots in the mixture scurrying about her innards, fixing up her battered body. She gulped down mouthful after mouthful, Maia's hand tenderly forcing her to drink the whole pouch. When she'd drained the pouch Maia removed it gently, tossing it aside as she looked down at her friend.
"How are you feeling?" the Cazar asked anxiously. Skyla blinked once, then twice, strength gradually returning to her limbs like water being poured from a jug to a cup. The nanotech had done its job well, and after a moment only the slight throbbing sensation in her leg told of a previous wound.
"Good," she looked at her friend, noting with relief that her own wounds had all but disappeared, "how about you?"
"I'm fine," Maia answered, the worry falling off her face like an autumn leaf to be replaced by a smiling flower of spring.
Skyla's arm was itching and she scratched it automatically, turning to look out the cave as she did.
"Sky!" Maia cried and the grey Lombax jumped, her head whipping around to her friend as her body tensed for danger. But Maia was smiling happily...at her arm.
"Your arm is working again!" she exclaimed joyfully and Skyla realised she was right. She held up her previously unresponsive arm and clenched and unclenched her fist experimentally. It was working perfectly.
A large bang made both friends start and turn towards the cave entrance, where it came from. Clouds of dust blew up in front of them, obscuring their view of the goings on outside. Skyla scrambled to her feet, as did Maia, and they took a few steps back instinctively, waiting on any sign of attack. Some of the dust cleared and Skyla squinted as she tried to see what was happening.
Then she spotted a figure coming out of the dust, towards them. It entered the cave, marching straight for them, coated in a fine layer of dust. Skyla contemplated fleeing but dismissed the thought almost immediately, she had nothing to fear from him...right? She briefly hesitated as he stopped in front of her, clamping his hands down on her shoulders. He bore no visible sign of injury apart from a few scratches, a couple of rips in his top and the green blood that was splattered here and there. His whole body was still tensed for battle and his eyes pierced her with their battle fire intensity.
"Are either of you hurt?" he demanded, glancing between the grey Lombax and the Cazar. Skyla shook her head once,
"No...we're fine," she replied, somewhat apprehensively. Even now, he looked dangerous. Maia nodded in agreement,
"We're ok now, Ratchet." The sandy Lombax turned on Skyla, his face like thunder,
"You idiot!" he cried, shaking her shoulders, "what were you thinking? You complete and utter...how could you be so stupid? You idiot!" His anger was like a hive of angry wasps, making the very air seem to vibrate and buzz around them with crackling energy. Skyla opened her mouth to reply but found her throat had gone dry as his eyes continued to bore into her.
"What were you thinking?" he went on, "tell me, what were you thinking? Taking on a full grown Leviathan with a small pistol...it might as well have been a toothpick!" he shouted.
"You gave it to me," Skyla blurted without thinking, but instantly regretted it as he let out a harsh bark of laughter.
"I gave it to you for the off chance a stray Shrieker might find its way in. It was for defence, not attack! If I'd known you wanted to take on a Leviathan I would have given you a RYNO...! Hell, if I'd known, I wouldn't even have left at all! How could you be so stupid? That thing could have killed you," he put an emphasis on the last two words, looking directly at Skyla, eyes still blazing.
"Ratchet, it was my fault," Maia began, taking a step forward, "I shouldn't have agreed to go outside with her, I shouldn't have let her go." Ratchet glanced over at her and the Cazar stopped in her tracks. He looked so wild and angry at the moment, she hesitated before continuing.
"It was my fault, Ratchet," she repeated, swallowing nervously. The sandy Lombax's eyes narrowed but before he could respond Skyla spoke up,
"No," she said, giving Maia a firm look. She looked up at Ratchet with a shaky breath, "it was my fault...and my fault alone. I was the one who suggested going outside and I persuaded Maia to let me. I should have just stayed in the cave, like you said," she told him. He was only an inch or so taller than her but right now, his anger made him seem like a giant.
"I'm sorry, Ratchet," she murmured, looking him straight in the eye and refusing to break contact. She was sorry, honestly and truly...and he needed to see that she was.
Ratchet looked at her hard through the red of his anger and saw the sincerity in her eyes. She meant what she said, she was sorry...and so she should be! What had she been thinking? Didn't she know he'd told her to stay inside for her own safety?
Yet, although he was so angry right now, not all of his rage was directed at her. He was angry at the Leviathan for attacking them, even if it was its nature, and he'd dealt out justice as it now lay outside, blown to pieces by a well placed bomb. However, he was also angry at himself for not leaving her with adequate protection. He was angry at himself for leaving her in the first place. Even if he needed to go see to Aphelion...he shouldn't have left her.
She did not deserve all his anger.
But he didn't trust himself to speak for fear his voice would crack, so simply nodded curtly. Skyla's eyes flooded with relief and gratitude, though still retaining their apology and he felt his heart throb slightly and looked down before he saw any more.
"Ratchet, what is going on?" Clank's voice made him turn to see his friend standing in the cave entrance, looking at them with a concerned expression.
"Nothing, Clank," Ratchet replied, clearing his throat, "it's all sorted," he glanced again at Skyla and she met his eyes briefly before they both turned away. Inwardly, he sighed heavily. This current fiasco might be at an end, but it wasn't all sorted, not by a long shot...
The fire sparked and crackled as the flames danced about, casting shadows over the cavern walls. Skyla sat beside it, clutching her knees to her as she gazed into its fiery depths, her eyes flickering with the light that reflected in them. But she did not see the flames, or indeed the cave, for though her eyes were open, her mind was elsewhere.
It had taken away from the cave, away from Sarathos and all the way back to the facility, to the life she had had there. It felt like years had passed since she escaped that place, but in reality it had been no more than a week.
She thought about Cornelius and Xavier. Were they ok? How had they reacted to her escape? Did they know she would return for them? She hoped dearly they had not come to harm and sent up a quick prayer for their safety. If Baen had touched them...her eyes narrowed, there would be hell to pay. But her gut told her they were safe, Baen would not hurt them...yet. But they wouldn't remain unharmed forever, not while they were at the facility and she was out here, not while they were slaves and she free. If she'd stayed, they would definitely be alright. If she'd stayed, Jaymz would still be alive, life would have continued as normal...she would never have met Ratchet.
Skyla frowned. What would have happened if she'd stayed at the facility? Would she and Ratchet have lived out their lives thinking they were alone? Would they have given up hope for the Lombax race? And what if their circumstances had been different? What if they'd both been slaves, or both been free? Would they have still met? What if...what if...always, what if...?
The grey Lombax gave a small sigh. She could think all night about it, but it all came down to one thing – Fate.
Fate had dictated that she be a slave and he a free creature, a Hero. Fate had dictated the circumstances they met in. Fate had dictated that sacrifices be made to do so. Fate...what a cruel mistress she was, as black and foreboding as night, with all the mystery too. And she was in control of their lives, she alone knew what lay in store for them.
Skyla had no idea what lay ahead. In the immediate future, she saw herself and the others leaving Sarathos come morning, meeting up with the authorities, raiding the facility, rescuing all her friends then...what? Before she'd escaped, she'd had it all planned out, she knew exactly what she wanted to do. But now...she didn't know what she wanted. Her path was clouded.
"Can't sleep?" came a voice and she looked over to see Ratchet lying on his back, eyes open and upturned. His head tilted towards Skyla and she shook her head in answer. The sandy Lombax got up from where he lay and came over to her.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked politely.
"Sure," mumbled Skyla and scooted over to make room for him. She glanced over to where Maia lay sleeping, deeper into the cavern, her chest rising and falling gently as she slumbered. A few feet from her, tucked against the wall, Clank stood in 'Sleep Mode', though Skyla knew his internal scanners were on high alert. Ratchet himself had set up camp closer to the cave entrance, and had planted a forced field over the mouth for extra safety. After the incident with the Leviathan, safety had been his number one priority.
Once Ratchet was settled beside Skyla, a quiet fell over the two Lombaxes, a natural quiet that didn't feel at all awkward. Skyla didn't feel the need to say anything, so let it draw itself out.
For a while, they simply sat in silence, only the sounds of the fire crackling and the soft hum of the shield reaching their ears. Skyla felt completely at ease, for the first time in a long time, and could quite contentedly stay like this forever.
"I'm sorry I shouted at you," Ratchet murmured, his voice skimming over the silence and leaving it relatively undisturbed. Skyla turned her head slowly to look at him. The firelight flickered over his fur making its look almost golden, and his eyes were glinting like emeralds in the morning sun. Being this close to him, without any other occupying thoughts, she got her first really good look at him. With his strong features, gentle mouth and expressive eyes, she realised, seemingly for the first time, what an incredibly handsome being he was. Skyla's heart skipped a beat at the thought and she swallowed.
"No, I'm sorry," she answered, relieved when her voice came out normal, "I should never have left the cave. You were right to shout at me," she told him.
"Still, I don't usually shout at people...unless they're an idiot and deserve it," Ratchet said lightly.
"I deserved it," Skyla muttered, lowering her eyes in shame.
"Yes, but you're not an idiot," Ratchet responded.
"I nearly got Maia and I killed," Skyla pointed out, though she didn't mention how he'd actually called her an idiot. Ratchet seemed to mull this over for a moment, then shrugged,
"We all make mistakes...some larger than others," he smiled. Skyla raised an eyebrow slightly at this and looked at him with mild incredulity. Was he serious? In his eyes, there was only good humour and honesty and she couldn't help but smile, causing his own mouth to widen.
"Besides," Ratchet went on, "you should have seen some of the things I've done. Ha! I've done far worse than a Leviathan with a pistol!" Skyla's curiosity was peaked and she sat up a little straighter,
"Oh really? Like what?" Ratchet glanced at her and saw the interest in her eyes. This was his chance to talk to her...Lombax to Lombax. Thinking quickly he drew up a few random events,
"Like...a whole pack of Leviathans plus Shriekers, which even with the Negotiator is hard work. A Blargian Snagglebeast with an old bomb glove and rusty blaster. And an Alien Queen with just my wrench. The list goes on," he waved his hand vaguely for emphasis and noted, with delight, the impressed look in her eyes.
"That sounds pretty dangerous," Skyla said, hesitating to say 'idiotic'. Ratchet grinned at her,
"It gets worse. A Kerchu Guardian on a grind rail. A canyon full of Tetramites with only an Omnisoaker full of nectar. Legions of robotic commandoes, more times than I care to count. And of course, Qwark's Personal Hygenator. Don't ask...you don't want to know," he said in answer to Skyla's questioning look. The grey Lombax's mouth was twitching as if she wasn't sure whether to smile or not.
"Are you being serious?" was what she meant to say but what actually came out was,
"Are you insane?" Ratchet threw back his head and laughed, then quickly stopped as he remembered Maia was still asleep. The two Lombaxes glanced at her. The Cazar sighed and turned over, but did not wake. Ratchet caught Skyla's eye and had to look away before they both started laughing.
"Some people do think I'm mad, yes," Ratchet murmured, keeping his voice low, "most think I live for danger."
"Do you?" Skyla asked, raising an eyebrow again. Ratchet shifted slightly, a smile playing about his lips.
"Not really. But it seems wherever I go...danger finds me," he mused aloud. There was another moment of quiet and he looked over at Skyla and saw, to his surprise, a conflicted expression on her face.
"What's wrong?" he asked with concern. Skyla swallowed,
"It's just..." she paused a moment before continuing, "sometimes I wonder...if it might have been better to just stay at the facility. I never thought...about the repercussions of my escaping, the people who would get hurt...because of me," she mumbled bitterly. Ratchet frowned slightly and his heart went out to the grey Lombax, she was feeling guilty because she thought she was somehow to blame for all the bad things that had happened to her. He knew that feeling, and it wasn't nice. He sought to ease her guilt,
"No, no, no. I'm glad you're here...that's worth any danger to me," he told her honestly. She looked up at him, her eyes glistening and once again he was caught up in their intensive blue, how full of life they were, and full of pain. She was a wounded soul...just like him. A wounded, beautiful soul...he swallowed instinctively.
Skyla studied Ratchet, did he really mean what he said? When she looked in his eyes, she found only honesty. He meant it. She smiled, a small, gentle smile,
"Thank you," she whispered to him.
"You're welcome," he replied with his own, genuine smile, making her heart warm. Another silence descended over them as they lapsed into quiet, each temporarily caught up in their thoughts.
After a while, Skyla felt the need to talk more, and as she wasn't keen to talk about herself, decided to keep the conversation around him.
"So..." she began and he looked up at her expectantly, she smiled, "sounds like you've had an exciting life so far." Ratchet's eyes sparkled,
"Yes, I guess you could say that," he answered, his mouth curling into a sly smile.
"How many other planets have you visited?" Skyla asked, curious as to whether he was the explorer type. Ratchet let out a puff of air,
"Whoa...that's a question...er..." he thought a moment, "I really don't know," he confessed, "I've lost count." Skyla's eyes lit up with delight, he was an explorer! Of a sort, anyway, but if he'd lost count of planets he'd visited, that was definitely a good thing in her eyes. She wanted to know more.
"Really? That many? Which ones were your favourites?" Ratchet suppressed a smile at her child-like glee and brought to mind those planets he wouldn't mind visiting again,
"Well...there's Pokitaru, it's tropical and has some of the best seaside resorts in the galaxy. It's a great place for relaxing and I get a free room in any hotel there whenever I want because I...dealt with their population of mutated sea creatures. Marcadia and Rilgar are pretty awesome, they've both got great cities, but Metropolis on Kerwan is the best, not just 'cos it's where I live...but I think that adds to its 'cool' factor," he told her with a wink and she laughed lightly, he went on, "then there's Quantos in the Polaris Galaxy where the Fongoids live, and it's got amazing forests and loads of waterfalls, and not all of the wildlife is bloodthirsty so that's always a bonus. Torren IV is the best place I've ever been for junk, and if you've got a maths problem you need solving, the Terachnoids on Terachnos can help you out," he stopped before he turned into an advertising agent and looked at his audience. Skyla's eyes were wide with wonder as he listed his favourite planets, and he wondered how many planets she'd been on...but didn't ask. He cleared his throat,
"But my favourite planet, of all of them...is Fastoon," he said. The grey Lombaxes frowned slightly at this, as if she was trying to remember something, but couldn't.
"Fastoon?" she echoed. Ratchet nodded,
"Yeah, Fastoon...the Lombax homeworld." Skyla's eyes widened and narrowed quickly, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
"The...Lombax homeworld?" she repeated. Ratchet nodded again,
"The one and only." Skyla bit her lip and thought a moment, then asked,
"What's it like?" her voice had an element of longing, but also...uncertainty, as if she wasn't sure what she wanted to know. Ratchet sighed and sat back, leaning on his arms,
"It's...in ruins," he told her honestly, "when I went there...the city is mostly destroyed and Nanophytes were crawling all over the place." He watched as her face fell and realised that although what he'd said was the truth...she needed more.
"But..." he said and her eyes widened in hope as she looked at him expectantly, "you can still see how amazing the place was...is." He took a moment to pull together some thoughts about Fastoon, aiming to portray it in a truthful but good light, "the buildings are huge, stretching up to the sky, and they still look modern even today. There are massive halls where I think council sessions used to take place as they're so grand and important looking. It's quite a rocky place and you need good shoes to get over it all. And there are quite a few canyons you have to slingshot over, and even a Raritanium mine and some underground caverns with subterranean pools. There are plants here and there, even though they don't flower all the time, but they go all the way from dark purple to bright red. There's this species of tree that has several thick trunks that can curl all the way up the side of a building which is kind of cool. Minus the Nanophytes, the natives aren't half bad, if a little prehistoric, but I guess that just adds to the feel of the place. There are these Pterodactyl creatures that fly all over the city, and they have a wingspan of a least 15 feet. There's still a lot of usual city objects about, like street lamps, magnet ramps, and there's even a massive monument at the centre made of giant cogs. The place has been deserted for over 20 years...but it's still the Lombax homeworld, even if there isn't a Lombax to call it home," he finished with only a trace of bitterness in his voice, but Skyla seemed happy with his explanation as a distant look appeared in her eyes.
"It sounds amazing...I'd love to go there someday," she said wistfully.
"I can take you there, if you like," Ratchet offered, "once all this is over." The grey Lombax looked at him in surprise,
"You'd...take me to Fastoon?" Ratchet nodded,
"Yeah, I would...and anywhere else you want to go too."
"Really?" Skyla exclaimed. Ratchet shrugged and smiled,
"Sure...you name a planet and I'll take you there. I can show you the universe...bits of it anyway." The grey Lombax smiled in delight, her whole face lighting up with joy,
"That'd be awesome! You can be my Galactic Tour Guide," she joked. Ratchet laughed,
"Why not? We've only got the rest of our lives to go places...!" He stopped talking abruptly and inwardly cursed his loud mouth. What was he saying? He was being way too presumptive...what if she didn't even want to stay with him? Did he even want her to stay? Instantly he drove that thought into the ground. Of course he wanted her to stay. Still, what if, once all this was over and he'd taken her places...she decided to go off and disappear, like Angela had done? His heart fell at the thought. He'd be alone again.
"Hey," the gentle tone of her voice made him look up and into the stunning blue of her eyes. She smiled, "I'd like that," she said softly. Ratchet's heart leapt at her words. They weren't making any promises, but...it was a start. One step at a time, wasn't that what they said? He gave her a smile that he hoped convey his gratitude and the look she gave him assured him it did. Then she looked down and fiddled with a bracelet she was wearing, it looked like it was made of flowers and he was amazed it had survived this long. He wanted to ask where she got it, but sensed she wanted to ask something so simply waited patiently. He didn't have to wait long.
"What was it like, on Fastoon?" she asked in a small voice, glancing up at him. He understood what she was asking and thought a moment. This wasn't a request for a description, but rather, a personal reaction.
"When we landed on Fastoon...I wasn't at all prepared for it. We were kind of running for our lives and arrived without looking into it. Well, I did, anyway. I expected it to be different, I guess. Part of me even thought there'd be other Lombaxes living there, it is our homeworld after all," he paused, "but there was no-one. Just...ruins." He sighed as he remembered his shock at finding Fastoon in such a...desolate condition. Something inside him had broken at the sight of the battle-ravaged planet.
"I'm sorry," Skyla murmured. He made a small noise of agreement,
"Hmm, me too," he admitted.
"How exactly did it...end up in that state?" Skyla asked delicately.
"Tachyon," Ratchet growled in reply, his hackles rising slightly at the memory of that foul Cragmite.
"Oh," was all the grey Lombax said. Ratchet took a moment to bring his seething emotions under control.
"I'm glad you killed him," Skyla told him and he looked at her, "though...I would rather it had been me to strike the death blow," she confessed with a wry smile. Ratchet chuckled,
"Sorry, first come, first served." Skyla gave a small laugh,
"At least I'm not out of luck. I've still got Baen to kill," she muttered darkly, eyes narrowing as she remembered the proud Novalian. Ratchet noticed her fists clenching in anger and thought about asking her more about this Baen guy, but decided against it. He was obviously someone he didn't want to know, yet. But he didn't want her thinking murderous thoughts at the moment, not when they were doing so well. Instead, he redirected onto a topic more relevant, and more sensitive, for both of them.
"You know..." he began softly and waited until she looked up at him. Her blue eyes were burning with fire, but the flames died a little as she gazed at him, "you're not the first Lombax I've met," he admitted. That did the trick. The anger died in her eyes to be replaced by shock and surprise as her mouth fell open slightly.
"What?" she exclaimed, "but I thought...how?" Not the first Lombax? But he'd said he was the only one...hadn't he? Ratchet bit his lip and turned his eyes to the fire, arranging his thoughts.
"You're not the first Lombax I've met," he repeated, "there have been two others." He paused momentarily and Skyla blinked at him, her eyes urging him to explain further. Ratchet obliged.
"Several years ago, Clank and I were teleported into the Bogon Galaxy and asked to help out the President of Megacorp. This experiment called a Protopet had been stolen and we were sent to retrieve it. It'd been stolen by this guy and we chased him half way across the galaxy before we found out that the thief was actually a Lombax called Angela Cross, and that the President of Megacorp was really Captain Qwark and the Protopet turned out to be a monster. Anyway, Clank and I teamed up with Angela and managed to mop up the mess Qwark had made. But after that...she just disappeared. I haven't seen her since," Ratchet's voice dropped towards the end with sadness. He missed Angela. She might have had a few bolts loose and been more than a little clumsy, but she'd been good company and he missed her. He also never got the chance to spend time with her, Lombax to Lombax. It wasn't fair.
"I'm sorry..." Skyla murmured, unsure what else to say. There was...had been another Lombax? What had she been like? Where had she gone? Would she ever come back? She wanted to ask, but Ratchet hadn't finished.
"And then, a couple of years ago, in the Polaris Galaxy...I met Alister," Ratchet took a shaky breath before continuing, "Clank had been abducted by these creatures called the Zoni and I was looking for a way to find him. I came across Alister on Torren IV...where he first tried to kill me. He thought I was an assassin, but he soon figured out I wasn't and...he recognised me. Apparently, he and my father had been good friends and...I look just like my dad," Ratchet paused a moment, feeling tears start to well up as the memories came back. He didn't really want Skyla to see him cry, but he had to go on,
"Alister Azimuth was a Four-Bolt Magistrate of the Lombax Praetorian Guard, an elder councilman of the Centre for Advanced Lombax Research and the closest I have ever come to meeting my father," Ratchet said, his voice shaking slightly. Taking a few short breaths he composed himself to continue.
"We fought alongside each other against Dr Nefarious, an organic-life hating robot who wants everyone to be a robot like him. Alister...told me why he wasn't with the other Lombaxes," Ratchet licked his lips slightly, wondering how to continue. What would Skyla make of Alister's actions? He went on carefully,
"Alister lived in exile on Torren IV. He was responsible for Tachyon obtaining the Lombax technology as he was tricked into believing the Cragmite would use them for good. When Tachyon turned their own weapons on them, the Lombaxes exiled Alister and fled...leaving him behind. When I found him, he had this plan to bring back the Lombaxes. You see, at the centre of the universe (give or take 50 feet) there is a machine called the Great Clock. It isn't just a clock for telling time, it's more than that. It keeps time, makes sure it flows properly. The Great Clock was where Clank had been taken by the Zoni as they looked after the machine. Alister had this idea that the clock could be used as a time machine, and that we could go back in time, stop Tachyon and save the Lombaxes. But when we found Clank, he'd found out that the Clock was only for keeping time, not altering it. We tried to tell this to Alister but he wouldn't listen. When we were all at the Great Clock I...told Alister he couldn't go ahead with his plan. Alister...lost it and...killed me," Ratchet waited a moment for Skyla to react and watched as her brow furrowed in acute confusion. The sandy Lombax smiled lopsidedly,
"I'm alive now, clearly...but I did die," his smile slipped and fell from his face as he remembered, "Clank managed to turn back time 6 minutes, as that's the most you can turn back using the Clock, and saved me. But Alister had run ahead and he tried to use the Clock to go back to the fall of the Lombaxes and...we had a battle. Eventually, he realised it wasn't working. Time was ripping itself apart and the whole universe was at risk of collapse. Alister...sacrificed himself to fix the Clock. He died a Hero." Ratchet finished his tale with a sigh and a turn of the head, a single tear running down his face.
Skyla sat in stunned silence for what felt like hours. Ratchet had...been through all that? That was far worse than anything Baen could ever inflict on her. To meet someone so close to home...but then have them turn bitter with loss and die as a consequence of their own actions...it didn't bear thinking about. Skyla could only imagine the pain Ratchet had suffered because of that.
Reaching out a hand she clasped his shoulder gently and squeezed. It was a simple gesture, but one she hoped convey more than just her sympathy.
Ratchet lifted his hand and covered her own, and it was a moment before he spoke again.
"Thank you," he whispered, looking at her with sparkling, tearless eyes. Skyla nodded once in acknowledgement. Ratchet sighed heavily,
"So you see...the only Lombaxes I've met have either disappeared God knows where...or have died," he hesitated, "until now." He looked up at her with such an intense gaze that Skyla felt herself begin to well up almost instinctively, her breathing suddenly shaky and uneven. The emotion in his voice, the pain in his eyes, the hope...it mirrored exactly how she felt. She knew what he was going through, the same way he knew what she was going through, and they were united by their shared loss, though his seemed greater. Skyla opened her mouth and said the first thing that came to her head,
"Here I am," she murmured. Ratchet's eyes shone as he picked her hand off his shoulder and pulled her other one to him, clasping them together in his hands.
"Here you are..." he smiled gently, "here we are," he said and they shared the look of the lost...but with the light of hope just beginning to shine. And in Skyla's mind, she heard the echo of Xavier's voice,
"You're not alone."