NOTES:

If you want a better-formated version of this story,

some of the chapters of which will contain pictures and illustrations of certain scenes,

head over to Archive of Our Own!

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Secret Fears

Chapter Summary

Ratchet has made a full recovery after his encounter with the Harbinger, and not a moment too soon. A critical location for the Alliance has fallen under siege and the two Lombaxes and their robot companions are tasked with aiding a group of rebels as they evacuate important persons and recover sensitive documents.

However, Ratchet and Rivet soon find themselves facing some of their worst, and deepest, most well-hidden fears. Will they be able to overcome them? And what will they say to each other upon seeing their reactions to these fears?

Two weeks have passed – two weeks since Rivet, Kit, and Clank escaped with a half-dead Ratchet from planet Cheunor, two weeks since Tachyon used the power of the Dimensionator to bring the Cragmites back to the universe.

Ratchet's condition steadily improved, starting the day after he had been placed in intensive care, and he had regained consciousness that morning, though he was rather groggy and disoriented for several hours.

Despite Clank's assurances that the male Lombax would recover 'in no time', the Ratchet remained bound to the infirmary halls, although he had been allowed to leave his bed for short periods of time to move around.

Neither Rivet nor Talwyn were very pleased with this, although the Markazian was much better at hiding her disappointment than the Lombax, perhaps out of obligation because of her role as captain, or because she was better at masking her displeasure.

"Why do they keep insisting on holding him? He's perfectly fine – heck he's been perfectly fine since last week! …Unless they're hiding somethin' from us! Are they hiding somethin' from us?! Look Bolts, when you said, 'in no time', I thought that meant he'd be back out here in 'no time', not-"

"Forgive me, I clearly should have elaborated-" interrupted Clank, sounding if possible a tad annoyed.

It was late at night and the female Lombax and the two bots had just been asked to leave the infirmary. They were visiting Ratchet every day, dropping by first thing before breakfast, then returning after, and often staying through lunch. It was only in the evenings when they left, and even then, it was only because the infirmary staff insisted the male Lombax had a long, full, peaceful night to rest, despite the fact that he was at finally back in perfect health.

Ratchet seemed in good spirits and was always happy to have all three of them around, but it was obvious he had already grown immensely bored of the hospital wing. He was, after all, accustomed to being on the go, whether it be a leisure activity with Clank in the natural parks of Corson V, or out of necessity from his natural sense of duty whenever trouble arose. He was not used to being the one left behind, trapped in a bed with watchful doctors monitoring his every move, evaluating his senses, and checking his vitals... which as Rivet had already noted were in perfect condition.

They had been approached by medical staff and asked to leave so that Ratchet could rest, and they had begrudgingly done so, but none were as annoyed as Ratchet had been at the rather unceremonious interruption and dismissal, and the two bots and female Lombax had heard Ratchet complaining at the doctors.

Although all three of Ratchet's friends were annoyed at being told to leave, neither bot was feeling distinctly as aggrieved as the female Lombax. She had just started complaining to Clank again for getting her hopes up, and Clank was not in the mood for it tonight. It wasn't the first time, after all, that Rivet had bemoaned the warbot defect's choice of words on that fateful night when they had barely rescued their cherished friend from death.

"It was a figure of speech." Clank continued. "Ratchet's metabolism and resiliency are far above that of the average person's; the average person, as I say, would have taken much, much longer to make such a recovery, so by comparison, yes, he has made a full recovery in 'no time'."

"Pfft." Rivet said, blowing the little tuft of fur that grew from the top of her head up and out of her eyes, apparently unimpressed with Clank's reasoning.

"You must understand, Rivet - ", said Kit, "- that a Lombax's metabolism and anatomy are much more adept at recovering from injury than those of most species'. Many of these people have never seen a Lombax before we joined the Alliance; I am certain they are only holding him because they are struggling to comprehend that he is in fact fit to be released."

"Well said. Thank you, Kit." Clank added.

Rivet considered this line of reasoning, which in all honesty made sense, but she was determined to be in a bad mood.

She liked Clank and Kit very much, but the time she spent with… him was different. He was like her, and not just in terms of species – he was a fighter, brave, selfless, devoted, and strong. And he was… funny, in a way – the way he would stutter when he seemed nervous or tried desperately to fabricate a story, the surprising clumsiness he seemed to have acquired within the last three or four months, just to name a few. They also shared a similar sense of humor, they shared interests, and even several hobbies, like building ridiculous modifications such as adding two additional barrels to Mrs. Zurkon's Headhunter and dubbing it 'The Migraine' for instance. He was just… fun to be with, and the pleasure of spending endless time in his company, which she had grown so used to since they triumphed together over emperor Nefarious had been translated to a fixed schedule ever since he had run off alone to rescue Clank.

Part of her bad mood arose from this latter detail alone – he was partly to blame after all. He had run out alone, put himself in harm's way, and nearly died.

"(Nearly died…)"

The thought made her stomach clench tightly and her heart go cold, always erasing the sour feelings she felt at his stupid, overly dedicated, big-hero-that's-gotta-save-the-day attitude in an instant. But it was exactly that stupid, overly dedicated, 'big-hero-that's-gotta-save-the-day' attitude of his that she loved about him.

"('Love'…?)"

She always faltered whenever this thought ran through her mind. It felt… wrong somehow. She, Rivet, after all, had never loved anyone before… not like that at least, and no, she had never been loved either… She had always told herself it was impossible, that it would not, nor could it happen. She had seen too many fellow rebels in her childhood and late teenage years that had someone they cared about wind up abducted, imprisoned, or sometimes even killed, and it always, always had a profound negative effect on the partner or spouse of whoever was taken. She had decided long ago that to love someone was a critical weakpoint that had made even the most powerful and brave fighters of the Resistance fall to their knees when that weakness was found and exploited, and she, was not weak… Or… Was she?

Rivet had felt it in her chest as they stood together that night a few weeks back after they had returned from their missions to Halua III and Tekogai Outpost – that warm, fuzzy feeling that spread to every corner of her body as they stood together, alone in that dark hallway outside their rooms, looking into his stunning emerald eyes, and an indescribable feeling of gaiety and calm reassurance she hadn't known since her earliest childhood had begun taking hold. She had been terrified for his life, and to see him safe and sound was like waking from a terrible nightmare, waking with… with someone who would never leave your side, who would comfort and strengthen you. She had never felt anything like that before… And then, these recent events…

The sight of him, of Ratchet, blood-soaked, bruised, burned, and beaten, lying slumped against the wall of that shack… even now, weeks later, she still had nightmares about it which made her wake up drenched in cold sweat. But even so, as horrible these visions of Ratchet were, they made that burning in her chest - her attachment and longing for him - burn ever hotter, and she couldn't deny that it felt… far unlike anything she'd ever experienced for anyone else.

"(Maybe… I AM weak…)"

But did that matter anymore? Did she care about being weak if this was what being 'weak' felt like, with that warm, fuzzy glow abiding in her chest, burning so brightly as she dwelt on him? But this just didn't seem right… Weakness was supposed to mean you were frail, on the verge of collapse, hanging on by a mere thread! Weakness wasn't supposed to make you feel cheerful, willing to look passed someone's flaws however stupid or petty, desiring and longing to be at their side… Was this weakness? Or… Had she just never really understood what... what having feelings for someone truly was?

Maybe… just maybe she was starting to realize why so many of her fellow rebels had allowed themselves to grow soft…

"Rivet?"

"HUH?!"

Rivet had been so immersed in her own thoughts she had not paid the slightest bit of attention to where they were going.

She looked to her left in time to see Ratchet's and Clank's bedroom door close behind the silver bot.

She looked ahead to see Kit half turned around, standing in the little kitchenette, her head cocked to the side.

"…Appreciating the architecture?" the yellow bot asked sarcastically.

Rivet shook her head vigorously.

"Y-yeah! That's right, just… just LOOK at this arch! Still, it ain't got nothing on this lovely… table leg! You ever seen such a cool rectangle?!" said Rivet, gesturing animatedly first at the doorway, then at the small table which sat beside a squishy armchair as she walked inside.

And the door shut behind her, Kit looking at the Lombax, completely lost.

Two days after this fine evening during which Rivet rambled about how cool shapes and angles are, Ratchet was finally released from the infirmary, much to everyone's delight, especially Ratchet's, but the male's good mood was put on standby when he was told he was required to pass a fitness test.

"WHAT?!" Ratchet had shouted, furiously. Okay, sure he still had a large, jagged, star-shaped scar in his chest that the doctors hadn't been able to do anything about, but outside of that he was 100 percent back to normal.

"We must insist, Mr. Ratchet, it is for your own safety… and our peace of mind." Said the doctor. "We have to ensure you can still act under pressured and intense conditions after being out of action for so long."

Ratchet glared at him. Unbeknownst to any of the infirmary staff, Ratchet had been doing sit-ups, push-ups, crunches, planking, and lifting anything in the room that wasn't bolted to the floor to test himself as he recovered. Quite apart from this, Ratchet had, in times past, gone months without action and gotten back into it as easily and naturally as riding a grav-bike without any training or exercises beforehand.

However, after a talk with Clank, which calmed Ratchet's anger substantially, the Lombax agreed.

"This is stupid." He had said, observing yet another of Captain Qwark's fitness courses, which was lined with pillows, squishy ball pits, crudely put-together stuffed monsters attached to springs, and multiple padded structures that towered to the ceiling of the Phoenix's gym.

"Looks pretty intense. Don't hurt yourself hotshot!" Rivet said, trying hard not to laugh.

She and Kit had come to watch Ratchet 'prove his mettle' as Qwark had said, which the female

Lombax had found incredibly amusing, and despite how ridiculous the 'fitness test' looked,

Ratchet was determined to put on a good display for her, however childish the idea seemed.

It was done in under a minute.

Ratchet reached the end of the fitness course and was promptly deluged in confetti and glitter, as well as numerous balloons with Captain Qwark's face on them.

Rivet and Kit had burst into a fit of laughter at the sight of Ratchet as he returned, sparkling from the glitter which had embedded itself deep in his fur, which was also standing on end from all the static from the rubber balloons.

As foolish as he felt, he couldn't help feeling the frustration and embarrassment drain out of him and a slight, stupid smile stretching his face as he watched Rivet, now sitting on a bench, clutching her side with her bionic arm as she continued to snort from laughter.

"It appears I now have competition for the shiniest member of this team." Clank observed suddenly, and Ratchet scowled at him, making a mental note to discharge all the static in his body on Qwark the next time he saw him.

However, Ratchet had been given the 'all-clear' and was allowed to leave and return to action, which gave the Lombax an immense mood boost.

Everyone was in a good mood as they made their way for the cafeteria, but none were quite as buoyant as Ratchet, who was shamelessly cheery, jokey, and… unusually generous, as Clank noted, as the male offered Rivet and Kit to go ahead of himself and Clank in the queue to grab breakfast.

Ratchet's smoothly coasting good mood at being cured, away from all those doctors, and back on his feet with the three he liked the most was, however, brought to a screeching halt some twenty minutes later.

Skidd was broadcasting the daily 'Alliance Headlines' (which, if you can believe, is currently the only source of honest information with a tyrannical dictator in charge), and the reach of the Cragmites' destruction fell upon the male Lombax's large furry ears.

None of the others had of course told Ratchet any of this, since their time together had been rather limited as he remained in the infirmary, and they had all chosen to speak on other subjects.

Now however, Ratchet was only just beginning to realize just how dire the situation had become as Skidd read off the number of fallen galaxies, how many prisoners were being taken, and the known number of civilian casualties, which by the time Ratchet had covered his ears, his eyes pinched shut and his teeth bared in self-loathing anguish, had reached well up into the millions.

Ratchet burst into Command five minutes later, making several people let out shouts of surprise as the doors banged open and rebounded off the walls.

Ratchet's eyes raked the room, finally resting on Talwyn, Locke, and Derek bending over a collection of papers and holopads on the table, with Qwark slightly in the background, and who was swiftly shoving what appeared to a cell phone into his back pocket.

"Great gallopin' trillions o' tetramites, rook! What the blazes do ya think you're doin' slammin' doors like that?!"

"Didn't ya ever learn to knock?!"

Talwyn, though looking shocked, nevertheless approached the wheezing Lombax, her eyes full of concern.

"Ratchet, what's wrong? What happened?"

"Cragmites! …Killing! *wheeze* The outposts…! Gotta fight back!" Ratchet gasped, out of breath from sprinting up through five floors. Command was eight floors above the cafeteria, and the elevator only went up to level 4, due to 'budget'.

"Yes-" Talwyn said, easing Ratchet into the room and trying to calm him down. Locke and Derek looked on the verge of protesting. After all, Ratchet and Rivet had never been given permission to

enter Command. However, they dared not balk at their Captain, and so remained quiet as Talwyn directed Ratchet to a nearby seat, which he collapsed into, still breathing hard.

"We know -", Talwyn continued, "Tachyon's just learned that the Neptune Research Facility's been working for us all this time and-"

"Wait, the… the what now?" Ratchet cut in. 'Research Facility'? What 'Research Facility'? Didn't these people tell them anything?!

"Neptune Besmirched Facsimile, dear Ratchet! Everyone knows what that is! Well, every important bigwig of the Alliance, that is!" answered Qwark, to which Ratchet scowled.

The door slammed open again, and Rivet, along with Clank and Kit flew inside.

Quite as breathless as Ratchet, Rivet leaned against a table, panting hard while Clank released Kit's hands and jumped to the ground.

"Don't anyone read signs these days?! It clearly says 'NO ROOKS' in big red letters!" said Locke indignantly. Rivet ignored him.

"R-Ratchet…! What… *wheeze* What's…?!"

"Ratchet, what are you doing up here in Command?" Clank asked calmly from Rivet's side.

"Th… Thanks Bolts…!" Rivet gasped, and she sank into a chair near Ratchet.

"Perfect timing you three; Ratchet's heard the news it seems like, so we'd better go ahead and fill you all in." said Talwyn.

The female Lombax and the two bots looked rather curiously at Rachet, who shrugged.

'News'? What 'news'?

He returned his attention to Talwyn at once.

"It's a small facility in the Skorthos Sector about a light-hour away from here." Talwyn continued, bringing up the galactic map and highlighting the nearby Skorthos Sector, in which was highlighted a small speck of color labeled 'Neptune Research Facility'.

"Its primary function before Tachyon's rise to power was to study and develop potential new technologies, but was also known for the historical records on ancient and lost civilizations and their contributions to today… One of its former core staff members before he vanished was a Lombax!"

Ratchet straightened in his seat and his ears perked up. A Lombax? At this research facility? Then they must've been one of the few, if not the only Lombax they didn't go into hiding after Tachyon's attack on Fastoon, assuming he or she had worked there before then.

"Ever since Tachyon took over-", said Locke, "this little facility's been puttin' up a front. To Tachyon, they're developin' new weapons for his Herald army… well, Herald and Cragmite army now…"

"BUT-", said Derek dramatically, "they've been givin' 'em subpar weapons that are extrie powerful at first, but due to their high energy consumption, go bad after a few uses!"

"And-", Talwyn resumed, "ever since we learned about the Solar Hammer from you and Zedderek,

as well as that riddle the Lombaxes left, we've been in contact with the Neptune researchers, trying to learn everything we can from their old records… Which leads us back to what we started with – Tachyon's learned they've been working with us this whole time. We've learned he intends to send a legion of imperial forces there by this time tomorrow to seize control and find out everything he can about the Solar Hammer and the Lombaxes' final hiding place."

Ratchet and Rivet both jumped to their feet.

"Then let's go!" they chorused, and Ratchet felt his face grow rather warm.

"Yes, I agree; we cannot allow such precious knowledge and resources fall into imperial hands!" said Clank.

"That's the spirit, cadets!" said Qwark. "We leave for the Skorthos Sector in twenty minutes!"

Ratchet ignored him. Of course the Lombax would prefer to go sooner rather than later, but with how serious the situation was, and as Qwark was always so quick to jump the gun, Ratchet was waiting to hear the plan from Tal, Locke, and Derek.

"Exactly." Said Talwyn, making Ratchet do a double take. "So you four -" she pointed at the two, stunned-looking Lombaxes and their equally bewildered robot companions, "- had best gear up. We're prepping a number of starfighters to hold off the imperials, but we also need ground units; you four will need to aid in the evacuation. We need to get as many staff members out as possible, along with as much of their archives and all their research notes to keep any Lombax or Cragmite knowledge away from them. Destroy everything you can't bring with you; We can not allow any of it to fall into imperial hands!"

"That's right! Now scram, all o' ya! No, not you-" Locke said, gesturing around the room. Everyone had stood up to depart. "I'm talkin' to you, rooks! We gotta finish giving directions to our starfighters!"

Ratchet's and Rivet's ears both flared up and the female's face flushed in anger. Again with this? Did Rookies get sent to aid in evac missions and to prevent sensitive documents from being stolen by genocidal tyrants?

However, Rivet had barely opened her mouth to vent her spleen on the old warbot when Kit tugged at her arm, Clank on Ratchet's, and the two Lombaxes unwillingly turned around to leave the room.

"Locke, for gods' sake, can't you-", Talwyn began, but Locke cut across her.

"Apologies captain, but it's rule 397.a.i.1 of the Alliance Code – 'No rooks allowed in Command Meetings'!"

The door closed, but not before Rivet had stuck her arm back in and flashed a rude hand gesture at the old bot, making Kit gasp and fuss at the female, while Ratchet snorted.

Forty-seven minutes later, Ratchet, Clank, Rivet, and Kit were standing aboard another stolen imperial ship, a small dropship this time, along with a number of other Alliance Rebels. They had received their orders and were flying at warp speed to the Neptune Research Facility in close formation.

Locke's voice sounded out the intercom.

"All right everyone, listen up! We got limited time before the emperor's forces arrive tomorrow,

which is in precisely seven hours and thirty-two seconds from now, and we got lots to recover! This is a fast mission – get in, get out! Now brace yourselves, we're exiting warp speed!"

The ship rumbled and everyone grasped onto the handrails above and along the walls to remain balanced.

Ratchet and Rivet both looked out of the side-view window as the lights flashing passed faded once more from blinding and blurred down to black dotted with stars. In the short distance ahead floated the Neptune Research Facility… smoking and surrounded by imperial dropships.

"What the-?!" said Derek, who was co-piloting their ship, "That… That ain't right! Qwark, come in! I thought you said the attack was planned for tomorrow! Where'd ya get this info from?!"

"Oh, ahhh…" said Qwark's voice over the intercom. "Oops… It seems I uh… misread my informant's handwriting! It looks like it actually says 'Sunday afternoon', not 'Monday'… that is the worst 'S' and 'U' I've ever SEEN!"

Everyone looked back out of the window. The Alliance starfighters had already pulled off and were engaging the imperials in fierce dogfights above the facility, which Ratchet now saw was blocked off by a large force field, but was showing signs of giving away soon from the damage it sustained as the imperial foot soldiers attempted to force entry.

"Well, change of plans, youngin's!" said Derek. "We won't be able to land with this much tradin' of bullets an' ion blasts! Think you lot's got the stones fer a halo jump?!"

"'Stones'?" repeated Clank, curiously. "That reminds me - Ratchet, you never explained what stones are!"

Ratchet noticed Rivet's ears flare and she pointedly averted her face, her tail whipping about as though trying to cool off.

"Rivet, are you okay? You are rather hot..." Kit observed, looking over her shoulder at the flustered Lombax in mild concern.

"Y-yeah! I'm fine!" she said quickly, her head still turned away, tugging at the scarf around her neck.

"Ratchet?"

"Ah… Right…! I'll tell ya later, deal?" said Ratchet, a half-amused smile crossing his face despite feeling mild embarrassment.

"But Ratchet, you promised-"

"We've entered the synthesphere! Time to fly rooks!" said Derek, and next thing they knew, the door was sliding open and their fellow rebels were leaping out, some with hoverboots, others with gliders, others still with an odd device of Phantom's and Skidd's invention which could deploy large, springy shields, falling through the artificial atmosphere the researchers of the Neptune facility had created.

Ratchet and Clank plummeted through the dark, star-spangled sky, Rivet and Kit close behind them, shifting their weight as they fell to evade the scattered, glowing shots of fiery plasma now being directed up at them, rather than solely focused on the walls of the facility.

Ratchet began to have misgivings as they approached the ground. There would be Cragmites on

this mission, creatures that hated his race more than any other. He and Rivet both would be priority targets once those murderous, tyrannical, and honestly repulsive monsters registered they had joined the fray. As Clank deployed his helipack and Rivet her hoverboots to slow their descent, Ratchet resolved to make Rivet his top-priority.

But as he touched down behind a fallen tree, he registered, in the split-seconds he had before ducking down to avoid a volley of attacks, the curious lack of Cragmites. It appeared, for the moment at least, that their enemies were comprised mostly of Heralds and mixed-raced imperial sympathizers. Why weren't the Cragmites involved? Were they perhaps diverted elsewhere to focus their efforts on finding the Solar Hammer while Tachyon's lesser underlings handled the dirty work?

The four were quickly joined by three more rebels, who deployed Bombadiers as they joined the two Lombaxes behind cover.

The constant stream of plasma finally ceased as the imperials ahead diverted their aim, distracted by the flying drones and the miniature rockets they rained upon them, and the male Lombax took his chance.

"Ratchet, the big one! On the right!"

Ratchet spotted him – a large, bulky imperial soldier in thick armor wielding what appeared to be a Blackhole Storm, the rapid-fire minigun that Mrs. Zurkon had developed, and who was responsible for the seemingly unending stream of hostile fire.

As Ratchet sprinted forward to the next point of cover, he fired six bolts from the Lightning Rod, all of which embedded deep within the thuggish soldier's heavy armor and which trapped him and the four Heralds that stood nearby in a deadly electric field, making all of them collapse, spasming, twitching, and crackling to the ground.

With the main source of their suppression down, Rivet and Kit led the other rebels out from cover and advanced toward Ratchet and Clank while the former tossed a GasLight into the reforming crowd ahead to give the others some breathing room while they were in the open.

The approaching, helmet-less soldiers faltered, sputtering and choking as the foul-smelling gas filled their lungs and noses, while the Heralds shielded their eyes from the excruciating brightness that flashed before them.

"Hostile fire from above!" Kit shouted, and glancing up, Rivet threw herself out of the way as an imperial starfighter flew low to the ground, firing indiscriminately at the small crowd of uncovered rebels, injuring one as the ground at her feet erupted in a cloud of dirt and rubble, but missing the other two and the Lombax.

Rivet and a second rebel fell back and carried the injured with them to cover, setting her down beside Ratchet just as the effects of Ratchet's GasLight wore off and the mixture of alien-robots and mixed-raced imperials continued to lay down suppressing fire.

"Hey DEREK! Send a fighter our way, we're pinned down on the walkway to-"

There was a colossal explosion from above as the ship that had directed fire toward them erupted in a cloud of flame and debris and dropped from the sky, spiraling and smoking like a meteorite that fell with an ear-splitting crash directly on top of the large crowd of hostile forces, clearing their way at last.

"Izzat fast enough for ya!?" Derek shouted over their communicator with a laugh.

"Thank you for the assist!" Clank answered as Ratchet, Rivet, and other rebels that had survived the jump and the onslaught of fire, save for the three that joined Ratchet and Rivet, emerged from their points of cover and sprinted for the entrance with one accord.

"'Assist'?! Izzat what you call it when I save yer green arse?!"

"Actually, it is silv-"

"Don't worry about it Clank, let's go!"

Fortunately yet un-fortunately, the imperial star ship's crash had destroyed what remained of the facility's frontal shielding, which meant that they, as well as any hostile forces, could gain entry.

They dashed inside, remembering Talwyn's reassurances that the in-house security could distinguish threats from non-threats, and so made zero effort to hide themselves from the automated™, hovering™, glow-in-the-dark™ sentry guns that the staff were moving to for their new security system.

The reception area was large, open, and airy, decorated with fake windows in the ceiling rather like those in Level 3 of the Phoenix, and through which poured bright, false sunlight from a clear blue sky. Multiple passages branched from the main room, each with holo-signs above them that indicated where each passage led – Breakrooms, Archives, Recreation, Lethal Force R&D, Less-Than-Lethal-Force R&D, Judo Room, Shooting Range (pea-shooters only), and Oragami Room. Ratchet knew they needed to gather everything they could from the Archives and the two R&D labs, but where could the staff themselves be?

"Double time in there, rooks! Backup's arriving, and it ain't for us!" shouted Locke over their communicators as the building quaked with the force of a rampaging Grunthor.

Ratchet glanced around. The other rebels were looking more tense now; none had expected enemy reinforcements so soon.

"Okay, you all heard 'em, we need to split up!" Rivet shouted, and together with Kit and Clank, and some modest support from Ratchet who wasn't as experienced in dividing up teams, they split into groups. Group A would gather all texts, schematics, maps, records, databoards, holocards, etc. from the Archives, B would rig LF R&D with explosives, and C would do the same to LtLF R&D, while the two Lombaxes and bots would search the lower levels where, according to Clank and Kit, there was an emergency bunker.

"Don't ya think it's a bit odd - ", said Rivet, "that the Cragmites didn't join this fight? I mean, they're after the Solar Hammer and the rest of the Lombaxes. As many of 'em as there are, I'd've thought the Cragmites would be the main force leading the attack! They could probably grab everything from the Archives and weapons labs in a manner of minutes!"

"Yes, I was thinking that as well." Said Kit, "Although for now we must be grateful they have chosen to sit out."

"Yeah, this mission'd be a hundred times harder with them here…" added Ratchet, thinking privately that he'd rather have a mission in fact be a hundred times harder than run the risk of Rivet coming face to face with those monsters.

"Through here! There is a holo-screen ahead covering a raritanium-reinforced blast-door." Said Clank, and the two Lombaxes skidded to a halt in the dimly lit passage.

"Care to do the honors?" Ratchet asked his counterpart, gesturing to the apparently blank wall, and Rivet smirked as her hammer spawned in her robotic hand.

With a CRASH and a shower of sparks, the holoscreen fell to the ground, completely useless, and what had appeared to be a vacant and boring stretch of wall flickered and vanished to reveal a large, shiny door, locked by a computer and secured by multiple electronic locks.

Ratchet turned around and Clank broke through the security within seconds, making the many locks click loudly and the large door swing slowly open with a low, dull creak, casting light onto a short flight of steps that descended into a sort of bunker.

"Spare us! Wait… Could it… Could it be…?"

"It is…! They've… They've come back!"

There was a low muttering as the dim light from the passage fell on a positive crowd of people from mixed races – Kerwanian, Aridian, Vullard, Reptilian, Tharpod, and even a few reformed Blarg – were huddled together, eyeing the two, short, long-eared creatures before them as though they couldn't believe their eyes.

Slowly the researchers stepped forward and up the stairs.

"We thought you were all dead!" said another scientist, bluntly.

"Are there more of you?"

"Where are they? We must preserve them!"

"Excuse me, but we're not exhibits to be studied, gawked at, and put in cages to be watched like chimps in a nature reserve!" said Rivet rather crossly, stepping forward, but with a nudge from Kit, the female fell silent and remained where she stood.

"We're getting you guys outta here-", said Ratchet, "imperial reinforcements are on their way, but you'll be safe with us; the pickup zone is on the backside of this facility, so just stick with us! Clank'll lead the way."

Ratchet headed off down the hall, and the two or three dozen facility employees followed after the long striped ears and tail of the jogging Lombax, Rivet remaining behind with Kit to cover the rear and make sure nobody was left behind.

There was another crash which shook the very foundations of the facility, and everyone looked up in unease as dust shook from the ceiling.

"Ignore the tremors, just follow Ratchet!" Rivet called ahead to the retreating crowd.

Ratchet glanced over his shoulder as they rounded a turn, hurrying through a set of old offices.

He couldn't see Rivet with so many civilians crowded behind him, and none of whom he could see over their heads. He was once again experiencing misgivings. This felt too easy, even with the enemy reinforcements he knew were gaining on them.

"Clank, how much further?" Ratchet asked as they ran across a bridge that passed over a wide, open room below.

"Funny you ask – the room below leads to our exit. There is a spiral staircase ahead that will take

us there."

Relieved, Ratchet continued jogging with renewed vigor. They were nearly there – he could hear the dropship outside.

"Riv, Kit, you still back there?" Ratchet asked anxiously.

"Still here Ratchet; we nearly there? Kit sees motion behind us, but they're far enough away she can't tell whether they're friendly or hostile!"

Ratchet's heart skipped a beat.

"Almost there! We're coming up on the last room now. Everyone still with us?!"

"Everyone is here; tell Locke we are ready to depart!" answered Kit's voice.

Ratchet switched signals as he reached the foot of the stairs.

"Locke, Derek, we're nearing the PZ and all citizens are accounted for! You guys ready for a quick liftoff?! We got followers and we can't tell whether they're on our side or theirs!"

Locke's voice answered back.

"Good job rooks! We're ready an' waiting to pick you up, but part o' the plan's gone sour-"

"Whaddaya mean?!" Ratchet interrupted.

"Team A secured everything from the Archives; I done went and sent it off to Captain Apogee via wormhole transmission. However, Teams B an' C came back in shambles! About half the force that went in with ya didn't come back out, an' those that did were badly beaten an' only recovered about a tenth of the weapons research!"

Ratchet's ears drooped. Of course it was too easy… He knew something would go wrong.

"We can't afford the research done by those in this facility fall into imperial hands! We're scrappin' the plan to recover the weapons research an' movin' to plan B we discussed earlier - we're blowin' this place and its contents to kingdom come!"

"Works for me!" Ratchet said. He wanted to see those weapons and plans very very much, but he knew they couldn't be allowed to be studied, expanded upon, and used by Tachyon's forces.

He fired several rounds from his Burst Pistol at the glass windows and doors as they approached, and the crowd of people dashed outside into the cool night air.

The dropship they had arrived in was waiting on a starpad a short way ahead, the engine roaring and ready to take back off at a moment's notice. The night sky was flashing and the sound of ion cannons and blasters erupted in a continuous stream behind him as the ongoing dogfights between Alliance Rebels and Imperial Soldiers continued to rage high above them at the front of the facility.

Ratchet waited, watching the nervous staff members hurry aboard, being counted by the old, green warbot.

"Thirty-six! That's all of 'em, great work! Now let's get-"

"Wait-" Ratchet interrupted, his head whipping left then right in panic. "Clank, did you see Rivet and Kit?!"

"No, I did not! Something must have happened to them!"

Ratchet felt the blood leave his face as he glanced back at the shattered glass they had dashed through just moments ago. Where was she?! He had to find her!

"Rook, don't-!"

But Ratchet was already halfway back to the entrance and didn't turn around as he leapt through the doors once more.

He retraced their steps, across the backdoor reception area, up the spiral stairs, across the bridge, down the hall and back through a lobby. He was determined to find her before something terrible happened… unless it already had.

"(No, don't say that! She's fine, she's alive, she's still fighting! I know it!)" "Detecting hostile life forms ahead!"

Ratchet rounded the corner, and there they were at last. The Cragmites were tearing through the offices they had so recently run through as they made their escape. They must have waited for the Alliance Rebels to arrive so they could finish the job and stamp them out while they were down after his, Ratchet's, supposed and well-publicized death.

They were tearing through the place like a pack of rabid wolves; chairs, desks, and tables were flying through the air, and flames erupted in a corner of the room as one of the horrid creatures threw what appeared to be a foul modification of the Topiary Sprinkler across the room. Ratchet's eyes followed the trail of flames and saw, sprinting toward him away from the pursuing insectoid monsters…

"Rivet!"

His voice cracked in mingled relief and terror, and he ran forward.

"Rivet, on your right!" Kit yelped, and the female Lombax swerved as a tall and lanky Cragmite swung a motorized, multi-toothed blade resembling a chainsaw on a pole at her neck that missed by inches.

She sprung back up with a retaliatory yell and a vicious swing from her hammer, but it was deflected in a shower of sparks as the monster swung its bladed weapon back up and hit the Lombax in the stomach with its tail as it whipped around. Rivet slid back several feet, a little winded but still standing, and fired both barrels of her Enforcer instead, which peppered the Cragmite's chest, yet seemed to do little more than infuriate the beast as its armor fell away. It let out a roar and advanced, swinging back its bladed polearm to attack once more, but Ratchet sprung onto the creature's back, sinking a tesla spike directly into its crooked, visible spine. The beast seized up as 10,000 volts coursed through its body, and Rivet seized her chance. She swung at the foul monster's face with her hammer, which collided with the Cragmite's overlong snout and jaw and flattening its face with an appalling CRUNCH as shattered bone tore through its scaly flesh, spurting black, tar-like blood in every direction, and it fell to the ground at last.

Ratchet threw a Topiary Sprinkler into the roaring, heaving swarm of Cragmites behind her as they approached to avenge their comrade, and both they and the fires around the walls were subdued at once as the ice-cold jets of water sprayed every corner of the room.

"Ratchet?!" Rivet had only just realized the male Lombax was there, with the size of the fallen Cragmite having obscured him from view.

Ratchet dashed forward, relieved and angry.

"Rivet why the hell'd ya stay behind?! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?! Come on, we gotta go now while we still can!"

He grabbed her robotic arm and began dragging her back toward the exit, but she easily jerked her arm free, looking outraged and defensive. Ratchet had forgotten Rivet did not like having her metal arm touched.

"Ratchet, why the hell'd you come back?! You heard Locke, we gotta blow this place! Teams B and C didn't finish rigging the explosives, we gotta finish the job!"

"There's too many of 'em Riv, it's suicide! Clank, tell her!" "I think I will stay out of this if you please…"

"Ratchet, do you want those bastards to get their hands on those plans?! It's suicide NOT to keep 'em away from the emperor and you know it! Kit, tell him!"

"I would rather hold my peace on the matter…"

Both Lombaxes opened their mouths again to argue, but neither got another word out. At that exact moment there was another fiery blast as a door across the room was blown off its hinges, and a hulking Cragmite with some cannon-like device on its back and arms that resembled large scythes barged into the room.

Both Lombaxes split at once, away from the incoming fiery ball of death, which blew a crater in the office floor exactly where they had been standing a second before.

Ratchet drew two shatterbombs, preparing to lob them at the Cragmite's overlarge, scarred head, but his attention was diverted as another Cragmite emerged from yet another doorway behind Rivet.

Kit gave a shout of warning, but the hulking Cragmite was keeping Rivet busy with both its long, blade-like arms, and was caught between them both.

Ratchet hurled his shatterbombs at the Cragmite approaching his counterpart from behind, which was blown off its feet, riddled with frag-shards which erupted and tore fresh, large wounds in its scaly flesh as it landed unsensible on the other side of the room.

Rivet blocked a vicious horizontal slash, then a second, then a third, sliding back about a foot with every strike the monster delivered as it roared at the female in insatiable bloodlust, furious at how she continued to block each attack.

She parried a seventh attack and struck the Cragmite hard in the chest, shattering its thick, shell-like armor, but which sent it into a frenzy as it began to attack with renewed, unrestrained vigor, and Ratchet distinctly saw a spasm of fear cross her face as she was knocked off her feet and slammed into a wall from a brutal counterattack which she only managed to block.

Ratchet jumped high into the air, the still-running chainsaw-like weapon the first Cragmite had wielded in both his hands. He came crashing down with a flash of yellow and silver, slicing a clean diagonal fissure through the Cragmite's torso, which sprayed them all with black, tarry blood as the two halves of its body separated and fell to the floor, filling the room with an abhorrent odor as its guts spilled in every direction.

Ratchet threw the weapon down and rushed over to his beloved counterpart as she got to her feet, staggering slightly.

"Riv, that's enough! We're not staying, do you hear me?! There's WAY TOO MANY!"

Rivet was looking outraged again. She glanced at him then at the still-foliage-covered Cragmites, then at the exit.

"The detonator's not far Ratchet, we can still do this! I can't -"

The entire building quaked again with what felt like the force of a bomb.

"Rivet it's too dangerous! We've lost half our force and we're this close to joining 'em!"

"Um, Ratchet…" Clank interrupted as the room shook again.

"Not now Clank!"

Rivet took a step closer, her teeth bared.

"Since when did Ratchet care about how dangerous a mission was?!"

"Rivet-", said Kit, "I admire your resolve, but we MUST-"

"Not the time, Kit!"

Now Ratchet's teeth were bared in fury.

"When did I start caring about how dangerous a mission was?! When YOU got-"

The wall on the opposite side of the room burst outward from within, bringing the argument to a full, sudden stop.

The Harbinger appeared in the massive hole in the wall, a towering, shadowy monster, its two exposed arms flexing, a massive spiked flail held in one, a forceshield clutched in its other, still-intact arm, and its eyes glowing otherworldly green through the cloud of dust as they fixed on the two Lombaxes.

Ratchet gave a yelp of terror and fell backwards. He clutched at his chest as the star-shaped scar beneath the synth fabric of his shirt suddenly burned white hot, a sensation that contrasted sharply with the frigid, suffocating cold that clenched at his heart and lungs as he looked at the monster ahead. Gasping and clutching at his chest, he scrambled backwards like a child struggling to stand on a plane of ice.

"Uh, Ratchet? What the hell is that thing?!" Rivet shouted, taking a step back.

Clank opened his mouth to respond, but he never got started, for Ratchet had lunged forth and grabbed Rivet's arm in a grip that was suddenly vice-like and tore out of the room without another word.

"Ratchet! Ratchet, what-?!"

The ground quaked behind them as the massive, spiked flail crashed to the ground, causing the floor to fall away behind them.

The Lombax flew through the hallways, skidded to a halt in the center of the bridge in the

backdoor reception area, and leapt down to the lobby below as the walls behind them cracked with the force of another deadly attack from the Harbinger that was in close pursuit.

"There they are! Consarn you two, we thought you were both- What the gods' names is that?!"

Ratchet almost bowled Locke aside as he sprung onto the dropship, and he released Rivet's arm at last.

"GET US OUT! NOW!" he roared, feeling as though his throat would tear from the force at which he shouted.

Derek who was still in the pilot's seat didn't need telling twice. At the sight of the Harbinger crashing out of the door and window frames of the facility, he had already begun lifting the ship into the air.

The Harbinger swung its flail at them as they rocketed upwards, but the attack missed by a dozen feet, and they soared higher and higher, watched by the monster below, which shrank steadily to the size of a house-fly.

"All fighters, retreat! Fall back to the Phoenix, now!" shouted Derek, and Ratchet saw, far away, the distant flashes that meant the remaining rebel starfighters had jumped to warp speed, fleeing the battle, and which Derek mimicked seconds later after he had assured there were no more rebels left.

The crowd of facility staff had retreated deeper into the ship, joined by what few rebels had survived the battle on the ground.

Ratchet's heart was pounding fiercely and he was breathing hard. He also became aware that he was shaking violently. He sank against the wall, coming to rest on the ground, forcing Clank to leap from his back before he got smushed.

Nevertheless, the silver bot approached his best friend and stopped beside the Lombax as the latter's ears drooped and he raised his shaking hand in front of his face, examining his trembling fingers.

"…Ratchet…?" Clank said, hesitantly.

Ratchet didn't respond; His mind was in shock. He had never experienced emotion like this before… It made him feel weak, powerless, and small... Insignificant and useless in the face of such an imposing, invincible foe.

"Another plan failed. Great! Just terrific!"

Rivet's raised, angry voice crashed upon Ratchet's ears, bringing the Lombax sharply back to the present.

"Another simple 'blow shit up' mission failed, more resources for the emperor and his armies! It's planet Theandris all over again!"

Rivet kicked a large box, pushing it several feet across the floor as she vented her anger.

"You!" she turned and pointed her metal index finger directly at the male Lombax sitting against the wall, her ears flared, her eyes narrowed, no longer sparkling as they usually did, but full of a fire he rarely saw.

"You did it again! You came back! Why'd you come back?! I just needed to grab the detonator and we coulda DONE IT! But nooooo you had to get all brave and heroic and come to the 'aid' of the damsel in distress again, RIGHT?!" her raised voice ticked up further which each word, growing to a shout of fury as she stormed back and forth before finally marching up to Ratchet, who's despondency was already giving quick and easy way into defiant anger.

"Then that big killer robot walks in and – WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ABOUT RATCHET?! You! Skittering backwards, jerking me along behind you like we're in some sorta horror movie! One second you're all MR. HERO then the next-"

"DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT THING!" Ratchet roared, drowning her voice for the first time.

He had jumped to his feet, his ears flaring up and his face flooding with angry color. He marched up to her, leaning forward and his shoulders squared as though preparing to fight.

She had touched a nerve. Something Ratchet had never thought would happen, happened – there was a creature out there that frightened him, made him feel powerless, a creature that was, if he were honest, beyond his ability to fight, and he would NOT have anyone talk to him about how he should be brave or get over his fear of it!

"'Why'd I come back'? 'Why'd I come back'?! Because YOU'd run off on a SUICIDE mission, that's why, Rivet! You've never faced the Cragmites before; they're not like the Heralds, emperor Nefarious' troopers, pirates, or mercenaries! They're born and raised to be genocidal, murderous, KILLING MACHINES! Death and conquering others is all they know! I've fought them before, I've seen 'em in action, I know how they work! They KILLED millions of our kind in the Great War, HAVE US ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION TODAY! You would've DIED if I hadn't come back, don't you understand?!"

"Oh, 'I would've died', is that right?! And what of YOU, HUH?! You ever think of yourself, Ratchet!? It sure as hell doesn't seem like it! Running off on your own to save Clank, running off alone AGAIN to save ME! I almost LOST YOU TWO WEEKS AGO, and IT COULDA HAPPENED AGAIN! Why do ya gotta DO THIS TO ME!?"

"Why should I worry about MYSELF when someone I care about MORE is IN DANGER OR FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIFE!?"

Both Ratchet's and Rivet's roars of fury echoed around the spacious interior of the ship, Locke and Derek both determinedly looking ahead and pretending they could hear nothing, Clank and Kit both standing on the opposite side of the room, looking scared, and the few straggling rebel survivors having long fled into the other room, away from the arguing heroes.

Both Lombaxes glared at each other, their ears flared, their faces flushed, breathing hard as though in a firefight, and fists clenched. They were angry at each other for worrying them, galled at the other's stupidity, FURIOUS at their dedication to each other and their concern for their safety.

The shock shot through both of them like a blast from a Lightning Rod. The two Lombaxes came to themselves as the impact of each other's words hit them with the force of a horde of stampeding Speetles.

They were a foot apart, leaning forward, their bodies hot and tensed as though they had been physically wrestling with one another for hours, but they were slowly relaxing, their breathing easing up and their interlocked, furious stares were softening.

They both took a hasty step back and looked away, ashamed and embarrassed.

He had done it again; squared up to her as though about to start throwing punches. What was the matter with him? Rivet was his cherished friend, the love of his life! Why did he keep doing this whenever they butted heads!? Was he really that headstrong? Not only this, but they both had just said, rather openly, that they both cared very deeply for each other, which rather heightened his sense of embarrassment and regret for how he had just behaved.

"(Is… this why she gets so mad when I show up when she's in danger?)"

He chanced a glance at her. Her ears had drooped and she was no longer tensed up. In fact, she was gripping and twisting her tail again. He wondered vaguely whether she was thinking the same thing as himself as her eyes met his, and he saw regret where the blazing inferno had been minutes before.

They both opened their mouths, and, as they had done a little over a month before as they departed

Theandris, they chorused:

"…Sorry."

Everyone returned to the Phoenix that evening in rather low spirits. They had successfully evacuated the Neptune Research Facility Staff, which meant they had more brilliant minds to add to their team aboard the Phoenix, AND they had recovered the Archives, but they had lost between twenty and thirty rebels in the fight, as well as the weapons research that had been so critical, and which now Tachyon and Valen were surely putting to good use for their nefarious means.

None were feeling as dour as the two Lombaxes, however.

After spending some ten minutes skimming over the ancient records they had recovered, Ratchet and Rivet came to the conclusion the old scrolls, books, papers, databoards, infobots, and everything else contained nothing useful to the Alliance, and departed for bed feeling rather depressed, though Clank and Kit had chosen to remain behind for a little while longer, clearly fascinated by the old, complex names and feats of ancient explorers and discoveries made eons ago.

The doors to the newly-established 'Archives of Historical Preservation' closed behind them and Ratchet and Rivet set off alone for their respective rooms.

They walked in silence. Neither had spoken a word to each other since they had apologized; Ratchet felt, once again, a crushing sense of regret over how he had spoken to her in his anger, and although Rivet too appeared remorseful, the sight of her looking so glum did nothing to lift his spirits. He wanted to say something to her, do something to make her feel comforted, so that she knew it was all right, that he harbored no hard feelings, that he still loved her just the same as he had before she had accused him of playing the hero or her derision at his cowardice.

"So that… thing…" said Rivet, suddenly.

Ratchet's head jerked toward her. He did not want to talk about the Harbinger – he felt sick at the thought of it. But this spark of bitterness melted away the instant his eyes took in her drooped ears, her averted gaze, and her apprehensive expression.

"…On the flight back… I didn't- It was just- …Must be pretty bad…" she said, hesitantly.

Ratchet swallowed. This was a massive understatement. It was unlike anything he'd ever faced, with its self-replenishing biology, the way it could predict and adapt to its prey within seconds, its

lightning-fast reflexes, speed that sorely mismatched its large frame, its glowing, otherworldly eyes, and the way it effortlessly slaughtered everything in its path without the slightest sign of fatigue or emotion.

"I just-", Rivet began, "- never thought I'd see you show… fear, I guess… You've always been so, I dunno… brave? I didn't mean to offend you…"

"('Fear'…)" he repeated the word in his head.

He had experienced fright before – numerous times in fact. It was a normal part of life that he had

accepted long ago, despite how hard he tried to fight it. He had faced thousands upon thousands of

creatures, all sorts of nightmarish beasts from the deepest recesses of the universe. But that thing…

He shivered slightly. True, genuine terror, far exceeding the fear he had experienced at the sight of the Blargian Snagglebeast, the mutated Protopet, Mr. Eye, and moreso than even the swarm of Cherubs at Tekogai Outpost that coursed through his body as he dwelt on the memory of that monster that had come so close to killing him. Even here, as they continued to put hundreds of thousands of miles between them, the thought of the Harbinger made the fur on his neck stand on end and made his heart go cold - quite as cold as it did when death's fingers had threatened to enclose him.

"Ratch…?"

He came back to himself, realizing as he did that they were outside his and her rooms again.

It was the nickname that roused him - the use of Clank's nickname for him in the soft, angelic voice of the female Lombax… It was the first time she had ever called him that.

He looked up at her, into her concerned face, her brilliantly blue eyes that still rippled with remorse.

He cleared his throat.

"Sorry… That thing… It… it…"

His voice cracked and died. He couldn't tell her. It was too much. He would have to explain this monster was the reason their kind was nearly extinct, he'd have to tell her it had killed him, succeeded in what no other monster nor supervillain had achieved before. To tell her of the Harbinger would mean he would have to admit to her that he was scared…

"(But she already knows that…)"

His heart seemed to fold. Of course, she had seen how he reacted to the sight of it, after all; she had just commented a moment ago how she wasn't used to seeing him 'show fear'.

He felt weak, mortified, and useless again; Not because of the chilled terror in his heart this time, no, it was because she had noticed. Rivet wasn't like that though, she was brave, strong, stoic, and never let her fears divert her from what needed to be done. She had seen his cowardice and he knew she despised him for it.

Her metal hand touched his shoulder and he gasped, looking up.

She had closed the distance between them in silence as his head had drooped and he stared at the floor, lost in misery.

The emerald eyes met the sapphire ones, and he saw concern and affection flickering behind the remorse now.

"('Affection'…?)"

Could it be real? It certainly looked like it; it remained in place, even as her eyes closed and reopened with each blink. It was only the look of a concerned and loving friend, he was well aware of this. But even so, as she remained there, a foot across from him as they had once stood before, with her surprisingly gentle grip on his shoulder, her warm, glowing eyes locked with his, he felt the cold in his chest melting away, replaced by that warm fuzzy glow he had grown so used to residing in the center of his body, and it seemed, strange though it sounded, that the warmth was emanating from her cold, metallic hand… almost as though there was genuine feeling in her touch.

"Don't be ashamed…" she said, suddenly. "It's okay, Ratch, I… I have fears too…" she whispered.

Ratchet breathed in sharply at these words. Quite apart from finding this a shocking revelation, he distinctly saw a flicker of genuine emotion in her eyes – an emotion he was sure he had seen once several weeks before on a dark night in a club, only this time her eyes were not fogged - unfocused from the effects of alcohol. It was real.

"Riv… Riv, I…"

He was going to confess to her at last. He couldn't not tell her his feelings, not after he had so nearly died, not after she had come so close to dying herself this night, not as they stood here, alone together, with her hand on his shoulder and his right hand gently clutching her left, which he had only just noticed. It was the perfect time to do it.

The sound of footsteps fell upon their ears. Someone was coming down the steps quickly, and the wonderful spell was broken.

Both Lombaxes jumped away from each other at once as though doused in cold water as Talwyn came into view.

She paused, raising an eyebrow as her eyes moved from Rivet, who had averted her flushed, pink face and was pretending to try and remember hers and Kit's passcode to open their door, onto Ratchet, who was rubbing the back of his head, also flushed in the face.

"Oh good, there you two are." Talwyn said, quickly glossing over the awkward moment.

She approached the two Lombaxes, pausing before Ratchet, who was feeling a mixture of anxiety, anger, and disappointment at the Markazian's interruption. It was over between them, when would she realize that?! Did she enjoy stalking them both around and getting in their way, ruining what few, precious moments alone together they had?!

"Oh! Hey Talwyn!" Rivet said in mock surprise, her ears perking up and spinning to face her. "What a surprise! Didn't hear you coming! Nope! Not at all!"

"Yeah! …Surprise!" Ratchet said, rather stiffly.

Tal's eyebrows raised again as they rested on the male.

"Ratch, I need a quick word; I swear it won't take long."

Ratchet's stomach gave an unpleasant squirm. Another private chat? She had just seen him once more on the verge of confessing his love for Rivet, and this time they had actually been holding

onto each other, to a degree… Did she want to have another argument?

"Rivet, would you mind waiting for us? I'll need to speak to you both afterward."

Ratchet's head jerked up to look into Talwyn's face, surprised. Had he heard right?

"Oh! Uhh… Sure!" Rivet said, looking just as confused as Ratchet, but sounding unnaturally cheery as she did so.

Ratchet glanced at her before turning to follow the Markazian, and he distinctly saw a spasm of something cross the female Lombax's face that gave him a rather uncomfortable sense of foreboding.

They walked through a door on the opposite side of the hall which led into a small storage room.

Ratchet stared at Talwyn as she perched herself atop a crate and she sighed.

"…You feeling all right?" she asked, rather awkwardly.

"…Yyyeaahh?" the Lombax replied. He was looking at her closely, trying to discern her thoughts before they got into the meat of the reason she had dragged him out of the dream he had been living just seconds before.

"I'm sorry, Ratchet." She said, suddenly.

"You're sor- hold on, what."

Talwyn sighed again and shifted in place atop her crate. She was looking troubled, and if that weren't enough Ratchet saw, adding to his sense of unease, emotion welling in her dark blue eyes.

"I'm sorry. For what I said to you, for how I treated you… And…" her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry I abandoned you, ignored your messages, your calls, everything. When Cronk and Zephyr died, being with you and Clank reminded me of them. It reminded me of what life had been like before they were gone. I tried to distract myself with work; I actively avoided being with you so I could try and forget they ever existed… But I was so selfish, caught up in my own misery, that I never thought for a second of what kind of emotional hell you were going through Ratchet – emotional hell that I had put on you... I know it's not an excuse for how I treated you; You were my boyfriend for seven years… You were always there for me, always… and that was how I repaid you and your selflessness."

Talwyn fell silent, save for the occasional sniff or gasp as she sobbed quietly. Ratchet stared at her, frozen in place, stunned at what was happening. Where was this coming from?

"And-" Talwyn continued, "Rivet… Ratchet, I'm so… So sorry for what I said to you about her – sorry that I accused your feelings for her being based simply on what she is. You've proven over and over again just how wrong and foolish I was for suggesting it by the way you continue to risk your life for her… You really do love her."

"…Tal… I-" Ratchet began quietly, but Talwyn continued as though she hadn't heard him. He wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't over her sniffling and sobbing, however soft they were.

"You almost died two weeks ago." She said, and Ratchet's stomach clenched slightly at the mention of it. "You almost died, and I never apologized to you; never made up for those horrible things I said and did… I'm such a selfish, begrudging idiot; It took you almost dying before I realized just how wrong I was… Ratchet, I won't blame you if you can't forgive me, but I'm begging you… Can we at least-"

"That's enough, Tal." Ratchet said, cutting across the anguished Markazian's speech.

She looked up. Ratchet had walked up to her as she had moaned and sobbed through her apologies and explanations, his ears drooped and compassion in his eyes as he looked up at her. Even while sitting, Talwyn still rose above his eye level by several inches.

"That's enough." Ratchet repeated. He took her hands and gently closed his own hands around them. Talwyn blinked, raising her tear-streaked face to meet his eyes.

"You don't gotta beg for my forgiveness- no, listen all right? I mean it – I wanna put that night a few weeks back behind us as much as you do, okay? So let me say my part. I'm not totally innocent here either. I shouldn't've been so hard on you, however mad I was. I should have told you how I feel about Rivet months ago. But when we met again on that rooftop in D2-416, I saw how happy you were, and… well, to be honest, I was too scared of making you sad or angry. I didn't wanna take that happiness away from you, Tal... Can you forgive me for how I treated you, both by not telling you and for how I treated you a few weeks ago?"

Talwyn gazed into his eyes, and after a while, she brushed the tears away forcefully and gave a weak smile.

"Of course I can, Fuzzy."

She slid off the crate and knelt down, enclosing the Lombax in her arms, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Ratchet wrapped his arms around her too.

The hug stretched on… aaannd on.

"Uh, Tal… Not tryna ruin the moment but… Rivet's waiting outside."

"Oh! Oh, Right! Sorry!" Talwyn said, letting go and standing up quickly. "I'll… keep that between us. For Rivet's sake." She added, and Ratchet looked at her, slightly confused. What'd she mean by that?

The door slid back open to reveal Rivet jumping away from the door.

"Oh, hey Riv! What're you doing there?" Ratchet asked, an eyebrow raised.

Rivet looked rather flustered.

"N-nothing! Just… You're back quicker than I… I just thought that… I didn't wanna… Hey Ratchet!" Rivet said lamely, stammering as she stood up straight. "So… So what'd ya wanna tell us?" she added, rather wildly.

"Glad you asked-" Talwyn said, looking rather amused. "I know it's short notice, but we gota a new mission for you two. Skidd and Phantom intercepted a new transmission while everyone was at the Neptune Research Facility."

Both Ratchet's and Rivet's ears perked up at once.

"I've already had Locke and Derek take a listen and Qwark's working on a plan as I speak. Normally we'd take some time, keep under the radar for a while, but with the Cragmites back and the Neptune Research Facility under their control, we can't afford to waste any time."

"So? What's this transmission you guys picked up? If it's that important then let's hear it!" said Rivet, sounding both eager and slightly impatient.

"All right then-" began Talwyn, "We intercepted a transmission from pirates on-"

"Wait- pirates?" Rivet interrupted, her ears drooping and the look of excitement fading to be replaced by one of stunned disbelief.

"Yes, the same ones you and Kit got acquainted with on Halua III."

Rivet was looking dumbstruck… Though if you asked Ratchet, he would have said she looked adorable, with her drooping ears, her wide eyes, her half-open mouth, and both arms hanging loosely at her side.

Just her luck… They hadn't seen the pirates for weeks – not since she and Kit both had escaped Halua III. Why did she always find herself getting tangled up with space maurauders?

Talwyn continued as though Rivet hadn't interrupted.

"It sounds like they just finished developing their own hologuise. Their message was directed for their captain, whose armada is docked near the Kintobor Nebula in the Quantos Galaxy, which is where the hologuise has been sent. It's been decided by Command that they need the hologuise much less than we do, as we'll be able to use it to spy on Tachyon and learn his plans, his schedule, and most important of all, according to Zedderek at least, when he leaves the Vixteron Staff."

Ratchet's eyes widened, but felt just as equally confused as he did impressed at the news of their next mission. He hadn't touched a hologuise since he himself infiltrated Captain Slag's pirate base on the Kreeli Comet seven years ago; it'd be undeniably rather cool to have one again... But why in Zoni's name would they need to know when Tachyon put the Vixteron Staff away? Sure it was powerful and was used in conjunction to extend Tachyon's life, but he could build another one if he needed; he had the plans for it after all, and he already had hundreds of lives added to his own life force, so stealing it wouldn't exactly do them much help.

Talwyn seemed to register Ratchet's confusion, for she went on –

"I'll explain everything tomorrow, when Qwark's plan is finished. Promise! You two get some sleep, it's gonna be a big day for both of you."

With a cheery wave to both of them, Talwyn turned and retreated up the stairs.

The two Lombaxes looked at each other. They were alone now, alone at last. However, Talwyn's interruption had been like a splash of cold water, waking them both from the dream-like state they had been in a short while ago, and they both gave an embarrassed chuckle, averting their faces.

"So… I guess I'll… see ya tomorrow then, Riv?" "Yeah… Yeah, I guess so! Well… 'Night, Ratch!" Rivet turned to her door again, her face still averted, but-"Riv?"

She paused and looked back, her tail flicking from side to side, a motion he felt his tail mimicking without his consent or control.

"Yeah?"

He froze, teetering on the edge of speech. She was so beautiful, even from behind… very beautiful

from behind, in fact.

He shook his head slightly to force it out of the gutter.

"T-….T-thanks for… For understanding… For telling me that, earlier…" he said.

Rivet's face flushed a little again.

"O-oh… Yeah! No problem! It's… It's normal to… to feel like that… Scared, I mean… Well, I'll… See ya tomorrow! Sleep well… Ratchet."

The door was closing behind her, but she was looking back at him even as she began to fade from view, hidden by the large, circular door as it closed in front of her, and there was tender care and affection in her face that he rarely saw on her gorgeous, white-furred visage as it was blocked from view with the soft hiss that always sounded whenever her door shut.

"You too… Riv…"

He stood there again, unable to help himself. His heart panged within his chest, that large, fuzzy monster purring, growling with affection and desire for her. She had touched his shoulder, had stood a mere foot from him alone in that dimly-lit, empty hallway, where she had confessed to him that she too had fears that made her feel as cold as his did. Rivet wasn't the type to just open up about something like that to anyone… She had done it because she trusted him on a level that she shared with few others, if any others at all. She had gone out of her way, admitted weakness in order to comfort him.

"Rivet…"

He sighed, his entire being full of that warm fuzziness, entirely captivated by her. What wouldn't he give to be in that room with her right now…

"Ratchet?"

The Lombax jumped and, rather as they had done the night he and Talwyn had broken up, his feet actually left the floor.

"Oh! H-hey pal! Hiya Kit! You're both back! Finally get bored of the archives?!" he asked, rather wildly, his face slightly flushed.

Clank and Kit looked at him curiously.

"…Ratchet, what are you doing out here? You and Rivet came back half an hour ago! Did something happen? Why were you staring at Rivet's and Kit's door?" asked Clank.

"Wh-what? Staring? Pffft, of course I wasn't staring at their door, that'd be weird! I was just… Y'see I was thinking about-"

"Ratchet, your body temperature is rising." Kit observed. "Are you sick?" "Sick? Nooo, I feel great! I'm warm because-"

"Did you forget the passcode again?" asked Clank, sounding exasperated, and Ratchet's ears perked back up at once.

"Yyyeah! That's right, I forgot the passcode!" he said at once.

"And let me guess – you were going to ask Rivet if she would not mind giving you a spare pillow and blanket until we got back." Kit asked.

"That's right! Boy, you two know me well! Hehe!" He stood there, grinning in a rather manic fashion, and both bots raised a figurative eyebrow at one another.

"Well, goodnight Clank, and Ratchet. I hear tomorrow will be busy, so you had best get some sleep." Said Kit, and she approached hers and Rivet's room, entered the passcode, and walked through the door.

"Yes-" said Clank, approaching his and Ratchet's door now. "Let us go through this again… it is 3-2-1-0, Ratchet. It is not as hard as you make it out. Sometimes you worry me greatly, my dear friend."

"Right!" said Ratchet in an overly cheery voice, walking over the threshold behind his best friend. "Gotcha! Knew it was something like that!"

Later that night, lying in bed, Ratchet stared up at the underside of Clank's bunk, his mind reeling in delight at how close he and Rivet had been, yet also in slight regret as he had failed yet again to confess his feelings for her. Why was this so hard?

He closed his eyes, and Rivet appeared in his mind's eye, more clearly than ever, now with that burning, affectionate look in her eyes he had been sure he had seen just before they had been interrupted by Talwyn.

"(Tomorrow… Tomorrow for sure… No excuses this time… )" He rolled over, and instantly fell asleep.