A gloved hand hovers over the door, but hesitates. Clank looks up at his companion to confirm her decision. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
The woman takes a deep breath, gathering the strength needed for this conversation. "No, but it's the best idea I've had for him in a while."
The highlight reel of the young woman's arena match plays on a tiny screen, seemingly mocking him. A gentle knock on the doors distracts the defeated markazian, and a muffled voice sneaks through the door. "Um, Saros? It's me, Nova. Don't worry; I'm unarmed. I just want to talk."
The young man sighs, surprised that he's not the one initiating conversation for once. "Come in." In response, the victors quietly shuffle into the room. "Well, well, well. Congrats on the win, Nova. After our little spat, I suppose you hate me now?"
There's no anger in the woman's voice, but disappointment. "I thought you were brainwashed somehow. That's the only explanation I had for this sudden shift in personality. You used to be so...calm, so patient. You were happy to watch movies and hang out." A deep breath, then a sigh. "You were never brainwashed, were you?"
"No. I wasn't," he curtly replies.
A brief pause to find the right words. "I assume you saw my, uh, announcement?"
"Yeah. So the doc was right, after all."
"I suppose he was." Awkward tension fills the room, neither markazian daring to speak. Clank backs off, allowing a much needed conversation to take place between them. Nova is the first to break the silence.
"Listen, Saros. I wanted to tell you. Really, I did. I was just…I don't know...scared, I guess."
"You're some big shot hero, aren't you? What do you possibly have to be afraid of?"
She stiffens, deathly serious. "I'm afraid of failing. I'm afraid of losing what I have left. Amidst it all, I was terrified of what I am. Terrified that the universe would no longer see me as Nova, but as Ratchet. I was horrified that eventually, I'd start to believe them too."
The college student rolls his eyes. "You know how impossible that whole 'past life' thing sounds, right? It sounds like a bad episode of 'Lance and Janice'. Like, cheap spinoff quality bad."
Nova places her hands on her hips, raising her eyebrows at the statement. "Actually, that response is another reason why I didn't tell you. I'll summarize the truth for you: My mom was struck by lightning when she was pregnant with me. With that lightning, Orvus himself threw a dead lombax's soul at me and it gave me scars. If I'd told you that, would you have believed me?"
The young man blinks in shock, shaking his head as the explanation processes. "I would have asked you what you smoked on Quantos," he deadpans.
"I don't smoke, Saros."
"That's not the point, Nova."
Both organic parties sigh, looking away from each other.
"You know Saros, I had every intention of giving your proposal some thought back then. I just wasn't ready for that type of commitment. But now, seeing how you handled the mere possibility of a 'no', that is my final answer to you."
Clank looks up, not expecting her solid 'no'. Before the fully rejected suitor has an opportunity to resist, Nova raises a hand to silence him.
"I think fondly of the friendship we shared, so to honor that, I'll give you one piece of advice. Please, get away from Nefarious. He's evil, and selfish, and cruel. When he gets what he wants, he'll toss you aside like a candy wrapper."
Saros scoffs at the request. "Look at you now. A great hero, so high and mighty. That 'holier than thou' tone. It's adorable, coming from someone as tiny as you."
The hero in question raises an eyebrow in slight annoyance, using finger quotes to illustrate her case. "I have every right to be 'high and mighty' over someone who's as dense as stale pound cake. Didn't I tell you Nefarious attacked my village? You're hanging out with a known villain now, and you really think that's a good idea?"
Clank nods in agreement, backing her up as she moves forward. "It is foolish on your part to follow Nefarious, Saros. He is not a villain to take lightly. Believe me; I have experience in dealing with him, and he is a formidable foe."
He mirrors Nova's tone, removing the covers and standing up straight. "Look at you now, Starlight. Stuck up the past's ass with your 'previous life' or whatever crap he's fed you." He harshly gestures to the lone robot in the room. "You're letting the little tin defect here shape your personality, and you really think that's a good idea?"
The woman steps in front of her metal friend. "Back off, Saros. Don't call me that, and don't talk to Clank like that just because he's right. I'm allowed to make my own decisions. You're the one who's letting a villain shape your personality."
Saros overwhelms the room with clear honesty, backed by weeks of frustrations. "You decided to never tell me about Nefarious, until you lashed out at me. I had no idea what you were angry for. You decided not to tell me about your little secret. You really think I'm the only one in the wrong here?"
Nova backs up, but Saros closes the gap as he continues. "Let me tell you something, Nova: You're the biggest hypocrite I know. You've pushed me away from day one, starting with Star Bits. You never tell me what's important. Whenever I'd ask about your past, to get to know you, you were always vague."
"I had my reasons," she defends, looking away as she begins shuffling her hands in her palms.
"Don't give me that crap. Hell, your phone went dead without a warning, and for all I knew you'd been ambushed or something. When someone offered me answers you wouldn't give, how did you expect me to respond?"
Saros' words hit like a grav-train, and all previous anger washes away. "All you wanted was answers…" The similarities between their past situations click together all at once. For years, Nova was bitter towards her village for answers she never received, only to finally get them with Clank. To be angry at Saros for the same thing…
"I..." I really am a hypocrite, aren't I?
The young man doesn't back down. "You're the one that betrayed me, Nova! You know, I'm guessing Clank told you everything right after you two left. Ever since then, you've thought you were some big shot, huh? Why bother with some common nerd when Little Miss Ratchet has bigger fish to fry?!"
All of the fire from before has completely left her. Instead, Nova gives a quiet plea. "Please, Saros. Don't call me by his name."
"Admit it: I'm just some common citizen to you. A face in the background. Static that you can just drown out and everything's better."
The very thought cuts as deep as a laser blast. "You taught me bullet time," she mumbles.
The other markazian rubs his eyes in annoyance and confusion. "Bullet what? What are you rambling about now?"
Confidence and certainty begins to return to Nova's voice. "That Zurkon. I wanted to protect one of the last friends I had left in the universe. And so, the energies in my body aligned to speed up my reflexes. I was fast enough to see and aim for that Zurkon because of you, Saros."
Before Saros can interrupt, she stops him. "You're right. I've done nothing but omit what's important. I always hated secrets as a kid; I guess that does make me a hypocrite. You have no reason to trust my words, but please trust in my actions. 'Bullet time' is activated by the desire to protect others. That's what I always wanted to be in life, before I knew about all this Ratchet stuff. I wanted to be a protector. A hero to those I care about. If you didn't matter to me, I never would have discovered the power to save you. Don't forget that."
The young man considers her claim for a moment. That moment was a bit supernatural; he can't question that. Still, the frustration remains. "So I do matter. If that's the case, give me one question with your complete honesty. You owe me that much."
Solemnly, Nova accepts the request with a nod. "Sure."
Saros thinks on the question, searching for just the right one to ask. What's bugged him for a while. "Where did you go that day? When you shut off your phone."
Nova gives a sigh of defeat, and keeps her word. "If you visit Nefarious' exhibit in the museum, there's mention of a Great Clock. It, and the Zoni are real. Before you ask, I can't tell you where it is."
"Why not?"
The woman rolls her eyes. "You're with Nefarious now, you walnut. If I can't trust you to be on my side in this fight, I certainly can't trust you with the Clock's location. Regardless of that, I can't risk word getting out. It's literally the heart of the universe, pulsing with the flow of Time itself. If anything happens to that station, existence would end. It almost did years ago."
"Really? What happened-" he asks, genuine curiosity quickly replaced with sass. "If that's not confidential, of course."
"Dr. Nefarious and Alister Azimuth chased a fool's dream; a time machine that doesn't exist. They paid the price for it."
The college student rolls his eyes. "More poetry. You know, you should write a book for all the secrets you keep."
A weak chuckle. "Maybe I should. Sorry, but I can't really say much more. I can answer literally anything else in time, after Nefarious is gone. Just not about the Timekeeper. I can't trust any outsider with that information, not just you. I hope you understand."
"I guess I don't have much of a choice on that."
"I guess not." Silence fills the room once more. Neither organic looks at the other for some time. Nova slowly gathers the words to continue.
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry, Saros. You were right, I did push you away. But your response was immature and uncalled for. This thing, our…" she gestures toward the air between them, searching for the right word. "Relationship? It's built on nothing but a lack of honesty. What you wanted needs trust, and neither of us can give it. I'm trying not to let the past define me, and I hope you'll do the same. I don't know what he promised you, but it's not worth whatever he has planned."
His silence is unnerving, and Nova senses that staying any longer will just make things more awkward. "I...I never hated you. You're a good man, and you deserve better than me. I don't like the circumstances, but I'm glad that we spoke openly. I hope we can be friends again someday, and I pray that the cosmos light your way towards a brighter future."
As she leaves, Saros pushes his hair behind his right ear with a sigh. Fingers dance around a small silver hoop earring as his eyes become glued to the floor. "I really hope they do, Nova." The door closes with a click.
With a beep, Saros' communication line opens to Nefarious. "So, you got pummeled. But, I have to admit the whole performance was quite useful. And your speech just now? I'm so glad I recorded it! You really drove into that girl!"
Saros blushes with embarrassment as the villain cackles with glee. "Y-you were eavesdropping?! That was a private conversation, doc!"
"You're working for me now, and I'll listen to my minions' comm lines as much as I please. You're upholding your end of the bargain so far, don't test me into dropping my end. Get your sorry, squishy ass back to the space station and get me that data. I have a new plan, and I'll need you for it."
The markazian sighs. "Fine, I'm on my way."
…
A small camera, held by a news anchor, follows Nova as she shuts the door to Saros' room. "Nova, Clank, what's your story? How did you come to meet?"
The organic answers the press-bot with polite intentions, but it comes across as far more blunt. "Nefarious found me on Quantos, and I escaped to Terachnos. Clank dug me out of the wreckage when I crashed. That's all there really is to it."
Clank begins an attempt to lighten the mood. "Well, one could say that it was a butterfly effect of sorts." He giggles at the vague summary in an attempt to cheer Nova up. The response is a soft smile.
Notes are scribbled on a clipboard. "Tell us, how does it feel to be back in the spotlight, Clank?"
"Well…" The response is carefully considered. "It is certainly a lot to readjust to. However, I am happy to be here."
The questioner points his pen towards Nova. "What about this girl? How does she measure up to her predecessor?"
Clank picks up the shift in her vitals at the question. He decides to be truthful. "She is just as capable as Ratchet was with weaponry. However, Nova has skills and a style all her own. It would be rude to compare the two of them." The markazian in question is looking away, towards her own group, but gives him a small nod of thanks before returning to her own interview.
"Nova, " the news anchor asks, "Tell us about how this 'spirit of a hero' business works."
She gives a short response, with a bit of a tired, defeated color to her words. "Reincarnation is what it sounds like, that's all I can really say on it right now. My scars are proof of it, take that as you will."
"What about that Saros guy you fought with? Seems like you two have some history." With a jovial tone, the anchor's eyebrows wiggle teasingly.
The markazian avoids their eye contact in shame. "Sorry, but there's...not much to say on that, either. Next question, please."
"Alright. Can you tell the folks at home what's next for our dynamic duo?"
Nova sighs. "What's next for me is to go home, and take a bath. Gunpowder and dried blood is a bit too sticky for my liking." She leads the way to the exit, and green optics tilt in concern. Clank calls after her, but she doesn't hear it and keeps walking. Shorter metal legs tap along to catch up.