Ratchet and Clank Fanfic: Lifeforce Chapter 66

Lifeforce Chapter 66:

"Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart."

Marcus Aurelius

Ever Regret

..

Percy didn't usually fall asleep. Leo was awake again, having long since given up for tonight. Percy lay, his face still etched with a frown even in dreamland, behind the fire. Leo quietly poked at the cindering wood, though he didn't really need to anymore. How long had it been since he talked about his days in the Praetorian Guard? Many. Even before Percy was born, long before his brother Raym, he'd barely mentioned it. It always made him feel off, bothered, annoyed. But now it barely pricked him anymore.

I suppose, at the end of what's what, it just doesn't matter what I was before.

It almost seemed laughable, how ashamed he'd been of it. This big, dark secret he'd kept from his friends. It wasn't actually dark nor that much of the secret. He'd been in the guard. He'd despised Azimuth for bitter, personal reasons that he was ashamed of now. The constant disagreeing led to the lesser officer's discharge. The squabbles of a young man with too much pride - Maybe getting discharged was the growing-up lesson he'd needed. Leo would have rather died, than gone on to become another arrogant fool, drunk off the legacy built by ancestors whose names they didn't even remember. He was proud to be a lombax, but the Great War was long in the past. Some lombaxes were still basking in the victory long after the actual victors and their great grandchildren had died...it was a flaw many soldiers fell to. It wasn't malicious or bad, to be prideful. Not all lombaxes gloated the species' history.

But it was always there, Leo mused inwardly. That pride. The idea that we were always right, we were the heroes, we could make the best decision.

Could they? No.

The lombaxes were good, but they weren't higher than anyone else. They should have included other species in their decisions. Maybe the incident with Tachyon could have turned about better. It was why he left the guard without putting up a fight. He didn't agree with the pride now. Alister, long before considering Tachyon's plan, had been flawed. Leo wouldn't admit it even to Percy, even after all of this. He felt shame twist his chest again, but he couldn't admit that he hadn't trusted Alister even then. That something had always been...off about the man.

If you'd stayed in the guard, maybe you could have stopped him.

Not even Kaden could stop him when he was sure he was right.

Leo exhaled slowly through his thick nose, rubbing the space between his eyes. Pride as the species had been, nothing and no one deserved what Tachyon did to them. He supposed now, what happened before didn't matter at all. He wondered what became of Alister. Fergus, Jana, Ickabar, Duck – all his friends were gone. He hadn't had much family, hadn't known Kaden too well. So Leo hadn't dwelled on others. Maybe Alister was dead. Leo wondered if it was kinder that way.

Probably.

It didn't matter now anyway. As far as the universe was concerned, Leo Evergrett's life was over.

..

Nefarious's boxy ship popped out of hyperspace just outside the Kraig Asteroid Field. Ratchet felt a drop in his stomach at seeing just how bad it was. The asteroids at the rim of the chaos were about the same size as the ship they were in, and past them he could see a few the sizes of a house or two. The good news seemed to be that they weren't moving that fast. The bad news was that, according to the mainframe on Polaris's Most Un-Visitable Planets, that could change.

"According to the database, the asteroid field could go through a tremor at any moment, caused by electro-magnetic fields. Not only could the asteroids start flying around like drunken taxi drivers –"Zephyr raised his long head, "We could get caught up in the field along with 'em!"

"Great." Ratchet half-groaned. Nefarious was scowling ahead, gripping the controls until Ratchet was sure he heard the metal in them creek. "Any kind of defence mechanism on this ship against that?"

"I didn't exactly have time to stop and get an upgrade, so sue me." The robot snarled, still staring straight ahead. Lawrence, idly dusting the ship behind the group, commented aloud;

"That and we didn't have the bolts."

Ratchet forced down a snort, "Well, we've wasted enough time. If Tachyon got his forces onto the planet then –"

Could figurative light bulbs going off in your head actually hurt? Ratchet felt like something had popped in his brain. Like when you come up too fast from the bottom of the pull, only it wasn't just in your ears. "..."

Tenahee's eyes were blank, too. Clank was staring ahead as well. All three turned and stared at each other in a flurry of blinks. Nefarious looked over his shoulder and glared at them all, "What? What, you telepathic now, you freaks? What is it?!"

"Tachyon must have gotten a bunch of ships through this asteroid field somehow." Tenahee said quickly, rubbing her fluffy head, "Which means –"

"We can follow his lead." Raymas, who had remained silent as if he wasn't there, called from the back of the ship. Ratchet only just dared to believe it. Something...going smoothly?

Nefarious's eye twitched. With a swift jerk he whipped back forward and began typing fast and furiously into the control panel before him. "Scanning field...cloaking devices up...well that's not subtle!"

"What?" Qwark squeaked, beefy fingers crammed between his teeth. Nefarious pushed himself away from the screen in his swirly chair, revealing a diagram of what the scanners had picked up. Some kind of bulky, ball-like drone about three times the size of the ship.

"A gravitational regulator, like the ones we saw on Magnus." Clank elaborated, rubbing his near non-existent chin, "The Loki must have sent it to create a path through the asteroids."

"Which also means Tachyon and the Loki will know we're coming if we take their route." Tenahee pointed out. Ratchet shrugged, trying for a grin. He didn't really manage.

"Well, we're beyond stealth missions. Talwyn's having trouble keeping the invasions back and we need to find that artefact before Tachyon does."

"Go for it and hope for the best, rookies, that's all ya can do sometimes." Cronk called from the back of the ship, where he and Zephyr were (not very discreetly) trying to set up an old holo-projector to watch Lance and Janice.

"Alright..." Ratchet wasn't used to being on a mission and not driving, standing behind the pilot seat where his enemy was made him feel beyond awkward. Nefarious sped up, nearly knocking the standing parties off their feet. The orb-like drone came into view; hovering just outside the asteroid base. Like two snakes of light it sent bolts of electro-magnetic pulses through the field, and Ratchet could see the clear road. The jagged lightning-like edges to it made it look more like a death trap. He frowned,

"Those could damage our ship. It'll be like playing one of those games where you can't touch the walls or you lose."

"Or blow up." Qwark whimpered, ducking behind Tenahee's chair. The lombax woman's face hardened as she stared ahead in frozen annoyance. Nefarious rolled his eyes,

"I can handle it, just watch!" He manoeuvred the ship onto the asteroid-free route. It was far narrower than Ratchet had imagined. The yellow lombax felt his fur prickle.

"Watch it." The ship drifted precariously near the sparking electric. Nefarious gave a low, warning growl.

"Don't back-seat drive, Squishie runt, I said I'm handling it."

So the little box-like ship moved forward, teetering precarious close now and again to the edge of the protective field. Tenahee was tapping her fingers together, staring at her toes, Qwark trying his best not to make a noise, and the two warbots watching Lance and Janice as quietly as possible at the back of the ship. Oh, and Lawrence dusting everywhere. Ratchet knew was stress was at this point. The ship moved slowly, painfully slow, and with every passing minute Ratchet felt his chest tighten. What felt like hours later, the ship made if halfway through the field. Ratchet breathed out.

The alarm blared in their ears. He ducked. Nefarious gave a squabble of fright like a kicked bird and looked down at the screen in front of him. The ship didn't wait for him to read it –

"Warning, gravity field collapsing!"

Ratchet, Tenahee and Clank whirled around. Through the back window they saw, miles away, that the drone had shut off at the field held by the electro-magnetic pulses was closing like a fly-trap. Asteroids didn't just stop being pushed away, they collapsed together with a crunch. And the collapse was coming right towards them.

Nefarious gave a squawk, Qwark screamed, and Tenahee grabbed the controls, Ratchet the others, and they floored it. The ship blasted forward as the road behind them closed up with slamming rocks. They'd be crushed instantly if caught in it, and now the artsoids were scraping the very back of the vessel. Ratchet pushed hard on the joysticks, tipping the ship forward so the rear went up and avoided the collision – but Qwark, Lawrence, and the other three robots slid forward and crashed into the back of the pilot seats.

Only Raymas remained at the back of the ship, gripping the wall to keep his barely standing body in place.

"Someone's trying to call us." He called gruffly. Ratchet shot a look back at him,

"What, what do you –"

The screen buzzes to life again and a loud, snide voice laughed, "I can't believe you fell for it."

Ratchet had to admit he hadn't seen it coming, but with his teeth barred, his full weight on the joysticks and trying to drive a nearly upside down ship, he couldn't find the mental capacity to reply. Tenahee was using the other controls to shoot back at any asteroid that came too near, but it was overwhelming. They were being showered.

The field in front of them was still open but they were running out of time –

"You SON OF A –"

The ship jolted and Nefarious smacked his forehead off the panel in front of him. The group cringed as he flopped to the floor without another word. The Loki, cat-like face smirking on the screen, let out a bark of a laugh,

"I do hope that gets recorded!"

"So what, you're Tachyon's lackey now?" Tenahee growled over her frantic button-pressing. The Loki gave her a sharp look,

"Oh, well if it isn't yet another one of the so –called extinct species."

"Actually there's probably bunches of 'em in a different dimension so really the lombaxes ain't extinct at all." Zephyr mused, piled up with Qwark, Lawrence, Cronk and Clank behind the pilot seats. The Loki rose a brow at them all, but his smirk returned tenfold at the sight.

"It's as if you're trying to make sure that I know you're as beatable as punching bags. How kind."

The ship gave another jolt. Asteroids were flattening together just behind it, scraping the sides. Ratchet barred his teeth, gripping each pilot seat in either hand.

"You can't use the Lifeforce." He growled at the screen, blood boiling, "Something's wrong with it, it's not what you think it is."

"And you're suddenly the expert?" The Loki retorted, a brow raised, "Forgive me for not taking you seriously."

The disc on Ratchet's shoulder-belt flashed. The pale blue aura ignited like a flame in gas and blasted through the ship and right through the walls. Ratchet thought he'd be thrown off his feet, but he stayed anchored to the lopsided floor. They all did. The lombax looked down.

The Lifeforce in the disc was pulsing slowly. The pulses rippled through the ship and out around it, tossing the asteroids back like a wave. When the asteroids flew at them again, another pulse sent them back. Like a heartbeat. Like a breath.

The Loki was staring at him; mouth slightly ajar, eyes wide but hard in disbelief. "...Just how are you...?" Ratchet looked up. He felt blissfully cool, like he'd taken a nice cold drink of water after running a mile. He managed a smirk,

"Oh, you know, Hero Mojo. Guess the Thora like good people better, huh?"

"What is that?" The Loki's eyes were locked on the shoulder disc. Ratchet's hand flew to it, covering it a little.

"None of your business."

He turned the screen off. Tenahee was staring at him, everyone was. He tried to ignore them and shoved Nefarious out of the way to sit in the main pilot seat, "We're almost out of the field!"

"Ratchet..." Clank started, but the lombax cut him off,

"I know, I know." He didn't really, "We'll talk about it afterward, really, but let's just survive this, okay?"

Tenahee looked away from him, something crossing her face that he couldn't quite read. But he couldn't concentrate on it, not now. The pulsing was growing stronger, tossing asteroids back like pebbles in water.

Raymas, who had been near invisible during the whole thing, let go of the wall and skidded down the floor to the other end. He reached over Ratchet's shoulder and began typing rapidly. Ratchet blinked quickly, trying to speed up the ship,

"Raymas, what –"

"The Loki must have activated the drone remotely. Calling us gave us a direct line to his databases – If I can hack it, we can turn it back on!"

"That sounds difficult, it would be easier if he hadn't ended the call." Clank said doubtfully, trapped under Qwark's arm. Tenahee raised her head,

"...Wait...we're being called again."

Ratchet readied himself mentally for more gloating. Instead a noise-only message popped up on screen as they sped through the field, asteroids crashing together all around them in ear-splitting cracks.

"Who is this?" He called, as Raymas continued to type like quick and stiff.

"...Mew."

...

It was quiet. Very quiet. Percy opened his eyes. His one good ear stood up, and he listen. The chilly air nipped at the tip. He could hear nothing, not even a breeze. There was a fog in the air; damp on the nearby leaves. The giant brambles looked sleet with it, and Percy felt his stomach turn at just how more fleshy they looked now. The fire was dead. The logs too damp to burn. Leo lay opposite, the extinguished fire between them; his back turned to the small lombax. Percy felt his chest tighten, as it always did, but then he saw the dark furred lombax's shoulder move. He was breathing.

Percy wrinkled his pink nose. If noise hadn't awakened him up, then what was it? The fog made him want to sneeze, but it couldn't have been enough to get him up. He stared quietly into the fog around them, sitting up and bobbing his toes left and right; as if dancing to some silent music.

A thud. He heard it in his chest and in the ground. Soft as a hummingbird's heart. Percy went still. He didn't even breathe. It happened again, the slightest stir in the soil. "...Leo."

Leo didn't budge.

Another pulse.

"Leo."

Leo shifted. Then he was up, the two of them like frozen mice caught in the light, as still as statues. The fog pressed around them like a cage. Leo's ears stiffened as at last a noise, muffled and muted, came with the thud. He stood up in a quick bolt and moved, stiff as a board, to Percy, tugging him up by the shoulder and pulling him along. But they didn't run. In silence, Percy felt himself being pulled through the thick, damp leaves of the giant plants, moving through them without so much has rustling them. He felt deaf, far more than his missing ear had ever made him feel.

Leo looked down at a device on his wrist; built clumsily but plainly on his arm. Percy had no idea what it was. The two stopped in a clearing, surrounded by mist and tall, dark plants. Percy felt a shudder travel up his spine. "Leo." His voice barely got out of his throat.

Leo turned to him and knelt, eye level. Percy couldn't look away this time – it was Leo that wouldn't meet his eye. He breathed out, looking left and right, eyes flickering rapidly at the jungle around them. "Percy – listen. We're going to split up. I'm going to lead them away around the road were the brambles are the thickets. I'll lose them in there; they're too big to get through the thorns. There's a river just past here- follow it. The map says it's parallel to the road I'll take."

Percy barely heard any of it. All he heard was 'split up.' And alarm bells went off, urgent and horrified. This couldn't be happening. He wasn't fooled. At last something in his broke, his voice thick as he forced it out, "No. Not again."

"You have to. You can do it." Leo whispered. Percy's shredded ears could hear voices now, gurgling, thundering, scraping, high pitched, a muddle of voices too far to make out –

He tried to breathe but couldn't. "I can't. Not this –"

Leo stood up and began walking the other way. Percy was drenched in a cold sweet. His insides, every part of him stung. "Leo –"

The dark furred lombax looked back at him, face blanched beneath dark fur. A gentle breeze could have knocked him over, he looked so drained. Percy felt pain he couldn't describe at seeing Leo, the strong one, like this. He closed his eyes. "You can't do this to me again."

Silence.

He felt a pair of arms around him. He hadn't been hugged in a long, long time. But he felt warmth, he felt life. Leo, alive, holding him tight. He felt something like a drop of rain fall on the top of his fluffy head. He couldn't look up at him. He stared past his shoulder, eyes frozen, the plants blurring.

"I'm sorry, Little Man. You'll be all right. You're different from us all. You'll live. You're strong...but I haven't got much left in me."

Percy couldn't move, couldn't speak.

Leo drew back and he saw his face, dark eyed, dim pupils, tired -

"...I'll miss you."

Percy's mind went blank.

"...Me too."

Leo stood and walked away. He slid into the plants, away from him, and Percy began moving the other way, legs numb. He walked steadily without a stumble, feeling nothing, feeling empty.

...

"...So...Leo...what was your family like? Were they...in the guard?"

Leo lifted his head. Ickabar sat opposite him; the camp fire between them. Most geography teachers couldn't say they went on dangerous archaeological ventures with their friends, but he could. Fergus sat to the left, gulping down some kind of alcohol from a flask, looking none too interested. The darkness was thick around them, the cave walls almost vanishing from existence. Their shadows flickered like kites tied to their feet in the fire light.

He sighed. "...You know I don't like talking about the Guard."

Ickabar's looked down quietly. "...You know, whatever happened..."

"Is my past." Leo murmured. Not angrily. Just...firmly. "I know you mean well, but...that's just me." Ickabar gave a half-smile.

"Did you know your parents?"

"Yeah. But they were...always working. Those kind of parents." Leo sat back against the near invisible cave wall. He looked past the fire, past Ickabar, at the darkness. "I guess I could have tried harder, but I was always waiting for them to make the first move."

"...Have they made the first move in asking for forgiveness?"

Ickabar's tone was flat. The closest thing the purple lombax got to scorn. Leo shrugged slowly.

"They can't bring me down anymore. They're in the past."

"...Your family can hurt you. That much I know." Ickabar said, staring down at his feet. "...Sometimes you don't even realize the damage until much later."

Fergus spoke up at last, placing down the flask with a clunk. They turned their heads to look at him, eyes a little wider. Fergus opened his, sharp and unmasked.

"They don't matter anymore. The ones that hurt you, at the end of it, they just don't matter. Sure, the damage is there, and by God you can make them sorry for it, but in years to come you'll find it almost funny how much you cared about something so irrelevant."

He sat back, vaulting a leg over the other, smirking a bit Leo's way. "Sometimes I forget how much of a softie you are. You're worse than Ickabar."

"And I forget there's a full-fledged philosopher buried under all those flasks and the hatred of Monday mornings." Leo grinned. "Should I call you Professor Mgive?"

"Shove off."

Ickabar laughed.

...

Leo he slid through the labyrinth of brambles and spikes outside the jungle. The roads were steep here, and the soil was reddened like old wine under the dampness. The coolness in the air made him feel more awake then he ever had. He found the first drophid moving blandly across the road. He struck it across the helmet with his wrench and bolted past. The squard saw him and began shooting, following as he made his way down the barren roads outside the forest.

Something heavy landed in front of him; a four-legged mech made of purple metal; spider-like. A drophid at the helm. The lombax gritted his teeth and ducked beneath it; striking the spot directly beneath where the drophid sat. It swayed off balance and didn't regain it until he was much further down the road.

He skidded around the corner, and a blast wrecked his ear drums. He halted, turned his back, and glared hard at the being behind him, for he knew what it was. Landing in the road behind with a cracking thud, the insect-like throne of Percival Tachyon stood up with a mechanical twitch. His ugly face stretched between a fowl grin and a disdainful scowl.

"You've aged badly, Percival." Leo remarked casually, "The years have not been kind."

"Kinder than they have to you." Tachyon drawled, picking at his gloved fingertips with equal loftiness. "You look – how do they say it? Like you have been through the mill one too many times."

Leo lifted his wrench and took a fighting stance, a ghost of the guard he once was. "I'm done speaking with you."

"As am I. To down, one to go. The Keeper's brat is the last of you." Tachyon's throne shifted and the arms drew up; the mechanisms lighting.

"I doubt I'll take my time on you, Evergrett."