Facets, Book 1: What Is And What Should Never Be

Chapter 5: Into The Fire

"There's nothing like overcoming something that scares you so much. Nothing feels better." - Laura Wilkinson

Clank walked quietly through the hallway which led from the bridge. Many troubling thoughts weighed on his mind.

"What will we find when we arrive at the Great Clock?"

"Will there even BE a Great Clock in this dimension? And if there is, will it be at the same spatial coordinates?"

He stepped through a door at the end of the hall, and entered the brig. Immediately he walked over to the cell where Ratchet was being held. He looked in, and found Ratchet laying down on the bed, and it was evident that he was still upset.

"How are you holding up, Ratchet?"

His old friend didn't turn his head to look at him. He just stared at the ceiling. "Well, let's see. Since we've come to this dimension, I've been kicked in the head, dumped into a cell where I was subsequently forced to watch a kid get horribly killed...by another version of ME. All before I was tortured of course...by that other...me. Then I'm broken out of that cell only to be dumped right back into another one..."

There was a bitterness in his voice. Clank dipped his head sadly as Ratchet continued.

"...yeah, I think I've been better."

Clank shook his head, deeply concerned for his friend. "I am sorry, Ratchet. I am doing everything I can to convince Vorn Garblak to release you from this cell. But I do not appear to be making a very convincing case."

Ratchet continued to stare at the ceiling. "It's okay, pal. Just do what you can. At least you're still out there." He rolled over and faced the wall, his back now to Clank.

The door to the bridge hallway opened behind Clank, and Jarvis came scuttling up to him, a computer pad in hand. "Excuse me Clank. But I am still wondering about the coordinates you have us heading for. We've never been this far out into space, and I should think our long-range scans of this region would have revealed by now that something was out there. Perhaps you can be a little more specific about what we expect to find when we arrive."

Clank turned to Jarvis and, in a very matter-of-fact way, replied "I expect to find my counterpart, and much more."

Jarvis had a very puzzled look on his face. He started to reply, but then Vorn Garblak rejoined them from the bridge as well. He peered into the cell.

"How is he?"

Clank looked up at Vorn. "Not well. Please, I am asking you once again to trust me, and release him."

Vorn dipped his head. "I am sorry, Clank. I am still not convinced that he is who you say he is. He could very well be OUR Ratchet."

"But he is not!"

Vorn turned away from the cell. "That may be. But if I were to release him, and he turned out to BE our Ratchet, we would be in great danger. You don't even know that he hasn't tricked you too. He is an expert at deception. Exceedingly so. I can't risk it."

Clank stepped in front of Vorn determinedly. "Now listen to me, Vorn. Do you not think I would know the lombax who has been my friend throughout my entire life? I know my Ratchet, and this is him. I guarantee it. And I now insist that you release him!"

Vorn raised an eyebrow as he gazed at Clank. He stroked his chin as he turned the demand over in his mind, and then turned back to the cell to look at his prisoner. Ratchet's back was still turned to them, but his tail twitched and undulated, indicating his agitation.