PALE GREEN STARS (RATCHET X OC)

BREAKEVEN

~ Chapter 9 ~ Breakeven

~ Apogee Space Station ~ Late Night

We examined the footage over and over again and still every time it caught me by surprise.

"You're telling me a bunch of space pirates kidnapped Kat and Flynn."

"It looks that way." Talwyn said as she kept looking through the images.

"But Ratchet said the pirate gang pretty much disbanded after that Captian Slag fellow retired."

"Evidently that's not the case." She answered before taking a sip of her coffee. "By the way where is Ratchet now?"

"He's working on Aphelion trying to figure out why she wouldn't start earlier today." I answered taking a swig of my own cup of coffee.

"Hmm." She replied but didn't seemed to caught up about it. Which obviously peaked my curiosity.

"Hey Talwyn?"

"Yeah?" She answered taking her eyes off the screen to look at me.

"What are thinking?" She looked down then back at the stopped image showing a space pirate falling backwards as he's being shot.

"I don't think Slag or his first mate Rusty Pete have anything to do with this, but I think we should find them and ask what they know."

"I agree." I answer. "It's better to have more information before we start placing the blame on other people. But something tells me someone hired the pirates to find something, but instead they found something of greater value. Two genuine lombaxes who happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time." I start walking out of the room until Talwyn calls after me.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"I'm going to go see if I can install those ejector seats back into Samus. After that I'll go see if Ratchet needs help and then finally after that hopefully we'll have a plan."

After grabbing my toolkit I head over to Samus only to find Ratchet jumping out of her cockpit with Clank shaking his head at him. At first he doesn't notice me, but the moment I clear my throat he turns toward me smiling. I smile back.

"Hey, Roslyn. What's up with the toolkit?"

I broke into a slight chuckle before laughing. "I was coming to install the ejector seats back into Samus, but it seems that I can check that off my list of things to do."

"Yea I thought I'd do it for you since you and Talwyn were so focused on that video recorder."

"Did you find anything else on the device Miss Roslyn?"

"No...nothing else." I sighed setting down the toolkit on Ratchet's temporary workbench.

I felt Ratchet and Clank's eyes on me, but I paid no mind to them.

"How's Aphelion?" I asked trying to change the subject. Ratchet noticed my lame attempt, but he played along anyways.

"She's fine. I just needed to tune up the starter."

"Good, I'm glad it was nothing to serious" I turn towards Ratchet noticing Clank had left us alone." and thanks for installing Samus's ejector seats for me."

"You're welcome. But you really went on a date for them?" He asks as he puts the washcloth he used to clean his hands as he leans against his workbench.

I smiled but humored him.

"I went on a date to get the part I needed to finish making them."

"But why a date? It's not like he went through a break up and tried to use you to make his ex jealous. Only to fail."

I didn't answer to confirm his guess because he hit it right on the nose. Ratchet caught on and started laughing.

"You're kidding. You seriously went through a terrible date with someone just to get some part?"

"He gave me a huge discount for it."

"Then how did you spend a lot of bolts on them?"

"I built my ejector seats from scratch." He smiled slightly as he nudged my shoulder. "That's pretty impressive coming from a girl." I smirk at his comment as I lightly punch his shoulder. "Well don't forget this girl can still pin your ass to the ground." He's quiet for a moment but he then tackles me into the ground pining me with my arms above my head as he's looking down at me with a smug smile. I return his smile with a playful glare, but immediately begin to laugh. Ratchet begins to laugh making him loosen his grip on my arms. Taking my chance I pin him back keeping my grip strong. He looks up at me wondering what had happened as I look down at him with a smirk of victory. Still feeling bold I lean down next to his ear and repeat my words to him.

"I told you this girl can still pin your ass to the ground."

Ending our pinning war we hear Samus clearing her throat.

"If you two needed alone time you should've just told me." She says. After hearing her I scramble to get off of Ratchet. He stands up mumbling to himself about how he thought Samus was asleep. Trying to turn the attention away from us I ask Samus how she's feeling, but she doesn't take the bait.

"Not as good as you were feeling a few seconds ago baby girl."

Without even thinking I take Ratchet's hand. "We'll be back Samus!" I call out to her rushing out of the room with Ratchet following behind.

"Don't have to much fun you two!" She calls back but I try to ignore it. I kept on walking with destination in mind until finally Ratchet's voice broke through to me.

"Roslyn slow down!"

"Wha?" I stopped looking at Ratchet then to his hand ,which was still trapped within my tight grasp, quickly I loosened my grip on his hand, but he didn't let go. Instead he kept his grip on mine.

"Roslyn..."

I looked up at him with a calm expression on my face. Even though I was embarrassed.

"Are you okay?" Normally I would've come up with something clever to say to ensure no one would press any further.

"Yeah I'm fine." Obviously that wasn't the case in this situation. Especially when my voice rose when spoke to Ratchet.

"We both know that's not true." He saw through my lie, but I was too stubborn to admit it.

"I'm fine Ratchet." I kept my voice steady when I repeated myself. Even when he stared into my eyes trying to break me, but I stayed calm. Eventually he seemed to believe me.

"Alright. Lets go see what Tal's up to." With that we started walking again this time with a destination in mind. Well, in Ratchet's mind anyway. My mind was focused on the fact that Ratchet wouldn't let go of my hand.