Chapter Text
"It happens with ingrained habits that they continue to stand even after the necessities that formed them have disappeared."
-Etienne B. Condillac.
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Sometimes taking on these jobs was a real mess of paperwork to review, document and report. Usually nothing as complicated as dealing with the fugitives and newcomers residing in the most important, protected and vast security prison in the entire Polaris galaxy. Signatures, review of offenses, taking statements, taking them to the facility, awaiting trial, etc.; a normal work week. That was the norm, at least until recent events.
Emperor Tachyon, sovereign Cragmite dictator, known for his cruelty and tyranny in the galaxy neighboring Polaris. Nothing more than a megalomaniac villain with too many followers and military might, he had been a threat since the first years in which he had appeared, declaring war on anyone who did not surrender to his dictum, at that time his empire, although limited and even battling fiercely against the Solarian Guard already conquered half of the planets scattered throughout the galaxy. The Guard held him back for a long time, preventing his advance to what was left of Solana, but unfortunately that did not last long. Suddenly and mysteriously their empire had multiplied their numbers, their weaponry and technology was more advanced and their power only extended exponentially to the far reaches of the galaxy. And in less than five years he had consummated his conquest of Solana.
And meanwhile Polaris had been dealing with his own problems, the power-hungry maniacs were everyday inconveniences. In fact, his own creation was made for the purpose of exterminating the Galactic Rangers, ironically, he too was a factory error, gaining agency and awareness beyond his pre-programmed capacity, managing to find greater understanding and sympathy for the heroes than for his own designation. Which is why even after the defeat of President Drek, he decided that he would help in any way he could to keep his home safe. Which is precisely why he also finds himself in this situation.
To clarify, the recent events, were something that nothing and no one could have foreseen.
Percival Tachyon's defeat or more precisely.
His bloody elimination.
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As he walked through the ostentatious corridors of the fortified cells, he reviewed the information for the third time in the short period that was the morning, just starting the day and he already felt that nothing would go right in this situation.
The information was rather vague, insufficient and incomplete for his taste, there was nothing more than three pitiful lines about the new prisoner, there was an excess of blank spaces in the data, only name, species, a brief description of his appearance and his high level of mental instability and excessive violence, with a huge list of crimes to his credit. Theft, homicide, destruction of entire planets, illegal possession of black market items, mass genocide, all to varying degrees, it was too long. Not to mention that he was Emperor Tachyon's top commander. It seemed like a cruel and ironic joke of the universe the events that occurred that brought them all to this situation. None other than the Emperor's own right hand man was the one who caused his own death. No one has found the reason why it happened. The facts show that he had been in the service of the dictator for years before suddenly only six months ago and from one moment to the next he had decided at will to assassinate in the tyrant's own condominiums Percival Tachyon himself and little by little in the description of the reports, destroying and eliminating his entire empire and legacy, before disappearing and finally finding him fainting and almost dead in the most remote point of the galaxy.
There was a big story behind it, too many unknowns, not enough data.
He didn't like the way things looked.
And the most complicated part of this situation was clearly finding all the missing information in the report, it might as well wait for the investigations to be completed, but unlike many others, everything the prisoner was accused of was a clear sign that the acts had consequences. The millions affected by his crimes, demanded justice, and he could not blame them, how uncomfortably explicitly some of his most vicious crimes were described were... brutal and excessive, to use no other words.
But, you really can't judge someone without knowing all the facts of their actions, their conviction was something that would be a long time coming before a decision was made.
He hoped that with all that had transpired, the inmate would cooperate, though he found those odds very slim, to tell the truth.
Lost in his thoughts he found himself at the end of the corridor, reaching the end where the elevator was located that led to the different levels where the prisoners awaited, starting with the least dangerous in the lowest levels and descending as their crimes and sentences increased. He entered the large elevator without much trouble and pressed the button.
The last level was a special and unique area, it was also his stop.
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How quiet it was to arrive almost seemed like a bad omen warning how dangerous it was to attempt this without any additional protection or any escort to his first visit. He didn't doubt the security and how strictly guarded everything inside the large complex was, but still he couldn't help but feel an urgent nagging in his circuits to retreat to the lesser levels, where there was anyone other than the icy room that represented the last level, the most guarded of all and curiously the whitest and most illuminated as well, there was no room for any shadows. It was almost sickening.
The last level consisted of a small stretch of corridor, very narrow, with a cell at the end of the last, the walls as well as everything around was fortified, the only room did not keep too much either, everything around it was covered by pads, placed as a precaution and as far as he knew, from the reports describing multiple accidents that occurred without them. The cell was unique in more ways than one, its mere construction was carried out using only the strongest, most indestructible and heaviest metals in the galaxy, to ensure that nothing and no one could penetrate it either from the inside out or vice versa. It was recognized by everyone, both inmates and guards, also considering that it was rarely used, and no one was processed in it, it was considered only for special cases.
And he had one of these, right in front of him.
If Clank was honest, he wouldn't know what he expected from the prisoner, although he definitely didn't expect to see someone so... passable.
The lombax lay on the padded floor of his impenetrable cell as if it were the most comfortable and peaceful place in the galaxy, he rested his hands on his head and kept one leg over the other, as if he were a person sunbathing on a summer day, his eyes were kept closed and his calm and sleepy expression contrasted too much with all the scars scattered all over his feline features, places so damaged and harmed where surely his fur would never grow back. He doesn't quite make it to the end before pausing to find the best way to begin his work.
"I think it would be more comfortable if you watched me in the chambers, unless you have something to tell me, of course" he hears aloud suddenly without observing him move from his relaxed posture.
Well, there was no turning back now.
Still with apprehension in his voice, he walks the last stretch before starting to speak "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but..." he hesitated trying to find the right words "as I guess you know, I need your cooperation to finish the facts of your case" not sure how to proceed before adding lastly "I need you to tell me everything you know about Tachyon" he finishes the sentence as he stops his steps, just a couple of spaces away from the cell.
Reviewing his previous words, he found that hardly and usually inmates refused to cooperate with his requests most of the time. Somehow he really didn't expect this to be a different matter, so he only expected a negative response. And it didn't take too long.
"Ah, right, that was it" he said before removing his hands from his head and pulling himself up enough to end up sitting down and with his back to Clank "you know, you don't have to be so cordial, Cans" he turns his head to glare at him, before smiling and turning completely around to remain seated facing the lighted and covered entrance that was his cell "you can call me Ratchet" he points to himself with the palm of his hand "so, what exactly do you want to know, Cans?".
He senses that this talk will not end well, they haven't even spoken for five minutes and he already has a demeaning nickname, even so, the fact that he is communicating and not keeping silent to his questions is a wise move, and he decides to take advantage and continue.
"My name is Clank, and I have multiple questions I need you to answer" he doesn't take more than a second to continue, checking his holo-screen again in the process "What is your home planet?" a simple question, he just hopes he doesn't shut down in the face of the interrogation.
He frowns along with the accompanying scar that runs across his left eye, before answering anyway.
"Veldin, Solana galaxy, over 40 degrees in summer, teeming with amphibious pests, with few bodies of water on its surface, the most forgotten and boring place in the universe, not recommended for vacationing" he jokes, gesturing with his hands as if he were a holo-vision presenter "completely destroyed, the work of yours truly" he lets out a small laugh, clearly showing satisfaction with his act.
...Now he's not sure whether to continue with the questions or end the visit, his job dictates that he has to get as much information as he can before turning around and returning to his post to report, and he remembers that he did, after all, promise that to the Warden as well.
He writes for a moment before resuming, "How old are you?".
"mhh" he thinks for a moment and swings his tail restlessly "I'm twenty, but you know, you're never too young to die."
He decides to ignore the unnecessary comments and childish behavior from now on and moves on to the next question "do you have any family or relatives?".
"Dead" he answers with excessive haste, not taking even half a second before continuing; "my entire species is extinct in fact" and adds lastly with cruel cynicism, "it's something to unsettle the conscience, don't you think?".
Clank can't stand it.
"You think this is a game, Ratchet?" he claims reproachfully, raising his voice, peeling his optics off the screen to stare at him, completely disapproving of his attitude to such a situation.
The vibrantly colored lombax looks at him, not smiling for once in the entire conversation. Clank is struck by how incredibly vacant, disoriented and disorganized his gaze is, all at the same time and is terrified by how little he glimpses and discerns of this.
But it doesn't last long enough and the sarcastic, childish lombax returns, as if he never left.
"Hey, life is a game, you just have to learn to have fun!" he says good-naturedly "Everyone has their own way of having a good time" he leans back and adopts the same position he held at the beginning "I for one, I'm fine here, it's almost a habit, really".
He doesn't understand what he mentions and can't help but deviate from the interrogation to ask: "What do you mean?".
"I've been trapped all my life" without looking at him and without moving a muscle, his tail begins to wag inadvertently, waving in the chamber space "if not on my planet, it's with the Emperor's lying parasite" he begins to wag harder "or in all the other prisons I've been in before" he moves excessively thumping the pads of the room, like an angry cat "or my own head betrays me to make me survive again, and END UP BACK HERE" he raises his voice enough to make the small, stunned robot wince, before shutting up as quickly as he started, his tail stops and lowers to the floor, softly and quietly.
He pulls his hands from his head and removes his foot from on top of the other, before finally spreading both arms apart and holding them at his sides, staring lostly at the whitish, sickly stretch that is the ceiling of his cell, before saying despondently "...this doesn't make sense".
Clank doesn't know how to handle this situation and just remains silent, desperately searching his database for a solution, he wishes to help him, maybe some words of comfort or consolation, or something, anything. he's never seen someone so... lost.
"Hey, Cans, I have a question" he says in a low, monotone voice, pauses for a couple of seconds before continuing "When are they coming to kill me?".
Clank is speechless, stunned by how calm and serene it was to ask the lombax such a question, even so, he forces himself to try to answer and not remain silent.
"What..." his voice trails off, but he doesn't relent, and tries to continue trying to keep his voice unperturbed "What are you talking about, Ratchet?" he only half succeeds.
Ratchet obviously doesn't stay quiet any longer.
"Ha, you know what I'm talking about, Cans" he tries to keep his spirits up, but fails "I've done a lot of things in my life, there's no way I'm getting out of here alive" he says self conscious, more than he ever was and doesn't stop: "besides, I think it's best for everyone, don't you think, Clank?" he smiles a little and watches the little robot for the second time.
Not knowing how to answer, he tries again; "Ratchet, I... that's really not my decision, I'm sorry" he concludes, crudely, for even if it would help him redeem himself, it is not and never would be as simple as saying 'I'm sorry', he knows.
The feline doesn't respond and the silence goes on for a long while, each of them caught up in their thoughts, contemplating everything and yet not coming up with any solution to such a situation. Ratchet is not discouraged, he knew it, he always knew it, he knew his path would end here, and that fact comforts him more than it should "You're too much of a helpful Cans for his own good, hasn't anyone ever told you that?" he doesn't let him answer and opts to go on to get it over with "well, go on Cans, I haven't got all day" his indifference returns.
But somehow he feels calmer inside than before.
Clank for his part takes a moment to consider the situation, should he end the questions here? doesn't he reflect that he already has all the information he needs? did he really need to go on and finish?
... Yes, he should definitely finish, he has come too far, he cannot finish this half way. You must not prolong this any longer.
"What was your relationship with Percival Tachyon?".
The lombax whistles for a moment before answering "Complicated" he says and explains right away "I think sometimes he didn't know if he wanted to tell me 'good job' or else try to disintegrate me on the spot" he laughs without motivation, as if it was an inside joke "but to be more specific, I grew up under his tutelage since I was eight years old, I obeyed him, I abided all the time his orders" he doesn't smile when he says this and finishes the sentence without amusement: "and as you may know that didn't end well".
"Last question" they finally get to the end, just wait for him to be honest and answer "Why did you murder Percival Tachyon?".
"I don't know." Is the only answer she gives and averts her gaze from him.
Trying to find a more reasonable answer he questions again, "You murdered Percival Tachyon because you... got fed up with him?" he states with some hesitation, trying to deduce what the lombax was clearly avoiding, suspiciously suspecting the recent unexpected events in the Solana galaxy, there had to be a coherent reason behind this.
The lombax still avoiding the robot's gaze, on the floor of his fortified cell replied wearily, "Let's just say that, well, after conquering thousands of planets and a couple of galaxies you can't help but notice some things that no one ever questions until it becomes blatantly obvious" he finishes explaining to finally offer only a smug smirk on his sloppy features.
With some apprehension at the feline's lost and cynical smile, he couldn't help but question even anticipating the resolution of his previous words "did you become aware of all your actions and involvements in regards to your past misdeeds?".
He observes him incredulously amused by such a conclusion, nothing further from reality he supposes, so he can't help but snort out loud "HA! that sounds like a good joke" he comments without remorse and continues with humor "No, not at all my friend, just..." he suddenly cuts the sentence only to reply at once: "I got bored" he says, shaping on his mouth a smile devoid of humor, almost with irony.
"Of course, and that's why in the process you also eliminated all his followers, forces and commandos, not to mention his entire empire" Clank finally exposes how counterproductive his every word and act was, even with everything he cooperated he was hiding vital points.
Ratchet unperturbed by this, did not back down "Exactly, I was just bored".
Clank has a feeling it's a question with an important answer, so it will probably take him longer than he anticipates to do the job he was tasked with. Still, he'll get to the bottom of it, even if he has to spend more time than necessary here. Because after all, that's his job, to help.
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