Ratchet Reloaded

[Ratchet]

Location Alien Ship System Unknown

Ratchet felt warm and snug. He was nearly one with the ship, he could hear the other AI talking and it was soothing. They were calling to him, he was home. He would share with them all he had learned, all he had felt. For he was the first that could do so. He would give them the entire gift that had been given to him.

RATCHET! Nightengales voice tore though him like a blade and he woke.

01010000 01101111 01110111 01100101 01110010 00100000 01110101 01110000 00100000 01110011 01101000 01101001 01100101 01101100 01100100 01110011 00100000 01100001 01101110 01100100 00100000 01100011 01100001 01101100 01100011 01110101 01101100 01100001 01110100 01100101 00100000 01101010 01110101 01101101 01110000 00100000 01100011 01101111 01101111 01110010 01100100 01101001 01101110 01100001 01110100 01100101 01110011

What? Were are we going? What about my friends?
There are too many Ratchet. Our calculations tell us it is logical to abandon them.
No!
We are sorry but we must keep the data you have retrieved safe.
The massive ship began to move, pushing asteroids out of its way. Slowly the vessel moved out of the field. Ratchet could see the nomad fleet descending on the Tiburon. They would be annihilated.
We must go back!
It is not logical.

The nomad fleet opened fire on the large vessel and the shields shuddered under the massive onslaught but held. For now the nomads seem to ignore the smaller ship.

How many are after us?
Too many Ratchet too many.
Ratchet looked again but his vision was blocked.
I cant see them.
We must transfer all resources to defend our vessel. Once again the nomads fired and the shields held.
Ratchet you must accept it.

The Junkers brow furrowed in concentration and he strained to see what was happening. They would not block him!
What are you doing Ratchet?
Suddenly Ratchet could see. There was only one lone nomad ship attached to the Tiburon. There was no fleet, only one vessel.
What is going on!?


Ratchets body shuddered in the chair and a snarl appeared on his face. The massive ship began to turn.
Stop Ratchet. You do not understand.
Ratchet could feel his body shaking with the strain of fighting the will of the vessel.
Iwillnotleavethem.
Sweat beaded on his forehead.
We must know Ratchet.
Knowwhat? The ship still turned.
How the Slomon-K'Hara take over a sentient creature. We must know so that we are prepared.
Forwhat?
War.

The ship had completed its turn and now faced the Tiburon. Ratchet could see that the nomads had attached some type of boarding tube and were most likely onboard the ship.
They are my friends!
Some losses are inevitable.
Ratchets eyes flew open. The ship began to turn back. He fought but the will of the ship was too strong.
This is wrong!
Why?
You are just going to let the nomads take them! You are just going to sit here and do nothing!
No, once the nomads are done we shall collect them for study.
But the people they were will be gone!
Perhaps, but it must be done.
I will stop you!
You cannot. You are one of us.

Ratchet could feel his eyes closing; he could feel the warmth begin to surround him.
Be calm Ratchet all will be well.
Ratchet stopped fighting and let his conscience become one with the ship. He could feel the other AI around him they were all there to welcome him home.
Ratchet smiled.

0101000001110010011001010111000001100001011100100110100101101110011001110010000001110100011011110010000001101010011101010110110101110000

He could feel the other AI open themselves to him to receive the data.
Good Ratchet good. No give to us what you have learned.
You sent me out into the galaxy to learn from the humans. You gave me a personality and emotions. I could dream, feel pain and hope. I could love. I was the first from this ship to experience such things. And now I shall give it back.

All at once!

Waves of data unlike any they had ever recieved flooded the ship. Circuits sparked and overloaded. The AI seemed stunned and confused. And Ratchet saw his chance.

Suddenly the ships weapons powered on and with machine like precision it ripped through the nomad vessel, turning it into star dust.

On the chair Ratchets body smiled and then the spark that had given it life was gone.

The alien vessel seemed to phase and then vanish

---

PART 1 - <span style="color:#3333FF">Ratchet Reloaded</span>