Yes or Nova?

Yes or Nova?

All non-original characters © Disney. All original characters and concepts © pOd.

Hey there! My name's Ratchet, but you can call me...well, call me anything you want, but my name's Ratchet. Just don't call me "Ratch," whatever you do, I can't stand it. So anyway, I'm a...you did it, didn't you? You just called me "Ratch!" For cryin' out loud, I just told you I hate that! Geez, some people!

Anyway, I'm an A-car mechanic in Central Park. Ratchet's Garage, yes indeedy! Best augmenter in the park, if I may add. Well, the only augmenter in the park! So I guess I'm the best! But you don't wanna hear about all that. Lemme guess, you're here for the Nova stories. Thought so. Well, I'll tell you what, stop calling me "Ratch," and I'll see what I can do. Deal? Great.

I suppose it started when I was a teen. But doesn't it all? Every concievable awful, goofy, or embarrassing thing seems to happen right when you're a teenager. I was the rebel kid, I guess. Not really sure where that went, to tell you the truth, cause now I'd rather read a good book than put on Nova anyday! But teens will be teens. And I was quite a handful for Uncle. We finally fought so much, that I ran off. Thought I had everything figured out. Right...

Not too long after that, I joined a Hacker group just out of the Park. Stayed there for years, working up my mechanical skills. But the Hackers just used me, really. I learned quicker than the others, and I think it kinda scared 'em, becuase they seemed to work me harder than the rest. And even when I got my own business at the Garage and kinda faded out of Hacker business, they still dropped in from time to time. But I never minded. Until, that is, one day when I did some snooping around at a Hacker base.

I got on the Hackers' bad side that day...

Ratchet wheeled himself from under his newest augmentation, a beastly pickup truck. Atop the wide, thick-treaded tires, the bright red paint of a new pickup truck shined flawlessly. Flawlessly, that is, save a large crack in the front bumper.

"Nothing a little tinfoil won't touch up," he smiled, wiping his hand with a rag and running it carefully over the damaged bumper. "She's a beaute, that's for sure."

His garage was cluttered with all sorts of mechanical devices and crude tools. The overhead door, a sardine lid, was rolled open, and giant autumn leaves blew past from time to time. Propped against a stool constructed of matches and a bottlecap, a massive remote control device lay in two pieces. A giant computer board stuck out from between them. Ratchet made sure his hands were clean, and inspected the device.

"Perfect shape!" he mused. "I've never seen a find like this before! Even the capacitors are whole!"

He pulled a small metal blade from the pocket of his oily coverall. Gently, he sliced at a few wires, and pulled a tubular-looking piece of metal from the board. "One more piece," he sighed to himself, and rounded the truck's hood.

A strong autumn breeze rushed through the garage, but Ratchet barely noticed. He rolled back under the truck again, and looked up toward its plastic underbelly. A meticulate square hole was cut in it, and wires protruded out. He carefully snapped the capacitor into its place.

A whiny-sounding voice made him jump. "Hey, Ratch!" it called. "You in here?"

Ratchet rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "Under the truck. Wait a sec!"

He rolled out, and quickly hopped up. A gangly-looking rat met him with a firm handshake. The stranger was well-dressed in trendy pants and a white sweater. His hair was neatly slicked back, and he eyed Ratchet from behind a pair of tiny glasses.

"How are you, Mister Wills?" asked Ratchet, rather business-like.

The rat nodded. "Fine, fine. Is she done?"

"Yup, all finished. Except for the bottom, want me to weld it back up?"

Wills shook his head. "No, I want a look at it first." He stooped to the ground, and rolled under the truck.

Ratchet rolled his eyes. "See anything wrong?"

"No," came Wills from under the vehicle. "It all looks...um, in order." He quickly rolled back out, hopped up, and brushed himself off. "I'll send your check in the mail," he said.

Ratchet turned around and reached for his welding torch, an odd metal tube connected to a cigarette lighter. "Where'd you get a truck like this? It's in pretty good shape."

Wills laughed. "Ah, I picked it up from some friends on the inside."

"Inside what?" asked Ratchet, pulling a pair of black goggles over his eyes and retrieving some thick gloves. "We're not talking something illegal, are we?"

"Well, I'm not all that sure. I got it from the Hackers, so I don't know where it came from."

Ratchet almost dropped his torch. "Whoa! You didn't tell me I was augmenting a stolen truck! What kinda business are you bringing in here?"

"Aw, you worry too much. And whadda you care? You're getting paid!"

"Oh, I care..." mumbled Ratchet, propping a giant square of plastic under his arm.

A loud ring brought him to attention. "Sorry, my phone," he said, dropping his equipment. He stepped over some rusted debris on the way to the back wall, pulling up his goggles and taking off a glove.

A makeshift telephone, a small wooden box with a crude reciever and wires hanging out the back, rang wildly atop Ratchet's toolbox. He snatched the reciever up, and held it to his ear.

"Hello, Ratchet's Garage!" he said professionally.

Wills had his hand propped against the truck's hood. "Yeah, but seriously Ratch," he shouted rudely over the phone-call. "Who wants to walk around anymore now that we've got that crazy metal mouse out there? He's freakin' us all out!"

Ratchet stared wide-eyed at nothing, holding the phone to his ear. He slowly placed it back on its place, and slumped to the ground in a daze.

Dale burst through the headquarters door. "He did it again! Hey everybody, he struck again!"

Monty, Chip, Gadget and Zipper sat in front of the giant Headquarters viewscreen, flipping through channels. Chip turned around, and rested his arm on the couch cushion. "Calm down, Dale! Who struck again?"

"The robot!" shouted Dale! "The robot struck again!"

The gang jumped in their seats, and quickly flipped about. Chip leapt up, and ran toward Dale. "Where'd you find this out?"

"It's all over Central Park! Everybody's talking about it! And you know those Hacker guys? I know they're behind it!"

"What makes ya think that?" asked Monterey.

Chip stopped him. "Waidaminnit, first things first! When'd this happen?"

"Three days ago!" shouted Dale, pacing back and forth by the couch. "He showed up at the A-car races, and tried to blow the track to smithereens! Not the cars or the crowd, just the track! And they saw Hacker A-cars nearby!!"

Dale threw his hands in the air, and toppled over the couch. Gadget helped him up, and sat him on the cushion. "Golly, calm down, Dale," she giggled. "We're right here!"

"Too right!" said Monty, plugging his ears. "No need to yell!"

Chip pounded his fist into his palm, and excitedly slapped Dale on the back. The frazzled chipmunk fell back off the couch as Chip began pacing. "This is it, guys! Four racetracks in the last month! And every time, a Hacker A-car! We've got a suspect!"

Gadget scratched her head. "But, Hackers are A-car racers! Why would they want to blow up racetracks?"

Zipper nodded, trying to pull a dazed Dale up by the shirt collar.

"I dunno," said Chip. "But we've got to find something out before that thing srikes again!" He grabbed Dale by the arm, and threw him to the couch. "What else did you get, Dale?"

Dale shook off dizzyness. "Well, everybody in Central Park's scared to go outside. But nobody's got a problem with the Hackers, 'cause they've never bothered anybody before! They're just kinda, well..."

"Off their rockers," Chip rolled his eyes.

Gadget stood up. "Hey, that's not nice! The Hackers might be a little...well, eccentric, I guess, but they're not crazy!"

"They're a bunch of car thieves wrecking racetracks," Chip retorted. "They are too crazy!"

Monty shook his head. "Neh, Gadget-luv's right, let's not go accusin' so early."

"Okay, sorry," said Chip. "Anything else, Dale?"

"Uh, yeah!" replied Dale. "They're talking about the Hackers coming into town tonight! I don't know why, or how many, but they're coming. Nobody minds, either. They've been really peaceful with everybody, up until they started with the kablooie..."

"Hey!" cried Gadget.

"Uh, the...alleged kablooie?"

Chip raced to the kitchen table, and snatched up his hat. "Well, the citizens haven't made the connection yet. Let's go for a walk in the park and gather some clues. That way, if the Hackers show up, we can do some questioning."

"That's the idea!" said Monty.

Gadget ran to the door. "I'll get the Ranger Plane ready!"

Ratchet threw a giant duffel bag into the trunk of a shiny silver sportscar. He slammed the trunk tight, leaned against the side of the car, and sighed. "Why me?" he shook his head. "Why does it always happen to..."

His ears perked up a moment. Slowly, he looked down at the sportscar. A wry smile crossed his face, and he opened the trunk back up.

"Nah," he said. "I couldn't. I can't! I don't even know how it works! No way."

He grabbed the trunk to close it once more, but the shine of polished metal caught his eye. The duffel bag was torn open, and a steel, robotic glove sat beside it. Ratchet picked it up, and tossed it around in his hand.

Resolution crossed his face. He quickly turned to his homemade clock. "I've got two hours to learn."

Chip nodded politely to a young mouse as he passed. "Not enough people in the park today, guys," he said. "Looks like they're all too scared to venture out!"

"Should I start knocking on doors?" asked Gadget.

"Nah," said Monty. "Let 'em be."

"You just watch, though!" Dale shouted. "Any minute now, there's gonna be gazillions of Hackers all over the place!"

Gadged caught up with Dale. "You really think so? Golly, I'd sure like to meet one! It's so amazing how they build those A-cars! Just think what I could do to the Ranger Plane if I knew..."

"Eh, not to interrupt, love," said Monty. "But they are the prime suspect..."

"Aw, you guys don't know that! We're just going on something Dale heard, that's all. From what we've seen, they wouldn't hurt a fly!"

They strolled down the Central Park sidewalk, passing empty miniature market stands as they went. "Hey Dale," said Chip, turning back. "How many people told you about these Hackers showing up?"

Dale squeamed. "Uhm, a few...kinda...around, you know?"

Chip stopped. "Like, how many?"

"Well, nobody directly, but I swear I heard it in the air!"

Chip slapped his face. Gadget giggled, and patted him on the back. "See?" she said. "Probably just a false alarm!"

Zipper buzzed about Monterey's head, pointing forward. Monty's eyes grew wide, and he tapped Chip on the shoulder. "Take a gander over there!"

The gang followed Monty's point to the base of a birdbath, where a few sardine and coffee cans had been converted to homes and businesses. A dozen or so radio-controlled cars surrounded the bath. Mice stood next to their vehicles, dressed in white leather jackets.

One of them, a tall, grey mouse with a patch over one eye, placed a scrap-metal megaphone to his mouth. "Ratchet," he said, with a calm voice. "We're here for Nova. It's not yours, and we'd appreciate your giving it back. Come out here by our cars. We'll take Nova peacefully, and leave you be."

"What's going on?" Chip wondered.

The object of the mouse-leader's attention was a small sardine can with a makeshift "Ratchet's Garage" sign. No reply came from inside, and the leader raised the megaphone again. "We won't let you keep Nova, Ratchet. Come out at the count of five."

"Somethin's not right 'ere!" said Monty.

"One," the leader counted. "Two...three...four...five."

No response from the garage. The leader looked to his companions, and nodded. They unbuttoned their white jackets. And each one pulled a small, black metal glove from within. They fitted the gloves on their hands, and pointed them towards the sardine can.

The Rangers ducked into a nearby bush. "I think we're gonna be needed in a sec," said Chip. "This doesn't look good! We need a plan to get to the head-mouse!"

Shadows flickered on the ground around the open garage door, and the silhouette of a mouse began emerging. The leader smiled. "That's right, Ratchet. Bring us Nova, and we'll let you go!

"Nova?" buzzed Zipper.

"What's Nova?" asked Gadget, cocking her eyes.

A garbled, echoing voice reverberated from inside the garage. "You want Nova?"

The leader squinted his eye, and held the black glove forward.

A shining metal mouse stepped from the shadows. Thick silver armor covered his body from head to toe. A steel tail swished back and forth, menacingly. Oversized boots were planted firmly on the ground, and massive arms rose and fell methodically. His face was covered in metal, save a tiny slit for his eyes.

"Come get it!"

The leader gasped. "He's one with Nova! Fire! Fire!!"

Bright laser bolts flew from the Hackers' gloves. The metal mouse leapt away, as the bolts landed on the garage door. The robotic mouse charged toward the closest A-car, and ducked behind it as lasers darted off.

The car flipped up, crashing with a thud to its side. The robot grasped one of the rubber wheels. He yanked it effortlessly from the car, and tossed it into the crowd of Hackers. A handful grunted, as it knocked them over.

The Rangers stood awestruck. "...Golly! Whadda we do?" asked Gadget?

"I'm...not sure!" Chip replied.

"Look!" Dale cried. "The Hackers are on our side! They're going after the robot!"

The hail of laser bolts continued. But their target dodged again, and rolled away on the ground. He sprinted toward a Hacker, leapt, and tackled him to the dirt.

A bolt struck the megal mouse on the back. Lightning flashed as he shouted and fell backwards. Bright lasers continued crashing into the ground around him, and he stood and charged again.

The leader aimed his glove. "Don't hurt Nova!" he commanded. "Watch where you shoot!"

"Agh...I need a weapon!" shouted the robot. A droll hum sounded, and two robotic plates slid away from his legs. Two square, gun-shaped devices slid away on metal arms. He looked down at the weapons, and rolled behind another A-car.

Gadget's eyes flashed wide open. "Golly and a half!"

"Wowie-zowie!" cried Dale. "Did you see that?"

Chip hushed him. "This is serious! Everybody stay put!"

The robot pulled the devices from their holsters, and held them up. "Wow," he said. "Cool! Thanks! Can you set for...um, stun?"

The blasters beeped accordingly. The mouse stood up, and fired his weapons. Bolts of energy whizzed around the Hacker army, as they scattered behind shelter.

"Wow," Dale pondered. "For an evil robot, he's not a very good shot!"

The robot fired and fired, but missed each time. The bolts suddenly stopped, and a female voice called out. "Warning: energy depleted. Please recharge blasters."

He placed the devices back on his legs, and they slid into their places. The mouse glanced left and right, as Hackers began to re-emerge. Their metal palms thrusted out, they slowly circled him.

"Surrender Nova to us now," called the Hacker leader. "Or face the consequences!"

"Get him!" shouted Dale. "You've got the drop on him!"

The robot looked down at himself. "Um, Nova? It's me again. You can't fly, by any chance, can you?"

"Activating Jet-Jump," called the female voice. Bursts of flame spewed from under the mouse's boots, and he launched upwards into the Central Park treeline.

"Great," called the leader, lowering his glove. "He must be close! Search the park, and reprt back here in an hour!" The soldiers sharply saluted him, and sprinted towards the woods.

The Rangers ventured out, as Hacker soldiers scrambled towards them. Gadget waved, and smiled. "Hello, we're the Rescue Ran..." she began, but the Hackers passed without stopping.

"Not the conversational type, are they?" remarked Monty.

Chip straightened his hat. "Guess not. Let's go see what we can do to help." He led the team to the leader, who still stood amid the grassy clearing. "Need a hand catching this thing?" he asked politely.

"Why?" came the quick reply, as a scalding black glove was pulled off.

"Well, we're the resident crime-fighters! The Rescue Rangers! Our headquarters is just across the park. We've got a plane, too. We could search the air for you!"

The jacketed mouse raised an eyebrow. "We could use a search plane," he said. "How far away is it?"

"Past the sidewalk," Dale pointed. "Behind the bushes there! We'll spot him for sure from the air!"

The Hacker nodded. "I'll come with you." He extended his hand to Chip. "I'm Relic," he said. "Hacker Special Service."

Chip took the handshake. "Chip, nice to meet you. And these are my teammates, here. That's Gadget..."

"Hello!" waved Gadget politely, and Relic returned with a slight nod.

"...And Monterey Jack, and Zipper..." continued Chip, gesturing to Zipper and Monty.

Zipper buzzed a polite "hello," but Monty grabbed Relic's hand powerfully. "It's a pleasure, mate!"

Relic tore his hand from the grip. "Right," he mumbled.

"...And last, but not least, Dale," Chip finished.

"Hi there!" Dale waved excitedly. "Wow, that was just awesome! You almost had him for a second!"

They set off across the giant section of concrete sidewalk, Chip and Relic in the lead. "We should have gotten it back by now," Relic shook his head. "I'm disappointed in my soldiers. It's been loose for days."

Gadget ran up front. "Yes, we figured you were tracking him! At every one of the robot's strikes, one of your A-cars was present! I knew there had to be an explanation! So, the robot isn't yours?"

Ratchet walked silently for a moment. The wind whipped by him, and he squinted as the Rangers waited for a response. "How can I put this?" he finally ventured. "We're...not exactly proud of not catching it yet. I've been training the Special Service for times like this, and we just can't seem to get ourselves together."

"Well," said Chip. "Maybe with a little help from us, we can get this all wrapped up! Do you know what it is?"

"Fairly. It's a robot..."

Dale cut him off. "We figured that much!"

"Shh!" Gadget prodded. "Let him finish."

Relic stared coldly at Dale. "A robot soldier, from one of our enemies. We call it Nova. We're trying to take it in one piece, for examination."

Gadget scratched her head. "But, back there, it sounded like you were talking to two people!"

"We thought Nova was remote-controlled. But now, it seems as if it's thinking on its own."

"Golly!" she exclaimed. "A fully-functioning brain?!"

Relic shook his head. "No, we don't know that. Perhaps Nova needs to be programmed to perform certain actions. We aren't sure yet. All we know is, it's dangerous."

They rounded the giant bush, and Gadget pointed to the Ranger Plane. "Whaddaya think?" she asked proudly.

Relic stared a moment with slit-eyes. "Clever," he muttered. Gadget sank a little.

Monty lit up. "Hey, hold it! We can't fit five!"

"Oh gosh, that's right!" said Chip. "Hmm, what now?"

Gadget raised her hand. "Tell you what, Chip. You guys go ahead! I'll walk back to headquarters and check for Nova on radar!"

"You sure?" asked Dale. "That's a long way off!"

"Sure!" she replied. "Chip knows basic flying, and I don't mind. Go on!"

"Okay, then!" called Chip. "Keep an eye on us with the radar! We'll be back as soon as we can!"

"Clever," Gadget muttered under her breath. "Doesn't he know how long that took?"

She sidestepped as a giant leaf blew past. Dusk was creeping around Central Park, and wrapping a soft shadow against the surroundings. Gadget pulled her shirt collar over her neck, and pressed on.

"I'd call it downright brilliant, really! Especially considering what I had to work with! And he didn't even see it fly!" Another leaf swished her way, and she leapt over it. "Golly, it's chilly out here! Sure is getting dark early..."

She felt a drop of rain on her head. "Oh, no!" she groaned. "I think I've still got a ways to go, too! Golly, this doesn't look familiar at all! I mean, it looks familiar, but not familiar in that reassuringly familiar sense. Ah well, maybe if I hurry, I can beat the..."

The deafening blast of thunder made her jump a bit. In a split instant, rain poured down in a hard torrent. She stood still, and raised a sarcastic eyebrow. "Rain."

Puddles quickly formed in the concrete. Gadget jumped what she could, but they grew by the second. Soon the sidewalk was flooded, and she hopped onto the grass. "I thought it wasn't supposed to rain until tomorrow," she pondered, quickening her pace. "My forecaster must be off a little at home. I'll have to adjust that."

A sharp twig caught her leg as she sprinted, sending her head-over-heels in the air. She landed with a muddy splash in a puddle, and skidded across the grass. Thick mud and bits of grass dropped from her face.

"Agh!" she grunted, and slowly sat up, wiping off her eyes. As she started off again, she patted away some of the mud around her arms and legs. But the mangled twig was still attached to her pant leg. As she hobbled along, it caught against the sidewalk curb. She tripped again, and slapped flat on the grass once more.

Gadget fumbled for the twig, and angrily snapped it off. Her pant leg was torn at the cuff. "Aww!" she growled, picking herself up and sprinting once more. "Golly, this just isn't my da..."

She fell waist-deep in a giant puddle. Muddy-brown water sopped around her in wavy rings. "Rrrrgghh!!" her arms crossed defiantly, and she stomped through to the opposite side. Hopping out, she sprinted once again. "Almost home! Almost home!"

With a terrified gasp, she stopped cold. A towering birdbath stood before her. Under it, a few sardine and coffee cans reflected giant drops of water. Darkness was taking over, enveloping the park in blackness.

"I...ran...the wrong way?!"

She covered her face in her hands, and sighed shakily. Pounding rain matted her hair down, and pelted off her goggles. Her hands slapped her sides in exasperation, and she shrugged her shoulders. "Why not?"

Tired steps and a bitter wind took her to the open door of Ratchet's Garage. "Hmm...Ratchet, eh?" she wondered. "Sounds like I'd be in good company."

Propping her hand against the wall, Gadget wiped her hair from her eyes. "Um, hello?" She whispered. Her voice echoed throughout the can, which by the looks of it, traveled back a good fifty feet, mouse-size of course. Apparently, this Ratchet only used the sardine lid for his door. "Heh, neat!" she said to herself. "Doesn't look as big from outside."

"Um, well, if nobody's home, then I'll just be looking for clues!" She wandered carefully around the spacious garage. Tools of various sorts hung from the walls, and cluttered the floor in the company of electronic equipment and sharp, rusted scrapmetal. Sheets of plastic and metal rested against the walls, wherever tools were not present. Against the far wall, was a table constructed of a few taped-together playing cards, a bottlecap stool, and a big metal toolbox. But save these few things, the rusty shack was empty.

Black scars and burn holes covered everything. The toolbox was barely standing, and the walls were almost see-through. The sardine-lid door loosely hung from its place. "Gosh," Gadget muttered. "Those gloves musta been powerful! And they barely hurt that robot! This Nova really is bad news!" She slid against the side wall. "Golly, I don't know what to believe yet! And the guys sure don't, they change their story every five minutes!" She wrang out her hair onto the metal floor. "Whew," she sighed, and shivered a little. "I'll start searching in a second. Brrh, is it chilly in here! Doesn't this guy keep the place heated?"

A slow, feint creak brought her to attention. She ran her eyes quickly around the room, but noticed nothing. "Ah well," she shrugged. "Must be outside. But golly, have I had some bad luck or what?"

A giant chunk of the wall creaked, and snapped off. It came crashing down upon her.

The Ranger Plane wobbled across the sky, tossed this way and that by heavy winds and Chip's novice flying. Relic sat up front beside him, scanning the treeline. Monty and Dale were strapped tightly in back, looking over the sides with binoculars. Water began filling in the craft, as rain pounded the hot-air balloon that kept it afloat.

A soaked Zipper flew into the back seat, and plopped between Dale and Monterey. He tiredly buzzed something to the duo.

Monty nodded. "Hey, Chip!" he called over the rain. "Zip can't fly, it's rainin' too hard!"

"Neither can I!" said Chip.

Dale shoved his binoculars into the seat, and began scooping water out of the plane. "Chip, we're takin' on water back here!"

Chip maneuvered against a heavy gust of wind. "Sorry Relic, but we're gonna have to land. Wanna come back to headquarters with us?"

Relic leaned over the Ranger Plane's side. "No," he said. "Just drop me off here. I'll call my A-car."

"Okay," shrugged Chip. "Here we go!"

"Ohhh, what hit me?"

Gadget moaned dizzily, and struggled to get up. A cold, jagged metal surface pinned her face-down against the floor. Her arms were barely moveable under the mangled steel, her head forced against the hard ground. A throbbing headache pounded her skull.

She struggled for a minute or two, but the squeeze seemed only to tighten. Sighing painfully, she finally relaxed. The cold felt magnified tenfold by the solid steel.

The sound of feint metal clanks made her heart skip. She raised her head just a bit, and gazed out the open garage door. Nova, the mouse of steel that had evaded a dozen Hacker soldiers, had returned.

Gadget nearly yelped, but caught herself. She squirmed and struggled to inch back into the pile of metal.

She watched, still as a statue, as Nova stepped into the garage. Rainwater dripped from his shiny body. His stance was not tall and prideful, as it was during the fight. Now, the robot was hunched forward tiredly. He braced a hand against Gadget's wall, and she squinted nervously. Nova took a slow look around. And oddly enough, he began talking to himself.

"Ruined!" came the powerful, scrambled voice. "Everything's ruined! It took me months to build all those tools!"

Gadget raised a wondering eyebrow, as Nova pushed off the wall.

"Even the walls!" he shouted. "Stupid Hackers! Why don't I put a few dozen holes in your house, huh? How'd you like that?!"

The metal fist smashed through the damaged wall. The metal pile over Gadget slid down, and squeezed her harder. "Awwch!" she screamed, then gasped, and bit her tongue.

She watched in fear as Nova leapt back. "Blasters!" he growled, and the guns slid out. He grabbed them up. "Who's there?! Come out!"

He slowly backed out the garage door. "I said, who's there! Tell me now, or I'll just start shooting!"

The slit-eyed head slowly ran from side to side. It stopped quickly, staring down at Gadget. Both blasters swung in her direction. The terrifying scrambled voice shook through her. "Where are you?"

Gadget dropped her head. "Don't shoot! I'm...sorry, I just...I didn't mean to...but, I got stuck, and I..."

The voice returned, but a little quieter this time, and with a touch of relief. "You don't sound Hacker to me."

"N-no! I'm not! I...I just got lost!"

Oddly enough, Nova laughed. "Oh! Well, why didn't you say so?"

Gadget raised her head, just a bit. "I...um, thought you were gonna shoot me," she whispered.

He laughed again. "Well, I suppose that's a good reason!"

"So...uh, you're not, then?"

"Of course not. Did you say you were stuck?"

She looked up. "Yeah...I'm under a pile of metal...against the wall."

Nova moved carefully towards her. "Under there?" he asked, sounding rather astonished. "There's room for you under there? What are you, a snake?"

"M-mouse," she shivered.

"Hey, cool," said Nova, sounding less menacing by the moment. "Me too. Sorry, I can't see you, it's too dark in here. Just stay where you're at, and try not to move."

"I don't think I can."

"Well," he chuckled. "Then don't!"

Gadget watched the robot step past her. She heard a loud, echoing screech, and felt some of the weight begin to lift. Bit by bit, her load lightened, until she felt none at all. "Aw, golly, thanks," she winced, trying painfully to roll over.

A new voice replied, different from Nova's. It was higher pitched, and clear. "Sure, anytime. Be careful there! Lemme help."

A metal hand lightly grasped her sore arm, and carefully helped her on her back. And suddenly, she remembered her headache. She blinked a few times, and looked to the ceiling. Nova knelt beside her. The metal face was gone, though, and a real mouse's smiled down at her. Frazzled brown hair fell over a set of blue eyes. His white fur was roughed up here and there. And the new voice came once again, as he took a few steps back.

"Hi, I'm Ratchet."

Gadget half smiled, half winced. "I'm Gadget."

"Nice to meet you, Gadget! Thanks for stoppin' by the garage. Though this isn't the best time...we're closed, you know, and everything's kinda full of holes..."

She tried to laugh, but a sharp pain caught her chest. Ratchet worked at getting the giant steel gloves off. "Mind if I give you a hand?"

"No, not at all! Please."

"Okay, let's get you sitting up." Ratchet threw the robot arms over his shoulder. He gingerly scooped her up, and set her against the wall.

Gadget smiled, and nodded. "So, you...don't go by Nova, then?"

"Oh, you know about Nova?" asked Ratchet. "Don't tell me you've been talking to Hackers."

"I don't know what's going on," sighed Gadget, wrapping her arms around her waist.

"Well, maybe I can clear some things up for you. Poor gal, you look like you've been out in the rain."

"Oh, you can say that again!" Gadget shivered.

Ratchet stood up, and meandered his way around the cluttered floor to the opposite wall. "Poor gal," he repeated stoically. "You look like you've been out in the rain."

Gadget smiled and shook her head.

"Hey, what's say we get out of this weather?" Ratchet said over his shoulder, as he flipped some switches on a wall-mounted computer board. "It's a lot warmer in the other room."

"The other room?" asked Gadget. "Where's the other room?"

Ratchet pointed to the floor. "Down there. Got my second workshop and living quarters below ground."

Gadget struggled to stand. "Egh, I dunno, I feel kinda imposing. Maybe I oughtta just go..."

She lost her balance, and Ratchet leapt across the room. He caught her up just in time. "You're free to do what you'd like," he said, as she tried standing against him. "But you're welcome to stay if you want. It'd probably be a good idea to get into some dry..."

"At-choo!" Gadget tossed her head forward.

"...Clothes. Bless you."

"Thanks," she sniffled. "You sure?"

"Absolutely," said Ratchet. "Plus, you're looking for some answers to this whole Nova thing, right? We'll talk about that."

"Um, well..." she started. Thunder clapped loudly outside. "Do you happen to have a phone hooked up here?"

Ratchet smiled. "Line or satellite?"

"Great! Could I call my friends?"

"You bet," he nodded. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm getting kinda stiff in this suit..."

Gadget nodded and smiled. "Let's go!"

Ratchet helped her to the center of the floor, and set her down. "Wait right there!" he said, and ran to the switchboard. Depressing a few buttons, he turned around. "Here's hoping it still works!"

A large square of the floor began to drop away. Gadget looked about, and laughed. "Golly, how'd you set this up?" she mused.

Ratched jumped onto the panel as it descended. "Aw, you ain't seen nothin' yet!"

"I hope the basement's not as full of holes as the first floor!"

"Yeah," replied Ratchet, as they disappeared under the floor. "You can say that again."

"I hope the basement's not as full of holes as the first floor!"

"Where could she be?" Chip whispered nervously. Zipper, perched atop his shoulder, shrugged.

Dale ran out of the bedrooms. "Not in there, guys!" he called.

Monterey entered from behind a small door, and shut it behind him. "Sorry, mates, not in the workshop either."

"I shouldn't have let her alone!" said Chip resolutely. "What if she got caught in the storm? We'd never find her tonight!"

Monty thought for a moment. "Yeah, but she's a bright mouse, right? And she's got pal or two around the park. Maybe she ducked in somewhere."

"Hey, here's an idea!" Dale shouted. He sprinted to the television screen, and flipped a few buttons. "Remember? She set up that cable thing for messages! Maybe she left us something!"

Sure enough, Gadget's smiling, but muddy, face came up on the screen. "Hi guys," she said. "The weather got pretty bad, so I'm riding it out at a friend's place. Don't worry 'bout me, I'll see you all soon! Bye!"

It quickly fizzled away. Dale flipped off the television, and hopped on the couch. "Guess you had it right, Monty."

"Kinda vague message, though," said Monty. "Where's she at? Are we supposed to pick 'er up?"

"At least she's inside," said Chip. "I dunno guys, with that Nova thing roaming the Park, maybe we ought to go looking for her."

Monty plopped onto the couch as well. "Tell you what, mate. We'll wait the storm out too, and if it clears up out there, we'll go out!"

"Yeah, there you go!" said Dale.

Zipper took off, landing at an open seat on the couch. Chip tossed his hat onto the kitchen table, and sat down in front of the television. "All right, I guess. But I still don't like it."

Gadget limped out from behind the metal door. She wore a clean coverall, black in color, and a little baggy on her. Her hair was frizzy, but dry. She shut the door, and looked for Ratchet.

He sat at the end of the small living room, at the corner of a long couch. Meticulously, he worked to dry off the Nova suit piece-by-piece with an old rag. The sound of the door perked his attention. He looked up, and smiled warmly. "Better?" he asked.

"Much, thanks!" she sat down beside him. "Mind if I help?"

He tossed her another rag. "I probably shouldn't let it sit wet all night. Pretty cool, isn't it?"

"Golly, is it ever!" said Gadget, picking up a heavy robotic boot. "Yours?"

Ratchet laughed. "Mine? No way! I'd never be able to do something this complicated. The Hackers built it, probably a big research team."

"So it is from the Hackers! Relic told me something different."

"Relic?" Ratchet sneered. "When did he talk to you?"

Gadget wiped off the shiny steel. "Today, after the battle. He's still looking for you, I think. He said he didn't know where Nova came from, but he wanted to catch it for research."

"Relic's a liar," said Ratchet. "I know. Don't listen to a word he says."

"Were...were you a Hacker?"

"Yeah, I was, for a long time actually. I had my doubts when they started using this Nova suit to roast A-car tracks, though..."

"So, that wasn't you going after the track a few days ago," Gadget sighed in relief.

"Oh no, I'd never do a thing like that! I stole the suit after it happened. They didn't realize it was gone until today."

Gadget put down her piece of armor, Ratchet did the same. Together, they lifted the heavy chest plate, and cleaned either side of it. "I think I'm finally starting to put this together," she said.

"Good!" Ratchet scrubbed away at the chest-plate.

They continued in silence for a moment, until Gadget spoke once more. "So...you're a mechanic, then?"

"Sure am," said Ratchet. "Hacker or not, I love the A-cars."

"You maintain 'em, then? Chargings, part replacements, that sort of thing?"

He smiled, and shook his head. "Heck no! I augment!"

Gadget dropped her end of the chest plate to the ground. "You're kidding me! What's it like? Is it complicated? I've always wanted to learn! Does it cost a lot...oh, golly, dropped it there!"

"It's done anyway," Ratchet waved it off. "I take it you're a mechanic too?"

"You bet!" she shouted excitedly. "Golly, I've got so many questions! This is something I've always wanted to try!"

"It's easier than you'd think," he explained. "The hardest part is finding a car intact-enough to augment and drive. Hackers steal most of their equipment." He stood up, and offered his hand. "But I get mine legit. Wanna check out the workshop?"

Gadget took his hand, and hopped up. "Do I ever!"

Ratchet clicked open one of the several locks on the thick steel door. "Can't let just anybody in here," he said.

"Golly, is this place big!" remarked Gadget.

"Heh, the Rat-Cave. Can't remember who called it that..." he trailed off, unlocking the door. "Was it...nah, wasn't him. Oh, wait! That was me! Of course it was me, who else'd be down here?"

Gadget laughed to herself. "Is this how the guys think I sound?" she wondered.

The door swung wide open, and Ratchet motioned her in. A dark, square-shaped workshop lay ahead, a complete contrast to upstairs. Tools were neatly hung from the walls. There was no scrap metal scattered across the floor. Instead, it was swept clean. Long workbenches lined the walls.

"Lemme get the lights," called Ratchet, as he trotted across the room. His figure disappeared into the darkness.

Gadget heard an echoing click, and floodlights crackled to life. She stepped back in awe. In the center of the workshop, a beautiful silver sportscar lay ready and waiting. Its long, sloped hood curved majestically around silver-rimmed wheels. Behind its two doors, the rear window disappeared gracefully into a giant spoiler.

"Golly," she breathed.

"Like 'er?" called Ratchet. "She's a..."

Gadget snapped back to life. "...A Shelvy Corvair!" she sprinted up to the car, but kept comfortable distance. "Look at this thing! Double hood scoops! Do these feed right to the engine?"

"Yeah," he laughed. "I'm not the traditional type, though. I pull the air in through..."

"...A dual mini-fan system! Golly!" Gadget craned her neck over the hood. "That'll save you at least a year on the engine, maybe two on the battery! What size engine?"

"Smallblock AV-8 with two turbo supplies. Here, check it out!"

He popped up the hood, and Gadget nearly dove in. "Un-believable! You ran the turbos straight through to the engine! That way the battery doesn't heat up!"

"That's the idea, allright!" Ratchet cocked an eye. "You sure you don't know about A-cars?"

"Well, I guess I know a little," said Gadget. "I read Basic Modifications to Augmented Vehicles a while back, so most of it comes from there."

Ratchet rubbed his chin. "Oh, Scratch Carlet's book! Okay, sure. That's a good reference..."

Gadget smiled. "Yeah, what a great read! Best couple hours I ever spent."

"Couple hours?!" Ratchet exclaimed.

"Uh-huh!" Gadget replied, looking over the Corvair's engine. "Couldn't put it down."

"Gadget, are we talking about the same book? My Basic Modifications is like a thousand pages long!"

"Yup, mine too! It started off kinda slow with the real basic stuff I already knew, like power-converting and capacitor cutting. But then I got into some things like airflow tests and ground clearance, and I was just hooked on it!"

Ratchet shrugged, and joined her at the engine. "Okay, so you've memorized Basic. What is it you don't know?"

Gadget looked up with earnest eyes. "Straight augmenting. There's not a book in the whole library on it!"

"Ah, and you'll never find one!" Ratchet smiled. "It's a trade secret! But mechanic to mechanic, I think I could show you what it's all about."

"Really?" she shouted.

"Sure, why not? Now, it all starts right here..."

Chip stared with weary eyes out the window. The treeline was pitch black, and giant raindrops pounded the window. He sighed, and slumped away.

Monty appeared from the kitchen. "Chip, get some rest, mate! She'll be all right, she sure ain't comin' home in this weather! We'll go lookin' tomorra'!"

"Okay, Mony," Chip nodded. "First thing tomorrow! But I'm not tired anyway. Maybe I'll catch up on the news."

"Suit yourself!" shrugged Monty. He pulled off his helmet, and slapped on a nightcap, heading for the bedrooms.

Chip flipped on the television. "This is all my fault," he mumbled. "Sure hope she's all right."

"All right!"

Ratchet shouted in congratulation, and punched his hands together. Gadget stood at the workbench, with a handful of connected wires in her hands. At one end of the bunch was a large nine-volt battery, laying atop the bench. At the other end sat a computer board. A few short wires ran from the board to a small engine, which had a tiny fan attached to it. The fan spun rapidly.

"I did it!" she cried. "I can't believe how simple it is!"

"Well," said Ratchet. "It's a little more complicated on a car, but same concept!"

Gadget placed the wires on the bench. "Can I take it apart and try again?" she asked.

"Sure, I'll time you on this one," Ratchet replied, looking this way and that. "Where'd I put my stopwatch?"

"Oh, I saw it on the other side of the room," said Gadget. She picked up a sharp piece of aluminum, and sliced the wires in half. "I could really get into this!"

"You seem to be pretty good at it," called Ratchet from across the room. "So, where's your workshop at?"

"Well," Gadget turned. "I'm not really a mechanic persay, I'm actually, well...more of a crimefighter, really."

Ratchet returned to the bench, an enormous stopwatch in his arms. "No kidding?"

"We're called the Rescue Rangers, my friends and I."

"Wow, I've sure heard the name! You've handled some pretty tough cases, haven't you?"

Gadget shrugged. "We get around, I guess. Remind me, you'll have to meet my friends. They're really great."

"I'll do that," said Ratchet. "Almost ready?"

She disconnected the wires from the engine. "Gimme another minute. Have any idea what you're gonna do with Nova?"

"Not yet," Ratchet yawned. "I suppose I'll just destroy it. It's too dangerous, and I'd hate to see Relic get his hands on it again."

"Oh, don't do that!" Gadget looked up. "Do you really have to get rid of it? It's amazing!"

"Well, what else would I do with it?"

Gadget thought for a moment. "Why...why don't you use it? Join the Rangers, even!"

Ratchet laughed. "And run my business, and run from the Hackers?"

"Well, if you learned how to use it, you woudn't have to run from the Hackers! You could fight back!"

"I guess it's something to think about. Ready?"

Gadget looked down at her contraption. "Ready!"

The morning sun glistened brightly off the shiny Corvair, as it lay in wait with doors open. Gadget leaned against its dew-wet hood. "Golly," she yawned. "I can't believe we worked all through the night!"

Ratchet stood beside the door, wearing the Nova suit. He cradled the metal helmet under his arm. "Me either, I need some sleep," he replied, glancing up at the massive tree before them. "But not until I meet your friends!"

"Okay," said Gadget, running to the tree. "Wait here! We'll make it a surprise!"

Nodding, Ratchet pulled the mask over his head. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked, his voice coming out in a garbled, robotic tone.

"Why not? I'll go get 'em! Wait 'till they see this!"

Chip led the gang to the front door, plopping his hat on his head. "Let's go, guys!" he called vigorously, dispite the tired look in his eyes. "We're sure to find her now!"

Monty halted. "Hey, we're missin' somebody!" he said.

Dale ran like mad from the bedrooms, his shirt on backwards and his nightcap still on. "You mean she still isn't back?" he shouted. "We've gotta get out there!"

He tripped over himself, and flung across the room, landing with his face pasted against the window. "Gaaaah!!" he screamed, pulling himself off.

Chip spun around. "What now?"

"Look! Look!" cried Dale. "Gadget's runnin' for the door! And the robot's right behind her!!"

Gadget stopped at the trunk. "I'll use the ol' elevator," she explained. "Too tired to climb all the way up there!"

She tapped on a spot, and a square door flung open. To her surprise, the Rangers burst out. Chip, Monty and Zipper flew right by her, and Dale grasped her by the arm. "Hurry up and get in here!" he shouted, and threw Gadget into the door. It closed behind him, and he raced to catch up with Chip and the gang.

Ratchet raised a metal arm. "Hi there, I'm..."

Chip tackled into his stomach, and sent the two skidding along the ground. Ratchet slowly rose, and grabbed a wildly-swinging Chip by the scruff of the neck. "Hey, what's the big idea!" he said.

His legs buckled under him, as Dale tackled from behind. Swinging a steel boot around, he kicked the chipmunk off. "Quit it!"

Dale bounced along the ground. He landed upside down, rather disoriented.

"Would you guys hold on a sec, here?" said Ratchet, picking himself up a second time. "Don't make me use the tranquilizers..."

Zipper flew at breakneck speed, bonking his fists into Ratchet's helmet. As he swatted the fly away, Chip leapt onto his back from behind, and pulled him down hard. "What'd you do to Gadget?" he growled. "Dale, gimme a hand here!"

Dale spun about in a stupor. "Be r-right there!" he stuttered.

Ratchet grasped hold of Chip's jacket. He pulled his foe away effortlessly, and threw him a good distance away. "Hold it! I'm just here to...Aaughh!!"

He doubled over, as Monterey bearhugged him. Monty picked the heavy robot off the ground and held him high. "Don't tell me you were hasslin' Gadget-luv, cause I'm pretty partial to that mouse..."

"Eggghhh..." Ratchet cringed. "B-blas-ters!"

The blasters slipped up, and Ratchet grabbed one. He aimed it back, and fired. A flash of bright lightning filled the air, and a crackling buzz sounded loudly. Monty appeared from a cloud of dust, singed and smoking. He loosed his grip and flopped over dizzily.

Ratchet stumbled to his feet, grasping his stomach and replacing the stun pistol. "O-okay," he coughed. "I get...the feeling...you've talked with Relic...too."

The Rangers were already collecting themselves, raising from the grass for another attack. Chip shoved his hat back on. "All at once!" he shouted. "Rescue Rangers, away!"

"Hold it!"

Gadget's voice froze them in their spots. She emerged from the elevator door, her hair tassled about and goggles on crooked. "Will you quit it? He's not trying to catch me! I was gonna introduce him!"

"What?" shouted Chip.

The metal mouse nodded. "Nice to meet you too," he said sarcastically.

"Listen," said Dale. "I'm really sorry 'bout that! I mean, no offense, but you did look like a killer robot an' all..."

"None taken," replied Ratchet, once again holding his helmet.

The Rangers sat with him around the kitchen table, enjoying a breakfast Monty had prepared. Ratchet had a small bump over one eye, and he held a hand over his stomach.

Monty slapped him on the back. "Yeah, too right! Shoulda looked before I leapt, there! You gonna be okay?"

"Fine," said Ratchet. He turned to Chip. "Whadda ya say, Chip? Pals?"

Chip watched as the mouse extended an armored hand. He examined it for a moment, then sat further back. "We'll see, Nova."

Ratchet nodded. "Well, I've gotta go. Need to get my shop back together. Thanks for the food, and it was great meeting you all."

"Hey!" said Dale. "You can't go! We need to know more about the Hackers! We can't make a case out of this 'til we know more!"

"Another time," said Ratchet, standing up. "They won't do any harm for now, as long as Nova's with me. Goodbye."

"But..."

"Trust me," Ratchet said, back turned.

The Rangers waved rather uncomfortably, and Ratchet left through the door. He stood out on the Ranger Plane's landing strip, and looked out over the tree. The sun glistened off a pearly-white birdbath far in the distance. A radio-controlled car zoomed across the sidewalk.

Gadget's voice startled him. "Hey, Ratchet. Sorry again, about what happened..."

He turned around, and smiled. "Don't worry about it. Honest mistake. They're good guys. And you know, it was pretty cool how they stuck up for you like that. It's good to have friends who care."

She laughed. "A little too much, at times."

"Better than not at all."

She looked at him hard. "Is there something wrong? I mean, besides my friends just having tried to beat you up and all?"

"Well," Ratchet chuckled. "I won't bore you with details right now, but I think I've made some big decisions in the last couple of days." He held up the Nova mask. "This would be one of those decisions," he said with a smile. "And I'm just hoping I made the right ones, 'cause there's no changing 'em now."

Gadget's bright eyes met his. "I'm sure you did. And if you ever need help, you know where to come."

"Thanks," he replied. The mask fitted tightly on his face, and he knelt down before her. "Before I go," he said, in the computerized voice. "You sure you don't wanna take a swing at me? Everybody else did! How 'bout it? Just once across the face! We'll make it an even five!"

Gadget shoved him on his rear, and laughed. "Get outta here!"

"That counts!"

He jumped up, and sharply saluted her. "Until we meet again!" he shouted, and leapt over the landing strip's fence.

Chip sat dejectedly at his chair. He tossed the empty plates over his head, and Monterey caught them at the sink. "You know what?" he said to Monty. "I'm really confused right now!"

"Too right," Monty nodded. "Who's on who's side, again?"

Gadget appeared from behind the front door. "Don't worry, I'll explain it all to you guys, at least as much as I know. It's fairly simple, really."

She sat down beside Chip. "Ratchet's a good mouse, Chip. And he's up to his ears in pressure, too. I think the least we can do is be his friends."

"I'll think about it," Chip nodded. "Once I get this all figured out, that is. And that might take awhile!"

"Okay," smiled Gadget. "As long as you give him another chance." She looked up to Monty as well. "And you know, that was pretty special of you guys, coming to save me an' all!"

Monty laughed. "You don't know the half of it!" Ol' Chipper 'ere was worried sick when ya didn't show up last night! Why, he even opted goin' out in the pourin' rain to look for ya!"

"Really?" Gadget covered her smile.

Chip made a slashing motion across his neck. "Monty, that's okay, buddy!"

Monty continued nonetheless. "Really! He even stayed up all last night waitin' for the rain to let up!"

"Mon-tee!" Chip whispered harshly. "Ixnay on the 'aiting-Way!"

Gadget smiled brightly. "Aww, Chip, that's so sweet!" She hugged him tightly. "You're the best!"

Chip staggered about as she stood up, and ruffled his hair. "I'm gonna get some rest, call me if we're needed!"

Monty waved as she passed. "G'night, luv!"

Chip sat back in the chair, a broad smile about his face. He spun a plate on his finger. "Hey, you know what?" he suddenly said.

"What's that, mate?" asked Monty.

"We didn't solve a thing!"

"Yeah, you're right!"

"But you know what else?"

"What's that?" Monty asked once more.

"I'm so confused, I don't think it makes a difference!"

Monty scratched his head. "Too right, too right!"

So aside from some bruises, some from Relic and the rest from my new friends, I'd come out of the whole thing in rather good shape! And at least I knew Gadget wouldn't blindside me when I wasn't looking...

I really didn't want to get the Rangers involved. All they needed were a ton of Hacker secrets, and zealous ol' Chip would've sent 'em flying head-over-heels into more than they could stand. Better to keep the skeletons in the garage, for the time being. Or is it the closet? Can't recall.

One thing was for sure. I'd need some time to sort things out. Decide what to do with myself now that I'd gotten so deeply involved. Something deep down really pulled at me, you know the feeling. Like when you've got your eyes closed, and you're waiting for someone to punch you...but hey, who does that? Bad example. But, that's what it felt like. Like it was only a matter of time before I got whalloped.

Guess I should have stayed home with Uncle.

The End.