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The feather duster in my hands was nothing but a blur of pink as I swiped the last of the debris into my dustpan. The Great Clock had been in absolute disarray just hours ago. Had it not been for the efforts of XJ-0461 and his companion, Ratchet, it would have been destroyed and the fragile strings of time itself would’ve gone with it.
Ratchet -- a Lombax, from what XJ-0461 had told me -- was working on fixing the more complicated parts of the Clock. He had a tool between his teeth and a focused look in his eyes as he knelt at the foot of the control console, its access panel open and its metallic innards clinking and clunking. The Zoni seemed to have taken a liking to him; they were typically very shy, but with him, they were openly curious and even talked to him. Ratchet didn’t seem to mind. He just nodded along as he worked. Perhaps they knew that he and the son of Orvus were close friends.
I never did have many friends. Even when I was working as a cleaner bot on Viceron, I never got particularly close to anyone. I didn’t like confrontation, so I ended up hiding in the broom closet whenever someone tried to start up a conversation. Being on the Great Clock meant that I really didn’t have to talk to anyone but Orvus and the Zoni. I could never understand the relationship that XJ-0461 had with Ratchet, but from what I’ve seen, it was something really special.
During his time on the Great Clock, XJ-0461 had talked about Ratchet the same way Orvus had talked about his son. He told me about how Ratchet found him on Planet Veldin, all their adventures, and all their silly and serious conversations. He spoke of how much he both loved and feared the glint in Ratchet’s eyes when he got a crazy idea, or how he ended up going with it because he trusted him in a way that he never could with anyone else. In return, I told all my stories of Orvus and how much he loved his son.
I looked over at Ratchet again. He was just finishing up with the main console where Orvus’ last message was recorded. I couldn’t help but look at him sadly. With how close he and XJ-0461 were, I knew that it was going to be difficult for them to part ways.
Orvus and the Zoni had the ability to see into the future at will and manipulate fate. I couldn’t help but wonder if Orvus had planned their meeting…
I shook my head. Of course he hadn’t. XJ-0461 was created to be the Senior Caretaker of the Clock.
This was what he was built for.
. . .
“Well,” Ratchet said as he held the plug to the main console in his hand, “looks like there’s just one more thing left to fix.”
I tented my fingers and tapped them together anxiously as I watched Ratchet reach down and insert the plug into the outlet. The console lit up and a holographic image of Orvus buzzed into existence. It was Orvus’ final recording for XJ-0461, paused and frozen in-place right where they had left it.
“Time-keeper restored”, the computer said out loud. I let out a sigh; everything was how it should be. I watched from a distance as Clank approached the console and Ratchet followed him. The Lombax seemed a little uncomfortable and scratched his cheek.
“Uh, I’ll leave you two alone.”
I watched as Ratchet turned around with the tiniest hint of tears in his eyes. XJ-0461 followed him for a moment, almost as if he wanted to tell him something. Ratchet turned back around, and I could tell he was trying hard not to let his expression fall or his voice waver.
“Take care of yourself, pal.”
He offered a smile, but it missed his eyes entirely and even from a distance I could tell that it was forced. Then, he turned around again and made his way out of the chamber. XJ-0461 frowned despondently as he approached the console and looked up at it. I watched him climb up onto the much-too-tall console and press the “PLAY” button.
Orvus' image came to life. “The Clock, much like time itself, is a gift--”
The recording suddenly stopped again, and I looked over at XJ-0461 to see that he had pressed "STOP". I slowly made my way over to him as he looked down at the buttons with a solemn expression. He spoke before I could fully get to him.
“I cannot stay.”
He hopped down from the console and neared the hologram of his father. His hands were over his chest, almost like he had a heart, and in many ways, he did.
“I am sorry, but discovering my family has made me realize that I cannot leave Ratchet. Not until he finds his own. I hope you understand.”
I felt light-headed. “You’re leaving?”
XJ-0461 had been created to guard and care for the Great Clock. This was his purpose -- his destiny -- and he was giving it up. I should be worried. I should be trying to get XJ-0461 to reconsider. This was Orvus' legacy we were dealing with; more than that, this was a discussion about the fate of time itself. This was insane, but for some strange reason...
I turned around and grabbed the monitor attached to my belt, typing into it rapidly as I checked my systems.
“Energy output normal, harmonic stabilizers stable. Why aren’t I freaking out?”
When I looked back up, XJ-0461 was approaching me and holding his Chronoscepter.
“Perhaps you are ready to be promoted.”
He held out the scepter and I slowly reached out to take it. It was extremely light in my hands, almost like it was non-existent. It somehow felt natural, though. It was massive when XJ-0461 held it, but in my hands... It felt like it belonged in my hands.
“Senior… Caretaker?”
My excitement finally got the best of me and I let out a whoop. I was being trusted with something more important than cleaning the windows. As scary as it sounded, the son of Orvus was giving me permission to guard the natural flow of time in his place.
“Thank you, sir!”
XJ-0461 nodded.
“Take care, Sigmund.”
Then he ran off in the direction his friend had gone. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him run so fast. As I watched him go, I moved over to the console and pressed "PLAY". Orvus’ voice echoed through the chamber. I listened intently as Orvus relayed his final message to the Caretaker of the Clock.
“The clock, much like time itself, is a gift, and not to be tampered with. But like any father, my only wish is that my son does that which makes him feel whole. You are an intelligent and logical being, Clank. But intelligence and logic would have been wasted gifts without honor and loyalty. I am proud to see you came into those on your own.”
At Orvus’ words, I wondered if maybe XJ-0461 wasn’t meant to be the Caretaker of the Clock. Orvus -- as the leader of the Zoni -- likely knew all along that his son would one day meet Ratchet.
“So, should the Clock be too small for your plans, I pray the cosmos light the way towards a future you yourself design. And remember, the universe has a wonderful sense of humor. The trick is learning how to take a joke!”
Maybe XJ-0461 really wasn’t created to care for the Great Clock. Maybe he was created for something much greater, just like Orvus had suggested. He was created to save it from those who would try to take it. The only person meant to care for the Clock who knew how to care for it was... me. Orvus had hired me years ago to care for the Clock. He’d taught me all there was to know about the functions, the faulty parts, and all the places I could hide if I needed to. All along, Orvus was preparing me to be the Senior Caretake of the Great Clock. The Chronoscepter fit my size perfectly. The main console was perfect for someone of my height. It was all part of the plan.
I wondered if XJ-0461's chance-meeting with Ratchet really was just a coincidence, or if they were destined to meet. Without him, XJ-0461 would have never gotten off Veldin, and Ratchet never would have become the person he was meant to be. He needed Ratchet, and Ratchet needed him. I chuckled to myself; the universe really did have a wonderful sense of humor.
As the Zoni around me balanced out the energy in the Clock, I found solace in the fact that I had nothing to worry about. After all, Ratchet was out there doing his part to protect this universe -- this funny, clever, and mischievous universe -- and Clank was right there by his side.
It was what he was built for.