Ratley is a likeable character but we the reader know he should not be trusted!
Ratley is menaced by Oscar, the brutal enforcer of street law where hapless victims of their loan sharking and other illegal activities can become lion chow.
RATLEY
A rat-like taxi driver living in Black Hole Metropolis!
Hustling to make a living, he is bullied by Oscar and his pride of Space Lions -- who also serve as street thugs and loan sharks who work for General Baldy!
Ratley takes for granted his able assistant and taxi dispatcher Ellen, who secretly pines for his affections.
Ellen feels that he has lost his moral compass in seeking his fortune. Ratley had originally set up his taxi service to help poor new immigrants but now has lost his idealism and instead seeks only to enrich himself, including by planning on turning the Beeker family and their friends into Emperor Page’s vicious agents in Black Hole Metropolis. In a lucky coincidence, he picks up the Beeker family at the Space Airport in Black Hole Metropolis, and quickly takes advantage of their naiveté due to their immigrant status (a lot of aspects of being an immigrant in a new alien society will be addressed in the story)!
