Massive log dump :D
So now Optimus knows what's happening.
Ironhide: -settles on the couch, still kind of in a state of shock-
Ratchet: *he sat down next to him, and looked over at him.* .....you okay?
Ironhide: ...yeah. Just...
Ratchet: *he tilted his head slightly* ..what is it?
Ironhide: There /is/ a chance. -small smile-
Ratchet: *he smiled a bit at that, and slid his arms across his shoulders* I know. Honestly...just to see that smile on your face...I am glad I agreed.
Ironhide: I saw the look on your face, as well, in there. -wraps an arm around his waist and leans against him-
Ratchet: *he laughed a bit and shook his head* You saw nothing. *attempting to be innocent.*
Ironhide: Mmhmm. That was nothing. -nuzzles him-
Ratchet: That's right. Nothing. *he nuzzled back gently*
Alpha Trion: *he finished speaking with Prime, and then headed out the door, the datacard in his hand* ::Hide? Ratchet? I am on my way. Do you wish to do this now?::
Ironhide: ::Now is fine.:: -snuggles with Ratchet-
Ratchet: ::Door's open.:: *he pulled him a bit closer, happy that 'Hide was happy*
Alpha Trion: *After a few minutes he arrived, tapping at the door, waiting a moment, then sliding it aside* ...?
Ironhide: -quite happily snuggled up with Ratchet, and has no intentions on moving; motions to one of the desk chairs for him to sit-
Alpha Trion: *he nodded, but went over to a holoprojector and inserted the disk, letting it warm up and then flicker to life. It showed the beginning again, with the two energies side by side* How are you two doing...?
Ratchet: *he nodded gently, letting 'Hide commandeer his shoulder* Good, I think...
Ironhide: ...you had more to tell us?
Alpha Trion: *he nodded slightly* Just a bit, but most of it was covered. There was one thing I didn't mention to Optimus.
Ratchet: *he stared at Trion, rather confused...*
Ironhide: -stays silent, listening and watching the two energy waves-
Alpha Trion: *he ff'd to the part where the sparks merged.* Now, you know this right here is what we need to maintain, correct?
Ironhide: -nods, shifting to get more comfortable against Ratchet- Yeah.
Alpha Trion: Now, I am going to slow this down by 237 percent. Watch closely. *he did so, letting it play for them. It was RIGHT before the two merged and became a 'single' wavelength*
Ratchet: *he stared a bit, watching closely...*
Ironhide: -does so as well, his hand resting on Ratchet's hip-
Alpha Trion: *it took a minute or two, but there, a slight, very faint...very, VERY faint waver, a flash, really, of a secondary 'echo', just under the other two as they were fully aligned...it looked eerily like the scenarios. But it was a mere instant...gone in a flash...*
Alpha Trion: *he paused it, and looked at them, waiting to see what their expressions were.*
Ironhide: ..... -hand tenses on the other's hip-
Ratchet: *his jaw dropped as he stared at it* .....
Alpha Trion: *he rewinded it, and played it again, pausing on that one scene, letting them absorb this*
Alpha Trion: ......Almost.
Ironhide: -sloooowly turns to look at Ratchet, optics wide-
Ratchet: *he was staring at the screen, suddenly the realization of how close they actually were...it hit him like a ton of bricks* ...Primus....*his voice was very soft* ...
Ironhide: How...how do we /keep/ them aligned? -barely above a whisper, turns to look at Trion-
Alpha Trion: *He nodded softly* I figured that would be your first question. That is what I hope to discover over the next few tests. I am hoping to run through a series of emotions, stresses and a few other various things that might have an effect...
Ironhide: -sits there, unable to say anything, just staring at the waves-
Alpha Trion: *he watched both of them, and smiled just slightly* You almost did it. Now, we know it can be done. We just need to continue the testing....it will be a long road...but I think we will be successful.
Ratchet: *he was completely stunned, and shook his head* ....I.....wow....
Ironhide: .....I....we....whatever you need us to do.
Alpha Trion: *He nodded, and turned off the vid.* Then would you like to start again tomorrow...?
Ratchet: *he looked at 'Hide, shocked, and unable to speak just yet...*
Ironhide: -returns the look and squeezes his hip gently-
Ratchet: *He stared back at him, watching him* ...you...want to...? Tomorrow...?
Ironhide: -nods- Yes.
Ratchet: *he nodded gently, and turned back to Trion, nodding to him*
Alpha Trion: *he smiled and nodded* Tomorrow night then. I will have the first in-depth tests ready by tomorrow afternoon, then. *he took the datadisk out and stood there* ....you two are very lucky, I think...
Ironhide: ...we'll be there. Same time?
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* Yes, if you would please. *he grinned at 'Hide.* All I ask, is that you remember that there is going to be a lot of trial and error here...a lot of misfires. This was one of them. But we can learn from it, and improve upon it.
Ratchet: *he squeezed 'Hide's shoulders gently, looking at him*
Ironhide: I understand. -quietly-
Alpha Trion: *he nodded at 'Hide, patting his arm gently.* I will see you tomorrow then. He nodded at Ratchet, then headed out quietly, leaving the two to mull over that info..*
Ratchet: *he stared after Trion as he left, then looked at 'Hide.* ...You alright..?
Ironhide: -silent for a long moment before speaking- ...yeah. -pulls him in tighter-
Ratchet: *he nuzzled gently against the other's cheekplates, comfortingly* It's...amazing...
Ironhide: -nuzzles back, then kisses him gently, just holding him-
Ratchet: *he kissed back just as gently, letting the quiet around them speak everything for them*
Ironhide: ::...Optimus? Were my audials malfunctioning, or did I hear you call Alpha Trion 'Father' last night?::
Optimus Prime: \\...you heard that?\\
Optimus Prime: \\...er.\\
Optimus Prime: \\...yes, I suppose you did, then.\\
Ironhide: ::He's your Creator?::
Ironhide: ::Did you know before he showed up?::
Optimus Prime: \\I...well, in a manner of speaking...he...it's a /long/ story, Ironhide.\\
Ironhide: ::...during the Quint thing, did you know about him? Not just about being your Creator, but all the rest?:: -ooh, if Prime knew and didn't tell him when he'd been wracking his memory banks he'll be /mad/-
Optimus Prime: *Very dryly, no humor in it* \\Which 'Quint' thing? First, or the latest?\\
Ironhide: ::First?::
Optimus Prime: \\...\\
Optimus Prime: \\Like I said...it's a long story. And probably not the kind that can be expressed over the comm.\\
Optimus Prime: \\If you want to hear it, though, I'll tell you.\\
Ironhide: ::...I would like to, yes.::
Optimus Prime: \\Okay.\\ *Beat* \\I suppose Teletraan-1's chamber will work, if only so that I can show you some information as well.\\
Ironhide: ::I'll be there shortly.::
Optimus Prime: \\I'll be waiting.\\
Optimus Prime: *And with that, he's on his way*
Ironhide: -hmm, they haven't really talked in a while anyways; now that Longarm is gone, he leaves the training room and heads to the chamber-
Optimus Prime: *He arrives first, inputing his passkey into the panel and unlocking the doors*
Ironhide: -shows up a moment later, rounding the corner and nodding at Prime-
Optimus Prime: *Nods back at him. Normally, he'd offer a smile, but he looks quite serious. A calm serious, but serious nonetheless. He heads in, and waits for Ironhide to enter before closing - and locking the doors*
Optimus Prime: How much do you know about Alpha Trion?
Ironhide: -slight pause, thinking- He was one of the first of us; led the rebellion against the Quints way back when, and protected the Key to Vector Sigma. Beyond that, he's a mystery.
Optimus Prime: And the Quintessons?
Ironhide: They claim to have created us, used us as slave labor. -holds in a growl-
Optimus Prime: *As he speaks, he moves over to the main input panel. His attention is still on Ironhide, but he's loading something - and it's not long before an image of a five-faced Quintesson appears on a display*
Optimus Prime: Good enough. I won't have to go over everything with you, then. *Pause, then, slowly* A long time ago - back on Cybertron, before any thought of war was in the minds of myself or Megatron - the Council asked me to investigate a sector of space. *Another short pause* Alone.
Ironhide: -finds a seat and nods, listening; he has a feeling this will take a while-
Optimus Prime: It shouldn't have taken more than a standard year, at best. From what I understand - my processor is still slightly fuzzy about it - it took Vorns until I returned. Do you remember? *Glances at him*
Ironhide: No. A good portion of my data banks from that time period are corrupted.
Optimus Prime: Fair enough.
Optimus Prime: What happened on Cybertron then, I couldn't say for certain...I had my own things to worry about. *Gestures at the hologram* I was captured, and tortured past the point of breaking.
Optimus Prime: *He says this calmly, but there's something about his voice that suggests he's not quite as unaffected by relating it as he seems*
Ironhide: -stays silent, frowning when the torture is mentioned-
Optimus Prime: Creators or not. They know how our systems work, and up to a point our processors. Which is why I'm still very, very concerned that at least one Judge is still alive...but I'm getting ahead of myself. *Shakes his head slightly* For whatever reason, I was released...thrown away, really. They left me half-dead in space...which is where Alpha Trion found me.
Optimus Prime: He...rebuilt me, in more ways than one.
Optimus Prime: Without him...I can say with full honesty that I wouldn't have returned to Cybertron alive.
Optimus Prime: *Exhales*
Ironhide: ...if I had known the Council sent you /alone/... -low growl-
Optimus Prime: It gets better. *Sits down slowly* Trion had brought a ship that he said was in good shape when he left, and he hadn't encountered any hostiles...but it wasn't in any condition to get /back/ to Cybertron by the time he picked me up.
Optimus Prime: He was seated on the Council. Which led me to some conclusions.
Optimus Prime: Both when he said he knew what happened to me, and when I saw the ship...*shakes his head slightly*
Ironhide: ...they didn't...
Optimus Prime: I don't know.
Optimus Prime: To this day, I don't know, and he doesn't either.
Optimus Prime: I may have been able to stand when I got back, but I'd fallen hard, and I still had trouble walking around. And then, the war.
Optimus Prime: *Sounds slightly bitter about it*
Optimus Prime: I never even heard from Trion once it started. I thought that maybe he'd been killed with the rest of the Council...but I always hoped and prayed he'd survived. Because once he'd saved me from what happened - from myself and my own thoughts - I looked to him as a father. A creator. Much more than what the Quintessons claimed to be, at least. *Reaches to hit another key, deactivating the hologram*
Ironhide: -stays silent for a moment, processing it all, then speaks- ...I wish I could remember back then. -mutters- Fraggin' missile.
Optimus Prime: Why?
Ironhide: It just bothers me that there's a whole section of files in my memory banks that I can't access.
Optimus Prime: *Slow nod*
Optimus Prime: I can understand. I'm guessing you already had the top medics look at it...
Ironhide: Yeah. Corrupted beyond repair.
Optimus Prime: No backups, either?
Ironhide: Nope.
Optimus Prime: *Makes a face*
Optimus Prime: I'm sorry.
Ironhide: Eh. There're worse things that could have happened to me. -looks at Prime seriously-
Optimus Prime: ...things could always get worse. *Leans back in his chair, resting a hand on the table* You could probably imagine how I reacted to being captured by them again.
Ironhide: True.
Optimus Prime: In a way, though...it was good for me. I never really got over what happened before...until I faced it again. I'm not saying I'm glad it happened, but...*Shakes his head slightly*
Ironhide: ....closure. -nods slightly, falling silent; unsure of what else to say-
Optimus Prime: Exactly.
Optimus Prime: But I hold no illusions as to what could have happened if everyone hadn't come so quickly. *Shakes his head slightly* I was perfectly willing to die in an escape attempt, killing as many as I could, if it meant that I wouldn't break again.
Optimus Prime: Still. I got over my fear.
Optimus Prime: And took out four of five. *Leans forwards slightly* I don't think that's a bad start.
Ironhide: Speaking of that, I haven't seen anything from that one in a while. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.
Optimus Prime: Me neither, but I'm not going to let my guard down. Justice has patience. *Folds his hands in front of his mouth, slitting his optics*
Optimus Prime: *Then...blinks*
Optimus Prime: ...I think I've gotten a little deeper than I thought I would. I'm sorry.
Ironhide: No. You probably needed to talk about it.
Ironhide: To tell someone.
Optimus Prime: Perhaps. *Slight infliction, enough to hint that maybe he did, indeed. Brief pause* Megatron doesn't even know what I've told you. He knows most - but not all.
Ironhide: ...you never told even him?
Optimus Prime: It's...never come up. He knows very well what I've been through...and that I broke *no, his voice did not falter a little there, you obviously are imagining things*, and that Trion was there to help. And that the Council sent me out in the first place.
Optimus Prime: The only one who really has any good idea of it...would be Trion himself. And now you.
Ironhide: -nods-
Optimus Prime: ...thanks.
Ironhide: ...you know that if you ever need to talk about something, I'm here.
Optimus Prime: The same goes to you, my old friend. *Soft smile*
Optimus Prime: *Rubs his face* Hn. Even though I like to think I've come to terms with it...it isn't the most pleasant of times for me to remember.
Ironhide: Never is. All you can do is move on, though.
Optimus Prime: Or watch. *A bit softer*
Optimus Prime: *Then nods*
Ironhide: -doesn't know what else to say-
Optimus Prime: *Lowers his hand* Anyway...I did a bit of thinking, after you all left last night.
Ironhide: ...about?
Optimus Prime: Sparklings. *Rests his hand on the input panel* I had some thoughts.
Optimus Prime: After the Quintesson ship Megatron, Thundercracker, Sunstorm and I had been kept on - TC was able to copy most if not all of their files. Considering that we -were- under them for some time, I thought there might be something in there we could use to help us. I don't know if Trion has looked...but I thought I'd bring it up to him.
Ironhide: Ah. -slightly hopeful look-
Optimus Prime: *Nod*
Ironhide: Have you looked at those files yourself?
Optimus Prime: Most. Understanding them is another story. I'm hoping he can help with that as well.
Optimus Prime: It's not that they're in another language...but the way everything is written, it's a processorache just trying to understand it. And Primus knows I've forced myself to.
Ironhide: -crosses his arms over his chest- ...hopefully Alpha Trion can figure it out.
Optimus Prime: My hopes exactly.
Optimus Prime: If anyone could - he can.
Optimus Prime: *Yes, has total and complete faith in Trion*
Ironhide: -stays silent for a moment, then speaks, his voice quiet- If things go well, we may not need that information.
Optimus Prime: ...
Optimus Prime: *Slight nod*
Optimus Prime: We can but hope, Ironhide. And have faith in the knowledge that one way or another, they -will- 'go' for us.
Ironhide: There was one thing Trion didn't show you last night. -still talking in a quiet voice-
Optimus Prime: What? *Leans forwards a bit*
Ironhide: -slight pause- ....there was an echo. It only lasted for a split second, but it was there.
Optimus Prime: ...
Optimus Prime: An echo. *Quietly*
Ironhide: -nods- Yes.
Optimus Prime: So /something/ was there.
Ironhide: We just need to figure out how to sustain it.
Optimus Prime: Long enough to do something with it, if nothing else. *Dims optics slightly, thinking*
Ironhide: -goes silent-
Optimus Prime: ...
Optimus Prime: Ironhide...
Ironhide: ....yeah?
Optimus Prime: ...do you believe we can do this? *Quietly*
Ironhide: I do. But...if it doesn't work...
Optimus Prime: *Shakes his head*
Optimus Prime: Don't think that.
Optimus Prime: The way I see it...even if this isn't the way to do it...something else will work.
Optimus Prime: *There's total, and complete confidence in that statement - but something else, too*
Ironhide: -blinks, shaking his own head- I hope you're right.
Optimus Prime: *Wry look*
Optimus Prime: So do I.
Ironhide: I'm just afraid to get my hopes up again.
Ironhide: Especially now.
Optimus Prime: I can understand.
Optimus Prime: *Slow exhale...and goes quiet*
Ironhide: ...I bet this is a bit of a surprise for you.
Optimus Prime: Hn?
Optimus Prime: *Looks up*
Ironhide: Me, wanting a Sparkling. -wry smile-
Ironhide: The one who said, for millions of years, that he'd never be a Creator.
Optimus Prime: *Chuckles*
Optimus Prime: People change.
Optimus Prime: Maybe when I first realized it - but not anymore.
Optimus Prime: You've always liked them, at any rate...even through your gruffness.
Ironhide: ...yeah. Pains in the aft, but...
Ironhide: I think part of it might be me missing my old job, too.
Optimus Prime: Well...you're training others now, aren't you?
Optimus Prime: They might not be Sparklings, but...
Ironhide: Yeah. I don't want them to be the last, though.
Optimus Prime: Like I said - they won't be. *The reason he believes so much is because any other option, and what that option means, is unbearable in more than one way*
Ironhide: -smiles at him and stands up- I should go.
Optimus Prime: *Stands up as well* Don't be a stranger, Ironhide.
Ironhide: ...you should join Megatron and I in our movie nights.
Optimus Prime: ...I'd like that. *Small smile*
Ironhide: I don't know when we're going to have another one, but you're always welcome.
Optimus Prime: Let me know? *Slightly hopeful*
Ironhide: Of course.
Optimus Prime: *Grins*
Ironhide: -heads for the door, pausing before opening it- It was nice to just talk again.
Optimus Prime: It was. *Nods. Then; beat*
Optimus Prime: Can I ask you something?
Ironhide: Yeah?
Optimus Prime: Why did you pick an Orc?
Ironhide: ....what?
Optimus Prime: *...shuffle* Ontheonegame.
Ironhide: Warcraft?
Optimus Prime: Yeah.
Ironhide: ......I liked their history.
Optimus Prime: *Nods* Just curious.
Optimus Prime: *Rubs the back of his head awkwardly*
Ironhide: -looks at him strangely, then shakes his head as he leaves-
Optimus Prime: *what? was curious*
Ironhide: -and trying to lighten the mood?-
Optimus Prime: *maybe*
Ironhide: -well, it worked-
Optimus Prime: *wins!*
Ratchet: *he leaned back in his chair from the console he was at, and eyed 'Hide. He watched him for a few moments, then grinned* ...Oh 'Hide? Guess what time it is?
Ironhide: ......yeah, I know. -eyes him distrustfully, can tell he's plotting something-
Ratchet: .....what? I was just asking if you knew what time it was...*he pouted at him*
Ironhide: ... -stands up- Let's not keep Trion waiting. -still eyeing him, the devious slagger-
Ratchet: *he laughed and shook his head, standing up and wandering to 'Hide's side. Teasingly, he reached out and brushed his fingers across that etching, just to get a reaction...* Let's go.
Ironhide: -twitches slightly, grabbing his wrist and forcing his hand up and away from it- Slagger. -pulls him towards the door-
Ratchet: *he smirked and walked out the door with him* What? I did nothing.
Ironhide: It's not what you did, but what you're planning on doing. I know you too well. -quirks an optic ridge-
Ratchet: oh? And what am I planning? *he raised an optic ridge right back at him as they walked down the hallway towards the medbay again*
Ironhide: That's why I'm nervous; I don't /know/ what. -narrows his optics- You're a devious bastard when you want to be.
Ratchet: *He smirked* And you would have me change? *about halfway there now*
Ironhide: -snorts, shaking his head- ...your little plots usually benefit me, so no.
Ratchet: ...Oh really, now? Hmm...I suppose I might have to change that, then.... *acts all disappointed, when he really isn't.*
Ironhide: -smiles to himself and grabs Ratchet's hand in his-
Ratchet: *he looked over at him and grinned, squeezing his hand gently, and keying the pad on the medbay, walking in*
Alpha Trion: *he looked up and nodded* Ahh, good. Right on time...
Ironhide: -nods at Trion, the news from last night and how close they were chasing away his nervousness...though there's still just a little bit there-
Ratchet: *he grinned and nodded* So, what's the plan?
Alpha Trion: *he stood and looked over some diagrams* ...Hmm...well, the last time you two were here, you seemed to have a set determination. I want you to re-enact that, and try and keep it going. I want to see if this creates the same results, or if it makes it better...*he tapped a few things, then grabbed the sensors again, and started with 'Hide.*
Ironhide: ...alright. -moves closer to the berth, staying still for the sensors-
Ratchet: *he smirked* ::So.....:: *to 'Hide, of course*
WordsoftheWise:
*he finished with 'Hide and moved on to Ratchet, placing them everywhere...*
Ironhide: ::So.:: -quirks an optic ridge at him-
Ratchet: ::So.:: *he grinned at him, smirking, more like it*
WordsoftheWise:
PLease do me a favor and wait until the curtains are in place...*he said with a serious tone (to make it that much more funny) as he finished up*
Ironhide: ...... -chooses to not respond to Trion's little comment, and steps closer to the berth-
Ratchet: *he grinned and waited until Trion had closed the curtains, leaving them to whatever they wanted. He stood back and crossed his arms, smirking at him* ::So. Do I come over there and torment the pit out of you, or do I let you do what you want to me?::
Ironhide: ::I always liked mutual torment.:: -almost purring the words; steps towards him and wraps arms around his waist, pulling him close and running fingers along the rim of the hubcap on his back tire-
Ratchet: *he grumbled, and slid his arms around 'Hide, his fingers trailing slowly towards that etching, that he found so interesting since finding out how sensitive it was* ::Hmm....I dunno...:: *completely teasing tone*
Ironhide: ::What, you don't like it? Trying to see who's driven to opening up first?:: -leans down and nips at a fuel line, fingers migrating to lugnuts-
Ratchet: ::Hmm...putting words into my vocal processors now, huh? Come now, you don't think I enjoy driving you absolutely insane?:: *he grazed his fingers across that etching, his other hand sliding across the tires, tormenting the treads*
Ironhide: ::And I don't enjoy doing the same to you?:: -bites his way up his neck and jawline, kissing him forcefully, and snakes one hand around to brush against a reflector-
Ratchet: *He growled softly under the kiss* ::Mnnph...you certainly have a way...with your kisses...and your hands...:: *he slid his hand down along 'Hide's side, and then down his side and along his leg, fingers brushing the armor right above the knees...curious...*
Ironhide: -growls right back, his entire chassis shuddering at the new touch, and brushes his fingers against the reflector again, this time with a bit more force- ::...and so do you...:: -voice is low, husky, and he grabs the hand playing with his tires by the wrist, pulling it up even with his mouth and biting at his fingers gently- ::A medic's fingers are supposed to be sensitive...I wonder how much...::
Ratchet: *he nearly dropped at that, pleasure and intense feelings shooting through him* ::Holy...Primus..!! I...I had....no...:: *he whimpered slightly* ::Not fair...::
Ironhide: ::I think it's very fair, to return the favor after what you did to me five nights ago.:: -nips at them once more, then lets go of his wrist, kissing him again and pulling him towards the berth- ::It'll have to wait for another time, though, unfortunately.::
Ratchet: *he shuddered, moaning incoherently. All this time...and it took biting his fingers to realize this* ...Mnnngg.... ::Damn you...:: *his fingers twitched, and he followed 'Hide wherever he went...*
Ironhide: -tugs Ratchet on top of him as he lays down, nipping at his mouth and reaching for a tire, tracing the treads with his fingers before slipping them into the wheel well- ::...come on, you can think of something to top that, can't you?::
Ratchet: *his mind was in a haze at the moment, but he managed to think of something that might work. He slid his fingers up along 'Hide's arms, sliding across the rim of 'Hide's cannons, testing, just to see the reaction by touching the rims..*
Ironhide: -hisses, shuddering, and drags fingertips along the inside curve of the wheel well, kissing him hard and ghosting the fingertips on his other hand along that reflector- ::Nnn...you can do...better than that.::
Ratchet: ::Yes...yes I can...:: *and with that, he slid his fingers inside the barrel, sliding along very sensitive wiring and cables on the inside...* ::How's this for fair...?::
Ironhide: ::Oh /Primus/::-his reaction is just as bad (or good, really) as Ratchet's over the finger thing, and he whimpers into the other's mouth, already wanting his spark and arching his chest up-
Ratchet: *he growled softly and leaned up, nipping at the horn-things on his mate's head, all the while he's sliding fingers along the inside wall of those cannons, tormenting and teasing..*
Ironhide: -shudders, hard, his fingers gripping tightly- ::....Ratch....if you don't....don't stop.....:: -grinds his chest up against him, retracting his chestplates with a strangled moan-
Ratchet: ::What if I don't stop?:: *he growled, his own chestplates splitting and sliding open, an ivitation for him. He didn't stop...at all.*
Ironhide: -actually /whines/, pulling on Ratchet's shoulders to bring their chests together- ::Spark. /Now./:: -kisses him /hard/ and crushes the other to him-
Ratchet: ::You want it, Ironhide? Show me. Show me how bad you want it.:: *he ground against his mate, tormenting him, barely letting the energy from his spark touch...just barely licking against him, tormenting and torturing him...*
Ironhide: ::...Ratchet...please......:: -whimpers, his entire body shuddering; this is the first time he's ever /begged/ during interfacing-
Ratchet: *he debated, then relented and thrust himself down upon his mate, flaring his spark, joining the two of them almost instantly in a sudden rush of intense pleasure and almost-pain...*
Ironhide: -lets out a strangled moan, just barely able to remember to try and focus on keeping their sparks perfectly aligned, and just like last time, sends out a small burst of magnetic pulses-
Ratchet: *he kept his focus, returning those magnetic pulses in time with his mate's pulses, trying to get him to overload. He wanted to hear him cry out in that one moment.* ::How close are you?:: *he whispered over the comm, his fingers catching one of the wires in his cannons*
Ironhide: -and cry out he does, though it's more of a scream, his head falling back with a thud as overload hits him, shuddering and clutching him tightly; does that answer the question?
Ratchet: *Oh PRIMUS yes, it does, and the resulting shockwave over their bond sends him into his own overload, and he cried out, his voice mingling and intertwining with his mate's, still managing to keep the pulsing going, though he gripped hard at his cannons, his entire frame shaking as his overload overtook him intensely, the resulting feelings washing back over their bond...*
Ironhide: -his overload, combined with the resulting feedback of Ratchet's and those pulses, proves to be too much for him, and seconds after he comes down from the pleasure high, he's offline-
Ratchet: *and he fought to stay online, but it also ended up taking him out as well, and he collapsed on top of his mate, systems in emergency shutdown...*
Alpha Trion: *Blinks* Well...I think that works... *grinning*
Ironhide: -he's ttly out and not moving~-
Alpha Trion: *he sighed and shook his head* ..Well, Ratchet's capable...I think I can let them rest until they come back online. *he set about reviewing the data...*
Ironhide: -his systems begin the reboot process after a good fifteen minutes or so, and his optics dimly focus on Ratchet's form-
Ratchet: *he was still out, his systems fans still going, trying to cool him down, internal repairs systems working as well.*
Ironhide: -grins weakly, and nuzzles him, content to just lay there and wait for him to come back online-
Ratchet: *after a moment or two, he groaned, coming back online* ....Ohi....Prim--us....
Ironhide: -smirks up at him-
Ratchet: *he looked down* mmmnnn??
Ironhide: -nuzzles him again, oblivious to their location- Love you.
Ratchet: *he smiled goofily, and nuzzled back* Love you, too.
Ratchet: *also oblivious...*
Alpha Trion: *he coughed lightly, trying to make them realize where they were again..*
Ironhide: -starts, and looks around them- ...
Ratchet: *he blinked and glanced around, then started laughing, thankful for the curtains* ...::slagging hell...::
Ironhide: ::........I forgot where we were...:: -doesn't join in the laughter, but only a slight amount of embarrassment comes over the bond-
Ratchet: ::As did I, but that's only because you are that good.:: *he smirked and kissed him gently*
Ironhide: ::-chuckles smugly-:: -kisses him back and shifts a bit, hinting at Ratchet to get up-
Ratchet: *and he did, moving off of him gently, and holding his hand out to help 'Hide off the berth*
Ironhide: -accepts the help and gets up, leaning on him and not letting go of his hand-
Alpha Trion: *he shook the curtains* You two ready..?
Ironhide: ...yeah.
Alpha Trion: *he pulled the curtain aside and shook his head teasingly* ...You two were out for a good 15 minutes... *he began taking off the sensors*
Ratchet: *he blinked at that* ...15 minutes...?
Ironhide: ....we were?
Alpha Trion: *He nodded* Indeed, you were. *he kept his second comment to himself*
Ratchet: *he just stared at him, shocked* ....
Ironhide: ......huh. -shifts slightly and looks at Ratchet-
Alpha Trion: *he finished taking off the sensors and put them away* Alright, you two are free to go now. Go get some rest, you look like you need it.
Ratchet: *He nodded and pulled 'Hide closer to him* Will do.
Ironhide: -doesn't complain one bit, and starts heading back to their room, the other in tow-
Ratchet: *he walked out of the room, allowing himself to be pulled by 'Hide*
Ironhide: -sitting at the desk, tinkering with an old gun out of boredom-
Ratchet: *sitting on the berth, examining his fingers, wondering how he's gonna numb the sensations next time*
Alpha Trion: ::Ahem..Um...:: *static for a second* ::You two available?::
Ironhide: -glances at Ratchet, grinning slightly- ::Yeah.::
Ratchet: *he stopped looking at his fingers and looked up* ::Yeah, we are. Why?::
Alpha Trion: ::I have some more test results for you, if you would like to see them.::
Ironhide: ::Of course. Where do you want to talk?::
Alpha Trion: ::Wherever is fine with you two.:: *soft chuckle*
Ratchet: *He grinned* ::If 'Hide doesn't mind, here works.::
Ironhide: ::I don't mind.:: -smiles at Ratchet-
Alpha Trion: ::Alright. I will be there momentarily.:: *he closed off the comm and grabbed a new disk, and headed out the aux medbay and down the hall.*
Ratchet: *he turned to 'Hide* ..More results.
Ironhide: Looks like. -finishes up whatever he was doing with his gun, and puts it to the side-
Ratchet: ...I wonder if it's good news like last time....*idly wondering*
Ironhide: .....I hope so.
Alpha Trion: *he appeared at the door, knocking gently*
Ratchet: *he looked at 'Hide* You want to do the honors?
Ironhide: -sends a command to open the door- Trion. -smiles at him-
Ratchet: *he nodded at the older mech.*
Alpha Trion: *he nodded back* Ironhide, Ratchet. *he slipped in, letting the door close behind him.* Well, I finished going over the results of the last test.
Ironhide: -gets up to sit next to Ratchet- And...?
Alpha Trion: *he inserted the datadisk into the same slot as last time, and turned on the hologrid again, revealing something similar to last time, the two energy waves from the two sparks*
Ratchet: *he eyed the wavelengths curiously, his medic's optics trained to see anything out of the ordinary, which he didn't.
Ironhide: -leans on him slightly, looking at the wavelengths-
Alpha Trion: *he nodded slightly* Now, I will say this...*he ff'ed to the point of contact.....but the third echo...was nowhere to be found.* It didn't appear this time....
Ironhide: -slumps slightly- ...but it is possible. We just have to figure out how to keep them aligned.
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* Right. Like I said, this is going to be a long and tedious road.
Ratchet: *he nodded quietly, listening*
Ironhide: -hesitantly- Do you have any ideas on what we'd need to do?
Alpha Trion: At this point, I would like you two to take a week off, and relax. I think putting in too much effor can be detrimental to the tests...wouldn't you agree, Ratchet?
Ratchet: *He nodded in agreement* Yes, I do.
Ironhide: By relax, you mean...
Alpha Trion: In other words, don't get stressed out....And try not to interface too much.
Ratchet: *he looked at Hide, and grinned a bit* ::I bet you can't make it two days.::
Ironhide: ::....I am perfectly able to.::
Ironhide: -narrows his optics-
Ironhide: ::It's /you/ that won't make it.::
Ratchet: ::I can make it. I just don't think you can.:: *he smirked*
Alpha Trion: *he eyed both of them, guessing what they were communicating about* ....
Ironhide: -completely oblivious to the look Trion is giving them- ::We'll see who breaks first.::
Ratchet: ::You will. You'll see.:: *he smirked*
Alpha Trion: *he coughed gently, trying to regain control of the situation*
Ironhide: -starts, turning to look at Trion- ...sorry.
Ratchet: *he chuckled at that a bit.* Sorry.
Alpha Trion: *he shook his head* It's alright. Just remember what I said. Try to relax, no undue stresses on your systems.
Alpha Trion: We shall try again in one week, and see what happens. *he smiled softly*
Ironhide: Alright. -rubs the back of head, sheepish-
Ratchet: *he nodded* We will take it easy. As the medic, I will make sure of that.
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* Alright then. *he paused, then,* Would you two like a cube or something sometime?
Ironhide: -looks at Ratchet, smiling- I don't see why not.
Ironhide: We'll drag you out to play pool with us.
Alpha Trion: *he grinned at that* I would enjoy that again, Ironhide.
Ratchet: *he grinned* I wouldn't mind joining you all sometime, if that is alright.
Ironhide: -laughs- If you went with us, maybe the silly females will leave me alone.
Ratchet: If I recall, you were the one who fought them off, though, right? *eyes*
Alpha Trion: As he did last time when him and I went to a "pool hall"...*raises an optic eye ridge*
Ironhide: -grumbles-
Ironhide: -but grins slightly- It worked, didn't it?
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* That it did. And you effectively removed both of them from us.
Ratchet: *he raised an optic ridge at Hide, mentally impressed*
Ironhide: Took longer than I hoped.
Ironhide: /Primus/, those two were stupid.
Alpha Trion: *He nodded* Not exactly the brightest in the species.
Ratchet: *he shook his head* You expected more from a bar?
Ironhide: Eh, point.
Ironhide: ....you still owe me five cubes.
Alpha Trion: ....True.
Ratchet: *he chuckled* Trion lost a bet with you?
Ironhide: Yeah. -grins- He didn't think I could sink every ball at once.
Ratchet: Oh really? *he looked up at Trion*
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* And he proved me wrong.
Ironhide: Never saw if you could, too.
Alpha Trion: I can. And I will prove it next time. *he smiled*
Ratchet: I would -love- to see that, Trion. *smirks*
Ironhide: .....why don't we go Thursday night, then? -nudges Ratchet-
Ratchet: *he eyed 'Hide* ...Hmm...I suppose we could....
Alpha Trion: *he grinned* Good. Comm me then, when you two are ready?
Ironhide: -eyes him right back- What's that look for? -turns back to Trion- Will do.
Ratchet: *he chuckled and didn't answer*
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* Alright then. Now remember, relax. Ratchet, you are in charge of making sure you BOTH relax.
Ratchet: *he nodded* I will do so.
Ironhide: -without turning his head, to Ratchet- ::Two days. You'll break.::
Ratchet: ::I won't. I promise you that.::
Alpha Trion: Alright. I will head out. Enjoy the rest of your night, Ratchet, Ironhide. *he nodded to both...*
Ironhide: -nods- Good night.
Ironhide: ::No cheating, either.::
Alpha Trion: Good night. *he slipped out the door wordlessly and headed back to his own room for the night.*
Ratchet: Cheating? What makes you think I would cheat?
Ironhide: I know you. -narrows his optics- You'll pull something like you did yesterday.
Ironhide: So I'm saying right now. No exploiting weaknesses.
Ratchet: Hey, I won't if you won't. *raises an optic ridge at him.*
Ironhide: -eyes him for a moment, then nudges him again- I'm gonna recharge.
Ratchet: *He nodded* I'll join you?
Ironhide: -smiles, leaning over to kiss him before settling down on the berth, leaving space for Ratchet to join him-
Ratchet: *he crawled into that space, and settled into place next to him, getting comfortable*
Ironhide: -wraps an arm around his waist, snuggling up with him, and nuzzles him briefly, already falling into recharge-
Ratchet: *he slid an arm over him, pulling him close, slipping into recharge slowly* ...
Ironhide: -settles on the couch, still kind of in a state of shock-
Ratchet: *he sat down next to him, and looked over at him.* .....you okay?
Ironhide: ...yeah. Just...
Ratchet: *he tilted his head slightly* ..what is it?
Ironhide: There /is/ a chance. -small smile-
Ratchet: *he smiled a bit at that, and slid his arms across his shoulders* I know. Honestly...just to see that smile on your face...I am glad I agreed.
Ironhide: I saw the look on your face, as well, in there. -wraps an arm around his waist and leans against him-
Ratchet: *he laughed a bit and shook his head* You saw nothing. *attempting to be innocent.*
Ironhide: Mmhmm. That was nothing. -nuzzles him-
Ratchet: That's right. Nothing. *he nuzzled back gently*
Alpha Trion: *he finished speaking with Prime, and then headed out the door, the datacard in his hand* ::Hide? Ratchet? I am on my way. Do you wish to do this now?::
Ironhide: ::Now is fine.:: -snuggles with Ratchet-
Ratchet: ::Door's open.:: *he pulled him a bit closer, happy that 'Hide was happy*
Alpha Trion: *After a few minutes he arrived, tapping at the door, waiting a moment, then sliding it aside* ...?
Ironhide: -quite happily snuggled up with Ratchet, and has no intentions on moving; motions to one of the desk chairs for him to sit-
Alpha Trion: *he nodded, but went over to a holoprojector and inserted the disk, letting it warm up and then flicker to life. It showed the beginning again, with the two energies side by side* How are you two doing...?
Ratchet: *he nodded gently, letting 'Hide commandeer his shoulder* Good, I think...
Ironhide: ...you had more to tell us?
Alpha Trion: *he nodded slightly* Just a bit, but most of it was covered. There was one thing I didn't mention to Optimus.
Ratchet: *he stared at Trion, rather confused...*
Ironhide: -stays silent, listening and watching the two energy waves-
Alpha Trion: *he ff'd to the part where the sparks merged.* Now, you know this right here is what we need to maintain, correct?
Ironhide: -nods, shifting to get more comfortable against Ratchet- Yeah.
Alpha Trion: Now, I am going to slow this down by 237 percent. Watch closely. *he did so, letting it play for them. It was RIGHT before the two merged and became a 'single' wavelength*
Ratchet: *he stared a bit, watching closely...*
Ironhide: -does so as well, his hand resting on Ratchet's hip-
Alpha Trion: *it took a minute or two, but there, a slight, very faint...very, VERY faint waver, a flash, really, of a secondary 'echo', just under the other two as they were fully aligned...it looked eerily like the scenarios. But it was a mere instant...gone in a flash...*
Alpha Trion: *he paused it, and looked at them, waiting to see what their expressions were.*
Ironhide: ..... -hand tenses on the other's hip-
Ratchet: *his jaw dropped as he stared at it* .....
Alpha Trion: *he rewinded it, and played it again, pausing on that one scene, letting them absorb this*
Alpha Trion: ......Almost.
Ironhide: -sloooowly turns to look at Ratchet, optics wide-
Ratchet: *he was staring at the screen, suddenly the realization of how close they actually were...it hit him like a ton of bricks* ...Primus....*his voice was very soft* ...
Ironhide: How...how do we /keep/ them aligned? -barely above a whisper, turns to look at Trion-
Alpha Trion: *He nodded softly* I figured that would be your first question. That is what I hope to discover over the next few tests. I am hoping to run through a series of emotions, stresses and a few other various things that might have an effect...
Ironhide: -sits there, unable to say anything, just staring at the waves-
Alpha Trion: *he watched both of them, and smiled just slightly* You almost did it. Now, we know it can be done. We just need to continue the testing....it will be a long road...but I think we will be successful.
Ratchet: *he was completely stunned, and shook his head* ....I.....wow....
Ironhide: .....I....we....whatever you need us to do.
Alpha Trion: *He nodded, and turned off the vid.* Then would you like to start again tomorrow...?
Ratchet: *he looked at 'Hide, shocked, and unable to speak just yet...*
Ironhide: -returns the look and squeezes his hip gently-
Ratchet: *He stared back at him, watching him* ...you...want to...? Tomorrow...?
Ironhide: -nods- Yes.
Ratchet: *he nodded gently, and turned back to Trion, nodding to him*
Alpha Trion: *he smiled and nodded* Tomorrow night then. I will have the first in-depth tests ready by tomorrow afternoon, then. *he took the datadisk out and stood there* ....you two are very lucky, I think...
Ironhide: ...we'll be there. Same time?
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* Yes, if you would please. *he grinned at 'Hide.* All I ask, is that you remember that there is going to be a lot of trial and error here...a lot of misfires. This was one of them. But we can learn from it, and improve upon it.
Ratchet: *he squeezed 'Hide's shoulders gently, looking at him*
Ironhide: I understand. -quietly-
Alpha Trion: *he nodded at 'Hide, patting his arm gently.* I will see you tomorrow then. He nodded at Ratchet, then headed out quietly, leaving the two to mull over that info..*
Ratchet: *he stared after Trion as he left, then looked at 'Hide.* ...You alright..?
Ironhide: -silent for a long moment before speaking- ...yeah. -pulls him in tighter-
Ratchet: *he nuzzled gently against the other's cheekplates, comfortingly* It's...amazing...
Ironhide: -nuzzles back, then kisses him gently, just holding him-
Ratchet: *he kissed back just as gently, letting the quiet around them speak everything for them*
Ironhide: ::...Optimus? Were my audials malfunctioning, or did I hear you call Alpha Trion 'Father' last night?::
Optimus Prime: \\...you heard that?\\
Optimus Prime: \\...er.\\
Optimus Prime: \\...yes, I suppose you did, then.\\
Ironhide: ::He's your Creator?::
Ironhide: ::Did you know before he showed up?::
Optimus Prime: \\I...well, in a manner of speaking...he...it's a /long/ story, Ironhide.\\
Ironhide: ::...during the Quint thing, did you know about him? Not just about being your Creator, but all the rest?:: -ooh, if Prime knew and didn't tell him when he'd been wracking his memory banks he'll be /mad/-
Optimus Prime: *Very dryly, no humor in it* \\Which 'Quint' thing? First, or the latest?\\
Ironhide: ::First?::
Optimus Prime: \\...\\
Optimus Prime: \\Like I said...it's a long story. And probably not the kind that can be expressed over the comm.\\
Optimus Prime: \\If you want to hear it, though, I'll tell you.\\
Ironhide: ::...I would like to, yes.::
Optimus Prime: \\Okay.\\ *Beat* \\I suppose Teletraan-1's chamber will work, if only so that I can show you some information as well.\\
Ironhide: ::I'll be there shortly.::
Optimus Prime: \\I'll be waiting.\\
Optimus Prime: *And with that, he's on his way*
Ironhide: -hmm, they haven't really talked in a while anyways; now that Longarm is gone, he leaves the training room and heads to the chamber-
Optimus Prime: *He arrives first, inputing his passkey into the panel and unlocking the doors*
Ironhide: -shows up a moment later, rounding the corner and nodding at Prime-
Optimus Prime: *Nods back at him. Normally, he'd offer a smile, but he looks quite serious. A calm serious, but serious nonetheless. He heads in, and waits for Ironhide to enter before closing - and locking the doors*
Optimus Prime: How much do you know about Alpha Trion?
Ironhide: -slight pause, thinking- He was one of the first of us; led the rebellion against the Quints way back when, and protected the Key to Vector Sigma. Beyond that, he's a mystery.
Optimus Prime: And the Quintessons?
Ironhide: They claim to have created us, used us as slave labor. -holds in a growl-
Optimus Prime: *As he speaks, he moves over to the main input panel. His attention is still on Ironhide, but he's loading something - and it's not long before an image of a five-faced Quintesson appears on a display*
Optimus Prime: Good enough. I won't have to go over everything with you, then. *Pause, then, slowly* A long time ago - back on Cybertron, before any thought of war was in the minds of myself or Megatron - the Council asked me to investigate a sector of space. *Another short pause* Alone.
Ironhide: -finds a seat and nods, listening; he has a feeling this will take a while-
Optimus Prime: It shouldn't have taken more than a standard year, at best. From what I understand - my processor is still slightly fuzzy about it - it took Vorns until I returned. Do you remember? *Glances at him*
Ironhide: No. A good portion of my data banks from that time period are corrupted.
Optimus Prime: Fair enough.
Optimus Prime: What happened on Cybertron then, I couldn't say for certain...I had my own things to worry about. *Gestures at the hologram* I was captured, and tortured past the point of breaking.
Optimus Prime: *He says this calmly, but there's something about his voice that suggests he's not quite as unaffected by relating it as he seems*
Ironhide: -stays silent, frowning when the torture is mentioned-
Optimus Prime: Creators or not. They know how our systems work, and up to a point our processors. Which is why I'm still very, very concerned that at least one Judge is still alive...but I'm getting ahead of myself. *Shakes his head slightly* For whatever reason, I was released...thrown away, really. They left me half-dead in space...which is where Alpha Trion found me.
Optimus Prime: He...rebuilt me, in more ways than one.
Optimus Prime: Without him...I can say with full honesty that I wouldn't have returned to Cybertron alive.
Optimus Prime: *Exhales*
Ironhide: ...if I had known the Council sent you /alone/... -low growl-
Optimus Prime: It gets better. *Sits down slowly* Trion had brought a ship that he said was in good shape when he left, and he hadn't encountered any hostiles...but it wasn't in any condition to get /back/ to Cybertron by the time he picked me up.
Optimus Prime: He was seated on the Council. Which led me to some conclusions.
Optimus Prime: Both when he said he knew what happened to me, and when I saw the ship...*shakes his head slightly*
Ironhide: ...they didn't...
Optimus Prime: I don't know.
Optimus Prime: To this day, I don't know, and he doesn't either.
Optimus Prime: I may have been able to stand when I got back, but I'd fallen hard, and I still had trouble walking around. And then, the war.
Optimus Prime: *Sounds slightly bitter about it*
Optimus Prime: I never even heard from Trion once it started. I thought that maybe he'd been killed with the rest of the Council...but I always hoped and prayed he'd survived. Because once he'd saved me from what happened - from myself and my own thoughts - I looked to him as a father. A creator. Much more than what the Quintessons claimed to be, at least. *Reaches to hit another key, deactivating the hologram*
Ironhide: -stays silent for a moment, processing it all, then speaks- ...I wish I could remember back then. -mutters- Fraggin' missile.
Optimus Prime: Why?
Ironhide: It just bothers me that there's a whole section of files in my memory banks that I can't access.
Optimus Prime: *Slow nod*
Optimus Prime: I can understand. I'm guessing you already had the top medics look at it...
Ironhide: Yeah. Corrupted beyond repair.
Optimus Prime: No backups, either?
Ironhide: Nope.
Optimus Prime: *Makes a face*
Optimus Prime: I'm sorry.
Ironhide: Eh. There're worse things that could have happened to me. -looks at Prime seriously-
Optimus Prime: ...things could always get worse. *Leans back in his chair, resting a hand on the table* You could probably imagine how I reacted to being captured by them again.
Ironhide: True.
Optimus Prime: In a way, though...it was good for me. I never really got over what happened before...until I faced it again. I'm not saying I'm glad it happened, but...*Shakes his head slightly*
Ironhide: ....closure. -nods slightly, falling silent; unsure of what else to say-
Optimus Prime: Exactly.
Optimus Prime: But I hold no illusions as to what could have happened if everyone hadn't come so quickly. *Shakes his head slightly* I was perfectly willing to die in an escape attempt, killing as many as I could, if it meant that I wouldn't break again.
Optimus Prime: Still. I got over my fear.
Optimus Prime: And took out four of five. *Leans forwards slightly* I don't think that's a bad start.
Ironhide: Speaking of that, I haven't seen anything from that one in a while. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.
Optimus Prime: Me neither, but I'm not going to let my guard down. Justice has patience. *Folds his hands in front of his mouth, slitting his optics*
Optimus Prime: *Then...blinks*
Optimus Prime: ...I think I've gotten a little deeper than I thought I would. I'm sorry.
Ironhide: No. You probably needed to talk about it.
Ironhide: To tell someone.
Optimus Prime: Perhaps. *Slight infliction, enough to hint that maybe he did, indeed. Brief pause* Megatron doesn't even know what I've told you. He knows most - but not all.
Ironhide: ...you never told even him?
Optimus Prime: It's...never come up. He knows very well what I've been through...and that I broke *no, his voice did not falter a little there, you obviously are imagining things*, and that Trion was there to help. And that the Council sent me out in the first place.
Optimus Prime: The only one who really has any good idea of it...would be Trion himself. And now you.
Ironhide: -nods-
Optimus Prime: ...thanks.
Ironhide: ...you know that if you ever need to talk about something, I'm here.
Optimus Prime: The same goes to you, my old friend. *Soft smile*
Optimus Prime: *Rubs his face* Hn. Even though I like to think I've come to terms with it...it isn't the most pleasant of times for me to remember.
Ironhide: Never is. All you can do is move on, though.
Optimus Prime: Or watch. *A bit softer*
Optimus Prime: *Then nods*
Ironhide: -doesn't know what else to say-
Optimus Prime: *Lowers his hand* Anyway...I did a bit of thinking, after you all left last night.
Ironhide: ...about?
Optimus Prime: Sparklings. *Rests his hand on the input panel* I had some thoughts.
Optimus Prime: After the Quintesson ship Megatron, Thundercracker, Sunstorm and I had been kept on - TC was able to copy most if not all of their files. Considering that we -were- under them for some time, I thought there might be something in there we could use to help us. I don't know if Trion has looked...but I thought I'd bring it up to him.
Ironhide: Ah. -slightly hopeful look-
Optimus Prime: *Nod*
Ironhide: Have you looked at those files yourself?
Optimus Prime: Most. Understanding them is another story. I'm hoping he can help with that as well.
Optimus Prime: It's not that they're in another language...but the way everything is written, it's a processorache just trying to understand it. And Primus knows I've forced myself to.
Ironhide: -crosses his arms over his chest- ...hopefully Alpha Trion can figure it out.
Optimus Prime: My hopes exactly.
Optimus Prime: If anyone could - he can.
Optimus Prime: *Yes, has total and complete faith in Trion*
Ironhide: -stays silent for a moment, then speaks, his voice quiet- If things go well, we may not need that information.
Optimus Prime: ...
Optimus Prime: *Slight nod*
Optimus Prime: We can but hope, Ironhide. And have faith in the knowledge that one way or another, they -will- 'go' for us.
Ironhide: There was one thing Trion didn't show you last night. -still talking in a quiet voice-
Optimus Prime: What? *Leans forwards a bit*
Ironhide: -slight pause- ....there was an echo. It only lasted for a split second, but it was there.
Optimus Prime: ...
Optimus Prime: An echo. *Quietly*
Ironhide: -nods- Yes.
Optimus Prime: So /something/ was there.
Ironhide: We just need to figure out how to sustain it.
Optimus Prime: Long enough to do something with it, if nothing else. *Dims optics slightly, thinking*
Ironhide: -goes silent-
Optimus Prime: ...
Optimus Prime: Ironhide...
Ironhide: ....yeah?
Optimus Prime: ...do you believe we can do this? *Quietly*
Ironhide: I do. But...if it doesn't work...
Optimus Prime: *Shakes his head*
Optimus Prime: Don't think that.
Optimus Prime: The way I see it...even if this isn't the way to do it...something else will work.
Optimus Prime: *There's total, and complete confidence in that statement - but something else, too*
Ironhide: -blinks, shaking his own head- I hope you're right.
Optimus Prime: *Wry look*
Optimus Prime: So do I.
Ironhide: I'm just afraid to get my hopes up again.
Ironhide: Especially now.
Optimus Prime: I can understand.
Optimus Prime: *Slow exhale...and goes quiet*
Ironhide: ...I bet this is a bit of a surprise for you.
Optimus Prime: Hn?
Optimus Prime: *Looks up*
Ironhide: Me, wanting a Sparkling. -wry smile-
Ironhide: The one who said, for millions of years, that he'd never be a Creator.
Optimus Prime: *Chuckles*
Optimus Prime: People change.
Optimus Prime: Maybe when I first realized it - but not anymore.
Optimus Prime: You've always liked them, at any rate...even through your gruffness.
Ironhide: ...yeah. Pains in the aft, but...
Ironhide: I think part of it might be me missing my old job, too.
Optimus Prime: Well...you're training others now, aren't you?
Optimus Prime: They might not be Sparklings, but...
Ironhide: Yeah. I don't want them to be the last, though.
Optimus Prime: Like I said - they won't be. *The reason he believes so much is because any other option, and what that option means, is unbearable in more than one way*
Ironhide: -smiles at him and stands up- I should go.
Optimus Prime: *Stands up as well* Don't be a stranger, Ironhide.
Ironhide: ...you should join Megatron and I in our movie nights.
Optimus Prime: ...I'd like that. *Small smile*
Ironhide: I don't know when we're going to have another one, but you're always welcome.
Optimus Prime: Let me know? *Slightly hopeful*
Ironhide: Of course.
Optimus Prime: *Grins*
Ironhide: -heads for the door, pausing before opening it- It was nice to just talk again.
Optimus Prime: It was. *Nods. Then; beat*
Optimus Prime: Can I ask you something?
Ironhide: Yeah?
Optimus Prime: Why did you pick an Orc?
Ironhide: ....what?
Optimus Prime: *...shuffle* Ontheonegame.
Ironhide: Warcraft?
Optimus Prime: Yeah.
Ironhide: ......I liked their history.
Optimus Prime: *Nods* Just curious.
Optimus Prime: *Rubs the back of his head awkwardly*
Ironhide: -looks at him strangely, then shakes his head as he leaves-
Optimus Prime: *what? was curious*
Ironhide: -and trying to lighten the mood?-
Optimus Prime: *maybe*
Ironhide: -well, it worked-
Optimus Prime: *wins!*
Ratchet: *he leaned back in his chair from the console he was at, and eyed 'Hide. He watched him for a few moments, then grinned* ...Oh 'Hide? Guess what time it is?
Ironhide: ......yeah, I know. -eyes him distrustfully, can tell he's plotting something-
Ratchet: .....what? I was just asking if you knew what time it was...*he pouted at him*
Ironhide: ... -stands up- Let's not keep Trion waiting. -still eyeing him, the devious slagger-
Ratchet: *he laughed and shook his head, standing up and wandering to 'Hide's side. Teasingly, he reached out and brushed his fingers across that etching, just to get a reaction...* Let's go.
Ironhide: -twitches slightly, grabbing his wrist and forcing his hand up and away from it- Slagger. -pulls him towards the door-
Ratchet: *he smirked and walked out the door with him* What? I did nothing.
Ironhide: It's not what you did, but what you're planning on doing. I know you too well. -quirks an optic ridge-
Ratchet: oh? And what am I planning? *he raised an optic ridge right back at him as they walked down the hallway towards the medbay again*
Ironhide: That's why I'm nervous; I don't /know/ what. -narrows his optics- You're a devious bastard when you want to be.
Ratchet: *He smirked* And you would have me change? *about halfway there now*
Ironhide: -snorts, shaking his head- ...your little plots usually benefit me, so no.
Ratchet: ...Oh really, now? Hmm...I suppose I might have to change that, then.... *acts all disappointed, when he really isn't.*
Ironhide: -smiles to himself and grabs Ratchet's hand in his-
Ratchet: *he looked over at him and grinned, squeezing his hand gently, and keying the pad on the medbay, walking in*
Alpha Trion: *he looked up and nodded* Ahh, good. Right on time...
Ironhide: -nods at Trion, the news from last night and how close they were chasing away his nervousness...though there's still just a little bit there-
Ratchet: *he grinned and nodded* So, what's the plan?
Alpha Trion: *he stood and looked over some diagrams* ...Hmm...well, the last time you two were here, you seemed to have a set determination. I want you to re-enact that, and try and keep it going. I want to see if this creates the same results, or if it makes it better...*he tapped a few things, then grabbed the sensors again, and started with 'Hide.*
Ironhide: ...alright. -moves closer to the berth, staying still for the sensors-
Ratchet: *he smirked* ::So.....:: *to 'Hide, of course*
WordsoftheWise:
*he finished with 'Hide and moved on to Ratchet, placing them everywhere...*
Ironhide: ::So.:: -quirks an optic ridge at him-
Ratchet: ::So.:: *he grinned at him, smirking, more like it*
WordsoftheWise:
PLease do me a favor and wait until the curtains are in place...*he said with a serious tone (to make it that much more funny) as he finished up*
Ironhide: ...... -chooses to not respond to Trion's little comment, and steps closer to the berth-
Ratchet: *he grinned and waited until Trion had closed the curtains, leaving them to whatever they wanted. He stood back and crossed his arms, smirking at him* ::So. Do I come over there and torment the pit out of you, or do I let you do what you want to me?::
Ironhide: ::I always liked mutual torment.:: -almost purring the words; steps towards him and wraps arms around his waist, pulling him close and running fingers along the rim of the hubcap on his back tire-
Ratchet: *he grumbled, and slid his arms around 'Hide, his fingers trailing slowly towards that etching, that he found so interesting since finding out how sensitive it was* ::Hmm....I dunno...:: *completely teasing tone*
Ironhide: ::What, you don't like it? Trying to see who's driven to opening up first?:: -leans down and nips at a fuel line, fingers migrating to lugnuts-
Ratchet: ::Hmm...putting words into my vocal processors now, huh? Come now, you don't think I enjoy driving you absolutely insane?:: *he grazed his fingers across that etching, his other hand sliding across the tires, tormenting the treads*
Ironhide: ::And I don't enjoy doing the same to you?:: -bites his way up his neck and jawline, kissing him forcefully, and snakes one hand around to brush against a reflector-
Ratchet: *He growled softly under the kiss* ::Mnnph...you certainly have a way...with your kisses...and your hands...:: *he slid his hand down along 'Hide's side, and then down his side and along his leg, fingers brushing the armor right above the knees...curious...*
Ironhide: -growls right back, his entire chassis shuddering at the new touch, and brushes his fingers against the reflector again, this time with a bit more force- ::...and so do you...:: -voice is low, husky, and he grabs the hand playing with his tires by the wrist, pulling it up even with his mouth and biting at his fingers gently- ::A medic's fingers are supposed to be sensitive...I wonder how much...::
Ratchet: *he nearly dropped at that, pleasure and intense feelings shooting through him* ::Holy...Primus..!! I...I had....no...:: *he whimpered slightly* ::Not fair...::
Ironhide: ::I think it's very fair, to return the favor after what you did to me five nights ago.:: -nips at them once more, then lets go of his wrist, kissing him again and pulling him towards the berth- ::It'll have to wait for another time, though, unfortunately.::
Ratchet: *he shuddered, moaning incoherently. All this time...and it took biting his fingers to realize this* ...Mnnngg.... ::Damn you...:: *his fingers twitched, and he followed 'Hide wherever he went...*
Ironhide: -tugs Ratchet on top of him as he lays down, nipping at his mouth and reaching for a tire, tracing the treads with his fingers before slipping them into the wheel well- ::...come on, you can think of something to top that, can't you?::
Ratchet: *his mind was in a haze at the moment, but he managed to think of something that might work. He slid his fingers up along 'Hide's arms, sliding across the rim of 'Hide's cannons, testing, just to see the reaction by touching the rims..*
Ironhide: -hisses, shuddering, and drags fingertips along the inside curve of the wheel well, kissing him hard and ghosting the fingertips on his other hand along that reflector- ::Nnn...you can do...better than that.::
Ratchet: ::Yes...yes I can...:: *and with that, he slid his fingers inside the barrel, sliding along very sensitive wiring and cables on the inside...* ::How's this for fair...?::
Ironhide: ::Oh /Primus/::-his reaction is just as bad (or good, really) as Ratchet's over the finger thing, and he whimpers into the other's mouth, already wanting his spark and arching his chest up-
Ratchet: *he growled softly and leaned up, nipping at the horn-things on his mate's head, all the while he's sliding fingers along the inside wall of those cannons, tormenting and teasing..*
Ironhide: -shudders, hard, his fingers gripping tightly- ::....Ratch....if you don't....don't stop.....:: -grinds his chest up against him, retracting his chestplates with a strangled moan-
Ratchet: ::What if I don't stop?:: *he growled, his own chestplates splitting and sliding open, an ivitation for him. He didn't stop...at all.*
Ironhide: -actually /whines/, pulling on Ratchet's shoulders to bring their chests together- ::Spark. /Now./:: -kisses him /hard/ and crushes the other to him-
Ratchet: ::You want it, Ironhide? Show me. Show me how bad you want it.:: *he ground against his mate, tormenting him, barely letting the energy from his spark touch...just barely licking against him, tormenting and torturing him...*
Ironhide: ::...Ratchet...please......:: -whimpers, his entire body shuddering; this is the first time he's ever /begged/ during interfacing-
Ratchet: *he debated, then relented and thrust himself down upon his mate, flaring his spark, joining the two of them almost instantly in a sudden rush of intense pleasure and almost-pain...*
Ironhide: -lets out a strangled moan, just barely able to remember to try and focus on keeping their sparks perfectly aligned, and just like last time, sends out a small burst of magnetic pulses-
Ratchet: *he kept his focus, returning those magnetic pulses in time with his mate's pulses, trying to get him to overload. He wanted to hear him cry out in that one moment.* ::How close are you?:: *he whispered over the comm, his fingers catching one of the wires in his cannons*
Ironhide: -and cry out he does, though it's more of a scream, his head falling back with a thud as overload hits him, shuddering and clutching him tightly; does that answer the question?
Ratchet: *Oh PRIMUS yes, it does, and the resulting shockwave over their bond sends him into his own overload, and he cried out, his voice mingling and intertwining with his mate's, still managing to keep the pulsing going, though he gripped hard at his cannons, his entire frame shaking as his overload overtook him intensely, the resulting feelings washing back over their bond...*
Ironhide: -his overload, combined with the resulting feedback of Ratchet's and those pulses, proves to be too much for him, and seconds after he comes down from the pleasure high, he's offline-
Ratchet: *and he fought to stay online, but it also ended up taking him out as well, and he collapsed on top of his mate, systems in emergency shutdown...*
Alpha Trion: *Blinks* Well...I think that works... *grinning*
Ironhide: -he's ttly out and not moving~-
Alpha Trion: *he sighed and shook his head* ..Well, Ratchet's capable...I think I can let them rest until they come back online. *he set about reviewing the data...*
Ironhide: -his systems begin the reboot process after a good fifteen minutes or so, and his optics dimly focus on Ratchet's form-
Ratchet: *he was still out, his systems fans still going, trying to cool him down, internal repairs systems working as well.*
Ironhide: -grins weakly, and nuzzles him, content to just lay there and wait for him to come back online-
Ratchet: *after a moment or two, he groaned, coming back online* ....Ohi....Prim--us....
Ironhide: -smirks up at him-
Ratchet: *he looked down* mmmnnn??
Ironhide: -nuzzles him again, oblivious to their location- Love you.
Ratchet: *he smiled goofily, and nuzzled back* Love you, too.
Ratchet: *also oblivious...*
Alpha Trion: *he coughed lightly, trying to make them realize where they were again..*
Ironhide: -starts, and looks around them- ...
Ratchet: *he blinked and glanced around, then started laughing, thankful for the curtains* ...::slagging hell...::
Ironhide: ::........I forgot where we were...:: -doesn't join in the laughter, but only a slight amount of embarrassment comes over the bond-
Ratchet: ::As did I, but that's only because you are that good.:: *he smirked and kissed him gently*
Ironhide: ::-chuckles smugly-:: -kisses him back and shifts a bit, hinting at Ratchet to get up-
Ratchet: *and he did, moving off of him gently, and holding his hand out to help 'Hide off the berth*
Ironhide: -accepts the help and gets up, leaning on him and not letting go of his hand-
Alpha Trion: *he shook the curtains* You two ready..?
Ironhide: ...yeah.
Alpha Trion: *he pulled the curtain aside and shook his head teasingly* ...You two were out for a good 15 minutes... *he began taking off the sensors*
Ratchet: *he blinked at that* ...15 minutes...?
Ironhide: ....we were?
Alpha Trion: *He nodded* Indeed, you were. *he kept his second comment to himself*
Ratchet: *he just stared at him, shocked* ....
Ironhide: ......huh. -shifts slightly and looks at Ratchet-
Alpha Trion: *he finished taking off the sensors and put them away* Alright, you two are free to go now. Go get some rest, you look like you need it.
Ratchet: *He nodded and pulled 'Hide closer to him* Will do.
Ironhide: -doesn't complain one bit, and starts heading back to their room, the other in tow-
Ratchet: *he walked out of the room, allowing himself to be pulled by 'Hide*
Ironhide: -sitting at the desk, tinkering with an old gun out of boredom-
Ratchet: *sitting on the berth, examining his fingers, wondering how he's gonna numb the sensations next time*
Alpha Trion: ::Ahem..Um...:: *static for a second* ::You two available?::
Ironhide: -glances at Ratchet, grinning slightly- ::Yeah.::
Ratchet: *he stopped looking at his fingers and looked up* ::Yeah, we are. Why?::
Alpha Trion: ::I have some more test results for you, if you would like to see them.::
Ironhide: ::Of course. Where do you want to talk?::
Alpha Trion: ::Wherever is fine with you two.:: *soft chuckle*
Ratchet: *He grinned* ::If 'Hide doesn't mind, here works.::
Ironhide: ::I don't mind.:: -smiles at Ratchet-
Alpha Trion: ::Alright. I will be there momentarily.:: *he closed off the comm and grabbed a new disk, and headed out the aux medbay and down the hall.*
Ratchet: *he turned to 'Hide* ..More results.
Ironhide: Looks like. -finishes up whatever he was doing with his gun, and puts it to the side-
Ratchet: ...I wonder if it's good news like last time....*idly wondering*
Ironhide: .....I hope so.
Alpha Trion: *he appeared at the door, knocking gently*
Ratchet: *he looked at 'Hide* You want to do the honors?
Ironhide: -sends a command to open the door- Trion. -smiles at him-
Ratchet: *he nodded at the older mech.*
Alpha Trion: *he nodded back* Ironhide, Ratchet. *he slipped in, letting the door close behind him.* Well, I finished going over the results of the last test.
Ironhide: -gets up to sit next to Ratchet- And...?
Alpha Trion: *he inserted the datadisk into the same slot as last time, and turned on the hologrid again, revealing something similar to last time, the two energy waves from the two sparks*
Ratchet: *he eyed the wavelengths curiously, his medic's optics trained to see anything out of the ordinary, which he didn't.
Ironhide: -leans on him slightly, looking at the wavelengths-
Alpha Trion: *he nodded slightly* Now, I will say this...*he ff'ed to the point of contact.....but the third echo...was nowhere to be found.* It didn't appear this time....
Ironhide: -slumps slightly- ...but it is possible. We just have to figure out how to keep them aligned.
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* Right. Like I said, this is going to be a long and tedious road.
Ratchet: *he nodded quietly, listening*
Ironhide: -hesitantly- Do you have any ideas on what we'd need to do?
Alpha Trion: At this point, I would like you two to take a week off, and relax. I think putting in too much effor can be detrimental to the tests...wouldn't you agree, Ratchet?
Ratchet: *He nodded in agreement* Yes, I do.
Ironhide: By relax, you mean...
Alpha Trion: In other words, don't get stressed out....And try not to interface too much.
Ratchet: *he looked at Hide, and grinned a bit* ::I bet you can't make it two days.::
Ironhide: ::....I am perfectly able to.::
Ironhide: -narrows his optics-
Ironhide: ::It's /you/ that won't make it.::
Ratchet: ::I can make it. I just don't think you can.:: *he smirked*
Alpha Trion: *he eyed both of them, guessing what they were communicating about* ....
Ironhide: -completely oblivious to the look Trion is giving them- ::We'll see who breaks first.::
Ratchet: ::You will. You'll see.:: *he smirked*
Alpha Trion: *he coughed gently, trying to regain control of the situation*
Ironhide: -starts, turning to look at Trion- ...sorry.
Ratchet: *he chuckled at that a bit.* Sorry.
Alpha Trion: *he shook his head* It's alright. Just remember what I said. Try to relax, no undue stresses on your systems.
Alpha Trion: We shall try again in one week, and see what happens. *he smiled softly*
Ironhide: Alright. -rubs the back of head, sheepish-
Ratchet: *he nodded* We will take it easy. As the medic, I will make sure of that.
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* Alright then. *he paused, then,* Would you two like a cube or something sometime?
Ironhide: -looks at Ratchet, smiling- I don't see why not.
Ironhide: We'll drag you out to play pool with us.
Alpha Trion: *he grinned at that* I would enjoy that again, Ironhide.
Ratchet: *he grinned* I wouldn't mind joining you all sometime, if that is alright.
Ironhide: -laughs- If you went with us, maybe the silly females will leave me alone.
Ratchet: If I recall, you were the one who fought them off, though, right? *eyes*
Alpha Trion: As he did last time when him and I went to a "pool hall"...*raises an optic eye ridge*
Ironhide: -grumbles-
Ironhide: -but grins slightly- It worked, didn't it?
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* That it did. And you effectively removed both of them from us.
Ratchet: *he raised an optic ridge at Hide, mentally impressed*
Ironhide: Took longer than I hoped.
Ironhide: /Primus/, those two were stupid.
Alpha Trion: *He nodded* Not exactly the brightest in the species.
Ratchet: *he shook his head* You expected more from a bar?
Ironhide: Eh, point.
Ironhide: ....you still owe me five cubes.
Alpha Trion: ....True.
Ratchet: *he chuckled* Trion lost a bet with you?
Ironhide: Yeah. -grins- He didn't think I could sink every ball at once.
Ratchet: Oh really? *he looked up at Trion*
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* And he proved me wrong.
Ironhide: Never saw if you could, too.
Alpha Trion: I can. And I will prove it next time. *he smiled*
Ratchet: I would -love- to see that, Trion. *smirks*
Ironhide: .....why don't we go Thursday night, then? -nudges Ratchet-
Ratchet: *he eyed 'Hide* ...Hmm...I suppose we could....
Alpha Trion: *he grinned* Good. Comm me then, when you two are ready?
Ironhide: -eyes him right back- What's that look for? -turns back to Trion- Will do.
Ratchet: *he chuckled and didn't answer*
Alpha Trion: *he nodded* Alright then. Now remember, relax. Ratchet, you are in charge of making sure you BOTH relax.
Ratchet: *he nodded* I will do so.
Ironhide: -without turning his head, to Ratchet- ::Two days. You'll break.::
Ratchet: ::I won't. I promise you that.::
Alpha Trion: Alright. I will head out. Enjoy the rest of your night, Ratchet, Ironhide. *he nodded to both...*
Ironhide: -nods- Good night.
Ironhide: ::No cheating, either.::
Alpha Trion: Good night. *he slipped out the door wordlessly and headed back to his own room for the night.*
Ratchet: Cheating? What makes you think I would cheat?
Ironhide: I know you. -narrows his optics- You'll pull something like you did yesterday.
Ironhide: So I'm saying right now. No exploiting weaknesses.
Ratchet: Hey, I won't if you won't. *raises an optic ridge at him.*
Ironhide: -eyes him for a moment, then nudges him again- I'm gonna recharge.
Ratchet: *He nodded* I'll join you?
Ironhide: -smiles, leaning over to kiss him before settling down on the berth, leaving space for Ratchet to join him-
Ratchet: *he crawled into that space, and settled into place next to him, getting comfortable*
Ironhide: -wraps an arm around his waist, snuggling up with him, and nuzzles him briefly, already falling into recharge-
Ratchet: *he slid an arm over him, pulling him close, slipping into recharge slowly* ...