TPFverse. Autobot HQ and Other Locations. SynthEn (Spoilers for episode 22 of Transformers Prime)
Raf: *sitting and watching Ratchet with his, "I'm not so sure about this" expression* Optimus said to test it on machines more. Maybe this latest signal's really an energon deposit you guys can use.
Ratchet: *frowning at some of the readouts on the screen* If it is, it's a very small deposit....
Raf: It's still a safer bet than your synthetic energon right now. *looks over his shoulder* Excuse me. *pushes glasses up and scoots for the washrooms*
Ratchet: *soft sigh as he watches Raf leave the room, before his attention goes back to the monitors as he tries to get a lock on the signal*
signal: *doing a wild cross-country trip!*
Ratchet: ... *eyes the synthetic energon as he picks up on Arcee's SOS... and then he's made up his mind. Taking one of the canisters of synthetic energon and a syringe, he then injects the contents of the canister into the main fuel line in his arm... Only to sway and tip over backwards once all of the energon is in his systems*
* * *
Raf: *scared as he sits on Ratchet's chest and pats his face* Ratchet! Ratchet, wake up!
Ratchet: *soft sound, unshutters his optics slowly* *as he moves to sit up* How is it that such small beings can be so loud?
Raf: *scrambling out of the way, his brown eyes huge behind his glasses* You fell down.
Ratchet: I'm fine... *pause, surprised as he realizes he feels better than he has in a while* More than fine.... *going to check his readouts now... And be very surprised*
Raf: *frowning as he watches, then looks up at the screen and frowns harder*
Ratchet: *to Raf* Any word from the others? *is worried*
Raf: *shakes his head, his chin firming slightly* Not since Arcee's distress call.
Ratchet: *going to try and get a lock on Arcee's coordinates so he can get an emergency ground bridge*
Raf: *just watches the screen* ...She's hurt.
Ratchet: ... *gets the ground bridge open* Man the ground bridge. *moves to transform and go through*
Raf: But... *scooting over to that side of the balcony, his eyes wide and worry all over his small face*
Ratchet: *gone*
Elsewhere
Optimus: *calling to Arcee even as she battles the horde of Decepticon soldiers that are getting in her face*
Bulkhead: Hey, Wake, catch! *flings a 'Con at his young friend*
WakeJumper: Nice lob, Bulky! *gonna pound on the 'Con now, kthx*
Arcee: *surrounded and injured. And now one of the Decepticons is aiming his blaster at her....*
Ratchet: *just arrived and collided with the 'Con, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. Will go to town on the 'Con and any others that rush forward*
Optimus: *can hear the increased noise from up there, and it spurs her to intensify her own efforts. Soon clears her path of enemies and charges forward... only to stop and stare in astonishment as Bumblebee pauses beside her* ...Ratchet?
Ratchet: *mowing through the 'Cons like they're training drones*
Arcee: *staring as she's helped up*
Optimus: *also staring, and Bulkhead has joined in*
Ratchet: *turns to his fellow Autobots, and then slams the back of his fist into the face of a Decepticon that was sneaking up on him* Hoo-ahh. *smirk*
WakeJumper: ..... Whoah.
Bulkhead: Uh...
Optimus: *blinks* ...Let's get back to base.
WakeJumper: .... *slow nod*
Arcee: ...Yeah... *still can't believe what she saw*
Ratchet: *soft 'heh'. Will let Raf know that they need the ground bridge opened*
Optimus: *watching her friend with a puzzled frown as the bridge opens and she herds everyone through*
Raf: *sees the battle wear, and Arcee in Ratchet's arms* What happened? *looks nearly ready to fall over the balcony rail in his eagerness to hear the story*
Bulkhead: I only saw the gory aftermath, but apparently Ratchet was a one-bot wrecking crew...
Raf: *blinks* Whoa...
Bumblebee: *deedle boop!*
WakeJumper: It was apparently pretty epic... *someone really needs to point this guy to better websites for the English language*
Ratchet: *moving to get his tools so he can repair Arcee*
Arcee: Okay... What's your secret?
Optimus: Yes, Ratchet. I would also like to know that. *studying the shards of a broken container that she just kicked*
Ratchet: No secret... *reaches for one of the canisters of synthetic energon* Just a little something I like to call 'SynthEn'... *will carefully lob the canister over*
WakeJumper: *going o.O at the green stuff now*
Optimus: *frowns as she catches it* I asked that you test this on machines for now.
Bulkhead: o.O *pauses and looks at WakeJumper. Snigger*
WakeJumper: *slowly* So he tested it on himself? *not so sure that's a good idea*
Arcee: *to Optimus* You didn't see Ratchet out there... He was in overdrive!
Optimus: *shakes her head sternly* Nevertheless, Ratchet. I recommend that further testing be done on machines, not Autobots. *sets the container down, her lips pressed thin with concern*
Bulkhead: I'm gonna go catch a few z's. You wanna spar later, Wake?
WakeJumper: Sure... Same spot as last time?
Bulkhead: We can do it in the gym. *gentle thunk for Bumblebee as the young scout picks Raf up to bring him home*
Optimus: *distracted by something on the screen and goes to look at it*
Ratchet: *looking like he wants to disagree with Optimus' orders, sighs quietly*
Raf: *sympathetic look as he lets Bumblebee pick him up*
Later that night...
Ratchet: *as he bounces on the balls of his feet* So then he came at me...
Bulkhead: *watching Ratchet* ...
WakeJumper: *hesitant to do anything that might hurt Ratchet* Er...
Ratchet: Well? Come at me.
Bulkhead: ...I don't wanna hurt you.
WakeJumper: *rubbing the back of his head a bit* Yeah... The size difference- *cut off as Ratchet reaches to smack Bulkhead*
Ratchet: I said, come at me!
Bulkhead: 0_0 *then growls softly and charges, taking a swing at the older mech as he comes*
Ratchet: *easily dodges the larger mech, before lifting and throwing the Wrecker... right through the nearest wall* Hoo-ahh.
WakeJumper: 0_0
Arcee: *coming down the hall* What was that?
Bumblebee: *looks down at Bulkhead* Weeooo...
Ratchet: *chuckling a bit as he exits through the hole in the wall* You've got competition, Bulk... I'm a bit stronger than I was before...
WakeJumper: *hesitantly edging closer to the hole so he can make sure Bulkhead's alright*
Ratchet: Also a bit faster, too... *feints at Bumblebee*
Bumblebee: ...
Ratchet: Think you can take me, muscle car?
Bumblebee: *shakes his head, his beeps holding a definite negative*
WakeJumper: *over comms, to Bumblebee* //I wouldn't either...// *yup. Even the resident triplechanger's wary of the guy right now...*
Ratchet: *as he moves to walk past* Wimp...
Bumblebee: *watches him*
Ratchet: *as he passes Optimus* *wink wink* How's it hummin'?
Arcee: o_o
Optimus: *stopped cold in her tracks at the start of the hall, her expression showing pure brain break*
Arcee: Did he just...
Bulkhead: ...Stronger, faster, and studlier.
WakeJumper: .... It's times like this that I really wish I could've talked Fixer into coming with me... She'd knock some sense into him... or at least knock SOMETHING into him... >.>;;
Optimus: *small sound and then turns around and walks back the way she'd been coming from*
Bulkhead: ...Anybody know what that was about?
Bumblebee: *shakes head* Woo...
Arcee: *headshake* Nope...
WakeJumper: Your guess is as good as mine, Bulkhead...
Bulkhead: Huh... Creature double feature? We can watch the one Miko doesn't like.
WakeJumper: And you can explain why it's entertaining.... Or maybe that Fowler guy can... I still don't get it...
Bulkhead: Oh yeah. *slight frown* He's supposedta be here tonight, isn't he?
Bumblebee: Weeeblybeep. *nod*
Arcee: Didn't he say something about introducing a friend of his? *suspects that that's not the only reason for the visit, but has no proof*
Bulkhead: He just thinks we're his free hotel away from home. *grumps off toward the main room*
Bumblebee: *looks at Arcee and makes sleepy sounds*
Arcee: *snerk* Probably... I'd better get going... Let me know how it goes...
WakeJumper: *jokingly, as he moves to follow Bulkhead* I'll write up a report.
Bumblebee: *is the echo of a razz coming back down the corridor*
WakeJumper: *chuckling even as he moves to get comfortable for the "Creature Double Feature". Knows that Bumblebee will give him grief over something silly in the near future, looks forward to it*
Bulkhead: *happily putters around the TV* First up... 'Revenge of Swamp Thing'.
WakeJumper: *snickerfit as he remembers the last time he took on something in a swamp environment... and ended up squishing the darn thing under a foot on accident...* *attention going to the elevator door as it opens*
Agent Fowler: *wanders out of the elevator. Is groaning and rubbing his eyes* You're never getting control of the radio again, MacKenzie.
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *chuckling* You volunteered to drive, Will... You knew the... *trails off as he spots Bulkhead and WakeJumper*
WakeJumper: *okay... New squishy guy...* .... Yo.
Bulkhead: *straightens slightly and frowns at the stranger* Hey, Fowler, who's the new guy?
Fowler: Lt. Col. Beauregard MacKenzie. MacKenzie; Bulkhead, and WakeJumper. *frowns and looks around* And the big one over behind the screen is Optimus Prima, the lady in charge of this outfit. *totally used his friend's full name to get him for the song selection on the way here*
Optimus: *distracted. Doesn't give her usual greeting*
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *is so going to get even with you for using his full name, Fowler. Revenge will be swift, and humiliating.... and it shall come when you least expect it!* *hesitantly, thrown for a bit of a loop* Hello...
WakeJumper: *headtilt* You here for the "Creature Double Feature?" It's 'Revenge of the Swamp Thing' right now...
Agent Fowler: *perks* 'Revenge of Swamp Thing'? I haven't seen that one in years. *then frowns and looks over toward the Prima* ...Optimus?
Optimus: *absently* Yes, Agent Fowler?
Agent Fowler: Is something wrong?
Optimus: No more than usual. Why do you ask?
Agent Fowler: *looks at WakeJumper* ...?
WakeJumper: *slight shrug. Isn't sure he should say anything, if only because he has noooo idea what's going on with Optimus*
Bulkhead: She's just trying to track down some fuel for us. *finishes dumping stuff out of the couch and sets it down*
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: ... *quick glance at Fowler. You really want me working with this group?*
Agent Fowler: *smacks him in the side and leads the way down from the elevator and then across the way toward the balcony where the couch and TV are*
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *acks at the smack to his side, moves to follow Fowler* Sheeesh...
Agent Fowler: *up and settled on the couch* Anyway. Optimus, MacKenzie here will be working with your people, since he lives in the area.
Optimus: ... *doesn't seem to have heard him*
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *glances to Bulkhead* Is she always this talkative?
WakeJumper: *interested in the shinies on the Lt. Col.'s jacket, but will be good and not gank it to inspect*
Bulkhead: Nah, like I said, she's tryin' ta figure out where we can get some energon. *frowns toward the Prima* ...I think that's what's goin' on, anyway. *then snerks as Agent Fowler gives a soft snore*
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *snerks and shakes his head before moving to slip his uniform jacket off* 'Revenge of Swamp Thing'... Haven't seen that in a few years... *sits down*
Bulkhead* *grins and gets comfortable* I haven't seen it yet. My partner doesn't like it.
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: Partner? *glances to WakeJumper, who shakes his head*
Bulkhead: Yeah, her name's Miko. She's at home right now.
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: Oh... *surprised by this*
Bulkhead: That's her guitar and amp there.
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *looks* *chuckles* I'm guessing she's a teenager then?
Bulkhead: Oh yeah. *deep chuckle as he shakes his head, and then stops and looks at WakeJumper. Elbows the younger mech*
WakeJumper: *startles, was watching the movie* Huh?
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *chuckles* Teenage girls can be a handful... My sister's probably around the same age as Miko...
Bulkhead: *looks back to the human after jerking his head at him* Really?
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *nods and gets a picture out of his billfold* Yeah... Denver's a bit headstrong sometimes.... *will hold out the picture so Bulkhead can see it*
Bulkhead: *looks at the picture* Huh... I think she's bigger than Miko.
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *chuckles* She's pretty tall... Got that from our father...
WakeJumper: *puzzled look for Bulkhead, wondering about the head jerk*
Bulkhead: Well, I noticed you're taller than your buddy Fowler, too.
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *soft 'heh'* Humans come in all shapes and sizes...
Bulkhead: Yeah, I know. We've got three, not counting him. *quizzical look at WakeJumper as the younger mech pokes him*
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *brows up* Oh?
WakeJumper: *poke poke poke*
Bulkhead: Gah! Uh. Yeah. *frowns at WakeJumper* What?
WakeJumper: *going to be a bit ornery* You started it.
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *snerks. Is reminded of how he and Fowler used to act as twenty-somethings*
Bulkhead: *stares blankly at friend, but then perks* *mouths 'a partner for you!' and jerks his head toward the Lt. Col. again*
WakeJumper: *quick glance at the Lt. Col.* //I dunno, Bulkhead... He seems kinda old...//
Bulkhead: //But he's gonna be sticking around.//
WakeJumper: //Maybe Ratchet'd be a better choice...//
Bulkhead: *snorts* //Ratchet doesn't wanna human partner.// *expression suddenly goes troubled* //I think he broke Optimus' brain.//
WakeJumper: //...Should I poke her with a stick?//
Bulkhead: 0_o No!
Agent Fowler: *snorts in sleep*
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *puzzled look for Bulkhead and WakeJumper*
WakeJumper: ... Okay then... *attention going to the movie*
Bulkhead: *scratches head, then looks at movie. Is soon so full of horrified fascination that he forgets everything else*
Several hours later, at an energon mine...
Optimus: Ratchet, that was a miner! Servant class!
Ratchet: *irritation growing* Oh, and let me guess... I'm just a medic.
Optimus: *frowning down at him sternly* No. But violence is only an absolute last resort. That is what separates us from the Decepticons.
Ratchet: *pffft* Is this really the time for another lecture, Optimus? You didn't just happen to discover Megatron's location, did you? Well, I did. Do you know where there's a sizable stash of energon? I do!
Bulkhead: Hey, Docbot, chill a little, huh?
WakeJumper: Yeah... Couldn't hurt to calm down...
Ratchet: *very agitated* Calm's the last thing we need right now! 'Calm' is what lost us Cybertron! The Decepticons have a warship, and an army! And all this energon scouting... You think Megatron isn't gearing up for something big?! *starts pacing* We're squandering our resources chasing after his crumbs when we really need to be hitting him hard and hitting him NOW! Precisely where it hurts!
Optimus: We need to plan. Acting rashly could endanger human lives, and that is a price that I am not prepared to pay.
Ratchet: But you were willing to pay it with Cliffjumper! Oh, that's right, he couldn't be here today!
Arcee: *growl* That's IT! *moving to lunge at Ratchet*
Bulkhead: Whoa! *grabs the irate little femme*
WakeJumper: *moving to put himself between Arcee and Ratchet, optics dimming slightly*
Arcee: *struggling against Bulkhead's grip, angry with Ratchet for digging into wounds that haven't had time to heal*
Ratchet: *to Optimus* You know your problem, Optimus? For such a big, strong 'Bot, you're soft.... You didn't pound Megatron into scrap when you had the chance! Many chances, in fact!
Optimus: *looks down at him, hurt clear in her expression. Then triggers her comm* Lt. Col. MacKenzie, we're ready to return.
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: //Understood, Optimus. Ground bridge in three... two... one...// *and then the portal's opening*
Ratchet: *low growl, stalks towards the ground bridge*
Optimus: *looks down at Arcee, and then herds her team through the bridge*
Ratchet: *abrupt about-face, bum rushes Bulkhead, and takes off through the desert in vehicle mode*
WakeJumper: *startled blurt*
Optimus: Ratchet!
Bumblebee: 0_0
Ratchet: *cloud of dust in the distance*
WakeJumper: ... *clangs as he facepalms*
Optimus: *shutters optics and sighs deeply, the sound seeming to wrench itself from the very depths of her being. Shoulders slump* Return to base.
Arcee: *moves to head through the ground bridge, is still bristling a bit*
WakeJumper: *also moving... and wondering to himself if there's a way to make the synthetic energon without the whole 'overly aggressive and kinda psycho' side effects*
Bulkhead: I hate to think how that stuff would'a turned out if I'd written down the whole formula. Hey, Miko, didja... what are you doing, and who's that?
Jack: *is engulfed by facepalm*
Raf: *happy little guy is happy, and being snuggled by the tall brunette*
Bumblebee: *squees at the new girl*
Miko: *scowling at the tall brunette who's acting all 'buddy-buddy' with Jack and Raf*
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *is one with his facepalm* That would be my younger sister, Denver...
Denver: *scowling at Miko. Is about as tall as Agent Fowler, but with a much grumpier disposition. About the only way it's obvious that she's a girl is the shape of her face, and her long hair. Otherwise, she could probably pass for a skater boy*
Bumblebee: *loves you, Denver! Hi! Oh yeah... serious stuff. Looks at Optimus*
Optimus: *over at the screen, trying to get a fix on Ratchet*
Arcee: *helping with that*
June: *tilts her head* Where's Ratchet?
WakeJumper: Er.... *is a bit flustered, as he usually gets around June*
Arcee: We're trying to find him... Can't get a lock on his position....
Bulkhead: *frowning and poking his partner* Hey, Miko. I'm back.
June: *frowns and goes up onto the balcony so that she can see the screen* Denver, your bird's escaped. Get him out of my car before something bad happens. How did you lose Ratchet?
WakeJumper: Er... Well....
Denver: Yes'm... *more scowl for Miko before she lets Raf go and heads to the car*
Miko: *Hmphs and moves to go grab her guitar*
Raf: *happy grin as he scoots to talk to Bumblebee*
Bulkhead: *looking over at the screen*
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *apologizing to Jack for Denver's behavior*
Jack: *looks sideways at the Lt. Col.* Just wait till you catch Miko on a good day.
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *quietly, and a bit dryly* Today is one of Denver's good days...
Jack: *once more engulfed in facepalm*
Optimus: *scowling at the screen, but only partially seeing it as she pushes back intangible scraps of old memories that have been haunting her since Ratchet's attempt at flirtation the night before*
Arcee: *slight start* Optimus, I've got something.
Optimus: *snaps to alertness* Where?
Arcee: Getting a lock now... *and there are the coordinates*
Optimus: Get ready to roll out. *already turning toward the space bridge apparatus*
Arcee: *powering the ground bridge up*
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: Going on standby.
WakeJumper: *moves to follow Optimus*
Optimus: *as she strides through the bridge* Miko, that volume will cause damage to human audio structures. Turn it down.
Miko: ... *blink blink blink*
June: *Mom Look for the teen*
Bulkhead: *shaking his head as he trucks after Optimus*
Denver: *trying so hard to keep the turkey chick from making a mess of June's car*
Arcee: *moving to follow Optimus*
Raf: *waving to Bumblebee, who beeps and zooms after his teammates*
Lt. Col. MacKenzie: *expression serious as he watches the Autobots depart. Is silently praying for the safe return of the missing teammate*
Optimus: *sees Decepticon soldiers. Shoots Decepticon soldiers!*
Arcee: *opens fire as she gets through the bridge*
WakeJumper: *bum rushes Decepticons*
Bumblebee: *helping with that!*
Bulkhead: *thud thud thud thud DOOM*
Arcee: *going to town on the 'Cons*
WakeJumper: *just slammed several of the soldiers into the rocks of the tunnel*
Optimus: *and THROUGH the obstruction! Hurries down the short tunnel and then kneels by Ratchet, who is laying in a puddle of the synthetic energon*
WakeJumper: *hurrying over as Arcee covers the entrance to this part of the caverns* *scanning Ratchet to get an idea of the extent of the older medic's injuries* *low growl* We need to get him back to base and hooked up to an energon feed, ASAP, Optimus.
Optimus: *nods, scoops up her friend, and hauls him back through the tunnels and over the ground bridge*
Bulkhead: *busy loading himself up with energon cubes* Come ta papa! :D :D :D
Bumblebee: Weeeeee!
Arcee: *moving to help the rest of the team with the energon cubes, though she will be worrying about Ratchet the entire time*
WakeJumper: *hurrying through after Optimus and moving to get to work to save Ratchet's life* *no hesitation at all as he works to first stop the bleeding fuel lines and then get a stable energon feed hooked up*
Optimus: *standing back and handing the young medic what he needs as June Darby hovers around her feet and fusses about not being able to help*
WakeJumper: *showing no sign of his usual awkwardness around June. Is wholly focused on the patient in front of him*
Optimus: *quietly* What is the prognosis, WakeJumper?
WakeJumper: *quietly* Torn fuel lines, and shattered armor... *soft chuckle* He'll be alright in a few days if he rests...
Optimus: *quiet and resolute* He will.
The next morning
Ratchet: *soft groan as he wakes up and moves to get into a sitting position*
Optimus: *gentle hand on his shoulder, being careful not to touch his chest* Easy, old friend.
Ratchet: *slight start* *quietly* Optimus... I'm sorry...
Optimus: Just take it easy. You've lost a lot of energon... good and bad.
Ratchet: I... I didn't intend to hurt anyone... I... I just wanted so badly to...
Optimus: *quietly* I'm just grateful that I didn't lose my oldest friend. And, because of you, we now have enough energon to keep us for a long time.
Ratchet: *very slight nod* *quietly* Clearly, the synthetic energon formula needs refining before it can be tested further... On machines, not Autobots...
Optimus: *actually smiles as she squeezes his shoulder*
((written with random_xtras))