-1Just a Glitch

By: Kyron

Ratchet eyed the meeting room wearily. Rea Alert was up, giving the latest reports on security and status of various personnel. The medic listened with half and audio until the Security Chief uttered two names, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. Ratchet's optics immediately locked on the red and white Lamborghini. Red continued on, oblivious to Ratchet's change of perspective.

"I'm telling you, we can't have them going around talking in that…that language of theirs! Who knows how many secrets they're revealing! Even if it is simply a code the Decepticon's could crack it! Now, I propose that we order them to cease using this-"

"You'll order them to do nothing of the sort." Ratchet interrupted, earning a startled and incoherent muttering from Red Alert.

"Something to add, Ratchet?" Optimus asked, turning to the CMO.

"It's harmless. They're not interested in giving away any information-"

"As violent as they are, I'm surprised they haven't brought the Decepticon's to our doorstep yet if for nothing more than a fight." Red spoke up, recovered from the initial inturruption.

Ratchet snapped his head towards the Lamborghini, optics boring holes into the other mech. Red Alert didn't flinch, glaring back. Ironhide, who was seated between the two, glanced between one and the other and sat back as far as he could in his chair, suddenly very aware of his position. The medic turned back to Prime.

"Later." he said, voice grating. Optimus gave his CMO a contemplative look and nodded.

"We'll break for now. Meet back here in three cycles to finish the reports." Optimus instructed, gathering his data pads.

Ratchet glared once more at Red Alert who looked quite flabbergasted at the abrupt ending to the meeting. The white mech gathered his own pads and followed Prime out the door, ignoring the now very loud protests from the Security Chief on the use of "unknown codes" in the Ark.

Not one word was spoken as they walked down the various corridors towards Prime's office. Once inside and the door was closed, Optimus spoke.

"Ratchet. What's going on?"

"You can't order them to quit using the language." the medic replied, crossing his arms across his chest.

"I hadn't planned to. But Red could be right about the code being broken and if the Decepticon's-"

"It's not a code. It's a glitch." Ratchet interrupted.

Prime stumbled for a mere second before recovering, "Excuse me?"

Ratchet made no move to answer. Actually, he looked rather uncomfortable as he stood there.

"So, you're saying that this language isn't a language at all? It's crossed wires?"

"No. It goes much deeper than that. And before you ask, no I can't fix it because there's nothing to fix. There's nothing wrong."

"You just said it was a glitch."

"Yes."

Prime sighed, "Ratchet, I'm afraid I don't get what you're trying to say…if it's no glitch, what is it?"

"Still a glitch. Just an old one that isn't a glitch anymore. It's part of them."

Optimus regarded the mech for a few moments before furrowing his brow in thought. Ratchet, meanwhile, shifted from foot to foot. He hated begin antsy about anything but this…this was territory he never thought he'd tread nor did he want to. This topic was touchy and yet sacred to the Twins.

"What caused it?"

"A learning disability. One of them, and I don't know which one, had a problem learning languages, hence the glitch. The other adapted to it." Ratchet explained, letting his arms fall to his sides as he huffed out a breath.

"So this 'secret code' of theirs?"

"Isn't a code at all. It's all Cybertronian dialects…just…really mixed up."

Another nod.

"You can understand them then?"

Ratchet raised an optic ridge at the other mech but remained quiet, bringing his arms back across his chest.

"Okay, okay. You win. I'll deal with Red Alert." Prime said, raising his hands up in mock defense before straightening and walking behind his desk.

Ratchet quirked a nearly invisible smile and walked out of the room, letting the door close behind him. Optimus regarded the door for a few moments before simply shaking his head and sitting down to look over some much backlogged work.

Ratchet made his way back towards the medical bays. A flash of yellow in the corner of his optic made the medic stop. Sunstreaker stood leaned against one of the intersecting corridor walls, arms crossed, and just watched the CMO. Ratchet looked back, noting the lack of defiance in the other's gaze. Actually, he looked rather…amused. The yellow twin's mouth quirked up in a knowing smirk.

The medic struggled to refrain a very undignified yelp as a large black hand clapped down on his shoulder. He failed…but he tried anyway. A snort from the mech behind him and a quick intelligible word whispered near his audio and then nothing. Sideswipe's hand moved as the medic spun to catch the little hellion…but found empty space. Ratchet looked back to where Sunstreaker had been standing only to find an empty corridor.

"Sorry, slippery fraggers…" he muttered to himself as he stalked back towards the medical bay. Once he made it to the double doors he turned and looked to the Twin's hiding spot, catching one glimpse of red paint as it vanished behind a different corridor.

"You're welcome." he said quietly and entered the bay.