Hallo! Wie geht's?
Sorry I am in a German mood today. Oh and I am very sorry for my long break from this? School has been very stressful and I have kinda neglected from posting. Anywho...are you guys enjoying this? I really hope you all are. It's always great to see what you think of it in your reviews so thanks guys if you left a review or you have favourited or followed it XD It means a lot! So have you heard the news about the new transformers cartoon series airing next spring? Thankfully I am staying open-minded about it all and the only thing that is keeping me happy about it is that it's supposed to be some sort of a continuation of Transformers: Prime.
In this long overdue chapter 3, it will basically be a continuation of the last chapter with some extra added story plot of course ; )
Anyways on with the fanfic...
"S-she's w-watching us Optimus..."
To say that Optimus was confused was a dramatic understatement, he was bewildered. A part of him wanted to believe that what Ratchet was saying had some logic behind it but it didn't make sense. There was only one femme on his team and that was Arcee but he had watched her make her leave to her quarter's joors ago and Arachnid, she had appeared to have disappeared off the face of the Earth. Her location however, wasn't in his best interest in slightest.
But who else could Ratchet have seen? A human; Optimus had doubts. Another Cybertronian; he had even greater doubts. Had his oldest friend lost all sanity? For he was standing there, visibly shaking from an unknown source as his lip components continued to tremble. His optics were wide with trepidation and the former archivist could see little if no life in them; he saw but his reflection, his faceplates masked with worry. This was not reassuring...
"Ratchet...old friend, you have been working diligently for a number of joors now. It would be wise for you to perhaps recharge until morning and when the sun has almost fully risen you may resume your task..." He tried to make it sound authoritative; an order at best but it came out as more of a friendly suggestion than a command like he had intended. The former archivist found himself at a maladroit point; an awkward point. He wasn't embarrassed rather he was marginally concerned for Ratchet's mental state. He was his chief medical officer and a very intelligent and judicious one at that, without him physically and mentally able, Optimus and his team would be grievously in trouble.
Ratchet was screaming at himself from his inside, begging for his frame to allow him the simplest of movements. He could hear Optimus; he could hear him oh so clearly but he wasn't the only Cybertronian his old audio receptors could detect...he could still hear her...
...He could still see her...
Her transparent frame quivered from confusion; her shaky servo still reaching towards him in a failed attempt to beckon him over. That led to a theory that suddenly leapt into his processor. Her transparency, his bizarre inability to move and his even more so bizarre inability to talk could only mean one thing which he reluctantly admitted to.
...She was...a ghost?
It wasn't logical at all but what else was Ratchet seeing? She was fragging talking to him for Primus's sake! He had read and heard about ghosts before the war had begun, and certain haunted buildings and locations. The humans however, seemed to be even more so engaged in the whole idea of ghosts and spirits. But the whole idea was pure folly! But the more Ratchet tried to dismiss that thought, the more it forced him into submission.
Ratchet's thoughts suddenly halted when he felt himself being ushered forward by a large servo on his back, pushing him towards the cluttered workbench. His stabilizing servos fumbled under his own weight but slowly and surely Optimus managed to get Ratchet moving, though Ratchet's gaze did not falter. When they reached the workbench Optimus placed Ratchet in front of himself and began pondering on what to say. Did anything need to be said?
"Ratchet...,"Optimus began carefully. "...there is no one present here other than you and me, old friend"
...No reply...
"You claimed you saw someone of feminine origin in this spot, did you not?"
...No reply...
The former archivist ex-vented heavily before making sure Ratchet would not fall if he moved from behind him and then he moved forward to the farthest left corner of the workbench. The chief medical officer could see the Prime walking towards her and of course he did not stop. Ratchet's natural reaction was to alert the Prime and all of a sudden he felt his processor connecting back to his frame; he could move, he could speak! He could see her trembling as the considerably large mech drew ever nearer to her. Her faded blue optics drifted to him in panic; did she not know that Optimus was Orion? Yes, the former data clerk had changed a great deal in appearance but his vocalizer had never changed, surely she recognised him for his voice. Or maybe she was too afraid to observe him in detail...
If the chief medical officer didn't do something and fast, Optimus would walk into her and Ratchet would be faced with giving a complicated explanation for his actions. A protective instinct smashed the final stages of his paralysis and the chief medical officer rushed forward and leapt in front of his leader with his arms splayed outwards, taking Optimus by surprise.
A long awkward pause fell upon the two mechs as Optimus allowed his mouth components to partially fall open while his optic ridge subconsciously rose. Relief gushed through his circuits but the former archivist's processor was suddenly overcome by confusion.
"Ratchet-are you quite al-?"
"Never better Optimus!"
Ratchet rapidly interrupted his leader slamming his arms down to his sides and standing up straight, putting on his best fake smile.
"...Would you care to explain to me what just happened to you, old friend?"
What was Ratchet to do now? He knew Optimus better than anyone in the Autobot army and could read his emotions with ease and vice versa. Optimus; he did not know what he thought about ghosts and spirits nor did he think that he would respond positively to Ratchet's true explanations. Ratchet didn't want to purposely push Optimus into the spotlight or confuse him further which meant he would have to revert to some other means.
...Ratchet would have to lie...
The chief medical officer was extremely adept in picking out the real truth from a Cybertronian (or human), but he had never come to agree to himself that he despised the whole idea of "lying". He certainly didn't feel like he gained anything good from lying to someone, but then again, when was the last time Ratchet actually told a lie? Or one that was actually believable?
"I-I...apologise Optimus, I do not think I have defragged my systems in a while. I presume it was nothing more than a temporary glitch; it's nothing to worry over, I'll defrag my circuits shortly".
Optimus gave his old friend a mixed glance; half perplexed half stern; and he held it for a few moments to see if Ratchet would falter under this created silence. He didn't. The former archivist felt his intakes and systems settle marginally as a small warm smile rose to his lip components, which Ratchet reluctantly returned.
"And I too apologise if my behaviour only worsened your previous condition Ratchet," The Prime leaned forward a little so not to give the impression that he was trying to intimidate his oldest friend by standing at his full height and staring down at him. "But as you yourself recommended earlier, I feel now would be an excellent time for you to defrag your systems in the comfort of your own quarters," Optimus placed his large right servo on his chief medical officer's shoulder plate. "And then to gain some much needed recharge, old friend".
The red and white mech gave curt nod. "Of course, primus knows my old frame needs it..."
The former archivist acknowledged his smaller friend with a gentle squeeze from his vast servo and for a moment Ratchet thought he saw a glint dazzle across Optimus's cyan optics. Before Ratchet could say anything however, the large red and blue mech moved away from him and lumbered to the computer console where moments after he gradually began typing. Ratchet wasn't stupid and he knew Optimus had more than his initial reason for being awake. There was only way to find out...
Ratchet, what's going on? Where are we?
Ratchet "briskly" walked from his position by the workbench, trying his best to ignore her voice and her entirely and positioned himself behind his old friend, his arms subconsciously crossing.
"Optimus there is more than one reason why you are awake, isn't there?" Almost immediately he saw Optimus' entire frame slump, signalling that he had been right. The Prime had a remarkable ability of always putting others before himself; even after an intense injury, Optimus always asked about everyone else before could ever feel marginally content. He had the capacity to view everyone as having the potentiality of change; he saw it in many fallen Decepticons, Dreadwing being one of them. And for these outstanding traits; Ratchet admired him for them.
When he didn't respond any further the chief medical officer spoke up again. "Optimus I have known you for frankly longer than many can imagine, and thus I KNOW when you are hiding something...," He allowed a pause to hang in the tense air to show that he was generally being quite serious. "...What has been troubling you?"
"I don't know what you are implying Ratchet?"
The red and white mech ex-vented loudly to show he was growing frustrated. "You know exactly what I'm implying!"
A pregnant pause followed and Ratchet began replaying his exact wording and the tone he had used in his processor; he found it be...disrespectful. Yet he ignored that for now and waited to see what his leader would say to him, if anything at all. A few moments passed and still Optimus had made no clear sign of a reply and Ratchet hesitantly began to doubt that he would reply. But then he did...
"Ratchet I can't help but think that over the eons of war, all the innocent Cybertronians slaughtered and the energon spilled, that the Autobot and Decepticon forces have become somewhat equal..."
"OH! FOR THE LOVE O-! Optimus why in the name of the thirteen would you ever believe that; how can you even compare yourself; US to those monstrosities?!" Ratchet roared, completely ignoring the current time and what everyone else was doing. Optimus allowed his helm to fall and his digits found their way to his sides as they clenched into fists. A strong wave of guilt washed over him and even though he did not wish to explain himself for his opinion, he felt like had to.
"Ratchet I know my opinion seems far-fetched but how can we call them monstrosities when we too have murdered them?" Optimus paused before turning to his old friend with his optics narrowed, glaring and his voice hushed yet with a serious tone. "We have all become victims of war and thus, we are all the same". Optimus' baritone voice echoed across the entire room especially at the very end of his sentence. Ratchet had never heard or seen his old friend like this before; so weary and drained. The chief medical officers' spark almost missed a beat when he saw the Prime's optics fall downcast; it was a defeated look.
Had the great Optimus Prime, a hero and father-figure to the masses, lost the will to fight? Ratchet was genuinely taken by surprise. He couldn't believe what he was hearing...
Ratchet slowly closed his gaping mouth components as his faceplates turned into an angered expression. "You think we are murderers?! Were we the ones that bombed triage facilities?! Were we the ones who ordered the annihilation of any youngling that was unable to physically fight?! We are not murderers Optimus; they have killed hundreds of us!"
"And we have killed thousands of them!"
The former archivist rarely raised his voice and it seemed to make the whole atmosphere shiver and cower away. The red and white mech stared at his leader in utter disbelief and before anything else could be said on the subject, Ratchet interjected the silence.
"Causalities and sacrifices are essential parts of any war; Orion Pax may have known this but I could never imagine the orbital cycle when Optimus Prime would forget it..." With that said, Ratchet made his way hastily to the sliding hangar doors leaving Optimus feeling confused.
"Ratchet where are yo-?"
"For a drive! To c-clear my processor..."
Ratchet swiftly transformed and zoomed out of the hangar into the night, leaving a much disoriented Prime. Primes' were supposed to represent purity, which meant no close bonds or strong emotions. How was he meant to carry out those in a war that had been raging for millennia? The former archivist ex-vented deeply and found himself trudging over to the other side of the hangar and almost collapsing heavily onto a large crate the Autobots; his Autobots used as a substitute seat next to the med-berth. His servos found their way to the sides of his helm and he held them there, for he had come to an unforgettable point.
...He did not know what to do...
Orion?