A dark shadow with red optics glared back at Ratchet with a sadistic smirk.
Ratchet stared at the shadow, unable to move when he saw what the other was holding in his claws. A human girl.
"Too slow," the shadow taunted with a laugh as one of his hands turned into a spinning saw. He brought it close to the terrified human, who screamed…
Kira! Ratchet shot up with his blades activated. He blinked in confusion as he glanced around the medical bay. Huh? Where am I? It took him a moment longer to realize that he had been having yet another nightmare.
"Ugh," he groaned at the sudden pounding in his processor. Glancing down at his blades, he quickly retracted both of them and then hefted himself up off the berth.
The dreams…they feel so real, Ratchet mused. I must be worrying too much. I told Kira to stay away from Knock Out, and she has…or at least I think she has.
He shook his helm fiercely, trying to shake off the horrible images in his mind. I'll talk to her later, he decided. He needed to put these fears to rest once and for all. Where is Kira? Ratchet suddenly thought with alarm. I hope she's okay…
Ratchet exited the medical bay and glanced over at the couch where Kira usually slept. His spark twisted fearfully at the thought of her missing from her bed. Hesitantly, he walked up, his spark pounding painfully against his chest. He peered over, and to his immense relief, Kira was there, sleeping peacefully.
Nothing to worry about, Ratchet, he mentally scolded himself. You know that Knock Out is chained up in the other room. Still, it wouldn't hurt to check, after all, Knock Out should be recharging now.
Ratchet walked quietly down the corridor to avoid waking anyone up. Transformers didn't sleep, not like humans did, but they did need to recharge to reboot their systems, sort of like how a computer needs to be shut down from time to time.
Ratchet walked up to the door of the secondary medical bay and looked in. Yes, Knock Out was still there, on the berth. The blue energy restraints glowed in the dim light, and so did Knock Out's optics, which Ratchet suddenly realized were watching him intently.
Scrap, Ratchet growled to himself. While I'm here, I might as well check on him, he thought reluctantly.
"You're up early," Knock Out commented as Ratchet entered the room.
So are you, Ratchet thought irritably. He was silent as he walked over to the supplies cupboard.
Ratchet picked out some supplies that were used for cleaning and disinfecting large wounds such as Knock Out's. He would need to clean the wound again before he could weld it closer. Right now the wounds on Knock Out were raised up and crudely welded, but as Knock Out's self-repair systems worked interiorly, Ratchet could gradually close the wound until it would become nothing more than dark lines, which were then covered by paint or other covering substances.
The process did take a while, but in the end, it was as if the wound was never there.
While Ratchet was over by the monitor that was by the cupboard, he checked Knock Out's stats.
Hmm, it doesn't seem like he's been getting enough recharge, if any, Ratchet thought, his optics narrowing. That wasn't good, especially for a patient with such a terrible wound. Knock Out was at a higher risk for overheating or infection, both being very uncomfortable and sometimes life-threatening symptoms.
With that in mind, Ratchet checked Knock Out's external temperature. It did seem a little higher than normal, but Ratchet really needed to know Knock Out's internal temperature to make a diagnosis. Unfortunately, taking a Transformer's internal temperature was a bit of an invasive procedure, as a tube had to be put down the patient's throat.
I don't really have a choice if Knock Out won't tell me what it is, Ratchet thought grimly. Besides, I can't trust him to tell me the truth.
"What's taking so long?" Knock Out asked from behind Ratchet. He was trying to make his voice light and carefree, but Ratchet could hear the underlying worry in the Decepticon's voice. "You've been staring at that monitor for a long time."
"It seems that you're not getting enough recharge," Ratchet replied as he walked over.
"Well same to you!" Knock Out snapped. "You're up fairly early as well."
"Knock Out," Ratchet growled, "you haven't been getting any recharge. You know what happens when a Transformer doesn't get enough power-down!"
Knock Out was silent as he glared off into the distance.
"Knock Out," Ratchet tried again, gentler this time, "why haven't you been recharging?"
"I don't know," Knock Out muttered angrily. "Maybe because this is fragging uncomfortable?!"
Knock Out glanced at the beams of energy, but Ratchet sensed that Knock Out was actually talking about his wound.
"Regardless, you are at a higher risk for overheating," Ratchet said matter-of-factly.
"I'm aware of that, thank you," Knock Out grumbled sarcastically.
"Well, unless you want me to intubate, I'd highly recommend caring a little bit more about powering down," Ratchet huffed as he crossed his arms. When a Transformer was overheating, they were not venting the heat out of their body, and so a tube had to be inserted into their throat that was connected to a machine that vented for the Transformer.
Knock Out vented heavily, his irritation plainly obvious. "Whatever," he mumbled.
"I need to check your internal temperature, to ensure that you are not overheating," Ratchet explained reluctantly, knowing that Knock Out would protest.
"Certainly not!" Knock Out retorted. "You will not put a tube down my throat!"
Ratchet sighed. "I'm going to have to anyway if you start overheating, and by then, damage could already be done," he pointed out.
Knock Out was sulkily silent. Ratchet knew that it must be embarrassing for the Decepticon medic to have to go through this.
"I'll be quick," Ratchet promised. Knock Out did not reply, his optics staring angrily at the wall opposite Ratchet.
Well, this is going to be fun, Ratchet thought drily. He picked up the internal thermometer tube and turned it on. A blue light appeared, showing Ratchet that it was activated and ready to be used.
Knock Out was looking at the thermometer, but he glanced away as soon as Ratchet saw him staring.
This isn't going to be any easier for me, you know! Ratchet thought. Still, he knew that if Knock Out ever got the chance in the future, he would definitely humiliate the Autobot medic in some way for revenge. I can't wait, Ratchet thought drily.
He stepped over to Knock Out's head with the thermometer, inwardly dreading the long-term consequences of what he was about to do. Pull yourself together, Ratchet! the Autobot thought fiercely. It's not like he's going to- Ratchet's optics widened as a sickening thought occurred to him. What if Knock Out harms Kira instead of me?
He shook his head slightly; that outcome was impossible, as Knock Out barely knew Kira, or of the bond that she shared with Ratchet. You're on edge because of the nightmares, he tried to convince himself. But still…
"Open up," Ratchet ordered gruffly. Knock Out, still looking sulky, did not respond. "Now," Ratchet insisted, in no mood to deal with this right now. "If you don't, I'll sedate you."
"Fine, fine," Knock Out grumbled. He reluctantly opened his mouth, though his optics were looking at anything besides the Autobot medic.
Ratchet carefully inserted the skinny tube into Knock Out's mouth, lifting up Knock Out's face so that he could slide the tube down into the main energon reserve, which was located just above the spark chamber. That area would give the most accurate reading of Knock Out's internal temperature, as it had the most evenly spread out temperature of the whole frame.
The device beeped after a moment, and Ratchet glanced down at the temperature. Pretty high, Ratchet thought grimly. I'll probably have to do a force shutdown so that his systems can reboot. Knock Out probably wouldn't like that either.
"Okaaay," Knock Out sang unhappily. His voice was slightly warped by the long tube sticking out of the side of his mouth. "It's high, isn't it?
"Abnormally," Ratchet confirmed. "You need to recharge or there could be serious consequences."
"You think I haven't tried?" Knock Out retorted, his optics narrowing at Ratchet.
The Autobot medic sighed. "That is precisely why I have to force a power-down."
Knock Out gaped at Ratchet as he realized what the Autobot was saying.
"What-no! I can power-down myself!" Knock Out snapped. "And what about this tube?"
"I'm going to have to leave it in for now," Ratchet explained as he hooked the thermometer to a wire that connected to the monitor. "I need to monitor your temperature until it returns to a more normal state."
Knock Out growled; he was really ticked off at the Autobot medic right now.
Ratchet knew that he should've cleaned and re-welded Knock Out's wound, but the Decepticon was too angry for Ratchet to work with at the moment.
So instead, Ratchet attached the stasis inducer cable to Knock Out's chest and activated it through the computer.
He glanced over at the Decepticon to see Knock Out's optics slowly drooping until he slipped into stasis.
Hopefully this power-down will bring his temperature back to normal, Ratchet hoped. He dimmed the lights, and then, with one last glance at the recharging Decepticon, he turned and left the room.
