So i had issues with this chapter, i hope it looks better to you guys then it does to me. Oh well. I got my focus set on the next few chapters where lots of fun things happen.
Reviews! I love you guys!
Guest: Dusty's still mad but just wait till Ratchet's back on his peds. Things get escalated.
Paranoid Prowl: Yep, He's finally awake. Walking will be another problem later on.
Jazzilynn Hall:Yeah, Sterling's got some miner pride issues. (pardon the pun ;) And i''m so glad you like it. I'm having a blast writing this thing.
Neon: No, just some reporter that opened his big mouth. Focus is to smart to say something like that.
Child of Jon snow: Thanks for the catch. I did go back and fix that. And i did make the sunday post.
Guest: Don't forget, Chrome already knew, Ratchet accidentally spilled when Sentinel and Orion came calling. But the rest of the gang doesn't. Well, they do know anyways.
Something dictionary related: MTO frames i got straight from the IDW universe. In that universe, they were Made To Order solders. As Autobots (or Decepticons) needed more solders, they just popped a spark into an MTO frame and off they go. I have a bit of a different take on that but I'll explain that later on.
AutobotGuy710: Yeah, now we deal with Dusty and the gang.
Skyice98: Aw, i feel awesome now. I love making people miserable. ;D It makes me smile.
Ratchet online far easier than he expected. He felt like a shuttle had landed on his chassis, his spark was throbbing in pain, and someone was in his helm, but the fact that he was online at all was good enough for him.
"Heh. If that's all it takes I think we're doing pretty good." Chrome said, his amusement floating through the hard line connection. Ratchet managed to shift just enough to glance at Chrome sitting beside him. The medic looked exhausted.
"C…C…"
"Don't speak." Chrome cautioned, reaching out to rest a servo on his bracer. "There's a hundred and one other things that you need to work on. Speaking is not once of them."
"What happened, everything feels…" Ratchet hesitated, shuttering his optics to ease the pain in his helm.
"Like you're not doing anything? You're not. I'm keeping most of your systems running manually." Chrome said.
Sharp confusion shot across the connection and Ratchet onlined his optics to watch Chrome.
"You didn't tell me you needed an upgrade." Chrome replied.
"I… I knew how much it cost to get your armor, there was no way I could afford a new frame." Ratchet said, regret flooding the connection.
"So you were going to take the risk and hope your spark reintegrated back into that frame." Chrome clarified.
"It's happened before. Minibots do it all the time." Ratchet replied haltingly.
"That nearly cost you your life ya glitch." Chrome snapped. Ratchet flinched but to his shock he didn't move. Panic flooded his processor and Chrome squeezed his arm again.
"Calm down this isn't easy." Chrome growled as Ratchet tried to suck in more air then what his vents were allowing him. "Just focus on venting. Don't worry about anything else."
Again Ratchet shuttered his optics and he felt Chrome nudge his conscious down a string of coding that's Chrome's own presence was manipulating.
"Here, just vent." Chrome's voice echoed in his processor as he switched to speaking across the connection. "I'm going to back off, remember, just vent."
Ratchet nodded but felt the coding slip as soon as Chrome started to back off. His vents stopped working entirely and Ratchet went rigid, trying to cycle air.
"Easy, easy, I got you." Chrome said, reaching out to steady the rapidly unravelling coding. Immediately his vents flared open and Ratchet gasped, pain wracking his frame as he coughed. "Try again."
Chrome backed off, slower this time and Ratchet felt the instant he had control over his own coding and for a moment he hesitated. But the need to cycle air overpowered his fear and he forced his systems to star cycling the badly needed air.
"Deeper, you're hyperventilating. You're frame needs more air now than before. Deeper." Chrome coaxed. Slowly Ratchet figured out how to vent again.
"There we go, that's the hardest one. Everything else is pretty similar to your old frame." Chrome continued as he started backing out of Ratchet's processor.
"Don't!"
Chrome hesitated.
"Ratchet, you have to do this. I'll tell you everything when you're stronger. You're frame is to big though and it's putting your spark under a lot of stress." Chrome said. "It's taken your spark almost 30 joors just to quiet rejecting the frame. You nearly terminated Ratchet. And then twice more trying to get your spark stable in this frame."
"Sparks don't reject frames if they're made to the spark." Ratchet said, confusion filling the connection again.
"It's an MTO frame." Chrome said after a moment.
"What?!"
He lost control of his vents and they seized again.
"Vent!" Chrome barked and Ratchet gasped, once again struggling to get his venting under control. It took a few more stressful klicks before he was cycling air evenly again. "Ratchet I had no choice. Your spark was rejecting your frame and even if it wasn't, it couldn't sustain even a minibot's spark. You never would have made it otherwise."
"MTO frames are illegal! Chrome Avalon blinded Axil because of me! This is all he needs!" Ratchet protested.
"Would you have preferred I let you terminate?" Chrome demanded.
"It's what I deserve! Chrome, any Enforcer sees me and I'll be in the stocks before you can cycle! Avalon will terminate me!"
"Ratchet, listen to me. The reason MTO frames are illegal is because mech's use them to change their identities. You needed a frame and that was what was available. There is nothing illegal about a frame upgrade." Chrome said firmly. "Now had I waited another cycle and your spark was fully reintegrated, besides the point you'd have terminated, then it would be illegal. Any medic could see the scaring on your sparkchamber to know it was a forced transfer."
Ratchet remained silent and Chrome shook his helm, glancing away.
"Is my sparkchamber still scared?"
"A little, yes. You can easily claim a rough transfer." Chrome said.
"Do…. Do I have… have red optics?" Ratchet asked in a raspy voice. It was lower than his old voice but it still sounded like him.
Chrome laughed for the first time in what felt like ages.
"Don't move." Chrome said with a smirk. "Your systems haven't quiet calibrated yet. I'm gonna back out now. Remember to vent."
Ratchet nodded weakly before Chrome gently slid his servo under the back of his helm. Slowly his conscious faded from Ratchet's awareness until he felt the weight of his own frame pressing down on his processor.
"Are you alright?" Chrome asked, hesitating.
"Yes." Ratchet said, concentrating on keeping his fuel pump functioning, his vents cycling air, and his own systems running.
"You sure."
"Disconnect already." Ratchet rasped.
Giving him another look, Chrome finally backed out of his processor and disconnected his datacord.
Chrome gone, Ratchet almost skipped a vent as he was nearly overwhelmed.
"I'm ok." Ratchet said before Chrome could say anything. Hesitantly, Chrome backed off and Ratchet shuttered his optics, manually re-writing the coding to work with his new frame.
"Open you're optics." Chrome said a few moments later.
Bright red optics in a broad, strong face stared back at him from the polished sheet of metal and he couldn't help but smirk.
And forgot to cycle air.
He coughed harshly before getting his vents under control again.
"Work on that for now." Chrome said with a smirk.
"Is he awake?" A voice Ratchet hadn't heard in what felt like forever asked.
"Axil?"
"Ha, wow do you ever sound different." The mech said and Ratchet tipped his helm to the side to see Axil walk up. The dark grey mech immediately grabbed the edge of the berth but he was smiling. His dark visor hid the worst of the damage but acid tracks still marred his faceplates and helm. "Chrome told me what happened, that you fell. Primus, I wish I could see what you looked like. Chrome said you had to be online before he'd send me a still shot."
"I'm kinda curious myself." Ratchet said before pausing to remember to vent.
"Vent by yourself for a joor and I'll show you." Chrome said with a smirk.
Ratchet rolled his optics as Axil chuckled.
"How are you doing though?" Ratchet asked, managing to move an arm to brush against Axil's servo. The mech jumped but smirked.
"Helm still hurts but what can you expect from having your optics gouged out." He said with a one sided shrug.
"You to be in a slightly worse mood." Ratchet said before getting a vicious dark look from Chrome.
"Chrome did say it would be a while before I got my optics back…" Axil said quietly trailing off.
Ratchet gave Chrome a dark look right back that said it all.
"Leave the mech alone Axil, you may have been up for a cycle but he can hardly vent on his own." Chrome said, ignoring the dark look
"Chrome, I'm bored out of my processor." Axil whined. "At least let me talk at him."
"Fine. And make sure he vents."
"Give me some credit Chrome." Ratchet objected weakly.
"Vent on your own for the next joor and I'll give you credit." Chrome replied with a scowl. "Now vent."
Ratchet obediently cycled another system full of air and Chrome shot him an amused look.
xxXXxx
"Well well well, aint ya'ah look fo' sore optics." Sterling said with a chuckle as he limped into the medbay.
Chrome whipped around before grinning at the silver mech.
"Thank Primus you are all right." He breathed before subspacing a wrench and chucking it at him. The thing hit him right between the optics and Sterling cursed, clutching his helm.
"Ya idiotic glitch!" Chrome yelled. "If I knew you were going to do that I would have beaten you into stasis myself!"
"Ah kept tha' thing from eatin' Ratch. Don't Ah get points fo' that."
"And you nearly terminated Sandstorm and Carbon in the processes!"
Sterling winced.
"Ow's Ratchet." He asked instead to change the topic.
"Ask him yourself." Chrome said, gesturing toward a grey mech laying on one of the berths. Axil was sitting beside the mech with one leg folded over the other.
"Sterling?" He asked, his helm shooting up to face the silver mech. His visor covered his optics but scaring still extended past the curved black glass. "I heard you were still functional."
Sterling grinned as he walked over to the pair.
"Ya, Ah'm too stubborn tah terminate." Sterling said before glancing at the medium grey mech. The ID and spark signature were slightly different but he still recognised the mech as Ratchet. "Well don't ya look ah bit different from tah last tahm Ah saw ya." He said with a grin, resting a servo on Ratchet's shoulder guard. The mech winced and Sterling was quick to remove it.
"Ya'right?" He demanded, backing off.
"Systems are still recalibrating. Sensitivity's a bit high, that's all." Ratchet said, glancing at Sterling with bright red optics and a smirk. "And I can't last a joor without having to recharge for a bit."
"And I have to keep reminding him to vent." Axil added with grin, tossing what looked like a washer into a container on the berth. Three others were lined up and all held parts of some kind. A larger box was in his lap and Axil was sorting through it.
"Remindin' ya tah vent?" Sterling asked with a grin.
"Something about coding that I don't get." Axil said with a shrug, tossing another washer into a different container.
"His systems, including the coding that keeps his vents going, are used to his other frame." Chrome spoke up. "He'll hyperventilate if he let his coding take over. He's got to re-write his coding to work with this frame."
"Ah." Sterling replied, bobbing his helm in understanding. He'd gone through the same, very painful recalibration when he'd had his sensors installed. Almost been as bad as getting the coding spliced into his processor. "But ya doin' alright otherwise?"
"Yeah, just tired." Ratchet replied.
"Good, get some rest then. Ah got tah go check in with Dusty an' then take tha' crystal tah Copper."
"Fraggit, I forgot about that." Chrome said with a grimace. "Hopefully it will cool his engines for a bit. I don't need him anywhere near the medbay."
"Ah'll see ya later then." Sterling said, just barely brushing Ratchet's bracer before clapping Axil on the back.
"Hey Chrome, let me go up with him." Axil begged, glancing at the medic. "Please? I've been going insane."
Chrome shot the miner a dark look before sighing.
"Fine. It will get you out of my circuits for bit anyways."
Sterling watched slightly impressed as Axil easily gathered up the boxes and navigated his way to the counters. He quietly replaced the boxes before turning to Sterling with a grin.
"Let's go." Axil said, walking toward the doors.
Sterling shook his helm before shrugging and following after the mech. He detected an unknown spark signature moments before the doors slid open and froze. Axil jumped back, armor flared in fear as he stumbled. Sterling grabbed his shoulder guard to steady the mech but Axil jerked away from him with a snarl.
"Sterling back off, just give him space!" Chrome ordered and Sterling took a step back, optics darting to the strange femme trembling in the doorway and staring at them in fear with bright gold optics. Her paint shimmered between purple and blue that practically screamed Elite.
"Just just just give me a klick." Axil stammered, trembling, his faceplates constantly shifting between Sterling and the femme.
"Who are you and what do you want." Chrome demanded, walking up beside Sterling with his armor flared to glare at the femme.
"I- I came to see my creation." The femme stammered. "Ratchet. The- the bond snapped. I- I have to see him."
Sterling reared back in surprise but Chrome seemed unfazed.
"He said his bonds with his creators were severed." Chrome growled. The femme flinched before nodding.
"Avalon did sever the bond. But Ratchet and I kept ours. He- he blocked me off but it still existed." The femme continued.
"Avalon?!" Axil stammered, his armor standing on end as he took a step back, backing into the wall. He jumped, glancing behind him before back to the femme.
"Sterling, get him out of here." Chrome ordered and the silver mech nodded.
"Axil, come on. Weh can 'ead up tag teh mine." Sterling said, hesitantly reaching toward the mech. He paused a few inches from Axil's armor and after a moment, the mech stepped forward into his servo. Sterling gently led him outside where the mech visibly relaxed.
"Ya'right?" Sterling asked, keeping his grip gentle on the miner's arm.
"Yeah. Just…" The mech glanced away, jaw set as he rubbed a nervous servo down his arm. Sterling frowned even though the mech couldn't see him and gave Axil's arm a reassuring squeeze.
"Ya beh ok Axil." Sterling assured him. "If Ratchet still 'ad anything tah do with 'is creator, 'ee wouldn't beh 'ere."
"I guess you got a point." Axil mumbled.
"Come on, lets go annoy Dusty." Sterling said, nudging the mech forward.
"I smell energon." Axil said, going rigid again.
"Just tah driller. Ah was gonna show off tah teh others." Sterling said with a grin, his armor flaring slightly in pride.
"It's online?!"
"Pit no." Sterling scoffed, walking away to pick the forty foot creature from where he had dumped it beside the doors. "But Ah want tah show it off."
Axil smirked as he shook his helm.
"You mean Carmine won't let you bring the thing home."
"Tha' too. Come on. It's ah long walk."
xxXXxx
Ratchet stiffened as soon as he sensed his carrier's spark signature and winced when he heard Axil snarl abruptly.
"Sterling back off, just give him space!" Chrome ordered and Ratchet shifted enough to see the medic walk up beside Sterling.
"Just just just give me a klick." Axil said hesitantly backed up against the wall and his armor flared.
"Who are you and what do you want." Chrome demanded, flaring his armor.
"I- I came to see my creation." Mica said hesitantly. "Ratchet. The- the bond snapped. I- I have to see him."
Ratchet winced when he saw Sterling rear back. But she was right. He had noticed it as soon as he had onlined that the bond had snapped. While it hurt, it had nearly been choked off and was nothing he couldn't ignore.
"He said his bonds with his creators were severed." Chrome growled. Mica nodded hesitantly.
"Avalon did sever the bond. But Ratchet and I kept ours. He- he blocked me off but it still existed." She said.
"Avalon?!" Axil stammered and Ratchet hissed quietly as the mech reared back in fear. He backed into the wall and jumped.
"Sterling, get him out of here." Chrome ordered and the silver mech took a step forward. Axil flinched before letting Sterling take his arm.
"Axil, come on. We can head up to the mine." Sterling said quietly before they both left, Sterling gently gripping his arm.
Something activated in his helm and he winced when a comm opened.
"I can throw her out if you don't want her around." Chrome said.
"No… I figured she'd come." Ratchet replied after a moment.
"He's functional." Chrome said out loud.
"But the bond-"
"His spark stopped three times. Doesn't surprise me that the bond snapped." Chrome continued, his voice not giving away anything. "He's over there."
Mica glanced nervously at Chrome before sliding past him and into the 'bay. Her gaze slid to him and he forced a smirk.
"Ratchet?" She asked in quiet voice.
"It's been a white Carrier." He replied with faint smile. But he didn't expect her reaction.
"What did they do to you." She stammered, walking over to sit down beside him in the chair Axil had left. Ratchet heard Chrome growl lowly.
"Chrome saved my life Carrier." Ratchet was quick to defend. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him and the gang."
"What happened to you."
"Do not mention the driller." Chrome warned.
"Floor panels collapsed and I fell." Ratchet said. "Dusty and the others got me out. I owe them my life."
"Where's your frame."
"It wasn't able to support his spark anymore." Chrome spoke up. "He was also on the middle of re-integrating back into his frame. His frame couldn't support him though and his spark tried to go out."
"What do you mean re-integrate?" Mica asked.
"When a spark needs a frame upgrade, the processor and coding back up to the spark and it starts to sever ties to the frame in preparation for being transferred to a new one." Chrome said. "If a spark doesn't get transferred, it starts to reintegrate back into the frame."
"Why didn't you tell me you were in need of an upgrade?" Mica asked, glancing back at Ratchet.
"Because I'm not begging you for credits." Ratchet said harshly.
"Just as proud as your sire." Mica murmured and Ratchet growled low in his chassis.
"Don't compare me to him." He said. "I am nothing like Avalon."
"Ratchet, I want you to come home." Mica continued unfazed by the hostile spike in the room. "It's too dangerous out here. You said so yourself, you nearly terminated."
"It's not the first time." Ratchet said. "And I'm not leaving just because things get rough."
"It's not safe Ratchet!"
"And I'm in more danger in Iacon!"
Mica sat up straighter, slim armor tightening against her frame.
"What are you talking about." She demanded. Over her shoulder guard, Ratchet saw Chrome gave him a dark look.
"Be careful what you say Ratchet. She may be your carrier but she's Avalon's mate first." Chrome said in a low growl.
"It's not important." Ratchet said, glancing away.
"Or course it is. Ratchet's what's going on!"
Ratchet shook his helm.
"I won't get anyone else in trouble because of me." Ratchet replied.
"Ratchet-"
"Can you leave Carrier? Please?" Ratchet asked, avoiding the femme's optics. "I'm tired."
"I…. Yeah. Of course mechling." She said after a moment. He heard her stand up, then the slightest pressure on his bracer.
"Thank you for letting me see him." She said quietly, no doubt to Chrome. "And thank you for taking care of him."
"He's one of us now." Chrome replied, his voice hard. "We watch out for our brothers."
"Of… of course." Mica whispered before the doors slid open, then closed.
Ratchet let a vent escape him as he lost track of his carrier.
"You alright?" Chrome asked, walking over.
"My carrier that I haven't seen since I walked out on my family decided to pop up out of nowhere." Ratchet said with a harsh laugh. "How do you think I'm doing?"
"It wasn't your fault."
Ratchet winced, still not looking at Chrome as he took another raspy vent.
"Why didn't you tell him?" Ratchet countered.
"He's got a groon left if he's lucky." Chrome said. "You think I'm glitched enough to tell him that he doesn't have a chance?"
"He has a right to know."
"I'm not denying that."
"Then why won't you tell him."
"Because I care about him." Chrome replied. "I've know that mech a lot longer then you have Ratchet. I know what's best for him. And don't you dare tell him otherwise."
"Yessir." Ratchet mumbled.
"Good. Let's try sitting up." Chrome said simply.
xxXXxx
Axil froze at the mine entrance. He could feel a fait breeze on his over-sensitive faceplates so he knew that the ventilators were still running despite their known issues. He could hear the others somewhere in the distance and he could hear Sterling's systems running beside him.
"You run loud, you know that?" Axil said offhandedly, turning toward the mech. The silver mech's vents stuttered and Axil again wondered at the strange sound.
"Ah run loud? Mech, Ah'm tah quietest one around 'ere. Cept maybeh Carbon but 'ee's freaky."
"Really?"
"Ya 'earing's sensitive mech. Ya other senses will beh tha' way too." Sterling said with a laugh.
Axil turned his attention back to the ground to just listen. Sterling, the wind, the mine. Sterling took a few steps forward and Axil snapped his helm up to listen to the gravel crunch under the mech's peds turn to the echoing pedsteps of a smooth ground. The driller scraped against the silver mech's plating with every step he took and the sound made Axil's armor crawl.
"Ya comin' oh not?" Sterling asked, his voice thick with amusement.
"Yeah, yeah." Axil mumbled, taking a few cautious steps forward into the smooth mine. Everything changed the instant he did so. The heat of the sun on his plating vanished and the cool air of the mine took it's place. His vents filled with the smell of mine dust and every sound echoed weirdly to the point that it freaked him out a bit.
"Weh can go back." Sterling offered, far too close to him and he jumped.
"No no, this is just…" Axil trailed off, glancing around again. "Off."
"Off?"
"Off." Axil repeated, reaching out to rest a servo on the mine wall to feel the texture. "Different. Can't wait to get my optics back but… this isn't the worse thing ever."
Sterling chuckled again and it echoed off the walls.
"Only ya would enjoy bein' blind Axil." Sterling said. "Only ya."
"I never said was enjoying it, it's just-"
"Odd?"
Axil smirked before starting forward. He knew this place by spark. He could make it.
"Watch it-!"
Axil tripped, shooting a servo out to catch himself before he slammed into the ground. His visor popped loose and he cursed as his still healing frame jarred painfully. There was a crash as Sterling dropped something, probably the driller.
"Ow." Axil hissed painfully, reaching to try and find the visor. The thing was only used every once in a while and the hinges weren't designed for any kind of wear and tear.
A servo ghosted against his shoulder guard and he flinched instantly.
"Easy, just meh." Sterling said quietly, his engine rumbling at a slightly higher pitch then before. Something was pressed into his servo and he recognised the curve of his visor. "Can Ah see?"
Axil smirked humorlessly before glancing up at the mech. He heard Sterling's sharp intake before cursing under his breath. Axil glanced down, sliding the visor back over his damaged faceplates and got back to his peds.
"But Chrome said he could get me new optics so don't get used to the sight." Axil said with a shrug. "I won't trip this time."
"Good." Sterling said but his voice trembled just the slightest. Axil didn't make a comment but once again took the lead down the shaft, feeling each step before he took it.
"I don't have the rest memorized yet." He said once he got to the old cavern.
"Fine bah meh." Sterling said as he moved past Axil. The much cooler temperature of the mine allowed Axil to follow Sterling just by the heat coming off of the mech and the scraping of the driller on his plating.
"Hush fo' ah moment." Sterling said after a moment.
"What." Axil demanded, freezing in place. He heard Sterling shifting around, then silence, then a muffled crash as the driller hit the floor of the mine.
"Spawn of a glitch!" Sandstorm's unmistakable yell rang out and Sterling laughed.
xxXXxx
"Spawn of a glitch!"
Sterling howled with laugher before standing up and facing Axil. The mech was grinning and Sterling reached out to press the cable into his servos.
"Ere. Ah'll 'elp ya down." Sterling said but Axil shook his helm.
"I've been around cables all my life, I don't need optics for this." Axil said before easily sliding down the cable. Sterling watched him land roughly but quickly slid down as well when he saw Sandstorm storming over.
"Axil?!" He demanded in surprise and Sterling deliberately placed himself in front of Axil as the mech stiffened.
"Just give 'em 'is space." Sterling said, giving Sandy a dark look and the mech nodded.
"Is that it?" Sandstorm asked, staring at the driller.
"Tha's tah little pit spawn alright." Sterling said with a grin, reaching down to grab it's helm and pull it up to stretch it out to it's length. Axil stiffened but relaxed after a moment and Sterling couldn't help but puff his armor up even more as Sandstorm gaped at the driller.
"Ugly thing." Sandstorm muttered, optics running the thing's full length. Sterling nodded before slinging it back over his shoulder guard and taking a step toward Axil. The mech instantly was at his side, just behind his shoulder guard.
"Eh, just ah little thing. Big ones are uglier." Sterling replied, walking into the mine.
"They get bigger?!" Sandstorm squawked.
"Pit yes." Dusty said, walking up with a scowl on his faceplates. "That's nothing. The two I saw were both over a hundred feet- Axil?! What are you doing here!"
"Been annoying Chrome too much." Axil said with a shrug, hesitantly took a step forward.
"That took a bit longer then I thought." Dusty said with a half smirk. "He usually kicks me out within a cycle."
"Back to the topic. What do you mean 'the two you saw'?" Sandy demanded.
"Yeah, fraggers got away though." Sterling grumbled darkly as he dumped the driller on the ground again. Sandstorm's gaze snapped to him when Axil jumped.
"How many of those things have you terminated?" Axil asked, settling his armor. The mech was skittish but he hadn't bolted at least.
"Seven." Sterling replied, puffing up with pride again. "Eight now."
"Primus." Sandstorm muttered, shaking his helm.
"Feel better?" Dusty asked with a smirk.
Sterling gave the mech a feral smirk and Dusty rolled his optics.
"What the frag does that have to do with anything?" Sandstorm demanded as the rest of the gang walked over.
"Soon as he terminates what he's hunting his coding goes dormant on it's own." Dusty said.
"And considering that you went after me…?" Sandstorm asked hesitantly.
"Accidents can 'appen." Sterling mumbled, avoiding the tan miner's gaze as he pulled his armor tight against him. To his surprise Axil reached out to him, resting a servo on his shoulder guard.
"You went haywire over Ratchet, who the frag were you protecting." Sandstorm asked with a smirk. Sterling hesitated again and Dusty sighed.
"Me." He said after a moment. "He was protecting me. The mech coming to see if I was still functional came up behind Sterling and surprised him."
Sterling winced, setting his jaw when Sandy turned back to him in horror. Even Axil stepped away from him in alarm.
"Enough about this though, you alright?" Dusty asked, glancing back at Sterling.
The silver mech nodded.
"Ah'm fine." He said honestly. "More importantly, Ratchet's fine."
To his confusion Dusty's optics hardened and he glanced away, his armor flaring slightly in anger before turning away.
"Wha's with 'im." Sterling asked as he watched the mech walk away.
"We found out Avalon is Ratchet's sire." Scrapper spoke up, arms crossed over his chassis.
"So?"
"He wanted to leave Ratchet down there." Sandy said quietly and Sterling turned to him in alarm. "Me and Carbon went after him."
"He wanted to leave Ratchet down there?" Axil asked.
"Primus…" Sterling breathed as the mech abruptly changed directions and stormed toward the entrance to the mine. Sterling tensed as he recognised the mech's ID signature just above the entrance.
Impactor dropped into the mine, staggering slightly and Sterling instantly knew the mech was recovering from a night of partying.
"Where the frag have you been!" Dusty roared and Sterling frowned at his uncharacteristic anger.
"Mech's been AWOL for over a cycle." Sandy replied, giving Sterling a look.
"I've been comming you for the last cycle and all I get is a dead comm." Dusty spat.
"I was hiding from the medic." Impactor replied, gesturing over his shoulder guard back in the general direction of the medbay. "Sounded like the smartest thing to do considering the mood he was in.
"Why the frag did you shut your comm off! We nearly lost mechs and could have used your help!" Dusty yelled.
"What are you talking about." Impactor demanded, his armor flaring slightly.
"Ratchet and Sterling nearly got devoured by a driller and Axil was blinded." Dusty spat.
"Ee didn't know any o' this 'appened?" Sterling demanded at Sandy.
"No." Sandy replied.
"Are they alright?" Impactor asked.
"They're functional." Dusty growled.
"Look, I had other things I had to worry about, I won't shut my comm off next time." Impactor said, armor flaring slightly in annoyance.
"There won't be a next time." Dusty snarled. "Pull that stunt again and you're gone. Is that clear."
"Yes sir." Impactor growled as Dusty turned around and stormed off in to the mine.
"I thought you said he was a decent mech." Impactor growled as Sterling walked over to him.
"Normally 'ee is." Sterling replied, watching the red mech with a dark look.
"What's his problem then."
"Avalon is Ratchet's sire." Sterling said. "Ee just found out."
"Avalon?!"
"Yeah. 'Ee's-"
"Impactor get back to work already! You're not getting paid to stand around!" Dusty yelled making both mechs jump. "Sterling get that thing out of here! It's freaking me out. And get your aft on the road, we need those credits!"
"Yeah boss." Sterling called back before giving Impactor a hopeless shrug. "Do ya self ah favor an' stay out o' 'is platin'. Ya think Chrome can beh scary, 'Ee got nothin' on Dusty."
"Yeah… yeah I just might do that." Impactor muttered before shrugging again and walking off.
So Dusty's mad. Meh. He'll get over it.
Eventually. As yes for all my old followers, Avalon does show up but that comes later and trust me, it's gonna be good.
See you all next week! I hope. Got family and Christmas stuff coming up so i have no idea what's going to happen.