Note: I'm late. I'm sorry. This was harder to write. I'll be quick so you can read it.

Reviews!:

Game-Watch: Almost forget about the Cons. Thanks. Added a tiny thing. It'll grow.

Guest: Even if I did do that, the Key to Vector Sigma is just that. A key. Keys open doors. Keys don't turn humans into Cybertronians even though they're worthy.

...

I'll figure out how to make Jack lift Thor's hammer if it makes you happy.

You can read now.

"So, you guys are stuck here. On Earth," Natasha said after Optimus had finished recounting their tale.

"With the likes of you, yes," Ratchet replied sarcastically.

"If anything we heard about Quintessa is true, you might not be stuck with us for much longer unless we can defeat her," Clint said.

"And we will defeat her," Steve said. "All we need is a plan of attack and the appropriate training."

Beep Beep Beep

"We're receiving a communications request from the Nemesis," Ratchet informed them as they moved toward the console.

"Quintessa's going after the Cons too?" Bulkhead asked.

"She has a grudge against all Cybertronians. The Decepticons are not exempt from her wrath," Optimus said. He nodded at Ratchet to put themessage request. Megatron's face filled the screen, though they could tell that he looked defeated if the red streak on the side of his face was anything to go by.

:Prime.:

"Megatron."

:I assume you know about the Quintessons.:

"You assume correctly."

:And you know that I will not allow anyone other than myself to rule this world.:

"I see your reason hasn't changed from... last time."

:Then meet me at these coordinates with your Autobots in three days. We should at least make an effort at a coordinated attack against Quintessa.:

The call ended abruptly when Megatron hung up without warning.

"That's Megatron?" Clint asked. "He looks worse than the Chitauri."

"You're not seriously considering another truce with him, Optimus. Not after last time," Ratchet said, his optics wide upon seeing his leader's thoughtful expression.

"Only together were we able to defeat the Quintessons. We will have to join forces if we are to have any hope of doing it again."

"And this time, you'll also have us to back you up," Thor said. "I can make a call to Asgard too if we need it."

"I am unwilling to risk human lives. Even if they are not technically human."

"Besides," Ratchet huffed. "Odin would have our helms if you were killed."

"Enough with the chit chat already!" Miko blurted out. "What's the game plan?"

x x x x x

"Aw!"

"Sorry, Miko. You can't be in the sparring room. It's too dangerous," Bulkhead told her as he gently pushed her out of the room she was trying to sneak into.

"But I wanna be part of the action!" she whined.

"You can watch from the main room. Besides, I heard Optimus is making Ratchet do this too."

Miko's eyes lit up mischievously as Optimus walked passed them into sparring room, pulling a reluctant Ratchet behind him. The medic grumbled about "lucky humans" as he finally walked through the large doorway by himself to preserve what dignity he had left. Once the pair were on the far side of the room, Bulkhead and Miko burst into laughter.

"I CAN STILL HEAR YOU!"

They only laughed harder.

x x x x x

"Why can't one of the others go first!"

"Ratchet, Mr. Stark isn't that bad," Optimus chided him.

"And there's worse?" Ratchet asked, cocking an optic ridge at the Prime.

"There are worse humans in the world."

"But in this room, Tony takes the cake."

"You baked me a cake?" Tony joked. "That's so sweet, Doc. Did you put your sarcasm into it?"

"Don't call me 'Doc'! Optimus, I swear he's worse than Wheeljack!"

"Oh oh! No swearing. Or else Captain Gramps will say you're naughty," Tony teased.

"Will you stop joking if we go first?" Ratchet asked Tony.

"Yep."

"Fine. Have it your way," he tossed back at Optimus. The semi just smiled as the two walked to the center of the room.

Ratchet sighed before saying, "You all know that this is training to take down Quintessons. While an actual Quintesson is a small, squishy blob of sentient organic material, they have been known to make and use exo-suits of Cybertronian nature. They reside in a cockpit housed in the center of the chassis, or chest. While killing the Quintesson directly would make the fight quicker, the cockpit is heavily fortified. As a human, your best bet is to offline the exo-suits, forcing the Quintesson to leave and make himself vulnerable. Debilitate, then strike. Or just strike if you know where to hit. Most of our pressure points are in the same spots, though Cybertronians have a few more. Got all that?"

"You lost me after 'training'." Tony said, flipping his facemask into place. "Bring it on, Doc bot."

"My name is not 'Doc bo-' AHH!" Ratchet had to quickly dodge the blast Tony shot from his gauntlets lest he end up with a fried optic. It had been a while since Ratchet had gone out into the field and fought, but he held his own until Tony managed to hold his own blade against his throat.

"I've seen better fights from robins," Tony jested.

"And I've seen better moves from the Astronomechs. And I hate that mech band," Ratchet returned.

"Aw. They're not that bad, Ratchet!" Smokescreen protested from the wall.

"You're going next!" Ratchet yelled back before facing his designated partner again. "I don't know why I got put with you-"

"Because we're inventors," Tony cut him off, actually catching the medic by surprise. "We want what's best for our teams, our worlds, and will do anything to make it happen."

"Don't forget annoying," Clint muttered under his breath.

"But essential," Smokescreen added.

"He's not even athletic," Thor said.

"But I have brains," Tony argued.

"So?"

"I'm the genius who coded your voice recognition for the Quinjet."

Thor's eyes widened in shocked rage, then squinted as he muttered inaudibly about "dumb nicknames".

Throughout the argument, Ratchet couldn't help but think about his own desire to help the team even though he was strategically useless in most battles. The "incident" with the synthetic energon was most prominent in his thoughts. If Tony really was that similar to him, it couldn't be that bad.

He was dying to talk to someone about higher science theories anyway. No one on Team Prime had the smarts for it. He needed someone with a real processor.

Brains would also be acceptable.

"Get off me. I want to know how you made that armor," Ratchet said.

"They're not for sale," Tony said.

Ratchet looked at Optimus. As if k owing what the medic was thinking about, he nodded and smiled. "Perhaps you'd be willing to trade then."

"Oh?"

"Although, groundbridge technology is rather complicated-"

Tony promptly let him up. "Show me they way, Doc."

Ratchet fumed for a moment before sighing and leading the way to the groundbridge. Once everyone else was sure they were gone, they all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"I thought they'd never see eye to eye," Natasha said.

"We call them optics, not eyes," Arcee corrected her.

"Well, now that they're going to be spending some quality time together, how about we start the real fighting," Thor said.

"WE CAN HEAR YOU!"

Note: Megatron has a familiar streak on his face (for anyone who's watched TF5). Ratchet is making new friends (and showing off his super hearing). I added a name from my other fic (shameless plug). What's going on with our two hapless scouts (I'm still trying to work that out myself)? Will Hawkeye kick Smokescreen's skidplate (Kids will be kids)? Find out next time!

Right after you leave a review so I can get back to you. Please?

Till next time!