I just wanted to say thanks to PuraJazzBot, Seiberwing, xxxscalebladexxx, Tirya King, Straya, Draange, ChibiProwl and anyone else that I've missed for sticking with me this long. Things are going to get interesting.
Chapter 5
Both sides were now so caught up in the tense drama unfolding before them, that they failed to notice as Ratchet made a small, sharp movement.
Skywarp, however, most certainly did.
"Gyahh!" The sudden screech of Seeker pain caught everyone by surprise as Ratchet drove the laser scalpel he had been holding deep into the Decepticon's lower abdomen, following up with a cockpit shattering reverse elbow strike.
The Seeker groaned and released his grip just enough to allow Ratchet to free himself and stumble away. Skywarp recovered quickly and would have fired if Sideswipe hadn't rolled onto his stomach and wrapped his arms around Skywarp's legs, Sunstreaker then taking the opportunity to pounce on his unfortunate victim.
The temporary cease-fire quickly disintegrated into full combat again, an event not helped by the arrival of Jazz and a sizeable detachment of warriors.
Megatron snarled as he watched his carefully constructed plan crumble beyond all hopes of salvage. "I refuse to be bested again!" he roared as he swung his cannon around and issued the mental command to fire.
Everyone expected Megatron to fire at Prime. But he didn't.
The pale violet energy burst forth, striking not the Prime, nor the tactician or even the twins, but at the white and red armoured form of Ratchet, searing a neat cavity out of his left side. The Autobot didn't even have time to scream before his self-preservation systems kicked in and sent him into emergency stasis lock.
The twins were on their feet in a sparkbeat, their Seeker prey forgotten as they scrambled to the fallen medic's side.
"Decepticons, back to base!" Megatron ordered. His troops were only too happy to comply, gathering up their wounded and fleeing under a hail of fire and threats from the vengeful Autobots.
"Prime, we need to get Ratchet back to the base now!" Sideswipe yelled from where he and his brother were kneeling beside the fallen medic.
"Prowl, get back to the Ark and have Wheeljack and Hoist prep the repair bay." Optimus ordered, then transformed and opened his trailer door. "Get the wounded in."
It was a tense drive back to the Ark, and as Prime raced through the wide halls to the repair bay everyone was thinking the same thing, but nobody dared to ask it. Almost every Autobot had been shot by Megatron at one point or another, but it had always been Ratchet who repaired them. But now that Ratchet had been shot, would Wheeljack, with his limited medical skills, be able to save him?
