"The more we learn, the more we discover how much we don't know." –Yoda

Ch 4

000

Swaying on her heels from where she was knelled her arms wrapped around her legs her body illuminated blue by the data-pad in front of her. Blair leaned forward and pressed the scroll button, she watched the white letters move upward and before releasing the button and reading the last bit of the data-pad. Seating not to far by his charge was Optimus Prime continuing his work on . . .well Blair really wasn't sure what he was doing she'd ask later.

"You'll need Wheeljacks help on this you know."

Prime momentarly stopped in work but didn't make a move to turn toward her. Sighing quietly Optimus Prime leaned back slightly lowering his arm from the massive glass screen. For some reason he didn't like the idea, not one bit but he wasn't going to be able to do this on his own. That he knew. He turned to meet Blair's light brown eyes that looked up at him through strands of dark brown hair that had fallen over her eyes. He wanted to move forward and brush the hair aside so he could see her eyes but made no action to go foward with his thoughts.

Turning back to his work, for the first time really double taked and realized that what truly lay before him. Shouldn't know how to do all this. He knew a few basics of making things but making a protoform was beyond his ability. How had he done it? When did it suddenly dawn on him that he shouldn't be able to do this.Bowing his head he let air pass through his vents giving himself a moment to calm himself and clear his proccessor before flickering his optics back on.

"I know but being turthful I don't feel comfortable with it."

Standing up after shutting the data-pad down Blair stretched her arms over her head, her body didn't like knelling like that. It made the joints in her feet hurt.

"After reading all this and after what all you told me, I understand this is . . .sensitive but your going to have to."

She reaceaved no reply for a long while after that. Quietly the commander took a seat back in his chair that still sat behind him and laced his fingers over his abdomen where his grill was. Blair watched him lean his head back in thought she'd realized over the time that she'd know him that was a common habit an sign that he was thinking deeply about something. Blue optics staring up at the ceiling Blair couldn't even begin to wonder what was running through his processor.

Slipping her hands into the pockets of her jeans Blair stared up at him and sensing a pair of eyes on him Prime let his head fall to let his optics meet hers. Something had poped into her mind. He could tell it by the way she looked at him with that almost blank stare.

"What is it Blair?" he asked slightly concerned with the expression that was on her face

She stayed silent for a few moments looking down at the desk top she was standing on. "How are you going to do this excatlly? Don't you need a spark first?"

Letting a faint smile cross his face under his mask "One step at a time Blair. One step at a time." Was his reply

000

How many times had he read this in the last Earth hour? Eh, he wasn't keeping count but right now his processor was so wrapped up in what laid before him he couldn't do anything else but give the little data-pad his full and undivided attention. Ratchet completely understood everything that was written down on the blue-ish tented glass but at the same time he understood nothing on it. What had been the force behind the files on this innocent little data-pad? Ratchet would ask but knew it was most likely he wouldn't get a complete answer.

How could he even think he would be possible to give life on this planet far away from Cybertron an even farther from the ancient computer . . .Vector Sigma? The only femme's present here beside the natives weren't planning on baring a spark anytime soon. Not mentioning the femme's older sibling wouldn't permit it quit yet. So far as Ratchet new he had no infatuation with any of the Ark's crew and Ratchet new almost as much stuff as he new himself. Probably even more being the Chief Medical Officer of the Ark. Well besides one but she was very unlikely let alone the same species as himself.

They had no spar sparks lying around, if anyone would know Ratchet would know. Then it hit him like a smack to the head. Sighing deeply Ratchet leaned forward putting his elbows on the top of his desk and buried his faceplate in his hands. The Matrix. Sly mech, which was what he, was, yes. Something scrapped against his index finger and Ratchet looked up. Slowly he brought his hands up to the front of his helm and took hold of the silver crest on his forehead. With precise movements and a click it detached from his white domed helm and was lying in his red hands like any other plate of metal.

'That's all you are, aren't you.' he thought turning the little piece of metal over in his hands feeling it smooth surface.

Bring his red hand back up Ratchet traced an engraving in his forehead were his crest once was. Like an outstretched diamond with a cut down the center of it stopping at the 'diamonds' center. He couldn't remember when he had received the mark all Ratchet could remember was seeing an outline of a massive mech with glowing electric blue optics. Like none he'd ever seen before. He'd been a sparkling at the time and . . . different. He'd been told it was the mark of one of the original 13 but he didn't believe it because he was old but not that old. Which 13, he never got an answer. There was no files that he was allowed to read about them.

Clicking the crest back on to his forehead Ratchet activated a private channel to Optimus Prime to send him down to his office.

000

Aqua colored optics met dark blue ones both hold no emotion even though the mech on the other side of the CMO's desk looked tired. They'd been that for a long time since the whole Nightmare virus thing. It had drained them all Prime more the others almost. He him self still felt the lasting effects of the invisible monster that had infected him as well. Seating on Optimus Primes right thigh, hands on either side of her an odd shaped cap upon her head was Blair.

Sighing Ratchet picked up the data-pad and leaned forward handing it back to his commander who accepted it without word while making sure Blair didn't fall.

"You're asking a lot of me Prime." Ratchet stated quietly leaning back in his chair

The Autobot commander was calmer than he had been in a while, Ratchet could see it in his aqua colored optics, the way he held himself. "I wouldn't ask this of you if I knew you couldn't proceed with it Ratchet."

"This has never been done before; I have nothing to go by, nothing. It's like going back to my apprentice years Optimus Prime."

Prime said nothing, he had nothing to say nor did Blair who looked up at her guardian. Raising his head back up from looking down at his charge Prime spook quietly the slightest edge of fatigue present in his voice. "All you have to do is make sure I don't kill myself doing this Ratchet, I'll do the rest."

Sighing deeply trying as if to get some tension and stress out of his systems Ratchet leaned over propping his elbow joint on his officer chair arm, and using his head up with a red fist. Flickering his optics off Ratchet replied, "That's a huge enough burden itself. Do you really think I'd like to live with being the cause of the death the greatest Prime Cybertron has ever had?" flickering on his optics "Of a dearest friend."

Sliding her legs under herself Blair leaned back and up and grabbed hold on one of Primes thick blue fingers, looking down Optimus Prime moved it while at the same time letting her lead his hand. Realizing what she wanted he cupped his hand around her small soft frame an put his thumb on her left shoulder. Even though he couldn't feel the grip she had on his thumb and pointer finger he knew she did have a firm grip on it.

"I'm not great Ratchet, I never claim to be. Do you think a tree can grown and bloom without the aid of rain and the sun?"

Ratchet grunted leaning back; hands crossed lightly over his abdomen "You and your idioms" faint smile crossing his faceplate

"Please Ratchet. I have to do this but I need your help."

He stared deeply into those aqua-colored optics seeing the emotion inside of them but got no further than the blue glass that protected optical sensors lying behind them. Prime was serious; he really wanted to go through with this. But the pleading look in them made the old medics spark cringe inwardly ever so slightly. It had been a long ol time since he'd seen that emotion within the mighty Autobot leader's optics.

The first time he had seen it was not to long after this still young mech was nearly assigned as the Prime only though in his med-bay back on Cybertron. Ratchet hated it for the young mech suddenly had the fate of their world dropped on him, and not softly either. But he encouraged the young mech to go with it and look at were that young mech was now.

He was a mech that could truly be called greatest Autobot commander without being vain about it.

Leaning toward his desk again "The Artificer Project huh?"

000

A/N:

My deepest apologies for taking so long to update. Something screwed up my computer just after I had gotten it fixed. We think a storm that came did it. I hate nature sometimes. Anyway I hope your liked this chapter it will start get better soon, I hope anyway.

Thanks for reading and please leave a review, wouldn't mind that too much, yes?

Transformers and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak and co.

Except Blair Livington, and the plot which is mine

Names and characters are entirely coincidental