Title: Data on Orion Pax

Fandom: Transformers Prime

Summary: Nothing but the facts on Orion Pax. Pre-Series.

A/N: My idea of TFP!Orion, perhaps a different look, more gray. Inspired by the fic "Harmonic Progression" by lyricality on the livejournal tf2007fun community, I highly recommend checking that fic out. Hope you enjoy, please remember to read and review, feedback is always appreciated.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Transformers Prime.

50. And so Orion met Ratchet after Megatronus and Soundwave. The physician had come by the archives to research their medical libraries, and Orion assisted him. He found Ratchet to be pleasantly gruff, reminding him of neighbors at the dockyard and folk in Kaon, unlike most in the upper levels. Orion paused at the sentiment, hand frozen over another data pad he would deliver to the physician. Ratchet reminded him of the dockyard. Of Kaon.

Orion gave Ratchet the new data pad, and observed him more closely, knowing he could be wrong...but he could be right, as well.

51. Orion knew Ratchet was getting weary of his close watch. Orion hoped he would crack and let something slip. Orion knew he had been similarly wary of people watching him when he'd first made the Transition. But perhaps Ratchet was just weary of his close watch because it was irritating and tiresome, not because of what could be discovered.

"I knew the archives were under surveillance, but clearly I underestimated the true extent of it," the physician finally snarled, slamming his latest data pad down.

Orion considered, then conceded, "My objective is more personal. And the Gatekeepers already determined you only required minimal surveillance based on your request and record, compared to higher priority targets."

Ratchet snorted. "And what would be considered a higher priority target? Something as obvious as weapons research?"

"Yes, actually."

The physician rolled his optics, then went back to the point. "'Personal,' you said?" Ratchet lounged at his research station, and for a moment, Orion was reminded of Megatronus. "You are rather young-Omon, was it?"

"Orion, actual-oh no, that is not what I meant-not that you are not attractive-I mean, that is to say-"

The physician laughed, and Orion stopped his wildly gesturing hands and his spluttering.

Orion finally took a seat and told Ratchet he had been born a dock worker.

52. Once Ratchet had gotten over his shock, the older Cybertronian quietly admitted to having managed a Transition as well, and Orion's casual fondness solidified into an immediate connection. But he did note that Ratchet never actually said he was from a lower rank...but surely he had been, why else would he have Transitioned, if not to move up? Still, Ratchet never specified that or anything else about his Transition for the longest time, while continuing to visit Orion at the archives.

53. It took Orion forever to convince Ratchet to go down to Kaon and meet Megatronus and Soundwave. He had never bought his older friend's arrogant refusal, sensing there was something else to his reluctance, but never able to identifiy what that was. He noted that Ratchet only yielded when Orion specified they would meet at one of Kaon's taverns, not the gladitorial arena, and that as such Soundwave would not come, Megatronus deemed him too young.

54. Orion was rather amused by how Megatronus and Ratchet riled each other up. Irritatingly so, in both the gladiator's and phyisician's opinions. And both demanded reasons from him. And Orion told them both, "Because you are rather alike, neither one suffering fools." Orion was further amused when comparing the gladiator's and the phyisician's reactions, both essentially calling Orion himself the only fool they allowed.

55. Orion ended up assisting Megatronus in only one speech.

He had been surprised, at first. His friend was not admitting it, but his body language was clear, and Orion confronted that. "You are nervous? You've spoken before-"

"Spur of the moment, all of them!" Megatronus had whispered harshly at Orion without stopping his pacing. Soundwave was finally asleep in the quarters they'd shared, and the hall outside was crowded with drunken merrymaking, an impromptu celebration over a new gladiator's unexpected survival.

"Barley any planning, any 'preparation' just me only saying a few things that had been boiling in my mind forever-but this! This! You've made arrangements, organized everything, made announcements, people are coming not for a fight but to hear me speak-!"

"They started to come for that a while ago, once they figured out how outspoken you are," Orion offered, with a lopsided smirk.

"Then I entertain them in a new way now!" Megatronus snapped, frustrated. "And they'll be sorely disappointed this time-"

"Megatronus," Orion's whisper went even quieter, placing an arm on his friend's shoulder. The gladiator finally stopped his pacing. "Nothing has changed. You're still just speaking your mind. It's still just a conversation you're starting."

The gladiator sighed, then grumbled, "That was humiliating."

Orion tilted his head. "It was...endearing." Orion knew he could get away with 'endearing,' if he'd dare said 'sweet,' Megatronus would've decked him. And he would've done it quietly too, so as not to disturb Soundwave.

56. Orion had thought the first pre-scheduled speech Megatronus gave had gone very well, but he found Ratchet on edge about it. Perhaps he should not have essentially forced his friend to watch it.

"Do you not agree with what Megatronus says?"

"With what you believe?" Ratchet shot back. When Orion nodded, Ratchet closed his eyes, grumbling. He finally said, "There's no point in picking a fight with the Council, with the system embedded into our planet's history for generations."

"Our 'Golden Age,'" Orion spat out in a low voice.

Ratchet sighed, took a seat at the table in his apartment. He gestured for Orion to join him, then asked him how did he make his Transition. Orion explained about Elita-One and Alpha Trion, then waited. He knew Ratchet would reciprocate.

57. Orion's explanation was only partially reciprocated. And it had a disclaimer.

"You'll probably hate me for this."

Orion blinked. "We're friends, Ratchet."

"You're an idealistic whelp, Orion. You will judge."

Orion remembered stealing another's ration back at the dockyard. His Editorial work at the Archives. And other things.

"I have no ground to judge you from."

Ratchet just snorted, then began to explain. Partially.

"A...friend, and I, both made the Transition, but our benefactor demanded certain...services, in exchange for the assistance." Elbows on the table, Ratchet rested his chin on his folded hands. "He had his connections at one of the Allspark Wards, and was able to arrange to have mine and my friend's progeny pass into his possession, and the caste that best suited his particular line of business."

"...Were you expecting before?"

"No. Only when our benefactor specifically requested it, did we start the gestation period."

Orion was silent. This time Ratchet watched him. Orion wondered if it was a rarity, or something that happened often in secrecy. There was him, and there was Ratchet; he'd wondered before if others made the Transition but just kept quiet, as they did. Now he wondered if any of those could've been made at the expense of sparklings...

"Did you ever see the child? Name it?" Orion knew he should simply shut up, but his mouth moved of his own accord.

Ratchet didn't shut down, at least. But his voice was not empty as it had been before. "No, I wanted nothing to do with it!" Orion just stared, dazed, as Ratchet slammed a fist into the table, denting it. "For my own survival, my own advancement, I had to give up a part of my very body and spark for that...that..."

Ratchet slammed another fist into the table. "Slag it, I may have not been saddled with the responsibility, but I never wanted a damned sparkling! To give a part of myself, to be deprived of even that choice...!"

The physician barked out a laugh. "Ah, but if it wasn't that, it could've been Quota, could've had the System point-blank order me to offer up one more citizen to the workforce!..."

Ratchet let out another soft, bitter chuckle. Orion resisted the urge to take his shoulder. Instinctively, he knew Ratchet wouldn't be as receptive as Megatronus in this context. "Maybe you won't judge me, Orion, but I'm not completely ignorant. I know I've not put one thought to the child's well-being, after I practically sold it to another for my own benefit. And I doubt I will anytime soon. It could be dead by now, for all I know."

"...In the arena?"

Ratchet sneered at Orion. "Naivete suits you better."

Orion softly murmured, "You did not wish to go there, or to meet Soundwave..."

"If not for the fact that you told me he was one of the Taken, Soundwave could very well have been my progeny, or anyone else his age, he's the right age from what you told me-!"

Ratchet stopped, ran a hand down his face. Let out another brittle chuckle.

"...You do not wish to find the child?"

"No." Ratchet's face snapped up to Orion's, eyes cold. "I told you, Orion-I want nothing to do with it. Don't bother looking for it."

58. Still, Orion would occasionally search. But he could find nothing on what little Ratchet gave him, and the physician seemed distinctly determined to forget they ever had that conversation.