Author's Note: Originally just the first part of this was written as a tag for 'Falling', even though it takes place after 'Race You'. Then after all the response I recieved here, I decided to expand upon it a bit...So for all my reviewers, this one's for you!
- Push -
The knock on his office door made Optimus pause in his paperwork, and he quickly straightened the inevitable mess he made doing it before calling for whoever it was to enter.
"What can I do for you, Ratchet?" he asked pleasantly as his CMO stepped inside.
"Medical report for Prowl and Jazz's mission." Ratchet said, handing him a datapad. Optimus took it and scanned through quickly.
"His door wings?" Optimus sounded amused. "How did he do that? He's normally so careful of them."
"Didn't they report to you already?" Ratchet asked in surprise, and Optimus shook his head. "But...Teletraan recorded their return a full hour before they showed up in the med bay. And Prowl never waits to get to the med bay when his door wings are injured."
"Indeed." Optimus mused. "I suppose their mission succeeded, then."
"Actually, they mentioned that there wasn't a single Decepticon around, sir." Ratchet said with a frown.
"Is that so." Optimus deadpanned, and Ratchet gave his commander a suspicious look.
"You're a very sneaky Prime, aren't you?" the CMO finally asked.
"No, I'm a Prime that won't have to put up with watching his two senior officers dance around each other anymore. Or explain to homophobic human dignitaries that no, my third-in-command is NOT flirting with my second-in-command, no matter what it looks like." Optimus replied promptly.
"Oh, right, my mistake. Sorry sir." Ratchet said with a chuckle.
"We all make mistakes every once and awhile, Ratchet." Optimus said loftily. "You'd better get back to med-bay, though. Sideswipe and Smokescreen are due back from patrol soon."
"Slag." Ratchet said with a grimace as he turned to go.
"Oh, Ratchet?" Optimus called just as the CMO was heading out the door, and Ratchet turned to give his commander a quizzical look. "Tell Smokescreen to remind Cliffjumper that the name of the organization is the U.S. Chess Trust." Ratchet's optic ridges shot up, and he gave Optimus an amused look, then nodded and left.
---
"Ratchet! You're not going to believe what happened while we were on patrol!" Sideswipe pounced on Ratchet the moment he entered his med bay, while Smokescreen stood back, managing to look a little sheepish.
"Does it have anything to do with why both of you are covered in dings and scratches?" Ratchet asked with a scowl as he looked them both over, then motioned for them to get up on the berths. Smokescreen complied readily, while Sideswipe did so only until Ratchet walked away, at which point he began following the medic.
"What?" Sideswipe asked, then seemed to only then remember why he was in the med bay. "Oh no, that was from when we lost control and fell into a ravine. Mostly Smokey's fault, he's not used to travelling at fast speeds. But that's what I wanted to talk to you about!"
"I thought you just said - get up on the berth and stay there Sideswipe, or I will weld your aft to it - I thought you said that these weren't from what you wanted to tell me?" Ratchet asked grouchily as he gathered his tools and pushed Sideswipe back to the berth.
"Only indirectly." Smokescreen put in. "We wanted to see if all Datsun models could go that fast or if it was only Prowl."
"Prowl?" Ratchet said, instantly amused, as he eyed up the two mechs, debating which one to fix first.
"Yeah, you should'veseen it Ratchet!" Sideswipe practically squealed, and Ratchet decided to fix up the red twin first, so he could shove him the slag out of his med bay before he broke something in his current state of enthusiasm.
"You know Sideswipe, Prowl did say not to say anything." Smokescreen said slowly.
"Frag what Prowl says." Sideswipe said dismissively, then turned to watch as Ratchet began working out the dents and dings in his armour. "Anyways. Smokey and I were on our patrol, just mind our own business, when suddenly we see this dust cloud heading our way. We were good little patrol mechs and scanned it for any possible hostiles, and to our surprise, the cloud seems to be emanating from Jazz and Prowl who are going really really fast. Jazz and Prowl." Sideswipe put emphasis on the tactician's name just to make sure Ratchet had heard it.
"I heard you the first time, Sideswipe." Ratchet grunted.
"Yeah, well, thing is, they weren't being chased by anyone. We checked twice." Sideswipe said. "And then they got nearer, and we realized - they were racing. But that's not the best part."
"And just what is the 'best part'?" Ratchet asked dryly as he moved to Sideswipe's other side. It came out as a disinterested 'I'm-just-asking-because-I-know-you're-going-to-tell-me-anyways' comment, but the CMO was actually interested at this point. He couldn't help it - he was a bit of a sucker for gossip like this. It helped him feel better about his work, to know that people were having fun after he fixed them up. Now, having fun before he had to fix them up, that was a different matter.
"You know Jazz's top speed?" Sideswipe asked, and Ratchet just gave the twin a look. "Right, of course you do. But, did you know that Prowl isfaster?" Ratchet paused, glancing up in surprise for a moment, then frowned as he considered.
"I suppose that makes sense. On the whole, Datsun models wouldn't be as fast as a Porsche, but every bot makes modifications to their systems over their lifetime, and Prowl has always been focused on quickness and agility in body as well as mind." the medic said, and Sideswipe paused himself.
"Actually, yeah, that does make sense." the red twin agreed. "But yeah. So. Prowl evidently won, and then he comes to this sliding halt not far from us, transforms and goes 'you didn't see this', and then drives away. Didn't say anything else."
"And then you and Smokey decided to recreate the race?" Ratchet asked dryly.
"Well, yes, and Smokey can't go as fast, nor is he as good at control -"
"Hey, I'm used to sliding all over the place! It's what saves my aft in combat more often than not!" Smokescreen said in his own defence.
"We just finished concluding that Prowl's made modification anyways, Smokey." Sideswipe said almost disdainfully. Smokescreen made a noise of annoyance, and Ratchet stopped the inevitable bickering by stepping away from Sideswipe, having finished fixing him up.
"There. You're done. Hoist can help fix your paint, he's in the body shop already, being bothered by your brother. I suggest you go save him." Ratchet said.
"Thanks Ratch!" Sideswipe said cheerily. "See you around Smokey!" It was about the only time Ratchet saw one of the twins willingly, and quickly, leave his med bay when told to do so. The medic shook his head - the entire Ark would probably know of Prowl and Jazz's little race by the end of the night. Though Sideswipe might inevitably find his gossip overshadowed after Ratchet passed on Prime's message to Smokescreen. Speaking of that...
"Smokescreen, have you ever heard of the U.S. Chess Trust?" the medic asked casually as he turned to begin fixing the Datsun. Smokescreen winced slightly.
"Ah - yes, I have. Why do you ask?" he asked.
"Prime said to tell you to remind Cliffjumper of the name." Ratchet replied easily.
"Cliffjumper..." Smokescreen trailed off with a frown, his optics dimming slightly as he dug through his databanks. Ratchet stood back and waited for the inevitable reaction, and grinned faintly as Smokescreen jerked violently and stared at the medic in stunned surprise for a second before starting to laugh. "That explains completely!" he said amidst his laughter.
"Dare I ask how and why Prime has gotten his giant fingers into your betting pools?" Ratchet asked as Smokescreen calmed down enough for the medic to continue working. Smokescreen shifted a little uncomfortably at that.
"Ah - well, remember when Prime, Bumblebee, Inferno and I got captured on our way back from the planet of giants? And I got free? And then used them for collateral against a bet...and I lost..." the Datsun said nervously.
"I seem to remember the lecture you received afterwards. I think half the Ark heard it, with the volumes Prime used." Ratchet said with amusement.
"Heh, yeah, well, after that lecture, he essentially demanded that I start putting my gambling tendencies to good use, and now whoever wins one of my bets has to donate an amount of time or money equivalent to half their winnings to a specific charity, decided upon by Prime. Unless it's a really small bet, in which case it's fine." Smokescreen explained in a rush, then added with amusement. "This particular pool, however, has been going since before we got to earth, and is quite large."
"How did Cliffjumper win, anyways?" Ratchet asked curiously. "Just time-wise?"
"No, his bet was 'when Prime gives them a kick in their afts'." Smokescreen said with a grin, and Ratchet chuckled.
"Smart mini-bot." the medic said.
"Of course, a few others also won partly, since Sunstreaker made a bet that it would happen on a mission...though would it really qualify for a mission if Optimus set it up just to kick them in the afts?" Smokescreen considered.
"It wasn't really a mission from the sounds of it - Optimus knew there were no Decepticons there." Ratchet offered helpfully.
"Hmm. But then, do I even want to try saying no to Sunstreaker?" Smokescreen mused. Ratchet just shook his head, refusing to get involved in Smokescreen's decision over who won what, and concentrated on fixing the bot.
- END -