Transformers Dawn
Loose ends
At the site of the Predacon's refuge, the former Predacon burial grounds. Predaking and Darksteel gathered around their fallen comrade Skylynx.
He lay on the ground, struggling to breathe, the Cybonic plague taking its toll on his body. The rust already having spread across his entire face.
"Darksteel what ails you?" Predaking asked Skylynx, the symptoms of the Cybonic plague bewildering the leader of the Predacons. Although intelligent enough to transform from his beast mode and proclaim himself as the leader of the Predacons. Predaking had no knowledge of the existence of a biological plague developed during the Great War.
Darksteel groaned, but otherwise said nothing. Weakness preventing him from doing so.
"He needs a medic." Skylynx was quick to point out the obvious.
"But that would require assistance from our enemies the Autobots! Or have you forgotten that they were responsible for the deaths of our brothers?" Predaking snapped.
"If we don't act now, you'll be responsible for the death of our brother." Skylynx reminded his leader a little impudently. Although keeping a cautious amount of respect for his leader, Skylynx was not afraid to set his leader in his place.
Predaking snarled at Skylynx but then contained himself and said menacingly. "Your insolence has been noted, but I shall summon the Autobots, so that Darksteel may receive medical attention."
Predaking moved away from Skylynx and Darksteel and transformed into his beast form and breathed out a long pillar of flame towards the sky.
The flame illuminating the sky like a beacon for all the inhabitants of Cybertron to see.
Back on the Nemesis, Ratchet shone a light into one of Rodimus' optics and said, "Follow the light."
Rodimus obeyed, his optic contracting as the bright light reached his optic nerve.
"Good, good." Ratchet said as Rodimus' optic followed the light without any difficulty.
It was strange and a little bit saddening for Ratchet to relive a situation he had experienced before with his old friend Optimus, but at the same time it was a relief to know that his patient had fully recovered from the Cybonic plague.
Ratchet had grown quite fond of Rodimus after hearing about his encounter with Arcee and he was happy to know that he would be making a full recovery.
Ratchet was about to inform his patient about the state of his health, when he received a communication via his com-link.
"What is it?" Ratchet asked.
"Ratchet! One of the Predacons is wounded and has the Cybonic plague." Bumblebee informed him urgently.
"I'm on my way." Ratchet answered and ceased the transmission.
Ratchet faced Rodimus and quickly told him, "You're systems are functioning perfectly Rodimus, I wouldn't recommend anything strenuous, but you may leave if you feel up to it."
"Thanks to you Doc." Rodimus reminded Ratchet.
"Don't call me Doc! And you're welcome." Ratchet replied a little irritably, although Rodimus had addressed him by a nick name he despised, beneath his ill-tempered tone Ratchet did not entirely dislike the name. It reminded him of old memories from long ago…
Doctor, old friend, Doc-bot, Doc… There were all essentially the same thing. A name.
One was an earned title and carried more respect, while others were solely to tease, but there were some that carried a stronger bond. But they all shared one thing in common, they all conveyed a sense of affection and it comforted Ratchet to feel appreciated in his time of grieving.
Rodimus got up from the medical berth and walked out of the laboratory and had one last glance at the bot that had saved his life. Ratchet was rapidly gathering equipment and pouring solutions from test tubes into beakers in a rush to make a batch of the cure for the Cybonic plague in time. Rodimus smiled and left the laboratory.
A small ship made its way towards Cybertron, it was battered and rusty, as a result of a long duration of use. As it neared its destination, it passed one of Cybertron's moons.
Unfortunately for the pilot of the vessel, this moon was occupied by the Decepticon named Airachnid and her army of Insecticons.
Airachnid's hunter's instinct alerted her to the presence of the ship quickly, a fierce hunger driving her into action. The many months of being stranded on the moon had drained her and her Insecticons, with very little of their original numbers still alive and Airachnid was thirsty for fresh energon.
With keen reflexes Airachnid launched a web in the direction of the ship and it attached itself perfectly. She climbed up the web and was now on top of the ship. The pilot oblivious to her movements.
"ENERGON!" Airachnid hoarsely cried out and stabbed at the ship's viewport with her sharp appendages leaving a small crack on the screen, eliciting a cry of surprise from the pilot in the ship.
Having quickly made his way to the Predacon's refuge by a ground bridge, Ratchet approached Darksteel and kneeled down while casting a look at Darksteel's face. It was mottled with dark, gritty rust and instead of occasionally flickering, Darksteel's optics ceased to do so, instead emitting a fainter light, as if his life force was fading away.
"What happened?!" Ratchet asked.
"My brothers and I were resting in our home, when an object was thrown at us and it exploded, releasing a strange gas. Skylynx and I were not close enough to be affected, but Darksteel unfortunately was." Predaking informed him with a hint of sadness.
"Who could have…? Of course! Starscream!" Ratchet muttered to himself.
Predaking overheard Ratchet's muttering and asked, "The villain lives?!"
"Yes, he barely survived your attack… He'll probably be miles away from here by now." Ratchet answered neutrally but with a tone of criticism towards Predaking.
"And you healed him?!" Predaking asked, infuriated by the news.
Realising that this discussion was wasting precious time, Ratchet opened his medical kit and got a large syringe out, filled with the cure for the Cybonic plague. He answered Predaking without looking at him as he took hold of Darksteel's arm and injected it with the cure,
"Yes I did, because it was my duty. To heal Decepticons and Predacons alike."
Predaking said nothing and Darksteel gave a loud grunt of pain, but did not struggle otherwise. Once all the cure had entered Darksteel's system, Ratchet withdrew the syringe and put it back into his medical kit.
"His body should recover from the plague soon enough. If I had gotten here any later he would not have survived." Ratchet gravely informed Predaking and Skylynx.
"Although it displeases to me to have required your help Autobot, we are in your debt." Predaking bowed his head down slightly as a sign of his gratitude.
No further words were needed, as Ratchet realised the importance of this gesture, so Ratchet bowed his head down in return.
As Ratchet turned to leave, he heard the sound of a crash and saw a trail of smoke from behind some buildings nearby.
Ratchet's eyes widened. He picked up his medical kit and transformed into his vehicle mode and raced towards the site of the crash.
He soon arrived at the scene. Large groups of Cybertronians had gathered around the burning ship. The viewport of the ship was smashed, the exterior of the ship was scorched and bent and the doors of the ship were completely gone, having flown off the ship by the force of the impact.
A dark green Autobot with energon dribbling from his head crawled out of the ship and collapsed to the ground.
Hiding behind the other side of the ship, Airachnid observed the Autobot and seized the moment. Her prey had collapsed, her prey was weak and the time for feeding had come.
Ratchet recognized the Autobot and rushed towards him, "Hound!"
Ratchet kneeled down and turned Hound over on his back, so that Ratchet could properly examine him.
Fortunately for Hound, Airachnid had chosen this exact moment when Ratchet was by Hound's side, to leap into the air and pounce on Hound. Like a predator preparing to give the lethal blow.
Despite his age, Ratchet's reflexes were as sharp as ever and Ratchet quickly turned around and drew out his blade and wounded Airachnid before she could harm Hound and himself.
Airachnid screeched with pain and darted away from the crowd to take a refuge.
Ratchet retracted his blade and looked at Hound's bloodied face and said, "That was too close…"
Hi guys, I hope you enjoyed reading my story. Please let me know what you thought of it. Thank you.
Rodimus finally joins in the tradition of calling Ratchet Doc, Ratchet gets to be badaft and my favourite character from G1 makes an appearance. What could be better?
Up next Rodimus meets many characters and takes his first step towards being a true hero...