Jan 26, 2013

Prompt 4: Choose a prompt from the 2011 Master List.

Prompt chosen: June 18, 2011: Rats leaving a sinking ship

(This is also inspired by a conversation with silberstreif)

"Hey, Ratchet, have you seen my ship?"

"What? Wheeljack, you don't have a ship."

"Yes, I do. That experimental one I was working on last orn. You know, the thing you called an 'explosive heap of wasted metal'?"

Ratchet snorted as he pulled two tangled wires apart. "'Jack, that's what I call all of your 'experiments'. You'll have to specify a bit more."

Wheeljack vented and rolled his optics. "The big one in the shuttle hangar?"

"Oh. That one. What would I do with that? And why do you always assume it's me who takes your stuff?"

Wheeljack glared at his bondmate. "You're the only one who dares. And anyways, who else would want an experimental shuttle?"

"RED ALERT! RED ALERT! DECEPTICON SPARK SIGNATURES DETECTED EXITING THE SHUTTLE BAY!" Red Alert screamed over the intercom.

Wheeljack's optics faded to an almost-white color in terror, and his audial indicators were dark and silent for a moment. "Except them," he practically whispered.

"Hm? What's... Wheeljack?" Ratchet called as he turned away from the pile of spare parts he had been sorting to the now empty door frame. He strode to the door of his small Med Bay and stuck his head out. "Wheeljack! Get your aft back here and explain yourself!"

"No time!" the inventor called over his shoulder as he practically sprinted down the hallway. "That thing isn't tested! I haven't even run the specs through computerized simulations yet! And the Cons were just in the shuttle bay!"

Ratchet simply stared for a moment. Then it clicked, and he started running after his bondmate. A klik after he started moving, he opened a comm. ::Prowl! Those Cons! They stole 'Jack's experimental shuttle! We need a base-wide evacuation NOW!"

::How-?::

::'Jack's running for the shuttle bays. Said it wasn't tested. Think he has some theories.::

::Understood.:: The comm linen closed, but a moment later, Prowl's voice crackled over the intercom. "ATTENTION! WE HAVE A CODE 115-94! ALL PERSONEL, EVACUATE! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! GET TO YOUR DESIGNATED SHUTTLES AND GET AS FAR OUT OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM AS YOU CAN! I REPEAT! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!"

The Autobots, as a whole, ran for the shuttles and followed Wheeljack out of the solar system as fast as their thrusters could carry them.

. . .oOo.

"Lookit that! They's runnin' scared! We steal this wicked ship an' they run!" the purple Decepticon crowed, staring gleefully at the fleeing ships, now just sparkling dots against the blackness of space. His companion, a slim, pale blue mech, was not so enthusiastic.

"I dunno. I mean... my sire was a seaman. Ran ships across the Great Rust Sea. Had a saying; why do turbo-rats abandon a ship?"

His purple companion glanced at him sideways, a knowing smirk on his face. "Since yer already gonna do it, just tell me; why do they abandon a ship?"

"When they know something you don't."

"Huh?"

The blue mech sighed. "The idiots I work with," he mumbled, then spoke loud enough for the purple mech to hear. "It means they know something bad's ab-"

The rest of his words were lost in fiery oblivion.

. . .oOo.

The Autobots watched as the explosion grew, enveloping planets, moons, and finally blotting out the sun they orbited. They hovered barely outside the blast radius, and though the sight of the brilliant supernova of fire stunned them all, they heard nothing, as sound waves don't travel through vacuums.

When the fire had faded, and empty space was all that remained of the solar system, everyone in the cockpit of the command shuttle turned to stare at the inventor, who was trying (and failing) to cower behind Prowl.

"Heh..." he chuckled weakly. "It... was a nice boom...? And," he hurredly added when he saw Ratchet heading in his direction, "nobody got hurt!"

"Are you sure about that?" Ratchet hissed as he stalked forward, wrench settled easily in his hand. Everyone flinched as the heavy metal met the reinforced helm of Wheeljack.

The inventor gazed pitifully up at the raging medic from where he was sprawled across the floor of the shuttle.

"See?" Ratchet growled. "One Autobot injured. And I'll bet good high-grade that the report will describe more than just a bump on the helm!"

"Ratchet!" the inventor yelped. "It wasn't actually my fault this time!"

"He does have a point," Prowl murmured, then flinched and lowered his doorwings as the medic turned his icy glare on the tactician.

Wheeljack just let his helm thunk back onto the floor. "You do have to admit... It was a big boom..." he muttered with a smirk, though thankfully, no one could see it through his mask.

"I'll show you a big boom," Ratchet rumbled as he raised his wrench once again.