Ratchet (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rustypistons) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
themainframe2013-08-29 02:07 pm
rustypistons) wrote in themainframe2013-08-29 02:07 pm
[voice -> video]
Is this something that happens often around here? One of those...oddities of the city?
Glitches.
Watch your mouth, Bearmon. Is there any way to protect yourself from them?
If we knew, would we need Chosen?
No wonder this place needs our help. But at least it doesn't seem to hurt anyone. Physically. [He feels the need to clarify.] This is just something to weather through, isn't it? I'm not the biggest fan of--
[Sorry, Ratchet, what was that? The video's going to click on and, guess what--oh, you already know.]
[The Autobots will recognize the long, dark, foreboding halls of the Nemesis. To everyone else, there are robots, big and pointy, although there isn't anything human to compare size to. Still, even to Ratchet, everything is rather large, and he follows behind the hulking silver figure that is Megatron.]
Even if you manage to reconstruct the Omega Lock, it is a mystic force. I've come to my senses. The notion of scientifically replicating its capability is pure folly; madness, even.
[They enter through another door--Megatron's been taking him on a little tour, and this looks no different from the other doors he's been led through--and the warlord's gravelly voice rumbles through the chamber as Ratchet's identical guards stay back. Even Misfire may be able to recognize Megatron as the proud leader he is, glinting red eyes, bucket-shaped head, troubling weapon mounted on one arm. He towers over the medic, but even without that, he would be a figure of fear.]
But how will we ever know for certain, doctor, if we do not try? [A button is pressed. Ratchet moves closer to the center of the room, where the floor is slowly turning, opening up.
Opening up into space.] And how can we not try when the means finally lie within our reach?
[Even for giants like these machines, what is seen is massive. An enormous metal ring, with plenty of grunts like ants flying this way and that to work on it, put the finishing touches on the monstrosity. Directly below is Earth. Through the clouds, the familiar shapes of continents can be seen. Ratchet's voice is awed.]
By the Allspark, you've actually done it!
[And Megatron is smug.] Decepticon engineering. It will not take long for this Omega Lock's drives to be fully operational. All that is still needed to restore our home is the cybermatter to launch through it.
Which requires a stabilized formula for the production of synthetic energon... [It's all dawning on Ratchet, what exactly all of this means. What is possible, what is probable, quickly sorting through the few options he knows he has.]
I have every confidence in you, doctor.
[Make no mistake about how difficult the next three words are to grind out. He can't, but he must.] I'll do it. [He glances back at the figure hovering over his shoulder.] ...But then, you already knew that, didn't you.
[The shark grins. He straightens and, almost casually, strolls out of Ratchet's view. His eyes are locked on the ring hanging from the ship and on the planet below.]
Shockwave! Prepare the lab. Our dear guest has agreed to assist you.
[There is a stoic confirmation on the other end of the comm line, and he hears the door behind him slide open. Megatron need not say anything, but Ratchet knows if he doesn't get a move on, those guards will be more than happy to drag him. His hands clench into tight fists, tremble for the briefest of moments, and then--
Then he relaxes, turns, marches out the open door, settling his anger and desperation back somewhere they might be useful. Now he must work, and he needs a clear mind to do it.]
[Bearmon's face is worrying at the screen. There's a lot going on that he doesn't understand, so it's more confusion than anything else. He glances up at Ratchet, off screen.]
Didn't need that reminder. Like I said, I am not the biggest fan of the grin and bear it method. Turn that thing off already, Bearmon.
Glitches.
Watch your mouth, Bearmon. Is there any way to protect yourself from them?
If we knew, would we need Chosen?
No wonder this place needs our help. But at least it doesn't seem to hurt anyone. Physically. [He feels the need to clarify.] This is just something to weather through, isn't it? I'm not the biggest fan of--
[Sorry, Ratchet, what was that? The video's going to click on and, guess what--oh, you already know.]
[The Autobots will recognize the long, dark, foreboding halls of the Nemesis. To everyone else, there are robots, big and pointy, although there isn't anything human to compare size to. Still, even to Ratchet, everything is rather large, and he follows behind the hulking silver figure that is Megatron.]
Even if you manage to reconstruct the Omega Lock, it is a mystic force. I've come to my senses. The notion of scientifically replicating its capability is pure folly; madness, even.
[They enter through another door--Megatron's been taking him on a little tour, and this looks no different from the other doors he's been led through--and the warlord's gravelly voice rumbles through the chamber as Ratchet's identical guards stay back. Even Misfire may be able to recognize Megatron as the proud leader he is, glinting red eyes, bucket-shaped head, troubling weapon mounted on one arm. He towers over the medic, but even without that, he would be a figure of fear.]
But how will we ever know for certain, doctor, if we do not try? [A button is pressed. Ratchet moves closer to the center of the room, where the floor is slowly turning, opening up.
Opening up into space.] And how can we not try when the means finally lie within our reach?
[Even for giants like these machines, what is seen is massive. An enormous metal ring, with plenty of grunts like ants flying this way and that to work on it, put the finishing touches on the monstrosity. Directly below is Earth. Through the clouds, the familiar shapes of continents can be seen. Ratchet's voice is awed.]
By the Allspark, you've actually done it!
[And Megatron is smug.] Decepticon engineering. It will not take long for this Omega Lock's drives to be fully operational. All that is still needed to restore our home is the cybermatter to launch through it.
Which requires a stabilized formula for the production of synthetic energon... [It's all dawning on Ratchet, what exactly all of this means. What is possible, what is probable, quickly sorting through the few options he knows he has.]
I have every confidence in you, doctor.
[Make no mistake about how difficult the next three words are to grind out. He can't, but he must.] I'll do it. [He glances back at the figure hovering over his shoulder.] ...But then, you already knew that, didn't you.
[The shark grins. He straightens and, almost casually, strolls out of Ratchet's view. His eyes are locked on the ring hanging from the ship and on the planet below.]
Shockwave! Prepare the lab. Our dear guest has agreed to assist you.
[There is a stoic confirmation on the other end of the comm line, and he hears the door behind him slide open. Megatron need not say anything, but Ratchet knows if he doesn't get a move on, those guards will be more than happy to drag him. His hands clench into tight fists, tremble for the briefest of moments, and then--
Then he relaxes, turns, marches out the open door, settling his anger and desperation back somewhere they might be useful. Now he must work, and he needs a clear mind to do it.]
[Bearmon's face is worrying at the screen. There's a lot going on that he doesn't understand, so it's more confusion than anything else. He glances up at Ratchet, off screen.]
Didn't need that reminder. Like I said, I am not the biggest fan of the grin and bear it method. Turn that thing off already, Bearmon.
[Video]
[I'm sorry, what?]
Ratchet?
[Video]
[Video]
You wanna tell me what that was about?
[Video]
[Video]
Okay, well, I'm not giving you a choice, so you might as well spill.
[Video]
[Damn it, he can't say that it's not what it looks like when it is in fact exactly what it looks like.]
You can see for yourself. Megatron and a rebuilt Omega Lock. The synthetic energon I was working on apparently has a peculiar interaction with CNA to make cybermatter necessary for all of this to even work, but I never figured out how to stabilize it after my...mishap with testing it out the first time.
Megatron found out. And wanted to recruit my help to get his Omega Lock functioning.
[Video]
And you agreed because...?
[Voice]
He does know, however, that Ratchet prefers voice communication, so...at the very least, Cam does that.]
I-I'm, sorry it hit you too.
[Video]
[Ready to keep saying no, but obviously he didn't. Obviously Megatron realized it was never really going to end that way. And Ratchet realized it, too, in the back of his mind.
He grabs it from Bearmon, though doesn't focus it on his face for a few second.]
If I could help restore Cybertron, how could I keep saying no? It's our one last shot--and perhaps...I could stop Megatron from using it on Earth. Use Shockwave's lab to find the missing piece for myself, then sabotage his efforts.
[Voice]
Er--well. Yes, thank you, it's fine. It could have been much worse. [Could have been like Wheeljack.] That must have been...confusing.
You don't say!
[Video]
You know that's all you needed to say, right?
[Video]
[Video]
[It's pretty straightforward thinking.]
Video didn't do you any favors is all.
[Video]
I'm fairly well aware of that fact, Arcee, thank you. [grumblegrumble] I don't know how much it matters in the end anyway.
[Video]
[Looked like a pretty big deal to her.]
[Voice]
I'm...not gonna lie and say it wasn't...but uh, you don't...have to explain, or anything, it's...personal. All this.
[Video]
Ratchet, what?
Video
You wanted to connect one world to another...didn't you?
[Video]
[Voice]
A history he's neglected to explain to me, Cam. Me! His own partner! I think I'm hurt. I don't think he thinks he's good at telling stories.
[Video]
Video
[Voice]
Our partners aren't required to tell us, Bearmon. The past can be difficult to talk about.
It sounds... [Cam interjects before they can get on a tangent.] like you were working for a...good cause.
Video
[video]
[Ratchet you just said 'yes' to helping Megatron.]
[What's even more concerning is how he ended up on the Nemesis, because 'Ratchet is a traitor', doesn't seem like an apt explanation to him. Explanations please. ASAP.]
Is this from the future?
[Voice]
Video
[video]
Video
[Sorry Ratchet, he's just had a few bad experiences with it.]
[Voice]
[There's not a bit of hesitation; Cam's trusting....like a puppy.]