Unknown Territory (TFP)

30.

ENTRY:11/5/2021

A/N: It's going to be a long chapter so hang on tight!

The kids were still gushing over the new and improved Energon when Ioa spoke, cutting into their conversation.

"Sorry to interrupt, but... my sensors are ringing. I fear Op- I mean the team needs backup. If you guys don't mind, I'll go lend a servo." Ioa said as she was typing in the coordinates for the groundbridge only to be halted by Ratchet.

"How about I go? I'm pretty pumped up if I do say so myself! Besides, I believe your senses are quite on peak sweetspark, just in time for me to get into action!" Ratchet said uncharacteristically. Was he flirting with Ioa?

'Did he just-'

"That's a great idea! Go kick some afts Ratchet!" Miko cheered making Ratchet flashed her a smile before he went off. "Ratchet smiled! How cool is that? I'm sure he's going to be so badass!" Miko said, the two humans nodding along, though Ioa didn't feel the same.

"I'll prepare sickbay."

"For who? The cons?" Miko said sassily. "They're fine Ioa! Don't worry! Didn't you see Ratchet's vitals? It's all fine!" she said, as Raf and Jack agreed with her.

Ioa said nothing as she looked at them blankly before preparing sickbay, ignoring their advices.

"I feel a storm brewing Light, be careful." Shadowglyde whispered in her mind. Lightblade only nodded mindlessly as she was clouded with pain, disappointment, anger and most of all, worry.

The groundbridge was activated by Ratchet as he came in looking smug and proud, laughing loudly as he walks through the groundbridge, his teammates behind looking dumbfounded.

Optimus set his optics on Ioa and softened, he wanted to say sorry but somehow he didn't have the time and she was blatantly ignoring him, still in resentment. He made a mental note to talk to Ioa personally later, he had some apologies to do.

"Spill it Doc! What got ya so rilled up! You were like a beast, kicking them Cons' afts like tin cans!" Bulkhead said excitedly, as Bumblebee and Arcee agreed along, all curious to what has cause Ratchet to be so powerful.

"Well, I have to give thanks to you Bulkhead for the Synthetic Energon! And with my calculations, I've made some sample test of it on myself! And it seems like the results are nothing but positive!" Ratchet said proudly, making Ioa fight the urge to optic roll.

"Ratchet, that was very unwise of you. Such risk for you to experiment on yourself is too high. I question the wisdom of using yourself as a test object." Optimus said, but his team didn't seem to agree with his idea.

"Optimus! You didn't see Ratchet, but he was in overdrive! I think we should give this a try!" Arcee said. "Or even better, let Ratchet use it so we could all catch a break!" Bulkhead said, chuckling.

"I agree that the initial test results seem promising, but I recommend that further testing be confined into machines, not Autobots. Outnumbered although we may though old friend, we need a warrior in the laboratory right now, more than we need another in the field." Optimus said, making Ratchet disappointed but didn't say anything.

Ioa saw the whole commotion and said nothing as she was silently communicating with Shadowglyde through the bonds, trying to think up of something to advice Ratchet against using the Synth-En, for it is far from ready.

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Ratchet was gloating about his win on sparring with Bulkhead and gave Arcee a wink before walking off.