Transformers Prime: Through Bad and Through Worse

Chapter One

Iacon was silent, as it generally was. Every so often a bot or two would pass by the medic, without saying a word. Ratchet didn't mind, he was quite focused on the data pad in his servo. Researching was one of his favorite things to do when he wasn't working as a medic, and did it quite often. Most bots who didn't know him just assumed he lived at Iacon, because he was there so often. Ratchet was researching about the cortical physic patch, a tool he was quite interested in, when he heard ped steps nearby. A data clerk was carrying a huge pile of datapads that were toppled up so high he couldn't see was walking behind Ratchet, probably going to put them away. Ratchet glanced up at him as he passed before returning his attention to the datapad.

Thud!

"Aaah!" The data clerk cried, which earned Ratchet's attention back. The medic turned in his chair to see the clerk had tripped, faceplanted, sending all the datapads everywhere on the floor.

"Primus, are you alright?" Ratchet stood up and knelt beside him. The clerk looked ridiculous, and it took everything to avoid laughing.

"Y-Yes." He nodded, a tinge of blue on his cheeks. Sitting up, he began to pick up all the scattered data pads, as did Ratchet.

"Let me carry some for you," the medic insisted when the clerk put his hand out to take the ones that Ratchet had gathered, "even archivists don't need to carry stacks that high."

"Thanks." The clerk smiled, and they stood up. "They need to go over there." His gesture in the direction of the shelves was a simple jerk of the helm, which was barely readable to the medic.

As the two bots walked towards the shelves, dropping a few on the way and laughing while watching eachother pathetically try to pick them up without dropping more, they introduced themselves, as Ratchet the medic, and Orion Pax the archivist. Once the datapads had been put where they needed to be, the two continued to converse all the way back to the table where Ratchet had been researching.

"Thanks again for helping." Orion said to Ratchet as the medic sat back down. "It's nice to have some help every once in a while. Most mechs and femmes would just walk away."

Ratchet waved his servo dismissively. "Of course."

"What are you researching on?" Orion pointed to the datapad on the table, sitting in the chair beside Ratchet's.

"Cortical physic patch." The medic replied, pushing it over to him so he could see. "It's a tool that allows one to be transported into another's subconscious mind."

The archivist's optics skimmed over the datapad. "Hm. Sounds interesting. Have you ever tried it?"

Ratchet shook his helm, taking the datapad back.

"Oriooooon?" A mech's voice called from the halls. "Orriiiooooon!" Immediately Orion was on his peds, waving goodbye to Ratchet and running down the hall.

"Orion- WALK!" The mech scolding voice sounded from down the hall. Ratchet chuckled a bit as he heard Orion's running pedsteps slow down to a walk.

Still smiling, Ratchet returned to reading, but he just couldn't focus. And we all know how frustrating THAT is. Whenever he tried to keep reading, the image of Orion Pax facedown on the floor popped into his processor and made him laugh. Real mature, right?

Eventually he got a hold of himself and was able to finish the datapad, by then it was getting dark, and was time for Ratchet to return home.

He swiftly located the shelf where the datapad belonged, and headed for the exit. When he passed the front desk, Orion waved goodbye, which Ratchet returned, and left.