Transformers Prime: Result of Impact

Ch.8

The other Autobots had been discussing without pause on how they could get that device out of Ratchet's throat without having to contact Megatron, which wouldn't work; the warlord wouldn't fix it in a million years. None of the ideas sounded comfortable or safe to Jennie, and by the terrified looks he wore listening to the ideas, Ratchet felt the same way. The team was debating on a warm Wednesday afternoon in the main hangar, while Ratchet stayed in the med bay, not really wanting to hear what tormenting ideas they were thinking up. Jennie, of course, was with him, watching him clean tools. She was sitting on the edge of the medical berth, swinging her legs back and forth quietly. "How many of those do you have?" She asked after a few minutes, watching him pull another tool out to clean. He shrugged.

Jennie sighed. "How many more do you have to clean? Afterwards, can we go out?" Ratchet counted in his head and held up a few digits- ten. "UUUUGH!" She groaned and flopped onto her back dramatically. "WHYY...."
Her guardian rolled his optics. Humans. Such bothersome little creatures.

They both looked up as Optimus strode in, his gaze immediately meeting Ratchet's. "Ratchet," he said softly, walking over to stand before the medic. "Would you... be alright if we tried one of the team's newest ideas? This one has proved much more reasonable, and we believe it may work..." He stared at Ratchet for an answer

Ratchet bit his bottom lip nervously. This wouldn't be very fun. "Ratch?" Jennie asked quietly, looking up at him with a concerned look. "Do you... wanna try it?" He glanced down at her, inhaling deeply. After a few seconds, he gave a tiny nod, gently picking Jennie up and following Optimus into the main hangar. The other Autobots stood waiting, all tense and looking worried. Ratchet set Jennie down on the keyboard and turned to face Optimus.

"Alright, Old Friend. From the scans we've collected of the device, it'll only take Megatron's prints to dislodge itself. We've been working on the solution..." The Prime began, walking over to a table and picked up a thin sheet of a paper-like material, with a few smudges on it. "We were fortunate to contain Megatron's biosigniture-"

Jennie piped up. "What do you mean by biosigniture?"

"His fingerprints." Casting her a look, Optimus replied, before returning his gaze to Ratchet. "We have printed his fingerprints on an easily molded, thin material." He stopped for a moment, and Arcee took over.

"We believe that if Optimus uses the material to put Megatron's prints over his own, knowing him and Megatron's servos are about the same size, we think we can fool the device into accepting Optimus's command and removing itself." She finished with a sigh, glancing up at Optimus. "It has to work..."

"Your saying Optimus is going to use the stretchy paper stuff like a glove, so Megatron's fingerprints are on his digits, and he'll.... do what Megatron did to Ratchet? Jam his hand down his throat?" Jennie sent them a skeptical look, reaching out and resting a hand on her guardian's arm, who was staring at the ground with troubled optics.

"It... won't be comfortable," Optimus said softly, stepping closer to Ratchet. "But Megatron's biosigniture will remove the device. Ratchet, it is up to you... just know that I will not intentionally harm you." He waited for a few moments, allowing the medic to consider. Not long after, Ratchet gave a tiny, reluctant nod, gaze drifting up to meet that of Optimus's, optics rather fearful.

Optimus nodded in return, and gently laid the material over his servo, lining up the smudges, which Jennie assumed to be prints, over the tips of his digits, and stretched it so it was on his servo like a glove. He had a reluctantly look in his optics, and couldn't seem to completely meet Ratchet's gaze as he approached slowly. This wouldn't be easy for either of them.

"...Be gentle...?" Jennie asked softly, glancing up at her guardian worriedly. "Megatron... hurt him really bad when he did it..." She leaned against his arm, hugging it, hoping to provide a little comfort. Ratchet looked down at her, a small smile coming to his lips, and he nudged her with one digit. He knew Optimus wouldn't intentionally hurt him, and hoped he could assure her.

"Alright, Ratchet," Optimus stepped up to him, their gazes meeting. "Are you ready...?" Ratchet nodded, keeping his servo near Jennie as she hugged it, watching with wide eyes. "I am going to be as gentle as I can, Old Friend," he said softly, "it won't be comfortable though. Just try to relax." Inhaling deeply, the Prime gently slid the servo with the material on it into Ratchet's mouth, slowly. He hesitated before moving his digits into the medic's throat, immediately searching for the device; he tensed when he felt all the healing gashes and scrapes and scars Megatron had left. Poor mech... Ratchet gagged severely, squeezing his optics shut and struggling to keep from choking too much. He felt a digit graze one of the cuts, and the taste of energon hit his glossa brutally. He whimpered. "I-I'm sorry..." Optimus murmured, continuing to search for the device. Finally, his digits rested upon it, and he felt around for anything that would remove it. His digits met a tiny button. "I think I just found..." He said under his breath, before pressing the buttton. Ratchet suddenly cried out and yanked away, going into a vicious coughing fight, energon dripping from his lips. Optimus withdrew immediately, one servo covered in energon. Jennie watched helplessly, whimpering quietly.

A few moments later, Ratchet managed to cough up the tiny device; it fell loosely into his servo, before he dropped it and stomped one ped on it, an angry look in his optics. "I-I am d-d-done with th-that frag-gging thing-g!" He spat, wiping energon off his lips with the back of his servo.

"RATCHET!" Jennie suddenly shrieked happily. "YOU CAN TALK AGAIN!" She began to giggle in a childlike manner, grinning up at him.

"Ggh... Y-Yes... for th-the most-t part..." Ratchet smiled, stuttering as he spoke. A servo rested on his shoulder.

"It worked," Optimus nodded, smiling. The other bots in the room cheered.

"Awesome!" Jennie exclaimed, still laughing hysterically. Ratchet rolled his optics and scooped her up, letting her sit in his servo. She hugged his thumb, grinning madly.

It appeared their crisis was over, yet, there was much more to come.