jv, The Pit, Bittersweet Reunions and Shocking Revealations

[dens-extra-pups.livejournal.com]

Cat Scan: *has a shadow as she works on making chili*

Ratchet: *in human mode* *is helping by getting ingredients and by chopping vegetables, since Cat Scan's arm is still in the air cast*

Lifeline: *sitting nearby surrounded by amazed JOEs who are seeing her for the first time* *beep beep pop squeak!*

Showtime: *in human mode and watching the JOEs interact with his niece. Desinex and Kriti are currently keeping First Aid company in the med ward, so he's keeping an eye on Ratchet*

Cat Scan: *minor grumpings at how long making chili is taking with one arm... even with Ratchet helping her*

Ratchet: *double-checking that he's got everything chopped correctly, and silently thanking whoever's listening that Cat Scan writes legibly, or he'd be so lost*

Lifeline: *looks at the mixing spoon Rock'nRoll shows her, then beeps happily as she takes it and has a bite*

Rock'nRoll: ACK!

Showtime: *snerks and moves closer* That's not a nom, Lifeline...

Lifeline: *oh sure it is, Uncle, have a taste!* *waves it at him, her little mouth moving as she chews her bite*

Showtime: *will produce a couple of credit cards and offer those in exchange for the mixing spoon*

Lifeline: *shakes head and squeals. That's NOT what she wants to eat right now!*

Showtime: *clicks softly, before quickly looking to the kitchen. Satisfied that Ratchet is distracted, he'll take a few shiny pennies out of one of his pockets and offer those*

Lifeline: *carefully turns her back and noms on her spoon*

Showtime: *apologetic look for Rock'nRoll* I tried...

Lowlight: Hey, Ratchet, the baby's eating a spoon.

Ratchet: *looks up from adding vegetable juice to the big stockpot* Metal or plastic?

Lowlight: Um... it's not metal.

Dialtone: Melamine. That's melamine.

Lowlight: ...What? *stares at Dialtone*

Ratchet: *chuckle* Well, that's alright then. Just don't let her eat too many of them....

Showtime: *puzzled look for Ratchet, until he gets a databurst from the medic* ... Carbon-based plastic... That actually sounds kinda tasty...

Lifeline: *peeks over her shoulder as she hears him. Turns back and holds the handle up, offering him a bite*

Showtime: *reaches for the spoon handle*

Lifeline: *jiggles the handle. Just take a bite, Uncle* *beep pop click!*

Showtime: *leans down and has a bite* *pleased grin at the sweet flavor*

Gung-Ho: *wanders in and blinks, then gets a drink and comes back* Hey, Ratchet. How's First Contact doin'?

Ratchet: *soft sigh* Comatose... *moves to help Cat get the stockpot onto the stove*

Gung-Ho: *droops* Oh. *goes back out to the mess and flops down on a chair, puts one hand on Lifeline as the baby crawls over to pat pat him and talk*

Cat Scan: *fiddling with the burner and trying to keep a neutral expression on her face*

Ratchet: *going to try and gently usher the young woman out to a table*

JOEs: *all quiet now, and most have slipped away*

Showtime: *soft clicks as he offers Ratchet a few pennies*

Ratchet: *as he reaches for the offered coins, he thinks back over the past couple weeks, and how everyone has been coping with the losses. Seeing how quiet and withdrawn First Aid has become, coupled with Cat Scan's lack of teasing snark has only driven home the grief all the more*

Gung-Ho: *quietly* Optimus... he don't know yet, does he?

Ratchet: *quietly* I haven't told him yet... He hasn't really been awake enough to do so...

Gung-Ho: *slowly takes off his hat, then absently runs a hand over his head, a lost expression on his face* Ah...

Ratchet: *ducks his head slightly*

Cat Scan: *back on her feet and going to check the chili*

Lowlight: We really need to hit those... mmmph! *glares over Gung-Ho's hand*

Showtime: *Look for Lowlight* There's a kid present.

Lowlight: *shoves the hand away* You think I don't know that? I've got a little sister! I know how to act around kids! *gets up and stalks out of the room*

Sharpshot: *peeks around the doorway after Lowlight goes through* *soft, worried clicks*

Duke: //Ratchet?// *sounds like someone kicked him in the teeth*

Ratchet: *hand to ear* //Yes, Duke?//

Duke: //Report to the infirmary for multiple casualties. Some... you won't want Lifeline seeing this.//

Ratchet: //...I'll be right there.// *to Showtime* Think you can keep Lifeline entertained for a bit?

Showtime: *blink blink* Sure.... *slight sharpening of his expression as Desinex informs him that she's bringing Kriti to him* Desi's bringing Kriti, so the girls can play...

Desinex: *in human mode, is lugging Kriti, who is just talkin' away at the novelty of being lugged!*

Ratchet: *will leave a stack of junk-mail credit cards for the girls within easy reach before heading out the door*

Desinex: *gets Kriti over beside Lifeline and then she's moving to follow after Ratchet as Sharpshot scoots into the room*

Sharpshot: *soft clickstorm*

Kriti: *yap chatter yap, hi Aunty! Kissies!*

Lifeline: *points after Papa* Squeeeee! *Papa, Papa! You forgot something!*

Sharpshot: *cuddles and clicks*

Lifeline: *upset baby, going to try and crawl after her Papa*

Showtime: *soothing clicks for his niece, will try and stop her from crawling after Ratchet* Easy now, Lifeline...

Kriti: *fuss. Wanted to love upon you some more, Aunty!*

Lifeline: *fussing and flailing. Papa is SAD! Papa NEEDS her!*

Duke: //Showtime, forgive me for asking this, but you're the only guy we have left free right now...//

Showtime: //What's- Ack! Lifeline! Ow!//

Cat Scan: *is the sound of cooking utensils falling to the floor, muffling the slight curse that she just did at bumping her arm*

Lifeline: *cry! Stormily*

Sharpshot: *will cuddle Lifeline and click softly*

Duke: //...// *sighs over comms* //We really need a Cybertronian to go out and have a look at this incoming.//

Kriti: *scoot scoot scoot, love upon Aunty*

Showtime: //Someone's gotta stay with Kriti, Lifeline and Sharpshot....// *quick glance at Gung-Ho* //I'll need coordinates...//

Duke: //Stand by.// *takes a desperate shot in the dark and comms Skywarp* //Skywarp, can you read me?//

Skywarp: //What's up, Duke?// *has been in a pretty good mood since he got back from stomping on idjits in that other reality*

Duke: *cautiously* //Will you take orders from me?//

Skywarp: //If it's babysittin' Tripwire, no dice.//

Duke: *sighs over comms* //Tripwire's in the infirmary at Fort Bragg. I need you to go check on an incoming that's closing in on the perimeter.//

Skywarp: //'Kay... Coordinates so I know where to go?//

Duke: *gives them* //Keep me updated, and do NOT fire unless I tell you. Please.//

Skywarp: //Can I bring Ace with me?// *likes the human, even if they did get off to a bit of a rocky start*

Duke: *surprised* //Sure. He's on base.//

Skywarp: //Sweet.// *will go find Ace then*

Ace: *no where on the Cybertronians' floor*

Skywarp: *grumps a bit, really doesn't like using his human mode* *will call Ace and find out where he is*

Ace: //Huh? Skywarp? I'm in my quarters. What's up?//

Skywarp: //Wanna go check something out with me? We've got incoming...//

Ace: *voice perks* //Sure. ETA three minutes at your front door.//

Skywarp: //See ya in a bit.//

Ace: *arrives before his ETA, helmet under his arm and a grim expression on his face. He just found out what happened while he was asleep and where everyone else is*

Skywarp: *waiting outside the door, will offer a hand to Ace*

Ace: *looks at the hand, then quizzically up at the tall Cybertronian man*

Skywarp: We'll get there quicker if I teleport... And Duke said I couldn't shoot first....

Ace: *understanding dawns* Oh... *helmet on and then he's climbing up on the hand and holding on* Ready!

Skywarp: *teleports to the coordinates Duke gave him, ready to fight if he has to*

Drednok armored vehicle: *just slowed down several yards from the perimeter. There's an elbow resting on the window sill, but it doesn't really look like a Drednok elbow... it's way too beefy*

Skywarp: *scanning, eyes narrowed warily*

two figures: *finally get out of the vehicle, and then look around*

Ace: *softly* Sgt. Slaughter! And... Tunnel Rat? That... *expression changes from shock to anger* Synthoids.

Skywarp: *bristling with anger now* *quietly* One synthoid.

Ace: Then we kill the one synthoid. *face set*

TR synthoid: *looking around warily, then back the way they came* I'm still not sure we got away, Sarge. This stupid rattletrap's probably bugged.

Sgt. Slaughter: *rough voice dismissive* It was. Not anymore.

Skywarp: *charging his weapons, a dark expression on his face as he relays what he's seen to Duke* //Sgt. Slaughter's alive. There's a synthoid with him.//

TR synthoid: Let's drive this thing away and blow it up anyway. We already know how these are made.

Sgt. Slaughter: Good idea. *pauses and looks up, his body tensing*

Duke: //What's it doing to him?//

Skywarp: //...Looks like it's takin' orders from him... *quieter* It looks like Tunnel Rat.// *LOOOOMING overhead*

Duke: *sharp intake of breath* //Scan it for bugs and capture it. We need to know what those things are made of anyway.//

Skywarp: *slight sneer before he can help himself, drops the power level on his weapons and moves to scan the synthoid for bugs*

TR synthoid: *registers no bugs... and is grinning up toward the Seeker with... relief?*

Sgt. Slaughter: *waves his arms* Hey! Skywarp!

Skywarp: *reports the lack of bugs* //So where do ya want me to bring it?// *moving to land and set Ace down*

Duke: *grimly* //The lockup. Teleport in, if you can.//

Skywarp: //Gotcha.// *reaches for the synthoid and Sgt. Slaughter*

TR synthoid: *goes right to his hand* Hey, buddy, do ya think you could get rid of this thing?

Sgt. Slaughter: *frowning up at the Seeker's expression and wondering about it*

Skywarp: *scans Sgt. Slaughter just to be on the safe side*

Sgt. Slaughter: *human! Filthy dirty stinky and obviously been fighting a lot human*

Skywarp: *to Sgt. Slaughter* Cat Scan made chili... *hoping to distract the human long enough to bring the synthoid to the lockup*

Sgt. Slaughter: *shakes his head* We have to report to Duke and General Flagg before we can do any R and R.

TR synthoid: *soft whimper at the thought*

Skywarp: *quietly* You've gotta, Sarge... I gotta take this guy somewhere else...

Sgt. Slaughter: *blinks* What?

TR synthoid: ...What? *frowns up at Skywarp. There is no guile in his eyes, only confusion and question*

Skywarp: I got orders from Duke...

Sgt. Slaughter: Alright. *turns to head toward the Pit*

TR synthoid: *slight whine* I didn't mean to get separated from everyone else! And hey! I brought the Sarge back!

Skywarp: *quietly, almost feeling sorry for the poor, confused synthoid* Orders 're orders.... *teleports to the lockup*

TR synthoid: *hands on stomach, and then shock on face* What... Ace? Skywarp? What's goin' on?

Skywarp: *letting Duke know that the synthoid's in the lockup* *scanning a bit closer now*

TR synthoid: *drooping* I really blew it, huh?

Skywarp: *frowning and wishing he had better scanners, since he can't tell what the synthoid's deal is*

TR synthoid: *quietly, sadly* Can I at least call my wife?

Skywarp: *quietly* We gotta see what Duke says... *will gently set the synthoid in one of the cells, is gonna sit down nearby and keep watch...*

TR synthoid: No, huh? *walks over and slumps onto the bunk, his face to the wall*

Skywarp: *kinda feels bad for the synthoid.... will ping one of the medics... and get met with a busy signal* ... What the slag....

TR synthoid: *dully* I don't know. I just got here.

Ace: *quietly, to Skywarp* Cobra bombed the Flagg. The General's dead.

Skywarp: .... Slag.... *pinching the bridge of his nose*

TR synthoid: *pushes up on an elbow and looks toward them, a worried and slightly haunted expression on his face as he wonders what they're talking about. But he doesn't ask, he just buries his face in his pillow and then nearly drowns himself as he gets it soaked with tired and confused tears*

Skywarp: *punches the ground and mutters a sharp curse in Cybertronian*

Ace: Hey. Just hold your post, till someone can come and tell us what's going on. I'm right here by you.

Skywarp: *going to sit and hug his knees to his chest in silence now*


Afternoon of the next day


Ratchet: *cycling air quietly as he finishes tending to the very last of the Flagg injured* *has been working nonstop since the wounded and dying began coming in...*

Desinex: *has been playing medic's assistant the entire time, will now gently push Ratchet to get cleaned up, and from there, to his office*

Ratchet: *slight stumble as he heeds Desinex's instructions, will also report to Duke as he goes to get cleaned up. Is grieving but grateful that there was only one Cybertronian casualty from the Flagg's sinking, and is concerned for Hound, since the man is slightly catatonic with shock*

Duke: *sounds painfully tired as he responds* //Duke here.//

Ratchet: *quietly* //The last of the casualties have been tended to, Duke...//

Duke: //Not quite.//

Ratchet: //...What do you mean?//

Duke: //I need you to have a look at a synthoid we have down in the Lockup.//

Ratchet: //... I'll be down there as soon as possible...// *will move to head that way now, and ignore Desinex's fussing at him*

First Aid: *is that soft clunk from Ratchet's office floor*

Desinex: *scoots to Ratchet's office to fuss over First Aid*

Ratchet: *hurrying to the Lockup, pauses as he sees Skywarp sitting outside one of the cells*

Skywarp: *slightly twitchy due to a combination of upset, and anxiety caused by the fact that he knows there's a big, heavy roof over his head*

Ace: *relating a long list of horrible puns to the nervous Seeker* *is trying to grin, but he's got dark circles under his eyes and he looks exhausted*

Ratchet: *quietly* Skywarp, why don't you and Ace go get some rest?

Ace: *perks* Yessir, Ratchet.

Skywarp: *will teleport back to his front door without a word*

TR synthoid: *turns over at the sound, his expression wan and worried* ...Ratchet? What's goin' on?

Ratchet: *feels like he's been punched in the fuel tank* *quietly, as he scans the synthoid* Cobra...

TR synthoid: *sitting up slowly, his worry spiking to anxiety* What'd they do?

Ratchet: *reporting the results of his scans to Duke, including the fact that the synthoid doesn't have any sort of bug in it... And the fact that the synthoid is anxious, worried, and upset* *quietly* There was an attack... We lost... *quieter* We lost the General...

TR synthoid: *stares, and then silently faceplants and lays still*

Ratchet: *uncertain as to whether he should inform the synthoid of the fact that the man he's impersonating is dead* *quietly* A lot's happened in recent weeks...

TR synthoid: *no response*

Ratchet: *scans the synthoid, concerned*

TR synthoid: *fainted due to shock, stress, and lack of food*

Ratchet: *scans again to see what type of fuel would work for the synthoid, since he's pretty sure the poor thing's not going to be a threat*

TR synthoid: *seems capable of eating anything a normal human would*

Ratchet: *will ask someone to bring a bowl of chili if there's any left*

Gung-Ho: *mopes down a few moments later, a bowl of cold almond soup in his hands instead* *quietly* Cat's stuff never lasts that long. But here's some 'a Roadblock's soup.

Ratchet: *small nod* *quietly, hoping that Gung-Ho won't yell* Sgt. Slaughter brought back a synthoid...

Gung-Ho: *shoots a scowl into the cell* ...Then this should work just fine. Chili'd be wasted.

Ratchet: *quieter* The synthoid looks and acts like Tunnel Rat.

Gung-Ho: *face darkens further, his hazel eyes smoldering with rage and the desire to destroy the being in the cell* *quietly, his voice hard* That ain't right. The dirty... *can't think of a bad enough word for Cobra*

Ratchet: *quietly* He's confused, and frightened, Gung-Ho...

Gung-Ho: *shoves the soup at Ratchet, his accent getting thicker in his anger* Dey don't feel nothin', Ratchet. Dey just walkin' slime.

Ratchet: *careful not to spill any of the soup on him* *too tired to argue very much at this point* *quietly* Whatever happens, he's still a patient... And unless Duke tells me otherwise, I'm not going to let him suffer.

Gung-Ho: *stiffly* I done here?

Ratchet: Yes.

Gung-Ho: *turns and marches away*

Ratchet: *soft sigh, will set the bowl of soup where it can be easily reached, and then he's sitting down and praying quietly*

TR synthoid: *moves after a few moments, then pushes himself up weakly to look around with confusion and sadness*

Ratchet: *quiet, gentle clicks*

TR synthoid: *looks toward the clicks, blinking dazedly*

Ratchet: *carefully nudges the bowl of soup closer, so as not to spill it* You need to eat...

TR synthoid: *looks in the bowl, and then tips it up and downs it* *muffled coughing follows*

Ratchet: *worridly scans*

TR synthoid: *just reacting to the sting of that much garlic on a throat parched from lack of food and drink. Has a light tickle* Xp

Ratchet: *relieved, even if seeing that expression on a synthoid's face hurts*

TR synthoid: *wipes the tears out of his eyes* I didn't go AWOL on purpose. I thought Duke'd understand that.

Ratchet: *soothingly* Everything's going to be alright... We just have to wait for Duke....

TR synthoid: Can I at least talk ta my wife? *impatiently wipes at his eyes again*

Ratchet: *quietly, eyes downcast* She's in a coma right now....

TR synthoid: *looks up with a gasp* What??

Ratchet: *even quieter and with difficulty as he sees the horror on the synthoid's face* There... Was an incident... When Sgt. Slaughter went missing... *this is getting really hard to say*

TR synthoid: *quiet and stunned with disbelief* But she didn' even go on that mission. She was here, with Cassidy!

Ratchet: *wincing and wishing Duke was here to help explain things* *softly and hesitantly* Tunnel Rat... the real one.... died....

TR synthoid: *stares at him blankly*

Ratchet: *trying so hard to keep calm as he explains about synthoids*

TR synthoid: *bursts out* I know what synthoids are, Ratchet! I've killed enough 'a the slimers!

Ratchet: *quietly recites Tunnel Rat's time of death*

TR synthoid: *quietly, angrily* This ain't funny.

Ratchet: *quietly gets a datapad out and uploads the results of his scans onto it, before offering the pad to the synthoid. His eyes are nearly white with a combination of stress, exhaustion, and a slight glimmer of hope that what he's heard about souls from Cat Scan and a few of the other JOEs is true*

TR synthoid: *reads the datapad, and then drops it, his eyes blank and staring* A slimer...

Ratchet: *quietly clicks as he tries to gather his thoughts*

TR synthoid: *voice nearly a whisper* Well, that's easy to take care of. *small knife out of who knows where and drives it into himself to the hilt*

Ratchet: *acks and reaches to stop him*

TR synthoid: *winces, but then cracks a shaky grin as he starts to melt* Mission... mission accomplished.

Ratchet: *going to work to try and get the synthoid restabilized, reporting this to Duke*

Duke: *from behind him* What happened??

Ratchet: *quickly running over the data he gathered* He knows what he is... *going to apply a shock to the synthoid*

Duke: ...Synthoids usually do. *comes in, his face creased in a frown*

Ratchet: *quietly* He didn't know until I showed him the scans... *slight pause as he realizes something that was niggling at the back of his processor* He doesn't have the self-destruct coding...

Duke: Um... *startles and steps back with a curse as the synthoid reforms* What the heck??

Ratchet: *quietly* This is a new type of synthoid...

Duke: *terse as he comes in and slips past the medic for a better view* Give me the rundown.

Ratchet: *surprised look for Duke* It's in the report I sent...

Duke: *pauses and then groans* Then it's buried in with all the other reports I've gotten since the Flagg went down.

Ratchet: ... *quietly* Right... *will recount what he put in the report*

Duke: *eyes slightly wide by the time Ratchet's finished* No tracking device, no booby traps, and you think he really thought he was Tunnel Rat?

Ratchet: *nods as he continues to tend to the synthoid*

Duke: ...But how the heck...? *trails off as he sinks into the chair and puts his head in his hands* Ugh...

Ratchet: *quietly* I'm not sure, but there has to be an explanation....

Duke: *without looking up, his exhausted brain grasping at something randomly* ...Why is he naked?

Ratchet: ... Because he fell out of his clothes... *soft snerk at the sheer absurdity of the situation, will try and get the synthoid re-dressed*

TR synthoid: *groans and opens his eyes, then bites his lip and closes them again* ...No. I'm supposed to be goo.

Duke: *sits up and looks, frowning*

Ratchet: *soothing clicks*

TR synthoid: *pushes at the medic's hands* What're you doing? Just shut me off!

Ratchet: *quietly* You know I can't do that...

TR synthoid: *opens eyes and stares up at him disbelievingly* What?

Ratchet: *will quietly explain about the lack of self-destruct coding, and the lack of programmed loyalty to Cobra.... and sound a bit choked up as he explains*

TR synthoid: *still staring at him. Doesn't understand what he's trying to say*

Ratchet: *shakily cycling air and trying to clarify what he means* There isn't any Cobra loyalty or self-destruct programming... The only programming I found was personality programming...

Duke: *quietly* What are you trying to say, Ratchet?

Ratchet: *quietly, voice choked with emotion* This... Is an alternate of the Tunnel Rat that... *can't bring himself to say it, will gently lift the synthoid up, blanket and all, and hug him*

Duke: *eyebrows as high as they can do as he swallows* *quietly* Ratchet, it's a synthoid. *and then he realizes that the synthoid is crying, thin shoulders shaking in the silent, weary grief of the man pushed beyond all limits*

Ratchet: *very soft clicks, eyes white as he ducks his head*

Duke: *deep breath, needs to get away from here* You can keep him. Just... make sure he doesn't cause any trouble. *gone!*

Ratchet: *going to bring the synthoid to the med ward, still clicking softly in response to that silent weeping*

Cat Scan: *sitting on one of the tables and having a stare down with Desinex instead of resting*

Desinex: *has pillows and blankets at the ready, is just waiting for you to blink, Cat*

Ratchet: *quietly, as he moves to check on First Aid* Cat Scan, you need to rest...

Cat Scan: *getting that stubborn set to her jaw* You know that's not going to happen... *sounds like she's on the verge of tears*

TR synthoid: *quietly responding without thinking* Doctor's orders, Cat.

Cat Scan: .... *just got a spooked look on her face*

Ratchet: *pinging First Aid's comm*

First Aid: *is that sound of weak movement, but exhaustion and sorrow win and only silence answers the green medic*

Ratchet: *quiet sound, will turn his attention to Cat Scan and Desinex*

Desinex: *wary expression is a go*

Ratchet: *moves to gently set TRs on the foot of the table Cat Scan's on, will snag a couple of the pillows from Desinex*

Cat Scan: *hesitant to scoot closer, even though she's almost certain she's not hearing things*

TR synthoid: *moves his head wearily on the pillow, his face pale and tear streaked* Ratchet... I just wanna go back to goo and stop workin'.

Ratchet: *argument aborted when Cat Scan tackles TRs in a hug*

Cat Scan: *might accidentally bonk ya on the head with her cast, TRs*

TR synthoid: *shrill shriek and a wide eyed look of shock* What the @#$#@#, Cat, you ... *looks at the cast* What the @#$#@$@ did youse do to yourself???

Cat Scan: *backs off a bit and wipes at her eyes with her sleeve, mumbles something about falling... off a horse*

TR synthoid: *utter shock* You what???

Cat Scan: *quietly* Something spooked the horse I was riding... I fell and landed on my arm.... *so embarrassed*

TR synthoid: *too tired to do anything but give her an utterly blank stare*

Ratchet: *quietly* Both of you need rest... *has that tone to his voice that means he's turning an idea over in his head, but it's only a small idea at the moment*

Desinex: *as she moves to gently pick Cat Scan up* You can catch up later... For now, rest, and heal.

TR synthoid: *winces* *quietly, turning his face away* I ain't gonna be here later.

Ratchet: *quietly* There may be something that can be done....

Desinex: *gives Ratchet a Look as she gets Cat Scan situated in a blanket nest* You need to rest, too.

TR synthoid: *spark of anger* *yells over Desinex's words* I'm not Tunnel Rat, okay? I'm just a #$#@#$#@ synthoid! Tunnel Rat's dead!

Cat Scan: *stunned into silence*

Ratchet: *looking TRs in the eye, expression serious* It might be possible to transfer your memories and personality to a Cybertronian shell and spark...

TR synthoid: I still won't be Tunnel Rat! I still won't be Connie's husband... *sobbing again* Or... Cassidy's dad...

Ratchet: *quietly and sincerely* You're an alternate of Tunnel Rat... Which means you're him... even if you aren't human.

TR synthoid: *near whisper as he looks away* Yeah, well an alternate don't got what I want.

Ratchet: *quietly* If you have a spark... You can be First Contact's husband and sparkmate... And that could very well be what saves her life...

TR synthoid: *head snaps back, his eyes wide as he stares up at Ratchet* ...Saves 'er life?

Ratchet: *quietly* The shock of the loss is why she's in a coma.

Desinex: *softly* She's sparkbroken.... *is gently rubbing Cat Scan's back and not looking at TRs in order to let him cry without being seen*

TR synthoid: She's... dyin'? *voice cracks*

Ratchet: *quietly* She's in deep stasis... We're not sure whether she'll ever wake up...

TR synthoid: *tries to sit up despite exhaustion* I... take me to her. I... please. *falls back, crying harder*

Ratchet: *will gently lift TRs and bring him to First Contact's room*

TR synthoid: *looks down anxiously when Ratchet stops* Oh, Connie. I'm so sorry.

Ratchet: *considers for all of half a second, then gently tucks TRs in with First Contact*

TR synthoid: *doesn't even think twice. Still doesn't consider himself to be this woman's husband, but if his being here will save her life...* *arms around her and a nuzzle for her cheek* Hey, Babe. I missed you so bad it hurt.

Ratchet: *quietly* Get some rest.

TR synthoid: *absent 'yes, sir' as he continues to speak softly to First Contact*

Ratchet: *will go back out to the main ward, will sit on one of the empty TF-sized tables and get to work designing a shell... though he's not sure what he'll do about the spark*

((Co-written with random_xtras))