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Ratchet was... worried, to say the least. The meeting of Orion and Megatronus, who recently became Megatron, with Senate was a deca-cycle ago and neither of them have been in contact with him since. Well, Orion actually answered him when medic decided comm-link them both after a stellar cycle of silence, because they had promised to keep him in the loop on things, especially when it came to an event like meeting with Senate. It was clear from Pax's message that meeting had gone... to put it mildly, not well, and Megatron was unhappy with results of that meeting. More than what, they had a fight. As he read this message, Ratchet involuntarily remembered that gray mech become quite irritable, no matter how calm he tried to appear in front of them. Ratchet assumed that even such seasoned gladiator as his friend could get nervous when it came to something so serious and massive, so when the message he sent to Megatron went ignored, medic simply assumed that he was still upset and left him alone to calm down. Still, Pax's answer was... not particularly satisfactorily complete, lacking detail. What exactly went wrong? What did Senate decide? Why did they even fight? Orion promised what he would give details, but later, since he was feeling extremely exhausted after such an ordeal, and medic fell pity for him, deciding not to press him as well, but before what make sure what Pax will be alright. So it's been a whole deca-cycle since then. There was no glyph from either of them. Ratchet decided to write to Megatron again, hoping he had calmed down, but he was ignored again. For the fifth time, he finally managed to get a reply, but what was it? Full of venomous rage and contempt that made the medic's insides clench. For a nanoclick, he doubted the reality of what was happening. Megatron accused Orion of betrayal, calling Pax a power-hungry mech, a hypocrite and a liar, and when Ratchet tried to sort things out and calm him down, he cut off contact with him altogether, leaving him in utter confusion with a painfully disturbing premonition. Yes, Orion had told that they had a fight, but what kind of fight could have led to such a reaction? Megatron, though he was sometimes quite irritable, had always been particularly resilient; it was rare to see him lose his temper so badly. Especially when it comes to Orion. At the same time, there was no way the red and blue mech could betray Megatron in any way. He valued the gladiator's company too much to do something terrible to him. These two had gone so far as to call each other brothers! What could have happened in the Senate that they had such a serious fight? After Megatron's rude reply, Ratchet tried to ask Orion for more details, but he ignored his every message. He didn't even seem to read them. All of these factors were very troubling, and the medic's concern only increased when he contacted Jazz and he voiced his concerns about Pax's quiescence. To Orion, this kind of behavior was wrong.
That was why right now medic was on his way to Orion's apartment. He and Jazz had decided not to delay the visit, but Jazz couldn't get to them, he was in another city right now, so Ratchet went alone. They should also talk to Megatron sooner or later, but right now it was probably worth giving him a little more time to calm down. If something happens next to him would be Soundwave. Medic trusts that mech, he's loyal to gladiator down to the last cabel in his body, he knows his and Orion's friendship and will surely do whatever he can to make Megatron feel better. In the meantime, Ratchet has picked up the pace. Some more time passes before he finally stops in front of the apartment door. Ratchet freezes in indecision, checking his comm-link again. He had sent Orion a message a groon earlier saying he was coming to visit him and to give him a sign if he was home, which again went without any response. This made him frown. Mech was clearly not showing up in Archives. Perhaps he was with Alpha Trion or just about anywhere in Iacon or even beyond, but medic had a hunch that archivist was here. And that feeling encompassed his spark more and more with each nanoklick, poisoning him with worry. He sends a new message announcing his arrival, hoping Orion will read and respond.
But no matter how long Ratchet stood in front of door, no message came back. Medic would have felt foolish to continue standing like this in front of locked apartment, if it weren't for the uneasiness slowly growing into anxiety. Pax's silence, when it was obvious that something had happened and that “something” was not good, was always a bad sign. And judging by Megatron's reaction, situation was already very bad. If archivist was in apartment, Ratchet would want to be near him to make sure everything was okay, and maybe finally deal with situation to help both Orion and Megatron. Primus can see they need it, they're too attached to each other.
His thoughts are interrupted when his audio sensors happen to pick up a barely audible noise on the other side of door that cuts him off abruptly and quickly. He doesn't move for a few agonizing moments, standing and now straining to listen, and when noise is repeated again several times, when he thinks he can hear something that sounds like sobs, his spark feels like it's being squeezed in a vise. Ratchet cursed. If there's nothing wrong with his systems and sensors, that means Orion is inside right now and he's definitely feeling fragging bad. A seriously upset Orion is always a bad thing, and situation wasn't fun as it was. Medic looks around nervously, as if seeking help from random bystanders. This move makes him shake his head and start acting. He doubted enough. He walks over to the panel next to the door and fiddles with it for a bit until he finally enters correct code, then watches as door unlocks. He doesn't waste another nanoklick, quickly steps inside and closes door behind him. Making sure that no one will disturb them anytime soon, mech looks around at room in front of him and freezes for a moment. "It''s pretty... dark here," a thought flashed through his processor.
A sickening anxiety squeezes his spark painfully again, digging its hooked claws into very bowels of his spark as he walks deeper into apartment, looking around for Orion.
— Orion? — Ratchet calls softly.
He flinches involuntarily as he hears a noise that quickly becomes a rumble. The painful groan that follows next makes medic jump out of his stand. Apartment isn't that big, so he quickly makes his way to where sound was heard from, but when he reaches right room, he freezes again, his optics open in a mixture of confusion and horror.
Room itself was in relative order. Datapads were scattered all over room, some just turned off and discarded as if they were unnecessary, some broken, as if someone had squeezed them very hard or throwed, and still sparking occasionally. There was a light coming from somewhere nearby, and judging by sound and timing, it was a news broadcast. Ratchet didn't pay attention to what was being discussed; his gaze was fixed on a painting far from the center of room.
Blotches of faintly shimmering energon scattered across the floor in a chaotic blue pattern, tracing a path to a hunched, trembling figure whose azure, unseeing optics dimly illuminated an obviously weeping face plates. Ratchet stood in stupor for a few good moments, but quickly came to his senses. He took a few cautious steps forward, unsure of how mech would react, and seeing no reaction or resistance, he hurriedly lowered himself next to him, trying not to press his presence into it. He expanded his electromagnetic field, slowly enveloping mech with it and sending out pulses of calm, noting that that his's own field was prickly, tense and filled with a swirl of emotion. It already was obvious, but Ratchet was only more convinced that he had to proceed with caution now.
— Oh, Orion...— he muttered almost brokenly, his servos hovering over Pax, undecided where exactly he should touch him.
Hesitation was justified. Archivist looked bad, and that was putting it mildly. The painted plates were dented and scratched, paint missing in some places as if it had been peeled off, and the metal itself was painfully embedded in the protoform. Some of the energon lines were torn, and there was still energon dripping from them to form that horrifying pattern. All that together create a rather horrifying mess. As his gaze traveled up the injured foreservo, noting new scratches and dents, finally settled on Orion's face plates. It also was scratched chaotically, as if mech didn't know where to put his servos. Looking at his friend's condition, that might be the case. Ratchet leisurely extended his servos to Pax's helm, gently but firmly enough around his face plates to finally get some reaction out of him. Orion, despite gentleness of the touch, flinched violently, as if he had been punch. His optics widened and glowed brighter, at the same time he tried to pull away. This reaction made Ratchet feel as if a rusty piece of metal had been shoved into his frame. Despite his emotions, medic didn't let Pax pull away. Archivist blinked several times, focusing his optics on him, and exhaled intermittently, as if only now realizing who was in front of him. His field flashed for a moment with a series of unintelligible but very negative emotions. There was a static from his vocalizer as he opened his mouth, but Ratchet only shushed him gently, urging him to stay quiet. Metal around his neck was only slightly wrinkled and scratched. Even so, if vocalizer was also damaged, Orion was better not trying to speak right now. Ratchet continues his examination. Medic cautiously turns his head to the side and wrinkles involuntarily. The plate housing the audio sensor has been ripped off at the root with audio fin, sensor itself damaged, but at least it's in place. A quick search revealed plate nearby, crumpled and smeared in energon. Wound itself was still leaking quite energon, which flowed down to Orion's chin and dripped down onto the floor and his pede. The other side looked a little but better. Everything was in place, but the tip of the audio fin was broken and sparking slightly. At moment it was down and shaking slightly, as was basically Pax's entire body.
Ratchet's spark ached at the miserable and utterly broken sight of his dear friend. It was almost like he could physically feel his suffering despite the fact that Orion's prickly field was now tightly pressed against his owner and closed. It seems that fight with Megatron has affected him far more severely than medic could have imagined, which once again makes him wonder what happened in that solar cycle.
Ratchet brushed those questions aside rather quickly with a shake of his helm.
— Let's make sure you're not leaking out any more energon. — mech murmured softly, removing servos from Pax's face.
He helps archivist up off the floor. Medic's processor was running at full power, trying to figure out what to do next. Damage was clearly new, done recently, which put Ratchet at ease a little, cause knowledge that Orion had been harming himself all this time and he didn't know it would be hard. If he come later, archivist could have done worse. But okay. Orion should have been taken to the hospital. Ratchet might be a medic, but one of Pax's audio sensors was pretty badly damaged, and something like that just couldn't be fixed at home. However, just one look at mech makes it clear that he's not ready to go to hospital either mentally or physically, considering how exhausted he looked. Ratchet hesitates. He doesn't want to put his friend under any more stress than he's already under, but he also doesn't want to delay visit any longer than necessary. He feels Pax snuggle against him, his gaze fixed on floor. The shuddering sensation, the rattling of armor, the hissing sound of his fans makes Ratchet compromise on this internal argument. He'll treat damage here, allowing Orion to get some rest before they head to hospital. Finding out what happened can all more wait. Medic leads him to a chair that had been moved away from his desk. It was a short walk, and now he sits him down on chair.
— I'll grab all what need and come back, — Ratchet says, stroking him reassuringly on the shoulder pad of his undamaged servo, — everything still in place?
With a small nod in response, mech stood for a moment, uncertain whether he should leave Orion alone, even for a short time, but he shook it off and hurried out of room. The sooner he gets first aid kit and returns, sooner he can stop energon leak. Necessary first aid item was indeed where he expected it to be - on the shelf next to charging station. After making sure that all necessary medical supplies are in abundance, he hurries back to Orion. Back in room, Ratchet notices him looking away, his optics wide open and shimmering, and his undamaged servo clamped back onto wounded, squeezing metal even tighter.
— Let's not make injury worse, — medic says softly, stepping closer, setting first aid kit aside on table that was nearby and gently pulling his digging digits away from damaged plates.
Orion flinches, apparently not noticing his approach. He raises his optics at him, and a glimpse of guilt flickers in his intense electromagnetic field, but it immediately disappears, as if Pax were deliberately hiding it. Ratchet doesn't comment it in any way, though he won't hide at least from himself, he's a little hurt that Orion is hiding his feelings from him when normally he was always open around him regardless of his mood. Why? Does he not want to bother Ratchet any more than necessary? It was common for archivist to have this kind of behavior, but medic hoped they had gotten a handle on this trait of his. Ratchet shook his helm. No need to think about that right now. Pax was still leaking out of energon and it doesn't seem what his nanites works right. They'll deal with emotional component later. So Ratchet builds up his own field of calm and concern, opening first aid kit and touching Orion's helm again, turning it so he can see damage better. Archivist sat obediently in place, letting Ratchet do his work, wiping away leaked energon, dampening his pain receptors, repairing leak, and straightening particularly badly bruised plates that were interfering with the energy lines. Medic had finished with audio sensor and was working on damage at his servo when he heard a click and more static when Pax apparently decided to break their silence.
— R-ratchet, I...
— Don't, — mech interrupted him quietly, looking up at him, — we'll deal with this gradually. One step at a time.
Orion froze, staring at him. He seemed to be searching for something in expression on his face. Whatever he was looking for, he didn't seem to find it, judging by expression of painful realization and despair. Ratchet blinked involuntarily, caught off guard, but Pax had already lowered his gaze. Medic opens his mouth, but immediately cuts himself short. Not now. He continues his work again, and so it is some time before medic notices that Orion is beginning to tremble again. Ratchet blinks, looking worriedly at his friend. He was also looking somewhere off to the side, his optics wide open again and an expression of suppressed despair and disbelief on his face plates. Medic followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at that tablet that had been turned on. Ratchet listened and what he heard made his spark seem to stop and the energon froze in his energon lines and tanks.
—...-tims. In doing so, Megatron, leader of the proclaimed Decepticons, who were responsible for these catastrophic numbers, makes it clear that there will be no peaceful resolution to the conflict. Senate is already aware of increased aggression, and tactics are being developed to eliminate the rebellion, in which each participant will be punished...
...what's the fragg? What in the name of Primus happened? Megatron couldn't do that, he just couldn't. Yes, he acted impulsively at times and sometimes was quite irritable, but he always tried to act prudently. Especially when it came to rebelion. But this. Ratchet continued to listen to the monotonous muttering and with each nanoklick he was gripped by more and more horror. So much destruction, so many injured, so many dead. And that's just in a cyber-week. Ratchet knows Megatron's abilities. He dreads to imagine how the statistics will grow in a few deca-cycles. It seemed like all that raging rage Ratchet sensed in message was channeled by gladiator to wreak this chaos.
But... why? It doesn't make any sense! There has to be some explanation for this behavior, right? Megatron... he just couldn't do it. It's wrong, it's...
—...it's all my fault.
Orion's broken, trembling voice suddenly snaps him out of his panicked thoughts, and meaning of glyths he spoke causes Ratchet to turn his head sharply in his direction, that for a moment he thought he felt something snap in the region of his neck. He pays no attention to it, because ...
— What? — medic squeezes out of himself at a loss.
Orion looked away from the screen, tears of coolant standing in his wide-open optics. Archivist's face had a completely hopeless, almost resigned expression that made Ratchet's insides clench.
— Our meeting with Senate... didn't go exactly as we planned. W-we... I-I-I..— his voice glitched and he was silent for a few moments. Medic was about to calm him down, cause as much as he wanted to know exactly what had happened, he didn't want to force him to talk and add more stress, but Pax had already reboot his vocalizer and spoke again with a faint static in his voice. — Megatron... strayed from his planned speech, and-and I-I felt I had to intervene, to steer in the right direction. But my... my... own... speech led to Senate... d-deciding to appoint me as the next... next Prime.
Ratchet stared dumbly at Orion for a few moments before his words reached his processor.
Wait... what?! Senate... make Orion next Prime? This thought makes Ratchet sick. Orion is a Prime. Oh, Primus... What does Senate plan to do? What's going to happen to him now? Medic never trusted their government, especially after... everything. And now Senate is interested in Pax. They've made him new Prime, Unicron be fragged!
— Megatron... didn't like the verdict given, — archivist continued, his words filling him with some relief. His next words, however, act on him like a blow straight to spark. — H-he felt that he should be the one to become the next Prime.
While Ratchet remained stunned silent, trying to process what he had heard, his stillness seemed to provoke Pax to speak further.
— It all went wrong so fast. He left meeting, and when-.. — his voice fills with more static, and his trembling servos rise to his head, clutching at his helm, —...and w-when I managed to catch up with him and get him to talk to me... We had such a big fight, he was-.. he was furious. If only I could have turned it around, if only I'd known, I-I wouldn't have let him wallow in his rage, wouldn't have let him forget himself in the meeting. If-if I had...
— Ep-ep-ep, slow down, Orion. — Ratchet spoke, finally finding his voice.
He reaches out his servos to him, carefully removing his digits from his helm before he hurts himself further. Pax trembles, his armor rattling chaotic music of a clearly approaching new breakdown. Medic clutches his friends se
servos, thus holding him in place and making himself an anchor in this abyss of feeling. Staring into Orion's face plates, which was close to tears, Ratchet feels like he should say something, but words are hard to find, his processor is crashing from the latest news, and at the moment he'd like to just go home and get properly drunk before dealing with this whole mess. But Orion is looking at him with despair and grief and such a huge sense of guilt that medic just can't leave him here alone even if he wanted to, which makes him dare to open his mouth, rebooting his vocalizer beforehand so he doesn't sound like he just woke up from a recharge.
— You could not have foreseen Megatron's reaction. It's not your fault.
— B-but I..
— Ep-ep-ep, listen. I know we discussed the likely outcome of meeting, but it's impossible to calculate everything, no matter how smart and prepared we are. There's always some uncalculated probability, and you can't know if it's good or bad.
Megatron had no right to take it out on you, no matter how upset he was. You had no control over Senate's decision, much less could have predicted it. It wasn't your fault, Orion. — He says, stroking one of servos with his digit.
Pax's trembling seemed to increase with each word, as if it was hurting him. Tears were streaming down his face again, making Ratchet's spark practically tear apart.
— But Ratchet, you don't understand. I... I screwed up so badly. Decision was indeed made by Senate, b-but I... I... I... — his voice fills static and he lets out a hissing scream, bending as if under a heavy weight, his servos in the medic's grip twitching as if he wants to claw at his helm again.
Ratchet decides to act.
He pulls Orion toward him by the servos he was still holding and cradles him against him, wrapping his weakened and trembling frame around him. He expands his field even further and envelops him in it like a blanket, filling him with comfort, care, safety, and sincerity. Archivist in his servos shudders as if sensations hurt him, his servos resting against armor, but Ratchet holds him gently but firmly. Pax's servos claw at his plating until they pull away from his chassis, realizing medic won't let go, and wrap around him ever so timidly at first, but then it seems what desperation and obvious need for reassurance quickly washes away that insecurity and timidity. Orion snuggles up to him and snaps out of it.
Orion grasps at him so fearfully and desperately, as if he could disappear at any moment or suddenly decide to abandon him. His diggits cling to medic's frame, scratching and squeezing metal in an almost convulsive fit, and medic knows Orion will feel guilty later for hurting him, but right now mech is just glad his friend can cry and Ratchet can support him and be there for him at such a difficult time in his life. Scratches and dents could easily be fixed later. Pain itself was trifling, superficial and ignored compared to the excruciating pain that Orion seemed to be filled with. Though medic felt a modicum of relief that archivist had allowed himself to vent the emotions that had clearly built up over this deca-cycle, Pax condition was causing him pain. Pax's field finally opened up and Ratchet was almost immediately overwhelmed by a painful tsunami of raging emotions. This whirlwind of overwhelm, fatigue, despair, tension, depression, and such immense grief almost made Ratchet processor go haywire, but he was able to recover and tried to offer as much comfort as he could.
He lets Orion rest his face plates against his shoulder, running his servo over his back. He feels him shudder in his arms in some kind of immense agony, and drops of coolant drip down his armor and into the crevices. To say archivist was utterly broken is like to say nothing. Ratchet's spark shook with each new glitchy sob of his friend. He further fueled his field of care and compassion, letting him know that he heard his pain and would be there for him, feeling Orion cling to him even tighter.
Medic's gaze darted away for a moment, looking around the room until he accidentally fell back to the familiar screen. It was still on, and if Ratchet had listened, he would have heard news continue. Judging by the picture, there was still a discussion going on about Megatron's deeds. His crimes. For a moment, Ratchet suddenly felt a whole new emotion, a much darker one than all the previous ones, and he had to make quite an effort to keep that emotion just to himself. He felt anger and betrayal pierce his spark. He was angry at Senate for their lousy decisions over several centuries and their absolute impunity for those actions. He was angry at Megatron for his decision to turn to violence, for his behavior towards Orion, towards himself, even though they were his friends. He was angry at Pax for his silence, for keeping silent about such an important thing. It was as if Megatron and Orion had left Ratchet behind, even though he too had a hand in this matter!
But archivist in his arms shuddered again, his sobs barely audible over the interference, and he seemed to subside, exhausted. This makes all of Ratchet's anger fade away, leaving behind devastation. Slag, he feels sick. He looks at Orion in his servos and wonders how could things so quickly went wrong. Just a short time ago, they and Megatron were drinking together in a bar and joking around, and now Ratchet is comforting a broken Orion and Megatron decided to go bloody. This wasn't supposed to happen. Medic knew Megatron. Right? He couldn't do that, he couldn't.
Megatron, what the fragg have you done?
Still, medic's spark had long ago made its choice. Ratchet presses his helm against Orion's, squeezing him soothingly in a hug. He still needs to learn the details to form a complete picture, but he won't leave Orion alone, no matter what Megatron says about him. He'd been declared a Prime, and that meant even more problems and responsibilities. And Ratchet would be by his side every step of the way. Just like before, but now, it seems, without Megatron.
Ratchet frowns, sighing heavily. He looks at broken Pax, and for a moment he is overcome with fever again. This state of Orion's was Megatron's fault. He was the reason that Pax now looked and felt this way. It was all because of his decision to respond with violence. It was his fault. And now he was also to blame for killing and destruction.
"Fragg you, Megatron,"— medic thinks involuntarily.
Even so, part of Ratchet hopes he comes to his senses soon. He still values him as a friend. He really hopes what things get better and he comes to his senses. Before it's too late.