so about those "Darkest Hour" feels

[rustypistons]

Of course I was animated! After all that we've been through, not only on Earth, but in the days before, and they come back and tell me that...?

That was home. And we have lost it. Again. We have lost our base. We have lost each other.

Though I care for him deeply and know that his decisions are right in a high majority of the cases, I am still well within my rights to blame Optimus for the situation we've found ourselves in! All of our cycles upon cycles upon cycles together should grant me at least that much with him.

...If he's even still online.

Comments

[stilettoed]

Hm... Well, Doctor, perhaps you're not as dense as your fellows, seeing where the blame for Cybertron's ultimate fate truly lies.

[stilettoed]

Though my lord Megatron made sure to see that there is hardly any "if" about that last statement.

[rustypistons]

He's Optimus. Coming back from the impossible is hardly new for him, and Megatron's track record isn't exactly spotless. Just as I highly doubt you were able to take down Wheeljack so easily.

[neverputincharge]

Ratchet...

[He has so many mixed feelings over that decision.]

[rustypistons]

We're just going to have to keep running. Hiding. Sacrificing all that we have for survival. Every time we seem to get a leg up, we get shot down again somehow!

[neverputincharge]

I know that. I wanted to see our world revived too.

[rustypistons]

...All of that hope for nothing. We would've been better off never knowing about the keys in the first place.

[neverputincharge]

[He's so conflicted. Getting their world back, versus the Earth and Miko.]

Maybe we were. Not for them, probably none of this woulda happened.

[rustypistons]

It's not that I haven't come to appreciate this world and its inhabitants, Bulkhead. I've even...come to see the children as part of our team. Our family. And even if that wasn't the case, you know that, like Optimus, I would never want to put anyone in harms way because of our war like that.

But it's Earth versus Cybertron. Or even the children versus Cybertron. It's...unfair. Most of all to Optimus and his steadfast morals.

[neverputincharge]

I know, Ratchet. We kept humans out of it for as long as we could. But the cons got them involved.

No, it's not fair. Not fair to anyone. The kids...they were even willin' to give up their lives for Cybertron. [Or at least Miko and Jack were. Raf looked nervous even as he agreed. Maybe June was right, they never should've been involved, allowed to get this close to them.]

[rustypistons]

They were? [It starts as a chuckle but ends as a sigh.] They're remarkable, for humans. They're remarkable, period. We've rubbed off on them a bit too much.

...What of their parents and families? We didn't even tell Agent Fowler what we were doing. Nobody but us knows that we split up across the country, taking the children with their respective guardians. June Darby even called me, asking about Jack-- [His fists ball.] So much for keeping the children hidden from the Decepticons.

[thelastprime]

...


My apologies, old friend. You are well within your rights to be angry with me.

[rustypistons]

Too right I am! Smokescreen had better learn his place one of these days, lecturing me on battlefield decisions and how you make them.

[But it's not an anger he can keep up. Of course he's still angry; of course he's still hurt. But it's also Optimus. Who decided to risk sacrificing himself in order to keep the rest of them safe. Who gave up the ghost of the dream of restoring home in order to keep an entire other sentient race safe from harm and having a fate like Cybertron.

He's torn in all directions at the moment, understandably so, when it comes to Optimus.]

You should have gone as well. The Decepticons were going to destroy the base; they had to. The bridge data would have been gone with the rest of it. They wouldn't have had anything to track us down with.

[thelastprime]

Smokescreen will grow in time, Ratchet. You must be patient, and instruct him. You are his guidance now.

[Those eyes sadden. The last thing he wanted was to see you hurt, Ratchet. He completely takes the responsibility of destroying the only chance Cybertron had, but...this is different now. Earth had become ensnared in a war by chance, and thus, wrongfully doomed.

He would not let that happen. Not again.

Those baby blues dart away for a second.]

I could not take that risk.

[And then they turn back.]

Perhaps it is...not as it appears.

[rustypistons]

[That's very comforting. Being Smokescreen's guidance.

Being, in fact, the de facto leader of the Autobots on Earth.

When they're separated from each other by hundreds if not thousands of miles. With no other instructions other than 'get back together when there's an actual workable plan to fight'.

He can't wipe the look of dawning horror off his face this time.]

Optimus, you should have come with me! It didn't have to end this way! If you're gone...really and truly gone this time...if Megatron has actually outlived you, I...

[He shakes his head.] Even if it isn't all as it appears, this is still the situation we're in. Who knows what's happened to you, and what's going to happen to the rest of us. We each have to manage on our own, for possibly quite a long time. And in all that time, not only will Megatron be hunting us, he'll be attempting to take over the entire planet with his forces.

My thoughts on what you did with the Omega Lock mean nothing in light of this. We need you, now more than ever.

[thelastprime]

[That look of horror is only met with a small...almost minuscule smile. Not one of joy, because you can sense the pain behind it, the pain of his spark that is continuously aching. The Matrix which fuels it...fuels everything that makes him Prime. How often he wished he could just cry out, to do what Ratchet had done in the base. To give a moment's desperation.

But no, all he could do was...be Optimus Prime. The beacon of the Autobots. And that's what he would be for Ratchet now, no matter how much it hurt.]

Ratchet, you know as well as I do that Megatron would be searching for me. He has turned our war, as pointless as it is, into a personal vendetta towards myself. He is not doing anything for Cybertron any longer.

I would not succumb you to that on my spark.

[Those ear pieces swivel, as if thinking while he avoids Ratchet's gaze again.]

It may have been our darkest hour, but there is always light, old friend.

[rustypistons]

[For as long as he's known Optimus, even back in his Orion Pax days, Ratchet has always been the far more emotional of the two. Though he prefers being a bot of science and logic, knowing sometimes he has to push what he feels aside, he's hardly been one to keep his outbursts to himself. In a way, he reacts enough for the both of them. He understands very well the kind of position that Optimus is in, the responsibility and the power, and what that can do--he's seen it happen himself, to his dear old friend.

He can read Prime's emotions better than the rest of the team, certainly, but it's when those emotions are outright shown that strikes Ratchet the most. Rare moments. And even that much hurts.]

We could certainly use some of that light right about now. It was bad enough when all Megatron had was his ship. Now he has that massive base of operations. In Jasper. Our home far, far away from home.

We've let him destroy both of our homes.

[He sighs, a short, frustrated noise, as he shuts his eyes, not concealing the pain on his face. Optimus wants him to keep the faith, but Ratchet isn't sure he wants to hear one of those pep talks right now. He can't just not be deeply upset (an understatement to be certain), and he isn't entirely certain there's anything Optimus can say to him that can make him feel any better. He needs time first. Time to work everything out on his own. Away from...his closest friend and leader.]

I am tired of this war. I'm tired of running and hiding. Always being a few steps behind, low on supplies and luck. It's a miracle we've all lasted as long as we have. I don't know how you do it. How you've always been able to keep this up. Perhaps it's a gift of the Matrix, but...that's always been a gift of yours, I think.

I'm not like that. None of us are.

[thelastprime]

[He listens to Ratchet, and can only wish he could reach out, to emote with him. While Optimus was reserved, even back as an archivist, the Matrix did him no favors, subduing what little passion for anything other than the end of the war. The Primes were watching him, and he had to live to expectation. It was a stress he wouldn't put on anyone, let alone tell anyone.

He would rely on Ratchet to emote for him. He could trust him with that.]

The light will come, old friend. There must be darkness before a light can illuminate it.

[Those eyes soften, looking down.]

I am honoured you think so, but even then it was not enough.


I... have failed you, Ratchet.

[wheeljackofalltrades]

...Hey Doc.

I guess I missed out on a lot again, huh.

[rustypistons]

You certainly did. And you only showed up long enough to get yourself blasted out of the sky. [That tone has more bite to it than he intends.] I can't even patch you up. At least you enjoy being out on your own.

[wheeljackofalltrades]

What can I say, chief?

I like to make an entrance. And by the looks of it...an exit.

[He's sadly used to that tone. It's the Ratchet way of saying 'you moron'.]

I'll be fine. As for Screamy...can't say the same. At least not after I get through with him.

[Seriously this is the fourth time his ship's gone down. Out of five episodes. Jackhammer's getting pissed.]

[rustypistons]

So long as you don't explode, I don't care what kind of exit it is. You go return the favor and give Starscream a taste of his medicine. I don't know what you'll do after, however. We're all a bit...scattered. And with you so near to...[shudder] New Kaon, I wouldn't want you...doing something stupid and reckless.

You stay out of sight. You stay safe. You can't just one shot, one grenade this.

[wheeljackofalltrades]

...New Kaon? Dark Lord of Cybertron couldn't come up with anything more original? Then again this is from the guy who invented 'Dark Star Sabre'.

[There's a soft chuckle...and then serious time.]

Stupid and reckless is the name of the game, Doc. Unless ya want me to find you.

[rustypistons]

It might be easier for you to find Bulkhead. He should be the closest to your location. And I'm sure you Wreckers could do a bit of damage if you put your minds to it.

[wheeljackofalltrades]

...Don't hesitate to call if you need backup, Doc. Told ya, I got your back.