the shit train just keeps rolling

[sparkwhisperer]

Who: Tarn and 'Friends'
What: post-'execution' drama
When: immediately after Tarn's shitty life is spared
Where: D-con base/ Medibay
Warnings: Tarn yells.



Starters inside

Comments

[arnhaid]

"They give him a long enough name? I'm callin' him Torn. Easier to say."

And a terrible joke. He's not sure if it will have the intended effect, but hey. He tried.

"... What's he look like, anyway? Aside from the missing chunk out of his neck."

As he asks, he lets his hand gently smooth across the other bot's plating. He's never really known Ratchet to be rattled like this. So whoever this idiot is -- or was -- he's got to be more than just 'bad news'. More reason to look into it himself.

[asafepairofhands]

"I'm not telling you so you can go after him," Ratchet says firmly, though he can't help leaning into the slow stroke of Ironhide's hands against dented plating. "Megatron already damaged one knee badly, which is the reason that fight went the way it did, but I took care of it. I want you to stay out of his way unless he comes back here--don't go borrowing trouble. We have more than enough of it."

[arnhaid]

"I'm gonna find out. Gotta know what he looks like so I don't hit the wrong guy, don't I?"

He can't promise he won't go spoiling for a fight, though. He'll stay here. If he has to, he will. But on the other hand... this Tarn thought he could just waltz in and start a fight of his own. That can't stand.

Right?

"... Is it wrong if the thought of you taking out some guy with a scalpel is... uh. How'd it go again?"

[asafepairofhands]

"He's purple and turns into a tank. Other than that I have no idea what he looks like, he wears an extremely stupid mask all the time. You can't miss him."

Ratchet eyes Ironhide narrowly, his mouth turning down in firm censure.

"He's not going to come back, he was too badly injured. He used to have this ability to modulate his voice somehow, use it to get people's sparks to slow or quit entirely. Even if Spinister somehow rigs him a new vocalizer, which he needs, I doubt he'll ever be able to do that again." Ratchet huffs.

"And how it went is that Tarn limped in here with an already badly injured knee angry half out of his mind, picked me up and shook me until I rattled like a tin can full of rocks and tossed me around some, then made the mistake of letting me get close enough to stab him in the throat. It was not fun, or tidy, or particularly impressive, if that's what you're thinking. I'm lucky I'm in one piece."

[arnhaid]

"If he does..." he mutters, firmly, just loud enough for only Ratchet to hear. "Then we're gonna beat him harder. 'Till he gets it through his stupid mask no one messes with this place."

He doesn't raise his voice. Doesn't make a sudden move or anything. He just keeps trailing his fingers along the other's plating. Reassuring. Promising. It's okay, he's going to stay here. This won't happen again.

"Hey, I'm impressed," he says, with a little smirk. "Wouldn't say it was fun, you're not that kind of bot. But..." And his voice lowers even further, all but whispering. "You are pretty impressive."

[asafepairofhands]

Ratchet huffs, looking completely thrown, and elbows at Ironhide a little.

"Now you're just being ridiculous," he grouses, shaking his head and settling in again, rubbing a hand over his face.

[arnhaid]

"Nope, serious."

Because hey, cranky complaints are better than what he got over the comms. This sounds more like Ratchet. Way more like him.

"Completely."