Shattered Shenanigans

1: The Ground Bridge

The day started like any other, with Optimus beginning a self narration as he threw his peds off his berth. He then reminded himself to stop the self narration. It was embarrassing and the expressions he made did not help his case.

He slouched to the door. Then reminded himself slouching isn't a primely thing to do, he straightened his backstruts before the door slid open. He walked to the energon storage wondering if his ped steps where louder than usual and grabbed a cube.

"Good morning." He greeted Ratchet once he walked into the main room. Ratchet said nothing, still typing at a monitor. Optimus paused, did Ratchet not hear him? He was old but not that old. Maybe he ought to repeat himself? But what if he did hear? Then that would be awkward.

"Morning." Ratchet grumbled back.

He sounded like he was in a bad mood, "Have you recharged at all?" Optimus asked all worrisome.

Ratchet let of some grumbles.

"Have you-"

"No."

They both fell silent. Optimus tried to decide if it was an awkward silence. For him it was. Was it for Ratchet? Maybe he liked this silence. Optimus looked down at his untouched cube. He had an idea.

"I brought you a cube." He said and offered it to Ratchet.

"Thanks." He said, in a slightly better mood, and took the cube.

Optimus ought to remind him to recharge. But he already changed the subject. Would it be awkward to bring it up again? Yes. So would he bring it up again?

"You need recharge to function Ratchet." Optimus started, surprised it wasn't as awkward as he expected.

"I know." Ratchet's shoulders slumped, "I might get some in today." He said.

Might? Might! "No, you will get some in today." Optimus corrected.

Ratchet crumbled under his strict gaze, "Alright, but the ground bridge needs fixing." He said.

Optimus waited for him to elaborate, he didn't. Should he ask what is wrong with it? What if Ratchet started talking about what was wrong with it when he asked what was wrong with it? He waited a little more. "What's wrong with it?"

"The calliper on the v-swivel dislocated causing a volt surge in a multitude of friction nubs." Ratchet explained.

Optimus blinked, "Meaning?" He asked. Did that sound rude? He didn't mean to be rude.

"Meaning it's not turning on." Ratchet simplified.

Optimus nodded, it would be good if he offered help. Yes, he should offer help! "Would you require assistance?"

Ratchet swivelled in his direction slightly. "Let me just run another diagnostic." He said and tapped some keys. "Er... Yep." He said and walked over to the ground bridge.

Did he want Optimus to follow?

"Under the arc-" Ratchet started and Optimus followed, "There's a plugin, charge it when I say." He said.

"Understood." Optimus said. Wait- did he need conformation? Ratchet started walking back to the console as Optimus bent down under the arc. There were two plugins. "Which one?" He asked as he transformed his digit to a volt transferrer.

"The one labelled 'v'." He said.

Optimus looked down, which was 'v'? They both looked like a 'v'. Maybe one was a 'u' and the other was a 'v'? Optimus wished Ratchet's handwriting were more distinct. He should ask which is which. But that would be rude, Ratchet's handwriting isn't that bad.

"Are you plugged in?" Ratchet asked.

"I..." Optimus started, he plugged into one of them 50/50 chance right? "Yes." He said, it's not like his life was on the line. Right?

"Alright, want you to charge it with 125.5 volts..." Ratchet started, Optimus prayed to Primus it was the right pluggin. "Now."

Optimus charged it...

It was the wrong pluggin.