Ignorance is Bliss

Chapter 5: Exhaustion

Raf frowned, watching as Optimus paced around the room.

Ratchet went on a mission with them and got mad at Optimus about how he was handling the war effort. Then, when Optimus grounded him to base, Ratchet attacked Bulkhead and ran off.

Optimus was worried. Ratchet had roughly interrogated a Decepticon miner and knew the location of the energon mine where Megatron was at. If they did not find Ratchet before Ratchet found Megatron, then they would have a serious problem.

Optimus stopped pacing and looked over at Raf, who was obviously anxious. Not doubt the pacing was making him even more uncomfortable. Optimus sighed and walked closer.

"Do you require anything, Rafael?" Optimus asked.

"Do you think Ratchet will be okay?" Raf questioned, his face twisted with concern.

"He will be able to protect himself." Optimus assured Raf, his confidence tone only slightly weakening Raf's worry.

Raf sat back down and looked at Livia, who had fallen asleep, again. Her head was propped up on her hand as if she had been watching the groundbridge area when she fell asleep.

Livia had been sleeping for the last two hours, but Raf didn't have the heart to wake her up.

Optimus's eyes followed Raf's gaze. "Is Livia recharging  again?"

Raf nodded. "I think she's just really tired."

Optimus nodded and looked away just as Arcee suddenly perked up. "His signal is back!"

Immediately, they started up the groundbridge and ran through to help the medic.

As they left, the elevator opened and Agent Fowler appeared. It took him a moment to climb the ladder before he looked at Raf.

"Where is Prime?" He asked urgently.

"They're on a mission to rescue Ratchet." Raf answered. "What happened? I might be able to get you on their comms, but they're kind of in the middle of something."

Fowler glanced at Livia. "It can wait. What happened to Ratchet?"

"He took synthetic energon and got all strong and fast. Then he went to go hunt Megatron. The bots just found him." Raf explained.

Arcee suddenly ran through the groundbridge, running to the med bay.

Raf looked over, his eyes wide as Optimus carried Ratchet through, a huge wound on the medic's chest and synthetic energon leaking out of it profusely.

"Ratchet!" Rad exclaimed, running over to the railing.

Arcee hooked up a device to Ratchet as Optimus set him down.

"Will he be okay?" Raf exclaimed.

"He'll be okay." Bulkhead told him.

Agent Fowler frowned, but said nothing as the bots tended to Ratchet and secured energon from the mine they acquisitioned. His news was certainly concerning, but the bots were obvious busy at the moment.

Instead, he opted to wake up Livia so she could explain herself once Fowler told Optimus what he'd discovered.

"Livia." Fowler shook her shoulder. "Livia."

Optimus looked over, noting that she had not awoken during all the chaos in the base. This was the second time today.

"Livia!" Fowler shook her harder and then looked at Raf in annoyance. "Washington's wig, does this girl sleep hard!"

Livia muttered something under her breath, eyes flickered open for a moment before she fell back asleep. Fowler shook her harder, making her head shake wildly.