Shattered Shenanigans

33: Idle Days

Somehow, Megatron managed to evade the wrench-flying-at-light-speed and merely cast a threatening glare in his direction, Ratchet retreated back to the generator. He also sent a text over coms to Optimus asking if he could get his wrench because he needed it.

Optimus had a look for it, it was uncomfortably close to Megatron. Maybe if he waited long enough Megatron would move and he could get it?

"What are you staring at?" Megatron asked.

"Hm?" Optimus asked, had he been staring? "I need the wrench." He said, perhaps best to ask?

"Then go and get it." Megatron said. So he was going to make this difficult?

"Perhaps you would prefer to throw it at me?" Optimus suggested, it would be a win-win.

"Ha!" Megatron laughed, "Nice try." He added.

So Optimus did the rational thing. He temporarily abandoned the quest and delivered Ratchet a feeble shrug.

"Pff, fine. Don't need it anyway." He grumbled and wondered to the monitor. "I need to check up on the others."

"You've sent them the blueprints?" Optimus asked.

"Hmm? Yes, as you went to the mine." He said.

"They can't have gotten far."

"They don't have to do many changes. We have a way to access another dimension, we just have to work on the aim." He explained as a com opened.

"Ratchet! We caught Airachnid!" Bumblebee started.

"Hmm, how?" Optimus started.

"She's trapped in a stasis pod- And we seized another energon mine-" Bee was pushed out of the way by Arcee. While Megatron groaned in the background.

"We have more than enough to fuel the ground bridge." She added.

"And progress on the targeting system?" Ratchet asked.

Arcee's expression turned grim. "Let's just say, Bulkhead is now inhabiting the other side of the base." So he must have tripped?

Ratchet let out a growl.

"Almost done checking over the computing system!" Wheeljack scouted from out of frame.

"So halfway-ish?" Arcee asked.

"I'd give it another day?" Wheeljack suggested and Ratchet let out a groan.

"Can't rush these things." He reminded himself.

"Yea, and you get to spend more time with your new friends!" Knockout started.

"They're your friends?" Bee asked alarmed.

"Most certainly not!" Ratchet started.

"If you're done, we need to close the com, we don't have time to socialise." Soundwave started.

"Hmpf, we'll check back in the afternoon." He said and the com was cut off. It was strangely silent for a while after.

"So a day and you'll be out of our hair?" Soundwave asked.

"You don't have hair." Megatron said blandly.

"It's a figure of speech." Optimus pointed out, "I think you'll have to ask Ratchet-" Optimus started, looking over at Soundwave. "Where is Ratchet?"

"I think he went to get an energon cube." Soundwave said and Optimus followed after him.

"Ratchet?" He asked as he headed around the corner and found both Ratchet and Megatronus sipping on cubes silently. It was a very awkward atmosphere. Optimus caught optic contact with Ratchet and nodded at Megatronus.

"What?" He asked.

Optimus tried again and Ratchet looked even more confused, 'apologise' he mouthed.

Ratchet scoffed gaining some of Megatronus' attention and earned a glare from Optimus in the process.

He let out a half-assed mumble and Optimus crossed his arms. "Sorry." He growled venomously.

"Hmm hm." Megatronus let out and continued sipping his cube, as if that weren't the least sincere apology he had heard. "How if the targeting system going?" He asked and Ratchet perked up instantly.

"We'll be gone in a day!" He said and took a hearty swing of his energon.

"Oh." Megatronus started, sounding somewhat disappointed. "You'll take the other with you I hope." He tried to joke.

"Unless you want to keep him." Optimus said and gave a sheepish smile.

"Pass." He snorted during a sip and started coughing. Ratchet seemed to look pleased at his expense and quickly departed. Optimus followed, just to make sure he didn't cause any more drama.

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A few hours later

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The day was going by painfully slow, they had nothing to do. Megatron and practically gone into recharge with his optics open on Optimus' crate. Was he actually recharging? Optimus had seen him recharge with his optics open before, but he wasn't sure. He tilted his helm slightly and Knockout walked over.

"Can he recharge with his optics open?" He asked.

"I think so." Optimus started, they weren't talking loud, but Megatron would certainly be in audial range.

"Why don't you find out." Starscream started, popping out of nowhere.

"Hrr." Knockout started in protest but seemed to be reassured when one of Megatron's optics drifted to the side. Optimus barely kept in a laugh, he looked ridiculous. Soundwave was looking over at them now, curious on what they were going to do.

"Come on." Breakdown mouthed from the other side of the room.

Knockout let out a huff and slowly approached the warlord. He stopped a few steps in front of him. His optics still hadn't moved so he waved his servo in front of his faceplate.

"What are you doing?" Ratchet asked rather loudly and Knockout quickly scampered away, though Megatron still hadn't stirred. "Is he recharging?" He asked quietly and they nodded. "Hm!" He started and wondered over bravely, not noticing that Megatron's optic had righted itself as he picked up his wrench.

"Bo." Megatron let out lamely, causing Ratchet to leap a few meters in the air.

"Hraraf!" Ratchet let out a strangled yelp and scampered away to hide in the medbay while everyone else dispersed, trying to hide that they were watching.

Optimus was still rather impressed Megatron could recharge with his optics open but quickly went back to being bored. If only he had some datapads he thought as he decided to kill some time by pacing through the base.

He walked into Megatronus soon enough. "Afternoon." He greeted.

"Slow day isn't it." Megatronus started and trailed Optimus. Oh Primus, he was attempting small talk.

"Yes, absolutely nothing to do- I would read-" Optimus started.

"Oh I have some datapads spare." He started, "They are buried somewhere in the storage boxes though."

Optimus instantly perked up. "We have time to kill." And they both wondered to the storage room.