[audio]

[asafepairofhands]

[Only the audio clicks on, and the voice coming through the MID is worn, thin with static and carefully controlled.]

This is Chief--this is Ratchet, giving notice that the portion of the inorganic clinic I was running is currently closed until further notice, as of... now, apparently somewhere around a year from when I last checked. I'll be resuming my duties as soon as--when it's possible for me to do so.

In the meantime, I'm referring my patients to the regular medbay or to Tony Stark, depending on the complexity of the engineering involved. If it's a serious emergency... I can't help you, but I'll try to consult via MID if absolutely necessary. I am not available to answer five hundred questions about why, so don't bother asking. I need to work. Kindly refrain from calling me unless you're actively leaking to death.

...Ratchet out.


[PRIVATE TO WHIRL]
I need to speak with you in person. I'm sending you my coordinates.

Please.


[Somebody's hands finally stopped working to the point where he actually has to quit using them all the time and attach new ones, and he is not having a good day. Feel free to harass him, but there's no guarantee he'll respond.]

Comments

[Audio//Private]

[harderfasterwrecker]

[ Whirl sounds like he's in a bit of a snit when he starts, but it at least sounds like he's moving. Small miracles? ]

So now you want my attention.

What is it, some one finally bother you enough to want to put a hit out? Couldn't you have asked in the 'time that never moved' before we left the planet?

Though, if it is, please say it's Tarn. I'll beat his face in any day.

[Audio//Private]

[asafepairofhands]

No, I'm not--nobody's trying to hurt me. I--

[Ratchet stops and is quiet for a long moment, but his voice is tired when he finally speaks again.]

I'll explain when I see you.

audio; private

[arcreact]

[ TYPICAL. ]

... Okay.

But as the substitute teacher for robo-daycare, thanks for the heads up on that by the way, I actually feel 100% entitled to ask five hundred questions about why.

audio; private

[asafepairofhands]

It--

[Ratchet tries to bite out that it doesn't concern him, but he's acutely aware that he just went and made sure it did. He's quiet for a moment.]

...my hands. [The words clearly cost him a great deal.] I died--well. I was killed accidentally, a little while ago, and when I was brought back it was with my old hands. They're just... worn out. I thought I had more time to, to do something about it but that planet sucked down a whole damned year and now I can barely operate my MID, let alone treat patients.

[His tone is even but there's an ache in it that he can't quite smooth out, fear and anger and helplessness clawing their way up his throat to bleed static into his voice.]

I have a few ideas. I'll figure something out. You can call me to consult. But just--please. Until then. I can't just leave them with nothing.

[AUDIO/private]

[happyclappyhippydrippy]

[Drift doesn't really expect Ratchet to answer, but he's going to throw this out there anyway because he's Drift and of course he is.]

Ratchet? I know there's not really anything I can do to help with this, but let me know if there's anything I can do for you, okay?

[AUDIO/private]

[asafepairofhands]

[There's no answer for a very long time. Then, finally, very quietly--]

Thank you, Drift.

[audio/ private]

[sparkwhisperer]

well now, I'm curious what could have the great Autobot chief medical officer abandon his posse so callously. I'm sure there is a hell of a story behind this one.

[audio/ private]

[asafepairofhands]

[WELL HE SURE AS SHIT ISN'T ANSWERING YOU, BUDDY, HAVE FUN TALKING TO AN EMPTY COMM]

[audio / more assholes!!!!!]

[iseedeadbees]

Did something else happen?

[dude seriously Starscream's had a wing off (again!!!!!!) for MAGICALLY a year now what is this bullshit timing Ratchet

it's bullshit that's what.]

[audio / PRIVATE]

[asafepairofhands]

No. Well, not exactly.

[Ratchet's voice is very, very steady as he speaks over the comm, no hint of blame or accusation or anger.]

When you die here, something is taken from you, it seems like. For Riptide, it was memories. For me, it was... my hands. They were swapped out for my old ones when I came out of cryo. The reason I left Cybertron on The Lost Light was because my hands were failing, and I needed to find someone else to be CMO. I was able to acquire a new set, instead, but--they're gone. And after a year on that planet, my hands are all but useless. There's nothing I can do about it now.

Just try to stay out of trouble and ,if it's absolutely necessary, go see Tony. He knows how to contact me if he needs help.

[Video | private]

[whatshisname]

[He doesn't need to ask questions.]

I'm truly sorry, Ratchet.

If you need anything, even just someone to vent to, please don't hesitate to call me.

[audio | private]

[asafepairofhands]

Thank you, Rung.

[His voice is quiet and even and wrung dry of emotion, and he doesn't turn on the video feed.]

[VOICE]

[onlytwoexpressions]

Ratchet, is everything alright?

[voice]

[asafepairofhands]

[There's a long, long pause before Ratchet answers while he tries to decide whether to scream or laugh or cry, all of which would probably alarm Magnus unduly. He cycles his vents in a shaky sigh instead.]

No. Everything is not all right, but I'll take care of it. Just do what you can to keep everyone safe in the meantime while I'm out of commission.

audio;

[redshitlord]

Okay but.

Why though?

audio;

[asafepairofhands]

[sideswipe no]

audio

[aerospacecommander]

Did you finally get tired of putting people back together?

Re: audio

[asafepairofhands]

[Have an extremely lengthy and pointed silence, Starscream.]

audio

[heelys]

--Woah, wait! Does this mean I'm still stuck like this? Doc-bot, I'm going insane here.

[audio | private]

[asafepairofhands]

...I'm sorry, Bumblebee. I can't fix you yet.

[He sounds exhausted.]

You're first on the list when I can, all right? I promise.

audio / private

[wallride]

You need some more musical therapy, doc?

audio / private

[asafepairofhands]

No. Thank you, Lúcio.

video

[kaijumanic]

Woah, woah, woah. Hold up. Send them to Tony? Seriously? He's not the only guy on this ship who works in cybernetics y'know!

[PLS.]

audio

[asafepairofhands]

Fine. Feel free to consult. [His voice is clipped.] Tony's the only person whose work I've actually seen, but I don't have time to argue with you.

private

[taselikeabee]

Ratch, what's going on?

private

[asafepairofhands]

My hands.

[His voice is scraped flat.]

We were on that planet for a year and I didn't replace them, so they gave out entirely. I'm looking into alternative solutions now, but I was bordering on unfit to operate when I left Cybertron and they're immeasurably worse now. Ran out of time, I guess.