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[This time when Ratchet starts broadcasting, the video clicks on. He looks a little worn, but there's an underlying stubborn determination there, deepening the lines at the corners of his mouth.]

Ratchet here. Consider the inorganic section of medical officially back in business. That goes for everyone who's even part mechanical, not just Cybertronians--my door is open.

If you are Cybertronian and I haven't seen you for a check, you're due. I'm aware I still can't exactly order any of the Decepticons around ranking medical officer or not, but except for certain individuals who know who they are, you're welcome as well and I recommend it. Who knows what the hell this place is doing to us--I'd appreciate a baseline just in case something does go wrong and I end up having to do something about it.

Anyway, that's it. Ratchet out.

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[Ratchet keys the door open with one claw and manages not to let his optics widen as he takes in Soundwave's state, gesturing him inside.]

C'mon, come in.

[He hesitates, but only briefly.]

...I take it you've seen Ravage?

[At least he's not bleeding everywhere?? He nods in greeting to Ratchet as he steps into the medbay.]

Thank you for taking the time to see me.

[It might be Ratchet's job, but that didn't mean he had to help Decepticons. At the question, his arms curled over his waist.]

I have.

[Ratchet reaches out before checking the motion, remembering how Soundwave had shrugged away from him before. His claws curl in and he drops his arm instead, gesturing to the slab so Soundwave can sit.]

Having Bee here has been... difficult. [His voice is quiet, and he's running scans instead of looking at Soundwave as he speaks.] I am keenly aware that the situation isn't exactly the same, but--it gets easier. I think after long enough it even helps a little. And whatever else it is, having people back, it's better than the alternative.

[He looks more closely at the readings, and his lips thin.]

Let me start on that hand, first. Here. [He reaches out his own claw carefully, his gaze steady.]

[Recoiling from Ratchet's touch had more to do with being unable to block out Ratchet's emotions on top of his own than actually being touched. And considering he didn't really remember doing it, it made Ratchet pulling his hand back seem like an odd thing. He still also wanted to know why the medic had Tarn's old claws of all things attached to his wrists now, but at the moment it wasn't first on his list of things to talk about.]

[He sits, listening as Ratchet speaks. His feelings weren't high on his list of things he wanted to talk about either, be he supposed he... appreciated that Ratchet cared enough to try. Really, it wasn't like the Autobot had any reason to. They weren't friends or anything.]

I am... happy to see him again, regardless of the difficulties that come with it.

[He really was. It was hard, but the idea of never seeing his friend again was worse. Soundwave nodded again, offering out his dented hand.]

Yeah. ...me too.

[Ratchet nods and doesn't press further, collecting Soundwave's injured hand with delicate claws and picking up one a tool to use instead of transforming one out of the end of his wrist, gripping it carefully between two prongs of his claw and using the third to manipulate the angle accordingly.]

[Soundwave is glad that Ratchet doesn't press the topic more. It was bad enough that Ratchet had seen him break down over Ravage's body showing up in the mail. He didn't really want to talk about it until what control he had managed to gain over his emotions cracked again. Silence while he let Ratchet focus on repairing his hand was preferable to that.]

[Unfortunately for Soundwave, though delicate joint repairs take more focus than they used to, they certainly don't occupy the whole of Ratchet's attention. Which leaves plenty of space for him to ask incriminating questions in a deceptively mild tone.]

I don't suppose you'd care to tell me exactly how you got these injuries, then?

[Ugggggh he was really hoping that Ratchet would want to concentrate more than ask questions like that. He has to keep himself from venting out a huff, gaze on the repairs being done on his hand.]

I believe you were the one who told me I should take out my anger on the one who caused it.

[Ratchet hesitates for a moment, then draws back, looking appalled as this appears to sink in.]

Soundwave, you didn't. [He very clearly had, however, and Ratchet looks over him with new concern.] He could have killed you, are you crazy? I get that you decked him, but what the hell is all this joint stress from, then?

[If he had been having a better month, Soundwave might have actually cracked up at how horrified Ratchet looked. Maybe it was mean to phrase it that way, it wasn't like Ratchet was responsible in any way, but saying it out loud just reinforced how bad an idea it had been.]

My safety was not exactly at the forefront of my mind. [This time he does actually vent. Because the next part was... even worse to say out loud.] I might have... borrowed Megatron's fusion cannon.

You what?

[Ratchet looks a little horrified, before his expression stills.]

...Soundwave, did you--is Ultra Magnus going to come kicking my door in any time soon? I'd really rather know than not.

No, no.

[He shakes his head, waving his not damaged hand.]

I did not kill Tarn, as much as I - [Should have. Wished he had. He shakes his head again.] I only punched him, and the cannon is back in place. I imagine Ultra Magnus has been busy enough that he did not notice it missing.

[The tension in Ratchet's shoulders uncoils all at once and he exhales a shaky chuff of panic-warmed air from his vents.]

Okay. Okay. Good. I mean, there are scrap facilities on this ship, we probably could have disassembled the body and just crammed him into--but no. Anyway. It's better that you didn't. He's not worth the damned trouble. [Ratchet goes back to work on Soundwave's hand, still frowning slightly in concentration.] In that case, congratulations, I suppose.

[Soundwave looks back at Ratchet properly, just staring at him, until he starts working on his hand again. Then he just chuckles a few times.]

You sound as if you've already considering how to get rid of Tarn's body.

[It was a weak laugh, and didn't last long, before he shook his head more. It was kind of funny, how startled Ratchet was, but how ready he was to help him get rid of the body.]

Congratulations should be saved for when someone has done something worthwhile.

Look, I've been working very hard at not murdering Tarn for several months now, I'm well aware of how difficult it is.

[He finishes the repairs on Soundwave's hand, drawing back and shaking his helm a little and letting a faint smile curve his mouth as Soundwave laughs.]

Your self-repair is going to have to take care of the rest of that, but let me see what I can do about the rest of your joints.

As you said, he is not worth the trouble it would cause.

[At least, he's trying to convince himself of that. Soundwave takes his hand back once Ratchet is finished, flexing his fingers slowly. It felt considerably better than it did before, even if he had to let it heal more.]

Very well.

I'm well aware you're probably going to completely ignore my sound medical advice--goodness knows everyone else does--but I'd advise you to keep stretching that hand, but not to actually use it too much until it's had a chance to heal up properly. I'll want you back in a bit for a check.

[He's moving around Soundwave, tightening screws and adjusting the tensile give of cabling.]

You seem to be mostly okay otherwise--just regular overexertion, but this will speed recovery along.

I am not quite as reckless as the majority of your Autobot crew - this incident with Tarn aside.

[Really. Normally he's pretty careful. He knows his limits and his skill sets, and punch outs with point one percenters was not on that list. And he didn't want to end up with creepy claws like Ratchet.]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

Huh. That's a welcome change, I can tell you.

[Ratchet finishes up, then hesitates just briefly before he lays a claw lightly on Soundwave's shoulder, then lets go.]

No problem.

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