(no subject)

[socrowdedinhere]

*It’s another night before Ratchet and Iron arrive at Zero’s.  Timing is just right that Zero is stepping out as the two reach the door.*

Zero: *pauses, looking startled for a moment...and then he gives Ratchet a smile* You must be Ratchet. *he offers his hand* I’m Subzero.

Comments

[dragondancer5150]

Ratchet: Yes, I am. Pleased to meet you. *naturally a little guarded…but accepts the hand readily*

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: The pleasure is mine, doctor. Please, come in. I imagine you'd like to see your teammates. They're in berth, but I've no doubt they'll want to be woken up to see you. *steps back in and motions invitingly for Ratchet to step in* I'll show you to their room.

[dragondancer5150]

Ratchet: *glances at Iron, doesn't just want to walk away from the bot that rescued him and brought him here - nods at Zero* Yes, thank you.

[socrowdedinhere]

Iron: *gives him a nod and a smile* I'll see you again later, Ratchet.
Zero: *head off towards the hall* I know this will be hard to believe, but I feel you should be prepared anyway. Your teammates here are Bumblebee and Prowl.

[dragondancer5150]

Ratchet: *nods* Good night, Ironshade, and thank you again. *starts after Zero, but stops dead at that, arms folding angrily* Hard to believe is an understatement. Prowl's offline. He gave his spark - literally, I might add - in the fight against Megatron back on Earth.

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: I know. And now he's back. I'll tell you the story sometime, if he doesn't first, but I promise you that he's back.

[dragondancer5150]

Ratchet: How about telling me /now/? *not budging - he's weary, both physically and heart-weary, been through too much both over his life in general and especially recently, to just trust a stranger on such a wild, impossible (okay, nearly impossible) claim*

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *sees Ratchet isn't moving and so turns to him fully....* Fair enough. About a decacycle ago I spotted...well, a ghost in the crowds. Prowl realized I could see him and hear him. We talked about who he was and I offerd to do what I could to help him. I'm a scientist and inventor, and with the essence of his spark still around I thought I might be able to reattach him to his body. We went to Earth to see if we could find his body. We did, though in the end it was Sari who brought Prowl back to life. We're not gathering the rest of you so we can all go to rescue Optimus Prime.

[dragondancer5150]

Ratchet: ……… *stance relaxes, grief and worry creeping into his optics, suddenly /looking/ as old as he feels* Sari . . . how is she? *not even going to ask about Prime…not yet, at least*

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *smiles* She's well, though I got the impression she was... Dealing with a bit of cabin fever. She's being very careful not to be seen outside their base. Jazz is with her now too, also safe and well now.

[2b_a_hero]

Ratchet: Good… *runs a hand down his face, looking and /feeling/ tired* That's good to hear. Any word on Optimus or Bulkhead?

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: Bulkhead should be here early the day after tomorrow, and Optimus...he's currently under Shockwave. When the rest of mh tram is here we're going to rescue him. You and your team are welcome to come with us.

[2b_a_hero]

Ratchet: *smirks, some verve coming back to his faceplates* You'd be hardpressed to keep us /out/ of that, Subzero. Optimus Prime is a worthy and honorable bot if ever I've met one, and I've met plenty. He deserves Cybertron's highest honors for everything he's done . . . for the cause, and for the broken-down misfits under his command. *said fondly* I think I can speak for the whole of our team when I say that there's not one of us who wouldn't give our all for our commander.

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *grins* Yes, I've gotten that impression. Come on. I'll show you to Bee and Prowl.

[2b_a_hero]

Ratchet: *nods* Thank you. *moves to follow*


((>,< I don't need this today. I'm in moderate flare as it is. I got an email this morning, supposedly from "CreditControl" at our legit email domain [either spoofed or hacked...didn't look spoofed], with a .zip with some invoices from our account. Um...okay, any invoices /from/ us //I// would have generated, so I knew this wasn't legit. Either a real thing or a test from IT - Gary does that sometimes, just to make sure we're paying attention as we should be. Turned out the attachments included a number of ransomware files. Gary sent out a warning email that "a stakeholder" had received this and to be on the lookout. So...Rachel sends us an email asking if one of us got the email, everyone answer yes or no. So I emailed back that it was me. I feel like I'm going to get "you should have told me" or something. >,< Like I did something wrong. She's done that before, when I've not included her on something that I didn't think she needed to know [or assumed she already did]. So now I'm all stressed out waiting for that "lecture" message, ON TOP OF the flare. *HEADDESK* .....................and even as I've been typing this, I did get an email - "Nice job!!!" So...that helps. I still feel like SHIT and just want to go home, though. OTL))

[socrowdedinhere]

((*HUGGLES* I'm sorry. That still sucks, even with the stress of the lecture gone.))

Zero: *reaches the door and knocks.* Prowl? Bee? Ratchet's here.

[2b_a_hero]

Bee: *soft yelp, startling awake before going /still/*
Prowl: Ratchet? *comes to the door, pauses at the sight of his friend whom he'd not been able to find*
Bee: *darts around to Prowl to /glomp/ onto Ratchet, clinging* Doc-bot! Oh, man…
Ratchet: *startles, shifting a half-step back before catching himself* Bumblebee… *HUGS back, then looks back up at Prowl, equally affected* It's true… Scrap, kid, c'mere! *pulls Prowl into a HUG*
Prowl: */hugs/ back* Ratchet . . . it's good to see you all right.
Ratchet: *low laugh* It's good to see you /alive/! *looks over his shoulder at Zero* Thank you . . . I cannot thank you enough.

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: Just glad I was able to help. I'm going to go get you fuel, Ratchet, give you three a little time to catch up and settle.

[2b_a_hero]

Ratchet: That sounds good.
Bee: *tugs Ratchet into the room*
*The three settle to catch up.*

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *knocks when he returns, and has a bit of fuel for all of them.* Would you like to berth in here, Ratchet, or have a room to yourself?

[2b_a_hero]

Ratchet: *glances around the room, thinking…and noticing how there's two bots and only one berth in here as it is…*
Prowl: You'd be more than welcome.
Bee: ……strength in numbers and all that.
Ratchet: *nods* I'll stay in here. Thank you, Subzero.

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *nods* I'll pull in another berth for you. *they can arrange it as they want. He'll step out to do that, coming back shortly pushing a berth.*

[2b_a_hero]

Ratchet: *hears the squeak of approaching castors and move to help . . . after a bit of consideration the berth's shoved up against the other, creating one big surface to accommodate the three*

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: Rest well. We'll talk about alternate accomodations tomorrow for when Bulkhead arrives.

[2b_a_hero]

Ratchet: Sounds good. Thank you, Subzero.
Prowl: Yes, thank you. See you in the morning.
Bee: *small wave, voice low* See ya then.

[socrowdedinhere]

===

*The next day they'll work out what sleeping arrangements will be and early the /next/ morning, Bulk arrives with Buzz and Tin. The two just walk up to the fancy house and step inside.*

[2b_a_hero]

Bulk: *hesitates, staring at /easily/ the nicest home he's ever seen or hoped to get this close to* Um . . . shouldn't we knock first?

[socrowdedinhere]

Tin: It's okay. Zero is expecting us. Come on.

[dragondancer5150]

Bulk: …….still… *but he'll follow*

[socrowdedinhere]

Buzz: We're family.
Tin: *nods and heads them for the kitchen.*
*Two others are sitting in there at this /early/ hour. One stands.*
Zero: *smiling* You must be Bulkhead. I'm Subzero. *steps up and offers his hand.*

[dragondancer5150]

Bulk: Family… *misses his SO BADLY . . . follows into the kitchen, hanging back by the door until the one stands and approaches him* Oh! So this is /your/ house then? Uh, thank you for havin' me. Yeah, I'm Bulkhead. *carefully accepts Zero's hand in one large claw-hand*

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *warm smile* My please. Here. Come fuel really quick then I'll take you to see your team.

[dragondancer5150]

Bulk: *nods* Tinbeat an' Buzzbreak said that Ratchet an' Bumblebee an'…Prowl…are here? *also glances and gives a nod to the person Zero had been sitting visiting with*


((IDK if they'd told him first time around, but yeah, gonna say they prepped him. XD;;;))

[socrowdedinhere]

Zero: *nods* They are. *will lead Bulk over to get fuel*
Iron: *nods back and when Bulk and Zero come over* I'm Ironshade. Pleased to meet you.

[dragondancer5150]

Bulk: *offers a massive claw hand* You too. I'm Bulkhead. An' you know Tinbeat an' Buzzbreak? *nodding at them - guesses…but just to be sure, it'd be rude to ignore them or something*

[socrowdedinhere]

Iron: *grins, glancing at his friends* We're family.
Zero: Here. Fuel up really quick, and I'll take you to see yours.

[dragondancer5150]

Bulk: Oh! *looks at Buzz* Him too . . . okay . . . oh, thanks. *accepts the cube from Zero and /downs/ it, eager to see the others*