Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Transformers Regenerated Comic: Issue 14 - Spotlight: Ratchet

     Date: 10/8/2013

SEARCH AND RESCUE

    (Earth, the Ark - one month after Thunderwing's demise)

    SIDESWIPE: Yeoow! That smarts, doc!

    RATCHET: And that's my fault how, exactly, Sideswipe? Look, just stop showing off your alt mode to the natives, okay? And no more races.

    SIDESWIPE: But you let Mirage--

    RATCHET: 'Cos you don't see F-1 cars in the streets.

    SIDESWIPE: Whatever. Thanks, doc.

    RATCHET: Don't mention it, kid... I do what I can...

    (During the war)

    PHARMA: Ratchet...? RATCHET!

    RATCHET: Ahh! What did I do wrong?!

    PHARMA: N-nothing, Ratchet. It's just... Warpath's all fixed now. For the past half-hour.

    RATCHET: Oh... Er, sorry about that.

    WARPATH: What for? I didn't even know I had a missile launcher!

    RATCHET: You didn't...

    PHARMA: Like I keep telling you, Ratchet, your hands are a gift from Adaptus!

    RATCHET: And like I keep telling you, Pharma, there is no such thing as "Adaptus." All forged medics have natural fluidity in their hands. It is not a gift given to us by some "god"!

    PHARMA: Whatever. You're awesome, okay? Now come help us fix up Blades, okay?

    (Present)

    OPTIMUS PRIME: Ratchet, could you come see this?

    RATCHET: What is it, Optimus?

    OPTIMUS PRIME: Looks like a message for you.

    MESSAGE: Delphi Medical Station to Ark: I hate to bother you, but I am sending a student of mine for Ratchet to tutor. KTHXBY - Fixit

    RATCHET: Apt as always, Fixit...

    OPTIMUS PRIME: Wait, there's more.

    MESSAGE: P.S.: Her name is Remedy. May ring a bell to you.

    OPTIMUS PRIME: Who's Remedy?

    RATCHET: Oh, spark. You have got to be kidding me...

    (Luna 2, during the war)

    HOT SPOT: See anything yet, Evac?

    EVAC: Not yet, sir.

    HOT SPOT: Well, that distress signal had to have come from somewhere.

    GROOVE: I'm getting several spark readings, Hot Spot. I think they're coming from... there. (He points to a cave)

    RATCHET: Are these... webs?

    GROOVE: No way am I going in there!

    HOT SPOT: Fine. Evac, Ratchet, Streetwise, you're with me.

    EVAC: I have a bad--

    HOT SPOT: Shut up, Evac.

    VOICE: Heh-heh-heh

    HOT SPOT: I hear laughter.

    RATCHET: Great. We've ended up in Loonyville.

    TARANTULAS: HA! HA! HA!

    HOT SPOT: Oh, Primus.

    TARANTULAS: Hush, hush, little sparkling. Daddy will find you a body...

    STREETWISE: Did anybody bring a straitjacket?

    RATCHET: What's with all of the sparks...?

    TARANTULAS: I'll just keep you in here until you're ready. (He picks up a green spark) And as for you... I do believe your time has come.

    STREETWISE: What. The. Heck?

    RATCHET: I think I know, Streetwise. Before the war, Luna 2 was known for its sporadic spark growth. After a while, they suddenly stopped.

    HOT SPOT: And now they've started again...

    RATCHET: Yes... and this weirdo is collecting them!

    TARANTULAS: What's that? Ah, we have visitors. Autobots, no less.

    RATCHET: Uh, yeah. Sorry about the intrusion. We received a distress signal from here.

    TARANTULAS: Hmm. Ah, yes. That would be... that fellow over there! (He points to a corpse)

    RATCHET: Sharpshot! What kind of monster are you?

    TARANTULAS: The experimenting kind. Now then, if you don't mind... I have work to do. Run along if you wish to live.

    HOT SPOT: C'mon, Ratchet. There's nothing we can do here. Let's go before he changes his mind.

    RATCHET: What the-?! A... spark?

    STREETWISE: You coming, Ratchet?

    RATCHET: Yeah, Streetwise...

    (Present)

    HOUND: I think I see them! No, wait. That's just a bird. (A spaceship appears) Ah, there she is! (The ship crashes) Well... this is awkward.

    RATCHET: Help me get her free-! (He pulls Remedy out, only to find that she is missing legs) Okay. This is bad.

    HOUND: Yeah, that... and this tracking beacon. Think she's still alive?

    RATCHET: I think so, Hound. I hope so...

    (Millions of years ago)

    RATCHET: Alpha Trion?

    ALPHA TRION: Yes, Ratchet? What is it?

    RATCHET: I have... something of interest.

    ALPHA TRION: Is that... a spark?! Newborn, I take it?

    RATCHET: I guess. I found it when the Protectobots and I were leaving Luna 2.

    ALPHA TRION: Yes, it's a new one, all right. Healthy, powerful... and it's a female.

    RATCHET: How can you tell?

    ALPHA TRION: Each spark is like a snowflak; there's never two identical ones. They all pulsate unique signatures. Whether if it's personality, its "gender" programming, etcetera, etcetera... You didn't understand a word I just said, did you?

    RATCHET: Nope.

    [Yeah, this is not how I would write this scene nowadays]

    ALPHA TRION: Follow me...

    RATCHET: Sir, where are you taking--? Oh.

    VECTOR SIGMA: I am Vector Sigma. Before Cybertron was, I was.

    RATCHET: What-- I...? Is that--?

    ALPHA TRION: Vector Sigma? Yes.

    RATCHET: Does that mean--?

    ALPHA TRION: Whether this confirms legends such as Primus... I will leave it for you to decide. (He places the spark inside Vector Sigma)

    RATCHET: Wait. That's it?!

    ALPHA TRION: I shall have a body constructed for the spark. Until then, it is home for now.

    (Present)

    OPTIMUS PRIME: How's it going, Ratchet?

    RATCHET: *Sigh* Wheeljack's trying to rebuild what's left of her legs... but I can't get any of her systems back online!

    OPTIMUS PRIME: Do what you can, doctor. You've never lost a life in your career...

    RATCHET: Wrong.

    (Years ago)

    RATCHET: We're losing him.

    FASTFIX: Don't say things like that, Ratchet! Rest-Q, I need you to rejump his spark! Hang in there, Heavypunch. Now!

    SFX: VMMP!

    FASTFIX: Scan him.

    MEDIC: ...He's dead.

    RATCHET: It's okay. There's nothing we could do.

    FASTFIX: No...

    RATCHET: We're at war. It's not your fault--

    FASTFIX: It was yours!

    RATCHET: What--?

    FASTFIX: You wouldn't let me help until Pharma told you to! You're just too arrogant and full of yourself and... and... Forget it. I'm done.

    (Present)

    WHEELJACK: And... there! Any luck on getting her back online?

    RATCHET: No. I just don't get it! Her spark is healthy, her brain module and transformation cog are intact. What could be wrong with her?

    WHEELJACK: Uh... I wouldn't be too sure about the brain module...

    RATCHET: What do you mean?

    WHEELJACK: Well, it's intact, as you say... but it's been erased.

    RATCHET: You mean...?

    WHEELJACK: If she does wake up, she won't remember a thing... not even her name. You'll not only have to teach her as a medic... but as a Cybertronian as well. I'm sorry. So, what do you want to do?

    RATCHET: ...Put her module back in. I'll jump-start her spark.

    (Soon)

    WHEELJACK: Ready?

    RATCHET: Yes.

    WHEELJACK: Here goes nothing...

    SFX: VMMP!

    WHEELJACK: Did it work?

    RATCHET: I... think so?

    REMEDY: Wh-who are you?

    RATCHET: I'm... Ratchet. And you are...?

    REMEDY: M-Minerva.

    RATCHET: Well, Minerva... welcome to the Ark. Welcome home...

    (Years ago, Luna 2...)

    HAWKEYE: This the place?

    ROTORSTORM: Pretty sure.

    HAWKEYE: All right, spark-lover, throw your hands... up? (Tarantulas is nowhere to be seen) Scrap.

    (Elsewhere, Tarantulas walks with his Insecticons, carrying the green spark)

    TARANTULAS: Don't worry, little one. They won't find you. Your siblings, yes, but by Primus, not you. Hush, baby. Daddy will find you a home... I promise you!

    TO BE CONTINUED

CHARACTERS

    Autobots: Alpha Trion (flashbacks), Blades (flashbacks), Evac (flashbacks), Fastfix (flashbacks), Fixit (flashbacks), Groove (flashbacks), Hawkeye (flashbacks), Heavypunch (flashbacks), Hot Spot (flashbacks), Hound, Optimus Prime, Pharma (flashbacks), Prowl, Ratchet, Remedy/Minerva, Rotorstorm (flashbacks), Sharpshot (flashbacks), Sideswipe, Streetwise (flashbacks), Tripwire (flashbacks), Warpath (flashbacks), Wheeljack, Xaaron (flashbacks)

    Others: Insecticons, Tarantulas, Vector Sigma (all in flashbacks)

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