heavyweaponsbot | 7th Transmission / Audio

There is nowhere else for the water to-

[He would have finished explaining that with the structure of the ship's decks, there was nowhere for a chasm to lead to - if he hadn't just stepped over the edge of one such hole.

Fortunately, it was only ten feet and not bottomless, but it was enough that the medic vanished from sight, with a sound of shock before he dipped below the murky surface.]

Yeah, whateve--

[Brief moment of stunned silence while he looks at where there should have been neon...]

RATCHET!

[Even though that roar could probably have been heard underwater, he's stomping/slogging through the water as fast as he conceivably can. Upon reaching the edge of the hole--which he almost slides into himself--he ducks under, fishing around for some armor to grab onto.

Overreacting? Maybe.]

[The misstep had taken the medic by surprise as well, and he landed on the flat rocky bed. It wasn't too far to fall at least, though it took a moment for his sensors to adjust to the sudden change in environment.

There were warnings flashing, and he could hear Ironhide bellow somewhere up above him - He could only imagine how it had looked from the other's perspective.

His movements sluggish, he reached an arm up, hoping to find some ledge to grab hold of, or at least indicate where he was.

... Perhaps Ironhide had been right to err on the side of caution. For once.]

[His vocals didn't work so well underwater. And his systems certainly disliked being waterlogged like this. But the longer he flailed his arm around trying to find the medic... the more determined he was to haul the other's neon aft up and yell some more.

So when he grasped onto a familiar-feeling hand... he didn't waste any time, and pulled. Hopefully enough to haul them both back into shallower water.]

[His own systems were not working terribly well after being completely submerged - But, before the sense of worry could truly start to set into his processor, he felt a firm grip close around his hand.

He recognized it immediately, even before he felt himself being hauled upwards, back over the ledge of the chasm, into thankfully safer waters.]

[He stumbles a bit, pulling him up, which ends in him landing on his aft in the water, sputtering, and trying to get the excess out of his intakes.

... It's cold too. But that doesn't stop him from growling at the medic.]

What were you thinking! Do you even look where you're going? Did you offline all your scans! Or did you just decide you wanted to try a new alt--a submersible?

[Ratchet's feet catch on the edge of the rock, causing him to sprawl forward in a faceplant, nearly in Ironhide's lap.

It takes a few moments before he draw himself up into a kneeling position, systems working overtime to try and purge the chilled water. His audios were not yet functioning properly thanks to being waterlogged, but he could get the gist of what the Weapons Master was ranting about - it didn't take a scientist for that.

He said nothing, lowering his head slightly, waiting for his vocals to clear themselves - He knew this was his own fault. It had been foolhardy to forge ahead without truly knowing the landscape. To assume this ship followed typical rules was dangerous, and his ignorance could have killed them both.]

[For once, he doesn't care about the proximity warnings, and just sits there until Ratchet pulls himself up. His systems are doing much the same thing to the water, and it just feels nasty. Not to mention... it got in places it shouldn't thanks to the gaping hole in his chest.]

... You all right...?

[He sounds a little gruffer than normal, but puts a hand out onto Ratchet's shoulder. They need to get back on dry land, but something's not right.]

You... look like scrap. [A little shake, a little lean. A silent Ratchet is never a good sign.] Hey... You hear me?

[He didn't feel particularly great at the moment either. He nodded his acknowledgement forever, his vocals still sounding distorted thanks to the excess water.]

Waiting for my systems to clear.

[The hand on his shoulder catches his attention, and he glances up at Ironhide with a slight tilt of the head.]

... Sorry.

[He's in much the same position, but staying waterlogged isn't going to help either of them. So he hauls himself to his feet, moving to lift the pile of neon metal with him.]

Need to get you out of the water... Get them clear on a dry spot.

[He shrugs. There's a time and a place for berating stupidity, and right now isn't it.]

Apologize when my internals are dry. C'mon.

[Ratchet doesn't try to resist, managing to get his feet under him with the added help of Ironhide's strength. He had the right idea, and he would do his best to facilitate it - and hope that there weren't any more holes along the way.]

[This probably isn't the first time he's hauled him somewhere, though probably, it's been vice-versa more often than not. He backtracks carefully, until they're back on the spot they entered, which is, thankfully one of the dry ones.

He stops, still holding Ratchet up.]

Think you can make it back to my quarters if I carried you...?

[He would have preferred to transform and drive back the way he had come, but he had a feeling that wasn't going to happen - He could still feel the unsettling drainage of water from his circuits.

To say he felt like a fool would be a horrible understatement.]

Yes. If you wait here... a few moments longer... I should be able to move myself...

[... Okay, a few long moments.]

... Hmn.

[Granted, he was smaller, but, then again so was Ratchet... so...]

Hold still.

[And that's the only warning before he bends, and awkwardly lifts the medic. Water sloshes around in places, and his joints are protesting - he'd really like to just curl up and get warm and dry and be miserable for a while. But, in true stubborn old aft fashion, he starts marching back the way they'd come.]

Ironhide-

[He was in the middle of protesting when the other had actually hefted him off the ground. He recognized that look.

... There was no arguing with it. He might as well be talking to a wall.

He relaxed slightly, trying to ignore the sensation of liquid in areas where it did not belong.]

... Am I allowed to apologize yet?

[It was a lot easier to carry the medic when he wasn't protesting. And when he was relaxed... As if there was anything to worry about. He wasn't going to drop him. And it wasn't as if... his quarters were that far away.]

... Yeah. Sure.

[Most of his attention was focused on walking straight on protesting limbs. Not much left for conversation. But if it made Ratchet happy...]

It was... a stupid thing to do.

[He made an irritable, staticy noise as he felt more cold water dripping from his intakes. Delightful.]

It... could have offlined you in the process.

... I am sorry. I should have thought...

Yeah, it was.

[The noise made him shift the weight in his arms a little. It sounded about as healthy as he was sure they both felt right now. The temperature in the ship seemed to have dropped considerably since they'd been out...]

You think water in my internals is going to finish me? Should know better than that.

[He snorted - which only sprayed water out of his intakes, embarrassingly enough.]

Yeah, you should have. Done apologizing yet?

[Normally, Ratchet might have laughed at such a reaction. However, it concerned him more than anything - Neither of them were in the greatest condition after their little swim. And he did not feel particularly up to running diagnostics at the moment.]

No, I think sitting at the bottom of an underwater canal might.

[There was no trace of joke in his voice, not looking at the other as he said it.]

... Yes.

[Slogging across rivers was one thing, being completely submerged was another, and apparently disagreed entirely with both of their systems. He was worried more about the other's mental condition, than physical. If there was a problem, it could be fixed by the medic. Simple as that. His own condition was unimportant, so long as they were still moving - still in the field, so to speak.]

... I would not have been down there long enough. Only had to pull you out. You are likely in worse condition.

[Which he didn't like. And was probably at least partially at fault for...]

Then be quiet. [A pause, and he may have shifted the other a little closer to him, damp exterior and all.] ... I should have... been more aware.

[The idea of his condition being worse hadn't crossed his mind. He would deal with his damage when Ironhide had been checked - he was more important.

The change in position jerked his attention back to the situation at hand, worried at first that there was something wrong. When he realized that was not the case, he may have leaned against his chest slightly.

When his systems were a bit dryer, he could attempt to use his internal heating to speed the process in both of them - but he was still too waterlogged to risk shorting it out.]

This is not your fault. I was the one who pressed to go deeper, without paying attention to my surroundings.

[And he was of the opinion that Ratchet was more important. If he had to, he was going to hoist the other Autobot upside down to try and drain the water faster. They needed a healthy medic.]

Borrow Mikaela's drying... thing... Worked on me.

[A few proximity warnings came up when Ratchet leaned against him. He shut them off. His friend was just tired out. That was all. Nothing to worry about. And he was only trying to support him.... not hold him tighter.]

Could have stopped you.

[He recognized the floor by now. Nearly there.]

7th Transmission / Audio

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