AN: Please note that I am not an experienced writer, and it shows. I'm a beta reader who had a flip-ego moment and suddenly this was written; please don't hesitate to tell me if I've insulted the fandom. This is set somewhere in G1 but note below.
Warnings: Character death, slight AU because honestly, the Autobots wouldn't be so harsh.
Pairings: Implied SkywarpxThundercracker and ProwlxJazz. (Mentioned RumblexFrenzy)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, even the sandbox I'm building this in...I belong in the betabox Oneshot
Bonded's Mistake
The battle was over…for now.
Sunstreaker stood at the edge of the core battlefield, smoke filling his intakes, looming hauntingly over a pile of rubble, under which a fallen seeker was trapped.
"Sunstreaker to prime, we've got ourselves a prisoner." he sent over the inter Com link.
"Who is it?" came the reply.
Sunstreaker kicked aside a mangled metal shard, grimacing when he saw who he would be taking in. "Skywarp…"
There was silence for a moment on the end of the link. "Sorry Sunstreaker, he cannot be a prisoner."
The Com was shut off before Sunstreaker could reply. A sickened annoyance pasted over his features as he lined himself up and kicked the unconscious seeker right in the faceplates, smashing Skywarp's right optic.
"Fragger."
Sunstreaker jumped off the rubble, throwing himself into his alt mode and sped toward base.
-oOo-
"Who was the prisoner, prime?" Prowl had just entered the control room, only hearing the last part of the conversation.
Prime stayed static for a moment, weighing up his word choices, finally deciding it best to be blunt with his 2iC.
"Skywarp." He deadpanned, his gaze faux blank with age-old grief.
Prowl's optics dimmed at the two syllables, his jaw falling slightly as a wash of memory passed through him. He corrected himself quickly. "I see."
He nodded to himself and turned to walk back out of the room, before turning back with a questionable expression. "We have installed defence lasers since then, we…"
"No, Prowl," Prime cut in "We cannot allow a repeat situation."
Prowl nodded deftly and walked from the room.
His head was to the brim with thoughts and emotion was corrupting his CPU; his helm hung heavy with the weight of it all. He didn't know where he was walking too, he just needed to stop his over active memory bank from reminding him, hoping that with each step he would leave pieces of it behind. He let his legs walk for him.
-oOo-
The brig was cold. Bitterly cold. The stench of oil heavy in the stagnant air.
The energon bars flickered threateningly at Prowl's approach; cruel confines of the cell in front of him, seeming to have a life of their own. The purple light hissed at its current prisoner, who was slouched in the corner, motors audibly wheezing from lack of energy.
Sick fragger Prowl thought, speaking of Megatron, how can he leave one of his warriors to die without so much as an attempt of rescue… The thought process brought back yet more forbidden memories into Prowl's mind. He dismissed them quickly and automatically.
The casseticon was almost offline, the shadows falling upon him, making his self inflicted wounds more visible, made him seem even smaller in the vast cell. Prowl looked on emotionless. It's all they deserve…
Many more decacycles of war had made the Autobots bitter; the natural sense of humour that flowed through the fraction no longer existed. It still, none the less, surprised Prowl how cold his thoughts were. He immediately felt guilty. …just not what he deserves.
The mech before him was Rumble. On one hand he wanted the small mech to suffer, but on the other…he just didn't. He knew that Rumble was bonded to his brother, Frenzy. He never would wish that kind of pain on anyone, the breaking of a bond.
A gasp woke Prowl form his reverie. The cassette trembled slightly, the light from his optics behind his visor failing.
"S…Soundwave?" He crooked, a hoarse sound of hope in his tone.
"No." Prowl stated. Rumble seemed to have not heard him.
"Soundwave, I'm sorry." His vocalizer glitched and he stuttered.
Prowl frowned at what he was witnessing. It felt wrong, felt so wrong to watch a bot die, no matter what fraction they came from.
"Brot…brother…"His voice was barely audible "I…I'll save you an energon cube yer? I…"
The slight smile on his face wilted and his form slipped sideways, slowly sliding to the harsh metallic floor with a dull thud. The light on the floor didn't reflect in his visor.
Prowl shut off his optics and turned away. The pain, he could feel it, the ringing of screaming in the air around him. He could swear he heard another mech's voice in the static, crying out in agony for its lost brother.
-oOo-
--A vorn earlier--Ironhide regarded the captive with little interest. Another battle, another win, another captured Decepticon; a seeker to boot.
"Missin' the sky, Decepti-scum? Humm?" he chuckled.
The seeker growled,
"You'll pay for capturing me, you'll see! I will be rescued!" He protested.
"Don't bet your wings on it, vulturebot. The only way you'll be back with your side is through a trade." Ironhide adjusted his position leaning against the wall, gripping and un-gripping the ion gun in his hand.
Thundercracker's angered gaze settled on it. If he had his null rays he would of taken that infuriating mech out long ago, but that was the point. He didn't, and all he received for trying to retrieve them and escape was a singed arm and melted circuits. But something inside him knew he would be rescued or find a way out.
The door opened to the brig, fully cycling back to revel a group of Autobots.
"So, what you think of the Judo, eh Seeker?" Sideswipe said, a cocky expression plastered on his face.
He sidled up to the bars, energon cube in hand, swaying it teasingly to the run down flyer.
"Good isn't it," Sunstreaker stepped up behind Sideswipe.
Thundercracker smirked, meeting the Twins gaze's unflinchingly.
"Would have been better if your helms weren't so far up your own afts," He backfired "or each other's, which ever you prefer." The Twins instantly fumed.
"Now look here…"
"Sunstreaker, stop," The commanding voice of Prowl cut through "He doesn't deserve the attention."
He turned to Ironhide, "Sideswipe and Jazz will take the next shift," mentioned visored mech stepped further into the room, moving the Twins away form the cage
"at ease."
"Why thank'ya, Prowl. Here, Jazz?" He held out the ion gun "You better have this."
Jazz snatched up the hand-held "Ta."
"Right, I'm otta' here. Have fun seeker sittin'!" Ironhide quickly left, happy to be free of his duty. The door cycled shut behind him.
"Sunstreaker, I need you with me, Prime needs us right away." He motioned to the mechs that were to remain, "You two alright here?"
"Yer, we're fine." Jazz positioned himself where Ironhide once stood.
"OK, Sunstreaker, with me."
"Yer yer, I'm coming."
-oOo-
Sideswipe stared at the barred mech accusingly. The Decepticon was unusually calm.
Using his bond, Thundercracker was making a plan. Recently he had been able to better control his emotion and actions. After the battle he knew his bonded would know he was missing, but if he didn't let on he was in Autobot custody until the right moment, he hoped the ire within Skywarp would go towards an effective rescue. He'd waited through the cycles for a perfect moment to unleash his pent up feelings, waiting for a turn in Skywarp's mood.
He concentrated; he could feel it approaching…there!
Sideswipe's attention snapped to the Decepticon, alerted by sudden movement, his gaze falling on burning red optics.
"Don't look at me like that, fragger." He hissed.
"Eh, don't provoke him, Swipe." Jazz aired, intently scanning his newly repaired arm.
There was quiet for a time, murmurings from the outside of the Brig being the only recognisable sound. So it's understandable that when alarms from Teletraan 1 blared through the silence, every mech jumped to attention.
Jazzes Com link was being hailed
"Stay and guard the prisoner, we have a Decepticon turned rescuer up here. Don't worry, he'll be Deceptidust in no time!"
"Acknowledged," Jazz looked up at Sideswipe "You heard 'Cliff, keep ya' optics on the door." Both Autobots readied their weapons.
A commotion could be faintly heard, but no voices were distinguishable. A thundering noise seemed to be getting louder, coming closer to the Brig. Closer, closer…
"Aw, frag!"
The wall next to the door erupted in a flurry of rubble, sound and rushing air as the intruder bust through it, transforming on entrance. His action was smooth and as soon as he was fully bipedal, he hit Sideswipe across the face, causing him to stumble back against the bars. The energy surged through his frame, knocking him offline.
Jazz shot at point blank range, but in the falling debris and dust, he was missing his target. It was too quick for him.
Voices could be heard, the other Autobots running to help, and then one was right in Jazzes mind.
Hang in there, Jazz. We'll help as soon as we finish the rest.
The rest? Jazz said back through his bond, still firing.
Megatron has followed… with what looks like the rest of the Decepticons.
Slag, Prowl. Don't get ya'self landed in the Med bay ok?
His concentration broke when a null ray shot only just missed his helm. He shot back, landing it on the Seeker's wing, causing the tip to snap, falling to the floor with a smouldering shower of energon sparks.
The flyer lashed out again, knocking the ion gun from Jazzes grip. Jazz hastily tried to retrieve it, dipping beneath flying punches, snatching it up before one could land on him.
A burning red glow seared through the dust, angry with hate and pain. A null ray shot caught Jazz in the shoulder, flying him back against the wall.
Slightly disorientated, his newly repaired systems in his arm refused to cooperate and he couldn't lift his hand quick enough before the Decepticon stepped towards him, suddenly producing a knife from subspace.
"I pity the fool who thinks he can take my bond mate…" He brought the blade down into Jazzes firing arm, causing his hand to spasm, dropping the ion gun. The burning blade withdrew and was suddenly at Jazzes throat. The heat flickered at his neck cables, small needles of pain torturing his failing spirit. "…and get away with it."
Jazz!Where are you? Why aren't ya here?
One move and that blade would be in his neck. No! Like lightning he brought up his already damaged arm, forcing the blade into it and away from his neck. The Seeker was caught by surprise and Jazz took the opportunity, punching him full in the face.
Thundercracker lurched form his position within the cell, receiving a burning form the bars. He could do nothing to help.
While Skywarp reeled, Jazz bent to pick up the blaster again, only for it to be kicked from his reach. He thought fast, charging the seeker, blade still embedded in his arm, into the burning bars. A deafening shriek filled the air as Skywarp's back and remaining wing melted at the heated energy, circuitry burning intensely. Out of reflex a hand hit out at Jazz and on the back sweep pulled the knife from his arm.
Skywarp stormed forward, crushing Jazz back against the wall, headlights smashing at the impact, and drove the blade into Jazzes neck.
The saboteur went ridged, head jerking back as major fuel cables ruptured. The pain was so intense that Jazz could barely feel it in its complete entity, nor hear the screaming shout of Prowl in his mind. All he felt was pressure, severing pressure.
Boiling energon bubbled and ran from his mouth, optics flickering beneath his visor. The world was dimming, when suddenly the blade was removed from his tunnelled neck, only to be plunged into his bonnet, hitting the side of his Spark directly.
He felt it as if in slow motion- the crack of the casing, the breaching of the outer shell of his being, then the sheer light as power was disrupted and surged through his circuits.
Skywarp leaned in close to Jazzes audio receptor…on't go! Jazz! No! Jazz, I lov…sneering the last word like a curse, "Traitor."
Jazz shuddered as the words faded with his consciousness.
-------
AN: Argh, I killed two of my favourite characters and imprisioned a third. If you hated it tell me, but no flames, they burn my ego.