Title: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Chapter: 02 - No Trespassing
Warnings: suspense
Continuity: G1 [part of ultharkitty's Dysfunction AU, post season three]
Characters: Vortex, Blast Off, Brawl
Rating: PG-13 (whole fic, PG for this chapter)
Disclaimer: Sadly, nothing is mine.
Beta: ultharkitty

Summary: Vortex, Blast Off and Brawl are on a mission to get an alien energy source from an abandoned space station.

Note: Now part of the Dysfunction AU. Thrusters™ by ultharkitty, used with permission.
I thought it will be only seven chapters, but it turned out to be 8 (And I hope it'll stay 8…). *sighs* The later chapters are longer, then, too. *lol*

"Talking"
'Comm-link'


Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.


Part 2 - No Trespassing

Blast Off docked onto the gangway which led to the station. The shuttle had to make a few transformations and arrangements until the entrance matched his hatch, but finally he could open it to the empty dark corridor.

In his peripheral vision, Vortex noticed Brawl wince when the hatch opened and the pressure compensation generated a hissing noise.

"You go first!" the tank said, and Vortex shrugged. Blast Off had given them a map of the station which he had generated after scanning it. Apparently, there was no life left on the gigantic vessel, and the hall to which the gangway led had been some sort of storeroom with enough space for Vortex and Brawl to stand. The corridor, however, was smaller. It meant they'd need either to stoop the whole way, or - in Brawl's case, to crawl on their knees. With the tank's cannon barrel, there was no way of walking on his feet.

Thankfully, though, they were able to walk, as it seemed that Blast Off had hacked into the space station's systems and activated the artificial gravitational field.

Vortex entered the corridor; bending down, he tested the metal if it'd hold him and stepped in.

He switched to comms. 'You're sure it's solid enough?'

'It is,' Blast Off answered, irritated.

Vortex huffed, what other answer did he'd expect?

Walking slowly, hearing Brawl's vents behind him, the tank's muttering about the narrow room to move, Vortex tried to relax. But he could hardly suppress flinching when Blast Off spoke again.

'Remember, you get in, to the energy source and out. No detours. No shortcuts. You'll use the way I'll tell you. Got that?'

'Yeah, yeah…' Vortex answered, 'We… I mean I am not stupid.'

Behind him, there was a growl. 'Shut up, rotor head!'

'Hehe.' Talking made the situation better and Vortex less tense.

Over the comm, Blast Off only sighed, 'Just hurry, and stop fighting. I don't think you want me to come after you!'

'Awww,' Vortex grinned audibly, 'I always want you to come after me.'

'Idiot! Brawl, hit him for me!' And with a snicker, the tank did. Vortex didn't know how, or with what, but it made him stumble and fell on his knees.

There was laughter, but only until Vortex kicked out. The laughter changed to a whine and the 'copter grinned.

Both mechs fell silent after this.


When Vortex arrived at the storage bay, he couldn't see anything. Where in the gangway there had been emergency lights now and then, there was only darkness in the (for organics) huge room. A few windows near the ceiling usually let in the nearest sun's light, but right now only a few distant stars could be seen.

The 'copter turned his headlights on, and stepped further into the room. Time had left its mark on vehicles, storage boxes and cranes; lying on the floor, chaotic, messy, it looked as though the inhabitants had fled in a hurry.

Another light flashed on, and Vortex turned around. Brawl had also reached the room, and was looking around, equally curious.

'Yo, large aft, we're in,' the tank said via comm, and glanced at the ceiling.

'I know,' was Blast Off's huffed answer. The shuttle would follow their steps on the virtual map, and had made sure Vortex and Brawl had activated their transmitters.

'Opposite where you exited the corridor is a door. It's the only suitable way out.'

'It's closed,' Vortex said, and waited. It was a massive gate, about twice his size.

Another huff via comm, and Blast Off's tone was more irritated. 'Well, then open it.'

'Uhm, can't you do that? You already hacked into the ship's systems.'

There was a pause, and when the shuttle finally answered, you could practically hear him frowning, 'No. I didn't. I couldn't even… What makes you think that?'

Vortex and Brawl exchanged worried looks. This time Brawl replied, and Vortex wondered that the tank had come to the same conclusion.

'The gravity… didn't you active it?'

'No… I can't hack into its systems, not from the outside. It's probably a leftover program from the station. Something like a default code still active due to the energy source…'

Vortex knew that the last part was an attempt to reassure them that everything was normal, but he couldn't help but feel uneasy. Neither he nor Brawl where built for that. They should be out shooting Autobots and not playing hide and seek with an alien reactor-thing-whatever-it-was on an equally alien space station.

The discomfort grew when Brawl suddenly blurted out; 'Hey, there's something written on it.'

Vortex glanced up.

On the dark and, due to rust, abrasive metal door were letters which looked similar to those on the outside. Vortex couldn't read them, as he hadn't been in contact with that culture, and wasn't interested in it at all.

'What do you mean?' Blast Off wanted to know, and the 'copter took a picture of the writing, pinging the shuttle for a data transfer. It was impossible to say with what it was written, and although the letters were from the same alien origin, it was anything written as accurate as the name of the ship. It rather seemed as though it was written in great haste.

'So, Mr. Outer Space, what's its meaning?' Vortex was surprised with his own voice which sounded awkwardly cheerful. Waiting a moment, he didn't get an answer, and thought that Blast Off probably needed some time to generate a translation.

In the meantime, Vortex watched Brawl try to pull the door open. Due to the age and lack of maintenance it was hard to move, and the 'copter would have stood there motionlessly for another breem if it wasn't for the tank snapping at him.

'Slaggin' aft, how about some help here?'

'Nah, not in the mood,' Vortex grinned behind his mask, but despite his words, he stepped closer.

'Glitch head. Hurry up. I just wanna get over with it!'

It was Vortex' sentiment exactly. Nonetheless he couldn't resist and responded, with a faked smile, 'Awww, c'mon, it's so cosy in here…'

'Shut up and help me!' Brawl growled, and Vortex had to dodge the tank's fist.

'Hehe.'


They needed 3.82 kliks to open the door wide enough to be able to slip through. The corridor behind it was as dark as the storage bay, but slightly colder. They didn't dare to enter it, though, not before Blast Off gave the go-ahead. None of them was in the mood for surprises, or being snapped at by a moody shuttle.

'So, Thrusters,' Vortex tried anew after the long silence from Blast Off, 'Translated the scribbling yet?'

'Sort of…' The shuttle's voice sounded weird. 'It's just some daub.'

Vortex tilted his head, but kept quiet when Blast Off changed the topic.

'Follow to the next corridor until you reach an intersection; there you go left. Don't follow the other directions! They lead to areas with temperature you couldn't survive. I made another few scans and you'll have to take another route than I first suggested. The differences in temperature in the areas on the station are… weird, but constant.'

Brawl shrugged, and behind his visor, Vortex frowned. Neither of them moved.

After a few astroseconds, though, Vortex had enough and muttered, 'I guess I go first?'

Brawl's grin was audible. 'Sure, if you want to…'

The 'copter only revved his engine to a growl and stepped into the corridor.

'One more thing,' Blast Off spoke again, 'I recommend that you use your infrared sensors instead of your headlights…'

Once more Vortex thought the shuttle's voice sounded odd, and he asked, 'Why?'

'Because you can see better then, idiot!' Blast Off snapped back; but when he said the next part in that unknown tone, Vortex hesitated from taking another step.

'…and be careful.'