Chapter 4 – Latet anguis in herba

Notes: Title translation: There is a snake hidden in the grass. Let's do some plot developments shall we? Much love and noms to my beta, as always. It's your turn to post now :P

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"Good morning Bee," Hound greeted the yellow minibot as he picked up his energon.

"I wish," Bumblebee muttered.

"What's the matter?" Hound frowned at the normally jovial mech.

"Guests." He looked up. "The worst ones."

"Who?"

Bumblebee shot him a look that said he ought to know. "Starscream and Skywarp."

The green mech had heard what the others had said of the other seekers and Thundercracker's warning had done enough to make Hound apprehensive about meeting them anyway. The minibot sighed, putting down the datapad he was reading to switch it for another.

"Can I help?"

"It's alright." Bumblebee motioned to the datapads spread over the table. "They're both just fussy about things and despite what Lord Thundercracker does, if we get it wrong they will take it out on us and as I'm in charge of running this household, that will come back to me. It's my responsibility to get this right."

"So do you know what I'm supposed to be doing?" Hound asked, peering at the datapads without touching them. "Ironhide hasn't officially retired yet."

"I suspect Lord Thundercracker will do one of two things," Bumblebee answered whilst still reading. "Hide you away so neither of them can push their luck with you, as they always do around new slaves or have you at his side all the time, because they're going to meet you sooner rather than later." The minibot glanced up, a small frown between his optics. "Actually I'm surprised you haven't already, since you've been here nearly three deca-cycles."

"Do they normally see more of each other then?"

"Yeah, here or at either of their places, but as far as I'm aware there has been no invitations except this one." The yellow mech tapped something out on the pad, a pleased looked crossing his face briefly. "If Lord Thundercracker had gone out then he may have taken Ironhide instead of you, since you're new and haven't had that experience yet."

"And my 'problem' two deca-cycles won't have helped," Hound pointed out, referring to the event with the Enforcers by the name the gossip in the household called it. The green mech hadn't made friends with his little outburst, since all the slaves thought well of their Master and were trained to consider his needs above anything else. Bumblebee was one of the few exceptions, along with Ironhide, that seemed to understand why Hound had lost control of his temper. The black mech had his own temper to manage and the minibot just genuinely seemed to be that nice a mech.

"I'm sure that doesn't bother Lord Thundercracker."

"Nice of you to say," Hound grinned at the yellow mech who flashed him an answering smile.

"Go and ask him then."

"You're encouraging me to ask a question of my Lord and Master?" Hound raised one optic ridge.

Bumblebee shrugged one shoulder. "Everyone knows you get away with things we wouldn't."

Hound frowned. "You do? But doesn't that make you angry?"

The smaller mech raised his head then. "He's our Master, he decides who can do what." His expression drew in a little. "Some other mechs have been saying you've been interfacing with him to get special treatment, but considering how much trouble you've been having following orders, I don't think that's happening."

Hound shook his head. "How could I do that? How could anyone?"

"Quite a few slaves would willingly interface with their Masters," Bumblebee returned levelly and the green mech shook his head again, not understanding. "Hadn't you better be getting back to him anyway?"

Hound sighed, nodding. He finished his energon and departed the slave hub of the household, making his way to the set of chambers where he spent most of his time now. On the way he past a few other slaves and wondered if they were the ones that thought he served the seeker on his berth, but he tried to push those thoughts to one side. He didn't want to become suspicious of everyone around him when he knew better than to listen to rumours.

When he entered Thundercracker's room the seeker was busy organising things for his guests. Hound was well aware that there were other mechs to do some of things that the blue mech was engaged in, but Thundercracker seemed set on doing them himself. The green mech went to the desk and picked up the strewn datapads, organising them into neat piles.

"You'll need to put them away," Thundercracker's voice told him from the other side of the room. "Skywarp is too nosey for his own good."

Hound nodded, opening the storage space next to the desk. "Am I meeting them?"

The seeker glanced across at him. "Yes. Both of them mentioned you last time I talked to them."

"The Enforcer incident," Hound guessed. "They heard."

"With much delight," Thundercracker muttered. "Starscream told me I was too soft and he could break you in a day." Hound snorted inelegantly at that. "Oh I don't doubt he wouldn't try, maybe even succeed." Their optics met as the smaller mech looked up in consternation and Thundercracker smiled slightly. "But I doubt it."

Hound felt a smile quirk the corner of his mouth upwards and looked away again. Thundercracker was crediting him with a force of personality that wouldn't give in, which was true enough, but he was also putting him before a fellow seeker and supposed friend. He was giving him permission, as it were, never to change into a proper slave, at least in this household.

The pair of them worked in silence for another cycle, until Thundercracker suddenly looked up, tilting his head to one side. Hound stopped what he was doing, frowning slightly as he concentrated. On the edge of his hearing he could just make out the sound of jets, ones that sounded very similar to Thundercracker's.

"They're nearly here," the blue mech announced. "We better go greet them."

"You can hear that?"

"Not so much hear as feel." Thundercracker gestured between himself and the empty air in front of him. "Seekers feel a pull to be near each other. We don't know quite why, but it might have something to do with why we can fly so well together."

With that he left the room, Hound following, to the grand lobby area, where Thundercracker positioned himself directly in front of the doors, but not too close. It would allow those entering to get a good view of him without Thundercracker looking like he was over eager to see them. The seeker gestured to Hound to stand at one side of him, a step or so behind and the green mech did so, optics studying the tips of his pedes.

"Do you remember what I said about them? Leave as soon as you can."

"Yes," Hound nodded. "That bit about not being alone with them has stuck particularly well."

Thundercracker's mouth twitched at the deadpan tone. In some ways he would love to encourage Hound to be himself around the other two seekers, because it would be beyond amusing to watch someone stand up to them, but he also knew Starscream, in particular, would take very badly to the idea. Also keeping that flash of personality all to himself pleased the blue mech immensely. It made Hound that little bit more special.

Thundercracker's optics ticked right in a glance at the smaller mech. If he could, Hound wouldn't even be here. He would be locked away somewhere safe, away from everyone. The seeker realised that wasn't an option; Hound would protest far too much and many mechs had heard about him now, so he'd have to settle for the others seeing, but not touching and that made the blue mech smile. He had nothing against parading something to say 'look what I've got and you don't'.

Hound fidgeted beside Thundercracker. The expectation of what the other two seekers would be like had driven his CPU into overdrive and the apprehension was bubbling just under the surface. He didn't want to disappoint Thundercracker, or receive any sort of punishment for doing something he shouldn't, but he also didn't want to be here. There was a chance this would turn into a confrontation and Hound avoided those as much as he could.

A pair of slaves at the doors swept them open before the arrivals could knock, well trained to know the exact moment when the guests reached the threshold. The parting doors revealed a white, red and blue seeker on the left and a purple and black seeker on the right, followed by a slave each. It had been explained to Hound which mech was which, so he knew Starscream was the more brightly coloured one of the two.

Instant recognition flooded through Hound, though not at the sight of the seekers, but at their slaves. It took everything he had not to go running over to their sides but he couldn't help staring. The mech behind Starscream never lifted his optics from where they were fixed on his Master's heels but there was a flash of blue as the slightly smaller mech behind Skywarp tilted his head slightly in acknowledgement of Hound. It also let him see the gleam of metal from the collar at his throat and his world dropped sharply.

Thundercracker didn't notice as he was too busy greeting the other seekers and all the slaves were ignored. Hound didn't listen to what they said, though he was aware when the guests glanced his way and let loose a few derogatory comments. Thundercracker brushed them aside, ushering the others through the house to his private rooms, where Starscream and Skywarp instantly relaxed on the loungers. They dismissed their slaves to stand outside the room when Bumblebee seemed to appear from nowhere to serve them high grade and treats. He was silent, barely seeming to register on the seeker's attention and once he was done he disappeared out of the room again. Hound got the impression he was glad to have escaped.

Thundercracker hadn't dismissed him, so Hound put himself in a corner where he could see all the seekers, but he wasn't in Starscream or Skywarp's direct optic line and waited. The Lords were apparently catching up on business and gossip, clearly at ease with each other. Starscream seemed particularly interested in anything surrounding the latest technology but as soon as Skywarp mentioned their Prime and High Lord Protector, everything else paled into insignificance. Hound listened curiously, but didn't hear anything that wasn't just rumours, though he did notice Thundercracker took more of a back seat in these conversations.

A few breems later Thundercracker's computer terminal chirped and the blue mech turned his head to Hound slightly, motioning for him to answer the call. Hound moved to the screen and activated the vid screen. Ironhide's annoyed face appeared and he scowled. "Sorry to interrupt but there's a message at the door for Lord Thundercracker and the mech won't give it to anyone but him."

Hound nodded and Ironhide cut the communication. The green mech glanced up at the seekers who were still talking, having taken no real notice of the call. That meant he had to interrupt and he never had worked out how to do that as flawlessly as Bumblebee or any of the other slaves. He approached Thundercracker cautiously and was grateful when he looked up straight away.

"Excuse me sir. There is a messenger at the front door. He will not give anyone but you the message."

"Slagging messenger bots," Skywarp snorted. "They always think their job is so important."

Thundercracker sighed, rising from the lounger. "This won't take long."

The blue mech swiftly disappeared from the room. Hound was slower on moving, only realising that if Thundercracker left it would just be him and the other seekers in the room, when Thundercracker was nearly gone.

"Did I say you could go slave?" Starscream said, voice demanding.

Hound stopped dead, turning back to the pair of seekers. "No sir. I was following Lord Thundercracker's orders to leave when I was done."

"Well you're not done yet." The seeker pointed at the table in front of him. "Refill my glass."

Hound wanted to argue, complain he wasn't a serving slave, but he couldn't and it wouldn't hurt to get this over and done with. The green mech bobbed his head before he stepped back over to the pair on the loungers, bending to pick up Starscream's glass.

"Mine too." Skywarp didn't even bother to look his way or make the slightest move.

Hound gathered that glass up too, being careful with them because they were extremely fragile and his blunt fingers were not designed for finesse. He took them over to the decanter set on the sideboard and filled the glasses with the expensive energon. One whiff of it told Hound's senses this was probably the most refined energon he had ever seen or was likely too. The decanter was more than likely to be worth more than his life and Hound used excessive care not to spill any on the way back. After he set them on the table Starscream tapped the floor with one pede. "Sit."

"Sir," Hound managed to stop himself making it sound like a question, but the last thing he wanted to do was sit at the seeker's pedes like a pet. It was degrading and it would leave him vulnerable to the flyer behind him.

"Don't make me repeat myself." Starscream's voice took on a particular tone which Hound realised was as close to a warning as he would get. Hound turned to fit himself in beside the table and lounger, taking care because the gap really wasn't big enough for him. Everything in him was screaming to disobey and get the pit out of the room.

Abruptly, before Hound could do something he'd regret, the door to the room opened and Thundercracker reappeared. The seeker noted Hound's position and smoothly instructed, "Leave us now Hound."

"Sir," Hound nodded, grateful, but Starscream's voice had him freezing in place.

"Thundercracker, we deserve a little entertainment."

The blue flyer was, by this stage, at Hound's side and he stared down at Starscream. "And you know he is not here for that."

Hound inched away from the seekers, trying to be surreptitious about it. Thundercracker's hand brushed his hip as he passed, sliding around his waist slightly, but Hound couldn't look up to check his expression and was left wondering why. The seeker had never really touched him, so it had to have been deliberate. Maybe it was just reassurance, but for whom? He had to know Hound was grateful for his chance to escape.

"I still don't understand why you let them keep their name," Skywarp's voice said somewhere behind them.

"Because it's easier," Thundercracker replied. "How else do you get one particular slave's attention in a room full of them?"

"They're supposed to know," Starscream scoffed. "That's their life."

Hound gratefully let the door slid shut behind him, taking up his position to one side of it. Across the corridor stood the other seekers' aides and the green mech checked they were alone before he spoke. "It's good to see you Prowl, Jazz."

Prowl's optics flicked to him and he gave him the barest of nods before returning his gaze to the door. Jazz shot the other black and white a closed look prior to talking to Hound.

"Good t' see ya Hound. We didn't know where ya'd gone." Jazz shifted on his pedes briefly. "Someone took great pains t' hide ya when ya disappeared ino' the slave system."

"I guessed as much," Hound shrugged. He wasn't angry at the lack of rescue, it was a known risk. "But what are you two doing here?"

Jazz was silent for a long moment. "'Bout the time ya got arrested, someone set Prowl up 'n got 'im sent straight into the slave-pens. I was gonna get him freed when they stopped movin' 'im but then Screamer pick 'im up 'n I knew there was no gettin' out o' that one." The smaller black and white glanced at his motionless companion. "Ya know the rumours 'bout Screamer."

"They aren't rumours," Hound shook his head.

"Ya tellin' meh," Jazz muttered disgustedly. "I disobeyed a few orders, but some others were willin' t' help meh. I couldn't get into Screamer's household, next best thin' was Warp's." His visor glinted and Hound got the distinct impression Jazz was trying to glare a hole through the wall to the seekers beyond him. "I couldn't leave Prowl alone, not with 'im."

"Instead you put yourself at risk." Prowl's voice was soft. "Something you know I didn't want."

"Stuff it Prowler." Jazz shook his head. "I've got the know-how t' deal with this, ya haven't 'n ya mean too much t' meh t' let Screamer… do that."

Prowl slowly turned his head to meet Jazz's visor. "You can't stop that."

"Not all the time, maybe," Jazz agreed. "But when I'm there, ya know he likes fresher mechs 'n Warp ain't nearly as bad t' be around."

Hound kept his vocaliser mute as quiet, dawning horror made him realise his life here was a relaxed walk in the park in comparison to the life Jazz and Prowl now led. They didn't have to say what happened, they way they had said what they had was enough. That and the way Prowl was so distant. He may never have been the most social and outgoing of mechs, but he was never so rude as not to talk when someone included him in a conversation, nor did he ever carry himself so stiffly, like he was ready to move at a moment's notice.

"So Hound, what's Thundercracker like?" Jazz asked abruptly.

The green mech blinked. "Not bad… actually he's nice… really nice."

That felt wrong, saying that, but it was the truth and he couldn't lie Thundercracker was anything like the other two seekers. Jazz tilted his head. "I ain't heard anythin' bad 'bout 'im, 'cept the company he keeps."

"Seekers feel a pull to be in each other's company," Hound explained. "He can't help that."

"How'd ya know that?"

"He told me," Hound replied, shrugging.

The smaller black and white frowned. "He told ya?"

"I'm not…" Hound searched for the right word. "Broken in, as it were. I behave in public, around company, but otherwise, around him… I'm difficult. More than I would normally be."

"He lets ya get away with that?" Jazz sounded truly surprised.

"Yeah. He's pretty much said I can do that around him. Ironhide does it too, but he doesn't question him, always addresses him like he should."

"But ya don't," the other's voice carried a note of disbelief.

"We argue quite a bit." Hound shifted around, feeling almost guilty to admit this to someone who gave up their freedom to help their friend. "I guess he lets me do that because he wants me to defend him more willingly than I would if I were just a slave following orders."

"Is it workin'?" Jazz asked curiously.

The green mech hesitated slightly. "I guess so."

"Then it's just another way to change you to what they want." Prowl's voice was still a whisper but Hound could nearly taste the bitterness in it. It also hit home hard. Prior to his enslavement, Hound was willing to respect those slaves that enjoyed their lives, even if he disagreed with slavery as a whole, but he would never believed that he could become one of those mechs. He had vowed to fight his slavery when he had first found out he was being sent to the slave pens but Prowl's words made him realise he was no longer doing so.

The green mech felt abruptly sick to his tanks. He had accepted his slavery, however much leniency Thundercracker chose to give him, because he was more willing to defend Thundercracker's life with his own and it had been done with barely a protest from him. It was a comfortable, relatively easy life and he slipped into the routine, grown accustomed to it and hadn't thought once to fight back.

"Hound, don't ruin it." Jazz's voice brought him back to the corridor. "Maybe Prowl's right but maybe Thundercracker's one o' them mechs that isn't out t' do that 'n if that's the case, ya'd be a fool t' blow it. Ya make do 'n grow with what ya've got."

Just then they all heard the footsteps approach the door and drew themselves up straight, optics directed to the floor, behaving like the well trained slaves they knew they weren't. Skywarp was first out, followed by Starscream and then Thundercracker. They were still talking amongst themselves and all three slaves fell in behind them as they headed up the corridor. The talk was about a large upcoming party and the rumour both Prime and the High Lord Protector were going to be in attendance, which instantly meant Skywarp and Starscream would have to be seen there. Thundercracker seemed to reluctantly agree to go, but consented nevertheless.

By the time they re-entered the lobby Hound, Jazz and Prowl all knew they were going to see each other again at this party, even though nothing of the sort had been said to them. Each of them knew enough to know that one attending slave was allowed to be brought to these functions by each Lord and so far none of them had angered their Masters enough not to warrant not going.

As the seekers bid each other goodbye Jazz caught Hound's optics and whispered, "Take care."

Hound nodded once, slightly. "You too. Both of you."

Jazz smiled slightly. "I've always got Prowl's back. See ya around."

Hound watched them go until the doors were shut behind them, taking them from view. He was so deep in thought that he missed Thundercracker stepping up to his side until he spoke.

"You did well today. I expected something to go wrong."

"Thanks for the faith in me," Hound muttered.

The blue mech laughed, laying a hand on Hound's shoulder briefly. "I didn't mean it as an insult, not to you at least."

Hound turned to look at the bigger mech. "Starscream, you mean."

"You're not his type, really, but you're a challenge he's not allowed to take." Thundercracker gestured at the door. "I'm sorry I didn't dismiss you before I left the room. I had to know if he'd take the bait."

Hound shrugged, ignoring the 'bait' bit of Thundercracker's apology. "It's not like anything happened."

"Not this time." The seeker's voice had a slight warning in it. "I will try not to let a situation like that happen again. You're mine to protect."

Suddenly Hound wanted to ask why Thundercracker had touched him when he had dismissed. Coupled with those words, it made him seem almost possessive over Hound. Once Hound had been perfectly capable of taking care of himself, Starscream would never have been a problem, and that made the seeker's sudden protectiveness grate a little, but it was also weirdly comforting. The mech had more power than him, he was physically bigger and he seemed to care what happened to Hound. Perhaps, after his conversation with Jazz, that should have made Hound want to pull away from Thundercracker, but Jazz had said that you learn to make more out of the situation you find yourself in. If this got him closer to freedom, got him back to a place where he could fight to get Jazz and Prowl out of where they were, then he was going to take the chance with both hands.