Surrender:

Chapter six: Intellectual Back Scratching

I was going to post this yesterday but I felt it was LACKING something so I kept hold of it and found out what I was missing tonight. I hope you all enjoy the sixth installment of Surrender.

Starscream entered his shared hanger slowly. The berth in the back was hidden behind large plastic screens used to block off the aircraft that were once housed in these hangers.

Now, they were used as wells to separate living areas and berth areas for the mechs. Starscream looked this way and that as he pulled the door closed quietly behind him. He took slow even steps to the curtain and pulled back the plastic slightly peering in with one optic.

Ironhide lay silent on his left side, optics slightly open though dark, as he recharged. He was facing the inside of the berth, a hand lying over the empty spot where the seeker would usually reside.

One hands still clutching the edge of the curtain the seeker sighed. As he watched the dark mech, he took note of the silver facemask that was readily in place, the gold seams that ran up his face and into the upper part of his cat-like helm. He looked away then back to the berth. His optics caught by the gold lines that rand under the optic shields of Ironhide's face. The seeker loved the dark façade.

Turning his head away a moment he considered the realization. He loved what he saw; it heated up his frame and caused tremors in his spark. He wouldn't be a coward, he wouldn't run this time or let any number of other things rule his decisions. He would be strong.

Turning back he stepped forward and pulled the curtain closed. He watched Ironhide seriously as he moved to his side of the berth. He sat down slowly and looked back. Ironhide didn't so much as shift, but Ratchet had spoken to him on the tarmac when he landed that the brute was sedated.

Starscream pulled in his shoulders and his wings collapsed in on themselves slowly making him less triangle shaped and more square, and he rolled his legs onto the berth and turned taking the slack hand and moving it slowly.

Starscream's helm lowered and he considered for a long moment letting the warrior's slack hand fall, but the seeker kept it closed in his. He held it, and sealed his optics and tired to recharge.

Ironhide's optics fluttered open with a groan. Looking around the world was blurry and his HUD was trying to right itself. The lag when bringing up his scanners was mind numbing.

But something caught his attention first. His hand was being held. Turning his head to the side his vision began to clear. Starscream lay beside him deep in recharge and rolled on his side facing the pick up. "Screamer?" Ironhide rolled to face the seeker reaching out his free hand to touch the silver face. "Starscream." He murmured. His facemask lowered down over the front of his neck and then sunk down into his chassis away.

The seeker's optics fluttered open at the shunting sound, and the mechs lay silent for a long time. They just stared at one another. As if keeping the silence was the most important thing at the moment. The diesel pick up felt the raptor's hand tightening around his own as his head finally started to clear of the groggy fog.

Ironhide didn't know what to say as he drew himself closer their chassis flush against one another. He shook his head one final time to try to get rid of the static in his audios.

Starscream's mouth found his first and they moved slowly kissing and feeling each other. It was a sensual dance, one they'd never tried, and it was new and it reached a crescendo as they started to warm against each other as their first strong kiss broke into more numb silence.

There was something so right about this in Ironhide's mind. His want was extreme, and the seeker though moving slowly, wanted it just as much as he did.

This was different then all the other times that Starscream had pinned Ironhide to the berth. Ironhide had always submitted for the seeker's comfort, but that was going to end now. Ironhide was intent to claim his prize. Their nights of rough cycling and overload were over and Ironhide was going to prove to the seeker what this meant to him.-

Starscream lowered and kissed along the truck's jaw, and it released a purr from Ironhide. There was no rush, and Ironhide made the play he hoped he wouldn't regret. It could go one of two ways, Starscream would agree, or he'd refuse, but he was too into this not to want to try.

Pushing Starscream back Ironhide took the dominant position over the seeker. Starscream didn't appear to be arguing but then again his lips were otherwise occupied against Ironhide's jaw as he was rolled backward to his back-strut.

Plates shifted in their awkward dance and cables extended from their torsos reaching for the other. Ironhide captured the seeker's lips again but they broke apart just as their cables drew together linking their bodies. "Screamer…." He looked down into the crimson optics and couldn't speak the apology in his spark.

"Me too." Starscream whispered and they kissed again pressing their bodies tighter together. As their lingering kiss broke the seeker looked up. "Us." He said with soft reverence.

"Us." Ironhide said revving his engine hard, as the seeker moaned and arched up his wing flaps that held a place along his upper arms began to tremble. Ironhide revved up again and the seeker's engines began to let out a low climbing whine as the charge between them build up. "Stings…"

"Keep cycling." Starscream whispered softly reached up between their bodies holding Ironhide's helm in his clawed hands. "Almost …almost…"

Ironhide forced himself to hold fast, he sunk against the jet's already cracked torso and reached around him pulling his shoulders firmly. The seeker was larger and could hold the charge longer than he could but he was determined, if not for the mind-blowing overload than for Starscream, to hold on. Their torsos began to tremble and Ironhide heard as mush as he felt the popping in his chassis of the circuits frying. "Let go Screamer."

Starscream pushed his lips to Ironhide's as the two of them released the torrent of cycling energy between them. It cascaded down their systems and they didn't care who heard their groans and moans of ecstasy. Starscream arched into the kiss and Ironhide pushed him back trying to keep control of their rattling bodies.

As soon as the euphoria had come, it had gone. Ironhide rolled off the seeker and gasped for breath; his vents hurrying to catch up with him. "Primus." He laughed a bit as he smiled.

Starscream turned his head and his arm flopped over to Ironhide. Extending his claws the seeker ran his knuckles over Ironhide's torso plate. "The was delightful." He hissed out softly as he arched his hips trying to get comfortable. "Mmm midnight." He said knowingly looking up at their dingy skylight that was deep dark black.

"My favorite time of day is when the humans sleep." Ironhide smirked lifting a hand to take the clawed hand against him and smirked. "We good?"

"Yes…" Starscream closed his optics. "We are fine."

"Good." Ironhide reached to his right to gather up his data pad and pulled it over turning it on. "Screamer?"

The seeker's optics didn't open but he let out a knowing sound that he was listening. "Hmmm?"

Ironhide smirked and squeezed the clawed hand. "Lets make sure we get you to Ratchet tomorrow ok?" He smiled and let out a contented sigh. "One of us will have to explain the hole."

Starscream's optics opened and he looked down. Sure enough the canopy had fully collapsed and glass chips littered their berth. "Slag."

Ironhide chuckled and shifted "Sit up and I'll help you get them all out." He smiled but paused. "If you would like assistance."

Starscream looked down then looked directly into Ironhide's optics. "I would welcome your assistance." Ironhide had to smile at that; it really did make it the perfect end to this whole Primas forsaken ordeal.

Ironhide smiled as he watched the seeker roll his legs off the berth. Ironhide smirked as he stood up from his side of the bed and rubbed his chassis. "That was quite a charge disbursement Screamer."

"You held on longer." Starscream said slowly.

"You helped." Ironhide walked around the berth and moved to his worktable and grabbed up his wire tweezers. "Sit up straight for me." Starscream adjusted his posture stiffly. Kneeling between the seekers knees the dark mech looked up. His hand shifted over and ran along the side of the seeker's arm. Starscream for his part closed his optics and turned his head toward the touch. "You're fascinating." Ironhide murmured softly.

"Trying to coddle me are you?" Starscream opened his optics letting out a soft chuckle.

"I would think you would consider a complement to be intellectual back scratching." Ironhide laughed and leaned forward and began to slowly pull out the glass shards one at a time. "You are a bit selfish like that."

"Where did you get that gem of a statement?" Starscream shifted a bit, he would not contest his vanity.

"One of Lennox's fortune cookies."

"Ah, well…. points to the human who came up with such a statement…it is very-" after a moments consideration the seeker laughed. "Very Apt."

Ironhide chuckled but kept working.

Prowl smiled up into the Prime's luminescent optics. "I'm glad we could spend some time together." Prowl said huskily as they drew closer to one another.

They were seated on the long crate of the far wall of his hanger. Their hands interlaced and their helms coming down to meet, and for Prowl it seemed like it was taking forever just to kiss the larger mech. Oh did he want to, his door wings fluttered involuntarily.

They came together almost unsure as the small chaste kiss turned into more confident ones, more powerful ones. Prowls hands roamed Optimus' chassis and each pulled sounds from the other they hadn't heard in a stars age, not from anyone else, and certainly Prowl had not heard them from himself. Their evening was perfect, and it would have stayed that way save for the unforeseen circumstances that would divide their time.

The hanger doors flew open without warning. Optimus and Prowl didn't have time to move apart but their lips separated and they looked at the door where Sideswipe stood. "Little fragger shot Bumblebee and ran off." He said slowly. "Was aiming for me." He shook his head. "Bumblebee got in the way and took the hit…I want to go after him."

"Wait a moment… Shot Bumblebee?" Prowl stood pulling out of the Prime's arms. "Shifter?"

"Yeah, and when I catch that little slagger." Sideswipe punched his fist into his palm.

"Enough." Optimus stood his voice enough to slacken the silver corvette's posture. "Sideswipe escort Prowl to command…." He turned to Prowl addressing him directly. "Stay with Red alert and Sideswipe, the rest of us will bring him back." Prowl nodded.

"But boss I want a piece of him!" Sideswipe protested.

"Until your attitude toward your fellow Cybertronians and the humans who allow you asylum improves; you are remanded to base." Optimus pressed pass the corvette. "Escort Prowl To Red-Alert and begin terrestrial scans of the entire area. Inform Colonel Lennox and get Miss Mearing filled in on the situation. We may need her to run interference for us. " Before the protests could fly he was walking away.

Optimus swiftly Jogged for the next hanger over and tapped on the door. "It's open!" Ironhide said still knelt down pulling shards of glass away with what resembled human tweezers out of Starscream's chassis as he sit on the edge their berth.

Optimus entered slowly moving to the back of the hanger. He pulled the curtain back slightly. "Shifter has run off, he shot Bumblebee, I've radioed Ratchet and he said it's not life threatening."

"What?" Starscream stood up slowly glass pieces fell with gravity as he sat and make soft settling noises in his body. "Shot Bumblebee?"

Ironhide stiffened. "That's what I said…I need you both to help me find him. If you're up to it." The question focused on Ironhide.

"I'll get on it right away Prime." Ironhide turned to Starscream. "Get to Hook, how long do you think it will take him to get that glass replaced?"

"Less than thirty minutes." Starscream said slowly standing up.

"Good.' Optimus said as he turned on his heels. "Get it fixed and the minute you're in the air radio me, we have to find him."

Ironhide looked around slowly. "If we find him." They all moved for the door.

"He is young and naïve this is a great advantage…there's a hope he gets close to a mobile Energon detector without seeing it." Starscream said slowly. "He doesn't know how to properly shield himself, have Red-Alert scan for low levels of radiation, he'll give off higher readings than we do because he doesn't know how to shield them."

"That's a good idea." Ironhide agreed.

"Get to it." Optimus said pressing out the doors and toward his waiting flight tech trailer.

Ironhide stopped Starscream before he could get to far. "Come back to me."

The seeker gave a curt nod. "Then we'll return to the intellectual back scratching?"

Ironhide released the seeker and smiled. "All you like." He turned and made for the edge of the tarmac where human vehicles were assembling. "Group Alpha! Stay on my tail pipes we're going into town! Group Beta you're going to the green sector just on the outskirts to cover it and the two-mile perimeter. " Ironhide pointed to the left. "Optimus will be covering and coordinating from the air, and Starscream will join him soon, if you find him POP a flare and report in to Red Alert Via your emergency channels. Do not engage him, wait for Autobot support. Good Luck and dismissed!"

Ironhide swung his hand around over his helm and Optimus nodded and moved to the open tarmac to find room to lift off from. The pick up transformed and opened his doors for William Lennox and three of his men.

"I was sound asleep too…" One of the men said slowly.

"Yeah we all were…Lets go Hide." Lennox pat the dashboard and Ironhide's headlamps flew on and his engine revved.

To be continued...