A/N: YES! Finals are over and I'm officially graduated!! *Jumps up and down screaming like a mad-woman* With that said, updates should be a little more regular for both stories now that I will have some free-time. So, please enjoy this rather angsty chapter. I hope it further clarifies the somewhat hazy events of TC's past. And don't forget to review. I also proof-read and spell-checked, but alas, I am still human and may have missed some things so please forgive me. On with the story…!!
Chapter 20: Honor Reclaimed
Thundercracker snarled in aggravation. "You've got to be kidding me! The last thing I want to deal with now is even more slagging Autobots. Ironhide more than makes up for the whole fragging army!"
"So just what is it between you two anyways?" Skywarp inquired. "It was obvious even to me that there's some bad energon between you two and not the typical Con vs. Bot attitude."
"Long story."
"What part of your life isn't a long story?" Dezba inquired, a sarcastic undertone in her voice.
Skywarp's optics flashed with humor. "I'm with her on this one."
Thundercracker just snarled in aggravation as he climbed to his feet. He clenched his hand tightly around the girl as he rose then loosened his grip once he stabilized. She grunted in surprise at the rough treatment, but decided not to protest.
"I had hoped Starscream would have been here by now," he grumbled to his wingmate. He raised his hand and deposited Dezba on his shoulder, just next to the large shoulder vent. She quickly grasped onto the edge of the vent in order to keep her balance as the enormous Con underneath her shifted and moved about restlessly. Her ribs and arm throbbed dully with pain, but she wasn't about to ask to stay in the med bay alone.
"Actually he's not that far behind the new Autoscum. He contacted me while I was standing around outside."
"So what's taking that slagger so long?"
"You know how Screamer operates. Let's just say he's instituting a back-up plan in case things get a little tight around here," Skywarp replied, a very familiar mischievous glint in his optics.
Thundercracker raised an optic ridge, but decided not to pursue the subject. Things would reveal themselves in time, he was sure and he was all too familiar with Starscream's hidden agenda complex.
Together the two Seekers walked out of the med bay and headed towards the entrance of the Autobot base. Neither had a desire to remain indoors any longer than necessary. As they strode down the corridor, Dezba crouched on Thundercracker's shoulder, tightly gripping the shoulder vent while her body swayed gently with rocking motion of the blue Con's stride. She really didn't know what to make of these new proceedings, other than what she could feel through her mind link. Thundercracker was tense and even a little anxious. She didn't know much about the Autobots, but she had witnessed enough to know that almost all of them, with the exception of the Doctor and the leader, despised her guardian with a deep, unrelenting hatred. She decided that it was time to know what in world had happened in her absence.
"So what exactly is going on here, TC? Why all of a sudden have you guys decided to meet, peacefully I might add, with your enemies?" she asked.
Thundercracker sighed heavily as he prepared to answer her. "It appears that the Autobots may have some information regarding the humans that captured you. Starscream suspects that these humans have an agenda against all Cybertronians, including their Autobot allies, but to what end we do not know. One thing about Starscream, he's always believed in keeping his enemies close." Thundercracker turned his head slightly to regard the human on his shoulder. "I also sense that you know why these insects are so intent on your capture."
Dezba felt all the blood drain from her face; she knew exactly what Sector Seven was up to. "Uh, yeah…about that…I think I could shed some light on the subject for you guys."
"I thought so." Thundercracker didn't say anything more and Skywarp was once again remaining uncharacteristically quiet. They walked down the final corridor and approached the large opening that led out into the cool desert night. They could hear the quiet murmurings of the other mechs as they drew closer to the exit.
The deep voice of Optimus Prime drifted through the open doorway. "There is something I must tell you before you enter the base…"
At that moment both Thundercracker and Skywarp stepped through the open door and into the dark desert night. All the Autobots instantly tensed, with the two new arrivals drawing their weapons and training them on the two Seekers. Dezba shrank down behind Thundercracker's neck, seeking as much shelter as she could muster. She wasn't exactly in the greatest condition to make a stand anyway. She felt her guardian straighten proudly, his wings tensed and she heard the soft thrum as his weapons activated.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with what you were about to tell us, would it Optimus?" a mostly black and tan Autobot asked the leader. The large pistol-like weapon in his hand did not waver.
"Unfortunately, you are correct, Prowl. Please lower your weapons. Thundercracker and Skywarp are observing a cease-fire agreement until negotiations have been made," Prime said quietly, stepping closer to his Second-in-Command.
Cold, gas-fire blue optics scrutinized the two Seekers. A small twitch of movement drew Prowl's attention to Thundercracker's helm. His companion, Hound, saw the movement as well.
"Are we allowing Decepticons to keep humans as pets now, Prime?" the dark green Autobot asked, distrust and suspicion filling his optics.
"Hey! I'm no one's pet, Bolt-Breath! I'm with him because I want to be! The sooner you walking jalopies get that through your metal-plated brains, the better!"
Dezba's sudden outburst took most of the Autobots by surprise. Ratchet was trying his best to not burst out laughing and Thundercracker and Skywarp both exchanged small grins with each other.
That's telling them, Dezba, Thundercracker commended mentally.
Thanks. Let's just say I want this record straight from the get-go.
Prowl, Hound, there is much that you need to be debriefed on concerning recent events," Optimus said, trying to diffuse the tense situation, but another 'Bot had other ideas.
"So, if the human has chosen to side with the Decepticons, then that makes her a traitor to her own kind," Ironhide growled almost too low for anyone to here. "Isn't it funny how traitors seem to flock together--first Starscream, then you, Thundercracker, and now your human pet."
Dead silence fell amongst all those present. Dezba suddenly found herself in Thundercracker's hand. He gently placed her on the ground and gave her a telepathic command. Go to the other two humans.
She glanced over at Sam and Michaela who were both standing beside Bumblebee; the small, yellow scout was standing perpendicular to the Seekers and next to the entrance. But…she began to mentally protest, but was quickly cut off.
NOW!
Without another word, Dezba hobbled over to Sam and Michaela who quickly reached out and helped her to the side.
"What's going on?" Michaela whispered to the other girl.
"I'm not sure," Dezba replied, "but I do know TC's royally pissed right now and it looks as if our little cease-fire might be coming to a violent end."
"Aw man, this doesn't look good, this doesn't look good at all," Sam said, adding in his own two cents. He ran both hands through his dark hair as he watched the two Cybertronians step forward from their respective sides.
"Who are you to judge me, Ironhide?" Thundercracker growled.
"Who are you to take an innocent's life!?" the black Topkick said venomously.
"Optimus? Are you not going to do something?" Prowl asked his superior. The Autobots were at a loss of what to do. If they fired their weapons it would violate the cease-fire, but Ironhide and Thundercracker were making it pretty clear that upholding the cease-fire was the last thing on their processors.
"No, I'm not, Prowl. This confrontation has been a long time coming, even before we were here on Earth. I intend to let them settle their differences here and now so we won't have problems later on."
Prowl seemed slightly baffled by this response, but accepted it nonetheless.
"Ironhide, Thundercracker, I am aware of the conflict between the two of you," Prime announced loudly in the calm desert night. Both mechs paused in their posturing to listen to the Autobot leader; however, neither's optics deviated from the other.
"What are you getting at, Optimus?" Ironhide said lowly.
"Settle this fight according to the Cybertronian Code of Conduct. I know that the two of you are honorable mechs." At that statement there were snorts of disbelief from the assembled Autobots and even Sam, who was quickly punched in the shoulder by an irate Indian girl.
"Enough, Autobots!" Optimus commanded, his optics focusing on each of his men with a seriousness few had witnessed. "I will permit the two of you to settle your differences so long as you both honor the Code."
A small period of silence settled over the assembled mechs as everyone tried to process what Optimus had said. At this point, Optimus's suggestion was lost on everyone except to Ratchet and the two combatants facing each other. For Prowl and Hound, this was certainly the oddest welcoming either had received to date.
"Very well, Prime. I accept these conditions," Thundercracker rumbled, his voice deep and booming in the cold desert air.
Ironhide nodded his acceptance. "Agreed."
Optimus nodded his head once. "Autobots and Decepticon, please stand back. Bumblebee, tend to the humans. Under no circumstances is anyone to interfere." Optimus focused on the two mechs now standing in the center of a large circle. "As witness to this proceeding, you will both fight until one or the other is no longer able to stand. The use of weapons is prohibited; this will be hand-to-hand combat only. You may begin."
"I've been waiting a long time for this, traitor," Ironhide snarled. He slowly began to try and circle the taller Seeker, his blue optics continuously searching for an opening.
"You know nothing of what I've been through!" the blue jet growled in return. Thundercracker's wings visibly trembled. His optics were blazing infernos as he warily watched his foe.
"I know that you killed her! And that's all I need to know!"
"Then you are a fool! We were once friends, Ironhide. Do you disregard your allies as easily as you have disregarded me?"
"Only those who turn on their own and murder the innocent!"
"I did not mean to kill Chromia!" Thundercracker snapped.
"Oh, really?" Ironhide sneered, still circling. "Just like you didn't mean lead Solarflare to her death?"
With a roar of fury, the blue Seeker lunged at his black foe, his massive fist connecting with the side of Ironhide's face and sending the black Topkick reeling. The Autobot fell to one knee and raised a hand up to his metallic face. The metal was crumpled and dented from the force of the punch. He grinned wickedly, "Looks like I struck a sensor."
"It'll be the last thing you strike!" Thundercracker retorted angrily, closing quickly for another strike. With a speed that seemed impossible for a mech his size, Ironhide lashed out with one his legs, his intent to take the Seeker's legs out from underneath him.
Thundercracker caught the maneuver none too soon. He leaped high into the air as Ironhide's leg swept underneath him. The black Autobot then rolled quickly to the right and was back on his own two feet in a flash. Thundercracker landed with a ground-shaking thoom, his avian-like legs bending to absorb the concussion. He ducked a vicious right hook as Ironhide pressed his attack. He countered the next punch by raising his forearm, deflecting the blow up and away from his helm. At the same time, Thundercracker raised one of his powerful legs and kicked Ironhide square in the grill. A shower of sparks and the protesting squeal of metal on metal followed the resounding blow. Ironhide stumbled back, momentarily stunned by the force of the kick. He didn't have time to recuperate. Thundercracker was on the black truck like a bad case of cosmic rust. In a flurry of blue-black metal, Thundercracker rained punch after punch on his black foe. Small pieces of metal and black enamel began to litter the desert floor.
Finally, Ironhide managed to get his defense up. He grabbed Thundercracker's left wrist and yanked the blue Seeker towards him forcefully. The move was completely unexpected. Thundercracker felt himself fall forward over his center of gravity. Ironhide anticipated this and ducked his shoulder into the Seeker. With a mighty heave and a grunt from the strain, the black Topkick flipped the massive Decepticon up and over his shoulder. Thundercracker landed in a cloud of grit and sand, his weight causing the immediate area to shudder. Suddenly an immense pain ripped through his left wing. Ironhide spitefully ground his heel into Thundercracker's wing, causing a white flash of pain to momentarily overload his CPU. The blue Seeker was barely aware of another's scream of pain.
Off to one side, Dezba grasped her head and stumbled back into Sam and Michaela. Both teenagers gently grabbed her by the shoulders and lowered her to the sandy earth, unsure of what exactly was happening. Ratchet took notice of this strange phenomenon as well, but at the moment was powerless to do anything about it. Like Optimus, he too believed that these two former friends needed to settle their differences. In very rare occurrences, sometimes a good brawl was the best way to heal festering wounds; plus, Thundercracker and Ironhide had never been mechs prone to talk, both being firm believers in actions speaking louder than words. Ironhide's voice shook the medic from his musings; he directed his bright, cerulean optics to the brawling pair.
"I watched you shoot her, traitor!" Ironhide roared. He dug his heel deeper into the sensitive wing. The blue Seeker screeched in agony; he could feel the thin sheet metal begin to buckle, the wiring begin to snap.
Skywarp watched on angrily; there was nothing he could do to help his wingmate. He growled in frustration and began to pace back and forth restlessly. A small flash drew his attention followed by a brief internal com transmission. He stopped his pacing long enough to listen to the transmission. He glanced out again into the open desert behind Prime; a very vague figure stood approximately 500 yards away from the scene, watching silently. He felt slight relief run through his systems. Backup had arrived.
"I've…already told you, I didn't mean to kill her!" Thundercracker ground out between flashes of intense pain. "You haven't even heard my side of the story." He felt the pain lessen marginally. "You convicted me long before you could prove my guilt," he spat. "And here I always believed Autobots upheld principles of justice and fairness!"
"Don't lecture me on Autobot morals! You, the traitor that broke every moral obligation you swore to uphold!"
"I had no choice in the matter! Did it never occur to you that the Council may have been the ones that betrayed you, just as they betrayed me!?"
With sudden renewed vigor, the blue Seeker twisted his torso around and punched the black Autobot in the knee joint with his right fist. Ironhide groaned in surprise and pain; he stumbled back and prepared for the next assault. Thundercracker was on his feet in a flash. He faked a left hook and then delivered a vicious uppercut into Ironhide's chin. It was quickly followed by a right roundhouse punch. Ironhide was a great warrior and an excellent fighter, but his specialty had always been with weaponry. When it came to hand-to-hand combat, the black Autobot could hold his own beautifully, but there had always been one mech slightly better than him. He was facing that mech right now. Seekers had never been overly fond of the ground, but Thundercracker had taken that potential weakness and turned it into a strength. He had focused ruthlessly on his ground combat skills until he was as lithe and dangerous on the earth as he was in the air. Another reason Megatron had wanted the blue jet in his ranks so badly.
The blows were becoming more and more forceful; Thundercracker could feel his opponent weakening, his defenses slackening. He pressed his advantage to the full. He backhanded his former friend and ally and watched dispassionately as one blue optic flashed and then died, knocked off-line from the force of the blow. Two more solid punches had the Autobot stumbling on his feet; one vicious roundhouse kick spun Ironhide around and forced him to his knees. Bits of metal flew from Ironhide's body in a sick artificial rain. As one final blow to both ego and stamina, Thundercracker brutally kicked the Topkick square in the chest, sending the weapons specialist flat on his back, moaning in pain. Ironhide tried to rise, but could not summon the energy to do so. He collapsed back into the dust, waiting for Thundercracker's gloating words.
The blue Seeker entered his staticy vision, but instead of a sneering, haughty expression donning his features, to Ironhide's surprise he saw sadness and remorse. It was not what he expected. "You say I betrayed you and the other Autobots, but can you imagine how betrayed I felt when not a single rescue mission was attempted to bring me and Solarflare back?" Bitterness permeated his vocals as he spoke each word. "You! All of you," he said pointing an accusing claw first at Ironhide, then at the others, "believed every bare-nut lie the Council uttered! Senator Ratbat especially! He had been working with Megatron all along, feeding you false information and you accepted it like a sparkling takes energon from its dam! Solarflare and I were fooled just like the rest of you! But because we were Seekers, you doubted our obligations, doubted our honor! Our last mission together was a set-up, a trap for Megatron to use her against me, to get me to submit to him! I knew what it was from the start, but I went anyway to keep my sister from falling into harm. And do you know what happened anyway?" Thundercracker scowered the crowd with his flame-filled optics. Centuries of hurt, betrayal, and suffering showed through those blood red lenses.
Thundercracker answered his own rhetorical question. "I had no choice but to vow to serve him in exchange for Solarflare's life. Does that make me evil in your optics? Does trying to save the last member of my clan, my family, turn me into a sparkles brute? I watched as Megatron ripped her spark from her chest, crushed her sanctity between his servos like her spark was no more than useless quartz between his fingers. He imprisoned me for centa-cycles; he taunted me, tortured me, and even tried to reprogram me. Not once did I hear or was told of a rescue attempt. Instead you swallowed the Council's evidence like candied energon. They told you I had defected, killed my sister to keep her from returning to you. Tell me Autobots, what evidence did Ratbat present you with? What overwhelming truth did that slagheap give you that defied my years of loyal service to the Aerial Elite Guard?"
Once again, silence filled the desert night once more. This was the story Optimus and Ratchet had hoped, but ironically not wanted to hear. Each had had their suspicions as to what had happened; each had hoped what they had been told by the Council wasn't true, but their prime witness had disappeared into enemy clutches before any of them could foster a response. All they had been given was circumstantial evidence at best and all of it pointed at Thundercracker with an accusing finger. Optimus broke the uncomfortable silence first.
"Senator Ratbat showed us optical evidence of you swearing allegiance to Megatron along with a few datapads confirming sightings of you flying with the Decepticons. You are right, Thundercracker, some of us were quick to judge you based on superfluous evidence, but unfortunately your prolonged absence only confirmed our worst fears instead of absolving them. For this, you have my deepest apologies, for whatever it may be worth now."
"It's not much, of that I can assure you," Thundercracker replied with vehemence. "After so long, I realized you, the noble Autobots, had forsaken me, left me to die a prisoner among the Decepticons. At that point, bitterness and hate filled my spark; since you believed me a traitor, I wanted you to feel the full extent of betrayal and all the pain and agony with it. My resentment poisoned me for the longest time. It was what Megatron had hoped would happen. Since he and Starscream were the only one's present at the time of Solarflare's termination and my capture, no other Cons knew of my connection with the Elite Guard. Any documentation connecting me with you was destroyed and those few Autobots that did know of my former allegiances were terminated, but I see Ratbat missed a few," he narrowed his hellfire optics at Ratchet. My connection with the Autobots was lost to time and death while I rusted away as prisoner, allowing my bitterness and resentment to slowly eat me from the inside out and turn me into the monster Megatron wanted me to become. He knew exactly how to manipulate my emotions and use them against me."
As Thundercracker spoke, the Autobots listened with a mixture of shock, disgust, and even anger. The younger among them, Bumblebee, Hound, and even Prowl had only ever known and seen Thundercracker as one of the most ruthless Decepticons on the battlefield, a walking, flying nightmare that one counted oneself lucky to escape with their spark chamber intact. This was a lot of information to process.
Dezba now fully understood everything that had occurred within their dream. It had been a haunting flashback and she had seen every horrid moment right down to his sister's termination. Through their connection, she felt Thundercracker's emotions swirl and boil around her like a frothy, mountain river—anger, remorse, sadness, bitterness and angst. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that what he spoke was true; something deep within her confirmed it.
"As the War progressed and began to span millennia after millennia, my bitterness and hate waned with the passing stellar cycles. I slowly lost my conviction to fight, my desire to inflict suffering, but I couldn't stop, not then. Starscream knew of my past and would not have hesitated to tell the other Decepticons around me of my origins. I held high rank in the Decepticon army and as cowardly as it may sound, I had no desire to put myself in danger of being assassinated by another Con. So, I continued the charade; next to Starscream, Blackout and Megatron, I was the one of most powerful soldiers in their army. As long as I gave no one a reason to attack my authority, those above and below me respected and feared me. I had entrapped myself. I could no longer return to you as a wayward soldier, for I did commit treason, just not during the time and place you first believed. I know longer wanted to fight for the Decepticons, but I had little choice but to continue."
"And what of Chromia?" Ironhide spat, fluids dripping between his mouth components. "I watched you raise your cannons and shoot her square in the back! How do you explain that?"
Thundercracker grew silent for several long seconds. During this time, Dezba shot a quick glance over to Skywarp. The dark purple and black mech had said nothing at all during this whole proceeding. His optics were bright and unreadable. She knew Skywarp was the closest thing to a friend Thundercracker had had in the Decepticon army. How did his friend take his wingmate being a former Autobot Elite Aerial Guard?
Finally, Thundercracker lowered his optics and gave Ironhide one of the most scathing glares any had ever seen. It made the old Autobot warrior feel as if his face plating were about to spontaneously combust. "It's true that for a time the only thing I desired was to see an Autobot suffer at my hands, but you and Chromia were never among my targets. Of all the Autobots, I had hoped you would have figured everything out. We went through the Academy together, Ironhide. You were the single mech who had spent more time with me than any other. I always thought that if there was one mech who wouldn't swallow that slag-load of lies about me, it would have been you, but it appears I did not know my friend as well as I thought I did."
For the first time since the meeting, Ironhide turned his single-optic gaze away from Thundercracker.
"It was the Battle of Tyger Pax, wasn't it friend? You were fighting Barricade and Chromia, your sparkmate, was fending off Dropkick. I was Tactical Commander of the 2nd Air Raid Squadron and wanted more than anything for this Primus-damned war to be over with. I was leading a strafing and bombing run over the field when I saw the two of you fighting your respective opponents. What you didn't see was Dreadwing warping behind your precious Chromia to take her by surprise. I knew how much she meant to you, so I tried to take a pot-shot at that coward before he did her in. Problem was she saw him a moment after I did, but I had already fired my cannons. She turned unexpectedly and took the full force of my attack. It was an accident pure and simple; I cannot phrase it any better than that, so believe what you wish."
Thundercracker stepped away from his fallen opponent, permitting Ironhide enough room to stand. Thundercracker's armor was dented and chipped and several small fuel lines dripped fluid onto the ground. His left wing was crumpled and torn and hurt like the Pit, but surprisingly it was still airworthy. It had been a tough fight, but he had won. Now all he wanted to do was to put as much distance between himself and the Autobots as possible. He turned and focused his stare on the small, black-haired human standing next to Bumblebee. Dezba obeyed his unspoken request and slowly walked towards her unlikely guardian; Sam and Michaela didn't object this time. But before Dezba stepped onto his proffered hand, she stopped and looked at each and every individual standing in the large semi-circle. She gave a deep sigh and said, "For what it's worth, he speaks the truth. You may not believe me, but I bore witness to the events of his capture and I know what he has told you is as close to the truth as you'll ever come."
"I believe both of you," Ratchet spoke. Optimus nodded his head in agreement, "As do I, old friend."
Thundercracker narrowed his optics at Optimus's statement. "'Actions speak louder than words,' Optimus Prime."
With that he scooped Dezba up into his hands and placed her gingerly within his cockpit. He paused to spare a glance at his wingmate, but was only met with hostile red optics; Thundercracker turned away. The mighty Seeker took three huge leaps before transforming in mid-air and speeding off to greet the desert stars. His signature sonic boom shattered the desert night as he himself became a speck in a star-studded sky.
"Shouldn't one of us follow him in case the humans try to take the Collins girl?" Bumblebee asked. But a new, hauntingly familiar voice answered his question from the depths of the night.
"That will not be necessary."
Several of the Autobots whirled to find the Decepticon leader himself slowly and haughtily approaching from behind Optimus Prime.
"You! How long have you been here!?" Hound demanded, beginning to draw his rifle.
"Long enough," came the succinct reply. He turned to face Optimus. "I believe you have been expecting me?"
"Indeed," Optimus rumbled. "Are you sure we should not concern ourselves with Thundercracker and Dezba's absence?"
Starscream narrowed his optics and a devilish smirk pulled at his mouth components. "It will be no consequence, Prime. They will be well looked after, not to mention that though he is a pathetic, sentimental scrapheap, Thundercracker can more than look after himself in these trying times. He will return when his circuits cool off."
Optimus did not look convinced, but he knew better than to push Starscream for details. He looked at his assembled Autobots and began to explain things. "Starscream is here per request. He wishes to meet with us concerning the recent events at the Boneyard and our new human friend's connection with Sector Seven. Both sides have agreed to a cease-fire during these proceedings. It will be observed. Understood?"
A chorus of "yes sir" echoed through the night.
"Good. As strange as it may sound to you, Starscream and I both have reason to suspect that Sector Seven is out to target all Cybertronians, Autobot and Decepticon alike."
"With so few of us remaining, it would be foolish to continue this incessant fighting while another enemy, small though they are, positions itself to potentially eradicate us," Starscream added.
"We will go inside to begin our discussions. Ratchet, please attend to Ironhide."
"Yes, sir Optimus. Come on you old fragger," the medic jabbed. "Let's get you to the med-bay. I never thought I'd live to see the day you were beaten in a fist-fight."
"He's the only one that has ever beaten me hand-to-hand and I would like to keep it that way," Ironhide groused as he slowly rose from the dust with Ratchet's help.
I trust you will notify your Second when the time comes?" Optimus asked Starscream as they began to make their way inside the base.
"Affirmative. You know I am a mech of my word, Optimus," Starscream said oily . As much as Optimus had hoped for both sides to sit down and agree to end the War, he couldn't help but feel more than a little uneasy about Starscream heading up the Decepticon side of the negotiations. Just like his armor, things always had a way of turning a murky brownish-grey when the Seeker was involved.