Chapter 21
"I'll be done here in just a quick sec, TC…just gotta check your Auxiliary com and that radar altimeter...last time I checked them a few days ago they still had a few glitches," Nyree explained, her voice rushed.
"Relax squish…don't get your fraggin circuits all in a bunch. I've managed to stay put on this sorry heap of a base for over a decacyle…I'm still functioning…another few nanoclicks won't make me go offline," Thundercracker grumbled back and then added, "If it makes you feel any better, I'm not gonna try and burn your flesh off…been there, done that…just do what you have to, alright?"
Besides, I'm gonna be outta here soon enough…Thundercracker thought then.
With the exterior "cleansing" ritual from two earth weeks ago that saw three conspicuous brandings make their way off him, the catalyst had been ignited for everything else to diligently follow suit.
Finally, they were starting to visit him regularly, the solar cycles of slowly fading pain that were enough to keep the grey Seeker thrilled for the next couple of vorns, easily. Or, considering the present moment, minorly subdued until the fleshy medic was done with her systems check.
Now, instead of having to prop himself whenever he stepped anywhere, Thundercracker found he could actually make it to where he was going without any type of support. Although his chest still felt weighted and tight, it was a small deal to strike in exchange for surviving what was meant to be a lethal incident. And with the pain starting to recede, Thundercracker knew that only meant one thing.
Flying.
Liberation bestowing its highest form and Thundercracker was all too eager to accept it.
With his personal fleshy medic sitting inside his cockpit, her tiny frame bearing no weight whatsoever on him, his entire body relaxed from nose to tail pipe - passiveness he openly welcomed without any type of snide hesitation.
Unlike his former comrades, Thundercracker had never truly detested the humans, even during the constant battles of trying to destroy their natural habitat from being on earth before. It had been his job, what was right at the time. And no matter what little reservations were held back then, they were not enough to get in his way of what was expected of him.
But the small 47th Fighting Falcon squadron had only helped to harness the winds of change that had long been blowing inside. That small amount of learned tolerance from flying with them trickled right on down to the fleshy medic sitting inside his alt mode - a distinct fact made more pertinent from all the efforts she put forth on a daily basis to try and ensure his comfort and "upkeep" - even when her diminutive size worked against her.
In all the time fighting alongside his former comrades, there had never been anyone genuinely care about his well being like she did. There were no hidden agendas and no cause to worry she might "double cross" or sell him out to whoever's offer looked better.
The help extended was authentic - how he felt about being in the air, she felt about repairing - and Thundercracker honestly respected that.
Squish…she's not bad…a little too on the eager side for approval maybe…but still not bad…there's much worse beings to be around, that's for slaggin' sure! Thundercracker silently admitted, okay with sitting still for her a little bit longer.
"So, does it feel weird?" Nyree asked suddenly, breaking the grey Seeker's private thoughts.
"What?"
"Having those insignias off you," Nyree replied trying to adjust a few display panels on the right side console.
The one thing Thundercracker could say he knew about fleshies was how they expressed fear. Their body language may try to mask it, but their optics always held that same wide open space of unknowing fright and panic. They were too much of an emotionally ruled species to be any different and their poor attempt at hiding such was pathetically laughable.
But that day the fleshy medic stood her ground, Thundercracker read none of that, only a rigid stance of fearless confidence that said she was willing and capable of backing up every single word spilling from her vocal processor.
Alright, squish…you want small talk…I'll give you that…you've earned it.
"It's satisfactory," was Thundercracker's simple reply to the fleshy's question.
"Satisfactory, huh?" Nyree repeated, stopping what she was doing. "You went through that whole process for it to be satisfactory? You know for a human to get a tattoo hurts like hell…some people say they don't…but I don't believe that…and to have a tattoo removed is even worse. I was gonna get one on my back until I found out it was done with tiny needles going in and out of the skin, and then I was like screw that shit!" Nyree exclaimed.
Giving off a slight light chuckle, Nyree continued, her tone bold. "I heard from a little yellow bird you wanted me to take them off…that wouldn't be true or anything right, TC?"
"That farkin scout! I swear!" Thundercracker muttered out loud making Nyree laugh at his comment.
"Laugh all you want, squish! You weren't the one who had to feel that slaggin grinder whip chunks off your exterior! My sensor circuits are still half fried from all the metal it took off!"
Nyree smiled to herself hearing the once insulting term that now seemed to have morphed into a more "affectionate" (for him anyways) nickname. With the hand made gift Thundercracker had given as his sincere apology for nearly killing her on accident awhile back and the change in tone he addressed her these days, Nyree could look past the fact he rarely ever used her actual name.
Looking over at both of his wings, Nyree saw they were a perfect shade of standard military grey, as if the jet had just been delivered brand spanking new from the General Dynamics manufacturing plant, no traces of any sort of branding left behind.
"Ratchet did a great buff job! You can't even tell they were there."
"I would hope so. That was the entire point."
Nyree smiled at the Seeker's characteristic terse tone. She turned her body a little to the right to reach the side consol she had been working on, continuing her diagnostic checking.
"Your leaders decide about the status of the base yet?" Thundercracker asked suddenly.
"Hmm?" Nyree replied absently.
Turning a few knobs here and there, Nyree announced, "Hey, TC…your Malfunction Indexer Lights aren't adjusting and your Navigational Frequency Display seems to be stuck on one level of contrast…I'm going to say something to Ratchet later on…I'll take a look at your flux wires from the ground to see if they need replacing…"
"I asked you a question, squish!" Thundercracker spat, annoyed.
"Oh! I'm sorry, TC! I didn't mean that…sometimes I get a one track mind…my dad always hated that…what'd ya ask again?"
Deliberately ignored AND having to repeat myself! Squish you're lucky I think you're half way tolerable…
Giving off an agitated scoff at having to relay the question again, Thundercracker spat out, "Your leaders…did they or did they not reach a conclusion about the status of your base?"
"You mean the 47th?"
"YES! What the fark other base would I be asking about?"
"I'm in the middle of trying to figure out about four different things at once here…give me a break!" Nyree shot back.
"Cybertronian CPU's can run hundreds of things at once and never be compromised," Thundercracker stated flatly.
"Well goody goody for you and your advanced tech," Nyree replied sharply and then quickly, so that the Seeker wouldn't be able to reply, continued. "A salvage team has been picking through everything. The remaining F-16's got shipped back to the original 47th. I still can't believe they weren't destroyed…but everything else is gonna be demolished. Aside from the major tools and the staircase platform Major Lansing requested they transport here for me to use, pretty much everything else is useless. And with this country fighting a full scale war overseas, spending 2 billion dollars a week on it, and everything going on here with the Autobots and Decepticons, the President isn't going to authorize a rebuild of the base."
"Your leaders are foolish and arrogant letting matters of credit define their decisions."
"And that's why they're our leaders…ya don't get into politics any other way but to be foolish and arrogant!" Nyree smirked back, rolling her eyes.
So much for rubbing wing tips with the fleshies, Thundercracker thought, a little disappointed he wouldn't be showing off his stellar form to them anymore. And as he thought about all the time spent with them, teaching them precision aerial skills and simulating dogfights, an off kilter thought brewed in his logic circuits.
"Have you conversed with the Lt. recently?" The grey Seeker asked curiously, remembering the intimate gesture witnessed between the two awhile back.
"Wow! You're talkative today, TC!" Nyree exclaimed happily.
"If you don't like it, you can just…"
"No, no…it's cool! Really cool! God, you're so sensitive! That's not what I meant…I meant that normally you're more reserved, that's all."
"Change is never definite, squish. Get use to it," Thundercracker replied, baffled at how Optimus' words had just tumbled from his vocal processor as if they were from a long known doctrine he had always adhered to.
Primus! Those brandings come off me and now I'm quoting an Autobot! What's next? Being reconfiged as a land vehicle? If that thought EVER attacks my CPU, I swear to the matrix I will never, ever threaten to bond that fraggin' gunner's vocal plates shut…or obliterate that yellow scout…or…Slag! Forget it…
Ignoring his inner voice talking at him, Thundercracker tried to move past the "wisdom" quote just stated. "After you two smooshed faceplates , I'm assuming the Lt. and you are continuing a correspondence, correct? Or was that gesture something you just did to see how fine the Lt. was?" The Seeker said, stressing the fine part.
Nyree broke into peels of laughter hearing the choppy way the grey Seeker tried imitating the popular human phrase of describing someone. "Yeah, we've been talking," Nyree said then. "I'm gonna try and take some leave here to go visit him…don't know when that'll be though,"
And then, slightly embarrassed, she added slowly, "You saw…all that…that night when he was here?"
"Yeah…I did…I had to sterilize my optics for three earth days afterward from it, thank you very much!"
"Aww…were you jealous, TC?"
"Jealous? How would you like your squishy self to be ejected out of here to the moon?"
"That would suck," Nyree commented breezily, shrugging off the Seeker's threat as she fiddled some more with the Malfunction Indexer knob.
Jealous? What the slag kind of question is that? Thundercracker muttered to himself. And she wondered why I never wanted to speak to her before!
Seeing the adjustment finally go through, Nyree breathed a sigh of relief and then carefully climbed out of the cramped cockpit. Descending the portable staircase she had pushed up against Thundercracker's side, Nyree pushed it out of the way from where the Seeker sat, and then headed to look at the flux wire sitting on his right underside.
Grabbing a few tools out of the metal box she had sat on the ground, Nyree stood for a second. Silently, she debated over whether or not to remove the infamous panel that held a certain round silver opening behind it.
"Are you experiencing an oxygen circuit meltdown right now or are you going to get on with it and check that flux wire sometime this solar cycle? My patience isn't everlasting," Thundercracker complained lightly.
"I'm going, I'm going!" Nyree exclaimed.
Removing the bolts from the panel, Nyree pulled it off carefully. Taking her trusty flashlight, she saw the flux wire in perfect condition, no corrosion or eroding anywhere on it. Out of pure habit from being groomed to check everything, Nyree shined her light on the silver opening sitting next to it, the little bit of grime she had tried wiping off before still caked around it.
And as she was about to speak up and say something, a cheerful voice called out to her. Turning around, Nyree saw the Autobot named Bluestreak coming up to her, a happy bounce in his step, his royal blue armor glistening endlessly in the sunlight.
"Hey Blue!" Nyree said to him smiling.
"Hi Nyree! Ratchet told me you guys would be out here…I just wanted to come out and see how everything is going," Bluestreak said. "Are you gonna head out, TC? I bet you can't wait for that! It's been forever, hasn't it?"
"If you don't shut the fark up and let squish do her job, then no, I won't be heading out!" Thundercracker spat back.
Nyree laughed at the Seeker's annoyance and then said quickly, "Hey, TC…that silver opening with the black wires? It has some grime left on it…you mind if I go ahead and just wipe it off? I'll be all done after that and you can get out of here."
"Uh…TC, is she talking about that spot?" Bluestreak asked slowly.
Nyree shot Bluestreak a weird glance. What the hell was so damn special about a little opening with black wires around it?
"What is up with that opening? Would someone please tell me!" Nyree asked, frustrated.
"Back up squish. Now," Thundercracker commanded.
"Why?"
"Because I farkin said so, that's why! Are all you fleshies as dense as a bag of data chips or is it a sporadic gift that gets handed to you in times of enlightenment?"
"You're an ass, TC, you know that? You're a big bitchy ass hole," Nyree spat back.
"And you're still five feet tall and one hundred pounds of squish…so if you don't want me to stomp the pit out of you when I transform, then you'll back the slaggin fark up NOW!"
Remembering the day he almost did just that when she had tried cleaning the opening before, Nyree stepped back without another peep.
Bluestreak giggled at the fleshy's remark. "TC's a big bitchy Seeker!"
"Shut it, motor mouth! I don't remember inviting you to this party so shut it!" Thundercracker scoffed at the gunner, transforming quickly, relieved to feel everything go into place without so much as a circuit glitch.
"So what's up with this opening? I mean, what's so bad you don't want me to wipe off a little greasy grime from it?" Nyree pressed.
"You want me to tell her, TC?" Bluestreak asked, grinning.
"By all means, knock yourself out," Thundercracker replied mockingly.
"Alright," Bluestreak replied and then turned to look at Nyree's curious face.
"That opening is our 'All Purpose Access Outlet'. It's used for distributing emergency fluids…you know, like how Ratchet had to give TC all those energon shots…but if a certain connector is used…well…it's pleasurable and totally different…" the gunner explained.
"Okay…so...what's so different about it?" Nyree said, not following.
"Squish did all your logic skill end with those tools? That opening is used for Cybertronians to exchange fluids with each other," Thundercracker spat out finally.
Nyree eyes widened with disbelief. Her face took on a bright shade of magenta.
"You mean it's for…like…like…mating? Is that what you're trying to tell me?"
"Like…like…yeah, mating," Thundercracker mocked back. "Not so quick on the draw today are we, squish?"
Realizing the significance to everything Thundercracker had just said, Nyree stood still, her face stricken with pure embarrassment from remembering the way he had reacted the last time to her rubbing it.
"Oh…no wonder why you didn't…oh…shit…I mean…" Nyree stammered. "Um…yeah…well…I guess I know why you don't want me touching it."
"I thought you kinda liked it, TC? Didn't you say that it..." Bluestreak blurted out.
Thundercracker let out a disgusted snort toward the gunner's over exuberance.
"You'd better recharge with one optic open from now on, motor mouth! Because you'll need it as my hands are wrapping around your neck hinges to squeeze the…"
"You liked it, TC? Is that what you told Blue here? When I tried to wipe it off before?" Nyree said in disbelief.
"Oh spare me your self congratulatory praise, squish! A strong wind could've blown and stimulated it, so you can stop while you're ahead! You don't possess anything that even slightly makes my processors heat, so your self flattery can end right now," Thundercracker scoffed back.
Nyree took a few steps backward. Her eyes darted nervously from Thundercracker to Bluestreak. With the both of them looking down to her, Nyree suddenly felt tinier than usual
"Okay…I think I'm gonna go ask Ratchet if he can put that panel back on…I…um…I think I'm just gonna go…" Nyree said, her face turning redder by the minute. And without another word, avoiding both Thundercracker's and Bluestreak's optics, Nyree started off down the runway to head back into the Autobot base to find their medic.
"Hey, I think you embarrassed her, TC! She kinda had that look on her," Bluestreak said.
"Good. Serves her right for asking in the first place," Thundercracker huffed back.
"She didn't know, TC…she didn't know what that outlet means to us…it's not her fault…when I told Kate, she was curious too…"
"No, don't tell me, let me guess…you got all giddy, hopped up and down, and said excitedly, 'Oooh stoke me!', right?"
"Well…actually…I…I…was sitting in the grass in this one meadow she took me to and she came up to my side and I didn't know what she was going to do and then she…"
"UGH! I was being sarcastic!" Thundercracker snapped.
"Oh…okay…" Bluestreak smiled.
"Do you know how disturbing that picture is to me?" Thundercracker spat. "That's not natural!"
"I…I…kinda…liked it…" Bluestreak said weakly.
"You would!"
"Maybe you should just let Nyree wipe it clean…it could feel good for you too! I mean…you said you haven't had that feeling in a long time…"
"Do I look like a Cybertronian connecting slave? I've already been violated once…she's not getting anywhere near that outlet!" Thundercracker snapped back at the gunner.
"Besides," Thundercracker continued, his tone changing into full fledged arrogance, "She wouldn't be able to handle this anyway…because I'm just so…"
"Sexy?" Bluestreak offered helpfully.
"That was not the first word to enter my logic circuits, motor mouth, but thanks for the kiss aft effort anyway."
"Kate called me that one time…she was a little overcharged when she said it…so I don't know if it meant the same…but she said it to me…I thought it was nice."
"Yay for you on bringing sexy back," Thundercracker said flatly, recalling a certain song he had heard one of the fleshies play awhile back.
Bluestreak was puzzled by the Seeker's comment. "I…I…didn't…know…that it was lost…" he stammered uneasily.
Thundercracker let out an amused smirk from the blue Autobot's naïve and simple ways of looking at things. It was certainly a change from the overbearing personas he had been used to in the past.
"Hey TC…you think…you know…if we were back on Cybertron…we would still hang out…like this…you know, joke and stuff like that?" Bluestreak asked shyly.
Hearing the footsteps of an approaching mech, seeing it was the Autobot medic heading out to finish the job the fleshy medic had left, Thundercracker sighed at the gunner's sensitive question.
"Yeah…we'd see each other around…always nice to gain a new friend, right?" Thundercracker said off handedly, a sly grin on him.
Delighted at hearing the Seeker repeat what he had said to him awhile back, Bluestreak nodded in return.
Transforming back into his alt mode, Thundercracker sat, feeling his sensory circuits twitch with anticipation at knowing the liberated freedom he savored was only astroclicks away from tasting again.
Author's End Notes:
Cassiopeia – Here it is…"Big bitchy TC"! LOL Thanks for the laugh.
FieryKitsune – loved the whole "cleansing ritual" reference, thought I'd use it here.
Carmilla- Your tattoo reference was great!