Crack in the Pavement
Chapter 25
Poor TC...
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers; I'm just prostituting it for my amusement.
Summary: Megatron uses Ironhide to get his revenge on Prime. Multiple minor side pairings, see list in fic.
Warning: Graphic rape. Torture. M/M robot slash consensual as well as NON-CON
Pairings: Non-con Megatron/ Ironhide, Con Optimus/ Ironhide. Established Jazz/ Prowl, Twins/ Ratchet, Mirage/ Cliffjumper
Thundercracker offlined his optics the instant Jazz and Mirage had him seated alone in farthest reaches of Skyfire's hold and Trailbreaker surrounded him again with his force shield.. He was being flown in Starscream's former lover. This was just embarrassing. His ailerons and flight computer warned Thundercracker of the change in elevation as Skyfire took off. He felt Skyfire rise quickly into the air and Thundercracker couldn't help but shift his peds and his wings shivered. This was wholly unnatural. A Seeker didn't ride in another flier, a Seeker flew under his own power or he didn't fly.
Hound watched Thundercracker. In spite of himself, Hound felt sorry for Thundercracker. He looked uncharacteristically pathetic with his optics shuttered and his shoulders hunched, not exactly small because he still looked quite tall in between Jazz and Mirage, both smaller mechs, but vulnerable. Every time Skyfire moved higher or lower in the sky, Thundercracker's wings shivered and he fidgeted his peds; Hound found the movements surprisingly sweet. There was no way Hound was going to repeat that thought to anyone.
Skyfire landed after not too long and Thundercracker immediately onlined his optics. He detested flying as a passenger. This flight had been far worse than the flight on the Nemesis. Flying within another flier within the atmosphere of a planet was so much worse than flying through space. The only reason Thundercracker had been able to tolerate the flight on the Nemesis was because Skywarp had been right there holding his servo. There was no way Thundercracker was ever going to ride in another flier unless he was in stasis or offline.
"Come on then," Jazz said in a harsh voice, pulling Thundercracker up onto his peds. He grabbed the front of Thundercracker's chassis and dragged him down to his height. "Don't you even think looking at any of my mechs again."
"See if you can stop me," Thundercracker replied in a low voice. He scanned Skyfire's hold and spotted Hound walked out. He smirked. Jazz swore in English and Cybertronian and wrenched Thundercracker along.
'I really want to shoot him,' Jazz thought, scowling as he manoeuvred Thundercracker along with his gun pressed into the centre of Thundercracker's back.
"Calm down," Prowl ordered over their private comm. "Please bring him intact into the interrogation room."
Jazz grumbled but did as asked and surrendered Thundercracker to Prowl just in front of the interrogation room. Prowl took Thundercracker inside the room and sat him in the first chair and preceded to cuff him to the table by one leg using another pair of stasis cuffs. Across the table was another chair, on the table were two cubes.
"I'll return in a moment," Prowl told Thundercracker. "It would be appreciated if you didn't try to break free. The table is welded to the floor, as is your chair and the cuffs are fully charged. All you will succeed in doing by struggling is damaging yourself and Ratchet has enough work to do."
"Don't take too long or I might get bored," Thundercracker replied. Prowl closed the door behind him, both Jazz and Optimus were waiting in the hall. Jazz looked ready to tear off a piece of Thundercracker's plating, while Optimus looked intensely focused.
"I'm doing this interrogation alone," Prowl said, standing straight up and looking intently at Optimus. "As an enforcer I received advanced training in interrogations, you know this Optimus. He can play too many processor games with you. If he get's under your plating, he controls the interview and we lose. Jazz, you just want to rip his faceplates off and that is not conductive to building a rapport with him. I'll get the answers we need, but you need to be patient. He isn't likely to really answer at first."
"You are right, I'm sure," Optimus replied. "Alright, I'll be in the security room observing the interview."
"Same," Jazz grumbled.
"That's fair," Prowl said. "Comm me if you have any more questions you'd like me to ask."
Thundercracker hadn't move so much as a digit in the short minutes Prowl had been gone. The Seeker seemed to be concentrating intensely on something. Prowl thought of Jazz and immediately recognized the expression on Thundercracker's faceplates. He was arguing with his bondmate. This could be a good thing or a bad thing from Prowl's prospective. If Skywarp was about to launch a one Seeker assault on the Ark, and Thundercracker was trying to dissuade him that would be helpful. Should Skywarp attack, Red Alert would almost certainly activate the Ark's exterior defences and Prowl highly doubted Thundercracker would be in a talking mood if Skywarp was shot out of the sky.
Prowl sat in the chair across the table from Thundercracker and waited. He saw Thundercracker's optics glance over him so Prowl knew Thundercracker was not focused too deeply on his bond relay. After another moment Thundercracker sat up straight in his chair and looked directly into Prowl's optics.
"Make this quick," Thundercracker said tersely. "'Warp's not good at being patient or restrained."
"Just a few questions," Prowl assured him. "Firstly, I know fliers consume far more energon than average, after the battle you must be low on fuel."
Thundercracker considered the cube and Prowl for minute. He watched Prowl with suspicious optics as Prowl took the cube closer to himself and took a sip. Of course Prowl was right, fliers did require more energon to functional at optimal capacity. Not that Megatron cared. He kept the Seekers and the other flier-type Decepticons on the same rations as the ground-types, three cubes of the most impure energon. Even when they managed to make more pure energon, Megatron hoarded it for himself. Four cubes was a more realistic ration for fliers. Being shorted one cube didn't do any real damage to Thundercracker's or any of the other fliers' circuits; it just meant that they didn't have any energy stores built up so they didn't fair well if suddenly deprived of fuel. Thundercracker didn't need to check his fuel levels to know he was low. He felt low, a faint pain in his fuel tank and a lag in his general reflexes. Counting on the Autobots to be more trustworthy that the Decepticons, Thundercracker took the cube and drained it slowly. It had to be medium grade; this was good energon.
Of course the Autobots would have better energon. They worked with humans to procure theirs and they had time to purify it. The Decepticons could do no more than quickly convert human energy sources they stole into the worst grade of energon. Tasting good energon, proper energon for the first time since waking up on Earth, Thundercracker found himself hating Megatron with a greater intensity than normal. He didn't consume that garbage he dispensed to his troops, he consumed the best fuel. Sometimes, Megatron even managed to get his servos on high grade. Of course he never shared, this was Megatron. For just a moment Thundercracker thought wistfully of Cybertron, before the Elders were slaughtered and before he and Skywarp had joined up with Megatron. There would be no going back to that time, even when this war ended. Nothing could be the same.
"Ask away," Thundercracker said upon finishing his cube.
"Why did Skywarp release Ironhide in the desert?" Prowl asked. Primus this Autobot almost matched Soundwave for most monotone voice. But not quite, Prowl actually spoke with some emotion. "We have it on good authority that Megatron wants him back."
"Starscream," Thundercracker replied after just a moment's hesitation. It was true enough.
"Starscream ordered Skywarp to release Ironhide?" Prowl asked for confirmation. "What would Starscream gain from that?"
"Megatron having an heir, or rather heirs since he didn't plan on stopping at one, would have put a kink in Starscream's master plan," Thundercracker suggested. Prowl's expression didn't change and Thundercracker wondered if the Autobot had bought the lie.
"Megatron shared this plan with Starscream?" Prowl asked, raising an optic ridge.
"Megatron likes to gloat," Thundercracker said. "Especially to Starscream."
"Skywarp went along with the plan because Starscream ordered him? Or threatened him?" Prowl asked. Thundercracker was not being entirely honest, to Prowl that was obvious and Prowl felt that figuring out the dynamics of the Command Trine could help him understand Thundercracker better.
"Seekers follow their Trine leader," Thundercracker replied and shrugged.
Ironhide stood with Optimus and Jazz and watched the interview as it unfolded. What Thundercracker was saying didn't sound quite right.
"He's lyin'," he said. "This is gonna sound stupid but I remember Skywarp being real careful with me. More careful that Starscream."
"How so?" Optimus asked, Ironhide hadn't yet remembered enough of his rescue to really discuss it.
"When Starscream came into the room, I couldn't hold myself up," Ironhide explained. "I couldn't even say anythin' to him. He unlocked the cuffs and just let me drop. Skywarp didn't just drop me in the desert, he laid me down carefully. They didn't say a lot but I'm damn sure Skywarp was in on the plan and not just going along with it."
Optimus relayed the information to Prowl. He trusted Ironhide's instincts. Prowl nodded his head in response to Optimus, and levelled Thundercracker with an even look. Thundercracker shifted in his chair, uncomfortable with the scrutiny.
"Skywarp went along with Starscream because he wanted to, didn't he?" Prowl asked. "Did Starscream even formulate this plan alone?
Thundercracker vented, annoyed with himself for being an unconvincing liar. He answered as truthfully as he could, not knowing for certain all of Starscream's motives, saying: "Seekers don't believe in rape."
"Megatron isn't a Seeker," Prowl replied. "Does that not matter?"
"No," Thundercracker said. "Seekers don't tolerate any mech forcing another."
"And freeing Ironhide was a way of listening to your latent programming?" Prowl asked.
"More or less," Thundercracker replied. "We couldn't go up to Megatron and tell him to stop. He'd slag us."
"But he could still slag you for stealing Ironhide from him," Prowl commented.
"That's why Skywarp warped Ironhide from the room and Starscream used Megatron's own override key," Thundercracker explained. "And Starscream fiddled with the security system a little since Soundwave was busy."
"Waiting to retrieve his Casseticons," Prowl added.
"Exactly," Thundercracker said. "Megatron blames Ironhide's escape on Soundwave not being at his station and your Towers spy."
"Soundwave has been active, Megatron didn't kill him," Prowl noted.
"Soundwave made a good case," Thundercracker replied. "Besides, Soundwave doesn't usually fail so Megatron kind of let it go."
"Let it go?" Prowl asked. "That doesn't sound like Megatron."
"Soundwave's no longer the favourite," Thundercracker explained. "Megatron's watching him more closely now."
"Isn't Soundwave capable of discovering your involvement through his telepathy?" Prowl asked.
"We keep our processors as unappealing to Soundwave as possible," Thundercracker chuckled and smiled. "He doesn't tend to take peeks anymore."
"I see," Prowl said, getting an idea of how Thundercracker and Skywarp would keep their processors unappetizing for Soundwave. "So all the Decepticons accept the idea that it was Mirage that rescued Ironhide."
"Yep," Thundercracker replied. "Why would they question it? Megatron believes it, that's why he put a price on his head."
"Which suits you well enough," Prowl said. Thundercracker shrugged.
"Better him slagged than me and mine," Thundercracker replied nonchalantly.
"Indeed," Prowl said. He linked his servos together and leaned in to the table slightly. "How did you come to know Ironhide was with spark."
"Basic Seeker programming," Thundercracker explained. "All Seekers can tell when a mech is sparked."
"You and Skywarp performed some interesting manoeuvres over Ironhide during that battle," Prowl noted. "Starscream didn't."
"Starscream's made it his life's goal to ignore his Seeker programming," Thundercracker replied. "Skywarp and I aren't so good at that."
"And flying like that is Seeker programming?" Prowl asked.
"Protecting a sparked mech is Seeker programming," Thundercracker. "It won't happen again. We can't afford it and neither can he. Megatron will be way more zealous about getting Ironhide back when he finds out he's sparked."
"So you haven't told Megatron," Prowl commented.
"No," Thundercracker said. "Seeker programming. Megatron isn't the sort to take good care of a sparkling or a sparked mech."
"You are consciously protecting Ironhide and his sparklet," Prowl stated.
"I am, we are obeying our programming," Thundercracker insisted.
A loud keening wail burst through the speakers within the security room. Red Alert looked at his monitors and identified its cause. Skywarp had finally appeared in the air above the Ark. He circled around in the air and continued to keen. Jazz winced at the noise and rubbed his audios. The keen sounded a lot like Starscream when he had attacked the Academy. Every Autobot in the Ark had to hear Skywarp.
"Don't engage," Optimus called through the Ark-wide comm. "Stay inside the Ark. Everything is under control."
"Mine," Skywarp's keen shifted into a loud wail of that single word. He repeated it over and over. "Mine. Mine. Mine."
"Guess we couldn't expect him to stay away for long," Jazz said, still rubbing his poor audios. "Primus, I'm glad that's not Starscream or it would be even worse."
"Give me back mine!" Skywarp demanded, still wailing. "TC! TC! Give me back Thundercracker!"
"That Seeker has no dignity," Ironhide grumbled. Only Seekers could yell that loud or keen like that.
"That Seeker is insane," Jazz added.
Just within the entrance to the Ark, Hound stood with Mirage and Cliffjumper and listened to Skywarp wailing. Hound felt pained by the sound. Not just his audios but his spark.
"He sounds so spark-broken," Hound said with some awe.
"You should get your audios checked," Cliffjumper replied. "He sounds more obsessed."
"Like a stalker," Mirage added.
"Listen," Hound insisted. "He's crying his spark out for Thundercracker."
"You've got a bleeding spark," Mirage said.
Thundercracker felt his mate was appear close by only seconds before Skywarp began keening. After all these years the sensation still caught Thundercracker off guard. One moment Skywarp had been far away, too far to touch the deeper reaches of his spark, the next moment Skywarp was so close Thundercracker could feel the pulsing of his spark and the chaos of his processor. He reached out through their relay, all the stronger at this short distance, and tried to soothe Skywarp's hysteria but Skywarp was having none of it. His patience was up.
Deep in the Ark as they were, Thundercracker could only barely hear his mate's wail. Prowl froze, and focused away from Thundercracker, listening to his comm. He winced and shook his head before turning back to Thundercracker.
"It would seem your mate has arrived," Prowl stated with the slightest smile. Thundercracker frowned at that smile.
"He isn't doing anything embarrassing is he?" Thundercracker asked.
"He's shrieking mine, mine, give me back mine, repeatedly," Prowl replied. Thundercracker winced and rubbed his forehelm with his the back of his still cuffed servos.
"Better finish this up them or he's going to try and warp in," Thundercracker said with a little resignation and embarrassment in his voice. "His aim is always off going into buildings."
"Why are you concerned with the sparkling's parentage," Prowl asked. "And for that matter, was it Starscream's idea to detain Hound?"
"Starscream instructed us to question an Autobot," Thundercracker lied. He made himself seem more convincing by simply sounding more lecherous and more flippant. "Not that we minded the task at all. We had a lovely visit with Hound. As for why Starscream wants to know the parentage, he doesn't share his motives with us."
"Time's up," Inferno said upon opening the door. "Skywarp's performing little practice warps, getting closer and closer to the Ark each time."
"Like I said, he doesn't have good aim going into buildings," Thundercracker said to Prowl.
"One last question," Prowl said. "Are you seriously planning to detain Hound again once you believe Ironhide's sparkling has separated."
"Of course," Thundercracker replied. "Starscream insists on knowing who the sire is."
"Optimus is the sire," Prowl said with conviction. "Ratchet has said the odds are 80-20 in favour of Optimus."
"I'll have to pass that on to Starscream," Thundercracker replied. He soothed Skywarp through their relay, assuring him through images and emotions that he would be with him shortly. "Tell Hound we'll see him again in a few months."
Inferno went ahead to clear the halls and entrance of the Ark of any Autobots, while Prowl released Thundercracker's leg from the table. Jazz returned to the interrogation room scowling venomously at Thundercracker. He grabbed one of Thundercracker's arm and jerked him a little roughly down the hall. Prowl urged him to calm down through their relay but Jazz only bristled at the suggestion.
"Stay away from Hound," Jazz ordered in a dark voice.
"See if you can make me," Thundercracker replied, smiling a lecherous little smile at Jazz. Jazz seethed and he was so tempted to wipe that smile off of Thundercracker's faceplates but he resisted the urge. Prowl showed his mate his admiration for his restraint.
Prowl walked along on the other side of Thundercracker. He wasn't at all comfortable releasing him, especially with the promise that the Seeker mates were determined to capture Hound again all too soon. But the Ark was not set up to detain any Decepticons for an extended period and Skywarp would warp in, sooner rather than later, if they tried to keep Thundercracker any longer. They would just have to make certain that Hound was always on guard and with another Autobot whenever he went on patrol.
Once they were just standing within the Ark's entrance Prowl stopped and reached for Thundercracker's cuffs. Jazz drew his weapons and pointed them squarely at Thundercracker's spark. The instant the cuffs fell free from his wrists, Thundercracker fired his thrusters and shot out of the Ark and up to his mate. Both Jazz and Prowl were thrown back slightly with the force of Thundercracker's thrusters.
Within the security room, Optimus and Ironhide watched the reunion of Skywarp and Thundercracker. The darker Seeker circled his mate as if to check for any damage. They were speaking too quietly now for the microphones hidden in the mountain to pick up the conversation. Thundercracker, who looked very light compared to the dark colours of Skywarp, reached out and touched his mate's faceplates. Skywarp lunged at him and hugged him close and he warped them away.
"'Cons or not they really love each other," Ironhide said after a long silence.
"It appears that they do," Optimus replied and clasped his servo around Ironhide's. They left the security room.
"Are you alright?" Optimus asked after assuring himself that there would be no witnesses to the conversation.
"I owe my life to some crazy Seekers and Starscream is fixated on who the sire of my sparkling is," Ironhide grumbled. "I've felt better."
"I'm sorry, 'Hide," Optimus said. "I'm tempted to try and capture Starscream just to get more answers from him."
"You know, I like that plan," Ironhide replied. "Come on Optimus, our sparklet's feeling playful. I want you to feel him."
"There is nothing I would rather do," Optimus said.
End Chapter 25
AN: Bah. Writer's block is still kicking my ass. I'm job hunting with no luck and all and all feeling zapped. It can only last for so much longer. NO FIC has been abandoned. I will get thing going again.