Chapter 27:
By Transformersnewfan
After returning to Earth, Soundwave assigned Laserbeak an important task: Shadow the Autobot Mirage at all times.
"We strongly believe he's the one that has breached our security perimeters on numerous occasions," Soundwave explained, "Someone stole Megatron's Gladiatorial files, and," he spoke it matter-of-factly, "possibly, he was behind the attack on Skywarp several weeks ago."
The Tapedeck had originally wanted the Condor to take the spying mission immediately upon his return from England but allowed him to accompany the Seekers for Christmas shopping.
"I would also like for you to gather any evidence as to what exactly is Mirage's mission in these break-ins," Soundwave continued.
"With pleasure," the Bird responded with gusto, flying out of the tower and towards the Ark.
Infiltrating the Autobot Base always proved easy for the wicked Condor; their ventilation ducts were large enough for him to navigate through, and he quickly established which ones led to which rooms, so he could trace Mirage's movements.
It was around four in the afternoon when Laserbeak first found Mirage, sitting in between Jazz and Hound in front of the television, watching the local news. Several other Autobots were busy hanging Christmas decorations; others were wrapping presents.
With this mundane scene, Laserbeak allowed his processor to wander: Shopping with the Seekers for his baby sister's necessities had been a joyous experience, contradictory to his usually dark and cold intelligence missions.
The wicked Condor starred down at the Formula-1 Racer, narrowing his optics; his telepathic powers were not anywhere near those of his Creator's, but on occasion, if he concentrated enough, he could pick up a thought or emotion here and there.
Laserbeak was rather taken aback that Mirage's thoughts were not on spying or murder, rather, a Christmas pageant at Public School District 17, which the Condor recognized as Sam Witwicky's education establishment. How peculiar…
The Decepticons were getting ready for Christmas as well.
"Is that it?" Soundwave stated flatly as he looked at the tree Megatron had found, "It looks sickly."
Megatron had dragged in a Norway Spruce—completely white—since he figured the sparklings would like a white Christmas Tree.
Megatron: "We can get some ornaments from a gift shop in Tarn and make it look better."
Soundwave: "I suppose so."
They set up the tree in the Rec. Room.
Meanwhile, Thundercracker spent the day setting up the nursery: He assembled the crib, the dresser, and the changing table. He hung the strings of lights with the little stars and put the constellation nightlight together. He tested it at the outlet, and it worked nicely.
He even placed the toys in the crib, taking a minute to look at the plushie petrorabbit he had gotten his niece-to-be as a gift. Petrorabbits were wild and probably wouldn't make a good pet on an Earth Base, but at least she would have a toy one. TC smiled, arranging the toys perfectly, already picturing the little femme sparkling in the receiving blanket, coming home from the Med-Bay, his little brother's newling, and they would put her in her crib, and just…marvel at the miracle of life. The blue Seeker couldn't wait!
The two brothers had spent the past two nights on Megatron and Starscream's sofa bed and were anxious to get back home now that repairs were made to the heating system and the Base's security seemed to be tightened.
Skywarp was still with Soundwave at the moment, working on their paperless-society project, and TC wanted everything to be perfect for the unveiling. He began laying out the tiny Seekerlette sleepers on Skywarp's berth to display them.
After floating around Cybertron for three days in a lost state, Gravechaser returned to his attic lair. He watched Thundercracker's preparations. The ghost realized how much his own son already adored the child that the wretch was growing in his belly; his feelings for the sparkling very clear with all the work he was doing. Gravechaser thought back to when Thundercracker himself was a sparkling, and how, even at an extremely young age, cared deeply for his pets. The demon blocked out the parts about killing the animals and breaking his son's spark, of course. That had been Skywarp's fault; Gravechaser had been upset by his wife's creating a sparkling with another mech! And that's why he lost his temper that day!
Well, after having been on the fence for a while, Gravechaser decided, he would spare Skywarp's sparkling. His own son, Thundercracker, clearly wanted the baby, so Gravechaser would make sure Skywarp lived long enough to bore his spawn, and THEN Gravechaser would deactivate him! But Thundercracker would be allowed to keep the sparkling. It was decided.
Later, Starscream and Soundwave led Skywarp into the new nursery. The pregnant Seeker was overwhelmed with joy; crying happy coolant tears for once. He walked around the space, admiring all the gifts for his precious daughter-to-be. He turned back to his family, "I-I LOVE it!" He hugged his brothers and Soundwave, "T-Thank y-you!"
"Hey, I'm still working on that blanket," Starscream laughed, "At least I've got a couple of weeks."
Their first night home began peacefully enough, Skywarp wolfed down his dinner again, going to his berth rubbing his full tummy, hoping things would be okay going forward. Things with Starscream were better, for the most part, and he knew how much TC loved him and Crystal; and they had not had any paranormal experiences for that past few nights, so hopefully, things would be okay. He looked at the new snow globe Starscream had given him; he wasn't ready to try it out, not yet. So, he set it back on the shelf. Finally, he and his brother were ready for bed, and the two slept peacefully in their berths.
But the haunting was far from over. Around one-thirty in the morning, Skywarp opened his optics slowly, not sure what had awoken him. He rubbed his belly, making sure his little one was alright. His brother was snoring loudly; so Skywarp closed his optics again.
"Wop?"
It was so faint, Skywarp thought he had dreamt it. And then, there it was again…
"Unkel Wop?" followed by a frightened whimper.
"Darkwing?" Skywarp immediately recognized the little vocal to be his youngest nephew, the one that had been upset with him as of late, "Did you wanna sleep with me?"
His defenses down, foolishly, he went to the door, thinking the little guy had somehow snuck out of his Creator's quarters to come to visit them, maybe after a nightmare.
But when the black and purple Seeker went to the door, there was no sparkling, "Um, Darkwing?"
The hallway was again pitch black, despite the faint light of the brake lights that Soundwave had recently installed. They seemed to have no effect on the veil of darkness. That cold chill had moved into the halls now, and Skywarp shivered a little. He turned back to get his robe, but suddenly, their front door slammed shut behind him! He heard the deadbolt lock shut! There was absolutely no possibility that would happen accidentally!
"TEECEE!" he banged his hand against the door, "TEECEE! WAKE UP!" He knew it was futile though; his brother was a heavy sleeper. Skywarp could feel coolant tears floating in his optics.
Then he heard his nephew whimper again, this time further down the hallway. "Darkwing, where are you?" The response was a scared keen, one that hurt the pregnant flyer's very spark.
Even though he was terrified, he knew he had to save his little guy, "I-I'm coming to get you, baby." He started down the hallway, groping the wall as he went.
And then…chanting began. Old world, Gregorian chanting, the kind that was practiced in the prisons on Cybertron, in an effort for positive activities for the convicts.
Skywarp stopped. There was absolutely no explanation for this on Earth or Cybertron. It was Gravechaser again! There were no doubts now; the ghost was back!
"TEECEE!" he screamed for his brother, but something told him that no one would hear him tonight. "O-Oh God…" He was now halfway between his quarters and Starscream's. He thought he had to be brave and get Darkwing to safety.
He again heard who he thought was his nephew, keening in fear now! "D-Darkwing!" he hurried faster down the hallway, looking down, trying to find the little guy in the blackness, fearing the ghost would devour the sparkling before his very optics!
The chanting got louder as he went along; Skywarp was beginning to wonder if he was in the middle of a nightmare, or that he had gone insane. He was looking down and suddenly…
Skywarp bumped clean into a mech. He stumbled backward, expecting the large being to be a Combaticon, "S-Sorry," he knew his pregnancy was making him clumsy; he looked up…
Gravechaser stood before him in the hallway. Optics as black as his beard. As the demon grinned—the same evil grin, he had flashed when he was masquerading as his own son recently—and then bared his fangs.
"AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" Skywarp cried at the top of his air intakes, "AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" He screamed and screamed, and yet no one woke up! How could they ALL sleep through his frightened cries for help. "AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" "AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" "AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" "AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" "AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"
He ran passed the entity, now running for either Starscream or Soundwave's quarters, whoever woke up first! The whole time, his sparkling twisted and squirmed inside him.
His spark nearly stopped as he heard Gravechaser FOLLOWING HIM! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! The ghost walked with purpose, sounding like he was wearing big, heavy boots.
Skywarp heard the demon coming closer!
The brake lights went out. Even though there was power on in other parts of the Base.
"AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" he cried out again.
Mercifully, his latest cry was heard by Starscream.
The red and white Seeker was startled online, waking up groggily, "W-What?"
Skywarp got to their door, ratting the locked knob, "STARSCREAM! STARSCREAM!"
Gravechaser, floating-flying now, rushed him, brushing by Skywarp's wings at fifty miles-per-hour, clawing him, and disappearing in a puff of smoke.
"OOOOOOWWWWWWW!" the pregnant Seeker cried out in pain, falling to his knees; his arms around his stomach.
Finally, Starscream opened the door, "Skywarp, what's going on?!" he was in a bizarre, half-sleep, and for unknown reasons, had no thoughts of the recent burglaries. He was annoyed that Skywarp was waking them, "Don't you know what time of night it is?"
The black and purple Seeker, traumatized, couldn't understand, "D-Didn't you h-hear me s-screaming in the hallway?"
Starscream was stern, "I only heard you holler and bang against my door once, now WHAT IS IT?!"
Skywarp shook his helm, "I-I heard D-Darkwing crying in the hallway!"
The Trine Leader just looked at him suspiciously, "Darkwing's fast asleep in his crib, you idiot!"
The younger flyer began to realize, that Gravechaser was not only manipulating the lights in the Base, but he was also manipulating the SOUNDS in the Base, and possibly the thoughts of his loved ones! Still, he brushed past his brother, running into the nursery, he opened the door, and saw his triplet nephews: All three were in a peaceful recharge and seemed to have been for quite some time. Darkwing was nestled between his two bigger brothers; his pacifier in his mouth. There was absolutely no way the little guy could have been in the hallway, returned to his quarters, his crib, and be fast asleep, and all without waking his Creators and brothers.
Skywarp knew then just how far Gravechaser was taking things; pretending to sound like his beloved nephew; the lights, the chanting of the prisoners, no one able to hear him scream…
The pregnant flyer felt a deep sense of hopelessness now; his family couldn't…wouldn't be able to help him. The Ghost was going to get him; he could get him anytime he wanted to. Why hadn't he already? Oh, because he was toying with him.
"Go to bed, Warp," Starscream insisted, not inviting his scared brother to stay, seeming to have no memory that his Trinemates had just spent the past two nights on his sofa bed.
"C-Can you walk me back, S-Star?" he pleaded.
"It's one in the morning!" Starscream hissed, "Get outta here before I throw you out!"
Skywarp knew the words were not his brother's; he wouldn't hold this against Starscream. He knew who was putting the words in his mouth. The pregnant Jet stepped back into the hallway, and his beloved Trine Leader slammed the door behind him, locking it for good measure.
His own quarters locked from the inside, there was no point in going back there. Dejected and hurt, Skywarp continued to the Control Room. The French Doors opened easily, and Skywarp went to the sofa. He curled up there under the same blanket he had rested under while his brothers had gone shopping for his sparkling.
And there, Skywarp cried; he cried like he had not cried before. His air intakes were hitching like crazy; keening and sobbing. The backs of his wings burned strangely, hurting him. This was where Gravechaser had scratched him. Skywarp realized that Starscream didn't seem to see anything, so maybe the pain was just in his CPU; maybe all of this was in his CPU, and he was malfunctioning. Maybe there was a scientific explanation: Maybe Seekers onlined with an extra drive—his teleportation drive, the one he inherited from his Sire, oh the irony—begin to break down when the drive wasn't used for the nine months of a pregnancy. Teleportation drives were rare, and not everything was readily known about them, especially since Sentinel Prime had stymied the medical education system. Soundwave's late wife, Celene though, had been an exception, and Skywarp had trusted the Tapedeck to know the most about these things.
Soundwave. He could go to Soundwave. But after this latest trauma, the pregnant flyer couldn't bear another rejection tonight.
He wanted to offline; just go offline. And not deal with all this. The only one…the only one that he felt truly loved him now, and the only one that he felt would truly miss him, was his little femme.
Crystal moved around inside of him now; she had been awake during the entire time in the hallway, squirming nervously within his gestation chamber. :Momma, Momma, we fly! We fly away?:
:I don't think I can, sweetspark,; he answered her through their already forming Bond, :I'm sorry…: he knew she meant to fly back East, but Skywarp doubted he could make the journey again. It was too risky for both of them this late in the pregnancy.
He was turned on his left side, with his belly facing the couch top cushions, hoping for some way of protecting his child. He tried to squeeze himself as far into the cushions as possible, and under the blanket, protecting his baby and trying to rest. He would think tomorrow about where they would go to hide.
Skywarp did the only thing he could now: He prayed for their safety, relying on his faith. And friendship: He replayed memory files of happier times with Christopher: The music; the stages the public received him on; the celebrations… :Stay far from timid…only make moves when your spark's in it…and live the phrase the sky's the limit…:
