Warning signs
Glowstrike walks down the hall with a data pad in her hands. Other cons walk past her, giving her a mere glance. After awhile, she turns a corner and smacks into Thunderhoof. The data pad and her drop to the floor. She partly puts her hands up to protect herself expecting a lashing. She blinks when he asks and holds out a hand to her, "Youse okay?"
she hesitates for a moment before accepting his help, "You're not like most cons, are you, Thunderhoof?"
he pulls her to her feet, then grabs her data pad off the floor and hands it to her, "Eh, Iz got nothing against youse. Iz believe youse dropped this."
she takes it and smiles, "Steeljaw sure knows how to pick good soldiers."
"Steeljaw ain't ta be trusted." he stated crossing his arms.
"Oh. How so?" she asks.
He notices her expression, "Watch him carefully and you'll understand."
she looks at him in surprise, "Watch him?" she catches herself and changes the subject, "I'm sorry, I have work to do. It was nice speaking to you." she moves past him and continues on her way. She stops at the next corner and looks back at him. Her optics lock with the one looking back at her. Thunderhoof gives a small smile, then continues back on his way. She looks away and turns the corner.
Later she sat in the prison mess hall sipping energon and reading the prisoner manifold. She looks up to see a fight break out and ducks as a vehicon comes flying at her. She continues watching from under the table and mutters, "I'm working with trigger happy lug nuts!"
suddenly the ground shakes and Thunderhoof stomps into the middle of the group, shouting, "Who's started this!?"
"This pile of scrap said that I couldn't hit an autobot if he was standing in front of me!" Shouts the bigger bot.
"And he said to go suck on..."
Thunderhoof cuts them off, "Iz don't care who said what! Either take it outside, or Iz gonna have ta dent some heads!"
the bigger bot snaps, "You're not the boss of us! What gives you the right to..."
Thunderhoof gives him a glare that could kill if you stared too long, "Youse want to test that?"
the bot backs up and gulps, "N-no, s-sir... Thunderhoof, s-sir."
he softens and crosses his arms, "Good. Now git."
the big bot leaves, "Yes, s-sir."
he looks at the second bot with the same glare, "What do youse have to say?"
the second bot stood in defiance, "Why should I care what you say? You're just a lackey."
Thunderhoof sends a pulse through the ground that everyone could feel as he steps up to him, "Iz ain't no one's lackey! Anyone who tells youse otherwise is selling you fish oil."
He crosses his arms, "Then why do you listen to Steeljaw, huh?"
The bot backs up in fear as Thunderhoof states, "That big bad wolf would eat youse grandma if it would give him the power to rule a planet. So if Iz was you, I'd be careful who's side youse take." the con nods in fear, then looks away wondering what "fish oil" and a "Grandma" was. Thunderhoof points at the rest of the group, "Iz suggest youse get back ta eatin'."
everyone stops staring and gets back to what they were doing.
Glowstrike gets back in her seat and stares in amazement. Thunderhoof looks straight at her and walks up to her, "Somethin' interesting?"
"What's a grandma?" she asked as he sat across from her.
He smiles, "It's female who's offspring had offspring."
she slowly nods, "Ah. I've never heard a phrase like that. Is it a human one?"
he lightly puffs some air as a laugh, "It is. Iz overheard it from a mama reading a story to her toddler. They was camping in tha woods."
"Was it interesting?" she asks.
He leans back and opens his arms, "It was full of holes and didn't make much sense, but I saw why it was enjoyable."
she relaxes, "Spy on campers often?"
He shakes his head almost smacking someone with an antler, "Nah, only if I find one."
she thinks for a bit before asking, "How powerful are your hooves?"
he looks at them, then at her, "Why? Youse want them for something?"
"Yes. But first, how much would you say you trust Steeljaw?"
he looks over at Clampdown, "See him? I trust him more than I trust Steeljaw. I can step on him."
"Are you the only one who doesn't trust Steeljaw?" she asks getting up to lead the way to the door.
he comments while following her, "Nobody does. The only reason they stay is cause I'm tha only one with a spine. If I go, they go. Steeljaw knows this."
"So, he only keeps you so the others don't leave? How does he do that?" she asks as they turns a corner.
"He divides our energon and makes sure I don't get out of line. To him, I'm too useful ta kill." he states brushing past a orange vehicon.
She smiles, "In other words..."
"I'd trust him to stab me in tha back."
She thinks for a moment, "Can I trust you?"
they stop next to an elevator and he opens it for her, "Yeah. Iz make it a policy not ta lie to anyone. Unless they try conning me."
she steps in and asks, "Good policy. Do you know how to spot a traitor?"
he walks in and crosses his arms, "I wouldn't have become Cybertron's biggest crime boss if I couldn't. If youse got one, Iz got an answer."
"I figured I could trust you." she smiles and presses a button.
Thunderhoof looks at it, "Youse taking me to tha bridge?"
"I want to talk to Saberhorn before we make a final decision." she looks up at his curiosity, "If what we find is true, then maybe we'll put you in Scorpinock's old position as third-in-command."
he nods and waits for the ride to be over. She rocks back and forth as the elevator hummed. She looks at him and notes that she's optic level with his boxy chest. A question passes her metal lips, "Why a tractor?"
the glaze over his eyes gets blinked away, "Huh?"
"Why a tractor? You could have gone with a monster truck, or tank..."
he points at the antlers atop his head, "It was tha only thing that could hide these in plain sight."
"That makes sense." she looks away feeling a bit embarrassed that she asked a stupid question. She looks up to see him smiling kindly.
"Youse can ask me anything, Ma'am. Don't hold back cause it sounds dumb, Iz don't judge. Much. Iz asked a few dumb ones myself."
"What was the deal Steeljaw made with you?"
before he could answer, the door opens and Steeljaw walks in, "Excuse me, Glowstrike, I didn't mean to intrude on your conversation with Thunderhoof."
Thunderhoof mutters, "Yes youse did."
he looks at Thunderhoof with a sly smile, "I heard you broke up a fight in the mess hall this morning. You must be so proud of yourself my friend. I doubt a second compliment needs to be spoken."
"Youse didn't need ta utter tha first one!" Thunderhoof snaps.
"Calm yourself, Brother, you know how your temper gets." he turns to Glowstrike, "I'm sorry if Thunderhoof is making you upset, he has trouble letting go of simple grudges. Most of them are easily forgivable."
"Eyoo! If I hadn't agreed to youse little deal, I'd be halfway done building my empire already!"
Steeljaw turns to him and growls, "Calm yourself, Thunderhoof!" he composes, "The past is the past. If you wish to leave, take it up with Glowstrike and Saberhorn. But, I will warn you. Cons outside this place are a bit more... unreasonable."
"Youse one ta talk." Thunderhoof muttered crossing his arms.
He turns to Glowstrike, "If you need help with anything, I am more than willing to offer my services."
she nods, "Thank you, Steeljaw. I will think on it." the doors open again and she steps off.
Steeljaw stops Thunderhoof and hisses, "Listen to me and listen good, Thunderhoof, if you take one step off this ship without my permission or convince them that I can not be trusted, I will not hesitate to feed you your antlers! Is that understood?"
Thunderhoof thinks for a minute, then quietly nods. Steeljaw smiles and walks towards the bridge.