I know, I know... Been too long... but here it is! And if I can find time, more later!
There's gonna be flip-flopping between timelines until everything comes to the present.
Italics - the past
Not italic - the present
Skywarp took as slow as possible to get back to Megatron. For one, he was grieving about Thundercracker. Second, he was unsure what to think about what had happened with Starscream and how he had acted. He was also wondering how he was going to explain this all to Megatron. He returned to base after a while, already having been bothered at least twice about where he was. As he made his way down the corridor, he already figured Megatron was going to be furious once he explained what had happened – if he could even explain it.
Skywarp was at odds with himself over this. All signs pointed to Starscream being Thundercracker's killer, but… The spark chamber. Torn from the body like in all the stories… But it couldn't be. He wasn't strong enough to take out Thundercracker. Not like that. That look on Thundercracker's face. It wasn't just fear… it was betrayal. He didn't want to admit it to himself at the time, but the more he thought about it, the more it etched into his mind. "Damn you, 'Scream…"
He wasn't exactly sure what to think, let alone what he was going to tell Megatron. He could tell Megatron what Starscream had told him and how he was acting, but then again, he could admit he didn't know, because, in reality, he didn't. He didn't want to go against Starscream by accusing him, per se, but he also didn't want to accept that he very well may have killed their friend. "I don't know," was all he answered. "Thundercracker was already dead. I got there too late."
Megatron was irate to hear of it and asked who had done it.
"What do you mean, you don't know, Skywarp!" Megatron practically yelled, "Was there no evidence?"
"Uh, no sir," Skywarp explained. "It was like all the other strange killings that have been reported." And it was… Only Starscream was there… Physically.
Megatron stood up, growling. "This is unacceptable! And where was Starscream in all of this?"
Oh, what to tell him? That he was present and rambling absurdities, or that he was never there to begin with? At least to him, Starscream's mind was gone, so technically he wouldn't be lying, "He wasn't there. I don't know where he was."
"Of course," Megatron agreed. If he wasn't with Skywarp and wasn't with Thundercracker, where exactly was he? "You mean to tell me that miscreant was able to take down your own wingman, one of my elite?" he then asked, still furious about the situation. "And Starscream? He was nowhere to be found?"
Skywarp frowned… wasn't it obvious? "I suppose so," he answered.
"Where are Thundercracker's remains now?"
"Hook is doing a preliminary exam on him as we speak." Skywarp replied. "I had him brought it quietly so no one would see anything." It was more so his body wasn't desecrated more than it already had been. "Hook won't get to him for a few joors yet,"
Megatron sat back a moment, and then smirked at the purple seeker, "Understood, Skywarp. I want you to oversee the procedure. Find out how he died. I want to know everything."
Skywarp hesitated, as if he needed extra processing time for that statement. Then he frowned when Megatron's smirk grew darker. At the thought of having to watch the medic basically dissect his friend in front of him, he then said, "Y-yes, sir,"
As Skywarp headed for the medical room, the same million questions that were running through his head earlier began again. Just what the hell happened out there? What if Starscream really killed Thundercracker? He would need to get more information on him before coming to any conclusions. He knew Starscream was hiding, but where, was the question. He had to find him… quietly.
By the time he had started his search, Starscream had shown up back at base. Luckily he hadn't gotten very far. "You and I need to talk, Scream."
Pretending to listen to Megatron, Starscream responded to Skywarp, "Can't now. Being questioned and degraded by Megatron per usual return."
Hoping Starscream was going to be okay, he asked, "How long?"
"No clue. You know how he can be when he's on his rants."
"He's going to ask you about 'Cracker, you know."
Starscream's response turned soft. "I'm well aware of it," His spark began to ache with the pang of regret as he thought about it. Being snapped out of his talk with Skywarp by Megatron, he looked at him as he asked him where he was when Thundercracker had been killed. He tried to pretend nothing was wrong. "I was on the mission where you sent me, my Lord," he replied.
"How did this happen to Thundercracker?" Megatron asked heatedly, "Surely you saw or heard something on internal coms."
"I had no idea anything had happened until I got his distress beacon."
"Were your lines plugged up or something?" Megatron growled loudly, "Since when do you not hear what's going on?"
"It may have been interference or a glitch, Lord Megatron, but I will get to the bottom of it." Technically, he wasn't lying. He would find out what happened, and if he could stop it.
Skywarp caught up to Starscream a while after he'd returned to his quarters. He entered his room without a knock and stared at him. "He's making me oversee Thundercracker's autopsy."
Starscream frowned both in sadness and disgust at himself. He caused this mess, "What for?"
"Punishment, I assume. What did happen to TC out there, 'Scream?"
Not looking at the other seeker, Starscream replied bluntly, "He was killed."
Skywarp frowned at Starscream for his answer. As if that wasn't obvious enough already. "Don't be so harsh. I know it's upsetting you too. But… what about you?"
"What about me?"
Almost afraid to ask, Skywarp dared to tread that line. "What really happened to you out there?"
"I already told you, 'Warp. Stop asking me. I have to relive that look on his face for the rest of my life." With that, Starscream walked off. Skywarp stopped. The way he'd answered that. Why would he need to 'relive the look on his face"? …Was he telling the truth? What in the Pit was going on?
What indeed...
