A Pet Squishy
Chapter 5: "Toy Mouse"
In one of the corridors of the Nemesis…
Thundercracker's shift ended at last and immediately he set off for the Rec Room to find his wingman or his pet, whichever he found first. He honestly hoped to find his pet first and get her back to the safety of her enclosure; his little "discussion" with Warp could be postponed.
Why did Skywarp always do this? Anytime he obtained something, the purple Seeker would find some way to exploit, damage, or destroy it. Why couldn't he ruin his OWN stuff? Why was it always HIS stuff?
Rumble and Frenzy had been no help in discovering the condition of his pet after the subsequent "prank" on Starscream and not knowing worried the Seeker. Had Starscream terminated her? Was she nothing more than squishy smear on the Nemesis deck plates?
Or perhaps she escaped and was running wild through the Nemesis corridors? That notion certainly didn't bode well for the tiny creature with so many giant feet stomping around, not to mention the overall distaste for humans among the Decepticon ranks. Thundercracker couldn't think of any mech who wouldn't squash a human on sight given the opportunity. Hell, most of the Decepticons considered killing humans a fun pastime. The odds were certainly not in Lana's favor if she was discovered.
Thundercracker just hoped he would find her first.
However, that was not the case; he found Skywarp first. The purple and black Seeker was bent over creeping along the corridor walls, eyes seeming to dart across the floor. Wings rocking dangerously with each heated step, Thundercracker closed the gap between them and seized the sensitive panel of Skywarp's right wing nearest to his back. Skywarp grunted with pain as he was hauled bodily to a full standing position.
"Where IS she Warp?" the big blue Con growled, yanking Skywarp back.
"Huh?"
Thundercracker squeezed the sensitive wing panel causing Skywarp's right arm to jerk up. Unfortunately for the purple Seeker he couldn't reach his assailant. All Seekers knew where to hold one of their own to keep them from attacking and/or how to get answers.
"OW! OW! TC! OW! KNOCK IT OFF!" Warp complained.
Thundercracker shoved his wingman face first into the corridor wall, "WHERE Warp?"
"Hey! Come on TC, I thought we were pals!" he whined.
"PALS don't steal each other's stuff and then LOSE it!" the blue Seeker interjected.
The purple and black Con nodded, feeling the pressure increase with his friend's anger, "Ok. Ok. I deserve that. I DID take her…for a little walk."
"Walk?" Thundercracker's voice lowered, "According to a couple witnesses you did MORE than walk."
"AAAND…I mighta, sorta used her for a little prank on Screamer." Skywarp confessed.
Growling deep in his vocalizer, Thundercracker demanded, "Did he kill her?"
Skywarp turned his head as far as his neck servos would allow, "Why the slag does THAT matter?"
"DID he kill her?" the blue Con repeated in a gravely voice.
"I don't know! I didn't see any squished squishy anywhere so I'm assuming she escaped and is probably running around the ship somewhere." Skywarp surmised.
Snarling, Thundercracker released his wingman and delivered a swift kick to his aft, "Slag it Warp! Now everyone's going to know!"
"Hey! I didn't retro-rat you out. I told everyone I found it on patrols." the purple Con admitted. "No one even knows it was yours."
A small flood of relief filled his processors. Though he couldn't trust Warp with his stuff, he could trust him not to be a snitch. That meant no one knew he was keeping a human as a pet.
"Well…you're STILL going to help me find her." the blue Seeker pointed tersely at him.
"Fine! Fine."
Thundercracker narrowed his optics, "And Primus help you if I find her dead!"
….
In the next corridor…
Lana huddled against the wall, eyes wide, and breathing measured as a pair of massive brightly colored purple and yellow Decepticons walked past her. Their overall build resembled construction vehicles, one looked part bulldozer and the other looked like it had crane parts. Both were conversing in that strange mechanical language that she had no hope of understanding. Lana held perfectly still, hoping her small size and stillness would go unnoticed.
Just as they took a step past her the bulldozer-looking mech made a sharp crackling sound and struck his comrade's shoulder in a challenging way, throwing him off balance. All air left Lana's lungs as the crane mech stumbled backward his foot descending toward her. The young woman closed her eyes and instinctually covered her head in sheer terror, waiting for her inevitable death. A deafening crash and Lana felt her bottom leave the cold metal floor briefly before unceremoniously dropping her on her side. She cracked open an eyelid and her vision became filled with obnoxious yellow and purple colored metal. Inches—that's how close his foot was—so close she could smell the metal and the faintest waft of dirt. Lana was frozen with fear as she lay curled in a fetal ball.
"Don't step back. Don't step back." she pleaded silently to the metal colossus.
Much to her relief the mech's hydraulics hissed and he moved away from her, rumbling deeply and pointing at the bulldozer who'd shoved him. Completely oblivious to her small presence they rounded the corner and disappeared, still arguing. A huge sigh of relief passed from Lana's lungs as she covered her face.
She couldn't stay in this corridor forever—too many ways to get squashed. Massaging her still throbbing leg, Lana knew she'd have to force herself up. With grit teeth she braced her back to the metal wall and placed all her weight on her uninjured limb. She took a few measured breaths and finally stood on two feet. The pain cut at her back and left leg but she did her level best to ignore it and hobble down the corridor.
Maybe if she was lucky she could find a way out of this dangerous Hell of giant robots. She could only hope escape was possible. There had to be someway out!
….
In the Rec Room…
"Lana. Come here Lana." Thundercracker called gently so as not to draw any attention.
Searching for a human and remaining inconspicuous were proving to be difficult challenges. Anytime a fellow Decepticon passed by the Rec Room they'd have to stop searching and pretend they were just shooting the breeze. No one knew the Seekers' secret and that's the way it was going to remain.
Noncommittally turning over another chair, Skywarp mumbled, "This is ridiculous TC. We're never going to find that puny thing."
"YOU lost her. YOU'RE helping me find her!" the blue Con rasped.
Frowning, the purple jet Con kicked a discarded Energon cube across the floor still grumbling.
Thundercracker moved over to the wall and noticed the Energon distributing console had a small space behind it.
Yeah…a human could fit behind there.
Leaning his bulk into the boxy hunk of machinery, the Seeker nudged it away from the wall. No Lana. He frowned with disappointment but suddenly noticed the tiniest scrap of white cloth fluttering against one of the vent's slats. Delicately, he snatched up the piece of cloth and examined it. It looked like a fragment of Lana's clothes.
"Hey! I think she's in the ventilation system." Thundercracker mentioned with hope in his tone.
Skywarp made a "tsking" sound, "Ooo. That's a shame. The filter drones probably vaporized her."
A very concerned look formed on Thundercracker's face as he stared at the scrap of cloth.
Skywarp arched a questioning brow plate, "Geez, TC, why are you getting so worked up about that squishy anyway? It's not like you can't get another one."
"I don't WANT another one! I want MINE." Thundercracker snapped.
"What's the difference? They're practically all the same." the purple jet Con retorted.
Thundercracker crossed his arms, "I liked mine. She was well-behaved and I think she was starting to tame down a little bit."
"Well get another one that's just as well-behaved and you can tame it down too." Skywarp suggested, "I'll even help you."
The big blue Con shook his head and sat down in a chair heavily, "I don't want another one."
Staring at the ceiling with exasperation Skywarp replied, "Come ON TC. Quit being so sentimental. It was JUST a human."
The blue Seeker didn't reply.
"Hey, I said I was sorry." the purple Con tried.
"No you didn't."
Skywarp tipped his helmet, "I didn't? Oh. Well, I'm sorry for losing your pet." He nodded with satisfaction and gripped his friend's shoulder vent, "There. You happy now? Can we JUST go find another one?"
"No! I don't WANT another one." Thundercracker repeated brusquely.
His friend rolled his optics, "All right, fine. No new human, I get it. Then can we PLEASE forget about it and get on with our lives?"
Expelling air from his vents, Thundercracker half-heartedly nodded and followed his wingman out of the Rec Room. Just as they began walking down the hall a high pitched scream made them stop.
Skywarp smirked, "I guess the filter drones didn't get her."
Then they heard a loud hissing snarl.
He winced, "But Ravage might."
….
Lana had no idea where the metal beast came from but before she even heard its metal paws hit the floor it was pouncing straight at her. She screamed and ducked as the horse-sized robotic cat leaped right over her head. With all the grace of the organic creature the silver and black beast landed on its feet and whirled around to face her, metal fangs bared. Lana was petrified with fear. Hissing and snarling the metal cat stalked closer, its red optics flashing with excitement.
"Nice kitty…good kitty." Lana squeaked timidly, trying in vain to calm the vicious metal creature.
But the cybernetic cat was impervious to sweet words. She was prey—prey didn't get off on sweet words. As the beast slinked closer, Lana's memories of an animal attack show on TV resurfaced.
When confronted by a big cat you should make yourself as big as possible, shout loudly, and move toward the predator. Don't run. By making yourself appear dangerous the creature will determine you are not an easy target and retreat.
Panic forced Lana to try. Lifting her arms up and arching her shoulders she roared as loudly as she could at the metal cat.
It stared at her.
She hissed and moved closer, waving her arms. Suddenly, with a deft swat of its paw the cyber panther knocked Lana to the floor.
The young woman cried out in panic as the beast circled her prone form almost daring her to try to run. She held up a hand as some pitiful shield should the monster go straight for her jugular. Nothing she did could stop this thing from ripping her to shreds. Knowing she couldn't run even if she did manage to get up, Lana did the only thing instinct prompted, curl up face down and protect your throat and vitals.
The moment she curled up she felt the beast's metal paw touch her side and then she felt he razor edged claws as they extended out, digging into her skin. She cried out as the creature rolled her over, trying to get her vitals exposed. Rolling quickly, Lana thwarted its first attempt and resumed her fetal ball. The metal panther snarled lightly and mercilessly began batting her across the floor with hard swats of its paws. Lana could already feel the bruises forming on her extremities as the harsh floor banged her up. She was going to face the same fate of every unfortunate mouse caught by a cat—she was going to be played with her until she succumbed to heart failure or internal bleeding, whichever occurred first.
….
Thundercracker and Skywarp moved quickly but not too much that it looked suspicious. Finally they rounded the corner and there was Ravage circling the prone form of Thundercracker's pet human. The metal panther leaped over to its prey, swatted it across the floor, and then chased after the form.
"Aww, look. They're playing." Skywarp crooned quietly.
Thundercracker shot him a deadly glare and it took every ounce of control to not boot Ravage away from his pet. But he couldn't act like it was his. Ravage couldn't know it was his or he'd definitely tell Soundwave and then…BUSTED. But he had to get Lana away from Ravage quickly before he killed her.
"Hey, Ravage. Whatcha got there?" Thundercracker asked in a loud voice.
The cyber-panther craned his neck around and glared at the two Seekers snarling in Cybertronian, "What do YOU want?"
Thinking it was his cue Skywarp jumped in the little drama, "Ravage! Is that a human you've caught?" hescolded, "You know you're not supposed to have those on the ship."
The metal panther's fierce red eyes narrowed, "My brothers inform me YOU were the imbecile who brought it on board." He batted the prone form, "Although, they never mentioned Starscream didn't manage to kill it."
"So what are you doing with it?" the blue Seeker inquired, trying to hide the concern building in his mainframe.
Ravage made a light purring noise, "I found it and I've decided to play with it until it expires."
Suddenly, before Ravage could exact another "play" attack on Lana, Thundercracker knelt down and scooped her up. With a snarl of indignation Ravage swiped at the ascending human, managing to rake some gashes in Thundercracker's hand.
"HEY! That's mine!" Ravage hissed nastily, crouching for an attack.
"Ravage if you play with it you're just going to make a huge organic mess all over the place." Thundercracker insisted, "I'm going to dispose of it properly. Unless of course you want to explain to Megatron how his ship got soiled with little human bits?"
Ravage relaxed his pouncing posture and glared dangerously at them, "Fine. I was done with it anyway."
Sauntering off peevishly, Ravage turned his tail around and left.
Thundercracker immediately opened his hand and placed a finger on Lana's torso. She was alive. His sensors indicated she was banged up but nothing life-threatening. Her left leg was also hot and swelling, a human indication of injury. It was only dumb luck she'd survived at all.
"So am I off the hook now?" Skywarp asked after a moment.
The blue Seeker didn't answer as he briskly marched back to his quarters, Lana in hand.