A Pet Squishy
Chapter 8: "Combat Maneuvers"
A couple days after the incident with Rumble and Frenzy, the mediocre drone of boredom set in again for Lana. Not that she wanted that kind of excitement ever again, but she certainly didn't care for the monotony of walking along the walls of her enclosure wishing for something meaningful to do.
There were times Lana questioned her sanity. Feeling pity for Thundercracker when he thought she was dead instead of trying to escape was at the forefront of her doubts. Was this captivity with no real mental stimulation whittling away her sanity? How long would it be before she went totally insane or at the very least fall into a deep state of depression? She hadn't seen another human for so long. Sure, Thundercracker talked to her and gave her "affection"; which was probably the only thing keeping her mind afloat as it was; but it wasn't the same.
Lana rested her forehead against the transparent wall of her bedroom, feeling like a goldfish that was actually aware it was swimming in a circle its whole life. The dark purple walls were shrinking. Even though the room was beyond huge the walls felt closer everyday.
She needed to do something! ANYTHING—anything to save her mind from the quagmire of inactivity.
It was odd but she started to think of music. Songs that were mere ghost-tunes bouncing around her skull. Being a former stripper she was exposed to a whole gauntlet of beats and tunes. Each one had their own specific routine. She tried hard to remember one. After a moment or two a particular beat began vibrating her vocal chords. She hummed it, breathing life into the stale memory. Then her muscles remembered.
Her hips began to rock in time with the music in her head. She strutted away from the wall, hips swaying and then popping with the beat. Lana swiveled her feet, gliding across the floor. She kicked up, spinning in a ballerina twirl until she gracefully ended with a pointed toe. Throwing her red hair she leaned over, twisting her torso and moving her arms like waves. She leaped, she twirled, she shook, she flaunted. Finally she thrust her hips, turned once, and ended up doing the splits on the floor. The redhead winced, realizing she probably should've stretched before doing all that…AND checked to make sure no one was watching.
Lana gasped upon seeing Thundercracker's large face peering it at her through the transparent wall. As if bitten, Lana pulled out of her splits and rose quickly, smoothing down her tussled hair.
"What was that?" Thundercracker cocked his head. "Was that 'dancing'?"
"How long have you BEEN there?" Lana asked, clearly perturbed.
He spun his finger, "Do that again! I like it."
Lana showed her back to him, "NO. You weren't supposed to see that!"
"Why not? You're my pet. I can look at you whenever I want to." he declared.
The young woman clenched her jaw.
Thundercracker persisted, "I never realized humans could move like that. It was so…graceful. Do it again!"
"You want to watch dancing?" Lana looked at him.
He nodded.
"Watch it on YouTube then." she replied snappishly.
Thundercracker slit his optics, "I want to see you dance."
"Oh, YOU want! YOU WANT! Well I want out of this stupid cage! I want to see the sun again! I want to go home!" the young woman shouted with frustration.
The Decepticon pulled his head back a bit. His red optics seemed to jostle between anger at her disobedience and an idea crackling in his CPU. He suddenly understood and with a smirk he reached in and brought her out.
"I know what you need." he announced.
Before Lana could react the cockpit glass on his chest hissed open and he stuffed her inside. Shocked, the redhead banged on the glass when it clicked shut over her.
"HEY! What are you doing? Let me out of here!" she shouted.
Thundercracker chuckled; an odd deep rumble that vibrated the seat, "That tickles."
Lana stopped banging and stared around uneasily. It was one thing to be around giant robots, but to be inside one was a whole other experience. She didn't want to touch anything, but she had no choice. She stared out of the vertical hood, bracing her feet against the floor so she didn't slam into it. The height from the floor was staggering, probably over twenty-five feet. She distinctly recalled a ride at the State Fair that started out this way…she threw up afterwards.
Just then the cockpit glass tinted like a pair of Transitions lenses, shielding Lana from any outside viewers. Lana squeaked when her master began to move, walking who knows where.
She called out, "Hey! Where are we going? What are you doing?"
"You'll see."
"That shit head Skywarp said the same thing to me and I didn't LIKE what I got to see!" the young woman reminded him.
"I'm not Skywarp." he stated simply. "Just keep quiet until I tell you."
Lana grumbled, still bracing her body with each swaying step. Several minutes passed by and all at once all motion stopped. Then Lana felt a rising sensation accompanied by a loud groaning of metal and hydraulics.
"What's going on?" she whispered.
Thundercracker didn't answer her. Suddenly, Lana was thrown back into the seat as the blue mech rushed forward, feet pounding in a run.
What the HELL was he running FOR?
The cockpit glass abruptly cleared and Lana saw a massive tunnel with the clearest blue sky at the other end. Lana nearly screamed aloud when the cockpit began to rearrange itself and the sound of plates shifting and circuits crackling filled her ears. Thundercracker's massive arms and shoulders slid by the cockpit and disappeared. Lana turned around with confusion and suddenly realized her master was no longer a robot, but a fighter jet. She gaped openly, remembering how Rumble had transformed his arms into pile-drivers. Thundercracker could transform his body into a jet!
Then the deafening boom of the jet engine roared to life, sending more vibrations through Thundercracker's metal. Lana's back slammed into the cushioned seat as the square of blue sky at the end of the tunnel rocketed closer. The young woman grit her teeth, feeling her eyeballs high-five the back of her skull.
"OH…MY…GOD!" she squealed when they suddenly blasted out of the tunnel like a new soul sent straight to heaven.
Blue sky as blue as Thundercracker's metal enveloped them. Lana craned her neck to see where they'd come from and was stunned. A huge purple spire of metal was jutting straight out of the ocean and slowly descending back into the depths.
"What is that?" Lana asked pointing to the sinking violet tower.
The targeting screen in front of her lit up with each syllable of Thundercracker's voice, "That's the launching bay of the Nemesis."
"Nemesis?" she asked.
"Ah that's right. You've never seen it from the outside before. The Nemesis is our home, our ship." he explained.
She had been underwater this whole time? A sinking feeling hit her stomach. There was no way she could've escaped alive even IF she found a way out. As she mentally bemoaned the truth, she'd almost forgotten they were airborne, flying through the sky. Wisps of cloud caressed the huge wings on either side of her.
"We're flying." she stated dumbly, still not believing it. "You can fly."
"Of course I can. I'm a Seeker." he bragged. "Haven't you ever flown before?"
"No. I've never been able to afford plane tickets." Lana admitted, staring around in wonderment.
Thundercracker made an incredulous noise, "How can you stand it?"
"Stand what?"
"Being flightless."
Lana shook her head, "I make do without it."
The big blue jet veered to the right of a cloud bank, "So what do you think?" her master's voice sounded excited.
Lana let herself smile, "It's beautiful up here. I never thought the sky could be so blue."
The sun flashed through the cockpit and Lana closed her eyes, feeling its warmth and light. Normally with her light complexion she avoided the sun, but today it felt like a warm hug she hadn't felt in ages.
"Aww…is my little pet happy?" Thundercracker observed.
Shutting her eyes tightly with irritation, Lana sighed, "Will you STOP demeaning me?"
"Huh?"
"Little pet this…poor little Lana that…it's degrading! Can't you just call me Lana, please?" she pleaded.
"Yes. But you ARE my little pet."
Lana groaned, "I get it, ok? I don't have to be reminded everyday."
Thundercracker made a doubtful grunt, "I believe you DO need reminded."
Quite suddenly he rolled right in a tight barrel roll which made Lana brace herself and scream.
"DON'T DO THAT!" she shouted under heavy breath.
"What? THIS?" Thundercracker chuckled playfully rolling over and diving nose first toward the water below.
Lana screamed, "AHHHHH! STOP THAT!"
Somehow it struck her that fighter pilots underwent extensive training and had to have cast-iron stomachs to withstand such aerial maneuvers. She got sick on amusement park rides. Yet, she wasn't feeling that sick yet. Perhaps her fear was overshadowing the urge to hurl.
The jet righted itself at the last moment and casually cruised onward above the ocean waters.
"Don't do that again!" Lana rasped, clenching her chest.
The screen flashed with the Con's laughter, "Poor little Lana."
Lana sat back in defeat and after a moment asked, "SO why are you taking me on this flight of one thousand terrors?"
"You said you wanted to get out and see the sun," he explained, "I get those urges too just to stretch my wings and feel the wind in my vents."
"So you're going to take me home too?" Lana asked with hope, though she knew very well it wasn't.
The screen blipped, "Home? You want to go back to the Nemesis already?"
"No. MY home. My REAL home out there." she pointed.
"Of course not. Your home is with me." the Con insisted.
Before she could make a comment, quite suddenly the cockpit darkened again. From outside Lana froze upon hearing a very familiar loud, rasping voice.
"Thundercracker!"
The blue Con's surprise vibrated through the cockpit, "Starscream? What are YOU doing out here?"
"We are conducting Aerial Combat Maneuvers! WHY haven't YOU reported in? I ORDERED you back here a megacycle ago!" Starscream screeched indignantly.
"Huh? Now? Why now?" Thundercracker sounded confused.
Starscream's voice rose again, "Don't argue with ME! If I say we're going to have Aerial Combat Maneuvers then we ARE!"
The blue Con relented, "All right! All right! Let me just return to the Nemesis…"
Forcefully Starscream slammed his wing down on Thundercracker's tail fin, "I said NOW! MOVE IT!"
"Yes sir."
Lana blinked. Aerial Combat Maneuvers? NOW?
"What does he mean Combat Maneuvers?" Lana asked in a fearful whisper.
It didn't take a psychic to feel the dread emanating from the young woman's voice. Thundercracker felt it. He knew how wild and violent an Aerial Combat Maneuver session could be. So much twisting, diving at break-neck speed, rolling, banking, and transforming—Lana would never survive even if he strapped her in. He could maintain oxygen flow and keep her warm, but the G forces were out of his power. There were times he'd dive so fast during a maneuver he though his armor would rip right off. A mere human couldn't withstand such forces. He had to drop Lana off somewhere without Starscream noticing.
Lana's voice rose, "What's going on?"
The straps of the jet seat automatically snaked across her chest and under her legs, clicking together securely.
"Just hang on. This might get a little rough." he warned.
The air caught in Lana's chest escaped rapidly. She didn't like where this was going.
Another jet engine roared and the familiar black and violet form of Skywarp swooped down next to Thundercracker.
"HEY! TC! You ready to go?" Skywarp's voice called jovially.
"Not really." he muttered.
Skywarp sidled in beside his comrade, "What's the matter TC? I thought you liked Combat Maneuvers."
"I've got her with me." Thundercracker hissed under his vocalizer.
"Huh? Who?"
"Lana."
Skywarp snorted, "You've got your squishy with you? During a Combat Maneuver?"
"I didn't know we were doing Combat Maneuvers!" Thundercracker whispered angrily.
"You know she might turn to squishy jelly under all those G forces? That would be gross to clean up." the black and purple Seeker mentioned with no amount of tact. "You'd better eject her."
"We're too high. That would kill her." Thundercracker protested, "I need to drop her off somewhere so that doesn't happen."
"FALL INTO FORMATION!" Starscream shouted irritably.
Skywarp groaned at his friend, "Oh you sentimental son of a…All right. When we start the maneuver I'll distract Screamer. Then you can dump her out and pick her up later."
Dipping his cone nose in agreement, Thundercracker fell back to await Starscream's next order.
"Execute Formation Theta Gamma 1!" Starscream shouted.
Skywarp and Thundercracker broke away, banking hard in either direction.
Lana braced her hand against the console, "Don't kill me!"
"I'm not. Just hang on." the blue jet's deep voice promised.
Thundercracker dove straight down but not as fast as the maneuver required. He spun as he descended.
"OOOOH! I'm gonna DIE!" Lana screamed.
Despite his pet's fretting, Thundercracker actively scanned the ocean for some kind of protruding land mass—a sand bar, a jetty, anything. Several miles away he spotted something. His scanners enhanced the image. It was a faded rubber life boat set adrift. Some boat must've lost it leaving it to the whims of the sea. It was perfect!
Veering off course, Thundercracker blasted his thrusters and zoomed for it.
"Thundercracker! What are you doing?! I said Formation Theta Gamma 1!" Starscream shouted angrily from above.
Taking his cue, Skywarp teleported and purposely swerved into Starscream's side.
"Whoops! Sorry Screamer! I thought you said Theta Gamma 2!" he feigned ignorance.
"YOU CLUMSY CLUNKER!" the Air Commander screeched turning to face his wingman.
With Starscream ranting and raving at Skywarp, Thundercracker sped toward the life raft. When he arrived he hovered vertically, nose down to the raft as he flipped open his cockpit.
"Jump!" he urged his pet.
"WHAT? Are you crazy?" Lana shouted, desperate not to fall out.
Thundercracker impatiently bucked forward, flipping her out and into the raft below, "I'll be back! Don't worry."
The huge blue jet spun in a circle and with a deafening blast roared up into the sky. Lana fell back against the powerful sound, wondering what had just happened.
…
Starscream was still giving Skywarp the ninth degree about how much of an idiot and disgrace he was to the Seeker Elite when Thundercracker got back. The white and red jet whirled around.
"And YOU! WHAT is YOUR malfunction?! I SAID…" he snarled.
"Theta Gamma 2." Thundercracker lied to back Skywarp.
An arc of electricity crackled over Starscream's cockpit, visually displaying his exasperation, "THETA GAMMA 1! THETA GAMMA 1! ARE YOU TWO GLITCHED IN THE AUDIOS?"
"All right, Screamer! All right! Don't implode your thrusters. We'll get it right this time." Skywarp surrendered.
"You'd better! UGG! Why did I get stuck with two incompetent fools?"
If jets could wink, Thundercracker and Skywarp would have shared one.
….
Several miles away…
Lana scanned the ocean only to find no land in sight. Above she could hear the distant roar of the jet engines, knowing her master and the others weren't too far away. It was an odd thing. Thundercracker had willingly disobeyed an order from a superior just to keep her out of harm's way. He'd expressed this kind of concern for her well-being before but in this instance it was more pronounced. He could have just taken her along, but he let her out.
Why? She was just his "pet"! He demeaned her and treated her as an inferior life-form and yet he seemed to value her. Why was she so important to him? She didn't DO anything for him other than talk and let him pet her. She'd done everything in her power to resist him and STILL he valued her.
Lana sat thinking for about a half hour when suddenly she heard a horn. Her head flew up and cruising by in the distance was a huge white and red ship with Coast Guard plastered on the side.
Her heart fluttered as she blinked.
That ship isn't there. You're just imagining things. You've been the sun too long.
Experimentally she stood up and waved her arms. The ship blew its klaxon and dozens of Coast Guard personnel scurried down the massive ship's deck. Lana realized it wasn't a hallucination. She laughed, waving her arms like a wild woman.
"HERE! I'M HERE! HEY! HEY!" she screamed at the top of her voice.
The Coast Guard ship pointed for her and after several long minutes of scurrying about the personnel lowered a ladder with a rescue man descending it.
With a dark pair of shades and a reassuring face the man handed her a life vest, "Put that on!"
Overjoyed Lana quickly donned the vest.
"All right! Are you all right ma'am? Can you climb up?" he asked, holding out a hand.
Lana seized his hand, never so glad to feel the warmth human skin, "Yes! Thank you! Thank you!"
He pulled her up so she could go up in front of him, "Just take your time ma'am and remain calm."
Lana didn't even hear him as she eagerly climbed the ladder. When they finally made it to the rail several hands reached over and hauled her up. A swarm of medical personnel immediately whisked her inside, examining her as they went.
The young redhead didn't even care. She just sighed, a smile spreading over her face.
A/N: Just so ya'll know…I just noticed the Movies section of Fan Fiction has FINALLY added the "Transformers Movie" into its ranks. So I've moved "Tinman" and "Boys, Meet my Truck" to that section just in case you've panicked.
Don't get too excited though…I haven't updated "Truck"…kinda having a writer's block with how I want the meeting of Paul and Ironhide to go. I know how it should end and what follows the meeting but arranging it in a believable way is throwing a monkey wrench in my gears.
However, I've also started a risqué oneshot featuring Animated Starscream in light of reading Litahatchee's fics…she writes some great cyber-erotic fiction that's refreshingly not mech on mech. I'll post it as soon as I'm done, though my younger readers won't be able to see it in the MATURE section.
Ok, something new. I don't usually address my reader's reviews, but I think I SHOULD since you guys are the WHOLE reason I write in the first place. (I'm such a review addict!) So from THIS moment onward if I see some questions that DON'T ask how the story ends ;) I'll answer them. So fire away!
And btw, LOVED all the reviews from my last chapter! I particularly enjoyed the insightful reviews of Taipan Kiryu, Dairokkan, P.A.W .07, and Jumana. You guys had some great things to say! And to ALL my readers I'm SO happy you're enjoying "Squishy" And to padawanjinx, yep TC pets Lana because it relaxes him ;)