Pt 2
"Well," Starscream said. "How about our previous conversation?"
Thundercracker sat down after serving himself and began to eat. He ignored the topic at hand for a second. All he really wished to do was to enjoy his breakfast, but he knew Starscream too much. He just wouldn't let it rest. "Go ahead."
Starscream retrieved some pads from his subspace compartment, turned them on and flicked through the files. Then, he placed the pad in front of Thundercracker. "Read that."
The blue seeker took a sip of energon, then grabbed the data pad and read its contents. He read for some minutes in silence. Angry looks formed on his face, which gave way to confusion. "Where did you get this information?" He looked up questioningly.
"Snuck around." Starscream replied with a grin. "They should hide it better from my prying optics if they wish this not to be found."
"Stars." Thundercracker said. "Yes, it proves energon is in short supply and another source is needed. This isn't anything new." He tossed the data pad back to Starscream. "What does this have to do with Megatronus? What makes you so keen on joining him?"
"I don't want to join him." Starscream said.
"That's not what it looked like yesterday," Thundercracker grumbled.
"Well, at least not yet." Starscream smirked and shoveled more food in his mouth. He chewed then swallowed as he looked intently at his partner. "What is your problem with Megatronus's plan?"
Thundercracker flinched as if that name was poison. He opened his mouth several times to speak, but no words came out. He wasn't too sure of why or how he should answer. He knew Starscream wouldn't accept that something about the silver mech rubbed him the wrong way.
"Is it really necessarily?" Thundercracker asked.
"Cybertron is running out of energon." Starscream said. "The council is hording it for themselves."
"Where is that proof?" Thundercracker nearly shouted. "Or are you just blindly following Megatronus's word?"
"I am not blindly following that mech," Starscream growled. "As far as proof- the hard facts- I don't have any that would make such a blind fool like you see the truth." He took a swig of energon and then crossed his arms. "Do you trust me?"
Thundercracker tilted his head in shock. "Yes, Stars. I trust you. But I don't trust Megatronus-"
Starscream held out his hand. "Trust in me. All I am asking you is to think of our options. Think about it. Do you think Megatronus won't go through with his plan?"
"No."
"Exactly." Starscream spoke as he stood up. "We need to decide on whose side to stand with."
"And why not stand with the council?" Thundercracker asked.
"Oh, my sweet Tc," Starscream cooed and placed his hands on the blue seeker's shoulders. He rubbed his hands up to the other's face and gently traced his fingertips over the soft metal. "I think it's just going to be a matter of time before the council's true colors show." Starscream kissed the back of Thundercracker's helm. "Breakfast was delicious Tc. Thank you. However, I have to excuse myself for some time."
Thundercracker watched as Starscream made for the exit of the door. He glanced back and gave a smile as the door swished open. With a nod and a finale wave, the red and blue seeker left the room.
A sigh exhaled the blue seeker's vents. What an eventful morning! He was thrilled that his courting was accepted but the stress of Megatronus's plan put a damper on the mood. He could only hope that Starscream meant what he said about not blindly following Megatronus. However, Thundercracker could tell that Starscream was awestruck in one way or another with Megatronus or his plan. Hopefully, this wouldn't bring harm to his lover.
Gathering the empty plates, the seeker stood up and put them in a washing station. Taking a storage cube, Thundercracker scraped the remaining food into that container and snapped the lid on. He let his mind wonder about the future of Cybertron and to Starscream's well-being. He just didn't want anything bad to happen to his lover.
"Thunder cracker-" His comm system rang with static and he stood completely still. Now, who was this?
"Tc-" It rang again. "H-help me...P-Please..."
His eyes widened in shock as he recognized the voice. "Skywarp?" Thundercracker called back. "Are you ok?" No answer. "Where are you?"
He never flew so fast in his entire life. Kaon appeared under his wings as Thundercracker searched for Skywarp. He barely received a location, all he got where an incomplete set of coordinates to give a hint as to where to search. Thundercracker flew in low over the city as he reached the first set of coordinates.
Empty alleyways. No signs of his purple seeker in these streets. Thundercracker continued his search by spiraling outwards. "Skywarp." He called out over his comm system, hoping for an answer. The only thing he got in response was silence. As he made his way around, he caught a glimpse of a few mechs running away. "Hang on buddy. I won't give up."
He circled around a few more times keeping his sensors open. Upon another sweep, he caught some movement in an alleyway that was littered with scrap metal. He pulled himself out of the spiral, flew straight for a little and then turned around, sinking lower in the air to the point where he almost touched the buildings with his wingtips.
"Tc..." His comm system picked up in between batches of static.
"Skywarp!" Thundercracker shouted back. "You OK?" As he flew over that alley again, he saw a sheet of scrap metal fall down to reveal Skywarp. Transforming into root mode, Thundercracker quickly descended and landed. He ran over to the pinned seeker and immediately started prying off the junk.
"What happened?" Thundercracker said as he freed his friend and cupped the bleeding and bruised face.
"I knew...you'd come," Skywarp struggled to speak and to stay online.
"You're hurt badly." Thundercracker said as he took note of the condition the purple seeker was in. "I need to get you to a medic." Skywarp's face bunched up as a whine came out of his processor. However, after that, his systems shut down. "Skywarp!" Thundercracker shouted, giving his pal a little shake. "I have to get you out of here."
Placing his arms around the back of Skywarp, Thundercracker lifted his friend up. That is when a bunch of circuit boosters spilled to the ground. Thundercracker looked at them in shock. How could Skywarp do this to himself? As far as he could remember, Skywarp shown no signs of being a user, but perhaps the situation Skywarp was in now was due to this. Giving a burdened sigh, Thundercracker transformed but kept his arms out as to lift the purple seeker's body and flew back to Vos.
"So you flew to Kaon to find him." Starscream stated rather than asking.
"Yes. He commed me asking for help." Thundercracker said. "I just hope he is OK."
"We got the best medic's here in Vos. You don't need to worry." Starscream said as he took Thundercracker's hand in his own.
"Yeah," The blue seeker muttered out. "It's just... Well... I dunno."
"Something else is bothering you, isn't it?"
Thundercracker nodded yes. "I found him with a bunch of boosters."
Starscream made a repulsed face. "Ehhh... You think he is using?"
"I don't know." Thundercracker replied. "I mean, I didn't see any signs of it. Did you?"
"No." Starscream said. "We'll simply have to wait to find out. It shouldn't be too much longer before we can see him."
"I hope not. It's already been a few Orns." Tc replied. "I just hope he is alright. I haven't been able to recharge right since."
"Tell me about it," Starscream chuckled. "You're tossing and turning wakes me up a lot." Thundercracker gave a guilty look. "It's alright, Love." Starscream pulled the taller seeker toward him and gave a kiss to his cheek. "I know you worry a lot."
The pair sat in silence in the waiting room of Vos's main medical facility. Thundercracker spent most of his free time here, only leaving when Starscream forced him to. The situation weighed heavily on Thundercracker's mind, and both the seekers hoped for the best for the third.
A buzz was heard and the secretary answered the comm. The femm nodded and smiled as she ended the comm. "Your friend is awake and in much better shape. You can go see him now." Thundercracker jumped up and immediately made way for the door. Starscream followed behind. "Just take it easy, OK? He still has a bit of recovering to do here."
The blue seeker nodded and pushed open the door. He spotted Skywarp lying in a medical berth attached to some machines that tracked his status. Thundercracker walked over and pulled a chair up to the berth and sat down.
"How are you doing?" Thundercracker asked as he grabbed Skywarp's hand.
"Oh, I've been better," Skywarp teased. "I hate hospitals."
"Well, if it weren't for hospitals, you very well may be offline right now Warp." Thundercracker said.
"I know, I know." Skywarp replied. "Hey Stars."
"Glad to see you're awake and appear much better." Starscream said as grabbed a chair and sat next to the blue seeker.
"Yeah, I just woke up a bit ago." The purple seeker spoke as he rubbed at his optics. "I didn't know where I was, and I started to freak out. But then I remembered Thundercracker had found me." He smiled at the blue seeker. "So, I guess you took me to Vos, huh?
"Yes. I had no choice. I sure as hell wasn't going to leave you in Kaon." Thundercracker said. "I want you to get better, not die in some sleazy hospital."
"Ughhh, tell me about it!" Skywarp groaned. "The last time, I barely made it out with all my parts still belonging to me!" He laughed, but stopped once he realized no one else was laughing. "What?"
Starscream shrugged and dropped his optics as he fiddled with his hands. Thundercracker let out a sigh. "Skywarp. I don't know how to say this, so I am just going to flat out say it. I need to ask you a question, and I need to answer you truthfully."
"Go for it," Skywarp said with a look of concern.
"Are you boosting?"
"Huh?" Skywarp asked. "You're kidding me, right? Do I look like a booster to you?"
Thundercracker shook his head no. "I didn't suspect that you used Skywarp-"
"Then why are you asking me?" Skywarp snidely replied.
"Because..." Thundercracker started out. "Because when I found you, all beaten up, and when to pick you up, a whole bunch of boosters fell out. Can you imagine how that looked to me? Seeing you all torn up, and then finding those boosters?"
"I don't use." Skywarp answered.
"Then why did you have them with you?" Thundercracker pressed on.
"I don't know," Skywarp replied angrily.
"You don't know?" Starscream repeated with a laugh. "Can't you come up with a better answer than that?" Thundercracker made to hush him, but Skywarp answered first.
"Ok, FINE!" the purple seeker yelled and crossed his arms across his chest. "I don't use those boosters, but I sell them!"
"You're a dealer then," Starscream said.
"Yes." Skywarp replied. "I have no choice."
"You always have a choice Sky-"
"No I don't Tc!" Skywarp interrupted. "It's the only way I can get some credit's to be able to survive there." He let out a frustrated sigh. "Not only that, but my supplier demanded more of a cut, so I just have to keep selling more."
"You don't have to keep doing it Skywarp," Thundercracker attempted to calm the other seeker down.
"Things may be easy for you, Tc, but it's not that simple for me," Skywarp said. "But since you asked, I'll tell. I tried to get out of it, but my dealer wouldn't let me. He sent his goon's after me."
"Is this who attacked you in that alley?" Thundercracker asked.
"No. They beat me up Vorns ago." Skywarp replied. "I was jumped in that alley."
"By the users?" Starscream asked. "I didn't think they would have it in them to take you down. You know, being all messed up and all."
"No," Skywarp replied. "By the other dealers. Apparently, I was so good at my job that it made them suffer. I guess they wanted to take me out."
"I am glad they stopped!" Thundercracker said with a scowl on his face.
"It was when I called you for help that they grew scared and took off." Skywarp said and smiled. "I guess I owe you my thanks."
Thundercracker gave him a smile and a kiss on the back of his hand. "I guess that's why you never could come back with us to Vos." Skywarp nodded. "Well, I hope you understand that I cannot let you go back there."
"I kinda figured you'd say that," Skywarp replied.
"You don't have to return to that life, Sky." Thundercracker said. "You can stay here with us. Right, Stars?"
"Sure," Starscream beamed. "We'll take care of you Skywarp."
A feeling of relief came upon Skywarp, like a huge, heavy burden was lifted off his shoulders. He gave the other two seekers a smile and a thank you. He just hopes that this was indeed the right choice. And that the two wouldn't get sick of a low class mech who long ago forgot how to function in a seeker society.