Role-reversal. Thundercracker is captured. Starscream is free. Or is he?
Inspiration: "Hand of Sorrow" by Within Temptation.
It is night on Earth. Nothing is moving far down below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. Only the few decepticons on alert to any Autobot attacks are awake and sitting in the command center, scouting for any unusual movement around the sunken space ship.
But what is this?
A faint swoosh sounds in one of the silent corridors and a frame emerges moments later from a door looking suspiciously up and down the empty corridors.
With a last look at the still recharging Skywarp, Starscream gently closes the door and heads towards the brig.
It still amazes him how resilient this Thundercracker is. Not that his trinemate had been weak, not at all. But even his trinemate would have succumbed to the severe damage and energon loss the instructor had suffered at the hands of the decepticons.
Cringing at the small blips when he codes the door to the brig open he listens for any sound for a moment before walking inside, closing the door behind him and locking it, overriding any attempts to enter while he is there.
Walking down the rows of cells he stops at another door, this one secured with not only passwords, but CNA identification. Using his own code and verifying his identity with a sample of his own energon the pad lights up green and the heavy door begins to slide aside, allowing him entrance into the high-security part of the brig.
Stepping into the darkness, he adjusts the light in the room to 10% to not startle the prisoner he knows is there.
"Thundercracker…" he murmurs gently into the smaller room with a few cells at each side.
Nothing.
Stepping further into the room he looks into the cells he passes and finally stands in front of the captured blue seeker.
Dull blue optics shines in the darkness and wrists fights weakly against the heavy shackles restraining the blue frame to the wall at arms and feet.
"Thundercracker…" It is barely a whisper, as he stares horrified at the sight of the ancient War Hero reduced to this.
"St-…St-…St-scrm?" the blue seeker's weak static-filled voice inquires, optics brightening a bit as Thundercracker tries to focus on the shape in front of his cell.
A choked sob escapes Starscreams vocalizer at the sound.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Thundercracker." he croaks, legs trembling and threatening to drop him to the floor.
"It-…gna-…b-…kay. Bn-…n…wrs." Thundercracker tries to sooth, but all it does is to cause Starscream to outright break down and sob shamelessly. Drained by most of his energy, damaged, captured and still Thundercracker is trying to comfort HIM, Starscream, when it is Thundercracker who is facing whatever Megatron has planned for him.
The only light in the darkness is the fact that Thundercracker is secure and safe (the thought almost makes him laugh hysterically) in the high-security part of the brig. No one but officers is able to enter that part, and thus the seeker is safe from the depravity most of the decepticons enjoys to put prisoners through.
"B-…strn. D-…fgt-…w-…I…tgh-…y." Thundercracker says, and Starscream sees the small smile on the seeker's lips before Thundercracker succumbs to unconsciousness.
With a lone tear traveling his cheek Starscreams gathers himself and with a determined expression turns to the device controlling the continued drain of energy from the prisoner. Tweaking it a bit he lessens the drain slightly. He knows why it is in effect. It is there to prevent Thundercracker from having the energy to utilize his sigma ability. The only reason for why the blue seeker is in the high-security part. They wouldn't be able to hold him in a regular cell.
Then with a set scowl he turns and leaves the room, sealing the prisoner safely behind dual locks once again.
When he returns to his quarters, Skywarp is still recharging peacefully, and carefully he lowers himself onto the berth and snuggles in close to the black and purple frame. There he just stares into the darkness while his processor is racing with several outcomes of the next coming days until recharge finally claims him.
"St-...St-...Starscream?"
"It's going to be okay. Been in worse."
"Be strong. Don't forget what i taught you."