"While I would love to tell you to stay far away from Starscream and Skywarp, I won't do that. There is no longer anyone who is innocent in this war and I can't with good faith condemn them for the crimes they have committed when the autobots likewise has done some atrocious actions. It is true that the decepticons started the war and committed the first of many atrocities on Cybertron, but the autobots have just as many deaths on their hands. The Golden Age was slowly coming to an end. Our society were running out of hand, mechs were starving and slowly dying while none among the Senate or Council listened to the common mech. The only one that did was Megatron and he managed to sway them to his banner of rebellion. It was a peaceful rebellion at first, but when the Council and Senate still didn't listen, and people continued to die in the streets, they turned to violence. That got them heard and while Megatron started the war with a violent rebellion, the Council and Senate retaliated with large scale attacks on the locations the rebellion was rumored to have their bases, completely ignoring the fact that innocent mechs were killed in the attacks. Back then Megatron was idealistic and inspiring, fighting for the common mech, but over time he changed. I guess all the slaughter got to his head and now it is all he knows. He hates everything associated with autobots; it has turned into a complete obsession. As long as Prime and Megatron remains alive the war will carry on until we have wiped ourselves out." Ratchet tells him with a deep sigh and a shake of his head.

"I can only give you the advice to go and talk to Starscream. Get him to tell you why he did what he did; he might have had a good reason. All I know is that Sunstar refused to leave Cybertron when Sunstorm offered him the chance. I still mourn the demise of all our friends who didn't leave on the "Unity" but stayed behind to try and sort out the conflict in a peaceful manner. I have been alone with all my knowledge for a long time, so your presence here is a light in the darkness for me Thundercracker. Whatever you decide, just know that you have my support." The medic gives the serkhar a small smile and a gentle caress to a wingtip.

"And you have always been the light in my darkness. I thank you, my friend." Thundercracker murmurs into the empty corridor as he walks towards the location of his quarters, repeating the last words he told Ratchet before he left the medic to get some more recharge.

His thoughts wander to the fact that the "Unity" is out there. If Sunstorm filled the ancient cybertronian flagship to its full capacity before he departed Cybertron their numbers are still low, but not as critical as the few hundred sparks currently residing on Earth.

The "Unity" is a massive battleship able to house more than ten thousand sparks. During the war against the Quintessons it had been under Thundercracker's complete control, basically because the serkhars easier could evacuate it if their enemies grew bold enough to attack them and managed to score a fatal hit.

The "Unity" had served them in the last stage of the Quintesson war and had been designed to fit Sunstorm specifically with his sigma ability, enabling it to react fast and emerge at the location of emergency within few minutes of an attack, unleashing the several battalions of serkhars onboard to deal with the threat, rescue troops or act as air support, taking out the danger of the Quintessonian flagships usually posing the largest threat to their troops on the ground. The yellow and golden serkhar's sigma ability boosted the vessels warping ability, hull defense and stealth of the battleship whenever it was needed. It had been the key in winning the war to be able to be all around the large planet in a matter of minutes and not expending more energon than it took to keep one serkhar energized.

Several dozen vorns after the last skirmish with the Quintessons in Cybertronian air space it had been decided to station it in permanent orbit on the dark side of Cybertron's moon, only accessible by very few among their people, but close enough that it still posed an obvious threat should the Quintessons ever decide to return.

With a small sigh at times long gone his mind returns to the matter at hand. The talk with Ratchet has done him good and he feels ready to face Starscream and the inevitable confrontation he needs to have with the seeker to sort his processor and regain faith in a future with both the tricolored seeker and Skywarp. With a mind no longer ruled by emotions he is prepared to sit down and listen instead of verbally attacking and demanding the explanation from the seeker. Yes Sunstar is dead, but as Ratchet reminded him, so are so many, many others as well. He shouldn't condemn the seeker for his action without knowing the reason and basis behind the action.

When he stops in front of the door into his quarters, he instantly sees the small datapad discreetly placed against it on the floor. With a frown he briefly kneels to pick it up and flickers it online.

-Thundercracker.

I give you my deepest apologies for entering your quarters without your consent. Do know that I only did what I did because Starscream was deeply affected and at some point during your absence he tried to contact the command center, which unfortunately went unnoticed for an unknown time. I tried to contact you, but was unable to reach you and upon a communication with Ratchet it turned out that you might not return to your quarters before tomorrow.

Once again I ask you to forgive me my entering without consent. I don't know how wise it was of me to face Starscream in the state he was in and with how vulnerable he clearly felt in my presence. Give him my apologies as well.

Mirage.-

Looking up from the datapad, Thundercracker stares at the door, his frown deepening. He doesn't like that anyone has been able to break the encryption on the lock, or that anyone has been inside his quarters without his consent, but Mirage is one of the more reasonable among the autobots. Yet, he is currently also a growing threat and Thundercracker is unsure about how to deal with the knowledge the spy is in possession of.

He is loath to turn on his new allies to safeguard the secret about the other ancients, but his hardwired protective coding is stirring with each piece that is revealed in the large puzzle and if it becomes necessary he is going to do what is needed to protect Ratchet and the others still hopefully out there somewhere, even if it means killing Mirage and anyone else in possession of the knowledge.

While he has been with the autobots for months and fought for their cause, he is after all not one of them. He follows his own agenda and nothing is going to lead him astray.

When he realizes that he once again has spaced out he takes a deep breath to calm himself down before he keys in the code to the door. The door slides aside with a gentle swoosh and he steps into the darkness of his office.

"Light to 50%" He commands, his optics completely blind in the darkness, and all he can discern is faint contours of the room. When his command isn't followed he frowns. Taking a few steps into the room, his thrusters connects with something on the floor and sharp pangs of pain registers in the delicate parts when something lodges itself into them as he takes another step.

The pain sharpens his alertness and with systems readying themselves for battle he scans for any life sign. Starscream is somewhere in there and with optics not yet adjusted enough to the darkness to navigate through whatever is littering the floor he is ready for an attack at any moment. As he takes one more step, the light from the corridor spills into the room and enlightens parts of it in an eerie light.

Utter destruction. It is almost like a battlefield and the glittering energon splashed on every surface is adding to the nightmarish illusion.

His office is completely trashed and the culprit is curled into a shivering protective ball in the middle of it all where he has collapsed after the rage left him completely exhausted.

Remembering Mirage's words, Thundercracker quells the immediate angry emotions and steps closer to the seeker before he kneels beside Starscream and runs his hands along the shivering plating, checking for damages. When he finds none he leans back with a sigh, both relieved and exasperated.

With a wince at the pain shooting through his systems from his thrusters, he carefully lifts the seeker and carries Starscream through the debris littering the floor of the office and into the berth room. There he gently places the tricolored seeker on the berth before he lies down beside Starscream, suddenly feeling completely fatigued.

Their talk will have to wait until they both are fit to deal with the emotions.

Embracing and hugging the seeker closer to him, feeling how Starscream unconsciously snuggles into the warmth of his frame, Thundercracker enters recharge with a sigh and a small fond smile.