A/N: It's been 21 chapters in the making but I finally got it in here; the Transformers finally meet the Joes! Whoo! Bet you thought I'd never get there, huh? Well neither did I! XD! Special thanks goes out to Starfire201 for her input. To all you other peoples out there (that have yet to review; you know who you are!)—reviews are deeply appreciated; I don't bite, I promise!! Actually how can I; I'm typing on a computer for goodness sakes!!
Chapter 21: Yo Joe!
The velvety black night gently embraced the battered frame of a lone F-15 Eagle as it cruised along on a lonely flight path. Dezba stared up into the heavens admiring the jewel-like glimmer of the distant stars set in the dark facet of space. Thundercracker had remained silent since leaving the Autobot base, more or less allowing her thoughts to wander at will. And wander they did. Thundercracker's fight with Ironhide had been very revealing and very brutal. She had no idea how much pain and heartache the big, burly Decepticon had gone through; he had hidden it from her very well. And not just from her, but everyone else as well.
But she could empathize. She had hidden her pain too, when her father had died. It had been a rainy, thunderous evening. She and her mother had been home, patiently waiting for the return of her father. A grey, nondescript car had pulled up to the front door. She had been just a child, barely turned five years-old.
'Mommy! Mommy! Daddy's home!' her childish voice rang with glee at the sight of the car. Five-year-old Dezba quickly sprinted from her upstairs bedroom, abandoning her dolls for a warm, strong hug from her father. She didn't understand why Daddy stayed gone for so long, but whenever he returned he always had pocketfuls of candy, a bagful of toys, and all the time in the world to play with her dollies until his job called him away again. She adored her father and loved to play with the shiny pieces of metal and colorful stripes attached to his shirt. He always wore them when he came home.
She dashed down the stairs and scrambled into the kitchen, her face bright with anticipation. But Mommy wasn't hugging Daddy and the man at the door wasn't her father either. She stopped and stared wide-eyed and tried to peer between the stranger's legs for a glimpse of Daddy. Maybe he was still outside.
She walked up to Mommy and pulled gently on her dress. But Mommy did not look down. Dezba stared as Mommy slowly raised her hands to her face and gasped slightly, it was then that Mommy began to cry.
'Mommy?' She tugged again at her mother's dress. 'Mommy? Where's Daddy?"
Her mother didn't respond. Silvery tears continued to stream down her coppery face. The strange man turned on his heel and walked back to the car. She watched with wide, hazel eyes as the car drove away. But where was Daddy? Did he forget to get out of the car? Why was Mommy crying? Young Dezba tugged once more on her mother's dress, this time more insistently.
"Mommy, you're scaring me. Where's Daddy at?"
Finally her mother turned to her and squatted down. She embraced Dezba fiercely, so tightly that her little daughter began to squirm uncomfortably.
"Dess, Mommy needs to tell you something, OK?"
Little Dezba nodded her head slowly, her hazel eyes darting one last time to the still open kitchen door.
Mommy gently placed both hands on her cheeks. "Dess, I'm…I'm…I'm afraid…Daddy…isn't…" She stifled a sob. "Dess, honey, Daddy…isn't coming…home." More tears spilled from Mommy's eyes; she pulled her daughter close and hugged her tightly, crying softly into the black tresses.
Dezba gently pushed herself back away from Mommy. Her greenish eyes were filled with questions.
"Why Mommy?"
She watched as Mommy cried some more. This was scary. Mommy never cried. Something bad must have happened. Where was Daddy? He'd help Mommy. He'd make everything good again.
Mommy drew in a long breath before speaking once again. "Dess, Daddy has… gone to be…with Jesus. He…he won't be…coming home."
That was the day young Dezba Collins lost her childhood at the tender age of five-years-old. She had cried and cried until she couldn't cry anymore. When she had watched her father's coffin being slowly lowered into the dark earth of Arlington, her last tear had taken its track. Since then, she had never cried for her father again.
Until now.
A solitary tear slowly made its way down her right cheek. Its watery trail caught the feeble starlight and made her cheek glimmer softly. It slid down her skin only to pause ever so slightly on her jaw. With a tiny shiver, it fell and plopped quietly against the glass of the cockpit. Dezba reached up and wiped her arm across her cheek to try and hide the wet pathway.
But it was already too late to hide it from Thundercracker. His normally deep, fear-inducing voice filtered ever so softly into the cockpit. "Why are you leaking?"
She turned to face the console before her, being slightly reminded of her first flight with the indigo Seeker. At least this go-around she knew nothing life-threatening was going to occur. "I was…just thinking," she mumbled softly, unsure as to whether to talk about her feelings now or not.
"What about, fleshling?"
She bit her lip in hesitation and cast her eyes downwards. She really didn't want to talk, but then again she knew he would find out sooner or later. That was the downside to having a mental connection with someone else, especially with someone who was much more adept at hiding mental thought processes than you were. She sighed heavily. "Honestly," she began, "I was thinking about how you and I can be so much alike at times."
"And how is that?" he replied, amusement plainly clear in his voice.
She remained quiet, even as she felt the jet dip down towards the ground. He landed without taking the room to taxi as any normal aircraft would. The hatch slid open with a quiet hiss and she took the cue to hop out of the cockpit. She gingerly made her way across the wing, not wanting to jar her aching ribs anymore than necessary. But if climbing down a jet's wing was difficult with a few broke ribs, it was doubly more so with a broken arm as well.
"Sit down," an exasperated voice spoke into the night.
Startled by his sudden outburst, she complied instantly, wincing slightly as the sudden change in position caught up with her. Suddenly she felt the wing begin to tilt groundward and before she could protest, Dezba found herself nearly waist deep in soft, red sand.
"Thanks a lot, jerk," she groused, whispering the last part as if to keep him from hearing her insult. If he heard her (and she knew he did) he was opting to ignore her comment. She stood trying to brush the sand from her clothing. Thundercracker's sound of transformation quickly drew her eye. She never tired of seeing the seemingly impossible maneuver. She took a few steps back and watched as the mighty Decepticon rose to his full height; even though she knew now he would not harm her, she still couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by his figure. His dark coloring made him nearly invisible in the night; sharp edges and points accented every angle of his body. It was quite a contrast from the rounded, smooth image of the Autobots' armor. His inferno-like eyes seemed to burn the very air around them. She still couldn't help but wince slightly as he directed that flame-like gaze towards her.
"You still have not answered my question, youngling. Just how is it that you feel we two beings are alike?"
Dezba turned away, her back facing the Seeker. Part of her wanted to answer Thundercracker's question, the other wanted to take these tortuous emotions and bury them deeper into her mind, never to surface again. She walked a few steps away, her footfalls muffled by the sand. She crossed her arms as comfortably as she could and slowly began to piece together an answer. "You've been hurt, not physically but emotionally and I can relate to that," she finally said, turning her head slightly to gauge his reaction.
Thundercracker tilted his head curiously, optics narrowing slightly. "And how is that?"
"You've lost your sister, someone that was very close to you. I…I lost my father when I was still a little girl; I barely remember him," she elaborated quietly, casting her eyes downward to stare at the red earth. "We've both hidden that loss from others, one of us longer than the other," she added, a small grin tugging at her lips.
"I see," he replied. He had known about the girl's loss since he first met her back in the Mojave. Her father's record of death had said he had been killed in a field training accident while serving in the US Army. According to human standards Dezba's father, Darren Collins, had been a highly decorated and well-respected soldier. He watched the various emotions play across her face as the human girl struggled to contain herself.
Dezba slowly sank into the sand trying her damndest to keep from crying; it was a failing effort. Sadness, bitterness, anger and grief rushed over her mind and body; years of pent-up frustration and anguish flowed down her cheeks only to moisten the sand around her feet. Through their link he could feel her anguish and pain, both mental and physical. In true Decepticon fashion, he had already released his anger on the battered chassis of his former friend and although one fist fight could not repair millions of years of betrayal and mistrust, it did make him feel better to lash out at one of the antagonists that had helped to entrap him within a faction he had never supported. The anguish Dezba was feeling now was the result of the escalating series of events her young mind had endured over the past couple of weeks. The memory of her father seemed to be the catalyst for this recent spouting of emotion.
Thundercracker felt uncomfortable around this show of emotion. Anger he could deal with; bitterness he had dispatched easily, but the tears of an organic were something new to him. He had always dealt with his emotions using violence, had watched others do likewise, but that principle wouldn't, couldn't apply with Dezba.
Dezba released an anguished scream and pounded the sand with her one good arm. Fierce stabs of pain racked her ribcage as she sobbed and gasped for breath to fuel her cries. She felt so much anger, some of it her own, some of it residual from Thundercracker. She had tried to hold it back, to remain strong and accept these circumstances that had changed her life forever. But she just couldn't take it anymore. She screamed her frustrations to the heavens and allowed the desert sands to absorb her tears.
Suddenly she felt strong, muscular arms hoist her to her feet. The touch was gentle, but firm and being especially mindful of her injuries. However, the gentleness of the contact was lost to the instinctive reactions that had been hardwired into her mind upon her capture by Sector Seven. Dezba screamed in fright and began to fight against the touch on her shoulders. She struggled against the arms and began to kick and fight with all the strength she could muster.
It wasn't until she felt herself being turned around quite forcefully and held at arm's length that her struggles began to cease. Through bloodshot eyes, she stared in numbed shock at the figure before her; and then she heard the voice—a very familiar, deep, baritone voice.
"Dezba! Stop it; it's me, TC!"
She stopped struggling completely, lower lip trembling as she studied the unknown person before her. His arms were a ghostly white in the starlight, powerful and muscular. He towered over her, she barely coming up to his lower chest. A light, desert wind played half-heartedly with charcoal black hair. Deep scarlet-colored eyes pierced into her own. Once again she heard that familiar voice coming from this stranger.
"It's me. This is my holoform; you have nothing to fear; I'm here for you."
Slowly, understanding seeped into the instinctual fog that clouded her mind. This was Thundercracker. This was her guardian in human form; she didn't know how it was possible, but at this moment in time, she really didn't care. She nodded her head and before the Decepticon could react, she threw her one good arm around his neck and began to cry anew into the holographic fabric of his shirt.
At first, Thundercracker just stood still. At one time he might have been able to provide comfort in a fashion acceptable to others, but millions of years in the Decepticons' service had hardened him to such "weaknesses." Nevertheless, as awkward as he felt he decided that he would at least try for Dezba's sake; he'd been doing a lot of that lately. Hesitantly, he raised his arms and slowly embraced the girl's quivering shoulders, pulling her a little closer to his chest. She continued to cry quietly, gripping his shoulders with such ferocity he knew it would have caused any normal human to flinch uncomfortably.
"I miss him so much…" Dezba sobbed into his chest. "I wish everything could go back to the way it was."
Thundercracker chuckled softly, a deep rumbling contained within his human chest. "Then you would have never had the privilege of meeting my acquaintance."
That drew a faint laugh from her lips. "You're funny," she huffed, drawing away from him slightly in order to see his eyes. For the first time in a long time, those crimson depths were void of anger, hostility, sadness or even bitterness. It was like staring into a warm hearth fire when everything else was cold and lifeless outside. They held something else—understanding, comprehension. Slowly her tears subsided, leaving only moistened streaks and red, puffy eyes in their wake. She sighed and placed her cheek back onto his chest before asking, "Do you sometimes wish everything would go back to the way it was?"
"I would be lying if I said I didn't. Most of my life has been one large burden of regret, but you learn to move on, for you realize deep down within yourself that is what your loved ones would want you to do."
She nodded her head slightly. Yes, that is exactly what her father would have wanted her to do. She may not have remembered much, but she had been told he was a strong-willed, if not stubborn individual. Her mother would have advised the same thing. Her mother. And what of her stepfather? At that moment, Dezba felt a burning desire to see every individual within Sector Seven pay dearly for her loss, especially the bastard that ordered the arrest of her family. Miller had already received his; this she knew and on a primeval level was grateful. But she wanted all of them to pay; Sector Seven wasn't even supposed to exist anymore. Who gave them the right to destroy her family? True, her mother and now herself had special knowledge of an alien race, but there had to have been a better way to retrieve that information, right?
"Thundercracker?"
"Hmmm?"
"When you and the others were searching for me, did you ever find out what happened to my stepfather?"
A very long silence ensued. She felt his muscles tense up around her body and then slowly relax. His silence was almost as frightening as his anger, maybe more so. In the distance, Dezba heard the lonely, hair-raising cry of a single coyote. Finally, he replied. "Yes, I did." His head dropped to one side and he stepped away from her.
Dezba didn't like how he was reacting. She could feel him blocking her mental inquiries. "What happened? Where is he, TC?"
Another long silence. He looked up and met her questioning hazel eyes. His face showed no emotion whatsoever, but his crimson eyes shone with steely resolve. She suddenly found herself immersed in Thundercracker's memory of that fateful night. She experienced the wave of emotions he had felt, watched as hundreds of men died by his and his fellow Decepticons' hands, even felt his own shock and surprise at discovering her stepfather's filthy, self-fulfilling plans. She watched every detail, right down to the last gurgling scream her stepfather uttered. And when it was all over, she felt the emptiness, the waste and meaninglessness that he had felt upon giving Michael Richards his comeuppance.
As the memory slowly dissipated, Dezba felt overwhelmed by what she had seen. She wanted to deny it. She wanted to say it was all a fabricated lie, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Deep down she knew Thundercracker had shown her the truth; the blue Con had never lied to her in the past. He never sugar-coated anything, never tried to cover anything up, which only made accepting what had happened that much harder. Ultimately Dezba felt vacant. She officially had no more family left. The one person she had hoped was still alive, had still cared for her, had been one of the one's responsible for ruining her life and ending her mother's.
She slowly sat back down onto the sand, allowing the shock to envelop her body and mind. She was barely aware that Thundercracker's holoform had knelt down beside her and had even placed a comforting arm across her shoulders. No tears would come this time; she wasn't too sure if she'd been able to cry if she wanted to waste them on her traitorous stepfather. Had he cared for them at all? Had he not loved them at least one point in time? Obviously not, if he had allowed her to be kidnapped with the intent to murder and had also stood by while her mother was executed. What kind of person was that? She found such malice, such greed almost incomprehensible.
She turned her head and met Thundercracker's burgundy gaze. "How did you do it?" she whispered.
"Do what?" he replied.
"You lost your family; you were betrayed by those closest to you. How did you cope with all that?"
"Violence mainly," he said quietly, turning his head to stare out into the desert. "I drowned my sorrows and anger with other mechs' fluids, with their energon. Looking back now, I know I would have done things differently. It's not a pathway I would recommend for anyone to take, especially one as young and innocent as you."
Dezba lowered her eyes to the rust-colored sand. "I don't know what to do. I have no one left."
Thundercracker turned and gripped her chin fiercely in one hand. His sudden movement startled her; she gazed with wide eyes up into his pale, finely-chiseled human features. "That is NOT true Dezba Collins!" he said fiercely. Once again it seemed as if living flames were trapped behind his irises as he stared Dezba down. "You may not have any human relations left, but you still have me. Have I not already proved just how far I'm willing to go to protect you? A human nonetheless?"
She remained silent, slowly digesting the words he had just spoken. Up until now, she had felt she had become a pawn, a thing that was currently desired by aliens and humans alike. She had felt that her now unique, hereditary condition was the only thing keeping her alive and desirable. But what the Seeker had just said made her rethink her place in this conflict.
"But it's only because of our link, isn't it?" she replied bitterly. "Miller told me why I'm so important to you, Sector Seven and now COBRA. I know things, Thundercracker!" she suddenly exploded, jerking away from his grip. "I know things that no human should even remotely be aware of. I know how you and your people can continue living! My whole family knew! I've got some sort of crazy, genetic GPS system stuck in my head that maps a planet I didn't even know existed two weeks ago and it's been passed down for generations!"
Her rant finished she sat and huffed for air. Every breath stung, every twist was like being wrapped in a fiery web. Once again Thundercracker took Dezba's chin in his hand.
"Two weeks ago you might have been right, human. You were an object, an anomaly that puzzled us, puzzled me. But you don't have this kind of connection with another being without getting to know them on some personal level. Everything you've gone through, I've gone through. I've felt your pain, your sadness, your anger, your frustrations and your happiness, all whether I've wanted to or not. And because we are connected on this level, I couldn't push you away like I've done to so many who have come before you. Solarflare was the closest Cybertronian to me, as friend and family. When I lost her I didn't want anyone else to be close to me for fear of losing them to the War as well, not to mention it made becoming a Decepticon that much easier.
You have forced me to care for another and in the process made me realize I can't continue to live my life separate from others. You, a human, are responsible for this and I've come to realize that I care as much for you as a creator cares for their sparkling."
She stared blankly at him, then quite abruptly threw her arm around his neck and hugged him fiercely. She pointedly ignored the protesting pains the movement gave to her injuries. "Thank you. Thank you so much, TC," she whispered softly, a solitary tear kissing her cheek.
"If anything, I should be thanking you…Dess."
That brought a small smile to her lips as she sat back. Suddenly his holoform flickered and then disappeared. She watched, amazed, as his true form reanimated. A cloud of concern shadowed her features as she watched a series of sparks cascade from the nasty gash across his left wing. "I don't think Ratchet is going to be too pleased with you," she said, rolling her eyes up to look at him.
He snorted derisively. "As you humans say, 'I'll cross that bridge when I get there.' Now then," he began, kneeling to her level, "Care to elaborate on your 'genetic GPS system' or am I going to have to ask Soundwave?"
"That's not even remotely funny," Dezba replied, but her eyes still smiled with warmth. That was Decepticon humor for you.
Autobots and Decepticons were gathered into the Command Center discussing the whirlwind of events that had transpired over the past several days. Tensions were high and suspicions even higher as both Optimus and Starscream exchanged their knowledge about both the girl and her connection with the humans.
"So let me clarify things for everyone here," Optimus began. "Correct me if I am wrong, Starscream."
The beige Seeker only raised his head, his optics were narrowed in a haughty display of superiority as he stood with Skywarp next to Prime at the head of the ensemble.
"Thundercracker's charge, Dezba Collins, has an intimate connection with him due to their contact when he inadvertently rescued her within the Mojave Desert. We are still unclear as to the scope of Dezba Collins power, it being triggered only by intense acts of emotional or physical harm. As of yet, we are still unsure where this power came from; however we do know that the supposedly disbanded Sector Seven Agency is still in operation and they want the girl as well. It appears that these humans are working outside of their government authorization; in fact, I doubt that the United States government is aware of their existence at all. And according to Skywarp, there also appears to be another group of humans aiding them. Have I paraphrased everything correctly, Starscream?" Optimus asked turning to look at the Decepticon leader.
"I believe so," Starscream replied softly.
"So, what you're trying to say is there is a group of humans out there that want this human female because it is believed she has some sort of power that can detrimental or beneficial to us, depending on who has her at the time," Prowl queried, as always his logical thought taking precedent.
"Correct Prowl," Optimus confirmed.
"And what does her power have to do with Thundercracker?" the officer asked.
"That I do not know," Optimus said.
"I doubt they even know themselves," Starscream added, the disdain evident in his inflection. Suddenly his optics dimmed and his posture grew slightly more rigid; he inclined his helm and turned away from the others. All the Autobots tensed at the Decepticon's sudden change in behavior. After a few more tense seconds, Starscream turned to Prime. "We have company coming," he sneered knowingly.
"More of your soldiers, Starscream, or visitors of a different kind?" Optimus asked, raising an optic ridge.
"Both actually," Starscream replied. He relished the tension within the room for it meant that the Autobot fools feared him and were afraid he'd do something…drastic. And he really hadn't done anything yet. He restrained himself from chuckling out-loud. Pathetic fools.
"Honestly, Prime, did you really believe that I would come here alone? What kind of a fool do you take me for?" he scoffed. "Soundwave has been circling this area since Thundercracker and his pet arrived. He and my other soldiers have had your entire base surrounded since I've been here."
"You fraggin' glitch! You…" Hound began, but was cut short.
"Shut your mouth before it becomes your new exhaust port, Autobot!" Starscream snarled threateningly. "You cannot stand there and say you would not have done the same thing! I am cautious, but not stupid!"
Hound did not continue whatever he had been about to say. He stood in fuming silence, hoping for the slightest excuse to blow that flying scrap pile to the Pit.
"Starscream, besides your other soldiers, who else will be arriving?" Optimus interjected before the conflict could escalate.
"Human soldiers," the Seeker growled. "Not Sector Seven agents, but humans from a different sect. Soundwave said they call themselves 'G.I. Joes.'"
"Prowl, please go meet our new arrivals," Optimus commanded. Prowl nodded his head and left the Command Center. The silence was deafening as the doors closed behind the Autobot's Combat Strategist Officer. Starscream and Skywarp both stood rather rigidly, a very arrogant air surrounding their position. Hound, Bumblebee, Optimus, Sam and Michaela stood to the left of the vast door, patiently waiting for the new visitors. Processors and minds were swirling with questions, doubts, hesitation, and worry. Autobots and Decepticons hadn't met peacefully together in over millions of years and now all of a sudden it was an instant reality? On top of all this, a faction of the human race was Pit-bent on their extermination, no matter the faction, and it was extremely difficult to tell the benign humans from the malignant ones. Sensor arrays were nearly overloaded with the amount of pressure bearing down on everyone.
Finally, the resounding sounds of metallic footsteps could be heard echoing within the corridor of the base. Not five astroseconds later, the doors hissed open to reveal Prowl closely followed by Soundwave and Barricade. Behind them a small party of five human soldiers entered the Command Center as well; bringing up the rear were the Decepticon twins, Runabout and Runamuck. All the Decepticons filed to the right side of the room to stand beside or near their leader. The only Con not accounted for was Thundercracker.
"State your purpose here, vermin," Starscream demanded, stepping forward to get a better view of this new group of humans.
"Starscream, as this is my base, I will be the one conducting the questions," Optimus admonished the Seeker. He turned his attention away from the silently fuming jet to study the small group before him. "Please forgive us. You have come at a most inopportune moment. We weren't prepared to receive human visitors."
A tall, muscularly-built blonde human spoke. "That is quite all right. We weren't expecting to be escorted by Decepticons for that matter," the man said light-heartedly. His voice, though courteous, carried an air of silent authority. "Optimus Prime I presume?"
"Yes, you are correct. And you are…?"
"You may call me Duke. The others with me are Flint, Scarlett, Roadblock, and Gung Ho." He pointed to each individual in turn. "We are part of an elite team of soldiers that operates around the world to counter terrorist threats wherever they may arise. It has come to our attention that one such cell, COBRA, has become interested in a certain person that was last known to be in your care. Dezba Collins?"
"And what business of it is yours, fleshling?" Starscream growled from his position directly to the right of the group.
"You must be Starscream," Duke said, crossing his arms defiantly. "We've heard quite a bit about you. Kind of a surprise seeing you and your crew cooped up down here meeting with the Autobots."
Starscream's optics glowered with subdued rage. He wanted nothing more than to pull one of his Vulcan cannons and shred this arrogant carbon monkey on the spot, but his more logical, conniving side urged him to wait and see how much else these humans knew. They obviously possessed a fairly decent intelligence system to have not been too surprised at his and the other Decepticons' presence and they even seemed to be up-to-date on the Collins girls' situation. Infiltrators perhaps? Time would tell.
"Be careful, human. A ceasefire may be in effect, but I don't recall it including fleshbags, such as yourself."
If Duke seemed concerned with the threat, his face never showed it. "I'll remember that."
"Forgive our suspicions, Duke, but how do we know you are not the very enemy that has attempted to take the girl before?" Optimus asked, taking control of the situation once more.
"I'm afraid you don't, Optimus Prime. You have only my word to go on. However, you may speak with my Commanding Officer, General Hawk, to settle any doubts that you may have."
"And what business do you have with Dezba Collins?" Optimus asked.
"We are under orders to take her back to our headquarters for her safety as well as the safety of the rest of world."
Just at that time the doors slid open to reveal a very filthy, very pissed indigo-shaded Seeker. His optics flared like an oxygen-deprived fire. On his shoulder and slightly behind the air in-take sat the girl in question.
When he spoke, Thundercracker's voice vibrated the Command Center, leaving none present doubting the seriousness of his tone. "The girl is not going anywhere."
