Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers, no matter how wonderful they are.

:comlink:

/telepathy/

Previously- "What now?"

"I can't sit down..."

"I think I'm going to regret this...why?"

"Well...Nitrofire blasted my aft off..."

3 April 1986, Command Trine's Quarters 21:00 joors...

Having dealt with the problem known as Skywarp, both Starscream and Nitrofire returned to the Command Trine's quarters. Starscream offered Nitrofire an energon cube from his personal stock and both seekers sat on the couch in the common area. Both of the seekers sat next to one another in companionable silence. It was strange how both Nitrofire and Starscream had more or less grown more tolerant of one another considering that when they first met Starscream had called Nitrofire a cyber-harpy and in return, the femme seeker had attacked him.

Nitrofire was the first to speak, enquiring about Starscream's latest project, a solar harvester, which if Starscream's theory was correct, could use the UV rays from the Earth's sun to create energon cubes, thus reducing the need for the Decepticons to go on constant energy raids. Starscream was pleased that at least someone seemed to be interested in the work he was doing as a scientist instead of just focusing on his role as a soldier, and spoke about his project for hours. Soon though both seekers became tired and fell into recharge.

Thundercracker walked into the Command Trine quarters at 24:00 joors after visiting Skywarp in the med bay. Looking over at the couch as he entered, his jaw dropped. Starscream was lying on the couch, flat on his back, not unusual in itself...no what had shocked him the most was that Nitrofire was there, lying partly on Starscream's cockpit, with his arm draped over her waist. Thundercracker saved this image to his memory files and saved a copy to send to Skywarp.

"Huh...maybe, "Thundercracker thought before retiring to his personal quarters, "just maybe, Skywarp was right"

31 April 1986...

Skywarp had sufficiently recovered enough from his repairs to return to the command trine's quarters. He was still rather wary of Nitrofire and Starscream though...having his aft blown off was definitely not the highlight of his career with the Decepticon army. Not to mention the fact that the rest of his comrades had heard about what happened. They had all flocked to the med bay to see the damage that had been inflicted by the two irate high-ranking seekers. They did get a rather good view considering Skywarp couldn't sit down. They all left though when Megatron came to see what all the fuss was about. Skywarp could have sworn though that Megatron was trying his hardest not to laugh after he had heard what happened.

On a brighter note, whilst Skywarp was confined to the med bay, Thundercracker had sent him a copy of one of his memory files, showing Starscream and Nitrofire recharging entwined on the couch in the command trine's quarters...Skywarp had been grinning like an idiot ever since he had seen that image...seems like his plans were doing some good after all. Starscream and Nitrofire were now shooting him instead of each other...that was certainly progress!

Skywarp thought that perhaps now it was time to progress to stage 2 of his plans for the two seekers...after all, even though he was being punished for his interference now...they would thank him in the end.

July 1986...

So far, Skywarp hadn't done anything more to Starscream and Nitrofire, hoping to lull them into a false sense of security. He had hoped to do something soon, but it seemed Nitrofire had closed off her end of the trine bond and confined herself to her quarters. She hadn't been seen in four solar cycles and her SIC had said she would see no one and refused to give Skywarp a reason why when he asked. None of the femmes would tell him or any of the Decepticons anything about why their commander had locked herself away. Skywarp knew that they knew something and he was not going to rest until he found out what it was.

Thundercracker looked over at his wing mate. If the look on Skywarp's faceplate was anything to go by, he was up to no good.

"Whatever you're thinking about doing 'Warp, it's not worth it," Thundercracker said,lhoping to dissuade Skywarp from going through with whatever dangerous and idiotic plan he had though up

" I just want to know if Nitrofire's alright TC...aren't you worried that she has closed off the bond for so long?"

"Yes 'Warp I am worried but she will open the bond again when she is ready"

"Well I'm going to go to her quarters right now and find out exactly what is wrong...she could have a virus for all we know TC"

" Don't be an idiot 'Warp...," Thundercracker attempted to say, a moment too late as Skywarp teleported out of the room

"...you'll just end up in trouble". Slag...he never listens

Commander Nitrofire's Personal Quarters, Pandemonium...

Nitrofire paced her quarters like a caged animal. Her systems were running in overdrive, heating up her entire structure and causing condensation to form on her wings. Two deca-cycles she would have to stay in here...and all because her mating protocols had kicked in again. That was the problem with not having a spark mate of her kind...it meant that she would go through this cycle every six million years. There was no way she was just going to bind herself to someone just because her programming screamed out for it. Sure, she could just jump all the mechs on the ship to satisfy her instincts until the cycle was over but they all happened to be her subordinates. Last time she went through this, she had barricaded herself in her quarters and waited until the cycle was finished. She would do the same again this time. It was more dangerous because of the seeker mechs on Earth. While Skywarp and Thundercracker would be safe because of their trine bond with her, instinct would make her seek out a compatible seeker mech that she had no bond to. Best she stay here lest she lose control, Nitrofire thought as she moved to lean against her desk. Little did she know one of her fellow wing mates was about to pay a visit.

"Hey Nitrofire,"grinned Skywarp as he teleported into her quarters, "need some company.

"GET OUT SKYWARP," Nitrofire bellowed. Unfortunately in that moment of broken concentration, she had also lost control of the trine bond...

Desire

Need

Mate

It didn't take long for Skywarp to realise why Nitrofire had cut herself off from the rest of the trine.

"Your protocols have kicked in...,"Skywarp said

"Yes they have...NOW GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE BEFORE I RIP OFF YOUR WINGS AND SHOVE THEM UP YOUR TAILPIPE!"

"Oh don't worry, I'm going alright," Skywarp replied, "but I will be back shortly with some company I know you are just going to love"

Skywarp teleported out of there just before Nitrofire had a chance to carry out her threat.

Command Trine Quarters...

Thundercracker sat on the couch nervously wondering if Skywarp would return in one piece. His thoughts were answered when Skywarp teleported back into the room, apparently uninjured.

"What the frag, Skywarp? What were you thinking?," ranted a frantic Thundercracker

"What do you mean TC,"Skywarp asked innocently

"I felt the trine bond open temporarily...no wonder she confined herself to quarters"

"Do me a favour TC"

"No way 'Warp...whatever it is I do not want to get involved"

"Remember what happened to Starscream's mineral collection?"

"Oh slag, you would tell him wouldn't you. Fine...what do you want?"

"Go find 'Screamer and bring him back here"

"You know he won't unless it's important"

"Tell him coming here will be beneficial for him"

Thundercracker reluctantly left their quarters to go and find Starscream...maybe it would have been better if he had just told Starscream that he had accidently destroyed his collection, sure he would have gotten in trouble, but Skywarp would have nothing to hold over him. Sometimes he really hated his wing mate.

Meanwhile, Skywarp remained in the common area of the command trine's quarters, grinning excitedly. Oh how all his well-laid plans were coming together...