Chapter 97

-0-Thundercracker

He stood with Prime absorbing the rules for surrender and the obligations they'd have doing so. For a moment, all the past descended upon him weighing him down with a terrible crushing burden. The endless war, the endless fighting, the endless hardships...

He'd not ever been clearly a Decepticon. He'd always struggled to belong, his doubts always with him. His trine was his loyalty, his trine and his kind, the Seekerkin. Staring at Prime, seeking in his expression the back stab, the tell that would allow him to know that he'd be on treacherous ground ... he saw none of it. He saw resolution, determination and leadership. He saw character, honesty, dignity and maybe even the shadow of pity.

That was a pang in his spark, pity. They were an ancient proud race, Seekerkin. They were the lords of the heavens and pity was not a word that Thundercracker would believe applied to them. But now it did, most likely, so he offered his servo gratefully reaching out to the only lifeline they had.

Prime watched him work through the grief, the loss of pride, the hopefulness that he, Prime, was going to keep his end of the bargain. They must be in terrible disarray to come to him like this. Starscream must be in dire shape. He reached out to grasp Thundercracker's wrist as a charge of energy between them sealed the deal involving personal oaths and the Matrix. They'd not break their word now. They'd come here and stay without trouble. The Seeker Oath had been given and in his memory, even in the war, he could not find a time when a Seeker had broken their personal word.

Thundercracker nodded, then moving swiftly to transform in mid air and fly away.

Prime watched him admiring the beauty of their form and movement as Thundercracker roared into the sky. He swept up until he was a mere dot flying straight up into a stall, then he descended, a graceful beautiful barrel roll bringing him around as he arced downward, slipping through the air over Prime's head before racing into the night of space and his trine beyond the well of the solar system.

Prime watched the salute, the graceful passage of his fellow Cybertronian and felt at peace with the decision to save them. Megatron had murdered their world. He was not going to allow him to murder the Seekers, too. That ancient tribe would find shelter here. And they would keep their word. This he knew in his spark. Turning toward Autobot City, he transformed and called his mechs to follow.

And they did.

-0-Skywarp

He got the call from Thundercracker from far away, reaching him over their bond link. Rising, he whispered to the others reaching swift agreement among them. Dirge, Thrust and Ramjet walked away talking together as they faded into the dusty darkness beyond the Nemesis. Anyone who would be watching, and they would be, would think they were taking a walk together. When they disappeared, Skywarp walked to where Starscream sat huddled, fearfully watching the sky overhead.

Skywarp sat beside him, putting his arm around the suffering Seeker and leaned into him praying that he could comprehend that they needed to go and that he would trust what he was asked to do. They sat together, Skywarp sending to him all the emotion he could find to spare ... warmth, protection, appreciation and that most guarded secret feeling the three shared, a deep and abiding love.

Then he stirred between them memories of skies traversed, of the warmth of the sun as they perched on high peaks, the wind flowing smoothly over their wings as they played together, flying and falling, dropping and climbing in the skies that were their domain.

There were no bars in the sky, no holds on your spark, no limits to the joy that was there. Skywarp sent that to Starscream and the broken mech heard him after a while. He began to warm, remembering his own beautiful moments, his own beauty and as he did Skywarp began to tug him to his peds. "Come, Starscream. I want to fly," he said.

Starscream standing unsteadily, his optics looking upward with a terrible longing agreed. "So do I."

"Come with me," Skywarp said, turning to him with a desperate expression on his face. "Do you trust me?"

Starscream looked at him for a long time, his exhaustion so evident that Skywarp felt something tear inside him. "I want to fly."

"Then come with me," Skywarp said. "Come and we'll fly away."

Starscream hesitated, looking around as if he had forgotten something. Something was here that he had to do but he couldn't remember it. Then he turned to Skywarp staring at his sorrow and weariness. He hesitated, then nodded as he let Skywarp take his arm to lead him to where the others had gone. They disappeared into the darkness and it was silent.

In the doorway of the ship, three Decepticons watched, then they went inside. Shockwave would know now and there would be no way home again, no mercy and no amnesty forever. For now on, the Seekers were anathema. They would be first on the kill list, even ahead of Prime.

-0-Flying

They flew together with Starscream in the middle. Half of them flew with sensors forward, the other half behind. They went as fast as they could go and wished for more speed. It wouldn't happen. Starscream began to deteriorate at an alarming rate. He was erratic in his flight, his speed slowing and increasing as his mental condition began to decompensate with speed. His commentary on their bond link was becoming incoherent. By the time they reached the solar well, he was erratic enough to force a landing.

Skywarp sat on the ground with Starscream half in his lap, his keening so piercingly sad that the others paced with agitation. "He can't continue. Go to Prime. Tell him we need transport. Hurry."

Thundercracker nodded then blazed away as fast as he could manage. The others knelt sick at heart. All they could do now was wait.

-0-Prime

He heard the call and answered it. He turned to Ironhide, Ratchet, whom he recalled after the first meeting and Kup. They walked to the door transforming to roll to the airfield. Cosmos took them away and as Springer stood in the Ops Center he wondered about the idea of having six Seekers living on their world. He'd have to be very careful. Very, very careful.

-0-Oort Field

They arrived then landed on the asteroid fragment. The Seekers nearby watched warily.

Prime stepped out followed by Ironhide, Ratchet and Kup. They paused a moment, each side taking in the other, then Ratchet stepped past them walking to Starscream to kneel.

Starscream looked exhausted, worn to such a degree that it was alarming to Ratchet. It was critical to move him fast. He was incoherent, a soft keening sound emanating from him an indicator of extreme pain and likely, extensive processor damage. Ratchet scanned him then arose, turning toward Prime. "We have to get him to Med Bay. He's in critical condition and in imminent danger of death."

Skywarp looked at Prime with a terrible expression of fear and desperation as Thundercracker bent down to tenderly lift Starscream into his arms. Turning toward the others he moved to stand with Skywarp.

Prime sickened by the tragedy of their plight, by the awful waste and desolation of the war stood aside as Thundercracker carried Starscream to the shuttle. He placed him inside and climbed down allowing Ratchet to move inside with the fading Seeker. They stepped back listening as Prime outlined re-entry to Autobot City, then he and Ironhide entered the shuttle and the door closed.

Cosmos rose up followed by the five Seekers and for the first time in the eons since the war, since the devastation of their world and their people, a Prime was escorted to his capital by a Seeker flight.

-0-Autobot City, Mars

They landed at the airfield, a heavy guard awaiting them and waited as Starscream was off loaded by Thundercracker who emotionlessly waited for directions. Ratchet headed toward the gate as he gestured to Thundercracker to follow. They began the walk back to the city as the others transformed. Ironhide with weapons online walked behind Thundercracker who was following Ratchet. When they reached the city, almost everyone including the refugees had gathered to watch.

Thundercracker, his spark crushed with the burdens of their sorrow and the humiliation of their state walked between the silent Cybertronians lining both sides of the street that led to The Fortress. He held his head up, his wings were erect and his facade almost made him believe himself. They entered with armed guards all around him heading to Med Bay where he tenderly lay Starscream on a berth. The Seeker was mercifully unconscious as Thundercracker stepped back allowing Ratchet access.

Ratchet was all business going through a diagnostic and when he concluded he looked at Thundercracker as well as Prowl and Prime who'd joined them. "He's nearly dead," Ratchet said. "How long has it been since he's energized like he's supposed to?"

Thundercracker shrugged. "We've dealt with deprivation. It's the way it is."

"That's a large part of his condition. He's missing a number of essential nutrients, he's malnourished and he's injured. How did he get so many injuries to his helm?" Ratchet asked, fearing and knowing the answer already. "His processor's degraded and there's deep circuit damage."

Thundercracker's expression of hatred was only fleeting. "Megatron," he whispered softly. "He'd take it out on Starscream when he failed. Always Starscream. He'd beat him until he couldn't move. We don't have medics. We did the best we could."

Ratchet nodded. "You all need to leave. I have a lot of repairs to do."

"Will he be well?" Thundercracker asked, his voice filled with desolation.

"I'll try," Ratchet said looking at Thundercracker with a critical eye. "You all need help. I'll start with Starscream first, then the rest of you next."

Thundercracker nodded, reluctantly turning to leave with Ironhide.

It was silent a moment, then Prime and Prowl stepped closer to look down at their nemesis with a mixture of sorrow and regret. "How could it come to this?" Prime asked as Prowl slipped his servo into the big mech's own. "How did we come to this? How could our people end up in this condition?"

Ratchet shook his head. "I'll try to save him but I don't know ... he's had a lot of hardship. What his mental condition will be if he lives, I don't know. But I'll try."

Prime nodded. "I know, Ratchet." He and Prowl walked to the door to leave and Ratchet was alone with Starscream and two guards. Shaking his head sadly, he began to work.

-0-The Seekers

They sat on a bench, some standing next to those sitting as they waited their fate. Thundercracker hadn't told them the details but they'd followed anyway. They were brothers, they were Seekers, they would stay together and face the fate they would meet as one. Some of them were clearly frightened and some were just too weary to care. They looked up at Prime as he walked toward them with Thundercracker at his side.

He paused as he reached them, his optics taking in their condition with dismay. "I want you to follow Ironhide. He will take you to the wash racks and then you can energize. After that you will be shown your quarters. You are confined to it until further notice. I will be posting guards but I am trusting that they will not be necessary for too long. Thundercracker gave your oath. Do you give it, too?"

They looked at him, waiting for the give away and it didn't come. Skywarp rising uncertainly, extended his arm. Prime grasped it, the electric surge sealing his agreement. The others, looking at him with wariness or disbelief arose and offered their arms, too. One by one, they agreed and it was sealed. Then they followed Ironhide.

Prime and Prowl watched them go silently.

-0-A short time later

A colorful clutch of Seekers walked to their quarters, a spacious outbuilding that had been constructed once Thundercracker had left to return from his first visit. It was tall enough and big enough for them, the clear aluminum across the top for the roof allowed them a view of the sky. Inside there were berths to sleep on, berths designed for Seekers. On one wall were facilities for energon and cubes stacked neatly on a shelf. They walked inside to look around with disbelief.

Somewhere Starscream was getting help. Here they were safe, energized fully for the first time in vorns, clean, colorful and safe. Somewhere, Shockwave had the truth and would be hunting them. But here they were safe and no one could touch them. For the first time in eons they were safe.

It was almost more than they could bear.