Chapter 98

-0-Autobot City, Mars Ops Center

They sat together waiting for an update from Ratchet. Prime was silent for a while, then called the members of his alpha team together in the center of the great room. "This puts our plans to catch Starscream into the recycle bin."

Prowl nodded. "We do have all the evidence of collusion by Nast and the others. We can take down Intel-Martin."

Prime thought a moment. "What if someone else picks up the ball? What if ... I suppose we are looking at Shockwave now ... what if he picks up Starscream's network?"

"Would he even know?" Springer asked.

"I would imagine he will sift the Nemesis to find every single morsel he can," Prime said shifting in his chair. "I need to speak to Thundercracker."

"That assumes that Starscream even mentioned what he was up to," Prowl posed.

"He might have or not," Prime agreed. "But we will not know until we talk and it will be a point of convergence for him. Their security depends upon ours."

Springer nodded. "Want me to get him?"

Prime nodded. "It might be time to impress him," he said. "I think when he was landing here, seeing how we have dug in and expanded that he was."

"Agreed," Prowl said.

Springer arose to walk out of the command deck heading to the doors and the Seeker quarters beyond. Prowl watched him go. "Are you going to tell him about Springer?"

Prime looked at Prowl and grinned. "I think it would be merciful, agreed?"

Prowl smiled and nodded, his gaze returning to the door again.

-0-Seeker Quarters

He walked toward the group's quarters, a big building along the curtain wall of The Fortress. Ramjet, Dirge and Thrust were sitting on a bench outside absorbing solar energy into their secondary power systems. Rising with wary expressions, they watched as 'Prime's bond' came toward them to halt at the door. "I need to get Thundercracker. Prime wants to speak with him."

The three exchanged a wary look, then Thrust went inside. Thundercracker came out, then stared warily at Springer. "I wasn't aware that we were going to be interrogated."

"Prime wants to ask you about a couple of things. Don't expect boiling oil or red hot pokers. He's the Prime."

Thundercracker glanced at the others who were watching with fearful wary expressions. "I'll be back. I'll try to find out about Starscream." He looked at Springer. "We can find out, can't we?"

Springer shrugged. "We probably can. It depends on how Ratchet's doing."

Thundercracker nodded to the others, then walked alongside Springer back into the building.

Thrust, Ramjet and Dirge stood together watching them leave. "I don't like it. They want to know things."

Skywarp stepping out to watch as well shrugged. "He's right. This is the Prime, the weak-sparked Autobot. He'll keep his word. No more suffering."

"Do you really think so?" Dirge asked as he glanced at him.

"I believe in the Prime. He'll keep his word," Skywarp said with conviction.

They stood together watching the doors beyond as they waited for Thundercracker to come back.

-0-Inside

They walked together down the corridor, the walls constructed like a fortress on Cybertron. Some of the refugees were artisans and there were now metallic pieces of art on the walls lyrical in design, all of them meaningful to Cybertronians. He looked at it, the building itself and the people they met, all of them stepping away, some fearfully.

Before, it would have been amusing. Now it was painful. They were all from the same planet and shared the same culture and history. Yet now he was hated. He was the enemy, the source of all their suffering and it bothered him. It had a few times before as he struggled with his allegiances. The trine had won out so he followed Starscream and Skywarp into the Pit. Now he was the one who had to be strong and lead. He had to save them so he went to the Prime ready to do what he could for all of them.

Entering the command deck, he scanned it and all the Autobots that were there. He recognized a few and knew he would know the rest if their designations were spoken. It was a small world, the one they lived in and even across the span of the universe they still were able to know about and of each other.

The Prime sat in a chair in the middle of the room, a table filled with objects, datapads and other items that aided their effort next to him as he leaned an elbow upon it. Prime was watching him, noting everything about him, regarding him like one pro to another. He stared at Thundercracker as he walked up to wait with resignation and unease. Thundercracker didn't see the battle mask in place and thought it was the first time he had ever seen Prime's face. It was handsome and wise. It was confident and other things that Thundercracker had little experience with in the leadership of his faction.

Merciful.

Compassionate.

Even kindly.

He waited, uncertain what to do. He was alone and surrounded. He'd given his word and there would be no disobedience from him. Prime had all the cards.

Prime watched him come forward, admiring the familiar paint that signaled who he was. The Fallen had erased that from him. He'd erased it from Starscream. That was a very bad thing, he knew. They wore their colors proudly, the arrays designating their clans, status, pride and accomplishments. Seekers were a special group among his kind, their lore and mores extremely important, ancient and proudly held, defining them to the outside world. Getting their colors back was a significant step in his attempt to gain their trust and ensure that they wouldn't be a problem.

"You wished to see me, Prime," Thundercracker said finally breaking the silence.

"I do," Prime said, rising rising to stand. He stood in a motion of respect, something that was an important physical statement among Seekers. You were invited to sit, to be level and equal with others who were older and held more status than you. Before that, if you were going to speak peacefully to another Seeker about matters of importance you stood up, faced each other and made the salutations. "I wish to speak to you about what Shockwave might want to do about this. I think you will find that our security guarantees yours. So I invite you to sit and talk openly and fully."

Thundercracker relaxed slightly, the effort that Prime was giving to him shocking. He was making the salutations. He didn't have to but he did and he invited Thundercracker to sit. No one had done that in so long he had almost no memories of it. No one that was a grounder, he considered. "Thank you," he said simply.

A chair was brought to him by an Autobot he didn't know. Thundercracker waited until Prime started to sit before sitting himself, the lower status Seeker allowing the higher status individual that courtesy. "You know our customs."

"I am Prime."

Thundercracker nodded. "I would hope before I leave that word about Starscream would be available. He's part of our trine and we're all very, very worried."

Prime nodded. "We will check with Ratchet."

Thundercracker nodded as he continued the formal exchange. "We thank you for your hospitality and that of your House. It's gratefully received and should the opportunity arise it will be reciprocated."

Prime nodded. "It will be happily accepted," he said closing the formal salutations. He leaned forward, frowning slightly as he did. "What did Starscream tell you about a number of humans that he was corresponding with on Earth?"

Thundercracker thought back. "We know he was. He was seeking information and they were seeking weapons. It was to be a mutual exchange. He also was building obligations among the humans, those in power and the media. He wanted to install puppets and undermine your allegiances with the humans from within."

"And with Starscream gone we can assume that Shockwave will take it all in and perhaps continue it," Prime posed.

Thundercracker nodded. "It would be safe to assume that. I would in his place."

Prime nodded as he sat back. "We would like to know about the size of the enemy we face and any long term plans that you are aware of. It would be in your best interests. If we fall, so do you."

Thundercracker nodded as he exhaled through his vents softly. "I know," he said quietly. "The Nemesis has thirty-seven mechs, most of them flight capable and some symbiotic. There are seven of them active on the Earth now. They're loyal to Megatron and Shockwave is, too. There isn't enough energon to have them all active. Our supply lines were disrupted by unrest in the empire. Shockwave is dealing with that. It will occupy him for a while but he'll pick up where Starscream left off. I believe that to be true."

Prime nodded. "I will wish to speak with you more later. I hope you feel that you can do that without fear or holding back. What happens to us happens to you and if you want to truly be safe and free you have to choose your sides now."

"We're aware of that. Most of us have suffered a lot, some of us are wary and having trouble believing that you're not going to harm us in the end. We've seen and lived through a lot. We want to believe."

Prime nodded. "You can." It was silent a moment, then Prime leaned forward. "I have a story to tell you, one that will explain a lot of things."

Thundercracker leaned forward and listened, his processor filling with dismay at what he heard. When Prime was finished he turned to Prowl. "This is my bond, Thundercracker. My real bond."

Thundercracker sat for a moment in shock and dismay as the fullness of the deception filled him. Then he leaned forward to rest his helm in his servos, his wings drooping until they nearly touched the floor.

Prime looked at him and felt no joy. He thought he would telling the story, letting them in on the joke but he didn't. All he felt was tired.

-0-Med Bay

Ironhide watched as Thundercracker walked to the med berth where Starscream lay. The shell of his helm was removed and the inner workings of Starscream's processor were open to see. Parts of it were missing and pieces of broken circuitry, even charred bits were laying in a tray beside the berth.

Ratchet came from around the corner and as he watched, Thundercracker leaned over the prone figure, a look of deep suffering formed on his face. He glanced at Ironhide who gazed back shaking his head slightly. Then Ratchet came forward stopping by the tray to move it out of Thundercracker's sight.

"How is he, Doctor?" Thundercracker asked softly as his servo hovered over Starscream's helm as he hesitated to touch the injured cranium.

"There's a lot of damage. A lot of it is very old and accumulated. I'm replacing circuits as I find them. I'm shunting programming through the areas that can't be repaired. I'd like to know when his last injury occurred and what it was."

Thundercracker thought back to a particular terrible moment that was another dark shadow on his spark. They'd returned to the Nemesis, the Fallen left behind in a pile of slag in the sand of the insect world. Megatron had been injured and demanded repair. As he did, Megatron had begun to calculate offense, assign guilt and design punishment.

He always did. Nothing was ever his fault. Starscream was always his punching bag. He knew the others would be less enticing targets. Megatron knew that he and his fellow Seekers would bow and be obsequious, so he and the others were never any challenge either for or to him. But Starscream … he always was. Sometimes the Seeker would say the right things in the right way but mostly he didn't because it galled him to have to toe lines with Megatron. Then he would be the one to suffer.

Megatron had assigned blame to Starscream for the death of the Fallen. He'd gone from the medic station to Starscream. He found him on the command deck and lit into him like a laser guided missile. It was vicious, direct, unmerciful and long lasting. He'd beaten Starscream with his fists, he'd kicked him with his peds and even when Starscream was lying on the deck in his own energon off lined and defenseless, he had continued.

No one had intervened. Not the trine. Not the grounders. No one.

Thundercracker and the others had gone outside and covered their audials groaning with fear and hatred, pacing as they waited for Megatron to expend his emotional tirade. It was always the same when this happened. They'd reached the point where they were paralyzed with fear and impotent to stop or assist when it happened. They were as wounded in their paralysis as Starscream was in his beatings. When they went back in to pull Starscream away, he'd taken nearly five stellar cycles to come back to himself. When he did he was changed.

Now Thundercracker could see why. "Megatron. He blamed Starscream for the death of the Fallen." His voice was filled with bitterness and hatred.

"That's insane," Ratchet said glancing at Thundercracker with surprise. "How was it his fault?"

"It didn't matter," Thundercracker said. "Starscream never gave in, he never bowed. He was brave that way."

"Or stupid," Ratchet said looking at the sadness on Thundercracker's face with concern.

"Brave," Thundercracker said as he glanced at Ratchet with a degree of defiance. "Starscream is brave. He was brave."

Ratchet glanced at Ironhide, then the monitors. "I have work to do."

"How is he?" The voice was soft and plaintive.

"I think he'll live but I can't guarantee what he'll be like when he comes to himself again," Ratchet said with a voice soft and kindly.

Thundercracker nodded then paused as he turned to go. "Thank you, Doctor, for helping him."

Ratchet nodded, then watched as Thundercracker walked out followed by a silent Ironhide. He turned to look at Starscream. "I never thought I'd see the day I'd feel badly for you, Starscream, you fraggin' slagger. You better live through this slag. There's mechs that actually need you, it appears." Then he got back to work again.