Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Just the plot and OCs.
So yeah.
Hey guys!
Once again I must stop to say how awesome all of you are. Your reviews mean the world to me. I can't say that enough.
So enjoy the repercussions of making friends with Cons.
Chapter 19
"Ravage? Ravage! FRAGGIN' RAVAGE! He's been playing hide and seek with Ravage!" Bumblebee curled a little tighter in on himself in Sideswipe's hand while Ironhide's bellows drifted out of the locked office door. The thick grey metal wasn't doing much good at keeping his guardian's thoughts a secret. Which had the little mechling confused as to why he was not allowed in the meeting.
But everybot in his family was kind of fragged off at the moment, and Jazz was gone on Optimus' order. Having bolted after the weird flying mech and his new friend when they disappeared into the tunnels. So Bee just curled a little tighter to Sideswipe's chest and pulled at his fingers while the red mech leaned back against the wall, legs crossed, and head steadily smacking lightly against the wall behind him as he stared across the hall to the golden mech that was sitting in front of him.
Sunstreaker was still fuming.
To be fair was so was Sideswipe, but there was nothing they could do about it for the moment. So they sat, fumed, and ignored the fact that Bumblebee was shifting guiltily back and forth in Sides' hand that was holding the mechling up to his chest.
Being mad at Bumblebee was not an easy task though.
He had those stupidly huge innocent optics that just looked up and melted the very soul of anybot, then you added that on to his sweet round little faceplate, and those flicking antennas it was kind of like being mad at a turbo-pup.
Only it was worse!
Especially when the youngling didn't know that he'd been doing anything wrong.
Not really.
He hadn't known.
He didn't know Ravage was a Decepticon.
And they had failed to explain that little detail in passing. That any 'friends' he made in the air vents were bad and he should tell somebot about it as soon as possible.
However, it seemed the Autobots had neglected to inform Bumblebee of such things and now they were dealing with the consequences. They had to deal with the fact that Ravage and Laserbeak had been on the damn ship for who fraggin' knew how long and that Bee had been playing with them.
And wasn't dead.
Which lead to the ever so interesting question of why wasn't he dead?
Why wasn't he gone?
Because in all reality he should have been taken. Ravage could have probably scooped him up and been halfway to Megatron before any of them noticed. So why didn't he?
What the frag were they missing!?
Because they were missing something.
Something very important.
"Me sorry," It felt like the billionth time Bee had said it, but no matter how many times he said it the pulsing swirl of emotions that Ironhide was trying to keep away from him wasn't getting any better.
The massive ebony mech just sat there staring at the far wall while Bee sat wrapped in a fuzzy blanket in his lap pulling at his fingers. The only response he was given for a long time was a large black hand wrapping around his fidgeting digits to stop his yanking. Then, after what felt like an eternity and Bumblebee was sure Ironhide wasn't going to talk to him for the rest of his life the big mech that had adopted him let out a heavy breath, scooped him up out of his lap, and brought him up until he was level with his faceplate, then Hide nuzzled him for a good few klicks. A deep rumble echoed through his chest and his spark settled enough to reach out and wrap Bee up tight in that warmth, love, and protection he knew so very well.
And Bee didn't need it offered twice.
He leapt in spark first cuddling up as close as he could get both in frame and spark burrowing his little faceplate into Hide's broad cheek as he started purring contently at the feeling of being wrapped up so tightly once again.
"It's not your fault, Bee." Ironhide told him quietly.
"Shouldn't ah played with him. Shoulda told you. Me very sorry."
Ironhide sighed. "You're right, you should have told me, but it's over and done with now. They're gone. Just no more hide and seek, and no more making friends that you don't tell me about first."
"Just didn't know how to tell."
"You just tell me." Hide told him. "You always tell me, no matter what. You can always tell me anything, Bumblebee. Anything."
"Get mad."
"I won't—" He snorted. "Okay I might get mad sometimes, but I'll get over it, and we'll talk about it. Then nobot has to be mad and you won't be playing with Decepticons alright?"
"Don't wanna make mad."
"I'm not mad, I promise I'll try not to be mad. But you have to talk to me. You have to tell me. And if you don't want to tell me okay, tell Optimus, tell Jazz, tell the twins, tell Ratchet, pit I don't care if you call Hammer on the vid phone and tell him. Just talk to somebot, alright?"
"Hammer promised me 'nother play date." Bee chirped in reminder.
Hide resisted the urge to roll his optics even if Bumblebee wouldn't be able to see it since he was currently still pressed against his cheek. "You're missing my point, youngling."
"No not. Get point. No more makin' friend that nobot know 'bout."
"Yeah, that's the point." Hide huffed out a chuckle. "Now, are you going to tell me what it was Ravage wanted from you?"
Bee pulled back from his guardian and blinked. "Him not want anything."
It was Hide's turn to blink then. "Nothing?"
"Well . . . him wanted me go away . . . but me didn't want to."
"He wanted to take you?" Dark blue optics narrowed.
Bee shook his head. "No. Him say we can't be friends and for me to go away. Guess me understand why now. Him 'Con. But me thought all 'Cons were mean. That they would hurt me. Him not hurt me."
"They will Bee." Ironhide said firmly. "They can and they will. Never think that they won't. I'm not really sure why Ravage didn't, but he is not to be trusted. Ever."
"Okay." Bee nodded before he nuzzled back into Hide's thick neck cables and turned into a vibrating with purrs mess of yellow metal.
Having the youngling back in his arms did wonders to calm Ironhide's temper and spark, but he was far from happy and far from convinced that this was over. He wasn't going to be happy until Jazz came strutting back down into these tunnels dragging a dead Decepticon spy cat by the tail behind him.
Then Ironhide would be happy.
Thunder crashed over head while purple lightening danced across the sky and the tall, powerful blue seeker relished in it. There was just something about storms that made him feel complete inside. The power they held over all that was around them was fascinating.
It proved how very right he was.
About how the real power was in the skies and that all this rest was stupid, pointless chatter.
Just like Starscream.
And all his idiotic speeches.
As if the mech would ever get the bearings up to try for Megatron's thrown, and even if he did it isn't like he survive it. Megatron could wipe the floor with every single one of the glitches that followed him, including Thundercracker.
There was a reason the big flier was still standing where he didn't want to be.
He valued his life a little bit too much to think being anywhere else was a good idea.
That and Autobots were stupid, flightless, and slow.
"Oooooooooooooooooooh Thunder,"
But then one had to add in that sing song voice to his pros and cons list and suddenly the stupid grounders didn't seem like such the bad option.
"Go chase the scrap-rats Skywarp I'm busy." Thundercracker grumbled, refusing justify his trine-mate in any shape or form. He was in no mood to deal with Skywarp's ramblings. The lightening was far more entertaining and far less annoying.
"I already blasted all the scrap-rats, and I'm bored, and I'm hungry, and we're lost—"
"We are not lost!" Thundercracker snapped out a snarl over his shoulder glaring at the slightly shorter purple and black seeker who's now yellow optics were bright with mischief and not at all concerned with his wing mate's anger. Not that Skywarp had ever really been all that concerned about anything really; however, this somewhat new Skywarp that was left after Knockout and Breakdown fixed him vorns ago was even more screwy then before.
And that was something Thundercracker hadn't thought possible.
How did Skywarp get any dumber?
It didn't seem plausible.
But somehow it happened, and Thundercracker got stuck with him.
The joy of it all.
"But we don't know where we are. That's lost. Isn't it? I think that's lost."
Rolling his deep red optics Thundercracker went back to watching the storm that was brewing on the horizon. "I know just where we are, Skywarp. Don't insult me by saying otherwise."
"But if we're were supposed to be then where are Laserbeak and Ravage?"
The blue seeker repressed the urge to slam his palm into his forehead. "Spying on the Autobots."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
"Positive?"
A low growl. "Yes. Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes, I'm positive! Skywarp I'm absolutely positive!"
"Okay . . . but . . . ."
Thundercracker snarled. "But what?"
"If they're spying on the Autobots for our Lord then why would Ravage send me a message saying that him and Laserbeak were going back home?"
There was about three klicks of silence in which Thundercracker went from staring, to bobbing his jaw like an idiot, to growling, to debating whether or not he should strangle the idiot in front of him.
Very slowly Thunder closed the distance between them until he was inches from Warp's faceplate glaring down into his giddy yellow optics, and then speaking very slowly he hissed out a question. "What do you mean Ravage sent you a message?"
Skywarp beamed innocently. "He sent me a message."
Thundercracker fought the urge to rip the mech's vocal processor out. "When did he do this exactly?"
"About two joors ago."
Thunder kept telling himself that if he killed the glitch then he really wouldn't have any idea what was going on. So Skywarp had to keep breathing so that he could keep talking. Otherwise he was screwed.
"And why didn't you say anything before now?"
"I thought you knew." Warp shrugged.
Well in all reality he should have known. He should have been the one that got the message.
Why wasn't he the one that got the message?
Why in all of miserable pit would that stupid spy message Skywarp and not him!?
Spinning around so he didn't shot his trine-mate between his damn optics the big blue mech snarled deep in his chest. Long claws flexing while he stalked away and then back again while the thunder rolled echoing over the outskirts of Tyger Pax.
"Did he say where he was going?"
"Uh . . . home . . . I think."
"Home?"
"Well yes. Pretty sure." Skywarp tilted his head back staring at the dark sky above them. His bright optics cast a warm glow against his dark faceplate, their strange new color a result of all that had happened to him after Shockwave's failed attempt at getting the Autobots' youngling so long ago.
In all reality the seeker should be dead, it sure was true that Starscream left him for dead. If it hadn't of been for Thundercracker finding the silly warping mech and dragging his half dead carcass back to Nemesis he would have been dead.
If nothing else through that whole experience of the mad Con medic putting him back together again he had learned which member of his trine—a team long ago chosen by a council that no longer ruled—truly did possibly give a damn about him and which didn't.
It was an interesting thing to realize.
Partly because this was Thundercracker that cared and Thunder didn't care about anything let alone anybot, and partially because the purple mech had spent so long following the orders of his Lord that he really didn't know how to do anything else.
Even if Starscream hated doing as they were told, it didn't take a brilliant bot to figure out that Megatron would never be beat.
Even Skywarp knew that.
And he was glitched.
Severely so.
Which was why the purple and black seeker had now taken to following Thunder around wherever he went, or maybe it was Thunder that was keeping Skywarp around. Now that the flier thought about it that was the option that made far more sense.
Thundercracker—for as much as he was annoyed by his younger trine-mate—hadn't really let Warp out of his sight in a vorn or two, and if the mech really didn't want Skywarp around he'd make him leave.
Starscream always did.
But no matter how bad Warp managed to screw things up Thundercracker would always be there to pick him and the pieces up again and to help fix it. Which he didn't have to do. He could leave him to suffer the wrath of their Lord by himself.
Starscream always did.
Starscream never thought twice about it.
He just did it.
And Wrap knew now by watching Thundercracker pace that he'd done something wrong again, and yet the blue jet didn't hit him. He saw the wish to do it in his wing-mate's deep red optics, but the other mech didn't do it.
He snarled out to himself, letting lose a blaster shot into the nearby rock formations instead of Skywarp's faceplate. Which was always the better option.
"I'm sorry, Thunder." Skywarp mumbled as he plopped down on a broken wall, his wings sagging behind him as he watched the other mech stalk in circles. "I should have told you."
"Yes!" Thundercracker bellowed. "You should have told me! For now on you tell me everything. I thought we'd already been over this. Megatron is going to be pissed when he finds out you not only blew up all the energon we had for the spies and have had to come this close to the lines trying to find some, but when Ravage gets back and tells Soundwave that he and Laserbeak had to get all the way back to base without an escort Megatron's gonna use us as target practice! Do you not understand that, Warp? Do you not realize what he'll do to you and me?"
Skywarp shrugged. "Nothing that Starscream doesn't do."
"That doesn't make it right!" Thundercracker hissed, spinning to glare at the mech that had been tied to him since sparklinghood. Seeker trines were political works. Ways for the noble families of before to tie themselves together and raise in rank. Vos had been one of the worst of the power hungry societies. Trines were chosen by creators well before their sparklings even came into the world and it didn't matter what the young one thought as they grew about the bots they were tied with for the rest of their lives.
It was the creators' choice.
At least that was what it had become over the vorns in Vos.
What use to be a friendship that would link bots for life became a power trip. No longer was the bound of brothers or sisters that would last until death something to treasure, it had become tainted.
Just like everything else on Cybertron.
The rich and the powerful had taken it, twisted it, broke it, and left it in shattered in a million pieces.
Because they could.
Which was how a mech like Thundercracker had ended up tied to for life a demented glitch and a power hungry coward. None of it had been a choice. He'd been stuck with the two idiots for his entire life, always the one picking up the pieces, saving their afts, and keeping them from all getting thrown into a smelter by Lord Megatron. Either because Skywarp thought it would be a good idea to set the energon reserves under Nemesis on fire on a vornly basis or Starscream once again tried to stab Megatron to death in his recharge.
It was always him fixing it.
And Primus damn it he was fraggin' tired of fixing it!
Skywarp had an excuse. He was sparked with a few neuron connections that didn't click together properly, he was stupid but it wasn't his fault. No, it was Starscream that was the real problem in his life.
Starscream was the one that got them beat to slag on a regular basis just for being associated with him. He was the one that drug him into his stupid plans for world domination and then screwed it up so bad that even Thundercracker couldn't fix it.
Skywarp and Thundercracker didn't go along with it because they wanted to, they went along with it because Starscream's creators had been the most highly ranked in the deal that linked them together before their own creation and he was the one that got to be named trine leader.
Not because he deserved it.
Not because he was smart enough, brave enough, or loyal enough, but because he was ranked enough.
And not even Primus knew how much that fact made Thundercracker's energon boil in his veins. It made him want to take things apart very violently and very slowly.
It wasn't even his choice which side of this damn feud he stood on.
Yeah . . . he didn't even get to decide what he would eventually die for. He wore an insignia for a cause he didn't even believe in. He killed for a cause he didn't believe in.
He killed because Starscream had decided where they were going to be and Skywarp as well as himself hadn't had a choice in the matter. Starscream was the leader.
What he said goes.
Even if it was stupid and pointless and going to get them all killed.
Letting out a sigh the big blue seeker walked back to his sort of brother's side and plopped down letting his elbows rest on his knees and his palms catch his forehead. It was a very un-Thundercracker type thing to do and it made the purple and black mech beside him shift around a bit nervously.
He didn't really know what to make of a Thundercracker that acted like that.
Letting his bright optics dim as he cast his gaze downward Skywarp shifted nervously back and forth on his little seat.
"I'm sorry, Thunder."
"Stop saying that." The blue mech hissed.
Skywarp sank down a little further. "But . . . what else am I suppose to say?"
Thunder sighed. "You need to answer my question. That's what you're supposed to say."
Skywarp just kind of sat there making Thunder glance through his fingers at him.
"You don't remember what I said do you?" He snorted.
Skywarp smiled slightly. "No."
"I asked you if you realize that just because Starscream hits you doesn't make it right."
Skywarp paused, his head tilting to the side as he stared back into the deep red optics that were holding his strange new yellow colored ones. "Yes it does."
Thundercracker's spark hurt. "No it doesn't, Warp."
"But . . . Screamer is the trine leader. Everything he does is right." The two tone seeker argued, confusion settling in his tanks as well as his optics. He didn't understand what Thundercracker was talking about. They did as Starscream said. That was the way it worked. He was the tine leader.
He was the eldest 'brother', even if really Thundercracker was the oldest of all of them.
"No, Warp, it isn't." Thunder scooted close to him trying to somehow through his optics make the youngest member of his trine understand that everything he'd ever been taught was wrong.
"But . . . ."
"But nothing," Thunder pressed. "It isn't right. None of it is."
Skywarp blinked those yellow optics back at him. "Then . . . what is?"
Now it was Thundercracker's turn to look away. Because how was he supposed to make Skywarp understand. All the two tone joker had ever done was what he was told. He never questioned where he was placed in life. He never questioned the cards he was dealt. He never wondered if there was something wrong or if something could be different.
He was always too busy laughing about whatever idiotic thing he'd done lately.
Skywarp's world was far simpler—easier—he lived for his next giggle fit. He was only concerned about behaving well enough so that he could screw up comically—to his mind—later and not get beat into too much of a pulp. He just went with it.
Because that was what he had been taught.
Since he came into this world he was told that he was the lowest ranked in a trine he didn't chose and that was where he would stay for his entire life, or until the others died and he was left alone. Since trine bonds didn't link bots together by anything other than politics and a forced sibling-ish bond, if one of a trine died it did nothing to the others. Just pulled them from their links and took them down a member they didn't even choose.
Usually there was no love lost when trine members died. No gaping wound.
If anything there was freedom.
Freedom?
The blue seeker had always wondered what that felt like.
Not that he'd ever know it.
"Thunder?" Skywarp pressed. "If it's wrong then what is right?"
"I don't know, Warp." He huffed out a breath. "I don't know anymore."
"Now that's just downright spark warming. Two Decepticon scum contemplating right and wrong. Never thought I'd live to see that orn."
Thundercracker spun up to his feet as Skywarp did the same, blasters drawn in an instant only to find the silver form and flashing blue visor of the Autobots' master saboteur all ready had two warming plasma shots ready under an itching trigger finger.
"Hello mechs," Jazz smiled. "Enjoying the weather?"
"Ravage. Fraggin' Ravage. I can't believe this." Jazz hissed over his comm link while he plowed through the grey dust that was all that was left of Tyger Pax. In his alt mode he should have been able to catch the fraggin' spies by now. Except for the stupid fact that Laserbeak could fly.
By the time that Jazz broke out of the tunnels chasing the two Cons the bird like mech had taken to the air pulling the robo-cat like mech with him in those wicked talons of his. Jazz had been driving as fast as he possibly could, but the two were lost to the thundering skies, and tracking them in this radar screwing storm was pointless. He was just driving in anger knowing that by the time he hit the border they would be long gone and he would have to turn back.
"It does test the bounds of logic." Prowl's voice echoed back over the radio. "At least somewhat."
"Whatever, Prowler." Jazz snapped as he drifted around a turn and then floored it again as he again came up with nothing to help him track those two damn servants of Soundwave. "Have you figured out yet why he didn't just snatch Lil' Bee and run?"
He was answered by radio silence.
"Well that's a no."
"There is not a lot of evidence to be found in dusty vents, and Bumblebee has no idea what was really going on. Asking him is pointless. So I'm left grasping at straws. Give me a few orns, Red Alert and I will figure it out. They were good about avoiding the cameras it will take time."
"So what am I supposed to do until then?" Jazz hissed, his mood still quite far from anything warm and fuzzy. The fun and games of earlier had been put to the back of his mind. He didn't have time to dwell in Bee early adorableness. He only had time for trying to find the two Cons before they vanished out of his reach. Optimus ordered him not to follow over the line, even alone Jazz would most likely be fine, but it wasn't something the Prime was willing to risk at the moment. Not until they knew what was happening and what they needed to do next.
Even if that meant Jazz was out here driving in circles.
"Check whatever you feel like and then get your aft back here. I need you hacking skills. Whatever they did there has to be a trace somewhere and you're the best hacker alive."
"Awe Prowler," If Jazz was in bi-ped mode he would have smirked. "You really do care."
"I am simply stating a fact."
"And there goes the best bud love again."
"Just let off some steam and get back home. You're the only one small enough to get at least a peek inside these vents."
"Bee can fit."
"Oh yes, that's a wonderful idea. We should let the youngling who was playing hide and seek with Cons back in the vents to try and help us figure out if they were hacking the mainframes or not. That sounds like an absolutely wonderful idea, Jazz. How did I never think of it myself?"
Jazz pulled a rather sharp U-turn around a crumbled wall and then dropped it down into high gear burning rubber against the patch of hard stone he'd hit as he topped a hill.
"Just an idea is all." He snickered lightly.
"A very bad one."
"Oh fine." He swung around another fallen pillar. "Why don't you just make Blaster go in there? He's smaller them me."
"Blaster is currently running diagnostics on all the communication links to make sure they haven't been bugged. He is currently very busy."
"Oh yes I'm sure. Well I'll be done soon. I'll circle this last mile and then I'll be back. Where is the little yellow trouble maker, by the way? I've been gone two orns."
"Having breakfast with Optimus. I've been told that the Prime has commandeered him for the orn while Ironhide helps Magnus."
A flash of sadness ran through the silver mech as he went along.
The loss of Ultra Magnus' weapons specialists and SIC a few orns ago had yet to settle truly. Especially for Optimus and Ironhide. The powerful old mech had never returned from the patrol he had lead and when Cosmos came limping back into the Autobots' hideout to tell of how Shockwave had ambushed their scouting patrol it wasn't long before the whole faction knew of the lose they had sustained.
The mech that had known Optimus since he was sparked, had saved Ironhide's brother as well as Hammerdown, the mech that had tried to save Prowl's, the mech that had stood at Sentinel's side for vorns upon vorns.
Slaughtered at the claws of Shockwave.
Crosshairs was gone.
The noble, kind, brave, and true big red white and blue mech was gone.
Just like that.
It was a harsh reality war, and a reminder to the Autobots of just what was really happening around them. It was what made them panic so at the sight of Ravage falling out of that vent.
Sure, they would have reacted as they did anyhow, but having a Con get that close to Bumblebee so soon after one of the oldest and wisest of them had fallen was like a sucker punch to the stomach.
This game of life and death they played was a dark one, and it was for keeps.
"Give my regards to Magus would you." Jazz mumbled into the comm.
"And what makes you think I'm going to see him? I'm helping Red."
"I know you better then you think I do, Prowler." He sighed. "You'll be helping Magnus pick a new SIC too."
He could hear the other mech sigh over the link and try to cover it up, but it didn't really work out the way Prowl wanted. "He has no idea who he wants to choose."
"The same mech has been his right hand for a long time, Prowler. It's understandable. It's like Optimus trying to replace you."
"Gee that's a fun topic, Jazz."
"Just trying to give you a comparison to go by, old friend."
"I do not need a comparison. I understand the impact a world without the old mech will have."
And Jazz didn't need there to see his faceplate to be able to translate the actual meaning of those words. He could hear them under the surface. He could hear the underlying words of 'the mech tried everything in his power to save Smokescreen and now he's gone'.
Jazz knew that was where Prowl's processor was at in the present moment. It wasn't in Red Alert's office, it wasn't with Ironhide and Ultra Magnus, it wasn't with the Prime and the mechling that was probably latched onto his feet right about now refusing to let go as the massive mech made his rounds and so the little one would just hang on for the ride, and it certainly wasn't with Jazz as he circled the perimeter markers.
It was in the past.
It was with the brother he had yet to come to terms with the loss of.
And perhaps it was selfish of the doorwinged mech to be thinking along those lines, but at the same time it wasn't.
There was only one aspect of Prowl's life that ever surpassed his sense of duty and it had always been Smoky.
The young mech had always been Prowl's reason for everything, and Jazz would never forget how much losing him broke the serious mech.
He remembered.
He'd been there.
Just like Crosshairs had been.
He'd always been there.
That big old tri tone elder that had been around when Sentinel was young.
Gone.
Just like Smokescreen.
Just like Outrider.
Just like every other nameless faceplate that had faded into the background as the orns went by. All those that had no bot to remember, had no one to miss them, had no one to mourn them. Gone to the wind, or the Well, or to nothing.
Jazz revved his engine to shaking himself of the thoughts. Now was not the time for them. Now was the time for him to be finding some Con to shoot for getting anywhere near Bumblebee, and for all the others that they slaughtered in a fight nobot really even understood anymore.
Giving himself a full body shake on his wheels as he raced out across an open stretch of ground the silver saboteur let his processor fall strictly back into business.
"This lightening and slag is fraggin' with my radars, you and Red got any signatures?"
"Ravage and Laserbeak are long gone, Jazz. We all know this. You might as well come on back to the ship."
He snarled his engine into the comm link.
"Or keep on making laps like a glitched fool because you're pride has been insulted. It makes no defense to me, but I have work to do. So goodbye."
"Prowler don't you fraggin—"
Click.
"—and you hung up anyway . . . love ya too bro . . . not that you can hear me anymore."
A sigh blasted through Jazz's vents while he slowed to a rolling stop before sinking down on his tires staring blankly at the flashing lightening that lit the sky all around. The weather had never been kind or predictable in Tyger Pax, but it seemed lately it was acting even more glitched up.
Then again the whole damn world had gone to pit vorns ago so what did it matter?
Jazz paused on his current thought path before giving himself enough good shake. He was tired, stressed, and upset.
And it was showing.
He was not his normally upbeat self.
But it was hard after he had spent the last several joors of trying to catch the stupid mechs that had strung along his little brother in a game that could have killed him, add that onto Crosshairs being gone and the stress of Ultra Magnus having to reevaluate his whole command element this late in the war.
Jazz let out another heavy sigh, the breath rattling this whole form as he gazed at nothing for a long time while the thunder rolled. Tyger Pax truly was a Primus forsaken place. There was nothing left here but the ghost of ghost whose voices drifted on the stormy winds and haunted the shadows in taunting tricks of light in the corner of one's sight, there but never truly there, always just out of reach.
Like everything else left on Cybertron.
The only things living now were memories . . . and even those were beginning to fade. Because all the bots left striving to carve out a place on two sides of a living pit weren't living. Not in the slightest.
All they were doing was surviving, and they weren't doing a real bang up job of that.
It was sad really.
Jazz didn't know who was really winning and who was losing anymore.
And he was the optimistic one.
Rolling forward the sleek silver racer was about the head back to the ship to see if he could snatch Bee from Optimus and go do something to forget for a while, but before he pulled a U turn and spun for home he felt something crunch beneath his front right tire. Curious he rolled backward casting his headlights down through the murky gloom until the light reflected off the rust colored little frame of a scrap-rat.
A scrap-rat with a plasma blaster hole in its gut.
Jazz's optics narrowed as he flipped out of his alt mode with a whirl of transformation sequences until he was crouched before the dead creature with a hole blasted in it that was still warm.
Claws tightened as he rose back to his sharply clawed feet with the dead pest's battered frame crinkling under his grip he growled. He was the only bot supposed to be out in this sector for joors and since he obviously didn't shot the rat, it meant somebot that was not supposed to be here did.
And Autobots didn't use scrap-rats as target practice . . . but Cons did.
It didn't take Jazz long, following the trail of littered frames before he stumbled upon foot prints, blasters drawn and already warming the plasma in the barrels the silver mech crept around another dusty hill and found something that made a devilish little smirk light up his faceplate.
Well, he'd been itching for something to take his anger out on.
And it seems like this orn was going to be lucky after all.
However, his comical entrance to the scene was halted when his highly sensitive audios picked up the conversation between the big blue seeker and the glitched purple and black one he sat beside.
For a moment Jazz couldn't truly believe his audios. Decepticons discussing the difference between what was right and what was wrong!? Had he slipped into do alternate reality when he wasn't paying attention?
Because this really couldn't be happening.
It was fraggin' Thundercracker and Skywarp!
Starscream's trine-mates.
Was he really crouched there listening to Thundercracker try to make Skywarp understand that the beatings they took from Megatron . . . and apparently their own wing-mate were not right?
Jazz tilted his head as he listened unsure of what he was hearing.
Starscream harmed his own trine-mates?
That was . . . awful.
Sure, Jazz knew that trine bonds had long ago become political, but still they were like brothers. How could a trine leader hurt his own wing brothers? Then again, Jazz had to remind himself, this was Starscream they were talking about. Starscream and Megatron and all the wicked that was everything they stood for.
In all reality it wasn't all that surprising.
There was nothing behind Decepticon lines that resembled anything the Autobots had and the bonds between brothers was one of those things. Still, it left the saboteur wondering.
If Starscream was willing to harm his own trine so and they had no way of doing anything about it besides taking it—and from the way Thundercracker was talking—did Skywarp and Thundercracker even have a choice as to what side of this war they were standing on?
Every Autobot knew that Thundercracker was a bit of an oddball. For being Starscream's right wing he really wasn't all that into anything the Cons ever did.
Jazz had seen him do it before.
Not take a shot he could have easily done and finished an Autobot that would have never even seen who it was that sent them to the Well. He'd seen the seeker rocket off without that much of a fight. He'd seen him leave bots alive when he could have pulled their spark out in the middle of a battle.
And it had never accrued to the silver mech before.
But now it really was.
Could it be . . . could it really be possible that Thundercracker didn't want to be what he was?
It was a farfetched notion that was for sure, one that Prowl and Ironhide would most likely haul Jazz down to Ratchet to see if he was glitched if he ever uttered the words, but hidden there among the stones listening to something he knew he was never meant to hear Jazz wasn't so sure that it was all that silly on an idea. It was plainly obvious that Skywarp didn't understand what the other seeker was trying to tell him, but still Thundercracker was trying to make him understand.
Because maybe this member of his trine really did mean something to him while the other did not.
That in itself was a bit out there because everybot knew just how messed up in the processor Skywarp was—and there was that little detail that Jazz hated the warping mech with every fiber of his being for trying to take Bee when was a sparkling—but when compared, Thundercracker's options really weren't all that great.
He had the complaining glitch that was stupid enough to think he could ever best Megatron, or the messed up in the processor wannabe comedian to chose from.
If it was him, Jazz would pick Skywarp to be the one that he gave a damn about too.
Because even if the glitch was, well, glitched at least he seemed to try to be understanding what it was that had his trine mate so upset. The two of them seemed to want to be help to each other while Jazz knew Starscream didn't give a frag about his other two trine mates. Starscream looked out for himself and himself alone.
That was something Jazz had seen on the battle field as well.
Starscream abandon his brothers when a fight slid into Autobot favor. He'd seen the leader blast off into the clouds leaving Thundercracker to save Skywarp from whatever idiotic thing he'd tried to pull off this time—something that usually involved almost getting torn to pieces by the twins—and it never failed. Thundercracker did save him. He came back for him when really he didn't have too.
It wasn't like he would really be harmed if Skywarp died.
Yes he'd feel it, the link would be gone, but it wasn't like the twins. If one of them died the other went as well. They couldn't be one without the other; it wasn't the same for trines. They would be just fine.
In fact in Thundercracker's case it would probably be one last thing to worry about.
Yet he didn't leave Skywarp.
He never left Skywarp.
Narrowing his optics in thought Jazz decided it was time to see just what was going on here. He might have just stumbled onto something useful.
Or at least something interesting.
Raising from his hiding spot the silver mech readied his blasters and stepped into sight.
"Now that's just downright spark warming. Two Decepticon scum contemplating right and wrong. Never thought I'd live to see that orn."
Thundercracker spun up to his feet as Skywarp did the same, blasters drawn in an instant only to find the silver form and flashing blue visor of the Autobots' master saboteur all ready had two warming plasma shots ready under an itching trigger finger.
"Hello mechs," Jazz smiled. "Enjoying the weather?"
The silver mech watched through curious optics as the startled seekers, one with the strange new color to his optics, glanced at each other before charging their blasters. Jazz didn't give them that though.
Two quick blasts from each gun and a startled yelp found the Cons disarmed with their blasters smoldering a few feet away as Jazz pinned their sparks in his range.
His highly tuned sensors felt the wave of energy Skywarp summoned before the seeker fully activated his warping drive, but Jazz cocked back the hammer of his blaster and sneered.
"I wouldn't do that, Skywarp." He warned, noticing the more then arms length distance between the two mechs. Skywarp couldn't warp them both out in one go, and there was Jazz's angle. "See if you can warp out of here before I pull the trigger? Because if I don't hit you, I can surly hit Thundercracker."
Yellow optics narrowed as the seeker growled to the Autobot and yet he didn't move from his place, and that spoke volumes. Skywarp could leave. He could save himself, that was the Con way of doing things, keep up for die was the way Megatron worked.
Yet Skywarp stayed.
He stayed there a few paces from his trine mate and watched the blaster aimed at his spark just like Thundercracker was.
The two Cons stood there in the gathering lightening watching the TIC of the Autobots that could very simply and easily kill them both, but shooting in cold energon really wasn't Jazz's style. Not since he left the Sea of Rust and his Tribe far behind him.
And so the three of them ended up standing there watching each other carefully. Waiting to see which bot would screw up first. That was why it surprised the two Cons so much when Jazz offered them a smile.
"It's not wise to have chats so near borders after spies are discovered, mechs." He said stiffly.
"We were just leaving." Thundercracker narrowed his deep red optics to the saboteur's blue visor.
"And going where?" Jazz questioned with a tilt of his head. "Back to the tyrant and the trine leader that use you as punching bags?"
Skywarp's bright optics flashed in surprise while Thundercracker's narrowed.
"That's none of your concern, Autobot." The blue seeker hissed.
"I think I heard enough that it is."
Powerful wings flexed as tension rolled through the blue mech's frame, claws twitching, hydraulics hissing. Thundercracker was reining in his temper. No very well though.
"Don't pretend to give a damn about the other side of this damn war you fraggin' glitch! You're a remarkable mech at twisting things to suit you, Jazz, but I don't have the patience for it this orn I'm afraid. So either shoot us both, take us prisoner, or let us go."
Skywarp shot his trine mate a look. "Umm . . . I'd prefer shooting us not be on his options list . . . and the prisoner part."
"Hush, Warp." Thundercracker told him.
"But I don't like cages." Warp whimpered. "I don't want to be in anymore cages."'
"We won't be in anymore cages." Thundercracker promised his dark optics burning into Jazz's plating.
"But the Auto-idiot said—"
"It doesn't matter what he said," The blue mech growled. "I said you'll be alright and you will be. Now just be quiet."
Jazz watched them carefully before he slowly lowered the blasters he had pointing toward them. It was such a bizarre thing to do that it left the two seekers standing there staring at him like he'd grown another head.
The saboteur just smiled though; tossing his guns into subspace he took a few steps back until he could plop himself down on a pile of broken stones, crossing his legs at his ankles, and leaning back on his palms. Perfectly at ease with all that was around him. Leaving the two bigger seekers standing there staring at him in confusion.
"What are you doing?" Skywarp questioned.
"Hush, Warp." Thundercracker snapped.
"Well I was going to ask you a question, Warp, but Thundercracker doesn't want you to talk with me." Jazz answered.
"Question?" Skywarp tilted his head.
"Yep,"
"Leave him the frag out of this." Thundercracker placed himself between his trine mate and the Autobot his processor running a billion miles a klick trying to figure out what the silver mech's game was. He trusted the damn glitch just about as far as he could throw him and he wasn't letting the spy's words twist Skywarp. Because Warp wouldn't get it. Not after all that had been done to him, and Thundercracker would not let anybot else hurt him. Even if Skywarp wasn't his trine brother by choice he was the one that had stayed beside him when he could have easily just warped away and left him to face the Autobot's gun alone.
But he stayed.
Which was something Starscream would have never done.
"I think he gets more then you give him credit for, Thundercracker."
A wicked hiss as the seeker's wings flared out, flexing as he glared and the slightly smaller seeker behind him watched in confusion as the whole scene unfolded.
"What do you want, Autobot?" Thunder glared.
"Well I was going to ask you why Laserbeak and Ravage were playing in the vents with our youngling." Jazz admitted.
Both seekers blinked.
"Why would we tell you that?" Skywarp mumbled.
"Because I don't think you really care all that much for Megatron or his plans." Jazz informed them.
"And why would the likes of you say that about the likes of us?" Thundercracker sneered.
Jazz shrugged. "Just things I've been observing."
"Take your observations elsewhere."
"But Thunder," Skywarp whispered, tapping his larger and older trine mate on the shoulder as he peaked around him toward the spy. "You said it wasn't right what they did. You said that listening to them wasn't right."
"Hush Warp." Thundercracker growled.
Jazz's visor flashed with interest.
Skywarp? Skywarp? Saying stuff like that about his dear Lord? The last time Jazz had seen Skywarp had been when he was trying to take Bumblebee, and back in those orns the teleporting mech had been far past loyal to the tyrant. Well . . . as loyal as a foolish glitch could be. Really Skywarp was just good at doing what he was told, at least that was what Jazz had always figured.
Now he saw though, that maybe Skywarp had just been good at doing what was beat into him and there was no loyalty at all.
"Starscream and Megatron beating you into submission isn't right, Skywarp. Your trine mate is right about that." Jazz said quietly.
Both seekers snarled at him.
"Don't pretend to know things that you don't!" Thundercracker roared.
"Oh I know more than you think I might." Jazz's gaze narrowed, the tint of his visor darkening. "After all I am the master spy to the faction that is currently kicking your afts."
"Kicking our afts?" Thundercracker snorted. "Did old Crosshairs tell you that?"
Now it was Jazz's turn to snarl, his engines picking up the sound and tripling it as they roared. "Careful what you taunt there, seeker, I'm still more then able to kill you from here."
"Why don't you get on with trying it, grounder!"
"Thunder," Skywarp stepped forward pulling slightly on the tip of the other mech's wing. "Thunder?"
"What?!" Thundercracker hissed, looking back at the smaller flier.
"If it is wrong what they do, then why do we do it?"
And all the snarling came to an end.
Jazz quieted as Thundercracker turned to face the younger seeker with red optics suddenly clear and honest.
"We do it because our trine-leader tells us too." Thundercracker hated every damn word as it came out of his mouth, but it was the truth and even if the truth would be hard for the messed with processor of the other mech to understand he deserved it. He deserved to know why they took what they did, why nobot stepped in to stop Megatron when he had Knockout—when the medic was still around—fix Skywarp by twisting his already damaged mind even more.
"But you said just because Starscream says something doesn't make it right."
The blue mech sighed. This was harder than the thought it would be. "I know I did, Warp."
"So why?" The two tone mech pressed. Because he really did want to understand. So very bad did Skywarp want to understand. It had been so long since he really understood anything. Usually he just accepted it, because way back when that was what his creators had told him to do. Accept the life that was chosen for him, it was better for everybot that way.
But now, Thunder told him that being trine-leader didn't make Starscream right and if so didn't that mean that being Lord didn't make Megatron always right?
Isn't that what it meant?
"I imagine you both do it because of a law of a council that has long since fallen tells you too." Jazz knew he was pushing his luck, but if his little idea was going to work then he was going to have to push. The way Skywarp looked over at him in confusion told him he was right just as much as Thundercracker's glare did.
"That is none of your business." The blue seeker rumbled.
And to it Jazz had not nod. "You're right it's not. I never really understood how the council could make a law like that anyway. Binding bots together without their consent—before they were even sparked—all to rise in rank. It was wrong."
"That's what you said, Thunder." Skywarp looked to the other flier while Thundercracker narrowed his optics at the silver mech again, only this time Jazz didn't see anger and hatred. He saw contemplation.
"Yes, that is what I said."
Well it was now or never. Time to see if Jazz's observations were true or not. "So I have another question for you, Thundercracker."
"And what is that?"
"Why are you still obeying a law you know to be wrong even after the bots that forced it upon you are now long gone?"
There was silence after Jazz spoke. A silence that stretched on for a long time as the three mechs stood there in the middle of the thunder and lightning, watching each other as they took in the words. As the silence stretched on Jazz began to wonder if he was going to have an answer, or if the seeker was simply going to tell Warp to take them away again and he would be left with nothing. No answers, no prisoners, and no satisfaction.
But the two Cons didn't leave as Jazz thought they might.
They didn't speak either, but they didn't leave.
They stood there before him as if lost in what he had said.
The visor that shielded his optics did not keep Jazz form being able to see the thoughts rolling through Thundercracker's processor. He as more then able to see that rather smart mech's wheels of processing turning rapidly as he took in the Autobot's point.
Skywarp was a bit harder for the silver saboteur to read. Those strange yellow optics were open and didn't really hide much of anything, and yet at the same time they did. There was something innocent and empty about that gaze, but Jazz couldn't really figure out what the two tone mech was thinking.
He imagined that even Skywarp had a hard time sometimes, figuring out what he was thinking. Something had been done to the processor that glowed behind those strange yellow optics that had at one time been as red as the ones of the mech he stood next too.
"Tell me Autobot," By the time Thundercracker spoke again Jazz was so far lost in trying to figure out Skywarp's optics and why they had changed that it startled him. "What are the chances that we could all leave here without blasters and cages?"
Jazz cracked a smile, his visor flashing brightly.
But it was Skywarp who's optics flashed with worry as he started tugging on Thundercracker's wing. "Thunder, Thunder, we can't tell him anything! We'll get in trouble when we go back to base."
"We're not going back to base, Skywarp." Thundercracker told him without looking back. His dark red optics stayed focused on Jazz.
The purple and black mech stared in confusion at his wing brother. "What?"
Jazz was already on his feet his smirking lighting up his faceplate as he stared at the two seekers. Thundercracker was flexing the powerful appendages behind his back as he gazed at the other mech.
"We're not going back to the ship, Skywarp."
"Then where are we going?"
"I'm not sure yet." Thunder answered. "But I'll figure it out."
"Why?"
"Because the Auto-wimp is right. The laws of old are dead. Their honor and power died with them. I have no reason to obey them anymore."
"Really?" Skywarp's faceplate scrunched up in confusion.
"Yes."
"But what does that mean for me?"
"You are free to do what you wish as well, Skywarp, you can come with me if you wish. Is that what you wish?"
The two tone seeker stepped away for his trine mate looking to be seriously considering what the other had said. "Well . . . I don't want to go back for Starscream to hit me because you don't come back."
"So do you want too?"
Skywarp's yellow optics suddenly became very clear as he stood up straighter before he nodded seriously to the other. "Yes."
Thundercracker nodded as well. "Alright then." Turning back to the silver Autobot Thundercracker lifted an optic ridge. "So you want to know why Ravage and Laserbeak were in your ship huh?"
"That would be helpful yeah."
"Megatron is obsessed with the runt." Thundercracker snorted, making Jazz's spark cease up before he school his expression. "He's been ordering Soundwave's pets to spy on him. Bring the information back to Megatron, but they were under strict orders to never be seen, to never harm the youngling. Megatron just wants to know about him. Not have him it seems. Guess he learned his lesson the first time whoever it was handed him his aft."
Jazz showed no outward emotion, keeping his faceplate clear he nodded. "And how is it you know all this?"
"Just because I took the hits doesn't make me a fool, grounder. I can put two and two together."
Jazz smirked. "Well thank you then, Thundercracker."
"You're not welcome." The blue seeker took a few steps back, a hand reaching out to take hold of Skywarp's forearm so that he would come along and stop watching the purple lights flash across the cloud darkened sky.
Before the blue mech could tell the other to warp them wherever it was he wanted to go Jazz lifted a hand to pause them. "You won't be going back to the Cons then?"
Thundercracker scowled. "No."
"So where will you go?"
"None of your concern."
"Oh, oh, oh, Thunder!" Skywarp grinned, pulling on the other again. "Can we go to Nevrin? I always wanted to go to Nevrin! They say it's the coolest of planets."
"That backwater grease pit?" Thundercracker stared at the other flier in horror trying to figure out if that was really where Skywarp wanted to go.
"Yeah!" He nodded quickly. "I know a shipping yard on a moon that will take us there. We can get there. I can't warp that far but we have interstellar flight capabilities. We can get there."
The light in the smaller mech's optics was so happy and bright Thundercracker had no fraggin' idea how to say no to him. "Alright, fine, that is where we will go."
"Yes!"
Jazz snorted out a laugh before he flashed his visor at the pair of them. "You could be useful to us you know." He offered.
Both fliers turned to look at him with a sneer in their optics before Skywarp huffed reaching out to grab hold of Thundercracker's arm.
"Yeah right,"
And in a flash of bright purple light they were gone.
Leaving Jazz standing there watching the tiny purple flickers of energy particles fade away. In all reality it was pretty much what Jazz had been expecting. He got more then he thought he would. A reason that Megatron sent the spies into the ship and hadn't had them snatch Bee. He didn't like the reason, but at least he had it now.
And he got to go back to the ship and tell Prowl and Optimus that two of the Decepticons' soldiers just flew the coop. That was going to make those two quite happy.
Nodding to himself the silver saboteur turned on his heel, ready now to go back home, when a scurrying sound and a flash of black metal caught his attention. The first instinct that flashed across him was to pull his blaster. After all he was hovering the border between what was Autobot and what wasn't.
However, as he twisted to follow the movement he caught sight of the end of small black tail as it vanished beneath a fallen wall. Any mech besides Jazz probably wouldn't have cared, probably wouldn't have been interested, but Jazz always had been a curious one.
Tilting his head to the side he slowly walked over to the small hole beneath the structure, bending down until he was on his hands and knees. Peaking into the small dark space he was greeted by the sight of four glittering black spheres. Two pairs of optics.
Black optics.
Young optics.
Static-hound optics.
Static-hound pup optics.
Jazz's visor flashed with his surprise as he watched the two small black shadows in the darkness scramble to get away from him. Switching on his headlights the mech lit the tiny hole and the two little creatures inside hissed and scrambled away from the light. The smaller of the two crouched behind the slightly larger one that was puffed up in front of it. Tail lashing and lips drawn back over tiny yet still very sharp fangs. It was protecting the other one, or at least trying too.
It made Jazz smile despite what the creatures were.
Besides, they were just pups.
Harmless . . . and helpless.
And they weren't the first tiny things that Jazz had seen hidden away in a dark hole without a hope in the world except maybe the one that could be offered to them.
They'd die out here in this wasteland on their own.
It was amazing they were even here—a matter to wonder over later—but for now they needed help or they'd never survive the storm that was coming. Reaching into his subspace Jazz pulled out the handful of energon goodies he had been carrying around to share with Bumblebee. Holding them out to the two tiny pups he watched as their short pointed audios perked up at the sight.
Staying low and trying to prove that he really didn't mean any harm he spoke.
"Hey little ones." He purred softly. "Ya hungry?"
The smaller of the two, the lighter black that had a strange white tint to its edges crawled forward around the other only to be hissed at by the darker and larger of the two. When the hissing one was ignored by the smaller one it reached out and nipped it on the audio trying to pull it back, but the other yanked away and crawled toward Jazz. He sat back and grinned as the tiny black pup hardly more than a few feet long and tall—just a bit bigger then Bee length wise and by height—crawled out of its hole and went to nibbling at the sweets in his upturned palm.
Now that it was out of its hole Jazz could see that 'it' was actually more of a 'her' and the tiny thing was kind of cute in a pup-ish sort of way. For a dangerous creature she was nothing but a pup. As was the one that crawled out behind her. As with the first one now that 'it' was out in the light Jazz could tell that 'it' was really a 'he'.
And he was size wise a great deal bigger than the femme one as it padded up and hissed once at Jazz before he went to nibbling away at the treats in his hand. Over the course of a few klicks the silver mech managed to coax the tiny pair into his lap as he watched them scarf down the fuel while an idea came to him.
A playfully mischievous smile danced across his lips as he carefully picked the little creatures up and stroked their audios while they stared up at him with big, innocent, trusting black optics.
And his smile grew. "How would you two like to come along home with me, huh? I've got quite a neat home. It's full of all sorts of personalities, and there is one especially that I think would absolutely love to meet you."
With that the silver saboteur turned and headed back home.
Oh, I do love Jazz. He's so dang adorable!
I might also be the slightest bit fond of Thundercracker and Skywarp. Warpy really is quite the sweet little confused thing, at least he is in my head, and I've always had the idea that Thundercracker kind of looked after him. So yeah, this is what happens because of it. :)
The whole trines being chosen as they are in this chapter was something I've come up with along the way, and it found its way in here because it fascinates me.
Also, I'll put it here so nobody freaks on me. This Crosshairs is not the one from the movie. This is the one from Secret of the Scars. It will all make sense in time have no fear.
And . . . could that at the end be Jazz taking static-hound pups back to the ship? Could this really be happening right now? Is he really doing this?
Is he nuts!?
Well yes, to all those questions. Yes he is.
Next chapter is . . . well down right crazy. Hope you guys enjoyed this one and as always please leave me a tidbit of what you thought. I love to hear what all of you thought.
Next chapter will probably be up next, next Sunday. This one chapter a week thing is making my life a whole lot less stressful, so I'll probably be sticking with it. Hope you guys stick with me.
There is so much more of Bee to come after all.
-Jaycee