Chap 4
Fledgling
Starscream could sense the day of departure approaching quickly. Less and less materials were being brought to the headquarters location, and from his vantage point he noted the massive amounts of Energon that were being moved as well. While the Energon to him was of lesser importance, he knew that for most independent Decepticon survivors this would be a vital turning point. With this information, he knew that they wouldn't be the only ones trying to gain control of the vessel.
The Ark II, Starscream scoffed at the name and its implications, was nothing more than a giant cargo vessel. It had no weapons to defend itself, relying entirely on its passengers to ensure its safe departure. And while he knew that Optimus would be no slouch in defending his new ship, the remainder of his Autobots as the last line of defence, he also knew that without Nova Storm there would be no aerial support. This boded well for his plan, as his trine would have the upper hand in picking off the Grounders on the flight deck.
Under the command of Megatron, Starscream and his trine had fought the Autobots many times. Only at the beginning did they have to contend with other Seekers, challengers that had battled their flying prowess in the skies. But now they were uncontested lords of the skies with no equal. Even with this knowledge of being the last Seekers on Earth, he knew that the reason they had survived is because they were the best. The Decepticons may have lost their leader, but the trine had kept their pride.
No doubt the departure would happen within a cycle's time. Their urgency was unknown to him, but he was thankful to have all the information he needed to carry out his plan.
Cloaked in a special Seeker frequency, Starscream communicated only through his trine bond and waited for the movement of opportunity to present itself.
: -as I was sayin', I'll be really happy to get off this wet rock and back to Cybertron. I'm tired of having to camp out in damp caves, I swear I spotted a rust mark not too long ago.:
Thundercracker sighed, knowing he signed up for listening to this drivel millenia ago. Skywarp was a talker, even over comms. When he couldn't shut his intake, he spewed on comms forever. If they hadn't been brothers, Thundercracker would have strangled him ages ago.
: Focus, Skywarp. You're meant to be looking out for supply cargo on route to the Autobot base. When they start to dwindle, we know it's time to move out. : Thundercracker huffed in irritation. This wasn't the first reminder. : Don't forget that unless we move out at exactly the right time, we could miss our chance. You've got to pay attention, or Screamer's gonna have your spark. : He felt Skywarp's slight irritation through their bond. Thundercracker could almost imagine the mocking faceplate his brother was so fond of wearing. The threat was empty at best.
: Fine, fine. There's still a steady flow of cargo on route to their base, but there seems to be less and less humans staying. The pink femme is usually the one that greets them, and I haven't seen her in a cycle or two.:
Thundercracker paused at this, considering. Elita-1 and Arcee were both formidable in their survival of this long war, and he didn't look forward to fighting either of them. But calculating the likelihood of who would be more suited for the task, he presumed it was Elita-1 that Skywarp was referring to. A shot from her cannons was far more deadly than a shot from Arcee's.
Out of his brothers, Thundercracker had the thickest armour plating. Still a great deal thinner than a Wrecker, but he took his job as a flight shield seriously. He was still considered fast as a Seeker, but the added weight definitely made a difference in his manoeuvrability . He relied heavily on the tactics of his trine leader to ensure not only the safety of his team, but also to keep them out of unnecessary danger. A downed shield was a downed trine after all.
Starscream had been the best choice for leader despite his lack of quirk. Thundercracker's Sonic Boom was an innate ability that allowed him to send out a deafening sound wave from his cannon that did not affect his own audials. Skywarp's warp ability was indispensable, but was tricky to use and therefore a wildcard. Without Starscream as their leader, they were aimless, and they relied on each other to keep their flight patterns stable. His ambition led them to many successes, eventually working their way up to Command Trine; the highest title of skill that can be bestowed in Vosian culture.
: Keep a tight watch, and keep me posted on any further developments. I'm approaching the destination now.: Thundercracker had been dispatched to communicate with any potential ally that might give them extra firepower for the mission. As the most level headed of the trine, it made sense why he was given this task over Skywarp. Not many of their previous allies had lasted as long as they had, but Starscream had discovered the locations of two of them.
Barricade was the closer of the two in terms of geographical proximity. His last known location was close to Witwicky, and Thundercracker already knew of his usual tactics of hiding in plain sight in human cities. Judging from the fact that he had almost definitely received the same transmission they all had, he knew that Barricade was going to attempt an attack on the Autobot ship as well. If all went well and they joined forces, the chances of success would rise dramatically. If he rejected the offer, well, it was one more distraction to deal with.
Soundwave was still nursing his wounds from his last battle with the Autobots. His location was far from Witwicky, and he still hadn't moved from his coordinates. Starscream had predicted that he would stay out of this battle and so far he'd been proven right. Soundwave's Cassetticons were missing, last he knew, and Thundercracker knew he wouldn't leave without them. Further, Soundwave's interest no doubt lay with Earth's space bridge rather than the voyage itself. Once the vessel left, it would remain here mostly unguarded, but that wasn't an important factor in Starscream's plan.
He knew that he'd find out about any other potential enemies during the battle for the ship. He wasn't looking forward to it, but at least he knew the skies would be clear. Megatron was confirmed to be far away from G.H.O.S.T. 's headquarters, but that could change between now and departure.
Approaching Barricade's coordinates warily, Thundercracker landed a distance away from the human settlement and discreetly transformed within the confines of a nearby forest. Pulsing his EM field into the town, he waited until he felt Barricade's answering EM response.
With the rev of a nearby engine that could only be Barricade, a sleek black police vehicle approached the copse of trees. Driving offroad, he transformed the moment his rear bumper entered the forest and was out of human sight. Barricade and Thundercracker greeted each other coolly.
"I presume you're here concerning the transmission?" The black 'Con questioned.
Thundercracker nodded. "We all know how important that voyage is. Which is why it's better to work together than alone." His intonation was practised, unobtrusive.
Barricade scoffed in response. "I haven't worked with you in millenia. Not since Megatron was still our leader." Thundercracker could hear the venom in his tone.
"Which is why it would be unexpected." Thundercracker took a step forward. "You can't expect to gain control of the vessel with just your own firepower. Why not lend your guns to our cause and stand a better chance at succeeding?"
The look Barricade shot at Thundercracker was nothing short of scathing. "With Starscream as the leader? No thank you. I've been shot in the aft by him more times than I care to count over the centuries, and it's not gonna happen again." He spit on the ground. "You three might think that you have a strategy all prepared, but it's gonna be a free for all. Nobody, not even Starscream can plan around so many obstacles. It's gonna be luck of the draw for everyone there no matter what happens."
Thundercracker tried to hold his ire and remain rational, but some of his anger seeped out with his tone. "If that is what you believe then I can't stop you. But know that the offer stands even if it's more likely that you fall." The whirr of his cannon symbolised the audible threat, and his EM field flashed with repressed rage.
Barricade clenched his servos, but refused to show any weakness. "I'll see you on the battlefield then, TC. We'll see who wins this luck of the draw." And with a rev of his engine, he left the forest and out of the blue seeker's sight.
Thundercracker sighed and immediately commed his trinemates. : Barricade has rejected our offer, and he intends to participate in the fight nonetheless. Just one more thing to add to the plan.:
A groan was heard through Skywarp's end, but it was Starscream's voice that came through. : I'm not surprised. He always was a 'shoot first, ask questions later' kind of mech. He won't be a hindrance in our plans, he'll be going in blind. It's one of the reasons he never climbed the ranks during the war.:
: He said you shot him a bunch while you worked under Megatron. Is that true?: Thundercracker asked, as if an afterthought.
Starscream chuckled in response. :Yes, I did shoot him a few times. He made for good target practice on Grounders, and it always helped me vent off some steam.: Thundercracker groaned. That sounded like Starscream alright. He was sure there was more to it, but it didn't matter now.
: Just one more thing to add to the pile.: He grumbled through their bond. : I'm on my way back to base. Any further missions before I head back?: He activated his thrusters and got ready to leave
: No, we will be proceeding shortly. Get your aft back here as soon as possible.: Starscream's command came through strong and clear.
: See you both in a bit.: Affirmation was felt through their bond, and with that, Thundercracker was off, a streak in the sky remaining where he once was.
Optimus looked at his teammates who had all worked incredibly hard to complete their respective tasks in record time. It was finally time to give the order and prepare for departure. Accessing his comm link, he broadcast an Autobot wide transmission;
: Attention all Autobots. Please report to the main flight line for a mandatory briefing. I have some excellent news to share.:
Closing up his terminal inside the main office hangar, he nodded at a few of the human workers that still lingered at their desks. Venturing upward and outside into the afternoon air, Optimus felt like he hadn't been outside in cycles. Earth's yellow sun warmed his outer plating and hope filled his chassis; today was a monumental day for all of Primus' creations. Today was the day they would depart.
Walking out onto the flight line, he noticed a few of his crew had arrived before him despite having only sent the transmission moments before. Arcee stood next to Elita-1, who leaned on a nearby wall looking bored until she noticed her leader walk out into the sunlight. Optimus stood, giving a small nod, and waited for the rest of his crew to arrive.
Bit by bit they trickled out onto the flight line. Ratchet and Wheeljack from engineering where the space bridge was located, Bumblebee surprisingly coming out of the shadows for this no doubt momentous announcement.
Only a few had remained and agreed to come on this mission, others choosing to come later when the rebirth of Cybertron was already underway. Many couldn't bear to witness the mission fail, so they chose to remain as to keep their sparks from mourning the loss of their home planet twice. Others chose to stay for different reasons; they had made a home on Earth and preferred to stay where they were more comfortable. Optimus did not blame them at all, and knew in his spark that the ones here with him today were the ones he had expected all along. The tried and true Autobots who would follow him to the bitter end.
Megatron was notably absent, as his covert mission had yet to be completed. Optimus knew that his closeness with the Terrans and Dorothy Malto in particular made it difficult for him to leave. He also knew that leaving Megatron as the Autobot leader on Earth in his stead was the best decision he could make.
Clearing his intake, he greeted his comrades and began his speech.
"Fellow Autobots, we stand here on this day with historic news. Our mission has proceeded ahead of schedule thanks to the combined efforts of everyone standing here." He bowed his head slightly to his comrades to show his deep gratitude. "This could not be accomplished without each and every one of you. As you know, this mission is vital for our kind, and your names will go down in Cybertron's history as the first few who will step on a newly rebuilt Cybertron. You are Primus' children who never gave up hope that our kind would return home. We will return to rebuild with the painful knowledge that we have learned from this long and treacherous war. This belief of peace after war will be the centre of our teachings, and with you Cybertron's as the first teachers. With your individual experiences and your skills, all who come after us as the new children of Primus will speak your names with reverence and love."
Optimus held his servo up to his spark chamber, sincerity coursing through his EM field. "I thank you deeply, from the bottom of my spark, for believing in this mission. I know many of us still hold doubt in our sparks. That we may yet fail, but we will stand together as we always have through all past and future trials. And we will succeed in the end." He looked pointedly at Ratchet, lowering his helm slightly. "We venture on this mission with more chances of success than we ever have, and no matter what happens I will not allow our species to fade."
"With your hard work and perseverance, I have concluded that our departure date may be sooner than anticipated." He paused, a small grin appearing on his usually stoic faceplate, startling a few of the onlookers. "If you have prepared yourselves, I propose that we leave this very cycle."
The effect of his words was immediate. Wheeljack's optics nearly popped out of his helm, Bumblebee jumped high in the air and cheered. Elita-1 stood stock-still and allowed a genuine smile to cross her faceplate. Arcee just started running around and doing push ups excitedly. Only Ratchet kept his gaze, unsmiling but happy. His frequency fluxed with intense joy as he cleared his throat and spoke plainly.
"What now, old friend?"
Optimus kept his gaze, still smiling. "To your positions. We depart as soon as we're able. Get your things in order quickly. We leave before sundown." He commed Ratchet separately.
: Ensure that the little one is ready for departure as well.: Ratchet nodded in response.
The leader of the Autobots addressed the group once more. "The humans still expect us to leave in a week's time. I see no reason to wait for their approval to go to our home, and this is a private affair." He fought the urge to wink. "I'm sure they'll understand."
With the finality of that statement, the Autobots flew into motion. They dispersed, all rushing to complete their own assigned tasks, and their eagerness pumping through their fuel tanks like red Energon, allowing them to move at super speeds. He had no doubt that they would be ready sooner than even he expected, and for that reason he knew he had to get moving himself.
The next few hours proceeded in a blur. Chambers were assigned, cargo was moved from the hangar to the ship itself, the Space Bridge underwent calibration and coordinates for Cybertron were excitedly put in. Ratchet had moved the sparkling (who was still sleeping inside their shipping container) to the ship's main deck storage room. If they woke up during departure, they would just warn the sparkling to stay within the container until they left. Bumblebee went and began moving the Energon containers alongside Ratchet, securing them all within the same storage room. This room was highly defensible once it was shut with thick metal supporting every wall, and a huge locking mechanism controlling the door that only the Autobots had access.
The Space Bridge had been built into G.H.O.S.T. headquarters; underneath the flight line was a moveable panel that allowed the device to activate on the surface, making it usable for the ship to eventually venture through.
The ship, on the other hand, was disguised in plain sight. Above the upper portion of G.H.O.S.T.'s underground base was a series of abandoned military buildings that disguised the organisation's subterranean facilities. Inside the largest of these abandoned buildings was where the ship was rebuilt and currently held. The ship was built out of the remains of the Autobot's previous ship, the Ark I, as well as some scrounged human technology and materials. Overall, it would more than suffice for their inaugural interstellar journey.
Onboard the ship was another partially built space bridge that would be completed on Cybertron. Once the mission succeeds, they'll need a means to communicate and travel between Earth and with their Earthbound comrades. This was of lesser importance and was deemed a secondary mission that would be completed with higher priority later.
As the hours ticked by, Optimus found himself itching to leave. The closer they were to leaving, the closer Cybertron could be reignited. One by one, his teammates commed him to let him know that they were ready to depart. Taking up their stations, Optimus sent a missive addressed to Megatron concerning their early departure. He was sorrowful that he couldn't say a proper goodbye, but he knew that with Earth's new Space Bridge, they could communicate easier once they arrived on Cybertron. The ship's comms system was already in G.H.O.S.T's system, and while they couldn't test it properly until they were interstellar, Optimus was hopeful of its utilisation.
Receiving word from Wheeljack, it was finally time to depart. Opening the wide doors that shielded the ship from view, the Ark II was brought into Earth's sunlight for the first and presumably last time. Its size was impressive, wider than it was tall, and its length boasted enough room for any grounder to race from one end to the other and barely see where they started. The various materials required for the mission were already on board, and his crew manned their stations. Giving the order to raise the Space Bridge, Optimus took one last look around him at Earth's scenery, admiring the green colour one last time, before turning and stepping onto the ship himself. Where they were going, this kind of green didn't exist. With hope surging in his spark, he took his position and prepared to leave Earth behind.
The noises going on outside your room were interrupting your sleep. Loud vibrations boomed outside the metal walls of your container, and your face scrunched up in annoyance. They didn't sound like violent noises, just loud. Like the screeching of metal on metal and the sound of scraping on concrete. You begin to slowly wake up, body cold and heavy with sleep, as you pick up the clamour of multiple huge footsteps. They pace around the room outside shuffling, and you can hear muffled voices speaking to each other. As you blink the sleep from your optics, you recognize the voices of Ratchet and Bumblebee, and you wonder, annoyed at the noise, why they're being so noisy. Swinging your legs from your cot, you take a few steps to the door and grasp the handle. It doesn't budge.
Taking a few moments to pull on the door, you puff and steam trying to get it open. Is it locked? Are you locked in here? Anxiety creeps up your spinal strut. You shout to the bots outside. "H-hey! The door is stuck! Let me out!" You bang on the door with your servos angrily for good measure.
Ratchet's voice greets you over comm. : Good morning, little one. I hope you slept well. The door is currently locked for your safety.:
Bumblebee's voice chimes in before you can say anything. : Optimus' orders! You're to remain inside until it's safe to come out.: This startles you a bit. Is there a danger outside? You chalked up all these noises as organising boxes, but they might be in trouble?
:Is everything ok?: You chime back. : Are you hurt?:
You feel Ratchet's touched concern in his response. :We're fine, little sparkling. Just a precautionary measure. We've already moved your room to a safer position and it will be safe to leave soon. Don't be too surprised when it looks different when it's time to come out. I will come personally to retrieve you once the danger has passed.:
You didn't feel reassured by this, but you aren't given much of a choice. You want to ask about the danger, but the shuffling footsteps get quieter and quieter, leaving the area where your room had apparently been moved to. Distracting them during this dangerous time could be really bad, so you hold your curiosity.
: We'll be back soon, I promise.: Bumblebee's voice has an edge of excitement layered on it, even through comms. This left you feeling confused. If there was danger, why did he sound so excited? His tone both worried and puzzled you. You didn't know him well enough yet, but he was either excited to face the danger or perhaps the danger wasn't as dire as they made it out to be.
Stepping back to your cot, you had no choice but to wait. This new space you apparently had been moved to was slightly warmer than the storage hangar, but you could still feel the chill deep within you. Something felt wrong inside you, and you were beginning to get concerned. Even Ratchet's last checkup didn't show anything wrong with you, or at least there was nothing he could find. You trusted his word as a doctor, but you still didn't know him well enough to know if he was keeping something from you. Of the Autobots you'd met, he was the one that spent the most time with you. Maybe because he was a doctor? But you could tell he was a bit soft on you, and you were kinda grateful. With everything that had happened recently, he'd given you the most answers and attention. There were still a lot of questions left unanswered, but the few bits of information he had given you were more than anyone else in this facility. His company wasn't so bad either.
Picking up your sudoku puzzle and a pen, you slumped back on your cot and watched the hours tick by. A few more shuffling sounds were heard outside your container, followed by a big heavy door closing, and then there was quiet.
A few more hours ticked by, and the chill continued to grow, becoming hard to ignore. Tucking yourself in tighter with your blanket, you gave up on your puzzle and tried to go back to sleep. When you were human (gosh that sounds so weird to think about) you found that whenever you felt sick, the best thing you could do for yourself was sleep. At this point, you'd now spent more time as a robot asleep than you have been awake. Curling into a tight ball, shivering wings peeking out from the blanket, you try to enter that unconscious state again. It's not difficult, but your wingtips are cold and they keep touching the chilly metal wall and making it hard to doze off. When sleep eventually comes, fitfully, but you soon nod off into a deeper slumber. As you curl up tighter, you barely notice the rumble of an engine that starts beneath the floor. The vibrations help lull you further to dreamland and you don't think too hard about it.
The next thing you know, a cacophonous boom rattles your audials and shakes the entire container. If you thought the scraping of moving shipping crates were loud, this was deafening. The aftershocks of the noise continue to vibrate through your metal box, and your denta chatter anxiously along with them. What's happening out there?
There are loud noises and yelling happening outside. You're almost glad you're locked in here, until you think of all the things that could go wrong with you stuck in here. Sure, you're safe in here from whatever is going on outside for now, but what if something happens and nobody remembers you're in here? What if they never let you out? What if you're stuck here forever? What if someone fills the container with water and you drown? Can you drown? What is happening? Panic floods your processor and your mind races with all the negative possibilities. Your optics offline in the sheer overload of alarms blaring through your processor.
From what you can hear once the vibration of the initial boom dies down, there seems to be the sounds of gunfire and large metal feet stomping around. A few yells can be heard, but you can't make out what they're saying amidst the distant deafening sounds and the muffling of your closed metal container. You make out Optimus' voice barking orders and a few female sounding voices yelling back. You knew there were other Cybertronians who had arrived at G.H.O.S.T., but you hadn't met them yet so you couldn't recognize their voices.
Bumblebee could be heard distantly, his youthful sounding voice clearly audible, yelling something angrily interspersed with the sound of rapid gunfire.
Amidst the sounds you had recognized, there were a few you didn't; an alien sounding blaster and the shifting of metallic gears were most common. You also hear what could be a missile shooting by, but you never hear the boom when you expect it. It almost sounds like a plane overhead, but you knew that was impossible because Optimus said there weren't any Aerialbots left. His optics had been sad when he told you this, so you believed him.
Another sound-splitting boom shakes your room so hard that you get knocked off your cot. Deciding it's no longer safe there, you grab your blanket for emotional support and huddle under your desk. You remember reading somewhere that in the event of an earthquake you should duck under somewhere small and more structurally sound. You don't have a lot of options in this room, and the desk barely fits your body let alone your wings. Facing the wall, you scrunch your optics tightly closed and you listen closely to the chaos surrounding you, trying to make yourself as small as possible.
Panic and dread fill your body, nestling deep within where your heart used to be. Ratchet had mentioned once in passing that instead of a heart you now had a spark; essentially your new soul fitted to this new body. The news should have shocked you, but you came around to the idea of having what was basically a tiny star living in your chest. It sounded pretty.
But now that spark was full of fear. The sounds outside were amplifying in volume and intensity, and they seemed to be getting closer. Your servos were clenched so hard that it kind of hurt, and you couldn't stop shaking. Whether you shiver from the cold or the fear, you don't know. Whatever was going on outside was scary, and you wished more than anything to be anywhere other than here.
A third boom sounded, but you barely had time to hear it. It collided into the room where your container was and the blast sent you flying painfully out of your room though the ceiling. The lid must've unlatched in the explosion, and you were knocked hard onto a nearby metal shipping container.
Your body hurt. You bounced off of the container and crumpled to the ground. Alarms blared in your HUD, obscuring your vision, and your helm rattled with the aftershocks of the explosion. Your servos clenched on the hard ground, and you knew you had to get up quickly. You were in the danger zone now, optics wide and fearful, and no longer secure in your room. You had to find somewhere to hide and fast. But your body needed a few moments to recover from the blast. Squinting your optics, you had no choice but to take stock of your injuries. Luckily the damage was minor, save for the scuff marks that lined your chassis and forearms. Your wings were sore, but you looked around and were relieved to find that they looked unbent. The concrete floor had done little to cushion your fall, but you were thankful that, astonishingly, nothing seemed to be broken. Sadly even if you were, you wouldn't even know how to fix yourself in this body.
Another blast shot a container not far from you and spurred your throbbing body into action. Getting to your feet quickly, you run towards the first corner you can see of the room and glanced around for a better look at what's going on.
You can't see clearly through all the smoke, but you can tell that you got lucky in the explosion. The shipping container next to yours has a big smoking hole through it and the edges are singed with heated red metal. Your spark turns cold when you think that could've been you.
Outside, sunlight barely peeking through the smoke, you see giant blurry figures running around. The shouting is clearer now, but your audials are still ringing after the blast. Nobody seems to be looking your way, and you edge closer to the entrance of the room where the blast radius was biggest. The smoke is filling the room, and while it is definitely safer in here than out there, the smoke is making your throat hurt. Step by step, you give the melted container a wide berth and peer outside to see if there is somewhere safer to seek shelter.
Outside is a mess; dark scuffs line the ground where blasters were shot and the robots you recognized are hunched behind structures shooting at opponents you can't see.
Bumblebee, with his bright yellow colouring, is right in the middle, blasting into the sky without a care in the world. He's yelling, but you can't hear what he's saying over his roaring gunfire. The gun seemed to be attached to his arm, and as you look around, you see a lot of the same.
Two pink robots, one large and one small, are jumping all over the place, blasting a black car that is driving toward them. Before your eyes it transforms into a black mech with huge guns and skids around them avoiding their crossfire.
A green and white mech with a strangely shaped faceplate (is that a beard?) is throwing these strangely shaped capsules everywhere and you watch in horror as they explode into many pieces as he laughs. That must've been what happened to your room! You shiver with fear and chill. If you got hit with one of those things now without the shielding of your metal room, you'll be scrap metal. Making a mental note, you make a priority of staying the farthest away from that one.
The room you were in was barely standing; its walls are smoking and charred in places. It isn't a place to safely stay for much longer. A few of the shipping containers you remembered from the storage hangar are here, their cargo still intact but with some spilling out onto the floor. You didn't know what the liquid is, but you definitely didn't want it to touch you.
Making a decision to leave, you look at your options going forward. You can't see Optimus, but you can hear him somewhere in the distance. Still alive, then. Taking stock of where the green one was, you opt to move to a safe place farthest away from him and the dangerous looking black one. They frighten you the most, and you want to get away from this fight as intact as possible.
In the distance, peering through the smoke, you can see a few options; the first being another storage room much like the one you are in right now, not too far off to your left. This one requires you to pass right in front of where the green one was, so you disregard it as an option. Plus, the room you were in currently wasn't doing so great, and you doubted it would be much better as the battle progressed.
To the right, much much further away, you spotted a small open hatch embedded in the ground. The ground outside is of a different material than the floor of the room you are in, looking to be metal rather than concrete, and there are lines of panelling showcasing how it is soldered together. The hatch must be a ventilation shaft that leads deeper underground! While the idea of going back underground churns your insides a bit, especially after being outside for the first time in a while, you decide it would be the best place to seek cover from the chaos around you.
Seeing no other immediate options, you take a deep breath and steady yourself. You're gonna be running into an unprotected area, but the faster you run the faster you're in a safe place. Steeling your nerves, you train your eyes to the small hatch in the distance, and start to run.
The moment you leave the confines of the building, gunfire skitters off to your right, startling you. It isn't close, but it was still the closest you've ever been to getting shot. Fright seeps through your fuel lines like icy water, and your pedes stumble slightly at the shock. You keep running, trying to go deaf to the sounds around you.
The space between you and the hatch is still so wide; you definitely miscalculated. Running as scared as you are, you barely notice what's going on around you. A screech is heard from above you, but your mind is focused on that small hatch in the distance. Gunfire rings around you, way too close for comfort, and you fight the urge to cry out loud. Losing the battle within yourself, a wail breaks from your chest, and you trip a little, losing your balance and going helm over pedes landing on your already sore body.
Trying to stifle your panicked tears, you try to get to your feet and keep running, but you never get the chance to. Unfamiliar black servos pick you up and overwhelming fear crashes over you. They pick you up and start running, taking you away from the hatch in the distance. Worried it is the black mech from earlier, you peek a fearful optic around to glance at whoever's holding you. An unfamiliar grey faceplate with red optics is what greets you, and even more shocking are the blue wings that jut out from their shoulder blades. Unable to stop your crying, a voice from the new Cybertronian shushes you gently.
"Shh, little one, I have you." His voice is low and soothing. "Let's get you somewhere safe."
Thundercracker had been flying overhead, ready to distract any oncoming fire from his trine mates when a small movement caught his optics. An odd fluttering in his spark, unlike the usual excited thrum of battle, guided him towards the moving figure and what he saw made his fuel lines freeze and burn at the same time.
There, right in the middle of the battlefield, was a tiny Seekerling. They were so small from his high vantage that he had to double check his optics to confirm what he was seeing. Their small silver form was shiny and new in the light of the sun, but scuffed in places from what most assuredly was damage from a nearby blast. A Seekerling? Here? Where was their Carrier? Where was their Sire? How did they get here of all places? A thousand questions overloaded his processor and he had to manually calm his shaking wings to ensure he didn't do something drastic. Looking down at the young one closer, what he saw made his engine humm in rage and his thrusters freeze midair in horror.
The Seekerling's tiny finials were downturned in panic, and their EM field fluxed with anxiety. Their wings were quivering and every step of their minuscule pedes ran them blindly into more danger. Thundercracker was moving before his processor ever registered the command. Before any part of the mission could proceed, he knew he had to get them out of here.
But worse than anything, up there as one of the worst things he'd ever experienced in his many vorns, was the flight sickness that thrummed with every pulse of their tiny sparkbeat. The sickness that made even a grown Seeker despair, and an experience so horrible that only the most evil sparks would ever even think about it. For a Seekerling of this frame size to have it thrum so prominently, Thundercracker wanted to kill something. Every thrum of the sickness frequency pierced his spark at its very core; it was absolutely torturous to listen to. Sparklings, especially Seekers were meant to play and be coddled and spoiled by their family units. Why was this one alone and in the middle of a battlefield, wings downturned and quivering, not looking up to the sky for comfort and protection?
Reactivating his thrusters, Thundercracker watched in horror as a few stray blasts skittered off to the left of the Seekerling, far too close for comfort. To witness a youngling in the middle of a battle brought back memories of tales he'd heard at the beginning of the war; of horrible conditions where sparklings couldn't survive. Thundercracker swore under his breath. The Autobots wouldn't be forgiven for this. To keep a Seeker in these conditions was torture, and seeing any sparkling in this violent situation would make any Cybertronian's fuel lines run cold. They startled from the close call, falling to the ground hard, and released a spark wrenching cry that spurred his engine into speeds he didn't think he was capable of.
His horror of what he was seeing was so strong that it seeped unconsciously through his trine channel. His brothers sent back panicked alarms at his emotional leak, but Thundercracker had no time to respond. The small silver form continued to cry, and he dive bombed recklessly, transforming in midair and landing close to the Seekerling. Without missing a beat, he scooped up the tiny body with his servos and kept them close to his chassis for protection. Their body was so small and Thundercracker could barely remember the last time he had seen a sparkling, let alone the last time he held one. His programming blared loudly, urging him to find suitable cover right this clik, the Seekerling's tiny servos gripping his fingers like small talons. His spark sank, the flight sickness all the more prevalent in his proximity to the sparkling, and he did his best to hush their anxious EM field by covering it with his own.
Luckily, the Seekerling seemed receptive to his frequency, and calmed down minutely. If Thundercracker hadn't been holding them, he would never have noticed their shakes ebb ever so slightly. Their body was so cold with the sickness that he barely had time to register the panels on his servos warming on their own to soothe the young Seeker. He was fortunate that even if he didn't know exactly what to do, his Seeker protocols knew exactly what the little one needed.
Taking off running, a dangerous plan for a Seeker but he wasn't left with any other choice at the moment, he spies a blast ridden rubble pile not too far where he can temporarily regroup with his trine. His heavy plated pedes slamming on the ground, he addresses the sparkling and proceeds forward.
The concept of safety seems so far away at this moment, but the feeling of his fingers surrounding you makes you feel a bit better. You normally don't like being carried without your permission, but any buffer between you and the fighting going on around you is much appreciated. You clench the base of his middle finger with your servos and you try to quiet your sobs. The hatch gets further away, but there's a small modicum of safety that you feel in this servo is strong enough that you don't feel like running blindly again for the open hatch.
You also find that it doesn't feel bad to be carried in this way.
Amazingly, his servo feels warm underneath you. Warm in a way you hadn't felt since the chill began. Your sobs ebb and you look up into the red optics above you. He's focused on looking ahead, no doubt searching for a safer place to deposit you. His faceplate shows a fierce expression, likely raging beneath the surface. You catch him muttering angrily under his breath, "-here? What are those idiots thinking?" You don't want to be on his bad side, but he thankfully doesn't seem to be angry at you.
He puts his other servo next to his helm and yells audibly into his comm loud enough that you can hear it even over the gunfire, "Starscream! Get your aft over here, we've got a change of plan!"
The screeching noise is heard again from above you, and this time you see two jets shooting overhead aiming in your direction. You can't help perking up in interest. There's a red and blue one out in front coming in hot, and a purple one tight on its tail. The hot wind buffets around you, and they transform into two similar looking mechs before they hit the ground.
The metal of their pedes meet the metal of the ground and they take off running to catch up with the blue one holding you. Gosh, you hope they're back up and not more trouble. The red one catches up with you before the purple one, and you meet his optics hopefully.
"Scrap!" His voice is more scratchy than the blue one, annoyance prevalent in his tone. "We've got to prioritise getting them out of here."
The purple one comes up behind him, his optics scan your form briefly. "Want me to…?" He tilts his helm and glances at his teammates.
The red one looks away, calculating. They all huddle in the shadow of what looks to be a big metal building that's barely holding its shape as they rapidly scan their surroundings. "No, no it's too risky. We're better off staying together." The blue mech holding you and the purple mech look at each other knowingly. The black servos holding you unconsciously clutches you closer to the yellow cockpit in the centre of his blue chassis. The motion surprises you, but it doesn't frighten you.
The red one continues talking. "We'll continue with the plan, but TC will remain airborne to make him harder to hit. We'll have to make some adjustments, but know that the priority has changed to keep him out of gunfire." His red optics turn to you. "Thundercracker here will ensure your safety. No harm will come to you under our watch." His tone is confident, and you find your scared, fluttering spark is soothed slightly by his statement. You nod at him, and he grins back at you, pointed denta showing. He addresses you one more time before standing to leave. "You're brave to face battle so young. Your wings will be strong." The purple one stands with him, and a fierce feeling overtakes you; you suddenly don't want them to leave. You raise one servo but no sound comes out of your intake. They take off into the sky before you can find your voice.
The blue one, now known as Thundercracker, smiles tensely down at you. "Let's find some real cover, shall we?" And in one smooth motion, his body transforms around you and you suddenly find yourself in a smoothly furnished cockpit. Yellow glass above you spins the sky, and you feel slightly dizzy. There are no seatbelts, but Thundercracker's smooth voice surrounds you comfortingly. "You alright in there little wing?" He doesn't wait for your reply before continuing. "I figured you'd be more comfortable here."
Anywhere was better than the minefield you were running in. In here you felt a lot safer, and you were surprised at how warm it was here. The chill that had hounded your every step was fading slowly, and you had almost forgotten it was there at all.
Looking out the cockpit window, you surveyed what you could of your surroundings. Mostly yellow tinted sky and plumes of smoke from below you, but every now and again you caught the brief snatches of the tops of buildings or the tips of trees. And you were going fast. Gripping the leather seats with your servos, you felt rather than heard Thundercracker's chuckle around you.
"Fast, right? Don't worry, you'll blast past an old mech like me in no time." His jovial tone helped distract you from the panicked sobs that had only stopped moments earlier. The voice soothed your aches that you had only recently acquired, and he spoke to you in a way that made you feel decidedly more at ease. You almost forgot there was a life threatening battle happening beneath you.
Taking a tight turn, you leaned into the leather while Thundercracker continued speaking. "The two you met earlier are my brothers, Starscream and Skywarp. Starscream can be a bit arrogant, but he's a good leader. And Skywarp's chatty, but he can fly like you wouldn't believe." Brothers! You thought excitedly. Robots can have siblings? I guess it makes sense if they're aliens. "I don't know how you got here, but only a fool would keep a sparkling so close to a battlefield." You could hear the anger underneath his tone, clearly aimed at Optimus. There was a tremor around you, as you guessed he was fighting his anger.
"But don't worry. We'll take great care of you. You'll be sick of us in no time." His light timbre returned and you almost closed your optics in relief. The lack of tension and his undivided attention, especially after spending so long alone, was like a warm compress on your chilled body. Another sharp turn sways your body in the cockpit, and the battlefield seems so far away. The tension in your body seeps out like melted ice cream, and a sigh leaves your intake.
But all of this precious moment is shattered when the blue jet jolts in the air, a groan of pain heard all around you. Alarms yell all around you and before you know it the sky leaves your vision, and the ground is fast approaching. You see smoke billowing out from either side of the jet, and you shut your optics in fear.
"H-hold on, little wing. This is gonna be rough." Moments before impact, the cockpit shifts open and you're shot suddenly into the air. You spin, airborne and afraid, the sky and ground taking turns rotating in your panicked vision. A violent, sickening crash is heard below you, and the screech of jets overhead deafen you. Before your optics can moisten with tears, the metallic sound of transformation is heard, followed by a strange sounding popping sound, and purple servos snatch you out of the air before you meet the ground.
The purple seeker that caught you, Skywarp, lands heavily on the ground and it's suddenly the loudest sound you've ever heard. All at once the fighting noises cease, gunfire having abruptly stopped and Skywarp runs to his blue brother, the one who had held you so gently.
Starscream, the red and blue brother, lands on the ground much more gracefully, and he too runs to his fallen brother. They stop close to his helm, the blue jet having transformed moments before impact. He no doubt ejected you at the same time as he transformed. You can't help but feel responsible for the sombre air surrounding you. Both brothers drop to their knees on the ground next to their fallen sibling, and you are brought down with them. Not a single word is spoken.
On the ground in front of you, in a bent and broken pile, is the blue body of the mech called Thundercracker. The only sound ringing on the battlefield is the heavy breathing of the Seekers holding you, and the smoking remains of their brother. The battle abruptly stops, and all optics are facing the seeker on the ground before you.
