Sparkling fic 2 (Chapter 2)
Jan. 18th, 2009 03:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ante_luce*wanders to bed*
Title: Sparkling fic 2 (... Yep, still got nothing)
'Verse: G1 Transformers
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: TF cussing
He hated this.
Hated waiting, hated being useless, hated having to watch as others did what he could not for his wingmate and trine leader. Hands curled into fists, he paced about the room, glancing ever so often into the main area of the med bay, where the Autobot CMO and the squishi- no, they were helping save Starscream’s life, regardless of all he and his trine had done to them (he wondered at the soft sparks of the Autobots and their human allies, and found himself thanking Primus for it).
He owed them better than just calling them ‘Squishy’, ‘Organic’, or even ‘Human’ now.
Wordlessly, his other trinemate wrapped arms around him, halting his pacing. With a quiet puff of air from his vents, he dropped his helm onto Skywarp’s shoulder and returned the gesture. Out of the corner of an optic, Thundercracker noted that the black and white Ops mech was casually keeping his gaze averted, allowing them what privacy he could while still standing guard over them.
He appreciated the gesture, and understood the Autobots’ caution. The seekers had not been left alone at any point in time, always watched by Red Alert, Prowl or Jazz. It would have been easier, and from a tactical point of view, less risky to keep them under lock and key in the brig, security measures notwithstanding, but they’d been allowed to stay near Starscream. And for that he was immeasurably grateful.
“Thundercracker, Skywarp.” He looked up at the sound of their names to see Prowl standing in front of them. Satisfied that he had their attention, the Datsun nodded and spoke again; voicing the one thing he’d been trying to avoid thinking about ever since they’d handed Starscream over to Ratchet.
“I understand this is a difficult time, but does Megatron know of the situation?”
= = =
Skywarp could feel Thundercracker’s grip on him tightening. The question was a fair one, the Autobots had other factors to consider. Helping a sparkling was one thing. Expending resources protecting enemy mechs from the Decepticon leader’s wrath was another (though he had a feeling Optimus would do so if he could, regardless).
“We left in a hurry, told no one why and where. He might not have realised where we are yet.” The teleporter broke off, staring at the ground in an almost detached contemplation (feeling that if he allowed the thought to sink in, he’d start to panic and never stop). “If he finds out… We… might not be able to go back, even after Starscream’s repairs are done.”
The Autobot SIC considered the matter for a moment, before continuing in that same quiet, blank tone. “And what will be your next course of action should that scenario occur?”
It occurred to Skywarp to be angry that Prowl could treat this matter so coolly, as if it was a simple matter of choosing where to have a picnic, or some other inane human activity. But Thundercracker spoke before he could voice his outrage, and as the blue jet thought out loud, Skywarp realised that they did need to think about this, and that the tactician was forcing the issue so that they would to do so while the seekers still had the luxury of time.
“We could strike out on our own. It would be difficult, especially if we’re under constant threat from Megatron. Should we do that, Starscream’s best chances of survival would lie with us leaving him with you lot. But we’d be doing that in any case.”
“TC!?” His outburst elicited his wingmate’s more tempered explanation of his reasoning.
“Look, neither of us has the know how to even begin thinking of returning Starscream to normal. And I’m not giving the others the slightest chance of getting their hands on him, especially as he is now.”
“We would not turn away a sparkling. I give you my word that he will be safe here.” Skywarp’s spark, having seized when his wingmate brought up leaving Starscream with the Autobots, eased slightly (very slightly) upon hearing Prowl say that, and there was an appreciative nod from Thundercracker. Jazz spoke up next. “You could stay with ‘Screamer, y’know.”
The teleporter replied, tone bitter. “You mean to tell me that every bot in the Ark will welcome us with open arms after so many millions of years of fighting? Starscream will have the benefit of being a sparkling, but mechs like us?”
The Porsche shrugged. “I’m not saying it’ll be hugs and kisses all ‘round, but ‘Screamer’s your wingmate. And trines can’t be apart for too long. This way you’ll get to stay together.”
The jets stared at the visored mech. Skywarp found his voice first. “How do you even know that?”
Jazz glanced at the other black and white, who tilted his helm nonchalantly, silently agreeing to the unspoken question. Turning back to the seekers, he said, as if it answered everything. “Prowl.”
“What, he’s a seeker too?” He scoffed, and Jazz’s faceplates took on a considering expression.
“Well, there are three of them in the Ark…”
“We also have three Lamborghinis, Jazz.” Dryly, the Autobot SIC cut in before the jets’ CPUs could lock up from considering the possibility that he was some form of ground bound seeker. Jazz was not done with the matter however.
“You three have wings.”
“And Sideswipe has a jetpack. Your point?”
Skywarp flailed an arm at the two Autobots, exasperated. “Alright! Prowl isn’t a seeker, can we go back to discussing our lack of options now?”
Jazz grinned, switching back to the previous topic easily. “M’kay. So, you staying?”
“Have you even considered what will happen when we finally leave after doing that? Staying with Autobots would be treason in most Decepticons’ optics.”
“You are here already.”
He turned back to Prowl, obviously grasping at straws. “Like Skywarp said, Megatron may not have realised we’re gone. Maybe if we head back fast enough, we might be able to avoid suspicion.”
“You’ve been here for more that half a day, and left after an explosion, which undoubtedly would have drawn someone’s attention.”
“So what do you suggest we do?! We can’t go back, can’t stay here, and can’t head off on our own!”
“You won’t stay here. There is a difference.”
“We’re not going to defect.” Thundercracker’s flat tone was countered with the Ops mech’s placid reply.
“Mech, all we’re offering you is a place to crash for a while, until we figure out what’s up with your Air Commander and see if we can turn the bitty seeker back into the pain in Megatron’s aft we know and not so love. After that, you can go off and play hide and seek with Megsy all you want.”
Prowl agreed with Jazz’s words, adding, “As long as you don’t cause trouble for us or the humans, we’ll leave you in peace.”
The two fliers looked at each other. Skywarp muttered in resignation. “Starscream’s gonna kill us.”
“He’s in no shape or position to screech at us about it.” Thundercracker muttered back.
“True, but that won’t stop him once he gets back to normal.”
“If he gets back to normal. In which case, I plan on getting as many image captures as I can while he’s small and cute.”
“Still won’t stop him.”
“It will give me something to laugh at while he rants.”
“Point. Share?”
“Of course.”
They looked up again, meeting the optics of both Autobots. “We’ll stay until Starscream is returned to adult form, or you find out that he can’t be.”
Prowl nodded and Jazz smiled. “Great. Your room should be all fixed up by now. We’ll walk you to it once you’re ready to leave Starscream in Ratchet’s care.”
Both seekers stared again. “You knew we’d stay?”
The Datsun shrugged. “It was the logical surmise. It made sense to begin the preparations first.”
Any response the Decepticons would have made was forgotten when Ratchet walked over, wiping his hands clean on a rag, and their attention was immediately drawn to him. “Is Starscream…”
Thundercracker fell silent, and the medic sighed. “He’s out of immediate danger. Most of his wounds were welded shut by the heat of the explosion, which was fortunate, or he would have bled dry before you got him to me. I’ve repaired what damage I could, though he’s not as stable as I’d like, but now all we can do is wait for his self repair to fix the rest. He’ll have to stay in stasis while that happens.”
“When will he online?”
“He’s a sparkling, making his systems weaker to begin with. Could be up to a week, maybe more.”
There was more silence, then Skywarp spoke next. “Can we see him?”
Ratchet smiled sympathetically at them. “Of course.”
= = =
The next few days settled into a sort of routine. Online, go to the med bay, watch over their wingmate while he lay unconscious and hooked up to a dozen or more monitors and machines (not that they expected any Autobot to take advantage of the mech’s helpless state, it just made them feel better), avoid distracting the scary CMO (the sympathy he’d directed at them did not extend to them getting in his way).
Their vigil would be interrupted for them to go refuel, after which they’d return to stay by Starscream’s side until one of them fell into recharge, prompting the other to drag him back to their temporary quarters where both would go offline until the next day, whereupon they repeated the cycle. Often, one of the Autobot officers (even the Prime himself) would check in on them. And the humans were always around in some capacity (as he’d told himself, Thundercracker had learnt their designations, and their surprise when he’d first addressed them by their names had been rather entertaining).
On the fourth day of this, both Skywarp and Thundercracker were hauled out of recharge by a pounding on their door. Opening it, they were faced with a somewhat anxious looking First Aid. Immediately, their processors leapt to the worst case scenario, and Skywarp grabbed hold of the apprentice medic, barely restraining himself from shaking an answer out of the mech.
“Is he alright?” No need to ask who ‘he’ was.
“Starscream’s fine. He’s online.”
They rebooted their optics in shock, then the teleporter smiled. “That’s great!”
At the continued anxiety radiating off the Protectobot, Thundercracker frowned in concern. “Isn’t it?”
“Well…” The mech hedged.
“Oh Primus. Something’s wrong with him?”
“No! No, he’s okay, perfectly safe, we just didn’t expect him to online on his own, or so early…”
“Oh.” One flier glanced at the other.
“We… had a modification made to our systems. We come out of stasis faster than the average mech. … Safety reasons.”
First Aid shuttered his optics at them, then sighed. “Frag. It would have been good to know that.”
“Slipped our CPUs. Sorry.”
Another sigh. “Right. You’d better come with me.”
They followed, curious, but not fearful. The mech had said that Starscream was alright, after all. When they reached the med bay, they found Ratchet pacing about, scowling, Sparkplug and Wheeljack trying to calm him down, and neither the remaining humans nor Starscream were in sight. Before they could ask what was going on, someone had tugged them aside.
“Jazz?”
The Porsche’s expression was resigned. “Sit down. Y’not gonna like it.”
“But… ‘Aid said Starscream was alright!” The purple jet exclaimed, worry truly setting in for both of them now. Jazz soothed them, gesturing in a placating manner as he chivvied them into sitting on a convenient berth.
“And he’s fine, just dandy, if a little weak and still in need of rest and time for his self repair to finish the job. But…”
When the Ops mech finished explaining, both jets were very grateful to be seated. Nothing looked quite so stupid as leaping up from a standing position in shock and horror.
“What do you mean Starscream’s imprinted on Spike and Carly?!”
Title: Sparkling fic 2 (... Yep, still got nothing)
'Verse: G1 Transformers
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: TF cussing
He hated this.
Hated waiting, hated being useless, hated having to watch as others did what he could not for his wingmate and trine leader. Hands curled into fists, he paced about the room, glancing ever so often into the main area of the med bay, where the Autobot CMO and the squishi- no, they were helping save Starscream’s life, regardless of all he and his trine had done to them (he wondered at the soft sparks of the Autobots and their human allies, and found himself thanking Primus for it).
He owed them better than just calling them ‘Squishy’, ‘Organic’, or even ‘Human’ now.
Wordlessly, his other trinemate wrapped arms around him, halting his pacing. With a quiet puff of air from his vents, he dropped his helm onto Skywarp’s shoulder and returned the gesture. Out of the corner of an optic, Thundercracker noted that the black and white Ops mech was casually keeping his gaze averted, allowing them what privacy he could while still standing guard over them.
He appreciated the gesture, and understood the Autobots’ caution. The seekers had not been left alone at any point in time, always watched by Red Alert, Prowl or Jazz. It would have been easier, and from a tactical point of view, less risky to keep them under lock and key in the brig, security measures notwithstanding, but they’d been allowed to stay near Starscream. And for that he was immeasurably grateful.
“Thundercracker, Skywarp.” He looked up at the sound of their names to see Prowl standing in front of them. Satisfied that he had their attention, the Datsun nodded and spoke again; voicing the one thing he’d been trying to avoid thinking about ever since they’d handed Starscream over to Ratchet.
“I understand this is a difficult time, but does Megatron know of the situation?”
= = =
Skywarp could feel Thundercracker’s grip on him tightening. The question was a fair one, the Autobots had other factors to consider. Helping a sparkling was one thing. Expending resources protecting enemy mechs from the Decepticon leader’s wrath was another (though he had a feeling Optimus would do so if he could, regardless).
“We left in a hurry, told no one why and where. He might not have realised where we are yet.” The teleporter broke off, staring at the ground in an almost detached contemplation (feeling that if he allowed the thought to sink in, he’d start to panic and never stop). “If he finds out… We… might not be able to go back, even after Starscream’s repairs are done.”
The Autobot SIC considered the matter for a moment, before continuing in that same quiet, blank tone. “And what will be your next course of action should that scenario occur?”
It occurred to Skywarp to be angry that Prowl could treat this matter so coolly, as if it was a simple matter of choosing where to have a picnic, or some other inane human activity. But Thundercracker spoke before he could voice his outrage, and as the blue jet thought out loud, Skywarp realised that they did need to think about this, and that the tactician was forcing the issue so that they would to do so while the seekers still had the luxury of time.
“We could strike out on our own. It would be difficult, especially if we’re under constant threat from Megatron. Should we do that, Starscream’s best chances of survival would lie with us leaving him with you lot. But we’d be doing that in any case.”
“TC!?” His outburst elicited his wingmate’s more tempered explanation of his reasoning.
“Look, neither of us has the know how to even begin thinking of returning Starscream to normal. And I’m not giving the others the slightest chance of getting their hands on him, especially as he is now.”
“We would not turn away a sparkling. I give you my word that he will be safe here.” Skywarp’s spark, having seized when his wingmate brought up leaving Starscream with the Autobots, eased slightly (very slightly) upon hearing Prowl say that, and there was an appreciative nod from Thundercracker. Jazz spoke up next. “You could stay with ‘Screamer, y’know.”
The teleporter replied, tone bitter. “You mean to tell me that every bot in the Ark will welcome us with open arms after so many millions of years of fighting? Starscream will have the benefit of being a sparkling, but mechs like us?”
The Porsche shrugged. “I’m not saying it’ll be hugs and kisses all ‘round, but ‘Screamer’s your wingmate. And trines can’t be apart for too long. This way you’ll get to stay together.”
The jets stared at the visored mech. Skywarp found his voice first. “How do you even know that?”
Jazz glanced at the other black and white, who tilted his helm nonchalantly, silently agreeing to the unspoken question. Turning back to the seekers, he said, as if it answered everything. “Prowl.”
“What, he’s a seeker too?” He scoffed, and Jazz’s faceplates took on a considering expression.
“Well, there are three of them in the Ark…”
“We also have three Lamborghinis, Jazz.” Dryly, the Autobot SIC cut in before the jets’ CPUs could lock up from considering the possibility that he was some form of ground bound seeker. Jazz was not done with the matter however.
“You three have wings.”
“And Sideswipe has a jetpack. Your point?”
Skywarp flailed an arm at the two Autobots, exasperated. “Alright! Prowl isn’t a seeker, can we go back to discussing our lack of options now?”
Jazz grinned, switching back to the previous topic easily. “M’kay. So, you staying?”
“Have you even considered what will happen when we finally leave after doing that? Staying with Autobots would be treason in most Decepticons’ optics.”
“You are here already.”
He turned back to Prowl, obviously grasping at straws. “Like Skywarp said, Megatron may not have realised we’re gone. Maybe if we head back fast enough, we might be able to avoid suspicion.”
“You’ve been here for more that half a day, and left after an explosion, which undoubtedly would have drawn someone’s attention.”
“So what do you suggest we do?! We can’t go back, can’t stay here, and can’t head off on our own!”
“You won’t stay here. There is a difference.”
“We’re not going to defect.” Thundercracker’s flat tone was countered with the Ops mech’s placid reply.
“Mech, all we’re offering you is a place to crash for a while, until we figure out what’s up with your Air Commander and see if we can turn the bitty seeker back into the pain in Megatron’s aft we know and not so love. After that, you can go off and play hide and seek with Megsy all you want.”
Prowl agreed with Jazz’s words, adding, “As long as you don’t cause trouble for us or the humans, we’ll leave you in peace.”
The two fliers looked at each other. Skywarp muttered in resignation. “Starscream’s gonna kill us.”
“He’s in no shape or position to screech at us about it.” Thundercracker muttered back.
“True, but that won’t stop him once he gets back to normal.”
“If he gets back to normal. In which case, I plan on getting as many image captures as I can while he’s small and cute.”
“Still won’t stop him.”
“It will give me something to laugh at while he rants.”
“Point. Share?”
“Of course.”
They looked up again, meeting the optics of both Autobots. “We’ll stay until Starscream is returned to adult form, or you find out that he can’t be.”
Prowl nodded and Jazz smiled. “Great. Your room should be all fixed up by now. We’ll walk you to it once you’re ready to leave Starscream in Ratchet’s care.”
Both seekers stared again. “You knew we’d stay?”
The Datsun shrugged. “It was the logical surmise. It made sense to begin the preparations first.”
Any response the Decepticons would have made was forgotten when Ratchet walked over, wiping his hands clean on a rag, and their attention was immediately drawn to him. “Is Starscream…”
Thundercracker fell silent, and the medic sighed. “He’s out of immediate danger. Most of his wounds were welded shut by the heat of the explosion, which was fortunate, or he would have bled dry before you got him to me. I’ve repaired what damage I could, though he’s not as stable as I’d like, but now all we can do is wait for his self repair to fix the rest. He’ll have to stay in stasis while that happens.”
“When will he online?”
“He’s a sparkling, making his systems weaker to begin with. Could be up to a week, maybe more.”
There was more silence, then Skywarp spoke next. “Can we see him?”
Ratchet smiled sympathetically at them. “Of course.”
= = =
The next few days settled into a sort of routine. Online, go to the med bay, watch over their wingmate while he lay unconscious and hooked up to a dozen or more monitors and machines (not that they expected any Autobot to take advantage of the mech’s helpless state, it just made them feel better), avoid distracting the scary CMO (the sympathy he’d directed at them did not extend to them getting in his way).
Their vigil would be interrupted for them to go refuel, after which they’d return to stay by Starscream’s side until one of them fell into recharge, prompting the other to drag him back to their temporary quarters where both would go offline until the next day, whereupon they repeated the cycle. Often, one of the Autobot officers (even the Prime himself) would check in on them. And the humans were always around in some capacity (as he’d told himself, Thundercracker had learnt their designations, and their surprise when he’d first addressed them by their names had been rather entertaining).
On the fourth day of this, both Skywarp and Thundercracker were hauled out of recharge by a pounding on their door. Opening it, they were faced with a somewhat anxious looking First Aid. Immediately, their processors leapt to the worst case scenario, and Skywarp grabbed hold of the apprentice medic, barely restraining himself from shaking an answer out of the mech.
“Is he alright?” No need to ask who ‘he’ was.
“Starscream’s fine. He’s online.”
They rebooted their optics in shock, then the teleporter smiled. “That’s great!”
At the continued anxiety radiating off the Protectobot, Thundercracker frowned in concern. “Isn’t it?”
“Well…” The mech hedged.
“Oh Primus. Something’s wrong with him?”
“No! No, he’s okay, perfectly safe, we just didn’t expect him to online on his own, or so early…”
“Oh.” One flier glanced at the other.
“We… had a modification made to our systems. We come out of stasis faster than the average mech. … Safety reasons.”
First Aid shuttered his optics at them, then sighed. “Frag. It would have been good to know that.”
“Slipped our CPUs. Sorry.”
Another sigh. “Right. You’d better come with me.”
They followed, curious, but not fearful. The mech had said that Starscream was alright, after all. When they reached the med bay, they found Ratchet pacing about, scowling, Sparkplug and Wheeljack trying to calm him down, and neither the remaining humans nor Starscream were in sight. Before they could ask what was going on, someone had tugged them aside.
“Jazz?”
The Porsche’s expression was resigned. “Sit down. Y’not gonna like it.”
“But… ‘Aid said Starscream was alright!” The purple jet exclaimed, worry truly setting in for both of them now. Jazz soothed them, gesturing in a placating manner as he chivvied them into sitting on a convenient berth.
“And he’s fine, just dandy, if a little weak and still in need of rest and time for his self repair to finish the job. But…”
When the Ops mech finished explaining, both jets were very grateful to be seated. Nothing looked quite so stupid as leaping up from a standing position in shock and horror.
“What do you mean Starscream’s imprinted on Spike and Carly?!”
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-17 08:14 pm (UTC)The Seeker's reactions to that would be interesting to read. I'm glad you continued this, and I'm glad that I'm reading it!!
YOU.ARE.AWESOME! Here, your cookie for today. You deserve it.
Now, I'm going to see around is some mech wants to give me a sparkling for myself. n__n
TAKE CARE!!
MISAO-CG
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-17 08:19 pm (UTC)All drharper's fault! ^_^ The seekers are going 'WTFrag. Just... WTFrag' in headspace.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-17 08:59 pm (UTC)So very cool. I can't wait to see starscream's reactions.
Have a cookie :D
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-17 09:09 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-17 09:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 02:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-17 10:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 02:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-17 10:29 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 02:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 12:35 am (UTC)Aw, good job TC, overcoming your squishy prejudice *pats*...good timing on that, as you'll be spending more time together it seems *cackle cackle cackle*
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 02:49 pm (UTC)Yeah, TC and 'Warp are going through the crash course on Humans 101.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 03:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 02:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 04:13 am (UTC)And I love the subtle reference to your Datsun-Seeker trine series.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 02:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 06:01 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 02:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 06:16 am (UTC)How's this for a title idea? "It's Not What Dr. Spock Had In Mind."
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 03:04 pm (UTC)*considers title*
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 07:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 03:04 pm (UTC)*giggles*
Glad you liked it ^_^
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-19 09:35 am (UTC)Also, this line?
he said, as if it answered everything. “Prowl.”
Yeah. SO true!
title suggestion: Cuckoo?(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-19 01:40 pm (UTC)... I think I see what you did there... Cuckoo = Bird that usurps position of original baby bird, cuckoo = 'Screamer, baby bird = Daniel Y/N/way off target?(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-20 08:35 am (UTC)I see your psychic abilities are top notch!(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 08:55 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 03:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 10:56 pm (UTC)Oh, the possibilities if (like in your other fic) Starscream maintains his adult memories and personality...
Starscream: This is HUMILIATING! How dare you be there just when I'm vulnerable. I think I'll hug you just a little too hard.
Spike: AAAHHH!
Starscream: *sparkling instincts kicking in, lets go in distress* I'msorryI'msorryI'msososorrry!
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-19 01:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 03:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-18 05:41 pm (UTC)Mwahahahahaha!
Date: 2009-01-18 10:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-19 04:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-19 01:06 am (UTC)Keep going! *offers stock of bandaids for bunny bites*
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-19 01:45 pm (UTC)Adult!Seekers: Dunno, don't care, just do it. Before our audios fry.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-19 09:16 am (UTC)Like Bluebirdsoaring I can totally see Starscream seeklet following Carly around going 'peep peep peep!'
And the mention/hint at the Datsun trine! Eeeeeeeeee!!! <3
Very clever. :D
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-19 01:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-20 05:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-20 01:59 pm (UTC)