Chapter Text
The forest was pleasantly loud when Thundercracker woke. Cybirds chirped. Leaves rustled in the wind. He soaked in the sounds. As he stretched, a realization hit him: the area to one side of him was empty. One of his trinemates was missing.
He rolled over. Magenta plating caught his optics. Starscream laid next to him, body sitting unevenly as if ka was on top of… oh. Beneath kan was Skywarp, waz arms wrapped around kan. It was something Thundercracker never expected to see, but he could only hope that meant they were getting along.
His fuel gauge sent him an alert. Careful not to disturb Starscream and Skywarp, he rose. He wouldn't go far. Still, each step away from his trinemates was a struggle. His claws came to his chest. He shouldn't be alone. But wouldn't it be nice to surprise his trinemates with a meal the same way they liked to surprise him?
The hunt was quick and easy, but carrying the carcass back left Thundercracker wanting to lay down. By the time he got back, Skywarp and Starscream were awake, wide-opticed as they searched for him. Relief flooded the air, then they helped him place the turbofox he caught on the ground.
As they ate, Starscream nuzzled Skywarp. Thundercracker's spark warmed. Whatever happened last night, the rift between them had finally closed. He could only hope it didn't open again.
Thundercracker knew Skywarp and Starscream didn't like each other. It was no secret. They trined him, not each other, no matter how much he wished they got along. He loved both of them, and it hurt to see them fight. But maybe now they could be what Thundercracker thought a trine was supposed to be.
He rested a hand on his chest again. Three little sparks buzzed under his palm.
!!!
The rest of the trip was largely uneventful. Thundercracker could help thinking of the Reconian flock. Had Sentinel and his Autobots found them? If they had, had they escaped? There was no way of knowing. As if sensing his thoughts, Skywarp and Starscream always got snuggly when his mind wandered toward what may have happened. So it was no surprise when Skywarp nuzzled his shoulder, and Starscream nudged him with a quiet trill.
This close to Iacon, a Seeker in the air would draw attention, so they were forced to walk. Skywarp had complained at first, and Starscream had grumbled, but both understood the importance of not being caught. In typical fashion, Starscream went quiet as the city appeared on the horizon. Kas optics kept tracing the distant towers. Anxiety buzzed softly on the air, and Thundercracker knew he was making his own contribution to it.
Proudly ahead sat the walls that protected Iacon, pristine in their glory—an artificially spotless white that made Thundercracker wonder if the guards were forced to clean them. The nonsensically bright color was a show of power. Since the Quintesson War, no one and nothing had attempted to attack Iacon. He hoped they wouldn't be the first to break that streak.
They could fly in, but the snipers lined along the walls dissuaded them. It was said that Iacon was the only city without any of the the typical and long-disliked cyberdoves—any that attempted to fly in were shot on sight. Seekers were much larger than cyberdoves, so they would definitely be spotted. But they couldn't travel by land, either. The guards at the entrance points required all mecha to transform as part of their security check. Even if they could pretend not to be Seekers, it would fall apart the moment they were asked to transform.
"What now?" Skywarp asked, optics glued on the guards that stood at the entrance ahead of them, blasters clipped to their sides.
They wanted Seekers alive. Thundercracker didn't know what for, but if they surrendered peacefully, they might not be killed. Then, the issue would be making their way to The Magnus. The Autobots would surely attempt to contain them.
The familiar rumble of an Autobot engine shook the ground. Thundercracker and his trinemates ducked as a group of Autobots rolled in. Familiar blue-and-yellow plating caught Thundercracker's optics, and he muffled a growl. Sentinel stood, grinning widely. Held in his hands were chains. Thundercracker followed them.
His spark froze. No. Mottled dark green was stained with energeon. It leaked most from their wings, one of which had been pierced straight through. Lightframe's wings and helm were low, their optics squeezed shut. But it was just them. Somehow, the rest of the Reconian flock had escaped.
Thundercracker was stepping forward before he could think. Behind him, Starscream and Skywarp chirped in alarm. Sentinel turned toward them, brow furrowing before his grin widened.
"What do we have here?" He said.
The guards followed his gaze. The closest one moved to pull out their gun, but he waved them away. Hesitantly, they clipped it back at their side.
"Let them go," Thundercracker said.
"I was told to collect Seekers," Sentinel said. "If I let this one go, how do you think The Magnus will feel about me returning empty-handed?"
Thundercracker growled. The Autobots surrounding Sentinel flinched, but he only continued to smile.
"So," he said. "You see, I can't let this one go unless—"
"Take me!" Thundercracker said.
They needed to get into Iacon somehow. But Thundercracker knew he was justifying the choice he already made. He couldn't let them have Lightframe. They may not have gotten along, but Lightframe didn't deserve this.
Sentinel hummed. His optics narrowed, scrutinizing Thundercracker. Then, he shrugged.
"Why not?" He said. "You're a much more valuable prize."
Behind Thundercracker, Skywarp hissed. Sentinel raised an arm, beckoning Thundercracker forward. After one last glance at his trinemates, Thundercracker stepped forward. Sentinel's Autobots surrounded him, chains in hand.
"Now let them go," Thundercracker said, baring his dentae.
Sentinel motioned with his hands. Chains brushed against Thundercracker's wings. He turned claws ready to strike. Before he could attack, chains pulled his wrists downward. With a yowling hiss and the roar of thrusters, the chains slackened.
Starscream ripped through the Autobots, a furious magenta blur. Skywarp did the same, reappearing and disappearing across the crowd. But the fight died as quickly as it started—the guards joined in, searing the Seekers' plating with laserfire. More chains wrapped around Thundercracker, and as he attempted to wriggle out of them, horror washed over his spark.
Starscream was pushed into the ground, an Autobot standing on kas back. Chains held kas wings, preventing any chance of flight. A short distance away, Skywarp wrestled with an Autobot. Thundercracker's spark was breaking, but he knew what he had to do.
[{ID:THCR] Skywarp!]
Skywarp kicked the Autobot down and glanced toward Thundercracker.
[{ID:SKWP] hold on!]
[{ID:THCR} No. Take Lightframe and run.]
Air whooshed beside him. Claws wrapped themselves around the chains that held him, pulling. Thundercracker pushed them off with a hiss.
"Go!" He yelled in Vosian, knowing the Autobots would hear nothing. "Take Lightframe back to the Reconians!"
Skywarp reached out, desperation on the air. "I can't—"
"Yes, you can!" Thundercracker said. "You're the only one of us who's free. Do you remember what Starscream said about sending that message?"
Skywarp's optics widened.
"Bounce it," Wa said.
Then, wa disappeared. With a few powerful whooshes of air and startled cries of Autobots, Skywarp and Lightframe were gone. Thundercracker smiled. As long as they made it back, everything would work out. It wasn't what he planned, but there was no plan that survived something like this.
A powerful force hit Thundercracker's back as he was forced to the ground, a frustrated yell assaulting his audials. Gleaming in the light, a sword came down next to his helm. Thundercracker rolled onto his side.
"You ornery mechanimals!" Sentinel spat. "I'm glad we're getting rid of you!"
With a wave of his hand, the Autobots moved forward. Starscream and Thundercracker were pulled along. Anger simmered on the air, not just from Sentinel, but Starscream as well. Ka growled, tugging at kas chains, but the Autobots ignored kan. They stopped before the entrance. The guards shuffled nervously.
"No one will speak a word of this," Sentinel said. "Or The Magnus himself will have your helms."
The guards nodded frantically. One held a hand to the side of their helm as they sent a message, and after a moment, the walls slid open. As the Seekers were forced through, Sentinel turned back, glaring at Thundercracker.
"That goes for you as well," he said. "One word before we reach The Magnus, and you die."
Thundercracker huffed. Sentinel must have taken that as assent, because as they traversed the city, he didn't look back. They boarded a transport, sitting in dark silence until it eventually rolled to a stop. Thundercracker's spark hummed, turning quickly. This was it.
They exited the transport into a tunnel. Starscream hung as close to Thundercracker as the Autobots allowed. Leaning over, Thundercracker attempted to nuzzle kan, but it was stymied by an inability to reach. After a quick twitch of kas wings—the chains rattling as they forced them back into place—Starscream leaned forward and returned the gesture. Their helms met with a quiet clang.
Ka was purring in the way Thundercracker knew well by now. He wished he could shed these chains so he could pull kan to his chest and hold kan until the purrs eased. The Autobots yanked them apart. Thundercracker hissed as the chains dug into his plating.
Whatever way they were being taken, it was secluded. Few Autobots were in the tunnels, and even fewer looked their way. Those that did stared warily. They passed another checkpoint. Thundercracker paid little attention to it.
They exited the tunnels into a dim building. Its walls and ceiling were the same color. Only an energeon blue carpet broke the swath of gray up, giving the gruesome impression of a murder. Starscream hesitated to step on it, protesting with a growl as ka was yanked. Clearly, ka thought the same thing Thundercracker did.
Ahead sat a large door. The access panel was one Thundercracker had never seen before. Sentinel placed his hand on it. It beeped.
"State your identity and reasoning," the panel said.
Sentinel rattled off a long identifier, then finished with, "I have the one he's been looking for."
The panel beeped. With the grinding of stone, the door slid open. Ahead was a throne equally as drab as everything else in the building. Upon it sat a mech that contrasted his surroundings—a deep, brilliant blue standing out among all of the grays. Held in his hand was gemstone-embedded glass, which he brought to his lips to sip from. The energeon inside was the bright pink that indicated a high-quality, expensive brew. Pale blue optics stared down at the group, his shadow bathing them in darkness. For an Autobot, this mech was massive.
The doors slid shut.
"I require proof," the mech said.
His voice echoed through the room, killing all other sound. Sentinel knelt.
"And proof I shall provide," Sentinel said. He turned back toward Thundercracker. "Speak."
Thundercracker was tempted to disobey if only to spite Sentinel. But if this was who he thought it was, he wouldn't gain anything by doing that.
"Great Magnus," Thundercracker said. "There's something we need to discuss—"
"There surely is," The Magnus said. "You do speak, beast. That is a problem."
Thundercracker's brow furrowed. "A problem?"
The Magnus scoffed.
"I cannot have you running around and speaking," The Magnus said. "What would the public think?"
"The… public?"
"Yes," The Magnus said. "The public. If they find out you can speak, they may wonder whether you can think, and then they will start asking if this war should continue."
But that was a good thing!
"The war shouldn't," Thundercracker said. "It needs to end—"
"And then what?" The Magnus said. "I have united my people. Under me, there is no squabbling. Without an enemy, we will go back to fighting each other."
What about Wheeljack? Both Arcee and Thundercracker went to Wheeljack for help. Wheeljack was happy to offer it. They didn't seem like the type to go to war simply because they ran out of enemies.
And wasn't that what the Autobots accused the Seekers of? Attempting to wage endless war, jumping from enemy to enemy?
"You won't," Thundercracker said.
"War is inevitable," The Magnus said. "Something needs to keep the public in line. Something needs to keep the factory workers employed."
"It's immoral—"
The Magnus raised his hand. "If you are monstrous mechanimals intending to destroy the world, it isn't."
Anger rose in Thundercracker's spark.
"We aren't!" He yelled, hissing in pain as his wings attempted to flare and were stopped by the chains.
The Magnus smiled. "And who says that, hm?"
"I do," Thundercracker said.
The Magnus frowned. His optics drifted toward Starscream. Ka bared kas dentae, growling quietly.
"Tell me," The Magnus said. "Are there any other Seekers like you? Or are you the only one with the gift of speech?"
Thundercracker glanced at Starscream.
[{ID:STSC} Don't.]
"I am," Thundercracker lied. "There are no others like me."
The Magnus hummed. He leaned back in his throne.
"Interesting," he said. "Very interesting. It's a shame no one will be hearing from you."
That was all the warning Thundercracker received before everything went dark.
!!!
Everything was fuzzy. Thundercracker couldn't see.
"Well, what's wrong? Debarking a mutt can't be that difficult!"
Thundercracker growled. Sentinel!
"We can't take it down, sir! It's—"
"It's what?"
Thundercracker's limbs wouldn't move. He tried speak, but all that emerged was a tired rumble.
"Do it without the anesthesia, then. Not like this flying turborat will know the difference. Contact The Magnus. Let him know his pet has brought a few… surprises."
Pain seared Thundercracker's throat. He tried to scream, but it only hurt more. Everything faded away.
!!!
The cell was as gray as everything else in the building, not that Thundercracker expected it to be any different. His throat was numb, his limbs heavy. Just sitting up made him dizzy. A flash of plating caught his optics. He attempted to stand, but his limbs wobbled and the room tilted. So, he settled for crawling toward it.
A turborat laid at the front of the cell. Its helm was cleanly severed from its body. Thundercracker's fuel gauge sent him an alert. Unable to resist, he tore into it. In his uncoordinated frenzy, energeon leaked onto his plating, but he didn't care. He was so hungry.
His throat ached. He did a lot of yelling before they put him in here. Maybe that was why?
"Thundercracker?"
Thundercracker scrambled backward, dropping the remainder of the turborat with a wet clank. Then, the voice registered. Thundercracker searched for the source, throwing himself at the wall. Prowl! Thundercracker opened his mouth to yell.
No sound came. His throat burned. Thundercracker brought a hand up to touch it, immediately pulling it away as what it brushed against wasn't the smooth metal it was supposed to be. He scrambled backward, panic building in his spark. His plating tightened, pulling on the patch that now covered his throat. He clawed at it.
"Thundercracker!"
They couldn't have. But they had, hadn't they? How was he supposed to… he didn't even know. He didn't know at all. Everything had gone to slag. It was all slag. Everything was slag.
"Thundercracker, listen to me!"
Thundercracker's claws fell from his neck to his chest. Three sparks buzzed under his palm. He forced himself up, leaning against the wall that separated him from Prowl.
"I know what they did to you," Prowl said. "I saw it when they brought you in. I'm so sorry."
Thundercracker wanted to reply, but he couldn't. He wanted to dig through the wall and crawl into Prowl's lap. He wanted to be held. Silently keening even though it hurt his throat, Thundercracker clawed uselessly at the wall.
"It hurts," Prowl said. "I know. I'm here, Thundercracker. I'm here."
The bars of Prowl's cage rattled as something slammed into them.
"Shut up, prisoner!" A voice yelled.
Prowl went quiet. Thundercracker stayed pressed against the wall, staring blankly ahead. Something in the cell across from him shifted. Magenta plating came into view as Starscream struggled to kas knees. Ka held out kas arms in the signature position of a Seeker preparing to fire their rays, aiming them at the bars—but there were no rays. When nothing happened, Starscream's claws jumped to where kas rays were supposed to be. There were small gaps at the edges of kas wings where the hilts of kas swords normally rested.
Thundercracker attempted to call out again, flinching as a wave of pain crashed over his throat. He crawled toward the front of his cell and tapped his claws against the bars. Starscream's helm swiveled toward the noise. Kas wings rose. With an ungraceful leap, ka was reaching through the bars, whining softly. After a few moments of struggle, ka slid back down to the floor, staring at Thundercracker with a furrowed brow.
"What did they do to you?" Ka asked.
Thundercracker tried to speak on impulse and gained a pained wince for his efforts. Then, he remembered the trinelink.
[{ID:THCR} I think they took my vocalizer. It hurts.]
Starscream threw kaz at the bars with a growl, eliciting another angry shout from the guard.
[{ID:STSC} Those scrapheaps! I'll tear them apart!]
!!!
Pedesteps became a background noise. Starscream paced incessantly, wings flared and dentae bared. Thundercracker sat against the wall, optics closed and a hand on his chest, feeling his newsparks beneath it. On the other side of him, Prowl was silent, but the occasional shuffle told him his creator was still there. The cell on the far side also made the occasional noise. Thundercracker hoped it was Optimus, since they seemed to be keeping them all together. But for obvious reasons, he couldn't ask.
All of the guards so far were cruel strangers. From one shift to the next, not a single guard repeated. Meals were dropped into their cells twice a cycle, but thrice for Thundercracker. He was still hungry.
Another set of pedesteps down the corridor. Thundercracker sighed, opening his optics. Another shift change. But something gave him pause.
That red plating was familiar. The guard was large—for an Autobot, at least, though not as large as The Magnus—but shrank in on himself. With a quiet, accented voice, he relieved the other guard from duty. Thundercracker pushed himself onto his knees and stared. Slowly, the pieces came together. It was one of Sentinel's mecha—the one that hesitated after he spoke to him.
"Ironhide," Prowl said.
Ironhide startled slightly, but quickly caught himself.
"Oh!" He said. "How d'ya do, Prowl?"
"I thought I wouldn't see you again," Prowl said.
Ironhide rubber the back of his helm sheepishly.
"Well, uh," he said. "The boss wanted me on a mission or two. They needed some strength, they said."
Thundercracker would've liked to know how they knew each other. But again, he couldn't ask. Maybe they'd met before all of this, or maybe Ironhide had guarded this prison before. The latter seemed more likely, though he would be the first repeat guard Thundercracker knew of.
Not that he would know if the other guards actually repeated or not. It had only been about an orn, assuming his chronometer was correct without the sun to guide it.
"Can you do me a favor?" Prowl said.
Ironhide shook his helm. "No can do, Prowl. You're a prisoner. I can't be doing favors for prisoners."
"It's about the Seekers," Prowl said. "The Magnus wants them alive, correct?"
"Well, yes…"
"Seekers are social creatures. That magenta one right there is Thundercracker's bonded. They can't be kept apart."
Ironhide's brow wrinkled. "Bonded? Well, that's just..."
He looked between the two cells.
"Please," Prowl said. "Seekers need contact with other Seekers. Especially if they're bonded."
"I—" Ironhide looked between the cells again. "Aw, heck."
He walked toward Thundercracker's cell, his hand hovering over the access pad.
"Promise not to try n' escape, you hear?" He said.
Thundercracker nodded.
"That goes for your friend, too," Ironhide said.
Starscream wisely elected to growl kas affirmative.
The door slid open. Thundercracker sprinted out. Escape was far from his mind, even if this would have been a good opportunity. He needed Starscream. The moment the door to Starscream's cell slid open, he leaped through it, pouncing on his trinemate. The door slid shut before he could turn back around.
Ironhide stared down at them, a frown on his face. Then, he looked away, expression pained. Thundercracker wanted to thank him, but with no vocalizer, he couldn't even make a trill. He nuzzled Starscream, a purr starting up in his chest. At least he could do that without a vocalizer—part of the sound of purring came from the engine. Starscream nuzzled him back.
!!!
They stayed together from that point on. There were attempts to separate them at first, but they were quickly stopped as both of them fought back. Thundercracker already had to be without one trinemate. He wasn't going to let them take the other.
So, when after decacycles of them being allowed to stay together, Thundercracker was yanked out of the cell, what was he supposed to assume? He thrashed and snapped, but at this point, the Autobots had adapted. Hot prods threatened him into staying still as they placed chains on him. The only relief he had was that they were chaining Starscream up as well. Ka already had a few burns on kas side, courtesy of the prods. Still, ka thrashed, hissing and choking as the Autobots yanked kan by a pole attached to kas neck.
[{ID:THCR} You're going to hurt yourself. Already have, actually.]
"Don't give a scrap," Starscream hissed. "I'm not going wherever they're taking me."
The cell diagonal to theirs slid open. Prowl held his wrists out as they cuffed him.
[{ID:THCR} They're taking Prowl.]
They hadn't taken him before. Why now? Something must be different. Thundercracker searched the halls as they were forced through them. The room they finally entered was slightly less dull than the rest of the building—a stark white rather than a boring gray. A berth sat on one side of it, and terminals on the other. The walls were lined with cabinets.
There were two mecha in the room. The first had bright red plating with many angular accents. The second was broad and colorful. He lingered behind the red mech, watching as the Seekers were forced in.
The red mech stepped forward and gestured toward the door. "You can leave now."
The nearest guard hesitated. "Doctor, these aren't like the others. They're wild mechanimals—"
"They can't be any worse than you," the red mech said with a scoff. "Now, please—march those pedes out the door. If they decide to kill me, I'm certain you will hear my screams."
The guards exchanged glances. Slowly, they poured out the door. The Doctor strutted toward the entrance, shutting the door the moment they passed through it. He scoffed.
"Such brutes," he said.
The chains around Thundercracker's wings moved. He jumped, nearly bumping into the colorful mech. The colorful mech raised his hands, exposing his palms.
"It's alright," he said gently. "We aren't going to hurt you. It's just a checkup."
"They can't understand you," the Doctor said.
The colorful mech loosened the chains. They fell to the ground with a wave of clinks. Careful not to hit the colorful mech, Thundercracker took a step away from him and stretched his wings.
"They can understand tone," the colorful mech said. "And they can respond to commands. A study published the other orn found they might have the language capacity of a two vorn old sparkling."
"That's a few scattered words at best, then," The Doctor said. "Hardly a meaningful vocabulary."
[{ID:STSC} Condescending scrapheaps!]
Thundercracker shook out his plating, fighting the temptation to run his fingers down his throat, where the scar that replace this vocalizer laid.
[{ID:THCR} Don't let them know you understand. Don't even imply it. You know what they'll do.]
[{ID:STSC} I'm not stupid. I know what will happen.]
Still, anger emanated from Starscream. The Doctor glanced kas way, optics widening slightly, but didn't mention it. Soon, Starscream's chains were removed as well. Kas claws flexed. Thundercracker prepared himself to send a warning not to attack, but it wasn't needed—ka was at his side immediately, face buried in his side and arms wrapped protectively around him.
"Cute," The Doctor said.
Starscream growled. Thundercracker nipped at the edge of kas wings in a silent reprimand. Starscream huffed and nuzzled him.
"They're bonded," Prowl said.
Thundercracker almost forgot he was there. Unlike them, he was still bound.
The Doctor nodded. "I can see that."
He came closer. Thundercracker tried not to shy away. Starscream hissed. The Doctor rolled his optics.
"So we have a noisy one and…" His optics fell on Thundercracker's neck. "Oh. Well, that's unfortunate."
Thundercracker shook himself out again. The Doctor moved slowly, telegraphing his movements as he touched Thundercracker's plating, examining it. Thundercracker tolerated the poking and prodding up until The Doctor's fingers wandered toward his cockpit. The moment they brushed up against the glass, Thundercracker jolted backward, rattling his wings. He would've hissed, but…
The Doctor scoffed. "I'm not going to hurt you!"
Thundercracker took another step back. It didn't matter what The Doctor said. He didn't want him so close to where his litter was.
The colorful assistant laughed. "Now who's talking like they can understand?"
The Doctor glared weakly at him. Then, The Doctor waved his hand dismissively.
"Whatever," he said.
He took a step toward Thundercracker. Thundercracker took another step back, rattling his wings as they hit the wall. He bared his dentae and swiped at the air. Without a vocalizer, it was all the warning he could give.
"It really doesn't want you to do that," The Assistant said.
"I know," The Doctor said. "But I need to take a look at those seekerlings."
Thundercracker's spark spun faster. They knew. He already knew hiding it would be impossible, but he hoped he had a little longer than this.
"Seekerlings?" Prowl said.
"Yes," The Doctor said. "That one is carrying a litter. It's in its files."
Prowl's optics widened. Thundercracker pressed himself against the wall. He never planned how to tell Prowl. Now, he would never get to break the news himself. His limbs shook. Starscream wrapped kaz around him. The Doctor came close again. This time, Thundercracker didn't fight back.
The Doctor felt along the glass of his cockpit, then peered inside, scrutinizing its interior. Thundercracker closed his optics.
"The storage chamber is clear," The Doctor said. "They're a good size and unblemished. Breakdown, bring me the spark scanner."
The Assistant —Breakdown—handed the scanner over. As The Doctor activated it, Thundercracker forced himself to stay still. Even if he didn't trust the mech giving the exam, he hadn't received one since he left. He could feel the newsparks' sparks if he focused on it, so he knew they were strong, but it would be reassuring to have confirmation.
The scanner beeped. The Doctor read out the results. Breakdown typed them into one of the terminals.
"Overall," The Doctor said. "Three very healthy seekerlings."
Thundercracker fought a smile. If he did that, they'd know he could understand them. But his spark was warm at the confirmation that his litter was still okay despite everything.
The Doctor took an energeon sample and the exam concluded. The Doctor approached Starscream next. Ka hissed and swatted a him. Rolling his optics, The Doctor called for Breakdown to restrain kan. But Starscream refused.
[{ID:THCR} Just let them do it.]
Starscream glared at him as ka thrashed, slicing through the plating on Breakdown's arm. Breakdown released kan with a yelp.
[{ID:STSC} No.]
Any relief Thundercracker felt at learning about the state of his litter was squandered as apprehension grew in his chest. If they were willing to remove his vocalizer, what else would they remove? They already took their weapons. Starscream said ka knew the risks, but ka wasn't cooperating now.
Eventually, The Doctor managed to sneak up behind Starscream as ka wrestled with Breakdown. He jammed a syringe between the plating of Starscream's neck. Before ka could attempt to pry him off, whatever it was had already been injected. Breakdown and The Doctor backed off, lingering on the opposite side of the room. Prowl stared at Starscream, optics narrowed and brow furrowed.
Starscream pressed kaz against the wall and placed kaz beside Thundercracker. Ka rubber at kas neck.
"Scrapheaps!" Starscream hissed.
Over the course of a few kliks, ka slumped. Kas optics grew fuzzy and dull. Ka leaned into Thundercracker. Thundercracker placed an arm around kan to support kan.
[{ID:THCR} What was that?]
"Sedative," Starscream mumbled, voice slow and stuttering. "Scrapheaps..."
When The Doctor and Breakdown approached again, Starscream was too busy keeping kas balance to fight back. Ka hissed weakly as they examined kas plating and attempted to nip them when they checked kas dentae, but kas movements were too slow to actually catch them. Then, they opened kas cockpit. Ka squirmed, but couldn't get away.
"Thin, brittle plating," The Doctor said. "Potential seekerlinghood malnourishment. But the storage space is smooth. Still, probably not a breeder."
The air around Starscream stung weakly of fear and humiliation, likely dulled by the sedative. Thundercracker stroked kas helm. There wasn't much he could do.
The word breeder made his fuel lines grow cold. Was it naive to hope that was just the Autobot term for a Seeker that bore seekerlings? Thundercracker knew it probably was. The Autobots wanted Seekers alive, and a breeding program was a very clear reason for that.
The Doctor pulled something out of Starscream's cockpit. He scrutinized it. It was some sort of bottle. Thundercracker read the label. He didn't recognize the name.
"Interesting," The Doctor said.
He opened it. The seal was broken.
"Huh," The Doctor said.
Breakdown looked over.
"Did it steal it?" He asked.
The Doctor recapped the bottle. "It could have. But what would something like this be doing in its storage compartment?"
"What is it?" Prowl asked.
"An enzyme replacer," The Doctor said. "One specifically for mechanimals that eat other mechanimals. The kind you give to a cyberdog whose solvent tank doesn't produce enough solvent."
Prowl frowned. He glanced at Thundercracker and Starscream.
"I don't know why that would be in there," he said.
The Doctor shrugged and prepared a syringe. Starscream growled and backed away. Thundercracker grabbed kan, forcing kan to stay still as a sample was taken. Starscream hissed all the while.
"If these come back with normal values, they can be moved to the enclosure," The Doctor said. "The waste tests were surprisingly clean."
Enclosure? Did they have more Seekers somewhere? Aa much as Thundercracker wished it wasn't true, it seemed likely. That complicated things.
Starscream's medicine was returned. Ka growled sleepily, leaning heavily on Thundercracker and closing kas optics. It wasn't the powder Thundercracker remembered, but Ratchet would've had access to find or make an equivalent, so it wasn't surprising. But he didn't know what to make of the Autobots' reactions to it. So far, Starscream had hidden it so well that not even he had seen it.
They were rechained and led back to their cells. Prowl stayed behind. Anxiety made Thundercracker's wings twitch. He forced himself to focus on supporting Starscream, who was growing floppier by the moment. Whatever they gave kan, it was too much.
Thundercracker sat against the wall as the cell door closed. With a tired groan, Starscream fell into recharge with kas helm on his shoulder. But Thundercracker couldn't rest. There was too much left unanswered.