princess_starscream | Fic- "Home is Where the Spark is" ; Chapter Seven

http://princess-starscream.dreamwidth.org/83247.html ; Chapter One
http://princess-starscream.dreamwidth.org/100388.html ; Chapter Two
http://princess-starscream.dreamwidth.org/130276.html ; Chapter Three
http://princess-starscream.dreamwidth.org/147974.html ; Chapter Four
http://princess-starscream.dreamwidth.org/155180.html ; Chapter Five
http://princess-starscream.dreamwidth.org/155729.html ; Chapter Six

Title: Home is Where the Spark is

Chapter 7/9: Empire of Ruin

Author: Princess Starscream

Series: IDW G1 AU

Character(s)/Pairing(s): Jazz/Drift, Megatron/Starscream, Starscream/Thundercracker/Skywarp, Swindle, Soundwave, Onslaught

Rating/Warning(s): (innuendo, mentions of bonding)

Word Count: 2,301

New Kaon was nothing like Jazz had pictured. No fancy clubs, no bright lights, and no families walking freely about without fear of persecution. Instead, it was the polar opposite. Death, crime, and filth.

None of the commanders seemed to react the same they would have all those years ago when Jazz had first been taken in by the Decepticons. Even Soundwave turned a blind optic to the cries of anguish and the malicious laughter of criminals all around.

Legions of mechs crowded them. Begging, pushing, cheering. Their plating was stained with energon, rust, and dirt. Their optics soulless. This is not the victory Jazz had imagined. And this wasn’t the great Decepticon empire he remembered.

“Outta the way.” Onslaught shouted. He shoved a mech. He and the other Combaticons looked to be guarding a fortress. “Fortresses are for cowardly council members to conceal their sins.” Jazz recalled Megatron saying once upon a time.

“Welcome back, Lord Megatron.” Onslaught said. He opened the doors to the fortress, moving to one side to get out of the way. “Judging from your smile, I take it you were victorious?”

“Ooooh, yes.” Megatron pulled Jazz to the side of him that wasn’t being occupied by Starscream. “We have our little double agent to thank for that.”

“You turned out pretty good looking, Jazz.” Swindle commented from his perch. “Wouldn’t mind getting to know the real you and not the Autobot you pretended to be.”

“Uh, nice ta see ya too.” Jazz responded. He tried to hide his despondency. Maybe there was some positive yet to be found in this situation? That’s when Jazz spotted Thundercracker approaching with Skywarp.

“Starscream!” Skywarp squealed. He raced over to Starscream, throwing his arms around him.

Thundercracker followed his mate with less enthusiasm. He joined the hug, placing a soft kiss on Starscream’s cheekplate. “We felt how happy you were over the bond.” He said. “Figured we won.”

“We have.” Starscream beamed at his trinemates.

“The Autobots are gone?” Skywarp asked.

“Not all of them, unfortunately, but Optimus Prime is no more.” Starscream sideways glanced at Megatron when he said those words. Still proud that it was he and his team that had set those traps to ultimately obliterate the Autobots including Optimus Prime himself. “The downfall of the remaining Autobots is assured without their precious Prime to look after them.”

“Thundercracker?” Jazz hesitated, not knowing if the Seeker would be as affectionate toward him as he was when Jazz was a youngling. Thundercracker was always the one who volunteered to take care of Jazz when Soundwave had other matters to attend to. After Jazz began life as a double agent, Thundercracker grew cold and distant. Part of the act to keep Jazz’s identity a secret. Didn’t keep Jazz from longing for Thundercracker’s warmth in the rare moments they saw each other. Now there was no reason for a facade. The question remained. Would Thundercracker treat him differently?

Thundercracker’s face softened when he saw Jazz. “Our little mechie came back to us.” He said. He broke contact with his mates, coming over to Jazz. He pulled Jazz into a warm embrace canceling out all the doubts.

“I’m glad ta be home.” Although happy to be in Thundercracker’s arms, Jazz wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or not. Part of him was glad. Another part of him was broken. Had he made a grave mistake? What about Drift? Were those real feelings or simply him getting too wrapped up in the mission? Too many unanswered questions circled his processor causing an ache. He needed to talk to someone about it. Someone who’d understand his feelings.

“Oh, Jazz.” Starscream swayed over. “You can do all that catching up later. We have a celebration to commence in your honor, and I need my Thundercracker back for it.”

“Of course it’s in Jazz’s honor.” Jazz heard Megatron explaining things to one of the Combaticons, who seemed to be confused by the praise Jazz was receiving. “It was he who laid out the whole plot. He delivered the intel about Shockwave’s lab. He insured that Optimus would be there. And he made sure the Autobots went into the mine to be trapped.”

“In my honor...” Jazz thought. There was no honor in betrayal, murder, or lying. Especially when it turned out that it may not have been for the greater good of their race.

Jazz felt a hand brush his arm. He turned to see Soundwave with a hint of concern splashed across his near expressionless face.

“Are you alright?” Soundwave asked. His monotoned voice was soothing to Jazz. It pulled him out of his dark thoughts, if only for a moment.

“Fine.” Jazz lied. “Just tryin’ ta readjust is all.”

Soundwave nodded his helm once and then walked off. He was a good at providing basic needs, but he was never good at connecting on an emotional level. Not with his friends. Not with his mini-cons. And, not with a mech he could call his son.

Megatron came into view. “Come, Jazz.” He held out his hand.

Tentatively, Jazz took the war lord’s hand, allowing him to guide him toward where the soiree would be held.

***
Megatron left Jazz as soon as the masses congregated into that one area. Jazz had always liked to party, but this gathering made him uneasy. The mechs and femmes that surrounded him seemed lost. Dazed. Combination of too much high grade and too many mind altering injections. The latter being absent in the Autobot world.

Jazz waded through the crowd looking for anyone familiar. All he spotted was Megatron, now sitting in a throne in an isolated space. Pretty courtesans climbing all over him. A sinister smirk spread across his lips, as he did nothing about their advances. His optics were fixated on an empty stage.

“Hey.” Swindle’s smug face appeared in front of Jazz, interrupting the thoughts of disgust he was beginning to feel at Megatron’s actions. “No dance partner?”

“Nah. Not feelin’ dancey tonight.” Jazz slid past some mechs and slipped over to the bar.

Swindle followed after Jazz, taking a place beside him at the counter.

“Put whatever he wants on my tab.” Swindle said to the bartender.

“Thanks, but...”

“I insist. You’re the mech of the hour, after all.” Swindle interrupted. He leaned in closer to Jazz. “Even if you weren’t, I’d still buy you a drink.”

Jazz forced a small laugh. He knew this mech’s game, and he wasn’t in the mood to play, but he couldn’t disrespect him. Regardless of his true nature, Jazz was an outsider to the Decepticon’s newfound ways. He had to tread carefully.

“So, what are your plans for later tonight?” Swindle asked. He swiped a cube of high grade off the bar not seeming to care if it was intended for him or not.

“Gonna see ‘bout catchin’ up with someone.” Jazz said.

“Old friend?”

“Yea. I missed ‘em and I think he gonna be able ta help me cope with the sudden lifestyle change. Been conditioned ta Autobots for too long.”

“I could help you cope, but, before I do that, why don’t we go secure ourselves a nice spot for the seekers’ performance?” Swindle motioned to the stage, which was still vacant.

“Performance?”

“Oh, yes. Starscream made a promise to Lord Megatron that the day we won, he’d put on a flashy little number with Warper and Thundercracker.”

“Thundercracker’s gonna be up there?”

“You always ask so many questions?” Swindle grabbed Jazz’s arm and pulled him to a VIP section near the stage. Thankfully, a different one from Megatron’s.

The platform began to light up and silhouettes of the three seekers appeared behind the curtain. Music started to play and the rabble burst into cheers, catcalls, and whistles.

“This is a treat for them.” Swindle slipped an arm around Jazz, leaning close to his audio to talk to him. “Stage hasn’t been used for anything other than my auctions for longer than anyone cares to mention.”

“I see.” Jazz resisted the urge to shrug off Swindle’s arm and move away from the mech.

“Other than tonight, you do like to dance?” Swindle asked.

“Love it.” Jazz thought about the last time he had. Swerve’s bash. He spent much of the night trying to show Drift how to rock his body, but his mech proved to be better at swinging swords than his hips. His mech.

“You’d look hot up there.” Swindle’s optics trailed up and down Jazz’s frame, taking it in.
“Not my thing. I prefer bein’ lost in a sea o’ frames, feeling their energy.”

Jazz continued to watch the show, ignoring Swindle checking him out and attempting to woo him.

The curtain fell revealing the seeker trine decked out in ravishing frame decals. Armor shined to perfection. They began to sway their bodies to the tune. Impeccably in sync with each other. Evidence of their deep bond.

Swindle managed to take his gaze away from Jazz to see the seekers performing. “Damn.”

The exhibition lasted for a good while, as the seekers went through several displays of sheer talent.

It was long enough for Swindle to start showing the effects of how many drinks he’d had. He was no longer hanging all over Jazz, but rather anyone close to him. Jazz had sidled away when a femme had come over with another round of drinks for the pushy Combaticon. Now Jazz was on the hunt for Thundercracker.

Through the droves of intoxicated Kaonians, Jazz spotted Thundercracker standing near Skywarp, who looked to be putting away the high grade himself. Jazz noted a disappointment about Thundercracker’s demeanor, as he watched his mate’s behavior.

Jazz made his way through the throng, reaching the seeker. He lightly tapped Thundercracker.

Thundercracker swiveled his helm to see who was attempting to gain his attention. When he saw it was Jazz, he quickly let what was going on around him fade away.

“It was great.” Jazz said. He was having to shout over the music and the out of control volume of the crowd. “The show, I mean.”

“Thank you.” Thundercracker smiled.

A rowdy mech bumped into Jazz, knocking him into Thundercracker. “Watch it!” Jazz exclaimed.

“Let’s get out of here.” Thundercracker suggested. “Somewhere we don’t have to yell or dodge frames.”

Jazz was glad Thundercracker had the same idea. “Sounds good ta me.”

***

“Some party, huh?” Jazz sighed. He and Thundercracker were alone up in the seeker trine’s private lounge within the citadel. A large window overlooked the city below. The festivities continued on without them. Everyone in a drunken stupor.

“Speak freely, Jazz.” Thundercracker said. He grabbed two cubes of blue low grade energon and brought them over with him. “It’s just me now.”

“New Kaon ain’t what I thought it’d be.” Jazz said solemnly. He took one of the cubes from Thundercracker, putting it to his lips.

“Better or worse?”

“Sadly and honestly? Worse.”

“Things have certainly changed.” Thundercracker gulped down his energon in one swig.

“You haven’t.” Jazz looked over at Thundercracker.

“I have.” Thundercracker’s wings drooped. “War changes mechs.”

“Sometimes.” Jazz didn’t care for the awkwardness that seemed to sit between them. This wasn’t a random mech off the street. This was Thundercracker. One of his oldest friends. The one who provided the emotional connection that Soundwave lacked.

“Change is what has led the Decepticon empire to ruin.” Thundercracker commented.

“Whatdaya mean?”

“Don’t you see?” Thundercracker turned. He reached out to cup Jazz’s chin. “Megatron has lost his way. In turn, he has dragged everyone else down with him. Even poor Soundwave.” He paused. “Even this trine.”

“Hasn’t anyone tried ta reason wit him?” Jazz asked. “Starscream? Shockwave? You?”

“The last mech who tried to reason with Megatron was made into an example and introduced to the fusion cannon that was meant to be a beacon of hope.” Thundercracker retracted his hand away from Jazz. He then looked away.

“Never thought it’d end like dis.”

“It doesn’t have to end this way.” Thundercracker left his place by the window and walked over to sit on one of the couches in the room.

“It’s too late ta fix anythin’.” Jazz pressed his helm against the pane.

“It’s too late for me, but it isn’t too late for you.”

“Why do ya say that?”

“I know you have strong love for us, but there is no more love here. None of us remember how to love after all these years of hatred.”

Jazz came over and sat by Thundercracker. He grabbed one of the Seeker’s hands and squeezed. “Course ya do.”

Thundercracker shook his helm. “No, but you do with the Autobots. They always know how to love even in this darkness.”

“I helped kill ‘em.” Jazz lowered his helm. “The remainin’ ‘bots wouldn’t forgive me. Shoulda seen the way they treated Deadlock. Once a ‘Con, always a ‘Con.”

“Maybe you’re wrong.”

Jazz tilted his helm to the side. What was Thundercracker getting at with this conversation? He was an old noble. Loyal to the end. What he was speaking was borderline treasonous.

“Sometimes we do things for the greater good even if it means going against everything we’ve ever known or believed in.” Thundercracker pulled Jazz toward him and into a hug. “Make the right choice when the time comes.” He whispered.

With that, Thundercracker let go of Jazz and got to his feet. He headed for the door. “Stay here. I need to go get Skywarp before he ends up doing something he’ll regret in the morning.”

Jazz watched Thundercracker start to leave him. “Wait. I don’t understand whatcha meant by makin’ the right choice.” He said.

Thundercracker stopped, but he didn’t turn around. “You will, little mech.” The door whooshed open in front of him. “You will.”