Been working on this story for...probably close to a year now, if you count the long stretches where I didn't even think about it. However, my muse has been leaning more toward this fic lately, and finally convinced me to post the first chapter today.

Please note - I am writing this completely for fun. I will do my best to keep characters in character, but don't sic Ravage on me if they seem OOC at times. Everything I know about Spywarp and Thundercracker (and any other mechs/femmes not in the live-action movies) has been gleaned from fanfics and the few cartoons (mainly G1) that I have managed to get my hands on.

Those of you who are following Revealing Secrets, don't worry, I'm still working on it, and will not neglect either fic for the other.

Last but not least, the DISCLAIMERS! I do not own Transformers. Also, any similarities between this fic and another are purely coincidental - I do NOT plagiarize and frown upon those who do. Any OCs are mine, and my permission is needed if you wish to include any of them in one of your fics.

Review and constructive criticism are welcome, flames will be doused by Inferno. Thanks for reading!

KEY:

"Speech."

Thoughts.

"Internal comm."

EDIT: Corrected 22/12/2010 - I'd forgotten to replace the scene-dividing asterisks with lines, since FFN refuses to show the asterisks.

Chapter One

Boredom

"I'm bored," Skywarp whined for the thousandth time in the past five minutes.

Starscream resisted the growing urge to bring the datapad he was holding down on his companion's head. "Find something to do."

"You banned all the fun stuff."

"Megatron issued orders to lie low. Surely there's something you could do that won't have him or the Autobots trying to offline us."

Skywarp hissed in frustration. "At least I'm not sitting around base, letting my wings rust from disuse."

A sweep of an arm sent the smaller Seeker flying across the room. Rubbing the dent on his head, Skywarp flinched as two flaming red optics filled his vision.

"Don't mention that again," growled Starscream before stalking out.

Deciding it would be safer to put some distance between himself and Starscream, at least until the silver mech calmed down, Skywarp warped into Thundercracker's office.

The blue Seeker looked up, then shook his head. "I know that look, Skywarp. You better not antagonize Starscream right now."

"Now you tell me. All he does is mope."

A silver hand clamped down on Skywarp's shoulder. "Perhaps I should strip your wings down to their struts."

Skywarp hadn't expected Starscream would visit Thundercracker, but he overcame his surprise quickly and warped away before Starscream could carry out his threat.

Starscream's claws closed on empty air; he clenched them into a fist and glared at Thundercracker. "Well? You must have some idea by now regarding why my wings still haven't repaired."

"We need more energon," replied the blue mech with a shrug, a human habit he'd picked up from television shows. Starscream had given up trying to stop his brothers from watching broadcasts a while back, but he still got annoyed when they started acting like they were squishies. He let the gesture pass this time; their energon supply was a more urgent matter.

"I thought Skywarp found some a few days ago."

"Not nearly enough for three mechs, especially when one is-" Thundercracker broke off and shrugged again. "We need more than what Skywarp can find."

"Seekers can find anything," Starscream said dryly. "Right?"

"Then you better send Skywarp to find a medic, because without extra energon, your wings will never heal, and Skywarp hasn't found any new deposits since the last."

The silver mech snarled. "He isn't looking hard enough."

"His scanners - and mine - are inferior to yours, Lord Starscream."

That was true. Starscream had always been the one who found energon deposits, until now. "Stop calling me that and have him search further north."

"Too close to the Arctic Circle and he could offline as Megatron did."

"Tell him to be careful," snapped Starscream. "Must I do all the thinking around here?"

Thundercracker shook his head, watching his brother walk out. The silver mech's temper grew worse every day, and part of Thundercracker didn't blame him. Seekers were born to fly; being unable to would soon make even the most amiable mech bad-tempered, and amiable was not a word Starscream had ever been associated with. The blue mech's less sympathetic half was becoming weary of the constant ordering around. Once Starscream had included his brothers in every decision. Now he seemed to think only his opinion mattered.

That better change soon, Thundercracker thought, turning back to his datapad. He brought up a world map, studying the dots littered across the screen. Green for energon, red for none, and orange for deposits guarded by the Autobots. Red and orange dominated the map, and Thundercracker exchanged several greens for reds, marking the places that Skywarp had recently depleted.

"Skywarp, I need to see you."

"Not another mission already?"

"More energon collection."

"Slag it, I'm not going! I'm sick of energon collection."

"Sick enough that you'll go hungry instead?"

"I just went!"

"I've raised Starscream's rations again. His wings need to heal."

"It'll take more than energon to fix them, and you know that. He needs a medic."

"Who do you suggest? Scalpel?"

"Send me the coordinates. That mech touches Starscream over my dead chassis."

Thundercracker sent them, a slight smile on his face. "I agree."

"Is Skywarp back?" Starscream sent to Thundercracker, too comfortable to move from his chair and walk down the corridor to the other mech's room.

"Not yet. Shall I contact him?"

It's been almost a joor, what's taking him so long? "No, the Autobots might sense a long range communication."

"Then I'll inform you as soon as he returns."

"Do that."

"Screamer, I found something!"

Important enough to disturb my recharge? Starscream unshuttered his optics and frowned at his brother, then bent to pick up the datapad he'd set down before beginning his recharge cycle. "Don't call me that."

"Fine, Starscream, look!"

"What is it?" Starscream asked, not even bothering to glance up from the datapad.

"A squishy-"

Starscream dropped the datapad and stared at Skywarp as if he'd gone insane. "A what?"

Skywarp held out his hand, looking proud. "I found it all by itself, can I keep it?"

The squishy wasn't moving. Starscream gave it a tentative poke with the tip of his claw, then turned incredulous optics on his brother. "Is it dead?"

"No. I think it's in recharge due to shock."

"Shock?"

"I might have startled it a little. The others were screaming..." Skywarp trailed off, wilting under the unyielding glare being directed at him.

Others? Starscream groaned inwardly. "What others? You said you found it alone."

"Well..." Skywarp shifted uncomfortably. "It was outside a big building, sitting by the fence. There were other squishies but none really close by. They were all small like this one."

Starscream felt like pounding his head against the nearest wall. This was just getting better and better. Hadn't Skywarp listened when he was told to avoid humans, especially young ones? "You took it from a school?"

"No, I checked. It wasn't a school. It was a..." The mech thought for a moment. "An orphanage! Yeah, that's what the sign said."

The only good thing about squishies was their internet. Starscream had the definition of orphanage in less than an astrosecond. An orphanage was slightly better than a school - after all, if adults sent younglings to such a place, the younglings must not be wanted. That left one question unanswered.

"Why do you want to keep it?"

"I can?" Skywarp looked like a youngling who had just been offered free candy.

"If you tell me why. And be careful with it. And don't let it run around without supervision. And-"

"Okay, I get it," Skywarp said hastily. When Starscream started listing rules, it was best to stop him before he got too far. "I thought it would be fun. You know, see what the squishies are really like."

"One human youngling is hardly a good example of the entire species," Starscream said in disgust. "Very well, you can keep the pet, but you have to take care of it yourself. Now let me recharge in peace, would you?"

The purple mech brightened. "Wait until Thundercracker hears!" He ran out of the room.

No warping? Starscream wondered, shuttering his optics. That's odd.

"Thundercracker!"

The blue mech winced as his door slammed against the wall, nearly coming off its hinges. "Skywarp, slow down."

"I've got a pet! Guess what it is!"

A quick internet search for the term 'pet' and Thundercracker groaned. "A cat?"

"No."

"A dog?"

"Wrong."

"A...hampster?"

"Guess again!"

"What is it, Skywarp? And did Starscream approve your keeping it?"

"Yes he did. It's a human." Skywarp held out his hand to display his prize.

"Starscream, I think Skywarp-"

"I already know and he does have permission, as long as the rules are followed."

"What do you think?" the purple mech asked.

Thundercracker vented air. "Skywarp, where are you going to keep it?"

"Already thought of that," replied Skywarp proudly, pulling a long white object out of subspace. By human measure it was about thirty-five feet long, eight feet wide and nine feet tall. There were at least ten wheels on it.

"What is-"

"Humans call it a camper." Skywarp set it down, then frowned as the camper began rolling slowly - the room's floor had a slight slant.

"Take the wheels off," suggested Thundercracker. "And get it out of here, I don't want the squishy living in my office."

"Where am I supposed to keep her, then?"

"Her?"

"She's a youngling human femme," explained Skywarp. "I checked."

Thundercracker didn't bother asking how. "I don't care if it's the British queen, take it away. You can keep it in your room."

"But I have to find some energon. She could get lonely."

"Have Starscream watch her, I've got work to do." The blue mech returned to his datapad work, making it clear that the conversation was closed.

Sighing, Skywarp went to find the silver Seeker, wishing he could use his power – it was a lot faster than walking. However, the human had already emptied the contents of her stomach on him, after he'd warped away from the orphanage, and he didn't want to repeat that experience.

"Uhhhhhh..." moaned the human half a minute later. She opened one brown eye and found herself staring at the moving floor about twenty feet below. "Ah!" Squeezing her eyes shut, she curled into a ball, hands covering her face.

"Oh, you're awake," Skywarp said, pleased.

"Hi?" the girl ventured, peeking between her fingers. "Where am I? And who are you?"

The mech lifted her to eyelevel. "I'm Skywarp. You're going to be my pet."

"Pet?" Her eyes narrowed. "How'd you know my nickname?"

"That's your nickname? Perfect!"

"No, it's not. I want to go back to the orphanage."

Skywarp stopped walking, optics dimming. "But I'm bored."

"Play solitaire or something." The girl pinched her arm, then frowned. "This isn't a dream? Am I going crazy?" She sat up and folded her arms. "Are you real?"

The purple Seeker gave her a gentle poke. She yelped in surprise, then smiled. "At least I'm not crazy. Do I have to be your pet?" she added, cocking her head. "Couldn't we be friends instead?"

Slightly confused by the human's sudden mood swing, Skywarp shrugged. The movement jostled his hand and the human tumbled onto her side with a high-pitched cry.

"Are you all right?"

"I don't like heights." She sat up slowly.

"If I set you down do you promise to follow me?"

"As long as you don't step on me. What's your name?"

"I'm Skywarp," he said, setting the human down. "Who are you?"

The girl made a face. "Petunia. I hate it."

"Why don't you change it, then?"

"I can't. The orphanage matron gave it to me and it's on my records... But I'm not at the orphanage anymore, am I?" Her cheerful smile flashed across her face again, then faded. "I can't think of a name I like."

"You could use your nickname," Skywarp suggested.

"'Pet', you mean? That is not an option."

A quick web search revealed that there were well over a billion names, from Anita to Zeus. "How about Annie?"

"No."

"Henrietta?"

"That's worse than Petunia."

"Belle?"

"No."

"Victoria?"

"Absolutely not."

Skywarp and the human ran through a long list of names the Seeker picked off various sites as he walked down the hall.

"Mercedes?"

"That's a car brand!"

"Carly?"

"No."

"Quincy?"

"That's a boy's name."

The mech was becoming frustrated. "No, it can be given to a male or female." Receiving no response, he vented air before saying, "You've got ten seconds to pick something before 'Pet' becomes your official name."

"Jasmine."

"I don't know, it reminds me of that Autobot Jazz."

"Skywarp, have you gotten the energon yet?"

Oh, slag. "Jasmine it is," he said, closing his hand around the human. "Hold on, I need to warp."

Starscream was rudely awakened by Skywarp's entry. Exhausted, the silver mech glared at his brother, red optics smoldering with fury. "Skywarp, I told you not to disturb me."

"Thundercracker's going to have my aft if I don't get the energon soon," babbled Skywarp, thrusting Jasmine into Starscream's reluctant hands. "I'll be back as fast as I can. Bye, Jasmine."

"Ohhhh." The girl doubled over, clutching her stomach. "That hurt."

"Don't you dare spill your nasty bile on me or you'll regret it, squishy," warned Starscream, quickly setting the human on his chair arm, just in case.

"My name is Jasmine," the girl replied, sitting down. Her face was still pale but no longer had a nasty green tinge to it. "What's an Autobot?"

"The Autobots are bad mechs – and femmes – who fight against us, the Decepticons."

"'Decepticons'? No offense, but you guys sound more like the bad ones."

Starscream slammed a fist down on the chair arm, barely missing the human. "Don't you ever say that again, especially not in my hearing, understand? Autobots are bad. You want proof, look at what they did to my wings." He stood, turned in a circle, then sank into the chair. Everything made him feel tired lately, and the brief outburst had drained his energy reserves. "I don't like humans, either, they've attacked us as well." He glared down at the human, who stared back, her expression unreadable. "You are going to sit right there and not move until Skywarp returns, you hear?"

"Can I ask one more question?"

"Only one."

"What's your name?"

"I'm Starscream." He shuttered his optics and was pleased to hear the human's uneven breathing steady. If it was smart, it would recharge while Skywarp was away.

"Sorry you were hurt, Starscream."

The silver mech's optics flew open and focused on the small creature sitting on his chair arm. "What?" escaped his mouth before he could stop it.

"I'm sorry," Jasmine repeated, her voice sincere. "I wish I could help in some way."

"You couldn't take an adult of your species on, what makes you think you could do anything to an Autobot?"

"I don't want to hurt anyone," the girl protested. "I meant help fix your wing."

"Forget it," Starscream said shortly. "The last thing I want is a squishy poking at sensitive wiring. Try recharging, would you?"

Jasmine opened her mouth to ask what recharging meant, but the giant robot had already shut his eyes and appeared to be sleeping. Maybe that's what recharge meant. She looked at the smooth metal surface she was sitting on. It curved down at the edges. What if she rolled off? The girl shuddered at the thought, then slid down the chair arm into Starscream's right hand, which was resting open on his leg. Smiling to herself, she fell asleep.