Fic Title: String Theory

Rating: M (for sexual themes)

'Verse: TFA (nominally, please note time has passed since End Game, so characters are slightly older and have had time to develop as individuals.)

Main Characters: Skywarp, Thundercracker, Barricade

Pairings: permutations of the three main characters (above), plus mentions of others.

Summary: Well after End Game, Thundercracker and Skywarp are high-ranking Decepticons in command of a small fleet; with a mission to find a save place to increase the numbers of their dwindling faction through breeding, but they are incompatible as mates unless they find a third.

Author's note: this fic was originally inspired by a prompts on the livejournal comm tf_rare_pairing:

"Thundercracker/Skywarp – 'Christmas light bondage.'"

" Barricade/Skywarp – 'Tell me that you love me – or just let me go.'"

"Barricade/Skywarp—'Touch me.'"

When I had to write five pages of build-up to understand for myself where the characters were presently at, and what their motivations were, before getting to anything near the prompt, I knew I was going to miss the deadline for the lj comm.

The Lycoris dropped into space-time from the transcendent state of transwarp and was skillfully piloted into orbit about the blue-green gas giant designated Neptune. The fleet's ultimate destination was the inner planets of the Solar System, but here they would rendezvous with those ships less capable than their current flagship, before continuing at sub-light speeds. Though Skywarp – newly-promoted to Vice-Admiral and in command of space operations – had insisted he could make the calculations to put the Leader class starship directly into Earth orbit, Thundercracker had vetoed such an attempt.

Skywarp had, privately of course, and not in front of their subordinates, seemed a little irked by this decision. Thundercracker knew him so well that he was certain Skywarp was feeling he had somehow lost Thundercracker's confidence. This was not so. Thundercracker had gone so far as to give the face-saving rationalization that it required near as much skill just putting them inside the Oort Cloud and there were tactical reasons to rendezvous in the outer system. It was possibly that Skywarp was offended simply because Thundercracker had contradicted him in what he considered a space-related decision, and his post being so new, Skywarp was particularly defensive about it.

It could not be helped, Thundercracker thought. He was their leader. Slipstream was Air Commander, Vortex nominally in charge of calvary and ground support, Scalpel their Chief Medical Officer, and so on. It was his duty to weigh the issues and make the executive decisions. Skywarp still having the title of Second-in-Command meant that he was often consulted in making these decisions; but Thundercracker would dishonor them all if he gave Skywarp's arguments or space operations undue weight. Despite what some rudely speculated, Skywarp had not earned any of his titles by being cutest or recharging near their leader – it was still secret that Skywarp was Thundercracker's consort – he had earned them. Skywarp had proven again and again that he could face his fears when it was necessary.

Maybe Skywarp was offended because the suggestion to transwarp directly to Earth was not a cowardly one, and his obvious courage had been dismissed.

Thundercracker could not allow himself any more time wondering about Skywarp or how he was going to sooth his flustered partner this time. They were not alone on the fringes of Autobot space, now. They were recognized leaders among the Decepticon faction and charged with an important mission to lead their youngest and most breed-capable to a place of safety where they might increase the numbers of their dwindling faction. There was a time when Thundercracker would have assumed his place was on the front lines, but he understood the critical nature of this mission and that someone as supremely capable as he was uniquely suited to lead it.

Thundercracker entered the engine room where Overcast was on duty. There was some redundancy in their science and engineering teams since their exodus from New Kaon, and Thundercracker suspected the Rainmaker would rather be tinkering with his experimental devices, but Dirge had already been on their team first and made himself head of such research and development. Once the Seekers reached Earth, Overcast would have other duties; they all would. For the time being, the customized stardrive aboard the Lycoris had become Overcast's primary responsibility.

It was a feature of this customized drive that necessitated their stopping in the outer planets. When not generating fields and power for transwarp, the stardrive and the Heart of Cybertron that was catalyst for its reactions could be employed to generate a spacebridge.

Thundercracker continued into the antechamber, outside the drive chamber, where the spacebridge's transwarp bubble would be generated. Skywarp was there, though he did not give Thundercracker more than a glance. His presence could not be avoided, as currently Skywarp was the only one fully capable of operating this small, mobile, Decepticon-built spacebridge, and the only one they knew of, anywhere, who could hi-jack the spacebridge network, and allow their side travel without Autobot-generated destination codes. It was a lot of responsibility to put on Skywarp – especially considering he already had command positions – but the AllSpark had not seen fit to gift anyone else with a internal transwarp navigation system and the prodigious mathematical processing ability required to make it work within tolerable margin of error.

Barricade was the next closest candidate they had found, but Thundercracker did not want to think about that right now.

Slipstream entered the antechamber, followed by Starscream. They were the only personnel assigned to this away mission. Slipstream was to go, mainly because her tenuous rapport with Sari Sumdac gave her the best chance of emerging through the only remaining Earth spacebridge unchallenged; it was located at the top of Sumdac Tower in Detroit. Thundercracker doubted anyone there would be so complacent when they saw Starscream was not as dead as the last time he had been in Detroit, given his history of shattering their electronic and robotic-dependant infrastructure with nullrays, and unleashing all kinds of bombs in their city. Presumably their scout mission would rely on logic and charm to get past the Sumdacs, Slipstream's ability to hack Earth systems, and then on skill at outwitting or out flying the United States Air Force.

Mad as it seemed now, Thundercracker had agreed with the tactical value of the mission when Starscream, with his fluid rank and titles, had presented it to him in full. Thundercracker had also seen the impact this particular mission might have on morale, which Ramjet, in his role of Morale Officer, had later supported. Starscream was more than just Starscream the mech to many of their followers. He was a symbol, to the Seekers as a veritable Prince of their kind, and to the Decepticons at large as one who unfailingly fought for their cause, even to the point of challenging his own commander if he should seem to stray from the true path. They followed Thundercracker's orders, and he made the real decisions, but they called Starscream their Liege. Figurehead that he was – knowingly and willingly – Starscream had to be perceived as succeeding in their goals and furthering their cause.

No one had expected Starscream and Slipstream to go so long without finding a worthy third. They had not lacked for challengers or courtiers in New Kaon, but Starscream was so great in his reputation – and in his own processor – that mere worthiness was now seeming an impossible standard to meet. It was some kind of miracle, if one believed in such, that he had even settled on Slipstream. Of course, the masses believed she was some kind of priestess to the AllSpark, to have instigated Starscream's resurrection, and was thus more than worthy to be mere Starscream's mate. Thundercracker was concerned, as were Sunstorm and Ramjet, who understood the effect on morale and the threat of mob mentality and the perception of the masses. Thundercracker was in a similar situation, but healthy ego that he had, he could not help but be thankful, in this case, that Starscream drew enough attention from him to make his own reputation seemingly flawless.

It was good the couple were leaving on this mission. Ramjet and Sunstorm would do their part to spin their absence into some grand quest. For all Thundercracker knew, they might actually find their third, like a mech in an icy crypt from a sparkling recharge tale. Stranger things had happened. Megatron had been found after 50 years in a human lab on Earth. Thunderblast and her compatriots had literally been encased in ice on Earth in its past, later freed from their stasis, and able to return to the Decepticons with their tale.

In some ways, Starscream going away made things easier for Thundercracker. He did not have to pretend he consulted their liege on matters, for one. But, then, he truly feared losing Starscream. He had been the one to decide that the resurrected Starscream was not going to settle for a subordinate position, and yet must not be allowed to disrupt the order and chain of command they had established, and so they must call Starscream Liege and set him up as their Lord. He had also been the one to decide that Starscream's particular body of scientific knowledge and experience was crucial to overcoming the problem of their dwindling numbers, and that his knowledge of mechology and chemistry would best qualify Starscream to cultivate and tend protoforms, and so Starscream must be protected.

They were never going to admit it aloud to each other, but Starscream and Thundercracker needed each other, and the Decepticons needed them both. Just as, similarly unacknowledged, they really did need Megatron back in New Kaon, with his renewed vigor and purpose as a freedom fighter, defending against the encroaching Cybertronian Empire. If they were to survive, the Decepticons needed to time to increase their numbers. They needed to believe the main battle was being drawn to their brave, strong front-line fighters, while their young were safe. The front-liners needed to believe they had an enemy to face, and a cause to protect. Those who had made the exodus needed to believe their task was no less vital or brave; they took it as something alike a sacred duty.

That Thundercracker was their leader and had not publicly courted another or acknowledged any as his mate – though many found it suspiciously unconventional that his 2IC was so close – and had not announced he or a mate was carrying a newspark, did not inspire the confidence Thundercracker wished. He had battled his own ego over this for some time. He knew he had assets. His careful consideration, brilliant strategy, strength and leadership had gotten them this far. He knew his arrogance sometimes got the best of him; he had studied Starscream and his past failings repeatedly, analyzing every mistake. Thundercracker could not often manage modesty, but he had gained wisdom. His wisdom said that leading by example did not always mean doing the same actions as one subordinates, but demonstrating the general traits and attitude that subordinates should aim to have.

If Starscream would find his third, then all attention would be on whether he was breeding. But without that third, and traveling on an away mission, there was a chance Thundercracker would come under scrutiny again.

Though there was some unease between them now, Thundercracker trusted it was temporary. Skywarp was his, forever, his second-in-command, his most loyal and most dear subordinate, his beloved, his consort, his love – his only love. And, they were physically incompatible as mates.

They had both known for some time now. It was probably because they were cloned from the same template. They would never breed successfully without a third.

Thundercracker had, despite his arrogance and ego, which had been all the more rampant back then, been able to consider someone else worthy of his attention the first time he had, unintentionally, done something to make the coward smile. Maybe, at first, it had been about wanting that smile to feed his ego. But, Thundercracker had known soon after that Skywarp was special to him. He was worthy. But even loving Skywarp, Thundercracker had not been at ease with the idea of breeding, with anyone.

He was privileged to information on just how their numbers had begun to dwindle. He had recalled from Starscream's implanted memory visions of life aboard war-time or refugee warships: sparklings wasting away and newsparks unable to be sustained, due both to lack of energy and inability of leaders in that time to value Decepticons who were not yet able to fight. Thundercracker had dreaded the very concept of breeding.

Until he got overcharged at the reception celebrating Ramjet's bonding with Red Alert, lost his remaining inhibition, and kissed Skywarp in the corridor.

It had been awful, to realize in the very moment that desire was expressed that their codes were insufficient. For him, Thundercracker, usually so confident, to need to work up courage just to take sample of his intended with his mouth, and then learn in the resulting chemical analysis that they lacked the necessary diversity for a viable conception had been devastating.

They had not recharged together that night. Thundercracker had spent the remainder of that local solar cycle in his washroom, as if cleaning again would help. He had never asked, but he suspected Skywarp had spent his night slumped in the hall. Next they had seen each other, Skywarp had been relaying the account of which of Thundercracker's team Starscream had spirited away without authorization.

That part had turned out well enough, as it had led to Starscream being able to successfully cultivate new protoforms out at Overcast's research facility, but otherwise...things had not been all right with Thundercracker and Skywarp since then. They had gone back to recharging in the same berth. They supported each other in command decisions, or offered criticism over private comms. They played games as was their habit – everything from tic-tac-toe to role-playing a certain other Decepticon leader and his 2IC. But, there had been more stresses, especially after Jhiaxus returned to the area and they learned what had happened with Megatron, Shockwave and other Decepticons who had been prisoners of the Autobot's on Cybertron.

They used to touch each other, without question. Now, even if Skywarp shared his berth, he only arrived just before he intended to go into stasis. If Thundercracker asked where he had just been the answer was usually, "with Barricade." And if Thundercracker pressed and asked what they did, Skywarp replied, "we just talk about physics."

Thundercracker felt he must do something to repair the relationship. He wanted to see that smile again. Yes, his ego would feel better knowing he had made Skywarp smile, but even if he alone could not bring the smile, or if he could not do it at all, he still wanted to know that Skywarp could smile again.

Now, Thundercracker watched Starscream hop lightly into the visible bubble of energy suspended within the spacebridge containment frame. The conversation that had just taken place: passed through his audio receptors, processed subconsciously and stored in memory. He was alone with Skywarp in the small antechamber. There was a charged feel to the air, and a scent, that he usually associated with Skywarp.

"'Warp."

"Yes, Sir?"

"I have told you, when we are alone-"

"What is it, Thundercracker?"

Thundercracker looked about the room, checking for surveillance. The Lycoris was Starscream's starship, as he had personally acquired it from its former owner, Jhiaxus; but he seemed to generally prefer to keep to his lab, so Skywarp and Thundercracker took shifts acting as commander, or left a capable pilot in charge. Still, Thundercracker's ego suffered at the realization he knew so little about the ship. He would have to study schematics. "We are alone here."

Skywarp touched the console at which he had been working. "I just shut down interior surveillance. They can still monitor egress from the command deck...'Cid likely knows enough to reroute, if interested in monitoring, but I do not think he has motive to do so, Sir."

"Good enough. I only-" Thundercracker hesitated. He took a step in toward Skywarp. He saw Skywarp raise his faceplate to regard him, then lean back slightly, maybe subconsciously. "Your service remains exemplary," Thundercracker said.

Skywarp nodded. His lip plates shifted, as if to speak, but he produced no sound. His optics appeared dimly lit.

Thundercracker had not said what Skywarp most needed to hear. "We both have the next shift off."

"I will meet you in our quarters," Skywarp replied quickly, maybe automatically.

"Is that what you want?" Thundercracker asked.

"What else do you think I could want?"

That was an excellent question. "I do not know. Do you want something else?"

At this, Skywarp suddenly looked panicked; his wings quivered, his optics flared, and he drew his arms in close to his cockpit canopy. Thundercracker had been and was still proud of how Skywarp had overcome so many fears, but he knew Skywarp was still prone to occasional attacks of panic or anxiety. "No!" Skywarp said loudly, "D-d-do you wa-want s-something else?"

Thundercracker stepped forward again. He was close enough then, and put his arms to Skywarp to hold him in his embrace. He did not speak. Skywarp leaned into him. Thundercracker could feel their spark fields merging. He recalled the first and only time he had glimpse Skywarp's spark: when Slipstream made her deal with the AllSpark to get Starscream's old spark, and they had surrendered their shards in order to have normal sparks. Just a glimpse. He had politely averted his gaze, but not before the vision was burned to memory. Brilliant, cool, like a color that came after purple, it was so on the extreme of his visible spectrum.

Had they somehow kept distance all this time? Thundercracker could not recall when they had been pressed so close, even in recharge they had not, at least not since that solitary kiss.

Their sparks spoke of longing, love, fear and sadness. There was not, Thundercracker realized, one who felt longing, and another fear. Their feelings were the same, each experiencing the same mixture; the same turmoil.

Thundercracker did not want something else, but that was the problem. "I want you to smile," he said.

Author's End Note:

For readers who notice similarities with events in Starscream Memory, be informed that this is not a continuation or a sequel, but rather a separate fic in a similar universe. Imagine it is one potential future the characters from Starscream Memory might experience, depending on the choices they make.