Nothing but a countless number of twinkling pinpoints of light in the dark expanse above; that was the first visual that his optical sensors took in, letting him know that he was back online. Becoming aware of a presence nearby, he tried to recall where he was, or what he had been doing before he'd gone offline. But his short term memory did not seem to be working properly.

"Uh… what happened?" He noticed that he was lying on the ground facing up. He began to sit up, and found that his motor responses were slow and laborious, as if he was critically low on energy. With some effort, he pulled his weight backwards until he was leaning with his back against a rocky outcrop. His head swam, and he was finding it hard to maintain a sense of equilibrium; the result of a malfunctioning sensorimotor control system, most likely.

"Thundercracker…" He felt the presence approaching and then kneeling beside him to place a reassuring hand upon his shoulder. "Thundercracker, you're alright – I mean, you're awake."

Thundercracker immediately recognized the voice – it belonged to his fellow Decepticon and triple changer – and was instantly relieved. At least they hadn't been captured by Autobots. He held a hand to his forehead, leaned forward on his knees for support. "Yeah, I'm awake. The 'alright' part, I'm not so sure about." He slowly turned his head up to see Blitzwing looking back at him. Then he carefully surveyed their surroundings, but all he could see was a lonely and desolate expanse occupied by rocky ridges and outcrops. "Where is everyone… and where are we?"

"You don't remember?" Blitzwing slowly sat down beside him on the dusty ground. There was a slight pause, as he watched the seeker's blank expression. "We were spotted by some Autobots. They might have followed us here… but I think we lost them."

Thundercracker tried to stand, and winced as his internal systems alerted him to his unfinished repair status. "You think?"

Blitzwing shrugged, looked out at the jagged horizon where the blackness of space descended down upon the landscape to cover it like a blanket. "I don't remember much of what happened, either. At least, how we ended up here. I found you just over there," he said, pointing across to a small hollow amongst the rocks. "You were offline."

"All I know is… we were aboard the Star Drive… then we left on a shuttle to explore the…" Thundercracker faltered; his recent memory of the details of their mission was hazy. He looked up into the black expanse once again, searching for any identifiable markers to help determine their location. "Where did you say we were?"

"I didn't." The triple changer looked up, and then pointed towards a dark rift. "There's where we must have come through." He pointed towards a distant moon some distance from the vortex, to the right of it. "And that looks like Paradron's moon. Which means…"

"We must be on one of the asteroids," Thundercracker finished for him, nodding in realization.

"Yep." In between the sounds of their voices was an eerie silence. "You wait here. I'm going to have a look around, see if there's anything else on this piece of rock other than, well… rocks." Blitzwing proceeded to stand, but Thundercracker gripped his arm.

"Wait. Have you tried contacting the ship?" His head was starting to feel a little better, but he wasn't yet prepared to allow the only other life form on this barren and inhospitable rock to leave him here by himself.

"I've tried, but I think the com signal is out of range. I'm not getting anything." Blitzwing slowly stood up and looked around. "They probably don't even know we're here, and who knows how long it'll be before they find us…" He tried his com link again; still nothing. "Plus, you're going to need to refuel soon. When you crashed into that," he said, indicating with a nod toward the hollow's jagged edge. "I repaired your fuel line, but not before you lost a significant amount of energon."

Thundercracker looked down at his frame, and for the first time noticed the large cut in his torso. He gently ran a hand over it. "Uh, great," he said, none too pleased, but not immediately concerned, either. "Thanks."

Blitzwing continued. "I can still fly at least. If there are any possible fuel sources around here at all… well, it's worth a look."

"What if those Autobots are also here?" Thundercracker pointed out. He'd be in no condition to fight them off, and didn't particularly like the idea of having to confront them alone.

"I haven't seen or heard any yet. Besides, I'll be back before you know it." Then Blitzwing transformed into his jet mode and took off into the thin atmosphere of the asteroid, leaving him alone.

Only a few breems had passed, but to Thundercracker it felt like a whole hour before the sound of footsteps behind him was followed by the cold, hard metal of a gun tip shoved into his back. He stiffened in alarm, and then winced as the strain from his recent injury reminded him of his vulnerable condition.

"Well, now… what do we have here?" The Autobot's voice was unmistakeable, even to Thundercracker – the gruff, gravelly quality an instant giveaway to its owner's identity. "Get up."

Thundercracker pushed against the outcrop he was leaning on, and then slowly stood up, mindful of his general weakness and low energy level, one hand placed protectively over his injury. He turned to face his antagonist, and wasn't surprised to see Kup aiming his musket laser at his chest. He was accompanied by another, larger Autobot, standing confidently beside Kup, hands on hips.

"Are you alone here?" Kup asked after carefully looking him over. Thundercracker simply looked back at him, reluctant to answer. "Where's the rest of your…" Kup looked for the right word. "Crew?"

Thundercracker thought about just how much information he was willing, or could afford, to impart. Whichever way he looked at his situation, however, there wasn't much he could do about it. "Why don't you point that thing somewhere else… as you can see, I'm no threat to you," he finally replied. His deep voice had an additional raspy edge to it.

Kup kept his blaster where it was, eyeing the blue and grey seeker with a wary optic. "And why should we believe you?"

Thundercracker slowly sat back down on the ground. "That's not my problem."

The larger, green Autobot stepped towards him, intent on forcing him back up to a standing position, but Kup held him back with one hand. "Hold it, Springer." He slowly lowered his weapon, and watched as the Decepticon jet leaned his head back against the rock. "What happened to you? And where are the other Decepticons?"

Thundercracker concentrated on regulating his air intake pattern; the very thin atmosphere of this asteroid was not helping his condition, and he seemed to be having some trouble adjusting to it. "I wish I knew." He looked up at Kup, and tried to determine the Autobot's intentions. "I don't remember what happened."

"He's probably lying," Springer suggested.

"Maybe, maybe not," Kup countered. "Besides, like he said – he's no threat." He continued to study the enemy, looking for any tell-tale signs that he might be hiding something. "We know you're not here on your own. But your friend seems to have left now."

"He'll be back." The seeker looked away from the two Autobots, seemingly unconcerned.

"Well… how about we take you back with us to Autobot City right now… what are you gonna do about it?" Springer responded, his tone demanding as he gauged the other's reaction.

Thundercracker couldn't help responding with a sardonic smirk. "You're not going to do that."

"Oh… and why not?"

Red optics refocused on the green Autobot. "You don't want to get into a tussle out here and deplete whatever energy you have left. Also, the fact that you haven't bothered to contact the Autobots about us yet… I'm willing to bet that the two of you are just as stranded here as we are."

Kup gripped his laser tighter, and grimaced. "You don't look like you're in any condition to tussle."

"Maybe not… but as you said before, I'm not here on my own." The two Autobots waited for Thundercracker to say something further, but he didn't; instead, he remained where he was, looking up at the twinkling specks of light that filled the black emptiness of space, his thoughts now turned away from the two Autobots.

Springer pulled Kup aside and spoke to him out of audio range. "So… what are we going to do with him?"

Kup grunted, put his weapon away. "Eh, he's the least of our concerns right now. We've got to find a way to contact the rest of our crew… maybe find out how we ended up out here… and what happened to our cruiser."

"Do you think the Decepticons had something to do with it?" Springer asked him, self-assured as always.

"Nah." Kup shook his head. "Unlikely. Whatever happened to us probably happened to them, too," Kup replied, indicating towards Thundercracker and his absent companion.

The two Autobots approached the lone Decepticon once again, eyeing him curiously. Then Kup spoke first. "We seem to have lost all communications with our ship. One moment… Springer and I… we were on the other side of that rift," he said, pointing up, "and then the next… we end up here – no sign of our shuttle, or our ship, anywhere within range." When Thundercracker did not immediately respond, Kup slowly knelt down in front of him, a hand on one knee. "Look… if we don't find a way to contact our ship, we may never make it back – that goes for you as well as us, Thundercracker."

The blue and grey seeker finally responded, his words guarded and deliberate. "So… what are you suggesting?"

Kup paused in thought before offering a reply. "If you know how we got here, you should tell us."

Thundercracker said nothing. Just then, a lone figure approached their location from the air, coming into view as he navigated his way from behind a jagged peak in the distance. The two Autobots looked up to watch Thundercracker's companion as he transformed into robot mode to land beside him. "Blitzwing…" Kup said aloud, identifying the other Decepticon.

The Decepticon triple changer came to stand protectively by the seeker's side. "These Autobots bothering you?" Thundercracker shook his head dismissively, so Blitzwing relayed what he'd discovered. "As far as I can tell… there's nothing out here. No fuel sources… and our shuttle is beyond repair."

Thundercracker nodded in acknowledgment and looked up at him. "No sign of the Star Drive?"

"Nah… no com signal," Blitzwing said, and then fell silent. "What are we going to do?"

"Wait. That's all we can do," Thundercracker said resignedly.

After a long moment, Kup spoke. "We may as well wait here, too, then." He watched the Decepticons' reaction. "If that's okay with the two of you?" He added wryly.

Thundercracker gave them an almost indiscernible shrug.

"You're injured," Kup noted, as he sat down on the rocky ground a short distance from the two Decepticons, motioning for Springer to do the same. Again, Thundercracker gave him no response, so he continued. "If you like, I can take a look at that for you–" He offered, indicating towards the jet's injury.

Thundercracker shook his head in irritation. "Eh, don't bother. I don't need your help."

"Suit yourself." The Autobot sergeant turned towards Springer. "Keep monitoring the com link. Let me know as soon as you pick up any sign of our cruiser. In the meantime…" He looked back towards the two Decepticons, and lowered his voice. "I'll see if I can't get any useful information out of these two." Springer nodded in acknowledgment, but said nothing. After a minute or two of awkward silence, Blitzwing sat down beside his companion.

A short time passed before Kup spoke again, breaking the silence. "I wasn't joking about taking you back to Autobot City with us, you know." He glanced at Blitzwing, sizing him up. "The both of you." With Springer's help, he was confident that they'd be able to prevent the two Decepticons from leaving the asteroid, at least until the rest of the Autobot crew arrived to pick them up. Assuming, of course, that the Autobots would find them before the Decepticons did.

Thundercracker's optics glowered in subdued anger, and he responded, his deep voice conveying his obvious disdain. "Typical Autobot… conceited sense of superiority, eh? You all think you have a right..."

"Superiority?" Kup repeated. Though he was a little taken aback by the seeker's candid remark, he wasn't entirely surprised by it. "Need I remind you who the outlaws are among us?"

The Decepticon jet shifted his position, his expression now a combination of mock amusement and disgust. "You wanna talk about outlaws? Why don't you take a good, hard look at yourself in the mirror before you start pointing your finger at us."

Springer's usual jovial manner slowly disappeared and was replaced by a cold, stern expression. Kup raised a hand towards him, an unspoken signal that let him know he would handle the situation. "What do you mean?" He asked simply.

An awkward silence fell between them, until Thundercracker spoke again. "Not many Autobots still remember the old ways…" He said, softening his tone. "And those who do… don't respect them any more."

"The 'old ways'? What's he talking about?" Springer glanced towards the Autobot veteran, his expression one of scepticism and confusion.

Kup lowered his hand, but kept his gaze fixed upon the Decepticons as he answered the triple changer's query. "I haven't heard mention of it in a long, long time." He paused in thought, as his optics glinted with the recollection of a time now long forgotten, during Cybertron's Golden Age when inhabitants lived by a much nobler – and arguably much more successful – standard of ethics. "Once, when Autobots and Decepticons lived together in peace…"

For a moment, Springer wondered whether Kup was joking. He wasn't. "Huh. I've heard about the so-called Golden Age, but I always thought that it was just a myth, you know?" When no one responded, he shrugged and added, "I mean, it is hard to believe there even existed a time when Decepticons were capable of living in peace with anyone."

Thundercracker shifted his gaze towards the green Autobot, the red glare of his optics piercing an invisible hole in the center of his enemy's forehead. His voice remained relatively calm, but the underlying resentment he felt towards Autobots in general was unmistakeable. "You might find it hard to believe… because you weren't around, but it's just your kind of attitude that helped bring about the Great Wars. You must be so proud."

"Hey, I might not have been around during the Golden Age, but at least I know the difference between right and wrong. Besides, if it wasn't for us, Cybertron would be nothing but a lifeless shell by now. If anything, it's now thriving," Springer answered smugly.

Blitzwing, who hadn't said much since he'd returned from his exploration of the asteroid, now spoke up. "It might be thriving, all right… but your one world autocracy has cost us all our freedoms in the process. That's why we'd rather be at war than allow Cybertron to be controlled by the selfish interests of the Autobot Elite."

Springer slowly shook his head in disgust at the Decepticon triple changer's comments and glanced towards Kup for support, but the veteran remained in quiet contemplation. "No way. Neither of you know what the slag you're talking about. Either that or you're both delusional. Let's not forget that the War was started by Decepticons, to satisfy your own lust for power and universal domination."

"That what they tell you?" Thundercracker responded derisively. "You Autobots must have all been pre-programmed to believe the same lie, because it sure seems like not a single one of you is capable of thinking independently." He spoke the last sentence with increasing anger, and then winced as he held a hand against his injury. He noted Springer's dubious reaction, and then nodded towards Kup. "You really want to know how the Wars started… why don't you ask him?"

The Autobot triple changer let out a burst of mock laughter, before looking back towards Kup. "Ok, sure. Kup, how'd the Wars start, please?"

"Hm?"

"Tell me how the Great Wars first started," Springer repeated. "Go on… I'd like to know."

Kup grimaced, and then waved a hand dismissively. "It doesn't matter anymore. What's done is done."

Springer's expression turned serious once again as he realized that Kup did not want to talk about Cybertron's obscure past. "Kup?"

"Eh…" Kup shrugged in irritation. "I'm telling you, lad. Not now. Just leave it alone."

"Fine," Springer replied, shrugging, and then decided to steer the topic back onto a previous track. "Regardless, it really doesn't change anything." He glared at Thundercracker accusingly. "And it sure as hell doesn't fix all the known atrocities and destruction perpetrated by the Decepticons during their endless quest for power…"

"Oh, so it's our fault, now?" The Decepticon seeker retorted. He sat up slightly in order to get a better look at the Autobot who had just blamed the Decepticons for Cybertron's war-ravaged state of decline over many eons. "Because we dared to stand against the tyranny of the so-called Cybertronian Empire – which, if you know anything at all, is just another name for the Autobot Elite Prison Guard and its Corrupt Council of Elders." There was a moment of strained silence, and each of them became suddenly aware of the sense of eeriness and desolation all around them. "And don't even get me started on the Order of the Primes…"

"You don't know anything at all." Springer now spoke in a low rumble, as he slowly shook his head in anger and disbelief. "Give us one good reason – just one good reason – why we shouldn't put the two of you out of your misery right here and now–"

"Cool it, Springer," Kup said, laying a hand on his forearm. "Look, I'd like to see these two pay for everything they've done just as much as you do… but it's not our place to do that. Not here. We'll take them back to Autobot City… they'll be dealt with properly there."

Springer inhaled deeply, and looked up at the stars overhead. "You're right. They're not worth it." Silence returned once more, and for a good while no one spoke.

Then it was Thundercracker's turn to break the silence. "How long had you Autobots known we were here?"

Kup answered. "Not long." Then a short pause, before he countered with a question of his own. "What were you doing out this way, anyway?"

It seemed as though Thundercracker might evade his question, but then he replied in a quiet, dispassionate tone. "It wasn't planned. Not that it happens to be any of your business."

"Everything the Decepticons do happens to be my business," Kup snapped back, but the seeker just ignored him and so, after a few moments, he decided to change tactic. "So, Thundercracker…" He began, emphasising his name. "Is it true what they say about you? You know… that you're not a true Decepticon at heart?"

This time, Thundercracker did not ignore him; he turned his head to face the veteran Autobot. "What are you talking about?"

Blitzwing gave Kup a guarded look, a silent warning to let him know that he should not play games with his comrade, but the latter simply turned a blind optic to him. "Oh, you mean you don't know? Huh." Kup seemed genuinely surprised, yet he also expressed quiet amusement. "Never mind, then. Forget I mentioned it."

Before Thundercracker could respond, Blitzwing conferred with him in a low voice. "He's just trying to get you riled. Don't listen to anything he says."

The seeker turned away from the two Autobots to face his companion. "Yeah…" He paused for a moment, contemplating Kup's words; he couldn't help feeling unsettled and confused. "Do you know what he was talking about?"

Blitzwing hesitated to give him an answer. The very subject made him feel uncomfortable – not because he doubted Thundercracker's allegiance in any way, but because he knew how his friend might feel if he found out what some were saying about him behind his back – mostly Autobots. Finally, he decided to shrug it off. "It's probably just some stupid rumour… you know?"

Thundercracker tensed and then straightened, shifting to an upright sitting position. "What rumour?" The uncertainty in the triple changer's expression revealed his obvious hesitation. "I'd like to know. Besides… we've got nothing better to do right now… might as well get something out of this, eh?" He added in a quieter voice, and then without waiting for his reply, he turned back to Kup. "What exactly do they say about me? I'd like to hear it."

"Well… if you're sure you want me to tell you…" Kup shrugged nonchalantly, playing it up. "Actually, I'm surprised you don't know. I think it all started after you almost left the Decepticons… now that caused quite a sensation. There was even a news story on it. Not that I cared, but I couldn't avoid all the gossip – everyone was talking about it."

"What do you mean… I almost left the Decepticons?" Thundercracker seemed genuinely perplexed by this, slowly shaking his head. "Why the hell would I ever do a thing like that?"

Kup shrugged. "I don't know. I was hoping that maybe you could tell us?"

"All I'll tell you is that it's a pile of slag. I'd never betray… the Decepticons. And I sure as hell wouldn't believe what some stupid news story said about me," Thundercracker replied, and then added, "But, hey, you can believe anything you want… it doesn't bother me."

The four of them sat together in contemplation for the next few moments, until Kup elaborated further on the rumour. "Thing is… the mech who was interviewed swore up and down that he was one of a group of Autobots that you approached to tell them certain things… things that would have gotten you banished from the Decepticons, or worse…" He trailed off, leaving his sentence unfinished.

Thundercracker looked at him in disbelief. "Then he's lying." He could think of no other possible explanation for such a ridiculous claim.

Kup continued. "He says that you were distraught… disillusioned about the ongoing war. Said that you revealed to him Megatron's next move, and that you didn't want much to do with the Decepticons any more." He paused, recalling the details of Thundercracker's alleged betrayal. "If I recall correctly, he also said… you confided in him that you agree with the Autobots more than you have ever cared to admit. That if things got much worse you would even consider joining us…"

The silence that followed was heavy this time, strained. Kup had no idea just how Thundercracker would react to what he'd told him, while Springer seemed quite happy to just sit back and watch the interaction with a self-assured smugness that would be virtually impossible to quell.

When Thundercracker finally responded, it was not in the way that either of them had expected. "Me… join the Autobots…" He repeated this notion to himself aloud in an incredulous, yet amused, tone. At first, his chuckle was gentle and barely detectable, but then it steadily increased in volume and intensity until he could no longer suppress his amusement. "…Join the Autobots…" Spurred on by derision and contempt for the other faction, he could no longer hold back his laughter.

"Glad you think it's funny," his companion commented, somewhat relieved, though he was finding it hard to resist the infectiousness of the seeker's mirth and let out a chuckle of his own.

Several minutes passed before Thundercracker had regained enough of his composure to be able to speak again. "Funny? Yeah… it's kind of funny."

The two Decepticons were interrupted by Kup's continued interest in the subject. "So… you're saying that it never happened, then?"

Thundercracker turned to stare at him, his expression now one of mild irritation. "What never happened?"

"Your meeting with those Autobots. You're saying it never happened?" Kup clarified for him. Thundercracker hesitated, and Kup continued. "But you're not denying it."

"Look… not that it's any business of yours, but that… incident… happened a long time ago – and no, I never said I'd consider joining the Autobots." He paused for a moment in thought. "And, uh… what was his name?"

Kup nodded in satisfaction. "You mean the Autobot you spoke to?"

"Yeah," Thundercracker said reluctantly.

"His name was Twin Twist," Springer answered.

"That's right, I remember now," Kup confirmed. "Twin Twist. Wasn't he one of the Wreckers?" He asked his companion.

"Yep. He was a real slugger, if you know what I mean? Lived for the fight." Springer stood up and walked over to a nearby rocky outcrop as he spoke. "He'd take on just about anyone." He picked up a loose stone that was lying on the ground beside the outcrop before returning to the group. Kneeling down, he placed the stone in front of him on the ground, then carefully aimed his laser weapon at it and fired, concentrating the blast until the stone began to release a bright, pinkish radiation. It started to emit warmth along with the bright, steady light. It would act as a short range signal flare in case their ship passed near their asteroid. He exhaled slowly, recalling the fiery Autobot who he'd fought side-by side with on a few occasions. "Unfortunately… his attitude alone was probably the reason he got himself terminated in the end."

"Huh. That's too bad… we could have asked him about that incident," Kup commented.

Thundercracker stared down at the bright stone flare, his optics drawn towards its plasma-like radiation. It reminded him of a camp fire; the four of them huddled around it in an effort to keep the cold and unfriendly ambience of the asteroid at bay. "Eh, you'd probably believe anything he told you."

"Well then, why don't you tell us what happened?" Kup offered. Noting the seeker's reluctance, he added, "C'mon… what have you got to lose?"

Thundercracker was about to turn him down, but then thought better of it. He really had nothing to lose if he told them what had really happened. If nothing else, it would give him something to do as they waited for rescue to arrive.

He exhaled slowly, and settled back into a more relaxed position. "Alright, you asked for it. I'll tell you what really happened." The others were now all audio receptors, including Blitzwing, who continued to sit closely by his side. "The whole thing started after we… that is, me and my aerial unit… were alerted to the sounds of weapons fire near Polyhex's border. So I decided to investigate. But as soon as we arrived, we found ourselves surrounded by the so-called Wreckers. They were a new class of Autobot, and at the time we'd never even heard of them. They claimed that they'd been ordered to protect the inhabitants of the area from Decepticon activity… though I knew for a fact that there was no Decepticon activity in that area. Other than protecting our border, we had no reason to be there.

"Around that time… there were ongoing negotiations between Megatron and the Autobot Senate… though everyone knew they were strained and largely ineffective. It was only a matter of time before communication between our two factions would break down completely, and another war would erupt. Then, on top of that, we had to deal with constant civil unrest, which didn't help matters." Thundercracker glanced up at the darkness of space near the rift, and wondered briefly if he'd ever see his team mates again, but then pushed away the thought. They were probably looking for him and Blitzwing as he spoke and he knew that they'd never give up searching until they were both found.

"Anyway, what took me by surprise, other than getting caught up in an ambush, was why Twin Twist and the other Wreckers had attacked us. But they lied about it, accusing us of attacking them first. I guess that was all that they needed for the already uncertain negotiations to come to an end… which is exactly what happened, soon after. We all knew they'd been bought by someone within the Senate. We didn't know who, exactly… but we had our suspicions –"

"No way – they would never have taken a bribe." Springer interrupted suddenly, cynical. "Come on… he's lying."

"Maybe you've never taken a bribe… but, how well did any of us really know Twin Twist?" Kup replied, much to Springer's astonishment.

"Better than we know any Decepticon, at least. What – you're on their side, now?" Springer said, indicating towards Thundercracker with a sidelong glance.

"No…" Kup defended. "Just let him tell his story, lad." With that, Springer shook his head but said nothing more.

Once they had all quietened again, Thundercracker continued. "We managed to escape their trap that day but not before both sides took some damage… and a couple of civilians got caught in the crossfire. Later, there was an official investigation into the incident. Twin Twist and the rest of the Wreckers said that we'd broken the Code of Honour… which, in those days actually meant something… and then claimed we were responsible for the assault that resulted in the civilian casualties."

"Hold on a nano-sec," Springer interrupted, although this time his intent was largely curiosity. "'Code of Honour'? What Code of Honour?" He looked towards Kup and then back at Thundercracker for an explanation.

"Uh, I wouldn't expect you to know about it," Thundercracker replied simply.

"What's he talking about? Kup?" Springer looked perplexed, until Kup filled him in.

"He's right. You're too young to know about that. It's a set of Cybertronian guidelines that many of us used to go by… some still do. Like a standard of ethical conduct. Goes back to the earliest times."

"Does it have anything to do with the old ways he was talking about earlier?" Springer prodded.

Kup nodded slowly. "Yeah. That's part of it." He looked towards Thundercracker. "So what happened next?"

"It came down to their word against ours…" Thundercracker shrugged. Memories that had not been brought to mind for a very long time now felt almost foreign to him. "There was a lot hinging on the outcome of the investigation before the trial. But I knew that… if the negotiations ended because of what had happened… the last real opportunity that we… the Decepticons… had to regain our former position as guardians of Cybertron… would be gone. I didn't want that to happen. I didn't want to ruin things for Megatron and the rest of us, not after all we'd been through…" He paused, looked slowly around at each of the three faces staring back at him in silence.

"You blamed yourself?" It was Blitzwing who spoke. He had never heard Thundercracker reveal this part of his story, and was just as enthralled as the two Autobots sitting opposite them, in spite of themselves.

Thundercracker looked down at the dusty, lifeless ground and slowly shrugged. "Yeah…" He glanced at his friend. "I shouldn't have led my unit into that trap. I should have known better. So… that's when I did something really stupid." He stopped talking once again, as feelings of uncertainty about whether he should continue the story swept over him.

"So… what did you do?" Springer jumped in, impatient to hear the rest of his account. "That was stupid, I mean."

Turning his attention back to the steadily glowing stone, Thundercracker pondered the little known events of his past and realized that some part of him needed to continue telling it. "I thought I'd try to talk Twin Twist out of testifying against us. You know, confront him… ask him why he'd lied about what had happened. So… I left Headquarters without letting anyone know of my intention. That was probably… the second biggest mistake I'd made. But anyway, I sought him out on my own. The Wreckers weren't too difficult to find; they kinda had a way of making themselves the center of attention wherever they were." He paused and looked up at the rift again, as he remembered that fateful day when he started to truly understand the extent of the corruption that pervaded many of the Autobots. When he continued speaking, his voice revealed a hint of regretfulness. "I asked him… for the sake of all of us… and for Cybertron… to tell the truth. That whatever he had to gain from what he was doing… it wasn't worth destroying the future of our planet. I pleaded with him to think about the consequences… not just for Decepticons, but for the Autobots as well. But… he denied all of it. He said I'd never be able to prove anything… and that no one would ever believe my story.

"Then, just before the trial was scheduled to commence, Autobot Command released an official statement on behalf of the Wreckers, accusing my unit of committing an act of unprovoked aggression against Autobots and, as a direct consequence, causing harm to innocent civilians. The statement also claimed that I'd sought out the Wreckers to try to convince them that I had changed my mind about the Decepticons… and about our cause, you know? That I'd wanted to help make things right for the Autobots… and that I'd tipped them off about Megatron's next move. It was all a lie, of course… but by the time the statement had been made available to the public, it was too late. The news spread like wild fire, and what I'd supposedly done… would be forever recorded in the Archive of the Ages.

"At the beginning of the trial, Twin Twist and the Wreckers answered all questions almost word-for-word according to their official statement. But, then… as luck would have it, I didn't get a chance to tell our side of the events. The trial came to an abrupt end, and we were once again at war. Over time, the Autobots' official statement became the only known account of that incident, but the opportunity for me to reveal the truth about it was lost." Thundercracker stopped talking for a moment. He had not shared this information with any other Autobots since those events many vorns ago, but he was now glad for the opportunity. Even if they did not believe him, he didn't care; something about being given the chance to tell his story felt good.

"You mean to say, it was your first encounter with the Wreckers that led to the restart of the war?" Springer asked in curiosity.

Thundercracker smiled ruefully. "Nah. It was just one of several things that were going on at the time. It probably didn't help, though."

It was Kup's turn to speak, curiosity and interest having gotten the better of him. "I still don't get why Twin Twist would lie like that."

"Like I said, they were trying to make us look bad, so a certain Senator would be justified in helping to usher in the new, Autobot ruled Empire," Thundercracker replied.

Far from being taken seriously, however, his response evoked incredulousness from Springer. "Make you look bad? Come on…" When no one answered him, the triple changer felt that he needed to follow up with an explanation. "I mean, even if what you're saying is true, and you were falsely accused, the Decepticons' track record since then sure leaves a lot to be desired, don't you think? The only thing you all seem to care about these days is ultimate power, even if you have to destroy everything and anyone that gets in your way–"

"You don't know anything about us." Thundercracker's tone was bitter, his anger at Springer's ignorance all too clear. "You think you have all the answers… and that's the problem with you Autobots. You think you're all so damned righteous. Well, I've got news for you." After a short pause, he added, "You really want to know why the Wars started… ask Kup over here. He'll tell you… that is, if he's honest about it."

Three pairs of optics glanced towards the veteran Autobot, but he simply stared back at them all in quiet contemplation. The subject matter seemed to be, for him, just as difficult to confront as it was for Thundercracker, and it seemed that, for whatever reason, neither of them wanted to reveal the deepest and darkest secrets of their eons-old conflict.

Abruptly, Springer stood up, walked a few paces afield to speak into his com link. "Yes, sir… it's good to hear your voice. We'll be waiting for you. Springer out." He turned back to face the small group, a broad grin now on his face. "They'll be here in just a few minutes," he told Kup.

Kup nodded slowly. He was relieved, yet their recent exchange with Thundercracker still left him feeling uneasy. "That's great news," he said, and then turned his attention back to the two Decepticons, and the blue and grey seeker in particular. "Did Megatron ever find out what happened?"

Thundercracker slowly attempted to stand up to his full height, his thoughts now focused upon escaping the Autobots should they try to capture him and his companion. He knew that their chances of escape were next to nil, especially considering his weakened state, but he would never willingly give in to the Autobots, even if it meant risking his life in order to gain his freedom. "Huh?" He hesitated, aware that Kup had said something to him.

"Your encounter with the Wreckers… did Megatron ever find out what really happened?" Kup repeated patiently, remaining seated on the ground; it did not look like he would attempt to try and stop the two Decepticons from leaving.

"Oh." Thundercracker turned to face him, as Blitzwing placed a hand on his arm to help keep him steady. "Yeah… I told him everything. I thought he'd kick me out for doing something so stupid, you know? But…" He hesitated once again, searching for the right words. "He never blamed me. Though, for a long time after, I felt I'd really let him down." He shrugged and smiled sadly. "So I promised myself I'd never let anything like that happen again."

A small, bright object appeared in the dark expanse above them, and Kup glanced up at it for a brief moment before finally standing up. "That's our ship."

"What do we do with them?" Springer said, indicating towards the two Decepticons, his laser weapon at the ready.

Kup hesitated for a moment, and then held out a hand for Springer to refrain from taking any further action as the larger Autobot began to step closer towards their long-time foes. "Wait." Springer turned quizzically towards him, waiting for an explanation. But then, "Let 'em go," was all he got.

"Kup?"

"They're no threat to us."

"But–"

"I said… leave 'em be." He turned around and indicated for Springer to follow him. "Come on… let's just go home."

Springer was about to say something more in protest, but then, resignedly, he started after his superior.

Kup halted, and then turned to glance behind him one last time. "Oh… Thundercracker?" He called out. The Decepticon seeker glanced back at him cautiously as he stood unmoving, his optics tracking the Autobots' every move, and waited for him to speak. "Just so you know, I believe you," Kup said, giving him a small nod before finally turning and walking away.

Once the two Autobots were well out of sight, Thundercracker slowly sat down again. "Let me know when they're here, will you?" He asked Blitzwing, who nodded in acknowledgment but said nothing. Then he settled into a comfortable position, and slowly dimmed his optics, powering down some of his non-vital systems in order to preserve what energy he had left.

It wasn't long before his memory module became active and started to replay a key moment in his history, triggered by the emotional response of the subject of conversation that he'd just shared with the two Autobots.

Thundercracker approached the group of Wreckers from the air, immediately recognising the one who had opened fire upon his unit several days ago. Checking to make sure that he hadn't been followed, he landed several paces away from them. The group of specialist Autobots appeared to be investigating an abandoned cruiser, which had more than likely been discarded due to irreparable damage.

One of the Wreckers saw him, and alerted his team mate. 'Hey, Twin Twist, check it out. He must be back for more punishment,' he said, laughing and pointing a thumb in Thundercracker's direction.

'Look, I just came here to talk,' Thundercracker replied.

The one called Twin Twist jumped up and turned to face him, his full focus now upon the seeker. 'Oh… I get it. You attack us, almost kill a few poor bastards in the process, and now you want to talk?'

'That's not what happened and you know it. Why are you going against everything you Autobots are supposed to believe in?' He replied, incredulous. 'Do you have any idea what you're doing?'

Twin Twist shrugged. 'But more to the point – who's going to believe you, Decepticon? You'll never be able to prove a damn thing,' he retorted, not bothering to address the seeker by his name.

'Whoever put you up to this… it's not worth it. You might not give a damn about me, but what do you think is going to happen when the Autobots find out about what you did? Please… all I'm asking is for you to tell them the truth–'

'Tell the truth!?' Twin Twist cut him off, angered. He turned to his fellow Wreckers. 'Did you hear that – he wants me to tell the truth.' He turned back to face Thundercracker, his expression serious once more. 'How about this for truth: I'm going to tell everyone what you told me – that you're starting to have second thoughts about the Decepticons… and that you think the Autobots were right all along – about the alien accord, the restructuring of the Senate… about safe guarding the energy supply, about everything –'

'What? No… that's a lie!' Thundercracker took a step towards the Wrecker, as he began to realize just how manipulative and vindictive this particular Autobot could be.

'Oh, is it? Well, that's funny. Because we all could have sworn we heard you say just that. Or don't you remember? You can deny it all you like… but how else are you going to explain how we know about Megatron's intention to secure the large ore deposit beyond the Flats? But of course we can't allow that to happen, can we? '

Thundercracker's optics glowered, his hands forming into tight fists. 'How… did you know about that?'

'Don't you remember? You told us,' Twin Twist said, giving him a malevolent sneer.

His memory was suddenly interrupted by a voice in the distance. 'Thundercracker–'

"Thundercracker?"

"Uh…" His systems surged back online, and he found himself lying on a berth in the familiar repair bay aboard the Star Drive. "What…?" Then he remembered that he had been awaiting rescue on that asteroid along with Blitzwing, and slowly sat upright, looking about.

His companion stood patiently nearby, alongside the Constructicons, Starscream, Skywarp, and Megatron.

"It's good to have you back with us," Skywarp welcomed him. "We didn't know what had happened. One cycle you were within our sensor range, and then the next…" He shrugged, his hands upturned.

"Then we discovered that the wormhole that leads to Paradron – or, rather, what used to be Paradron… jumped momentarily, and your shuttle was drawn through it," Starscream explained.

Thundercracker looked up at the Air Commander. "Oh yeah, the shuttle..."

"You mean what's left of it," Scrapper said, as he guided him off the berth.

Thundercracker noticed that he had been completely repaired and restored, the gash in his torso no longer visible. "How long have I been out?"

"Several hours…" Blitzwing informed him. "By the time they picked us up, you were already in shut down mode."

He nodded. Looking around at each of them, he was more than grateful for their rescue efforts, and very much relieved. "So… how did you find us, anyway?" He asked, almost as an afterthought, though more than a little curious.

"Hm. That's a good question, Thundercracker. We received an anonymous message," Megatron informed him. "Included were the words: 'Some of us still remember'. Curious, wouldn't you agree?"

Thundercracker turned his attention to the Decepticon leader, his expression one of mild astonishment and realization. "Huh… no kidding?"

Starscream ventured to ask. "Would either of you happen to know anything about that?"

Thundercracker glanced towards Blitzwing, before smiling knowingly back at them. "Yeah… I think we might."