A Pet Squishy
Chapter 6: "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Back in Thundercracker's quarters...
Lana was stunned; literally. She had feeling in her body—mostly pain. Her eyes managed to wander up to the face of her "master" who was carrying her back to his quarters. Tears of pain and unbridled emotions wet her cheeks. She almost died—five times. Never in her life had she even come close to being placed in the hospital and now her life had been nearly snuffed out five times in probably less than five hours. It was just too much for her mind to deal with, so crying and shivering were the only instinctual reactions she could muster.
Thundercracker sidled into his work chair and grabbed a large pile of blankets from inside Lana's enclosure. He placed them on his work station and then gingerly placed Lana on the pile. She limply reclined on her side, still trembling.
The big blue Con's optics flicked back and forth as he scanned the human Internet for medical journals and first aid tutorials. Lana's injuries were not life-threatening, but there appeared to be what was known as a "sprain" in her left leg. His red optics stared down at her body, performing a further scan. There were hemorrhages beneath her skin from Ravage's "playing" as well as a few skin abrasions. Her chest supports known as "ribs" seemed injured as well, but not broken. According to his research there didn't appear to be any cure for such hemorrhages. But relief for his pet's relatively undamaged state flooded his CPU. She could've been a lot worse off.
However, the sprain needed tending. According to his First Aid research the limb needed to be elevated and then cooled to bring the swelling down. Piling the blankets under her infirm leg he elevated the limb as instructed and tried to determine a way to get coolness on the injury.
Then he found a way. He leaned over toward a coolant pipe used to circulate a Cybertronian cooling fluid throughout the Nemesis to prevent any overheating of systems. The fluid was very similar to liquid nitrogen but much more stable. Resting his finger against the pipe, Thundercracker allowed his metal to absorb the very cold temperature which he then transferred to Lana's tiny leg after a moment.
Lana cringed as the large metal digit rested on her sprain, delivering a shock of cold to her limb, jerking her out of her previously stunned state.
"Ow!" she whimpered squirming away from his touch.
The Decepticon frowned and nudged the pile of blankets closer to him to reapply his cool metal to the injury.
Once again Lana wriggled away from him, pushing herself off the pile of blankets. Thundercracker made a brief growling noise and re-positioned her on the makeshift bed.
The blue Con pointed at her sternly, "Stay still."
Conceding that there was no escape anyway the young woman didn't try again.
Thundercracker shook his head crooning softly as he reapplied the cold to her sprain, "Poor little Lana. All banged up. You're lucky nobody squished you."
The young woman flinched.
"Slag that Skywarp. And just when I was getting you tamed down." he grumbled. "But don't worry, you're safe now," he reassured.
Lana, though in pain, sat up shouting, "SAFE!?" she violently gestured at the Decepticon, "I was almost dropped, crushed, stepped on, shot, vaporized, and eaten! You call that safe!?"
Thundercracker chuckled deeply at the absurd notion of Ravage eating a human, "Ravage wouldn't have eaten you."
The redhead's blue eyes flashed with fury, "YOU BASTARD! I was almost KILLED!"
"True. Bet you're glad I saved you huh?" he mentioned casually, "How's about a thank you?"
Lana forcefully flipped him off.
"Hey. Now don't be a naughty pet." the mech chided, gently pushing her arm down with a finger.
"I'M NOT YOUR PET!" Lana screamed angrily. "Don't you understand? I don't want to be your pet!"
"But you are." Thundercracker stated patting her head, "And you're a really good pet too."
Lashing out at him, Lana spat acidly, "OH! I HATE YOU!"
He eyed her with slight annoyance before cupping both hands around the pile of blankets and lifting her up to place her in the enclosure. Lana glared daggers at the Con.
"Rest." he replied, "I hope your mood improves by the next Orn."
...
As the days passed, Lana began gradually limping around her enclosure. Though her body still ached, her bruises were turning a pale green signifying their dispersal. While she was meandering around her enclosure the door opened and in strode Thundercracker.
He sat in his work chair and leaned forward, "How's my little pet today?"
Sighing at the identification Lana continued to limp around. Lately she'd just ignored him, unwilling to speak to him since he never took her words very seriously anyway.
The Decepticon jet frowned a moment but then reached in, picked her up, and set her down on the surface of his work station.
"I got something for ya." he smiled.
The young female crossed her arms in front of her chest, unimpressed.
Then the big blue Con opened his hand to reveal a box. In orange ink the box read, "COLORADO PEACHES" Lana blinked in shock. She couldn't remember the last time she had fresh fruit, much less her favorite, peaches.
Thundercracker's finger flipped open the box lid, "I analyzed these and I think they'll help boost your biological defenses. And I just thought my little pet deserved a treat."
The young woman moved the corners of her mouth in a brief grin but she let it fall. She was torn again.
God how she hated him—keeping her caged like some glorified hamster and then bringing her "treats" as if her imprisonment could all be washed away with a few gifts!
BUT...he didn't have to bring her anything AND he seemed to have some concern for her well-being. And that's what divided her mind. He was trying anyway.
Thundercracker tipped the box slightly and tapped a single peach into his palm. Very slowly he rested his open hand on the countertop. To Lana the peach looked like bait in a steel trap. She gave him a mistrustful grimace.
"Come on. Come on." he encouraged in that deep voice.
Lana eyed the peach covetously. Her pride tried its level best to destroy her craving for the fruit but her stomach won out. She cautiously limped over to his massive black hand, never taking her eyes off the Con in case he was playing some sort of cruel trick. The young woman gingerly sat on the edge of his palm, flinching.
Nothing happened.
Thundercracker seemed silently enthralled as his pet took the peach and bit into its juicy flesh. Juice dribbled down her chin as a small smile formed.
It tasted like heaven.
Thundercracker watched her eat with fascination, "Ah. So you like those?"
She gave him a nod. His red optics stared at her expectantly.
She swallowed her first bite and uttered quietly, "Thank you..."
He petted her shoulder, "Aww. That's a good little Lana."
Lana took a vicious bite into her peach.
Thundercracker eventually extracted a small cube of Energon from a compartment in the wall. He took a sip of the pink liquid feeling the crackling power of the Energon flood his tanks and dispense into his energy core.
He then noticed Lana watching him in return. The Con smirked and held the cube near her. Curious, Lana watched the glowing liquid swirl.
"Energon." Thundercracker said simply.
Lana made a face.
The mech swirled the liquid energy around slowly in the cube and took another sip. His energy sensors analyzed the composition a moment and soon a link of data was retrieved.
"Ah. This is from that power plant we raided a couple days ago." he explained as if he were dating a glass of wine.
Lana blinked and immediately stopped her silence, "You raid power plants?"
He nodded, "Power plants, nuclear reactors, oil refineries, metal foundries. I personally like the nuclear energy—lasts a little longer in the energy core than that other stuff."
"So that's your job? Stealing our energy resources?" the young woman stated with reproach.
Thundercracker raised a questioning brow plate, "No. I'm a Decepticon Seeker, one of the most elite ranks a Decepticon soldier can achieve. My job is to carry out the orders of our leader, Megatron."
"And those orders are to steal energy sources?" Lana took another forceful bite of her peach.
The Con shrugged, "Yeah, sometimes."
"Nice." the young woman's voice oozed sarcasm.
Putting down his Energon with irritation, Thundercracker gave a challenging stare, "Well what was YOUR job then if MINE is so despicable?"
Lana paused in mid-chew. She looked up at him and swallowed what was in her mouth.
She blinked rapidly, "It's not important."
"Tell me." he commanded.
"No."
The Decepticon's eyes narrowed, "You scorn my profession but you won't tell me yours?"
Lana's stomach quivered. She didn't want to tell him but then again she didn't want to anger him. Though he hadn't harmed her yet, there was no question he COULD if provoked. The last thing she wanted to do was provoke a giant robot while she was sitting in his hand.
"I was...a dancer." she stammered.
Thundercracker's red optics narrowed in a clearly perplexed fashion, "Your job was dancing?"
Lana nodded.
With a lightening-quick scan, Thundercracker accessed exactly what "dancing" was and blinked, "What kind of job is that? What purpose did you serve doing this 'dancing'?" the blue jet Con inquired.
The redhead lowered her eyes, ashamed to admit it, "I danced...to entertain men," she looked away, her eyes wet, "Just forget it."
"You're ashamed of your dancing?" Thundercracker still appeared clueless.
Throwing back her head with frustration Lana cried, "I STRIPPED you hunk of metal! Stripped! You know...dancing naked for money? THAT was my job! THERE! Are you happy now?"
His hand lifted her up, "How did you get assigned that function?"
"Assigned?" Lana laughed humorlessly as tears beaded on her eyelashes, "I needed money to pay for school...it was the quickest way."
Thundercracker just looked at her, "Were you any good at this 'dancing'?"
"What does THAT matter?"
"I want to know."
Lana wiped her eyes, "I don't know. It doesn't matter anymore."
For several long minutes Lana sat in his hand, rolling the peach pit in her fingers. It was a humiliating thing to confess and yet somewhat liberating. No one knew about her job; not her roommates and certainly not her family. For all they knew she was a waitress who worked the late shifts. Why she'd unloaded this secret on her robot master was unknown.
Thundercracker gently placed her down on the work table, "Show me."
The young woman's eyes got as wide as dinner plates, "Huh?"
"Show me this dancing you did." he made a motion with his finger.
"Oh HELL no!" Lana rebuked his request.
He tipped his head, "Why not?"
"I am NOT going to dance for you!" she snapped, crossing her arms.
"Why?"
She sputtered, "It's...it's humiliating and inappropriate that's why! For God's sake, I can barely walk much less dance. So just forget it!"
The Con dipped his head briefly, "Alright. But once you're all healed up you will show me this dancing."
Lana looked exasperated, "NO! I'm not dancing!"
"I'll give you one of these." Thundercracker held up the peach box enticingly.
"Never! Not for a box of peaches not for one thousand boxes!" the redhead insisted.
Just then, there was a loud bang on the door, "Hey TC! You there?"
Thundercracker noticed Lana stiffen and back away with dread upon hearing Skywarp's voice. Her bad experience a few days ago had made her even more fearful of his careless friend.
"What do you want Skywarp?" he called back.
Taking it as an invitation, Skywarp entered the room, "What's crackin' Cracker?"
"Huh?"
Skywarp waved his hand, "Never mind." His optics went to Lana, "Hey! She's walkin' again. Guess Ravage didn't break her after all."
The blue Con wrapped his fingers around Lana, "What do you want Warp?"
"Guard duty! We've got Energon guard duty in a few thousand Astro-seconds."
Thundercracker made a face, "No I don't. It was you and Dirge this shift."
"Yeah...about that...Motormaster kinda shoved Dirge's head into a console and he's out like a bad processor until Hook can fix him up." Skywarp explained.
Groaning deep and low Thundercracker shuttered his optics, "Oh COME ON Warp! I just got off duty. Can't you guard it by yourself?"
"Yeah...but it's SO boring!" gray and purple Seeker whined.
Suddenly a klaxon blared throughout the base. Lana winced, plugging her ears to avoid going deaf while the two Seekers leaped to their feet.
Skywarp threw up his fists in glorification, "WOO HOO! A fight! A fight! Come on TC!"
Briskly, Thundercracker scooped Lana up and deposited her in her hammock, "Gotta go, battle to fight."
Lana moved to the transparent wall, "Battle? Where? With who?"
"Be good." the Con commanded, closing the closet door.
Lana only heard his footsteps leave and the huge door hiss shut behind him. She was alone again.