Flight Of Fancy.
Summary: When Sam, Mikaela and Miles go for a tour around Nellis Air Base, they have no idea that in many different ways, it will change their lives forever.
Rating: M for graphic description.
Disclaimer: Transformers belongs to Hasbro and Dreamworks/Paramount, not me.
Flight Of Fancy.
Chapter One.
Miles was looking around with an incredulous smile on his face, like the kid who had just discovered the candy store was unlocked and nobody else was around.
"Cool!" he said, running over towards where the military planes had been brought out onto the tarmac at Nellis for a VIP's tour. Elsewhere, a few tanks and armoured vehicles were out, either stationary or moving about, roped off to keep them and the few other people at this special event at a safe distance. Occasionally, a jet flew overhead.
Sam nodded wearily. He wasn't quite so enamoured of the military paraphernalia as Miles was: he'd seen enough in action in Mission City. It was Lennox who had offered to take the three for a VIP tour of Nellis, organised for them and several high-up dignitories by SecDef Keller, and although Sam himself wasn't that interested, he knew Miles would be, and Miles was his bro. So Sam had accepted, asking if he could bring Miles, which Lennox had agreed to. So Sam and Mikaela feigned interest, taking a few photographs with Ron's old camera that he'd loaned Sam, and trailing about as Miles ran from one thing to another, most of them some form of aircraft.
"Hey kids, enjoying it?" asked Epps, sauntering over and clapping a heavy hand jovially on Sam's shoulder: Sam's knees almost gave way at the unexpected blow.
"Y-yeah, I guess." said Sam. "It's not really my thing, but Miles? He's enjoying it." He looked up as he heard the scream of jet engines, and shuddered as he saw an F-22 Raptor fly overhead. Despite the fact that Lennox had assured him that all the F-22 Raptors at Nellis were the real deal, he still couldn't help looking apprehensive as it turned, dropped its wheels, and glided to a stop on the nearby runway. He wondered if Miles would still be as fond of aircraft if he'd been through the same experiences, and come as close to Starscream as Sam had.
"Hey, I'm gonna try and catch the pilot, ask a few questions." Miles said. He ran over towards the plane. Sam smiled and raised his hands in an amused 'whatever!' gesture as he turned towards Epps.
"Couldn't you have at least warned me that a Raptor would be turning up?" he asked. "Oh well, we've lost Miles now until that pilot manages to satiate his curiosity. What is it?" he asked, realising that Epps was frowning.
"I didn't warn you, Sam, because I wasn't told. Hang on, I'll call through for confirmation. It's probably had to divert for fuel, or some sort of mechanical problem."
Raising his radio to his mouth, he spoke into it, asking for confirmation that the F-22 that had landed was expected.
"It's not?" Sam heard Epps say, the Sergeant's mobile face registering enough alarm for Sam to set off at a run towards Miles, who was stood about ten feet away from the Raptor.
"Miles! Get away from there!" Sam yelled. There could be another explanation, he figured, it didn't have to be Starscream, but Sam would rather make a fool of himself by shouting rather than risk Miles getting hurt because he hadn't warned him.
Unfortunately, it seemed that Sam's suspicions had been correct, for as Miles turned to look at him, the Raptor's body moved, twisting and flipping and unfolding into the thirty-one foot high bipedal form of the Decepticon Seeker Starscream. Miles had looked around at the sound of transforming, and as his mouth fell open, his knees gave way as his brain desperately tried to process the impossibility taking place before him.
Sam had not been permitted to speak about the Autobots or Decepticons to Miles under the terms of the Non-Disclosure Agreement they had all had to sign. Sam never regretted that necessity as much as he did at that moment. Miles might have at least been prepared enough and forewarned enough to have been running.
Starscream stooped as Miles suddenly worked out for himself that this unknown being could potentially be very dangerous and scrambled to get up, but Starscream swiftly used one hand to pick the human teenager up. Miles yelled, part outrage, part fear, and Sam yelled "Don't hurt him!"
Starscream turned his head, his fiery optics fixing on Sam, the shutters narrowing.
"Give me one good reason why I should not harm him, insect," the Decepticon stated.
"He's an innocent, he has nothing to do with this, your quarrel is with me and the Autobots, not him."
At that moment a phalanx of soldiers rounded the corner, armed with guns loaded with Sabot rounds. Starscream stepped forwards, holding Miles out towards them.
"If you shoot me, I'll squish him like a bug."
Miles was white-faced in Starscream's hand, his breath coming in loud, terrified gasps. Sam turned to face the soldiers, both hands out in a 'stop' gesture.
"He's not bluffing. If you shoot him, he'll still have time to kill Miles," Sam said. He turned to Starscream.
"Look, look, maybe we can negotiate about this. What do you want?"
Starscream was so fast, Sam didn't have time to dodge. He felt cold hard metal fingers grab him and hold him tight.
"Hey!" Sam yelled as Starscream scooped him up.
"For now, you'll do. They dare not shoot in case they hit either one of you. For now, I shall retreat, and think through my options."
Holding the two humans up against his chest, Starscream leaped into the air and flew off in robot form.