Airachnid stared at her old friend with her wide, purple, optics. This was the first counterpart of her Autobot allies she had seen and just like Jack, he was someone she had witnessed fall to the Decepticons. Like Arcee and the others, Starscream too looked very different. His white and red frame was now dark gray and blue, his optics no longer blue but blood red. But the biggest difference was his face, his expression. Such an angry and hateful look that even during the lowest point of his life, and he hit a very low point just before the humans arrived, he never wore before. It looked wrong on him. It made him look like a Decepticon.
As Airachnid kept on staring, disbelief very clear, Starscream waited with his blaster armed. He was on edge and twitchy, waiting for her to do something.
"Well?!" He shouted. "Aren't you going to attack?!"
Airachnid felt a pain in her frame. She didn't know why she let herself believe that this was her Starscream.
"Star, I..." She began nervously.
"What, are you waiting for your pet Insecticon to rip me apart?" He interrupted her.
Insecticon? But all the Insecticons were gone. After assassinating their Commander, Tarantulas, Ultra Magnus had them all hunted down. Airachnid was trying to make sense of this, refusing to acknowledge the obvious answer. Starscream was growing more paranoid with her lack of action against him.
"What do you want with me?! Are you here to take me back to Megatron so you can worm your way back into his favor?!"
Hearing the name of her Commander, Airachnid was forced to realize that this was not the Starscream she knew. She looked at him with such sadness in her optics. Clearly, this made him uncomfortable.
"W-Why are you looking at me like that?"
If any part of her friend was in there, Airachnid was desperate to find it.
"Starscream, let's just go."
Starscream looked at her like she was crazy.
"Let's just...get away from all this, from the Autobots, the Decepticons, from Megatronus and Optimus. We'll find someplace safe from all of them, we'll find our own energon...No one will even miss us."
That wasn't true. Jack would worry about her and she did wish to take him with them as well. Just the three of them, that wouldn't be so bad. Starscream always liked Jack. But this Jack still had his family and his own partner. She couldn't be with him...and she couldn't be with them. Her old enemies were protecting this world better than she and her own family ever had, while their counterparts sought to destroy it. But if she could just reach one of them, living in this world would be bearable. And if it was going to be just one, why not someone she trusted as much as Starscream?
Starscream didn't lower his weapon and his expression didn't soften a bit. Nothing Airachnid had said seemed to reach him at all.
"Do I look like a fool to you? After all you've put me through, undermining my position with Lord Megatron, leaving me for the Autobots, sicking your Insecticon on me and you think I'm going to fall for...this?"
Airachnid felt a spike through her spark at the things this Starscream said about her. Clearly, he and her counterpart were not as close in this world.
"And I suppose you're going to help replace my T-Cog as well?"
Airachnid was genuinely concerned about that.
"Y-you've lost your T-Cog?"
"Yes, I've lost my T-Cog! I told you that right before your monster tried to snuff my spark! You've had it out for me ever since Breakdown dragged you back to the Nemesis. And what, I'm suppose to buy into this sad femme routine because you got a paint job and changed your alt? You're still a sparkless glitch who I wouldn't trust to..."
Starscream noticed her emblem. He became shocked, then angry, then he blasted Airachnid in the chest. She fell on her back and Starscream held her down with his pede. She looked up and saw his blaster right over her, his enraged optics behind them.
"You! You've gone turncoat!"
"Listen to me, Starscream!"
"How?! How have you gotten them to trust you?! Arcee hates you even more than she hates me!"
Starscream was bearing his teeth now. He stopped as something came to him.
"They would never trust you unless...You! You were going to hand me over to them, weren't you?! To that two-wheeler!"
"That's not what I want, Starscream."
"You were gonna use me to get in good with them, you glitch!"
Airachnid was desperate to make Starscream see her intentions, to stop the hate he was giving her. She didn't like seeing him this way. It hurt to look at. Before Starscream could blast her, Airachnid shifted her legs and knocked it away. She used them to get free of him. Starscream was knocked back and Airachnid stood up. She made sure to keep her blades and claws retracted. She didn't want to hurt him.
"Starscream, please listen to what I have to say."
Starscream lifted his arm missile.
"Drop the act, Airachnid. You're not convincing anyone."
"Star, think about your brothers."
Starscream stopped whatever he was planning to do.
"Think about Skywarp and Thundercracker."
Purely out of confusion, Starscream lowered his arm slightly.
"What? What about them?"
That question didn't sit well with Airachnid.
"How do you even know about my brothers? And What do I care about those two?"
Starsream's face twisted into a uncaring smile.
"The fondest memory I have of either of them were when they each got themselves killed back on Cybertron. I didn't care about them then, I don't give a scrap about them now."
Starscream's answer left Airachnid with a horrified look on her face which annoyed him.
"What?!"
Whatever hope Airachnid was holding on to that he could be anything like her Starscream died then and there. Now her sadness was turning into anger, anger at this impostor wearing the face of someone she cared for like a brother. Starscream loved his brothers, losing them were the two worst moments of his life. They nearly broke him until the humans became a part of the Autobots. For this Starscream to dismiss the deaths of Thundercracker and Skywarp so casually, to look like her friend as he did, it enraged her. Suddenly, all the little characteristics that her Starscream didn't have were magnified. She was so aware of his expression and off color scheme that this Starscream looked less and less like her old friend. All she wanted to do was to hurt him for taking her hope away that he was who she thought he was. With that, she shot a line of web at his arm and yanked him towards her. She met him halfway and tackled him to the ground. Now she was on top of him, fangs displayed in rage. She hissed at this impostor as she drew the blades from her spider legs.
"Since when can you do that?!" Starscream cried.
"You're not my Starscream." She said in a deep and hateful tone.
"What?!"
Airachnid brought down two blades, but Starscream caught them with his claws. He was barely able to keep them from piercing his helm.
"What's gotten into you, Airachnid?! Have you lost your mind?!"
Airachnid hissed again. The blades were getting closer and Starscream was starting to panic.
"Alright, Alright, I'll do it!"
Airachnid didn't remove her blades, but she stopped trying to push them forward.
"We'll do it your way. Let's run away together." Starscream desperately backpedaled. "It'll be fun. Just you and me, no Megatron, no Autobots, no filthy human pets. They don't care about either of us. We can just wait out this war. We'll go to the Harbringer, you help me replace my T-Cog, and we'll scout for energon together."
Airachnid wasn't convinced of this turn around, but she was hesitant.
"I-I do miss my brothers, truly I do. We never got along in life, but it pained my spark when they were both taken from me. I miss them everyday. Oh, I would trade anything to see them again."
Airachnid could sense the insincerity in him. It was obvious he was lying. So, not only is this Starscream an uncaring Decepticon but a coward too. Airachnid couldn't bring herself to spill his energon, so she got up and turned her back to him. Starscream nervously stood up and waited to see what she would do next.
"So, are we partners now?"
"Just go."
"W-what?"
She turned around and fired an energon blast at his pedes.
"LEAVE!"
Starscream didn't have to be told a third time. He ran in the opposite direction, retrieving his handheld ground bridge controls from his subspace. He opened a portal and left the femme by herself. Once she was alone, she fell to her knees and dropped on her servos. She clenched her digits into the dirt, shut her optics as tight as she could get them, and tried her hardest to envision her old friend to erase the image of the cowardly Decepticon who had just left her. But it had been so long since she last saw him alive, it was hard to remember what it was like to be around him.
Airachnid held her own arms as she stood on her knees. She was hurting all over, her spark most of all. It was like Jack not remembering her all over again, or being afraid of her. She realized that she wouldn't be able to take seeing another Autobot turned Decepticon. But if she was out on her own, she would most certainly run into them. As much she didn't want to be around them, she had no choice but to stay with the other Autobots. At least the children were there and they were still the same. Airachnid brought her servo to her helm and contacted the base.
"Who is this?"
Hearing Ratchet made Airachnid want to end the call right then and there.
"Ratchet..."
"Oh...you."
He wasn't happy to hear from her.
"I-I need a bridge."
There was a pause.
"On it's way."
That apathy she knew well from the 'Con Ratchet was mirrored by this one. It made her hesitant to step through the bridge when it opened up in front of her. She couldn't drive back to the base, though. She couldn't take going back through the road she and Jack use to take again. She just needed to be alone so she could pull herself together. She just hoped the other "Autobots" would leave her be. She walked through the ground bridge in such low spirits. Before she did, she cast one more look at the area where she remembered the Ark was hidden. She missed her home, she missed her team, she missed her family, now more than ever.
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Airachnid entered the main hall where all the Autobots and children were hanging out. She payed none of them any mind, not even Jack. She didn't say a word as she walked right past them in a rush and went down the corridor. Her whole demeanor seemed distressed and some of them found themselves worried about her, especially Jack.
"Is she okay?" Raf asked.
"Who cares?" Miko replied.
Jack got up from where he was sitting and walked down the steps to ground level.
"Jack?" Arcee called.
He looked up at her, noticeably worried.
"Just give me second, Arcee."
With that, he went down the corridor where Airachnid had just gone.
"You're just gonna let'em go by himself?" Smokescreen asked.
"Jack knows what he's doing." Arcee answered, though it was clear that she was unsure herself.
Jack walked down the hall and looked into the room where Airachnid the Decepticon was kept, but Autobot Airachnid was not there. He walked down a few more rooms where the Iacon Relics were stored, but still no sign of Airachnid. Finally, he came to an open room with no relic, but a very distressed Autobot femme sitting against the wall. She had her knees pulled to her chassis and her helm buried away. She either didn't notice or acknowledge Jack getting closer. She was really upset about something, that much Jack knew.
"Airachnid?"
Airachnid lifted her helm and was surprised to see Jack standing below her, once again looking worried.
"Tell me what's wrong."
Without thinking, she reached down and grabbed him off the ground. She brought him to her spark chamber and held him close. He wasn't her Jack, but she needed him all the same. Jack looked up and saw that her optics were shut very tightly, as if she was holding back tears.
"Airachnid?"
"Please, Jack...please let me have this." She said so weakly.
She had no tears, but she was crying. Her voice sounded strained and hurt. Jack wanted to ask what happened to her, but he decided not to. He rested his head on her spark chamber and allowed her to hold him for a little while longer. Time went by and it didn't seem like she was ready to let him go. Jack would've been okay with that, but he had to go home soon.
"Airachnid?"
"Hm?"
"I need to go pretty soon."
Airachnid opened her optics in realization...and disappointment.
"Oh...I'm sorry, I forgot."
"It's okay."
Airachnid reluctantly let Jack down.
"I'll be back tomorrow."
Airachnid looked at Jack longingly. It was so strange to see her so attached to him like this.
"Promise?"
Very strange.
"I promise."
He smiled at her. She smiled back, still saddened. He began walking out of the room when she said something he thought he'd never hear from Airachnid.
"I love you, Jack."
Jack stopped dead in his tracks by what he had just heard. He didn't know how to respond to that. Airachnid knew that saying something like that would make him feel awkward, but she felt the need to say it. She had never told her Jack that she loved him, even though she was sure that he knew. She regretted never doing so before he died. She wanted this Jack to know that even though he was different, she still cared that much, that he was important to her. Jack didn't say anything as he kept on walking. Airachnid wasn't hurt by that. It was an awkward situation for him after all. She was grateful for him being there, for letting her hold him. She needed that. At least she had Jack, he was the only reason she was willing to stay.
Airachnid heard a voice outside of the storage room. She listened closely and was surprised to learn that it was Jack's voice. Why hadn't he left yet?
"Hey, Mom. It's Jack."
He was talking to his mother. Thinking about June brought a smile to Airachnid's face, though she had to try not to think about what her counterpart had put her through.
"Listen, is it okay if I stay with the Autobots tonight?...No reason, it's just there's no school tomorrow and...No, it's just me. Miko and Raf might ask but...Okay, okay, I'll tell you."
Airachnid felt bad about eavesdropping, but she wanted to know why Jack would ask his mother to stay at the base.
"Another Autobot arrived yesterday and she's having a really hard time getting adjusted. I just thought I could help make things easier for her. She seems to like me a lot...No, she's actually really nice...Really? Okay, I will. Thanks, Mom. I love you, too. Bye."
Airachnid felt her spark warming up. Jack was going to stay the night for her? He was still too kind for his own good. Jack sent Miko a quick text asking her to let Arcee know that he wasn't going home tonight. He knew Optimus would understand why he was staying. He walked back in and saw Airachnid looking a little better. He took a seat next to her but didn't say anything at first. After telling him she loved him, Jack felt a little weird around her. For Airachnid, it just felt good to have him close by.
"Airachnid?"
"Yes?"
"Tell me about your Jack."
She smiled at the question, thinking of memories she and her Jack shared in their world.
"What is there to tell? He's just like you, kind, responsible, brave, cute."
She looked down just to see if he was turning red. He was.
"Awkward as ever." She said with a giggle.
Jack got over his awkwardness and thought about their first meeting the day before.
"When we first met, you mentioned something about me having a scar."
That memory was bittersweet for Airachnid. It was when she first met Jack, but under very unfortunate circumstances. Jack was sure to be disturbed by the whole story.
"And what about today? Why were you so upset when you came back?"
Whenever Jack worried about her, Airachnid couldn't hide anything from him. His ability to pick up on another's distress was frightening. But that was Jack, always caring about others.
"Alright, Jack. I'll tell you."
Jack got comfortable and listened to Airachnid talk about the past. She was comfortable for right now, with just the two of them. At least for tonight, she could pretend that things were as they used to be.
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Back at the main hall, Bulkhead and Bumblebee were getting ready to take Miko and Rafael home. Optimus had already entered the hall and noticed that Jack was not present.
"Aren't you going to take Jackson home, Arcee?"
"Jack decided to spend the night all of a sudden."
"Did he?"
Miko was the first to voice her disapproval.
"Yeah and he's been spending it all with that Airachnid clone and Ratchet won't let me or Raf stay too."
"You two had a sleepover last week already." Ratchet replied. "Whatever reason Jack decided to stay, I'll let Optimus decide if he can."
"Is something wrong with Airachnid that Jack is spending so much time with her?" Optimus asked.
Arcee didn't have an answer, but Optimus saw that she was uncomfortable with Jack being alone with Airachnid. Jack entered the area and saw all optics on him. Miko and Bulkhead had no problem letting Jack know of their disapproval.
"So, how's your new girlfriend?" Miko asked childishly.
"Cut it out, Miko." He replied.
"What are you doin', Jack? That's Airachnid back there, the 'Con that's been after your head since she landed on this planet." Bulkhead asked.
"You guys need to lay off Airachnid." Jack answered.
"Why? She ain't one of us." Bulkhead answered back.
"She's not a Decepticon either and you guys are treating her like she is."
"Hey, if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it's probably a duck." Miko said.
"How do you think Arcee feels about you gettin' all chummy with her?" Bulkhead asked.
Jack looked at Arcee who tried to hide her agreement.
"Arcee...really?"
Arcee sighed. She didn't completely agree with Bulkhead and Miko, but she was feeling a bit apprehensive about Jack being alone with her for so long.
"What did you two talk about? Can you at least tell me that?"
Jack wasn't sure if he should tell them out of respect for Airachnid. But maybe hearing what she had been through today might soften them up to her.
"She ran into Starscream today."
Only Optimus seemed concerned about this.
"And?" Smokescreen asked.
"She and Starscream are really good friends in her world."
"That figures." Bulkhead responded.
"This is what I'm talking about. You guys don't get it. Her Starscream is a good guy, her best friend and meeting the one we know, it hurt her."
"Good, maybe now she understands why we hate 'Cons like her." Bulkhead answered again.
"But she's not a 'Con. What part of that don't you understand?"
"Hey, Jack? Try and make friends with a guy that looks like that jerk Vince and then preach to us all you want."
Bulkhead was being ridiculously stubborn about the whole thing.
"Okay, I get it. She looks like one of the worst Decepticons you guys have ever come across. But did you ever think how hard it is for her? I mean, you're all 'Cons where she comes from."
"If she has a problem with us then she is free to leave." Ratchet finally joined in. "Optimus told her so this morning. No one is forcing her to stay."
Optimus gave a displeased look to Ratchet, unhappy with his old friend's response. He wasn't happy with any of his Autobots at the moment.
"But she's got nowhere to go and she's afraid of running into more Decepticons that are her friends in her world."
"Sounds like a personal problem to me." Smokescreen replied.
Jack was getting nowhere so he decided to cut deep. He walked over to one of the crates and took on seat on top of it.
"Look...Airachnid was telling me about how we first met in her world. She said that she saved me and Raf from a Decepticon attack in the same place where Arcee and Bumblebee first showed us what they are. But...when she found me, I had already been hurt."
Arcee looked up at where Jack was, slight shock in her optics.
"One of them had slashed me across the chest and was about to finish me off. She and Soundwave saved us and got us to the Ark before I bled to death. She saved my life."
Arcee was by Jack, feeling the need to be close to him. She tried to imagine what she was hearing, the Decepticon femme that tried to kill him rescuing him from another Decepticon.
"I was left with a scar on my chest which was how she knew I wasn't her Jack...The thing is...it was Arcee who almost killed me."
Arcee felt a pain in her spark and every optic/eye was on her. Was that how it was in Airachnid's world, where she was Jack's protector and Arcee his tormentor? She looked down at Jack, placing her servo on his shoulder.
"Jack, I would never..."
"I know, Arcee. You're my partner, I know you'd never hurt me." He said as he held one of her digits. "But Arcee the Decepticon would."
The felt so strange to hear, Arcee a Decepticon.
"And it's not just me. Bulkhead, she said that you're always trying to crush Miko to get to Breakdown."
Bulkhead and Miko looked at Jack in disbelief.
"And Raf was nearly killed by Optimus, almost the same way Megatron had tried. He'd shot Soundwave down with dark energon while Raf was in the cockpit."
Optimus looked at Rafael and Bumblebee, the latter holding his charge closer to him.
"Now do you see? You guys know Airachnid as the Decepticon but she knows you all the same way. Me, Miko, and Raf are still part of the team, but imagine what it's like to see us all so close to the ones who've tried to kill us plenty of times before."
Jack was starting to get through to them, he could tell.
"But...But we're not Decepticons, Jack." Bulkhead spoke.
Optimus finally stepped forward to speak.
"Neither is Airachnid and perhaps we should cease treating her as one."
"Optimus is right. Airachnid is scared and alone and has no idea how to get home. The people she trusts the most are trying to kill her and Miko and Raf trust her worst enemies more than her. This is what she's dealing with and has no place she can feel safe. No matter who she looks like, she's still an Autobot. So until we can send her back to her own dimension, can we at least not treat her like she's the enemy? She's not the bad guy. She wants to protect the Earth as much as you do."
His point had been made. All the Autobots looked at each other, unsure of how to feel. Bulkhead transformed and left the base with Miko, Bumblebee with Raf. Smokescreen and Ratchet had gone back to their quarters. They all had a lot to think about. Arcee looked down at Jack, still with her servo on his shoulder. She knew the fear of losing him well and it seemed that this Airachnid did too. Jack was still thinking about what Airachnid had said to him and wondered if Arcee felt the same way. He had a feeling she did, even if she wouldn't say it out loud.
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Airachnid was still in the storage room. She figured Jackson had gone to sleep already. Optimus had entered the room with a cube of energon. He walked over and offered it her.
"Thank you."
"I heard about what happened today."
"Jack told you, didn't he?"
"Yes, in an effort to help the others better understand your situation."
"Some things never change. He's always trying help others."
"It is why I consider him a Prime in his own right...I am sorry for what you have endured with Starscream."
Airachnid finished taking a sip of her energon.
"Me too." She said somberly.
"I understand that it is difficult for you to be around us, Decepticons in your own world. I believe that my Autobots at least sympathize with what you are going through. I also believe that in time, they will be able to accept your stay here."
"I-I know it's not easy for you guys either, especially Arcee. I'm just trying to stay out of everyone's way."
"You are no burden. I can only speak for myself, but I welcome you here as an Autobot and ally."
Airachnid was grateful to Optimus.
"You know, you're the only one I'm able separate from the 'Cons in my world."
"I have already learned of something quite disturbing of my counterpart. I have no desire to learn anymore...However, perhaps when you feel more comfortable, I would like to know more about Megatronus and if he is like the old comrade that I remember."
"Of course, Optimus. I would love to tell you about him."
"Another story for another time."
"Airachnid?"
Said femme turned to see Jackson, now wearing pajama pants and a t-shirt, standing by the doorway.
"I will leave you two alone." Optimus said as he left the room.
"I'd thought you'd be in bed by now, Jack."
"I just wanted to see if you were okay before I went to sleep."
"I'm fine, Jackson. Thank you."
"So...are you gonna stay?"
Airachnid looked at Jack deeply. She had already changed her mind about leaving.
"Jack, I know I can't be your partner...But...we are friends, aren't we?"
Jack looked at her in surprise.
"Of course we are, Airachnid. I wouldn't be here if we weren't."
Her expression brightened.
"Then I have a reason to stay."
"I'm glad." Jack replied with a smile.
"Thank you for today, Jack. I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."
"It's fine, Airachnid. I was worried about you. If it helped in anyway, I'm happy to do it. But there is a way you can thank me."
"Alright, what is it?"
"Sleep in a berth tonight? I don't want you to sleep on the floor again. Do that and we're even, deal?"
Not a selfish bone in his body.
"Deal."
"Goodnight, Airi."
Jack was about to leave until Airachnid's expression suddenly changed. He thought he had said the wrong thing. Airi was a nickname given to Airachnid by her own Jack. Hearing him call her that brought back many memories that made her sad, yet warmed her spark at the same time. The femme stood up and walked over to Jack. She knelt down and pulled him closer to her. She touched both of his shoulders, leaned forward, and kissed him on the forehead. Again, Jack was stunned by her affections.
"Goodnight, Jackson."
Jack was blushing big time, but he managed to smile back at her and left for the main hall where the couch was. Airachnid made her way to one of the empty rooms with an unused berth. As she laid down, she thought of her old family. She could never replace them, even the Jack she remembered with this new one she had met. But she felt okay right now. She missed her family and would give anything to have them back. Just yesterday, she was seeking her own death. But today, she wanted to live. She was going to have to get used to these Autobots and she would also have to face the Decepticons which would be as difficult as facing Starscream was today, but as long as she had Jack, she could find the strength to get through it. He may not be her partner, but she was going to protect him from anything. She would not lose him a second time. She swore to Primus that she would fight to hold on to him. Even against this world's Megatronus, she would fight.
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The next morning was a lot easier on Airachnid than the previous. Jack had come in to check on her once again, something she welcomed greatly. He and Arcee had gone out for a morning ride. She wondered if Arcee would let the two of them spend time together every once in a while. She herself had planned to go for a drive, but that meant seeing everyone else.
The atmosphere in the main hall was still very awkward with her around. It was much less hostile, but still uncomfortable. Airachnid was a bit worried about running into another Decepticon, but Jack assured her that they were rare sightings in Jasper before he left. Miko and Raf were already at the base, both trying to cope with her presence.
"Dr. Ratchet, I'm going for a ride."
"Hm...very well...Um...call if you need help."
His concern was forced but Airachnid appreciated the effort. She looked over to the children's area where Miko was making an effort to ignore her. Raf was waiting by the rails and caught a glimpse of Airachnid looking at him. He tensed up at the sight of her, which almost made her look away. Instead, she smiled and lightly waved at him with her digits. Raf nervously smiled back and did the same, which got him a much more genuine smile from Airachnid.
'Still so cute.' She thought to herself.
She took her alt form and left the base for her ride.
A few hours later, she contacted the base.
"Ratchet, I need a bridge now."
"What's going on?" He responded.
"I've got Vehicons on my tail. I need an escape."
"Just a moment."
Ratchet activated the ground bridge and Airachnid came speeding through. She screeched to a halt by Optimus' pedes, but did not transform back. The bridge closed and everyone gathered around the area.
"Are you unharmed, Airachnid?" Optimus asked.
"I'm fine, Optimus. Thank you."
Optimus was about to ask another question, but he was interrupted by the sounds of someone inside of Airachnid's driver seat.
"Airachnid, why do have a human in your vehicle?"
"I can explain, Optimus."
"You've brought another human to our base and exposed us to him?!" Ratchet yelled.
"Not him, her."
"Why did you get another human involved with us?!" He replied.
Jack stepped over to the railing.
"Airi, what's going on?"
"Jack, please don't be mad."
The door opened and Jack saw a familiar redhead fall out.
"Sierra?"
Sierra heard Jack's voice and stood up to see the Autobots.
"Jack?" She asked nervously.
Airachnid transformed which caused Sierra to yelp in fear and run up the stairs. She ran behind Jack, clinging to him for comfort.
"Jack, what the hell is going on?"
Every Autobot turned to Airachnid who shrank beneath their gazes. Optimus stood before her, intimidating as when she first arrived at the base.
"Airachnid, what happened?"
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Well, I'm back...for the moment.
I wish I could say that I'm off hiatus, but this is gonna be a one time thing for a while. As I'm writing this, my cousin came over with her mobile hot spot and I was able to upload this story along with another chapter of Old Nightmare. Still don't have my own internet so I can't update regularly. Just be patient, I'll get my internet sooner or later.
Been adjusting well to Florida, having only mosquitoes and the heat to really deal with. I've been writing since I've been here so I'll have a few stories to upload when my internet is up.
So, Airachnid confronts Starscream in this chapter and she sees him for the coward that he is. This happened after Starscream lost his T-Cog to M.E.C.H. and he found the protoforms in the Harbringer. We got a little more insight to Autobot Starscream and we learn how close he was to Airachnid. I borrowed a few ideas from Ardent Aspen's SG story "Suddenly", particularly Starscream being distraught after losing Skywarp and Thundercracker. If you want a good twist on the Shattered Glass universe, I would recommend reading it. Airachnid is not too happy with the cowardly Starscream.
I really do like the moment with Jack and "Airi". I want you to know that Airachnid's love for Jack is completely platonic. Someday, I'll write a story that pairs him with either Airachnid or Arcee or both, but here, it's pure sisterly love. Jack seems to have gotten through to some of the thicker skulls of the Autobots and we learn of who it was that scarred SG Jack. Airachnid is still not completely comfortable with the Autobots and their not comfortable with her yet either, but progress is being made.
So why did Airachnid arrive at the base with Sierra of all people? We're gonna have to explore that further next chapter, which may not be for a while. Still, keep on truckin' and I will be back. Peace out homies.