Chapter 12

An hour had passed. Sari had been taken away by Ratchet to have her arm re-set, after which Prime had authorised her return to her Cybertronian shell. Alexis was sitting on the edge of the bar looking pensieve. Starscream and she had exchanged information from their respective encounters, Thundercracker had logged everything, and the stolen datapad had been sent away for analysis. A few more of Starscream's council had been summoned to the bar, talking in low voices and passing datapads back and forth.

Alexis bit her lips, staring into space. Her heart had been thumping unpleasantly ever since the revelation concerning the bracelets, and she felt on edge. Her feeling of triumph, after questioning Brendan, was beginning to ebb away. She was still no closer to figuring out how she was going to stop this abduction plan from going ahead. Somehow she felt the technical know-how would be within the grip of someone like Starscream, yet he had hardly lingered on the app plot for a moment, preferring to tell her all about how some humans on Earth were interested in her.

She took another sip of wine, shuffling on the edge of the bar. So what if some weirdo on Earth had a file on her? She'd learnt to stay away from various corners of the internet - Brendan had been a reminder that there had been conspiracy theories and articles on her going years back. Nowadays she didn't let it disturb her.

She looked up at the ruler of the Decepticons, watching him through thoughtful eyes. Her companion. Her lover. Her protector. Right now, as far as she was concerned, he had been concentrating too much on the latter. A tendency she repeatedly found frustrating to say the least. She cleared her throat, hoping if she could re-start the conversation on something he thought important, then she could steer it round to her own aims. Starscream looked down as she got his attention.

She lifted her glass of wine again, taking a sip. 'So, the guy Brendan told me about. That must be Silas.'

Starscream nodded. 'And he's taking a special interest in you, according to the femme I met earlier.' Starscream narrowed his optics as he reflected on that conversation. 'I suspect he wants to find out about your abilities. Humans, so predictable.'

She waved away his words. 'Whatever, I mean it was bound to come out sooner or later. I was naive to assume I could keep it secret. It's not the most pressing issue we face.'

He looked down. 'I disagree.'

'We can investigate that when we've found a way to stop this plan to abduct humans,' she said.

She looked up. Starscream had turned away, and was talking to Dirge about the latest Lithonian reports. She scowled. When he had finished, she raised her eyebrows. 'Hey. Did you hear me?'

He looked down again. 'I heard you. But you recall what I said earlier. You are not to go back to Earth.'

Fuck. She sighed. 'Come on Starscream. You're not really going to stop me from going back.'

He regarded her somewhat cooly. 'Oh?'

She shook her head. 'You can't.'

He paused for a moment, answering her slowly. 'I think you'll find I can. And I absolutely will. There is to be no more discussion.'

She felt the heat rise in her cheeks. 'Don't try your whole tyrant rhetoric with me.'

He pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. 'Well, you're not leaving me with much choice. If you don't like being told what to do then stop trying to defy me.'

'There are human lives at stake!'

Dirge was back with another datapad. His optics wandered between the two of them as they glared at each other. 'Uh… I've just been sent another energon output list from the lower pits, my Lord.'

'Thank you,' said Starscream, taking it from him. 'I'll be glad of the distraction. It will save me having to listen to more nonsense.'

Alexis' face flushed. 'Oh, fuck you,' she snarled, her voice echoing harshly in the vast space. Immediately all talk ceased. A deathly, tense silence descended.

The air became very still as the chatter died away, all optics suddenly drawn to the young woman on the edge of the bar. Skywarp very slowly put down his energon cube. Everyone watched as the huge jet and the human woman locked gazes.

After an agonising pause, Thundercracker signalled to Skywarp and the other assembled Cons, who started trying to leave as quietly as was possible, edging towards the door. If Alexis hadn't been feeling so horrendously pissed off she would have found the sight funny.

'Alexis.' Starscream spoke very quietly as she turned on her heel, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. 'Surely you can't argue with the logic of my decision.'

She sensed him bending down, his face behind her. 'Look at me, my one.'

Alexis shook her head. 'How can I look someone in the eye who doesn't care about me?'

There was a long silence.

'How can you even say that,' he said, quietly. 'What can I do to prove what you mean to me, besides what I have already done?'

She let out a short laugh, looking down at her hands. 'You really don't get it, do you. You've always been an idiot, Starscream. You've really surpassed yourself today.'

He straightened up. 'You're upset. And I understand.'

'Oh, do you?' She whipped round then, glaring at him. 'How exactly do you understand, Starscream? The last time you had someone denying you access to your home, you annihilated them!'

He scowled at her, his shadow moving across her as he slowly paced back and forth before her. 'That was very different. Anyway…' he paused, glancing down. '...what's stopping you? You have the capabilities, Alexis. If you wish to fight me in that way. Go on.'

She glared up at him. 'How fucking dare you. Are you trying to goad me? Me? Would that make everything easier for you, Starscream, hm? If I were to change my form, to be able to fight you on your terms? Would you feel better about forcing me to remain here? You know what, why don't you just throw me in a cell? It's basically the same!'

'Don't be ridiculous,' he snarled. 'I am PROTECTING you!'

'You are IMPRISONING ME!' she bellowed back. 'I have come back here on your command, I have obeyed you on your every whim lately, and you reward my compliance with... what? I have to sit here on Cybertron doing nothing! The more I try to be this... obedient little... thing you seem to want me to be, the tighter your grip becomes, regardless of my shape! You are suffocating me!'

Outside the bar, Thundercracker waited, placing his head as close as he dared to the entrance. Behind him crouched Skywarp, Dirge, and the other members of the council.

'What did she say?' whispered Skwarp. Thundercracker gestured urgently with his hand, straining to hear. 'Shh. She's pissed, I mean really pissed. Keep quiet, I'm trying to listen…'

'He won't stand for it,' muttered Dirge, shaking his head. A chorus of mutterings broke out behind him.

'She's playing with fire…'

'Yeah, she's gone too far, even for her…'

Thundercracker gestured furiously again, and they all fell silent.

'Shut up! I'm trying to listen!'

'Suffocating you? By ensuring your welfare? When will you learn...' Starscream growled, '...that I only restrict you in this way to keep you safe?'

'Well, I don't want to be safe, I want to help. And you're not letting me.' She was looking away from him now, inspecting her nails, as if he were of no consequence. She knew this needled him, and he gritted his teeth and balled his fists, almost trembling from the effort of keeping his temper. As he stepped closer towards her, his shadow swamping her, he pinched his mouth in a scowl. 'You will lose this, if you want to make it a fight, Alexis!'

She turned then, looking up at him. The expression on her face had changed to one of woe and unhappiness, and his spark sank. Oh Primus, don't look at me like that…

'Starscream… If I changed shape, tried to go to Earth, right now, if I defied you… what would you do?'

'I'd stop you,' he said quietly, without hesitating. She shook her head, beside herself with frustration, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

'And if I fought?'

'I would still stop you,' he growled. 'Don't let it come to that. I cannot have you walking into danger. You need someone… me… to make you see what a mistake that would be.'

Alexis yelled out, and actually stamped her foot, part of her aware of how petulant she must look, and this made her even angrier. 'How can you be so cruel to me? You won't let me help! The threat on my planet is still there!'

Starscream's temper finally simmered over the edge. He threw his arm out. 'SO WHAT?' he roared. The words were out before he could stop them - even as he uttered them he knew the effect they would have on her, but he spat each one out regardless, a dark, sadistic part of him drinking in the look on her face as he stomped closer to her. 'I don't care about your planet or its inhabitants!'

All the anger left her face and she hung her head. He knew he should stop, he even knew the words weren't right, they weren't true, but he continued as she appeared to shrink before him. 'I will do anything in my power to keep you safe, even if you despise me for it. I'm sick and tired of you constantly running after your pathetic species.'

He stood up to his full height, waiting for the screaming retort… but it didn't come. She was silent. He glared down at her… but eventually looked away, inwardly cursing himself. He had gone too far. He knew it, yet his enormous pride overwhelmed the apology on his lips. He turned, striding the length of the bar… before yelling out and slamming his fist into a pillar, sending pieces of rock tumbling to the floor.

He sighed, resting his forehead against the stone and squeezing his optics shut. After a long moment he turned, forcing himself to approach her. She hadn't moved, her hands clasped under her chin, as if deep in thought. He tried to speak to her, but words failed him. She looked up, her voice now quiet and calm.

'If you insist on possessing me so completely, Starscream, then so be it.'

'Alexis…'

'But to do that properly, you need to own everything that makes me. My Dad, my home on Earth, the lives of my friends. The landscape I grew up in. The beach I played on as a child. My planet. My species. It matters to me, and if I matter to you, then you take on all of me. Otherwise…' She balled her fists, getting to her feet and lifting her chin to meet his gaze, her voice leaden with fury. '...You can Fuck. Off.'

He stood, frozen, his optics glowing down at her. She made a sudden movement, rotating her hips and letting herself slide off the bar. As she began to fall, she changed. He watched as her human form slipped away, her long limbs and wings unfolding and gleaming in the light. In a matter of moments she stood before him in her femme form, her head tilted up to meet his gaze, amber optics shining brightly.

They stood facing one another in silence. His hand twitched and lifted slightly as if to cup her elbow… but she took a step back.

He shook his head. 'Alexis, listen…'

'It's OK,' she said calmly. 'I'm going to ignore what you said. Because I don't believe you really mean it.'

She walked past him, pausing in the doorway as she looked back. 'You owe me an apology, my Lord. But I don't want it now, I'll have it later. When I feel like accepting it.'

She held up her chin, her steps slow and dignified as she exited the bar.

She strode into the street, to be met with the sight of the high council suddenly taking a huge interest in the road or the wall in front of them, scuffing their feet and doing everything to look as though they just happened to be loitering outside the bar for no reason. Rolling her optics, she transformed, shooting into the sky.

She blocked her com-link, running a scan on the bridge logs and internally growling in frustration. Starscream had issued an edict halting all space bridge travel without special authorisation. She flew faster, the city lights beneath turning into a blur.

The council retreated to a safe distance, watching the door. There was silence.

Someone nudged Thundercracker, and he turned to look into the face of Blackout, who nodded to the dark entrance pointedly.

'Well.'

He stared. 'Well what?'

'You're the second in command, and his brother. You should be the one to-'

Suddenly a BOOM split the air and they all flinched. Smoke billowed from the doorway. There was an enraged bellow from within, followed by a huge, splintering smash. Skywarp winced. 'There goes the fancy mirror.'

More crashes and bangs. The council stood as still as statues.

'Shipped that all the way from Lithone. I got it out of their throne room.'

Another cloud of smoke billowed out. A few chairs tumbled down the steps, breaking into pieces.

'Had lights installed all around it and everything…'

'Skywarp, will you shut up about that fragging mirror,' growled Thundercracker. 'You and I will go in and talk to him.'

Skywarp stared. 'Me?' he laughed, clapping his brother on the shoulder. 'Hilarious! No, no, no. You're on your own for this one - HEY!'

Thundercracker hustled the protesting wingbrother towards the entrance of the bar, ascending the steps. 'Starscream?'

There was silence.

'He doesn't want to talk,' said Skywarp, turning on his heel. 'I'll just go and…'

Thundercracker's hand landed on his brother's cockpit, shoving him over the threshold.

The air was thick with smoke, the bar trashed. The two jets peered through the wreckage.

'Starscream. Talk to us.'

After a tense moment Starscream's voice hissed through the gloom. 'Leave me.'

'Sorry brother,' said Thundercracker calmly. 'Not gonna happen.'

His voice returned as a spark-freezing whisper. 'Leave me, or I shoot you.'

Thundercracker's feet crunched over debris. He anticipated the ray before the whining sound even reached his audios, and dodged it deftly. 'Look, you're right, and she'll come to see that.'

There was another sound, and Thundercracker halted as he heard the change in pitch - the Requiem Blaster on Starscream's arm was beginning to hum. He stepped closer. 'You're not gonna shoot me, Screamer.'

Silence. His infrared guided him through the smoke, and he slowly sat down, next to the seated shape, the silhouette and the glowering optics the only visible features.

Skywarp approached, gingerly placing two cubes of energon in front of them. 'I'll just… I'll… I'll go and clean up.'

He retreated, and Thundercracker waited.

AN: A shortie, and I'll explain in short sentences. Life: manic. This chapter: hell to write, might be shit. You lot: feedback appreciated. Love you all, more to follow.