Chapter 29

Soundwave strode into the fortress, scattering mechs to the left and right of him, his face, as ever, impassive, his optics narrowed. His long legs covered the relatively short distance to the med bay, the doors opening for him before he had even reached the threshold. The Head of Communications and Surveillance did not need to concern himself with door controls.

Knockout was bent over his workbench when the tall blue mech entered. He opened his mouth… but Soundwave snapped his fingers and he closed it again hurriedly. He drew closer to the central berth as Soundwave produced a tiny, limp figure, laying it down in the centre of the gleaming metal surface. Knockout's optics widened.

He recognised the little human - it was the same body he had transferred Frenzy into. As he stared, he saw red fluid leaking onto the shiny metal surface. The human form of Frenzy was deathly pale, hunched on his side in obvious agony, shivering violently. His eyes were unfocused, fluttering open and closed.

'Ooh. That doesn't look good,' said Knockout, wincing. He looked up into the stare of Soundwave. 'Right, yes. Not exactly helpful,' he added hastily. 'Uh, I'm not really familiar with these organic-based bodies…'

As if on cue, the doors to the med bay opened once more, and Knockout frowned as a burly red and white mech with an Autobot insignia entered, looking confused and more than slightly annoyed. 'Can someone explain to me why and how my com was hacked, and why I've been summoned here?'

There was no need for an explanation as he spotted Frenzy. He looked up into Soundwave's face. 'Ah. One of yours? Frenzy, isn't it?'

Soundwave merely looked at him. Ratchet sighed. 'Fine, I'll help. I won't turn away from a human in distress, even a Decepticon human.'

He clicked his fingers at Knockout, staring at Frenzy's prone form. 'He's in trouble, we need to act fast. A good thing I brought all of my kit with me. We'll need gauze, hot water, surgical tools. First priority is to halt bleeding, immediately. You'll need to follow every instruction, understand? When he's stabilised we can begin the process to put him back into his Cybertronian shell. I'll begin treating him, you prepare for the transfer.'

As Knockout began scrambling to assemble the necessary equipment Soundwave turned, and stalked out of the bay. He made his way, in silence, down into the bowels of the fortress, past the service drones pushing empty carts and cages towards the doors that led to the cargo landing decks - preparing for the Portent II's re-entry. The lower ranks stopped and saluted him, but he paid them no attention, finally turning into a disused storage chamber.

He shut the huge door, and pressed on an area of his chest armour, releasing the front panel.

Rumble nimbly sprang from the compartment, unfolding as he fell, landing lightly on two feet and facing his master. Some of his wounds had been partly repaired in Soundwave's chest cavity, but his body still bore the signs of damage he had been through on Earth. He looked up as Soundwave thundered towards him, his optics large with anxiety.

'Is Frenzy going to be…'

He was cut off as Soundwave's foot slammed into his body, sending him flying across the chamber. He smashed into the far wall, sliding down it with a grunt of pain. Soundwave stood still, fists clenched as the diminutive casseticon struggled to his feet. 'So… on the plus side… ow… finally you're paying some attention to me…'

He trailed off as Soundwave stalked towards him, engulfing him in his long shadow. Rumble's usual disdainful bravado suddenly deserted him, and he shrank back as Soundwave towered over him. 'I… know I've done wrong… and I'll face that, but you've seen into my mind, you know my true intentions! I just wanted to run away, but now…'

Soundwave plucked him from the floor, dangling him between two fingers. Through his fear, Rumble found his voice, shaking both with fear and anger. 'You… you forgot about me! You don't care, no one cares! It took me running away and Frenzy almost DYING for you to even notice I was gone!'

Soundwave stood still and silent. Rumble's optic twitched - his master had gained full access to his processor. He went slack as their thoughts intertwined. Rumble didn't fight it - not that he could ever stop Soundwave from entering his head. He allowed him to see every disgruntled thought, every resentful emotion. After a long moment, he felt the internal tension unwind as Soundwave's presence withdrew, and Rumble looked up. 'Well?'

Soundwave regarded him through narrowed optics, the silence stretching out.

'W...What are you gonna do with me?'

Soundwave tilted his head, as if pondering the question.

'Are you gonna tell Starscream?'

Finally his master spoke. 'Affirmative.'

'Of course you are.' Rumble sighed, hanging his head. 'For what it's worth. I'm sorry. For everything. It probably won't make any difference, but I'll say it anyway.' He looked up once more, beseechingly. 'Master. Make sure Starscream knows that none of it was Frenzy's fault. Please.'

Soundwave made no reply. Rumble watched… and writhed as his huge fingers descended, heading for a section of panelling on the side of his head. Only Soundwave had access. His optics grew wide. 'No, no! Wait!'

As the fingertip touched his head, Rumble's optics offlined, and he went slack, his head hanging. Soundwave tilted his palm, allowing the casseticon's limp form to curl into his hand. He watched as the small mech smoothly transformed into his cassette form. The chest cavity opened, and he was stowed carefully inside, Soundwave already striding out into the hallway.

Cybertron had come into view through the huge curved glass that spanned the bridge. Jon gazed out at it, even with his usual mild demeanour, he was visibly awed at the sight of the colossal, glittering planet. 'I… imagined what it might look like,' he muttered. 'But it's even more incredible than I ever… thought…'

Starscream lounged back, holding a full energon cube, regarding the older man's wonderous expression with proprietary satisfaction. Jon blinked, turning back towards the Decepticon leader. His gaze moved upwards, unafraid, over the gleaming cockpit and turbofans, past the soaring wings, numerous weapons, up further still to the shrewd, calculating face, the narrowed optics watching him. Jon took a deep sip from the tumbler of whisky that had been brought for him. He frowned. 'Talisker. It ought to taste of nothing in space, and yet…'

Starscream's mouth curled in amusement at his surprised expression. 'You are on a Cybertronian craft, not an aeroplane. And you schooled your daughter well. She's accustomed to quality.'

Jon smiled briefly… then his expression became serious. He looked up.

'You didn't come here to discuss human liquor with me,' said Starscream.

'No,' said Jon, meeting his stare. 'Did you…'

He broke off, staring into his whisky.

'Did I what?' asked Starscream quietly.

'Did you… make her into… one of you? Is what I saw real?'

The two of them watched one another, each of them refusing to break eye contact. Starscream leaned forward. 'You tell me what you saw and I'll tell you if it's real.'

'Someone came into the room where I was being held,' said Jon quietly. 'That terrible man who organised my kidnap. I think he was there a lot… but my memories are hazy. He showed me a video… of my daughter, in a large hall. She… she changed.'

Jon stared out of the window. 'She changed and she grew… into something that looked a bit like you. The man… Black, his name was, he was laughing, he called her a freak. "Now you know about what sort of monster she is…" is what he said. I think they were angry because I wasn't talking to them. His idea of revenge. They held my head up, made me look.'

Starscream's head tilted slightly as he digested this information. He nudged the tiny whisky bottle on the worktop forward with the tip of his finger. Jon reached for it, his slightly shaking hand pouring himself another measure.

Starscream was the first to open his mouth. 'Look, Jon…'

'I'm not a good father.'

Starscream's statement died on his lips. He sat back, his brow creased, swirling the energon in its cube.

'I'm not a good father,' repeated Jon. His shoulders sagged, and he looked down at his lap.

Dirge's voice sounded over the com link. 'Starscream, preparing for re-entry. Soundwave is submitting his report, and Skywarp seeks an audience.'

'Not now,' he returned silently via his processor. He drummed his fingers on the table, watching the older human, suddenly looking even smaller than a few moments ago, hunched in the chair with his beaten face. Starscream could not profess to know much about Alexis' father. They had met on a couple of occasions, but Starscream had barely given his existence a second thought. He knew Alexis thought the world of him, though they rarely seemed to see each other. As if reading his thoughts, Jon looked up, speaking again.

'She… she's always been independent. Since she was small. And… I raised her as well as I could by myself, and she was loved. But… I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a relief, to find that she'd grown into a woman who could handle herself.'

One of Starscream's gifts was remaining silent at opportune moments. It was, he found, the best way to tease information out of one's opponent. Jon continued speaking, seemingly to himself as well as Starscream.

'I send her money every birthday. Text her every now and then. We're both as bad as each other at keeping in touch.'

Jon shrugged hopelessly. 'I think part of me has always known. I've certainly known, since you defeated Megatron and left Earth, that she's been… drawn to you. That's true, isn't it?'

He looked up. 'Well?'

'Well what?' drawled Starscream.

Jon glared, placing the whisky glass down onto the arm of the chair with more force than necessary, and Starscream was suddenly vividly reminded of Alexis. He grinned, which only seemed to annoy Jon further.

'Hey. Don't try to dodge around the subject with me. You may be fifty feet tall or whatever…'

'A bit taller than that, actually...' interjected Starscream smoothly, sitting up straighter.

'...but I won't be intimidated by you and I'm still her DAD,' continued Jon, raising his voice as he was forced to tilt his head further back. 'So tell me. What I saw. Is it true?'

Starscream poured himself more energon, sitting back on his throne.

'Yes. But not in the way you think. It's a long story. You can know that her abilities were a gift granted from a far higher power than me. And anyway, what does it matter? She is still Alexis.' Starscream leaned forward, his face lowering down towards the stolid man in front of him. 'She is still your daughter, and my most prized…'

'Possession?'

The jet hesitated, drawing back slightly. Jon raised his eyebrows.

'Once I would have called her that. I will admit. But not now,' said Starscream firmly. 'I…'

'What?'

Starscream looked away. 'I love her,' he said quietly.

Jon's eyes widened. 'What?'

'It makes no sense. But it is true.'

Starscream waited for his reaction, watching as Jon took in a deep breath. He sat for a moment, absorbing Starscream's declaration, before tossing the rest of the whisky back. 'I suppose the fact that you, uh… essentially switched off the sun in order to rescue her means I can't exactly argue with that.'

Starscream met his eyes, smiling grimly. Jon looked up, squinting through his bruised and swollen eyelids. 'Is she still in danger?'

Starscream nodded, and the older man looked down at his hands. 'What will you do now?'

'There are many facets to this… problem,' said Starscream. 'Her whole planet, nay, the galaxy, knows what she can do. There are interested eyes and optics, watching. And the true culprit in all of this remains hidden from me. For now,' he added in a low, sinister growl.

Jon stared down at his lap once more, appearing to struggle to form the words he needed.

'It… takes a lot for a father to admit he isn't the one best equipped to look after his daughter,' said the older man quietly. He looked up into the fierce, glowing optics. 'If she really does mean that much to you, then I don't have a quarrel with you. I'm just... begging you to keep her safe.'

'There is no need for you to beg, Mr. Garner,' said Starscream. Some suddenly occurred to him, and he added: 'And that's not something I say to many people.'

Jon laughed shakily. 'Can we agree then, that you will do what you can. Whatever it takes. To ensure her wellbeing.'

Starscream smiled darkly, mentally stowing away the endorsement like a precious jewel. He nodded. 'Whatever it takes,' he repeated.

Alexis and Lucy stood down in the bowels of the ship. Lucy was shivering, and Alexis had her arm around her, staring into the middle distance, deep in thought.

'Where could he be?' asked Lucy fretfully.

'I don't know,' said Alexis slowly. 'He must have got left behind. We're close to landing, as soon as we land…'

'Can we double check the brig?'

'We already did,' reminded Alexis gently. 'Just try not to…'

'Alexis.'

She looked up as Brunt strode towards them. 'Frenzy is on Cybertron. Soundwave's report has come through and I'm charged with summarising it for Lord Starscream.'

Both girls' eyes grew wide with astonishment. 'Cybertron? How did he get there before us? Is he alright?'

'No,' said Brunt. Lucy's head jerked up.

'Skywarp 'ported him back. He's been shot.'

Lucy cried out in shock, clapping a hand to her mouth and clutching Alexis tightly. Alexis paled, slumping against the wall. 'Oh my God… it's all my fault…'

'And your father is with Starscream.'

It was Alexis' turn to yell out in horrified amazement. 'What?'

'He's up there now, on the bridge.'

Alexis stood upright, feet planted wide apart. 'Wait… sorry… Did I hear that right? Starscream?'

Brunt nodded. 'Uh-huh.'

'With… with my… dad… my human…. Dad…'

'That's right,' said Brunt cheerfully. His face fell, aghast, as she exploded.

'WHAT!?' WELL WHY DID NO ONE STOP HIM GOING IN?!'

Brunt suddenly looked very awkward, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. 'Um… uh…'

Alexis whirled round to a stunned Lucy. 'Lucy… this is bad, I gotta get up there. Go back to my quarters, OK?'

She spun back around, glaring up at Brunt. 'You! You get me up to the bridge. Right now!'

Brunt headed towards the double doors that led onto the bridge. The sentries moved to block his way… before spotting who he was carrying, activating the door controls. They slid apart smoothly, and Brunt moved into the wide open space. Alexis was craning from her spot on his hand, desperately trying to see what was going on, her voice high with panic. 'Dad? Dad!'

She flinched as Starscream suddenly erupted into laughter. Brunt hung back, awaiting the call to be beckoned forward, and Alexis punched at his fingers furiously. 'Go forward! I can't see!'

'So, we used to smuggle cigarettes inside the bomb casings… until one day when they all fluttered down on the runway. The flight sergeant's face! You should have seen it!'

Alexis frowned at the sound of the familiar voice. 'Dad?'

Starscream leaned back, swirling his energon cube and chuckling. 'Ah, I have a few stories of my own concerning contraband, back in my days at the War Academy…'

Brunt stepped forward, and Alexis stared in amazement, her face flushing crimson.

There was her dad, up on the workstation, laughing and pouring himself a drink, chatting to Starscream. She blinked a few times, to be sure that what she was seeing was real. 'Dad!'

The two of them looked round, Starscream grinning broadly. 'There you are, my one. Are you rested?'

Brunt moved forward, slowly lowering her to the surface. She jumped down, her eyes large with anxiety, her gaze flitting between her father and Starscream. 'What… what's going on? Dad, what are you doing?'

'I'm talking to Lord Starscream,' replied Jon, smiling. 'Turns out he and I have…'

Alexis covered her eyes with her hand, mortified. 'Why? Why are you two talking? What have you been talking about?'

'Just chewing the fat. Making sure my little girl is being taken care of.' Jon looked up at Starscream. 'Isn't that right?'

'That's about the shape of it,' said Starscream, visibly enjoying Alexis' galactic levels of embarrassment and discomfort.

'You… you haven't been talking… specifically about… about me and my, um, ability to…' Alexis looked up at Starscream, silently pleading with her eyes.

Starscream, despite a tiny amount of guilt deep inside him, allowed her to suffer for a few, tense moments, before relenting at her desperate expression. 'Come now, don't trouble yourself. You've had enough worry just lately.'

Jon got up from the chair, moving over to his daughter. 'He's right. Come here.'

She fell into his embrace, letting her father stroke her hair, even as she stared up at Starscream. Her dad's calm voice vibrated in her head as she leant against him. 'Listen. It's been a terrible few days, but you're safe now.'

'So are you,' she said, drawing away to look up at him.

'Yeah. But… I'm not going to stay on Cybertron. In fact Starscream has agreed to arrange for me to be taken back to Earth, once we've landed.'

'Oh.' Alexis looked surprised, and slightly crestfallen. She looked at the floor. Jon caught her chin, tilting it back up towards him. 'I've got an idea.'

She looked searchingly into his smiling eyes. 'What?'

'How about you and I make a pact to see each other at least once a month? Dinner at the farmhouse? Or I come here, perhaps?'

'That would be great,' said Alexis, her face lighting up in a smile. 'I would love that!'

Jon smiled at her, sadly. 'I'm sorry it's taken such a horrible thing to bring us a bit closer.'

She hugged him tightly once more, her voice now muffled in his sweater. 'I'm not.'

'Not that I am trying to get rid of you…' said Starscream over their heads. Jon looked up, his gaze steely. 'As if you could.'

The jet gave a short sniff of amusement. 'Quite. But there is a smaller craft down in the hold, it can be directed to a space bridge and get you home within twenty minutes. If that would suit.'

Jon looked down at Alexis, who was clasping the woolly surface of his sweater. 'That's my cue to go, sweetheart.'

'You're sure you won't stay?' she asked, looking up.

'It's not for me, darling. I can rest assured now I know you are being watched over. Christine will be worried. And you don't want your old Dad around cramping your style.'

'OK, Dad.' She embraced him once more, lovingly, but he could hear the relief in her voice. Jon looked back up at Starscream. 'Remember what I said. Whatever must be done.'

His eyes were narrowed, and full of meaning. Starscream nodded, and waited whilst the two of them exchanged hugs, kisses and promises to see each other soon.

Some time after her father had left, Alexis flopped down onto the worktop, letting out a long breath she had been seemingly holding in for hours. Starscream's fingers curled around her back and she leant into them wearily. She suddenly found herself fighting sleep, her eyelids blinking rapidly.

'When we get back to Cybertron I will analyse those cuffs and remove them,' said Starscream. 'You will not have to bear them for much longer. '

She nodded, and allowed him to curl his fingers tighter around her, smiling to herself as he re-directed heat into them to warm her tired, bruised body. She turned her head, pressing her mouth against his plating, closing her eyes.

The doors to the bridge hissed apart, and Brunt entered. 'My Lord. I have Soundwave's update, with news concerning Frenzy.'

Alexis suddenly sat bolt upright. Starscream frowned. 'Frenzy? What of him?'

Alexis stared up at Brunt, silently willing him to look her way, drawing a finger rapidly across her throat. But it was to no avail, and Brunt continued, as Alexis clutched her head in panic.

'My Lord, he was found on Earth at the ruined base, with Rumble. Rumble was on the verge of stasis lock, and Frenzy had been shot, by a human. His human shell is currently undergoing emergency surgery on Cybertron, with the hope he can be re-transferred to his casseticon body in time. Rumble has been put into stasis by Soundwave, ready for interrogation.'

Alexis placed a hand over her eyes as Starscream spoke. 'What? What was Rumble doing on Earth with Frenzy? He should be on base level duties, he was confined to Cybertron!'

'Oh no,' groaned Alexis, now wide awake.

Her voice must have carried more than she realised.

'Alexis?'

She huddled within his fingers, her heart suddenly thundering deafeningly in her ears, and looked down, knotting her hands together. Starscream's voice above her head was calm and patient, with an underlying thread of pure steel.

'Alexis. Look at me.'

The Decepticon leader leaned back, slowly, dismissing Brunt with a wave of his hand, his optics never leaving the small, rigid figure of his Consort. Alexis looked up, very slowly, staring at him. 'What is it?' she whispered, attempting a weak smile.

'What do you know?'

She shook her head, rapidly, her mouth dry. 'Nothing.'

Starscream's optics narrowed, and he waited. Alexis flushed dark red. She took a deep, shaky breath. The fingers that had seemed like the safest haven only a couple of minutes ago now encircled her like a prison, and although she knew that Starscream would never, ever hurt her, she swallowed hard, dreading the outcome of what she would have to say. Starscream leaned down.

'Alexis. You're a dreadful liar. You know something...'

'It's complicated,' she blurted. 'And it's not supposed to be me that tells you. It's supposed to be Frenzy!'

'Frenzy isn't here. Frenzy is mortally wounded.'

At the sound of those words Alexis felt tears spring to her eyes. The face of Starscream filled her vision.

'What has Rumble done?'

She shook her head. 'Please… it's not as simple as that…'

'ALEXIS.'

She wiped her eyes rapidly. 'Alright, alright. I'll tell you. Let's disembark, and then...

'I don't think so,' said Starscream smoothly. 'Tell me. Now.'

AN: this has been mostly done on my phone for various reasons, so apologies for typos, I'll come back and sort them soon.

I know a lot of you are waiting for the SS vs Black showdown - don't worry it'll happen soon! I actually really enjoyed writing the interaction between Star and Dad :D Thanks as ever for the reviews.