CHAPTER 17
Amy
"Your brother?" Amy repeated with surprise. "You think Sunstorm is your brother? Why?"
"It's hard to explain," Starscream said and continued pacing around the room. "I felt something when I looked at him. I felt some sort of connection with him, like I did with Skyfire. I think... I think I felt it in my Spark."
"Your big glowy heart-soul thing?" Amy replied. "You can feel he's your brother with that?"
"I think so," Starscream replied and paused in his pacing, rubbing his chin with his thumb and pointer. "If he is my brother, and I'm pretty sure he is, then that would explain why he looks like me."
"Didn't Skyfire say your body-type is normal in someplace though?"
"He did say that. My body-type is normal in Vos. Which is strange. Why would he say something like that?" Starscream started pacing again in silence for a moment before stopping again. "Perhaps... does Skyfire not know Sunstorm is my brother?"
"Could be," Amy suggested. "I mean, if he's your brother, it makes sense if only you can tell so, from your Spark."
"Still," Starscream mused and started pacing again, looking at the floor. "If Skyfire said that because he doesn't know we're brothers, does that mean there are more that look like me? Are there more Decepticons that look just like me? And he said most Vosians, those who look like me, joined the Decepticons. Most, but not all. There's something odd about this. Know what I mean?"
Starscream stopped his pacing for a while and looked silently at Amy, apparently expecting an answer from her. Realizing this, Amy held her chin with her thumb and pointer and thought hard with a frown on her face. After a few seconds, she looked back up, her frown loosened.
"He didn't mention any Vosians with the Autobots," she announced.
"Correct," Starscream replied and started pacing again, his gaze returning to the floor. "He only mentioned me. He didn't come up with any other examples. He even said there are several Vosians with the Autobots. I wonder why he didn't tell me the name of at least one other."
"Maybe he was lying," Amy suggested.
Starscream stopped his pacing and seemed to stiffen. He looked at Amy with what could be considered a glare. "Skyfire wouldn't lie to me," he protested. "He wouldn't. We're Amica, Amica don't lie to each other, they can tell each other anything." Starscream returned his gaze to the floor and resumed his pacing. "At least... that's what I think. That's what I want to believe. But, with you saying that, I have to admit, I'm not actually sure. I don't know what to think of the Autobots. Are they really telling the truth? Or are they hiding something from me?"
There was silence in the room for a while. Perhaps a bit too long. Amy followed Stascream's movements concerned with her eyes, uncertain how he would react or what he would say next.
Amy opened her mouth as if to say something, but hesitated and closed it again. Before she could decide to speak again, a rather loud rumbling noise was heard from her stomach. Her eyes widened, and Starscream stopped his pacing yet again, now turning his full attention to Amy.
"Sorry," Amy said with an embarrassed laughter. "I was so focused on the attack and everything that I forgot I still haven't eaten yet."
Starscream hummed and loosened his grouchy face, assuming a softer expression.
"What do humans refuel on? Energon?"
"No," Amy replied and folded her hands together. "We eat organic food, like fruit, meat, veggies, bread, a lot of things, really. Most important is water though. We can't survive without water for more than three days, barely even a single day."
Starscream hummed again. "So water is your Energon, I guess," he concluded. "Where do humans get all that?"
"We sow, plant, grow and harvest various plants, and we keep animals as livestock for meat and other things. Though we keep the majority of finished food in fridges. Water comes out of faucets mainly, though many countries have polluted water so one can only get clean drinking water from bottles. I don't know how it's like here in Russia though..."
"Do you want me to go get some food for you?" Starscream offered.
"No, they'll find out I'm here," Amy protested. "I can get it myself if you help me out and in."
"You can't even get out of this room by yourself," Starscream pointed out. "And it would look pretty weird if I got out and in every time you need to go to get food. Not to mention there are giant robots walking around that can step on you if you're not careful. And your dress isn't exactly blending in with the surroundings here. But if you really think you can handle it by yourself, be my guest."
Starscream ended by crossing his arms and looking at Amy with a stony expression. Silence fell between them. Amy looked away, trying to think of something.
"I don't want to be sent back home," she said quietly. "I want to stay with you."
"That doesn't mean you can just sneak around here."
"If they find me, they'll send me back. And then I'll be all alone again. I don't want that."
Starscream cocked a ridge. "You got your parents, don't you? You won't be alone."
Amy was silent for a while. "I'm an only child. My parents work all the time. Even when they're home they work and pay little attention to me. They give me anything I ask for, they only spend time with me during meals, otherwise they leave me to my own devices. I used to be fine with that, since I'm used to being alone. But when I saw you a few days ago, in Metroplex City, I was astonished. I was home alone, like so many other days, it's the beginning of the summer vacation, and I had never seen anything like you before. I had heard rumors about Transformers from my classmates, but you were the first one I had actually seen. I'm normally pretty shy, but you were just so pretty. And you didn't hurt those guys on purpose, you were attacked. That's why I don't think you're dangerous."
Starscream didn't interrupt her while she talked, even though she talked for a while. As she seemed to finish, he decided to take the word again.
"You can't sneak around in this base," he repeated. "Not with the bots we're teamed up with. There are even humans here. You're certainly not too small to be noticed by them. They seem to be around your age, I think. How old are you, exactly?"
"Fourteen," Amy replied. "I'm small for my age. Most think I'm ten or twelve. I had friends when I was younger, but since I moved to the older grades, it's been hard for me to socialize. I'm not really interested in it anyway. I'll be done with elementary school next year. No need to make any new friends in my old school. And high school's only three years too, I think, what's the use of trying to make new friends when I'll be gone in a moment anyway?"
Starscream hummed at her argument. He let his arms fall to his sides. "I think it would be good for you to have more friends than just me though," he said. "There are only three humans in this base. A few are better than none, right?"
Amy curled her legs to her body. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I don't feel comfortable about meeting strangers."
"Why not? They're not dangerous. They're about your size, maybe even age. I don't think they're mean either. They didn't seem mean."
"You don't know what I mean," Amy sighed. "Nobody does. Even I'm not sure why I'm so scared of meeting new people. I know they're probably not dangerous or will hurt me. Just like I don't have any friends, I don't have any enemies either. I've always made sure to stay out of trouble, and my parents made sure to get me into a school where kids are put in small classes with many teachers to make sure nobody's getting bullied, and so these kids can form friendships with others like themselves. I don't hate school, I actually like it. But that's because it's not a typical school, most students around the country don't have that kind of advantage or luxury. Probably why the crime rate is so high in America."
Starscream leaned back against the wall with his arms crossed, partly listening to Amy, partly gazing at the door, considering their options here. He let out a sigh.
"You're afraid if they see you, they'll send you back to America," Starscream concluded. "And that you'll be subjugated to the same things typical students are. I think I get it now."
Amy looked up at him. "You do? What are you gonna do then?"
Starscream hummed silently to himself for a while, subconsciously tapping his pede on the floor.
"I think I want to introduce you to the others," Starscream finally said. "And tell them you're staying with me, and if they even consider sending you back, I'll make them regret it. And that the three humans better make friends with you, or they'll have to answer to me. How's that sound?"
Amy smiled and giggled at Starscream's offer, but stayed silent for a while.
"I guess... I suppose we can give it a try," she said and fidgeted with her hands. "I'll even stay behind here in the base when you're gone. Just... please promise me you won't let them send me back. Please?"
"I promise," Starscream assured her and gave her a soft smile. "They'll be sending you back over my Sparkless body."
Amy grinned and scratched the back of her head. "Maybe not that much," she said. "I don't want to get you in trouble because of me. I'll go back to America if it's too much trouble to keep me here, I can always call you, I guess. You don't have to risk your life for me."
Starscream scoffed and smirked at her. "Risk my life for you? Please. I'll make sure you're safe, and I'll stay alive myself. I was merely using an expression."
"Oh," Amy replied and covered her face in embarrassment. "Sorry, I wasn't sure if you were serious or not."
After a moment of chuckles and silence, Amy removed her hands from her face and looked back up at Starscream, forcing a smile on her face.
"Alright," she said. "I'll do it. I want to meet the others."
Sunstorm felt uneasy as he joined up with his Trinemates, who seemed battered but not badly hurt.
"Sideways, Contrail, let's return to base," Sunstorm announced to his fellow orange Seekers, who followed close behind.
"Did you get him, Sunstorm?" Sideways asked over the comm. "You were down there for a while."
"He got away," Sunstorm sent back. "The Autobots seem to have acquired a new companion. Or perhaps he's a transfer from one of their other bases on this planet, who knows."
"Was it just me, or did that Flier look a lot like your late brother?" Contrail speculated.
"Please, that Autobot scum looked nothing like Starscream," Sunstorm hissed over the comm. "The paintjob may be the same, but it was just another of their little scouts. Our body-type isn't that uncommon after all."
"Still, there aren't many with that specific paintjob," Contrail pressed on. "Are you sure that-"
"Just drop it, Contrail," Sunstorm snapped and set himself on fire. "Or I'll burn you to a crisp. You know I can do that."
"Fine, fine, whatever you say," Contrail replied tonelessly. "Air Commander Sunstorm."
