The sun had fully set and the dark sky sparkled with stars. Judith stared in realisation as Rumble explained everything, then glanced back at her mother's gravestone.
"She really did that for you?" The woman spoke in a soft, broken tone. "You were there… on my 3 rd birthday?"
"Well, it's hard to believe you're the one who tapped me against hard wood." Rumble chuckled nervously, rubbing the side of his head. "Didn't really care for human brats. Still don't."
Judith let out a cute laugh.
"I don't remember much of my childhood years." Judith covered her smile. "I do remember meeting Bumblebee and Jazz, though. I got the family photos to prove it, too."
"Imagine ya took a photo with me." Rumble chuckled alongside her. "I'd just be the cassette in your hand."
"Yeah!" Judith laughed out louder. "And the Autobots would have no idea!"
"Hehehe, no one suspects a thing." He spoke in a mock sinister tone before breaking down into more laughter.
"Those sneaky Decepticons!" Judith and Rumble bellowed into laughter for a while, the young lady wiping tears of joy from her eyes.
"I, uh..." Rumble cleared his throat. "Never got to thank her for, um..."
"She doesn't usually expect thanks in return." Judith smiled, rubbing her arm. "Only that her customer's satisfied with her efforts."
"Huh." Rumble looked down at Lisbeth's gravestone. "I still question her tastes in music."
"Nothing we could've done." Judith chuckled. "It's just the way she was."
Rumble stared in silence as Judith pushed her hair back.
"I, uh… I don't know if you'd allow me to do this, but…" the woman sighed, arms hanging to the sides. "I could use a hug right about now."
"Hugs are for sissies." Rumble turned to Judith, who just smiled in response.
"Thought so." Judith nodded, staring towards the greenery before letting out a small laugh. "Maybe I could hug a tree instead."
"I used to be a tree once." Rumble snickered, Judith glancing back with wide eyed shock. "Well, what are ya waitin' for, sissy?" Rumble turned towards Judith, flashing her a friendly smirk. Judith's eyes sparkled as she threw herself over to the cassetticon and surrounded him into her arms.
Atop of one of the trees sat Lasebeak, who spied on the hugging duo. Through the mechanical bird's eyes, Starscream witnessed what was going on, and the Decepticon leader sitting in his throne gripped the arm of his chair so hard that it crumbled under his hold.
"Laserbeak, you may return." Starscream commanded, holding up a glowing golden flower. "I shall accompany Soundwave to Earth immediately."
Judith and Rumble decided to rest within Octane's cargo until morning, and by then the trio would have neared the end of their journey.
"You can drop us off here, Octane." Judith said to the truck. "Thanks for your help."
"No problem, sweetie." Octane flirted while the human and cassetticon exited the truck. "And if you're in need of any help, I'll either be at Maccadam's or Autobot City. So long!" He turned round and sped off, leaving the two to venture on their own.
"What a nice guy." Judith smiled.
"As long as he ain't tryin' to steal somethin' from ya." Rumble scoffed. "Or tryin' to talk ya head off about his pawnin' job."
"Pawning?" She tilted her head. "Oh, he's a pawn shop owner now?"
"Yeah, says he sells mysterious junk he finds and sells 'em for ridiculous prices." Rumble complained. "He had the nerve to try and hire me if I found anything worth somethin'. Spare parts, space rocks, any kinda junk."
"Sounds kinda sleazy." Judith raised a brow.
"What did ya expect? He used to be a 'con." He shrugged before observing his surroundings. "Say, how far are we? I don't feel like we're gettin' closer."
"Not really." Judith nervously rubbed her arm. "I just didn't want anything bad happening to Octane should Starscream see him with us."
"Then how much longer are we gonna take?" Rumble groaned in frustration.
"We're close. We're close." Judith babbled and inhaled nervously, pushing her hair back, the cassetticon eying her suspiciously. After 5 minutes of walking, the two could see a house and a barn on a low hill. Judith released a heavy exhale, keeping her hands under her pits as the two finally made their stop between the house and the white and blue barn.
"Here we are." The woman nervously smiled, glancing around while her hand ran through her hair.
"Ya know, ya keep touchin' yo hair when somethin's upsettin' ya." Rumble tilted his head.
"Oh, really? I, um.. I hadn't noticed." Her anxious grin widened and she immediately took her hand off her head, eyes wandering around. "We should be expecting them here soon. It's the one place Starscream knows I would be on this planet." Her voice fluttered like butterflies.
"… you're scared." Rumble replied, Judith's glance freezing onto the cassetticon.
"Wh-what makes you say that?" Judith let out a laugh, eyes filled with agony. Rumble took a step towards her while the human took a step back. "Wh-why would I be scared? I'm not scared."
"You should be." A familiar voice chimed in. Judith and Rumble stared with gaping mouths to see Starscream and Soundwave stepping out from the sides of the barn. While the second-in-command remained silently stoic, Starscream had a cold, darkened glare in his optics.
"Consider yourselves fortunate that we didn't resort to tearing this miserable planet apart." Starscream scolded with a stern tone.
Rumble raised a concerned and protective hand over Judith.
"Starscream! I-I can…" the cassetticon stuttered.
"I shall decide on your punishment later, Rumble." Starscream's scowl lowered before turning his attention to the frightened Judith. "As for you…" the seeker brought a hand over to the shaking human, only for Rumble to step in front of Judith.
"My duty's to protect the fleshy from harm!" Rumble raised his arms to protect the woman behind him. "I'm not gonna…"
"And you are hereby relieved of that duty until further notice!" The angry Decepticon grabbed Rumble and firmly placed him near Soundwave."I would have had you terminated had you not proven your worth to the Decepticon cause! Do not try my patience more than you already have!"
The anxious Rumble turned to Soundwave, who simply shook his head.
"Y-Yes, lord Starscream…" the cassetticon reluctantly complied. Starscream snatched up the shocked human, and turned to Soundwave.
"You keep watch of your cassetticon while I consult with the human alone." The Decepticon leader ordered while opening the barn door. Soundwave nodded and left the area with a worried Rumble, the two heading out for a little stroll in the forest.
Starscream closed the barn door and dropped the human to the ground. The frightened woman stumbled back until she was against the barn wall. She raised her sights up to the Decepticon, light shining in onto his back as his optics glowed with anger.
"I'm touched you've now decided to return to me, Judith." Starscream sarcastically remarked. "After wasting us an escape pod and having us suspect you may have alerted the Autobots of my plans to overthrow Cybertron, you must be so proud."
Judith frantically shook her head, and Starscream's nose twitched.
"I didn't tell anyone." Judith quaked. "I swear it."
"Then what drove you into escaping from the Dominion after I ordered you not to?" He growled. "You are aware of the consequences for disobedience, are you not?"
Judith nodded, covering her quivering mouth.
"You better explain yourself if you wish for your punishment to be less severe." He flexed his fingers.
Judith quietly gasped, still grasping over her mouth as her widened green eyes was stuck staring into Starscream's blood red optics.
"I can't do it… I can't tell him why. If he knows the real reason, he might find dad. He'll hurt the ones I love…"
"Well?!" Starscream pressured, looming closer and closer to the petrified human.
"I can't trust him. He lied to me. I can't tell him anything. I can't tell him how I feel. I'm just a measly human to him. He'll hurt me… he'll hurt me…"
The impatient Decepticon grabbed Judith again and brought her up to his enraged face.
"Answer me!" Starscream shouted to her face, the woman's pupils diluted while her ears rang.
"Eheh…" she let out a nervous laugh, trying a grin. "It's uh, I'll tell you." Her sweet green eyes sparkled, holding back tears. "Just, um… feeling really chicken right now."
Starscream's anger was replaced with wide optics, then his eyes squinted, the side of his nose twitching.
"You're pathetic." He dropped the anxious human down to the ground and straightened himself.
"I…" She rubbed her arm. "I was just… trying to find you more recruits…I heard word of Decepticons hiding here."
Starscream retained his cold stare.
"That is the most idiotic reason I have ever heard!" Starscream barked. "I know very well that you aren't that stupid, and you should know that I can tell when someone's lying!"
Judith's smile dropped and perked up upon realisation. Starscream noticed.
"You actually forgot about that little tidbit." His eyes thinned in irritation. "I thought highly of you, Judith. For a puny flesh creature, you managed to impress me with your craftsmanship and efforts. You've even endeared yourself to me with your naïveté and determination, but now…"
He turned his head away from the human, a pained scowl in his crimson optics.
"I thought that I could trust you..."
"You know…" Judith hung her head, her eyes obscured by shadow. "I thought the same thing about you too, Ulchtar."
"Do not ever call me by that name again." The Decepticon seethed with rage, raising a fist. "I am Lord Starscream, leader of the Decepticons, and you are to acknowledge me as such, human!"
"Fine… Lord Starscream." She raised her head, her green eyes shimmering from the sun rays. "What am I to you? Your hostage? Your pet? Your prisoner? Being a Decepticon is a choice, something you never gave me when you abducted me from my home." The shivering woman winced, biting the side of her lip. "I am not one of you, and I could never want to!"
"You're right… you're not one of us." The Decepticon bitterly remarked. "You're just a human. A weak, primitive creature that could never deserve the title of Decepticon! And if you feel that you are my prisoner, then it shall be made as such!" Starscream kicked the doors so hard that they swung against the edge of the walls, cracking them. He glanced back at the human.
"When we return to base, you are to never leave unless I say so!" He commanded, to the woman's horror.
"You can't do this!" She protested, rushing out past his legs and right outside the barn. Starscream grabbed her before she could reach her house and held her up to his face, tightening his grip while she squirmed in his hold.
"You will comply to my decision unless you wish to end up like Dr. Arkeville."
The name sent a shiver down the human's spine, a quiet shudder escaping her quivering lips.
"I see you recognise that name." Starscream gave a cruel smile. "Then you know how far my cruelty can go."
Just as Starscream opened his jet compartment, he let out a pained screech when a sudden laser blast to the arm caused Starscream to drop Judith.
"Who did that?!" Starscream shouted while Judith dashed into her house and locked the door. Starscream angrily stomped towards her house but was stopped by a sudden message transmission.
"Starscream! Autobots are located within the vicinity!" Soundwave alerted. "We are outnumbered!"
"Then we must retreat!" The seeker commanded, clenching his fist before glaring down at Judith's little house.
"I will return for you, human!" Starscream declared. "Make no mistake about that!" Starscream flew out of sight, leaving Judith in peace for now. From one of the nearby tree branches perched Laserbeak, watching Starscream leave before the robot bird departed as well.
Judith curled up shivering against the wall of her home for what feels like an hour, jolting whenever she heard creaks and airplane sounds. She peaked through the corner of her window, and then a knock at the door made her jump to her feet, the terrified woman taking small cautious steps towards it.
"Wh-who is it?" Judith tried a gentle calm voice.
"It's me, Judith." A familiar, more welcoming voice spoke.
"Rumble." The woman uttered. "I-Is Starscream…?"
"It's just me and Soundwave." Rumble explained. "Starscream ran away due to an 'Autobot ambush'."
"Then are they…?"
"There ain't any Autobots nearby."
The door unlocked and Judith opened it slightly, peaking out until she saw only the cassetticon and the white and blue giant in sight. Opening the door fully, she leapt towards the cassetticon into a hug. She buried her face against his shoulder in silence, and a guilty Rumble pursed his lips and pet her little head.
"Did ya… did ya call the Autobots?" Rumble asked.
"I didn't want you to get hurt, Rumble." She shook her head. "And I can't let dad know I'm in danger. I don't want him risking his life for me. He's all I have left, and…" she hung her head, her entire core quivering. "I can't bare to lose anyone else now!"
Rumble glanced over to Soundwave before turning to Judith.
"I'm… sorry, Judith." Rumble sighed. "There's nothing we can do."
"You don't have to do anything." She wiped her face. "If anyone's sorry, it should be me. I dragged you into this, Rumble."
"Ya don't have to be sorry." The cassetticon argued. "I chose to take you here. I…" he lowered his head. "You don't…" Rumble sighed, then handed her a small white device."In case ya need anything, don't hesitate to call. We don't know when Starscream'll come back, but do know that ya ain't alone." Rumble patted her shoulder. The woman nodded with a sad smile as Rumble and Soundwave departed, leaving Judith alone in her house.
She roamed through the empty living room and set her eyes on a photo over the fireplace. In the photo was an older looking Lisbeth, Jules with less grey hair, and Judith sporting a head of long, thick wavy hair. The woman only sported half a smile before heading to the kitchen. After throwing out expired consumables, Judith grabbed herself a dark grey leather jacket from the closet and stepped outside. The young woman settled down and closed her eyes, feeling the cool breeze brush through her hair as it mirrored the act with the grass and trees.
Upon hearing a plane fly closer to her home, she opened her eyes and stared up into the sky. The red fighter jet transformed into Starscream and landed on his feet, the earth quaking beneath him. Afraid, Judith kept her head down and locked her sights onto Starscream's feet. The seeker observed his surroundings before lowering his sights onto the frightened human.
"You're still here." Starscream replied in a calmer, surprised tone. "I had assumed you contacted the Autobots by now."
"I can't do that." She shook her head. "Nor do I wish to."
"I… see." Starscream turned away, rubbing the side of his head. "Care to explain to me why?"
"Would you have believed me?" Judith croaked.
"Uh…" the Decepticon hesitated. "Well…"
"I'm just a lying human to you." Judith shook her head again. "Even if I spoke the truth, it won't change anything."
"Listen…" Starscream took a deep breath. "What I said earlier…"
"Don't bother explaining yourself." Judith's voice strained, closing her eyes shut. "Whatever you'll say will just be a lie. Deception is in the name of your cause."
"Judith, I…" Starscream took a step forward.
"Just don't!" Judith raised her voice and shot up to her feet, fists clenched and shoulders raised, but her head still low. "Please, just… You don't have to make me feel stupider than I already do! I've already accepted my fate!" She started to choke up, a hand over her nose and mouth. "I'll be your prisoner, and I'll never come back home ever again!"
Poor Judith broke into tears, not noticing the look of anguish in his red optics as he gazed up into the sky. With a heavy sigh, he opened his amber compartment and took out a colourful flower. He presented the flower to her, and the distraught woman raised her head and saw the fluorescent beauty the size of a sunflower before her. As she wiped her reddened cheek, Judith held the multi-colored plant close and gazed into the otherworldly flora.
"What's this?" Judith sniffled.
"A drinking straw." He flatly remarked, before his unimpressed scowl softened. "No. It's…" the seeker sighed. "… something I found on planet Sol."
"It's beautiful…" the human twirled the flower. Starscream saw no smile on her whatsoever.
"It reminded me of you." Starscream gave a warm smile. "I was… going to give it to you after our mission."
"…" she lowered the flower. "I don't believe you."
"Judith?" Starscream's smile disappeared.
"You can't possibly have any feelings for me." She finally raised her eyes up to Starscream's. "I'm just part of a small and primitive species to you. You laughed at the idea of falling in love with a human. All this time you were using me, lying to me and even threatening to imprison me. And then you had the gall to act like I betrayed you, when you betrayed me beforehand."
Starscream watched the broken-hearted woman's eyes.
"I…" she huffed. "I wish I could go back to when I was fixing you back in the barn, when I felt comfortable to be myself around you, but now I'm too scared to open my heart to you anymore! It…" she lowered her head, another tear escaping her. "It hurts."
Starscream hung his head, feeling his spark shatter from her despondent words. The worst he feared has happened. She no longer trusts him. He may no longer hold her close to him the way he did before, nor see that kind-hearted smile whenever she'd work her butt off trying to heal him. Now she knows him for what he truly is; a power hungry, manipulative backstabber.
"Judith, I…" Starscream raised his head, only to see not only Judith missing, but the house and barn as well. All that surrounded him was green grass reaching to his torso and… a giant?