Coming Closer in Dark Times
In the desert of Egypt, the Autobots were sent out to look for another Mini-Con, which Optimus Prime was quite surprised. But when the kids Mini-Cons all said that there were still many more lying dormant on Earth, he knew it had to be true. He also knew Megatron would also be out looking for the Mini-Con. To help in the search, the kids were asked to come alone as well. It worked out well for Alexis for she had a project in History to do dealing with Egypt.
Alexis was excited. It was her first time in a pyramid. Hopefully this one didn't hold any ancient curses that still existed to this day.
When they neared one of the pyramids, they found the signal was coming from inside.
"We have to go in that? Well at least it won't be out here," Hotshot said, irritated. "The sand is clogging my circuits."
"I know what you mean," Jetfire said.
"Rad," Optimus said. "Where is Lazerbeak now?"
"He is somewhere deep inside there," Rad said. "He's at the approximate location."
"And there's no way to get there faster," Hotshot groaned as they entered the pyramid. From what Alexis had told them about pyramids, the passageways were only big enough to walk through. Luckily the Autobots were able fit.
"I could scout ahead," Starscream offered.
"Not a good idea," Optimus said. "If the Decepticons are in there. They will notice you and it will give them our location. Besides I don't think this structure could withstand your speed."
"You're probably right," Starscream sighed. He looked around to see where Alexis was and he couldn't see her. "Where's Alexis?"
"Over here," she called from behind Starscream.
Starscream turned to find Alexis sitting on Sonar. "What are you doing there?"
"Well I have a project to do and this is the perfect way to get it done at the same time helping you guys find that Mini-Con."
"Alexis," Optimus said. "Maybe you should be on the ground. If the Decepticons find us we will need Sonar in a hurry."
"Your right," Alexis said. Sonar quickly dove down and landed to allow Alexis off. When she was on the ground, Sureshock came over and offered her a ride.
"Optimus," Red Alert said when they came to a passage that had more than one path. "Maybe we should break into teams."
"Good idea. Kids, you go one way. Jetfire, Scavenger and Starscream you three stay here. Hotshot, Red Alert you're with me. Smokescreen, Sideswipe and Blurr you two take the other route."
"Someone should go with the kids in case the Decepticons find them," Starscream offered.
Optimus hesitated before answering. "All right. Starscream you go with them. Be careful and stay under radio contact at all times."
Starscream went over to Optimus. "Use the Star Saber. I have my own sword if we run into trouble."
Optimus nodded his approval.
With the command laid out, everyone started off on a different path, leaving Scavenger and Jetfire standing guard.
The passage the kids went down, Alexis led the way. Starscream had to remove his wing sword so he had more room to move, as there wasn't much room for him to move. The further him and the kids moved down the dark passageway, the wider it became. At one point, Starscream was able to place his sword back.
"Anyone know where we are?" Fred asked.
"Let me guess," Billy groaned. "You're getting a little scared."
"Why would anyone be scared?" Alexis asked. "We are with Starscream. He would not let anything happen to us. Right?" She looked up at him. Of course it was hard to see him since he was so much larger.
"Right," he agreed.
"Well my feet are killing me," Fred whined.
"Here," Alexis said. "Use Sureshock. I can walk for a while."
"How will you write out the notes for the project?" Rad asked.
"I'll help." Starscream picked Alexis up and placed her on his shoulder.
"Thanks," she said.
They continued down the hallway into a large room. Upon entering the room a laser blast was fired. Starscream was knocked down, which also knocked Alexis off. But with quick reaction, Starscream caught Alexis and placed her on the ground.
"Darn I missed."
Starscream stood and looked to see Cyclonus.
Cyclonus had his arm laser gun aimed at him. "Well I guess I can expel the traitor."
"I don't think so," Starscream hissed. "Kids get out of the way."
He watched with one optic as the kids ran for cover but kept the other one on Cyclonus.
"Maybe I should get rid of your human friends first," Cyclonus laughed.
"You leave them out of this. It's me you want." Starscream got in a fighting stance ready to attack Cyclonus.
"True, but getting rid of the kids would be a big help to Megatron," he laughed again.
Over Cyclonus's laugh, Starscream could here Optimus say he was close by. Through Starscream's audio receptors, he had an instant radio transmitter. When he didn't want anyone to overhear what was said over his communicator, he would turn it on.
"Hold it Starscream." Starscream turned to see Megatron with his fist around...Oh No...Megatron had Alexis.
Starscream gasped.
"If you don't want her hurt, you will surrender and make Optimus Prime give up the Star Saber," Megatron smirked. He noticed that the traitor didn't have the Star Saber so her presumed Optimus did.
Starscream clenched his fists. Megatron had Alexis and Cyclonus had his gun aimed on him. What was he to do?
Before Starscream could react, Megatron was hit from behind. He caught a quick glimpse of Optimus before he realized that Alexis was in the air, screaming.
"Alexis!" Starscream dove for her but not before Cyclonus fired. Luckily for Starscream, Cyclonus's aim wasn't very well. Just as he caught Alexis, the laser fire hit the ceiling and it fell on top of the red jet. Starscream cupped his hands as a barricade around Alexis so she wouldn't be killed. When they were covered, he looked and noticed Alexis unconscious, and then everything went black.
A while later Starscream woke. He took a quick look of his surroundings. Once he was completely aware of where he was, buried under rock, he did a quick systems check to make sure there was no major damage. When the diagnostics were complete, and no major systems were damaged, he looked for Alexis. He found her lying unconscious beside his hand. But what he found beneath her was a bit disturbing. Both their legs were buried under rock. He started to try and work the rocks with one hand, off her legs.
He could hear distant noises from above him and knew the Autobots were working hard to get them out until he heard a sound from Alexis. He looked down at her as she began to wake. As she woke, he noticed she was bleeding.
When Alexis was completely awake, she felt around her head and found a nasty bump. As she opened her eyes, she was met with complete darkness. Before she spoke, she recollected her thoughts of what happened.
She remembered Cyclonus had his gun aimed at Starscream and was making remarks about firing on her and the others first and then...she was in the hands of Megatron. Remarkably, he wasn't holding very tight but tight enough so she couldn't get out. But then she was flying through the air and Starscream trying to catch her. She did remember him catching her but after that, was blank.
"W...where am I? What happened?"
"We are buried under ruble from Cyclonus's laser," Starscream said. "Careful, you are bleeding."
"How long have we been here?"
"I'm not sure I just came back online. I'm assuming it's been about thirty minutes or longer. I can hear the others trying to get us out."
Alexis tried to move but something was stopping her. "I...I can't move."
"Your legs are trapped and they could be broken. I'm trying to get you out." Starscream thought for a moment. "Here, I'll brighten my optics so you can see."
No sooner said, the little tavern, they were trapped in was now lit in a dim orange glow from his optics. Alexis was able to see the predicament she was in. Her back was supported by Starscream's hand and her legs were stuck under fallen rock. Starscream's other hand was slowly working at one of the huge boulders, trying to free her left leg. She also noticed that he was buried too. She was surprised that her legs were not crushed.
Suddenly a sharp pain went through her left leg. Alexis bit her lip, trying not to scream. She didn't want Starscream to see her in pain. He had already seen her cry once and she didn't want him to see it again. At least one thing was for sure she wasn't paralyzed.
"Starscream please stop," she said in a small whisper between clench teeth.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"It's..." she couldn't say it. The pain was too great and finally she screamed as tears came down her face. Starscream stopped immediately as he realized that trying to move the rock was digging into her leg. He didn't know what to do for the injured girl. From the dim light he could see her uniform pants torn and a deep gash in her leg, which was bleeding.
When her cries were down to a whimper, he began to speak again.
"Is there anything to stop the bleeding? I don't know much about humans, but I do know a human could die if they lose a lot of blood."
Alexis slowly looked at her buried legs and seen the gash in her leg. She soon realized it was there that the pain was coming from. "Place...a cloth..." she managed out quietly. She knew if she were to start panicking, all hell would break loose. "On the wound...and press down as hard as possible."
"Swindle!" Starscream commanded. He knew that his Mini-Con was still attached to him. When the little bot was in front of him, he continued. "We have to help her. Alexis what can we use for a cloth?"
In response to Starscream's question, Swindle gave the answer. -Use your gift from the kids-
Starscream brought out the chamois from his subspace pocket. He hesitated about giving Swindle the chamois but one look at Alexis made his decision. "Press that on the opened wound and hold it there."
Swindle did what he was told but Starscream was still worried. Though her leg was being tended to, there was still the cut on her forehead that was bleeding. "What can I do about your head?"
Alexis slowly lifted her hand again, touching the wound. Alexis took a deep breath before unzipping her jacket revealing a tan spaghetti strap shirt, which revealed the straps of her white bra. She had little difficultly getting the jacket off since Starscream was supporting her but when she did, she immediately pressed it against her head. She shivered as she felt cool air hit her arms and shoulders.
For several minutes both Starscream and Alexis were quiet but that soon changed as another sharp pain emitted from her leg. Swindle jerked at her scream but quickly replaced his hands on the chamois.
Starscream, not sure what to do, did the first thing that popped into his mind. Though his finger was large enough to cover her body, he used one of his fingers to rub up and down her back. He watched as she cried, helpless. There was nothing he could do to help the situation.
When the pain started to slow, she started to relax allowing the rhythm of his finger to calm her down. But to her relief and Starscream, a light suddenly appeared. Starscream switched off his optics, allowing the light above to light the tavern.
"Are you two all right?" Optimus Prime said through the crack.
"I am but Alexis needs medical attention," Starscream said. "She's bleeding on her head and leg. Plus both her legs and mine are trapped under rock. Hers may be broken."
"We're hurrying as fast we can. Rad and Carlos are coming to help."
For several minutes, Alexis waited for Rad to arrive and when him and Carlos got to the bottom from Sonar and Jetstorm, they immediately checked out Alexis's injuries. Alexis was too worn out from the pain to speak.
Rad looked at Swindle holding the bloodstained chamois against Alexis's leg. He quickly looked at Starscream and was about to ask a question but Starscream interrupted him.
"Alexis told me what needed to be done to help the bleeding."
Rad nodded and then looked up. "Optimus," he called out. "I think Starscream is right that her legs are broken."
"Smokescreen. Scavenger. Pick up the pace. We have to get them out of there now," Optimus commanded.
Optimus turned from the ruble of rock, which had his human friend and Starscream, who was now classified as one of his men, to allow Smokescreen and Scavenger to work better. Worry was clearly visible on the leader's face. But he wasn't the only one worried, everyone was.
Red Alert walked over to Optimus. "Sir, I have the warp gate ready to warp us out of here from this position when we get Alexis out. But one thing that keeps going through my mind is how will Alexis cover this up from her mother."
Optimus sighed. "If her mother has to learn about us, so be it, just as long as Alexis is ok. I knew I shouldn't have had Starscream go with the kids."
"Don't blame yourself," Red Alert said. "If Starscream didn't go with the kids, they probably would be dead or with Megatron."
Optimus clenched his fist and slammed it against the wall.
"Optimus," Sideswipe called out. "The kids Mini-Cons just linked as Perceptor. He took my gun and jumped down the hole."
"What?" Optimus moved back over to the ruble. He couldn't believe what he just heard.
Jetfire snapped his fingers "Since Starscream can't use his guns, for fear of hitting Alexis, Perceptor is sending down Sideswipe's to blast the rocks off Alexis's legs so we can get her out of there."
Perceptor jumped through the hole and landed beside Alexis. –Starscream- Perceptor beeped. -Use this to free her-
"Good idea," Rad said.
Rad, Carlos and Swindle backed away as Starscream took Sideswipe's gun without hesitation and aimed it at the rocks. His other hand cuddled Alexis as best he could. Within moments Alexis was free, she passed out from the pain.
"Alexis?" Starscream called to her.
"She fainted from the pain," Rad said in a worry tone. "Starscream, we're going to get her out of hear then tend to you."
"I don't care, just as long as she is safe," he said quietly.
Carlos looked up. "Could someone throw down a rope or something? So we can get out of here. Alexis is free," he yelled.
"Here's something better and faster," Hotshot yelled down.
No sooner said, Runway and Jolt suddenly flew down. Perceptor carefully picked up Alexis and walked over to Jetstorm. -Be careful in taking her up, she's badly injured-
Jetstorm beeped his acknowledgement as Perceptor gently laid her down. When she was on the Mini-Con, he slowly started to rise up to the hole.
"Would you like us to stay here?" Rad asked.
"No," Starscream said. "Swindle go with them and make sure Alexis is ok."
Swindle beeped his answered and then climbed onto Sonar. Rad and Carlos grabbed onto Jolt as Perceptor went up with Runway.
As Jetstorm emerged from the hole with Alexis, Hotshot quickly grabbed her. He gasped at her appearance. He couldn't believe how badly she was injured. Her face was tear and dirt stained. Her clothes were also dirty. He could clearly see the gash in her legs as more blood seeped out through the chamois. He also noticed that her jacket was gone and her bra was visible. "Where's her jacket?"
"She took it off to press it against her head wound," Rad answered as he emerged from the hole. Him and Carlos jumped off Jolt.
"Hotshot, you and I are heading back to the base, stat," Red Alert stated quickly. "I'm going to see if there's anything I can do first."
-I'm going with you- Swindle beeped.
"Who else wants to go?" Hotshot asked impatiently.
"We will," Rad said for all the boys.
"Let's move," Red Alert commanded.
-
Dim light was the first thing she noticed as she weakly opened her eyes. The last thing she remembered was Starscream aiming a gun at the rocks covering her legs. When her eyes completely focused she realized she was in Autobot headquarters.
Someone beside her noticed she was awake. "Don't move too much," he said.
She recognized the raspy voice. "Starscream?" she whispered. A familiar face suddenly came into view. "How did you get out?"
"Soon after Red Alert and Hotshot brought you back here, Scavenger and Smokescreen got me out. Red Alert was able to stop the bleeding and stop the infection that had started to get into your blood stream."
"Did we get the Mini-Con?"
"Yes, it was actually in the ceiling when it fell on us. Apparently after we were buried, Megatron ordered a retreat, which doesn't surprise me."
"I guess he thought it was in another room."
"No, after the ceiling fell on us, the Mini-Con signal changed its location to under the ruble and Megatron didn't want to dig it up. I found the Mini-Con just as Scavenger punched a big enough hole to get me out."
"My mom is going to kill me after she finds out that I broke my legs."
"Perhaps not. Red Alert is hoping to fix your legs by this evening. Your friends are working out an excuse in case it doesn't."
"My life has turned into lies and excuses."
"I wouldn't say that. You are an honest person. Let me tell you a little secret. From being trapped in that pyramid, brought back a lot of memories. You reminded me of someone I once knew."
"Who was it?"
"Kiaudica. She was one in a million."
"So there are Transformers who had girlfriends."
"Yes. Kiaudica was an Autobot. Being with her was forbidden but I didn't care. She loved me and I loved her. We knew that one day she would either die by a Decepticon or I by an Autobot but that didn't stop us.
"Finally one day Megatron killed her. How's the irony in that? The one bot I've always hated kills her. When she was alive, I was tempted many times to switch sides."
"When did that change?"
"After she died, there was no more meaning to change, until now. You remind me a lot of her. You have a lot of spirit, you're friendly, and you're willingness to help others. It's as almost as if you bare her soul.
"No one ever knew I cared for her, not even Optimus. I think she probably would have been banished from the Autobots if Optimus had known that she loved me."
"And I suppose no one knew you loved an Autobot."
"No. You are so much like Kiaudica. Maybe that's why I feel so comfortable around you, why you know how I'm feeling."
"What did she look like?"
"Most of her armor was blue and she transformed into a hovercraft. Her head looked like a human style of hair...high up on the head."
"A ponytail. I'm sorry you lost her."
"That was over three million years ago. I had learned to accept it. Anyway you should get a little more rest before you leave."
"I don't want to leave." Alexis tried to get up but with a light push from Starscream's finger, she wasn't going anywhere. She noticed she was still wearing her uniform, though the pant legs were cut into shorts. She quickly scanned over herself of what she could and could tell that she was quite dirty. Her tan shirt was more grey as was her bra.
"Don't over exert yourself. Why do not want to leave?"
"I don't want to explain my injury and besides I already told my mom that the guys and I are camping this weekend so she's not expecting me until tomorrow. I would like to stay until then at least."
"I'll mention it to Optimus. Right now get some rest and I'll come and see you later."
"One more question. How long have you been in here?"
"Since Red Alert was done, which was an hour ago."
"Thank you," she whispered as she started to close her eyes again.
"Your welcome." Starscream walked out of the medical bay, with a slight smile. He had finally told someone about the love of his life who was killed. His relationship with Kiaudica was sacred and secreted. It felt comforting to have finally told someone about his forbidden love.
-
AN – Kiaudica is my creation. I thought it would have been really nice for Starscream to have a past love. It does explain a bit why he likes Alexis so much.