Notes: I've given Alexis a last name of MacDonald.
Alexis was in the medical bay and it was starting to become a habit on her part. But this time was for a different reason. Red Alert wanted to examine the rock from Mars and she was curious as well. Alexis now could feel Kiaudica again and remembered the battle with Megatron. She couldn't believe that Kiaudica actually embarrassed the Decepticon leader.
Analyzing the Mars rock was taking longer than Red Alert figured. He didn't think it would take that long. "I don't know what to make of this," he said to himself.
"Mind if I help."
"Sure."
Alexis left the room and came back a few minutes later with her laptop computer. Pretty soon she would no longer have a use for her computer. The thought put her down a bit but remembered quickly that Red Alert needed help. She placed that sad memory in the back of her mind to help the science officer.
"Red Alert," she said after having the laptop on and plugged into the alien computer. "Send me what you have so far."
Red Alert pushed a button that would send the information he found so far to Alexis's computer. Alexis watched as the information was being downloaded. When it was complete, she unplugged her computer and moved it over to where she could be more comfortable.
She read over what Red Alert found for a few minutes but didn't quite understand it. "Red Alert, mind if I take this home to see if I can't make more sense of it. Mom is expecting later on."
"That would be a good idea. I have to work on the ship."
"How is that doing?"
"Slowly. I thought maybe we would be close to being down by now."
"I need to talk to Starscream," Alexis said.
Alexis left to speak to Starscream and found him in his quarters. When she was close to the door, she heard a chime, letting him know there was someone there and heard him say come in. As she walked in, she quickly noticed a picture of her and the kids by the computer console.
Starscream turned when he heard the door open. "How are you feeling?"
"Better now that Kiaudica is now conscious again. I can't believe that she...I went up against Megatron like that."
"It was something to see but very dangerous. I don't know what I would have done if he would have killed you," he said with concern.
"Well, Megatron really hates me now, at least he knows that I'm strong."
"Yes and you also looked like me."
"Kiaudica said she copied your design. When I turn into a Transformer, what will I look like?"
"That's a tough question to answer. I'm not sure how to answer it."
"I know when I first met you guys. You did not have large wings like you do now or the canons on your neck."
"You had seen me from my original design and when we came here to Earth, Megatron thought changing our look, would help us to move better on here."
"From fighting Megatron, I had the chance to see and feel what it will be like to be a Transformer. And I sort of liked that"
"Really? If you choose my design, you may have a winged sword. I could teach to learn how to use a sword."
"That would be nice to know. But one question that keeps coming to mind and I know that you can't answer it...my mom and dad. What do I tell them?"
"Perhaps the truth," Starscream stated.
"We promised Optimus that we would not tell anyone."
"I think Optimus might allow the rule to be broken for you."
"Speaking of Optimus I had a talk with him earlier before Megatron attacked and he told me something that you will be surprised to know. See I can speak to Kiaudica when I'm sleeping and she had asked me if he knew anything about you and her."
"She what?" He was surprised that Kiaudica would suggest something like that and worse, that Alexis spoke to Optimus about it. He started to angry with this.
Alexis noticed his anger and she quickly rushed out what Optimus had told her. "Optimus had always known about you and her. I had asked him if he if knew Kiaudica was seeing someone and he said that I knew who it was."
Starscream clenched his fist. "Why would you ask that? That is private to me."
"Even if you never had told me I would have known by now. I know things that were between you two that you never told me. Kiaudica is allowing me to see her history."
"That still doesn't make it right that you spoke to him about this before asking if I wanted it to be known."
Alexis now was starting to get angry with Starscream. "Why won't you let people in? You think just because you had a forbidden relationship, it makes it ok that your life stays private. Well I want to be your friend and you won't let me in."
Starscream stared at her from her outburst. He was too shocked to say anything. It was the first time, he ever seen her raise her voice in anger.
"I have told you things about my past that I never told Optimus or Rad. Rad doesn't know that I ever was a trouble maker when I was a kid. You were the first person that I confided in about my parents argument...and you are the only one who calls me Alexandra and that my heart skips a ...AHHHHHH!!!!!!" Alexis suddenly collapsed in pain, curling herself into a ball and started to shake violently.
"Alexis!" he exclaimed, suddenly all anger was gone. He quickly bent down to her to place a finger on her back to comfort her, just like he did when they were trapped in the pyramid, but his finger did not touch soft flesh but instead felt something hard. He didn't like what he felt and quickly called for Red Alert.
It took Red Alert a few minutes to get to Starscream's quarters. Red Alert picked Alexis up and laid her in his hand as he tried to do a quick scan of her skin. "Her skin is turning into metal." Red Alert stated.
"Would it have anything to do with her turning into a Transformer earlier?" Starscream asked.
"I don't think so. Three days ago when I examined her, I noticed something on her back, it wasn't metal but it seemed like a growth."
"What's going on?" Optimus asked as he rushed into the room.
"Alexis's skin has now started to change," Red Alert answered.
Optimus let out a sad sigh. "It's time."
Not sure what more to do, the three Transformers watched as Alexis went through her painful change. When she started to slow down in her shaking, Optimus continued softly. "Red Alert, continue on the ship. I'll get the other men to help you. Starscream keep a watchful eye on her. I'll get Rad to get her mother. She needs to know."
Starscream nodded. He couldn't believe that just a few minutes ago, he was angry with her for talking to Optimus about him and his dead girlfriend and then to find out that Optimus knew all a long.
"What about figuring out why she is changing?" Red Alert asked.
"We know why. We just to need to figure out how the rock is doing it. I do have a theory. I think Kiaudica's spark is reacting to the rock."
"That is a theory I have too. I don't know why but I find the rock is somehow familiar. I'm sure I've seen it around in Cybertron's library database," Red Alert said.
"I'll relay a message to Ultra Magnus to see if he can dig up some information."
Alexis's crying suddenly went to a whimper.
"Good, she's calming down." Optimus started to take his leave, as did Red Alert.
Red Alert didn't want to leave the girl but he had an order to carry out. He placed the human into Starscream's hands and began to follow his leader.
"Optimus," Starscream said. "Could I speak to you for a moment."
Optimus stopped and moved away from the door to allow Red Alert by. When Red Alert was gone Starscream continued.
"You knew about Kiaudica and me?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you let me know when I first arrived?"
"I knew it was a private subject for you. And if you're wondering why I never banished her, it's because for one Autobots don't do that and two she never lost sight of what our goal was which was to eliminate the Decepticons. I do hope, however, that one day the Autobots and Decepticons can live in peace."
"It's hard to believe that you would allow her to see me when it was forbidden."
"Starscream, I have a feeling of why Megatron killed her. I think he found out about the two of you. He wanted to give you a lesson that you wouldn't forget. I believe he felt like you were going to desert him if the relationship continued."
"Well I did desert him in the end and all because of the humans."
"Yes. Now please watch her. I'm afraid while this transformation happens, she may do something that I will not approve and be prepared for a lot of questions. I don't think it would be wise for her mother to know that you are an ex-Decepticon."
"That would be to much for her. It's already going to be hard for her to accept her daughter is turning into...what the humans call 'an alien'."
"I agree." Optimus turned and walked out.
Starscream watched as the girl, went silent as she allowed everything to absorb. Though she was in a terrible pain, she heard every word that was said. She silently cried from hearing Red Alert say her body was turning into metal. When she was completely calm, she slowly sat up from her position and looked at her friend.
"I'm sorry, for getting mad," she whispered.
"Don't worry about it," Starscream said gently. His tone did not sound anything like she ever heard before and she realized that he did care about her. "I was out of line for getting angry at you. I still don't know why you make me feel like this, But I am glad you came into my life."
Alexis sadly smiled. "Did you still want to teach me to use the sword?"
"If you are willing. I had always wanted to show Kiaudica how to use the sword. Mind you at the time, I was only learning myself."
"Do you mind if I copy your design?" As much as Alexis wanted to cry that it was now happening, she had to be strong since soon enough Megatron would attack again and she didn't want him to see her defenseless.
"No," he smiled. In a way he couldn't wait for her to change. He could tell her how much he cared for her...or even better show her.
--------
It was close to midnight when Rad and Carlos returned with Alexis's mother. It took the woman that long to be convinced that going to the mountains was important. When her mother walked into the lounge, she was puzzled as to why everything was so large.
Alexis now had a hard challenge, giving her mother the truth. The Autobots stood nearby waiting in the darkened shadows.
"Hi Mom," Alexis said.
"What is going on? It's midnight and your friends told me that it was important for me to come here and I was in the middle of having company."
"Trust me Mom you will be glad that you came. I have something to tell you and you're not going to like it. Rad, Carlos, Fred, Billy and I have been lying to you. In fact we have been lying to everyone. And it's all because we had made a promise that we would not tell anyone about this place."
"Promise to who?"
"Before you meet them, who are standing in the shadows, I should warn you that this is a space ship that crashed four million years ago."
"A space ship? Four million years ago?"
"Yes, this has been here the whole time. Almost a year ago, the creatures that crafted this ship came to Earth to protect another set of beings like themselves from their enemy called the Decepticons. Rad, Carlos and I met the beings and the Decepticons. Do you remember the day when a lot people said there was an Earth quake but it wasn't recorded?"
"Yes."
"Well that was the day the creatures came. And these creatures are not anything you ever heard of. It's nothing like we have seen on TV from UFO sightings to Science Fiction movies."
"What are they then?" Alexis's mother was a little skeptical about what her daughter was saying but did trust her.
"They are called Transformers. Mechanical beings from a far away planet called Cybertron. They are here to protect and rescue Mini-cons who are miniature Transformers. The Transformers stand about fifty feet tall."
"What?" her mother's eyes widened.
Optimus decided at that point to reveal himself. He stepped out of the shadows.
"Mom meet Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots," Alexis said as she watched Optimus come out.
Alexis's mother watched the leader come from behind Alexis. She was in shock.
"Hello," he said. "I know this is hard to handle but there is more to be said then to meet me and my men who are also standing in the shadows."
"H...how...how many are of you?" her mother stammered.
"Here in this room, nine, including myself but back on Cybertron. Thousands," Optimus said.
"I...I...I...don't know what to say."
"You don't need to say anything. Just listen to what needs to be said and try to understand. There is only one thing I have to ask of you and that is to keep our a secret." Optimus bent down, stretching his hand out for her to get on.
Alexis saw the nervousness in her mother. She walked over to her mother and grabbed her hand and slowly pulled her towards Optimus.
"Don't worry, we all do this all the time. Optimus finds it better to talk when we are higher up." When the two were in Optimus's hand. He slowly raised them to a higher area.
"Now I'll introduce you to my men, who have all come to depend on Alexis and her friends for help in finding the Mini-Cons."
Alexis' mother watched as eight other giant robots came from the shadows.
"I'm Red Alert."
"Hotshot."
"Hoist."
"Blurr."
"Scavenger."
"Jetfire, second in command."
"Starscream."
"Sideswipe, the youngest on the team."
"And these..." Alexis said to the kids Mini-Cons as they came up. "Are the Mini-Cons. Grindor, Sureshock and Highwire. Mind you there are a lot of more of these guys."
"And you have been here for almost a year?"
"Yes but that is not why we had asked for you to come here," Optimus said. "First do you remember when Alexis went missing for the night, she was here."
"Here?" she looked at Alexis in disbelief.
"I told you, the Autobots were kept a secret. I couldn't say anything."
"She's right," Red Alert said. "But what we have to tell you is something that happened to Alexis. A week ago there was an accident. That day we learned something that will change yours and her life forever."
"What is that?"
Alexis looked at Optimus, then Starscream. "Mom...how do I say this?"
"Say what?"
"I...I'm becoming a...Transformer."
"What?! How? Why?"
"Apparently," Red Alert started. "A Transformer known as Kiaudica, who was killed three million years ago, but managed to survive by only what we call a spark, which is like your heart. She came to Earth and embedded herself into Alexis when she was first born.
"Not that long ago, Starscream and Jetfire went to Mars to retrieve a Mini-Con. Starscream brought back a huge rock and gave it to the kids. That rock and Kiaudica's spark is reacting to each other, which in turn is changing Alexis into one of us."
"I know it's a lot to take in," Optimus said as she watched woman start to panic.
Alexis also noticed her mother starting a panic attack. "Mom, take deep breaths. This is something you don't need right now and that's to end up in the hospital."
Her mother did what Alexis asked and started to take deep breaths and after about ten deep breaths, started to calm down. She looked up at the Transformers when she was calm enough. "How well do you know Alexis?" she asked when she was finally calm.
"Starscream, Red Alert, Myself and Hotshot have known Alexis, Rad and Carlos from the beginning. The others have gotten to know her as they arrived to help out."
"Ok...Even if I believe you, what will happen to Alexis?"
"She will be able to do what she wants. Either help us in our fight with the Decepticons or stay in a neutral zone. It will be up to her."
"Mom, I'll be ok. I have these wonderful friends to help. I've even come to associate some of them like family. To Optimus, I feel like he's a father to me, Starscream a friend and Hotshot and Sideswipe, pretty much like brothers I never had. Basically Red Alert is not only my friend but he's like a doctor to me to."
"I never knew," Hotshot said. "That you would considered me like a brother."
"Me too," Sideswipe said. "I know I consider Hotshot like a bro but never thought of you like a sister."
"I know and I never had the chance to tell you until now," Alexis said. "And Sideswipe, I wouldn't mind it at all if you considered me like a sister."
"Ok. I will then."
"See, Mom. They are easy to get along with."
"So that is why for the past week, you haven't been doing your school work," her mother concluded.
"Yes and really soon I won't have a need for it. The changes have already started. I don't know how long it will take. And I would like to spend what time I have left as a human to be with you. Hopefully I will be able to be a human for a limited of time."
"How can that be achieved?"
"On a distant planet," Starscream said. "There's a pool of water called 'pool of transformation'. There's already a search to see if we can get any of the water and if we can, Alexis will be able to become whatever she wants, whenever she wants. Even you could use it."
"Unbelievable," her mother said. "How long have you existed?"
"Millions of years," Scavenger said. "Since it's late and we, as much as we don't want to right now, have things that must be done, why don't you stay here? We can take you home tomorrow."
"I have one more question. What is a Transformer?"
"We'll show you," Optimus said. He turned to Hotshot. "Why don't you give a demonstration?"
"Sure."
Alexis's mother watched in amazement how Hotshot went from a robot to a yellow car in split seconds then back to robot.
"Wow."
"They all can do that," Alexis said. "They all transform into something different. Optimus is an eighteen wheeler transport truck, Blurr a sports car, Scavenger a bulldozer, Starscream a jet, Jetfire a space shuttle, Hoist a construction like truck and finally Red Alert and Sideswipe also transform into cars."
"Also Mrs. MacDonald," Carlos said. "This is this room where we camp out. And I borrowed my parents portable cot for you to sleep in." He pointed to behind her where there was a cot set up for already.
"I'm not quite sure if I would like to stay here."
"I don't want Alexis to leave," Optimus said. "The changes has started and I want to keep a close eye on her. Goodnight kids and Mrs. MacDonald. Let's get to our duties. Starscream, stay with the kids." Optimus commanded.
Starscream nodded as Optimus turned and took his leave. The others were not far in following his command. When his teammates were gone, Starscream sat on the floor.
Mrs. MacDonald sat on the cot, exhausted and lost. She now knew what was wrong with her daughter but couldn't believe that these giant beings had been hiding underground for almost a year.
"Mom," Alexis said. "I'm sorry I never told you."
Mrs. MacDonald looked at her daughter with sadness. "When I was told that your blood type was strange, I knew then something was going to happen."
"The reason my blood type is strange is because of Kiaudica. Her spark is so much a part of me that if someone were to separate us, we would both die. Red Alert was going to do that but I had to tell him not to."
"Will you become as tall as them?"
Alexis nodded. "Mom, as much as I want to talk some more but I'm tired. This is also hard for me to comprehend what is happening. I'm going to rest." She turned to her sleeping bag on the floor. "If you need anything ask Starscream or wake me up."
Starscream dimmed the lights and allowed the kids to fall asleep. As they fell asleep he kept a watchful eye on Alexis but also watched her mother.
For a few hours, Mrs. MacDonald watched her daughter sleep in the dim light. Sleep was not coming to her easily. Finally she stood from the cot and walked towards Starscream. She had the feeling that he was watching her.
"You seem to be watching me. Why?" she asked quietly.
"Just wondering when you were going to sleep," he answered. "I remember the day I came to the base. Alexis was the only one who would give me the time of day. No one wanted to speak to me."
"Why?"
"Just something that I did, when I first met the kids. Alexis taught me true friends would stick by through thick and thin. I thought I had friends before, now I know they weren't. I had started to believe I was useless, but Alexis showed me different. Without Alexis I would have betrayed the Autobots."
"Let me guess, you were a Decep..."
"Decepticon. Yes." Even though Optimus said that Alexis's mother shouldn't know that he was a Decepticon, he felt she a had a right to know. "Try and get some sleep, it could end up being a long, hard day tomorrow."
Mrs. MacDonald slightly nodded and slowly moved back to the cot. Though she wanted to have more questions answered, she thought it was best to try and sleep. And before long she was asleep. Starscream watched a little while longer before deciding to have some down time as well. He kept part of systems on so he could hear Alexis if she needed him.