Chapter Two

It was still dark when Rae left the base to hunt. As usual, Bracket accompanied her when she headed out like this. He was the only Transformer small enough to keep from scaring the animals away.

The sixteen-year-old had quickly adapted to life in the forest. Food was plentiful, and she had no problems being required to hunt. Bracket could easily find her new clothes when she needed them, but none of the Transformers could figure out what humans ate. Rae really wasn't much help there – she was used to foraging for food, and it didn't matter to her whether it was in a forest or in a dumpster. Meat was meat.

It also never bothered her going barefoot. She had never seen the purpose in shoes – a few years walking around without them pretty much toughened her feet up enough that not much hurt her anymore. She still had to be on the lookout for scrap metal, but sticks and stones never bothered her.

She supposed it wouldn't hold up to others expectations, but Rae liked life as a Transformer. They were her family now.

"Rae." Bracket hissed. "It wouldn't be a good idea to go much further from the base. Case can't track us out this far." Rae nodded.

"Sheol wouldn't tell me what was going on." she whispered back, making an effort not to scare any potential prey in their area away. "Megatron and Prime have shown up, haven't they?" Bracket nodded grimly. Rae simply shook her head. "Then let's head back. I really don't want to get caught in the open with them on the loose." With that she turned and started to head back, one dead rabbit held firmly in her hand. She had been hoping for a second one, but it didn't seem like luck would be with her today.

A dark shadow fell over her just as a small experimental aircraft landed in front of her. The thing transformed almost instantly, becoming the last mech Rae or Bracket expected to see. "Starscream?" Rae demanded. A cheerful smile crossed her face. "What's with the new alt form? I thought you were a jet."

"I still am." the massive mech said stiffly. "I've got this form in case I don't feel like being attacked by every mech who's got it out for me. This time I really don't want to be followed." He knelt down so he was on eye level with her. Rae was the only human Starscream truly respected. Ever since that first meeting, when she had not been afraid of him, he had found it difficult to see her as a human. That very trait that drew him to her had also put her in danger. "I've got a warning for your family. Is Bracket transmitting?"

"Bracket has been transmitting since you arrived." Bracket snipped. "Bracket is not incapable of defending Rae adequately."

Starscream snorted. "I never said you were, runt." he pointed out dryly. With that, he turned his focus back to Rae. "Megatron wants you, and only you. He may attack the base, but it's you he's after." Rae's eyes widened.

"Why?"

"Beats the pit out of me. Maybe because of your upbringing, although I'm not sure why he's devoting all this attention to a youngling when he should be focused on the AllSpark." Starscream shrugged. "Prime has arrived here as well, but I don't think he knows whatever it is Megatron knows. He's just trying to stop us like he always does."

Rae was quiet for a moment, her eyes still wide. She was taking this all rather well, Starscream thought sourly. They had taught her that panicking really wasn't going to get her anywhere, so she had learned to think things through. He wondered exactly how well she would hold up under Megatron's interrogations or Soundwave's torture. If her family did their job right, he would never have to find out.

She looked up at him. "We'll be careful." she said quietly. "We were on our way back to the base now."

Starscream nodded. "I'll give you a lift." With that he transformed back into his new alt form. Rae giggled.

"Bracket will never get used to that." the small Decepticon murmured. "Starscream with US Air Post written on his side."

"Oh shut up."

/---/

Later on that night, when Starscream was safely back at the Decepticon base and Rae was back with her family, Blackout decided to do some searching on the little group. He would get the information Megatron so badly wanted, and then he would pump Soundwave for information as to why they were bothering with a bunch of outcast who decided to take on a human teenager.

He was especially careful to stay out of sensor range of Harbinger. He remembered all too clearly what the slagging psychopath did to Starscream all those years ago. He could only assume that the mech's skills had not gotten rusty. Either way, he really didn't want to find out by having his own arms ripped off. Now he stayed in the shadows and watched as the group interacted, filing everything away for later reference.

Rae was watching with intense excitement as a monster truck and a Pontiac GTO ran laps around the base. The Pontiac was in the lead, but that was only as far as Blackout could tell. Suddenly both vehicles skidded to a halt and transformed back into their mech forms. Harbinger and Veris, if he remembered the Autobot right. Their Neutral, Case, was grinning as he watched the two struggle for breath.

"What's the verdict, Rae?" he asked.

Rae giggled. "I hate to say it, but Veris won that round. Sorry, Harbinger."

Veris laughed. "Face it, Decepticon, I was built for speed." he teased.

Harbinger simply punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Ah, but I notice you still won't fight me, Autobot." he pointed out cheerfully.

"Do I look stupid to you?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

Grinning, Veris took a good-natured swing at him. Which led to a good-natured sparring match. Which Harbinger won in three seconds. The others were laughing by now, Rae the loudest of them all. She was such a cheerful little youngling. Blackout could understand why these outcasts wanted to keep her around. Maybe she had been an outcast herself and they had offered her a place to stay. Who knew? It wasn't his place to determine motive.

He watched as the laughter died down some and Rae began to yawn. In a few minutes, she was asleep curled up in Greystreak's hand. It was several more minutes before the others realized she had fallen into recharge. Case chuckled quietly.

"She's had a busy day." he murmured. Harbinger nodded and took the human from Greystreak. Blackout noticed that the Autobot didn't challenge him. Apparently he was the guardian of the youngling. That would make it a bit harder to get the girl, but not impossible.

Harbinger headed back into the base, calling back over his shoulder. "Oh, by the way Veris – you suck at fighting."

Another explosion of laughter followed him into the base, where he collapsed on his recharge berth and gently set Rae on his chest. He joined her in recharge a few minutes later.

/---/

AN: Yes, I know it's moving slowly. You'll appreciate that later. Next chapter – enter the Decepticons!