Important Information
"Blah" Speaking
::Blah:: comm. link
'Blah' bonded speech
'Blah' thinking
Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds
Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes
Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours
Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days
Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks
Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months
Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years
Breem-slang for a moment/minute.
Night Cycle: star down to star up
Day Cycle: Star up to star down
Authors Note: Thank you to all who read chapter three! Since Fan Fic does not allow proper tags, please be aware that this story will be getting darker, there will be Rape/non-con elements in it. Be aware that torture, robot gore and canon typical violence will be in this story. NOT all chapters will be posted on Fan Fiction due to their rules.
Full story is available at Archive of Our Own. (AO3) under the same pen name.
Disclaimer: I own only my OC's, nothing else.
Mia hadn't said a word when they were taken prisoner. Not when Dirge found her trapped and struggling in a tree, the cables to her parachute tangled in the branches. Not when she fought helplessly with the straps and panic filled her chest.
She hadn't said a word when Megatron showed up, even when fear bubbled in her gut and her instinct was to sob, she sucked back the tears and remained silent. Silent and small in the face of behemoths. Fear made her shake and shiver, but she never made a noise as she and Starscream were brought into Nemesis.
Even when Dirge had barrel rolled and Mia thought she would vomit, she hadn't said a word. She managed to swallow down the bile that rose in her throat, and didn't utter a noise. Even when she was threatened, and when Starscream was threatened, Mia clamped her teeth together. Her hands shook and her eyes filled with helpless tears, but Mia stayed silent.
"It's time to remind everyone!" Megatron roared to his Decepticons, some who cheered with him as he circled the dark room they had been brought into. "What happens to traitors!"
Starscream was glaring weakly from between Ramjet and Thrust, both of whom were smug as they propped him up. Hook had patched the crack in Starscream's side, only enough to keep him from bleeding out but not nearly enough to be prepared properly. Even a gentle hit would break the seals and send Starscream bleeding out again.
For a brief moment, Mia and Starscream's optics and eyes met and Mia felt dread fill her when she saw flat, red optics that were devoid of hope. No one knew they were here and no one would know they were missing for days.
Suddenly Dirge tossed Mia into the air, and she let lose a sheik of panic that had dark laughs echo from around the room before he caught her. She clung to the dark armour of Dirge's hand in hopes that if he threw her harder, just maybe she wouldn't again feel that sickening sense of weightlessness before she hit the ground.
Dirge laughed at her panic, and with a gentle toss Mia tumbled from his hand and onto the cold metal table in the center of the room. Her small body rolled and tumbled, but she come to a stop, unharmed in the center.
Mia quickly pushed herself up first to all fours then to her feet, her red hair falling in tangles in front of her face. Pale hands quickly pushed the thick locks from her face, white teeth biting at a plump lip as Starscream was forced into the center of the room.
He cast her one last, worried glance before his face smoothed into neutral bored and he focused on Megatron. Ramjet and Thrust shove him forward, and the Seekerstumbled, catching himself before his knees hit the ground.
Starscream straightened, shoulders back and damaged wings high. Looking every bit annoyed despite the rage he felt. The fear. His concern over Mia. He had eons of practice looking bored when everything in him screamed at him to run, to fly, to simply get away.
He had to look bored and detached if they had any hope of surviving this hell. That was at least one thing Starscream excelled at. Survival.
Dull red optics dimmed, looking uninterested as Megatron droned on in the passionate voice that had seduced so many of his followers. Had even seduced Starscream at one point in his life. Now to Starscream it sounded like the ramblings of a mad mech.
"Prime!" Megatron hissed lowly. "Thought that he could sway my Decepticons away from me. Just as he swayed those foolish Seekers!" Cheers met the titan's words, and Starscream grit it denta. "They too will land back here in Nemesis! I will have their spark chambers decorate my throne."
Circling the room, Megatron smirked down at Mia as he neared. Starscream saw large green eyes widen in fear and panic as she crumpled at gaze, freezing on the metal table when her knees hit the ground.
"Right next to the skulls of their human pets." The Decepticon war lord's voice softened to a mocking croon as he stared down at Mia.
Her bottom lip trembled, eyes glassy with tears that silently fell. Her fearful eyes focused on nothing but the terrifying warlord who stared intently down at her.
"Except!" Starscream's voice was high and loud, shattering the illusion Megatron tried to create. "To do that, you will need to get past the Prime." The Seeker's mouth pulled into a smirk. "And you're too much of a failure for that."
Megatron's attention was pulled away from Mia and back to Starscream, but that only seemed to make the human's eyes brighten with fear.
The other Decepticons slowly became quiet, some shifting in nervousness while others looked on with excitement. They knew of the beating that Starscream would get eventually, and they looked forward to it.
Two long strides took Megatron away from Mia and brought him nose to nose with Starscream. "I know what you're afraid of Starscream. Don't forget I know what makes you scream."
Starscream sneered. "I am not afraid of you." That was a lie, and they both knew it.
A massive silver hand gripped Starscream's face, claws puncturing the soft silicone that covered the Seeker's facial structure. "You're not? Then I will have to remind you why you should be."
Starscream felt his tank twist at the mocking words, but kept it from his face. He had faced Megatron's torture before, he could bare it once more.
Megatron released his face suddenly, the large, hot frame stepping away from Starscream and back to Mia.
"I suppose," Megatron began, looking over his shoulder to smirk at Starscream, "being Prime's new whore would give you a certain perspective. A false sense of security."
Once, being called a whore would have hurt Starscream, would have torn him up inside; but those days were long gone. There were worse things to fear then words.
Megatron circled the table Mia knelt trembling on so that he stood on the opposite side of it, facing Starscream to give him a clear line of site of Mia.
"But allow me to remind you Starscream, who is in charge here, and why you should be afraid for defying me."
Optics widening in horror, Starscream forgot how quickly Megatron could move when he chose to. How he was a pit fighter that relied on not only brute strength, but speed as well.
Mia only had time to cry out in panic before Megaton's fist slammed into the table with a sickening thud that cracked the table right where she had been curled. Blood red optics lifted with a smirk to gauge Starscream's reaction.
Crimson optics brightened momentarily and Starscream flinched towards the human and Megatron before he is able to control his reaction. The Seeker's tank dropped and dread twisted his spark as he waited for the dark red substance that was once Mia's life force to leak out from under Megatron's hand.
The bright light had been snuffed out, and Mia certainly didn't deserve to die in such a manner. She was innocent in all this, had only wanted to be his friend and grief filled Starscream so suddenly that he was caught by surprise by it. Mia, bright, innocent Mia was nothing but a bright memory. Another victim of Megatron's ever growing list.
Starscream tried to school his features, but couldn't stop the hitch in his systems or the way his shoulders listed slightly up to his helm. Already Megatron was smirking in triumph.
"Interesting." The war lord said softly, his optics sharp and calculating.
Starscream managed to keep the flat look on his face, optics narrowed and tried to appear disinterested and forced his shoulders back down to stand up straight. How was he going to tell Prime that his charge was dead? That he had failed. How would he tell her family? Would he even be given the chance to tell them? To reassure them that Mia had not suffered and her death had been quick?
"What?" Starscream snapped, trying to force down the feelings of grief. But the guilt that were already rising from his tank made his knees feel like jelly. Feelings so strong he could taste on the back of his glossa like something acidic. He would mourn the little human and carry her death as his fault, and already he was spiraling into blaming himself.
Megatron continued to smirk as he lifted his fist from the table, and Starscream braced himself for the smear that had once been Mia; determined to burn the image into his memory banks to add to his growing lists of failures. That it had been his fault that Mia was dead, and such a kind, soft person was to be added to the tally of Megatron's murders.
Yet, as Megatron uncurled his fist, Mia was curled into a small ball on the table. Her head down and wrapped in her arms as she trembled. Now Starscream could hear the muffled sob as her chest heaved, and he only just managed to keep the relief from his face.
He still felt it deep in his frame, all the way to his protoform and it made his knees feel weak and his arms like jelly. He missed. Megatron missed killing her on purpose.
Hesitant crimson optics lifted to Megatron's smirking face as the war lord approached him, once again taking his face into his hand. "You reacted."
Starscream refused to respond, despite the dread that quickly replaced the relief. Mia was alive, but Megatron knew he cared about her.
"You thought I killed her, and you were upset by that." Megatron's smirk became impossibly sharper. "You feared for her, and would have mourned her death."
A few of the other Decepticons chortled at that, like mourning the death of a friend was a weakness, and here it was a weakness to be exploited.
Crimson optics glanced over Megatron's shoulder to Mia, her tiny head finally poking up and her bright green eyes were wide with a blinding fear he had never seen in her.
"You care about her enough to be upset. That, my dear little Seeker, is a weakness." Starscream felt a chill go down his spinal struts and he again hated how Megatron made him feel.
A grey fist slammed suddenly into his middle, knocking all the air from his body and dropping him to his knees. "And weaknesses makes you vulnerable. Weaknesses make you an easy target."
"Fuck you." Starscream suddenly wheezed out, crimson optics blazing with hate and determination. "Fuck you and everything you are Megatron."
Rage filled Megatron's optics and even before the heel of Megatron's pede slammed into Starscream's mouth, the seekerknew the words had been worth it.
Blood energon spewed from Starscream's mouth from the impact, knocking the Seekeronto his side. Megatron stood over him panting, rage bright in those blood red optics; Starscream lay limp on the ground, damaged mouth pressing into the back of his hand while he panted.
A smirk, sharp and dangerous curled around Starscream's mouth. "What?" he rasped, head still pressed down into the floor. "Did I hit a nerve Megatron?"
Rage darkened Megatron's face as Starscream forced himself onto his elbows, smirk still unwavering despite how small Starscream felt. How sick and afraid he was. "What? Get a little testy when your followers are disillusioned by your utter madness?"
There were a few Decepticon's who shifted uneasily in the room, and from the shadows Starscream saw a large shadowy frame tense at his words.
Huh. So there were others who thought that.
A small sob made Starscream and Megatron look up to the table that Mia was curled up on and he knew that he needed to keep the attention on himself and away from Mia.
"Angered so easily when you are reminded what a fool you are Megatron! And I, Starscream, will be leader of the Decepti-"
His words were cut off by a bellow from Megatron and the titan turned on him once more, a heavy grey pede slamming into his middle. Pain erupted as once again the air was knocked from his vents and his vision swam.
Blow after blow rained down onto Starscream's belly, the weak patch Hook put into his side cracking and splintering. Blood energon pooled in Starscream's mouth, droplets of it pattering onto the floor with every blow from Megatron as he kicked the seeker. Starscream unable to put any sort of defense up, unable to get his arms between Megatron and the splintering patch, laying limp and taking every blow.
The attack ended just as quickly as it began, and both Starscream and Megatron were left panting. The seekerspat the rest of the energon from his mouth in a thick clot, trying to force his vision to clear. Thick black spots floated in his vision, making it hard to focus. Still, hands pressed flat to the ground as he tried to push himself up to meet Megatron's rage.
Starscream managed to smirk.
Growling, Megatron's face darkened. "You will give me what I want Starscream. Access codes, patrol routes, everything that makes the Autobot's weak."
Still smirking, Starscream shook his helm no. "Never."
Megatron's pede shifted and he crushed Starscream's fingers. "You will. You will beg me to give them to me. Then, after I have dragged your trine back here to face the same punishment, you will die. They will die." His hand swung out clumsily in Mia's direction. "Your human pet will die. And you will all die screaming."
The smirk fell, a glare taking its place and Starscream growled low in his throat. "Never."
Megatron smirked, his rage still shining through. "We shall see Starscream."
Turning, the grey Decepticon stepped off of Starscream's broken fingers to bark orders. "Onslaught! Take the human to the brig."
Starscream's head tilted, vision swimming, to see the massive Combaticon commander step forward from the shadows. Gold visor dim as he nodded. "Yes lord Megatron." He droned emotionlessly.
Something in Starscream mourned that tone, just one more victory Megatron had won. One more mech Megatron had utterly destroyed.
Megatron turned and strode from the room, Soundwave and Shockwave quickly coming to his sides. "Ramjet, you and your team can have him for an hour. Bring him to my quarters after your hour is up, and I expect him to be alive when he arrives there."
Starscream licked his denta and spat energon again as he glared at Megatron's retreating back. His uninjured hand pressed into his side at the weak patch and his tanks churned. There was only one reason Megatron would want him in his quarters, and Starscream just barley suppressed the shutter.
"Yes Megatron." Ramjet's dark voice chortled over Starscream.
Onslaught held is hand out to Mia, ignoring the Seeker's crimson optics as they shifted from where Megatron left to glare weakly at the commander.
Looking up at him with fearful glassy eyes, Mia didn't move and Onslaught heaved an exhausted sigh. He was getting too old for this.
His hands shifted, one coming to the edge of the table and the other landing with a thud being Mia, causing the human to gasp and flinch away from him. The massive hand slid easily across the surface of the table, sweeping Mia along with a startled cry and into his waiting hand.
On his palm he could feel her shake even as she curled into a small ball, but Onslaught couldn't find it in him to care. The commander felt disassociated with what was happening around him, and he couldn't afford to let anyone see how he felt. If Megatron found out, he and his team would be suffering right alongside Starscream.
The Seekerwatched him as he carried the human from the room, her trembling body still arching to see Starscream one last time. Again, their eyes and optics met and they mirrored the fear they both felt if only for a moment.
Thrust's fist slammed into the back of Starscream's helm with a sickening crack, slamming the seeker's face into the metal floor.
Starscream didn't utter a noise and the action went ignored by Onslaught as Vortex and Blast Off moved to flank their commander, distorting Mia's view of her seekerfriend. Mia cried out at the attack, quietly sobbing Starscream's name as she was carried from the room.
The little human curled weakly into Onslaught's palm as she sobbed softly, wishing that her sisters were with her. That Starscream was with her and not left behind to be beaten by the three cone heads.
Onslaught risked a glance down, but didn't dare comment or feel for the women. Or on Starscream for that matter, and he buried any thoughts on his former commander deeply and quietly plotted.
Danny stood next to Perceptor, a cheesy grin plastered across her face as she beamed at her younger sister.
"It'll be fun!" she reassured, brown eyes bright, glancing at her watch.
Aleyah snorted, eye brow raising as she watched Danny, who had always been a little off plumb, check her watch again. "Got some where to be?" she practically sneered at her red haired sister.
Danny's dark eyes slipped back up to her unamused face, and her grin got impossibly sweeter. "Just because I've made friends, doesn't mean you have to be a little bitch about it." Aleyah pulled a face with a huff.
"And I do need to be somewhere." Danny informed her, hands coming to her hips. "I'm having lunch with Prowl. I missed breakfast with him."
Aleyah's own eyes rolled and she shifted her weight from one hip to the other. "Why are you spending time with that wet blanket anyways?"
Aleyah knew she had hit a nerve when Danny's brown eyes flared with anger and her smile turned sharp. That was Aleyah's one jab at Prowl and she knew it. Another one would end with Danny's fist on the side of her mouth.
"I like him." She informed her sister firmly, the hint of hostility open for Aleyah to hear. "And I am going to go have lunch with him and make sure he's fueled."
Aleyah shrugged, giving her sister a sign that she had given in and Prowl was no longer a target. "Fine, whatever." The raven haired sister shrugged. "But I don't want to go shooting." She added bitterly, eyes that mirrored Danny's glanced up to a reluctant Perceptor.
"Why?" Danny demanded, cutting off the Autobot as he opened his mouth. "You're good at it, and we need people with skills."
Glaring at her sister, Aleyah sneered. "You know why."
Danny huffed. "And if I used that excuse, I would never have continued to fix cars. Just because dad taught you to shoot doesn't mean you get to stop just because he died."
Rage filled Aleyah and for a moment Perceptor feared the dark haired girl would take a swing at Danny and the red head must have thought the same as she shifted her stance back.
When Aleyah said nothing, Danny smirked. "Besides. You've been ordered to. Prowl said you are to work with Perceptor this afternoon in the range and if you refuse to, it'll be brig time."
Glaring at her sister's triumphant smirk, Aleyah spat. "Fine." Angry brown eyes lifted to meet Perceptor's soft blue optics. "Meet me down in the range."
Aleyah spun on the balls of her feel, shoulders hunched up by her ears, and Perceptor winced as she stomped away to the gun range.
"Well." Danny shrugged, drawing blue optics down to her. "That went about as well as expected."
Perceptor's shoulders slumped and he eased his tracking monocle out for polishing. "That went well?" he asked, his tone a little strained.
The red head nodded. "Yeah. Aleyah, we well…she's got a temper." Perceptor rose a brow at her before popping his monocle back into place.
"You don't say." He dead panned.
Danny snorted in amusement. "Yeah." Brown eyes tilted up to him and Danny offered a sly grin. "Just get her talking. She'll open up."
Perceptor heaved a sigh, and quickly cursed Prowl. "I am not…" he paused. "The most social Autobot. I think I may not be the wisest choice to train with Aleyah."
"But you're going to be way more patient." Danny gave him a sympathetic look. "And Prowl thinks you will be able to handle her mood."
"He does?" Perceptor didn't mean to let his surprise come though.
Danny's head bobbed. "Yeah. He said she can't be worse then the Wreckers were. But I dunno, Aleyah is pretty…angry."
Perceptor laughed. "That is one way of putting it."
"Mildly." Danny muttered under her breath.
"Why is she so frustrated all the time?"
Something protective and dark flashed through Danny's brown eyes. For a moment Perceptor saw anger and blood lust there before it was gone just as quickly. Perceptor had an inkling there was something more there, something Danny was not telling him that made her jump to the killing threshold so readily. Like she was ready to defend her sister from anything she thought to be a threat.
"I'll let her tell you, if she wants to." Danny said simply, as though she had not just tasted bitter rage at the back of her tongue.
Perceptor nodded her on. "I should join her, and I know Prowl does not approve of tardiness."
Danny sighed and gave Perceptor one last look, her brown eyes tinged in pity. "Yeah, I should go. Good luck Perceptor."
The tall Autobot nodded, having a feeling he was going to need all the luck he could get with Aleyah.
Preceptor found Aleyah in what could only be called a sulk. She was sitting on the ground, a rifle propped over a shoulder and she pouted.
A smirk flickered at the corner of Perceptor's mouth. He knew someone else who pouted like that when they didn't get their own way.
Perceptor eased himself onto the ground next to the human, looking out across the outdoor range; the wind was soft and warm in the desert.
He glanced down at the human with a small frown and quietly began setting up his rifle. Still in a lax, loose sitting position, Perceptor lifted the rifle and twisted. He took a vent and held it while his monocle focused on a target, and he closed his vents.
Aleyah seemed to notice him stilling, dark eyes glancing up at him with curiosity and he pulled the trigger. She didn't flinch as the rifle blasted and bright blue light filled the area and hit the target directly in the center of the bulls eye.
Perceptor cocked his rifle again, feeling the rifle warm with power and he took aim again. He pulled the trigger again and the flash of blue hit the exact same spot.
"Not bad." Aleyah said quietly and Perceptor lowered his rifle to lay it across his lap.
"Thank you." He said with his gentle voice, so at odds for a solider.
"Well." Aleyah continued, her voice angry and bitter. "I guess it's easy to hit a target when you can autotrack. It's not like it takes skill when you can calculate wind interference and trajectory in an instant."
Perceptor frowned at her, the little human turning back away from him with her knees drawn up and her arms wrapped around them. A hunched up little thing filled with rage and sadness.
Huffing a soft sigh, Perceptor shook his helm in almost amusement. Before, long before his stint with the Wreckors, a comment like that would have stung, but Perceptor was harder now.
He glanced back at the target with the perfect round hole in the center of it. "You are correct." He said with his slow words and gentle tone. "It is easy for me. Easier then most. But you will have an easier time then others as well, even over some Autobots and Decepticons."
Aleyah's head tilted up and she looked up at him with a frown.
"Just because I am Cybertronion does not make me a robot and does not mean I am good at everything. I have strengths and weaknesses, just like everyone else." He gave a little shrug, blue optics gazing down at her, not judging. "I was not a soldier when our war broke out and I had to learn how to become one."
Aleyah gave a little squirm. "What were you then?"
Perceptor offered a smile. "A scientist."
Her little face scrunched up in confusion, her hands suddenly moving slowly as she prepped her own rifle, and Perceptor wondered if she even realized she was doing it.
"A scientists? How the hell did you become a solder then?" she asked, sounding more distained then confused. Then, just like he had, twisted and lifted her rifle; she held her breath and squeezed the trigger.
The rifle went off with a bang and a small hole blew through the center of the target.
Perceptor grinned at her. "Well done!" he praised, causing her to blush and look down with a shrug.
"Thanks." She muttered. "I'm rusty though."
A beat of silence passed between them, so Perceptor continued. "I was assigned to watch over a comrade named Kup who was trying out an experimental aid. I was…" he paused, remembering how he had his chest blown wide open. "Gravely injured during that mission. When I survived, I swore I would never be a victim again. That my friends would never have to put their lives on the line to protect me again. So, I created myself the tracker." His fingers gingerly brushed the monocle. "And I learned to shoot."
He gave her an awkward shrug. "I did not have many friends and I did not want to be the one to be a liability to the few I had. I didn't want to be the burden. Besides," he continued. "Shooting a rifle is nothing but math."
Aleyah blinked up at the Autobot, her stomach knotting and guilt suddenly swamped her unexpectedly. That had been the most honest anyone had ever been with her, and Perceptor didn't hide his pain to spare her the awkward social interaction. Or maybe he just realize that it was awkward.
Oh my god. Aleyah thought to herself, brown eye blinking. His a cinnamon roll that can kill you.
She snorted to herself, earning a confused frown from Perceptor which Aleyah quickly shrugged off. Her fingers readjusted around the grip of her rifle and she gave an awkward little shrug. "I didn't have many friends either." She said suddenly, words spilling from her quickly without her meaning to. "I was always getting beaten up and picked on for being a lesbian. In a small town, anything that made you different was a bad thing, ya know? No one wanted to be my friend in high school when some bitch outted me." Her eyes rolled with irritation and they flared with anger. "And the guys all either wanted to 'fix me' or wanted a three some."
A bitter jaw jutted forward and rage filled Aleyah's face. "It was bull shit. Danny was always beating up someone who made fun of me, that's when she taught me how to throw a punch. Mostly girls who thought I was sick and some of the guys too." She risked a glance up to the Autobot. "So to help get me into something else, dad took me to the range. Taught me to shoot. Got out some of my aggression."
Perceptor frowned, but quickly masked the feelings that Aleyah's words brought forth. It was not pity, someone like her would not tolerate pity, but an empathy for another spark that had suffered so at the hands of others. A dark hand rubbed at the glass of Perceptor's chest and he briefly remembered the pain of being shot and the hurt of being left behind. Kup may have said it was not intentional, but it hurt none the less.
"Self-preservation, regardless of how it is found, is very important. Once must find some way to cope with the events of one's past, otherwise we will be destroyed by it." Perceptor told her quietly.
The dark haired girl snorted. "I think you would have liked my dad." She said suddenly. "He used to say something similar. Even when he was dying, he never let his past bother him."
She suddenly moved with practice ease of someone who had been around weapons for a very long time, Aleyah lifted her rifle, aimed and squeezed the trigger again. She hit her mark, slightly higher then her first shot, but still remarkably close.
"Impressive." Perceptor noted.
Aleyah snorted at the shot. "I'm out of practice. I used to be able to do what you did and hit dead on."
"Still better then the majority of humans and what their skill level is."
Giving a small shrug, Aleyah didn't seem too impressed. "I can do better."
"Then perhaps we can come out again sometime?"
A small hesitant smirk played on Aleyah's lips, one that mirrored what he had seen from Danny but not nearly as sharp. "Sure. We can come back tomorrow."
The grin that Perceptor gave her was soft, far softer then any other Autobot Aleyah had seen from. "I would enjoy that. However, you are not trying to…what is that word humans use? Bail? Bail on me now?"
Aleyah laughed, true and happy. "Nah. Just want to ensure our plans are set."
Perceptor nodded, his spark feeling oddly light. "I have not had many friends to make plans with." He stated, easing his rifle back up.
"Maybe that's why we clicked so easily? We're both different."
Perceptor frowned at that. "I don't think we are all that different. You may be attracted to the female gender of your species, but that does not make you any less important then anyone else. It certainly doesn't make you any less human."
Aleyah frowned and took another shot, better then the three before. "Well, most of the world doesn't think that."
There was so much bitterness in her tone, so much hurt and raw anger that it made Perceptor frown and take pause.
"You know." He said slowly. "There is only so much an oppressed group of citizens can and will take before it becomes too much. Before it reaches a boiling point, and conflict is the result. War comes not long after that."
Aleyah slowly put her rifle down to give Perceptor her full attention.
"That is what happened to my species. However, I do believe in what Optimus Prime says. Life is the right of all sentient beings. Those are not just some pretty words he uses to sooth the troops. He believes them, and so do I."
Aleyah looked down, bitter and angry. "Even for someone like me?"
Perceptor would like to find those responsible for crushing Aleyah like this. Those who had put that hurt and anger into her, those who had made her believe that she was not worthy of freedom and a life.
"Aleyah." She looked back up at him, dark eyes bitter and hard. Her jaw set firmly and she braced herself for his rejection. Perceptor wondered how many 'friends' had been where he was now only to turn her trust against her. How many had made her feel worthless and alone? Having a supportive family was great for her, but to have no friends could be crushing.
Perceptor knew that one from experience too.
"Especially someone like you."
The bitterness turned to shock for a moment, then to confusion before a sort of happy bashfulness set it. Simple words like this would not be enough to fix everything and heal all wounds, but it was a first step.
"Thanks Perceptor."
The Autobot smiled back down at her. "You are most welcome."
Perceptor felt that click of connection, a kindred spirit. A friend.
Ah. He thought to himself with joy. Drift will adore her if he makes it to Earth.
Any thoughts of Drift were pushed form his mind and he repositioned his rifle. "Let us see what else we can do with these."
Aleyah smirked playful, a cheeriness that was not there moments before. A relaxation. "Bet I can hit more bull's eyes then you."
Perceptor chuckled. "You are on."
Starscream was barely conscious when he was dumped unceremoniously onto the dirty floor of the brig. He hit the ground with a thud and a groan, thick energon leaking from the crack in his side. He panted into the ground, shifting in pain as his wings trembled behind him.
Red optics were pale with pain and blood loss, blinked online, one optic cracked from a blow from Ramjet. Starscream coughed, the taste of energon on his lips as he cleared a clot from his intake.
Behind him, it was Ramjet who laughed.
"You know." His low voice rumbled above him, and Starscream didn't acknowledge him. Dull optics were searching out Mia immediately. "When you left, everyone was up in arms about it. Everyone was so distraught about it."
Starscream found her hiding in the darkest corner of the cell, he could barely make out her bright green eyes against her pale skin. Relief swept through him, and he huffed a sigh that brought energon to the back of his throat.
Mia was unharmed. Thank Primus.
"I'm glad you left. Things have been so much better without you. The things that Megatron lets us do now." A dark smirk flickered across his mouth. "Should have always been this way. You'll see. Soon enough Starscream. You're gonna regret leaving."
Despite himself, Starscream managed a broken laugh as he pushed himself up onto his hands, his mangled fingers pulsing pain from one of them.
"I never knew what a jealous slagger you are Ramjet. Couldn't wait to take my place and lick Megatron's heels, could you?"
Darkness clouded Ramjets face as he scowled at the injured Seeker. The door to the brig slammed shut without another word, a small blessing that Starscream would take.
The tri-coloured seeker heaved a soft sigh and allowed himself to sink into the floor. Pain radiated from his tank and his wings and his hand. He had feared what Megatron would do to him when he was dragged into his quarters; but the beating had been sub-part to what Starscream had been expecting.
Which meant that whatever Megatron had planned for him would be that much worse.
A low groan slipped past his split lips as Starscream shifted, coming to lay on his side. The ground was hard and cold, and he grumbled with irritation as he tried to get comfortable.
"Starscream?" Mia's voice was small and soft, fear so thick Starscream could practically taste it.
The seeker huffed an annoyed sigh, his optics still slipped off line. "I'm okay." He lied.
Mia rung her hands together tightly, knuckles white with how tight she clung on, her face pale and sweaty. She inched closer to Starscream, she paused again, hesitating before she knelt next to Starscream.
"Are you sure? Can I…I dunno, help?" her voice was timid, and Starscream couldn't bring himself to be angry at her smallness.
"No." he ground out, optics still off lined. He needed to recharge, he needed to be on his game if he was going to deal with the mind games from Megatron. "Listen, you keep quiet tomorrow. Keep your head down, you'll be okay."
Mia leaned against his cheek, settling in with a small sob. "Okay." She all but whispered.
"I'll keep you safe, just keep your mouth shut and don't draw attention to yourself." He tried to sound angry, but exhaustion ate away at him.
"I won't Starscream." There was a pause. "Thanks."
The silence felt thick and awkward.
"There was this one time," Mia suddenly said to break the awful awkwardness between them. "When I was like nineteen or something, and I wanted to go to a party with Danny and Callie." Her voice was smooth, surprisingly calm despite the stress in her voice.
His optics blinked online to watch her with curiosity, finding himself calming at her story.
"Danny wouldn't let me come. It was for car thieves only, or something and I wasn't allowed to go. So, I stole my first car so I could be cool enough to go." She gave a bitter little laugh. "I was so proud of myself. I did something for me, for once. And it was this, sporty little red car that belonged to some multimillionaire jerk who thought I had a nice butt. Didn't even notice when I nicked the keys right from his pocket." Mia gave him a small little smile, and Starscream found himself inexplicitly smirking back. "Callie was so mad, but Danny, she laughed and I got to hang out with out with all the cool kids for a night."
She gave a watery laugh and curled up tighter against Starscream. "What we do to be cool right?"
Starscream snorted, arm coming up to curl around Mia. "I was never the cool kid."
Mia laughed, but the noise sounded hallow. A mockery of the joy that came from Mia when she truly laughed. "How could you not be the cool kid? You're smart and brave."
Awkwardness filled Starscream's spark, and he choked back a chuckle. "Get some sleep brat. We're going to need the rest."
Her head bobbed in a nod, red hair bouncing around her head and she offered a small smile. She made herself as comfortable as possible on the cold, hard ground of the brig and tried to sleep.
Starscream sighed softly, and tried to follow into recharge.
Neither slept well, fearing when the next time the brig door would be opened.
I was pretty nervous too add in about Aleyah's sexuality when I first wrote this chapter, but felt it was an important bit of information to add. She is just as capable as the rest of her family, and does not hide the fact that she is gay. Seeing as this is the first time Aleyah has interacted with any of the other characters I thought this would be a good starting point for the reader to get to know her.
Anyways, I hope you've all enjoyed the chapter!