Chapter 19

Objects, heights and instincts

Starscream lifted his head from the water and rubbed his closed eyes with the back of his hand. He had finished washing himself several minutes ago, but being inside that bath tub was a very pleasant experience, as much as he hated to admit it. For the umpteenth time he repeated to himself that a human bath couldn't be compared to a decent immersion into an energon tank, but, also for the umpteenth time, he had to accept that it would take some time for him to return to his former pleasures. In the meantime, he would have to content himself with whatever humanity could offer.

Finally he made up his mind about abandoning the warm water and stood up, reaching for an adjacent towel and starting to dry the liquid dripping down his body.

He stopped in front of the mirror on the wall and examined his face. He nodded slowly, approving of what he saw. The swelling on his right cheek had decreased, almost completely disappearing. As for his torso, it was still sore, but considerably less than before. He wondered if all humans healed as quickly as he apparently did. Their self-repair circuits weren't as lame as he had thought in the beginning.

He put the towel over his shoulders and proceeded to the bed, where a small collection of human items awaited. He had bought some of them during the morning, others were objects he had found in the hotel room he was currently occupying, but all represented the unavoidable immersion into humanity he knew he had to undertake. Besides, just because he was a fleshling didn't mean he had to renounce whatever comfort he could find.

He had spent the morning and afternoon after his fight observing humans, hearing them talk between themselves and buying items he considered useful. As a result, scattered on his bed in a methodical order, were two portable computers – one of them disassembled – a cellular phone, a wrist watch, a red and white motorcycle helmet, one pair of shades, a map of Oregon and another one of Washington, a small toolbox, a local newspaper, five packages of blueberry cereal bars, three cans of grape juice and an entire set of new clothes. Aligned by size on the small table beside the bed, there were some toiletries, and the knife he had purchased the evening before.

That was not even the start of the list he had made of his basic needs, but he hadn't planned to stay in that hotel more than one day. Before settling in somewhere, he had to make sure he was going to continue breathing. Megatron was expecting results in less than twenty four hours, and he knew by experience that angering his leader was not a good idea.

Night was beginning to fall and he would have to meet with his wingmates in less than two terrestrial hours, as a very annoying communication from Skywarp had confirmed earlier that day when he had been trying to sleep a little.

But rest would also have to wait. Since his second night in the human Stella's dwelling – in which the last thing he had done was sleep – he had barely had time to close his eyes and try to enter recharge mode. He had been very busy with his research about human habits and vocabulary, current priorities if he didn't want to call unnecessary attention.

He proceeded to get dressed. Clothes were still uncomfortable to use, but he was much more satisfied with his new garments than with the previous ones. He remembered Stella had mentioned something about some Calvin Klein underwear, so that had been one of his first targets when renewing his outfit that morning. He had also learned that brands were important to humans. Logically, a fleshling with a major social status would acquire more expensive assets. So it was also logical that he went for garments with more digits on their price tags. He ended up buying a couple of Tommy Hillfiger jeans, some Hugo Boss shirts and a blue Armani jacket. His new Nike sneakers also seemed considerably more expensive than the ones Stella had given him before, but as he looked at himself in the mirror when he finished dressing up, Starscream considered that, for the first time since had been turned into human, he had an appearance that didn't make him feel repulsion.

Running a hand through his damp hair, Starscream turned away from his image and made his way back to the bed. Sitting on the edge sent the remaining assortment of objects bouncing forward slightly, as if attracted by magnets. He eyed them warily before pushing the majority of them aside, save the intact computer which he lifted into his lap and switched on.

The device whirred into life; he immediately wished he had let it 'sleep' when he had finished with it earlier, the speed at which it loaded was so frustratingly slow.

"Slagging primitive technology," he hissed as he pulled himself further onto the bed and leaned back against the headboard.

It hadn't taken him long at all to work out how to operate the laptop when he had returned to the hotel room earlier that day. In truth, he could have done it in his recharge, hands tied behind his back and blindfolded. Accessing the humans' communication network – the internet as they referred to it – had been a simple task too, and thus he had made good use of his time researching the flehlings' economic, cultural and legal systems.

Necessity brought about by his obsession with hygiene had driven him to the bath tub for the second time that day, but now he was suitably clean again, it was time to work.

The idea had come to him the evening before, when the night embraced his form and the wind played in his hair and shirt...pride and freedom momentarily restored... It was amazing what such things could do for one's imagination.

His earlier research had supported his thinking, the soak in the bath adding clarity and certainty.

Now all he had to do was arrange it all, his fingers already working on step one: seek assistance.

……………..

"Well, where is he? We've been waiting for Screamer for more than three breems now, and no trace of the little squid so far," Skywarp complained as he got up for the tenth time from the mount of containers he was sitting on.

"He's on his way. Check your radar. His tracking signal is approaching at 110 terrestrial miles per hour."

"Talk to me in Cybertronian, would you TC? All I know is that this place bores me to the core. There aren't even humans close to juggle with."

"Unnecessary attention is exactly what we don't want, Warp. And stop complaining. Starscream has arrived."

One moving light stood out within the dull illumination the scarce lamps provided. The newcomer decreased his speed and skidded right at Thundercracker's feet.

"Nice wheels, Screamer," Skywarp sneered, glancing with disdain at Starscream's motorcycle. "What's that? Some sort of vehicle for human sparklings? Are you using diapers now too?"

"Looks like Groove's alternate mode," Thundercracker said.

Starscream turned off the engine of his bike, took off the helmet and dismounted. "Whatever I found to mobilize is not of your concern. Besides, I won't keep this vehicle for long. I suspect it's not legal and it's my intention to keep a low profile."

Skywarp trapped Starscream by the neck of his jacket and lifted him up toward his face. "So what have you been doing, princess? Hey, you changed your clothes, right? You should've told me and I would've got you a nice dress…"

"Stop talking nonsense and put me down! If there is one thing I don't miss it's your idiotic sense of humour, Skywarp."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the black Seeker retorted as he placed Starscream on the roof of the warehouse beside them. "So, have you had some kinky human interfacing already? With whom? Femmes, males, dogs?"

Starscream shot him a hateful look before turning his head toward Thundercracker.

"In this device," he said, extracting a little gadget from his jacket and handing it to Thundercracker, "you will find two files. One is directed to Megatron, which you will deliver as soon as you return to the Nemesis. It explains the basics of my plan and also the assistance I require."

"Hey, Megatron said he wouldn't move a finger to help you," Skywarp said.

"He will if he wants this to work! Not even our fearless leader can be as stupid as to deny the chance to get rid of the Autobots once and for all just because he hates me."

"What's in the other file?" Thundercracker asked.

"That's for you two dolts. I need a couple of favours and I can't acquire them by myself with the primitive technology I can access from here. Thundercracker, you will enter my personal computer and hack the human network. You will create a bank account for me from there, as well as a security number, drivers license, and other identity requirements that are specified in the file. In order to infiltrate the Autobots, Sean Latta has to actually exist."

"Wait! What will I do?" Skywarp asked.

Starscream rolled his eyes. "You can polish my collection of weapons if you get bored. Now, you'll find precise instructions as how to access my computer and how to open that bank account in the file…"

"Hey!" Skywarp insisted. "I could do that too. I mean, I'm not a computer geek like you but human technology is a piece of energon cake for me. Besides, I've hacked your computer before. You have a nice collection of video files of femmes interfacing, let me tell you that!"

Starscream blushed. "I have no such thing!"

"Oooh, you can bet your tiny organic aft that you do! I also saw all those pics you have of Moonracer, and that special hidden file you have with images of Megatron… Now that would be a kinky threesome, don't you think?"

Starscream raised his arms by instinct, like expecting to have his rifles to bathe Skywarp with a good dose of null rays.

"Thundercracker," he growled. "Why did you have to bring him?"

The blue Seeker shrugged his shoulders. "You didn't say otherwise."

Skywarp burst into laughter. "And even if you'd had, you're nothing but a little fleshling now, remember Screamer? More like our pet than our trine leader. Oh, I forgot, you're not leader anymore."

Thundercracker elbowed the black and purple Seeker hard in the chest plate before returning his attention to the small fleshling glaring maliciously at them.

"Just ignore Skywarp," he said, following his own advice and taking no note of the string of insults coming from his wingmate. "The slagger's been acting like an aft head all cycle. To be honest, I think he's missing you."

"Oh, how incredibly touching," Starscream said sarcastically.

"Hey, frag you scum sucker!" Skywarp exclaimed as he finished his rant and suddenly realised what had been said. "It's this one here that's been missing you, not me!"

Starscream kicked at the roof impatiently, sending a selection of leaves and twigs showering over the edge.

"Look, was there anything else you wanted because I've got better things to do with my time than standing here listening to you two morons carrying on like deranged sparklings. I've given you my orders and..."

"Ahh, sorry Screamer, but I don't take orders from you anymore, remember?" Skywarp interrupted. "We're equals now, squishy. Although, I'm not sure how a squishy could..."

"Listen here, you worthless piece of scrap. I am your superior, no matter what you may think or what Megatron says. So pay attention, fool. You will treat me with respect and you will follow my orders, or so help me Primus you won't live to regret your subordination. Do you understand me?

"Yes, Screamer. Gee, no need to be such a whiny glitch..."

"And don't call me Screamer!"

"And don't call me Screamer," Skywarp echoed mockingly. "Ha, I hadn't noticed how funny your voice sounds as a squishy."

"Alright, that's enough now, 'Warp," Thundercracker said severely. "So Starscream, how are things going, anyway?"

"Oh, just brilliantly," he hissed cynically. "It would be better if I didn't have you two glitches to deal with. Or Soundwave's slagging runts. Or slagging Megatron."

"Soundwave's runts? Don't tell me the slagger's sent them to tail you?"

"No, well, not that I'm aware of. No, it was Rumble and Frenzy, the little fraggers decided to comm. me, just to be pests."

"Typical. Well, aside from all that, then?"

"Like I said, brilliantly."

Thundercracker scowled at hearing Starscream's response; he knew his leader was an ornery glitch at times but he wished he wouldn't be so stubborn for once in his life.

"So how did you acquire your transportation?" he pushed, hoping to coax a little more information from the small human.

"I purchased it, you fool," he said in reply.

"Looks like a piece of slag to me, Screamer," Skywarp chimed in.

"You purchased it?" Thundercracker continued, ignoring his wingmate again. "So I take it you did find a way to obtain human credits, then? One that doesn't require my help?"

"Of course I did."

"And? Are you gonna tell us how you got them?"

Starscream sniffed indignantly. "By winning in a human gladiatorial match, if you must know."

Skywarp erupted in laughter. "You're...you're slaggin' joking me, right?" he managed to ask between snorts.

"What's so slagging funny about that, moron?!" Starscream shrieked.

"You...a pathetic little squishy...fighting other little squishies...I...it's just..." Skywarp couldn't say anything more, bending over himself in hysterics.

"Starscream, I don't think that's such a good idea," Thundercracker said, concern in his voice.

"Why not? I'm stronger than any slagging flesh creature on this measly planet, beating them now is just as easy as it was in my true form."

"I'm not so sure about that. But seriously, Starscream, won't that draw too much attention to you?"

"Not if our glorious leader leaves me well alone!"

"Uhh, what? What does Megatron have to do with it?"

"Damn slagger decided that he would comm. me right in the middle of the fight!"

"Ohh...so that's what that was about," Skywarp said, still giggling. "You shoud have heard him..."

"He slagging broke my concentration! The fool, he needs to realise that I can't just drop everything and exchange niceties with him whenever he slagging feels like it. I can't be seen talking through my comm. link, the fragging humans will think I'm talking to myself!"

"Nothing new there, Screamer. You talk to yourself all the time. Oh...you do realise that no one ever listens to you when you open your mouth, right?"

Skywarp barely managed to avoid the large piece of roofing tile that came flying angrily towards his head.

"That's it!" Starscream exclaimed. "Thundercracker, get this sorry excuse for a trash compactor out of my sight before I'm forced to kill him."

"I'd like to see you try, Screamer ole pal," Skywarp said.

"I slagging mean it, Thundercracker! Get him the slag away from me, NOW! And don't bother contacting me until you have something for me, got it?"

As the two Cybertronians transformed and took to the night, Starscream felt an intense pang of jealousy rising in his chest. It was only when the darkness had embraced their bodies fully, stealing them from sight, that the young human suddenly realised his predicament.

"Oh, very funny, you Pit spawned slag suckers!" he screamed into the night. "And how the slag am I supposed to get down from here?!"

…………..

It was almost midnight when Starscream entered the north west quadrant of Portland, more specifically the area known as the Pearl District. He hadn't had the chance to explore the entire city yet, but the social differences were clear from the fancy zone in which his hotel was located and the industrial area in which he had started his human experience.

But rich or poor, both parts of the city shared the same annoyance: speed was forbidden. Driving at a lame fifty terrestrial miles per hour was starting to get on his nerves. He had thought about speeding on the highways before returning to the hotel, but he needed a good night of recharge before facing the next day. His plan needed to be set in motion immediately if he wanted success, not to mention to save his life from Megatron's impatience.

A red light on one corner forced him to stop. Among his vast list of hates, following obtuse rules had a special place near the top. But he had no choice, he wouldn't get anywhere if he got himself arrested for petty offenses against the humans' laws.

Night life was very crowded at that hour. Young humans could be spotted everywhere, some of them obviously under the effects of high grade. Starscream couldn't have cared less, although he was immediately attracted to some of the females, most of them far more beautiful than Stella. Perhaps, just perhaps, he could afford to spend some of his time with one or two of them… In the end, he had always considered himself as the only one qualified to decide what was wrong and what was not. And concerning pleasure, he had always been a hunter.

Still lost in those thoughts, he barely noticed a yellow vehicle parking beside him. Then he heard the noise that no other human would recognize, the buzz of energon flowing through a metallic body that was alive. He turned aside and almost fell from his bike when he saw the red badge on the car's chassis.

His heart started to beat faster, as his hands tightened their grip on the motorcycle's handlebars. He had to calm down. He was human now, there was no way the Autobots would recognize him, he was wearing a helmet…

Besides, apparently there was only one Autobot, and the weakest of all for that matter. Judging from the relaxed way in which Bumblebee's doors opened, the runt was there for amusement purposes. The music coming from his insides and the laughter of the male human he was always carrying confirmed Starscream's impression.

It was such a pathetic image, the Autobot loser and his pet wasting their time on idiotic native social activities… Starscream scowled and shook his head. Certainly he would never…

Bumblebee's other door opened.

And it was then when Starscream saw her.

The other Autobot pet, the yellow haired femme… He knew her of course, he had seen her two or three times before, had been condemned to the well by her in fact, but for some reason it was like if he was seeing her for the first time in his life.

Before, he had never noticed her small waist, her smooth skin, her delicate facial features, her firm breasts, the way the wind played with her hair…

Another organ of Starscream's body started to beat in response, totally surpassing the pounding of his heart. And he knew it, he saw it as clear as crystal.

He wanted that femme.

And he would have her.

To be continued.

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