Sky Dancer

By: Ivory

Author's Notes: I can't even begin to tell you all of what a relief it is to have this chapter done. Writing the fight sequence between Sorpinok, Alexis, and Ironhide took a lot of time and effort to find a scenario that actually worked.

As if that wasn't enough of a headache, I was getting this installment ready to be posted two nights ago when the entire chapter was accidentally deleted. Fortunately, I managed to get it all rewritten from scratch in record time, with many variations, and in some cases, improvements, from the original draft.

On a side note, I have updated the earlier installments (from chapter four on) with varying modifications worked in. Some reworked sequences may be more obvious than others. Also, Blurr's fate has been changed, and he may even make an appearance in this story later on.

Also, I have drawn up a rough map of the rest of the story, which is looking to be thirty chapters long, There will be many surprises and drama in store.

That said, I hope you enjoy this update for all the effort that went into it. :)

Chapter Seven

Reviewing the data retrieved from Cyclonus' processor failed to yield results as Optimus had hoped. The eccentric bot's sojourn through the first portal had landed him and his quarry in the middle of a cosmic cloud. In the ninety seconds prior to when Cyclonus had been tricked into stumbling through the next gate, no view of the stars could be seen through the haze. There was no way to chart where Alpha Q's base of operations was.

With a sigh, Optimus turned away from the viewscreen, rubbing at his face as he focused on the medic seated to his right. Red Alert spoke when the Autobot commander remained silent. "Seems as if Alpha Q almost expected that his troops were going to be followed," he speculated.

Optimus tilted his head downwards a notch. "Why would he allow Cyclonus the opportunity to pursue them at all? It would have been far easier to stop and see to it that he was disabled first. And then, why just let him go?" Optimus paused, sighing again "This whole thing puzzles me, Red Alert. It's almost as if Alpha Q's tactics seemed to be changing from one moment to the next… And, Cyclonus' situation certainly doesn't fit in with the abduction of Tidal Wave."

Red Alert gave this some thought, then looked up. "Well, if I have to hazard a guess… Maybe Alpha Q has a partner he's been in conflict with? Or, maybe he is so disorganized that he's, as you said, constantly altering his methods. And for all we know, maybe the intention at some point was to capture Cyclonus as well." Red Alert took on a contemplative expression. "It's going to be very difficult to formulate a profile of our new enemy, based on every action that's been taken thus far."

All at once, Optimus wished that he hadn't sent Alexis or Starxis away; it would be nice to have some insurance that Alpha Q wasn't currently spying on this conversation. But then, he decided that nothing would be gained from being paranoid all the time. "I wouldn't take on that task right away, Red Alert. Not if it's going to interfere with your plan to fortify our bases."

"You have nothing to worry about in that area, sir," Red Alert answered. "I've already drawn up some schematics and sent them off to a few colleagues of mine on Cybertron. It shouldn't take long to build more than enough turrets based on the design. In the meantime, we could perhaps start digging trenches at each of our bases to place them in."

Optimus had barely nodded his agreement before there came an indication of an incoming transmission. Second later, he and Red Alert were faced with an image of Carlos Lopez on the main monitor, originating from the space station above Mars. Given that the station had been largely ignored during the initial assault, there'd been no reason to believe that it and its inhabitants wouldn't be immune from future attacks.

"What is it, Carlos?" Optimus asked.

Ever since the first few assaults, Carlos had been watching for signs of invaders by utilizing each and every satellite in the area. He was quick to report that a number of the predatory bots had appeared in the vicinity of Earth. "And this time, they don't seem to be alone," the Hispanic young man said in a rush. "There's two unknown, potentially larger, entities with them. I can't get a clear picture of who or what is accompanying them because the rest of Alpha Q's army is in the way."

Optimus tensed, not liking the sudden inclusion of a couple of mysterious players. Despite the overwhelming numbers of the predatory bots, at least they were predictable and easy to take out. "Are you able to pinpoint which base they're heading for?"

Carlos shook his head. "Not yet. Until further notice, you may want to radio to the troops at each colony so they can prepare themselves."

Optimus nodded. "We'll do that. Thank you, Carlos…"

Standing next to Hot Shot outside Desert City, Alexis watched the skies intently for any sign that an attack was imminent. Despite the fact that she was holding Starxis protectively against her chest with her left hand, she shouldn't be hindered in any way when it came to aiming and shooting with the laser rifle gripped in her right. And, there was no doubt that she and the youngling wouldn't be covered by Hot Shot or the dozen other troops milling around if they needed it.

Until Starxis looked up at her and chirped out that there "bad bots coming," Alexis had almost believed that Desert City might be in the clear. She had barely called out to her comrades that an attack was imminent before the predatory bots began to come into visual range, high in the stratosphere. At Hot Shot's order, everyone gathered raised their weapons and began firing. For a minute, it looked like they all might be okay after all.

No one saw Tidal Wave until he was nearly on top of them; for whatever reason, Starxis didn't even provide a warning that the big guy was there. As the colossal Transformer drifted in for a landing, it came as quite a shock when he opened fire on Hot Shot and his team.

Hot Shot was stunned by this turn of events, but he shook it off when he saw two soldiers at the forefront fall under the barrage of Tidal Wave's assault. He had been prepared for every contingency but this, but he sprung into action just in time. "Everybody fall back!" he shouted out, even as he began to move backwards towards the mine entrance some yards away.

In the next instant, Hot Shot was ordering anyone who was listening to concentrate their fire on Tidal Wave if possible. Catching sight of Alexis out of the corner of his optic, he turned briefly to gaze at her and noted that she looked beyond frightened. Returning his attention to both retreating and avoiding the laser blasts that were raining down, he issued an order to her to get inside the mines with the promise that he would cover her… and requested that she send a very specific message to Optimus once she was inside…

The news of the assault on their desert colony and Tidal Wave's involvement seemed to spread through Ocean City like brushfire. Even as Optimus hurried to assemble a team and head out there, he was forced to deal with a good deal of agitation from Kicker, Demolisher, and Cyclonus (the former was primarily concerned about the well-being of his human friend, Misha).

After informing the latter two that their presence had been requested in the hopes that they might be able to talk down Tidal Wave, Optimus radioed to Red Alert to find a suitable replacement for Starscream in Jungle City so he too could join them. Soon, in spite of all the obstacles, the Autobot commander and his team, consisting of Ironhide, Kicker (riding aboard Sureshock), and the two Decepticons were gathered at the Warp Gate to be transported.

Like High Wire, Sureshock had been upgraded from his moped guise of a decade before. The orange Mini-Con now sported a dune buggy as his alternate mode, which would serve Kicker well in navigating the landscape at their destination. It was also fortunate that the boy was outfitted with a suit of full body armor that his father had constructed and sent to them just yesterday. Otherwise, there was a sure risk that a stray shot from Alpha Q's army or Tidal Wave would make mincemeat of him.

Once they had stepped from the platform at their destination, Optimus, Demolisher, Cyclonus, and Ironhide switched to their respective vehicle modes, racing as fast as they could towards the mines located on the opposite side of the city. Saying a silent thanks that even Cyclonus, for all his quirks, seemed to have no trouble with keeping in line for a change, Optimus radioed ahead to Hot Shot to get a status report.

The weak, agonized tone that sounded through Optimus' comlink told him that Hot Shot had likely sustained some injuries. The latter had barely gotten out that he was positioned just inside the mine entrance before it was followed by a loud, angry crackle. Worriedly, Optimus called out Hot Shot's name once, then twice, but the silence that ensued had him suspecting that the latter had been hit with a laser blast and the radio connection had been severed.

Putting on an extra burst of speed, Optimus silently prayed, Primus, don't tell me I just lost one of my best warriors…

Getting Tidal Wave in their sights did nothing to ease the tension, especially when the arriving team viewed the carnage left in his wake. It was undeniable at this point that Alpha Q's army had been provided full run of the establishment, given the way the colossal Transformer had helped pave the way for an easy attack. What was even more rankling was that Tidal Wave seemed to be viewing the fallen soldiers around him with something like satisfaction.

Perhaps it was the sight of seeing one or two Decepticons amongst the dead that caused Cyclonus to open fire on Tidal Wave's unprotected back with an angry cry. Though it would take more firepower than the eccentric bot possessed to even put a dent in the big guy, Tidal Wave still retaliated by turning and taking an ineffective swipe at Cyclonus with one giant hand.

Optimus, and then Demolisher, switched back to their bot forms, drawing their own weapons and beginning to fire; the former barked out an order to Ironhide and Kicker to go help those inside the mines and\or city. Optimus briefly watched them heading in that direction before focusing wholeheartedly on the colossal Transformer in front of him. No matter what, it was imperative that Tidal Wave be taken out of play, whether it be through talking or shooting; it was probably best to try both methods in tandem.

Seconds later, Optimus had gotten close enough to the big guy to guarantee he'd be heard. "Tidal Wave," he called out. "You need to stop! You're making a mistake!"

Tidal Wave half turned in the direction of Optimus' voice, still attempting to knock Cyclonus out of the sky. "No mistake," he responded in a deep, rumbling voice. "Must have Energon. Need to revive Megatron."

Optimus blinked, certain that he could not have heard right, but all doubts of this fled when he heard Demolisher and Cyclonus echoing the colossal Transformer. Tidal Wave didn't seem to care that all three had been stunned into ceasing their attack, and this time, the swipe he took at Cyclonus effectively connected.

Optimus and Demolisher were shaken out of the stupor as their eccentric comrade spun away violently towards the ground, still in vehicle mode, with a sharp squeal. Even as they resumed firing and trying to avoid the return volley, Optimus thought, Has Tidal Wave completely lost it?! Megatron's been dead for years…

An instant later, Optimus froze and began throwing abbreviated glances to the surrounding area, and grew even more disturbed by what he wasn't seeing. Carlos said there were two unknown entities accompanying Alpha Q's army… So where's the other one…?

Thankfully, Hot Shot was still alive when Kicker and Ironhide found him, though the sparks that were periodically leaping from his chest told them he wouldn't be up to a fight anytime soon. Alerted by the sounds of their voices, Hot Shot's optics brightened so he could focus on them better.

Later on, the general consensus would be that Hot Shot was dazed to the point that he was likely unaware of who he was talking to. Propping himself up slightly on his elbows, he said, "I sent Alexis down to the processing center to protect the humans and Omnicons. She's going to need backup."

Genuinely confused as to just whom Hot Shot was talking about, Ironhide asked, "Who's Alexis?"

Kicker gazed up at Ironhide, looking just as infuriated as he was testy. "This is not the time for jokes. Now come on!" he said in a heated tone. Without waiting to see if Ironhide would comply, he gunned Sureshock's engine and took off further down the tunnel.

When Ironhide failed to move, Hot Shot got the sense that he needed to be prodded into action. "Go with Kicker." Much to his irritation, Ironhide responded to this by saying that he couldn't just leave Hot Shot alone like this. Drawing strength from the rush of anger that descended on him, Hot Shot pushed himself up into a sitting position. "Listen up, soldier," he barked out, his tone belying just how injured he must be. "I gave you an order, and I expect you to follow it! Now go help your partners!"

Ironhide nodded, so bewildered by the veracity in Hot Shot's voice that all questions over who Alexis was fled from his mind. A second later, he was moving off after Kicker…

Making her way down to the processing center, following Hot Shot's order to do so, took some time, as Alexis was forced to stop and shoot down the predatory bots that were periodically tailing her. Thankfully, the area where Misha, the other humans, and the Omnicons were stationed seemed to be safe and secure for the time being. After making sure that everyone was okay, Alexis spared a glance at her left shoulder, wincing as it flared with pain; she'd been lanced through with a stray laser blast at some point.

When she heard a noise from the tunnel she'd used to get here, Alexis spun on her heel with widened optics, cradling Starxis in one hand and aiming blindly with her laser rifle with the other. When she saw it was just Ironhide and Kicker… Well, later on, she would come to realize that she'd never been so glad to see those two. Even Sureshock, modified form and all, was a welcome sight.

Put at ease, Alexis withdrew her weapon, redirecting it so it was aimed towards the ceiling and releasing her hold on the trigger. Before she could say anything, she heard the sound of Misha's voice from up in the observation booth, causing her to look that way. The teenage girl was leaning over the control console, peering down at the new arrivals with wide eyes. "Kicker!" she blurted out, sounding greatly surprised. "What are you doing here?!"

Kicker's gaze was drawn to Misha at this point, wondering at her disbelief that he'd be participating in this battle. "That's not important!" he replied brusquely. "We've got to get out of here now! Alpha Q's bots are swarming every inch of this place, and they could be upon us at any moment!"

Given that the Omnicons had brought two cartloads of Energon here that they'd unearthed from down in the mines, Alexis was in agreement with Kicker's statement; they would be in great danger if they stayed.

Convincing the pair of mining bots of this took another minute, as they proved to be reluctant to abandon their prize. Eventually, a compromise was reached in which half of the Energon deposits would be transported by one of the Omnicons in his vehicle mode. The other Omnicon was charged with conveying the humans, save for Misha, away from here; the teenage girl elected to ride with Kicker.

Thankfully, there was a second tunnel the group could utilize in getting away from here, which Alexis and Ironhide were told led all the way out into the desert. The one downside to this was that it was too narrow for Alexis to safely navigate in her jet mode; she was forced to run as fast as she could after the convoy of ground vehicles ahead of her, though she did periodically stop to make sure they weren't being followed.

The tunnel let them all out into a desert field, and a quick look around told Alexis that the city was perhaps five miles to the east. She barely had time to see a red and white jet soaring above the establishment before it dropped down out of view. Saying a silent prayer that Optimus and his group were faring okay against Tidal Wave, she turned her attention back to her own companions and moved to catch up with them.

Until Kicker abruptly brought Sureshock to a halt (forcing the convoy behind him to either swerve or stop) and Starxis tensed against Alexis' chest, she was sure they were in the clear. With wide optics, she surveyed the landscape around her, but could see no sign that any one of Alpha Q's army was closing in.

Alexis barely had time to wonder at the tension that seemed to have taken hold of the hotheaded teenager and the youngling before the sand several yards ahead of them began roiling. Before she could even question what was causing it to churn like that, she could see that a giant metal scorpion was rising from beneath it.

The scorpion's tail soon raised itself up in a threatening manner, even as the deadly beast moved towards them. Instead of the standard stinger that could be found on the earth-based species, it was tipped with a pointed, triangular purple beam of light. A moment later, the "stinger" was being thrust towards Ironhide, who was now at the forefront of the group.

Alexis' fellow rookie barely had time to transform and leap backwards before the "stinger" plowed into the ground where he'd just been. The fact that it left an indentation in the sand around it told Alexis that it was solid enough to be dangerous. As the scorpion moved after Ironhide and tried the maneuver a second time, she quickly but gently lowered Starxis to the ground at her feet.

An instant later, Alexis was holstering her rifle and reaching for her other weapon, thinking it would be more beneficial in this instance given that the metallic scorpion looked to be heavily armored. Moving swiftly, she threw the boomerang as hard as she could, at just the right angle to achieve the desired effect. It opened a gash in the metal at the forefront of the beast's tail as it reared back for a third strike, then circled around to come to rest back in Alexis' grip. Quickly, she slipped her hands through the two niches on her weapon, preparing herself for a close-combat fight.

Oddly enough, this caused their new enemy to hesitate, as if he were confused at being attacked like this. In the next instant, he began to transform, and it wasn't long before Alexis and Ironhide were faced with an imposing green bot that was twice their size. There was something like a visor covering his face, but it was shortly raised to allow him to look at them with angry red optics. "How dare you!" he said in a loud, decidedly authoritative tone. "Do you even know who you're dealing with?"

It seemed strange that their adversary should be concerned with being treated with respect, but Alexis had been around too many bots with varying peculiarities to be fazed. "All I see is someone who's trying to kill my friends and I," she responded, refusing to be cowed. "Prove me wrong."

Their opponent only paused for a second before his expression melted into something like recognition. "I know you," he said abruptly, sounding very amused. "Both of you. Alpha Q provided quite the detailed account… Ironhide and Sky Dancer. How ironic. I'd expect that two trainees would at least be backed by a more seasoned warrior." He hesitated for another instant before saying, "And here I thought that this wasn't going to be a breeze."

At this, their enemy's gaze drifted towards Kicker and the Omnicons, and the humor in his optics shortly fled. Alexis' apprehension rose at this, as she suspected that another attempt would be made to take the boy. She feared just what might happen if she and Ironhide proved to be no match for their new opponent. More than anything, she wanted to send a telepathic message to Starscream, but realized in the same instant that there was no guarantee he'd be able to break away from the fight against Tidal Wave. Odds were great that she and Ironhide were truly on their own.

Ironhide seemed to realize their enemy's intention in the same instant, and he took a step forward, simultaneously drawing his weapon. "Don't even think about it, pal," he said. While yelling out to Kicker and the others to make a run for it, he opened fire, the laser blasts from his weapon connecting with their opponent's chest plate.

Though the shots barely left a mark, they sure seemed to anger this new enemy. He strode forward swiftly with a scowl, raising one of his clawed hands and closing it so tightly around Ironhide's wrist that it made Alexis' fellow rookie cry out. The other claw soon was wrapped threateningly around Ironhide's throat, though not firmly enough to do any serious damage. "You really shouldn't have done that," he said in a low menacing tone.

Alexis forced herself to swallow the fear she was feeling; she really couldn't afford to freeze up now. Drawing her rifle once more and praying she wasn't getting in over her head, she went airborne. She was soon hovering at a suitable level, and, trying to ignore the fact that this enemy could swat her away if he wanted to, aimed the gun squarely at his right temple. "Let him go," she said with as much bravado as she could muster.

After what seemed like a drawn-out silence, her adversary turned his head, seeming to look at her past the barrel of the rifle with an oddly amused expression. Too late, Alexis realized he was sizing her up; something in her optics or demeanor must have betrayed just how scared she was. Giving a mirthful laugh, he said, "It has been a very long time since I've seen a female of our race in combat. You must be a spirited one." He paused, then continued with, "But then, you're not really one of us, are you?"

He turned to look down at Ironhide, directing his next statement to the other trainee. "Did you know that your partner here began her life as nothing more than an ordinary human?"

Alexis froze, mind racing with all of Ironhide's possible reactions to this revelation. Given his competitive nature and ingrained dislike of her, the truth of her origins might just have a negative impact.

Averting her gaze temporarily allowed Alexis to see that Kicker and the others hadn't made any attempt to get away, and this elevated her fear exponentially. Why didn't they make a run for it when they had the chance? she thought wildly, until she realized seconds later that the only place they could have escaped to was back to the tunnel they had just vacated, or further out into the desert. The path to the city was undeniably blocked by this new enemy.

Alexis' gaze was drawn back to her opponent when he spoke once more. "One thing I have never been is a brute," he said, much to her amazement. "I am not one to engage in anything other than a fair fight, and this most certainly would not be one of those. However, if you and your partner insist on continuing this, I will not be responsible for my actions." In spite of this claim, he failed to release his grip on Ironhide, though that could have been because the latter was wearing a heated expression on his face. Alexis was afraid to find out just who that anger was directed towards.

Her opponent gave another jovial laugh. "You may call me Scorpinok," he said in an infuriatingly gracious tone. "With that said, perhaps you put the gun down, Sky Dancer… or do you prefer to be called Alexis?" Without letting her answer, he went on with, "We both know you're not going to pull the trigger."

Alexis hesitated for a long, tense moment, then, taking a chance that Scorpinok was as honorable as he claimed to be, answered with, "You can be assured that if you attempt to take what belongs to us, this will end badly." Given the flicker of recognition in Scorpinok's optics, and the abbreviated glance he threw towards Kicker, it was obvious he knew she wasn't just referring to the Energon stash in their possession.

Ironhide spoke up at this, sounding quite incensed. "You can't be serious!" he blurted out, wincing when Scorpinok's hold on his throat tightened ever so slightly. "Don't tell me you're actually attempting to negotiate with this guy!"

Scorpinok didn't say anything for the longest time, as if he were weighing his options. At last, he offered a very faint smile and said, "I suppose Alpha Q wouldn't mind if I were to overlook such a paltry amount… this time."

Even as Alexis relaxed her hold on the rifle's trigger and began to drift away from the imposing green bot, he roughly shoved Ironhide away towards the ground. Alexis was prepared to go to her partner's side when Scorpinok surprised her once more with his next action.

As Alexis watched with widened optics, this new enemy transformed, not into a scorpion but into a sort of intergalactic fighter jet. Until that instant, she'd not thought it possible for a Transformer to have more than one alternate mode. For a moment, she watched Scorpinok soar away swiftly, in the direction of Desert City, until the sound of Ironhide's voice drew her attention.

"Why didn't you back me up before he got me pinned?!" Ironhide said heatedly. "We could have taken him by working together!"

Alexis scowled, though she was too weary to argue at this point; she had a sneaking suspicion that her partner's real reason for being angry with her was being masked anyway. "I'm not in the mood to fight with you over battle strategies," she said tersely. "Now come on. We need to get back to the city." Without letting him answer, she switched to her jet mode and soared skyward; Starxis soon spread his own wings and trailed her.

However, Alexis did spend a few seconds hovering over the area until she saw that her companions were continuing along the path to the colony.

A subsequent look at the eastern horizon told Alexis that Tidal Wave and the remainder of Alpha Q's army were soaring away into the stratosphere, led by Scorpinok. Feeling a sense of relief that the battle seemed to be over, she took off for the establishment at full speed, trusting that Ironhide and Kicker would be alright.

Optimus, Starscream, and Demolisher all seemed to be in dire spirits when Alexis joined them, completing her landing by switching to her bot mode in mid air and drifting down. Concerned by their attitudes, and by the fact that Starscream appeared too numb to even realize she was there, she threw a brief glance at Cyclonus. It took her a moment to figure out the eccentric bot was unconscious as he was still in his copter mode; the extensive damage to his frame sure suggested he must be down for the count.

Optimus looked up at Alexis' inquiries into what had happened. Appearing uncomfortable, he threw a glance at Starscream, and then Demolisher, as if he hoped that they might answer for him. At last, he sighed, turning his gaze her way. "We found out how Alpha Q got Tidal Wave working for him… It seems that the latter is under the impression is Megatron is still alive." Optimus paused, rubbing at his face with one hand. "Nothing we say could sway him from this belief."

Demolisher looked up, inspired to throw in his own two cents. In a gruff tone, he said, "I'd sure like to get my hands on this Alpha Q. How dare he resort to such a cruel trick!" Demolisher paused, then looked towards Optimus. "I mean, there's no way Megatron survived what happened, right? It's the only way that Unicron could have been defeated and sent back into exile."

Optimus nodded absently. A moment later, he seemed to regain enough of his senses to remember that there were more pressing issues to take care of. It took three tries for him to get Starscream's attention, given that the latter was so lost in thought. Once that was accomplished, he directed Starscream to go help Hot Shot, then turned to Demolisher and quietly asked him to see to Cyclonus.

It didn't take Optimus and his group very long to transport back to Ocean City. As she stepped from the Warp Gate platform, Alexis was warmed by overhearing Kicker say to Misha that he was glad she was okay. The surreptitious look she threw at the two teenagers allowed her to see the shy, affectionate smile that Misha offered him in return. It brought back fond memories for Alexis of how it felt, experiencing the first hints of love.

Alexis' sentimental mood died when she turned away from the two teenagers and her gaze locked with Ironhide's. She had been unsure of what his reaction would be (she still wasn't) now that he knew of her origins, but the scathing look he gave her prior to turning and walking away couldn't be good.

Even though the wound on her shoulder wasn't that terrible, and in fact paled in comparison with the injuries sustained by Hot Shot and Cyclonus, she still found herself going to the med bay at Starscream's insistence so she could be patched up. Figuring that his attitude may be stemming from the stress over the situation with Tidal Wave and the "revelations" learned therein, Alexis chose not to argue with him over the issue.

At the moment, she and Starscream were sequestered behind a curtained divider that Red Alert had set up while he worked on his other patients. Though the two of them could still, as always, hear each other's every thought, she felt compelled to put his mind at ease, speaking in a hushed tone. Reaching out and laying one hand against his face, Alexis said, "You know it has to be a lie. Demolisher even said so himself… There's no way Megatron could still be alive."

Starscream shook his head, giving a deep sigh. "I know," he said after a moment. "But I also know that, even though Tidal Wave may not be the brightest of the bunch, he's not a complete fool either. Even he would require proof of these claims… I'm just concerned about what kind of evidence Alpha Q offered him, or where he got it from."

Alexis took a few seconds to mull that over before looking down at Starxis. However, the youngling provided an answer to her question before she voiced it. "Couldn't read scorpion's mind," he said in his usual chirpy tone.

Alexis blinked, caught off guard by this declaration. "How's that?" she asked after a brief pause. "You've never had that problem before!"

Starxis tilted his head to gaze at her, a worried look in his large green eyes that had Alexis stroking his fur in a reassuring manner. "Mental blocks. Highly skilled," was all he said, but it told his adopted parents volumes.

Alexis sighed, slumping her shoulders. "I guess we figure this out the old-fashioned way then. Through observation and speculation," she said in a weary tone. After a moment, she continued with, "I sure picked a great time to join the ranks of the Transformers. If I'd known we'd be facing the onset of another war, I would have held off, or at least had second thoughts about training to be a soldier…"

Starscream silenced her by placing one finger under her chin, tilting her head up so their gazes were locked. "Hey, none of that," he said in a light tone. "You are exactly who you are meant to be, no question." He paused, appearing a lot more relaxed now that she'd gotten him talking. "You did good out there today, Alexis. You kept Kicker and the others alive and safe. That's all that matters."

Alexis smiled slightly, touched by the assessment. With a sigh, she replied with, "I doubt Ironhide's going to see it that way. Learning of my origins seems to have gotten him all irritated for some reason."

"If you'd like me to talk to him…" Starscream started, breaking off when she abruptly shook her head.

"It'd be better coming from me. This is something my partner and I will have to work out amongst ourselves," Alexis answered.

Starscream hesitated, then gave a consenting nod, leaning in to plant a tender kiss against her lips. He and Alexis spent another few minutes in idle chatter before Starscream announced he had best go have a talk with Demolisher to address some of the issues raised in this latest fight. Alexis soon sent him on his way with the promise that she would stay put until Red Alert could get to her.

Getting the sense that it may take a while before the medic was finished with repairing the damage done to Hot Shot and Cyclonus, Alexis lay down on the bunk, hugging Starxis gently against her. Dimming her optics, she decided to get some rest in the interim; even as she drifted off, her mind was adrift with all the questions that would probably take some time to get answered…

In all the time that Alpha Q had known Scorpinok, he had never seen his friend and confidant take an interest in very many things, let alone associate with anyone outside the palace. How intriguing it was then, that Scorpinok should be so fascinated with the girl, Sky Dancer, that he'd requested for Alpha Q to open a window displaying a picture of her -- a still photo taken from a prior battle -- for him to study at his leisure.

Sideways was currently the only one bearing witness to Scorpinok's vigil in this lonely, narrow corridor, as Alpha Q had retreated to his own domain, and Tidal Wave had elected to "spend time" with Megatron. Briefly, Sideways wondered if the colossal Transformer even had any misgivings about being inside the remains of Unicron, the very entity that had once threatened to exterminate him and his entire race, but then figured that perhaps Tidal Wave didn't recognize these ruins for what they were.

At last, Sideways decided he was bored enough to remark to Scorpinok, "You would think that you've never seen a female Transformer before. As I recall, your world wasn't exactly lacking in them prior to being destroyed."

Without moving his gaze from the freestanding viewscreen, Scorpinok spoke, though the words suggested he'd offer nothing on why the girl fascinated him so much. "It's easy to see why he doesn't much like you," Scorpinok said, undoubtedly speaking of Alpha Q. "You're too uncouth for his tastes, or even mine, for that matter."

Sideways snorted. "Is there a reason why I should care what you or that maniac you serve think of me?"

Scorpinok remained silent for a long time, his expression unreadable. "I'm curious as to how you came to be working for Unicron," he said abruptly, turning away from the viewscreen. Even though he had been clued in about Sideways' background by Alpha Q, he preferred to hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak. "What would you have gotten out of the deal, if things had gone according to plan?"

Sideways tilted his head slightly to the side, looking downright irritated. "What's it to you?!" he said guardedly.

Scorpinok shrugged. "I'm just someone who looks beneath the surface. And what I see is a fellow Transformer who's wasting his time on a lost cause." He paused, then continued with, "When you're ready to view your partnership with Unicron as just that, I'll be here."

Sideways snorted again, disbelieving what he was hearing. "How dare you presume to think I'd ally myself with the likes of you!" he said angrily. "I hardly see you or Alpha Q presenting me with a better offer to achieve my personal goals!" With that, Sideways turned on his heel, storming off down the corridor.

Scorpinok let out a deep breath, turning back to the viewscreen while murmuring, "Take your time, Sideways. You may change your mind yet…"

With that said, Scorpinok resumed studying the frozen image of Alexis/Sky Dancer, in an almost reverent manner. He didn't know how long he stood there -- maybe a couple minutes, or maybe several hours -- but Scorpinok eventually squared his shoulders and remarked, "If only you knew just how much potential you held inside…"