Author's Pre Notes:
I'm not a big fan of Armada by no means. The writing left a lot to be desired. And that's all I'm going to say about that. But the sentimental storyline on Starscream was good to which I've developed a fondness for.
Plot Summary:
Starscream and Alexis share a quaint moment.
Shadows and Light
There was a muted impressiveness about it all. That much he could confirm without hesitation. Even through the chaotic confusion wavering persistently within, it still wasn't enough to destroy the splendor of the panoramic view surrounding him.
Sitting on a portion of rock, the broad flat surface of the sediment supporting his svelte frame with ease, Starscream lifted his head and gazed out. In front of him was a valley carved with rigid boulders and finely granulated sand that had long given way to the earth's natural metamorphosis. Their red tinted hues reflected brilliantly. The rocky terrain was a showcase of unmatched organic beauty, a perfect compliment against the hushed landscape with sparse green patches of vegetation scattered here and there.
Exhaling a slow sigh, the red Seeker looked back down to what his thoughts were focused on: a brightly colored hand stitched textile, or as the kids had put it, a polishing chamois.
Carefully, Starscream held up the cloth up. Recalling the proud happy faces of the young humans who had given it to him a few solar cycles ago, the Seeker ran the cushy softness against his alloyed digits, a distinct antonym for what they normally held and the violent crusades he had helped bring forth.
Balling the cloth up in his hands, the troubled Decepticon let it come to him. How can this be? I'm a warrior…I should be out trying to bring Megatron down…but yet I'm here…sitting on this piece of eroded bedrock…with these…feelings…maybe Megatron was right…maybe I am being taken over by my own emotions…maybe I…
"Hi, Starscream."
A young female's voice. Shy. Cautious.
The Seeker turned around and saw her, approaching slowly. Her delicate green eyes stared up at him with a light of perky energy as her body casted a darkened silhouette onto the ground. Shadows and light together. A paradox all leading back to the same bright eyed young human who always radiated that same authentic caring aura when in his presence, that for the life of him, Starscream couldn't understand as to why.
"Runway said you were out here…" She said.
"I was just…just…thinking," Starscream replied, his voice raspier than usual from having sat so long in contemplative silence.
"Oh…okay…" Alexis nodded, smiling politely. "I'll leave you alone…I know how you like peace and quiet…"
Remembering how temperamental the Seeker became the last time she had tried to lend a supportive ear when he had been thinking, Alexis turned around to leave him to his solitary haven.
Apprehensively, as if not entirely sure of wanting to accept the young human's presence near him or not, Starscream said slowly, "You don't…have to…go, Alexis."
Alexis stopped in her tracks at the Seeker's voice, turning back around. Recognizing the subtle invitation as a sign her good intentions were going to be (hopefully) more appreciated this time around, Alexis happily walked to where Starscream sat, standing near his legs, looking out to the scenery before them. A few awkward moments passed before Alexis broke the tension.
"I can see why you like it out here, Starscream," she finally said. Her eyes were glued to the earthen terrain that looked as if a higher power had used it as a canvass for its masterpiece. Turning around so that her body was standing in full view of the Seeker, Alexis continued, "It's so quiet and beautiful…you kinda forget about everything else…I'll bet the moon was really quiet too, huh?"
"Not with Cyclonus continually yapping his vocalizer, it's not," Starscream said wearily.
Alexis giggled. "Yeah, Cyclonus isn't the most personable Decepticon around, is he? I kinda think Thrust is a little on the screwy side too…"
"Thrust is nothing more than a halfwitted pile of scrap…he was always telling Megatron about what the stars held for him…you'd think after losing the first two battles he would've given up on his moronic astrology report…" Starscream said back.
Giving off a light hearted laugh, Alexis nodded her head in silent agreement at his reply. Sure, the reply was a little on the harsh side, but she couldn't fault him over that. After all, Starscream wasn't renowned for his inviting conversation. That was alright, though. Given how he never really stayed around to talk to anyone for longer than a few minutes, hearing his reply and seeing him still sitting in the same place was a feat in itself.
And as she stood in front of him, Alexis hesitated. Finally, she cleared her throat and pointed to what he was holding.
"Did you…" Alexis began.
"Did I what?" Starscream asked the girl.
"Did you really like it?"
For the first time, the Seeker shifted some. Looking back down to the moderate sized cloth he held, Starscream thought about her question.
It's just that…no one has ever given me a gift…
"Yes, Alexis…I did…I'm sorry if…it came across I didn't…" Starscream replied.
"Okay…I was just making sure…I know what it's like getting something you really don't like but don't want to be mean about it. My grandma got me these little fluffy stuffed duck slippers for Christmas last year and I told her I liked them because I didn't want to hurt her feelings," Alexis explained.
"Uh…okay…did she…believe you?" Starscream asked.
Alexis nodded. "Yeah she did. I just wear them whenever she comes over."
A slight smile spread across the Seeker. "Well, I guess that's…good."
Alexis let out a slight airy laugh. "It keeps her happy!"
Even sitting down, Starscream towered over her with an infinite ease, a distinctive fact that brought forth a vague uncomfortable feeling within. Humans were an odd species. Their complex idiosyncrasies had proved much too difficult for the Decepticon warrior to put up with. He had his own problems on hand. Adding any mushy fleshling illogicalness to them was something he was not about to deal with.
But as the red Seeker peered down at his visitor, trying to make sense of why such a miniature being would be so interested in him, a sudden flash of undeterminable expression crept over the young girl's face.
"What…is it, Alexis? Is something…wrong?" Starscream asked.
A pause.
Alexis stepped closer, almost touching where his legs were planted onto the ground. She pointed upward. "You've got a little debris on your wings."
Starscream turned his head to look at his right wing span. Little grey flecks dotted his normally pristine white coloring erratically. If she hadn't pointed it out, it probably would've gone unnoticed, but as Starscream looked closer, he saw there were definitely traces of his last battle. How did she manage to spot that from all the way down there? He thought to himself.
"It's nothing…probably just a little lunar dust," Starscream replied casually. His logic circuits struggled to forget the metal slugfest he had with Megatron after leading the Autobots into his old stomping grounds.
Alexis smiled somewhat, walking over to his side so she could get a better look.
"You know, Starscream, that was a very noble thing to do…making the decision to come back here with the Autobots…I know you bringing Megatron down is important to you, but it's good you put that aside to come back here."
Starscream dropped his head down a little, his digits interlaced with each other as he rested his arms on his legs. Noble? What's so noble about not completing your mission? I could've had Megatron…
"Would you like me to get that for you?" Alexis piped up, breaking off the Seeker's train of thought.
Starscream blinked his optics at her. "Huh? Get what?"
Alexis pointed up to his wing again, smiling. "The debris…would you like me to wipe off the debris for you? It kinda looks like a hard place to reach."
"Uh…I…I…don't…" the Seeker stammered. "I don't…I mean…you don't have to…do that."
"It's no problem, Starscream," Alexis reassured. "I'll just use the polishing chamois we made for you and it'll look as good as new!"
Starscream looked at the cloth she was talking about. He had forgotten he was even holding it.
Reading the Seeker's silent nervousness clearly, Alexis backed up, her face serious.
"I'm sorry…I just thought it might be easier with me being right here than trying to reach around yourself…I understand," Alexis said softly.
"It's not that, Alexis…" Starscream quickly replied. "It's just that…this is…all…new for me…the Autobots…how they are…everything…"
Alexis took a few steps forward. Delicately, she put her hand out, touching the Seeker's leg lightly. "It's alright, Starscream…we all understand."
Stunned by her kind gesture, Starscream heaved a huge sigh. He didn't know what it was. Perhaps there wasn't an explanation for it. Perhaps it was a nameless enigma meant to stay clouded in mystery. Whatever it was, it was slowly poking tiny holes into his inner defenses that were further confounded by the reply that fell out of his vocal processor.
Holding out the chamois to her, the Seeker said slowly, "Maybe…maybe…it's not such a bad idea…"
The girl's jade green eyes got huge.
"Really?" Her excited voice quipped up.
Starscream nodded.
Grabbing the cloth from his hands, Alexis looked up at him, honored that not only was he staying around to talk to her, but that he was actually placing some amount of trust in her.
Lifting her one foot carefully onto the low rocky platform, Alexis stepped up, getting directly under his wing. But as she straightened herself up, she found it sat a little higher than she had expected. Undaunted, the teenager got on her tip toes, stretching her arm as far as she could reach, to no avail. An exasperated sigh came from her lips.
"I can't reach, Starscream," Alexis said, swatting her hand at her target as if somehow her last ditch effort would be rewarded.
Seeing the distance she was talking about, Starscream nodded back to her. "Okay…here…"
Getting to his feet, the Seeker crouched his massive physique as low as it would allow him to go, his hands resting on the ground.
"Is this better?"
Hopping down from the platform, Alexis quickly reached up, touching his wing with ease.
"Perfect!"
Giving the cloth a good shake out, making sure it was free of any lint or dust particles, Alexis put her hand onto his metal exterior.
"Okay, Starscream…just sit back and relax! I'm gonna be a polishin' fool!"
He was surprised. It's not that he expected a spark lightening discussion to take place. Every now and then, a light melodious humming would emit from her. It filled the Seeker's auditory circuits with curious ease that was broken off every now and then by the diligent silence she would give off. For as bubbly and energetic she seemed, Starscream was sure the girl would've been a little bit more chattier. Maybe her restraint is because of me…maybe she doesn't want to say anything because of how aggressive I've been lately…but what should I say?
Starscream sighed to himself then, figuring on staying with the true and tried fact of not saying anything at all. It was a survival tactic he had learned the hard way when he was with Megatron. If in doubt, don't say anything, lest chance of any kind of repercussions coming back, a lesson that had been beat into him on many occasions by the tyrannous Decepticon leader.
Retribution will come quick, Megatron…
"Are you okay, Starscream?" Alexis asked.
"Yes…I'm fine, Alexis."
"Okay…I thought I heard you say something…"
"Uh…no…I was just sitting here…that's all."
"Okay…I was just wonderin'…"
Continuing her gentle wiping, Starscream felt the downy cottony fabric touch his wing from one end to the other. With each subtle massaging motion, the vague uncomfortable posture from before was being chased away. A relaxing stillness slowly formed. Not even the crouched position he currently was in (as much as it reminded him of all the times he had done the same in front of Megatron's scathing rage filled beratings) was enough to take away the new feeling that was taking shape.
Suddenly then, the massaging stopped. With the cloth in her hands, Alexis brought her hands along the smooth surface. Running them carefully down to where her arms could reach, the teenager's fingers felt a series of deep dents and grooves. From being so far on the ground, she didn't see them, as the white coloring seemed to disguise them well. But from being so up close, the deep depressions were unmistakable.
Taking a breath in, Alexis asked quietly, "What happened, Starscream?"
Turning to see what she meant, the Seeker glanced at his wing.
"It was nothing…"
Silence.
"Was this something Megatron did?"
Starscream turned his head away from her, getting up. He stood there for a moment, looking outward, distant angry voices seeping through.
You're nothing but an incompetent failure, Starscream…a complete waste of Cybertronian alloy…your presence repulses me to the very core! I curse the day I ever let you join this army!
"It wasn't anything I hadn't first brought on myself," was the Seeker's sullen reply.
"That's not true. I don't believe that."
"It doesn't matter what you believe. Megatron had his reasons."
"That still doesn't make it right, Starscream. Just because someone has a reason to do something doesn't mean it's the correct thing to do."
"You don't know Megatron like I do. To him, there's only what he thinks is correct and how everyone else is going to follow."
"Is that why you're with the Autobots?"
"It's the only way for me to defeat Megatron…being with the Autobots has nothing to do with anything else."
Alexis held up her arm to hand the chamois back. Staring up at the Decepticon as he straightened himself up, Alexis caught the quick unsure glance that was trying to stay hidden, as if he was having second thoughts about where he wanted to be after all.
"Being with the Autobots has everything to do with everything else, Starscream. You said Megatron only believes two things…what he thinks is correct and how everyone else is going to obey…with the Autobots, it's about how they can help to make sure no one is forced into obeying something they don't want to do."
Suddenly then, before the Seeker could even contemplate a reply, thankfully, a voice called out.
"Alexis! C'mon! We're gonna be late! The show starts in an hour!"
Smiling brightly, Alexis said, "Well I've gotta go….Rad and Carlos wanna go see that one new movie about dinosaurs…I can't remember the name of it…but they'll kill me if I don't go…I'll see you later, okay?"
The words, they were there, right on the tip of his vocalizer.
"Alexis?"
Turning back around, the teenager blinked at him.
"Yeah, Starscream?"
Just say it! It's not that hard! Just get them out…
"Thank you…for wiping the debris off."
Giving him another light hearted laugh, the Seeker watched as the young female headed out on her way, her shadow reflecting brilliantly beneath her.