When We Seared The Sky

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

In All its Glory

“Hurry up.”

Alexis dealt the lime green screen front of the cockpit a contemptuous glare in spite of herself as she fastened her safety harness. No matter how surprisingly kind Starscream had been by letting her ride in him, she still was not happy with being treated like some kind of slave… and she still feared an ulterior motive for his supposed kindness. It seemed uncharacteristic of him to go from denying her any right to fly in him to letting her do so, and she was wary of it.

“I’m doing it, for Christ’s sake,” she muttered resentfully, buckling the harness’s many straps with some difficulty. “Have you got some sort of helmet?” she added, glancing around the small space.

Starscream snorted dismissively. “I don't make a habit out of carrying you repellent organics around, girl. So no, I am not in possession of any head protection for you.” He paused as she rolled her eyes before adding irritably, “I find it offensive that you consider yourself in need of one. What are you insinuating about my aerial prowess?”

She felt herself turning crimson. “Nothing,” she snarled, as the cockpit’s cover lowered above her, giving her a nasty feeling of being trapped.

As a young child, she had been much smaller, and so the cockpit had not seemed so… well, small. Now it felt quite cramped, especially with the harness. She unbuttoned her cardigan, feeling slightly warm and choked, and took a few deep breaths to steady herself. This seemed to amuse her ever-sardonic guardian, who chuckled darkly.

“Your bio-signs tell me that you are afraid,” he sneered, the scorn clearly discernible in his tone, and she clenched her jaw furiously and bit her tongue to stop herself retaliating. “Your heart rate has become quite alarmingly erratic. Still keen to ride the scary Decepticon, little one?”

The last part of his sentence was said in a whining, disdainful tone, and her angry flush deepened. “It’s not fair of you to…violate my privacy like that!” she retorted, too furious to resist hitting back at him. “Why don’t you quit with all the bio-sign-reading crap and cut to the chase? You bitch more than a girl does, for God’s sake.”

“Oh, your words wound me.”

She laughed in disbelief, shaking her head. “Whatever. You’re all bark and no bite, Starscream.”

A cruel snigger resonated throughout the aircraft and she drew in a sharp breath when she felt the straps of the harness tighten around her forcefully, squeezing her painfully for a moment and temporarily immobilising her. “I wouldn't bet on that, human,” he said in a hushed, threatening tone before he let the harness relax again. “Until you have felt my bite.”

She clenched her fists tightly, determined not to break under his intimidation.

As well as his coercion, there was a fear that she had not counted upon when she had asked to ride inside him. Sure, she had always dreamed of flight, but she had never actually tried it – and she had a nasty feeling that Starscream would test her limits, just to terrify her out of her mind for his amusement. She was more than aware of how dangerous flight could be, having heard her father relaying many frightening tales of technical difficulties that had led to deaths in the air, and she heard her heart begin to slam in her ears.

“Please attempt to calm yourself,” Starscream suddenly oozed. “I will not have you ejecting any fluids in my cockpit.”

“Huh,” she snorted, checking her harness almost neurotically. “If I do, I’ll make sure to do it all over your precious seat.” She reached forward then and tapped the green screen, where she could see a radio link to access Ironhide’s channel – to her surprise, this action caused Starscream to jolt and snap at her again.