Arcee's leaving herself wide open for some good old fashioned claw shanking, but Starscream actually chooses to abstain in this case. He's committed to this lie now, to playing the victim here. It'll certainly make the Autobots look bad, and that alone makes the risk worth it.

Starscream laughs nervously, hands still held in front of him in a pathetic attempt at placating her. "Megatron does not have the matrix... the artifact was destroyed, he told me as much himself. What he does have is fears that you Autobots have successfully corrupted Orion back over to your side where he could potentially use it against us." He casts a pleading glance over at the bot in question.