Envy. That was the name of the new emotion he felt. That spark burning jealous feeling! By all means he should not even be feeling anything right now ever since he blocked his emotional protocols. Yeas, Soundwave was proverbially green with envy. Why? His little brother Blaster had a crush on Lightspeed. That hotheaded, short, and cocky femme couldn't hold her own up against Ravage, if it weren't for that Autobot's intervention. So why was he, the stone-cold con impervious of emotions, jealous of his little brother?
Simple. That golden twin of Jazz's has been doting after Blaster as well. The funny this thing about it was that neither Blaster nor Lightspeed knew that the other had a crush on them. If it weren't for the fact that he was the TIC of the entire Decepticon Army, he would have set them up. If only his brother from another carrier would help him.
Jazz wanted to laugh. Matter of fact he did laugh at the absurdity of the situation. For being a communications expert, Blaster was so blind to his suitor. If it weren't for the dang war, Jazz would have locked the those two love birds in the closet together until they started making out. He knew that wouldn't work out. It would take an orn or so for the would be lovers to admit their feelings for each other. As of right now the best Jazz could do was to convince Prowl that Blaster and Lightspeed would make a good spec ops team. That idea was so out there it just might work in Prowl's processor goo logic.
Weeks passed and Soundwave sensed something that he never thought that he would sense through his sibling bond; Blaster willingly entered the Nemesis and had yet to set off any alarms-
Great. There goes the intruder alert. If Blaster was smart, he would be hiding in his sibling's personal quarters, and... not trying to get Lightspeed out of the boobie trap meant for a certain seeker with a warp drive and no sense of direction.
Good, Ravage is helping her uncle and her uncle's love interest. If Soundwave timed it just right he could pin this all on Skywarp, and hide the intruders in his room. Megatron and Starscream would be returning back soon from an evaluation of a possible new dig site for energon. Let's see... Skywarp has been warping off for the past 10 breems, and has yet to leave the ship. Now lets turn off that alarm.
5 breems later the underwater base was shaking from an irate warlord and a ticked off trine leader. Both were wondering how their violet idiot was still functioning. Soundwave didn't even need his telepathic abilities to know that he and his entourage of cassettes were the only ones that knew that two Autobots were to blame for the alarm. Now what was he going to do with those lovebirds chained up and sitting on his birth?
Jazz was not a fool by any means despite his carefree nature. So when Lightspeed and Blaster didn't report back, he was more than a little concerned. Their mission was to drop a package off to Soundwave and get out. The mission plan was so simple and easy that Chiffjumper and Warpath could complete it without any complications. So what went wrong? The only Decepticon that his team had to worry about was Soundwave, but Soundwave wouldn't let anything happen to his little sparkling brother.
All they really had to do was to use the hatch at the bottom of the sunken base to get in. Then sneak around the bowls of the ship listening for the door leading to the room playing "Sewrottian Butt Jingles." Once they crossed the threshold of the room and put in their red optic lenses, they were to look for the set of controls under the sign: "Layith Down Ye Weaponry and Abandon All Hope Ye Whom Enter Here," where they were to press the infamous big red button before leaving the room. After climbing the stairs under the light blinking the rolling base line of "Star Trekken'," it would be necessary to crab walk past ten drones. At the eleventh drone, all one had to do was limbo and highjump past the cameras, spelling out S.O.S. in Morse Code, where dashes were jumps and dots were limbos. This was now the midway point where the team would stop and have a cup of energon with the local members of the vile crew. Next came the hard part, getting his Sounders out of the security room and let the agents into the Decepticon's own personal quarters while making sure said Con and Co. did not enter while the package was placed neatly in the ceiling tiles just above the recharge berth. To complete the mission they only needed to complete their journey back home from the barracks in the exact reverse order that from which they came. So what was the hold up? The mission was only to take a breem at the most. So where was his twin sister and Blaster?
Might as well go get them - Those to idiots had better not be the reason the tsunami just formed. Megatron came back early and is not pleased with the results of his latest sightseeing trip. Yeah that's it! Now where are his favorite telepaths?
Lightspeed was like any other femme who had a twin - hotheaded, cocky, and beautiful. Like all Autobots, she would die for her beliefs. The only time she is ever given a truly hard time is when she is sent on an Ops mission to rescue her twin and vice versus. She will never let Jazz live it down. Given how cocky she is, she has a tendency to rush into things and get in trouble, like now.
"Ravage: Light sleeper. Lightspeed: knows this."
The Mazda just glared vibber daggers at her Decepticon counterpart. "Well it was his fault that he was sleeping in the middle of the hallway."
"Blaster and Lightspeed: Need to talk."
"We talk all the time."
"Ah get the feeling that the Top 40 Hit List Weekend Countdown and which club or night spot is da bomb is what Sounders ment by us talking. Right Bro?"
"Affirmative."
"Wait un momento. Ya two are brothers?!" The femme would have been pointing her finger at the only other occupants in the room if she weren't tied up at the moment.
The two communications experts exchanged glances as if to read the other's processor. "Blaster: Sparkling brother." Soundwave went over to his deck and reached into a hidden compartment of his bottom drawer, pulling out a rather old and worn out memory cube. "Soundwave and Blaster: sparked in the gladiator pits of Simfur. Pitmasters: knew only of Soundwave. Our younglinghood: very dark. Soundwave: first kill at three vorns age. Blaster's: five vorns..." And so Soundwave went on describing their early vorns of their lives, leaving out the parts that didn't really pertain to Blaster. During this time Blaster did best not to make optic contact all the while nonverbally agreeing with his brother.
Now with the commander and his SIC back on the Nemesis, moving around for a spy or a saboteur is a little harder. This is mainly due to all the 'scapegoats' are actually behaving and the motly crew is more on edge than usual. It is a good thing that Jazz has a "fake" Decpticon Ident signature for times like this. He sorcelled into Miester - which he is not to be confused with Jazz's sire, Mister. As Miester, he is a 'spy' who only reports to Soundwave. In reality it is the other way around. Yes Soundwave is not only the third in command of the army, he is an undercover spy.
Miester didn't need to sneak in the back entrance. He just needed to request entrance via the high tower. This way Jazz as Miester can just waltz right in. The way Jazz waltzes in doesn't scream that he owned the place. No, it calmly said that he belonged here and there was nothing they could do about it. The hard part now was to figure out which room his agents were in and which Cons knew that their were there.
Lightspeed couldn't believe her audios. She wanted to whack Soundwave upside the helm for lying. she knew from her own personal experience that telepaths couldn't lie to save their lives. Keeping secrets was an entirely different ballpark. Between the three telepaths here, she figured that they knew every secret this side of Cybertron.
"Assumption: Incorrect." ... and that is what she hated being around this Con.
"How do you know what I'm process'n?"
"Lightspeed: most likely thought about my ability to lie. Most likely next thought: Probability of us three telepaths knowing all secrets." The tint change in his visor suggested that he had a good idea of where her thoughts were headed, thus he 'rolled' his optics at her. "Soundwave: doesn't knew where cassette twins keep their high-grade."
Just then the vent above him falls and hits him in the helm. Out pops the aforementioned twins.
"Heya Uncle B."
"How's it humming Beer Lady?"
"What's up my little base droppers?"
"Rumble and Frenzy: Timing needs improvement."
Lightspeed smirked at her captor to let him know that she knew the answer to his previous question.
The eldest Con tilted his helm in such a manner to state he had a very important comm. coming in. The room went quietly still as he proceeded to carry out his internal conversation. None to pleased was he to his caller's topic of choice. "Frenzy, Rumble: Return."
"But Bossbot-"
"No buts. Return: Now."
Blaster looked up at his brother. "What's the problemo bro?"
"Meeting: Command Officers. Commencing soon." The Decepticon then schooled his regal features and left his quarters, locking the door behind him.
"Yeah know you an' your brother are da only mechs that I can't get a good read on."
"That because we're telepaths. Sorta security against other telepaths."
"Yeah I know Blaster. It's just days like today leave me wishing that wasn't the case entirely. I get the feeling that Slenderman wanted us to get locked in his room, or trapped in any room for that matter. At least he trusts you enough that you would respect his personal belongings to leave us in here alone while he mediates between Megabutt and Screecho."
"We aren't completely alone. That is meh little niece Ravage in medical stasis over there by the communications station."
The Miata growled, "you are related to that piece of metal slag of a Con?"
"Yeah I em,and I'd appreciate it if you didn't criticize meh familia like that." With a flick of his wrist, he quickly removed his bindings and tossed them gracelessly into a pile at the foot of the berth. "Now turn around so I can get at your knots."
"How'd you get yours off?"
The boombox released his main cables from his wrists. "Tentacles. Soundwave and I have the same frame set remember?"
"Fine whatever... just watch meh doorwings." the femme sighed as she complied with his wishes.
"Mech you must have really ticked off Sounders for him to use a reverse slip knot followed by an under-handed cross stitch."
"Yeah about that... I kinda, maybe stepped on evil panther over there while I was quickly and quietly walking towards the science wing during my last mission. Kitty here was sleeping in the middle of the hallway. Fortunately I was able to avoid her claws this time."
"Wadda you mean by this time?"
"Have you ever wondered why us Spec Ops twins wear visors?"
"Ah always thought that ya both wanted to see ah wider range of the spectrum at a higher sensitivity."
"That is not our original reason. I... I had my optics scratched out by Ravage. It was by solo first mission. I was to plant a prank on Megatron's throne. You know one the Terror Twins would play on the honored guest to the Ark - paint bombs, whoopee cushions - that sorta thing. I would have been able to complete the mission if it weren't for the Decepticon's own form of the 'Basement Kitty' wanting emerald as the color of her safety lights, which was the color of my optics back then. They still are, just I can't see slag through all the scratches."
"How did you get away?"
"Jazz was my backup. using our twin bond, he was able to guide me back to what was considered our HQ at the time."
There was a sudden static Comm. burst on the Autobot frequency causing both guests in the room to jump. The burst was followed by a text message for the two captives to quit making out just as the Decepticon tape deck entered the room. If Cybertronians could blush then both the Autobots would be cherry red from audio to audio.
It was rather quiet for the longest time. Nobody dared make optic contact least they let another know how awkward the environment had become. Though it was blatantly obvious to any outside observer that the situation was indeed awkward for everyone.
In an attempt to relieve the silence, the brave little femme proposed a question. "So how did da talk with Ol' Buckethead go?"
The older brother did his best to glare death daggers at the questioner. "Subject: None of Autobot femme's concerns."
"Translation; Megabutt wants you to do the impossible and admit that you are actually capable of feeling an emotion."
"Negative. Soundwave: full of emotion. Megatron: emotionless drone." The Con went over to check on the patch welds of his favorite cassette.
"What's this? My big bro say'n bad things about his masta'?"
"Blaster: oblivious to others' feelings."
"You can say that again.." mumbled the golden Mazda.
The red tape deck's optics flashed a range of colors meaning that he was offended. "So yah two are ganging up on me?" He stood and went to the door waiting for it to open.
"Da door won't open. We're locked in Soundwaves's room."
"Lightspeed: oblivious to others' feelings as well."
The aforementioned bot whipt around with so much shock force that she would have snapped her neck if she were human. Glaring at her offender, "What do yah mean I'm oblivious ta feelings?!"
"Blaster: has love interest."
That made Lightspeed's lower mandible hit the floor. Her glare turned murderously at Blaster. "Who?"
The Autobot mech turned to face his accuser. His facade of his helm was blank with emotion. For the first time as an Autobot communications' expert, he was at a loss of words. Shifting his weight to his right leg, Blaster glanced at his brother as if to ask for protection if this took a turn for the worse. Receiving a nod of confirmation, the boom box replied "... Lightspeed, I... I never believed that I'd be tellen yah dis way. Soundman's right. I do have feeling for someboda. Eh like ya Lightspeed. You're da song I have blasting through meh speaker."
"Ah Big B. I-"
"Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!" Came the annoying screech of Starscream over the comm's of the entire sunken fortress. "Autobot Jazz has just been spotted dashing down corridor Delta 5, heading for Gamma 2. All Decepticons are to be on the look out for him. Lord Megatron wants him captured alive and sent to the throne room.-" Soundwave cut the feed to his room.
"You two: go to emergency energon storage , Level 3. Rumble: escort you off the ship. Soundwave: protect Jazz from Cons."
With their orders the trio broke apart as they left the room to go on their way.
"Scrapping Scrapheap of a son of a glitching pile of slagging cosmic rust Starscream why did yah have ta triple check your work today?" Was the litany that Jazz let loose as soon as the alarms went off. He flew to the air vents and swam through them like a snake slides across the ground. He kept moving knowing that one of these orns a Con would get smart and look up at the air vents and wonder if it were possible to fit a mech into them. Also some of the sections of the vents were not as maintained as other sections were. Jazz kept on crawling through the dark, dank, and damp air infested with dust bunnies. One would think with all the clumps of dirt in there the Cons didn't check their Hepafilters on regular intervals, but the evil doers did every other week.
The metal gave an ominous grown; the only warning Jazz received before his impromptu exit from his tour of the ventilation shaft, landing right into the open arms of Soundwave.
Where all the vehicons ran, Soundwave walked. While the drone comm lines were all buzzing to the max capacity, his was silent as ever. He noticed things that others missed, so when he heard the cheap metal start to give he knew he better catch the hooligan.
"Ma mech, you really know how to sweep a damsel off their feet."
"Jazz: incorrigible. Silence: now."
Jazz gave the hand signal of zipping his lips as a way to say that his lips were sealed.
The pair moved with great care through the tunnels called hallways. If someone didn't know better, they might have said that the duo had planned their movements. In all reality, this was all spur of the moment. If anyone asked though, to whom the TICs would reply that, yes they did plan it that way, with each hall traversed clear of bystanders.
Rumble was more than glad to help his Autobot family members - it made for perfect blackmail against them later. The trio knew that most of the ship's inhabitants had forgotten about the ship having supply hatches, let alone where said hatches were to be found. The command element still knew of course which made it a perfect sense for Soundwave to let loose his Cassettes in that direction.
When they got to the location of which the lover-duo made their entrance, the duo and Con encountered the only remaining form of resistance left on the lower levels - Ravage.
Ravage was willing to let her uncle go by. After all he was family. The Miata, not so much. "I can conveniently look the other way as Blaster leaves, but I cannot - will not let her go by while I must suffer for what she has done to me." She broke her personal vow of silence as she effortlessly switched from 'Ceiling Cat' to 'Basement Kitty.'
Lightspeed reset her visor twice. "Since when can you talk?!" then remembering the panther's previous condition, "How did she get out of stasis?"
Rumble took pity on his uncle's soon to be femmefriend. "My sister took a vow of silence after our sire died. Bossbot didn't want a glaring match between the two of you femmes. Soundwave created an override for when the alarms go off it brings us out of stasis to do what ever we want." He ignored the growls he got in response to the explanation. "Sis let us pass by and I won't personally attempt to mess with you for the next say 40 cycles."
"Tempting, but no."
"Then you'll have to come with us." Blaster knowing time was of the essence, went over picking up the noncompliant Cassette, and put her into his tape compartment. He completely oblivious to all her complaints and scratching claws.
"How were ya able ta avoid her claws?"
"Did ya forget that meh Cassette Steeljaw turns in ta a lion? He's got a set o claws too." He responded as he patted his chest. "Now let's get this show on the road."
The duo and the Cassette parted ways. Most would think the two Autobots would swim away, but reality called for Lightspeed to drive on the seabed while Blaster sat in his alt form in the passenger seat. Neither dared to speak. For if they made a sound, would be found via the Decepticon Defense Network. Knowing that Soundwave was a little preoccupied at the moment, the duo were not taking chances.
Bugs Bunny would have said that he should have made a left at Albuquerque, but neither were that rabbit. Somehow a 2005 boombox and a golden Mazda Miata 2013 washed up on the Eastern shores of South Africa in the year 1999, only to be half a country away from the intended pickup site. This didn't bother the locals as much as the talking panther springing from its prison spreading curses at its captors about its captors grandcreators health issues and space junk; but that was a story for another to tell.
Under normal pre-war conditions, Ravage would have cared less if someone saw her with her extended family. With the war she didn't want to be caught with the Autobot Cassette host while having a good time. Blaster couldn't blame his niece for her display.
Once the scene quieted down, Lightspeed radioed that they were headed for a little known air strip 20 klicks West of their current location for extraction.
Back at the volcano, each spec ops person was subjected to two debriefings; one tell-all for Jazz, and a generic one for Prowl. Needless to say all parties involved discretely left out the conversation in between Soundwave and the soon to be lovers. According to Jazz, Prowl was not 'privy' enough to know that the communications' experts were siblings. Only Jazz, Ratchet, and now Lightspeed knew this. Optimus Prime suspected the two were close friends before the war, and he was planning to grant amnesty to all involved in this long drawn out war.
However once a mission of this magnitude was completed, there was to be no mention of it ever, least someone use that information to poniard another with a poniard or type of dagger.
Because of this, Lightspeed was at a not so small dilemma. She now knew of Blaster's true feelings toward her matched those she held for him. If she found out by any other means she would have no qualms about hauling her Blaster off into a sequestered area of the part volcano - part ship complex and tell the Cassette host that his feelings were equally reciprocated. She would have to see if this counted as part of the mission or not. Lightspeed was not the only Bot who wanted to know as well.
Blaster entered the inner sanctum that he rarely ever visited only when he needed to talk about his brother, even rarer to talk about any other subject. He was not surprised to see Jazz there as the TIC seemed to know all pertinent information. Walking in he greeted the other, "Oh wise, know-it-all leader, O' mine. I have a question regarding my last mission."
"Ya know I don't like all those old titles."
"Ah know, but it got yeh attention. So you'll help me?" The tape deck entered the same relaxation pose as the Spec Ops head was meditating in. Taking Jazz's silence to continue, "When your twin and I visited my brother out-of-state, I might have told your sister my feelings for her. I don't need ta tell ya how close Lightspeed 'n I are as friends. Just before she could tell me meh how she felt, the-" He paused his explanation at the sound of the door opening to the safe room.
Lightspeed jived in. "Heya bro. Blaster." Skipping across the room she plopped into position opposite her twin. Looking at Blaster, "Yah here about what happened at yer big bro's place too?"
"Yeah."
Jazz stood up motioning for the duo to remain seated. Starting a predatory pace around those sitting, Jazz thought about how he should go about this. On one servo he could enforce the archaic rules; keeping the love birds from acting right away on the results of the event in question, but that would defeat the purpose of the mission. On the other servo, throwing out the rules might just speed up the time chart of when the war will end. That course of action would allow for the concerned duo to throw away their main worries and actually go on a date. One question remained. How evil was Jazz going to be towards his two agents?
With a smirk he asked, "What was the overall purpose of the mission?"
"Ta deliver a package to Blaster's brother?" Lightspeed stated matter-of-factly as if she rehearsed it.
"Wrong!" The femme failed to duck out of the way in time while her brother playfully back-handed her upside the helm.
"To let meh nieces and nephews interact with their uncle?" To which the tape deck got the same reaction from his superior.
"You two don't get it do ya?" The TiC giggled. "I trust ya both, but why would I have ya do somethang I normally do meh self? This is the first actual mission I let lil' B here go on." He kept looking at the two telepaths, hoping that one of them would pick up on the thoughts he was blatantly broadcasting.
Suddenly the Miata pinned the Porsche to the floor in an armlock. "You set us up? Why? Ya know I like to move at meh own pace in these matters."
"Let meh sit up and I will explain." Once the twins were in a more decent position, the saboteur began his impromptu speech. "Yah both so thick helmed sometimes that yer both oblivious ta the obvious. Did yah know there's a running bet on how long it'd take ya both ta admit your feeling tah each other? Even the Decepticons are in on it. Eh wasn't going ta let Starscream win with his bet of 11+ million vorns." One look into his twin's visor told him that he said too much.
The visor of the femme mentioned above never altered in color, but in intensity and brightness. For those who knew how to read visors, Lightspeed was showing a wide range of emotions with it. The first and foremost emotion was rage, followed closely by anger, hurt, disgust, and betrayal. There were flickers of other emotions as well, but the only ones worth noting were gladness for her brother's protection of her dignity, fear as to whom was involved in the bet, and concern for Blaster as he took in the news.
She stood up, grabbing the TiC by the front bumper. With one servo firmly holding the bumper, Lightspeed's other servo was arched back in the perfect position to perform the perfect nonlethal neck-snapper helm-roll servo slap. As she released the kinetic potential of her servo, Jazz did not flinch even though his upending doom was approaching the upside of his helm by the milli-klick, for he believed that he deserved this fate.
The time field around the twins seemed to slow down. Later, the older of the duo would say that it felt like it took 50 breems, but in all reality it took less than a quarter klick. The femme stopped her servo one smidge away from the bulls-eye on her victim's helm. Instead of the servo, Jazz was hit with a gust of air. After given a half klick reprieve, he got the hit he was expecting - only having the potency of a love tap. "That is for hiding da betting pool from me. The Deceptcreeps won't be so lucky."
Blaster decided it was time to remind the spec ops twins of his presence. Once he cleared his air filter he asked how his brother would fair. Lightspeed replied that Soundwave would only be spared her rath due to the secret fact of his active undercover spy status. Calming down somewhat, the tape deck formally excused his would-be-lover and his self from the inner sanctum of the Ark.
He led the Miata back to his personal quarters. Sitting down on the crate that served as a couch when using his personal entertainment unit, he stared at the only bot he ever loved outside his family. Neither spoke for some time. Finding the courage to break the comfortable yet awkward silence, he asked that bothered him so. "Speed, I gotta know. What were you gonna say before the 'dying canary' came over the intercom and cut yah off? I know that I'm not the most loveable bot out there. Most see meh Cassette as baggage and not want ta put up with them. Meh Cassettes are quite literally a physical part of meh. I understand if yah don't share meh feelings for yah."
Lightspeed had heard enough. She quickly erased the distance between them. Just as she did with the Porsche, she did with Blaster, but without the reprieve and a little more love in the love tap. "Yah listen here Blaster, and listen good. I didn't follow ya to yer room just ta listen to yah have'n a pity party for yerself. Yer Cassettes aint baggage. They are an extension of yerself. Yah obviously need ta know how I feel for yah." She paused to collect his servos and look him in the optics. "I love you Blaster. Eh truly do."
As they pulled each other into a hug and possibly the first kiss they would share as a couple, the moment was ruined by the same type of interruption as the last, this time with Smokescreen as the offending party.
"Attention all Autobots, please join me in congratulating our newest couple: Lightspeed and Blaster. They missed the 11 million vorn mark by 2 Earth days. Now for the important part, we have a four-way tie! Our very own Prime was the closest to the actual date. Everyone's favorite tactician didn't bet on the date, but bet on the chance that the lovebirds would hook up as a result of going on a mission. Jazz was correct in saying that he was involved in setting the duo up. The fourth winner whom didn't want to be named until the end of the war, was correct in betting on which of the lovebirds would admit to the other first. I will be in contact with the winners later tonight."
Lightspeed grinned at her friend now lover. "Care ta join meh in plotting of and the pranking of the winners?"
"What a fun first date this will be."