Chapter 2

'on secrets'

Soundwave enjoyed a full recharge cycle that night. He onlined, feeling more rested and refreshed than he had in some time, and immediately noticed two things. One, he was lying alone on his berth. Two, the energon cube was sitting exactly where he'd left it, but it was now half-emptied. Swiftly Soundwave stood and exited his chamber, only to stop short when he reached the front room. Jazz was in the center of it, warily turning around and around so as to keep pace with the circling Ravage. A low, menacing growl welled up out of his vocalizer, optics fixed on the intruder.

"Nice kitty... nice, evil, Decepticon spy kitty," Jazz crooned. Without lifting his gaze from the bared fangs, he raised his voice. "It's about time you woke up. I don't think your pet housecat likes me very much."

"Provoking Ravage, unwise."

"What makes you think I provoked him?"

"Observation, previous interaction with Decepticons."

"Ah. Good point. Are you going to call him off? Ever?"

"Autobot should not have been wandering residence without permission."

"You were in recharge." Soundwave wondered if Jazz was experiencing any dizziness, spinning around like that. His energy levels were back up, but he was still in a weakened state.

"Autobot will remain in berth during my recharge."

"Aw, my mistake. Were you lonely, Soundwave, did you need to cuddle?"

Soundwave gave his silent permission, and Ravage sprang. Jazz didn't have a chance before he'd been knocked flat on his back, pinned under the savagely snarling feline.

Some kind of grunt escaped Jazz when he hit the floor, but otherwise he made no noise. Not struggling in the slightest, he looked at the mouthful of fangs just above his face and smiled.

"Did I push a button?"

Soundwave did not deign to reply. Leaving Jazz trapped under Ravage for the time being, he attended to his energon dispenser for refueling. A datapad was lying beside it, tagged with a memo addressed to him. The twins had already left for their rounds, but Frenzy had left the information for a scheduled appointment with Hook. Soundwave reviewed it and consumed his energon, taking his time doing both. Then he turned his attention back to the pair on the floor.

"Ravage, desist."

Ravage ducked his head, mock-snapping at the air just over Jazz's visor, then obediently bounded off him. Jazz winced when Ravage dug his weight into his body, and sat up rather stiffly. "So where's the rest of the zoo? Should I keep my back to the wall?"

"Laserbeak and Buzzsaw, returning shortly. Will not attack unless provoked. Recommendation, don't."

Jazz smirked. "You have so little faith in me, Soundwave."

"Appropriate address, master."

Jazz tensed, just barely. Soundwave thought he saw his fingers flex and grip the floor.

"Of course... how forgetful of me. Unlike Decepticons, we Autobots aren't so good at the bowing and scraping business. Less practice. I'll try to remember in the future, master."

Soundwave did not care for the insult, but he did not respond to it. Instead he closed the distance between them in silence, taking careful note of the way Jazz stiffened, his ventilations going quite still. When Soundwave dropped his hand to the top of Jazz's head, he visibly flinched. Just as before, however, he did not pull away. Gently Soundwave glided his open hand along the surface of his helm, simply petting him and nothing more. Jazz's vents sputtered and hiccuped before picking up their standard pace again, just a little quicker and more shallow now.

This, Soundwave decided, was a more effective method of quieting Jazz than Skywarp's fists. More effective, and more enjoyable. He liked the feel of Jazz holding himself so still under his touch, though it would be better if he were not so tense. Neither of them moved for a while after that, until the balcony entrance to the loft flipped open and his twin aerial spies glided in. Immediately Soundwave stepped away from Jazz, raising his arm in traditional welcome. Buzzsaw always liked to alight upon his wrist, keeping some distance, while Laserbeak preferred to perch on his shoulder and nuzzle him in greeting. They performed this ritual first, then promptly fixed optics on the new arrival with undisguised curiosity. Buzzsaw stretched his wings and uttered a short, inquiring, yarp.

"Very well, thank you," Jazz said sweetly. "And yourself?"

What? Buzzsaw blinked and cocked his head.

"Autobot now my property," Soundwave informed them both. "Will be living here now. Pay no attention to his remarks."

Jazz looked wounded. The twins looked perplexed.

New slave? Laserbeak shuffled her claws restlessly on Soundwave's shoulder, communicating her distress through touch as well as thought. When?

Why? added Buzzsaw.

"Previous orn," he answered, ignoring the other question. "Unanticipated acquisition; apology, warning impossible."

Trouble, Buzzsaw predicted darkly, narrowing his optics at Jazz. Skulking in the corner, Ravage growled agreement. Laserbeak was more diplomatic about it, humming a series of quiet but concerned clicks.

"Arguments irrelevant," Soundwave informed them all, somewhat tersely. "Autobot here. Your efforts expected, minimal. Laserbeak and Buzzsaw, prepare for data upload."

Jazz looked to be following the conversation, at least the half he could hear, with some fascination. "I take it I'm not being welcomed with open... uh, claws. I can always just go, if it's going to be too much trouble."

"Autobot my property," Soundwave reminded him.

Jazz looked away rather than meet Soundwave's stare. "Sure. Master."

"Surveillance recordings must be examined and analyzed. Will be occupied for some time."

"You have to spy on other Decepticons, I know. Please, don't let me keep you."

"Autobot will remain in residence. Ravage will supervise." Ravage's head jerked up at that, and he hissed with displeasure. Soundwave ignored him. "Good behavior expected."

"Cross my spark," Jazz assured him, insincere smile flashing across his face. Soundwave reached down for one final pat on the head, and predictably Jazz froze underneath it. He backed away and turned toward his work room, processor gearing itself toward the tasks waiting there. There would be new clips from the twins to review and categorize, threats to scan for, the daily report to be drafted and sent along to Megatron. All this demanded his primary attention, but even so he could not help hearing Jazz as the work room door closed behind him.

"So... what's new, pussy cat?"

Aggrenet-1 online. Status: activating. Enter passcode.

Passcode accepted. Data upload y/n?

Y

Uplink data.

Data accepted.

Data compiling - 0%

Perform security upgrade now y/n?

Y

Enter new passcode.

Confirm new passcode.

New passcode confirmed. Scanning firewalls.

Data compiling - 20%

Scanning firewalls - 15%

Archive retrieval, enter.

Archives opened. Run query.

Autobot, designation Jazz, history. Enter.

Searching...

Data compiling - 50%

Scanning firewalls - 65%

Search complete: Autobot, designation Jazz.

Origin: unknown.

[274v - 471v] First known location: Iacon. Pre-war era occupation, owner of local nightspot, designation Sparkbeat. Multiple citations of popularity within Iacon.

[301v, 364v, 402v] Three times arrested for suspicions of dealing in black market. Arresting officer, Autobot designation Prowl [deactivated]. All three occasions, charges dropped for lack of evidence.

[472v] Sparkbeat destroyed in Decepticon attack on Iacon. Location of Jazz, unknown.

[553v] Intruder captured in Decepticon camp; identity unconfirmed. Appearance matches Autobot Jazz. (Probability, 75%) Intruder escaped before interrogation could begin.

[554v - 682v] Jazz's whereabouts unknown. Presumed Autobot espionage (?)

[682v] Confirmed sighting, battle of Tyger Pax. Injured Blitzwing (nonfatal).

[705v] Confirmed sighting, battle of Vos.

[724v] Confirmed sighting, unnamed battle (second moon, planet #398-641)

[733v] Decepticon generators outside Vos lost to explosion. Suspected agent Jazz; unconfirmed. (Probability, 60%)

[796v] Decepticon communications network infected by foreign virus. Signed, "your friendly neighborhood saboteur". Widely suspected agent Jazz. (Probability 95%)

[?] Jazz promoted to head of Autobot Intelligence and Special Operations, exact date unknown

[844v] Confirmed member of Ark crew.

[844v] Confirmed sighting, Earth.

[844v] Captured by gestalt team Combaticon, along with Autobot sniper Cliffjumper [deactivated]. Escaped before interrogation could begin.

[845v] Attempted sabotage attempt on Decepticon headquarters, Cybertron. Minor explosions, no fatalities. Intruder escaped, suspected agent Jazz. (Probability 64%)

[845v] Espionage subordinate, Autobot designation Bumblebee, captured. Unsuccessful rescue attempt followed; intruder escaped. Suspected agent Jazz. (Probability 79%)

[845v] Confirmed sighting, battle on Cybertron. Reported injured by Combaticon, designation Brawl, but successfully escaped with other Autobots.

[845v] Last remaining force of Autobots trapped on unnamed fifth moon, planet #645-982. Included Autobots designation Jazz, Prowl [deactivated], Ironhide [deactivated], Wheeljack [deactivated], and Cliffjumper [deactivated]. Explosion destroyed enemy force; Jazz lone survivor. Captured by Decepticon, designation Skywarp.

[845v] Held in Decepticon prison for six diuns. Released to Decepticon Lord Megatron, kept for sixteen orns. Formally given to Decepticon designation Skywarp in recognition of his initial capture.

Currently under ownership of Decepticon designation Skywarp.

Archival data modifcation, enter: "Currently under ownership of Decepticon, designation Soundwave."

Archival entry accepted.

Firewalls scanned - 100%.

Data compiled - 100%

Begin data analysis y/n?

Y.

The universe, Soundwave knew, was full of secrets. They layered over one another, packed deep and invisible within worlds. Some mechs kept them; others couldn't. Sometimes it was the secret that kept the mech, and he was never the wiser. Soundwave's task had always been to find these secrets, patiently stalking and snatching them from obscurity. Most were inconsequential. Some he reported to his lord. A few he kept for himself. And though Soundwave was the very best hunter of secrets, he knew he was not perfect. The universe was complicated with them, and he was only one mech. Some secrets were beyond his reach.

For example, the secret to Jazz's smile. To Soundwave, its existence was illogical. Twice he'd built himself a new life, twice he'd watched it be destroyed and crumble to ash around him. He'd watched his fellow soldiers die in battle. He'd been taken prisoner, beaten, raped, and humiliated, and won as a prize over a card game in a nightspot probably much like the one he used to own. But he still lifted his chin, and smiled. Jazz was more than a secret, he was a walking mystery.

He was also deep in recharge, not halfway through the orn. Soundwave looked down at the bot curled up at the base of the couch and directed a general inquiry at Ravage. But his subordinate just tucked his nose between his paws, tail twitching haughtily, in no mood to be helpful. Probably he was just tired, after waking up from his recharge too early. Soundwave did not know why he'd chosen to shut down on the floor, rather than the more comfortable couch. He'd insisted on the floor the previous orn, too. Curious.

Soundwave was reluctant to wake him, but it had to be done. He knelt by Jazz's side and was reaching to shake his shoulder lightly when Jazz's visor snapped back online. Reflexively he cringed, shrinking himself into a smaller ball than he already was, and froze. Hand still outstretched, Soundwave did the same.

"Recharge must end, medical appointment soon. Stand now."

"Just five more kliks, Skywarp."

"Designation, not Skywarp. Autobot knows this." Soundwave hauled Jazz to his feet, not missing how he swayed and nearly buckled. His visor flickered on and off a few times, calibrating. Systems had clearly been right in the middle of a cycle when he woke so abruptly, leaving Jazz disoriented.

"Query, can you walk? Autobot can be carried."

"Autobot will not be carried, Autobot can walk just fine on his own thank you." Jazz tugged his elbow out of Soundwave's grasp and tried to back away without falling over. He was mostly successful, only stumbling a little.

"Autobot may recharge on couch. Floor, unnecessary."

"Huh? Oh." Jazz looked at the couch as if he hadn't noticed it until this moment. "Skywarp didn't really want me on his furniture, you know, ever. I'm used to the floor now."

Soundwave did not reply to that, but tipped up Jazz's chin to take a closer look at his face. It did not concern him where Jazz chose to nap, but it did make him wonder. So far, this bot had fallen, so very far from what he used to be. The mystery was not where he slept, but how he could bring himself to wake up. Something inside Jazz was stronger than he looked.

Intriguing.

Hook met them in his medbay, one of the many subsections of the sprawling Constructicons' lair, with arms crossed and a look of flat disbelief on his face.

"Since when," he asked bluntly, "do you play card games?"

Soundwave did not answer, but Jazz snorted. "Methinks you have become an object of gossip, Soundwave."

"Everybody already knows," Hook confirmed. "Seekers ain't known for keeping their mouths shut. And you're not known for hanging out in nightspots, or hanging out anywhere, come to think of it. So, again, since when do you play card games?"

"Questions, irrelevant. Medical maintenance required now." He clasped a firm hand on Jazz's shoulder and pushed him forward. Jazz, who barely reached Hook's mid-torso, lifted his chin and met the massive Constructicon stare for stare.

"Do your worst," he said haughtily. "I'll never talk."

Hook cycled air from his vents and rolled his optics. "...right. This should be fun. Runt!"

The young Autobot medic scurried into the room. "Yes, master! What do you- oh, Jazz!" First Aid almost tripped over himself when he caught sight of Jazz, his blue optics dilating with surprise. Jazz smiled at him, and not with the flippant grin he'd been flashing at Skywarp and Soundwave. This smile was small, but genuine.

"Hey, Aid. Good to see ya."

"But you..." First Aid looked at Soundwave, then quickly away when he made accidental optic contact. "What happened to -"

"Skywarp? Stupid glitch lost me in a card game, if you can believe it. Now I'm with Tall Dark and Sullen here."

Soundwave shot Jazz a warning look, which Jazz answered with a wicked grin.

Hook snapped his fingers impatiently. "Get your gears in motion, slave. Prep the 'bot for maintenance and run all the full scans. If he looks half as bad on the inside as he does on the out, this is going to take a while. Soundwave, you'll probably want to leave and come back. I'll comm you."

"Understood."

Hook opened his mouth like he wanted to say something else, but Soundwave was already turning to leave. First Aid, meanwhile, was leading Jazz to a medberth. Literally leading him. Was it really necessary to clutch at Jazz's hand like that? Soundwave did not like it, but to show jealousy was beneath him. There would be time enough to demonstrate to Jazz exactly whom he belonged to.

Wordlessly he left the medbay.

Hook was not a mech much inclined to kid. He had warned Soundwave that it would take some time, and it did. The active cycle was nearing its end, with Rumble and Frenzy due to return at any moment, when Hook finally hailed him. Soundwave promptly shut down his work console and returned to the Constructicon complex, where he found Hook in all shades of grouchy.

"Remind me to shoot Skywarp sometime," he started. "Fragging glitch. I know he's got a few short circuits up in the processor, but even he should have been able to see his slave was barely standing. Did he think Lord Megatron would have another little Autobot toy to give him, when this one died? Trust a Seeker to have no concept of consequences. Hydraulics were all of alignment, probably due to getting thrown against the wall on a regular basis. I'm surprised he could walk as straight as he did. Joints were locked, rotator cuffs clogged with dust and debris, and all manners of rust corrosion going on under the armor, because the air-head flyboy couldn't even be bothered to let his slave rinse off in the washracks. I won't even go into the umpteen thousand dents and scratches on top of the armor; obviously you already know about those. My Autobot got most of 'em out, and he's giving him a fresh paintjob as we speak. Wish the rest of it could be that easy.

"A fluid flush cleaned out his joints, but they're still liable to catch dust. His model's got a lot more gaps in the armor than most, so regular rinses are important. As for his fuel intake... Primus almighty, you'd think we were still starving for energon or something. The bot weighs maybe three-quarters what he should, for his size. He's been losing armor and more than a couple systems to starvation; I think self-repair was the first to go. Anyway, his intake has narrowed and his fuel tanks oversensitized, to wring every last nutrient out of what fuel he can get, so he can't even ingest a full serving of energon in one sitting. Hope you haven't tried to force any on him. No? Good. I've already commed Mixmaster to crystallize energon into several dozen solid treats. Body heat will melt the shell after ingestion, releasing the energon slowly without flooding his systems. They're laced with several metallic supplements too, which should boost his health and undo some of the damage to his armor. Give him one every joor, and by the time you've finished off the box his systems should be back to normal. I hope. You can send one of your pack around to Mixmaster's shop to pick them up later.

"My other main concern is energy. The fragger went into recharge while I was working on him - maybe he wore himself out with his own one-liners. Has he been going into short, frequent recharges rather than a full cycle?"

Soundwave nodded.

"Figured as much. He hasn't been getting enough energy to sustain him for the active cycle, so he goes into recharge, but his body doesn't have the nutrition to do any repair or defragmentation, so he wakes up again. Once he's on a steady diet of those energon treats, hopefully that will level out. There's nothing more I can do for him now; his body has to initiate self-repair to do the rest of the healing. That all clear enough to you?"

"Instructions, understood. Will be carried out as stated."

Hook's optics flickered over to the windowed wall dividing his medbay. On the other side Soundwave could see First Aid putting the finishing touches on Jazz's memorable color scheme.

"Listen... Soundwave. I know this is none of my business, but are you sure you really want to do this? I mean, yes, he's going to live, but -"

"Assertion, correct," Soundwave agreed coolly. "None of your business."

An unhappy shadow crossed Hook's face, but he shut his mouth and kept it that way. First Aid and Jazz returned to the main room, and Soundwave ran an approving scan over his new slave. The multiple dents and scratches were gone now, leaving his armor smooth and clean, the black and white crisply divided. Jazz lifted his chin, clearly self-conscious under Soundwave's scrutiny.

"Like what you see?"

"Results, acceptable. Come."

"Yes... master." He glanced over his shoulder at his fellow Autobot, and again reached for his hand to give it a final squeeze. They held on to each other a little longer than Soundwave would have liked, but Hook spoke up before he could reprimand Jazz.

"Alright, enough of the melting-spark cuddles. Get your aft in gear, you know what needs cleaning." He cuffed First Aid on the head with just enough vigor to make him stumble and let go of Jazz, though Soundwave knew Hook could have easily knocked him clear across the room. Interesting; perhaps this was the reason Hook was fritzing his wires about Skywarp's treatment of Jazz.

It was none of his concern, anyway, just as his own affairs were none of Hook's concern. Jazz was standing beside him, watching him, ready to leave.

"Well? Are we going?"

"Slave will not question master." He tapped a finger up underneath Jazz's chin, in something like a mild rebuke, and quickly Jazz jerked his head back. "But yes, going. Walk."

Silence stretched between them like an invisible chain. Soundwave was accustomed to, and indeed preferred, the quiet, but he suspected Jazz was not and did not. All the way home he'd tried, with one snappy insult after another, to test the boundaries to Soundwave's patience and never reached them. Soundwave said nothing, most likely the response Jazz wanted least. Now that they'd returned to his loft, and Jazz had run out of witty barbs, he hovered uneasily by Soundwave's couch and didn't take his gaze off Soundwave for an astrosec.

"Quiet," he murmured, unnecessarily so. "Where's your entourage?"

Soundwave did not bother to answer. The avian twins had already left for their nocturnal rounds. The older pair were finished with their shift, but had received his comm and detoured to fetch the waiting parcel from Mixmaster's shop. Ravage was out somewhere, skulking in Cybertron's alleyways, keeping to his own unpredictable schedule. For now, at least a little while, they were alone in his home.

Jazz flinched and backed up half a step when Soundwave moved closer, vents hissing nervously. Dim lighting reflected off his newly painted armor, bathing him in a light sheen, an invitation to touch. Soundwave held back from the temptation, instead taking his time to circle Jazz and inspect him thoroughly. Just as he had for Ravage that morning, Jazz turned to keep pace with him, never letting Soundwave completely out of his sight.

"Command: stand still."

Jazz did nothing of the sort. "Force of habit, Soundwave. When I get jumped by a Decepticon, I at least like to see it coming."

"'Jumping' unnecessary," Soundwave informed him. He closed the last of the distance between them and Jazz backed right up to the couch, hands squeezing the top edge when he realized he had nowhere else to go. His vents stilled at the light touch of Soundwave's finger.

The smooth, satiny texture of the armor was such an improvement over the previous orn. Soundwave took his time in enjoying it, gliding his fingertips across Jazz's chest, and then flipping over his hand to run the back of it across that inviting metal. Jazz flinched again when Soundwave lifted his arm by the wrist and ran a finger along its length, memorizing the feel of his new property. His model did indeed have many gaps in the armor, wires peeking enticingly from within as Soundwave lifted then lowered his arm. Back up to the shoulder his hand swept, over the rotator cuff, and up to the vulnerable seam at his neck. Jazz tensed and shrunk into himself when Soundwave stroked one of the visible wires, armor clamping reflexively shut in revulsion.

"Command: cease negative reaction."

He'd offlined his visor the moment Soundwave touched him, but now it flickered on again. "Did you just- are you..." Astonished disbelief curled into his words. "Are you ordering me to like it?"

He stared at the silent Soundwave, some of his tension unwinding when he shook his head and forced a chuckle. "Oh, Soundwave. You can make me do many things, but you cannot make me like them. You cannot make me want you."

He pushed the heel of his hand against Soundwave's chest and tried to walk away; promptly Soundwave snatched his arm and pulled him back up against the couch. Jazz's engines surged with adrenaline and he struggled, but he didn't even clear Soundwave's chest and he was already trapped. One hand effortlessly pinned his wrist to the couch and held it there; Soundwave took his chin in his other hand and tilted it up and aside, exposing his throat.

"Challenge accepted," Soundwave said coolly, almost nuzzling the wires in his neck. Jazz twitched at the proximity, and smothered a whimper somewhere in his vocalizer. "Autobot will submit. You have no choice."

"What are you going to do, hold me down until I change my mind?"

"Soundwave, patient. Jazz, prisoner and slave. Outcome inevitable."

"So you think. Let me go."

"Request denied." Soundwave adjusted his grip on Jazz's face, forcing him to look up at the ceiling. Gradually he loosened his hold, sliding his hand down over his throat, very much aware of the life flowing through these exposed cables and wires. Electricity prickled at his fingers, sizzling pleasantly. Jazz had shuttered his visor again, and stifled another whimper. All he had to do was crush his fist around them, and he could do serious damage; pressure applied long and hard enough would cut off all power flow to his processor and perhaps even take him offline. But all Soundwave did was squeeze gently, generating another wave of thrilling tingles.

"Mine," Soundwave declared, knowing he had Jazz's full attention now. "Jazz, mine."

"If you say it," whispered his trembling slave, "does it make it true?"

"Witness evidence." Soundwave exerted more pressure on a delicate sensor relay wire, and Jazz shuddered. His internal fans kicked on again.

"Stop."

Soundwave ignored him, still rubbing lightly along his sensor wires, intent on goading another wave of pleasure within Jazz's body. His vents had opened wider, cycling air furiously into his systems. "Stop. Stop."

Unexpectedly he struck Soundwave's hand away with his own free hand, engines rumbling with muted panic. Penned in like this, he didn't have a hope of pushing off Soundwave's massive frame, but he pressed one hand flat against Soundwave's chest anyway.

"Enough with the wireplay. Just bend me over the couch and do it already. We both know that's what you want."

Patiently Soundwave peeled Jazz's hand free, holding it gently but firmly within his own.

"I want surrender," he corrected. The armor of a mech's palm and fingertips was among the most sensitive of the entire body, so much more susceptible to touch. He caressed his hand, rubbing his thumb lightly across Jazz's palm, calmly re-establishing his grip every time Jazz tried to pull away. And all the while Jazz's fans were still spinning, unsuccessfully struggling against the body heat that Soundwave could already feel. His resistance puzzled Soundwave. Surely Skywarp never bothered to induce any pleasure for Jazz. Was this not an improvement over his usual beatings?

"Fighting, meaningless, ineffective. Query, why persist?"

"You wouldn't understand," Jazz wheezed.

"Touch, pleasing."

"Not to me it isn't. Let me go. Let me go."

He twisted his wrist and slipped free of Soundwave's grasp, bracing himself against the couch to shove all his weight against Soundwave. He didn't shift his target, but he did shift the couch and that did just as well for his purposes. Soundwave had almost forgotten how agile and quick Jazz was; he darted to the side and put several steps between them in the space of a sparkbeat. Now he stood between Soundwave and the front door, looking poised to flee like a wild Earth animal.

Soundwave remained very still. "Will you run?"

Jazz hesitated, but shook his head. "Nowhere for me to go, is there?"

"Then you stay. Autobot will submit. You have no choice."

Soundwave extended an open hand, beckoning Jazz to return. Jazz didn't move, though, looking from his hand back up to his face with wretched misery stealing across his expression. His engines quieted, vents dropping to a lower cycle, but still he did not move. Once again, the silence stretched between them.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.