Time to delve deeper into Soundwave's past. Presenting the second chapter of Backtrack!
I don't own the Transformers, they own themselves. Told in Transformers Prime Soundwave's POV.
Now let's take a trip in the time machine...
"Here; I brought you some energon." I said, politely handing the femme the cube. She smiled brightly and accepted it. I had waited until the energon dispenser was almost empty to retrieve her cube. The energon at the bottom was always the best tasting. Our squadron was on our refueling break and most of the mechs were taking full advantage of the time to talk among themselves and gossip. However, I could sense the optics of other mechs in the room on myself and the green femme I was sitting down beside. They were undoubtedly curious and talking about the two of us. As long as their chatter does not become a problem, I couldn't care less what they say.
"I want to thank you again for saving me back there, Soundwave." Halyard smiled at me, blue-green optics glittering. I lifted a servo to stop any further verbal gratitude.
"Do not thank me. I was only doing what was right."
She gestured with the energon cube in playful frustration. "Well, I have to do something! ...I could start by telling you something about me. You have right to know something about me since you saved me."
I adjusted my position slightly in the worn chair I was seated in. This femme is very light sparked, contrary to her rather dark past. Halyard had always lived in her residence, though not always alone. She used to live with her creators, who provided for her and, in doing so, kept her from working in the factory. Unfortunately, both of her creators were killed in a massive factory explosion that had occurred eight vorns ago. I remember assisting with the evacuation of the nearest building in the complex I still worked in. Chisel told me that a furnace had exploded and triggered a rapid chain reaction. Most of the four hundred laborers in the building did not survive.
After the death of her creators, she was drafted and supported herself through the pay she receives. I found it admirable that she could talk about these serious matters with such a light spark. I don't think that I would be able to handle that in the same way.
In return, I informed her of my own past. I only knew my carrier and was educated somewhat in my youngling years. I suppose a draft and this caste system binds us all to the same fate, despite differing pasts. This femme could not avoid this labor. Normally femmes of a low caste clean the factories and maintain them to the sanitary levels that the owners of industry require. Her case was different, evidently. Or perhaps the same. Whether the femme does the hard labor of factory work or cleans, she is still working in this factory complex.
"So you were a carrier's mechling?" Halyard joked, smiling at me. I blinked at her.
"I love my carrier very much and see nothing wrong with that, Halyard."
She crossed her legs and moved the now empty cube from one servo to the other. "I'm just teasing, Soundwave. And don't call me that. It sounds too formal to me. I'd prefer you call me 'Halli'."
I looked at her, a slightly curious expression on my faceplates. She wished for me to call her by a nickname, yet I did not know her very well. In my processor, nicknames were strictly reserved for family, sparkmates and friends. Unless she considers me a friend.
"Why don't you just interface with her already?" Both of us turned to look at the mech who had yelled across the room. Halyard glared at the mech seated at a table with his friends.
"Why don't you interface with him? I'm sure it'll be the first one you've had in vorns!" The now embarrassed mech turned back to his friends, apparently taken aback by her response. I would have simply ignored the rude remark, but she yelled back at him. This femme was delicate in appearance, but she had fire in her spark. I admire that feature in her.
I don't mind being her friend.
...
Our friendship progressed rapidly over the solar cycles. The two of us often spent our refuel breaks together, discussing many things. Most of our conversations regarded politics and myths, but I learned many things about Halyard through our discussions. She loved the stories of the Thirteen and loved to talk about them. I learned that she loved to sing very much and also loved to draw, though it was not very good. Not that I would ever tell her that.
She absolutely adorned cybercats, saying that she had always wanted one, but couldn't afford to give the animal the energon it would inevitably need. It was good that she was thinking ahead. Being a lower caste bot, every drop of energon counted.
Chisel had absolutely no problem with me spending more time with Halyard. In fact, he encouraged it, urging me to 'hurry up and claim the femme'.
I felt drawn to the small, delicate femme. Halyard was friendly and seems to always have a smile on her faceplates. Her soft features are somewhat deceiving, however. She is not afraid to defend herself if she feels threatened. Even though that fact is very true, I still take it upon myself to protect her when she's outside the factory.
"You know, you don't have to walk me home." She gave me a sideways look as we walked back to her residence. The evening was swiftly growing dark; I could clearly see our planet's moons over even the tallest buildings in the area. I quickened my step, wordlessly encouraging Halyard to move faster.
"I do not feel comfortable with you walking home alone."
"I'm not that helpless. I have some protection." She reached into her subspace and pulled out a knife of a decent length. The two of us stopped and looked at each other.
"Halyard, strength is not on your side. That knife most likely will not be able to help you." I did not intend to insult her, but her frame type automatically gives a general gauge on how physically strong she is. Because the mechs living in this area are all laborers, they are much stronger than this femme. They could easily overpower her and harm her.
She casually waved me off as we resumed walking. "Fine, fine." There was a brief silence and my mind wandered back to the solar cycle I met Halyard. Because of the encounter I had in the alley, I have been keeping an optic out for the three mechs. I have yet to see them in the factory, something that is alarming me.
If those three mechs were to try anything, I'll be nearby to apprehend them myself. I would not bother trying to contact the police. The Tagan Heights police department was most of the time preoccupied with the calls of the higher caste bots, leaving little time to focus their attention on the needs of the lower castes. If they did take out the time to investigate, too much attention would be drawn to Halyard. We lower caste bots are often left alone to settle our own problems. The street justice among the lower caste bots, especially in Tagan Heights, was brutal. It had a longer lasting effect than prison. But, it is sometimes hard to tell the difference between revenge and street justice.
I cannot subject Halyard to the revenge that I suspect is moving her way. Perhaps leaving her alone is not the wisest idea... But, I must respect her wishes before I act upon my own.
"If you need me, just contact me via radio transmission," I said, giving her the access code for the connections specific to my residence. She nodded and took it, thanking me. Right after, she gave me her own, so that I would recognize the frequency's signature if she chose to call. The expression her faceplate was merely polite, since she didn't expect to need me. I fear that she is over confident in the protection she could provide herself. I didn't voice that opinion and said goodbye to her. Heading back down the street towards my own residence, I prayed that no harm would reach her.
...
Three solar cycles had passed without receiving any sort of transmission from Halyard. During our refuel breaks, I repeatedly checked up on her status but Halyard waved me off, saying that she was going to be fine. I am beginning to seriously doubt that she knows what these mechs are capable of. The three mechs that attacked her were in the same factory complex that we worked in, and I took it upon myself to keep an optic on them, even while I am working.
These mechs were stronger than most others in the complex, in charge of transporting the larger shipments of ore from one building in the complex to the other. All three of them took full advantage of their size and strength in numerous ways. Their names are Blackboom, Tailskidder, and Forestay. It is a known fact that the mechs are in a very notorious group called Black Nail. This group is especially known for brutal forced interfaces with a multitude of the smaller mechs that reside in this city-state. Some of the victims I knew did not survive the session.
Since I interrupted the three mechs, I know that I am in their target sights. But since they did not complete their session with Halyard, their attention would be centered on the delicate femme. While I was working, I sighted Forestay eyeing Halyard. I had made my presence known by leaving my casting station and moving to stand near the green femme. Resentment filled his optics, but he returned to his work. All three of these mechs were not used to being kept from doing what they pleased. I will be the first mech to show them that they can't take whatever they please from bots that are smaller than them, if need be. The other bots are evidently too afraid to, and the local police prefer to steer clear of the Black Nail.
I am greatly concerned for Halyard's safety, but hope that my fears would not come to pass
Unfortunately, that would not be the case.
A loud beep resonated through my berthroom, jolting me awake. Still hazy from recharge, I looked around my barren berthroom, confused. It was the monitor's radio transmission alarm in the front room. I checked my internal chronometer. It was very early in the morning. I doubt many people in the city-state are awake.
I stood from the berth and released the tension in my joints, glancing at my berthroom window. Thick, yellow tinted clouds hovered over the buildings of Tagan Heights, raining acid over the city-state. The pollution emitted into the atmosphere by the eternally operating factory complexes infuses into the clouds, making rain here notorious for being highly corrosive. Staying out in the rain for too long will eat away at a bot's plating. How busy the factories were actually gave us workers a rough prediction as to when it would rain, and how corrosive the acid would be.
The monitor in the front room beeped again. I looked away from the acid-streaked window near my berth and headed out to address the transmission. I clicked the button on the side of the monitor so that the message could play. I tensed as I recognized the voice.
"Sou- wave? ...Plea- co- ... -ome ov-," The acid rain was causing an interference. Thankfully, I was just able to comprehend what the bot was saying even with the signal reception issues. I snapped fully out of recharge and moved swiftly towards the front door. My processor raced as I opened the door and stepped outside in the rain. After setting the security system to lock my home, I moved as fast as my gears would allow down the strangely empty street. I must get there as soon as possible.
Halyard had sent the transmission.
I can only imagine exactly what she may have contacted me for, something I am not satisfied with doing right now, given what could be at stake. In the audio transmission, I could sense a form of urgency I couldn't quite identify. The feeling I received from the transmission failed to put me at ease. The fact that I didn't know what was the problem unnerved me. I greatly disliked attempting to solve an issue without having any sort of valid information. If I do not know enough about the problem at hand, I do not know the full extent of what could possibly be a stake. This is one of the reasons why I preferred to observe a problem before I approach it. After severely burning myself once in the factory while attempting to repair a furnace without knowing that its energon tank was close to ignition, I have always been weary of this sort of situation. I simply don't what I am walking into.
But as of now, I'll have to put my wariness aside.
Thankfully, her residence is not far away from my own. Thunder boomed in the sky above me as I raced to her building and up to her residence. My plating stung from the strong acid rain as I reached Halyard's door. I did not know the code for her residence, not that I would need it. Her door was open, as if it were waiting for me to enter and see what the rooms inside hold.
The front room was dark, with only dim lighting to warn of obstacles in my path. I cautiously took a few steps into her home, weary of what may be inside. I couldn't hear anything beyond the patter of the rain outside on a window somewhere further in Halyard's home. Though I have never been in here before, everything seemed to be in place. I saw a set of furniture and a short table in the front room, neither of which in the best condition because of age. The table had a small, dull purple crystal that was slightly cracked as a centerpiece and was surrounded by cluttered datapads. I noticed that a few datapads were fixed to the walls, their frames varying slightly in color and shape. There was an empty cube of energon sitting on the corner of the table. Overall, this place looked very lived-in.
Suddenly I heard a faint sound, comparable to a whisper. It was emanating from around the corner, in one of the other rooms. I drew close to the wall and leaned over to peer around the corner, unsure of what I would see. There was another door in that short hallway that was open, light pouring out. The sound came again, louder this time. It was coming from that particular room. Unable to think of anything else to do, I walked towards the door and peered inside. My optics widened in shock.
There had been a struggle in the room; the signs were everywhere. Datapads lay shattered on the floor, the window on the far wall was badly cracked from some sort of impact, and dents riddled the walls. But, the room held much more important things than signs stating that it needed repair.
An unfortunately familiar scene met my optics as I looked at the two bots in the room. Halyard was being pinned against the wall by the same mech as before, the mech in which I now wished to inflict great bodily harm. The telltale marks of a hard struggle marred the soft green femme's once flawless form. Judging by how she was taking this violation with so much as jabbing a rude comment at her attacker, she had used up all of her fight.
The mech, whose name I knew was Blackboom, had a servo firmly holding Halyard's thigh, grip purposefully close to the forced open panel between her legs. I could tell that he was using the wall to prop her up, since his other servo grabbed her aft. The mech's back was to me, but I knew what he wanted to do. Blackboom leaned in close to her, murmuring in his scratchy voice in her audio receptor.
"You can't get away, now can you? I bet you regret living alone... And your mech Soundwave isn't here to rescue you." His hips gave a perhaps involuntary jerk, making the trapped femme whimper helplessly. "Good thing it's raining. Otherwise, that transmission you tried to send would have reached that slagger."
Halyard's optics were squeezed shut, mouth working in a silent prayer. She was normally so full of spunk and fire... seeing her so helpless and a smile so far from her faceplate greatly disturbed me. Unable to stand it any longer, I made my presence known to the intruding mech.
"Let her go." His helm whipped around at the sound of my voice. Utter shock and surprise flashed across his faceplates as he let Halyard drop to the ground in the process of standing to face me. My weakened friend did not move to stand. She may need medical attention this time. I think I reached her home too late.
I turned my attention back to Blackboom, who was just shutting his interface panel. I braced myself as I stood there silently. I didn't know Blackboom well enough to accurately predict his next action, so I will prepare myself for whatever comes next. The large mech's optics blazed in hatred as he sneered at me.
"So, Soundwave came to protect his pleasure drone. How nice."
My expression never changed, but I could feel the fire in my spark threatening to become visible. "She is more than a mere pleasure drone, something you and your comrades' feeble, single circuited processors can't seem to be able to handle. Leave her home. Now."
Blackboom snarled at the insult, but chose to wisely walk past me and into the hall. I followed him out, silently telling Halyard I will return once the imbecile is out. Once we reached the still open door, Blackboom turned to glower down at me in an attempt to intimidate me. He seems to forget that my close friend, Chisel, is one of the tallest mechs in the factory complex we work in, even comparable to the tallest of the trio of transport mechs, Forestay. I am not easily fazed by a mech's size, to say the very least.
"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, mech. The Black Nails don't take kindly to interruptions."
I blinked slowly and pointed outside as if I was chastising a youngling, further insulting him. I knew I was putting my spark on the line, but there was a femme inside that he had attacked. Blackboom bore his denta in anger and stomped off into the rain. I watched him until he disappeared around the corner.
After I shut and locked the door, I ran back to the room Halyard was in. The sight of her opened interface panel caused my own frame to betray me, given the throb I felt between my own legs. I shoved the feeling aside and rushed to her. Unequipped with any medical scanners, the only way I could tell if she was alright was by looking at her. Had she been... penetrated by the dolt, her frame would have produced its own lubricant. Thankfully, I saw none on her. She may not have been forced to interface with Blackboom, but that does not mean the possible trauma is not there.
She appeared to have fallen into recharge after the mech released her. I noticed the now dry tear stains streaking down her faceplates. I ventilated, manually shut her interface panel and gently picked the femme up from the floor. The threat Blackboom made was not an idle one. Neither I nor she is safe from harm as of now. I looked down at the batter femme.
However, my safety is not top priority.
I headed towards the door, carrying my friend gently. This attack proves that her home noy as secure as she may have originally thought. She looks badly beaten, though not seriously injured. I supposed she was lucky this time. Had I not come, she could have been killed. Or worse yet, taken to the lair of the Black Nails and enslaved like a pleasure drone. I headed out the door, made sure I locked it behind me and down the street, using my size over hers to shield her from the rain. Thunder boomed again and again, accurately portraying how I felt towards Blackboom.
Despite what she may say, Halyard is no longer safe here. I will protect her in my residence.
...
I glanced at the femme recharging on my berth. She appeared so peaceful in this state, though her dreams may suggest otherwise. More than once she kicked at the air, intent upon harming a nonexistent attacker. I merely sat and watched her, resisting the urge to wake her. She was going to need all the strength she could gather.
I realize that bringing this femme into my home, I have stepped onto an uncertain path that will be as easy to escape as this low caste I am bound to. Under any other circumstances I would have regretted this. But after forming such a bond with the light sparked femme, I, for some reason, do not.
Looking at the sleeping femme from my chair next to the berth, I ventilated. The Black Nails will be back soon. They are by no means finished with us. Not only that, but I am confident that other unseen obstacles lay ahead. These encounters have intertwined us together, perhaps by fate, perhaps by mere coincidence.
Regardless, I will protect her for as long as I must.
And another chapter done! :) There is a bond forming between Halyard and Soundwave...
I own the Black Nail and three of its members, Blackboom, Forestay and Tailskidder. This isn't the last we'll see of them.
Thank you all for your support in reviews of the last chapter!
If you have any questions, comments or ideas, don't hesitate to put them in a review.
See you next time!
P.S. Does anyone know when the Beast Hunters season of Transformers Prime is coming out? I'm dying here!