A Most Troubling Discovery (Who are you?)
I've been on the ship for a few weeks now. It's hard to tell, though. Time passes faster on this planet, since it's smaller than Cybertron. I've been working odd jobs all over the ship, coming back to the quarterdeck at night. The soldiers were good to me, and I befriended a good lot of them. Additionally, my bunkmates came to trust me enough to tell me their real names. It was our secret.
"Is Beacon out again?" I asked after noticing one of the troopers was missing. There were seven in my cell, not including myself. Beacon was an Aerial Soldier, number AS-20045. I only ever called them by their number when we had company.
"Yeah. Commander Starscream pulled him early to go to one of the mines."
Yet another unsolved mystery aboard the ship. Starscream, second in command, took a group of soldiers out to the mines daily, for unexplained reasons. At first, I supposed it might be to provide protection for the workers, since the group often didn't return until the next morning, when the shift was changed. I couldn't be sure, though.
I was linked into the comm system just the other day, and wasn't quite used to hearing voices yet. I nearly fell off my bunk when Knockout commed,
"Vibes!"
Regaining my balance, I opened my channel,
"What is it?"
"Come to the bridge, Megatron has a new job for you. Don't be late!"
Closing the channel, I bid a hasty farewell to my bunkmates and went down the hall. Even in such a short time, I knew the ins and outs of the ship well enough, and got to the bridge in only a minute or two. There stood Megatron, and nearby, Knockout. I bowed in submission.
"What is your bidding, my lord?" I asked. (Though I still didn't like calling him that)
"You've worked hard to earn your place aboard this ship." Megatron stated, turning to me. "I believe it's time you took on a more important task."
Translation: Promotion! I thought, grinning behind my visor. Finally!
"Since our executive surveillance officer is absent, you will see to it that his place is filled."
"That means keeping up the monitors," Knockout added. "Think you can handle that?"
I nodded to Megatron. "Yes sir. Thank you."
"Then go. Your work starts now."
xxx
I caught on fast with the new job. It was only temporary, but it was better than working for Knockout. Mostly, I just kept an eye on the monitors and the workers running them. I found out quickly that I wasn't expected to actually manage any of the programs, just make sure the substitute workers were doing their job.
I have to admit, it did get boring after a while. I found myself drifting off while standing up. Thankfully, no one noticed because of my trusty visor.
Too soon, the day came that I would no longer be needed. The executive had returned, and was ready to take back his place. I would go back to being Knockout's servant.
I was curious though, to see who this executive was. Surely it couldn't be a worker. It was made painfully clear that their place was very low on the totem pole.
"Job's done, Vibes." Knockout commed. "Come to the med bay. I have a few things I need you to do."
Sighing, I obeyed. All that day, I wondered. I tried to guess who the surveillance executive might be. It wasn't very important, but it gave me something to think about. I knew it couldn't be Knockout, or his assistant, Breakdown. That was obvious enough. It probably wasn't Starscream, considering the rumors I've heard about him. Not Megatron, since he didn't seem to do anything but be in charge. I hadn't met anyone else aboard the ship who might be eligible for such a position.
Unless…? No, that would be absurd.
It was possible, though…
xxx
My shift ended sooner than usual. Probably because I had been busy wondering the whole time. Knockout got after me for daydreaming, and wouldn't answer any of my questions, as usual.
I started back to the quarterdeck when I decided to stop by the bridge. I peeked in, relieved not to see Megatron. Standing in the doorway, I scanned the floor. Most of the computers weren't in use, except for a few.
Let's see… I thought. Worker, worker, another worker… wait a minute…
One of them wasn't like the others. He was taller, with broader shoulders. His coloring was similar, which was what made him blend in. But even from behind I could tell there was something very different about him. Obviously, he was the executive. That much I could have guessed. There was something else, though…
I watched him. My visor analyzed, and was unable to identify him from this angle.
Who are you? I wanted to say it aloud, but caught myself. Suddenly, as if hearing my thoughts, he turned, looking right at me.
My spark nearly stopped right then and there.
xxx
It was him. It had to be.
I lie awake on my bunk, my mind racing. My bunkmates had all powered down. The darkness seeped around me, probing. Tempting me to power down myself. I wouldn't do it.
I had run so quickly from the bridge that I didn't have time to think. It was so sudden, such a brilliant shock that my only instinct was to run away. Now, lying here, I was able to think. What had I seen? Three workers. One of them wasn't like the others. He turned, and looked right at me.
He wore a visor.
Could it really be soundwave?
For some reason, I hoped it wasn't. It was strange, because all this time I had desperately hoped I would see him. I wasn't even sure if it was Soundwave that I had seen. It sure looked like him, though. But at the same time, it didn't.
It was so strange. My mind struggled to process it. He looked like Soundwave in form and stature, but something about him was terribly wrong. Off, somehow. Something about that mech was not Soundwave.
It was a most troubling discovery. I might even describe it as haunting.
Who are you? I thought again. The words rose from my voice box.
"Who are you?"