Sedna: The Akhlut From The Depth Chapter 10: Vocalizations, a transformers/beast wars fanfic

Vocalizations

The next day

The Autobots were up early. They woke up when the first rays of morning sunlight touched the sky in the early spring dawn. The weather was bright with no signs of clouds. It was warm. The summer heat had arrived earlier than thought. But it was not a surprise for the late spring season was approaching closer and closer to its end and was ready to move over to summer.

As soon they got awake, Strongarm drove away to bring fish for Sedna who watched them on a distance. After a short visit in the harbor town, the cadet hurried back to the hidden bay. Once she arrived, she discovered directly Optimus was not there. Although, she didn't panic for she thought he must have left shortly after she drove, perhaps patrolling in the area. She did not contact him directly when thinking it was not a good idea. If she contacted him, Fixit can detect her frequencies through the comlink and would try to make contact with her.

Just then, when she was about to head out on the water, her optics fixed on the buoys. She almost forgot that she did buy a long chain at five meters made in rust-free metal. She rushed to the buoys where she landed on her knees, binding the chain together with the rope, strengthen the bond between the enclosed buoys. Then Strongarm carried the buoys over her shoulder, dragging them behind her as she walked to the boat and pushed it out on deeper waters. The buoys got pulled while they floated on the surface as Strongarm oared forward. She had three barrels full with fish. However, this time she had taken a few surprises.

Strongarm had taken various fruits and jelly with her. The fruits were apple, orange, banana, grape, watermelon, lemon and mango. The jellies were blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, elderberry, raspberry and lingonberry. She had also honey.

Since the start of her own studying, she had discovered Sedna's interest about learning new things, specifically taste. Because the lack of olfactory sensor, Sedna relied on her sensor of taste in her glossa. Her glossa was her 'olfactory' sensor. Also, Sedna was very curious. Her curiosity became Strongarm's driving force to study more and experiment new things. The cadet got a silly idea that seemed not scientific in an exact way since Sedna was carnivorous with her fish diet. Still, it was worth a try.

When she boarded on the dock, Strongarm pulled up all the barrels and the buoys. Then Strongarm sat near the edge, splashing her servo on the water. The Predacon delayed not a single sparkbeat. Sedna swam calmly to the dock, barely using her tail. She glided through the water surface like a sea otter. She used her flippered-forelegs to swim forward.

Piieeeaaauuum, Sedna vocalized, whistling a friendly 'hello' to Strongarm.

"Heya, Sedna," the cadet unbolted up the first barrel, grabbing fish in her servos. "I've got a lot of fish with me."

As always, Sedna gaped her jaws. The cadet felt more confident now when she got used feeding the massive Akhlut Predacon. Her dolphin whistle balanced in her lips. It took twelve times to emptying the barrels completely until there was no fish left. The ice cubes that were the leftovers got thrown into Sedna's jaws, quenching her thirst. Strongarm understood more now than before. Yet, it still puzzled her why Sedna required freshwater for hydration. Just then, Sedna spotted the plastic bags that stored the fruits and pots. Her right optic stayed fixed on the bags.

"Sedna, I've brought more than fish," the cadet gestured. Then she leant to the bags, grabbing the first fruits in her servos. She got a couple of apples, oranges, lemons and grapes. Strongarm sliced the fruits in halves.

Piiieeeaaaaa, the Predacon clicked, inspecting the small fruits. The fruits were too tiny for her to see clear. Yet, her optic focused fully on the tiny shapes of the fruits.

"Open your jaws up," Strongarm signaled the 'open jaw' gesture by clapping her servos together and moved them apart.

Sedna obeyed. She bothered nothing.

The cadet slowly expanded her right servo inside the jaws where she dropped the sliced apples first. It was then Sedna rolled her glossa, closing Strongarm's entire forearm almost whole. Startled, she was close to exclaim but stopped when she felt the wet and ticklish glossa touching her arm armor. It tickled like a cat's tongue. She sensed shivers chilling over her spinal strut.

The moment lasted very short before Sedna let her go. Strongarm took the oranges and placed the fruits on same spot. Surprisingly, Sedna didn't swallow the apples at first. Instead, she waited for more. When she got the oranges on her glossa, she rolled it like a taco roll before swallowing the fruits quickly.

"Did they taste good?" Strongarm gestured the 'eat' gesture.

The Predacon nodded, seemingly appreciating it.

Deeaaaum, she whistled.

"You want more?"

Deeaaaum.

"Alrighty then, here's more," the cadet placed the grapes and the sliced lemons on Sedna's glossa. She watched as her friend rolled her glossa, shifting the fruits inside as if she tried to find the taste. It took barely a klik before she swallowed them.

"Good?"

Deeaaaum.

The cadet took the watermelons and mangos, slicing them into halves and lay them inside the Predacon femme's jaws. Her glossa rolled them up, shifting the fruits and swallowed them.

"Good?"

Sedna made a 'so-so' head movement by jerking her head side to side.

"Was it so-so?"

Deeaaaum.

"Okay, that's good to know," Strongarm stated. Then she took up the jelly pots, unbolted the first pot's lock. It was blueberry she chose. She poked her index finger on the middle of Sedna's glossa.

Just as it happened, Sedna squeaked a piieeaaam that sounded very excited and joyful. She got so excited that she used her glossa to snatch the pot from Strongarm's servo and played it inside her jaws. The jelly rolled in a wavy glossa dance as the sour blueberry splashed out from the glass and poured over the sensitive glossa tissue. The Predacon femme vocalized with multiple whistles, squeaks and squeals. Her tail flukes slammed violently onto the water. Her splashing quaked the water like a toy.

It was the first time Strongarm had witnessed this kind of joyful behavior. Seeing Sedna reacting so happily over a taste of blueberry astonished her by surprise. She had never thought anything like that before.

Then, without warning, Sedna spit out the glass pot. It hit right at Strongarm's face plates with a force so powerful that it cracked in thousands of pieces. The cadet yelped with a grimace, feeling the stinging ache over her face. The blueberry jelly splatted over her face and chest plate.

"Ow!" Strongarm exclaimed stunned. "That hurt!"

But beforehand she could rise her servos to clean herself from the sticky jam, Sedna was quicker than her fast reaction as the Predacon licked her all over with her glossa. The cadet squeaked almost terrified while she got licked everywhere, feeling the enormous orca glossa tickling on her steel armor. It felt like she got stroked by a cat tongue when she considered on a second thought.

It took not long before the cadet got completely clean. Although, she really smelled horrible. She smelled so bad that she felt rapidly close to throw up. Sedna's breath was a terrible stench.

"Sweet Solus Prime, do you ever brush your teeth?" Strongarm asked in disgust while she waved her arms to shake off the stinking saliva. "This… This will make Optimus disturbed once he's back and find me like this."

Eeeeiiiuuuum?

"Yes, Optimus Prime. That's his name," she nodded, using both her servos to gesture the broad shoulders Optimus had. Then she gestured more. "He's not here right now."

Piieeeaaauuum, Sedna whistled, raising up her head to look after Optimus. Eeeeiiinn… Eeeeiiiuuuum.

"I know. He's driving around, looking around," she gestured more. "But he'll be here soon."

Surprisingly, the Predacon nodded slightly. Her optics looked sad as if she wanted him to be here with Strongarm. Then, as it happened, she opened her jaws again without being asked. Strongarm got surprised seeing it. But again, the cadet shook it off and returned her focus on the jams. The next jelly she took was blackberry. Unpredictably, Sedna got joyful. However, this time, Strongarm unlocked the pot and tossed the jelly inside the Predacon's jaws. She didn't want to get another pot smashed at her face.

Just then, the cadet came up on thoughts. Seeing Sedna's joyful behavior to taste the berries told her that she'd tasted them before. Then she came on an unusual theory. But instead thinking more on it, she felt she wanted to share her theory to Optimus. Perhaps he can offer her some Earth knowledge since he knew Earth better than her.

As she observed carefully, Strongarm saw a happiness that gleamed on Sedna's gaze. A childish happiness that woke wonderful memories for the Predacon femme since fifty-five thousand years back in time. It was then she suddenly thought. What if Sedna's joy for berries can have a link to her Akhlut biology?

It strengthened her theory more.

As she offered the other remaining jellies of strawberry, elderberry, raspberry and lingonberry, the same excited behavior reappeared from Sedna. She undoubtably loved berries a lot. Then the last one was honey. Since the honey was thicker than the jellies, Strongarm had to stick her index digit inside the honey pot. But before she poked on Sedna's glossa, she rose her other servo that held the honey as she said: "Don't snap it from me once you taste this. I don't want you to spit it on me."

Piieeaaam, the Predacon nodded slightly, confused over the words and the lack of sign language they had been practicing on.

"Okay, it's now or never," the cadet gulped when she put her honey-covered digit and poked on the Predacon's glossa.

Then, without warning, Sedna rolled her glossa again, engulfing her arm entirely.

Piieeeaaauuum…

That doesn't feel bad, Strongarm thought, somewhat liking the ticklish feeling. That feels funny but nice.

Unexpectedly, she felt encouraged. Confident enough, she removed her servo from Sedna's jaws once she let her go and she poured all the honey to her free servo. Her friend waited patiently, her jaws wide-open when Strongarm touched her glossa once again and stroked her servo over it.

Piieeeaaauuum, her vocalization sounded happy and very pleased.

"You like it, don't you?" she asked, smiling widely with a chuckle.

Deeaaaum, came the answer from Sedna.

On that moment, there was the sense of tranquility between the femmes. The bond of friendship was strong between them. Time felt slower. Strongarm felt safe and relaxed for the first time for a long time. Just then, after she stopped stroking on Sedna's glossa, she turned her focus on the buoys where she grabbed the chained rope.

"Here, I made this for you," the cadet showed the buoys.

Priiieee?

"Let me show you," Strongarm uploaded her sketchbook screen and sketched the Predacon with the buoys. She sketched the sketch that described her friend pulled the buoys underneath the surface with the chained rope inside her jaws. "It's a tool."

Sedna was silent while studying the picture for a long moment, appearing to be thoughtful like she needed to think in the message from the sketch until she understood what it meant.

Eeeaaam, she then nodded after her long, thoughtful moment. She appeared to understand despite her confusion.

Without speaking, the cadet handed the buoys over to Sedna, which she'd used her jaws to touch the chained rope and closed her jaws slightly. However, she didn't have the rope inside her jaws. The rope was held between her red tattooed chin and rostrum. It was like Sedna sensed the frailness of the rope and avoided using her teeth to snap it off. She dived underneath the surface. She felt the force. The buoys pushed back. It gave her a challenge.

She barely reached the seafloor before she let the enclosed buoys to flee up back on the surface like thick bubbles that erupted up. Unpredictably, Sedna found it useful. The challenge to pull buoys underwater and see if they can touch the bottom told the Predacon that she should use it more than her small friend think about.

Strongarm watched while her large friend investigated the new tool. She used her rostrum to touch the chained rope, pushing it straightforward before she rose her head over the buoys. She then disappeared underneath the surface with the buoys on both sides of her throat.

"She's very clever," Strongarm thought when she laid on her abdominal area onto the dock's floor, watching on the waves. "She avoids biting on the rope. Perhaps she understands that if she bites it, she would damage the tool."

It took a couple of kliks before the buoys reappeared, followed by Sedna who blew her breath. She pushed the buoys with her rostrum. Then she tried another method. She used her dorsal fin to drag the buoys. However, it turned not as useful as thought as the buoys glided up away from the dorsal fin and reappeared on the surface once again. Sedna returned up, blowing another blow from her blowhole that sprayed like a geyser.

Just then, the cadet heard some wheels coming. She cast her head over her shoulder and saw Optimus. He had returned. She raised up, waving to him before she hurried to the boat and began oaring. However, Strongarm didn't reach far before Sedna came out of nowhere. She appeared from behind, then swimming beside the boat. She left the buoys floating.

"Are you coming too?" Strongarm asked, surprised to see her friend. "Optimus is back."

Eeeeiiiuuuum, she whistled, then blowing her breath. The warm stream touched the young cadet's face plates, making her face wet. When the femmes arrived on the beach, the Predacon used her head to press the boat up on the beach away from the waves. Optimus helped pulling up the boat too.

"Hey, Optimus," Strongarm looked up on him. She forgot how big and tall he was. "Where you've been?"

"I have been patrolling in these areas," he replied, looking down on her. But when he was about to lay his servo on her shoulder, he sensed the smelly stench that hung in the air, swirling around Strongarm. "Strongarm, what happened to you? You smell quite bad."

"Ehhh… Sedna licked on me," she explained, feeling embarrassed. "It was an accident."

"Hm-hm, I see. You better wash yourself later, otherwise you might cause one bird or two to fall from the sky," he looked half-amused, half-disturbed by the stench. He raised one optic ridge while he crossed his arms on his chassis. Then he saw the Predacon femme. "Hello, Sedna."

Piieeeaaauuum, eeeeiiiuuuum, she squealed. Then, without warning, Sedna decided to shake her body off water like a wet dog. The Autobots got a soaking shower from the enormous Akhlut Predacon femme. It was her way to greet back.

"Awww, come on! Sedna, that wasn't so nice," Strongarm exclaimed. "Brrr, so cold…"

The Prime shook his helm, shaking out the water that got stuck inside his audio receptors. Some did not get out though so he used his right servo that he hit on his audio receptor to shake out more water from his left audio receptor.

"One dog behavior is pleasing to greet for the first time," Optimus stated, glancing on Sedna. "On the long term, not so pleasing. Don't do it on next time, okay?"

Sedna transformed from her beast form to her robot form. She inclined her helm on one side, expressing very confused. Piieeaaam, she squeaked. Then she turned her optics on Strongarm, wanting an explanation.

"That you did to us is not okay," Strongarm gestured. She used her body to shake the 'shaking-wet-dog' body behavior, then gesturing many servo signals. She first pointed on Sedna, then both herself and Optimus, followed by the shaking body language and shook her head. "That's not okay."

Eeeaaam?

"No. It's not okay," she shook her helm, sounding annoyed.

Deeeiiaack?

"No. Don't do that again," Strongarm circled her index digit that meant 'again', which both she and Sedna used every time they repeated or needed an explanation. She then repeated the same gestures and body shaking she made a sparkbeat ago.

The Predacon femme became silent as she frowned, both thoughtful and sad. She raised her left servo, poking on her own chest plates, then pointing on Strongarm and Optimus and shook her body, and finally shook her helm.

"That's correct, Sedna," Strongarm replied. "Don't do that on us. Okay?"

She remained more silent, moving her gaze back and forth between the cadet and the Prime.

"Okay?"

Eeeaaam, Sedna nodded slightly.

While the femmes focused on each other, Optimus studied them carefully. He was astonished over the gestures and the vocalizations. He had no clue what they meant. He wondered the complexity of the sign language Strongarm communicated with Sedna. It caused him to think instantly. What do the servo signals mean?

It was then he remembered the previous solar cycle. He saw Strongarm using sign language when Sedna was lying on the sand in agony. He noticed she used multiple gestures. Something told him that he will have to learn about the complex sign language and understand the vocalizations Sedna was using.

Vocalizations.

Just as it happened, he came suddenly on an idea. The more time he'd spend time with the femmes, the more he will learn about their way of communication. But at the same time, he discovered hastily that Strongarm lacked a lot of equipment. Based on his knowledge, he knew they will require equipment as a part of their mission to study the Akhlut Predacon. Optimus made a quick gaze around the bay, looking after certain details. Then he turned his gaze back on Strongarm and Sedna who were oblivious. As it happened, Sedna turned her optics on the water where the buoys floated further away from the dock.

Piieeeaaauuum, she sang a long whistle when she looked on Strongarm for a short moment before returning to the water.

"What are those buoys over there?" Optimus asked as he watched after Sedna who reached the buoys and began inspecting the buoys.

"It's a tool I made," Strongarm explained. "Those buoys are there to create a force for Sedna when she takes a dive. I thought she required a training tool that can strengthen her tail more."

"That sounds good," he gazed on the young cadet when he asked more: "Strongarm, I noticed something. You're using sign language, am I right?"

"Sign language?" she looked up on him, confused.

"You use these gestures," Optimus described it better by using both his servos and created gestures. "It's called sign language. Sign language are used for people that are deaf and mute and other people that have difficult to speak."

"Ah. Yes, we're using sign language to understand each other slightly better," she nodded. She grinned sheepishly with a frown. "We are still practicing."

"I saw you using gestures yesterday when we helped easing Sedna's agony," he said. He used his left servo that he placed it on his opposite upper arm. "What do they mean exactly if I might ask, cadet?"

"You mean these," the cadet understood straightaway what he meant. She used first the 'touch' gesture by stroking on her upper arm with opposite servo. "This one means 'feel' and 'touch'."

"Feel and touch," Optimus copied after her, observing like a hawk. "And the second gesture means…?"

"The second one means 'hurt'," she scratched on the same spot. Her metal armor gave a cracking noise by the tips of her digits. "They are useful when I need to know how Sedna feels physically."

"Hurt," he copied the 'hurt' gesture. Then he repeated the two gestures, saying: "This is touch, and this is hurt."

"Yes, that's right, Optimus. There are more servo signals that I and Sedna have practiced on," she nodded. "Also, we've trained using sounds too."

"Sounds?"

"Yes. Wait, I will show it for you," Strongarm hurried to the water where she stamped one of her pedes, splashing it hard enough to get Sedna's attention.

Sedna stopped playing the buoys and she swam back to her friend. Once she was up on land, she did not shake the water off her body. She focused on Strongarm.

"Sedna, I'd like you to whistle the sounds we have practiced," Strongarm both said and gestured. She used a new gesture; she put her index and long digits on her chassis, stretching her servo out and then moving it back to the same spot on her crest. "Ready?"

Sedna nodded. Strongarm stood ready with her right servo raised up.

"Good," she counted by using her digits as a count.

Priieeck.

"Okay."

Eeeaaam

"Yes."

Deeaaaum.

"No."

Deeeiiaack.

"There you go, Sedna," Strongarm smiled, still avoiding showing her denta despite the recent friendly but childish moment between them. She expanded her right servo and clapped smoothly on Sedna's cheek plate, who seemed enjoying the touch. "That's all the sounds we've trained."

"Impressive… Sedna, can you do it again?" Optimus gestured slowly, although he felt unsure. He circled his index digit and the new gesture that Strongarm used a klik ago.

At first Sedna became puzzled. She was so used to see her small friend signaling with her small servos that she had not expected for a new member's sign language. Now it was Optimus' turn to use the signals. She rose up and sat on her aft whereas looking on him. The cadet felt suddenly tiny compared to the tall Prime and the enormous Predacon. She was certain that the Predacon femme was bigger than Optimus.

For a long moment, Sedna looked thoughtful like she tried to figure out the new thing of Optimus gesturing. But it lasted not more than a sparkbeat before she understood right away what he asked her about. Deeaaaum, she whistled calmly.

"Good," Optimus used his digits as a count.

Priieeck.

"Okay."

Eeeaaam

"Yes."

Deeaaaum.

"No."

Deeeiiaack.

Within that klik, Optimus turned astounded. He realized how very intelligent Sedna was. Somehow, she figured out that he was new with the way of communication and decided to make it easy for him to learn. Also, that she'd used sounds as words told him she was far more intelligent than he thought. Just then, she moved her helmet quickly on one direction like a dog hearing something. She locked her gaze on a tall pine tree. She heard something.

"What's wrong, Sedna?" Strongarm was quick to see the sudden interest Sedna revealed. She followed her friend who walked toward the pine tree, but she did not get far before Optimus caught her up and halted her.

"Wait, Strongarm. We stay here and watch what she's doing next," he said, holding his servo on the cadet's shoulder. "We're here to study her, remember."

"Yeah, I know, but I need to get a closer look," Strongarm sounded like a restless youngling when she got interrupted.

"Don't go too close and get a narrow view of the whole picture," he advised her. "We see it better from her than standing too close. Besides, we don't know what she will do next if she will cause harm or not."

"I understand…"

Just then, the Autobots noticed a strange behavior from Sedna. She looked up on the top of the pine. At first, they wondered what she was doing when they heard a sound from her.

Kriick, kriick, kriick.

They heard clicking sounds which were targeting to a certain spot on the pine. Optimus narrowed on his optics to get a closer view. There. He spotted a small beehive. It hid inside a cracked hole.

Kriick, kriick, kriick, kriick, kriick, kriick!

The clicks increased into higher frequencies. The frequencies were not slowing down either. Instead, they grew stronger and louder as they sounded like sharp punch-like sonar.

Kriick, kriick, kriick, kriiiiiiiiick! Kriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!

It became as loudest and sharpest as never before. It caused a terrible pain for both Strongarm and Optimus. They grimaced in agony when they heard the high-pitching sound tearing through their audio receptors. Strongarm covered her audio receptors quickly, almost screaming in pain while Optimus bit on his lip plate and shut his optics tightly. The high frequency was too much even for Optimus who handled it barely against the painful sharp noise.

Then they heard a loud crack from the tree. The high-pitching sounds broke the tree in half. The part with the hiding beehive was falling slowly. Sedna was fast to react as she launched up her left servo and captured the damaged tree part in the air. For the Autobots, it was not over yet. It rung inside their audio receptors like sharp sonar. It lasted maybe three kliks before it finally stopped. Although, it felt longer for them than it was for they experienced like they turned temporarily deaf.

"Holy sweet Primus that hurt a lot!" Strongarm exclaimed in disbelief. She can barely hear her own voice box. "I've never heard such a loud noise from her."

"Neither have I. That must be worse than artificial sonar," Optimus looked tormented. Then, without warning, he received an idea. "Now when I'm thinking about it… Strongarm, is this the first time Sedna did this?"

"Yes. That is new," she nodded, still pained despite the ringing inside her audio receptors had stopped since a few kliks ago. "I haven't seen anything like that before. However, it's not first time she used her echolocation."

Just then, Optimus saw a small glimpse of Sedna. She finished eating the whole beehive. The bees swarmed around her helm, trying to sting her in vain. She used her glossa to suck up all honey, eggs and maggots. It was a short reward for her. She tossed it away and moved her helm over her shoulder, watching her friends who observed her. She rose up on all four limbs and headed back to them. Sedna stopped on a distance from her own arm's length from them. She inclined her helm on one side while she looked on them silently.

"Well, Sedna. Did you enjoy the bees?" Strongarm joked. She gestured a spinning servo while imitating buzzing sounds.

Deeaaaum, Sedna nodded. She pulled a sneaky twist of the corner of her lip. It was a slim smile that proved to be a rookie's smile. The Predacon turned her optics directly at Optimus who looked on her with studying optics. Their optics stayed fixed onto each other for a long moment.

"You are a very fascinating one, you know that," Optimus said with his servo under his chin. He was curiously fascinated on her. Strongarm had no trouble reading on his face plates. Then he turned his gaze on Strongarm, asking: "Strongarm, can you tell her if she can do it again?"

"Why? I mean, it hurt when she used that," she nearly protested against him. "Are you sure about that?"

"Oh yes, I am sure. I'd like her to use her echolocation again," he showed his serious determination that overwhelmed the cadet's uncertainty and commanded her into obedience. "This time, she shall do this on me. I need to feel the force of her echolocation."

"Wait what? But are you absolutely sure?"

"Oh yes. I'm absolutely sure."

"Okay then... I'll try," she replied with a few nods. She then laid her focus on the Predacon femme, using flexible gestures. "Sedna, can you show your echolocation again? Please?"

Eeeaaam, Sedna inclined her helm on the opposite side.

But then she gestured slowly; she used both of her servos whereas she used multiple gestures at the same time. First, she pointed on Optimus, laying her right servo on her left shoulder and shaped the broad shoulder, then she put her closed servo as she touched on the icicle crest with the white claws. She expanded her servo out, then moved it back on her crest while she clicked a row of kriick clicking sounds.

"You're going to echolocate on Optimus' shoulder?" Strongarm mimicked back in the same slow rate, which appeared to be approvable for Sedna who nodded with encouragement for her small friend. Then she asked more: "Are you going to do the same you did on the tree over there?"

Sedna didn't reply a sound. Instead, her gaze returned on Optimus. She stood on her position and began her echolocation.

Kriick, kriick, kriick.

At first, Optimus felt nothing.

Kriick, kriick, kriick, kriick, kriick, kriick.

There. He felt it. It felt barely like a protesting youngling's punches. The clicks were beating on his left shoulder just as predicted. It was getting louder too.

Kriick, kriick, kriick, kriiiiiiiiick!

The punches hit stronger, now as a fighter's fast beating punches. The sounds were sharp that tore through Optimus' audio receptors without a struggle. He tried everything to handle the piecing sound.

Kriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!

"Argh!" the Prime exclaimed as he got his arm thrown back by a forceful punch. It left a small buckle on his shoulder, though it was barely visible for the naked eye. He placed his servo on the aching area when Strongarm came to his aid.

"Optimus! Are you okay?" she sounded like a worried carrier who watched her youngling get injured.

"I'm okay, Strongarm," he gazed on her. Then he shook his helm, placing his right servo on his audio receptor and caressed on it whereas he heard the sharp ringing. "That was astonishing."

"Astonishing? You call that astonishing?!" Strongarm exclaimed in disliking disbelief. She shifted her optics back and forth between the Prime and the Predacon femme. "Do you have any idea how terrible it was?"

"Calm down, Strongarm," Optimus lay his servo on her shoulder as he looked straight at her, speaking highly convinced. "That's all I needed."

"You're very lucky that you didn't get deaf right now," she complained without reason. "I almost got deaf for the second time."

Just then, they heard a yawn from Sedna. They fixed their optics on her. She gasped her mouth widely, yawning like a tired bear. Sedna transformed to her beast form, turning around and headed back to the water where she took a very deep breath and vanished under the surface.

"Oh, great, she is taking another nap," Strongarm shrugged. "It's not a good idea to disturb her. What a sleepyhead she is."

"Well then," Optimus stated, still rubbing on the spot where the buckle hid on his shoulder. "So… I'd like to take a quick look on your sketches if you don't mind."

"Of course. Be my guest," the cadet activated the datapad where she uploaded her sketchbook folder and allowed Optimus to pick one sketch. They sat down on the sand.

Optimus studied curiously on the sketches when he found a written text that caught his attention. "Protanopia?" he read up the text. He had not heard the name before.

"It's an eye condition," Strongarm explained quickly. "It's the cause of red-colorblindness."

"Red-colorblindness?"

"Yes. Sedna is colorblind. She can't see red or green, but she can see blue and yellow."

Then he found another thing. It was a photo that Strongarm had transferred from her CPU and stored it inside the sketchbook folder. It showed the sketches Sedna made when Strongarm learned about her oversensitive audio receptors. He saw the sketch of fully detailed boat engine and the sketches of Windblade's jet engine and Sedna ripping Windblade's wings without struggle.

"And these sketches are?" he questioned, pointing on the screen with one digit.

"Those are Sedna's sketches," she explained more. "She uses sketching when she wants to explain something complex. Those gives me a reminder of her oversensitivity."

"Oversensitivity?"

"Yeah… You see, Sedna has extremely oversensitive audio receptors," she poked on her right audio receptor, saying with a convincing voice. "She attacks on anyone who creates loud noises. It drives her mad because it hurts so much for her to handle with her audio sensor."

"So, you're saying she attacked Windblade because she caused a loud noise that drove her into madness?"

"Yes, that's right, sir. She has attacked me too. Well, a couple of times."

"Has she attacked you as well?" his optics widened in horror hearing the words.

"Yes. One time, I brought a speed vessel when she attacked me from below and destroyed it. It was the boat engine that caused the attack. But we solved the issue together afterward."

"So that's why the boat has no engine. You are wise enough to avoid repeating the same mistake."

"Yes, but she has no issue with the boat itself. It's just a boat engine that causes pain."

"I see."

For the moment, Strongarm fell into silence. The sharp ringing inside her audio receptors had stopped belling now, yet the aching pain remained there for a long moment that sensed lasting like eons before it faded away. She released a sigh that drew the Prime's attention.

"What is it?" he was fast to see something was not okay with the cadet. He could see that she appeared to be sad. He noticed the change on her face plates. He understood immediately that she must have something heavy over her shoulders. He tenderly lay his servo on her shoulder, caressing it. "Is there something you wish to tell me?"

"I… I was thinking on lieutenant Bumblebee," Strongarm spoke up, not looking up on Optimus though. "I was thinking that he's probably searching after us and he maybe find us soon."

"I doubt about it. He wouldn't travel far and wide without dealing his shame," he disagreed. He sounded understandable and reassuring. "Bumblebee is a young leader and he needs to learn his mistake. Two men short is enough for him to rethink everything."

"I'm pretty sure that he isn't giving up his search after us," she moved her optics to him. "I mean, after the incident with Sedna's escape, I'm more than certain that the whole team is searching after us. Perhaps… They might terminate Sedna if they find us with her."

"I won't allow that easily, Strongarm. They will not do it under my watch," he caressed her shoulder more. "They are ignorant as much as we are. We are only on the beginning of our study with Sedna."

"I know. But think if they would do it anyway?"

"They would not. Once they see Sedna's kindness, intelligence and empathy, they will understand and admit their fast judgement for us that they had been blind of ignorance."

"You think so?"

"I'm very convinced over it. Judgement comes quicker before understanding."

"Mhmm," Strongarm hummed as her answer. She knew Optimus was right. He knew better than she did.

Just then, they heard a sound from a blow. They saw a white geyser of warm stream blowing up from Sedna's blowhole. Then Sedna spyhopped slightly as if she wanted to see if the Autobots were still there before she took another deep breath and vanished underneath the surface once again.

Optimus stared on the water surface mystically. He returned thoughtfully inside his thoughts. Such a fearsome and powerful beast Sedna is, he thought, and yet she was once a Cybertronian. How old must she have been when she came here on Earth?

"Optimus, I have some things you need to see," Strongarm's voice pulled him back to reality from his thoughts. She shifted between different sketches inside the sketchbook folder while she examined after a page where she wrote things down. The page contained written words of calculations that focused specifically on Sedna's lungs. "Here. I've studied a lot on Sedna's breathing."

Optimus laid his optics on the text where he found the estimated calculation. He found this: Sedna's first pair lungs with blowhole in Predacon form – 2 hours underwater. Sedna's second lung pair inside her chest in both beast and robot form – 20 kliks underwater.

"That's a huge difference," Optimus said. He appeared to be surprised.

"Yeah, I know. I have a theory," Strongarm answered. "You see, I came on the thought that Sedna must've grown up in the sea before she came on land. Her lungs with the blowhole are strongest to hold breath in longest time. But when she came on land, she was forced to develop the second pair of lungs that fitted up on land."

"And the chest lungs are less capable to hold breath underwater as a result," he followed. "However…"

"However, what?" she detected his trailing words. "You think my theory is wrong?"

"No, it sounds positive in my audio receptors. But the major question is her age."

"Age?"

"Yes. We must consider carefully about Sedna's age; how young she was when she arrived here on Earth over fifty-five thousand years ago. That is the thing we need to know. Also, we need to know how she managed to go through a transformation from a Cybertronian to a Predacon. That kind of change is nearly impossible for us to relate."

"For us, yes," Strongarm stood up on her pedes. "But it was so critical for Sedna's survival that she has adapted completely for a life here on Earth. I mean, look on her lungs and her changed tank. She has adapted to breathe oxygen and eat organic food. And she has lived among orcas in her entire life."

"Exactly, but everything has its downfall," Optimus nodded, rising his servo and held his index digit up like a teacher. "Her life among orcas have led her to reject her voice box and given her an inability to speak. She also has no idea how to socialize like a Cybertronian. And maybe…"

"Like what?"

Optimus moved his gaze on the water inside the bay, his gaze thoughtfully like he reconsidered back and forth. Then he said: "Her consumption with organic food has given a devastating downfall. She cannot consume Energon. And if she gets a single drop of it, then she'd get an allergic reaction."

"An allergic reaction? Like she would response badly on it?"

"Exactly. It means that she would risk to get a severe allergic reaction, severely enough that it would make her die by it. If she drinks one, of course. But since she has Energon inside her blood vessel system…"

"Perhaps, all the Energon stored inside her mixed blood is everything she has left since her arrival on Earth, and that means all Energon debris she removed forced her into starvation. She could have died back then. Unless her organic stomach-tank and lungs developed very fast, like within a couple of years."

"A couple of years… That's it!" Optimus exclaimed without warning as he leaped up on his pedes.

"Now what?" Strongarm got scared seeing on his sudden action.

"The younger she was, the faster her adaptation was, and she must have been very lucky if she had an orca mother who nursed her like a calf."

"Nursed her like a calf? Like… no, that sounds awkward in my audio receptors," Strongarm pictured an awkward picture of a very young Sedna swimming under her orca mother's belly and suckled on one mammary gland. It caused her to shiver in nausea. Yet, she comprehended it had been the only salvation for Sedna who faced starvation from the severe lack of Energon.

"It's possible that she might been taken care like a newborn orca calf by them. We will never know, but one thing shall we know; Sedna is very lucky to be alive today," Optimus gazed on her. The sun shined behind his spinal struts. It made him look like the real war hero Strongarm learned to know back in Cybertron. "She's unique. She's a survivor from the Ice Age and she went through a drastic transformation for her own survival."

"Ehm, I have a question, Optimus," Strongarm spoke up. She sounded like a student who did not understand and required an explanation. "You see, my question is very stupid but do orcas eat something else than fish?"

"Well, some orca pods hunt marine mammals –" he explained barely before he got interrupted.

"No, no, I mean not like that," she waved her servos, shaking hastily with her helm. "I mean this: do orcas eat any else than meat? Do they eat any green like kelp as an example?"

"Herbivore? No, they're fully carnivore," Optimus shook his head. "They have adapted for a life in the ocean and they have a variety of diets from fish to marine mammals. May I ask you what makes you think like that."

"Well… Earlier, I bought more than just fish to Sedna," Strongarm admitted. "I brought fruit and jam with me because I wanted to see if Sedna like to learn new tastes."

"Taste?" he raised an optic ridge, skeptical.

"Yeah, you see, Sedna has no olfactory sensor so she relies on her glossa sensor," she explained more. "She is very curious to learn new things."

"And?"

"Well, she licked me for she spitted out a pot. It hit right at my face and I got covered in blueberry jelly all over me," she cast a downcast glare on the sand, totally embarrassed. She regretted immediately that she spoke it out in front of the Prime she admired so much. It was too late now.

"Blueberry?" Optimus crossed his arms over his chest. He sounded skeptically. But then, unexpectedly, he shook his helmet with a raised optic ridge when he gave a chuckle. He must have taken it as a joke. It was the first time Strongarm saw him chuckling. He, the great Prime, rarely chuckled. "You're full of surprises, cadet."

"That wasn't a joke," Strongarm crossed her arms over her chest with a tilted grin. "She really did that."

"I believe in you," he ensured her, still smiling over the little 'incident'. "By the way, you do smell good on second thought."

"Do I smell good?" she sniffed on her shoulder joint gear. It was a lie. She smelled like a skunk. She shook her helmet: "No… I smell terrible."

"Heh, I suggest you head out and find a wash station. Take your time," he advised her. Then he got reminded of the missing equipment that they needed. "Ah yes, I've forgotten to tell you. I have noticed you have no equipment here."

"Well, I haven't thought much on it," she replied. "But why shall we have equipment for what kind of purpose?"

"You will see. In meanwhile, I will search after the equipment that I know are very useful," he explained his plan. "Like I said: take your time."

"All right then, I'll see you later, Optimus," Strongarm grinned.

They transformed into their vehicle forms and drove uphill to the road where they drove separately.

Strongarm spent more than an hour inside the washing station. The cadet enjoyed it. When she finished it, she was as clear as pure diamond so her whole shined in thousand crystals. She never felt so refreshed. While she spent there, she wondered a lot what kind of equipment Optimus was planning to bring to their hidden bay. She could not help to get so curious. She got a thousand pictures inside her processor.

As soon she was completely refreshed, she drove past the harbor town and headed straight back to the bay. Strongarm was not first to arrive there. Optimus was already there on place. He was on his knee joint gears, working on a large, strange-looking box. Beside him stood a second box. He worked on wires, buttons on the box and checked on a microphone.

"Optimus, what's that for boxes?" she came beside him, her optics focused on the box he worked on.

"These two are recorders," he explained. He looked on her.

"Recorders?"

"Yes. This microphone is not any type of microphone," he took up the microphone that was attached to the first recorder box. "It's a hydrophone."

"Hydrophone? Wait, does that mean that we can listen sound underwater?"

"Allow me to show you. Wait here," he rose up on his pedes. He held the hydrophone and carried its wire all way to the cliffs where he then tossed the hydrophone out as far as he can reach. It landed on the water and sank. The wire was probably one hundred meters long, which Strongarm estimated. He made sure that the wire was not tangled but straight on a fine line and undamaged. Then he hurried back. He kneeled on his knee, pressing on some buttons. The recorder got activated.

Piieeeaaauuum… Piieeeaaauuum… Piieeeaaauuum…

Strongarm jaw-dropped. She became astonished when she heard Sedna's vocalizations singing from the recorder whose loudspeaker stayed closely bonded to it. She moved her gaze on Optimus who appeared smiling on the moment.

Piieeeaaauuum… Piiieeeaaaaa, priiieee, piiieeeaaaaa…

"How… How is that possible?" Strongarm's voice was like a startled youngling who found all its Christmas presents. "Optimus, this is amazing. How in the world did you find them?"

"Well, that's classified," he joked in return. "But these are the exact equipment we needed. With these, we can record and listen all vocalizations Sedna has."

"That's great!" she exclaimed. "With these, we'll learn more about her vocalizations and perhaps create more in our sign language."

"That is my thought of it," he nodded. Just then, he lay his optics on the recording box.

Piieeeaaauuum… Deeeiiaaauum… Deeeiiaaauum, deeeiiaaauum, deeeiiaaauum…

As it happened, Optimus' optics widened in a huge surprise. He quickly pressed a button that paused, rewinding back the recording.