Too Useful To Waste.
Chapter Ten.
A/N: 1 joor=about 6.5 hours.
"Mikaela?" queried Ratchet on the other end of her cell phone. "What has happened? What do you mean, 'gone?'"
"He's taken the form of my Vespa, created a holoform of me, and he took advantage of my distraction to bail. He's headed into Tranquility on something that looks uncannily like my Vespa."
"Well, at least we've got a description, and know he's likely to stick to the roads now. It's more than we had to go on before We'll keep an optic out. I'm assuming he's looking more for information to explain his spark-memories than anything else."
He paused.
"Mikaela, if you see him again, or anyone else contacts you to let you know they've seen him, let someone here know. We don't think he'll be a danger to anybody else, but it sometimes pays to be too careful, and I'd rather not take any chances. If he gets too scared or confused by what is going on, he may yet lash out."
oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
As he sped away, Dissonance sorted through the overheard conversation – or Mikaela's side of it anyway – tallying it with the knowledge in his mind. He ran probabilities through his processor, put it through logic routines, and found that all the data he so far had was beginning to point in one direction. The one explanation that made sense of it all, improbable as it might seem at first, tallied with some of the analysis of the emotions associated with the images, and his more recent feelings in his encounters with the squishies he had recently spoken with.
He now had an idea of what to speak about and what to ask about at his next stop, and hopefully an answer to some as-yet unanswered questions.
oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
Judy was sat downstairs in front of the television, watching some game show re-runs without honestly watching. Ron was at work, and he had been heartened by Judy's willingness to get up and get dressed that morning. He hated to admit it, but the difference seemed to be directly attributable to the visit of that little Decepticon.
He knew how hard it had been to get Judy to talk about Sam, and the circumstances surrounding his death, and figured that speaking of Sam to the little mech had been therapeutic for her. Of course, he would have to take over where the small robot had left off: Bumblebee had stated before leaving the other night that he thought Dissonance would not be returning any time soon, if at all. For that, Ron was grateful: the little mech had started something Judy needed, but could quite easily do more harm than good if he came back.
What Ron didn't realise is that Judy felt otherwise: she had felt the small mech's uncertainty, recalled how he had clutched at her hand, and figured there was a chance he might return. He knew stuff about Sam, stuff she couldn't even begin to guess at how he knew, but she figured there was a good possibility he would be back. She didn't want to be taken by surprise in her bed again, had a few things she wanted to try, and more than just a few things she wanted to ask.
Of course, Bumblebee had stated that he thought a return this early was highly unlikely, but Judy decided to be ready anyway. If and when he returned, it would likely be with little or no warning, and she could think up more things to say and ask during the time she would have to wait.
For Judy was confident he'd be back, her gut instinct told her he would return.
No matter how long it took, Judy was prepared to wait.
oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
Bumblebee came out of recharge and sat up, pushing up the recharge chamber canopy, and saw Optimus looking at him. His clear blue optics twinkled at the scout – a trick of dimming and brightening his optic lights he had managed to grasp quite early on – as he asked "Do you feel better for your recharge?"
"Yes, thank you." Bumblebee said, raising the hooded top he still held up to his cheek, feeling much calmer than he had a joor or so ago. Sam's scent was fading further, but was still just detectable to his olfactory sensors, and Bumblebee hurriedly subspaced the garment before the human's smell could dissipate any further.
"Ratchet has contacted me, and wishes to speak to us both. I suggest we both make our way down there." Optimus said. Bumblebee nodded.
"I'm ready when you are."
Optimus' response was to databurst the door open and begin to walk out.
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Ratchet did not rush anything, being fully certain at each stage that both the Autobot leader and the yellow scout knew what he was talking about, and that they understood everything before he moved on, explaining things in simple language if they got too technical, or if either of the non-medically trained mechs got confused. Although both of them had begun to guess where he was headed when he was close to concluding with his theory, they both afforded him the courtesy of hearing him out. He finished up with the conversation with Mikaela, using her observations along with information garnered from other observations, from Bumblebee's conversation with Ron and Judy and Dissonance, to explain what he thought was going on.
"Limited Spark-memory in previously dormant or transferred Sparks is a known phenomenon amongst Cybertronians, but usually consists of the Spark knowing its name, a few images, and emotional responses to certain surroundings, situations, or events, usually not enough to cause the conflict that Dissonance seems to be experiencing. I have a theory as to why Dissonance's Spark-memories are so varied, persistent and strong."
"Is it anything to do with being human previously?" asked Bumblebee. Ratchet nodded.
"I have reason to believe that it is the difference between mechanical hardware – that is, our processors – and the human hardware – the organic brain – that is the reason for this," Ratchet told them. "Organic hardware is far less durable than our processors, plus human movement and memory is controlled by the nervous system, which is an organic electrical network. I believe that when Sam's Spark – given to him by his contact with the AllSpark - was removed by Soundwave, a good portion of the electrical energy – containing some of these memories, encoded in electrochemical form - was also taken. The Spark energy preserved them, as Spark - memories, and now they are expressing themselves, confusing the mech known as Dissonance with memories recorded from when he was a human called Sam." Ratchet sighed and leaned back.
"All his visits – to Ron and Judy, to this Base, judging by the files he took, and to Mikaela - make sense if he is investigating these Spark-memories. He may have made the connection already, or he may be on the verge of doing so, but one thing I am certain of is that Soundwave is aware of what he is doing, and must have given him at least a little permission to investigate, otherwise he could just shut Dissonance into recharge and retrieve him." He straightened up again, as Optimus asked the question that was on all of their processors.
"What benefit does Soundwave gain from allowing Dissonance to investigate his origins? Does he plan to use the knowledge, and Dissonance, against us in some way? Or does he have an agenda we can't even begin to guess at?"
"I don't know," Bumblebee said, 'but I think I had best check on Sam's parents. This puts his likelihood of returning much higher than I had previously thought."
"Then check it out, scout, but keep us informed of any developments and if you need backup, call us," said Optimus, immediately going into Commanding Officer mode.
"Yes Sir." This was Bumblebee, who headed for the med bay exit. A few moments later, Optimus and Ratchet heard him transform and drive off.
oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo
Skimming Dissonance's mind with his own, enough to read what Dissonance was thinking but not so much as to disturb or distract the little Cassette, Soundwave knew that Dissonance was coming to the correct conclusion, which meant that it was time to put his carefully thought-out plan into action.
He databurst Starscream, asking to see him, slightly concerned that after their earlier disagreement, the Seeker would refuse. To Soundwave's gratitude and relief, the Decepticon leader agreed to see him.
He turned and headed for Starscream's quarters.
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He reached the dwelling he was heading for without incident, and checked that there was nobody else around to witness his transformation and his actions, after all, this was broad daylight in a densely-populated area. As it was still early, he was in luck: most people who were going to be up had gone to work or school already, most of those who had nothing to do that morning were still indoors.
He let his Mikaela-holoform dissipate, then unfolded into robot form. He noticed that the lock had been replaced, but it was easy enough for him to pick it as he had done at the Lancaster house, and then quietly slip inside. There was a slight click as it opened, but if the situation was the same as the last time he had been here, than anyone in the house would be upstairs.
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Bumblebee found Ron Witwicky's work number and called it.
"Please can I speak to Ron Witiwicky, it's urgent, tell him it's Bee calling," he told the person who answered the phone. A few moments later, Ron picked up the phone.
"Hello Bumblebee?" he asked. "They said it was urgent, what's up?"
"I have reason to believe that Dissonance may try to return to your house within the next seventy-two hours. I'm going to check it out but be ready for a call," he told him.
"Okay, but I'm going to take a half-day, my Boss's wife lost a child a few years ago, if I cite Judy as a concern he'll understand and be fine with that. I'm not hanging round here waiting for your call, I'm going to check on her myself." Ron said.
"Okay, but don't take risks and be careful, Ron," Bumblebee said, but found himself speaking to the dial tone: Ron had already hung up.
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Judy heard the click of the door lock, and the fact that it was not followed by Ron's cheery customary greeting told her what she needed to know: Dissonance had arrived.
She felt elated and emotionally stronger than she had in months. Finally, she could help somebody again, another human, not just Mojo, who was still at the vet's–Ron was scheduled to pick him up that evening.
Judy would be the first to admit that she had a nurturing nature, when she had been younger she had brought home many waifs and strays of the animal kind, to the bemusement of her mother and the annoyance of her father. Having Sam, her own child, to dote upon had cured her of that, although it was his growing up that had prompted her to buy the small bundle of fluff that had turned into Mojo from a pet store she had passed on the way home. The loss of Sam had left her bereft, but now there was this alien but still confused robot around, and as she had surmised, he had returned. Perhaps he had sensed her willingness to give aid or comfort, the same way she had sensed his confusion?
She saw a flicker of movement beyond the living room door, in the hall, and smiled.
"Hello, it's Dissonance isn't it? Welcome to my home, my name's Judy. Come in, please." She said.
There was no sound or movement for a moment, but then the front room door opened and a figure stepped in.
Although he looked different - in particular Judy didn't recall seeing the wheels sticking out of the backs of his shoulders before, and his body shape looked subtly different - it was unmistakeably the same blue and yellow mech she had seen earlier. For a start, his head was unchanged in form or feature, also he looked at her warily, but with recognition in his red optics.
"Come in, I don't bite, I won't hurt you," she assured him, closing her lips over her teeth, aware that in some parts of the animal kingdom it was a threat gesture, and might be interpreted as such in the culture this robot had come from.
Dissonance moved into the room, its optics fixed on her, then when she made no further movement, they flicked from side to side at the items in the house, flicking back to Judy's hand when she extended it and patted the seat beside her.
"Come on, sit by me. Do you want to talk about anything? Is there anything I can get you?" She patted the seat again, and as Dissonance moved over, moved the hand, lying it along the back of the settee she was sat on. He scrambled up to sit by her, and it was a Spark-feeling rather than his logic circuits that prompted him to lean against her side. Her arm dropped down around him, but it didn't feel confining, more comforting. Nor was it slimy, in fact it was quite a pleasant feeling: the Witwicky-femme's – no, Judy's – side and arm were dry, pliant and warm.
His head was level with his shoulder: he twisted it to look up at her. She was still smiling, looking at him, eyes meeting optics unflinchingly.
"What do you want? How can I help you, Dissonance. You seem confused. Is there anything I can help with?"
"Sam." he answered her. "Please can we talk about Sam?"