Sorry for the short update.
Whisper of the Spark
2
The Nemesis was falling fast and deck 8 was in ruins. Soundwave activated his filtration system to get through the smoke and fire. Wind blew around, coming in from the hole in the hull of the ship. Light slipped in too, and Soundwave could see the level controls. They had not actually been destroyed as badly as Shockwave had calculated. The corner of the controls system was broken open.
Soundwave released his feelers to help him climb down the slanted floor. He had to stand just beside the gaping hole in the hull to reach the broken system. He could see out, see how rapidly they were approaching the ground. He could see the approaching troops who would be sure to put down any survivors of the fall.
The troops could see him too. Shots were fired, penetrating the metal around him. Soundwave concentrated.
The fuel connectors were severed, fuel leaking out and spilling all over. Soundwave took the two severed ends in his servos. He had only one option. Two of his feelers came forward, attaching themselves to the leaking tubes. He concentrated, reconfiguring the inner workings of the feelers to connect to one another inside of him. The ends of the feelers opened. Fuel spilled into the right feeler, flooding in and passing through his frame and out the other feeler.
The level controls came back to life. The ship roared, thrusters blowing downward. The fall slowed, but they were too close to the ground. Soundwave braced for impact. The sound was deafening to the audios as the Nemesis hit. It slid forward against the ground, Autobot ground troops blurring by. The ship didn't stop. The thrusters fought hard.
"Soundwave, where are you? Soundwave!"
They caught sight of each other through the smoke. Soundwave took in the sight of his mate like an addict took in dark energon. Only moments ago he was sure he'd never see him again.
The Autobots opened fire, a single shot hitting Soundwave in the abdomen. Knockout's optics widened. Soundwave fell onto his back, his connected feelers the only thing keeping him from falling out of the sliding ship.
"Soundwave!" Knockout ran to him, pulling him back inside. He knelt on the edge of the broken opening of the ship. He looked down at Soundwave, optics fixed on the wound. Soundwave jumped as Knockout touched it. He was looking inside. Soundwave felt himself slipping into a daze. Gunfire rang in his audios. Energon splattered against Knockout's face and hull.
"Slag," he growled as he looked closer. "One of your main lines is cut."
Soundwave thought feverishly of the oddness of the situation. He was the fuel line keeping the Nemesis alive, and now his own fuel line was severed. Knockout's face was a mix of terror and determination.
"I'm sorry, Beautiful. This is going to hurt."
Soundwave saw Knockout lift his elbow joints. And then he felt it, digits pushing into his wound. Soundwave arched up from the blinding pain before falling offline.
To be continued.