Chapter 25

Avec

Thousands of vorns of complete obedience were a powerful habit.

In the astro klik that followed Megatron's order, Soundwave had enough time to analyse his possibilities. Obeying was not only the logical option, but also the only way to minimize his Commander's suspicions.

So he obeyed. But his hand was stopped by the reddish glow on the main computer's console, preventing the forbidden image of Nocturne from returning to the big monitor.

"Incoming communication from the Autobot base," Soundwave said, completely hiding any trace of anguish or relief brought by the last moment salvation.

An evil smirk appeared on Megatron's face. The possibility of inflicting more emotional damage to his deadly enemy surpassed his sudden interest in the female captive.

"Accept it."

Soundwave obeyed, making sure to remain outside the angle of vision of whoever who was requesting the communication.

As the 91.45% probability dictated, the image of the Autobot Commander appeared on the screen.

"Ah, Prime," Megatron greeted him with his best mocking smirk. "You call me twice in the same solar cycle and even come to visit? Such an honour…"

Carrier of a facemask as well, Soundwave didn't need to read the enemy leader's mind to know that he was making an effort to dominate his anger.

"Spare me the irony, Megatron. The purpose of this communication is to reach an agreement."

Megatron comfortably sat back on his throne. "Agreement? Are you surrendering so soon, Prime? How disappointing… I thought we were reaching an understanding on the battlefield, the only place for honourable mechs to solve their quarrels. I must say it was gratifying to see you talking with actions for once, instead of your usual empty words. As gratifying as it is pitiful to see you return now to the way of the coward."

"Cowardice is to keep a femme prisoner and subject her to the vilest of actions."

"As I told you before, Prime, we have extremely different opinions concerning certain terms."

Optimus Prime remained in silence for an astro second. Once again, Soundwave could predict what was happening behind that facemask. Obviously, the Autobot leader wasn't willing to let himself be dragged into Megatron's game.

"You are to release Nocturne now," he said simply. His voice had an additional charge of authority and resolve.

Megatron separated his back from his throne. "Or else?" he said with the same challenging resolve. "Will you attack me by surprise again? You are welcome to try it!"

"You should already know violence is not my first choice to solve a problem."

"I haven't seen you solving too much with your cheap pacifist propaganda, now that you mention it… But I'm not closed to a civilized agreement, Prime. You want your femme free and I can understand that. What is missing in the equation is what you are willing to give me for that liberation to happen."

"I won't give in to any blackmail."

"You are not in a position to demand anything!" Megatron yelled, suddenly punching one of the arm rests of his throne. "I have the girl and I have the control. Your place is accepting whatever I demand of you, or else you will get her back indeed, but in pieces."

"You know me perfectly well," Optimus spoke with a strangely sombre voice. "You should already be aware that angering me is a bad idea, Megatron."

The Decepticon leader leaned his back on his throne again, recovering his smirk. "And you should be perfectly aware that a femme in this base may keep her life for some time, but not her virtue. Perhaps you would be interested to know what my warriors are doing with her in this precise moment…"

"For any damage inflicted to Nocturne you will pay, Megatron. Save yourself problems and let her go. Nocturne is a scientist; she's not even part of our conflict…"

"Oh, on the contrary, Prime. Since the moment she bore your insignia for the first time she became part of our conflict. Autobot scum is Autobot scum, no matter how much it hides behind innocence."

"Yes, and you're in the perfect position to recognise innocence, aren't you Megatron?" Optimus countered flatly. "I'm surprised you still understand the meaning of the word given how soiled your hands are."

"My hands are no dirtier than yours, Autobot," Megatron spat viciously. "You wave the white flag of peace with one hand while slaughtering with the other; don't play the pacifist with me Prime, you are a murderer just as I am."

Megatron smirked victoriously as his opponent's optics brightened slightly, the only outward display of the rage and fear so obviously raging within. Soundwave continued to watch on in silence, unsure if the scene unfolding before him was amusing, or disturbing.

"I could be called a murderer, yes," Prime finally spoke, his voice even, seemingly emotionless. "And not a breem goes by where I don't feel guilty about that fact. But desperate times call for desperate measures, Megatron, and your actions have driven too many of us to commit such crimes."

"Typical Autobot sentiments, I must say," the Decepticon responded. "But you can place the blame wherever you like, Prime, the fact remains that you will always be guilty, just like your precious femme. Now, are you going to continue this pathetic show or are you going to tell me what I get in exchange for her release."

"As I have already told you, Me..."

"Yes, yes, you don't give in to blackmail," Megatron interrupted. "Well, you condemn her to death, then. And let me assure you, it will be a slow and undignified death, one truly worthy of your kind. Live with that guilt, Prime; let it mix with all that pain you already deal with, I'm sure it will do wonders for your self-righteousness."

"You are warned, Megatron. You have a solar cycle to give me a reasonable answer. Next time I won't speak with words."

"Speak with whatever you want or have. Your fury is a farce, and it's nothing that has ever worried me."

The communication ended, terminated this time from the Autobot base.

"It seems that I underestimated the importance of this Nocturne femme," Megatron said as he got up from his throne and walked toward the exit of the Command Centre. "Keep her under surveillance permanently, Soundwave. She may turn into Prime's death blow."

Soundwave nodded. He would keep permanent surveillance on Nocturne indeed, but for once he wouldn't do it for mere obedience.

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The solar cycle was very advanced when Soundwave returned to his personal quarters.

His Cassettes' shift had already ended, so it wasn't strange to find them there. Laserbeak and Buzzsaw were resting on the perches Soundwave had built for them near the ceiling, clearly rejecting their forced period of convalescence. Ravage was lying down at the recharge berth's base, his attention divided between the door and the robotic condors; he always carried his self-proclaimed role of protective older brother. Rumble was separated from them, absent-mindedly wasting his time on the human internet. Watching him alone remarked on the fact that Frenzy was absent.

All optics focused on Soundwave once he trespassed the threshold of the door. The Communications Officer didn't have to get inside his creations' minds to feel their uncertainty.

But Soundwave was tired of dealing with an argument that shouldn't have existed in the first place. He ignored Ravage's inquisitive stare and addressed his two winged creations.

"Buzzsaw, Laserbeak, report status."

"Recovery of driving functions at 91.56%, energy at 73.68%," Buzzsaw tacitly replied.

"Recharge mode period?"

Laserbeak stretched his wings and cawed. "3.7 joors…"

"Truth is," Ravage interrupted, "neither Laserbeak nor Buzzsaw have recharged as they should have after their repairs. Rest is not one of our priorities tonight, Soundwave."

Soundwave stared at Ravage, who continued to lie with his head resting on his front paws.

"Any reference to an already finished conversation is not appreciated, Ravage," Soundwave transmitted through the link.

"We have certain concerns…"

"Which are totally illogical," Soundwave spoke, shaking the link with his monotonic voice.

A tense silence followed. Ravage lifted his head and stared at his creator. From their spot near the ceiling, Laserbeak and Buzzsaw didn't miss a detail of the scene beneath them, their discomfort increasing.

"Are you… gonna make the Autobot your bondmate, Soundwave?" the shaken voice of Rumble could be heard.

The three Cassetticons unable to verbally speak felt their circuits freeze. Soundwave never had violent reactions toward them, the event involving Ravage earlier that cycle being the only exception, but something told them they couldn't be sure of anything about their creator anymore.

"What in the Pit do you think you are doing?" Ravage hissed through a private link with his brother. "That is not something for you to be asking straight out like that."

"Why not?" Rumble replied, uncharacteristically making use of telepathic powers enabled by the link to his creator. "If the Autobot chick's gonna start hangin' around wit' the boss then I wanna know about it!"

"State the origin of your question," Soundwave asked, never breaking his cold stance.

"Don't answer him, Rumble, let me deal with this."

"Frenzy said… he said that…"

"Shut up, Rumble, you're only going to make things worse."

Soundwave approached the hesitant Rumble, giving him his complete attention.

"Finish, Rumble. Specify what Frenzy said."

Rumble bowed his head, looking more childish than ever. There was no way he could repeat his twin's hurtful words. Questioning Soundwave's judgement; it was like blasphemy.

"Whatever Frenzy said," Ravage intervened, getting up, "was guided by his own confusion. However, his reasoning doesn't lack of logic. All of us have noticed the change in your behaviour following the arrival of the female Autobot, Soundwave."

The Decepticon communicator walked toward the console of his computer to make one last revision of the Nemesis' security systems, something he always did before entering recharge mode. Resting was not precisely one of his habits, but that solar cycle had been exhausting, and not simply because of his double shift.

Nocturne giving herself to him, her mouth tasting the metal of his body, her arms holding him with so much tenderness, her delicate intimate circuitry connected with his…

"Reasoning unexpected," he said as he entered the complex command sequence that allowed him to enter the Nemesis' central computer. "And disappointing."

Rumble, who had abandoned his place at the front of the computer when his creator approached, dared to speak again.

"I… I think Frenzy is overreacting…"

Ravage dimmed his optics, disturbed by the unusual weakness of his young sibling.

Soundwave felt the opening of a private channel inside the link, one that only he and his first creation could share.

"Frenzy mentioned Vita," Ravage said dryly.

Soundwave didn't respond, but his fingers stopped over the sterile buttons of the computer. His Cassettes never mentioned Vita; a tacit rule had been created thousands of vorns ago according silence. It wasn't a forbidden or cursed word, it was simply too painful.

Soundwave's acknowledgement came in the shape of a slight brightening of his visor. Ravage recognized the most imperceptible grimace in the Universe shot in his direction, but besides that, Soundwave gave no sign of having heard the mention of his former bondmate.

The sequence he was typing on the computer ended.

"Buzzsaw, Laserbeak, proceed to the brig. Operation: surveillance. Rumble, deliver the prisoner an energon cube. Ravage, your energy levels are below fifty percent; enter recharge mode immediately."

Direct and concise, just as any other order coming from Soundwave. All the Cassettes knew that no inner problem could interfere with their master's duties.

Without even thinking about replying, the four siblings hurried to obey.

As soon as Ravage entered his chest compartment and the rest of his creations left his quarters, Soundwave tried to force his systems to shut down, eager to look in the numb word of recharge for a little piece of oblivion.

But he knew it was impossible. No matter how lonely he was in the Universe, the warmth of Nocturne's forbidden body had touched him to not abandon him again.

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Slender red hands ghosted playfully over his chest, experience guiding the entrance of fingers into the most sensitive of seams, eliciting sounds from his vocaliser no other but her would ever hear.

Subtle vibrations permeated through his structure, the hum of her spark matching his as two became one, their love surpassing all simple emotion, expanding into a tangible eternity.

"Soundwave..."

His name echoed endlessly within their mental bond, a whispered caress to match those her hands continued to provide...

Red on blue.

Soft lips began to travel over his structure, kissing him so tenderly, sending shivers through each plate they grazed. Expert fingers led the way to his face, removing his mask, exposing his features for those same lips to claim as their own.

He felt his spark surging as her fingers travelled to his shoulders, the essence of his existence uniting sensuously with hers, the sound of her moans mixing with the music of their sparks; a sound he could never grow tired of.

"I want you, Soundwave..."

He had heard those words so many times before; like the sound of her laugh they were recorded within the depths of his spark itself...but something was different...

Her voice...

Suddenly his facemask was in place, the harmony different, his spark un-bonded; he could feel it pulling towards the call of another as the one he remembered faded from existence...

"Stay..." he heard himself mutter through the link, but she did not heed his call, red suddenly becoming green...

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Soundwave woke from his recharge with a start, vents cycling furiously to cool a body lost somewhere between agony and ecstasy. He sat up slowly, resting his back against the wall, drawing his knees to his chest.

He had never been one to dream; his controlled and organised mind rarely requiring the cleansing hands of recharge to put order to his thoughts, rendering those wasted cycles to nothing more than a darkness void of any emotion.

Yet the vagaries of those invading images had not been cleansing in the slightest; instead they brought turmoil, pain... A feeling of emptiness invaded his spark as old wounds reopened, coldness biting painfully.

Soundwave crossed his arms over his knees, burying his head in his forearms. The dull red glow of his visor created subtle shadows in his protective cave, but not even the darkness of the room around him could hide the humiliating fact that he was trembling.

To be continued.

Update coming soon! Thanks for reading, guys :o)