"Of Sparks and Cons"
Chapter Thirty-Six
After several cycles of sitting in a dark, dingy cell in the deep depths of the warship, Soundbyte felt relief at laying on a berth-like structure. Her body was sore and ached with the need of movement. Never had she fathomed that Megatron would lock her away until he felt that she had proven herself to him. But that was precisely what had happened. The entire time she had been in that cell, her processor had traveled back over what had occurred during the exchange with Roundhouse and the loss of their littlest crew member. But mainly, she had focused on the big mech, Renegade's words. But now, she had to focus on something else.
"This is not what I had in mind when I said I would submit to any test required of me," Soundbyte growled as Knockout as he attached a cable to the back of the berth-like structure she lay upon.
"Hm, well, I'm afraid Lord Megatron does not completely believe you," Knockout commented as Soundbyte hissed at a small amount of pain before glowering up at him.
"Clearly," Soundbyte had not expected to be welcomed with open arms but she had hoped for a minute amount of trust, "What is this thing anyway?"
"A Cortical Psychic Path," Knockout supplied.
Deadpan, Soundbyte responded, "How lovely."
"Don't worry, I won't wander too far into your processor," Knockout assured her and she had to suppress the urge to groan.
"At least it's you and not some behemoth that would try to use the knowledge to his advantage," Soundbyte moved slightly to get more comfortable, watching as Knockout took his place on another berth and his assistant, a larger former wrecker, attached a cable to him.
"And just what behemoth are you thinking of?" Knockout asked. Soundbyte was impressed to note that his tone held nothing but curiosity.
"Is this thing dangerous?" Sounbyte ignored his question in favor of one of her own. Tailspin had limited equipment aboard the Harbinger. This machine was foreign to her and she would have preferred to keep it that way.
"Only if I disconnect it improperly… however, I've only ever done that twice now," Knockout responded smoothly and she looked over at him incredulously.
"You are not the one disconnecting it," Soundbyte pointed out and the big mech beside Knockout smirked slightly but offered no other comment on the subject.
"Well then, I suppose you will have to trust my assistant to do his job well," Knockout commented, lying his helm down. Before she could respond, the machine whirred to life and she found herself in her own processor, staring at the desolate landscape. Ever since Quicksilver's departure, her memory core had felt raw and uninviting. She had not even dumped any memories since that cycle.
"How lovely, you must give me the number of your interior decorator," Knockout's voice drove her attention away from the barren grays, blacks, and whites.
"Come on, the sooner we get this over with the better," Soundbyte snapped, turning and marching away. Her false pedes moved past the images of doors, each locked and secured. She hated to think the havoc the medic or others like him could wreak if she were not aware of the intrusion. Though, as an information bot, she had many safe guards in place to keep unwanted intruders at bay.
"You're manipulating the patch," Knockout stated, looking at the landscape around them, his gaze passing over the doors.
"Am I not supposed to be able to?" Soundbyte asked, slightly smug.
"Normally, no," Knockout stated.
"Hm, then I guess my upgrades were worth the credits," Soundbyte smirked before continuing along the path.
He followed her in silence. The doors changed shape as they moved further into her memory banks. The deeper they went, the smaller the doors. Each held a different secret. Something that she would refuse to show to anyone but those she held the dearest. And there were very few bots like that.
"Here," Soundbyte stepped aside and allowed Knockout to enter the door. Once he passed the threshold, the landscape changed.
Grey rock turned to silver walls with light glimmering high along their smooth surfaces. Three bots stood in a triangle, their features clear and crisp. Roundhouse, Snakebite, and herself stood together in an abandoned corridor late into the Harbinger's dark cycle. Most of the crew was in recharge, those on watch would not walk past this area for over twenty minutes, plenty of time for them to complete their clandenstine meeting.
~What have you heard?~ Roundhouse's voice had a watery quality, as though heard through a great distance. The real Soundbyte looked to Knockout, but the medic showed no sign of curiosity.
~There are four units moving against Lord Megatron,~ Soundbyte's memory self reported, her gaze hard and nearly indiscernible from the haze surrounding her. There was little reason to remember herself clearly. Only the fact that she was there was important.
~What do we do, sir?~ Snakebite ground out, a gleam in his optic. The mech was looking forward to entering battle again.
~We wait,~ Roundhouse stated firmly, his tone breaching no room for argument. Snakebite snarled at him slightly, clearly frustrated.
~Wait, wait, wait, that is all we do anymore. How did you get command of this warship? You are no better than Autobot,~ Snakebite snapped and Roundhouse smoothly reached out, grabbing the mech by the collar of his armor and dragging him in close.
~We wait so that we can attack without being seen, you fool. I prefer to keep my skidplate intact,~ Roundhouse snarled before yanking hard enough to throw the mech off balance and slamming him in the midsection with a powerful kick. Snakebite snapped up and fell over without another complaint.
~Sir, that was not completely necessary,~ Soundbyte's memory stated with a slight twinge of humor.
~It made me feel better,~ Roundhouse quipped, waving a servo over his shoulder to indicate that she should follow.
When Knockout began to physically follow them, Soundbyte set herhand to his shoulder armor and shook her helm. Within seconds the walls began to slide past them as they moved along with the memory. It was disorienting, but more effective than wearing out their mental selves in order to follow a memory. There was no way for Soundbyte to know what was going on in the corridor after her departure – it would no longer exist as soon as her memory moved past it.
~Commander, can I trust you?~ Roundhouse's question was rhetorical. He knew that he could trust her with anything and everything. That had never changed.
~What is going on, Captain?~ Soundbyte didn't bother with a response.
~Vanquisher moves against me. He has a group of mechs prepared to mutiny at his command. They only wait for an opportune time,~ Roundhouse stated and Soundbyte looked at him curiously, ~Of course, you already knew that, didn't you?~
~Yes I did sir,~ Soundbyte stated and Roundhouse vented a sigh.
~Didn't think it important enough to warn me or are you in on it as well?~ Roundhouse asked, only a weary tiredness in his tone.
~It had gone no further than planning stages, mechs talk about mutiny all the time. You have never had an issue putting a stop to it in the past, sir,~ Soundbyte pointed out and Roundhouse snorted a laugh.
~As true as that may be… I'd have appreciated a warning,~ Roundhouse pointed out and Soundbyte canted her head in understanding, ~Sound, I'm been thinking.~
~Dangerous pastime, sir,~ Soundbyte teased but Roundhouse's smile was empty and hollow. She instantly sobered, watching him closer.
~Perhaps,~ Roundhouse agreed, ~What do you think of the current state of things?~
~I'm afraid I may not understand what you mean, sir,~ Soundbyte responded, ~Current state of what things? Theship is in top shape, our crew, save for a few malcontents is the best we've had since Hardcore and Skyshot's departures… I do not understand what you may have issue with.~
~The war. Our home planet is destroyed, perhaps even irrepairable. Our kind is scattered across the stars, perhaps even dying out as we stand here and speak. And all that our illustrious leader fears for is where the Prime is hiding out,~ Roundhouse spat. His tone dripped with spite and disgust. Soundbyte's spark hardened and she watched him cautiously.
~Sir?~ Soundbyte asked. And the real version of her, the current version, could hear the ice in her tone.
~Sound, I think I may be done… I considered leaving, letting you take command of the Harbinger until Megatron felt it necessary to replace me, but then… I realized what I had at the tips of my fingers… a warship. One that is feared across the known worlds and the unknown,~ Roundhouse began to look inward, his gaze unfocusing as he watched something inside of his own processer, ~We could easily forge our own faction, take down the Autobots and Decepticons both. End this pointless war and turn our attentions back to our own homeworld. Bring all of our people home!~
~Roundhouse, listen to yourself, what you speak of is mutiny on a scale far beyond that of this single vessel,~ Soundbyte snapped, stepping closer to him.
~Yes, it is,~ Roundhouse acknowledged, ~And it needs to be done. I have been thinking about this ever since little Quicksilver was destroyed, simply for being aboard a Decepticon vessel. Just because she was created in the middle of this slagging war! That never should have happened, Sound. NEVER.~
Anger swept through both Soundbyte's at the sound of the femling's designation from Roundhouse. The memory Soundbyte snarled and grabbed Roundhouse by the collar of his armor, dragging him closer to her faceplate.
~You have no right to speak of her. I practically begged you to keep her here where she was safe. But you refused. Now you try to use her as your excuse to betray our Master, as though she were nothing more than a pawn,~ Soundbyte yelled before lowering her voice, ~Another word of this and I will send a message to the Nemesis. You are an utter fool, Roundhouse.~
She released Roundhouse and turned to stalk away. That was the last thing she remembered of that corridor and that fight. The image shifted and was replaced by that of the brig. Lying on a berth, a wound that was freshly dressed in the center of her back was Soundbyte. Tailspin stood nearby, watching her patiently. This memory faded and she looked to Knockout.
"Have you seen enough?" Soundbyte asked and the red medic nodded, "Good, let's go."
Exiting her memory core, Soundbyte opened her optics and looked at the high ceiling as Knockout's assistant removed the cable from her helm. When it disconnected, she winced and vented a harsh sigh. At the sound of the same suction-like noise coming form Knockout, she sat up. The red medic followed suit, looking over at her calmly.
"Do you need me for any other reason?" Soundbyte asked and the medic shook his helm.
"No, you are welcome to leave," Knockout stated and waved to the drone standing guard beside the door, "Falsetto, take our prisoner to her cell."
"Yes, doctor," Falsetto stepped forward and waited for Soundbyte to join him. Stepping up beside the drone, Soundbyte looked back at Knockout.
"That is all the information I have in my processor, doctor. I will have to be allowed access to a computer console in order to connect with the Harbinger's computers to retrieve the information Lord Megatron requires," Soundbyte stated clearly, "Remind him of that, will you?"
"Of course," Knockout responded, turning his back to her as Falsetto intoned that she was to precede him out the door.
Except for the guards, the corridors were empty. Soundbyte walked steadily toward the lifts where she would be taken down deep into the bowels of the ship and returned to her cell. As they reached the door into the lifts, they opened and two sparklings spilled out onto the decking. A mechling and femling lay on the decking before her, moaning.
Surprise flashed through Soundbyte's processor as she watched the mechling roll so that the blue and gray femling was shoved from his back. An oomph escaped the femling and a large mech with bronze and crimson armor exited the lift behind them, his gaze focused on both of them.
"Sparklings," Soundbyte muttered the word and looked up at the big mech as he turned to gaze down at her with open surprise, "Are they yours?"
"She is, he is an orphan," the mech stated and before he could say anything else, a yelp emitted from the mechling.
"Falsetto! Where's D33? I wanna tell him something," the mechling charged at the drone and Soundbyte found herself drawn to him, watching with open interest.
"I am on duty, Wildcharger, as is D33. I will inform him that you are looking for him so he may visit you after he goes off duty," Falsetto intoned as he lightly gripped Soundbyte's upper arm and steered her onto the lift.
"Falsetto, the lift is not going past the next deck. Renegade and I will be working on it later this cycle. For now, you must walk," the big mech warned and Falsetto nodded.
Watching the sparklings, Soundbyte smiled faintly. The two were play fighting, rolling around on the decking behind the big mech as he spoke with Falsetto. Eventually the mechling used his larger size and superior weight to pin her to the decking. A sharp cry of frustration escaped the femling's vocodor and the mech turned to lift both of them from the decking with a sharp scolding. Neither one seemed overtly affected by his response and resumed their game the moment he refocused on Falsetto.
"I will warn the others as well, if assistance is required, please do not hesitate to contact me.
"Very good, thank you," the mech nodded and the doors closed.
As the lift began to move, Soundbyte looked to Falsetto, "Who was that mech?"
"His designation is Cascade," Falsetto supplied and Soundbyte considered the designation. She had never heard of him before. But the other designation, the one Cascade had stated, was familiar.
"Is there a femme aboard this vessel with the designation Quicksilver?" Soundbyte asked and Falsetto vented slightly.
"Yes," Falsetto's response was simple and firm.
"Am I not allowed any other information?" Soundbyte asked and Falsetto's response was as simple as the prior one.
"My apologies Soundbyte, but yes, those are my orders. Until Lord Megatron okays your presence aboard this vessel, you are to know no more," Falsetto apologized, his visor-like optic focusing on her.
"You are doing your job, Falsetto, I do not mind," Soundbyte stated. The doors opened upon reaching the next deck down and they stepped off.
"We will have to take the long way," Falsetto directed Soundbyte toward the docking bay, his gaze focused on the immediate area.
"As long as I don't run into Vanquisher, that's fine with me," Soundbyte stated with a slight smile, "I could use the exercise."
Silence settled between them as they walked. As they reached the docking bay door, a door nearby opened and the big green and black mech she had met on the bridge exited with a tan flyer femme at his side and a small feline-like creature on his shoulder. The one to exit behind them made Soundbyte stop in her tracks, her optics going wide and her mouth dropping open in shock.
"After, we will have to show them the quickest way back if there is ever any…" the femme stopped speaking as he gaze locked onto Soundbyte and the big mech followed her gaze.
"Falsetto, surely there was a better way to take a prisoner back to her cell," Renegade stated and Soundbyte glowered at him.
"I am only a prisoner until Lord Megatron determines the worth of my information," Soundbyte stated, her optics never leaving the visage of a femme that she never thought she would see again.
"My apologies Renegade, however this is the quickest and easiest path to the brig while the lifts are inoperable," Falsetto stated and Renegade nodded.
"Very well," Renegade stated, stepping aside, his servo going behind him to direct the femme at his back to move as well.
"Hiding her from me will do you no good," Soundbyte snapped as she shoved Falsetto aside and moved so that she was within perfect view of the young flyer, "Quicksilver."
It took a few seconds before the youngling responded, her optics going slightly wider and her mouth quirking up at the corners slightly, "Soundbyte?"
"Primus, it is you… but how?" Soundbyte reached out toward her and, to her infuration, Renegade stopped her.
"I apologize, I would like to allow you both to talk, however Lord Megatron has not cleared you yet," Renegade sounded genuinely apologetic as he said it.
"Very well," Soundbyte stepped back, though her gaze continued to be drawn to Quicksilver. After spending so long believing the sparkling to be deceased, she was reluctant to lose sight of her.
"Come, Soundbyte, I am certain the information you provided will cause Lord Megatron to give you freedom aboard the warship," Falsetto tried to reassure her, directing her away from Renegade and the youngling he had guardianship over.
"Yes, I most certainly hope you are right," Soundbyte agreed, following him calmly. As they walked, she strained her sensitive audios and smiled as Quicksilver actually tried to argue with Renegade. She was glad to hear him remain calm with the youngling, even when she was on the verge of tears and, perhaps, a tantrum.