Merry Christmas, everyone! Not only do I bring you gifts in the form of resolving that rather evil cliffhanger, I've even got a special present for you. After you're done here, be sure to check out my TGWP sidestory Christmas Special, "Secret Santa". No, really, I'm not kidding. Christmas and cassetticons blend together better than you would think. :)

Now where were we? Oh yes, Jazz is languishing in the medbay, Skywarp counting the minutes until he can take his slave home again, and Soundwave has just been summoned to Megatron's home...

Chapter 36

He had been here before. Soundwave faced the door to Megatron's personal apartments, dread slowly squeezing his spark, and thought about the last time he'd come to this door. Megatron had been upset, and angry, but not at him. He'd listened to Soundwave, respected his opinion, and been reassured by it. Even if Soundwave hadn't heard the cold fury in Megatron's summons, he knew he could expect no such treatment tonight. In such a short amount of time, so much had changed for the worse.

The keylock had already scanned his presence, but no one had come to open the door. After waiting for a full breem, Soundwave tentatively pushed at it and found it open. There was only silence on the other side, and he entered the empty entry room as quietly as possible. Still no one came forward, either Megatron or one of his Autobot slaves, and he crossed the distance to reach Megatron's main receiving chamber. He at first thought that room must be empty too, but then Megatron emerged from his mixing bar, cube in hand. Hard grade, going by the tint, which Megatron threw back in a single gulp, then slammed the cube against the wall to disperse it. Soundwave barely managed not to jump, and when Megatron's steel-hard gaze landed on him, he bowed.

No response. Megatron simply looked at him, expectantly, and after a brief but tense wait Soundwave lowered himself to his knees. Satisfied, Megatron finally spoke.

"I never thought," he began, "that you would be the one to fail me, Soundwave. The others, I expected. Starscream is always paying more attention to what he thinks he can get than what's in front of him… and there's Shockwave, who can't even cope with a changing environment let alone conquer it. One can't be trusted not to shoot me, the other can't be trusted to shoot anything. But you – you were my one follower that did not have those flaws. You were the soldier I trusted to do things right."

With no warning he burst into movement, covering the distance between them in two long strides. His fist smashed into Soundwave's head for the second time that day, knocking him over. Damage reports, both new and from the first blow, spun frantically through Soundwave's readout and he dismissed them, scrambling to get back up onto his knees. "I asked for one thing!" Megatron barked. "Watch Starscream - don't let him know. Is that really so difficult? So impossible? To keep one optic on that treacherous, scheming, preening Decepticon? You've infiltrated the base of Optimus Prime himself without the enemy every knowing! But you couldn't manage to stay out of sight of a Seeker more in love with his own reflection than anything else in this world!" He backhanded Soundwave hard across the face, nearly knocking him over again. "Pathetic. I expected so much more from you.

"Winning the war made you sloppy, Soundwave. Made you careless. Do you even know how close this empire came to splitting in half today? Do I have to explain any of this to the mech I put in charge of surveillance and intelligence?"

Soundwave struggled not to flinch when Megatron's fist barreled towards his head again, but this time Megatron snatched his chin and held it, forcing him to look up. Megatron bent closer, the dark glow in his optics boring directly into Soundwave. His voice was low, and thick with rage.

"I had to… concede something to Starscream today. I had to apologize. I am Megatron, lord of all Cybertron! I shouldn't have to concede anything!" With a snarl he threw Soundwave aside in disgust. "What do you have to say for yourself? And don't start with that business about not putting it there, I am in no mood for excuses."

Shaken, Soundwave tried to ignore his error messages and concentrate. Nobody in the Decepticon army, Soundwave included, had gone without at least an occasional impatient cuff from Megatron's fist. Actual beatings this thorough were less frequent, but not rare either. Soundwave had never been forced to endure one, but he had witnessed several. Often Starscream, sometimes others, he had watched them all scream and crumple under Megatron's unforgiving temper. Every time, they tried to argue. Every time, they tried to defend themselves and their actions. Inevitably, by the time Megatron was through, they were admitting fault and begging for mercy. Soundwave had often wondered, since everyone knew exactly what was coming, why they simply didn't dispense with the futile argument and move straight on to begging. It might not always be right, but it was at least efficient and logical, and ended the beatings far more quickly. Why stick stubbornly to an argument that would only bring pain and misery?

Now, staring at the massive pedes before him, Soundwave knew better. It was surprisingly difficult to listen to blame for something he'd never done. Megatron was punishing him for a mistake he would have never committed even on his most careless day, and not only did Soundwave know it, he knew Megatron should have known that too. He wanted to protest, and argue, and make his leader see reason.

Determinedly Soundwave buried the urge to do so. It would earn him nothing but more punishment, and he had so little time. Submissively he bowed his head. "Lord Megatron's disappointment in my service, distressing. Your approval has great meaning, always sought. No intention to cause my lord pain, or threaten stability of empire. No apology sufficient.

"Circumstances of camera's location, still unknown," he went on to say, then hurried to add more when he sensed Megatron tensing. "But, acknowledged, Soundwave failed in assigned task. Responsibility, completely mine. Please, my lord, show mercy."

There was no immediate answer, and Soundwave dared to look up. Megatron was studying him, considering the request. "I forgave you for the sulking disappearances. I forgave you for missing a giant Autobot sigil splattered across my own statue. Soundwave... I don't know how you can expect forgiveness for this."

"Not expected; only pleaded. Megatron, powerful leader. Service to you, highest honor. Soundwave, willing to forsake any privilege to remain your soldier. If my lord chooses to reduce estate, reduce rank... to take home." Soundwave had to clear his vocalizer, but he kept going. "Such judgment, only fair."

Only please don't take Jazz.

He did not dare voice that aloud, but all the same he had a strange feeling Megatron knew what he was thinking anyway. Silence fell again, while Megatron circled him, and Soundwave kept his gaze on the floor and fought not to tremble. He also tried not to think about how much time he was losing, or the incomplete datapad in his office, or Jazz lying in the medbay. Eventually Megatron grabbed the nearest chair and dragged it closer so he could sit, staring down at Soundwave with a thoughtful air.

"For what nearly happened today, I should take everything from you. I won't, because I am generous and I know how useful you've been to me in the past. But Soundwave, you have a distraction problem. And if I must, I will beat it out of you."

He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, optics narrowing. "Or, you can tell me that I dealt with that distraction already when I gave Jazz back to the Seekers."

The terrible knowing in his gaze pinned Soundwave to the floor. Panic brushed at his spark, but outwardly his only reaction was to shake his head. "Jazz, never a distraction from official duties. Work, always takes precedence. Jazz, only a distraction from failure to sustain first Autobot slaves. His behavior, lively; his attentions, pleasing. Progress made in training him, extensive. Please, Lord Megatron, reconsider –"

"Reconsider what? Giving away the shiny little bot that graced your berth? I warned you before, Soundwave, he was only ever there because I allowed it. I no longer do. Jazz is more prize than you deserve."

Soundwave bowed his head even lower, almost to the floor. "Agreed, Lord Megatron. Jazz, more than I deserve. However, if my lord will have enough pity to return him regardless, Soundwave will give anything that is asked."

He knew he'd made a mistake as soon as he looked up. Rage flashed through Megatron's optics and he lunged half out of his chair, grabbing Soundwave by the neck and hauling him up to face Megatron directly. The abrupt pressure on his neck cables made him choke, and he had to struggle not to fight back, to push himself free. "What is he to you?" he roared. "Is he more than a toy? Is he more than your leader?"

"Never," Soundwave hurried to deny, under a hail of damage alerts. He couldn't quite stand or kneel, and Megatron was holding up his entire weight by the iron grip around his neck. "Never more – Soundwave, only loyal to Megatron. Jazz, only a slave. Soundwave, worked very hard to train slave to obedience… please, Lord Megatron." Desperately he pressed an open hand against his own chest compartment. "This model, built to capture and keep others. Adopted charges, once taken in, not easily released. Core programming forbids it. Inclination to keep Jazz, a result of base coding."

This pain was excruciating. He did his best to hold still in Megatron's grasp, not even allowing himself to gulp. What he'd just said was truth, but not all of it, and Soundwave was afraid Megatron was staring into him so hard that somehow he would see it. What was that look in his optics? Anger? Suspicion? Jealousy?

The awful silence was broken by a crackle from this room's comm station. "Lord Megatron, this is Enforcement Co-Commander Blitzwing on emergency channel x23, requesting immediate response."

"Not now," Megatron snapped. "I'm busy."

"Sir, I respectfully suggest –"

"I said not now!"

"Sir." The voice filtering through the comm station was audibly stressed, and Soundwave wondered how long he'd been trying to contact Megatron on his personal comlink before resorting to this. "I have to insist on now. Some disorder has broken out in the commercial districts. We thought we had it under control, but then a new -"

"Send the lawkeepers, that's what they're there for!"

"All enforcement officers have been deployed, Lord Megatron, but they've had no effect and the violence is starting to spread. Astrotrain and I are both convinced we need more force to contain the riot. We request your command for Decepticon mobilization."

Megatron ground his denta, but dropped Soundwave to the floor and stepped over him to get to his console. "Busy day for mutinies," Soundwave heard him mutter, and then Megatron slapped his hand against the comm console for a wideband channel. "All Decepticons! Report for duty at coordinates broadcast by Blitzwing. Some civilians apparently need a reminder of the empire they serve. Starscream will assume field command until stated otherwise. I expect everyone there in under one breem; move out."

He switched off the channel, then turned back to Soundwave. "I don't think we're quite done here, but luck is on your side, Soundwave. Make yourself useful and help bring down this rabble. We'll finish this later."

He strode out of the room, and Soundwave scrambled to follow.

Soundwave's first impression of the commercial district was that the city itself had gone insane. Blitzwing's bland descriptions didn't begin to cover the chaos now boiling out of every alleyway and sidestreet. Frantic mecha stampeded in every direction, in no apparent cooperation with each other, trampling both stalls and bodies in their panic. Soundwave had long associated the word 'riot' with the political demonstrations orchestrated by Megatron in the early revolution, a mass of angry mecha marching in the streets to make their demands. This had no organization or purpose like those did, and amounted to nothing but pure pandemonium. From above, the mecha swirled in the streets like Earth's ocean, and Soundwave watched them break against the oncoming Decepticons like a wave against rocks.

To face battle was both strange and familiar at the same time. The Decepticons had not known true combat in years. There were regular drills, of course; military-built models couldn't survive without at least the occasional maneuvers exercise held outside the city. They had practiced their shooting and their knife-fighting in casual routine, surrounded by friends and banter but no live fire. Now the clock turned backward. Long-dormant battle protocols activated themselves, and weapons that had been silent hummed to life. Soundwave fell back into old habits with curious ease, marking a channel for battlefield communication, distributing the frequency, then locking it from outsider's prying audios. Not that there was much danger of that with this crowd. Odd as it felt to move into combat again, it was odder still to face off against an enemy that was not Autobot. They had no strategy forming their movements, no key officers to target, and - as Soundwave quickly confirmed - absolutely no idea how to fight.

Barking orders at his air troops, Starscream directed trines of Seekers to sweep the streets, raking the crowds with laserfire. Unlucky mecha fell to the ground while the rest of the rioters screamed and clambered over each other to escape. Elsewhere, the Constructicons waded easily through thickets of mecha, knocking them down without effort. These were no soldiers, only civilians who'd begun a battle they couldn't finish. Wherever Soundwave looked, they fell before Decepticons. Yet the Decepticons were outnumbered one to a hundred, and no matter how many of them fell the crowds had still more. The city's panic thrived, and Megatron raged at all of them "to put an end to this now, or by Primus you will share their fate!"

Positioned in a relatively empty cross street, Soundwave turned his attention away from his surroundings and toward wider surveillance, opening his links with the aerials to a high dataflow. Laserbeak and Buzzsaw skimmed over the top of the roiling crowd, images and sounds streaming back to Soundwave. Through them, he saw some civilians cooperating enough to throw scrap junk into the mouths of alleyways, building impromptu barricades. They were defending themselves not against Decepticons, but from small bands of enforcers. He watched merchants scrambling to haul boxes of their goods to safety while the lawkeepers shot at them and stole their property. On other streets the lawkeepers sheltered merchants and struggled to help them hide their property in time. And everywhere, wherever they could, cratedwellers from the ghettoes simply looted and robbed as much as they could carry. Soundwave was startled out of his surveillance when a hysterical minibot crashed into his actual body, shouting at the top of his vocalizer.

"They're coming for our tables! They're coming for our tables! Shockwave has- oof!" He hit Soundwave so hard, he toppled backward and would have fallen if Soundwave hadn't snatched his wrist. With casual strength he lifted, letting the little bot dangle midair, and watched those terrified gold optics blanch to nearly pure white.

"Repeat statement," Soundwave ordered, but the minibot, suddenly face to face with a Decepticon in the worst way, was too dumbstruck to produce anyting other than a gulping squeak. Impatiently Soundwave dropped him and he scrambled to escape, scurrying away like a hunted technimal. Soundwave didn't bother to shoot him in the back, though he could have. His cries only confirmed what Soundwave already knew, and had known since the moment Blitzwing's voice sounded in Megatron's home. This riot was nothing more than the logical conclusion of the festering tensions between merchants and lawkeepers. Soundwave had watched the pressure build for orns, and now it had burst like an overheated boiler. It was nothing less than inevitable.

As for the timing of it, well. Soundwave was no fool, and he had not missed the elder twins' rather conspicuous absence from the battle. His attention split between monitoring the aerials' surveillance and his own monitoring of the airwaves, scanning the unguarded channels. Broadcasts were flying through the air fast and furious, as panicking mecha tried to contact friends. Some insisted that the enforcers were descending on the city, betraying the illegal merchants to Shockwave. Others said Shockwave had come to arrest the merchants, depriving the enforcers of their blackmail income. The conflicting rumors had triggered a complicated three-way riot in which no side could trust the other, and was therefore about as ugly and unfixable a mess that Soundwave could expect from Jazz. Carefully he peeled away and discarded from his recordings any mention of two tiny loud-mouthed mechs running through the streets, yelling the news with gleeful urgency.

"Lord Megatron." Effortlessly he opened up a new channel for direct contact, bypassing the battle channel with its military chatter. "This warning necessary; do not rely on intelligence or promised support from Enforcement agents."

"What? Why not?"

"Reasons complicated. Electronic and physical surveillance indicates enforcers have own agenda, cannot be considered trustworthy battle allies. Decepticons must be warned." Soundwave sensed Megatron's automatic disbelief, and pressed harder. "Full explanation, available later. Soundwave, not prone to irrational guessing. Safety of Decepticons and effective battle strategy require acknowledgement. Enforcement must be treated as possible hostiles, especially those of lowest rank. Understood?"

"Very well," Megatron said grudgingly, and seconds later Soundwave heard the warning broadcast on their general channel. Soundwave followed up by marking the three latest buildings he'd flagged for black market activity, and forwarding them to Megatron and Starscream as likely hot spots. The Decepticon strategy began to shift, selecting targets with greater care. Soundwave poured more attention back into the datastreams from his scouts, seeking suitable strike points for the Seekers, and lost all but peripheral awareness for his actual surroundings. That he'd held onto that much was probably what saved his life in the next breem when, sensing the danger, he dropped and ducked behind a corner before plasma fire nearly melted his head.

Focus snapped back to his immediate surroundings and he crouched behind his cover, weapons unlocked and ready to trigger. His attackers - two of them, from what he could hear - scrambled back behind an overturned shuttle.

"Go back to your towers, Decepticon!" one of them hollered. "Stupid aristocrat. We had a good thing going, why do you Cons have to come and wreck that too?"

They tried to peer over their cover enough to fire, and yelped when Soundwave's rifle nearly clipped them. His battle surveillance was being delayed, and if he were to be useful for the remainder of the battle he must eliminate this threat quickly. Annoyed, Soundwave started examining the surroundings, calculating side angles he might make use of. What he would have preferred was to have Ravage at his side, neutralizing minor threats like this so he could pay more attention to his primary task, but his oldest symbiote was even more mysteriously absent than his younger brothers right now. Soundwave ignored the hail of insults still being flung at him and backed away, making use of the half-demolished building behind him to cut a path around the enemy. They knew nothing of combat, and usefully provided him with the shouting he needed to keep tabs on their location, not even thinking to guard their flanks as he moved into position. One shot was enough to blow the first of them right off his pedes and into the dust, the second tried to bolt and took the shot on his kibble instead. With a scream he toppled face-forward, howling pathetically as Soundwave strode forward. He had suspected both would be enforcers, and he was right. In fact, he was fairly certain he recognized this one as the enforcer that had chased Laserbeak through the market and drawn a weapon on her. Was it really because he didn't recognize her as a Decepticon? Or was it because, as a Decepticon, she'd come too close to his own private business of extortion that day?

"Quiet," Soundwave ordered, and the anguished screams cut short. Trembling, the enforcer stared up at him and Soundwave bent closer, ensuring he had the mech's full attention. "Firing upon Decepticon, act of treason. Also, act of futility and idiocy."

"I'm sorry," he gasped. "It's the riot - they're out of control, we got scared and didn't know who to trust, please don't kill m-"

Soundwave clamped one massive hand over the blast gun wired into his arm, and tore it right off. It was only a cheap modification, probably installed so he could apply for enforcement, and came loose with a few sparks and the snap of nerve wires. The enforcer shrieked in agony, and would have kept on shrieking if Soundwave hadn't clouted him hard across the temple with his own useless gun. He collapsed, finally silent, and at the same time Soundwave's comlink came to life with Megatron's voice.

"All Decepticons, the crowds have begun to scatter. This battle is not finished until the streets are empty and curfew in place, no questions asked. Arrest whatever you don't kill. I will tell you when we've finished. And when we are, everyone will report to me."

It took them joors to completely subdue the city. Civilians were not willing to fight Decepticons, but they were willing to loot shops, start fires, and attack one another for the sake of stealing whatever could be had. Heavily outnumbered, there was little the Decepticons could do but wait for the panicked adrenaline to run its course. Spraying laser fire into the crowds dropped a few victims and scattered the rest, who would regroup on the next street until they too were shot. Eventually rioters tired, and retreated into their (or someone's) homes, and thieves who couldn't work under cover of the massive crowds vanished right after. Every public frequency in the city carried Megatron's command for curfew, and the brutal warning that anyone caught disobeying would be executed on sight. Shots dwindled, shouts faded away, and the minor fires were smothered.

Peace came back to Iacon, but it was a frigid, unnaturally silent peace. Through initial sweeps, Soundwave estimated there must be at least a hundred dead, and five times that many seriously injured. Added together, that was close to one percent of Cybertron's official population. Still more had been taken into custody, by those Decepticons willing to pause and arrest someone rather than shoot him. En masse, they were shoved into the city's jail until it was bursting. Luckily by that time the streets had emptied, and Megatron declared the battle won. Though no Decepticon had been seriously wounded, enough of them were reporting minor injuries that he ordered their regrouping in the Constructicons' medbay. Small squads having been dispatched the patrol the city, Soundwave joined the other Decepticons crowding into Hook's primary treatment room. His first instinct, of course, was to look for Jazz, but there was no sign of him in any of the recovery rooms.

He just barely heard the soft cough at his elbow, over the racket of the soldiers. Looking very small amongst all the Decepticons, First Aid hovered behind Soundwave and cleared his throat again. When Soundwave looked, his visor blanched and he dropped his gaze to the floor.

"I, uh, moved Jazz into an old storage room further back, sir. Jazz said you would want that."

"Status?"

"He's fine, sir, or he will be. Though he's still in a lot of pain and can't walk yet, there's no serious damage done to his wiring. Actually..." Tentatively First Aid lifted a hand, gaze flicking upward. "I couldn't help but notice, some of the cables in your neck -"

"Runt!" Hook bellowed, from somewhere on the other side of the medbay, and First Aid jumped. He bowed and scurried back to his master, who was barking orders at both his brothers and his slave with equal exasperation. Barely had he fled when Ravage slunk silently into his place, unnoticed by anyone around them. In a sulky sort of way, he dipped his head and plucked a datapad out of subspace. No, not just a datapad – the datapad upon which Soundwave had compiled all his data on the lawkeepers. Soundwave switched it on, and saw that it was now complete. The true wages for the enforcers had been pulled straight from the enforcement office terminal itself, along with a track log of all the inappropriate fiddling done to conceal them in the first place.

Ravage's glare dared him to say a word. Amused, Soundwave had no need to, but gently needled Ravage's side of the link with affection and gratitude. The response was a haughty toss of the head, an image-laden reminder that Ravage despised Jazz, and to stalk away. The loyalty of his eldest had been a hard fight to win, but Soundwave would not sell it for any price. Ravage was faithful to the end.

"Enough!" Megatron snarled somewhere on the far side of the room, shrugging off Hook with a violent swipe of the arm. The medic promptly made himself scarce, and the nearest Decepticons all backed away as Megatron strode to the center of the room. "Today was not a good day for my empire, Decepticons. I conquered this planet to bring it stability, and order, not watch it spontaneously combust around me. Fires in the streets, mobs trampling the enforcers, factories overrun and my energon storage vaults attacked! Do any of you think what happened today was acceptable? Is anyone here proud of Decepticon rule?"

He smashed a heavy fist into the nearest flat surface, buckling it without effort. Everyone held themselves carefully still. "Whether you are or not, I am not satisfied. And I want to know what happened today, to ensure it will never happen again. I expect answers, and nobody is going home until I get them."

Glances were exchanged. Nobody was especially anxious to speak up, but they knew their leader well and knew that if he demanded answers, answers must be given. Cautiously Scrapper cleared his throat. "I, uh, dunno what it means, but I heard a lot of mechs shouting about their tables."

"I heard that too," Long Haul affirmed, quick to back up his brother. "Everybody was screamin' about Shockwave – that he'd come to steal them." Automatically everyone looked to Shockwave, standing on the far side of the room and looking conspicuously pristine compared to the scuffed and scraped soldiers around him. Obviously taken aback, he stared blankly at the Constructicons.

"No, I heard it was Shockwave sending enforcement agents to shut them down," Dirge spoke up.

"Then why did I have to duck potshots from the enforcers?" Thundercracker pointed out acidly, still holding magnetic mesh against a seeping wound on his wing. "They shot at me, and they could see me just fine. They knew exactly who I was when they took aim."

"'Down with Shockwave, down with bribes,'" Mixmaster recited, and cringed when Shockwave swiveled a vicious glare his way. "I m-mean, that's what I heard them sh-shouting. They wouldn't stop, even when I was cracking their helms against the street. I dunno what they meant."

"Maybe somethin' to do with the fact that I found six lawkeepers shootin' it out with a pack of civvies in a warehouse full of top-grade cubes."

"No, those enforcers were covering civvie merchants, I saw it with my own optics."

More and more Decepticons found something to say, adding to the heap of damning indictments piled at Shockwave's pedes. Not only the Seekers but the Constructicons, mechs directly under Shockwave's own purview, were speaking up, and Soundwave watched his optic get a little paler with every new comment. Megatron was looking back and forth to each speaker at first, but now his gaze settled on Shockwave and stayed there, hard and cold.

"My lord," Shockwave said nervously, "I don't know what those filthy ghetto dwellers were carrying on about, but I can hardly be held responsible for -"

Megatron held up a hand. "I will see you in my office, Shockwave. Dismissed."

Stunned silent, everyone in the room heard the falter in Shockwave's ventilations. No one had ever seen the premier dismissed in such a peremptory manner, and Shockwave himself didn't quite seem to believe what he'd heard. Optic blanched in dismay, he shuffled a step forward, hesitated, then wisely resigned himself to obedience.

"O-of course, my lord. I will speak with you at your convenience." Simmering in humiliation, he bowed and retreated, his exit made all the more awkward for having to wade past several gaping Decepticons before he could reach the door.

"Somebody's in tro~ouble," Skywarp sang softly under the hum of his systems, snickering, and Soundwave glanced to Starscream. He was the only one in the room not watching Shockwave's disgraced retreat, but instead stared at Soundwave, mouth steadily falling open with astonishment. Impassively Soundwave returned the look, letting Starscream draw his own conclusions.

"As for the rest of you," Megatron was saying, "every Decepticon is now considered to be on active duty until informed otherwise, when I am sure this city is well and truly again under control. Report to your superiors for patrol assignments. Curfew will be lifted when I see fit. When it is, there will be a public flogging of those arrested in the riots, so the city may learn by example what happens to those who do not respect the laws of the empire. See that it's taken care of, Soundwave."

More than conscious that this was a task Megatron would have normally designated to Shockwave, Soundwave bowed in acceptance. Megatron grunted and turned on his heels, soldiers diving out of his path to the exit. Everyone vented in relief when the door slammed shut behind him, glad there had been no worse recrimination and doubly glad they were not Shockwave. Immediately their gossipy chatter filled the room, and Soundwave still had Starscream's full attention. Discreetly he tilted his head toward the nearest recovery room, and the wide-opticked Starscream trotted after him without demur.

"You," he started, the second the door had slid shut, "didn't do that. You... couldn't have done that. There is no way in this universe that you, Soundwave, could have possibly done that." Wildly he gestured at the walls, presumably to indicate the riot itself. "I mean- could you?"

There was something almost amusing about the fascinated stare Starscream had fixed upon him, as if he couldn't decide whether to be horrified or in awe. "Negative," Soundwave answered calmly. "Starscream, of course, correct. Soundwave, not given to such activities as triggering riots. Starscream knows this."
That much was true, and Starscream hesitated, looking awfully confused and just a little disappointed. "However, timing fortuitous. This datapad contains full details of every mistake Shockwave made, all factors that contributed to city's unrest. Evidence, extensive."

He held out the datapad. Yesterday the information would have been worthless; trying to show it to Megatron would have garnered nothing but a bored glance and a sharp reminder to respect the empire's laws. Now that Megatron was angry and ready to cast blame, it was nothing less than a small fortune in power. Starscream lifted it from Soundwave's hand as if holding precious jewels, almost caressing the edges of the precious datapad.

"Starscream should have no trouble preserving grounds for desired academy," Soundwave continued. "Now, return Jazz to my custody."

Starscream looked to be infatuated with his new prize, but he was still Starscream after all, and a cunning gleam stole into his optics. "Tell me why I shouldn't just double-cross you now, and take Jazz home tonight anyway."

"Desire to not suffer same fate as Shockwave," Soundwave answered promptly, without so much as a twitch. Starscream's optic ridges went up just a little, startled and obviously still unsure what Soundwave had done today. There was no reading Soundwave, though, and Starscream already had the greatest asset in his own hands. It only took him a few nanokliks to consider the options, and then he shrugged in a careless way.

"I'll have to buy something pretty for Skywarp, I suppose. It's worth it. Shockwave's career has just taken a rather killing blow, and I should have no trouble digging my academy compound out of the entrails." He licked his lips with anticipation, tracing a fingertip up and down along the edge of the datapad's screen. "Do you want to do it together? There'll be more than enough for the both of us."

Soundwave shook his head. Shockwave's standing with Megatron had already been crippled well enough, and for him it was sufficient to know that his home was no longer in danger, and Jazz back inside it where he belonged. Let Starscream gobble up the glory, if he liked.

"Fine, suit yourself. I will tell Megatron I forgot how annoying that slave is and that, given the circumstances of our mutually difficult day, I am more than willing to return him to his rightful owner. I don't know how you're going to convince Megatron, but I'll leave that to you... along with the slave. Ta-ta, Soundwave, it was a pleasure doing business with you."

He fluttered his optics at Soundwave in a coquettish manner, then pranced out the door. At last. Soundwave watched him depart the medbay, but the front room was still crowded with Decepticons. The Autobot slave was intent on dressing Thundercracker's gashed wing, but when he saw Soundwave waiting in the doorway his hand shook and he stopped his task.

"Excuse me, sir, I need to get more clamps. Keep putting pressure on that line- I mean, please keep putting pressure there, and I will be right back." Thundercracker nodded impatiently, and First Aid bowed before slipping back to Soundwave. Hook's medbay was only one portion of the sprawling complex of the Constructicons, and he led Soundwave past examination rooms and equipment storage closets before turning into a small corridor. There was only one door and he opened it, quickly scooting aside so that Soundwave could enter. The room was crowded with storage crates, some of which had been shoved aside to make room for the gurney on which Jazz was lying. He was awake, but just barely, Soundwave could tell that much from the subdued glow in his visor. He rolled his head to the side when he heard the door opening, one arm flopping uselessly outward, and grinned at Soundwave.

"There's my prince," he drawled. "Come to rescue your helpless damsel in distress at last."

"Jazz, not helpless," Soundwave answered wryly, closing the distance between them, and Jazz's grin turned sly.

"Well that'll be our little secret, now won't it?" Still stiff with pain, he curled into Soundwave's arms when he was scooped up off the gurney, and linked his hands behind Soundwave's neck. "Aid, be a doll and show us a slightly more discreet exit out of this place, would you? Can't say I fancy wading through a crowd of Decepticons just now."

He didn't even look at the other Autobot as he spoke, gaze fixed on Soundwave, and didn't see the astonished look on the slave's face. First Aid was staring at them both, and he did not look especially pleased. "I - yes, Jazz. Of course, this way."

He backed away and turned to lead them, and Jazz rested his head against Soundwave's shoulder. "I'm so tired," he yawned. "Let's go home."

Soundwave couldn't agree more.

"Oh here it comes- arg!" Jazz braced himself not-quite-soon-enough for the assault, as the door slid shut behind them. Instantly four of Soundwave's symbiotes descended on them both, chirping or babbling with relief according to model, nipping, biting, and punching wherever and as often as they could. Still in considerable pain, Jazz shrank into Soundwave's arms and tried to shield himself, to no avail. His muffled yelps did nothing to stop the overexcited attentions of his cassettes, and Soundwave had to shoo them off with chastising pulses of disapproval.

"Enough. Jazz's oversensitivity to physical contact, still severe. Traditional symbiote expression of relief must wait for his complete recovery."

"Or never," Jazz mumbled, though not hopefully.

"Also, your presence required elsewhere. Post-battle surveillance required, specifically more detailed casualty count, severely damaged properties, and evidence of looting. Megatron must have all information available. Reminder: non-Decepticons still under curfew. Unaccounted civilians outside must be reported."

"Aww…"

"Now," he said sternly, and the wings and shoulders of his tired symbiotes drooped. Ravage, who never forgot his proper duties, was already out in the city, but he knew how exhausted the others were. Mentally he comforted them with promises of joint massage and a long recharge soon enough, if they could just do enough to make sure Megatron would be satisfied. Disappointed, Laserbeak and Buzzsaw glided out the balcony doorway, and Rumble and Frenzy fired up their thrusters to follow.

"Rumble. Frenzy."

There it was, the telltale flinch they could not help but show whenever he used that tone of voice. Guiltily they ducked their heads and peeked over their shoulders. "Yeah, boss?"

"Remain inconspicuous."

"Yes, boss!" They flashed relieved grins and launched into the air, dwindling into tiny points of light against the landscape. Soundwave turned away and carried Jazz through the now-peaceful apartment. In his personal chamber, he sat Jazz down on the edge of the berth and fetched a damp cloth from the washracks. Jazz was no longer a walking threat of electrocution, but Soundwave could still feel the burning heat from within his armor gaps. Gently he pressed the coolant-soaked cloth against what bare wires he could reach, trying to bring down his temperature.

"Jazz, disobeyed command not to corrupt symbiotes."

Jazz's visor had dimmed considerably, but at that an amused blue gleam flickered into existence. "I, of course, don't have any idea what you're talkin' about, my love. I've just been lying in a medberth all day. But if I were to discuss that thing that I don't know anything about, referring to the things those kids didn't do, then I would say that it wasn't so much about me but because they love you. And they would do anything for you." Jazz touched him lightly in the center of his chest glass, almost as if to rest his hand there, but drew it away when he realized what he was doing. "But of course, I had nothing to do with that."

"Lucky for Jazz," Soundwave commented. "Otherwise, efforts to remain with Soundwave could be considered one point in my favor."

Jazz stiffened, surprised, then quickly laughed. "I think this time it's Jazz and Soundwave: one, rest of the world: zero."

And wasn't that an interesting observation, complete with any number of dangerous implications that Soundwave preferred not to contemplate right now. He filed those thoughts away for later and went back to his original point. "Fact remains, Jazz fought to escape Skywarp. Fought to return to my custody. Jazz, begged to return to me."

"Ah, well. I would miss… Laserbeak." Jazz flashed him a flippant grin. "And the rest of the kids. You know how bored they would be without me around. And speaking of boring, we both know Skywarp can't give me half the challenge you can. That ain't no game worth playin'." He kept trying to look away and Soundwave moved to the side, putting himself back in Jazz's field of vision.

"Jazz, speak honestly. Only this once, say the truth."

Silence. Soundwave saw a shadow of fear cross that visor, and didn't think Jazz would obey, but after a moment's hesitation Jazz opened his mouth again. "The truth? You know I'm not so good with that, but after today I guess you do deserve it. The truth is, Soundwave, that I wanted to stay with you. When Skywarp was dragging me away, all I could think about was getting back to your side. He had no right to interrupt what's happening between us."

He looked down, watching his fingers entwine themselves with Soundwave's, and summoned another wan smile. "After all, you know too much about me now. And I know too much about you. We're all… bound up together, like tangled suspension coils, and I can't be separated from you just yet."

The glow in his visor was soft and lush. Unconsciously he leaned forward, face moving closer to Soundwave's, then he hesitated and backed away. Whether it was because Soundwave's mask was in the way or just that he'd realized what he was about to do, Soundwave didn't know, but he had no intention of allowing Jazz to get away so easily. He retracted his mask and caught Jazz's chin in a firm grip, steering his face closer.

"Finish what you start," he commanded. Jazz trembled in his grasp, but there was no resistance. He was not capable of it. Helplessly Jazz tipped forward and pressed his lips to Soundwave's, soft dermal metal pressing against his own. His spark jumped at the contact, heat accelerating through his body, and then Jazz was deepening the kiss, glossa sliding into Soundwave's mouth. He was warm, and still tasted of charged ions, tiny tingles of energy sizzling pleasantly wherever he touched. Both of them pushed deeper, relishing the sensation, and Soundwave heard Jazz moan into the kiss. Soundwave kept silent but that didn't mean he wasn't affected, oh no, the surges of heat pulsing outward from his spark were becoming more frequent and more demanding by the second. Soundwave must have him, all of him, and without delay. He must.

The tiny tremors in Jazz's hands, as they clasped the edges of his armor, forced his reconsideration. Jazz was too exhausted and still suffering from internal injuries that made interface impossible, let alone enjoyable. Soundwave wanted his slave very much, but this was not the time, and to ignore that reality would be to throw away megacycles of careful patience. He let Jazz determine the length of the kiss, and by the time he finally pulled away, Soundwave could see he was panting a little. The look on his face was caught between aroused and terrified.

"I- I don't..."

"Hush, lie down. Your recharge, overdue and sorely needed."

Jazz looked ready to argue, perhaps convinced he needed to explain himself, but Soundwave silenced him with a finger over the mouth and nudged his slave into lying down. He did not lie down beside him but remained seated on the edge of the berth, rubbing gentle circles around Jazz's aching joints. It wasn't long before Jazz gave up and fell into recharge. He needed his rest so desperately; they all did, but Soundwave couldn't bring himself to sleep just yet. The day had been too full of frightening close calls to let him relax now, especially since Soundwave was all too aware that the danger wasn't over yet. Jazz was lying in his berth after all, in direct disobedience to Megatron's command, and that wasn't a detail his leader was going to miss. Even if Starscream had kept his word, how to convince Megatron that Jazz should still belong to Soundwave? He was mulling over how best to appeal to Megatron's charity, formulating arguments, when he was startled by an unexpected comm from Megatron himself.

"Good work today," Megatron said briskly, without preliminaries. "Keep the slave."

He signed off without waiting for an acknowledgement, and left Soundwave sitting stunned in the dark. Jazz's ventilations were slow and even, his recharge deep, and he didn't even stir when Soundwave stood up and left the room. His loft was still empty, but Soundwave did not need physical proximity to reach out to his symbiotes. Briefly he brushed minds with each of them, the mental equivalent of a quick hug, seeking comfort in the best way he knew how. He disguised it as a simple check on their status, but Ravage was not fooled. Soundwave felt his curiosity and worry, inquiring the reason for his master's new distress.

"Megatron, allowing continued ownership of Jazz," Soundwave answered quietly, now outside on his balcony. Even in the darkness of curfew, he could see Decepticon Command looming in the distance. Ravage's surprise was evident, and so was his confusion. They all knew how angry Megatron had been.

Easy/unexpected, ran the gist of Ravage's thoughts. Why?

"Because now, he wants me to have this weakness."

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters