A/N: Okay then so after publishing my last chapter, Scrap's Starlight (which I will add was clearly a flop so I won't be publishing anymore of), I had a couple of comments about 'Do you ever plan on saving Soundwave?' and I got inspired to finish a old chapter I planned. So, with thanks to Xenozip for helping out, I can now share with you:
Operation: Save Soundwave
Scrap groaned as she flopped back in the driver's seat, her groan turning into a yawn. "Well, I'm glad that all seems to be over. But primus sake, how did it escalate so quickly?" She commented to her friend.
Knockout chuckled lightly as he drove down the road. "It did, just a little."
"I mean, sure, cops do turn up at street races but why did that guy decide to start shooting!"
"Why did you decide to shoot back?" Knockout said with amusement. "We probably could have made a clean get away if you hadn't."
She shrugged. "I know, I know. But I'm meant to be out here doing good things, helping people that are in trouble and such. And that guy was only going to hurt someone if he kept firing like that."
"Yeah well, now we have been legging it across country for three days."
"Sorry."
He sighed, pushing on down the road. "It's alright."
"Look, we both need a break. There is a motel up the road, we should pull in and get some rest." She yawned again. "We're both running on fumes."
"Sounds like a plan."
The motel soon came into sight and after brushing her hair back, Scrap climbed out and went to the reception, booked herself into a room and headed up to sleep.
It was nothing grand but Knockout's driver's seat wasn't the nicest place to rest so a bed of any kind was a massive improvement. She flopped onto it almost as soon as she saw it, face first into the pillows.
"When was the last time I actually slept in a bed!" She asked herself while curling up with a pillow. Primus it felt good. So kicked off her shoes and wiggled her toes before her eyes drifted shut.
Warning, firewall breach detected.
Beginning anti-virus software.
Password accepted.
Access granted.
Recording Message:
Hope; message received. Shadowzone communication; complicated. Access to systems; primitive. Soundwave; trapped. Escape; help required. Communication; easy at coordinates.
Map loaded.
Coordinates set.
Communication terminated.
Waking up the next morning, Scrap shifted as she overcame the urge to sleep more, opening her eyes and staring at the strange line of actions that had taken place while she was asleep. She had never seen anything like it before. Then again, normally when she went to sleep, she turned off her headset. But this time, in her exhaustion, she'd slept with it on.
'Soundwave; trapped'
She gasped as she realised what this mean. Soundwave. She knew he was trapped in the Shadowzone by the Autobots, they had told her as much years ago, when she worked with them. But all her attempts to save him, or even contact him, had been in vain. Now… now he had made contact.
"Knockout!" She shouted while bolting for the door. "Knockout, it's Soundwave! He's still alive!"
"What?" The car said, his headlights turning on as he woke up. "Seriously? How can you be sure?"
"He contacted me, last night. I left my headset on and he… he left me a message. He's alive Knockout! He's out there! We have to help him."
The red car pulled slowly away from his rest spot and faced her. "But… he's in the Shadowzone."
"He sent me some coordinates. I have no idea why but we need to go, find out what is going on."
Her partner paused before opening the driver's door. "Let's get going."
Stepping forwards, Scrap suddenly stopped and backed off slightly. "Actually, he's been in the Shadowzone for 5 years, he can wait for me to have a shower. I'll be back in an hour."
Chuckling the car went back to his space and settled down for a little bit more sleep while his human went back to her room for a wash and to change her clothes, coming back out looking a lot more refreshed and awake than she had before, climbing into the driver's seat and headed off towards the coordinates. It was a two day drive and the two travellers spent most of it driving, stopping at road side cafes so Scrap could eat and Knockout could rest then stopped over at an energon hide hole.
Since Knockout was the only cybertonian still on Earth constantly, the Autobots had set up drop points across America and even a few international so the former con could travel as much as he wanted and stay out of their circuits. The only conditions were that he kept Scrap safe and out of trouble but both targets were difficult to achieve at times.
Fuelled up, they made the last little drive to where Soundwave had directed them and found a small town with barely 20 shops in it. "Reminds me of Jasper." Scrap commented as they cruised around.
"This place is greener." Knockout added, passing a park full of lush trees and flowers.
His human nodded as they came to a final stop outside a building advertising itself as an internet cafe. "This is the place." She said as she allowed Knockout to park then climbed out, looking over the building. "Not getting any odd readings or anything… this place is pretty normal. I'm going to check out inside."
"Alright, I'll stay out here. Keep my optics open."
Hand in her pocket, pressing over the miniaturised cybertonian gun she kept hidden there, the human headed into the cafe, looking up as the bell above the door rang out to announce her entrance. There were about 15 different computers in the place, every one of them empty while to the other side was an old couple sat with a cup of coffee and cake each. Towards the back was the counter where a man was busy cleaning but he looked up at the new customer. "Hi there, how can I help?"
"Yeah, this is going to sound odd but I wanted to ask, has anything… strange being going on around here recently?"
The man, identified as Tony by his nametag, sighed deeply. "You heard about the problems then? Look, I'm sorry, I know we were the only good place to get internet around here but now… I dunno."
"You've been having problems?"
"Slow connections, screens showing strange symbols, mouse and keyboards stopping suddenly… business has taken a dive since this all started."
"How long has this been going on?"
"It's gotten worse over the last few years. Started about 5 years ago but it's so bad now, I've lost all my customers."
A smile crept over the red head's face and she looked around the computers. "Which one is the worst?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"I might have a way to fix it." She explained with a shrug. "I'm good with tech."
Tony looked at her for a bit before nodding to the computer to one side, a piece of paper marking it as 'Out of order'. "That's the worst one. Works for one moment then all of a sudden, unresponsive and just… I've had it taken away, tested… new parts and all but still won't work."
Having walked over to the machine, the woman took the note off and looked at it. "It's got a web camera?"
"Yeah, only one in the shop. Figured it might be something to do with that but then the others started going crazy too and… its madness." Tony said, hovering over her shoulder as she turned the machine on and was faced with a log in screen. "Oh, I'll get you a log in."
"No need." She chuckled lightly, tapping at the keys quickly, entering codes and passwords and soon the screen changed as she logged in.
Tony blinked as he looked at it. "How did you do that?"
"I told you, I'm good with tech. Now then, if I am right, which I think I am, your problem is… right… here." She explained as she opened up a program and suddenly the screen showed the video camera feed and a chat page.
The shop owner looked confused. "But… that's just a web chat."
"Yes. But the thing about cameras is; you don't always need someone on the other side to see you. Don't you read the conspiracy theories? About the FBI using your web camera to spy on you?" She smirked up at him then looked back at the screen just as a little notification popped up.
'S0un#!wA\/3 Online'
"And there he is." Scrap smiled as she looked back to the camera. "It's been a long time Soundwave. You've been causing trouble I see."
The screen was still but then on the text side, the cursor moved.
Soundwave: glad Scrap at location. Communication: Primitive. Effect: Short range.
"Yeah, I got your message. How did you manage to hack into my headset if you are stuck to short range contact?"
Shop patron: data net search. Search: Hotels in area. Search enable data transfer. Soundwave: temporarily access hotel. Communication: via location Wi-Fi. Attempts: Numerous. Soundwave: Fortunate to find Scrap.
The human chuckled as she looked at the screen then sighed. "So you used the web searches of the shop to get to other Wi-Fi connections, hacked into them and looked for me? Very clever Soundwave, very clever. Not that I would expect less from you."
Soundwave: learn about humans from human. Skills: Based on Scrap's. Soundwave's Teacher: Scrap.
"Oh don't, you'll make me blush."
Scrap's appearance: Changed. Different to memory.
"It has been five years Soundwave."
The screen was still for a very long time then moved once again. Time: Hard to appreciate. Shadowzone: Unchanging.
Nodding, Scrap settled into the seat. "Yeah, on that subject, how are you even doing this? I read the Autobot's report, you were sent into the Shadowzone on the Nemesis. And according to what Jack and the others told me, the Shadowzone is a loop of around a 4 mile radius…." She paused then nodded to herself. "4 miles… Of course. It's not just 4 miles flat, its 4 miles high too. You were above this location when you went in."
Analysis: correct. Shadowzone: contained area.
"So you have had five years to think of a way out. According to the Autobots, the only way out is to open another ground bridge in the same location as the original one. Problem is the Nemesis is now on Cybertron and as much as the bots owe me a few favours, I don't have any big enough to get them to bring the ship back here so I can get you out of there."
Nemesis: under Autobot control?
Blinking, Scrap lowered her head and closed her eyes, collecting herself for a moment before speaking again. "Soundwave, I… I don't know how to tell you this but… the war is over. Megatron is dead, the Cons are disbanded and… well… we lost."
Decepticons: Lost? Megatron: Deactivated? Scrap: Current condition?
"Knockout switched sides in the last few hours of the war but then was taken in for his past crimes and I was… I was well… I was given the sentence of living my life out as a human. Optimus showed me mercy. So I worked for the government with Fowler and Jack for a while but then… well, you know me Soundwave, I've never been one for following the rules. So I left, planning to just travel the world and see it all." She paused then smiled. "The Autobots then decided to give me a little gift and sent Knockout. His punishment for the whole war is… a sort of banishment and he has to look after me. So we drift, getting into trouble, stopping it when we can… just living the life."
Scrap: Happy?
"It's a life I never thought I would have. I don't have to worry about money, I just hack a bank every now and then… I get to see things with my best friend and I kick ass when people get in my way."
Scrap: unchanged.
She snorted a laugh. "Nope, not me. Never gonna change me. But enough about me, how are we going to get you out of there?"
Solution: unknown. Assistance required. Data net: Primitive. Use: limited
"Well I know where to find you now. Between the two of us, I'm sure we can think of something. It won't be easy but I will get you out Soundwave, I promise."
Communication with others: Welcomed.
"I know. Good to talk to you too." She looked over her shoulder at Tony, who was watching and listening to every word she said intently, before going back to the screen. "Now, I will stay close, work on ideas to get you out but while I do, you need to do me a favour and stop messing with this shop's computers."
Explain: Reason.
"Call it a good deed. Speed up the computers around here, stop any viruses while you're waiting for me to get back to you. It's not like you have anything better to do in there." She said, tapping on the camera lens for effect. "So make yourself useful while you wait."
Soundwave: Try.
"That's all I can ask. Alright Soundwave, I will come back in a few days' time. Just hold on okay? I will get you out, you have my word."
Soundwave: Waiting. Contact: appreciated. Promise: trusted.
Standing up, Scrap smiled at the lens then kissed her finger before tapping it to the camera once more. "Until then Sounds."
'S0un#!wA\/3 Offline'
Scrap took a moment, looking at the lines of text on the screen before deleting them and shut the machine down with a few sharp movements on the keys and turned to look at the only other person in the shop, the old couple having left at some time in her conversation. The man swallowed as he watched her approach. "Everything alright?"
"As alright as it can be." She sighed, leaning on a chair. "I've sorted your problem, your systems should be fine now."
"Sorted? You just sat there and… talked to… I dunno, what were you talking to?"
With a small, self-interested smirk, the woman nodded. "I guess you could call it… a virus."
"A virus you talk to?"
"Yeah. But I have got it to behave, even help you." She shifted and pulled her shirt straight once more. "Now, I am going to be in the area for a while and I will need to use your shop to keep in touch with… it. Until then, you're systems will be working at full efficiency but when I come back, I will need that computer again. Understand?"
"Umm… yeah, sure."
With another nod, she turned and walked out, heading off to find Knockout and update him on the situation.
~#~
"Hey, Jack!" the red head called as the young man entered the diner and looked around for a moment. Once spotting her, he smiled and walked over, giving her a warm hug that she returned. "Thanks for coming to see me Jack."
"It's been years since I saw you Scrap." He chuckled as they stepped back and he took the spare seat at her table. "I haven't had any reports on your actions recently, you finally staying out of trouble?"
"I'm just getting better at making sure you don't find out." She teased. "How are things back at base?"
"Pretty good. We are working on combining human and Cybertonian technology at the moment, mainly medical. It's slow process but… we are coping." He nodded to her then smiled. "Be a lot faster if you came back."
"Never gonna happen Jack."
"I know, but I had to ask."
"True." She grinned then looked over at the waitress as she approached. "One fresh orange juice for me and some pancakes please. And Jack will have a… black coffee, four sugars and cream and a… eggs with white toast. Over easy on the eggs."
"You remember my favourite?" The other asked, surprised and amused.
"We dated for a year and a half and you had the same breakfast every time we went out. Of course I remember it."
Jack smiled at the memory. "Shame it didn't work out."
"Never date your colleague. It was doomed from the start."
As the waitress walked away, Jack looked around at the cars outside. "No Doc bot?"
"You know he hates it when you call him that. And no, he's gone out… indulging himself."
"Indulging? Dare I ask?"
She nodded towards the town out the window. "There is a valet service on the other side of town. Knockout has taken to enjoying a little pampering. I dropped him off and asked for a full service."
"And he lets other humans touch him?"
"As he said, why wax yourself when you can get a fleshy to do it for you? He's changed a lot since the old days. Travelling the world does that to you."
"Glad to hear it. How are those energon drop offs working out?"
"Perfectly, but you might want to up the deliveries to this area, Knock and I are going to be sticking around here for a while."
Taking out a small notepad from his pocket, Jack made the note with a nod. "Sure, we can do that for you. Any reason why?"
That was when the redhead paused, thinking before she spoke again. "It's the reason why I asked you to come here." she took a breath and let it out slowly. "I need your help."
"Not in trouble I hope."
"I'm not, no. But…" She looked down at the table. "Well, I've been contacted."
Jack stared at her, hard for a moment. "By?"
Her eyes lifted to his. "Soundwave."
Clearly tensing at the name, Jack quickly glanced at the nearby tables to see if anyone else was near enough to hear them. Even after checking they were alone, he leant forwards and kept his voice down when he spoke. "Soundwave? The last I heard of him, he was in the Shadowzone. He isn't… out, is he?"
"No, he's still trapped."
"Thank goodness." Jack sighed, relaxing a bit. "The last thing we need is Soundwave on the loose."
"What?"
"Well, think about it El, he was probably the most dangerous con out there. Unquestionable loyalty, the information he had access to could cripple human life as we know it and he was a match as a fighter for even the toughest bot to take on."
Scrap stared at him for a bit then sighed. "I want to get him out."
"What!" He tensed again. "Scrap, are you mad? Did you not just hear me? He's dangerous and you want to release him? You can't. It's not safe."
"Jack, I have to."
"Look, I know Soundwave was your friend but you have to look at it from our point of view. The Shadowzone is… creepy but… but if he can talk to you now then, why can't you just let him be? He's coped for 5 years without energon so the time differences clearly don't affect his body… why not just… let him stay there."
"Jack, I can't let him stay in that hell. I owe him my life."
The young man shook his head and leant back slightly as their drinks arrived. After a quick 'thanks' to the waitress, he turned back to his friend. "El, you always say that the cons saved your life but at the end of the day, all they did was take you in and give you hearing. That's not saving your life, it's…"
"It's different with Soundwave." She interrupted, picking up her drink and poking the straw a little. "He… literally saved my life."
Sensing a change in her demeanour, Jack frowned and leant forwards a bit. "What do you mean?"
"Soundwave… was the one who saved me from M.E.C.H."
The human blinked slowly and gulped as he looked at her. "M.E.C.H?"
"When I was 17… when I was taken by them… it was before I had a chance to prove myself to the cons so… Megatron gave the order I was not to be rescued. Knockout and Breakdown… they wanted to help me but they didn't disobey orders. But Soundwave did." Her eyes lifted to him, the pain and hurt from the memory still clear. "The Decepticon with 'unquestionable loyalty' as you called him, disobeyed a direct order from his master to save me." Her gaze fell slowly to the table. "I would have died if he hadn't saved me. Knockout showed me my scans from when he brought be back. Any longer and I would have either been killed or worse." She looked up at him. "I would have joined them. The war would have ended a very different way if I had."
Jack shivered suddenly. "Yeah, if you had joined M.E.C.H. I hate to think what would have happened to the bots." He looked over at his friend for a moment before sighing. "What do you need?"
"When you were in the Shadowzone, Ratchet created a ground bridge feedback loop to get you out. I need to know the frequencies and details, anything that you can in relation to that event."
"We keep that information pretty deep in our database."
"Yeah, I know."
"You could have just hacked it out."
Scrap gave a small smirk. "Maybe Raf finally created a firewall I can't break."
The other snorted. "Yeah right, you always could crack Raf's work."
"Well… maybe I just wanted to ask, instead of steal."
Jack paused as he contemplated her statement before sighing and nodding. "Alright, I'll get you the information you need. It might take a while to clear it but I will get it for you."
"Thanks Jack, that is all I can ask for."
With a nod, Jack looked down at his meal. "I know you will get him out but... have you thought about what will happen after?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Soundwave can't stay on Earth; he's a seeker after all, he can't go flying around without setting off some serious trouble. He will have to go back to Cybertron. But... he is marked as a criminal there. A lot of the high rank officers from the Cons have been arrested and imprisoned. Soundwave would have the same fate."
"I know." Scrap sighed as she poked her food for a bit. "Knockout is lucky. Due to him being a medic and how he looked after me, plus his last minute change of spark… he ended up being an exception to the rule." She took a mouthful, chewing slowly as she tried to think. "I just... I need to free him but I need to think of a way to keep him free. I won't let him go to Cybertron to rot in a cell."
Jack nodded as he thought over the problem. "It's just a shame he's not an automobile, he might be allowed to stay on earth if he was."
"Yeah." She mumbled, eating for a while in silence before her eyes appeared to spark with an idea. "Wait... what if he was?"
"What do you mean?"
"What if Soundwave was an automobile? He would be able to blend into human life like Knockout can. He could stay here."
"Is that possible?" Jack asked, curious about her idea.
Thinking for a bit, Scrap shook her head. "I have no idea but it's worth looking into. I'll see what Knockout says."
Her friend nodded as they ate and conversation drifted away from Soundwave and over to Jack and his work. As they finished eating, Jack smiled. "Do you think you will ever come back our way? Can't help but think you are avoiding us."
With a snort, Scrap lent back in her seat. "I'm not avoiding you. It's just so boring around Nevada."
"Well, I'm sure the others would love to see you if you ever find yourself in the area."
"I'll keep that in mind. Might need to come visit if Soundwave has to go home."
Jack paused as he looked at her. "You know I will have to report your plan. It's part of the deal, remember?"
"I know, I know." She sighed. "But the bots are far too busy elsewhere to bother with my little issues. I should have at least... three months before they have chance to decide what to do."
"Four if I can drag out my report to the end of the week." Jack offered with a kind smile.
She smiled back. "Thanks Jack, I appreciate the gesture."
They looked down at the empty plates between them before Scrap stood and reached into her pocket, pulling out a few notes and leaving them on the table. "Well, I need to get going, Knockout will be finished with his treatment soon."
Holding out his arms, Jack nodded. "Take care of yourself Scrap. And don't hesitate to call me. I'm always ready to listen to you."
Stepping into the hug, the red head patted his back and nodded before they backed away. "Say hi to the others for me."
"I will." He nodded, watching her walk out of the diner.
Scrap sighed as she left and began the walk over to the car wash, smiling to the sparkling red car that was sat near the front, clearly enjoying the looks from those passing by. Paying for the work done, she got the fake key back and climbed into his driver seat, admiring the clean look and fresh smell. "Looking good Knock." She said as he pulled away and headed down the road.
"Feeling good. You fleshies really know how to treat a car right. How was your breakfast with Jack?"
"Casual." She sighed, looking out the window and thinking about her conversation with the leader of the Earth Cybertron relations. "Jack will get me the details on the feedback loop needed to open a rift into the Shadowzone. Said it would take a while but he will get it for me."
"Still don't understand why you had to ask instead of just taking it."
"Trying to be less of a Con, remember? The whole point of this 'rehabilitation' is to try and stop breaking the law."
"Guess so." He mumbled as they drove.
After a few minutes to mull over their thoughts in the silence, Scrap sighed. "Knockout, how hard is it to reprogram a t-cog?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, say you wanted to transform into a different type of car? Like a... a new Lamborghini or something. Could you?"
Knockout chuckled at the idea. "Lamborghini? Me? I know I like to be seen but those boys just call for trouble."
"It's just an example. Could you?"
"In theory yeah."
"Is it hard?"
"Well, depends on how different a design you go for. Like car to a truck would be a lot harder than say a car to a different design of car. You'd probably need surgery for that kind of change but only minor. Why do you ask? Not tired of this sleek bod' of mine are you?"
She chuckled lightly. "Save your vanity Knockout, I'm not thinking about you."
He was quiet for a bit as he worked it out. "You mean for Soundwave?"
"Is it possible?"
Again, silence filled the space between them. "Yes. But it's not easy. Going from a flyer to ground based is hard. You don't just have to re-write the T-cog but also redesign the whole frame for things like wheels and such. It's a long and in some cases dangerous operation. The subject has to be offline for the whole process and the longer you are in stasis, the harder it is on the spark."
Scrap looked out the window as they drifted aimlessly. "It would save him."
"What?"
"If Soundwave could become a ground based automobile, he could travel safely with us across America. He wouldn't have to go to Cybertron, he wouldn't be arrested."
"You mean for him to share my banishment? And the deal? In all its details?"
That made her go silent as she considered the deal. "Take me to the cafe. I need to talk to Soundwave."
Letting his engine pick up, Knockout did as asked and drove across to the cafe in question. Even from outside, it was easy to see that it was busier than the last time they had visited. As she entered, she spotted every machine was in use, including the only one with the web camera.
Frowning, she walked up to the counter and was glad to see Tony was there, his eyes widening as he saw the red haired woman. "Ah, miss! I never did get your name last time."
"You can call me Scrap. I see business is back for you."
"Yes, thanks to you. I don't know what you did but... it's been better than ever."
"Glad you are enjoying it. But I need to get on that computer again." She said, nodding across to where the web camera was, a young man in a suit sat using it.
Tony winced a little. "Look, Scrap, that guy just started and... I don't want to kick him off."
The green eyes narrowed a bit but then she sighed. "How long?"
"He's paid for two hours but had about 30 minutes so far." He looked at her as she frowned at him. "Look, I'm sorry, I know you need it but the guy is a jerk." He sighed then forced himself to smile. "Tell you what, I will give you a free coffee and a cake while you wait. Sound fair?"
"I've just come from having my breakfast." She mumbled. "Fine. I'll take the coffee. But when his time is up, I will have that machine." Her eyes narrowed on him. "You know I can revert your issues as fast as I can fix them."
Tony had the smarts to look scared at her threat. "I know."
Walking away, she went over to a corner where she could watch the computer in question, Tony soon bringing over her drink and leaving her in peace.
Scrap sat, watching the people in the shop in her own way, pulling a pair of glasses out from her pocket and sat with them on, mentally going over her plans and information she already had, trying to work on her solution for the Shadowzone.
With her mind occupied, she sat and sipped her drink for a while before getting a message from Knockout.
Aren't you done yet? It's been half an hour.
The computer I need is in use.
So? Boot the fleshy off it!
Trying to be less Con remember? I'm only allowed to use my weapon in self-defence. Besides, it's given me time to work on the designs.
Fine. But I'm going for a drive.
Tint your glass, I do not need a freaked out police officer again.
Yes boss. Call me when you are done.
With that their link was broken and Scrap went back to her thoughts, watching the clock on the wall countdown until an hour and half had passed and she noticed the man at the computer was showing no signs of stopping. When Tony walked past her after seeing another customer, she caught his eye and gently tapped her wrist.
Tony nodded in agreement and after putting his tray down, went over to the computer in question. "Umm, excuse me sir? I'm sorry but your time is up."
The man, a young professional looking in a suit and tie, frowned at him. "Well I will pay for another 2 hours, I'm not finished."
"Sorry sir but there are other people needing the web cam."
"Well whoever else needs it can wait." He huffed. "I'm not finished." He stood and looked at the other customers who were now watching the show. "Who is it that needs this so much, hr? I'm in the middle of an important business meeting so you can wait, understand?"
"Sir, there is no need to shout." Tony said, trying to calm the man down.
"No, I paid to use this computer to my needs. So you will let me use it. Got it?"
Tony swallowed as he was faced with the fury but then a hand held his shoulder, looking back to see the redhead at his side. She nodded to him then to the man. "Sir, I'm the one waiting for the machine. I've already waited an hour and a half so I would appreciate you allowing me access."
The customer sneered as he looked her up and down and for a moment Scrap had imagined him as a human Starscream. "Well, you can wait. I'm sure your granny can wait a bit longer for her call."
"Excuse me?"
"That's why you want it, isn't it? Well, you can wait."
Scrap glared at him for a moment before taking a deep breath and relaxing her hand from its fist. "Okay, this is your last chance, log off and move or I will have to do something I really don't want to."
"I am busy okay. I don't have time to waste on you."
Again, she took a breath then reached to her pocket and pulled out her glasses, sliding them onto her face and for a moment just stood, staring at the man before her. "Last chance. Log off."
"I'm not scared of you." He huffed, turning to the machine and sitting down. Suddenly the computer screen went black and lines and lines of coding appeared. The man gasped in horror hitting the keys madly to try and remove it. "W-what's going on?"
"Every action you make has a shadow. You can delete your history or use private mode but someone as smart as me can still find the trail of what you were doing." Scrap explained as she watched him. "And I have just removed your every movement for the last two hours. Every transaction you made, cancelled. Every email you sent, deleted. Every single thing you have been doing while here, gone. As if it never happened. I have removed the last two hours of your life."
"T-That's impossible!" He shouted, still trying to get the computer to respond.
"Oh believe me, it's more than possible." She sighed, pulling her glasses off and putting them away. "So, unless you want me to delete your entire digital life, I would recommend you get up and leave. Immediately, Mr Lewis Baxter."
Looking at her, the man gulped. "How do you know my name?"
"I'm good with things like that. Now, leave."
Quickly gathering his belongings, the man practically ran out of the café leaving a satisfied smile on the other's face as she swung herself casually into the now vacant computer seat just as the screen changed for her.
'S0un#!wA\/3 Online'
She smiled as she saw it. "Afternoon Soundwave. How are you hanging in there?"
Soundwave: Operational. Investigations: completed?
"Getting there." She sighed. "I have a design for a device able to create the feedback loop and Jack has agreed to give us the frequency. So all I have to do is create it." She shrugged casually. "Won't be easy but I've already got most of the materials and a place to work so that is just a matter of time. The problem is you."
Soundwave: problem?
"Basically, what to do when we get you out. I have an idea but you might not like it."
Soundwave: Willing to listen. Scrap: Explain idea.
~#~
Wiping sweat off her hands, Scrap lent back from the soldering iron she had been working with and looked over her work. "Right I think that should do it."
Knockout looked over the device from behind her and nodded. "I'm no scientist but I think you've done it right."
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence." She teased as she pressed the button for a test, placing her glasses on as she monitored the results. "Right then, its broadcasting on the right frequency... and generating the right energy surge... should be enough to create a hole between dimensions when combined with the ground bridge." She sighed and nodded. "All we need to do now is get it as close to Soundwave's original entry point as possible."
"You did read the part of Jack's report that said 'redirecting the vortex trajectory could cause the atoms to be scattered across millions of locations or dimensions'?" Knockout reminded her. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I never really liked old 'dark and silent' but I don't really want to waste all this work."
"I know. It's a risk but Soundwave's extra programming should mean his atoms remain together." She chuckled softly as she put the wires into a protective case. "We have talked about it for the last three months and he is willing to take the chance."
Watching her pack up her work, Knockout frowned softly at her. "Have you told him everything about our deal?"
"I've told him that he'd have to have his weapons taken offline and he'd have to have his T-cog rewritten for a ground based alt mode. And... he may have to surrender Laserbeak as a sign of good faith to the bots. He wasn't very happy about that."
"I can imagine. But you didn't tell him about the final condition?"
She paused as she cleared up the space before them. "No, not yet."
"He needs to know."
"Let's get him out first and get the bots to agree to the plan. Then I will tell him."
Knockout let out a sound similar to a sigh and nodded. "Are you ready?"
"As I will ever be."
Transforming down to his car mode, Knockout opened a rear door to let her put the device in, before she climbed into the front seat and they headed out of the warehouse Scrap had hired so they could work in peace. She was sure that if anyone had stumbled across their work, the collections of wires, energy emitters and several broken microwaves would have caused panic. For three months she had been working on this and now, she ran over the numbers once more as Knockout drove.
It was only late afternoon when they left but by the time they arrived in the location in question, the middle of nowhere a few miles from the town she had been staying in, it was almost sunset.
Putting the device down, Scrap let out a deep breath and tapped the controls once more, getting the device to work and begin the frequency that would cause the feedback loop. As she stepped back to a safe distance, she tapped her hearing aid and made it call Tony at the café.
"Hello, Tello Tony's Internet Café, Tony speaking, how can I help?"
"Tony, it's Scrap. Tell Soundwave, we are ready. 20 seconds."
"Umm, sure, okay Scrap."
Ending the call, Scrap started a countdown of her own, feeling her guardian kneeling beside her to keep her safe if things went wrong. This was a dangerous move but she had faith it would work. "5 seconds." She announced, loading up her groundbridge program, positioning it over the feedback. As her countdown ran out, she activated it and watched as the warm green light lit up the dusk sky, sparks of energon discharge catching on the ground as it span gently on itself, the dimensional energy soon shimmering as it found the feedback loop and began to break down.
"It won't hold long…" Scrap said as she monitored it closely. "Come on Soundwave, now or never… come on…"
The bridge shifted a bit more, trembling in place as the perfect orb began to become less and less stable but then suddenly glowed brighter and stabilised, a dark figure walking quickly out of there, jumping to the ground just as the bridge collapsed completely and vanished with a simple fizz.
Scrap tipped her head as she checked for any signs of explosions or worries then huffed when all was silent. "That was anticlimactic." She turned her attention to the other who had stepped out of the bridge, smiling as she saw him, just as her memory recalled him. "Welcome back Soundwave."
The con bowed his helm gently to her and knelt to the ground, reaching one of his thin needle fingers to touch her cheek gently before standing and looking to Knockout. The other crossed his arms and shrugged a shoulder. "Hey Soundy. It's been years. You look well for a mech 5 years in the Shadowzone."
Taking a moment, Soundwave began to move his hands, Scrap watching them carefully before nodding. "I'll tell him." She said then looked at Knockout. "He says, don't call me 'Soundy' Knocks or you will regret it."
With a snort, the other chuckled. "Good to see you haven't changed." He smiled, holding out his servo for him. "Good to see you again. I need all the help I can get looking after this nightmare." He teased gently at the human's expense.
Looking at the extended servo, Soundwave finally shook it before signing a message with his other hand.
"And you Knockout. It's good to see a friendly face. And you have done a fine job looking after her." Scrap translated before sighing and walking to a point that both Cybertronians could see her. "Well, that is the easy part over. Now we just have to convince the Autobots to let you stay on Earth and help with the T-Cog realignment operation."
"Yeah, Scrap and I are good but that kind of surgery needs the proper equipment."
The blank faced mech nodded softly as he looked around then moved his hands. I am willing to co-operate. I will do whatever is needed to remain with Scrap.
Scrap smiled at his kind loyal gesture before her eyes grew sad and she looked away. "Soundwave, before we go anywhere else, there is something you need to know. I already told you about Knockout's banishment... that he has to remain here, on earth with me. But it's not as easy as you might think."
The large mech tipped his helm slightly before signing 'why?'
The human glanced at her companion who was looking at her with a sadness in his gaze. With a sigh, she nodded. "The thing is, his banishment is for as long as I'm alive. Once I die he can return to Cybertron a free mech." Her gaze turned to the blank faced con. "He has to watch me grow old and die, staying by my side until the end."
Soundwave turned his helm to the doctor who shifted a bit. "I try not to think about it." He confessed. "I... I don't want it to happen."
"It's fine now, while I'm young and healthy but when I get older, when I can't move or look after myself, he will have to be there." She swallowed hard, forcing back the sadness of the deal. "I don't want that kind of… guilt on him but if it is the price of his freedom, we accepted. But you still have the chance to choose not to. You can go back to Cybertron, keep your flyer mode and laserbeak but... I can't guarantee what would happen to you. But that is the deal Knockout and I have with the Autobots. Be with me until I die." She paused then broke the silence with a laugh. "Then again, with my life style, I doubt I will make 50 so... who knows, maybe it will be fine for you."
Soundwave paused for a bit then knelt down and reached out, his long thin fingers touching her cheek once again. "Until the end." He played back in her own voice.
It took her a moment but then she smiled softly and nodded, wiping a tear from her eye. "If that is your choice."
He returned the nod and stood, looking at Knockout before turning to the horizon.
Scrap also looked. "Right then, next step: Nevada for the space bridge."
~#~
Deciding to groundbridge over to the Earth Cybertron Relation Development, or ECRD, the two mechs and human were met with the expected guns and distrust but Knockout just sighed. "You see, this is why we don't come to visit." He groaned, looking at his feet as more guns were pointed at him. "We did call ahead this time. Did you not get the message?"
There was a moment of silence before a voice called out. "Stand down men."
The trio turned to see who was speaking as a young woman of Asian origins, younger than the red head in the base by only a few years but her dress sense was still barely out of her teens; ripped black jeans, a baggy dark green shirt and her black hair still had its signature pink streak even if the pigtails were long gone.
Scrap smiled as she walked over and hugged the other. "Miko, its been ages."
"Yeah, how come Jack gets invited out for coffee and I get left on the side-lines." She pouted. "You always said I was your favourite."
"It was business Miko, nothing personal."
"Yeah right." She said then dropped the subject, turning to see the two cons, her attention first on the red one. "Hey doc bot."
"I hate it when you call me that Miko." He huffed then caught the dirty look his human partner was giving him and rolled his optics. "Nice to see you too fleshy."
"Good to see the rehab is going well." She teased then turned to the other and gulped. "Soundwave."
The blank mech gave little away before nodding slightly but otherwise did not move or make a sound.
Scrap put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, he's agreed to behave. As long as you let us use the space bridge. Have you sent word ahead to Cybertron?"
"Yeah. And I hear there has been a lot of arguing about your plan. They don't think it's a good idea for you to be responsible for two cons."
"What? Jack told me he would let me put my argument forward myself!"
Miko waved a hand. "There wasn't time. The bots had no idea when you were going to get him out. They needed to be ready in case things went scrap side up, no offence. Jack has been defending you for weeks, he's spent more time on Cybertron than he has earth recently."
The red head frowned then walked towards the back of the base, Knockout and Soundwave a step or two behind her. "I need to get there now. I can't risk them making a decision without me."
"Figured as much when you arrived." She grinned as they walked. "Raf is already loading up the bridge."
They were silent for a while before Knockout broke the ice with a cough and shrug. "So, how is the new convertor working?"
"Good, thanks to your input Doc… I mean Knockout." Miko corrected herself. "We can now turn energon into electricity for human use. But it's still too low an output to input for us to use. Then again, I don't bother with all that science stuff, you would do better asking Raf." She looked over at Soundwave who was also following. "I just hope Raf is ready to see you Soundwave. I know you two had… history."
'Had.' Soundwave repeated back in her own voice.
"He is trying to put the past behind him." Scrap explained as they turned a corner of the base. "We all are."
Miko said nothing as they arrived in the large room that was the centre hub, filled with computers and layers of equipment, some far too big for humans to use with clear yellow ramps designed to allow access. The room was centralised around a short hole in the far wall with a whole arrangement of wires and alien tec.
As the group stood to one side, the room fell into a silence as everyone looked at the two Cybertronians. Knockout blinked as he found himself under their attention. "Well, this is awkward." He said eventually. "I normally like being the centre of attention but…"
"Oi, you lot, back to work." Another voice called out from a central pillar in the middle of the room. "Those tests aren't going to run themselves." He huffed, watching as they did get back to work.
Scrap was already making her way to the lift that would help them get to the top of the pillar, Miko joining her but for Knockout and Soundwave, it was optic level, stepping over to see a young man in a white lab coat, his spiky ginger hair as wild as his childhood while thick glasses still adorned his eyes. He smiled as Scrap walked over and he hugged her. "Hey El."
"Hey Raf." She smiled, stepping back and looking up at him. "Primus sake, have you had another growth spurt?" She said, judging his height. "You've grown 2 feet since I last saw you!"
"Foot and a half but thanks for the flattery." He laughed, voice still that charming childishness as he pushed up his glasses and looked at Soundwave. "H-hello again Soundwave. Look, I just wanted to say, I'm sorry for trapping you in the Shadowzone. It was a long time ago and… well… I'm sorry."
Soundwave took a moment then moved his hands gently and nodded. Scrap smirked and looked at the others. "He says 'all is forgiven. It was war and I would have done the same. Thank you for apologising'."
"Wow, maybe rehabilitating him will be easier than with Knockout." Miko teased, watching the red mech roll his optics at the insult.
Scrap smiled but then turned to Raf. "Have you had any news from Jack about what's going on?"
"He checked in earlier, said the debate was ongoing. I already have the bridge warming up to transport the three of you and informed the guards you are coming. They shouldn't shoot at you this time."
"Yeah because that gets old really quickly." She huffed then headed over to the cons. "Ready to go?"
"There's no place like home." Knockout teased as he held out his servo for her to step onto, watching as a louder bridge opened up in the hole in the wall and the three of them walked in.
~#~
Scrap was not a religious person, never had been and probably never would be. And yet, as she sat on the floor outside a door far bigger than herself, she found herself pressing her hands together and whispering 'please, let it work'.
She was alone in the hallway since Knockout was inside the room she was sat beside, working on Soundwave's T-cog reformat.
Somehow she had managed to convince the new council of Cybertron that Soundwave was worth release, that she would take full responsibility for him and his actions. She had somehow made them trust her or maybe they just wanted to get him off Cybertron but she would take it. Her friend would be at her side and free. She couldn't help but think of places she wanted to take the silent mech, things she wanted to show him.
But first he had to survive the operation.
While talking about the plan, Ratchet had come up with a new idea that Scrap was still slightly unsure about but had been convinced to go with. Instead of reformatting the t-cog completely, they would install a third form for him, transforming him into a 'triple changer' as the Cybertronians called them. It was less taxing on the spark and the operation was shorter but there were risks to the mental programming of a transformer, as some of their personality came from the alt mode they took. Creating a triple changer could change the personality completely or fracture it.
Knockout had joked that he didn't have much of a personality to loose but Scrap knew there was more to Soundwave than any of them realised. She was worried she would lose her friend but it was the only way so she sat outside and waited, praying for the first time in her life.
The door beside her suddenly hissed and she scrambled to her feet to look who was coming out. The red medic looked at her then nodded. "Been a long time since I've done that."
"How did it go?" She asked, hands closed into fists to keep herself from running in.
Knockout smiled as he knelt down and held out his hand, standing once she was stood on his palm. "He's alive, his t-cog has accepted the addition and his spark is stable. I can't say for his processor yet, it's too early. But we will find out soon, he's coming around now and since you are basically the only one who can understand him, figured you better be there."
Looking out as they headed into the room, she watched to see Soundwave's form lying on a medical table, Ratchet and another medic she didn't know stood near him. The white doctor nodded to her. "He's coming around. Knockout, keep her a good space back, just in case."
"He won't attack me." Scrap snapped out at the idea. "I know Soundwave."
Ratchet looked ready to counter her argument but the mech moved slightly and Knockout did take a small step back, tense in case things did go wrong, watching as Soundwave sat up and shook his helm a little, looking left and right, over everyone in the room before focusing on the human. His visor turned purely to her for a moment before lifting a hand and gave a strange looking thumbs up.
The human laughed at him then began to sign. It took him a few attempts to get his message over, starting again as he lost track of his hands but finally she understood and turned to the others. "He says 'I feel strange, heavier and my mind is more condensed than it used to be. I am running a systems check but all appears operational at the moment.'"
"Well that is good to hear Soundwave." Ratchet said. "We will have to keep you under observation for a few days to be sure but in previous cases like this, fracturing normally shows instantly."
Soundwave again moved and Scrap began to translate. "Thank you Doctors for giving me this chance. I know it can't have been easy for you but I'm sure we can work together to put the past behind us."
Ratchet frowned. "Some of us will never be able to forget Soundwave."
His hands moved for a bit, slower than before and when he finished, Scrap found herself unable to repeat what he had said, tears trickling down her cheeks. Knockout frowned as he looked between the two. "Scrap? What did he say?"
She swallowed and wiped her eyes again before speaking. "He said… 'I will never be able to forget Scrap when she leaves me. But until then… I will value every second I have with her'. Oh Soundwave…."
Looking from the human to the mech, everyone just stared in amazement before he stood up from the table, swaying a bit from the extra weight on his back, where four wheels were now based but he soon had his balance and walked over to her, his face mask showing a familiar smiley face that she had once shown him and he loved to use.
She looked at it then smiled as she wiped her eyes. "Primus Soundwave, why did you have to make me cry? Now the others will think I'm going soft."
Knockout beside them smiled before shrugging. "Well, there is still one really important thing we still need to arrange Soundwave. A vital choice you need to make?"
Even with his mask, the confusion was clear, even more since Scrap was also frowning.
He gave a small chuckle then nodded. "You still need to pick your vehicle mode." He pointed a sharp finger at the other. "But don't go picking something flashier than mine."
~#~
Looking out the window at the metal world before them, Scrap sighed as she sat on Soundwave's shoulder. "You know, as wonderful as this planet is, I do miss Earth when I have to stay here a while."
Soundwave moved his hands slowly as they looked out before Scrap nodded.
"Yeah, good point, it's not like I can leave this building when on Cybertron." She chuckled, looking at the roof over their heads. "The 'Human Hotel' as some of you guys have so affectionately called it. Perfectly built for humans to visit this planet. Complete with bathrooms. You should run tours."
Soundwave rolled his helm to the side, as close to an eye roll as he could get.
"Alright, alright, no need for the sass. Anyway, who needs Cybertron? You have me and Earth. A whole planet of change and progress right under our feet, where we can go anywhere, do anything." She placed a hand gently on his faceplate. "We'll be free Soundwave."
He nodded gently before they heard someone approaching and call out; "Hey, Scrap!" They turned at the voice as Knockout came running over. "Bridge is powered up and the council are there to see us off."
"Time for some pomp and ceremony." The human sighed as they went away from the window and headed towards the Cybertron space bridge.
As expected, only a small gathering was there to see them off, to witness the official sentencing but Scrap only recognised a few of those in the crowd; Arcee, Ratchet and Ultra Magnus being the three she knew the most.
The largest bot, Magnus stepped forward and lifted his helm higher. "Soundwave, it has been decided by the council that for your crimes against the cybertonian race, for your part in the war that destroyed our home, that you are to be banished from this planet and exiled to Earth, where you will be put into the care of the human known as Eleanor Sarah Tripson."
"I hate it when they use my full name." The human in question muttered to herself.
Magnus ignored her, as he often did, and continued. "You are not allowed back to this planet unless it is for medical attention. Furthermore, your weapons have been disabled and you have willingly disconnected from the flyer Laserbeak. You are to remain in exile until a time where Eleanor can no longer watch over you. Once this has come, you will be released to do as you wish. This is the decree of the New Council of Cybertron. Do you understand?"
Soundwave nodded, turning his helm to the human still on his shoulder.
"Finally, you understand that should you break any of the rules laid out to you by this council, you will be arrested and sentenced to life in prison?"
Again, he nodded.
"Very well. Then may your exile give you time to reflect on your actions."
With one final silent nod, the mech turned with the others and headed into the space bridge that had been idling beside them, leaving the metal world for an organic one.
~#~
While the sun had long since left the sky, the area was lit up with lights from various cars as they gathered, people walking between them to inspect the competition and place wagers on the coming races.
As the racers began to talk with those that were their friends, they spotted four new lights in the distance, approaching them. They watched as the cars pulled up and a few of them relaxed, recognising the familiar red car as it stopped at the edge of their meeting.
A couple of the more experienced racers went over to the cars as a driver climbed out of the black one. "Well, hello Red." One chuckled as he looked over the car she was driving. "Been a while since we saw you."
"Been out of town." Scrap responded with a smile as she leant on the black car, the red one idling nearby.
"New friend?"
"Old one. Reunited." She explained, patting the black one's side affectionately.
A few of the other racers were gathering around and looking at the two cars, not knowing what they really were. Soundwave had, after a long period of deliberation and contemplation, chosen an alt mode of a sleek, stylish and beautiful sports car, basing his design off the BMW i8. While it was not as fast as Knockout's form, it still was powerful and with the simple black paint and thin purple highlights, he was both striking and inconspicuous, a change to Knockout's bold defiant look. It suited the mech hidden within the metal.
Once the group had been given a chance to check the ride out, Scrap turned to the one who had greeted her and nodded, pulling out a wad of notes. "My friend will take Red tonight and I'm taking the new one. Entry fee still 200?"
The man smiled as he took her entry fee then passed half back. "For you, new guy gets the first race for free."
"You'll regret that." She teased, heading over to Soundwave and climbing into the high tec, screen filled driver's seat. She touched the wheel and the Decepticon emblem on the middle. "Ready Soundwave?"
Suddenly the screens turned to music and the air rocked from his speakers as he drove alongside Knockout to the starting line.
"Just because this is your first time here, don't expect me to go easy on you."
"Oh don't worry Knockout, we won't go easy on you either." Scrap chuckled back as she gripped the wheel. "And keep your fragging windows tinted!"
With a low chuckle, Knockout made sure he did just that as the race marshal stepped forwards. Gripping Soundwave's wheel tight, Scrap couldn't help but smile, feeling the power of his engine as it revved up in anticipation.
As the flag came down, wheels span for traction before they shot off into the new darkness.
The End
