Soundwave yelped as he was kicked in the chest by his mentor. Ignoring his aching pain the violet mech quickly warped himself behind the unsuspecting Prime. Using an ultrasonic blast to knock the Prime to the ground, Soundwave could feel the irritation building up in his vocals.
Optimus jumped up to strike the young mech, Soundwave quickly blocked the Prime's blows with his shield like arms. Sneaking one of his tentacles the violet mech wrapped it around the mech's legs. Soundwave released another concussive blast causing Optimus to stumble backwards as he tightened the tentacle coiled around Optimus's legs.
Optimus fell onto his back hard putting his servos up in surrender. He smiled proudly retracting his mask. "Well done youngling."
Soundwave shrugged modestly, helping Optimus up. Soundwave winced as he ventilated at a quick pace due to the sparing session they just had. His chest was in a tremendous amount of pain as he ventilated. With a raspy exhale, the young mech sat himself down on a nearby boulder. His vocals were flaring up again, feeling a zapping burn attempting to trigger an attack.
Optimus walked over to the young mech with a look of genuine concern. "Did I cause you any damage?"
Soundwave shook his helm no as he pulled out a vial out of his storage compartment.
Optimus nodded with a smile, turning his helm away while the young mech took his pain reliever.
"Optimus?"
The Prime blinked surprised Soundwave addressed him by his name. "Yes youngling?" he turned to face the young mech.
"Did I live with you in Iacon?" The violet mech asked pushing off the boulder.
"You must be regaining your first memory banks." The Prime snorted with a chuckle. "You did for a while. Then your mother took you back just before Mirage was sparked."
"Did my Mother live in Iacon with us?" Soundwave was full of questions this morning.
"No, but a good friend got your mother a job transporting the mining supplies from Kaon to Iacon. So she visited often." Optimus replied leading the young mech out of the canyon.
"Speaking of mines, I guess it's time to check on the twins and Ironhide." Soundwave mentioned changing the subject.
"I can get a status report from them if you'd like to go aid Arcee and Ratchet. I believe Ratchet's trying to find a larger storage unit for our energon, and extra medical supplies." Optimus suggested to the young spymaster.
Soundwave nodded thankful he didn't have to go stand in a boring mine with the whiney twins.
"Ratchet you seriously need labels on this scrap." Arcee complained with a helm deep in the bottom cupboards of the med bay.
Soundwave entered into the base through a bridge seeing Ratchet looking very annoyed.
"Yes I will get to that eventually." The old medic groaned as the femme continued to complain about his disorganized med bay.
Soundwave silently walked up behind his femme that was in a cupboard. He smirked playfully, bopping his femme in the aft with his ped.
"Fragging hell!" Arcee whacked her helm on the way out of the cupboard to beat whoever dared to kick her in the aft. "Soundwave!" The femme hissed rubbing her helm.
Ratchet tried to hide his laughter as the moody femme got up to her peds.
"Sorry it was to tempting." Soundwave snickered as his sparkmate punched him in the arm.
"Yeah I'll remember that..." Arcee punched her mech in the arm kicking the cupboard shut with her ped.
"Come'on let's start moving this energon into one of the hallway storage lockers." Soundwave sighed happily grabbing some of the stored energon out of the med bay.
"Speaking of energon you should having some." Ratchet thought aloud as the mech disappeared down the hallway.
"I'll get him to have some when we finish." Arcee said before following her mech.
As soon as the femme left Ratchet grabbed his holographic labels and began labeling everything the femme organized.
"So how was your morning with Optimus?" Arcee asked stacking energon with her mech.
"Entertaining." Soundwave replied vaguely.
"You had a sparing match didn't you?" Arcee smirked at her mech.
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
"Well unless you rolling in dirt just for fun, I would say the only other reason you're covered in grime and dents is because you were sparing." The cobalt blue femme replied dusting her mech off.
"Ha ha I didn't realize..." Soundwave chuckled looking over his filthy frame.
"Did you have fun?" Arcee rolled her optics at her adorable mech.
"Yeah, it was a good match. But I think he was going easy on me." Soundwave scoffed walking back to the med bay.
Arcee chuckled following her mech. "It was a friendly spar, not an all out battle Soundwave."
"Labeling your medical equipment?" Soundwave said looking over the medic's shoulder.
"It's about time you took my advice." Arcee scoffed taking another arm full of energon down the hallway.
"Ugh... yes I am. Arcee's right I should've had it labeled just incase there's a time where I'm not available to assist." Ratchet said as the young mech grabbed an arm full of energon.
"That's a smart idea sir." Soundwave smiled walking down the hallway with Arcee.
"Why do you and your brother always address Optimus, Ironhide, and Ratchet as Sir?" Arcee curiously asked plopping herself on a stack of crates.
"They're the highest ranking..."
"No their not, You and Optimus are. But Ratchet and Hide are not." Arcee corrected.
"They're elders..."
"Yeah, but Optimus isn't as old as Hide and Ratchet." The femme retorted making Soundwave roll his optics.
"It's polite, and formal." The violet mech sighed placing the energon down.
"We're all family here Soundwave. No one here is cracking the whip on you and Mirage to be formal and follow military formality." The cobalt blue femme snorted.
"If it makes you feel better, I'll try to call them by their first alias."
Arcee sighed hooking her arms under her mech's from behind pulling him towards her. "I'm not forcing you to. I was just curious."
"Arcee!" Soundwave stumbled backwards over a small crate falling into Arcee's arms as he landed on his aft.
"Aren't you clumsy?" Arcee teased holding the upper half of her mech.
"Usually I'm pretty agile, especially when I'm not being dragged backwards." Soundwave scoffed as his femme kissed him on the helm.
Optimus peeked into the storage locker after hearing a crash. "Everything alright in here?" The Prime asked staring at the fallen violet mech.
"Yep, two left peds just tripped over a crate." Arcee replied helping her mech stand up.
"I see." Optimus smiled walking back into the main room.
"I didn't fall she... hey!" Soundwave yelped as he was pulled backwards onto his aft again.
"Geez you have to be more careful Soundwave." Arcee cooed in a teasing manner.
"Is it me that should be more careful, or is it you?" Soundwave leant his helm in his femme's lap, looking up at his captor.
"Is that a threat?" Arcee chuckled pulling the violet mech up into a tighter grip.
"Mmhmm..." Soundwave winced in pain as he was pulled up into a tighter grip.
"I'm hurting you?" Arcee mentioned releasing the violet mech from her grip.
"I'm just a bit sore that's all." Soundwave sighed pushing himself back onto his peds.
"I think you should've postponed your sparring session with Optimus until you felt better. I saw how sore you looked this morning." The femme said following her mech down the hallway.
"It was a sparring session, I would've been sore regardless." Soundwave joked feeling an irritation buildup in his throat.
"You two finally done fooling around?" Ratchet scoffed as the couple entered the med bay.
"You finally done labelling your scrap?" Arcee retorted back at the grumpy old medic.
"How was is the mining going?" Soundwave asked the Prime.
"It's going well they're starting to uncover quite a bit of energon." Optimus replied watching the femme and medic bickering behind the young mech.
"If there's nothing you'd like me to do here, I will go join them." Soundwave said.
"Go ahead Soundwave, I would come with but I think I should stay behind and mediate." The Prime gestured to the two bickering bots.
Soundwave snorted with a laugh walking out of the base, transforming he decided to enjoy a flight instead of bridging to the mine. During his flight he received a quick ping once again unable to track it. "What the hell is that?" He thought aloud as he closed in on the mine, seeing the twins and Ironhide taking a break outside the mine.
Descending towards the three the reaper suddenly got hit by a blaster shot from behind. "Ow! What the hell!" Soundwave hissed diverting his course, zooming over the three mechs as a red and silver alien jet pursued him.
"Whoa Soundwave's got some company." Sideswipe announced retracting his blasters.
"Let's give him some help then." Sunstreaker said firing a few rounds at the jet.
The reaper swung back around to his teammates, transforming he landed in between the firing twins.
Ironhide narrowed his optics at the alien jet that circled around coming right back for them. "Hold your fire, hold your fire!"
The twins quickly ceased fire keeping their blasters at the ready just incase. "What's going on Hide?" Sunstreaker asked with a twitchy trigger digit.
"It's a friendly." Ironhide replied lowering his canons as the jet slowed transforming in front of of them.
"Friendly?" Soundwave scoffed looking at his singed smoking arm.
"Well that's pretty much as friendly as it gets when it comes to Air Raid..." Sideswipe groaned as Ironhide approached the ariel bot.
"Air Can is more like it..." Sunstreaker grumbled putting his blaster away.
"What are you doing here Air Raid?" Ironhide gruffly asked the red and silver mech.
"I've been exploring and helping whatever Autobots I can find during my travels. I was in this galaxy system when I got a large energon spike coming from the orbit of this planet. Then I picked up your signatures, and followed them here." Air Raid explained to the weapon specialist.
"Why'd you shoot me?" Soundwave hissed at the ariel bot.
"I thought you were going to attack them." Air Raid smugly reply.
"Uuh Soundwave's been on our side for a while dude. Like before we even left Cybertron." Sideswipe rudely pointed out.
"I forgot." The ariel mech shrugged.
"You didn't forget you prick..." Soundwave muttered under his breath.
"Well I think we have to take you to Optimus and report your arrival here." Ironhide sighed looking over at the unimpressed young mech.
"It's been some time since I've seen the big bot." Air Raid nodded.
"Soundwave would you please?" Ironhide gestured for the violet mech to create a bridge.
"Optimus we're coming back to base with an ally." Soundwave announced over the comlink before firing up a bridge.
"An ally? What did he find another Eradicon?" Ratchet commented following the Prime and femme towards the open ground bridge.
"I wish..." Sunstreaker groaned stopping next to the medic.
"Air Raid?" Optimus Prime said as Soundwave closed the bridge behind them.
"What happened to your arm Soundwave?" Arcee gasped seeing her mech's singed arm.
"Apparently I'm a forgettable Autobot." The violet mech narrowed his optics at the red and silver mech.
"What are you doing here Air Raid?" Arcee growled turning to the ariel bot.
"I was following the massive energon surge that was in this planet's orbit. Then I picked up your signatures and followed them here." Air Raid replied looking at the approaching Autobot leader.
"That energon surge you received was from our last battle with the Decepticons." Optimus mentioned.
"It's quite the scene up there." Air Raid said.
"Yeah we destroyed a space bridge and a legion of the undead." Sideswipe mentioned.
"I noticed Starscream was flying around the wreckage. I was going to engage him but he had the whole Decepticon army and the Nemesis with him." The silver and red mech told the team.
"Odd, why the hell would Screamer be hanging around our last battlegrounds?" Ironhide scoffed folding his arms.
"To collect Megatron's corpse." Sunstreaker snorted.
"Starscream collect Megatron's husk, ha!" Sideswipe laughed at his twins words.
"Sunstreaker is correct, with Shockwave on the warship he would not willingly allow Starscream to assume Command without doing a thorough scan for Megatron." Soundwave mentioned backing up the golden twin's assumption.
"Air Raid how did you journey to this planet?" Ratchet asked changing the subject.
"I've just been wondering from galaxy to galaxy looking for signs of any friends or foes." The red and silver mech shrugged.
"So what's your plan now Air Raid?" Sideswipe finally asked.
"I'm not actually quite sure yet."
"You're welcome to stay with us if you wish, until you can make a decision." Optimus Prime said to almost everyone's disliking, including himself.
"Thank you Optimus." Air Raid thanked the gracious leader.
"But I will not tolerate any deliberate endangerment to the team or Earth. We're on this planet to protect the humans that inhabit it. You will need a suitable Earth vehicle to blend in. We remain in disguise near the human populations and do not engage any Decepticons on human territory unless absolutely necessary. No collateral damage is your top priority." Optimus began to explain. "If there is suspicious Decepticon activity outside of the human territories you may investigate and engage if needed."
"Yeah engage Decepticons, not Soundwave." Arcee hissed at the ariel bot, as Ratchet repaired Soundwave's arm.
"In my defence he was a Decepticon and he looked shifty going towards the twins and Ironhide." Air Raid tried to excuse his unnecessary actions.
"Air Raid you would do well to understand that while you're on this planet, on this team. You're under mine and Soundwave's command. There will be no deliberate defiance towards my second in command, we were fine without your presence, and I will not hesitate to keep you off our team. Do I make myself clear?" The Prime spoke sternly at the arrogant ariel bot.
Air Raid resisted the urge to cringe at Optimus's words with an unwilling nod. "Understood Prime."
"That's a lie." Sunstreaker and Sideswipe both whispered to each other.
Everyone in the base raised their helms as the base proximity alarms went off alerting them to Agent Fowler's presence.
"What's that all about?" Air Raid asked in a defensive tone.
"It's a proximity sensor." Soundwave cleared the irritation building in his throat. "We work with the human military at times, and the human you will see in a moment is kind of our ambassador." The young mech winced as an electrical burn flushed down his neck.
"Okay so these are what we're here to protect?" Air Raid said as the human sized lift opened.
"Correct!" Soundwave coughed making Air Raid visibly jump.
"Alright Prime you want to explain to me why I've got reports of an alien jet entering our atmosphere?" Agent Fowler cut straight to the chase as per usual.
"Agent Fowler this is Air Raid, he is an Autobot ariel bot. And the jet that was seen by your satellites." Optimus explained gesturing to the red and silver mech behind him.
"Do you bots adopt a new teammate everyday or something?" Agent Fowler groaned leaning on the railing.
"Agent Fowler we are many in numbers. Much of our kind is scattered to the stars, it isn't unsurprising to have a fellow Autobot find Earth." Optimus tried to explain to the grumpy human.
Arcee could see her mech fidgeting uncomfortably next to Air Raid as he attempted to prevent his flare up from becoming an attack. Stepping past the twins to get to her mech, Arcee tugged at the young mech's arm. "Soundwave..." she whispered gaining her mech's attention. "You need to take that serum."
Soundwave nodded, turning to head towards the med bay to grab a vial, instead of wasting one of the vials in his storage compartment.
Agent Fowler's eyes caught Soundwave trying to escape the conversation. "Hey boom box! Where's that background history?"
"I'll..." Soundwave tried his best not to cough as he went to answer the man.
Optimus could see his young apprentice was beginning to have an attack and quickly intervened. "Soundwave I left it in my quarters can you go get it please."
Soundwave nodded in acknowledgment as he continued to cough. Thankful the Prime gave him an excuse to take his much needed serum. Taking a quick detour to take one of the vials in his room.
"Agent Fowler my apprentice has made a full background history report we can transfer it to you. But I do not expect you to understand the full extent of it, as most of it happened on our home planet." Optimus turned back to the man.
"I just need to know what your apprentice is capable of. His history doesn't determine whether or not he gets kicked off this planet. What he does on this planet determines that." Agent Fowler said as Soundwave returned with the data pad.
Optimus took the handed data pad and began transferring the data to the human's little data pad.
"Thank you. So what about your new team member what's going on there?"
"I will only be here for a little while. I think I would rather continue my exploration of the universe and see if I can find any other Autobots." Air Raid answered the human's question.
"Very well. But on this planet you need to look somewhat like you're from this planet. Now you said you're an ariel bot? Well I came here in one of the military jets feel free to take a scan." Agent Fowler said walking into the lift.
"Uh sure, where is it?" Air Raid replied looking for a hanger bay.
"Soundwave will you take Air Raid up the lift and give him a small tour of the area?" Optimus wasn't asking he was telling his apprentice to do as he commanded.
With a deep sigh Soundwave gestured for the ariel bot to follow him down the hallway. After Air Raid scanned the human jet, Soundwave transformed having the ariel bot follow him through the sky.
The flight was an awkward silence for the first half of the flight, until they reached the nearby human town. "This is the small human territory we patrol quite often. Sometimes the Decepticons get either bored, or brave, and decide to examine the humans. But we are usually able to chase them off before they have the chance to do any harm." Soundwave explained as they flew over the town. "There's also a nearby city. I have yet to explore it, but the others patrolled it yesterday, and today as we speak."
"You mean as you speak. Primus I didn't realize you were this chatty." Air Raid scoffed flying next to the violet reaper.
"I'm giving you a tour, explanation is required during one." The violet reaper retorted back at the ariel bot.
Air Raid laughed at the younger mech's valid point. "You got a point there little mech."
Soundwave mentally rolled his optics at the red and silver jet's comment.
After a long while of touring the vast Nevada area the two jets began their course to return to base. "So you're Prime's apprentice huh?"
"Yes, I have been for a while..." Soundwave attempted to reply with a confident tone.
"It's funny how you went from the top of the Autobot hit list as one of the most dangerous Decepticons that should be terminated on sight. To fighting by our sides, becoming Prime's little apprentice." Air Raid commented as they climbed up in altitude.
"I've made some bad decisions, most of them not being a choice. But I do not regret joining the Autobots. I was not proud to be a Decepticon, and I regret everything I did as one." Soundwave flew next to the other jet.
"Holy scrap!" Air Raid cursed quickly veering to the right.
Soundwave did the same but to the left as the nose of the Nemesis pierced through the clouds, almost colliding with the two Autobots. "Air Raid are you alright?" Soundwave called over the comlink.
"Yeah, come down here!" Air Raid replied.
Soundwave banked towards the deck of the Nemesis. Seeing Air Raid standing there waiting for him.
"What are you doing?" Soundwave transformed landing next to the mech.
"Let's see if Screamer actually found Megatron." Air Raid said gesturing for the young mech to follow him into the Nemesis.
"Wait..." Soundwave coughed, silently jogging after the ariel bot. "Are you insane. This is highly unintelligible, we're not supposed to engage the Decepticons." Soundwave hissed following the mech.
"Optimus said if you find Cons, investigate and engage if necessary. We're just investigating." Air Raid shrugged at the nervous young mech. "Now you used to run this joint. Where's the med bay, I figured that's where they'd keep the dead lug."
"It's down that corridor and to the left." Soundwave directed unwillingly while getting zaps and electronic distortion in his vocals. "We... sh... we shouldn't be doing this..."
Air Raid raised his optic ridges looking over his shoulder at the violet mech. "Is it just me or is your voice sounding worse then the usual creepy tone?"
"I need to..."
"Hold on!" Air Raid whispered pressing himself and Soundwave against the wall as Starscream and Knockout came out of the med bay.
"I can't believe that one opticed buffoon traced Megatron's life signature out of that wreckage." Starscream hissed.
"I can't believe the big lug actually survived the explosion!" Knockout scoffed following the seeker down the opposite hallway.
"He remains dormant in a deathless slumber, I prefer to keep it that way. While I command this vessel." Starscream lowly growled.
"How long do you think you can hold that position. With Shockwave's voodoo I'm sure Megatron will rising off that berth in no time." Knockout scoffed.
"Not likely, unless Shockwave gets a hold of more dark energon." Starscream sneered unknowingly walking past the two Autobots.
"Alright come'on." Air Raid gestured for the young mech to follow him.
Megatron's alive? Soundwave thought to himself as he followed the ariel bot into the med bay. Soundwave's optics went wide as they became face to face with his father's battered unconscious frame, getting the answer to his question.
Looking at all the life support systems the ariel mech snorted. "You're even uglier up close." Air Raid made fun of the comatose warlord.
"How is he... still... alive..." Soundwave began to cough as Air Raid examined the laboratory.
"I think the better question is how do we want to end it?" Air Raid scoffed with his blaster ready in one servo and some sort of medical device in the other.
Soundwave narrowed his optics at the stupid ariel bot. He didn't want to end his father's life, but he didn't want to seem like he was betraying the Autobots either. "Let's..." the young mech couldn't speak as his vocals were interrupted by violent coughing.
Air Raid cringed at the horrendous sounding coughs. But also at the fact they were going to get caught if Soundwave didn't quiet down.
"Soundwave shut up! We're going to get found out!" Air Raid hissed at the coughing mech.
Soundwave gave the mech a dirty look as he tried to muffle his coughing, only worsening his coughing as he began to cough up energon.
Shockwave could hear a commotion in the med bay just on the other side of his laboratory door. At first he thought it was Starscream messing with Megatron's life support, but as he approached the door Shockwave recognized the coughing to be Soundwave's.
The one opticed mech knew he wasn't going to get the chance to exact his revenge on the mutant brothers during this time, quickly grabbing a small experimental chip, the purple mech opened the door. "Deca cycles later and you're still being affected by this glitch?" Shockwave's emotionless voice came from behind the helpless young mech.
"Hello Shockwave I see you're still creepier than ever." Air Raid scoffed dropping the medical tool, aiming his blaster at the purple mech.
"Your presence here is highly illogical. This intrusion requires termination." Shockwave growled charging his canon.
Soundwave quickly struck the purple mech's charging weapon causing it to fire at the wall.
Air Raid opened fire as Soundwave battled with his tormentor.
Soundwave yelped as the one opticed mech struck him to the ground.
Shockwave pierced his claw that held the tiny chip, right into Soundwave's back, injecting the chip into the young mech.
Air Raid tried to pull the mad scientist off of Soundwave. He began to wrestle with Shockwave, while Soundwave picked himself up Eradicon troopers began to storm in firing at will.
Taking most of the gunfire hits Soundwave sent the Eradicons flying out the door with an ultrasonic blast.
Shockwave tossed the Ariel bot into the wall before turning back to his super soldier.
Spinning around Soundwave quickly created a ground bridge behind the ariel bot. As Shockwave shot at him, dodging the fire the violet mech leapt towards his fellow Autobot tackling Air Raid through the bridge.
Both mechs tumbled across the desert floor as they shot out of the bridge. With a couple more coughs Soundwave pushed himself up to his peds, getting off of the irritated ariel bot.
"What the frag Soundwave!" Air Raid snarled jumping to his peds seeing Soundwave quickly taking a vial of serum.
"I'm sorry I tackled you." Soundwave apologized clearing his throat.
"Well you could've waited until I unplugged Megatron's life support!"
"While we were being shot at? The Decepticon guard would've overran us before we'd even get the chance to pull the plug!" Soundwave argued back at the obstinate mech.
"You gave us away with your hacking!" The mech pointed at the younger mech. "What the frag was that about you having a glitch?"
Soundwave glared at the ariel bot in annoyance. "I told you we shouldn't have..."
"What kind of Prime apprentice has a glitch that alerts the enemy, and dampers your abilities!" Air Raid continued to list off his complaints.
"It didn't damper anything, I still functioned perfectly fine. Saving your aft in the process!" Soundwave hissed as his vocals sent a surge of pain zapping through his neck.
"Soundwave report in, respond immediately!" Optimus Prime's enraged voice boomed on the violet mech's speakers. Oh scrap, Soundwave thought realizing it was now dark. They had been out of communication range for a while.
"Where have you two been. We've been trying to contact you for thirty minutes now!" Ironhide growled at the two mechs entering the base.
Soundwave was about to reply but Air Raid quickly responded before he had the chance to speak.
"Soundwave led us onto the Decepticon warship. I told him it wasn't a smart idea. But we did some reconnaissance..."
"What!?" Soundwave coughed triggering another attack even though he just calmed it moments ago.
"And you won't believe it, Megatron is still alive!" Air Raid said receiving gasps from the whole room.
"What!?" Both Jazz and Bumblebee looked up from the puzzle they were doing.
"Megatron?" Arcee gasped going over to her struggling mech. "He perished in the spacebridge explosion."
"Oh trust me he's hooked up to life support. But he's still ticking." The red and silver mech scoffed.
"You're going to need life support if you keep blaming Soundwave for your stupidity!" Mirage threatened the ariel bot.
"Mirage you're a youngling again. I see you haven't changed a bit." Air Raid smirked at the little youngling.
"Yeah, I could say the same, I see you're still an idiot!" Mirage hissed ready to kick the mech's aft.
"Hold on, before you two kill each other. Megatron's still online?" Sunstreaker questioned.
"Regardless of whether or not Megatron still functions. What you two did was unacceptable, you could've been killed." Optimus took a stern tone with the ariel mechs. "Air Raid if you cannot follow mine or Soundwave's orders, I suggest you move on and continue your exploration. I will not tolerate you endangering any of my Autobots."
Bumblebee and Soundwave were both surprised that the Prime was banishing the ariel bot from the team. Having another set of wings would've been an advantage for them.
"Trust me I wasn't planing on sticking around." Air Raid scoffed walking towards the exit.
"Trust me we didn't want you to." Sideswipe retorted making his brother snicker.
"Let me know when Megatron rises from the dead, you might need some extra might."
"Noted." Optimus coldly replied to the ariel bot that had done nothing but cause his family grief.
"I won't be far." The ariel mech said as he left out the base.
"Good, then I can find you when I need to take out my anger on something." Mirage grumbled.
"Mirage..." Optimus shook his helm at his youngling.
"Sorry sir." Mirage bowed his helm apologetically. Watching as Arcee helped Soundwave over to the med bay.
"Opt...Opt..." Soundwave called calming his coughing.
"Yes Soundwave?" Optimus tilted his helm at the struggling young mech.
"You didn't... have to... send... him... away..."
"I did not have to, you're right. But I did it for the safety of all of you, and Earth. We cannot afford to have reckless behaviour like that." Optimus replied sitting next to the young mech on the medical berth.
"Trust us Soundwave it's better that mech is out of our base." Arcee said to her mech.
"He didn't want to stay here anyway, he said it himself." Ratchet added as he scanned the violet young mech. "When's the last time you had an attack, the one you're having now doesn't count." The medic queried while making the young mech drink warm energon mixed with the medical serum.
"On the ship..."
"So a few minutes ago." Ratchet pondered going over his scans.
"Okay what is going on with you dude?" Jazz asked what twins and Bumblebee were thinking.
"It's just a glitch, nothing serious." Soundwave sighed giving up on trying to hide his very perceptible glitch.
"Hey don't be ashamed of having a glitch. Realistically the glitch just got kicked out of here." Sunstreaker joked about the ariel bot.
Soundwave gave a small smile in response to the joke. But deep down he felt they didn't give Air Raid a fair enough chance to prove himself worthy on their team.
"Soundwave drink the damn energon, I didn't give it to you as a decoration." Ratchet hissed snapping the young mech out of his thoughts.
"I will..." Soundwave replied staring blankly into the discoloured energon.
"Soundwave I made the wrong decision to banish the wrong bot many cycles ago. Seeing that Air Raid hasn't changed in the slightest, I did not want to repeat the same mistakes." Optimus draped an arm over his apprentice's shoulders. "Air Raid is an excellent Autobot. But an unfair, deceptive teammate." The Prime watched as Mirage approached them with soft optics.
"He was doing to you, what he had done to Mirage many cycles ago. Air Raid started something he knew he could get away with, because of the nature of what happened, Mirage got the automatic exile."
Soundwave watched as his little brother's sympathetic demeanour changed to pained guilt as the Prime continued his explanation.
"I wrongfully exiled my own youngling, and I will never forgive myself for doing so. Air Raid was trying to do the exact same thing with you when you boarded the warship."
Soundwave closed his optics momentarily before telling his mentor the truth. "It wasn't my idea to board the ship, we accidentally came across the Nemesis on our flight path. I followed Air Raid for his own discretion, but I blew that out of the water with a flare up. I did get Air Raid off the warship both of us unharmed." The violet mech looked up seeing his femme fully focused on him
"But Air Raid was telling the truth about Megatron. He's still alive, not well, but online."
He looked up at his mentor, seeing the Prime was in deep thought.
"Starscream is doing everything in his power to keep Megatron dormant. But with Shockwave on the Nemesis I fear Megatron may be risen sooner rather then later." Soundwave voiced his opinion to the others.
"How the hell did Megatron survive the explosion?" Jazz scoffed in disbelief.
"The dark energon must've kept his spark a flame. My guess is since Starscream was the one skulking around the wreckage, he must've plucked the dark energon straight from Megatron's spark chamber." Soundwave noted.
"Decepticons perfectly dysfunctional, constant backstabbing." Ironhide rolled his optics.
"Mhmm." Ratchet tapped his ped while glaring at the young mech.
"I'll make sure he finishes it Ratch." Arcee said taking the warm energon and her mech's servo. Pulling him into their room.
Optimus smiled as Mirage's optics followed the couple. "Time to recharge."
Mirage groaned as his father began to escort him towards the hallway.
"Bumblebee, now."
"Aw but we're almost finished." The young scout whined.
"We can finish it tomorrow Bee. It's not going anywhere." Jazz patted Bumblebee's helm.
"Okay..." Bumblebee sighed following his father and brother to his room.
"Goodnight younglings. I will be back in a moment to check on you." Optimus said walking back towards the medic.
"What's wrong Ratch, you got that look on your face." Ironhide mentioned peeking over the monitor we worked on.
"I'm going to have to change up the serum..." Ratchet thought aloud sticking his helm in the cupboards.
"Why, isn't the one you gave him working?" Jazz asked walking over to the med bay.
"Not good enough, I'm misdiagnosing because I am limited on our pharmaceuticals on this planet." Ratchet hissed in frustration.
"Well the Decepticons have everything accept the Matrix Of Leadership, sitting in their laboratory depots." Sideswipe casually mentioned.
"Your point Sideswipe?" Ratchet sighed shutting the cupboards.
"Give us your shopping list and we'll do an errand run for you."
"That's a great thought, but unrealistic." The medic said while examining some chemicals.
"How's it unrealistic?" Sunstreaker whined.
"Because one, you don't fly. Two, the warship is difficult to find. And three, it's incredibly risky and life threatening!" Ratchet hissed at his adopted sons.
"Soundwave could track the Nemesis down, I mean he accidentally found it today. It may be risky, but Waverz knows that ships schematics like the back of his servo. He could bridge us directly in the depot." Sunstreaker retorted.
"It's definitely something to consider." Ironhide was onboard with the twins plan.
Optimus understood the plan, but did not like the risks. "It's very risky."
"But worth it." Jazz mentioned.
"How urgent is the situation Ratchet?"
Ratchet exhaled deeply. "It would greatly benefit all of us if I was better equipped. But I'm worried if Soundwave keeps having these attacks he will damage his vocals further, with the possibility of him being mute, not by choice this time."
"Soundwave do I have to say it?" Arcee groaned glaring at her hesitant mech.
"It wouldn't be excusable if I say I was too tired, would it?" Soundwave sighed at his femme.
"No." Arcee raised an optic ridge at her mech. "Don't make me force you."
Soundwave unwillingly drank the warm energon while his femme stared him down.
"Why's it a fight to get you to take your medical serum?" The femme sighed sitting next to her mech.
"I'm just not feeling so great..." Soundwave admitted feeling an odd sensation flush through his frame.
"Well at least drink a little more of it then, you can have the rest tomorrow." Arcee gave her mech an easier option.
Soundwave obliged sipping a little more of the energon, before Arcee took it from him, placing it on the desk.
By the time Arcee turned back to her mech he was already laying down in the berth. "Wow you really are feeling off, if you're the first one to want to recharge." Climbing in next to the mech on the berth.
Wrapping her arms around the slender mech with a sigh, Arcee cocked an optic ridge as her mech jolted when she brushed her servo over his back. Out of curiosity she rolled her exhausted mech onto his stomach noticing the puncture wound on his back armour. "Soundwave you've got a hole in your back?"
"Mhmm." The violet mech groaned rolling back onto his side. "Shockwave attacked us..."
"Just Shockwave?" Arcee raised an optic ridge.
"A few troopers as well, but I was mainly attacked by Shockwave." The mech tiredly replied.
"And you're not worried about that?"
"No I was more concerned about getting Air Raid off the ship." The violet mech yawned.
"What about Megatron what happened with him?" Arcee continued to press on with questions.
"I'm not sure, I didn't get a good look. There was a possibility that in all those shots being fired, one of them hit his life support. But that doesn't mean Shockwave didn't turn it back on afterwards." Soundwave replied barely able to keep his optics open.
"Would you have done it?"
The violet mech opened his optics at that question. "What do you mean?" Soundwave knew what the femme meant but stalled his answer.
"Would you have taken Megatron offline right then and there?" Arcee repeated her question more clearly.
Soundwave sat up feeling light headed as he rose. "I..."
Arcee felt that she didn't ask a fair question. "I'm sorry, I know it's not an easy for you to think about killing your own father."
"It's not easy for Optimus to kill his own brother." Soundwave replied. "But I understand why his hope to change Megatron's mind, is extinguished. I have plenty of reasons to hate Megatron, enough to want to kill him. But is it right to just out of hatred? I know Optimus would never kill just out of anger." Soundwave softened his tired optics as Arcee listened intently. "But by the time you open a tiny window of mercy, to try and convince pure evil to to change. It's already too late."
"You would have..." Arcee understood what her mech was saying.
Soundwave gave a disinclined nod. "I would've, but I would be left with a guilty conscience."
"I guess that probably wasn't the best thing to ask you just before you recharge." The femme felt guilty for making her mech think of killing his creator.
"I'd rather get practice with you asking, rather than being unprepared to hear it from the others four different times." The violet mech yawned, laying down once again.
"I guess that's true, but I don't think the team will bother you about it too much." Arcee scoffed looking at the bedroom door. "Do you have patrol with Optimus tomorrow morning?"
"Mhmm..." Soundwave had his optics closed, half listening to what the femme was saying.
"Are you actually patrolling, or having another sparring session?" Arcee smirked waiting for a reply. "Soundwave?"
Surprisingly the young mech was already recharging by the time Arcee finished her last sentence. Arcee thought it was odd that her mech was that tired already, considering they were usually the last ones in their rooms, and Soundwave was the last to fall into recharge. Even after an eventful day.
"I guess it's goodnight then." She smiled laying down next to the glowing mech. Soundwave's back faced her, Arcee examined the healing wound. Focusing her optics on the insignificant blinking green light disappearing as the wound filled and repaired. Dismissing the light as her mech's recovery systems she closed her optics.
"Orion that was very kind of you to offer keeping Xanthia's sparkling with you. But do you know what you're getting yourself into?" The ancient medic questioned the young mech.
"I'm not as prepared as I thought. But I am very grateful for the donated supplies." Orion Pax replied gesturing to the new sparkling supplies in the room.
"Objects that help you care for a sparkling is one thing. But do you understand the health and wellbeing of a sparkling that gets separated from it's creators?" Ratchet rolled his optics as Orion promptly scooped up the violet sparkling off the floor.
"I think so... He has to take that serum, I have no problems feeding, or changing him..."
"Orion you're missing the big part of this. I'm glad you can handle that. But can you handle the deprivation?" Ratchet asked in all seriousness.
"Deprivation?" Orion repeated.
Ratchet sighed clearly the the young mech was more naive than he thought. "Orion are you aware that sparklings depend on an inseparable bond to be able to thrive from the regular needs of a sparkling?"
Orion went silent, confused by the medic's question.
Taking the data clerk's silence as a no, Ratchet asked his next question. "Do you know why lower caste sparklings rarely survive?"
"Work related accidents, and energon deprivation?" Orion replied as Soundwave babbled impatiently at him.
"Those are only a couple of reasons. Let me shine a light on the main reasons." The medic replied as Orion placed the sparkling back on the ground. "The main reasons are from creators leaving their sparklings alone at home, thinking it'll be safer than taking them to work. During that time alone sparklings either die getting into something their not supposed to, or get killed by murderers wondering into their unsecure homes. They lose their bond with their creators since their creators work overtime trying to survive, causing them to become very ill losing their ability to thrive. The worst is abandonment because creators have no time to spend rekindling their bond, so they give up."
"Are you saying Soundwave is going to decline in health, because he isn't getting the strength from his mother's spark bond?" Orion Pax queried with concern.
"I suppose that's a simpler way of putting it." Ratchet gestured with his helm to the violet sparkling toddling out of the room.
Soundwave squeaked as he was once again promptly picked up off the ground.
"What do you suggest I do Doctor?" Orion Pax asked while the sparkling in his grasp whined in protest.
"Well returning Soundwave puts him at risk either way, but he'll have a better chance of survival if he stays in Iacon with you." The medic began, as Orion placed the moody sparkling in the enclosed play area in middle of the room. "You already have a spark connection with him, you just need to create the bond."
"Won't that be overstepping boundaries?" Orion gave the medic a unsure gaze.
"Overstepping boundaries?" Ratchet cocked an optic ridge at the young mech.
"What about Xanthia and Megatronus's bond?"
The medic chuckled at the naive mech. "Your bond will in no way cancel out Soundwave's mother. Once a bond is created it can't be broken unless one half is offlined. Bonds can grow weaker over time, very rare occasions of a bond disappearing. But do not worry about Xanthia's bond, or Megatronus if he's even created a bond in his busy life of politics and gladiator battles."
"You do not believe my brother could have a spark bond with his sparkling?" Orion Pax raised an optic ridge at the red and white mech.
"He certainly has a connection. But I do not suspect a bond. Weren't you telling me that you took Soundwave because of a threatening circumstance with the gladiator?"
Being put in the enclosed play area to corral him from his explorations frustrated Soundwave, there was nothing to do in the small pen. Soundwave began to cry making his protest heard.
"Yes, I never got the full story. But whatever it was, was bad enough that Xanthia banished Megatronus from their lives." Orion Pax replied turning to the crying sparkling.
"I don't trust that gladiator. If he's so caring and passionate about helping the lower caste. Why can't he show the same compassion for his lower caste sparkling?" Ratchet scoffed causing Orion to grow silent. "I'm sorry I know he's your brother, you two are finally growing close. Just be careful, Megatronus is on the path to power and corruption. But perhaps with your influence you can stray him away from corruption." The medic sighed walking towards the door.
"What should I do about Soundwave?" Orion asked picking up the crying sparkling.
"Prepare for Soundwave to have lows and highs, he may be a bit fussy during this transition of spark bonds. If something worries you, bring Soundwave to me." The old medic said as he opened the door to leave the Clerk's home.
"Thank you Ratchet."
"You're welcome, sorry I couldn't get any toys, just the essentials." The old medic shrugged.
"He's already used to that, but I will get him toys." Orion Pax smiled walking towards the door with the sparkling in his arms.
"Well don't be surprised to see Soundwave quite upset or leery of the new sparkling supplies I gave you."
"Soundwave adapts fast." Orion Pax reassured.
"I'm sure. Good bye you two, call if you get stuck." The medic said his farewell before transforming driving down the street.
After the medic's visit Orion Pax took the sparkling into Iacon city. Meeting a friend along the way.
"Orion Pax I do not know why you think bringing me along to shop for sparkling toys is logical? I'm a scientist, not a sparkling sitter." Preceptor said as they walked into a shop.
"Rion down!" Soundwave whined pointing towards the floor.
"I'm going into this with as much knowledge as you Preceptor. What kind of toy should I get Soundwave?" Orion sighed with a smile, placing the sparkling on the ground.
"I would suggest allowing the sparkling to choose." The red white and blue mech replied, watching the violet sparkling warily examine the toys that younglings and sparkling would usually drool over.
Soundwave toddled getting spooked be noisy interactive toys going off as he passed them. Soundwave didn't like any of the scary objects. "Rion up!" The violet sparkling gasped reaching up at the red and blue mech.
"But for Soundwave the superior choice would be to choose an educational toy." Preceptor thought aloud, noting the young sparkling was quite advanced in his development.
"Sounway super ear!" Soundwave chirped at the scientific mech.
Orion Pax chuckled at the little sparkling. "Yes, Soundwave superior."
"I'm surprised at how advanced he is considering Soundwave's not even a cycle old." Preceptor shook his helm in awe. "Here Orion Pax, a whole section of intellectual devices."
"We'll start with something simple, how about an enumerating sphere?" Soundwave watched as Orion Pax grabbed a silver ball that activated with blue lights.
"Why don't you get a few lore tomes, our history is very important." Preceptor suggested.
"Excellent idea."
Soundwave quietly observed as Orion purchased their findings. Once back on the busy streets of Iacon, the violet sparkling curled himself tightly against the data clerk's chest plate, making himself almost unnoticeable.
Preceptor raised an optic ridge at the sparkling. "What is he doing?"
"His mother taught Soundwave to hide when they were walking in the streets of Kaon. A mother with a sparkling was more vulnerable victim." Orion casually mentioned to his friend that was now confused.
"Kaon? The sparkling isn't from Iacon is he?" Preceptor questioned.
Orion Pax cringed at the fact he so loosely spoke of the sparkling's origins. "Did I say Kaon..."
"Orion Pax do not try to deny it, I analyze for a living. I had my suspicions but this just confirms it." The red blue and white mech scoffed at the backpedaling mech.
"You weren't supposed to know that..."
"I will keep your secret safe. But I hope you know once Soundwave becomes a youngling, he will easily be identified as a lower caste member." Preceptor mentioned to the worried Data Clerk.
"I didn't think about it... there's many things I didn't think about..." Orion sighed thinking about how unprepared he was for taking on the sparkling.
"I imagine you're working on creating a formal bond with Soundwave as well?" Preceptor mentioned as they arrived at the Data Clerk's home.
"Yes, but I don't have the first clue of how to." Orion shrugged.
"It's not something that can be taught. It's just something that happens over time. And I imagine if you need some advice, you can ask that medic friend of yours." Preceptor sighed knowing he had to get back to his studies. "I have to go now, don't stress over the bond, you'll get it."
"That's funny hearing that come from you Preceptor." Orion smirked at the cautious scientist.
"Yes very funny, I am over cautious sometimes. I would be more worried about your game plan for when the sparkling suddenly becomes a youngling." Preceptor retorted before parting ways.
Orion Pax furrowed his optic ridges in a worried manner shutting the door behind him. It was going to be a long while before Soundwave became youngling Orion thought to himself.
Feeling a sorrow filled tug pulling at his spark, Optimus wondered out of his room curious to ask his apprentice questions. It was late, all team members were recharging, even Soundwave to the Prime's surprise.
He decided to go peek his helm in the younglings room. Hearing quiet voices coming from the room, Optimus halted in front of the closed door listening.
"I'm sorry Bee..."
"Why are you sorry Mirage?" Bumblebee asked looking at his brother who sat across the room.
"It's my fault she's gone..." Mirage replied dropping his gaze to the floor.
Bumblebee was confused, he thought Mirage only had his memories of what happened during that age. "You remember that?"
"Yeah I'm regaining a lot of memories lately." Mirage replied as Bumblebee walked over to him.
"You're a spy, you make it hard to tell." Bumblebee tried to make a lighthearted joke.
A smile twitched on Mirage's faceplate for a split second before returning to a frown. "Don't joke, I really hurt you, that's why you're having nightmares about Elita's death."
"It was also my first battle, and encounter with Megatron." Bumblebee replied hiding his sorrow filled spark. "What Megatron did was deceitful, he tricked you into killing my mother. Megatron killed her, not you."
"He killed her with my blade..."
"You're not the killer in my nightmares, Megatron is. He's the true killer, if anything it's a scary nightmare because Megatron kills you, and Arcee first, then me."
Mirage looked up at his brother, he began to remember the fact that Optimus, Bumblebee, and Arcee all forgave him for his tragic mistake. "I appreciate your forgiveness. But I will always feel remorse for what happened."
"That's okay to feel that way I can't change that, but I just want you to know I don't hate you at all for what happened. I will always loathe Megatron's doing, but if he had the chance to change his mind, I would hope he would try to make amends and apologize." Bumblebee replied to Mirage's surprise.
"You wouldn't want to avenge Elita?" Mirage cocked his helm curiously.
"Revenge gets you nowhere but in an endless circle of hate. Look at what happened with you and Air Raid. Or you Shockwave and Soundwave. Shockwave and Megatron may have the same goals in domination over the universe, but they both differ." Bumblebee began only to have Mirage finish his sentence.
"Shockwave sees it to be logical to gain revenge, while Megatron cared little for such things, as you said revenge gets you nowhere." Mirage sighed as Bumblebee returned to his own berth. "The only thing that fuels Shockwave's revenge is the fact that Soundwave and I are his science experiments, that have gone against him, being a huge insult to him. And in his creepy optic, he sees us as something that needs to be eradicated. Because all we do is embarrass him in front of the Decepticons." He scoffed laying back down noticing the shadows of the massive peds casting under the door. "But we should get some recharge Bee."
Bumblebee laid down also noticing the peds at the door as well. "Goodnight Mirage."
Optimus smiled happy that his sons were able to console each other. On his way back to his room Optimus peeked his helm into the young couple's room. Arcee was holding Soundwave in a loving embrace, Soundwave shifted slightly in the femme's grasp. The Prime narrowed his optics suspiciously, noticing the violet mech wasn't glowing as vividly as he usually did.
"I'm awake, she won't let me go..." Soundwave whispered trying to look over his shoulder at the open door.
The red and blue mech gave an inaudible chuckle. "So I see, how are you feeling?"
"I'm really tired but can't recharge, but I feel okay." Soundwave whispered trying to clear the soreness out of his vocals.
Optimus quietly walked into the room taking one of the vials off the desk, handing it to the young mech that gently wriggled out of the femme's grasp.
"Thanks..." Sitting on the edge of the berth Soundwave unwillingly took the vial from his mentor.
"Since you didn't finish your energon, you may as well take it." The Prime raised an optic ridge at the violet mech, gesturing to the half finished energon.
"So why are you up?" Soundwave asked changing the subject.
"Restless..." Optimus shrugged as Soundwave took the serum.
Soundwave cocked his helm curiously, wondering if Optimus was unable to recharge due to the news about Megatron. "Why?"
"A busy mind I suppose." The Prime smiled he loved Soundwave's curiosity. The young apprentice seemed to crave knowledge.
"What are you doing up Soundwave... are you okay?" Arcee rolled over half awake.
"I'm fine Cee, I'm just talking to Optimus." The dimly glowing mech replied, looking under his arm to see the femme's exhausted optics barely open.
Arcee opened her optics a little more, noticing the red and blue mech in their room. "Hi Optimus."
"Hello Arcee, I'll leave sorry to wake you both." Optimus quickly apologized making his way to the door.
"It's fine Optimus if you need to speak with your apprentice, I'll go back into recharge." Arcee yawned sitting up.
"It's quite alright, Goodnight you two." Optimus replied leaving to go back to his own quarters.
"Hey how come you're not the typical blinding glow stick?" Arcee asked tracing the violet mech's grooves that usually glowed a bright purple.
Soundwave shivered at the tickling sensation his femme's tracing digits caused him. "Am I really that bright?"
"Not at the moment, you're usually glowing enough to be a pain in the aft if you're trying to recharge. Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Arcee questioned.
Soundwave sighed rolling his optics. "That seems to be the question of the night..."
"Hey don't roll your optics at me, you woke me up." Arcee scoffed laying herself back down.
"I've woken you up many times before grumpy gears." Soundwave retorted right back at the femme.
"Touché, can we go back to recharging if you're feeling so great?" The femme snorted closing her optics.
"You go ahead, I'm going to be up for a while." Soundwave replied exiting the room.
Arcee was about to question why, but didn't have the energy to ask. Figuring her mech wanted to speak with Optimus.
Mirage lay restless in his berth while his scout brother recharged. The young assassin visibly jumped as a ground bridge appeared next to his berth, followed by a text message telling him to go through it.
"What's going on Soundwave? Why are we on top of the base?" Mirage asked his older brother as the bridge closed behind him.
"I need your help." Soundwave replied without turning to face his brother.
"With what?" Mirage was curious as to what his brother could possibly need help with.
"Do you think we should offline Megatron permanently?"
"Well yeah, but why are you asking this now?" Mirage replied rubbing his tired optics.
"I had the chance to do so, and I didn't. Now it's a regret." Soundwave replied finally turning to his little brother.
"I'm sure there were many times Optimus had the opportunity, but did not do it. You'll get your chance Wave, maybe by then you can convince Megatron to change." The red little youngling replied.
"Perhaps. But I think the time of convincing Megatron to stop his war has long surpassed." The violet mech sadly sighed.
"That's not something I thought I would hear you say." Mirage said.
"Neither did I." Soundwave replied. "But there's no way to convince him, while he's comatose. If Optimus has tried for deca cycles what hope do I have?"
"Well Megatron's defenceless right now. Maybe this is the best time to convince him."
Soundwave furrowed his optic ridges in confusion. "What are you getting at Mirage?"