The sound of giggling stirred Swiftshadow from her slumber. While her eyes remained shut, her mind came into awareness. A warm hard surface held her. What ever it was, it felt nice. A deep rumbling started up nearby. More giggling occurred.
"Come on guys. Let her sleep," A voice said. Jack?
"shhhh, let me record this," A second voice whispered. Miko?
"Who knew dragons could purr," Raf quietly chuckled.
Dragon? Purr? Wait a minute…
She snapped into full alertness. The rumbling abruptly stopped. The first thing she noticed was that her sleeping surface was red. It took her a moment to realize that she spent the night on Optimus Primes shoulder.
"oh, god," She gasped, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to sleep on you…"
"It is fine," He reassured, "Just happy to be of service,"
Swiftshadow leapt onto the catwalk, "Hey Optimus, thank you,"
"Your welcome,"He said as he headed out of the hanger.
"So, what bring you guys here?" Swiftshadow greeted, "I thought you had School,"
"Dude, it's mid afternoon," Said Miko.
"Seriously?"
"I'm guessing that was a good sleep," Said Jack.
"Apparently," Swiftshadow noted that she hadn't this well rested in ages.
"Where is Sky?" asked Raf.
"She went back to her pack,"
"Aw well," Said the punk rocker, "We still have a lot of things planned this after noon,"
"Can I at least have breakfast first?"
"You mean dinner?" Said Jack.
"It's breakfast to me!"
"What do you mean the Autobot's captured the predacon!" Roared Megatron.
Predaking cringed inwardly. Megatron's optics burned with anger. Soundwave stood silently at his post. Troopers milled about the bridge fulfilling their daily tasks.
He knew Megatron would not take his news well. Yet couldn't exactly lie to his lord. He told the warlord only the important parts. He left out the part of her leaving under her own volition. He also dropped ghostly wolf out as he wasn't so sure of what to make of it, himself.
"Do you have any Idea the Advantages this could give the Autobots!"
"Well my lord," Preadaking started, "I do not think that we have much to fear from that predacon in particular,"
"How so," Growled the Warlord.
"For starters, she was incredibly small for predacon," He explained, "I doubt that she would be even a match for a vehicon trooper,"
"Is that so…" Megatron gave a calculating glare, "You had better be right. For if I find that your judgement is false, Your predacon army will never see the light of day,"
"You have my word," He stated adamantly.
"Very well. You are dismissed," Megatron said.
Predaking stalked out of the bridge. Many confusing thoughts and questions floated through his mind. He shoved them all down. The Autobot's were the enemy and his loyalty to Megatron will yield a new generation of predacons.
And that was all there was to it.
A couple days passed since Sky returned to her pack. Life in the hanger fell into routine. Wake up. Eat breakfast. Help the 'Bots around the base. Practice flying. Have supper. go to bed. Wash, rinse, repeat.
In that time Ratchet had analyzed the data from swiftshadow's examination. Not only could she safely process energon, she needed it as sustenance. Fortunately, she only required a minuscule amount of it. Only a couple of gulps of processed energon every few days or small chunk of the raw stuff.
She guessed that her prior incident was a result of her being starved of the resource.
"Your getting good at that," Praised Smokescreen.
"Thanks," Swiftshadow said from the rafters.
"Your pretty much flying already,"
"Not really," Said the dragon, "This is more gliding with some wing assisted leaping. Flying is when one can get in the air and stay there,"
"I don't think it'll be long until you will be really flying,"
"I sure Hope so," Said Swiftshadow as she glided down. In truth she had been taking her time with this. She no longer felt the need to get away from this place. In fact she felt quite content here, even if she miss long walks through the woods with Sky.
"Swiftshadow!, Think fast!" Shouted Miko as she threw up a piece of wood. Swiftshadow destroyed it with a quick burst of flame. Fire breathing also something she decided to practice on. She was starting to get good at it.
"Prime!" Shouted Fowler as he burst out of his office.
"Yes?"
"Last night, the deceptions made off with twenty tons worth of control rods from a nuclear reactor,"
"What could Megatron be planning to build," Wondered the Prime, "Keep use posted on any further activity,"
"Will do," Fowler saluted.
"Hey Fowler," Swiftshadow strode over to the agent, "Have you found anything, you know…"
"Not yet," He said, "If I find anything, You would be the first to know,"
"Oh," Her heart fell in disappointment. She hoped that Fowler with his recourses might be able help find a clue to her past.
"But I'll you what, I will keep looking,"
"Ok," Swiftshadow said as the agent returned to his office.
Jack, being his empathetic self sensed her sadness, "Hey look on the bright side, you got us,"
"I know," Said Swiftshadow, "And I appreciate that. But I still would like to know at least a little about my past,"
She didn't expect him understand completely. He didn't know what it was like to look upon ones memories and see nothing. To not know of ones origins.
"Hey Swiftshadow, wanna play a video game?" asked Raf.
"Oh, your on,"
"Hey Ratchet what ya doing?" Swiftshadow leaned against the railing. A day had passed since the news of the deception theft. Not much had happened in that time, other then the Autobots keeping a vigilant eye out for Decepticon activity.
It was a sunny mid afternoon. The Jack, Miko, and Raf had yet to arrive. Swiftshadow had expected them to appear at any moment.
"Just finishing up the analysis of DNA," He said.
"Find anything interesting?"
"A few things actually," Ratchet pulled up some diagrams on his monitor. He pointed at one with a double helix structure, "This is normal human DNA, as you can see it is comprised carbon based molecules,"
He pointed to the other diagram, "And this is CNA. The basis of all cybertronian life. It is comprised of cybermatter,"
Swiftshadow watched in rapt curiosity. Ratchet entered a command into the computer, "And this is yours,"
A Double Helix structure appeared. It was different from the previous examples. The closest thing Swiftshadow could compare it to was as if someone took a wooden ladder and a steel ladder and cut them in half lengthwise, then glued them together by their rungs.
"As you can see your a perfect fusion of human and cybertronian biology. A techno-organic if you will," He explained, "Such a thing was once considered impossible as it was considered the two biologies incompatible. You would not have survived if that spirit wolf hadn't intervened,"
"You mean The Wolf Spirit," Swiftshadow corrected, "And I already knew that,"
"Is there anything you wish to know?"
"Other than where I came from, not much," She sighed, "but, I do want to say something to you,"
"Oh…"
"I want to say sorry for accidentally biting you. It was unnecessary and uncalled for and you didn't deserve it,"
"I find Your apology quite unnecessary,"
"I still feel guilty about it,"
"Very well, Accept your unnecessary apology,"
The sound squealing tires interrupted the conversation. Jack and Arcee skidded to a halt with Bulkhead and Bumblebee close behind.
"Yeah!" Whooped jack, "Who's the fastest,"
"Dude its wasn't race," Said Miko dismissively.
The Whole of Team Prime had assembled in the base when Fowler called.
"Prime Its cons again. In progress this time,"
"Coordinates received Agent Fowler," Said Ratchet as opened the ground bridge.
"Lets Roll," Magnus commanded only to be stopped by Ratchet.
"Eh-yip-yip, Your ability to Roll remains predicated upon further exploration of you manual dexterity,"
Magnus flexed his clawed hand in frustration. Swiftshadow noticed WheelJack Give a sympathetic expression. What had happened to Magnus' hand?
"Ratchet's authority supersedes my own in medical matters," Stated Optimus.
"I understand," Magnus said with note of disappointment. He watched as the Autobots leave through the vortex. Huffing he trudged towards a console. Swiftshadow made her way over to him.
"Hey Magnus, sir,"
"Yes, soldier," Magnus said flatly.
"What happened to you hand?"
"What brought this on?
"Curiosity,"
"It was crushed by Predaking when we destroyed Shockwaves laboratory,"
"The WheelJack destroyed," Said Swiftshadow, "And the one no one saw me in,"
"Correct,"
"Why didn't you see me there?"
The Autobot SIC took a moment to think, "In the heat of the moment it was impossible to give the place a thorough look. So it was possible that you were kept hidden somewhere inside,"
"Ratchet, reopen the ground bridge," Optimus' voice rang over the comms, "But insure the humans are kept at a safe distance, for we are returning with a deception prisoner,"
It wasn't long before the Autobots had Soundwave strapped down on a table. The teens, Swiftshadow, and fowler had been herded to a section of catwalk. the interrogation was not going well. Soundwave had only responded with silence, dub step remixes, and a smiley face emoji.
"The Deception chief surveillance officer must know a lot," Jack commented.
"I wonder if that means he know where I came from?" Swiftshadow's wings twitched. She gazed upon the blank visor that was Soundwaves face. Something about him unnerved her.
"If he did, he doesn't speak," Said Miko, "Or does he?"
"I'm no even sure he has a face," Said Raf.
They were suddenly interrupted by a most horrid of sounds. It resembled a siren and a car alarm jumbled together and was ear splittingly loud. Every one covered their ears in an attempt to muffle it. It stopped as quickly as it started.
"Scap this, Soundwave is no ordinary cybertronian, inside or out," Ratchet growled frustration, "So I strongly suggest opening him up, so we can get a first hand look on the information on his drives,"
That felt a bit extreme to swiftshadow.
"Alright, he downloading data," Bulkhead cheered.
"No," Ratchet said, "He's erasing data,"
A deep rough monotonous voice echoed throughout the hanger, "Soundwave superior, Autobots inferior,"
Then Soundwave went completely still. His visor blank.
"Is he…" Asked Bulkhead.
"No," Assured Ratchet, "He merely crashed his drives,"
Swiftshadow looked on with many questions unanswered and unsaid.
Predaking strode up to the bridge, "You summoned me Lord Megatron,"
"I require your services, since an Autobot presence is expected at our next event,"
"I welcome any opportunity to face the Prime again, warrior,"
"You pride yourself on your evolution," Roared Megatron, "Yet you have learned nothing! The Autobot forces have grown while ours continue to dwindle! Not to mention the predacon they inherited due to your failure,"
Predaking wasn't so sure why Megatron was so worked up about that. He was certain that the little one wouldn't be able to harm much of any one. Her little claws probably couldn't penetrate anyones armour much less kill.
"Then I'll battle twice as fiercely,"
"As a beast,"
Swiftshadow observed the Soundwave from her perch on the cat walk. Jack, Miko, and Raf had since gone home. Fowler went for another debriefing with the general. Most of the Aurobots had gone to deal with another Deception robbery. That left her, Ratchet, Bulkhead, and Smokescreen.
Soundwave remained in a comatose state. It still felt like his blank visor seemed to see everything before it. It was unsettling. Both Bulkhead and Smokescreen appeared to agree as the commented their own similar feelings.
"Can you stop trying what soundwave can or cannot see," Said an exasperated Ratchet, "and help figure out what he did not tell. For instance why would Megatron seek something with power to create a black hole,"
"To destroy the earth," Bulkhead stated bluntly, "Obviously,"
"No," said Ratchet, "He merely wishes to harness the power to destroy worlds in order to… create one. Oh my,"
"What is it?" Asked Swiftshadow. What was Megatron trying to build?
"Wait," Said Smokescreen, "You seriously you think that Megatron is trying to rebuild the Omega Lock?"
"I wouldn't put it past Megatron from attempting to do so,"
"Whats an Omega Lock?"
"Ancient relic with the power to cyber-form any world," Said Ratchet.
"Cyber-form?" Swiftshadow said, "You mean it could potentially rebuild your home?"
"Yes," Ratchet confirmed, "But it also has the power to remake yours, with would inevitably destroy all life on it,"
Swiftshadow shivered. It was almost unthinkable to think that there was something out there with that kind of power. But then again, The Wolf Spirit existed and who knew how powerful she was.
Ratchet then called Optimus.
The Shining moon glinted of of Predakings scales. Moonlight reflected off the glaciers beneath. Stars twinkled silently in their dark velvet beds. The cold antarctic wind held him aloft in the clear night sky. The fire inside him kept him warm.
His sharp eyes soon caught sight of his prey. The Autobots where approaching the building that housed the item Shockwave required. He knew that his creator would be in there overseeing its retrieval. He noted that the little one was not among them.
He spat fire at his enemies. He winged around to take another shot. The Prime rose up to meet his challenge. Fine by me, he thought. Predaking's fire and the Primes blasts shot off into the night.
Their battle was fierce. The Prime had managed to throw Predaking into an ice cliff. The predacon escaped the falling ice and dug his talons into the Primes armour. They wrestled high above the icy plain. The Prime shoved Predaking's head to avoid a fiery blaze.
Eventually Predaking got in a blow that sent the Prime falling into the frozen wasteland below. The beast landed and prepared a searing blaze. One that would end the dazed Prime.
"Predaking," Megatron's voice interrupted his victory, "I have been informed that our objective is at risk. Secure it now!"
Loyalty and wrath conflicted inside Predakings mind. Vengeance demanded that he end the Primes life.
Yet loyalty won out. He Took to the sky and broke through the buildings roof. He located Shockwave who was in a fist fight with Magnus. Predaking tossed aside Magnus and grabbed Shockwave in his front talons. With mighty swing he broke the machine off its stand. He hefted himself, Shockwave, and the equipment into the sky.
He did not look back as he entered the ground bridge.
"It may not be with the Omega Lock, but we'll find a way to fix our planet," Smokescreen encouraged Ratchet.
Swiftshadow sympathized with the Autobots. She knew what it like to be unable to go home.
Optimus had said they would sacrifice the only way to restore their world to save this one. Smokescreen was being his optimistic self in thinking that they would be able to find another way. Swiftshadow couldn't think of anything to help. What else had the power to reform entire planets?
Fowler who had returned from his grilling left his office. A bunch of papers filled his hand.
A strange sound caught Swiftshadow's attention. Laserbeak burst through a window. Glass shards scattered on the floor. The 'con blasted away Soundwaves bonds. The Autobots opened fire on the 'con. Swiftshadow filled herself with fire. She spat it at the metal bird. Laserbeak veered out of the way.
One of Smokescreens shots broke a piece off the 'con but Laserbeak wasn't impeded. It swooped down a darted underneath a catwalk. Swiftshadow took the chance and pounced. her claws raked Laserbeaks hide but did not find a grip.
Laserbeak attached itself to Soundwaves chest. The Decepticon came to life. The Autobots tried to subdue him. A tentacle tasered smokescreen into unconsciousness. Bulkhead went down next. Fowler attacked with a fire extinguisher but was swept away. Ratchet went down easily.
Swiftshadow made a leap at Soundwaves face. One of the 'cons tentacles wrapped itself around her. The last thing she remembered was the sparking electricity and a strange tingling along her wings and spine.