"The omega keys, are the only hope of restoring our home planet. We must gain all four omega keys in order to activate the Omega Lock." Soundwave could see himself listening to his leader's voice, behind them was Megatron listening in on the conversation. It took a short moment for him to realize he was in a cortical psychic patch. He hated every moment of a cortical psychic patch, but was going to take advantage of this one, using this opportunity to sift through Megatron's memories, finding the memories that happened after the first key retrieval. "Who the hell does he think he is, Optimus promotes him to be a Prime apprentice, all of a sudden Soundwave thinks he can implore me to stop my conquests!" Megatron ranted to the mad scientist. "Soundwave has always been an odd one, Lord Megatron, that's why I made him specialize in technical skills. He had the potential and ability to be an accomplished killer, but Soundwave was always reluctant to engage in violence, unless it was for defence. That's why I programmed his defence mechanisms to be hypersensitive to almost everything, therefore he'd engage in battle more often." Shockwave scoffed continuing to work on the database."I wasn't referring to Soundwave's reaction to your programming, continue working on the database..." Megatron rolled his optics, leaving the one optic mech to decoding. "Remember Soundwave is Primus's creation, just like the Primes." Shockwave reminded the exiting warlord. Megatron growled, walking into the empty bridge. "Is this just a tireless battle going no where?" The warlord thought aloud. "We haven't made any significant changes to our kind with this war. Besides dividing the two factions, therefore our entire race, destroying our home in the process. The only thing that significantly happened for the better, was both Autobot and Decepticon accomplished bringing down The Chaos Bringer, together united as one." Megatron stood behind himself in confusion, wondering how he ended up back in his own memory. Turning his helm, the tyrant was met with his answer. "Soundwave!" Soundwave visibly jumped as the memory faded to grey, only him and Megatron remained. "You reversed the psychic patch!" The warlord hissed stomping over to the young mech. "Shockwave, we're done here!"

Shockwave quickly stopped the patch, both mechs waking immediately after the cord was removed.

"So those identical relics are keys, they hold the power to restore Cybertron." Megatron said getting off the medical berth he lay on.

"You got what you wanted, let me go." Soundwave hissed trying to get free from his restraints.

"No, we only got half of what we need." Megatron venomously replied. "Shockwave I want all your efforts to go towards locating the Autobot base, and finding the last key. We must have all of them, in order to restore our home, crack Soundwave open, and collect whatever is recorded on his drives, if you have to." Megatron commanded his scientist, before exiting the laboratory.

Shockwave bowed his helm in acknowledgement. "Of course Lord Megatron."

Optimus worriedly stared at the monitors, waiting for any sign of Soundwave's signature, or any information from his patrolling Autobots.

Ratchet looked up from the data pad he was reading. "Staring at the monitors isn't going to make Soundwave's signature appear any quicker."

Optimus blinked slowly, turning his gaze to the floor. "I know... I just can't stand here and do nothing."

"Well you tried patrolling with the team, but you were driving them insane, you kept picking up on their signatures thinking it was Soundwave's." Ratchet approached the Prime. "I know what you can do to help though."

"What is it Ratchet?" Optimus looked at the medic.

"Take Sideswipe's advice, try to contact Soundwave through your bond." Ratchet suggested, handing Optimus a data pad.

"I need a data pad to do that?" Optimus cocked an optic ridge at the CMO.

"Primus, read the damn thing. Honestly, you all wonder why I get grumpy with you bots..." Ratchet grumbled, taking over the monitors for the Prime.

Optimus chuckled at the cranky medic, reading the data pad in his servo. CNA MATCH: POSITIVE

"It's positive?"

"You are correct. Now do you mind explaining how the frag this is possible?" Ratchet scoffed to the surprisingly calm Prime.

"It's not a very believable story old friend." Optimus replied.

Soundwave continued struggle in his restraints making Shockwave laugh at him.

"You're not going anywhere youngling, I wouldn't bother. Now if you want to make things easier for you I suggest considering telling me everything before I plunge into your mind." Shockwave warned the young mech, turning to his tools.

Soundwave could feel his spark heat up with pure happiness, reminding him he could contact Optimus through his bond. *Optimus, Megatron knows what the keys are for now, this is my location. Please send Mirage, it will be the easiest way to safely escape.*

"I suggest you start talking youngling." Shockwave told the youngling.

"You heard Megatron, he's having doubts about this war, don't you think it's time for you to consider the same? You haven't benefited much during this war either, you're restricted for time on your experiments, don't you miss the freedom of creating whatever you wanted, and throwing them in the pits to see what they could accomplish?" Soundwave tried to stall Shockwave's methods of interrogation.

"Don't try to stall this crucial process." Shockwave hissed.

"Optimus that is truly an insane explanation, if it weren't for those results, and if I hadn't seen what Soundwave is capable of, I would think you were crazy." Ratchet sighed, shaking his helm.

Optimus wasn't paying attention to the medic, hearing his eldest youngling's message through their bond. *I'm sending Mirage now youngling, try to stay calm.*

"Optimus?" Ratchet cocked his helm.

"Soundwave's contacted me, Mirage I'm sending a bridge for you, help Soundwave escape the Nemesis." Optimus Prime called the young assassin.

"Wait, just Mirage?" Arcee asked over the open com channel.

"It is what Soundwave requested. Everyone else return to base." Optimus replied to his Autobots.

Mirage didn't hesitate to rush into the bridge that appeared, even though in the back of his mind he was worried his brother was angry at him. He activated his cloak and the phase shifter, going through the laboratory door, finding Shockwave torturing his big brother.

Soundwave caught the sheen of his brother's cloak behind the scientist, waiting for his brother to strike.

Mirage grabbed the EMP blaster that sat on one of the counters. *I can't mask the sound of its charge, help me out Wave.* Mirage hoped his mending bond was strong enough to communicate with Soundwave.

"How good are your audio receptors?" Soundwave randomly asked the scientist.

"What kind of illogical question is that?" Shockwave scoffed.

Soundwave set off his high frequency alarm, causing Shockwave to grab his helm in pain.

Mirage cringed at the sound, focusing his efforts on charging the EMP.

Shockwave dropped to the floor after being hit by the EMP blast. Mirage deactivated the restraints on the medical berth, releasing Soundwave.

"You could've told me to turn off my audio receptors. Anyway I'm sorry I called you stupid, Soundwave." Mirage immediately apologized to his brother.

"Let's get off this ship first, then you can apologize Mirage." Soundwave said leading his brother towards the door.

"Sure, aren't you going to make a bridge?" Mirage asked, confused as to why Soundwave was going towards the laboratory exit.

"We're getting the omega key." Soundwave gestured for Mirage to follow.

"Do you know where it is on the ship?" Mirage asked.

"Yeah, it is most likely in the vault." Soundwave replied casually.

"If we're both retrieving it, I suggest you bridge us in. Unless you've got cloaking now?" The assassin retorted.

"Ugh, you're right. I'll bridge us, we shouldn't separate." Soundwave sighed, creating a bridge.

Soundwave stepped out of the bridge with his brother, locking their sights on the lone key.

Mirage grabbed the key as Soundwave created another bridge back to base. "Now just to pry the last key from Starscream's claws."

Megatron screamed enraged as the doors flew open a moment too late, as the portals closed revealing the empty vault.

"You two are alright!" Arcee hugged the brothers as soon as they arrived back in the base.

"Yes, and we have all but one key." Mirage waved the key.

"Excellent work Mirage, Soundwave we're glad you're safe." Optimus praised while his red youngling handed him the key.

"But like I was saying earlier, I'm sorry Soundwave." Mirage apologized again.

Soundwave sighed placing a servo on his brother's shoulder. "I know you didn't mean it, you're frustrated with what Megatron has done. A lot of bots feel the same way as you do, my opinion is..."

"A rare one, that should be considered more often, instead of cycling more violence and death." Mirage finished his brother's sentence.

"Exactly." Optimus nodded in agreement.

"I don't mean to change the subject. But may I ask, why the hell did the cons capture me, and interrogate me for the last key?" Soundwave questioned.

Optimus pulled up the last database entry on the monitor.

"Why is the last Iacon entry, a picture of me?" Soundwave shook his helm in confusion.

"Because you are the last key kid." Ironhide told the young mech.

"How the frag is that possible, the keys are keys!" Soundwave refused to believe that he was one of the Omega Keys.

"Soundwave, you don't remember what Alpha Trion said to you when we raided the Iacon Hall Of Records?" Mirage asked.

"I remember most of it, but I wasn't exactly paying attention, I was a bit busy." Soundwave rolled his optics. "I don't remember Alpha Trion telling me I was a key."

"Believe it or not youngling, Alpha Trion told you exactly that during your raid. I believe you are the last Omega Key." Optimus Prime told his eldest son.

"Fine, I'll go along with it, but if we end up at the Omega Lock and it doesn't activate with the three keys and me, don't blame me." The violet mech shrugged, giving up on arguing with the team.

"Now we just need to find Starscream." Mirage mentioned.

Soundwave dismissed the last Iacon entry, replacing it with the seeker's last known location. "It should be relatively easier, since he has no more base. But since he's got red energon in play, that makes it difficult to track him."

"But not impossible." Mirage added. "We've tracked this kind of trail in the past, because his red energon supply is limited, Starscream won't be using it all the time. The only problem with that, is Starscream flies." The youngling said to the team.

"So should you two even bother retracing your steps, if Starscream can fly?" Sideswipe questioned.

"Screamer probably bugged out of there as soon as he got the key." Sunstreaker scoffed folding his arms.

"Very true, I can send Lazerbeak to hunt Starscream down, he's an excellent tracker." The violet mech mentioned.

Mirage nodded. "Send Lazerbeak out, I'll help him search, but I will wait for him to find a track first. If it's on the ground I can track, if aerial, Soundwave can track with Lazerbeak."

"Great, all planned out. Too bad that coward won't just give away his position." Jazz thought aloud.

"Give it time, it's Starscream." Arcee snorted, watching her mech release Lazerbeak near the base exit tunnel. "The important thing is, we have the advantage now."

Soundwave left the team in the main room, his helm still adrift from the invasive cortical psychic patch.

"You feeling alright Wave?" Mirage asked following his brother down the hallway.

"Yes, my helm is just a messed up from the cortical psychic patch." Soundwave replied, making Mirage cringe.

"Shit... sorry you had to go through that. I hate those fragging things." The youngling quivered.

"It wasn't great, but I was able to reverse the patch, and take a look into Megatron's processor." Soundwave replied.

"That's even worse, how was that shit show?" Mirage asked curiously.

"I got through to him, I found the memory of after I suggested that Megatron reconsiders calling off the war." Soundwave began, wondering if he should even bother explaining it since his brother didn't really believe in reasoning with Megatron.

"So what were the results?" The red youngling pressed on, curious to know what the warlord thought.

"He was pissed off at me."

"Of course." Mirage nodded with a shrug, waiting for Soundwave to continue.

"But then after he bitched to Shockwave, he went off on his own. He rethought the outcome of the war so far, realizing there's been no significant changes, except for when Autobots and Decepticons united to bring down Unicron." Soundwave said to his curious brother.

"Really, Megatron was really rethinking the war?" Mirage was shocked.

"Yes, I wasn't in there long enough to really see his deep thoughts about it, but a glimmer of hope is all I need." Soundwave replied making his brother smile at him.

"Very optimistic." Bumblebee commented, coming out of his quarters.

"I am." Soundwave smiled at the scout. "But I also am prepared to deal with Megatron if he doesn't change his mind, and continues this pointless battle."

"Is it a pointless battle?" Bumblebee cocked his helm.

"Maybe it wasn't deca cycles ago, I mean we're battling for life now, because our planet is dead, we needed an energon source. Now we fight to protect Earth, and it's creatures, while the Decepticons tear around this planet for energon and lost war relics." The violet mech explained leading the younglings into the training room. "Now that we have the Omega Lock on our agenda, the war has become pointless, we could have life back on Cybertron. But if Megatron's deluded mind gets to use the keys, and is the reason for restoration of our planet, he will be able to use it in a political sense as he would be seen as our planet's saviour."

"But we're not trying to restore our home world to be looked at as hero's, we just want our home back." Bumblebee thought aloud.

"Exactly, that's why I am hoping to get through to Megatron. Because there's a lot of bots that wouldn't even consider him a saviour, sparking a whole new war, but identical battle." The violet mech sighed.

"Well where Optimus has failed, maybe you will succeed." Mirage encouraged his brother.

"I think I can convince Megatron to stop this. Everyone gets exhausted eventually, before we restore our world he has to realize he's exhausted everything in this war, we have a chance to prosper again, and continuing this war will just continue to lead us into extinction."

Bumblebee reassured Soundwave, that he could convince Megatron to call off the war. "You'll do it Wave, especially since you're one of the keys. You'll fight to restore our planet, only for the right reasons."

Soundwave shook his helm with a smile. "Thanks Bee." The young mech unknowingly thanked another one of his brothers.

"What are you three plotting back here?" Arcee sarcastically said, entering the training room.

"A peaceful victory." Bumblebee replied with a smile.

"I see." The femme chuckled warmly. "Optimus is looking for bots to go on patrol. Did you want to go, or do you need some time?" Arcee asked her mech.

"I'm going to take a moment to gather my helm, I'm still a little foggy from the cortical psychic patch." Soundwave replied honestly to his sparkmate.

Arcee nodded in understanding. "Mirage, Bee?"

"Sure, let's go hunt down a seeker." Mirage shrugged making his way out the door.

"You mean let's go hunt for the last key." Bumblebee said going after his brother.

"We'll be back soon." Arcee said following the younglings out the training room.

Soundwave sighed, checking on Lazerbeak's progress. The drone had not gone very far yet, Lazerbeak was heading in the direction of Starscream's last position.

"Optimus?" Ratchet called, gaining the mech's attention.

"Yes Ratchet?" The Prime turned to face the old medic.

"When we gain the last key, have you considered that we're only going to be holding a fraction of the power to restore our home world?" Ratchet mentioned, cleaning his med bay.

Optimus didn't reply right away, trying to understand what the medic was getting at. "You're referring to Soundwave?"

Soundwave stopped in the hallway just short of the main room, listening to the conversation between Ratchet and Optimus.

"Yes, if he doesn't think we're ready to restore our planet, there's nothing stopping him from refusing to activate the Omega Lock." Ratchet explained to the Prime. "Unless we resort to forcefulness."

"That's not going to happen." Optimus sternly replied. "If Soundwave does not feel we as Cybertronians, Decepticon, or Autobot, are adequate to the restoration of our home. Then so be it."

Ratchet sighed reluctantly agreeing with his leader. "That's not going to stop Megatron once he figures out Soundwave is the last key..."

Soundwave silently entered the room, going directly to the monitors.

"You also have to let Soundwave know about your crazy coincidence." Ratchet whispered to the Prime.

"Crazy coincidence?" Soundwave repeated the medic's words.

"I need to tell you about the testing Ratchet did the other day." Optimus Prime said to the violet mech.

"Okay?" Soundwave replied, before his visor lit up with Lazerbeak's distress signal. "Sorry Optimus, Lazerbeak seems to be under attack."

"Starscream?" Optimus asked curiously.

"I can't get a view..." Soundwave replied as a message appeared on the monitors.

"Another high frequency message?" Ratchet opened the message on the monitor. "From Starscream."

"Autobots return to base." Optimus commanded over the open com channel.

"I have obtained something of interest that is of no use to me, all I ask for in return is a small supply of energon to survive off of." Ratchet read the message aloud.

"It's a trap." Arcee said upon entering the base.

"Of course it is, but we must recover the key." Mirage mentioned.

"Ironhide, Twins, we will meet Starscream. The rest of you stay here and guard the bridge." Optimus ordered as Ratchet set the ground bridge.

All four, armed mechs walked through the bridge with their weapons aimed.

"Should we be keeping an open portal to our base?" Soundwave questioned.

"If they need to retreat quickly, yes." Jazz said aiming his guns at the open portal.

Soundwave and Mirage both exchanged unsure gazes, pointing their weapons at the portal like everyone else.

Optimus led Ironhide and the twins out of the bridge, into a dark forest. "Starscream, we're here."

"Come'on show yourself!" Ironhide called out, aiming his weapons in every direction.

Both Soundwave and Mirage saw a flash of grey, followed by a flash of alarms and warnings going through their helms for a brief second.

"What the hell was that?" Soundwave gasped, looking around in surprise.

"What, was what?" Bumblebee said confused.

"You guys didn't see anything?" Mirage asked, looking at his brother.

"No, you probably just blinked, you're being overreactive." Ratchet scoffed, gesturing for the two to keep their optics on the bridge.

Before another word could be said, a large bang followed by the base sprinklers activating diverted everyone's attention.

"What was that?" Arcee gasped looking around frantically.

Mirage was quick to react, making his way to the hallway to find the source of the explosion.

Optimus walked forward a small distance from the bridge. Coming across the downed surveillance drone.

"Optimus, I'm not picking up on anything." Ironhide reported.

"We just scanned the area there's no sign of Screamy." The twins added.

"Ratchet close the ground bridge!" Optimus ordered, realizing they had been deceived.

Ratchet did as he was told, reaching for the ground bridge controls.

Soundwave boosted his sensors into hyper mode. Picking up on an enemy signature in the base.

Starscream rounded a corner to the main hallway, finding Mirage standing there with his guns aimed at him. "Ah, Mirage!"

Mirage fired his weapons at the mech holding the three Omega Keys, only seeing quick glances of the seeker's panicked movements. It was like watching a glitchy video lag through each frame.

Starscream quickly snuck past the youngling and his bullets, out of the hallway, into the main room, where Soundwave was the next to see him and open fire on him.

"I could slit all your throats, all of you wouldn't even know it, except for you mutants..." Starscream turned his helm catching the medic closing the ground bridge. "Another time then." The seeker growled, dodging Soundwave's gunfire, before making his way through the bridge. Only to see the four mechs turning around to face him.

"Oh such a pity, poor Autobots have been deceived. Optimus Prime you slow fool!" Starscream taunted the slow motion Autobots.

Optimus quickly spun around putting Starscream at gunpoint.

"I guess the red energon wore off." Starscream nervously laughed, as the Autobots opened fire on him. He screamed in surprise firing a missile, making the Autobots scatter, giving him a moment to transform and escape.

"What happened, why were you two shooting?" Arcee asked looking over at Mirage and Soundwave.

"Starscream was in our base!" Both brothers replied.

"Soundwave bridge yourself, Starscream is making an escape!" Optimus panicked voice came over the monitors

Soundwave created a bridge, transforming as he figured he would immediately have to pursue the seeker.

Optimus, Ironhide, and the twins all watched Soundwave fly out of the bridge ascending after the escaping fighter jet.

Soundwave fired at the fighter jet, knowing the only chance he had of catching Starscream, was if he crippled the seeker's jet mode.

"Dammit, you Autobots are relentless!" Starscream cursed barrel rolling out of Soundwave's line of fire. Flying into the dark clouds above, accelerating his speed to maximum.

"Shit!" Soundwave veered into the clouds as well, hoping to stay on the fighter jet's tail. Frustration grew as Starscream's signature turned off, Soundwave attempted to track the jet by sound, but it was of no use. "I lost Starscream."

Optimus screamed in frustration, feeling Soundwave's disappointed spark. Surprising both Ironhide and the twins.

Soundwave transformed, landing a small distance from the four, hearing his leader's scream of anger.

"We'll get them back Optimus." Ironhide reassured his friend.

"We've still got one key, that Megatron is oblivious to." Sideswipe added.

"Sorry Optimus..." Soundwave was hesitant to approach his upset leader, feeling he greatly disappointed Optimus.

"Ratchet send the bridge." Optimus sighed.

Soundwave retrieved Lazerbeak off the ground, following a few feet behind the team.

"What happened?" Arcee asked seeing her mech enter in a disappointed manner.

"Starscream got away with all three keys." Sideswipe answered.

"Fucking red energon." Mirage hissed.

"The good thing is the keys are absolutely useless to Starscream, while he scrounges around in the wild like some scraplet." Ratchet tried to show the positive side of things.

"He won't be in the wild, he's returning to Megatron." Soundwave said, dampening the positive.

"The keys are still useless to Megatron. As long as we still have you with us, the keys won't be of any use to that tyrant." Arcee reassured her mech.

"So what happens now though?" Bumblebee asked. "We're at another stalemate."

Soundwave exhaled deeply. "When I was on the Nemesis, Megatron's last orders to Shockwave, were to find our base. It's only a matter of time before Shockwave uncovers our location."

"I need to contact Agent Fowler, and speak to him about our current battle towards the end of our war. I suspect we will be fighting our last battles back on Cybertron." Optimus Prime said to his Autobots. "It is not fair for us to endanger the humans any further."

"So what, we're just packing up and leaving after being here for so long?" Sunstreaker questioned.

"It's the right thing to do. There is nothing more for us on this planet, besides it's energon supply." The Prime replied.

"Where will we go, Cybertron can't sustain us while it's still dead?" Sideswipe mentioned.

"We will gather as much energon as possible, take it to wherever we can set up a base. We can still return to Earth's supply if we run low. But hopefully that won't happen." Ironhide said gesturing for the twins to follow him. "Come'on twins, let's get as much as we can from that lake."

"We'll all help you." Jazz said following the twins.

Soundwave went to follow the team, but was halted by a large servo on his shoulder.

"It is best that you stay hidden, Megatron, and Shockwave will figure out your role in this restoration, eventually." Optimus told the violet mech.

"He's right Soundwave, we've got enough hands on deck." Mirage smiled at his brother.

"I will review Cybertron's schematics, find the best area to setup a base." Soundwave sighed walking over to the monitors.

"I wouldn't think we'd be returning to Cybertron like this." Mirage thought aloud, filling cubes with the raw energon.

"Yeah, I definitely didn't think we'd be fleeing our dead planet, just to return to it later." Jazz agreed with the youngling.

Arcee sighed, stacking energon cubes. "Well it's for everyone's safety, including the beings that inhabit this planet, there's no need to spread our war any further."

"You're right, but what about Unicron?" Bumblebee mentioned, handing Arcee another cube.

"He's dormant, the Matrix put him in a deathless slumber, I think. The only way he can still haunt us, is through dark energon." Mirage scoffed to his brother.

"Lucky for us, the dark stuff is constantly pumping through you, and Soundwave." Sunstreaker teased the young assassin.

"Unlucky for us, that your mouth runs faster than your processor." Mirage retorted back at the golden twin.

Arcee couldn't help but laugh at the youngling's come back. "I've been saying that for so long!"

"Yeah, you two are hilarious..." Sunstreaker rolled his optics.

Soundwave blinked, trying to look behind himself without moving his helm. "Uh, can I help you?" the young mech turned to the medic standing behind him.

"I'm looking for my medical data pad, Optimus put it around here somewhere." Ratchet replied looking around the violet young mech.

Soundwave scanned the area, locking his optics on the medic's data pad. "Here Ratchet." He picked up the data pad, activating it.

CNA MATCH: POSITIVE

Soundwave got a quick glimpse of the data displayed on the pad. "Who's CNA were you playing with?" He chuckled, handing the data pad over to Ratchet.

"You should know already, ugh, I suppose there just hasn't been a right moment yet." The medic replied, returning to his med bay.

Soundwave was confused by the ancient medic's riddle. But didn't pay too much attention, deactivating his visor as Optimus entered the main room. "How was your chat with Agent Fowler?"

"Melancholy, but Agent Fowler understood, and is very thankful for our help defending Earth from the Decepticons. But is also grateful we're not waging any more of our war on this planet." Optimus replied, looking at the Cybertronian map on the monitor. "Have you found a place to take refuge for our return to Cybertron?"

"Iacon or the border." Soundwave simply replied.

"Iacon was hit hard by the war, are you sure?" Optimus questioned his youngling's choice.

"Exactly, the wreckage will make it harder for the Decepticons to detect us, when they return to Cybertron." Soundwave explained to his mentor.

Optimus turned to see Ratchet glaring at him, while gesturing to the data pad that confirmed Soundwave was another one of his younglings. "How's Lazerbeak doing?" The Prime cleared his throat, ignoring the medic.

"He's recovering, Starscream surprisingly didn't do too much damage." Soundwave replied, hearing Ratchet groan loudly from the med bay. "Something wrong Ratchet?"

"Yeah, Optimus..."

"Agent Fowler wants us to clear out the entire base, he wants no traces of our technology to be found. So make sure you have everything you need old friend." Optimus quickly interrupted the CMO from saying anything further.

"Of course, Optimus..." Ratchet growled, doing as he was told.

"I'll wipe the computers clean before we leave to. I'll go pack up the training room, so no unsuspecting humans get hurt." Soundwave said, leaving to the training room.

"Optimus, what is with you?" Ratchet hissed as soon as Soundwave was our of sight. "Why didn't you tell Soundwave?"

"Because I don't think it is the right time to tell him." Optimus replied to the cranky medic.

"I think this is the most optimal time, you're going to regret not telling him, especially if something happens to either of you, during our last battles." The ancient mech told the Prime.

"If something happens before I get the chance to tell Soundwave, I know you will tell him." Optimus said.

"You'll regret not telling him yourself." The medic shook his helm. "Are you afraid if you tell Soundwave, he'll give up on trying to convince Megatron to surrender?" Ratchet ignored the Prime's words.

"Yes..." Optimus shamefully nodded his helm.

"That's ridiculous Optimus, you know Soundwave wouldn't stop just because you're his creator, he is better than that. He doesn't even consider Megatron his creator, yet he still tries, even after the horrible things that mech has put him through." The medic argued against his leader's opinion.

"I knew it!"

Both Ratchet and Optimus turned to see Bumblebee standing behind them with an armful of energon cubes.

"Well, good luck keeping it from him now." Ratchet snorted, going back to packing up his med bay.

"Soundwave doesn't know yet?" Bumblebee queried putting the energon down.

"Not yet, I'm waiting for the opportunity to." Optimus replied to his youngling.

"When?" Bumblebee tilted his helm.

"Soon youngling, let's get things settled on Cybertron, then we'll talk about it." Optimus sighed.

"So cool, I have another brother!" Bumblebee excitedly mumbled to himself.

Optimus chuckled shaking his helm at his joyful youngling.

"I think he's the only one that's happy to do energon mining." Soundwave snorted with a laugh, walking past the smiling youngling.

"Did you already clear out the training room?" The Prime asked surprised.

"Yeah, it wasn't a very complicated simulation, it was mostly human grade." The violet mech shrugged. "So am I completely locked in the base, or can I scout out a location for our new base?"

"I'll go with you." Optimus replied, getting an approving nod from Ratchet.

"Prime protection program hmm?" Soundwave said as his mentor followed him through a bridge. "You do know I'm a specialist in espionage, I can stay hidden?"

"I didn't know that?" Optimus replied, genuinely trying to be sarcastic.

Soundwave cocked an optic ridge with a smirk. "Are you trying to be sarcastic?"

"Wasn't very good was it?" Optimus said, as they set foot on the dead metal that was Cybertron.

"Not at all." The violet mech shook his helm with a laugh.

"How are you doing, you didn't say much about your capture?" The Prime asked, changing the subject.

"I haven't been back for that long. What about you, how are you doing, you seemed pretty upset earlier." Soundwave mentioned, walking through the dead war torn streets of Iacon.

"I let my frustrations take over me." The Prime sighed shamefully.

"Even though it was unexpected in the moment, I understood your frustration."

Optimus nodded with a wondering expression. "Thank you."

"I'm fine by the way, nothing too bad happened during my interrogation. At least something good came out of it, in my opinion." Soundwave mentioned, scanning the area for any signs of life.

"Please tell." The Prime replied curiously, watching Soundwave step on a slab of rubble.

"I saw into Megatron's thoughts, although Megatron was furious, he was considering my advice. I really hope he will end this tyranny, and denounce the Decepticons." Soundwave replied hopefully.

"We stay forever hopeful youngling." The Prime sighed, scanning the area with his optics, though barely recognizable, he realized they were on the street he used to live on.

"Hopefully we don't have to rely on hope for long." Soundwave leapt off the rubble, following his mentor to a particular area of rubble.

"Soundwave, I have something to tell you." The Prime said staring straight at the rubble.

"Yes Optimus?" Soundwave turned his gaze to the red and blue mech.

"I had tried to earlier, but circumstances interrupted me. I was going to wait for a better time, but I believe Ratchet is correct when he said I will regret not telling you myself." Optimus Prime began to explain.

"Tell me what?" Soundwave was curious now, feeling the anticipation building inside him and Optimus.

"Optimus, we're ready to move, if you've located our temporary base?" Ratchet's voice came over the comlink.

"Not yet Ratchet, I will contact you when we do." Optimus replied abruptly ending the call.

Soundwave blinked in surprise at the abrupt ending to the medic. "Maybe we should get back to finding a place." He suggested, continuing forward a few strides.

"Soundwave, you're not Megatron's youngling." The Prime's words stopped the youngling in his tracks.

"What are you talking about?" Soundwave spun around, confused, and upset.

"Megatron is not your creator." Optimus said to his eldest youngling.

"What do you mean, you said he was. My mother said the same, as did Megatron himself!?" Soundwave hissed at his mentor.

"We all assumed it, but we were wrong."

"I had a bond with Megatron, an insufficient one that broke, but still." The violet young mech argued.

"You share a bond like Bumblebee would with Megatron. I know youngling, just please understand we were all very confused, and scared during that time when you arrived." Optimus spoke softly, trying to calm his upset youngling.

"Who are my creators then?"

Optimus closed his optics with a deep sigh. "Soundwave, you were a direct creation of Primus, I witnessed the beginning of your creation. Your mother and I were part of that creation, taking our CNA, and the blank pieces of each of our pure sparks. Unknowingly chosen by Primus, to be the beings to develop, raise, and care for his creation."

Soundwave looked away, taking in all the information the Prime just gave him. "You're my creator then?"

"I was unsure at first. I had not remembered how you were created, until you asked me how I had met your mother. Even then it was still very unbelievable, so I asked Ratchet to run a test to make sure my memory banks were correct." Optimus Prime explained to his newfound son.

"The test was positive..." Soundwave thought aloud, remembering the results on the data pad he picked up earlier.

Optimus nodded, keeping quiet, as he did not want to trigger a flee response in his confused son.

"That would explain a lot." Soundwave exhaled, walking back towards Optimus. "I always wondered why it was so easy to create a bond with you, and not Megatron."

"I wondered the same, in a way. When I took over as your caretaker when you were a sparkling, Ratchet advised me to create a bond with you for the sake of your survival. To both of our surprise, I almost instantly created a bond with you, where's Megatron struggled to." Optimus said, placing a servo on his youngling's shoulder.

"Megatron never exactly tried..." Soundwave looked away, at the pile of rubble.

"No, but he is family, and you still tried for him. And I know you can convince him to stop this war."

Soundwave looked up at his father in an unconvinced manner. "You really believe that?"

"Where I have failed, you have prospered. The fate of Cybertron is held in your hands, not mine, nor Megatron's. Only when we're adequate, will Cybertron be restored." The Prime replied, giving a gentle squeeze to the young mech's shoulder.

"It may lay in my servos, but ultimately it's Megatron's decision on whether he wants our race to thrive, or die." Soundwave said walking towards the rubble.

"If he does not agree to peace. There is another way to gain it." Optimus mentioned, following his youngling.

"I know..." Soundwave sighed. "I'm prepared to deal with that."

Optimus nodded walking to the pile of rubble. "Are you certain this is the best area to setup a base?"

"Not really, I've been rethinking, you're probably right, the cons will be expecting us in Iacon." The violet mech replied looking beyond the war torn streets.

"Where did you have in mind?"

"What was with that abrupt call?" Arcee glared at the monitors.

"Optimus was preoccupied most likely." Ratchet replied, understanding their leader was most likely talking to Soundwave about their new discovery.

"With Cons, Cybertronian vermin, stuck in a hole, what?" Arcee shook her helm.

"Optimus would've expressed if he was in danger." The medic replied.

Arcee narrowed her optics suspiciously, figuring there was something going on, seeing Bumblebee seemed to be attempting to suppress his excitement. "What's going on, Bumblebee you want to tell me?" The femme purposely asked the scout, glaring at the medic.

"Soundwave's my brother too!" Both Mirage and the rest of the base looked up in shock.

"Oops..." Bumblebee sheepishly grinned as Ratchet groaned.

"Ratchet is that true?" Mirage glared at the grumpy medic.

"I also want to know Ratchet, what the hell!" Arcee hissed, a little irritated that she was not informed of this news.

"I wasn't going to be the one to tell you, but yes it's true. And don't get irate, this is news to us as well, we just found out." Ratchet sighed, walking over to the youngling.

"News to you hmm?" Arcee raised an optic ridge at the medic.

The medic rolled his optics at the femme. "Yes, the only one who had a theory about this was Optimus, that's why he wanted me to confirm it."

"I'm not angry, I just wish we knew earlier." Mirage replied calmly. "It would've made a world of difference for Soundwave."

"Ratchet, we're sending a bridge, Soundwave is coming back to help clear the rest of the base. You, and Ironhide come help me find a temporary base." Optimus's voice came over the monitor.

"You better help Soundwave move this stuff." Ironhide glared at the twins.

"We just moved all the energon!" The twins whined.

"Stop whining, it's good for you." Ratchet retorted following the weapon specialist through the bridge.

"Soooo..." Arcee followed her mech that entered the base.

Soundwave sighed, looking at his femme from the corner of his optic. "I suppose you know?"

"Only for about three minutes." The femme replied.

Soundwave smiled. "I only have a few minutes on you, it's all new to me too."

"I'll let you do your thing first, we can talk later alright?" Arcee gave Soundwave's servo a gentle squeeze.

"Um, sure?" Soundwave shrugged , unsure of what they had to talk about.

"So you're my full brother huh?" Mirage playfully elbowed his brother.

"Thanks for the update, I didn't realize that." The violet mech rolled his optics, wiping the computers of all their data.

"You know your sarcasm has never been your strong suit." Mirage snorted.

"Others would disagree with you." Soundwave laughed.

All the Autobots stopped what they were doing when the base shook violently.

"What the fuck was that?" Sunstreaker gasped, catching the stacked energon cubes.

Soundwave materialized his visor, patching into the base security cameras. "I'm not getting anything on the camera feeds."

"Where the hell are you two going?" Arcee shouted at her mech, and his brother.

"I'm just trying to to see what the hell is going on." Soundwave replied continuing on to the lift.

"What's happening?" Bumblebee cried in fear.

"Come here it's going to be fine." Arcee grabbed the scout protectively. "Twins, Jazz, contact Optimus."

"How the hell are we supposed to do that, Soundwave is the only ones that has long range communication?!" Sideswipe shouted at the femme.

"Wave, what's going on out there?" Jazz called the Prime apprentice.

"I'm sending a space bridge to you guys, Optimus says they have found a base. Get the energon through first, don't worry about the rest of the stuff." Soundwave replied over the com channel.

"What's happening Mirage?" Arcee hissed sending Bumblebee through the bridge first.

"The cons are knocking on our door." Mirage replied, shooting down the attacking seeker jets.

"What?!" Arcee gasped.

"Don't argue Arcee, Mirage and I will hold them off as long as we can." Soundwave took over the conversation.

"Don't be stubborn, we can help you." Arcee argued.

"Arcee, help by helping the others move the relics, and energon to the new base." Soundwave snapped at his sparkmate.

"Soundwave..." The femme exhaled pleadingly.

"Mirage and I will be there." Soundwave promised, taking down a seeker.

"Okay..." Arcee reluctantly helped the twins and Jazz move the energon through the open portal.

A few intense moments of battling went on over the base, the two brothers exhausting all efforts to keep the Decepticon army at bay while their team scrounged their survival through a portal.

"What are they retreating for?" Mirage heavily cycled his vents.

Soundwave saw that the warship was making its way over top of the base. "That gun hasn't been used in a very long time."

"What the hell are you talking about... we gotta go Wave." Mirage said activating the lift.

"Arcee evacuate everyone now, Mirage and I are on our way down!" Soundwave ordered his femme.

"We're all out, everything is moved, please hurry." The femme replied, scared for her mech.

Soundwave quickly opened another space bridge portal at the bottom of the lift.

"Could you cut it any closer?!" Arcee hugged both brothers.

"What the hell is this?" Mirage pushed himself away from the femme.

"It's..." Soundwave was barely able to create the words to express how much dread he felt.

"Shockwave's training facility, why?!" Mirage interrupted his brother.

"It's the only place we found that's equipped, and able to hold our team until we get Cybertron running again." Ironhide and Ratchet explained.

"You were in an emergency, we apologize for choosing this facility, we needed an area that was under cover, if the Decepticons were to arrive on Cybertron soon." Optimus apologized to his sons. "Soundwave, Mirage, you can scout another possible base, if that is what you two feel is right."

"It's just a base..." Mirage exhaled looking at his frozen brother. "Soundwave?"

Soundwave blinked, bringing himself out of his dread. "Right..." looking around, he did not recognize this area of the facility, thinking it must've been the living quarters for Shockwave and his hired abusers.

Arcee could read that the brothers were very uncomfortable, but were attempting to push their fears aside for the sake of the team. "I can help you two tomorrow."

"It's fine, we're going to scan the perimeter, make sure there's no threats." Both brothers replied, leaving the broken facility.

"You're seriously not making this our base?" Arcee turned to the three eldest mechs.

"Arcee, we had little luck finding somewhere that wasn't crumbling dangerously, or out in the open as a large target." Ironhide told the bothered femme.

"If this place becomes too much for the wellbeing of Soundwave and Mirage. We will move immediately, Mirage and Soundwave may have better knowledge of undetectable areas we could use." Optimus assured the worried young femme.

"But for now, this facility has running computers, is mostly operational, and undetectable with the rubble, and it's protected masking field that is still operational." Ratchet added.

Arcee sighed, shaking her helm in defeat. "Fine, but if those two decline, we're out of here."

"Primus, do we have to be so crowded in this one room?" Ironhide grumbled pushing past Jazz and the twins. "Go pick out your damn quarters."

"Is it safe to?" Jazz half joked.

"Exactly, I'm not moving, not with the freaking horror stories Mirage and Soundwave told." Sunstreaker agreed with Jazz.

"Are there going to be traps?" Bumblebee gave his father a worried gaze.

"It's alright Bumblebee. That's enough you two, this area should be fine." Optimus said to the worried bots.

"Yes, this isn't where the torture was done." Mirage said, entering the room with Soundwave.

"Sure..." the twins and Jazz reluctantly entered the corridor

Mirage rolled his optics, following the three into the corridor.

Soundwave went to follow but halted in the doorway. "It's best Bumblebee stays here, or in his room. Until we map out the safe areas." The violet mech left the room with Arcee in tow.

"Well these rooms aren't terrible, really roomy." Sideswipe mentioned, after he and his twin picked a room.

"This was Shockwave's, and trainers living quarters, nicest area in the building." Soundwave thought aloud.

"Okay, where's the dangerous areas to avoid?" Sunstreaker scoffed.

"I would advise you all stay in this area, until I do a thorough examination of the area." Soundwave advised his teammates. "Please inform Optimus of this." The violet mech sighed walking towards the door that led to the training and experimentation area.

"I can help you so it's done faster." Mirage volunteered, following his big brother, with Arcee in tow.

"No." Soundwave turned to his little brother.

"Why?" Mirage cocked his helm curiously.

"Mirage..." Soundwave knelt down to be eye level with his brother. Briefly looking up at Arcee with sorrow filled, before reverting his gaze back to his little brother.

"What?" Mirage looked up at the femme, who placed her servos on his shoulders.

"I don't want you to see what's beyond that door. You don't need anymore nightmares to refresh in your processor, it's a lot worse then what you remember, especially after the attack." Soundwave sadly explained to his confused brother.

"I'm sure I've seen worse." Mirage scoffed trying to be brave.

"No Mirage, you're staying here, I'm just protecting you." Soundwave stood back up.

"Who's protecting your mind?" Mirage retorted back at his brother.

"I am." Arcee said standing next to her mech. "Go help organize the energon."

Mirage rolled his optics, leaving the couple.

"Arcee, you don't need to do this, there's nothing pleasant about what lies behind this door." Soundwave warned his sparkmate, placing a servo on the door activation.

"I'm coming with." Arcee followed her mech, not taking any arguments.

"Fine..." Soundwave reluctantly allowed Arcee to follow him into the devastation that was his past.

Soundwave walked through the corridor, his processors trying to shut out the rusting, youngling, corpses that littered training rooms they passed by.

Arcee was eerily disturbed by what she saw, peeking her helm into one of the rooms they were passing, seeing lifeless youngling husks skewered on the torture devices Shockwave called training equipment. The next room was just as bad, the femme stood speechless in the doorframe, looking at the half disintegrated youngling frames laying against a burnt crumbling wall.

"They used to line us up against that wall after a review test, whoever failed the test, or struggled the most was seen as a weak link." Soundwave stood next to his sparkmate. "Those weak links were destroyed, in front of everyone. A scare tactic to make us try harder, survival of the fittest."

"Let's get out of here, we don't have to scan this area." Arcee said taking her mech's arm.

Soundwave nodded in agreement, seeing the room he was locked in for training.

"You look like you just saw a ghost, is it that bad?" Sideswipe commented when the couple returned.

"Worse then what you'd imagine when they mentioned what happened here." Arcee replied. "I think it's a good idea to find another location, and only stay at this place for the moment."

Optimus overheard the femme's words. "Mirage, Soundwave, you will scout a new location for our setup."

"No. This place does not define us, nor does it control our fate." Mirage refused the order.

"Mirage is right." Soundwave agreed with his little brother.

Optimus nodded, watching Soundwave exit the base.

Soundwave walked a small distance from the hidden facility, contemplating a message that Megatron would receive from him, when the warlord entered Cybertron's atmosphere.

"How long do you think until the Cons are on Cybertron?" Jazz openly asked the team.

"Not long, if anything already on their way." Mirage scoffed, pushing off the wall he leaned against.

(Megatron, meet me at the pits. Alone.)

Megatron sneered, laughing venomously at the message sent by Soundwave.

"Lord Megatron, this is surely a trap." Starscream warned his leader.

"If any other Autobot had sent this, I would believe you Starscream." Megatron scoffed, stepping onto the flight deck of the Nemesis.

"At least let me stand by, on the outskirts of the gladiatorial pits." Starscream suggested to his lord.

"No! Take temporary command while I meet with destiny's child." The warlord transformed, flying off in the direction of Kaon.

Soundwave stood in the large hallway that led out to the pit. "Lazerbeak, take flight, you know what to do." Hearing the sound of a familiar jet echo over the pit.

Lazerbeak tweeted flying to the top of the gladiatorial pits, perching himself on the top rim of the wall.

Megatron transformed mid air, the heavy thud of his peds hitting the ground, echoed through the arena. "I'm here, I don't answer many calls, especially from a traitor."

"I didn't come here to fight. I came to get an answer." Soundwave spoke emotionlessly, entering the arena.

"You came to seek fulfillment for your questions, in a place where the only answer was kill, or be killed." Megatron shook his helm with a smirk. "What answer are you exactly looking for?"

"You need to decide whether you're ending this war peacefully, or by force." Soundwave hissed, caring little for patience at this point.

"You're threatening me?" The warlord scoffed approaching the ambitious young mech. "Intriguing..."

"No, you need to decide if you're living to see Cybertron restored to its full potential, or dying trying to restore a world your way, which will cause all Cybertronians to go extinct!" The violet mech argued, telling the warlord what the future would hold.

Megatron growled stopping in front of Soundwave. "Whether I call off this war, or not. My fate remains the same, regardless of what I choose!"

"You're wrong." Soundwave calmly shook his helm.

"Am I?" Megatron glared angrily. "If I call off this useless war, and you restore Cybertron in your supposed peaceful manner, I will be imprisoned, or executed."

"Megatron, you can't expect to start a war, killing millions of Cybertronians, and our planet in the process, and expect to get away with it without consequences." Soundwave told the ridiculous mech.

"Mirage, where's Soundwave?" Ratchet asked noticing the young mech hadn't been seen lately.

"Not sure, last I saw he went topside." The red youngling shrugged.

"Great, glad you're so careless with that response. Soundwave's just the last key, and with Megatron having three in his possession he's only an extremely large target." Ratchet hissed sarcastically at the youngling.

"Soundwave hasn't returned yet?" Optimus asked, walking into the storage room.

"No." Mirage replied sadly.

Optimus glared at the base exit, disapproving of that response.

"Soundwave, if I were to restore Cybertron and continue the war, I would be fighting for Cybertron, as a free mech!" The warlord bellowed venomously.

"You're wrong, you'd continue to be a prisoner of your war, and delusions, when will you realize this war is just fighting, and death, until nothing is left!" Soundwave argued. "If I restore Cybertron, I would give you a chance to redeem yourself, but you won't go unpunished for the devastation you caused." The glowing young mech walked away from the tyrant.

Megatron narrowed his optics at the leaving youngling. "You would?"

Soundwave halted his movements, continuing to stare straight forward. "I suggest you make a decision soon, you are running out of time." He transformed flying out of the pits.

Megatron stood tall, watching the young mech fly off with his surveillance drone. The warlord had no urge to furiously fire his canon at the violet reaper, the youngling's words stung his spark and processor, leaving him frustrated, and lost. There was no way out of the hell he created, and no more time to waste.

Optimus walked the streets that bordered Kaon and Iacon, in search of his eldest son. Hearing a jet engine, he instinctively took cover behind a wall of rubble.

Soundwave transformed, landing in front of the wall. "Optimus?"

"Where were you?" Optimus replied, coming out from behind the wall.

"The Decepticons are on Cybertron now." The violet mech replied as Lazerbeak reconnected with him. "I'll bridge us back to base, so we don't attract unwanted attention."

Optimus nodded, following his youngling into the bridge, looking over his shoulder to see Megatron's jet fly by them. "Did he give you trouble?"

"No, I gave him a dose of reality, and a choice that could save everyone's life, including his own." Soundwave replied, knowing Optimus knew he met up with Megatron.

"How did he take that?" Optimus was curious to his brother's response to a dominant youngling.

"Megatron argued, but I didn't stick around to hear his final statement. I'm not going to jump to conclusions just yet, I didn't read his mind, out of respect." The violet mech sighed, wondering why he gave Megatron any respect.

"Please let me know when you do that next time. I won't disrespect your space, but I would just like to judge whether you require someone to check in on you." The Prime told his eldest youngling.

"Of course sir, I apologize for not informing you earlier." Soundwave apologized to his father.

"Ugh, is Soundwave back yet?! I could use a tech head!" Ratchet called out in frustration.

Both father and son chuckled at the cranky medic's call for assistance.

"I better go help him set up the computers." Soundwave said, leaving to assist the old CMO.

Optimus made his way into the corridor, figuring it was best to find a room to call his personal quarters. Finding Jazz humming to himself, cleaning his guns.

"Hey Prime, looking for a chill zone?" Jazz greeted his leader.

Optimus nodded in response, he could only imagine the cool mech's vocabulary translated to looking for a room. "Yes, do you know which ones are taken?"

"The first room there on the end is the only vacant one, Arcee and Waverz are next, Bee and Mirage are next to the lovely couple, then me, you got the twins, Ratchet, then Hide." Jazz pointed to each room as he described them. "Arcee absolutely refused to bunk next to the twins again. But I also think she intended that empty room to be for you, so you both have quick access to Soundwave, and the younglings." The free spirit mech explained in a jazzy tone.

"Thank you, Jazz." Optimus thanked the jazzy mech for his long directions, before entering the vacant room.

The room atmosphere was stagnant, but the room was mostly intact. There was already a desk which was covered with dust and small debris, next to it was a computer system, with a large monitor, surrounded by smaller ones, a small storage closet, and two berths.

"Oh good, I was hoping you would pick this room." Arcee said, entering the Prime's room.

"These rooms have kept well, since the attack. I'm shocked, do you know if the CPU is working?" Optimus greeted the cobalt blue femme.

"Haven't tried, I don't really want to touch anything without Soundwave giving me the go ahead." Arcee replied.

"Fair." The Prime nodded.

"This place gives off really bad vibes." Arcee shivered.

"I give you permission to go forward on finding a new base if you feel it's necessary." Optimus said to Arcee.

The cobalt blue femme nodded in understanding. "Soundwave and Mirage are determined to not let this place get the better of them, and I support that. But I will make the call if I see otherwise, and I know you will too."

"I'm hoping we won't have to be here any longer then we have to." Optimus sighed.

"Just don't let Bumblebee pass through that door, he doesn't need to see the disturbing death that lies behind it." The femme warned as Soundwave entered the room.

"Nobody's getting through that door, unless they can hack the heavily encrypted lock." Soundwave said, stopping next to his sparkmate.

"There's a lock on it, did I miss that earlier?" Arcee raised an optic ridge in confusion.

"There is now." Soundwave said.

"Is it really necessary, I'm sure the younglings will listen?" Arcee questioned her mech's trust level.

"I don't want anyone going in there, for everyone's safety. If we need any sort of supplies, I will go and retrieve it, we didn't do a thorough check of the area. I do not know what systems are still online, and ready for activation." The violet mech expressed his concerns.

"What are you talking about Soundwave?" Arcee asked, still not fully understanding what her mech was saying.

"As much as this place is broken, Shockwave's technology has survived worse. I fear the training systems are still online, and if that's the case, they could be triggered by a simple vibration, being a voice, or footstep. They are set to try and kill you, they're not like the training simulators at an Autobot HQ. It's not paint, it's real ammunition, and explosives, blades, and it's not set on easy. Whatever horrors come to your mind, they're in there." Soundwave sternly explained to the two as they entered the command centre.

"Understood." Optimus replied fully understanding his youngling's precautions.

"So since the Decepticons are on Cybertron. What's our game plan for getting the keys back?" Mirage asked openly.

"Soundwave's the only one that can fly, so far whatever our plan is, isn't going to be great, we'd just be handing over the last key to them." Ironhide gruffly replied, folding his arms.

"That's a good point." Jazz shrugged.

"So what are we going to do then?" Bumblebee asked looking to his father for an answer.

Optimus turned his helm to his silent son for an answer.

"I don't think the Decepticons have located the Omega Lock yet." Soundwave began.

"Okay, and we know where it is?" Sunstreaker waited for the violet mech to continue explaining.

"It's in the Sea Of Rust." Soundwave replied simply.

"So how are we supposed to know when the Decepticons figure that out?" Sideswipe questioned.

Soundwave looked to Mirage who knew exactly what he was thinking. "We set a surveillance outpost."

"Can you stand to be away from your birdie for that long?" The golden twin cocked an optic ridge at the violet youngling.

Soundwave rolled his optics with groan. "No you imbecile, Mirage and I will wait in the outpost!"

"You're going to sit in the Sea Of Rust, and wait for the Decepticons to tread their path to the Omega Lock?" Ratchet scoffed, joining the conversation.

"So far that's the only plan I can think of. Mirage and I will leave tomorrow." The violet mech left the room, ending the conversation.

"He's short with his answers." Ironhide snorted.

"Because there are no clear answers at this moment old friend. During this crucial time for Cybertron's fate, Soundwave has been working vigorously on a project that could define the fate for us all." Optimus explained to the weapon specialist.

Jazz cocked his helm at his leader. "How come we're just finding this out now?"

"Why are you so surprised, he's been working on it since key number one." Arcee retorted, putting her servos on her hips.

"Because, we just find it hard to believe Megatron, will just give up just like that." Sunstreaker answered.

Arcee rolled her optics with a groan, leaving the command centre, going into her quarters. "So much doubt, is there any hope for any of us anymore?" The cobalt blue femme sighed to her mech.

"There is Arcee." Soundwave gently took hold of his femme's servos. "I know it, you can trust me on that."

"Soundwave..." Arcee sheepishly laughed, turning her helm away.

"Just say it, please..." the violet mech gave the femme's servo a gentle squeeze.

Arcee took a deep breath, looking into her mech's bright red and cyan mixed coloured optics. "I believe you Soundwave." She returned the gentle squeeze to the slender servos that held hers.

Soundwave softly smiled slowly releasing the femme's servos. His smile soon turning to a frown, closing his optics.

"What's wrong?" Arcee asked softly, seeing her sparkmate's expression change.

"Promise me you will keep Optimus safe."

Arcee threw her helm back in shock at the response. "What are you talking about?"

"If Megatron disregards the peaceful choice I have given him, we will be forced to take him down forcefully. If that happens I will sacrifice myself to destroy him, if it comes to it, I don't want Optimus risking himself to bring our home back to life." Soundwave began to express his thoughts. "I'm the last key, I will restore Cybertron only when I see fit. But Megatron will surely fight it if he chooses, and attempt to force me to activate the lock against my will, and I might lose my life because of that. If I do, Optimus needs to stay alive, you need a leader to lead the new Cybertron towards new life."

"I'm not saying I don't want to protect Optimus, I just think that leader may be you one day." Arcee replied laying down in the berth. "I'm sure Optimus is having the same thoughts, but it's you he'd rather us protect."

Hours of set up went by, the team was finally able to rest. Optimus walked out of the base just for a moment, before resting, surprised to get a message from his brother as soon as he set foot outside.

(Optimus, my anger, and jealousy blinded me eons ago, when this war began, I see that clearly now. I know Soundwave is the last key, I didn't want to believe it, but he's a creation of Primus, after all. Like you, he has the same mannerisms, and determination to bring Cybertron back to its former glory. And that can only be done at the Omega Lock, where we shall seal Cybertron's fate, one way or another. Where we will be waiting.)

Optimus was lost for words, the message was of two different halves of the warlord's mind. Walking back to his quarters, he sat on the edge of his berth for what felt like hours went by, contemplating the message over and over in his mind. Eventually sending the message to his eldest son.

Soundwave read over the message thoroughly, over, and over for a while. Trying to understand if it was a deceptive message. Taking his arm away from his sparkmate, he gently knocked on the wall the berth rested against.

Optimus looked at the wall behind him, hearing the gentle tap, he gently knocked back. Assuming the youngling wanted to know if he was still awake.

Soundwave stepped outside of his room, facing the door that held his nightmares behind it. The image of the bodies and destruction flashed into his processor, horrid screams of agony, and death, played through his helm.

Optimus expected his door to open, after hearing the couple's door open. After a few moments went by without his door opening, the Prime got a little concerned. Stepping out into the corridor to see Soundwave frozen staring at the door that led into the training facility. "Soundwave?"

Soundwave blinked, snapping out of his trance after hearing the Prime call his name. "Optimus..." his voice was shaky, keeping the door in his peripheral vision.

"Come youngling, let's speak." Optimus softly called, gently guiding his youngling into his quarters. "I know you and your brother claim you should face your fears, saying we should stay here. But I think it's best we find a new base to run operations."

"But we only just got set up here, we can't just move. I'm fine." Soundwave argued his father's suggestion.

"Soundwave, there's a difference between overcoming your fears, and tormenting yourself to face your trauma, when you're not ready to." The red and blue mech told the young mech. "I have made my decision, and it's final."

Soundwave sighed in defeat, reluctantly nodding in agreement. "Understood." He wondered how Mirage was fairing, wondering if his little brother remembered very much of what happened here.

"What are your thoughts on that message, Soundwave?" The Prime changed the subject.

"I don't exactly know what to think of it." Soundwave scoffed.

"Hmm... it's quite odd." Prime sighed, looking around the room for a better answer.

"In all honesty, it sounds like an open, very deceptive, threat." The glowing young mech thought aloud.

"Agreed." Optimus replied reluctantly. "Do you think perhaps he's seen past your pleas, and proposals?"

Soundwave sighed heavily. "It's a possibility, Megatron was bringing up some concerns, that he was probably a dead mech, regardless of what he chose."

"He's trying to lure us in then." The Prime pondered.

"Exactly. If he knows I'm the last key..."

"Indeed Soundwave, I do believe this is a trap to gain access to your power, so he may will it, forcefully." Optimus said looking at his door. "We're going to have to put a stop to Megatron."

Soundwave exhaled deeply, he knew it would come to this, he just had hoped to get through to his former leader. But deep down inside, he was ready to end the evil spark that lived inside his uncle.

"You should leave."

"What?!" Soundwave gasped confused at what his father said.

"I think the wisest choice is for you to leave Cybertron, so you don't have to be at grave risk." Optimus explained.

"What, are you serious?" The violet mech retorted.

"Soundwave..."

"No, that's not an order I can follow, sorry." Soundwave refused to do what the Prime had suggested.

"Are you willing to go through with the termination of Megatron?" Optimus asked his youngling sternly.

"Yes, I will do it myself if I have to. I gave Megatron plenty of opportunity to change, and too many warnings if he didn't." Soundwave replied firmly.

Optimus nodded in acknowledgement, hoping his youngling would follow through with what had struggled with for eons. Knowing he could've ended Megatron many times on the battlefield, but was never able to follow through, with only certain circumstances fuelling his fire to destroy his own brother.

"I'll head to the outpost with Mirage now..."

"We will meet you in the Sea Of Rust." Optimus replied as Soundwave left his quarters.

"Psst, Mirage."

Mirage rolled over in his berth gazing at the bedroom door, seeing his violet glowing brother. Eagerly jumping out of his berth, and out his room, shutting the door behind him. "What's going on Wave?"

"Come'on we're going to that outpost now." Soundwave replied, creating a bridge.

"Wow already, Cons aren't messing around huh?" Mirage transformed, following the reaper through the Sea Of Rust.

"Not at all, they have a strong belief that we're going to meet them at the Omega lock." Soundwave replied transforming as they approached an ancient lookout tower.

"And do what, hand you over, so they can restart, and destroy everything again? How stupid do they think we are?" Mirage scoffed following his brother up the ramp.

"Most likely their plan." The violet mech replied calmly.

"That'll never happen." The young assassin snorted as they reached the of the tower. "So what happened to your peaceful approach?"

"I tried, I know Megatron's capable of changing for the better, but he chose not to heed my advice, to see past his ego, and manipulations."

Mirage cocked his helm curiously at the young mech, who was most likely scanning the area. "What made you change your mind?"

"Megatron sent Optimus a message, it was incredibly deceptive, exactly what he would send just to get his way." The glowing young mech explained.

"Seem's just like when he needed us to defeat Unicron. So wait, he's just giving up on taking over Earth?" The red youngling questioned his big brother.

"I may have talked him out of it, but I am uncertain. Whatever the case we have to..." Soundwave's sentence was cut short when a Decepticon seeker shot at them.

"So you weren't wrong, Screamer did go running back." Mirage dodged the arial fire.

"Yes, which means he's got an armada to hide behind!" Soundwave replied, catching his balance after the entire tower shook.

"Optimus we're under atta..."

"Soundwave, Soundwave!?" Radio silence was not exactly what Optimus wanted to hear from that distress call. "Ironhide, wake the team, we need to get to the Sea Of Rust immediately." The Prime woke the weapon specialist.

Ironhide jumped into action banging on doors, and firing off a shot. "Wake up slackers, jump into action, double time!"

Bumblebee was the first one out of his room, frightened by the weapon specialist's wake up call. "Dad, Mirage is gone!" The young scout rushed up to the Prime.

"I know, Mirage is with Soundwave, they're in trouble." Optimus replied to his youngest son.

"Where the hell are they?" Arcee hissed, overhearing the Prime's reply.

"In the Sea Of Rust, I lost contact with them moments ago." Optimus told the upset femme.

"We're all going to have to drive, there's no ground bridge." Ratchet mentioned as the whole team gathered around.

"You're telling me Shockwave didn't have a bridge laying around in this facility?" Sideswipe retorted to the medic.

"We do not need to risk going in the facility, to find a bridge that will need repairs, we do not have the time." Ratchet said to the silver twin.

"Autobots grab whatever weapons will aid you in battle." Optimus gestured to the weapons they had gained over their time on Earth.

"Can't we just use that hammer to create a bridge?" Jazz asked as Optimus grabbed his newly made Star Saber, he created earlier when they arrived on Cybertron.

"We do not have time. Autobots transform, and roll out!" Optimus ordered, leading the team out of the base.

Soundwave dug his way out from the rubble, caused by the tower that collapsed. "Mirage?" Calling for his brother while the rusty haze hung over the area.

"Not exactly youngling." Megatron's sinister voice replied, grabbing onto the violet young mech.

Soundwave quickly fought back, jumping out of Megatron's claws after punching the mech away. Aiming his resonance blaster at the warlord.

The warlord quickly grabbed the dark sword holstered on his back, pointing it at the violet mech. "I would think twice about doing that!" Megatron gestured to Starscream, who had Mirage restrained with a couple seekers, pushing a gun against the youngling's back.

Shockwave grabbed Soundwave, slipping energon cuffs on him. "Do not resist, if you do, you'll get an EMP shock, making you vulnerable, and useless."

"Oh, he won't be resisting, because if he does, his precious little brother gets a bullet through his spark." Megatron morbidly added, taking hold of the violet mech. "Now lead us to the Omega Lock!"

The glowing youngling looked around, seeing they were surrounded by a small army of Eradicons. "Don't you know where it is since you've got the keys?" Soundwave hissed as Megatron shoved him forward.

"The keys we have, barely sprawled out a clear picture!" Starscream scoffed, as Mirage fought against the seekers that held him hostage.

"It is logical for all the keys to be present, to get the most precise location of the Omega Lock." Shockwave replied to the violet youngling.

Megatron smirked, as the violet diamond shape, on the young mech's sternum, began to glow a dim blue through the violet glow.

Mirage hissed in pain when Starscream gabbed him in the back with his blaster. *Wave, I can activate my Phase Shifter, and escape.* he attempted to communicate with his brother's reforming bond.

Soundwave barely got to look over his shoulder at his brother, before Megatron tightened his grip on shoulder, while Shockwave blocked his view. *Do it, find Optimus.*

Mirage was hesitant with his plan, knowing his brother wouldn't be able to escape with him without risking getting immobilized by the EMP.

Soundwave could feel the lingering hesitation in his brother's spark. *The quicker you find Optimus, the faster we stop Megatron, I'll send Lazerbeak with you so you can locate me.*

Mirage reluctantly gave an unnoticeable nod. *Release Lazerbeak in, 3, 2, 1!* the assassin activated his phase shifter, causing Starscream and the two seekers to walk through him.

"What, argh!" Starscream gasped spinning around, only to get slashed across the face by one of the youngling's arm blades.

Soundwave ejected Lazerbeak only to be paralyzed by the EMP.

Mirage threw on his cloak, knowing Lazerbeak could see him. *I'll be back, I promise!* he ran away as fast as he could, into the rusty haze, before transforming racing off to find the team.

Megatron roared with anger, turning to his soldiers. "Why are you still here, kill the youngling before he finds his reinforcements!"

"Agh... with pleasure..." Starscream wiped the energon bleeding from his face. "Seekers, transform, destroy the youngling!" He transformed flying off with his seeker squad.

Soundwave hissed in pain when Shockwave ripped him off the ground "Your attempts to defy us are impotent!" The one optic mech growled, standing the recovering youngling up. "Keep attempting these illogical stunts, and the EMP will begin to drain your life forces!"

"Swiftly, we must get to the lock before the Autobots arrive!" Megatron ordered the scientist to make Soundwave lead the way.

Shockwave did as he was told, twisting, and turning Soundwave in different directions until the diamond on the youngling's sternum began to glow blue. "This way my liege." Shoving the violet young mech forward.

Mirage's tires screeched, veering left, and right, as the seekers fired at him. Lazerbeak was able to disable a few of the seekers, but was beginning to pay for it, as Starscream opened fire on him.

"Shit, I can't lose you!" Mirage cursed, transforming, running backwards, taking aim with his rifle.

"I will get rid of you, you flying pest, once, and for all!" The seeker commander threatened the drone.

Mirage lined up his shot precisely, firing his rifle at the jet's missile that sat under the wing.

Starscream screamed in agony, as his own missile mutilated his right wing, making it difficult to stay his course, allowing Lazerbeak to escape his wrath.

Mirage fired at a few other seekers, before transforming again, speeding off to find Optimus.

Lazerbeak twittered excitedly, sending his view to the Ferrari below.

"Optimus!" Mirage transformed, waving his servos to get his father's attention.

"Autobot's engage the seekers!" The Prime ordered, transforming once he was close enough to Mirage.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe eagerly leapt into action, destroying the incoming seekers.

"Mirage, where is Soundwave?" Optimus questioned as his Autobots took down the enemies.

"Somewhere in the Sea Of Rust, Lazerbeak followed me, so we can locate Soundwave. Optimus, Megatron is forcing Soundwave to guide him to the Omega Lock." Mirage explained worriedly.

Starscream landed next to Shockwave, to both Megatron and Shockwave's disliking. "Did you destroy the youngling?!"

"My seekers are taking him down as we speak Lord Megatron." Starscream nervously replied.

"Make yourself useful and escort Soundwave!" Megatron ordered.

"Yes Lord Megatron!" Starscream quickly took over for Shockwave, piercing his claws into the violet shoulders..

"Shockwave, are you positive that he is the key?" Megatron questioned the scientist, he did not want Soundwave to be here anymore then the youngling himself. Secretly afraid of what else the young mech was capable of.

"Lord Megatron, I do not think it is possible to get any further proof, given that Soundwave is giving very clear signs, without even trying." Shockwave replied, continuing next to Starscream, who marched Soundwave forward.

Soundwave wriggled in discomfort trying to get Starscream's claws to loosen, while doing his best to hide the now brightly glowing cyan diamond on his sternum.

Shockwave forcefully pushed Soundwave's servos out of the way, seeing the cyan glow. "Not much further my liege."

"Excellent, soon enough both worlds will be mine."

"Both worlds?" Soundwave repeated under his breath.

"You didn't think I would leave Earth to be unruled? Unicron and Primus, together, ruling two halves as one!" Megatron venomously said to the restrained young mech.

"Move faster you glowing piece of scrap!" Starscream demanded, shoving the violet youngling forward.

"Where's Dreadwing, shouldn't he be doing your job?" Soundwave spat regaining his balance.

Starscream snickered venomously, pressing his gun against the young mech's back. "Pushing up lug nuts, you will join him soon enough, youngling."

"We must be close, my estimate would be the lock lies on the other side of this." Shockwave pointed over a ridge.

Mirage had silently caught back up to the Decepticons, hanging back looking through his rifles scope. *Soundwave turn around.* his optics locked on his brother.

"Pointing out the obvious Shockwave?" Soundwave played an old recording of Starscream.

"That's a broad statement, since I haven't seen your sensors working optimally in eons, you always lead us into chaos." Shockwave retorted at the shocked Seeker Commander.

"What are you getting at you cyclops, I didn't say anything!" Starscream growled, turning his attention to the scientist.

While the two Cons escorting him were distracted, Soundwave quickly spun around to face the opposite direction they were walking.

Mirage fired his rifle as soon as his brother turned around, shooting off the EMP cuffs, freeing his brother.

Soundwave immediately let out the biggest sonic burst of sound waves he had ever produced, throwing the small army of Decepticons surrounding him, scattering them across the rusted land.

"No!" Megatron screamed collecting himself off the ground, with his dark star saber in hand.

"Autobots move in once the blast is cleared!" Optimus ordered, shielding himself from Soundwave's sonic blast.

"Easy Wave, dial it back a bit, the team is here to help." Mirage laughed, leaping off the rusted platform that disintegrated under his peds due to the sonic blast.

Soundwave allowed Lazerbeak to reconnect with him, scanning the area with his optics he could see nothing but a cloud of dust and rust from his sonic sound waves. Materializing his visor he switched his vision so he could locate his team.

"Soundwave, we need to defeat what Decepticons we can before reaching the Omega Lock." Optimus said to the violet youngling that appeared next to him.

"Understood." Soundwave followed Arcee into the misty rust to take down what Decepticons were recovering from the sonic blast.

Jazz used the polarity gauntlet they had found on Earth, grabbing a large piece of scrap metal to dropping it on the Eradicon soldiers.

Soundwave warped himself take out five other with his tentacles.

Filled with rage, Shockwave fired his canon at the glowing young mech.

Soundwave went to block the canon fire with his arms, but was surprised to be blocked by a large body of armour. "Bee?" The violet mech snorted seeing the scout in the Apex Armour.

"I gotcha Wave!" Bumblebee smiled at his to brother, punching the purple mech across the battlefield.

Soundwave returned the smile with a nod. Turning to see a squad of Decepticons charging Arcee, He quickly created a bridge on the ground in front of the charging cons, warping them into Ironhide's canon fire.

Arcee and both twins quickly took down the protected Eradicon soldiers that held the three keys. Both the twins grabbed a key each, while Arcee grabbed the other.

Mirage engaged the damaged seeker Commander. "Come'on Screamer you going to finish me off?" He challenged deflecting Starscream's blaster bullets.

"Relentless pest!" Starscream hissed, keeping his distance from the young assassin's deadly blades.

"Mirage, if you have the phase shifter, go to Sideswipe he's got the spark extractor!" Arcee told the red youngling, over the comlink.

"Fine." Mirage sighed doing a quick lunge at the unsuspecting seeker.

"Ah!" Starscream stumbled backwards onto his aft, making Mirage laugh.

"Too easy." Mirage transformed speeding off to find the silver twin.

Starscream growled, transforming going after the cocky young assassin.

"Touched a nerve receptor huh?" Mirage dodged the missiles thrown at him from the fighter jet. "Sideswipe I'm going to be delayed!"

"Argh!" Starscream hissed in pain as he was shot from behind by a violet reaper.

"I got you covered Mirage, go!" Soundwave told his brother to continue to the spark extractor.

"I've had enough of you damn mutants!" Starscream roared, pulling up looping himself behind the reaper, opening rapid fire on the violet jet.

Soundwave flew up, spinning to avoid the arial fire from the angry Seeker Commander. Buying Mirage enough time to grab the spark extractor from the silver twin. Veering to the side, flying over the battle between Optimus and Megatron.

"Stop running like a coward and fight!" Starscream yelled at the fleeing reaper.

Soundwave quickly calculated a plan, opening a two way node directly behind him.

Starscream gasped as he had no control over flying into the suddenly appearing bridge.

Optimus groaned in pain as he was hit hard by the warlord.

Megatron lifted his sword to strike the Prime, but was suddenly hit by Starscream flying through a portal that appeared in next to him.

Optimus Prime gathered his senses, watching the two Decepticons tumble violently across the rusted ground. "Good work Soundwave." Optimus praised his eldest youngling who landed beside him.

"Evac the area, I'm setting off the spark extractor in two!" Mirage warned the Autobot team.

"You dare to get in my way Starscream!" Megatron roared tearing his second in command off the ground.

"Lord Megatron, it was Soundwave's doing, not mine!" Starscream pleaded.

The warlord growled tossing his Seeker Commander aside, before charging both Optimus and Soundwave.

Optimus wound back his sword swinging it with force, throwing an energy blast at Megatron.

Soundwave made that blast more devastating by throwing a sonic blast with it. Causing the blast to throw Megatron over a rusted fallen temple.

All Autobots, except Mirage, transformed, evacuating the area, while most of the Decepticons they attacked tried to regain their bearings.

Both Shockwave and Starscream climbed over the fallen building, aided their leader back onto his feet.

Megatron stomped up to the edge of the temple building he stood on, addressing his Decepticons threateningly. "Whoever doesn't retrieve those keys, I will have your sparks!"

Mirage calmly phased out of a fallen pillar, with spark extractor in hand. "Allow me to help you with that." He quickly ran into the middle of the Decepticons, phasing into the floor, leaving the spark extractor behind, activated sending out a devastating blast, wiping out all Eradicon soldiers.

The deadly electrical wave fast approaching, Megatron screamed with rage, throwing his dark Star Saber into to the spark extractor.

"How much time do you think we have?" Arcee asked as Mirage caught up to them.

"Depends on whether Megatron escaped the spark extractor." Sideswipe replied.

"My guess would be not much time, that tyrant is too stubborn to let a device like that end his spark." Ironhide replied with a more realistic answer.

"Soundwave, lead the way to the Omega Lock." Optimus Prime gestured for the glowing young mech to go forward.

Soundwave nodded pivoting in different directions until someone on the team pointed out the usually violet glowing diamond on his sternum, was bright cyan.

"Hmm... I like that colour on you." Arcee smiled following her glowing sparkmate.

"Thanks, it's temporary though." The young mech snorted with a laugh.

"So what's the plan for when lord psychopath catches up?" Jazz asked curiously.

"Megatron is going to use the Omega Lock to cyberform Earth, he intends to rule both Cybertron, and Earth." Soundwave announced to no surprise.

"He should be fragging buried on Earth, so no one comes looking to revive his husk." Ironhide scoffed jokingly.

Though Soundwave agreed with the weapon specialist, somewhere uninhabitable on Earth, would be the perfect place to keep Megatron's body away from loyal Decepticons trying to revive him.

"We do not activate the lock, until Megatron is dealt with." Optimus vaguely responded to the grey mech's question.

The team approached a massive rusty table. Soundwave stopped just before it, looking over his frame, as all of his usually violet, glowing, grooves, were now bright cyan blue.

"Well, I think we definitely found the Omega Lock." Arcee smiled at her mech.

"Now what?" Bumblebee said, turning to see the keys in the servos of the twins and Arcee, glowing.

Optimus didn't have the answer, he was afraid to activate the lock while Megatron still functioned.

"We can't activate it while Megatron marches his way over here." Ironhide reminded the team.

Sunstreaker looked up from the glowing key he held, watching the glowing young mech walk away from the team. "Where the hell are you going?"

"To end Megatron."

Optimus Prime snapped out of his thoughts, once he realized Soundwave was leaving the safety of the team. "Soundwave, you cannot face Megatron, and his army, alone."

"I can face Megatron, if you all face his army." Soundwave replied to his father.

"You're important to our world's fate, we can't afford to lose you to Megatron's blade." Arcee begged her mech to stay with them.

"Our fate isn't sealed until Megatron is dealt with." Soundwave said to his worried sparkmate.

"We fight together Soundwave." Optimus sternly said, watching the fast approaching warlord and his loyal followers.

"You think you could rid of our sparks so easily?!" Megatron transformed, landing a small distance from the Autobot's and the Omega Lock.

"Megatron, we've attempted to appeal to your better nature. For the sake of our planet, call off this war, and denounce the Decepticons." Optimus Prime attempted to give his brother a reasonable offer.

"My better nature, ha!" Megatron laughed at the Prime's offer. "I have the chance to rule Cybertron, once again. This time with an added bonus."

"What you decide, or think, does not matter. You do not get to choose Cybertron's restoration. Nor do you get to enforce it." Mirage spat inching closer towards the three Decepticons.

Megatron's smirk soon turned into a look of malice, locking his optics onto the cyan glowing youngling.

Soundwave stepped by the ancient rusted table, making it vibrate and buzz, letting everyone know it was ready to be activated. "I also proposed a better end to this war, but you denied it, saying it doesn't matter what outcome you choose, they're the same in the end. Though it does matter, the outcomes are very different, you just choose to be blind to it!"

"I'm not blind, I'm realistic!" The warlord roared getting frustrated with his youngling patronizing him in front of his Decepticons.

"I'm not activating this lock, while you still stand for oppression." Soundwave growled lowly at his Uncle, stepping out in front of his team. "No one here wants to spill any more energon."

Megatron screamed with rage, Dark Star Saber in hand, charging at the finale key to Cybertron's restoration.

Optimus Prime grabbed his own Star Saber, ready to deflect the attack Megatron was going to inflict.

The warlord threw a charged energy wave at the Autobot's, using it as a distraction so he could attack Soundwave. Both Starscream and Shockwave engaged in the attack as well, firing at Optimus and his Autobots as Knockout opened a bridge from the ship, sending reinforcements.

Soundwave opened a bridge behind him, while Megatron swung his sword to attack him, dodging the attack, the young mech deployed his tentacles, batting the warlord into the bridge.

Before Megatron stumbled completely into the bridge, he grabbed hold of the tentacle that attacked him, pulling the young mech through the bridge with him.

"Soundwave!" Optimus yelled, blocking Shockwave's canon fire with his sword.

Mirage quickly leapt into the open portal, landing on other side on a tall, small, jagged rock island, over looking a monstrous dark sea. Peeking over the edge of the cliff to see massive crashing waves below. An uninhabitable, dangerous area of Earth, no life would ever survive here. Hearing the battle a few feet away from him, the island was barely big enough for a small squad of Eradicons to stand on.

"I do not care for when you think the correct time to restore our world is!" Megatron threw Soundwave skipping across the jagged ground. "I will tear out your spark, and insert it into the Omega Lock myself!"

Soundwave rolled dodging almost every slash the sword threw at him, Megatron was growing more vicious and violent with his attacks.

Mirage could see Soundwave was struggling desperately against Megatron and his Dark Star Saber, aiming his rifle at the warlord, hoping it would at least lessen his Uncle's attack.

Soundwave leapt onto his peds, using sound waves as a deflection shield, against the Dark Star Saber that viciously slashed at him. Hearing a sharp rifle shot ring through the air, halted the raging Warlord's attack.

Megatron yelped in agony, pausing his attack long enough for Soundwave to kick him away.

Optimus leapt out of the open portal, throwing an energy burst from his sword, knocking Megatron across the jagged land.

Megatron raised his sword, charging at his brother who did the same. Their swords clashed each mech pushing to force the other down. "I bested your little sword once, I will do it again!"

Mirage quickly ran to his brother's side, while Optimus, and Megatron, engaged in a deadly duel. "What should we do?!"

"We have to help Optimus, we can't lose him." Soundwave replied to his little brother.

"If we get Megatron's sword out of his servo, he'll be defenceless.." Mirage said, as they each closed in behind Optimus.

"Cloak yourself, if you time it right, you can rip it out of his servo. Just don't get hit." Soundwave agreed with his brother's idea.

"I got it Wave." Mirage nodded, cloaking himself, dodging the flying energy waves and blades, he stealthily made his way around the battle.

Soundwave leapt beside Optimus Prime using the resonance blaster to disorient Megatron's attacks on the Prime.

Megatron roared furiously, using his sword's energy to cut a path through the disorienting sound waves. "I will have your spark!"

"Soundwave, go through the bridge!" Optimus ordered as Megatron charged them.

"I'm not leaving you!" Soundwave refused the order.

Optimus stepped in front of Soundwave to block Megatron's rage, swinging his sword at the charging threat.

Megatron dodged the Star Saber, using that one vulnerable second to cut off the Prime's arm that held the Star Saber.

Optimus screamed in anguish, the burning pain from the cut ripping through his frame.

"Optimus!" Soundwave gasped in shock, watching energon gush from his father's wound, barely aware of the charging warlord.

"Soundwave move!" Mirage quickly diverted his course of attack, tackling the warlord away from his brother.

Megatron tumbled across the ground with the red youngling, to the cliffs edge, clasping his claws onto the assassin's chest plate, slamming Mirage into the sharp ground. Pinning the youngling to ground with his massive ped, he stabbed the Saber through Mirage's chest plate, extinguishing the youngling's spark.

"No!" Soundwave screamed in horror, drawing his own blade, out of pure rage he attacked his former leader.

Megatron barely had time to rip out the sword form Mirage's lifeless frame, the violet mech slashing at his arm that he held the dark star saber, losing his hold of the hilt, dropping the dark sword as Soundwave viciously tore his metal armour apart.

Optimus ran with his sword in the only servo he had left, using his shoulder to ram the warlord closer to the edge, trying aid his youngling in the attack.

Megatron grabbed Soundwave, throwing the young mech away from him, while Optimus pathetically attempted to attack him. Kicking out the Prime's legs, causing him to hit the ground like a ton of bricks. "Once I'm done destroying you, I'm going to cyber form Earth, Unicron, and Primus, two halves as one."

Soundwave picked himself off the ground, to his surprise, he saw Mirage doing the same not far from him, bleeding dark energon heavily.

Mirage weakly kicked the Dark Star Saber over to his brother, before collapsing to the ground. *Finish that bastard...*

Soundwave cycled his whirring vents, picking up the toxic sword, he could feel Mirage's spark ebb quicker now.

Megatron scoffed picking up his brother's dropped Star Saber. "Pathetic Optimus, like your little assassin, you will not live to see the restoration of our planet!" He lifted the sword to strike down the last Prime.

Megatron gasped in surprise as he fell through a portal, appearing in front of the the violet young mech.

One step away from falling off the cliff, Megatron laughed at Soundwave. "If you insist Soundwave, I will kill you first, so it's less painful for you to watch Optimus perish like your pathetic brother!"

"You took everything from us, you won't take anymore lives from me!" Soundwave cried out, backing the tyrant to very edge of the cliff with dark star saber.

"You don't have the spark to take my life, just like Optimus." The massive tyrant taunted, getting ready to swing the sword in his servo.

The sound of Lazerbeak's haunting twittering made Megatron realize Soundwave's chest was empty. Lazerbeak fired at Megatron's damaged servo, distracting the mech.

Optimus stood up, watching as Lazerbeak fired at the gunmetal grey mech.

Megatron hissed, as the Star Saber was shot out of his servo. The next sound he heard was the last he would ever hear, burning pressure puncturing through his armoured chest plate, piercing through his spark.

Optimus's optics widened, watching his brother weakly attempt to pull his own toxic blade out from his chest.

Soundwave stood stiffly, holding the sword in place, staring into Megatron's fading optics.

Everything began to fade to black, the burning inside Megatron's dissipating spark, spread through his frame, all systems failing inside him. His heavy, lifeless, husk, sliding backwards off the blade.

Optimus watched from where he stood on the cliff, watching his brother's lifeless frame fall down into the dark waters below.

Soundwave dropped the toxic sword, his entire frame trembled from all the angst built up, from the death he caused.

Lazerbeak reconnected to the devastated young mech, sending calming energy to the young spark.

Soundwave's vents cycled heavily, hearing the heavy footfalls of Optimus, he turned to see the Mirage's lifeless body.

"Mirage?" Soundwave called fearfully, knowing his brother was no more.

Optimus pulled his Star Saber out of the cliff it fell onto, holstering it on his back. Walking to his younglings, putting his servo on Soundwave's shoulder. "We must get back to the others, they need our help."

Soundwave held back his tears with a nod, as Optimus hoisted his brother's lifeless frame over his shoulder. "Don't forget your arm." He gestured to the red arm laying on the cold ground.

"Optimus, Soundwave, Mirage, respond!" Arcee tried calling for the hundredth time. "Where are you guys..." she hissed firing at the Decepticon reinforcements.

Bumblebee went over to the femme, disengaging the Apex Armour.

"Bee what's wrong, what are you doing?" Arcee asked continuing to fire her weapons.

"Something's wrong, my spark hurts." Bumblebee replied helping shoot down troopers.

"No..." Arcee's spark sank, knowing something happened to one of three that left. "It's alright Bee, just keep fighting." She encouraged.

"Give up Autobots, your efforts are futile!" Starscream demanded, firing a missile at the Autobots.

Most of the weapon fire halted when a large space bridge portal opened by the Autobots.

Optimus was the first one through, wounded, carrying a lifeless youngling husk. Causing all the Decepticon forces to charge their weapons.

"Dad, Mirage!" Bumblebee gasped, running up to his injured father.

Soundwave was next with the Dark Star Saber in his servo. Stabbing it into the ground in front of him. "Your master is dead!"

"No..." Starscream's wings dropped in sorrow.

"Impossible." Knockout blinked in disbelief.

Shockwave kept silent, knowing the youngling's words were true. Secretly impressed that his experiments had killed off such an astonishing warlord of great skill.

"It's true, Megatron..." Soundwave stuttered, watching Optimus hand Mirage to Ratchet. "Is no more..."

Optimus put his only servo on Soundwave's shoulder, silently dismissing him from announcing the fate of Megatron.

Soundwave fell to his knees next to Arcee, who helped Ratchet frantically try to repair the young assassin's wounds.

"It is true, Megatron is no more. You are no longer held down by oppression, now you have a choice, join us in rebuilding our home world. No more will you be forced to believe that peace will be achieved through tyranny, you're free." Optimus Prime addressed the stunned Decepticons.

"I won't believe it!" Starscream refused to believe that his warlord was gone.

"Starscream, don't be foolish. Megatron is gone." Shockwave said to the distraught seeker. "We need to retreat."

"No, they're weak!" Starscream cried out as Shockwave dragged him away.

"Anyone who's opposed to peace, and wants to join those two criminals, will be treated as such, and will be thrown in the brig!" Ironhide informed the indecisive Decepticon soldiers.

"Arcee, Soundwave, please go help Optimus get the Decepticons in order, there's nothing you can do." Ratchet told the devastated femme.

"No!" Soundwave cried his violet grooves once again glowing bright cyan.

"Soundwave, I'm sorry." Ratchet sighed deeply, helping the femme get the devastated young mech off the ground.

"Mirage can't be gone Ratchet." Bumblebee cried to the medic.

"He's gone youngling, I can't bring him back." Ratchet embraced the upset scout.

"Let's restore our home, so Mirage may have a proper burial on our rejuvenated planet." Optimus turned to the three holding the keys.

"Here Bee, you put the key in." Sideswipe handed his key to the sobbing scout.

The scout wiped away his tears, taking the key from the silver twin. "Okay..."

"Any Decepticons here?" Ironhide shouted, threatening the crowd of bots with his canons.

All Eradicons backed up shaking their helms at the weapon specialist.

"Soundwave, you're the last one." Arcee put her servo on her mech's back.

Soundwave didn't want to move, he was devastated, though his spark pulsed energetically wanting to rejuvenate the world they stood on.

"Bring our home to life again, kid." Knockout encouraged the devastated young mech.

"Back to life..." Soundwave repeated, turning to the Omega Lock, placing both his servos on the lock, it hummed transforming into a computerized console while the floor around them rose a massive ring above them.

All bots watched as the ring filled with a cyan blue liquid matter. Soundwave walked up to the console, tapping a few keys he fired a ray out of the ring, watching it hit a destroyed building.

Once the ray dissipated it revealed a brand new pristine building.

"By the Allspark." Ratchet gasped.

"Shiny." Knockout commented on the new building.

"What is Soundwave doing?" Bumblebee turned to Ratchet who was reattaching Optimus's arm.

"What do you mean, he's restoring our..." Ratchet paused, seeing Soundwave on the ring above them.

"Arcee, bring Mirage through the bridge." Soundwave's voice came over the open com channel.

Arcee shook her helm, doing as she was told, she felt terrible, knowing her mech was so desperate to bring his brother back from the dead. "Soundwave, this is crazy." The femme handed the youngling to the glowing mech. "I know you're upset..." Arcee looked over the edge at the long drop below.

"Call me what you want, I don't care what others think." Soundwave hung the lifeless youngling over the pool with one of his tentacles.

Arcee sighed watching as her mech dunked the youngling into the pool. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that, it's just I don't want you to be any more disappointed then you already are."

"I'll be more disappointed if I don't try." Soundwave replied, pulling Mirage out, going back through the bridge, down to the others.

"Dad, what's Soundwave doing?" Bumblebee asked, looking up at his father.

"I'm not sure youngling, stay with Ironhide." Optimus replied approaching the young couple.

"Well he looks brand new." Arcee shrugged as her mech lay the youngling's frame on the ground.

"Soundwave, what's going on youngling?" The Prime questioned his eldest son.

"I'm using the Omega Lock to restore Mirage." Soundwave simply replied.

Optimus sighed, exchanging worried looks with the femme. "Soundwave..."

"Ow, you fragging mother fu..." Mirage cried out holding his chest.

"Yes, I told you it would work!" Soundwave cheered hugging his little brother tightly.

"Soundwave... Wave... Wave!" Mirage wriggled in his brother's grasp.

"Sorry." Soundwave smiled releasing his brother.

"Mirage we're thrilled you're okay." Optimus said to his rejuvenated youngling.

"We're back on Cybertron, how long was I out for?" The red youngling scoffed getting up to his peds.

"Megatron killed you Mirage, Soundwave just brought you back to life." Arcee explained.

Mirage sighed. "Oh..."

"We can converse about it later." Soundwave told his uncomfortable little brother.

"Well the good news is, Megatron is gone, and we're in the middle of restoring Cybertron." Sunstreaker said, pushing Soundwave back to the Omega Lock.

"Impatient?" Soundwave scoffed jumping away from the pushy twin.

"That would explain all of these guys just standing around." Mirage scoffed following the twin.

"Mirage!" Bumblebee eagerly hugged his brother.

"Astonishing, but I'm still checking you over." Ratchet mentioned, scanning the youngling.

"Sure." Mirage surprisingly didn't argue, watching Soundwave tap away at the Omega Lock's controls.

Optimus Prime calmly approached the cyan glowing young mech. "Is everything alright, you've seemed to have paused the restoration?"

"Yes, everything is running optimally, I am just calculating before I go further." Soundwave responded, reading the computer. "How's your arm?"

"It's sore, but functional, and present." The Prime replied moving his arm to demonstrate its functionality. "You haven't gotten your wounds tended to yet." Optimus pointed out.

"Those who need it the most get it first, whether Prime, or Eradicon. I would rather have others treated before my own wounds are tended to." Soundwave replied.

"Soundwave, can you send a bridge to the Nemesis, I'm going to send Ironhide and a few others up there to commandeer it, just to make sure those who are on it, that want to continue to follow Megatron's ways, find justice." Optimus Prime asked the hard working cyan glowing mech.

"Sure." Soundwave created a bridge for the troops to go through. Once they were through, the young mech went back to his work, creating a bridge above the ring, and pool of cyan glowing liquid.

"What's with the bridge, Soundwave?" Knockout questioned.

"I'm sending this stuff into the core of our planet, bring it back to life, so it may support life once more. Whatever is left from the infusion, will be used to make homes for all of us, and a medical unit, the rest we will construct over time." The young mech explained to the fancy mech.

"Hmm, no auto spa, or oil baths?" Knockout thought aloud.

"If you desire that in your own personal home, sure Knockout, but you'll have to construct it." Soundwave gave sass back to the sassy medic. "You're a medic right? Can you assist the wounded first, and maybe we can talk about luxuries..."

"Hint taken." Knockout rolled his optics, leaving Soundwave to finish the rejuvenation.

The sound of gunfire and a jet flying away caused every bot on the ground to look into the sky, seeing a pitch black jet flying off evading the gunfire and arrest.

"I was wondering about him..." Soundwave shook his helm.

"Should we go after him sir?" A couple Eradicon flyers asked the Prime.

"No, let him go, I will send trackers to find him later. He may lead us to Starscream, and Shockwave, who also need to see justice." Optimus replied dismissing the Eradicon soldiers.

Mirage watched as the Omega Lock rejuvenated the planet, creating new buildings and homes for them.

"Well Mirage, you're fully restored, no more age reset, you're who you were before the reversions, a..." Ratchet announced to the red youngling.

"A cocky, sarcastic, moody, young mech." Arcee added to the medic's sentence.

"Ha, ha, very funny. Says the moodiest one on our team." Mirage scoffed at the femme.

"Whoa is it done already?" Sideswipe mentioned stepping out of a bridge with his twin.

"Yes, the Omega Lock has brought our home back to life, but we must rebuild what the war had destroyed." Optimus announced, watching the Omega Lock return to its hidden status as a rusted table. "We must continue the reconstruction of our cities, so the returning citizens of Cybertron have somewhere to live, and recover."

"What about the Cons that escaped?" Mirage asked.

"I am counting on you to find them, and stop them from doing more harm." The Prime replied.

Mirage nodded in understanding. "So what now, besides, hunt, and reconstruct our home?"

"I'm going to see what space bridges can be rebuilt, it will be the best way to get Cybertronians home safely, far, and wide." Soundwave said, seeing the longing look in his father's optics.

"Soundwave, I am leaving you in charge of Cybertron." Optimus announced.

"Why?" Soundwave questioned, a little frightened to be put in charge of a whole planet, with denounced Decepticons.

"I must take my leave of you, and recover the Allspark. Cybertron can now sustain life, but not create new ones. Cybertron will not flourish to its full potential without it." Optimus Prime spoke to all.

"Why don't we just take the Warship, and all go?" Sideswipe suggested.

"The warship is too great for my journey, I require a smaller vessel, if I can find one operational enough I will use that. These remain dangerous times, we cannot leave Cybertron unsecured. I need you all here, to find and capture our wanted fugitives, so they don't cause any harm. We also need to prepare to welcome returning citizens." The Prime explained, seemingly making Soundwave even more anxious. "Sideswipe, once I find a proper vessel, I will require your piloting skills, to navigate deep space."

"Sure Optimus." Sideswipe nodded in acknowledgement that his leader was requiring him to separate from his twin.

"So, uh, how long will this journey take?" Soundwave nervously asked, feeling everyone's optics on him.

"The Matrix Of Leadership will enable me to guide us to the Allspark, I'm unsure of an estimated time Soundwave." Optimus could feel Soundwave's unsure anxiousness through their bond.

"Relax Wave, Optimus isn't leaving just yet, and we've got a lot of work to do." Mirage reassured his brother everything would be fine.

"Right... I'm going to find one of those bridges, if you don't mind sir, I need to clear my mind." Soundwave sighed, turning away from his father.

Optimus nodded, allowing Soundwave to leave the Sea Of Rust.