Silence Spoken By A Young Brother

by BeeSamusnChief

What if time went backwards? What if Soundwave didn’t stay a Decepticon? 6 months of Mirage out in the war torn streets of Cybertron. Betrayed by his brother, a lost Mirage unwillingly agrees to return to the Autobots. After learning of Hound, his caretakers decease. Lives end, and restart, The two hybrid brothers go against everything they know.

45. Evil End To New Beginnings

Soundwave spent a few hours searching for an old space bridge sight. With Lazerbeak flying overhead, the young mech finally found what used to be a space bridge, smashed to pieces, rusted, none of it was salvageable. "Dammit..." he cursed, trying to think of another bridge location. "I guess we'll just start with constructing landing pads first."

Lazerbeak twittered in response, folding his wings so he may perch on his masters shoulder.

"I can't lead an entire planet, what is Optimus thinking..." Soundwave sighed kicking a piece of scrap metal. "Not to mention, returning Cybertronians, mostly Autobots, they'll be thrilled to learn that I'm in command."

Lazerbeak crooned in response, knowing Soundwave was overthinking the whole thing.

"I killed Megatron..." Soundwave exhaled as the realization finally sunk in.

"Soundwave, check in please, can we get an ETA on your return?" Ratchet asked over the comlink.

"Are you going to nag him already, Soundwave's only been gone for a few..." Arcee was interrupted by a bridge portal appearing in front of them.

"I'm here now." Soundwave sighed deeply, Lazerbeak still perched on his shoulder.

"Optimus wanted to speak with you, he's at the Iacon Autobot HQ, not far from here, in what's left of the hanger bays." Ratchet told the sad looking young mech.

Soundwave didn't reply, silently making his way to the HQ Ratchet spoke of. Walking through the restored streets, there was still a small amount of rubble and damage, but nothing compared to when it was destroyed by the war.

"I wish I knew how to help him." The femme sighed, placing Ratchet's medical supplies on the floor of the brand new medical facility.

"Just keep doing what you're doing Arcee. Be there to support, and comfort, but give Soundwave some time, we all are processing our recent events. Some being more painful than others, you got to remember he just killed off his former leader who was family, he thought he'd lost Mirage, but brought him back, all while Starscream, and Shockwave plot what they're doing next." Ratchet reassured the young femme she was helping her mech.

"We rid of one demon, who used us for personal gain, now we just hunt down that evil monster, that turned us into his sick science projects." Mirage mentioned, upon hearing the conversation.

Knockout groaned dropping some tools "My guess would be they went to go hide in one of Shockwave's many laboratories, scattered across Cybertron."

"Where though?" Mirage asked.

"How should I know, I just said Shockwave had dozens, scattered across Cybertron. Aren't you one of his experiments, shouldn't you know?" The sassy medic retorted to the youngling.

Mirage furrowed his optic ridges at the mech with a groan. "I was too busy being on his lab table to take in the scenery, so no I don't know, otherwise I wouldn't be asking!" He hissed leaving the medical facility.

"Sir?" Soundwave called, approaching the red and blue mech.

"Soundwave you've returned, did you find a salvageable space bridge?" Optimus asked his youngling.

"Not a salvageable one, not yet at least, I only searched here in Iacon." Soundwave replied, watching the silver twin struggle to repair a small ship.

"There are many on Cybertron, I would look in the Sea Of Rust, the ancients valued space bridges, and used them to explore foreign universes." Optimus suggested, trying to help the twin with the repairs. "I have put out a call inviting refugees back to our planet, it may be a while before anyone answers, we'll focus on landing pads, it's best we're prepared for returning Cybertronians."

Soundwave nodded in acknowledgement, scanning the ship, finding the source of its malfunction.

"Fragging hell!" Sideswipe gasped, when tentacles slithered by his face, plunging into the heart of the ship, and the repair panel.

Backing out from underneath the ship, Sideswipe stood next to his leader, while the tentacles repaired the ship, the sound of a healthy engine firing up making both of them smile.

"I guess I'm a bit rusty when it comes to repairing ships." Sideswipe joked as his twin joined them.

"You wouldn't be rusty, if you took care of your finish like I told you to." Sunstreaker scoffed placing a small stack of energon cubes down.

"I said my repairing skills are rusty, not my paint job!" The silver mech hissed at his twin.

"Thank you for repairing the ship, Soundwave." Optimus ignored the twins bickering.

Soundwave's somber expression remained as he watched the twins load up the ship. "I guess this means you're leaving?"

Optimus Prime knew he was leaving Soundwave at a vulnerable time, knowing the youngling required guidance at this crucial time, but in his mind he knew Soundwave would have to seek some of that wisdom for himself. "Only for a moment youngling. I know you're concerned that you're not able to lead Cybertron in my absence, I have..."

"I don't need to hear that you have faith in me." The young mech hissed.

Optimus stood silently, with a look of concern, wondering if he should take Soundwave on his venture as well.

"Sorry, something just feels wrong to me." Soundwave quickly apologized for his outburst.

Optimus took Soundwave aside so the twins didn't interrupt. "Youngling, I believe you're feeling guilt, for not being able to convince Megatron to end the war peacefully."

Soundwave turned his helm away, proving the Prime was right. He didn't want to extinguish Megatron's spark, but unfortunate circumstances gave him no other choice.

"Could you have forgiven Megatron, for murdering Mirage?"

"I... no, no, of course not!" Soundwave shook his helm in anger. "I acted out of blind rage, I shouldn't have it doesn't make it right ... but..."

"Optimus, we're all set, and ready for takeoff." Sideswipe called out to the Prime.

"Soundwave..."

"Go, Cybertron needs the Allspark." Soundwave sighed, walking towards the twins.

"Thanks again Soundwave, for fixing the ship." Sideswipe thanked the glowing young mech.

The violet mech nodded, looking over his unoccupied shoulder to see his brothers, walking over with the old medic.

"Taking off, then?" Ratchet greeted the Prime, while Bumblebee, and Mirage checked the ship out.

"Yes..." Optimus gave a distant reply, watching Soundwave observe the younglings.

"Don't worry about Soundwave, he's capable of leading in your absence." Ratchet tried to reassure his friend.

"I know Soundwave can, even before he became my apprentice, I knew he was more then capable of leading." The Prime agreed with his old friend. "I'm concerned about his wellbeing, being overtaken by his choice to end Megatron." Optimus sighed making his way over to the ship.

"Soundwave's pretty reserved, he's almost impossible to read, but I think he'll be just fine Optimus." Ratchet reassured his friend that the young mech would be just fine.

"So you're going to stay behind, Sunny?" Bumblebee asked the golden twin.

"Yes, only Optimus and Sideswipe are going Bee." Sunstreaker replied, clearly not thrilled about being separated from his twin.

"Are you ready for our voyage Sideswipe?" Optimus asked, ready to board the ship.

The silver twin enthusiastically replied standing in the ship's doorway. "Yes sir, we're firing on all cylinders, ready to find the Allspark."

"We will be back soon, call if there's an emergency. Soundwave, you will do well during my leave, you have many here to assist you if needed." The red and blue mech bid goodbye to his Autobots, before boarding the ship.

Soundwave watched the small ship takeoff into the sky, leaving them behind.

"So what's the plan Soundwave?" Sunstreaker turned to the violet young mech for an answer.

Soundwave exhaled deeply, swallowing his angst, confusion, and anger. "We start building landing pads, while I try to find a functional space bridge. Jazz can oversee the construction." He led the bots out onto the Iacon streets. "Ratchet, there are still plenty who are injured, and possibly more coming, once returning Cybertronians arrive. I need you to equip the medical facility, and get it ready for anything."

"We've started up the medical facility, but we're going to need more energon." Ratchet mentioned, while they met up with the others.

"It might be a while for the energon to start producing, but I will send a team for mining." The bioluminescent mech replied.

"Optimus just left I see, so what's the plan Soundwave?" Ironhide approached the young mech, to Soundwave's surprise, eager to receive orders.

Soundwave blinked collecting his thoughts. "Um, I need you, and Sunstreaker, to patrol for any signs of Starscream, Makeshift, or Shockwave. Take a few troopers with you as well."

"Thank you, at least I get to do something interesting." Sunstreaker scoffed, happy to go on patrol instead of mining energon.

The violet mech turned to Mirage who was about to question him. "You're hunting as well, any sightings or traces of evidence of those three will be reported to Mirage."

"Reporting to more then one youngling, interesting, but understood." Ironhide shrugged. "Come'on Sunshine, let's go round up some troopers."

"Ratchet, are you busy, I've picked out my own office and patient rooms? With you being CMO, I figured you'd like to see, so you can tell me to move if needed." Knockout's voice came over the open com channel.

Ratchet rolled his optics with a smile, walking back to the medical facility. "I'll catch up with you later, Soundwave you're doing excellent, keep it up."

"I'll start hunting then." Mirage clutched his chest in discomfort, as a burning dark energy burst in his spark.

"Mirage..." Soundwave felt an odd sensation in his spark as well, but chalked it up as his hesitation to allow Mirage to go forward with hunting dangerous fugitives, even though he gave the order.

"Don't fret Wave, I've learned my fatal lesson, use the phase shifter more frequently in battle, I was in the heat of a crucial battle, and forgot about it. A deadly mistake, I do not intend to make again." Mirage reassured his worried brother, before transforming, peeling off to begin his hunt. "If you're that worried, you can join me whenever you've got the time."

Soundwave sighed, watching Mirage fade out of sight, Bumblebee watching the Ferrari disappear as well. The sound of a motorcycle engine diverting their attention moments later.

"There you are, I was beginning to think you left with Optimus." Arcee transformed, approaching the brothers.

"Nope, Soundwave is giving out orders." Bumblebee smiled at the cobalt blue femme.

"Really? And you thought you wouldn't be capable." Arcee teased her unconfident mech.

"I've given orders to those who know me, they're not who I'm worried about." Soundwave said, walking with his sparkmate, with Bumblebee in tow.

"Are you worried about Megatron's ex troops, giving you hassle?" The femme questioned.

"Not at all, I know them, I can handle their ignorance. I'm worried about those who'll be returning to Cybertron, before Optimus returns." The violet mech expressed to his sparkmate.

Arcee snorted with a chuckle. "Soundwave, Optimus isn't going to be gone for a millennia. He sent the Allspark into space, plus he's got the Matrix Of Leadership to guide him. I'm sure he's got an idea of where it is, I doubt they will be tirelessly searching in random areas of the galaxy."

"Valid points." Soundwave nodded, turning his attention to his sparkmate. "What have you been up to?"

"I've been scoping out buildings." Arcee vaguely replied.

"For what?" Both Soundwave and Bumblebee were curious.

"A facility for law." Arcee smiled.

"A police academy? That's probably a good idea, we can't just use the Nemesis as a floating jail." Soundwave thought aloud.

"I was thinking the building across from the hospital?" Arcee pointed to the large silver and blue building.

"If we don't have many homes to house returning Cybertronians, it may be a temporary shelter, but I cannot see why it couldn't be an enforcement station." The violet mech shrugged, making Lazerbeak shift to a more comfortable position. "Oh sorry Lazerbeak, you can return if you wish."

The drone twittered in response, reattaching himself to his master's torso.

Arcee smiled taking her mech's servo. "Maybe we can go help Mirage do some Decepticon hunting tonight."

"Can I help too?" Bumblebee asked, overhearing the femme.

"If Ratchet, and Jazz don't need assistance, maybe." Soundwave replied, getting a disapproving glare from Arcee. "Or... maybe you can pick a home that you think would be a good place for you and Optimus." the young mech quickly changed his reply.

"For Mirage, and you to, right?" Bumblebee added to the list of bots in one home.

Both Arcee and Soundwave smiled at each other, before Soundwave replied. "Mirage, yes, but..."

"Oh, right, you and Cee probably wanna live on your own, without all the other bots annoying you." Bumblebee smirked making the couple laugh.

"In a sense." Arcee nodded with a chuckle.

"But you'll be close by to us right?" The young scout asked, almost worried.

"Of course Bee, we can be neighbours." The femme replied before Soundwave could answer.

"Uh, yeah, and even if we weren't super close, I can always bridge us." Soundwave suggested, getting a curious gaze from his sparkmate.

"Right." Bumblebee wasn't exactly thrilled with his brother's reply. "I'm going to see if Ratchet needs help." The young scout quickly scampered off.

"That was kind of a vague answer, what did you mean by if we weren't close to them?" Arcee questioned her mech's earlier reply.

"Well, I'm just suggesting, we may, or may not, settle in Iacon." The bioluminescent mech shrugged innocently.

Arcee was a bit surprised by her mech's words. "You don't want to live in Iacon with the others?"

"I'm not saying I don't want to, I'm just wondering if it's wise to?"

"Why wouldn't it be wise?" The cobalt blue femme was quite confused, until Soundwave's gaze turned away in an almost shameful manner. "Soundwave, you're not suggesting you shouldn't be here, because you were a lower caste member?"

The young mech didn't reply, insinuating the femme was correct.

"Soundwave this is a new age for Cybertron, we're starting over. I don't think that's going to be an issue, really, especially after what you've done for Cybertron." Arcee expressed to her mech, almost thinking Soundwave was foolish to think of it that way.

"We need to begin a new high council, how could you be so certain?" Soundwave retorted, knowing there were many Cybertronians that would still agreed with the Caste system, especially after such uproar the lower caste members started, sparking the war.

The cobalt blue femme groaned in annoyance. "Primus, Soundwave, it'll be a long while before that happens. We still need to construct, and rebuild, before we get ahead of ourselves."

"I'm just trying to prevent another war from breaking out, we don't need to taint the reborn Cybertron, with spilt energon." The young mech replied emotionless.

Arcee gave a heavy sigh. "That's why I'm saying you shouldn't worry about the Caste, there isn't one anymore. We're all going to be taking a new approach, the caste system was a fire, and Megatron fanned the flames, igniting a war out of jealousy, and anger." The couple halted, watching Jazz instruct the clumsy Eradicons. "I highly doubt, any surviving council members, will want to encourage the caste to rise again."

"Sure." Soundwave simply agreed, knowing no matter how he expressed his concerns, all who attempted to listen to him, just saw him as a concerned bore, with no positive outlook.

"That time will happen soon enough, right now we need to rebuild, and recover." The femme smiled at the approaching mech. "How's the construction going?"

"I think it's probably best to hold off until tomorrow. Everyone's too exhausted, I think we all just need a day to chill." Jazz replied to Arcee's comment.

Arcee smirked, raising an optic ridge at her mech. "Agreed."

The violet mech rolled his optics at his sparkmate, knowing she was referring to his overactive mind needing a break. "Yes, we should just do what we can for the moment, and rest. We'll start fresh tomorrow." Soundwave agreed, walking over to the Decepticon troopers.

"Sir, we apologize for our lack of strength in construction..." an Eradicon quickly began to apologize to the bioluminescent mech.

Soundwave shook his helm, putting his servo up, silencing the mech. "Do not apologize, you're all exhausted, I know you're very capable of doing labour. But we all deserve a rest, especially after our tireless battles."

"Thank you sir." The purple and silver mech thanked the young mech.

Soundwave nodded with a sigh. "Now to source out some energon for mining..."

"There's a surplus amount of energon, some is processed already, on the warship, it should be enough for the time being." The Eradicon soldier informed the young leader.

"Excellent, we will use it sparingly, but please take half of it to the medical centre, so our medics can use it in an emergency." The young mech told the soldier, who acknowledged his request, jumping into action. "You can do it later..." Soundwave sighed as most of the Eradicons went into action the moment he suggested moving the energon.

"Just let them go Soundwave, they're fine. I'm going to go with Jazz, to see if we can catch up with Ironhide." Arcee mentioned to her sparkmate.

"I'll catch up with you later." The young mech nodded in acknowledgement.

"Please go get your wounds repaired, you're the only one that hasn't gotten treated, you look like a Terrorcon." Arcee transformed.

"I will." The violet mech rolled his optics.

"I mean it Soundwave, if you're not repaired by the time I return I will drag you into Ratchet's med bay." The femme threatened," the femme advised before driving off with the grey sports car.

The violet mech gave a deep sigh, turning to see many of the left over troopers, observing him curiously. Soundwave didn't know what to say, he could feel their optics burning through him, the sound of a sports car rolling up behind him grabbing his attention.

"Soundwave, is there something else I can do, I'm really tired of having to deal with grumpy mech with guns." Sunstreaker transformed while complaining.

"I don't know..." Soundwave scanned the Eradicons with his optics, before a thought popped in his mind. "Wait, I have an excellent job for you."

"What do you have in mind, dude?" Sunstreaker smirked at the young mech's sudden enthusiasm.

"The Eradicon troopers, crave individuality, I want you to help them achieve that." Soundwave replied to the golden twin's confusion.

Sunstreaker sheepishly smiled at the staring Eradicons, taking a step closer to the violet mech. "How the frag am I supposed to do that? They're troopers, they don't have much of a personality..." he whispered to Soundwave.

"That's incorrect, they just weren't aloud to show their personality in front of Megatron."

"Ugh, alright fine, I don't know why you're picking me for this task, I thought you hated me?" Sunstreaker scoffed.

Soundwave shook his helm no. "Again, incorrect. I don't hate you, I dislike your abrupt personality sometimes, but I don't hate you. I value all my teammates, even if they question, and give me a hard time sometimes."

"You really are Optimus's sparkling, hmm?" The golden twin teased the kind young mech. "So how am I supposed to get them to unlock their individuality?"

"Well, you're passionate about everyone's paint job, why don't you start there." Soundwave replied. "They're very capable of finding their individuality, you just need to show them it's alright to show it, no one's going to punish them for being themselves."

"Are you sure I'm the right one to do this?" Sunstreaker asked jokingly.

"You'll be fine." Soundwave chuckled with a smile.

"You're not though, I'd get yourself checked over before we have to scrape you off the street." The golden twin commented, walking to the Eradicons.

"Right..." the young mech sighed, walking off in the direction of the medical facility.

"By the Allspark, Soundwave, Megatron really did a number on you before taking a nose dive." Knockout commented on the walking injury that was Soundwave.

"So everyone's been saying, where's Ratchet?" Soundwave scanned the room to see no red and white medic.

"He's out with bubbly, scout, Bumblebee." The fancy medic replied.

Soundwave nodded slowly, pivoting to exit the facility.

"You do know I'm a medical professional as well, right?" Knockout replied in a sassy tone, halting the young mech's exit.

Soundwave exhaled deeply, turning back around. "I know..."

"Then step into my med bay, let's get you patched up." The red medic gestured for the young mech to follow.

Soundwave was hesitant, but followed, Knockout hadn't repaired him in quite some time, knowing it would be awkward.

"I haven't had you on my medical table, in some time." Knockout scoffed jokingly, as Soundwave sat on the medical berth. "Let's take a look at the damage."

Soundwave immediately flinched away from the scanning doctor.

Knockout wasn't surprised at all, moving his scanner slower. "Well, Shockwave's science, never seems to be short of astonishing, in some way." He placed the scanner down. "Some leaks, and internal damage, that definitely needs tending to before they effect your other biomech, but mostly mesh wounds, and burns from the dark energon. I would've came out of that battle offline."

"I'm more than just a failed science experiment..." Soundwave grumbled, watching the medic grab the tools to repair his injuries.

"I think all should know that by now youngling, I was just pointing out you're lucky to have such quick rejuvenating self repairs." The sassy medic explained, prepping his tools.

"They're useful sometimes..."

Knockout sighed with a smile. "Well you, and your brother, have survived injuries, many other bots would've perished instantly from. Even if it was a lengthy recovery, you survived." The medic slowly moved his welding torch towards the young mech's mesh wounds.

The violet young mech scooted himself back, away from the the welding torch.

"I promise to be as gentle as possible, I won't hurt you youngling." The fancy medic calmly coaxed the nervy young mech to allow him to begin repairs.

Soundwave was rigid, allowing the medic to get a a quick second to repair, before pulling away again as the doctor grabbed another tool

"Soundwave, I know you don't trust medical procedures, but it will take a very long time to repair you, if you don't sit still, making this torture longer than it has to be." Knockout tried to explain to the young mech.

Soundwave was uncomfortable, he felt that he was too much work for the medic. "I'm sorry, I will come back later..." the violet mech tried to get off the medical berth.

Knockout put his servo in front of the young mech to halt his movements. "Now Soundwave, you need this tended to before it gets worse, I will do the repairs for as long as it takes, I was just telling you it may take a while."

Soundwave blinked nervously, slowly laying himself back down, flinching in pain as he did so.

The young mech's painful flinch did not go unnoticed by the medic. "It's already getting worse, we're going to get this done alright?"

Soundwave shook his helm, sitting up in pain. "It's fine... I will come back later..."

"Soundwave, I know we've had our differences over time, but I am still a medic, I'm here to help." Knockout continued to attempt to convince the young mech to stay.

"Right... sorry for trying to kill you..." The young mech turned his helm away in shame.

"That was a long time ago, Breakdown, and I, didn't really need to antagonize you, making you feel worse then you already did. I betrayed your trust, and I apologize." The medic surprised Soundwave with an apology.

Soundwave sat up, exhaling deeply. "Don't apologize, you were under Megatron's influence."

Knockout gave a small halfhearted scoff. "I should've joined you when you joined the Autobots the first time."

"Well better late than never." The violet mech shrugged trying to sneak his way out of getting repaired. "Where is Breakdown anyway, I haven't seen him in a long time?"

Knockout switched out one of the ends on his welding torch, his cheery expression changing to somber. "He was terminated by that creepy, crawly, Arachnid."

"What, how, where is she now?" Soundwave gasped in surprise.

"Megatron sent Breakdown, and Dreadwing, to assassinate her, she ended up doing the deed to Breakdown, sending Dreadwing running back to Megatron." Knockout scoffed to the young mech. "Megatron excepted her challenge, and finished her himself."

Soundwave was surprised by Knockout's explanation. "I'm sorry that happened to him, I know you two were close."

"Thanks, but that's just the fallout of war, and infighting, I always knew Breakdown would perish before me, as I mainly hid in the med bay while he carried out the difficult missions. But I do miss my friend, a lot."

The bioluminescent mech nodded in understanding. "Wait, Starscream mentioned Dreadwing was offline as well, is that true?"

"Sure is, it all went down in my med bay, but I didn't stick around to see the outcome, all I know is he had a hole through his spark chamber, all I really remember, is disposing his lifeless husk." The red medic replied, approaching the violet mech, lifting the torch to the violet arm. "Now, are you going to let me finish, or more likely begin?" He joked as Bumblebee, and Ratchet entered the facility.

Soundwave coward away from the tool, once again increasing his spark rate.

Knockout rolled his optics with a sigh, lowering his tool. "I'll take that as a no."

"Knockout, Soundwave ordered the troopers to deliver us some more energon, did you want to divide the supply, or just keep it in one of the storage rooms?" Ratchet asked upon entering the fancy medic's med bay.

"I didn't order them, I suggested it..." Soundwave commented on the ancient medic's explanation.

"Soundwave, glad you finally decided to visit the medical facility, you're definitely in need of repairs." Ratchet smirked playfully at the young mech.

"Pfft, if I could get a clear moment to get any repairs in, Soundwave squirms more than one of Shockwave's live experiments..." Knockout cringed seeing the disapproving glares at his poor attempt at a joke. "I'm sorry, that was really insensitive of me. Ratchet, do you want take Soundwave to your side, and try your luck at repairing his injuries?" The medic quickly changed the subject.

Both Soundwave, and Ratchet, shook their helms with an optic roll.

Ratchet guided the unwilling young mech off the medical berth. "Alright, come'on youngling, I highly doubt you're sparkmate will be impressed, if I don't repair you."

"Ratchet, that's not necessary..."

"Listen youngling, you're not getting a choice, you know if I don't repair you, you're going to get worse, and I really don't want to feel the repercussions from Arcee." Ratchet sat the young mech down on another medical berth.

"Ha, ha, you're afraid of Arcee." Bumblebee teased the old medic.

Ratchet raised an optic ridge at the violet youngling that tried to hide his chuckle. "Very funny, I'm not afraid of her, I'm respectful of Arcee's... passionate, personality..."

"Nice." Soundwave laughed at Ratchet's gentle explanation of his bitchy femme.

"Ratchet, I forgot to answer your question about that extra energon. I think we should just put it in one storage unit, no need to divide it, it would probably just take up useful space if we divided it." Knockout said upon entering the ancient mech's med bay.

"Agreed, that's a good point Knockout." Ratchet nodded his helm, finishing his repairs on the young mech. "Alright youngling, you're free to go."

"Thanks Ratchet." Soundwave thanked Ratchet, exiting the facility with Bumblebee.

"That was quick, the kid wouldn't even let me come near him." Knockout scoffed watching the younglings leave.

"Don't take offence Knockout, it's taken a few cycles for Soundwave, and Mirage, to finally be comfortable with me preforming medical procedures on them, even then, it's still a bit of an argument." The old medic replied, cleaning his tools. "I just have to do the minimum, and allow their bodies to recover the rest."

The red medic frowned with a sigh. "I used to have a little bit of Soundwave's trust, long ago, before he joined you Autobots, but I broke what little once of trust I had with him."

Ratchet smiled at the fancy doctor. "Don't lose the motivation to regain that trust, Knockout, for a very reserved youngling, Soundwave's very forgiving."

Knockout snorted with a chuckle. "You know Soundwave much better than myself, Ratchet."

"That's not true Knockout, he's only been with us for a couple cycles, and that includes being in between the Decepticons and Autobots, so he really hasn't been with us that long." Ratchet shrugged.

"I only knew Soundwave after that accident that cost him his face. Such a curious little youngling, even while recovering from such a painful injury, he was optimistic, until Megatron crushed what little spirit he had left." Knockout shivered at that violent memory engraved in his processor. "I avoided Soundwave like the rust plague, after that. Soundwave took that vow of silence, he became cold, creepy, a disturbingly sublime murderer, exactly what Megatron wanted."

"Hmm, I remember Soundwave mentioning that incident..." Ratchet remembered the young mech explaining his vow of silence.

"I bet he left out that part though, that was when Soundwave became the Decepticon, all you Autobots feared, almost more than Megatron. His story isn't far off from his brother's, he murdered Decepticons as well, before switching sides." Knockout scoffed checking over his paint.

Ratchet was silent, taking in that information from fancy mech. "I heard, but I understand it was self defence."

"Hmm, like I said, he was cold, there's a lot of Decepticon history I'm sure he's watered down for you Autobots. Knowing Soundwave can murder without even thinking it, still makes me squeamish at times." The red medic shivered, leaving the CMO's med bay.

"This is the place hmm?" Soundwave playfully asked the yellow scout.

"Yep!" Bumblebee cheerfully replied, activating the door to the moderately large home. "Come see!"

Soundwave smiled, scanning the home with his optics one last time, before following the scout into the rebuilt home. "It looks brand new..."

Bumblebee giggled at his big brother. "It is brand new Soundwave, you constructed these homes with the Omega Lock, remember?"

The home they stood in was the reconstructed home of Orion Pax, Soundwave was very familiar with the house. "This actually used to be Optimus's home, before he was Optimus Prime."

"Really?" The young scout gasped. "So you know this place very well then, am I right?" he playfully questioned.

"Yes, I visited a fair amount." The glowing mech replied, exploring the house.

"Boo!" Mirage suddenly appeared behind one of the bedroom doors.

Soundwave reacted defensively, immediately tackling, and pinning his brother to the ground.

"Mirage!" Bumblebee laughed at his wrestling brothers.

"Ow, ow, chill, it's me!" Mirage laughed at his brother who had him pinned to the floor.

"You idiot, what the hell are you doing?!" Soundwave shoved off his brother.

"Apparently scaring the hell out of you." The red youngling laughed, brushing himself off.

The glowing mech rolled his optics. "Didn't I put you on patrol?"

"Yeah, but I couldn't find any leads, so I thought I would regroup with you." Mirage replied watching Arcee sneak up behind Soundwave.

"Figured you might..." Arcee wrapped her arms around her mech.

Soundwave jolted at the sudden touch, quickly rejecting his warnings, recognizing his sparkmate's soft voice. "Primus, I'm the last one you want to sneak up on..."

"We understand the consequences, I also made sure to speak, and let you know I was behind you." Arcee gently squeezed her mech.

"Anyway... what did you figure?" Soundwave sighed, leaning into his sparkmate's embrace.

"We figured you may have an idea on where to gain the locations of Shockwave's laboratories." Mirage replied, playfully shoving Bumblebee.

Soundwave nodded in acknowledgement, he knew exactly where to look. "We'll go once it's dark."

"In the mean time?" Mirage waited for his brother to give further instructions.

"In the mean time, what?" Soundwave was confused.

The red youngling cocked an optic ridge. "You're not going to give us a different directive, for the time being?"

"No..." Soundwave looked around the room, unsure of himself. "But if you're looking for something to do, you can assist the Eradicon's that are transporting energon to the medical facility."

"I'm sure they're fine, Hide, and Jazz are assisting them." Mirage shrugged, wrestling Bumblebee.

"Well, then pick yourself a room." Soundwave gestured for his rambunctious young brothers to look around.

Mirage pushed away from Bumblebee. "Pick a room, what for?" he asked in confusion.

"This is your new home." The violet mech simply replied.

"Really?" The young assassin was still confused.

"Well it's Optimus's home, but you two are his younglings, so it's implied." The young couple replied.

"Oh, okay, I get it." The red youngling shrugged, following Bumblebee into the hallway. "Wait, what about you, your Optimus's youngling too?" Mirage pointed out.

"Don't get him started on that subject again." Arcee rolled her optics with a groan. "We'll be in our own home, together."

"Oh..." Mirage's doorwings on his back drooped sadly at the femme's words.

"Doesn't mean you can't come visit Mirage." Soundwave smiled, trying to reassure his brother.

Mirage nodded with a smile, leaving to go find Bumblebee.

"So, where are you taking us tonight?" Arcee asked, following her mech into the living room area.

"Kaon."

Arcee sighed, nodding in acknowledgement. "I should've figured. But Kaon is pretty much still a wasteland, you only really rebuilt Iacon, and rejuvenated the core."

"Rejuvenating the core did restore the planet, maybe not the buildings, but still. While your statement is true, the Decepticons did hold quite a strong defence in their capital, so there is one major structure that still stands strong." The young mech replied emotionless. "If I rebuilt everything, it would've been easier, but it would've just been the surface."

"Who knows how long it would've taken our core to recover, if you hadn't rejuvenated it directly." The femme added.

Soundwave gazed out one of the windows, watching the empty pristine street. "Exactly, but we'll be able to get the information we need, Shockwave can't hide forever."

"I trust you, we'll put an end to that sick cyclops." Arcee reassured her mech.

Soundwave was silent, he didn't exactly want to think about ending another life, especially while Megatron's execution was still fresh in his mind.

Arcee could feel Soundwave's discomfort, mixed with sorrow. "So where are we planning on staying?" She changed the subject.

"Not sure, you pick." The violet mech brushed off the question.

The cobalt blue femme sighed. "I think if I pick, you might not like it."

Soundwave finally turned to face his sparkmate. "What, no I won't, why do you say that?"

"Well, because you seemed quite against living in Iacon." Arcee retorted.

"I'm not against it, just unfamiliar with it." The young mech shrugged, watching Mirage and Bumblebee emerge from one room.

"I can compromise with that, how about we live on the border of Iacon, and Kaon? It's not incredibly far from the heart of Iacon, right in between where you want to be, and where I want to be." Arcee suggested to her sparkmate.

Soundwave smiled at his kind sparked femme, appreciating her efforts to allow him comfort. "I think that's a great idea." He agreed, even though he knew that was one of the most sketchy places in Iacon, but he knew that was long ago, it would hopefully be different with the reborn Cybertron.

"So, did you two figure out your rooms?" Arcee asked the two younglings.

"No." Bumblebee shook his helm.

"Well, I think I found one." Mirage said.

Both Arcee, and Soundwave exchanged confused looks. "What do you mean no, and yes?"

"We can't decide." Bumblebee shrugged innocently.

"You can't decide." The red youngling groaned.

"Come'on I'll help you." Arcee laughed, guiding Mirage back down the hallway.

"So, why can't you decide?" Soundwave turned to his youngest brother.

"We truly couldn't decide." Bumblebee sheepishly replied, getting a glare from his older brother.

"I don't believe that's the only reason."

"Okay, okay, I'm not sure I want to have a separate room from Mirage." Bumblebee replied shamefully.

Soundwave smiled reassuringly at the scout. "We can put an extra berth in Mirage's room, so if you don't want to be alone, you can stay in his room."

"Really?" Bumblebee replied hopefully.

"I don't think Mirage will be opposed to it." The young mech nodded.

"Opposed to what?" Mirage asked stopping next to Bumblebee. "Aren't you coming to pick a room?"

"Mirage, you wouldn't mind if Bumblebee stayed with you sometimes, would you?" Soundwave turned to the young assassin.

"Umm, sure, I guess not." Mirage shrugged confused by the question.

"Bee come pick a room out." Arcee called from down the hallway.

"Alright!" Bumblebee quickly jogged down the hallway.

"Why is he staying in my room?" Mirage asked after Bumblebee was out of sight.

"It's only for when he needs to, it's a new place, Bumblebee is probably just a little nervous." Soundwave explained to the red youngling.

"Right..." the youngling sighed, rolling his optics.

"Roll your optics any harder, you might find your processor." Soundwave sarcastically retorted.

"Ouch, did that sarcasm really just come from your vocals?" Mirage snorted with a smirk.

"Look you're a big brother, it's your job to be there for him, from the sounds of it, you were a pretty good one before I joined the Autobots." The violet mech told the assassin.

"Alright thanks for the pep talk, I got it, and get out of my data history." Mirage hissed at his brother.

"Alright, we picked his room out." Arcee sighed, entering the room with the scout.

"So let's go pick out your home." Mirage poked Soundwave, getting a helm shake from his big brother.

Arcee cocked an optic ridge at her mech, who quickly turned his helm shake into a nod.

"Yeah, let's go do that..." Soundwave agreed with a drawl tone, gesturing for his brothers to walk towards the exit.

Mirage once again grasped at his chest plate, feeling a small wave of energy burst in his spark.

Soundwave noticed the youngling's discomfort, he felt the strange energy in his spark again, wondering if Mirage was the source.

"Why don't we just transform, it would be so much faster?" Mirage complained, as they all walked down the street.

"Don't complain, take in this pristine, quiet, Iacon, while you can. It'll be bustling full of Cybertronians one day, and you'll miss this peaceful moment." Arcee retorted to the complaining youngling.

Mirage shut up, realizing the femme was correct, he should be enjoying the Cybertron he never got to know.

"What's that?" Bumblebee pointed over to what looked like a vacant park, with a play field.

"Not a clue, some sort of training grounds?" Mirage shrugged, equally confused.

Both Arcee and Soundwave smiled at the two younglings innocence. "It's a play field you two, for younglings, and sparklings." Arcee explained.

"Oh, so it's just a large outdoor play area?" Mirage thought aloud.

"Correct, I used to come here with my sisters all the time, I'd always meet up here with Jazz for playdates." The femme replied.

"You've all been friends for a long time, haven't you?" Bumblebee said to the femme.

"We sure are, I even met the twins here a few times, they were just as annoying as they are now." Arcee scoffed with a laugh.

"I think the twins were the first younglings I met there, from what I remember." The young violet mech chimed in. "Sunstreaker wasn't a fan of me back then either." Soundwave joked.

"Oh, you knew about this place, Wave?" Mirage asked the violet mech.

"I went a couple times, once with our mother, and a few times with Optimus before that." The violet mech nodded.

"Oh, you were that chatty little sparkling!" Arcee randomly outburst making Soundwave and Mirage jump.

Soundwave looked at Mirage like Arcee was crazy. "I'm sorry?"

"I remember when you met the twins that day, I was there, Sunny was pissed off when Sideswipe invited you to that game of seek out, and tag." Arcee chuckled, playfully elbowing her mech.

"I vaguely remember what was going on, maybe we should retry that game of tag?" Soundwave joked, catching his femme frowning for a quick moment.

"Yeah, I'd be into that." Arcee quickly hid her frown.

"We can play too right?" Bumblebee excitedly asked.

"It's a game for younglings, of course you can join." Mirage scoffed at his younger brother.

"You sure can Bee, Mirage can to, if he's brave enough." Arcee teased the red youngling.

Mirage rolled his optics. "I'm brave enough for a game, of course."

The young couple watched the two younger bots run off ahead, Soundwave turned to his femme, who seemed to know he was going to ask her what her frown was about. "What was with that look earlier?"

"I remembered most of that day, even though we really didn't say anything to each other. All I remember was your mom yelling at Megatron, and Shockwave, before rushing you out of the park." Arcee answered the mech's question.

Soundwave took a moment to refresh his memory, remembering that moment when his mother rushed him away from the two mechs. "Hmm, I remember now..."

"Soooo, the Omega Lock didn't reach that far hmm?" Mirage gestured to the ruined land in front of them.

Soundwave stepped ahead of everyone, taking in the pristine land laying under the ruined buildings and rubble. "What about that?" He walked over to what looked like a half reconstructed house.

"That's just a scrapped house." Bumblebee replied, to which Arcee gave a small nod in agreement.

The bioluminescent mech entered the ruined structure. "No, it's a great structure to build onto." Soundwave disagreed with the youngling.

Arcee followed her mech, cringing at the broken house. "You sure about that?"

"Well, lucky for you Cee, Wave is great at constructing." Mirage patted his brother on the back. "You better start upping your convincing game." he whispered to his optimistic big brother.

Soundwave nodded, seeing the unsatisfied look on his sparkmate's face. "Arcee, I get that this doesn't look great at the moment, but it could be the home you want it to be, one day."

Arcee sighed scanning the building with her optics. "You're truly in love with this place, aren't you?"

Soundwave gave a hopeful smile at his femme, who rolled her optics in return.

Arcee gently took her mech's servo in her own. "I know you're choosing this pile of rubble, because you want others to have a homestead before yourself."

"Well, it's the right thing to do, I don't want others to worry about trying to find a place to stay." Soundwave replied giving a gentle squeeze to the femme's servo.

"I get that, but I'm not staying here, until it's safe, but I will help you build our home." She smiled up at her mech.

"Understood." Soundwave happily smiled at his sparkmate.

"Are you two done having your gross moment?" Mirage rolled his optics at the couple.

"It's called affection Mirage, you should try it sometimes." Arcee scoffed at the grumpy youngling.

"Pass." The youngling snorted walking out of the building. "So since we're so close to Kaon, and it's already getting dark, should we get a start on gaining that information?" Mirage asked the violet mech that followed him.

"We've got Bee with us, it's going to have to wait." Arcee mentioned, gesturing to the eager scout.

"Can't I come with, we're just looking for information, not Decepticons?" Bumblebee whined, tired of being left out.

"Help Sunstreaker, I'm sure he'd be happy to have your company." Soundwave said, opening a bridge portal for the youngling.

"Ugh, fine..." Bumblebee groaned, trudging into the portal.

"Let's get going then." Soundwave transformed taking off into Kaon.

Mirage and Arcee followed the reaper, driving across the dark ruined landscape.

"Darkmount!?" Arcee gasped as they approached the large dark citadel.

"Major, Decepticon, military HQ." Soundwave replied over his comlink.

"Wouldn't they have cleaned out all the information, long ago?" Mirage asked over the com channel.

"Possibly, but I'm not going to say no to checking it out. I ran a few operations out of here, but wasn't in charge of this facility, Starscream was half the time, even though he was rarely there." Soundwave replied, transforming at the bottom entrance.

"Let's get in there then." Mirage met at the door with Arcee.

Soundwave hacked the locked door, leading his brother and sparkmate into the building.

"Primus, how far in do we have to go?" Mirage complained, following his brother through the corridors.

"We're only on the second level." Arcee shook her helm at the red youngling.

"We're heading to the top floor, but by all means Mirage, you're welcome to go explore, while I gather information." The violet mech replied to his impatient brother.

"Why didn't you just fly up there, and bridge us?" Mirage retorted, with an optic roll.

"Thought you could use the exercise." Soundwave sarcastically replied, before transforming.

"He's about as bad at sarcasm as Optimus is." The red youngling scoffed.

"I don't know, Soundwave's got some pretty good sarcasm programmed into him." Arcee laughed at the youngling's comment.

"True he did hit me with it earlier." The red assassin shrugged in agreement. "So, where are you planning on staying during your home renovation?" Mirage turned to the femme.

The femme sighed deeply in response. "I don't know..."

"You don't want to live there do you?"

"No not exactly, but I promised Soundwave I would compromise with him, I wanted to stay in Iacon, but he's afraid of the non existent Caste." Arcee replied to the scanning youngling.

"The caste, why?" Mirage grabbed his chest as his spark began to pulse furiously.

The cobalt blue femme shrugged. "I'm pretty positive it was denounced, the day Optimus was named a Prime, when Megatron became jealous and started the war."

"Hmm, I don't really blame Megatron for getting angry. I mean, I don't agree with the war he started, and the murdering he condoned. But I sorta understand his jealousy." The assassin thought aloud.

"Umm, care to explain?" Arcee raised an optic ridge at the youngling.

"Well, have you ever heard of one of the lowest caste members becoming a Prime? No, so when Optimus was named the next Prime, part of that hatred, had to of come from the fact that Optimus was of the middle caste. I know Optimus wasn't named a Prime, because of that, but that thought must've gone through Megatron's head." The red youngling explained to the femme.

"That's true, but it's not often a new Prime is chosen, there hasn't been many since the original thirteen." Arcee replied to the youngling's point.

Both bots halted suddenly, when a green swirling ground bridge appeared in front of them.

"Come'on up, I believe I found the central database." Soundwave's voice came over the comlink.

"The central database is next to Megatron's throne?" Mirage scoffed at the violet mech.

"Doubtful that Megatron would. But Shockwave did take over this place, after Crystal City went down. Shockwave decided to move everything here, his theory was that most Autobots won't ever make it this far." Soundwave mentioned, while his spark pulsed heavily.

"I see..." Mirage winced in a painful manner, as his spark pulsed with nothing but burning pressure.

Arcee tilted her helm at the pained youngling. "What's the matter with you?"

"Not sure, something feels weird." Mirage replied, to which Soundwave looked up from the computer he was on.

Mirage was confused as to why his brother was staring in his direction. "What?"

Soundwave walked towards him silently, to Mirage's surprise he walked past him.

Both Arcee and Mirage turned to see what the violet mech was looking at, seeing a small fast approaching spec in the sky.

"Who the hell is that?" Arcee asked trying to get a better look.

"Starscream?" Mirage guessed realizing it was a jet.

"Bigger..." Arcee shook her helm no.

The massive mutant jet, transformed right in front of the three, giving them a moment to take in the massive structure of the spiked frame standing before them.

"Minions of the Prime, prepare to be obliterated!" The threatening voice had a familiar print, the voice of the deceased Decepticon warlord.

"Megatron?" Soundwave backed away from the towering mech, with his brother, and sparkmate.

"You skewered Megatron with a giant saber, and you managed to miss his spark?" Mirage said to his surprised brother.

"How are you still alive!?" Arcee hissed at the menacing mech.

"And where'd you get the ugly upgrade?" Mirage added.

"Megatron, cannot answer you at this moment. Though I can inform you, with outmost authority, that he owes his new lease on life, to me, Unicron!" The threatening mech hissed back at the questioning Autobots. "And I will not be so easy to deliver into oblivion."

"Can't answer at this moment..." Soundwave enabled his mind reading, hoping he could possibly hear Megatron inside the demon.

Unicron's arms both turned into massive dark energon canons, he didn't hesitate to fire upon the three bots.

All Autobots drew their weapons, jumping out of the way of the dark energon blasts. Returning fire at the demon mech.

The awkward dance of dodging bullets was becoming too much, Arcee narrowly missed a blast, quickly ducking behind massive throne.

Mirage jumped left and right dodging the wicked gunfire, as Unicron backed him towards the steps, the youngling barely blocked the demon's blasts with his blades.

"Mirage, fall back!" Arcee called out as Unicron got ready to attack the youngling.

Soundwave was quick to divert the possessed mech's attention, firing his guns at the demon's helm, while using his tentacles to take out the mech's legs.

[Damned pest!] Unicron cursed in his mind, at Soundwave.

[That pest is the very one, who robbed me of my spark!] Megatron thought aloud to his possessor. [Now I possess the power, to return the favour!]

[You possess nothing! It is I who possess all that you were, and ever will be!]

"Mirage, Soundwave!" Arcee called out again, finally gaining the assassin's attention.

Mirage gazed at the momentarily downed mech, the demon seemed to be almost frozen in the moment. "Wave, let's move quick." Mirage gestured for his brother to follow him.

Soundwave could hear Unicron and Megatron's thoughts in the mutated frame, the demon talked down to Megatron, like he was nothing but a vessel to bend for his own will. Shaking the thoughts out of his helm, he quickly retreated with his brother, hiding behind the throne, as Unicron began firing at them once more.

"We need to retreat!" Arcee told the two brothers.

Mirage winced as the whole throne shook from the gunfire. "The only way out, is down."

"I can bridge us out of here." Soundwave replied, shielding himself from the debris coming off the throne.

Arcee shook her helm no. "We need to put some distance, between us and Unicron before you open up a bridge."

"Behold, my infinite might!" Unicron created a jagged spear from dark energon, tossing it into the thrown the Autobots hid behind.

Hearing the spear beeping was enough for the three to transform, evacuating the area before the bomb went off. Both Mirage and Arcee followed the reaper past the demon mech, driving off the edge of the platform.

Soundwave fired his guns to open a safe pathway for Arcee and Mirage to fall down in. Eventually landing in one of the citadels corridors. Arcee and Mirage passed under him, driving through a door.

"Stop!" Arcee yelled, coming to a screeching halt.

"A smelting pit?!" Mirage transformed with the femme, inches away from the edge of the broken platform, that dropped into an active smelting pit.

"Cybertron's been dormant for cycles, but that's still burning?!" The femme shook her helm.

Soundwave transformed, walking up to the two staring down into the burning smelter below. "I'll make a bridge."

Nobody had a chance to do anything, as they were all hit by a massive blast of dark energon, throwing them all.

Both Mirage and Arcee were thrown over the edge, sending them plummeting down towards the smelting pit.

Soundwave quickly picked himself up using one of his tentacles to grasp one of the femme's arms.

Arcee quickly caught Mirage's servo, stopping him from plunging into the fiery pit below.

Unicron dove to the platform, transforming, he formed giant scythe shaped axes as his arm's. Swinging them furiously at the violet mech, who desperately tried to dodge the axes, while preventing his brother and sparkmate from plunging to their doom.

Soundwave fired back at the demon, in attempt to lesson the attacks, knowing with each dodge he did, made it harder for Arcee to hold onto Mirage. Materializing his visor, he knew he had to solve that issue now, before it escalated.

With one forceful swing into the floor, the platform cracked, and crumbled beneath Soundwave.

"I'm letting go!" Soundwave yelled to his brother and sparkmate's surprise.

"Soundwave!" Arcee cried out in fear as he let go of them.

Both femme and youngling screamed in terror as they fell towards the burning lava. To their luck, a bridge appeared before they could touch the smelters burning liquid, sending them to safety.

"Son of Primus, you will now join those weaklings!" Unicron threatened the masked young mech.

Soundwave simply nodded, leaping off the platform to the smelting pit below.

Unicron quickly ran to the edge to see the young mech's demise, in the back of his mind he figured the violet reaper would fly off, urging him to pursue. But to his surprise a bridge portal was there to catch the violet mech.

"How is this happening?" Arcee shook her helm in disbelief. "I mean, we put out a call inviting refugees to return back to Cybertron, and Unicron is the first one in line?"

"So you're telling us that Unicron is possessing Megatron's body? What are we supposed to call him now, Megacron, Unitron?" Sunstreaker retorted at the news of Unicron's arrival.

Arcee gave the golden twin a sharp irritated glare. "Really, that's your biggest issue right now?"

"Ugh, whatever, so what's the game plan here?" Sunstreaker groaned.

Everyone turned towards the warships monitors upon hearing them activate, seeing Soundwave setting up a long range communication channel to Optimus Prime.

"While Unicron may now inhabit a mortal form, he is still a god, and thus, cannot be defeated by customary means." Ratchet told the team of Autobots.

Optimus kept his watch between the recovered Allspark, and the cockpit window. "I apologize for risking both of us Sideswipe." He apologized knowing they were lucky to escape the gamma storm.

"Hey, I got my daily adrenaline quota filled." Sideswipe joked. "And we also got what we came for, ahead of schedule, Soundwave will be thrilled to have us back earlier than expected."

Optimus smiled with a nod. "Indeed."

As if on cue, Soundwave's voice came over the ship's speakers. "Optimus, Sideswipe, this is Soundwave, we have an urgent situation."

"Soundwave, this is Optimus Prime, proceed." Optimus immediately hit the button on the control panel, to reply.

"Optimus, can you hear me? Come in, please..." Soundwave's voice sounded desperate. "Sideswipe, do you read?!"

"That hit we took did some damage, receiver is operational, but we can't transmit." Sideswipe sadly mentioned to the Prime.

Optimus blinked in disappointment, if he hadn't risked gaining the Allspark in that storm, they would be able to communicate.

"Nothing..." Soundwave shook his helm in disappointment.

"Soundwave, you know you're capable of communicating with Optimus, without a transmitter." Arcee placed a servo on her mech's chest plate, over his spark. "I know you're known for your ability to stay silent, but now is not the time to fall into that silence."

Soundwave nodded in understanding, using his bond with the Prime to transmit the distress call. *Optimus, Unicron has found his way to Cybertron, I repeat, the Chaos Bringer is here. In possession of Megatron's body.*

"Unicron is on Cybertron..." Optimus stood up with concern after receiving his son's message. "Sideswipe, ensure that the light speed drive is fully operational, we must get back, before Unicron destroys Cybertron."

"Light speed is fully operational, engaging now, setting a coarse for Cybertron." Sideswipe replied engaging the ship's light speed.

Optimus stared at the brightly burning Allspark sitting on the floor next to him. *Understood, we're in route.*

"So, what now? Besides hoping that Optimus got the message." Jazz asked.

"Optimus got my message, they are on the way back." Soundwave answered.

"First thing's, first, we figure out why Unicron is here." Mirage thought aloud.

"And what he wants." Bumblebee added.

"There's only one reason he's returned." Ratchet said, gaining the team's attention.

"Oh, and what's that exactly?" Ironhide gruffly asked.

"To destroy the spark of his arch enemy, Primus." Ratchet answered to everyone's dismay.

"But that's the core of our planet." Sunstreaker gasped.

"It isn't fair, how many times to we have to save a world, to fight for the survival of our home?" Arcee sadly expressed her frustration.

"Regrettably the struggle between creation, and destruction, is an eternal one. And the battle lines which separate the two, run from the very spark of Cybertron. Good, and evil, order, and chaos. One victorious, one vanquished, each forming the core of their own separate worlds. Cybertron, and Earth." Ratchet explained to the upset team. "Now the darkness has followed us, all the way home."

"Monitor the planet, I've boosted the scanning frequencies on the ship." Soundwave ordered the team, before exiting the bridge, to which Ratchet followed him.

"Soundwave..."

Soundwave exhaled, turning to face the medic who followed him. "Ratchet, I'm going to turn over my commanding position to you, we could really use your council."

"Soundwave, we have each been witness to those among us, who have risen above their station, time and again. Warriors, assassin's, even field medics." The ancient medic placed a servo on the young mech's shoulder. "The Chaos Bringer is at our doorstep, and now more than ever before, we cannot afford to wait, for salvation."

"We'll launch an attack on Darkmount, given if Unicron's still there." Soundwave shrugged.

"Hmm... perhaps it is best to locate him, to make sure it's a precise attack." Ratchet suggested.

Soundwave nodded in agreement. "I know exactly who can do that."

"I'm picking up on movement, but can't pinpoint it." Sunstreaker groaned in frustration.

Mirage cocked his helm at the map displaying on the golden mech's monitor. He could see the location clearly, as if the map was in his mind. "Right, there, that's got to be Unicron." He pointed to a random spot on the map.

"Are you serious, what the frag are you pointing at, there's barely a signal of movement there?" The twin hissed at the assassin.

"Ugh, whatever..." Mirage growled, leaving the bridge. "I'll find Unicron, myself."

"I'm picking up the same signal as you Sunstreaker, but I can't see whatever Mirage was trying to show you." Arcee mentioned walking over to the twin.

"Isn't Mirage a descendant of Unicron?" Bumblebee questioned, following the femme.

"Yeah..." Arcee replied.

"Then he must have a direct link to Unicron, maybe he can see his location clearly?" Bumblebee suggested.

"It's true, Mirage, has a connection to Unicron, he will know his precise location." Soundwave said upon entering the bridge with Ratchet.

"So what's the plan then, how long are we going to wait for Optimus to arrive?" Ironhide asked what was on everyone's mind.

"We're going to launch an attack on Unicron, we can't afford to wait." Soundwave replied, scanning the room for the red youngling. "Where's Mirage?"

"He left, didn't you see him in the corridor?" Arcee asked.

"No, please tell me he's not going after Unicron!" Soundwave gasped, hastily exiting the bridge.

"Wait, where are you going?!" Arcee called after her mech.

"We should wait here until Soundwave tells us otherwise, we shouldn't all go and risk being unfit for our planned attack." Ratchet informed the team to stay put.

Mirage followed his pulsating spark, transforming upon hearing a jet engine. "There you are, you demon."

[Mirage?] Megatron thought aloud, as Unicron laid his sights on the youngling.

[You know this youngling's name?] Unicron scoffed.

Megatron smirked to himself, as a plan to escape this demon's hell formed in his mind. [Yes, he was my best soldier, a loyal follower, and your descendant.]

[Yet he was with the minions of the Prime?] Unicron questioned Megatron's claim.

[He's a specialist in espionage, a spymaster, for my army.] Megatron continued to lie.

[Then I will reclaim him, as a loyal servant of chaos.] Unicron transformed, landing in front of Mirage.

"My descendant, I call upon you to serve me, as your one true master, to bring an end to Primus." Unicron greeted the youngling.

"Are you kidding me, I have never been loyal to you, have you learned nothing from our previous encounters?" Mirage hissed at the mech. "I will never serve you, no matter how much you try to possess me!" The youngling sliced at the mutant demon with his blades, before kicking him away, while firing his guns at the unprepared demon.

Hearing the familiar screams of agony come from below, the violet reaper descended to the surface, to see his little brother attacking Megatron's mutated form "Mirage!?" Soundwave landed next to his firing brother.

[You dare to deceive me, and have both of us destroyed?!] Unicron hissed at Megatron.

Soundwave turned, staring at Megatron's pained frame, hearing the two minds bicker once more.

[Perhaps not destroyed, just damaged enough that our shared form, can no longer be of use to you, forcing you to abandon what remains.] Megatron threatened the demon god. [For regaining my free will, even over a mangled, and deficient frame, is preferable to enduring a waking life as your slave!]

Soundwave smirked at hearing his former leader's fighting will against the demon.

[For your insolence, I will only make you endure greater suffering!] Unicron attacked the life he possessed.

Soundwave cringed at hearing Megatron's screams of agony, through the demon's mind.

Unicron transformed one of his arms back into dark energon canons, firing it Mirage, knocking the attacking youngling back.

Soundwave was quick to retaliate, attempting to strike the mech, only to end up thrown into a ruined building wall, by a blast from the dark energon canon.

Mirage jumped to his brothers aid, attacking the mech, who swung back at him with a dark energon club.

Unicron pinned the assassin to the ground, using his servo, to infuse more dark energon into the youngling's spark.

Mirage squirmed in discomfort, and agony as the infusion burned, being pinned to the ground gave him flashbacks of how Megatron murdered him.

Soundwave sent out a sonic blast of sound waves, blasting the demon mech, off his brother. "We need to go, now!" He pulled Mirage off the ground, opening a bridge for their escape.

"I will destroy you, son of Primus!" Unicron screamed, frustrated with Soundwave's presence.

Soundwave shoved his brother into the bridge, shutting it quickly, as the malice demon approached. "No, I will put an end to you, I'm here to stop you from destroying worlds, enslaving those against their will, and to save those who are unfortunate enough to be under your possession!" The young mech threatened the god of chaos.

Megatron was surprised to hear such a vow come from the young mech, that destroyed him in the first place. Thinking he should've truly had changed his mind and call off the war, when the young mech had proposed to him, over, and over again.

"Soundwave, retreat now!" Ratchet yelled over the comlink. "We cannot defeat Unicron without you, nor can you without us!"

Soundwave dodged Unicron's swinging club, once again using one of his tentacles to trip the massive mech, before creating a ground bridge and escaping.

Unicron roared with rage. "I need a legion to aid with my quest!" Unicron turned hearing two jets fly by overhead.

"I'm telling you Starscream, this could be a turning point, Shockwave knows how to clone, since he's doing it right now, but imagine if he had an army of predacons." Makeshift said to the fighter jet flying beside him.

"I don't want to even know the outcome of the project he's working on now, what makes you think I'm going to inform Shockwave of your findings? Do you honestly think it's wise for us to begin cloning vicious monsters with incredible brute strength?"

Unicron transformed keeping his distance from the jets, following the Decepticons.

"I vote we use the ship to destroy that demon of chaos." Ironhide mentioned as Ratchet checked over the returned brothers.

"We should use the warship to utilize Megatron's life signature." Ratchet said, walking over to the bridges central console.

"Look, he may look, and sound like Megatron, but it's full on Unicron." Mirage scoffed at the medic. "You really believe Megatron is there?"

"Even if there's a fraction of Megatron's spark left, the ship should pick it up." The medic waved off the skeptical spy.

"What happened to using Mirage?" Sunstreaker snorted, looking at the red youngling sitting in one of the corners.

"Unicron infested him with a large quantity of dark energon, he's resting for the moment, until his body absorbs it, and becomes immune to the large dose of dark energon." The old medic replied.

"How are you feeling?" Soundwave asked his pouting brother.

"I'm fine..." Mirage groaned, tired of being fussed over.

"You're lying. You froze up, what was going on?" The violet mech refused to believe Mirage's reply.

Mirage sighed heavily. "I got scared, being pinned under Megatron's... Unicron's claws, just reminded me of how Megatron ended me in our final battle with him." He replied with honesty.

Soundwave nodded in understanding. "A valid reason to be terrified. Do you think you will be ready for our attack on Unicron?"

"Yes, I will be. It's you I'm worried about." Mirage replied.

The violet mech chuckled. "Why are you worried about me?"

"You're the creation of Primus, Unicron's going to want to end you, and Optimus, when he gets here." The red youngling told the violet mech.

Soundwave smiled at his brother. "Stop it Mirage, it's not the first time Unicron's tried to end me, and Optimus, and he won't be the last to attempt it." The violet mech shook his helm. "I lost you the last time we went into battle, stop worrying about me, and make sure you keep yourself, and Bumblebee alive."

"Fine..." the assassin scoffed shaking his helm. "So what's the plan for Megatron, if he survives what we do to Unicron?"

"I haven't gotten that far." Soundwave sighed looking over at the team. "But from each encounter we've had with Unicron, I have heard Megatron's pain, he's in hell. I think he tricked Unicron into thinking you'd assist them, just so you could damage them enough to break from Unicron's possession."

"Megatron's finally getting a dose of his own medicine..." Mirage retorted with a smirk.

"Soundwave, we've located Megatron." Ratchet called out to the young mech.

Soundwave walked back over to the group, with his brother in tow. "What's that influx of energy, surrounding the signal?"

"Given that it's Unicron, I can only imagine it's the use of dark energon." Ratchet replied.

Soundwave released Lazerbeak, sending him to the coordinates on the monitor. "I want a better look at what's going on, does anyone know what's in that area?"

"If my old rusty mind could remember, it's just on the border of the Sea Of Rust, some sort of burial, I believe?" Ironhide thought aloud, not exactly giving a detailed answer.

"Right, I've been there before, it's a graveyard of Predacons, just rusting into the ground." Jazz expressively answered the young mech's query.

"Predacons?" All three brothers were confused by the said species.

"It's time's like this, that remind you how young Soundwave is..." Sunstreaker elbowed the femme teasingly.

"Shut up Sunstreaker, let's not make jokes in this serious situation!" Arcee hissed, smacking the mech away.

"Excuse my lack of knowledge, I have never heard of this species you are mentioning, are you all familiar with these Predacons?" Soundwave asked in all seriousness, both Mirage and Bumblebee wanting to know the same.

"No, not personally, thankfully." Ironhide scoffed with a laugh.

"You sure you weren't running from them in your youth, you're ancient enough!?" Sunstreaker laughed with Jazz, at the weapon specialist.

"I'm not that old!" Ironhide hissed.

Arcee rolled her optics with a groan. "Predacons are something we don't want rising from the dead."

"Predacons were the mighty creatures that roamed Cybertron, many eons ago, they're much larger, and stronger than us. It would be dire for us to have to face them." Ratchet explained to the three uninformed younglings.

Soundwave's visor flashed on with an alert, displaying Lazerbeak's view of the Predacon graveyard. "That's exactly what he's doing!"

"Primus help us..." Ratchet gasped, watching the corpses of Predacons rise from the dead.

"Unicron's raising an undead legion." Arcee cringed at the video footage.

"Look who's right there with Unicron." Jazz pointed out the three Decepticon mechs.

Soundwave enhanced the video feed, getting a better look at the three, to his surprise, Shockwave, Starscream, and Makeshift all looked terrified. Starscream even flew away in a panic, with Makshift not far behind. While Shockwave seemed to be so shocked at what he was witnessing, his escape was futile, trying to attack the terrorcons that seemed to be ripping him apart.

Soundwave asked Lazerbeak to return, having seen enough of the terrifying undead Predacons.

Ratchet turned back to the computer that was monitoring the action. "They're moving across the Hydrax Plateau, heading directly for..." the old medic seemed to be petrified by the direction the legion was heading. "The well of Allsparks, the direct route to our planet's core, and Primus."

Soundwave calmly took over the main computer on the bridge, piloting the ship to that exact location.

"What are you doing?" Ratchet asked the young mech.

"Like you said Ratchet, we can't afford to wait any longer." Soundwave replied, turning to the weapon specialist. "Ironhide, I need you to gather the troopers, we need everyone on board with this attack. Tell them I apologize for throwing them into yet another battle, but in order to carry on a peaceful life, we must destroy Unicron, before he kills our home once again."

"Understood, Jazz, Sunstreaker help me gather the troops." Ironhide led the two mechs out of the bridge.

"Grab whatever relics you find in the vault, we can use whatever weapons we can get." Mirage told the three exiting mechs.

"Ratchet, Bumblebee, I need you to pilot the ship." Soundwave guided the scout to another set of control panels. "Bumblebee here are the defences, I want you to help operate them, with Ratchet."

"I can't do that!" Bumblebee exclaimed in a panic. "I don't know how these controls work!"

"Look, you've got primary fusion canons, null rays, ion blasters. Everything you need to fight against Unicron and his army." Soundwave pointed to the different controls.

"Um, Soundwave." Arcee placed a gentle servo on her mech's shoulder. "You do realize, you're the only one here that's piloted this ship before?"

"Right..." Soundwave sighed. " look, I'll help you Bee, but if I'm needed else where, I will leave you to it." Soundwave reassured the scout.

"I can help Bee, I followed your crazy explanation." Mirage volunteered to assist the scout.

"Yeah, all the troops are ready to battle if needed." Ironhide replied entering the bridge with Sunstreaker, and Jazz.

"Collected the weapons from the vault as well. We can help you out with the ship's defences to." Jazz added.

"Great, thank you, you three." Soundwave nodded walking back over to assist Ratchet.

"Alright, Mister Wave, what would you like me to do?" Knockout asked upon entering the bridge.

"Make sure the prisoners are secured, maybe try to convince them to switch sides, and help us save our home." Soundwave told the fancy medic.

"Can do, I think I can persuade them." Knockout replied with a smirk.

"No torture, we're all suffering enough with Unicron's presence." The violet mech sternly said to the leaving medic.

"I promise I won't scratch their paint..." Knockout laughed strolling down the corridor, into the brig. "Hello fellas, now you're probably wondering what all the commotion is, well Unicron's here to destroy our planet, and if you could join us Autobots..."

"The Autobots are useless, help us with taking the ship back, and survive..." Starscream greeted, walking up from behind Knockout.

"Starscream, Makeshift, what are you doing?" Knockout gasped seeing the two mechs.

"We as Decepticons, are going to take over this ship, and leave this planet, by any means necessary." Starscream said, releasing the prisoned Eradicon troopers.

"And since you're a traitor." Makeshift smirked grabbing the medic forcefully.

Soundwave stood on the catwalk overlooking everyone, with Arcee. The violet mech flinched at the feeling of a servo gently grasping his slender digits.

"Hey, just in case I don't get the chance to say this later." Arcee smiled up at her mech. "You've really proved your metal, with your leadership."

"I always liked to think my actions, spoke louder then my words, Arcee." Soundwave gave his sparkmate's servo a gentle squeeze. "But it didn't hurt to watch, and learn, from the best."

"It would be great if Optimus showed up about now." Arcee nodded with a sigh.

"Autobots, surrender this warship!" The sound of Starscream's voice made everyone turn around, to see the seeker standing with the Eradicons that were imprisoned.

All Autobots drew their weapons, aiming it at the intruders.

"Nuh, uh, not so fast." Makeshift threatened, holding Knockout hostage, at gunpoint.

"Scraphead won't do it, you guys need us to help defeat Unicron." Sunstreaker scoffed.

"You misunderstand, I do not intend to use this warship for battle, but for quickly getting away, as far as possible, from this doomed planet." Starscream hissed, keeping the Autobots at gunpoint.

"Earth would be nice, since Unicron's no longer calling it home." Knockout sarcastically joked.

"Shut up you!" Starscream back handed the hostage medic. "Now move away from the controls Soundwave, or Knockout gets terminated!" He threatened the young mech.

Mirage narrowed his optics at the threat above him on the catwalk. *Keep them distracted.* he messaged through his bond to his brother.

Soundwave gave an unnoticeable nod in acknowledgement, watching Mirage turn invisible from the corner of his optic.

"Last chance Soundwave." Starscream hissed as Makeshift charged his blaster.

"It's just like you two to run, isn't it?" Soundwave scoffed at the two mechs. "Always taking the cowards way out?" He taunted.

"Soundwave, what are you doing?!" Knockout gasped as Makeshift's grip grew tighter.

Mirage used that moment to slice off Makeshift's blaster hand, giving Knockout a fair chance to escape.

Makeshift screamed in agony, releasing Knockout, before lashing out on his attacker.

Soundwave took that moment to attack Starscream, while the others shot down the Eradicons, and Mirage fought against Makeshift.

Starscream slashed Soundwave across his side with his claws, Soundwave fought against the pain, trying to push Starscream's blaster away from his helm.

The seeker pulled away, making Soundwave lose his balance, before Starscream pushed Soundwave to the floor. "I will silence you, forever!" Starscream threatened with his blaster aimed at the young mech's spark.

To Soundwave's surprise, Starscream screamed in pain, as his frame lit up with electrical bolts. The violet mech rolled out the way as Starscream collapsed in a heap.

"I say that was pretty rude." Knockout offered a helping servo to the young mech.

"Thanks." Soundwave cycled his vents as Knockout helped him up.

"So what's the plan with these two?" Mirage asked getting off the knocked out shapeshifter.

"Throw them in the brig, they can endure our battle, whether they want to or not." Soundwave replied, looking at the downed Eradicons. "Those who are still willing to fight, use your energy towards helping us defeat Unicron."

The Eradicons that had attacked with Starscream, the ones that were still functional, nodded in agreement, not wanting to fight against the ones trying to save their home.

"Let's go then, come'on." Ironhide picked up the offlined soldiers, while escorting the functional Eradicons out of the bridge. "Sunstreaker, Jazz, throw those two slags into the brig!" He ordered.

"This is insanity!" Makeshift whined as Jazz forced him into the prison cell.

"You're all going to get us all killed!" Starscream spat, as Sunstreaker did the same to him.

"Well that just means you'll die like the cowards you are, hiding in a cell." Sunstreaker scoffed exiting the brig with Jazz.

"Can you believe those two, trying to flee our home, without even attempting to save it!" Sunstreaker shook his helm in disgust.

"Petty, and disgraceful." Jazz thought aloud, as they entered the bridge.

"Are we there yet?" Sunstreaker whined as Ironhide entered with them.

"Right on schedule." Ratchet answered from the pilot controls.

"And so is Unicron." Arcee added, as the legion of the undead Predacons came into view.

"Open fire!" Soundwave commanded, helping Bumblebee activate the ship's war canons.

Firing at the undead army only seemed to anger the demon mech. As Unicron ordered his legion to take flight, and attack from the sky.

Knockout cringed at the sight of the flying hoard of zombie Predacons. "Maybe Starscream had the right idea..."

"Mirage take over for me." Soundwave said, stepping towards the bridge exit.

"Where the hell are you going?" Mirage hissed jumping on the controls with Bumblebee.

"We need to even the odds in the skies." Soundwave replied as he exited. He quickly ran all the way down to the flight deck, where seekers and Eradicon flyers were waiting for the command to take flight.

All Autobots on deck furiously fired the ship's defensive artillery. While Ratchet tried to pilot the ship through the hoard.

"Maybe we should retreat?" Knockout said as an undead Predacon landed on the observation window. "Ah, Terrorcon!" He leapt away from the window as the zombie charged its weapon to blast through the window.

Sunstreaker and Ironhide charged their weapons in response, ready to fire if the Predacon breeched the window.

A large blast of bullets threw the attacking creature off the window, as Soundwave and Lazerbeak flew by with the Eradicon seekers.

The Terrorcons were smart though, drawing back, focusing their attacks on the warship's canons, taking out the engines as well.

"Brace for impact!" Ratchet called over the whirring alarms, as he lost all controls over the ship.

Soundwave mentally cringed, watching the Nemesis plunge into the ground, screeching across the metal land as it skidded to a halt just at the edge of the Well Of Allsparks. Soundwave transformed, landing next to the wreckage, as the team emerged from the wreckage unharmed. "Everyone alright?"

"We're fine." Arcee replied, her gaze petrified at the legion of the undead, storming towards them.

"The time has come my legion, destroy Primus!" Unicron ordered his hoard of undead Predacons to enter the well and obliterate the core.

"We're the last defence." Mirage said as the monsters continued their charge.

The violet mech looked into the sky, at his fighting seekers and flyers. "I'll take flight once more, we'll do our best to allow nothing to enter the well." Soundwave said, transforming, taking off towards the charging demon spawn.

The Autobots could do nothing but watch as the flying armada attempted to hold back the Predacons. The attack seemed to be working for the most part, but the legion quickly overpowered the flying bots, throwing most to the ground, while destroying others as they pushed on towards the well.

Some seekers got caught up in the swarm, to Soundwave's dismay, Lazerbeak was caught in that swarm, getting pushed down into the well with the undead Predacon army. Soundwave used a sonic blast to throw himself out of the pushy swarm, crashing in front of his team, as the legion dove into the well.

"Really, this is how it ends?!" Sunstreaker cried out in disbelief.

Soundwave knew he had no time to rescue his precious drone. "We're not losing our planet, not without taking Unicron with it." Soundwave picked himself off the ground, turning to the demon mech that stood across the land.

"What is that, a sense of pure energy I have not felt in so long... the Allspark!" Unicron hissed as the sound of a small ship came within earshot.

"Optimus!" Mirage excited called out, as the ship carrying the Prime flew over them.

"Sideswipe, we must keep the Allspark out of Unicron's reach." Optimus told the piloting twin.

"Thought you said the container was indestructible?" Sideswipe questioned.

"Indeed. But if this vessel once trapped the Allspark, I fear that it can be emptied of it." Optimus replied to the twin, before leaping out of the ship, charging Unicron.

"The Prime returns!" Unicron smirked, tossing an explosive dark energon spear into the fleeing ship's engine, causing it to crash land.

Optimus tackled Unicron, attempting to stop the mech from causing anymore harm.

"Sideswipe!" Sunstreaker cried out as the ship crashed in a fiery blaze, transforming he quickly raced over to the crash site with Arcee, and Ratchet.

"We've got to help Optimus." Soundwave told the rest of the team. "Get the relics so we can help." He transformed flying over to the battle.

"Thank you Prime, for bringing the Allspark to me, so I may erase it from existence!" Unicron taunted throwing the Prime to the ground.

"Not while I stand before you, Unicron." Optimus replied, pushing himself off the ground with the help of Soundwave.

Unicron charged the father and son, Soundwave dodged the demon's swinging fist. While Optimus took the brunt of the attack, returning the hit back to the demon. "Megatron, we once united to defeat Unicron, we must do so again!" He called upon his brother, hoping he could help fight against the demon that possessed him.

[I'm trying brother...] Megatron attempted to take possession of his body.

"Mega..." Unicron momentarily glitched in between the Prime's blows.

Soundwave could hear Megatron trying to fight of the pain Unicron inflicted on him for trying to assist the Prime. "Megatron is trying Optimus!" He cried out to the furiously fighting Prime.

"Megatron cannot help you!" Unicron roared.

[Aaagh!] Megatron fell to his knees in immense agony, from the torturous pain surging into him.

"For he is enduring eternal suffering!" Unicron created a dark energon hammer as an arm, swinging it at the attacking Prime, throwing the red and blue mech across the ground. "Your efforts to protect Cybertron's most sacred relic, are futile! My legion is within reach of Primus, your planet's very core, and we both know, that the Allspark cannot thrive, in a poisoned well." The demon mech created a large spear to stab into the Prime.

Unicron groaned trying to stab his enemy, only to have his servos caught in a polarity beam, preventing him from stabbing the Prime.

"Optimus go, save the Allspark!" Mirage yelled, holding Unicron back with all his might.

Optimus quickly transformed, speeding off to the crash site of the ship that carried the Allspark.

Soundwave created a disorienting sonic bubble around Unicron, as Mirage continued bind the demon mech's servos.

"I'm fine Sunny." Sideswipe groaned as Ratchet and his twin helped him out of the wreckage, while Optimus approached them.

"So how are we going to get that thing to safety?" Sideswipe scoffed gesturing to the Allspark.

"By the only means available, under these dire circumstances." Optimus replied, his optics soft and frightened as he said those words.

"What does that mean?" Arcee asked as Optimus prepared his Matrix.

"The survival of our species depends on the Allspark for life, I must do what needs to be done." Optimus opened the Matrix, and the Allspark.

Unicron grew tired of the brothers attacking him, mustering up his might, he threw Mirage over his helm, smashing him into the young mech in front of him, before firing at Bumblebee, Jazz, and Ironhide who fired back at him.

Knockout and Bumblebee dove out of the way of the fire, as Jazz and Ironhide were both shot down.

Unicron growled, transforming, he took off after the semi truck that was attempting to escape with the Allspark. Firing his dark energon canons, getting a devastating hit on the Prime.

Optimus transformed tumbling across the ground, clutching the Allspark as he did so.

Unicron transformed storming over to the downed mech. Ripping the Allspark from the Prime's servos.

All Autobots watched in terror as Unicron gained possession of the Allspark.

"I shall devour your Allspark, whole!" The demon threatened, opening the vessel. To Unicron's horror the vessel was emptied of its content. "What, a trick!" The pained screams emitted from the mech as his demon spirit was siphoned from Megatron's frame.

Optimus watched as the Chaos Bringer was imprisoned into the vessel that previously held the Allspark.

Megatron's frame collapsing shortly after the demon was purged from his spark.

Soundwave could see that Optimus no longer needed assistance, quickly he switched his visor to Lazerbeak's view, seeing the demon hoard of Predacons inches away from the core, suddenly perish, bursting into nothing but dust. "We did it, Optimus did it..." he sighed with relief, rendezvousing with the entire team.

"Being comprised of pure energy, Unicron's anti-spark was vulnerable to this reliquary of the Primes." Optimus explained to his astonished team.

"But if he's in there, where's the..." Mirage began, before getting interrupted by an excited Starscream.

"Praise the Allspark, master, you're alive!" Starscream transformed with Makeshift, both eagerly greeting the recovering gunmetal grey mech.

"Ugh... indeed..." Megatron cycled his vents heavily.

"Your new battle armour will take things to the next level my liege, together we will reunite all Decepticons, and once again grind Cybertron under your mighty heel!" Starscream excitedly exclaimed to Megatron's disliking.

"No!" Megatron turned away from the seeker.

"What, why?" Makeshift asked confused.

Megatron stopped next to Optimus, who watched him closely. "Because I now know the true meaning of oppression." He turned to lock optics with the young violet mech. "And have thus lost my taste for inflicting it."

Soundwave's optics softened, giving his changed Uncle, a proud smile. Optimus doing the same, proud his brother finally admitted he was capable of changing for the better.

"Ha, ha, you've clearly been traumatized master, a good power down, and a stroll around the smelting pit, will put you back in touch with your inner warlord." Starscream laughed trying to convince Megatron to return to his evil ways.

"Enough!" Megatron snapped at the pushy seeker. "The Decepticons are no more, and that is final." The massive mech sternly told Starscream, before taking flight, getting away from everything.

Soundwave watched as his Uncle flew off into the distance, disappearing from sight in the rising sun.

Starscream nervously turned to the Autobots. "Well, we all have a lot to think about now don't we..." transforming, taking off in a completely different direction then the warlord.

Soundwave glared at Makeshift, waiting for the untrustworthy mech to make a move.

Makeshift growled, rolling his optics at Soundwave, he transformed, following the seeker.

"Shouldn't we go after them?" Mirage asked.

"It's best we return the Allspark, and secure Unicron first." Optimus replied, walking over to the well of Allsparks.

"What Allspark?" Mirage replied confused, following his father.

"Yeah, Unicron is occupying it." Bumblebee added equally confused.

"In order to both protect the Allspark, and secure Unicron's defeat, it was necessary for me to empty the vessels contents." Optimus began his explanation.

"Into where?" Soundwave asked curiously.

"The Matrix Of Leadership, as such, my own spark can no longer be separated from the multitude of others within me." Optimus explained emotionless.

"Optimus, are you telling us, that you are now, one with the Allspark?" Ratchet's face expressed sorrow as he asked the Prime his question.

"That's whatcha say when someone kicks the..." Sideswipe's sheepish laughter was quickly humbled by his realization.

"To not return the Allspark to the well, would be to prevent future generations, and new life, from existing on Cybertron. My quest must be completed."

"Optimus we can't lose you, not now." Soundwave tried to deny the news given.

"Yeah, Soundwave's restored a whole planet, he can find a way to save you." Ironhide added.

"We can turn to Vector Sigma." Arcee suggested.

"Yeah, just like before." Bumblebee agreed with the femme.

"Because the Matrix must now be relinquished with the Allspark, it cannot be restored." Optimus said to the hopeful femme and his youngling. "Nor can it be passed down to another..." he locked his gaze on Soundwave, who was most likely to volunteer to be the sacrifice. "But while this may very well mark the end of the age of Primes. Leadership can be earned, with, or without the Matrix." The Prime once again put his attention on all his violet youngling.

Arcee placed a servo on her mech's back, knowing her mech was feeling devastation. She turned to see Mirage doing the same with Bumblebee, knowing that losing their father wasn't easy for the young scout.

"As even Megatron has demonstrated on this day, every sentient being, possesses the capacity for change." Optimus placed the vessel that held Unicron, down next to his Autobots. "I ask only this of you fellow Autobots. Keep fighting the noblest of fights."

"You can count on us Optimus." Jazz reassured the leader.

"We'll keep Cybertron safe." Ironhide added.

"Soundwave..." Optimus approached the young mech.

"Your destination is the core of Cybertron?" Soundwave sighed preparing to create a bridge.

Optimus nodded, as a bridge appeared next to him. He visibly jumped when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. Looking down to see his youngest son giving him a very heartfelt embrace.

"I will miss you to Bumblebee." Optimus returned the embrace. "But do not forget, you have your brothers, and a very large family that will always be there for you." The Prime gestured to the team.

"I won't, I promise." Bumblebee cried as Arcee and Mirage came to collect him.

"I will always be watching over you." Optimus said as Arcee comforted Bumblebee.

Mirage turned around to the feeling of a servo on his shoulder.

Optimus gave a gentle squeeze to Mirage's shoulder, before following Soundwave into the portal. "I need you to protect your brothers, I know I can count on you to do that."

The core was vibrant, Soundwave could feel the pure energy pulse through him. Both him and Optimus looked up, hearing the familiar high frequency tweets coming from the familiar drone.

Lazerbeak flew down to the bots, immediately reconnecting himself with Soundwave.

Soundwave was thrilled Lazerbeak survived the Predacons, but showed little of his excitement, knowing what was about to happen to his father.

"Soundwave, I know you're upset it has to be this way..."

"Optimus, I'm sorry, but whatever you're about to say isn't going to change my feelings towards what's happening right now." Soundwave stopped the Prime from trying to reassure him. "I'm devastated, but humbled. I'm here to tell you you've saved two worlds multiple times, maybe even the universe, and have defeated pure evil, more times then can be counted." The violet young mech sighed sadly. "I don't see this as you ending your life. I see it as you said, you're perhaps starting a new journey, fulfilling your quest, to allow new life to carry on our species."

Optimus smiled, grateful for his youngling's mature understanding of his sacrifice. "Soundwave, you were there along side me, all through all those battles, losses, and victories, you have done just as much as I, if not more." The Prime replied stepping towards the core that burned brighter the closer he got. "I now leave you to follow in my footsteps. And help guide Cybertron into a new, peaceful, era. There are not many who are born to lead, but you are a rarity. Don't let anybody else tell you otherwise." Optimus Prime smiled at the now cyan glowing youngling, placing a comforting servo on his son's shoulder one last time. "I'm not telling you to continue my legacy, I know you will create your own, one that will never be forgotten."

The Prime gave his final goodbye to his son, before entering the core. Soundwave squinted his optics as the core burned a blinding cyan blue light. The whole area began to vibrate, the vibrations were so great Soundwave ended falling onto his aft, just as a multitude of sparks burst from the core.

The young mech watched in awe as the river of sparks flew over him, rushing out of the well of Allsparks. Once the barrage of sparks were safely past the young mech, Soundwave went through the ground bridge, returning to the team.

The team watched in amazement, as the sparks all scattered, disappearing across Cybertron.

"Soundwave, you're back, and you found Lazerbeak." Arcee greeted her mech.

Soundwave's cyan grooves faded, back into their usual violet glow. "Yes, Optimus has returned the Allspark, you probably could've guessed with the light show." The young mech barely gave emotion to his attempted lighthearted response.

"It was beautiful yes." Arcee gave a quick smile to her upset mech.

"Soundwave, we must lock Unicron away somewhere." Ratchet said, gesturing to the container that held the Anti-Spark, before assisting in repairing injured soldiers with Knockout.

"Right..." Soundwave replied, unsure of what to do with the Chaos Bringer.

"Why don't we just shoot him into Theta Scorpii, that's where we found this thing." Sideswipe suggested to the young mech.

"I'm not sure..." Soundwave was uncertain it was a wise idea to send the Anti-Spark into one of the most dangerous areas of space, unguarded. Soundwave blinked in surprise when an arm wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him into the silver twin.

"Look, Waverz, the Allspark survived the gamma storms, and planetoid collisions, long before we found it. No one is willing to risk searching there, because it's suicidal." Sideswipe tried to reassure the unsure young mech.

"Yeah, look how long the Allspark went unguarded, with no one ever daring to go there to find it." Sunstreaker added.

"I suppose you have a point..." Soundwave sighed, knowing it was best to keep Unicron as far as possible from Cybertron. "Fine... do you have the coordinates for this horrific area of space?"

"Uh sure, if you can pull it from the wreckage, sure." Sideswipe shrugged, releasing the young mech from his arm.

"Of course..." Soundwave rolled his optics, picking up the container.

"Hey, Soundwave." Arcee called her mech that was heading for the smaller crash site. "I'm going to get Mirage, and Bee home. They're exhausted, and upset. Bee just needs a power down, so he can ease his mind a bit." The femme gestured to the sad scout being comforted by the red assassin.

"Of course, I understand, I will be there soon, after I deal with this." Soundwave replied to his sparkmate.

Arcee nodded, turning to the younglings. "Come'on you two, let's go home."

"I'm fine, I will stay and help with anything that needs assistance." Mirage said to the cobalt blue femme.

"Fine, just come home with Soundwave." The femme sighed, knowing Mirage, like Soundwave, was one to bottle up his emotions, putting a brave face on, to prevent himself from looking weak in front of those who needed a strong figure.

"Agh!" Soundwave hissed after cutting himself on a sharp bent metal panel laying over the dashboard of the ship.

"Idiot, why didn't you move that, before diving for the control console?" Mirage laughed at his big brother.

"Because I just want Unicron gone." Soundwave growled as Mirage helped him move the sharp panel.

"He's not jumping out of that can, anytime soon, you worry too much." Mirage scoffed, watching Soundwave gather the coordinates.

"No, but it's best to get Unicron as far away as possible." The young mech replied, stepping out of the wreckage.

"So what now?" Mirage asked as his brother created a space bridge.

"We get rid of Unicron." Soundwave replied, transforming with vessel, flying through the portal, emerging out of the bridge, he could see a storm approaching his location, releasing the container holding the Anti-Spark, the reaper quickly retreated back through the bridge.

"That was quick." Mirage commented at his brother's quick return.

"Well, the coordinates placed me in the middle of a gamma storm, so I couldn't really stick around to say goodbye. Not like I would anyway." Soundwave retorted to his brother.

"Well, at least Unicron won't be a problem anymore." The red youngling shrugged as Ratchet approached them.

"How are your wounds?" Ratchet asked doing a scan on the violet mech.

"Minor, already healed." Soundwave replied, moving away from the scanner.

"Mmhmm... did you rid of the Anti-Spark?" The medic asked stopping his scans.

"Yes, for now, but I will do routine checks to make sure he's not discovered and freed." Soundwave replied walking over to the rest of the team.

"So what now Chief?" Jazz greeted the young mech.

"Why are you asking me?" Soundwave raised an optic ridge at the grey mech.

Jazz smiled at the young mech. "Well, Optimus left you in charge, didn't he?"

"When he was searching for the Allspark, not when he returned it." The violet mech shook his helm, walking over to the recovering Eradicon soldiers. "I am not a leader."

All Autobots turned to one another, wondering why the Prime apprentice was denying his ability to lead.

"Alright, Mister Not A Leader, can you advise us on what to do next?" Sunstreaker sarcastically asked the young mech.

"Funny, really Sunstreaker?" The young mech rolled his optics. "We will continue our reconstruction, landing zones, and homes, are our first priority. I will continue to try to and locate a salvageable space bridge. And once enough Cybertronians return, we will vote in a new high council." Soundwave told his team, while making sure the Eradicon soldiers were tended to, and recovering from the battle.

"Great, we'll get back to that right now, non leader." The twins smirked at the violet mech for giving out orders.

Soundwave groaned in annoyance. "Ugh... I'm going to check on Bumblebee, and Arcee. You don't need any assistance before I leave, Ratchet?"

"No, Knockout and I have tended to all who needed attention, you go home." Ratchet reassured the young mech.

"Call if you need me." Soundwave sighed, turning to Mirage. "Are you coming with me?"

"Sure, why not." Mirage shrugged transforming.

"Bumblebee, do you want to go for a drive, or something?" Arcee called through a closed door.

"Bee transform into a door?" Mirage sarcastically greeted the femme.

"No, he's locked himself in his room." Arcee hissed at the red youngling.

"Didn't you bring him back to rest, maybe he's having a power down?" Mirage replied to Arcee.

"True..." Arcee turned to her silent mech.

Soundwave blinked, realizing he was being stared at. "Mirage is probably right, just give him some time to process."

"But if it makes you feel better, I'll check on him." Mirage said, activating his phase shifter.

"Brat." Arcee smiled as Mirage phased through the locked door. "What's on your mind?" The femme sighed, following her mech into the living room.

"Now that Optimus is gone, I guess it's time to discuss our future." Soundwave began.

"Oh, and what does our future hold?" Arcee questioned.

"It's pretty clear that Mirage, and Bumblebee need a home, with guardians. And as much as I would like to see that home you call piece of rubble, on the edge of Iacon, become our home, it's just not realistic at this time." The violet mech explained, getting a glare from his femme.

"I understand your metaphor, although a bit harsh, I think you're a bigger mech for admitting you have to postpone your dream, for your brothers." Arcee praised her mech.

"It was just a vision, not a dream." Soundwave sighed, staring out the window. "So you're alright with us becoming their guardians?" The young mech turned, keeping his nervous optics away from the femme. "I understand if you don't, it's a lot, but I refuse to just leave them without any guidance." His frame tensed up the moment a pair of arms wrapped around his slender waist.

"Soundwave, of course I'm fine with becoming their guardians, I wouldn't have it any other way. And neither would Mirage, and Bumblebee." Arcee hugged her mech tightly. "Those two have a large, supportive family, that goes beyond you and I, we'll be fine, I promise."

Soundwave returned the loving embrace. "Okay, but I have to go." he said releasing Arcee from his grasp.

"What, did you just come here to drop Mirage off?" Arcee was confused, watching her mech move towards the door.

"Sorry, I have to find a place for the Eradicons to stay, I need to make sure Iacon has enough homes already set for living, now that the Nemesis is out of commission." Soundwave apologized, opening the door.

"Okay, just don't be too long, your brothers need you." Arcee told the exiting mech.

Sideswipe chuckled, admiring the different paint jobs on each of the Eradicon troopers. "Hey, that your doing bro?"

"Soundwave made me do it, but I can't say didn't enjoy detailing some style, into these dudes." Sunstreaker shrugged, as Soundwave landed next to them.

"Back so soon, kid?" Ironhide scoffed at the young mech.

"Yeah, I wanted to make sure all our soldiers have a place to rest, now that the Nemesis had a wreck." Soundwave replied to the weapon specialist.

"Hmm, I didn't think about that..." Knockout thought aloud. "Soundwave, you don't miss a single detail."

"Ha, ha, yeah, that's why I'm a spymaster..." the violet mech sheepishly joked, turning to the ancient medic, who smiled at him. "Ratchet, do think you can help me?"

"Soundwave, I know you're concern for others is bigger than Cybertron itself, but I wouldn't worry too much, you restored Iacon, which has quite a few housing complexes." Ratchet reminded the young caring mech. "They may need a little work, but they should be functional enough for living. And if not, I can house a few in the medical facility, while there's no emergencies." The CMO suggested to Soundwave.

"I had forgotten, I apologize, I will try to familiarize myself with Iacon." Soundwave apologized for his lack of geographic knowledge.

"Don't you remember Iacon? Waverz, you used to creep around Cybertron, unseen, and ruin Autobot squads without them even knowing what hit them." Sunstreaker laughed, finding it hard to believe that Soundwave was unfamiliar with the territory.

"That was during a war, do you not remember me mentioning I was a science project, for the first half of the war? I only really saw Cybertron after everything was destroyed, and before all that, I was sparkling, with very little memory storage. So my knowledge of the underground systems are more in tune than your knowledge of Iacon." Soundwave snapped at the golden twin, shocking almost everyone from his outburst.

"Whoa kid, chill out, Sunny didn't mean it as an insult, even though it seemed like it." Jazz glared at the golden twin.

"Yeah I didn't mean it like that, I just meant it as a joke, like you probably know Kaon, better than Iacon." Sunstreaker kept digging a hole.

Soundwave sighed, agreeing to not take the twin's words as an insult. "Yes, you're correct, I know Kaon better because it was my home, just like you know Iacon better, because it was your home."

"Alright, not to interrupt your geography lessons, but the only thing we haven't covered is our wanted fugitives." Ironhide jumped into the conversation.

"Let's just continue our rebuilding, I will organize something, so we can continue our hunt for Starscream, Makeshift, and Shockwave... if he survived..." Soundwave replied.

"And Megatron." Sideswipe added to the list of wanted criminals.

"And Megatron..."

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Thank you for reading this story. The continuation of this series will be posted soon be on the look out for

The Quiet Ones