Soundwave's Greatest Hits, Volume Six Chapter 16, a transformers fanfic

Soundwave's Greatest Hits, Volume Six.

Chapter Sixteen.

Sam's eyes almost bugged out when he saw, towering above him, an immense metal dinosaur. Its plating was a mixture of silver and gold, with red accents and chasing that Sam hoped was paint. It's metallic teeth, fully at least a foot long and equally as wide at the base, gleamed sharply, and fierce red optics bored into his eyes.

"Oh, shit, who are you?" he squeaked in alarm.

"Me Grimlock, King," the dinosaur said in a voice that was closer to a roar. Sam then belatedly recalled Bumblebee had said Grimlock's beast form resembled a dinosaur. He wished Bumblebee had specified that the dinosaur he resembled in question was a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and that Grimlock was, Sam suspected, bigger than any Tyrannosaurus that had ever walked the Earth!

"Grimlock say, who you?" he roared.

He saw the metal tyrannosaur's optics glow, and again it was instinct that made him roll. He felt heat nearby, heard a crash, felt dirt kicked up by the blast shower over him, and smelled scorched soil. He looked up, took a deep breath, and then called up.

"King Grimlock, Swiftstrike surrenders!" He then rolled into his front, face down, arms over his head, wrists crossed in the total-submission surrender posture Bumblebee has shown him. He hoped it would work, and that the tech in the turtleneck that would dissipate a laser strike once wouldn't be put to the test by Grimlock's optic lasers. He froze, and for the first time in a long time, he prayed.

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Soundwave was jolted out of the start of his own recharge by Sam's surge of alarm. Opening his chest he sent out Laserbeak and Ravage.

"Laserbeak-Ravage, Swiftstrike-in-danger. Check, report, carry-out-needed-intervention." He then sent a com to Bumblebee.

'Bumblebee-report, Swiftstrike's-emotions-indicate-threat,-peril. Respond-and-intervene.'

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Sam waited for a blast which never came. Instead he felt himself nudged along one side, as Grimlock's voice, much closer now, said "Swiftstrike-armed?"

"Negative," Sam said, and as he felt the nudge again, allowed himself to be flipped to his back, thankful that he had left the laser scalpel at the Decepticon Base earlier that day. "No natural or energy weapons." His heart skipped a beat as he saw how close those terrifying, sharp teeth were to him, the great snout nudging him more gently this time as it searched for hidden weapons. Grimlock lifted his head, and Sam smelt a mixture of burnt metal, grease, and energon fumes from the open mouth, and idly wondered if Grimlock had the Cybertronian equivalent of halitosis. Not that he planned on asking!

"Give name, rank, species, function," Grimlock said.

"Ummm, original name Sam, human male, also designated Swiftstrike, Decepticon Assistant tactical officer. Current function: negotiator in ceasefire discussions."

"Oh, scrap, Sam, hold on!" Bumblebee said from the doorway of the Autobot Base. "Uh, Grimlock, that's Sam, he's safe, he's here as my guest, he's my friend."

"Grimlock not like your taste in friends," the metal Tyrannosaur rumbled. "Grimlock taking Decepticon human prisoner."

"Remember, prisoners are not to be harmed, and only reasonable force used if they resist," Bumblebee told Grimlock.

"Grimlock not harm prisoner if prisoner not resist," Grimlock replied, and Sam let out a breath of air in relief.

Sam suddenly had a thought, as he remembered what had happened the other times he had been under threat.

'Uh, Bee, I think someone needs to know I'm in no immediate danger," he said, hoping Bumblebee would know whom he was talking about, not wanting to speak Soundwave's name aloud in case Grimlock took exception. Thankfully, Bumblebee got it straight away, his optics flashing as he sent and received a com.

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Soundwave's visor flashed as he received a com from Bumblebee: 'Situation under control, Swiftstrike in no immediate danger, situation ongoing but de-escalating." As Swiftstrike's emotional response was calming from what it was, confirming Bumblebee's comm, he recalled Ravage, but told Laserbeak to find somewhere to hide where he could observe the Autobot Base. If the situation changed unexpectedly, Bumblebee might need a helping hand or wing to defend Swiftstrike. He had abandoned his attempt at recharge, and stayed alert, in case his input was needed.

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Sam cringed back and gave a little cry as the massive mouth lowered about him, and Grimlock closed his mouth a little.

'Um, 'Bee, I don't wanna be eaten," he squeaked, trying to keep still even as his muscles tensed for fight or flight.

"Grimlock not eat, Grimlock carry," the Dinobot corrected. He shifted his jaws around Sam, settling him into the dip between two of his immense lower teeth, and then closing his jaw to hold him in his jaw without putting pressure on him with the sharp upper teeth. Sam was grateful for the Cybertronian lack of saliva, being drooled on by King Grimlock wasn't on his bucket list. As Sam was lifted, Bumblebee said "If you let me assist, I can put Swiftstrike in your arms, that would free up your jaw, and be more comfortable for your captive."

Grimlock paused debating it, and then lowered his head to a level where Bumblebee could take Sam from his mouth. Grimlock lifted his upper jaw, and Sam relaxed as he felt Bumblebee gently grip him, and lift him from the toothy lower jaw.

"Sam, you can uncross your wrists and lower your arms, your surrender has been accepted. Put your arms down by your sides, and try to relax, Grimlock means you no harm," his yellow bondmate said. As Bumblebee transferred Sam into Grimlock's skinny-looking arms, Sam moved his own arms as Bumblebee suggested, and felt the flexible end digits curl around one upper arm and one leg, and the arms take his weight, pulling up to hold him against the metal chest. Sam crossed his upper arms over his chest, and thus cradled almost like a baby, Sam could see where they were going as Bumblebee said "Protocol says we should take him to Ratchet and Prime. Follow me."

Bumblebee led Grimlock towards the Base entrance, and Sam wondered if Grimlock would fit, that doorway looked very low. Grimlock had no such concerns, bending at the knees and ankles and hips, lowering himself to fit, shuffling along behind Bumblebee with little obvious discomfort, and still asking questions.

"Are humans all slaves, or Decepticon allies?" Grimlock asked.

"No!" Sam said, earning himself a growl for his tone. Bumblebee quickly backed Sam up.

"Most humans are unaware we even exist, much less that we're on their planet or that there are two sides. Sam there, is an exception. Most humans who know we exist are more on our side."

"This one traitor? To Autobots and own species?" Grimlock asked, his voice dropping in pitch, and Sam had heard enough Cybertronians in various emotional states to recognise that this denoted anger. He cringed in the Dinobot's grip.

"Not at all," Bumblebee soothed, "in fact Sam's participation is a major reason the peace negotiations and ceasefire are happening."

Grimlock rumbled, and Sam thought the behemoth was going to speak again, but as they turned and moved through another doorway, Sam saw that they had turned into the med bay, and that Optimus and Ratchet were waiting for them. Ratchet immediately began scanning him as Optimus said "Grimlock, you can put your prisoner down, he is known to us as an ally, and he has clearance to be here and to roam freely."

Grimlock growled and locked optics with the Prime, but the Prime did not back down, and Grimlock crouched to dump Sam unceremoniously on the worktable, where Ratchet pointed. Sam got to his feet, dusted off his pants although there was no dust to dislodge, and said "Thanks."

"Humans are our allies, Grimlock, and as they have no personal defence and are weaker than we are, it makes them easy targets for the Decepticons and those like them. We defend those in need of defending, and Sam here found himself unknowingly dragged into our conflict," Optimus said.

"Why this human marked with Decepticon symbol? Why he function as Decepticon Assistant Tactical Officer and negotiator?" Grimlock asked. "He reprogrammed? He hit with cerebro-shell?"

"Humans can't be reprogrammed, and we're not sure what a cerebro-shell would do to an organic brain," Ratchet said. "Humans can be brainwashed, however but that is not the situation with Sam.

"So, what is reason?" the Dinobot asked.

"That, King Grimlock, is a long story, a very long story, and complicated," Sam said.

Grimlock stretched, lowering his neck, and bringing his snout level with Sam, who nervously took one step back.

"Grimlock like stories,' he said.

"I'm willing to tell you the whole thing in detail if you like, but first I'd like to change out of my duty-negotiation clothing, eat, rest, and sort myself out," Sam said. He looked at Bumblebee. "You got that tee or hoody, buddy? I'd rather not risk running into anyone who might be a bit trigger happy while I'm wearing this," he said, indicating the turtleneck. Bumblebee nodded, handing Sam a tee and a hoody, and Sam put them both on.

Bumblebee took them down the corridor to the room they shared together, his optics flashing as he sent a com. Optimus and Ratchet distracted Grimlock as he did so, (who didn't want to wait for Sam's story) by bringing him up to speed on the current situation between the Autobots and Decepticons.

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Soundwave received an incoming com from Bumblebee. 'Situation resolved, Swiftstrike going to my room, which is safe."

Soundwave recalled Laserbeak from his hidden place by the Autobot Base, and waited for him to return. Once the flying Cassetticon was safely back in his chest, he allowed himself to drop into a much needed recharge.

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Once in the room, Sam stripped off everything, before putting back on the undershirt and mail, and putting on a tee shirt and hoody. He held up the turtleneck and looked at it.

"I know that this is supposed to protect me against laser shots, but in here, at least, wearing it might be like wearing a target on me, so I think I'll leave it off. If only there was some way of conveying quickly to people nearby that I'm not here to threaten, spy or otherwise mean them any ill will that's pretty universally understood," Sam said. "Even Soundwave explained that many common Decepticon gestures may not be understood by the Autobots, and vice versa."

"There is a loose universal hello, Sam, it's not binding like the drinking of energon, and it doesn't mean you won't get shot at if the shooter feels there's a reason, but it should convey a willingness to interact in a non lethal manner." Bumblebee then uttered a string of sounds and tones. "That's in common Cybertronian, and it's called the Universal Greeting." He then sounded it again, accentuating sounds that could be rendered by the human tongue. "Use the tones in your inflection, and smile without showing your teeth."

"Uhhh, so that would be -" he licked his lips and tried the sounds and tones out - "Bah-wheep, graagh-naaah-wheep, neenee-bong?"

"Less emphasis for 'weep', and a short 'a' in the last two usages, So 'nini' Not 'neenee', and the end isn't a question, so no rising inflection at the end, although I'm guessing that was you querying your pronunciation," Bumblebee said.

"Yeah, it was, so it would be "Bah-weep, graagh-naaah-weep, nini-bong." Sam tried out.

"Yes, it's oddly accented, that can't be helped, but it's close enough that it should be recognised," Bumblebee replied. "Often it's paired with a gift of something with energon in, but not always. As energon is corrosive for humans, and I think Ratchet said it's toxic too, that's just as well."

"Okay, then," Sam said, and repeated the phrase a few times to fix it in his memory. "Hopefully I'll remember it if I need it," he said.

"Hopefully, in here, you won't need to, Sam," Bumblebee replied.

"Can you get someone to order a pizza, all the toppings except anchovies, I gotta eat," Sam said. "But first, I gotta use the restroom. Then I'd like some rest before telling Grimlock how everything happened." As Sam disappeared to the human facilities they'd had installed, Bumblebee called a soldier to order a pizza.

When Sam had finished his pizza, he curled up next to 'Bee for a rest. Hopefully, with a short amount of shut eye, his brain could start processing the too-exciting events of the day and give him time to decide how far back he needed to start. He worried he might not be able to get to sleep with the adrenaline running through his system, but he found that he actually was very sleepy indeed. He guessed that not only did excitement give you a big appetite, but burned up some energy in the process. He lay down, and fell straight asleep.

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When he later awoke, with Bumblebee recharging behind him, he checked his watch, and only then realised a full 12 hours had passed.

"Um, Bee, Bee, wake up, I overslept!" Sam fretted. "I promised Grimlock I'd explain everything last evening and I slept through it!" As Bumblebee unshuttered his optics and sat up, Sam glanced at the door nervously, as if expecting Grimlock to come barging in.

"Don't worry, Sam, I'm pretty sure Ratchet and Prime found something to keep him occupied while you slept. Remember, we are online much longer than we recharge, so it's probably not going to seem as long to Grimlock as it does to you. He might have a grumble, but then will settle down to listen. So shower, eat, get ready, and I'll take you down."

Sam did as Bumblebee suggested, scarfing down the remains of the pizza from the day before, before showering, shaving, doing his teeth and using the restroom before he got dressed. He looked at the undershirt and mail vest, shrugged, put them on, and threw another T-shirt and hoody on with his jeans. He slipped his feet into socks and then his sneakers, and grabbed a bottle of water from the room before climbing into Bumblebee's hands.

"Okay buddy, let's go face the music," Sam said, recieving a puzzled look. "Face Grimlock this morning, after telling him I'd explain everything last night," he clarified. Bumblebee's optics flashed as he sent a com, and dimmed as he received one back a few seconds later.

Bumblebee nodded, before heading not to the Medbay, but to the rec-room, which was a bit further down the same corridor on the opposite side.

"New rule, no active weapons in the Rec-room, for safety," Bumblebee said. As they entered, Sam saw several familiar faces, and one or two he didn't know, as well as a large bipedal figure Sam would not have recognised as Grimlock except for the pieces of T-Rex shaped kibble on his back and sides. He spotted Sam and Bumblebee at the same time they spotted him, and he put down his empty energon cube before moving towards them.

"Human tell story now?" he asked, the voice dispelling any remaining doubt about the figure's identity. Sam noticed there was no emphasis on the last word, it seemed Bumblebee was right, Grimlock wasn't a stickler about on the dot time.

"Yeah, of course," Sam replied, still a little intimidated by the large mech. Spotting the empty cube and recalling his allowance, Sam pointed to the cube and said "King Grimlock, refill? On me?"

"Yes," Grimlock replied, and Mirage went to refill the cube and update the tally board by the dispensers. He returned with the cube, handing it to Grimlock, who set it down on a nearby table.

"Sam is generous with his allowance", Mirage told the Dinobot. Then he looked at Sam, waving over two mechs Sam didn't recognise. "Sam, this is First Aid and Blades, the other two new arrivals here."

"Energon?" Sam asked them, and both nodded and thanked him. As Mirage moved back over to the dispenser - he seemed to be gopherbot for the time being - Bumblebee put Sam on one if the raised tables in the middle of a cluster of assorted 'bot sized seating. Grimlock converted back to Dino form, to a chorus of cries from the 'bots around him as they were jostled around, and brought his head down by Sam. "Story?" he asked, bumping the human gently with the end of his snout. "Grimlock want to hear story." Sam reached up and gently patted the snout, and said "of course," and then cringed, hoping the Dinobot would not take the pats as condescension.

"You're taking up too much room, back to robot form, no alt modes in the rec-room." Prowl pushed his way through to the front. "It's a very interesting story, so the quicker you go back to robot form, the faster he can start telling it."

Sam winced, anticipating an outburst, but there was none. "Oops," Grimlock said, and then shifted back. Sam shot Prowl a look, wondering how he had done it and planned to enquire later, at the same time relieved Grimlock had either not taken offence at being patted, or been distracted by Prowl from it. Sam nodded as Bumblebee placed a human sized armchair, some soda and a pack of disposable cups by him, and he sat down, putting down his small bottle of water and pouring himself a soda.

"So if you want to hear, grab a seat or a space,' Sam addressed the assembled mechs. Grimlock pulled over a chair and put it right in front of the raised table, so his head was level with Sam, and stared at him intently. Others grabbed seats or stood behind the seated mechs. Once he was sure everyone was ready, he began.

"This happened after the battle of Mission City, and involved the group who had been keeping Megatron captive. Bumblebee and I -"

He was interrupted by one of the newcomers, Blades, who said "Hey, I know we all got debriefed by Prime, but can we hear about the battle of Mission City from your perspective?"

"And how you met Bumblebee and the others?" asked the other newcomer, First Aid. "It's always interesting hearing about other's experiences. Debriefs give the necessary details, but a good story always needs a bit of context and background."

"Yes, start at very beginning," Grimlock said. Sam nodded.

"Well, this story starts with me receiving my relatives old items, via inheritance, which I put on an online auction site called 'eBay,' to add to funds to get my very first car," Sam said, reaching up to touch Bumblebee's hand...