Chapter 174 – The Empath
(SwPOV)
System Analysis: Neural circuitry compromised.
Initiate symbiont backup routine. Yes/No
Yes.
Windrider status: Neural Damage.
Ravage status: Full function.
Re-sync processors with Ravage memories: Yes/No
Yes.
Backup reboot complete. Return to full online function: Yes/No
Yes.
Soundwave onlined his optics, his visor covering them as always. His displays recorded his body having been slagged. Obviously, Megatron had intended to destroy his loyalty circuits, they were missing in his physical form. Every indication of his re-build stated that Shockwave had done so.
Slag. Shockwave was a scientist, yes, but he had no patience for rebuilding. Soundwave's joints were rather haphazardly aligned once more. That would take him a while to repair. Well. At least the idiot scientist had once again forgotten to tamper with his symbionts.
"Ah, Soundwave, you are online again," Megatron cooed at him.
That was bad. Megatron only cooed when he was prepared to either beat a subordinate or was attempting to seduce them into something.
Usually. A trap.
"Inquiry: Past seven orn update." Soundwave stated in his usual monotone. Sometimes he'd found it difficult to maintain that monotone, but the unemotional vocal process generally kept the slaggings at bay.
Particularly when he wanted nothing more than to call the former High Protectorate a slagging glitch. Optimus Prime should have thought more clearly before appointing a primarily self-preserving gladiator to protect their home. Gladiators did not work in teams. They teamed up only to defeat the larger opponents before turning on each other. It was how they survived, and survival was a coding difficult to change.
Seven Orn, the amount of time spent between his defection to the Auto-bots and now. The data-length he'd just retrieved from Ravage.
"The auto-bots captured you, Soundwave," Megatron informed him gently. "Your circuits were damaged by them, Shockwave has kindly repaired the damage they caused."
Only his vorns of practice held him from snorting in derision. Soundwave had defected, and had discovered the mate of Optimus Prime far more likely to effect repairs to a damaged frame than cause damage. And the Lady High Protector did not mess with a bot's circuitry without permission!
"I need you to contact our forces, Soundwave, are you able?" Megatron asked him gently, reaching down and carefully helping him sit up. So that was his tactic, to lure him back to the Decepticon ranks Megatron was playing the gentlemech.
It didn't suit him.
"Soundwave communication functions: Operational." he replied.
"Excellent, call the reserve forces you so wisely advised me to withhold," Megatron commanded him silkily. Wow. Gentlemech giving praise, Megatron wanted him back badly!
Immediately, Soundwave brought his battle computations to the forefront processors.
If he called the reserve forces, they would require the element of surprise – particularly seeing as Starscream had taken the post of Jetfire's Second. The rest of the aerial bots had taken to following the command trine to the glyph as a result.
In an instant, Soundwave had the tactics required for Megatron to overtake the earth. And just as quickly, he had the tactics required for his Lady Protector to defeat them.
Earth made an excellent battlefield. It's human population easy to move, easy to call to battle, and particularly capable of rebuilding what had been destroyed.
"Soundwave: connecting to Decepticon Forces." he announced to the mech watching him with impatient curiosity. He began the sequence required to call the forces, the space-warp signal seeking out the shortest bends across time and space.
"Relay this message," Megatron commanded him, Soundwave could sense his former master's smug, sadistic glee at his 'scientist's' apparent success in slagging the memories from him. "Calling all Decepticon forces, follow my signal beacon and rendezvous with me behind the fifth planet in preparation of moving upon the earth, it is to be destroyed."
As he had done hundreds of times before, Soundwave recorded his 'master's' message and relayed it to the Decepticon forces answering his signal-ping. Message sent, message received, communication complete. Soundwave broke the connection with practiced ease and nodded to Megatron.
The mech in question smirked and nodded to him, turning his back and pacing as was more his habit.
Soundwave took that moment to run a full systems scan. His joints were off-kilter, spark-chamber dented once more, his Symbionts were suffering amidst his frame, their holds badly twisted.
But they remained with him regardless. Soundwave sent the sense of his care for them through their joined sparks, and felt them settle somewhat. Trusting him to be repaired in due time. He was damaged, badly, but no so much that he could not once again escape. A minor, probing thought toward Megatron noted that he would not once more be able to wait for the mech to drop into recharge.
That left his only other option. There were very few bots that would come to a Decepticon's rescue, and no-bot would come to aid an empath. Such as it had always been, it forced him to rely on himself.
"Soundwave: Request." He stated, slowly rolling to his feet. Slowly. Primus forbid Megatron recognize him in better shape than truth.
"And what is that, Soundwave?" Megatron purred at him.
Soundwave straightened.
"Request: cease allowing Shockwave access to Soundwave mainframe. Reprogramming empath: futile."
Soundwave had been waiting fifty-six point nine vorns to witness that look of shock in Megatron's optics. His former Master's cannons were coming online. For one hundred and eighty vorn, Soundwave had ceased attempting to inform his 'master' just how slowly his cannons came online.
Not like his. Soundwave had his blaster formed, online and fully charged in the time it took Megatron to begin forming his cannons. Five shots, that's all it really took to cripple the mech. Or rather, five well-aimed shots destroyed Megatron's weaponry. It did not stop him from charging Soundwave. But he was prepared for that, after so many vorn serving beneath Megatron, being his most loyal officer by virtue of his loyalty to the Lord High Protector? Soundwave knew Megatron's fighting style and skills, and feasibly his weaknesses better than the egotist himself.
And as such, he accepted the initial blow, turning away from it and allowing the mech's clenched servo to squeal across his armour. Such a blow always left the other drastically open, slowed his response time by virtue of his overconfidence in his strength.
Soundwave brought his own blow to bear, aiming not for the overly reinforced chest-plates, or the face but the abdomen, his side. Damaged torsional controls caused Megatron to slow even more, which allowed for a second blow. Abdomen, centre, just below the chest-plates.
It forced the metals up and in, denting the bottom of the spark-chamber. Critical. Several connections for energon to support the spark lay there. Megatron fell back, but not before tearing at his helm.
Damage reports: Visor cracked, severe circuitry damage. The self-preservation circuitry kicked in, several rapid jabs, aimed just below the spark had Megatron well away from him. Soundwave turned and took several running steps before firing his boosters and transforming. Flight mode.
Telemetry capabilities severely compromised, Soundwave chose the next best manner of telling direction: the ability of advisor-primary to pinpoint the location of High Protectorate. He accelerated as much as his damaged frame could allow and prepared for the long flight. Or... he tried. The symbionts began controlling the damage reports his badly compromised circuitry were incapable of. He was breaching, components of Ravage attempting to stem the flow to no avail. The very act of transforming had ruptured several lines.
Slagging pit spawned Shockwave!
That which was left of his sensors noted that he was five thousand units closer to the Lady High Protector before the ability for flight started becoming useless. Optics watched as the landmarks started to become larger: the visual mark of descent. Soundwave resignedly offlined his optics, he had no desire to watch the last descent.
The sense of solidity beneath him, far sooner than he had expected brought his optics online again. Beneath him, another flier, wings flared as much as the frame would allow to gather the atmosphere and slow descent. They were still falling, the flier opting to descend with him.
"Ca.. y... lock... ame?" A voice shouted over the wind. At a loss, Soundwave sent a searching thought toward the processors of the bot beneath him and almost offlined in shock.
"Can you lock onto my frame!?" the Lady High Protector demanded of him, her thoughts speaking with a deep worry, her scans already registering the damage to his frame.
His comm was offline, so he did the only thing he could register, he reached out with cables and hooks and locked onto the High Protector's frame. The second he did? The Lady High Protectorate brought her engines back to thrusting power, driving them both through the atmosphere.
::. Can you hear me now?.:: Archangel's voice murmured worriedly, bypassing comm in favour of direct line communications.
::. What are you doing here!?.:: Soundwave demanded in shock.
::. In theory? Coming to rescue you, sorry I'm late.:: the femme stated in a teasing tone.
::. It is not the duty of the Lady High Protector to come to the rescue of an advisor!.:: Soundwave protested sternly.
::. You know your thoughts flow one pit of a lot more smoothly than your speech does.:: Archangel informed him cheerfully. ::. Besides, since when am I not allowed to rescue my advisor? Who else is going to have the tenacity to whack me upside the helm when I'm being obtuse about tactics? I gotta get some use out of being a Prime.::
Had the Lady High Protector not already been supporting him on her frame, Soundwave would have fallen out of the sky.
::. No-bot comes to the aid of an empath!.:: he thought in shock, forgetting that with the direct line his mistress could hear him.
::. What does being an empath have to do with it?.:: the femme asked curiously. Over the direct lines, through the light, probing connection he had forgotten to withdraw he could sense no malice, no fear. Naught but simple, gentle curiosity emanated from the femme he had bound himself to serve.
The simple, extraordinary fact that the femme he gladly called mistress held him no ill-will for the ability that had had him slagged so many times before was simply too much for his damaged circuitry to comprehend.
Preservation circuits accepting the fact that he would not fall? Soundwave blacked out.
(MPOV)
::. No-bot comes to the aid of an empath!.:: Soundwave thought in shock. That was entirely confusing, save for Ironhide's continual attestation that Soundwave was a telepath. It was a fine line of clarification that allowed Soundwave that particular white-lie. Clever. But at the same point:
::. What does being an empath have to do with it?.:: I asked curiously.
Somehow, that simple question effectively had the bot being carried on my wings overloaded and passed out. I shook my head and tightened my grip on the hooks and cables he'd extended to my frame, holding him a bit more tightly as I increased my air-speed and altitude.
There was a tail-wind blowing three hundred feet higher, Soundwave was breaching, badly, his symbionts obviously trying to stem the flow, but the point stood.
I needed to get him to safety, fast. Nevada was the closest.
::. Archangel Prime to Jetfire.:: I sent worriedly.
::. It's bad when you're using your name youngling.:: my grandfather sent back immediately.
::. Soundwave has taken severe damage, please get the Nevada aerial base med-bay prepped.:: I replied flatly, catching the winds and allowing them to drive me all the faster toward my goal.
::. Do you require backup?.:: my grandfather snapped out.
::. Won't hurt.:: I frowned, scanning the area again. I couldn't catch sight of any pursuit, but that was never a guarantee. I tightened my grip on Soundwave further and pushed my engines to the limit, screaming through the air toward the closest area of safety. Five minutes and the familiar shapes of Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp flying formation toward me.
That was a relief.
::. I still can't believe I'm coming to back up my formerly mortal enemy.:: Starscream informed me. I laughed, I couldn't help it.
::. I still can't believe my formerly mortal enemy is coming to back me up.:: I quipped at him cheerfully.
::. Now can you believe it Screamer?.:: Thundercracker's voice asked cheerfully.
::. Stop. Calling me that!.:: Starscream snapped.
::. Aaaww, don't you love us anymore Screamer?.:: Skywarp murmured softly.
Silence.
::. Yes, I still do Warp.:: Starscream's voice murmured gently. ::. You too Cracker, even if you're a silly aft.::
I smiled, I couldn't help it as the command trine pulled into a tight, protective formation around me, the air vectors off of their wings smoothing the streams going over mine.
::. Wait a second...:: Starscream's voice muttered the next second. ::. Cracker you dumb-aft!.::
::. It's your own fault for being too peaky to know which frequency we're speaking on.::
::. Prime, kindly disregard my past words.:: Starscream bit out.
::. You don't want me to do that.:: I murmured gently.
::. Yes. Yes I do.::
I allowed the silence to remain for a second.
::. You know, I'm not Megatron.:: I murmured quietly.
(JePOV)
Jetfire stood on top of the monolith of the Nevada base. In the distance, he could see the outskirts of Tranquility, and should he care to zoom in, the humans as they went about their day to day lives, driving around in their non-sentient vehicles.
The sun was warm on his old joints. This was his favourite place, he frequently held his meetings up here rather than the occasionally stuffy office within the depths of the monolith.
The rest of the aerial-bots had absolutely no qualms about that. After all, fliers belonged in the skies.
Far below – although he didn't really consider the two hundred odd units to the ground really all that far – Lugnut's creations were driving toward tranquility. Off to visit with their paternal creator.
Jetfire shook his head somewhat sadly. The younger aerial-bots remembered Lugnut as a fierce wrecker warrior. Now? The bot had decided that his preferred alt-form was that of a human field harvester. What was the term the humans used? Combine. He was living under the care of one of the NEST soldier's relatives.
A farmer.
For that reason alone, Jetfire wanted a piece of Shockwave. Death was one thing, he partook in the creation of death on a regular basis. Lugnut had also. Old warriors were meant to stick together, to sit in the sunshine sipping energon and remembering the days of war, telling stories of battle.
Not driving circles around a field cutting down a crop!
When Megatron was finally offlined permanently, the bot's spark would remain in purgatory for some time. He would return to the well, of this Jetfire was certain. He had, after all, known the Fallen. It was not the gladiator's fault that the Fallen Prime had twisted him so...
Shockwave would burn in the pit for eternity.
Finally, four appeared in the sky, the command trine escorting his granddaughter. Jetfire straightened with pride that the Femme Prime still called him grandfather, even if they had never truly solidified the creations bond.
But then, it was entirely possible the little femme didn't even know what that was. Her extraordinary knowledge of some aspects, and innocence of others was quite endearing at times.
Archangel came down somewhat ungracefully, but such a thing was easily tolerable. Carrying another and landing was a feat many ground pounders and a few fliers took for granted as easy.
It really wasn't.
But regardless, his granddaughter managed just fine, transforming and landing with Soundwave slung across her back. In moments she had released his cables from her frame, spinning and catching the larger mech before he had the chance to fall.
Jetfire frowned, the mech was unconscious, the scent of energon in the air.
"Is the med-bay prepped?" Archangel snapped out worriedly.
"Yes Ma'am," Jetfire responded automatically, Archangel lifted Soundwave somewhat more and began striding quickly into the base proper, the command trine hot on her heels. Jetfire glanced around at the skies and patiently followed. It would be nice to greet Soundwave once more, perhaps thank him for not offlining him as a youngling.
Jetfire strode patiently to the med-bay, pausing at the doors to watch.
His second in command was a few paces in front of him, Starscream's trine flanking as they always did when together in public.
Kae had already deposited Soundwave on the med-berth, she was elbow deep in the mech's abdomen, and by the sound of metal screeching, she was doing some serious repairs.
"Somebody get me some clamps!" she commanded flatly. Starscream was closest, immediately he strode to the cabinetry and retrieved a number of different clamps before striding back and wordlessly offering them to the femme.
"Thank you," Kae murmured, lightly plucking a couple from his hands and continuing her work.
"What happened to him?" Starscream murmured hesitantly.
"Shockwave slagged him. Again by the look of these joint signatures," Kae growled softly. Starscream flinched slightly away from the femme. "I'm not angry at you, Starscream, you will not be struck by my hand."
The flabbergasted look in Starscream's optics at her comment was frankly as amusing as his own shocked looks must have been.
The femme was always full of surprises, after all. She hadn't even looked up at him.
She hadn't looked up at all, her optics and hands were concentrated fully on repairing the mech on the berth.
"How can I help?" Starscream asked finally.
"Hold this here," Kae stated patiently, lightly catching Starscream's hand and guiding the sharpened claws to one of the clamps.
Her hand was free now, Kae reached into her own abdomen and winced slightly as she disconnected one of her own energon lines.
"What are you doing!?" Starscream demanded in shock.
"He's lost a lot of energon," Kae stated flatly. "The human term is a transfusion, I'll figure out what it's called in Cybertronian later."
"You're giving him your own energon!?"
"It's no big, I'll make more," Kae shrugged idly, connecting her energon line into Soundwave's and continuing her work on the mech.
The command trine were silent, staring at Kae in shock as she continued repairing the mech on the table, her own energon being pumped into the one laid low. Her hands never slowed, her optics never stopped scanning Soundwave as she worked on him. Jetfire edged somewhat closer and reached into his own abdomen, disconnecting one of his own lesser energon lines and offering the pinched end to the femme.
Kae glanced at him and smiled.
"That won't be necessary, grandfather, but thank you."
Jetfire smiled somewhat and shrugged, allowing his nanites to re-seal the energon line where it was meant to be.
"What are your orders, granddaughter."
"Grab a few cubes of energon?" she asked patiently.
"That's not an order, granddaughter." Jetfire smirked at her.
"Orders are for emergencies," Kae murmured, her primary focus already back on repairing Soundwave.
Jetfire snorted softly and strode to the other side of the med-bay, pulling down a couple cubes of mid-grade, and a few of the high-grade. Wordlessly, he deposited a couple of cubes of high-grade in the command trine's hands, and laid out the rest beside his granddaughter. She nodded her thanks without ever looking up.
Finally, Soundwave's abdominal plating was closed up, her energon line receded and she lightly began tapping his helm. Soundwave onlined and began trying to sit up.
"Slow down," Kae stated in a commanding tone, laying a gentle hand over the mech's chest plates. Her voice softened then, "Soundwave you need to recharge before you start up again, I'm sorry, normally I would have simply let you remain asleep, but I need your reports. Here, drink."
The command trine were standing in formation again, Jetfire almost laughed at the identical, flabbergasted expressions on their faceplates as the Prime gently helped Soundwave to sit up somewhat, holding a cube of energon to his mouth.
(SwPOV)
Tapping.
Someone was tapping on his helm.
Soundwave immediately used that calm, measured tap to re-sync his processors. Internal scans showed him in far better condition now. Not fully repaired, but far better than he normally expected from Scalpel or Knockout.
He was in a safe place, evidently, but regardless, he brought himself fully online in seconds, making to sit up a second later.
"Slow down," his mistress' voice commanded immediately. A hand was laid on his chest-plates, keeping him down on the berth.
But the hand was gentle, Soundwave relaxed somewhat. His mistress, the Lady High Protector was there, commanding him to remain still. He could do that. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to online his optics.
"Soundwave you need to recharge before you start up again," her voice stated gently, Soundwave relaxed somewhat more. "I'm sorry, normally I would have simply let you remain asleep, but I need your reports. Here, drink."
A gentle arm wound around his shoulders, easing him into a sitting position, this was the second occasion that had happened within this orn, however this caring attitude suited the Lady High Protector far more than it did Megatron. A cube of energon touched his lip plating, he drank it down immediately.
"Inquiry: Past four breem update," Soundwave immediately stated the second the energon was draining into his systems.
"You escaped from Megatron, which I'm not entirely certain how and passed out on my wings. You're in the Nevada aerial-bot base med-bay." The Lady High Protector promptly informed him, Soundwave relaxed fully in her arms, his logs were clear, he'd just wanted to know how truthful she would be. She held another cube of energon to his lip plating. "I have the worst of your damages mended, but I'm not certain how much more you wish me to repair, and how much you wish to allow your own nanites to attend to."
Translation: she would have mended everything, but she wanted to know how he wanted to be repaired.
Soundwave remained silent, the second cube of energon draining quickly into his systems. Then, then he made a snap decision and receded his visor.
Damn the audience, he wanted his mistress to see the remorse in his optics at the actions he had had to take.
A secondary processor noted the command trine and Jetfire, elder of the fliers staring at him with downright flabbergasted expressions bending their faceplates. But that was not for this moment.
"Problem: Megatron's secondary forces are en-route." Soundwave informed his mistress gravely.
"How much time do we have until they reach the earth?" the Femme Prime demanded immediately.
That was a moment's calculation.
"Arrival: Two Orn, four Joor." he replied, so little time...
"We have time to see you mended then," his mistress nodded sternly.
Wait. What?
"Initiating full communications broadcast." she continued, looking toward the wall above him. Soundwave cursed himself a fool. His comm was still down, he should have initiated the repairs to it the second he was online. But his mistress glanced at him then, extending a cable for him.
Direct line communications. Purely out of habit, Soundwave lightly accessed her systems to hear the conversations fully.
::. All call.:: Archangel Prime's voice rang out over the Primary. In the physical world, Jetfire straightened, the command Trine staring in awe as they heard her voice; the commanding voice of the Femme Prime. ::. Optimus, we have a problem.::
::. Archangel, your status?.:: the voice of Optimus Prime demanded worriedly.
::. Soundwave and I are safe at Nevada Base. Megatron made Soundwave contact the Decepticon reserve forces, they are en-route.::
::. Further slagging at hands of auto-bots: Accepted.:: Soundwave stated immediately. But connected to his mistress he could sense her indignation at his statement. The clear message in her processors.
Despite his actions, somehow, his mistress would not allow him slagged.
::. Explain your actions bot.:: Ironhide's voice growled.
That was the first thing they asked!? Before he could even think of withholding information Soundwave was explaining himself.
::. Soundwave: Slagged by Shockwave. Memories: backed up by Symbionts. Mission: survive encounter with Megatron. Mission: Return with information and battle tactics to Lady High Protector. Reasoning: Decepticon forces requiring element of surprise.::
::. Which units?.:: Starscream asked with a frown.
::. Units en-route: reserve forces. All Decepticons based in Iacon.::
::. That's Magnate's unit.:: Thundercracker growled.
::. Dibbs!.:: Skywarp added in counterpart.
Soft, gleeful snarls filled the primary, the voices of the aerial-bots. Soundwave nodded internally, he had chosen Iacon with a purpose, of course. The presences of the aerial-bots around him, those listening to the communications became heavy with anticipation. The aerial-bots, the command trine in particular, had a longstanding grudge against Magnate's unit.
::. With all due respect to the Primes.:: Starscream stated on the primary, shooting a small smirk at Archangel Prime. ::. Please allow the fliers to be rid of this little nuisance headed toward us.::
::. What are the precise orders Megatron sent?.:: Skywarp asked curiously. Immediately, Soundwave replayed Megatron's orders.
::. Calling all Decepticon forces, follow my signal beacon and rendezvous with me behind the fifth planet in preparation of moving upon the earth, it is to be destroyed.:: Megatron's voice rang over the Primary.
::. All Decepticon forces!?.:: Ironhide bellowed.
::. Message: relayed only to Iacon. Probability of All Decepticon forces mobilizing-.::
::. Not a hope in the Pit.:: Starscream sniggered.
::. So in essence.:: Sentinel's voice rumbled with a smirk.
::. Catch the Iacon forces by surprise, get back to Cybertron before the signals make it there...:: Optimus rumbled musingly.
::. And your capital city will already be clear but for a few stragglers.:: Starscream smirked.