Chapter 189 - Advance
(SwPOV)
Soundwave lightly touched his femme's face, even as she touched his.
"Soundwave: will return," he murmured.
"That will be far preferable," Symphony informed him patiently.
"Am I late?" Wingnut's voice called out behind him.
"Negative," Soundwave immediately answered.
"I will hear you when you return," Symphony murmured quietly, Soundwave smiled, and knew that his femme could see his smile with her fingertips lingering on his cheek.
He backed his holoform away slightly, and her hands lowered to fold in front of her. She stood patiently, listening to the footsteps first of his holoform, then of his body as he rose, ceasing the process controlling the program and nodding to Wingnut before he strode from his shared quarters.
Soundwave strode calmly down the corridors, nodding to Electric bot as the mech strode to communications to relieve his mate from her duty. Banshee-hawk femme was still young, and attached to the schedule of her birth-race.
But the two joor that she did attend to communications was an immense help regardless.
The two would be his contacts back to this planet.
"'Eh Sahndie!" the Saboteur's voice called out cheerfully. Soundwave paused and turned, waiting for the shorter bot to catch up with him at the slow pace the presence of so many smaller creatures required.
"Saboteur," Soundwave stated calmly, nodding to the bot and resuming his vector at the point that it would be considered polite.
"Yah ready?" the bot grinned at him.
Soundwave nodded, striding to the entrance bay with the mech in tow.
"Bringing Ground-bridge online now!" Wheeljack called out cheerfully, Sentinel watching over the inventor's shoulder critically.
Soundwave looked approvingly at the portal style bridge the two had built, even as his mistress scowled at it, pressed tightly against her mate.
Not that he blamed her, of course.
Fliers were meant to be in the air.
In a matter of moments, the portal was calm, rippling with the trans-dimensional energies. Soundwave began toward it even as the elder Prime nodded it's safety. His Lady High Protector would be close behind, but Soundwave already had his orders, and knew the sequence of events necessary.
His battle computer had long since calculated it out, now it was simply a matter of enacting it.
Soundwave stepped into different surroundings and immediately began striding toward the low-hovering Decepticon ship.
"About time ya showed up!" Wrecker Lugnut bellowed at him.
"Soundwave: Apologizes,"
"Stop tha!" Roadbuster shouted.
"Wreckers don't never apologize," Leadfoot growled.
Soundwave nodded to the Wreckers patiently. Initiation within their ranks was a fascinating study all of it's own.
"Request: permission to board." Soundwave stated calmly.
"Yeh, go on in," Lugnut nodded to him, gesturing over his shoulder. Soundwave nodded and immediately strode to the main hatch, idly sending the signal for the door to open for him.
It was a Decepticon ship, with Decepticon programming still in place.
All doors opened for the mech that had programmed them.
The last few fliers still on board the Harrier stepped aside for him, not as the Decepticon sixth now, but as the Advisor-Primary to the Lady High Protector, granddaughter to the flier's elder.
They nodded politely to him, even as he nodded his acknowledgement of their movement and presence.
Far more pleasant than the former scowls and glares as bots wove out of his path for no other reason than fear.
Soundwave assumed his place at the navigator's helm and ran an idle check through the systems.
The fliers and Wreckers together had done a magnificent job maintaining the ship.
Patiently, he ran through the sequence of calculations and initiated the correct launch codes for the Iaconian based Destroyer. Now, no matter the speed she flew, no Decepticon would look twice at her approach into Iacon.
He stood and patiently waited as the Wrecker crew and Saboteur filed into the bridge.
"Soundwave reports: All systems ready." he stated patiently the second Lugnut took the space of the Captain.
"The launch codes are righ'?" Lugnut demanded flatly.
"Affirmative." Soundwave nodded.
"Let's get to 'er then. Contact the Ark, let 'er know we're ready to go," Lugnut commanded.
Soundwave nodded and turned, connecting fully into the computers and contacting the Ark, even as he settled his mind amidst the massive banks of the Harrier; becoming one with the ship as he guided her from her low hover and toward the lights of the universe.
(OPOV)
His Kae was by his side, Ironhide on his left.
Standing formation, proud, tall, the exiled Emperor Prime of Cybertron was front row and centre on the Bridge of the Ark to watch as Lieutenant Jazz, Advisor-Primary Soundwave and a unit of Wreckers piloted a commandeered Decepticon Warship straight to Iacon.
Everything in him, wanted to be on that ship, wanted to take the place of the mechs on that ship so that they wouldn't have to be in harm's way.
The spark of his mate understood why, he didn't want glory, he just didn't want to be the cause of yet more death.
Even if it was in the interest of peace, of safety, of reviving their homem It didn't mean he ever, ever enjoyed watching his troops marching off to battle.
Even if they were being snuck in by the defected head of Decepticon Security and Communications.
::. Commencing space-bridge.:: Sentinel announced.
Optimus pulled his spark-mate close at the tiny surge of fear in their sparks, his Kae's fear of being caught by the bridge and taken from him.
~We go together~ he whispered to her. His femme smiled up at him and pressed ever so slightly closer, even as she turned to watch the bridge.
It was far more distant this time, and the humans had scrambled to erect telescopes in order to watch the bridge from the ground.
For good reason, fully a hundred pillars now spun through the void; Sentinel humming placidly as he synced their energies and ensured the path led straight to Cybertron.
::. 'Ey Prime!.:: Jazz's voice called out over the Primary.
::. Lieutenant Jazz.:: Optimus replied automatically.
::. Quit worryin', we'll call when we get dare.:: Jazz sent to him cheekily. Kae was smiling beside him then.
::. You'd better.:: she sent with that smile. ::. Or there will be Pit to pay for you making us worry!.::
::. Yes mammie.:: Jazz sent with a broad grin.
::. Space-bridge active.:: Sentinel reported patiently. ::. Energies are in sync, Harrier you may proceed.::
::. Soundwave: Acknowledges.:: the Advisor-Primary stated patiently. Optimus held onto his femme a little bit more tightly as the Harrier slipped into the portal and disappeared.
A few moments.
::. =Harrier through. Communications update: next available=.:: Soundwave sent through in scout. Optimus nodded and quickly relayed the translated message. Sentinel immediately closed down the bridge.
It was better that way, the least announcement of presence.
Optimus held his spark-mate close as the ark immediately resumed orbit around the strangely attractive planet his mate had been born upon.
Already, she was quietly preparing to leave this place of peace and colour. He vented an airless sigh in the vacuum of the abyss, and felt his mate nuzzle her helm slightly against his shoulder.
~Cybertron needs us more~ her spark murmured gently.
Optimus looked down at her and caressed her spark beside his own, wordlessly apologizing that he would take her from her home regardless.
In an instant, her spark soothed him with a simple truth.
Wherever he was, she considered her home.
His beautiful femme.
::. Sap.:: Ironhide muttered on the Primary.
Optimus blinked and realized that he'd all but magnetized his femme to his side, gentle amusement showing in her optics as she looked up at him.
"See? Much easier when you're standing," His Kae informed him with a smile.
Optimus jumped and looked around.
"Far easier when you have me so distracted as to not realize we have made atmospheric entry," Optimus snorted quietly.
In the corner of his optic, Sentinel was rolling his optics at him while Ironhide snorted.
"I'll see you later," his Kae chuckled, pulling herself up by his shoulders to press a kiss to his jaw. "I have an appointment, again."
"Who this time?" Optimus groaned.
"The lawyers need me to sign the last of my human paperwork," she shrugged patiently.
Optimus looked down at his femme and pulled her a bit closer.
Because his Kae was signing papers that would forever strip her of her first home.
"We both knew it was necessary," his Kae murmured into his chest. "And the wolves will rebuild the shop, the foundation is there, and they'll maintain it."
They remained tightly together for another moment before his mate lightly pulled away. Habitually, Optimus followed her with optics, then, because he was not needed on the bridge followed his mate to the hatchways, climbing up the ladder and poking his helm up through the hatch.
Kae grinned at him as he held tightly to the frame of the Ark, even as she walked fearlessly along the primary struts. The atmosphere of Earth whistled past them.
~I'll be home soon~ his Kae's spark whispered to him, even as she dove off the side of the Auto-bot flagship. Optimus felt a surge of fear for his mate, watching her drop. But her spark soothed his with her fierce joy of flight the next second, the femme already transformed into her flight frame circled around the Ark, her wings dipping back and forth for a second before she flashed away.
Optimus smiled after his mate before ducking back down through the hatchways.
The Ark was quickly making her way toward the NASA headquarters again, he couldn't wait to get his pedes back on the solid ground.
(MPOV)
I smiled as my mate did, he was clinging to the struts of the Ark, waiting with his usual patience for the flagship to return him to his preferred element. But despite his wariness of aeronautics, and his immense dislike of the height, never once did my mate begrudge me the joy of flight. I glanced at my chronometer and rolled my optics, pressing my engines into a bit more speed.
Unfortunately, I didn't have enough leeway time to do much more than dip my wings, waving to him as he watched me streak away. It was a too-short flight back to Washington, more and more the flights were becoming too short. The more I flew, the more I wanted to keep flying. A sensor ping and I made a quick aileron roll, spotting the command trine flying in formation together.
::. Enjoying yourself Lady Prime?.:: Starscream sent in an amused tone the next moment.
::. I am in the air, is there any other way to be?.:: I sent back in mocking curiosity. I grinned when Thundercracker and Skywarp began chirping with laughter, the three idly slipping into formation off of my wingtips.
::. You're the one that bonded a grounder.:: Skywarp told me teasingly.
::. The spark wants what the spark wants.:: I shrugged cheerfully.
::. Granted, he is well built, for a grounder.:: Thundercracker snorted.
::. But I would love him even if he were a digger.:: I chuckled softly. ::. Have you any news for me, commander?.::
::. Nothing beyond our report to Jetfire.:: Starscream stated patiently.
::. Has he got around to piping it through yet?.:: Thundercracker asked curiously.
::. He did.:: I nodded calmly. ::. Which on that note, are there any fliers that would willingly remain to defend the earth?.::
::. We'll ask around, the atmosphere is nice here...:: Skywarp began.
::. But the majority wish to return home.:: Starscream stated calmly. ::. You can of course, order some to remain behind, it is your right as the Lady High Protector.::
::. Perhaps, but it is not my prerogative.:: I stated patiently beginning a wide circle around where I needed to land. ::. I would rather leave behind bots that wish to remain, rather than beggar the forces and morale before the battle even starts.::
::. You aren't landing already are you?.:: Thundercracker demanded with a snort.
::. Unfortunately, humans cannot fly, and I must converse with them yet again.:: I stated, rolling my optics.
::. The squishies fly! I've seen some of them at it!.:: Skywarp protested with a laugh.
::. Throwing them doesn't count.:: Starscream muttered with a small smirk.
::. We mean the ones borrowed wings and you know it.:: Thundercracker grinned.
I chuckled and flipped, quickly transforming and landing lightly in a clearing of the forest. A few careful steps onto the service road and I transformed into the stretch-hummer-limo I used to carry people about from time to time.
I didn't want to land precisely where I was meeting the wolves.
It was disrespectful. A short drive, but a quiet one and I pulled through the gates to cemetery. I parked where my Optimus had, onlining my holoform in the black silk pantsuit Arcee had purchased for me the last time I'd been here.
Seventeen hundred hours precisely. Old Wolf wouldn't be here for another hour, accompanied by one of the JAG boys he'd trained and bearing the final paperwork.
I sat for a long moment and concentrated, creating a bouquet of flowers. But a holoform wouldn't last. I reached out with a cable and infused the holoform with energon, coaxing my nanites into accomplishing something new.
In the holoform's hands, the nanites consumed the energon and deposited living metals in it's place before they retreated to my frame. Another processor fired up to idly scan my surroundings as I walked the paths between the gravestones until finally, I arrived at my destination.
"I"m sorry I haven't visited," I murmured, gently laying a sculptured flower on each of my uncle's headstones. "Life's been crazy lately. Hey dad," I whispered finally, sitting down beside the headstone. I leaned my shoulder against it, my head settling to rest against where his shoulder had always been."You told me to sell the place just before the cops brought you in...Yeah, I know it took me a while... Oh come on you took for friggen ever to sell that damned skull bike of yours! Okay, no, true, I can't say I'm going to get anywhere near as much as it was worth while you were here, though... Oh don't be ridiculous, Wolf didn't haggle me down that much, the basement is still intact, and that bunker was the pricey part anyway."
I sat in silence for a moment, closing my eyes.
"Yes, I know I should have sold it before now, it's one thing to leave your childhood home, another entirely to sell it daddy." I sighed, but then, I almost snorted as an image flashed before my eyes. I could damn near see my father's face, wearing the expression he'd never managed to keep straight with me. We didn't have to say it aloud, I already knew what he was thinking:
"You're beating about the bush again Kae."
"I'm leaving the earth now, or soon at any rate... I'm scared daddy." I stated quietly.
I sighed as in my mind's eye, my father looked at me with the eyes I called my own. What are you scared of baby girl?
"That which is the most easily conquered," I whispered, pressing my cheek against the sun-warmed stones as the sound of footsteps approached. "And here we go, marching off into the great unknown."