Location: British Columbia, Canada

Soundwave

This was Soundwave's third broadcasting location with no luck. Even after traveling far from human settlements to cut down on radio interference, he hadn't received any response from the Nemesis. This was disconcerting for many reasons. His calculations weren't incorrect and his equipment was fully operational. He knew this, because he had two close encounters with the Autobots tracking his beacon where he only just managed to pack up and flee before they bridged to his location. So far, all he had discovered was the Autobots still had a large presence on Earth. It seemed, the same could no longer be said about the Decepticons.

What had happened to Lord Megatron? Soundwave could only continue searching the airspace for the familiar Decepticon frequencies. He could worry about his faction once he had a clear understanding of their predicament.

Even though he was avoiding it, Soundwave picked up many human broadcasts. Most he filtered out, but when he heard a familiar name mentioned over the airwaves, he began to follow it. The human Reha was still being pursued, Earth authorities widening their search for her. In the two Earth weeks since he had left Rhea, she hadn't been captured. That fact was comforting.

Though he struggled to come to terms with the feelings, he did miss the human's company. Her joke, regarding them being similar in intelligence was factual. Among the Decepticon ranks, no one could match his intellect, aside from Shockwave. However, Shockwave was assumed deceased for eons, and then they were seldom assigned projects together when the scientist returned to their ranks.

Unlike Shockwave, Reha had an aura of innocent curiosity. She didn't know everything he did, but she was so passionate to learn. It was encouraging to watch.

'Put her out of your mind,' he thought. He needed to focus, and the human was a distraction, even with her gone. The Decepticons needed him more, maybe more than ever. Lord Megatron needed him.

There was a blip in his readings.

Soundwave turned all his devices to the source. He knew it would have only been a matter of time. However, the voice of his Lord, or any other known bot did not come through the channel. It was an Autobot locator beacon, fixed on Cybertron, and broadcasting a message.

(To all Autobots seeking safe harbor,) the broadcast stated through the static. (Cybertron has been restored to a life sustaining planet, and the Decepticon threat has been nullified. All refugees across the galaxies are called to return home. Safe journey.)

Soundwave contemplated the short message.

"Decepticon threat has been nullified?" Laserbeak thought. Soundwave felt the minicon's worry through their connection. "Lord Megatron did not reclaim Cybertron?"

"It does not mean our lord is no more," Soundwave assured Laserbeak quickly. "But, did you pick up that second layer of encryption?"

Laserbeak chirped curiously as Soundwave replayed the Autobot message back. He split the frequencies apart, liberating the secret Decepticon code layered into the broadcast, unbeknown to the Autobots.

Soon, the Decepticon message became clear.

(Autobot takeover of Cybertron, capturing Decepticons… Megatron gone… Remaining Decepticons to regroup under Kaon… New leadership…threat from within.)

Now Soundwave's own Spark faltered as he processed what he had discovered. Everything made sense. The Nemesis wasn't receiving him, because there was no Nemesis. There was no Decepticons, or at least how he had left them. His Master was missing or dead, and some unknown resistance was rushing to fill the power vacuum Megatron left.

Soundwave was a fugitive, and there would be no rescue party to retrieve him. Though it seemed the Decepticons as a group had not yet been defeated in Cybertron's underground, Soundwave had no current means of getting off Earth. No Nemesis or Cybertronian technology to interface with to aid in his escape. He was stranded without an ally to his name.

"Stranded, yes." Laserbeak intoned. "But, not without allies."


Location: Nevada desert

Reha

"You really heading out now?" Darrel asked, his tobacco-stained voice wistful.

Reha leaned against his counter, having handed over the last engine she promised to fix for him. "Yeah, and not a day to soon. New posters and reports with my face are everywhere. To be honest, I should have been gone days ago, but, my money situation was tragic. I'm not good with this type of thing, but Darrel, you have been a lifesaver while I've been out here."

Darrel offered her a shrug along with the cash for the fixed engine. "Not enough kindness in the world, that's what I figure. I just hope you get to where y'er going safe and sound."

Reha cracked a smile. "The East Coast is calling me. I just need to buy food for the road, and I'm homeward bound." She pocketed the money and waved as she turned to leave. She didn't have a foot out Darrel's door before she ducked back inside with a stifled gasp.

Three police officers had her foster parents' car surrounded across the street, their flashlights shining into the windows. With curses on her breath, Reha retreated behind a shelf deeper in the store. She felt the anxiety rising, but she couldn't give into it. She needed to think. Forget stocking up on food, her main priority was to escape town. Her only means of transportation was gone, and now the police knew she was close by. She had to get back to the shack and pack, but how would she continue east without a car?

"That ain't good," Darrel ventured. Gratefully, she watched him draw the dusty blinds shut and switch his sign to 'closed.'

"I hate to ask one more favor from you, Darrel," she whispered, her heart pounding in her throat. "But can you get me back into the desert unseen?"

Darrel had done more for her then anyone else in her life, and she fully intended to pay him back in full one day. She waved to him from the shack as his old truck rolled back onto the road and out of sight. Once he was gone, she got to work. She had burned most of her traceable items and had packed everything else. By some miracle, she hadn't loaded the car with her items before going into town, or she would have lost everything. However, she was still faced with a serious dilemma. Without a car, she had no hope of carrying half of what she intended to take with her.

Currently, she was faced with the risky option of hitchhiking to the next town over where she could scrape up a bus ticket, all of which risked her being recognized or murdered by whatever seedy characters were traveling the deserted Nevada road. She looked over her bags, mournful as she decided what she had to leave behind.

The shifting of mechanical pieces sounded from overhead, just before the ground shook with two massive metal feet landing nearby. Reha staired in shock as she watched Soundwave stand from his transformation, his reflective focus on her.

Awash with utter relief and happiness she came to a stop before the familiar giant. She wanted to reach out and embrace his leg, to feel the cool metal surface to assure he was truly there, but she refrained. That would be strange and off putting.

She didn't care about anything else. His affiliation with the Decepticons, her missing car, the world crashing in around her. None of that mattered. Soundwave was back. "Soundwave! You came back!" she said, probably too loudly, while straining her neck to look up. Then, reality spoiled the moment and doubt crept back into her brain, as it tended to do. "What happened? Didn't the satellite work?" She worried something she had done may have contributed to equipment failure and stalled Soundwave's attempts to get home.

Soundwave knelt to shorten the distance between them. Laserbeak deployed and flew around her with merry chirps.

The transistor on her belt buzzed to life with his response. "The satellite worked flawlessly. However, I am now faced with a more pressing issue. My Master is missing, and what remains of the Decepticons are not in any position to bridge me back to Cybertron. As of now, I am stranded on your planet," he paused his explanation, as if he considered his next thought carefully. "I acknowledge, I had nowhere else to go. I am in desperate need to get off world before the Autobots capture me."

"So, you're on the run? I can relate," she offered with a grin.

Soundwave nodded. "Precisely why I am here. I believe both our current situations could continue to benefit from a mutual partnership. I will need to locate my master and discover a means of utilizing the Autobot Spacebridge while evading capture. I will need access to Earth based technology and government facilities, which I do not have a reliable means of locating by myself in a timely fashion." He paused, as if he hesitated to continue. "I am aware, because of my past deceptions, you may not be inclined to assist my endeavors further. But, my decision to withhold my secret from you was necessary, or so I thought at the time. I am, not sure how I will convince you now."

Rhea blinked at him, unsure what to say. Did he, feel bad for lying to her before?

Laserbeak suddenly squawked at him, harshly, as Rhea noted Soundwave glanced at his minicon, head tilted in confusion. Laserbeak didn't give Soundwave a chance to continue. He flew in front of Rhea and blocked Soundwave from sight before he communicated through the transistor radio himself. "At risk of being reprimanded for talking out of line, I will now take over for my Master. He is a formidable fighter, a brilliant strategist, and loyal Decepticon, but he is truly lacking when it comes to communication, despite 'Communication's Officer' being one of his official titles. I am not willing to let this opportunity slip by due to poor word choices on my master's part." Laserbeak explained. Though Soundwave's face was unreadable behind his cracked visor, Rhea noted him staring unmoving at his minicon as if to silently demand of Laserbeak 'WHAT are you doing?'

"We are in desperate need of assistance," Laserbeak explained quickly before Soundwave could protest. "We do not know the ways of your world and need a guide. In light of our past deception, I offer a chance to start over with a more open and honest communication moving forward, starting right now... Greetings, human. We are Cybertronians, autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron. I am Laserbeak, and this is my Master, Soundwave, the Communication and Surveillance Officer of the Decepticons led by Lord Megatron. Though the Decepticons have been an active threat to your race, your world, and over all way of life, I propose a truce for however long is necessary so we may both benefit from this new alliance."

Both Rhea and Soundwave staired dumbfounded at the winged Cybertronian. Rhea couldn't guess what Soundwave was thinking, but she soon gained his attention when she started to laugh, and then couldn't stop. "Well, that sure is honest. Thanks. And nice to "meet" you, Laserbeak and Soundwave, of the Decepticons. I'm Rhea, a human… of Earth. I don't have an affiliation, but I am very interested in your proposed alliance, no matter what was done in the past. Let bygones be bygones, we humans say in these parts." She extended a hand towards Laserbeak. He considered it, then deployed a single tentacle to wrap around her hand and wrist in a sort of handshake.

"Good to meet you, Rhea the Human of Earth with no affiliation. I will now allow my Master to take over to determine the details of our new alliance." Laserbeak turned to Soundwave with a chirp, flapping to the side and out of the way for his Master to continue. Soundwave still looked shocked into stillness at his Minicon's bold actions. He thawed at last, leaning down to more face Rhea.

"Indeed… In exchange for your help navigating this world and disclosing locations for technology we may require I can transport you across this continent, to the eastern coastal region, as you mentioned before."

Reha's breath hitched in her throat. "You… would take me to North Carolina?" she whispered.

Soundwave nodded.

She had to suppress the urge to cry tears of joy. She was still going home, and Soundwave would be with her for a while longer. Despite his affiliation with the Decepticons, she was elated. "Whenever you're ready to go, partner."


Soundwave

Soundwave was impeccable when it came to planning every detail, but their scheduled departure came to a halt when he became aware of a large oversight on his part. His alt form couldn't carry a human passenger without killing them. There was no life support in his vehicle form, or even a place to put Reha. The altitudes and speed he flew with no organic life support would be unfortunate for her inferior body to say the least. Before they could continue their joint mission, he would have to scan a new form suitable for the task.

Reha produced a list from her computation device of nearby military bases for him to select a new form. It seemed she was taking their newly established alliance very seriously. He was also surprised when her list was written in rudimentary Cybertronian. He looked from it to her with a curious air.

"I may have been studying it, from the military files. Hope I didn't butcher your language to bad." She said with an embarrassed grin.

"My language is complex. I am impressed you gleaned so much in so little time." He said instead, and he watched the temperature of her face raise by a degree or two. "We will depart upon my return."

He turned to Laserbeak with a silent order to remain with their human collaborator. 'We need her for our mission. If any humans who are pursuing her approach, terminate them.'

Laserbeak chirped in understanding, hovering near Rhea.

With his mind at ease, Soundwave flew off to the closest military base to their location.

It was late into the night, and Soundwave used the darkness for cover as he approached the unsuspecting military base. The bases occupation was low, but not enough for him to let his guard down. Human military was connected to the Autobots. All his work would be for not if he were captured. Unlike the last time he was behind enemy lines, there was no Nemesis to return to.

Six large hangers sat towards the back of the base; their respective numbers illuminated. Two armed humans chatted under the light of the middle hanger, non the wiser to his presence.

His visor was still broken, but it could at least zoom in on targets and scan behind walls with a thickness of 3 mechanometers or less. He used both tools to his advantage as he investigated each hanger without having to get close. The far-right hanger contained what he needed. A long-winged stealth aircraft. It was a downgrade from what he currently had equipped, but was perfect for his size, and it had a cockpit to fit Reha and the tech they intended to take along.

He couldn't scan the vehicle through the wall. He had to get close, hack the doors and go in. That would require the humans not getting in his way and not sounding the alarm. Stepping slow to reduce the heavy sounds his struts produced, he regrouped behind the hangers. No back entrances. Of course, he wouldn't be so lucky. But there were no humans guarding the back either. He stepped over the small fence with little thought, and Soundwave pressed his back into the hanger. He deployed his tentacles, their directive to snake around and snatch both humans into the air and smack them together before they could scream.

The communication device on one of the soldier's belt buzzed on. Soundwave halted his appendages' advance.

"Private Miles, Private Jewels. Report back to the mess hall." Ordered a gruff voice.

There was hesitation from the humans Soundwave stalked. "No one has come to relieve us yet," one began to protest.

"I said NOW, privates!" snapped their superior. "Orders from the top."

Soundwave heard both men shuffle away, whispering comments about the strange order. Soundwave didn't stop to question his luck. He hurried around the hanger and stooped down to the control panel. One of his tentacle's hooked him into the system, disabled the alarm, and cycled through every number combination until it clicked open.

He pulled the hanger doors open and ducked inside. With the stealth plane in his sights, he pulled off his visor. His optics shifted, the color of his vision turning green. He scanned over the plane, information pouring into his processor. From within, he felt his body shift, changing to accommodate the different structures of his new form.

The familiar burst of a Groundbridge opened behind him. He realized to late why the human security had been evacuated with no replacements.

Soundwave turned to take in the Autobots, their blue blasters trained on him. He was met with the glares of the two-wheeler Arcee, the Elite Guard rookie, Smokescreen, the Wreckers, Bulkhead and Wheeljack, and the Yellow Scout. Bumblebee. The Bot who speared his master through and sent the Decepticon cause into chaos.

Soundwave was hopelessly outnumbered.

"Visual confirmation obtained," Arcee stated out loud. "Our target is the Decepticon's Communication's Officer, Soundwave."

"Ex Decepticon's Communication's Officer," Wheeljack corrected from behind his blaster. "How's unemployment treating ya Con?" he asked innocently.

"Blaster servos up, Soundwave," Bumblebee ordered, ignoring the banter. "Surrender and we won't fire."

Soundwave remained stoic; his body finally done adjusting to the new vehicle scan. With slow, careful movements, he lifted the cracked visor back onto his face plates and it clicked into place. The Autobot's tensed but didn't fire.

"Last warning, tall dark and spooky!" Smokescreen warned. The blaster's on his servos buzzed with energy, begging to be released.

A fight would not bode well. Soundwave knew that, despite his want to avenge his master's honor by stabbing the Yellow bot through in kind. He jumped, transformed, and burned his thrusters. He was airborne, evading the hail of blaster fire that trailed him into the sky. Once out of range, he allowed his speed to return to normal to conserve Energon.

Though he was unsure how they had located his life signal, a few theories came to mind, all of which annoyed him. They more than likely had other Decepticon's captive who crumbled under weak Autobot interrogation and were utilizing their knowledge to track his life signal.

This complicated his plans but didn't change them. He could mask his life signal from both Autobot and Decepticon, now that he knew his team was scattered and wouldn't be trying to locate him anyway. At least, he thought, they hadn't found him during his time injured and under the care of Reha. If there was a good time to lose his cover, it was now.

Blaster fire zipped by and grazed his left wing. Startled, Soundwave took evasive maneuvers to avoid the new attack. A Cybertronian ship appeared from the clouds in pursuit of him. He recognized it belonging to the Autobot Commander, Ultra Magnus. The ship matched the slower speed of his new form, never ceasing their assault of gunfire. He couldn't outrun it, or Groundbridge away. That left Soundwave with only one option. Attack.

He flew up hard in an arch, then cut his boosters. The ship, not ready for the move, flew right under him. He transformed and grabbed onto the ship's back wings. He activated one of his blasters with a free servo and took aim at the ship's left engine. He unleashed a hail of fire until the engine burst into flames. He released his grip and transformed again.

The ship continued to give chase, even with a trail of smoke, but he had crippled it. Their gunfire could no longer reach him, and he left his pursuers behind as he raced back to collect Laserbeak and Reha.


Location: West Nevada Military Base

Bumblebee

Ultra Magnus' ship landed outside the fence, one of its engines smoking. Bumblebee vented a sigh, having witnessed Soundwave's escape from the ground. They had him cornered, and yet he still slipped away.

"You ok Bee?" Arcee asked. "The sulking look doesn't suit you."

"We almost had him… Now he's going to scramble his life signal and make tracking him down a second time even harder." Bumblebee explained.

"I keep saying," Wheeljack intoned with a shrug. "No more talking. The next time we see him, we need to fire before he does. This particular Con isn't going to surrender. We all know that."

"That will lead to harder Decepticon resistance," Came Ultra Magnus' retort as he approached from his ship. "We have had a very promising campaign, with scattered Decepticons surrendering with the promise of their survival. If we terminate one of Megatron's well known officers, it will make other Con's apprehensive to surrender."

"Plus," Arcee spoke up while crossing her servos. "With this rising Decepticon influence back on Cybertron, the last thing we need is to give that group more sway. If we terminate Soundwave, Megatron's biggest fanboy, that will make him a martyr for the Cons. That's the last thing we need right now."

Wheeljack blew off both comments with a huff and dismissive wave. "Whatever you say. We'll do it the hard and boring way."

"Can we take a moment to address the craziest thing about this whole scenario?" Smokescreen said. "Who here actually knew Soundwave had a face. I thought that visor WAS his face!"

"He took it off so he could scan a new form." Bumblebee said. He walked over to the open hanger and studied the stealth plane Soundwave had scanned. "The question is, why? This new form is slower, and not as stealthy as the one he had. Why the costume change?"

"Wild hair?" Bulkhead offered and was rewarded with multiple pairs of confused optics. "That's what Miko says when she does something that doesn't make sense."

"This is Soundwave we're talking about." Bumblebee reminded them. "He doesn't do anything without a reason."

"Doesn't really matter what new paint the Con is sporting," Wheeljack said with a grin. "He'll no doubt scramble his life signal after this little reunion, but with enough time, I can track it back down. We'll have him before he stirs up any more trouble. Keep in mind, he's stuck here on Earth, like a starving Scraplet far from any metal. Plus, did anyone notice how beat up the Con was? Going by the new scars, it looks like he's been ruffing it to say the least. Cut off from the Cons and licking his wounds."

"Which will only make him desperate, and more dangerous," Ultra Magnus growled towards Wheeljack. "I'll take this moment to remind everyone we would have found Soundwave sooner, and possibly while he was still injured and unable to fight or flee, if you hadn't purposely avoided my calls to come to Earth."

Wheeljack shrugged. "I told ya I wouldn't answer your calls, Commander. You know me. I like to watch your incoming com system blink."

"I do know you, unfortunately," Ultra Magnus vented deep with a shake of his head.

"Let's get back to base and regroup," Bumblebee said to the group. "Wheeljack can start working with Knockout to track down Soundwave's life signal."

"Oh joy," Wheeljack grumbled. "Because if there is one Bot who I can't wait to work with, it's the paint job flaunter. Just to let you know, if he makes one comment I don't like, I'm denting him." Both bulkhead and Smokescreen started laughing, despite the glare Ultra Magnus shot their way.

Arcee pressed a finger to her auditory, "Ratchet. Please bridge us back. If I roll my optics anymore, they're going to fall out and wind up upstate."

Despite the serious nature of the mission before them, Bumblebee cracked a smile. "I second that Cee. The faster we're done, the less likely Knockout, Wheeljack, and Ultra Magnus kill each other."