Author's Note: Happy weekend everyone! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter, and as always, please leave a comment. I love to hear what everyone thinks!


Location: North Carolina Coast

Reha

She had missed the changing seasons for years. For five years Reha hadn't glanced the shifting colors of fall. Hell, she hardly saw more than an occasional palm tree. Now she was home, surrounded by the dense oaks and fragrant pines of her Southern home State.

She returned from the small beach town in the late afternoon. With Soundwave's helpful hack into her financial cards, she was able to procure weather appropriate clothes and some tech they would need. She found Soundwave not working, as he was when she had left him. Before she left, he had been busy working on an energy disrupter that would shield their new base from detection and keep the Autobots from Groundbridging right into their camp. He must have finished, because Rhea found Soundwave gazing through his visor at the trees that only stood slightly taller than him.

She walked past the small communicator that buzzed under a tarp. It was the second thing Soundwave set up after the energy disrupter. This was sending a signal into deep space, calling out to his leader, Megatron. Just like all the others he had meticulously calibrated to do this same task, it remained silently echoing Soundwave's message into the void. Still unsure how to feel about Soundwave's 'Lord,' and everything he represented, Rhea stepped carefully around the construction, so not to disturb its cables that lined the ground.

"Query," Soundwave asked through Rhea's transistor just as she arrived by him. "Does the local plant life in this location change pigment often?"

Reha put down her purchased items and went to stand by his side. "Every year. It's how they survive the cold weather that's coming. We Earthlings are all about adapting to predictable change." She said and flapped her newly purchased coat to support her statement.

He glanced at her, then back at the leaves. "Interesting."

"You have never seen any of Earth's seasons?" she asked.

He shook his head. "My time spent here was not working on the surface. I did not leave the Nemesis often. Megatron required me on the ship, as I was the only Cybertronian with the ability to interface with it's technology without damaging my own processor. I had little time, or reason, to observe Earth, or it's inhabitants."

"Where you, ok with that?" She asked, hesitating at first.

His answer did not come instantly. "I was willing to do whatever the Decepticon cause required me to do. I still am. However, I will note, being separated from our cause for so long has brought about old interests I haven't been able to indulge since before the war."

She wasn't sure what else she could add. She had never fought in a war, so she could hardly relate. But despite the dark topic he had brought up, she was burning with curiosity. Soundwave seldom communicated without a purpose. She wanted to hear more from him. Soon, she did.

"Before Cybertron went dark, it was almost unchanging," he added. Despite his visor, Reha imagined his gaze was distant, following the tree line into the horizon. "An ironic aspect, since Cybertronians are able to shift our form and change at will. But our lives, our government, our future was unmoving. I don't regret the war. The oppression of our people had to change. I, regret what it cost." After a prolonged stent of stillness, he looked down at her. She tried to hide her startled jump. "Your changing seasons in this hemisphere, does it contribute to what makes you happy?"

"It's just part of what makes it home," she explained. "Friends I need to track down. Cities I love. The smells and familiar food. It's all a package deal. I don't have family here, they're all gone. But, I know what makes me happy, and it's this place, so I choose to stay here." She looked to the sky, a smile creasing her lips. "And you'll get that back with Cybertron soon enough. We're not far from a military fort that has equipment you can use, and I have connections in the next town over that can set us up with more useful tech. Just wait, we'll get you home."

To this, Soundwave didn't respond. 'Don't push it,' she warned herself. Too late, she decided, as her hand was already going to touch Soundwave's leg. "You ok?"

"There is, something I have a great need to discuss with you," Soundwave began, cautious and bearing a worried edge despite the flat words that came through her device. It was enough to make her own anxiety rise. She had to shake out her hands before she was able to touch his leg. He watched her now, which only made her feel worse. Damn her stupid hands refusing to stay still when Soundwave had something important to say to her!

She rubbed her palms together and plastered on a smile. The friction between her fingers grounded her. "Ask away, I'm all ears."

"Would you, consider…" Her transistor cut off with a scratch of static. Flustered, she fiddled with the knobs, assuming it was a problem with her tech. But then she noticed Soundwave's thin fingers balled into fists, opening and closing. Something she did herself when her brain refused to cooperate. He had cut out the frequency on purpose.

Her curiosity was burning. "Consider what?" She urged him.

The Transistor clicked on, and her heart fluttered with excitement. "Does my affiliation with the Decepticons warp your opinion of me?"

From Soundwave's torso, Laserbeak suddenly let out an angry squawk. Though she couldn't hear what Laserbeak was saying silently between them, she guessed this question had not been the one Soundwave originally intended to ask. Now Laserbeak was letting him know how he felt about the change in topic.

Despite the pointed stare Soundwave now gave Laserbeak, which she could only guess the meaning, hidden behind that visor, Rhea considered this new question he posed to her very carefully.

"No, I don't think less of you. I know how much the Decepticons mean to you. I also know, from what you've said and from what Laserbeak has shown me, how the movement started. I probably would have done the same thing. I just," she bit her lip. She really didn't want to offend him. "I wonder, if you can see how the Decepticon's motivations may have shifted, for better or worse. It's hard to be objective from the inside of something that is important to you."

"War requires change of political and military tactics. I would not have expected our cause to stay exactly as it was when it started. Change is needed." He answered quickly like he was reading from a script. Inwardly, Rhea sighed. Then she noticed him studying her, and she worried he had somehow sensed her inner frustration. "However," he added, less sure this time. "As you are lacking important context regarding the Decepticon cause and the motivations behind our actions… I can admit, the Decepticons as a whole also lacked context in regard to affairs we did not fully understand. Or have a desire to understand. How we affiliated with Earth, for example. Our relations with your species, could have been handled with a different, less hostile approach."

"That's a fair compromise," she offered with a weak smile. "So, can I ask a question now?" He nodded to her. "Does me being a human bother you?"

His hesitation hurt her. She felt herself shrinking as the seconds ticked by.

"No." He answered at last. It seemed to be all he intended to divulge.

But another set of words came through to interrupt the tension, from Laserbeak. "At this time, I would like to remind all parties of our previously agreed upon alliance, which promised a non-deceitful and open communication." Though random, the statement was clearly meant only for Soundwave.

Soundwave vented his equivalent of a sigh. "When I first laid optics on you. Yes. I thought very little of you because of your humanity. As I stated before, regarding my faction, I lacked context regarding your kind. As the Decepticon's Communications and Surveillance Officer, such information should have been my responsibility to gather before we made a determination regarding humanities merits. This mistake reflects poorly on me, and there for the Decepticons. I…apologize for any harm my shortcomings may have brought to Earth and it's residence."

"It's not just your fault." She insisted. She didn't want him blaming himself for every terrible thing Megatron probably ordered him to do. That's not why she mentioned it…

"Despite my current situation stranded on your world," he added. She perked up from staring guiltily at her feet. "I am glad, such a situation allowed me to obtain the correct context. I am glad to have you for an ally."

Her face warmed against her will. "Thanks… And you have no idea how glad I am too." It was an awkward thing for her to leave on. But observing Soundwave, she could feel he was contented with how this needed conversation had gone. "So, what was it you wanted me to consider, from before?" She asked innocently.

His whole body went rigid when faced with the question he had probably hoped she had forgotten about. Laserbeak suddenly trilled in the silence, and Rhea broke into a fit of laughter as well. Thankfully, this seemed to relax him again. Even ignorant to the original question he wanted to ask, Rhea was happy.

Then the once silent deep space beacon at their backs bellowed, cutting off their moment and snatching Soundwave's full attention.


Soundwave

He hurried over to the long-range communicator. The familiar ping made his Spark jump. The coded message he had been sending into space had received an answer.

"Is it him?" Reha asked.

Soundwave attempted to trace the exact location before he lost it. "The encryption was one only my Master would recognize… But I need to find out for sure." He saw the signal was coming from the edge of the Solar System. Whether the sender was Megatron or not, they did not risk getting any closer to Earth. "It will take me a week of sustained travel to reach the outer dwarf planet. The Energon I have will get me there and back, just barely."

The fear that gripped his Spark at that moment startled him. He hadn't expected it, so he wasn't ready to counteract the jolt that went through his chassis when it hit.

"What's wrong?" Reha asked. Of course, she noticed his chassis shutter. She was just as observant as he was.

His focus left his instruments and found Reha. "I will be gone for two weeks in total. Will you be safe without my presence?"

One of her small optic ridges rose at the question. "Of course, I'll be ok." Her helm tilted, as if considering his previous statement more, which he had hoped she would not have done. "You're worried about me?"

"Our alliance is vital to the success of my overall mission," he said quickly. "And you have pursuers I am able to dispatch more easily than you." He added.

"I'm not scared of them," she said firmly. "And I don't want you burdened with my business. You need to do what you need to do."

After a moment of deliberation, he deployed Laserbeak. The minicon buzzed down to hover next to Reha. 'Keep her hidden,' he ordered silently. Laserbeak gave a confirming chirp. "I will return shortly," he promised to them both.

"Be safe," Reha told him.

He acknowledged her worry with a nod. Then he transformed and took to the sky.


Soundwave arrived at the edge of the solar system seven solar cycles after he began the journey, just as he predicted. His Energon levels were not low per say, but he needed to monitor them carefully for the return trip. The small dwarf planet the human's named Pluto spanned out below him, it's surface covered in nitrogen ice. Methane and carbon monoxide molecules made up the ever-shifting atmosphere. The current temperature was -380, but only trace amounts of water moister was present, so he was safe from freezing, so far.

He transformed and landed on the frozen surface. He scanned the landscape to locate anything out of place. He hadn't received any other transmission since he first left. That made sense. If the Decepticons were on the run and trying to regroup, the last thing they needed was the Autobots detecting their transmissions.

The week had given Soundwave too much time to think. He was positive the sender of the message was his Master, but the circumstances surrounding the simple homing beacon was worrying. It hadn't come from the Nemesis, or any other Decepticon vessel Soundwave recognized. It also responded from Pluto, just as desperately far from Cybertron as Earth was. Why was Megatron so far away from their home now that it was restored? Was he hurt?

Soundwave broadcasted his life signal. He was far from Earth, so had little worry of the Autobots picking it up. Nothing responded, so he wandered. The landscape was hard to travers, so he relied heavily on his wings. Shifting ice crashed below in ancient carved rivers. The small world was chaotic, so different from Earth or Cybertron. Reha would have been awestruck from the sights.

He worried about his small ally. Of course, Laserbeak was there to supervise her, but he wasn't. He had been so focused on getting to Megatron, he hadn't considered how he would convince his master of the human's usefulness. Most humans were not worth the carbon they were made from, but Reha was special. He knew how to make Megatron see reason. All he needed was time. And of course, to find his master first.

There was a blip from his scanners. Soundwave turned towards it and streaked through the dark sky. A frozen mountain was where the broadcast originated. As he drew closer, he realized the source was below the surface. Endless expanses of caverns twisted far below and out of sight. He landed and uncovered one of the caves entrances. Despite it spanning into darkness, Soundwave didn't hesitate. He was on guard however, though the chances of this being a trap were low. He did not have enough Energon to recover from any damage he may take and make it back to Earth as well.

The pathways traveled farther down then Soundwave expected. The temperature steadily climbed. His auditory picked up the rushing of liquid water in large underground lakes and channels. The rock walls glistened with crystallized minerals. One of his peds kicked a small cluster of rocks loose along the path. He only took note of the mondain event because his body's light made the crystal clusters shine as they dispersed along the ground. He bent down and picked up one of the stones. It shimmered between his fingers, it's complex cracks and color changed no matter the angle he observed it from. For reasons that completely escaped him it reminded him of Rhea.

To him, it was a small pebble. To her, it would easily fill both her hands. He should drop it back to the cavern floor. He didn't. Instead, he closed his fingers around the pebble and carried on down the path. Bringing anything back to Earth, no matter how small, could potentially cause unnecessary drag as he flew. That would eat into his Energon reserves faster. But somehow, he knew Rhea would want it. He wanted her to have it.

The naturally carved tunnel opened into a massive cavern, the edges of which he needed his distance scanner to see. The floor was thick water ice, but underneath there was a deep ocean. He scanned under the surface, and sure enough, there were small organisms. Their bodies luminescent in the dark of their world.

"Organic life. Stubborn and persistent… I suppose that's why Primus was so fascinated by them." Chuckled a familiar voice.

Soundwave turned to face his master. So relieved to see Megatron still alive after witnessing his death by the hands of the Autobot scout, Soundwave didn't question how physically different his master appeared. Massive spiked shoulders and elongated helm features. His normally bold silver finish was tipped with rusted gold coloring.

Soundwave hurried over to his master and bowed low. No matter the current state of the Decepticon cause, Megatron lived. That was all that mattered. As long as he lived, their cause did as well.

As Soundwave faced the frozen cavern floor, Megatron vented a deep sigh. "It is good to see you again, old friend."

His tone was off.

Soundwave looked up into his master's face, and for the first time, his relief started to faulter. Megatron had changed more than his outer armor. His posture did not stand as imposing. His red optics were tired. Red and not purple. Megatron was no longer utilizing Dark Energon.

Soundwave had cheated his vow of silence only once to spite the Autobots, but in his defense, that came after he had crashed his mental drives and was on the brink of unconsciousness. He hadn't exactly been in his right mind. He also utilized Reha's radio communication device, a means of speaking to Reha without cheating his vow, but he did not have access to such a device here. Instead, he pieced together old, recorded files of Decepticon, and Autobot voices alike to speak. "So far…from Cybertron…Master. Are you…in need of… medical assistance?"

Megatron gave him a pursed look. "There's no need for that anymore, Soundwave." Megatron said.

Soundwave hesitated. He didn't know what his master was implying.

"The war is over, Soundwave. You can speak." Megatron specified.

Soundwave staired at him, unmoving and silent. Despite the order to break his vow, his four-million-year vow, he pieced together more recorded words. "Elaborate…Master…War on Cybertron…is not…over. Decepticons… Fight on."

"Not by my command," Megatron explained with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "I disbanded my armies and relieved myself of any form of command and left Cybertron. But to answer your previous question, regarding my presence here, it is only to answer your beacon. You are not the only Decepticon to attempt to reach out to me, but I have no more connection to their cause, so I have ignored them. But you and I have a history. I figured I owed you a personal explanation."

Megatron tilted his helm, studying Soundwave when he failed to say anything, out loud or recorded. "You bare many fresh scars," he pointed a single sharp digit towards Soundwave's chest, where the wound over his Spark chamber rested. "You have gone through a lot to get here. I'm sorry, old friend."

Soundwave stumbled backwards in disbelief of his master's words, as if Megatron had struck him. Of every ridiculous thing his master had said, the simple comment had been the most egregious. He scoured his voice files but could not find any stand alone or combination of voices that could articulate his feelings.

It felt wrong, almost unnatural, but for the sake of returning his master to his senses, Soundwave spoke out loud. "My master, does not apologize." He snapped.

After eons of silence, speaking rewarded him with Megatron's laugh. "I know. Look what I have become…"

"Stop." Soundwave growled. "You have changed, clearly. Our new immediate objective, is to undue whatever damage to your mental faculties has been done."

Megatron laughed again, this time louder. Anger twisted in Soundwave's chassis, but he held his composure. After beholding Megatron's sorry state and breaking his vow of silence, his calm demeanor was the only familiar thing he had left to cling to. "What happened while I was gone?" Soundwave demanded.

"The restoration of our home world," Megatron explained. He motioned for Soundwave to follow him, which he did. Megatron led them to a small collection of Cybertronian tech, an Energon distiller, and other such essentials. It was much like Soundwave's own camp back on Earth. Megatron took a seat on a jutting ice block among his items and offered for Soundwave to do the same. Soundwave remained standing. Unfazed, Megatron continued. "Unicron revived me, then used me as his personal puppet to snuff out Primus. The Autobots, the remaining Decepticon forces, and the Predicons thwarted his efforts, and freed me."

"That does not mean you owe the Autobots enough to surrender." Soundwave said.

Megatron shook his helm. "You misunderstand, Soundwave. I did not surrender my power because I owed my freedom to anyone. I realized how far I had wandered from my original goals. What the Decepticons started as, what we wanted to achieve, is not what we became."

"But you did surrender," Soundwave hissed accusingly. "Was it all pointless then? Our sacrifices, allies lost. The time we spent in the Pits of Kaon, a four-million-year war! All just a wasted effort?"

"No," Megatron answered calmly. "Our trials were not a waste. Our world needed to change. You know that just as well as I do."

"And you did change it!" Soundwave insisted, kneeling to be optic level with Megatron. "You strived to make all on Cybertron equal, no matter the caste."

"A noble goal indeed. But my want for a free Cybertron became lost to me. I know you saw that Soundwave. You must have realized; you knew me longer than anyone else."

To this, Soundwave lost his newfound voice. Eons of self-denial, and Megatron had just thrown it into his face. He had indeed seen the change in Megatron as the war stretched on. It was subtle at first, but he chose to ignore it. War changed Bots; he had reasoned with himself. Megatron was a noble ruler, and to win wars, desperate, cruel action had to be taken. Megatron was a hero, for taking on that burden. Soundwave threw himself into the Decepticon cause, and in that free fall, lost the ability to question his leader. He did not even protest the day Megatron's title changed from 'leader' to 'lord.'

"I recognize it now." Megatron said simply. "I was a wounded Spark, and I convinced myself it was justice I sought. But, what I wanted was revenge. Revenge for the atrocities done to me and those like me. I wished to shoulder the burdens of Cybertron and its future. But now? I don't care to carry that anymore. Even still, I don't regret anything, Soundwave. I don't carry guilt or seek forgiveness for my actions. I can only hope those who come after us on Cybertron can learn from the mistakes of the past and choose not to repeat them."

Megatron held out a hand, a motion to invite Soundwave to sit again. This time, Soundwave took him up on the offer. His peds, or anything in his life, didn't feel stable. He absentmindedly glanced down at his servo hand that held Rhea's pebble. "Now what?" Soundwave questioned his former master. He felt lost and needed guidance.

"For me?" Megatron said. "I intend to carry on from here into the reaches of the cosmos, bound to nothing. As for you? That is your decision."

Soundwave pondered, locked onto Megatron's face but not looking at him. "Without the Decepticons, without you, I am lost." He admitted.

Megatron rose an optic ridge at the comment. "Oh really? You seemed to have found some semblance of purpose while on Earth. At least from what I have gleaned from your broadcasts, intentional and otherwise."

Soundwave's Spark jolted. Scrap.

Megatron's words, 'Intentional and otherwise,' was troubling for many reasons. Soundwave had been relying on human based technology, which was fickle on a good day, to send his communications. How much of his exploits on Earth had Megatron witnessed?

His most recent, and intimate conversation with Rhea instantly came to mind. His broadcasting device had been right behind them as they spoke openly on the beach. Had Megatron unwittingly been audience to that?

"I admit," Soundwave began, fearful for reasons he could not even fully fathom, "Passing judgment on your recent changes would be hypocritical of me."

To this, Megatron chuckled. "I will say, you are the last Bot I expected to indulge in the company of humans."

Soundwave nodded numbly; his previous fears regarding what Megatron had seen now confirmed. "I fear, Earth may have corrupted me."

"It seems to have that effect on many," Megatron noted with a shrug.

"My original intentions were to gain your permission to bring the human with me to Cybertron." Soundwave admitted. "Despite it not being for the benefit of the Decepticon cause, I have grown attached to something else. But, she's human. I convinced myself I would be taking her to Cybertron to benefit the Decepticons. In truth, I wanted to find a means of prolonging her short life, possibly with the assistance of Shockwave's scientific endeavors."

"But you don't need my permission to do anything now," Megatron reminded him. "You may do what you wish. However, the current political climate on Cybertron will make your plans regarding the human difficult. The Autobots would never sanction the taking of a human from Earth. Their morality gets in the way of what is right, ironically enough. Shockwave is also in the custody of the Autobots, his abilities being used for their cause. I give my condolences to you, and your human. They are small, fragile things. Without someone like Shockwave to help you in your endeavors, your human will be dead within the blink of an optic… But perhaps, all is not lost."

Soundwave glanced up at him curiously. Megatron's plating shifted. A small data chip slipped from his chest and into his awaiting hand. "I don't know who controls the rising Decepticon movement now. My guess would not be Starscream. The uprisings are too brutal and uncalculated in nature. However, their progress will be slow, without this." He handed the data chip to Soundwave, who accepted it with a great deal of hesitation. He had a suspicion as to what it was. "The access codes. That contains the Decepticon cause itself. It is every password and override. Every soldier's life signal and control panel of every ship. With it, you can access the Kaon underground, and discover whoever is taking control of the Decepticons. If you regain my old forces from whoever leads them now, you could reclaim Cybertron, Shockwave, and the Decepticon cause."

"It is something I'm not worthy to wield." Soundwave said and promptly went to hand it back. "The leader of the Decepticons should have this."

"Then consider this a promotion. You lead them now." Megatron said with a smirk. "If anyone could lead the Decepticons back onto its original path-"

"Don't." Soundwave snapped, still waving the chip at Megatron to take it back. He did not.

"Then destroy it." Megatron said. "I'll leave it up to you. As I said, it is no longer my burden."

Soundwave winced at the thought of destroying such precious information. He looked down at the chip, humbled by what it contained. "I, can't do that either."

Megatron was the only leader of the Decepticons, but he had given it up. Megatron had given it up to him, no less. Where did that leave him, holding the fate of their cause in his hands? Whoever was on Cybertron, stirring up their forces and seeking to use the Decepticons to achieve personal power, did not deserve the title. But did he? Could he handle everything the Decepticon cause required of him, and care for Rhea?

He looked between his two servos, Rhea's stone in one and the chip in the other. The Decepticon's needed him. If this mysterious bot got the chip he held, then the cause was lost forever. He couldn't let that happen. But Rhea needed him too. If he left Earth without her, she could be captured by her tormentors. His Spark was torn down the middle.

He closed his fists around both the rock and the chip. Even at the expense of himself, he would see both taken care of.

He wrapped a tentacle around the chip and interfaced with its data. His mind was special among Cybertronians. He could file and store archives of data in his processor without damaging it. He could become the extension of technology and will anything he had connected with to do his bidding. Even still, what the chip contained was overwhelming. Millions of years of data poured into his mind. Every secret or failed mission, ships log and locked door code became his to know.

With the knowledge of the Decepticons safe in his mind, he smashed the chip in his fingers.

"I assume, we will never see each other again. That being said, I wish you luck old friend. With your human, and the future of our once mighty cause." Megatron said sincerely. "Maybe you can do what I couldn't and restore it to its original splendor."

Soundwave stood, a newfound drive moving him forward. "I disagree. Once I am successful, and restore the Decepticon cause, I intend to find you again and talk some sense into you." He turned to take leave and return to Earth. He needed to clear his head, and truly absorb everything he had taken onto his shoulders. He also needed to speak his true intentions to Reha. No matter what happened, he hoped she would be there with him.

"What is it you want, Soundwave?" Megatron called after him. "Be selfish for once."