Ch. 83

The silence was deafening. It was wrong. It was... uncomfortable.

"... So," came Wheeljack's gruff voice as he once again glanced at Soundwave from the front of his cockpit, "he talk at all?"

Ratchet grumbled quietly, "Yes, he does. When he feels like it."

Soundwave turned his faceplate towards Wheeljack. He knew it made the white Wrecker uncomfortable. It amused him. He liked it.

Wheeljack shuddered and pushed his controls down, "Well, is he gonna tell us what we're looking for?"

Ratchet scoffed, "We don't know what we're looking for! Starscream did all the heavy lifting these past few weeks without us, so what was supposed to happen won't now! It's all... rewritten."

"Correction," came Soundwave's mechanical voice, "the event currently present versus previous event circumvented are not entirely dissimilar. Theories currently pending have no explanation for this."

Wheeljack shuddered again as his ship began to land, "So that's what he sounds like..." when the Jackhammer touched down, he smirked, "And I got a theory for ya: ol' Megs is losing it. You got out just in time, didn't ya?"

Soundwave said nothing and simply stood, opening the ship's doors so he could walk out.

The Wrecker frowned, "Something I said?"

Ratchet shook his helm as he stood, "Don't read too much into it. Each of the former Decepticons left their faction for their own reasons. As I have come to understand it, Soundwave believes he is doing this to aid a future Megatron. To what, I am uncertain."

"As in a betrayal?" Wheeljack glared.

"HA!" the medic laughed, walking outside as the Wrecker followed, "Hardly. It seems Megatron will eventually be pacified, but we were not told to what end. If it's in any way more 'Autobot', as Soundwave has been told, then he is already preparing for it."

Wheeljack smirked, "Megs wearing the Autobot mark? Yeah, I'd pay to see that."

Soundwave quietly stood among mountainous boulders and sparse, yet tall trees, his faceplates seeing all and revealing nothing. A scan showed the human military base only a few miles in front of them and the Decepticon ground bridge had been opened not too far from where they had landed. But the silence made Soundwave alert. Not nervous, never that, but the lack of any Decepticon-like sounds or noises made him... cautious.

"Anything?" Wheeljack called from his ship, coming out slowly with a blade drawn and his faceplate sliding over.

Soundwave slowly shook his helm to indicate a 'no' then quietly walked ahead, Laserbeak popping from his chestplate to scout the general area.

Ratchet joined the former Con and Wrecker a moment later, frowning, "Perhaps we're in the wrong location?"

"Negative," Soundwave reported, "Correct location identified. Decepticon troops: moving."

Wheeljack took point, "Then we should meet'em halfway and show'em a good time."

The Wrecker was about to move on when Soundwave's servo grabbed his arm, pulling him back, "Stand."

Wheeljack frowned in surprise and yanked his arm back, clearly annoyed, "I don't take orders from-"

"Stand," Soundwave said simply again, pointing far off into the distance at the base of a mountain; the area was covered in tall trees, "Laserbeak reporting from sky angle: Decepticon forces detected on the mountain base. Trees and boulders optimizing enemy cover."

Ratchet transformed out a blade, "Have they spotted us yet?"

"Negative."

Wheeljack sheathed his blade, "Perfect. Then let's bring the fight to them."

"Stand."

The Wrecker growled, "Look, you faceless creep, I don't take orders from you!"

Soundwave didn't flinch, "Problem: Megatron's forces scattered in patternless formation. Problem: Autobots unsure of this tactic. Solution: one Decepticon Vehicon must be captured and interrogated."

Wheeljack grumbled, "Capture one? As in 'alive'?"

"That's usually the way it's done," Ratchet scoffed, "And I can't help but agree with Soundwave. If the group sent here isn't yet aware of us, we could find out what exactly Megatron has been planning."

Wheeljack huffed, shuffling his peds, "This is a waste of time. Humans could be hurt, right? Aren't we supposed to protect them or something?"

"Human military base: evacuated. Decepticon troops: within range for information retrieval. Information retrieval: best course of action."

The Wrecker looked at his ship with a sigh, then back at the mountain base, "Are we at least gonna get a little action out of this? My blaster's getting itchy."

Soundwave nodded, "Multiple Vehicons detected. Information retrieval requirements: one."