Ch. 232
"Soundwave: has isolated and purged all bugs from the Ark's systems," the blue mech informed the stunned group, "Soundwave: finished detailed reports," a small datapad clenched in his servos was offered to the group; Soundwave's position didn't move as he stayed focused on Nexus and Ultra Magnus stepped forward to accept the device.
"Yes... Thank you, Soundwave," the larger mech coughed lightly, "I... see my earlier message was received."
"Yes," Soundwave grit out, "Soundwave: despised it."
"Yeah, get'em, Soundwave!" Miko cheered from the doorway, the children rushing in to stand by Starscream's peds even as they were chased after by June, "Show that creep who's boss!"
"Make sure it can't hurt anyone ever again!" Jack agreed loudly.
Soundwave nodded and dug his claws in but Optimus stepped forward, "Soundwave, wait. We may need Nexus. Is it integrated with any other part of the ship?"
"Negative," the angry mech replied, "Nexus: has outlived usefulness."
The assistant squealed and yelped under the cyberattack Soundwave was delivering, "Y-you can't erase me! He'll never know-know what he is!"
Starscream winced and looked away. He remembered how much he had wanted to know, how much it ate at him in the beginning, being so confused. Now, he wasn't sure having a clear definition of what this power was and how he was capable of it was even safe.
"Soundwave," Optimus murmured, "will clearing Nexus from the Ark disrupt any other systems."
"Negative: Ark will function perfectly."
The Prime nodded, "Clear Nexus from this ship's systems."
Soundwave tensed, his screen displaying a smiling devil emoji before playing his favorite evil laugh track. The cables attached to the console pulsed light down the length of the metals as the mech delivered kill codes and began purging the assistant from the computers.
"No!" Nexus cried out somberly, "Everything he worked-rked for-FOR-for! Brainstorm knew you were coming! He knew," the vocal line began to fizzle out, weakening, "and you can't escape it! He will-wi-will-ILL find you! H-his work- find you! He'll find you! Brrrrraaaaainnnsssstooorrrrmmmm..."
The monitor went dark and Soundwave waited a few quiet seconds before detaching himself from the console, "Nexus: removed. Soundwave: only marginally satisfied..." the blue mech turned to look at Starscream, a teary emoji on his screen, "Starscream: was harmed. Soundwave: could have stopped it..."
The seeker sighed, "... You were occupied with keeping the ship from imploding in on itself, Soundwave. The safety of the majority far outweighed what happened to me..."
"Is Nexus really gone?" Raf whimpered.
Knockout went over to tap at the screen, "Soundwave doesn't exactly do things half way. If he says it's gone, then it is gone- GAH!"
The red mech jumped back as the top part of the computer console slid away, the metal revealing another port. The grooves outlining the link pulsed a bright blue and Knockout slowly backed away, gulping.
"Uh, what's that?"
Ratchet frowned, "Another data port. But for what?"
A small, repetitive 'beep', soft as though far away, began to sound out. Bulkhead looked down at the children.
"Miko? Your phone?"
The girl looked offended, "No way, dude! I don't get service out in the middle of the ocean! Besides, my ringtone is WAY cooler."
Bumblebee bubbled nervously, asking if this was some sort of fail safe, like a bomb.
"Let's not jump to conclusions, soldier," Ultra Magnus gestured the group back, "But to be safe, we may need to leave."
June started pushing the children towards the door, each of them protesting in their own way.
"But Mrs. Darby-" Miko started.
"Miko," June stopped the girl, turning her around to look her in the eye and hold her shoulders, "this is not the time to be fighting me. If there is something dangerous in here that could hurt you, I need to get you out, now. I don't care if the bots could save you at the last second, you are still my responsibility."
"Hey guys?" Jack called from closer to the lab room's doorway, "That cylinder you plugged into the wall? I think that's where the beeping is coming from."
June pulled Raf and Miko back as Starscream removed himself from the group to investigate. After all he'd seen so far, he could tell this 'Brainstorm' was giving himself a reputation for things that didn't look dangerous and puzzles. He didn't like either of these things combined.
The boy pointed at the wall as the seeker approached and Starscream observed the same glowing blue that the new data port displayed. Arcee came up behind him, her servos gently patting his arm as she slid past.
"You, don't touch anything," she took hold of the cylinder and let it detach from the wall into her servo, "What do we want to do with this?"
Ratchet shook his helm, "... I can take a guess," he admitted, "I'm... I'm just not sure it's the best idea after all this..." he dissolved into grumbles.
Optimus gently shuttered his optics, "If we place the data cylinder into this port,"'he asked, "how high is the risk that we will be harmed?"
"No."
Everyone turned to look at Starscream as he stood just outside of the room, his arms crossed tightly; Jack gently rested a hand on his ped and the seeker sighed quietly, "Arcee, Soundwave... where did you find the cylinder exactly?"
The two bots exchanged glances before Soundwave displayed a picture of the data cylinder in the dirt; Arcee pointed up at the picture, "Laserbeak found it, exposed to the elements. Why?"
"Out to be found, not hidden..." Starscream shook his helm, "Brainstorm... Ratchet said it himself, he was very secretive about his research. Nexus is-was a part of him. Nexus was willing to do whatever it could to get more information on me that pertained to this research. Do you really think Brainstorm himself would plant a bomb to sacrifice his work? Especially if this was the only location in which he was performing it?"
Everyone shared a look. Ratchet shook his helm again.
"... You're right. He wouldn't..."
Arcee brought the data cylinder to the medic and Ratchet took it to the port, watching as the two pulsating blue lights on the separated devices began to blink faster. The cylinder's beeping ceased as it was plugged in and a hum began to play from the monitor. It was soft, mechanical. A brush of static came across the screen and then a voice came from the black screen, sounding worn and tired.
"Hello... dear viewers."
Predaking growled, "It is Nexus!"
"No," Smokescreen reassured him, "it's... I think it's a recording from Brainstorm..."
"Shh!" Ratchet hissed.
"Hmm... if you're watching, or perhaps listening to this... then you have shown to be quite a competent opponent," Brainstorm's voice chuckled, "Getting the Ark up to standards, fighting off the rogue coding... you've even killed my assistant. Well, not so much as 'killed' as removed. Nexus was never alive... but I digress..." the voice sighed, "If you've managed to come this far, I find it only fair that you see what I've seen, experience what I could only have hoped to witness. The... unfathomable... It is beyond what one could truly comprehend. I set out to find why and how. My methods were not perfect but alas, no great endeavor truly is. And no one will remember those who've suffered along the way anyway. Only the outcome matters..." there was a pause as the voice trailed off, a soft laugh trickling in, "My, how I do hope it is you."
Starscream winced. He knew where this comment was being directed. Jack patted his ped again and the seeker stooped down to allow the boy to climb into his servo, carrying the teen back to his mother and kneeling down to find company with them. The humans gathered closer to the mech and Starscream flinched when Brainstorm's voice spoke again.
"I could only ever hope to meet you in person one day... but they refuse to wait here any longer..." Brainstorm's laugh became more hearty, loud... not quite right, "Their mistake is thinking that the coming transport will have room for them... They are right. But not so much 'living' space as... well..."
Starscream could almost hear the mech smiling. Raf and Miko took hold of one of the mech's servos. June was giving him a sad look as she rested a palm against his leg. The seeker shuddered.
"I apologize, my nonpareil friend, you don't need to hear how it's come to this, I'm sure," Brainstorm's voice paused and the sound of a blaster powering on became audible, "I've had my closest assistants prepare this video for you. The more important points that I'm sure will intrigue you. I'm sorry I can't stay to say more, but I need to lighten the load before my transport arrives. Until the day we meet in person. It's a day I'm sure you'll cherish as much as I have... waiting so long..."
The audio cut and the monitor brought up a dark gray screen. There was only a single command on the screen.
"It's... asking if we want to watch the video..." Ratchet murmured.
Optimus sighed softly, looking back at the humans and the trembling seeker, "... Starscream?" he made his way over, restraining himself from reaching out, "Would you feel comfortable-"
"No," Starscream choked out; he wiped tears from his optics and sighed, "But I've come this far... There doesn't seem to be much choice in the matter..."
"There is," the Prime assured him.
But the smaller mech shook his helm, "Play the video, Ratchet," he murmured, standing slowly.
The medic sighed quietly but heavily. He reached up slowly and touched the screen, the video beginning to play...