A/N: I've realized this is a very fast paced story. Sorry 'bout that. But THANK YOU REVIEWERS!
Optimus felt it. And, judging from Soundwave's stiffened form, and the sudden movements of his creations, he felt it too.
He could not feel his brother. Their bond had been damaged from billions of stellar cycles of abuse, but always – always – Optimus had been able to sense his brother's presence in some form.
Now there was nothing. An emptiness, a void where something had once existed.
Soundwave bent to touch Ravage's helm, perhaps to assure himself that he was still there. Optimus wished he could do something similar with his errant brother (perhaps hit him?) but he was headed to Cybertron. Far away from Xantium II by now.
"What are we going to do?" Starscream asked finally.
"We need to get free and stop Unicron from getting to Earth." Optimus said, adjusting his blaster and trying to push the panic from his processor. "Perhaps we can disrupt its communication with the Quintessons."
Starscream's wings twitching nervously. "Who's going to go?"
Every optic in the room shifted to Bumblebee and Soundwave. Optimus gave his Scout a sympathetic look.
Soundwave sighed.
Two joors later, Bumblebee and Soundwave were standing outside Xantium II. The door remained open, perhaps as a haven for when things did not go according to plan.
"Sound-wave?"
The Decepticon looked at him, possibly questioningly. His visor glinted in the darkness.
"Can you die?" Bumblebee regretted the question almost as soon as it came out.
"Affirmative. If all creations were to be terminated along with myself."
"Which way?" Bumblebee decided not to feed the spymaster's paranoia that he was going to be shot by his companion.
Soundwave pointed down the winding hall. "That way."
"Who died and made you Einstein?" Kevin Bacon asked.
"I can hear his thoughts." Soundwave looked at him blankly. Bumblebee wasn't sure if the Decepticon knew he had just been insulted.
"Whose?" Bumblebee fought the pain in his vocaliser to speak without insulting the silver Mercedes-Benz further. "Unicron's?"
"The Quintesson's." Bumblebee couldn't contain the tremors in his stride as they walked down the eerily black hall. One hand clenched his blaster. How did Soundwave stay so calm?
They stopped in front of the door. Soundwave began examining the control panel when the door slid open. Bumblebee began tapping one finger against the blaster cartridge, unsure if he should enter. Where was the courage that had saved his life on Earth?
'Calm down.' The thought entered his mind. Almost involuntarily, Bumblebee felt his circuits begin to relax. He glared at Soundwave who stared back impassively.
'Take point. He knows we're here.'
Keeping his blaster steady, Bumblebee entered the room.
A figure stood with his back to the Autobot. Dark green tentacles writhed around his form, illuminated by the blue lights of various computer screens.
"Good day, Autobot."
The door slammed closed, and Bumblebee heard something smash into it.
"Turn – around."
The figure turned. Bumblebee saw a smiling face like one of Earth's clowns. It body was bigger than both him and Soundwave, and probably bigger than Optimus.
"What a pleasure it is to finally meet you!" it cheered. "I've heard so much about you and your friends!"
Abruptly, the face switched to a frown. The happy face went to the side of his head.
"You think you can stop me?"
Bumblebee took aim. Sighing, the Quintesson extended a tentacle and slapped the blaster out of his hand. Other tentacles grabbed his arms and legs, immobilizing him better than stasis cuffs. Bumblebee wriggled about in a futile attempt to free himself.
'SOUNDWAVE!' he thought as loudly as possible, allowing his panic to take over.
'Keep him talking.' Soundwave ordered, calm as always. 'I'm almost in.'
"Who are you?"Bumblebee asked, vents struggling to cool his overheated systems.
The happy face returned. "I am Alpha Quintesson, leader of Quintessa!"
"You see, Quintessa needs a bit of a…a makeover, you see. And there are not nearly enough of us to rebuild it anytime soon, but there are more than enough of you!" the Quintesson cackled. "I just need a few more personal helpers before we tally on over…and some information, of course. And a bit of help."
The door slid open. Soundwave walked in slowly, blaster raised.
"Put him down."
"Ah. Soundwave. My favorite out of all of you Cybertronians." Alpha Quintesson paused. "Well, second to Shockwave."
"Divert course from Earth and prepare for surrender."
The Quintesson smiled. "Just like you 'surrendered' my helper?"
Bumblebee began trying to contact Optimus, but received a wall of static.
Soundwave fired, blasting away one of Alpha Quintesson's tentacles. The Quintesson howled and let go of Bumblebee, allowing the Scout to roll safely away.
"You—you!" the Quintesson's furious face could find no words for his anger. Tentacles and fingers tapped furiously at the keyboard and the door slammed. His tentacles began to take a grey sheen, probably getting a metal coating.
"Arrival to Planet 3XA in approximately twelve cycles." An automated male voice said.
Soundwave tossed the blaster to Bumblebee.
"Distract him."
Bumblebee nodded, flipping on his battle mask. That he could do.
Soundwave accessed a terminal and began to try and break the code. He could hear the Autobot scout rapidly firing at Alpha Quintesson, and hitting him, if the creature's shrieks were anything to go by.
Quickly, he accessed his creation's thoughts. Though he could not feel them, he could hear their processors. Judging by the curses ringing out, Rumble and Frenzy had been injured when Blackarachnia escaped.
He could feel Blackarachnia approaching, satisfactions digging away in his mind.
They should have left her on the moon.
Bumblebee cried out in pain. Soundwave turned to see the Quintesson had partially impaled the yellow Autobot in the side. That blow had hit at least one major energon line.
There. Xantium II's readout. Five mechs were still inside.
Disconnect enemy ship from Unicron? Approximate time: two joors.
Yes.
Disable EM barriers?
Yes.
Reset course to Quintessa?
Yes.
Authorization required. Please input source code. Getting free was their highest priority, wasn't it?
Soundwave opened a channel with Optimus Prime, who was running down the hall after Blackarachnia.
"Soundwave? Blackarachnia has escaped. Where are you and Bumblebee?"
"We are encountering resistance. Alpha Quintesson is here. Xantium will be free in two joors." Soundwave sent the coordinates of the room to the Prime.
"Hold on. We're almost there."
"Ohh…Soundwave?"
Soundwave turned to see the Quintesson holding Bumblebee upright with one tentacle. The Autobot gave him a distressed look, mentally begging the other mech for help. Energon dripped onto the floor. Soundwave noted absently that someone could trip.
"I suggest you start undoing that."
Soundwave didn't even flinch as the door blew open.
Optimus Prime – Soundwave had never been more thankful to see the Autobot – stood heroically, Energon swords raised. Hook waited behind him.
"Let him go." The Prime's voice was deadly.
The Quintesson dropped Bumblebee to the ground.
"We can kill you and end this needless quest right now." Optimus said quietly.
"No you can't."Alpha Quintesson smiled, switched faces and grabbed Bumblebee's fallen blaster, shooting the console as he did so.
"He's locked the coordinates of Earth into the computer." Hook said. "We need to get it back up and running."
"Go. I will handle him." Optimus's battle mask came up. He leapt at the Quintesson, tackling him to the floor. Or would have, if he had not tripped on Bumblebee's spilled Energon. Instead, the Prime skidded into the Quintesson, knocking him down. It had the same effect, but was simply much less graceful.
Soundwave pulled Bumblebee to his feet, away from the fight. He stumbled, nearly falling down again. The Decepticon sighed and put the Autobot's arm around his shoulder. Bumblebee made no comment, but Soundwave doubted the Scout could feel anything right now.
Optimus and the Quintesson proved surprisingly even-matched, with Alpha Quintesson parrying every blow Optimus could dish out. Soundwave paused, watching them, trying to decide if Ravage and Laserbeak could be of any assistance here.
The battle was so loud, Soundwave didn't notice her until Hook screamed.
Blackarachnia descended upon him, legs writhing as they latched onto Hook, ripping apart circuitry and armor. Hook shrieked until his spark was plucked out and tossed aside.
"Soundwave!" He turned to see Optimus stabbing a sword into one of Alpha Quintesson's mouths.
"Get Bumblebee back to Xantium!" the Autobot gave the now unconscious Quintesson a kick before running out the door after Soundwave.
Blackarachnia hissed in amusement.
Soundwave could see the Xantium II up ahead. He could see his creations guarding the entrance. He could see the Autobot scientist's offline body just outside – Blackarachnia's doing, most likely. Prime was next to him, helping him carry Bumblebee, who was slipping in and out of stasis lock.
Something jerked all of them. Soundwave stumbled back.
Blackarachnia laughed and held on to Bumblebee.
Ravage leapt forward, eager to finish their fight. Missiles fired, hitting Blackarachnia in the chassis.
She swore but did not seem particularly fazed.
Optimus could see the interior of the ship. Starscream was still in stasis. He would be no help, and the twins were still out of commission, with Laserbeak hovering above both of them. Quickly, he pulled Bumblebee away from Blackarachnia, who howled in protest.
The smaller Scout wasn't going to make it to Cybertron. He had lost most of the Energon in his body and the Matrix still wasn't working…
"Give him to me."
Soundwave was beside him. Wordlessly, and not believing he was doing it, Optimus gave the Decepticon Bumblebee. Soundwave placed Bumblebee on the floor and knelt beside him, fiddling with something on the Autobot's chest.
"What are you doing?" Optimus was ready to kill the Decepticon if he so much as—
"Repairs are necessary."
Ravage snarled as he was thrown across the room, back into Xanthium II where he lay, unmoving. Soundwave looked pointedly at Optimus.
"Fine." He pulled out a sword and charged at Blackarachnia.
Soundwave heard the shot before he saw it.
A ruby-red blast streaked through the room, hitting him squarely in the chest, cracking his spark chamber. Soundwave fell to his knees, nearly on top of Bumblebee. Energon stained both mechs armour.
The mech who had shot him stepped out of the shadows. He was dark grey. His facial features were nonexistent, leaving a perfectly smooth faceplate.
Optimus couldn't help feeling a tremor rock through his frame. Blackarachnia continued raining blows onto him with deceptively weak-looking legs. He felt the injuries sustained during the fight with the Quintesson beginning to catch up with him.
"Xantium detatching commencing." An automated male voice spoke. Optimus could see the rest of Soundwave's minions in a panic, torn between wanting to get out and whatever telepathic orders the Decepticon had given them. If the Xantium II was ejected, the three of them outside the ship would be left behind at the mercy of Unicron and his commanders.
"Soundwave!" Optimus picked up Blackarachnia and threw her into the hall. "Get back to the ship."
"Automated defenses: online."
Optimus began to curse their horrible luck as the defenses chose to target Soundwave just as the Xantium began to close its doors.
"Go!" Optimus heard the thought both audibly and mentally. He stumbled back into the entrance of the Xantium II just as the door slammed shut.
"No!" Optimus slammed his fist against the door. They couldn't have just—
"He's gone." Rumble or Frenzy said.
Slowly, Optimus turned to face the smaller Cybertronians.
"He's cut us out." Laserbeak clarified, hovering at Optimus's optic-level. "Or died."
Abruptly, Megatron's silent presence returned to Optimus. The Prime fought the urge to punch the wall.
He had gained the Xantium II's freedom, but had lost Bumblebee.
Yay...another cliffhanger. This chapter and the next were supposed to be one very very long one, but I decided to slow down the writing a bit. :) Hope you enjoyed; please review!