Soundwave stared at his lord's retreating back. What had just happened? The spy was overcharged from both booze and fight (and perhaps not just from that) and his superior cryptic behavior demanded a clear and cool processor to decode. A moment back he was nearly sure that this situation was heading in berth direction on top speed... Illogical as it was.
He's seen it in Megatron's brief expression shift and it left him... well, overcharged. Withdrawing now was so confusing! Of course, battle routines aside, Megatron had been difficult to predict even without the high-grade clouding both their judgment. Being _the _ Decepticon and all, this situation could as well be heading towards the smelter, for all Soundwave knew.
The spy lingered on the ground for few moments to clear his processor from emotional fog and re-establish his control. Today's near-failure required him to reclaim his superiority and that he just did. Case closed. Soundwave superior. All excessive neuro input was irrelevant. Drop it. Cool down.
Megatron could nearly feel what was going through his TIC's mind. A small evil smile flashed across his face plates. Two points for the warlord.
However, despite the whole matter being a decoy to toy with Soundwave's self-control and show him once again who really was in control here, Megatron felt suspicion stir in him. He didn't expect the communication's specialist to perform this well. What was that with the autobots then? Even if Blitzwing did exaggerate a little - which was understandable, - Soundwave didn't deny. Megatron sensed he was on to something here. Was Soundwave sympathizing the autobots? The spy didn't give him a single reason to doubt his loyalty up until now - but then, maybe he was just that good. Megatron had already suffered consequences of being too easy on trusting. He was still dealing with one stubborn autobot consequence.
A steel hand closed on the cube. He sensed Soundwave stop behind his left shoulder which was his usual place. It would be most unfortunate indeed if he had to kill him.
Turning swiftly, the warlord rose the cube to his intake and gestured with his free hand to the second cube beside his ped. He also moved half a step back allowing the slender mech to reach for the high-grade, but only barely so. Soundwave's wing nearly scrapped the steel armor and under Megatron's intent gaze the spy's fans clicked into charge again. He stilled them, snatched the cube and hastily stepped back.
'So', - Megatron said breaking the spell of awkward, 'obviously, you keep your mechanisms well oiled' - that might have sounded a little suggestive but the warlord didn't care.
Soundwave inclined his helm 'affirmative'.
Megatron sat down on a low rampart and after a short hesitation, his companion sat beside him. For few clicks they were just sitting, drinking their high-grade. Megatron wasn't sure how and if he should press the issue that bothered him. Soundwave was waiting patiently. Looked like smelter was still closer than the... alternative.
Finally Megatron ex-vented and half-turned to his companion, raising the cube in a toast. 'To our victory' - he said, saluting and Soundwave echoed that.
'Did you look through the footage of Alpha Trion's demise already?'
Soundwave nodded, instantly shifting into business mode. 'The mech was oddly calm. He might have planned something. Didn't look defeated... didn't ask for his life'
Megatron chuckled 'Of course he was plotting! It doesn't matter. It's even better if he was calm. Make him look paralyzed with fear, can you?'
'As you command, Megatron. Footage: will be ready by next shift' - Soundwave's visor retracted again so the mech could drink and then clicked back down.
The warlord cast him a sidelong glance: 'You constant clicking is irritating. There's no one here. Stop it.'
Soundwave retracted his visor without a word and drank again. His face remained open. In silence the sound of a security camera turning to have a better angle at them got them both looking up at the device.
'Do you not have control over your department? ' Megatron said heavily.
'My apologies. It's Rumble'. Soundwave looked distant for a short while, using internal comm to scold his cassette. The cam turned away. Then it even switched off.
Megatron regarded his cube, then the one in Soundwave's servo. His was half-empty, while the spy's had barely started his.
'So tell me, Soundwave, how is it that you can stand up to me and yet get a beating from some autobot rookies?' - Megatron made sure to phrase in conversationally, but his keen eye still picked up a moment of tension in the other's composure. Soundwave lowered his helm, hesitating on how best to answer this as everything in his experience told him that despite Megatron's laid back manners he's just entered a treacherous ground. But before the spy manage to phrase his answer, the warlord added: 'Are you a sympathizer?'
The helm snapped back up and the spy's crimson optics stared at his lord in an astonished disbelief. 'No! Iaconian Elite's battle protocols: unfamiliar, hard to counter'
Megatron narrowed his optics: 'Whereas mine are familiar, is that what you're saying? That may explain today, but doesn't explain back then. What is it you're not telling me?'
Soundwave faceplates shifted into a haunted expression. He looked a little like a turbofox that was chasing a glitchmouse only to find out the glithmouse was a scraplet scout. Megatron doubted his words, yet he was trying talk it out instead of forcing the answers out of his TIC and that must be because he trusted him, even if his current question implied he doubted his words.
Soundwave had always acted in Megatron and the Cause best interest. Megatron watched intently a swift and subtle shifting of expressions. The spy was so used to covering his face plates that he didn't have much control over his expressions. He was an open book to read.
'Megatron battle protocols: familiar now, familiar before.' the navy mech finally said and drank eagerly from his cube as if he wanted to wash these words away.
'How?' - the warlord ex-vented, his processor straining to redefine everything he knew about his presumably loyal spy over the long period that they'd spent side by side.
Soundwave shook his helm lightly 'This information: of no significance to the cause and potentially harmful'.
'As my Chief Communications Officer and my Third in Command, it is your duty to gather and relay information when I require it, not judge its significance.'
'As your loyal... ' Soundwave was searching for a term. He didn't dare to use 'friend', he lacked other terms, finally he settled for 'as a loyal Decepticon I must warn you about potential danger'.
Megatron didn't attempt to hide his impatience: 'You did, now out with it before I decide a neuro-cortical patch is in order'.
Soundwave took a big gulp from his cube, trying to find courage in overcharging fuel and murmured. 'Soundwave and Megatron: acquainted long before Arena.' He met the warlord' confused stare with clear and honest optics: 'I knew you before'
Megatron raised a brow. He was sure there, in the Pit, they'd met for the first time. 'Before what?'
'Your total personality wipe'.
