Ravage's glossa moved in and out, scooping up the tiniest droplets of mixed transfluids that contained CNA of his creator. Every time the eradicon tried to move, Ravage would growl his warning. Every lick triggered a small discharge within the poor eradicon and when the technimal was nearly done with his self-appointed task, Doug went over again.
Soundwave paid no attention to this... scavenging. As he was done, Ravage jumped onto the berth and got himself comfortable, cleansing his muzzle with his paw to get the droplets that managed to escape his intake. His narroe yellow optics locked onto the panting vehicon on the floor.
/He appears to have really enjoyed it, boss/ - Ravage' transmission carried over mild surprise as well as amusement.
/Insignificant to me/ - Soundwave responded.
Laserbeak tuned in some human high-frequency and transmitted the radio into their shared link.
/Love me or leave me and let me be lonely
You won't believe me, but I love you only
I'd rather be lonely than happy with somebody e-e-else-e.../
Soundwave froze. /stop it/ - he demanded.
But somehow Laserbeak felt it was a time for a little symbiotic rebellion.
/...Regretting instead of forgetting with somebody e-e-else-e...
There'll be no one unless that someone is you-u-u
I intend to be independently BLUE.../
/LASERBEAK! DESIST NOW!/ - Soundwave was so rare to lash out at them...
The transmission stopped and in utter silence Ravage soft telepathic voice appeared deafening
/really, sis... that was over the line/
Soundwave blocked the link to both of his creations.
For a few clicks he was just standing there.
This was the scene the con woke up to: nobody moved. Doug scrapped himself off the floor, limbs still a little shaky, and took a hesitant step toward the officer.
Soundwave did nothing to acknowledge his presence.
Doug straightened up. "I... hope you're not disappointed... sir" - yep. His voice was as shaky as his knee joints.
The sound snapped Soundwave from his stasis-like state. The spy glanced at his victim, then took one of the energon cubes that were supposed to be delivered to the med bay. He opened the cube and dipped his tube-like feeler in. He drank up half of the cube before setting it aside on the table.
/You may have the rest/ - he transmitted to the vehicon on a frequency the con wasn't aware he could read before.
Doug contemplated if he should thank his superior for the energon, but his vocaliser wouldn't obey. Pieces of foreign code were still roaming his nets causing glitch after glitch.
He nodded and quickly downed the part offered to him.
/Soundwave to Knockout: Doctor, do you copy? Are you scheduled full this cycle?/
/Knockout: Soundwave! You've passed a mandatory check less than 5 cycles ago! Did something happen?/
/Negative. Positive. Ravage: activated. Knockout's assessment: desirable./ Soundwave quickly fell back into his usual minimalistic talking patterns. Routines were good.
/Wow! His nanos finally completed the regeneration process? I'm flattered you're turning to me for an opinion - I thought you preferred to service your symbiotes yourself. Lemme see... come in an orn, I'll squeeze you in/
/Soundwave: grateful. Soundwave: requesting apology. Soundwave: took one energon cube from medbay' supply. Soundwave: will replenish the loss. Query: objections?/
/Erm... I don't mind as long as I get restocked. Knockout out./
Terminating the link, Soundwave realised he was the center of everyone's attention. Pointedly ignoring his Cassettes (links were still closed), he addressed the vehicon:
/D011G, get the energon to medbay. Doctor informed of your delay/
The vehicon was taken aback by being addressed by his assigned name. But he quickly recovered his wits and scooped up the remaining cubes. As he was already in the doorway (the door let him out following Soundwave's wireless command), he gathered all his courage to turn and say:
"Sir, if you ever need to.. do that again, you don't need to look any further... than the con in front of you"
Soundwave startled at that, then marched over to the con and hovered over him, the telepath's EM field intruding his occasional 'facing partner's
/I won't/ - the field carried over, leaving the con to interpret it as he may. /Dismissed/ - the TIC commed then, turning away.
As Doug was already leaving, something brushed across the back of his legs. He looked back to see Ravage staring at him with an inscrutable muzzle (no wonder for a cat, right?) "Cute-sssie.." the cat purred.
It was not before Doug finally left that Soundwave finally restored communication with his symbiotes. Immediately their joint transmission filled the link:
/YOU LET HIM GO?!
Soundwave, why are you letting him go?/
/What do you suggest I do?/
/SCRAP HIM!/ - the joint wireless yell of his symbiotes could easily fry a weaker neuro net.
/no/ - was all the spy answered.
/Congrats, sis. History is repeating/ - Ravage observed with a tone that suggested that he was giving up.
/Boss, you do realize that he will rat you out at the first chance?/ - Laserbeak obviously still cherished a hope to bring reason into her host' processors
/Why would he admit his humiliation?/ - for someone of his intelligence, Soundwave could be remarkably clueless when it came to social matters.
/...because he liked it?/ - Laserbeak let her despair infiltrate the transmission.
Soundwave contemplated this for a while.
/Insignificant. I'm not scrapping a Decepticon/
To his mild surprise, Ravage crossed the room and brought his head close to Laserbeak's main processor. Thus the symbiotes merged their fields and managed to communicate directly, not using the link they shared with their creator.
Conspiracy.
Soundwave couldn't care less.
In an orn, Soundwave was at the medbay doors, as agreed.
Ravage strolled by his side, looking absolutely innocent.
The door slid apart and revealed a very displeased Knockout, arms folded across his chassis.
Ravage strolled in first and the doctor's gaze softened somewhat at the sight of the technimal:
"Welcome back online little fellow. Hop on" - and he patted the examination table.
As Ravage got comfortable, Knockout turned to Soundwave who stepped in holding a cube of energon in his hands.
"Holy scrap! You're walking like this in public?!"
Soundwave startled and hesitated, checking his systems. Everything seemed OK. He made a questioning gesture emphasizing it with a question mark on his visor. "There" - Knockout pointed. Yup, there they were: telltale scraps on navy thighs and pelvic cover.
"And here I hoped the trooper had been delirious... And eradicon, Soundwave, really?!" Knockout stopped talking, turning all of his attention to Ravage, but it was obvious, he still had a lot to say on the matter.
/Told you, you should have scrapped that little vixen/ - Ravage transmitted, while following the light as instructed.
The cat's "I told you so" was so predictable. Trust Ravage to always live up to your expectations.
Switching the tools, Knockout continued: "Surely, you are aware that Lord Megatron strictly prohibited interfacing across the ranks? He'll be furious if he finds out"
/Soundwave to Knockout: can you buff it out?/
"No way! I'm not touching you there!"
Knockout adjusted his equipment and got ready to check the technimal's system readings.
"There's the polish kit" - he gestured over his shoulder, - "do it yourself"
Soundwave took the tool.
"You have nearly fried the guy. Your classes are incompatible. What were you thinking? The poor thing had your code snippets all over him like some kind of a virus. His nets were glitchy. I had to pull up partial system restore from backup... He had in better shape after those autobots!"
/Soundwave to Knockout: what did D011G tell you?/
Knockout stopped his work on Ravage, who growled in mild irritation, and turned to the spy:
"All the creepy details I would prefer to never know!"
It took Soundwave a couple of clicks to remotely log in into Nemesis surveillance systems and find his victim.
The eradicon was in the mess hall, socializing with his kind. Soundwave fine tuned the cctv cam and deciphered the words:
"... ya wanna have another go? After the Creeper left you all glitchy?! Your nets must be seriously damaged"
Scrap.
The guy was literally talking to anyone who would listen.
Unbelievable. Had Soundwave been in his place, he would never admit it had happened to him.
So.. the history was repeating indeed... Soundwave put the buffing tool back.
/Soundwave: stands up for his actions/
Knockout spared him a glance: "I don't know what's more foolish - your actions or you standing up to them. Just do me a favor and don't come any closer."
The doctor turned to Ravage then: "You're fine, lad, and you're cleared for duty"
/Told you/ - Ravage said when they were out of the med bay.
"Soundwave" - Airachnid's deep contralto stopped his movement. He turned.
She was standing there, stunning as ever. Seeing him react she smiled her little evil smile and strolled to him. "I just wanted to assure you, Soundwave, that I have decided not to pay you back for your outrageous interference earlier..." She stepped so close to him that he could hear her spark rate. Soundwave didn't move.
Malicious Airachnid was an enemy to be concerned about, but this charming Airachnid, with deep sultry tones to her voice, triggered the danger alarm in him.
He froze, waiting for her next move.
Airachnid stratched her arm toward him in a very careful non-treathening way and slid the tips of her talons up his upper wing: "There is no need to punish you any further, is there?... You have already done it yourself... with and Eradicon...no less...
Soundwave wanted to snap her neck then. But instead he just walked away, followed by her melodical laughter