Here's the replacements chapter 3 I promised you guys. Hopefully this is just a space filler until I can get the original file back, but until then this should do the job for new readers.
"Ey, streaks, wakey wakey!" Miko felt a hand shaking her awake shoulder, and tiredly swatted it away, choosing instead to curl up further into the passenger seat. "Meh, Fine don't get up, not like I was gonna offer to get you someth'n te munch on." Rodney's remark coupled with a growl from her stomach reminded Miko just how hungry she was. It didn't matter which airline you flew with, the in flight meals always sucked.
"Fiiine," She groaned, lifting herself up in her seat just as Rodney exited the Expressway and started searching for a gas station. She couldn't hide her knowing smirk. It wasn't long until they'd found a station, and Rodney parked the truck next to one of the gas pumps.
"Okay, what'll ya have?" He asked, opening the door slightly, letting in the cool night air.
"Just chips and a soda," Miko said quickly, leaning forward onto the trucks console. Rodney nodded, then closed the door and went back to start the fill up. Miko immediately straitened up, smiled and hugged the console, squealing through clenched teeth. The electronics on the console flashed blue as their owner laughed.
"Hehe, I missed you too Miko," Bulkheads low but gentle voice rumbled from the speakers.
"This is so Awesome!" She said still squealing. "You're back! You're back! You're really Back!"
"Easy easy Miko, your Uncles gonna hear. Robots in disguise remember?" A frown flashed over Miko's face, but quickly faded as her smile took over again.
"Still a stupid rule." Bulkhead just laughed.
"Good to see you ain't changed too much. How've you been?"
"Awesome," Miko said locking her hands behind her head and smiling, "I get to travel the world, AND bash Cons and Mech goons along the way."
"Great to know you're still wreck'n. I was afraid Fowler would've cooped you up on some base."
"Pffft, as if," Miko scoffed, "I'm the only reaaal fighter he's got." Bulkhead smiled and laughed a little, remembering how Miko single-handedly took on Starscream and his Airadicons while wearing the Apex Armor, though none of the Autobots had ever been able to figure how exactly she had been able to use the relic.
"I missed you Bulk," Miko said leaning forward again onto the console. Bulkhead wanted nothing more than to transform then and there so he could return the hug.
"I missed you too Miko," he said softly, then noticed Miko's uncle was walking toward the gas stations store. "You never told me you had an Uncle."
"Well, he's not really my Uncle," Miko admitted, as Rodney paused to answer his cell phone. "He's one of my parents friends."
"Heh, could have fooled me," Bulkhead remarked, "You treat each other like family."
"Yeah but most of thats cause he likes my Mom."
"And you're old man?" Bulkhead asked sensing a potential animosity.
"Eh Dad doesn't hate him, but he, well. I guess you could say he tolerates him. They never really see eye to eye on anything, and they aallways end up fighting, but its the fun kind of fighting."
"Uh Miko," Bulkhead said noticing something had changed in her Uncle, "I think somethings up with your Uncle." Miko turned in her set and looked; her Uncle Rodney was now pacing the pavement in front of the store, one hand holding his phone the other wringing through his hair. He looked nervous, as he mumbled to himself, but neither Miko of Bulkhead could make out what he was saying. He started talking at a more frantic pace than that typical for him, and he was gesturing wildly, almost in a pleading manner. But then he just stopped.
"Somethings wrong," Bulkhead thought aloud, as the smile ran away from Miko's face. Her uncle seemed to be stunned, numb and limp as he hung his arm by his side, and his phone actually slipped out of his hand. He stumbled back, hitting the wall of the gas station store and sliding down it until he was sitting on the pavement. He stayed there for almost five minutes, not so much as moving, before he got up, grabbed his phone and shoved it back into his pocket before walking into the store, still looking numb and warn out.
"What do you think it is?" the wrecker asked his former charge.
"Whatever it is," She said with almost grim determination, "I'm gonna find out."
Soundwave glided soundlessly into the cave, scanning the space for intruders before transforming to robot mode. Reaching into his internal storage, he removed the tiny cache of energon crystals he had been able to transport with him in his Vehicle mode. Soundwave knew better than to keep all his data in one place, and despite the humans perceived thoroughness there were still quite a few energon mines they had not discovered. Unfortunately the closest one was in southwestern China, and as Soundwave added his latest quarry to the pathetic pile in one of the caves many antechambers, he knew his strategy had to change. Soon.
He ran over his options: Its was unlikely the humans had discovered the Alpha Tarn base on the dark side of their moon, but he had neither the energon nor the mech power to operate it. He glanced across the cave, to the four stasis locked bodies crumpled against the jagged rock walls. The smaller three were useless to him, and could prove more dangerous to his operations than any Autobot. He would have to revive their leader first, and for that he needed a replacement body.
Soundwave hesitated, but realized he had no choice, and established a camouflaged link to the planets world wide web. It took only a nano second for him to log into the website he and his contact. He waited a moment, silently hoping he would not be online.
weirdwolfensteinD86: dood ur 0n! wer u ben?:
Or not. Soundwave cycled a groan, the sound suppressed by his mask as he keyed his reply.
Soundblaster0001: My status requires I avoid all manner of detection, visual and electronic.:
WeirdwolfensteinD86: that must suk bearings.:
Soundblaster001: Quite... I need your help. What do you know of M.E.C.H.?:
weirdwolfensteinD86: i no they got their cans handed to them by the autodolts and that their leaders been mia for a wile now: Soundwave decided he would omit how Silas had been terminated by Airachnid, and focus on getting the information he needed.
Soundblaster001: I need you to locate a piece of their equipment taken by the authorities. Codename: Project Chimera.: He wasn't about to provide the files himself, too risky, so he waited a moment while his contact appropriated the necessary background information.
weirdwolfensteingD86: i wantz 1:
Soundblaster001: No.:
weirdwolfensteinD86: pleaz?:
Soundblaster001: No. I require the frame to reconstitute a fallen comrade to aid me in achieving my goals.:
weirdwolfensteinD86: ? :
Soundblaster001: I need the body to bring a ruthless killing machine back to life.:
weirdwolfensteinD86: Ah...: Soundwave waited for a further reply, but his patience was thin.
Soundblaster001: What is it?:
weirdwolfensteinD86: whats in it fer me? yes i bridged u in from the twilight zone but that was fer lulz. this is gonna cost ya:
Soundblaster001:...What do you believe is just compensation then?:
weirdwolfensteinD86: a body: He typed, surprising Soundwave for a moment. :a fully functional, armed and operational cybertronian body and not 1 of those pipsqek dronez u gave me last time: Soundwave paused for a moment, considering the consequences of giving such a chaotic individual access to the quality of cybertronian technology he was asking for, and weighing those consequences against the potential benefits. His contact was narcissistic, uncouth, rude, and would just as likely turn his weapons on the Decepticons as the Autobots. But, Soundwave reminded himself, once he had revived his compatriot controlling the human wouldn't be an issue.
In fact, the potential consequences posed by the humans presence were vastly outweighed by one benefit, that is if he could get it working, and restore the finer motor functions.
Soundblaster001: Done.:
weirdwolfensteinD86: 0_o seriously?:
Soundblaster001: Though the chassis will require some maintenance on your part, it should more than meet your requirements.: He attached a small jpeg file to the message, and waited a moment for it to reach his contact.
weirdwolfensteinD86: Y3$! T0t4l 0wn4g3!:
Soundblaster001: A fair trade then.:
weirdwolfensteinD86: H3! Y3s! heres the location: The message included an attachment, and after a quick virus scan, Soundwave opened the file. He smiled under his face-shield. Predictable humans, they really should find new hiding places for their secret technology.
Soundblaster001: Thank you. :
weirdwolfensteinD86: just make sur u kep ur end of the deal: And with that his contact logged off, leaving Soundwave alone with his plans once more. If this deal worked out, not only would he increase the Decepticon ranks on earth by five, but it would also give him a very powerful trump card to play when the Autobots returned.
Rodney returned a few minutes later with Miko's snacks, and he still looked worse for wear. He didn't say anything as he opened the car door, handed Miko her snack and climbed behind the wheel. He was about to put the key in the ignition, but Miko swiped it from his hand.
"Nuh-uh," She scolded, holding the keys close.
"Nows not de time Streaks," He said tiredly, but Miko didn't budge.
"Oh come on Uncle Rodney, I'm not blind," She said softening her tone slightly, "What happened out there?"
"Nothin you need to know about right now," He said quickly, eyes forward. But Miko didn't need to see his eyes to know he was lying.
"I know when someones hiding something Uncle Rodney, I learned that from my Dad. I just want to tal."
"THERES NOTHIN TO TALK ABOUT!" He snapped, making Miko flinch back in her seat; he had never snapped at her like that, and Rodney's face told her he already regretted it. "Streaks," he sighed, "I'm sorry but...dis ain't info you need to hear from de likes of me."
"WHO Then?!" Miko snapped back suddenly with her own venom, "am I just supposed to wait until you guys think I'm ready to know all the facts?! Or do you plan to just keep me in the dark, so I can sit at home, play the piano and watch two cats get fat! I! WANT! ANSWERS!" Bulkhead was taken aback, in all the years he'd cared for Miko she'd never just exploded like that towards anyone, not even Ratchet.
Rodney stared at Miko, the girl still huffing as her temper lowered slowly. He looked ahead, then took a deep breath as he steeled his resolve, and a part of Miko cheered at the victory.
"Miko," He choked out slowly, "Miko you're mom's dead. She passed away an hour ago." Silence filled the car, and Miko's mouth hung open like a broken door, while her uncle choked out the words. "She, she'd been sick fer a long time, but she didn't want you to worry with your trave, HEY! WAIT! MIKO!" He lunged for her arm but to little to late. Miko was already out of the car and running. "MIKO! MIKO COME BACK!"