Chapter 19
An Adjustment of Plans
Author's notes: Sorry for the slow updates. My day job went nuts for a bit, and I've also got some medical issues that are slowing down my writing speed. I'm still writing, just not nearly as fast.
Soundwave had not had a sufficient period of recharge the evening before. With the berth room occupied, he dozed off on the couch. It was a long ingrained habit in him to catch recharge whenever possible when he was running short; most Cybertronian soldiers learned that skill or went insane from the lack of defrag and neural capacitor balancing.
However, when the berthroom door opened, he jolted awake. Just as he could recharge anywhere, under almost any conditions, anything unusual would cause him to swiftly reboot his higher functions. As soon as power reached his motor systems, a couple nanoclicks after his reboot sequence started, he jerked upright.
Steeljaw's optic ridges rose. "Jumpy, are we?"
He nodded curtly, and relaxed into the couch's firm cushions. The feline was no threat. If anything, Soundwave found him almost too friendly, and if he hadn't personally seen the damage Steeljaw could inflict in battle (and knew what Ravage could do), he'd have dismissed him as harmless.
"Frenzy's still out cold." Steeljaw hopped up on the couch next to Soundwave. He smirked. "Unlike you, I think it would take a stick of dynamite under his berth to wake him. I think he's in a deep-defrag cycle. He probably needs it, he's been going a mile a minute for weeks."
Steeljaw's assessment of Frenzy's lack of alertness during recharge was correct. Soundwave had tried to correct that problem a few times, and had consistently failed. Frenzy consistently recharged like he was in stasis lock. Soundwave suspected it was a form of escape from reality; sleeping like the dead allowed him to escape from his life for a period of time. Frenzy had been unhappy even before his siblings had died.
The cat added, as he made himself comfortable on the couch, "I love him dearly, but is he always so hyper? I've been burning twice the energon as usual just keeping up with him!"
Soundwave, had he been a different mech, might have observed that certain activities burnt more fuel than others. "Autobots, fortunate. Fuel rationing limit activity Decepticon forces."
The cat snorted. "It's not luck, Soundwave. We earn our resources from humans rather than stealing. All Megatron has to do is make peace with Optimus and agree to some honest work, and the Decepticons would have ample fuel. Megatron's obsession with stealing what could be honestly earned for less effort, and with far less damage and risk, has never made much sense to me."
He ran a hand over his face. "War, more logical beginning. Now, war continues Megatron never believe Optimus honest peace treaty. Megatron fear imprison, enslave, execution. Others, feel same. Soundwave ... feared same."
"You're not still worried about that, are you?" Concerned crystal blue optics widened. Steeljaw leaned forward and rested a hand on his arm. "Nobody's going to hurt you here. Do not forget that Optimus Prime is our leader, and he adheres strictly to the teachings of Primus. Primus doesn't teach revenge, only redemption and forgiveness."
"Ratchet, defend." He let himself smirk, though the cat couldn't see it. He'd trust Ratchet's throwing arm a lot quicker than he'd trust the faithfulness of Optimus's followers when Optimus was out of sight."Ratchet, temper formidable. Soundwave feel safe."
Steeljaw chuckled lowly, keeping his voice down so as to not wake Frenzy. "Yeah, Ratchet's definitely an alpha mech. You made a good choice in choosing him to serve, by the way."
He blinked, then realized that other symbionts and carriers would know exactly what he had done when he'd chosen Ratchet. His motivations would be transparent to them. He smiled again in the secrecy of his mask, then said, "More than one concideration, choosing Ratchet."
"I don't doubt it." The cat laughed again, and somehow moved a little closer as he did. "He's a bit tall for me, but I get the appeal. On the other hand, Frenzy really is more my type - it's not often that I find a mech who's my equal in the smarts department. He's always thinking, always doing. I like that."
"Frenzy distracting himself with busy." He tried not to show his unease at Steeljaw's close proximity. His imagination provided a too-realistic image of Blaster bursting into the room and launching into an attack in Steeljaw's defense. Even the most rational carriers could be blindly aggressive if they caught another carrier courting one of their symbionts. It really wasn't appropriate for him to be talking to Steeljaw without another mech present.
"Yes." Steeljaw inspected the claws of one hand. "Soundwave, I don't know if the relationship I have with Frenzy will survive when he begins to really heal. He won't need me as a distraction anymore. But if it does ... if I'm more than just a distraction to him, I want this to work out. I'm thinking in the long term. I thought you should know that, so you know that my feelings towards him are not entirely casual."
Soundwave's sigh silenced Steeljaw. He held a hand up in a 'stop' gesture while he put together a response. Steeljaw waited patiently. After a few seconds he said, "Frenzy love Steeljaw. Was distraction. More, now. Frenzy see Steeljaw Frenzy have joy, excitement. Love."
The feline blinked at him for a moment. Then he said, softly, hesitantly, "Are you okay with us? You weren't real happy in the beginning."
One paw, modified to have fingers, rested on his knee. He tensed further, very uncomfortable with the contact. Before he could ask Steeljaw to back off, however, Steeljaw looked up at him and added, "I'm not going to take him away from you. Both of you love each other too much. Whatever happens ... it won't involve Frenzy leaving you."
"Difficult politics." He sat perfectly still, not wanting to upset the symbiont by pushing him away, but also not wanting to encourage his proximity. "Autobot, Decepticons, lack trust. Steeljaw, lose status, rank, security clearance, due to Frenzy. Steeljaw accept consequences?"
Steeljaw huffed a sigh. "If we merged, it would compromise not just me, but potentially my whole team. I'd be in a spot of trouble over it, and Blaster'd tell on me. I wouldn't do it because it would be wrong, but I couldn't get away with it if I wanted to try, anway. And ... and bonding is out of the question. A bonded team has the security clearance of the lowest ranked member. Frenzy would be bonded to me, which would bring my clearance down, which would bring my team's down."
"Query: Want merge?"
Steeljaw shrugged helplessly. "In our dreams."
He regarded the cat in silence as he tried to find a way to tell him what he was feeling. Steeljaw was everything he could want for Frenzy, and then some. He'd quietly despaired of his symbionts ever finding mates. He found it ironic that Frenzy had found someone now, among the Autobots, who was so very perfect.
Steeljaw added, "Oh, and yeah, I'm getting a little flack over my new little buddy. However, most've the crew thinks he's just a tagalong who's monopolizing my time and being inappropriately clingy because they can't imagine I'd want a scrawny, scrappy Decepticon runt as a friend. It hasn't even occurred to most of them that Frenzy, or anybody, would be interested in me as a lover."
His words held a bitter tone, and his blue optics darkened with old anger. "Frenzy doesn't see me as anything but me."
"Ravage: highly intelligent. Frenzy brother Ravage, comprehension Ravage not beast. Frenzy know Steeljaw spark same others."
"Yup. Frenzy says if he'd ever treated Ravage like an animal, Ravage would have bit him."
"Truth, yes." Soundwave smiled faintly, experiencing both a wave of fondness and a bitter stab of grief at the thought of his late feline symbiont. Ravage had been so close to his spark; his eldest, his first symbiont, and one who many others in his community had dismissed as useless and dangerously rebellious. He'd befriended Ravage, earned his respect, and loyalty, and eventually Ravage had chosen of his own free will to bond with a Soundwave. Soundwave, at the time, had been a youngling, not yet grown into his adult frame, and not yet considered an adult.
Courting Ravage had been partly an attempt to prove himself, and partly real recognition of Ravage's potential. He had feared that the cat would either be killed as a threat, or captured for the gladiator pits. He had not had time to befriend Ravage and then wait, given his clan's hostility towards the feral symbiont.
However, his hopes of impressing his clan had been dashed. When he had brought Ravage home, he had been mocked, criticized, and ostracized. By custom, he had been too young to bond - particularly to such a dangerous symbiont as a felinoid - and many feared that he would not be able to control the dangerous mech. He had expected them to see him as courageous and skilled, and possessed of the personal attributes necessary to be a master carrier. Instead, his own clan had accused him of vanity and recklessness.
Ravage, of course, had found their concerns - that he might harm someone, and that he was useless - amusing. The only one controlling Ravage had been Ravage himself. He had chosen to submit to Soundwave out of respect, and recognition of the young carrier's potential. Ravage had been older than Soundwave by a considerable amount, Soundwave had been his fourth master, and he had known exactly what he wanted and what role he wished to play in Soundwave's life. He'd sized up the rest of Soundwave's clan, watched them with mute interest for a few days, and then Ravage had suggested that Soundwave might find higher education more enjoyable.
Ravage had been unique, and Soundwave, in a bitter moment of stark loneliness, realized that he would never hear Ravage's sarcastic comments or rely upon the experienced feline's talents at scouting and subterfuge again.
Unexpectedly, Steeljaw pressed himself into Soundwave's arms. The sudden touch jolted him back into the present.
Ravage had never been cuddly, but Steeljaw reacted on instinct, wrapping his arms around the young mech, holding him tight and close. Aside from Steeljaw's metallic "lion's mane" that hid a plethora of sensors, his frame type was very similar to Ravage. The contact enhanced Soundwave's sudden, unexpected outbreak of grief. If he closed his eyes, and ignored the silent, aching hole in his spark where once there had been snark, wisdom, and experience, it was almost as if he was holding Ravage again.
Steeljaw was the same shape, and he sounded and smelled the same. It was truly possible that he was even kin to Ravage; felinoids had never been common.
He refused to cry. The upwelling of grief was unexpected, unwanted, and almost startling in its suddenness. He didn't understand why he was suddenly so overwhelmed with loss. He couldn't help an irregular stutter in his systems as the strong emotions in his spark activated defensive routines that he ruthlessly terminated. He didn't need his nonexistent weapons to come online, or extra power to his hydraulics and servomotors.
He stroked Steeljaw's side, wishing it was Ravage under his hand. Ravage, who would have submitted to such an embrace with a good deal of grumbling and indignation. Soundwave had always respected Ravage's dislike for close contact. His siblings, on the other hand, sometimes tackled him simply to piss him off.
Steeljaw said quietly, "I will be your friend."
He blinked, and looked down at the symbiont in his arms. Primus, this was inappropriate. "Blaster, disapprove."
"Blaster is not you, and he will be neither jealous nor worried about losing me." Steeljaw relaxed into Soundwave's lap, calm and collected, when Soundwave released him.
He said, after a moment in nonplussed silence, "Steeljaw, perhaps kin someday. Permission given, if Frenzy desires permanence with Steeljaw, when allowed."
He had no qualms about the match.
"Thank you." Steeljaw tilted his head sideways, then added, with a low chuckle that shook his frame, "Blaster says to tell you that if I'm going to get snuggly with you, to tell you to take the damned Decepticon sigil off."
Soundwave lifted his hands off Soundwave's side like he'd been stung by an electrical shock. Only the fact that he didn't want to be rude to the young feline kept him from dumping Steeljaw onto the ground. "Query: Blaster aware?"
"That I'm sitting in your lap and enjoying your company? Oh, yeah." Steeljaw wriggled a bit to take better advantage of the warm draft from Soundwave's power plant. "He's pleased. He was concerned you would object to me and Frenzy, and he was afraid I'd get my spark shattered if that was the case. Frenzy whould choose you if you forced him to chose, then hate you for it."
Slowly, he stroked the cat again. "Soundwave, desire no conflict Blaster."
"Blaster says it's all good." Steeljaw poked the Decepticon emblem. "So when are you taking this off? Or are you going to hold onto it for sentimental reasons?"
"Removal, anticipated. Time, occupied."
"Frenzy's told me how you're occupying your time ..."
His systems stalled in embarassment. Of course, Frenzy was more than aware that Soundwave had been intimate with Ratchet, but that didn't mean he liked being teased. At his core, Soundwave was a private mech.
"... relax, big guy. I'm just giving you a hard time. Would you like help getting it off, though, since you don't have anything to do now?"
He considered the offer.
"Affirmative," he finally said. It was, he thought, time.
Frenzy woke slowly, processor coming online in stages. Half-conscious, he monitored his systems as they reported their status. For the first time in as long as he could remember, every system he possesed reported green. The deep defrag had cleaned up some filing errors, organized his memories, and streamlined a number of processes that had become bloated with auto-rewrites of minor routines. His mind felt as clear as his body was in good repair.
Slowly, he sat up. For the first time, he didn't automatically try to ping his siblings to check their status as part of his boot routine. When he realized that the defrag cycle had deleted that step, he sat for a moment in mute confusion, unsure of what his reaction should be. Should he still grieve what he had lost? Should he feel relief that he would no longer be reminded with every waking of the aching hole in his spark? Should he reinstate that step to honor them? He did not want to forget them.
Soundwave's laughter, low, mechanical, and so rarely heard, distracted him. He hopped off the berth, expecting that Ratchet had returned, but instead, he found Soundwave sitting in an incredibly casual, relaxed position on the floor, one knee drawn up to his chest and the other leg stretched out. He was casually talking to Steeljaw, and by both his posture and the feelings coming from his spark, Soundwave was enjoying the conversation.
He stopped short in disbelief as he registered the entire scene. Steeljaw was sprawled out to his full length on the couch, a grin on his face, and complete trust in his posture. That mirrored the calm feel from Soundwave.
He wasn't sure what Steeljaw had said to make Soundwave laugh. In his entire life, he'd never heard Soundwave laugh at something another mech who was not his symbiont had said, aside from lovers. Fairwinds could make him laugh even before they had bonded, and Ratchet seemed to have the talent. That Steeljaw could make Soundwave laugh made Frenzy wonder if something had gone wrong with Soundwave's code.
It got worse. Soundwave reached out as soon as he was within grabbing range, and with little regard for his dignity or their mutual dislike of touchy-feely behavior, pulled Frenzy into his lap. Frenzy protested, "Hey! Are you glitched?" as Soundwave gave him a quick, affectionate hug.
He escaped, mildly offended, and glared at his master from several feet away. "What prompted that?"
Soundwave and Steeljaw traded a look between them. Steeljaw giggled. Soundwave's chuckle again startled Frenzy, who stared at his master. Frenzy's reality had just broken.
:My fault, lover. I had wondered what would happen if he hugged you the way Blaster hugs us.:
:And he decided to find out.: Frenzy wondered if he should summon Ratchet. Something had to be wrong with the way that Soundwave was processing data. This was incredibly unusual behavior for Soundwave.
:Well, we were talking about what we were like before the war. Maybe he decided to try out being his old self for a bit.:
Ah. That was enlightening. Frenzy grinned. "I could tell them about the time you and Lady Fairwinds both got drunk and ..."
Soundwave spat static at him, alarm spiking across the bond.
:Oh, you'll have to gossip later.: Steeljaw laughed at Soundwave's reaction, which was reflected by Frenzy's expression.
:Yeah, not now, though. He'd probably ground me.:
Steeljaw's laughter across the bond was rich and deeply amused. :You're a bit old for grounding, Sweetspark.:
:Don't call me that. And don't bet on it. One of Soundwave's favorite punishments is restriction to quarters, at least for me.:
Steeljaw smirked at him. :I don't think I've ever torqued Blaster off to the point where he felt like he had to punish me. Eject, on the other hand ... well, let's just say Eject's usual crime is teasing the rest of us, and Blaster's usual punishment is to hand him a jar of wax and tell him to polish whoever he upset.:
:Doesn't he get mad if you prank someone?:
:Who, my master? He's usually plotting right along with us. He and Jazz have had a prank war going for millenia.:
:That's it. I'm officially jealous of you.:
:Don't be. Soundwave and Blaster are two very different mechs, but Soundwave loves you, Frenzy. How come you don't like snuggling with him?:
:I do, sometimes.: He frowned, looking up at Soundwave, who'd gone all stiff and dignified and looked like he was about to rise. :I mean, at night, or if something really bad happened, but ... but it's Soundwave. He's not like that. He's not touchy-feely.:
:I know I've seen him pat Ravage or Laserbeak and Buzzsaw. Pit, I watched him for several hours one day. He was spying on the base, on his stomach on a ridge, and I was spyin' on him. He had Ravage with him and Ravage curled against him the whole time.:
:Eh. That's different.:
:He just snuggled you, kiddo. You got a good opening, there. It's just you and him now. Both of you are programmed to need the contact.: Steeljaw added, mirth bubbling up in his voice, :Good chance to screw with his mind, too, you know.:
Frenzy, bemused, turned his attention back to Soundwave. His master was reaching for his cane now, obviously intent on getting up. Without warning, Frenzy launched himself at Soundwave, threw his arms around Soundwave's neck, and babbled, "Master, I wuv you, I wuv you so much, I wuv you forever, you're the bestest master ever, I wuv you!"
Behind him, Steeljaw was laughing so hard that he sounded as if he were choking. Soundwave, by contrast, froze in disbelief. He grabbed Frenzy with both hands, pulled Frenzy free of his neck, and held Frenzy out at arm's length with a hand around his chest. "Behavior, undignified. Cease immediately."
Frenzy smirked at him.
After a moment, Soundwave laughed. "Motivation, understood."
Instead of putting Frenzy down, however, Soundwave deposited him in his lap. Frenzy, surprised that he'd been able to get Soundwave to laugh, looked up at him.
Soundwave stroked his back, in a way that was dignified rather than cuddly. He patted Frenzy on the shoulder twice, casually, then leaned back against the couch, giving Frenzy the option of leaving or staying put.
Frenzy sighed, and relaxed against Soundwave's torso. It felt good to sit in physical contact with him, really. His field automatically started to synch up, and his programming gave him a yes/no option of initiating docking protocols. No, he shut that down ruthlessly. Even thinking of transforming and docking with Soundwave felt claustrophobic when it had always been comforting before.
Unexpectedly, Soundwave said, "Miss youngling twins."
Not just miss Rumble, Frenzy knew intuitively, but he was trying to say he missed that long-ago time when he and Rumble had been barely more than sparklings. Being bonded with Soundwave was excellent help in interpreting Soundwave's speech. Frenzy sighed. "Ain't been a kid for a long time, boss."
"Understand."
"I miss me as a kid too, though."
Primus, now he was in a gloomy mood.
Soundwave patted his back again. "Frenzy, Soundwave, remain Ark. Live here now. Promise, better life, Frenzy."
"Wish my brother was here." He turned his optics off, and hunched down a bit. It felt like a small, mean, evil thing to say when Soundwave was trying to cheer him up, but the sudden feeling of grief seized his spark and suddenly all he could think of was the awful aching empty hole in his spark.
Soundwave grew very still. However, he heard a few clacks of armor against armor, the hum of motors, and the hiss of hydraulics as Steeljaw rose from his position on the couch. Moments later, his lover pressed against him, and Soundwave draped an arm around both of them. Soundwave's fingers slid over Frenzy's plating, stroking and patting; soothing him gently.
:I love you, Sweetspark.: Steeljaw said, quietly.
:Back at ya. And ... I don't ... I don't know where the emo came from.:
:Soundwave did the same thing earlier. You're probably feeding off each other. Which is fine - better that, than mourning entirely alone.:
:I don't know how you stood it. Losing your entire family.: He winced at the reminder of what Steeljaw had survived.
:It got a lot better when I met Blaster, I'll give you that.: '
He couldn't deal with this, not right now. He could also feel the creeping unease coming from Soundwave. Both of them had probably had about as much angst as they could stand for the moment.
"Boss," Frenzy said, in a small voice, "Care if I turn on the TV? This is just ... it's too much."
Soundwave nodded assent. Frenzy turned the TV with a burst of radio waves, expecting to find a selection of early afternoon talk shows. It was too early for good cartoons.
However, the first channel that came up had a reporter talking to a camera about the 'vast battle' between 'alien robots' in Los Angeles.
"You know, if there's a vast alien robot battle going on, standing on the top of a skyscraper in the middle of a city is dumb," Steeljaw said, sitting up. The reporter had LA behind him, as seen from a high vantage point - probably a building.
:How come Optimus hasn't had you guys roll out already?: Frenzy said.
:It's all over but the talking heads.: Steeljaw grinned. :Though the reporter's still being dumb.:
"You slagger, you knew what was going on." Frenzy punched him in the shoulder.
"Blaster's with Skyfire and Optimus. They're monitoring 'con communications." Steeljaw shrugged. "Not supposed to talk about it until it's over. Sorry, guys."
"What the hell's Megatron doing, anyway?" Frenzy scowled at the TV, as it replayed a clip of Megatron, on foot, running down a busy street and scattering cars as he did. Astrotrain was chasing after him; Frenzy assumed that they were charging towards combat, or fleeing Autobots, at first.
Then Megatron tripped over a hot dog cart, and fell hard. He rolled, arm transforming into his plasma rifle. Astrotrain kicked the gun arm hard, and even though the audio was tinny they heard a distinct crack of breaking parts. The big triplechanger stomped hard on Megatron's arm, pinning it down, then slammed his other foot into Megatron's face.
"It probably wouldn't be revealing anything now to tell you that there's been a coup."
"Megatron, dead?" Soundwave asked, as fascinated by the images as they were.
"Eh. We don't know ..." Steeljaw explained as the video suddenly quit, with a hard jerk of the camera, and the ending of the fight wasn't shown. "... They're trying to figure it out. And by 'they' I mean Starscream and the human authorities and Prime."
Frenzy snorted. "Always figured it'd be Screamer who'd kill him, finally."
"Starscream, predictable adversary. Megatron, on guard. Astrotrain, arrogant, angry, also possible. Astrotrain, underestimated."
"You think Astrotrain will end up leading them?" Frenzy asked.
Soundwave considered the question seriously for a moment, then said, "Low probability. Insufficient support, poor leader."
He was right, too, Frenzy thought.
The next video shown was of Starscream shooting Motormaster point blank in the chest in the middle of a freeway. The large mech went down with a ground-shaking crash, and all three mechs winced.
"Primus!" Steeljaw had lunged to his feet in reaction to the raw violence between 'cons.
"I think you can revise those odds to zero, boss." Frenzy, less surprised, though a bit sickened. He was fairly certain Motormaster would have sided with Astrotrain. "Wonder how many 'cons will be left?"
He felt a swirl of regret from Soundwave. "Deaths, preventable."
"If you were there? Sure. You'd have put down any rebellion before it got beyond the drinking and grumbling phase." Frenzy sighed. "War'll be over now, though."
"Cost, high." Soundwave fell into gloomy silence. Frenzy could feel that he was angry, frustrated, and thinking hard.
:You losin' friends, lover?: Steeljaw gave Frenzy a keen glance.
:Motornaster was a pig.:
:Known a few pigs I liked despite themselves.: Steeljaw rubbed his back.
"I just want it all to be over." He tucked his knees to his chest, still seated in Soundwave's lap. Soundwave patted his arm. Steeljaw stroked up and down the nape of his neck, in a quiet, comforting touch. Both of them seemed worried about him, which was confusing, and almost unwanted. For some reason, he'd become the center of attention. And, quite honestly, he just wanted it to be over.
Soundwave sighed, finally, "Steeljaw, contact Blaster. State: Soundwave desires assist situation resolution. Request message to Prime."
"Yes sir," Steeljaw rested his chin on Frenzy's shoulder as he communicated with his master. He grimaced. "Soundwave, Prowl says to stay put."
Frenzy felt a stubborn flash of irritation from Soundwave. "State: Soundwave talk Starscream. Starscream, preferred leader. Alternatives, worse. Arrange support, Starscream by Autobots. Request message Prime, Prowl."
"Blaster says they ain't happy to be interrupted." Steeljaw shifted, leaning a little to lean against Soundwave. "I know you want to help, but ..."
"Not want. Can."
"Starscream hates Soundwave," Frenzy explained, "But he trusts his word. Soundwave never lies, he just says things Starscream doesn't want to hear and he was Megatron's favorite."
"Steeljaw, ask Blaster tell Ratchet."
"Ooooh, boy." Steeljaw reported, after a moment. "Ratchet's pissed."
Soundwave said, clearly alarmed, "Intent, upset Ratchet, unintended ..."
"Not at you, at Prowl and Prime. Blaster says he hasn't seen Ratchet yell at Prowl like that in millenia."
A few seconds later, the television flickered, went black, then came back online to reveal a rather irritated Prowl. "Ratchet informs me you are aware of the situation in California."
"It's on TV!" Frenzy, a little alarmed by Prowl's glare, explained quickly. "We were watching the news!"
"Soundwave, what do you think you can accomplish?" Prowl demanded, with deep skepticism and real irritation in his voice.
"Desired outcome: Starscream lead. Correct?" Soundwave's assessment likely coincided with the Autobot analysis that Starscream would be the best commander to deal with after the shooting stopped. He was ruthless enough to keep his side in check, and would most likely to negotiate a truce in good faith, as long as he was able to keep some power for himself.
"Hnh. We're not even sure he's alive."
"Starscream, answer Soundwave radio him."
"Hmph." Prowl folded his arms. "Go on."
"Suggestion: Soundwave liason Starscream, Autobots assist Starscream, Starscream faction win. Alternatives, less desirable."
"How do I know you're on our side?"
"Oh, puleeeze." Frenzy answered that for Soundwave. "Seriously, Prowl? Does it even matter? He's offering to arbitrate, not be a top secret double agent."
From somewhere off screen he heard Red Alert mutter something about Frenzy knowing words bigger than he was. Frenzy ignored that, for the moment, though he was sorely tempted to reply with multi-syllabic insult accompanied by a silent finger the next time he saw the mech. Why did everything think he was a dumb punk? Soundwave didn't tolerate stupid.
"Sorry," Red muttered to someone, half a click later. Red's channel went silent.
"Starscream and Soundwave have never been allies," Prime said, stepping into the range of the camera. That solved the mystery of who had taken offense at Red's comment, Frenzy thought, with glee. Prime continued, "Soundwave, are you certain he would listen to you?"
"Affirmative."
"Yeah," Frenzy elaborated, taking over. Soundwave would struggle with this sort of conversation. "Starscream's a glitch and a half, but he's not stupid. You gotta remember that Soundwave's got a long history of being right, and he's no liar. Starscream'll listen."
"Very well. Skyfire will pick you up shortly. And Soundwave, Frenzy - thank you." Prime inclined his head in acknowledgment. "I am pleased by your willingness to assist."
Soundwave nodded once. "War, end, desired outcome possible. Soundwave, assist."
Skyfire was half an hour out, and Soundwave was rapidly putting together a plan while they waited. He would need to appear to have far better communication skills than he did to keep Starscream's respect. In the future, he might have coding added to his visor to correct his bad grammar in English, but right now he needed the semblance of being fluent in Cybertronian.
Unfortunately, the simple fact was that would never again be able to speak Cybertronian. However, Soundwave was a team player, created and coded to work in close partnership with others. Moreover, he had absolute trust in Frenzy and a very good idea of his abilities. Frenzy was an excellent warrior and spy, but Soundwave had also knew he had a keen mind and decent acting ability.
He calculated the odds of being able to fool Starscream with a quick hack of his visor and some clever acting on Frenzy's part at about 94.5%. To make it work, he just needed a few modifications to his visor done before they left. There wasn't much time, but he thought it would be sufficient.
Frenzy and Steeljaw were comming each other. It didn't appear to be a serious conversation; the two had a playful dynamic, and Soundwave suspected that half their communication consisted of insults and teasing pet names. This pleased him. Frenzy needed a partner who could give as good as he got.
He made a brief burst of static to draw their attention, then said, "Modify visor, immediate. Need assistance."
"Whatcha got in mind, boss?" Frenzy pushed himself out of Soundwave's lap and pulled a tool kit and a datapad out of his subspace.
"We don't really have a lot of time here," Steeljaw cautioned. "And we don't have a replacement if we break it."
"Then we don't break his visor." Frenzy scrambled up onto the dining table, sat down crosslegged, and opened the metal tool case.
"Soundwave agree. Damage undesirable."
Steeljaw snorted a laugh. Frenzy grinned.
"Goal: Soundwave appear complete repair."
"How ya gonna do that, boss?" Frenzy demanded, skeptically. "No offense, but you're still talking in word salad. In English. What happens the moment Screamer switches to Cybertronian?"
"Assistance, required. Translation, required."
"Heh. Your word salad's gonna sound like it's been thrown in a blender if we try to translate it into Cybertronian. Seriously, boss. I'm good. I'm not that good."
"Frenzy, translate."
"You mean on the fly?" Frenzy said, alarm clearly thrilling through him if his widened optics were any indicaton.
"Affirmative."
He took a nervous step backwards. "I ... I can't ..."
Another step and he bumped into Steeljaw's forehead. "Frenzy? What's wrong?"
"It'd have to be a hard connection ... docked, y'know ... or it'd be detectable."
Steeljaw rose up onto his hind legs and rested his forearms on Frenzy's shoulders. Frenzy leaned back against him, shuddering, optics closing, head bumping against Steeljaw's throat. His close presence seemed to somehow ground Frenzy, to give him stability and strength.
"Docking, required," Soundwave confirmed, arms folded across his chest. "Frenzy, will."
"No!"Frenzy wailed, panic rising again.
"I've got a better idea, anyway." Steeljaw sat down on his haunches, still resting his forelegs on Frenzy's shoulders. He pulled Frenzy back against him, forelegs holding Frenzy close in a tight embrace. Soundwave relaxed even as Frenzy's panic dialed back a few notches. He was slowly realizing that when he'd been bonded to six symbionts, the emotional state of one had been less significant. Frenzy was his only cassette now, and his moods loomed larger in Soundwave's spark.
However, Steeljaw seemed to have the knack to calm Frenzy that few did. Yes, he thought, Steeljaw would be very good for Frenzy. Relief flooded his spark at the realization that Frenzy had met someone who would treat him right, who grounded him, and who would care for him even if Soundwave was gone.
Frenzy looked at him curiously, clearly detecting his change of mood. He nodded once, wishing he could convey the reasons for his relief and his approval privately. He resolved to sit down with Frenzy and make some concrete plans as soon as he could. He would talk to Frenzy about becoming an Autobot and about ways to solidify ties with both Steeljaw, and his siblings. It would be a long, hard road for them before they could bond, but he approved of the match and it would be worth the work.
However, the immediate issue was reassuring Frenzy. He reached out and rested a hand on Frenzy's arm. "Soundwave, protect Frenzy. Dock, remain closed, always. Open only in secure location. Understand?"
"It's not that, boss. It's just ... it's just that I see ... I see it. When they died."
"Soundwave," Steeljaw said, slowly, "May I make a proposal?"
"Soundwave prefer wedding proposal Steeljaw to Frenzy," he said, trusting Frenzy to laugh.
Frenzy did, and also swatted at him. "Boss? Puns do not suit you."
"He's definitely picking up a pretty good English vocabulary, though," Steeljaw was grinning openly, displaying a mouthful of teeth.
"Aaaanyway, it's too soon to worry about that." He now had a disturbing image of both of them wearing human wedding finery. He refused to be the girl, but Steeljaw in a dress and veil was just plain disturbing.
"Maybe someday." Soundwave promised this and backed it up with a fully open bond that let Frenzy see his warm feelings for Steeljaw.
"Okaaaaaaay." Frenzy shot him a surprised look, eyes widening. Then he turned his atteniton to Steeljaw and said, "You had an idea?"
"Simple enough - Soundwave, if you have no objection, I don't mind docking with you. I'd have a hardline connection to your visor and a quantum bond with Blaster. It will make undectable communication with Autobot command easy, and it will reassure Autobot command of your intentions and behavior."
Soundwave tilted his head a little to the side. He had no issue with the idea; the primary problems with the idea were cultural. From a practical standpoint, it would work. However, he noted, "Blaster, object."
He would object, strongly, if Frenzy tried to dock with Blaster. He couldn't imagine Blaster being any more thrilled with the idea.
"Prowl will approve." Steeljaw shrugged. "Blaster's just worried for my safety, and this is worth the risk. I understand you want Frenzy to translate Cybertronian to English words and transmit them to your visor, then translate your response to Cybertronian and speak through your vocalizer for you? Is that what you're thinking?"
"Affirmative."
"The hacks to do that will be easy. You willing to work with me instead?"
Frenzy slid down to sit at Steeljaw's feet. He felt useless, weak, like a failure. He'd let Soundwave down. It wasn't right that Steeljaw should take his place. He buried his face in his hands, mind swirling with half-completed thoughts that terminated before they reached conclusions. He didn't know what to think, or how to respond to this.
Steeljaw dropped down to all fours and pressed against his back, comfortingly. "It's okay, kiddo. You've been through hell and back in the last month. Let me take this mission. It'll be okay, I promise."
Soundwave added, "Steeljaw talk Autobot officers during negotiations. Useful."
"What about your limp, boss?" Frenzy pointed out the obvious. Soundwave's structural repairs were perfect, but his sensory feedback was screwed. While he could walk without his cane now, he still had an obviously uneven gait. It looked like damage to his leg unless one took a scan and had the time to track down the source of the problem.
"Explanation Starscream: Autobot repairs inferior." Soundwave squared his shoulders and stood straight. "Soundwave, functional."
Steeljaw snickered. "Don't let Ratchet hear you calling his repairs inferior."
"Affirmative." Soundwave nodded, definitely agreeing with that sentiment. "Ratchet mood positive, preferred."
"You said it, buddy." Steeljaw turned Frenzy around with a gentle tug. "Sweetspark, can you handle the mods he needs to his visor? I'll get 'Jack to give me a quick mod so I can jack into his visor while docked with him."
Frenzy hesitated. This felt wrong. He should not be letting Steeljaw take his place. For both Steeljaw and Soundwave, what they were considering was taboo. While an unbonded symbiont might occasionally dock with a carrier, a bonded symbiont never docked with a carrier who was not his own.
He asked, tentatively and knowing he was searching for an excuse to object, :Is Blaster really okay with this?:
:He's okay. I cleared it with him before I suggested it to Soundwave. Blaster'n I trust each other, Sweetspark. This is just business.:
Frenzy contemplated Soundwave's reaction if he docked with Blaster 'for business' and decided the reaction didn't bear thinking about. If Soundwave didn't implode from jealousy, he'd go catatonic from self doubt.
Steeljaw met Frenzy's gaze with a level, even look. "You know, this would be easier to do with a partner. It's going to take a lot of processor prower to translate Cybertronian into English, then I will have to translate his response back into Cybertronian, and do it instantly, real time. And I have to sound like him when I respond - Soundwave's use of language wasn't exactly standard to start with."
Soundwave made a noise something like an indignant cough at the reference to 'non-standard use of language.' Frenzy barely kept from laughing. Soundwave was - had been - fluent in scores of languages. He simply preferred to use the least number of words possible to get his point across when dealing with mechs he disliked. The less he had to communicate with them, the better, as far as Soundwave was concerned.
Frenzy looked up at Soundwave, and knew that Soundwave was disappointed in him. He had let fear overwhelm him, when he was more than capable of doing what Soundwave asked. Steeljaw was giving him an opening to work with him rather than work entirely alone.
A visceral memory of the blast, of the loss, rocketed through his mind. He'd been close enough to see into Soundwave's open docks, to see his siblings each nestled side by side with one space left for him, and he'd already initiated the first stages of transformation. A moment later, he would have been home, in Soundwave's chest.
Instead, right in front of his eyes, there had been a blinding flash, an impact from the shock wave that he'd felt as clearly as if he'd been hit by a solid object, and deafening noise, and a rain of debris - body parts from Soundwave and his sibs - and fluids and ... and the absolute knowledge that they were dead. Shattering, echoing, instantaneous loss. He'd offlined in shock.
He terminated the memory file ruthlessly, not wanting to relive that moment over and over. It would play again and again if he dwelled on it. It was better to distract himself.
"Think you'd be okay if I'm in the slot next to you?" Steeljaw asked, lowering his head to nudge Frenzy in the chest. Pleading blue eyes looked up at him, and he realized that, however brave Steeljaw was, the thought of docking with a former 'con and working alone with said 'con in a potentially hostile environment had him unnerved. It was taboo from a cultural standpoint, and it was also intimate on a level normal mechs could never appreciate.
Steeljaw would never admit to being nervous, but Frenzy could hear the faintest quaver in his voice. That, somehow, made his guilt even worse. Steeljaw was willing to fight through his fear even when Frenzy was too paralyzed with shock.
No. He would not be okay. He wanted to literally flee from this discussion. His fans whirred to life as his fight or flight subroutines activated. However, Steeljaw's optics were brilliant, full of affection, trust, and understanding. He didn't want to let Steeljaw down. Also, he refused to let the slagger get one up on him. If Steeljaw could dock with a former Decepticon, he could damn well dock with the same former 'con. For Primus's sake, Soundwave was his beloved master. Soundwave was virtually a stranger to Steeljaw.
"Yeah, I guess. I'll ... try." Slaggit, he couldn't keep the quaver out of his voice.
:Of course, we could just leave you home. I think Ratchet has a Netflix subscription.:: Steeljaw sounded almost teasing as he switched to a private comm channel.
:Primus, no.: He hadn't even thought that far. He would go nuts if they were having all the fun while he got to sit home in Ratchet's quarters.
"Good." Steeljaw leaned into him for one last hug. "I know this is hard for you, Runt. Bad memories. Both of us'll back you up, mm? You can do this, with our help."
Soundwave added, "Frenzy succeed. Stubborn, conquer fear."
"Oh, great, now I've got my own personal cheerleaders." Frenzy scowled.
"I'm not a cheerleader, I'm the mascot," Steeljaw informed him, then licked Frenzy's audio receiver. Frenzy jerked sideways, and tried to swat his lover, but Steeljaw was already halfway across the room. The damned cat could move too damned fast. Soundwave, he noticed, had also made a grab for Steeljaw and had failed. At least Soundwave was taking his side!
"You should get started on the visor mods." Steeljaw lingered, however, just out of snatching range, with the door open behind him.
Impulsively, he blurted out, :Steeljaw, I love you.:
His spark clenched, and his systems stuttered in fright. He had never voiced his feelings seriously. So little time had passed since he'd been frightened, alone, and Steeljaw had entered his life.
Steeljaw smiled. :Frenzy, I love you too.:
He shuttered his optics for a moment, warmth surging through his systems. Steeljaw loved him. He was wanted, desired, by the most wonderful mech he'd ever known. There was simple, truthful honesty in Steeljaw's words.
:I need to go.: Steeljaw sounded reluctant, but he was right. They didn't have time to indulge themselves in any more sentimental moments.:Comm me if you need any tools or parts.:
After Steeljaw had trotted out of the room, Soundwave rested a hand on Frenzy's back. "Soundwave, approve. Steeljaw, excellent match."
"We ain't permanent yet, boss." Frenzy sat down crosslegged. "Lemme have your visor. I need to solder in a couple of new leads."
Soundwave nodded, and slid the visor off his face. He was now deaf to language, and mute. He handed the visor to Frenzy, patted Frenzy on the arm, and seated himself at a chair. Frenzy was unsuprised when Soundwave produced a tool kit and a box of small electronic parts from his own subspace and picked out a few pieces Frenzy would need.
He glanced over at Soundwave.
Soundwave nodded approvingly at him.
That was definitely communication, if not language. Buoyed by Soundwave's approval, Frenzy focused on the task at hand and not on the gnawing apprehension in his spark. He could do this. He would do this. It would simply take stubborn determination and a refusal to quit, and he could dock with Soundwave like he'd done almost every day for millenia.
He looked up at Soundwave, briefly. Soundwave pointed imperiously at the visor, then handed him a soldering iron.
He'd learned stubbornness from the best of them.
He could do this. He could.