Marine Teals

:asdffgh: commlink

Chapter 7

Thundercracker's chair squeaked as he spun it around. He glanced at the datapad in his hands then glanced at the other mech in the room.

:T.C! You'd better not be near Soundwave again!: Skywarp's voice blared through his comm, and he promptly shut the link with a weary roll of optics.

"Query: trinemate?" Soundwave spoke as he typed away on the monitor keyboards. Thundercracker slumped in his seat.

"You've gotten real good at guessing my commlink."

"Reaction, self-explanatory."

"You have no idea. And why am I sitting here reading out datapads for you to enter into the systems?"

"Thundercracker, offered help."

He did actually. Lately he had been ditching his Trinemates in favor of Soundwave's company in fear of being given another "talk". This morning, when Starscream and Skywarp had advanced towards him, he had practically pleaded "hide me" to the marine tapedeck. An exasperated Soundwave had let him stay in the monitor room on his shift, and that was where he had been hiding for the last hour.

"Reconciliation?"

"Still working on it." He tossed the datapad onto the table, which earned a disapproving glare, and reached for another one. "How do you expect me to explain why I am escaping from my long-time war buddies to hang around an outsider when they refuse to understand I am spending time with said outsider completely out of my own free will?"

"Trinemates, more important."

"I'll be the one to decide that."

Soundwave wasn't facing him, so the Seeker could only guess vaguely how the telepath felt about the whole ordeal. He only typed faster and stopped making small talks altogether. The two continued, Thundercracker occasionally pointing out mistakes for Soundwave to fix.

When the last datapad had been marked, Thundercracker stretched and yawned. "Well. That had been great but I think I won't be volunteering next time."

Soundwave pushed himself away from the consoles and bend down to pet the feline symbiont lying under his seat. Ravage purred and leaned into the touch.

"You have something to do now?"

"Prepare for meeting."

"Which will be due in 3 hours. Meaning you will be spending the next 3 hours alone and miserable unless you have something to pass the time."

"... Implication: Soundwave should accompany Thundercracker."

"Why of course. Never said anything about me not being bored."

The blue mech sighed. "Suggestion?"

"I dunno. Crackle?"

"What is he doing here?"

"I'm invited."

"Boss!" Rumble, as tiny as ever, tried to block the door with his spaghetti limbs. Soundwave plucked Rumble up, ignoring his indignant protests and ushered Thundercracker in.

:Query: Why Soundwave's personal chamber?:

:First, I share room with my trine. Second, playing in the Rec room isn't the smartest idea. Third, your territory is one place my trinemates wouldn't dare enter.: The teal Seeker left out the fact that he was curious how the room of such a stoic mech looked like.

"This is our room!"

"He's not coming in without a fight!"

"Cassetticons, leave."

"But-" Frenzy was cut off mid-sentence as Soundwave pushed him and his twin out. The tapedeck then gestured for the Aerial Twins and Ravage to leave.

"Hey, take this. Consider it bribery. I stole it from Skywarp just so you now." Thundercracker handed Rumble a small box of energon treats and all the Cassetticons' attention immediately snapped to him. They were like sparklings waiting for treats. Soundwave looked at him suspiciously.

:Query: Since when Thundercracker and Cassetticons acquaintances?:

:Let's just say we have come to understanding.:

Rumble feigned contemplation but he knew the symbiont was already bought. "What are you guys going to do?"

"Crackle."

"Oh, oh! Can we watch?"

"No can do. You'll just distract me and I feel like I will be needing all of my processor power today to beat your boss."

"Che. Fat chance. Good luck with that." Frenzy snorted.

While Soundwave struggled to shoo his symbionts out, Thundercracker glanced around the chamber. It took him one look to know which end of the room was Soundwave's. A two-storey berth lay in the middle, right beside the wall. The symbionts' space was strewn with human game consoles and treat wrappings, and there was a high shelf with bars poking out, presumably for Laserbeak and Buzzsaw to perch on. The shelf was full of leaves, dried-up flowers, colorful rocks, crystals and other knick-knacks. Like a trophy display.

Soundwave's space was... well...

There wasn't much to see.

There was a neatly arranged shelf filled to the brim with datapads, a table with a small stack of datapads and a spinning chair. In fact, the only things that prevented him from thinking the place didn't belong to some drones were rainbow-colored foil sheets in various shapes.

Somehow it saddened him a little. He thought it would have been a little more... personal.

Thundercracker walked closer to inspect and admire the foil creations. Soundwave must have spend a long time meticulously folding and styling these. He could see a turbofox, a cyberwolf, a stag and a leafless willow tree among others. They were intricate, complex in pattern and elegant. Must have been a pain to make. The Seeker picked up a replica of ice crystals made from aquamarine foil and held it up towards the light. It sparkled and shimmered a splendid spectrum of blue.

Thundercracker imagined Soundwave as a closet artist. Feigning ignorance and dryness in public, exploding with creativity behind closed doors. Throwing paints on everything and speaking in a high-pitched voice. The mental image made him snicker.

He lowered the foil creation and jumped when he saw the tapedeck's unreadable stare. His visor light was bright but the color was deep, his frame tense, meaning he was either embarrassed or furious. Thundercracker quickly placed the ice replica down.

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to snoop around!"

Soundwave stalked over, grabbed his forearm and forced him to sit down on the floor. He then plunked down opposite Thundercracker with his arms crossed and the most intense glare he had ever seen on the marine mech.

The teal Seeker immediately unsubspaced the game components. Skywarp usually pestered him to play, so he always had a set of Crackle with him. Thundercracker hoped Soundwave wouldn't mind the battered condition of the set too much.

Crackle was a common game on Cybertron back in its golden, peaceful days. It was simple, moderate in length and required little to set up, therefore it was quite loved among Cybertronians. The gameplay consisted of two 24x24 checkerboards set upright, facing away from each other. Two players sitting on opposite ends control one checkerboard.

To play, each player would grid 'virtual' battleships - warship holograms - onto the boards. There were five 3x7 navy ships, seven 2x4 aircrafts and one 15x10 command ship. Each player could see the other's 'battlefield' but not the warships. The players would take turn to guess the squares where the opponent's ships were stationed. If the guess was correct (you hit a ship) then a cross would appear in that square and a crackling sound (like metals snapping) accompanied by explosions could be heard, hence the name 'Crackle'. There were even explosion effects. Cross out all enemy ships and you win.

The sound effects and explosions were half the fun and Thundercracker enjoyed those immensely. Although it was less fun when the explosions mostly happened on your own battlefield. His had been shooting fireworks for a while now.

"D-20."

"Not again!" Thundercracker threw up his arms exasperatedly as he marked a fat X on the square. It exploded. "You've already sunk 3 of my army and I've only sunk 1 aircraft! And we've only been playing for like, 25 minutes?"

"Soundwave, good at Crackle." The marine mech shrugged lightly.

"Like hell you are. How about E-12?"

"Negative. D-21."

"Damn it." Somehow, someway Soundwave had worked out some of his ship deployment patterns after several moves. The tapedeck hit another square and Thundercracker groaned.

Crackle was simple but not easy, and Thundercracker was by no means an amateur, yet Soundwave was sweeping the floor with him! Not even Starscream could won against him so effortlessly. The Seeker paused to take a sweep of his battlefield and noticed Soundwave was systematically eliminating his ships one by one from the inside out.

It took him only half a game of Crackle to find out Soundwave was a true genius. Not the I-am-superior-to-you-so-kneel kind of genius, or the shrewdly cunning kind, but the silent unshowing type that left one wonder how much more there was underneath. It also got him wondering why Soundwave never presented or assisted in the making of any battle plan, despite the fact that his intellect could make Starscream run for his credits.

"Why don't you ever voice out during meetings? You're smart. The outcomes of the Decepticons' schemes could have been much better!"

"Soundwave's duty: follow orders unconditionally."

"Yes, yes, no need to recite your entire work mantra," the Seeker impatiently waved his servo, "but your contribution could be key! And you're Head of Communication! Megatron would surely take it seriously."

"Unlikely." The telepath shook his helm. "Starscream and Megatron: prideful and obstinate. View suggestions as insult to leadership skills and possible defiance."

One time Ol' Buckethead nearly chewed off Screamer's helm just for suggesting an increase on the front line. Soundwave had a point, although it would be an incredible waste if Thundercracker couldn't do anything to put his bright mind in use. Maybe they could even win this war quicker and go home.

He propped his head on one arm and flicked a digit at Soundwave's checkerboard. "Doesn't hurt to try. G-9."

The tapedeck responded with a negative and took his turn, sinking another navy ship.

:Thundercracker, sit properly.:

:I'm trying. This is getting nowhere.:

Soundwave gifted him with a disapproving glare from across the table as he pressed his cheek on the table's cool surface. One hour into the meeting and they hadn't come up with any brilliant scheme for the Autobots' demise. Megatron and Starscream had taken to bickering about past attempts and failures.

Something cold touched his face, and Thundercracker lifted his helm to see a minicube hovering near his temple. Since when had the tapedeck come over to his side?

:Behave.: Soundwave set the cube down and swiftly returned to his seat. The Seeker grinned and took a small sip of mid-grade. Maybe next time he should also act bored to get free drinks. He was aware almost every mech present, save for Starscream and Megatron, was staring dumbstruck at him and Soundwave, and he nonchalantly drank some more. They were probably just jealous.

Thundercracker finished the minicube, tossed it under his pedes and steeled his motives.

"Lord Megatron, if I may suggest something?"

The Warlord paused in the middle of his domestic argument to regard him, and the chatters died down.

"How dare you interrupt me?"

"Please, My Lord, I do not mean to offend you in any way, but I think it would be to the Decepticons' best benefits to leave disputes behind and focus more on our common goal." Thundercracker waited, feeling his courage dwindling quickly.

"Speak."

He sighed internally. "May I suggest that instead of attacking the Autobots, we attack something else?"

Megatron turned to fully face him, and he was aware of the dead silence in the Meeting room. It seemed Thundercracker had their full and undivided attention. If he played his cards right then things would went smoothly in his direction. "Elaborate on your idea. Short and to the point. I've no time for riddles."

"My Lord, in a previous scheme where we deployed a device that rigged Teletraan-1 and turned the Autobots into mindless slaves, there was only one flaw. We couldn't be sure whether all Bots needed processor checks and software maintenance, therefore some of them remained unaffected, and those few, along with their pet squishies, created devices to remove our control. Attacking the Autobots head-on would be a bit faulty, since there are always some persistent pests. If we were to, say, control the Ark instead of the Autobots, it could cause them considerable hardship which would be to our advantage."

The Teal Seeker halted to gauge his audience's reactions. Most seemed bewildered as to where this talk was leading to. Although to the normal mech the tapedeck looked as passive as ever, he could see realization dawning on Soundwave as his visor brightened. After hanging out with Soundwave for a while, Thundercracker liked to believe he had mastered what he dubbed "visor language." With somemech who gave out so little about their emotions like the tapedeck, Thundercracker had learnt to read from bodily gestures and the lights behind his visor. Soundwave seemed to have understood the implications.

He quickly continued.

"Think about it. If we were to gain control of Teletraan-1 and the Ark, we could turn their own force against them. We can lock up the weapon storage, shut down the surveillance systems, cut off the power, lock mechs up in rooms... Then the Decepticons could just waltz in and shoot down a dozen. Or we could just shut them in the Ark and detonate it."

"How do you expect we execute this plan?"

"With a virus, Lord Megatron. It would've to be a virus strong enough to bypass Teletraan-1's firewalls and create breaches for us to hack into the Ark's systems."

Soundwave frantically pinged him. :Plan, unwise. Cease suggestions!:

: Just chill. I've got this.:

"Wait." Starscream looked at him skeptically. "What if the Autobots could stop our virus? I hate to admit but those filthy Bots have skills."

"That's why I said if the virus is strong enough."

"Your ideas are... worthy of consideration. Starscream, work on a virus to meet the aforementioned criteria."

Before the Second-in-command could respond, Thundercracker cut in. "Actually, My Lord, having Starscream develop the virus would be ineffective since his speciality lies in developing energy alternatives and weaponry. We should pick a mech who's more... in depth in the matter."

All eyes turned to the marine tapedeck, who obviously was trying to make himself smaller.

"Soundwave. You are in charge of Communication and Espionage, are you not?"

"... Affirmative, Lord Megatron. However, expertise does not include virus progra-"

"Which involves information extraction and hacking. You will be in charge of the programming. I expect it to be done in ten joors and it'd better be flawless. Now, about the deployment of the virus..."

The teal Seeker caught Soundwave's shoulder sagging just a fraction and disguises his laughter by stuffing a fist in his mouth and coughing violently. His Trinemates were glaring daggers at Soundwave, and the poor mech became more weary.

The strategy meeting ended and as Thundercracker was walking out, a blue servo gripped his forearm and pulled him into an empty corridor.

"Thundercracker, explain intentions."

"Completely pure and in the Decepticons' interest. I am just trying to put your expertise to more use, seeing as we are running out of... ingenious plots to defeat the Autobots."

"Thundercracker, did not think through!" The telepath's monotonous voice climbed a notch. "Soundwave: responsible for most crucial part of operation. Failure, attributed to Soundwave."

"You don't have to worry about that." Thundercracker chuckled softly. "I suggested the idea, so if shit goes down Megatron will have my head first. If he punishes you, just blame me. If the plan works, you and I walk away victorious. If the plan fails, I fall alone. I won't pull you down with me."

Soundwave didn't answer, but his uncertainty was palpable.

"Besides, you wouldn't be admitting defeat to the Autobots before you even tried, would you? Afraid to face off Blaster, maybe?"

The tapedeck's visor light narrowed. "Negative. Soundwave, superior."

"Last showdown you lost."

"Blaster, cheated. Used external speakers."

"All's fair in love and war, haven't you heard? If you kick his aft this round fair and square, you'd have something to gloat about next time you fight him."

With a silent glare, Soundwave stalked away from him. The Seeker sniggered. It was usually hard to rile up the telepath but when it came to his carrier counterpart, Soundwave fell for every taunt, hook, line, and sinker.

"Aww, don't be too jealous! Red and yellow combo is so yesterday. I still like your color better!"

Thundercracker burst out laughing when Soundwave nearly tripped.

This would be more fun than he had thought.

Joor = 6.5 h

So, yes, more personal. Yes, Crackle is based on Battleship.

The plot still moves slow. I hope it doesn't become too ridiculous.

Thanks to all those who faved, followed and reviewed. If you're a random reader, thanks for stopping by! It made my day.

Bye!