Soundwave

After the panic and confusion of my arrival had dissipated, campers had resumed the minimal leftover cleanup and regular activities. Will Solace, the head Apollo camper, had requested I follow him for the remainder of the day.

"Since not everyone knows about you, and how antsy the campers can get, I think it's best if you stick with me. I'm the head healer, so I usually spend most of my time in or around the infirmary, occasionally going to the archery range."

"Affirmative"

I followed Will to the infirmary, having to stay outside due to being too tall. As I leaned against the wall, passing campers would give me strange looks. They glared, glanced nervously, etc. The Ares girl, Clarisse, looked particularly spiteful.

I notified Will, "Will, campers appear to be nervous around me. I require a demigod camper to stand outside to reassure them when they see me."

"Well, I might be able to ask an Apollo camper to stand by you, but-"

Nico interrupted, "I can stay with him."

"Nico, no! You still need to rest."

"If I was good enough to run to where Soundwave crash-landed, I can stand outside with him for a while."

"Well, you weren't supposed to be there in the first place!"

"Relax. I'll still be by the infirmary, and I'll free up an Apollo camper for more important jobs, like healing."

"Okay, but stay there, sit down, and don't exert yourself. Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it."

I heard Nico get up and walk out to the door. He walked outside the infirmary, walked over to a location by my leg, and sat down.

"Nico, what does Will mean by you needing rest?"

"I thought you'd know?"

"I only know what Annabeth and Percy know, as well as what I've been told. I know about the giant war, but I do not know why or how you were injured."

"Well, I overused my shadow travel abilities. You know what that is, right?"

"Affirmative."

"Well, when I overused it, I almost dissolved into the shadows. So, Will says I need rest. I feel fine, but he insists on being safe."

"Affirmative."

"By the way, why do you say 'negative' and 'affirmative' so much when responding to questions?"

"I prefer to not speak more than I have to."

"Understandable. I don't either."

We stood for a few hours, with Nico explaining to campers what I am when they see me.

Will walled put of the infirmary, with a bit of water on him.

"I called over some Hephaestus campers so they and I can check up on you and your minicons. By the way, can you call them out?"

"Affirmative. Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage, Lazerbeak; eject."

The four of them leaped out of my tape deck, transformed, and landed by my feet.

Frenzy questioned, "Hey, Soundwave? I never noticed, but where's Buzzsaw?"

Lazerbeak added, "Yes, I was wondering where he was. He wasn't with us."

"Buzzsaw is in the medbay at Trypticon Station."

Will asked, "Wait, 'Trypticon Station?' What's that?"

"Trypticon Station, the space station where I and a majority of the other Decepticon veterans live."

"Wait, didn't you say you lived on Cybertron?" Nico asked.

"Most Cybertronians, particularly Autobot veterans and Cybertronians born after the war, do. However, a majority of Decepticon veterans live on Trypticon Station, which orbits the planet."

"Why? What are Decepticons?" Will questioned.

"The Decepticons were a rebel group that intended to overthrow the corrupt former Cybertronian government, however was lead astray from its original goal through the Great Civil War. "The Decepticons lost, and any Decepticon veterans were sentenced to a psudo-exile, where we would be required to live on stations such as Trypticon Station. Decepticons uninvolved in the War would not be required to live out the exile, and would be allowed to live on the surface."

Nico inquired, "Wouldn't that make you a criminal?"

"Negative. The new Autobot government, headed by the Autobot leader Optimus Prime, opted for a path of forgiveness rather than punishment, as he too believed in the Decepticon cause we fought for, but did not agree with the methods used. The Decepticons are recognized as a weak, but valid, political force."

"Wait, 'Prime?' As in Logos Prime, who you were?" Nico asked.

"Affirmative. He and I are Primes, making us brothers of sorts."

"Fascinating." Will added.

"Wait, if Buzzsaw is still at Trypticon Station, then that means... we have a communication link to back home!" Frenzy realized.

"Communication link?" Will asked.

Ravage explained, "Our conventional comm links do not function in this world, at least when trying to contact Trypticon Station. However, Soundwave, I, and the rest of his minicons share a psychic bond, similar to your empathy links, but stronger."

"Okay, but how does this Buzzsaw being in the medbay at the station help you?" Nico questioned.

Lazerbeak answered, "Buzzsaw is my twin brother, and he is a fellow minicon of Soundwave's."

"That means we have contact with our home!" Frenzy exclaimed.

Will asked, "Hold on, how do you know Buzzsaw's connection isn't cut off as well?"

"Negative. I can feel Buzzsaw's thoughts. The connection is intact."

Nico exclaimed, "That's great! That means you can go home soon. Not that I want you to leave."

"Negative."

"Why not?" Nico questioned.

"Buzzsaw is in induced stasis due to his injuries. It will tale some time for him to heal and awaken. That is why I did bot consider contacting Buzzsaw, as he cannot help us until he is awake."

"Are you kidding me?" Rumble complained.

"Why is he in the infirmary? What's stasis?" asked Will.

Lazerbeak answered, "Because he had a run-in with a failed clone of Soundwave. In the battle, Buzzsaw took severe damage and had to be put into induced stasis, the equivalent of a medically-induced coma."

"So that means that, until he's awake, he can't help you." Will stated.

"Affirmative. We will have to wait until he heals."

"Well, alright."

At that moment, a horn blew.

"It's that late already?" Will asked, rhetorically.

"What was that?" Rumble questioned.

"That was the dinner horn." Nico answered.

"Aw nice!" Frenzy exclaimed.

"Soundwave, I'll ask the Hephaestus campers to get you some gasoline to some gasoline so you can get energon." Will stated.

"Energon?" Nico questioned.

Will answered, "Their food source."

"Alright."

At that, we went to the dining pavilion, knowing it was a matter of waiting until Buzzsaw awoke.