This is part 3 of my Haunting The Nemesis series and I am so excited! This will be a series of short chapters of Danny's adventures on the Nemesis and all of his interactions and chaos with the Decepticons, as well as a few with some Autobots! I do recommend reading the other two parts of the series first for context! But most of these will have enough information and references that you can read this on its own.

Individual TWs will be added for each chapter as needed! Enjoy!


Danny had been on the Nemesis for over a week at this point, and for some reason, Megatron hadn't come kicking down Starscream's door in order to confiscate his new pet and blast Danny to smithereens or throw him out the airlock. From what he had heard about Megatron from Starscream's dramatic retellings he seemed to have more of a dislike towards humans than Starscream did.

Though to be fair, Starscream still greatly disliked humans, he was just stuck with one who was now not going to leave him alone and was starting to reluctantly enjoy his company because Danny is the only one who tolerated his monologuing.

But so far, the only Decepticons aware of Danny's presence were Starscream, Knockout, and Breakdown. The two later found Danny inside Starscream's crushed subspace after pulling them away from the cave Danny had phased them out of. Once a more lucid Starscream had threatened them enough about what would happen if they told Megatron, even Danny was scared for them.

Danny didn't know if Starscream was more worried about Danny getting killed if Megatron found out or if Starscream was worried about what Megaton would do to him if he found out that his second-in-command adopted a human pet. Probably a mix of both.

So far, from what Starscream had relayed to him in the last couple of months, Megatron seemed like the kind of mech to let Starscream keep Danny until he messed up and then would promptly squeeze the new pet until he exploded just to prove that he had power over Starscream. And that thought was enough of a reason for Danny to try and stay in hiding. Not that he was worried that Megatron would kill him — Danny didn't think anyone on this ship could — but he didn't want Starscream to get hurt in the process and Danny to be a means to achieve that hurt.

But still, Danny was confused. And he could tell that Starscream was as well. The last few days, he had seen the seeker pacing incessantly around his room and talking to himself about how something seemed off. Starscream had warned Danny not to leave his room, which Danny didn't listen to. But apparently, the bedrooms (berth-rooms? Personal quarters?) were the only places on the Nemesis without security cameras.

But with all of those cameras, there definitely had to be some way that Megatron knew about him, that is unless someone was messing with the footage. After some light questioning of Starscream about how the security worked and who had access, he discovered that a mech by the name Soundwave had control of everything on the ship. He was apparently constantly watching and recording everything that happened and was the third in command on the Nemesis after Starscream himself. And if anything was happening to the footage Danny was in, it was 'cause of that guy.

Danny decided to take this questioning into his own hands. A few days later, while Starscream was out, Danny turned invisible and slipped through the door, weaving in and out through the hallways until he found a big enough door that he could safely assume was the bridge.

There, standing at the main control panel, surrounded by monitors, was a tall purple mech who looked like he was pierced together by several thin pieces of metal. Even his arms seemed as thin as paper compared to the rest of these guys.

The purple origami man was rapidly typing on the keys with fingers even longer than Starscream's (which Danny didn't even think was possible). As Danny floated closer to his side he saw the black screen covering his faceplate, removing any expression from the table. He remembered Screamy talking about that "faceless freak" before, and how unnerving it was to be around him.

Well, now was as good a time as ever to make an introduction. "Heyyy, just the mech I wanted to talk to," Danny said as he turned visible and walked out of the shadows. The mech simply turned its helm towards him and tilted his visor to the side. Screamy was right; that was a little unnerving. He could see his reflection looking back at him in the black glass.

And if Starscream's EM field was hard to read, this guy's was impossible. Danny strolled up closer to him, pretending that the staring didn't bother him at all. "I was curious. Why didn't you rat me out, to the big M?" Danny put his hands in his pockets. "I know you saw me on the cameras in the lab. There's no way you didn't. And I've been in the halls many times. I was expecting to be exterminated like the "pest" I am by now."

Soundwave didn't move from his position. "Curious, -saw- -on the cameras-, didn't- know -why-." The mech clipped back to him in his own voice, which made Danny's eyes widen.

"You were curious about me, so you wanted to know more before you go tell your master?"

The mech paused, as if trying to comb through Danny's sentences for words but instead decided to lean in closer, awkwardly crouching on one knee so that Danny could see his visor more clearly as English words appeared on the screen for Danny to read like subtitles. 'Subject gives off unstable readings, waiting for more data before proceeding…' A scan of Danny's body showed up on Soundwave's faceplate. Things like 'below average body temperature' and 'Energy feedback readings' stood out.

Danny laughed nervously. It seemed this guy was closer to finding Danny out than he would have hoped. Danny rubbed the back of his neck as he stepped back a bit. "If you find out what I am, will you tell Megatron?"

Soundwave stilled a bit too long for Danny's liking before responding. "Negative." The voice sounded strangely monotone and robotic compared to any other mechs he encountered. "Statement: Report is required for all unauthorized guests. Statement: you are not unauthorized."

Danny smiled. "So because Starscream let me on, I'm allowed?" He paused. "Also, was that your real voice?"

The mech again waited a long moment before responding. "Both assessments: correct."

"I didn't think you spoke around other people?" Danny questioned. He was sure that Starscream had mentioned he never heard the mech speak, and Starscream didn't even think he had a voice.

Soundwave straightened slightly so he wasn't crouching down so far to meet Danny in the middle. "Only when necessary." He then started turning around to face the monitors again. Ahh, the work grind never stops.

Danny scuffed his foot back and forth on the floor. Starscream wouldn't be back for another hour or so and he was bored of those data pads. Danny coughed into his hand, causing the mech to turn his helm back towards Danny again with a slight tilt. "You mind if I join you for a bit?"

Soundwave paused in thought before he replied with a quick nod. Just as Danny was about to walk closer to the terminal, a long purple tendril extended from Soundwave's side and slowly wormed itself toward Danny. Danny stepped back a bit in surprise at first but the tentacle gently wrapped itself around Danny's waist, gently lifting him to the height of the desk and placing him down with more gentleness than he had received at any point being on the Nemesis thus far.

Soundwave must not have been doing anything important, as he let Danny watch. Or maybe he just didn't think Danny was able to learn Cybertronian that fast. Danny sat down on the desk with crossed legs as he glanced over the text flashing up the screen rapidly. The other monitors were showing cameras and other information they were scanning from Earth, photos, maps, and even articles of dig sites. Danny sat there, enamored by the work.

"Request: reveal your designation." Danny's head snapped up and back towards Soundwave's visor, which was solely focused on him. Danny guessed on the cameras he was just called 'the human' or 'pest' or 'Starscream's pet'. It was nice of him to ask.

"Danny. My name is Danny." Danny smiled brightly.

Soundwave nodded as a smiling emoticon appeared on his visor and he turned back to his work.


Authors Notes

Beta read by Arvensia

Disclaimer: Soundwave talking — so I know that Soundwave doesn't commonly talk in Prime like… at all. But he is shown to speak (even if it was only one line) in the series. He can talk, he just chooses not to unless the need arises. This started back when he was in the Senate and no one listened to him, so he decided that actions speak louder than words. After that, he only speaks to those he respects, and when the need arises. Mainly Megatron, or his mini-cons.

As much as I love Soundwave's somehow snarky silence and clipping things together with previous words he has recorded, I think it's sweet if he finds himself willing to speak to Danny, especially because I see him as treating Danny almost like one of his mini-cons. Either way! Hope my interpretation of Soundwave is up to your standards and that people enjoyed how I wrote him 3