[Rewritten 7/Nov/2024]
This edit made the chapter grow by over 1k words from the original version, and it is SO much better now. This version is what I originally imagined, but I lacked the skills to get it across properly!
It had been several earthen weeks since Soundwave had spoken to Megatron, and she hadn't uttered another word beyond her family since. She pondered on whether her Lord thought she would speak to him more now that she had graced him with an answer to his question.
Well, she wasn't—she didn't like speaking to others outside her unit. Everybody else was annoying and moronic in nature compared to her; the best example would be Starscream. Primus, that seeker just didn't know when to quit while he was ahead.
Well. Not exactly ahead, but he could be living comfortably, with Megatron's trust, if only he wasn't seeking to usurper their leader every chance he had.
Starscream was intelligent, Soundwave would never deny it—he had been the leader of the Seekers before the war after all—but sometimes he could just so…stupid. Something about trying to off Megatron just flung every ounce of intelligence out the window.
She felt the silent questions from her unit when she realised her thoughts had strayed and that she hadn't blocked her sudden annoyance from them. She waved them off.
The familial unit continued their trek down the hallways of the Nemesis while Soundwave found coordinates for a river that her family could spend some time playing in without the possibility of any humans or Autobots coming across them.
Soundwave didn't pause as she opened a ground bridge, walking through with her family just behind her.
Immediately, Rumble and Frenzy dashed past her as they ran to the river laughing, Ratbat and Lazerbeak just behind them. Ravage joined Soundwave as she sat down, and she stroked the cyber-panther's back strut. Ravage purred as loud as an earth's motorbike engine.
Soundwave lamented silently that Harmonious could not be here to experience these types of moments but was grateful, too. The war would have tainted him. No doubt he would have become an Autobot with his kind soul—Soundwave would have readily followed him too, but alas, he wasn't here, and Soundwave had become a Decepticon to repay a debt and was far too deep to back out now.
Ravage lifted his head and shuffled closer to settle in her lap, nudging his snout against her chin to try and distract his charge from her thoughts. Soundwave smiled behind her visor and scratched Ravage's ear as she watched her children play in the river.
She missed the fact that they could not act their age—they weren't free to run about outside without having to worry about possibly catching the attention of the Autobots or annoying Decepticons with their antics.
Because of this war—the war Megatron started—her children couldn't do anything childlike. At the beginning, she had thought it sounded remarkable. However, her beloved spark mate's concern had smacked her right in the face. Soundwave had a lot to lose, more than anyone in Kaon with her connections to the High Council. So…Soundwave had stepped back, stepped away from Megatron. But then Harmonious was murdered, and Soundwave lost her way. She used Megatron as support as she healed, and while she did so, she fell for Megatron's words once more and joined his cause.
She was a fool.
A fool that had done anything to forget the pain of losing the one she loved.
They returned to the Nemesis over two joors later, her family scattering to go about their own things while Soundwave returned to her station to start work. She continued working until well into the Earth night cycle before deciding to retire.
Switching places with a Vehicon, Soundwave began to travel towards her elevator. Her walk barely made a sound compared to the deep humming of the Nemesis. She came across not a single bot or drone, though she was hardly surprised.
However, she was surprised when her audio receptors picked up the familiar voices of Megatron and Shockwave.
"If I may say so, I still disprove of lying to her, Lord Megatron, "Shockwave voiced, something…odd in his voice that Soundwave couldn't quite place presently. Not without context.
Soundwave tilted her head, lying to her? Her who? She shifted closer to the door without accidentally setting off the sensors to open it.
Soundwave twitched as Megatron's growl passed through the door. "You cannot tell me what is right from wrong, Shockwave. It was also your suggestion for me to take action if I was to regain her support."
"My liege," Shockwave rebuffed, shock in his voice. Not something that happened often, and he continued, audibly angry. "I did not logically think you would act upon the comment of offlining him I had made while overcharged and having listened to you ranting for almost a joor."
Confusion fuelled Soundwave, her optical ridges furrowing deeply. She lightly blocked her bonds when they questioned her sudden confusion, not wanting to become distracted by it.
"She is a crucial part of my army, Shockwave," Megatron continued, a growl in his voice. "I wouldn't have my current communications officer if I had not offlined that pathetic excuse of a Cybertronian. He was a thorn in my side that needed tending too."
Communications officer… that was her. Soundwave's body tensed in disbelief. Offlined that pathetic…excuse of a Cybertronian… Harmonious?
Soundwave stumbled backwards, latching onto the wall to stabilise herself.
Megatron was the one to—
Soundwave numbly turned and continued to walk. As she entered the lift, she found herself on the verge of hyperventilating. Her vents worked hard to keep Soundwave from shaking and overheating, but they couldn't stop the coolant that escaped her optics.
Her unit was nervously waiting by the entrance to their room for her. It took a moment for it to register that she hadn't blocked her bonds, giving them full access.
"Ma?" Ratbat's quiet, quivering voice sounded like she was on the verge of tears.
Soundwave stepped forward and collapsed to the floor, where her family swarmed her.
"What happened?" Lazerbeak crooned, ruffling his wings in worry.
Soundwave vented sharply as she tried to get a hold of her vocal processor to speak. While doing so, she roughly reached up and removed her visor, not caring as it slipped from her grip and clanked to the floor.
Frenzy and Rumble immediately slipped under her arms and curled into her as Ravage, Ratbat, and Lazerbeak all settled on her legs.
"H—He killed. He was the one—" Soundwave choked out.
Ravage warbled gently in encouragement.
Soundwave sniffed, frame trembling. "H-he... Megatron—he, he was the one to kill Harmonious."
Silence, then—
Lazerbeak reared back and snarled. "How dare he! After everything you've done for that mech! I'll make him pay for his treachery!"
"Lazerbeak," Ravage hissed back, paw pressing the hawk to the floor. "You will do no such things!"
The blue cyber-condor twisted to glare at the cyber-panther. "Why not?"
"He'll just kill you too," Rumble murmured quietly.
Frenzy made a noise in agreement. "You don't want to cause Ma more pain, right?"
Lazerbeak sighed, turning back to Soundwave at a loss.
"What are we going to do?" Lazerbeak pushed. "This is our chance, Soundwave. We can defect. We can't let him get away with this treachery! He's made an utter fool of you!"
"No." They all glanced up at Soundwave as she ran her digits over Ratbat's helm, optics no longer leaking coolant. Instead, they burned with hatred. "He will suffer when the time comes."
Already, Soundwave was making calculations.
Upon the start of her next shift on the bridge of the Nemesis, it took every ounce of self-control to stop herself from moving up behind Megatron and extinguishing his spark right there and then.
Instead, she gritted her teeth and played the silent and loyal Communication Officer. Soundwave was nothing if not driven. She would pull the rug out from beneath Megatron when he least expected it and return the pain he gave her tenfold.
So, what if it was her who slipped the Predaking information about how Shockwave's Project Predacon really failed? No one would believe Megatron's most loyal Deception would be the one to be pulling the strings of his downfall.
Soundwave watched from the air in her aerial alt-mode with Ratbat, Ravage, Rumble and Frenzy all docked on her frame while Lazerbeak was deployed and flying alongside Soundwave.
Everything was going along so smoothly for the Decepticons that it was almost sickening, but her plan was slowly falling into place. Soundwave was going to make the Omega Lock blow up in Megatron's face and Soundwave was going to be there to pick him up, dust him off and then extinguish his spark.
The sound of a ground bridge not of her marking broke Soundwave from her musing, and she turned her attention to it as the familiar forms of the Autobots drove out.
She listened as Ravage poked their bond questioningly at the sight of them.
Soundwave cycles air through her vents and calculated the Vehicons' locations to open up a ground bridge to the Nemesis. She opened a bridge for them to escape into with their cargo.
Lazerbeak buzzed softly when he noticed that Optimus had spotted them, turning to distract the Prime, who had transformed and taken off into the air.
The unit panicked for a moment as Optimus struck Lazerbeak, sending him careening off course.
Once the ground bridge closed, Soundwave turned. Her job here was complete, and there was no reason to lag behind. However, it seemed that Optimus didn't want her to leave and started firing at her.
Soundwave skilfully avoided the bullets from Optimus' gun. However, despite that, Optimus managed to strike her wing when she tilted too far right. She lost control, and her hub blared with warnings. Soundwave panicked as she crashed toward the ground, transforming and ejecting the twins at a safe distance. Still, all three went flying into the powerlines, and all five were exposed to high voltage.
Her frame locked up, voice lodged in her throat as she was electrocuted, her younglings not as quiet as she was, and her spark tightened at her failed attempt to protect them, but poor Ratbat squealed and tried to disconnect from her back (which she disallowed) while Ravage stewed silently, more worried about her and the others than his own health. She felt and heard the twins roll on the ground, thankfully not having the full force of voltage as Soundwave had.
Ravage ejected himself without her permission and Soundwave vented sharply, feeling her systems going haywire, her vision wavered and distorted as she tried to get on her servos and knees. She glanced up to see Ravage a few feet away, stumbling to pull her unconscious younglings to a safe distance and she reached out, but the voltage proved too much for her systems and she collapsed, falling into stasis lock.
~Order: Laserbeak return to Nemesis~
Before falling entirely into stasis, her glitching audio receptors picked up the Autobots and their approach.
Optimus then spoke over his comm. "Ratchet, reopen the ground bridge but ensure that the humans are kept at a safe distance, for we will be returning with Decepticon prisoners."
She blacked out.
Soundwave stirred slowly. The moment her systems booted up, a massive processor ache struck through her. Ugh. Her systems were all over the place, displaying her health and status. Only Ratbat was docked, and her last moments were a blur before they violently slammed into her.
It just made her processor ache worse.
She lurched but found herself cuffed down. Soundwave snapped her helm toward the Cybertronians present. Autobots. Frag. Right. Optimus had shot her down. Lazerbeak had gotten away.
Frenzy, Rumble and Ravage were nowhere to be seen, but she could feel them close by, unhurt, and that was enough to calm her panic.
"—Because we had the foresight to shield our new base," Ratchet was speaking and Soundwave stopped feeling along her bonds to turn towards her captors again. "Our captive will be unable to transmit his coordinates to the Decepticon warship."
"Nor will they, in turn, be able to pinpoint his or the symbiotes' locations," Optimus finished.
Soundwave allowed herself to feel twangs of amusement despite her current pediment. Despite the reason people had come to know her as a mech, Soundwave had always found a sort of…relief there, too. Soundwave was not obvious to how bots she used to work with at the High Council had sexualised her. It had disgusted her, and being seen as a mech stopped the worst of it. People still eyed her up, but it was with the knowledge she was a he, and that was entirely different.
"Guess we have all the time in the world to make Mr Personality tell us everything he knows," Wheeljack grinned as he slammed his servo into the other.
"The Cons' Surveillance Chief must know a lot, right?" the oldest youngling, Jack Darby, said from afar. Her optics found his position but her head did not turn to show her optics movements. All three younglings were there.
"But Soundwave doesn't speak, does he?" The only human femme, Miko, asked, leaning on the railing. "Does he even have a face?"
Rafael stood silently with an unsure look on his face. She wondered if his thoughts turned to their close encounter, during which she had saved him from MECH.
Optimus Prime stepped closer, and Soundwave pivoted her attention toward him
"Why is Megatron stealing human technology? What is he attempting to build?" Optimus Prime demanded.
"~Wh-Wh-why is M-Megatron STEALING Tech-tech-tech-technology? ~ Wha-wha-what IS HE ATTEMPTING TO BUILD to-to build?~" Soundwave played back in a series of techno and her own recordings of Optimus' voice. She was going to have some fun before doing anything else. She needed time to do calculations.
"Whoa, Optimus Prime: The remix," Miko said in awe.
Glad to have at least impressed someone, even if it was the odd human femmeling of all people, Soundwave made a smiley face appear on her visor as Optimus backed away.
Was that a startled look on his faceplate? Now Soundwave really was having fun. It wasn't often Optimus Prime let himself look so surprised! Orion Pax, on the other hand…
"Oh, yeah? Why don't I wipe that smile right off his face," Bulkhead threatened, deploying his wrecking ball.
"Soundwave, we have treated you fairly. For the sake of the natives of this planet, tell us what Megatron is attempting to build," Optimus warned. "I do not wish to, but if you force our servo, we will rely upon less civil methods of interrogation."
"Scrap this! Soundwave is no ordinary Cybertronian, inside or out, so I would strongly suggest opening him up so we can have a first-hand look at the information recorded on his drives," Ratchet snapped.
Yikes, who spat in his energon?
Despite this situation, Soundwave was not going to allow the Omega Lock to proceed. She was fond of this planet and its creative life forms. She cycled air through her vents, optics drifting back to the three human younglings.
Somewhere around here her own younglings were being hidden with Ravage. Ratbat had awoken now and making her desire to detach and defend very clear. Soundwave denied that demand.
She cycled air through her frame again and came to a conclusion. Unable to stop herself, she let out a chuckle. Everyone in the room froze before they turned back to her. It wasn't the deep, monotonous voice they were expecting of someone like Soundwave. Not at all.
Smokescreen stepped forward and asked, in a dry tone, "What femme did you come across to get the recording?"
Behind her mask, Soundwave smiled. She immediately felt the amusement from her family as they encouraged her to continue. She was definitely going to enjoy this, but at his question, the femme actually let out another chuckle. She lulled her head towards Smokescreen.
"Smokescreen: amuses Soundwave," Soundwave purred, causing a few jaws to drop in disbelief.
"W-what?"
"~Smokescreen: amuses Soundwave~." She replayed her voice before actually speaking again. "Inquiry: is there something wrong with that?"
Smokescreen started stuttering out a wordless reply, flustered as he backed away. His fans kicked in, and Arcee whacked his arm with a judging look.
"Wait, I thought you said Soundwave was a guy?" Jack questioned in bewilderment and was met with silence before Ratchet spoke up.
"We were given that impression," he breathed out in shock. "Even Decepticons talk of Soundwave as a mech."
"Decepticons: believe Soundwave to be a mech. Megatron, Shockwave: only two aware," Soundwave turned towards Optimus, who had yet to say anything, merely staring at her with a familiar look in his optic. Soundwave hadn't seen that look in a long time. He was shocked, yes, but like something made so much more sense now. "Location of Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage required."
Optimus looked over her visor for a few spark pulses before turning to the two wreckers. "Bring them in here."
Ultra Magnus, Arcee and Ratchet all made a move to verbally protest, but Optimus held up a servo and reiterated what he ordered.
After several moments, Bulkhead and Wheeljack returned with a cuffed Rumble and Frenzy (both grumbling as they hurried towards Soundwave but didn't outright say anything) and a caged Ravage, who growled lowly at the sight of Soundwave locked up.
She sent reassurance over her bond with him. In return, she received a silent questionbut acknowledgement and acceptance as well.
"Now that they have been returned to you, will you be willing to share what it is that Megatron is trying to accomplish?"
Soundwave pursed her lips, pondering on what she could achieve. Possibly Megatron's demise, she felt the immediate agreement from four out of five of her unit, Lazerbeak was too far to communicate with. With the Autobots, the percentage of her plan succeeding is bolstered by incredible numbers.
Ratchet scoffed. "Why would you believe Soundwave would say anything, h—she's loyal to a fault. She's not going to tell you anything."
Rumble scoffed, Frenzy shoved him, and Ravage gave a groan at their antics.
Rumble finally spoke. "Not everyone joined the 'Cons out of loyalty to the cause."
Now that surprised the Autobots.
"Are you saying that Soundwave joined the Decepticons for some 'other reason'," Ultra Magnus questioned, his optics narrowed. He'd set his foot down on what he believed obviously.
"You shouldn't just assume stuff!" Frenzy snapped, huffing in annoyance.
"Rumble, Frenzy: be calm," Soundwave murmured. "Soundwave: appreciative, but comments nonessential."
The younglings gave noises of protest but didn't speak anymore.
Soundwave turns back to Optimus Prime. She ignored everyone else, forcing herself to focus otherwise Soundwave knew she would falter. "Rumble's comment: Correct. Soundwave: stepped back before war due to dangers to Soundwave's family from High Council. Megatron: claimed acceptance. Words false. Megatron: did not wish to lose Soundwave's abilities. Megatron:—" Soundwave wavered, spark clenching tightly. She stumbled over her words. "Megatron: murdered Soundwave's sparkmate to lure Soundwave back. Soundwave: joined Decepticons under false pretences. Soundwave: learned truth recently."
Looks of disbelief appeared on the younger Autobots and humans faces. But Optimus…oh, his expression was like a punch to her gut. Not quite pity, but something close enough. Orion Pax had only met Harmonious a handful of times, had seen how friendly Megatron had been to him, how Harmonious had welcomed the pit fighter into their home. Only for Megatron to turn around and kill him.
"Sparkmate?" Raf questioned hesitantly.
"A sparkmate in human terms is similar to that of your marriage, however, a sparkbond is…" Ratchet paused for a moment, pondering how to word it for the humans. "Our sparks are able to create links—bonds—to one another, where you are able to send thoughts and feelings back and forth through them. There are lots of different types, you have one between lovers, siblings, twins, creators and creations, to just to name a few."
"Whoa," all three humans are undoubtedly amazed by the prospect.
"That sounds amazing," Jack added.
"Affirmative," they all turned back to Soundwave as she spoke once more, this time far more composed. "Harmonious: deserved better. Soundwave: believed Megatron to be a friend. Soundwave: helped raise Megaron's rank and taught him to fight as a gladiator. Soundwave: brought Megatron home. Soundwave: trusted Megatron with family. Megatron: turned around and murdered Soundwave's sparkmate when denied."
Rumble and Frenzy shuffled even closer, knowing she needed the comfort, which was all they could currently provide. She was grateful.
"And how do we know that you aren't just playing us?" Arcee questioned, raising a brow. But there was an undeniable hesitancy in her gait.
Soundwave pursed her lips, selecting the right audio and playing it. "~"I wouldn't have my current communications officer if I had not offlined that pathetic excuse of a Cybertronian. He was a thorn in my side that needed tending too.~"
Optimus Prime closed his eyes, grief on his face. Soundwave wondered if he had been hoping her words were a lie. Soundwave would have wanted that had she been in his position. That not even Soundwave was safe from Megatron's violence had to be the final nail in the coffin for Optimus Prime.
"Megatron: rebuilding Omega Lock. Soundwave: already has contingency in place. Autobots: would increase success of stopping Omega Lock," Soundwave supplied finally. Primus felt good to get off her chassis.
"Rebuild the Omega Lock?" Optimus echoed, and so Soundwave began to explain further.
They were released from their binds, and Soundwave permitted Ratchet to tend to the remaining damage from the powerlines. He had tended to her mechlings before Soundwave had even awoken, which had already put a point in his favour.
Soundwave stood stock still as the Autobots left the base on a mission to stop the Decepticons. Perhaps it was a distraction from the Decepticons? Megatron would no doubt want Soundwave back. Ravage settled at her feet, and Ratbat was finally allowed to detach from her back. She chirped loudly and took up residents on Soundwave's chassis, her wing thumbs hooking into small notches to keep her there. Ratbat gently nuzzled her helm against Soundwave's armour.
~Do you think we'll get away with this, Ma?~Frenzy questioned.
~This is Megatron we're talking about~ Rumble answered, tone dry. ~Eight times out of ten, it's Soundwave holding everything together~
~I didn't ask you!~ Frenzy growled back, climbing around Soundwave's leg to shove his brother. Said brother hissed back and shoved Frenzy back, ultimately ending with the twins tussling on the floor.
Both groaned as Soundwave laughed over the bonds while Ravage gave a hissy snigger and Ratbat giggled aloud. It got the attention of the remaining Autobots as the brothers continued to bicker back and forth until Soundwave reached down and flicked them both on the helm.
The younglings cried out at the sudden attack, both shouting: "Ma!"
"Stop laughing at us!" Frenzy added.
Soundwave smiled behind her visor as she continued to project her amusement over their bond. When, from the corner of her optic, Rafael wandered closer on the metal catwalk, Soundwave turned to give him her attention.
"I…uh…hi?" he greeted nervously, gripping the yellow railing.
Soundwave dipped her helm at him. "~I…uh…hi?~" she played back, smiling as Raf blushed. "Rafael: not getting into more trouble?"
"Define trouble," he muttered, glancing toward Miko, who was standing back watching the interaction with Jack.
"Hey!" Miko protested, puffing up with offence. "I've been doing better!"
"Uh-huh," Jack 'agreed', not sounding at all convinced by such. Miko pouted at him.
"I wanted to thank you again, for…for helping me back with MECH," Rafael said, turning back to her.
Soundwave blinked, partly surprised. It had been some earthen months since she had rescued him from the MECH base. Soundwave had only wished Silas had suffered a little more. "Soundwave: does not enjoy harm coming to younglings or those unable to fight back."
"But you're a 'Con?" Miko remarked.
"Miko!" Jack hissed, elbowing the femme for the comment.
"What? It's true!" Miko snapped back.
Rafael sighed.
Soundwave pondered how she wished to answer. She cycled air through her vents. "I can fight but do not do so often." The shift in her voice startled all three, and they stared, eyes wide, up at her. "I am a critical personnel member within the Decepticon forces. None can match my efficiency." Soundwave tilted her helm. "I was aware of the virus you implanted within Lazerbeak. His systems automatically registered your hack and suitably corralled its existence. It came after I discovered Megatron's betrayal, so I allowed its continued existence within the Nemesis's systems."
Rafael baulked, face going red again. It was endearing. Rafael was smart, but Soundwave was smarter. She had known Ratchet was there before Lazerbeak had blacked out and that he was still there when she arrived. Infrared picked up the heat of a Cybertronian frame, after all.
"Whoa," Miko breathed.
"I used the fact my skills were unmatched to ensure my continual presence…Truthfully, the Nemesis is likely to fall apart if I am gone longer than an earthen week," Soundwave added, a touch of humour within her voice. "Soundwave: fears she has coddled Decepticons."
"Wait, seriously?" Miko laughed.
"Affirmative."
Soundwave was aware of the remaining Autobots' optics on her, listening to the exchange. They were wary. Such was rational. But they were also curious.
"Soundwave: possessed useful skills where others do not. Talents: allow Soundwave to avoid the battlefield unless necessary," she concluded.
"So…why were you pretending to be a guy?" Miko asked.
"Soundwave: forced to become gladiator and created façade of being a mech to avoid worse outcome."
"…Worse outcome? What's worse than being forced to be a gladiator?" Jack asked.
"Desist. Topics not suitable for younglings," Soundwave stated, voice lacking all emotion. Soundwave was long over that possibility. In truth, Soundwave had never feared it—her processor ran faster than any average Cybertronian, and she had already calculated how to escape had the Pit Leader not initially logged her as a mech. But…Soundwave had been a little bored, and when he demanded compensation in the form of "him" becoming a Pit Fighter…Soundwave had been a little curious.
"…Okay," Rafael agreed weakly, but Soundwave could easily conclude several possibilities on where their thoughts had turned. They were younglings, not stupid.
"Soundwave," Ratchet spoke up and she turned to him. "May I ask something?"
"Affirmative."
Ratchet turned his gaze onto her mechlings, who stared back with a puzzled look. "Are Frenzy and Rumble yours?"
Smokescreen and Bulkhead startled at the question. The children also.
"Inquiry: why does Autobot medic ask?"
"It's been on my processor, is all," Ratchet admitted. "They've been at your side long before the war."
"Nah, ma didn't birth us, if that's what you're asking," Frenzy answered.
"We were just a couple of unwanted younglings," Rumble added.
"Soundwave adopted Rumble and Frenzy. They were a troublesome duo for the orphanage," was Ravage's dry response.
"Soundwave: grew fond of twin mechlings who snuck to the park outside former residence," Soundwave added, warmth in her voice. Rumble and Frenzy hugged her legs, sharing grins between themselves. "I…was lonely and became fond of them. I earned enough to support them and so adopted."
"I don't know a lot about Kaon but…you couldn't have done that, right? Kaon was really…" Bulkhead trailed off, unsure how to put the state of Kaon into words.
Soundwave shook her helm. "Soundwave: born and raised in Iacon."
"What?!" Smokescreen baulked in shock. "Seriously?"
"Affirmative. Reminder: Soundwave worked for High Council. Respect and job assisted in helping gain custody of Rumble and Frenzy," she explained. "Answer: Soundwave did not hold twin's kindling within her frame but loves twins as though had."
Ratchet seemed content with that answer, something softening his frame, and he nodded. "Thank you for answering."
Lazerbeak pinged, reaching out to her just as William Fowler entered the base, flinching at the sight of her despite having previously been aware of Soundwave's turncoat nature.
Soundwave turned to Ratchet to inform him. "Lazerbeak: close by."
Just as she had announced Lazerbeak's statue, the blue cyber-condor flew in through the open window and immediately attached to her back to upload information as his normal front dock had been blocked by Ratbat.
"What did Lazerbeak inform you of?" Ratchet asked as Soundwave went over the data.
Soundwave glanced to the medic. "Orders: Bring Autobot's medic, demand Autobot Ratchet finish synthetic energon."
Ratchet nodded. There wasn't much of a plan at the moment, so they would just have to wing it.
"Soundwave: kidnap Autobot medic to bring to Nemesis. Soundwave: will sync with Autobot's systems to allow Autobots to track Nemesis," Soundwave said. "Further instructions can be communicated later via Autobots and myself."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Bulkhead questioned warily.
Soundwave is not offended by the lack of trust. "Wrecker: have other ideas?"
Bulkhead groaned out a sigh of acceptance.
"Soundwave makes a good point," Ratchet defended, then gestured for her to step up to their monitors. "Please."
Soundwave released her tendrils to link up to the systems long enough to upload and log a tracker for her person. Alongside the others displaced on screen, a basic icon of SW appeared. Once it was confirmed, Soundwave disconnected but didn't pull her tendrils back, instead turning toward Ratchet.
She was gentle about knocking him into stasis, holding Ratchet up with just her tendrils, earning an amused sound from Miko. Rumble and Frenzy snickered and rushed through the ground bridge that Soundwave had created. Shortly after, Ravage followed, and Soundwave herself dragged the downed Ratchet through.
~Let's hope this works~ Lazerbeak murmured through his side of the bond.
I love Canon Soundwave, but this Soundwave is slightly more cautious. She picked up on the hacking into Lazerbeak. One because canon LB and this LB are different, the former more of a drone. And two, she was aware of Ratchet and that he must have done something, so she didn't immediately sync up with Lazerbeak.