Chapter Text
“Safe travels Boss!”
“Acknowledged. Rumble: Avoid pranks”
“Wha- why only me! Frenzy’s in on it too! At least most of the time..” the blue casseticon grumbled.
Frenzy was about to protest when Soundwave turned his back and faced the space bridge to cybertron. His cassettes were currently sending him off after they’ve been given their assigned tasks.
Soundwave sighed. Even though he’d rather send these files to his fellow third-in-command via a data transfer, unfortunately he can’t risk these files falling into Autobot hands. Even if he can put the most intricate encryption and firewall, the risk was too great for hacking. He read the cover of the datapad once more to check before stepping in.
TOP SECRET
Blueprints for [REDACTED]
Authorization Level 3 and Above Required To View Files.
Only few individuals knew of this project. Him, Lord Megatron, and Shockwave. Lord Megatron would rather destroy this file rather than let his traitorous second in command get his grabby servos on it to use it to his advantage to usurp him. Again. For the nth time.
If Soundwave’s being honest, he doesn’t really talk to the one-eyed scientist except when needed or in rare occasions that he substitutes for Lord Megatron to receive important news from home sure he respects him but only in a professional level, the mech was known for his works but he’s always been mysterious.
Home huh. Soundwave mused. It’s been awhile since he’s seen Cybertron, maybe a quick change of scenery will do him good. The war has been putting a lot of strain in his body and mind, not to mention the backstabbing and plotting of Starscream means an increase in his workload. As he gave one final look, he saw his twin cassettes go from arguing to rough housing. Ravage gave him a sad look, his eyes pleading for him to hurry up with the job and come home. Laserbeak and Buzzsaw were flying around the twins, having their own style of goodbye for their master. Rumble and Frenzy noticed the two flying cassetticons above them squawking, they immediately stopped and looked at Soundwave whose arms are crossed and his disapproval clear in their symbiotic bond.
“Uh- Don’t worry boss! We got this, besides you’ll only be quick right?” Rumble said with a nervous laugh, his servo scratching the back of his head while Frenzy snickered at him.
Soundwave nodded. Maybe putting Rumble in charge of the cassettes was a slight miscalculation on his part he thought as he faced the spacebridge again.
Too late for that. He sighed as he stepped into the portal where he was greeted by Shockwave. His one optic looking at him as Soundwave walked towards him. The whole place looked as if it was straight out of an earth horror film. Unfinished drones laid on a table in the corner of the room. Various chemicals were sitting by another table on the other side of the room and other various and odd-looking experiments were placed on a dark corner. The dim lighting did not help which made the scientist look more ominous.
“Do you have the blueprints?” he asked flatly, almost bored and as usual with their meetings, the scientist gets down to business. Although his respect for his comrade was huge, in all the 4 million years they have known each other, the communications officer can only recall the number of times they’ve had small talk. Which was three.
Why do I remember that, and why do I care? Maybe I really need a break. Soundwave thought as he wordlessly passed the datapad to him until-
Alert. Breach in Sector 1. Security protocols engaged.
“Autobots….” Shockwave uttered with a sharp intake. He made his way to the security cameras and sure enough he saw three femme autobots destroy his security drones and make their way to the elevator.
“It would be logical to retreat to earth right now Soundwave, I shall deal with them. Let’s move the exchange in another time.”
“Negative: Soundwave shall provide defensive support”
“The timing of you arriving here and them attacking..the probability of it being a coincidence is low” the gunformer told him with a hint of annoyance in his voice
“Soundwave: is aware. Shockwave: lacks firepower for defense as of the moment. If the control for Space Bridge is compromised, the disadvantage to Decepticons would be great. Assistance is how you say it..logical” Shockwave looked at how his drones were being decimated one by one and looked at the other again.
“Fair enough. If this goes wrong Megatron will have both of our heads” Shockwave replied while the drones were keeping the autobots busy. The communications officer looked him straight in the optic “Soundwave: understands.” his visor glinted and his voice full of determination as he spoke.
While the explosions and gunfire are heard throughout the building, Soundwave couldn’t help but notice something odd.
“Where are the seekers assigned to guard here” Soundwave asked. It was curious that one of the important bases of Decepticon territory was lightly guarded.
“It seems our interlopers are aware of their scheduled patrols and air surveillance. It’s why I have been building drones to make up for it. Of course not all of them are off flying” As the scientist explained he passed the list of seekers currently stationed here with their status update.
And..they’re dead.
Soundwave cursed inwardly.
Alert. Alert. Sector 4 Breached. Prepare to engage hostiles.
Only one thing to do now. Soundwave sighed, one more sector and this floor will be a shooting range. “It is not too late for my original plan, if you are worried for the Space Bridge then I shall destroy it and just build a new one somewhere.” Shockwave said in an almost defeated tone.
“Soundwave: has a plan, but it will require some energon to be spilled. But first, are you sure these are the only intruders?”
“Positive” Shockwave replied. His head tilted sideways a bit and his antennae wiggled like an inquisitive cat which he recently learned was an earth creature closely resembling Ravage. Cute. The cassetteformer thought as he mentally slapped himself. Remember this mech will not hesitate to dissect a live cybertronian..for research as he claims it.. do not be distracted. Soundwave reasoned to himself. Feeling an optic boring in his back, the cassette former looked at his companion, patiently waiting for a reply.
“Shockwave: be ready to prepare. Operation: Safeguard”
“Illogical. The chances of it working is-“
“Soundwave: knows how to compute”
What in the pit is he thinking. Shockwave thought as he stared into the communications officer’s faceplates for any sign of a more reasonable plan. “Let me clarify this. You want to hide above and spill energon to them, then shoot them and I shall act as bait.” Soundwave nodded. “When you said energon would be spilled, I must admit.. I did not see this kind of plan coming” the purple mech said in disbelief.
“Amount of resources needed are less compared for the amount of resources needed for another space bridge. Back-up: will not reach in time. Soundwave’s departure: timed before decepticons launched an attack for distraction, to prevent autobots in cybertron to call for their own back up and attack the spacebridge in earth” Soundwave inched closer to him and put his hand into his shoulder, enough to brush their EM fields, sensing worry and a hint of confusion in the other.
“Soundwave: does not know how the autobots have intercepted this meeting, but these intruders do not know one thing”
“And what is that” Shockwave asked.
“Soundwave: Superior”
Alert. Alert. Sector 5 Breached. Hostiles Approaching.
The Autobots have been accessing the doors one by one while destroying the security drones. As they prepared their trap, Shockwave got a bit quiet. Perhaps because he was focusing or perhaps because he was thinking about the warm hand in his shoulder ten minutes ago. I’ve known him for 4 million years and yet he has never engaged on any physical contact with me beyond a few polite handshakes. Odd. While the scientist ruminated and passed cubes of energon enough to make an explosive to kill three people, his fingers accidentally brushed with Soundwave’s. Surprised by the unexpected contact, Shockwave almost dropped the cube. What is happening to me. Unaware of his other reaction, Soundwave saw his antennae wiggle again.
“Why are you staring. Is there a problem.” Shockwave asked flatly but embarrassment was flickering in his field, which was a first for the both of them. “Nothing”. Visor looking away from his comrade, Soundwave focused on the door as the steps were getting louder.
“They’re here. I shall take my place…Goodluck.” As the purple scientist kicked the stepping ladder away to avoid suspicion, he commed the other one.
[This plan is equivalent to your cassettes’ pranks, I am placing my hope on your creativity.. I suppose now I know where they get their ideas in pestering Starscream and his seekers]
Underneath his mask, Soundwave smiled. He was not aware that the mech whom Starscream calls as a “Computer-On-Legs” was capable of humor. Finally, the door opened with a hiss. Chromia and two femme autobots strode inside, rifles pointing to one of their assigned target.
“Shockwave! Put your hand and gun up!” the femme autobot shouted. Shockwave complied. “Autobots, I suppose you’ll take me prisoner then?”
Approaching the kill zone without even knowing it, Chromia ordered her two comrades to put a stasis cuff on him.
Not all of them..this does not bode well. Shockwave thought as the two femme were already walking. To his surprise, Soundwave did not make a move, allowing him to be cuffed by the two autobots. Chromia’s posture relaxed and commed someone “It’s only the purple ‘Wave here, I don’t see the sneaky blue one”. The two femmes began to walk back, with Shockwave in front, Chromia took her eyes off their prisoner for a second to look at the door when suddenly a splash of energon soaked the two femme behind Shockwave.
“WHAT THE-“ the two femmes shouted and shots were fired. The explosion hit Shockwave’s backplates knocking him down along with the blue femme. With all the commotion and smoke, Chromia yelled “I knew you were up to something! Where the hell are you? You’ll both pay for that!” she grabbed Shockwave by the neck, forcing him to stand while in gunpoint. The purple mech winced. That hurt. He thought while trying to keep himself from passing out. Backing away to the door, Chromia was keeping her optics peeled for any sign of Soundwave. “Dammit.. I should’ve been more careful..and stealthy..I’m sorry you two..” she whispered to herself as she saw her fallen comrades. As the smoke finally cleared she looked around and there she saw the entrance to the spacebridge and beside it were pretty important looking controls. There’s no time! The seekers are probably going back and I cant return empty-handed. My chances of defeating these two by myself are slim, even if one of them was injured. Primus help me..there’s only one thing I can do to help my comrades back in earth.
While Chromia was busy trying to find him, Soundwave has his blaster ready. I can’t get a clear shot. He gritted his dentae in frustration, but then another idea popped in his head. The stasis cuffs. He has a clear shot but there’s another problem. Shooting that will give away my location.. As the blue spy racks his helm for a better option to avoid further damage, in a split second she saw the femme throw something from her subspace.
His body moved on its own accord, Soundwave acted immediately on instinct and shot the stasis cuffs, Shockwave took the opportunity and shoved the femme back shooting Chromia in the leg. The communications officer jumped down and aimed at Chromia’s chassis. She fell on her back with a yelp while Shockwave knelt panting, barely keeping himself awake, his energon dripping in the floor.
“Autobot: missed”
Coughing, the femme spat back “Oh did I?”
The grenade set off and blew up his only way back to earth. Soundwave’s optics went wide under his visor, he glared back at the femme, pointing his blaster.
“Heh, I know.. that was your ticket back home to your precious leader” she coughed. “Enjoy your stay here for awhile…until my other comrades come for that blueprint” with that, Chromia lost consciousness. The seekers arrived, late to the party.
“We tried to fly back as soon as we heard the alert, forgive our incompetence” one seeker told Shockwave as he helped him stand up. With the commotion over and the pain in his back becoming unbearable, the scientist stared at the broken Spacebridge. A groan escaped his vocalizer as his vision started to blurr, he saw a blue figure walking towards him. Finally, he slips into forced stasis.
“Lieutenant Soundwave! Are you alright sir?” a new seeker approached him. While the others were preparing to dispose of the autobot bodies and putting away the captured autobot at the prison, Soundwave noticed a seeker holding the mech he’s been looking for. The flier looks clearly flustered and has no idea how to handle his stoic superior passing out on him.
“Soundwave: is fine. Clean this mess up.” The seekers saluted him as they get to work. He approached the seeker holding Shockwave. “I-I think the damage was great if he passed out like this” the seeker told him stammering. “Help the others. Send a medic to Lieutenant Shockwave’s quarters” he commanded the seeker as he moved to carefully put Shockwave’s arm around his neck. The flier saluted and went to find a medic.
What a mess. I hope you’re not too pissed off at me when you wake up. Soundwave thought to himself as he stared at his fellow Third-In-Command. As he updated his databank with the map of the tower, thanks to the flier, he proceeded to make his way to the berthroom.
He opened the door and quickly laid him down sideways and applied first aid. While working on his back, Soundwave heard him wince as he applied some sanitizing spray.
“Hnn..” he whined. Soundwave sighed in an apologizing tone.
“Apologies” he said as he gave the purple mech a quick pat on his head. After trying to remove some large shrapnel on his back, Soundwave observed the unconscious mech before him. Shockwave’s lying form looked almost harmless and peaceful. He noticed his antannae wiggled a little bit and Soundwave’s visor glowed in fascination. From this angle he looked like any normal cybertronian, someone who doesn’t know him wouldn’t think this mech created weapons for mass destruction. He looked around at the berthroom and it’s suprisingly modest. A single energon distiller was placed beside a back-up communications hub. By his window, some datapads were neatly stacked and a small empty cube beside it were laid in the table. Glancing at the side of the berth, he saw a smaller table, a picture was placed atop it. He walked to the other side of the table to pick it up. It was a picture from the Old Cybertron, before war and destruction touched their planet. Upon inspection, he realized this was a picture of Crystal City. Perhaps his old life? Soundwave wondered.
A knock interrupted his musings, the door opened and the medic entered the room. While Shockwave was getting treatment, Soundwave made his way to the communications hub, it was time to contact their leader.