CHAPTER TWO
--Cybertron--
It had been a long time since Soundwave had last seen Cybertron.
In truth, this was his first time seeing it with his own optics. All of his memories of the planet belonged to the original Soundwave. They were still his, of course. He was still Soundwave. It just felt... different.
Perhaps a major part of it was because he was no longer the Soundwave that served Unicron. He no longer had a portal to the Dead Universe in his body, nor could he sense the other Heralds (of course, most of them were dead now). Now, he was virtually no more or less unique than the average Cybertronian save for the powers he retained from his Soundblaster body.
The clone body had since been replaced upon returning to Cybertron. Shockwave had prepared a new body for him in his secret lair, one that bore the blue colors of his original body while also carrying the portable Ground Bridge he had as Soundblaster.
It was far more than he could have ever asked for. Shockwave could have easily kept him in his clone body, but he instead went to the length of doing this for him. Soundwave wasn't sure whether to be grateful or suspicious. Was Shockwave only doing this to keep him loyal? After all, he never showed care towards any of his subjects.
But then again, Soundwave had worked for Shockwave since the start of the Golden Age. Perhaps Shockwave simply saw him worth keeping around and would do anything to ensure he remained effective.
A sudden weight on his shoulder broke Soundwave from his thoughts and he glanced up to see Laserbeak perch on his shoulder. At the same time, he felt something rub against his leg and saw Ravage at his feet, head held up expectantly.
Soundwave felt a pang of sadness. Ever since being 'awakened' as the Heralds' sleeper agent, he had neglected his... minions (he hated that term, but what else were they?). It was honestly a miracle they had even bothered to return to him -- even Frenzy and Rumble had come back to him, despite being the most delinquent of his... prospects (no, that still wasn't right).
Of course, not all of them had returned....
Shaking the thought, Soundwave looked between the two animal Mini-Cons. He could sense Buzzsaw perching on a nearby ledge, and he could hear Rumble and Frenzy snickering at some crude joke one of them had made.
They were all together, as a group, for the first time in... forever. It felt right. Perfect. He could not think of anything that could make him happier.
There was so much he wanted to say, to apologize for. But there was no need for words. All that needed to be said was already conveyed through their connection. Anything else would have been superfluous.
Soundwave enjoyed the moment for a few more minutes. Then, upon hearing the sound of footsteps, he summoned them all back into his subspace compartment. He then turned to see Shockwave -- in one of his more standard-sized bodies -- walk up to him.
"Enjoying ourselves?" Shockwave intoned.
Soundwave said nothing. The other mech did not wait for a response, instead moving to the window Soundwave had been standing at.
"A lot has transpired in the past month since I was last here," Shockwave went on, changing the subject as if there had never been one to begin with. "Changes have arose where I have not accounted them to be."
Soundwave inclined his head, inviting the mono-eyed Decepticon to continue.
"A preliminary council has been established to govern Cybertron. Currently, only three members sit on it: Elita-One, standing in for Optimus Prime; Metalhawk, representing the neutrals; and as representative for what few Decepticons live on Cybertron... Starscream."
Soundwave visibly reacted in surprise. Shockwave glanced at him, conveying no emotion as always.
"Apparently after our Megatron clone deposed him, he fled to Cybertron and informed the Autobots of what had transpired. They kept him locked up until after the Nimbus incident, when he convinced them that he was their best bet at keeping the local Decepticons in line."
Soundwave tilted his head quizzically.
"Well, consider: All high-ranking Decepticons are either dead or building up power bases. Starscream is the only one who seems genuinely interested in peace. And for all his foolishness, he is still an effective speaker. What he spouts may be nonsense, but he does know how to string words in an appealing manner."
Shockwave turned away from the window, pivoting to fully face Soundwave.
"It will be near impossible for us now to proceed with our original plan, such as it was. Our resourced have been vastly depleted. Too many players are on the board: the Council, Prime and Megatron, Deathsaurus and Tarn... and then there's the matter of Delta Magnus and her true superiors."
Soundwave glanced up at Shockwave as the latter stepped closer to him. In their current forms, Shockwave was a head taller than him.
"There's no sense in pretending otherwise, Soundwave. When I copied your memories, I copied everything; that includes your memories up until and before I found you in the Dead End of Rodion. So tell me, Logos Prime... what could your brothers and sisters possibly be planning?"
Soundwave regarded him from behind his visor. "What makes you think I know anything about their current statuses or their plans? I haven't seen any of them in nearly ten thousand years."
"At the very least, you should know them well enough to accurately speculate on their motives," Shockwave said. "For example, which of them would be the most likely to support our endeavors."
Soundwave's shoulders heaved in a sigh. "That depends on what our ultimate goal is."
"It is what it's always been: restoring Cybertron to its proper glory, as it was before the High Council devolved into corruption. When the Primes reigned supreme over all."
"You want someone like Nova Prime. A dictator."
"Not the word I would use, but yes."
Soundwave sighed, lowering his gaze. "I... know of a few who would suit your vision. But of the three, one is locked away, the second has been missing for some time, and the third is dead."
"Dead," Shockwave repeated, tilting his dead. "Are you certain of that?"
Soundwave glanced back at him. "Do you know something I don't?"
"Well, I am aware of the fact that one of the Secret Order's commanders was obliterated by someone using the Requiem Blaster."
Soundwave stiffened. "Impossible. He... he perished with the Dead Universe. I'm sure of it."
"Perhaps we can acquire an explanation for his return by seeking him out ourselves."
Soundwave's shoulders sagged. He finally understood what Shockwave was getting at, why he had kept him around. He only hoped he didn't regret doing what he was about do do.
"Very well," he said. "Let us go find him. Shall we bring our two prisoners along?"
"Leave them here for now. No one will be able to find them."
With a nod, Soundwave transformed to his transport mode and Shockwave followed suit. Together, the two Decepticons departed from what had once been the Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technologies.
* * *
Across the galaxy, far beyond Cybertron, the Titan known as the Mothership floated aimlessly through space. Teleported at the last second from Necroworld's atmosphere through unknown means, it bore the scars from when it momentarily burnt it. Cities once pristine were now charred black.
Any crew the Titan once had had long since deserted. The Combaticons, Fractyl, Offroad... all of them had either left with Shockwave or taken one of the shuttles. Magnum was nowhere to be seen and Hydra still hung lifelessly from her harness, presumably deactivated.
As far as she knew, Powerdrive was the only living soul on the Titan.
Her Magnus Armor lay discarded on the floor, its pieces carelessly scattered. Sitting on her knees, she bowed her head in reverence to the altar situated in front of her.
"Forgive me, master," she murmured. "I have failed you."
Silence pervaded the room. Beneath her feet, the Titan rumbled softly.
"The other Primes are on the move and yet I have done nothing to prepare for your return. I deserve any punishment you deem necessary for me."
The altar flashed, prompting Powerdrive's head to snap up. That had never happened before. Was it the Titan speaking to her? Or....
"Master?" Rising to her feet, she stepped closer to the altar. "Are you--"
The alter flashed again and Powerdrive screamed as a flood of words and images invaded her mind. Collapsing to the floor, she clutched her head in pain.
Earth. Staff. Find it.
Powerdrive gritted her teeth. "But... how? You told me it was stolen from you, hidden where you could never find it."
Knights know. Stole. Hid.
"The Knights? They only answer to Primes. How can I--"
You. Suffice.
Powerdrive's mouth fell agape as the altar began to glow. Before she knew it, she was being lifted up into the air as the pieces of her Magnus Armor telekinetically rejoined her, merging with her body as it reshaped itself, taking on all new form....
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