Business continued as usual, with only one minor difference. The duo had become more prominently in tune to each other. Separated or side by side, they knew what the other was doing and where they were. They held no bond within each other's sparks, thinking it too early to become sparkmates, but the two enjoyed being able to track the other. It brought a feeling of safety and ease. Megatron had used this to his full advantage once he realized how synchronized they had become. 

         "(Y/N), step forward." The war lord ordered, and the femme obeyed. The darker light of the Nemesis cast shadows over both her and Soundwave's forms, making the minute color differentiation null and void if Laserbeak was not with Soundwave as he was not at that time. "Soundwave has already beheld the magnitude of how important Project Predacon has been, and since you have not had the pleasure of casting your own optic on it, I plan to bring you there on my next errand."

     The femme nodded. She had never found the project very interesting, despite how her own body was made. (Y/N) knew the gist of it and that's all she wanted to know, all she cared to know. She had only beheld the one beast, however, and while its massive form was menacing to look upon, the femme cast her worry aside after seeing Shockwave pet the creature like it were some lap dog. He doted on the Predacon when he had the time to spare.

         "Until then, however, I need you and Soundwave to work together in finding this new Autobot base they are holing themselves up in. They can't be too far from their precious Jasper, Nevada." He gave a low chuckle. "As we did their first home, we shall do to the second."

     Soundwave held a rather passive expression behind his visor. He cared little about the Autobots, and would rather not go on a wild goose chase for a base he held little clue about other than it was somewhere in Nevada. Still, even that was merely a hunch. There was little tactical advantage to staying in Nevada other than the assumption that the Decepticon faction would overlook it. Of which Soundwave had no intention to do, so he ordered Laserbeak, silently, to change his course for Nevada. 

     (Y/N) looked to her lover, who nodded, and they waited for Megatron's release. They peered back at their leader, but he had frozen in his place, staring at nothing behind the two he had summoned. (Y/N) and Soundwave shared their worry, coming to the same hypothesis: the dark energon within Megatron's spark was troubling him. The flash of purple that enveloped his optics until he blinked confirmed the theory, and the duo stood to the side in sync as the mech stepped forward.

         "Wait here," the powerful leader ordered, "something is amiss. I cannot place it quite yet."

     That much could be deducted rather quickly and both beings who stayed behind fluttered through the cameras of the war ship. (Y/N) found Knockout and Starscream running through the halls, pointing it out to Soundwave. The mech nodded his agreement to her suspicion, but they had been ordered to wait in the control room of the air ship. The two exchanged glances from beneath their visor, unknowing of the others stare. It was still worth investigation. 

     Soundwave took the first step to go, but (Y/N) held up a servo to stop him. If she went, there was likely going to be little consequence, that being lack of a trip to see Project Predacon. However, if Soundwave went, and disobeyed orders, the possible consequence was unknown. The mech nodded his agreement to their shared thoughts, and (Y/N) left to investigate the medic and Seeker's behavior.

     The last quadrant they had been spotted in was across the Nemesis, and was not a speedy walk, no matter how wide someone's stride could be. Using a groundbridge would have been a fruitless use of resources considering the direction they had been running in, so (Y/N)'s best bet was to groundbridge ahead of them. However, that took some miner future telling of where the two buffoons were headed exactly. The video footage showed panic embedded on their faceplates, so predicting their movements was rather benign. Checking the cameras would be helpful, so that's exactly what the femme did. 

     The cameras revealed nothing except empty halls, aside for the one ahead of her where a group of Vehicons loitered. There was no recreation room near her location, and they were certainly not in a hurry to get anywhere. (Y/N) rounded the corner, but the small gathering did not register her presence. Marking the behavior as abnormal, she sent her findings to Soundwave before beginning to record the strange encounter. She neared them carefully before one finally glanced her way. It stared intently before sending a harsh hiss to fill the corridors of the war ship and the others reacted in a similar manner as their intakes fell open and the resemblance of a snake-like syphon was summoned from the depth of their throats. 

     Startled, and admittedly afraid, the femme stepped back into a groundbridge once she found Starscream and Knockout's shadows in another hall. She peered from her place, seeing the backplates of Megatron and another infected soldier coming up behind their leader. (Y/N) stepped from the wall and shot at the creature, earning its attention, as well as Megatron's.

         "(Y/N), I ordered you to-" 

     The screeching Vehicon about to attack the leader interrupted him, and the gladiator ordered for the creature to halt its advance before ultimately destroying its connection with the dark energon.

         "We tried to tell you-" Starscream muttered nervously from behind his leader, earning Megatron's intense glare.

         "I had ordered you to remain with Soundwave." The silver titan turned his glare to (Y/N), only knowing it was her because Soundwave would not have been so reckless. "Why did you disobey my order?"

     The femme noted Starscream's small smirk, hoping she'd earn some punishment for such a stunt, but as she neared, she displayed the video feed of Knockout and Starscream running down the halls like lunatics.

         "You acted upon my own suspicions." Megatron raised an optic brow. "And found suspects before I did." She then showed the attack of the other drones from earlier. "I see," the mech glanced back at the two buffoons behind him, "you were not harmed?"

     She shook her helm.

         "Master, if I may, (Y/N) had clearly disregarded a direct order from you. I can supply a proper punishment." Starscream offered.

          "No, Starscream, I think not." The silver mech turned to the other two. "(Y/N) was looking for you two, to investigate, while I only knew that dark energon was in play. She executed her own orders which were of the best intentions for this war ship that you two have endangered the whole of!"

     The doctor and Seeker shrunk back at his words while the femme simply stood there, staring. It was difficult to remember that this was the human femme and not the feared Soundwave. Knockout was not fully at fault for the incident, but only he and the backstabbing Starscream knew that. He hoped (Y/N) had the sense to look over the Nemesis lab's security history as it felt like she stared into his spark. He was all to glad when she turned her helm to look behind, at least that's what it seemed like, before peering back to her leader from beneath the black visor.

         "I suggest groundbridging to Soundwave." Megatron answered her question, sent through a private link her double had provided per Megatron's approval. "Send a ship-wide alert and close off any sectors without the infection. As for you two," he glared at the other mechs once more, "find this abomination and eliminate it!"

     (Y/N) opened a groundbridge as the other two scampered off. She continued to monitor them at the side of her visor, watching for any Terrorcons as Megatron passed through the swirling portal before she did. They entered the control room of the Nemesis, Soundwave turning from the computer terminal as the security footage faded from the screen. 

     He had been watching as well. 

         "Start a search for C.Y.L.A.S.," the leader ordered, "and keep a watch over the two dimwits." He stepped to a terminal before harshly jamming a digit on a button. "I want all troops on high alert." His voice boomed throughout the Nemesis. "Eliminate the Terrorcon threats described and their infection." 

     (Y/N) found C.Y.L.A.S. roaming the vault halls, frowning when he entered the one that held Arachnid. She sent the information to Soundwave, who momentarily halted his typing before nodding. He'd take care of it, but (Y/N) knew the Arachnicon held a certain spite towards her chosen partner. She offered to take care of it herself, since the spider-femme was unknowing of her upgrade since she was found in the Autobot base. Her spark felt unease at the thought of Soundwave potentially fighting the rogue. Soundwave knew her worry but was confident that Arachnid's feral nature would be her undoing, so responded to her message from the shared link with a simple 'no' before stepping away from the computer and turning toward the door. He allowed the tips of their digits to brush, making their sparks electrify and want for more of the small contact. 

     (Y/N) continued to watch her beloved from her visor as she placed the video footage of Knockout and Starscream up on the bigger screen for Megatron to see. He nodded his approval, only to scowl as the war cry of the Insecticons took over the blaster fire from the Vehicon drones. (Y/N) also revealed that Arachnid had escaped, but also that Soundwave was directly in her path. Her spark swelled with panic, making her digits stiff in anticipation. In the background she heard Megatron speak with Starscream about how Breakdown's body, and ultimately C.Y.L.A.S.'s, had been found, but Arachnid had also escaped. Megatron clearly already knew that and pointed out the superiority of (Y/N) and Soundwave's investigative skills. 

     (Y/N) felt no pride or honor in his slighted statements as she watched the cameras peering at Soundwave and the oncoming Insecticon swarm go dark. Her digits stiffened to a halt and Megatron noted this, before frantically typing to earn the picture back. She checked the codes for glitches, for any malware, whatever could possibly interrupt the video feed. Then it came back, and Soundwave was staring at the camera, unharmed and seemingly fine. He nodded toward the security camera before striding off elsewhere and the femme visibly relaxed. 

     Megatron raised an optic brow, wondering what would cause such a reaction from Soundwave's double. For her to show outward panic would take more than a Terrorcon nearing, as he found out. Even as a fragile human she did not show panic quite so obviously. He guessed it would most likely remain a mystery as Soundwave entered the control room soberly and stood by (Y/N)'s side. A little closer than usual, Megatron observed.