"How dare he- but he is my leader. Our leader."

     (Y/N) stared at the video footage on Soundwave's screen, the lack of his silent presence a heavy weight that made the femme's joints want to buckle and cave. Laserbeak remained connected to her chassis, in a similar state as he longed to be with his master. She felt his unease, wishing to comfort him as she knew Soundwave would, but they shared no master and servant bond to do so. Instead, she brushed his connected form with lithe digits, earning a grateful and semi-comforting vibration from the Minicon in return. 

     She watched again as Soundwave was fired upon by the Autobot leader, and forced to crash land into the electrical wires, paralyzing her lover. (Y/N)'s free servo clenched harshly at her side. Megatron ordered her to remain as Laserbeak helplessly recorded the capture of his master and friend. Over and over again, she replayed the transmission, catching sight of mere moments when she could have intervened before Soundwave was dragged away to enemy grounds. (Y/N) cared little that the Autobots had tried to help her in the past, that they had no real reason to be the recipients of her newfound hatred. They were only doing what was right for the betterment of all species. 

         "We'll get Soundwave back." (Y/N) ground out for Laserbeak to hear. "We need only to be patient."

     Yes, patience not even Laserbeak seemed to have as he shifted in his place on her chassis. He wished he could tell her his own thoughts, even comfort the human-turned-Cybertonian as he did Soundwave, but he had not received permission to create a master and servant bond with the femme. Not that he ever asked, the poor avian felt rather embarrassed too, wondering if his master and friend would take offense. They had been together for so many eons; shared each other's lives. Would Soundwave feel betrayed by his friend's want to be connected to another, even if that other was already very close to the both of them? Laserbeak only hoped his looming, unheard questions would be answered as he received radio silence from his master.

     Why hadn't Megatron jumped at the opportunity to save his most trusted mech? Laserbeak was most confused on this as he pondered in worried silence.

         "They do not need to know of your existence, yet." The war lord had said to (Y/N) and both Cybertronians, dormant in Soundwave's private quarters, pondered on this sentence.

     So Megatron planned on revealing Soundwave's double, this the two deducted. When, where and why, they were sure no one knew. It wasn't uncommon for Megatron's plans to be kept to himself, unless he spoke to Soundwave about it. (Y/N) realized this might be the case as she examined the new information sent by Shockwave.

         "A new Omega Lock." the femme coughed, sitting on the berth finally, after hours of standing despite the feeling of wanting to collapse. She felt so weak without Soundwave close, even if he were on the opposite side of the war ship, he was at least available, and she could contact him with a simple message. Even his oldest friend felt lost after their master and servant bond was blocked. "I'm sorry, Laserbeak."

     She apologized for nothing in particular, and the avian drone understood that. It had turned into a nervous habit of hers, apologizing needlessly. Mostly when she had been speaking for longer than usual. Laserbeak didn't mind her voice, and he was surprised to think that it reminded him of Soundwave's, although feminine, incomplete and course. He remembered his master's to be rough and low. How long had it been since he had heard Soundwave speak? Certainly not since they left Cybertron and that felt like eons ago. Thinking about it, it was eons ago. Soundwave took his commitments seriously, which included his vow of silence. Laserbeak hated to admit that he missed his friends voice and hoped to hear it again once Cybertron was restored.

     A sharp ping interrupted Laserbeak's thoughts, as well as (Y/N)'s as she stood back up to her pedes. She dragged her thin digits down the Minicon's connected back once more as she read the short summons. The femme hoped this would be about Megatron's plan to retrieve Soundwave. In part, it was, but the sight of Shockwave in the proposed meeting place meant there was another agenda she was yet to be informed of.

         "(Y/N)," Megatron greeted, "I'm glad to see you're still on board the vessel." 

     The femme merely halted her advance, noting she would have to tread carefully. She was not Soundwave, and therefore would not get the same amount of favor, however similar they may be. Megatron's small observation was a warning. He knew their connection was strong, unexplainably strong.

         "Shockwave has located a rather important piece to the puzzle of our Omega Lock. I'm sure he sent you the data gathered so far. The Autobots will no doubt pick up our activity, so that will give Laserbeak plenty of time to reconnect to Soundwave."

         "And how, exactly, are we going to find the Autobot base?" Starscream waved a servo around exasperatedly. "We can't scour the whole Earth, again. Not to mention Soundwave had been looking ever since the Autobot band got back together with no luck."

     (Y/N) revealed the visage of Agent William Fowler on her black void of a visor. Shockwave nodded.

         "Soundwave kept a watchful optic on more than just the human children." The cyclops noted.

         "Excellent." Megatron grinned at the femme, reading what information she kept on her visor about the darker skinned, human mech. "Laserbeak will find the pest and follow him to Soundwave. Meanwhile, (Y/N), you will go with Shockwave to secure our missing piece. The beast will go with you, but he will remain outside the human facility unless told otherwise. Better to keep the Autobots busy."

         "Lord Megatron," Shockwave began, "is it wise to bring (Y/N) along when Soundwave is in Autobot custody? This may cause great suspicion and may reveal her identity if the Autobots are to pass our defenses."

         "A small risk," Megatron assured, "but they are to know at some point. They believe her to be offline after the battle on Cybertron, forgotten by Prime himself. To see her as she is now will both relieve and tear him apart from the inside out."

     And (Y/N) was more than willing to take part in the act. Optimus Prime took Soundwave away from her. The only way the Prime was going to keep her away from the mech was if Primus himself strengthened him beyond all natural explanations. (Y/N) was furious, both at her leader and the Autobot's, but the only one she could aim her hatred toward was Optimus. 

         Megatron was untouchable to her.

     The human facilities in the Antarctic, however, were not. Predaking stormed through the dome of the abandoned building, creating a gaping hole that allowed gusts of wind and snow to enter the structure. What humans there may have been were evacuated thanks to (Y/N)'s copycatting her lover's idea and used Fowler's voice clip to order them out. 

     Predaking exited the building, knowing his place to be outside and watching for Autobots. He passed by Shockwave, nodding toward him before passing (Y/N). He stopped beside her, making the femme halt and look up to show she was listening. He obviously had something to say.

         "Fret not." He told her vaguely. "Your other half is not so easily thwarted." He continued on, (Y/N) staring after him for a moment before entering the depths of the scientific facility. 

     The femme understood he had a keen sense, primal in nature but accurate. (Y/N) only wondered what would give him the impression that she needed comfort about the whole ordeal. Yes, she had about jumped from her spot at the computer terminal when Soundwave was shot down, stopped only by Megatron's large servo. The mech hadn't even said a word, not in warning or rage, he simply halted the femme's step abruptly as she ran into his silver servo. This action betrayed her worry, but Predaking was not there. Then again, gossip travels fast around the Nemesis. After staying so long, (Y/N) had discovered her fair share. It may be a dreary place by nature, but it held its cliques and nagging gossips.

     (Y/N) watched as the Vehicons set to work on their project, a small band having remained near the entrance to watch for intruders and another group waiting at the very mouth of the tunnel below the giant machine. As much as she wanted to disregard Predakings words, as their objective was accomplished, safe from the dying winds outside the complex, (Y/N) felt a strange excitement in her spark as she took her place next to Shockwave, overseeing the project.

     Of course, she was not sent to supervise the Vehicons. She had much more valuable abilities as the femme picked her way through the security firewalls and gained access to the cameras littering the base of human operations. She caught a glimpse of Predaking as he barreled for the just arriving Autobots. She stepped to alert Shockwave as the footage appeared on her visor.

         "We have some time, then." He speculated monotonously, but (Y/N) did not believe so as she caught sight of Optimus battling the beast, but not the other four who had come with him. She flipped through the other cameras and found them nearing the first squad of soldiers. She brought the image up as the groups began firing at each other. "Unlike Soundwave, you fret too much." He responded, and (Y/N) felt a pang of offense bubble in her spark. 

     This was a serious threat, and Vehicon soldiers could only hold out for so long. Predaking was busy with Optimus, so he was of little help. Shockwaves blatant disregard for her concern was most likely caused by her near outburst upon Soundwave's capture, so he thought it logical to assume her judgement was impaired. In most circumstances, he'd be right, but Predaking's kind words had sobered her mind. 

     The explosion from within the halls alerted them of the Autobot Wheeljack's quick thinking and constant holding of his infamous grenades. A Vehicon was thrown from the tunnel, an eerie silence holding the room captive before blaster fire tore through the first round of soldiers. The band of bots picked through the simple fodder, Ultra Magnus catching sight of Shockwave and the double beside him.

         "Soundwave?" His optics widened, nearly earning a critical blow to the helm from a Vehicon, but the larger mech overpowered it within seconds. 

     Shockwave jumped from his perch beside the femme, engaging the other officer after failing to terminate him with his canon. (Y/N) remained on the platform, unmoving and stoic. She heard the surprised gasps and speculations from the others, and they began to wonder if the rest of their team was alright. Contacting them now would be idiotic, (Y/N) knew that, so when she received a message, the femme knew the small group of Autobots would be in for an unpleasant surprise. 

         :(Y/N), return to the warship.: Megatron ordered soon after the private message had been received. :Predaking will be picking up your current objective.:

     Without a word, (Y/N) stepped through a groundbridge, leaving Shockwave at the mercy of the Autobots. The femme stepped beside the newly returned Soundwave, who stood behind the Autobot medic's unconscious body. She was relieved to see Laserbeak attached to his chassis, safe but not unharmed. Her spark flared with protective anger at the sight of the Minicon's wing but remained as motionless and steady as the mech she called hers. 

     Megatron turned his back from them when Shockwave commed from the Antarctic for a groundbridge. Soundwave took this opportunity to brush his lover's servo, an action she returned briefly before their leader turned back after activating the bridge himself. He stared at his two prized members for a moment before giving a curt nod.

         "You never disappoint." He chuckled darkly. "Either of you."