Chapter 18: Piece of my Spark

Soundwave groaned as he struggled to regain his balance. His processor was reeling from the hard impact against the wall. Before he could think of how to defend himself, a servo gripped his throat and lifted him off the ground. Desperately, Soundwave grasped the arm in an attempt to pry it away from him.

"After all we've done, why turn your back on us now?" Megatron growled as his digits squeezed around his third in commands neck cables.

Soundwave remained silent as he unleashed his tentacles, adding strength to his counterattack. With his back against the wall, he pushed his legs out at the warlord's chest. Megatron faltered back, briefly lighting up on his hold, but long enough for Soundwave to getaway.

"Want another rematch, I see? But you fail to remember that it was you who was beneath me." The warlord turned toward the navy mech, his sword glinting in the dim lighting.

Soundwave braced himself as the grey mech charged toward him, nimbly dodging the blows. He knew that he couldn't keep it up for long and would soon exhaust himself.

Suddenly, Starscream's smirking face and glimmering red optics flashed in his processor. Megatron always took Starscream back into his command, despite Starscream's many attempts in trying to assassinate him and gain leadership. So why was Megatron trying to get rid of him, a loyal follower, for many decades? Surely he would be more valuable than a traitorous, cowardly Seeker?

To caught up in his thoughts, a fist entered his vision, shattering the dark visor. Soundwave stumbled backward, watching the thick glass break off to the floor. Megatron also seemed surprised at this, surprised at seeing his third in command's face, hidden since the war started. Blue and violet optics stared at him in bewilderment. The right side of his face ravished in battle scars. Mouth gaped open before pressing into a thin line.

"Fitting that it would be I who sees your downfall, much less being the cause of it. Which leads me to ask you, any last words?" The warlord seemed to double in size, a dark aura surrounding him.

"Nothing that you'd like to hear," Soundwave mumbled, drawing himself up as Lazerbeak hummed above him.

~~~~~~~

Steve walked through the walls before catching sight of another group of Vehicons.

"Word of advice, stay away from the throne room," one of them told him as they passed.

Confused, Steve looked in the direction of the said room, hearing light blaster fire and crashes. It didn't take him long to put the pieces together. Megatron had found out about Soundwave's loving act for Firespark. It made his energon boil in rage at how cold their leader could be. Despite his comrades' warning, the Vehicon walked toward the throne room/command center.

The large double doors shook and rattled from the battle taking place inside. Steve was conflicted to wait outside or to burst through the doors. Before he could make up a decision, the doors were flung open, and a figure ran out. The purple mech ran alongside them, unsure of who it was.

The mech's armor was dented with a large wound adorning their abdomen, bleeding heavily, and they were carrying something that looked like mangled metal. It wasn't until Steve looked at the mech's face did he understand who it was. Soundwave and Lazerbeak, or what was left.

"Wherever you need to go, I'll help you," Steve told him, sprinting beside the battered mech.

"We need to get to Firespark," Soundwave responded, sounding weak and out of breath.

Steve nodded, "Will we being using a groundbridge or flying?"

"I'll bring you to the island. You'll take Lazerbeak with you. Find Firesaprk and tell her everything." Soundwave stopped suddenly, a groundbridge appearing in front of them.

"What about you, commander? You're in no state to fly." Steve turned toward him, holding broken Lazerbeak in his servos.

"I'll buy us time," Soundwave explained, walking away from him.

Steve watched with concern but entered the groundbridge, ready to follow his orders.

~~~~~~~

The navy mech dragged himself down the halls toward the flight deck, pressing the servo against the wound. With an energon coated servo, Soundwave opened the doors, and a blast of cool air whipped around him. He looked down to see them flying above the ocean.

Rather than a proper takeoff, Soundwave walked off the deck and allowed himself to fall. As he neared the deep blue waters, he mustered the energy to transform, ignoring the pain. Slowly, he started to lose consciousness as he flew away from the warship, the danger, away from what would have been his death.

One thing was clear. Megatron had lost the loyalty of his most trusted mech and third in command.

His conscious quieted into a blissful silence as he flew toward the only safe place. A place he knew where his daughter would accept him with open arms.

A sandy beach approached his view when he crashed into the cold waves. His body involuntarily reverted into bot mode as the water pushed him toward the shore.

The sand grinded against his metal plating as he laid on the beach, staring up at the sky. The sounds around him were muffled and fuzzy, and he could feel the water splashing against his legs. Vaguely he could hear the shouting and the vibrations of pedes thundering on the ground.

He softly smiled as he caught sight of a pink frame and a red and orange one trailing behind her before his optics shuttered close, welcoming the enticing darkness of sleep.