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TFP: UNDERCURRENT 7

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She won. She had to win. Shockwave was watching the fight from slave sector' entryway. It wasn't as much the arena he watched as the arena's cameras. He managed to notice a slight jerk in their movement as Soundwave seized control.

He glanced toward the displays. Both combatants were on screen, though it was obvious that the cams centered on her opponent.

The boss rose to give a rallying speech, and Shockwave filtered him out. Nothing he hadn't heard before.

As soon as the siren cried out, Soundwave surged up, transforming. Shockwave's optic found Megatron on the opposite side of the arena, his own hidden surprise mirroring on the steel gladiator's faceplates.

Soundwave flew straight up, leaving her opponent - a copper-colored shuttle, - to follow. Flying in her condition? Reckless.

Now all the tribunes could see on the displays was her opponent - the cams followed his movements.

Soundwave performed a complex turn, barely missing the arena disitegrating border that would kill her and crushed into her opponent meeting him midair. At least that was what it looked like.

The shuttle transformed into his robot mode and fell down, temporarily offline. She must have shocked him off with a feeler, Shockwave mused. Soundwave rushed down alongside the falling shuttle, but a nanoclick before he crushed against the stone, she slowed down, transformed and landed on her peds. The landing wasn't as gracious as usual, but she held her balance.

The navy flyer walked to where her opponent stirred to rise and before he fully regained himself she flipped him over, heavy limbs hitting the ground with a thud, and tore his chest armor off. The dark blue wing crushed into the spark chamber; whatever doubts she had before about taking other fighters lives obviusly were there no more.

Dull blue en stained her frame. But Soundwave wasn't done. Several more times her wing blade rose and fell, severing the neck cabling. The flyer got up, holding the helm of her dead opponent.

Silence filled the tribunes. Arena fights were always merciless and harsh, but this here was over the line. This hadn't been a fight. It was a cold-sparked murder. In the stunned silence Soundwave's mechanical voice (lots of audio samples clipped together, it sounded like a weird chorus, impersonal and spooky) startled everyone: "Soundwave: superior".

Again, Shockwave caught Megatron's questioning gaze and shifted his antennae, indicating that he noticed it.

The tribunes burst with noise. Cheers and angry shouts, whistles, Soundwave ignored the noise and walked off the arena, gradually graying helm in her servos and a small trail of energon droplets marking her way.

"What do you think you're doing?!" - The arena boss was obviously pissed off enough to come down here in person, intercepting his champion before the masked flyer reached the hallway.

"Optics smashed, no suitable parts to replace them." - slightly distorted Shockwave's voice explained. Soundwave held up the dead helm "suitable parts to replace... optics"

The eight-legger eyed his slave for a split click. It wasn't a rebellion per se, as he recalled telling the tech to scrap someone if he wanted spare parts, but something in the way Soundwave led this match screamed disobedience and even challenge.

Shockwave stood very still, trying not to attract any attention to himself. He noticed how one of arena cams rotated to aim on the boss. Surely, she wasn't going to try?

The silence got thick and dangerous, finally Soundwave broke it:

"The boss has no place for losers... come back fight...three sparks at stake...Win! Win..." - this time the scraplets belonged to Megatron.

It was true. The fight was won and the boss got some good creds on bets, still...

"I will not tolerate insolence. Make sure you remember that." - he finally said and added "This will aid your memory". One of his feelers emerged with the stamp controller. He pushed a button and Soundwave fell to the ground, arching in agony as static discharges pierced her spark. The torture didn't last long - Soundwave went to stasis almost instantly.

"You" The arena boss spotted the tech "you've got your spare parts, don't waste time" - and the eight-legger left, probably to collect his money.

Shockwave lifted his partner and took her to the tech bay. He should not waste time indeed. As he worked on her optics, the tech decided, he should confront Soundwave and make her answer his questions. And though he didn't like the idea, he would probably need help in cornering the secretive flyer - had he attempted it alone, she would easily distract him with yet another interface.

Actually, it took several cycles before he had a chance to do that.


Big violet chassis stirred on the berth. It had been a busy cycle and normally he would be offline already, but Shockwave got carried away into his memories looking for clues to explain the Communication's Chief uncharacteristic behavior. There was no particular reason to go that far back into the depth of his memory well, no reason other than the familiar ease that he felt when Soundwave joined him in the field today. No reason other than his spark flutter when she shot the Prime down. Shockwave believed himself long since free of this kind of emotion. Had his solitude weakened his control over emotional part of his reactions? Did he not root this vulnerability out?

The antennae shifted with irritation. He had to re-check his priorities again. Zero for emotion.

Logics also failed to grasp it. All the time since he got re-united with the decepticons, Soundwave had not spoken a word in his direction, other than relay Megatron's orders when needed. Yet, Megatron didn't order the spy to answer his rescue call. Soundwave was an illogical choice for the job and there was a whole seeker armada ready at Megatron's word. No. His Lord wouldn't lie to him about this, there was nothing to gain from such a lie.

She stepped up before anyone else could react to aid him against Optimus. Why?
I know I said the story is on hold, but it is crawling forward nevertheless :)

A short, but important chapter. Soundwave wins a blind fight, Shockwave dives out of memories, still unsure what to make of recent events.

Warnings: slightly AU, Fem!Soundwave (secretly), SW/SW, slavery on Cybertron. Angsty, cruel, Transformer.
I owe nothing, however sad that sounds.

Story folder: darst-llah.deviantart.com/gall…

Undercurrent 6: fav.me/d6ot23e

UPDATE: the story is not over! TBC!
© 2014 - 2024 Darst-Llah
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