Hidden in the Dark

Chapter 2

Laserbeak noticed how broken and helpless Soundwave is and she rushed over to Soundwave's helm.

"Bossbot," she whispered, gently stroking her smooth face, "You ok?" Soundwave didn't answer as she shut her optics tightly and closed her end of the bond. Laserbeak growled loudly and turned around, glaring at all of the Autobots murderously.

"I will offline you-

"Just offline me already," Soundwave spoke softly, her voice box cracked from vorns of unused. Laserbeak's ears quirked up and everyone in the Autobot base heard Soundwave's broken voice. Laserbeak ran to Soundwave's face and slapped her.

"Don't you dare say that bossbot!" Laserbeak scolded gently, "You still have more vorns to go!" Soundwave twitched her close optics and forced herself to go into stasis lock.

3...2...1... Stasis Lock

"NO!!!" Laserbeak yelled, jumping up and down on Soundwave's chasis. She growled loudly and glared at the Autobots with a murderous cold glare that could kill. Her optics dangerously flashed crimson.

"Woah, woah woah," Smokescreen said, holding his servos in front of him, "Let's not get too hasty!" Laserbeak held her stance and growled louder. Optimus Prime stepped forward slowly.

"Why is Soundwave hiding her true gender?" he asked gently, not wanting to offend the already offended femme. Apparently, it was the wrong move. Laserbeak just growled louder and prepared to attack. Wheeljack ran up and stood between them.

"Woah!" he said, "Why don't you calm down that temper of yours!" Laserbeak growled and launched herself forward, scratching Wheeljack on the face. She used her claws to push herself back and landed on Soundwave's chest.

"Watch it Autoscum," she said in a dangerously quiet voice. Wheeljack used his thumb and wipe his cheek and brought it up to his optics. Energon covered his thumb. Wheeljack growled but Ultra Magnus put a servo on his shoulder, silencing him. Optimus Prime took a step forward.

"Would you like some energon?" he asked, surprising the femme. She growled softly. Optimus Prime nodded to Ratchet and he handed him a full energon cube. Optimus Prime placed it on his servo and carefully extended it towards her.

"Give her visor back!" she growled, backing away from his extended servo. Optimus Prime nodded at Smokescreen. He hesitantly walked forward and handed Laserbeak Soundwave's visor, backing away immediately. Laserbeak grasped on the visor as it followed the flow of gravity, threatening to pull Laserbeak along with it. Her face contorted as she tried to pull it up. She let go and transformed in her bird form, flying underneath the visor and she lifted it up slowly.

As she flew next to Soundwave's face and leaned to her left until the visor slid off her back. The visor leaned into Soundwave's face and the other side was over the hatch. She landed on Soundwave's face and pushed the visor in until it clicked securely. She stood on the visor and sighed contently.

Suddenly, her face contorted in pain and she held her right side. Energon was seeping out her digits as she pressed harder against her wound. Her legs crumbled beneath her and she collapsed on her knees. She leaned over to her right and she lay on Soundwave's visor, her servos still pressed tightly against her side as the energon ran on Soundwave's visor and over the side.

Stasis Lock...3...2...1

Laserbeak's face relaxed as her frame went limp. Ratchet rushed over and picked up Laserbeak gently. He put her on a metal berth assessed her injuries.

"Why are you helping the Con?" Wheeljack asked gruffly, looking at Laserbeak in distaste.

"She is no Con," Ratchet merely replied, "If you had noticed, her optics are not red but a mix of green and blue," Wheeljack snorted, rolling his eyes.

"If she's not a Con, why is she working for them?" Wheeljack said, making a comeback. Ratchet didn't reply and continued repairing Laserbeak's wound.

"We will question them later when they are online," Optimus Prime said, closing the argument between his comrades. Ratchet scanned Laserbeak and let out a cry of surprise. Everybot crowded around him.

"Could I see!?" Miko protested, leaning dangerously far from the railing. Bulkhead turned around and his optics widen, rushing over and used on of his digit and pushed her back gently.

"No Miko," Bulkhead explained gently, "These Cons are dangerous!" Miko pouted.

"Listen to him Miko," Jack said, pulling her back, "They have a good reason for putting us here!" Miko pouted more, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What is it Doctor?" Ultra Magnus asked. Ratchet turned around, his face full of surprise.

"If my scans are correct," he started, "Laserbeak is barely a youngling!" Bumblebee's optics widen.

"What is a sparkling doing in a Decepticon warship?"

"Maybe that Con kidnapped her!" Wheeljack said, his servos forming a fist.

"That would be illogical," Arcee said, "You saw the way Laserbeak protected Soundwave,"

"Furthermor, Laserbeak has sustained a concussion," Ratchet said glancing at Optimus Prime, "putting it in human terms," Optimus Prime's optics flashed guiltily.

"How old is she?" Raf asked, leaning over the railing.

"In human terms," Ratchet paused, calculating, "She is only 12 years old!" Miko gasped and put her hands over her mouth.

"But," Miko protested, "She's so young!"

"Exactly!" Ratchet exclaimed. No bot but Optimus Prime knows that the grumpy medic has a soft spot for sparklings and younglings. Not old younglings. Only younglings that have just attained their youngling hood. Ratchet pushed his way out of the circle that the bots have made around him and proceeded to scan Soundwave, again. Ratchet gasped again.

"What now doc bot?" Smokescreen asked, excited for more jaw-dropping news. A wrench whizzed through the air and gave Smokescreen a smack on the helm, leaving a sizeable dent.

"Ow!" Ratchet turned around.

"First of, don't call me doc bot!" Ratchet waved his wrench around threatenly, "Second, Soundwave is also barely a youngling!" Wheeljack laughed but when he saw no one laughing with him, he grew serious. Miko opened her mouth to ask but Ratchet beat her to it.

"In human terms," Ratchet said, walking over to clean the spilt energon on Soundwave's visor, "She is only 14 years old!" This time, it was Jack's turn to gasp.

"How did she," he said, gesturing at Soundwave, "Be such a high ranking Con when she's barely a teenager!" Laserbeak rolled over to her other side and groaned.

"Questions will have to wait," Optimus Prime's authoritative voice rang out, "Now, we must let them rest,"