recommended music: Forever Works For My by Neil McCoy
Elexis slowly opened her optics but didn't do anything else. Her head pounded from over-energization.
"Elexis! Get your exhaust out here!"
She winced when she heard his voice, mainly because of her hangover.
Primus, there has to be something better out there. . .
The thought trailed off as she slowly pushed herself up and dragged herself out of bed, ignoring the empty energon containers strewn about. As she walked out, she was met with several angry glares.
"'Bout slagging time you got up," one Mech sneered.
"Sorry," she mumbled, keeping her gaze averted from him. "Won't happen again."
"Better believe it won't happen again," he growled as he stalked over to her.
She hoped that he'd just walk on by but, it would have seemed, fate was not with her. He punched her several times in the face before slamming her into the wall. Elexis slumped to the ground, her head pounding to the point where she thought she might black out.
"Get your aft moving, you lazy excuse of a Decepticon!"
"Yes, Phantom," she murmured, picking herself up off the floor and ignoring the ringing in her audio receptors. As quickly as she could, she set about her daily routine of cleaning up the apartment and anything else she could do to keep herself busy.
Several breems later, Elexis crept out of her apartment and headed for the nearest cantina. Her head was still spinning and her audios still ringing but she figured a few strong drinks would take of it.
One day I'll be able to do what I want and when I want. No more having to answer to Mechs like Phantom.
Why not just leave now?
She blinked a little at that thought.
I suppose I could . . . But where would I go?
Would it really matter? You'd be safe and you'd be away from Phantom.
As she walked into the cantina, doubt started to gnaw at her and her resolve of leaving began to falter. She was, after all, only one Femme. She couldn't outrun Phantom forever. The more she thought about it, the more it depressed her.
I can't get away . . . There's no way he'll let me. . .
Elexis brooded as she sat down and ordered her usual, slowly losing hope of ever being free from Phantom. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice a young Femme approaching her.
"A Decepticon here? You must be a masochist or something," remarked a Femme's voice.
"Huh?"
Elexis looked up to see who had spoken to her but all she could make out was a silvery white blur with two red dots. Oddly enough, the silvery white blur resembled a Seeker.
"You do realize that you're in danger here, right?"
"What are you talking about?"
Elexis refrained from putting a hand to her head. Her vision had blurred even more and her head began to spin crazily.
"A Decepticon in these parts is pretty dangerous. Aren't you afraid that Megatron will terminate you for being here?"
"I haven't . . . talked to any Decepticons for some time," Elexis slowly admitted, closing her optics. There was something odd about this Femme, something she couldn't quite place.
"You haven't?" the Femme asked, surprised. "That's odd. . . unless you doubt the cause . . . or doubt Megatron's motives."
"I . . ." Elexis didn't know what to say to that. She hadn't thought about those things for several vorns.
"If only my creator were the same as you," the Femme shook her head ruefully.
"What?" Shock started to wash over her but whether it was from her injuries for the conversation, Elexis couldn't be sure.
"Who are you?" she asked weakly.
"Well," the other Femme began, "some know me as Sabotage. Some know me as Selenia."
"What creator would do that?" she murmured, darkness threatening to overwhelm her.
"Believe me, it wasn't Soundwave's intention. . ."
Soundwave . . .
The name brought back memories and those memories brought back long forgotten abilities as a few things happened at once.
"Elexis!"
She heard Phantom's voice roar above the din as she blacked out but her mind traveled out, in hopes of reaching someone whom she long since believed to be dead.
Soundwave . . .
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Soundwave was along with Megatron on a routine patrol when someone brushed against his mind.
Soundwave. . .
His optical band flashed and he halted, curious as to who was reaching out to him. Whoever it was knew he was a telepath and there was no doubt that the touch belonged to a Femme. He immediately ruled out Spirit. The young Femme was tucked away safely in his chest compartment. For a moment, he thought it might be Selenia but he wasn't sure.
"Soundwave?"
Megatron was looking at him.
"Yes, Megatron?"
"Is everything all right?"
"Yes. Fine," Soundwave replied automatically. However, something nagged at him, like there was something wrong with the Femme who had reached out to him. It was like she was in imminent danger.
"If you're sure . . ."
Soundwave nodded and they continued on. As they did so, Soundwave picked up on the touch and began to turn it over in his mind.
Whoever it was, it wasn't Selenia, he decided. Selenia might have a telepathic link to him but she wasn't a telepath herself. This Femme was. As he and Megatron finished their patrol, he went over the names of the Decepticon Femmes and which ones he knew to be telepaths and which ones he suspected to be telepaths.
The results weren't very promising.
Most of the Femmes were either dead, presumed dead or MIA. Some had even defected to the Autobots. Soundwave mulled over some of the possibilities before settling on one name.
Elexis . . . Must be Elexis . . . But why? Why now? And where is she?
Soundwave was determined to find out. He walked into the command center and over to his usual place at the communications console. With the practice of many, many vorns, he set up a search parameter and began to file his reports.
As he set about his search, his mind traced the touch back to its source but he came across darkness and a haze of pain.
Elexis?
Soundwave . . .
Her touch was faint but there wasn't any doubt in his mind that it wasn't Elexis. Picking up on her energy signature, Soundwave added that to his search parameters.
"What's this?"
Megatron, as some point, had walked over and was now looking over his shoulders at the search.
"Search for an MIA," Soundwave replied.
"Elexis," Megatron murmured, looking closer at the screen. "She's been missing for some time now, Soundwave. What brought this on?"
"She contacted me."
"She did? When?"
"A few breems ago."
Megatron nodded slowly. "Using her ability, no doubt."
"Affirmative."
"She must be doing well then," Megatron remarked casually. "Did she say what her current status was?"
"Negative. Her powers are unusually weak. Requesting permission to go and check on her current status."
"No," Megatron stated. "We both go. I'd like to know how come she hasn't contacted us if she's been alive and well for all of these vorns."
"As you command, Megatron."
"Where is she?"
Soundwave looked at the screen just as the results came up. Scowling, he turned back to Megatron.
"In the Quadra vector."
"The Quadra vector? How in the pits did she end up there?" Megatron demanded.
"Unknown. We can be there in one hundred breems, Megatron," Soundwave responded.
"Good. We leave right away," Megatron ordered, clearly not happy.
"As you command, Megatron."
Megatron stalked out of the command center, a foul mood obviously overtaking him. Soundwave didn't blame him. The Quadra vector wasn't exactly a pleasant place, least of all if you were a Decepticon. Soundwave just hoped that, whatever was troubling Elexis, she'd make it through. She was a Decepticon, after all.
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The Quadra vector was one of the seediest outbacks in the universe. Smugglers of all varieties made their homes there as well as murderers, thieves, and political assassins. Quadra-One was the major planet in that sector, where anything and everything from stolen goods to slaves were sold. The second major planet in that vector, Quadra-Two, was no different and the authorities on both planets often looked the other way for the right price.
It was on Quadra-Two that Soundwave had located Elexis and for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why she wanted to be there.
Maybe she hasn't been there that long, he thought to himself as he and Megatron prepared to leave. But somehow he doubted that. He just hoped that they got to her before anyone else did.
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Everything was quiet. And dark. Elexis felt nothing. No dizziness, no pain . . . not even any feelings of numbness. She just was. And for once, everything felt right.
If I could only stay this way forever, she thought whimsically. But she knew that she'd eventually have to go back and face Phantom once more. There was no sense in rushing it, however. Smiling to herself, she continued to float through her haze of nothingness.
She didn't know how long she had been that way when a flash of crimson appeared.
What the . . .?
Curious, she headed towards where she had seen it. Something about it was familiar.
You'll regret it, a little voice sang but she doubted it for some reason. She continued on her quest.
Elexis slowly opened her optics and stared at the ceiling. The first thing she noticed was she wasn't in her quarters. The second thing was she didn't have a pounding headache nor did she have any blurry vision. Wondering what was going on, Elexis listened. What she heard disgusted her.
"Oh, I know what you mean, Phantom. Gotta keep those Femmes in line, Autobot or Decepticon. Don't know where they got the idea that they're fighters."
"Well, I know where it came from for the Decepticons," came the reply. "The leader of the Decepticons told them that. Now they're like a bunch o . . . Oh, I don't know what to say to describe what they are. But Megatron seemed to think that they were lethal fighters or something."
"That's a laugh."
"I know."
"You should give him a piece of your mind, if you ever see him again."
"Maybe I will," Phantom chortled. "Of course, I'd have to locate him and the rest of the Decepticons but that shouldn't be too hard. He think he's the greatest Decepticon around. It's about time to start taking him and the rest of them down."
Instinct kicked in at that point and Elexis crept out of the bed, sneaking closer to the door so she could hear Phantom and whoever he was talking with.
He's a Decepticon but he acts like an Autobot, she thought with no certain amount of disgust. Maybe it's time I start taking him down a couple of pegs.
"How do you propose to take Megatron down?"
"Oh, the same way that Mistrunner was," Phantom replied cheerfully.
Mistrunner? How does he . . .?
Elexis felt chills at hearing that Autobot's name. She remembered him all too well and had been instrumental in his death. How Phantom found out was beyond her. It had been a carefully guarded secret for many, many vorns.
"And how was this Mistrunner taken down?"
"Can Elexis hear us?"
"No. She should be out of it for a few more breems. Why?"
Elexis nearly froze when Phantom asked that but kept her wits about her.
He knows that if I find out what he's up to, I'll stand up to him . . . Because I'm a Decepticon . . .
Quickly and quietly she crept back to the bed and closed her optics. She forcibly calmed herself down to a comatose state but made sure she could still listen.
". . . I don't trust her," Phantom was saying. He and the other Mech were walking into the room. "She used to be a spy among the Autobots, though how she got the information through and never got caught is beyond me."
Like this, Phantom, Elexis sneered mentally, reaching out to Soundwave once more.
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Soundwave . . .
Taken by surprise by how much her mental touch had strengthened, Soundwave stopped.
"What is it, Soundwave?"
"Elexis . . ."
"What is her current location?"
Where are you? his mind surged out to touch hers.
A medical complex of some sort. Residential. Soundwave, Phantom is here. He plots against Megatron.
"Well?" Megatron demanded, somewhat impatiently.
"She is at a residential medical complex," Soundwave replied. Elexis was sending him what she had heard before and what she was hearing now. "Phantom is there . . ."
"Two Decepticons here? What . . .?"
"He is plotting against you."
Megatron's optics flashed. "And for what reason does he plot against me?"
"For training Femmes how to fight . . ."
For a moment, Megatron didn't say anything. Then his optics flashed.
"Of all the. . . He shall rue the day he crossed me. Dispatch Ravage and Spirit to her location. They are to keep an optic on him only. They are not to engage him if at all possible."
"As you command, Megatron."
Soundwave ejected the two cassettes and watched them transform. After she had transformed, Spirit looked up at Megatron.
"You know what to do?" Megatron asked.
Soundwave watched as Spirit slowly grinned and nodded.
"Sure thing!" she replied cheerfully.
"Then go," Megatron ordered and the two were off.
Be careful, Spirit.
Always, Soundwave. Always.
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"Why you!" Phantom growled, ready to lunge.
For the first time in a very long time, Elexis stood her ground. She didn't even flinch.
"You won't get far, Elexis," he sneered. "You'll come running back, like you always do. You don't even have a place to go."
"No, I don't think so," she responded. "And I do have a place to go."
"Oh, you mean back to the Decepticons?" he jeered. "They won't take a useless Femme like you back. I'll make sure of it. When I inform Megatron . . ."
Elexis laughed. An honest to goodness laugh. She could tell it threw him off.
"And what could you tell Megatron? That I overenergize every night? Or that you plan to overthrow him and any other Decepticon who stands in your way? Who do you think he'll want back then, Phantom? I'm not as useless as you might think."
"How do you . . .?" He gaped at her.
"I heard you, Phantom. I heard everything. And I know that you'll try to stop me from telling him personally."
"Oh, you better believe I'm gonna stop ya," he rumbled, finally lunging at her.
Elexis braced herself and, once he was close enough to her, sidestepped him and sent him flying into the wall behind her. Battle-lust started to gleam in her optics.
"Not so nice when it's you, now is it, Phantom?"
Phantom slowly got up, glaring at her.
"I'll kill you yet."
"You'll have to catch me first."
With a roar, he lunged for her again.
Elexis was ready. She gave him a solid, roundhouse kick to his head, knocking him to the ground. Not even giving him a chance to recover, she kicked him as hard as she could until she was sure he wasn't about to get back up again. She watched him as he lifted his head up to look at her. Fire burned hotly her optics.
"You'll regret this," he croaked.
"No," she shook her head. "No. I won't. You will. Megatron is here."
"You lie."
"No, she don't," piped someone. Elexis looked to see who had spoken.
A small Femme, royal purple and silver in colour, was walking towards her and Phantom, along with a familiar-looking panther. Elexis glanced closer at the Femme then smiled a little. There was no doubt in her mind that she was one of Soundwave's creations, though how old, she couldn't tell.
"You must be Elexis," she remarked.
"Yes," she nodded. "Who are you?"
"My name's Spirit. Megatron sent us to keep an optic on Phantom. Looks like it's going to be rather easy," she grinned.
"Yeah," Elexis smiled. "It does."
"Megatron and Soundwave will be here in a few breems."
"How . . ." Phantom coughed some. "How did you get in contact with them?"
Elexis knelt down next to him.
"I'm a telepath," she whispered. "And Megatron knows about your plans in great detail."
Phantom's optics went wide before he fell offline.
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Two months later . . . .
Elexis sat in her new quarters, staring out a large window. She was no longer in the Quadra sector and no longer in fear of any Mechs beating her. She was on Charr. Though it wasn't much to look at, she felt at home. She had faced her worst fears and the worst in herself and was slowly coming out victorious.
It hadn't been easy at first nor had Megatron been too gracious with her. Elexis didn't blame him, either. She had nearly abandoned the cause, becoming a lush in the process. She had to prove herself all over again but Elexis didn't mind. She felt becoming stronger and getting stronger with each passing cycle and she hadn't been totally alone. Soundwave, as he used to before, had been there for her. She smiled out at the stars. The door chime being activated brought her out of her thoughts.
"Who is it?"
"Soundwave."
"Enter."
The door whooshed open to admit the communications expert and he crossed the room to stand next to her.
"They're lovely," he commented, referring to the stars.
Elexis chuckled.
"Yes, they are, Soundwave. What brings you by?"
"No reason," he replied. They stood there in silence for a while, giving Elexis a chance to notice that, for the past few cycles, an odd feeling always came over her whenever Soundwave was near her. It was a feeling she hadn't felt in vorns.
"Do you believe in fate, Soundwave?" Elexis cringed a little at the nervousness she heard in her voice.
"How do you mean?"
"I mean that everything has a purpose. Things happen for reasons we can't explain . . ." she trailed off, watching him out of the corner of her optic.
For a moment, he seemed to consider what she was saying.
"I suppose that it is possible . . . Depends on what you want to believe, Elexis. Why?"
Elexis shrugged some, not entirely sure herself. Now that she had examined that part of herself, she noticed that things seemed to be a bit . . . different between her and Soundwave. She hated to think that it could be her imagination.
"Elexis . . ."
"Yeah, Soundwave?" She looked at him.
"I'm glad that you're back," he stated, his optical band glowing warmly.
Elexis smiled at him. "I'm glad to be back, Soundwave."
I've missed you, Elexis. You belong here. With us.
And you?
Silence.
Soundwave?
His touch was still there but he wasn't saying anything. Elexis wasn't sure what it meant but decided to tell him about how she felt anyway.
I want to be with you, Soundwave. I want to be with you forever. I do not make this decision nor do I tell you this lightly or whimsically. I am here to stay.
Soundwave nodded and took her hand into his.
Forever.
Finis