Author's Notes: This is my first Transformers fanfiction, so bear with me. I've desperately been wanting to write one (because I ohmyprimus LOVE Transformers, thank you :iconLeiana1:). Noteworthy: Soundwave is my favorite G1 character, mostly because he's fragging ADORABLE, but also because despite being a cruel Decepticon, I think he's got a good deal of oblivious innocence to him.

Also noteworthy: I know TFA a whole lot better than I know G1 (though I sufficiently versed in that realm as well), so if I left out some telling detail from this, my apologies. I really love G1, and if I had more access to it, I would have watched more of it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. There'd be a lot more canon slash if I did.

The clanging was beginning to worry Soundwave.

Not four nanokliks ago, Soundwave had opened a comlink to Megatron's location in order to report on the result of his mission. Instead of receiving an affirmative order to "go ahead" in response to his own metallic "LORD MEGATRON", or even momentary static, Soundwave heard the persistent drum of metal on metal.

Was Megatron being attacked? That couldn't be, the resonations had some volume, but were Megatron fighting there would be more- Nope. Never mind, there was the roaring. Although, either there was something wrong with Soundwave's audio receivers or Megatron's straining vocalizer didn't sound right. Soundwave was no expert on emotions, but he could find no trace of anger or pain in his lord's voice. The communications officer was also unable to pick up any sounds betraying the presence of another belligerent mech in Megatron's vicinity.

No. Wait. Soundwave had begun to detect some groans coming from Megatron's location but not vocalizer. Optics squinted slightly in scrutiny of the unclear situation, Soundwave moved to scan through the base computer to see if he could find any more telling information. Who was in the base? Had he missed some event while he was out on recon? Expertly navigating through the information appearing before him on the screen, Soundwave suddenly stopped. Optics quickly flashing on and off in surprise, Soundwave leaned closer to the screen incredulously. The data before him evidenced a skillfully executed breach in base security; one that even he could hardly blame anyone else for having missed. Rapidly, Soundwave checked all security feeds and time stamps, and although he could not place a name to the shadowy figure that has somehow infiltrated the heavily guarded Decepticon base, he did succeed in tracing its path. Said path ran straight to Megatron's berth room.

Throughout all this, Soundwave had continued monitoring the audio feed from Megatron's personal computer. Despite the heavy static he was picking up, Soundwave was certain that the clanging had stopped. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

Wanting to be sure that his suspicions were not unwarranted, Soundwave decided to try inciting a query-response once more before acting further.

"LORD MEGATRON...?" He tried again, with a little more volume, and actually intoning a probing sound at the end of his customary monotone.

His audio receptors were suddenly barraged with a cacophony of what sounds like scrambling servos and richly baritone curses - which was strange, because Megatron's vocalizer has much more of a rasp and rumble to it than that. Raising an optic ridge at the noise he was receiving, Soundwave could have sworn that the other voice was Optimus Prime's, but that couldn't be possible – both bots were creating sounds of panic, not antagonism. And everyone knew that the Autobot and Decepticon leaders warred with each other almost obsessively. Thus, it couldn't be possible for them to be in the same room and remain so comparatively subdued. Besides, what could any bot be doing with Megatron in his personal quarters? Soundwave only knew of one thing – and only by audio reading at that – but it usually involved Starscream; and this other mech was most certainly not the seeker.

Soundwave was about to try to contact his lord one last time, but he was interrupted by a metallic rasping that he knew quite well.

"Hem-AHEM - Soundwave!" Came the feed of Megatron's vocalizer, straight into the receptors connected to the communications bot's processor. "You… You have retu… Debrief Soundwave!"

Pausing momentarily, Soundwave's optics blinked a few times. Megatron sounded… flustered. Soundwave had seen the Decepticon leader furious, calm, and even humorous, but never, NEVER embarrassed. Right then, Megatron's vocalizer had sounded just the same as Rumble and Frenzy's when he caught them screwing with Skywarp's jet engines during his stasis naps.

"Soundwave!"

Ah. That was a tone Soundwave was used to.

"YES LORD MEGATRON. THE AUTOB…" And thus he reported business as normal.

Had Soundwave been less distracted by his report and his continued internal musing on what exactly had just happened, he would have noticed on the video feed he still had up on the computer monitor a figure that was undeniably Optimus Prime running down the hall of the Decepticon base, wires in disarray, and interfacing panel strangely askew.

Author's Notes: Thank you for reading! Please read and review; you've got the touch!