Ghosted (Soundwave x Reader)

1

Soundwave was a terrifying Decepticon. Reserved for only the most important missions, he silently monitored unless everyone else had already been deployed and they needed someone on the site immediately. Most everyone on the ship avoided him if possible and tread carefully when they were in his presence. 

So it was of course a big surprise when the communications officer returned to the Nemesis with one arm sparking and bent at a weird angle - weirder than usual, anyway - and a dented helm. Laserbeak was gripped in his good servo, apparently so beaten up that the drone could not be securely attached to Soundwave's chassis. 

"Great Primus!" Knockout exclaimed, jumping in surprise as Soundwave clomped into the medical lab, lifting Laserbeak in a jerking motion. The cherry mech darted over and snatched the drone, hurrying it over to one of the smaller operating tables, setting it down.

"Alright, get settled down over there," Knockout said, pointing to the main medical table. "I'll be right back...." He rushed out of the lab, undoubtedly to go find Breakdown. Soundwave did as he was told, sparks flying off his arm as he clambered rather ungracefully onto the table, thumping down uncomfortably.

"What do you mean-what the?!" Breakdown froze in the doorway as he spotted the communications officer lying in an awkward position on the operating table.

"So, Soundwave," Knockout said as he rounded the table to start gathering up his tools. Breakdown took this as an invitation to move and sauntered away from the doorway. "Care to inform us of how this came to be?"

Starscream's voice came up in recording in response. "Just fix it!" Knockout cleared his vocals as he came around and began working on Soundwave's arm.

"Well, don't you think it might be...a serious threat?" he asked. He didn't receive a reply. "Come, Soundwave. You need to give us something."

"Autobot."

"Autobot?"

"Autobot." The doctor shared a look with his companion, pausing his work briefly before looking back down to continue.

"Which one? Care to elaborate?"

"No."

He sighed. "Images? Audio? Nothing? Lord Starscream's going to want to know what happened. You know how he is."

A pause. Then a crackle of static and an image popped up on Soundwave's visor. Something was crouched down in front of him; not an Autobot as far as they could tell.

"What is that?" Knockout asked, optics flicking back and forth between his work and the image displayed on the visor. Breakdown leaned in slightly to get a better view.

"Audio?" the wrecker asked. Soundwave hesitated, then allowed a small clip to play. It was the awful sound of metal scraping on metal, then a loud crunch. Breakdown leaned in further as the image on his visor shifted.

Pictured on the dark screen was what looked like a wolf chewing on a thin piece of metal, something pinned underneath its paws.

"A cyberwolf?" Breakdown said, leaning back and looking at Knockout as Soundwave's visor went dark. "What's so bad about a little cyberwolf? And since when did the Autobots have one?"

"Take a look," Knockout said, setting his tool down and retrieving Laserbeak. He tapped the battered left wing. "This has been completely broken off. Or, say, chewed off?" The wrecker frowned, studying the drone curiously.

"Is that little dog what caused all this?" he eventually asked, waving a servo in Soundwave's direction. "If so, it might prove to be a problem."

"Something makes me doubt it," the cherry mech responded, tapping a digit against his chin. "Cyberwolves are extremely rare and practically extinct." Breakdown blinked. The doctor shrugged and set Laserbeak aside once more, picking up his tool and continuing his work.

"So...was that all, Soundwave?" Knockout's friend asked, looking back to said bot. He didn't receive a response. "Hey, Knockout? Do you think his brain module is damaged? He's even less responsive than usual."

"I ran a scan upon first beginning my work to check just that. He's fine, just grumpy." Knockout tilted his helm, staring at Soundwave's visor. "I do hope you'll type up a report of your humiliation, even if it is only for higher authorities' optics."

And, as was becoming the normal, he received only silence in reply.

~

"Quaint." Starscream sneered at Soundwave, but he was treated much the same as Knockout and Breakdown. This did not please the seeker. "Soundwave. Report."

"He's been this way since he got back," Knockout said dismissively. "My guess is he's just bitter."

"I mean, he showed a cyberwolf digging into Laserbeak," Breakdown chipped in.

"A cyberwolf?" Starscream said disbelievingly. He rolled his optics. "I highly doubt a cyberwolf could best Soundwave alone." He turned to the communications officer. "You'd do well to hurry up writing the full story or there will be consequences."

"He just isn't having it," Knockout sighed, shaking his helm in mock sympathy. "Best we finish patching him up and send him on his way, no? I'm sure he'll crack eventually."

Starscream growled, curling his servos into fists. "Fine," he finally snapped. "But Soundwave, I want a report in the next twenty four hours or I'll start by cutting your Energon supply!" He then turned on his heel and stalked out of the lab, grumbling to himself.

"Alright, with that out of the way," Knockout said, picking up his welder, "why don't we fix your helm?" And with that, he continued his previous work.

~

Soundwave entered the computer lab, the Vehicons subtly inching to the sides as he approached the monitors. The communications officer lifted his servos, flexing his digits experimentally on his right servo before beginning to type.

Assassin. Nothing helpful with that search. Ghost. A few more, but none of them  specific enough for what Soundwave was looking for.

One final search; The Ghost of Cybertron.

There she was. He paused, staring at the file. Then he tapped into it, the information popping in front of him.

Designation: (Y/n)
Alias: The Ghost of Cybertron (Ghost)
Status: Assassin
Faction: Autobot (currently undefined)
Location: Unknown
Companions: Cyberwolf Mini-Con - Rayen

Credited with over a dozen assassinations, the Ghost of Cybertron was regarded as one of the most dangerous Autobots.

Not much is known about her background, whereabouts, physical appearance, or current alliance. She went off the grid after Cybertron went dark and has not made an appearance since.

A grainy image of the assassin was posted beneath the limited information, but it didn't show much other than her slender form. Her features were blurred and the image had been captured at night.

And it was likely that the image had been retrieved from a dying brain module. No one knew what she looked like, not solidly, since so far, no one had been up close and personal and survived.

Well, no one except Soundwave.

"Ghost of Cybertron?" The communications officer turned his helm to the Vehicon who had peered over at his screen. "Honestly seems like a myth." It seemed to register rather suddenly who the soldier was talking to and he leaned back. "I mean, I, uh, only heard rumors. She, uh, she's a real terror from what I've heard!" He cleared his vocals and looked back to his work. "'Scuse me."

Soundwave stared at the Vehicon for a moment longer, then slowly looked back at his screen.

Not much is known about her... He clicked out of the file and moved on to sifting through reports from different Decepticon squadrons, though his mind was far from focusing on them.

I knew her....