Shards (Transformers Prime, Shattered Glass)

Chapter 15

"Starscream, come in Starscream, what is your position? Confirm your status."

Soundwave repeated the message several times, but received no answer.

"What are the previous Groundbridge coodinates?" Megatron asked "Do you have them?"

"Yes."

"Good. Set a course for them. When we get there, we'll commence a search."

"Sounds like a plan," Soundwave started to do as he was told, but an alarm sounded.

"What is that? Is that him?"

"No...It's Groundbridge activity, it's the Autobots! Do I set a course?"

"No... Yes...Let me think," Megatron turned "76, 78."

"Yes sir," the two Eradicons answered in unison.

"The two of you will accompany Soundwave to Starscream's last known coordinates and aid him in searching for the commander. The Ally will set a course for the Autobot's coordinates. Everyone understand?"

"Yes sir," the chorus came up from all around and everyone began to do as they where told.

Soundwave paused and laid a hand against Laserbeak.

"No," she said, not dethatching from him "No, I'm going with you. Raf'll be fine."

"Please Laserbeak?"

"No."

He could feel her agitation at the request and her anger at the fact he'd even dared to ask, but he continued to press "Please, Laserbeak? If there's a fight with the Autbots I need to know that Raf will be safe."

"I need to know that you'll be safe! I will not stay."

He sighed and continued walking towards the flight bay, though he kept begging her silently. She stayed obstinate all the way to the flight bay.

----

"Are you sure these are the right coordinates?"

If Wheeljack had to hear Smokescreen say that one more time, they were going to have one less idiot hanging around the base.

"Yes," he gritted out "I am positive."

"What if you decoded them wrong?"

"I did not decode them, Prime did, are you doubting Prime?"

Smokescreen looked like he very much indeed was doubting Prime, but he only sank into a sulky silence, much to Wheeljack's relief, but it only lasted a few seconds.

"Wheeljack, you have Deception incoming," Ratchet's voice came grating across the coms "Looks like they're airborne."

"Estimated time of arrival?"

"Thirty minutes."

"So we got time," Smokescreen said.

"No we do not 'got time'," Wheeljack snapped "We still have to find what it was that the coordinates are leading us to and retrieve it and we do not have the first idea of what it might be."

Smokescreen rolled his eyes "Glass half empty much? Come on, lets go find our precious little whatever it is we're trying to find. Y'know it'd be a whole lot easier if Optimus had sent Arcee and Bulk and Cliff with us. I still don't see why we're helping out the locals."

"Which is why Optimus is Prime and you are not," Wheeljack shook his head "It's political kid. Besides, we've got Bumblebee."

"Who I haven't seen since we bridged here. He's probably gone off to burn some rubber without us."