Command Center

          This circular room was formerly the bridge when the base was a viable spaceship. Now used as the Command Center, it is dominated by the large central viewing screen. The screen is linked to the main computer system, and can display anything from energon production reports to tactical updates to topside weather information. The various other bridge control stations have been converted to monitor and control the various mechanisms and activities of the base. They curve around the room from the door to the central viewscreen.

Soundwave arrives from Access Corridor.

Anyone coming down the hall can hear the sound of human voices coming over a radio. The radio changes from station to station, finally settling on a selection of heavy music. The sound of thundering drums and wailing guitars rings through the command center. Coming through the door, you can see Tempest standing in front of the radio console, nodding her head in time with the music, seemingly satisfied at what she's found. As soon as Soundwave arrives, though, Tempest abruptly shuts off the music and stalks to the other side of the room, pretending as if she had coincidentally lost interest in the radio at just the precise instant the indigo Transformer entered.

Soundwave steps into the command center to head for his usual communications station.

Tempest glances back at Soundwave with slitted optics and begins fooling with one of the computers, pretending to be very absorbed in pressing buttons.

Soundwave gives Tempest a look of some curiosity at the abrupt move away from the radio, but only says, "Greetings, Tempest."

Tempest watches Soundwave suspiciously--and she's always watched everyone suspiciously, but there's more to it this time. The curious Seeker of a few night's previous--the one who was always eager to discover what everyone was up to--is gone, replaced by a cold and distant figure in the shadows. Tempest barely looks up and says, "Hello Soundwave." A pause. "Do you plan to be here long?"

Soundwave seats himself at his station. "As long as it takes to complete the evening's task," he replies calmly, and then regards her more closely again. "Is there something I can assist you in finding?"

Tempest says, "No, I'm just messing around...I'll go elsewhere then so I don't disturb you." And still hardly looking at him, she brushes past as if intending to leave.

Soundwave tilts his head, very much aware of the puzzling change in manner. He attempts, "Tempest ... is there some problem? I thought you were fitting in well so far."

Tempest looks at Soundwave--coolly, though there's something else burning in her optics. "I don't know...why don't you tell me?"

Soundwave regards her quietly as though trying to read something from her stance, her expression. "Has someone given you trouble?" he attempts again.

Tempest retorts, "So far, so good..." She's examining Soundwave very closely, as if trying to read his expression behind the visor and face plate. "But one does have to keep one's guard up, hm?"

The expression isn't easy to read, but there's the usual sense of calm patience in Soundwave's manner. Perhaps the shade of the optics shifts slightly to something warmer, faintly humorous. "I thought we had convinced you by now that you were not going to be murdered in your sleep."

Tempest stares Soundwave down. "There's things worse than death."

The shade of Soundwave's optic band shifts subtly back to its usual unreadable expression. Obviously the attempt at humor didn't have the desired effect of diffusing the tension. "So there *has* been a problem," he observes, and it is not a question.

Tempest says flatly, "Look, how about we just keep our distance from each other and leave it at that, hm?"

Soundwave says, "Tempest, I cannot assist you if you do not give me some indication of what has occurred."

Tempest says with a bit of a hiss, "I don't need any more of your HELP." She glares at him. "I may not be in the best of bargaining positions but you may take it to heart that your interference with my jet mode is the FINAL interference I will tolerate."

Soundwave's optic band now flickers faintly, a puzzled expression for those who can read it. "Am I to understand that you are upset over the rebuild after all this time? Those were the parts which were available, as I explained. But, your reaction seems a bit of an anachronism now."

Tempest lowers her face until she's only inches away from his. "Why don't you stop guessing and find out, eh? Come on...I dare you!"

Soundwave does not flinch back from her, simply remains seated and faces her.

Ravage has arrived.
Ravage stalks into the area.

Soundwave asks calmly, "To what do you refer, Tempest?"

Soundwave is seated at his usual communications station, though his chair is swiveled around to face Tempest, who seems to be having some kind of showdown with him.

Tempest smiles a little, a humourless grin. "Oh, you're a clever one, aren't you. That face plate, that visor. There isn't a bot here who can read what you're thinking...not even an expression to give you away." She stands back, her arms folded.

In a dark corner a shadow moves slightly and something scampers across the room in a silent flash of black armor.

Tempest is immediately wary, drawing back from Soundwave into an instinctive crouch, her optics watching the shadows.

There is a red flash of ruby light from the shadow and two dark red dots peer out from it.

Soundwave glances toward Ravage, having already sent a silent greeting to his oldest creation. "You may be assured, Tempest, that no harm will come to you here. I admit to being somewhat puzzled by your demeanor."

Tempest says, "And you can call off your beast, too." She jerks her head towards the shadows. "I'm a harder target than even you may think."

Soundwave says gently, "*Did* someone attempt to harm you? If I do not know, I cannot deal with the matter."

Tempest says, "Fine. If you want to play that game, fine. I know. You know I know." She snorts. "How stupid do you think I am? It's hardly coincidence you seem to know EVERYTHING that goes on around here."

Soundwave says, "It is part of my function to keep watch on things, to insure everything functions as it should. To step in, at times, when necessary to settle tensions."

Tempest repeats sarcastically, "'Settle tensions', I'll bet." She leans over him. "Megatron thinks a lot of you. I don't....yes, I DO know why."

Soundwave attempts another subtle bit of humor. "I should hardly think this would be considered a crime."

Tempest grins coldly. "It's all in the method...my methods have been considered crimes by some..."

Ravage steps out of the shadows as Tempest leans over Soundwave... he doesn't look threatening yet... at least not more than usual.

Soundwave gestures to Ravage to bring him out of the shadows and to his side, more out in the open rather than lurking in a manner that would give Tempest more reason to worry.

Tempest turns slightly...her hands twitch, but she doesn't go for the swords. She watches Ravage closely.

Soundwave looks, to one who can read it, slightly disappointed, but he says, "You are of course welcome to whatever opinion you form of me."

Ravage moves on over to Soundwave and sits down beside the larger chair, leaning his head into the mech's knee.

Soundwave reflexively rests a hand on the back of Ravage's neck, stroking the smooth black metal.

Tempest snorts. "Am I." She leans forward. "You can't control me," she hisses, her voice like a whisper. "You will fail where all others failed..."

Ravage looks up at Tempest with silent optics... a soft rumble coming from his throat, /Can not fail at something you do not attempt./

Soundwave says, "Control you? Last we spoke, you asked about devotion to the cause, why one would fight and risk death. You are still here by choice. That information is hardly an attempt at control." Soundwave says, "Did someone ... say something to you, that frightened you?"

Tempest says, "I'm a gambler. Right now I choose to place my odds here. But one wrong move, and I'll take my odds with Defcon. He is an enemy I know how to fight."

Soundwave says, "Something about me, perhaps, or about Megatron? Have you been speaking to Starscream?"

Tempest shakes her head. "Not Starscream," she admits, and then catches herself...you can see the teeth grit and the optics flash as she regrets even that bit of information.

Soundwave's optics flicker slightly as he thinks of something. "Or to Chasm?"

Tempest glares at Soundwave as if it's his fault she spoke at all.

Ravage growls at the name of Chasm.

Tempest says, "I respect Megatron...but I question his judgement, especially if it's NOT ALL HIS."

Soundwave says, "I can quite assure you that Megatron makes his own judgements. Are you implying that I have influenced him unduly?"

Tempest folds her hands and quirks her mouth at Soundwave, as if to say, "You got it."

Soundwave sits back a little and processes this, his expression entirely unreadable. "To what end would you imagine I would do this?" he asks finally.

Ravage cocks his head to one side as if to say... Another nut...

Tempest shrugs. "I don't understand your motivation or that of most of your kind...but if I were you..." Her optics spark. "Survival. Your own personal army...and of course, being the head figure is too dangerous, so instead..." She glances at Ravage and leans closer. "What do you want with me? REALLY?"

Ravage's ear pivots... he can hear every word.. in fact he can even hear the tick of every mech's energon pump in the room...

Soundwave can't help but chuckle at the discordant thought ... it's a quietly reverberating harmonic sound. "My own personal army? Now there is something I have yet to be accused of."

Tempest seems to be angered by his laugh...and now her hand is on the storage panel, where she keeps the ring...and the hilt.

Soundwave says, "As to what we want with you, you will find that Decepticons are generally straightforward about their intentions. No one has lied to you about our intentions." Soundwave's gaze flickers to follow the gesture. "You would also find that taking thoughtless aggressive action is not to be recommended in this room."

Tempest nods, clearly not believing it. At that, she nods clearly. "As long as Megatron thinks so much of you, I'm pretty much bound, aren't I? But I'm on to you..." She grins like a shark. "You must be slipping. Megatron could talk."

Soundwave looks at her quite seriously now, and with a hint of concern. "Are you certain you have not been talking to Chasm? He tends to say strange things. I have not yet figured him out."

Tempest thinks about that and reflexively frowns...Chasm may be an enigma to Soundwave, but that doesn't mean Tempest likes him. Tempest looks at Soundwave with a smirk. "Megatron could talk...that means you must not be all powerful...so stay clear of me."

Ravage tilts his head the other way.. a puzzled flicker of light coming from his optics...

Soundwave says, "And explain to me, perhaps, why I would not want Megatron to talk to you?"

Tempest growls, "Like I said...if you can read minds...why don't you GUESS."

Soundwave inclines his head slightly. "So that is the problem. I am a telepath, this is true - but you must be unfamiliar with the nature of telepathy if you think I can influence others to do my bidding with it."

Tempest looks suddenly startled, as if she never thought of that. "I'd bet you'd want me to think that, wouldn't you," she says rather tauntingly, but from the confusion in her optics it's clear she really is second-guessing herself.

Soundwave says, "I admit it has been some time since I was faced with an aversive reaction to my ability, so I seldom think to mention it. And perhaps, indeed, I might want you to think I was unable to exert external control, if I really were doing so. But I could easily have looked into your mind and used that information against you, had I so wished - rather than asking you."

Tempest says, "I saw what Megatron did to Wheeljack..." The optics blaze with angry light. "No one had better THINK of doing that to me."

Soundwave says, "What Megatron did to Wheeljack amounted to low-level damage, a physical change to the cerebral circuitry. That is altogether a different matter."

Tempest seems kind of shaken--but instead of considering his words, she feels compelled to say, "I don't know what kind of acts you do for enjoyment but...." Her optics blaze again. "Rest assured that I am no longer unconscious and dying, now capable to fight back and..." And then her face goes blank, as she remembers just who fixed her.

Ravage gives a slight snort...

Tempest finally looks her true age...looking very much a girl, lost, confused and scared...

Soundwave states quietly, "Tempest. Had I wished you harm, I would have had plenty of opportunity already."

Tempest takes one hesitant step backwards, staring at Soundwave, not hostile any more, but confused....shaking her head as if she can't believe that the non-threatening figure in front of her is really as he appears.

Soundwave sighs softly. He'd like to reach her, to reassure her, this terrified young being, but he knows any move he makes now would be misinterpreted. "If you are ill at ease in my presence, due to my telepathic abilities, then I will understand. You would not be the first to say so."

Tempest seems to have more trouble accepting Soundwave as a friend than as an enemy. "I...almost trusted you," she says in a hoarse whisper. "The other night...why did I tell you so much?"

Tempest seems...angry with herself now, angry at everything...and then she turns to him with a look of despair. "If I'm right I'm in for a world of hurt...and if I'm wrong, you'll tell Megatron, and he won't be amused how I treated his closest associate."

Megatron arrives from Access Corridor.

Soundwave's optics shade imperceptibly darker, a moment of disappointment. "Perhaps because I was interested. Perhaps because I wanted to know what brought you to us, the course of your life. I could have taken that information for myself, as you say, but that is not my way of going about things. I can do no more than tell you, I do not access the minds of others without dire reason - but whether you will believe it, is up to you."

Tempest immediately spins around to face Megatron, a look of sudden guilt on her face as if she's been caught in the act.

Megatron says, "I'll be amused about what?"

Tempest cringes, knowing she can't ask Megatron for help...and instead steels herself, suddenly wiping all emotion off her face, standing still and rigid, waiting for judgement.

Soundwave turns from his conversation with Tempest to nod a greeting to Megatron. "Commander. I believe Tempest and I were just finishing our discussion."

Tempest gives Soundwave an openmouthed incredulous glance.

Megatron says, "A very emotional discussion it seems... Well, WHAT won't I be amused of? HOW did you treat Soundwave?"

Tempest winces again. "I..." She looks at Soundwave, drags her attention back to Megatron. "Misread the implications when you called Soundwave a telepath."

Soundwave reiterates, "There is no problem, Commander. Tempest was merely trying to clarify the information she had been given, and what she read into it."

Tempest stammers, "I think I have the facts clear now." A quick glance at Soundwave...incredulous? Perhaps even...gratitude?

Soundwave seems ready to dismiss the issue, and turns back toward his console. He *was* here to work, originally, after all. One hand remains lightly on the back of Ravage's neck as he touches the keypad controls with the other.

Tempest gives another quick glance at Soundwave, but as he's engrossed in his work, she decides to leave him be...instead she draws herself up, intending to look a little more professional around Megatron.

Soundwave taps into the planet's communications systems and begins sifting through for anything of interest - a task that takes, at the moment, only some of his attention. He remains aware of what's happening in the room behind him.

Megatron walks over to Tempest, placing a hand calmingly on her shoulder. "Tempest, I know this is all still new for you, but you don't have a reason to mistrust Soundwave, he will not try to get any information from you, except if I'd order him to. And... I have no reason for that..." Looks at her, his optics shining in a warm red.

Tempest gives Megatron a small smile. "Thank you Si...ah...Megatron."

Tempest excuses herself for the night, actually heading back to her quarters for rest instead of sleeping in whatever corner she happens to find empty.

Soundwave glances aside at Ravage and notes quietly, "Did you know, your mother reacted much the same way, when she first learned of my 'ability.'"