TFP: The Archivist- 9

    Frenzy woke up. He got up off of the berth, rubbing his optics. He had a massive processor ache, and was tempted to lay back down again, but. . . Rumble. He needed to see if Rumble was okay.
    He walked to the medbay, conscious of the many stares he got from the Vehicons. News would be all over the ship by now that he had lost his temper in front of the commander.
    He sighed and entered the door, not expecting any response when-
"There you are, Frenzy! Geez, I was wondering when you would finally come to see me."
"Rumble?"
    Frenzy looked up onto the medical berth to find Rumble leaning over the edge.
"Get back on the berth before you fall off!" Frenzy chuckled.
"Well come on up. There's plenty of room up here." Rumble replied and pushed himself back from the edge.
    Frenzy ran forward and launched himself at the berth, grabbing a small ledge and pulling himself quickly to the top. It wasn't the most graceful, but it worked. He walked over the many grooves in the berth and sat beside his brother.
*And he sticks the landing!* Rumble cheered.
*Well, I've certainly gotten more proficient at it.*
*I'm not going to mention the time when-*
*Don't you dare!*
    The two laughed out loud. Frenzy sat down. The tone grew somber.
"I have to ask what happened though." He sighed. "At the construction site."
Rumble gave him a glare. "Come on, let's not talk about that right now."
"We need to."
"Alright. We were just taking down some old ruins. It took longer than expected."
"And then what?"
"You saw it. My arm was mangled. Energon everywhere."
"At least this time it could be repaired."
"Don't say that." Rumble whispered.
"I know." Frenzy lowered his volume as well.
    They both looked at each other.
"Ultra Magnus. . . he doesn't like you, you know." Frenzy said, eyeing the cameras nervously. "I think it's about time you stopped using your ability."
"But I was using it for good cause-"
"He called you a murderer."
    Rumble flinched at the simple syllables.
*You don't think I'm a murderer, do you?* 
    Frenzy brought him into a one-armed hug.
*Slag no. You were a weapon. Used. You had no control over any of that. And I said that, right to that red and blue slagger's face.*
    There was no reply, but what was left unsaid was easy to guess. Frenzy let go of the hug, and Rumble gave a tentative smile.
    The door to the Medbay opened. The twins flinched and turned to see who came in.
"I see Rumble is awake and functional now." Bumblebee greeted them.
"Yeah, this guy finally had the common sense to come and check on me." Rumble lightly punched his brother on the arm. Thank Primus that he could cover so quickly.
"How does your arm feel, Rumble?" Bumblebee asked.
"Uh. . ." He hesitated. "It doesn't hurt. Much."
"Are you able to stand?" Bee asked.
"Yeah." Rumble replied. "I'm no weakling. It takes a lot more than that to take me down!"
"Are you sure?" Frenzy warned.
"Of course!" Rumble got up, wobbling a little before standing up straight.
"Good. With that, you are excused from the Medbay." Bumblebee looked impressed. "I would suggest limiting your activity-"
"I'll take care of it." Frenzy replied.
"I assume you will need help getting off the berth, however?"
    Both twins sighed.
"That would be helpful, yes." Frenzy said.
    Bumblebee gently picked him up by the arm and set him down on the floor.
"Alright, me too." Rumble admitted.
    Bumblebee cradled the him, and carried him down.
"No need to make me feel like such a kid! I told you, I'm fine." He protested.
"Alright, let's go." Frenzy pointed to the door.
    Rumble started walking, but then began to lean a little on Frenzy.
*Can you make it the whole way there?* Frenzy asked him.
*To where? The mess hall? I could use a good ration.*
*Our quarters. I need to talk. Something happened.*
*Like what?*
*I don't know. I can't explain it. But something's off.*
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"Is there a problem, Smokescreen?"
    Smokescreen turned to see Ultra Magnus standing in the doorway of his quarters.
"No, of course not!" He replied in a nervous, joking manner. "Why would there be any problem?"
"You're right." Magnus said. "There is no problem. Nothing to be worried about at all."
    The commander's calm tone was giving Smokescreen the chills.
"Uh. . yeah. Right." He replied with a chuckle. "So why are you here, sir?"
"I was worried that Knockout's sudden betrayal might be starting to have an effect on you, along with seeing the Iacon ruins being inhabited by a Decepticon ghost."
"No effect at all, sir! I mean, the ruins were slightly. . unnerving, but otherwise I'm great. Thanks for asking."
"You sound on edge."
    Smokescreen's mouth moved, but no words came out.
"You're right." He finally sputtered. "I'm worried about. . Wheeljack! Yeah. He's all alone out there. I'm worried he's. . um. . missing Bulkhead. And. ."
Ultra Magnus looked him in the eye. "Is this about the Minicons?"
"No."
    Silence.
"Then what is it?" He asked.
Smokescreen was ready to collapse in relief. "Yeah, I am bothered by Knockout's betrayal. My apologies for lying, sir."
"Apology accepted. We need more honest mechs, Smokescreen. Especially after his betrayal. Report anything that seems suspicious directly to me." Ultra Magnus turned and left the room.
    There was a tense silence as the door shut. Smokescreen relaxed. He had been standing so straight that his joints ached. Then he jerked back upright, as the realization swept over him. One single thought flashed through his mind.
What do I do?
    He had just lied for the first time. And it wasn't a "little white lie" like Jack had taught him, but a full-on lie, to a commanding officer! Was this how Autobots turned Decepticon?
    Why, why had he lied? He should of told Ultra Magnus everything. Everything about Soundwave being the ghost. Everything about the "conversations" and what he had told Soundwave and what Soundwave told him. He closed his eyes.
    Something inside him told him that what Ultra Magnus was doing was. . . wrong. Something was wrong. It felt like there was a hole tearing right through his spark. Smokescreen knew the feeling of utter desperation. He had felt it on the Decepticon prison ship, while trying to escape. Except where Soundwave was, the Shadow Zone, was inescapable without outside help. And then not to mention how the Minicons must be feeling!
    The Minicons. What if. . ?
    He approached his personal computer. The screen was blank. He paused before entering in a command.
<Compose Message>
    His servos shook as he typed.
Soundwave
Is
Alive
    He closed his optics and shook his head.
This isn't right, he told himself. Ultra Magnus would never forgive me.
    He opened his optics.
What if Ultra Magnus isn't right?
    He started typing again, faster.
He's in the Shadow Zone, an alternate dimension. It might be possible to get him out.
He's alive. He's alive. And he misses you.
    The send button was just sitting there. One click could change everything.
<Send To-?> The message popped up.
<_User_6692_> He typed. That was the address of Frenzy and Rumble's quarters. 
<Override?>
    He hadn't thought about this. Of course the computer would be blocked.
<Soundwave123(?)> He guessed.
<INCORRECT>
<Minicon6692(?)> He guessed again.
<INCORRECT> 
    Obviously, this was defense against Soundwave sending them a message from the Shadow Zone. What was something that Soundwave wouldn't know?
<Til_All_Are_One(?)> He finally guessed.
<Override initiated> 

<Message Sent>
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    The twins had arrived at their quarters. 
*That was exhausting.* Rumble panted *I need a break.*
*Of course. Sit down, make yourself comfortable.*
    Rumble seemed to collapse onto the floor.
*Alright, what's up?* He asked suspiciously.
Frenzy sighed. *I heard. . . something.*
*Like what? Smokescreen drooling over Ultra Magnus again? I can't imagine what you could have-*
*No! Shut your mouthplates and listen!* Frenzy regained his composure. *I thought. . I. .*
*Spit it out already.*
*Nevermind.*
Rumble straightened. "Alright then."
Frenzy looked away. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."
"Well alright then." Rumble shrugged. "Now can we go get some rations? I'm-"
    Ding!
    Frenzy looked over to the computer. Normally it was turned off in a power-savings mode, but something had woke it up. Its screen glowed softly. He went over to investigate.
"What do you see?" Rumble asked.
"Hmm." Frenzy started typing. "Someone sent us a. . ."
    His spark stopped and his digits froze, hovering over the keyboard.
"Bro?" Rumble got up and walked over. "Hey, is everything alright?"
    He froze in his tracks as he got close enough to read the simple message.

Soundwave is alive. He's in the Shadow Zone, an alternate dimension. It might be possible to get him out.
He's alive. He's alive. And he misses you.
- ###########

"Who sent this?" Rumble said quietly. "If this is some sort of twisted joke, someone's aft is gonna get kicked."
It took Frenzy a moment to respond. "The username is encrypted. Let me. . ." 
    The encryption was sloppily done, obviously the work of an absolute amateur. He cracked it quickly.

<_User_Smokescreen_>

"Yeah, this is definitely some sort of joke." Rumble narrowed his optics. "Smokescreen."
    Frenzy either did not hear the comment or did not care. He did not reply.
*Come on, bro. Give me a response.* Rumble asked.
Frenzy turned to him. *The evidence all adds up.*
*How?*
*The words on the wall. "Still Alive". And, what I was going to tell you was that. . . I thought I heard a message from boss.*
*A message from- wait.*
*What?*
*Primus fraggit, of course!*
*Of course what-?!*
*Knockout! Knockout knows!* Rumble shook him. *That's why-*
*That's why what?!* Frenzy replied.
*Knockout, Knockout must have known that Boss was alive! That's why he was guarded!*
Frenzy paused. *And that's why Ratchet came from Earth to give our checkups, and Knockout was nowhere to be found. He was under arrest for "treason".*
*We have to find Knockout. He'll know the truth!*
*But, how? He's locked up, probably under high security. How the heck will we-*
    Rumble pointed up to a small grate on the wall. 
*The vents, of course. Last time I checked, they even led to the holding cells.*