[ti]Ep 2.5[/ti]Entry Eight [Knock Out]

[Soundwave]

Episode 2.5 | Week 4 | Day 1

Regular Medical Appointments.

Energon Tests.

Data Log Updates...

Ever since the mystery disease was identified and challenged head on by Knock Out and Sparkplug's combined efforts, an extensive file had been formed, and Soundwave was one of many who were on an active watch list at the moment. Extremely frequent medical checks, scans and tests, questioning to make sure mood had remained generally stable, so much so it could border a line of obsessive, nearly crossing the threshold of being a waste of time and energy. Once the nanite cure was synthesized and put into effect, it appeared to be properly cleaned up and a non-issue in the grand scheme of things.

Results of the testing seldom changed from check to check, a slightly higher elevation of a certain metallic compounds in the Energon, perhaps a slightly lower level... all falling within the range of 'normal' given their current diets at Blackridge... but... the checks were still valuable, especially when there was a chance something COULD be off with so many personnel cramped up in a small area.

And something may be off.

Soft steps, a plastic ring of dampeners clicking within narrow joints and hinges...

Soundwave's unmistakable form was walking down one of the multiple tunnels that created Blackridge's internal framework, his stride calm and controlled, not in any particular rush which seemed to be the norm for him. He knew when he was expected, when he was needed, and so... he timed things out nearly to the letter, his form stepping up to the Medical Bay's door just as the local clock ticked to the hour. With this threshold met, he simply pushed the rough plate of metal turned door aside, and continued into the workshop beyond.

As with every time previously, Soundwave was directly on time for the check in, and in an average encounter the navy mech would have simply moved off to the side out of Knock Out's way to wait for the medic to get things together to take an Energon sample and go on about his day. Routine, normality... predictable... however, things were different this time, as the dark shadow of a Cybertronian strode towards the other individual directly, the door swinging closed behind him to softly click shut.

Purposeful, intent, he halted only once he drew near, almost looming overhead with the height difference compared to the sitting medic despite the fact he was at an average conversational distance. The glossy black visor angled down, making sure Knock Out was paying attention, but instead of a glyph or graphic popping up, Soundwave physically moved. Gradually, his right hand reached up, gently tapping a narrow digit once along the faded incision where the anomaly had been cut out of him a couple weeks prior.

[Knock Out]

Finally, there was some normality back at Blackridge.

It’d been a fairly clean shift from the Nemesis to the cramped base, the only real annoyances were the lack of room, and the lack of doors.

But, Knock Out had a door now - and his own room.

Two rooms, really, if you counted the Medical Bay. Unless someone was scheduled for a checkup or some maintenance, he was left mostly alone. Of course, he kept busy when he wasn’t seeing to Vehicons, which unfortunately these days? Seemed to take up a lot of his time - with the adjustment to the new location, more had been shipped off to the many Energon Mines - which meant, sadly, more injuries. A small price to pay though, for uninterrupted mining.

The mystery disease that’d affected nanites seemed to be under control. What a potential mess that’d been, though. If it weren’t for Sparkplug and her quick thinking, who even knows where the Decepticons would be right now.

At least they couldn’t crash this base into the Ocean.

They weren’t completely out of the woods though. Those that’d shown outward signs - Flatline, Soundwave, some of the Vehicons… they had to go through mandatory checks - and often, at that, just to make sure there was no sign of things coming back. Even if their results were always mostly normal, Starscream was leaving absolutely nothing to chance and Knock Out wasn’t about to argue. It’d blindsided them before. Completely. They couldn’t risk it happening again.

Soundwave was due any moment.

Thankfully the Medical Bay was empty for now. Knock Out sitting at the small slab of rock that made up his desk, peering at a small datapad in his servos. While some of the more important equipment had been retrieved from the Nemesis and drained of seawater and repaired, none of it seemed to be in use right now.

The door pushed open.

Right on time.

Normally, this would be where Knock Out would stand. Gather the things to take an Energon sample, run it, and send Soundwave on his way once they’d gotten the all clear. Soundwave always moved to the same spot - it was routine, but… things were different this time. Instead, the Spymaster made his way over directly, and stopped.

Knock Out blinked, peering up at him. This was out of the norm, and immediately his brows furrowed some in concern. Carefully, he’d set the datapad down and eased himself up and onto his pedes as Soundwave lightly tapped along the long-faded incision.

“Everything alright, Soundwave?” it hadn’t quite clicked yet “You need me to go over the incision point with a buffer for you?” while most wouldn’t even notice the faded discoloration, maybe Soundwave was annoyed by the fact it was still there. Knock Out certainly noticed it, even if it was a neat slice - some of his best work, given the circumstances at the time! - maybe it was time to get rid of the mark entirely.

[Soundwave]

A rare recording, a flicker of a graphic or motion of the hand or helm... so much could be conveyed in very simplistic means to a point it almost came down to an art form. Opting out of words, it served Soundwave well all things considered, cutting dangerously to the point to get things concluded quicker than idle chatter would ever permit. However, when it came to the abstract... that is where things sometimes hit a gray area. Nothing can be stated as true fact without possibly being wrong, and cutting remarks that were definitive could unintentionally lead in the wrong direction. There was one thing that was for certain in this scenario though, and that was the fact he was not complaining about the visual presence of the incision.

So faint, so subtle... Soundwave's inner layer of armor where the cut could be found was a rich black accented by magenta bio-lights and a multitude of thin seams and joining planes that broke apart when he transformed. The small incision bled away to nothingness in the shadows before disappearing beneath Laserbeak, and one would almost need to be TRYING to look for it to see it unless there was a burst of light that caught onto the faint ripple on the surface. While Soundwave tended to his appearance, he was not seeking such a minute thing to be repaired at this time with how much other work needed to be done, especially with his new concerns.

A slow shake of the helm, a single back and forth in response... while this reply to the question was straightforward, the gray uncertainty soon came into play on trying to express the next phrases properly.

Soundwave's visor turned away from looking at Knock Out then, angling down as if he were trying to peer at the incision himself. This lasted only a brief moment, before armor hatched away from his body with a sharp snap. A series of clicks, a hissed snarl... with a spiraling push Laserbeak surged from the dock and quickly took shape and wing, buzzing up and over Knock Out to delicately land as best as it could atop a makeshift cabinet. As seemingly loud as Laserbeak could be at times, especially in such a confined area, the point was not to draw attention to the small cassette, evident in the way the tiny creature hunkered down and fell dormant at rest.

Soundwave's attention was still upon the incision that was now more visible.

Abstract feelings, uncertainty of a direct cause, not wishing to supply concrete facts when things were up in the air... After a brief moment Soundwave gingerly lifted his gaze back to peer at Knock Out, while his slender forearms rose up from his side once again. Calmly, he held up his hands, leaving them flat with fingers pinned together before crossing across one another in a general motion for 'obstruction' as the back hand was blocked by the one before it.

[Knock Out]

The gentle shake of Soundwave’s helm made Knock Out frown. Okay, so he didn’t want the ‘scar’ buffed away. Which meant it was something else.

Normally when someone felt off, they came to the Medical Bay, and explained the problem if it wasn’t glaringly obvious like a shattered optic or twisted limb. Or if they couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, the diagnostic machine would usually be able to tell what the issue was. But Soundwave was… different. Very rarely did he speak - and even then it was a mish-mash of clips voiced by others to get the point across - and precious time was wasted in trying to decipher the clues given.

As proud as Knock Out was of his abilities in medicine, he wasn’t an expert at charades - and so he’d squint at Soundwave as if expecting another more obvious clue. Maybe if Flatline were here he could help work out what the Spymaster wanted, but alas, Knock Out was alone.

A gentle incline of Soundwave’s helm, Knock Out watched curiously - flinching as armor began hatching away from the navy mech. A familiar transformation, but one that caught him off guard in the confines of the Med Bay.

Laserbeak?

Was something wrong with the cassette? He watched as the small drone swooped forwards, up and over him and landing a short distance away. It settled fast, resting a moment later. No-

His attention went back to Soundwave. A master of charades he was not, but that gesture was one he could decipher with ease.

A feeling of unrest came over him then, optics widening. The weird thing had grown back? But he was clear from the virus! Wasn’t he? Why had…

Had Flatline’s?

“Oh. I see. Well. If you’d like to lay down on the Medical Berth I can take a look.”

He was hiding his fear. Tone professional, serious - field calm and level. If it’d grown back, did that mean their cure to the mystery virus hadn’t worked? Was Soundwave a ticking time bomb once more? Were all of them who’d been exposed?

“How long? The scans at your last visit didn’t pick up anything of note…” then again, he hadn’t been looking. Merely checking the Nanites were still behaving. At least Soundwave had noticed the signs, and unlike last time - had come to the right place straight away.

He’d push himself into a stand then, moving quickly and with purpose over to one of the many cabinets that littered the walls - things were still a bit haphazardly stored after the Nemesis crash, but that was mostly because they simply didn’t have the room here like they once did. As Soundwave moved into position, Knock Out would begin to rummage and gather the tools he’d need to possibly dissect the mystery object.

Primus, he hoped it wasn’t going to end up like last time…

[Soundwave]

Not needing to be directed twice, Soundwave moved towards the medical berth, calmly maneuvering to sit atop its edge, before hoisting his limbs up and into place. With a partial sideways push to position fully onto the slab so an arm did not hang over its edge, he settled rather quickly, helm lying back as comfortably as he was able given his structure. The hunched posture his frame naturally took, meant that the back of his helm was not able to lay flush with the surface, more hung a bit with a slight incline of the visor that exposed a bit more of his throat. He did not need to see Knock Out to know what was possibly occurring however, especially given Laserbeak's vantage point.

Laserbeak watched curiously, a small triangular head ((for lack of a better word)) angled down to view Knock Out, while his multiple wings folded snuggly together to create an illusion as if there were only two. He seemed content to simply sit there and stay quiet, though was far from completely inert, acting in a way as Soundwave's eyes to see just what Knock Out was doing. The Spymaster did not doubt Knock Out, but it was always good to keep an eye on others especially when his current vantage point left him with just a nice view of the ceiling and far wall.

At Knock Out's question, a mechanical recording sounded out in reply.

/͝/Unverified//̵

There was nothing one moment, then a vague sense of something the next, like being suddenly aware of a small mark on ones mesh, or a minute alteration in a room that you see every day. How long the difference had been present was simply lost to the moment, as it was so small to begin with it could have gone many additional days before being noted if the initial glance had passed over it. Because of this Soundwave was uncertain when it occurred, or even if it was true and not ghosting effects.

As critical as he may be, as hard as he looked into the situation and hard facts throwing aside assumptions and nonsense, a frame and processor could still trip over small things. He part wondered if he was reading too much into it since the weight or the sense of weight was so small compared to beforehand. A ghost's touch of what it could be. On one hand it was probably nothing, on the other it was worthwhile to look into it, even if it gave Knock Out an unintentional fright and stole some of his time away from other tasks. It would be better to make a false call in this scenario, than let things pass under the bridge until problems arise.

Ignoring is how they got to where they are now to begin with.

[Knock Out]

It didn’t take Knock Out long to start gathering the tools needed. While he had tools built into his arm, if there was an object growing in the Spymaster, the rather over-the-top circular saw he had was probably a little too brutal for the delicate touch that’d be needed in removing it without damaging it - of course that all depended on how big the object was. If it hadn’t been there long, chances are it would be small. But given it was still an unknown piece to this puzzle, the best bet was to just open Soundwave up and go from there.

He really hoped there wasn’t anything there. Maybe it was a phantom pain - the stress of attention still being drawn to the mystery illness, maybe Soundwave was just being overly cautious.

If there was, well, he’d pass it on to Shockwave to look at further, just like he had the others. Not that he couldn’t do that himself, but with the transition from the Nemesis to here, Knock Out found himself swamped with things to do. Shockwave? Probably not so much.

“Mm, well I suppose we’ll just have to take a look then. Not that we know the rate of which these things grow but it may give us a bit of an idea.”

While he’d been wary in using any sort of numbing agent on Soundwave the last time he’d found himself in this situation, the regular checkups and thorough examination of the Spymaster’s nanites meant he was confident to do so today.

Laserbeak would be able to see him gathering the supplies needed for this, as well as the usual tools needed in surgery - a small saw, what looked to be something akin to a pair of pliers, and a rather sturdy looking scalpel.

Moving back over to Soundwave, he was quick to administer the numbing agent to the area, talking as he did.

“Is it just this one area like last time? Just while we’re here, if there’s anywhere else that needs looking at...”

Better safe than sorry. It wasn't like they had all the equipment and tech they had back on the Nemesis, so even the smallest of things would have to be looked at manually - and now was the time to bring it up.

Speaking of bringing things up...

He made a mental note to confront Flatline the next time he saw him - if Soundwave was feeling weird and had a possible mystery organ growing in him again? Patient zero most certainly did. Of course, it remained to be seen if he’d ever see Flatline again after today - the long-awaited day where he discussed his fate with Starscream had finally arrived and, well… he wasn’t back yet.

Can’t have things growing in you if you’re dead.

Heh.

Back to the task at hand, he’d give a small hum of approval once the numbing agent had been applied. Now it was a matter of waiting the few minutes for it to take effect, then they could find out if the nightmare was starting over again.

[Soundwave]

As resilient as Soundwave could be, it was a good thing Knock Out opted to use an anesthetic.

To get gouged or cut in battle... to have a weapon gore into your internals and scrape up against fragile components and receptors in there? It was a cost of battle, and muscling through it was simply survival of the fittest. But being slowly and carefully cut into with intent to root around and explore these same components? It was something else all together. An irritant, the mind focused on the cutting and pain it caused, not hazed by determination and a will to fight back. It is safe to say Soundwave probably would not have reacted very kindly, should the red medic have decided to jab the scalpel into his side and expect things to work out well for him.

As the numbing agent was injected into his side to prep the area for work, Soundwave did not move or react in any way. Inert, stagnant... in a way the navy mech could almost look deceased. There were no low growls of engines working, nor a whirl of fans buzzing away. His frame did not fidget or adjust to get more comfortable, nor turn to look over at Knock Out as he maneuvered around. Adapted to silence, so far detached from his peers, the only real thing to show he was indeed functional was straight up logic for the moment, and the fact his bio-lights were still illuminated.

Finally, movement.

As Knock Out asked him if there were more issues or only the one, Soundwave's arm furthest from the medic rose up enough so that the fragile hand could be seen. With care, only one digit was extended, to indicate the single issue that had been felt, before he pointed down at the healing incision from before to further confirm he meant only the one, and not 'one more issue' or other similar comments. With this concluded, the narrow blade like arm would return back down to his side.

He fell silent once more, not one for 'small talk' while waiting as Laserbeak watched.

[Knock Out]

Thankfully, the area that needed to be opened wasn’t large - and so it didn’t take long for the numbing agents to take effect. Even though it would hopefully be a simple surgery, Knock Out was as professional as ever, checking and double checking the tools needed, making sure they were pristine and up to his standards of cleanliness.

As Soundwave lay still, an innocuous line would be drawn from the crook of his arm, and inserted into a datapad which blipped to life a moment later, with his vitals showing on the small screen. The last thing he needed was Soundwave having some sort of reaction to the numbing agent and snapping, and even though he knew that probably wouldn’t be the case? He was taking every precaution.

Rather overly safe than sorry. Soundwave wasn’t restrained, he wouldn’t go that far, but the datapad would serve as a warning system should things start to go south and he had to get the heck out of dodge.

Not that he really stood a chance against the Spymaster, but still.

The silence was something he wasn’t used to. Vehicons would come in, overly chatty to the point that sometimes he had to tell them to stop talking. Starscream would come in often for maintenance, making sure he was in tip-top condition - and even he would chatter away. Another thing Knock Out noticed was how eerily still Soundwave was once he’d gotten into position. Usually, others would at least move - turning their helm as they spoke, a subtle movement of an arm, a slight readjustment wiggle. But Soundwave was still - aside from the small motion of him holding up a single digit to respond to the question, anyway.

“Well, that’s good at least. I mean - it’s not good it’s come back, but at least it hasn’t spread.” the silence unnerved him, and so he’d fill it with his own response. If it were anyone but Soundwave who lay here quiet, he’d play some music - classical was always good to work to, he found. But he didn’t want to annoy the Spymaster any, and so he would continue to work in the ambient hums and whirs of machinery, distant conversations that he couldn’t quite hear, and not much else.

A quick glance at the datapad, checking Soundwave’s vitals, before he’d give a tentative poke at the Spymaster’s side where the previous incision had been made. There was no reaction, and the readouts were showing the area had been effectively numbed, which meant it was time to start work.

At least he knew what to look out for this time. Last time had been a shock - silver tendril-like webbing that stood out harshly against the navy frame. The position of it had been awkward, hard to get to, and while he was sure it was no different, given it was in the same location, at least he’d done it before.

Plus, the silence meant he had no choice but to focus, meaning it’d hopefully be an easy removal, should there be anything there.

He worked swiftly, reopening the previous incision and prying back the paneling to see just what he was going to be working with here. He was a little unnerved by the fact Laserbeak was looming and no doubt watching, but at least the cassette was staying out of the way.

[Soundwave]

Once Knock Out pulled aside the metal to get a good view where the anomaly had been previously, he would find that there wasn't much of anything TO see.

There were the normal internal systems present. The sides of gears and pumps, some pieces that acted as a pivot point during transformation, and the bottom most point of the T-Cog that was nestled a bit higher up in his frame. When it came to something that was atypical nothing would immediately jump out among the sea of grey and silver that was webbed in blue and green coated lines and pipes. There was the equivalent of scar tissue formed from the previous surgery, bits of natural metal that was reformed and bridging a couple points that had been cut, and ages old injuries that were patched over, but... nestled deep within all this there indeed was a rather small object.

Tiny.

Minute.

Only about the size of the end of Knock Out's thumb.

It was a small silver formation that looked like it could be the direct start of the same sort of growth that had been removed previously. It lacked any of the jutting formations, and it lacked any real structure, but it was there, stuck to the side of the fuel system that worked on conversion and regulation. A small branching web seemed to be stretching from it, reaching towards a large blue fuel line that channeled through Soundwave's side, but it had yet to touch. The parts that were stuck would be firmly attached.

Laserbeak watched curiously, wings subtly flexing out a small amount before folding back neatly together to hide the multiple panels into just one on each side. He seemed to be interested, but it was rather difficult to discern anything from the lack of any real features. Just as difficult to 'read' as Soundwave who remained as still as the dead, helm crooked up to view the ceiling. He didn't react to anything he may or may not be able to see through his Cassette, though chances are he was still in the dark given how small it was and the angles involved, waiting patiently for Knock Out's verdict or input.

[Knock Out]

Knock Out had been expecting the worst, he’d paused his intakes, even - bracing himself for the horror that lay within. He’d been expecting to open the Spymaster and be confronted with a mass of raw silver tendrils and webs. But…

“Hm.” a slow exhale. Calm. Okay, this wasn’t bad.

That’s it?

He’d lean in slightly, trying to even properly see the thing to get a better look at it. It was so small that it almost seemed insignificant. Obviously, it was ANYTHING but, and would need to be removed, but… at least it wasn’t growing out of control. Not yet, anyway.

Given the fact it was so small, he wondered if he should just leave it. They knew it was there now, and had an approximation on how long it’d taken for it to regrow to this point. They could monitor it, keep an eye on it - watch how it grew, and how quickly it did at that.

But given the fact it was still an unknown piece in this whole puzzle, he was hesitant. What if it corrupted the nanites just by being there? While there was no Nemesis to crash now, Soundwave was absolutely terrifying in combat if the hushed rumors were to be believed. If he were to snap as Flatline had? There was probably nobody here who could effectively stop him.

It didn’t make a lot of sense. The nanites had come back clear, nothing had been abnormal in Soundwave’s energon in all the times he’d been tested. Knock Out had been overly pedantic - more so than usual - about making sure of that.

Why had this thing even grown back?

The confusion was written on his faceplate. The furrowed brow giving away much.

“Well, it’s definitely started to grow back.” he stood up straighter then, looking over at Laserbeak, finding it easier to talk to the cassette than the dead-looking-Soundwave “The good news is that it’s only about this big…” he’d make a rough estimation using his thumb and index digit. If it were anyone else, it’d be followed by a lighthearted but lewd comment no doubt, but given it was Soundwave? He’d refrain.

“I’m surprised you could feel it at all, given its size.”

Okay, maybe mostly refrain. That’s as far as he would push it though, and even that comment was fairly innocent.

“It won't be hard to remove, at least. Then I’ll pass it along to Shockwave to look into. It does beg the question of why it even came back. The nanites are no longer corrupted, so there has to be something more.”

The answer was right there, but unfortunately, it hadn’t quite clicked yet.

Give it a sec.

[Soundwave]

Always crass, always looking to push the line a bit.

Soundwave didn’t react to the implication, giving no clue to Knock Out that he even knew the subtle joke that had flicked beneath the surface. He was, as always, unphased, though, perhaps was a bit surprised beneath the veil at the fact Knock Out would even venture to toe that line given what Megatron had done previously. Wayward comments, toying actions, they have landed Knock Out in considerable pain in the past, slinking to an enemy for help in the aftermath... yet, here he was, starting to look down that road again.

Some mech never change.

Alas, the assumption that Soundwave felt the anomaly at all was perhaps a bit generous, as he would not even be certain if he had or not. A form of paranoia that manifested itself in a ghosting illusion. Sometimes the frame could know something a processor did not however, an innate knowledge of 'wrongness' or other form of intuition, but even then it was hard to quantify. Was it luck or not, it really in the end did not matter. What mattered was the fact that they indeed found something before it could continue to grow and cause future issues.

Whatever was wrong, it went beyond the tangible Nanites it seemed. Infesting his frame, trying to corrupt even further akin to a virus... A scan of his systems, a full DEEP scan to look for anything out of the ordinary could be beneficial, but... it could also take an obscene amount of time, and any normal scan could red-flag the countless viruses he had locked up in his drives to use as weapons on more primitive computer systems. False red flags, annoyances... but it did give an idea, though, it wasn't as if he could do anything at the moment.

While Knock Out had been careful to work with care, the fact of the matter was that there was still a hole in his frame, should he leave the room he would expose components that ordinarily weren't exposed to open air, in an environment that was far from sterile once beyond the room they were currently trapped within. Despite needing to retrieve something, it was impossible for the moment, but lucky for them, Laserbeak was more than capable of running an errand.

A small click, a subtle whir of systems booting... it was the only warning that would be given before the small Cassette took flight with a buzz and swooped down from his perch. A flick of the wing, a sharp turn, and he would vanish beyond the threshold of the door. It was apparent he was set out on a mission, but for WHAT exactly had not been made clear, Soundwave continuing to lay inert and motionless upon the medical slab.

[Knock Out]

There wasn’t any kind of response to the borderline crude comment, and so Knock Out assumed he was in the all clear. He had not forgotten the backhanded compliment he’d given their… former Warlord… that’d ended up getting his wheel arch badly mangled, and while he knew he was pushing his luck again, Soundwave thought before he acted - and given their current situation, Knock Out was far too valuable to render useless.

Or, that’s at least what Knock Out would cling to, anyway.

All in all, Soundwave was the perfect patient in a way. Aside from the almost frustrating game of charades when it came to working out what was wrong, the fact he just lay there, still, letting Knock Out work? Well, it was a nice change.

Even if the silence seemed to be almost deafening at times.

That silence and stillness was not to last long, however - and the sudden motion of Laserbeak swooping down from his perch made the cherry-red mech flinch some. He watched, helm tilted in confusion as the cassette left the Medical Bay, peering down at Soundwave as if expecting some sort of clue as to what was going on.

There was nothing. No movement, no illumination with a graphic to explain Laserbeak’s sudden departure. Maybe it was something that Knock Out didn’t need to know about. Had Starscream summoned Soundwave and he was obviously unable to attend himself?

Or maybe-

“I hope I didn’t offend!” he said, quickly - a look of mild horror on his faceplate, backtracking to the comment he’d made earlier. Was this Soundwave’s way of showing that he wasn’t happy with the small joke? Honestly, the sentence could be taken the wrong way - but it’d depend where your processor was at. Of course, apologizing for it drew more attention to it, and with a frown, he’d busy himself by doing one last check over of the medical equipment that lay on the table in front of him.

[Soundwave]

Now that Laserbeak was gone, and silence had returned for a brief moment, Soundwave had hoped that Knock Out would go back to task and begin removing the abnormality. Remain professional; recognize the fact he had effectively a makeshift wound now and would desire it to be dealt with in a timely matter, but instead, the medic was hesitating. Over thinking, analyzing... it appeared Knock Out had started to look too far into the fact Laserbeak had effectively bailed out of the room, and the fact Soundwave did not acknowledge it at all.

Offend? Far from it. The comment was a joke, one that was so tame and so subtle, that it could easily be passed off as an innocent comment that could only be perceived wrong with someone with a filthy mindset. Soundwave only really took note of it because it was Knock Out, and such things were almost expected from him at one point or another. This fact only further highlighted by his past taboos and the repercussions they wrought. If the navy mech had been truly OFFENDED, it would have been plainly apparent, and there would be no mistaking the fact.

No subtly. No implications.

As if off-put his response and interaction was even necessary, Soundwave's helm rolled over to the side to angle in Knock Out's direction flatly, somehow conveying an air of dissatisfaction in the process. His shoulder armor may have been fanned out a bit, angled to be able to lay the makeshift wing blades semi-flat along the tables surface, but it still cut off part of his mask from being immediately visible. The fact Laserbeak was gone enabled the visor to be seen at all, but in the end it did not matter, for a recorded voice clipped out.

//͡Continue/́/

A flat command from Megatron.

Soundwave made sure not to pick a recording that was truly angry in tone, not needing to scare Knock Out somehow more unintentionally, but he wanted him to move past the perceived slight, for there was no slight to fear and fret over. This was about as 'comforting' as the Spymaster would be in this situation, his helm gradually rolling back to angle at the ceiling once again, allowing Knock Out to prep his tools hopefully now in peace without fear looming overhead.

[Knock Out]

The silence in the room was the absolute worst.

It only lingered of course because Knock Out was dwelling on it. There had to be a good reason Laserbeak had left so abruptly without a hint as to why. It was probably some important higher-up matter that Knock Out wasn’t even supposed to know about! Yet he found himself wondering, and it was making him stall on what he was supposed to be doing.

At least he was doing something, though. Double checking the tools - even if they did not need a second (or third) glance. They were clean, sterile - one could even say immaculate. Breakdown had cleaned them, and Knock Out had checked his work. They’d been working together for so long that it didn’t really need the extra inspection from the CMO, but he was overly pedantic about things, and how they should be, that Breakdown had quickly learned to just leave things out once he had finished with them, as Knock Out would check them over anyway.

Luckily Breakdown didn’t take offense to any of it.

He kind of wished his partner were around today - just on the offchance that Soundwave was about to snap into some sort of feral rage. All signs, of course, showed that wasn’t going to be the case, but oof - better safe than sorry.

That, and Breakdown could fill the silence some.

Movement caught his attention, and he’d look over to the Spymaster as his helm rolled to the side - looking at him. Or at least, he assumed as such. Nobody knew what went on behind that visor - and even though it appeared the navy mech was looking directly at him? It may not have been the case at all.

The recorded clip made him tense - Megatron. He hadn’t expected that voice. He’d almost forgotten what Big M sounded like, even! Which may have been part of why Soundwave had used it. The tone used wasn’t angry, it seemed the Warlord had been in a good mood when Soundwave had clipped it - but still, something about Megatron’s voice - especially when he wasn't around in person.

Eek.

“Ah, apologies! Just… wondering if everything is alright.” he murmured, putting down the clamp-like tool that he’d been inspecting.

He wouldn’t pry for information, if Laserbeak had left to go meet with Starscream or Pyrotech over some important matter, obviously Soundwave wouldn’t tell him. But it did seem strange, especially as Laserbeak had been watching him so quietly moments earlier.

He’d try not to dwell.

As Soundwave’s helm settled back into place, staring up at the ceiling once more, Knock Out would retrieve the small but sturdy looking scalpel from the bench, leaning down to get another look at the object.

A quiet hum of thought.

It was a good thing he had medics servos, if Breakdown or someone else tried this? They’d make a mangled mess of a job of even trying to get it out. Flatline’s secondaries may have been perfect for something dainty like this, but as if he’d ever give the black and red mech the satisfaction of doing some actual surgery work. Heh.

“While I know the area has been numbed, let me know if you do feel anything odd.” he was mostly filling the silence, but since this was such an unknown piece of a rather large puzzle, he’d appreciate some warning if there was something wrong - giving him ample time to get the heck out of dodge should Soundwave snap.

With that comment made, he’d slowly begin cutting around the mystery object in question. It wouldn’t take long to remove it, but he was being as careful as he could, which meant going a little slower than normal - the larger objects that’d previously been removed had tendril-like webbing, and he’d rather take the time to remove everything in one piece than risk having portions embedded and left behind.

[Soundwave]

The abnormality didn't seem particularly tricky to remove, and all things considered would be easier than the larger alternative. It hadn't had much time to bore into place far at all, and it didn't seem to attach to more than the one area. It almost looked like a Cybertronian equivalent to a 'scab' of silver metal, crusting over the joint between the pipe and the attaching components. It was completely gray in color, no paint surfacing or different metals in play, just plain Cybertronian alloys typically used in the bridging of surface abrasions and wounds.

While the connecting point did leak a bit of Energon once the object was pried off, it wouldn’t be more than a couple drops before Knock Out more likely than not sealed it accordingly.

Through all of this, Soundwave was, as always, silent as the dead. He did not twitch or flinch, he did not show any sign of discomfort nor any tell that he could feel anything at all. He didn't make any form of conversation, nor pester with questions regarding the abnormality or its properties now that he couldn't 'see' through Laserbeak. Everything returned to the previous state as if Knock Out were working on a cadaver and not a living Cybertronian, or... so was the case until a bit of time passed.

After the minute damage was sealed, the opening cleansed, and the actual incision itself was in the process of being sealed up, there was an all too familiar buzzing sound that rang out from the hallway. Not trying to be sneaky, not trying to damper the sound of flying nor hide in any way... it was almost as if Laserbeak was trying to be heard. This was all calculated and intentional, so that Knock Out didn’t get spooked and lurch when he flew in a moment after.

A buzzing hum, a swoop and flick of a wing and pulse of an engine, the small Cassette easily perched back onto the cabinet where he had been sitting previously, the six panels of wings twitching ever so slightly as balance was found, before pivoting so that the small camera like helm could continue to watch as if nothing had changed. In a way, it did not appear anything HAD changed with the small creature, except for one very important thing.

Clutched in a small prong of a cable that was akin to Soundwave's own was a black box of a drive.

Soundwave didn't draw attention to it nor react.