"Run." Soundwave fought with his vocalizer, forcing out his last words. "Destination: Blaster."

"To the Autobots?" Rumble complained.

"Why?" Frenzy asked, concerned for their player.

"He will... understand... your plight."

"Ours." Frenzy corrected gently.

"Your plight." Soundwave repeated, resting a warm hand on Frenzy's small shoulder. Frenzy laid his hand softly over his player's, who had become... well, become more to him over the centuries. "Megatron... does not... understand... care... or protect. Blaster... will assist." With that, Soundwave took one last painful gasp of air, and his visor dimmed to black. Ravage pawed at him, trying to wake him.

"That's not going to work." Tears of coolant formed in Frenzy's optics. His visor tinted darker to hide them. "He is with the AllSpark now..." Ravage keened loudly. Frenzy gently took his protector's hand off his shoulder, and carefully crossed Soundwave's hands across his chestplates. The laser fire was coming closer by the minute. Frenzy put his -and Rumble's- grief behind a powerful fire wall. Rumble turned to Frenzy.

{Split up?} Frenzy nodded the affirmative. Rumble gathered up Ravage in his small arms, while Frenzy tried to catch the fliers. He managed to down Laserbeak before too long.

::Come on, Ratbat!:: He squawked indignantly through the comm, but came to his twin's side immediately. As soon as the fliers were reunited, they began the long trek to the Ark.

oOoOo

The cassettes walked for several joors, pausing only momentarily to dig out some energon rations, about half a cycle into their journey. Frenzy smiled for a klik. He had them eating right out of his hand.

A jolt of surprise laced with fear flashed through his spark. Alarmed, he spun on his peds to see a black and white mech holding his twin in one hand, Ravage in his other. "Hello little ones." The tall mech smiled jovially at the frightened looks on their faces. "Now, now, I ain't gonna hurt ya guys. I overheard Soundwave tellin' ya to find Blaster. I been tryin' to ping ya for a joor. Your goin' the wrong way." Frenzy searched his databanks, and put a name to the black and white mech with the Autobot symbol between his chestplates. Jazz.

"May I presume that you are aware of the correct path?"

"Yes." Jazz walked off to the right, still holding Rumble and Ravage. Laserbeak and Ratbat settled on his shoulders. Frenzy sighed resignedly, following the monochrome mech.

Thanks for reading, please review.

A/N: All ideas welcome. Thanks again! ;)