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As Megatron's residence was connected to his tenure at the Science Academy, he had to collect what was left there and vacate the premises. However, it was a long way to Polyhex from Crystal City, and he did not feel like making it without one stop. What little he could could not subspace fit neatly in one carry-all; he'd been anticipating this moment. He was also certain he would not be turned away, no matter how much of an odor he was in via the gossip channels.
As if to convince him of that very fact, he heard a piercing scree moments before Laserbeak circled down to take his shoulder as a perch.
"Think of your creator, and one of you appears, is that it?" Megatron asked, letting Laserbeak push against his helm and neck.
"Home," was Laserbeak's answer to that, emphatically and without room for negotiation.
"Of course, little flier." Megatron set off for the information broker, firmly making himself not work any further calculations within his models for the near future. He would soon have all the time he needed to perfect the model and try to find the missing part of the equation for peaceful resolution.
`~`~`~`~`
"Dude, that's a stink they made," Soundwave said, once the pleasantries and hospitality requirements had been met.
"I'm hardly a popular professor, Soundwave," Megatron pointed out. "I've taught fewer than two percent of the total student population in the time I have been assigned here as the Quantum Mathematical Professor."
"No duh there, but makes you hip to the crowds that hate the power." Soundwave was, as always, sprawled to offer as much surface as possible to his two most recent creations to climb all over.
Megatron had the honor of granting Ravage a perch for his nap, while Laserbeak was up high, watching over the twin bipedals on their shared creator. He carefully shook his helm to keep from up upsetting the quadruped. "It was expected by me, and means, more than ever, my calculations are on target."
"Still way wrong. You're right, and they just keep turning their optics away from it," Soundwave grumbled.
Megatron vented in amusement, then reached for Soundwave's hand, receiving it swiftly. He squeezed those gifted digits, having watched the infinite care in crafting that Soundwave had used to produce all of his creations. "What did I ever do to make you believe me so truly, my friend?"
Soundwave squeezed back before he answered, reassuring with the touch Megatron accepted from so few. "Awesome runs deep in you, amigo. It would be so bogus to deny you rock."
Megatron paused, translated all of that into standard and then smiled, letting a chuckle ripple out. "Like calls to like, Soundwave, as I have rarely met anyone as talented and generous as you are."
"We're the Dynamic Duo of Destiny!" Soundwave proclaimed, accepting the praise easily.
"Oh stars and nebulae, don't even!" Megatron complained with a laugh that threatened to disturb Ravage's nap.
"Perfectly Perilous Pair?"
`~`~`~`~`
Laserbeak was nested around the twins, and Ravage had gone out when Megatron onlined his optics. He wasn't sure where he was, until he recalled the high-grade that had followed Soundwave's attempts to determine their team name. That led to a little bit more than talking, and… well, Megatron was not one to deny the fact of having a really good defrag before starting new tasks was in his best interests.
"I should start my journey," he murmured when Soundwave's presence made itself known in his processor.
"Still think I ought to go too." That was the closest Megatron had ever heard Soundwave come to sulking in his presence.
"We agreed… I remember… that you were needed here to listen, and that Laserbeak or Ravage could go between us," Megatron soothed.
"Not schway, but will," Soundwave agreed. "Not much longer?"
Megatron touched his analytic probability curve, frowned, and nodded. Soundwave rose up next to him, caressing along the helm and various data ports.
"We've got the bodacious job to take on, but you're not alone, and it won't just be me by boom-time."
Megatron understood Soundwave's offer clearly. Much as they hated it, Soundwave's persuasion would be needed to gain followers.