"Next time I come by, I'll bring checkers. Just to make it fair." A pause at that question, before the war. His optics shuttered for a second, and he played it off cool, "Flying. It's the only really good thing about this place, there's enough in the way of resources that I can justify burning up a lot of fuel for no reason."

And then he fell silent to listen, schooling his face into some attempt at calm as he processed all of that. His mouth opened, and then shut again firmly, resisting the urge to stop Soundwave midway and ask for clarification, expansion--that cold intellect warring with his mercurial mood, and the smallest smattering of sympathy--it was impossible not to like Soundwave, he was too relentlessly complimentary and open and honest.

And he was surprised at how the niggling feeling suggested itself in him that Soundwave should be spared pain - a slow and sneaking impression on him. As in flight combat, his aim was to swing wide, get behind and slightly above this new potential threat and attack it, but attacking Soundwave just seemed...

Best to try a different angle.

"I'm sorry--'Ember casing'?"