I'm a well read grad student who's bluntly honest about all things, although I try to be most honest about myself.
The communications are on the fritz and a stasis pod is broken. Keep in mind, the Autobots haven't caught anyone they need to put in a pod yet. Fixit decides to fix the pod first.

I mean, it's not like your friends are going off to chase after two dangerous felons and might need to communicate with you or anything. So, really, no rush on those communications.
Microcosm of what's wrong with this tie-in: logic flaws and basic misconceptions of characters abound. Even when Sideswipe admits getting scared and running off isn't like him, it doesn't make his actions any less in character.