The shot hit Soundwave square in the chest, enveloping him in a blue light and sending him backwards with the force of a freight train. He stood for a moment, swaying in the small breeze a moment before hitting the dirt like a sack of soggy grain. This in itself seemed insignificant; soldiers fall, its the result of war. But as dust settled around his prone form; an strange atmosphere fell across the field.
"Soundwave! Boss!" Rumble and Frenzy were the first to the officer's side. Rumble knelt at Soundwave's helm, patting his cheek with growing frustration. Frenzy stared in horror at the gaping hole in the tape deck's chassis, smoke and energon pouring into the dirt, creating a disturbing, glowing mud.
Silence fell as Megatron barrelled through the sea of mecha to kneel by his Third in Command. On his heels were Ravage and the Condors.
"Soundwave. Soundwave! Talk to me soldier!"
"Yeah boss bot, talk to us!" the twins were frantic, clinging to the tape decks weakening frame. Ravage nuzzled Soundwaves chin, resting a paw on his abdomen. Lazerbeak hovered over the navy mech, crooning.
Autobot and Decepticon sparks broke as they watched Ravage curl up into a ball on Soundwaves chassis, a desperate attempt to both comfort and staunch the bleeding. Lazerbeak perched on Rumble's shoulder, the latter and Frenzy kneeling at the helm of the officer.
"Medic! Please; we need a medic" Frenzy was on the verge of sobbing.
Megatron shook Soundwave's shoulders gently, and the navy mech seemed to stir. His visor was cracked, his vents ragged and shallow.
"Me-ga-t-tron…"
"You're alive! Thank Primus..." was the immediate reply from his commander. The cassettes seemed to relax, though it was short lived.
"Mphhh, wheere my cassetes" Soundwave glowered, frustrated by his inability to form coherent sentences, retracted his visor and mouth guard.
Soundwave's face was beautiful, as if chiseled by Primus himself. His faceplates were outlined with soft edges a white smokey colour. Large claret coloured optics stared back up at the five mechs, they were dimming with every second. His soft pale lips were slightly parted, allowing a thin trickle of energon to escape.
A collective gasp sounded throughout the growing crowd. Never had Soundwave dared show his face, his damage must be far more serious than initially thought.
"Megatron, forgive me…" the navy mech's voice was a deep, soft baritone; even despite the gasping.
Megatron held Soundwave's servo in his own. A soft smile crossed the warlord's faceplates.
"Fool. In all our vorns, you've never once failed me. What makes you think that you have now?"
Soundwave attempted to grab at something, it ended up being Megatron's shoulder.
"I swore to remain at your side... till we won back our freedom. I stuck with you when you choose to go to war... I swore that I would defend you with everything that I had in me. *wheezing*...that I wouldn't stop till death did us part, and that should you go be-f-fore me... I would guard your spark in the well. But here I am; leaving you... I failed you".
His helm lolled to one side, optics dimming further.
Megatron leaned over his friend's shoulders shaking him a little rougher
"If anyone failed it would be me, I should have protected you. I should be the one bleeding right now, not you. Anyone but you" he whispered softly.
Soundwave fought to lift his helm, and opened his mouth to object, but was overcome by a wave of coughing. Wounds that had seemingly scabbed were torn open by his racking coughs.
"Sire!" The cassetteticons held their creator up, anything to ease his suffering.
Soundwave struggled to vent, let alone speak; but he had to speak with his sons.
"Cassettes… my young mechs, I'm sorry. This isn't how I wanted to go, I feel that I have failed you all as well. But if this is indeed my undoing, remember these words. Ravage, as the eldest I expect you to lead your siblings, listen to t-them, be a leader. Rumble, Frenzy... listen to your brothers. Choose your battles. Y-you're all strong intelligent younglings... I expect you to act like it. Lazerbeak, Buzzsaw, these are your kin, protect them like you did me… Megatron is your commander, your responsibility now. D-defend him like I couldn't."
His servo slipped from the warlord's shoulder, coming to rest on Ravage's back. The muscular navy frame went limp. A dull grey crawled up from his pedes, eating away at his dashing colours.
"No! you're not going anywhere! Not on our watch. You can't!" Rumble jumped to his pedes and stood protectively over his sire. Under no circumstance would he loose a creator, not again. He couldn't'. Ravage pawed at Soundwave's chassis, trying to rouse him. But to no avail.
There was utter stillness from all mechs present, with the exception of Soundwave's cassettes and commander.
Lazerbeak squawked, and fluttered onto his sire's shoulder, lightly tapping his helm with a talon.
::Sire? Sire!? Please get up. get up! We can not loose you too. Please sire; please!:: .
Frenzy let out a keen, and hugged his sire's frame. They had failed to protect the mech that mattered most to them, and now he lay offline at their pedes. This had to be a dream. It had to be. Soundwave was always there for them; the strong tower they could lean on, an endless source of comfort and guidance. Now, now he was gone.
A tear rolled down his cheek plate, and landed on the tape decks chassis. Soon his entire frame shook with sobs.
Megatron put his servo on the cassette twin's shoulders. They were just younglings; Ravage was barely 18'000 orns; not yet on his mech form. Lazerbeak was 15'000, 15'000! A youngling! No youngling deserved to watch their sire die. To be in a war torn world, to fight in the frontlines.
He held Frenzy close, kneeling next to his comrade and bowing his helm in respect. When soundwave pledged his allegiance, he requested Megatron to care for the cassettes, should something happen to him. It was the least he could do for the mech after years of his loyal companionship.
When the warlord knelt all other decepticons followed suit. Keeling and bowing their helms in a moment of silence, for the fallen warrior and loyal friend of Megatron. A mech of dignity, honour and courage;
Soundwave.
This was really interesting to write, and I'm genuinely surprised at the amount of views/visits it's gotten. At least i can assume someone out there has at least read it. the very least you could do is review, let me know what you think, expected, if you were intrigued, disappointed. Anything.
God bless,
Latenightstoryteller.