"Thank you for joining me today, Senator. I know you're a busy mech."
It wasn't often that others had requested Shockwave's presence and it usually only meant that someone needed something; exactly what Shockwave was predicting.
"I am that. I trust this will not take long." Shockwave did not bother to question Ratbat. He knew better than to take up too much of his time.
"Of course, of course" Ratbat began. "As a fellow senator, I understand your time constraints." Shockwave doubted that but remained silent. Ratbat held up a small cube of energon, offering one to Shockwave, however, he continued to sit still, ignoring the silent offering.
"I have a new understudy you know. I plucked him right off the streets. Not only did I get a new... assistant, but one that was so undernourished and lived in such poverty, I look like a saint while barely having to pay him anything. It's great!" He waved his hand in the air, excited with a darker look on his face. Ratbat was never one to concern himself with the safety of the mechs and femmes he was to represent. They were the underlings, the workers. They were there to continue making a profit, whether for him or the 'greater good' was up for debate.
Shockwave, however, did not care. "I do not care for your new assistant, Ratbat. Surely you asked me here for more important matters." Shockwave was never really one for emotions, but he did allow himself to feel annoyance occasionally, and he certainly was feeling it now.
"Yes, yes. Blunt as ever. Now, through my new assistant, I have been keeping up with this gladiator business, perhaps you've heard of it?" Here Ratbat paused, looking expectantly at Shockwave. He was waiting for Shockwave to say something. When he didn't, Ratbat continued on. "Well… I have a lot of money staked into these games, you see, and there's talk about enforcing the ban on these illegal games. I can't have that, you see, so if you help make sure the games don't get touched, I'd really appreciate it."
Shockwave contemplated what Ratbat had said. Of course he had previously heard of these gladiatorial games. He had paid them no interest, unless of course he needed a strong test subject. He did have his own stake in this, but considering Ratbat most likely did not know that, he decided to continue with the negotiations.
"Very well. I suppose I could assist you, however, I am not a charitable mech, nor are you a charity case. There has been… previous discussion of cutting funding to many different scientific programmes, some such including my own. So long as you continue to keep the topic of conversation away from such a situation, I will do my best to assist you."
Ratbat grinned and shouted "done!" and finished off the cube he had been sipping earlier. "Y'know, you haven't met this assistant we keep talking about. Friends gotta introduce friends, right?" Before Shockwave could even protest being referred to as friend, Ratbat had already left the room. Normally Shockwave wouldn't care enough to meet this mech, but Ratbat has always been easily swayed. He needed to make sure this new assistant wouldn't pose a threat like the last one – not that that one lasted long of course.
Shockwave had felt the third mech's presence before seeing him. Following Ratbat was a young, smaller mech. He was navy blue and hid his optics, but not his mouth. He seemed undernourished still, but only by his frame alone. He held himself to a higher standard than that it seemed. None of that mattered to Shockwave. The mech normally would not have held his interest, if it wasn't for one thing.
"A telepath I know! Isn't it great? Soundwave, tell him your name." Apparently oblivious to the fact that he just used his name, Ratbat looked at the mech called Soundwave expectantly. Apparently he wasn't prepared to speak. He looked rather nervous, and although Shockwave was no telepath himself, he could feel how uncomfortable Soundwave felt, obviously not used to attention. Curious though, he could easily tell Soundwave was a novice, untrained and unused to using his special gifts, the blue mech seemed to be powerful in his abilities. Not many telepaths could project their thoughts with little effort as he had.
"I am—" Soundwave tried to begin, but his vocalizer shorted, static briefly bursting from his neck. Taking a moment to collect himself, Soundwave started over. "I am Soundwave. Sir." He added the sir as an afterthought, seemingly uncomfortable with authority. Interesting indeed.
Shockwave merely nodded his head and returned his attention to Ratbat, making a mental note to keep an optic out for this Soundwave character. "If that is all you needed, I must return to work." Not even giving Ratbat a chance to answer, Shockwave pushed past Soundwave and left without another word.
New information, new protections and a new mech to investigate. Perhaps this meeting wasn't such a waste of time after all.
Prince here. My other fic will be written sooner or later even tho it wsa supposed to be a one shot
this one im having someone make me do so.
ps this will be the only author's note and i almost never reply to reviews unless i deem it necessary so don't expect much from me other than the story
there will be no set update dates. This fic contains slash. it's G1 setting Shockwave and Soundwave since i know them better than other 'verses
