Title: Sweet Is the Sight
Continuity G1
Pairing/Characters:Soundwave, Shockwave, Bluestreak, Ravage, Megatron, Starscream
Rating/Category: PG-13
Prompt: Soundwave wants revenge on Bluestreak for having wounded one of his symbiote. Shockwave helps out.
Notes/Warnings: Revenge, character suffering, angst, irreparable harm to a named-character, war-time violence. Many thanks to Merfilly to the beta! This fic was written for the TF exchange 2012 and it was for eerian_sadow.
Soundwave stared intensely at multiple screens. He was motionless, watching as they flickered different angles of a young Praxian that went by the name Bluestreak. The young mech seemed happy, strolling down the streets, chatting it up with his friends. He was oblivious to the fact that he was being stalked from afar.
Soundwave was keenly observing the youth out of contempt and pure hatred. A few days ago, the Praxian had been practicing his sharpshooting, showing off his skills to his military friends. In his scope, he had found a creature in the distance. Without hesitating, he had pulled the trigger and shot it directly in the head.
The target had been Ravage, Soundwave's oldest and dearest symbiote. The feline-former had been on a reconnaissance mission, there to gather information from unsuspecting mechs. They had been mechs that would have simply believed him to be but an unintelligent beast.
When Ravage had fallen, Soundwave had immediately dispatched a team to recover the frame. Upon inspection, Ravage's spark had still been pulsing, but the vital signs were dropping fast. Calls had been made and favours had been asked. Soon after, the Decepticon's highest ranking scientist and frame specialist had been present at his side: Shockwave. The Cyclops was knowledgeable and skilled in the delicate work of salvaging broken frames. It was said that he had rebuilt his own face after a horrible encounter with a Council-sent assassin.
Ravage was still under surgery an orn after the attack. The only way Soundwave could stay composed was to find the one that had committed the act. Finding the perpetrator had been easy for the master communication officer. Once found Soundwave sat down, tirelessly observing the filth in every angle and plotting his downfall.
Soundwave was too deadly focused on the multiple monitors showing the different images of the young Praxian to notice when the door behind him slid open.
"Soundwave," the intruder greeted. The voice belonged to non-other than Shockwave, the cultured accent easily noticeable. His presence made Soundwave swiftly turn around, expecting dire news. He stood still, to attention, quashing his desire to ask questions. "I have done all that I could," Shockwave paused for an instance, but not out of a cruel attempt to make Soundwave wait. He gently added: "Ravage lives."
Soundwave felt dizzy with relief by the news.
"However," pursued Shockwave, "I must inform you of his current status before you can visit him."
The relief Soundwave felt turned to ice, freezing his hope that everything was fine. The tone Shockwave had used was of no comfort.
"The processor damage was extensive. Most of the memory cartridge was destroyed. The analytic and reasoning cores were scrapped beyond repair."
Soundwave didn't want to ask, but the words came before he could stop himself. "Ravage: Total loss?"
"His spark has stabilised, his motion cortex is still functional, as well as his sensory net. Physically, he will be able to re-adapt. However, your symbiote will no longer be as you remember him. He will become nothing more than a beast."
"False," Soundwave replied. "Soundwave will rehabilitate Ravage. Ravage optimal functionality and core personality will return."
Shockwave ex-vented sadly from Soundwave's denial. "It's not always possible to regain what was lost when surviving a brutal attack." He didn't have to elaborate; his mono-optical face spoke volumes.
"Ravage damage not frame-bound." Soundwave retorted. "Soundwave will heal processor damage."
Had Shockwave been a lesser mech, he might have felt insulted. He knew more about the symbiote's condition than the concerned carrier. However, he could see that Soundwave was wrapped with grief and to argue would be as pointless as it would be destructive. Instead, he bowed his head in defeat. "Then I shall accompany you in Ravage's rehabilitation to learn of your methods."
Soundwave bristled with rage, feeling Shockwave's condescendence. Still, he preferred staying on the Cyclops' good side for Ravage's sake. For the first time in an orn, Soundwave ignored the happy smile displayed on the monitors that caused him so much pain and left his room.
After several cycles Soundwave could no longer stay strong in his denial and had to admit defeat. Ravage was irrecoverable. As Shockwave had explained, his body was repaired but his mind was lost. On multiple occasions, Soundwave had to fight the savage beast. With his telepathy he managed to dominate a part of the beast's mind and impose himself as Ravage's master. The feline grudgingly started to obey, but it could never be as it was before.
He remembered nights, before the war, of playing Enigm-crex, a multi-layered strategy game, while sharing ideologies and dreams. Recollections of devising infiltration plans and obtaining Ravage's input before presenting them to the volunteers were also replayed bitterly in his mind. He tried to force these memories into Ravage's processor, but they caused pain to the symbiote which resulted in dangerous hostilities.
Soundwave was never one to easily give up, but he could see that his actions were harmful to Ravage's well-being. Each time he failed, Shockwave was by his side. Shockwave didn't try to console him or to aggravate him with an 'I-told-you-so-superiority'. Instead, he stayed professional and offered help only when it was prompted. Tonight, Soundwave had given up hope of saving his Ravage's mind and was drowning himself in sorrow and self-hatred of his incompetence. When Shockwave joined him in his quarters, he felt grateful for the other's presence.
"Ravage: lost," Soundwave spoke at last.
"Yes," confirmed Shockwave regretfully.
"Soundwave: unable to… unable," he tried to express himself. The words to explain were loss to him.
"You don't know that do now," supplied Shockwave.
"Affirmative."
"If I may offer a suggestion," the Cyclops asked. To that Soundwave gave a silent, slow nod. "The best way to cope, I have found, is to exact revenge." The turned off monitors on the walls suddenly sprung to life. The young grey Praxian that had haunted Soundwave appeared on screen. His smile and laughter and joy were an affront to Soundwave. He stood up, fist clenched, ready to destroy the image that created his rage.
Shockwave slithered to Soundwave, his voice low and darkly seductive. "I know how to make him suffer as you have, my dear. Do as I say. Follow my actions and soon your grief will be quenched."
Shockwave allowed a thought to escape his mind which Soundwave easily captured. The two mechs stared silently at each other and came to an understanding.
The Decepticons were having a meeting in the command room about their next course of actions. Mechs were idly working on the surrounding consoles while the high ranking officers were gathered around the centre command table. "My lord Megatron," said Shockwave to have the attention of the leader of the Decepticon. "Our next target should be Praxus."
"Praxus?" shouted Starscream in outrage. "Why they frag should we spend our resources on them? They are pushover that'll lay down when Vos declares their allegiance to us."
Megatron stayed silent, allowing is second in command to argue instead. The seeker was right. It was the reason they had left the small city-state in peace for so long.
"It has come to our attention, my liege, that their attitude is simply a façade for their true nature."
"Please!" Starscream vented. "We all know your hatred for the Praxians. The assassin came from there, after all. It is not the first time you've asked an assault against them out of petty revenge!"
Shockwave remained aloof when he answered. "My reasons to demand a strike against them were always for the good of the Decepticon cause. However, my concerns have always been met with contempt because the proof I brought was never satisfying enough to isome./i"
"And it still isn't!" shrieked the seeker. Starscream seemed to ready to start a rant, but Megatron held a hand up to silence him.
"I thought I had made myself clear that Praxus posed no threat to us as long as they remain neutral. Why bring them up again, Shockwave? Testing my patience, are you?"
"No, my Lord," said Shockwave, apologetic in tone. "It has come to my attention that Praxus is more than a simple pawn to the Council. They appear neutral, but they plot your downfall and if we do not act soon, they will show us their strength." Megatron waited, arms crossed for Shockwave to convince him. "Your communication officer, Soundwave, has recently uncovered encrypted messages about the Praxians' treacherous ways."
At the mention of Soundwave, one of his most loyal and competent soldiers, Megatron's attitude started to change. His demeanour was more receptive to Shockwave's warning. He turned his attention to the discreet blue mech in the corner of the room.
"Soundwave," he barked authoritative, "are Shockwave's words true?"
"Affirmative sir. Messages currently being decrypted. Complete in five breems, to present the findings. At this time, intelligence shows resource transfers from Council to Praxian government-owned business." Soundwave presented a datapad with multiple code-breaker programs removing the firewalls. Recorded conversation and secret meetings with influential mechs started to appear. The more Megatron looked, the more he felt that Praxus had played him like a fool.
Megatron clenched his denta in rage. "How dare those false seekers act behind our backs after we have been so merciful towards them! No more!"
"My Lord Megatron," pleaded Starscream. "Be reasonable, destroying them would result in the wrath of the rest of the world. It would compromise our-"
"Silence!" Megatron hollered, holding back his rage. "I believe it is grand time to make Cybertron chose who they wish to follow. Praxus has obviously made its decision. May the rest follow its destruction should they not submit to me now!"
Megatron wasted no times issuing orders to his troops to prepare an aerial assault on the city of Praxus. Starscream seethed and tried to stall the inevitable. Whenever he brought an argument to make Megatron pause, Soundwave presented new treason.
"This is nonsense, my lord Megatron! These findings seem to be appearing out of thin air. As if i someone /iwas conjuring them to control your actions!" argued Starscream, shooting heated glares toward Shockwave and Soundwave. Both ignored the look, continuing dutifully their task.
"Enough; I will hear no more of this! Remove yourself from my presence before I remove your head," Megatron promised his second in command. Defeated, Starscream found it wise to leave the command centre. His glare never lessened as he left.
"I shall see to the troops. Shockwave, continue to organise the plan of attack." Megatron strode off. The heated tension dropped as the Leader of the Decepticon left the room. Shockwave discreetly approached his accomplice, letting the lesser officers enter the battle-plans in the computer.
"Congratulations on such finding, my dear," Shockwave murmured. "Megatron has such blind trust in you."
Soundwave stayed stoic from Shockwave's comment, but invited him to continue. He cast soundless waves around them, making their conversation private. "Also, I loved the subtle emotional play you infused in our leader. He wouldn't have acted such brashly without that enraging push you gave him."
The communication officer bowed his head. Revenge was more important than loyalty. Hopefully, Shockwave's promise would pay off in the end.
"The time is near. Please return to your quarters."
Soundwave nodded and completed his current task. He had no need any more to forge incriminating documents against the Praxian government. Megatron was filled with enough anger to push the attack in the coming hours. Even if Starscream managed to prove their falsity, he wouldn't dare to show them to Megatron after the assault. Their Lord would blame him for incompetence for not finding out sooner. All of Megatron's hate would be turned toward the second in command. Never would he admit his failings.
Shockwave left Soundwave's side and returned to the overseeing of plans. Soundwave, as Shockwave had instructed left and returned to his own quarters. Ever since he had accepted Ravage's condition, he hadn't set foot here. He had spent all his time fabricating the evidence against Praxus in Shockwave's private (and highly secured) quarters.
The room was dark when he entered but as he stepped deeper inside, multiple monitors started to come back to life. In a few moments, dozens of screen showed a familiar landscape; the city-state of Praxus. The screens flickered some, showing different angles. The largest one in the centre captivated Soundwave's attention because it was only one that was focused on a person. A young, grey and red Praxian was pleasantly resting inside a of recharge pod. Other pods were visible on screen, no doubt the young one's familial unit.
Soundwave sat down and allowed his feeling of hatred to return. This mech had destroyed his eldest symbiote. Ravage would never be the same again because of this mech! He couldn't wait to enact the same pain. Patiently, he waited for Shockwave to finish his tasks.
He didn't notice the time pass, but his chronometer informed him that two groons had gone by when Shockwave opened the door. The young one on screen was still recharging, but he wouldn't be for much longer.
"Ah, my dear Soundwave, I'm so glad you could join me in this joyous occasion." Shockwave had brought a bright, rich-coloured energon cube. Deftly, he unsealed it and poured some in flutes. He offered one to Soundwave, but seeing as the stoic mech didn't reach out for it, he placed it down on the desk. His own, he kept in his good hand and a thin wire from his wrist dipped inside to drink.
"Everything is planned for the assault. For you, however, one more step is required." Unheeded, he called a control board and started typing. On screen, a minuscule movement could be seen if one knew what to look for. The object was a small radio-wave emitter that had been installed by a spy-drone. It couldn't do much on its own, but a capable telepath could use it, allowing them to use their powers from remote location.
Taking an instant to concentrate, Soundwave started to send his mind through the receptor. The signal was faint, but he managed to stretch his mind into the Praxian's consciousness.
i'Bluestreak,/i' he whispered with an ethereal voice. An effort was made not to hatefully spit out the name. i'Wake up.'/i
The youth twitched, trying to ignore the invasion. Soundwave sent a more urgent and angry summons. i'Wake up!'/i
Startled, Bluestreak stood up and looked around the room. The monitor showed a confused look as he tried to figure out where the voice came from. i'Go to the basement. Go underground.',/i ordered Soundwave. Again Bluestreak looked around, uncertain what he should be doing. He mouthed something, and waited. Impatient, Soundwave sent a painful reply.
i'Underground! Quickly! Go!/i' For extra measure, Soundwave added panic to Bluestreak's mind. It was enough to get the young mech up. He moved through the apartment and made his way outside. Different cameras followed him. Soundwave avidly watched the running youth. Both of their sparks were pulsing too loudly for either of them to hear the hundreds of seekers flying off in the distance. On screen, Bluestreak was rushing down flights of stairs until he found himself under the apartment buildings. There he ex-vented and called out. There was no sound, but Soundwave could guess that he was asking the mysterious voice what was going on.
Soundwave kept silent and watched as Bluestreak pushed deeper into the underground tunnel. Suddenly, the images started to shake. Some of the cameras fell to the ground, but others stayed strong until the bombs caused them to static. The only one that remained intact was the one still filming Bluestreak. The deafening noise from the explosions could almost be seen as the dust swirled around. Bluestreak yelled and screamed and tried to rush back to the top side. Rubble and broken glass blocked his way. Frantic, Bluestreak started to dig his way out. All the while he was yelling: names, help, prayers, curses. Soundwave regretted not having installed a microphone.
He took pleasure seeing the Praxian struggle to get out. A glance at Shockwave informed him that he took as much delight as Soundwave. The static-filled monitors were coming back to life with new images. Direct footage from the flying seekers showed the latest wasteland.
"Finally," breathed Shockwave pleased at the sight. "It is an unbelievable feeling to let go to the pain of those that wronged us."
"Indeed," replied Soundwave. "However, suffering has not been enough." He continued looking at the monitor showing a still-digging Bluestreak, hope in his optics to return to his family.
"Stay patient, my friend. Bask in bliss as he cries to Primus for the death of his loved ones."
Soundwave nodded while his visor glow a bloody red. "More."
"Soon," replied Shockwave patiently. "When the survivors gather, they will die again. When friends will be found, he will soon be alone. And when he'll be the only Praxian left, we'll make him wish to join the others in the Pit."
Shockwave's words were beautiful promises that Soundwave agreed to. Together they watched as Bluestreak dug out of his hole and took note of the destruction around him. Bluestreak hurried to his apartment and crumbled to the ground as he found greyed frames of those he held dear. Silently, the mechs enjoyed the show of pain.
END