Title: New Leader
Pairings/Characters: Soundwave, Shockwave, Starscream, Megatron
Verse: G1
Words: 2913
Warnings: None.
Summary: What if Megatron was a sparkling when he became Leader of the Decepticons? Who would be his friend? His caretaker? His Decepticon enemy? Bunny fic.
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.
Notes: I wrote this drabble for this bunny:
What if Megatron was a sparkling when he was placed as ruler of the Decepticons? Who would raise him? Befriend him? And who would do their best to kill him before he grows up? And yes, this is based off of another fanart I found on da X3
This bunny can be either dramatic or humorous.
by wachey on LJ.
Enjoy!
"So explain to me again why we're going to Kaon?"
Soundwave resisted the irrational urge to curse the scratchy vocal tones of the seeker lounging at the helm controls. He turned his head toward Starscream, sore, newly repaired vocal-cords protesting painfully to the movement. His vocal cords has been brutally sliced when an Autobot destroyed his lower face-plate and vocalizer. Hook had administered his 'tender care' and forged him an entirely new vocalizer; an electro-magnetically disturbed vocalizer but a vocalizer nonetheless. He did not require the smooth deeper tones he had used to sing with before this war began to do his duty for the Decepticon cause.
The damage done to his lower face-plate, nose down, had been irreparable. The nanities that were used to repair the flexible and pliable metal had not been able to forge and re-grow his lower face-plate. Now he wore a mouth-guard over what were now exposed wires and connections that kept his vocalizer and audials working.
Thankfully his mouth-guard and visor fitted perfectly and his face mask prevented his annoyance and pain to be physically seen by the two other occupants of the pod they were flying to Kaon. The story of why was a very clean cut one.
They needed a new leader.
There just happened to be their former Lord's heir in Kaon being protected by personal bodyguards until he, Starscream, and Shockwave arrived to bring the new Leader to the Nemesis to further his safety and begin his reign. The battle that had destroyed his voice had been a particularly long and gruesome one. Many Decepticons and Autobots had been killed in the battle. Everything had come to an end when Lord Galvatron had fallen to the new Prime's, Optimus Prime's, hand. All Decepticons had retreated, now in hiding until the new Lord was ready to take Lord Galvatron's place.
"We are going to Kaon to gather our new Lord of the Decepticons and return to the Nemesis with him." Shockwave answered calmly from the weapon's station, without inflection of what he thought of this plan in his vocals.
Soundwave locked his unseen gaze on Shockwave intensely. He did not trust the cyclops. Nor did he trust Starscream, but at least the seeker had a sense of loyalty to the Decepticon name. Shockwave had shown many instances of treachery both on and off the battlefield; even if it was not the Autobots he was performing the acts of treachery for. He scanned the surface thoughts of Shockwave's processor with his rare Sigma gift of telepathy but received nothing except statistics on the pod they were piloting. Any deeper of a probe would have alerted the formidable cyclops to his telepathic actions but it probably wouldn't have mattered. A search of Shockwave's mind, shallow or deep, never delivered anything official, nothing he could trust was true.
The mech seemed to have a way of tricking his own processor; revealing nothing of any intentions he had, good or bad. Soundwave did not move his helm but he did retract his telepathy and optics from the purple mech instead opting to look out the helm's window and spotted the twisting thick support beams that held a rounded surface, similar to a mushroom, upon it.
They were almost there.
Apparently reputation proceeded them in the Decepticon stronghold of Kolkular. Formalities were expressed to great extents, even giving them a long line of grunts to border their walk into the stronghold itself. The moment they stepped into Kolkular's structure, a plain purple and black painted mech bowed and lead them down the dimly lit hallways to meet the new Lord.
Starscream was haughtily explaining just why he would better be suited to be Lord of all the Decepticons, making the escort mech twitch a few times and once or twice giving a soft vent. Shockwave merely walked in his stoic manner with no outward appearance of what he thought of this errand.
Of course behind Starscream's ego-filled words was a storm of intelligent thoughts, speculating about their new leader. Soundwave too, had thought about what their new leader may be like and though he had already vowed to serve him in all ways possible he hoped, a rare deed for him, that their new leader would understand the bond between a tape deck holder and his cassettes because he would not tolerate abuse or harm to his cassettes.
The escort mech opened a heavy set of double doors and bowed deeply, "Please sirs, make yourselves comfortable. I shall fetch the Lord immediately." and exited, closing the doors behind him.
Soundwave studied the room he was in, in a manner of astro-seconds. It was a rather large room, about the size of a soccer field, with the walls separating them and the yellow smog swirling atmosphere outside a crystal clear, thick glass. Soundwave strode over to the only piece of furniture in the room, a long rectangular table in the center of the room, pointing vertically with the door, that could comfortably seat around ten mechs, and took a middle seat. Eventually he was followed by Shockwave who took a seat down at the far left of the table, the yellow light of the outside smog casting his frame into an odd silhouette. Starscream, hissing and murmuring darkly under his breath, continued to stand, stalking up and down the length of the table.
"I can't believe we have to wait for him-" Starscream grumbled.
Soundwave reviewed his thoughts about what he knew of this new Lord; which wasn't much to be truthful. Lord Galvatron had been oddly silent about his heir though he had mentioned that he would be powerful; with an odd pronunciation on the word 'would' but Soundwave did not question him.
"Ugh, where is he?" Starscream shrieked, his high vocalizer echoing the large chamber.
Soundwave could freely admit that his former Lord had not been fully operational in the processor. Soundwave also knew that Galvatron had known it as well, when he had been functional. Soundwave had entertained the thought of the new Lord being as deranged as Galvatron on the way to Kolkular but he didn't think it likely.
"How long are supposed to wait?"
The heir would have introduced himself in battle sooner or later if he had the same plamsa-thirsty urges as Galvatron. The fact this Lord had been hidden all these vorns brought the aspects of secrecy and deceit into view; the treasured and marked traits of a Decepticon. Perhaps this mech would be a more strategically centered leader than Galvatron had been.
"Arg! I have infinitely better things to do than stand here and wait for this new leader!"
'Starscream; Really needs to shut up.' Soundwave thought, gritting his denta behind his mask and he turned his helm to glower unseen by the seeker.
In doing so, he caught sight of a small being sitting on a chair at the far right of the table, with his chin propped on two folded hands, watching them with vibrant crimson optics and a small frown. Soundwave tilted his head slightly in confusion. How had he missed the presence of a new mind nearing them? Running a scan diagnostic on it, Soundwave found it to be a he and the he to be a sparkling, almost ready for his youngling upgrade.
The sparkling was colored gray; a rather odd choice from the normal color spectrum. It was a color of deactivation. He looked well-built, careful consideration put into his frame with an already considerable amount of armor placed on his frame. Though Soundwave guessed it was light weight armor as the sparkling did not seem hindered in any way. Or the sparkling had simply gotten used to the weight and learned to compensate and strengthen his struts.
Also, if his visor was not malfunctioning, there was a small barrel gun, the size of Rumble or Frenzy's pile-drivers, on the sparkling's right forearm; however it was obviously set on a low level of power.
Probing at the sparkling's mind carefully, he was surprised by the strong barrier already in place. As a part of his small code of honor, Soundwave did not deactivate sparklings or tamper with sparkling processors. Consideration, careful tending, and firm rules could properly mold any sparkling. This sparkling, though his mind barriers were rather formidable for his age, twitched a bit and his fingers clenched, a faraway look appearing and Soundwave pulled away sharply when he felt the curiously malicious tendrils of comprehension darting toward his telepathic entry.
Interesting.
Soundwave supposed that if the age of the sparkling was correct he would have the ability to vocalize speech, if limited speech. "Query; Designation."
The sparkling looked to him with a hint of rather mature interest in his optics and he answered surprisingly clearly, "Megatron."
"What the Pit is that doing here?" Starscream shrieked, just now noticing the sparking's presence. The sparkling, Megatron, gave the seeker a wincing glare.
Soundwave frowned at Starscream's usual tact and turned his hidden gaze on the mech sitting to his far right, a little down the table. Shockwave was staring at the sparkling. A small feel revealed his surface thoughts radiating a sense of boredom and faint annoyance. It was as truthful a read as he would get.
"My Lord! My Lord!"
The growing cries called all of their attention to the door they entered from and Soundwave heard Starscream's null rays making that odd pressurizing sound. A harried looking mech with Decepticon symbols on his shoulder armor burst through the double doors, throwing his gaze wildly across the room. When he spotted the gray sparkling, who was ignoring the guardsmech completely in favor of staring at Shockwave, he appeared to sag in relief. Soundwave threw a brief scan of his thoughts, placing the blaster he had pulled out when the cries had started, into his subspace.
Apparently the mech designated Blindrun had lost track of the heir to the Decepticon throne.
He also apparently seemed to have found him.
"Lord Megatron! Please don't disappear like that again!" Blindrun cried out, his panic turning into angry frustration.
Soundwave turned his helm to look at the sparkling in surprise and shock. Lord Megatron? This sparkling was the heir to the Decepticon throne?
He regarded Megatron again, taking in the sparkling's manner and appearance.
Yes. Yes he could see this sparkling becoming a Decepticon Lord with the right instruction and training. Fortunately, that was something he could provide for Megatron; and when he could not be there, however unlikely that would be, his cassettes could take over. Ravage, Laserbeak, and Buzzsaw were mature enough and had worked closely with him to Galvatron to know what a Leader must require to both lead an army and survive what would come his way. He momentarily placed a hand on his chassis, rubbing the glass there. He worried about the twins though, and the mischief they could create involving Megatron.
Speaking of trouble and Megatron. Starscream was staring at the sparkling rather blankly and his thoughts were surprisingly quiet. It didn't necessarily bode well or badly but it did serve to give him a jolt of frustration on how hard it was and had always been to understand his 'comrades'.
In response to the plea from Blindrun, the sparkling leveled a dark look at the guardsmech before saying lowly,
"Go. Away."
When Blindrun swelled up in anger, red optics narrowing and a swirl of hostile anger flashed toward what the guardsmech saw as the 'Pit-Abomination', Soundwave promptly stood from his seat and strode over to the shorter mech, grasping his arm and pulling him toward the double doors despite the venomous protests that Blindrun threw at him. Throwing the doors open with his free hand, he shoved the mech out and then locked the doors, ignoring the banging knocks immediately delivered afterward. Soundwave turned and found the small Lord Megatron staring at him with a childish smirk. Soundwave tilted his helm in a small bow of respect and simply murmured, "Explanation; As you ordered."
"Desi'nation?" Megatron questioned in a demanding manner.
"Designation; Soundwave, Current Third in Command and Communications Officer." He answered honestly. The sparkling seemed to ponder something within that obviously advanced processor of his and then finally nodded in approval. Megatron then pointed at the other two mechs in the room with a pointed look to Soundwave.
Soundwave gestured to the one-optic'd mech, " Designation Shockwave; Chief Science Officer and a Guardian of Cybertron." Shockwave bowed his head in greeting. Then Soundwave gestured to the seeker, "Starscream; Current Second in Command and Aerial Commander." Starscream did not react but continued to stare; though the blank expression seemed more bemused now.
Megatron crossed his arms, the approval turning into a dark frown. The sparkling then jumped nimbly out of the seat and walked over to where Soundwave stood with only the slightest wobble in his steps. Shockwave leaned to the side to see the small sparkling over the edge of the table, using his only actual hand to support his chin as he did so.
Megatron stood in front of Soundwave and for a moment there was silence. Megatron glowered directly into his visor as Soundwave stared back. Then something struck familiar and Soundwave smirked under the facemask; this was a bold sparkling.
He knelt down to level his gaze with Megatron's. A satisfied look appeared in the crimson optics.
"Megatron?" Megatron asked with a disturbingly dark tone of voice and a rather malicious grin for a sparkling appeared on his face.
Soundwave bowed more officially, "Megatron; Leader and Lord of the Decepticon Army."
Crimson narrowed happily and Megatron nodded, approving the statement with a low hiss of, "Yes."
When small snickers permeated the quiet of the Meeting Room, all optics zeroed in on the seeker was beginning to double over in laughter. He was pointing at Megatron while trying to speak through his laughter, "He... He... HAHA, He's a... Heheheh!"
Megatron growled and Soundwave stood up, slightly standing in front of the young Lord, glaring at the seeker. He expected some trouble from the Starscream but this... this was just insulting. A quick scan of the seeker's processor had him shaking his head slightly. Starscream had no respect for Megatron, not one iota of anything except hilarity.
Starscream suddenly was given a burst of coherency and cried out with laughter bubbling beneath his words, "That's a Lord of all Decepticons!"
Soundwave almost took a step forward to silence Starscream in Megatron's place. He had done it often when Galvatron ordered him to subdue the seeker personally. His actions were halted when a burst of bright red energy shot out from knee-level behind him. The bright ray of energy hit Starscream straight in the cockpit, sending him back into the wall. The impact made a loud clang and a few bits of crumbling cement tumbled onto the dazed seeker, slumping into a sprawled position on the ground.
Soundwave peered down at the sparkling whose glare was disappearing in favor of a big grin. Soundwave glanced over at Shockwave who was staring not at Megatron but the arm-gun on his arm which had just been used on the seeker.
"You little glitch!" Starscream cursed, nursing his dented wing. "I'll... I'll... I'll kill you!"
Megatron showed his young age as he stuck his glossa out and ducked behind Soundwave's legs, occasionally smirking or glaring at the cursing seeker curled on the ground.
Something had shifted, Soundwave noticed suddenly. Starscream was not only acknowledging Megatron but showing respect in his threats. Tilting his head, he considered the, immature, banter occurring between his new Lord and charge and Starscream. Slowly his worries purged themselves. Any thought of Starscream being a credible threat to Megatron deleted from his processor. Starscream would be a friend. A slightly egotistical and vain friend, but an ally nonetheless.
The only unknown variable was Shockwave.
Soundwave turned his visor on the cyclops and found the golden optic burning back into him with a unrecognizable emotion gleaming there. Unrecognizable, but it made Soundwave wary and his sensors sharpened, on edge. Soundwave placed a hand lightly on Megatron's back, causing the sparkling to look up in confusion, but trustingly letting Soundwave guide him out of Shockwave's view and toward the double doors. He broke the hostile stare on Shockwave and exited the room, a dark frown hidden on his face.
"Where we going?"
Soundwave looked down at the future of the Decepticons and answered not the Nemesis, not the Decepticon warship, but instead,
"Destination; Safety." He paused then added with a unseen smile, "Safety; Home."
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