Chapter Nine: Talk To Me

It was midnight, and the only light that pierced the darkness was artificial. Although it was a Saturday night, a certain Lord High Protector had no real plans. No femmes to take to the berth, no friends to hang out with.

Well, unless you counted Soundwave.

Soundwave and Megatron had known each other since they were younglings. Soundwave was an odd character; the stoic gray and violet mech barely ever spoke. He also had no real face to speak of. Where optics and a mouth would normally be, there was a screen.

Plus, when Soundwave did speak, his voice was eery- like a computerized monotone. But at least when Soundwave spoke, he had something of use to say. Something of use... and something almost creepily insightful.

Megatron and Soundwave were in the gray mech's living room. The lighting in said room was dim; it wasn't so much creepy, as relaxing. Shadows did dance around the room like liquid, rolling around each other in an exquisite dance. And yet, it was... serene.

Soundwave had been studying Megatron all night. It was fairly easy to tell, for someone schooled in reading his emotions, that something was bothering Megatron. Something big.

Soundwave tilted his helm to the side slightly. His non-existent gaze bore into Megatron, silently asking him a question:

What's bothering you?

Megatron gave a small sigh. He spun his pointer talon in his medium-grade energon(*), a tell-tale sign of deep thought process. Soundwave waited patiently for a response. When Megatron was ready he would talk, and no sooner.

"Have you ever felt like you were destined to be something else? Something... more?"

Megatron's simple question sent Soundwave's CPU on a journey. The gray and violet mech took his time in formulating a response.

"I have. But we all have, at some point or another."

Megatron frowned slightly. "No. This... is different than the illusions of grandeur most Cybertronians have. It's more than just a... whim."

"Then what is it?"

Megatron paused, trying to find the words to explain how he felt. "It's destiny. I have a basic idea of what I need to do, and how to do it. This is no mere fantasy, Soundwave."

"And what do you need to do?"

"I need... to start a resistance. A rebellion of some sort. Cybertron cannot stay this way- with unequal rights. I know that others feel the same and will follow me. I just... don't know how to start this. I know it'll take time and planning, nothing can happen overnight."

Soundwave stayed quiet for a few minutes. He was very likely mulling this over, picking it apart to formulate a response and a course of action. Megatron watched him warily, waiting for a response.

"I agree with you, Megatron. Cybertron is not the way it should be." Soundwave paused for a minute, "I will follow you, if you so choose to lead."

Megatron gave a small, triumphant smile. It was a very good start, to know that someone would be willing to follow him.

However, another problem arose. Optimus Prime. He was the mech who really mattered, the one who could – and would – lead Cybertron in the end. Besides that, Megatron actually had nothing against Optimus. No reason or motive to harm the young Prime. Others like Ultra Magnus though... well, Megatron had never liked the mech to begin with.

Now, Megatron needed someone else to talk to. Someone with very strong opinions and a scientific mind.

The morning came far too quickly for most mechs, but not Megatron. He was on a self-appointed mission: to find someone he once knew.

It wasn't that Soundwave hadn't helped him. The mech had actually gotten Megatron thinking. But Megatron needed someone else, someone who wasn't emotionally detached. Someone who spoke their mind without regret.

Thus, Megatron ended up flying out of Iacon and into the next grand city: Vos.

Vos was home to millions of Seekers. The winged Cybertronians had rather tall buildings all around, as they were only comfortable in their natural element, the sky.

Megatron landed and transformed on a spiraling building. It was basically one big science lab, with test tubes and vials of dangerous chemicals all over every room. Megatron was very careful not to step in any of it, just in case.

He finally came to a stop outside of a closed door. It was engraved '118', and had a few spots of charcoal on it.

Megatron calmly raised his fist and knocked. After a beat the sound of things being kicked aside could be heard, as well as muttered cursing. The door swung open, revealing a gray and white Seeker. The Seeker blinked in surprise at seeing Megatron standing there.

"Starscream," Megatron greeted flatly.

Starscream raised an optic ridge. "What are you doing here, Megatron?"

Megatron, without asking, pushed past Starscream and inside. Starscream rolled his optics and grumbled something, before closing the door.

Megatron noted that Starscream's room was fairly messy. There were a lot of old energon cubes scattered among the scientific equipment, signaling many all-nighters.

"What are you doing here, Megatron?" Starscream repeated.

"Believe it or not, I require your opinion."

Starscream raised an optic ridge. "Oh? So you came all the way to Vos just to hear my opinion on something?"

Megatron rolled his optics at the sarcastic tone. "That's about right."

Starscream crossed his arms with a smirk. "Ok, then let's hear it."

"Cybertron isn't run the right way. Equal rights are non-existent, no matter what the higher-ups say. You should know this, as Seekers all live here, in Vos."

Starscream's optics narrowed, and Megatron crowed inwardly. He had hit a sore spot, Megatron knew he did. Now the only thing to anticipate was how Starscream would react.

"Get to the point," Starscream hissed.

"How would you feel about... a resistance?"

Starscream was quiet for a while. He finally gave a small smirk. "Wow, you're actually asking me how I would feel?" But Starscream sobered quickly. "Look, Megatron. I don't doubt that it would be excellent. But... do you really think you could lead a resistance?"

Megatron thought about it. He knew Starscream was asking a reasonable question. If he tried and wasn't up for it, it would surely end in disaster.

"I do."

Starscream was quiet for a few minutes. "Then I will follow you, when the time comes."

Megatron knew he would. But it was still good to hear, to know. With each person who agreed to follow him, Megatron grew closer to his goal.

Perhaps, just maybe, it would all work out in the end.

(*) Medium-grade energon is like coffee. Not dull like low-grade, but not alcoholic like high-grade.