With the furious pace of the last few chapters slowing for the time being, it's now time to deal with the aftermath. But despite the relative calm now, things will remain intense, that we can promise you all! Thanks for all of your reviews, we appreciate each and every one of them.
Enjoy, and with all this crazy weather that's plaguing the planet at the moment, stay cool, or warm!!
Chapter 36
Niente
As Frenzy carried Rumble over his shoulder he couldn't help but feel he was carrying himself.
It wasn't an odd feeling. Rumble was his brother, both carrying twin sparks, both keeping alive that part of their creation that had offlined so many vorns ago…
But it wasn't time for memories, no time for regret. The other part of them, the one that was still functioning and that had taught them everything they knew, was endangered. Frenzy could feel Soundwave's pain as clear as if it was his own. What horrified him was the desperation that overwhelmed that pain.
Soundwave was suffering.
Finding Reflector in stasis lock had only been the confirmation of the bad omens. Somehow chaos had found a way to unleash itself. Frenzy wasn't surprised when he saw the Autobots Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, in their alt modes, driving at high speed through the Nemesis corridors.
They were twins too, what an irony…
Autobots in the base demanded only one response, but yet, it wasn't a response that Frenzy was willing to take. He was suicidal enough to confront two much bigger and powerful enemies by himself, but at that moment only one thought prevailed.
They had come for the Autobot femme, they would take her away…
Either as a slave in a pleasure house in Kaon, or sheltered in the Autobots' nest, what mattered was that she would be gone.
So equilibrium would return, and Frenzy would have to deal with the high price of his treason.
Treason...the word bit him angrily as the link shuddered painfully.
A movement on his shoulder took him out of his train of thoughts. But before his processor, his spark vibrated, recognizing the return of his twin to the functional world.
"Ahhh… what the slag…" Rumble muttered as his optics activated.
"Ssssh, keep your voice down," Frenzy said, putting his sibling on the floor.
"Frenzy, what the frag…? What happened?"
"Autobots…"
"What?! Where?!"
"Ssssh, told ya to zip it… They're already gone, don't worry."
Rumble scratched his sore head, but he had barely started to compute his brother's words when panic completely took over his features. "But how could they… Wait!! Soundwave! I can't feel Soundwave!"
"He… he's been taken down… entered stasis lock… I could feel it right before you…"
"And how could you be so calm? We gotta help him, slaggit!"
"I was on my way, you dumb aft!"
Rumble activated his thrusters and abandoned the floor. He needed no radar to locate his master. His erratic mind knew exactly where to find him.
……………..
The next astro seconds were like slow motion. Seeing Soundwave offline was not a common sight for his two youngest creations, actually it was as rare as hearing him laughing.
"Oh slaggin'… oh frag… Frenzy, what the slag…?"
Frenzy didn't reply as he reached Soundwave first, perhaps trying to disguise his guilt somehow. It was his fault that their creator was in such a state… and he felt worse because in that moment he was giving priority to his own efforts to keep his remorse from the link.
"He's alive… but his systems entered stasis lock to prevent more damage…" the red Cassetticon stated as he knelt beside Soundwave, placing a gentle hand on him.
"Slag, Frenzy...this is bad...this is real bad..."
"Tell me somethin' I don't know..."
"See if ya can wake him up," Rumble instructed, approaching his fallen creator.
"Uhh, okay..." Frenzy replied, glancing up at his twin with a look of uncertainty. Turning his attention back to Soundwave, he shook him gently. "Boss? Hey boss...? Nope, he's out cold. So whadda we do now?"
Rumble scratched his head. "I dunno...slag, why couldn't ya have paid attention when the boss was teachin' us basic repairs?"
"Me pay attention?! What about you, scraplet? What was it ya said last time he tried to show ya anything? 'I fix things with a gun.' Yeah, real slaggin' helpful you are, aft-head."
"Yeah, well...slag you. Okay...think... Uhhh...oh! Fuel leaks. Does he have any fuel leaks?"
Frenzy scanned the numerous wounds on Soundwave's back; his circuits still hissed and sparked angrily but there was no sign of any fuel line damage.
"Can't see anythin'...help me roll 'im over, he might have more damage on his front."
With a great amount of effort the two cassettes forced their creator onto his back, revealing more laser burns and exposed circuitry.
"Ahh slag...we got a winner here, Frenz," Rumble said as his visor fell on the deep gash in Soundwave's torso. "I don't think it's bad...but it ain't slaggin' good either..."
"Ughh, that's gotta hurt..." Frenzy remarked, surveying the damage. "Okay...so what was it we're suppos'ta do? To stop a leak...apply pressure...yeah, that's right..."
"Didn't Soundwave say somethin' 'bout isolatin' the line or somethin'?"
"Oh, yeah... You wanna do that?"
"Nuh uh, no slaggin' way bro. I ain't messin' around wit' his fuel lines, you do it."
"No way!! I'll apply pressure, you can do the rest."
"I can't...my head hurts...I might have damaged cerebro-shells and could go offline at any moment..."
"Oh, you got damaged cerebro-shells alright...slaggin' wimpy glitch..."
"Look who's talkin'!" Rumble gingerly touched the edge of Soundwave's wound; his fingers were dampened when he pulled them away. Glancing at the spilt fuel, he spoke again. "Listen, neither of us really know what Soundwave was on about, I sure as slag don't know what I'm doin'. So why don't we just, ya know, 'apply pressure' and stuff and leave the rest for someone who ain't gonna screw it up. There ain't much fuel here so I don't think the boss is gonna leak to death before we can get help..."
Frenzy looked at his creator's dark visor, guilt once again flooding his systems. "Okay..." he conceded after a moment's silence. "So, do we have anything to apply pressure with?"
Rumble summoned a cleaning cloth from his subspace. "I got this...but I haven't cleaned it in a while. It left crap on my gun the other day when I was polishing it..."
Frenzy regarded the filthy rag with a frown. "I'm not so sure we should use that..."
"Well where's yours then?"
"Ahh...right. It's...err... On second thoughts...yours is good."
"Right..."
Frenzy watched on in silence as his brother folded up the cloth and moved to press it on Soundwave's wound. He felt sick with regret; if he hadn't caused a distraction and allowed Swindle to tamper with the security systems then Soundwave wouldn't be lying offline in front of him...it was bad enough he had to hurt his twin, why couldn't have things just gone to plan...
It wasn't a lack of trust that caused his next movement. With a speed that even Starscream would have been proud of, Frenzy snatched the makeshift padding from Rumble's hand and pushed his sibling aside.
"Hey! Frenzy, what the slag?!"
"I...I just think I should do this..." the red cassette replied as he softly pressed the cloth to Soundwave's wound. "You ahh... should be restin' or somethin'...ya know, with your sore head 'nd all..."
Rumble narrowed his visor. "What, you don't trust me, glitch-head?"
"N...no, it's not that...it's just..."
"Just what?"
"Just...nothing. Sooo...what do we do now? We can't leave the boss here, no one will wanna miss the chance to kick the slag outta him if they see him lying here offline..."
"Slag...you're right..." Rumble said, subconsciously patting Soundwave's hand. "Repair Bay...we gotta get him to the Repair Bay."
"I don't think Soundwave will be happy 'bout goin' there..."
"Somehow I don't think he's gonna be arguin' with us on that right now. He needs help, Frenzy, proper help."
Frenzy looked down at the fuel-stained cloth in his hand. Rumble was right; maybe Soundwave wasn't at risk of shutting down but still, there was no denying his bad condition. He required more skill than the pair of them could offer.
"Okay," he responded after a moment of silence. "So how do we move him? He's too heavy to carry like this."
"We could force him into his alt mode? That would make things a lot easier..."
"Ahhh...yeah... But won't his transformation cog be offline? We could hurt him even more if we force it."
"Oh...right, yeah, I didn't think of that. Well, I guess we just have to carry him then."
"And how the slag do you reckon we'll do that, genius? You saw how hard it was to just roll him over, there's no way the two of us can slaggin' carry him on our own!"
Rumble scratched his head, lost deep in thought. "I guess we'll just have to drag him there," he responded after a few minutes of what appeared to be painful concentration.
"Drag him?"
"Yeah. You take one arm and I'll take the other. I don't think we've got any other choice."
"Ok, let's do this then." Frenzy said with a nod. It wasn't the treatment Soundwave deserved but Rumble was right, it was their only choice.
Pressing a little harder on the cloth so that it remained in place on its own, Frenzy stood up and moved to take one of Soundwave's arms. His brother followed suit, and with a nod of approval, the pair began their slow journey towards the Repair Bay.
"Don't worry Soundwave," he heard Rumble say soothingly. "We're gonna take care of ya."
Guilt once again filled the red Cassetticon...taking care of Soundwave...they shouldn't have needed to.
………….
It was disconcerting the way the corridors of the Nemesis base could stretch and distort in the same moment one needed to move through them quickly. It was always the same; when a prank went wrong or a quick escape was needed... But never before had they seemed so hostile, seemingly increasing in length with each painful step forward.
Rumble frowned. Like a reflection of the dead weight he was hauling, Soundwave's condition weighed heavily on his mind; it wasn't often he was injured and even less he was left offline. But despite his concern a second issue plagued him, one he thought had more to do with certain events than was being let on.
Frenzy.
From the moment his systems restarted he knew something was wrong; amidst the fussing of his older siblings within the link he could still detect the change in Frenzy, a change that was mirrored in his own spark like a dimming of its light.
At first he wasn't sure what to make of it, that tiny shadow of guilt Frenzy seemed so hard to be trying to hide... But with each astro second that passed the impossible appeared more and more likely. Denial rose up like an invisible barrier...
No, surely not...
There was no doubt Soundwave's bad state was the result of an Autobot attack, it was probably why the female had disappeared from the link as well. But what didn't make sense was his own offlining...
Rumble glanced at his twin as a feeling of emptiness suddenly invaded his structure. Frenzy seemed not to notice, no doubt lost in his own thoughts.
There was no way an Autobot could have attacked him from behind when Frenzy was standing right there. It wasn't possible, not even that Mirage fragger could have done it...not without taking Frenzy offline too.
But beyond the sense and logistics of it there was one shred of evidence that refused to be denied...
That cold sensation of treason that had flared not in the link but in his spark just a split second before oblivion came...
Slaggit, Frenzy...
"When I see those Autogeeks again I swear I'm gonna make 'em pay for this," Frenzy suddenly spat, breaking the painful silence that had been lingering.
"Yeah, whoever knocked me out is gonna pay big time, and that goes double for the slagger that hurt Soundwave."
"Yeah..."
Frenzy appeared to tighten his grip on Soundwave's arm as they slowly approached the end of the corridor, his visor fixed on some undefined point before them. Not wanting to look at his twin, Rumble glanced back at Soundwave.
"How ya doin' back there, boss?" he asked, knowing full well he would get no reply.
Suddenly, it felt as if their creator's weight had increased; Rumble turned back to find his brother had stopped walking.
"Slag!! He's too heavy!!" Frenzy complained.
"Shut up and keep pulling! We gotta get him to the Repair Bay… What's the word on the others?"
"On their way… although it will take a while until they get here… Slaggit, where's Hook when we need him the most?"
"Cybertron."
"I know, you moron… oh just forget it!"
A flash of light coming from a nearby corridor surprised both Cassetticons, who instantly subspaced their weapons and prepared to protect their creator with their lives if they had to.
"More Autobots!" Frenzy cried.
"No, Frenz, wait… correct me if I'm wrong but was that…?"
Frenzy nodded. "Yeah, a teleportation, and there's just one slagger I know who can do that."
Skywarp... Rumble wasn't sure if his arrival was a blessing or a complete disaster, but his fears increased when a second set of approaching footsteps made itself heard.
The twins stood in silence, glancing at one another with apprehension.
"Maybe he's brought Hook..." Frenzy whispered hopefully, but his guess was proven incorrect when the unmistakeable voice of Megatron reverberated angrily through the corridor.
"Starscream, you will answer me this instant or I swear the nicest thing that will happen to you will be your deacti...!!"
The silver tyrant stopped mid-threat as his flaring red optics caught sight of the two Cassetticons standing before an offline Soundwave. A look of genuine surprise passed briefly over his features before being replaced with his usual mask of fury.
Behind him, Skywarp seemed unusually serious.
"Rumble, Frenzy... What the slag is going on here?" Megatron demanded roughly.
Rumble opened his mouth to speak but it was his brother that spoke first. The blue cassette couldn't help but note his own surprise; Frenzy hardly ever addressed Megatron first...
"It...it was the Autobots, Lord Megatron...they...I think they were after the prisoner an'..."
"The prisoner?! Were they successful?"
"Yes...I think..."
So Nocturne was gone... Rumble glanced at his twin, there was no doubt Frenzy would be happy about that...
"I hope for your sakes you did all you could to stop them or so help me I'll have you melted down for spare parts! I want a full report of your actions in two cycles, do you hear me?!"
The two cassettes nodded hurriedly, unwilling to anger their Commander further.
Megatron continued to glare into their visors for several foreboding astro seconds before turning his attention to his unconscious Third in Command.
"What is Soundwave's status?" he barked.
This time it was Rumble who spoke first.
"He was offline when we found him, Megatron, he's badly damaged but I think he'll be okay with some repairs. We're takin' him to the Repair Bay now."
Megatron raised an optic ridge, although rage still coloured his features. "And what, you're dragging him all the way there? I'm sure you're creator will appreciate that..."
"It was the only choice we had! He's too slaggin' heavy to carry!" Frenzy exclaimed defensively; Rumble hurried to send him a wave of warning through the link.
"I suppose that is true..." the Decepticon leader conceded. "Skywarp!"
The commanded Seeker stepped forward, it was obvious there was some hesitation in his movements.
"Yes, my Lord?"
"You will teleport Soundwave and these two to the Repair Bay immediately. Then meet me in the Command Centre."
A grimace of contempt thrown in the direction of Rumble and Frenzy made Skywarp's true opinion clear but the Seeker nodded silently in compliance, to do otherwise would have been suicidal.
Despite the brevity of the situation, Rumble returned Skywarp's less-than-friendly acknowledgement with a smirk. He couldn't help himself, he couldn't let an opportunity to mock him pass by. But said smirk disappeared the instant Megatron's optics met his visor again.
"As for you two," Megatron ordered, "you are to inform me as soon as Soundwave is online. I will send for Hook, he will meet you there."
"Yes, Lord Megatron, sir," both cassettes replied in tandem.
"And don't forget, I want your full reports in two cycles, got it?! Skywarp, get them out of here."
"Yes sir," the Seeker replied as Megatron stalked angrily away.
"Don't you dare hurt him!" Frenzy spat as the purple Seeker approached Soundwave, his indignation clear on his face.
"As much as I'd love to offline him, glitch, I'm not that stupid. Megatron's pissed enough as it is, if I did anything to his lackey here I'd be better off being sent to the smelters."
"Yeah, well don't you forget it," Frenzy insisted.
Pushing the two Cassetticons aside, Skywarp bent down and took hold of Soundwave. Rumble felt a shudder of fear rush through his systems as the Seeker stood again; it just wasn't right seeing his creator lying so limply in the Seeker's arms.
"Anyway," Skywarp said as he looked down at the two young Decepticons. "I'd rather offline you two scraplets any day. Now hold on, and try not to purge your tanks when we arrive..."
..............
One step at a time, just one… the problem was that every step was a painful, excruciating experience.
He felt as if he had been torn in two, the pain in his insides just the reflection of his wounded masculinity.
Slagging Blaster, accursed Autobot loser… He would make him pay, he would tear out his intimate circuitry and make him eat it…
His fingers were leaving a trace on the walls as he walked slowly, supporting his weight as he could. All he wanted was to arrive at his quarters, at his recharge berth, to shut down and realize everything was a nightmare...
He didn't know the gravity of his injuries, but he had suspicions…
He shook his head. No… the most beloved part of his mechood was all right… it had to be all right… He was the tyrant of the firmament, the prince of the skies, the mighty and handsome…
"Starscream. Just the mech I was looking for."
Starscream lifted his head. Annoyance and defeat were displayed on his tortured grey facial features when he saw Megatron, casually leaning outside the Seeker's personal quarters with his arms folded.
"What's wrong? Aren't you happy to see me?" the Decepticon leader continued, not even attempting to disguise his sarcasm.
"Megatron… always a pleasure, you know it… Is… is there something I can do for you, fearless leader?"
Megatron pushed himself off Starscream's door. "Actually, there is. And if you have to ask such question then you are on the perfect route to the ultimate shutdown."
"M…my leader, please… I know I should have reported with you before, but as you can see I was damaged during the Autobot intrusion… I'll deliver you a report personally later. I just need some breems to recover…"
"Recover?!" Megatron shouted. "Recover from what? From letting a puny group of Autobots infiltrate our base and get away without a scratch? For letting them humiliate me by sneaking into my Nemesis? For letting them rescue our prisoner from the core of our own fortress?!!"
His next movement was instantaneous. Megatron's hand grasped Starscream's neck and lifted him up from the floor without any effort.
"M…Megatron… please… I… I was injured… I did my best to stop them but I couldn't contain four Autobots on my own… If that telepathic pet of yours had assisted me…"
Megatron brutally impacted Starscream against the wall. "A telepathic pet whose value highly surpasses that of your lousy, treacherous frame. Picture this, Starscream… I arrive to what was supposed to be our impenetrable sanctuary, and what do I find? My best lieutenant offlined, severely damaged, and not a single trace of my Second in Command!"
"T…that's not true… I was fighting in the brig… I…"
Megatron released Starscream's neck. Exhausted and sore, the Seeker fell heavily to the floor.
"Fighting? That's an interesting concept, given your poor combat skills… That would explain why the Autobots were able to rescue the femme without any interference."
"I could have handled Blaster if his invisible friend hadn't interfered!" Starscream cried. "Besides, I was injured before…"
Megatron bent down and brought his face close to Starscream's. The Seeker could feel the heat coming from his leader's furious optics.
"I have my doubts about your alleged injuries, as I have them about your version of your so called combat in the brig. Know this, Starscream, I will order a thorough investigation into this incident, and if I discover you are lying to me, even in the slightest detail, I'll have you dismembered, servo by servo."
Starscream cringed. "I'm not lying… I defended the base as it was my duty as Second in Command…"
Megatron kicked Starscream in the side. "Whatever you did, it was not 'defending'! Look at you, Starscream, you're a disgrace! Whining about some minor dents, embarrassing yourself with such cowardice…"
"But Megatron..."
"Enough of your excuses, Starscream!!" Megatron roared as his fusion cannon hummed into life. "One more word from you and I will make even death look insignificant, do you hear me?! If you are as wounded as you claim to be then you will report to Hook when he arrives. But in the mean time, you'd do well to start your report. You've got one cycle, Starscream, and it had better be the truth."
Megatron turned his attention to the keypad by Starscream's door and entered his override code, causing it to hiss open.
"Now crawl like the insect you are back into your hole before I change my mind and terminate you."
Humiliated, Starscream hurried to comply, crawling on all fours away from his Commander. A brutal kick to the aft sent the Seeker sprawling; he could still hear Megatron's malicious laughter even after his door had slid closed. Excruciating pain seared through every circuit as his fist pounded the floor in sheer rage and desperation, but his anguished attempt of self-redemption was abruptly halted as his tanks lurched and he was forced to purge them.
"Curse...you...Megatron..." he hissed, totally defeated.
Starscream didn't know how long he lay like that, lost in pain and so very close to delirium. All he knew was that he hated Megatron.
How he hated that mech...
To be continued.