Hammerhead.
Warnings: Violence, bad language, gore and possibly some sex.
"Through this doorway what's on the other side, never knowing exactly what I'll find, locked and loaded, voices screaming: let's go, come on do it, here we go!" – Hammerhead, the Offspring.
Timing: Post season 2 finale, set few weeks after Beauty of the Beast in my very own BotB Prime Timeline (due to the fact that season 3 – The Beast Hunters is about to be aired at the end of March).
Rating: M (alternative – if there will be any – or extended chapters will go MA and will be available on my Tumblr account, the address is available on my profile page).
Pairings: Megatron and June, Bumblebee and Miko, maybe some Shockwave and Arcee.
Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.
Sympathy for the Devil.
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what´s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game...– "Sympathy for the Devil" The Rolling Stones
Special Agent William Fowler sat behind his simple desk in Area 51 and read reports his men delivered after they returned from the facility where the latest skirmish with M.E.C.H. took place. Arcee already told him what happened and even delivered written report, printed neatly but not signed since it was hard for her to hold tiny pen.
The man sighed heavily, it all looked bad. Not for the 'Bots, they did nothing wrong. It looked bad for him. M.E.C.H. under this new leader changed. Silas kept things more quiet, his M.E.C.H. was stealth, they preferred quick and silent actions. This new M.E.C.H. was more aggressive, they left few corpses behind. Silas never left any of his soldiers behind, even those heavily wounded were taken away, even he himself was pulled from under the rubble after he challenged Optimus Prime and lost. True, in the end he killed some of his followers, but he didn't deem himself a human anymore.
The new M.E.C.H. didn't care about casualties, they became more ruthless. The possibility that Decepticons will manage to kill some of them was acceptable for them that meant that they had much more to gain. Silas probably would play it differently, but this new leader was different, whoever it was.
Fowler felt his head throb, how was he supposed to deal with all this? Decepticons killed humans, but as Arcee said, they were defending themselves as it was M.E.C.H. that attacked. True, it was Decepticons who raid the facility, but they didn't harm a single human in the process. They attacked at night, when the facility was almost empty and Soundwave made sure that those who were there left in hurry. And then M.E.C.H. soldiers attacked them. General Brice would throw a fit over this entire situation. Decepticons were evil, but they still had the right to defend themselves – as everyone else had. And they did just that. Now couple of M.E.C.H. soldiers were in the mortuary. None of them had a slightest mark of Decepticon's weapons on themselves, few died when their cars were shot and fell over crushing those that hid behind them, there was a case of an electric charge backfiring and someone fell off the back of the pick-up so unluckily that he broke his neck.
And if that wasn't enough, they had Megatron in their custody. Unconscious, wounded, in worse than bad condition, but still alive. Fowler decided that he need some aspirin of else his head will explode.
He was about to get up and go to the infirmary when his phone rang. It was an outside call, he glanced at the tiny screen but what he saw wasn't normal phone number, it was Cybertronian frequency, one that he saw once before. This was getting better and better. He reached and answered the call switching it to loud speaker.
"Fowler here. What do you want?"
"Ahh, Special Agent William Fowler." It was Starscream in his 'pleasant' and 'friendly' voice. It meant they wanted something from him.
Fowler felt his eye twitch. "Starscream, what do I owe the displeasure?" He supressed urge to send the high heeled creep to hell.
"Oh, I was just wondering… We know that Autobots have Megatron, would you be kind enough to arrange a meeting?"
"No."
There was a pause, few muffled clicks and beeps that sounded like Bumblebee but held more depth and modulation, it was clearly Cybertronian. Anyone who ever heard Bumblebee and other Cybertronians could tell the difference between 'flat' blips the yellow scout made and rich, deep and strangely melodic sounds that other spoke with. Fowler could distinguish two separate voices. One was lower and Fowler couldn't tell who it belonged to, but he recognised Starscream. The seeker sounded differently while speaking in his native language, he was less screechy modulating his voice easily with amazing subtlety.
"In this case, would you consider organising other means of us communicating with them? We do need to speak with them about our Lord."
Fowler tried to stare a hole in his phone. Starscream politely asking him anything was a new. Fowler could imagine that Screamer was boiling inside and that gave him some satisfaction.
"Call me in an hour; I will see what I can do."
"Very well then." With this Starscream ended the call.
Fowler pinched bridge of his nose. This was going to be a very long day. And it wasn't even noon yet.
xXx
Starscream turned away from the communication console and looked at three other Decepticon officers.
"That went better than I thought."
Soundwave's visor was blank but he radiated pure essence of 'I told you so'. Shockwave stared at Starscream without a word and even his antennae were unmoving. Only Knockout looked uneasy.
"I really would like to see Lord Megatron; I can't do that from a distance."
"You heard Fowler, he won't organise a meeting and I don't think any of Autobots would agree, not to mention I'm not eager to meet them in person." Starscream slightly shook his wings when he though what Arcee wanted to do to him at this moment. Not only he killed Cliffjumper, he also threatened Jack. The femme would probably carve her designation on his main gyroscope.
"I only hope they won't try anything funny on him. Last time they laid their servos on him they connected Bumblebee to Megatron's CPU."
Knockout almost shrunk when all five optics cantered on him. Starscream tried to burn hole in CMO's head, Soundwave's invisible optics seemed to examine his facial plates and Shockwave's single, gigantic optic simply stared.
"Let us simply wait, shall we?" Proposed Starscream. No one opposed.
xXx
"It was to be expected." Optimus Prime looked calmly at Special Agent William Fowler. "Sooner or later they would try to contact us."
"The question is – should I tell them to blow or connect the call? Do you even want to talk to them?"
Optimus stayed silent for few moments and looked at Ratchet who whipped his servos into clean polishing rag.
"He is stable." Said the Medic. "But he won't be waking up any time soon, not without any serious repairs."
"How bad exactly he is?" Optimus moved his stare from his old friend into his old enemy.
"I don't even know where to start. Most of his wires in the abdomen are severed or fried. As well as energon lines. The blast's temperature damaged every organ that was exposed directly. Without real repairs he will last another four to five days, week tops."
"Agent Fowler, when they will call again, please connect them. If we are to gain anything from them we must do it before Megatron perishes." Optimus risked quick glance at his soldiers. They didn't look happy but none of them protested.
"Will do. I will have the call redirected here automatically." Fowler pulled out his cell phone and made a call to the base's control room.
xXx
Shockwave rose from his console and turned to the rest of his fellow Decepticons. He stared for few more seconds as if he was double checking something and spoke in his calm and monotone voice.
"I believe the time that Special Agent Fowler has had declared had passed."
"It is an hour already?" Starscream torn his optics from his console. "Ah, times fly as they say. Soundwave, would you dial?"
Soundwave reached with one of his tentacles and picked a frequency. The silent dialling sound could be heard, then normal phone signal flew from the speaker as the connection became established.
xXx
It was loud but pleasant 'ping' that informed everybody that there was an incoming connection. Ratchet tapped the keyboard and the main screen came to life with Starscream's close-in. On the other end they had to see Ratchet's because Starscream gasped and jumped back.
"Ahh, greetings." Said the seeker when he regained his speech. "I trust that Special Agent Fowler informed you about what we want?"
"He did" Ratchet moved slightly, he wanted to fill the entire screen so no Decepticon could see pass him. "What do you want to know?"
"I think that at this point our own medic will be more competent to conversate with you." Starscream moved with his servo and disappeared. There was movement and familiar red and white colours filled the screen when Knockout went into camera range.
Ratchet frowned, he didn't like Knockout. Not because of that Synth-En incident, that was just embarrassing mishap. He didn't like his Decepticon counterpart because a physician should hold his patients wellbeing as a priority and Knockout put his finish before his patients. Ratchet didn't know much about Knockouts skills, but it didn't matter if said skills weren't used to help those in need.
"I do not believe that you will allow me to take a look at your 'patient'?" Knockout smirked with something akin to bitterness.
Ratchet looked at him and wondered what in the Pit happened that they care about Megatron so much? Normally Starscream would already take over and made the wretched medic his second.
"Not at this point."
"Fine. Because no one actually seen what happened, can you give me a list of injuries that our Lord suffered? And perhaps what happened to him in the first place? We know that those M.E.C.H. skinjobs were there."
Ratchet narrowed his optics. Knockout already started to work on his strained nerves. "First of all, they're humans not skinjobs." It would turn into a rant, but Ratchet managed to compose himself. "We don't know what that was, but it was some sort of energy weapon. I wasn't there but from what I've heard it was some sort of energy blast shot from something that looked like small cannon."
Ratchet observed with well hidden pleasure as Knockout face plates turned grim. For once the vain excuse for a medic wasn't smirking with superiority. Not so full of himself anymore. Ratchet took a closer look; it was the first real time that he actually looked at Knockout. The Decepticon sawbones – as Ratchet sometimes thought about him – held traditional white and red medic colours, the red was darker than Ratchet's own almost orange red, but it meant that Knockout belonged to the guild, which in turn meant that he belonged to the higher caste. How come he ended up as a Decepticon? Knockout was younger than Ratchet, a lot younger. He could have creators or came from the Well of Sparks directly, but he wasn't a low life, the kind that most of Decepticon ranks were full of. Did he put a disgrace upon himself? Or maybe he was working with lower castes? But if that was the case, how did he manage to keep his finish in this state? Or maybe it was his political sympathies and beliefs? Did he actually believe in Decepticon cause? Many did at first. Even Ratchet thought that caste system was unjust. It didn't matter now. What mattered was that this young medic – his skills and ethics irrelevant – was Decepticon CMO.
"It went through him." Ratchet added after a moment.
"You mean clear through and through? Through Megatron?" Knockout's optics grew large.
"Yes. It did hit him in his weak spot, but it did put a large hole in him."
"Can you give me the list of injuries? And tell me if and what exactly you did?" Knockout overcame his shock.
xXx
Shockwave listened to the conversation from beyond camera's range. The news he heard were most disturbing, if local organics developed such a weapon it could turn to be most inconvenient for Decepticons.
Starscream wasn't that surprised. He knew M.E.C.H. and knew they were crazy, capable of anything. Even with Silas gone they were still unpredictable, and with the new leader – because there had to be a new leader – they were twice as dangerous.
Soundwave silently recorded entire conversation. His was disturbed and he had mixed feelings, not that there were many of them to begin with. Megatron was his best and oldest friend, the one mech in entire universe that Soundwave actually trusted. They were comrades back when they both were Gladiators. They were even match for each other and neither of them cared which one was better – best indicator that they both were professionals. And now his best and in all honesty, only friend was wounded and at mercy of his foes. But he was still alive. Soundwave never felt happiness or grief, no strong emotions; but there was both worried and relieved. His Lord was wounded and in danger, but still alive, there was still hope.
Knockout wasn't the type of a medic that Ratchet was, he was very close to be his contradiction. He had perfect berth manners but never really cared about his patients, not as much as he perhaps should. But he was competent (despite that he always repeated that he's better at breaking than fixing), he lacked Ratchet's experience, but he could do a lot. And often enough, when he wasn't busy with his finish or had no other choice, he did.
On the other side of the line Ratchet's face turn grim. Knockout felt that it won't be something he would like. He cheered himself up by thinking that at least it won't be him who will have to do all the work. Megatron wasn't his patient at the moment.
"The wound is in his abdomen on the left side, close to the centre. The shot went through clear ripping his armour open. His spinal strut is intact and the temperature of that blast closed his energon lines, all the wire work is torn into pieces, his main hydraulic fluid tank is pierced and the tubing melted so none of his hydraulics is working at the moment, the high temperature fried his right exhaust filter and his T-Cog. I also found this attached to his T-Cog but it is not his natural system." Ratchet lifted a small device with jiggling cables and tubes sticking out of it.
Knockout digested everything he heard for few moments with unhappy face. Melted and torn tubing, veins and wires meant shock, pierced hydraulic tank meant paralysis – easy to fix but still paralysis; only one fried exhaust filter wasn't very dangerous in itself, the second one could work on its own for some time but as an addition to previous injuries it was bad: yet another step into the shock. T-Cog was at this moment the least of all worries.
"Did you perform any kind of surgery? Other than removing this device?"
"I stabilised him and put him into a stasis lock to buy us some time." Ratchet looked neutral, as if he didn't care if his patient lived. This was something new.
Knockout silenced again. It was better than nothing but far from good. But what did he expected, Megatron was their mortal enemy, why would they waste their precious resources on him? The red medic looked back at Starscream and Shockwave, then again at Ratchet.
"Will you mind if I consult my superiors now?" He asked. He needed to speak with Starscream and Shockwave, and to speak to Soundwave.
"No, it is you who is calling us. Take your time."
Knockout suspended the connection and turned to his superiors entirely. His face was grim, the vain Decepticon meant business now, this wasn't fun anymore. Now it was Knockout the Medic, not Knockout the vain Decepticon speed fan.
"This is serious. Megatron won't survive long."
"We don't know that." Starscream had strange look on his faceplates. There was this old greed for power but also something new, some grim determination.
"Yes, we do. You've heard everything. You know enough about medicine to know what that means."
There was silence when each of them silently considered all they heard. They all been wounded, only Knockout avoided heavy damage, but only because he never took part in any big campaign as a soldier, he always stayed in the back and patched up wounded. Soundwave took his fair share of wounds back in the pits of Kaon, and then he was wounded many times during the war. Starscream was a frequent guest of infirmary; though half the times he was there it was thanks to his own action and Megatron's lack of patience. And Shockwave often repaired himself.
"He is in shock." The one eyed Decepticon spoke as always in calm voice. "I estimate that even in stasis lock he won't last long."
"Any ideas what should we do?" Starscream still looked as he was fighting internal battle between his lust for power and new found loyalty to Megatron.
"A logical consequence of our initiative to contact Autobots would be negotiations." Shockwave stirred his antennae slightly. "We have two objectives. First: obtaining medical care for Megatron. Second: nullifying the threat the new weapon presents."
"Fine." Starscream shoved Knockout out of his way. "We'll see what we can do." And the Decepticon SIC re-activated the connection.
xXx
Starscream's faceplates appeared on the screen just when everyone started to wonder what takes them so long, the seeker looked tormented but it didn't gained him any sympathy from his interlocutor.
"What will it take to convince you to help?" Starscream wasted no time for preludes.
"What makes you think you can convince us?" Ratchet didn't allow himself to be surprised.
Starscream's face twisted as the seeker fought his own shock. He forgot that Ratchet, aside from being an Autobot and medic; also was rather unpleasant character.
"Can I speak with Prime?"
"No."
"I insist."
Something moved behind Starscream and then Shockwave's head appeared on the screen making everyone in the Autobot hangar gasp. They didn't expect him to be on Earth.
"We would like to speak with Optimus Prime." Shockwave spoke with voice that could crush marble stones. "It is matter of politics."
Fowler recognized that voice; it was the second voice he heard when Starscream contacted with him earlier. He also recognized the mech, he heard of him from the 'Bots before.
"I hear you Shockwave." Optimus spoke from where he sat outside of the camera range. "What do you mean?"
"We wish to negotiate two issues. Megatron must be taken care of and we need to find solution to the problem of the weapon that caused our Lord's injury in the first place."
"What do you propose?" Optimus didn't move an inch. He didn't know if he should be seen in his current, undignified state. He still looked like something that was dragged in from a scrap heap.
"Hand Lord Megatron over to us. And we will search and destroy the weapon together."
"Absolutely not!" Ratchet half yelled, half growled. "He won't survive transport and you will put the blame on us!"
"Then allow our medic to come to him." Starscream pushed himself past Shockwave.
"This is out of the question." Prime didn't yelled, but his voice was loud and strong. "We cannot put our human allies in danger."
Everyone felt silent. Decepticons suspected that Autobots are under human care, in one of their military bases. And Autobots knew that Decepticons suspected that.
"But that weapon has to be destroyed." Fowler spoke calmly surprising everyone. "And we all know how hard it is to find M.E.C.H. if they don't want to be seen."
"It is true, Agent Fowler, however I will not place any human in danger." Optimus low voice was not gentle and well levelled.
"Having M.E.C.H. running free is just as much danger. Prime, most of them is military, that's why they mask themselves so well, they usually know when we search for them!"
"Nevertheless having dangerous Decepticon here is out of the question." And that was final, Optimus didn't have to yell, scream, roar or growl. He didn't even have to speak loud. He just stated his decision in calm voice. If someone would object, he would repeat what he said, and would repeat it until it was understood that he will not change his mind. Optimus Prime could be as patient as a mountain, if he wanted.
"Still we want out leader to be taken care of." Shockwave spoke with calmness rivalling Optimus's. "If Lord Megatron can't be moved he must be operated on inside your base. And if you deny our own medic access to him, then the only option available is that your medic will perform all required procedures."
"That brings yet another problem…" Ratchet begun but Shockwave cut in.
"We do realise that your resources are limited as it was always the case. You hold no energon mines."
"We can always take one of yours!" Wheeljack interjected from somewhere deep within the hangar, but his voice was clear. "It's not that hard."
"Also our Master requires Dark Energon as well as the regular one." Shockwave carefully ignored Wheeljack's interjection.
"What do you suggest?" Ratchet was now curious, what could Shockwave propose that would be acceptable.
Shockwave gave Starscream a look, the seeker glanced at something or someone outside the camera range, then his mouth twitched but it wasn't smile, nor was it frown.
"Give us a moment." The seeker spoke and the screen went blank.
"Now, this is interesting." Arcee jumped down from her spot on the pile of crates. "I didn't expect Shockwave here. I thought I finished him off in that Spacebridge."
"It looks like he survived." Ratchet leaned against the console. "I imagine Starscream was furious about him being here."
"OK. I get it; Shockwave is some sort of mad genius. You already told me about him. But why Starscream would be furious about? Isn't he the Second in Command? The Cyclops is still under his command." Fowler looked puzzled. "Right?"
"It's complicated." Ratchet didn't know how to explain the dynamics of Decepticon leadership. He wasn't sure if he himself understood them.
"In theory Shockwave and Soundwave are both under Starscream's command." Wheeljack didn't have any of Ratchet's doubts. "But Starscream only got his stance because Shocky stayed behind on Cybertron. And Soundwave is the TIC because he very clearly refused to be SIC. From what I've heard he explicitly refused being Megatron's second, as the rumour has it, he was very suggestive in his own way. But I don't know any details."
"I heard that he used very particular gesticulation." Arcee almost smiled.
"Anyway, Screamer was Air Commander already, so he practically already commanded the large chunk of Decepticon army." Bulkhead tapped his chin thoughtfully. "So Megatron gave him the seat."
"Starscream is actually scared of them both." Ratchet continued where Wheeljack finished. "And they both are answering to Megatron directly. Starscream being the SIC only means that his orders are above orders of Soundwave and Shockwave when it comes to the troops, but he being obeyed by Soundwave and Shockwave is only the matter of their good will."
"And Screamer has no way of forcing anything on them." Bulkhead smiled under his chin guard.
"What does it mean for us?" Fowler started to realise all the inclinations of what he just heard.
"That currently every decision must be made by the three of them. " Prime stood up and slowly approached to the console. "That slower their reaction time. Ratchet, we will agree to their proposal and when you will be operating on Megatron the rest will be scouting for energon. This opportunity will not repeat itself."
"But if we will repair Megatron they will regain their abilities to function smoothly." Ratchet couldn't get the Prime's logic.
"Even if Megatron will perish, they will get it back soon. With Shockwave, Starscream and Soundwave on board of Nemesis they will quickly gain new leader. And it will be either Shockwave or Starscream, depending on who will get Soundwave's support. Both will be unpredictable and dangerous."
"Better the devil we know." Fowler glanced in the direction of unconscious Megatron. "At least you can predict his moves."
"Yes, Agent Fowler." Optimus nodded once. "I especially fear that Shockwave could become new Decepticon leader. He was experienced politician, a senator from Tarn where military traditions were held high."
The console chimed and Starscream's face appeared once again. The seeker looked pleased.
"We will provide you with energon that you will require for Megatron. He needs Dark Energon in particular amount so you will receive pre-made mix ready to apply. We will let you know where and when it will be waiting for you. We will also provide you with T-Cog, unfortunately we do not possess Megatron sized filter and tank…"
"Tank and filter is not an issue." Ratchet sounded rather unhappy. "But I want to know is what the device I removed from Megatron's T-Cog do."
Starscream opened his mouth, then he closed it and opened again but no sound came out. He looked at Shockwave that stood next to him but the one eyed scientist said nothing.
"I can't tell you."
"I insist. I need to know if this is safe…"
"It is." Starscream answered faster than he planned to.
"Then what does is so?"
"I can't tell you." Starscream shot quick glance to Shockwave and then somewhere beyond the camera range. Ratchet sent him expecting look and the seeker's shoulders sagged. "I really can't, Megatron will have my plates if I will. You can ask him when he'll wake up."
"Hrrnrrrhhh… fine." Ratchet let go the subject with his patented sigh."
"There is one more thing." Optimus carefully kept himself outside of the camera range. "We want that within the 24 human hours after you will notify us about the localisation of the resources, you will cease all activities."
"Six hours." Starscream narrowed his optics.
"Twelve."
"Deal." Starscream agreed. "Then we will hunt that infernal device down."
"Provided that Megatron will agree." Optimus added before Starscream could disconnect.
"He will. You know him as well as I do, Prime. He will want to show everyone that you can't just shoot the Decepticon Overlord and walk free."
"We will have a deal then. Be sure to keep it." Optimus gave Ratchet a nod and the Medic ended the connection.
Everyone was full of doubts, but Optimus was right, Megatron was more predictable than any of his possible successor. And Starscream was right about Megatron's frame of mind. There was no way that Megatron would allow such a thing to slip. But it was clear that it won't be easy or pleasant cooperation.
xXx
"That was a good call on making the energon mix." Knockout grinned at Shockwave, who wasn't impressed by the Decepticon Medic's charming grin.
"It was the only way to be sure that the energon will be given to Megatron."
"Those soft sparked Autobots would never embezzle the energon." Starscream waved his servo dismissively. "They're above that, goody two pedes types they are."
"But they will use the time to their advantage." Knockout pointed out. "Maybe raid our mines?"
Soundwave's visor came to life as the TIC displayed few Cybertronian symbols and couple of localisations.
"Great idea Soundwave." Starscream grinned. "We will send those reinforcements before we will deliver the energon. Mines will be well secured and Autobots won't have any reasons to accuse us of breaking the deal."
"Still, Megatron is at their mercy…" Knockout was still full of doubts.
"They're Autobots, they will keep the bargain." Starscream didn't share any of the Medic's dubiety. "They won't allow such a weapon to be left in M.E.C.H. hands."
"If you say so, her Kommandant. I will prepare the energon then." With that Knockout left.
Hello darkness, my old friend,
I've come to talk with you again… - "Sound of Silence" Simon and Garfunkel
TBC
No June yet, sorry. It went longer than I thought, so I split the chapter in two (again). Anyway, thanks for your attention.