Chapter 3
"We're here Soundwave, wakey wakey!" Starscream said as he transformed and gently landed not wanting to rock his passenger around too much. He opened his cockpit and placed Soundwave on the ground. The large blue Decepticon transformed and stretched out his arms.
"I am not used to being in that mode for that long."
"You could have taken the train, heck, you could have taken Astrotrain."
"Then it would have taken twice as long to get here."
"Oh, so you're using me for my speed, the truth comes out." Starscream punched Soundwave in the upper arm playfully.
"I realize you are joking Starscream, but I would like to clarify, I asked you to come last week because I find your company engaging, and you are my friend."
Starscream, not used to getting a compliment, shrugged and turned away, "thanks."
"And I knew that it would be a good idea if you came here as well."
Starscream looked back at Soundwave, his face looked grim, even pale. "listen, now that we're here, I don't know if I can do this. I. . . thought I would, but I've changed my mind. I'll just wait here for you, OK?"
Soundwave was about to question if an event last week had prompted Starscream's change of heart, but he decided against it. "That is fine Starscream. If you decide otherwise, just come in."
"Yeah, I might, we'll see" He smiled nervously.
Soundwave reached out and put his hand of Starscream's shoulder for a moment, then walked in the building in front of them and he was greeted by an Autobot.
"Hello Soundwave, you're here early this week." Red Alert spoke from behind the glass.
"Starscream chose to fly me over here again."
"Does he need a pass as well?" Red Alert opened the large door and walked out into the room where Soundwave entered.
"No I do not think so." Soundwave took the pass that Red Alert handed him. He put it over his Decepticon insignia, it glowed for a moment and faded from sight. "How has he been this week."
"Oh the same. He pushes everyone around one moment and won't speak to anyone the next. That's how he was this morning. He hasn't said a word since he woke up from stasis. We left him in his room today, he didn't want to leave and Bombshell felt it was best to not force him out."
"I am ready to see him then."
"That's fine. After you have finished your visit, Bombshell wanted to speak to you, do you have time to stick around a bit later?"
"I will ask Starscream if he can stay, if not, it will have to wait until next week or Bombshell can contact me at the lab tomorrow."
"Go ahead then, I'll see you when you come out."
Soundwave entered the next room and the wall closed in behind him. He travelled down the hall on the left. Usually he didn't look at the names on the doors, but today, he found himself reading every name. Skydive, Ultra Magnus, Prowl, Brawn, Gears and Ironhide, he remembered that Autobot, he was older, probably too old to change his ways. There were many more Autobots, though Soundwave didn't recognize their names. Huffer, Warpath, Broadside. . . .
He walked through a large heavy set of double doors. He had entered the Decepticon wing of the building. Again, he found himself looking at the names. The three brothers, Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge, they were all here. Sixshot, Bonecrusher, every Combaticon has his own room except Onslaught. Soundwave always had more respect for Onslaught than his teammates. Onslaught was now educating younger Cybertronians about the History of Cybertron. He was the only one of the Combaticons that were able to think beyond war, he was intellegent and swift and he proved himself strong enough to handle the end of the Great War.
Strong enough. Soundwave cursed at himself for saying that. All these Cybertronians in this building were strong, he knew that, they just didn't know how to live now that the war was over. It was amazing how it began. With one Decepticon and one Autobot.
Thundercracker and Mirage.
The two of them for months had been exchanging transmissions trying to find a way to end the Great War. And after years of slowly convincing their fellow teammates that there was more to life than this, they succeeded almost two years ago. The truce was announced. In the name of Cybertron, the two warring factions put down their arms and concentrated all their efforts in returning to Cyberton and restoring their planet to it's prior glory. There were few that were affected by the truce at first. They were too busy on Earth building a spaceship to transport not only the people, but the remains of the Arc and the Nemisis as well. They wanted no trace of Cybertronian technology left on earth. After that had been completed and the long journey home came to an end, the changes began. Cybertron was whole once again.
While most of the population took the change as the greatest event that ever happened in their lifetime, there were some who could not handle it. They couldn't function in the new society. They had no role to fulfill, they just couldn't do it. Bombshell had been the first to diagnose the behavior and he immediately shared his knowledge with the Autobots' resident head doctor, Wheeljack. The two of them worked quickly to find a solution to the swiftly growing problem, but they couldn't do it. These individuals were mentally damaged, some beyond repair. The war had been the only thing keeping them going and now that was gone. The best thing they could do was to build a place where these former soldiers could rest and hopefully find some peace.
Soundwave stood in front of the door belonging to the man he considered the most incredible, most powerful Decepticon that ever lived. He was cunning, intellegent,, a great leader, and most important a great friend. Soundwave felt a wave of sadness overwhelm him. He leaned against the wall knowing it would be a terrible idea to enter the room feeling like this. He took a deep breath and attempted to gain control over his emotions. He felt his own anxiety lessen and only Laserbeak's remained. That was something he had not thought of. Having his creations with him, being so close to their minds and their fears, might become overwhelming in this particular situation.
"Laserbeak" He spoke again, inside his mind. "Please try and stay calm, your feelings are very strong right now and I'm finding it hard to filter out. Do you think you can do that."
"I will do my best to keep them to myself Soundwave, but your own emotions are breaking through my barriers as well." She paused, then finally spoke again, "I never realized how hard this has been for you to come here every week. Why didn't you tell us it was this hard on you?"
"I..." He didn't have an answer, "I didn't want you. . . " Soundwave took another deep breath,
"To see how much this hurt you as well." Laserbeak finished the sentence for him. "I know how close you two were, I know how much you admired him."
"Admire" Soundwave corrected, "I still admire him. I always will." He stood up straight. "OK, I am ready to enter his room, are you ready as well."
"Yes, I will stay in stasis while you chat, wake me up when it is a good time for me to. . say hello."
Soundwave nodded and put Laserbeak to sleep. He turned and opened the door with the name MEGATRON on it.
"We're here Soundwave, wakey wakey!" Starscream said as he transformed and gently landed not wanting to rock his passenger around too much. He opened his cockpit and placed Soundwave on the ground. The large blue Decepticon transformed and stretched out his arms.
"I am not used to being in that mode for that long."
"You could have taken the train, heck, you could have taken Astrotrain."
"Then it would have taken twice as long to get here."
"Oh, so you're using me for my speed, the truth comes out." Starscream punched Soundwave in the upper arm playfully.
"I realize you are joking Starscream, but I would like to clarify, I asked you to come last week because I find your company engaging, and you are my friend."
Starscream, not used to getting a compliment, shrugged and turned away, "thanks."
"And I knew that it would be a good idea if you came here as well."
Starscream looked back at Soundwave, his face looked grim, even pale. "listen, now that we're here, I don't know if I can do this. I. . . thought I would, but I've changed my mind. I'll just wait here for you, OK?"
Soundwave was about to question if an event last week had prompted Starscream's change of heart, but he decided against it. "That is fine Starscream. If you decide otherwise, just come in."
"Yeah, I might, we'll see" He smiled nervously.
Soundwave reached out and put his hand of Starscream's shoulder for a moment, then walked in the building in front of them and he was greeted by an Autobot.
"Hello Soundwave, you're here early this week." Red Alert spoke from behind the glass.
"Starscream chose to fly me over here again."
"Does he need a pass as well?" Red Alert opened the large door and walked out into the room where Soundwave entered.
"No I do not think so." Soundwave took the pass that Red Alert handed him. He put it over his Decepticon insignia, it glowed for a moment and faded from sight. "How has he been this week."
"Oh the same. He pushes everyone around one moment and won't speak to anyone the next. That's how he was this morning. He hasn't said a word since he woke up from stasis. We left him in his room today, he didn't want to leave and Bombshell felt it was best to not force him out."
"I am ready to see him then."
"That's fine. After you have finished your visit, Bombshell wanted to speak to you, do you have time to stick around a bit later?"
"I will ask Starscream if he can stay, if not, it will have to wait until next week or Bombshell can contact me at the lab tomorrow."
"Go ahead then, I'll see you when you come out."
Soundwave entered the next room and the wall closed in behind him. He travelled down the hall on the left. Usually he didn't look at the names on the doors, but today, he found himself reading every name. Skydive, Ultra Magnus, Prowl, Brawn, Gears and Ironhide, he remembered that Autobot, he was older, probably too old to change his ways. There were many more Autobots, though Soundwave didn't recognize their names. Huffer, Warpath, Broadside. . . .
He walked through a large heavy set of double doors. He had entered the Decepticon wing of the building. Again, he found himself looking at the names. The three brothers, Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge, they were all here. Sixshot, Bonecrusher, every Combaticon has his own room except Onslaught. Soundwave always had more respect for Onslaught than his teammates. Onslaught was now educating younger Cybertronians about the History of Cybertron. He was the only one of the Combaticons that were able to think beyond war, he was intellegent and swift and he proved himself strong enough to handle the end of the Great War.
Strong enough. Soundwave cursed at himself for saying that. All these Cybertronians in this building were strong, he knew that, they just didn't know how to live now that the war was over. It was amazing how it began. With one Decepticon and one Autobot.
Thundercracker and Mirage.
The two of them for months had been exchanging transmissions trying to find a way to end the Great War. And after years of slowly convincing their fellow teammates that there was more to life than this, they succeeded almost two years ago. The truce was announced. In the name of Cybertron, the two warring factions put down their arms and concentrated all their efforts in returning to Cyberton and restoring their planet to it's prior glory. There were few that were affected by the truce at first. They were too busy on Earth building a spaceship to transport not only the people, but the remains of the Arc and the Nemisis as well. They wanted no trace of Cybertronian technology left on earth. After that had been completed and the long journey home came to an end, the changes began. Cybertron was whole once again.
While most of the population took the change as the greatest event that ever happened in their lifetime, there were some who could not handle it. They couldn't function in the new society. They had no role to fulfill, they just couldn't do it. Bombshell had been the first to diagnose the behavior and he immediately shared his knowledge with the Autobots' resident head doctor, Wheeljack. The two of them worked quickly to find a solution to the swiftly growing problem, but they couldn't do it. These individuals were mentally damaged, some beyond repair. The war had been the only thing keeping them going and now that was gone. The best thing they could do was to build a place where these former soldiers could rest and hopefully find some peace.
Soundwave stood in front of the door belonging to the man he considered the most incredible, most powerful Decepticon that ever lived. He was cunning, intellegent,, a great leader, and most important a great friend. Soundwave felt a wave of sadness overwhelm him. He leaned against the wall knowing it would be a terrible idea to enter the room feeling like this. He took a deep breath and attempted to gain control over his emotions. He felt his own anxiety lessen and only Laserbeak's remained. That was something he had not thought of. Having his creations with him, being so close to their minds and their fears, might become overwhelming in this particular situation.
"Laserbeak" He spoke again, inside his mind. "Please try and stay calm, your feelings are very strong right now and I'm finding it hard to filter out. Do you think you can do that."
"I will do my best to keep them to myself Soundwave, but your own emotions are breaking through my barriers as well." She paused, then finally spoke again, "I never realized how hard this has been for you to come here every week. Why didn't you tell us it was this hard on you?"
"I..." He didn't have an answer, "I didn't want you. . . " Soundwave took another deep breath,
"To see how much this hurt you as well." Laserbeak finished the sentence for him. "I know how close you two were, I know how much you admired him."
"Admire" Soundwave corrected, "I still admire him. I always will." He stood up straight. "OK, I am ready to enter his room, are you ready as well."
"Yes, I will stay in stasis while you chat, wake me up when it is a good time for me to. . say hello."
Soundwave nodded and put Laserbeak to sleep. He turned and opened the door with the name MEGATRON on it.