Soundwave
Soundwave stepped quietly down the hallway, to the Med bay. Despite his size and build, when he chose to be he could move as silent as death. Ravage trotted equally silent at his heel. It was Ravage who had alerted him of Motormaster's attempt on Aviator's life function. It wasn't that he was afraid to take on Motormaster himself, he knew he could defeat the giant, after all, his telepathic abilities did more than just read people's minds. It simply was because he couldn't get down there and pry the door open before Motormaster tore Aviator apart. A little hacking and a little overriding took care of everything.
Soundwave was on his way to check up the young jet, why he wasn't completely sure. Ravage seemed to like him, perhaps it stemmed from that.
"Soundwave!" The terrible shriek combined with the echo of the hallway pierced Soundwave's audio receptors like a hail of needles. The voice of Starscream was unmistakable.
Soundwave inwardly growled, he really did not want to deal with the treacherous slag of a seeker right then.
"You just have to go and ruin everything, don't you?" The Air Commander hissed into the Communications officer's "face".
"Affirmative, when you are involved." Soundwave's monotone had an extra harshness to it. Ravage was growling, ready to try at tearing the seeker's throat the microsecond Soundwave gave the order.
"I see. Just out of curiosity what made you think I was behind this?" Starscream crossed his arms over his chest
"Everything behind the back is you." Soundwave answered and continued down the hall.
"Well it would take one to know one, wouldn't it?!" Starscream called after him.
That did it.
Soundwave whirled around grabbed Starscream by the throat and slammed the seeker against the wall.
"You spread that, now you believe your own lies. I keep no secrets, that is true. I go and tell what I hear when I am asked or when necessity calls for it. It is my function, but I do not backstab!!" Soundwave screamed as loud as his vocalizer allowed. "That is you skill which you convinced the others that it is mine!"
"Hm. Well isn't that nice for you." Starscream's lips formed a gentle smile, but there was still that malicious glint behind his optics. Then he slammed his hands against the wall for balance, lifted up his legs and hit Soundwave square in the chest with his feet. The Cassette deck smacked hard against the opposite wall.
Ravage apparently had enough too. With lightening fast reflexes the casseticon panther launched himself at Starscream, with the seeker's jugular chords as his target. Unfortunately, the Air Commander's reflexes were just as quick. He hit Ravage with a null ray. Ravage fell from mid air, and hit the floor. Starscream reached down and picked up the paralyzed panther. A spark of satisfaction crept across the Air Commander's face when he saw Soundwave's optic band widen in alarm.
"Tell me Soundwave, tell me one good reason why I shouldn't finish with Ravage what Motormaster started with Aviator." Starscream frowned, his hand tightening around Ravage's neck. Soundwave's shoulders tensed in response.
"Don't."
"Why not?"
"I am warning you. Though my power has dwindled since the Heart of Cybertron was destroyed, and my long absence from Cybertron. It is not gone." Soundwave's optic band narrowed and glowed a menacing red. "Remember?"
Starscream stood serious for a while then smirked and tossed Ravage's still paralyzed form to Soundwave. "Point taken. But do remember I have some power of my own."
"You have your poisoned tongue. My power pales to that." Soundwave clutched Ravage tightly too his chest, but kept the rest of his body relaxed and calm.
"Too true." Starscream walked back the way he came, turned the corner and was out of sight.
Soundwave listened to Starscream's footsteps to make sure he was really gone, then gently reactivated his cassette, who woke with quite a start, and continued on his way to the Med bay.
The Med bay occupants included, Scrapper, Hook and Aviator. He heard rummaging form the side storage room, and the familiar footsteps of Bonecrusher.
Aviator was lying on one of the med tables with a new pair of wings folded allowing him to lie on his side to let Hook repair a specific spot on his throat.
"Greetings Soundwave. What brings you here?" Scrapper voice was surprisingly pleasant.
"What are his injuries?" Soundwave did not return the pleasantries, but that came as no surprise.
"Who wants 'ta know?" Bonecrusher snapped. Soundwave hadn't noticed the demolitionist had come out of the storage room.
"Now Bonecrusher, you shouldn't show such poor gratitude to the one who helped you to save Aviator." Scrapper said casually
Bonecrusher looked from Soundwave to Scrapper then back to Soundwave. "You? How? Why?"
"I restarted the elevator that brought Aviator and Motormaster to you." Soundwave answered simply. "I am protecting my investment, nothing more."
"All right, but I got my visor on you, so you better not try anything sneaky!" Bonecrusher growled warningly, then walked over to Aviator.
"Don't worry about it Soundwave, He and Longhaul have kind designated themselves as Aviator's big brothers. So it's no wonder, particularly have this incident they become kind protective" Scrapper said calmly, looking over at Bonecrusher.
"I have not! I just...uh.....I just don't want anyone except me to beat up on him is all." Bonecrusher said quickly.
"Of course." Scrapper agreed, but there was a 'nice cover up, but I see right through you' look on his faceplate.
"Aviator's vocalizer was damaged, Hook is working on it now, that's why Aviator can't say thank you in person." Scrapper explained to Soundwave with some bitterness. So I guess I'll be the one to say thank you."
"Aviator will in a moment, I'm almost finished." Hook reattached a couple major wires to Aviator's vocalizer.
Ravage had by this time had jumped up onto the Med table and sat down next to Aviator, who began to pet him. Most of Aviator's minor wounds on the rest of his body had mended themselves, or at least had begun to do so.
"Though how could Aviator get so banged up this time?" Bonecrusher absently scratched the back of his head.
"Everything was against him. Small space. previous injuries and no Constructicons." Soundwave stated.
"Oh. Well at least he's got a good excuse." Bonecrusher gave Aviator's head a gentle noogie. Aviator smiled brighter in response.
"Finished." Hook announced, when he sealed up a panel on Aviator's neck. "Try that."
Aviator sat up and said, "testing, 1, 2, 3. Testing. I sound like broken rhythmic sounds synthesizer."
Yes some of the finer chords will have to repair themselves. A good recharge in the CR chamber ought to do it." Hook stated.
"Thanks Hook. And thank you Soundwave, I know I would not be alive if were not for you. He was about rip my core out." Aviator said tiredly. Soundwave nodded in return.
Suddenly the Medbay communications computer beeped. They were receiving a transmission from Cybertron.
"Greetings peoples." Mixmaster's image showed up on the view screen. " Just checking in! Oh, what happened to you Aviator?"
"Motormaster decided he wanted use me as his new toy to bash around and get revenge." Aviator's voice cracked.
"Why that slag raker! I'll boil him in acid!" Mixmaster yelled. "Nobody harms my sanity!"
"Calm down Mix, before ya blow a fuse, ya' only got so many." Bonecrusher chuckled.
"True. Hey!" Mixmaster glared at Bonecrusher. "Very funny. You're mean."
"Come on Bones don't vex him." Scrapper said calmly.
"Yeah okay, I'll vex Hook instead." Bonecrusher smiles, while Hook glares at him.
The stare down was broken when Scrapper's communicator beeped. "Yes, what is it?"
"Hey Scraps, are you guys done Aviator done yet? We need your help, Astro's havin' some problems." Longhaul's rough voice came over the com.
"Umm......" Scrapper hesitantly looked at Aviator and Soundwave.
"Don't worry I'll look after Aviator." Mixmaster chimed in. "I'll contact you if there's any funny business."
"All right, come on boys." Scrapper headed for the door followed by Hook and Bonecrusher.
"So just out of curiosity Soundwave why are you here?" Mixmaster asked after the other three Constructicons had left.
"To check on my investment. I dislike Starscream. And offer assistance if needed with repairs if necessary." Soundwave stated.
"Ah, yes allies toward a common purpose." Mixmaster sighed.
"Affirmative."
"How's it going up there?" Aviator spoke up.
"Argh! I've been trying to make a synthetic version of this alloy, but it never comes out as strong. What am I missing?" Mixmaster rested his on his fist, clearly frustrated.
"Maybe there is something in the ore? I don't know, I wish I could help." Aviator offered up helplessly.
"No it couldn't be tha---" Mixmaster stopped and raised his head, staring at nothing inspiration had obviously hit. "I'll be right back!"
Aviator smiled and continued pet Ravage, who looked unusually happy at getting so much attention. Soundwave saw his chance. Aviator was distracted and Mixmaster was gone. Aviator was so young he had virtually no mental barriers to speak of. All he needed was a few seconds. Soundwave dimmed his optics and focused.
It was too easy.
Most of the surface was happiness, and determination, but surprisingly enough there was a great deal of fear. The majority of it was not directed at the other Decepticons, not even the memory of the Motormaster experience. No. The fear was aimed at the Constructicons of all mechs. Soundwave dug deeper and found out why. It was the fear of rejection. Soundwave caught the memory of a dream that seemed to sum up the whole situation.
He saw Devastator. He saw Aviator looking joyously up and the Constructicon gestalt. Devastator reached down and picked up the seeker. Then the gestalt frowned, open his hand and let aviator fall...
Blackness.
Cutting through it was a piecing laughter. High pitched and screeching, so much so Soundwave thought his audios would burst. then a blaze of red and silver streaked by.
Starscream.
Then there was hate.
The blackness turned to fire. A deep tortured fire, an all consuming flame. The flame caught the red and silver streak, the laughter disappeared with in a scream of pain and inevitable death.
The fire turned blue. Cold.
Then Devastator came back. The flame turned to a soft, gentle purple and green. The flame longingly reached out to the gestalt. Searching for some comforting look, for warm and loving arms to embrace it and keep it from going out.
Cold.
That was all Devastator showed. In the gestalt's visor flickered the blue flame.
Cold.
The gestalt turned his back on its identical colored flame and dissipated. The flame melted to gray and there was a scream of pain and sorrow unlike any he had heard before.
Then silence.
Dead.
Blackness.
Hate.
The hate was still there, it all that was left.
Soundwave's optics brightened. The blackness faded into the Medbay and the form of Aviator smiling and petting Ravage.
"Aviator, you're a genius!" Mixmaster came back on screen, his face beaming. "You reminded me of something and it fits. You're not only my sanity, but my chemistry muse."
"So you got it?! All right!" Aviator looked as happy as Mixmaster was.
"I have to run some tests first, but I think I've got it!" Mixmaster chirped. "Hey, Soundwave where you going?"
"To report to Megatron."
"Good idea! You do that! Tell old Megs that Mixmaster's done it again!"
Soundwave nodded and exited the room with Ravage following after him.
'That and few things about your Aviator.'
Silence.....
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Yeesh! This was hard chapter to write for some reason. Big thanks to Lady Shera for her help!
I just want to say that my apologies, because in this story we will not be getting the Autobot perspective. Don't get me wrong I like Autobots too, but I think it's too much to cram into this story for what I have planned.
What's Megatron going to say when Soundwave reports what he found?
Read and find out.
Till Next Time.
-Vega Sailor