Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers or any of the characters mentioned in the story, except for Heavens War. They are trademarks of Hasbro and the other companies responsible for their creation. So pleeez don't sue me.

*Note: In my story Soundwave turns into a Cassette player like he does on earth, instead of his Cybertronian form as a communications tower.*

When We Were Young

Chapter -18 Mental Wall

"Quintessons?! What the hell are the Quintessons doing here." Starscream muttered, as he, Megatron and Soundwave walked back toward Maxima's house. Shortly after the announcement of the Quintesson crash landing, all students were ordered to return to their respective houses.

"Great. I finally get on the War Ball Team and now we're probably not even going to the Championship." Starscream's mutter turned into a growl.

"Now they didn't say that, let's hope they won't." Megatron answered calmly then looked back Soundwave who seemed to be dragging his feet behind them. Instead of the usual straight backed posture with optics always facing straight ahead. His shoulders and head drooped and his optics just blankly focused on the ground.

"Soundwave?" The blue robot lifted his head up to meet Megatron's gaze. "Are you ok?"

"Affirmative, all systems are functional." He stated.

"That's not what I meant." Megatron said flatly, Soundwave bowed his head slightly.

"I mean up here," Megatron pointed to his head.

Soundwave looked back down at the ground again. "I have been having visions during recharge I assumed they were transmissions, but they are not. They are too vivid. They are clear, like a memory."

"A memory? Have you ever come face to face with a Quintesson?"

"………"

"Soundwave? Did you or didn't you?"

"Unknown………"

"What? Unknown?"

Suddenly Soundwave's head snapped up, his optic band flashed brightly. "I must get to the Quintesson ship!"

"W-What?" Megatron was a little startled at Soundwave's outburst.

"It will be difficult. I require assistance. Will you help me?"

"I don't know Soundwave. The Headmaster gave a direct order, now I'm no goody-good, but I don't want to get expelled." Megatron frowned.

"If we are caught I could say I used my mind control powers on you," Soundwave stated seriously.

"Wait, you can do that?" Megatron said slightly unnerved.

"Affirmative, on those with weak minds."

"I are you implying that ----" Megatron started to shout, but was cut off.

"Negative!" Soundwave answered quickly and insistently. " Your mind is too strong, but they don't know that."

"True. But…." Megatron looked at Soundwave. The cassette transformer's optic band grew wide almost………pleading. "All right, what do you have in mind."

For moment Soundwave's optics seemed to smile.

"DAHHHHHHHHH!" Megatron and Soundwave turned to see Starscream running toward them. Without saying a word Starscream ducked behind Megatron. The silver robot looked over his shoulder at the red Seeker.

"What in the smelting pits do you think you are doing?!" Megatron shouted.

"Trying to stay away from him!" Starscream snarled, pointing over Megatron's shoulder. Megatron spun his head around, coming nose to nose with another robot that he had obviously thought was much further away.

Megatron looked the other robot up and down. He had the same color scheme as Scrapper, so it was safe to assume he was part of Scrapper's team. However unlike Scrapper, this particular robot had a mouth, but he didn't speak.

"Um…hi?" Megatron addressed the other bot.

"He's been stalking me all day." Starscream hissed from behind Megatron. Megatron looked at Starscream then back at the other robot.

"What do you want with Starscream?" Megatron narrowed his optics at the other transformer standing before him. After the attempted murder of Thundercracker, any possible threat to any War Ball team member had to be taken seriously.

The other transformer opened his mouth to say something, closed it, looked at the ground then opened his mouth again and finally spoke. "He-He-He is m-my-my l-la-lab p-partner. W-We-We have a-a-a p-project. H-He-He-He's b-b-been av-avoiding m-m-me."

'No wonder he didn't want to talk.' Megatron thought and smirked. "What's your name?"

"Mixmaster." The Constructicon seemed to have less trouble saying his name.

Megatron looked back at Starscream and asked in a half amused voice, "is this true Starscream?"

Starscream suddenly became very interested in the ground.

"Sorry, Screamer no taking the easy way out of homework." Megatron smirked again and stepped aside. Starscream turned in an attempt to escape, but Mixmaster quickly apprehended him by the wings and began to drag him towards Maxima's House where there was a small lab in the basement so they could at least get started.

While the two lab partners struggled with each other, Megatron walked back over to Soundwave.

"So what did you have in mind on how to get to that ship?"

"Follow……."

********************************************

What did you want to talk to me about Blitz?" Astrotrain asked as the two entered Blitzwing's room. "Unfortunately, due to recent events the high command has shortened my leave here. So if there's something you want to say, best do it pretty soon."

Blitzwing sighed and turned to his friend. "Megatron's now the captain of the War Ball team."

"What?! I thought for sure the team would pick you!"

"Well I pulled some stupid slag and was out of the picture for awhile. I guess after losin' both you and me the team panicked and rallied around Megs." Blitzwing sat down on his recharge bed.

"You gonna do something about it?" Astrotrain folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the doorway.

"I don't know, should I?" Blitzwing looked up at his friend with questioning optics.

"I wouldn't. No sense rocking the shuttle so close to the destination point." Astrotrain tilted his head slightly looking up at the ceiling.

"Yeah, I suppose as long as we win, I don't care who leads. As long as we win………"

********************************************

"Are you sure about this Soundwave?" Megatron looked around the corner of a building. There were campus authorities surrounding a huge crater. In the middle of it was the strangest looking space pod Megatron had ever seen.

"Affirmative. I must know!"

"Why? What's so important that you would risk expulsion?!"

"Because it's killing me." Soundwave's optic was wide and bright.

"Killing you?" Megatron was unnerved to say the least. He'd never seen Soundwave so much as turn a circuit, much less totally tweaked, save for that one time with Blitzwing, but even then Soundwave did not look nearly as distressed as he did now. "All right, all right. What do you want me to do?"

"Throw me as close to ship as you can."

"Right!" Megatron nodded as Soundwave transformed into his cassette deck mode and landed in Megatron's hand.

Megatron narrowed his optics at the crater. His attention was detracted for a moment when he saw the Headmaster walk up and begin to talk with two of the Authorities.

Megatron took aim and nimbly tossed Soundwave into the crater.

"Did you hear something?" Megatron heard the Headmaster say.

The two Campus Authorities looked at each other and shook their heads.

To Megatron's horror the Headmaster walked past the two authorities and toward the crater. Without thinking, he ran out of his hiding place and called out, "Headmaster!"

The Headmaster and all of the Campus Authorities present turned to Megatron.

"You shouldn't be here." The Headmaster looked at Megatron coldly.

"I-I-I know I shouldn't, but I…."

'Come on! Think of something!' Megatron yelled at himself.

"I-I just wanted to know, if this event is going to stop the War Ball team from going to the Championship Tournament. Being the Captain and all, the team wouldn't calm down until I found out."

The Headmaster narrowed his optics at Megatron for a moment then smiled. "No. The best way to show no fear is to go on as nothing has happened. The War Ball Team will go to the tournament no matter what."

Megatron almost let out a sigh of relief that he had found a plausible excuse and that they were going to the Championship Tournament after all.

Soundwave transformed back into robot mode as silently as he could, and soundlessly slipped into the pod. He was grateful Megatron for distracting the Headmaster. Of all the people standing guard only the Headmaster had the sharpness to detect him.

Soundwave's mind was detracted from his thoughts when his optics fell on what looked like a recharge bed at the other end to the space pod. Soundwave crept cautiously nearer. Upon closer observation, he found that it was not a recharge bed, but a cryogenic stasis chamber and there was something inside it. Soundwave slowly reached out a hand to open the chamber.

Sharp teeth...

Five faces...

Soundwave blinked and felt an involuntary shudder run through his body. His hand pulled back slightly. He thought about turning back, but no. He'd come to far, he was so close. Ever since the day at the museum when he and Shockwave had touched the ancient door, fell into a sudden stasis lock, and shared the same vision, he started having dreams during his recharge, things, horrible things, things that seemed so familiar, yet so foreign, and beyond his reach.

Sharp teeth...

Five faces...

He had to find out what it was, what the terrible dreams meant. He reached out his hands and lifted the glass covering. His optic band brightened as what was inside was revealed.

It was Quintesson judge.

Five faces...

Soundwave felt his fuel pump quicken its pace. He reached down and with a shaky hand he touched the forehead of the judge's current face. Soundwave shut off his optics and audios, so it was just him and his mind. There was darkness.

Then...

Has the Imperial Magistrate reached a verdict...?

Soundwave whirled around. He was no longer in the Quintesson space pod, he was no longer in the quiet darkness of his mind. He was in the Quintesson court.

I have...

Soundwave looked up. He was standing on the stairs leading up to the judge's pedestal.

Guilty or innocent...?

Soundwave looked down the steps and saw the condemmed. His optics widened in horror.

He saw himself...

He was standing on the overhang above a pool. In the pool were creatures, monstrous creatures with sharp teeth, their jaws opening wide, waiting impatiently for the verdict.

Innocent...

Falling. That was the next sensation Soundwave felt.

Then let the spawn of Gamma Trion be terminated. Let the spawn of Gamma Trion be chewed into a thousand pieces and spewed out into oblivion…

Gamma Trion?

Suddenly he became aware he was not falling alone.

Shockwave.

Falling.

He looked down at his impending doom.

Sharp teeth...

Falling.

Spawn of Gamma Trion....

He looked up at the judge.

Five faces...

Falling.

Then blackness, everything turned black, the sky, the judge, the pool. Everything.

Except him and Shockwave.

Falling.

Soundwave reached up toward the black sky. Reaching for a savior that he logically knew there was no chance of coming.

Falling.

Spawn of Gamma Trion....

Then there was light. Not just a faint gleam, but a real true light breaking through the black. then the light took shape. The form flew toward them. It took Soundwave's outstretched hand, and Shockwave's too.

Stopped.

Soundwave's optics cleared his savior wasn't just light anymore. It was and actual figure

It had wings, hands, a body.

and..

A smile.

Its face was shadowed, but he could still see it smiling down at him...

Soundwave blinked. He brought his audio and visual sensors back online.

He was back in the Quintesson space pod. He quickly pulled his hand away from the five faced judge. His entire body was shaking uncontrollably, his mind was just as jumbled.

What was happening? Why were these visions so clear? How was Shockwave a part of this? Who was the savior born from light?

Gamma Trion...

Soundwave shook his head to clear it. He heard voices, real voices. The forensics must have arrived. Soundwave knew he was trapped, he had only one option. Soundwave quickly transformed into his cassette deck mode, hoping know one would notice him and at the right moment, he could slip out.

"Does it live, the Quintesson?"

Soundwave felt a shudder when he recognized one of the voices belonged to the Headmaster.

"Yes sir, barely."

"Good let's keep it that way, and I want you and your team to hack what's left of the pod's hard drives and flight records. I want to know why he's here!" Soundwave heard the Headmaster command.

"It will be done as you ask sir."

"Good, I must get back to office and explain this to Lord Straxus as best I can. Inform me of the situation here every hour."

Soundwave felt relief for moment that the Headmaster was leaving, until he heard footsteps walking toward him. He was picked and carried away...

*******************************

The Headmaster sighed as he entered and gently set the blue cassette deck down on the floor in front of his desk.

"Transform Soundwave." The Headmaster said calmly as he took a seat behind his desk.

Soundwave slowly transformed back into robot mode and stood in front of the Headmaster's desk with his head bowed in silent submission.

'How did the Headmaster know it was I?' Soundwave thought frantically, but his thoughts were startled when he realized he was no the only one reading them.

"How do I know? The Decepticon insignia told me you were not part of the Quintesson space pod," Heavens War began."Also there are very few cassette hosts at the Decepticon War Academy, and none of them have your color scheme."

A telepath.

The Headmaster was a telepath. Soundwave berated himself for not recognizing it before.

"Why were you in the Quintesson space pod?"

"I have been receiving Quintesson transmissions during recharge, I wanted to find out if this crash was connected to it sir?" Soundwave lied, and he knew the Headmaster knew it to.

He could feel the Headmaster working on him, trying to get back into his memory bank, looking for the truth. Soundwave noticed, with a combination of shock, anger and fascination, how smooth the Headmaster's mental intrusions were. Meaning he could read someone's mind and they wouldn't even know it unless they were a fellow telepath trying to block him, which Soundwave was.

"Are you sure there is nothing you want to tell me?"

"Negative. There is nothing I want to tell you sir."

"The reason I ask this is I may be able to help." The Headmaster continued with his calm tone.

'He knows something!' Soundwave shuddered, 'But how? I detected negative infiltration success.'

"Are you positive?"

"Affirmative."

The Headmaster opened his mouth to say something more when a small, red and black, winged creature flew into the office and perched it's self on the Headmaster's arm.

"Welcome Laserbeak, what have you brought me?" The Headmaster smiled at the Cybertronian bird.

The bird squawked and the Headmaster nodded in recognition of what it "said".

Soundwave's optics widened slightly, the bird sounded so familiar. Soundwave reached and reached far back into his memory banks as he could, but he could not get to it. There was a wall, a wall standing between him and the truth. Only the sounds, the sounds leaked out through the barrier. The sounds of a robotic bird.

"Soundwave. I have to go to the laboratories in a few minutes, so we must cut this meeting short. since you have made no past infractions, I will let you off with a warning." The Headmaster's voice was now cold and serious.

"Affirmative." Soundwave bowed his head again, then made his way to the door.

"Wait!" Soundwave turned back to the Headmaster.

"Take her with you," the Headmaster said as Laserbeak flew from his arm to Soundwave's. "Just in case. You may go."

With another nod, Soundwave exited the Headmaster's office.

*************************

"Octane, I never thought I would be so happy to see you and your maggot-gagging energon." Starscream smirked at the aforementioned Triple-Changer.

"Well when I heard the great taste tester Mixmaster was here I couldn't stay away." Octane smirked back.

"Yeah? Well I think your slag was too much for him." Megtron peered over the lab table at the currently unconcious Constructicon Chemist.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about it," Scrapper came down the basement stairs, followed by Shockwave. "You should see some of the garbage he's tested on himself."

"Megatron, has there been any sign of Soundwave? A conversation with him is of the utmost importance." Shockwave demanded, his voice sounding unusually fiery.

"No I haven't seen him, what's so important?"

"None of your business!" Shockwave hissed and stomped up the basement stairs.

There was a brief period of silence in wonderment. Shockwave had a temper, despite his cold calculating demeanor, though they were few, there were times when he let hints of emotion slip past his vocaliser. However, something was different, he never slipped when he was around anyone besides his fellow Housemates, and Octane counted as a non-house member. Something had to really be disturbing him, but what that something was beyond anyone's guess.

Mixmaster groaned and pulled himself up half way onto the lab table and coughed.

"You up for another round?" Octane smirked.

"fshingufjdiujaehlfhdfl." Mixmaster mumbled into the table.

"I'll take that as a yes." Octane lifted up Mixmaster's head and placed the glass of energon into his hand.

Mixmaster put the energon to his lips and gulped it down. He stood silently for a moment, then his shoulders hunched and choking sounds came from his throat.

The others were not quite sure what to do, but Scrapper merely shook his head and calmly walked around behind the choking chemist. Suddenly, Scrapper raised up his hand and gave Mixmaster a sharp slap on the back, with that came a huge belch and a torrent of fire that nearly singed Starscream and Octane, and forced Megatron to make a dive for the floor.

"Mmmm. Ni-Nice and Ze-Zes-Zesty?" Mixmaster smiled and hiccupped a little puff of smoke, then proceeded to fall backward on to the floor.

"Megatron, would you help me get him somewhere, where he can recover until he can walk?" Scrapper sighed, picking up his unconscious bother.

"Sure, right this way," Megatron made his way up the stairs.

Megatron was surprised to find he almost ran into Soundwave when he reached the top of the stairs. "Where have you been?"

"The Headmaster called me into his office."

"Wha---"

"Do not fear," Soundwave said as he turned down the Hallway to his room. "You were never mentioned."

"Oh, well good. Who's your new pet?" Megatron gestured to the Cybertronian bird sitting on Soundwave's shoulder.

"Laserbeak. She is from the Headmaster. Just in case."

"Just in case of what?" Megatron raised and optic brow.

"Unkown, but I could not refuse something from the Headmaster."

"No, you couldn't. Well that's neither here nor there. Are you still allowed to go to the Championship Tournament in 48 hrs."

"Affirmative. He did not forbid me." Soundwave pressed the button and opened the door to his room. "It will be good to get away."

With that Soundwave entered the room and closed the door behind him, leaving a very perplexed Megatron and Scrapper.

*************************************************

Heavens War sighed, "Soundwave's a lot harder to crack than I thought. Good, he should be, I should have expected nothing less. On the other hand, maybe I should have pushed forward and found out what was plaguing him. Then again perhaps infiltrating Soundwave's mind might unlock the memories that he may not be ready for."

Heavens War sighed again, and leaned back into his chair, staring up at the ceiling. "We shall see....."

 

*********************************************************

I am so sorry for the long wait, but a number of things came up that prevented me from finishing this chapter until now.

1. College

2. Many difficult, horrible, exams.

3. Aviator

4. I wanted to make sure all of the points in my story connected.

Don't worry the next chapter should be up pretty soon. Things seem to be calming down, I hope.

Who is Gamma Trion? Well that's something you are going to have to wait and see. In later chapters I will dive into transformers history. Because there are so many different versions of transformers history, I'm going to combine some of the theories already out there with some of my own. Please don't be angry or try to correct me if I get something wrong, unless it is something extremely important.

Thank you my loyal fans for sticking with me for so long. And don't forget as always, to send me your reviews and opinions.

Till next time. Thanks for waiting.

-Vega Sailor ^_^