a/n Thanks to Pika and ThunderRemix8 on da for spurring the continuation to Helicon. Here you go. Brotherhood content, no romance.
Shockwave's Lab
Transformer's Prime Universe (no particular AU)
Shockwave looks down on his creations, quite please with each model laying on their stasis berths. Models 1 and 2, (designated Eradicon and Vehicon) were all prepared and in production by the time Nemesis was ready to leave. Yet he was not confident with the third and fourth models on Earth terrain. To Shockwave's dismay, Megatron took a few of each anyway. He just hoped they did not fail and then it would reflect poorly on him. Failure is never an option to him. Secretly, he wished not to fail his creations either, for they deserved to live and thrive and not be half assembled beings unable to provide for themselves. All or nothing so his spark and processor agreed.
Turning aside, he shuts off the lights and closes the door to their stasis room. There is no need to secure it, for they are only simple minded droids who haven't the higher processing functions of say, true mechs.
The genius underestimated the works of his own hands.
No sooner is the door closed, than four sets of prototype optics come on line. Red, violet, amber, and lime. Rising to sit up, the red optics check the door and then nods to his fellow berthroom mates.
They are not angry with Master Shockwave, if anything, they feel sorry for him. If only they could reveal just how smart they really are, but no. It had been argued and debated and then rehashed again and again but never had a full quorum to make the move. So here they are playing dumb, mute and loyal to their lonely creator.
"I say-"
"Not again, Toby." The silver Eradicon with lime optics softly shakes his head. Future productions all got ruby optics like the majority of the Decepticon warriors.
"Eraline, stop. You may look like a Seeker but-" The silver being actually hisses like Ravage. It does not stop the soft lavender Helicon from tapping the dejected black and silver bulk, "Fine, but each other is all we have. Let's not make a war out of it."
That stung just a little too close to home and the silver one winces for it.
The only one who hasn't spoken is the deep black one absently spinning his tires in his ankles. "Victor…?" Toby asks for his opinion meekly.
"Master deserves to know that his greatest creations are-"
"Are what, Toby? Cogs in machinery of war? Dying? Look at him, he's dying," the fast speeding one fires back swiftly.
Silently, Toby closes his mouth and Victor does as well. Eraline goes back to his berth and powers down. Toby climbs back to his own as well and shivers saying nothing. When Hector tries to comfort him, he pulls further away. It's a rough stasis for all of them.
Within days, the nasty incident with the sneaky Autobots happens. Shockwave is shot backwards out of his space bridge vortex and slams into it's console. Sparks, smoke and destruction rain down. For the first time they are struck hard with the thought that they could actually LOSE Master. Sure he's come back damaged before, but never injured this badly and most certain not struck in his only optic. Shockwave's body slumps to the side and lets off the longest pained moan they've ever heard.
Even now, they can't say a word, but that doesn't stop them from helping their Master. Toby takes care of the fire, Hector and Victor get the medical supplies while Eraline and then Toby pull debris out of the woozy genius' way. Shockwave never says a thing to them, for he has no idea that they are even assisting him.
As soon as they are sure he has some vision, they become more cautious to their actions and careful to not reveal themselves. And once again, the topic comes up.
"I wish there were more of us."
"I do not."
"How can you say that?"
"It's hard enough with limited supplies as it is. More bots would just mean more of us to suffer. On top of that, do you really want to see Master concern for more of us? As it is, he did not want the Tankicons to go at all! He didn't think they were fit for battle yet!" Toby's helm lowers it wasn't meant directly as a strike to him per-say, but still.
As the ranks go, the Tankicons were created last and thus a lot of times Toby is treated like nothing short of a sparkling. That just makes Toby fight harder to be taken seriously. It's bad enough when his brothers think he is favored by Master. It's not true of course. Master cares for them all in their unique ways even if the word 'cared' is not a word associate with Master Shockwave.
In each of their perspective ways, they are considered and looked after. Hector and Eraline are given their flight time so that they do not go claustrophobic. Likewise, Victor is given time to go speeding off occasionally. Toby is kept close and always within sight of the others or Master, seeing how he doesn't move as fast as the others thus an easy target to the lingering foes on Cybertron.
"Yeah, I guess watching more of us suffer would not be good for Master's spark," he picks up a cube of Energon and heads to their leader.
Silently he sets it down next to Master Shockwave's only hand and waits. This is unlike Toby, but he needs a moment to study his healing Master closely. Intensely, Shockwave is studying the monitor straight ahead. So intense, he blanks out the rest of the room. The large mech is the perfect symbol of Decepticon determination. Purple, proud, steadfast, focused, innovative. Loyal.
Toby nudges the cube a little closer until it brushes the arm. Shockwave stops and turns to the touch. Toby cringes realizing he almost revealed himself and quickly puts on his 'drone' persona. Shockwave blinks and then orders Toby to a task. "Yes Master," he bows and leaves.
Around the corner, Victor whacks Toby on the back of the helm. "Are you malfunctioning?!"
Toby snaps back, "I will not feel bad for having emotions! They are a gift, weather intended or not and I WILL use them as I see fit." His retort is too loud bringing stomping large pedes to investigate. Seeing the large scientist headed their way, they swiftly pull into their designed rolls with a parting glare to Toby.
Another fateful day comes… Hector is at Shockwave's side as a ping comes to the monitor. Not like he ever needed to, but without a word or anything, Shockwave drops to his tracks and tears out of the base. With a simple ping, Victor is alerted by Hector who then follows their creator at a respectful distance. Kicking on his recording equipment, sends the image back to his waiting teammates.
Shockwave flips to his pedes and engages KnockOut and his Eradicons. To Eraline's horror, he watches how his brethren are treated.
To Toby's horror he hears, "Lord Megatron lives? Take me to him immediately," and KnockOut does so. In the opening of a vortex, Master Shockwave is gone.
Just as Shockwave had been abandoned, now he has abandoned them. Victor cuts the feed feeling his spark cringe. The others wait for him at the door when he returns. In stunned silence they just stare at each other. 'Now what' no one says.
Their Master is gone. No experiments or projects to assist with. No large bot to protect them from rogue Insecticons or Autobot Femme Division out to scavenge the Tower. No inventor to help them repair the Energon dispenser when it goes array.
Toby begins to shiver. Victor snarls to the fact they haven abandoned so easily. Eraline hisses to being left unprotected. Hector fears for the impending boredom.
"I need to be alone to think," Victor stomps off.
"I need to get this place locked down," Eraline heads another direction.
"Toby, help me gather and log our rations," Hector tries to keep the tank from shivering to bits.
They each break to their different chores. Toby is more than silent just not wanting to be chastised about his feelings again, but he knows they are feeling it too. What they are feeling, no one will discuss.
"Hey, Toby, we need to figure out what we can do for fun," Hector smiles handing another cube to be stacked.
"Fun? What is fun?"
Hector laughs delightedly. Sure he knows what fun is, he has seen Starscream and KnockOut have 'fun' at other's expense. "Well I guess I will have to teach you!" the lavender one eases both their sparks.
Like a pack of brothers or a well oiled team, they find their way through this trial. Already they leaned on each other for being unique yet alike. Now more than ever they depend on each other for more than safety. Comradery. Although they silently label Toby as the 'fearful one' they are all afraid. Although they label Victor as 'the leader', they each are in charge of different aspects of their survival. Although Hector has kept them 'entertained' they each have found ways to amuse or encourage each other. Although each is a 'warrior' and a fighter (as they have been designed) they know that Eraline is the sharpest shooter and they all follow his advice and further training.
Each knows their own limits and their compatriots. They also know the strengths of each other as well. Like overlapping plates of armor and acceptance, the team over laps and the brotherhood is bound tighter and tighter together.
Fate decides to bring them another day. The day they have argued, debated, grieved and repeatedly shoved aside has arrived. Not at all the way they intended. Most certainly not like this.
Sitting on the floor beside the tank holding Master's greatest triumph, the four brothers are playing a game of lots that Hector and Toby created. Laughing to the third failed cast by Victor, Toby falls backwards thumping his tracks and cannon to the floor which only sets the others' laughter off harder. Toby's hic-upping covers up the sound of the space bridge breaking open in the other room. Eraline's fist bonking the floor covers up the sound of approaching peded thumps.
Hector is the first to notice the dark frame filling the doorway as he wipes the moisture from his optics, "Oh scrap."
Eraline turns and gapes sharing Hector's shock, "Oh frag."
Victor swiftly rises to his pedes in proper protocol. The others snap to as well, Toby being last to fall in line, shaking a little in a snigger. His grin is wide seeing the rare sign of bafflement on their Master's face. It doesn't help when their fierce some warrior-creator cants his helm ever so slightly with those antenna spires going cock-eyes making him so… adorable?
"Curious. Explain," he simply orders softly.
No one knows what to say so Toby finally eeps out, "We are sentient? Welcome home?"
Victor elbows the tank epping out a muffled ouch. Shockwave merely states, "Hm, so I see." Looking at each one in turn, he considers this startling new information.
"Congratulations?" Hector tries to help.
Shockwave shakes his head and moves towards the tank. On his third step, feels something crunch under his pede. Looking down, sees that he has crushed their game piece. Game? He lowers to a well balanced squat and picks up a piece examining it very carefully. He knows good and well it takes more than a drone's processor to come up with entertainment, let alone creating entertainment. These beings are smarter than he originally gave them credit for.
Toby moves with out being ordered, "I'm sorry Master, I will dispose of this frivolousness," and tries to gather the pieces out of his superior's way. A lone lilac hand raises and halts him in mid-movement.
"Do no dispose, just move to a better location." Swiftly Toby and Eraline clean up the game with one last compliment, "Quite… creative."
"Thank you, Sir," Toby flushes.
"Designation?" Shockwave rises to his full height again.
Toby's hands shake making his pieces rattle. Eraline huffs and takes them tossing them into the crate, disgusted with his brother. Once more Shockwave asks.
"Toby, My Master, I'm sorry if-"
A firm hand flays out to the others, "Toby, curious. And the others?" Nervous but yet proud Toby gives the unauthorized names of his brothers. Then silence as once more Commander Shockwave looks to each of his creations in turn. He addresses them all, "How long have you known you were sentient and why hide it?"
No one says anything until Toby reaches for the last piece still in his master's hand. "We didn't want to hurt you." The piece falls into Toby's hand and he turns away. Part of him wants to see his brothers' reaction to the conversation they refused to have with him, but he really doesn't want to see Master's.
Hector presses on seeing Toby won't. He shoves the crate forward taking the rest of the pieces, "Master, we heard how your creations were talked about by Starscream and KnockOut. Victor was first of course to notice and told us all to remain ….silent." He shoots a glare at Victor to counter that!
Shockwave looks to Victor sharply. The flyer in perfect military posture replies to the silent order to speak, "I did not feel it prudent knowing we were to be nothing more than 'cannon fodder'," he repeats the words Lord Megatron and Commander Starscream said of the mass army Master Shockwave provided for the cause. A low growl comes forth from the largest mech.
Eraline continues, "We were successful and did our duties as programmed. There seemed to be no need to…" Then his helm lowers to a nudge from Victor and a sigh from Toby.
Toby then pulls his back up straight and steps away from the others in a bold move, "I wanted to tell you, Master. I wanted you to know that your geniusness surpassed your own intentions but they said it would break your spark to see us going into battle knowing we understood everything and had choices."
"TOBY!" They all bark. That surprises Shockwave more than the admission. For they have not just their own individual thoughts but have created a bond. Not just to each other but to him as well. They must have been the ones to help him recover. They care for him.
"Oh," he softly vents in full understanding of their devotion to him. Not a mindless order, but… compassion.
"Sir, I'm sure our subsequent brethren-"
"Have performed better than I expected but treated just as I thought they would be." He looks right at Victor, "Just as you thought."
Everyone's helms lower to the sobering thought. Shockwave now turns away from his current active creations to his most incredible accomplishment still suspended within the tank. He promised Lord Megatron the ultimate hunter, his greatest achievement. His hand splays out to the glass but his helm turns back to his youngest and weakest creation, Toby looking to him in expectation and hope.
"Master, now that you know, what bidding do you have for us?"
"Live. Survive. Stay together. Become more."
Each helm raises and looks to the being before them. A Commander has just ordered them to live? Not to go out and fight for him but to live for them selves? Confusion comes across their faces.
"Where?" Hector asks.
"Do we stay here?" Eraline looks for orders.
"Do we go with you?" Victor looks to serve.
"Please do not come with me." Slipping his hand from the glass, he lays it on Toby's shoulder in benediction, "I set your free. I am no longer your Master. You are your own masters. Go."
With that, turns away from them and activates the chamber bringing the Predicon to life. As the vibrant dark dragon shakes the remains of it's slumber off, Shockwave steps back to his laboratory station. With a few code locks, a hyperbaric chamber drawer is released. Ever so carefully Shockwave lifts it and nestles it between his cannon-elbow and covered with a soft hand.
He brings it to Toby, the one who seemed to care most for his 'Master'. "My final gift to you," and holds it up. He unlocks the capsule and shield drops away to reveal an egg. "Look after her for me, Toby." Unspoken is for everyone to look after Toby.
Toby's mouth daws clutching the egg in his arms and against his chest. With wide liquid violet optics he asks, "Please, Master Shockwave…. Name her."
It touches Shockwave greatly that Toby wants this one to have a 'name' not a designation. One lone lilac tip strokes the egg, "Alma."
Victor steps closer, protectively as the Predicon adult leans over them to snuff his hot breath over all of them, "Will you come back?"
"I can not say," he looks up to the curious great beast. He wonders now just how much this one is sentient and how much of him is 'pet'.
"Were can we go?" Hector reaches up to scratch the dragon affectionately under the chin receiving a soft hurr in return.
Shockwave lays a hand back to the targeting console and encourages, "Use your processors. If you could out smart this genius for this long, you can figure something out. Take whatever you need, but please, do not be here when either the Decepticons or the Autobots return." With that, he steps to Eraline and rips the Decepticon sigil from his chest. "You are not warriors, you are … meant for more." Sadly he turns away and kindly bids his dragon, "Come." Loyally, the great beast does.
They all watch their former Master and his great hunter disappear through the spacebridge and out of their lives. Once the gate closes they all look to Toby and the new life in his hands.
"We must move quickly," Victor orders.
In a short work of time, two gather all the supplies they can think of. Two more plan their escape and subsequent destination.
Later when Shockwave returns to his lab, he finds four Decepticon sigils and their tracking beacons hidden inside on the table neatly laid out. Searching his grid for something else, he notices one new addition to his map. The Manganese Mountain Range has a new peak:
Alma.
A swell of pride comes to the genius' spark.