Transformers Fan Fiction ❯ Silence ❯ Temporary Truce ( Chapter 4 )

Silence Chapter 4 - Temporary Truce

It was one of the very few times where a temporary alliance between the Autobots and Decepticons would be made. Both teams decided it was best to get together at a neutral place - as neither side trusted the other enough to allow them safe passage into their respective home bases. The two teams met together at an abandoned factory, Wheeljack bringing with him some of his lab equipment.

"Now explain this further, Optimus Prime…" Megatron said when both teams were as settled in as they were going to be. Just behind him stood Rumble, Frenzy and Ravage. Behind them stood the Constructicons. The other Decepticons were back at the base, as Megatron didn't want them to know about Soundwave's condition. He knew that most of the Decepticons were quite the opportunists, and would not have hesitated to take advantage of the situation. On the other hand he had to bring some kind of backup, incase the Autobots had a trap in store for them. The Constructicons were very loyal to Megatron and never showed any dislike particularly for Soundwave, so the Decepticon leader ultimately decided that they would be the best soldiers to bring. Ratbat and Laserbeak were still looking for their creator, and Buzzsaw was making sure Starscream didn't start a little expedition of his own.

"I think Wheeljack would be better at explaining this than I am, Megatron," the Autobot leader said as he stepped back. Behind him were Wheeljack, Blaster, Ironhide and the Dinobots. Wheeljack stepped forward confidently.

"Do you recognize this?" Wheeljack asked as he calmly raised his hand. In his palm he held a small object.

"That looks like a cerebral shell," Megatron growled. "I knew it! That's what it had to be!"

"Not necessarily…" Wheeljack shook his head. "I mean, you're right in a way. It is a cerebral shell. But this one's a little different."

"Evaluate," Megatron said as he crossed his arms.

"Well, the way cerebral shells normally are, they take over your mind and make you a slave. However once you remove the cerebral shell its effects are over with and you're back to normal…" Wheeljack turned the small object in his hand, revealing a panel on the side. "Look here, this cerebral shell appears to be hollow. However I did find small traces of liquid inside, and when I analyzed it I found that it was energon."

"Energon? Why would it have energon inside?" Frenzy asked.

"The purpose of the energon was to carry a virus. Much like human diseases can be transferred by getting into the bloodstream, this cerebral shell ejected energon in order to merge with Soundwave's. The virus, now finding its host, begins to spread. We may have knocked out the cerebral shell, but the damage has already been done," Wheeljack explained. "The virus appears to disrupt the psychological and emotional processes, and keeps the victim in constant fight-or-flight mode. When a battle begins, our systems send power to our visual, motor and auditory circuits thereby increasing our overall awareness. After the battle is over, our systems slow down and defrag. But by keeping Soundwave in fight mode, his systems eventually will wear out and destabilize. Ultimately, if his systems become too unstable, they will collapse into itself and he'll explode."

A cold chill ran through Megatron at the news. The cassettes gasped. "Is this reversible?" Megatron asked in a low voice.

"That's what I'm getting to…" Wheeljack placed the small object on a table. He then searched through his lab equipment and picked up a small vial with a purplish liquid inside. "I made a cure. Unfortunately due to time constraints I was only able to make one. That means we only have one chance at this. According to my calculations, Soundwave's running out of time. The only way we could administer it to him, as far as I'm aware, is orally."

Optimus Prime shook his head. "That's going to pose quite a challenge, as I don't think Soundwave's going to be too cooperative…"

Megatron stood silently in thought. Ravage whimpered and Megatron turned to look at him and the other cassettes. "Wait a minute…what if we laced one of the cassettes with that cure?"

"I don't know, I never thought of that…" Wheeljack looked over at Blaster. "C'mere Blaster…"

A groan escaped the boom-box transformer. "How am I supposed to know whether or not it'll work?" He sighed in annoyance and ejected Ramhorn, who stayed in cassette mode. Wheeljack caught the small cassette in his hand. "And besides, we'd all be better off without that poor excuse for a sound system anyway…"

"Blaster, that's enough," Optimus Prime said sternly.

Megatron growled angrily at the smart-mouthed Autobot, but after a moment looked at the Autobot leader with suspicion. "Why are you helping us, anyway?"

"Because if Soundwave explodes, he'll take out anything within a five mile radius, including humans and transformers alike," Prime explained. Wheeljack took out another vial of energon and squirted something into it. Afterwards he gently placed the cassette down on the table, pulled out some of the tape inside and laced it with the energon. When he was done, Ramhorn tightened the tape back up.

"Ok, now play this," Wheeljack gave the tape back to Blaster, who opened his chest compartment and inserted the cassette.

"What's supposed to happen now? You didn't put that much energon on it, I don't think I'll feel the difference." Blaster pointed out.

Wheeljack shook his head, "Oh, we'll know if it works or not."

Suddenly Blaster began to feel tired, "What the hell did you lace my cassette with…?"

"A new serum I was working on. It's based off of the drug humans called 'tranquilizers.' I wanted to see if I could make something for transformers that could emulate the effect that tranquilizers have on humans," Wheeljack explained. "One good thing about all this is that not only do I get to test Megatron's theory, but my experiment, too." Blaster lowered his head and began to fall back. Grimlock and Ironhide swiftly caught him. "Apparently both the serum and your theory works."

Megatron had watched the entire exchange in silence. "Do you have any more of that serum?"

"I sure do!" Wheeljack answered proudly.

"Could that be used to slow Soundwave down?" Megatron asked thoughtfully.

"Maybe, I haven't had a chance to see if merely shooting them with it would work or not. But if it does work than it would really help us," Wheeljack said.

"We don't have enough time to test it. Give me some of it as soon as possible, and I'll handle the rest," Megatron ordered. Wheeljack snatched another vial of it and gave both it and the cure to the Decepticon leader.

"Don't be so arrogant, Megatron," Optimus Prime warned. "Let us help-" Suddenly, Rumble's comlink came on. A small squeak emitted from the other side.

Rumble looked up at his leader, "It's Ratbat. He's found Soundwave just east of our base!" Megatron nodded in understanding, then looked back at the Autobots.

"This is our matter. You've interfered in it long enough," Megatron said with a shake of his head. He then turned to regard the decepticons that were with him. "Rumble, tell Ratbat to keep an eye on him. Decepticons, head out!" The Constructicons, Rumble, Frenzy and Ravage flew out of the warehouse, Megatron right behind them when suddenly-

"Megatron, wait!" Prime suddenly called. The decepticon leader stopped in mid-flight and turned to regard his adversary.

"This doesn't change things between us, Optimus Prime. After this our alliance is terminated," Megatron stated coldly.

"I understand. Just be careful, Soundwave's life is in your hands," the Autobot leader said softly.

"What makes you think I care about his life?" Megatron growled. The decepticon leader always regarded feelings as weakness, and the thought of an Autobot having any idea of his feelings for one of his own subordinates sent a cold chill through him.

"All I know is that if it was one of my own that would be the top of my concerns," Optimus Prime said gently.

"It would be!" Megatron snorted, "You're an Autobot!"

Optimus Prime sighed softly. "I'm a Transformer."

Author's Notes: Initially I thought that this and the previous chapter would be the weakest because of the Autobots' involvement. But as far as I am aware, Megatron doesn't have any scientists that are of Wheeljack's caliber and I do believe that it would take something like this for Megatron to begin to realize and acknowledge his feelings for Soundwave. In this chapter, I wondered if it would be boring because the Autobots play such a gigantic role and the lack of Soundwave's actual presence. However, I've read and re-read this chapter a few times, and there is no place where I could break in different scenes without disrupting the flow.

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