Transformers Fan Fiction ❯ Silence ❯ Confrontation ( Chapter 5 )

Silence Chapter 5 - Confrontation

Shadows surrounded him.

Chased him.

Haunted him.

There was no escape.

No escape.

The phantoms laughed.

Ratbat had spotted his creator moving aimlessly through a sparse forest directly East of the Decepticon base and had immediately alerted Megatron. The commander of the Decepticons specifically ordered that Ratbat do nothing but keep an eye on him. Gun in hand, Soundwave moved through the forest as if he expected the trees to attack him. It was hard for the young cassette to simply stay back and watch his creator, his father, in such distress. Yet there was nothing else that he really could do, so he continued to hover soundlessly in the trees.

Megatron flew silently to the scene with the Constructicons, Ravage, Rumble and Frenzy. None of the Decepticons disturbed him as they knew he was mentally developing a plan of action. That's what made Megatron such an excellent leader, he was never the type to dive into anything without considering all possibilities and potential obstacles. He had to, if he had ever wanted to live through the war he couldn't afford not to. This fact eased the minds of the three cassettes flying alongside him, even if only a little. If there was anyway to bring back their creator, Megatron will find it.

"Alright," The Decepticon leader finally stated. "Here's the plan. When we arrive I'm going to transform into gun mode. Scrapper, I need you to fire the tranquilizer serum at Soundwave. You need to make sure you have a clear shot before you fire, because we only have one chance at this. Frenzy, Rumble, I need you to distract him so Scrapper can get a good aim."

"Yes Lord Megatron," Scrapper said with a nod. Frenzy and Rumble also nodded.

"Ravage, I'm going to lace you with the antidote. I want you to stay back until the tranquilizer serum takes effect, then come to me and transform into tape mode. I'll insert you into Soundwave's tape compartment." Megatron continued. Ravage growled softly, with a slight nod of his head. The group spotted a large assortment of trees and knew they were approaching their target. "Alright, get ready…"

Trees. Phantoms. The two intertwined.

Together they reached for him.

One blast split them apart.

Only to come back together.

Ratbat flew up to Megatron as soon as he and the others were within his sights. The youngest cassette directed their gaze to his creator. From their distance he was only a small figure, but by his dark blue complex and newfound erratic posture they knew he was there. Soundwave was walking slowly, spastically. He would occasionally fire his gun at a random tree or object. Rumble watched in silent horror, and dared to wonder if Soundwave, his creator, confidant, friend and father-figure, was already gone. The thought shot a cold chill through him. The small blue robot shook his head vigorously to clear his thoughts. He wouldn't think that way. He refused to think that way. As long as Soundwave was walking and in one piece, this virus was reversible. Even at this point, the virus had to be reversible. Rumble couldn't think any other way or he would find himself falling to despair.

"Rumble!" Megatron broke the cassette's train of thought.

"Wh-What?" Rumble shook his head again.

"Don't lose yourself, Rumble," Frenzy cried as the group landed a few yards away, making sure that they were not within Soundwave's range of vision. "We gotta be strong, we HAVE to be strong! If we fail…if we fail…we…we just can't fail!!"

Despite the effects of the virus, Soundwave's hearing was just as acute as if ever was, and upon hearing Frenzy's frantic outcry turned in their direction, gun poised. His whole posture was…frightening in the eyes of his creations, especially up this close. He had one shoulder hunched, his visor flickered violently as if reflecting his inner turmoil. The hand that held the gun was shaking. Rumble quickly raised his hands to show that he was unarmed and walked slowly out from the safety of the scenery, Frenzy right behind him. Megatron and the Constructicons remained hidden, hoping that Soundwave hadn't already noticed them.

"Soundwave, it's me! Rumble!" he cried. The gun did not lower. Daring to look into his creator's eyes, all he saw was his own fluctuating reflection. "Don…Doncha remember me?"

"You can't have forgotten us!" Frenzy added, his voice bordering on hysteria. He stood directly behind Rumble, terror paralyzing him. Frenzy felt ashamed of his own fear. How could he be afraid of the one who gave him life? He wanted to say the right things, do the right things. He wanted Soundwave to revert back to the way he was. He wanted everything to be alright.

But all he could do was stand frozen behind his elder brethren, as his creator slipped further and further away…

Megatron looked over at Scrapper, who nodded. Swiftly and silently the Decepticon leader transformed into his gun form and landed in the hands of the Constructicon leader.

"Please…say something…do something…" Rumble whimpered. "Please…show us you're still there…"

Scrapper rose the gun.

"R…R-Rum….Rumble…" The small cassette's heart leapt.

The shadows stood over Rumble.

Their claw-like hands reached for him.

He wanted to warn Rumble, tell him to get away.

That the phantasms wanted to consume him.

To drag him into the black hole of madness.

But his voice would not cooperate.

Verbal skills were always out of his grasp.

He never knew how to tell his cassettes how important they were to him.

Never knew how to tell Megatron how important he was to him.

Never knew how to tell them that…

Even if it would cost him his life….

He will protect them.

Scrapper aimed carefully.

He only had one shot at this, if he missed then the mission may already be lost…

Frenzy watched his creator from his place behind his elder brother. Soundwave looked as if he saw something that they didn't. His visor flickered violently, and suddenly brightened considerably. Without any warning he charged forward and began to fire a rain of laser beams around the two small cassettes. Frozen in terror, they could only brace themselves.

Startled from the sudden outburst, Scrapper fired.

The Constructicon leader's aim was true. The tranquilizer serum landed directly on Soundwave's chest and face. Momentarily stunned, the blue robot stopped in his tracks and wiped his unarmed hand across his face. As he examined the liquid with some confusion, Rumble and Frenzy took that time to flee and hide behind one of the many trees that decorated the land. Megatron transformed back into robot mode.

Physical statistics indicated a foreign substance.

He examined the substance - energon?

"Do you think the serum's going to work?" Scavenger asked.

"I don't really know. It may end up rolling right off, but if some of it can seep through the cracks in Soundwave's armor it may effect him, even if only a little," Megatron answered honestly. The object of their concern abruptly turned to the direction the blast had come from, his gun poised. Grabbing onto the gun with both hands he fired multiple streams of lasers in their direction. Megatron and the Constructicons could barely dodge them.

"I don't think it's working, Lord Megatron," Longhaul stated as he narrowly avoided another laser. He had a point. The serum had affected Blaster almost instantly. Then again Wheeljack had stated that he never had a chance to try simply shooting it at someone as opposed to putting it directly into their body like he had done with Blaster.

"Alright then we're going to have to settle with brute force," Megatron finally acknowledged. The Constructicons charged forward. Soundwave fired at them, but his aim was becoming more and more unfocused as they drew nearer. Panic overtaking the virus stricken decepticon, he hurled the gun at them and fortunately missed. Longhaul tackled him down, and as he landed the other Constructicons were quick to swarm him. They pinned his limbs, and despite his desperate attempts to break free they would not relent. Megatron knelt down by Soundwave's shoulder, and noticed that all during the struggle Soundwave's flickering visor was locked directly onto him. The Decepticon leader didn't know what to make of it. Was Soundwave staring at him in fear, or was he silently pleading for comfort? The Constructicons were having a hard time keeping him down. Anxiety gave him strength beyond which he ever had, and it took every ounce of their being to keep him down. Ravage came closer, ready to come at Megatron's call. The silver transformer looked directly into the wavering eyes of his subordinate…and found no answers.

Despite his attempts to disregard his emotions, it tortured Megatron to see his loyal soldier-no, his friend in such distress. Although at this point he could simply call Ravage, he at least wanted to do something to alleviate the smaller robot's anguish.

"Don't worry, you'll be alright soon," Megatron said with the softest voice that he could muster. "Just hang on." He didn't think his words would have any effect, but to his surprise Soundwave slowly raised his hand toward him, the rest of his arm pinned by Scrapper.

The shadows finally had him.

Despite his struggles he couldn't escape them.

Nothing could break their cold and vile grasp.

But in the midst of it all was Megatron.

Megatron placed one hand on top of Soundwave's. After that his struggles immediately ceased. The Decepticon leader felt awkward at this situation. However, to his surprise the feeling was not stemmed from the physical contact as much as it was from the Constructicon spectators. Figuring that it wouldn't be long before snide comments would start flying, he quickly looked over to Ravage.

"Now Ravage," Megatron commanded as Scrapper hit the eject button on Soundwave's shoulder. Ravage ran to Megatron and transformed into his cassette form as his creator's chest compartment opened. A feeling of relief washed over him as he caught Ravage and prepared to insert him into Soundwave's chest cavity. But suddenly Soundwave's visor flashed brightly, and the Decepticons could hear the gears in him speeding up drastically. "What the-?"

With incredible strength, Soundwave sat up, pulling his hand out from under his leader's and hurling all of the Constructicons off of him simulantly.

"What's going on?!" Scrapper demanded as he fell back. Scavenger fell on top of him with a grunt of pain.

Megatron sprung onto his feet the same time that Soundwave did, still holding onto Ravage, "What's happening?!" Soundwave pulled his shoulder canon off, holding it like a gun, and fired it at everything, everyone. Trees, Constructicons, Megatron…they were all targets. Shielding Ravage with his arm, Megatron retreated behind a small group of trees. The Constructicons also found shelter either behind trees or large rocks.

Hook did a scan on Soundwave from behind as Scrapper fired back, purposely missing him, with only the intention of keeping his attention. "The sudden outburst is being caused by the destabilizing of his systems," Hook informed.

"No!" Megatron cried. He glared at Hook, "Do you know how much time we have left?"

"Not much, sir," Hook answered honestly. "I think…I think it may be better if we get away from here now. We've…done all we can…"

"It's not over yet!" Megatron cried. "I do not give up that easily!"

Rumble and Frenzy had watched the whole thing from the safety of the trees they had hidden behind. They wanted to do something, anything to help, but fear held them still. Suddenly, a beep from Rumble's comlink broke their paralysis. Rumble looked down at his wrist comlink…

"I agree with him, Lord Megatron," Scavenger said meekly. "We should save ourselves…"

"No," Scrapper ran over to them, barely avoiding the multitude of laser blasts. "Lord Megatron said it's not over yet, and damn it, it's not. Since when were we the type to give up!?" Megatron looked over to the Constructicon leader with surprise. Scrapper looked over to him with a knowing flicker in his dark eyes. "Get ready to try again."

"Lord Megatron!" Rumble cried as he and Frenzy ran to them.

"What else is wrong?" Megatron turned to face the smaller Decepticons. He knew that whatever news Rumble has would be sure to complicate matters even further.

"I just got a message from Buzzsaw, Starscream's on his way here!" Rumble cried.

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long. This was an emotionally charged chapter and I was worried about trying to keep everyone in character. (One of my biggest pet peeves are serious stories with the characters acting OOC.) However, I've read, re-read and re-did this chapter and I hope that I've managed to keep them in character as much as I could considering the situation. My biggest worry in this regard is Megatron for he's never been the emotional type. The next chapter's also going to be quite difficult, as it will have the same emotional charge (if not more) than this one did. Please tell me if you liked this chapter and if I did an ok job of keeping the Decepticons in character. Thank you all so much for your reviews! They mean a great deal to me and have helped a lot to mark my progress! =D