Disclaimer: Transformers were created by Hasbro.
I make no monetary profit from my fanfic.
Summary: Both Trailbreaker and Megatron have an unlikely encounter.
Author’s Note: This fic began as a dream I had on November 8 2007. It turned out to be so full, interesting and intriguing, and took the characters to a deeper lever, I made it into a story.
Rating PG
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ENEMY’S BOND
Soundwave had been badly injured in an accident at Decepticon headquarters. It was doubtful he would survive.
A similar occurrence happened at Autobot headquarters to Bumblebee.
Trailbreaker, feeling the incident could have been avoided had he been faster, took off to a secluded spot, one of his favourites, when he needed solitude, a waterfall surrounded by thick underbrush and tall trees, tall and bushy enough to even conceal a Transformer.
He heard another come through the underbrush. By the footfalls it was another Transformer and Trailbreaker though it to be one of his friends. He did a double take when Megatron came though. The Autobot was not in the mood for battle, though readied his weapon. Megatron gave a start at first and raised his canon arm a little more.
“I will not fire if you won’t,” he said, startling the Autobot.
Trailbreaker nodded. “Fine with me.” He waited until Megatron lowered his weapon, then did the same. The Autobot became a little heartened.
Megatron spoke once more. “I did not come here to fight. Truth be known, I did not realise you were here. I come to this place some-“ The Decepticon leader stopped, realising he’d said more than he wanted to say.
“You come here?” Trailbreaker asked, incredulous.
“Surprised? I guess you would be. This doesn’t seem like a place a Decepticon would find solace, let alone the Decepticon Leader.”
“Stranger things have happened, as they say,” Trailbreaker said, but with all his powers of thought could not think of one.
“Soundwave brought me here once,” the Decepticon Leader said. “Regardless of what you Autobots may think of us, Soundwave enjoys his solitude and has taken rather a liking to some of the quieter spots of this world and dare I say, increased my appreciation for it ... a little.” Megatron added.
Trailbreaker managed a small smile. “You know ... when I came here the last thing I wanted was to run into Decepticons ... and now here I am ... taking to you of all people.”
“Stranger things have happened.”
Trailbreaker chuckled, then softened his tone. “How is Soundwave?”
“Not good,” Megatron found himself saying, and sitting on a large rock diagonally opposite the Autobot. “And Bumblebee?” he asked, he thought it would be courteous to do so since Trailbreaker had asked about his friend.
The Autobot shook his head. “He’d lapsed into a coma when I left ... Damnit!” He bashed a nearby rock, shattering it. “If only I’d been faster! I could have shielded him... I’m just too darned slow! ... Not that you care...” he said, softer.
“And would it be fair then, to ask if you cared for Soundwave?”
Trailbreaker sighed softly. “I’m not reveling in his condition, Megatron, if that’s what you’re asking ... I guess even though we’re enemies, Optimus once said, losing an old enemy is like losing an old friend.”
Megatron chucked. “He got that from me, you know. When he asked me, rather sarcastically, I’ll add when Alpha Trion perished to bring life to the Aerialbots. And he was surprised that I was not laughing and reveling the old Autobot was no more - in the physical sense al least.”
“Goes to show, as long as we’ve known each other, how little we really do know.”
Megatron nodded, lost in thought.
“For what its worth, Megatron, I hope Soundwave pulls through. I don’t expect you to care if Bumblebee perishes.”
“For what its worth,” Megatron began, “you know I’ve always admired that little Autobot, so small, but one has to admire his courage. There was that time he drove right up and over my frame, transformed, on my arm ... and grabbed the Pearl of Bahudine...” Megatron shook his head. “You know I could have killed him, such was my rage, but underneath, he earned my respect, despite destroying my plans...”
Trailbreaker chuckled.
“He had grown a lot since he was first created and for what it’s worth, he deserves a better death than an exploding console.”
“Thank you, Megatron, coming form you, that does mean a lot ... But now I think of it, how did the Decepticons find out about Bumblebee?”
“And the Autobots about Soundwave?”
Trailbreaker smiled “Rewind.”
“Ravage.”
Trailbreaker’s wrist chimed. Both Autobot and Decepticon gave a start. Trailbreaker stood and answered the communiqué. Megatron stood also, but stood clear, neither of them wishing an odd round of questioning.
“Trailbreaker, Ratchet.”
“How’s”
“He’s going to be fine.”
Trailbreaker sighed, relieved beyond words. “Ohh...Thank the Matrix...”
Optimus spoke through the connection. “Trailbreaker, listen... Please do not blame yourself... Bumblebee doesn’t and he wants to see you.”
The large dark green-gray Autobot smiled. “Tell him I’ll be home soon.”
“See that you are, big guy. Optimus out.”
Trailbreaker signed once more, than turned to Megatron.
“I suppose that doesn’t mean much to you.”
“For what it is worth, a warrior, no matter how small, deserves a grander death.”
“If a death at all,” Trailbreaker said. “And I hope Soundwave pulls through. I see how much he means to you.”
Megatron nodded. “Thank you.” Soon after, his own write communicator bleeped. He controlled the communiqué within. He was not comfortable for the Autobot to hear.
“Megatron.”
“Megatron here. Hook? How is he?”
A few moments passed before Megatron spoke again. “So ... there is nothing... nothing that can be done?” Megatron swallowed.
Trailbreaker’s servo sank. Right now he’d do anything to help but what? He almost let a friend die, even if Optimus and Bumblebee and the others did not lay blame to him - again the Autobot felt totally useless, powerless. So did Megatron. Without realising, the Decepticon leader switched the communication to verbal.
Starscream spoke. “I’m sorry, Megatron,” for once in his life he sounded sincere. “But there was not enough acetonium in our stores. He needs at least 4 Quadra kilos more, and we need a Type-A fine laser point phase inducer to even reach that spot. Our finest tools are way too large and will rip his conduits apart, which would kill him instantly. He’s having on, but without that, he won’t survive the night. I’m so sorry.”
“I see... I will be home shortly... I wish to be with him ... in his final moments. Megatron out.”
“I’m sorry, Megatron,” Trailbreaker said. “I wish there was something I can do.”
“There is one thing. Tell Optimus there’ll be one less Decepticon for him to worry about.”
“No, Megatron, I’ll tell him what you did. Prime won’t revel in Soundwave’s death and neither will I. You know the last time a Decepticon died, when Shockwave was killed on Cybertron, trying to defend it form Unicron, he cried and you know he knew Soundwave on a deeper level. I will tell him that a warrior has died.”
Megatron took Trailbreaker’s hand. “Thank you.”
The Autobot prepared to leave, then turned around. “If I may ask that you on’t blast this place to pieces. I know you’re hurting, and I would be too if Bumblebee-“
“Soundwave would not want that,” Megatron said, simply, once again, sitting on the large rock.
“Thank you.” The Autobot turned to leave once more, than again turned back. “You don’t have to tell me, Megatron. When next we meet, we’ll be enemies.”
But Megatron said nothing. In silence and respect, Trailbreaker left him. On the way out of eth forest, down the path, he thought to himself...
Out of the brush now, Trailbreaker heard a scream, of rage, followed by a blast, soaring high into the sky. He looked with sadness down the trail to the direction of the waterfall, then transformed and sped on his way back to Autobot headquarters.
Trailbreaker took Bumblebee for a drive and treated him to some stories.
“So I’m not as old as Kup or Ironhide, but I have a few good ones of my own.”
“Tell me about the one where you tried to save me, and I goit hurt and you thought it was your fault.”
Trailbreaker laughed. “You mean the one where I sat by a waterfall, to sulk and then along came Megatron?”
“What? Megatron?” You just made that up.”
“Ssh, You wanna hear the story or not?”
“Yeah.”
Trailbreaker began.
Late that afternoon, Megatron returned to Decepticon Headquarters, his heart heavier than lead. He did no know if he wanted to hear the report on Soundwave’s condition, let alone watch him die, but he felt he had to be there for his oldest and only friend. He mulled over what he would say. He in took a deep breath, not that Transformed needed to breathe, but he found it refreshing as he entered ... to see Soundwave on the repair bed, wounds healed and his life line stable.
“Soundwave ... I ... But ... You managed to repair him?”
“It’s a long story,” Hook began.
“No, actually,” Starscream said. “It’s rather a short one .. You see, shortly after I ended the communiqué with you, I got this strange call form Autobot Headquarters... Apparently, you’re not gonna believe this, but somehow Trailbreaker overheard our conversation, he must’ve been in the vicinity, and requested that Optimus send over some acetonium and Ratchet’s Type-A fine laser point phase inducers, through his subspace connection...”
Megatron stared, aghast.
“We didn’t get a lock on his subspace compartment,” sadly, “Hook said, before it closed.
However Megatron didn’t care.
“If Trailbreaker’s request and Optimus had been any slower, we’d have lost him.”
“And he was worried about being too slo-“
“What?” Starscream said.
“Never mind. Thank you both.”
“As much as I hate to say it, it’s Trailbreaker and Prime you should thank.”
“I will in due course.” Which he planned to, someday return the favour in deep gratitude.
“Bumblebee pulled through they reported.”
“Yes, I know.”
“But how? You just got back here.”
“I’ve optics on the back of my head, Starscream.”
“Don’t I know it.”
Megatron stifled a smile. “I am the Leader - nothing escapes my notice. Now if you and Hook do not mind, I require some time alone with Soundwave.”
He waited by Soundwave’s side for many hours until the Decepticon Communications officer awoke.
“Megatron.”
The white Decepticon helped him sit up. “Soundwave .. Do you need some Energon?”
“Negative, just a little more rest ... I regained consciousness a few hours ago for a little while. Starscream energised my conduits, however I needed to rest myself and lost consciousness once more. I am grateful I am functional.”
“I am relieved to say the least.”
“As am I.”
“I lie, more than relieved, Soundwave. I thought we’d lost you ... That I’d lost you.”
In a ultra rare display of affection, Megatron placed him arms around his friend and Soundwave returned the embrace. The two Decepticon friends parted, this rare, private moment, only for them.
“I am grateful to be alive,” Soundwave said, “however, I am at a loss as to why the Autobots would-“
“Don’t stress yourself,” Megatron said, gently pushing Soundwave back down onto the bed. Let me tell you a little story.”
Soundwave’s eye band glowed slightly.
“Now you know I’m not very good at telling stories.”
“Humor me,” Soundwave said.
“You know that spot you showed me, that secluded waterfall?”
“Yes.”
“That’s where it begins. I did not know what I would do without you, Soundwave, your constant companionship, friendship and loyalty, and I needed to clear my mind, so there I went... As I walked through the thick underbrush, the last person I wanted to ... well no that’s a lie, that would have been Optimus ... But it was an Autobot, Trailbreaker. At first I thought he’d been waiting in ambush, but when I saw his forlorn look, not only was I the last person he wanted to see, it was clear to me he was melancholy about Bumblebee ... And now I can se you’re getting tired. “I’ll save chapter two for the morrow. Good night, my friend.”
Soundwave’s eye band darkened a little as he turned his head on the Cyber pillow, his last thought before being taken into a deep sleep was how to repay those who had saved his life and he and Megatron’s friendship.
* * *
Many years from now, Trailbreaker lay dying on Ratchet’s operating table, due to an exploding console, ripping open his midsection and deep into his body. The Autobot Doctor despaired. Bumblebee was in tears. Trailbreaker had moved swift as the wind, shielding him. The Autobots looked forlorn at their friend, his lifeline beginning to straighten. Nothing, absolutely nothing could be done without more acetonium and a Type-A fine laser point phase inducer ... And when all hope seemed lost, those very items, materialised through Soundwave’s subspace compartment ...
*
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