Chapter Text
There had been an error of such magnitude that Shockwave wondered if his processors were finally giving up on him. Such a failure was unprecedented and he didn’t even know what exactly had gone wrong, just that it had. The new device immediately blowing a fuse and washing Shockwave’s frame in sparks was not at all a good sign.
With no telling what had gone wrong and the consequences of that are, Shockwave took to reading the small amount of data that was collected from the brief time the device was active. The equations and programs he was running weren’t exactly simple but Shockwave had been confident in his work. That was no longer the case, the cause of his error must be identified and remedied so he can continue on.
Just as Shockwave disconnected the device from the power strip, an explosion shook the room and everything went dark. Whatever was happening was decidedly not good, logically there must’ve been a breach in security. Not good.
[ Soundwave, security status report. [] Shockwave shot a comm to Soundwave, surmising that whatever was happening, the other mech was already on top of it and could give Shockwave answers.
There was a brief blip in time without a response as Shockwave went around his lab securing the most critical projects and ensuring nothing of import could be found. Then, the response.
[ Autobot invasion. Bridge is currently being overrun. Discuss more once issue dealt with. [] Soundwave’s replies were more clipped than usual that only served to send Shockwave down a thought path indicating things were very wrong right now.
There was no logical path that indicated his experiment’s failure and this sudden invasion was connected but the timing was rather unfortunate. Shockwave couldn’t focus on finding and fixing what had gone wrong if he was too busy keeping Autobots from contaminating his lab. Annoyance washed over Shockwave as he triple checked his files were under numerous security walls before stepping out into the halls, prepared to engage in combat.
Autobot foot soldiers rounded the corner just as Shockwave exited the lab. They fired shots immediately, Shockwave took cover in the door frame and charged his arm cannon, taking out two of the four Autobots at once. More shots were fired, hitting Shockwave’s thick plating with little consequence. He managed to hit one of the Autobots between the optics, their frame hitting the ground with a sickening thud. The remaining opponent launched themself at Shockwave, managing to dent his plating before being batted away.
Shockwave drew closer, heavy pedes echoing through the hall. His prey scuttled backwards, revealing themself to be the pest that all Autobots are. Pitiful cowardice radiated off the bot as Shockwave sent a blast aimed at their spark. He disengaged his weapons and headed towards the bridge without so much as a glance at the corpses he left in his wake.
⟡ ⟡ ⟡
Dozens of dead mechs littered the bridge, not all of them Autobots. The carnage was rough but it appeared the Decepticons reigned supreme in this battle. Soundwave was sitting in a corner getting patched up by one of the medics, he looked up as Shockwave approached.
“Your lab also got attacked?” Soundwave tilted his helm slightly in question, motioning to the burn marks Shockwave was covered in.
“Yes, intruders have been disposed of and all the lab’s equipment and data is secured and untampered with. My injuries are merely superficial.” Shockwave noted Soundwave’s anxious body language and attempted to ease his friend’s worries so as to not further complicate Soundwave’s mental state.
“Commanders, status update. The damage to the bridge isn’t as extensive as it could’ve been. All Autobots are either dead or have retreated. Our casualty numbers are approximated at less than ten throughout the entire base, though many are injured and awaiting treatment.” One of their own lower ranking members prattled off before retreating once Shockwave gave him a nod of acknowledgement.
This was also less than ideal but it wasn’t Shockwave’s problem. His priorities laid in scientific developments not whatever was happening. He turned and began to walk back to his lab now that the threat was confirmed to be taken care of when a processed voice stopped him.
“Wait. Lord Megatron is requesting both of us in his offices.” Soundwave rose to his pedes and caught up to Shockwave to walk with him.
⟡ ⟡ ⟡
Shockwave didn’t see a reason why he too would be summoned in front of Megatron. His position was clear, a scientist first and a commanding officer only when absolutely necessary. This attack should have had nothing to do with him up until the point where his lab was targeted, but the threat was eliminated so Shockwave’s confusion about being summoned still stood.
Megatron set down the datapad he had been holding and looked at the two members of his inner circle. “Shockwave, Soundwave, you are two of my most capable officers. Given the nature of the Autobots’ brazen attack on our home I would like you two to work together to investigate how such an intrusion was even possible. This also brings into question the possibility of a mole in our ranks, every Decepticon will be under a watchful eye until the issue is resolved. I trust you both to take care of everything. You are both dismissed.” He returned to his reading without so much as a glance at either mech.
Shockwave followed Soundwave back into the halls, confusion filling his processor. “I do not underst–”
Soundwave held up a digit to where Shockwave’s intake would’ve been before leading them both into an empty meeting room. “Vigilance is key. Locating the mole must be done quickly and without notice.”
“I understand that, you are the head of intelligence which is why you have been tasked with this. But why am I involved? It is illogical for me to be assigned tasks more suited for your skillset.” It felt improbable that Megatron didn’t have a reason for Shockwave’s involvement but that knowledge was lost on him.
“Megatron knows you are incredibly competent and a valuable member of the High Guard, that is why. I need someone I can trust and there is no one I trust more aside from our leader than you. Help me?” Soundwave extended a servo in front of him, reaching towards Shockwave for him to take the servo.
Shockwave hesitated but complied, mentally connecting that accepting the servo was an agreement to help Soundwave. “I will agree to help you find this mole, but I do not know how to best help.”
Nodding curtly, Soundwave squeezed their connected servos. “Formulating a plan can be a collective effort but for now we need information. Going through surveillance footage will be where we should start along with searching the ranks for anyone who may have a motivation to betray the Decepticons.”
“What do you need from me?”
“Come with me to the control room, we can scrub through footage there.”
⟡ ⟡ ⟡
Shockwave concentrated on the footage in front of him, searching each frame methodically for any suspicious behavior. None was found so far. He glanced over at one of the many screens Soundwave was observing (his processing power for multitasking was most impressive and Shockwave would have to test his limits at a later date). There was a flash of red in the bottom screen that bumped into a mech holding a stack of datapads.
“Pause.” Reaching over, Shockwave pointed at the still frame. “One of the dropped datapads was stolen. Who is that mech?”
“Uncertain. It happened too fast for a clear image. There are too many mechs with red on their frames to search with much accuracy. Keep looking, this cannot be an isolated incident.” Soundwave searched the frames for a moment before resuming the rest of the footage.
They continued reviewing footage, Shockwave’s frame grew sore and restless but he pushed the sensations to the back of his processor. It was not until Shockwave’s footage paused and a servo was placed on the upper portion of his arm cannon that he looked over to Soundwave.
“This can continue in the next cycle. Recharge and refuel, we can meet again tomorrow if you don’t have urgent matters in the lab.” Soundwave stood and motioned for Shockwave to follow him to the door. “I will walk with you to your lab.”
“I know my way back to my lab.” Shockwave reminded.
“That is not the purpose of walking you back, it is to spend more time with you.” Soundwave stood waiting until Shockwave conceded, walking side by side with the other mech through the halls.
Shockwave’s processors had slowed their function from the continued use, their walk was quiet but Soundwave’s company was pleasant. The lab’s location drew nearer as they rounded a corner.
Strangled noises ripped through the quiet halls along with the shrieking of metal on metal. Shockwave angled his helm towards the location of the sound. Clattering to the floor, Soundwave clutched his midsection. Energon pooled in the outer crevices of Soundwave’s frame, spilling onto the floor. There were no fully formed thoughts entering Shockwave’s processor as he moved to cradle Soundwave’s helm. Unfamiliar sensations washed over Shockwave, never daring to take his optic off of Soundwave.
The light faded from Soundwave’s visor completely, frame dulling in Shockwave’s grasp. In disbelief, Shockwave reset his optics in a foolhardy hope that what he was seeing wasn’t real.
⟡ ⟡ ⟡
Shockwave’s optics onlined, his location had changed, Soundwave’s corpse nowhere to be seen. He stood staring at his lab bench as sparks spat out of the same device he had been working on earlier. With a shake of his helm, Shockwave disconnected the power to the device and attempted to collect his thoughts. He could still feel the cooling metal of Soundwave’s plates and the energon coating his own plating that had been leaking steadily from Soundwave. The pained gasps and groans were still loud and clear in his audio receptors.
But perhaps it had just been an unpleasant daydream. His internal clock appeared to be having malfunctions, the time displayed was the exact same as it had been when the Autobots had attacked earlier. That was strange by itself, nothing was making sense and Shockwave’s processor must be having unknown issues right now.
Warm energon coating his servo, a dull visor staring blankly up at him, everything stilled except for Shockwave and his friend cradled in his arms.
The door exploded, blasting all the way across the lab and hitting the wall. Whipping around Shockwave was greeted with four Autobot intruders, they looked familiar but he didn’t have the time nor processor space to think about that now. Gunfire grazed his plates as Shockwave silently aimed and charged his cannon. He fired but only managed to fatally wound one of the Autobots, knocking the other three off their pedes. Taking the momentary advantage, Shockwave fired more shots that quickly ended the remaining Autobots’ lives.
Shockwave surveyed the state of his lab, there would be much to do to fix this later but he was interrupted by a comm from Soundwave.
[ Shockwave: status report []
[ Autobots destroyed lab door, contents of the lab are secured. Threat elminated. [] Shockwave paused after sending the reply. This too felt familiar, but the visions of Soundwave’s death must have been a nightmare or other imagined event if he was receiving a personal comm from Soundwave.
He dismissed a passing thought about looking into his symptoms and stepped over an Autobot corpse on the way towards the command bridge. Walking swiftly, he felt the gaze of passing mechs on him but couldn’t find the will to care. His new goal was simple: ensure Soundwave’s status and put his worries to rest.
Uneasy tension still settled around his spark but Shockwave likened it to the rush of combat and dismissed the sensation. The bridge was a disaster as he rounded the corner, remnants of explosions littered the area along with fallen and injured mechs.
Soundwave was standing unharmed near a control center, reviewing something on the screen. His visor brightened minutely upon seeing Shockwave approaching. “You are unharmed?”
“Yes, for the most part, minor superficial damage was sustained. My lab however took some damage. It is nothing that isn’t able to be repaired. Though it is an inconvenience. And you are unharmed as well?” Crossing the final distance between them, Shockwave looked for any signs of a severe stab wound on Soundwave’s midsection but none were evident. It was unclear to him if that was a cause for relief or not.
Two things were now apparent to Shockwave. One: Soundwave was alive but maybe that should not be the case. Two: something was going on with unknown cause, perhaps that is how he’s getting this sense of things happening for a second time. It was with these two notions that Shockwave knew he must figure out what was happening. Preferably as quickly as possible.
A lower ranking officer ran up to them, glancing nervously between Soundwave and Shockwave. “Commanders, status update. The damage to the bridge isn’t as extensive as it could’ve been. All Autobots are either dead or have retreated. Our casualty numbers are approximated at less than ten throughout the entire base, though many are injured and awaiting treatment.”
Odd.
Shockwave could recall the exact delivery and words spoken coming from the same mech from earlier, still recent enough for his memory banks to supply in complete detail. He paused, looking to Soundwave curiously.
“Lord Megatron is requesting both of us in his offices.” Soundwave nudged Shockwave’s arm cannon gently, waiting for him to follow.
⟡ ⟡ ⟡
This was extremely similar, if not exactly the same to what his memory banks were pulling up. Shockwave stood as he listened to Megatron discuss the situation with the mole.
“– Every Decepticon will be under a watchful eye until the issue is resolved. I trust you both to take care of everything. You are both dismissed.” Megatron studied Shockwave with a careful eye but said nothing further and returned to the work on his desk.
Once in the halls, Soundwave eyed Shockwave. “Are you alright?”
“I am fine. The events of this cycle are merely giving me some thought. Why? Do I appear distressed?” Shockwave asked, studying the servo that had wrapped around his arm guard.
“Slightly, but if you say you’re fine I will choose to believe it. We’ll go to the control to review footage. Unless you have objections.” Soundwave waited for a response, when Shockwave nodded they began their walk towards the control room.
There were few other mechs in the halls, the ones they did pass appeared battle worn from the unexpected intrusion. Soundwave walked at a determined pace which Shockwave matched.
“GET DOWN!” An unidentified voice shouted mere seconds before a door on Soundwave’s side of the hall exploded. Shockwave was thrown into the opposite wall, watching as Soundwave’s frame was engulfed in the explosion.
Sharp pieces of debris sprayed Shockwave, his frame still hot from the blast. As the dust settled, Soundwave’s mangled frame was the only thing registering in Shockwave’s processor.
And for perhaps the second time, Shockwave knelt and cradled his lifeless friend.