I thought it wouldn't be a big problem to write this chapter BUT IT WAS! Finally, I made it!
By the way, Shingeki no Anon, I think that your comment was the longest one I've ever received! Thank you for so many details. They are very helpful.
And thank you all for your comments. I'm trying to give as much answers as possible) Sorry if I missed someone and thanks for reading my story)
The 10th chapter already?..) I didn't think it will take 10 chapters till this moment, so it looks like my story will be longer than I thought ;)
Chapter 10
Soundwave was standing at the entrance of a big bright mainly light colored room. It looked like a main area and there were some doors leading elsewhere. Two medical berths were in the centre, some tables and shells with different metallic tools and data pods were placed by the walls. Despite some mess on the tables the place was shining with cleanness.
A med bay?..
This was either good, either very bad. Why would they take her here? She didn't have serious damages... Well, Soundwave had to admit not being in her best shape but there was nothing that could lead to her off lining; then why would they treat her wounds? Or... The medical treatment wasn't in their plans. Soundwave made a step back but the twins were standing right behind her preventing any way for escape.
"And here you are, Ironhide. What took you so long?" a red and white armored medic left the tool he was holding and turned to greet Ironhide, who walked to the centre of the room. This bot was Ratchet, the First Autobot Medic, one of the most skilled that Cybertron had ever seen; a respected Aurobot and also one of Optimus Prime's closest friends.
"Count it as a contingency." Ironhide explained nodding towards the entrance and Ratchet looked at Soundwave, who stood still in the doorway.
"I see..." medic said and turned back to preparing his tools.
It was when the femme felt somebody slightly push her forwards forcing her to make another step. Unwillingly, Soundwave walked in, still being followed by the twins and Red Alert as Blurr stood there leaning to the doorway his servos crossed. They led Soundwave to the right medical berth, made her sit down and stood a bit away, as Ironhide was at her back his servos crossed watching the femme, who in his point of view now was showing no emotions.
Soundwave was scanning the room and all the tools around her, realizing that some of them could be use not just for treating damages... Her spark started working fast, processor developing tactic for defense, realizing what could be the reason there being more warriors surrounding her: they must had been ordered to hold her down if the new questioning goes wrong.
This was another interrogation and nothing else.
Still by their looks, Soundwave could tell that this 'Bots weren't expecting anything from a weekend 'Con- Blurr hadn't even entered the med bay... But if these was their 'new tactic' to make her talk, then Autobots would better prepare for a fight, as even so low energy resources wouldn't stop Soundwave from defending herself!
No matter what, she couldn't give them any kind of information. If she did, they would probably offline her after getting what they want. It is not like Autobots were going to release one of the most skilled Decepticons. On the other servo, even if she stays online after giving them the information and somehow returns to her own base, Megatron will require the proof of her not letting out any Decepticon secret and this proof will come only after seeing her memory banks connected to the period of time, when she was on the enemy base. He wasn't the one to believe someone that easily, even if it was Soundwave. It wasn't Warlord's trust that made her and Starscreem to get such a high position. It was Megatron's need in their skills and only. His devise was keep your 'enemies' closer or better say the 'Cons, who might become a threat. He never trusted her, and Soundwave perfectly knew it. She also knew that, when Megatron finds out about her being a femme, the things might get even worse...
If her memory banks were going to be watched then there must be nothing that could work against her... At least Decepticons wouldn't scan the time before she was taken hostage.
Soundwave was sitting on the medical berth following all Ratchet's movement, while he was standing his back turned at her and preparing something on his massive table. Then, by the wall, Soundwave noticed a small gray one with tiny wheels and an orange tray with some metallic tools on it. She could have used Autobots' own 'weapon' to defend herself but unfortunately they wouldn't give her opportunity to reach it in time.
By his desk Ratchet typed something in his data pod, looked at Soundwave and made his way to that table. As he walked, Decepticon turned her visor not taking attention from the him, and, when the medic started pooling the table, Soundwave suddenly started moving back making warriors revive. Before Ironhide could react the femme slide over the berth and landed by his side. Although she was barely on her peds, Soundwave prepared the sharp digits and started slowly walking back facing Ironhide and ready for the attack.
"Have you lost your processor?!" Ironhide roared looking at her with wide optics.
Blurr left the doorway and was already by his side as the twins slowly moved to Soundwave surrounding her. With a sudden, Sunstreaker managed to grab her left servo but was sent flying at his twin knocking him from his peds. This moment Blurr tried to catch her from the back, but Decepticon somehow managed to release herself diving out of his grip and jumped away. Soundwave felt as losing her strength and leaned on a bureau trying not to fall down, her peds going weaker but the support with a loud rumble slid away as all the tools were knocked on the ground belling as they hit the floor. This caused Soundwave to fully lose her balance and collapsed on the ground. She tried to stand up leaning on her servos but the peds failed her not wanting to listen to nay command, so after two unsuccessful tries the femme managed to crawl to the white wall. She turned her back to the wall and tried to stand up again leaning her right to it and not taking her attention from Autobots.
It was her limit. She didn't even have to speed her breath to cool her engines as they hadn't had enough energy for heating.
Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were on the floor, Sunny still sitting on his brother, his chassis up and rubbing his helm with left servo. Ratchet was by Red Alert's side, who was leaning his servos to the berth, where Soundwave had been sitting, their optics wide in disbelief, while Ironhide and Blurr were standing at twins' right not sure of what to do.
"And I though her energy was minimum..." Ratchet marveled looking at Soundwave. She might have appeared to be a femme, but it was the same bot as before, and the fact that she managed to get this far was more then amusing not only for him. During his life Ratchet had seen lots of transformers and it was clear that Soundwave was the one, who never surrenders. Even right now she was hardly standing but ready for defense... The only thing he still couldn't understand was why Soundwave had reacted that way...
"Tell me about it! She nearly collapsed on the floor when we were leadin' her here!" Sunny reminded turning to him.
"Yeh! How're you doin' that!?" Sideswipe glanced at Soundwave, who was now trying hard to stay on her peds. How was this femme dealing with them again and again?! It started getting on their nerves! And hurting their ego too.
Ratchet slowly walked around the med berth and stopped next to Ironhide and Blurr, who made a step closer to Soundwave, what caused the femme to jerk again preparing her only weapon, so Ratchet put up his servo showing them to stop.
He watched Soundwave for several clicks and suddenly realized the reason of her actions. He looked at his tools and back at the femme still not sure if he was right. "Soundwave... You didn't think that I was going to use them against you, did you?" Soundwave turned her helm at the medic, so did the others. Did she really think that way!? The warriors exchanged looks, as Ratchet raised his voice in disbelief, "Primuse! Soundwave this is a med bay. Bots are healed here, not damaged!"
He held his servos together using a click to collect himself and trying not to snap at the femme, "Okay, let's try again... You let us help you to this medical berth and I treat your damages. After that you can continue knocking them down," Ratchet pointed at the twins and, not giving them a chance to protest, continued," as much as you can. But OUTSIDE OF MY MED BAY!" he finished pointing to the exit.
All attention turned to the femme.
Soundwave eyed Ratchet for a moment, then looked at other 'Bots, and now it was clear: Ratchet told the truth... At least as long as she was being repaired they wouldn't be a threat...
And this was the moment, when Soundwave felt as a coward, who, being led by fear, forgot to use his processor. She acted before the right moment. Waiting till the time the tools were closer and she could get them as a weapon would be more reasonable. How unplanned her actions were...
Soundwave shut her optics as perception came to her. Weapons, plans... What was she thinking about?! She was barely on her peds and, if they it hadn't appeared that Autobots were just trying to repair her, she would have been taken down no matter what her plan was. Was her processor letting her down because of her low energy resources? Hah, it was even funny to realize that no matter how skilled or strong you were, just lose your energy and all that turns to nothing. Waiting for any chance to get more energy was the only thing Soundwave could do now.
She still couldn't believe that they were going to repair her but not using this chance would be foolish.
What happened to this 'Bots? First, they ready to tear you apart and now are trying to be more or less civilized. Is that a 'good and bad' bot tactic?! If so, Soundwave wasn't the one to eat it and she wouldn't stop watching out for them.
Soundwave couldn't afford herself being naive.
As much as she hated to admit that, distrustfulness could save her life. She never enjoyed that fact but in order to survive Soundwave forced herself to learn being ready for anything.
Was there someone she still could relay on? Only her symbiots. She was by their side and they were by here's.
That is why she had to get out of this place alive.
And she would. No matter what.
Soundwave looked back at Ratchet and put her servos down. Seeing that the femme accepted the 'offer' Blurr walked to her side. When the femme made a step away from the wall, her peds failed again and he caught her by servo. As they walked to the berth, twins were back on their peds standing by Hide's side, while Red Alert walked a bit away letting Ratchet to continue his work.
Soundwave laid on the berth and felt as the tension finally let go of her protoform's haggard details. The feeling was unspeakable and only falling into recharge mode could be better. Soundwave looked at Autobots not lifting her helm up and listened to their talk, wondering if all of them would stay here.
"You all can be dismissed."
"Sure about it?"
"Yes, Ironhide, you may leave. And please take this two before..." the medic turning to the twins as Sunstreaker with a loud crash dropped the tool he was holding and both young bots looked at the older 'Bots with 'please-tell-us-you-didn't-see-that' expressions, "... they break something AGAIN." the medic finished with irritation.
"But what if 'Con goes mental again. We had had another accident back in the cell..." Ironhide stated automatically pointing at the exit.
"Ironhide, let me remind you that being a medic doesn't mean that I can't fight. Believe me, some patience can behave worse than 'Cons on the battle field. And I don't need Wreckers in my med bay."
"But-"
"Out. All of you. I've got plenty of jobs to do."
Arguing with Ratchet's stubbornness would bring no results, so warriors and Red Alert went out leaving the medic and Soundwave alone.
As the doors closed the femme felt more or less relaxed. Finally.
Soundwave looked at the medic not moving her helm as he walked to her side again.
"I will repair your damages and some details of your armor. Your energy is critically low, so, for now, I would recommend you to relax and get some recharge." Soundwave slowly turned her helm at him.
"You may trust me or not, Soundwave. But right now, you're my patience and will be treated that way. I also hope that there will be no more incidents, from your side, at least as long as you are under my responsibility." Ratchet hoped not just to make it easyer for himself but also to avoid further accidents, even if only for the time Soundwave was in the med bay. He looked at the femme, who seemed to show no reaction but was still looking and listening to him.
"I will not take off your visor, if you fell in recharge. And we both know that even if I did try, you would wake up in a moment." Decepticon eyed him for a moment, slowly nodded and turned her helm letting Ratchet to start his job.
In the dark high roofed corridors of the Decepticon base Ravage, Rumble and Frenzy were making their way towards the exit, while their flying 'siblings' were using another way out. Fortunately, the corridors were empty. Frenzy and Rumble, who had small metallic sacks on their backs, walked at panther's both sides and, as they were getting close to another door, it suddenly opened. Breakdown stepped out and noticed the three, who tried to act as natural as possible.
"Hey kids, how's it goin'?" 'Con asked the two, knowing he'll get no answered from the beast, "Any news from Soundwave?"
"Nah. Nothing new." Rumble answered showing that he wasn't even surprised by this fact.
"Your master's caught by 'Bots and you don't look like worring much..."
"Nope." Frenzy answered with a straight faceplate not even turning his helm at Breakdown, who was now walking by their side, and Rumble agreed "Yah, that's boss we're talkin' about. Soundwave knows how to take care of himself."
Breakdown eyed them for several clicks and narrowed his optics," By the way, where're you three going?" he stopped in front of them, his servos crossed, ignoring Ravage's quite roar. Twins exchanged looks and before Ravage or Rumble could react, Frenzy put servos on his hips and with a smirk answered, "Hah, where else? We're going to a hidden shelter no one has ever heard about, where we might be living till the rest of our lives." Ravage and Rumble turned looking at Frenzy with disbelief, the second one's jaw dropped.
Has he really just said that?!
Breakdown looked at youngling with raised opyicbrow, "No problems with imagination?"
"Yep." Frenzy smiled at 'Con, as his siblings looked at Breakdown. The warrior rolled his optics and headed in other direction, "See you later, kids. Watch out for Thrust. He seemed too pleased by the last events."
When they made it to the corner, Rumble snapped at Frenzy grabbing him by his shoulderplates "Have you lost your processor?!"
The red armored youngling raised his servos in defense not able to hold his smile back, "What? That's one of Soundwave's tactics. I told the truth and he ate it as a prank. Come on, it's not like he was going to believe!"
"We're lucky that he didn't!"
"Ok, did you have a better idea?!" Rumble let him go and crossed his servos with irritation realizing that he wouldn't had found another suitable answer.
"Frenzy: nice job. Fact: others are waiting." Ravage nodded and continued walking.
"Wow, a compliment from big guy. Congrats..."
"Don't be jealous, bro. The next time you will use your processor." Frenzy happily joked and hurried after Ravage hoping to avoid Rumble's growing irritation...