Of Warlords and Crayon Drawings

Bad Energon and Lab Reports

Two mechs worked and mingled quietly in Shockwave's lab. Shockwave himself and, of course, Soundwave. They were working on a new formula that would halt the Autobots' progress almost completely. Even with the immobilizer, this would be able to freeze a large amount of victims right in their tracks without having to make direct contact with the Decepticons. Shockwave's steady hand poured the last tube of chemicals into the large beaker and proceeded to stir it gently, not wanting to provoke any unwanted reactions. The concoction was the exact same luminescent blue as the normal energon. The large mech picked up the beaker and gently sat it on a shelf next to the refueling station.

"Shockwave: Done with experiment," Soundwave asked quietly from across the room, sitting patiently on a stool.

"For now. I will need to test it at a later time." Shockwave began to move things from his work station. Suddenly, the large doors slid open, catching both of their attention. It was Starscream.

"I'm expecting you have those reports done. Our master doesn't like to be kept waiting." Starscream raised an eyebrow as he tapped his ped. He had an arm full of data pads. All of them were military reports by the looks of it.

"Yes. Allow me to locate them first." Shockwave began to go through the stacks of data pads he had on his desk. Starscream scoffed and fidgeted impatiently, his long fingers tapping against his thigh. He looked over to the refueling station. A drink couldn't hurt. He hadn't had anything since earlier that morning.

"Do you mind," he asked, pointing to it. Shockwave turned his head.

"Go ahead." Starscream walked over to the station and grabbed an empty cube. The cube hit the back and pushed against the button. Nothing. 'The one thing he doesn't have fixed...' Starscream thought to himself as he looked around for any spare tanks or cubes. All he saw was the beaker that held the supposed time stopping poison. He grabbed it and began to fill his cube halfway with the faux energon. Then his cube was empty. 'That tasted different.' Starscream sat the cube down and began to walk away. Then, a wave of nausea hit him. He fell.

Soundwave had gone to help Shockwave find the other half of his report. The silent mech turned around expecting to see the seeker huffing and tapping his ped. That was not what he saw at all. In his place was a tiny being. A sparkling. He tapped Shockwave's arm and slowly approached the small thing sitting on the floor. It was Starscream all right, no doubt about it. Soundwave knelt down and tilted his head.

"Shockwave: has made a formula that reverses time. Not stop it." The other mech stood behind him, optic fixed on the sparkling and antennae twitching slightly.

"It would appear so," he agreed. Starscream's optics began to tear up as he began to whine and whimper in seeker dialect. Tears started running down his faceplates and loud wails came from his mouth. Soundwave pushed away the dropped data pads and picked up the now crying seekerling.

"Starscream: confused and frustrated. Soundwave will attempt to calm him." Shockwave watched as the normally silent mech cradled the tiny commander in his arms, attempting to hush his crying by bouncing him lightly. Starscream managed to calm down enough to stop wailing and reduce his crying to small, sad chirps.

"You seem to have experience with this sort of thing." Shockwave wrapped his arm around Soundwave's waist.

"Soundwave went through the same with Rumble and Frenzy. Both adopted. Lost due to war." Shockwave could hear a slight falter in his voice.

"We should notify Megatron of this incident." Soundwave nodded, still looking down at the seeker. Shockwave turned and opened a com-link between him and their first in command.

"Lord Megatron, I regret to inform you that there has been an incident concerning Starscream."

"What has that idiot done now," Megatron sighed over the com-link.

"Its hard to explain what exactly happened, but I suggest you see it for yourself." Shockwave looked back at Soundwave as he spoke.

"I'm on my way." The link shut off.

Starscream had stopped crying and was now pouting in Soundwave's arms. He glared at Soundwave with his eyebrows furrowed.

"Down," he squeaked at the mech and folded his tiny arms. Soundwave shook his head, a little surprised that the seekerling could talk. "Put me down!" He squirmed in his arms. The intelligence officer tightened his hold on him so he wouldn't fall. "Gwound! Now!" Soundwave held him out in front of him. He shook his head. Starscream reduced himself to a pouting ball as Soundwave held him, curling his legs in towards his stomach. Soundwave pulled him closer to try and calm him. Small servos tapped on his chest plates. "W-who?" The tiny seeker chirped as he tried to learn the name of his captor.

"Designation: Soundwave." Starscream pointed over to Shockwave.

"Shockwave," Soundwave cooed at him. The doors to the laboratory opened. The silver warlord Shockwave had summoned strode into the room.

"Where is Starscream? I thought you said something happened," Megatron growled. Shockwave nodded towards Soundwave, who was now holding the confused sparkling closer to him. Starscream's optics grew large. Not in fear, but more in fascination and awe. Who was this big, shinny mech that stood in front of him?

Megatron's optics widened when he saw the servalence officer holding a tiny seeker in his arms.

"What, or who are you holding Soundwave?" Starscream squeaked in curiosity. He looked so big and strong. Not to mention how shiny the silver warlord was!

"M-my name Starscweam," the tiny seeker studdered as he looked up at Megatron.