Waves of Starlight (TFP fanfic)

Chapter 45

Megatron paced back and forth as they had heard nothing from the con that he tried to contact. “Primus where are they??” He yelled as he slammed his servos on a wall.
“It would appear they disconnected their comlinks after leaving this place.” Shockwave stated, still not looking up. “Though it seems we don’t need to call them.” He watched as a red dot approached on the screen before activating the cameras outside, showing Predaking flying towards them.
“And once again it was my fault for them all leaving.” Megatron muttered hatefully. “Why? Why would she save me? I crippled her, hated her, hardly ever even called her by her name, yet she saved me from Unicron.”
“That’s the person Estrela is.” Shockwave stated, opening the flight deck to let the dragon on board. “She cares for people even if they hate her.” Running was heard, before Predaking came into the room.
“Need a guide?” He asked, walking towards Megatron.
“You would be willing to guide me back to her base?” Megatronasked in disbelief. “I should not be welcome. Because of my hate Unicorn corrupted me and I didn’t even fight him to stop it.” Turning his back towards the two. “Just leave me here to rot unless she comes to kill me too. Whichever comes first.”
“I would, except we need you.” Predaking replied. “She’s planning on killing everyone within a week's time, including her own family. She attacked us just minutes ago and… has left some deep scars.”
Megatron turned and looked at Predaking, before glancing at Shockwave in question. “Fine, whatever you wish.” He spat. “Like I have much to offer.”
Predaking nodded before turning. “Follow me.” He spoke. “I will lead you to where it is, but… do not expect everything to be exactly cheerful there.” He then ran out, transforming before flying around the front of the ship, hovering there and waiting for them.
“I am aware they won’t be.” Megatron muttered. He walked towards the bridge, headed for the controls to start the empty ship. Following after Predaking without saying a word.They flew for a good half an hour before the dragon turned and circled in the air, over the entrance of the base, showing them where to touch down. Turning on the cloaking, Megatron stopped the ship, before turning to Shockwave. “I am sure you won’t hesitate in coming.” He commented. Opening a groundbridge to take them to the ground. “After you.”
“I will not, considering the condition my family may be in.” He said, walking through it. The door was already open as Predaking dropped down by them, but the scene they found was nowhere near promising with most of the bots gathered there, a massive break in the floor with Soundwave collapsed in the middle, Knockout and Steve with him as Ratchet tended to Optimus.
Megatron felt a feeling of dread enter his gut as he saw the view. “I don’t belong here.” He muttered.
The bots and cons immediately looked up and glaring at him. “What are you doing here?” Bulkhead yelled.
“Haven’t you caused enough pain?” Ratchet roared. “Get out of here. You have no right to be here.” Optimus silenced him as he looked at Megatron. “Why did you bring Megatron here, Predaking?”
“He is no longer a threat since Unicron has left him.” The Predacon spoke. “And if anything, besides Shockwave, he’s probably the best option for talking to and helping Soundwave in his current condition.”
“How is he?” Shockwave asked, going over to his brother.
Megatron looked at Predaking in shock, before slowly nodding. Walking slowly and solemnly as everyone glared at him except for the Prime. He walked towards where Soundwave was laid out limp. Crouching in front of Soundwave, he sighed. “Get up, Soundwave! Or are you already willing to give up the fight? You never gave up in the pits of Kaon. I don’t expect you to give up here either.” He spoke firmly as he sat in front of Soundwave, hoping he would wake up and look at him.
The navy mech turned his head and looked at his friend with broken eyes, making no attempts to get up or even more as the loss of another sparkmate crashed down on him. He was beyond the point of crying, staring up blankly.
“You haven’t lost her yet. There is still a chance. I’m proof of that. She saved me from Unicron, now we need to save her. Are you gonna give up that easily?” Megatron scolded, looking at him.
“I can’t feel her.” He mumbled. “It’s like she’s dead. I can’t feel my Starlight.”
“Because her spark is gone. Unicron created her. I saw it myself when I was trapped in my mind. A fragment of both Unicron and Primus now live in her and created her. He planned to use her as a way to grow his powers and kill his brother. However the problem was how pure of heart she was even with her background. So to solve the solution he consumed her spark. She cannot feel anything in the bonds you have made. Her mind is empty, but it is there. We need to purify her of the darkness and reignite her spark. She is hanging in chains, her mind clouded by evils as Unicron controls her body. She’s trapped, but you guys may be the one thing that will help her break free.” Megatron spoke looking at her. “Are you still willing to fight for her? Or are you gonna watch her come at you with blades of death?”
“I don’t know if I can.” He admitted, starting to cry. “My body refuses to move. I feel useless.”
Megatron grabbed his friend’s shoulders, Knockout about to intervene as Megatron lifted him up and brought him into a hug. “What would your Starlight tell you right now? If she saw you like this what would she do? What would she want you to do?” He asked surprisingly gently, almost like a new bot.
“She’d tell me to keep going.” He mumbled. “She’d probably tell me to keep Radio safe and not go after her, then I’d refuse and still try to get her back.”
“You know what you need to do. We need to find some way to reach her. You love her as much as she loves you. Imagine how she would react if she succeeded and saw what she did to you. She would be mortified. She needs you to fight. We need to find Primus and save your Starlight.” Megatron reprimanded as he still held Soundwave close, not bothering to look at anyone else.
He nodded slowly into his friend’s shoulder. “But how do I even help her?” He asked quietly. “She didn’t even stop to hurt Radio and wouldn’t listen to anything I said.”
“If Unicron was in full control, you would already be dead. She is still there. She gave you time to get help. I am certain she told one of you something that could help her.”
“Radio got through to her after she and Shock disappeared.” He mumbled. “She didn’t tell me everything Estrela told her though.”
“Would she stop screaming long enough for us to talk to her?” Ratchet asked, looking at Soundwave.
“We need to get through to Radiowave.” Megatron commented.
“Where is my niece?” Shockwave demanded. “Why do you say that as though she isn’t here?”
“She was destroying the place. The cracks in the floor were from whatever power she had. Estrela left a target on Radiowave, leaving her in the worst conditions. Causing everyone to have hot pains in their processors. To let her grieve we sent her to the shadow realm, still here, but her power has no effect on us.” Ratchet explained. “No one could get through to her.”
“Open a bridge and let me go get her.” Shockwave spoke. “I should be able to. I have to.”
Ratchet nodded as he did instructed. The groundbridge opened to allow him to go through. “What if we put Estrela in a shadow realm?” Raf asked.  “She would be safe and have no way of getting to us. She wouldn’t be able to kill unwillingly.”
“Not when she can make her own groundbridge.” Knockout replied. Megatron still held onto Soundwave firmly as the con remained quiet. “WE will get her back, I promise or I will give up my own spark to save her for you.”
Shockwave listened to their conversation as he walked around, looking for the child. She was a couple feet away, collapsed in the place where Soundwave was also. He bent down and picked her up. She barely stirred as he carried her back out and right over to Ratchet. Ratchet immediately looked at her. “She wore herself out in shock. She is fine.”
He nodded before carrying her over to Soundwave who looked up as his brother came over and laid her down by him. He gently brought his daughter close to his chest and hugged her, closing his eyes as he did.
Megatron let go of his friend and stood up. Not used to having to comfort someone. Raf ran up to Soundwave and laid a gentle hand on the con’s leg. A soft smile sat on the boy’s lips. “Get some rest, Soundwave. We have a little bit of time to plan. You need to recover from the shock. You both do, and I am sure the rest of the family need to as well. You should go to your cave and talk.” Optimus spoke, glancing at Predaking and Shockwave as well.
Soundwave nodded, not looking up at them as he picked Radio up in his arms and silently left the room with her. He went back to the sleeping cave and laid down on the soft sand with her, holding his daughter protectively in his arms like he did after Silverstream’s passing. He instinctively reached out for the space in front of him, but it was empty, the femme that once lay there gone. Tears pricked his eyes as he dropped his hand on the sand and racked it through the soft grains. This didn’t feel right. He needed her there with him. He felt empty without her. He heard his brother and Predaking come in after him, but made no attempts to speak or even look at them. They just sat next to him and Shockwave put a hand reassuringly on Soundwave’s head, knowing he wasn’t ready to talk but just needed to be comforted right now as he silently cried.