Healed [Sequel to Burned](Transformers Prime)

Chapter Nine | Collaboration

"I'm evil to the core,
What I shouldn't do I will,
They say I'm emotional,
What I wanna save I'll kill ,"

»«

Megatron stood at attention within the borders of the base, his bright red optics gazing at an empty point in front of him, waiting for Ratchet to do what he needed to do. The medic had warned that being to close to the portals, for anyone, could result in accidentally becoming stuck in the Shadow Zone. He would not be surprised - angry, yes, but not surprised - if the medic "accidentally" sucked Megatron through the portal and trapped both him and Soundwave.

He probably would, if it was not for Dana.

The firs portal opened with no problem, the Groundbridge swirling lazily as it waited for someone to enter, or exit. The warlord was now much more aware of the humans and their primitive weapons trained on himself and the space in front of him. He was sure he could subdue Soundwave if need be, and thought the extra precaution was silly. But, the Agent Fowler had ordered it, and Megatron was not allowed to argue.

The second portal opened, and the energies between them began to pull and fluctuate between one another, silence permeating the base until a shadow became visible, a sleek drone-like model slipping through, pulling up and spinning before the communications officer Soundwave transformed, landing with a thud at his master's pedes.

"Soundwave," Megatron spoke, hearing several humans ready their weapons to fire should he prove hostile, "I hope the Shadow Zone treated you well."

Soundwave straightened, his visor tilting and reflecting Megatron's face, coming to life and giving a statistical report on Soundwave's wellbeing: he was low on energon, perhaps days away from hitting critical low. His shields were down 30%, and Laserbeak was in need of mild repair.

"Come," Megatron gestured for his old friend to follow him, already guessing that the Decepticon was aware and confused by the excessive presence of humans, "I will explain everything that I can. I only ask you remain loyal to me."

Soundwave brought up a recording. "As you wish, my liege."

"Good, good." The former leader stalked away from the Groundbridges as they began to close. "You will find our new arrangement to be . . . odd, but the past is behind us now. The war has been lost, Soundwave, but I feel it is for the better."

He continued to speak with him as they approached the new base, filling him in on everything, Ratchet bridging them inside once they ran into the problem of Soundwave being unable to fit through the door, despite his slender and compact body. The third in command was given a cube of energon and workspace, beginning to operate on his damaged surveillance drone.

Ratchet took the time to explain their new problem to both Chromia and Soundwave: Lockdown. He shared their theories and new protocols put in place to prevent capture or destruction by the bounty-hunter's claws, Dana eagerly discussing how she was now in charge of going out on missions that were normally reserved for the Cybertronians.

"There are a few things I want you all to know before we try to risk going out on the field," Agent Fowler spoke as he took over the conversation. "First off, no human contact outside of this base; civilians don't know of your existence, and we have to keep it that way. Rafael Esquivel is still policing the web, and can scrub any pictures of you guys that he finds, but to make his job easier, it's best to not reveal yourselves in the first place.

"Second of all, you will obey all rules of the road and sky. As a pilot, I am well aware of the airspace around me and what altitudes I can fly in order to avoid accidents with civilian planes. If you are going to eventually have an air mode, any of you, you're going to have to pilot with me first."