Fatal

Chapter 13: Lost

Jack's POV

        I never really realized Miko was gone until she burst through the Ground Bridge, tear stains all over her face. "What happened?" I asked. She sniffled. "See for yourself." I looked to the Ground Bridge and gasped. Ratchet and Optimus were towing a Decepticon through the Bridge. It was Soundwave. A bird thing and a cat thing trailed sadly behind the two. There was only two questions; Why is there a Decpticon in base, and how will my mother take this?

        My mom is a mystery. You will never know what her answer will be until she gives it. I watched in silent horror as Optimus hulled the injured TIC to the Med-Bay. Ratchet kept muttering about the 'poor, poor youngling'. I scowled at the three bots in the room that were still conscious. "Why are we bringing a fragging Decepticon into the base?! I could understand a dead drone! But this is Soundwave!" I shrieked. 

        Ratchet fixed his optics on me. "Stay here. Don't move. Wait for Bulkhead and Arcee to return and do not talk to them over the comm links. Optimus and I will be out later to talk to you all. Be patient." And with that, the medic left. Following Optimus to the Med-Bay, where the Communications Officer to the Decepticons was being kept.

Rtachet's POV

        Poor, poor youngling. No mech, Autobot and Decepticon alike deserved to be hurt in such a way. No one. I could tell Soundwave was a youngling by the waves of fear, loneliness, and most of all, a longing that only comes off sparklings and younglings. That made me wonder, though... How old is Soundwave? 

        The first thing I got to work on was sealing the gaping wound in Soundwave's chassis. It was sizzling and smoking and looked all around painful. No wonder he passed out. "Will he live, old friend?" Optimus asked me. I shrugged, not looking up. "I don't know. He won't offline from the wounds or the Energon loss, but he might from the mental stress, just the amount is shocking, especially for a youngling. I fear that if we are unable to wake him up, his processor will overload and burn out." I said, the worry was evident in my voice. 

        I fear this youngling may not be able to see morning...

Soundwave's POV

        I was floating. Just simply floating. My body felt weightless and free, my aches and pains were gone and I no longer was cramping. My processor also felt clear. I still had my memories, but they just didn't feel painful. Was I offline? Was I traveling to the Well Of Sparks? No. I didn't deserve it. Did I? 

        Then, I saw a flickering screen. It looked like a cloud of mist with images on it. It was showing me my previous Spark-Day.I saw Laserbeak and I on the Nemesis, getting ready for the day off. Laserbeak was jumping on my shoulder in joy as the Space Bridge fired up. I walked inside and found myself at my favorite place on Earth. It was a small hill with a meadow below. Flowers and wildlife ran around happily and a small, cool stream flowing amount the tree line. I watched as dream-me walked over to the stream and sat down in it. I remembered the feeling of soft, cool water soaked my armor and soothed me. 

        The cloud-screen changed the images, and this time, it was my seventh vorn Spark-Day. I was sitting at a metal table on Cybertron. Ravage, Laserbeak, Rumble, and Frenzy sat across from me. "Look, boss! We got you a Spark-Day present! Open it! Open it!" I watched as dream-me tore the wrapping foil off the box and I saw it, it was Haiti! The small Cyber-puppy I got! Then the cloud screen went blank and disappeared.

        Haiti was a full-grown Cyberdog by the time I left. I remembered giving her to Rumble and Frenzy before I left to come down to Earth. My spark lurched. I missed all three of them, dearly. Then, I suddenly felt a pain, a small stinging sensation in my spark chamber. My vision blurred, and my gears spun and... I opened my optics. 

        I was lying on a berth in a really white room. I had a mech leaning over me, fusing my chassis back together with great precision. I saw the Prime standing in the corner of the Med-Bay. He was staring sadly at me. "W-what're you l-lookin' at...?" I shakily asked. The medic, Ratchet, I remembered, stopped working, and the Prime's optics focused. "Excuse me?" The medic asked. I pointed a flinching finger at Prime. "He's s-starin' at me like I-I'm a kicked C-Cyber-puppy." I accused. "You are injured badly." The Prime reported. "You are weak at the moment. You need rest." I gaped. "Excuse me, Ratchet, I'll be in later." 

        And with that, the Prime left the room, leaving Ratchet and I staring after him, confusion evident on both our faceplates.