Another Day

[heliopauseentertainments]

Part of MegaSound Week 2023 - Hosted on Tumblr by @mega-wave-superior

Prompt: Day 5 - Protect/Attack

Continuity: IDW1

Rating: Teen

Relationship: Megatron/Soundwave

Characters: Megatron & Soundwave

Warnings: Mild violence & gore, canon-typical disdain for organics

Summary: In which Megatron has to decide between the mission and saving Soundwave.

Crossposting: AO3 | Tumblr

Fic under cut. See AO3 for complete notes

The organics of this world, large and muscled purple things with far too many eyes and limbs, put up a valiant effort against the Decepticons. This planet had escalated into the fifth phase more quickly than usual.

Smoke from the burning city filled the air around Megatron as he stepped over a greasy smear of an organic, recently sublimated from biology to physics via the touch of his fusion cannon.

Three more of the organic’s former comrades scrambled down a crumbling elevated gangway towards a shuttle, their precious cargo in hand. An ornate cube was wrapped in some cloth and hugged against a fleshy chest.

They still thought they could get away.

Funny, as the gangway’s damaged cover looked like it could give at any moment, exposing them all to the planet’s acid rain.

Strangest of all, the Autobots had not—yet—intervened in the conflict. Perhaps they did not care for this particular world, swampy and sulfurous. That was unlikely. The leave to do as they pleased was most unusual, but Megatron wouldn’t spit in the face of opportunity.

Normally, he wouldn’t have considered a world like this, uniquely offensive to their mechanical requirements, a candidate for cyberforming. Sterilization of the organic inhabitants, sure, but not for future Cybertronian colonization.

However, this planet was unique. It had once been a barren rock, terraformed into an organic paradise.

A powerful artifact had been identified by Decepticon agents: a controller for the world’s terraforming system. Megatron could use such an artifact. With it, he could wipe away the noisome swamps and turn this world into a place for his people, a homeworld perfect for phase seven when that glorious day would arrive.

The theft of such an artifact could not be left to his men. This required his personal touch.

Soundwave ran ahead of him on the gangway, knocking stragglers aside with the pressure waves of his powerful speakers.

The way was cleared for Megatron to advance as their enemies plummeted to their squishy deaths far below, pelted by the acidic rain all the way down.

Soundwave had been the only companion Megatron had deigned to bring with him on this mission, the only one he could trust with a matter such as this. No one else would have done.

The organics with the artifact reached their shuttle, fumbling to get its doors open.

Megatron raised his arm, aiming the cannon squarely at the shuttle’s engines to charge a blast.

This needed to end.

One of the artifact bearer’s companions suddenly turned and lobbed something at the gangway’s cover. It exploded above Soundwave, the supports giving way.

For a moment, Megatron felt time and his spark freeze.

Two choices remained: disable the escape shuttle or…

He lowered his arm with a growl before charging towards Soundwave.

His arms stretched up overhead, Megatron caught the fragment of the heavy cover before it could crush his comrade.

The acidic rain cascaded over the sides and trickled through the cracks of the broken structure, burning sharply wherever it came in contact with his plating.

The engines of the shuttle could be heard firing up behind them.

Soundwave, his expression inscrutable as always, looked up at him, safe and secure under his suboptimal umbrella.

“The organics—the artifact is getting away.”

“For now,” he said.

“Shall I pursue?”

Losing this battle did not equate to losing the war. There would be another day to win, another day to take control of this blighted world.

And that day would be worth it because Soundwave would be there to see it.

“No, that won’t be necessary, Soundwave.”