Rumors and Confessions

[niyazi-a.livejournal.com]

PG-13
Bayverse, Sky and Ground AU
Megatron, Soundwave, Barricade, Thundercracker
refs to noncon

 

“They have been back an entire solar cycle,” Megatron muttered.  The implication was clear.  It should have worked by now.

Soundwave’s panels rustled.  Being shipbound was beginning to wear on him. He hated his bot mode, the pull of gravity on his panels, the ungainly locomotion of walking.  He was chafing under that as much as Megatron’s control.  He was more accustomed to the open space, able to move at will.  Freedom, space, silence.  Here, he felt continually crowded, constrained. Trapped. 

Megatron, of course, did not help that impression. And if Soundwave was any judge, Megatron knew of Soundwave’s groundbound discomfort.  And fed it, it seemed. Soundwave recognized it for what it was: a power play, a control maneuver.  That didn’t prevent it from chafing, though, from tugging down his solar storage panels.

“These matters do not follow the same timetables as open combat,” Soundwave said, forcing his tone bland. He was also surprised that the grounder hadn’t blurted the news of their violation to the jets as soon as they had arrived: he’d spent the last solar on an edge of confrontation, knowing they’d come after him first, the weaker of the two.  Or so they thought.

“They need to be brought down,” Megatron said. “Their insolence cannot be endured.”  Despite, Soundwave thought, the fact that Megatron had endured it for decacycles. 

Soundwave said nothing for a long moment, his panels ruffling. “It will be all the sharper when it does come out; that Barricade has been deceiving them.”

“He has deceived them long enough.” Definitive.  Soundwave knew Megatron was not the best judge of this: his own impatience overrode finesse.  But even Soundwave could not countermand his orders, even implicit ones.  He bowed his head, feeling the pull of gravity like a hateful sluggishness against his mandible plates.

“Yes, my lord. I shall attend to it.”

 

[***]

Barricade pulled the console pad over to himself, leaning over the blue torso. Little dots froze into position on the tactical data display. He’d been trying to teach Thundercracker ground combat tactics.  Thundercracker’s way of trying to reach out. Or at least that’s what Barricade thought. Though he strongly suspected that Thundercracker had been…highly encouraged/bullied into it by Skywarp and Starscream. Which he would have paid good credits to see. Even more credits to have the thing on video.

Still, the blue jet was trying to learn, which was something.  He guessed.  “See?”  He lit up a grouping. “Have to take advantage of the landscape for concealment.”

“Yes. I got the concept,” Thundercracker snapped.  “This is not difficult.” 

“Just showing you.”  Skywarp had found this stuff fascinating when he’d shown him. 

“Yes, I know,” the jet said, sharply. “Just…this is much simpler than aerial combat. Very easy to grasp.” An obvious intent to be insulting.  

Barricade flicked his window-wings, letting the insult roll off his back.  “Sorry to bore you.”

“Oh, I’ve gotten used to it around you.  Nice break from you, it was.  Just the three of us, like old times.”

A dart that pierced deeper than Thundercracker’s talons ever could.  Barricade’s window wings quivered. “He missed me,” Barricade said, quietly. “I know he did.”

Thundercracker’s mouth pinched, disgruntled. “Yes. And,” the optics narrowed, no longer even pretending to study the display. “You worried him. Probably jealous. Couldn’t let us be.”

Barricade went rigid.  He squeezed down upon the bond protocols, determined to let nothing out. Oh Primus.  Skywarp had been worried.  He hadn’t kept it to himself. He forced a tight smile onto his mouthplates.  “Didn’t mean to worry him.  Just so…boring.” 

He felt the blue jet’s optics hard on him, the jet suddenly going very, very still. 

“Barricade.”  The voice was sharp, penetrating.

Barricade forced his optics—the upper set—to meet the other’s gaze.  “Thundercracker,” he said, trying to inject it the word with disdain.

“What. Happened.” 

Barricade broke the gaze. “Nothing.”

A blue hand clamped over his hand on the console, compressing the wrist tire. “You can tell me, or I can tell Skywarp you’re lying.”

Barricade’s talons scraped across the console, curling into a fist.  Unfair. Dirty. Low. 

“I can force through your bond protocol,” Thundercracker said. His voice was loose, relaxed, though the wingflaps over his shoulders rustled.  Probably excited.  Certainly not anxious. Ready enough to put action to words. 

Barricade glared, his mouth plates grinding together. 

“The Quaterne,” Thundercracker murmured. “Or are you, in the end, a coward?”

An obvious goad, but one that raked like fire across Barricade’s processor.  Burning away everything except his outrage at the insult.  A choking sound burst from his vocalizer. 

The hand on his wrist tire turned somehow more gentle, one thumb curling under into Barricade’s palm.  “Speak.” Thundercracker spoke it as a demand, but Barricade somehow knew he was doing it to help him, make it seem less like a confession than a soldier following orders.

His window wings shook. The last time this had happened—to Starscream—Thundercracker had almost died.  But that was Starscream, and not…him.  Sad, pathetic, brutal statement, but if there was one of the Quaterne he could trust not to throw his life away in some futile beautiful gesture for him…it was Thundercracker. Skywarp—he couldn’t.  And Starscream’s gentleness would break him open, shatter him.  Thundercracker’s taut disdain would force him to hold together. 

If he could.

His optics held all the pleading his vocalizer could not carry. Please find a way to minimize the pain of this for Skywarp.  Please. 

“S-soundwave,” he began, his voice papery and dry.

[***]

Soundwave did not often ‘fret’, but he was doing so now, and it was an unpleasant experience that he’d already noted not to repeat. Unless, as now, it was absolutely necessary.

Megatron had ordered him to expedite the discovery of the event he was already feeling some small measure of regret for. Not, of course, for Barricade.  Lesser Decepticons were all simply tools for their master’s use. Soundwave, unfortunately, occasionally among them.  And Barricade, and through him the Quaterne,  had done enough to defy Megatron to call for some significant reprisal.  So Soundwave’s regret was simple: that he himself was vulnerable in the event, and the longer he stayed trapped on the ship, by Megatron’s directive, the more vunlerable he was to the possibility of three very angry warrior jets. 

He had to get into space, where he’d be safe. The sooner, the better.

But first, one mission. He had to handle this with subtlety, viewing it as a test by Megatron (who was, after all, always testing the loyalty of his mechs), to risk himself. He would have to plan this, manage this, carefully.  And who better than Skywarp’s old flame?

“Onslaught,” Soundwave said, hitting comm. “I would like to speak with you.”  Manage you. Control what must be your jealousy, your envy.  Just plant a seed, a story.  That Barricade had been with Megatron.  That anything bad had happened.  Gossip and rumor was always trailing in tatters and half-truths.  He would find a way.

 

 

Comments

[flamekaat.livejournal.com]

GAHQLAFRKWHAT? oooh dramtics are in evidence once again. No quaterne cuddles to be seen and poor barricade.

[crimsonseastorm.livejournal.com]

Poor 'Cade... though I think Thundercracker cares for him a great more than he lets on sometimes and maybe that's bleed through from the other two or it could genuinely be him realizing that Cade isn't all that bad. Either way he doesn't want the Quaterne messed with and I don't think Cade quite considered that...

Hmmm I wonder whether Onslaught will actually pass a rumor from Soundwave around or if he would verify it first *muses*

Should be interesting to see their reactions XD

Awesome job!

[kurichi-chan.livejournal.com]

I had a feeling that Thundercracker would be the first to know ^^ As for Soundwave's plot, it's not going to work. Onslaught found Barricade. It just confirms who did it.

You tease me by stopping at Barricade uttering Soundwave's name >.<

[shanfiction73.livejournal.com]

!!! Good for Thundercracker - whether he does it out of caring for the Quaterne or for Barricade himself, he is trying to figure out what is wrong and make it right. I can't wait to see what he does - hopefully he won't get his aft thrown in the brig for assaulting Megatron or Soundwave again. That would be bad...

Heh that Soundwave tries to spread the gossip through Onslaught first. I don't think Ons is going to fall for that as easily as Soundwave thinks. Even if he hadn't found Barricade after the actual assault, he's been aware of how much Barricade loves Skywarp as long as or longer than anyone.

Soundwave feels safe in space. Tsk tsk 'Wave... you should know that there is no true safety from Seekers - not even in space. I hope that ground tactics may play into things in a later story.

[playswithworms.livejournal.com]

I really like the description of the way Soundwave is feeling trapped and pulled down by gravity.

if there was one of the Quaterne he could trust not to throw his life away in some futile beautiful gesture for him…it was Thundercracker
*nods* Not that he doesn't care, but this might just be the best choice for Barricade to tell, as far as keeping his wits about him goes. Hmm, Soundwave...I'm not so sure you'll be safe, even in space....

[riventiana.livejournal.com]

It's nice to see Thundercracker stepping up to the plate more recently! Oh there's impending drama and I can't wait to see how this'll go. Badly for Soundwave, I suspect.

[arirashkae.livejournal.com]

Pffffft! I'm sorry, Barricade's plight is really tugging at the heartstrings (go Thundercracker!), but frankly, I find Soundwave's plight hysterical. He really has no clue about Seeker social dynamics (at least these Seekers), does he?

Does he really think Onslaught is jealous of Barricade? Oh, pleasepleaseplease let us take a peek in Onslaught's head for a bit!

OK, I'm going back to reread the Barricade bits so I stop giggling madly. It's really not an appropriate response to this plot arc. :>_<:

[linnet-melody.livejournal.com]

*GNAWING FINGERNAILS!*

[ithilgwath.livejournal.com]

*has just realized my bottom lip is bleeding from gnawing at it in worry and angst*