A Mute Friendship

Procedure... Success.

Soundwave worked for several hours on the small human youth, worry and apprehension gnawing away at his spark like a starved scraplet chewing on the scraps of a Cybertronian. Thoughts rushed through his processor at high speed.

What if it fails and Orion is only further handicapped? Soundwave thought inwardly as he continued to work. It will be all my fault.

Soundwave had locked the bond between himself and Lazerbeak, to keep her oblivious to his thoughts and feelings.

The simbiote bounced around the room, and when she wasn't doing that, she was flapping around his head, not daring to attempt a landing for fear of jostling her master's arms as he worked.

Lazerbeak was no fool. She could easily guess at what her master might've been thinking and feeling, but it hurt her that he would go so far as to lock her away.

The tall Decepticon worked, trying to ignore Lazerbeak's sudden restlessness due to the blocked bond, trying to completely focus on Orion.

"Be still." Soundwave finally spoke, stopping what he was doing to look at the simbiote, who stopped hopping around and sat quietly near Orion's head.

With the distraction of Lazerbeak ended, Soundwave went about with the second to last stage of Orion's transformation, integrating the Cybertronian steel into the youth's body.

Soundwave worked slowly and carefully. This was not the time to make a mistake. Not a time for his fingers to slip, or for his arms to jostle. Not a time to take his focus from the human boy that had so willingly and trustfully placed his life and future into his servos.

Closing his eyes briefly, Soundwave took a few deep breaths, focusing his mind and locking away all other distractions before opening them and working again.

Lazerbeak watched him quietly, watching her master's movements, sensing his tension and unease. She had known him for millennia, lived within him. She could recognize the nervous tick of his lip, the tension in his every muscle, the locked joints. She crooned softly once in comfort, unable to give it through their bond, before falling silent again.

Soundwave spared a glance for his simbiote, reaching out one hand to trail his fingers along her wing before turning back to Orion, manipulating his body to accept the somewhat foreign metal from his body.

Almost there. Almost. Soundwave thought inwardly, holding a steel plate beneath Orion's ribcage as he installed the final piece.

Finally, with relief flooding through him, Soundwave stepped away from the human youth, glancing at the monitors.

Everything seemed fine. Orion's body had accepted the steel implants, and was accepting the Energon that would replace his lost human fluids with ease.

Soundwave allowed a rare smile to tug at his face as he looked over at Lazerbeak, who chirped loudly in excitement.

Looking back at the monitors, Soundwave brought up another file. Because Orion had a processor, he would be able to speed along several areas of the youth through downloading information.

Soundwave moved back over to Orion's side, starting the final stage of downloading Cybertronian information into him. Because it was so immature, he would have to give little snips at a time, and, even with the information being downloaded, Orion would still have to practice them in order to learn.

Rolling the black-haired boy over onto his side, Soundwave held Orion's head still as he slid a needle into his neck, beneath the skull, carefully. Once it was in all the way, the tall mech taped it in so that no movement would jostle it.

Moving over to the console, Soundwave brought back up the file, selecting several different ones to download into Orion. He chose the basics of the Cybertronian language, the transforming sequence, and a few fighting moves.

Tegan's POV

Tegan felt the darkness around him begin to ebb. Felt the delirious fantasy world leaving to hide itself in his subconscious.

Shifting uncomfortably, he tried to remember what had happened. He felt that his body was heavier... Much heavier. He felt dull, throbbing pain all over, punctuated by sharp jabs every little while.

Groaning softly, Tegan tried to lift an arm, finding himself unable to do so.

Download in Progress... 43%

Tegan inwardly frowned at the sound. What? He thought. Where am I? Who is that? The thoughts assaulted the youth one after the other as he shifted again.

Download in Progress. The annoying voice repeated. 56%

Arching his back slightly, Tegan felt a sharp jab of pain in the back of his neck, followed by hands pushing him back down. Who is that? Tegan inwardly thought as he tried to turn his head towards where the touch had come from. And why can't I see anything?

Download in Progress... 72%

What the hell? Tegan thought, laying silently under the hands that continued to hold him down. He shook his head again, annoyed by an irritating buzz at the base of his skull. The hands moved from his shoulders to hold his head still.

Download in Progress...97%

Tegan lay silently now, just trying to remember what was going on. What had happened. Where he was. It upset him that he couldn't remember anything.

Download... Complete.

Finally, the hands moved from his face, and Tegan felt himself being rolled onto his side, followed by a painful feeling in the back of his neck, as if something were being slid out of him.

There was silence, but he was beginning to find it easier to move. Easier to feel. Faint footsteps reached his ears.

Tegan turned his head towards the sound. I wonder who that is? He thought before he felt a jolt of shock. Wait... Footsteps? How can I hear footsteps? His mouth opened in shock when a voice now reached his ears. It was soft and slightly rasped from lack of use, but he heard it. And it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. He turned his head as he listened.

"Procedure... Success."