A Mute Friendship

Backup

Tegan stood alone amongst the damage, his room ripped apart. The lamp was shattered, holes punched in the wall from his fist, and desk overturned from the rage he had gone into, red optics staring down at his bloodied hand when he heard the door open.

Turning, the youth thought for a moment that it was Miko, and that he had only dreamed of what had happened... What he had done to her.

"Tegan, I..." His grandmother stood in the doorway, looking around in shock. "Tegan! What happened?" She cried, stepping into the room, her face filled with concern that only further angered the young techno-organic. "You're hurt?" She asked, stunned.

Remembering what he had overheard Megatron and Starscream speak about the way Tegan lashed out in his violence, the young boy backed away. "Get away from me!" He shouted, the elderly woman stopping, eyes wide as she stared at him. "Tegan... Your hand..." She managed, Tegan looking down at the blue energon leaking from between his fingers. "Get out." He hissed, fingers curling into a fist.

Mary looked extremely worried now as she came closer. "Tegan, let me just look..." She tried, crying out in surprise when Tegan pushed her away, shaking from the control it had taken to keep from hitting her... Hurting her... Just like Miko. His mind taunted him.

"I told you to get away from me!" The black-haired youth shouted. "Stay away!"

The woman that had raised him for as long as he could remember backed away, and Tegan felt a surge of guilt that was slowly overcome with a sensation of triumph as he slammed the door shut, falling to his hands and knees... The look of pain, regret and fear on the face of his grandmother threatened to tear at him, but he forced himself to ignore it.

Remaining there for several moments, Tegan finally screamed his hatred for everything... The Autobots.. Optimus Prime... His sire... But especially for himself.

/*\/*\/*\/*\/*\

Everything was tense at the Autobot HQ, with little being said between those present.

Miko had been transported to the hospital in the care of Ratchet and June Darby, the worried mother taking the other two humans along with her, leaving Optimus, Arcee, Wheeljack, Buklhead and Bumblebee alone at the base.

Bulkhead was in a state, the others barely able to keep him calm as he deviated back and forth between wanting to go and wait at the hospital for news on Miko, and tracking down the person that had hurt his little companion.

"Bulkhead. Nothing can be done about it now! Miko's going to be fine!" Arcee tried to console the big mech, who turned away from her in his fear and anger.

Moving up next to his old partner, Wheeljack placed a servo on the green mech's shoulder. "Small bot's right, Bulk... Nothing can be done besides trying to find this Orion kid and trying to figure out what's wrong with him."

Arms crossed over her chassis, Arcee huffed. "Isn't it obvious? The kid's dangerous... He transformed!" She cried loudly, looking at them like they were stupid. "We have to get him before he can get to someone else!" She added.

Silence fell before it was broken by Optimus Prime, who had stood in silent thought for the majority of the time that had passed between Tegan's attack on Miko and the present. "I believe that Tegan is not acting on his own accord." He stated calmly, looking around at his team. "I fear that the Decepticons have their servos within a fair share within his actions." The mech stated. "The only way to get Tegan now, would be through Agent Fowler."

"Someone call me?"

At the voice of the special agent, the present autobots turned, optics alighting on the African-American, who looked from one to the other. "Sorry about the wait, Prime. I got backed up." Fowler stated, looking around at the small group. "So... What's the emergency?"

"What's the emergency?" Bulkhead shouted from where he was, angered. "I'll tell you what the emergency is! A human kid, a Decepticon just injured Miko!"

Agent Fowler stared at Bulkhead for several moments before looking up at Optimus Prime, face grim. "And how does a kid just so happen to be a Decepticon?" He asked, slightly confused by the situation, although he was more concerned about Miko. "How is Miko?"

"She's hurt bad. Ratchet had to bring her to the hospital." Arcee answered from where she stood, Agent Fowler shaking his head and sighing, looking up when Optimus Prime spoke again.

"Agent Fowler... We will need your help in detaining Tegan Crodly." He spoke in his deep bassitone, looking down at their human ally. "I fear that the longer Tegan is free, the more dangerous he will become."

/*\ /*\ /*\ /*\ /*\  

"Relationships, dangerous."

The emotionless voice came from behind him, and Tegan jumped, turning.

The holoform of his healer and friend stood behind him, having come through the window into the damaged room, hidden optics locked on the younger human, who flexed his fingers.

"Orion, foolish to interact with the enemy." Soundwave continued as he looked around the room, Laserbeak alighting on the overturned desk and chirping softly as she cocked her head at the young boy, pitying.

"Miko isn't the enemy!" Tegan responded loudly, fists clenched tightly as he glared at Soundwave, who remained silent, watching him with a strange air as Tegan held up his shaking hands, staring at them. "What's happening to me?" He whispered hoarsely, looking up at Soundwave for aid. "What's it doing to me?"

Soundwave was silent for several moments before speaking again. "Procedure to repair Orion's sight, hearing and speech drew out Decepticon instincts... Violence, anger, hatred, bitterness." The tall human stood still as he watched Tegan from behind his darkened sunglasses. "Orion... Changing."

Tegan shook at the words of the Decepticon, shutting his optics tightly. "Leave me alone." He whispered, turning away from the Decepticon. "Please."

Moving over to the window, Soundwave paused, glancing back at the boy before speaking again. "Orion's new body is ready... Megatron wishes for you to be integrated... But I will wait until you are ready." He stated, finally turning and leaving back through the window when he got no response from the frightened youth.

Collapsing on his bed, Tegan curled up into the fetal position. This wasn't him... He was torn between two raging fronts... If only his mother had been an autobot! Then his traits would've been balanced out, and he wouldn't have the Decepticon side of him ripping apart the human.

Letting out a little sob of pain, Tegan tried to keep the images of Miko lying on the ground of the Autobot base from his processor.