Chapter 94 – Engagement of Politics

(OPOV)

Optimus waited.

His Kae was sound asleep on his chest plates again, laying beneath his hand.

Their engagement party was this evening.

Brilliant beautiful femme.

Galloway was going to be there, but so was the President.

Will and his Sarah and Anabelle. Every bot, several of them bringing their own human... Optimus cycled his processors and looked down at his Kae contentedly, and all the while, he would hold her hand.

So close, he could feel her heart beating, a soft, gentle sound, all but masking the sweet hum of her spark.

No wonder they hadn't recognized it.

His Kae opened her eyes and smiled at him.

Optimus could go to the well content, so long as that smile was with him.

"Always," his Kae whispered softly. So close to his spark. She crawled to his face and pressed a gentle kiss to his jaw.

"So I get to hold you in my hand for the entire day?" Optimus rumbled softly.

"Taking advantage of the single processor I have running, which has not even come online yet is cheating." she told him drowsily.

Optimus couldn't help but smile.

"This evening you," Kae stated with a low snort. "I have preparations to make, so unless you want to hold me in your hand in my shower, except you'd squash my shower, and most of my quarters in the process, and I need those for later."

Optimus snorted and sat up, his Kae already sliding down her ladder.

"You know, tradition states that before a celebration, a guardian and his reliant bathe together," he rumbled with a small smirk.

"Yeah well last one to the decontamination chamber," she stated flatly. Optimus frowned. What?

His Kae turned around and smirked at him.

Then took off running.

Last one to the decontamination chamber...

Does a thorough wash cycle on the other. Optimus laid back for a moment, smirking. It took Kae precisely five point four minutes to run from their quarters to the decon chamber.

It took him twenty five steps.

He rose and idly shrugged out of his armour, striding toward the doors.

As his opened, an armour-less Ratchet stared at him from the doors of his own quarters. Ironhide strode down the corridor, stopped, stared at the two of them and burst out laughing.

"I'm stashing my stuff at your place, youngling." he rumbled, idly shoving his way past Optimus and disengaging his armour in a corner. "What've I told you about leaving your armour all over the floor?" he demanded.

Optimus began laughing, he couldn't help it, today was a special occasion.

::. Calling all bots.:: he sent over the Primary, laughing ::. All bots, if they so wish, are ordered to the decon chamber, it is a day of celebration, after all. Armour is optional.::

::. He's back!.:: Bumblebee chirped gleefully.

The primary promptly began howling.

Optimus smirked and fairly sauntered to the wash bay.

He couldn't see Mikaela.

::. Already inside.:: Sideswipe sent to him with a snort, striding toward the corridor to store his own armour in his quarters.

::. You may use my quarters to stash your armour.:: Optimus sent to he and Jolt both.

::. On it!.:: Sides sent cheerfully.

::. Thank you, but my armour could use a wash...:: Jolt sent shyly, smiling at him.

He nodded to the technician and walked through the door, met by soft blue light and a vision to pop his processors.

Mikaela was already stripped down, sitting on one of the lower berths, legs crossed as she meditated. He immediately strode in and delicately scooped her up, sitting on the high berth and depositing her on his leg.

Her only movement was to facilitate him picking her up, and to squirm slightly on his leg into a comfortable spot for the both of them.

"I don't know why I like the light in here so much, but I do," she murmured softly, a hand lightly stroking his leg as she did.

"Because it's the light you thrive on, the light that damages filtered away," Ratchet told her, again.

Kae smiled and Optimus onlined his holoform, stroking his beautiful femme. She leaned back against his chest, humming in soft contentment.

"Saps," Ironhide snorted.

"Uh huh," Mikaela nodded contentedly, opening an eye to smile as Chromia cuddled against her mech. "Hi pot, my name is kettle."

(WPOV)

Will watched with a grin as his men all lined up well ahead of schedule.

Just in time to watch as the entire entourage of bots strode, laughing, out of the decon chamber. Completely sans armour.

Will was thankful, again that Kae had fixed his hearing, size alone wasn't enough for him to tell that lot apart. Except Optimus, of course. But that didn't count, he towered. Bumblebee and Sideswipe were shoving at each other lightly, laughing their tailpipes off.

"Scrap! Humans! Run!" Bumblebee called out with a laugh. The little scout promptly picked his way through the amassed crowd, making absolutely sure to not squash anyone and took off jogging down the corridor.

Optimus was chuckling.

"Major," he nodded, "I shall return momentarily."

"Why?" Will laughed at the bot. "Everybody's going to be here in five hours, nothing's happening at communications."

Optimus looked down at him with a raised brow ridge.

"Then why is everyone lined up?" he rumbled curiously.

"Because it's a really good excuse to watch the lot of you wandering around naked?" Jacobs called out with a broad grin.

Optimus snorted, shaking his head.

"If you wished to do that, simply ask," the bot chuckled, wandering toward the corridor.

"What!?" Will shouted after the bot.

"As nice as the armour looks, Major, it is not that comfortable," Optimus snorted in amusement, already out of sight of the soldiers. "Besides, it is nothing more than an advanced forcefield holding it in place..."

Will glanced at his men surrounding him, a good number looking about as shocked as he felt.

"They're aliens, leave it at that," Epps laughed at him.

He could do that.

(MPOV)

Out of sight of the soldiers, I stayed in my Optimus' spark chamber, trying not to laugh as Bumblebee ran off, laughing.

Optimus strode to his quarters and smirkingly deposited me on his berth.

I laughed and slid down my ladder, scampering into my room and pulling out my dress. That got hung up. First came my day-clothes, I had preparations to make.

Central needed to be re-vamped.

Optimus said I could run the complex for a month with the cell I'd made. I wanted to try that out.

"Kae?" my Optimus rumbled curiously.

"Work to do!" I called out cheerfully, sprinting out through his quarters. I ran to the Central and scanned the area. Nobody around. I shut the doors and smirked to myself. Locking them.

It'd take Optimus hours to figure that lock out.

And with out a doubt, he'd spend those hours trying to figure it out.

Sure enough, in fifteen minutes the door tried to open, made it an inch and closed again.

::. Kae?.:: my Optimus' voice rumbled curiously.

::. Working.:: I sent to him cheerfully.

The door tried to open again.

::. Why is the door locked?.:: he rumbled curiously.

::. Because it's a surprise.:: I stated blandly.

The door tried to open again.

::. How the scrap...:: Optimus rumbled with a frown. I grinned, and let him feel my grin.

The door tried to open again.

::. Quit trying to peek.:: I sent to him cheerfully.

::. How'd you do that?.:: Ironhide sent with a laugh, the door tried to open again.

::. Oh, Optimus will figure it out eventually.:: I sent back blandly.

Silence for a moment.

The door tried to open again.

::. Maybe there's a wedge behind it?.:: Ironhide rumbled curiously.

Nope.

::. ...No... it would be registering as such...:: Optimus rumbled musingly.

I snorted in amusement and focused again, growing the neural network and causing it to twine into a Cybertronian grand central. There were comfortable benches for the bots, and chairs and alcoves lining the walls.

::. Flare, Chrome, Cee, ready and waiting for you.:: I sent cheerfully.

::. But the door's locked!.:: Arcee stated with mild indignation.

::. So?.::

Arcee snorted, and in moments the femmes were rolling in.

Optimus took a step forward and the doors closed again.

"Now that's just cruel," Chromia giggled as Optimus grumbled a few choice oaths and continued trying to figure out the code I'd used.

"It's something for him to do rather than trying to fret," I chuckled.

"Mm, true," Arcee chuckled, bringing out bouquets of flowers from subspace. They got placed around, the buffet table set.

Done.

The four of us trooped out, the doors closed.

Optimus looked down at me with the most adorable mixture of consternation and amusement, Sideswipe, Ironhide and Bumblebee lounging against the wall and watching. I shot him an innocent look and let the girls whip me away to my quarters.

"So how did you manage it?" Chromia asked conspiratorially.

"It's keyed to his size," I snorted, "once he's stepped thirty feet from the door and stops trying to get in. He'll get in."

"You know he's never going to stop trying," Arcee snorted.

"Precisely," I laughed.

"Now that, is sneaky," Flare giggled.

"Optimus," Arcee stated aloud in a fond tone. "Do you want to know the code?"

"No, allow me to figure it out," Optimus rumbled over the primary. I couldn't help the smile, he might curse that lock, but that sure as the pit burned didn't mean he wasn't going to enjoy the puzzle.

The four of us burst out laughing and started getting ready for the evening.

Twenty minutes later.

"Do I get a hint?" Optimus rumbled.

"I coded it with you in mind, beloved," I told him with a laugh.

Silence for a moment.

"Okay, try doing what you never do," Bumblebee stated with a frown.

Silence.

"Which is?" Optimus rumbled with a laugh.

"You never stop trying," Ironhide snorted. "Walk away, walk back."

"Too easy of a hint," I stated with a snort as Chromia deposited me on a chair.

"Whoaaaa!" Bumblebee gasped the next moment. A moment later, Optimus' holoform was kneeling in front of me, an awestruck look in his eyes.

"Is it okay?" I asked innocently.

"It is perfect," he whispered before thinking became incredibly difficult.

He was, after all, a highly skilled kisser.

"You! Away!" Arcee commanded after a moment.

"But..." Optimus rumbled immediately.

"This, is femme time. Out!" Arcee laughed at him.

"We will, however, continue this later," I smirked, pressing a final kiss to his holoform's lips.

He grinned and winked out, and I smiled at my sisters as we began in on the universal tradition of femmes: transforming from our day-selves, to the drop-dead-gorgeous appearance designed entirely to making our respective prospective mates, stare.

(OPOV)

Optimus onlined his holoform, wearing the suit that Arcee had chosen for him. He idly straightened the jacket as he stood, waiting with Ironhide, Ratchet and Sideswipe for their femmes to make an appearance.

"Are femmes ever on time?" Sideswipe murmured.

"Are you expecting her to be?" Will murmured with a snort.

"Sort of?"

"Then no, on a special occasion, any female is going to spend an extra bit of time primping to ensure that they look as gorgeous in their own mind as we already know they are." Will smiled tolerantly as his Sarah walked in, toddling Anabelle on her hip and beaming at her mate.

Anabelle promptly held her arms out for her father, babbling cheerfully.

Optimus couldn't help but smile.

She was telling her father her plans for her conceivable evening.

Ironhide was chuckling at her plans.

The humans looked at them curiously.

∂May I translate your words for you, cherished one?∂ Optimus rumbled with a small smile, reaching out and gently taking the tiny creature's hand.

"Good good," Anabelle stated cheerfully, beaming at him.

"Anabelle says that she wants to spend the first bit of time while it is calm with her father, and then once everything has gotten busy she's going to make her rounds. She wants to see how many people will pick her up and hold her tonight." Optimus informed Will with a smile.

∂Going to start making conquests cherished one?∂ Ironhide asked cheerfully.

∂Gonna see who we should be trusting,∂ Anabelle stated seriously. She promptly wound her arms around Will's neck, laying her head on his shoulder. ∂How do I say I love you daddy?∂ she added quietly.

Optimus smiled at her, speaking the words, first in Cybertronian then English.

"I wuv you daddy," Anabelle stated comfortably.

Will turned slightly, ducking his head.

"As I love you, my baby girl," he choked softly. Anabelle glanced at Optimus.

∂As I love you, my baby girl,∂ Optimus translated softly. Anabelle promptly snuggled into her father.

∂I'm catch a fast nap, wake me up when the fun starts,∂ she mumbled softly, promptly falling asleep on Will's shoulder.

"She says she is going to catch a fast nap, and wants to be woken when the fun starts," Optimus translated with a smile.

"You get all of that from her?" Will asked softly.

"She really speaks Cybertronian?" Sarah interjected with a smile.

"Of a type," Optimus smiled. "Her speech patterns are close to those of our own younglings. So long as the intent is behind the word, I have processors to translate it."

"So if I said ab dub dub?" Sarah asked curiously.

"Then I hear you saying ab dub dub, there is no intent behind the word," Optimus smiled. "However spoken somewhat faster, in warrior's frequency it means how fare you. In Predator's frequency it means are you dead yet. Essentially the same context, but frequencies are frequencies."

"Then what does it mean in your language?" Will asked with a grin. Optimus frowned in thought.

"There is..." he rumbled with a frown.

"There isn't really a translation, ΩSpeaktruth,Ω the language of the Primes flows more. Where as Killspeak is far more abrupt." Mikaela stated calmly, Optimus turned to look at his femme and almost sat down on the floor. Almost, his Weapons Master had calmly caught hold of his holoform's arm.

"Kae," he whispered.

ΩMy Optimus,Ω his Kae smiled at him, walking forward and delicately taking his hands.

ΩMy Archangel,Ω he rumbled softly, smiling and leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her lips. ΩEvery day, in my eyes, you outshine every creature. This night you are more beautiful than any who sought my eyes.Ω

"If you don't stop that, you'll make me cry, then Chromia will be furious that I destroyed the effort she made on my makeup." his Kae murmured.

But she still smiled and pulled herself up by his shoulders to press a lingering kiss to his jaw. Optimus contentedly wound his arms around his Kae.

"So what'd he say?" Will murmured, nudging Ironhide.

"No idea, language of the Primes. Again." Ironhide snorted.

"He's just being a flatterer, again," his Kae teased him gently.

"But we cannot lie in ΩSpeaktruth,Ω and to flatter is to lie," Optimus rumbled with a small smirk.

"Only you," Kae smiled at him. They turned, and Optimus offered his arm to his beloved, smiling as she lightly placed her hand on his forearm.

"So what did he say?" Ironhide muttered to Kae.

Mikaela promptly began blushing.

"Ooh, that means it's got to be good!" Chromia murmured with a small smirk.

"Please?" Sarah asked cheerfully.

Optimus smiled.

"I said every day, in my eyes, you outshine every creature. This night you are more beautiful than any who sought my eyes," Optimus stated calmly.

"You never did do anything by half," Ironhide snorted beside him.

"Which is why he doesn't have enough conquests," Arcee murmured with a small smirk. "With a pickup line like that, he winds up with a life-mate first try."

Optimus snorted in amusement.

"What, like you?" Kae asked innocently.

"Mm, gorgeous as your mate is, my sister, I believe I shall retain my medic," Arcee stated airily. "He is far more fun to yell at."

"Huh?" Will muttered.

"He doesn't fall over himself apologizing," Ironhide snorted, lightly whacking Optimus.

"Oh be nice. When people yell at my beloved it's because he stepped on something," Mikaela stated blandly.

"Is there anything that he hasn't wound up stepping on?" Sideswipe put in cheerfully.

"Me," Kae nodded seriously. Optimus fought to bite back a snort of laughter.

"That's a bit harsh isn't it?" Will muttered with a snort.

"Optimus has a betrothed, tonight we celebrate that fact as humans. As bots? We celebrate that Prime is now fair game." Flareup smirked.

"Fair game?" Sarah asked with a laugh.

"For the verbal kicking," Optimus snorted. "Essentially, up to the point that I will literally have to command it cease, once more, in every off moment they will be using me as cannon fodder for gossip."

"Except it's Optimus, he's not going to command it. Youngling rip." Ironhide snorted.

Optimus grinned as his Kae smiled, guests began arriving, and the night began.

(MPOV)

I smiled as I made the rounds, my Optimus' true body was sitting comfortably among the other bots, his holoform sitting with the President, the General, the Major and the CIA director. I'd excused myself from that conversation an hour ago, further politics demanding that I play the part of a hostess. Optimus would no doubt fill me in on what had been said later.

But by the look of that conversation, things were finally going to begin moving.

The femmes sparkled, garnering the attention of a good few males in the room. The fact that this was technically my engagement party? That didn't matter, I was quite happy to fade into the background, the politics were finally reaching the point of manageability. That was the real point of this party.

I felt a moment of melancholy, my human family wouldn't see me married and happy, hell, not even Victor was alive. I could practically hearing him laughingly advising me to poison Galloway, the man had been shunted to the side, and was getting quite tipsy at this point.

Easy target.

I shook my head wryly and briefly considered adjourning to my quarters.

But that wouldn't work, even if it was now three in the morning, and at this point I would be moving to the mats to run through my sequences, I had to remain to play hostess.

Besides, Anabelle was currently ensconced in the rocking bed, Ironhide, Chromia, Ratchet, Arcee, Sideswipe and Flare all taking turns keeping an eye out for her.

Sarah was looking somewhat tired and forlorn in a corner, I was immediately at her side.

"Did you want me to show you to the guest quarters?" I murmured with a small smile. "Or rather, would you prefer to simply use mine? I'll like as not stay with my Optimus tonight."

Sarah was immediately shooting me a grateful smile, delicately linking her arm with mine as we walked the circuit. The moment we were in the corridor she looked at me sadly.

"I can't tell which is the politics, and which is you," she murmured quietly.

"How do you mean?" I asked quietly.

"How much of this party..." she trailed off.

I began laughing quietly.

"You know? The entirety of this party is for the politics," I smiled at her. "The human style wedding, all of this hoo-hah, that's for the politics. Bonding to my Optimus, and knowing that eventually, there will never be a force to separate us, that is me.