Cover image courtesy of trabloSK. Link to her deviantart page can be found in my profile. Her transformers work is amazing. Thanks, trabloSk, for the awesome image!
Chapter Four: Anniversary Party (Part I)
Today marked the fifty-sixth vorn anniversary of the end of the Great War. In human time, the Autobots had defeated the Decepticons 4,664 years ago. The humans who had befriended the Autobots during their time on Earth and aided them in their fight were all dead and gone, but not forgotten. For many, this was a day of both remembrance and celebration. As Cybertron's capitol city, Iacon was leading the way in many of the anniversary festivities. Memorial services, speeches, parades, and celebratory parties were being held everywhere across the city, not to mention the rest of the planet. There was hardly a bot on all of Cybertron that didn't have plans to somehow commemorate the orn.
The Prime family least of all.
Ironhide, Optimus and Starfall were gathered around the table of their domicile's kitchenette unit, drinking their morning fuel. Ironhide had taken it upon himself to pour their energon cubes that morning: one for himself, half of one for Starfall and three for Optimus. Although there was sure to be energon, coolant, sweets and high grade aplenty at the anniversary party, Optimus rarely ever got to partake of the spread because of his battle mask. Even now, vorns after the end of the war, Optimus still hid his face whenever he went out in public. Ironhide didn't understand why his mate felt the need to continue wearing his mask when there were no longer any battles to wage, but there was no denying the mystique it added to his sparkmate's public façade. Before parties or events that were sure to go all orn, Optimus would make sure he drank enough fuel to last him until he could find a private place to drop his mask again, which, unfortunately, was usually their domicile. Ironhide didn't like drinking and snacking on goodies when his mate wasn't able to, but Optimus had reassured him enough times over the vorns that he didn't mind refraining while others enjoyed that Ironhide felt only slightly less guilty about it now than he did when they were still freshly bonded sparkmates.
Optimus leisurely sipped at his second cube of energon as Starfall chattered on about a sparkling program he'd become interested in on the tele-consol. Optimus listened and nodded indulgently to the little seeker's babble. A content smile pulled at the corners of his lips as Starfall talked and gestured animatedly with his hands.
Ironhide sipped at his own energon in sullen silence. It had been five orns since Starfall came to live with them. Optimus had taken to the role of creatorhood faster than Ironhide ever would have expected. He treated Starfall as if he really was their child. Since bringing him home Optimus had become completely engrossed in the little seeker. All official Prime business had been momentarily put on hold in favor of spending time with their new son. From taking Starfall out to get new furnishings for his room, to buying him a small library of new data pads to read, to spending what felt like every available waking moment with him, Optimus had held nothing back in incorporating Starfall into their family unit.
If only Ironhide shared a fraction of his sparkmate's enthusiasm.
No matter how hard Ironhide tried he couldn't bring himself to spend more than a few moments in the little seeker's presence if Optimus wasn't there to act as a buffer. To date, Ironhide doubted he'd spoken more than a handful of words to Starfall since he'd come to live with them, and only because he'd absolutely had to. Five orns later, Ironhide still found the sight of a miniature Starscream curled against his sparkmate's side as they sat on the lounge watching the tele-consol or Optimus reading to Starfall at night before recharge extremely disturbing. He didn't understand how Optimus could do it. Every time Ironhide looked at Starfall, his processor flashed with memories of the war. He still remembered Starscream standing on the other side of countless battlefields, smirking, as he opened fire on Ironhide and his comrades.
Optimus kept assuring him Starscream was gone - that his sins and worst qualities were all scrubbed away by Vector Sigma. But Ironhide wasn't convinced. He kept seeing little flashes of the Decepticon air commander in Starfall. A flash of his optics here. An amused smirk there. The slight furrowing of his optic ridges as he concentrated on a data pad. His unnerving precociousness. The manipulative way he'd seemed to worm his way into Optimus's spark. All of it reminded Ironhide too much of Starscream. No matter how cute and innocent this reincarnated Starscream seemed, a part of Ironhide kept waiting for Starfall to suddenly remember his former self and do something treacherous against him and Optimus.
Ironhide knew how paranoid such feelings made him look but there was no denying the discomfort he felt whenever he was in Starfall's presence, nor the smoldering kernel of resentment he felt towards Starfall for stealing his sparkmate's time and attention. For so long it had only been him and Optimus. And now suddenly he had to vie for his own sparkmate's attention with this miniature seeker. If he or Optimus had carried a sparkling themselves, it would have been different. That sparkling would have been theirs, through and through. Ironhide would have had time to adjust to the addition of a new member to their family unit instead of having to rearrange his entire routine overnight to accommodate the reincarnation of his most hated enemy. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. Of all the sparklings in the universe why did Optimus have to choose a reformatted Starscream to fill the role of their son?
Starfall seemed to sense Ironhide's dislike for him and noticeably kept his distance from him. If Starfall needed anything, he went to Optimus. He hadn't once tried to approach Ironhide. Ironhide was glad. The less dealings he had with Starfall, the better. He tried to swallow his contempt whenever he was forced to be in the same room as Starfall and be civil towards him if only for his sparkmate's sake, but memories of Starscream always hovered there on the edge of his mind, souring him towards the little seeker.
"Dad, tell me about the bots we're gonna meet today," Starfall said. He leaned forward on the edge of his chair towards Optimus, swinging his thrusters back and forth through the air.
Ironhide scowled around the rim of his energon cube. No matter how many times he heard Starfall address his sparkmate, Ironhide still cringed at the title Optimus allowed Starfall to use. He hated it. All he wanted to do was shout that Optimus was not his father and never would be. Optimus hadn't sparked him, hadn't carried him, didn't have the same frame type as him or even share similar energy-signatures. All he had done was found him in a hatchling facility by chance and taken pity on him because he was so desperate for a sparkling to call his own. Starfall did not deserve to call Optimus father. No matter what Vector Sigma had done to him Starfall would always deep-down remain Starscream and carry with him the taint of his former life. No spark that carried so much sin deserved to call a Prime his creator.
For his sparkmate's sake, though, Ironhide kept such thoughts carefully shielded from his and Optimus's bond. He loved Optimus too much to burden him with his own feelings. Although it physically burned him inside to have Starfall there playacting as their son, Ironhide couldn't bring himself to deny his sparkmate the joy he knew Optimus derived from having a sparkling in his life.
As Ironhide expected, Optimus smiled indulgently at their foster son. "They are the best group of bots you can ever hope to meet, Star. I would trust my life with any of them."
Starfall digested that for a klick of silence. "Do you think they'll like me?" he timidly asked. Worry and self-doubt swam in overlarge, turquoise-blue optics.
Optimus smiled. "I am positive they will. Who wouldn't like a sparkling like you?"
Starfall perked under Optimus's praise. He smiled shyly as little wings fluttered against his back.
Ironhide, however, did not share his sparkmate's optimism. There were many in the old group that were going to take even less of a liking towards Starfall than Ironhide had simply on principle. No matter what strides they'd made in reconstruction after the war, many old grudges still existed towards the war-models of their race. It had been the seekers who had been some of the first to join Megatron's cause and later the ones to cause the most wide-scale destruction to their planet. Few had yet to forgive seekers for their role in the Great War.
Tipping back his cube, Ironhide finished off the last of his energon. "Should we hit the road?" he asked. "Party's suppose ta start in a few breems. With all the celebrations goin' on ta-day there's bound ta be lots of traffic."
Optimus set aside the empty remains of his second energon cube. He leisurely picked up his last one and drank a sip. "No need to hurry, 'Hide," he reassured. "Today is a celebration, not a dignitary meeting. No one will fault us or stall the festivities if we are a little late."
Ironhide inwardly seethed. Before Starfall came to live with them it had always been Optimus who kept one optic permanently trained on the chronometer. As a political leader where punctuality was a reflection of oneself and one's trustworthiness, Optimus never let himself be late or diverge from the arranged schedule. He was on time to the fault. But now that he had a sparkling to entertain him Optimus had overnight, it seemed, decided to blow that steadfast trait of dependability straight out the airlock.
What was this reincarnated Starscream doing to his beloved sparkmate?
Starfall kept up a continuous stream of chatter as Optimus finished his last cube of energon. Optimus seemed completely engrossed in the little seeker's babble. Contentment leaked across his and Ironhide's sparkbond. Every so often he would ask a question or prompt Starfall in a way that the sparkling would start a whole new line of streaming consciousness. Ironhide valiantly kept his side of their sparkbond sealed off so no errant emotions could leak across their bond to Optimus. He had no idea how Optimus could stand it. Starfall did nothing but talk! If anything he seemed to actually enjoy being the little seeker's sounding board. As Matrix-bearer Ironhide knew his sparkmate had more patience in his thumb-digit than most bots had in their entire body, but this went beyond comprehension. Were all sparklings this noisy, or did he and Optimus just have the misfortune of claiming the one sparkling that could never seem to turn his vocal processor off? He still remembered Starscream and the way the Decepticon air commander would continuously screech and monologue. Was that what he had to look forward to with Starfall? Primus help them all if it was.
Finally - blessed finally - Optimus finished his cube of energon. "Shall we go?" he cheerily asked. As the small family got up and began to head for the door, he activated the clasps of his mask. Two plates of metal smoothly slid out from the sides of his helm and locked over his mouth.
Starfall studied Optimus for a klick of thoughtful silence. "Dad, why do you always wear a mask when we go outside?"
The family stepped out the door into the hallway. Ironhide activated the locks behind them. Together, the three stepped onto the lift. Optimus hit the button for the ground floor.
"I suppose because when one is a Prime there is so little of you that can be called private," Optimus replied as they descended. "Everything I do is open for public scrutiny. My face is one of the few things I have that the rest of the world doesn't have access to. That is why I only retract my mask around those I love and care about the most. It is something special I can save for the people I want to share it with."
Starfall frowned. "Why don't you just tell people to mind their own business and leave you alone?"
The Matrix-bearer chuckled. "I'm afraid that's not how things work, Star. I wish it were that easy, though."
"You've let me see your face," Starfall said. "Does that mean I'm one of your special people?"
"Indeed it does," Optimus agreed. Ironhide could hear the smile in his sparkmate's voice. As the lift dinged and the doors slid open, Optimus stooped down to hoist Starfall up into his arms. He settled the miniature seeker in the crook of one arm against his chest and strode out of the lift. Ironhide sullenly followed. "I chose you as my son. That makes you a very special bot to me."
Starfall smiled and melted against Optimus's side. Ironhide swallowed down the surge of disgust that rose in the back of his intake line. His sparkchamber ached with the strain of keeping his emotions from his and Optimus's sparkbond.
The family made their way through the immense lobby of their housing tower and out into the fresh air. Out of the corner of his optic Ironhide saw Starfall's wings flutter against in his back in the light breeze that was blowing. Ironhide and Optimus stepped out onto the transformation lot of their building - a circular area of paved, open space where residents and guests of the apartment tower could transform in and out of vehicle mode before entering or leaving the building.
Optimus looked to Starfall, his optics shining with playfulness. "Ready?"
"Ready!" Starfall chirped.
Holding Starfall close to his chest, Optimus activated his transformation sequence. His armor split apart in a whirl of mechanical parts. Paneling shifted as limbs and armor rearranged themselves into new configurations. Folding down around the sparkling clutched to his chassis, Optimus reformed into an Earth-based semi. Even vorns after they'd returned to their home planet Optimus still had yet to chose a different alt-mode. He was unusually fond of the antiquated human design. In Optimus's cab unit, Starfall was comfortably ensconced in the seat behind his father's steering wheel. Many creators whose children were too young to take on an alt-mode of their own would transport their sparkling in the cabs or cargo areas of their vehicle-modes.
Ironhide followed Optimus's example and transformed into an armored truck. Together, the two pulled out of the lot onto the road. As Ironhide had predicted, countless other citizens of Iacon clogged the thoroughfares and byways. It only got worse as they traveled closer to the center of the city. At one point it got so bad as they were exiting an overpass into the business district that Ironhide completely lost sight of Optimus. It was several klicks before he was able to locate him again in the press of swiftly moving vehicles and retake his place behind him.
Finally, they pulled off the road into the transformation lot of an impressive high-rise building. It was the Stellar Gate, Iacon's foremost temporary lodging establishment. Any high-ranking official or business-mech who visited Iacon and wanted to show off his wealth or power stayed there. Countless business deals and political agreements had been struck inside the Stellar Gate's walls. It was the most respected and highly sought after place to hold a formal function in all of Iacon, and for the last fifty-six vorns the place Optimus Prime and those who had served under him on Earth celebrated the anniversary of their victory.
Ironhide transformed into his root-form in a flurry of armored plates and limbs. Millennia of warfare and body-guarding made him instinctively scan the surrounding area for potential danger. Half a dozen bots stood around the edge of the transformation lot - talking, laughing and otherwise drinking in the relaxed atmosphere of the holiday. Most of them were off-duty Stellar Gate employees, while the others looked to be patrons of the establishment.
Optimus swung his cab door open to let Starfall out. The miniature seeker awkwardly clambered down the side of his father's cab onto the ground. He took several steps back to give Optimus room as he transformed into his bi-pedal form. When Optimus's last plate of armor snapped into place Starfall was instantly by his side again, his wing tip almost brushing the side of Optimus's leg strut he stood so close.
Ironhide felt the optics of all the mechs milling around the lot instantly swing towards them. Usually Ironhide would have written off the attention as awe of being in the Prime's presence. He and Optimus could rarely go anywhere without someone staring at them like they were celebrities. After vorns of being the Prime's sparkmate Ironhide was used to being stared at. But the longer Ironhide stood there the more he began to realize the stares weren't actually directed towards him or Optimus, but rather towards the little seeker standing next to his bondmate.
Starfall earned more than a few double-takes. Several of the off-duty Stellar Gate employees stood together in a small huddle near the hotel entrance, openly staring at Starfall. Even from a distance Ironhide could see them whisper to each other in sharp little bursts of anxious speech. One mech coming out of the Stellar Gate almost tripped over himself in his shock at the sight of the seekerlet. A sharp glare from Ironhide helped him find his pedes again to keep moving. As he shakily walked away Ironhide saw him cast several more backwards glances towards Starfall as though he were afraid the sparkling would suddenly come flying after him.
Their reactions were understandable. Starfall was probably the first seeker anyone had seen outside of Vos since the end of the war. Traditionally, war- and construction-frame types had always made up the poorest and least respected classes of Cybertron. When Megatron had begun to build his army he had done so almost completely from members of those disenfranchised groups. After the war, many of those who had not been found guilty of war crimes had left Cybertron in search of a peaceful existence among their own kind in new off-world colonies. No longer welcome among the Neutrals and Autobots who retook control of the planet, they chose to escape the bigotry and bitterness of those who'd won by leaving it all behind. Such exoduses had put major strains on reconstruction efforts in almost all of Cybertron's city-states. Those construction-models who had chosen to stay on Cybertron were well paid now for their labors, but they were still quietly shunned by the rest of the population. Whether that had actually joined and fought for the Decepticon cause did not matter. They were guilty simply for being what they were.
Before the war, those of war- and construction-frame types could have been found in any of Cybertron's major city-states. There had been no grouping of them in any particular place. Seekers, however, were a different case. They had long-ago established Vos as their own city-state almost completely populated by war-model fliers. After the war the seekers did not leave Cybertron like the rest of Megatron's shattered army, but rather withdrew into the sovereign safety of their city. To this orn, Vos remained an almost completely independent nation from the rest of Cybertron's city-states. Except for a few trade agreements Ironhide knew of between Vos and Iacon concerning the importation of several important raw materials into Vos, Vos had no dealings with any of Cybertron's other cities. Vos was an isolated mystery to the rest of Cybertron. Its citizens never ventured outside the city and Vos did not allow anyone who was not a seeker or native flier in. In the realm of inter-state political relations Vos was almost a non-entity. The last time a representative of Vos's Emirate had come to Iacon had been just before the outbreak of the Great War. Since then, seekers had become what humans called the boogeyman in the optics of the rest of Cybertron's populace.
The whispers around the Prime family only intensified when Optimus stooped down and lifted Starfall once again into his arms. Ironhide felt a surge of annoyed indignation flare from his sparkmate's side of their bond. Holding Starfall close to his chassis - proudly, possessively - Optimus strode towards the entrance. He completely ignored the bots around them as if he didn't even notice their stares. Ironhide quietly fell into step beside him. Although he did not let anything show on his face or let anything slip across his and Optimus's sparkbond, Ironhide could not deny his discomfort. He was proud to be Optimus's sparkmate, proud to love and be loved by the most powerful mech of their race. But at this moment, for the first time in his entire function, Ironhide wished he could disassociate himself from Optimus and the seeklet Optimus had chosen to be their son. For so many vorns Ironhide had fought the Decepticons - earning himself the trust and respect of his men over countless millennia of fighting filled with hardship and spilt energon. And then what did he ultimately go and do but allow the reincarnation of the Decepticon second-in-command into his home and family? It wasn't right. It wasn't proper. It disrespected the memory of all those who had fought and died in the war. Ironhide hated himself for such thoughts. He hated himself for not standing beside his sparkmate in his decision. He hated himself for hating a sparkling deep down in his spark he knew remembered nothing from his previous format. But try as he might he could not look at Starfall without seeing Starscream and feel like he was betraying who he was by taking the seeker in as his son.
The Stellar Gate's main lobby was large and opulent. Thick columns inlaid with imported Altarran crystal filled the immense space. Lounges and chairs were strategically placed in circles around the lobby. A number of guests sat chatting and laughing, as though they had decided to retreat to the lobby for a moment of respite from the main festivities. Ironhide recognized a couple of bots scattered around the room. He spotted Cliffjumper and Hound on the other side of the lobby near a set of windows. From what he could tell they seemed to be in the midst of recounting some old war story. Neither Autobot noticed the Prime family's entrance.
It was just as well, Ironhide reasoned. He was sure they and most of the other Autobots would see them soon enough face-to-face once word of his and Optimus's new son began to make its way through the gossip mill. After the reaction they had received in the transformation lot from a couple of strangers, all bets were off for how their old comrades were going to react to Starfall. He could only hope Optimus's optimism wasn't misplaced.
"Where are we going?" Starfall asked. His head swiveled back and forth and backwards over Optimus's shoulder plate as though trying to take everything in at once. He seemed completely overwhelmed by the massiveness of the hotel and its grandeur.
"Right here," Optimus said, confidently striding down a hallway that branched off the lobby. A set of open door stood at the end of it. The sound of music, laughter and the cacophony of several dozen voices speaking at the same time echoed down the length of the corridor. Starfall noticeably leaned closer to Optimus as though suddenly unsure if he wanted to go closer. His wings flattened against his back struts. Optimus reached up and ran a reassuring hand down Starfall's back. "It's alright," he promised. "These are all of Ironhide's and my old friends we're going to meet."
"It sounds like there's a lot of them," Starfall murmured.
"There are," Optimus agreed. "But none of them are going to hurt you. In fact, I happen to know there's one mech here who's looking forward to meeting you very much."
"There is?" Starfall's optics widened. The idea that someone wanted to specifically meet him seemed to stun the sparkling.
Optimus nodded. The crinkle in the corner of his optics told Ironhide he was smiling behind his mask. "Yes. I have the feeling you are going to like him a lot."
They came to the end of the hallway. A crowd of bots filled the room beyond the doors. Optimus gently lowered Starfall to the ground. Starfall eagerly grabbed hold of the hand Optimus held down to him as though it were a lifeline. Ironhide felt a surge of love pulse across their bond, but it wasn't directed towards him. He fought back a wave of resentment.
"Ready?" Optimus asked.
Starfall did not answer. He gripped Optimus's hand tighter and edged closer to Optimus's leg.
"Let's just get this over with," Ironhide growled. He stepped through the doorway into the reception room. Optimus and Starfall followed.
They were instantly welcomed by half a dozen voices calling out to them. Familiar faces - accompanied by the slightly less familiar faces of their sparkmates and families - surrounded them. There were too many bots for Ironhide to immediately catalogue. Those closest to him he forced a smile towards and raised a hand to in greeting. A cheerful murmur went through the room as others became aware of the Prime and Consort's arrival. Ironhide counted exactly five point two astro-klicks before he saw the first few dubious double-takes towards the sparkling accompanying them. A second wave of murmurs rippled through the reception room. The party continued without any true disruption, but the amount of covert glances being cast towards Starfall was noticeable.
"Dad?" Starfall warily murmured. He began to edge behind Optimus's leg. "Why are they staring at me?"
"It's alright, Star," Optimus assured. He kept a tight grip on Starfall's hand. "They're all just curious about you. Shall I introduce you to some of them so you're not such a mystery anymore?"
Starfall remained quiet, but he allowed Optimus to coax him out from behind his leg.
Ironhide looked around the room. On the other side of the reception hall he spotted a group of mechs drinking cubes of high grade at a table. It was the Wreckers. He recognized Hot Rod, Kup and Springer among them.
"Ah'll be back," Ironhide said. "Ah wanna go say hello ta some of the old crew."
"'Hide," Optimus intoned. "I thought we were going to introduce Star to the others as a family unit."
The last thing Ironhide wanted to do right now was pretend to one big happy family with a reincarnated murderer playacting as his son.
"Yeh go ahead and start taking the kid around. Ah'll catch up in a couple of klicks. Ah'm just gonna go say hi ta Kup and the others real quick an' then ah'll be back."
Ironhide tried to ignore the sting of disappointment that sizzled across their bond from Optimus. Resolutely turning his back on his sparkmate, Ironhide marched away through the crowd of former war comrades towards the group of Wreckers. He hated himself for leaving Optimus like that. He hated himself for not being able to swallow his bitterness and pretend to be happy for his sparkmate's sake. He hated himself for wanting to run away and not have to deal with Starfall anymore.
But he'd hate himself even more if he didn't walk away, have a drink and collect himself before he potentially said or did something he'd later regret.
Optimus stared after Ironhide, hurt bubbling in his spark.
"Dad, where's he going?" Starfall said.
Optimus forced himself to sound happy. "Ironhide just wants to talk to some old friends. He hasn't seen them for a long time." He was skilled in putting on masks and hiding his true emotions from others, but this was the first time he'd ever had to struggle so much to do so. He had been hoping to present Starfall to their friends with Ironhide by his side. Today was supposed to be the day they presented themselves as a family to the world - a real, complete family.
Was that really asking too much?
Now, however, was not the time to wallow in disappointment. Even if Ironhide refused to be a part of it, Optimus was determined to present Starfall to everyone as their son. He spotted Jazz and Prowl coming towards them through the crowd. In his arms, Jazz cradled a small black and white bundle against his chassis. As the couple neared, Optimus recognized the bundle as Jazz and Prowl's newspark, Kia. Her miniature door wings twitched against his back as she recharged, her face nuzzled into the side of her carrier's neck cables. Optimus grinned. Unlike the last time he had seen her, he felt no stab of jealousy or longing. He gripped Starfall's hand a little tighter. His joy knew no bounds when Starfall returned the squeeze.
"Hey there, boss bot!" Jazz called, waving one hand. "How's it hanging?"
"Very well, Jazz," Optimus chuckled. "I see you're in good spirits today."
"No reason not ta be," the Porsche smiled. "Good music, good friends and enough energon to go around; what more could a bot ask for?"
Optimus chuckled. He had a feeling Jazz had put those things in descending order of personal importance. Blaster was doing his thing at the sound table, keeping a steady pulse of energetic music - both human and Cybertronian - pumping through the room's sound system.
"Prime," Prowl respectfully nodded.
"Prowl," Optimus returned just as primly. Vorns after the war and Prowl was still proper to a fault. Such a personality suited Prowl's post-war career as head of Iacon's Enforcers.
It took only a few nano-klicks for them to notice Starfall hiding behind Optimus's leg. Both their optics widened before spearing Optimus with twin looks of incredulous shock. Being second- and third-in-command of the Autobots had made them privy to the deal made to the Decepticons who'd been sentenced to death, along with the list of names of those who had accepted.
"Jazz, Prowl, I'd like to introduce you to Ironhide and my son, Starfall. We just recently adopted him."
Even if Optimus didn't tell them Starfall was Starscream reformatted, he had no doubt the two of them could piece together certain facts and come to the same conclusion.
He waited to see what their reactions would be.
Prowl's gaze instantly became steely, his frame stiffening with recognition. His door wings flared out above his shoulders as he stared down the miniature seeker. His facial plates were an unreadable mask, but Optimus knew his second's body language well enough after so many years of war to know that Prowl was probably formulating half a dozen different battle plans in his head in case Starfall suddenly became a threat.
Jazz, however, was more accommodating. Holding Kia close to him, he knelt down on one knee in front of Starfall. "Well, hey there, mini-mech. Nice ta meet ya. High five." He held a hand palm-plate out to Starfall.
Starfall looked up at Optimus as though seeking reassurance and perhaps even guidance. "Go ahead," Optimus smiled. "Jazz won't hurt you."
Tentatively, Starfall pressed his hand against Prowl's. His entire hand was barely bigger than Jazz's palm.
"And once more down low," Jazz said, and turned his hand upwards.
Starfall slapped his hand against Jazz's this time with a little more enthusiasm. Smiling shyly he edged a little farther out from behind Optimus's leg. "You're cool," he announced, his wings perking and dipping behind him.
"I do what I can, mini-mech," Jazz grinned.
Starfall smiled. Optimus could sense the tension drain from him. Perhaps it was lucky Jazz had been the first to meet Starfall - he had a way of making others feel comfortable around him. It was obvious Starfall was already warming up to him.
"You can call me Star," Starfall offered.
"Whatever ya want, mini-mech. I aim ta please."
Starfall laughed, a happy sparkling chortle. His optics flashed bright turquoise.
Against all odds, Optimus saw Prowl relax a little as well.
Starfall took a step closer to Jazz, his optics locked on the newspark curled against his front. "Is that your sparkling?"
Jazz grinned and gently rearranged Kia in his arms so she was cradled across his chest. Her optics were shuttered in recharge, her face peacefully slack. Unlike her carrier she had no visor. "Yep. Her name's Kia. Had her about a deca-cycle ago." He glanced up at Optimus. "Prowl an' I were worried fer the longest time she'd be overdue and we wouldn't be able ta make it to the party."
"I'm glad she arrived in time for everyone to meet her," Optimus said.
Starfall took another step closer. He stared at Kia with a suddenly melancholic expression. "She's lucky," he murmured.
Jazz looked at Starfall, confused. "Why's that, mini-mech?"
"She got her creators right away. I had to wait for dad to find me. Every time a new batch of sparklings came online at the hatchling facility, I kept waiting for someone to choose me. But no one ever did because I have wings." Said wings hung sadly down his back.
By Jazz's spark-broken expression Optimus knew Starfall had just completely won him over. Even Prowl seemed to radiate less antagonism towards him.
"Well I think it's good no one else claimed ya first," Jazz said. "Ya got a couple of real cool cats as yer creators now."
Starfall returned to Optimus, pressing himself against the side of his leg. He smiled shyly at the Porsche in agreement. Optimus felt his spark melt in his chest. He still had yet to get used to Starfall's clingy form of affection. He doubted he ever would and hoped he never did. No matter how many times Starfall hugged him or came to him for reassurance that he was truly wanted, Optimus was always startled by the intensity of the love he felt for the little seeker.
"Have either of you seen Skyfire yet?" he asked.
Jazz stood up straight from the ground. Kia warbled softly in his arms from the movement. Both Jazz and Prowl shook their helms. "Haven't seen him all day, boss bot. Didn't know the big guy was planning ta come. Gotta admit I'm kinda surprised you're expecting him. Never seemed ta like being around the old group even when he did decide ta come."
Optimus discreetly motioned with his head towards the seekerlet clinging to his leg strut. "Skyfire finally has a reason to come this vorn."
Jazz grinned while Prowl primly nodded his helm in understanding. Not too long after Skyfire accompanied him and Ironhide to the prison to convince Starscream to give himself to Vector Sigma, he and Ironhide had had Jazz and Prowl over to their home. Talking about reconstruction efforts around the planet and recent events, Optimus had happened to mention Skyfire and Starscream's pre-war relationship to them. What Jazz and Prowl had thought about it, neither had actually said at the time. But seeing the grin on Jazz's face now told Optimus at least one of them was as excited as he was to see the two reunited.
"Hey, Optimus!" a familiar voice called out over the din of background noise.
"Bumblebee," Optimus smiled as the yellow subcompact joined the group. He was accompanied by a human woman in a mech armor suit. The suit had been designed by Spike Witwicky several millennia ago when the Great War had still been in full swing so Spike could accompany Bumblebee through space to Cybertron. Dressed in the suit, the woman was almost the same size as Bumblebee. She looked to be younger. Optimus guessed her to be in her early twenties, but then again he had never been very good at judging human ages. Dark-haired and dark-eyed, she was a great descendant of the original Witwicky family. Since the end of the war Bumblebee had become a human-Cybertronian liaison to Earth. He rarely ever returned to Cybertron now except for anniversary celebrations like today's or whenever he needed to report to the High Council the latest political events on Earth. Like a family guardian, Bumblebee attached himself to the oldest child of each consecutive generation. Optimus did a quick calculation and estimated this woman was at least the hundred-fiftieth descendant of Spike and Carly Witwicky. He had long ago given up trying to keep track of Bumblebee's charges. Human had such short life spans. Optimus often wondered how Bumblebee was able to attach himself so closely to a human only to - what felt like to a Cybertronian a blink of an optic later - lose that person to old age or sickness. He himself still fondly remembered the original group of humans he and his fellow Autobots had befriended during their stay on Earth: Sparkplug, Spike, Carly, Daniel, Chip, Raul and all their other human compatriots. To this orn he still felt a stab of loss go through his spark whenever he thought of them.
"Hello," he greeted the woman. "And what descendant of the Witwicky family do I have the pleasure of meeting today?"
"Kara Tyrel," the woman smiled. Her mech suit dropped its head unit in a respectful dip in perfect synch with her movements. "It's an honor to meet you, Optimus Prime. I grew up hearing so many stories of you. I was so excited when Bumblebee invited me to come with him today to the anniversary party."
"We are honored to have you here with us," Optimus smiled behind his mask.
"So who's this little guy?" Bumblebee asked, bending at the waist to inspect the sparkling clinging to Optimus's leg. "Heard some rumors going around that you and Ironhide adopted a sparkling."
"For once the rumors are correct," Optimus said. He proudly rested a hand on the top of Starfall's helm. "This is Starfall. Ironhide and I adopted him a few orns ago."
"Such a cute baby," Kara cooed, leaning forward. "He has wings. Does he transform into some kind of plane?"
Starfall's wings hitched above his shoulders, his pale grey face the living image of indignant, wounded pride. "I'm not a baby," he sharply corrected. "I'm a sparkling. Only humans have babies."
The human woman smiled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you." She manipulated her mech suit into dropping to one knee in front of Starfall. It was amusing, Optimus thought, how Starfall could make everyone bow to him within klicks of meeting him. If the old Starscream had been there to see, he would have been preening with superiority by now.
Starfall stared at Kara through the glass front of her mech suit, skeptical and scrutinizing. "Are you really a human?"
The woman chuckled. "I am."
"You're not what I'd thought you'd be," Starfall murmured. "All the stories I've read with humans in them make them sound more… squishy."
Amused snorts sounded from the group of mechs watching the exchange.
Even Kara seemed charmed by the analogy. "I swear to you I'm human. I suppose I don't look very squishy right now because of my mech suit. I wear it on Cybertron so nobody accidentally steps on me. Do you want to see how squishy I really am?"
Starfall hesitated. He seemed unsure if he wanted to actually take Kara up on her offer or not. He glanced back over his shoulder to Optimus. Optimus nodded encouragingly.
"Alright," he said, turning back to Kara.
The woman pressed a button on one of the inside panels of her mech suit. A hiss of pressurized air sounded and the front glass portion of her suit swung open. Kara agilely climbed around the controls of the cockpit and jumped to the ground in front of Starfall. Standing straight, she was only a few feet shorter than Starfall. Dressed in a plain black flight suit, she appeared even smaller than she had through the cockpit glass of her mech suit a few moments ago.
Startled, Starfall jumped backwards closer to Optimus.
"It's alright," Kara laughed. She held her arms out to her sides in the universal sign of no-threat. "If anyone should be scared right now, it's me. You might just be a sparkling, but you're still twice my size."
"You have to be careful around humans who aren't wearing any kind of mech suit, Starfall," Bumblebee cautioned. "They're very delicate."
"We're not that delicate," Kara protested. She gave Bumblebee a sharp look.
Bumblebee chuckled through his air vents. Optimus had the impression this was some kind of long-running joke between them.
"Can I touch you?" Starfall timidly asked.
Kara, at first, seemed surprised by the request. But then with a friendly smile she held out one hand to Starfall. "Sure. Just don't squeeze too hard."
Optimus watched, intrigued, as Starfall cautiously edged closer to the human female as if he were afraid she might suddenly try to bite him. He extended an arm and delicately wrapped pale blue fingers around her outstretched hand. He released her almost instantly. Starfall stepped backwards, giggling self-consciously. He held his hand close to his cockpit. "You're so soft!" he exclaimed. "You feel like you're filled with the stuff they put in berthmats."
The group of mechs observing all burst into laughter. Kara scowled, which only made Bumblebee laugh harder.
"Told you!" he crowed. "And this time it's straight from the sparkling's mouth!"
"Be quiet, Bee," she growled as she climbed back into her mech suit. "Humans are made of tougher stuff than whatever you Cybertronians put in your mattresses."
"Thank you, Kara," Optimus said when she was once again strapped into her seat and had powered her suit back on. He was still struggling to control his laughter. He had a feeling he could look forward to many more unexpected things coming out of his son's mouth in the future. "I am grateful you were here to be Star's first encounter with a human."
"No problem," Kara assured. "Starfall was my first encounter with a sparkling. So I guess that makes us kind of even."
Reaching down, Optimus rested his hand on top of Starfall's helm. Starfall, in answer, leaned into his touch, drinking in the attention. Pride filled Optimus's spark. Despite some unspoken misgivings he'd had about presenting Starfall to their friends and comrades, things were progressing much smoother than he'd anticipated.
"Come on, tough girl," Bumblebee said, motioning Kara away. "I want to introduce you to Tracks. One of his best friends on Earth was human. I'm sure he'll like you. We'll see you later, Optimus." He stooped down beside Starfall and playfully rubbed his knuckles against the top of his helm. Starfall chortled with amusement. "It was nice meeting you, Starfall. We'll have to hang out more later."
"Okay," Starfall smiled. Optimus knew Bumblebee had just earned himself another friend.
As Bumblebee and Kara drifted away into the crowd, Optimus turned to Jazz and Prowl. "We shall take our leave as well. I want to introduce Star to a couple more bots."
"Of course," Prowl nodded.
"We'll catch up to ya again later," Jazz said. "If we happen to see Skyfire before you do, we'll be sure to send him your way." The grin he gave Optimus told him the Porsche was eagerly looking forward to seeing Skyfire's reunion with Star.
"Thank you," Optimus smiled. Holding his hand down to Starfall, the two families parted ways. Optimus had spotted Wheeljack and Perceptor earlier sitting together at a table on the other side of the room. In his mind, they were next on the list of bots he wanted to introduce Starfall to. Wheeljack and Perceptor had been friends with Skyfire throughout their stay on Earth. If anyone else could be expected to easily accept Starfall amongst them, it would be them.
As Optimus led Starfall across the hall, several more bots called out greetings to Optimus. Optimus returned them all but did not stop to talk. He could feel the gaze of everyone they passed come to rest on Starfall. He knew others had been surreptitiously watching when he'd presented Starfall to Jazz and Prowl, and then Bumblebee and Kara. He was glad both meetings had gone so well. Starfall had been a charming, engaging sparkling in both encounters. Anyone watching would have been unable to find anything disagreeable to say about him.
He was not about to assume everyone from the old crew was going to welcome Starfall so easily amongst them as Jazz and Bumblebee had, though. It would be naïve to assume old grudges didn't still exist. Ironhide was case in point of that. At least no one had yet to act on their disdain for Starfall while in his presence. At least in public, no one was willing to speak out against the Prime's son. Optimus was willing to accept that for now. He was sure over time Starfall would win more bots to his side as more and more of his personality became known and he was judged less and less for his frame-type. He had to have faith in that.
"Hello," he said as he and Starfall came up to Wheeljack and Perceptor's table. The two scientists looked up, startled. They seemed to have been in the midst of an intense debate. Optimus noted the data pads laying on the table between them. A number of equations and diagrams filled the screens' writing program. He didn't even try to decipher what the two had been discussing. Science had never been his area of forte.
"Optimus!" Wheeljack exclaimed. His head fins flashed a brilliant shade of blue. Perceptor nodded his own greetings.
"May we join you?" Optimus asked.
"Of course," Perceptor said. He began to carefully clean up the mess of data pads, styluses and diagrams covering the table and stow them away in a subspace compartment. Optimus helped Starfall up onto one of the chairs across from Wheeljack and Perceptor and took the seat beside him for his own.
"So this is the newest addition to the Prime family?" Wheeljack said, studying Starfall. "It's the only thing people seem to be talking about since you and Ironhide got here."
"Word travels fast," Optimus said. He turned to Starfall. "Star, this is Wheeljack and Perceptor. They were scientists for the Autobots during the Great War."
"Still are!' Wheeljack proudly announced. His head fins flashed. "Just got the design for a new hover craft I invented approved by the Iaconian Patent Department yesterday."
"I like the way your helm lights up," Starfall blurted out.
Wheeljack and Perceptor both stared at him in charmed surprise.
"Well, thanks," Wheeljack said. The corners of his optics crinkled with amusement above his mouth guard. His head fins blinked and flashed as if on cue.
"Such a precocious sparkling," Perceptor noted with an intrigued tone to his voice.
Optimus chuckled. "Star has proven himself to be an extremely intelligent sparkling so far." He gazed at Starfall fondly. "He's to start school soon. Ironhide and I have enrolled him in the Iacon Academy in district 11."
Both Wheeljack and Perceptor raised their optic ridges, impressed.
"That is an extremely prestigious institution," Perceptor said. "Possibly the top institution for younger learning in all of Iacon."
"You didn't have any trouble enrolling Star? I've heard that academy is extremely competitive, even for sparkling slots," Wheeljack said.
"Star is extremely advanced for a sparkling his age," Optimus proudly replied. "He's already shown an aptitude for arithmetic and ciphering. He's also an avid reader. I spoke with the administrator of the academy and had Star tested for placement. He placed into a whole age level above what one would have expected him to."
"That's very impressive," Wheeljack said. His head fins flashed as he cast Starfall a congratulatory nod. Starfall smiled shyly, obviously not used to such positive attention.
Wheeljack leaned closer and asked Starfall a question that Optimus didn't catch. He was too busy casting a quick look around the room, trying to spot Ironhide amongst the crowd. He didn't see any sign of his sparkmate's distinctive red armor. Sighing disappointedly, Optimus began to turn back to listen in on Wheeljack and Starfall's conversation. Just then he happened to see a large mech enter the room on the other side of the room.
Optimus smiled under his battle mask. It was Skyfire. The shuttle had finally made it. As Optimus watched, Skyfire frantically scanned the crowded room of Autobots. He looked harried and panicked, as though he were afraid he was late. Optimus turned in his seat and raised a hand. It took several moments but Skyfire finally spotted him across the room. Relief flooded the shuttle's broad features. He hurriedly crossed the room, maneuvering as agilely as he could through the sea of smaller bodies. Optimus heard several bots shout out greetings to him, but Skyfire didn't seem to hear them. His gaze was locked on Optimus.
"Hello, Skyfire," Optimus said when the larger mech came within the last few paces of them. Skyfire stopped just short of the table, his expression hesitant but anxious. Optimus's grin strained against the inside of his battle mask. "It looks like you had the misfortune of being caught in even worse traffic than Ironhide and I did."
"Optimus," Skyfire nodded, distractedly. His optics scanned the table, frantic and searching. "Is- is he here? Did you bring him with you?"
Optimus leaned back in his seat, allowing Skyfire to finally see the tiny sparkling sitting on his other side. Starfall stared up at Skyfire, his turquoise optics bright with curiosity.
Skyfire froze. Staring at Starfall, his expression morphed into one of utter shock and joy. For a moment he seemed too overwhelmed to react. But then with a trembling smile, he leaned closer and said, "Hello, Star."
To be continued…
Ironhide came across as a bigger jerk than I originally intended this chapter. No fears, though. He'll get his comeuppance soon enough.
Thoughts on Starfall's first encounter with the Autobots?