Chapter Eighteen: Vos
"I've just spoken with the transport pilot. He tells me we are less than a joor from the Emirate's palace. We've just received entrance codes from border enforcement and should be entering Vosian airspace in about ten klicks."
"Thank you, Senator Draxil," Optimus said as the senator retook his seat across from him. Two other mechs sat with them: another high-ranking senator named Phalanx and the Senate's newly elected ambassador to Vos, Defcon - an older council-mech with numerous ties to inter-city businesses and economic councils, and several million vorns of diplomatic experience. The transport shuttle's seats were configured in pairs of two that faced each other so passengers could comfortably hold small meetings while in transit.
Across the aisle from Optimus and the three diplomats, Ironhide and Starfall sat in their own section. Starfall knelt on the seat with his nasal ridge pressed to the glass of the window, watching the land speed by below them. His back was to Optimus which made it easy to see his wings quivering with excitement. Ironhide sat immediately across from Starfall, engrossed in a detailed security report. Optimus smiled softly behind his mask. Even though Ironhide wasn't in charge of any duties this trip except to be present as Optimus's sparkmate and watch over Starfall while Optimus was locked in diplomatic meetings, Ironhide still felt the need to know all the security details of their trip. No matter how long they'd been sparkmates Ironhide would always remain the Prime's bodyguard at heart.
It had been two lunar cycles since Cloudbreaker's trip to Iacon. Just as promised, Cloudbreaker had begun preparations for the Prime family's trip almost the same orn he returned to Vos. It had been a whirlwind of Senate meetings, preparations and security reviews ever since. Optimus was glad to finally be on the way to Vos if for no other reason than to finally have it over. While Ironhide had remained decidedly dour about the trip Starfall hadn't stopped talking about it since Optimus told them they were planning to go to the seekers' home city.
Optimus glanced at his sparkmate and son across the aisle. Over the last few lunar cycles, Ironhide and Starfall had become very close. With Optimus having to spend longer and longer joors at the High Council Tower, Ironhide had become Starfall's primary caretaker. Optimus at times was still surprised to see how quickly the old mech had taken to fatherhood once he'd decided to finally accept Starfall as their son. Even when Optimus was home early enough to see Starfall to bed he often had to compete with Ironhide to be the one to read to Starfall before sleep. Optimus looked forward to the orn he could spend more time with his family like he had before Vos decided to reopen its borders.
Looking around the crowded shuttle transport, however, Optimus doubted that would happen anytime soon. Besides him, his family and the three senators, the transport was filled with more than a dozen security officers and administrative aides. This visit to Vos was more than just a diplomatic mission. It was the possible turning point for a new age. Its importance was lost on no one. It had been all the news-feeds and political commenters had been talking about since the Senate announced Optimus's intention to visit the seeker city. The possibility of opening up business relations and trade routes with Vos was foremost on everyone's mind. Before the war Vos had been one of the richest city-states on Cybertron. It controlled a number of off-world planetoids that were rich in minerals and other resources, which had lent to its wealth and economic independence from the rest of Cybertron's city-states. Optimus was interest to see how rich Vos still was. Vos had suffered major damage during the war just like everyone else. As one of the first outsiders to visit Vos in more than six millennia, Optimus was curious to see if the city was still as grand as tales of the Golden Age said it once was.
Across the aisle, Starfall was still staring out the window. His wings swayed and quivered with excitement against his back. Optimus undid the safety belt of his seat and slid across the aisle into the empty seat next to Starfall. He'd concluded official business with the other senators a few klicks ago, so there was no reason for him not to enjoy the rest of the trip with his family. Ironhide was so engrossed in his security report he didn't even look up.
"What are you looking at, Star?" Optimus asked, craning his head over Starfall's shoulder.
"The buildings," Starfall whispered in awe.
Optimus followed his gaze through the glass. A small thrill went through him at what he saw. They must have crossed over into Vosian airspace. The architecture of the buildings outside was unlike anything Optimus had ever seen before. Towers and ethereal skyscrapers that dwarfed the High Council Tower rose into the air in winding spires, turrets and arches. Open-air walkways spanning the length of thousand-foot drops connected a number of the towers at their mid- and upper-levels. What struck Optimus most was how high off the ground everything was designed. He doubted any of the bridges and causeways that connected the buildings were built below the two-hundredth floor. Just looking at the soaring structures made Optimus feel dizzy with vertigo. Landing pads and open air crystal gardens decorated the upper levels of a majority of the towers. In the distance, Optimus saw seekers in plane-mode slicing through the air, leaving jet streams of powdery white in their wake.
"Daddy, look at the buildings," Starfall pointed, his optics the size of saucers.
"I see them, Star," Optimus numbly nodded. They hadn't even landed yet and already he was overwhelmed by the exoticness of Vos. Behind him, he heard others in the plane turn to their windows to take in the first sights of Vos. Awed silence filled the transport.
Starfall, however, didn't seem to be talking to Optimus. Tearing his gaze away from window, he looked over at Ironhide.
"Daddy, look at the buildings. You're gonna miss them," he insisted a little louder.
Optimus's engine hiccupped in surprise. Despite Starfall and Ironhide's warmed relationship, Optimus still had yet to hear Starfall call Ironhide by any sort of familiar term. Why Starfall had chosen today to finally address Ironhide as his father, Optimus didn't know. Ironhide seemed to be expecting no such term of endearment from Starfall either because he still did not look up from his data pad. Optimus figured he thought Starfall was talking to Optimus, or was just too wrapped up in his report to realize what was happening.
"Ironhide?" Optimus softly intoned. He sent a wave of excited warmth out to his sparkmate across their bond.
Ironhide grunted in acknowledgement. "Huh? What?" His optics didn't look up from the report.
"Daddy!" Reaching out, Starfall poked Ironhide in the knee joint. Ironhide looked up with a start.
For a moment Ironhide didn't seem to understand who Starfall was talking to until a look of dawning realization lit his facial plates. A tingling sensation of shock hit Optimus from Ironhide's side of their bond. Optimus only wished he had a camera to permanently capture that look of shock on his sparkmate's face the moment he realized Starfall was talking to him.
"Wha-? Wha'd yeh say, Star?"
"I said look at the buildings, daddy." Starfall slid down off his seat to join Ironhide on his side of the seating formation. With a little help from the still punch-drunk weapons specialist, he settled himself in Ironhide's lap and pointed out the window. "Look. The towers are huge! They're, like, a million times taller than anything we have at home!"
Ironhide's security report was suddenly forgotten as he followed Starfall's gaze out the window. He didn't seem to actually see anything they passed, though. His attention seemed completely tuned onto Starfall. Elation leaked across his and Optimus's bond. Optimus smiled. His sparkmate's surprise was understandable. Ironhide had been waiting so long to hear Starfall call him father. Ironhide's entire demeanor noticeably became more attentive and possessive towards their son. Loosely wrapping one arm around the miniature seeker's waist, he grunted appreciatively at the towering buildings they passed. For a mech as battle-hardened and emotionally closeted as Ironhide, such a display was the same as anyone else picking up their child and hugging them to their chest. Warmth flooded Optimus's spark at the sight. Not for the first time, he sent a silent prayer of thanks to Primus for blessing him with his family.
A sonic boom suddenly sounded somewhere behind the shuttle, followed by the hollow roar of turbine engines. The transport rocked from side to side from turbulence before settling into a steady cruise again. Through the window, Optimus saw a jet with military insignias fall into formation beside the transport shuttle. Optimus looked across the aisle and spotted another one flying on the shuttle's other side. Something told him a third jet was flying either in front or in back of them as well.
"Security escort," Senator Draxil explained from across the aisle. "The pilot said the Vosians might send some when we got close to the palace."
"Ah," Optimus nodded.
"Seekers!" Starfall gasped. He leaned closer to the window, his optics scanning the jet up and down. "Look at all the stickers on his wings!"
"Those are military marks," Optimus explained. "He must be a high-ranking officer."
Ironhide stared out the windows at their escort over Starfall's helm. His lips were pressed together in a grim expression, his optics narrowed suspiciously. Optimus did not miss the way he seemed to hold Starfall a little tighter.
"Sure are rollin' out the welcome mat fer us, aren't they?" he noted.
"I honestly expected nothing less," Optimus said. "I am sure the Vosians feel obligated to outdo our own reception for them. Cloudbreaker stuck me as a mech who enjoys any excuse to make a show of pomp and circumstance."
"What's that mean?" Starfall asked.
"Means he likes ta try an' one-up anything anyone else does," Ironhide said. "Expect lots 'a fancy seekers an' lots of long an' borin' ceremonies."
"It will not be that bad, 'hide," Optimus insisted with a fond sigh of exasperation.
Ironhide cast him an unconvinced look.
"At least you do not have to go to any diplomatic meetings."
"Ah still gotta go ta everything else."
"You could always stay in our habitation suite and feign illness or exhaustion," Optimus playfully suggested.
Ironhide's features tightened. "An' leave yeh by yerself with no one ta watch yer back? Ah don't think so."
"I will have a security detail, 'hide. Though why you think I will be in such mortal danger I am not sure. The Vosians are looking to make peace. The last thing they want is a representative from the High Council assassinated in their city. Their own security measures will probably exceed anything we ourselves could secure here."
Ironhide grumbled something Optimus couldn't hear under his breath before saying a little louder, "Ah just like knowin' yer safe myself. Ah don't like relying on other people ta keep my sparkmate safe. That's my job."
Optimus sent a pulse of affection towards Ironhide across their bond. "I will be fine, 'Hide. And you really do not need to go to any events you do not wish to attend. I am sure Cloudbreaker would be happy to arrange some other activities to keep you entertained."
"Nah," Ironhide sighed. "Ah knew wha ah was gettin' into when ah bonded with yeh. 'Cept fer formal negotiations, ah'll stick with yeh."
"Do I have to go meetings?" Starfall spoke up. His face betrayed true apprehension.
Optimus chuckled. In this respect, their son was just like Ironhide. "No, Star. You won't have to go to any meetings with me. While I am doing official things I am sure Cloudbreaker will have things planned for you and your father to do. Cloudbreaker also has a son your age. I am sure you two will have lots of time to play together."
Starfall looked up at Ironhide, his optics gleaming with excitement. "I really hope there're lots of other sparklings for me to meet! I've never met another seeker sparkling before. What do you think we'll get to do?"
Ironhide clutched Starfall closer to him. Optimus could feel his sparkmate's possessiveness for their son leak across their bond. "Don't know, Star. Ah've never been ta Vos before. Ah don't know what kind 'a things they got ta do 'round here. But if Cloudbreaker's got a sparkling too ah'll bet he'll have some things fer yeh two ta do planned."
Optimus's sensors felt a sudden change in the air pressure. The transport's front gently tipped upwards. Their security escort kept perfect pace with them, matching their assent.
"Why we goin' higher?" Ironhide murmured, staring out the window. "We're already a couple thousand feet up."
Optimus looked out the window. "Probably because the Emirate's palace is higher than any of the other buildings. My guess is that the palace is somewhere on the top of that tower there." Looming in front of them was the biggest, most architecturally awe-inspiring tower Optimus had ever seen. Spires rose so high they seemed to disappear in the cloud cover. Buttressed archways made of Alturian crystal decorated the tower's sides. Every inch of the structure seemed to gleam like diamonds in the sunshine. How the Vosians were able to build such skyscrapers baffled Optimus. Never had he ever seen such a structure in his entire function.
Across from him, Ironhide and Starfall seemed to share his thoughts. Neither seemed able to look away from the window as the shuttle maneuvered in and around giant archways and sky bridges, climbing ever higher.
Finally, the shuttle's assent began to ease and Optimus felt it level out. Landing gears engaged and the transport gently settled itself on a landing pad at the end of a long sky bridge. Outside the window, down a long length of red cloth rolled out to the edge of the landing pad, a group of several dozen seekers stood waiting. Cloudbreaker stood out from the other seekers at the head of the group with his distinctive red, white and gold paintjob.
Ironhide eyed them through the window. "Looks like Cloudbreaker's brought everyone out ta say hi."
Optimus undid his safety belt and stood. "Come. We do not want to keep our hosts waiting."
Ironhide grumbled something under his breath but obediently followed his sparkmate's lead. "Come on, Star," he said as he helped the sparkling down off his lap. "Let's get this over with."
Starfall was almost shaking with anticipation as he trailed after Optimus down the center aisle. His wings were hitched above his shoulders, quivering with poorly concealed excitement. The other senators, aides, and security personnel hung back as the Prime family gathered together at the shuttle's hatchway. As the Matrix-bearer and leader of their race, it went without saying that Optimus and his family would be the first ones to disembark. Pressurized air hissed as the locks disengaged and the hatchway swung out. Blinding sunlight flooded the transport. Optimus had to wait a moment for his optic sensors to reset before being able to see the delegation of Vosians at the other end of the sky bridge again. On either side of shuttle door two trines of seekers stood at stiff attention along the edge of the carpeted runway as a form of honor guard. Optimus figured they must have been part of the military guard that had escorted them from the edge of the city.
Between Optimus and Ironhide, Starfall suddenly seemed unsure of himself and shied behind Optimus's legs. Optimus couldn't blame him for his sudden apprehension. Decorated with military insignias and standing at attention with no trace of emotions on their facial plates, the two trines of seekers made an intimidating sight.
"It's alright, Star," Optimus said. He smiled at Starfall behind his mask, hoping his son would see the crinkle of protomatter around his optics. "No one will harm us here."
"They're bigger than they looked like in the air," Starfall whispered behind Optimus's knees as though afraid the trines of military seekers would hear him.
"It's alright," Optimus assured him again. He held his hand down to Starfall, which the sparkling eagerly latched onto. "Come. I know you will like Cloudbreaker. He is very nice."
Starfall didn't say anything but quietly followed Optimus off the shuttle and down the carpeted walkway. Ironhide walked close beside them, his optics surreptitiously scanning their surroundings. The other senators and their guards followed several paces behind the Prime family. Optimus, himself, tried not to look around too much. While the sky bridge connecting the landing pad to the main structure was several paces wide, there were no railings. An endless dome of cloudless blue stretched above which contrasted sharply with the sudden drop on either side of them. A slight wave of vertigo overcame Optimus as he chanced a glance to the side. It looked like they were several thousand feet off the ground. Optimus wasn't even sure it was actually ground he was seeing between the buildings they were so high up. The rest of Vos looked like the miniature model of a city spread out below them. The next tallest skyscraper Optimus could see tapered into a twisted spire several hundred feet below where he and his family walked. Never in his function had Optimus ever wished for a jet pack as much as he did now. He unconsciously gripped Starfall's hand a little tighter. While such dizzying heights meant nothing to seekers whose basic design allowed them to soar through the skies, the possibility of falling to one's death was a very real threat to a non-flier such as Optimus. Although Ironhide's face betrayed nothing, Optimus could feel his sparkmate's own anxiety leaking across their bond.
It was a relief when they finally reached the other end of the sky bridge. Cloudbreaker stepped forward to meet them. The red and gold seeker's face lit with a smile as he performed one of his sweeping bows. The group of Vosian delegates behind him mirrored Cloudbreaker's welcome with similar bows and dips of their helms.
The first thing Optimus noticed about their hosts was their sheer elegance. All the seekers that had come out to greet them were colorfully decorated with fresh paint, wing stripes and polish. Optimus had polished himself that morning with Sunstreaker's special formula but he still felt extremely under-decorated. A number of Vosians wore elaborate helm caps made of precious metals and crystal. The helm caps varied in design and ornamentation but the most common feature Optimus saw were delicate spindles that protruded from the sides of the caps above the wearer's audio receptors. On the ends of these spindles dangled tiny chimes that tinkled delicately with their wearer's movements and jingled in the wind. Besides these helm caps Optimus also noticed colorful rings of metal and crystal decorating the Vosians' wrists and thruster joints. Dressed in their strange finery the seekers were living beings of exotic sophistication. Compared to them, the delegation of Iaconians appeared depressingly drab.
"Optimus Prime!" Cloudbreaker beamed. While Cloudbreaker did not wear a helm cap like some of the other seekers, his forearms were laden with thick bands of gold that jingled against each other as he moved. "What an honor it is to greet you and your family here in my city. Vos welcomes you."
"The honor is ours to be greeted so warmly," Optimus replied.
"Consort Ironhide," Cloudbreaker said, directing his smile towards the weapons specialist next. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Your esteemed sparkmate has told me so much about you."
For all his previous bluster and grumbling, Ironhide diplomatically held his hand out to Cloudbreaker. "Nice ta meet yeh," he rumbled.
Cloudbreaker eagerly clasped Ironhide's hand. Optimus could feel his sparkmate's discomfort when the seeker elaborated the gesture by wrapping his other hand over their joined servos. "I hope we get time to talk more personally at some point during your stay," Cloudbreaker smiled.
Ironhide mumbled something incoherent and - as delicately as he could - reclaimed his hand from Cloudbreaker's grasp.
Cloudbreaker either did not realize how uncomfortable Ironhide was with unfamiliar bots touching him or just ignored it. He smoothly turned his attention next towards the small white and blue seeker hiding behind Optimus's legs. "And this must be Starfall." He leaned down and offered Starfall a gentle smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you. All of us here in Vos have been anxious to finally see you."
"Hi," Starfall murmured as he tentatively stepped out behind Optimus's leg.
"I believe you remember Senators Draxil, Phalanx and Defcon," Optimus said as he motioned the three senators forward. "They will be assisting me in negotiations while we are here."
"Welcome, welcome, welcome," Cloudbreaker beamed, shaking each senator's hand in turn. "It feels so long since we last saw each other in Iacon. I hope you find Vos as welcoming as I did Iacon."
"Your city is lovely," Defcon said.
Cloudbreaker smiled. "Thank you. Usually the first thing new visitors to my city do when they arrive is comment on how high everything is."
"I believe that thought crossed all our minds at least once while flying in," Senator Phalanx said. "None of us wanted to be the first one to say it though."
The group of politicians all shared a round of friendly laughter.
Cloudbreaker motioned to the group of Vosians behind him. "May I introduce several of those that will be assisting me during our talks. This is Lord Headwind, Lady Galeforce and Commander Fallout accompanied by each of their respective trines. Lord Headwind and Lady Galeforce are both members of the Emirate's royal spark-line and control large tracks of Vosian airspace. Commander Fallout is High Commander of Vos's Air Force."
Two mechs and a femme stepped forward. It was easy to tell who was who. Headwind and Galeforce both sported decorative paintjobs and rings like Cloudbreaker, while Fallout wore no ornamentation except for a number of military insignias and chevrons on his chest and wings. The dark green and white seeker carried himself with unmistakable military bearings. His entire superstructure seemed to radiate authority and discipline.
"Optimus Prime," Fallout nodded in acknowledgement.
"Commander Fallout," Optimus replied. As Headwind, Galeforce and Fallout moved to greet the other Iaconian senators, Optimus happened to look up towards the group of other seekers still waiting to be introduced. It took Optimus a moment, but then like a punch to the sparkchamber Optimus suddenly realized he recognized one of them. There, standing towards the back of the Vosian delegation was a blue and white mech with red wing stripes. A tasteful number of thin gold rings adorned his wrist joints. His armor was polished to a beautiful shine which contrasted sharply with Optimus's memories of him dirty and badly scuffed from battle. Over the course of the war Optimus had come to know a number of the Decepticon officers' names. The Great War had ended vorns ago, but if his memory circuits weren't malfunctioning the mech was none other than Thundercracker of Megatron's old command trine.
Before Optimus could question Thundercracker's presence there Cloudbreaker once again demanded his attention.
"I'd like to introduce my own family," Cloudbreaker said as he motioned a beautiful teal and gold femme forward from the rest of the group. The femme wore an elaborate gold helm cap with ornate metalwork and hundreds of tinkling gold chimes. Gold bands etched with glyphs and geometric designs were stacked on her forearms all the way from her wrists up to her elbow joints. Behind her trailed a red and gold sparkling not much older than Starfall. "This is my sparkmate Rainstorm and our son Cloudburst," Cloudbreaker said with a smile.
As Rainstorm came up beside him Cloudbreaker gently pressed a hand to the back of his sparkmate's wing. Rainstorm in reply ever so slightly leaned into her sparkmate's touch. Optimus involuntarily smiled at the subtle display of affection. It was clear the two had strong feelings for each other despite his and Cloudbreaker's previous discussion about arranged sparkbonds and the lack of choice between Vosian sparkmates.
"Hello, Lady Rainstorm" Optimus said. "It is an honor to meet you."
"As it is my honor to meet you," Rainstorm replied with a smile as smooth as one of her sparkmate's. "But, please, just call me Rainstorm. Cloudbreaker has told me much about you."
"As he did you during his time in Iacon. I am sorry you were not able to accompany him then."
Rainstorm smiled ruefully. Her helm cap tinkled musically as she tilted her head. "I was spark-broken when I could not see the famed capital of Cybertron but my trine mate, Microburst, managed to badly injure herself a deca-cycle before Cloudbreaker and I were set to leave. I did not want to leave her while she was still in the hospital. Our third trine mate could have watched her, but it did not feel right leaving her without a full trine while she was grounded with so bad a wing injury."
"How is Microburst now?" Optimus dutifully asked.
"Much better, thank you. I am sure you will get a chance to meet her at some point during your visit."
"I look forward to it," Optimus smiled behind his mask. He glanced down at the red and gold sparkling quietly waiting by his creators' sides. Optimus couldn't help but marvel at how much Cloudburst looked like a miniature version of his father, all the way down to a set of gold rings around his wrist joints. "And this must be Cloudburst. He is even handsomer than you led me to believe, Cloudbreaker."
"Thank you," Cloudbreaker proudly beamed. "Cloudburst, say hello to the Prime's son."
The miniature red and gold seeker dutifully stepped forward and offered Starfall a practiced bow. The gold bands around his wrists jingled against each other with the movement. "Greetings, Starfall. Welcome to Vos."
Starfall hesitated for a moment before awkwardly attempting to return Cloudburst's bow. It was no where as refined as Cloudburst's. "Hi," he shyly murmured.
Cloudbreaker nodded approvingly behind his son. "I hope you do not mind, Prime, but I took the opportunity and had the other representatives and their trines bring along their children so Starfall would have the opportunity to meet some others his same make and age. Children?"
From out of the group of adults emerged three other seeker sparklings - all of them around Starfall's own age. Like their creators they all sported miniature sets of rings around their wrists and thruster joints. One sparkling - a little femme - wore a fanciful silver helm cap not that different from Rainstorm's own.
Without any prompting the other three sparklings joined Cloudburst and Starfall in a small cluster. In an almost synchronized move they all dipped into practiced bows. "Greetings, Starfall!" they sang in a disjointed chorus.
Starfall seemed too overwhelmed to respond.
The little femme with the helm cap approached him first. "My name's Cirrus. But my creators call me Ciri."
"I'm Thunderclap," a dark blue and silver mechling with silver wrist rings announced.
"I'm Razorwing," said the last sparkling - a tricolor black, gold and white mechling.
"Hi," Starfall said.
"Where are your planetary rings?" Cirrus demanded. "You don't have any."
Starfall stared back at her, confused. "What are those?"
"They're these," Thunderclap said, holding up one arm and pointing at the stack of rings on his wrist. "They're like our creators', only our creators don't care when we lose them because they're not as fancy as theirs. You can trade them with other sparklings to make different combinations."
"Oh," Starfall murmured. He self-consciously glanced down at his naked wrists. "We don't have anything like that where I'm from…"
"Here," Thunderclap announced, wriggling several rings off his wrists. "You can have some of mine."
"Mine too," Razorwing and Cloudburst chorused.
"Here," Cirrus said, grabbing Starfall by the hand and slipping two silver rings over his servo. "This is how you put them on."
Within the blink of an optic lens Starfall suddenly found himself with half a dozen planetary rings on both wrists. The other sparklings all stepped back and admired their handiwork as Starfall raised and lowered his arms several times. A silly grin spread across his face at the musical sound they produced.
"Thank you," he said, staring at the multicolored rings now encircling his forearms. "They're really pretty."
"How long are you going to stay?" Cloudburst asked.
"I don't know," Starfall said, looking up at Optimus. "How long are we gonna stay in Vos, dad?"
Optimus smiled behind his mask. "About a deca-cycle, Star."
"Then you have time to play with us. Father, can Starfall play with us?" Cloudburst asked, staring at his father beseechingly. "We finally have enough people for a full game of Search and Capture."
Optimus had to quietly marvel at the ease and speed with which sparklings formed friendships. If only adults could interact like that. The world would be a much more peaceful place if they did.
Cloudbreaker looked at Optimus. "If you would like, one of the caretakers can take Starfall and the other children to the sky garden and watch them while the rest of us continue on into the palace. After a quick tour, the Emirate has requested a private meeting with you, Prime, before you settle in."
"That sounds fine," Optimus nodded. He glanced down at Starfall. "Will you be alright by yourself for awhile, Star?"
"Yea!" Starfall excitedly nodded. His initial shyness seemed to have disappeared at the prospect of playing with new friends.
"Very good," Cloudbreaker smiled. "If you and the senators would like to follow me I will show you around the palace."
As the group began to separate Ironhide sidled up beside Optimus. "Ah don't know," he whispered. "Ah feel like ah should stay back an' watch Star. Ah don't like him goin' off with strangers like this." His side of their bond was tight with anxiety.
"It's alright, 'Hide," Optimus soothed. "Star will be perfectly fine. Let him go play. He's never had the opportunity to play with other seekers his age before. Let him enjoy the moment."
Ironhide grumbled something too low for Optimus to make out, but followed Optimus as Cloudbreaker began to lead them away. The group of seekers parted to either side to let Cloudbreaker and the Iaconian delegation pass into the building. At the door, Optimus glanced over his shoulder plate one last time. Starfall was still surrounded by his new gaggle of friends, all of them chatting and laughing excitedly. It appeared the Vosian sparkling were just as excited for a new playmate as Starfall was. As the children of high-ranking officials if was unlikely they got the chance to meet many new sparklings. He smiled at the thought. This trip to Vos had been worth it if only to give Starfall a chance to meet other sparklings his same age and frame-type.
Just before being swallowed by the cavernous interior of the palace, Optimus once more caught sight of Thundercracker standing near the edge of the Vosian delegation. The former Decepticon was staring straight at Starfall with a thoughtful expression on his facial plates. His optic ridges were furrowed together as though trying to understand why Starfall looked so familiar.
A thrill of alarm went through Optimus. The chances of Thundercracker knowing Starfall was the reincarnated spark of his former trine leader were slim. Yet the possibility was still always there. He more than anyone else in Vos was likely to recognize the former Decepticon Air Commander.
But before Optimus could decide to what to do about this possible threat, the walls of the palace closed around him and his son was lost from sight.
to be continued