Now that Cadenza is done with, I could power through this! This chapter was loads of fun, and your guys' patience and your feedback is ALWAYS appreciated. Please enjoy!
The main hallway was much more imposing than it had been the night before. Updraft tried to stand up straight, her strides as long as she could make them as she tried to keep up with Starscream. Behind them, Skywarp and Thundercracker walked a bit slower, intentionally for Updraft's short legs.
"I want to hold your hand going in," she whispered to Skywarp in the elevator. He'd shaken his head, and gently pressed her forwards to walk with her creator.
"Hush," Starscream said, and looked hard at her. "Don't trip on the steps."
She tried not to let it bother her, because even the hallway to the banquet room was extravagant. It had been painted with colours Updraft could only call expensive, vivid shades that made her crane her neck up to see the ceiling. She recognized the painting they had put up there—the story of the lost Ark-1 and its crew. Thundercracker had made her write a paper on it.
Two guards nodded at them as they passed through the archway. They took no notice of Updraft, as if she was just as grown-up and natural as any of them. She wanted to turn around, to see what Skywarp and Thundercracker's faces held, but forced herself to straighten up and face forward.
It wasn't easy. In an instant, all optics were on them.
She looked to Starscream, briefly, for what to do. He simply nodded towards the other guests and strode forward, Updraft nearly jogging to keep up. As soon as they had all registered the arrival, the bots turned away, back to their conversations and their energon. Updraft vented out in relief.
There was a band on a semicircular, raised stage in a corner, playing just under the volume of the guests. Everyone was beautifully repainted and decorated, but Updraft quickly decided her Seekers outshone them. As Starscream left her side, she turned to smile up at Skywarp, and received a dazzling grin in return.
"Look around," Skywarp whispered to her as they split off. "But don't touch anything, okay? If we break anything, we're in big trouble." To illustrate this, he widened his optics. Then he glanced around, already scoping out where to go next.
Updraft nodded, squeezing his hand before sweeping her gaze. She saw one or two sparklets, sticking close to their probable parents and looking much more serious than Smokescreen. When she wasn't looking for him, she was watching Skywarp, and trying to carry herself with the dignity he'd pulled out for tonight. It was considerably more difficult for her, without wings or the clean lines of a Seeker.
"Skywarp," she whispered, looking around at the guests. "Is Nominus here yet?"
He shook his head. "He's supposed to come," he whispered back. "Sometimes he changes his mind, and—Blitzwing! Buddy!" Skywarp called out, letting Updraft's hand drop. A big mech, who already had the look of someone tipsy, looked up in surprise. He waved awkwardly, stiffer than Starscream's wings mid-lie.
"Don't go far, Updraft," Skywarp said. He was already distracted, of course.
"They finally let you into the big time, huh?" Skywarp exclaimed, teleporting with a crack to the mech's side. Blitzwing didn't seem all that happy to see him, and Updraft almost wanted to stay and watch. Almost. She weaved back into the crowd, looking hard for that little red chevron.
A hand on her shoulder made her look up in alarm—and then grin, spinning around. Smokescreen smiled wide at her, bouncing on his heels.
"You made it!" he half-whispered, squeezing her shoulder in excitement.
She grinned back at him, and wished she had wings and detailing to show off. She'd seen Skywarp across the room, turning just so to show how his own wings shone. "I did," she said. "Did you see the energon table?"
"Oh, that's nothing," Smokescreen said. "You should see the New Year's one in a few weeks. Have you never been to a party?"
"Just my creator's ones," she said, shrugging. Starscream was laughing with some Senator (one oblivious to Starscream's false interest), and she didn't give him a second look. "You know, where people get drunk. I hate those."
Smokescreen made a face. "They have those in your apartment sometimes. So loud! They let you go?"
Updraft felt a twinge, an uncomfortable one she couldn't place, but then Smokescreen was grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the low table, and suddenly she was too distracted to answer.
She had had low-grade, and sweetsticks (wonderful), even a couple of rust sticks (too dry), but she had never seen, or smelled, this kind of spread. Those were all things that came from the tap or in deliveries—the rest was too rich, she was told.
They had been right. It was all luxurious, and Updraft took it in.
She had enough time to register the little glowing candies, and the fountain, before Smokescreen was pulling her aside at a bigger mech's excuse me! He brought her around to the table's other side, where they could ogle in peace.
"The engex is there," he said, pointing at the neat pyramid of cubes. More colours of energon than Updraft had ever seen. "This end is the good stuff."
Making sure Skywarp was where she had left him (drinking said colourful cubes, on the other side of the room), Updraft grinned and reached for her first treat.
First just a sweetstick, much smoother than the ones she knew. Then she tried the hard candies, jewel-looking things that gushed warm energon into her mouth. Smokescreen had already eaten half a plate of round silica crunches, copper shavings on his chin, before Updraft took one and simply let it melt in her mouth. Then the glowing yellow jellies, and the tiny red cubes floating in hot, sweet energon. The only things they deemed unbearable were the thin pieces of soft, rusted metal, which only smelled strong and tasted worse. She kicked her bitten one under the table.
She and Smokescreen were undisturbed, stuffing sweet after sweet into their mouths. They'd look at each other and grin, or Smokescreen would hand her one she hadn't tried, but they were otherwise silent, intent on their treats.
Updraft wished she had brought her bag. Maybe even some containers, as she dipped a hard piece into the fountain and watched it smoke, popping it into her mouth before it melted. Her fingers were filthy, covered in juice and metal shavings. When she felt like she would burst, they slipped under the tablecloth and sat cross-legged, licking their fingers clean.
"Is it like this at every Iacon party?" she whispered to Smokescreen.
"Mostly," he said. "The Prime's supposed to be here, so they're extra good."
They watched the feet of the guests, and Updraft saw Thundercracker's, pacing between the table and here. She pulled her legs up closer— being caught down here would mean trouble.
"Which one's the Prime?" she whispered to Smokescreen. She was pretty sure she'd seen Nominus before, on the newscasts, but she couldn't tell him by his feet.
He stared at here. "He's not here yet! He gets announced, and then the Prime and his entourage will come in."
"I don't just want to see their feet," Updraft said petulantly.
"Speaking of feet," Smokescreen said, grinning widely. "Look at those heels. How do they walk?"
Updraft followed his pointing figure to Starscream's feet. One was tapping in boredom and she thought of being caught by her carrier, locked back up in their apartment. Her optics flickered.
"That's my carrier," she said, shifting uncomfortably. "Starscream. He says they're the fashion."
"They're silly," Smokescreen said.
Updraft managed a smile. She agreed, and she knew Thundercracker did, too. They were impractical, he'd told her, for the leader of Cybertron's fleet.
Soon feet got very boring. Nominus was still nowhere in sight, so they crawled back out. As they were passing by, Smokescreen took down a yellow cube of engex from the pile—from the middle, which Updraft chose to say nothing about. The pyramid wobbled, but to her relief managed to stay upright. They each took a sip, and Updraft nearly spit it out right there. That was what Starscream partied every night for? Unbelievable.
They had chucked their cube, and were looking for a good seat to watch the Prime from, when Updraft felt a hand on her shoulder. Updraft jumped—then dropped her shoulders, optics dimmed.
"Hi, TC."
"Don't you 'hi, TC' me," Thundercracker said, his hand heavy on her back. She looked from him to Smokescreen, who was reminding her of a turbofox in headlights. "Who is this?"
"This is Smokescreen," Updraft said quickly. "We just met. He's my friend!"
"I thought you were supposed to stay in sight of Skywarp?" Thundercracker said, giving her a critical look. "You're a mess."
Updraft's faceplates heated up. She touched her cheek, and her fingers came back sticky. Smokescreen waved, his own hand still shiny with residue. His most winning smile didn't seem to be winning Thundercracker over any.
"Hello, sir," he said, back straight. "I live next door to the Air Commander. Here in Iacon, anyway."
"I saw him through our screen door," Updraft said quickly. "We started talking down here, and I lost track of Skywarp."
Thundercracker looked at them in a way reminiscent of him trying to make Starscream crack. When Updraft wouldn't speak, only clenching her fists, he sighed.
"We'll talk later," he said, reaching for the nearest table. He handed both of them a cleaning cloth, and stood guard until Updraft and Smokescreen had given in and wiped their face. Updraft tried not to laugh at Thundercracker's face when Smokescreen simply kicked his under the table.
The band going silent caused Thundercracker to pause. He straightened up sharply, and Updraft squeaked as he pulled her in against his side. When she followed everyone's gaze towards the entrance, she saw why—even she knew Nominus Prime on sight, all height and bulk and colour.
"He didn't have wings before," she heard Smokescreen whisper. Nominus's optics slid over the crowd, before turning to one of the bots next to him. She nodded once, and inclined her head towards him in a small bow. Everyone—his mechs, the band, the guests—all of them took time to give the Prime his due. Updraft could even see Starscream, his wings and head dipped with the flow of the crowd. A sharp tap from Thundercracker got Updraft to follow suit. She brought her head down too quickly, and stared hard at his feet. After a moment, an unspoken signal brought everyone up again. Updraft couldn't see anything in the Prime's optics from here. He nodded, and his mechs flowed past him into the crowd. The femme he had first addressed stayed with Nominus, and as the band picked up again they, too, joined a softly talking group.
A comm from Thundercracker surprised her. She rarely received them, especially not in such close quarters. Only for emergencies, she had been told, over and over again.
This is one rule you cannot ignore: do NOT bother Nominus Prime.
Updraft didn't answer, busy staring at Nominus across the room. Another message jolted her.
Are we clear, Updraft of the Vosian Heights?
She looked up, and winced at the brightness of Thundercracker's optics. She acknowledged his message, just like she'd been taught, and he relaxed.
"I need to greet the Prime with Starscream. Be good, please?" His voice had just enough desperation for Updraft to nod firmly.
Smokescreen stepped to her side again only when Thundercracker was gone, towards the crowd now mobbing the Prime. His wings gleamed, and even his back was handsomer than most of the mechs in here.
"Is that your sire?" Smokescreen asked, in a loud whisper.
"What? No," Updraft said. Her optics went bright in surprise. "That's just Thundercracker. He's one of my carrier's lieutenants."
"Is your sire here?" Smokescreen asked. "I've seen a bunch of Seekers around tonight. I figured one of them was yours."
Updraft shrugged. "I don't know my sire. Starscream doesn't talk about them."
Smokescreen seemed thoughtful about that, even as they circled back to their candy table. "That's too bad," he said around a mouthful of jelly cubes. "Mine takes me to watch my carrier's races."
Updraft shrugged, reaching for the last silica crunch. "It's fine," she said. "I have TC and Skywarp, and my guards, and—oh!"
An adult's hand bumped hers as she reached for the pastry. Starscream had been wrong about people being interested in Updraft; so far, she and Smokescreen had gone unnoticed in their eating. Now she looked up at a stern, red-and-white mech. Clearly a doctor, from his decals, and his cool blue optics made Updraft snatch her hand right back.
The mech shook his head, pulling back. "You go on," he said. "Not that you need it, with half the table on your faces."
Updraft felt her faceplates heat up, but Smokescreen only grinned. "Thanks, old man!" he said, reaching for the treat himself. "Did you come in with Nominus?"
The doctor bristled. "I hardly see how that's your business, little one. Eat the candy."
"Oh, be nice, Ratchet," said a younger voice. Another mech was eyeing the treats laid out, his hand hovering over the plates in inspection. "I'm sure they live in this area."
"Unlike you," Ratchet the doctor said in a low voice. "Don't be greedy, Pax."
Updraft had not seen many rollers up close, and she studied these two. The doctor, she realized, she recognized—he had been on the news before, when Thundercracker watched the Senate convening. The other mech was younger, and didn't hold himself with confidence. He did have pretty blue and red plating. She counted out four wheels on both of them, and had to resist the urge to touch. They looked soft, and not particularly unsightly.
The doctor raised one brow at her. "Didn't your parents teach you not to stare?"
"I've never seen wheels up close," Updraft blurted out. "Sorry, sir." She made a point of averting her gaze to Smokescreen, whose grin looked like it was in danger of splitting his face.
"You didn't tell me you'd never seen wheels!" he said, popping a hard candy into his mouth.
"I've seen them," Updraft said, feeling the burn of two strangers' optics on her. "Just not this close."
"You must be from Vos," Ratchet's friend said. "Your accent's a giveaway."
He smiled at them, despite Ratchet's sharp look, and Updraft knew right away he was harmless. Gentle, even, and from the way he was holding himself, not comfortable at a high-caste gala.
"I told you!" Smokescreen said triumphantly. "Vosians have accents. They do."
"So do Iaconians," she said quickly, brightening her optics. She looked up, and held out her hand. "I'm Updraft," she said. "That's Smokescreen. He lives next door to me."
The younger mech bent down enough to give her hand a gentle shake. "Orion Pax. I am Ratchet's guest for the New Year's celebrations."
Updraft grinned at him. "That's a funny name, Orion Pax," she said.
Ratchet frowned. His arms were folded across his chest, as if to defend himself from two small troublemakers. "Your manners are poor, Updraft," he said flatly. Updraft bristled, but Orion Pax only smiled.
"She'll keep speaking her mind, I'm sure," Orion said. "We need more like her."
Ratchet harrumphed. "They'll both need to learn when and where yet," he said. "They're lucky they rank so high, outspoken as they are."
"You came in with Nominus," Smokescreen pointed out. The entire conversation, he had continued to shove jelly cubes into his mouth. "You must be high caste to get in here."
Ratchet's optics glittered, and he straightened up. Updraft was relieved he was not her doctor.
"I'm a medical officer of the Senate," he said. Updraft watched Smokescreen's jaw drop as it occurred to him what this meant. It didn't impress her. "Yes, we entered with Nominus Prime. No, nothing else is your business."
It seemed to be the case, especially when a mech's voice calling "Smokescreen!" rang out over the crowd. The sparklet in question stuffed one more handful of candy into his mouth, and nudged Updraft's shoulder.
"It's been fun. I'll see you at New Year's," he said, muffled around his candy. "Took my carrier long enough. Coming, Daddy !"
Then he was gone, disappearing into the crowd. Updraft was left alone with the doctor and his guest.
"The manners on sparklets these days," Ratchet said, grumbling the words. "Honestly. Luxury items that talk back."
"I'm rather charmed myself," Orion said. He flashed Updraft another smiled, and she returned it. "Data clerks don't often get to meet them."
"You're mid-caste?" Updraft asked. Another rude question, but she and Thundercracker had gone over this. The three tiers, and the great divide between the highest one and the lesser two. Apparently not an impossible gulf to cross, if Orion Pax had been admitted entry to this gala.
"I am," Orion said, before Ratchet could open his mouth. "In Iacon there are opportunities to mingle between castes. Not many, but here I am."
Updraft supposed she had met mid-caste mechs before. Those working in the shopping centre, like the decal shop…she had even met low-caste mechs, during her adventure to Lower Vos. She made a mental note to ask what caste Dreadwing and Skyquake were from. Specifically, there, because what did Kaon need Seekers for?
Ratchet was still regarding her coolly, like there was something about her he wanted to place. "You had best be getting back to your parents, too," he said.
Updraft glanced around, catching sight of Starscream's silver wings. "My carrier won't miss me," she said, pointing. "That's him there."
Ratchet's eyebrows threatened to fly right off his forehead. "For Primus's—the Air Commander is your carrier?" At Updraft's nod, he sighed, tired and heavy. "Well, you must have gotten all that charm from your sire. Count yourself lucky." He tilted his head, just slightly. "And—yes, I'm seeing it now. The parent sparks tend to influence the faceplate. Lucky you, since looks are the only thing he's got."
"Ratchet!" Orion said sharply. Updraft smiled, and she caught a glitter of amusement in Ratchet's optics. The first one she had seen so far, and therefore a success.
"It really is getting late," Ratchet said. "You ought to remind him you're alive and well before he notices."
This was true enough—though it was more to keep Thundercracker off her back than anything. Updraft flashed them her most dazzling, Skywarp-taught grin, and inclined her head politely.
"It was nice meeting you," she said. She turned to Orion. "There are more silica crunches on the other table. Try the copper ones." He had been eyeing Smokescreen's emptied plate with interest, and hadn't Updraft been taught to be polite? She swept her hand across the table as she left, taking the biggest handful of sweetsticks she could hold. Then she ducked under the table, towards the crowd.
Orion's laughter followed her, and she heard Ratchet's tired sigh. What a grumpy old mech. "There should be a law against Starscream reproducing," he was saying to Orion. "They've got no chance."
Updraft scowled, but that would do her no good. He was…probably right, but here she was, and he had been improving. As much as she could expect Starscream to improve, anyway. One sweetstick sticking out of her mouth, she weaved through the crowd's legs. Smokescreen was chatting animatedly with a mech who looked just like him, and the music had picked up. A few people were dancing (a step up from stumbling on tabletops like she'd seen), and she looked over shoulders, trying to find a familiar pair of wings again.
She could get a better look at some of the guests, especially Nominus's entourage. Some senators she could pick out, from the news—there was Halogen, and maybe that was Shockwave (but maybe not, because that colour was wrong). Updraft could tell the Iaconians easily, from the gaudy colours and decorations they wore. Next to them her Seekers looked sleek and fashionable, though the other colours were quite lovely.
It did make them harder to find. Updraft wasn't looking ahead of her as she moved, distracted by a pair of glaring orange doorwings when she walked into something big.
"Ouch!"
The clang she made was even louder when she realized those around her had gone silent. Swallowing the last of her sweetstick, Updraft looked up into the blue optics of Nominus Prime.
He was as gaudy as the rest of Iacon. Built much bigger than most of the mechs, but maybe that was what Primes were. Big, and imposing, to keep everyone else in line. His face was calm, but his optics were cool and unreadable. Updraft disliked that from experience, and she was about to step into the crowd when two hands grabbed her shoulders.
"Updraft!" Starscream said sharply. He pulled her back, and straightened her up with a sharp motion. His claws dug into her paint. "Where is—never mind. What do you say to our Prime?"
Updraft thought about Starscream watching news reports at home, and the choice words he had had about Nominus. Ones Thundercracker would have covered her audials over, had he heard. At this moment, Starscream's gaze was lowered, his wings dipped in deference. This was not the Starscream who referred to the government as "a waste of his fragging time."
Updraft knew better. She bowed too, careful not to meet his gaze again. Nominus had not reacted, but the small circle around them was murmuring. The party went on.
"It's very nice to meet you, sir," she said. Starscream stiffened: wrong answer. "I'm very sorry about walking into you. I wasn't careful."
Starscream's fingers on her shoulder relaxed. The assembled bots waited on their Prime.
Updraft looked up after a long moment. Nominus Prime was smiling. She heard the assembled group's collective sigh of relief, but found herself unmoved. That smile did not come close to his optics. She stepped back shyly, and she could feel Starscream's sly, false smile on her too.
"You are the talk of Vos, little one," Nominus said. Updraft opened her mouth, to say how would you know, and he chuckled. "Senators come here, and they gossip. Are you enjoying the party?"
Updraft gave him the best smile she could manage. "Yes, sir! The candy's delicious."
Nominus chuckled again, and his entourage quickly followed suit. Starscream's smile was like a bad taste in her mouth, but Updraft kept herself charming.
"The rumours say you're quite a troublemaker, too," Nominus said. His circle had relaxed, talking and laughing quietly among themselves, but the Prime's cold optics remained on her. "Keep it in check. And happy new year. Starscream-"
"Sir!" Starscream said, straightening up. His wings sprung to attention, and Updraft felt her spark shift in discomfort.
Nominus must have been in a good mood, because he gave his hand a light wave. "-Thank you for coming. Now, Crosscut. In regards to your new play..."
Updraft knew the look of a mech who had forgotten her. Satisfied with her performance, she made for the crowd, content with facing consequences later. Starscream's grip tightened on her back, and she squeaked.
"You dented my finish!" she said.
"Your finish?" Starscream said, his whisper furious. "You'll be worried about more than your finish when I'm done with you!"
He wouldn't do anything here, not beyond the dents in her back, but Updraft shivered at the prospect of later. She would have to stay close to someone else until he gave up on her. Starscream straightened up, before anyone could formulate more gossip.
"Stay close," Starscream growled, and Updraft slumped. Seeking out Starscream had been a mistake, because the fun would end here. Worse, her fuel tanks were starting to protest the volume of sweets she'd just eaten. She swallowed down her discomfort, and tried to look proper.
The rest of the party was not nearly as exciting, and the whole time her tanks churned. Updraft stuck close to Starscream's side and tried to guess the alt modes of guests. There were a number of other Seekers in attendance, though most weren't visibly Vosian. None were as handsome as her Seekers, and she was entirely used to jets. Instead she studied wheels, and tank treads, thinking about the unpleasantness of rolling on that material. The mech Skywarp had been chatting with, Blitzwing, baffled her. Wings, and treads, and mounted artillery. She would have to ask about him.
"Primus, is it ever past your bedtime." At some point, Updraft felt hands lifting her. Skywarp was grinning, and overcharged, but she still leaned into his touch. "Nominus left," she heard him telling Starscream, already dimming her optics. "TC's done, and I'm bored."
Starscream gave them a cursory glance, but he had been flirting with a pretty speedster, who was watching them expectantly. He waved his hand. "Goodnight, then. Take her with you."
Updraft relaxed, and let Skywarp carry her out. He was humming a popular tune, and shifted her more comfortably against his shoulder.
"Your carrier's got weird taste," Skywarp said in the elevator. "He'll flirt with more than just wings. Maybe your sire was in there, who knows?"
Thundercracker must have been elsewhere, because he didn't scold Skywarp. Updraft, optics offline, drifted off in Skywarp's arms.
Skywarp woke to the sound of tanks purging.
He almost rolled over, to press his nose back into Thundercracker's neck and sleep the morning away...but that wasn't Starscream. He was very familiar with the sound of Starscream's purging (he'd patted his back through a nasty hangover enough times), and it was enough to make him sit up. He groaned—headache. Of course.
He was swallowing pain tablets when he came upon Updraft in the washrack. He winced. "Ouch."
That was an impressive amount of half-digested, colourful energon in the grate, and the poor kid was still shuddering on her hands and knees. It took him a second to register that Dreadwing was already there, his massive hand on Updraft's back. He regarded Skywarp coolly.
"She not feeling well?" Skywarp asked. His own tanks churned—self-repair disorder might have reared its ugly helm again. Maybe he should be waking up the others, to charter a shuttle to the hospital.
Dreadwing frowned, as if Skywarp were an unwanted guest. "Obviously. If you need to purge, I suggest going elsewhere."
Skywarp shook his head. He was intimately familiar with the difference between "annoyingly hungover" and "TC, get me a basin right now." He had been good last night. Really!
Below them, Updraft made a pained sound. "I'm never eating spiced energon again. Or sweetsticks. Or anything. Ever."
Skywarp had to clamp down on a grin. That explained her sticky face the night before. Updraft had been recharging before he even tucked her in, after her night out with high society. Dreadwing was stone-faced, and Skywarp's face fell.
"You will live," he said solemnly, like Updraft had had her spark chamber knocked around. He looked at the puddle she had produced, and pursed his lips. "Hm. Colourful stuff."
The bodyguard seemed to have a handle on things. Satisfied, Skywarp left him to it. Skyquake held up a hand in greeting from the door, and Skywarp tossed him a bag of rust sticks. Things were normal again.
He stuck up for Updraft when Thundercracker gave her an audialfull ("that stuff they put out is good!") and weaseled out of joining Starscream at Senate. Updraft was settled in the main room with a thermoblanket and low-grade, and instead of Skywarp, the Kaonians joined the others in the land of unbearable politics. Skywarp had never been so happy about the new entourage.
"They gonna let you in?" Skywarp called from the couch. He was challenging himself today—Luna-1 Combat 3 was significantly harder to play upside-down. It doubled as entertaining Updraft, who had giggled madly at his feet in the air.
Skyquake paused in the door. "Access passes," he said. "Starscream wants muscle."
There were things happening these days in Iacon. Bomb threats, intrigue...exciting stuff, even if nothing would really come of it. It didn't surprise him that Starscream would want protection, sitting in on a planet-wide Senate meeting.
Updraft was quiet for some time after they left. Finally she shifted, optics bright. She'd rapidly recovered after her initial purge, and Skywarp suspected she was playing up some of her suffering. "I had fun last night," she said. "I bet Dreadwing and Skyquake would like it, if we brought them."
Skywarp grinned. "Oh, they can't get in," Skywarp said. "Their caste level's not high enough without special permission—which we won't bother getting."
"I met an archivist last night," Updraft said. "He said he was mid-caste, but he got in."
Skywarp raised a brow, still concentrating on blowing up organics. "Mid-caste? He must have some real important friends." Or he'd caught the optic of someone important. Not that that was appropriate to discuss, and he was relieved when Updraft didn't press it.
"How do you know if someone is mid-caste?" Updraft asked. She was leaning over his legs now, to look over at his game progress. "I couldn't tell just by looking."
"He was probably all polished up for the function," Skywarp said. "Don't worry about it, kid. They're not worth your time."
Updraft frowned. Orion Pax had been clever, and kind, and even with wheels she had seen no reason not to be nice. "He was nice, though."
"Oh, they can be nice," Skywarp said. "Like Blitzwing—well, never mind, Blitz isn't nice, but he's fun to drink with. Doesn't make him equal with us. You," he said, tapping one foot against the wall, "are royalty, pretty much. Starscream is real important."
Updraft thought about the bots in the darkness of Lower Vos, rough and dirty in a way she couldn't bear. She guessed you could be kind and dirty...but she had no desire to revisit the lower levels and find out. Orion Pax had been neither dirty nor unkind, or any different from the less gaudy Iaconians.
"It must be hard to be a lower-caste sparklet," she said finally. Skywarp laughed out loud, and Updraft was flustered enough to clamp her mouth shut.
"Oh, kid!" he said, rolling over into a more natural position. "Lower-caste sparklets just...aren't. They're not allowed to ignite them. Don't worry about it." He reached out to rub her helm, though for once Updraft couldn't muster up the affection back. "You're funny."
Updraft opened her mouth to ask why, but stopped herself in time. Skywarp was not the one for a proper answer to such a question.
The next couple of weeks passed without incident. Starscream was too busy to remember to bother her about the gala, and she spent much of her time wondering if he'd show up at all that night. Updraft read about the tiered castes, when alone with her books—someone was always with her, at least posted at the door, but Starscream almost never appeated. He always had at least one of his trine with him, if not both, and attended every party. It left Updraft behind on her lessons, but with plenty of time to read up on Cybertron, and their people.
It hadn't been that long ago, when she had been dirty and tired and unwilling to leaf through Starscream's datapads. Updraft felt much older than she had then, studying the three tiers, and the sub-castes that formed them. She found herself, and her Seekers, near the top: elite fliers, a warrior class meant to defend. There were other types of Seekers, lower than theirs, but she felt unwilling to ask Dreadwing where they hailed from. She found the medical caste near the bottom of that first tier, and data clerk in the middle of the middle. Orion Pax had seemed well-fueled and healthy. Tidy. What did it mean to be low-caste, besides dirt and smog? (And unsettling jobs that one's carrier sent your bodyguards on.)
And why didn't they get to ignite little sparks?
She would have tried asking Thundercracker, but he was Starscream's favourite attendant for times like this. Unfailingly polite, and quiet, and therefore away often. Mostly Updraft saw him in recharge, peeking into the berthrooms before anyone else woke up. Thundercracker managed to look solemn even in sleep, with Skywarp draped over him and a sliver of sun on his optics.
She could feel the difference on New Year's Eve. Outside, Iacon buzzed with activity, stalls and tables already set up and more bots than usual milling on the ground. More lanterns had appeared overnight, and Updraft watched Skywarp fly from one spire back to theirs, expertly dodging the strings that now crossed between balconies.
"Be careful!" Thundercracker barked. He was examining his finish, deciding whether to wax again before they left. "I don't want you spending the holidays dead!"
Skywarp teleported back inside with a crack, from halfway back to the balcony. Updraft shrieked in delight as he appeared beside her. Thundercracker threw his head back in disgust.
"Don't worry," Skywap said to Updraft, conspiratorial. "He'll be happy tonight. New Year's cheer is contagious."
"How about that," Skyquake said. He was filling a cube of low-grade at the tap, the setting low. (Updraft noticed, because she always put it on too high and spilled a bit.) "I thought Thundercracker was immune to that emotion."
Updraft wondered what Thundercracker would say if she told him he looked just like Starscream in that moment. At least, close enough.
She was in a good mood. Her finish shone, and Thundercracker had touched up her paint for the evening. She had asked if he could change her whole colour "just for tonight!" but had gotten a firm no. That was another thing to wait till upgrade.
"Are you idiots ready?" Starscream called from his room. He had waxed on, and off, and on again twice already. Updraft wondered if anything was left on his plating at all. "Thundercracker! I need my glyphs!"
"I dunno, Starscream," Skywarp called, turning from Updraft's last once-over. Thundercracker sighed, and disappeared down the hall. "Are you done using every product on Cybertron? Will you ever be?"
Skyquake grinned. "I don't think he's caught the cheer either."
Dreadwing was already waiting downstairs, and Updraft had been delighted to see him and Skyquake polished bright. Starscream had not "wanted muscle" as it turned out—apparently New Year's was a public celebration. Updraft thought of their "entourage," and compared it to Nominus's. Theirs looked considerably sillier.
"Time to go!" Skywarp said cheerfully. Starscream and Thundercracker had reappeared, and Starscream strutted towards the door. He did look handsome, as he had before the gala. Would Updraft get to be that beautiful one day?
"I'll keep an optic on you all," Skyquake muttered as he passed. He sounded particularly entertained about it. "Go on."
Skywarp shrugged, and reached for Updraft to help her down from the stool. She took one last look at the lanterns outside, but she was about to see plenty more.
New Year's Eve was another kind of party. Instead of the drunken debauchery of a Vosian house bash, or the stately galas of the past few weeks. The banquet hall of a few weeks ago was full, but the guests spilled into the street, carts and tables lining the courtyards.
Updraft held tight to Skywarp's hand and stared. There were more lanterns than ever, and they reflected off their plating, making the world and the revelers a rainbow of bright colours. Some held a lantern in their hands, their smiles reflecting red or yellow or green. The tables and carts were covered in candies and engex, and as they passed Skywarp grabbed three cubes, handing them out to his trine. Most incredible for Updraft was that under these beautiful lights the mood was bright, and cheerful, and catching. People called out greetings to each other, and a bump against someone outside their caste was met with a smile rather than scorn.
Someone called out, "Happy new year!" A green roller, showing her gap teeth as she grinned out at them. Updraft wondered if she was dreaming when Thundercracker smiled back,and wished her the same as they passed. Skywarp was grinning wide, and in a rare public gesture had his arm linked through Thundercracker's, pressed close against him. Even Starscream's wings were held at the middle, relaxed despite his earlier mood. If Updraft turned and craned her neck, she could see Dreadwing and Skyquake strolling with cubes in their hands, looking solemn and speaking in low voices. Their wings relaxed too, and when they caught her staring she earned herself two smiles. Skyquake shuttered one optic in a wink, before turning towards a stall.
"This is happening all over Cybertron," Thundercracker said. Everything had to be a lesson. "Iacon's celebration is the biggest, but even the lowest castes put out lanterns and celebrate."
"Even Vos?" Updraft said. A stall bursting with coloured lights slowed her steps, but Skywarp pulled her along. "I've never seen them."
"The strings are a danger to the fliers," Thundercracker said. "And the lights can interfere with our path. But bots put one or two out." He turned to her, and Updraft reveled in how happy he seemed. "You're too young to remember your first few new years, probably."
"She was sparked around this time," Starscream said suddenly. When they all turned to him, he stiffened up, optics flickering in the way of a flustered mech. "What? You can't control their extraction date."
"It's been ages since we hit this party," Skywarp said. "Updraft, you're gonna love their big finale."
"Happy New Year!" Updraft called out to some big mechs. They all smiled wide and waved, and the others hustled her along only a little bit quickly. Lower-caste, working mechs, whom her guardians would have scolded her for speaking to otherwise.
Skywarp handed her a sweetstick, and she munched as they kept walking. When Starscream met someone he knew and exclaimed over them (less fake than usual), Updraft stuck close. Her hand didn't leave Skywarp's, though she already ached to explore. Being good was such hard work. The courtyard and the surrounding streets were full to bursting, and others waved from balconies as they hung out yet more lanterns.
"Is Nominus here?" Updraft asked. His massive form was hard to miss, even among the crush of cheerful bots.
"Oh, somewhere," Thundercracker replied. "There are a few ceremonies the Prime does to ring in the new year. You'll see him on the holoscreens when it gets closer to time."
Updraft's chronometer said she had awhile yet before then. Longing, she turned to the tables full of treats. It would be worth getting sick again, if she could try those hard candies on a stick…unfortunatel, this time Skywarp was being watched, to ensure he watched her.
"Ha-appy new year!"
Her free hand was grabbed by one her size, and she was pulled backward by a familiar white blur. Smokescreen's optics blazed excitedly at her. Updraft laughed in delight—she had wondered if they would find each other in this.
"Hey!" Skywarp said, turning around. Thundercracker stepped away neatly at that moment, towards an attractive tangle of lanterns. "It might be the holidays, but watch where you're going!"
Updraft finally wiggled out of his grasp, taking Smokescreen's other hand. He was as prim and polished as she was, his chevron repainted and his white paint spotless. What caught her optics were the lanterns strapped to his back, glowing blue and red. He was staring up at Skywarp, and Updraft quickly stepped between them.
"It's okay!" she said. "This is my friend, Smokescreen."
"Where did you go and make a friend?" Starscream asked from behind her. Their optics burned on her, and she could just picture Skyquake's knowing grin.
"The party." Updraft didn't turn around, smiling wide at Smokescreen instead. "Happy new year!"
"Uh." Smokescreen looked from Starscream, to Skywarp, to Thundercracker, then turned to confirm that, yes, the Seekers from Updraft's apartment were there too. "Yeah," he said. "We played together at the party."
"I remember him," Thundercracker said, optics narrowed. "You two ate all that candy. And Updraft got got sick."
"Relax, TC," Skywarp said. Now that he had gotten a good look, he had decided Smokescreen was harmless. "I bet it's good to meet little bots her age. Like a cohort thing."
"Your parents, Smokescreen," Starscream said. He drew out the name slowly. "Their function?"
Smokescreen's optics got very bright. Thundercracker stiffened, and Updraft bet that that question was rude. To his credit, Smokescreen didn't shiver. "My sire's an architect. My carrier's a racer. Air Commander, sir." He tilted his head. "You are the Air Commander, right?"
"I am—and I am going to bet shanix your line's never been in the air," Starscream said scornfully. "Come along, Updraft. Walk here by me."
"Can't I talk to Smokescreen for awhile?" Updraft said. She slumped, and prepared to whine. If Starscream was in danger of being embarrassed, it was often possible to make him give up. "Please? It's new year's!"
"Let her, boss," Skywarp said. He patted Updraft's shoulder, and she straightened up. "Neither of them have alt modes yet. Function doesn't matter."
"And you'll monitor this?" Starscream said suspiciously. "I need to meet Senators."
Skywarp nodded furiously. "Yeah! Yes, I'm great at watching her!"
Updraft dared a look at Dreadwing and Skyquake. She turned away just as quickly, lest she lose her nerve. She made her optics as bright and sweet as she could manage. "I'll be good! I'll stay close!"
Surrounded by mechs, food and partying, Starscream tensed. He was not in a position to refuse her, and he sighed, to show Updraft just how much this hurts him. "You won't always be so lucky, Updraft," he said finally. "Vos is not like the rest of Cybertron."
Skywarp vented out a sigh as Starscream stalked off. Thundercracker gave them a long look and followed, pushing towards a table stacked with sweetsticks. "Primus, he's a handful." He turned to Updraft, and winked one bright optic at her. "A special treat for new year's, right? Things always get a little silly when the year rolls over."
As soon as he was turned away (of course he'd turned away), inspecting a cart of trinkets, Smokescreen pulled her aside. "I brought you a new year's present," he said, reaching behind him for the lanterns. He thrust the red one towards her. "These are the smallest ones we had. I thought your carrier wouldn't get mad if it was your colour."
Smokescreen had caught on fast. Updraft took the lantern like it would shatter on contact. She knew the light danced on her face, and it glowed red as a spark in her hands.
"It's beautiful," she said, venting out the words. "I don't have anything for you, though."
Smokescreen grinned at her. "It's okay. Come play with me and we'll call it even."
Updraft frowned. She clutched her lantern closer, and glanced at Skywarp. He was now haggling with the stall owner, but it was good-natured as he inspected what he liked. "I have to stay close," she said.
Smokescreen glanced up, then back at her. His optics glittered with mischief, and he held up his own lantern. "We won't go too far," he said. "C'mon, I really wanted to show you something. It's the best place to watch the fireworks."
Updraft's optics grew very round. "Fireworks?" She had seen those on the holoscreen, but never in person. "Is that what they do for the new year?"
Smokescreen nodded eagerly. "They're so cool. Wanna see where I watch them from?"
Updraft gave Skywarp another glance. To her right, Dreadwing was looking on as Skyquake sampled candy. They all seemed distracted, and Starscream and Thundercracker were nowhere in sight. It was now or never.
She sighed, and held out her hand. Smokescreen's optics lit up, and he pulled her forward as he bolted.
Weaving through the revelers, passing under beautiful lights and through wonderful music, she was giggling in seconds. The thrill of causing just a little trouble—and having a co-conspirator—was so easy to get caught up in, even as she heard Skywarp's shout of "Updraft!" over the crowd.
They stopped on a small, equally crowded street past the Spires. In the distance, one of the holoform screens flickered on to reveal Nominus and his entourage. Smokescreen pulled her into an alleyway (nothing like the ones in Lower Vos—this one was wide and neat) and pointed to a ladder.
"My friends and I come here after school," Smokescreen said, reaching for the first rung. "Well, we did. I've been stuck at home for ages."
Updraft scampered up after him, and when she had crawled onto the roof she saw why. They weren't exactly on the highest point in Iacon, but this rooftop had a clear view of the party, and one of the bigger holoscreens. They were flanked by towering Iacon buildings, covered top to bottom in lantern strings. Their own roof was dark, and out of the way enough that two sparklets would not be noticed.
Smokescreen pointed to the clear space in the sky. "Right there," he said. "You'll see them perfectly."
"Don't your friends know about this spot?" Updraft asked, glancing back at their ladder.
"Oh, they're with their parents. People are all nervous because of those bomb threats." Smokescreen shrugged, dropping down. "Nothing ever comes of them, though.
Updraft didn't ask him about why people would be so nervous. She pushed down the pang of guilt from ditching Skywarp as she settled in, holding her lantern tightly. Red, like her optics and spark. Like the optics of people that mattered to her. Smokescreen had made a good choice.
Smokescreen handed her a small bag, and Updraft popped a silica crunch into her mouth. Nominus was doing something on the screen, at a massive monument and flanked by several handsome mechs. Someone was chanting in Primal Vernacular, a language she didn't understand. She had asked, and Thundercracker had left her the alphabet and said it was the best he had.
"Ugh," Smokescreen said, his mouth full of candy. "Old Cybertronian is my least favourite class." Updraft imagined that she would like it, if she had the opportunity. She paid more attention to the shifting mass of bots below them, their laughter and music wafting up to her. Occasionally she glanced up at the skies instead, wondering if a familiar jet would zoom over the crowd, to snatch her back up and give her the scolding of a lifetime
Updraft sucked on a sweetstick, savouring it. Smokescreen popped candy after candy into his mouth, and Updraft wondered if he had thrown up after the party, too. Maybe it was an SRD thing. Hopefully not—it would be a frustrating experience.
"Aren't your parents looking for you?" Updraft asked finally. She saw no sign of familiar wings down below, so they hadn't yet come this way. Before Skywarp remembered to use it, she shut off her comm. She had never seen Smokescreen's carrier and sire, but Smokescreen seemed unconcerned. Relaxed, even, as he grinned at her.
"Oh, probably," he said. "They'll flip their lids that I'm gone. After the fireworks I'll just say I got lost."
That wouldn't work for Updraft, and the unease settled in her spark. Before she could dwell on it too much, Smokescreen had jumped up beside her, dropping his bag of sweets. "Updraft! Quick, it's about to start!"
Updraft scrambled to her feet. Below them, the whole street had paused, the shifting mass turned towards the biggest holoscreen. Nominus had stepped back from whatever he was doing, and on screen it seemed that even he was turned towards the sky. A countdown had appeared on the screen, settled in the corner, and Updraft checked her chronometer. It was almost time.
Smokescreen reached over and clicked something on, below Updraft's lantern. It seemed to glow brighter, and Updraft felt it pull against her hands.
"Let it go," he urged her. "Watch."
He demonstrated, and the little blue lantern began to float above their heads. Updraft realized that it was not the only one—colours of all kinds joined it, hovering gently towards the space Smokescreen had pointed out. Updraft let hers slipped from her fingers, too, and pretended she could fly alongside it. See those fireworks up close.
"I thought you said there'd be fireworks," Updraft said softly. Her optics were glued to the floating lights.
"Keep watching," Smokescreen said. She wasn't looking his way, but Updraft could feel his anticipating grin.
They stood close together, and watched as the freed lanterns wafted past the strung ones. Updraft didn't feel bad any more about escaping the others. This would be beautiful, and Smokescreen had worked hard to get her here. It would be worth it.
The flash of white, white light, and the acrid smell of smoke, almost didn't register. Then she was thrown back in a rushing roar, and couldn't hear her own scream.