It's so nice to have this done! School and other projects have kept me busy, but I'm just as excited as ever to update this work! Thanks so much for your patience, guys.
This chapter is set some time after the last one, though Updraft is still in her childhood. Thundercracker fans will be pleased this update, too (and as a Thundercracker fan, I am also pleased). Reviews and comments are, as always, a delight and appreciated!
Grand Cybertronian Taxonomy, Class 1
Intellectual Caste: Alt Mode Exempt
Senators and Primal Entourage
Spires Lines
Order of Cybertron Recipients
Military Caste
Primal Vanguard
Vosian Air Force (that's us!)
Class 2
Scientific Caste...
"Any questions so far?" Thundercracker asked.
Updraft looked up, and quickly shook her head. She returned her gaze to her datapad, writing so intently that right away Thundercracker was suspicious. Listing was simple for Updraft—easy things like this meant her mind wandered, and she didn't always deliver the results Thundercracker knew she could.
That wouldn't keep him from making sure Updraft could list off the Taxonomy. He leaned over to see her progress, and right away she had covered the datapad with her hands, looking up at him with her most sugary smile.
"I've got it, TC, don't worry!" she said, Thundercracker already moving her hands. He sighed. The exact point where Updraft had dropped the list had resulted in several coloured drawings of jets, blasting off cheerfully from her schoolwork. To her credit, Updraft managed to look chastised. She pointed at the blue drawing. "There's you, on Starscream's left wing."
Thundercracker's lip twitched, and he forced back a smile. "Where I belong," he agreed. "But you're old enough to know better. Finish your taxonomy."
Updraft slumped back in her chair, and her dramatics reminded him that she really was Starscream's daughter. "I know it, though," she said petulantly, twirling her stylus between her fingers.
Thundercracker was unmoved. "Well, prove it. I'm sure you can list it all out in the next twenty minutes, if you focus."
"Ugh." Slowly, Updraft pulled herself back towards the table. Sometimes Thundercracker missed the eager little student, who had vibrated with the excitement of learning. The time had passed quickly. A few small upgrades had helped spark flashes of maturity, more and more often, but Updraft was young still. Evidenced now by how her shoulders now stooped, and the annoyed scrawl of her stylus.
Still, if the subject captured her, Updraft was an quick study. She probably knew more about flight theory Thundercracker's Academy students, and it was the things like this that made her quick mind sluggish. Unfortunately for Updraft, busy work was as much a part of life as the good stuff, and Thundercracker intended that she know it. Content she knew he was watching, Thundercracker returned to his other marking.
It was only ten minutes later when Updraft chirped "all done!" and pushed her datapad towards him. Thundercracker suppressed another sigh. It was scribbled, but it was the Taxonomy, and all seemed to be in order. "Later you're going to copy this out, in type."
Her face fell, but only for a split second. Then she grinned, hopping down from her chair to put her hands on his knees. Her winglets perked up, a charming imitation of an older Seeker. "We should take a break now," she said. "We've been writing all morning. A walk, maybe? On the roof?"
Thundercracker finally allowed himself a smile. He would have said yes, if the front door hadn't opened at just that moment. Starscream, with his ever-perfect timing, burst in. Skywarp trotted close behind, optics dim with boredom. On reflex Thundercracker stood, ready to take whatever flak Starscream felt like throwing before Updraft had to.
"You would not believe the day I'm having," Starscream groused, striding past the table without even looking Updraft's way. Hastily, she shut it off, intent on her messy work going unnoticed. "Thundercracker! I have to leave in an hour. Pack your things."
"Where?" Updraft asked in surprise.
"Iacon," Skywarp said, making a face. He came up behind her at that moment to sweep her up, delighting in her squeal of surprise. Thundercracker tried not to smile—Updraft looked truly ridiculous like that now, in her lengthened frame. Her long legs nearly kicked Skywarp's wings and he grinned, leaning out of her way.
He let Updraft's legs rest against one shoulder, upside down against his chassis. "He needs both of us this week, TC. They're mobilizing to choose the next Prime."
Updraft frowned, at the same time as Thundercracker. "You're going back there?" she said, pressing against Skywarp's arms. In a moment, he had her flipped over and set back on the floor. "I thought we weren't going back there."
"The attacks were years ago," Starscream said, returning with his small bag. "Security's been increased tenfold since then, and you won't be going anyway. Dreadwing will be back this evening."
Updraft's face almost crumpled right there. She reached for Skywarp's hand, and Thundercracker's optics flared. "He won't be, though," he said, careful of his tone. "You sent them out to Helex just this morning."
Starscream swore, and Updraft's optics brightened. Skywarp's comforting hand on her helm probably helped. The Air Commander of Vos screwed up his face, trying to come up with an easy solution.
"Then I suppose I won't have my trine," he said. Not ideal. "But you know I need one of you on my flank in these trying times."
Frustration stirred Thundercracker's spark. Starscream could easily take one or two of his other employees. (Better yet, he could remember whatever illegal nonsense he'd sent Updraft's bodyguards on, and make arrangements according, but that was none of his business.) Instead he'd chosen to separate Skywarp from him constantly. For Updraft, the sacrifice was one thing—her carrier? He sighed, resigned...then nearly groaned aloud, remembering something else.
"I need to be on campus," Thundercracker said. Starscream looked up, optics flaring. "They need me all this week for midterms. No remote lectures."
Starscream threw up his hands. A worried comm from Skywarp was pushed off. "Slag you, and slag your teaching," he growled, wings dipping down. "You'll take the sparklet, then. Skywarp, we don't have time to pack."
Of course he didn't. Primus forbid conjunx endurae stay together. Primus forbid even more that a carrier have plans in place for his lonely daughter. He looked from Starscream to Updraft, still close against Skywarp's side. She had the look of concentration someone speaking over comm could get, if they hadn't realized people were looking after all.
"You want her to go to the Academy?" Thundercracker said. In theory, Updraft could stay home alone—these days he could trust her to look after herself. It didn't mean she liked it, and Thundercracker already felt anxious at the thought.
Starscream waved his hand. "Yes, yes," he said irritably. "You might as well go now—those students need it, judging by the last graduate show."
There was no need to go now, not when he had no scheduled class. But Skywarp had to, and he was already reaching for a rust stick bag to take along. Practiced by separations, he eased his hand out of Updraft's.
"I know, kid, I know," he said. I'm promising her that I'll keep my line open, he said privately to Thundercracker. Miss you already.
Thundercracker frowned. With the classes he was teaching, and all the fanfare around choosing Cybertron's next Prime, he and Skywarp had seen more time apart. To drive that point home to Starscream, he stepped forward to press a firm kiss on Skywarp's mouth, something that made Updraft step quickly back and Starscream groan in disgust.
"Gross!" Updraft said, making a show of how she turned her head away. A sharp look from Starscream silenced her, his wings fluttering with annoyance at Updraft's instant smile.
"Don't play any tricks," Thundercracker said, pulling back quickly. Skywarp's grin wasn't all that promising, but even he could probably behave for the Senate. "Don't eat too much, and especially don't drink too much. Don't let the boss drink too much. I'll see you in a few weeks."
"Yes, yes," Starscream snapped, waving his hand. "We'll all behave ourselves, I'm sure."
"Are you sure?" Updraft said in her sweetest voice. They'd started to notice her willingness to talk back, if protection from her "uncles" was in reach. With Starscream in a rush, all he could do now was glower and grip his away bag tighter, tapping Skywarp on the wing.
"Off we go, then," he said briskly. "Dreadwing and Skyquake will join us in Iacon, when the new Prime is being picked. I do remember agreeing to that."
"Off we go," Skywarp agreed, sounding wholly unenthusiastic. He rubbed Updraft's helm as he passed, hard enough to make her squeak as he followed Starscream out. "Be good for Updraft, TC!"
The apartment door closed with a click. Thundercracker sighed, tired and heavy. "Just you and me."
Updraft stepped up beside him, straightening her shoulders and trying to look tall. "It's been just you and me a lot. Starscream's been taking Skywarp everywhere."
"It happens that way when I teach," Thundercracker said, reaching for his datapad. "Every time he promises he won't go far, and every time something comes up."
Updraft frowned, looking deep in thought. "You should tell him to stop it," she said. "I mean. You're his trine, and you've known him forever...he listens to you sometimes." She held out her arms. "And you like to teach, and Starscream likes that his trine member teaches! So you should tell him."
"Believe me," Thundercracker said. "I'd love to."
"Why don't you?" Updraft's optics were huge and bright, looking up at him expectantly. "You're gonna miss Skywarp a lot—especially because he went to Iacon, and remember what happened last time?"
"Sh. Yes, of course." Annoyed, Thundercracker stowed his datapad and picked up Updraft's, too. He tried not to think about their big trip, and what it had meant for him and Skywarp. "Starscream is still our trine leader, and there are things he does right. He splits us up when he has to." He couldn't help but smile at the face Updraft made in response. "Yes, really, there are things he does well. He's not Air Commander for nothing."
Updraft smiled, though he could tell her spark wasn't in it. "He did make me. I don't think he meant to, though."
Thundercracker snorted, turning away, but it was to hide his smile. Starscream certainly had made her. The inconveniences had been worth it, for the new warmth in his spark, how Skywarp had thrived on this responsibility. How good it all was to see . "Let's talk about the Academy, then. How you'll behave there..."
Updraft was still clumsy on her new legs. Really, they were her old ones, lengthened and re-shaped, but these days she looked less undersized in chairs and kept up with Seeker strides. Just a little more grown-up, with new limbs and a slimmer chassis.
The winglets took more getting used to, with how they caught on doorways and wiggled without her thinking. Starscream hadn't wanted them ("her first wings should be for flying") but Updraft had begged, and Thundercracker had argued that no, they weren't really wings,just decoration. They made her look grown-up, and she pretended they were wider, enough to catch the air.
And how had she never guessed people talked with their wings?
"So none of us actually know wingspeak," Skywarp had told her. "Dying art and all. But everyone knows the basics. You probably know them already."
Updraft had been sure she hadn't, but it had just been simple things: if you were distressed, you pricked your wings up so everyone knew it. Sadness drooped them, joy flared them wide. Updraft wasn't so sure this was really wingspeak and not just emotion, but Vosians took pride in what they could call their flier things. Thundercracker knew one real greeting, but Updraft hadn't caught on to much of it. She resolved to be taller than her uncles at upgrade, so she could be sure to see every movement.
She tried to practice her own wingspeak, too. Skyquake caught her once, grinned wide behind her in the full-length mirror, and she stopped trying if anyone was home.
After all, she wasn't a Seeker yet.
This week that wouldn't matter. Thundercracker had promised her that she'd be learning a lot more than old wingspeak from the Academy. From the shuttle window she could already see Vos's flight school, situated a short distance from the rest of the city. It was safer to learn away from the skyscrapers, she guessed.
Beside her, Thundercracker was tense. He clearly wanted to be flying over Vos, and Updraft didn't blame him in the least. One day soon, she thought. Once you all let me move on up and leave the shuttles behind.
"How many students do you have?" Updraft asked him. Her legs swung out over the seat, still not long enough to touch the floor.
"Depends on the year," Thundercracker said. "Thirty, right now. Fifteen per class, and in addition to that I'm a mentor to one group." He wasn't looking at her, but out the window, towards his work. Not flying wasn't the only reason he was antsy. Updraft knew bringing her wasn't his first choice, and being apart from his conjux was something he wanted even less.
She would have to behave—a visit to the Vosian Flight Academy was still exciting, circumstances or not, and if she did something stupid they might reject her application one day. Starscream and his trine had attended here, too. All the best Vosians, among others, entered the flight corps here.
A message from Smokescreen pinged her comm, and for now she ignored it. It was hard to talk with Thundercracker rightthere. "What's mentoring?"
"We meet individually, discuss their futures, how they're doing in their courses. If they're struggling in some way, I try to help them. You'll mostly see the mentored class." Thundercracker finally looked over at her, his wings visibly twitching to be airborne. "Of course, most of them never come to me for help, and by the time they do it's too late."
Updraft tilted her head. "That's silly of them," she said. "You're a really good teacher."
Thundercracker's optics flickered. "Hm. You can tell my students you think that."
Pushing herself off the seat, Updraft leaned in close to his shoulder. "But I'm your favourite student, right? Not these bots that you see for two semesters."
That earned a real smile, which Updraft always called a victory. Thundercracker reached out, and tapped her on the helm. "Stay out of trouble and we'll see."
Satisfied, Updraft slid back down her seat, watching Thundercracker stare out the window. His wings twitched again. "Maybe you should get out and fly," she said, enjoying how he stiffened in surprise. "I'll meet you when we land."
"I'm fine," Thundercracker said, but knew better. Updraft pointed to the shuttle door, and leaned out of the way of his wings as he got up and made for the exit. Not even a minute had passed before he'd eased the door open, and was calling "Don't leave the shuttle bay!" over the wind. Then he was gone, the door slamming quickly shut. His sleek blue form, now a jet, shot past her window, and Updraft's spark jumped in her chest. One day soon. She ached sometimes, with the urge to be airborne in Vos.
For now, she slid down in her seat, and opened Smokescreen's comm.
Saw Starscream on the holoscreen. Are you in Iacon?
Smokescreen always asked, though the answer was always the same. Starscream still made trips there, but ever since the New Year's disaster, Updraft had been kept home. Until now, the others had generally stayed with her. No, she replied. I'm with TC. Visiting the Vosian Flight Academy.
You didn't get your wings yet, though, Smokescreen said. Updraft frowned.
Not yet, she said. But there's lots to learn. TC teaches there.
My new frame's halfway done. Almost decided on the alt—something like my sire's, I think. Of was a roller through and through, and it was better Starscream and his trine stayed ignorant of Updraft's comms.
I thought you wanted to be a racer. Whenever Smokescreen's carrier won an alt-mode race, Updraft heard about it until she wanted to block the slagger's frequency. Five Ibex Cups to your name and all that stuff.
Not so sure any more. The Elite Guard is recruiting.
Very funny. You as a soldier!
Smokescreen sent something back, but Updraft had to put it on hold. The Academy had come up fast, and the shuttle landed with a jolt. She yelped.
"Sorry!" called the pilot. He poked his head into the cabin, visibly relieved Thundercracker wasn't there to scold him. "Sorry, miss. Won't happen again."
She hadn't seen him before, so she made sure to smile wide. "That's okay. You are...?"
Starscream's lesser staff often thought Updraft would act just like him, and it was so much easier to prove them wrong. The surprised pilot forced a smile her way. "Cumulus, miss."
"Thank you, Cumulus!" The pilots were usually different, and shuttles were rare enough that she likely wouldn't see Cumulus again. Still, Dreadwing said there was no harm in treating the lower castes with dignity, and he assured her that he'd know.
She hopped down from the shuttle herself, glancing around the bay for Thundercracker. He was polite to staff, too, but he would have warned the pilot not to do it again. Polite wasn't the same as kind.
It turned out she had beaten him there, as a blue jet glided in and transformed, landing neatly on both feet. Updraft soon fell into step beside him as the approached campus.
"It's smaller than I thought," she said. It had seemed sprawling from the air, full of airstrips and practice space, but there were only a few dormitories to one side, and the main school building ahead.
"This won't be your only schooling," Thundercracker said. "Not for you, anyway. Starscream will send you abroad to fill out your skillset."
Updraft nodded—Starscream and his trine had attended a science academy too, outside of Vos, but they all spoke much more fondly of here.
Updraft certainly couldn't imagine Skywarp excelling anywhere in a classroom. Open sky and maneuvers? Those were part of him. "Don't people from other cities come?"
"A few. Most outside Vos head for the Elite Guard." Thundercracker made a face at that. "I taught a semester there, too, when we were in Iacon for a year. Didn't like teaching non-jets."
Helicopters and shuttles were interesting enough—Updraft swore she'd seen a beast mode once—and welcome in Vos, but the hot spots rarely produced them. As she picked out groups of students, flying or walking the grounds, the alt modes were familiar and Vosian. Iacon might have left a bad taste, but she couldn't deny her love for the variety and colours. Vos could do to be less muted.
Thundercracker tapped Updraft's shoulder, and pointed at one of the dormitories. "Highest window on the right. Our old room."
Updraft squinted, because it didn't look all that different from the other, identical windows at first. It did seem to glint paler in the sun, like the finish had been damaged. "Why's the metal all bleached?"
"A Skywarp incident," Thundercracker said. He shook his head, but Updraft caught his smile. "I'm sure he'd tell it better than me."
Updraft grinned, and she could picture it in her mind, some ridiculous trick that had backfired and caused harmless property damage. A young Skywarp would have laughed it off, then groaned in protest if they'd made him clean it up and admonished. Older, experienced Skywarp would laugh just as hard at such a silly thing, but he wouldn't have been the one to cause it. Not on purpose. (Probably, ayway.)
They stopped at the energon dispensary, and Thundercracker bought her something sweet to drink on the way. The staff stared at her, as did the students in line, but it no longer bothered Updraft. Sparklets were a rare sight out in Vos.
After that (and the wait took forever, with Thundercracker reminding her there was plenty of time before class and a cube of his own to finish), they set out for the landing pad for class. "Class" had made Updraft think of desks in rows, with a teacher at the front and a roof over their heads. Smokescreen had described his new school to her, and the quarters she could one day expect. But of course flight class would take place in open air. Lectures were for school subjects, and flying took up space, needed sky. It was a clear day, too, perfect for Seekers to stretch their wings. Updraft watched a group blast by in envy, like meteors over her head.
"Won't it only take a minute if we fly?" Updraft said. Some distance ahead, she could see a couple students landing.
"Of course," Thundercracker said. "But I'd have to carry you. I'm not built for that."
Updraft made a face, but on they walked. In the end, it was still being out in the sun, with a wide sky above her the main city distant.
Thundercracker's class was smaller than he's said. Updraft was halfway through counting the young mechs when he huffed in annoyance next to her.
"They're skipping," he said, his voice a grumble. "No comms to say otherwise."
Updraft looked around at this state-of-the-art landing pad, at the newly renovated buildings—and remembered the stories Skywarp had told of Starscream's trine cutting class. He had said it was an Academy thing. Thundercracker must have forgotten what being a student was like.
Right away, someone spotted Updraft, and the young Seekers instantly forgot their conversations. The new whispers were obviously directed at her, several fingers pointing in her direction. She glanced their way, and cracked a grin at their obvious surprise—she did love the attention. She was sure the students who had skipped would be sorry they'd missed Starscream's sparklet.
Thundercracker straightened his shoulders and flared his wings. Right away his students had scrambled into some form of order, lined up in front of them. Still, some were craning their necks or turning their optics, trying to get a better look at Updraft. She played her part and waved.
"I didn't know you had a kid," one of them said. Updraft stifled a giggle—the student had said it just as Thundercracker had opened his mouth to address them. Looking defeated, he nonetheless smoothed his expression.
"The Air Commander's daughter will be with me this week, learning from your midterms," he said. "I'll be letting her carrier know how much you taught her, as I'm sure you're all prepared well for your test flights."
Right away the students looked worried. The one who had spoken (a tall, black jet) raised an optic ridge. "Those are at the end of the week."
"Yes, and you'll be practicing for us." Thundercracker's tone went firm. His students jumped into line and Updraft nearly did, too. She knew that voice, and it wasn't to be trifled with. "Now, if more of you had been coming to free flight time, we might have had more time to practice, but-"
"I have been going!" protested a little jet down the line. Her classmates stared at her. She shrugged. "I have," she said again, like she herself didn't believe it.
"You have, Firebrand," Thundercracker agreed. "To socialize, from what I see, but...yes, you've been in attendance."
Firebrand's optics were still on Updraft, avoiding Thundercracker's, and Updraft made sure to wave. Firebrand smiled shyly and returned it, just as Updraft felt Thundercracker tap on her shoulder. She straightened up, looking ahead.
"Today we'll be going over formations," Thundercracker said. "Not all of your trines are full today, but you'll have to make do." To the students' credit, none of them groaned, though they all looked like they wanted to. Updraft wasn't sold on the military might of their next generation.
Thundercracker gestured to a tall femme in the middle. "Windblade. You and Firebrand will help me demonstrate."
The femme stepped out, and Updraft was stricken. Windblade's plating gleamed red, and her wings were long and graceful, shaped in such a way to show she wasn't Vosian. Most striking at all was her faceplate, painted white with delicate red patterns, and Updraft wondered where she had gotten that done. She was all vivid in a sea of pastels, and winked one blue optic at Updraft as she stepped out of line.
Thundercracker must have been used to her fashion sense by now, because he didn't bat an optic. He gestured to a spot just apart from the line of students. "Updraft, stand over there. Pay close attention."
She nodded, and did as she was asked—but it was still so odd to see Thundercracker flanked by different bots, and she was glad she'd been told to watch. All of the students were well-built, but those femmes in particular were striking. Would she be that beautiful, when upgrade time came? Suddenly she felt dumpy and small, with her false winglets and short frame.
"We'll start with Icestorm's turns," Thundercracker said. "Comms on, all of you—yes, I know you all know how to do them. Prove it to me. Windblade and Firebrand, in pursuit. I want to see sharp turnarounds and smooth flightpaths."
Windblade had only rolled her optics once so far, and she had kept her attention closely on Thundercracker. Updraft watched the three of them transform and lift off, and Thundercracker was off like a shot. She guessed correctly that Windblade would catch up first—if that student always paid attention this well, she knew the signs of Thundercracker banking, trying to get them back into line. Firebrand was smaller, arguably speedier, but her flight wobbled. It was a good thing that they were only first semester, because Starscream would never look twice at an unsteady Seeker come employment.
Now, barked Thundercracker over comm. Instantly he'd picked up speed, shooting over their heads, and the students had banked into their turns. 180 degrees, at the same altitude. Updraft knew Icestorm's turn, and both of these were good examples. Windblade's was better, and she had the edge first. A ping went out over the comms, and instantly all three of them were turning and landing. Firebrand hit the ground hard, and Thundercracker's reached out to steady her like he'd been doing it for years. She looked put out about needing it, but Updraft knew how Thundercracker touched her shoulder, and it hadn't been punishment.
"Good work from both of you," Thundercracker said. He'd already turned back to the rest of his class. "I had you two demonstrate a relatively simple maneuver, because the other class has been consistently mixing it up with a chandelle, which is, of course..."
"A 180-degree turn with rising altitude," Windblade said. Her classmates looked relieved—most of them didn't look seem they knew the difference. Thundercracker raised a brow, and Updraft stifled a smile. He'd noticed.
He clasped his hands together in front of him. "That's the easy part over, then. I'd like some volunteers for another demonstration."
The two who bravely stepped up didn't fly as neatly as Windblade, and Thundercracker spent more time in the air with them, directing and lecturing over his comm. No wonder they sent good Vosians to flight school. Had her Seekers ever flown this badly?
After a number of these, Thundercracker lectured, a lesson that seemed to be a review to help that week. "I'll be here every day this week for your free practices," he said, after what Skywarp would have called a "brutal" dressing-down. "And because some of you forget: no question is too stupid." His lips quirked. "I've been teaching a long time, and I've heard it all. I won't make fun of you. It won't get you any mercy when I observe your midterm, but you'll all have your displays together by then."
Updraft couldn't recall ever looking that worried about a test, but almost all of the students glanced at each other furtively, optics flickering with nerves.
There was a palpable wave of relief when Thundercracker dismissed them. Right away, Updraft was surprised to see several of the students rush up to him, as if he hadn't just scared them all into submission. The furtive glances her way, and pointing fingers, made it clear why they were so excited.
"I didn't know the Air Commander had a daughter!" one of them said.
"I did," said Firebrand. She tipped up her chin. "Every Vosian knows. The ones who pay attention."
"Well, we're not all Vosian," Windblade said. She hadn't rushed their instructor, but she was looking Updraft's way.
Thundercracker smiled slightly, and Updraft was shocked enough by it to walk right over to the little group. "You might want to get your priorities in order, then," he said. "Updraft gets plenty of attention without you all crowding her."
"That's okay," Updraft said. The big black mech, the one who'd first asked about her, jumped, because she'd been directly behind her. "I don't meet enough new people, TC. You said so yourself."
One of the other students crowed in delight. "Teecee?" he said, his optics wide. "Can we call you that?"
"I will shoot you out of the sky if you do, Delta," Thundercracker said. He raised a brow the student's way.
Updraft checked her chronometer—class time was over, and seemed to mean a different Thundercracker. Off hours, his students could be friendlier, but Updraft was surprised that he allowed it. Someone else pushed Delta out of the way, to ask Thundercracker a lesson related question. Before she could be crowded, Updraft caught up to Firebrand.
"I liked your turns," she said. "Your alt mode looks a lot faster than you were going today, though."
Firebrand grinned at her, wings relaxed. "Oh, yeah," she said. "I think I'm a bit faster than Thundercracker, but I haven't had a chance to find out."
"Maybe if you do really well on your test," Updraft said. She smiled, because that would be a sight, Thundercracker racing one of his newbuilt students. Firebrand frowned.
"Well, I won't," she said, voice a little softer. "I'm sure I'll pass—probably—but he doesn't like me. And just passing doesn't get you top jobs in the Corps."
She was right, but Updraft smiled at her anyway. "I bet you'll do better than you think. I'm going to come and see all the practices this week, and I bet Thundercracker will help you if you go."
Firebrand shifted uncomfortably. "He already got on my case about that."
"So prove him wrong," Updraft said. "I think your form is good, you just need refinement."
Firebrand raised a brow. "You know a lot about flying for a little sparklet."
"I'm the Air Commander's sparklet," Updraft corrected, as she drew herself up to her full height. "I have to know as much as I can. So I can be top of my class one day."
Firebrand's optics flashed with amusement. She reached out, and tapped Updraft lightly on her shoulder. "I have an appointment to keep," she said, "but I'll see you at practice. You're fun, kiddo." Joining a couple of the other students, she transformed and shot through the air, Updraft almost missing her with how quickly she reached top speed.
The students eventually dispersed, and Updraft fielded a few more polite questions from the stragglers. To her disappointment, Windblade had already gone, so Updraft couldn't get another look at her painted face. Thundercracker didn't hustle her away as quickly as she's expected, his hand resting on one of her winglets.
"She's lucky," one of the students said, as they were finally leaving. "I don't think I was observing classes at her age."
"Most of us didn't get to be her age," Thundercracker said wryly. "She's making the most of it, though."
The note of pride in his voice wasn't lost on Updraft, and she was glowing with it as they left. Thundercracker was certainly in a better mood than when they'd started out. "What did you think?" he asked, on their way off the landing strip.
"They're nice," she said. "You were a little hard on their last demonstration."
Thundercracker smirked. "I know what they're capable of," he said. "And most of my students are lazy, so they need the extra push." He tapped the top of her helm. "You carried yourself well today."
Updraft's spark instantly felt lighter. "I guess I'll just have to behave myself all week," she said. Her smile went mischievous. "Maybe I'll even get a flight out of it, right?"
"Mm." Skyquake carrying her during the Iacon attacks didn't count, though it had been pointed out before. "You know Starscream wouldn't like that."
Thundercracker's mood was good enough that Updraft pushed. "Starscream doesn't have to know."
"We'll see." Updraft slumped—we'll see usually meant no—but straightened up fast. No reason to make Thundercracker disappointed so soon after a good day.
Thundercracker didn't have them shuttled all the way back home—they stopped on one of Vos's wealthy streets, one of the few where people strolled to window shop and socialize. Thousands of jets still flew above them, but the sunny walkways below were just the right kind of packed. Under the clear sidewalks, more still flew below them, a thrilling feeling. Thundercracker had to tug Updraft along, well past an alluring anti-grav display.
They sat at an energon counter, and Thundercracker ordered them some expensive-looking energon sweets. Updraft made note of all the colours and flavours, so that she could brag about them later to Smokescreen. Thundercracker, still warm with his good mood, told her a story about escaping Starscream as a young mech, and eating with Skywarp in a place just like this.
From there, with a goodie bag of what they hadn't finished, Thundercracker simply walked her to the Red Heights, where his apartment was. "No sense going all the way to your neighbourhood," he said, and Updraft was pleased to hear it. She liked Thundercracker and Skywarp's little place, with its enormous windows and low, cozy ceilings. Thundercracker let her play Skywarp's game console, and even joined in on a racing round before recharge.
The rest of the week followed a similar vein. Lessons in the morning, mostly related to flight theory—one morning they got up early, so Thundercracker could lecture his classes and Updraft could realize just how advanced she was—and practice that afternoon. Of the thirty students, most of them showed up at one point or another. Updraft learned most of their names, and they generally seemed excited to meet her, too. Firebrand and Windblade showed up for each one, to Updraft's pleasure. There weren't a lot of bots in the class who went by she, and Updraft herself had met hardly any. It helped that they were the friendly.
"The paint? It's something we do on Caminus," Windblade told her. Updraft knew the colony worlds, and knew she had read the word Cityspeaker, but Windblade's explanation wasn't quite something she understood. "It doesn't hurt that I stand out around here, too."
Windblade whispered that, and Updraft took it to spark. Similar frames, muted colours...Vos loved those, and it held dearly to the rare few frametypes its hotspots produced. But to be like Windblade, confident that she was being seen above the crowd, seemed admirable, too. She did all this without being vain or egotistical, too, Starscream's preferred methods of being noticed.
"Why don't you fly with us for a bit?" Windblade asked, gesturing to a couple other students. It was the last practice, and Updraft could feel the tension around them, as Thundercracker made a valiant effort to get his students together. Most had gone home, but Firebrand remained, making landing after landing, as gears were adjusted and wing positions critiqued.
Updraft shook her head. "No anti-gravs," she said, gesturing to her feet. Windblade's optics went bright, and she could feel Firebrand leaning over her in surprise.
"The Air Commander's kid doesn't have anti-gravs installed? Huh." Windblade looked her up and down, hands on her hips. "I thought Vosians were flying-obsessed."
Updraft shrugged. "I'll fly on my wings." She hadn't quite given up on begging for those anti-gravs, but she'd always known that they wouldn't be happening. "When I get them."
"Hmm." Windblade tapped her chin, apparently pretending to be deep in thought. "Hang on." Windblade stepped past her, and stopped Thundercracker in the middle of a last-minute tip for Firebrand. Updraft watched his brows rise, shifting on her feet as Thundercracker glanced from her to Windblade. Her wings were dipped politely, her hands held in front of her.
Thundercracker shook his head. Updraft's spark sank, and she prepared for a lecture on her behaviour as he approached her. It hadn't been her idea, but that didn't mean anything, not in public. She got ready for Thundercracker to tell her to say her goodbyes, so they could get going. This last practice, they'd stayed late.
Instead, he reached down, and lifted her right onto his hip. Updraft nearly squeaked in surprise, because she was too big for that, and Thundercracker smiled.
"I'm afraid you can't take her up, Windblade," he said, looking over. "But you've got spark for asking." Updraft's tanks twisted with confusion, trying to work out what was going on. When she heard Thundercracker's engines rumble, it hit her headlong, and she had to work hard not to squeal her excitement.
"If someone's going to carry her up, it needs to be someone experienced." Thundercracker's optics glinted as he looked down at Updraft, and she wished Skywarp was here to see it.
She didn't have time to think about it any longer, because Thundercracker was telling her to hang on and they were off, past the first thin layer of cloud cover and faster than she'd ever gone before. She didn't even see their ascent, pressed tightly into Thundercracker's side as she was, but when she did dare look she felt the cool mist of clouds on her face, heard the rushing air, saw the school far (far!) below.
Thundercracker had a grimace of concentration, one arm tightly around Updraft to keep her in place. Updraft felt no fear at being so high up, though her position was precarious, nothing between her and solid ground but Thundercracker's arm. The solid knowing of belonging in the sky—no, to the sky—cemented in her spark.
They only did one circuit around campus before Thundercracker slowed, and took them back down. Updraft wobbled as she was set, gently, on solid ground, all her systems alight just from those few minutes airborne. Possibly the best few minutes of her life.
Windblade was watching them with some awe, and plenty of surprise. "I wouldn't have taken her that high."
"You're not a professional." Thundercracker's systems hummed, and the exertion had flushed his plating warm. "Well? How was your secret first flight?"
Her optics were shining as she looked up at him. "Skywarp's gonna be so proud of you for disobeying orders."
The smile she got was almost better than the flight. Almost. On the way home (with the shuttle—Thundercracker was still tired), even as she bragged to Smokescreen about how fearless she had felt, she was thinking of that first night she'd met this Seeker, years ago. His stoic, serious nature, and Updraft wondering why excitable Skywarp had taken him as a conjunx endura. To that little sparklet, new to hearing about such relationships, it had seemed unlikely.
Thundercracker wasn't the same person he'd been then, but Updraft thought she'd figured out where Skywarp was coming from.
The midterm barely felt like an event, after her five minutes airborne. Not one of the trines flew with the beauty Starscream's did, but Thundercracker had reminded her beforehand that they were still learning. "Starscream wouldn't want you to see his first big flight," he'd said.
Everyone did alright. Firebrand looked like she could have cried with relief at her grade, though Windblade tilted her head at hers—"There's always the final," she told Updraft, a note of disappointment in her voice.
On their way home, for good, Thundercracker seemed satisfied. "So you're sure you're a flyer?" he said. She knew by now he was teasing. "They say some sparklets go against their coding. Pick alt modes with wheels or treads."
Updraft grinned. "When I get my wings, I'm never coming down."
"Good girl." Thundercracker reached out, rubbing her helm affectionately. "You'll be a fine Vosian."
They went to Thundercracker's place, and rested. Updraft got a rare break from lessons to eat sweetsticks and play Skywarp's games, and Thundercracker marked his student's written work without interruption. Two weeks passed. Then three. Updraft, getting bored, stopped keeping count. It wasn't that they were worried (well, a little, because Thundercracker always did when he and Skywarp were parted), but they should have been back. They stopped spending nights at Thundercracker's apartment, knowing Starscream's would be the first place they'd show.
To fill the hours—even Thundercracker, whose semester break was in session—they watched the proceedings to choose the next Prime. It had taken years of interim government and what seemed like endless back-and-forth for Iacon to choose someone. If they'd asked Updraft (and no one important would) the new mech, Sentinel, was no one special. Solemn on the holoscreen, as he went through the motions of the Primal religious ceremonies. Updraft had been there in Iacon, had met the old Prime before his murder, but it felt a universe away from her Vos and her circle. Updraft tended to tune out at discussions of political unrest. It only made her remember weeks of living in a hospital, Skywarp's limp form in a CR chamber. Better to push it from her mind. Iacon would be better one day, and she was Vosian after all.
Still, the pings to their comms weren't quite reassuring. She might not pay attention to political unrest, but she knew its potential wasn't good.
They finally filed in one night, all of them without notice. Skywarp's raucous chatter and the twins' heavy steps announced their presence and had both of them rushing for the door. Updraft shrieked in delight and raced for Skywarp, who hugged her with one arm as he pulled Thundercracker in, hard, with the other. Starscream quickly had Thundercracker by the elbow, pulling him away to discuss something important, but Updraft ignored him. Unfazed, Skywarp pulled something out of his subspace and hid it before Updraft could catch a glimpse.
"Got a present for you!" Skywarp said gleefully. His hands were behind his back, his wings twitching with his excitement.
Right away Updraft was craning her neck, leaning over in an effort to get a better look. Skywarp was ready for her and twisted his body, blocked her view. "Nope! Wait until we're settled."
"For spark's sake." In an instant Dreadwing had passed behind Skywarp, and snatched whatever it was out of his hands. Skywarp groaned, loud enough that Thundercracker and Starscream both looked up from their talk to stare at him.
"Just a little fun!" he protested. "Don't they teach you how to have fun in Kaon?"
"No," said Dreadwing flatly. His optics fell on Updraft, and for her he had a smile, as he showed her the screen of a new datapad. Updraft rushed him, intent on a better look, because they were clearly all in on it. In general, Skywarp and Skyquake didn't give two kliks about a good book. "You have been asking about this for some time."
"You'll love it!" Skywarp said. His optics glittered with mischief. "Trust me."
Updraft took the datapad and flicked it on. It took her a moment to realize, exactly, what this was, because it was clearly a technical document and not for leisure. "Vosian and Seeker Frametypes," she read aloud. "Modern Upgrades and Alternate Modes."
Dreadwing's big hand rested gently atop her helm. "You Vosians are all small," he said, "But I'll miss you being quite this little."
Updraft whirled around, facing Starscream and Thundercracker. "The doctor said it's not time," she blurted out. "Not till my spark feels too big." It was all she could think of to say, with how her tanks had constricted and said spark hummed with excitement. "Am I getting my wings?"
Starscream's mouth twitched. His smiles were always sneers, but Updraft was pretty sure by now that he couldn't help it, and she was perfectly safe with everyone home. His long fingers rested on her shoulder, and he leaned over her to scroll through the book's pages. "It'll be some time yet," he said, "but ample time is needed for a decision. I've hired a designer to work with us."
"With her," Skywarp corrected. He shrank back only a fraction at the way Starscream's optics flared. "It's her alt mode."
"Of course!" Starscream said smoothly, straightening back up. "But she'll need guidance from her carrier on how best to make the choice. The rest of you, too, I suppose."
"The book was Dreadwing's idea," Skyquake said. He was leaning in the doorway, of course, arms folded. "Good one, too. TC-esque."
Updraft clutched her new volume to her chest. Ideas for her to peruse, to help make her adult frame real. Her uncles valued their choices, too, those they could slip under Starscream's nose. This choice was no different in that way.
She could thank them later. Right now, they wouldn't mind if Updraft put on her sweetest smile, and turned it on Starscream. "I'm so happy you thought about me while you were gone! You took good advice about this gift." She liked the way his wings stiffened, how his optics widened in surprise. "I'll start my research right away."
"Yes, well..." Starscream said, almost fumbling over his words. "Did you learn anything useful at the Academy?"
It wasn't lost on Updraft how Thundercracker's optics went bright, for just a second. Such a normal question about her time away, on the verge of genuine interest. "They were impressed by how many maneuvers I knew," she said, knowing her optics glittered with mischief, and that Starscream didn't look her way enough to catch on. "I really admired your old school. I'm sure I'll learn the same constraint and modesty you did."
Thundercracker's jaw dropped, and there was the sound of Skyquake coughing over his laugh behind her. Starscream was already vulnerable in his surprise, and she knew right away that her earnest tone had bowled him over. Her carrier huffed, flicking his wings upwards, hands twitching.
"I...of course," Starscream said quickly. "I'm sure Thundercracker kept you busy this month." With that he was gone, turning much too fast towards his room. When the door shut and they were satisfied he couldn't hear them, Skyquake's laugh rumbled up.
"Did you plan that, little one?" Updraft whirled around, and found Skyquake's optics flashing with delight. His shoulders shook in barely-contained amusement, as they always did when Starscream had cracked him up.
"Updraft." Thundercracker's voice was low, and any warmth from Skyquake's amusement evaporated. At this second, Thundercracker was all instructor.
"She did nothing," Dreadwing said. He was on the apartment's other side, filling cubes from the dispenser. "She was polite to her carrier. What more do you want of her?"
"She—you're not stupid, low-caste or not," Thundercracker said, his voice more sharp. "You know that's not what she was doing."
Skyquake's engine clicked on. A low rumble Updraft had grown to recognize as protective, reserved for when someone gave his twin trouble. (For Updraft, too, but he never needed it.) Dreadwing acted as if he hadn't been spoken to that way, passing energon to Updraft and Skyquake. "We all know the mech's shortcomings. You and Skywarp know them more clearly than anyone else."
"I know what?" Skywarp said. He was grinning, but he'd been bent over a gaming datapad at the table. Unsurprisingly, he'd missed everything. Dreadwing sighed.
"You're his daughter, Updraft," Thundercracker said. His optics fell back on her, and there was that edge in his voice that she'd never liked. "The next time you bring up his...traits, in that way, he'll notice."
Any victory she'd had over her wordplay had evaporated. Updraft only nodded in seriousness, and Thundercracker touched her shoulder as he passed. "Skywarp," he said over his shoulder. "Time to go."
"Yeah! Yep," Skywarp said quickly. He pushed himself up from the table and rubbed Updraft's helm hard as he passed. "We'll go out soon, kiddo. Catch a holovid or something, right?"
"Right." They would, sometime in a couple of weeks. Updraft would have to remind him—she could tell by how the two of them made for the door, shoulder to shoulder, how much they were looking forward to their flight home.
When they were gone, and the sounds of Starscream's washrack started up down the hall, Updraft dropped herself onto the couch with a groan. Dreadwing's mouth twitched, and she made a point of sinking further.
"Can you sip your cube that way?" Skyquake asked, still all amusement. Updraft only stared at him. She knew her optics were too bright.
"Starscream walks all over them," she said flatly. "And you, too."
"Oh, no, he doesn't." Skyquake grinned at her, folding his arms over his broad chest. "Don't you remember why we stayed, little one?"
"Certainly not for him." Dreadwing still seemed massive when he sat next to her, little upgrade or not. "I'm not sure those two stay for him these days, either."
Updraft frowned. That was wrong, but maybe it was better to let Dreadwing and Skyquake believe that, so her uncles could all get along a fraction better. A lot of what Skywarp and Thundercracker did was for her sake, yes—all their separations these days came from her needing company—but what if they one day needed to subvert her carrier completely? No, they wouldn't leave his side, not completely. Updraft resolved not to make them, either. She felt rotten enough keeping them apart.
"I guess," was all she said. She decided, after a moment's deliberation, that it would be best just to forget about it. Why start building resentment, when those two had saved her from Starscream in the first place? Updraft leaned over, pressed against Dreadwing's side. It wouldn't be long now before she'd be too big for that.
Skyquake snorted, but soon he'd squeezed himself in on her other side, and put on the holoscreen. Updraft didn't pay all that much attention to the show, dozing instead on Dreadwing's side. They'd flown a lot of the way home, still smelled like cloud cover and outside air.
They were here for her, not for Starscream. They had threatened him more than once, in the effort to keep her safe. So had Skywarp and Thundercracker, though never as overtly. They'd all worked hard to tame Starscream (though it hadn't really worked).
But maybe she could have been born Skywarp and Thundercracker's sparklet instead. Maybe Dreadwing or Skyquake could have had her, and the other really would be her uncle.
They were disturbed by Starscream, the click of his heels sharp on the floor. "I'm off," he called, barely looking their way. Beside her, Skyquake shifted, grumbling out of his sleep
Updraft sat up, leaning over the couch's back. "Where are you going?"
Starscream paused in the doorway, and raised a brow. "Sunstorm's get-together. I'll be back late."
Skywarp and Thundercracker had picked the right time to go home. Updraft could see them being dragged along on such an outing, weeks apart or not, exhausted behind Starscream's posturing. Satisfied, she settled back in against Dreadwing, who had hardly stirred at the disruption. "Don't drink too much," Updraft said, optics already offined.
Starscream didn't answer, and the door clicked shut. Skyquake snickered as soon as he was clear, before settling back in. Updraft clicked on an optic and saw him grinning. He didn't look frightening at all this way, not relaxed, one arm over the back of the couch. "Not a bad gig, huh, Dreadwing?"
Dreadwing grunted in assent, but he was clearly not paying much attention. They probably hadn't slept much on whatever long, distant mission Starscream had sent them out on this time. They could use a little quiet. The datapad cradled carefully in Updraft's arms meant that times that this wouldn't last much longer, either. An upgrade meant wings. She was starting to realize what else it might mean, judging by Starscream's enthusiasm over her new frame. Childhood had a tangible, very real end, and now it was coming.
She decided to push those thoughts away. The blue light of the holoscreen lit up the room, and her two bodyguards were already in a well-deserved doze. Updraft curled up too. Two weeks ago, at the academy, she'd been happy to play adult, glowing under the attention of those students and at Thundercracker's pride in her. For now, she was happy to be a sparklet.