(from Wings Of Pain-- on hiatus)
TFP not mine.

(Optimus POV)

I look through the gate of the largest Autobot stronghold, in Iacon, and am greeted with the view of a large amount of Seekers, around two thousand.

Standing in the front of the group is a young femme, pale blue and white in colouring. Her optics are a bold yellow colour, and she looks exhausted. “Excuse me, Optimus Prime, sir?”

I exit the stronghold, my optics not leaving the Sparkling's figure. She's not standing with the other Seeklets, who are grouped in the center of the army. “What is it, youngling?”

“My designation is Skyfall. All of the Autobot loyal Seekers have been exiled from Vos by King Starscream, and an old friend of mine told me that this is where we could join your army.”

I look over the crowd in slight surprise. “Who is your friend?”

“A young mech named Bumblebee.” She glances at the Seekers behind her, “We've been traveling for almost a lunar cycle without any supplies, sir, and we are all weakened from the journey. If you are not accepting Seekers, either kill us now or let us leave.”

I shake my helm, “I will not offline innocent Cybertronians simply because you are not ground modes. But I am uncertain of your trustworthiness.”

The Sparkling nods, a small smile still on her faceplate. “I understand, sir. After all, our world is in the midst of a war. But… if you do not trust my word based solely on the fact that you do not know me, I'm sure Bumblebee will vouch for my trustworthiness.”

I call for Bumblebee, who comes within an instant, “Sky!”

The mech I have taken into my care as a son wraps his arms around the tiny femme. The other Seekers seem to recognize him, murmuring amongst themselves in their native tongue. “Bee, Starscream has declared Vos a Decepticon stronghold and sent all those loyal to the Autobots away so as to protect us from Megabolts when he reached the kingdom.”

“Why? Starscream is against everything they stand for!” Bumblebee stares at his friend sadly, “That doesn't make any sense.”

Skyfall shakes her helm, “It… the reason is unknown.”

I step closer to them, “Skyfall, why were you chosen to speak to me on behalf of these Seekers?”

She flinches slightly, “I… am the best versed in your language. A lot of us speak only Seeker, and those that do speak groundmode languages are not very comfortable doing so.”

Bumblebee has backed away from the group and is shooting a dark glare at one of the Seekers who is muttering something quietly. He retorts angrily in Seeker and I look at him in slight surprise.

Skyfall turns on the offender and rattles off something that sounds like a command. The recipient of the lecture growls and retreats to the back of the group. “I'm so sorry about him. He… is very traditional in his ways. Most of us are. This transition is hard on all of us.”

Bumblebee sighs sadly, “Optimus, Skyfall is a trusted friend, and always good to her word. I have no doubts that these Seekers are all Autobot sympathetic, and will serve admirably.” He adds under his breath, “If they can get over their prejudice.”

A couple of the closer Seekers glare at him, but Skyfall laughs. “Oh, I'm sure we can. Isn't that right, everybot?”

The almost two thousand Seekers mumble agreement. I open the gates of the stronghold but before inviting them in, ask, “How many of you are there, and how many are suited for battle?”

“One thousand, eight hundred and seventy-seven. And all of us over two are suited for battle, sir. Vos has fight training as mandatory education from the age of two onward.”

Bumblebee chuckles drily, “Unless you live at the palace. Then you are trained from Sparking.”

I raise an optic ridge. I know that he lived just outside the was of Vos for his sparklinghood, but I have never heard anything of their culture or any hint he was ever part of the society.

Although, being as most of the Seekers seem to recognize him, I assume that he has been hiding more from me than I thought.

Skyfall winces slightly, “Yes, but that has changed. Everything, has changed.” She glances at the older Seekers surrounding her tiny form and sighs, “And… we are all fish out of water in this environment.” Everybot stares at her and she grimaces, “I mean, we are all out of place.”

I open the gate all the way, “Do any of you require a medic?”

She stiffens, “No. But if there is any Energon to be spared…” The sparkling looks backwards once more, “The sparklings especially need fuel.”

“What about yourself?” I glance at her small form and she tenses at my gaze.

Shaking her helm again, she speaks in her native tongue to four of the bots closest to her. “I do not require anything.”

“Sky…” Bumblebee sighs again, “You need-”

“Nothing until the others are stronger.” She cuts him off, glaring mildly as the winged bots behind her form into more organized ranks, the youngest sparklings and two sparked femmes separate with four warriors alongside them.

I lead them to a building within the Iacon stronghold that is just large enough to house the large amount of refugees. Along the way, Bumblebee and Skyfall talk animatedly in the Seeker language, the tiny femme still leading.

When we reach the building, she gives the four bots from before a new set of orders and they quickly react. I watch with interest as the tiny femme of four Vorns of age directs almost two thousand Seekers into new housing within two hours.

In that time, I speak with the other Autobots in the Iacon base, and alert them to the situation. When I have done this, and convinced them to be accepting of our newest allies, Bumblebee comes to me and relays that I am requested to be present as they settle in.

I stand in the back of the crowd of Seekers, ignoring the looks I get from the crowd. Skyfall stands in the front of the group, speaking in her language. At one point she directs the attention to Bumblebee, her voice taking a slight condescending tone as she seems to warn them of something.

As much as she tells me otherwise, I believe that this tiny femme is in charge of the army. When Bumblebee asks me to make a quick speech to welcome the new recruits, I say this.

“On behalf of all Autobots in Iacon, on Cybertron and those fighting off world, I welcome you to our ranks. We fight only to protect our world and our civilization from destruction, while the Decepticons fight only to enforce it. Autobots never inflict harm unless all other options have been discarded, and this is what keeps us separate from the evils brewing on the other side of this war. I wish you all a kind reception from my warriors, and hope that you will receive them kindly as well.”

Bumblebee smiles at me as I finish, and gives me a sign of approval. I narrow my optics at him slightly and he shrugs. The Seekers turn their attention back to Skyfall as she calls up five scarred Seekers to stand next to her.

“All I'm saying is that it was a good speech. I'm really glad she didn't call on me for a speech… all of these Seekers hate me.” His voice is almost silent.

But one of the group standing nearest us hears and turns around, “We don't hate you, Groundmode. Just… you were difficult to accept amongst our culture.”

Bumblebee glares at the speaker, “I have a real name. It's Bumblebee, not Groundmode.”

The Seeker mech winces, “I apologize… I honestly did not mean to insult you.”

Bee sighs, “It is alright, Stormsky. I know that it will be hard for everyone to learn new ways.” He chuckles, “But you will get in trouble if you don't listen to Skyfall’s speech.”

I tune them out as they start to have a quiet conversation in a mix of the two languages, focusing my attention onto the sparkling at the front of the group who seems to be passing on her authority to the five warriors beside her.

But I could be incorrect. They could be the actual leaders. She could be telling the truth that she is the most fluent in our language and therefore was appointed ambassador.

Bumblebee greets his friend as she moves from the front of the group back to talk with us. “Sky, what are you planning on doing now?”

“Fighting.” She stands straight, squaring her shoulders. “I may be young, but I’m strong.”

I hesitate for a moment, “Skyfall, what are your leaders’ designations?”

She seems taken off guard for a moment, “I will introduce you to them.” The young femme calls the older Seekers in their language, and they come over. “This is our general, Stormfly. She has fought against and beaten Megatron in the gladiator pits.”

Stormfly is large for a Seeker, almost as tall as I am. She has dark blue grey armour and menacing blue optics. “It is.. Good to meet you, sir.” She has difficulty finding the words, but her tone is very respectful.

Bumblebee backs away, and his shoulders droop slightly as his optics turn towards the floor. Skyfall notices, whispering something to him. He shakes his helm, and walks out of the room, his old friend looking after him sadly.

I glance curiously after him, and my optics meet Skyfall’s. She shakes her helm silently. “Stormfly, we welcome you and your soldiers to our troops.”

The general nods curtly, “We are honoured to be welcomed.”

Skyfall drifts away slightly and starts conversing with the other young Seekers. Stormfly heads back to the other leaders to delegate and get themselves organized.

Skyfall sighs, and I hear parts of her conversation. The phrase I know to be “groundmode” is being repeated by her and the younglings. The others’ tones are condescending, while she seems more upset with them.

“We're not in Vos anymore! We are the minority! You must, you will, be kind and respectful of the groundmodes and of Stormfly. Do you understand?” She glares at the Seeklets.

They nod, all bowing their helms slightly in a sign of respect. “We apologize, P-Skyfall.”

“It's just Sky, please.” She smiles kindly at them, “Now, those of you who are with your creators, please join up with them. Those of you who left them behind, report to Jetwave.”

As the sparklings disperse, she sighs. “Skyfall.” I bend down so as to be more on her level. “Do you have creators with you?”

She flinches, “N-no… my sire perished in the revolution, and my carrier offlined around two vorns ago.”

I raise an optic ridge, “Will you be staying with a Seeker pair?”

She shakes her helm. “No. I am well equipped to care for myself.”

Shaking my helm, I put out a servo. “That may be so, but you are still a sparkling.”

Skyfall sighs, “I am not used to… this. We have almost half the Seekers in Vos here, and all of the Seeklets. Even the Decepticon sympathetic creators sent their sparklings with us. I left behind everything I have ever known… including my brother.” She turns away, “But we will be fine. We can adapt.”

Bumblebee comes back, “Skyfall, would you like to stay with me? Drywing said that you have no place to stay.”

She stiffens, “Um… I should check with Jetwave…”

He chuckles. “Of course you should, palace brat.”

I narrow my optics at him, surprised by the implications of his statement. Skyfall rolls her optics, “Just because I lived in the palace does not mean I am exempt from rules, Buzzer.”

“You lived in the palace?” I look at her curiously.

She sighs, “My carrier and I were servants for the king.”

Bumblebee winces slightly, “Go check with Jetwave. I'd like for you to stay with me. Even if you'll have to be around groundmodes.”

I watch the conversation play out, although my mind is still focused on the statement that Skyfall made. A servant of the king? That sounds like a miserable existence for such a young femme.

“Jetwave says that it's alright for me to stay away from the other Seekers. He seemed relieved, actually.” The femmeling seems almost deflated by the news that her species doesn't want her.

Bumblebee puts his arms around her comfortingly. “Hey, just ditch them. It's not like you have any responsibility now.”

I glance at the milling crowd of Seekers. “Don't worry, Optimus Prime, sir. They… they're almost organized. The Seekers will be settled in soon.”

I smile gently at the young femme. “I am not concerned. Would you care to settle in yourself? Bumblebee's quarters are near here, and they already have decked berths.”

She yawns, but covers her mouth with a servo politely. “I… that would be well appreciated. I have barely recharged since we left.”

“Bumblebee, escort your friend to your quarters. Skyfall, may I speak with your medic?”

They both stiffen, “Um… the only qualified medic in Vos was… offlined. In the revolution.” Skyfall grimaces, “I suppose Stormfly could make a call for anybot with training.”

I narrow my optics slightly, “How were you planning to heal any injuries?”

“Most of us learned from each other, as we liked to avoid Blackstreak as often as possible.” Bumblebee sighs quietly, “Brightflier was the only other qualified medic, and she taught illegal classes before she offlined.”

I sigh, “Ratchet will not let you go without an inspection, I'm afraid. He is our CMO.”

Bumblebee glances at the trembling Skyfall, and pulls her into another hug. “Ratchet has a grumpy bedside manner, but he's gentle, and… he's trustworthy.”

She shakes her helm, “They won't go for that… There's no telling how they would react.”

“We do not need to discuss this now. I will speak with your general once you have all rested.”