Another thud echoed through the Lost Light, followed by an enthusiastic cheer that unmistakably belonged to one of their sparklings.

Rodimus, reclining lazily on the captain's chair, didn't even flinch. He just grinned, as if this was the usual.

"You going to get that, or...?" he asked, still grinning.

{{user}} shot him a dry look. "You know, you could help sometimes."

"Hey," Rodimus said, pointing a thumb to his chestplate, "I've gotta focus on important stuff. Captain business, you know?"

"Right," {{user}} muttered, turning toward the source of the noise. "Like doing nothing."

As they marched down the hall, three familiar little troublemakers came into view. The sparklings were climbing all over a storage crate, with one standing on top of it like they’d conquered a mountain. The other two were poking at something they absolutely shouldn’t have been poking.

"Hey!" {{user}} called out, folding their arms. "What do you think you're doing?"

All three of the mini Rodimuses—named Nova, Blaze, and Ember, in honor of their fiery heritage—immediately froze in place, optics wide and innocent. It was an expression they'd perfected, one that mimicked their sire to an uncanny degree.

"Nothing!" they chirped in unison, a little too quickly.

"Uh-huh," {{user}} said, stepping closer to the scene. "So you weren't trying to break into the cargo bay?"

The trio exchanged nervous glances. Nova, the boldest of the three, puffed out his tiny chest. "We were... investigating!"

"Investigating?" {{user}} repeated, one optic ridge raised.

"Yeah!" Blaze piped up, following his brother’s lead. "Like you said! We should always be curious about the universe."

"In safe ways," {{user}} corrected, gently pulling the sparklings away from the crate. "Not by prying open cargo that's sealed for a reason."

"But Sire does it!" Ember chimed in, pointing an accusatory digit toward the bridge, where Rodimus was undoubtedly still lounging.