Notes: This part's kind of on the short side. It's mostly just to get everyone in one spot. Full reactions will be in the next part as well as some details on what had been going on with the trine prior to their arrival.

Also, I'm starting to vaguely hint that someone has their eye on CJ. Feel free to submit your guesses, because this just bit me outta of nowhere as to who.

The Ark was literally buzzing with gossip, only this time it wasn't any of the usual chatter.

Somehow, word had gotten out that there was an infiltration unit – one that had been in position since early in the war – due to return to the fold shortly, and speculation had begun to build from there. Smokescreen even had a betting pool going on just which supposed-Decepticons were going to come knocking at the door, as well as if it would be Prowl or Red Alert to crash first as a result. Jazz had refused to participate in the pool (although Ratchet, oddly enough, had thrown in a few credits saying that the SIC and security director would simultaneously crash), and was refusing to give any hints as to the identities of the spies.

Another topic of conversation was Cliffjumper. More than a few mechs had noticed how the minibot seemed to brighten at the news, which sparked rumours of some form of bond existing between him and one of the spies. The rumour of the minibot having a bondmate amongst the infiltration team members was the most popular, although if anyone had been paying attention they would have noted that one mech tended to scowl and ignore the rest of the conversation when it was brought up in his presence. This was something that would be noticed much later and acted upon, but at the moment was still a secret guarded closely by that particular 'bot.

In spite of the fact that no one really had any idea what was going on, most of the soldiers were ready, if not entirely willing, to put aside their feelings they had regarding whatever acts the spies had deemed necessary to maintain their cover.

Right up until someone noticed that the incoming seekers that Teletraan I had picked up on the scanners weren't flying in any known attack formation and suddenly realized just who the infiltration team consisted of.

"Um, sir?" Bluestreak spoke up from the console, blinking his optics a few times to make sure he wasn't imagining things before turning to face the Prime. "We have incoming on the long-range scanners, and it's seekers, not only that it's Starscream and Skywarp and Thundercracker, but they aren't flying any pattern I recognize, so are we waiting for them or are they just doing some weird-aft reconnaissance mission for Megatron?"

All other conversations in the room ceased instantly, a majority of the mechs in the room likewise looking to Optimus for an answer; the only ones not waiting to find out if Blue's question was valid were Jazz, who was trying not to laugh, Prowl, who seemed to be on the verge of shorting out, and Red Alert, who looked as if he was finally putting the final piece of a puzzle into place and seeing the big picture at last.

Optimus cleared his vocalizer when he realized he had everyone's undivided attention (with the few exceptions previously noted). "Ah... actually, Jazz, didn't you mention earlier that they were in contact with an ETA?"

There was a brief crackling sound as Prowl collapsed into a heap, logic circuits shorting out as he tried and failed to process that three of the biggest thorns in the Autobots' sides had been on their allies this whole time. This didn't go unnoticed, as Optimus winced and sent a silent comm to Ratchet informing him that the SIC was down.

Jazz snickered and nodded. "Yeah, TC said they were about half a breem out; all I could get from Screamer was a detailed account of how many tiny pieces he wanted to rip a certain 'con into before they left but was dragged out before he had the chance."

"Somehow I'm not surprised," the Prime said, rolling his optics skyward for a brief moment. He was about to ask if there had been any other communiqués from the team when an open comm call came in from Ironhide.

"What the pit is goin' on around here?" the weapons specialist fairly demanded. "Cliffjumper just went tearing on through here like he was Inferno on the way to a fire!"

Jazz burst out laughing as Prowl, who was just coming back online, groaned and dropped his head against the floor again; the other mechs on the control room looked over at their leader for an explanation. Optimus glared at Jazz for being no help at all before clearing his vocalizer.

"There's a perfectly good explanation for that," he began; on the scanners, one of the dots representing the seeker trine blinked out then reappeared practically on top of the base.

Meanwhile, Bumblebee had been chatting with Mirage and Blurr at the entrance to the Ark when the three of them were nearly knocked off their pedes by Cliffjumper. The red mech barely spared an astrosecond to call back an abrupt apology as he darted past them. Following at a slightly more sedate pace was Ironhide, who was apparently listening in on another conversation over the comm while keeping one optic on the minibot who was now scanning the skies intently.

"What was that all about?" Bumblebee asked, looking to Ironhide for an explanation. The two blue mechs were staring at Cliffjumper like he was a few circuits short of a motherboard.

"Findin' out now," the older mech responded, frowning slightly. "Seems Blue picked up our infiltrators on the scanners 'cause Jazz decided not to inform anyone they'd commed him. From what I'm gatherin' so far it sounds like they commed Jumper as well for some reason."

"There-are-those-rumours-going-around," Blurr noted. "If-any-of-them-have-basis-in-fact-it-makes-sense-that-they'd-contact-him."

Mirage's optics narrowed as there was an abrupt burst of displaced air accompanied by the far-too-familiar sound of a teleport. "Oh, the twins are going to love this," he remarked dryly.

The other three mechs with him looked up in time to see the minibot pounce on the newly-arrived Skywarp, the seeker catching him and holding him tightly. One of the observers felt his jaw clench as a surge of jealousy swept over him. He'd been quiet about things for a long time, and now it was looking as if he'd been right to keep his affections hidden; it was folly to pine after a taken mech, after all.

"Say what now?!" Ironhide cried abruptly, drawing the optics of not only those standing next to him but Skywarp's and Cliffjumper's as well. "There ain't no fraggin' way! Jazz must be tellin' ya stories, Prime!"

"What-what?" Blurr asked, frowning slightly. Behind him, the other two members of the trine touched down and moved to join their wingmate.

The weapons specialist looked up again and glanced at the four mechs now clustered together, the group quite obviously getting reacquainted with one another. "Well, Unmaker slag me. If Ratch's claiming it too and I'm seein' what I'm seein', then I s'pose it's gotta be the truth." Ironhide grinned wryly and nodded towards the reunion taking place close by. "Accordin' to Jazz, Ratch, and Prime, those three seekers are long-time 'bots and Jumper's their kid."

Three heads snapped around to see the command trine clicking and fussing mildly over the supposed minibot, who seemed to be loving all the attention. The one mech who had been jealous earlier felt an odd sense of relief mingled with nervousness. Just his luck that the mech he was interested in was not only unattached, but had three fully-functional seekers as guardians.

He knew he would have to keep it quiet; seekers were notoriously protective when it came to their young.