Arcee feels a little foolish -- the question seems obvious in retrospect, and that Orion would want to know about anyone's relationship with Optimus beyond the command structure makes sense, even if he'd seemed to avoid the topic before.

"Optimus was..." She hesitates, trying to find a way to phrase it. It's hard to put it into words, exactly. To say they were friends doesn't feel entirely accurate, but it's a start, at least. "He wasn't just my commander, Orion, he was my friend. I've known him almost since the start of the war, and I've been under his command for most of that time. And when you serve with someone for that long, then...yeah, you could say there was a bond. He helped me through some very...difficult times. I trusted him more than most, and with good reason. He never gave me a reason to doubt his trust. I'm not saying I never disagreed with him -- trust me, I have -- but...there was never any doubt in my mind about his intentions. And I'd like to think he trusted me, too. At least, I don't think he'd have left me in command if he didn't."

She cycles air through her vents in a soft sigh, the weight of her machinery settling somewhat. "Optimus was always...difficult to get a read on. He didn't really open up very much. But we were close, in a way. And although I'm sure he wouldn't want me to, I'd lay my life down for him if it came to that."