He vents for a few moments before speaking because he is, in fact, very emotional, and maintaining his composure takes a consistent effort. He distances his spark from the most tender of issues at work here. Right now he tries to focus on Arcee the Commander and her alone.
"Sparks more stubborn than yours have tried," he says, and there is very nearly an edge of humour to it. He can remember Ratchet telling him this, only days ago, when he was still Orion. He cannot tell if that is more recent than his memories of Unicron, or somehow parallel.
"I do not intend to deprecate myself," he says, slowly. "But command is a position of great potential error and many uncertainties. You shouldered the burden, and you did so admirably."
Just as he has been shouldering that burden for thousands and years, and has only just now has a breathe of fresh air. Optimus would not have recognized the feeling, through his own optics.
no subject
"Sparks more stubborn than yours have tried," he says, and there is very nearly an edge of humour to it. He can remember Ratchet telling him this, only days ago, when he was still Orion. He cannot tell if that is more recent than his memories of Unicron, or somehow parallel.
"I do not intend to deprecate myself," he says, slowly. "But command is a position of great potential error and many uncertainties. You shouldered the burden, and you did so admirably."
Just as he has been shouldering that burden for thousands and years, and has only just now has a breathe of fresh air. Optimus would not have recognized the feeling, through his own optics.
He feels very old.