[Video] [Origin : Junk Pile] Macro-Dimensional shift gives me a headache.

[must_do_science]

Arright. Something is seriously wrong with Cybertron's chrono-dimensional anchor. I dunno who, or what, or even when, but this constant planet change is not right at all. I mean, first the whole planet resets like someone hit 'Undo All'... and now it does it again only there's apparently rusting First-Forged walking around!

Ugh. There's also a huge anomaly out here that shouldn't be sustainable without insane levels of energy but at this point I'm willing to just overlook it, given that we're probably dealing with some kind of rupture in fourth or possibly fifth dimensional barriers here.

[Have an extended sigh, as Wheeljack runs his hands over his faceplate.]

I coulda dealt with things as they were. I mean sure we had an overpopulation of three different factions on a Cybertron that seemed to want nothing more than to kill us but at least things were starting to get organized.

Now I'm back to piles of junk.

Ooooohkay. Bee, Prowl, Metalhawk, Starscream - If any of you made it, let me know. Oh and Bee, if yer out there, this was not me.

Comments

[Video]

[angleofscience]

Ah... Wheeljack? [Jetfire is... somewhat sure that's right, the overall look seem correct enough, even if he's not seen (his reality's version of) the mech since around when the Ark left. He's also rather sure, especially with what Wheeljack just said, this isn't the one from his and Starscream's reality.]

I have a feeling you're missing some vital facts about the situation... You should've been briefed by the, er.. Acolytes?

[Jetfire shrugs.]

But if not, this isn't your own Cybertron, and the anomaly you're detencing is called the Lambda. It is a disruption in time-space, with enough force to connect it to other dimensions, which is how most of us are here, except for our... ah, hosts.

[There's flashes of sky just visible at the edges of the screen while Jetfire looks around, a thoughtful frown on his face.]

It shouldn't take me too long to get to the Junk Pile, if you transmit your coordinates, fi you'd prefer to have this discussion in person.

[Video]

[must_do_science]

Jetfire? [It'd have to be, given the size and demeanor. Not to mention you certainly sound similar to the one he's used to.] Yeah it's Wheeljack.

The Acolyte was the guy in the robes, right? Call me suspicious but I don't trust cloaked mechs who can't or won't answer the questions about the hows or whys.

[The evidence, if you could call it that when dealing with foreign realities, certainly pointed towards this being a different Cybertron. And Jetfire - at least the one he knew - wouldn't lie about it.]

Yeah, alright. Might as well have company out here. Broadcastin'.

[Video]

[angleofscience]

Mm, yes, though probably not the one you're familiar with.

[Whenever he gets there, it'll be ovbvious he's probably somewhat... larger than the one Wheeljack's more used to.]

And taking things at face value without corroborating proof isn't the proper method anyway. [Jetfire nods, and where some would probably be joking at such a statement, Jetfire clearly isn't even as he takes to the air.]

At least those of you who arrived after the initial wave got to wake up inside the temples, with some sort of explanation, worthy of being believed or not. The rest of us woke up on the Junk Pile.

But the widespread difference in design, as well as the facts and backgrounds we all know as "true" even when they don't match up have made disproving the theory of multiple realities very hard.

[Jetfire's been looking straight ahead while still holding his arm to give a view of his upper body, and now looks down, a slightly dry, arch look on his faceplates.]

... There's also at least two different Starscream present.

[Video]

[must_do_science]

[He's staring up at the Lambda now, tapping a finger against his faceplate.]

Y-y-yeah. A chrono-dimensional distortion instead of a shift would better explain how I got here. Would also explain junk here being from seemingly random time periods and levels of workmanship.

Dang, if I only had some equipment I could run analysis on alpha particle residues...

[That last statement makes him snap back to the vid camera.]

Really?

[Video]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

[You ever get that feeling that maybe somebody out there has the same face as yours? Well...Wheeljack's feeling that now. And he's a nerd. You know what? He really didn't expect to see this today. Primus or whatever god deals with that, you caught him by surprise.

He listens a moment to the techno babble that seems to come out of this bot's not-mouth before he decides to speak up.]

Uh...calm down there, geek squad.

[Video]

[must_do_science]

[Fortunately, he's quite used to others not being able to keep up with his explanations of scientific theory and applications. But 'geek squad'?]

I'll calm down when reality fluxes stop dumping me on increasingly primitive versions of Cybertron.

And the name is Wheeljack.

[And only now does he take a moment to study the image on the video feed.]

...

...

huh.

[Video]

[wheeljackofalltrades]

[As soon as Wheeljack takes notice, he perks an eyebrow.]

Yyyyyep.

And this next sentence is gonna be pretty awkward, champ.

Name's Wheeljack.

[Video]

[must_do_science]

[It's a good thing that Jetfire already mentioned multiple Starscreams because otherwise the ramifications might cause some cerebral overheating here.]




Right. Okay. Different realities. Stands to reason that there are alternate versions of me too.

[The look on his face betrays the fact that he never expected to actually run into one of them.]

Hey, wait. If yer me, how do you get off callin' me a geek??

[ Video ]

[docbot]

Oh scrap. There's two of them.

[ Ratchet's horrified expression is covered by the hand over his face. He sighs, then gets to addressign this double Wheeljack problem. ]

I'm assuming that your name is Wheeljack and that you're the kind of mech who likes setting off explosions and punching people in the face. If you would kindly refrain from doing so, I would greatly appreciate it.

[ Video ] There there, ratchet, this one is terrible in a completely different way

[must_do_science]

[There is indeed two, as he's in the middle of finding out, so for now he just kind of shrugs helplessly.]

Well, ah, yes and no. The name's Wheeljack but punching people? That's not really my thing. [His thing being more along the lines of developing microchips that prevent altmodes and can detonate your head from a distance but NOT GOING TO MENTION THAT RIGHT NOW.]
I'm an engineer. Theoretical physics and applications.

You've got to be a Ratchet.

[Video]

[docbot]

The only Ratchet, thus far, and given that this makes a 2:1 ratio of Wheeljacks to Ratchets, I'm doubtful that your engineering tendencies are going to help my burgeoning processor ache.

[ Grumpy still, but perhaps that's cautiously lessening, given that he actually... sort of made a joke. Involving ratios. ]

[Text]

[4_toteachus]

[Although Four memorizes each word Wheeljack says, none of it makes sense to him. Perhaps if he gets to know this individual better, he will understand someday?]

You are very interesting.

Who are you?

[Text]

[must_do_science]

['Jack returns the text in kind, although you've piqued his curiosity.]

'Interesting'? Heh, I'll take that. Most of the time other bots' optics go all dim when I try to explain something to them. Glad to hear someone out there has some scientific interest.

I'm Wheeljack, chief engineer on my Cybertron. Who're you?

[Text]

[4_toteachus]

[Information might as well be food and water to Four. What is he without it after all?]

I take interest in all matter of information. Science, history, literature, I'm fond of it all. The reason why you are interesting to me is because I didn't understand anything you said, but I would like to.

My name is 4, and I suppose you can call me a librarian.

[Text]

[must_do_science]

Uh, hm. Well it took me the better part of a century to really come to grips with the details so it might take a while to get you to the same level of understanding. If you'd like I can send you a file on beginner-level physics?

Oh but keep that interest though! It seems to be rarer and rarer that I come across someone interested in learning.

4, huh? Interesting choice of name. Were there 3 others before you?

[Video]

[sparkless]

[Pinged by the mention of his name on the network.]

I'm guessing you're looking for one of my inferior counterparts.

[Although you do look vaguely familiar.]

[Video]

[must_do_science]

[It doesn't take a huge amount of deduction to figure out who this one was.]

Yeah there's definitely no way that you're the Starscream from my reality. For one thing your color scheme is closer to Skywarp than any other seeker I know.

Looking for? Not exactly. Discussing, maybe.

[Definitely not like someone who dug around your programming to make a pair of autobot jet hybrids, nope.]

Re: [Video]

[sparkless]

Skywarp?! [His chest is puffing out now like an insulted bird.]

Are your optics malfunctioning? That useless coward and I look nothing alike!

[Grumble] Whatever. From the looks of you, yours is probably the one made of blocks.

[video]

[aerospacecommander]

Oh good. Now I can prove to the other one that you usually don't have a mouth.

[video]

[must_do_science]

[Aaaand right on schedule here comes Starscream #2. This one certainly looks more familiar but there's enough differences to suggest you're not the one from his cybertron.]

Starscream.

Yeah, not gonna lie. It's kinda strange. Plus he's a Wrecker.

[He just gives the seeker a 'Can you believe this' look.]

[video]

[aerospacecommander]

[And you look slightly different as well, Wheeljack. But you have the flashy-face-things so that's close enough.]

Whho knew you could be a warrior -- all this time I thought you were the engineer-nerd type.

Have you been holding back on us all?

[Video]

[raceme]

[Oh look another Wheeljack. You sound like the one form his world, but Blurr can tell that you are not. he will still ask, just to be sure.]

...sir Wheeljack sir? Isthatyou?

[Video]

[must_do_science]

That's the name.

[Blue, aerodynamic construction, talking just a bit faster than is comfortable to listen to? Welp!]

You must be Blurr. Not the one from my Cybertron, but it looks like the multiverse has a thing for roughly consistent appearances.

[Video]

[raceme]

Oh sir is nice to see you again you don't look like the Wheeljack from my world either so I think it's safe to assume you belong to a different universe as well.

That's correct! It's really curious how the lambda operates.

[Perma-Audio]

[my_own_trope]

Another you. Perfect. And I see you've found some other mes as well.

What message did you have for Starscream?