re_alignment | [Audio - Locked to Starscream] - backdated to shortly after Liege's post

Yes, I suppose I should do something about that eventually.

[Starscream huffed, but did nothing about using the harness. He did tap his fingers against the arm rest of the cockpit seat.

At least no buttons were pressed.]

Did ram-head fix your previous problem?

[Like he did something about it by unthawing him when he needed help, hm. But he could see Starscream take a step or more away if he thought it necessary... and then yet expect help if needed. And Jetfire wasn't sure he wouldn't give it.]

I suppose you should, but I hope it'll take a while yet. And yes, the issue has already been rectified, with minimal assistance from Liege.

[Ram-head, really? Jetfire could well feel Starscream wasn't pulling that harness around him and huffed slightly. Well, if Starscream wanted to be jerked around and then float when they got out of gravity-range...]

So if something happens now, it'll be a completely different issue.

[Taking a turn to get the distance and time needed to get the speed for breaking atmosphere and orbit, Jetfire fed fuel to his boosters and was thankful Starscream kept his hands to himself.

For now, anyway.]

Uh huh. Can't you go any faster?

[Starscream was only half paying attention at this point and was more interested in them getting out into space.]

I thought you said there wouldn't be any other issues?

[Well, that part at least he was listening to.]

Oughn't be, no, but while I've tested to simply leave Cybertron's orbit and go beyond the moons, and very carefully tried drifting closer to the Lambda, we'll be going closer to it now than I've done since the first attempt.

[At least he was listening.]

And yes, I can. About now, in fact.

[Let him just get up into escape velocity and beyond so they can get out of Cybertron's gravity.]

[...]

We're going to get sucked into some sort of black hole that is going to rip us to shreds right down to our atoms, aren't we?

[Always the optimist.]

[Given that you're such an (admittedly usually rather well-planned) opportunist, you're quite the pessimist Starscream.]

... Well, given that the only 'black hole' in the vicinity is the time-space tear that the Lambda is unless we get teleported again, what could happen is that we're drawn in and travel cannot occur in the opposite direction, indeed destabilising our atoms as we travel against the undoubtedly immense flow of energy inside the tear, enough to... 'tear us apart' as you say.

[Jetfire sounds extremely dryly cavalier about the whole thing while he start to get beyond Cybertron's gravity, and hope you can keep yourself in the seat, Starscream...]

Otherwise we might instead be transported, the energies by chance connecting our innate frequencies to the dimension we belong to and putting us back home... with a great chance of not appear in etither the correct time or space.

Or we'd end up in another reality altogether. [Pause.] But since I'm going to keep the furthest distance possible while getting the readings we need, none of that ought to happen.

I'm sorry, what was that? I stopped listening after 'well.'

[He was watching space through the cockpit glass ... and as soon as they do break gravity? He's going to float around, sort of. Probably knock into things.

Sorry, Jetfire.

He might even accidentally press a few buttons as he floats around.]

[Oh, he had, had he?]

Starscream, to be able to say you stopped listening that soon would mean you'd have had to know what I was going to talk---

[Luckily there's not much space to float around in, but enough to be annoying... or just for Jetfire to notice him. As well as having to override a few things which Starscream activated with his (accidental) button-pushing.]

If you're going to decline to use the harness while we're in zero gravity, you better have mag-locks in your feet.

[He might sound a bit clipped, because if Starscream don't start being reasonable soon, he's going to show him exactly how much control he has of the cockpit's workings.]

What if I don't?

[Because he really didn't. Why would he need them? It's not like he usually went up in a ship with zero gravity.

Besides, he didn't think there was much Jetfire could do.

Aside from sound annoyed. But he normally did that.]

-- And besides, I always have a pretty good idea what you're going to talk about, which is why I can normally ignore you.

[Of course he didn't. Especially when he usually was the ship himself, hm.]

Then I would appreciate it if you could sit down and use the harness, because it's a bit... distracting, to have you floating around.

[It was hard to be completely misgiving, however, given what Starscream had said about his ability to usually be able to ignore him. Because in a way, that was just proof of how well Starscream knew him. If in a slightly insulting way.]

I'm impressed by your ability of... ah, foreknowledge, then. [Sarcasm? What's that?] And that you know me well enough when you'll have use of what I'm saying.

[He says it dryly, and it's mostly idle curiousity; he's wondering if he can get Starscream to trip up or if he'll catch it and just say something with his usual biting flair.]

You're highly predictable.

[He said in a matter-of-factly sort of tone.

And he made no move to use the harness or stop his floating at all. Jetfire could just deal.]

And boring. Lets not forget that one.

Ah, of course. Then, perhaps, this is predictable as well?

[With that, Jetfire dove sharply as well as turned belly up - if there was such a thing in space, aiming for just enough force so Starscream was close enough to the chair for the harness to react.

It couldn't be snapped around the Seeker as it should be, but a simple restraint about Starscream's waist would do for now.]

And boring too, I suppose. Can you put it on properly now?

[With that, Jetfire 'straightened' out again.]

[Starscream made sort of an 'oof' sound and actually tried to pull the harness off of him. He was going to be difficult, yes.

In fact, he probably struggled with the harness quite a bit before giving up with an extremely annoyed sound.]

Release me, at once.

[He'd have to do better than that to make the harness open up. Like... finding the particular button that did it.]

The harness is there for a reason, Starscream. And like I said, it's somewhat distracting with you floating around.

[By now, Jetfire's stopped, keeping his back end to the Lambda and remotely activating the scanner he's got with him. Starscream could probably actually get out now, but this close to the Lambda... Jetfire would rather keep him in there, even if it's silly.

It would, however, be interesting to see if the "block" that kept anyone flight capable from going beyond near orbit worked in reverse...]

Besides, I wanted to... ah, bring something up. [At least this shouldn't cause Starscream to do something... stupid.]

Liege has offered to make his... er, initiate. I ahven't accepted yet.

[Starscream was still struggling with the harness when Jetfire started talking about Liege's offer. He then paused and stared at Jetfire's cockpit dash.]

... First, what makes you so special to get that kind of offer?

Second, you better not do anything stupid.

Third, if you accept, I'm disowning you.

[Nope, not letting go, and he could both see (if he bothered to reroute the necessary sensory equipment) and certainly feel the stare.]

I would surmise it all depends on what each Firstforged finds useful assistance and how much any single individual bearing their glyph has, intentionally or not, given it.

[The pause after that is mostly because he can't decide whether to be amused or exasperated.]

Both of the latter two are sort of connected. [Especially when it comes to Starscream.] But no... I am not going to accept anytime soon.

[He's very good at delaying and deliberating on choices into the next forever. Starscream ought to know!]

Liege's methods and skill are... interesting, but I have some... ah, reservations.

I'll give you one warning concerning this situation.

[He glared harder at Jetfire's little bubble thing on his dash. And he pointed at it with a finger.]

If you even think about accepting, I will go move in with Skyfire.

I---Starscream!

[Jetfire wasn't even angry, just incredulous and surprised.

Not that he doubted Starscream would go through with it, because he could well see him do it. Not that it'd mean anything other than as a protest, but it was still...]

How is that... [The shudder that went through Jetfire's frame was Jetfire resisting transforming to talk to the Seeker face to face.] Perhaps you could explain to me why me accepting this - regardless of the fact that I harbour reservations of doing so - requires a... ah, threath. Like that.

[He still wasn't sure what to think of it.]

[Starscream remained rather poker-faced through the whole thing. He was sometimes good at that.]

If you don't accept, then you won't have to worry about it.

[He reached out and tapped Jetfire's little bubble dome thing on the dash.]

[He was, unfortunately. Though given what he usually had to deal with, it was probably just as well.]

That didn't answer my question, but... fine.

[Even if it wouldn't mean anything, as a threat it was still... confusing to deal with. He'd need some time. The sigh that accompanied the last word was as much static as it was a full-frame shudder of annoyance.]

Don't do that. And like I've been trying to tell you, I wouldn't accept it immediately... or even within the next few decacyles.

[Or longer, even.]

I'd rather know you weren't going to accept at all.

[He poked the dome a few more times just to be annoying.]

[It was a good thing he didn't really have a complete tactile sensory sensation from that as if it'd been his face or something. He did still feel the prodding though.]

If you're prepared to go through with your threat, I find myself forced to comply to your wish I don't accept it.

[Flatly said, mostly because he still couldn't believe Starscream had pulled that out.]

I think the readings we're here to take should be done in another klik or so. We should work on getting you capable of passing the limit the Lambda puts around Cybertron at some point...

[Because he'd rather not have to do this again.]

If it involves being under the knife of Liege Maximo, I am not interested.

[Or that stupid. Or that suicidal. Or anything like that. He sat back in the seat and huffed lightly.]

I don't trust him and neither should you.

I'm quite sure one of the other Firsforged might have other ways of achieveing the same result.

[Jetfire takes a moment to look over the scanners and their results remotely. Not long left needed now.]

I don't trust him, Starscream. I'm hardly that simple, and he has questionable ethical methods when it comes to getting the results he wants from his research.

[That didn't mean what he offered still wasn't tempting. With a static sigh, Jetfire started to speed away from the space-time tear again.]

Done. And I just... it seems this would be a situation where the Covenant might actually have been useful, but if I remember right not a lot of information of the first thirteen is readable still.

[It's a bit frustrating.]

Well, you could always get an interdimensional phone that goes into the past and call up Megatron. He was reading all about it.

Or Sunstorm.

You do remember that mostly everyone who looked into that was crazy, right?

[Right? Crazy religious people]

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