re_alignment | video

[OH HEY LOOK. Perceptor's back! And... apparently draped all over something. But for the moment, it's hard to see what exactly he's laying on.]

Ah, yes. Well. It would seem things are beginning to go back to a relative state of normalcy? And none too soon, I might add, considering the number of projects I'm meant to be working on...

[He pauses, shifting a little, and glancing at something off-screen.]

... Speaking of which, I'd like to go back to work as soon as possible. If anyone with information on the following projects would kindly respond, we can continue.

[He switches to text, typing out his list:]

> Wheeljack's idiotic ship > synthetic energon > the location of the "DRILLER" > the nature of the "DRILLER" > Smokescreen's current status and location

[The list sent, he shifts again.] As I said, any information on those subjects will be most appreciated --

[And looks up once more, speaking to whatever it is he's looking at.]

Commander, kindly hold your legs still until I'm finished. Your lap is hardly as comfortable as it looks --

[END FEED.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Scientific curiosity.

There really ain't much to it. Local fauna on my Cybertron, and they'll eat basically anything. The one here was bred bigger for the war, though.

"Bred"?

Your planet breeds those things?

Of course it did, how else d'you thing we ended up with ones that big? Besides, it's not like we saw 'em all that often in the wild to catch them in the first place. They're subterranean.

You will excuse me if my knowledge of the fauna common to alternate Cybertrons is lacking. I'm familiar with core slugs. And those were hardly as hostile.

Well Drillers aren't particularly hostile, they just get hungry and tend t'eat things. The warbred ones attack on command, but the wild ones generally didn't attack Cybertronians, aside from one or two incidents way back.

How charming. Sentient enough to understand commands... but capable of running wild should the mood strike them.

They're animals. Same as turbofoxes, just a lot bigger.

Duly noted.

And just so we're all clear, it's probably the last of its kind in existence. So it's best the curiosity stays scientific.

[He knows some people were talking about attacking it a while back and all.]

Oh? You seem rather defensive, considering I've made absolutely no threats toward the creature.

I know how folks tend to feel about Drillers, in places like this. And that there are plenty of folks that'd want to kill it for various reasons.

I rather doubt you have made a comprehensive study of my... feelings... in regards to the creature. Your assumption is a poor one, considering all I asked for was simple information.

I don't meet many mechs that are just out for information. They've mostly been out for information with the intention to weaponize or otherwise abuse it.

Whether you happen to be or not.

[His tone isn't exactly apologetic, but it's calm and a touch weary.]

There ain't much left of my Cybertron and I worry about keeping what there is of it alive and whole.

I'm a scientist. I've utterly no interest in weapons or weapons-related studies.

[The only reason he knew anything about the warp guns, or the big cannon he'd directed Optimus to was out of pure necessity. Nothing more.]

[And he disliked it.]

Mmhmm. And a lot of good conservation efforts do while it's here on this world.

Frankly, that makes you a unicorn among the scientists I've known.

[And not all of them were Decepticon, either; he did have his reasons for wanting Que eliminated in Chicago.]

I'm pretty sure if it goes back, it'll end up offlined. Giving it a while longer here is the best I can hope for.

... Unicron?

[What are you talking about.]

Charming. But it doesn't answer any of my questions.

Unicorn. A mythical earth creature that's magical and nearly impossible to find.

[Probably because it doesn't exist but anyway.]

Well, there's only so many answers I c'n give, aren't there?

... I see.

[That's. A thing then.]

You haven't given anything terribly specific in relation to this particular specimen. So no. There aren't.

I can't give anything specific to that particular one since I don't know it very well. Shockwave owns it so I take pains to stay out of their way.

Though I know it gets on best with Decepticons and it tends t'burrow holes through whatever's in its way, temples included.