re_alignment | [Video] - far above the Haven, with a bit of static

[The video feed, laced with static here and there but otherwise viable, shows Jetfire from bottom half and down, his arm angled to focus on what seems to be a little drone plane insistently burning at full throttle a few feet beneath thrusters.

Though, for some reason, unless he's keeping precise time with it (which, in fact, he's not, keeping himself hovering) it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Far, far below both Jetfire and drone, the curve of Cybertron can be seen.]

I was in need of some... er, distraction and can safely say that attempting to leave Cybertron's near orbit at present, without some sort of modification, won't result in any greater harm than frustration.

[Jetfire starts to drift, so hopefully no one watching easily gets vertigo as he makes a circle above the insistently flying drone.]

I did, of course, attempt some preliminary tests before I was given the modifications, but as there was no way to know if pushing too far would result in a negative backlash of some sort, I didn't think it prudent to try to use too much power in attempting to get past the... er, field that currently seems to surround Cybertron.

[He might sound a bit more clipped than he usually does, and, out of view of the down-tilted feed, Jetfire's frowning because by now he's sort of... on edge due to Things. Hence, distraction.

Underneath his feet, the drone plane's engine nozzles sputter, cough and then die as it runs out of fuel, and the feed tilts, aiming back up to show Jetfire's upper half and wearing his outer helmet as he dives down to catch it, the static in the feed as he nears Haven smoothing out.]

Also, ah... Sari, Kagerou? I have something for each of you.

[You would think he's not flying straight down at speed to catch his drone plane, by his unruffled tone.]

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[Trying to be an open-minded scientist while still being... well, scientific isn't the easiest! Especially not when it comes to divinities. It's... nice, however, to know that Skyfire understands.

Though the fact that he can pick that up unsettles Jetfire greatly.]

Precisely. The only thing, I suppose, we could hope for, is that they do give an edge if the attacks from the Badlands start to come with any greater frequency.

[Jetfire sighs, and then, with a burst of speed, transforms midflight and twirls on his own axis. It's nice to have someone to fly with.]

I certainly hope so. It seems more... realistic, I think, than hoping for less attacks instead.

[Which, he knows, is kind of depressing.

So he'll just try to distract himself with a little barrel roll. It's been a while since he's flown in company.]

Lessening, I assume, would only happen if the Badlands were to be dealt with... or, better, the Lambda, as that is apparently the ultimate origin.

[Who says that just because they're big, they can't do some trick-flying? Jetfire lets his speed and altitude drop enough to get him level with Skyfire instead of flying above before he continues.]

Which might or might not be true, but there's some connection at least, since the Lambda has at least at the majority of... ah, incidents, showed some anomalous effect before each situation...

[He shifts his position a little, so that they can fly side by side more comfortably.]

Mmm. I wonder if it's even possible to deal with the Lambda. Even the Firstforged don't seem to be able to... unless they can and don't want to, which is not a very pleasant theory.

It... might be that, yes. On the other hand, it might also require dealing with the force that created the Lambda in the first place, if what's been said so far is to be believed.

[Pausing, Jetfire simply enjoys the air rushing past, roar of engines and Skyfire's presence beside him - it's still odd to think about alternates even if it makes sense in the face of the existence of a multiverse.]

Since, I believe... if we ended up dealing with... er, Unicron, it would probably remove the... ah, hook? the Lambda is into this reality.

[He took a few moments to consider that. They weren't in any hurry, in any case, and the flight itself was enjoyable enough even without conversation.]

I wonder what would become of us if that happens. Would we return to our worlds, or end up stranded here...? Ah, not that we aren't stranded right now, that is.

[It was, and at least it made flying over a mostly-dark Cybertron with the Haven and Prima's light somewhere to the right of them less... lonely. More, at least for Jetfire, because even during the war Cybertron had still been lit up.

The population occupying the planet at the moment was, frankly, pitiful compared to what one might be used to.]

Well... There's a great chance we would get stuck here, and more definitely than at the moment. But on the other hand, given that we know of multiple realities, and without the Lambda interfering, the probability of us being able to construct a... space bridge or something to that effect that could bridge realities ought not be impossible.

[Jetfire hummed softly, the sound weaving together with his engine as he made another slow, lazy twirl.]

I know at least one theory from my reality was that miscalculated or over-powered transwarp would pierce through the space wrong, putting you either... ah, outside, and probably dying in one way or another, or, if alternate realities were real, connect with another reality.

It makes sense, especially knowing what we know now. Just being here is proof that some kind of energies can transport us between realities.

[He took the time to do another twirl himself. It helped him think, in a way.]

It's learning how to control, or even predict, this kind of bridges that will be difficult. But I think it'd be worth the effort.

Finding some method to calculate origin and destination won't be easy, no, considering we won't just have to compensate for the usual problems, but also the distance going through other... er, realities must exert.

[The thought, however, is definitely exciting. While his main topics hadn't had anything to do with transwarp when the research started to develop that way, he'd had some hand in it before he left the Decepticons... and the situation here made it not just interesting, but necessary.]

I'm unsure how we could do it, but some way of categorising the different realities in a system seems like it would be necessary, to help pinpoint destinations without relying on chance.

We could start by counting and classifying the worlds represented here, at least. Chances are it won't be exhaustive, but we might get a general idea. As you said, it's a necessary first step in any case.

[And it's closer to his area of experience in a way. Gathering and classifying information? Oh, he's got more than enough practice with that.]

I wonder if someone has tried to do it already?

It would be the realities we'd need to start with, either way, since the individuals here are the whose realities we'd most probably want to reach...

[Trailing off as he considers the other question, Jetfire dives down sharply and then back up, for the moment flying underneath Skyfire.]

I believe someone... ah, Cliffjumper? mentioned at least one reality where they have a system of classification, I'd assume by using their own as the original point-of-reference.

[He shifts just a little, to give Jetfire enough space, and then adjusts his speed again.]

Hmm. That would be a good starting point, yes. Perhaps the library in Alpha Trion's temple has something of use, too.

The issue would just be to figure out how to do it... but perhaps the library would contain something of help, yes. Do we have the time to spare to start looking, you think?

[Oh so dry, because if nothing else, time is something they have quite a lot of here. What with no war.]

[That gets a dry laugh from him, too.]

I think we'll manage.

Indeed.

[Laugh turning more amused than dry, Jetfire put on a burst of speed and changed course a little.]

It's a good thing Cybertron is large, even with the Badlands making some parts basically off-limits. Shall we see how far we can get with a reasonable amount of time?

That sounds like a plan!

[And they both need to do something more or less fun, really. He moved faster, too, catching up with his friend.]

[Video] - far above the Haven, with a bit of static

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