[Audio/Video] Totally not compensating for anything, nope.

[cliffjumper]

Absolute glitchin' slag.

[There's more insults than those being muttered over the audio, but they're kept at a lower pitch, and the noises of metal or other items being thrown around obscures some of it.]

One of these days I'm actually gonna get to stay put an' where the slag--- [Either the speaker just stumbled over something, or yanked something out of a pile.] Finally! Ugh. Okay.

[And then have video and a red cybertronian with sensor horns leaning against... a very large cannon (or is he just that small?).]

Any of you find a large sniper rifle calibrated for someone my height before I do, I'd appreciate if you ask me if it's mine.

[Because that thing was made for him, so. And while sniper rifles aren't his favourite weapon, he's picked up the talent and he came here with it... as his found cannon can testify. Cliffjumper grunts and drags a hand down his faceplates.]

Got the basics, blah blah, besides that what is the situation? An' for the information, apparently even TransTech, who proclaimed themselves quite above the rest of us, can't make proper stellar span.... er, space bridges.

[He's not going to assume anyone he knows... from either two dimensions or Axiom Nexus is here. And the real kicker? He has the vaguest impression he sort of bounced briefly into the negative polarity universe before coming here, but he's not sure and that, along with his missing weapons, is just torqueing him off.]

Comments

[ichooseboth]

[His smile deepens, and Optimus nods decisively.]

After Shockwave's experiments? Sounds familiar. Perhaps you recall the area we lived in?

[Himself, Jazz, and Cliffjumper. It had been nice, for all the brief time that it lasted.]

[cliffjumper]

Uh-huh. Finally found him out and everything.

[Cliffjumper snorted and shook his helm. It was probably more that someone, somewhere, had acknowledged that was going on because it was beneficial to them... Maybe that Megatron, as Landquake'd said he'd been confronting them when they freed Breakaway.]

Sure, nice place... [He gave Optimus a dry, sharp look.] You wouldn't let me in before ya got rid of the mirror Sunstreaker'd left behind. Probably just as well, though.

[ichooseboth]

[Optimus can't even reply at first; all he can do is laugh, entire frame shaking with amusement.]

Oh yes, I remember that!

[He shakes his helm, calming.]

Seems like we didn't end up where we were supposed to, my friend.

[cliffjumper]

[Cliffjumper doesn't laugh, but a wide grin blooms on his faceplates.]

I'd probably have shot the mirror if I came out of recharge badly at some point if it'd been left there.

[Grinning still, he shook his helm and crossed his arms, a slight huff on his next words.]

No, fraggit all. I think I was briefly even back in the negative polarity 'verse before I got kicked over here, but I ain't sure.

What 'bout you?

[ichooseboth]

I probably would have done the same!

[He chuckles a bit more before gradually calming. Then he simply shakes his head negatively.]

I haven't been home at all, as far as I can recall. I ended up here, straight from the portals in Axiom.

[cliffjumper]

[Vain or not, Cliffjumper wasn't sure why Sunstreaker had thought a mirror in that spot had been a good idea.]

Ugh. Apparently they really couldn't make their own transwarp system secure, if there's three of us who's been to Axiom an' then got sent home who ended up elsewhere... here or wherever else.

[It doesn't really help, but the vicious little flare of smugness at that thought comes anyway.]

/can't remember who he's talked to 8|

[ichooseboth]

Apparently not.

So much for their purported inter-dimensional superiority.

[Chuckle]

But you say three of us? Who else have you spoken to?

xD /pat

[cliffjumper]

Probably just wanted to make themselves sound better than the rest of us "lowtech".

[Cliffjumper's snort is a lot less benevolent than Optimus' chuckle, but he is amused.]

Uh, yeah. Said his designation's Barricade. Apparently left before I got there.

herpderp :b

[ichooseboth]

That sounds like a given, really.

But Barricade is here? [And you're TALKING to him?]

Huh. He seemed like a decent mech, from what I remember. I did not have much interaction with him myself before he was deported.

[cliffjumper]

[Instantly suspicious, but not of Optimus.]

... Any reason I shouldn't, supposedly decent or not? [And he's talking to him because it's audio and he doesn't have a clue Barricade's a Decepticon.]

[ichooseboth]

[...]

I don't see why not.

[Smiiile.]

[cliffjumper]

[He has no idea how to interpret this, pause, smile or words. Staring at the Prime, optics narrow and expression shifting between confused and suspicious, Cliffjumper finally huffs.]

Not sure that's an answer, but okay.

[Grimacing, Cliffjumper can't help but mutter and he still feels like something's off, but not exactly sure what. Optimus gets another narrow stare, but he's obviously going to let it go.]

[ichooseboth]

[Sorry Cliffjumper, but Optimus just chuckles a bit.]

It's nothing to worry about, my friend.

[He's sure you'll get over it. You should be used to friendly Decepticons by now!]

I'm currently more worried about our status here, and how long it might be before we can feasibly get home. Or at least attempt it once more.

[cliffjumper]

... I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, an' that you ain't yanking my chain.

[Cliffjumper gives Optimus another narrow, huffy stare, but he's not really angry, just... suspicious. Because like slag Prime's behaviour isn't.

And he's used to negative polarity friendly Decepticons! Not... positive polarity ones.]

Yeah, that... I mean, it doesn't even look like there's any stellar--- er, space bridges here or anythin', so something's gonna have to be built? [Rubbing the side of his helm, Cliffjumper frowns down at his feet, away from the camera.]

Not sure I trust that we're here by accident, the... Firstforged lyin' or no, but if there ain't even a... space bridge around already, gonna take time to get home, right?

[Because he didn't have a clue at all how you'd search for individual dimensions, but that's what they'd need to do wasn't it?]

[ichooseboth]

I would never...'yank your chain'.

[At least not in a way that might actually be harmful. You should know how much his humor is muted, Cliffjumper.]

But yes, I imagine we would have to build something from scratch, unless the Firstforged have powers of dimensional portal-hopping we are unaware of.

[...And they very well could, for all they know. Hrmm.]

It will take time, barring some drastic change.

The idea of this being truly accidental is not exactly a very strong theory, but at this point I feel we have little option but to -ahem- roll with it.

[cliffjumper]

Uh-huh.

[Muted or not, he doesn't think you're completely humour-less, Optimus, since he's seen that that's not true. Though, at least he's grinning a bit?]

Maybe, but unless it's different, they probably don't? If they're even similar at all, the Nexus Prime I met had to use the stellar spanner we still had at base to leave the negative polarity universe.

[Cliffjumper shrugs, frowning slightly. He doesn't know that Nexus didn't need to use any "help" later, so maybe it was merely that he needed a boost out of negative polarity space.]

... Yeah, thought so. Frag. Hopefully someone 'round here'll know somethin'... Or some of the Firstforged would be willing to help.

[Cliffjumper's torn between cynical suspicion and cautious hopefulness at that prospect. The Nexus Prime he'd met, after all, had been a right upstanding mech.]

Unless an' until we get some sorta proof, I suppose we'll at least have to act like we believe it.

[Unfortunately, this being Cliffjumper saying this... he might end up having trouble following his own advice.]

[ichooseboth]

'Stellar spanner'?

[That sounds new.]

But it is entirely possible they might be willing to do so. They haven't yet made any unreasonable demands of us, or suggested that we are required to stay here.

I imagine some of them might prefer to be rid of us in that manner, honestly.

[cliffjumper]

... Errr. [Cliffjumper's faceplates draw into an embarrassed and annoyed grimace. It's not a bad thing that he's gotten used to using those terms, and it does seem a bit more strengthened again even after a few months in Axiom, but that doesn't make it any less annoying when he uses the wrong phrase to the wrong mech.]

Ugh, a space bridge. Called a stellar spanner in the negative polarity universe.

Dunno if that's believable or will hold up, but if so... as long as they don't just settle for tossin' us out into any other reality than their own, I don't care if they actually like we're here or would want to kick us out helm first.

[ichooseboth]

Ah. That sounds a bit more useful.

[He chuckles. Too bad they don't really have those in his universe.]

Though I would prefer not to get kicked out by any of them, and not just solely because of how large their feet are.

[cliffjumper]

[They are exceedingly useful!

... when not made from the dying/dead body of the inventor himself.]

Yeah, they are. Let ya bridge distances like Earth-Cybertron in mere moments.

[He shrugs, and then sort of chokes and Optimus continues to speak, and then bursts out laughing.]

Uh--- yeah, I--- Agree.

[ichooseboth]

[...That would be a bit morbid, yes.]

That would certainly be beyond helpful. I imagine it could change the entire face of a war easily.

[He tries to sound dry, but he can't help but chuckle a bit at Cliffjumper's reaction to his little joke.]

[cliffjumper]

[Yet that's how it started as, where Cliffjumper's from.]

Yeah, you'd think it would. [He grimaces and shrugs.] I mean, it kinda did, but it turned into a question of everybody havin' it, makin' it better, and slag like that. KInda tied in the end, I suppose, though when I left my reality, I don't think the 'Cons had access to the space bridge or the trans-dimensional portals...

[Rubbing the back of his helm, Cliffjumper frowns.]

Ya know, now that I think about it, the trans-dimensional portals looked like the space bridge the Caretaker opened for me an' Skyfall and the others, and like the space bridges or portals that the TransTech had...

'Cause the space bridge I knew otherwise? Kinda looked like an actual bridge.

[Nonsensical as that is.]

[ichooseboth]

That sounds about right, bridge-shaped or not. It would change the 'game', and not for the better.

[As much as everyone had fought and bled for even temporary access to the trans-dimensional portals in Axiom Nexus, localized transportation portals like those would be worth far more, and be used far more frequently.

As much as they could use them for good, Optimus can't help but hope they never discovered such technology back home. Everything Cliffjumper says happened in his universe would happen in his own. If the Decepticons ever got their hands on it...

Well. All the horrors he's already heard pieces of would happen. Not that he knows that.]

[cliffjumper]

Well, technically I suppose it could be better, just gotta make sure the others never get to it?

[Cliffjumper just shrugged at that, frowning slightly. It hadn't turned out too badly for them, but well. It hadn't been good either, since the mech who originally invented the space bridge got to sacrifice his life for it.

By becoming the first bridge.]

Anyway... So where are you stayin', Prime?

[It'd be nice to know, after all.]

[ichooseboth]

You know as well as I do, that is something that would end up happened eventually.

[Both sides have their spies, after all. But this isn't the time or place to be worrying about such a moot point anyway.]

I have found myself welcomed into Prima's own temple. [And he certainly sounds pleased about it.

Your glyph at least automatically grants you housing in a Firstforged's domain.