re_alignment | [Text] There is such a thing as too many questions

[Guys you better brace yourselves because Four isn't holding back at ALL.]

Languages are an important part of society, whatever society that may be, and is always fascinating to study. I know that translators largely make it possible for us to communicate with each other regardless of the language we currently speak... or in my case, write. I have a large appreciation for spoken word and how words, ideas, and memories look like when written in different languages. So what I want to know is: What language does everyone usually speak? I currently communicate in what humans call 'German', though I will switch between English and Arabic from time to time. I prefer not to use English too often though, it is not the most reliable language of the ones I know. For Cybertronians: Are there different kinds of Cybertronian languages like there are different kinds of Earth languages? If there are, how and why do they differ? Another couple of questions for Cybertronians: Why do some of you have noses while others don't? How does gender work for your kind? How do you see while you are transformed? Also :) Look I made a smile!

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[Four takes a moment to run this explanation through his mind again, carefully examining and picking it apart while he forms more questions. There's so many hows, whys, and whats to go through that he's not sure how he can possibly ask them all. But that's the beauty of it isn't it? No matter what he'll always be able to learn something new. Finding someone who can actually answer all the questions he can throw at him is an unexpected joy.]

I recognize the Autobot glyphs! Mirage showed me them a little while ago! He was going to teach me Cybertronian. He even showed me how 'vowels', as he called them, sounded. When compared to something they sound like a metallic whale song. Your language is pretty. Where does energon come from? How long do Cybertronians live? I'm assuming that stasis lock is the same as 'sleeping' or going into a 'coma'? So gender isn't that much of an issue with your kind. I guess that means there are no such thing as gender roles in your society either.

Hmm, so those are apparently similar enough, or the same, across at least two disparate realities to be recognizable...

[You'll have to excuse Jetfire, Four, that was a mumble mostly to himself, though he does look up after that, a smile on his faceplates.]

Thank you. I would surmise you'd have a better chance of learning to speak cybertronian since you aren't organic. And as for energon... It can be found in usually small to neglient amounts on other planets, being a natural substance, but the greatest quantity is found on Cybertron itself.

And, truly, I have no idea how long we can live. We... hm... If I've understood the way to count time Earth-wise, one particular mech [Jetfire pauses, briefly, as he realizes who he's about to mention and wonder if that Alpha Trion and the one here are connected, but that is neither here not there] could be well over 15 million years old.

Closer to a coma, I believe... Recharging, which is a voluntary process to save energy during a part of the day while certain processes are run and to cut down on the energy used while they are run, is probably closer to sleep.

[Now, we're hitting something Jetfire is uncertain of. Starscream had some truly incomprehensible reactions to him while they briefly were human at the Keep and he was female...]

It isn't, though I admit I don't quite understand what would be meant by gender roles, except the implied biological differences between the human sexes...

I'm physically incapable of speech, but I do want to learn how to read and write in the language. It wouldn't do me any good back home I suppose, but there's nothing out there that's not worth learning, both the good and the bad. Humanity is interesting to study when it's coming from a completely different species altogether. So you need sleep like humans do? How much sleep do you need? Related: How do you measure time compared to Earth? Gender roles are roles (I believe) given to men or women based on the fact that they're men and women. Men are strong protectors and women are gentle caretakers... things like that. It is not a topic that I'm completely familiar with as I have yet to come across a book regarding the issue.

Mmm, yes, learning to read and write should be easier than speaking, even if there might be large differences in the writing systems...

Ah... [There's a moment's hesitation - really, not even a second, but there is one if you know what youre listening for.] That would probably be easier to answer if I had actually spent enough time on Earth to take part of their culture and knowledge, which I didn't.

Because the only thing I can say is that we do need at least two cycles worth of recharge, but can easily choose to extend it. Starscream tends to do it if he's bored. [That has Jetfire chuckling quietly.]

Ah, I see... No, those aren't something we have, at least not as I'm aware... [He'd shrug, but he's busy flying, though he does make a lazy barrel roll as a sort of non-visible substitute] Especially as there's only a very small amount of that type of cybertronian around. What usually matters more is altmode, but as we can switch within a limited range of options depending on flight or ground capabilities...

Sorry, I keep trying to compare Cybertronians with humans, even though they are very different in a lot of areas. I suppose many Cybertronians aren't familiar with humans enough to understand the comparisons I'm trying to make. I never imagined that I'd ever be trying to learn about an alien race. Can you tell me more about alt-modes? Do you choose if you get to fly or not? Can all of you fly? Can you change your alt-mode if you want to?

I believe Starscream would be among those who could, as I understand he's spent almost... twenty? of Earth's years there, along with some others... But considering the small population present, it would be statistically rather hard to get a large number of those who will understand those comparsions immediately, yes.

[With time, and sharing of said knowledge, any one of them would, but all Jetfire had, for example, actually asked of Starscream in that direction was a file on the English language. It had helped somewhat to communicate while in the Keep, after all.]

Mmm, well. While I'm rather sure details will vary between realities somewhat... No, all of us can't fly, and at least in my dimension, we don't choose whether we end up a air-frame or ground-frame.

[There's a brief moment of static white noise, almost humming as Jetfire considers further.]

An educated guess would lend me to assume that ground or air transport method might be tied to the genetic indications in our sparks, and while there's some possible evidence for that, nothing conclusive.

While mass and size is the greatest restriction, we can choose rather freely within each given subset... air or ground. Most find an altmode type they prefer, however, and stay to similar types even when we take on other civilizations' vehicles.

[While he could probably - if he exerted himself and was more aware that it might be needed - make his explanations more simple, he did enjoy getting to do them, even if his voice was kept at an even - if pleasant - low tone.]

Fascinating! Wait, genetics? Do Cybertronians have DNA or something similar to it? I thought this was something that only existed in organic matter.

... This might be an issue of difficulty in finding the correct word to translate a concept to.

[Since he's flying in altmode, he can't really rub his chin, but if tone could imply such an action, it certainly is.]

Our sparks are unique to every individual, carrying a particular arrangement of the energies that are specific to the individual, which is what, besides carrying personality, makes us what we are.

I... think that is the same for the genetic material in organics as well?

[He hasn't had much chance for xenobiology, to be fair, concentrating on such fields that would be more directly useful especially during the war.]

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