[Video]

[sword_redemption]

[It's just a short video feed, from what was--briefly, one of the Perceptor's labs.  A half-built space bridge is in the background.]

Perceptor's gone.

And now Ratchet.

Either someone's kidnapping them, [Looking at you, First Forged. Or Prism.] or they're wandering someplace dangerous and getting killed. Because neither of them are good fighters.

Or....something else.

[He's not sure he's covered all the angles. He's a swordsmech, not Nightbeat or Prowl. But those are conclusions he can draw.]

I'm heading to the Badlands to at least settle that angle.  And I have...business out there, anyway. [And he's not quite dumb enough to go against Prism on his own. But the Badlands, he can handle.]

Anyone else missing? Anyone have another solution?

Comments

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

[OR CAN THEY BE clearly there's a reason they've a connection

Vector emits a sort of huff. that moment when you admit something you really don't like admitting...]

While we are strongest within our Haven, occasionally the Calling is able to slip through our defenses and weaken our connection to you - thus weakening our protection.

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

[This calls for a contest!]

The Calling. [He hears that capital letter, there.] What is that? How do we stop it?

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

Unicron's influence is not only through the Lambda. We have much reason to believe that the Badlands are his, too, and that he continually attempts to reclaim what has been put under our protection.

As to how to stop it...we must purge the Badlands.

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

Unicron? Who's Unicron?

[Drift looks grim.] Is that what Liege is having me start?

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

The Chaosbringer. Our Enemy.

[beat, and SUSPICIOUS FROWN]

What is Liege having you do?

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

Your enemy. Which you didn't tell us about.

[Always a nice start. Then again, it would be hard to fit into a welcome brochure. Lovely junk and an evil supernatural enemy.]

Is this who was behind the sharkthings, too?

[Interesting. They don't seem to talk that often to each other. Actually, Drift has no idea if that's significant or not. But Liege didn't swear him to secrecy, after all.] He wants me to collect spider venom for him.

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

[curtly] You did not ask. But as you are now, I will tell you.

Unicron is the Dark God I and my brothers were constructed to defeat, the polar opposite to Primus himself. He is behind much, including, yes, the shark...things. The horde of Glyphless monsters who tried to slaughter us all.

[and then a short pause]

Why would he ask this of you?

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

[Well that's a nice bit of rhetorical dodging.]

And what else could this Unicron do? We didn't sign on to be part of your war, Vector Prime.

[Drift shrugs.] I owe him. For the 'hospitality' he showed me when I was sick.

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

[his voice is firm. someone's not backing down.] He can do much, but we are not asking you to fight him for us. We are the ones constructed to combat him, and we are the ones who will serve as the front line of defense should he manage to fully enter this dimension and threaten our world.

But I note that he would not stop at the deaths of just my brothers and I, if he had his way. Unicron is a threat to all, including those who too cowardly to fight against him.

[he sniffs here, disdain clear]

If that is how he chooses to be repaid, then so be it.

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

You didn't ask us to, but your Unicron is taking us. We're involved whether you--or we--want us to be or not.

And I've had experience with something being dangerous without needing to be fully here.

[Drift shrugs.] I owe him a debt. I'd rather it be settled now.

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

We will not force you in to being our soldiers. [he's so about to cross his arms and huff at you Drift you don't even know] If you choose to become such, we welcome any assistance you can offer.

[Liege Maximo...he'll let drop. for now. though he may speak with his brother later about commandeering his mechs Bc]

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

There are other ways of compulsion than physical force. If we're at danger--and you aren't--we should have been told, first. We can't fight, if we're not even told there is an enemy.

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

[he doesn't like he's admitting he's wrong. in any way, shape, or form. his expression says as much. but...]

We make it a point to tell anyone who asks that there is a force that threatens this world. You have asked, and I have told you.

[half implying that Drift should have asked earlier- half...okay, there's a grudging point there, however subtle it is.

/but now you know/]

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

What else is a threat here? What else do we need to be on guard against?

[Oh if we are going to play that game, Drift will play with his usual subtlety.]

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

[play on. B|]

Other than Unicron? Only the demons.

[vector's going to be deadpan, now, don't mind him]

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

Oh is that al----Demons?

[Demons? Really? ]

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

[a simple nod]

That is what we call them.

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

And what are they? How do we fight them?

[Video] god help me i almost wrote 'one of the best methods to be to overload them'

[vectorianpolarity]

They were the original threat to this world, and we were near to defeating them for good when...our attentions were diverted. But should they show themselves, as they feed on energy, we find one of the best methods to be to flood them with it until they can take no more.

[HELPFUL!]

[Video] Hrm. robot demon porn. Sounds...interesting.

[sword_redemption]

[You see? You see? That's why Drift has that problem trusting you. With all that passive voicey 'attentions were diverted' stuff. Smells like...coverup.]

Should they? Or when they show themselves?

We know that this Unicron has already tried to attack us, or you through us. [Drift does not think these demons will leave them alone.]

[Video] Sounds like something I'm not sure I want to read or write.

[vectorianpolarity]

[he snorts a little bit. shows how much he thinks of those things.]

Foolish as they are, it may be only a matter of time before they attempt an assault. I do not deny it may be a matter of 'when'. However, we are more than capable of handling them - when we began our task, they were all but legion.

[Video] me neither. x_x

[sword_redemption]

Will we get any warning? Some of us here aren't Cybertronian: these 'demons' may be more of a threat to them than you seem to credit.

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

The area outside of the Haven is patrolled, Drift. By us, if nothing else.

[and he's serious here; it's only slightly meant to be passive aggressive, really! only slightly.] If, however, you knew someone who could offer assistance, we would not turn it down.

[Video]

[sword_redemption]

And do you all agree on what represents a threat to us? To you?

I don't know. But non-Cybertronians may be more vulnerable. Are they as valuable to you as we are?

[Video]

[vectorianpolarity]

All of you are valuable in some manner or another. Whatever form you take, we would consider you 'ours' so long as you dwell within the Haven and under the protection we offer here.

Though, I do not understand why you would think there is disagreement- a threat is a threat. We are aware we can handle more than you can, and do not assume what we can handle, you so easily can.