01 - Video;

[chatterbot]

[When the vid feed pops up on the Link, it starts with Swerve looking pretty confused, but this isn't exactly new to anyone who knows him.
To those who don't, welcome to Swerve-ville! Population: This boxy motherfucker and a whole lotta mouth.
He does perk up pretty quickly though, which again, isn't all that surprising. Swerve is pretty ace when it comes to looking like he's perpetually in a good mood.]

You know, I kind of thought we'd crashed through some kind of portal at first, 'cause this looks a lot like Cybertron. So I was thinking maybe there was some kind of massive surprise twist on the way and the Knights of Cybertron were actually on Cybertron the whole time, but it was an alternate version of Cybertron and the quest was actually supposed to teach us a lesson about perseverance and friendship.

Buuuut then some mech who was with me when I came out of recharge explained most of the actual situation to me. Kind of a disappointment, really.

[Though, if he thinks about it, this is actually pretty good. If there was a test on how everyone on the Lost Light was best friends, they would have failed it pretty quick. Because they're them.]

But, uh, just a note here? Waking up to a mech who was watching you during recharge just to explain the whole situation? Actually pretty creepy. So... might wanna get management on that.

((OOC: Tags forthcoming when I return from classes.))

Comments

[sword_redemption]

Oh. [Have a belated laugh. See? He totally gets jokes.] I knew that.

We've been here long enough to get used to it.

I didn't ask what I could say. Is everyone alive? Is Rodimus all right?

[chatterbot]

[He's not even dignifying that with a response, Drift. Just the most sympathetic 'no you didn't but that's okay' look. Like looking at a kitten that got itself stuck in a paper bag]

Turn of phrase. Everyone's pretty much alive and Rodimus is totally fine.

[sword_redemption]

[He probably gives Drift that look a lot. ]

That's good to hear. Relatively speaking. Sorry. It's just weird to hear about things I should know about.

Is there anything you need? [Right. Drift: stop failing at Welcome Wagon.]

[chatterbot]

[It's almost sad.]

It's weird explaining things to you that you actually told me your rendition of, so I guess we can at least find solidarity in finding this weird.

Not really. Apparently there's a bar, so all my needs are pretty much covered at this point. Kinda wondering if I can get back on the metallurgy wagon here. Not that I ever really fell off, but melding alloys isn't exactly something the Lost Light has facilities for. Also, it's almost constantly getting into unstable situations, so maybe having liquid hot metals on there isn't the smartest thing.

[sword_redemption]

[He's trying. A for effort? ]

Uh, all right. [And kudos for making it extra weird by pointing out how weird it was. Weirdception?]

You'd have to ask one of the scientists about it. Or Liege Maximo. He set Pharma up with a lab. His place is a little, uh, weird, though.

['Weird' will now be their secret password.]

[chatterbot]

[A for effort indeed.]

Yeah. No offence to that guy but I'd probably have better luck asking Alpha Trion. [Pharma may have done some good, but Swerve is still pretty wary of him, considering.]

Which, y'know, kind of a strange name to hear here. I remember him being kind of a figurehead a long time ago. I wonder if they're anything alike. Not that I'd know.

[Their code word for 'this is sketch as frag']

[sword_redemption]

Alpha Trion here is a little...interesting. He had a book and apparently...yeah. Uh.

[He won't even say it, but, the w-word.]

All I know is Pharma cured the Red Rust. Fast. Extra fast considering he had no hands.

[And then it hits him.] But First Aid...he was wary of him, too. [He doesn't know what to make of that.]

[chatterbot]

Yeah. That sure was a thing that happened? [Swerve just looks at the screen with one side of his eyeridge raised.] Are you going to elaborate, or should I just go figure it out myself?

[ARCHIVE BIIIIINGE!]

Yeah. He, uh... Ratchet has those now. Well, at least at the point in time where I'm from. First Aid and Ambulon are on the ship too. Considering how it worked out, 's not like I'm gonna jump him here. It's just hard not to let the past make me a bit... wary.

[Considering Pharma was freakin' crazy.]

[sword_redemption]

[Give Drift a moment while he weighs his dignity with the fact that it's likely only a matter of time before Swerve digs it up on his own.]

I..._{got turned into a human female}.

Ratchet has what now? Pharma's hands? [That's just...that could be great news!] Does that mean we figured out who cut them off? Because Pharma was really--really--upset about that. I'm sure he'll be excited to hear they've been found and he can get them back.

[chatterbot]

Okay... That sounds... kind of interesting but mostly horrifying in every way. Feel free to just not tell me about what happened that whole time. Really. I'll be fine not knowing. I don't even want to know how it happened. Actually, wait. No. Tell me how it happened so I can avoid that. I don't think I'd make a good human female. Or human. Or anything that's not me.

[He can't have lungs. Do you know how hard talking this much would be with the capacity to run out of air?]

[Swerve grits his dental plates and his vents make a hissing noise that matches rather well with the painfully awkward expression on his face.] About that...

[sword_redemption]

...I wouldn't recommend it. The clothes were, uh, horrible.

Apparently Alpha Trion had a book and stuff that got drawn on its pages sort of happened. But I, uh, I think he's got his pages back.

[He hopes. And he hopes that page in particular has been destroyed.]

[He tilts his helm.] About that...yes? This has to be good news. Because, honestly, I think Pharma kind of blames me for it.

Which is weird, huh?

[chatterbot]

Clothes? Like... No. We're not getting into this. This is the end game, Drift. The end of this part of this conversation.

[But oh no. The rest of this conversation is stuff he doesn't want to talk about. Well, not doesn't, but still. Welp! Already broke the news about Crystal City. Might as well do this.]

Well... You kinda did. Y'know. Cut his hands. [He holds his thumb and index finger about an inch apart. A feat considering his size.] Just a bit...

Completely off.

[Awkwaaaaaaaard.]

[sword_redemption]

[This? This right here is a look of gratitude on Drift's face. Because he really doesn't want to pursue this line of conversation himself. ]

[But....]

...what? No. Oh, no. It couldn't have been me. I passed out from the Red Rust. And someone must have taken my sword away from me and done it while I was out. I mean, that's the only way it makes sense.

[Huh. Funny how he never realized how little sense it actually made until he said it out loud.]

....why?

[chatterbot]

[Wow, Drift. Really? Wow. Swerve just puts his face in his hands and drags down. It's not even Drift. It's just exhausting having to explain everything and walk on eggshells. This sucks.]

It's a long and complicated story that I heard second hand.

[sword_redemption]

[Drift has no idea what he said wrong but it's clear he's made some gaffe.]

Oh. Uh. All right. Never mind then. I guess it doesn't matter.

[chatterbot]

[There there, Driftloon. Driftpants. Driftapalooza. We'll work on the nicknames later. Swerve is just not sure he wants to totally tank the reputation of someone who's trying for a second chance.]

Nah, I'm just tryin' to make sense of the whole thing. Like you did the whole thing and he did his whole thing, and yet he still fixed you up, so I'm kinda confused. Maybe he's [decided not to be such a prick this time around.] turned over a new leaf, so to speak.

[sword_redemption]

[Drift would be flattered just to have a nickname. Other than, you know, what Ultra Magnus probably calls him in his head. Potential Recidivist doesn't quite have a friendly vibe.]

But you're saying I cut off his hands.

[This is the face of Drift putting two and two together and getting 'banana'. ]

Is that why First Aid asked all those questions?

[chatterbot]

[He can be Obtuse and Wing can be Acute. ~*~Matching~*~ and also covered in spikes.]

Yeah, pretty much.

[Oh Drift... Never change.]

Wow, okay. One: First Aid is here? And two: What'd he ask?

[sword_redemption]

[no argument here ]

Oh. OH.

No wonder no one likes me. D-did I go crazy or something? Who stopped me?

[He's going to try to console himself that it was some weird side effect of the Red Rust and/or that it took a small army to stop him.]

First Aid's here, yes. And he asked stuff about just what I remembered from Messatine.

I didn't remember much.

And about those side effects I was having.

[chatterbot]

You didn't go crazy. [He says that in the sort of tone that a friend would use to tell another that no, they didn't make a total fool of themselves in the pub crawl last night.]

You got cured with an antidote Pharma cooked up. 'least that's what got told. The new medic squad even managed to fix Pipes' optics.

[Head tilt gets.]

Side effects from the Rust, or something else?

[sword_redemption]

Th-that's a relief.

I guess.

[Maybe.]

I don't remember that. [Obviously.] But he made an antidote here so I believe it.

I don't know. Pharma had the Rust, too, but he didn't get sick. First Aid though that was important or something.

[chatterbot]

It is. Trust me on that. [You were totally sane when you were Deadlock and that was bad enough, broseph.]

I'm starting to guess that whatever happened just didn't happen for you yet. Or ever. Kind of a strange thought. But yeah.

First Aid, huh? Did he remember being on the Lost Light?

[sword_redemption]

If you say so. [Yeeeeah, don't remind Drift of that.]

I think you're right. It's sort of complicated.

[Sort of. Meaning stabbing something won't fix a thing.]

He does. But he wouldn't tell me what happened. [So now you see why he figures it's all bad.]

[chatterbot]

[Never again the Deadlock times.]

I am right enough times to think you're right about thinking I'm right. So at least we're on the same page. [Stabbing isn't the solution to everything, Drift...]

Did he say why?

[sword_redemption]

[Blink. ] So it's like...you're right because of math.

[If stabbing fixed things everything would be fixed. And stabbed.]

No, but it's First Aid. I think, you know, he was trying not to upset me. [Which is weird because nobody else seems to bother.]