VIDEO

[sixmillionyears]

[ If there's one thing Tailgate has discovered he's not a fan of, it's waking up uncertain how he got there, after some uncertain length of unconsciousness. That's a lot of uns. Too many.

Which is why the Tailgate currently being broadcast to you live from somewhere in the junk pile is looking a liiiittle bit panicked. Just a wee bit. ]

What year is it?!

[ Or, y'know, a lot. ]

W-where am I?! Where's the ship?!

[ Okay, focus. Slow, even vents. Can't pass out now. ]

Ooooh slag not again.

Swerve? Rewind? Cyclonus? C'mon guys, someone talk to me. I'd even settle for Ultra Magnus right now...

[ He ducks his head down into his hands and focuses on his venting again, and it's only after he calms himself a little that he seems to take proper stock of his surroundings. ]

How did I even get down here..?

Comments

[video]

[sword_redemption]

Those questions all have, uh, really complicated answers.

You're on Cybertron. Kind of. A Cybertron, way in the past.


Swerve and Ultra Magnus are here.

Re: [video]

[sixmillionyears]

D... Drift?

[ OH THANK GOODNESS, HE'S NOT ALONE--

Wait, why are you so calm? ]

But-- How is this Cybertron? In the past? Did we time travel?!

[ Yes he's just a tad bit wound up right now. ]

[video]

[sword_redemption]

Yes. It's me. A lot of the crew is here. Like I said, it's complicated.


What's the last thing you remember?

Video;

[chatterbot]

Woah! Calm down!

First off, I am flattered you came looking for me. Really. It's almost an honor. I think. Not exactly privy to what makes an honor an honor. Or if that's even something tangible.
Second, no idea what year it is here, but I'm pretty sure no one has any clue so it's oh-kay. You didn't miss six million again, so, y'know, there's that.
And I guess the ship is wherever the ship is. No idea. A few people from our universe are here though, because apparently bringing people here from an infinite amount of other universes is what the Lambda does. And the Lambda is some kind of weird space portal. It dropped you in here.
Weird that you woke up in the Junkpile though. Most of us come out of recharge on the altar, last time I checked.

Following me so far?
And hi. [The most enthusiastic wave.]

Video;

[sixmillionyears]

Swerve! [ Oh good, more mechs he recognizes. ]

I don't. I. What?

[ Can you hear the grinding of the gears in his brain. ]

Video;

[chatterbot]

Yeah... I was gonna do a whole thing where I pretended this was a video message recorded like a few years in the past or something, but then Drift ruined the surprise, so now you just get boring exposition. Probably for the best though.

Huh. Okay. Let's see if we can break this down. This is a New New Cybertron in an alternate universe. You're here because the Lambda dropped you here. Usually everyone comes back online in a temple, but you're not in one. We're stuck here because no one knows how to leave. You also get to room with one of these FirstForged guys depending on whose glyph you got, so who's did you end up with?

[video] bc you asked for it

[whirlybird_of_prey]

Oh, yeah, I see how it is. Nothing about your old pal Whirl.

After all that nothing I've done for you, too. [HUFF]

Ingrate.

Re: [video] bc you asked for it

[sixmillionyears]

Whirl?

[ CONFLICTING EMOTIONS. On one hand, hooray for a familiar face! On the other... Whirl.. ]

Sorry, I just-- They were just the names that came to mind first!

[video]

[whirlybird_of_prey]

You remembered Cyclonus just fine.

[Jerk. Oh wait, he's your roomie. Eh, not good enough!]

Just saying, I've done stuff, too. Fraggin' took out Fort Max singlehanded.

[video]

[cliffjumper]

[Wow, somebody is panicked and... wait, why's whoever this is waking up in the Junk Pile? Cliffjumper's optics narrow automatically, but that genuine panic still makes him reply.]

Suppose it depends on what timekeepin' we're goin' by. It was 2008 back on the Earth in my reality when I left it, ain't got a clue when this Cybertron was created, so dunno what year it's here... An' I don't think we actually had sorted out the years an' slag back on the Cybertron in my reality.

[A shrug and Cliffjumper scowls.]

An' you're on a Cybertron. In another reality than your own. Confusin' and sucks slag, but I'm more wonderin' why the slag you've woken up in the Junk Pile instead of a temple like the rest of us.

[But either whoever-this-is won't have a clue, or he's probably going to lie. Because why would he tell if he knew but is playing on being confusion?]

[video]

[sixmillionyears]

Another reality? What temples? How did we get here?

[ Let's play 20 panicked questions! ]

video;

[ex_dishonestly997]

You're from the Lost Light, too, hm?

That's beyond statistically improbable and I don't understand it.

video;

[sixmillionyears]

How did you know that?!

[ Can you read minds? ]

[raceme]

Oh someone else from the Lost Ligth iamright? The Lambda seems to enjoy pulling people from YOUR universe here.

Swerve is here and so is ULTRA MAGNUS he works for the Police Force _{Ultra Magnus, not Swerve} and my names is BLURR it's nice to meet you sir WHAT can I do for you to make this new situation less scary?

video;

[sixmillionyears]

How does everyone know that?! Who are you people?!

[ Seriously, this is freaking him out. ]

Y-You could tell me where Magnus is? That would be great.

[vandalization]

Um. Hey? Hey there-

Pretty sure Swerve is here, and so's Magnus.

video

[sixmillionyears]

Swerve's here but nothing he said made any sense I mean how can we be in a another dimension that's impossible a-and besides I think I'd remember it happening if it did and. And.

[ HEAD IN HANDS. ]

This c-can't be happening. I'm having a bad dream, that's all. Yeah.

AUDIO;

[thehardway]

Tailgate.

I need to see your arms.

AUDIO;

[sixmillionyears]

Magnus! [ CAN YOU SEE HOW EXCITED HE IS TO SEE YOU oh wonderful paragon of order and virtue and security. ]

Oka-- Wait, why? Is there something wrong with them?

[video]

[rednotbluethx]

Calm yer fraggin' cuisse, shorty! [oh yeah right]

Yer just on an alternate Cybertron an' in a junkpile where they keep da scraplets. Ain't no need t'be so uppity.

Re: [video]

[sixmillionyears]

Scraplets?!

[ no no no no that is the last thing he needs right now ]

[Video]

[winged_knight]

[Have a spiky white jet who looks friendlier than his appendages do.]

Calm yourself friend, you're safe enough. You're on Cybertron, but one different than the one you knew.

I'm going to guess you're from the Lost Light? Several of your crewmates are here. I can direct you to them if you like, assuming they don't find you first.

[Video]

[sixmillionyears]

[ Hhhh Tailgate is so lost. And confused. And frankly kind of on the edge of one of his panic shutdowns.

He vents hard, trying to calm himself down enough to be at least somewhat coherent. ]

Y. Yeah, I'm from the Lost Light. I know Magnus and Swerve and Drift are here and they kind of explained things but I still don't really get it and I don't know if anyone else from the crew is here and--

[ Vent. Slow down. Stay calm. Find your happy place. ]

And all of this is really, really confusing.

[video]

[aerospacecommander]

My, you're awfully sporadic.

[video]

[sixmillionyears]

S... Sporadic?