re_alignment | [Video]

The video opens to white walls. What seems like the interior of Prima's temple, for anyone who's ever been there, but recognizable by design only. It's a room that's never been seen before by any Refugee.

In the background, voices can be heard murmuring. Some familiar, some not. One a deep, resonant growl - another smooth like oil. Prima's the one facing the camera, but behind him many of the other the Firstforged can be seen, apparently wrapping up a meeting of some sort...

...including one or two who haven't been seen before. One, wrapped in what looks like an energy sphere vanishes quickly in a flash of light, spacebridging away - of another, only a set of what look like steel, pleated wings are visible.

"We know many of you have questions about the...recent happenings," Prima begins, folding his hands behind him - the camera source seems to be from something other than his personal systems. "In the interest of efficiency, we invite you to ask them in a more direct manner."

"Remind me," an off-screen voice murmurs, utterly humorless, "To reinforce the defenses on my Temple. I don't want another one of your...creatures...messing up the place again."

Nexus, barely visible - even with his greater bulk - shrugs. "They're more than just 'creatures', and they're really not that bad, once you get to know 'em, I promise. So long as they're Marked..."

Prima briefly glances to the two arguing, then reaches forward to end the transmission.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It is hardly some arbitrary marking. It is your protection against that very 'white noise' you felt working it's way into your processor.

Without it, you would have likely succumbed to the Call of the Badlands and become one of the Lost.

[Capital letters and all.]

Unfortunately, it comes and goes. The surges are...largely unpredictable.

That is a lot of capitalized words I heard, but it's a touch like me talkin' about the Solar Harvester out of context; it sounds big and important but it doesn't actually say anything about it unless you're familiar with it. So. Who're 'the Lost' and what's 'the Call'?

So it is. I will ask about that sometime.

But the Call is what is sounds like. A call from the Badlands. A call to arms.

You remember the creatures that invaded; the monsters that attacked some time ago? Those were of the Badlands, a blight on this still-forming world, and the taint of that area is pervasive.

And the Lost...are the sentients that have fallen to it. That have lost their will and way and have become beasts themselves.

[She growls, clearly unhappy at the very mention of it, but continues on.]

The Glyphless will become the same. They will be Lost.

You can, but I'm sure y'won't like the explanation. No one ever does.

I wasn't around for that. Only heard about it myself. So... wait. So what you're saying - or implying anyway - is that my friends are going to eventually try to murder me? [Again?]

Is there some way to stop that from happening? [Because he cannot do this again. Convoy nearly killed him the last time, but Convoy and Magnum turning on him? That is going far too far for him; they were two of the only halfway decent mechs left in his life.]

...Yes. Yes they are.

And there is nothing you can do.

Perhaps...perhaps they can resist, if their wills are strong. But at best, it will only delay the change. The unmarked are already tainted with something not even we can remove.

We have tried. I have tried. All have failed.

[Oh but she does not sound pleased to admit it; she's not happy to be dealing with this at all. That old failure still burns, and this shouldn't be happening. Not again.]

Only Primus can remove the taint of Unicron. And Primus is not here.

We didn't have him where I'm from, either, and we still got things done. I'm not going to give up on them just because everyone else's methods haven't worked and because a deity isn't present. There has to be a way, something someone hasn't tried yet.

[He can't just sit back and let this happen, regardless of who tells him that it's all been tried already.]

... How many times has this happened before now?

...Hmph. Good. Hold on to that hope, if you actually want to try and make any difference.

Perhaps it will do some good this time around.

[Avoiding the question? Yep. This is hard enough to discuss as it is.]

...But keep in mind that 'if' they turn or become a threat and you don't handle them - we will.

Occasionally I try t'make a difference.

[That and he would really rather not consider his friends becoming threats. It's not fun. In fact he'd rather not repeat it at all.]

If they turn and if I'm able to handle them, you mean.

Honestly, I would prefer it if you were able to.

[She's not holding her metaphorical breath, though.]

And it is certainly possible. Their strength only grows so far and so fast.

Just don't put it off for too long.

You don't think I'll be able to, though.

[Barricade is not a stupid mech, most of the time.]

You're not the one being asked to murder the closest things you've had to friends in a long while.

[He's just going to point that out.]

It'd take as long as it takes.

My brothers and I tried everything at our considerable disposal the first time we encountered the Glyphless. Our...lack of success does not negate all hope.

[Just the vast majority of it.]

Willpower is one thing no one can account for, after all.

...But it is not something you or anyone else should have to do, but I for one am not yet willing to take that hope from you forcefully, by dealing with it preemptively. Most would think it cruel.

Unfortunately, this specific 'something' has every possibility of becoming a reality. I am sorry.

Edited 2012-11-21 08:29 (UTC)

Killin' folks out of turn is generally frowned upon, yes. Wouldn't've exactly helped my opinion of god-like entities or folks with 'Prime' attached to their name, no offense.

[Which, all too often in his experience, are technically one and the same. He's been burned a little too often by their presence and absence both.]

Well at least there was some kind of warning this time. Doesn't usually happen.

I imagine not.

[So very dry. And resigned. This won't end well, and she knows it.]

Hopefully that warning will be enough.

Good thing that any indiscriminate murdering was avoided, then.

[Not that he'll be particularly happy when all is said and done, anyway.]

Hopefully. Doubt it f'r other people.

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