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robot satan ([personal profile] robotsatan) wrote in [community profile] robothell2015-03-05 09:12 pm

[ INTRO LOG #2 ]

You don't know how you got here. One minute you were walking, sleeping, maybe dead -- then you're here, your feet suddenly carrying you down an empty street. Where's here?

Any Cybertronian would recognize this as their home planet, Cybertron, but it's not a Cybertron they've ever known. It has all the familiar hallmarks, but none of the specifics -- the city isn't one anyone here could identify, and even at a glance it's obvious that no one's set foot on the planet's surface in hundreds of years. The city and its surrounding areas all bear the marks of devastating war, of dust and rust collected over centuries. With other people relatively scarce, there's plenty to explore. In fact, if you start walking, you'll find that your feet may just carry you in one particular direction.

Despite its obvious ruin and aeons-long abandonment, the city and surrounding areas do bear some signs of recent habitation. There's a small but growing population of other people, Cybertronian and otherwise, and there's evidence of their presence -- areas of the city that have been cleaned up for use, intact rooms in ruins of buildings where people have set up to live, a few terminals here and there that have been restored to power.

A) The crater.
On one edge of the city is a massive crater left by some wartime weapon that seems to have taken out a large chunk of the surrounding metropolitan area. At the center of the crater it's broken through the surface of the terrain to reveal what looks like it might be a promising energon deposit. There is some strange but native vegetation growing around the edges, too, that no Cybertronian would be able to identify -- small, metallic, brittle-looking sprouts that bear a curiously organic-looking fruit of some kind that doesn't look like it's intended for consumption by any natives of the planet. In one rocky nook of the crater, light catches on the surface of a pool of water, which seems strangely out of place on Cybertron. On closer inspection, it seems that somehow an underground water source has formed a spring in the crater.

B) The center of the city.
If you follow where your feet seem to want to carry you, you'll find yourself in the middle of the ruined city. It seems that the center of the city was once home to a massive forum, and some of the pillars and structures still stand. At the very center of the forum is a massive, elaborately constructed fountain, although it has now long since run dry of whatever used to fill it. One of the low, inner walls of the forum has a terminal embedded in its surface, although it looks curiously ancient, out of place with the rest of the city, and unlike the rest of the technology still left around, there doesn't seem to be any way to power it on or operate it. There are a few scattered pools of water and a few of the strange metallic plants in the city, too, but they're not quite as plentiful as in the crater.

The planet was obviously once home to a massive network of communication relays, but those have all been long since destroyed. However, a few enterprising transplants have worked together to set up a working local network, which can be accessed via any one of the public terminals, any built-in comms systems your character might have (audio only), or a handheld device produced by one of the people who set up the network.
smallandincharge: Seriously Rodimus (This is absurd and illogical)

[personal profile] smallandincharge 2015-04-03 07:21 pm (UTC)(link)
And this is Ultra Magnus, who believes that one chance is two too many.

Magnus stares at Rodimus in disbelief. "More Decepticon than -- than what? Than this?" She makes a broad, sweeping gesture that encompasses the whole of the unfamiliarly devastated landscape around them.
rodders: <user name=brodinsons> (WOAH WOAH BRING IT DOWN A LEVEL)

[personal profile] rodders 2015-04-04 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
"That's what I thought, too," he says, one hand going to his hip as he stares her down. "But he says he didn't, and right now he's our best bet for getting back to the Lost Light."

Rodimus vents out a gust of air from his system, looking for a moment as deflated and worn down as he feels. "Trust me, Magnus. Or at least, you know-- try." Because his track record with doing good things with Magnus' trust is pretty abysmal, and Rodimus has at least enough presence of mind to recognize that. "We need him if we're going to find out what's going on."
primebyproxy: (The usual ridiculous spark of hope…)

[personal profile] primebyproxy 2015-04-04 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
It isn't the question itself that makes the fuel freeze in Magnus' lines, but the fact that it can be asked at all. No-one but Magnus himself, Optimus, and the engineers who helped construct the armour even know that it's armour at all. No-one should be able to say with such casual surety that he even has a self that isn't the towering blue and red and white form he has worn for ages.

"I – I don't know what you're talking about," he rasps nervously, optics dim with his growing panic as he recoils from that comforting hand as if burned.
smallandincharge: Arms crossed, knees spaghetti (Hmph)

[personal profile] smallandincharge 2015-04-04 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh, he says so, does he?" Magnus says, crossing her arms. A part of her realizes that her biting tone isn't entirely fair, but she's too angry to care. "And, pray tell, what does he say that has you convinced that, when the whole universe collapsed out from under us, the Decepticon with the time machine wasn't to blame?"
rodders: <user name=brodinsons> (YEAH BUT--)

[personal profile] rodders 2015-04-04 05:03 am (UTC)(link)
"Well, nothing, but--" It's irrational, but Rodimus feels like this is an attack on his ability to make sound decisions. Which, okay, haven't been the best and Megatron didn't really help that at all but - he's trying, okay, and he doesn't want to keep justifying himself to Magnus over and over again if she's not listening to him. "Look around, Magnus. What other choice do we have?"
rodders: <user name=brodinsons> (TRUST ME)

[personal profile] rodders 2015-04-04 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
Oh. Oh. Suddenly everything makes sense to Rodimus - this is simply a different Magnus than the one he considers his Ultra Magnus. Well that's not too bad, he can work with that. Even if he is kind of disappointed on the whole. Still! Any Magnus is a good Magnus, and maybe this is the one that Skids said cracked jokes.

"It's okay, I know," he says again with a knowing grin that breaks through the slightly crestfallen expression he'd been wearing previously. "You don't have to worry about me telling anyone, though. Well, not anyone not on the Lost Light." A wave of his hand to dismiss the thought. Okay. If this Magnus doesn't know him then it's time to do introductions.

"You, or well, a you that's not you yet, serve on my ship as my XO. Drift is our Third in Command and a former Decepticon. I'm," and here he presses a hand to his chest, covering up the blank space where his badge used to be, "Rodimus."
Edited 2015-04-04 05:54 (UTC)
smallandincharge: I think it just means... ugh. (Ugh)

[personal profile] smallandincharge 2015-04-04 06:32 am (UTC)(link)
Magnus vents an exasperated sigh. "We? We have no choices. You had a choice - and you already made it, when you abandoned your quarry thousands of years away!"
primebyproxy: (I can't do it.)

[personal profile] primebyproxy 2015-04-04 02:37 pm (UTC)(link)
It's a lot of input to pack away for someone as weary and confused as Ultra Magnus. Ships and his rank thereupon, the associated command structure, even some sort of time displacement… he shunts all of it to the side for now; there's a greater concern here to him. Especially if this Rodimus isn't lying and does truly know Magnus' secret.

"No," Magnus starts and tries to seize Rodimus by both shoulders with trembling, scarred hands, leaning down to stare him straight in the optics, yellow to blue. "No, you mustn't tell anyone!" There isn't enough left in him to lie that he is only as he seems; Rodimus is so certain and Magnus has never been a dab hand with dissembling. His voice turns thin and desperate as he adds, "Absolutely no-one can know!" It might filter to the wrong people. The sort of people who would use it against Optimus.
rodders: <user name=brodinsons> (SHUT THE FUCK UP MEGATRON)

[personal profile] rodders 2015-04-04 03:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"Abandoned? I didn't abandon a 'quarry' anything, I just ended up here after being on the Lost Light!" It was completely out of his control. Really, it was! He frowns, looking more like a petulant child than he has since his six month long bout of sulking.
rodders: <user name=brodinsons> (YEAH BUT ALL OF THIS SUCKS)

[personal profile] rodders 2015-04-04 04:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Eyes flicking from where Magnus has grabbed his shoulders and back up to his eyes, Rodimus is-- okay, confused wouldn't be too far off the mark. Minimus didn't take this as poorly, but then again everything had thought Magnus had died and Minimus had taken advantage of that, which is a whole bunch of emotions Rodimus doesn't care to sort through in any significant amount beyond 'Magnus is back, so that's something'.

But back to this: "The Lost Light already knows, I don't have to tell them anything," he says, which probably doesn't help this Magnus' sudden and surprising panic over the idea of someone finding out. "And they don't care." That should help, right? That's totally going to help, and he gives Magnus' arm a friendly pat again. "Seriously, Magnus, it's okay."

Is it wise to continue treating this Magnus like his Magnus? Probably not, but Rodimus was never the wisest of robots. Heart over head and all that.
smallandincharge: It... irritates me (Don't say I'm irritable)

[personal profile] smallandincharge 2015-04-04 09:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Unfortunately for Rodimus, reminding Magnus of those six months of sulking makes it far too easy to assume the worst of him. "I don't particularly care about whatever convoluted excuse you've invented to ease your conscience," she says, jabbing a finger at Rodimus' chest. "You knew what he was trying to do, you were in charge of capturing him, and you decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and allow him to rebuild our world -" this statement is punctuated with a sweeping gesture instead of another finger jab "- to his twisted specifications!"
rodders: <user name=brodinsons> (GESTURING WILDLY)

[personal profile] rodders 2015-04-04 09:40 pm (UTC)(link)
A flash of hurt crosses his face with the jab and the remark about his conscience, but he doesn't wince which he thinks is great progress. "In charge of capturing him? What the hell, Magnus?" His plating puffs up slightly, and he takes a step forward in challenge, staring up at her. "This isn't our Cybertron! You want to arrest him, fine. But do it once we're back in our universe. He's helped here, Magnus. And the only people that've gone around attempting to murder other people have been Tarn and the crazy Megatron with the eyebrows."

So. So there.
smallandincharge: It... irritates me (Don't say I'm irritable)

[personal profile] smallandincharge 2015-04-04 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Magnus doesn't need to puff herself up, so instead she just looms. It's more reflex than anything, though - her higher brain processes are all busy trying to process all of the nonsense Rodimus is producing. "Why did you think we sent you back in time? To go sightseeing? -- I know this isn't our universe! Brainstorm unmade our universe! I saw him do it! And I cannot imagine what sort of help he could have provided to make up for -- Are you trying to imply that I want to murder him? I have never murdered anyone in my life, and I have no intention of starting now. Whatever Prowl may have told you, there is something called due process --"
Edited 2015-04-04 23:31 (UTC)
rodders: <user name=brodinsons> (HEY FRIEND DON'T DO THAT)

[personal profile] rodders 2015-04-05 07:00 am (UTC)(link)
"You know I don't listen to Prowl, Magnus, why would I start listening to him about you?" He says, completely missing the point. But then what Magnus says actually registers and he throws up his hands in a clear 'stop' gesture. "Woah, woah. Hold up. Sent me back in time?"

Yeah. That hasn't happened. Yet, he supposed, because it hits him that maybe what happened with Drift is happening with he and Magnus, though she has to be from not all that further along. "We just figured out he was going after Orion Pax before I arrived here. Nothing about me traveling in time. Not that it's not cool or anything, just not something I've done. Yet. Apparently."
smallandincharge: Really now (Eyebrow raise)

[personal profile] smallandincharge 2015-04-05 03:46 pm (UTC)(link)
This, finally, knocks the wind out of Ultra Magnus, and she stares blankly at Rodimus. "You... you don't remember," Magnus says quietly, more to herself than to Rodimus. "We saw you go. We spoke to you in the past. Why don't you remember --" Then something clicks audibly inside of her braincase, the static pop of a new neural connection being forged. "Wait. If you don't remember following Brainstorm into the past... how did he get your control case?"
primebyproxy: (The Leader Who Never Was)

[personal profile] primebyproxy 2015-04-06 01:27 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh. I – I see." Magnus blinks slowly as he processes this; he should be happy, he thinks, but as the surge of elation at finding Sentinel Prime begins to wane, exhaustion wells up again in the space left behind. He nods and struggles to shrug it off. He can't keep Sentinel Prime safe if he's barely able to put one foot in front of the other.

Short or long, this won't be an easy walk.

"Let's go, then, sir," he says, and squares his stooped shoulders, standing at his full height for the first time in months. Spinal plates audibly pop back into place with his shift in posture.
primebyproxy: (Think about it.)

[personal profile] primebyproxy 2015-04-06 06:35 am (UTC)(link)
"The… crew?" Magnus blinks, perplexed. "You mean your team?" It's the only option that makes logical sense, at least.

Even though being here rather than in his cell with no real explanation and the strangest, growing compulsion to walk makes about as much sense as Grimlock hugging anyone, or Megatron surrendering. Magnus is too tired to think much more deeply than that.

"What's going on here?" he finally asks.
planate: (o_o)

[personal profile] planate 2015-04-06 11:43 am (UTC)(link)
"Team, squad, lineup, organization, body, bunch, you name it! You're part of it!"

He's a Magnus! He's part of the team. Automatically.

At the question, Pipes rubs the back of his head a bit awkwardly.

"You might want to sit down. No-one has really taken it all that well so far."
staygoldponybot: (keep your tears in your eyes)

[personal profile] staygoldponybot 2015-04-06 12:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Sentinel sneers slightly for no reason other than he's a total asshole then turns away. It's not a long walk. He sure hopes if this guy drops dead he at least has a functional t-cog. Or even unconscious! Sentinel is like 90% sure he could get the t-cog out without waking him up.

"There may be Decepticons in the medibay. Do not attack them"

It pains him to say it but... let's be real, this isn't the time or place.
rodders: <user name=brodinsons> (HAND ON MY HIP LIKE I JUST DON'T CARE)

[personal profile] rodders 2015-04-06 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"He had his own. Nautica brought one - she said she was on that weird other Lost Light. And Nightbeat had one, too." So there, all three control cases accounted for. Sort of. "I haven't gone anywhere, Magnus. I mean, besides here."

But hey, he travels in time! That's cool, that's exciting! To save Orion Pax and everything.
Edited 2015-04-06 20:44 (UTC)
smallandincharge: Seriously Rodimus (This is absurd and illogical)

[personal profile] smallandincharge 2015-04-06 09:00 pm (UTC)(link)
"What? No, not his briefcase, your briefcase." Magnus punctuates this statement with the CLANG of her right index finger hitting her left palm. "The one that Nightbeat found -" CLANG "- and gave to you -" CLANG "- so you could travel back in time -" CLANG "- and capture Brainstorm." This time, Magnus hammers her entire fist into her left palm, with a satisfying CLUNK. "If you don't remember following him back in time, when did he get the second control case?"
Edited 2015-04-06 21:01 (UTC)
auramatic: (what did you do?)

[personal profile] auramatic 2015-04-07 04:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Drift is seriously impressed by Windblade's vibe here. What an intense aura. He studies the terminal screen carefully, but his optics flick back to her face, lighting up with interest.

"Sorry, you're a -- you talk to metrotitans?" He frowns slightly, his curiosity more than just piqued. He looks on the verge of fascinated. "That sounds...wow. Why haven't I ever heard of a Cityspeaker before?"
rodders: <user name=brodinsons> (DON'T WANNA)

[personal profile] rodders 2015-04-09 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
"He hasn't traveled in time yet," he spells out for her, crossing his arms and looking overly put upon. Wasn't that clear? He could have sworn that part was clear. "He even says that's not what it is, but everyone here knows he's full of it."
smallandincharge: Arms crossed, knees spaghetti (Hmph)

this conversation is going nowhere i'm so sorry

[personal profile] smallandincharge 2015-04-09 07:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Magnus crosses her arms right back. Rodimus is out of his weight class - no one does put-upon like Magnus. "Yes he has. Whether or not you remember it happening, it happened."
primebyproxy: (The usual ridiculous spark of hope…)

[personal profile] primebyproxy 2015-04-11 10:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Neither of them seems to quite know what the other means. Magnus, for his part, can't recall there ever having been a time Perceptor spent by the Rust Sea. He can't recall any mines near the sea, either. And this Perceptor doesn't seem to understand that Magnus is talking about the other captured Autobots.

"I was… I was just in the mines," Magnus says slowly, not looking at Perceptor now but off to one side, bewildered. Something a little like fear nips at his spark. Something strange is going on. "In my cell. We've all been there for – since Megatron returned." His head throbs, a combination of low fuel and fatigue and confusion, and he lifts one hand to gently cup the side of his helm. "I thought you'd escaped, or… you were working on getting us all out. I don't understand…"

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