[Cyberformed] Inbox $maketracks

[makingtracks]

You've reached Autobot Tracks!
I'm out cruising right now, but leave a message and I'll get back to you!

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[makingtracks]

Huh? Oh! [ The music abruptly cuts out, and Tracks' flight path wobbles a little. ] Sorry, I thought- I didn't realize it'd play over the comms.

...Yes, Earth music. [ There's a small note of defensiveness in his voice as he slows slightly. Not-brother or otherwise, he's braced for the sort of needling that mechs think is them being funny. ] It's disco - or, well, disco-inspired - if you're curious. I have a whole playlist.

[deceptichips]

[Needlenose slows too and flips over so he's flying upside-down for a moment to look at Tracks; without air currents or gravity, it doesn't make much of a difference like it would in an atmosphere. Hah, he guessed right!]

Forget to check the settings? It's fine. You can keep it on if you'd want. [Needlenose doesn't get why Tracks would select Earth music instead of Cybertronian tunes, but well, everybody's got their musical tastes? As long as Tracks doesn't play it at Rumble and Frenzy levels...]

Dis-co? I think that was mentioned somewhere in the packet I downloaded for Earth - which Earth landmass is it from? [Pause] As far as organic music goes, I like Nebulon electro-swing more myself.

[makingtracks]

North America, primarily. Oh, it got popular in Europe too! I don't have ABBA on this particular playlist, but I do have some of theirs in my files; they're a pretty popular band.

[ Tracks relaxes a bit and the song comes back on, still at the same quiet level. He hums along for a second or two, speeding up once more, then replies back without that note of defensiveness. ]

It's not the only flavour of Earth music I like! Rock and roll is alright for instance, though Blaster and Jazz like it more than I do. But disco is my favourite.

[deceptichips]

[With their many glaring and squishy limitations, what a surprise organics can create remotely listenable music, let alone in multiple genres?]

Explains why the words are in English. That's the main human language there. [He says, just because most of the humans who had cooperated with Soundwave's faction spoke english to them, not because he has any real insight in regional human linguistics. Running a search through his packet for Earth produces info that matches with Tracks' remark: Disco is a genre of dance music that appeared in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene.]

Sounds like you're compiling all your top Earth hits into your own personal disco collection. Is what you do every time you stay on an alien planet or just because you like Earth's music scene?

[Continues flying upside-down!! Because why not. The miles of the R2 pass by below them, a sheet of metal and windows.]

[makingtracks]

There's a lot of human languages! Not everything I have is in English. ABBA's a Swedish band, a lot of theirs are also recorded in their native language. This particular song is someone else's remix of a band called... Manganas Garden? I got all of this newer stuff in Svelte.

[ Slowly, Tracks spins in place so he's attempting flying upside-down too. Why not, right? Besides, he's in a very good mood. If he wasn't holding a conversation - or likely to feel a bit self-conscious about it - he may have sang along to the lyrics. ]

Earth's the only planet other than Cybertron I've been to! So I guess you can say it's the latter. Jazz and Blaster are the true aficionados though; I like to specialize. Disco is just what I like!

[deceptichips]

[Information privately filed away for the future: Tracks very specifically likes Earth disco as his top favorite choice in music.

Meanwhile Needlenose swerves suddenly to the side in a display of surprise before righting his course and going back to flying in a straight line. He sputters a little.]

What? You've never been anywhere but Cybertron and Earth? Full stop? I want to ask if you're joking with me. No other deployments?

[makingtracks]

…No? The war was mostly confined to Cybertron. Unfortunately there was significant effort early in the war to cripple space capabilities by both sides, and then the energon started getting low… Most of the working starships went with whatever refugees fled.

Now that the war’s theatre has mostly moved to Earth though, both sides have been widening it. That’s all left to special groups though, more or less. [ And Tracks is not nearly that important. ] I don’t mind though. I like Earth.

[deceptichips]

[Not a joke then!]

Okay, that's a new one. [He whistles, over the low music in the background. The Cybertronian war, but on only two planets - Earth and Cybertron - instead of spanning thousands of them. He tries to wrap his mind around it.] We had the Exodus too, when the neutrals cut and ran from the fighting but we never managed to shut down each other's space access. Our war spread off-planet by its first millennia.

[:/a]

As an outpost to be stationed on, I'd say Earth's not that bad. [As long as you stay out of human clutches, that is.] It has dry land. I was assigned to this waterworld place once. Awful conditions. Unending wet, mold always trying to grow somewhere it shouldn't have - Ugh. That's much worse.

[makingtracks]

Oh, Primus. [ There’s an exaggerated shudder of disgust. ] That sounds absolutely horrendous! The Decepticon ship - the Nemesis - is somewhere under the Pacific Ocean where I’m from, crashed there as it was. I imagine the conditions there are much the same…

I honestly don’t know how any of them can stand it. Particularly the Seekers. I like my pedes on dry ground and with open air easily accessible, thank you!

[deceptichips]

It ranked itself solidly at the bottom of planets I ever want to take a vacation to, that place.

[Continuing on to respond to Tracks' relaying of Decepticons staying fulltime on a ship sunken underwater:] Ew. Makes me feel like I'm rusting just thinking about it. Not my idea of a hospitable environment either.

[Annnnd they've reached the other side of the R2. Needlenose angles himself into a long, arcing dive, keeping a steady distance from the ship.]

Hey, your universe's Decepticons had the Nemesis too? This Nemesis?

[He pings Tracks an image capture of what is recognizably the Nemesis, beached on the bottom of an Earth ocean, with the addition of a number of Autobots and scattered Decepticons swimming downwards it. And what looks to be part of a combiner's hand at the corner of the image.]

[makingtracks]

[ Tracks finally flips upright again, making a soft sound of surprise. ]

Yes, actually! Quite a bit like that! Hold on, I'm sure I've got a picture too...

[ He does! It's clearly a scouting sort of shot, not another mech in sight, the Nemesis peering through the oceanic gloom like a ghost in the night. However, this ghost is more than just the ship; the Decepticons have built around it, fortified and dug in deep. The lights are dim, but they gleam in the dark regardless. ]

[deceptichips]

[Passing by a bank of windows on the R2's side, Needlenose follows suit and rights himself too.]

Aha. Same design! [With a better quality shot too.]

Ours crashed into the Indian Ocean though, after Galvatron had a fight with the humans. [He examines the image again, noticing the fortifications and the visible signs of people settling in, prepared for a prolonged stay in the watery gloom. He adds:] And his group never built anything around it like this before Superion tore the Nemesis in half. Your Decepticons look to be better equipped.

[makingtracks]

They were the better off faction, before we came to Earth. If the conflict had remained on Cybertron, the Decepticons definitely would have won, even if they may have starved themselves in the process. We were up against the wall.

I'm still surprised that things have turned around so quickly...

[deceptichips]

[Clearing the side of the ship, they're under the bottom of the ship's bulk now. The noise of Needlenose's engine rumbling can't travel through the void.]

With your war coming to Earth?

[makingtracks]

Yes! It's almost strange, how much it shook up the war, but I suppose that's the sort of thing that happens once you venture into the unknown. You never know what'll happen out there.

[ Tracks is still doing his best to keep up, but this is quite a workout. It's been a while since he's had so much space to fly in. He might be lagging behind a little. ]

[deceptichips]

Earth's a strange planet. [When he notices after a few moments that Tracks's speed is dropping, Needlenose starts to slow down.]

Speaking of trying out the unknown, how are you holding up with the zero gravity?

[makingtracks]

[ There's a laugh. Well, Tracks won't contest that.

At the question, he waggles his wings a little. ]

Well, I'll admit it's been a while since I've done this much flying... Primus, I'm out of practice. But this has been really nice. Thank you for coming along with me, Needlenose.

[deceptichips]

[Needlenose makes an acknowledging noise in his vocalizer, over the music in the background.] Let's call it good here and make it back to the hanger before you seriously start to tire yourself out. No need to push yourself past your limits for a test flight.

[He slows down further.] ... You're welcome.

[makingtracks]

Alright. But you'll do this again with me next time, right?

[ He spins lazily, then after he steadies he gently taps Needlenose's wing with his own. Just felt like the affectionate thing to do. Primus knows Powerglide often did the same with Tracks. ]

[deceptichips]

[Not unfamiliar with past mid-air roughhousing, Needlenose accepts the tap amiably, then bumps Tracks back with his wing. (Which, being bigger, probably bumps Tracks' main body and not Tracks' wing.)]

[Mock thoughtful tone:]

I don't know, Tracks, my schedule is really packed... [Blatantly not true, since Needlenose doesn't have a job assignment on the ship.]

[makingtracks]

[ Tracks wobbles a little with a small 'oof!' at the attempted return tap, but he's quick to recover with a laugh. He'll do another tap of his own at the joke, playfully huffing.

When he speaks, he's absolutely trying to be accusing, but the amusement absolutely ruins the effect. ] You are just as bad as Powerglide! Clearly I have to prevent you two from ever meeting.

[deceptichips]

[Needlenose accepts the second bump as the price of joking. :D He laughs.]

In that case, all you have to do is obtain a degree in quantum physics and reprogram the spacebridge into not swiping any Powerglides! Easily done, right?

[As much as their speed has dropped, they should be out from the R2 soon and fairly close to the hanger they took off from at the start of the test flight.]

[makingtracks]

Oh, if only!

[ He lands with his usual grace, making the switch from flight to ground modes look basically effortless as they coast in. From there it's an easy spin out of his alt mode, though perhaps showing off quite a bit less than he'd do around some others.

It is just Needlenose, after all. Which is a testament to how comfortable Tracks feels already.

He flashes Needlenose a grin, wings easily canting upwards ]. Again, thank you. I suppose I'll see you around sooner rather than later, then?

[deceptichips]

[Coming into the hanger behind him, Needlenose lands smoothly, swapping back into his root mode in a flurry of moving metal before straightening up on his feet.]

You're welcome. [He rubs the back of his head. The look on his face is cheerful too, reflecting Tracks' grin.] Hey, I appreciated the time out in an open space myself.

[As for seeing each other around:] You will. I'm sure. [A pause. Carrying on the past joke:] And if my schedule's open, we can go for another flight sometime.