Rodimus to Magnus, Xaaron, Kup, Perc, Springer, Op

[Rodimus Prime]

Rodimus sends his next message to a whole bunch of folks, some because they're already involved, some to make sure they stay in the loop.

// Magnus, sounds like we've got one of yours in the Rock room. Recognizes Perceptor as a 'Councilor' and thinks Shockwave is in charge of Cybertron. Springer and Optimus are on watch right now, and Perceptor is heading down there to try and explain things, since... well, Springer. //

On the up side, Springer's recent experiences may prove unexpectedly useful in this case.

// I'd suggest contacting Springer and Perceptor directly for specifics. //

He hesitates.

// Wait a minute, Perceptor. You said Pincher, right? //

[Ultra Magnus]

//Right,// Magnus says with a snort of understanding for Springer.

[Springer]

//Oh, slag me sideways, he thinks we're rebels, doesn't he?//

A pause.

//Wait, if this thing is one of us, why does he look like a human? A little one, what I can only assume is 'normal'.//

[Perceptor]

// Yes, sir, "Pincher". That is the designation that he gave to me. I should be there very shortly.//

// Human? Did I hear that correctly, Springer? And, yes, he is quite concerned about your presence in particular. //

[Rodimus Prime]

// I actually served with my reality's Pincher on the Steelhaven under Fort Max.¹ He's a Pretender, had a human 'shell,' but he... wasn't small. Heavier subspace use, maybe? //

There's a pause.

// ... You know, I'm thinking about what Shockwave's Cybertron having human-appearance Pretenders suggests, and I don't like the explanations that come to mind. //

¹ Player's memories may be a bit off. Pincher's player is welcome to correct, but I know that Hot Rod was part of the team that adapted the Pretender shells for Autobot use.

[Ultra Magnus]

//I don't either.//

[Emirate Xaaron]

//Pincher was on one of the teams I assigned to Matrix Quest.// Yay black and white stories, even if the main point of that story was that Longtooth wasn't paying any attention to what Emirate Xaaron was saying.

//He is, as Rodimus Prime says, a humanoid-styled Pretender such as Bludgeon or Thunderwing, but about the size of any average Autobot.//

//The implications of smaller shells are... alarming. Does he look to be wearing any kind of armour?//

[Optimus Prime]

//So, he has an organic alternate mode like a Maximal, only it's a human, and he's from Ultra Magnus's reality?// Optimus asks. He wants to get this clear.

[Springer]

//...Pretenders are /good/ things in other universes, right? Not horrible devices that drive the user insane and turn them into apocalypse bringers, right?//

'Cause if this thing goes Thunderwing in the middle of their ship...

[Rodimus Prime]

// Uhm. No. No apocalypse bringing back home. Just another technology, like Targetmasters or Jumpstarters. Or Triplechangers, for that matter. We stole it from the 'Cons. I was part of the team to adapt it to 'Bot use, actually. //

// And they're... similar to Maximals, except it's not an organic alternate mode so much as an organic shell. Actually, when I first got here, I assumed the Maximals were some kind of cross between Micromasters and Pretenders. //

[Springer]

//Alright, if you say so. Still weird as the Pit to me, but--oh Primacron, he split in two and...--//

The rest of Springer's broadcast is noises of general weirded-out-ness and disgust.

[Rodimus Prime]

// ... Yeah, they do that. //