Day two.

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

Bumblebee wasn't in the Bar yesterday, as there were duties to deal with back home, but today is another story. It's exactly as spectacular a display of Cubefall reconstruction symbols as Optimus had said, so perhaps the little yellow mech can be excused for responding to the Bar's current state with the Hallelujah Chorus over his speakers.

He settles down in one of the more complicated chairs and assembles a Lego sign in English:


A joyous Cubefall to one and all!
If you have questions about the holiday,
I can answer them for you!


Yeah. He's good.


[tinytag: Meghan Ford]

Comments

[noteful]

It's the music that makes her turn, spontaneous Handel not being exactly an every day occurance for Meg.

"Happy Cubefall would seem to be in order."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"Thank you!" says the robot cheerfully, waving. "This is the second time in living memory that the Bar's marked the holiday. People seem to be taking to it very well."

[noteful]

For one brief moment, Meg considers asking if it was ever celebrated in unliving memory. It is Milliways, after all. But that's probably overanalyzing a bit.

"One of my friends turned himself into a rabbit yesterday. He seemed to be enjoying it.

"Very fond of bananas all of a sudden . . ."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"Hm. I hadn't known rabbits liked bananas," the mech muses. "I should look into that at some point. I'm glad he likes it, though. Was it his first time changed?"

[noteful]

"I think so," Meg says. "I'll have to ask him when he can talk again."

An entire conversation conducted via hand-nudging, frolicking, and ear gestures may be novel, but it's not exactly condusive to discussing complex subjects.

"I'm Meghan Ford. Meg."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

The mech nods. "I'm called Bumblebee," he says. "It's very good to meet you, Meg."

[noteful]

"You, too, Bumblebee.

"May I assume from your sign that this is a holiday from your world?"

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"It is indeed," Bumblebee confirms. "The high holy day of the Cybertronian year- well, my Cybertron, anyway. I understand that not all universes that have the planet Cybertron in them mark the day."

[noteful]

Meg considers. "I don't know if my universe has a Cybertron or not."

She knows the nine in her solar system (poor Pluto hasn't been downgraded yet) and that's about it.

"But it seems a very cheerful way to celebrate a high holy day."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"We only have the one," says Bumblebee. "It seems appropriate to be cheerful when we mark the beginning of life. There are solemn aspects as well, since it is about breaking down the old to build up the new, but mostly those are for us to observe rather than humans."

[noteful]

"That makes a great deal of sense."

That's high, on Meg's list of compliments.

"If you don't mind my asking, what do the more solemn aspects involve?"

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"There are remembrance ceremonies, both for those who have fallen and those who were present at the beginning of our race," says Bumblebee. "And we return our dead... ah, this part is often difficult for humans to grasp. Cybertronians don't bury our dead. The parts of those who have fallen are taken and used as parts in the living, or are smelted down and re-cast into new parts. It is considered appropriate to return some part of our dead to the blast furnace at Cubefall so that it may become part of many new mechs in the time to come."

[noteful]

"Sort of like organ donation?" says the doctor's daughter. It doesn't actually strike her as that strange, aside from the use of the verb smelt.

It seems, honestly, a very logical and appropriate way to honor your dead.

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"Something like that, but if humans were to donate every single part. Skin, bones, teeth, blood, muscle and all, not only a few vital bits," says Bumblebee. "There's nothing left over at all when we're done with our dead."

[noteful]

"I kind of think it would be wonderful if every single part of human could be used by another one who needed it.

"It's remarkable."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

Bumblebee nods. "We've had some trouble getting that message across to other humans," he says. "Hearing someone who can accept it is refreshing. Thank you very much."

[noteful]

"You're welcome."

A pause, and then she adds, slightly wryly, "Honestly, in the grand scheme of things I've accepted since I found this place, it's less of a stretch than, say, the existance of a bar at the end of the universe that's also in my parents' laundry room."

Prospective being what it is and all.

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"I suppose that does help, yes," says Bumblebee. "The people at Autobase don't really have that kind of comparison to put things in perspective. It makes a difference."

[noteful]

"And the humans in your world aren't used to your holidays?"

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"We only have the one holiday," says Bumblebee, "and we haven't been in contact with the humans for very long. Even living among them, it's still a slow process, getting to know them properly."

[noteful]

"Oh.

"That would make a difference, yes."

But maybe as they get used to each other . . .

[shakemy-hand.livejournal.com]

"So what is this Cubefall?" asked a Wraith in Human clothing.

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"The high holy day of my people," says Bumblebee, "marking the day that an ancient artifact, the Allspark, first landed on the lifeless rockball that would become our home world of Cybertron. All life on Cybertron followed from that moment."

[shakemy-hand.livejournal.com]

"That is interesting. You are machines?"

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"All life of Cybertron is machine life," says Bumblebee. "If there was any life there before the Allspark landed, we've never found any signs of it."

[shakemy-hand.livejournal.com]

"Then you are like the Replicators."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

Bumblebee cocks his head curiously. "I'm sorry, I don't believe I know that name."

[shakemy-hand.livejournal.com]

"Robots that the ancient humans made in their own image to irradiate the Wraith," he said, "Only they didn't expect us to tamper with their programing. Now, they have evolved a sort of conciousness. And the Humans now living in Atlantis, from Earth, have reactivated the dormant code. The only problem is, is that they are now targeting humans as well as Wraith. You see the humans are a food supply to the Wraith, and what better way to kill them all?"

Yeah, he's not smiling.

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

Bumblebee is very still for a moment.

"When the Allspark built and incepted the First Thirteen," he says at last, "it was not for enmity with any particular race. And no race or being was set over us as our master, though from the time of the Firstforged we've revered the Cube as a creator ought to be revered. We are our own beings, not instruments of someone else's destruction."

[shakemy-hand.livejournal.com]

"Even when the Ancients left our Universe for a world called Earth, the Replicaors stayed behind and lived as if they were human. Building in their world and living peacefully. Until the Humans from Earth discovered them. Some of them even tried to help the humans, or so I am told."

He sipped at his cup of tea.

"What is your purpose?"

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"Our kind in general? We were intended to hold the line against the devourer of worlds and destruction of the universe," says Bumblebee, "but that's an overall thing, and each of us follows our own path in life. I was incepted as a courier. I serve as a scout and a bridge between humans and Cybertronians now."

[shakemy-hand.livejournal.com]

"Would that not count as the instruments of destruction for this devourer of worlds?"

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"Until I came here to Milliways," says Bumblebee, "I had been raised to believe that the one we referred to as the Nullspark was only a name we gave to the force of entropy. It would appear otherwise; I've met that one here, and fought with him when he would not give off. We are meant to make and uphold. Not to unmake. There is a difference."

[shakemy-hand.livejournal.com]

"It is all a matter of opinion," he said, "The Wraith do what they need to survive. THe humans do not understand this, they see us as a force of destruction and death. THe Wraith feed on them as they feed on other lifeforms. We did not choose to be this way."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

For just a moment Bumblebee's optic shutters narrow. Then he says, very calmly, "What we do, we do for the preservation of the universe and the freedom of sentient life. We sacrificed all possible future generations of Cybertronians to prevent a megalomaniac from building a slave army to conquer all worlds that lived. That is not the same, and I will thank you to bear that in mind."

"Also?" Here he leans forward a little, both hands on the Lego table. "I can't say that I remember ever hearing Chairman Kaga announce that the day's secret ingredient on Iron Chef was another sentient species."

[shakemy-hand.livejournal.com]

He grinned, "I wish it were another way. If the Wraith did not have to feed, the galaxy would be a better place. There would be no more territory wars, and the humans would not have to be culled. But, since this is not the case, we have no choice. If you were thirsty, would you not like even a drop of water?"

He's not sure these creatures drank water.

"When a Wraith is hungry, it is like being consumed by fire from the inside. There is nothing else that can satiate it."

Then he smiled.

"But for today I am human."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"Then I hope you enjoy it," says Bumblebee. "Opportunities to make such changes don't come along often for most species."

[shakemy-hand.livejournal.com]

"I hope so as well," he said, "I do not hate humans. I respect a few. Shepherd is one of them. So, you like humans?"

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"Generally, yes," says Bumblebee. "They're a very young species, but they're awfully interesting, and many of them are good people. And they do amazing things with sound and fuel."

[shakemy-hand.livejournal.com]

Todd laughed a little.

"I am still getting used to my voice," he explained, "The humans I from Earth that I have met seem to be quite intelligent. But they sometimes need help."

[action-rad.livejournal.com]

"Hey Bumblebee!" says a rather red-coloured sprite. "Happy Cubefall to you, too!"

He's relishing the holiday, even if it's not his own.

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

Bee tilts his head a moment, scanning the sprite; then he essays, tentatively, "Rad? Or did one of the other sprites get a color change?"

[action-rad.livejournal.com]

"It's Rad, yes." Pause. "I was offered this configuration for Cubefall."

To say he's liking it a lot would be an understatement.

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"Very nice," says Bumblebee. "Is it like the other sprites we know? Does it have a function built in?"

[action-rad.livejournal.com]

"So far as I've been able to analyse, it is."

He examines himself again. This is something he almost wishes he could stay as, but for the fact he'd never see home again.

"It does. It keeps saying I'm a combat scientist. As in, I'm both soldier AND scientist."

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"Hm. Well, not like military vessels don't have science officers sometimes," says Bumblebee. "There are worse roles to be assigned, really."

[action-rad.livejournal.com]

Rad nods. The idea of a science officer pulling double duty as a soldier isn't unknown to him. Most mechs who are scientists are also soldiers, though for many, it's more a secondary role.

"Possibly. I could've ended up as someone's vehicle." Pause. Grin. "Though I think Lionizer is enjoying that designation too much to object."

How often does Lionizer get to be as tall as the other Autobots, anyways?

[prob-japanese.livejournal.com]

"Will he be all right with going back at the end of the holiday, do you think?"

[action-rad.livejournal.com]

"The vidwindow explained that the configuration lasts until the end of Cubefall." Pause. "He should be fine with it."

Here's to hoping, anyways.