ORION OPEN LOG 2: NOW WITH DUDE

[thanksoptimus]

Who: Orion Pax and YOU
Where: Around the city.
When: Late March, basically whenever.
What: Having recent discovered that he has a holomatter avatar, Orion is now roaming the city like someone's confused dad.
Warnings: shrrruuuuggot. perhaps gay.

Exploring the city would have been a lot easier had Orion known how to do this earlier, but he supposes there is no point regretting wasted time now. Unlocking his holomatter avatar has given him a pleasant alternative to sitting in a parking lot and boredly zoning out into a haze of stress and confusion, and so he is happy to use this human shaped form to explore all the places he hasn't been able to previously.

While he technically does look like a middle aged man (who is not Charlie Swan), everywhere he goes he is followed by a constant air of curious bafflement, like a parent is when going to places they don't understand purely for the sake following their kid around. There is a lot of squinting and fondling going on in every one of these options.

A) Various book stores:

The most notable feature of this man's bookstore experience is that he appears to mostly be reading entire books whole while standing in front of shelves - very quickly, at that. The subject matter varies wildly, but he doesn't seem to be at risk of getting bored any time soon, nor do his legs ever appear to get tired.

Perhaps he has yet to catch on to the fact that reading whole books in bookstores is generally considered to be bad etiquette.

B) In which he goes AFK:

And here is that same man, standing in the middle of the street doing nothing. It isn't the busiest of streets, but he sure as fuck is just standing there while the world continues to go on around him, ostensibly while he stares into space and ignores the thread of oncoming vehicles.

This is actually happening because something distracting is happening wherever Orion's actual body is. Perhaps a sudden carjacking. Perhaps animals. It is a mystery.

C) In which Team Magma happens:

Team Magma can frequently be found doing something stupid, and in this case the stupid thing is trying to steal a bunch of lorries from a truck stop for unknown reasons. The rush the parking lot in a group of about twelve. Most of them are firebending.

Orion is just kind of standing around in the parking lot when this happens, not fully realizing what's going on until there are like a dozen costumed people throwing fire around aimlessly and yelling things about being TEAM MAGMA. Even after a moment of letting it sink in his expression is still more incredulous than anything.

He can not even believe this.

Comments

[thanksoptimus]

"Yes," he says. "I receive sensory feedback to my processor. It is not quite the same as being in my own body, but it is enough. I am presently parked somewhere a distance away."

[scribes]

She let go of his hand, wondering how that worked. It was so beyond anything she understood, that was something she saw as a challenge. Her interest in Cybertronians had sky rocketed since first meeting Orion, even more so since meeting Breakdown and talking with Orion again. She'd learn more in time.

"Well, it is good to see you again, in whatever form it may be. What do you have there?" She couldn't help but be curious as to what had caught his attention so much.

[thanksoptimus]

He glances at the book he's been holding, and then back to her. When he speaks up about it, it's in the lively tones of someone who is talking about something they find very interesting.

"It is a book about the history of the human species - the nation of the United States in particular. They have also historically suffered from a large scale civil war, and I am keenly noting what cultural similarities I can find between the two. Interestingly, the keeping of slaves was an important factor in both conflicts. Though in human history it was less of a regimented caste system, and more directly the result of human trafficking from another culture."

He frowns, glancing down at the book with an expression of empathy for things far out of reach.

"The ramifications of that theft are...very grim indeed."

[scribes]

One of the things that Di found so fascinating about humans was just how diverse they were. Unfortunately, instead of celebrating such diversity it seemed it simply made them divisive. Di couldn't quite bring herself to judge, trolls had enough hang ups on blood alone, but it had been disappointing, if somewhat unsurprising to find out.

What Orion spoke of was a clear example of this. "It seems like many species, at some point in their history find whatever reason they can to view their fellows as lesser for the most insignificant reason. Human, Alternian, Cybertronian, it didn't matter.

"But it seems like here, at least, they have made progress towards righting things." Di had come to find out that there were many things still wrong, but progress was something.

"What happened during this war?"

[thanksoptimus]

He flips through a couple pages, rereading bits of information to make sure he has it right. From the speed he flips the pages, though, he's reading it extremely quickly.

"Though there were miscellaneous other factors, a primary motivator for the conflict was over whether or not the keeping of slaves should be legal. The North believed not, and the South believed so. Particularly, the slaves were of a specific race of humans - those with darker skins. Given the prevalence of power among the lighter hued humans over the years, it has led to discrimination against those that once were slaves even to this day. The Civil War ended with a victory to the North, and slaves were made illegal, but such prejudice continues to trouble America's people to this day."

"Strange to me, however, is that by all accounts there is few if any key biological differences between different 'ethnicities' of humans, that means they all excel to approximately the same degrees. Caste in this nation appears to be entirely aesthetic, which is a sharp contrast to the functionalist regime of Cybertron, where one was put to work at whatever their build was deemed most effective at regardless of their personal agency or desire, with those of supposedly 'lesser' functions treated extremely poorly in societal matters."

[scribes]

As he spoke Di gestured that he should follow, so they could take a seat at the table she had been at. She had completely forgotten about the books she was going to reshelf, lost instead in Orion's words.

When he came to the fact that humans didn't really seem to differ all that much in biology, she nodded in agreement. Diverse in culture, not so much in biology.

"It does seem that way, doesn't it?" Di did not like to speak in definite, considering that they were both outsiders but from what she had read, learned from humans, and sometimes witnessed herself it was hard not to agree with him.

"Alternia is the same as Cybertron in that regard. Maybe it's only because of that experience but when I look at the things humans hold as superior it's hard not to be," she trailed off. Disappointed? The pigment of someone's skin, when it effected nothing else about them just seemed such a petty thing to notice.

"I don't know much about how that discrimination begin but it seems now it comes from stereotypes that those in privilege more or less force the minorities to live."

[thanksoptimus]

He follows her to the table almost as if he isn't fully realizing where he's going because he's too busy discussing the issue to do anything but go on autopilot. He sits down with the book still in hand.

"Indeed. It is a troubling circumstance to contend with - it is good to see that at least the modern culture of Earth is seeking to repair the damage that has been done, but when class differences are based on so little, it makes it complicated to understand the delicate interweaving of cultural precedent. I have also been reading about the dynamics between the two human sexes, which is perhaps more similar to Cybertron's functionalist history, but is still far more complicated than that."

He shakes his head, looking genuinely distressed by all this.

"I was able to choose my human form when setting up my avatar, but this information has caused me to question my choice. I had simply gone with an approximation of an individual I saw where my vehicle form was, but now I find myself uneasy with the concept of presenting myself in a place of social advantage due to my apparent sex and genetic heritage. However, I would also not want to appropriate the suffering of others by pretending to be in a place of social discrimination that I am not. The issue has vexed me for hours now."

[scribes]

Di could see where Orion was coming from. She did think perhaps he was giving himself too much grief for it, after all it's not as if his appearance would make things better or worse for anyone. Yet better for there to be concern and consideration than none at all.

Unfortunately she did not really know what to say. Orion was right. Humans were so unpredictable in many ways that it would be hard to pinpoint any single appearance that would in no way fuel either of the things Orion feared doing. Try as she might, every time she came up with a possibility the same question arose: what if there was something she was missing? With as little as she and Orion knew, even with their knowledge combined, it'd be impossible to be certain any human form was appropriate.

It was then that another answer came to her.

"Well, have you considered creating something other than a human avatar?"

[thanksoptimus]

That gives him pause. He considers it for a moment - ultimately, it would be more honest than trying to be a human. It would also give him explanation for certain cultural misunderstandings. The important thing is that he not walk around as a Cybertronian, isn't it?

"...I had not considered, but I think it is indeed something worth looking into. It is possible I could take the form of one of the other alien species more common to this planet."

[scribes]

"Well, you certainly have plenty to pick from. The options are much more limited if you want to stick with a species generally considered sentient, but Earth seems surprisingly welcoming if you are willing to jump through the right ropes."

Which they wouldn't be, of course. The whole point was to keep as low a profile as possible, but because of Earth's seeming willingness to negotiate, Di felt there were probably more options than they realized. It would just take some research.

"You could always try a troll." she suggested with a grin.

[thanksoptimus]

His eyebrows lift with interest at the suggestion - it would make sense, given that Alternians seem to garner less attention, even if they are oddities. His gaze focuses on her more intensely.

"That would be an interesting choice," he says. "I am yet unfamiliar with the generalities of your kind - they were after my time, I fear. If you were to explain more of the details to me...perhaps we can work out an appropriate form."

[scribes]

"Of course!" Di would be all too happy to. Orion had shared some of the Cybertron that he knew with her, and she in turn wanted to share Alternia with him.

She grabbed her notebook, flipping to the back and an empty page.

"Given your concerns then, the first thing we'd need to figure out is what blood type you'll be." She hastily drew a vertical bar divided into twelve sections.

"Alternia also has a caste system called the hemosepctrum. As it name implies it is based on blood. There are twelve castes in all," a pause, then she amended, "eleven now, sadly."

[thanksoptimus]

He watches her draw the chart, obviously fascinated. He frowns a little, glancing up to face her.

"What happened to the twelfth?" he asks.

[scribes]

"Those would be the lime bloods." She pointed to the fourth section up from the bottom.

"It was before my time," or more accurately, their extinction happened some time in her absence, "and you can't really trust many of the history books you find on Alternia. Most have a rather revisionist take on things, so while there is not denial that the lime bloods were hunted to extinction the exact reason as to why they were is nebulous. The most trust worthy theory that I know is that the Empress may have seen them as a threat, for they had powerful abilities and were large in number. It's hard to say."

[thanksoptimus]

"To eliminate and entire caste out of a perceived threat..." He trails off. Humans were not the only ones with tragic historical tales. He frowns at her, concerned. "This...Empress. Am I to assume she is a cruel leader?"

[scribes]

The question might have made her laugh if Di didn't have so much of a personal vendetta against the Empress.

"More than I can put into words. Much of why troll society is the way it is can be attributed to her." She closed her mouth mid sentence and then for a moment looked ashamed before giving a small shake of her head.

"It's true that we trolls have some instincts that are difficult to suppress. Particularly amongst higher blooded trolls there is a predilection towards violence, but it is not something that we are unable to resist, and there are ways to help with that. It is why the quadrant system is in place. The Condesce, however, encourages violence and is a power-hungry woman who has conquered many other planets and decimated civilizations. Her words are law and Alternia exists in a strict code of culling where those who are different, are judged as weak for the pettiest of reasons, or those who simply do not contribute to the population growth are killed."

The normally yellow sclera of Di's eyes were turning a faint orange color and her entire body because stiff.

"She pits castes against each other by allowing Highbloods to do as they please with those beneath them, and even our 'justice' system only seeks to punish." Di had absolutely been bewildered when she had learned about defense attorneys being a thing here on Earth.

"She has ruled for thousands of years and in the time has turned Alternia and many other worlds into her plaything."

[thanksoptimus]

Oh no, this is intense shit. Orion almost looks...heartbroken, hearing about this. He hadn't known anything about Alternia to begin with, so while it had sounded like there were issues, he had supposed it was similar to how he felt about Cybertron.

Not just completely terrible.

"I am...very, very sorry to hear that, Magdal. I had no idea your homeworld was so afflicted."

[scribes]

Di willed herself to calm down and nodded, grateful for Orion's sympathy.

"It's why you see more trolls on this world than you might expect. Better to be a complete outsider on a strange world than live back there. Earth has fended off two of her invasion attempts, so it's one of the few places a troll can hope to live a life of peace."

And that was as good a story as any if Orion wanted to run with it for his avatar.

[thanksoptimus]

He nods, trying to keep himself from asking a million questions all at once. He feels like he needs to try to comfort her somehow but...it's a little difficult to be like 'sorry about your entire life, friend.'

"It is impressive, for a still developing species," he comments, and then hesitates. "...What function does the segregation of blood hold in Alternian society?"

[scribes]

"A big part of it is to assign certain jobs. Certain blood types have a prediliction towards certain abilities. There is also the issue of longevity, I suppose. There is quite a sharp incline in life expectancy once you get to the teal and cerulean blooded. Those above can outlive multiple generations of the lower blood, so there is some sense in giving jobs that require intensive studying."

If a maroon blood were to, say, wish to be a legislacerator after their studying and training was completed they would only have so many years to actually work in the field before their time was up. It did make sense, but it was the lack of choice that bothered her.

"Those among the bottom three," she indicated them on the chart, filling each box with their respective color, "ended up as slaves."

She wrote 'olive' in the box above the lime bloods "This where I am. Merchants. Above me is an interesting one--the jade bloods. While they are more of a middle caste they hold a special place in our society because they are the care takers of the Mother Grub. They tend to her, the eggs, and for wrigglers up until they take their trials. They are almost exclusively female, much in the way the tyrians are."