Editing No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases

{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=50
|prev=The Dying of the Light: (1) How Bright Their Frail Deeds
|next=The Dying of the Light: (2)
|image=MTMTE50_subcvrC.jpg
|title="No Guns, No Swords,<br>No Briefcases"
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|published in=[[More than Meets the Eye issue 50|''More than Meets the Eye'' #50]]
|date=[[February 24]], [[2016]] (digital, parts of Europe and Asia)<br>[[March 9]], 2016 (rest of world)
|coverdate=February 2016
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Brendan Cahill]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2016)]]
}}

'''A hole in time gives the ''Lost Light'' crew a chance to honor the departed.'''

==Synopsis==

Several years ago, [[Duobot]]s [[Shock (G1)|Shock]] and [[Ore]] wander the darkened halls of the ''[[Lost Light]]'' before its launch, sent to plant a tracer by [[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]]. Shock, however, is convinced that the ship is actually the ''Unitrex-1'', a vessel they were assigned to five million years prior, but which disappeared before its maiden voyage. While Ore takes a call from Prowl, directing them to move [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] on board, Shock checks the underside of the counter in the ship's canteen, and finds a message he scratched into it all those millions of years ago. Ore is not terribly interested, though, and urges him to hurry up so they can complete their mission. Unseen by either, however, the discolored figure of [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] watches them...

Soon after the ship's launch, at the secret opening of the bar now known as "[[Swerve's]]", [[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] has a drink with [[Drift (G1)|Drift]], toasting absent friends, and lamenting his lack of luck in love. Drift suggests introducing him to [[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]]... who is right next to the pair, invisibly listening in.

Not long after joining the crew, [[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] and [[Ambulon (G1)|Ambulon]] get a drink in "Swerve's" and take in all the new faces. When First Aid makes a joke about Ambulon's alternate mode—the leg of an experimental combiner—the senior medic requests that he keep information about his second shape to himself, worried about the jokes that will start flying if the rest of the crew finds out. Unfortunately, the ever-curious Swerve chooses that moment to bonk Ambulon on the back of the head, reflexively triggering his transformation into a giant leg. And, across the bar, [[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] and the med-bay's [[Diagnostic Drone]] observe.

After hours in "Sweve's", Rewind finishes a phone call with [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] and sets up for the second of the storytelling sessions he hopes will reactivate the comatose [[Rung (G1)|Rung]]'s brain—so that he can finally ask him about [[Dominus Ambus]]. As he turns to write on his "whiteboard," the invisible Chromedome appears behind him and reaches out to touch him, but is stopped by a second, equally invisible Rung, who tells him it is "time to go."

As Overlord cuts a swathe of carnage across the ship, [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] comes running into "Swerve's" with the badly-injured body of [[Tripodeca]]. The bar has been repurposed as a triage center as the med-bay is inaccessible, and [[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] goes to work on the wounded little 'bot... as a second Perceptor silently takes in the scene.

When Swerve's bar is in ruins after the attack by [[Tyrest (G1)|Tyrest]]'s [[Legislator]]s, a group of crew members arrive to help the tiny metallurgist clear up if he promises to re-open. As they shift debris, Swerve tells them to be on the lookout for an intact Legislator that he can reprogram as a bouncer... and that very Legislator, [[Ten]], watches as [[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] pulls his body out of the rubble.

As the ''Lost Light'' prepares to leave Cybertron after its return to the planet, [[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] finishes giving the new crewmembers a tour of the vessel, ending the journey in "Swerve's," which he describes as being pretty much the most important place on the ship, where everyone ends up sooner or later. As [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]]'s has some fun with his [[magnawheel]]s and everyone laughs... invisible doubles of more than a dozen crewmembers watch the scene and smile. Then, the bar shifts around them, and their are back in the present time, as Perceptor and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Minimus Ambus]] look on. Minimus has been busy and isn't clear on what has been going on; Perceptor explains that he recently discovered that the activation of [[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]]'s [[time case]] inadvertently opened a fissure in space-time in "Swerve's", which allows the crewmembers of today to look through a "window" into the past, undetected. Minimus remarks that everyone's been very well behaved, and Perceptor and [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] explain that that is because everyone has been taking the chance to revisit special moments in the past to see those who are no longer among them one last time. [[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] urges Minimus to take a look himself if he wants to, as the fissure will soon close up, but Perceptor corrects him: the fissure is ''contracting'', but some day in the future, it will widen enough to be looked through again. Rodimus starts to ask when that might be, but stops, preferring instead to be surprised...

...all the while unaware that, from that unknown point in the future, [[Getaway]] is already back looking through the fissure at them... paying silent tribute to the dead...

==Featured characters==

{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ore]] (1)
*[[Shock (G1)|Shock]] (2)
*[[Prowl (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Prowl]] (3, voice only)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (4)
*[[Blades (G1)|Blades]] (5)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (6)
*[[Waverider]] (7)
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] (8)
*[[Dipstick]] (9)
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] (10)
*[[Rad (G1)|Rad]] (11)
*[[Aquafend]] (12)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (13)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (14)
*[[Drift (G1)|Drift]] (15)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (16)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (17)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]] (18)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (19)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (20)
*[[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailcutter]] (21)
*[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]] (22)
*[[First Aid (G1)|First Aid]] (24)
*[[Ambulon (G1)|Ambulon]] (25)
*[[Ratchet (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ratchet]] (26)
*[[Smokescreen (G1)|Smokescreen]] (27)
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] (28)
*[[Velocity (G1)|Velocity]] (30)
*[[Rung (G1)|Rung]] (31)
*[[Landmine (G1)|Landmine]] (32)
*[[Joyride (G1)|Joyride]] (33)
*[[Hoist (G1)|Hoist]] (34)
*[[Grapple (G1)|Grapple]] (35)
*[[Borer]] (36)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] (37)
*[[Tripodeca]] (38)
*[[Skater]] (39)
*[[Flex]] (40)
*Other green guy? (41)
*[[Toaster]] (42)
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] (44)
*[[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] (45)
*[[Gears (G1)|Gears]] (46)
*[[Jackpot (G1)|Jackpot]] (47)
*[[Powerglide (G1)|Powerglide]] (49)
*[[Doubletap]] (50)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (51)
*[[Sprocket (G1)|Sprocket]] (53)
*[[Getaway]] (54)
*[[Mainframe (G1)|Mainframe]] (55)
*[[Atomizer]] (56)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (57)
*[[Nautica (G1)|Nautica]] (58)
*[[Mirage (G1)|Mirage]] (59)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (60)
*[[Brainstorm (G1)|Brainstorm]] (61)
*[[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]] (62)
*[[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]] (63)
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] (64)
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Orion Pax]] (photograph, 65)
*[[Inferno (G1)|Inferno]] (66)
*[[Fervor]] (67)
*[[Whirl (G1)|Whirl]] (68)
*[[Hot Rod/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] (69)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (70)
*[[Thunder Clash|Thunderclash]] (71)
*[[Firestar (G1)|Firestar]] (comm screen, 72)
*[[Grotusque]] (74)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] (43)
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (73)
|c4=
*[[Cyclonus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Cyclonus]] (23)
*[[Diagnostic Drone]] (29)
*[[Bob (IDW)|Bob]] (48)
*[[Ten]] (52)
}}

==Quotes==

"So, does '''Pipes of Helex''' have a '''type'''?"<br>
"Triple Changers. Same height as me, ideally. Aquatic alt-mode, minimal kibble, big chest plate..."<br>
"I'm thinking more personality, character, temperament..."<br>
"Yeah, they're all good too."
:—'''Pipes''' and '''Drift'''



"For what it's worth, I think you're a '''living legend.'''"<br>
(...)<br>
"Wait. That looked better '''written down.'''"<br>
:—'''Swerve''' makes a crack about Ambulon's alternate mode



"So forget the '''bridge''', forget the '''oil reservoir''' and forget the '''rec deck'''. '''This''' is where everything happens. If you're looking for someone, they're '''bound''' to turn up here eventually. Heck, some people are here '''all the time.''' Some people come here when they feel '''happy.''' Others come here when they feel '''sad.''' But '''most''' people? Most people come here when they feel '''both.'''"
:—'''Crosscut''' sings the praises of "Swerve's"



"Every time Rodimus attempts to use '''layman's terms''', a scientist dies of embarrassment."
:—'''Perceptor'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*The first sequence of this issue occurs concurrently with [[Liars, A to D Part 1: How to Say Goodbye and Mean It|issue #1]], showing us the other end of the phone conversation Prowl had with unseen parties in that issue, who we learned in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]] were the Duobots.
*The Duobots reference the disappearance of the ''Lost Light'' five million years ago, which took place when the present-day crew travelled back in time and caused it to quantum jump off into the depths of space, unmanned, in [[Elegant Chaos Part 3: Predestination: An Expert's Guide|issue #38]]. In both that issue and [[Twenty Plus One|issue #31]], we saw that the ship's original name was the "U1"; Shock reveals that this stands for "Unitrex-1," after the city of [[Unitrex]] where it was built, as seen in #38.
*Reference is also made to the Duobots being Skids's handlers, which was revealed in [[Remain in Light 4 of 5: Arm the Lonely|issue #20]].
*The issue's second sequence takes place between issues #3 and [[Life After the Big Bang|#4]].
*Pipes mentions his friendship with [[Hubcap (G1)|Hubcap]], which we learned about in [[Under Cold Blue Stars|issue #15]], and notes that he stayed on [[Debris]], setting up the character's role in ''[[The Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers|Sins of the Wreckers]]''. He also comments on the absence of Riptide, the reasons for which we learned in issue #31.
*Sequence number three falls between [[How Ratchet Got His Hands Back|issue #5]] (because Ambulon and First Aid are now on board), but before [[Shadowplay, Part 1: Post Hoc|issue #9]] (because Red Alert is still up and about).
*Swerve bonks Ambulon on the head to trigger his transformation, the same way he tried to do to Rung in [[Little Victories|issue #22]].
*The fourth sequence also falls before issue #9, and shows Rewind prepping for his second story session, which we only saw in flashback in [[Shadowplay (Conclusion): An Intimate Beheading|issue #11]]. Turns out Red Alert was supposed to be part of that session, but... well, we know what happened there.
*Sequence five is set concurrently with issue #15, as Overlord rampages on the ship.
*This sequence offers us another look at Tripodeca, a popular crew member who was killed by Overlord off-panel and whose funeral we saw in [[The Gloaming|issue #16]]. His alternate mode is revealed to have been a tripod.
*Other lesser-spotted 'bots seen in this sequence include Skater, Flex, and Borer, the trio who saved the day (off-panel again!) in [[The Frail Gaze|issue #42]].
*Sequence The Sixth falls between the end of the main strip from [[Remain in Light 5 of 5: This Calamitous Life|issue #21]], but before [[The Sound of Breaking Glass|the issue's back-up prose story]]. It features the unexpected reappearance of [[Doubletap]], a 'bot who only previously appeared to be shot by Fortress Maximus in [[Interiors|issue #6]].
*The seventh and final flashback sequence of the issue takes place after new crew members have signed up to the ''Lost Light'', but before the ship has left Cybertron (Sandstorm is present, and he would remain on Cybertron after the ship left, as seen in ''[[The Transformers: Punishment|Punishment]]''). This ''might'' even be before Megatron is appointed co-captain of the ship, as the heavily-obscured banner hanging in Swerve's is implied to read, ahem, "F**K OFF MEGATRON."
*Getaway and Atomizer are seen cozying up to Mainframe, foreshadowing the events of the main story in issue #50.
*Mirage is unimpressed with Swerve's, alluding to his decision to later set up his own bar, as seen in [[Our Steps Will Always Rhyme|issue #40]].
*Swerve is shown hanging up the picture of Ultra Magnus and Orion Pax that he took in [[Black Metal: Dark Cybertron Chapter 2|issue #23]], which we saw hanging up in issue #30. As he does so, he discusses ''[[Community]]'' with [[Bluestreak (G1)|Bluestreak]], indicating that he has already begun his intake of all of Earth's arts and culture.
*Trailcutter shows off his [[magnawheels]], seen before in his [[The Reluctant Specialist|self-titled ''Spotlight'']].
*The "present day" part of this issue falls after the [[Silent Light|''Holiday Special'' story]], but, obviously enough, before the main story of this issue. The "Christmas lights" from the holiday story are still hanging up in Swerve's, and Magnus remarks that his armor "still smells of [[Scraplet]]s" after it was briefly "worn" by the little buggers in that story.

===Transformers references===
*Ambulon's got a ''[[Combiner Wars]]''-style connector peg in leg mode.
*Sitting on the counter of "Swerve's" during Overlord's attack is a toaster with an Autobot symbol on it. Believe it or not, this ''is'' a character—it's [[Toaster]], Blaster's "brother," a character mentioned as a gag in a letter's page in [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel UK comic]], which went on to be conflated with artist [[Andrew Wildman]]'s fondness for occasionally slipping a toaster into the background of his Transformers work. James Roberts joked years ago in a Q&A on the IDW Forums that Toaster was on the ship. Who's joking now?

===Errors===
*Blades is looking awfully ''Combiner Wars''-ish in his appearances in this story, complete with missile racks on his forearms, which isn't how he look in his few sparse appearances in ''More than Meets the Eye'' prior to getting his new combiner overhaul. He's also got an uncharacteristic mouthplate, which is how he appeared in the ''Combiner Wars'' comic (er, after the original round of art errors were fixed), which seemed to be the product of the [[Alpha Bravo]] toy being used for reference instead of Blades's own.
*Drift give Pipes's full name as "Pipes of Helex," but we learned in [[The Not Knowing|issue #44]] that it's supposed to be "Pipes of Pescus Hex."
*Joyride is shown being tended to by Hoist during Overlord's rampage, but Joyride wasn't part of the crew at this stage: he only joined up after the ship returned to Cybertron for "[[Dark Cybertron (IDW)|Dark Cybertron]]". With all these 'bots to keep track of, there was bound to be at least one slip-up!
*Hoist is prominently sporting a very large [[Rodimus Star]] during the fifth sequence. This isn't outwardly an error, but kinda feels like a mix-up; it seems like it's supposed to be a callback to ''Spotlights [[The Reluctant Specialist|Trailcutter]]'' and ''[[The Waiting Game|Hoist]]'', but in those, it was ''Trailcutter'' who was desperate to earn a Rodimus Star, and who would logically be the one to wear it openly and proudly like Hoist is doing here (since nobody else ever does that), while Hoist received a gigantic Rodimus ''crest'' that looks different to the star.

===Other notes===
*"No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases" are, of course, the "three laws" of Swerve's, as introduced in [[Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|issue #18]].
*We learn the names of Ambulon's other combining partners: [[Kicker (G1)|Kicker]], [[Swing]], [[Abdominus]] and [[Arm-Or]]. Collectively, they're the [[Combicon]]s.
*While discussing ''Community'', Bluestreak remarks that "season 2 is when most series hit their stride," but then mutters "'course that's not a ''universal'' rule..."—a wry comment on the response to the last year of ''More than Meets the Eye'', which has been the subject of harsher criticism than any other period in the book's history.