Editing Slaughterhouse Part 2: The Road Not Taken

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{{Comicstory
|series=mtmte|issueno=33
|prev=slaughterhouse
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|image=MTMTE33 regcvr.jpg
|title="slaughterhouse Part 2:<br>The Road Not Taken" <!-- The lower-case 'S' is intentional, it doesn't need fixing.-->
|caption=
|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]
|date=[[September 17]], [[2014]]
|coverdate=September 2014
|written by=[[James Roberts]]
|art by=[[Alex Milne]]
|inks by=[[Brian Shearer]] and [[John Wycough]]
|colors by=[[Joana Lafuente]]
|letters by=[[Tom B. Long]]
|editor=[[John Barber]]
|continuity=[[IDW Generation 1 continuity|IDW continuity]]
|chronology=[[IDW timeline|Current era (2014)]]
}}

'''The mystery of the ''Lost Light's'' disappearance is solved, beginning a race against time to shut down the quantum engines and put things right.'''

==Synopsis==

As [[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] lifts the unconscious [[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] out of the [[Magnus Armor]] and lays him down, the little 'bot slowly awakens. [[Skids (G1)|Skids]] tries to make sure he's okay and talks him through the surprising sights that greet him—an [[Autobot]] Megatron, a living [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], and [[Nautica]] being ''female''—but Nightbeat butts in, desperate to find out what happened on the ship. The detective is fascinated by their recent discoveries, and a closer examination of the poster for "Information Creep" has revealed its release date to have been only a weeks after the ship's original launch, all standing in contradiction to the history they know—but Rewind dissolves into whimpering, able to give no verbal answer, instead offering up a [[data slug]] to the detective.

Meanwhile, across the room, Nautica observes the [[quantum engines]]' [[quantum drum]]s floating in the web of [[quantum foam]], prompting [[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] to make fun of her by suggesting her profession just involves putting "quantum" in front of other words. She responds with a (failed) joke about the way all quantum objects exist in two superpositioned states—which gives her a sudden realization that explains everything. She presents her theory to the crew: that upon launch, the malfunction of the ''Lost Light's'' quantum engines caused the ship to undergo a quantum duplication, yielding an exact copy, just as valid as the original, which materialized in the region of the space the ship was ''supposed'' to appear in, rather than jumping to the random planet that "their" ''Lost Light'' did. Nightbeat confirms her theory is correct with the data provided by Rewind, which reveals that the [[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]] they found in the coffin perished during the [[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]] fiasco when his head was phased inside the engines instead of just his arms. [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Ultra Magnus]] subsequently took command, while Rodimus was interred by [[Drift (G1)|Drift]]; the coffin proceeded to fall from the ship when it broke up following the [[Decepticon Justice Division]]'s attack—brought on, Rewind claims, by the fact that someone onboard ''deliberately deactivated'' [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]]'s cell, allowing the DJD to detect his signal. Rewind explains that he was forced to film the villains' murder spree because they promised to let [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] live if he did so, but for added psychological torture, they then tried to force the [[mnemosurgery|mnemosurgeon]] to wipe his own memories of Rewind, killing him with his own finger-needles when he refused. 

Riptide brings Rewind's grim tale to an end by pointing out that the quantum foam floating outside is beginning to spread; Nautica realizes that it could potentially destroy [[Ofsted XVII]] down below by causing a chain reaction in the thinned-out space-time of the region and proposes shutting down the quantum engines entirely, which should also theoretically erase the "duplicate" ''Lost Light'' and reinstate their own. Megatron has no interest in risking his own life for a planet of non-Cybertronians, but Skids makes it clear it's not a choice: he is an Autobot now, and for that to ''mean something'', Megatron must put his life on the line for others. Unfortunately, the quantum foam is meshed around the drums so tight that a 'bot of Megatron's size cannot make it through; Rewind volunteers, but as both drums must be deactivated simultaneously, a second small 'bot is needed. Skids recalls [[Brainstorm]]'s [[mass-displacement gun]], capable of shrinking someone for the job, so the group heads for his lab to see if the "duplicate" Brainstorm invented the weapon. While searching the wrecked lab, Nightbeat and Nautica discuss the minutiae of the quantum duplication process, realizing that the Rewind "data ghost" and his altered message to Chromedome were the result of quantum "cross-contamination", and concluding that the erasure of their ''Lost Light'' was triggered when it came into proximity with Rodimus's coffin, making the paradox too blatant for the universe to continue "ignoring". Their conversation is brought to a shuddering halt when they lift a piece of rubble and reveal Brainstorm's body underneath... a discovery made all the more horrifying when Nightbeat picks up Brainstorm's disconnected faceplate, lying on the floor beside him, and uncovers a Decepticon insignia painted inside it. The ghastly realization that Brainstorm—and by extension, ''their'' Brainstorm—was the Decepticon mole who deactivated Overlord's cell has to be tabled by the crew in the face of greater concerns, and when it becomes apparent that the mass-displacement gun is not there, Megatron finally offers up a solution: he can use his own [[size changing|mass displacement]] powers, added to his [[spark]] to enable his old handgun mode, to shrink himself down and join Rewind in shutting the engines down.

A short time later, Rewind and the shrunken Megatron carefully make their way through the foam web, successfully reaching the quantum drums. As Nautica begins to walk them through the shutdown procedure, Rewind pauses, seeking belated confirmation of the fact that deactivating the drums will mean he and "his" ''Lost Light'' will cease to be. Nautica verifies this, and Rewind calmly resigns himself to this fact, given that his Chromedome is dead, leaving him with nothing to live for. He asks Megatron if the "other" Rewind and Chromedome are still strong, and after a moment of silence, Megatron tells him they are inseparable. Satisfied, Rewind throws the shutdown switch, and a wave of white light consumes everything.

Time passes. The deactivation of the quantum engines proves successful: the alternate ''Lost Light'' vanishes, the [[Rodpod]] reappears, and the other crew members slowly start returning in reverse order. When Chromedome reappears, however, Skids thrusts a pair of [[Magno-clamp|manga-clamps]] into his hands and tells him to go onto the pod roof... because somehow, the alternate Rewind has survived, and is waiting for him. The two 'bots look at each other in silent shock; Chromedome sits down beside his "resurrected" lover, and after a wordless moment of staring out at the stars together, the two embrace. Back inside, meanwhile, [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] reports that the ''Lost Light'' has also reappeared, and as a course is locked in, Megatron requests that he open a secure channel so that he can inform Rodimus about Brainstorm. [[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] points out that he is not likely to be welcomed by the crew, and offers to depart for Earth, but Megatron invites him to stay, asking if the horrors he has seen the DJD perpetrate are enough to make him question his dedication to the Decepticon cause. Nightbeat and Nautica wonder how Rewind could have survived; Nightbeat jokingly blames "the power of love"... though that doesn't explain how he has managed to keep ahold of the dead Brainstorm's [[briefcase]]...

Back on the returned ''Lost Light'', Brainstorm squeezes his way through the crowd of revellers at [[Swerve's]], sitting down to next to [[Atomizer]]. Over Atomizer's protests, Brainstorm breaks the rules of the bar by undoing the clasps on his briefcase and opening it... and everyone in the bar except him collapses...
 
==Featured characters==
(Characters in ''italic text'' appear only in flashbacks.)<br>
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
{{{!}}border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:transparent"
{{!}}-
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Getaway]] (1)
*[[Megatron (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Megatron]] (3)
*[[Rewind (G1)|Rewind]] (4)
*[[Riptide (G1)|Riptide]] (5)
*[[Skids (G1)|Skids]] (6)
*[[Nautica]] (7)
*[[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] (8)
*[[Crosscut (Autobot)|Crosscut]] (poster, 9)
*''[[Hot Rod (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Rodimus]]'' (11)
*''[[Drift (G1)|Drift]]'' (12)
*''[[Red Alert (G1)|Red Alert]]'' (13)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] (14)
*[[Swerve (G1)|Swerve]] (15)
*''[[Pipes (G1)|Pipes]]'' (17)
*''[[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]]'' (22)
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] (24)
*[[Brainstorm]] (25)
*[[Huffer (G1)|Huffer]] (26)
*[[Ammo]] (27)
*[[Tailgate (G1)|Tailgate]] (28)
*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] (29)
*[[Hound (G1)|Hound]] (30)
{{!}}style="background:transparent; border-right: 0px" valign="top"{{!}}
*[[Doublecross]] (31)
*[[Aquafend]] (32)
*[[Brawn (G1)|Brawn]] (33)
*[[Joyride (G1)|Joyride]] (34)
*[[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] (35)
*[[Atomizer]] (36)
*Guy on bar (37)
*[[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]] (38)
*Yellow guy (39)
{{!}}}
|c2=
*[[Ravage (G1)|Ravage]] (2)
*''[[Tarn (DJD)|Tarn]]'' (16)
*''[[Vos (DJD)|Vos]]'' (18)
*''[[Helex (DJD)|Helex]]'' (20)
*''[[Tesarus (DJD)|Tesarus]]'' (21)
*''[[Kaon (DJD)|Kaon]]'' (23)
|c4=
*''[[Sparkeater (creature)|Sparkeater]]'' (10)
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] (19)

}}

==Quotes==

"Such a '''fuss'''. Is he important?"<br>
"Come now, Ravage. '''Everyone's''' important these days."
:—'''Ravage''' and '''Megatron'''


"I've never seen the quantum drums outside of the quantum engines... even hidden behind all the '''quantum foam''', they're impressive..."<br>
"Nautica, to be a '''quantum mechanic''', all you have to do is put the word 'quantum' in front of other words. True or false?"<br>
"Both."<br>
"Eh?"<br>
"It's '''both''', simultaneously. True and false. It depends on the quantized energy state of each proposition."<br>
"Eh?"<br>
"It's a joke."<br>
"Oh. Are jokes not funny where you come from?"
:—'''Nautica''' and '''Riptide'''


"If that planet were teeming with '''Cybertronians''', then yes, there'd be an argument for going back into the breach. But I doubt that's the case."<br>
"Ah, your '''true colors'''. I'd forgotten how '''purple''' they were."<br>
"You've forgotten something else: I am your prisoner. I've been granted '''conditional bail''' while we look for the Knights of Cybertron. Where in my bail terms does it say—where '''precisely''' does it say—that I have to risk my life to save a handful of strangers? Where does it say '''that'''?"<br>
''(Skids taps Megatron's Autobot badge.)''<br>
"Right. There. What does that badge even '''mean''' to you? How has wearing it forced you to '''modify''' your behaviour? I'm serious! How has being an Autobot '''in any way''' prevented you from doing '''exactly''' what you want? Because if the answer is "'''it hasn't'''"—then nothing you've said or done in the last six months counts for '''anything.'''"
:—'''Megatron''' is read the riot act by '''Skids'''


"Before you volunteer, Ravage, I'm sorry, but you lack the manual dexterity to perform the task."<br>
"Touch me again and I'll kill you."
:—'''Nautica''' and '''Ravage'''


"I don't know '''all''' our undercover agents. To be honest, he's not our usual type."<br>
"There's a type?"<br>
"Hm. Have you never been approached?"
:—'''Megatron''' and '''Nightbeat'''


"Here's a '''survival tip:''' When everyone's lining up to make sacrifices... always get to the back of the queue."
:—'''Megatron'''


"You should go first. You're still slightly larger than me, so there's a greater chance of you touching the foam and exploding... and if that happens there's no point in me putting my own life at risk."<br>
"And everyone says you were the kindhearted one."<br>
"Were?"
:—'''Rewind''' and '''Megatron'''


"What's left for me here? Chromedome's dead—which is just another way of saying '''I''' am. In fact I wanted to ask you earlier, but... on your '''Lost Light''', me and Domey... are we still going strong?"<br>
''(beat)''<br>
"Megatron?"<br>
"You're inseparable."
:—'''Rewind''' and '''Megatron'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Getaways seems overly interested in the well-being of Rewind given that he's never met him before. He seems to have a bit of a thing for "little guys", given up how he's been cozying up to Tailgate in recent issues.
*The Sparkeater affair took place in [[Liars, A to D Part 3: The Chaos of Warm Things|issue #3]]; [[Animus]] died in that issue, but on this alternate ''Lost Light'', he survived long enough to lure the Sparkeater to the engine room, taking the place of [[Rung (G1)|Rung]], who is noted to have died in the initial explosion on the "alternate" ship. This seems to be further implicit confirmation that Animus was a [[Point One Percenter]], if his spark (shown to be green in that issue) was strong enough to serve as a lure for the creature over all others on the ship.
*The DJD suddenly detected Overlord's signature in [[Scavengers (Part 2): Who's Afraid of the DJD?|issue #8]]; at last, we learn that they were able to do this because the slow cell on the alternate ''Lost Light'' was shut down.
*Brainstorm's [[mass-displacement gun]] previously appeared in the [[Primus: You, Me, and Other Revelations|2012 Annual]].
*Megatron recalls his old handgun transformation, which is an alternate form he hasn't had in IDW since ''[[The Transformers: All Hail Megatron|All Hail Megatron]]''.
*"No Briefcases" was established as one of the rules of ''Swerve's'' in [[Remain in Light 2 of 5: House of Ambus|issue #18]].

===Transformers references===
*The alternate Ultra Magnus was rid of his Nanocon infection using domesticated [[scraplet]]s, a form of mechanical parasite that originated in [[Crater Critters|issue #29]] of the [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)|Marvel US series]]. There have been a few sparse references to them in Roberts-written IDW stories before now, including a one-panel appearance by one taken from Rewind's database in [[The Gloaming|issue #16]].

===Real-life references===
*This story's subtitle comes from the Robert Frost poem, ''{{w|The Road Not Taken}}''.

===Crew manifest===
* All the vanished members of the ship return
* The Rewind of the "alternate" ''Lost Light'' survives the quantum reset and joins the crew

===Soundtrack===
*''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hg8MvFNPC64 Teenage Spaceship]'' by {{w|Bill Callahan (musician)|Smog}}
*''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIPyAuuQwJM Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space]'' by {{w|Spiritualized}}

===Other trivia===
*It's never actually explained what happened to all the ''other'' 'bots who weren't part of the original crew when their shuttles disappeared, but they all appear to be fine now that everything's over. 

===Covers (4)===
*'''Regular cover:''' A shadowed Rewind, by [[Alex Milne]] and [[Josh Perez]]
*'''Subscription cover:''' Tarn holds aloft a set of scales on which the rest of the DJD members stand, by [[Nick Roche]] and [[Josh Burcham]]
*'''30th Anniversary cover:''' Tarn looms over [[Fulcrum (G1)|Fulcrum]], dripping [[energon]], by [[Sarah Stone]]; the second in September's series of 30th Anniversary covers commemorating moments from IDW history, this one representing the [[Scavenger (group)|Scavengers]]' meeting with the DJD in issue #8.
*'''Heroes and Fantasies Alamo City Comic Con exclusive cover:''' [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] (in his ''[[Grimlock (WFC)|War for Cybertron]]'' design) roars in front of the Alamo, by [[Casey Coller]] and [[John-Paul Bove]]; a banner reading "When Dinobots Ruled the Earth" falls in front of him, paying homage to the climactic scene of ''Jurassic Park''.
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===Advertisements===
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==External links==
*[http://www.newsarama.com/22128-megatron-s-autobots-uncover-secrets-in-transformers-more-than-meets-the-eye-33-preview.html Preview]