Interim: Getting the smelt out of Dodge

[Cannonball]

Once Cannonball gets over the forest near the Autobase, he drops down his thrust, slowly descending...then kind of crashing through the foliage with a few curses thrown in as he tumbles over the ground.

"Ach, Primus-fraggin' trees...!" he mutters, getting back to his feet. What a pain. A good clean getaway, and it marred with that crash. At least no one saw it. (Or...did someone?)

Transforming, the pirate takes off, heading around the trees the best he can, and firing up his now-repaired radio.

//Cannonball reporting in. Mission be ended due t' discovery. I be 'eadin' back now...though I only got a vague idea o' which way t' go. If'n ah kin git a pick-up, t'would be most appreciated. I didn't get what I went for, but ah believe what information I -do- 'ave will work well enough. I'll be divulgin' when ah arrive.//

[Mirage]

Who would see the pirate out here? After all, none of the Autobots would have dare risked Holi by actually following Cannonball. Certainly there would have been no one to derisively snort "Grace!", when the jungle canopy is so rudely disturbed. Or to be glad that the trees should prevent the pirate from moving too swiftly or too far from line of sight.

[Cannonball]

While the shenanigans on the radio take place, Cannonball finds his way out of the jungle/forest, and onto the desert when Skyfire gives his requirements. The pirate stops, taking the first reading needed, and waiting for the time to go by...

[Mirage]

No, no still no one to see here. No one to inwardly curse at the stains all this green is leaving on his white paint. Or at the fact that he now has said green things in very uncomfortable places.

Holi only told Mirage that they were called trees. He didn't explain leaves, grass, vines....

Of course, is someone were there, he might be noting the very wide expanse of open desert and considering the fact that keeping himself unnoticed against black sand for an extended chase would be nigh impossible.

[Cannonball]

After the twenty minutes are up, and Skyfire sends the coordinates back, Cannonball transforms, looking around, and generally looking thoughtful, comparing his area to the map. He marks his location, and does a general block for the Autobot base location on the other side of the jungle.

The then copies the map, this time marking only his spot, and a flat spot ahead in the desert before transforming and driving off toward that place, picking up his conversation with Skyfire once more. He moves out about a mile from the edge of the jungle, visible to those with good optics.

[Mirage]

And good optics are watching. Getting closer to the pirate's location is simply not possible. What little natural cover there is is not adequate to hide one of his size, and illusion tech doesn't hide tracks. He can watch from here, however, and at least report on who fetches Cannonball (as that seems to be what the pirate is waiting on) and their course heading.

And then maybe see if he can find a rat in the grass.

[Skyfire]

Skyfire's jets are a streak of fire across the sky as he plunges down from the upper atmosphere again. Wings still swept back for hyper-sonic flight, he circles in a great descending spiral, eschewing violent maneuvers for the sake of his passengers. Air brakes open, cutting speed still further; soon enough, Skyfire swings his wings open again and lowers his flaps.

His jets stir up a choking cloud of hot sand as he lands, but the ground is firm enough; Skyfire settles down and turns off the thundering jets.

"Cannonball, you'll have to board by way of the starboard aft ramp. My other hatches are blocked by cargo--er, passengers--right now." The right rear cargo ramp begins to lower with a soft hiss of hydraulics as the great white ship speaks.

[Cannonball]

Seeing the in-bound Guardian, Cannonball transforms, letting out a low whistle after he lands. "Unicron's beard, ye make a mighty fine transport, lad..." he comments, walking around and admiring Skyfire's build before he steps in, seeing Hook with a rather...well...not quite angry, but not pleased, or disappointed. One of those "Oh, geez, him?" looks is what one might call it...

"Ah s'pose now ah ought tae ask ye just wot in th' world it were that ye painted on my back..."

[Hook]

"Bridge plans. Why?" Hook is elbows-deep in the mechanical innards of the mining worm. Cannonball might recognize it; the pirate had decided to kill Demolishor just before it showed up.

It's also taking up most of Skyfire's cargo space.

[Mirage]

Well isn't this interesting? First we have a voice on the broadband that sounds like Jetfire, but isn't, and now we have a Valkyire that looks like Jetfire picking up the Decepticon. Ah, well, what's in a name, where alternate realities are concerned?

Move along. No one to see here.

[Skyfire]

Skyfire raised the aft ramp once Cannonball was safely aboard. "Hang on to something, and don't step on Hook's parts--they... belonged to our rescuee."

The big shuttle's tone was not somber, exactly, but it was serious. The patient wasn't dead, but he was in the ICU.

The jets thunder once again, and Skyfire is swiftly airborne, winging for base.

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if it's okay with y'all, we can post out of this thread after you're done with the interactions & such

[Cannonball]

"...bridge plans. Loverly... Figgered I ought t' ask. Th' Autobots seemed rather ...'intrigued' by 'em." he answers, grabbing hold of something to use as a brace, used to rough takeoffs and such.

"So wot's a summary o' th' things I been missin', other'n th' big guy we's flyin' in an' th' 'alf-dead buggah over there?" he asks, hooking his head toward Midnight.

[Hook]

And there's another layer of subsystems that have been worked back into place with a little bit of Midnight's wireless network added in for flavor.

"I'm not surprised," Hook says blandly. He did voice his doubts about this plan, remember. "The colors I keep on hand tend to be distinctive."

[Mirage]

Still waiting. Still watching. Still doing his best not to picky leafy things out of delicate areas, and possibly calling attention to himself. Green is the most vile color extant and if someone doesn't get a proper cleaning soon, he will be very, very pissy.

[Skyfire]

Skyfire keeps his maneuvers gentle, his turns shallow to minimize the jostling inside, where Hook is working. That's not to say he doesn't open his throttle, though. Skyfire just can't fly 55...

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Posting out. Someone want to start a thread for further Decepticon interaction at the base, so Mirage & the Rat can get to it?