DZ-3: Skyfire Airbus

[Skyfire-3]

Skyfire was mid-way through the 7,482nd Lara Croft game on his on-board computer when Rodimus Prime's radio transmission interrupted him. Thundercracker was hopefully keeping watch as they waited just this side of the portal for further orders.

//All right. You're off standby.//

//I need to get Mirage within a day's drive, preferably less, of where our own base would be if it were in this reality. Think you can do that without being spotted, or do I need to talk to someone else?//

It looked like those orders had finally come. Skyfire put the game on hold with a bit of exasperation and replied, //Unless Dead End is suddenly working for the Autobots, I can manage it, though I may have to blow their Synapse out of the sky if he's inconvenient. Any clue where he's at? //

After a few seconds Skyfire added, // Send Mirage to the portal; I'm holding in reserve there with TC escorting. //

[Thundercracker-3]

Of course Thundercracker is keeping watch. It wouldn't occur to him to do otherwise. He stands at attention close by, giving the impression of a hunting or guard dog seated by his master on a "stay" command.

[Mirage-3]

It took some time for Mirage to make his way back to the portal but he does, and his temper has not cooled much since he last spoke with the Prime. He drops his cloak a respectable distance away from Skyfire and his pet, then makes his way toward them.

"Let's get on with this then."

[Skyfire-3]

Skyfire transformed and lowered his bow ramp. "Do you have a particular drop-off point in mind? Otherwise, a beach drop-off lets me come in low over the sea. They're less likely to be patrolling the ocean. Airrazor doesn't have the range, and Synapse would be sent to look at something interesting, like the Decepticon base."

"TC, you ride. It's a long hop," Skyfire ordered.

Unfortunately, Skyfire has one big blind spot: himself. He's forgotten he has a counterpart here, too.

[Thundercracker-3]

Thundercracker doesn't react as Mirage appears and approaches, simply continues to stand at the ready for anything Skyfire might command. He's wary, but not cringing or attempting to hide -- unlike many mechs, Mirage doesn't bully or harrass the blue Seeker, but simply ignores him. That doesnt' bother Thundercracker in the least. At this point he's perfectly happy with being overlooked.

"Yes, master," he replied, and hurried up the ramp.

[Mirage-3]

"The beach is fine; one of the former tourist points furthest out from the base. I'd rather take a full day to get there than risk getting pinched. Though I suppose we should hope they don't have a you among them," Mirage says as he boards.

Once he's settled, Mirage mutters, "And if they have a me, well, I can deal with that. "

[Skyfire-3]

"A counterpart of... me?" Skyfire mused as his thrusters ignited and howled, lifting him and his passengers into the air. "Yeah, they might at that. Well, he'll probably be out exploring; can't think why any version of me would be hanging around Autobase unless he was there for mission orders."

Skyfire lifted to a sufficient altitude and engaged his main engines, gathering velocity and altitude as headed for the ionosphere...

[Thundercracker-3]

Thundercracker simply takes up position in the back of Skyfire's passenger hold, content to be ignored for the time being and, thus, skippable unless called upon.

[Mirage-3]

"Hgn"

Some time passes, "Making assumptions that our doppelgangers will behave as we do- morality aside- is a guaranteed way to get fragged. For all you know, their Skyfire is a studious wallflower who prefers the safety of four walls to the open sky, and prefers cars to jets." Mirage actually glances at Thundercracker here, and the look on his face holds a touch of sympathy for the Seeker. Mirage dislikes Skyfire and Perceptor's blatant disregard for the right of free will intensely; but there is nothing that can be done for Thundercracker now.

"I ran into Barricade and Frenzy. Who else did you note among the Decepticons, Skyfire?"

---

OOC: This could get tedious quickly, as Mirage-3 is not by nature a talker. Time-skip soon?

[Skyfire-3]

Skyfire-3's suborbital hop reached the top of its arc and came plummeting back down. "Strap in and brace yourselves for re-entry," he warned.

"I blew a hole in Fleetwind, I saw another Thundercracker, there was another blue jet in addition to Duskwing engaging Slingshot and Skyblast--Skystrike, perhaps. Eye-fire fired on me, as did Shockwave. He was on the scene as well," Skyfire said.

Skyfire never dignified his enemy and rival treasure-hunter, Scourge, by name. It was always 'Him' or 'that tricursed truck'.

"If you have any more questions, ask 'em quick; cutting internal audio in 60 seconds for re-entry." Skyfire-3 did not allow passengers to distract him during the re-entry stage, when subtle angles were the difference between living on the edge and flaming death.

---
OOC: Timeskip fine by me. Time for Mirage-3 to get in quick any other info he has or wants to asks about, then we skip to approach & landing.

[Mirage-3]

"Hgn. Similar then in line-up. Don't suppose you've heard if they have a Spinister?"

The corner of Mirage's lips quirk up just a touch at the thought. He has a certain professional admiration for Spinister's abilities, even if the helicopter was a do-gooder pansy-aft. Working with him might be...interesting.

Mirage settles in for the landing.

[Skyfire-3]

"Oracle may have run into him." Skyfire's reply was terse, and there was a click as he shut off internal speakers.

For a time, the only sound was the thunder of the slipstream around Skyfire's hull, and the crackle and hiss of the plasma trail created by re-entry shock. G-forces piled up as Skyfire braked, dropping his speed to something survivable at sealevel.

He dove down on the deck from his steep re-entry far over the Eastern Ocean, and skimmed just above the waves at tremendous speeds, throwing up a huge rooster-tail of spray.

There was a brief crackle of static as Skyfire turned on his speakers again. "ETA to the beach, 5 minutes".

[Mirage-3]

Mirage waits silently and more or less patiently for Skyfire to land. He gives Thundercracker another considering glance. The jet's situation really does bother him. Not because of any sympathy, or desire to help, but because it is just a small step from mind-raping one's enemies to using the same tactics to "insure" loyalty among one's allies.

Mirage will not allow himself to fall under Perceptor's tender care, not for any reason or cause. If the Prime ever remands him to the scientist for punishment...Mirage will run, and if he can't he'll die. A better fate that, than the one that befell the Decepticon.

Once they've landed, Mirage gets ready to disembark.

[Skyfire-3]

Skyfire was unaware of Mirage's considering glances; camera coverage in his hold isn't so good. He would not be amused if he became aware of them. Mirage's concern was all too easy to misinterpret, and Skyfire was jealous of his pets.

He spread his wings and flared, touching down on the beach in a blast of reversed thrusters that sent dried seaweed and driftwood tumbling across the sand. There was a gentle thump as Skyfire settled on his wheels and then cut engines.

In the sudden silence, the sound of his bow ramp yawning open echoed loudly. As it lowered to the sand, Skyfire announced, "We're here. Radio when you're ready for pick-up. I'll use this beach unless you advise a different location. Try not to get caught."

[Mirage-3]

"If I were likely to get caught, he wouldn't have sent me."

Mirage disembarks, pausing only long enough to say over his shoulder, "Now get out of here, before we push our luck too far."

And Mirage is gone.