Midnight Excursion

[attair_al_fada]

Skyfire was on the final approach to Autobot City, on his way back from the Decepticon Underwater Base, when Starcream called him.

// Sky--unless you have something just critically important to get back to, abort that approach and meet me upstairs. //

// Starscream? Y-yes, of course, // Skyfire replied, startled by the unexpected message. 'Meet

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[attair_al_fada]

Starscream rose into the evening air from Autobot City, Skyfire's immense shape painted on his sensors. Unfolding into jet form, he headed for their rendezvous. Not a fixed rendezvous in space, but a meeting of two swift fliers converging on an unknown destination.

Skyfire was ready for him, aft bay doors open. Once again, Starscream slid inside with legendary grace, a perfect match in velocity and time. He transformed as the bay doors slid shut behind him, moving forward to the narrow hatch leading to Skyfire's flight deck. It was too small a place for Starscream to venture, but that didn't stop him from opening the hatch and reaching forward to rest one hand lightly on Skyfire's controls.

A shiver ran through the big shuttle-mech. "Where are we going?" Skyfire asked.

"Someplace... private. Not Denali, that has too many associations now. Try the Himalayas. Short sub-orbital hop. I'm off comm now." Will you do the same? his tone suggested

That Kind of Talk...

[attair_al_fada]

Sub-orbital hop--a trivial phrase, not really conveying the reality of massive engines thundering, pushing Skyfire's body almost into orbit--then arcing downward from that climax to plunge back into atmosphere, the fierce heat of re-entry licking at his wings and tail and nose.

All the while, Starscream watched from behind the flight deck hatch, watched as flame sheeted over the viewports. One hand continued to idly caress Skyfire's controls, careful not to interfere with maneuvering--at least, not overtly. Some of the shivers running through Skyfire's hull had nothing to do with re-entry.

"We're almost there," Skyfire said, voice taut as if hold back some powerful emotion. "Opening bow door."

Re: That Kind of Talk...

[attair_al_fada]

Skyfire's outer skin was still searingly hot from re-entry when Starscream emerged to find himself flying toward a vast mountain in a chain of vast mountains. "Not Everest, is it

[attair_al_fada]

(( Eventually, Starscream returns to Autobot City... ))