| abstract | - Depth comes out of the starship to see if anyone has come to say goodbye. Naturally there are those last insistent scientists that are hoping for more scans, but at least they are keeping their distance and trying not to board the ship itself. Goa is present, but he seems occupied giving one of the loiterers a casual talk. Which they appear none too comfortable with, considering Goa's being a showoff with the shoulder blades again. Maybe he just got here. Firestorm had been there for a while, enjoying the time away from base as she leisurely looked over the whole of the ship from her spot atop a piece of debris. It was... hard to accept the fact Depth was leaving, but he had to, and she finally saw that in the last few cycles they were together. With a soft sigh finally looks away from the ship, being a light smirk of amusement at Goa trying to fend off the scientists. At least until Depth finally emerged, to which she smiled and sent a small wave in his direction. Starscream is nearby. Megatron wants Depth dead, and he ponders interfering with the departure in order to fulfill Megatron's wish. Or at the very least, shooting down the craft once it takes off. For now, he's hidden, watching. Echo is with Starscream, kneeling to hide as much of his white body as possible. He glanced over to Starscream "... Orders? " he asked, perhaps a little bit anxious and excited. Depth offers a wave back and gestures for her to come over as he walks over to where Goa is, "Trying to persuade them to leave eh? Wish you luck, they been coming in and out since the ship landed." he relates. "Bout to ask Shadow to open up with the weapons array and see how quick they run." he announces loudly. THAT gets some attention as slowly each individual that doesn't belong here backs off. "Heh, well what do you know.. it worked." "No. I was askin' if he had any booze." Goa checks back over his shoulder after Depth's little display. Aww, nobody left to harass. "What's the launch countdown?" He scratches at the side of his helmet idly. Firestorm nods, hopping down from her perch to join Depth and Goa. "The weapons idea might've backfired anyway. We don't need Megatron or Optimus over here shootin' the place up." She casually leans over to put a small amount of weight on Goa's head with her elbow. Perfect height for an armrest, though she was doing this in good fun. Starscream frowns. Some of the Decepticons in the area didn't seem to be too eager to carry out Megatron's wishes. "May I remind you that Depth is slated for Termination?" he radios to the others. Echo blinks and looks over at Starscream "Why are you radioing me? " he asks, within arms' reach. He then looks back "Yes, I know. I was asking for your plan sir." Depth hmms softly, glancing back over his shoulder to look up at the bank of windows that make up the bridge of the ship. He taps the side of his helm, "Yo Shadow, how much longer til we get the slag off this mudball?" There's a pause as he listens, nodding a bit, "All righty then." He looks to Firestorm and nods, "Eh, like they could get here in time. Shadow says soon as the engines are warmed up and the course plotted in to where the rift is we'll be heading off. So I don't got a lot of time." Goa might be incensed about being used as a support column if he wasn't so relieved. It was good to finally be in company that was neither injured by his presence nor interested in injuring his presence. Firestorm may pick up the grounder's atypical ease on the link, in fact. So he rolls his optics to see what the slag is using him as a hat, sighs, smirks. "They woulda showed up by now." He wants to believe as much, anyway. Someone would've drilled him for his star port visits, surely... The comm from Starscream goes out and the grounder's optics suddenly go wide. So much for that hypothesis, so much for relief in escape. Goa turns immediately around and scans the sky first, then the building rubble with all the intensity of a cutting laser. Firestorm's expression is similar to Goa's as the radio signal reaches her, the femme growling softly as she looks around the surrounding area before saying to Depth, "Yeah.. well be ready to fight, just in case. Seems like Starscream's nearby, though he's not that big of a challenge.." She'd wanna kick that flier's aft if he thought of attacking Depth, though the problem with that would be when Megatron would out... Starscream boldly steps forward, aiming his rifle at Depth. "Hold it right there," he snaps, "Megatron has decreed you are to be destroyed. And I intend to carry out that order." Echo steps out from behind the Scrap being used as cover with his own weapon drawn, grinning widely. He takes a few steps sideways so that they were not too gathered and keeps his guns trained upon Depth Depth notices the two change their body language and vocal tone, then states, "He cannot harm me anyway. And the ship has a force field. I'd be more worried about you two getting zinged if he shoots and get collateral damage." Right about now you begin to hear a sound from the back of the ship, the engines beginning to slowly warm up. Depth turns and chuckles, "Give it your best shot there mister screechy voice." Goa startles, blades clattering at his back, and spins around to face Starscream's voice. It was more than familiar to the grounder after enough hastily ordered retreats. "Grrr..." The mech is slightly crouched, his red optics peering predatorily up at the air commander. The worst possible time to be found? Maybe not. But there are few worse mechs he could think of. Bolt? Or get the higher-ups even more angry at him than they had to be... What about a well-placed bluff? "Slag it Starscream, some of us are trying to work." He stands back straight up, crossing his arms over his chest, his chin pushed out ever so slightly in indignancy. "I have him exactly where Megatron wants him to be. Do you mind?" Firestorm snorts softly at the sound of Starscream's voice. It was enough to make one grind their teeth. She turns, about to yell at the Air Commander until Goa spoke first. After a few blank-faced moments she finally gets what the grounder is up to, soon taking hold of Depth's upper arm and giving him a reassuring smirk before looking back at Starscream smugly. Would he buy it? Starscream folds his arms. "Oh do you, indeed?" he says, "I'm waiting." The Air Commander stares intently at Goa. He looks over at Firestorm as well. Echo stares nervously at the ship, then at Firestorm and Goa, and then back to Starscream, before his arm steadies once more towards Depth. Depth is waiting for that shot to come, meanwhile he peers toward the green grounder and what he says. "Right, so someone bring it already. I'm bored with everyone thinking they can take me down when I've already proven not one of you can." He glances over at Firestorm, whispering very lowly, "Gotta make it look good you two." From the ship booms a voice, "Put down those weapons or trust me you'll regret messing with us." That would be Shadow from the bridge. The weapons array is online and all the guns on the ship that can point at the Decepticons are doing just that, humming ominously. Goa blinks dumbfoundedly a couple of times. He glances over at Echo, glinting as he is in the light, then bares his teeth and takes a couple brave steps forward so he can get right in Starscream's face. "Is that how all your plans work?" Shadow's voice drowns out his own, so the green mech falls silent for a moment, antennae twitching side to side angrily. His upper lip rises a bit more ... to hide the grin that would show up otherwise. "Nothing thought out more than a breem in advance? A little patience, unmaker's sake?" He unfolds his arms and throws one toward the ship. In particular, the active and targeted guns aboard it. "Well, so much for planning! Thanks for the interruption, Starscream." He steps back again, re-crossing his arms and narrowing his optics. Looks a little huddled-up in his armor, actually. Firestorm rolls her eyes lightly, having figured it wouldn't work. Letting go of Depth's arm, she'd step between the opposing forces, crimson optics staring down Starscream and Echo, "Just leave. Go back to base and just forget about them." Most of her glare is focused on Starscream as both of her blades extend, not bothering to stay quiet as Shadow's voice sweeps over them. "You may be my Commander, but I won't let you interfere. Fire on them and you'll have to deal with me personally..." Starscream practically jaw drops at Firestorm. "What is the meaning of this?" he shouts, "Why are you protecting the very one that Megatron has ordered destroyed?" The Air Commander is furious, his optics lighting up bright red. Depth chuckles a bit as he can hear those weapons readying to fire, he slowly backs away, "Was nice being here and all that, but well I got a hot date with the future." he states, stopping just shy of the ramp up into the ship. "Tell Bubbles to make sure that a certain femme gets the stuff I left in her care hm?" not really directing it to anyone on purpose, but he's sure Goa will get the drift. "Ah sweetness, don't waste your time on me anymore. I'm a big boy. If they wanna be stupid and shoot I say let em. Why not mess with the whole time space continuum some more before we are outta here." he notes. Goa's jaw hangs up a little too as he slowly turns his face up to his twin. "Uhhhh." One of his antennae follows Depth's departure, but he's too busy being simultaneously confused, frustrated, and knee-annihilatingly terrified to look. Thankfully for his composure, the first two directives drown out the last for now. "Yeah... what ARE you doing?" No, no, no no no... This was not a path for Firestorm. Of course she'd have to pull something like that, fragging... He finally gets around to looking at Depth. As well as notice that the naval guns are charging up further. He starts subtly-as-possible sidling out of the way ... somewhere in his processor wondering where that shiny white tetra jet snuck off to. Hopefully not in his path. Firestorm's threatening stance softens a little at Depth's words, the femme looking to him at the entrance to the ship. She smiled, a torrent of fluttering, happy emotions crossing over links to both Depth and Goa, though the latter was more of an after-effect. "You be safe, kay? I'll miss you..." Her focus was pretty much on Depth and the ship at this point, blocking out Starscream's questions, though her blades were still drawn to warn him. Depth watches on as the whine of the engines continue to pick up in pitch. "You two watch out for each other and I better find you are alive in the future or I am gonna come back and kick some serious aft plating." he states, a pause as he sighs, tapping his helm, "I hear ya Shadow, be full aboard in two." then he nods to Firestorm. "Miss ya too sweetness, you too Goa. And Bubbles I'll miss too." he muses, then he turns and walks up the ramp. The sound of the engine really start kicking in now, drowning out any further words. He stops at the top of the ramp, turns to look down at the two one last time, offering a salute. "This is a mutiny! Megatron will hear about this!" Starscream shrieks angrily. With so many unwilling to follow Megatron's specific order, and all the firepower that the craft contained, he wisely refrains from doing any firing himself. He just growls in frustration. "We will speak of this later," he says. Goa's head flinches from side to side, trying to keep track of all the mechs around. At least Firestorm seemed ... calmer ... but the damage was already done. He checks his back one more time, and settles his focus on Starscream. "Yes, /we/ will," he growls. If this incident went no further than the air force, that would be completely and positively hunky-dory with Goa. In fact, if it went no further than the four of them, that would be great. But he knew it wouldn't. At least he had a story. "Where I'm from we call that gross /incompetence/." He motions at Firestorm, wincing apologetically -- -- "I'll speak with Firestorm myself. The crystals may have affected her logic board." Starscream's accusations make him think better of returning Depth's salute. Instead, he briefly bows his head, hoping the flash of orange will suffice. Firestorm sent a small salute with the tip of her blade back at Depth, knowing it was time for him and his friends to leave. After the farewell salute her blades would retract, a smug smirk sent at Starscream with a small glint in her optics. A look that said she was stronger than him, and that she'd be less likely to follow his commands in the future. Firestorm sends a radio wave to Goa before moving away from the ship's launch zone to watch from a safe distance. The ship begins to lift off the ground, the stubby landing gear retracting. The ramp to the hold slowly closing. Force field coming online as enough clearance from the ground occurs. Depth is still watching on as the ramp closes. The ship slowly turns as it lifts further into the air. Once the landing gear tuck into the keel and the ramp fully closes, the ship is perhaps a few hundred feet up in the air. The engines get white hot, a very high pitched sound pings out then.. off like a shot.. the ship is not even a blur as it zips up and out of Cybertron's orbit, headed straight for the time rift at a warp speed. Starscream stands there in mute rage. He's screamed himself out, and just seethes quietly for now. This is not good. Depth is getting away! His mind wanders, thinking up punishments for those that defied Megatron's orders...although Megatron himself will probably see to those. "Decepticons, return to base. Firestorm, you are confined to quarters until Megatron -deals- with you." Goa brakes his snarling like a light switch the instant he sees an opportunity to get the slag out of here... wait, no. An intensification from frown to grimace as Starscream effectively ignores him. He can't help but give the ship, alien as its engine is, a glance as it darts into space. But it's only a moment's glance. He transforms. "Yes, sir." Much easier to hide the intonation in this mode. Goa is so eager to leave, he doesn't even bother finding one of the out roads. Just barrels through the low rubble in something like a beeline for Polyhex. Firestorm watches the ship as it fires up and lifts from the ground, the femme waving once more before it races off for the rift at incredible speed. She sighs softly, watching the sky for a few moments before Starscream's orders pulled her back into reality. With a snort she fires up her jets to hover in the air. "Whatever you say, Commander." Her words are heavily laced with sarcasm, hoping he'd pick up on it as she gives a sudden kick to her engines and blasts off, passing him uncomfortably close as she chuckles and lets the sonic boom hit him as she makes her way to base.
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