hsv, California Desert, A moment of peace...
Starscream: *flying out along her usual patrol route, Backwing sleeping quietly in her cockpit. In the distance she can hear Fireflight and Silverbolt, who are the mechs officially assigned to this patrol while she's on maternity leave. The day is bright and quiet, and the young femme finds herself more content than is her wont. Also, from what she can hear, Silverbolt is doing a good job of keeping Fireflight focused*
Powerglide: *grumbling to himself absently and peacefully as he flies in the left wing position to his triad leader*
Skyfire: *flying in the right wing position, and making observations about the atmospheric conditions, among other things*
Starscream: *absently, to Skyfire* This clear weather will continue for awhile.
Skyfire: If the wildfires to the north do not have the ash and smoke blown southward....
Powerglide: Fires? Slagging... sorry, kid. What genius set those?
Skyfire: *nonplussed by the near-cuss* The storms several days prior could have, as there was a rather large amount of lightening...
Starscream: From what I've read it's natural for this area to burn. The Creator's way of cleaning things up for the next season. *still tracking Silverbolt and Fireflight*
Skyfire: Indeed... despite the incredible amount of destruction, it's essential for new life.
Powerglide: This planet is sl.... Glitched.
Skyfire: Personally, I find it quite fascinating.
Powerglide: *grumble* You would.
Starscream: *pauses and transforms to hover in mid-air as she scans the world around her, one hand absently going to her cockpit where her sparklet recharges*
Powerglide: Ack! *cuss and swoop high to avoid her*
Skyfire: Oh! *banks hard to avoid Starscream*
Starscream: *absently* Sorry.
Powerglide: No harm done. *grumble grouch, cuss under breath in Cybertronian and gripe*
Skyfire: Quite alright. *small chuckle*
Starscream: *quietly* If we were more accepted by the natives we could even help to contain those fires.
Skyfire: *quietly* In time... I believe they will be more accepting...
Starscream: *nods, then looks to her other teammate* Powerglide, why don't you take the rest of the day off? Go to town and have fun. Just please don't get in trouble.
Powerglide: *guilty bluster, and then reluctance, before he grumbles thanks and flies away*
Starscream: *watches him go* He still doesn't acknowledge what's happening between you and I.
Skyfire: *quiet sigh* I suspect he may have the "If I don't SEE it, it isn't happening" mentality....
Starscream: I'm not sure what objection he could have. He already has a female in his life. *turns to look up at her remaining companion*
Skyfire: *puzzled* What do you mean?
Starscream: *headtilt* Which part of what I said don't you understand?
Skyfire: Powerglide has a female?
Starscream: So they say. I've never heard anything else about her, though.
Skyfire: ... most curious...
Starscream: It is. *turns her head to send a quizzical look after her gruff teammate*
Skyfire: He's got a right to privacy as well... I'm sure he'll tell us in due time.
Starscream: *nods, and then sends a message to Silverbolt over an open channel to distract Fireflight from the birds as quickly as possible*
Silverbolt: *thanks Starscream and proceeds to do so*
Starscream: *listens to be sure that her friend is alright, then looks up at Skyfire again* Sorry.
Skyfire: It's alright. He's your friend, and it's natural to worry about your friends.
Starscream: *and here is her rare smile as her usually grave or sullen optics sparkle with affection* He is. *looks around then, wondering what to do now*
Skyfire: Perhaps we should check in with Optimus and see if there are any specific areas he wishes to have patrolled...
Starscream: *a little wryly* I'm on maternity leave, remember?
Skyfire: True... perhaps a break then?
Starscream: And do what? *slight head tilt as her blue optics, serious again, study his face*
Skyfire: Sit and observe our surroundings? *Yes, this is his attempt at courting, Starscream*
Starscream: *slight smile, and affection shows again, though this is shyer than that which she feels for Fireflight. Shy too is the way that she offers him one hand*
Skyfire: *gentle smile as he takes Starscream's hand and moves to gently guide the young femme towards an interesting-looking outcropping nearby*
Starscream: *follows him, silent with the not-unpleasant confusion that assaults her every time he shows her attention like this. And then she starts slightly* Backwing is waking.
Skyfire: Oh, does she need to be fed? *concerned for the sparklet*
Starscream: *as she lights on the outcropping* A little, I think. But she probably wants to look around as she likes to do.
Skyfire: Then perhaps we should sit farther away from the edge of the outcropping...
Starscream: *slight frown of concern* Yes. That's a good idea.
Skyfire: Starscream? Is something wrong?
Starscream: *checking the area carefully and then lowering herself to sit* No.... *looks up quizzically*
Skyfire: *gently, as he moves to sit down beside her* Is something worrying you?
Starscream: *considers all the things that are as she takes her little one out and offers her a drinking tube* No.
Backwing: *looking around and talking up a storm instead of eating*
Skyfire: *chuckles and clicks to Backwing, but gives Starscream a gentle look that says quite clearly that he doesn't believe her*
Starscream: *just leans against him as she talks back to her daughter, coaxing the voluble and easily distracted sparklet to eat*
Backwing: *flaily chirp squeak click click click squeak peep point beep bounce!*
Skyfire: *moves to put a gentle arm around Starscream's shoulders in an offer of support and a listening audio*
*finally, Backwing has taken in enough fuel to please her creator*
Starscream: *smiling as she puts away the drinking tube and then offers the little pale green wriggler to Skyfire*
Backwing: *sees Skyfire* *talks! And then gets distracted by the shiny clouds*
Skyfire: *chuckles, and it's one of his rare rumbling ones!*
Backwing: *Ooooooo! Looking up at him again, her expression full of delight*
Starscream: o.0 *rests her audio against his chest to catch the last echos of it*
Skyfire: *quietly begins singing a song he remembers from his own sparklet-hood*
Backwing: *looks at Mama, and then wriggles and leans her own tiny audio against the big mech*
Starscream: *happy smile at her little one. Is just happy*
Skyfire: *continues to sing quietly, feeling content with the company he's with*
((co-written with random_xtras))