| abstract
| - Shark is in the refugee camp for a very specific reason, exchanging energon for bits of metal.. very specifically colored ones at that. Looks suspicious? Not if you knew this mech. He's up to something. Oh is he EVER up to something. Starfire is attending to the damaged mechs and femmes that have recently fled here from war ravaged places. But, that suspicious looking activity doesn't go unnoticed. She looks over in curiosity at Shark, wondering what he wants those metal pieces for. Shark is chatting quietly with one mech who is handing over a rusty but obviously striped bit of armor, giving him some energon in exchange for it. He even shakes hands with the mech. Looks like normal barter. Starfire watches for a moment more before returning to her work. "Hold still please." she says to a smaller refugee. "I won't be able to repair you properly if you keep squirming around." Shark nods to the mech who steps out of the way, a femme this time stepping toward him with another bit of armor that is striped yet a bit rusty. She gets the same bit of energon and a handshake for it. There is nearly enough striped armor at the Bots feet to make a full upper torso now. Evidently he's been at this awhile. Starfire keeps glancing at Shark, curiosity filling her optics. She finishes with the small mech, then walks over toward Shark. "Aren't those a bit rusty for new armor?" she asks. Shark glances up at the new face, a slow smile spreading across his features, it's all lips. "Oh this is for a disguise I got planned for a mission. Wanted to blend in with those we are going up against." Then another mech comes up with another piece, "Perfect. There you go." the mech gets energon and a handshake. "The locals here come in handy for what I needed since they are so good at scavenging." Starfire ohs as she listens, then looks at the armor pieces. "Where are you going, if you don't mind me asking?" she says as she looks at the rusted armor pieces in curiosity. Shark pulls out a piece of solvent soaked rag out of his subspace, moving it over the rust to help rid of it. "Aboard that ship that came through here causing trouble. They took one of our guys, we are going to take him back. So I'm going to try to board in disguise." Starfire 's eyes widen some as she hears that. "Who got taken? I'm not part of the fighters, and I spend most of my time harvesting energon, so I don't hear most of the news." She watches him start cleaning. "Can I help?" Shark examines his work, he's not removing all the rust, just enough of it so you can see the striping. "Hot Rod." he replies to the first question, setting the piece down and picking up the next to work on it, "I got a specific look I'm going for right now. You wouldn't know how to apply a beard would you? Or maybe make a facial scar?" Starfire blinks at the question, then hmms. "Well...sure, I guess. I am a trained medic. I'd need materials for a beard though. A facial scar would be pretty easy, I think." Shark puts down the piece he's working out, then picks out of the pile a piece of metal that could pass easily for a beard. "Got one right here." he says, looking at you a long moment, "Medic huh? Good, I can trust you not to mess up the face." he notes with a little chuckle, "Not that I'm much to look at anyway." this time he flashes a smile that shows off the sharp, pointy teeth in his mouth. Starfire giggles and smiles at Shark's words, then takes the beard piece. "You don't look so bad to me." she says, smiling softly as she gets to work on the beard, a small welding torch extending from above her right hand. Electricity arcs as she attaches the beard, and she makes sure it looks kind of scraggly. She leans back to study her work, then holds up her left arm for a mirror. Being a medic, she makes sure she keeps herself in top condition, and that includes staying polished and clean. Shark laughs, "Yeah, right." then holds still as you get the beard attached so it looks like it belonged there. Once you are done he checks the mirror and nods, "Now all I need is the scar, give me that older mech look and get this armor made into something that I can fit over my actual torso and I'm all set." he notes. He offers you his hand, "Name is Shark." Starfire smiles, placing her dainty hand in his and shaking gently. "I am Starfire. I'm not sure how I got that name though. I have no weapons at all!" She giggles, then hmms, studying your face. "Well, have a seat over there. I wouldn't want you to accidentally flinch while I was working on your face plates. Shark is pretty much already seated, "Starfire. Maybe those that made you saw a inner quality in you to give you such a name." he suggests, "Or they had the odd sense of humor mine did." he moves to where you indicated though, "Too bad there isn't a already scarred face plate in all this junk around here. But I'll guess I can get it fixed later." he notes, "Or maybe I'll keep it, haven't really decided yet really." Starfire giggles as she listens. "Well, a scar on a faceplate is pretty rare, isn't it? I mean...usually you end up with no faceplate at all if you get hit there." she says as her welding torch is replaced by a laser scalpel. "Now, hold very still." She turns the scalpel to low. "How big of a scar would you like?" Shark smirks a bit to that, "These guys had facial scars, along the cheek mostly. Since they used swords I figure they got the scar from a sword blade, so it has to look like I got nipped by one enough for it to have hurt but not so deep that it would have harmed much." he explains. He hmms to the question. "How about the half the length of a finger, make sure it tapers toward the bottom so it looks like I jerked back as the blade came down the face." Oh yeah, he's been thinking on this one awhile! Starfire nods as she listens, and angles the cutting beam to one direction, and makes a smooth line about the length of her finger. She makes the end of the line a bit jagged, as if Shark had pulled back from the hit before more damage was done, then she rotates the beam and cuts a similar line close to the first so that a long wedge of metal falls away from Shark's face. Shark holds still, trying not to flinch or look into the light of the beam. He doesn't speak either, not wanting to distract you. His fingers flex into his knees, trying to distract himself from the work being done. Starfire finishes as quickly as she can, then steps to the side and holds her arm out for a mirror again. "How's that?" she asks. Shark looks at the reflection and nods, "Now the hard part, making it look like it's not a new one." he states. Starfire oohs. "Hmm...might have to take an abrasive to your whole faceplate.." she says. Shark nods, "Which is the other reason for this rag I got. Once I clean that armor up just enough, I can wring out the solvent and rub in the rust." Starfire blinks at that, then giggles and smiles. "Wow. You really thought this out." She takes a seat beside him. "Hot Rod...I think I've heard of him..." Shark nods, "Been thinking about it since he got taken. If I'm going to be taken seriously, I got to know how to make the enemy think I am one of them." he notes, moving to get back to his pile of armor parts to continue cleaning them. "When he gets back, and he will, don't be surprised if he hits on you. He hits on all the pretty young femmes." Starfire 's faceplates gain a light reddish tint at that, and she fidgets shyly. "Well...I'm not that pretty, so.." She moves over to watch as Shark works. "When is the operation scheduled for? Do you think there's anything I could help with?" Shark knows time is against him now as he works a bit quicker on cleaning that armor up, "Should be in a cycle, give or take." he replies then a pause, "You probably could fix up those of us that get sword slashed and shot up with old style laser rifles." Starfire smiles at that, then ohs. "I dunno if I should actually -go- on the mission. I can't fight at all...but I'd be happy to do repairs." She smiles some. Shark nods, "Didn't ask you to fight, Starfire. But your medical skills will be needed." he assures you. The mech is all business right now, maybe too serious for a mech so young. "How about you help me with getting this armor fitted on me?" he asks, "It's got to look like it belongs on me." Starfire ohs, and nods quickly. "First we should take off the old..." She stops, unsure if old is really appropriate, since the 'new' plates look worse off than the ones already on Shark. She shrugs. "Anyway, you can't have both on. I'd slow you down too much." She goes about removing Shark's armor plates. Shark hmms, "You sure I couldn't do both? This armor is so flimsy and I'd be asking for trouble if they got me in the wrong spot." But then you are already getting to work on the cherry red plating on him. "Well guess that settles it." he notes with a nervous laugh. Starfire hmms at your question. "That is a good point..." She looks at the armor plate she is holding, then at the rusty ones. "Do you think we could graft the rusty ones onto your regular armor?" Shark nods, "I think so, if you weld it right." he notes, "Just got to fit it on right is all, which is why there is so much armor." Lifting up a section, "This should fit my back all right. The stripes have to run this direction." he indicates by holding the piece so the stripes run parallel with the ground. Starfire nods as she listens, then puts your armor plate back in place. "Alright. Let's get to work then." She starts finding pieces that are similar in size to armor pieces already in place, and sets them around so she will remember where they go. Once she has them all sorted, she giggles. "You're going to look like a patchwork mech, I think." Shark has the pieces sorted out, "These for the sides." he says, then a chuckle, "Well they didn't look too great either, I'll fit right in." he notes, then shuffling the pile around to show you what he had figured out for the chest piece, something that would fit over his armor but make him look a bit more buff and tough. Starfire oohs as she watches, and nods as instructions are given. Then, when it's all been explained, she smiles and gets to work. She works on the chest piece first, since it has the most space to cover, and carefully welds all the metal pieces into place. She purposely leaves a few noticeable cracks, though none big enough to show the better armor underneath. "How's that?" she asks, to make sure she has the technique down. Shark watches on, making little corrections as you move through the pieces. Then he checks the fitting and changes it very carefully so it fits snugly and nods, "Weld it in place while I got it where I want it, then you can do the sides and it should finish up the look.. except for one little detail.. I need a different helm piece." Starfire nods and smiles, welding the new plate into place over the old one, then she starts on the sides, seeming happy to be helping. "A different helm piece...hmm...well, I'm sure there is something in the huge graveyard of mechs." Shark chuckles, "Where do you think this striped armor came from?" he asks, then looks around at the locals. "No one has found a helm that will work quite yet." Starfire ohs, her cheek plates tinting a slight red again at the question. "Well...we could go look after your armor is altered." she says as she keeps fitting pieces onto your sides and welding them into place. Shark nods, "Yeah." he agrees, holding still for your work to be completely. Hand squeezing the damp solvent rag to remove the dampness from it. "Might have to remove this helm for anything to work though, doubt any helms out there would fit over my own." Starfire nods at that. "Unless you wanted to look a little strange, with a helm plate oversized for you." she says with a little giggle. She works carefully, always trying to make sure that the armor looks battered and beaten, while not showing the shiny Autobot armor underneath. Shark moves an arm to get it out of the way, "Those last bits of armor are to put over my upper arm armor, so the look is complete. Would be a bit odd having striped middle and two tone arms." Starfire nods and smiles. "I figured that's what they were for." she says as she finishes up with the side armor, and gets to work on the arms. She does the very best job she can, knowing that someone's life, and maybe more than one someone, depends on it. Shark holds out his arms so you can get the side facing his sides, "Bet even Hot Rod won't recognize me." he jokes lightly. Starfire gets those parts of your arms too, then steps back and smiles. "Alright. All done?" She looks around to see if there are any scraps left. Shark nods, "That's it other than a helm." he replies, slowly moving his arms to test if the welds will hold. Starfire watches in interest. After all, it's her work, and she wants to know it will hold up too. Shark twists his torso as well, making sure all the welds will hold. He nods and moves to where some helms had been gathered up for him to go through. "Need something similar to what those mechs were wearing." Starfire has no idea what those mechs where wearing, so she just starts looking for one she thinks matches the rough, tough robot look Shark wants. Shark crouches down, searching through the helms. "Hmm close but not quite." he murmurs as he looks over own that looks a bit like hat with slight brim to it. Starfire hmms, holding up one that looks like it has horns, and a piece that would come down like a nose-guard. "How about this one?" Shark peers at it and chuckles, "Too much like the gladiator look." Starfire blinks. Gladiator? She puts it down and keeps searching. "Hmm...what kind of helm pieces did those guys wear?" she asks as she rummages. Shark rummages around a bit more then picks out a helm, "This may work. Just need to alter the brim here a bit." he says, standing up and giving that brim a firm yank so it looks like it would dip downward some more. "More like this." he says, showing it to you. It is a definitive 'pirate look' Starfire blinks. "Oh! A pirate style helm! Why didn't you say so?" She giggles. "Well, just tell me what needs to be done." Shark adjusts the sides of the brim a bit so it looks a bit more beat up, "Got to remove my helm, keep it somewhere safe for me til I can get it back. Attach this one so it looks like it belonged there. Starfire nods as she listens. "Maybe we should go somewhere less...dirty? I don't like exposing cerebral circuits in a place like this. It's much better to be in a repair bay." Shark nods, "Sure, Iacon isn't too far." he says, walking toward it so he doesn't disturb his newly acquired look. Starfire walks with Shark and smiles. "This operation will be pretty easy if all of you take disguises like that one, I think." she says as they walk. Shark nods to that as they walk, "I don't know if anyone else but me did this though." he says, stepping into the medical bay. He sets the helm down and get himself on a table. Starfire blinks at that. "But...won't you stand out from them if they are all shiny looking and you are rusty looking?" she asks as she starts carefully removing Shark's helm piece. Shark smirks, "Ah but part of the plan is for me to blend in with them when they come to the ground to fight the others. I then can make my way to their ship, shimmy up a rope, and free Hot Rod with none the wiser." Starfire ooohs, then hees. "Sounds like a good plan. I kinda wish I could help, but it's hard to do repairs when lasers and bullets are flying everywhere. Jade walks into the repair bay, whistling as she does. Shark holds still as his helm is removed from his head. "You'll do enough fixing our sorry hides afterward." he states matter of factly. Starfire nods a little at that. "Should I be standing by somewhere near the ship, in case there are heavily injured after the fight?" she asks as she removes the helm, and goes to put the new old one on. She smiles a greeting to Jade. Shark hmms, "I'd stay far back enough that you don't get hurt. Being you don't have a symbol on you they may assume you’re just a civilian there." Jade hmmms, as she nods to the two of them. She ponders a moment, some kind of date....she shakes her head, as she moves over to her desk. Shark asks, "So how's the helm look?" he asks, "I look like a rough, tough pirate?" he asks. Starfire makes sure all the connections are good, then bolts and welds the new helm into place before stepping back. She smiles and nods. "Yep. The roughest toughest pirate ever!" She giggles. Shark raises a hand to gesture at the brim of the 'hat like' helm. "Yarr, thank ye missy." Jade tilts her head, as she listens to the two of them Starfire laughs at that and smiles brightly. "Well, looks like you're all set. Now what?" Shark pulls a sword out of his subspace, "Now, I find out where the others are so I can find a place to lie in wait so I can blend in with the pirates in order to infiltrate them." Starfire smiles and nods, holding her hands behind her back politely. "Well, good luck. I'll be waiting here when you get back." Shark nods to her, "See you soon." he says, then walks out. The Autobots had collected, having found the pirate ship now as it rested here in the cratered remains of the road way, gassing up and generally causing havoc to passersby’s. Shark is all pirated up and moving carefully to get close, looking for a place to mingle with the pirates without being noticed. Flying high overhead is Aeroblade. He's been keeping an eye on these pirates. Though he can't handle all of them on his own, he is ready if any try to stray far from the ship. Jade growls as she move about the deck, "Get to work, ye scurvy dogs." She waves her sword around. "This ship doesn't fly itself...Check the systems." As she moves to the port side of the ship. Shark waits for his moment, then moves his way into a group of troublemaking pirates with his sword in hand. But he won't remain with them long, trying to make his way toward the ship without looking like he is. Aeroblade blinks. How did he miss that pirate? He's been watching all day. He slowly circles downward. Very slowly, trying not to be spotted, but wanting a closer look. Starfire grumbles. Why does she have to do all the work? She keeps up working on loading all the latest loot the pirates have brought in, wondering when she will get to see any of her cut. "Shove off. We're workin' as fast as we can." she says to Jade. "Avast! Tis an albatross overhead!" one suddenly crows, falling off a mechapig in his stupor. Shark gets closer to the ship, not meeting anyone's gaze as he picks up a crate to further hide himself from the others. Optics on the lookout for Hot Rod as he walks up the gang plank. Aeroblade ...an albatross? He stays a good distance out, just in case, and makes sure his gun is ready. He also keeps watching that pirate that apparently snuck out somehow, even though none of these pirates seem particularly sneaky. Jade turns and looks around the deck, she shakes her head. "we be moving out, as soon as were loaded. Not a safe port this be..." "Hey! Bring that over here!" shouts Starfire to Shark. He is after all carrying a crate of loot. "'Course it's not uh safe port. There's Decepticons an' Autobots all over th' place..." she mumbles. "Down in th' hold!" she shouts to Shark. Shark moves toward the call and nods, "Aye aye," he replies, moving down into the hold, still on the lookout for Hot Rod as he goes into the bowels of the ship. Aeroblade flies a good distance off, out of sight, and lands, then transforms so he can move in close without getting spotted. He gets up as close as he can get, using the shatter roadway pieces as cover, and tries to hear anything useful. Shark literally stumbles over the unconscious form of Hot Rod while putting the crate down near some barrels of rumergon. He looks around for something to put around him to get him off this ship as the mech is so red! Aeroblade continues to hide...even he isn't sure why he's sticking around. They are about to leave anyway. Jade continues to move about the deck, checking on preparations. Pirates come and go, dropping various things into the cargo hold and pretty much ignoring Shark. He does look rusted and pirate, after all. There are a few empty crates about, and various miscellaneous things of value strewn about. "Are we all loaded yet?" Starfire shouts. Grumbles of yeah and shut up and the like are the responses. Shark finds a old burlap sack, actually a couple of them, and slides them over Hot Rod to hide him. Then with a heave and a grunt, he slings the mech over his shoulders. Up the stairs he comes, hoping that he hid the mech well enough and can get off the ship without anyone questioning what he has in the sack. Aeroblade raises an eyebrow as a pirate seems to be bringing a large amount of loot back to the deck of the ship. He shakes his head. Maybe pirates really are as dumb as they look sometimes. Starfire blinks. "Hey, where do ya think yer takin' that, scallywag? Put it back in th' hold er we'll have ta run ya through!" She grabs at Shark's baggage. Shark turns away from the bloke coming at him, "You'll get yer hands full of rubbish if ye be grabbing at it matey." he growls, "Now let me ride of it 'fore it stinks up the boat." Aeroblade chuckles. Now the pirates are fighting amongst themselves? Not surprising really. In recharge somewhere with a bottle of rumgon, is a pirate mech and indeed-- one of those who works here on this very ship that the autobots plan to take away their captive from. His black hat seems to be resting over his face, well it was till one of the pirate kicked him in the boot. "Hawkeye! Wake up ya lazy-scrap-space-dog. There is work ta be done!" The mech who was sleeping, thus being called Hawkeye, slowly raises up his hat off his violet blue optics, "..rhh.." is all he says before he sits up fully and waves his hat then at the other mech in a silent way to say he was awake. He then raises up to his feet, taking a swing of the bottle-- to only find it empty, "..eh? Why is all the Rumgon gone?" He stares at it one moment before he tosses it over his head in some random direction. Hawkeye then places his hat on before he gives out a stretch. He then turns his attention to the busy deck and makes his way down. Scanning over the crew carefully, well-- as carefully has he can or even wants too. The pirate close to Shark hmphs. "Looks a might too solid fer rubbish. Whatcha got in there?" the pirate femme asks, drawing her sword to challenge Shark. Of course, she still thinks he's trying to make off with some of the loot. Shark shifts his load just a bit "It's rusted cans that ain't no use anymore." Believable? Maybe. Jade turns a the sound of the conversation, "Simple enough, open the bag...can inside, you can go...anything else inside, we keel haul you." Hawkeye nods to a few, bows his hat to some others, walks a bit aloof and a tad off balance, till he comes across a mech and a femme, along with a bag. He stops, checks the femme over, before his optic, yes just one, peers over to the mech, while the other half hidden by the brim of his helm, "Space-dog, I dun think I seen yah before." He moves over to the two closer, seeming to now walk less aloof and a bit more serious, "What be ye name, hmm? Cause I know about(key word) everyone on this here ship, savvy?" Though it wouldn't be the first time that Hawkeye called fawl on a fellow pirate and had them walk the plank. Aeroblade hmms. This could be his chance. If the pirates are fighting amongst themselves, he might be able to pick one off from out here with a rifle. He slowly pulls a laser rifle from his back, and takes aim. Shark knows he's in for it now, but he gives him that full on smile with all those sharp, pointy teeth. "I be opening more than this bag on ye." he threatens, shifting the heavy load to bring out the sword. "I be opening your gullet straight open." then looking at Hawkeye he quips, "Since when ye be letting femmes on this ship eh? They be bad luck!" Starfire nods in agreement with Jade. "If there be cans in there, ya be alright." she says, sword still at the ready. She doesn't really seem to take notice of the captain, but she does smirk at Shark. "Ya'd be lucky t' be cuttin' th' slag from th' repair bay floor after we finish with ya!" Jade frowns, "we've been on the ship since the start....odd, if you were part of the crew, you'd have known that. But since you don't..you must be an intruder." Hawkeye only smiles, "So far-- they been good luck, and it ain't my choice, but ye captains’.." His optics then narrow, before the brim of his hat lowers down to hide his optics, his voice then gets serious and the smile fades, "..and with that-- ye not part of this crew, cause everyone know that.." Hawkeye then pulls out his own sword and then yells out, "We got us a lander!!" Technically-- this ship had two captains’, one for one reason and the other for the other. Though they never say which was which, cause you know, what better way to protect the real captain then have a fake captain..s? Shark isn't staying put, he makes a run for it right then in there! Sword swinging as he goes! Right now hoping the other Bots make for some cover fire! Aeroblade blinks. Lander? Well, that narrows down his targets a bit. He opens fire, trying not to hit the feeling lander. Starfire lets out a 'yarr!!' and takes a swing at Shark. But...her swing falls short, and she stumbles a bit before trying to move in for another swing. "Ya won't be gettin' away from us, landlubber!!" Jade makes for the runner, "Yer not leaving..." as she thrusts her sword forward at Shark's legs. Hawkeye is as always on top of things, even as a shot fires past him and he points his sword in that direction, "Aim yer cannons in that direction and fire down that lander-mech over yonder" And though Shark takes a swing, the black and purple mech is a tad faster, and steps to the side to parry the attack, "Tsk tsk, ya sword play is bad." He then takes a quick step back before going in with a jab. Aeroblade growls as his first shot goes wide. He takes better aim on the second, and lets loose with another laser shot. This time right on target. "Come on, run faster." he says under his breath. Starfire just pretty much swings blindly as she runs after the fleeing Shark. "Stop, ya scallywag!" she shouts, just before Hawkeye gets hit. Hawkeye goes to take a swing and as such trips up, His sword hits the bag, cutting whatever inside loose. Though in the process of this little oops, he trips, smacks into a barrel, and goes right off the edge. WEEEE!!!! Jade takes another swing at the runner, as she yells to the other pirates on the ship and the ground. "Stop him!" Shark grabs desperately onto Hot Rod as the bag is snagged, he feels pain on his back as a sword slashes against it, but he's still going, rushing down the gang plank and toward the Bots that should be out there. Aeroblade fires off another blast, this time at the competent sword-swinging femme. "Run faster!" he shouts to Shark. Surely this crazy bot didn't come out here by himself, did he? Aeroblade looks around for any backup. Cannon fire lands all around Aeroblade, since Hawkeye did say to fire at Aeroblade, but the mech manages to avoid being hit. Starfire finally catches back up with Shark, and takes a spinning swing at his torso, even as her comrades are shot down and/or just simply fall down around her. "Ye won't be gettin' away with our hostage!" Bluestreak isn't exactly where he can be seen easily, but he's at a pretty good sniping spot, all things considered. Yes, he's been MIA, and no, he won't say why--but suffice to say, there's more important issues at hand. He doesn't want to outright kill anyone, so he just starts peppering the area around the pirates with laser-rifle fire and the occasional missile from his shoulder-cannons. Hey, he's a marksman and got a few weapons to spare, so why not? Shark winces as he gets slashed again, but is still running toward the cover fire that is being provided. The unconscious Hot Rod is visible slung over his shoulders as he runs as fast as he can with such a heavy load. Aeroblade blinks as someone else finally starts laying down some cover fire. He hops up, powering on his jet boosters, and races toward Shark. "Come on! We'll cover you!" He also takes a shot at the last pirate following Shark. Apparently all the other pirates are too confused or busy firing cannons to pursue them. Starfire is hit, slowing her down before she stumbles, just as Aeroblade's shot goes over her head. "Gaaarrr!! Come back here, ye scallywag!!" she shouts as she gets back up, sword still swinging. Bluestreak eeps quietly as the pirate stumbles but doesn't go down. /Primus, I dunno what she's saying, but I don't think it's good,/ he thinks to himself as he focuses his sniping rifle-fire more on that pirate, who is still chasing after Shark. Shark keeps going, carrying the heavy Hot Rod, gaining distance away from the pirates and getting closer to safety. Aeroblade keeps firing, making sure the pirates can't catch up with Shark. Of course, he doesn't know what Shark is carrying, or even who Shark is, but he can deal with that later. With those slashes, it doesn't look like the bot will be running all that much longer. Starfire growls as she dodges gunfire. She pulls out a pistol as Shark is too far away for sword-slashing, and fires at him still. No one steals from pirates and gets away with it! Usually... Shark feels that one in the lower quadrant of his back, slowing down but still going. Determined to get Hot Rod to safety. Bluestreak moves slightly to get a better sight on Starfire and fires a volley of missiles at her before adding a double-shot laser-burst to it. The last thing they need is to have to carry two mechs back to Iacon--though at this rate, it may end up that way anyways. Aeroblade frowns as Shark is hit again, and this time he lands in between Starfire's line of sight and Shark, so that she has to shot him instead. His Gatling gun warm up before he sends a waves of bullets toward the femme. Starfire performs some acrobatics that surprise even herself, but leave her laughing evilly as she keeps firing. "You guys can't hit the broad side of a cruiser!!" she taunts. With Aeroblade blocking the way, she just shoots at him instead. Shouldn't have gotten in the way, she thinks to herself. Shark keeps going as Aeroblade gets his back, hearing a shot whizz past as he makes his way to where the cover fire is.. he's nearly safe! Bluestreak hears that taunt even from his current vantage point. OK... fine then. He aims for a direct shot to Starfire's center-of-gravity, optics narrowed as he continues his sniping. He adds a volley of scatter-missiles for added cover-fire (more than damage) so Shark can get away safely. Aeroblade aims his rifle again as a bullet whizzes by. He fires at Starfire as well, the pirate femme starting to get on his nerves. "Just go down already.." he says. Starfire yelps as she is hit center-mass by Bluestreak, making her stumble just in time to miss being hit by Aeroblade. She is left on her knees after that one, but still keeps firing, determined not to let them get away so easily. She tries to hit Bluestreak this time. A crazy shot? Sure, but...he did hurt her. Shark is tiring as he gets closer to safety, carrying a unconscious mech over his shoulders with a hurt back isn't a pleasant experience. Bluestreak flickers his optics in a 'blink' as he's shot at and yelps, "PRIMUS!" He hits the deck of his current hideout as a wild shot from his target flares past just about where his helm was. A quick 'whirrr-click' from both shoulder-turrets lets him know that he's out of ammo, but he's created so much smoke and collateral damage that it shouldn't be an issue by now. He quickly gets back up and resets his rifle to a more Gatling-like setting, retaking his spot and resuming fire down at Starfire. Aeroblade also lets the lead...or whatever transformer bullets are made out off...fly at the pirate even as she stumbles. He hopes she'll be smart enough to give up. He'd hate having to kill a femme, even a pirate one. "Almost there." he assure Shark. Starfire is back on her feet pretty quickly and dodging about again, using the terrain to her advantage when she can. She takes aim and fires at Bluestreak again. She knows that the thief has gotten away pretty much, but she wants to show that mech who shot her a lesson. If only she can hold her pistol steady... Shark is safe at long last as he gets beyond the area where the cover fire is coming from.. his run slowing to a walk as he looks around for a medic to unload Hot Rod upon.
* pow* "OWCH!" Bluestreak's yelp gives away his surprise at being shot, though the resulting damage to his off-firing shoulder doesn't hurt that bad. He rolls the joint and quickly moves to a different vantage point that should improve his aim but may leave him a bit more exposed to enemy return fire. Not that he has anything left to lose since he's been found out anyways. Door wings swept back, he returns fire, trying to keep Starfire's attention on him instead of trying to continue going after Shark. Aeroblade lets loose one last shot with his laser rifle before he feels like they are far enough away, and goes to help Shark with the load. He blinks as he sees red metal glinting inside the bag from the cut left by Hawkeye. "Hey...are you alright? Who's in the bag?" he says to Shark. Shark looks to Aeroblade, "A fellow Bot." slinging him off his shoulder and onto the ground for now. Turning with his pistol in hand, "Now it's payback time." shooting off his own shot at the pirate to dissuade her pursuit. Starfire is missed by Shark's dissuading bullet, and she fires one more in retaliation before huffing and returning to the ship. "Not worth it anyway..." Shark gets out of the way of the shot, seeing the pirate is leaving. Good riddance. "Let's get him home. Bluestreak you okay?" he calls out. Bluestreak holds his fire as he makes sure that Starfire is 'retreating', or at least isn't gonna shoot them in the back, and glances back as he hears Shark's voice. He carefully makes his way back down, hopping the last few feet to the ground near where the other Autobots are, and nods once. "I'm OK. Got shot a bit in the shoulder, but nothing major. You guys look worse off." He rubs the back of his helm. "Sorry for being late and all." Aeroblade hmphs. "I'm fine. Not a scratch. These two are the ones that need help." he says, motioning to Shark and the unconscious Hot Rod. "How about you carry one, and I'll get the other?" He picks up the burlap covered Hot Rod. Shark nods, "Better late than never Blue." he offers, "Could one of you carry Hot Rod." he looks at Aero, "I can ride on Blue back home." Bluestreak nods an affirmative to Aeroblade (who he hadn't met before, now that he thought of it), then offers a slight grin to Shark. "Sounds good to me." He transforms to his vehicle mode and moves slightly closer to Shark so the other 'Bot won't have to move too much more. "Just hang on tight, OK? Don't want to accidentally drop you or anything." Shark gets on Blue and hangs on, "Let's roll." Aeroblade doesn't bother transforming, as he'd be less able to carry Hot Rod. He just activates his jet engines on his feet, and follows the other two. Shark rides in on Bluestreak. Once the mech stops he disembarks and moves to a medical table. His back bearing a slash mark and a gunshot both. "Successful mission." he quips. Aeroblade walks in carrying a still unconscious Hot Rod, who he places on another medical table before he checks himself for damage. "So, that was a mission, and not just a suicide attempt?" Bluestreak brakes easily and lets Shark get off, then transforms back to robot mode while nursing a bit of a damaged shoulder. Transformation has a nasty habit of reminding you about every single little thing that doesn't quite work right. He moves off to the side, close to a table but not actually sitting down on it yet, so that medical focus remains on the worse damaged. Shark nods to Aero, "Yeah it was a mission. Hot Rod got himself captured. I made this disguise to get in there to pull him out. Unfortunately for me they caught on and I had to run for it." Starfire blinks as the four mechs come in, then she hops up quickly from her desk. "What's the damage? Is anyone seriously injured?" she asks, checking on Aeroblade, then Bluestreak, then Shark. "Oh! Shark! You're all cut up and shot!" she says, sounding concerned. Aeroblade chuckles to Shark. "Good thing I happened to be out there. Looked like you were about to be thrown in the scrap-pile." he says before looking at Bluestreak. "And this guy helped some too." Bluestreak waves off the concern with a half-grin. "Don't worry about me. Shark took most of the damage. I just got hit with a lucky shot," he explains to Starfire. Or unlucky, whatever the case may be. He does sit down and let a med-tech get to work on repairing the gunshot damage to his shoulder, though. He nods over to Aeroblade. "I think we both ended up being in the right place at the right time. But I don't think we've met before, though. I'm Bluestreak." Shark nods, "YEs it was, thanks for the assist out there." he says to Aeroblade. He looks to Starfire, "I've had worse, trust me." downplaying his injuries. Starfire headshakes as she begins repairs on Shark. "Well, even if you have, I'd say you got pretty lucky. That bullet got pretty close to your relay system." she says as she repairs. She smiles though. "I'm glad to see the mission was a success with no one lost." Aeroblade nods to Bluestreak at the introduction. "Aeroblade." is all he says before turning to head for the door. "Well, nothing against any of you, but the last time I was in here, I got a rather cold welcome from one of the medical technicians." He waves a goodbye as he walks out. "I'd rather not run into her again." Bluestreak nods. "Alright. Take care, Aeroblade," he replies as he leans back in his seat slightly, just letting the med-tech work. Shark would wave but he dare not while being worked on, "Thanks again." he offers. Starfire makes quick work of Shark's basic repairs. "I guess the double armor didn't help?" she asks as she starts piecing his armor back together.
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