Carpathia IV: Episode 261 - Taking Risks
Atrium, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Though not particularly exciting watching motionless skiffs on the holo display and the screens, Trex kept the event going with her commentary, buoyed by the sight of Amenaru sprinting toward the stage. There was a bit of action, though, for Trex found the race course invading cyto and turned the holo display onto it.
Trex: Ah, now there's the little bugger! The other cytos are ushering it off the course. My goodness, do they look very cross indeed! Amenaru! Come, join me here!
Amenaru bounded up the steps, or, rather skipped the steps all together and just leaped over them to the stage. Trex handed him a microphone.
Amenaru: Glad to be here, Lieutenant. What can I do for you?
Trex waved her orange hands as though there were a bad smell in the air.
Trex: Oh pish with the ranks. We're here for the race!
Amenaru grinned and raised the microphone to his mouth.
Amenaru: In that case, Trex, what can I do for you?
Trex: As you can see, all the skiffs are stopped for the red flag. For the benefit of the non-skiff experts, what can we expect when we get the green again?
Amenaru: Ah, good question! Unlike shuttles, skiffs are designed for quick start, so normally they can get going in just a few seconds. The teams will have to be careful to get the start sequence down correctly, which might be tricky since they're heavily modded. Seconds count!
Trex: Right, so we shall watch the restart carefully. Looks like the cytos have gotten our rogue off the course and are spreading the word! I think we'll get a green signal soon!
Amenaru: I know the teams are going to be very antsy in their skiffs right now, which increases the possibility of mistakes. They need to stay focused.
Reylen and Shep's Skiff
Shep: Be ready to start up. The cyto is off the course.
Reylen: I'll be ready. I just hope it works.
Somehow, a stationary skiff was not a pleasant place to be compared to a moving one. Can't tap your feet. Can't drum your fingers on a desk. All they could do was wiggle their toes and stare at their screens.
Shep: GREEN!
Reylen: On it!
Reylen was already performing startup before Shep even spoke. Seconds passed, but nothing happened.
Shep: What's wrong?
Reylen: One of the startup coils just burned out. Bypassing.
While Reylen kept working, two skiffs shot by, so close to each other it was hard to tell it was actually two. Just a second later, they were already completely gone.
Shep: The rest are close!
Atrium, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Trex: Green flag! Looks like Teek and Baal got their skiff started just a wee bit quicker than Kau! Teek is now in second place!
Amenaru: Being quick on the start is crucial. We see here what just a second or two can buy you.
Trex: Oh, but Reylen and Shep aren't going yet!
Amenaru: Reylen, especially, is used to jury-rigging his craft to stay a step ahead of the Saveas. Both of them were doing some very unusual modifications.
Trex: It's gonna cost them! Teek and Kau have passed Reylen! There's a yellow flag out. The officiants have declared Reylen and Shep to be derelict and considered a course hazard!
Amenaru: Not halt to the race here, but the navigators' screens will show Reylen and Shep's location.
Trex: It's a good thing too, because the rest of the field is coming up fast! There has been a lot of place swapping going on back there! Sylvar and Nalma got a fast start and have jumped forward three places!
Sylvar and Nalma's Skiff
It was all smiles in Sylvar and Nalma's skiff as they passed their third competitor, not including Reylen and Shep, still dead on the track.
Nalma: We got the spiral coming up. 720 degree lazy turn and then to the straightaway. Should be able to take it near full throttle.
Sylvar took a risk, entering the spiral without slowing down and began the long, lazy turn heading back up to the straightaway.
Sylvar: We're cookin' now!
Nalma: I'm glad we spent the extra time making a lot of the modifications software-based. I was able to make a lot of changes during the downtime.
Sylvar: Whatever you did worked!
Nalma: We're closing in on Riku! I don't care if we lose as long as we pass that little prick.
Sylvar: Well, I care, so don't go slack on me after we pass him.
Nalma: Yeah, yeah, don't worry about me. After all, first place means that we beat him, so I'll be on that!
Sylvar: You can get on it right now, because there he is!
And it was clear that Riku knew they were coming, for the skiff in front of them began to weave all over the course.
Sylvar: Oh, he's good. It's impossible not to leave an opening, but he's coming as close as possible.
Nalma: We've got a long turn to port coming up. Try to get on his inside. I'll let the engines run hot for a minute.
Sylvar: Got it!
Speed was one thing, but getting around Riku's weaving was quite another, and Sylvar couldn't run the engines hot for too long. He had to wait for his moment. He could not cut on the inside before the port turn, however, and awaited the next.
Nalma: Starbord turn coming.
Sylvar: On it!
This time, after much consternation, Sylvar was able to slip in just enough to Riku's right side just before the turn, preventing him from blocking the inside track.
Sylvar: We're in! Give me all the power!
Nalma: Removing inhibitors. Hit it!
Sylvar mashed the gas and used his inside advantage to pull ahead of Riku, coming mere inches from his wingtip.
Atrium, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Trex: Sylvar finds a burst of speed and scoots past Riku for third place!
Amenaru: From what I see on my screen, Nalma removed the overheating inhibitors. A risky move, but it paid off.
Trex: And especially for just the first lap! Our leaders have just started the last lap. Teek is still in first place with Kau right on his tail!
Amenaru: It seems the teams aren't interested in settling into a groove and playing it safe. We've got nine more laps of this to go!
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
