Episode 4: Hub/Docks

Started by Lomari, February 10, 2020, 09:55:01 AM

Lomari

February 10, 2020, 09:55:01 AM Last Edit: February 21, 2020, 10:45:31 AM by Lomari
Station Time: 7PM – 1900 Hours.

With Charity, King, Gwen, and Emit departing the Medical Bay, business went on as usual. Patients came and went, their malady's ranging from near severed fingers from working in the deep portions of the station, to rashes from chemicals used during the cleaning process in the bowels of Iscariot's belly.  Most of the work done at the station centered around those whose livelihoods depended on the continued smooth running of the beast's internal machinations. Treating spacers was rare, but always an interesting experience for the Med Bay Staff.

Up in the Garden/Café at the very tippy-top of the station, residents and visitors prepared to watch small vessels and hunks of junk orbit the station in their ritual races.
CHARACTERS
Charity ~ Melody ~ Tabitha


NARRATION
Darling ~ Iscariot

Lomari

February 21, 2020, 10:45:02 AM #1 Last Edit: February 21, 2020, 11:08:12 AM by Lomari
Recap from Episode 4: Sectors/Shops

With that the swaggering wheelman was sauntering back out of the bar and towards the docks. He could feel those pre-race butterflies and relished the moment. Getting back to even just the showboating part of it all, he felt like it was putting on a well worn-in jacket on a brisk afternoon.

A hand rose, long index finger pointing toward the ceiling, "How dare you impune my honor so! I'm going to destroy you in this race, boy, you will regret ever mocking the great Leon!" he shouted, to another round of applause and incredulous laughter. As Marty approached and murmured his well wishes, Leon offered him a wink and a smile in response before following the other man out of the bar, moving swiftly as though flicking an imaginary cape in a flourished anger. Many of the workers took that time to settle their tabs and begin heading out as well, the buzz in the room and now out in the station walkways filled with who they thought would win out of the stations favorite sons.

*Racers and Racing Spectators Enter from Episode 4: Sectors/Shops*
CHARACTERS
Charity ~ Melody ~ Tabitha


NARRATION
Darling ~ Iscariot

Jedikiah Rembo

February 22, 2020, 12:21:54 PM #2 Last Edit: February 26, 2020, 02:40:52 PM by Jedikiah Rembo Reason: Lengthen post, addition of ‘The Way”, chapter 68.
The HUB: Observation Window

Jedikiah Rembo followed along the slight swelling of the station citizens and visitors and let himself be nudge to a good position to see and understand the race.  It seemed popular enough and he listened as he lost his thoughts looking out a good sized window at the awe and splendor of the verse.

There seemed to be a rivalry of locals and favorites. Bets seemed to be made.

All in all it was another very pleasant moment. The throng, the thrill of being among the many looking for a respite from their daily lives. But it was more than a respite, it was serious. Competing without competing is a virtue. But the placing of money and one's heart and souls into a competition was always a step away from the path. Yet it was prevalent, common to join a cause, cheer or a team. And even more so to complete against another. But as one becomes an adult, grown up, this seems to generally become a matter of pride and ego.

The virtue, competing without competing: To put this into practice is to love to compete, but to do it in a spirit of play, just as if you were children again.

Jedikiah smiled. 'step away from always thinking. Judge not. Enjoy the day.'
Yang Style Tai Chi and Shaolin Kung Fu
 - And Medical Practitioner


Devon McKinney

Location: The Docks

Stumpf..stumpf..stumpf.. the sound of Devon's combat boots were distinctive.  She made no attempt to walk lightly or delicately. There was nothing delicate or dainty about her.  She was tall, lean and more muscular than many people would likely expect, her form enveloped in the trench coat. She made her way to the docks with a single-minded purpose.  To find one of Lil Sebastian's minions or perhaps this Dewey person (rumor was he'd lost a racer not too long ago), secure a ship to race in, and win for Her. Devon's brain didn't always function rationally or clearly, but once she got fixated on an idea she latched on to it like a dog with a bone.

She made her way among those on the dock, the loose boot laces dragging behind. She drew her right hand out of the trench coat pocket, raking a hand lightly over her short shorn hair.

Martin Miller

Marty strolled casually onto the docks and rocked straight up to the board where he had first pick of the station's shuttles. He eyed what was available. He shook his head. If this show wasn't an underground mess organized by a tiny crime lord they could maintain these boats better and maybe even get sponsors to refresh the stock once in a while.

Being one of the "house" racers and their best one he could have just picked the newest ship with the best engine. However, Marty knew his strengths and while anyone with a functioning nervous system could mash down the throttle and go, but that's not what wins races. At least for this madman. He knew his best chances were in the turns, and when things got dodgy, when the weaker racers started wiping out and turning the hardest turns into a minefield of debris.

The person who could get through the toughest parts of the race the fastest, that was usually the winner. And if anyone was good at capitalizing on chaos, or being the cause of it: It was Martin bloody Miller. The English accented former stunt-man and now former bounty hunter plucked the smart-key for his chosen shuttle. He'd only run with this horse through one other race. But he was saving plucking her out of retirement for his own return from the pasture.

"Janice..."

He greeted the vessel as he approached. Of course she already had a name. Some would say Janice was past her prime, and that she had a few too many laps around a few too many suns, but Marty valued her experience. He liked the character the shuttle had acquired and of course those much stronger than normal maneuvering thrusters. It was a quirk of this model's former life back in the core. It would zip Alliance citizens back and forth between one planet and her closest moon, darting in and out of traffic from the automated freight vessels and occasionally feds as these vessels were usually used to smuggle synthetic drugs.

The pilot flipped a couple switches to start get the engine idling and so he could check the gauges. The purr and eccentric rattles were like a song he'd been waiting all day to hear.

Let's race.

Lomari

February 28, 2020, 10:27:40 AM #5 Last Edit: February 28, 2020, 10:52:45 AM by Lomari
Location: The HUB Garden Café/Observation Dome - Jed

As the typical station onlookers gathered in the café, business boomed. Things were a little pricier up here, but for a special occasion people were more than willing to shell out a few extra credits to drink a real coffee and watch shuttles fly by around the station. The artificially grown garden filled the outer perimeter of the domed HUB that sat at the peak of the space station, an 'outdoor' café nestled on one side of the sphere, an 'indoor' café in the epicenter, and a lyceum typically intended for public meetings or shows, but mostly used as additional seating for race viewers.
 
Chatter filled the dome, the temperature warm and comfortable and the air crisp from the constant air reclaimers running on full blast up here to keep the vegetation healthy. Some rooted vehemently for Leon the Lion, others (and many more, in fact) shouted praise and glory for Marty Miller, the stations favorite. Some argued, but the environment of the Hub was generally excited and bright.

Workers from the outdoor café took the opportunity for business to slip among the crowd taking orders, and the large and out of place gentleman in the indoor café wearing an apron much too small for his hulking frame took bets and handed out receipts.

Location: The Docks - Devon/Marty

The Docks during Race Day were a circus of colorful shuttles, colorful people, and fans hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite racer before hurrying up to the Hub. Loud, raucous music played over the station intercom in this location alone as the participants looked the shuttles over. Some had their favorites and jostled over one another to get their pick, having to wait for the station sponsored racers, like Marty and Leon, to pick theirs first.

Standing awkwardly near the shuttle board, Dewey held a "Racer Wanted" sign written in large pen on cardboard leftovers. He eyed Marty as the man picked out his ship and headed for it, a wistful sigh lifting and lowering his shoulders. He'd had a racer. And a winner, to boot! The payday had been right there in his hands, the recognition almost palpable. Then, in half an instant, he was back to square one and his racer branded some kind of cheater. Again, he sighed. He needed another racer, and he would have settled for winning third place. Third place wasn't so bad, and no one got mad about someone winning third. It was a safe bet, and Dewey needed 'safe'.

"Racers, get to your shuttles and run your pre-flight checks. No rushing this time," came the voice of the usual race announcer over a loudspeaker.

Leon waltzed into the area amidst a bustling crowd of shiny women, some hanging off his arms and some simply walking along with him with their chins tilted high and their attitudes showing. He looked around for someone, or something, then headed to the job board himself, an indication of where racers should go should they want to participate in the event. "Dewey," he proclaimed loudly, slipping a hand free to bring it down on the man's shoulder, laughing sympathetically, "Maybe this time you can find a racer who plays fair," he told the other man, shaking his shoulder back and forth and back and forth as he chortled. Releasing the man, he grabbed the starter for the fastest, shiniest ship available and meandered over to the ship Marty had chosen, the ladies parting ways with him when he moved over the yellow line separating the berthing stations from the rest of the docks. "Why this one?" he asked in a hushed whisper once he'd moved into the shuttle enough to see Marty, brows raised., careful for the others outside not to hear him.
CHARACTERS
Charity ~ Melody ~ Tabitha


NARRATION
Darling ~ Iscariot

Devon McKinney

Location: Docks

Through the press and throng of humanity that made up the life of the space station came the former Alliance pilot.  She had little patience for the noise and the shoving and after a brief skirmish that earned one fellow an elbow to the nose; she made her way forward with that same determined stride.  She stopped in front of Dewey, tongue darting out to wet her lips as she appraised his sad looking hand written sign. "I'm yer racer." It wasn't a question really.  One scarred and work-worn hand came up to slide her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose to reveal serious eyes. She wasn't worried about the ships yet or the other racers, just the man who'd sponsor her in the race for now.

Lomari

Location: The Docks - Devon

"I'm yer racer."

Dewey was still reeling from the obnoxious shaking Leon had given him, his shoulders slumped and his eyes following where the racer had gone to likely taunt his fellow sponsored man before the race. He chewed on the inside of his lip, a heavy sigh lifting and lowering his shoulders as his brain struggled to separate the words sent in  his direction from the conversation occurring in his mind. After a couple of long seconds, he blinked. Then he looked around in confusion. And finally, the man turned to stare wide-eyed at Devon. "Wait, what?" he asked, his mind finishing the loading process half a second later and her words settling neatly into place.

"Do you have any experience? Or, I guess, I mean yea you would if you're talking to me. Probably? Well does it matter, even? Are you any good? No I guess that's not so important either," he rambled, putting his sign between his inner arm and his rib cage. "You think you could manage a third-place? Or even maybe a close second?" he asked, brows furrowed in thought. The last time his racer had won it had upset the status quo and they'd all shouted 'cheater'. Maybe second would be okay. Then again, it would be nice to have a first place racer racing in his name. He shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Ah, it doesn't matter," he  finally decided, extending a hand to hover it awkwardly near her shoulder, then changing his mind in the last minute and using it to instead gesture toward the waiting ship at the docks. "This-a-way, Miss....?" he asked, leading the way toward her shuttle.

It wasn't the newest beauty, but it wasn't too much of a hunk of junk either. Much like Dewey, it was remarkably average. "She's reliable, you know. Not fancy but, you look scary and capable. I'm sure you can get her to run the way you want. Right?" he asked, eyes wide and hopeful.
CHARACTERS
Charity ~ Melody ~ Tabitha


NARRATION
Darling ~ Iscariot

Devon McKinney

Devon looked at the man with the broken smile and bequeathed him one of her own.  It was a rare thing for her to be so generous with a smile, but he was going to let her fly. A rough and work scarred hand reached up and touched his cheek, a gentle touch, almost a caress as she spoke, the harsh rasping voice a sharp contrast to the softness of the words intent.

"On foot
I had to cross the solar system
before I found the first thread of my red dress.
I sense myself already.
Somewhere in space hangs my heart,
shaking in the void, from it stream sparks
into other intemperate hearts."


Long forgotten poetry, from a long forgotten poet of Earth-that-Was.  But before he could decide she was too crazy to race for him she had moved with that long ground eating stride to the indicated ship, opening the side panel for safety checks, making a couple of adjustments to the aft thruster couplings and tightening the pinport lock for the fire suppression system, just in case. Satisfied she could get the power and maneuverability she wanted out of the racer without ending up a flaming ball of wreckage she headed inside to get a feel for the controls and see if there were any other little tweaks she could make.

* On Foot I Had to Cross the Solar System by Edith Sodergran

Jedikiah Rembo

Jedikiah paid for the well overpriced 'deck' chair at the very edge of the outdoor garden right up next to the vegetation. He considered stepping in to the garden and sitting there but the need for the deck chair was obvious. As the racers would circle and fly one would need to rotate, raise and swivel somewhat to keep on eye on the vast expanse of the viewing and racing area.

And coffee. Real as advertised. Or if it wasn't it was a good enough imitation for the premium price. 'vice is nice', but then everyone knows that. That's why they call it vice, though an occasion liquor or strong caffeine or even a nice rare steak was something many others would think of as a vice. Nor did Jedikiah really, moderation and sensible consumption was not a vice.

He settled in and people watched for now, sipping on the coffee and a little dipping of something that did resemble a biscotti.
Yang Style Tai Chi and Shaolin Kung Fu
 - And Medical Practitioner


Martin Miller

Quote from: undefined"Why this one?"

Marty swung around in his seat and saw Leon leaning into his shuttle. The engines starting up, the deep purr of the engines resonating into his bones, he could feel the adrenaline trickling in already. He grinned at his friend and pretend enemy. He mimicked the Frenchman's hushed tone:

"She ain't the prettiest girl here, and she won't jump in your pants the fastest, but she can ruttin' dance her arse off..."

He couldn't give too much more of his strategy away than that. But it fit his style. Marty could certainly throw the throttle down hard as anyone. But where he thrived was in chaos of the difficult gravity assisted turns, and in finding opportunities to overtake the pack during crashes. Still the tank pilot in many ways, the boy was here to scrap.

A light turned green on his dashboard and let out a cheerful:

DING!

The engines were ready, and all systems were looking good.

"I'll see you out there, ya smelly Frenchman!"

Marty shouted as he noticed a fan nearby trying to peer into the drivers area. He was quick to put his "face" back on.

Lomari

March 11, 2020, 04:57:30 PM #11 Last Edit: March 13, 2020, 08:43:34 AM by Lomari
Location: The Docks – Devon/Marty

The Station's Second Favorite Racer smiled back at Marty and nodded along with his reasoning, a twinkle of excitement glimmering in his eyes and a shudder of adrenaline racing down his spine. He moved from foot to foot as he listened, his hands on either side of the shuttle's threshold as he leaned in until he was just about hanging there. He could both understand Marty's ideas and yet at the same time, had no idea what he was thinking. And he liked it that way.

"I'll see you out there, ya smelly Frenchman!" Marty yelled at him and he glanced over his shoulder at the curious onlooker. "Not if I see you first, fancy boy!" he shouted back, not entirely sure that made sense, but not really seeming to mind either way. Sometimes their rivalry was just nonsense. Big, loud, hilarious, enjoyable nonsense. He smashed his hand on the door button and hopped backward as it shut, sealing Marty in the safety of his ship. With that, Leon sauntered haughtily toward his shimmering spaceship sat waiting at its berthing station, disappearing inside to run his own pre-flight checks.

On either side, four of the station's typical contenders sat in their own vehicles, running prep simulations and strategizing based on who they'd seen getting ready to race.

Robin Thresh had chosen a hunk of junk, having been the last one to go, and it vibrated already, threatening to fall apart before anything had even started.

April Messas managed to get into the only pink ship, although it had been between that one and the hunk of junk, so really, she hadn't had much of a choice, had she? Although now she was wishing she'd chosen the junker. Pink wasn't her color.

Thomas Densha, an ordinary man who was utterly unremarkable in every way had ended up in the beige shuttle. When asked to describe this ship, one might have said "It's a ship," with little else used to describe it. They were made for one another.

And lastly, Jupiter Shatterstar (obviously not his real name, although he'd fight a man for insinuating as much) sat in the second most shiny and glimmering ship available to the racers.

Location: Station Perimeter – Marty/Devon/Jed

"And the racers are moving to the starting position, folks! You can just feel the energy down here at the docks! Marty Miller and Leon the Lion face off again, you don't want to miss it!"

The announcer's voice came over the station's PA system as the shuttles were uncoupled from their berthing and made their way out to the perimeter of Iscariot's ring, lining up parallel to it.

A red light flared to life at the side of the station, visible to the racers. From inside of the shuttles, the systems comms crackled awake as a steady beep began.

Beep. Beep. Beep. The light flashed green.

Not a millisecond later, Martin's ship rocketed forward off the line and past the rest of the participants as they followed the large curve of the station's outer ring. From here, they were visible to those watching from the dome, the onlookers cheering for the apparent early start for their favorite racer.

Still at the line, Leon's ship shuddered and seemed to lose power, much to the racer's dismay.

At the same time, Devon's ship stalled, if only for a second. Another heartbeat later it rumbled back to life and obeyed her commands, urged forward in pursuit of the two who'd gone on ahead.

Another few seconds later, Leon's ship regained its power and shot forward after the rest. His ship shuddered a little, its tail kicking out as he pushed it hard after the pack, its side fin bumping into April's pink monstrosity and temporarily knocking her off course.

Back at the starting line, Robin sat dead in the water, smoke drifting out of an engine that had lost all functionality as he drifted about to be rescued once the race was over. And at the back of the pack, Thomas and Jupiter struggled to catch up, Thomas' ship computer having decided to entirely crap out, forcing him to rely on his eyes alone to guide him around the ring.

"And they take off! Marty shoots off into first, followed by April and the newcomer Devon! Leon's had a little trouble at the start but he's making up for lost time! Oh! He's knocked into April and pushed her off course! What's this?! Robin's ship is dead on arrival! He's not moving! Leon's pulling past the crowd and has taken first! Devon and April are neck and neck behind him, who will catch up first! Marty looks like he's in trouble in third place, what tricks does he have up his sleeve!?"
CHARACTERS
Charity ~ Melody ~ Tabitha


NARRATION
Darling ~ Iscariot

Devon McKinney

Her ship had stalled briefly, but a brief toggling of switches and a sharp whack on the console had gotten a sticky relay connection firing the way it should. The ship was responding again and while it didn't handle as responsively as the Alliance ships she had flown once upon a time she was able to get it to maneuver well enough.  There was an art to balancing speed with the ability to navigate the course.

She was humming though as she flew, an old Earth-That-Was song about a boy named Bobby McGee, the only time she felt whole and at peace since her time on the Reliant. Her brain never felt broken when she was flying.  Piloting was when everything felt real and natural to her. Even the nervous ticks and twitches slowed, not disappearing entirely, but calmed until she seemed almost like a real girl. 

She dropped the ship gracefully into the curve, dropping the thrust on the port side to roll into it, pushing the engine as hard she she dared without redlining it.  it wasn't a racing trick, but rather one for avoiding the grappling of Reaver ships, that let her avoid the ship closest while kicking in the thrusters and scooting ahead while avoiding a collision.  It'd bring her close to the other pilots ship though, close enough to make them flinch and hopefully give her a little bit of an edge.


Jedikiah Rembo

Location: Station Perimeter -

Given the start of the race it was difficult to not immediately think of some sort of 'fix' being in. A racer not getting off the starting line, another lurching, another bumped. Or was this the sort of thing one expected on Iscariot. Why not? The station wasn't circling the verse in its particular orbit because it was the bastion of truth, fairness and playing nice.

Jedikiah sat up in the chair and took in the observers near him. A curiosity as to their reaction as the race progressed seemed more interesting now than the race itself. He did not stare but moved his eyes from face to face with an apparent idle curiosity.  It felt a little sly to be looking in the relatively opposite direction than the multitude of the others on the observation deck.
Yang Style Tai Chi and Shaolin Kung Fu
 - And Medical Practitioner


Martin Miller

"Grab your gear, grab your rear!

Hope you don't burn in atmosphere!

Oh we're the rutting worst!

Oh we're the bloody f***ing First!"


Marty's foot thumped the beat to accentuate it into the hull of Janice as the ship rattled along through space. It was meant to be an honor to be in the First Orbital Assault Tank Battalion, and he was even meant to be among the first crew commanders. But his rebellious nature during training, and the war going and ending too soon, he never got to get the chance to fly his tank into battle against the independents. Something honestly he was glad of. Many in his unit were disappointed they couldn't aid in the fight but Marty was glad he didn't have to risk his or anyone else's ass over that mess of a war anyway.

He was trailing at third, but that wasn't stressing the former purple belly. The Briton flicked a couple switches and reassigned some fuel that spooled up in the system, had it redirected to the maneuvering thrusters. He was waiting for the next turn... and then....

Click

The extra fuel hit the thrusters and if the young man still knew what he was doing and the ship held together this might give him the extra bit of maneuverability he'd need to advance a rank or two.

Lomari

Location: Station Perimeter - Marty/Devon

April grit her teeth from inside her ship, thoroughly annoyed at having been pushed out of the way by the pompous ninny of a racer everyone seemed somewhat attached to. She was sure he'd tell her it wasn't personal, that it was a race and that he aimed to win it, but to April, everything was personal. Her shuttle turned on a dime and she re-entered the racing orbit, although the ship did not seem to be aimed forward and instead was heading with throttle at full for Leon's ship. Spotting the approaching vessel at the last minute, the Station's Second Favorite Racer had no choice but to careen to the side and thus, Leon rocketed off course. In a fit of European rage, Leon turned his ship hard and set himself in a tail spin, the back of his shuttle clipping April's and knocking her off course with him.

As Devon's ship slid gracefully through the turn, vibrating and shimmying with the effort it took for the beast to move the way she made it, something in the shuttle's engine made a dull thudding sound and then a clatter as though perhaps a part had fallen out of place. And with that, their ship's lighting flickered and went out, the vessel floating in place and serving as a (hopefully) temporary roadblock to the racers behind her.

With this opportunity and his fancy flying, Marty sailed past Devon's ship with the skill of a practiced artist and maneuvered deftly around Leon and April's ships as they rocketed out off the course. Now in first, the others would have to work hard to get running, on course, and back in the top tiers.

Thomas continued to trudge along, squinting through the dingy and unremarkable front port of his ship, piloting it like a student driver and hoping he didn't bump into anyone. Jupiter's glimmering ship would have pushed past Thomas had a shiny and inexpensively attached panel not flown off and landed directly atop his own view port, forcing him to slow to a safer speed and thus putting him in the new last place.

Location: The HUB Garden Café/Observation Dome - Jed

Well looky there, folks! April and Leon seem to be having a lover's spat and have knocked each other off course! They'd better get back in there, lickety split! Oh, boys! Here comes Marty! He's gaining on the newbie and making up lost time! What's this?! The newbie's ship has stalled out and Marty's taken first! That's our boy! The new racer better get their ship in gear or they're going to get left in the dust!

A waitress from the park's exterior cafe approached Jed's table with a smile and a menu, mousy brown hair in a braid over one shoulder and thick bangs cut just above her chocolate eyes. "Anything to drink?" she asked in a perfectly pleasant tone, eye contact sincere and smile gentle.

Around him, the onlookers were screaming with excitement as their racers either moved forward or were sent spinning. Betting tickets were waved in the air vehemently and bookies watched in stern silence, waiting for the outcome.
CHARACTERS
Charity ~ Melody ~ Tabitha


NARRATION
Darling ~ Iscariot

Devon McKinney

It could have been something in the injection manifold.  It could have been part of the turbine.  From where she was at in the cockpit it would be impossible to determine exactly what had fallen off in the engine.  So she could only do what she could do. She was singing under her breath as she worked, a decidedly unpleasant sound with the damaged vocal cords making her voice a raspy ruin.

"I see a bad moon a-rising
I see trouble on the way
I see earthquakes and lightnin'
I see bad times today

Don't go 'round tonight
It's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise"


She cut the engines entirely, including grav. She could feel herself lift slightly from the seat, only held in place by the straps. She let the ship drift for a moment then restarted everything.  The process didn't take long and her thought was whatever piece of go-se that had gotten loose might get pulled out when the grav kicked back on and re-magnetized things.  If it was simply a turbine blade it would unjam things.  If it was a bearing from the swivel plate she should be okay as well.  If it was a crank though she was fragged til someone came to tow her in.

"I hear hurricanes a-blowing
I know the end is coming soon
I fear rivers over flowing
I hear the voice of rage and ruin

Don't go 'round tonight
It's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise"


The ship powered back up, lights from the cockpit illuminating her pale angular features.  She tilted the thrusters and toggled them on.  It was the moment of truth. 

"I hope you got your things together
I hope you are quite prepared to die
Look's like we're in for nasty weather
One eye is taken for an eye

Oh don't go 'round tonight
It's bound to take your life
There's a bad moon on the rise
There's a bad moon on the rise"

Jedikiah Rembo

Location: The HUB Garden Café/Observation Dome

"Well looky there, folks! April and Leon seem to be having a lover's spat and have knocked each other off course! They'd better get back in there, lickety split! Oh, boys! Here comes Marty! He's gaining on the newbie and making up lost time! What's this?! The newbie's ship has stalled out and Marty's taken first! That's our boy! The new racer better get their ship in gear or they're going to get left in the dust!"


A waitress from the park's exterior cafe approached Jed's table with a smile and a menu, mousy brown hair in a braid over one shoulder and thick bangs cut just above her chocolate eyes. "Anything to drink?" she asked in a perfectly pleasant tone, eye contact sincere and smile gentle.

Around him, the onlookers were screaming with excitement as their racers either moved forward or were sent spinning. Betting tickets were waved in the air vehemently and bookies watched in stern silence, waiting for the outcome.

Jedikiah stood. He had an appointment to attend. "No thank you miss." He bowed slightly and paid for his coffee and biscotti, left a nice tip for taking up space without spending much.

He headed for his Dojo taking a last look up at the racers.
Yang Style Tai Chi and Shaolin Kung Fu
 - And Medical Practitioner


Martin Miller

April 27, 2020, 01:44:28 PM #18 Last Edit: April 27, 2020, 01:46:30 PM by Martin Miller
Marty saw the stalled out ship flickering back to life behind him. He grinned. While he liked to win, he preferred to have lively competition. Having cut the corner just how he liked it, the wheelman adjusted his fuel levels and threw down the throttle. The low bass hum of the old bird's engine was soothing. His pulse clocking in a couple beats over normal, he knew he was in good position but had to keep his head on straight to keep his lead.

Coming up towards the next turn he cut the acceleration and .... and it kept accelerating.

Now less worried about the race and slightly more consumed with not smearing himself on the side of an asteroid the Briton smashed the fuel management panel. An ominous light blinked red.

"Bugger..."

With only a couple seconds to think of something he grimaced, knowing the race was now lost... for him. He flicked up a cover on a switch, then flipped the switch itself and Janice, as he called her, started dumping her fuel out into the black and Marty threw the stick of his flight controls down, plummeting out of bounds of the track. This was meant to leave the track at least a little clearer for the other races so they could continue on in the race, even though it meant he was going to have to just fly in circles around Iscariot until his race-shuttle hit empty.

The young man had it dawn on him he'd finally lost. Then got to wondering what in the hell jammed up his fuel lines like that. He tapped a few buttons on screen as he veered away from the track.

Accessing maintenance history.... Last refurbishment recorded by user: Hardy420

"Bloody wanker! I knew it!!"

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