Log:Nugget Loop

Nugget Loop

OOC Date: April 20, 2020
Location: Chandrila
Participants: Ax, Jax Greystorm, Aryn Cole, Ban Iskender, Zandra naMuriel, Barad, Aras Khan, Septima Carnine, Nerys Arda, Kael Greystorm, and Elrych Cometburn

In the deep cold distance of space, the chilly Oort Cloud of Chandrila's star: Ria, sits a loop of 5 Platforms leading into a patch of ice and rock. The patch of asteroids, a belt, stretches for a single AU before it terminates into unabstructed space. There a platform rests with a finishing line. Each platform has three hurdles. They look like check points. Some higher, some lower. Either way, there are 'boxes', gray in appearance, sitting near these platform obsticles. They increase in number as the loop runs into the belt. They sport dual laser turrets.

Floating some distance away is a familiar YZ-775, The Fair Mynock, in a position to oversee the entire course. <<"Aight...">> Comes Elrych voice over the comms, <<"Ya'll line up at the start. Let the Person in front of you go. As soon as they clear the first platform, you can go. Good luck, let's see how good your time is and how many points you all can rack up. And remember, the Galaxy is watching!" There were a few Holo-cam drones out there floating around. No-one here should put it past the host to be live straming this on the Holo-net, a good playlist lined up to go with it. They could likely hear the tunes blaring on the Mynock's bridge through the background of the Jedi's comm chatter. At least he had good taste.

Elrych hands the comm to the young Yamo Foss, who gulps nervously: <<"Welcome to the First Annual Nugget Loop Run...">> His voice cracks, <<"Who will be the winner of this most unprecidented competition?">> Elrych steals the Mic and pats Yamo on the back. "Good job, now get me a Jawa Juice."

Launching from the Pantheon comes an ETA-2b Actis Class fighter. Marked as Spark 3 on sensors, its pilot was Aryn Cole, a novice pilot at best. Small blue contrails trail the wake of her craft as she heads out to take a spot in the line up. Shaking the nerves, she tests her grip on the flight stick, then regrips. "Oh.. Mother save me.. what am I doing?" Her droid answered, but she didn't respond. Her nerves were getting the best of her.

While Ax was a smuggler, and more used to flying a freighter than a fighter, he figured this little event would give him some much needed practice. Bringing his Phantom-class interceptor into position, his droid beeping and giving him hell in advance knowing that the Echani was going to push his little snub fighter to the limit. <<"Wraith in position.">> The Resistance smuggler says. The sleek custom fighter had a slightly suppressed sensor signature, making it easy to miss. "Alright Buster, keep me apprised of sensor stuff that I might miss, as I'm gonna be focusing heavily on not crashing."

Elrych's nugget run appeared to draw pilots from across the galaxy to the Chandrilla system. Jax Greystorm was no different but his fighter had been across the galaxy, so he'd borrowed Thunderbolt 2, a Clone Wars Era heavy fighter. Jax took a deep breath and let it exhale, <You all settled in?> He inquires of his last minute team mate. Jax's R2 sitting in the droid socket, lets out a whistle, <Yeah I know there's alot of little fast ships out there and some jedi.> Then he flies into his position, <THunderbolt 2 in position. May the force be with you and may the best pilot win. I'm keeping my eyes on you, Wraith.>

Ban Iskender has spent a significant amount of his preparation time frowning at the various instruments inside the Eta-2B fighter. Still flying very much like the novice pilot he is, the Actis *Spark 2* alternates between maneuvering slowly and then very suddenly. "I brought a swoop between a walker's legs at speed, I can manage flying between a few rings. ...And now in talking to myself. Brilliant, a clear sign of stress." Drawing a fresh breath and letting it out in a terse exhale, he notes on comms, <<"Spark Two in position.">>

Following Spark 3, there's a very similar fighter, marked as Spark 1. By now Zandra is not exactly a novice, but she's been flying an A Wing. Perhaps this is the start of her long term mission to learn to fly anything like Poe? In any event, she grins as she hears Ax's voice. That's someone she has not heard in quite some time, but she recognizes it none the less. << Spark 1 in position, >> she radios out, sounding calm, at any rate. "Let's see how this baby works, and Ono, good to have you here." The R2 unit burbles something, and Zan chuckles softly, as she listens to the directions and holds her position.

The Fair Mynock lumbers in the distance, watching. Perhaps, the music might bring a bit of spirit to those competing. <<"Some of you are Pilots, other's arn't or maybe are knew to this kind of thing. Do not worry, this is how we get /good/ yeah. Dive right in. Here comes the count down.">> There's a series of three lights at the line up. It's red... then it turns yellow... then it's Green. <<"GO GO GO! HAHAHA!">> The mad dash had begun.

Septima isn't participating, the woman is just watching with a bit of a curiousness as she sits in one of the chairs on the bridge of the yacht someone donated to the cause. "This should be entertaining." she tells one of the ships personel, but, she doesn't seem to be overly reactive to things. She's definitely worried about someone getting hurt.

Yuun made it back to Chandrila for the race, he wasn't going to participate, he isn't the best pilot and knows he would only be laughign at himself as he raced more experienced pilots. Still he was here in a new ship, a Raven-Courier ship.

The countdown. Even in space, where there was no sound, the count-down resonated in her chest. A shaking hand rested on the lever for speed, and the moment it was time to go, Aryn pulled it back. A sudden thrust put the small Doctor against her seat with a thunk! Cedar, her BB-unit, began to tip its head back 'leaning back'. A worried warble sounds. "I know we're going fast.. I forgot how to slow down. I knew this was a bad idea! AHHHHHHH!" The novice pilot weaves back and forth, but Aryn tried to find her center.

<<You'll be watching my exhaust in that big beast of a fighter, Thunderbolt,>> Ax says over the comms. <<Those damned Etas though, they're almost as fast as I am,>> he adds. When the countdown completes, Ax throttles forward. His droid beeping in dismay as he pushes the snub fighter to its limits, banking and turning as he darts forward.

Thunderbolt 2 <Yeah Yeah Wraith. I'll still be prettier at the end of this.> Jax pulls back on the thrust and the ARC goes barreling through the course, Though the Corellian pilot isn't half bad making all the turns and banks. <Eye on the prize.. How you doing back there? There's not much difference than a transport is there?>

Ban has made a mistake so obvious it only makes sense to a swoop driver: he attempts to begin the race by engaging maximum thrusters... which, in a starship, is NOT the same as engaging the main engines. "Hrm.. rekk," he indulges in brief profanity, while searching about for the correct mechanism, all while crawling forward with the landing thrusters. "There-" he throws the correct lever, immediately ROCKETING forward, but not quite in the correct direction. Realizing he will miss the platform, and forgetting that in space he could simply reverse thrust a d come to a safe stop, instead he does what he'd do on a speeder bike: makes a full loop at speed.

Yes, this means by the time he is pointed in the correct direction, he is further behind the starting line than he had started.

<<These things better be fast, >> Zandra says, amusement in her voice. << Nice to hear you two. We should meet up for drinks afterwards or something. >> Code for catch up and share info, that. Course it's not so secret really. Zan waits for those ahead of her to pass the first platform, as instructed. She's ready, and Ono is plugged in, settled in position and ready as well. He's tickled to be in the fighter with Zan instead of back home waiting. For a change. She stares at Spark 2 though, distracted enough that she might well miss her start cue because uhm ... << Uhm ... Right, going then, >> she decides and hits her throttle, the ETA humming beneath her hand, nearly dancing towards that first platform and it's 3 checkpoints, as Zan darts in, leaving poor Ban as the caboose.

<<"Hey... she may be old and slow, but even Spooky Cloak took down a bigger ship in that thing... and he's Spooky Cloak, yeah?">> Elrych defends one of his prized Thunderbolts he put on loan for Jax. There is a long pause as the Jedi watches Ban... a star behind those dark shades of his, mouth hung a gap. "Oh... oh my..." Hopefully the folks watching at home and across the fleet were entertained.

The First platform was cleared... well for most of the contestants. Now, came the second. The Obsticals a little more tricky, but that's not was the challange. In the middle one sat a single dual laser turret, primed and ready to open fire. Its green bolts chase after their targets.

Ax: 182 Jax: 51 Aryn: 106 Ban: -113 Zan: 159

Meanwhile, in the back of Thunderbolt 2, Aras Khan has been invited to be a passenger in the seat of a starfighter, which is a unique experience for him. "OH my! No wonder the pilots who sit in these enjoy the ride. They certainly have some pep to them!" he calls out over the comms, as he is strapped in for this ride. "I appreciate you offering to allow me to ride along in this race, I do miss my time in the skies but as I mentioned, I am used to flying things a lot larger." he chuckles, "But, I will enjoy the thrills, and the view. Fly well!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S FIRING AT US?!" Aryn's own senses were attuned enough to detect the danger up ahead, and somehow she tilted her ship, the red lances of turret fire blitzing past her canopy coloring the interior of the craft with red. Cedar, her droid, screamed as droids often did, because she had put him closer to the incoming fire. "I KNOW... I'M SORRY... AHHHH!" The Eta-2b managed to follow the course, its speed increasing with an indicative circular spread as its engine outputs increased. The inside of the vessel began to shake. "I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-'M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M T-T-T-T-R-R-R-R-Y-Y-Y-Y-I-I-I-N-N-N-G-G-G!" Said in the wobbly voice!

It isn't just competitors who have come out to brave the course. Quite a number of ships have come as well, their viewports no doubt filled with casual observers. Including a rather dandy looking Marauder Corvette. And at least one of those observers doesn't know her way around the coms as well as she might think, as Nerys Arda's voice comes up across the airwaves, broadcasting on an unfortunately hot mic, "I can't see a thing from this angle. Can I borrow your armor so I can go sit out on the roof?" Yes, ships had roofs. "They're shooting at each other and I'm missing it!"

"Oooooh." Septima gives a grin when smacktalking begins. "Why can't we use that in politics?" she murmurs whistfully to herself. One of the ships crew gives a snicker, "Because ma'am, you guys have to worry about starting wars." he states. This makes her huff a bit and she settles back in her seat with her water, "It might be easier than trying to delicate lay things out like a minefield." she whispers.

Ax was in the lead, the Phantom's extra speed giving the Wraith a slight edge on the Eta-2's and a solid edge on the ARC-170. Twisting and turning, Ax deftly maneuvers the little interceptor past the turret shooting at them. There was a slight urge to fire at it, but it would have cost him precious speed to bring his fixed mount lasers to bear. <<You good back there, Thunderbolt. You're so far behind you're almost out of sensor range,>> Ax says with a bit of a giggle. Next, he's going around the various obstacles, still keeping his throttle as maxed as he can and still make the turn.

Thunderbolt 2 <<Elrych's Right, this thing is a classic but it's a big guy and kinda slow, Senator.>> Jax says as Thunderbolt goes heading towards the second Nav point, then Exine starts to throw a fit about lasers, "I know buddy. I know. I got it. I got. Chill. Keep the Senator Safe." Then Jax lets the force flow through him as he banks and doges lasers blasts. He chuckles as Wraith gives him a hard time, "I don't know Wraith. ON your left.> As Jax for the moment surges back to the pack with Ax.

"Let's try this again.." Ban mutters, as he brings the vessel (generally) along the course. Green eyes narrowing as he sees the platform open fire on the Spark 3, Ban aims for the turret. <<"Arming primary weapons,">> he feels compelled to warn anyone ahead of him. Which is everyone. Activating weapon system '1', he lines up a shot on the dual cannons and hits the firing stud. To his great annoyance, this results in an unguided concussion missile being launched, which sails far clear of its mark. He pauses a moment. <<"For what unfathomable reason is this vessel's ordnance listed as primary- Oh, spite-">> he curses dryly again, as the very intact turret opens fire on him. He at least manages evasive maneuvers successfully.

Zan isn't surprised as she makes her way to the second target, when it fires at her. It's still here? What are those first pilots doing anyway? The sense of impending danger has her dodge, and automatically, reflexively now, her fingers move that reticule to green, and she fires back at thte target. Her lasers pummel it, blowing it up, as she then increases her throttle, enjoying the speed of the ETA. She does notice that Wraith though, and a thoughtful look crosses her face. <<Wraith, you are some fast. I like it! >> she comments. <<C'mon Thunderbolt, we got this!>> Ban - Oh dear. There's just - Zan really has no clue what to say to that poor pilot. << Nice Flying, Spark 3!>> She encourages Aryn instead.

Khan laughs out loud in the back of the Arc, then speaks to Jax over the comms, <<"It is a beautiful ship, and do not worry about keeping me safe. Fly it till the wings come off.">> he grins inside his suit, his large blue eyes looking out into space and to all the goings on around him. Having become a senator, his time of flying ships through blaster fire have fallen to the wayside but this was a great reminder that his old life is still there, and he can have a taste from time to time. <<Besides, only a fool brags before the fight is won. Show him what you can do.>>

Elrych is captivated by Ban's... abilities. <"Why... would... I..."> He shakes his head, sitting back down in the Captain's seat of the Fair Mynock.

The Third Platform Upon them, just like much of the others. They were nearing the middle of the loop into the asteroid field. There were two turrets now, spitting green death in their direction.

Ax: 182 221 Jax: 51 280 Aryn: 106 161 Ban: -113 -132 Zan: 159 311

Painted Guardian

As the Arc starts to move through the pack and gain ground on the phantom, music suddenly floods through the chans, an orchestral arrangement of swelling instruments (flight of the valkyries style). It takes a moment before Sesti realizes where it's coming from and she turns to her R2 that she brought on Jax's Guardian with her. "Rave! Keep it in the house!" she hisses, although there's a broad grin on her face as she watches her husband skill with the larger, less maneuverable ship. The smile never dims as he dodges the blasts and keeps gaining, although her hands do tighten on the armrests of her pilot's chair.

<<"T-T-T-T-T-T-H-H-H-H-A-A-A-A-A-N-N-N-N-N-K-K-K-K-K-S!">> Aryn replies back to Zandra as Spark 3 is led through a small spiral, expertly (by chance) avoiding the green lances of turret fire. "I think I'm getting the hang of this, Cedar-- Sorry I'm not as good as the others!-- What?! NO I'M NOT LIKE JESSIKA! /SHE'S/ THE GREAT DESTROYER.. NOT ME!"

"I'll be damned," Ax says with a smile as he looks at his sensors. <<Acknowledged. You find a shortcut I missed?>> Ax asks with a grin. <<Spark 1, this ship ain't very comfortable, but she's damn near as fast as my Avenger. I look forward to that drink later. I'll even buy if I live through this course. That goes for your other friends as well if they want to join. Just know, I'm a smuggler, not a fighter ace.>>

While Ax had the lead early on, speed wasn't the only factor in this and he was watching his flightsuit's heads up display as to everyone's position. Looking at those, he damn near misses the fact that he was being shot at again. "Dammit!" he curses as he banks hard. Maybe it was because he didn't foresee their attack that made him decide to counter this time, but the Echani brings his lasers to bear, lighting up both targets as he screams past. <<"I'll do my part this time, I guess,">> he says over comms, a bit breathier than previous comm chatter.

"This is SO much better!" Nerys' voice, still as cheerful as ever, but now having that hollow sort of echoiness that came from being inside a suit, chimed in again on the comms, "It's a good thing this ship came with the EVA repair suits. This hull is murder on the backside-- WHOA! Did you see that? I think someone just bit the proverbial basket."

Jax grins, <Affirmative, Sir. Hang on. >> Jax pulls back on the throttle and dances through the second round of canon fire, <Yeah, yeah, Wraith. The Phantom Class is a good ship.. And It's not about winning. It about the ride.> Exine beeping at him crazily, <What about Spark 2? Hey Spark 2, you alright back there?>

Ban falls prey to another novice mistake: he's so far behind, he feels it necessary to remain at maximum acceleration in a futile bid to gain lost ground. But on a course that requires fine maneuvering and deceleration, he ends up missing more loops, and losing even more ground. <<"Well, at least one of the prior pilots has destroyed the turrets, so I may proceed unperturbed-">> Then the platform deploys two fresh turrets. He didn't even sense it coming. <<"...I hate you, master Cometburn,">> he states with a sigh. His best efforts are barely enough to keep the ship intact, but shields collapse, and sparks fly from the flight console, filling the cockpit with the stench of scorched durasteel. <<"And thus, with a direct hit to the pride, I shall withdraw and bid my more skilled colleagues good fortune and good flying.">> A dry sniff. "Starfighters. A dreadful invention."

Zan is having a a lot of fun flying, and listening to all the chatter. <<Wait, someone's outside of a ship?" >> she can't help asking, startled by the comment. She is trying to keep up with Ax, Jax and Aryn, and it's quite the undertaking. She does note that Ban is withdrawing, offering him, <<We'll buy you a drink later, Spark 2! >> She's glad he's okay, that's for sure. AS she approaches, the turret shot misses her, but she has to juke hard, and suddenly to make that happen. She scowls at the turrets, firing back at them hard and fast, and then her hand hits the throttle just so, and her ETA zooms along, as she scans ahead, trying to see what is going on up there.

Tempest Warden Kael was fiddling with his comms until he manages to get up on them, <<Nerys are you on the hull!?! Is the view at least good?>> Some sounds of pacing a bit but he keeps the Marauder off to the side of the race watching the events.

<<"Ooof, looks like we have the Nugget Loops first victim of the Knight. Force be with you Lord Bang, better luck next time.">> There is a clearing of the throat, <<"A reminder that today's live stream of the First Anual Nugget Loop Run is sponsored by Fizzy Glug, tasty, crisp, flavorful. Put it in your mouth.">>

The next platform comes, the number of obsticals stay the same, three each, but now they're changing position in a Zigzag pattern. Then... there were four targets firing on each participant. If destroyed, ready to be refreshed for the next runner in line.

Ax: 182 221 362 Jax: 51 280 120 Aryn: 106 161 125 Ban: -113 -132 OUT Zan: 159 311 241

Second Chance is here in an observational capacity. At the worst, he'll fire up the engines and putter along to the rescue of anyone who wrecks into anything badly enough to incur serious physical injury. (He doesn't expect anyone to get hurt, he's just the 'Safety Net' should the unlikely happen.) But until or unless something truly unfortunate happens, Barad is here to watch and to learn and enjoy. Not a great pilot by any means, but curious about the process, Barad watches his sensors and viewport, his big 'ole floopy brown ears perking up to catch the chatter on coms. Lots of impressive skill on display, Barad marvels to himself, *munching* crisps. In fact, he had no idea some of these moves were even physically -possible-. But now he does! They say 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks' but Barad is still a pretty new dog, and new dogs -are- quite curious, aren't they. . . Barad listens to the ad for FizzyGlug over the broadcast during the intermission. Wait. FizzyGlug is . . . 'Crisp' did they say? Hm. Barad reminds Barad to never drink that swill again. Barad nods to Barad, sagely. Good Call. Now, it's "Back to the Races!" . . . now this is exciting . . . Barad leans forward. *crunch crunch munch crunch*

"How else was I supposed to see anything? Moving this ship is like trying to get a Hutt to tapdance." Beat, "Don't ask how I know that." And then, for a few, merciful moments, Nerys was silent, as she watched the next round of the competition cum laser tag that was going on. Until. "Are you coming out or what? There's music and everything."

Aryn had the clarity to look at her sensors to see that Ban had fallen out of the race and her heart sank a bit. He tried to pilot knowing it was not something he was good at. His effort made the Doctor smile.

Having a bit more confidence now that she felt like she understood the motions of her craft, Aryn didn't seem to realize this was a competition at all. Having no sense of competitive drive, the young Lady moves toward the next platform having been passed by the other contestants. They flew way better than she could!

Still, when it came time to handle the obstacles, Aryn positioned her craft accordingly spinning casually to one side just as the turrets began to open fire. This time, the Jedi was ready for them, and a steadied breath exhaled as she closed her eyes a moment. The Force was here, she felt it all around her; the touch of its subtle current swaying her one way, then the other.

The Eta-2B moved gracefully between the shots, spinning starboard only to dip low beneath and shot then rise above another. The obstacles, the zig-zagging formation, are passed through in similar ease, but with some close calls.

She opened her eyes, her first thoughts of being with Rey in Yavin IV, feeling the immersion of the Force and its esoteric nature and guidance. Aryn submerged herself in an unnatural calm, and the short Doctor tipped her chin in with narrowing eyes; and for the first time.. she felt confident doing something.

<"I never claimed to be the better pilot, just better looking Thunderbolt 2. I've seen an ARC in a fight, I don't want to tangle with one that has a competent crew."> Meanwhile, Ax's droid Buster can be heard complaining about Ax lowering the inertial dampeners to dangerous levels, even though his flightsuit is capable of handling it, not to mention his ability in the force. Still though, the droid was giving Ax hell over how much unecessary stress he was putting this delicate ship through, and how he should slow down due to the asteroids and other obstacles and fly in a more safe manner. Ax, has obviously learned to ignore the droid.

As the next leg of the run comes up, Ax seems to anticipate the enemy firing at him, and since destroying them just prompts another turret to pop up, he just blows past without returning fire. After all, he didn't want to get shown up by a better pilot in a slower ship.

<Spark 2, I slaute you. Thanks for flying. This is is going to get bumpy, Senator.> Jax says as he flies toward the fourt objective, <There's four turrents.> Jax says as well he draws a bead on the turrent. There's a heavy thump against the hull. Exine exclaims quite angerly. <Yeah I know what it did to the shields. Work your magic. You want to go on Adventures, remember.> The droid raspberries Jax but gets to work. Then Jax squeezes off a trio of shots connecting with the target, <Wraith, I don't know. There's something just beautiful about a classic. This is where they got the X-wing from after all.> He says as flies through the obstical but clips the side of one of the loops, <Sith Spawn, that's going to hurt on points.>

Septima got distracted by a holocall and she comes back to the race, having missed a big chunk of it. Well darn! "Well everyone, do we want to head back down so that we can carry on with business?" the Senator asks. There is a look given to the navigation when team when they want to get going. She wasn't opposed to staying, she just wasn't sure where they were.

Zan concentrates on what she's doing, reaching for the Force as well. There do seem to be a lot of Force using pilots running this course, and it does make for a very interesting time. As she approaches the next platform, she dodges the incoming fire handily, and makes a target run in which she fires at all the shooting boxes, zigging and zagging to make sure she hits the checkpoints as well. After the third checkpoint, she fires and misses the last turret, but doesn't wait around. One and done, really, because there's more left to fly through on this course. << Hey, i could get used to flying these ETAs. They're a lot of fun, >> she puts in.

Elrych continued to watch intently on the bride, cracking open a can of Fizzy Glug and downing it like a gamer boy would during a really intense session of Call of The Trooper. The reflection of the contestants dancing in his shades.

The last platform is upon them before the enter the dangers of the Asteroid Field. There were targets on almost every part of this platform. A STREAM of Green laser fire poured out from it as if it were a small gunboat sitting in wait for its prey to happen upon it!

Ax: 182 221 362 140 Jax: 51 280 120 125 Aryn: 106 161 125 194 Ban: -113 -132 OUT Zan: 159 311 241 307

Senator Khan, who has been grinning the entire time on the flight, maybe grins a little larger. <<This is bumpy? I am not some fragile item to be placed in a stasis field for fear of it being handled improperly. Fly my boy, focus forward, not behind!>> he smacks the back of the seat a couple times, <<"If I was worried, I'd have told you perhaps /I/ should fly.">>

Spark 2 hasn't lost sensors, yet, and as Ban draws safely out of the race, the gentleman settles in to watch. The kind words receive no answer, as the Iskender doesn't wish to offer any distraction.

The last platform was ahead and it was loaded for bear. Doubt wanted to surface, but the young Lady locked her gaze on the goal. Going so bold as to increase her speed further, the Jedi began an evasive pattern that only showed one fault, her shields shimmering around her S-foil on the starboard side. "Oh no... Cedar, I'm sorry!"

Still, the craft weaved, spinning through the volley of green lances to navigate the final obstacles. She took a wide turn to finish at last, grinning from ear to ear. "WE MADE IT, CEDAR! DID YOU SEE THAT?! HAHAAA!" <<"Ban.. did you see that?!">>

"Alright Senator!" Jax says as he goes diving toward the last target and Eight turrents pop up, <"I really really got to talk to Elrych about his counting. Eight does not come immediately after four."> Exine just lets out a string of binary cuss words that would make R2-D2 proud. Jax dancing through the shots and not trying to open fire at his targets. The Arc shudders as a shot hits Thunderbolt 2, Exine yells at Jax. < Yeah I know, there was 8 shots! ONly one hit us, our shields are holding. Senator tell him it wasn't that bad.> Jax lets out a breath. He goes zipping through the finish line the s-foils delpoyed as he lets the heat dissipate. <We made it. Hey Wraith You said you were buying drinks right? And Fancy flying, Spark1 and Spark 3.>

Buster notifies Ax that there was a full barage of laser fire incoming, but it was almost as if the Echani had anticipated it. "Wow! That's a lot," Ax exclaims as he dodges, ducks, dips, dives, and dodges blast after blast as he throttles his little fighter to full. Again, his droid goes into almost panic mode, beeping and hollering in its binary speak. "Oh can it before I trade you for Exine!" Ax says.

<<Careful out there Sparks and Thunderbolt. A lot more bogeys this time than before.>> Yeah, this course was pretty intense. He'd have to buy Elrych a drink or six for organizing this training op and inviting a smuggler like himself along. <<Whoooo!>> he says as he avoids the hazards, his ship still unscathed.

<<Drinks on me if someone can find a decent pub on planet that's not too damn ritzy. I ain't as rich as I used to be. Times been hard since Kylo Ren blew up my hangars on Nar Shaddaa.>> At least he was dead now, right?

Ban laughs quietly in his cockpit at Aryn's enthusiasm. Good humor warms his dignified response to Spark 3, answering once her run is complete, <<"So I did, Lady. *Most* admirably done. Well done, one and all,">> he expands to congratulation to include the others, for courtesy.

This is where things really get a bit crazy. Zan is distracted just enough that she loses her connection to the force. Without her danger sense to warn her, she relies on sheer piloting. She's good, very good, but the ace pilot hasn't ever been the target of that much focused fire before. She dodges most of the lasers aimed her way, returning fire a couple times. Still her ETA is rocked by more than one shot, and she takes a deep breath, squeaking slightly. Her mic isn't hot is it? Hopefully not! "You're up, Ono," she says, as she lets herself concentrate on flying now, getting out of range of any more shots those turrets might like to fire. "Keep us in the race. << Everyone okay out there? >> she asks. In the background, one can now hear her droid going 'oh no, oh no,oh no,' as it starts working on shield repair.

Then there was the Asteroid Field. It loomed, the finishing platform waiting silently on the other side. Rocks and Ice moved about in a chaotic dance of perpetual motion, confined to the movements the laws of physics gave them. Now... the fighters would be moving through there.

Ax: 182 221 362 140 201 Jax: 51 280 120 125 153 Aryn: 106 161 125 194 157 Ban: -113 -132 OUT Zan: 159 311 241 307 323

The race is not over, yet Aryn bringing up the tail end of it is the last to realize that fact. Asteroids bounce and move as gravity wills, and suddenly a new perspective of fear begins to surface. Not quite the centered and focused pilot she'd been moments before, her comms switch off aptly and pre-emptively to shield the others from the screams only she, and her poor droid, would be privy to.

The Eta-2b weaves in and out, spinning, ducking, dodging, spiraling and looping, and the entire way Aryn was screaming, or sucking in breath, in order to scream further. When at last she emerges on the other side, the strung out Doctor slumps back in her seat and sighs out. "Never. Again, Cedar. Why did you talk me into this?" The chipper droid warbles, its head dancing side to side comically. "Haha, that's funny at least." She answers back, not having to look at the translation read out.

Maybe Ax had decided to celebrate too soon. As many times as Ax had flown this same ship through asteroid fields for practice, this was still a difficult thing to get through. All that practice paid off though, and the Echani brings the Wraith through the asteroid field unscathed. <<By the gods that was close. I almost bit it a couple of times through that last bit.>> Again, his droid is complaining about how fast the Echani flew his ship, how close he flew to certain asteroids. Pulling back on the throttle, Ax spins the ship about, watching for any who might be behind him to exit the field.

Jax emerges into an Astroid field like the rest of the ships, <Emperors Black Bones, Rocks!> Though finding his center and pulling back on the throttle. The Corellian starts to work his way through the astroid field, picking up speed where he can and dodging rocks, more his carefully piloting and his plotting seeing him through to the finish line. Exine was quiet for most of it. Then finally he lets out a series of beeps, <What? You and Buster are talking about a Trade? Trading what?> Jax was the first through the finish line but it was all about the score in the end. <You were going to trade me for AX?>

With the last platform out of the way, there's ... asteroids. << Whoever thought of this course is a sadist, >> Zan pronounces with a bit of a laugh. She doesn't slow down quite enough, and she ends up paying for it, making her way through, losing time and points no doubt. A glare over at the dot that is the Mynock on her sensors, mumbling a bit. She does make it out, just in time to hear Jax's outraged question. << Sounds like you all need some droid therapy, >> is her dry comment, just as her own droid manages to tweet in binary, <<Oh no, oh no, oh no, We're all gonna die. >> There's a pause before Zan says, "Guess i do too. >> She spins her ship around to settle in near the others.

As the pilots pass through the Field, Elrych is sitting on the edge of his seat and as they pass the finishing platform, that beeping sound indicating they've completed the run, causes him to stand. He moves over towards the display, where the numbers of points are running. Up and Up and Up... <<"Alright... Here We Go... We have the Winners. First place and a prize of One Hundred thousand Credits, is Zandra na'Muriel. Violent Violet herself everyone flying Spark 1. Second place goes to, Wraith... what a fast little craft. That's 50 thousand if you didn't know. Third place goes to My darlin' Thunerbolt 2. She's big and old, but she knows how to fly. Put a competent pilot behind her and she's DANGEROUs.">> He presses a buttong a swinging music starts to play with an upbeat drum line. <<"Thanks for comin' out all you Cool Rekk Cats and Cubs, that's all for this race. Come bax Next year when I'll toally have more turrets.">> What a troll.

Ax 182 221 362 140 201 67 Total: 1173 Jax 51 280 120 125 153 88 Tota: 817 Aryn 106 161 125 194 157 -58 Total: 685 Ban -113 -132 OUT Total: -245 Zan 159 311 241 307 323 -99 Total: 1242