The Race

[childofrebellion]

The stands are a mixture of good quality and finding seats where you can. Thanks to the help of Pan, Cassian was able to get Barry, Cisco and Gabe seats with a good view of what's visible of the track and then the screens showing the other sections.

Cassian's down with the ships with Yamato, Pan came by to help them but is now up in the stands.

Comments

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Tch," Yamato replies, before giving an irritable glance at his ship's sensors. "... Yeah, I see them."

They're nipping at his heels, threatening to overtake him at any moment. In this clear stretch of race, Cisco's modifications mean that he can keep ahead of them -- it's what happens when he reaches the obstacle section that worries him. If they're going to break out the dirty tricks, he reckons that'll be when.

For the moment, he keeps his focus dead ahead, as he flies into the obstacle section of the lap.

[childofrebellion]

The obstacles are one of the few places left to try and change the race. A heat signature lights up on one of the ships as it starts readying a weapon.

Cassian spots it, "Directly behind you, the ship at your five o'clock is warming what might be a weapon."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Thanks," Yamato says, glancing down at his radar.

With that warning from Cassian, when the ship behind him fires, he dodges out of the way, avoiding a blast of energy that would, he's pretty sure, have sent him crashing in a ball of fire.

Another ship seizes on the opportunity created by that first ship, tossing out a small spherical device that explodes with concussive force, sending Yamato spinning out of control. He wrenches back control of the ship before it can collide with anything and go up in flames, just barely, but the three racers that were behind him take the opportunity to pull ahead of him.

Fifth place.

Yamato swears loudly, giving chase. He promised Pan that he'd win this race, the entire plan relies on it, and getting shunted back to fifth place is the last thing he needs.

[childofrebellion]

Cassian curses as Yamato's knocked back, "Only one of those ships stopped to refuel."

Its a possible edge, thin but something.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Noted," Yamato says, scowling at the ships ahead of him.

Sure enough, two of those ships start to slow after a few moments, trying to find a balance between keeping ahead of him and conserving enough fuel to actually finish the lap.

Yamato seizes on the opportunity, giving his afterburners a split second burn to go flying past them.

Third place.

As they exit the obstacles section of the lap and start their ascent, he's nipping at the heels of the racer in second place, so close to overtaking them.

[childofrebellion]

The racer in front tries to block him but doesn't have as much fuel as they think so lag back. Ahead Altax's lead isn't as strong since his fuel calculations weren't perfect which means there might be an opening.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato grins a little as he zooms past the racer in front midway through their ascent.

Second place.

Okay, back on track. He has a ways to go before he catches up with Altax, but as they enter the space section of the lap, he's closing the gap, getting closer and closer.

[childofrebellion]

Up in space, Altax chooses to use one afterburner to try and lengthen his lead. All the other ships are falling farther behind.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato gives his afterburners a quick burn as well, keeping pace with Altax and close on his tail as they make their way through space.

It isn't long before he's mere metres behind Altax, threatening to overtake him at any moment.

[childofrebellion]

Altax is running out of tricks but does have one last push of his afterburner to try and pull ahead before they reenter the atmosphere.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato, meanwhile, does have a trick up his sleeve.

Since he's so close behind Altax, it's easy enough to angle his ship to get caught in the other pilot's slipstream, letting Altax's own momentum drag him down through the atmosphere.

When he eventually fires his own afterburners, the result is a huge burst of speed, the cumulative result of his own top speed plus Altax's, rocketing him ahead of Altax.

He is moving very quickly towards the ground now, though.

[childofrebellion]

Cassian gives a small cheer when Yamato passes Altax but then holds his breath as the ship plunges toward the ground. They've built it so the ship should be able to pull up in time but that doesn't mean it will work.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Since he's not trying to overtake anyone now -- just trying to keep his first place position -- Yamato doesn't let himself get quite so close to the ground before he pulls up this time, although it's still a near thing.

As soon as he's up, he darts into the tunnels, heading down the shortcut Altax used in the last lap.

[childofrebellion]

"Nicely done," Cassian says when he sees Yamato using the shortcut.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Thanks. He played his hand too early, he shouldn't have used this shortcut of his in the second lap," Yamato says wryly.

Yes, he is getting a certain amount of satisfaction out of using Altax's own momentum, and then his own shortcut, to pull ahead -- even if most of his attention right now is focused on the delicate task of manoeuvring through the tunnels.

[childofrebellion]

"No, but he was too confident. Now let's get you safely across the finish line."

Cassian's not going to enjoy anything until the victory is secure.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"I'll be almost disappointed if he doesn't have a trick up his sleeve for the final leg of this lap."

Yamato clears the caves a second later, with Altax close behind him.

[childofrebellion]

In the tunnels, Altax follows behind and fires a missile to try and knock Yamato out of first place.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato gives a wild laugh, swooping around as the missile tracks him and follows his movements. A sharp dip towards the ground and then equally sharply pulling up is enough to send the missile crashing into the ground.

"Not bad," he chuckles. All that fancy flying has given Altax a chance to close the gap somewhat, but Yamato's still in the lead.

[childofrebellion]

"What happened?" Cassian asks as he hears the whoop. In the tunnels, its harder to follow the specifics.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"He fired a missile at me. Nothing to worry about."

They'll be exiting the tunnels soon. Yamato gives his ship a kick of speed, burning the afterburners for a few short seconds.

[childofrebellion]

"No damage?" Firing is sadly not surprising especially nearing the end of the race, Altax is losing and trying all he can.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Nothing worse than some scratches to the paintwork," Yamato replies.

[childofrebellion]

"Good, then let's finish this race up."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"No problem."

Yamato exits the tunnels at top speed, with Altax close behind him, and as a few more missiles are fired off, he weaves around them with a delighted laugh, guiding them into crashing harmlessly into the ground.

There's a momentary kick of speed from Altax, a second or two where he looks like he might overtake Yamato, before Yamato cranks up the speed on his own engine and pulls ahead again, just in time to cross the finish line in first place.

As he guides the ship back into the garage, now at least knowing that he's won and that Pan's debts will be covered, that adrenaline high he's been on starts to wear off. By the time he shuts down the engines and opens the cockpit, his hands are shaking a little.