|
"Birds don't grow from seeds, dummy! They hatch from eggs!" calls Si, helpfully.
The pile of birdseed opens up an eye, cautiously, and looks around. Then it opens up six eyes in a concentric ring and a tiny little mouth opens up and it begins screaming again!
It grows little birdseed legs and scampers about, in a panic!
|
|
Morlamaws on Ice makes a stunning debut, and Lan and Si clap and hoot excitedly at the show! Vreelin and Brivarius manage to calm down the strange shapeshifting creature. It sits on Vreelin's head as Brivarius attempts to pantomime to it that power cables are not food. Osho looks at a tangle of knots in the wall with clearly disconnected wiring sticking out of one end of the knot, and realizes there's going to be a lot of work for the engineers to fix here.
Fitch excitedly puts the Wayfinders' latest recruit into a large transparent aluminum crate, where it turns into a vase of tulips. "Well, I wasn't expecting that! Excellent work, Starfinders. It's strange what you can find in the nooks and crannies of an old ship like this one! We'll see what we can do to start communicating with this old girl here. I've got a team of linguists coming by."
"For your efforts, we've got a credstick for you. I understand that one of my engineers, the father of those kids you found, wanted you to have this as well: a Mark I ring of resistance. Take good care of it! It's a memento from his wife, who we lost in the Scoured Stars... debacle. Use it as a reminder of how much we've all lost."
|
|
The plain white doors of the office slide open to reveal a stark, dimly lit room. The chamber is bleak and expressionless in its emptiness—no vanities line its smooth black walls, and no signs of use mar its smooth black furniture. The only occupants of the suite are a bug-eyed tadpole wriggling in a glowing blue aquarium and a reptilian vesk seated behind an onyx desk. The vesk gestures to a number of chairs in front of him, his features sharply illuminated by the light of his desk’s green holoscreen. “The new graduates,” he greets, in a low and pleasant voice. “Good day. I am Radaszam, though since you are here, I should hope you already knew.
“I trust you are aware of our Society’s traditions, so I will cut to the point. I have a minor situation that needs resolution. One of our members, a human named Laboni, had a rather public altercation with a junk scavenger from the Spike. You might be more familiar with the scavenger than I, actually; he is a ysoki who fancifully calls himself Ratrod. I am told he runs a popular racing competition that has, hmm, several hundreds of thousands of viewers on the station’s infosphere. For some reason, Laboni felt the need to tell him that any ‘real’ mechanic could easily beat the garbage that Ratrod and his associates slap together. Now that Ratrod has issued an infosphere-wide demand that she race him and prove it, Laboni doubts she can back that claim up.
“Embarrassing, isn’t it? Not really the sort of troublemaker that suits our Society. Perhaps she would be better suited to the bottom of a trash compactor... Well, we cannot afford to throw her out, not after so many Starfinders were lost in the Scoured Stars. Besides, we can’t let people think we are so weak that we can’t control our own members, or that we cannot stand up to a scrapyard junker. No, I would like you to assist Laboni in winning this race. Show our detractors that even the least of our Society is not someone to be trifled with.”
Radaszam sends you directions to the race’s location in Botscrap and hands them badges marking you all as Laboni’s official pit crew. He suggests you not delay. "You'll need as much time as possible to dig Laboni out from under this burgeoning disaster, I wager."
As you head into the Spire, you find that Ratrod’s racing circuit is a hollowed-out section of a mountain of spare parts in Botscrap, the track specifically sanctioned by the ysoki-dominated Salvage Union that controls most of the yards. When you arrive at the competitors’ entrance, a small robot approaches you, scans your badges, then, in a recorded announcer-voice, they play, "Greetings. Welcome to the Botscrap, Pit Crew. Here are the basic rules: (1) Racers and their pit crews are to build and improve their vehicles from the available scrap around the racetrack. Vehicles built at previous junkraces can return. (2) Racers can fire upon other competitors during the race, but firing into the audience is grounds for immediate disqualification. (3) racer weapons must be nonlethal and may affect only opponents’ vehicles. Good luck!"
Laboni is easy to find in the crowd due to her paisley clothes and bright white lab coat. She is in her late teens and when you approach she sheepishly says "I'm for this whole debacle! Radaszam must be so ticked. I was just aping the opinions of my seniors in the field and ahhh... got a bit carried away. I'm really glad you all are here to help. I'm super in over my head. I want to apologize to Ratrod for being a jerk, but I'd really like to win first to save face for the society and myself. Let me show you what I've put together. It's not good enough to win yet. And when I got the message they were sending over help I decided to focus on making the junkracer controllable remotely. I expect all of you are better at piloting and weapons than me! I'm just a mechanic!”
|
|
You only have a little bit of time before the race starts. You think you can each get 4 things done before it starts. Here are some ideas about what you can do, listed below.
Improve Laboni’s Junkracer
You can look for useful parts in the scrapyard. Common checks for this would include Computers, Engineering, Perception, or Physical Science. There may be applicable Professions as well. If you are successful, you can pick one of the possible improvements from the list to install on the Junkracer.
Investigating the Competition
You can investigate all your competitors (Sense Motive) or all their vehicles (Engineering) with this action. You’ll get one piece of information per success. (Roll your check 5 times and let me know if you are after something specific.) You can also choose to socialize with one competitor instead of rolling one of these checks for them. (See Socializing.)
Sabotage
You think with a particularly Stealthy individual with some Engineering expertise could sabotage a vehicle to reduce the vehicle’s speed by 10 feet or to impose a –4 penalty on one of the vehicle’s modifiers (attack or piloting). Checking out the regulations, cheating isn’t tolerated. The first crew member caught cheating is tossed out of the pit (and can no longer help with the preparations). If a second crew member is caught, the entire team is disqualified.
Socializing
You may socialize with your competition during the Improve and Investigating actions. This lets you learn a bit more about them, perhaps gets some tips, make some friends or taunt your enemies.
Finish Upgrading
When you all stand back and admire your work Laboni exclaims, “This is so cool you all! I’m super excited. What should we name it?”
|
Sir Feighnswelle looks around for scraps that may be useful, but can't find anything he considers of use. "This junkyard is full of nothing but, well, junk!" he declares.
In his spare time, between not finding things, he flops over toward other competitors in order of furriness.
First, he approaches Ratrod. "I say, a fine day for a race, it would seem." Looking around, he then asks, "So, where is your racer? Could it be there, behind that hodgepodge pile of scrap?"
Next, he scoot over towards Nyizin, "Why the dour look? Don't tell me you already know that you are going to lose."
Later, he shuffles to Lemgem's pit. "Quite the colorful mane, you sport there. I reminds me of one of my relatives."
Finally, Sir Feighnswelle confronts Orsis. "Those antennae don't appear to be too aerodynamic, My Boy. Are you sure that you have the teeth to race?"
|
|
Osho looks around the scrap yard.
I go to each vehicle to investigate.
Lemgem
Velocity
Nyzin
Orisis
Ratrod
Osho approaches Ratrod. Hi Ratrod, I am your biggest fan. What you did in the last race was amazing. What makes you go so fast?
Then I approach Lemgem. Hi Lemgem, I am your biggest fan. What you did in the last race was amazing. Any tips for a rookie pit crew?
|
Brivarius looks for ways to boost speed.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
"I honestly have no idea what I am looking for. This thing looked interesting though."
After each attempt to find a thing, they stop by the competition to socialize with the exception of Ratrod who they figure will not appreciate a visit.
(1) "Hello, Nyizin! How are you feeling today? Would you happen to have any tips for a new racer?"
(2) "Hi, Lemgem! You look like you take no prisoners. Any advise for a noob?" Brivarius asks a bit awkwardly as he tries to sound casual.
(3) "Greeting, Velocity! Your colors are fantastic. They remind me of home. I do not suppose you would be willing to share any advise? I have never been at one of these races before."
(4) "Hello, Orsis. You look very stylish. Is that your own personal brand? Would you be willing to share any tips for a new racer?
|
|
Sir Feighnswelle finds a lot of components! Heavy cannons, light starship cannons... is this a starship shield generator here? And it's even the Mark II edition! Unfortunately, none of these are even close to the right size for a junkracer!
Winston, on the other hand, does have more luck.
Vreelin keeps finding all sorts of smaller components that are in great shape--like here's a perfectly good turbopump! Sure, it's attached to a 60-year-old engine, but the turbopump is in peak working condition!
Osho pokes around, and doesn't find a lot going on, so he moves onto bigger and better things.
Brivarius finds a Speed enhancement--an engine shroud that actually fits Laboni's junkracer's engine!
Dr. Apati does some digging as well, and finds some familiar-looking injectors... those could be handy! The doctor has two prescriptions for speed! (Okay, maybe not that kind of speed.)
Speed 3 improvements: +15 Speed (each increases base speed by 5 feet)
Steering 0 improvements (+1 Piloting modifier each)
Steering 0 improvements (+1 attack modifier.)
Steering 0 improvements (+2 bonus to its EAC.)
Steering 0 improvements (+2 bonus to its KAC.)
Weapons 0 weapons found (see spoiler)
Basic kinetic weapon on the vehicle (imposes a –4 base Piloting penalty on a hit).
Upgrade a weapon to impose an additional –2 penalty to enemy Piloting checks on a successful hit.
Undecided Upgrades:
Winston: 2
Vreelin: 4
|
|
Feighnswelle notices Ratrod himself as he unearths what appears to be yet another tactical nuclear missile deployment platform that someone has run out of tactical nukes. (Where are people finding all of these things?) Feighnswelle verbally jabs at the ysoki's build quality, just as Winston flippers the ysoki in the back and congratulates him on his impending loss. The rat is nearly small enough to share a square with either of the two morlamaws.
"Shove off, you--you big walruses!" the ysoki with mottled gray-and-white fur yells. "You couldn't even beach yourself on one of my junkracers!" A crowd around him giggles.
If you want, you can attempt a DC 17 Intimidate check to raise the stakes with even more trash-talk...
Ratrod sputters. "You-you-you big buffoons! I'm gonna stick a harpoon on my racer just for YOU!!"
Vreelin and Osho step in afterward, and tries to "patch things up." The rat is very clearly rat-tled. "You can't be my biggest fan with those two lurking around here!" he steams to Osho, gesturing at Feighnswelle and Winston. "Nice to see a friendly face though, yeah? Welcome to the big leagues! Try to lose gracefully! Oh, and my secret? I dunno, I've just got a certain energy nobody else seems to know!" He grins at Vreelin. "You too, hot stuff. Tell those buddies of yours to lay off or I'll have something special in store for 'em!"
Vreelin keeps tabs on Ratrod, and notes that while he isn't the best pilot, he's both an excellent pilot and perhaps the best shot here. Ratrod, to nobody's surprise, might be your toughest opponent on the course.
Osho thinks Ratrod emphasized "energy" a little too much. Maybe there's some secret about energy weapons? Why does the rat have a laser rifle in a vise pointed at the junkracer? Osho has questions.
|
|
"Shove off, you--you big walruses!" the ysoki with mottled gray-and-white fur yells. "You couldn't even beach yourself on one of my junkracers!" A crowd around him giggles.
"Is that so, Runtrod?" Sir Feighnswelle replies, as he moves his bulk forward, threatening to plop himself up on top of the ysoki's racer.
Ratrod sputters." "You-you-you big buffoons! I'm gonna stick a harpoon on my racer just for YOU!!"
"I might be mildly concerned, if I thought your composition of trash were capable of sufficient speed to catch me." he replies as he waddles away.
|
|
Speed 7 improvements: +35 Speed (each increases base speed by 5 feet)
Steering 0 improvements (+1 Piloting modifier each)
Steering 0 improvements (+1 attack modifier.)
Steering 2 improvements: +4 EAC (+2 bonus to its EAC.)
Steering 0 improvements (+2 bonus to its KAC.)
Weapons 0 weapons found (see spoiler)
Basic kinetic weapon on the vehicle (imposes a –4 base Piloting penalty on a hit).
Upgrade a weapon to impose an additional –2 penalty to enemy Piloting checks on a successful hit.
Undecided Upgrades:
none
Speed 75 ft., full 750 ft.
EAC 14; KAC 12
Attack energy weapon (–4 to Piloting)
Modifiers +2 Piloting, –3 attack
Passengers 1
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Remote Control Laboni’s junkracer and weaponry can be remotely controlled by the PCs, allowing them to make attack rolls and attempt Piloting checks in her place.
|
|
Nyizin bears still-fresh scars, both on her body and on her junkracer--it looks like she's got some seriously unstable mods!
"Why the dour look? Don't tell me you already know that you are going to lose."
"I have lost enough already." she says. "You wouldn't understand the loss of a bonded dragonkin. They were everything, and now they are nothing, and I am nothing."
"Brilliant coiffure," he says to Nyzin. "Looks the same before and after the race. Perhaps less dust in it now, though."
"You might be surprised how one races when you have nothing to lose."
To Vreelin, she shakes her head. Looking at Vreelin and Brivarius, "I don't trust anyone now. I can't. But you two seem nice enough... tell you what. I'll show you a trick. See this valve here?" She points at a rough-cut flap on a feeder line. "If you were to, oh... inject some nitrous in here, you'd get a burst of power. Don't do it to any engine you have long-term plans for, though."
Osho lurks around, but can't make head nor tail of the black-market dragonbone-and-arcane-magick modifications here. He's pretty sure that Nyizin wants to win or die, though.
|
|
Later, he shuffles to Lemgem's pit. "Quite the colorful mane, you sport there. I reminds me of one of my relatives."
"Lovely paint job," he says enviously to Lemgem. "One can barely see the rust beneath it!"
You approach Lemgem's pit, Lemgem being a blue-haired gnome covered in piercings, tattoos, and augmentations. She's almost as augmented as her racer.
The gnome throws caution to the wind and greets you. She looks Feighnswelle up and down. "What, you're one of my opponents? BO-RING! But your relative must have awesome taste. You got any pics? I really wanna see a blue walrus!"
"Not you, though, you big lug." She says to Winston. "C'mon, you're trying to embarrass me with rust on a " Her voice carries... an amazing distance.
Diplomacy Lemgem: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Vreelin has a pleasant conversation with Lemgem, who says. "Aw! That's so CUUUUTE! Sure I'll help you and your friend out! Watch out for Ratrod, by the way. Little twerp has some sort of mod on there that uses energy weapons to power his racer. Use kinetic on him!"
Lemgem Engineering: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14 What kinds of weapons or I can ask for one what energy weapon?
Osho investigates Lemgem, and realizes that she's lacking a certain flair... a particular panache... perhaps a modicum of talent for racing? He doesn't think she's going to be particularly effective at either racing or gunnery.
"Hi, Lemgem! You look like you take no prisoners. Any advise for a noob?" Brivarius asks a bit awkwardly as he tries to sound casual."
"Yeah, sure! You hang out with a cool crowd. I say, uh... keep the other racers on their toes! I like to mix things up and always go a different speed. Means they don't know where to shoot!"
|
|
Orsis is a stoic, dark-haired lashunta who looks unfairly good in black and gold.
The party approaches Orsis with several strategies. He seems to look long and hard at each of you in turn.
Sir Feighnswelle confronts Orsis. "Those antennae don't appear to be too aerodynamic, My Boy. Are you sure that you have the teeth to race?"
Orsis sits, looking pretty, leaning against his racer. His antennae seem to point toward each of you. "My teeth might not be as big as yours, sir morlamaw, but I assure you they're sufficient for racing. And eating lunch. What brings you by?"
Orsis Engineering: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (8) + 0 = 8 What kinds of weapons or I can ask for one what energy weapon?
"Oh, I see you're just here to scope out the competition. Don't worry. I'm just as big of a threat as you think I am." Osho is unable to get a good read on Orsis's weaponry as he shifts back and forth to block whatever you're trying to look at!
"Hello, Orsis. You look very stylish. Is that your own personal brand? Would you be willing to share any tips for a new racer?
"I'm glad you're being polite. To respond in just as polite a manner, I must regretfully decline."
You don't get as great a read on Orsis as you do on the others.
|
|
Velocity is a beautiful android with silver hair and skin. They have self-modified to have both masculine and feminine attributes, and have decorated their clothing, eyelids, and lips with bright, colorful patterns.
He pauses at Velocity's pit, feigning shock. "Auntie Ethel, is that you! Why, I haven't- Oh, wait." He eyes Velocity's colorful shirt. "Apologies, old bean. With that on, I mistook you for someone I knew. Good thing. Beastly creature." He mock shudders and continues on.
Velocity stares in... shock, perhaps, as Winston passes by, most definitely not like a ship in the night.
Brivarius, Osho, and Vreelin sneak up beside Velocity as they stare at Winston. The android gives a start.
"Oh! I. Uh, didn't see you there!"
"Greeting, Velocity! Your colors are fantastic. They remind me of home. I do not suppose you would be willing to share any advise? I have never been at one of these races before."
Vreelin: Diplomacy Velocity: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
"Oh! Thank you! I went quite conservative today. I hope to show off on the track. Maybe leave some scorch marks on the other racers!"
Osho peeks around Velocity's racer, but can't make head or tail of the machine.
The dynamic trio make fast friends with Velocity, who notices Osho's investigations and whispers, "Could you help me? I've been itching to race something faster, but I'm not half the mechanic I want to be."
|
|
Laboni says, "Wow! That's... that's fast! What do you want to call her? And who's piloting? As for the gun..."
Laboni holds up a number of control pads. "I read about this time the infosphere did this crazy thing where they let everyone input commands to a single vidgame simultaneously--what was it, Flinch Plays Plays Poke-tron? Something like that! I wasn't sure how many guns you'd add, so I made a bunch of these! I guess everyone who's not piloting gets one!"
|
|
===================================
Velocity: Computers, Engineering, Perception, or Physical Science check, to improve the speed of Velocity's racer (everyone can attempt this once if you like)
Pilot: Who's our best pilot? Is that Brivarius with the +3?
Ship Name: Got any suggestions?
===================================
First racer to the finish line wins! In case of ties, furthest distance past is the tiebreak. Ratrod's optical sensors aren't great and if you get past the first tiebreaker, you tie.
Laboni will be your official pilot, but one of you can play pilot remotely!
========
Normally this race takes place in turns, each turn having two phases, but we're going to compress things a bit. We're going to break this up into the opening four turns to let things shake out, take stock, and then we'll run the rest of the race to the finish!
First, we need a pilot. Our top pilot appears to be Brivarius with a... +3? Well, this'll be interesting! Let us know if we have any challengers for that particular crown! Once we settle on a pilot, I'll need four piloting checks from the pilot. The pilot will receive an additional +2 bonus from your racer!
For everyone else, you get to play Twitch Plays Pokemon--I mean, Fitch Plays Poketron--with the cannon!
Please make four attack rolls, each at a -3 penalty because you're going so darned fast. Alongside each attack, choose a target! Your valid targets include:
* Whoever's in first!
* Ratrod the rat boss
* Nyizin the ryphorian
* Orsis the stylish lashunta
* Velocity the colorful android
(Lemgem's friendly!)
Whoever has the highest attack roll has control of the cannon that turn, and they choose the target! If one of these choices turns out to be an ally, attacks against them will be converted to attacks against whoever's in first. Attacks don't cause damage, but they do provide a penalty on the target's piloting checks that round!
|
Vreelin will attempt to fix up Velocity's racer.
Unfortunately, Vreelin has no ability to pilot. He suggests Brivarius.
Vreelin also is ready to take his turn at the weapons controls! He will always target whoever is in first that isn't us, unless that person is an ally. Basically he will target the leading non-ally!
As for a name, Vreelin suggests "What about the Shooting Star, because we're Starfinders, and it goes fast, and it can shoot things! I like it!"
|
|
Sir Feighnswelle finds some flame decals for the android's racer.
As for the name, the morlamaw notes, "Better than 'Shot Up Star' I suppose."
Sir Feighnswelle targets the ysoki at first, unless someone suggests a reason not to. Otherwise, he targets the leader or, in the event that that is Laboni, the next closest, unaligned racer behind her.
|
|
Velocity seems aloof, but winks at Feighnswelle as they approach the starting line.
The booming voice of the announcer calls out, “Welcome to Ratrod’s Scrap Battle! Sponsored by the Salvage Union. Our reigning champion, Ratrod, will be facing off against a new contestant, Laboni of the Starfinder Society.” As the announcer continues his introductions, the junk racers get into position. You each log into Laboni’s remote system allowing you access and control of the weapons and the wheel. You can also see from the cameras installed in her helmet.
With one last announcement from the sponsors, the signal is given and the racers are off!
|
|
Laboni (energy): Winston, with a 15, against Ratrod (because Ratrod) - hits!
Ratrod (energy): (because Laboni) vs. EAC 14 hits!
Lemgem (kinetic): (ally) - misses!
Nyizin (kinetic): - hits!
Orsis (none)
Velocity (kinetic): (ally) - hits!
Piloting
Laboni: Brivarius 21-4(from Ratrod)=17 - success! 750 feet.
Ratrod: (-6 from Velocity) - failure! 275 feet.
Lemgem: (ally) - failure! 250 feet.
Nyizin: - success! 500 feet.
Orsis: - success! 550 feet.
Velocity: - success! 450 feet.
Standings
750 feet - Laboni
550 feet - Orsis
500 feet - Nyizin
450 feet - Velocity (ally)
275 feet - Ratrod
250 feet - Lemgem (ally)
Laboni (energy): Winston, with a 23, maybe not against Ratrod: Orsis? - hits!
Ratrod (energy): (because Laboni) vs. EAC - misses!
Lemgem (kinetic): (ally) - hits!
Nyizin (kinetic): - misses!
Orsis (none)
Velocity (kinetic): (ally) - hits!
Piloting
Laboni: Brivarius 12. - failure! 375 feet.
Ratrod: (-6 from Velocity) - success! 550 feet.
Lemgem: (ally) - failure! 250 feet.
Nyizin: - success! 500 feet.
Orsis: (hits from you, Lemgem) - critical failure! Orsis crashes into a wall. No progress.
Velocity: - success! 450 feet.
Standings
1125 feet - Laboni
1000 feet - Nyizin
_900 feet - Velocity (ally)
_825 feet - Ratrod
_550 feet - Orsis
_500 feet - Lemgem (ally)
Laboni (energy): Winston, with a 19, maybe not against Ratrod: Nyizin? - hits!
Ratrod (energy): (because Laboni) vs. EAC 14 - hits!
Lemgem (kinetic): (ally) - hits!
Nyizin (kinetic): vs. EAC 14 - hits!
Orsis (none)
Velocity (kinetic): (ally) - hits!
Piloting
Laboni: Brivarius 21-4-4 (Ratrod, Nyizin with hits). - failure! 375 feet.
Ratrod: (-6 from Velocity) - success! 550 feet.
Lemgem: (ally) - success! 500 feet.
Nyizin: (-4 from Lemgem) - critical failure! Nyizin gets flipped and gets out to flip her racer back around! 0 feet.
Orsis: - success! 550 feet.
Velocity: - success! 450 feet.
Standings
1500 feet - Laboni
1375 feet - Ratrod
1350 feet - Velocity (ally)
1100 feet - Orsis
1000 feet - Nyizin (tied)
1000 feet - Lemgem (tied) (ally)
Laboni (energy): Winston, with a 7, maybe not against Ratrod: Orsis? - misses! Winston, Vreelin, and Feghnswelle all fight over the cannon!
Ratrod (energy): (because Laboni) vs. EAC 14 - misses!
Lemgem (kinetic): (ally) - misses!
Nyizin (kinetic): vs. EAC 14 - misses!
Orsis (none)
Velocity (kinetic): (ally) - misses!
Piloting
Laboni: Brivarius 22 - success! 750 feet. Boost - 1500 feet! Your engine burns out!
Ratrod: - success! 550 feet.
Lemgem: (ally) - failure! 250 feet.
Nyizin: - success! 500 feet. Boosted! 1000 feet. ( ) Nyizin sees an opening through the laser fire, but burns her engine out in the process!
Orsis: - success! 550 feet.
Velocity: - success! 450 feet.
Standings
3000 feet - Laboni wins! (engine burned out)
2000 feet - Nyizin (engine burned out)
1925 feet - Ratrod
1800 feet - Velocity (ally)
1650 feet - Orsis
1250 feet - Lemgem (ally)
|
|
In the early scrum, Brivarius pilots Laboni's unusually fast ship to the front of the pack as less-than-lethal weapons criss-cross the racing field behind her. Winston grabs control of the cannon and gets a shot off at Ratrod, who returns fire!
Ratrod's hotrod speeds up as the laser fire that would scorch it overpowers a battery. Velocity launches what looks like a bowling ball at the rat's racer, though, directing it's burst of speed into a wall, which Ratrod barely steers through--creating a shower of sparks!
Nyizin fires at Orsis, grunting something to the effect of "Not this time, pretty boy." The shot hits, but Orsis pulls out of a collision just in time, and maintains speed. Lemgem's round "rolling pin" careens into a wall, and the crowd hears Lemgem's gleeful laughter! You can tell she totally doesn't care.
Brivarius keeps steady hands on the virtual wheel, and it's Laboni in first, followed by Orsis, Nyizin, Velocity, Ratrod, and Lemgem! The crowd is silent. An ysoki in the stands yells, "Are you really gonna let her push you around like that, Ratrod?!"
=============
Perhaps remembering Lemgem's warning, Winston starts taking aim at other racers--this time, tracking Orsis as the lashunta pulls up close, and Winston fires another winning shot! Ratrod fires a desperation shot from the back of the pack, while Lemgem (aided by her insane laughter) fires an assortment of junk in the air, giggling, and an assortment of tin cans, teddy bears, and what might be half of the print edition of the Arcanamirium Dictionary of the Common Language at the second-place racer. Velocity keeps firing at Ratrod, and laughs, "This is SO FUN!" Nyizin isn't sure what to do with all the laughter and fires aimlessly in front of her.
Brivarius's hands slip on the controller and Laboni skids along a smooth section of wall. "Hey! Watch it! I spent hours on that paint job!" yells Laboni into comms. Behind you, Winston's shot sends Orsis skidding, and then he's knocked off his racer by a dictionary!
Ratrod looks frustrated. "GET BACK HERE YOU PIPSQUEAK!" he yells in your direction, and he begins accelerating. Nyizin and Velocity keep pace behind you, but Lemgem has apparently given up on the race at this point.
The field is beginning to take shape! Laboni remains in the breakaway, but Nyizin, Velocity, and Ratrod are all chasing!
=============
Winston has a plethora of targets to choose from, and fires at the lead racer in the chase group, Nyizin, who begins to swerve. Another barrage of junk blankets the track, and a beachball drifts into her left intake, melting all over the frontmost compressor! Already swerving, Nyizin loses thrust and flips, nearly getting run over by Ratrod and Velocity!
Velocity giggles. "Ratrod, you're such a good target!" Ratrod yells. "I'm TRYING to beat this Starfinder noob! Get out of my WAY!" Velocity doesn't care, and fires another bowling ball into the ysoki, who loses control--but the talented pilot regains control just before entering another turn. He fires another shot at Laboni, and yells at Velocity, "GO AWAY!"
From the ground, Nyizin also gets her craft to fire at Laboni--which is quite a feat, really--just as Brivarius begins steering the racer away from the barrier, and the combination of blasts pushes the racer back into the sheet metal! Laboni moans. "Those door handles were a pain to find! And now they're gone, just like that!"
Ratrod yells, "I've almost got you!" Velocity tries to keep pace, but keeps falling further behind. Orsis gets back in the race. Lemgem calls out, "Hey, where'd everyone go?"
=============
A series of misses sends laser fire, stuffed renkrodas, and--medical waste? Where did Lemgem get AbadarCorp medical waste from??--all over the track, to terrifically little effect.
Nyizin sees an opening, and the black runes on her racer glow bright. A gout of purplish flame erupt from the tail end of her craft, along with a gout of smoke. "I need to get back in it! For--" she begins, before the track shakes. "Damn. I thought I FIXED the engine-rich combustion problem!" Brivarius recognizes a good tactic when they see it, and copy the strategy--down to the melting engine! Laboni yells, "I don't even care anymore! We're almost there!!"
Orsis, Velocity, and Ratrod hold steady behind the leader. Lemgem pulls out a datapad and begins steering with her knees, to predictable effect.
=============
The crowd goes silent as the burned-out husk of the Shooting Star crosses the finish line just before the entire combustion chamber explodes in a burst of flames, and Laboni's doused with flame retardant. Behind her, Nyizin's wreck slowly drifts to the back of the pack--at least, the part of the pack that cares--while Velocity holds off Ratrod and Orsis just long enough to pull into second. Ratrod screams in frustration and just barely out-muscles Orsis for third.
|
|
Laboni giggles. "Ohmigosh guys that was so fun! So fun!" She hops out of the racer and approaches Ratrod. "Hey, Ratrod--I'm sor--"
The ysoki turns away, in disgust, eyes closed and arms folded on his chest--until he peeks through one eye and notices the ysoki kids filming from the stands. He sighs, and turns back around.
"FINE. I accept your apology. Are you going to go away and leave me and my league in peace?"
Laboni says, "Actually, I... was going to keep racing. You've got another race next week, right?"
Ratrod sputters. "But-but--why don't you--"
Laboni adds, "I mean, if you don't want a rematch..."
"Fine! You win! Well, uh... well-raced, young lady."
Laboni grins in the direction of her "pit crew" as she takes the winner's podium.
Velocity can't seem to wipe the smile off their face. Halfway through the winner's ceremony, Lemgem finally barrels through the finish line and crashes into Velocity's podium. "Sorry! Wasn't watching!"
========================
Radaszam takes in the scene from the pit with all of you. "Salvage Union thinks Laboni's the next big thing, for some reason, so they've offered a sponsorship and sent over a down payment as a token of good will. Laboni let me know that you can take some of it. I guess Ratrod's been kind of put off by the whole ordeal, but they're going to try to smooth things over so he has a credible opponent."
"I'm glad you salvaged something out of this mess. Wasn't expecting new contacts in the Salvage Union though, that's a hard place to get traction in. Kind of strange how that whole thing worked out. Oh, and they sent you these Murderhobo-brand t-shirts. Did you know Lemgem is their most popular racer? And she's last every race! I don't get how any of this works. Maybe I can pawn this off on Historia-7..."
Radaszam rolls his eyes and exits the pit.