03-23-2010, 04:26 PM
Szar stepped out of the portal and directly into something that looked like a science-fiction movie. He was in a shuttle bay, with pilots and mechanics frantically scrambling around, making preparations for...something. What that was, Szar wasn't sure, but he assumed that it had to do with space combat. Reaching for his pager, the Icer scrolled through the participant list until he found his name. Clicking it, he quickly scanned the text that it displayed.
Space Battles
Summary: The Kill Cluster is a giant space station that’s shaped like a giant ball. There are two opposing teams here: the attackers, who want to shoot a bomb into the space station’s core, and the defenders, who want to…well, defend the station from oncoming core-destroying bombs. The attackers are piloting X-Wings, and the defenders are piloting TIE-fighters.
Not knowing what an "X-Wing" or a "Tie-Fighter" were supposed to be, or which team he'd been assigned to, the Changeling decided to ask around. His attempts to get the attention of the others around him ended in failure; they were all too busy finishing their preparations. Looking around for some sort of clue, he noticed a group clustered around a holographic projector. The image they were focused on was a large sphere, some sort of station, perhaps? Wandering closer, the Changeling caught the tail-end of the briefing.
"--a crew will disable the barrier shields. With them down, the bombers will make their run into this entry point here." The commanding officer pointed to a small entry way, and the image shifted to a trench that wrapped around the entire craft. "At the end of this trench is the power core. Dropping a bomb in there should disable them. Any questions?"
The pilots gathered shook their head, and Szar briefly noticed a girl with bubblegum hair walking away with a black-haired man. Fellow contestants, perhaps? Before he had the chance to ask them, they'd both entered into what the Icer assumed were X-Wings, and blasted off to join the battle. They likely had no experience flying, and Szar couldn't help but be worried about them. They were his team--no, his wing-mates--and he would keep them safe. After all, he'd been raised by a marginally space-faring people; piloting in zero-gravity was no problem for him. Stepping up to one of the crafts, he moved to climb into it before a voice sounded behind him.
"That's my ship, find your own!"
Turning around, Szar was unimpressed with the ship's owner. He was a short man, with a bulging gut and unkempt hair. He scratched himself before pushing past the Changeling and climbing into the ship's cockpit. Szar noted the name on his helmet as he passed, 'Slippy'.
Looking around the flight bay for a ship to use, he found one, tucked at the furthest corner of the bay. Running to it, he hopped into the cockpit, pulled his helmet into place--an uneasy task when one has horns, and strapped himself in. Quickly running a systems diagnostic, he smiled when everything came back green. Getting a thumb's up from the mechanic fueling his ship, Szar waved to him before pushing the throttle and blasting out of the shuttle bay.
Space stretched out infinitely all around him, and for a moment Szar was literally starstruck. Snapping back into focus, the Changeling looked around for friendly craft. Not seeing anyone, he clicked on his radio.
"This is Iceman, all wings report in."
All at once his radio was alive with chatter.
"Slippy here, Iceman, I'm engaging the enemy now."
"Hotshot, kickin' ass and taking names."
"Uh...Iron Maiden here...I'm moving in to engage."
Laughing inwardly at their ridiculous monikers, Szar saw a foreign craft enter his firing range. Surging forward, the Icer gave chase, his quarry weaving expertly, making it difficult for Iceman to get a bead on it. However, its pilot slipped up after a laser grazed its wings, and Szar waited for the computer to get a lock. It did, blaring in alarm for him to take the shot. He did, a series of lasers blazed towards their target. They struck home, the Tie-Fighter exploding in a flower of fire.
"One down!" Iceman cheered into the radio, "This is nothing!"
"Don't get cocky, Iceman, you have a bogey on your tail." a voice heavy with authority barked. "Do a barrel roll!"
Szar complied instinctively, his X-Wing rolling out of the way gracefully.
"Use the brake!" the CO growled.
Szar pulled back on the throttle, and the Tie-Fighter blasted past him. A few laser blasts later and it too erupted in a ball of flame. He'd just started and already he'd taken down two enemy fighters. His celebration was cut short as a frantic voice blasted over his radio.
"I've been hit! Damn it...I'm going down!" Szar recognized it as Slippy before static washed over the channel. Though he wasn't real, Szar still felt a pang of guilt. Slippy's death only served to remind Szar that there were other people, real people, like himself in this mission. Fearing for their well-being, Szar tried to track their movements with the ship's on-board radar. Two blips showed up, moving toward their target in tandem. That had to be the two he'd seen on the flight deck! Gunning the thrusters Szar set out to meet up with his allies. They had a Kill Cluster to destroy.
Space Battles
Summary: The Kill Cluster is a giant space station that’s shaped like a giant ball. There are two opposing teams here: the attackers, who want to shoot a bomb into the space station’s core, and the defenders, who want to…well, defend the station from oncoming core-destroying bombs. The attackers are piloting X-Wings, and the defenders are piloting TIE-fighters.
Not knowing what an "X-Wing" or a "Tie-Fighter" were supposed to be, or which team he'd been assigned to, the Changeling decided to ask around. His attempts to get the attention of the others around him ended in failure; they were all too busy finishing their preparations. Looking around for some sort of clue, he noticed a group clustered around a holographic projector. The image they were focused on was a large sphere, some sort of station, perhaps? Wandering closer, the Changeling caught the tail-end of the briefing.
"--a crew will disable the barrier shields. With them down, the bombers will make their run into this entry point here." The commanding officer pointed to a small entry way, and the image shifted to a trench that wrapped around the entire craft. "At the end of this trench is the power core. Dropping a bomb in there should disable them. Any questions?"
The pilots gathered shook their head, and Szar briefly noticed a girl with bubblegum hair walking away with a black-haired man. Fellow contestants, perhaps? Before he had the chance to ask them, they'd both entered into what the Icer assumed were X-Wings, and blasted off to join the battle. They likely had no experience flying, and Szar couldn't help but be worried about them. They were his team--no, his wing-mates--and he would keep them safe. After all, he'd been raised by a marginally space-faring people; piloting in zero-gravity was no problem for him. Stepping up to one of the crafts, he moved to climb into it before a voice sounded behind him.
"That's my ship, find your own!"
Turning around, Szar was unimpressed with the ship's owner. He was a short man, with a bulging gut and unkempt hair. He scratched himself before pushing past the Changeling and climbing into the ship's cockpit. Szar noted the name on his helmet as he passed, 'Slippy'.
Looking around the flight bay for a ship to use, he found one, tucked at the furthest corner of the bay. Running to it, he hopped into the cockpit, pulled his helmet into place--an uneasy task when one has horns, and strapped himself in. Quickly running a systems diagnostic, he smiled when everything came back green. Getting a thumb's up from the mechanic fueling his ship, Szar waved to him before pushing the throttle and blasting out of the shuttle bay.
Space stretched out infinitely all around him, and for a moment Szar was literally starstruck. Snapping back into focus, the Changeling looked around for friendly craft. Not seeing anyone, he clicked on his radio.
"This is Iceman, all wings report in."
All at once his radio was alive with chatter.
"Slippy here, Iceman, I'm engaging the enemy now."
"Hotshot, kickin' ass and taking names."
"Uh...Iron Maiden here...I'm moving in to engage."
Laughing inwardly at their ridiculous monikers, Szar saw a foreign craft enter his firing range. Surging forward, the Icer gave chase, his quarry weaving expertly, making it difficult for Iceman to get a bead on it. However, its pilot slipped up after a laser grazed its wings, and Szar waited for the computer to get a lock. It did, blaring in alarm for him to take the shot. He did, a series of lasers blazed towards their target. They struck home, the Tie-Fighter exploding in a flower of fire.
"One down!" Iceman cheered into the radio, "This is nothing!"
"Don't get cocky, Iceman, you have a bogey on your tail." a voice heavy with authority barked. "Do a barrel roll!"
Szar complied instinctively, his X-Wing rolling out of the way gracefully.
"Use the brake!" the CO growled.
Szar pulled back on the throttle, and the Tie-Fighter blasted past him. A few laser blasts later and it too erupted in a ball of flame. He'd just started and already he'd taken down two enemy fighters. His celebration was cut short as a frantic voice blasted over his radio.
"I've been hit! Damn it...I'm going down!" Szar recognized it as Slippy before static washed over the channel. Though he wasn't real, Szar still felt a pang of guilt. Slippy's death only served to remind Szar that there were other people, real people, like himself in this mission. Fearing for their well-being, Szar tried to track their movements with the ship's on-board radar. Two blips showed up, moving toward their target in tandem. That had to be the two he'd seen on the flight deck! Gunning the thrusters Szar set out to meet up with his allies. They had a Kill Cluster to destroy.