trans_9 | Do you have what it takes? [OPEN]

PT finished at 0700, and the pilots and new recruits got a half hour to cool off before they got into the cockpits of their assorted craft. In the two hours since 0500 they ran several miles, did push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups, and then a hundred jumping jacks to get the blood pumping. "You don't even want to think about how much force you put on your body when you're piloting," Trudy said at the start of the exercises. "Pilots need to be in peak condition to handle it."

Those who were used to doing the training five days out of the week would be out of breath but not exhausted. Anyone new, however, might have a little trouble getting their wind back.

"All right everyone, gather around. We have a few new recruits today, so we're not going to be running the Zokez scenario. I know you're all heartbroken." She kept a straight face, but that was a definite joke. She was sick of running the Zokez scenario. "We'll be doing some standard training exercises - maneuverability and gunning practice."

The track and exercise equipment melted away, and in its place the hangar of the Macross Quarter materialized with all its fighters and mobile suits. "Outside is a standard sim course. I'm going to have the recruits run it first to see how they handle and then the squadrons will go out as a unit. Recruits, let's put you in birds."

((OOC: This log is for anyone who signed up to fly a mobile suit, a VF or an X-wing and is not already in Starfighter Command. The flight sim is like something you'd see out of the training missions on Star Fox - fly through the rings, shoot the enemies, avoid the obstacles it throws at you like sheets of scrap and asteroids. EDIT: Subthreads for the squadrons are now up!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, Zouichi had one. "Why is Skull Squadron so shorthanded?"

"Because unlike those monstrosities in Blade, the only one who comes from a world with VFs is me. And the slowpokes in Rogue can't handle this speed." He quirked an eyebrow.

It wasn't quite an answer -- he was sure at least some of the people on the ship should have been able to pilot a VF -- but Zouichi couldn't quite help cracking a smile.

"Then I'll do my best to catch up."

"Of course," Michael flashed him a grin. "You wouldn't have made it this far if you couldn't."

"Strap in. You've been over the basics, or is this going to be a crash course?"

He nodded, and did as told. "The General walked me through the controls. But I suspect it'll be a bit of a crash course anyway."

"Well, better you get your crashes out of the way now in the sims than wait until the real thing," the sniper said dryly as he hopped down from the ladder that led to the cockpit, jogging over to his VF-25 and strapping himself in.

He keyed the communicator as the elevator moved to bring them to the flight deck of the Quarter and the catapult. "Stay close and follow me. Stick to my exhaust as best as you can."

Well, can't argue with that one. Zouichi took a moment to glance over at the VF-25, taking note of the differences between his craft and Michael's.

"Roger. Or is that 'acknowledged'?"

"'Roger' is fine," Michael breezed as he ran through the pre-launch checklist with the practiced efficiency of a professional. "Let's see how well you handle that, Skull-2."

And then he hit the throttle as the catapult blasted him down the flight deck at hundreds of kilometers per hour.

With a slight smile of his own, Zouichi followed Michael down the flight deck in a bright burst of speed, following the VF-25's exhaust trail and nosing forward -- close, but not too close.

"Not bad," Michael said under his breath to himself, checking his rear before pushing up the throttle - and then pulling into a sudden climb. Time to see how well this rookie could do things.

Time to see what this plane could do. Shifting into GERWALK for a tighter turn would just break his momentum; he pulled up without hesitation instead, sending the Valkyrie into a steep angle of ascent. The EX-GEAR should take care of most of the g-force from the sudden change in acceleration; he'd take care of the rest. Being synthetic did have its advantages.

The rookie stayed with him; not bad at all. A quick mental command, and a dizzying series of light-gates blinked into being ahead of them. "Follow the leader. Don't let me lose you."

They entered the first gate and then Michael pushed into a dizzying spiral dive, weaving his way through the gates as only a VF could. He fully expected the rookie to miss some, but that was why he was a newbie. Nobody could control a VF like this on their first try.

Well, Michael hadn't said 'fly through all the gates'. He'd specifically said 'don't let me lose you'.

So Zouichi brought the VF into a dive, not aiming for anything particularly fancy, but attempting to keep up and hit the light gates when possible, judging which he could string together on his flight path, noting what he could and could not do with his current level of control. Cover the basics first, learn the little tricks afterward.

It was good to know that Zouichi wasn't even trying to hit all the gates. That was good; a pilot needed to know his limitations. The worst accidents happened when some cocksure newbie tried to do something he couldn't do yet.

Michael straightened out, the gates now weaving back and forth on a slalom route - less taxing on the body and mind, but still taking quite a bit of finesse.

Not thinking of anyone in particular, of course.

Zouichi banked his fighter back and forth, still following along, concentrating on how the VF's controls responded to each turn. Michael, outward appearances aside, was offering up an impressively methodical practice route. In fact, he couldn't help wondering again why Skull Squadron was so short of hands.

Do you have what it takes? [OPEN]

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