Do you have what it takes? [OPEN]

[fieldpromoted]

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!))

Comments

[supersonicracer.livejournal.com]

Frankly, if there was any real reason Sonic decided to join in, it was stave off any sort of boredom he could have. That, and seeing as A) there was still no sign of the Chaos Emeralds yet and B) all his flying pals were still in the pods (hopefully), he needed to have another way to fly.

Of course, arriving for the training was probably the one thing that gave Sonic (and probably Trudy) fits. Run a few miles? Sonic could do it blindfolded. Push-ups and sit-ups? Done before the others were. Pull-ups? Well, there was a little trouble with that, but nothing he could handle. Thus, he had to slow down a bit. That was rough for him.

Now it was time to fly.

"Heh, flying, huh? That'll be a piece of cake!" Sonic said, grinning. It had been awhile since he actively flew a plane, but it would easily be like old times. Hopefully.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

The training course didn't really do much for Zouichi, honestly -- a Synthetic Human who couldn't easily perform the exercises they ran for the pilots here would never have been released into the field. But there was no point in protesting, especially if it aided unit cohesion.

He was more curious about the flight exercises. He'd flown aircraft before, but none of the fighter types that appeared in the hangar now.

[fieldpromoted]

"We'll see," Trudy said. A blue hedgehog wanted to fly with them. Trudy thought she'd seen enough weird shit on this boat to last her a lifetime, but apparently there was still stuff that could surprise her.

She walked over to the Variable Fighters and patted the closest one on the nose. "This is a VF-171, Nightmare Plus. It's either a plane or a mech depending on its current needed function in battle. Transformation takes roughly fifteen seconds, so use it carefully. They have shielding that will stand up to a few hits from a Shrike's weapon but you don't want to sit there and get pounded on." Trudy pointed out the controls for the plane and the guns, and then gave a brief explanation of the transformation sequence and the differences in the controls. "It also does Mach 3.5 just cruising, so it's fast." She figured that would appeal to Sonic from what she'd seen of his run performance.

[fieldpromoted]

Zouichi's performance in PT impressed her. She would look up his medical file later to see if he was like Yzak, slightly more advanced than your average person. Most people couldn't go through the regimen they did every day as easily as he did.

"Skull Squadron is the most short-staffed, so I'm also going to put you in a VF-171," Trudy said, indicating one of the sleek, dark blue fighters in Skull's section of the hangar. There were a pair of ladders on either side of the cockpit, Trudy climbed one of them to begin pointing out the controls in the fighter. They were fairly standard for anyone who had flown a fighter before but a little bit different than larger aircraft. Plus, there was the transformation into battdroid mode. "The controls don't change much, just their location. They're fairly intuitive, you shouldn't have a problem after some adjustment."

[supersonicracer.livejournal.com]

Sonic listened to Trudy's explanation, but a lot of it went over the hedgehog's head. He did get a basic understanding of what he's dealing with: a fast airplane with multiple forms which take too long to switch from. Though, since speed's his game, he could probably make the most of it. The only thing that worried him was the lack of melee weaponry - it seemed too reliant on guns, and while he wasn't a gun person, he could manage for the time being.

"3.5, huh? Sounds like my kind of thing." Sonic said, nodding. Pointing to the plane, he continued. "I'd take it this one's "mine", then?"

[goodenuff2kill.livejournal.com]

Hilde was used to tough training. She had once been a volunteer soldier for her colony and since she wasn't quite used to it, but it didn't take her long to get back into the swing of things. She stood in front of her red Taurus unit, looking up at it and the memories that came with it.

"OZ-12SMS Taurus, a space combat mobile suit. This one modified for White Fang use," she muttered to herself. It had been almost a year since she had piloted, but she was sure that she could still pilot it pretty well.

*Variable Fighter nerdgasm omg*

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

If Trudy did look through the medical files for Zouichi's, she'd no doubt find that he wasn't technically human at all. Although he did resemble one quite closely.

Zouichi watched as Trudy explained each of the controls, nodding. "I've heard these particular fighters have an additional transformation mode -- an intermediate between the fighter and humanoid?"

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"We're getting newbies? Really?"

Pretty much anyone who'd been in Starfighter Command knew that particular tone of voice. Asuka was complaining. Again.

[fieldpromoted]

Trudy followed her to the mobile suit, overhearing her words. She smiled - it felt better to know there was at least one experienced pilot in the new group. "You must know Ensign Maxwell," she said. "I thought I'd heard him mention someone from his universe showing up."

She nodded toward the Taurus. "Let's see what you've got."

[fieldpromoted]

Soryu again. Trudy was lucky she wasn't prone to headaches. "Wedge, why don't you give Rogue Squadron something to do that'll keep them occupied during the test flights," she said. It was phrased like a suggestion, but Wedge had been an officer for a long time. He would recognize a polite order.

Rogue Squadron now had Asuka to thank for whatever punishment detail Wedge gave them.

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"They're just going to get in the way," Asuka continued, talking loudly to any of her squadmates who might be iinclined to listen. She hadn't been ordered to be quiet (yet) and Trudy's comment hadn't been directed at her.

"Why do we need them, anyway?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi didn't recognize Asuka, but from her complaint figured she was already a pilot. Maybe she was just having a bad day. He nodded toward her politely. "Pleased to meet you. I hope we can work together in the future."

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"Just don't get in my way and we'll get along just fine," Asuka retorted as she folded her arms.

"We've been training as a unit already, so it's not like we need you. I don't know why the General decided we needed a bunch of inexperienced rookies now..."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"...Because Starfighter Command is shorthanded, and it's dangerous to rely on a handful of pilots to form the ship's first line of defense?"

Asuka is kind of assuming Zouichi would want to seek out interaction with her, which at this point he's figuring he kind of doesn't.

[fieldpromoted]

"We'll see which one you fly if you make it through the test flight," Trudy said. She hadn't told the new recruits or Command about their recent intelligence - she didn't want to cause too much of a panic or inflate anyone's expectations. But the impending battle meant she looked a lot closer at the recruits, given what little time they had to train them.

If he didn't show some skill, he wouldn't fly with them. "The suit's not going to fit you so have the Sensoriums make one up. Let's see what you can do."

[expendable-mind.livejournal.com]

Oh look, someone's not tiring at all. Sweating yeah, of course he's loving every minute of it. I'm sure it's just cause he's a bit of a masochist and a bit loopy.

At the end of the exercise he grinned, almost with a pleased expression.

"So, warm up's outta the way..." He looked around the hangar with a wide smile, letting out an impressed whistle. "I take it I can ride my own ship? Or do I need to use the standard for the crew? I've flown a type of 'VF' before called a Viking, ain' my cup-o-tea but I'm good wherever ya put me really. I'm kind of fond of my Jackie tho." He points at his His custom DF/A-19 Wraith Mk2 Stealth Fighter - a heavily upgraded version of the Terran Wraith Stealth Fighter (http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/Wraith)

[supersonicracer.livejournal.com]

"Eh, works for me." Sonic said, shrugging. In an instant, the Sensoriums created a flight suit for Sonic (though, keeping his trademark shoes visible) and the hedgehog made his way up to the seat.

"Let's see what I can do." he muttered to himself, making a minor adjustment to the seat and strapping himself. He screwed up on that wedding planet and KAIN made a fool of him. He wasn't going to go down here.

A moment later, the aircraft's engine kicked on and prepared to move out, maneuvering the plane into the sky.

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"...but they only need us."

This was apparently supposed to be self-evident.

[fieldpromoted]

"That mode is mostly used for combat close to a horizontal plane, like the surface of a ship. Or an asteroid," she added. Might as well put the thought in their heads. "It's called GERWALK, and it's more maneuverable than a fighter in those conditions."

She climbed down from the ladder and stepped back from the craft. "There should be a suit in the cockpit," she said. "Do you have any more questions before you start?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

He shook his head. "Perhaps when I get a better feel for the controls. Thank you, General."

[fieldpromoted]

Trudy circled the craft, her eyes tracking over its lines. "What's its specialty?" she asked. This craft might belong more in Rogue Squadron than Skull, if she was guessing its function correctly.

"I'm not opposed to fitting your craft into one of the squadrons if I can see a tactical reason to use it," she added.

[expendable-mind.livejournal.com]

"Hit and run, support, stealth recon, sneak attacks... tho I got it upgraded to be rite' up there where the dog fightin's at. It's meant to be a stealth fighter through and through tho'. "

[fieldpromoted]

The obstacle course the Sensoriums had created worked on the principle of increasing difficulty. In the beginning were some very basic tests of maneuverability - the pilot needed to fly through all the rings. As errors decreased, the sim would move on to the next stage where debris started to appear.

Trudy pulled up a feed of Sonic's simulation and watched him fly.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Unless larger-scale missions need to take place, or pilots are lost. In which case it can't hurt to have backup, can it?"

Zouichi thought that was self-evident. Going into a conflict with only what you needed right now was shortsighted and apt to get you killed. Situations could change at any time.

[redheadcarrier.livejournal.com]

"I don't need some replacement backing me up," Asuka snapped. There was something beside arrogance in there. A tinge of fear and anger. Asuka didn't like the idea that she could be replaced.