Content Warning
Language, Vehicular Violence and Death
Notes So Far
I noticed that I did the Heli-Cam phase a bit out of order due to the way I decided to throw in Aus and Particle. While nothing is finalized until everyone has gone, there is still an order of operations where all the characters go in place order. More recent rolls, which is to say later rolls, take precedence and so have the potential to overtake the actions of racers earlier in the order. That is, unless one of those higher placed racers actively defends the track and keeps the later racers from advancing beyond them. So I should have been resolving things as: Spectre, Aus, Particle, Rico, and Joe.
About the post structure, my apologies, I'm not sure why I went in that direction. Heli-Cam is probably fine as a single spoiler but maybe the Manoeuvers phase should be split up more? I'll give it a try. Regardless, overall, I'm not sure I want Story Mode to be one post and Racing Mode broken over three posts with 1 lap per post. So, I'll see if I can start crunching that down in future posts.
Finally, I think I killed some of my momentum by overcomplicating some things. One thing I want to do is (and this I think was the author's original intention) not track every racer. It seems obvious to me, even within a three lap framework, that we could very easily exponentially balloon out to keeping track of the whole 20 racers. I think we introduced two or three new racers just in Lap 1. So I think I will reverse my decision to track Aus and Particle and I won't pursue tracking the new racers. We'll gen them up and narrate them whenever appropriate but we don't need to track stats and the like. For this race, it seems to me that the key players are myself, Joe (who I'm jobbing for), and Rico (who I'm trying to avoid hurting). It does occur to me, though, that for all the new racers we introduced, we still don't know who Joe and Rico's partners are. I'll ask a weighted oracle or just decide to drop them in the next time we need to gen a racer.
It's a wide open stretch of desert between the tunnel exits and The Drop. Lot of room and time to jockey for position. That was probably the intention of the track owners anyway. The Stretch, as race fans have come to call it, has gotten shorter in recent years. Reconstruction to the tunnels and mag-boosters buried in the dirt are largely responsible for that. All very probably because most racers use it as an opportunity to, well, stretch. Check positions, coordinate with their teams and their Pits, assess damage, plan and review race strategies...hell, sometimes put out literal cockpit fires. So not much changes in the Stretch, in terms of positioning. Most tracks have a Stretch. Call it a compromise between the fans, the organizers, and the racers themselves.
I'm out in front of everyone I currently care about in this race but I'm a damn sight from first. Unless Joe makes up major ground this lap, I'm going to be forced to finish midpack. The payout for jobbing Joe will more than make up for the loss in winnings but it still makes me grind my teeth. There's no excuse for mediocrity.
I allow the uneven terrain to jostle me gently about in my seat as I mentally take stock of the situation. My eyes flicker to Rico's indicator. No. I've got to focus.
Heli-Cam, Lap 2
Safeties unlock in Lap 2, so racers can now Overclock.
I'm up top here so I think I'll Hold. I'll let Joe past if they can even get that far, making it look like I'm trying to get behind them to control a collision. I roll 3 + 1 Weight = 4 vs. Pushback 2. A successful Hold. Everyone (except Joe) will be locked in at 10th place or later.
It makes sense that Joe will try to Advance. Their goal is undoubtedly to win this race. They just don't know there are other racers on the track trying to help them do that. Let's ask the Oracle how reckless Joe is. I'm inclined to believe they'd Overclock at least 1 in order to move up the order. Chaos Factor 5, Very Likely: Yes. Are they crazy enough to Overclock more than that? Very Unlikely: Exceptional No. So Joe is making calculated decisions. They're riskier than most folks would attempt (likely due to their disposition on Host Bodies) but they aren't stupid. Joe rolls 1 + 0 Acceleration + 1 Overclock = 2 vs. 4 Pushback. Joe completely fails to advance and stays at their position.
I think it also makes sense that Showtime will try to Advance. Both winning and gunning for me require him to do so. He's been damaged a little, so I imagine he's conservative with his Integrity. Oracle, does Rico overcharge? Unlikely: No. Rico rolls 4 + 1 Acceleration = 5 vs 6 Pushback. He also fails to Advance. Thrilling.
Let's just ask the Oracle if any of the other racers experience some change. 50/50: Extreme Yes. Who? Putting them in an ordered list, I rolled Rhinocerok. Ok, is the change good for him? Yes. I think he's managed to rocket back up into 10th place. I won't take him further since I have a Hold at 9th.
To sum up, nobody moves anywhere. I remain in 9th, Joe remains in 14th, and Showtime remains in 17th.
We roar across the Grid and plunge into The Drop for a second time. This time, I need to control the track from the midpack back. So no freefall. It looks like I've learned my lesson to anyone watching so I might be forgiven for "making that mistake" a couple more times at most in future races. Something to consider later. I don't need speed, so I avoid the spiral path I might otherwise have considered and instead pull a waterslide maneuver where I plunge directly over the edge in a ninety degree vertical drop and do my best to hug the wall on the way down. It's a slower approach for two reasons. First, at the top, the tip over the edge requires heavy braking lest your sled shoot out into the middle of the chasm space (starting a freefall like I performed in the first lap). Second, there is a very brief freefall as you struggle to get the mags to lock in on the grav wall. You lose precious seconds there. But again, this is all according to plan. I need Joe to catch me up and I can't do that if I'm gunning for the checkered flag.
I hit the corkscrew hot, at an awkward angle since I descended into it from directly above. The Wraith skids against the track wall and the mags whine as they try to lift the RIP racer out of its centrifugal downslide. After a second of clutching the wheel with all my strength, the car levels out. I take one of the middle entrances into the tunnels. These initial tunnels are deceptively elongated curves that require a firm hand on the wheel. Too loose and you'll slam into the curled outer wall. But if you pull too hard too soon, you'll clip the sharper inner wall. The entrance tunnels spiral out and away from the corkscrew, which necessarily creates some shorter tunnels and some longer ones. To combat shortcutting from experienced or studious racers, the organizers filled the shorter tunnels with obstacles and the longer tunnels with mag-boosts to increase speed. Both are deadly if you don't know how to handle them, however. The short tunnels require pressure on the wheel to handle the curves but also minute, precision adjustments to dodge the obstacles. The long ones require a surprising amount of strength and endurance on the driver's part to keep the damn racer steady. These middle ones, though? They're about dead center in terms of difficulty and length. They're the sane option but they're not the tunnels you take if you're trying to win audience votes.
I exit into the first cave in the exact place I expected I might and give myself a short, mental congratulatory pat on the back. I can't see who but someone took one of the mag-boosted tunnels and is shot out into the first cavern like a bullet from a gun. They smash through several stalactites before exploding on the far wall. I don't see an ejected escape pod. Above, the crowd screams its bloodlust and approval. For some, a death well earned. Couldn't be me, though, I'll tell you that for free. I maintain pace through the second and third caves. It looks like the battle in the top pack is fierce. I curse Joe for not letting me be part of that. Where the hell is Joe anyway?
As I'm checking my position readout, the Jaeger appears out of goddamn nowhere. Like a heat-seeking missile, it weaves its way around the News and the Vindication and centers itself dead on my ass. I can guess who Rhinocerok has reset his sights on. Hell, like I need this. We move in on the double uwee that'll take us topside. It doesn't look like Joe or Rico have moved an inch. Dammit, I'll have to drop even further back.
Spectre Manouevers
I will sacrifice a position, moving behind Rhino to 10th. If Aus was a rival, I'd want to try to Block. As she's not, though, that's just inviting trouble. The Brutal News would make short work of me in a Weight vs Weight contest. So I will attempt to Slam Rhino instead. Way better odds. And it makes it look to the audience like my preferred method of attack is from behind. Which is great if Joe ever makes his way far up enough for me to attack him.
I roll 5 + 1 Weight = 6 vs Rhino's roll of 6 - 1 Weight = 5. Slick. He takes 2 damage.
Which, okay. The game says be narrative about non-rivals' damage. And even though I said I was overcomplicating things, I think I have to keep track. Else the slams don't really mean anything. Right? No, you know what, I'll loosen my butt cheeks a little and give it a shot. We'll base the narrative off of the numbers we see in the moment.
Sure, so, I roll a 5 for extra damage. Now, I know from keeping track that he can't take that so his only option is to avoid it and fall back a place. But we're going for narrative here, so I'm just going to have him try to stick it out and get wrecked in the process.
I let him ride my bumper before I brake hard, letting the Wraith's rear end drift upward from the momentum. That allows me to mag-lock onto the Jaeger and ride the length of its body over the top, dropping into place behind it. I can see Rhinocerok jerking back and forth in his tiny cockpit trying to get a bead on me. I've fallen back into 10th but I can't let it look like this prick got the better of me. As far as the viewers at home know, I meant to do this shit. So I accelerate hard into a low grade PIT manuever. The Jaeger spins out, falling sideways into the straightaway that leads to the second part of the double uwee, the part that spins us up topside. I regain positioning before he does and slam straight ahead, t-boning the little missile shaped racer hard. Sparks begin to fly as I push it ahead, grinding it against the track. He's cooked and he knows it. Two stalagmites rush forward to meet us. Sideways, the Jaeger isn't short enough to not be chopped off at both ends.
The golem appraises the situation calmly, looks out through his side windshield, gives me a salute, and pulls the eject seconds before I smash his racer through the rocks. His pod rockets away, to be picked up by the drones once they catch up to it. The Jaeger explodes spectacularly as its front and rear ends are ripped asunder. The whole thing rolls over the Wraith's box top, leaving a trail of fire down my middle. Nothing too damaging. I can shake it out in the Stretch.
Joe's Manouevers
Joe is aiming for a Slam, I think. Their Weight is better than their Acceleration. But, again, this is risky because it could end up uno reversed. Let's ask. Oracle, Slam? Likely: Exceptional Yes. So let's add Overclock 1 to it as well, fuck it. That'll bring him to I4. Joe rolls a bloody 1 + 2 Weight + 1 Overclock = 4 vs Flo's roll of 3 + 0 Weight = 3. Lucky. She takes 2 Integrity. Let's see if he can smash her out of the way. 3 extra damage. Hm, 5 would be over half and we know that Flo is a conservative lifer, so I don't think she risks it for the one spot. She'll take a little damage and fall back. Joe gains a spot to 13th.
The Gallimimus has been bouncing around the track this whole race, keeping Joe and company back. Clearly, they've had enough. Joe shunts to the middle section with a loud clunk and swings the Leviathan into a shuddering side slide, whipping the tail end forward like a lash. At the apex of its arc, they disconnect the coupling on the rear end and hurl the entire piece into Flo's bird racer. She is smashed aside and Joe quickly snakes past her.
I see the flash on my screen indicating a hit and watch the two trade places. Finally. It's not enough, though. Joe hasn't even managed to get into the top ten as we start to swirl up topside and out toward the third and final lap.
Showtime's Manouevers
Rico is going to aim to overtake.
We don't know who occupies 16th, so let's gen them up. I think we'll go ahead and make this Joe's partner. It'll be Consequence, who is rumored to be an actual vampire. At least, he hails from a planet where there are rumored to be vampires. And he's so mysterious, dressing all in black with that cool facemask. He drives the Javelin, a balanced racer with a broad razor head and a long, thickly reinforced body. Fast enough to catch prey, strong enough to withstand piercing their hides. It has A1, W1, and I9. I think Consequence likes to play area control games by grazing those he's near to cause chain collisions behind him while he threatens those in front with the tip of his racer. And viewers at home should wear protection while watching too, so as not to get cut on all that edge.
Rico probably hasn't made a move yet because he's unsure what he's dealing with. Consequence is SO mysterious. Rico rolls 2 + 1 Acceleration = 3 vs Consequence's roll of 6 + 1 Weight = 7. Consequence gets a free slam attempt for controlling the encounter, which he will take.
He rolls 1 + 1 Weight = 2 vs Rico's 4 + 1 Weight = 5. Rico reverses the slam and does 2 damage to Consequence.
Showtime gets tired of hanging at the back of the pack, trapped by the wiles of the mysterious driver Consequence ahead. He goes high on the berm, attempting to launch ahead on the downslope. Consequence is a canny driver though, and matches Showtime pace for pace, disallowing the momentous dismount he had planned. Consequence pushes his luck a little, hoping to score the sides of Acheron with his razor tip but Showtime is a seasoned driver and he knows he has the upper hand in an even collision here. The Acheron leans into the crash as Showtime makes to trade paint instead of instinctively avoiding it. The crowd lets out a cheer at the skillful display as the Javelin arcs away.
And we're up, above ground, sun shining briefly in our eyes as we orient on the Grid and begin the second lap Stretch.
Standings at the End of Lap 2
Spectre in The Wraith (I9/9), 9th Place
Austropteryx in the Brutal News (I11/11), 10th Place
Particle in Righteous Vindication (I8/8), 11th Place
Joe Canniblast in the Leviathan (I4/10), 12th Place
Flo Galahar in Gallimimus (I6/8), 13th Place
Consequence in Javelin (I7/9), 15th Place
Rico “Showtime” Espinosa in the Acheron (I7/9), 16th Place
Next: Episode Two
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