Air Race 2030

Six Lasers - Cheyne Barrens

The Cowboy Planet is right next to the Gangster Planet and the Nazi Planet.

Cheyne would be still a sad sack of a barren wasteland were it not for Six Lasers. Trillions of credits and man hours have gone into terraforming this planet in order to provide a breathable atmosphere and capable of supporting life. The planet is largely flat, heavily reminiscent of Earth's old Wild West.

Theme parks here promote the idea of Cheyne being on the wild frontier. You can catch a ride on the Bucking Broncho Coaster, grab a bite at the local Ig-Yac Burger Commander joint, or go rustling for space cattle. Saloons and old wooden buildings serve as the architectural motif. Visitors are encouraged to get into the spirit of the frontier.

Contents:

Trailbreaker

Blot Monster

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt;

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet

Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt;

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt;

Space-Going B-1R Lancer

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt;

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt;

Buzzsaw

Noah Wolfe

TACS Racetrack

Obvious exits: Ranch &lt;R&gt; leads to Six Lasers - Cheyne Ig-Yac Ranch. Space &lt;S&gt; leads to Six Lasers Solar System.

Astrotrain has arrived.

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; is primed at the starting gates his engines ready to engage at a moments notice to send him on his way. Scanning the line up he's not happy, but though he has no hopes of winning he's not about to not at least make an attempt for the Autobots.

There is a grandstand for spectators, sized for all types, set up in the dusty plains of Cheyne, and a rough course is sketched out with hover-buoys in the air that mark out the 'track' for the aircraft, such as it is. The track is wide and long, accommodating to sluggish turn radii. At a podium near the grandstand hovers a strange alien stealth airplane, quite small, perhaps a fighter at best. It is a rather dark grey with a bronzed cockpit that half-conceals a bright blue spherical neural net. The jet appears to be arguing with a Kremzeek-suited Six Lasers official. It protests in a young male voice, "I am a war plane! I must have targets!"

The Kremzeek-suited official smirks, wags a finger as if the self-called warplane is being naughty, and sing-songs, "No targets here - does this look like sharpshooting? Bitty plane has more important role, you betcha - announcing!" Before the little warplane can protest any more, the official stabs a flash-drive into it.

The fighter tilts to once side, and the blue sphere within its cockpit flickers before it announces in a much more announcerly voice, "New parameters accepted. Welcome, one and all, ladies, gentlemen, and politically correct other, to the 2030 Olympic Air Race! A race of aerial skill, one of my personal specialties, daring, another area at which I excel, and sheer /THRUST/, ahem, also a good area for me. You might say that I am the whole idea. Luckily for you, I am your announcer. I am the Extreme Deep Invader, but since I am sure that you will all adore me, you may call me EDI."

EDI does something like an aerial bow, tipping forward where he hovers. "Get your engines in gear, be they advanced pulse detonation engines (like mine) or lowly piston-driven propellers. Three... two... one... go!"

Buzzsaw is hovering above the startline squarking quietly to himself as he waits for the signal to start, He's small, He's quick, while all these tanks smash into eachother he'll be first...

Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; is parked on the starting line, his engines already started as he's getting ready for the only event of these Olympics that deserves his awesome participation : the air race.

Boomslang stands on the starting line, bouncing on his toes a bit just to get the kinks shaken out. He drops into a crouch as the announcer counts off, and at the word go, springs into the air, rotating and locking into a new position. His engines ignite and he blasts off down the track!

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; hears the signal and activates full drive going from a slight hover to a slow forward move. 'And their off.' he says to himself as he tries to boost power to his drive units, this is going to be a long and embarrassing race.

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; had been hovering quietly, a little fighter triangle over the planes that claim to have no vampires.

Hah.

As 'go' is announced, however, he takes off, jetting away, concentrating, currently, on gaining distance rather than crumpling his little triangular seeker-nose.

Combat: Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Buzzsaw takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Blot Monster lumbers out to the starting line he's here to represent the Terrorcons.....yeah yeah Cutthroat shoulda' been here but you get Blot instead so deal with it. He looks to his left then his right at the assembled jets and other fliers and for once realizes he's in the wrong mode. A rare treat Blot transforms to robot mode and gets ready to represent.

The creature before you turns into BLOT!

Race: Blot joins the race.

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; hovers next to Buzzsaw on the starting line. He chuckles. "Bwahaha, these Autobots will find that the legendary Bald Eagle is WAY faster than the fastest jet fighter! Nyahaha! Wait, what? Go? SHIIII--" Americon is off to a bit of a slow start, since he missed the initial countdown, but off he goes, zipping away into the air!

Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level --  Pyramid Jet           0   0   FEARLESS       -- Battle Station              0   0   FEARLESS       -- Buzzsaw                      0   0   FEARLESS       -- Robotic Bald Eagle  0  0   FEARLESS       -- Blot                         0   0   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet is parked on the starting line as well, with the pilot eagerly awaiting the signal. Once "go" is announced, the jet immediately takes off and speeds down the makeshift track.

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Fortress Maximus's last pose: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; hears the signal and activates full drive going from a slight hover to a slow forward move. 'And their off.' he says to himself as he tries to boost power to his drive units, this is going to be a long and embarrassing race.

Sky Lynx has arrived.

Sky Lynx moves to the Six Lasers Solar System.

Sky Lynx has left.

Fortress Maximus takes Galen.

Buzzsaw's thrusters burst into life as the go signal is sounded, He weaves between the slower flyers and is blowen back somewhat by the back blow from the much faster mechs. He coils through the air as he tries to get position away from the more combative elements of the race, He sees a large lumbering Autobot falling behind and emits to himself, "Slow and steady doesn't always win the race." he squarks a laugh as he heads down the track.

EDI observes dispassionately, "Ornithopter designs appear to be uncommonly popular this year. Do their engineers not understand the inherent inefficiencies due to shock drag of feathered structures at Mach speeds? An old Superhornet - did they dig that up in a museum? Or is that all they had funding for? A few alien designs, and a few designs about which I do not even care to speculate. Let us see how they do, this turn, before the hazards are in play."

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Battle Station  8  0   FEARLESS       -- Pyramid Jet          10  0   FEARLESS       -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet              10  0   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

Hook arrives from the Six Lasers Solar System.

Hook has arrived.

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; is near the lead?! Fleet is near the lead! The Seeker soars ahead, concentrating, for the moment, on maintaining his lead, he simply continues to fly around the tracks, trying to keep up with the 'Pegasus' that's ahead by a nose.

Combat: Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; hangs back at first, letting the pack streak out ahead in hopes of keeping out of the way of the most competitive battlers until they've established a pecking order. Gradually he pushes the throttle forward, bringing his thrust up to full military power.

Combat: Boomslang sets his defense level to Aggressive.

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet goes at almost Mach 5! But not quite. Jayson pilots the jet with ease, his focus on the race allowing him to ignore the fact that he is above the ground. At least he's not *that* high! Occasionally he glances at the other racers, trying to stay out of ramming distance; as most of the others are Decepticons, he's certain that such an incident is inevitable.

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; started this race like a rocket. He is not surprised to see that no one's in front of him. Quickly checking to his left, he sees Fleet, another seeker, that was to be expected but on his other side he spot.. a human. Now that's unacceptable. The pyramid jet pushes his engines harder in an attempt to leave Jayson far behind.

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; seems to be off to a slow start, so slow that at first it really doesn't seem like he's moved at all. But he has, in fact Fortress Maximus can still see some of the others so he can't be in that bad of shape. His engines charge up giving it all he has as he continues down the track.

Combat: Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Blot isn't lookin' to take out his fellow cons here his duty is basically to keep the others from winning. With nothing but cons in range he continues to putter along in robot mode.

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Buzzsaw watches as infront of him contenders ram and smash into eachother, he glides past a few and falls back as he is rained on by shrapnal from the impacts. He snarls to himself as he tries to get ahead and out of the stream of metal but is stuck in the mid pack.

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; CAWS violently, throwing himself at Jayson Redfield! "TAPES RULE!" he shrieks, attempting to grab onto Jayson's vertical stabilizers and tilt him towards the edges of the course! "JETS DROOL! In America!"

Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; misses Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet with his Ram attack!

Noah Wolfe cheers and waves, "Go Jayson!" He's in the stand with his Warthog armor sitting next to him looking forlorn. It turns and bleeps something at Noah and he says, "Hey, can I help it if you can't race? You're a tank AND you can't fly!" The warthog looks down at him, single optic flickering and bleeping something. "Fine fine, next time I bring a talon."

Sky Lynx arrives from the Six Lasers Solar System.

Sky Lynx has arrived.

EDI emits, "Hah. Hah. Looks like human technology can keep pace with the so-called advanced alien engineering. New human technology, anyway. The ornithopters appear to be giving the Superhornet a run for its money. Or perhaps a run back to its carrier arrester wire. Not that I have any need of such a braking device, myself, except in case of extreme emergency failure of hovering abilities. Now. Let us make this more interesting, shall we?"

Suddenly, from the sky, dozens of tumbleweeds some floating down, posing a hazard for engines if ingested!

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Pyramid Jet           0   1   FEARLESS       -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet              0   1   FEARLESS       -- Battle Station  16 0   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; maintains his nigh-tie with Photon, fellow pyramid, and the blasted Exo-Jet. The yellow and blue Seeker jets back and forth between tumbleweeds, employing all his dancer's grace, but continues to focus on maintaining his tie, not taking the opponent out. How dull!

Combat: Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet has successfully avoided Americon! Jayson, of course, isn't willing to attempt a ramming manuever. It's just too risky. Only when he gets desperate will he try it. He blinks as several tumbleweeds come into view; he moves the jet from left to right in an attempt to avoid them.

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Buzzsaw folds his wings back tighter to lower his profile as the leading group jet away, he is in the middle of the second pack, he sighs but keeps his wings in as he tries to use his thrusters to their maximum. He also tucks his gun barrels in as he attempts to catch up with the leading pack

Combat: Buzzsaw takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; is flying nearly as fast as he can but he can't shake that damn human and just to make it worst, tumbleweeds starts to fly way too near of his engine for his own taste. The seeker manages to avoid most of them, for now, and he ponders attempting to knock the human out of the race but it's just not the right time...yet so he keeps accelerating in hope that his superior engines are going to allow him to pass his opponents.

Combat: Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; pays the new hazards little mind as he continues along. He'll get to the finish line...eventually. He may not be fast but at least he came out to race unlike the Aerielbots which are nowhere to be seen. Blasting past..ok fine, crawling past another patch of tumbleweed he can amlost see the leaders. Especially since they are close to lapping him.

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; is glad that he's keeping his throttle at a controllable speed as tumbleweeds come out of nowhere! He's also glad for his relatively durable turbine vanes, as he manages to catch a tumbleweed anyhow, shredding it and incinerating it in his starboard engine. As soon as he's weaved around the rest of them, he opens up his afterburner and tries to make up for some lost ground.

Combat: Boomslang sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Blot putters along still. He's fell back from everyone else and seems to be out of ramming range for anyone. He dodges, dips, ducks, dives and dodges tumbleweeds and hopefully holds his position somewhere near the back of the pack. There is another hazard on the track though.....a foul cloud of funk follows in his wake.

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; grrs as the slippery human evades his talons! "Darn you! UrrrRRAAAAuuh." Jayson is out of talon range for now, so Americon just focuses his efforts on blazing ahead and trying to catch up. As he overhears EDI, he turns his birdie beak to him, and asks, "Hey, what's an Ornithopter? Is that like something from Jurassic Park?" Then, he gets a tumbleweed to the face. Thanks to his small size, it completely envelops him, and it is not long before the tumbleweed catches on fire thanks to Americon's blazing hot thruster exhaust. "...crap!"

Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

EDI somehow manages to look bored, despite being a completely featureless warplane. Perhaps it in how he is listing to one side behind the podium, like he can't even be bothered to stay upright, he mutters to himself, "I was told there would be violence, er, I mean, excitement. Where is the mayhem? The forcible jockeying for position? The unexpected and brutal destruction of blimps? I mean..." EDI shakes back and forth sadly before returning to his loud announcer voice to answer Americon, "An ornithopter is any aircraft fashioned after an avian design, namely: you."

After the tumbleweeds, there is a sudden bout of clear air turbulence, unexpected, invisible, and potentially lethal if the racers do not keep their wits about them. Boomslang might be reminded of someone.

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Buzzsaw                       4   1   FEARLESS       -- Robotic Bald Eagle  4  1   FEARLESS       -- +Battle Station          10  1   FEARLESS       -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet              10  1   FEARLESS       -- Blot                         18  0   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet now goes through unexpected turbulance. How nice. Jayson keeps his cool, trying all the while to keep the jet steady. He takes a deep breath. At least he's doing better in this race than he did last year.

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; carefully jockies past Fortress Maximus, but manages to zip past the other before he can attempt evasive manauvers. He considers his options. He's sharing the lead, and as an Aerialdancer, he's used to three victors, anyway... on the other hand, that's what the three medals are, right?

Fleet is still pondering this when a sudden bout of air turbulance throws him off-course, anyway! Looks like he's going to spend some time recovering as he careens towards one of the other racers!

Combat: Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; strikes Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet with his Ram attack!

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt;, the amazing flying burning bush, hms as the tumbleweeds suddenly clear! "Well, that's great, I was afraid I'd get more of those things stuck to me, and that would really suOH PRIMUS OH MAN OH PRIMUS OH MAN!!!" he yells as he suddenly is buffeted about in the air!

Down below, an indigenous tribe watches the burning bush wobble around in the sky in awe. "&lt;The legends are true!&gt;" the chief says. "&lt;The Wobbly Star has come to our world!&gt;"

Apparently Fleet, Jayson and Photon are evenly matched. There's no danager coming from those behind them, they're way too far but Photon is unable to shake those by his side. Just to make his job easier, he's caught in a turbulance which almost knocks him out of the race. But the seeker is an awesome flyer and manages to avoid the crash.

Combat: Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; keeps on keepin' on as the evil Decepticons begin to not only catch up but pass him. The nerve! As one particular jet begins passing the large battle station swerves to the side a bit. "Sorry, this is a no passing lane."

Blot still brings up the rear and hasn't even started the second lap. The Terrorcon is too busy looking at the crowd to notice the turbulence as he's jerked and shook around the Terrorcon putters along only slightly shaken up.

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; cuts the afterburners and eases back the throttle as he enters the turbulent zone, dropping low to skim over the ground beneath it.

Combat: Boomslang sets his defense level to Guarded.

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; misses F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; with his Ram attack!

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; coincidentally also manages to skim under Fortress Maximus' enormous bulk! "Whoah! That'll wake you up."

Buzzsaw sees Boomslang break into a higher gear as he heads towards the leading pack, He squarks loudly as he emits, "No! I'm not letting a jet beat a noble tape..." he then pushes his thrusters to about 150% and streaks towards the seeker attempting to ram him out of contention... and it seems he wasn't the only one as when the seeker starts to pass the lumbering Autobot base he is almost struck, it's not a lucky day for the seeker... He accelerate and attempts to ram.

Combat: Buzzsaw misses F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; with its Ram attack!

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; swerves around Buzzsaw as well, jinking and moving as nimbly as one might expect from someone with such high wing-loading!

EDI's blue neural net brightens in something that might be glee as he witnesses one of the strange alien craft slamming into the Terran-built craft due to the turbulence. With crocodile tears in his voice, the bloodthirsty little warplane announces, "Oh, so sad! Clear air turbulence really is a pain in empennage, leading to so many regrettable accidents," and as the flying fortress misses the Superhornet, "and close calls. How will things shake out after that shake up?"

Half of EDI's wish is answered. A flock of large, slow-moving, fuel-filled blimps float into the field. Will the racers kindly go around the blimps, or will they crash right through them in a blaze of fire that sends flames trailing around the racetrack? EDI knows what he wants to see. It is not the same as what the blimp crews want.

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Pyramid Jet           0   2   FEARLESS       -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet              0   2   FEARLESS       -- Blot                         4   1   FEARLESS       -- +Battle Station  12 1   FEARLESS       -- F/A-18 Super Hornet  You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; is slowed down by crashing into Jayson, not to mention the flock of blimps. Ohnoes!

Race: Buzzsaw leaves the race.

Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; is caught in a cosmic anomaly but he manages to escape it but his opponents are still next to him. Diverting more energy towards his engines, the pyramid jet accelerates. He is decided to win this race for his own glory! And then for the Empire.

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet wobbles in the air as Fleet hits it. Jayson cries out in alarm, and with a bit of effort, manages to steady the jet. But Fleet has caused him to fall behind a little!

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; cawhahas as he comes up on Boomslang! "Sorry, Boomer," Americon says with a smirk. "But your dodging days are over! For how can you dodge an entire BLIMP!?" He zaps at one of the blimps with his eyebeams, and rakes the laser across its surface. Hydrogen gas pours out of its surface in flames, and worse, the fuel tanks are set on fire! Not only that, but the zeppelin starts to drop rapidly, possibly right into Boomslang's path!

Down below, the native tribe continues to watch, oohing and ahhing as the burning bush uses light to set whatever it wishes aflame. "&lt;The end times are here,&gt;" the chief says sagely.

Blot plows through any blimps that get in his path. There's an erruption of flames and the cloud of foul gas behind him goes up in a nice blueish green inferno. Many flames and horrible pollutants for all!

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Combat: Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; strikes F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; with his Oh the Humanity (Ram) attack!

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; is forced by his course shift to slow and recover so he does not crash. Not that he slows by much, given that he saw an old lady with a walker passing him by not far back. So much for an Autobot win, guess that will have to wait for the ground race.

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

EDI bops around behind the podium, evidently very pleased by the blimp carnage. He seems to have some weird vendetta against lighter-than-air craft, mumbling to himself, "That is what they get, those ridiculous blimps, for being stingy with fuel." However, the blimp crews all parachute out safely with bright white parachutes. Yo Joe! He announces, "And the Superhornet looks like it is in trouble, this round! It may have bullet-proof skin, but is it flame-retardant, too?"

There is now a great deal of burning fire in the air. To add to the difficulties, the flouting buoys now extend rings that the racers must either fly through, around, under, or over. Through is the quickest, but if they clip their wings, they could spin out.

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet <Jayson 0   2   FEARLESS       -- +Fleet <Tetrajet>             5   2   FEARLESS       -- +Battle Station <Fortress Maxi 8  0   FEARLESS       -- Pyramid Jet <Photon>         10  2   FEARLESS       -- Blot                         10  1   FEARLESS       -- F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslan 13 1   GUARDED        -- Robotic Bald Eagle <Americon> 16 1   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; blasts through the cloud of firey debris, opening up the throttle to climb away from the worst of it. He transforms momentarily as he skids through the sinking wall of fire rising from the blimp, covering his face with his hands, and comes out the other side transforming to resume his flight. "Americon, you red, white and blue screwball!"

Combat: Boomslang sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Thanks to Fleet's attack on the puny human, Photon manages to pass his opponents and he's now all alone in first place. However he's now catching up with the only Autobot and suddenly he smells something horrible. A quick glance to his left allows him to find the answer..Blot. It's not about winning anymore, it's about survival, he NEEDS to get away from Blot.

Combat: Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Blot is finally in range to hit a non-con! The Terrorcon sets his flaming optics on Fortress Maximus yes he's in last place and really no threat to the pack leaders but this is Blot he doesn't have to make sense. The flaming ball of stink attempts to ram the giant bot.

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; has lost his lead! Sads! All because of a weird delayed reaction crash. One would think that after Alkor Zephyr, he'd be more careful, but in fact, he'd gotten comfortable in more 'normal' skies.

Random flames are not normal.

Fleet zips among the sky-lights, swerving back and forth, the red flames reflecting off his yellow hide as he dances forward and ahead.

Combat: Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet steadies and continues to speed along the track. Jayson shakes his head and mutters, "That was a cheap shot." Spotting the fire, he smirks, and expertly manuevers around the flames and through the rings. It's nothing that he hasn't gone through before! Well, sort of.

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Combat: Blot strikes Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; with his Ram attack!

&lt;KNUJ&gt; Monstereo says, "This goes out to all those ace flyers competing for Top Gun. Never give up. Never surrender. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9YHxez5xwE"

&lt;KNUJ&gt; EDI says, "Ahem, ahem, sorry for hijacking your frequency, though you ought to look into it getting it better secured, really, but I would have to say that I prefer Bullet Proof Skin by the Institute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HIrKSmgwNk "

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; laughs uproariously! "Bweheheheh! Stop drop and roll, Boomslang!" Alas, he is so distracted by his gloating that he fails to notice the rings coming up, and smacks a flaming, tumbleweed-clad wing on the edge of the first one! "OW!" He spins out of control, then bounces into the next ring! "Eee!" He spirals into the third! "GAHHH!" You get the idea!

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; groans as yet more devices are added to try and slow the racers own. He really needs no help in that area. As such he does not bother to fly over, under, or around the rings. He really doesn't even try to go through them in the normal fashion, in fact the battle station doesn't alter his course at all. Going full speed ahead he hits what gets in his way. four rings pass by fine until Blot comes his way. attempting to avoid the flaming, sticking, goo ridden Terrorcon one of the forward pylons gets snagged on a ring forcing him to revese and untangle himself.

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

EDI flips over entirely, clearly questioning what some of the racers are even /doing/ out there, and he asks, voiced hushed, "Is that an ornithopter or a pinball? I am... I am... unsure. My vast library of aerial and combat situations fails me now." Shaking himself upright, he announces properly, "And the golden alien jet goes for gold! But can he maintain the lead?"

The rings extended from the buoys now start to rotate. Timing a flight through them will be exceptionally tricky.

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Pyramid Jet <Photon>          0   3   FEARLESS       -- F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslan 3  2   FEARLESS       -- Robotic Bald Eagle <Americon> 4  2   FEARLESS       -- +Battle Station <Fortress Maxi 8  0   FEARLESS       -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet <Jayson 10 2   FEARLESS       -- Blot                         13  1   FEARLESS       -- Fleet <Tetrajet>             15  2   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; swerves through and around the flaming rings, trying his best to catch up to the leaders, or at least, to make sure the slowest of the leaders doesn't get ahead again.

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Oh, bother! Rotating rings of fire? Fleet swerves and darts between them, sometimes slowing, sometims speeding. He sees Blot coming up on his rear, and throttles it as best he can. If he gets that greasy greasiness all over him, he'll be even more flamible!

Blot continues to burn and has terrible timing to boot. He crashes into several of the spinning rings as he advances rather slowly along the track.

Combat: Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; does not manage to fully extricate himself from the ring before it begins to rotate. As such the large station is pushed along on a slightly altered flight path. Thinking quick he shifts thrusters to go with the flow hoping to slingshot away a bit faster than his normal pace.

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; manages to avoid both Fortress Maximus and Blot. It's a big relief for the seeker and he can finally concentrate on keeping his position. A quick sensor glance behind allows him to see that Fleet isn't far behind...but is no threat for now.

Combat: Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet manuevers around the rings now, the pilot deciding it's too risky to go through them while they're rotating. Jayson continues to stay calm, at least externally. His heart is pounding.

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; manages to stabilize himself by pressing his talons off of one of the rings just so, and resumes a steady flight. Being a small object, he is able to slip through the rings fairly easily, with plenty of room to spare, but he loses a bit of velocity in the process nevertheless. He looks behind himself to see if Boomslang is still there--yep! He sticks a tongue out at him.

Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; sticks one of his arms out of his side and shakes his fist!

EDI whistles like a modem and exclaims, "The golden alien jet has broken into the third lap! How effortless he makes it look! His little yellow doppelganger seems to be right behind him, and the Terran-built craft is clinging tenaciously to third. How did they select these colours, anyway? Do they do combat against a gilded sky?"

Flaming fuel in the air. Rotating rings extended from the buoys. 'How could it get worse?' some of the racers may be wondering. But it gets worse, of course. Because all the fires lead to a thick, nearly blinding smoke. They'll have to rely on instruments to fly, for this round.

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet <Jayson 0   3   FEARLESS       -- +Fleet <Tetrajet>             5   3   FEARLESS       -- Pyramid Jet <Photon>         10  3   FEARLESS       -- Battle Station <Fortress Maxi 10 0   FEARLESS       -- Robotic Bald Eagle <Americon> 12 2   FEARLESS       -- F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslan 13 2   FEARLESS       -- Blot                         19  1   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

Blot is unable to ram anyone again....darn. He continues along at his leisurely pace. Most of his frame is covered in burns and the black smoke all over isn't helping. Blot isn't graced with any kind of fancy sensors so he simply advances blindly crashing into even more rings and burning himself even more.

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; has flown blind before, and this bizzarre race track has really gotten him in the Alkor Zephyr mode. He darts through the smoke, sometimes avoiding the flame rings, sometimes darting through them... and once extinguishing one with an ice beam. No one's on his tail, and there's no one to run into... well, besides Hazard and Bonesaw, and they aren't really here.

Combat: Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Rings and fires and smoke, oh my! Poor Fortress Maximus didn't get quite the boost he was after from the spinning ring but it got him back on track. Puttering along he lets his scanners do their thing and provide a clear course for him to run. While they may not be perfect his steering is, it also helps that he's able to watch the others to see where they find a clear path through the smoke.

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; keeps circling arounf the tracks at full speed. That's what he call total freedom : flying at full speed into the sky. Now if only he could blow an autobot to pieces, this would be a perfect day. The seeker is busy day dreaming and he doesn't notice the big flying...thing in front of him until he nearly hits it, "Damnation" he mutters while sliding to his left to get Fortress Maximus out of the way.

Combat: Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet goes right into the smoke! This, of course, is nothing--it's what the exo's instruments are for. Jayson easily navigates through the smoke, avoiding flames and any other obstacles that may be thrown at him and the other racers.

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; has been dealing with smoke and flame for some time, now, seeing as how he's trapped inside of a bush of burning tumbleweed, so this isn't too much of a problem. But then Boomslang comes up on him, barely visible through the smoke! "NO!" he yells, "You are not getting ahead of me, Boomslang! I will not be... uh... behind you! I guess." He attempts to snag one of Boomslang's aerilon thingies or however you spell it with his beak! "CAW!"

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; cuts his thrust back quite a bit, seeming almost to stop in midair, and lurks in the smoke, waiting for the human craft to catch up to him!

Combat: Boomslang sets his defense level to Protected.

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; strikes F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; with his Err-a-lon? (Ram) attack!

EDI points out to a track staffer, "Seeing the racers is difficult with all the smoke, and is the point not to grandstand for the crowd, so that their images may be resold in a smaller facsimile format?" The staffer nods and scurries off, returning with a cart that contains a GIANT FAN. Holy smokes, is it big! The fan begins the blow away the smoke - and the racers, if they aren't careful.

EDI announcers, "Oh, I see now! The ornithopter seems to have it in for the Superhornet."

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Pyramid Jet <Photon>          0   4   FEARLESS       -- +Blot                         5   2   FEARLESS       -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet <Jayson 10 3   FEARLESS       -- Battle Station <Fortress Maxi 12 0   FEARLESS       -- F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslan 13 2   PROTECTED      -- Fleet <Tetrajet>             15  3   FEARLESS       -- Robotic Bald Eagle <Americon> 16 2   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; continues to chug along. Chug chug chug. This time more prepared, he battles the wind, gliding with it. He tries to duck around Americon, who's now ahead of him, and is completely unaware of any sneaky Seeker types coming up behind.

Combat: Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Blot is mercilessly blown around but he doesn't give up and continues to truck along clanking into the spinning rings still. He gets caught in one and spins round and round a few times before getting back on track.

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; manages to pass under Fortress Maximus which isn't easy and he doesn't feel safe until he leave the heaadmaster far behind. He accelerates once again as he realizes he's on the last lap. "One last effort" he tells himself "and victory will be mine!"

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes a while to get out of the rapidly dissipating cloud, partly because of the headwind from the giant fan and partly because of Americon pestering him! When he scans around, however, he doesn't see much nearby apart from Fleet lapping him from behind and that giant lug of an Autobot coming up in front there. Boomslang lays on the gas and tries to get away from the big Bot.

Combat: Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Boomslang sets his defense level to Aggressive.

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; rockets along as the fan begins to clear away some of the smoke. Thankfully being the most solid racer going along the track he has little to worry about the fan. He's solid as a rock. That's what his love is..umm yeah so anyway. ZOOM! Off goes Fortress Maximus. Go speed Fortress go!

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet continues along. "You've got to be kidding," Jayson mutters as the wind from the fan threatens to blow him off-course. Fortunately, however, he manages to stay on track.

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; manages to mess up Boomslang a bit, though it is at the cost of a somewhat bent beak! "Ow! Well, that'll learn you, Booms... Boom... uh... Boom SUCK!" But then it suddenly gets really windy somehow! "WOOOAAAHHHHOOOOOAAAAHHHOOOoOAAAHHHH!" he cries as he is suddenly flung right at Fleet!

Combat: Americon sets his defense level to Neutral.

Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; strikes Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; with his WOOOAAAHHHH (Ram) attack!

EDI just might be snickering as the wind blows the ornithopter into the pastel alien jet. He announces, "Looks like a bad case of bird-strike, there. I would hate to ingest that through my engines! Will the Terran craft be able to pull ahead, as we close in on the finish? Or will human ingenuity be proven lacking by exotic alien designs? Or will there be a catastrophe? Emphasis on the 'astro' component." EDI looks up. A Six Lasers staffer unfolds a large umbrella over the hovering warplane. What does he know that they don't?

SUDDEN METEOR SHOWER is what. Flaming chunks of space rocks and metal come falling down from the sky, red-hot, fragmenting into pieces due to atmospheric friction.

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet <Jayson 0   4   FEARLESS       -- F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslan 2  3   AGGRESSIVE     -- Pyramid Jet <Photon>         10  4   FEARLESS       -- Blot                         11  2   FEARLESS       -- Battle Station <Fortress Maxi 14 0   FEARLESS       -- Fleet <Tetrajet>             15  3   FEARLESS       -- Robotic Bald Eagle <Americon> 19 2   NEUTRAL        --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; closes in on the human jet from behind, evading meteorites as he banks crazily towards it to try to strike it with his undercarriage and force it towards the ground!

Combat: Boomslang sets his defense level to Fearless.

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; strikes Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet with his Ram attack!

Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; gasps as the meteors starts to fall around him. The seeker needs to execute the most daring acrobaty to avoid them. He slides and flips around. As soon as he's out of the meteor shower, he jets towards the finish line trying to ignore the smell of Blot in front of him.

Combat: Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; is crashed into by Americon! Blast it! Blast it all! The Seeker topples in the air, unable to advance in the least, and nearly slides back far enough to crash into Fortress Maximus before he recovers! Realizing that if he doesn't get his act together, the battlestation might also take him out of the air, he jets forward. After all, he's still got a chance for shameful bronze!

Combat: Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Blot does stink and luckily won't try and sabotage Photon's chances. Instead he's rocked hard with a meteor and once again bursts into flames. Poor Blot has spent most of this race on fire.

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet is avoiding meteors left and right, but it's not enough to avoid Boomslang! Fortunately, Jayson manages to steady it and keep moving, although his position in the race has been jeopardized.

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; can almost see the finish line, so close yet so far. Hellfire from the sky begins to rain down slamming against his hull and leaving scorch marks on the metal. Armor as he is Fortress Maximus doesn't need to avoid the falling balls of fury as much as the others, though he does his best not to get slammed by too many. Onward and upwards to the line. His goal now being to complete one mighty lap in the name of the Autobots!

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; has no one else to smash into at the moment, so he jinks and evades through the storm of meteors, even though he currently looks a lot like one!

"&lt;See, I told you!&gt;" says the leader of the indigenous tribe as he and his people flee for cover!

Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

EDI laughs, "Didn't that rock? Rock? Meteors? Get it?" He looks left and right and then slumps down. EDI observes, "Looks like the golden alien jet is able to get by the... the... I have no idea what that is without trouble, and no one has crashed and burned, despite the totally unexpected," a sidelong glance at a staffer, "meteor shower. Will they all survive to the finish line?"

At the finish line, dozens of photographers of every shape and size imaginable are lined up, creating a barrage of blinding flashes.

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Pyramid Jet <Photon>          0   5   FEARLESS       -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet <Jayson 0  4   FEARLESS       -- +Fleet <Tetrajet>             5   4   FEARLESS       -- +Robotic Bald Eagle <Americon> 5  3   NEUTRAL        -- +F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslan 7  3   FEARLESS       -- Battle Station <Fortress Maxi 16 0   FEARLESS       -- Blot                         17  2   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; has lost his chance at gold, but may yet time for bronze! He soars ahead, trying to move past the reckless Americon, the one who took him out the last time...

And then the meteor shower starts.

"You've /got/ to be kidding me," Fleet mumbles as he glides back and forth, trying to edge past the patriotic tape.

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; flies low and fast, afterburning around the track. Photon's already crossed the finish line, and Boomslang's a lap behind the other two, but who knows what fortune and timely crashes might bring!

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

With one last burst from his engines, Photon finally passes the finish line, "VICTORY!" he screams at the crowd. He transforms and lands, raising his arms to show his victory!

Combat: Pyramid Jet &lt;Photon&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

The Pyramid jet unfold into Photon's robot mode.

Blot has his chance! He must stop Fortress Maximus from finishing the first lap. So again for no apparent reason he slows down and kicks it in reverse to attempt a ram against the Headmaster one more time. Terrorcons really don't have to make much sense.

Combat: Blot strikes Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; with his Ram attack!

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet swerves left and right to avoid the meteors!

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; putters along glad that soon all this will be over. Half blinded by the flashes coming from up aheadhe is totally blindsided by Blot and forced off at an odd direction. his quest to complete one single farking lap...DENIED!

EDI cranks his impressive sound system up to 12, and he booms, "We have a winner! And it's gold for the golden alien jet," a staffer with a cue card prompts him, "the Decepticon Photon! Must have earned that designation with his impeccable speed! Meanwhile, the... the..." the staffer hold up another cue card, "Terrorcon Blot blocks the flying fortress. "But gold and silver are still waiting in the wings to the wings that just aren't quite first."

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

Race: Photon crosses the finish line!

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Blot                          0   3   FEARLESS       -- +Photon                       6   5   FEARLESS       -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet <Jayson 10 4   FEARLESS       -- Robotic Bald Eagle <Americon> 11 3   NEUTRAL        -- Fleet <Tetrajet>             15  4   FEARLESS       -- Battle Station <Fortress Maxi 16 0   FEARLESS       -- F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslan 17 3   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; whisks around the track, crossing the finish line... but not winning, sadly, as he has two more laps to go! Unless someone does something about the human and Fleet, it looks like they're going to take second and third.

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; grumblegrumbles as everyone else wins, and settles for trying to swipe at Jayson as he flies by!

Combat: Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; strikes Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet with his Ram attack!

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; apparently has a chance for Silver! At least he does if the battlestation doesn't take him out of the running! :v Once more, Fleet attempts to zip past the massive Autobot's bulk. Eeep!

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; gets a second chance as not all the medal slots have been filled. Trying his best to recover quickly he powers on trying to reach the finish line for his momentous fist lap.

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet continues along. Jayson is determined not to give up, even as Americon attacks again!

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

Blot is slightly stunned from the bash with Fort Max and continues to make his way around the track. No one in range for a ram the smoldering Terrorcon trudges along.

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Photon walks around and finally looks up at the other participants who have not crossed the line yet. He crosses his arms on his chest and waits for them with an arrogant grin on his face.

Combat: Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

EDI hovers up over the podium to get a better look at just who might be taking silver and possibly bronze this round. He speculates, "Will it be the alien or the human? Or a complete dark horse? The photo won't lie." He swivels over to look at the photographers and pauses. They do look a bit shady, some of them. "Well. All the photos can't lie!"

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

Race: Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; crosses the finish line!

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- +Fleet <Tetrajet>             5   5   FEARLESS       -- +Blot                         6   3   FEARLESS       -- +F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslan 7  4   FEARLESS       -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet <Jayson 10 4   FEARLESS       -- Robotic Bald Eagle <Americon> 11 3   NEUTRAL        -- Photon                       12  5   FEARLESS       -- Battle Station <Fortress Maxi 18 0   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

Photon has disconnected.

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; takes Silver? Fleet takes Silver! The Seeker transforms as he crosses the finish line, touching down lightly as the others continue to race on by. He still appears nervous, as though still expecting a ram out of nowhere, and watches the race warily.

Fleet &lt;Tetrajet&gt; transforms into his Fleet mode.

Race: Fleet leaves the race.

Blot doesn't tamper with the all con finale. Still crashing into rings and still at the very back of the pack Blot flies on.

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet keeps going. Needless to say, Jayson is a little irritated that he missed his chance for Gold, but if his luck holds out, he'll at least take Bronze.

Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; can almost taste the sweet flavor of lap completion. Can he make? Will it be shown before or after the commercial break? Well there's only one way to find out.

Combat: Battle Station &lt;Fortress Maximus&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Combat: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet takes extra time to steady itself. [Pass]

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; climbs to avoid a set of rings by dint of just going over them. Jayson is ahead of him, but not SO far out of reach...

Combat: F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; collapses from exhaustion, and flies into the ground! He explodes!

COMMECIAL BREAK

Kremzeek Cola! Our robotic vending machines are 78% less likely to flip out and try to kill you than the competition's!

We now return to your regularly scheduled air race.

EDI shouts, "Silver to the pastel pyramid," cue card, "Decepticon Fleet! If he fights half as well as he flies, he'll... still be pastel." He swivels towards Fleet and demands, "Tell me. It's killing my diodes to know - what's with the pastel?" Then, his attention flits away as he strains to see how might take bronze.

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Battle Station <Fortress Maxi 0   1   FEARLESS       -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet <Jayson 0  5   FEARLESS       -- Robotic Bald Eagle <Americon> 11 3   NEUTRAL        -- Blot                         12  3   FEARLESS       -- F/A-18 Super Hornet <Boomslan 17 4   FEARLESS       -- Photon                       18  5   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

Fleet blinks up at EDI and tilts his head. "It's pale, it's not pastel," he says quietly.

Blot opts to not ram the fallen and blown up Americon and instead continues to race along if you can call it racing......he might actually get third from last place! Whooo! Go BLOT!

Combat: Blot takes extra time to steady himself. [Pass]

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet speeds across the finish line!

Victory!! As the forward most portion of the battle station crosses the line Fortress Maximus can feel a renewed vigor and zooms the rest of the way over the line. Transforming on the far side to rest his engines he lands heavy on his feet and looks at the final board. "Well I did my best at least."

F/A-18 Super Hornet &lt;Boomslang&gt; doesn't manage to catch up to the human before he can cross the finish line, to his disappointment. Transforming, Boomslang touches down on the side of the track, jogging to a stop. "Well, two out of three should be good enough odds for anybody," he reassures himself.

The F-18 produces that distinctive transformation sound as it flips around and pops out limbs to assume a humanoid shape.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fortress Maximus says, "Well least the Decepticons didn't manage to snag all three medals. Well done Jayson."

Race: Boomslang leaves the race.

Fortress Maximus shifts into robot mode.

Race: Fortress Maximus leaves the race.

&lt;Autobot&gt; Noah Wolfe says, "Amen, way to go mate. I suppose I should give you that kiss then?"

&lt;Autobot&gt; Jayson Redfield says, "Those 'Cons seem to really hate me, if all the attempts to get me to crash is any indication."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Jayson Redfield says, "Yes, please! Hee."

&lt;Earth&gt; First Aid says, "Hello everyone. The full combat match between Fusillade and Crash will be beginning shortly at the Cheyne Ig-Yac Ranch, for those looking to spectate."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Fortress Maximus says, "Anything to win, you were just in their way."

&lt;Autobot&gt; Rodimus Prime says, "Being hated by Decepticons is usually a mark in one's favor."

Robotic Bald Eagle &lt;Americon&gt; smoulders in the distance. :(

&lt;Autobot&gt; Jayson Redfield says, "Heh heh..."

EDI exclaims, "And it is the human, after all! Jayson Redfield of the EDC - no relation to me. Nice acronym, though!" He considers and recaps, "So the three aircraft ahead at the start finished ahead, despite wind, tumbleweed, spinning rings, /BLIMPS/, fire, and meteors. I suppose it just goes to show that when you're good, you're good. I would know. On the other hand, if you aren't, you might end up like him." EDI looks pointedly over at Americon. He concludes, "Congratulations are due to Photon, the gold place winner, Fleet, the silver, and Jayson Redfield, the bronze! Hoo-ray."

Race: The racers speed around the track, and the scoreboard lights up with the new race standings...

Race: Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; Jet crosses the finish line!

============================[ Racetrack Attack! ]============================= Racer                         Pos Lap Defense-Level -- Photon                        4   6   FEARLESS       -- Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet <Jayson 10 5   FEARLESS       -- Robotic Bald Eagle <Americon> 11 3   NEUTRAL        -- Blot                         18  3   FEARLESS       --

+ Racer within ramming distance -> You!

=
============[ Sorted by Track Position ]=========================

Jayson Redfield leaves the Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt;.

Jayson Redfield has arrived.

Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt; has left.

Jayson Redfield takes Exo-Armor Pegasus Jet &lt;Jayson Redfield&gt;.

Race: Blot leaves the race.

=============================== 2030 Olympics ================================ Message: 37/22                    Posted        Author Air Race Results                  Mon Aug 10    Catechism -- Gold: Photon Silver: Fleet Bronze: Jayson Redfield

Silver Tortoise: Fortress Maximus ;)

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=================================================================

Boomslang flips open a panel on his wrist to check his chronometer. "Oh, Fusillade's gunfight against Crash is starting!" He launches into the air and blasts away again to another part of Cheyne, where they keep the bucking lizards and the tolling bell towers and the tumbleweeds and so on.

With the usual ratcheting sound, Boomslang spins and flips and turns into a fighter jet.