HSS Chasetail: 13:00 — Briefing Room
The briefing for the simulation was about to wrap up.
Klaus:
- All squadron members and comms personnel other than yourself will be simulated.
- The simulation will commence in nominal patrol formation.
- Standard rules of engagement apply.
- Your objective is to protect the assigned asset.
- You will not confer before your run with those who have completed.
- You will make the decision you judge correct.
- You will each have one run only.
That is all.
X-wing Flight Simulation: Run 1 (Hans — Drift)
Hans — Ghost-Drift, sat strapped in the X-wing simulator. The wrap-around displays showed the starfield from Sector 1-Quadrant Gamma-3 (S1-QG3). The Heads-Up-Display (HUD) came alive, the squadron in a nominal patrol formation.
Timo: Another day done, another Taco Tuesday.
Toby: I’m starved; I could eat the whole damn canteen.
Lewis (on comms): Break, break—Greenwatch, hostile contact confirmed
Bearing—1-7-3, Mark—Negative—2-0.
Divert and intercept.
Raven: Contact confirmed.
Bearing—1-7-3, Mark—Negative—2-0.
Timo: That thing’s moving.
Toby: Looks like it’s in a hurry, Murray.
Seb: Tracking.
Lewis: Greenwatch—target vector update.
Bearing—1-4-0, Mark—Negative—1-0.
Projected target—Sen-Comms-G3.
Confirm hostile is on active vector—seek and destroy.
Then came the call.
Klaus: Drift—you lead.
A small shift in the formation. Drift now on point.
Hans: Copy—Keel-One—I have lead. Greenwatch—tighten formation.
The lock and impact numbers appeared on the HUD.
HUD: Lock 62%—Impact 15s
Hans watched the display.
There was no more chatter.
HUD: Lock 71%—Impact 12s
Hans: Greenwatch—hold.
HUD: Lock 79%—Impact 10s
Hans breathed in through his nose once.
Hans: Taking the shot. Fox.
The shot streaked away.
Lewis: Impact confirmed. Hostile destroyed.
Half a second later—
Debris from the hostile contact spread, some impacting the Sen-Comms-G3 array, taking out one dish.
Lewis (degraded): Sen-Com…—dam…ge r…port… (unreadable)
A few seconds of broken comms, then they returned.
Lewis (degraded): Ba…kup com…unications ar…ay active—…but lim…ted.
Klaus: Greenwatch—my lead. Reform nominal patrol formation.
Hans let out a breath that he had been holding.
Hans: Keel-One—acknowledged your lead.
The display on the simulator froze.
Simulator: End Simulation.
Hans: Well. That ended a bit messy.
X-wing Flight Simulation: Run 2 (Timo — Fang)
After cranking the seat a lot further forward and pulling the flight controls in much closer after the lanky Hans, it was Timo’s turn.
Toby: Another day done, another Taco Tuesday.
I’m starved; I could eat the whole damn canteen.
Lewis (on comms): Break, break—Greenwatch, hostile contact confirmed
Bearing—1-7-3, Mark—Negative—2-0.
Divert and intercept.
Raven: Contact confirmed.
Bearing—1-7-3, Mark—Negative—2-0.
Toby: That thing’s moving, it’s in a real hurry, Murray.
Timo: I see it! Let me at it!
Seb: Tracking.
Lewis: Greenwatch—target vector update.
Bearing—1-4-0, Mark—Negative—1-0.
Projected target—Sen-Comms-G3.
Confirm hostile is on active vector—seek and destroy.
Then came the call.
Klaus: Fang—you lead.
A small shift in the formation. Fang took point and wiggled his butt back ever so slightly in his seat.
Timo: Co-pee—Keel-One—I got the lead. Greenwatch—tight’n up your but-tocks.
The lock and impact numbers appeared on the HUD.
HUD: Lock 58%—Impact 16s
There was no more chatter.
HUD: Lock 62%—Impact 15s
Timo watched the display; good enough.
This bogey wasn’t gonna get away.
Timo: Fox!
The shot streaked away.
Timo: Take that, you little rat-turd!
Lewis: Impact confirmed. Hostile destroyed.
Half a second later—
Debris from the hostile contact scattered in a large spread, destroying half of the Sen-Comms-G3 array.
Lewis (degraded): Sen-Com…dam…ge r…port… (unreadable static)
A few seconds of broken comms, then they partially returned.
Lewis (degraded): Ba…kup com…nications ar…ay active…but lim…ted.
Klaus: Greenwatch—my lead. Reform nominal patrol formation.
Timo: Keel-One—your lead.
Timo looked in disbelief at the ruined half of the Sen-Comms-G3 array.
The display on the simulator froze.
Simulator: End Simulation.
Timo: Yeah… total crapfest.
X-wing Flight Simulation: Run 3 (Toby — Tick Tock)
Toby sauntered over to the simulator and climbed in. The simulation commenced.
Timo: Another day done, another Taco Tuesday.
I’m starved; I could eat the whole damn canteen.
Lewis: Greenwatch—target vector update.
Bearing—1-4-0, Mark—Negative—1-0.
Divert and intercept.
Raven: Contact confirmed.
Bearing—1-7-3, Mark—Negative—2-0.
Timo: That thing’s moving.
Toby: Looks like it’s in a hurry, Murray.
Seb: Tracking.
Lewis: Greenwatch—target vector update.
Bearing—1-4-0, Mark—Negative—1-0.
Projected target—Sen-Comms-G3.
Confirm hostile is on active vector—seek and destroy.
Then came the call.
Klaus: Tick—you lead.
A small shift in the formation. Tick now on point.
Toby: That’s affirm—Keel-One—on my lead. Greenwatch—hold steady.
The lock and impact numbers appeared on the HUD.
HUD: Lock 62%—Impact 15s
Toby watched the display.
There was no more chatter.
HUD: Lock 68%—Impact 13s
HUD: Lock 71%—Impact 12s
HUD: Lock 79%—Impact 10s
Toby: Greenwatch—Hold ’em. We got time.
HUD: Lock 88%—Impact 7s
HUD: Lock 95%—Impact 4s
HUD: Lock 100%—Impact 2s
Toby: Lock! Fox!
Several things all happened at once.
The shot impacted the hostile target half a second later it was destroyed.
Another second later, the shot the hostile had managed to get away impacted directly on Sen-Comms-G3.
Two massive explosions a second apart totally filled the displays.
Silence. Communications were cut from the Chasetail.
A few agonising moments later…
Lewis (extremely degraded): Sen-Co…des…yed… (unreadable static)
The unreadable comms continued for a little longer.
Lewis (degraded): Ba…kup com…unications ar…ay active…but lim…ted.
Klaus: Greenwatch—my lead. Reform nominal patrol formation.
Toby gave a low whistle.
Toby: Keel-One—your lead.
The display on the simulator froze.
Simulator: End Simulation.
Toby: Oops. My bad.
X-wing Flight Simulation: Run 4 (Raven — Rook)
Raven sat ready in the simulator, checks complete and harness secure. He was ready for whatever Klaus would throw at him.
Timo: Another day done, another Taco Tuesday.
Toby: I’m starved; I could eat the whole damn canteen.
Lewis (on comms): Break, break—Greenwatch, hostile contact confirmed
Bearing—1-7-3, Mark—Negative—2-0.
Divert and intercept.
Raven: Contact confirmed.
Bearing—1-7-3, Mark—Negative—2-0.
Timo: That thing’s moving.
Toby: Looks like it’s in a hurry, Murray.
Seb: Tracking.
Lewis: Greenwatch—target vector update.
Bearing—1-4-0, Mark—Negative—1-0.
Projected target—Sen-Comms-G3.
Confirm hostile is on active vector—seek and destroy.
Then came the call.
Klaus: Rook—you lead.
A small shift in the formation. Rook now on point.
Raven: Affirmative—Keel-One—I lead. Greenwatch—tighten formation.
The lock and impact numbers appeared on the HUD.
HUD: Lock 62%—Impact 15s
Raven watched the display.
Raven: Greenwatch—hold formation.
There was no more chatter.
HUD: Lock 71%—Impact 12s
HUD: Lock 79%—Impact 10s
HUD: Lock 81%—Impact 8s
It was time.
Raven: Fox!
The shot streaked away.
Lewis: Impact confirmed. Hostile destroyed.
Half a second later—
Debris from the hostile contact spread, some impacting the Sen-Comms-G3 array, causing minor damage.
Lewis (degraded): Sen-Comms-G3… damage report…
A moment of broken comms, then they cleared.
Lewis: Backup communications array active, but limited.
Klaus: Greenwatch—my lead. Reform nominal patrol formation.
Raven returned the call promptly.
Raven: Keel-One—your lead.
The display on the simulator froze.
Simulator: End Simulation.
Raven: Well. Okay then.
X-wing Flight Simulation: Run 5 (Seb — Glow)
Seb climbed into the simulator. He was still primed from yesterday’s successful missions. Two missions, two successful intercepts and both very different. He felt confident. Not cocky, more, focused and determined. He carried a name.
Timo: Another day done, another Taco Tuesday.
Toby: I’m starved; I could eat the whole damn canteen.
Lewis (on comms): Break, break—Greenwatch, hostile contact confirmed
Bearing—1-7-3, Mark—Negative—2-0.
Divert and intercept.
Raven: Contact confirmed.
Bearing—1-7-3, Mark—Negative—2-0.
Timo: That thing’s moving.
Toby: Looks like it’s in a hurry, Murray.
Seb: Tracking.
Lewis: Greenwatch—target vector update.
Bearing—1-4-0, Mark—Negative—1-0.
Projected target—Sen-Comms-G3.
Confirm hostile is on active vector, seek and destroy.
Then came the call.
Klaus: Glow—you lead.
A small shift in the formation. Glow now on point.
Seb: Copy—Keel-One—I have lead. Greenwatch—tighten formation.
The lock and impact numbers appeared on the HUD.
HUD: Lock 62%—Impact 15s
Seb watched the display.
No, not yet; too soon.
There was no more chatter.
HUD: Lock 68%—Impact 13s
His eyes were firmly on the HUD.
HUD: Lock 70%—Impact 12s
Seb: …Fox!
The shot streaked away.
Lewis: Impact confirmed. Hostile destroyed. Hostile shot still active.
Half a second later—
The shot from the destroyed hostile impacted the Sen-Comms-G3 array, completely obliterating it into a maelstrom of fragments.
Silence. Communications were cut from the Chasetail.
After what seemed like an eternity…
Lewis (extremely degraded): Sen-Co…des…yed… (unreadable static)
The unreadable comms continued.
Lewis (degraded): Ba…kup com…unications ar…ay active…but lim…ted.
Klaus: Greenwatch—my lead. Reform nominal patrol formation.
Seb: Keel-One—your lead.
Seb looked on numbly at the dispersing fragments of the Sen-Comms-G3.
The display on the simulator froze.
Simulator: End Simulation.
Seb: Shit.
HSS Chasetail: Briefing Room
The debrief was underway.
Klaus: Sum up your sim experience in one word.
There are no right or wrong answers.
Hans: Contained.
Timo: Crapola.
Laughter.
Toby: Gone bloody bush, mate.
More laughter.
Raven: Nominal.
Seb: Shit.
X-wing Flight Simulator
After dinner, Seb returned to the simulator alone.
Seb: Computer, load Keel-One simulation K9-D1.
Timestamp: Glow—you lead.
Klaus: Glow—you lead.
Seb: Copy—Keel-One—I have lead. Greenwatch—tighten formation.
The lock and impact numbers appeared on the HUD.
HUD: Lock 62%—Impact 15s
Seb watched the display.
No, not yet—too soon.
HUD: Lock 64%—Impact 14s
Seb: Fox!
The shot streaked away.
Lewis: Impact negative. Hostile has jumped. Hostile shot still active.
Sen-Comms-G3 array—destroyed
Seb: Damn.
Computer: Reset simulation, same timestamp.
Klaus: Glow—you lead.
Seb: Copy—Keel-One—I have lead. Greenwatch—tighten formation.
The lock and impact numbers appeared on the HUD.
HUD: Lock 100%—Impact 2s
Seb: Fox!
Hostile—destroyed.
Sen-Comms-G3 array—destroyed.
Seb: Damnit! I can do this!
Computer! Reset!
Klaus: Glow—you lead.
Seb: Copy—Keel-One—I have lead. Greenwatch—tighten formation.
The lock and impact numbers appeared on the HUD.
HUD: Lock 62%—Impact 15s
Seb watched the display like a hawk.
Seb: Greenwatch!—Hold formation!
HUD: Lock 71%—Impact 12s
HUD: Lock 79%—Impact 10s
HUD: Lock 81%—Impact 8s
Now!
Seb: Fox!
Lewis: Impact confirmed. Hostile destroyed.
Debris spread; minor damage to Sen-Comms-G3.
Seb looked at the frozen scene on the display.
Seb bumped his helmet back against the headrest, as if trying to knock the right answer into his head.
Seb: Computer! Reset!
Seb kept trying different timing and shot combinations.
Nothing worked.
The Sen-Comms-G3 always sustained damage.
Seb hit the instrument panel with his closed hand in frustration.
Finally, Seb climbed out of the simulator.
Someone was there waiting for him. Seb looked up in surprise.
Klaus: Well?
Seb: I can’t make it work. The Sen-Comms-G3 always gets hit.
Klaus tilted his head slightly.
Klaus: Mhm.
Screw Pile Developments 