Flight & Flying [Friday, June 8, 2nd period]

[sith_happened]

Anakin was leaning against the reconfigured flight simulator when the flight students arrived, absolutely no trace of an smile--or any emotion at all, really--on his face.

"The first battle in my home galaxy in a conflict that eventually became known as the Clone Wars," he said, walking over to the television from his room and pushing a few buttons. A three-dimension projection of a world rotated in front of them, "took place on a world called Naboo." He was very proud of the way his voice didn't shake. "Today we're going to complete an entire military mission. Naboo was being slowly starved to death by a blockade set up by the Trade Federation's control ships and its army of droids." His expression hardened. "Though we didn't know it at the time, the Senator of this planet was using his home as bait to set himself up as Chancellor and gain power over the Republic. We won the battle, but lost the war."

Anakin gestured to the projection. "Working in pairs, your job will be to take off from the planet's surface, fight past the enemy's droid fighters and destroy the control ship." On the projection, the target glowed red. "The only way to destroy the ship is to blow it from the inside--its shields are too powerful for the starfighter's torpedoes to take out from space." He put his hands behind his back and paced. "You're up against a deadline as well. On the surface there's a battle taking place: your people--including the fourteen-year-old queen of the planet--against a droid army that doesn't get tired." He turned away before a profile shot of the leader in question came up on the projector. "Taking out the control ship also powers down those droids. Take too long to blow it up and you won't have a reason to go back to the planet: the enemy will have won through battle what they had been trying to achieve through blockade."

He pointed at the simulator. "You'll be flying the Naboo N-1 Starfighter," he said. "They're a little more sensitive than the F-16 from last week, and more elegant than the X-Wing, but without the engine power. And remember that once you break atmosphere, you won't be fighting gravity any longer so you don't have to yank on the controls quite as hard. The droid starfighters are faster than you are--and there are a lot of them--but they're also fairly stupid. Watch for them and the laser cannons on the control ship--and watch for each other--and you'll do fine.

"This battle was real. This exercise can be accomplished. I will not accept failure from any of you on this." He tossed two deeply silly-looking helmets into the flight simulator. "These helmets are equipped with comm units that will allow you to talk to each other."

He waved them towards the simulator. "Begin."

All That I Am - Rob Thomas

Comments

Go on a mission!

[sith_happened]

Find a wingman, go up against droid starfighters and the control ship, and die.

Fortunately it's only a sim.

Re: Go on a mission!

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke waited for a partner as he rocked nervously on the balls of his feet.

Re: Go on a mission!

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"I've never flown with you," Gavin said, walking up to Luke.

Re: Go on a mission!

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke smiled after shooting his father another wary look. "Let's do this thing, then. Show him we're not all as incompetent as he thinks today."

Re: Go on a mission!

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"Seems like a really bad day," Gavin said offhandedly. "I'm good with proving him wrong, though."

Re: Go on a mission!

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke strapped into one of the cockpits and put on the helmet, then made a face. "These are really stupid looking," he complained. "Can you hear me?"

Re: Go on a mission!

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

Gavin made a face when he put the helmet on and, after hearing Luke in his ear, said, "Yeah. Nice voice."

Re: Go on a mission!

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

"I'm thinking of trying out for the radio," Luke deadpanned. "Okay, I'm showing everything in the green. How about you?"

Re: Go on a mission!

[sixstandingby.livejournal.com]

"I'd listen to you every night before I went to sleep," Gavin quipped back. "In the green. Looks good."

Re: Go on a mission!

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

Johnny waited for a partner, excited if not slightly nervous. He really didn't want to die.

Re: Go on a mission!

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

Anakin was making John a little nervous, but he got in line after Johnny anyway.

Re: Go on a mission!

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

Anakin made Johnny a lot nervous, especially after his practice run where he crashed.

Putting his helmet on, he spoke to John, "Sheppard? You ready for this?"

Re: Go on a mission!

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

John replied into the helmet comm, "Ready when you are, Storm." He started up his simulator.

Re: Go on a mission!

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

"Right. Let's do this thing and show 'em what we've got," Johnny fired up his aircraft, "By the way, how's the head?"

Re: Go on a mission!

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

John grinned into the comm, "The head's better than ever actually. It's nice having a magical roommate."

Re: Go on a mission!

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

Johnny was flying fast, grinning into his headset, "Lucky you. Who's the roommate?"

Re: Go on a mission!

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

John was keeping up with Storm in the sim, "Oh, I think you know him - Ronan Nolan," John replied with a smirk.

Re: Go on a mission!

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

Inara waited for a partner, not really excited about the impending death part.

Re: Go on a mission!

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"Hey," Anders said, still looking harried from his practice run. "Want to give this a shot? I'm a total rookie though, just so you know."

Re: Go on a mission!

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"I have no idea what I'm doing either," Inara shot a glare in Anakin's direction, her customary calm missing completely, "But I'm ready to try if you are. I'm Inara, by the way."

Re: Go on a mission!

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"Sam Anders," he replied, too shaken to add his usual coda to the introduction. "Sorry about the circumstances, but nice to meet you. Shall we?"

Re: Go on a mission!

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

"Sure. Do you want to take the lead?" She asked, climbing into her simulator.

Re: Go on a mission!

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"Why not?" It wasn't like he had anything to show off; neither of them had much experience in this. He put on the silly-looking helmet again and, with a little difficulty, wedged himself into his cockpit. "These things are so not made for someone my size . . ."

Anders buckled his crash webbing and went through the pre-flight prep. "Green across the board and ready to go!"

Re: Go on a mission!

[ambassadorinara.livejournal.com]

Inara put the helmet on and immediately had to adjust it from slipping over her eyes, "Not for my size either, unfortunately," she said as she sat forward in her seat to reach the controls. She buckled in and did the same pre-flight prep. "Ready here, as well."

Re: Go on a mission!

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Who needs a wing...frog?" Robin asked.