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Post by elizar on Jul 14, 2010 8:23:08 GMT -5
"Let's see how this match will last long." Daryush said as looking towards the screen. "And I got to say I didn't believe much in human pilot-mechanian jet. But given that the pair has survived in over half the trials, I got to recheck my attitude."
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Post by Evangeline on Jul 14, 2010 10:14:35 GMT -5
Amara cocked her head to get a better view of the screen. "How many of you had they taken on? The human might not be so bad off, but the jet's got to be feeling it by now." Real-life dogfights tended to be of short duration, usually ending with the death of a combatant. If it was not the instant kill shot of a missile, it was an agonizing minute or two with wings or engines torn up until gravity administered the coup de grace. Amara was thankful that the only action she'd really seen was in an aggressor squadron, playing "the bad guy" for the up-and-comers. But as a consequence of that, she knew and could anticipate every bit of dirty fighting her kind could possibly dream of. And she was quite sure that by now, Brenda had also seen them all and done them all.
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Post by elizar on Jul 14, 2010 10:43:55 GMT -5
"True, but for lasting so long so far does have something to say." Daryush said. "Though the stress on Bakeman is something that needs to be monitored. I've seen him step out out of an exercise like this, he was ready to drop."
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Post by Evangeline on Jul 14, 2010 11:33:42 GMT -5
A small crowd had gathered around the large monitor in the public commons, and others watched from the smaller ones at the fuel bar. Some were quietly making bets as they watched these experienced fighters have at each other. All three involved were blooded in the original sense of the word, and none of them showed any intention of backing down.
Amara followed each loop, scissor and out-of-plane movement with head and eyes. Whatever she now thought of Paul, she would not deny that he was naturally gifted in this area. Even though she was only looking at models, she could visualize the flaming afterburners, feel the adrenal rush and know the focused killer instinct in its full-blown emergence.
Even then, it almost came as a surprise when there were two explosions, one slightly overlapping the other. The final program results came on screen, and Amara found herself whistling. "A draw, if you can call it that."
Pepper was unusually sober as she reviewed this. "Both of them got off kill shots, near-simultaneous. I kinda knew they'd take each other out like that one of these days."
Amara's eyes finally went over to Daryush, checking his reaction.
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Post by elizar on Jul 14, 2010 11:49:23 GMT -5
"All he has to do now is to win while surviving." Daryush said. He had certain respect for Paul's talents. He had tried to strike up a friendship with him when he first arrived, ace to ace, but it hadn't worked out. He kept a neutral mask. At the moment it was hard to be rewinding now as Hammer hadn't been the last one in line for the exercise.
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Post by Evangeline on Jul 14, 2010 12:42:24 GMT -5
"And he's done it before." Pepper said. "But Alpha Mare makes him earn it."
Two more followed, not quite as experienced as Hammer. One was killed and the other disabled, despite the Charger team's increasing fatigue. Hopefully they would learn from this.
"That's one hell of a workout they had." Amara remarked as the F-18 retired at last. "Damn, but that would kill me for the rest of the day."
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Post by elizar on Jul 14, 2010 13:07:05 GMT -5
"But she and Bateman will certainly be still alive for long enough for the post-exercise brief." Daryush said as pushing aside his empty can. "I'm just glad her daughter is still at school, she doesn't need to see her mother utterly exhausted given her interest in having her job in the future."
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Post by Evangeline on Jul 14, 2010 13:33:46 GMT -5
"That means Sheckinah will be sitting for Becky once she gets back from shuttling all those visiting British royalty around." Pepper surmised. "That woman's a saint, and nothing upsets her. Not even Hammer. She put him in his place good and proper one time, with just a few words."
"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me." Amara recalled the unflappable turboprop she'd met the previous day. She'd have to have a thick skin to get along with fast jets.
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Post by elizar on Jul 14, 2010 13:47:54 GMT -5
"It's kind of odd to see when she does put the hammer down." Daryush said. "Given that it is us jets who have to put the big ones to their place." He smirked with his canines showing. "We need to get going to the debrief. I'll see you later Amara." He said as he headed towards the military only section of the airport.
(( One elementary school decided to open up two classes which can be chosen. One about the celebrity, makeup and cooking, and the other about science, sports and cars.
They called it "Girl's choice" and "Boy's Choice." They did this completely unironically. They were surprised when people called them out on this. ))
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Post by Evangeline on Jul 14, 2010 13:57:21 GMT -5
<<< LOL that's just utterly clueless and a model of poor planning >>>
"Later." Amara smiled. She finished her drink and pulled out of the slot, pausing to stretch her spine, wing roots and flaps. She wondered what else there was to see in the public section of the airport.
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Post by elizar on Jul 14, 2010 14:09:25 GMT -5
(( Saw today's UNAF. I can't but imagine how dangerous that is, and first impression was that some higher-up has it in for Noah. People transporting sick horses rarely go in the wagon with them to keep watch. ))
Marianne went out with Amara. "Most of this base is set up to cater to the young and childless. Something that comes from a bunch of rejects and exiles." She explained. "So most of activity here is some rimball, and when the sky is clear, some pretend dogfighting and areal finesse practiced. And of course bets when it comes to dogfighting exercises like this one. Most of those who stay aside and alone go about reading up on humanverse. There is a club meeting once in a while where they discuss findings. My name came up in one of those meetings."
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Post by Evangeline on Jul 14, 2010 15:00:03 GMT -5
<<< The horses aren't sick, just being transported to the seaport for shipment to the front. >>>
"Interesting." Amara wondered if there were any reports of hauntings in the establishment's past. "Did you live on this site or near it before it became what it is today?"
<<< Something else that is inevitable with young, childless rejects and exiles: "camp followers", i.e., prostitutes. >>>
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Post by elizar on Jul 14, 2010 15:28:21 GMT -5
(( I figured there was something similar to a badge bunny in the military business. Also, watching prostitutes shouldn't be a recommended activity for middle age female )) "I lived here." Marianne said. "Worked as a maid at the landowner's place until I was engaged." (( There would be probably some reports of violent hauntings around 20 years after Marianne's death. Also, how much influence does Murdoch Mysteries on The Continentals if any? ))
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Post by Evangeline on Jul 14, 2010 15:34:09 GMT -5
<<< There probably are a few "badge bunny" types hanging around, maybe one of them's had Paul a few times when he's gotten desperate >>>
"OK." Amara left it at that for now. "I know there's not much going on for kids, but they did mention that they had classes here?"
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Post by elizar on Jul 14, 2010 15:43:19 GMT -5
"The local school here is not yet that equipped to deal with children from your world." Marianne sighed. "Some parents are afraid that mechanian kids may become too rough with their own, which has in turned delayed few things. But this base has rudimentary school. Their educations are good enough to give a GED once the kids graduate."
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