Riders of the Sky (Part 1)
Posted on Wed Sep 20th, 2023 @ 4:58am by Commodore Tohru Honda & Captain Maho Takahashi & Captain Shimakaze Zh'gero & Commander Keisuke Takahashi 'K.T.' & Commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke & Takeshi Nakazato 'Zack'
1,747 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission: The Fast & The Fleet
Nakazato had once again broken the siege, and the NightKids were back in the lead heading into the second run of the Commanders' Round. This race would be an uphill battle between the second officers of the Myogi and the Haruna; Keisuke Takahashi and Hatsuzuki Th'gero, respectively.
Both officers' cars had been modified to their personal specifications; and both were Mazda RX-7s. Both modification kits had removed the cars' pop-up headlights and incorporated a carbon fiber hood as well as a large aftermarket wing. However, Hatsuzuki's was the older FC model while Keisuke's was the newer FD model.
As the two RX-7s were lined up on the starting line, Maho approached Keisuke's window before he had the chance to get out.
"Babe, you know the game plan; continue the forward progress Nakazato started for us and put that Andorian in the dirt!" She instructed.
"Understood." Keisuke nodded. "Any special instructions for me? Or just beat him at my own pace?"
"I know the FC Mazda RX-7 holds a special place in your heart because... Well, because your brother drove one." Maho said. "But don't let your rage that Hatsuzuki is undeserving to drive one get the better of you. If we're to show Shimakaze that we are the better street racers, then it is imperative we win as much races as we can."
"You won't have to worry a thing;" Keisuke assured his wife. "You've given me plenty of time to separate my personal feelings on Hatsuzuki's car choice from the outcome of this battle. But that still doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on Hatsuzuki..."
Nodding, Maho stepped back and allowed Keisuke to step out of the FD to perform his pre-race inspection.
As Maho was talking to her husband, Shimakaze was also talking to hers:
"Hatsuzuki, listen to me;" She said. "Your opponent is Keisuke Takahashi, formerly of Project D. Whatever you do, it is imperative that you slow the NightKids' advance. If we can keep the scores tied, the NightKids might get desperate, and it'll all come down to my battle with Keisuke's lover..."
When Hatsuzuki nodded in acknowledgement, Shimakaze stepped back and Hatsuzuki climbed out of the FC, turning to face her opponent as he made his final equipment checks.
"Of all the giants I've slain, I never thought that Keisuke Takahashi of Project D would be on that list." He bragged.
"Bitch, please;" Keisuke turned around. "I've beaten racers with more talent in their pinkies than you'll ever hope to have."
"Confident in our abilities, are we?" Hatsuzuki smirked. "Well, how about we make things interesting; instead of a simple uphill, why don't we make our race into a mixed uphill/downhill like Sh'Veshron, Th'rollo, and Zh'rotin?"
Hatsuzuki put special emphasis on the name of their counselor: Varao Zh'rotin, who had humiliated that embarrassment of a counselor from the NightKids.
"If our race marshal approves of such a last minute change?" Keisuke asked, turning to Tohru.
"It can be arranged." Tohru nodded before holding up the late 20th century walkie talkie she had been using all night. "Go ahead and put a cone up at the goal. This race is going to be a mixed uphill/downhill run." She spoke into the device.
"Well, looks like you have your answer;" Keisuke said. "But all that's going to do is draw out the inevitable."
"Inevitable indeed." Hatsuzuki nodded. "The inevitable defeat of Keisuke Takahashi; uphill ace of Project D!"
"Turnaround point is set up. We're good to go here." Came the call over Tohru's handheld.
"Alright." Tohru acknowleded, looking up at the competitors. "Drivers, to your cars! Spectators, clear the starting line! We're going to be starting the countdown soon!"
Nodding, Keisuke and Hatsuzuki climbed into their cars and buckled themselves into their seats. Soon, the two rotary engines roared to life:
"Starting in 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! GO!" Tohru counted down and dropped her hand, starting the race.
Both drivers' timing off the line was identical as they sped up the hill towards the first corner, as it drew closer and closer, it seemed neither driver was willing to lift and cede the early lead to the other. However, as they were bearing down on the first corner, it was Hatsuzuki who finally yielded the lead to Keisuke.
I hope you have a plan, Hatsuzuki: Shimakaze thought. It's not much, but Takahashi has you beat in the weight advantage, and overtaking him will be quite a feat, and I need not remind you how important it is we hold the line.
Driving behind Keisuke, Hatsuzuki seemed to agree with his wife's sentiment.
"Keisuke's gotten ahead of me." He observed vocally. "It might be tricky, but I'll get him at the turnaround. Nobody expects me to pull it off."
Hatsuzuki shifted into a higher gear.
"But, it might take a bit of research before we get there..." Hatsuzuki admitted.
I didn't think he was going to lift back there, which makes his actions all the more strange... Keisuke thought, glancing at the FC's lights in his rearview mirror. What are you up to, Th'gero?
As the two cars rounded the next corner, Hatsuzuki came quite close to Keisuke's rear bumper.
"Doriyah!" Hatsuzuki shouted.
Up the hill, Minna and Mio were engrossed in a conversation over the night's events.
"Well, we've certainly seen our fair share of thrills and spills." Mio commented. "Some of the officers have shown an exceptional degree of learning, mastering this craft in only a matter of weeks, while others have performed exactly as I probably would in their circumstance."
"Says the ace pilot Mio Sakamoto." Minna responded. "If anything, I'd be more like Churchill or Scott..."
"Nonsense." Mio said. "You know more about these antique cars than I do."
"Just because I work on one car and drive him for fun doesn't mean I race him competitively like in the movies he's from!" Minna pointed out. "What I do is amateur; these guys go hardcore."
"I suppose there's no denying that:" Mio said. "Who's running right now, anyway?"
"It's Keisuke Takahashi and Hatusuzuki Th'gero." Minna responded, looking at a PADD. "Project D's very own uphill ace. I've wondered since I've taken command of the Akina if Captain Takahashi was related, but now there's no doubt in my mind."
"Hatsuzuki..." Mio muttered, the name familiar to her. "You know, I've heard through the grapevine that the reason he drives the car he does is because he lost to a program in which one could race an exact holographic duplicate of the infamous White Comet of Akagi. Perhaps, with the real deal here..."
Mio was interrupted by Minna breaking into laughter.
"I'm sorry, but, you're serious?" She giggled. "I didn't know our second officer's counterpart on the Haruna was such a sore loser. I mean, what did he expect? The White Comet of Akagi, perhaps one of the greatest ground car racers of our generation; alleged leader of both the Akagi RedSuns and Project D, and Hatsuzuki was so full of himself that he thought he could beat him??"
"Our command staffs of the original Project Jomo trio used to communicate with one another:" Mio explained flatly. "When Hatsuzuki voiced his displeasure at his loss, I remember Keisuke Takahashi of the Myogi shared your sentiment."
Hatsuzuki remained on Keisuke's tail as they climbed up the hill. The FC was near perfectly matching the FD's pace:
"You know, I didn't always drive an FC:" Hatsuzuki said, downshifting and following Keisuke through a corner. "I started off driving an S13 Silvia: Shimakaze told me it was a great beginner's car. I was so impressed with it, I decided to try out the 180SX like Th'rollo, which used the same platform. Unfortunately, the 180 was a disappointment, so I went back to the Silvia, where I grew comfortable and confident. One could say too confident:"
Keisuke and Hatsuzuki ran bumper to bumper down a long straightaway.
"When you sent me that holoprogram all those years ago of your brother:" Hatsuzuki said. "A near-perfect recreation of the legendary White Comet of Akagi; a kind of program that could only be made by someone who knew him personally. Boy, was that a slice of humble pie: Everything I thought I knew up to that point was flipped on its head, and I was shown to be like the amateur I was. And that's why I've never looked back on the S13 or any other kind of car since!"
Hatsuzuki shifted up as the corner straightened out, chasing Keisuke down.
He sure is good behind the wheel of a rotary, no doubt about that: Keisuke muttered mentally. His mastery of throttle control has improved a lot since we last raced... But learning through holoprograms can only teach you so much, and I've had the benefit of personal tutelage by the real White Comet of Akagi: My program might be close, but that's largely based on my perspective of him, and no program will ever be able to match the real thing!
At that moment, the FC's headlights moved from his rear view to his driver's side wing mirror.
Then again; looks like I spoke too soon: Keisuke thought. An overtake on the outside? Only an amateur would think of something so foolish...
Though his move had appeared amateur, it was all part of Hatsuzuki's plan to gather intel on his opponent, and he quickly fell back in line to make his feint seem convincing:
"Good, that's all I need to know:" Hatsuzuki muttered. "He'll never see my counterattack coming! Doriyah!"
Hatsuzuki shifted into a higher gear and fire shot from the FC's exhaust as the cars entered the switchback and left the line of sight of Mio and Minna.
"An overtake attempt from the outside?" Minna asked. "Surely, someone who lost to a holographic duplicate of the White Comet of Akagi would know better."
"I think you underestimate his conviction." Mio responded. "That looked like a feint to me. If he had genuinely tried for it, he might have crashed. Instead, he just briefly moved over into a different part of his opponent's field of vision to see how they would react. It's a common trick in shuttle racing. Perhaps ground car racing really isn't all that different after all.."
To be continued...
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