The Last Battle that Matters (Part 3)

Posted on Sat Sep 30th, 2023 @ 11:54pm by Commodore Tohru Honda & Captain Maho Takahashi & Captain Shimakaze Zh'gero & Commander Keisuke Takahashi 'K.T.' & Commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke & Commander Elisabeth Churchill & Lieutenant Commander Tristana & Lieutenant Commander Ryosuke Takahashi 'Ry' & Lieutenant JG Takumi Fujiwara 'Tak' & Takeshi Nakazato 'Zack' & Lieutenant Paisley (mUra) F'rar & Lieutenant Alisha Reno & Lieutenant JG Jane Sinclair & Commander Rize Tedeza & Lieutenant Wyndon Rapisarta & Lieutenant Karen Kujo 'Union Jane'
Edited on on Sat Sep 30th, 2023 @ 11:55pm

1,262 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: The Fast & The Fleet
Timeline: After 'The Last Battle that Matters (Part 2)'

Previously, on Star Trek: Myogi:

Not far from where Maho had overtaken with her blind attack, the two R32s blew past the corner where the SpeedStars' victors (Osytha, Kyhl, Riv, and Varao) were watching. The four of them watched the two GT-Rs disappear around the next corner.

"The other captain has the lead." Riv commented. "Do you think our captain will be able to retake it?"

"Have patience, Riv:" Kyhl responded. "It's a mathematical certainty that in order to keep Captain Zh'gero behind her, Captain Takahashi will be using all of her tires' grip. As such, it would benefit Captain Zh'gero to wait until her opponent's tires are mostly used up to strike."

And now, the continuation:

Kyhl was right; for keeping Shimakaze behind her meant Maho was asking a lot of her tires, and as Shimakaze pursued Maho down the course, she was observing her opponent's actions and waiting for the understeer to rear its ugly head.

With just a few corners left to go, Shimakaze saw her opportunity.

Her tires are almost used up: Shimakaze thought. Now's my chance!

The corner Shimakaze was planning to make her move on was where Tristana and Elisabeth were situated. Like their fellow spectators, they were sure that this late in the course, Maho had the race in the bag:

"Go, Capitan! Go!" Tristana cheered as the cars approached.

However, as Maho began to round the corner, her car began understeering. Something Shimakaze took full advantage of as she slid up the inside line, taking back the lead and shocking the spectators.

"Did Maho just get... Overtaken?" Elisabeth asked. "This bloody late in the run?"

How is she not understeering as badly? Maho wondered as Shimakaze glided past. Are we not evenly matched?

Maho sighed.

Not good. She thought. This late into the run, I'll never be able to take back the lead before we reach the goal, and Shimakaze will have her wish of beating me at my own game... Unless...

Maho suddenly remembered a conversation she had had with Keisuke and Takumi after one of the NightKids' training sessions, when everyone else had gone back to their quarters.

"Is there any way to defend against a late game play by Shimakaze?" Maho had asked.

"Hmmm..." Keisuke muttered. "It'd be a hell of a risk, but if you're dead set on not losing to Shimakaze, you could always use the engine's full power as a desperate last resort. Takumi did the exact same thing before Project D disbanded."

"I mean, I wouldn't condone it;" Takumi piped up. "Such a reckless move is really hard on the engine, perhaps something it might not even come back from, but if you must do it, there's something I need to show you how to do first..."

Maho nodded.

I know what I have to do... Maho thought as she went for her headlight switch once again.

In the lead, Shimakaze once again saw Maho's headlights disappear once again from her mirror.

If you think you're going to slip past again, you're sorely mistaken: Shimakaze thought.

Through the final few corners, Shimakaze tried to slow Maho's advance. However, her own tires were worn out, and once the first understeer hit, it seemed impossible to keep the black R32 behind her, as Captain Takahashi seemed to be unstoppable as the two R32s slowly drew side by side as the goal approached.

What the hell is with this car? Shimakaze thought as she lightly clipped a sign post. "It seems no matter what I do, I can't stop its advance!

Takeshi Nakazato was among the spectators gathered at the finish line. He was standing near the lookout as the final radio call came through:

"Understood; we'll keep any eye out." The lookout said before being told the black R32 was driving with its headlights off. "What do you mean the black R32 is driving with its headlights off?"

Takeshi's blood ran cold as he overheard the lookout:

I saw Fujiwara do the exact same thing at the last race before Project D disbanded... He thought. Maporin, I hope you know what you're doing:

As the two R32s rounded the final corner, with the goal in sight, the black R32 had gained a lead by half a car length. After having spent the last few corners in darkness, driving only by the lights of the silver R32 with her foot pinned to the floor, Maho finally turned her headlights back on...

...To find the tachometer pegged at 10,000 RPM, though the engine was likely revving higher than the tachometer could read. By the time Maho realized what she had done, she only had time to gasp before...

BANG!

Oil shot out from under the hood and splattered on the windshield as the engine exploded. As smoke began to rise from under the hood, Maho's R32 began to enter a spin. Shimakaze, in a kneejerk reaction to avoid a colision, lost traction and also began to enter a spin.

However, as Maho began to spin around, she remembered what Takumi had taught her:

"Using the engine's full power is almost surely going to kill it. Hence why it should only be done as a last resort." Takumi explained. "But if you do have to do it, there's something you should keep in mind for when the engine does go..."

Watch the spin... Maho remembered what Takumi had explained next:

Clutch in to regain traction.. Maho engaged the R32's clutch as the rear turned to face the goal.

And... Maho grabbed the gear shift, pulling it all the way back from 5th gear: Into reverse!

With no engine power left, Maho coasted across the finish line backwards.

Meanwhile, Shimakaze had been unaware of the clutch trick, and as such, she spun a full 360 degrees before she managed to regain traction and cross the finish line facing forwards in second place.

"It's all over!" one of the spectators shouted. "Victory is Captain Takahashi's!

Posting by

Commodore Tohru Honda
Task Force Jomo Commanding Officer

Captain Maho Takahashi
Commanding Officer
USS Myogi

Captain Shimakaze Zh'gero
Commanding Officer
USS Haruna

Commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke
Commanding Officer
USS Akina

Commander Amatsukaze Sh'gero
Executive Officer
USS Haruna

Commander Mio Sakamoto
Executive Officer
USS Akina

Commander Keisuke Takahashi
Second Officer
USS Myogi

Commander Hatsuzuki Th'gero
Second Officer
USS Haruna

Commander Elisabeth Churchill
Acting Chief Diplomatic Officer
USS Myogi

Lieutenant Commander Teruzuki Ch'gero
Third Officer
USS Haruna

Lieutenant Commander Riv Ch'iqyrol
Chief Engineer
USS Haruna

Lieutenant Commander Osytha Zh'irevath
Chief Diplomatic Officer
USS Haruna

Lieutenant Commander Tristana
Acting Chief Operations Officer
USS Myogi

Lieutenant Commander Kyhl Th'udou
Chief Security Officer
USS Haruna

Lieutenant Commander Ryosuke Takahashi
Chief Medical Officer
USS Europa

Lieutenant Paisley F'rar
Chief Engineer
USS Myogi

Lieutenant Wyndon Rapisarta
Medical Officer
USS Myogi

Lieutenant Varao Zh'rotin
Chief Counselor
USS Haruna

Lieutenant Alisha Reno
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Myogi

Lieutenant Clyde Th'rollo
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Haruna

Lieutenant Tyli Sh'veshron
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Haruna

Takeshi Nakazato
Disgraced Starfleet Officer

Lieutenant Karen Kujo
Nightkids Squadron Leader
USS Myogi

Commander Rize Tedeza
Commanding Officer
USS Europa

Lieutenant jg Jane Sinclair
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Myogi

--Flashback appearances by--

Lieutenant JG Takumi Fujiwara
Assistant Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Myogi

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