Buckyball Racing Club and New Pilots Initiative present: New Pilots Hustle (8-16 January 3308)
- Thread starter Bruski
- Start date
Commander Beth Johansson walked into a bar. Not that that was all unusual, she’d been a frequent visitor at the Pilots' Federation bar over the past six months, ever since she’d found herself stranded near here. What was unusual was that most of the screens were tuned to sports channels, rather than the usual mix Galnet, market information, and local broadcasts. Then she saw the logo of the Buckyball Racing Club flash across the screen closest to her, which immediately caught her attention. Soon, she saw the smiling face of Charlie deWitt, along with the caption “Live from Whitson Hub in the Meliae system.”
Beth scowled at the screen as her rival (and distant cousin) once again got all the fame, fortune, and apparently the friendship of her idol, Abby Wong! And naturally, this interview just happened to be broadcast just as she sat near this screen. If she didn’t know better, she’d say the universe was conspiring against her!
Beth continued to glare at the screen. She really didn't like the direction this interview was going.
Beth asked the bartender for a stiff drink. It was worse than she thought.
"Hey, Johansson! I never really noticed before, but has anyone ever told you that you kind of look like Commander Stevenson?"
... nobody had compared her to her cousin today. Had being the operative word.
Way, way back, before the Alpha had even begun, I created the character of Inga Stevenson, complete with home world and a detailed background. I decided to make her an Imperial Slave, because it would be a way to explain the frequent wipes before the game went live.
Around the same time Commander @Jenner was creating Elite-themed photoshops, featuring Elite backgrounds and various anime and anime-style characters, and I decided I wanted to make one of my own for my forum avatar. There was just one problem: I had made Inga a heavy worlder, and needless to say, relatively muscular female anime characters are hard to find, especially those dressed in a style I considered Imperial. Then I stumbled upon a character who was almost perfect. Sadly, I didn't feel confident enough in my skills to make her suitably fit the way I pictured her, but everything else went well, as you can see below.
To explain this discrepancy, I decided the avatar wasn't actually that of Inga Stevenson, but that of an actress who would play Inga Stevenson ten years later, in 3310, in a holovid miniseries roughly based on her early life. Here we are, eight years later, and I decided it was time to set that particular event into motion.
Charlie deWitt: Welcome to "After the Run!" where we get to know the racers personally. I'm Charlie deWitt, and with us today is the lovely Commander Inga Stevenson, fresh from her first run of the race, as well as special guest Abby Wong, star of the Aquarian Job series! Welcome ladies!
Inga Stevenson: Thank you, Charlie. It's always a pleasure to be here!
Abby Wong: And thank you both for letting me sit in!
Inga: I’m just glad you could make it!
Beth scowled at the screen as her rival (and distant cousin) once again got all the fame, fortune, and apparently the friendship of her idol, Abby Wong! And naturally, this interview just happened to be broadcast just as she sat near this screen. If she didn’t know better, she’d say the universe was conspiring against her!
Charlie: Before we move on to other, far more interesting topics, let’s review your run.
Charlie: I think we all agree that the Flight Assist Off incident (at 22:50), which could've easily destroyed your ship, was the highlight of your run. Any idea what caused it?
Inga: I won’t know for certain until my ground crew finishes their inspection, but the Ferrum Aquilae was rushed out of cold storage with only the major checks being done. I use custom hardware and software for my controls, rather than PF standard, and sometimes things get a bit… glitchy. Thankfully, it eventually fixed itself, but I’d already adapted by then.
Abby: It certainly had my on the edge of seat!
Charlie: Any thoughts on the rest of your run?
Inga: Nothing suitable for broadcast. I messed up most of my gravity braking maneuvers pretty badly, missed one mail slot, and only nailed one of my landings. I also shied away from boosting off of LHC 6309, and I don't know what I was thinking on the trip to Tesla Station. Aside my exit from Tesla, it was all pretty much standard for one of my initial runs. I spent too much time visiting various branches of Stevenson Whirlwind Adventure lately, and investigating my surface holdings, rather than pushing the envelope on my ships. Semi-retirement has certain made me soft!
Abby: But in a good way!
Charlie: Definitely. I've always been aware that you two sort of resembled each other, but looking at you side by side, I'd say you're twins separated from birth.
Abby: That's so nice of you to say! But let's face it, Inga here is a heavyworlder. Even though I spent the last six months at the Stevenson Estate trying to capture that sculpted Emerald look, I'll never hold a candle to her glorious physique.
Inga, laughing: Not to mention that she's also 17 years my junior.
Charlie: Well, we'd never know it, just looking at you. You both look look fabulous! So, Abby, you say you spent the last six months at the Stevenson Estate on Emerald? Any truth to the rumors we've been hearing about?
Abby: Tut-tut, Charlie! This is Inga's interview. You should be asking her!
Charlie: Very true! So, Inga, do you something to announce?
Beth continued to glare at the screen. She really didn't like the direction this interview was going.
Inga: I certainly do, Charlie. I'm now a published author! One of the many things I did while out exploring was write my memoirs. It's titled "All the Good Names were Taken for the Memoirs of an Imperial Slave," and it's available through Sirius Publishing. Furthermore, the Acheron Broadcasting Company has already bought the holovid rights, and they're producing a miniseries about my early life, currently titled "The Adventures of Inga Stevenson, Slave of the Empire." Abby here will be playing me.
Beth asked the bartender for a stiff drink. It was worse than she thought.
Inga: Of course, it's going to be a slightly fictionalized version of my early life. I made sure I have the right to veto any part of the script I don't like. We've got a bit of a disagreement on they're portraying my life in the Empire. It's accurate enough, but I think it should more accurately portray the life of the average Imperial Slave. Aside from the Neo-Abolitionist incident, I'm well aware my time as an Imperial Slave was anomalous. The last thing I want is someone selling themselves into slavery thinking they'll have it as easy as me.
Charlie: Which brings us to my other topic. Eagle eyed viewers have no doubt noticed that the Ferrum Aquilae was sporting the sigil of Aisling Duval, rather than Arissa Lagivy-Duval. Are you now supporting the People's Princess?
Inga: I wouldn't call it direct support at this time, but the potential is there. The other thing I did while out exploring is take a good, hard look at how haphazardly the regulations regarding Imperial Slavery are enforced in the Empire. It's been been 12 years since the invention of the Frame Shift Drive. It no longer takes weeks of travel to get from one star port to another, at least for the Pilots' Federation. There is no longer any real need to transport so many Imperial Slaves in stasis tubes, as cargo. I supported our Emperor because she supported law and order, but she has done nothing to address the illegal abduction and trade the most vulnerable members of our society, especially at a time when they lack the ability to resist their kidnappers.
Inga: Which is why I feel like I can no longer in good conscious support our Emperor, and have thrown my support, limited though it is at this time, to the People's Princess. It's also why I freed all my slaves upon my return to Imperial space. Thankfully, most of them accepted the jobs I offered them, and I made sure I gave those who didn't suitable seed money to restart their lives.
Charlie: Thank you, Commander. You are truly inspiring. This was Charlie deWitt with Sirius Broadcasting, interviewing the lovely Commander Inga Stevenson, After the Run.
Beth reached across the bar, and angrily changed the channel, which was currently showing Commander Sulu's run. Granted, the seed money, combined with her status as a member of the Pilots' Federation, had gotten her back on her feet after her life had gone to hell, again, but she really hated how the universe seemed to rub her "cousin's" continued success in her face. At least..."Hey, Johansson! I never really noticed before, but has anyone ever told you that you kind of look like Commander Stevenson?"
... nobody had compared her to her cousin today. Had being the operative word.
Way, way back, before the Alpha had even begun, I created the character of Inga Stevenson, complete with home world and a detailed background. I decided to make her an Imperial Slave, because it would be a way to explain the frequent wipes before the game went live.
Around the same time Commander @Jenner was creating Elite-themed photoshops, featuring Elite backgrounds and various anime and anime-style characters, and I decided I wanted to make one of my own for my forum avatar. There was just one problem: I had made Inga a heavy worlder, and needless to say, relatively muscular female anime characters are hard to find, especially those dressed in a style I considered Imperial. Then I stumbled upon a character who was almost perfect. Sadly, I didn't feel confident enough in my skills to make her suitably fit the way I pictured her, but everything else went well, as you can see below.
To explain this discrepancy, I decided the avatar wasn't actually that of Inga Stevenson, but that of an actress who would play Inga Stevenson ten years later, in 3310, in a holovid miniseries roughly based on her early life. Here we are, eight years later, and I decided it was time to set that particular event into motion.
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Brilliant writing as always ... great to have you back again!Commander Beth Johansson walked into a bar. Not that that was all unusual, she’d been a frequent visitor at the Pilots' Federation bar over the past six months, ever since she’d found herself stranded near here. What was unusual was that most of the screens were tuned to sports channels, rather than the usual mix Galnet, market information, and local broadcasts. Then she saw the logo of the Buckyball Racing Club flash across the screen closest to her, which immediately caught her attention. Soon, she saw the smiling face of Charlie deWitt, along with the caption “Live from Whitson Hub in the Meliae system.”
Charlie deWitt: Welcome to "After the Run!" where we get to know the racers personally. I'm Charlie deWitt, and with us today is the lovely Commander Inga Stevenson, fresh from her first run of the race, as well as special guest Abby Wong, star of the Aquarian Job series! Welcome ladies!
Inga Stevenson: Thank you, Charlie. It's always a pleasure to be here!Abby Wong: And thank you both for letting me sit in!Inga: I’m just glad you could make it!
Beth scowled at the screen as her rival (and distant cousin) once again got all the fame, fortune, and apparently the friendship of her idol, Abby Wong! And naturally, this interview just happened to be broadcast just as she sat near this screen. If she didn’t know better, she’d say the universe was conspiring against her!
Charlie: Before we move on to other, far more interesting topics, let’s review your run.
Charlie: I think we all agree that the Flight Assist Off incident (at 22:50), which could've easily destroyed your ship, was the highlight of your run. Any idea what caused it?
Inga: I won’t know for certain until my ground crew finishes their inspection, but the Ferrum Aquilae was rushed out of cold storage with only the major checks being done. I use custom hardware and software for my controls, rather than PF standard, and sometimes things get a bit… glitchy. Thankfully, it eventually fixed itself, but I’d already adapted by then.Abby: It certainly had my on the edge of seat!Charlie: Any thoughts on the rest of your run?Inga: Nothing suitable for broadcast. I messed up most of my gravity braking maneuvers pretty badly, missed one mail slot, and only nailed one of my landings. I also shied away from boosting off of LHC 6309, and I don't know what I was thinking on the trip to Tesla Station. Aside my exit from Tesla, it was all pretty much standard for one of my initial runs. I spent too much time visiting various branches of Stevenson Whirlwind Adventure lately, and investigating my surface holdings, rather than pushing the envelope on my ships. Semi-retirement has certain made me soft!Abby: But in a good way!Charlie: Definitely. I've always been aware that you two sort of resembled each other, but looking at you side by side, I'd say you're twins separated from birth.Abby: That's so nice of you to say! But let's face it, Inga here is a heavyworlder. Even though I spent the last six months at the Stevenson Estate trying to capture that sculpted Emerald look, I'll never hold a candle to her glorious physique.Inga, laughing: Not to mention that she's also 17 years my junior.Charlie: Well, we'd never know it, just looking at you. You both look look fabulous! So, Abby, you say you spent the last six months at the Stevenson Estate on Emerald? Any truth to the rumors we've been hearing about?Abby: Tut-tut, Charlie! This is Inga's interview. You should be asking her!Charlie: Very true! So, Inga, do you something to announce?
Beth continued to glare at the screen. She really didn't like the direction this interview was going.
Inga: I certainly do, Charlie. I'm now a published author! One of the many things I did while out exploring was write my memoirs. It's titled "All the Good Names were Taken for the Memoirs of an Imperial Slave," and it's available through Sirius Publishing. Furthermore, the Acheron Broadcasting Company has already bought the holovid rights, and they're producing a miniseries about my early life, currently titled "The Adventures of Inga Stevenson, Slave of the Empire." Abby here will be playing me.
Beth asked the bartender for a stiff drink. It was worse than she thought.
Inga: Of course, it's going to be a slightly fictionalized version of my early life. I made sure I have the right to veto any part of the script I don't like. We've got a bit of a disagreement on they're portraying my life in the Empire. It's accurate enough, but I think it should more accurately portray the life of the average Imperial Slave. Aside from the Neo-Abolitionist incident, I'm well aware my time as an Imperial Slave was anomalous. The last thing I want is someone selling themselves into slavery thinking they'll have it as easy as me.Charlie: Which brings us to my other topic. Eagle eyed viewers have no doubt noticed that the Ferrum Aquilae was sporting the sigil of Aisling Duval, rather than Arissa Lagivy-Duval. Are you now supporting the People's Princess?Inga: I wouldn't call it direct support at this time, but the potential is there. The other thing I did while out exploring is take a good, hard look at how haphazardly the regulations regarding Imperial Slavery are enforced in the Empire. It's been been 12 years since the invention of the Frame Shift Drive. It no longer takes weeks of travel to get from one star port to another, at least for the Pilots' Federation. There is no longer any real need to transport so many Imperial Slaves in stasis tubes, as cargo. I supported our Emperor because she supported law and order, but she has done nothing to address the illegal abduction and trade the most vulnerable members of our society, especially at a time when they lack the ability to resist their kidnappers.Inga: Which is why I feel like I can no longer in good conscious support our Emperor, and have thrown my support, limited though it is at this time, to the People's Princess. It's also why I freed all my slaves upon my return to Imperial space. Thankfully, most of them accepted the jobs I offered them, and I made sure I gave those who didn't suitable seed money to restart their lives.Charlie: Thank you, Commander. You are truly inspiring. This was Charlie deWitt with Sirius Broadcasting, interviewing the lovely Commander Inga Stevenson, After the Run.Beth reached across the bar, and angrily changed the channel, which was currently showing Commander Sulu's run. Granted, the seed money, combined with her status as a member of the Pilots' Federation, had gotten her back on her feet after her life had gone to hell, again, but she really hated how the universe seemed to rub her "cousin's" continued success in her face. At least...
"Hey, Johansson! I never really noticed before, but has anyone ever told you that you kind of look like Commander Stevenson?"
... nobody had compared her to her cousin today. Had being the operative word.
Way, way back, before the Alpha had even begun, I created the character of Inga Stevenson, complete with home world and a detailed background. I decided to make her an Imperial Slave, because it would be a way to explain the frequent wipes before the game went live.
Around the same time Commander @Jenner was creating Elite-themed photoshops, featuring Elite backgrounds and various anime and anime-style characters, and I decided I wanted to make one of my own for my forum avatar. There was just one problem: I had made Inga a heavy worlder, and needless to say, relatively muscular female anime characters are hard to find, especially those dressed in a style I considered Imperial. Then I stumbled upon a character who was almost perfect. Sadly, I didn't feel confident enough in my skills to make her suitably fit the way I pictured her, but everything else went well, as you can see below.
To explain this discrepancy, I decided the avatar wasn't actually that of Inga Stevenson, but that of an actress who would play Inga Stevenson ten years later, in 3310, in a holovid miniseries roughly based on her early life. Here we are, eight years later, and I decided it was time to set that particular event into motion.
And now, some quotes from various locations on the race course
Cherry Port Pit Crew:
02:14 “Okay, who had ‘late cutting the throttle’ in our betting pool?”
04:37 “Choose a side already!”
05:01 “Finally! Go go go!”
Stone Enterprise Pit Crew:
07:01 “Yes! She nailed it! Five to one odds, you said?”
09:15 “Tell the Whitson team to recalibrate the ventral thrusters before the next run.”
Leonard Nimoy Station Pit Crew:
11:17 (Collectively) “Argh!”
12:15 “Lady Stevenson? You should ask for Bay 44!”
13:58 Apex Taxi Driver “What the Frell?! Careful, you idiot!”
Tesla Station Pit Crew
16:00 “I thought she’ll be jumping to Ovid next?”
16:05 “Maybe she’s practicing???”
19:40 "Hurry up! She'll be docking at Bay 44!!!"
20:53 “Yes! I fixed the Nightvision Glitch!”
21:55 “Don't worry! Stevenson Whirlwind Adventures will cover all the damages!”
Bradford Orbital Space
24:50 ATC - “Commander Stevenson, you’re cleared for pad Four.”
90 Seconds Later…
Cmdr Stevenson “Where the Frell’s Pad Forty-Four???”
Pilots Federation Bar at Whitson Hub
33:23 “Hey, Commander. What can I get for you?”
Cherry Port Pit Crew:
02:14 “Okay, who had ‘late cutting the throttle’ in our betting pool?”
04:37 “Choose a side already!”
05:01 “Finally! Go go go!”
Stone Enterprise Pit Crew:
07:01 “Yes! She nailed it! Five to one odds, you said?”
09:15 “Tell the Whitson team to recalibrate the ventral thrusters before the next run.”
Leonard Nimoy Station Pit Crew:
11:17 (Collectively) “Argh!”
12:15 “Lady Stevenson? You should ask for Bay 44!”
13:58 Apex Taxi Driver “What the Frell?! Careful, you idiot!”
Tesla Station Pit Crew
16:00 “I thought she’ll be jumping to Ovid next?”
16:05 “Maybe she’s practicing???”
19:40 "Hurry up! She'll be docking at Bay 44!!!"
20:53 “Yes! I fixed the Nightvision Glitch!”
21:55 “Don't worry! Stevenson Whirlwind Adventures will cover all the damages!”
Bradford Orbital Space
24:50 ATC - “Commander Stevenson, you’re cleared for pad Four.”
90 Seconds Later…
Cmdr Stevenson “Where the Frell’s Pad Forty-Four???”
Pilots Federation Bar at Whitson Hub
33:23 “Hey, Commander. What can I get for you?”
your getting everywhere 
Pathetic first attempt, but hey, that my margin for progress ain't it ?
39:46 in the regulation eagle, and a few loops and errors (damn, I got so addicted to supercruise assist I had forgotten about the max speed limit to drop within the 1Mm limit).
I'll bring it the viper for kicks, but I assume multiple attempts will be needed.
Didn't have the chance to meet other hustlers - cross that - racers, That'll be for next time !
PS : edit : The challenges should be on Galnet ! Gankers fun added
PS2 : do you recommend some free video capture software (really small config) ?
39:46 in the regulation eagle, and a few loops and errors (damn, I got so addicted to supercruise assist I had forgotten about the max speed limit to drop within the 1Mm limit).
I'll bring it the viper for kicks, but I assume multiple attempts will be needed.
Didn't have the chance to meet other hustlers - cross that - racers, That'll be for next time !
PS : edit : The challenges should be on Galnet ! Gankers fun added
PS2 : do you recommend some free video capture software (really small config) ?
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OK, first three runs completed. Amazingly there was only 5 seconds difference between the fastest and slowest time!
I'm consistent at least, great if it turns out to be competitively fast, not so great if it turns out to be horribly slow.
Anyway, best of the bunch submitted.
Class: Unlimited
Ship type: Imperial Courier
Ship name: The Sans Serif
Old beauty shot (I'll take a fresh one tomorrow)
I'm consistent at least, great if it turns out to be competitively fast, not so great if it turns out to be horribly slow.
Anyway, best of the bunch submitted.
Class: Unlimited
Ship type: Imperial Courier
Ship name: The Sans Serif
Old beauty shot (I'll take a fresh one tomorrow)
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Gonna have to wait for the scoreboard update I guess!
Tomorrow I'm gonna do the same in Odyssey. Since I'm being consistent it seems a good opportunity to compare the two and see if there's much difference in it for Buckyball racing.
I could not really separate them which is good news, but I still will maintain that the map/bookmarks are better in Horizons. In this type of race luckily it is no matter as there is enough time during launch to select the destination regardless of which version you use. Keen to get your feedback on this Alec.
Didn't blow up, doesn't look like you lost much speed. Good enough 
Speaking of bloopers, this clip (from, surprisingly, my best run yet) illustrates why my bobbleheads say what they say.
Source: https://youtu.be/3c54pkHhTdw