... the fastest ships in the Alliance ...
Race details available below
Previously:
'So, ship racing, eh? Where do kids race today?
'"Buckyball Racing"? Ah, guess I've heard of that. Aren't those these hotheads which appeared a few years back? "Mischief Mile", "Kessel Run", yeah? Thought so.
'You know, I've been doing quite a bit of racing in my time. Was different back then. We didn't have these fancy frameshift drives. Took a week to go just a dozen light-years. And anyone exceeding 30 million meters per second got a nice badge. Heh.
'What races we did? Ah, you ever heard of the Wiccan Ware Race? That was the big one. Nothing compared to that. People prepared years just for that. Dangerous, too. People got shot, 'cause nobody checked.
'Basically went from Gateway to Alioth. Had to have a ship which could do it in a single jump and then do a number on your thrusters for the leg in-system. They started to include a stint to Soholia after some sort of medical emergency and a bunch of racers helping out. Good thing, too. They could use some good press.
'What's become of it? Eh, don't know. They were still going when I quit. But haven't heard much about it since some time. Who knows? Might still be going.'
'Thank you, sir. This has been really interesting.'
'Ladies and Gentlemen, please allow me to be blunt. Dreamware is past its golden days. Nobody uses Stardreamer anymore and all you have left are contracts with a few semi-retired bands more known for nostalgia than anything else. A new Jjagged Bbanner compilation every few years doesn't cut it anymore.'
'What are you talking about. We are the biggest label in the Alliance, we generate solid profits year after year. I believe we are doing just fine.'
'Well, granted, your base is solid. Yet. But how long until some Imperial Label sees the time come to expand into Alliance Space? Do you think you have any chance to resist even just one of them?'
'Be so kind and leave that to us. Anyway, what do you suggest?'
'What you need is new blood. Dreamware must become the first choice producer for young talent again. You must return into people's consciousness. What you need, is news.'
'What, you want us to raise some scandal or the like? I very much hope I'm misunderstanding.'
'No, no scandals. Dreamware used to be known for daring publicity stunts, for being active outside music business. What I am talking about is the Wiccan Ware Race. I want to help you, to bring it back.'
'What are you talking about, bringing it back? Dreamware held a Wiccan Ware Race one year ago. It was an astounding success. The number of accidents was at an all-time low.'
'Well, it's easy to have few accidents if nobody participates.'
'What did you say?'
'Show me one Galnet article, or even one from the Herald mentioning the Wiccan Ware Race. It's been forgotten. Nobody talks about it. All that's left are some youngsters from Alioth who want to take Mama's new ship for a spin. Nobody takes it serious anymore. But I want to help you change that. I want to bring the Wiccan Ware Race back to the forefront of ship racing.'
'So, what are you suggesting?'
'Have you ever heard of the Buckyball Racing Club?'
'No! No! No! You are talking about taking the soul out of the Wiccan Ware Race. For over one hundred years, the finish was in Alioth. This is about bringing culture to the cultural heart of the Alliance, after all.'
'To be honest, personally, I don't consider Jjagged Bbanner a highlight of Alliance culture, but that might just be me.'
'It doesn't matter. This race has a century-long tradition we have to respect.'
'But we are trying to attract today's racing elite. And they don't want Alioth.'
'Then they should learn to want it. It should be an honour to race in memory of Wiccan Ware and Soholia.'
'About that, by the way. We're going to change the name back to "Wiccan Ware Race".'
'What? Why?'
'Because "The Soholia Relieve Memorial Event in Remembrance of the Heroes of the Wiccan Ware" is – among other things – too long for any poster.'
'Well, to be fair, I never liked that name either.'
'See, not all change is bad.'
'Oh, one thing: That logo on your advertisement material …'
'Which one?'
'That one.'
'Oh, that's the Buckyball logo.'
'Are you affilliated with said Buckyball?'
'Well, no. But all ship races these days use this logo.'
'That's probably because all ship races these days involve this Buckyball Racing Club.'
'You sure about that?'
'Pretty sure, yeah!'
'And that means?'
'You can't just use somebody else's logo and put it into you advertisement. That's prohibited pretty much everywhere!'
'Ah, it can't be that bad.'
'Yes, it is that bad. If you want to use the logo, you better have this race organised by them. If not, remove it.'
'But, without that logo nobody will participate!'
'So?'
'Ok, ok, I call them.'
'You better! Anyway, about Alioth …'
'Ugh …'
'Ladies and Gentlemen. Fasten your seat-belts. The race is on again!
'In the name of Dreamware and the Buckyball Racing Club I am honoured to announce the 3305 edition of the Wiccan Ware Race, lasting from 12 to 22 January 3305.
'Dreamware, always at the forefront of bringing entertainment to its consumers has joined a partnership with the well-known authority of ship racing, the Buckyball Racing Club, in order to introduce this century old tradition to a new generation of racing enthusiasts all around inhabited space (excluding Colonia).
'Never shy of change while keeping memory of the Heroes of Soholia alive, we have introduced careful adjustments to the course to bring a fresh spin to our viewers' enjoyment. Here goes for another century!
'(Tickets are available at all Interstellar Factors.)'
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... though without a 2nd account will be DWE II dependant
