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Wing Commander III: Blackmane System (Losing Track)
Blackmane (Losing Track) 1
Flight Control, TCS Victory.
Miles: …a blitzkrieg Kilrathi assault has taken the lives of thousands…
Rollins: Still buying the fantasy that we’re winning the war?
Maverick: Why the hard-on for the opposite take?
Rollins: Because you’d have to be blind not to see that things are going bad, and getting worse.
Maverick: Excuse me?
Rollins: Fact: We haven’t had shore leave in months.
Fact: All we do is move from one defensive mission to another.
Fact: Our entire force is constantly in retreat.
Now is that just my imagination? Or is the entire war effort unravelling before our eyes?
Maverick: Fact: We have a communications officer aboard with far too much time on his hands – dangerously spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt throughout the ship. From now on, mister, you spout your theories to anyone, I’ll have you reassigned to waste recycling.
Berths, TCS Victory.
Angel: Is this for ever?
Maverick: For ever isn’t long enough…
Bridge, TCS Victory.
Eisen: Are you feeling well, Colonel? I mean, have you had a med-check lately?
Maverick: Well, I feel fine, sir.
Eisen: Well, I’m curious because for a pilot with such a big rep you haven’t shown me much so far.
Maverick: Well, maybe we should all stop judging each other and just get the job done, sir.
Briefing Room, TCS Victory.
Eisen: Ah. No rest for the weary, Colonel. Let’s get to it!
Maverick: As you wish, Captain.
Eisen: The Kilrathi have invaded this system in force, and we have no choice but to evacuate the Confed base. You’re to provide cover for evacuation convoys heading for the jump point. Let’s get these people out of here. Good luck, Colonel!
Fly Blackmane (Losing Track) 1
Computer: Confederate ID confirmed. Autopilot linked.
Transport: Thanks for the escort, Colonel. Initiating jump sequence.
Rollins: The evacuation’s proceeding thanks to your cover, Colonel. You’re clear to land. (Success)
We’re going to try another path on the next evacuations, Colonel. You’ve got landing clearance. (Failure)
Blackmane (Losing Track) 2
Flight Deck, TCS Victory.
Coriolis: Colonel, ah, can we chat off the record?
Maverick: Don’t we usually?
Coriolis: Yeah. That’s one on the things that I like about you. And the fact that I like you is why I wanna say this… um…
Maverick: Go ahead.
Coriolis: You’ve got a look in your eyes that I’ve seen before. I had this fella, see? And he went out one day and saw his wingman get fried. He started to blame himself. And no matter what I said or anybody else, it didn’t matter. A few days after that he took out a Thunderbolt and just kept going. He, ah, hit a jump point just as the Kilrathi were coming through. There were a lot of fireworks… he might still be out there as far as I know. They never found him… not even a trace… and that look in your eyes is the same look that he had just before he went out on that mission… Do you wanna talk about it?
[She understands…]
Maverick: I had someone too. I keep having these nightmares: I can’t get them out of my head. Maybe she ditched her craft in some neutral territory – maybe she found out a way to sidestep the war entirely. But I kept thinking, one way or another, I’d hear. Only I haven’t.
Coriolis: Hey, maybe, uh… maybe my guy and your gal got together out there.
Maverick: At least they’d be alive.
Coriolis: Yeah. But then I’d have to kill him when he came back…
[It’s none of her business…]
Maverick: I wish I could, Chief. I had someone too… still have, hopefully. But it doesn’t do any good to talk about these things.
Berths, TCS Victory.
Maniac: Well, if it isn’t lover-boy, himself. I saw you puttin’ the moves on everybody’s favourite little grease monkey.
Maverick: Jealous?
Maniac: Aw, I don’t think getting into her pants requires any high-risk manoeuvring.
[He’s jealous…]
Maverick: Or just the fact that it takes manoeuvring leaves you breathing my engine exhaust, doesn’t it?
Maniac: Yeah… oh man… I’ve dated all you girls!
[It’s none of his business…]
Maverick: Yeah, well, I made my pitch – but she’s more interested in ‘real’ pilots… like you.
Maniac: You like me, don’t you. I like you.
Briefing Room, TCS Victory.
Eisen: Colonel. Let’s go over the mission, shall we?
Maverick: Yes, sir.
Eisen: We’re in the last stages of evacuation. The problem we have is – that to avoid enemy engagement and to protect these people – we’ll be taking the pulsar route. You know the kind of gamma-ray damage you can sustain from the light of a pulsar. The only protection you’ll have is in the shadow of this planet near the jump point. Go to it, Colonel!
Fly Blackmane (Losing Track) 2
Computer: Confederate ID confirmed. Autopilot linked.
Transport: Thanks for the escort, Colonel. Initiating jump sequence.
Rollins: Looking forward to seeing that tan you got from the pulsar, Colonel. You’re clear to land. (Success)
If it ain’t the blasted cats tanning our hides, it’s a pulsar, eh Colonel? You’re clear to land. (Failure)
Blackmane (Losing Track) 3
Gunnery Control, TCS Victory.
Flint active:
Flint: Feels good, what we’ve been doing here.
Maverick: Why, are the stakes less personal in this system?
Flint: I hate to admit it. Those are real people down there, just as real as the people I knew back in Locanda system. Can’t say they’re as real to me, though. I just don’t have an image of them in my mind…
Maverick: You’d burn out very quickly, if you did.
Flint suspended in
Locanda 3:
Flint: You made some nice moves on that last mission. ’course, one can only tell so much from aboard ship.
Maverick: Look, I know it’s been hard on you, sitting on the sidelines.
Flint: Yeah, sometimes I hate myself because I actually feel lucky there is a war.
Maverick: I knew – I mean, I know someone who feels that way. She lives to fight ‘the good fight’.
Flint: For me, it’s flying – I love the purity… nothing holding me back…
Maverick: Only pilots know that feeling.
Flint suspended:
Flint: Look, what I’ve been trying to say is that I exist to do one thing: Fly. I’m requesting reinstatement on the flight roster, sir. Cheerleading from down here is not my specialty.
[Put her back on the roster…]
Maverick: You know, you’re right. What took you so long?
Flint: Not all of us manoeuvre at warp speed, sir. Thank you, sir.
[Let the Captain decide…]
Maverick: That’s an issue that should be taken up with Captain Eisen.
Flint: The regs say you have authority–
Maverick: Regs are meaningless if a captain and a wing commander aren’t in sync. Now, if the Captain has no problem, I won’t stand in the way.
Flint: Yes, sir.
Briefing Room, TCS Victory.
Flint suspended in
Locanda 3:
Eisen: Ah, Colonel! Good call putting Flint back on the roster. We need every good pilot we can get. I think she’s got her head back on straight. Well, let’s get started. (Flint reinstated)
Colonel, I’ve put Flint back on the roster. I’m not really impressed with how you passed the buck. Frankly, I think she’s got her head back on straight. Let’s get started. (Flint suspended)
Flint suspended in
Locanda 3:
Eisen: Ah, Colonel! Good call putting Flint back on the roster. We need every good pilot we can get. I think she’s got her head back on straight. Well, let’s get started. (Flint reinstated)
Colonel, I’ve put Flint back on the roster. I’m not really impressed with how you passed the buck. Frankly, I think she’s got her head back on straight. Let’s get started. (Flint suspended)
Eisen: We’ve got one last convoy to evacuate. Get it safely to this jump point, and let’s get out of here. If we succeed with this mission, I think we’ll finally win a little glory for the Victory – and that’s long overdue.
Maverick: Don’t worry, sir.
Eisen: I’m trying not to, Colonel.
Fly Blackmane (Losing Track) 3
Computer: Confederate ID confirmed. Autopilot linked.
Transport: Thanks for the escort, Colonel. Initiating jump sequence.
Success:
Rollins: Okay, Colonel Houdini… we’re outta here – I think we’re gonna finally start taking it to the Kilrathi for a change. You’re clear to land.
Failure:
Rollins: I suppose that’s a new definition of ‘disaster’, eh Colonel? I’ve got more bad news. Confed finally owned up to how badly the war’s going. I told you this was coming, didn’t I? A massive Kilrathi armada is threatening Earth and we’re jumping to Proxima to help hold them off. You’re clear to land.
