Wing Commander III: Tamayo System

Flash: Ah, Colonel. Which way to the bridge? Confed’s expecting my tech debriefing.

Maverick: I caught some of the incoming radio, Major. How long have you carried that Flash handle?

Flash: Since my first day at Academy. I don’t think you should ever apologise for sporting a little style. That baby’s still classified, folks! You think you could keep your people at bay awhile, Colonel…?

Maverick: Christopher Blair.

Flash: Ah, I read about you, way back when I was flying with training wheels. Is it true pilots don’t get older, they just get better?

Maverick: Only the good ones. We’ll see if anyone reads about you someday.

Maverick: The good ones. Maybe someday, kids’ll read about you.

Maniac: They oughtta shoot that kid, if you ask me. At least strap him to one of my thrusters on the next mission.

Flint: As usual, Maniac, your solution to the problem is brainless.

Maniac: Well, me? Any chance I get, I’m up in the air. I mean, they’ll have to pry my dead carcass out of the cockpit.

Flint: Oh, stop banging your chest. You’re gonna bruise it. The Colonel will deal with him–

Maniac: Look, the Colonel is a spineless–

Maverick: I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you, ‘Major’.

Maniac: Uh, we were just speculatin’ on when the new pilot might pull his own weight.

Maverick: Uh huh.

Maverick: Well, one way or another, we’ll find out what Flash is made of… I guarantee you that.

Maniac: Does he pat you like that?

Maverick: Admiral Tolwyn makes the call on that. It’s out of my hands.

Maniac: Thanks for telling me.

Eisen: I wish they wouldn’t send me these Academy hot shots.

Hobbes: Youth and wisdom are rarely combined, Captain.

Maverick: But it’s still your ship, Captain.

Eisen: He answers only to Admiral Tolwyn – Colonel, we’re under attack. Launch all fighters. Red Alert! Red Alert! Launch all fighters. Launch all fighters. This is not a drill! This is not a drill!

Maverick: What the heck do you think you’re doing?!

Flash: I’m waking up now, ‘sir’.

Maverick: Didn’t you hear that scramble alarm?

Flash: Yeah, it woke me up, for a minute.

Maverick: We were under attack, for goodness’ sake!

Flash: My talents won’t be wasted on your little skirmishes.

Maverick: Yeah, well people were dying out there, you bastard.

Flash: It’s a war. People die all the time.

Maverick: You’ve never seen it, have you?

Flash: Seen what?

Maverick: Never seen pilots – people you know – getting fried in their own cockpit.

Flash: I do my part for Confed.

Maverick: I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as… frightened as you.

Flash: You think what you want. I’ve got my orders.

Maverick: Yeah, and you find refuge in that just as long as you can.

Coriolis: That Excalibur’s one heck of a ship. But just as I thought, there’s a real prick on the other end of the leash.

Maverick: What, he’s not letting you do your job?

Coriolis: These loving hands, I can tweak anything to make it work just a little better.

Maverick: Of course, and a little grease never hurt.

Coriolis: Maybe he doesn’t need me now, but there’s gonna come a time when he’s flying a paste-and-glue special, and then see what kind of servicing he gets. I’d bet you’d like to take her for a shakedown spin. You know, you swing by at the right time, you just might find the key in the ignition…

Maverick: It’s been a long time since I’ve done any joyriding.

Coriolis: Well, then you owe it to yourself.

Maverick: I’m not interested in stepping on the Major’s toes.

Coriolis: Well, forget I ever mentioned it then.

Eisen: Come in, Colonel. We have to move quickly on this. The only reason we aren’t under attack right now is because the Kilrathi have bigger fish to fry. They’ve targeted Tamayo II – their transports are already moving there. If you and your wing can cut through the fighter cover, we might have a shot at destroying those transports. We’ll need a lot of fire-power and we’ll need it fast. Scramble everybody! I want those flight decks emptied!

Maverick: Right away, sir.

Coriolis: You’ll never guess what’s fuelled up and ready-to-go.

Coriolis: Would be nice to try the Excalibur this time around, wouldn’t you say?

Rollins: Whoo hoo! Now we know what that machine can really do. You’re clear to land, Colonel. (Success)

Rollins: The Kilrathi are high-tailing it out of this system, Colonel. Suppose it didn’t matter that Flash and his hot rig stayed put again. You’re clear to land. (Success)

Flash: You are way out of line, Colonel.

Maverick: Somebody had to step up to the plate, mister.

Flash: You think Confed wants some old man risking their state-of-the-art test vehicles, huh?

Maverick: Hey! What’s your lame excuse this time?

Flash: Get off my case, old man. You’d trade places with me in a second – that is, if Confed had a senior citizen circuit for test pilots.

Maverick: Where’d you learn to spew all that rubbish? Doesn’t the Academy teach kids to fly any more?

Flash: Listen, old timer, I don’t have to take this from you. I think it’s time to teach you a lesson. Meet me at the simulator at 09:00 and we’ll see who knows how to fly.

Maverick: On one condition. If you lose – you put in for a transfer to combat pilot status… aboard the Victory.

Flash: If that’ll make you feel better. I’d ask you to shine my shoes if I win, but I like my shoes too much.

Maverick: Combat simulators don’t prove anything. The only thing that really counts is out there, against the Kilrathi.

Flash: Then I suppose we’ll never know, will we Colonel?

Eisen: I suppose you two are itchin’ to go at each other.

Maverick: Well, sir, I just got–

Eisen: As a rule, I’m not too big on these needless displays of macho nonsense. You’re taking a big risk morale wise. And, if you lose you won’t be too popular around here. So I’m gonna give you a word of advice, Colonel. Kick the little twerp’s butt.

Maverick: Yes, sir!

Flash: Okay, here we go. I promise I’ll make this as quick as possible.

Flash: You win, Colonel. I’ll talk to Eisen first thing in the morning.

Vaquero: Suppose we got ourselves another combat pilot – but it’s a whole ’nother thing fighting the Kilrathi out there!

Flash: You know, on second thought Colonel, you’ll find my shoes in the barracks.

Maniac: Too bad, ‘old man’. Looks like the kid was right. Well, just proves what I’ve said all along: You are overrated.