The Chase (Echowaffle8)

The Chase is the story of the 86th Courier Division's test of the "allegedly improved" 2554 AMG Transport Dynamics Warthog, which is undertaken by racing it against the previous model Warthog along their proving grounds on a winding mountain road.
==The Call==
Commander Halberd was sitting at his desk late one morning when his phone rang. By force of habit and protocol, he picked it up immediately after the first ring. "86th Courier Division," he greeted his caller (pronouncing it "eight-sixth"). "What can I do for you?"
"Good morning, Commander Halberd," replied the voice on the other end. Halberd recognized it immediately as Lord Hood's.
"Lord Hood? Sir, you must have a wrong number; why would you be calling a simple courier division?" Normally the top UNSC brass tended to turn a blind eye to the 86th's actions, figuring courier divisions such as theirs would be best off on their own providing support roles as needed to the frontline troops.
"I'm calling you because the 86th is said to have some of the UNSC's fastest Warthog drivers. Is this true?"
An odd reason to call, mused Halberd. Why are the UNSC's top brass so interested in the rumors on the front lines? "Well, I can't really speak on behalf of the opinions of anyone outside my division so-"
"AMG Transport Dynamics has developed a new Warthog for us," interrupted Lord Hood. "We've already put it through rigorous testing, like resistance to ballistic and plasma weaponry, crash protection, and everything else. Everything except one test. Which is where the 86th comes in."
"What test could we give it that the UNSC testing facilities couldn't put it through?" asked Halberd, noting that Lord Hood pronounced the division's name "eighty-sixth" as normal parlance would dictate but contrary to how it was pronounced by its members.
"A special test only your division could carry out," replied Lord Hood. "We're calling it 'Trial by Couriers.'"
Halberd paused briefly. "Right..." he said, unsure of what it was Lord Hood was implying.
"We'll drop in the prototype sometime this afternoon," continued Lord Hood. "I want your test results by this time next week."
"Sir? What test shall we be putting this prototype through?" asked Halberd.
"I'm sure your drivers will know what to do with it. Keep me posted." Lord Hood then hung up before Halberd could so much as draw breath to reply.
==The Delivery==
That afternoon, an Albatross arrived at the base's air pad and deployed the new Warthog, labelled "TS-1," from its cargo bay. The 86th Division's drivers immediately swarmed the vehicle to get a better look at what it was and to offer up their judgments of it.
Lieutenant Kevin Usborne was the first to remark on the new vehicle. "Is this the Warthog's replacement? It has no roll bar! Does the UNSC really trust frontline troops not to roll it?"
His brother Lieutenant Ryan Usborne began thinking out loud about AMG's reasoning for excluding the roll bar. "Maybe it isn't integrated with the design like it was on the older model. As this is probably the courier variant, it would've been removed from the design to save weight."
Private Reynolds went over to the engine bay. "I've heard about this new engine, it's so cool! They finally got rid of that old four-cylinder and put in a V6! This should mean extra power, right?"
"It would generate a little bit more power at the expense of having a lower redline," explained Ryan. "Which is an odd move, unless this new Warthog has a different drivetrain than the old one."
"Atten-SHUN!" someone barked. Commander Halberd had left his office and was approaching the new Warthog. The drivers of the 86th stood to attention, Kevin and Ryan at the front as "joint second-in-command."
"At ease," Commander Halberd replied. "Lord Hood personally called me this morning and said we were to test this new Warthog for him, and that you would know how. Now, I don't know exactly what he meant by that, but does anyone have any suggestions?"
One of the men broke rank and walked up to the Commander. "Why don't we have a race between this Warthog and one of the old ones?"
Commander Halberd pondered it for a minute. "That's not a bad idea. What's your name, soldier?"
"Private First Class Holland, sir. And as I'm the fastest driver here, I should be the one to drive TS-1."
Ryan and Kevin briefly glanced at each other behind Holland's back; Ryan raised one eyebrow in disbelief, but other than this no gesture was made to indicate that Holland shouldn't drive it.
"Very well then," agreed Commander Halberd. "Private Holland shall drive the new Warthog."
Holland looked very pleased with himself.
"Now, then, who shall race him?" Commander Halberd asked his troops.
The enlisted troops began excitedly chattering to themselves. Holland was widely considered to be the fastest driver amongst them; he had bested all challengers and (due to a tradition amongst the drivers of the 86th that one only challenged those with equal or greater rank than oneself) he had not raced against any of the officers.
A young private - who had apparently just enlisted - stepped forward to address Commander Halberd. "Please, sir, I'd like to race," he announced.
The other drivers were in shock. Here was a driver the rest of them had rarely seen before asking to race one of the best drivers in the division.
If Commander Halberd was surprised, he showed it through neither his facial expression or his voice. "And what's your name, soldier?" he asked the challenger.
"Private Timothy Melcher, sir," the young man responded.
Commander Halberd cleared his throat. "Private Melcher, Private Holland, best of luck to both of you," he said. He then made a beeline for his office.
The second Commander Halberd closed his door, Holland turned to Melcher and immediately began taunting him and essentially telling him that his chances of victory were basically zero. Not that Melcher was paying any attention to any of this. Halfway through Holland's boast he turned around and wandered away without regard to any of the protests Holland started shouting after him.
The 86th Division's two Lieutenants were watching this encounter with interest. Finally, Ryan thought, someone who doesn't crack under pressure. We could definitely use more drivers like him.
Ryan walked over to the Albatross, where Holland was attempting to start the new Warthog. ", sir," Holland called out. "Here to give me some advice?"
"No," Ryan responded tersely. "I'm here for the paperwork. And as you said, you're the fastest. What advice could I possibly give you?" He took the paperwork and retired to his office, where he began poring over the spec sheets and, through an intricate simulator he programmed himself, finding its strengths and weaknesses. Within hours he had a full simulation complete and had learned everything he needed to know.
==The Plan==
The race was scheduled to start at 21:00; the 86th did most of their training after sunset, as they believed the reduced visibility at night would more effectively prepare them for difficult environments like fog and battle. Holland had been waiting since 19:30 after having only completed one practice lap of the course behind the wheel of TS-1 and spending the rest of his time showing it off. He was quickly growing irritated with Melcher, who was known for consistently being precisely on time but very little else. However, this did not mean Holland was unoccupied; rather, he was continuing to brag to anyone who would listen about the new Warthog's performance characteristics.
"Man, that Melcher guy has had it," Holland boasted. "I don't know what new powertrain they put in this thing, but I can tell you it's definitely faster-accelerating than the old model. The brakes are better too; it can apply full braking force to all four wheels faster than you can blink, and it stops just as quickly too. And when it gets to a corner, the handling feels far more solid than before, which is probably thanks to that new suspension."
Kevin was observing all this from afar with interest, unsure of whether to believe Holland's claims. "Is what he's saying really true?" he asked his brother.
"It does accelerate more quickly. AMG Transport Dynamics switched to the 12-liter V6 because the engine on this model is directly powering the wheels through gearing, unlike on the old one where the motor powered a generator for the wheels' electric motors. Both engines have a cylinder diameter of 117mm, but the old four-cylinder's stroke length of 278mm allowed for a larger flywheel and more effective compound gearing for the generator linkage, while on the new V6 the stroke length is 186mm to provide less mechanical resistance for greater power."
Kevin looked confused. "What does this have to do with acceleration?"
"The new model delivers its power through a three-speed automatic gearbox," Ryan continued. "Such a gearbox allows the engine to remain in its power band more continuously, which in turn grants better acceleration. By contrast, the old model's electric motors deliver their power through a direct-drive system, in which the vehicle's speed is directly proportional to the rotation speed of the motors. As for brakes, there is a function on the new model that acts sort of like the handbrake on the older model, albeit for all four wheels rather than just the rear two. The suspension, however, may be the new Warthog's largest undoing, as it uses a much older swing-axle design compared to the older model's semi-motorized swing-arm design."
"What's wrong with swing-axle suspensions?" Kevin was really confused now.
"They don't allow for nearly as much suspension travel as swing-arm suspensions do. Additionally, they are prone to lift-throttle oversteer. This could create a problem for the inexperienced driver."
"...Like Holland," Kevin commented. "Didn't he only do one practice run in it?"
"Something like that. Anyway, I'm going to go wait on Melcher to give him some advice," Ryan announced, taking leave of his brother.
==The Start==
At precisely 20:55, Melcher's Warthog arrived.
"Finally, you show up," snarled Holland. "Ready to lose?"
"Not really," Melcher mumbled under his breath. Holland wasn't listening; he had already climbed into TS-1 and was warming up the engine.
Melcher was lining up for the start when, to his surprise, Ryan walked up to him. "Private Melcher," Ryan said by way of greeting.
"Lieutenant Ryan, sir!" Melcher saluted from his seat.
"At ease, Private. I'm here with some advice," Ryan announced. "The new Warthog has a suspension that does not travel nearly as far as that on the older model."
Melcher nodded, unsure of what to make of this information.
"You can use this against him in some of the course's tighter corners with the sloped drop-offs," continued Ryan. Melcher's eyebrows furrowed, a strategy coming to light in his mind.
As Ryan walked away, Private Reynolds walked up to the two Warthogs with the starters' flag. He made sure he had the two drivers' attention, paused briefly, and waved his flag to start the race. The two Warthogs accelerated away.
==The Race==
As predicted, TS-1 quickly out-dragged its older cousin. The onlookers, unaware of its mechanical improvements, simply thought that Holland was accelerating faster than Melcher because he was a better driver. They cheered as the two Warthogs accelerated towards the first corner.
Hear that? Holland thought to himself. The future is already proving itself better than the past, Melcher. You were foolish to challenge me in the first place, and right now you're just humiliating yourself.
So TS-1's quick in a straight line, mused Melcher. But can it carry this speed in a corner?
Such a corner was quickly approaching.
"Let's see if he can't match my late braking!" shouted Holland to himself. His eyes narrowed in concentration and his hands shook the wheel slightly as he counted four seconds past his normal braking point before applying full braking force.
Melcher's Warthog shot past TS-1 in a blur.
You've made a mistake, thought Holland to himself at the sight of the older Warthog approaching the corner at a ludicrous speed.
"What does he think he's doing?!" exclaimed Kevin.
"Whatever it is, I'm sure he's done it before," commented Ryan. "I've seen people badly overshoot their braking points before, and it doesn't look like that. That looks like a deliberate, conscious decision. You see how he's moving towards the outside of the corner? I think he's planning an overtake."
Melcher, in a pattern done with the natural swiftness and ease that comes from hours of practice, briefly tapped the brake to transfer the Warthog's weight slightly forward while turning the wheel to full lock into the corner. The weight transfer combined with the sudden steering change, amplified by the Warthog's four-wheel steering, sent his Warthog into a massive slide which Melcher quickly brought under control by countersteering. To everyone's surprise, only the front wheels went to opposite lock while the rear wheels straightened themselves back as if the vehicle were traveling in a straight line rather than taking a corner.
The rest of the 86th Division was in shock, but nobody was more surprised than Holland, who had been so caught off-guard by the maneuver that he had nearly brought TS-1 to a full stop before he regained enough focus to return his attention to the race he was now losing.
The observers were all murmuring to each other. Isn't a four-wheel drift in a Warthog supposed to be nearly impossible to do? Here's a guy who can pull it off in one shot!
Kevin turned to Ryan, still unable to believe what he'd seen. "Could you shed a bit of light on what it was we just saw?"
"Well, he's obviously more experienced than everyone gave him credit for," explained Ryan. "And, as you know, there is a way to disable the Warthog's rear-wheel steering, but the manual control is difficult to activate while the vehicle is in motion, never mind after initiating a drift like that. Unless..."
Kevin leaned towards his brother slightly and almost subconsciously.
"...he's modified his neural interface and his Warthog in such a way that he can control some of the Warthog's functions with his mind," Ryan concluded. "It's not unfeasible; they're combat-testing a communications system in which squad members can open secure COM channels with their squadmates simply by concentrating on the person with whom they want to communicate."
"You mean he can control his Warthog with his mind?" Kevin couldn't believe his ears.
Ryan thought about this for a second. "I suppose he can, to a certain extent."
While this conversation was going on, TS-1 had recovered and was now entering the corner, while Melcher's Warthog was shooting sideways out of the corner. He quickly corrected the slide with steering - the rear-wheel steering reactivating in the process - and was now accelerating down the next straight.
TS-1 had exited the corner now and was quickly gaining ground back against Melcher's Warthog. Holland had lost his cocky, smug smirk and replaced it with a look of grim determination. Impressive trick, Melcher, he monologued inwardly. But I now realize my braking point was too early and I can brake later than I thought I was capable of with this new Warthog. You and your sideways antics have had it!
The next corner was approaching. Melcher was moving to the outside edge to prepare for another four-wheel drift. Holland was about to follow him, but then noticed something. With his new late-braking capability, he could start at the inside of a corner and then use his acceleration to blast out of it at the outside edge, therefore mostly following the recommended line around the track while cutting a few meters of distance from the lap - enough, he reasoned, to overtake Melcher. He decided immediately that this was a good plan, and moved inside to try it out.
Melcher, as before, initiated the drift - except this time there was another Warthog right on the line he wanted to take and accelerating rather more quickly than would be considered safe.
Ryan observed this from his relatively remote yet commanding vantage point. "He's not used to it yet," he commented.
This point was proven immediately at the corner's exit. Holland had accelerated too quickly through the corner and was running the risk of sliding off-track. Instinctively, he lifted his foot off the throttle, and his Warthog's swing-axle suspension responded to this by exhibiting its signature lift-throttle oversteer.
Holland, caught off-guard for the second time in two corners, hesitated for almost too long before bringing his Warthog back under control with the throttle. That was way too close, he thought to himself.
Melcher was planning another overtake through the corner's exit, but cut it off after seeing Holland's near-accident. He barely has that thing under control. I'd better wait until I can find a safe overtaking point before I make my move.
Melcher began taking the next few corners in a repeated pattern: quickly, but not quickly enough to pass the erratic, unpredictable driving of Holland behind the wheel of TS-1.
Holland quickly mistook Melcher's careful driving as a futile attempt to pass him at full speed. You see? he thought to himself. Even when it's barely under control, TS-1 is faster than the old Warthog. And I'm controlling it flawlessly!
However, when Holland and Melcher cleared the corner closest to the Usborne brothers' vantage point, they were close enough that Kevin could clearly see the facial expressions of both drivers. He and Ryan had also been observing their techniques, and had already decided that Holland was a terrible driver behind the wheel of TS-1. Yet Holland had a look of supreme confidence on his face as he drove through the corner, which was such a sharp contrast to his driving in Kevin's eyes that he nearly fell over laughing inwardly.
Laughter was the last thing on Melcher's mind, however. This guy's cornering gets sloppier and sloppier the further he goes, he thought to himself. And I'm running out of places I think I can safely overtake!
Then he noticed it: a tight corner with a steep inward slope just past the inside edge. What was it Ryan was telling me about these?
He thought back to before the race and immediately remembered Ryan's words: "The new Warthog has a suspension that does not travel nearly as far as that on the older model. You can use this against him in some of the course's tighter corners with the sloped drop-offs."
Here's such a corner now! Melcher thought to himself. It's my only chance! I have to go for it!
==The Corner==
Hasn't he noticed by now that my cornering strategy is vastly superior to his? Holland wondered to himself. He hasn't been able to pass me again and he's running out of track. This race is in the bag!
Holland moved TS-1 to the inside of the corner and, to his surprise, Melcher followed him.
Well, well, well, Holland thought. So you have realized it. But as you can plainly see, I'm already taking this line!
This is it! Melcher thought. Time to utilize Ryan's strategy!
He then dropped the two inside wheels over the corner's edge and onto the unpaved slope. The Warthog began to turn the corner at a much higher speed than TS-1.
What is he doing?! thought Holland. How is he taking this corner faster than me? I'd better move to get an even faster line.
Holland then moved his Warthog closer to the inside of the corner. Melcher responded by going even farther down the slope, to the point where the outside tires were barely gripping the road. He calmly adjusted his outside suspension so that he could drop his inside tires even further down, and was now going faster than before.
"How is he doing this?!" exclaimed Holland aloud. He then decided that he would try to emulate Melcher's cornering strategy in a last-resort attempt to hold the lead. Remembering his near-accident from the second corner, he lifted his foot off the throttle for a brief moment. The rear tires rotated outwards and, unknown to him, the fronts rotated slightly inwards as well, and his inside front tire dropped over the edge. However, TS-1's suspension deflected enough to level out the ride. Holland then attempted to bury the accelerator in the floorboard to push TS-1 through the corner fast enough to outrun Melcher.
Kevin and Ryan observed Holland's tactic with interest. "What does he think he's doing?" wondered Kevin aloud.
"I'm sure he's trying to emulate Melcher's four-wheel drift," reasoned Ryan. However, there's one critical element he's forgotten about."
"...his rear-wheel steering is still operating!" Kevin realized.
"Precisely," Ryan agreed. "The only reason his Warthog hasn't corrected itself yet is because he's dropped his inside front tire down the slope."
Melcher expertly moved his Warthog to re-enter the track proper. He looked behind him and was amazed to see TS-1 behind him, sliding through the corner in a vain attempt to keep up.
"WHAT?!" screamed Holland in an outrage. "After all that, he's still managed to pass me?!"
Holland tried to correct TS-1's drift but suddenly found hie couldn't. He turned the wheel a little harder again, but to no avail. However, as he tried it a third time, he unknowingly let off the gas slightly...
Melcher glanced behind him again and noticed TS-1 had entered a spin induced by lift-throttle oversteer. It went around once, twice... and finally stopped pointing backwards relative to the track's intended path of travel. Melcher then took the rest of the lap at a steadily slowing pace to "cool down" the Warthog.
Holland was staring into his steering wheel in a state of shock. How could this have happened? I, the fastest driver of the 86th Courier Division, and in a far superior vehicle, have been defeated by someone who's probably just been enlisted? This cannot be happening!
Upon returning to the start/finish line, Melcher was greeted with a hero's welcome. Holland's reign as the fastest driver of the 86th had finally come to an end, and not a moment too soon as he was starting to let it go to his head a little. It cannot be argued that a new legend had been born that day in the eyes of the 86th Division. However, whether anyone present realized that a legend of the UNSC had been born that day will never be known.
Category:Echowaffle8