Motorcycles

Oh yeah, sure. My brothers and sisters would mess around back on Silona with carts and things like that, tearing around and messing with the MEFs.

But I was also a pre-boot then. <3

I'm more of an aircars man, myself. SRU CPH-19's an old favorite, even if I never have the opportunity. Even if I hadn't left, they still wouldn't ever let me fly the thing.

My driving is perfectly fine, thank you very much, sir...

Oh, finally? I only had so little time to chat with her the last time, there was everything else but motorcycles. I wanted to her her ideas. Generally her likes are a bit more modern than what i had in mind but that can't keep us from a tech chat!


uh... kay, thanks, Doctor. I never had the intention to get me a racer or do something foolish. Well, not more than I usually do and safety is my middle name. Most of the time.
Currently I am more looking forward to the garage time, putting together all the pieces. And then try to figure out where that left over piece was supposed to go - heh.

EDIT: aw, I have discovered a holo that just captures what I've been thinking of:


The drone taking that pic must have been slightly defective but look at that thing! All accessable for hands-on work!

Wait. You got a cruiser in-atmo flight simulation programme? I don't remember getting anything like that during my time in the Edessan Flight Academy...


...Now that's just unfair! I mean, I got my basic frigate programmes and went through the standard Low-Grav landing exercise for a cruiser class ship I never really got anything like that! Tell me, what were the sim's parameters? Low-Grav and standard atmospheric pressure conditions?

And I still don't that they're anything but fatass! Cruiser are pure spacegirls. You wouldn't class a fast seacrosser 'fatass' when you tried to tow it through land would you? 3:P


Anyways, time to finally show some respect for our OP!

Taleeze, dear, though if you had asked about hovercars I might've given you some solid suggestions, you find me at a bit of a loss here. I've ridden some hoverbikes in my time, but only as passenger. It's quite a thrilling experience I must say so you are definitely up for quite a bit of fun! I am not very familiar with the models out there but I remember this human friend of mine who was obsessed with them, back when I was with Virgin Galactic. He kept bragging about this 'amazing' Sendai Motors TSX 40 he had. From his descriptions I gathered that its performance was quite commendable and jusdging by the tons upon tons of pictures he showed is, it looked quite good as well! Here let me find one for you...



There it is. My friend said that it was inspired by old 20th century designs of a 'Harvey-Something' corporation. I'm unable to recall the exact name at the moment, unfortunately. I think it might be close to what you seem to be looking for ^^'


But. As a turian, I will do my duty and persuade you to go for one of our very own manufacturers 3:P
Yet I am once again ashamed to say that I am pretty much clueless in this field, I've seen a particular model strolling around a lot amongst the youth of palaven.



I present you the-um... hang on let me check again...

The Ravollux TK-HC03! Ultra high speed and super high attitude capable, Extra long range autonomous power capacity and the best warranty deal on the market!

At least that's what the site says. I guess I'll have to hold them up on that.

You know, Tal, I think I know where my suggestions will prove to be most useful.
Ever heard of Kasana Z'latra? She is a Textile and Pattern designer. You should check out her work, she's quite amazing! My nanny Neffila used to have one of her winter coats. It was quite beautiful! It had these small flaps that followed the contours of the flower and wave patterns. There was silver synthetic fur on the collar too, it really brought out her fringe! Anyways, she said on her site a while back that she moved to this lovely house by a river, deep inside a forest in the southern hemisphere. She posted some pictures too, it's quite lovely! Anyhow, she also said that the rapid waterstreams from the river beside the house was a source of great inspiration for her and she now launched a whole line of products with beautiful patterns reminiscent of flowing water streams, waves, thessian fresh water fauna and nearby river-dwelling flowers. [Here] you'll find a catalog of a bunch of helmets and other safety gear from the line. The third one from the left on the second row from the bottom is one of my favourite. Look at how the whirlpools tangle with the harbourlights along the ridges of the helmet that protect the fringe! The colour combination is breathtaking as well I must say.

Oh well, I hope you find what you are looking for my friend! Remember, safety first and have fun in the skies!

Yeah, I was over at Stibanite, so we had pretty much everything we could have wanted. The in-atmo was more of an "oh shit, your cruiser has hit atmosphere, what do you do?" scenario than actual training. Part of the "standard package" everyone gets. Have to know how to at least look at the control panels for cruisers and dreadnaughts, right? I flew frigates dropships, and transports, so that was where most of my training went.

As far as I remember the sims were full-featured. Full RVI and six-degree, with the MEFs to cover pretty much any situation you needed. I don't know how it really is flying cruisers, but when you're in-atmo, being able to feel the Gs is an important part being able to kick ass. I don't turn the dampeners all the way off, because I was never insane, but if you didn't feel it then you were always limiting yourself, I think.

What kind of sims did they have you run?

Noooooope!

Not riding any of these death machines, no sir. Just good ol' fashioned vehicles that I won't fall off of and break every bone in my body

When we used one of those SR cars during the Reaper attack, you proceeded to mow a Brute down with it by mistake!

A Brute, Wash. How do you hit something the size of an elcor by accident in a skycar.

there was a husk in the car

I SAID I WAS SORRY

THE DOOR LOCK WAS STICKY

you set the husk on FIRE

IN THE CAR

IT STARTLED ME, WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO

It ain't called 'fun' because it taps into the adult part of the brain, you know. ;)

Never mind the bike (I mean, no, good choice), get that outfit. Nice.

Taleeze, listen to this man, he knows what he's talking about.

Incidentally I did promise photos, and (aside from Tal, who was there) I don't suppose anyone else here will have seen one of these outside of a history book (so far as I know of, anyway) - as promised Eafina took a bunch of us down to the garage yesterday to show us her wildrider:



That thing is going to be really something when she's finished the engines and got it moving.

Oh yes, the stupid maiden trick isn't just exclusive to maidens, or even asari.


Oh, Goddess, that's a pretty bike...

Stibanite huh? Well I suppose there is some truth to those rumors that say you're a bunch of spoiled up cadets! 3:P
The Edessan Academy is your average uptight Hierarchy flight school (Yes. Uptight even by our standards 3:/). You get in there only be recommendation and move to a highly specialized three-year programme. They try to combine simulations with the real thing as much as possible. If you visit the colonial capital's downtown you'll hear fighter squadrons flying over your head all day!

When it comes to the simulations, the Academy's policy dictates that you receive top level training only at the vessel class you have been recommended for and are most wanted at. This way the academy is able to conserve resources and let the trainees exploit their full potential where it is needed the most. Safety parameters are significantly lower but the scenarios are very specific. You learn to be extremely punctual, patient and precise in your handling. Basically, you learn to foresee the situation that your actions will end you up so you will never have to actually go "Oh shit" in the first place.

Many are worried that this approach to training leaves the pilots unable to function when faced with a sudden change of environment or even a mere change of vessel. But this level of versatility is expected from everybody in the EFA as soon as they enter. After all, the controls do not differ too much from class to class. The basic configuration of controls as you know is standard across the hierarchy. Your Haptic interface is always two units bellow your line of sight, comms are on the left, status displays up ahead, the throttle (my absolute favourite part) is on the right, etc etc. What changes between, say, a dreadnought and a frigate is basically additional system controls per console. You can get accustomed to them after a simple orientation session after your assignment.

I was wanted aboard the Vectis. She was a fine ship. Brand new at that time. Next generation border patrol cruiser! She needed a helmsman for her series of ongoing patrols at the edges of turian and volus space, whith occasional visits to a few outposts at the human border. Such a vessel's chance of ending up in an atmospheric environment are very small so you technically you'll never come across a situation like this. Well, unless you're performing a Tevrox Maneuver. But I am pretty sure that we will not be fighting the Krogan again anytime soon. Much less allow a tactical disadvantage like the one on Digeris happen again.

Anyways, the appropriate simulations were focused mostly on complex deep space combat and evasive maneuvers, defense strategies against various enemies and mid-range planetary defense. We used a SHAUP Matrix in our simulations. We had a series of exact replicas of bridges from a variety of ship classes. I Took most of my sessions on an Aventhen Class bridge replica. The equipment was pulled straight from real older ships before they met their final resting place on either Korlus or Aephus.
Since our sim decks had pretty much your full bridge configuration we had cadets sent in from many other areas as well and each sim session involved a complete bridge complement.

When we did battle simulations some time the computer would simulate damage as well. The VI calculated if the level of damage done would harm any of the cadets that were being trained at the moment. There were times in which I was labeled as 'dead' or 'critically injured' and my console would lock off to my biosigns. Although many object that this interrupts the training session, the academy argues that it gives a sense of danger and emergency and teaches us the need for maintaining flexibility and composure during times that our lives are in danger. We sometimes even placed bets on who would get 'killed off' during the next battle sim!

I had a few friends who were receiving standard front lines training. Their training and simulations emphasized on high-planetary proximity attack and defense formations, bombardment and of course, in-atmo flight at a variety of both pressure and gravity conditions. They didn't get much on deep space engagements, sensor avoidance tactics, reconnaissance and complex FTL jumps under unconventional circumstances. But Stibanite's holistic approach has given the Hierarchy generations of very versatile and extremely capable pilots. Your training programmes have extremely high success rates not only amongst turians but many members of other species as well; client and non. 3:)

You're very lucky to have graduated from there, Mr. Illum. I have been shifting between Heavy Cruisers, Light frigates and everything in between throughout my whole career. I cannot imagine the thrill flying fighter or doing touch-and-go troop drop-offs and sharp ascends on a transport must have!

EDIT:



By the spirits, this is a real beauty! Is it of Drell design? Pre-Compact?

I am... mesmerized. To say at least. I think this is the first full authentic example of Drell-designed machinery I have ever seen! And I must admit it looks truly beautiful. An amazing find Ms. T'Nara!

Fascinating. That particular bike is amazing! I can not really connect to the adrenalin thrill but but I can admire the piece of machinery. Daia, please tell Miss Meressus my regards and praises for her new bike! I would have not thought of her as a bike rider at first sight.

Taleeze, while that picture is very dynamic, I think the position seems rather uncomfortable.

Sure! But you know the other Academies envied us. <3 I pushed through boot at the Fortress of Skulls, too, so I've got lots of famous places under my wings.


See, I heard a lot of schools did this in three years, but unless cruisers and dreadnaughts are that complicated (and I'm pretty sure you'll agree with me that they're not), I can't see why you can't do it in an intensive one. I understand the need for pilots to be flexible, but you can have a good pilot in a half-dozen classes of ships, or a great pilot in one or two.


Yeah, that's the opposite of the way things were ran at Stibanite. They put most of their money up-front, so you have cutting-edge sims that are pretty much exactly like whatever ships you're assigned to fly. This way you're not stuck in the "this is where I flew" rut that you get if you've spent more time training on real ships. I mean, for cruisers and dreads you're not really in bad shape, because space is space is space (mostly), but when you spend all your time in-atmo it's a huge difference.


Doesn't Edessan have one of the highest cadet injury rates? I'm not saying that you guys were going about things the wrong way, but unless I'm totally misremembering things, it seems like there's a handy explanation. <3

Those "oh shit" moments happen anyway, unless you've made a career on milk runs. And I hope you haven't! You seem like a decent guy who wouldn't deserve that sort of fate. That's for the kids of important people and just-barely-passeds. But everyone knows that no plan really survives first encounter, so a certain amount of improv is necessary if you're going to do a great job.


Where'd you patrol? Since I was mostly doing drops, I usually ended up near the fringes, far enough that your usual assortment of pirates and militant separatists had set up bases.

Before you ask: DMZ (I did wolfpack patrols here, no drops), Palaven (boring), Tracian, Tridend, Attican B, Horse Head


Don't tell me you've never tried one for fun, right?

Maybe that's a luxury the guys in the smaller ships can afford. Our ships are cheaper, we can get by with a little more goofing around. Dreadnaught pilots always seem so serious.


So you weren't that different from us then!


If I wasn't in basically the exact opposite position of having a ship and the opportunity, I'd have made the offer. Should have asked before the war! That said, next time you're on leave I can probably find someone who'd let you fly around. I'm grounded but still have connections!

I find myself drawn to this vehicle with this image.

If only I had the time and credits to dedicate to making one of these :(

... Pretty bikes~

ohmygoddess! That is an amazing line of designs! Hm, I need to think about colors first before I decide on this but her shop is at the top of my list!

I totally like how the drivecore looks like too big for the frame, hanging out left and right :P Too bad you're so far away, I'd love to share this project with someone. Do you know anything about any old quarian designs for such vehicles?

Heh. That is the case indeed. We used to joke about it quite often really!
...In the academy's sickpay, that is 3:P. For some reason, the guys in the upper tiers view this as another sign of prestige of some sort. I am not sure why, though. Maybe it's similar to the way the krogan view scars! 3:P
In all seriousness though, the safety settings are always 'said' to be lower than they actually are. It's mostly done to give the trainees a sense of urgency and fear which they would naturally feel in normal combat. It's meant to familiarize them with the feelings and teach them how to cope with them and not let them disrupt their focus.


Haha! Why thank you, Harrad! But I don't think you have to worry. I think that after everything that has happened in the past, milk runs are hardly a thing in the Hierarchy 3:P. I completely agree with you on the fact that you can never be truly prepared for the first encounter, but you can surely learn to manage the initial shock better, keep your mind clear and figure out a course of action more swiftly. Your past experiences help you determine your actions. So you accumulate as many of those as you can, to be ready for a broader variety of future circumstances! And thar's called good improv!


Oh I was with the 16th Remote Patrol Flotilla, stationed at the Mallvorix Fleet Depot in the Ouruk Cluster. Not many ships enup there, you know. It's just a distant colonization cluster jointly claimed by the Hierarchy and the Volus. From there we took the Aephus, Taetrus, Irune, Oma Ker, Gothis, Epyrus route, with an occasional passing through a client homeworld or colony. You can't get a more 'show the flag' route than that 3:P. Things can get pretty rough in the fringes close to Ouruk and even in the client systems. There's always your occasional band of madmen that somehow got their hands on a couple ships and face up a turian cruiser saying "We're all sick of you! Get the hell out of our home!". The Ouruk cluster isn't one of the most peacefull regions by itself either. Most of the volus colonies that exist there are either failed trading posts or mining colonies that have run dry. Sal Mata is the worst place I have ever seen. Don't even get me started on how this environment is a perfect brewing spot for separatists and other extremists. Plus those poor colonies are constant victims to small scale raids. Ever since the Torr Relay was unlocked the area had become a perfect target for all kinds of people from the edges of the terminus. The listening post in the Torr system doesn't seem to do much good either. We were always dispatched to the listening posts whenever the patrol fleet was passing close by. We had our fair share of engagements with pirates and raiders but none of them seemed to be discouraging...



You do these for fun? I suppose its not that hard to do on a transport sized ship but... I have to admit I am pretty jealous! You'd get in serious trouble if you pull a Tevrox with a heavy cruiser for 'fun'. The amount of outer hull stress from the rapid atmosphere-to-space shifts is hideously large. Not to mention the potential screwup of your sensor arrays and intra-plating electronics caused by the constant mass effect field fluctuations as you shift through the planet's magnetic field...
Oh boy you have to definitely have to show me how you do it one day! 3:D

Also, about the dreadnought pilots, I think this seriousness case is common with... well. The entire damn staff of a dreadnought. My first officer used to be the chief science officer aboard the Scorven. She is as cold and stoic as a statue of the Primarch. For example, she heard that joke with the Quarian and the Pyjak the other day? Not a single mandible twitch. I guess that once you go dreadnought, nothing is good enough for you in any of the fleets 3:P



You know, I would actually love that Harrad 3:). Our ship will be docking on the Citadel soon enough and will probably remain in dry dock for quite a bit. We are going to have significant changes in the crew complement as well as some equipment modification; and of course, shore leave for the boys and girls! I think we'll both find the exchange of perspectives on flight very useful. Not to mention fun! You'll find my contact information [Here]. We can discuss the all the necessary details! 3:D





I'm very glad you liked the designs Tal! I was sure you would 3;). If you'd like my opinion, I believe that the ones from the 'Spring in Attena' collection will suit your shade best!