[SC] Gemini Games II - Cross Rally Championships [FINISHED]

[Enfaru]

Live Coverage
The Scribbler

Finally the 2^nd Rally has been announced. New Gloucester Inter-city that follows mostly sealed surfaces on closed off roads. There are challenges for both road and off-road drivers, not least the jump something that is rarely seen outside of crests. According to regulations of the Gemini Games such things are discouraged but an exception has been granted as landing precautions have been taken to reduce shock and damage to the vehicle. Needless to say seeing the drivers race from one city to the next with the express intention of getting there in as fast a time as possible will be a dream that most drivers can only fantasize about.

Parts of course will be remain closed after the rally for the public to have a go, with an opportunity for some teams to earn a little extra money giving tours.

Edit

A further article is listed on The Sovereign Scribbler itself here

[West-East Timor]

"So, have you seen some kind of pubs around here?", asked Uwe.

"Well, I've seen a nice bar in a little village here.", answered Mattia. "What do you think, should we go and have a drink?"

"Shure, why not?", said Timo.

Timo, Max, Uwe and Mattia drove to the village and entered the bar Mattia meant. Timo could see a guy which he think could be a really driver, who looked bothered. He could also see a table with lots of different looking people. It sounded like they were talking about rallye. They went to the counter and ordered some beer. At that moment, Hannah, their media coordinator, walked in as well. She looked surprised when she saw her drivers.

"Hey guys", she said, "what a coincidence you are here as well!"

"Hannah? Hi. What are you doing here?", asked Timo.

"I wanted to drink something, maybe eat a little bit, what else should I being in a bar?", Hannah said.

"Hmmm... Good question."

"But I wanted to talk to you because of media anyways. And if we're already here...", said Hannah.

"What's the matter?", asked Timo.

"To you, Timo, the media likes that you say that much. I know you're not really known for that. So, Omnidirectional News and WET News asked for exclusive interviews after every rally. Do you think you could do that?"

"I guess I can."

"And what about me?", asked Max.

"Well, many of them are sponsored by WETtech, and they don't like that you said a WETmotors car would have been a better choice. I know it's you regular team, but you shouldn't do it, I mean, you're co-driver in a WETtech now."

"Ok then."

"Hey", said Timo, "isn't that Jessica Franssen over there? At that table with the many people talking about rallye?"

"I think it is her", said Mattia. "Another coincidence."

"Lots of coincidences today", said Timo.

[Vangaziland]

Jess looked up, right after her steak arrived, and noticed a crew from WETtech had shown up. Jess was wasn't surprised to see a few drivers. There was only so much to do here. It seemed like a fairly rural place, being near the terrain that made up the last leg of the rally. A few bars probably dotted the little town's streets.

So the race crews were probably spread throughout the bars. Jess looked this place up and found one good review online. She figured it was worth checking out. It was also the closest to her trailer.

There was a loud buzzing sound and a beeping tone. Jess got a text message. She reached over to her bag and dug it out. It could have been important, after all. It turns out they were moving out tomorrow. Jen Vatt texted her some quick details.

They had spent much of the night waiting for confirmation of the next leg. It turns out they were headed to New Gloucester. The Vannish teams would be driving by caravan, which was an event in and of itself. The mechanics would drive the trucks that hauled the crew trailer and the car. Jess and Dale would try to rest or entertain themselves in the crew trailer. Jenn Vatt joined them in the large and roomy vehicle, being towed by a Freightliner Century truck.

There were four small bedrooms in the trailer and a sleeper cabin above the top of the semi. There was just enough room for everyone to have a place to sleep. There was a living room area where the 3 passengers played cards, listened to music or watched DVDs. There was also a bathroom with a shower. Jess was looking forward to hitting the road and seeing more of the country. They were leaving late in the afternoon after everyone got plenty of sleep.

But for now Jess made small talk with the Vangazi. She found out where everyone was from. There were people from the beach town of Blue Coast. Others came from the port town of Northton. The red-headed Vangazi was from Old Prairie in the northwestern tundra at the foothills of the Imperial Mountains.

Jess lived all over Vangaziland, growing up as the daughter of a famous racer. She spent a few years in Central Vangaziland, near Imperial Hills. It wasn't too far from two of the nation's military academies.

She also spent a few years living in the capital city of Emeros. It was a more hectic and fast paced life there. But city life had it's benefits. Now her home was tucked away in the suburbs. She hadn't seen it in a long time though, except for a short break after the WGPC.

Jess ate her meal as the Vangazi talked about all sorts of things. The topic switched over to sports. The couple from Blue Coast brought up the international surfing championships that were happening in a few weeks. Apparently Vangaziland had sent a large delegation, many of whom were from Blue Coast. It was the first Jess heard of it, but it sounded interesting.

The fans considered themselves lucky to have found their favorite driver. There weren't very many Vangazi apart from the few at the table. Many had already started to leave town, preparing for the flight back to Vangaziland. Some people were following the rally, at least for a few stages. They were preparing to travel to New Gloucester as well. Jess asked if any of these fans were coming to the next stage. About half of the people at the table were.

The red-headed Vangazi, Earl, mentioned how nice he thought the country looked in a sort of rugged way. Everyone seemed to agree.

[Northern Ohio Empire]

Marc noticed Jess's wave, thinking to himself. 'Hmm, a premier racer, known better in Northern Ohio than I am.'
He stood up and approached the mass of Vangazian fans, forcing his way through.
"Hello Jess, I must say it's nice to meet you."
He took a deep breathe as some fans scooted back to give him a seat.
"I kind of wish I had the fan support you do here, but domestic racers aren't that well known in the NOE."
Again thinking to himself, 'If only Abigail and Jacob had been here'

[Vangaziland]

The Vangazi fans didn't recognize the driver right away. They hadn't seen most drivers up close and if they were lucky enough to, they probably had a helmet on. Jess stood when Marc came over, "Please join us. Nice to meet you as well."

Marc made a statement about fan support. She was lucky to have such a fan base. Vangazi fans were rabid about their sports. Jess made her name racing in the domestic T1, open-wheeled racing league. She really picked up international support after a fantastic WGPC season. She has been building her brand for years.

She giggled. "Ah, you might yet make yourself known some day. Keep racing internationally. Millions of Vangazi are watching this series. They can only see through my cameras, but they'll read your times. Do well and people in Vangaziland and around the World will know your name."

Earl, the red-headed Vangazi, asked excitedly, "Oh man, you're a driver? That's cool. Tell me about your team."

Jess went back to her meal and cut into her steak.

[Northern Ohio Empire]

"The rest of my team is very private, I think they'd rather I not, sorry."
He chuckled as he heard his phone ring.
He answered it with a friendly. "Hello."
His tone of voice quickly changed when he's told that there was nothing the doctor's could do.
"N-no, No!" He dropped his phone, in a state of utter shock, disturbing the many people there.

[Enfaru]

Live Coverage
The Scribbler

With the 2^Rally now under way, the Gemini Games has moved to the state of New Gloucester in Oceanion and the rally has taken an entirely new direction presenting a series of new challenges. Arguably this rally is much less dangerous than the previous. Unfortunately, we have seen a racing team unable to get to the stage in time and have been given 0 points, a further set back after losing a member of their team in a tragic accident.

This first stage, a scenic coastal route has proven popular with tourists far and wide enjoying the unexpected heatwave. An adjustment to the course has meant that roughly every 80km as opposed to 150km drivers will arrive at a checkpoint where they can change drivers or otherwise have refreshments. Something that many have chosen to make use of.

The biggest upset can no doubt be Trolltrak Racing's disappointing 6^th place, while the NOE National Automotive Race League of Campions, that some have simply taken to calling the Northern Ohio Allstars have achieved an astonishing 3^rd place and have knocked a dominant Red Wyvern Rally out of the podium. Vannish and WETtech continue to vye for the top spots in an increasingly competitive leadership.

Without further cause let us announce the results.

13. Cheongji Motors Racing (CMR) - RETIRED - 0 Points
12. Kāchia Rally Team (KRT) - 04:14:28.20 - 1 Point
11. All-Oceanion Rally Team - 04:14:28.20 - 1 Point
10. Myraxian State Rally (MSR) - 04:14:25.20 - 1 Points
9. Tobiasia City Racing - 04:14:21.20 - 2 Point
8. Petrovijanka RT - 04:14:17.82 - 3 Points
7. Blue-Red Racing - 04:14:17.30 - 4 Points
6. Trolltrak Racing - 04:14:15.08 - 5 Points
5. Fox Nortec WRT - 04:14:14.20 - 7 Points
4. Red Wyvern Rally (RWR) - 04:14:12.00 - 9 Points
3. NOE National Automotive Race League of Champions - 04:14:11.96 - 12 Point
2. Vannish Motors Racing (VMR) - 04:14:10.50 - 15 Points
1. WETtech Racing - 04:14:08.35 - 20 Points

[Northern Ohio Empire]

Marc was choking back tears at the finish line, in the first race since the death of his family, his team had gotten 3rd place.
He had asked them to unplug, not wanting to run up the cost with no chance of recovery.

A few minutes later, he was standing at an official podium, the first set up for NOE.
Between difficult breaths he muttered to the crowd. "I am now racing for my family, lost in a car accident in the capital city."

He first heard some snickers from the crowd, some callings of irony.
"Do you people think this is a ******* joke" He was unable to contain his rage. "My closest family is dead, and you people are mocking me."

A familiar call from the crowd, one of the Vannish fans, spat venom at the scoffers, more and more supports demanding they be removed from the news conference.
"Thank you for your support, I hope to honor the memory of my fallen wife and son."

[Feudal Capitalist Gulch]

"Arrr, well we top out lower then the other cars and tracks are not great on pavement, so It figures we would drop a little.", Biserka said into the phone, before pulling it away and covering ear. "Yes, we'll do that, thank you."

"Well?", asked Dunya.

"Get, Dworzak and Nadeja, we have been instructed to remove the bands and run directly on the road wheels for this next stage." ordered Biserka. "Also, get Almut. Somebody needs to cut sipes into the rubber of the spare road wheels."

The next day the team finds Almut in a pile of rubber strips and empty Valyrien Metha-Cola energy drink cans. Then they see the road wheels, Crude pictures of cannibal squirrels eating each other form Celtic knots in the tread pattern. Biserka starts to hyper ventilate, while walking toward Almut with a tire iron. Dunya points out, "That tread pattern is better then smooth rubber, it should work fine." After a few minutes staring at Almut's unconscious body with tire iron held high, Biserka drops the iron and walks away.

[Vangaziland]

The Vannish Motors automobile was showing it's true strength; reliability. The car was fairing well under the super tough road conditions of the first four races. It was not the fastest car, or the quickest, but it ran well. Of course it was still early in the season. Jess did well in avoiding several bumps that may have damaged the car in Series 1.

Stage 1 of the 2nd race took place in the small city of New Gloucester. This was mostly street driving. Jessica was more in her element than in the earlier course. She was able to really push the car, following each turn's apex and coming up with lines for each curve.

Jess and Dale were one of the first teams to take off and start the course. As they made their way along the course, they knew they were making good time. They didn't know exactly how well though. They hoped to finish first, but wished to at least be above fourth. Their guess was important because it influenced which services the car took on at each checkpoint.

Meanwhile, the Vangazi fans were finding New Gloucester to be a pleasant scene. Some fans flew in just for race 2. Others had travelled after attending most of race 1. There was a carnival like atmosphere as loads of race fans and curious locals flooded the town to observe the race.

The most interesting part for Jessica was fording the river. This was her first time ever doing anything like that behind the wheel. She knew, partly from Dale's advice, that she had to enter the water at a certain angle and speed. The little Vannish car chugged along across the shallow river.

A fair amount of fans gathered at a spot near the river to watch the cars splash and struggle across the water.

After finishing, Jess held the number 1 time for awhile until the WETtech car crossed the line, after it started later. Jennifer Vatt, the media liaison asked Jess a few questions for her online blog and the broadcast that was being patched together from the in car cameras. One question was, "How do you feel about a second place finish?"

"I think it's a good start to a three-stage race. We need to step up a bit more in this next leg. I hear there should be some drifting coming up. It's going to be interesting. The courses are very dynamic. It takes a lot of skill and luck to do well. Hopefully I won't slip up. But second is pretty good for a start."

"And inquiring minds want to know... How do you feel about holding the early lead in the Series?"

"It's so early", Jessica replied. "There are a lot of fast cars in the league. I don't feel like I have a lead. I'm racing just like everybody else. There is so much rally left. Anything can happen."

Jess would look to keep pushing into the next stage. In the meantime, a tradition had started. The Vannish race fans, Jessica and even Dale made their way to a pub after the race. Jess wasn't a big drinker, but she could stand to relax a bit after such a stressful, high-speed day behind the wheel. Besides, she was starting to like the local pub food. A lot of the Vangazi fans had shopping bags with them. It turns out there were a few shops in this town that the Vangazi fans really liked.

[Northern Ohio Empire]

With a few days before the next race, Marc again hit up a local pub, the same one that the Vannish driver had went to, hoping to finally wash away the cloud of depression that's loomed over him since discovering the accident involving his family. His team's manager, Alex, had shown up at the pub he chose. She demanded that Marc stop his public displays, stating that his wife and son deserved to die because of his 'outlandish' displays. Marc struggled to maintain his composure as she continually shouted at him, eventually garnering the attention of several of those in the bar.

Marc retorted, "Look, I am not really in the mood to have this debate right now." He turned to walk away, leading Alex to grab the collar of his shirt and pull him backward, with him being yanked to the ground. Alex proceeded with her harassment, eventually laughing at him.

"You are so damn concerned about our country's bs customs that you feel it necessary to come down here to harass me. You feel that it is needed to insult my family for something so petty. But no, I refuse to stand here and take your abuse, and if it were solely up to me, you'd be fired and never have another job in management." He muttered a curse under his breath as he turned to walk away, on the brink of tears. One of the other patrons decided to stand up and approach Alex, but Marc couldn't care less about that.

[Enfaru]

Game Master

Should Cheongji not submit a vehicle by the next race, they will be disqualified from the tournament

Live Coverage
The Scribbler

The change of pace from the moorlands of Douglas have proven to be a challenge in the extreme for some of our top competitors this time around. Stage 2 has proven enough to upset to knock the three favourites off the podium entirely with Red Wyveryn Rally suffering the most humiliating defeat coming last amongst the League competitors. The Myraxians have arguably proved that they can handle these types of corners more favourable with some suggesting that if they had put a little more effort in, they could have easily won this stage. Vannish Motors Racing should be disheartened, they made several astounding comebacks after a string of bad luck through the checkpoints and finished a respectable 5^th place all things considered.

Each section of this stage has been filled with challenge after challenge, requiring a keen eye and precision handling to get around the extremely narrow country lanes barely wide enough to fit the cars let alone get up to speed. Coupled with a sheer lack of straights and dipped-blind corners, drivers have been forced to rely on notes to drift precisely under bridges and around corners often having to hope for sheer good fortune in order to make the corner in one piece and the 170° corner set a few drivers back with damaged cars with less experienced drivers sliding straight into the wall, though there were no injuries recorded.

All in all this stage has been one to test the precision of our drivers this time around coupled with endurance being perhaps the slowest stage we have had thus far.

Without further cause let us announce the results.

13. Cheongji Motors Racing (CMR) - RETIRED - 0 Points
12. Red Wyvern Rally (RWR) -06:40:02.93 - 1 Point
11. Tobiasia City Racing - 06:38:09.11 - 1 Point
10. Kāchia Rally Team (KRT) - 06:38:08.53 - 1 Point
9. Petrovijanka RT - 06:38:05.41 - 2 Points
8. All-Oceanion Rally Team - 06:38:01.02 - 3 Point
7. WETtech Racing - 06:38:00.82 - 4 Points
6. Fox Nortec WRT - 06:38:00.66 - 5 Points
5. Vannish Motors Racing (VMR) - 06:37:55.23 - 7 Points
4. Myraxian State Rally (MSR) - 06:37:52.93 - 9 Points
3. Trolltrak Racing - 06:37:56.43 - 12 Points
2. Blue-Red Racing - 06:37:52.14 - 15 Points
1. NOE National Automotive Race League of Champions - 06:37:50.53 - 20 Point

[Mattijana]

"How are things?" asked Julian Petrov, the Mattijanan minister for sport.

"Alright", said Johann Struna. "We're just working our way through, picking up some consistent points, working our way up..."

"...Are you sure that's good enough? You're getting some decent funding for this Johann...from me and from PA (Petrovijanka Automobija). They want wins. Podiums at least. 8th every week isn't going to cut it for them."

"I understand Julian. But the car is designed for tarmac and we've been on moorland for the first ralley. The second rally will be better. I'm sure of it."

"Good." Julian still didn't sound convinced. "Have we got any upgrades coming?"

"Yes. There's an engine replacement coming in so we can adapt to the narrow roads featured in the current rally. Decreased power, increased grip. It should help us round the twisty, narrow sections. The engineers are working hard to improve because we want to get better and get ourselves into the top five,"

"We don't want top 5 Johann, we want podiums."

"I know Julian, give us a week and I promise we'll be able to get ourselves up the order. Jasmin's been really smooth and confident. Once we've fitted the upgrade, she'll be right up there. I'm sure of it."

"Good. Make sure it happens Johann. I really don't want to have a nastier conversation."

"I understand Julian. Speak to you next week."

"You too Johann. Good luck. Stay safe out there."

[Northern Ohio Empire]

Elation filled with Marc's heart as he and Wyatt crossed the finish line in first. Wyatt turned to him with a smile on his face, saying, "For Abby and Jacob. We're all with you, while we're more comfortable in the back ground, you clearly are not, and that is not a bad thing."

"Tell that to Alex, she came up to me in one of the local pubs a few days ago and actively berated me, going so far as to say that Abby and Jacob deserved to die."

Wyatt sat shocked, "You wanna organize the vote?"

Marc sat and smiled, "Clearly somethings going right for us, since we started this rally, we've been doing well."

Wyatt saw some crowds approaching the car, "Your time to shine Marc, we won."

Marc smiled as he exited the car, a horde of fans and reporters eager to ask questions.

[Vangaziland]

With all the news coming out of Vangaziland, it was becoming harder and harder for Jessica to focus on her racing. She used her celebrity status in Vangaziland to speak for the Order of the Purple Cross. This was an aid organization, started by Vannish Catholics and run with the support of multiple nations. The Vannish Empire was involved in a small city-state called Al-Khalifiya.

The order was opening hospitals, renovating schools and investing in the community. These aid workers, mostly doctors or engineers, put themselves in harm's way to help build a brighter future for Al-Khalifiya. In many places, the aid was well received. The terror cell which operates in the area, the Red Wind, has been harassing aid operations. A recent news story talked about how a team of armed bandits attempted to steal a truckload of shipments. Their assault was repelled by the Vannish convoy. But it shows how the Order comes under fire.

Like most Vangazi, Jessica Franssen spent a lot of her free time reading about the conflict online. She was surprised that the Prime Minister announced an "International Surge" in recent speeches. Vangaziland's allies had increased their numbers in country.

In some ways, this was good news. It meant Vannish regiments could start heading home. One Vannish Air Assault battalion was recently placed on orders to return to Vangaziland. But it meant the conflict was far from over. Many Vangazi hoped the war was on the verge of ending. To the casual onlooker with any knowledge of Vannish politics, it would appear the war is just starting.

Jessica knew there was going to be the need for a presence in Al-Khalifiya. The aid workers would need to be safeguarded. The coalition was rebuilding the city-state. This was a noble task. It looked like the coalition was going to weather the Red Wind's storm.

But it was disconcerting. Especially when Baqi Navid El-Ghazzawy promised a new offensive in response to the international coalition.

So the question became, what could Jessica do. She was in the middle of planning a trip overseas to Al-Khalifiya, where she would tour bases, sign autographs and meet soldiers from the coalition. She would also meet with representatives from the Order of the Purple Cross.

She would only get 48 hours away from the circuit, so it would be a rushed trip. It was most likely going to happen in the next two weeks, between races.

Jennifer Vatt also worked out a deal with a major Vannish media company, which works with Vannish Motors, to carry live feed of the car's dash-cam live to the military cable network. So deployed soldiers would have access to some of Jessica's rally events in real time. Even soldiers in remote areas would have access to the event.

Vangaziland uses a vehicle from Nachmere's Schwerpunkt Arms, called the Mobile Entertainment and Canteen System. It is a large 8x8 truck that is essentially a kitchen on wheels. The Vangazi refer to the state of the art vehicles as "roach coaches". They provide a taste of Vannish cuisine to the most remote outposts.

More relevant to the broadcast, was the fact that one side of the vehicle had a large, fold down screen. A projector was used that could be hooked into the truck's large satellite dish and patch into the Vannish satellite network. Units were already scheduling the MECS for Jessica's race.

Meanwhile, Jessica focused on the next stage of the race. She had done her recon and read over Dale's notes. She knew what she had to do. Hopefully she could find her hot streak once again. A minor engine problem stalled her last week, causing the first issue the pair of Vannish mechanics had to resolve.

Vannish fans moved out to the district along the country roads that would make up stage 2 of this series. They knew it was a make or break event for Jessica. Would she hold the lead? Or would she be toppled?

[Enfaru]

Game Master

Cheongji has been disqualified.

Live Coverage
The Scribbler

After the tragic accident during the 1^st rally the Cheongji Motor Rally team never recovered and unable to provide a new car have been refused permission to carry on competing in effect ejecting them from the tournament. Such a decision has stirred the crowds with some wondering if more couldn't have been done, to the ill-fated Cheongji team. Nevertheless while a sombre attitude was dwelt upon for a short time matters turned to a more jovial attitude as teams began to jostle for points in the ranking.

Blue Red racing have made another impressive placement getting third place on the podium, with more than half of the consulted experts suggesting that given how they had handled the course, sheer good fortune had been the key to their success, couple with what some sources suggested as having taken the wrong driving notes. Nevertheless, it has been an impressive achievement and marks a second podium finish.

The biggest surprise came from Petrovijanka Rally Team, who have consistently been below fifth place until today demonstrating a mastery of rally racing that came within tenths of a second of achieving first place and the biggest loser had to be WETtech Racing coming in tenth place after being a decisive competitor during the 1^st Rally on the Douglas Plains.



13. Cheongji Motors Racing (CMR) - DISQUALIFIED - 0 Points
12. Tobiasia City Racing - 05:48:48.55 - 1 Point
11. Myraxian State Rally (MSR) - 05:48:46.53 - 1 Points
10. WETtech Racing - 05:48:45.54 - 1 Points
9. Red Wyvern Rally (RWR) -05:48:43.37 - 3 Point
8. All-Oceanion Rally Team - 05:48:40.20 - 3 Point
7. Kāchia Rally Team (KRT) - 05:48:37.32 - 4 Point
6. Trolltrak Racing - 05:48:36.92 - 5 Points
5. Fox Nortec WRT - 05:48:36.88 - 7 Points
4. NOE National Automotive Race League of Champions - 05:48:35.42 - 9 Point
3. Blue-Red Racing - 05:48:35.32 - 12 Points
2. Petrovijanka RT - 05:48:33.48 - 15 Points
1. Vannish Motors Racing (VMR) - 05:48:32.81 - 20 Points

[Vangaziland]

Once again, the Vannish driver was right at home on a road course. Jess Franssen was an open-wheeled racer in Vannish T1 and more recently, the WGPC. Her specialty was her technical skill on road courses. She was a master of breaking down every turn quickly. Every turn had an entry angle, an apex and an exit angle. Jessica's sharp mind calculated all this technical data with the speed and precision of a fighter pilot.

Everson was a big help too. His notes from the recon session were essential. He had a lot of rally knowledge that Jessica was still learning. For example, when it came time to ford the river, it was Everson who told her what kind of angle to hit the water at to keep the most speed.

He was also a big cheerleader, egging Jessica on and pushing her confidence. He knew she was not known for taking risks. She started to show a little hesitation when it came to the bridge jump. But Dale was in her ear. He told her to punch the gas. His instruction helped her get over her fear of heights and tackle the obstacle quite well.

Jessica had pushed through the country lanes in the first part of the course with a fervor. She really started to make good time with the 90 degree turns and other technical aspects in the second half of the course. She played it more cautiously during the downhill part of the course, running smooth lines, drifting a little and keeping a close watch on the road.

When the Vannish Motors Racing Astro made it's way down the last straight and into the city center, Jess was cheered on by a large number of Vannish fans who gathered around the end of the course. For many of the fans, this was the last race of their tour. They would fly back to Vangaziland and a new group, organized by several fan clubs, would fly in for their first race. Of course there were quite a few fans who were staying for a few more races.

The mall steps were quite an obstacle for the car, that took its time and crept down the bumpy incline.

It took awhile before Jessica knew she won the race, because she wasn't the last car to finish. It was a long nervous wait. But she knew her time was good. When the last car crossed the line, a Vannish fanbase that gathered around Jessica began to cheer and congratulate her and her team.

Her win put her in the lead of the 3 series of the New Gloucester Inter-city rally. She scored one more point than NOE over the three race stretch. She was firmly in the lead with 86 points.

As usual, she was interviewed by Jennifer Vatt for the online blogs and any networks that would use the footage.

"So Jess, another 1st place finish", Vatt stated. "In your past twelve races, you have won five times. What's your secret?"

"It's all on focus. There's a lot of prep and a little bit of heart that goes into this. But I love racing and it's that love that motivates me."

"You finished 5th in your last race. That was your worst finish in seven races, going back to the WGPC. How much pressure was there on you to do well this week?"

"There is always pressure. We have a big target on our back. All we can do is take the Vannish Motors Astro as far as it can go. The machine has been running well. We had an issue last week, but everything was smooth this week. The mechanics are going over the car as it did pick up a little wear. The alignment is off after the staircase. But we'll get everything set for the next race."

At this moment, one of the Vannish fans photobombed the interview session, popping behind Jessica and sticking his tongue out. Jessica looked over and laughed.

The interview continued as Vatt asked Jessica about her plans for the future.

"We just want to keep pushing. We're in a good spot. But things have just started. Anything is possible. We can't let up."

"Was there any other added pressure for today's race?"

It was a guided question.

"Yes there was." This race was broadcast live over the Armed Forces network through the use of a special in-car camera. Soldiers deployed in Al-Khalifiya and on bases across Vangaziland would be able to watch the entire event live. "I wanted to win this race for all the deployed troops tuned in. I had to make it exciting for y'all."

After the interview was over, she retired back to her trailer where she would shower and go right to sleep. She was too tired to hit the bar tonight. Everson would go out and meet the fans at a local pub this time.

[Enfaru]

Game Master

I'm going to wrap this up now.

Thank you to all who participated in the Gemini Games II - Cross Rally Championships. I hope you have all enjoyed yourselves.

Please post comments and feedback or send telegrams as I would be delighted to hear all of them. I may very well launch another if there is sufficient interest. I'm not going to issue results for the final stage, there is little point as it would not change the leadership scores, instead I will finalize the scores as current.

Winner of the xRally League: Vannish Motors Racing followed by WETtech Racing and Blue-Red Racing respectively.
Winner of the Gemini Games: Iryllia followed by NOE NARLC and Trolltrak Racing

Edit
As per our association with the GTR, all members of the Sovereign Charter gain 2,000 Credits with the podium finishers gaining an extra 1,000 each.