Wednesday, December 30, 2020

What If...Mace Windu survived his fight with Palpatine? (Part 9)


Last time, Mace dueled the Second Sister on Lotho Minor in order to save Channett Jade and her unborn child, who she very promptly afterward gave birth to - a daughter by the name of Mara. Meanwhile, Kadann arrived on Nur to bring the Inquisitorius an ultimatum - cede their power to the Empire, Emperor or no Emperor, or be destroyed. Giving them a very generous one week to decide, Kadann left. On Coruscant, the Imperial Senate has been dissolved in all but name and the Senators sent home. Tarkin, however, decides to focus on the conspiring Senators Bail Organa and Mon Mothma, sensing trouble for the already fragmented Empire...

Monday, December 28, 2020

MadCap's Reel Thoughts - "Beastmaster II: Through the Portal of Time" (1991)


...so in spite of my attempts to hide from my producers, I have been dragged out and patiently reminded of the fact that I have a contract to fulfill. I swear, when I started Sword and Sorcery 2020 with Krull, I was all "Oh, what a gas! Oh, this will be fun! I won't live to regret this!". I was correct, I almost didn't.


Saturday, December 26, 2020

MadCap's Fiction Corner - "Seattle By Night: Encroachment, Part 6"


"WOO! SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO NOWWWWWWWWWWWW?!"

The wild guitar strings and crooning British voice of Mick Jones came through the speaker system in Grace's Ferrari Spider. The thing turned on a dime and handled like a dream. Hope was absolutely loving it as she shrieked out the words just ever so slightly very off-key. With the Clash playing in her ear, going through the streets of Seattle's suburbs and heading into the city was a hell of a joyride.

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

What If...Mace Windu survived his fight with Palpatine? (Part 8)


Last time, Mace managed to survive a battle with Boba Fett and escape. Following Tarful's lead, he found his way to Kento and Mallie Marek and their infant son Garek, adding more ranks to the remnant of the Jedi Order. After getting them to a safe place, Mace was granted a vision of the son of Anakin and Padmé with a strange redheaded woman, fighting side by side as Jedi Knights. The Pathfinder started off to the planet of Lotho Minor, renowned around the galaxy as a planet of junk. What will the crew find there? And who is watching them?

Let's get into it.

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

From MadCap's Couch - "Doctor Who: Voyage of the Damned"

Happy...week of Christmas! Unless something changes between the time I'm writing this (in early September) and December, we still won't have regular Christmas specials again for Doctor Who! THANKS CHRIS CHIBNALL!

By that same token, by the time this review comes out, maybe he'll have been sacked and an actual showrunner will be put in place by the BBC, so let's cross our fingers, huh?

...as long as I'm wishing, I'd like to skip this episode, please?

...

...fine.

Monday, December 21, 2020

MadCap's Reel Thoughts - 100th Review!!!!


The time has finally come. I started this review series a long, long time ago with WarGames waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 2013! It's been quite a ride, hasn't it? From Mortal Kombat: Annhilation to a werewolf-killing FDR in a rocket-powered wheelchair to a galaxy far, far away and beyond! And yes. I know that this film technically doesn't fit the theme we've been going with for Sword and Sorcery 2020, but it's the 100th review and I felt like treating myself. There are no swords to be found in this movie, but we do have a dragon (sort of), laser lights, and kung fu. It is a tale of love, a tale of triumph, and a brilliant merchandising opportunity for one of its producers.

It's time, at last, to acknowledge who is the Master. No, not that one.

It's time for...The Last Dragon.

Saturday, December 19, 2020

MadCap's Fiction Corner - "Seattle By Night: Encroachment, Part 5"


Ben sat most of the rest of the night staring at the key in that case. Nathaniel had long since left (or perhaps, he hadn't, Ben had no real way to know), leaving the younger Gangrel to his thoughts and indeed his memories. He stood there, gazing at the key, thinking of all that had led him to this point. The urge in him that caused him to stand.

"I'm still here." His Beast whispered to him, and indeed it was. The hunger that always clawed at him, always would if he could help it. The voice was soft, small, but he had known it's depths. It's ravenous hunger. Not so loud as it had been in times passed. Tempered, controlled. "We could go out. Find something to eat."

Ben ignored it, as he had become accustomed to. His decades had given him the focus necessary, not that such had always been possible. Or, in fact, even something he had wanted. . .

Thursday, December 17, 2020

MadCap's Table Top Tales - Vampire: The Masquerade Companion (New Clans and Rules for V5!)


Well, it's been a while since we were here, hasn't it? Last time, I was trying to make a Mary Sue concept work in D&D. This time, however, I'm happy to say I'm here for something far more passionate and pure - corporate shilling!

Just kidding. I'm not actually affiliated with either White Wolf or Paradox Interactive, I'm just a fan of Vampire: The Masquerade

As if that wasn't something comically obvious.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

From MadCap's Couch - "Supernatural: Something Wicked"

Dean and Sam were surprised, but not displeased,
with the strippergram in their room.

Alright, like I said last week, it's sort of a witch episode. Not really, though.

But sort of.

It's weird.

Saturday, December 12, 2020

MadCap's Fiction Corner - "Seattle By Night: Encroachment, Part 4"


After Grace's feeding was complete and a healthy amount of Dominate was used, her checkbook came out to cover the destruction in the basement.

"I was very generous, on the whole." Grace said as they were leaving following a goodbye to Erica (who was certain she just needed to lie down, feeling more tired than she'd thought), "I'm sure your girlfriend will absolutely love the extra donation."

"She's not my-" Ben started.

"Oh, so she's your girlfriend!" Sybil blurted out. "I thought you were some kind of hermit!"

". . .what? No, I'm not a-"

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

From MadCap's Couch - "Supernatural: Hell House"

So you're saying, if I do this, I get pie?

Oh, goody! Another ghost episode! Because we haven't had nearly enough of those in this season.

And that's just four of them.

Monday, December 7, 2020

MadCap's Reel Thoughts - "Dragonslayer" (1981)


Hello there again, my readers! I'm not going to lie to you and say that after last week's epic that looking at something else is akin to having enjoyed an epic meal in Valhalla only to be stuck with my next meal being an underwhelming Slurpee from the local 7-11. That's the problem with seeing a film like Excalibur - you can only ever see it for the first time once and, while you can always watch it again, it isn't quite the same ever again.

That isn't a commentary on the quality of Dragonslayer, by the way. There are few films that I could name that I genuinely love that don't match the epic scale and grandeur that Excalibur brings to the table. However, I've already pimped out a link to my previous review, so there's really need to go on about that any further. What's Dragonslayer all about?

Saturday, December 5, 2020

MadCap's Fiction Corner - "Seattle By Night: Encroachment, Part 3"


There was no further incident at the Haven of Hope, at least not that night. There also had not been any further incident on the day or night that followed. When Ben rose at 6:45 that night, and journeyed over to the shelter, he got the news. No thug attacks, no nothing. Angelica, however, was off that particular night at the insistence of the person he had spoken to - Erica.

With that, Ben had moved into the diner that he'd described to Griggs. He sat, undisturbed, in a booth in the corner as it was currently just late enough to avoid the dinner crowd, but early enough that the usual junkies and hoodlums who frequented here weren't yet in. At 7:30, he quickly realized he was not alone. . .

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

What If...Mace Windu survived his fight with Palpatine? (Part 7)

Anyone knows the artist, let me know!

When we last left the epic of “What If Mace Windu survived his fight with Palpatine?”, Mace and the crew of the Pathfinder arrived on Kashyyyk to answer the call of Tarful, who sought to liberate Wookiees from an Imperial labor camp. Thanks to the extra help of the Jedi Master and his crew, they succeeded. However, it appears that Mace did not come to Kashyyyk without a tagalong. A familiar Mandalorian warrior made himself known, Boba Fett has come to avenge his father’s death at Mace’s hands. We resume our look into another looking glass as the fight begins…

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

From MadCap's Couch - "Supernatural: Shadow"

"Do you have a moment to talk about our lord and savior, Bob Stromberg?"


So, our episode about shadows (after a modest recap) begins with a young woman in Chicago. Going down the street, she begins to hear whispers and something in the shadows seems to be stretching out towards her. She barely gets into her apartment, locks the door, and arms her security system.

As this is the cold open of a Supernatural episode, you can imagine this does little to help her.

Monday, November 30, 2020

MadCap's Reel Thoughts - "Excalibur" (1981)


A magic sword, a king rising to his throne, and a wizard back on his bullshit.

Honestly, isn't that just the quintessential Sword and Sorcery flick right there?

Saturday, November 28, 2020

MadCap's Fiction Corner - "Seattle By Night: Encroachment, Part 2"


"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that."

"Grace, it isn't-"

"The Wolf of Vancouver, sweet on a Kine."

"Please don't call me that." The Gangrel shot the Toreador an irritated look as they sat together in the latter's car driving off into the city.

"The look on your face when she walked out." Grace was chuckling. "If it weren't for that heart being dead, I could have sworn I heard it flutter."

"That's not. . .not what it is." Ben said. "At all."

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

From MadCap's Couch - "Supernatural: The Benders"

[record scratch] Yep, that's me. You're probably wondering how I got here...


Hey, black comedy Rednecks, am I right?!

That is black comedy that uses Rednecks, not black Rednecks that are comedic. I imagine I'd end up on a watchlist for that sort of behavior in this day and age.

Monday, November 23, 2020

MadCap's Reel Thoughts - "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003)


Okay, c'mon. What else do I have to say about this film that hasn't already been said in the seventeen years since it was released? This was the second highest grossing film of all time until James Cameron decided to crap out Avatar and push Titanic into the spot, it was nominated for eleven Academy Awards and won all of them and the culmination of an epic trilogy that is only matched by the likes of the original Star Wars trilogy in terms of its following and mythos.

The actors involved are at the top of their game, Peter Jackson's directing is as sterling as ever, and the Howard Shore score is so epic in every single scene that he rivals John Williams in terms of memorable music that resonates even now. It's literally the perfect storm of everything, maximum potential finally realized.

And it's good.

It's damn damn damn good!

Saturday, November 21, 2020

MadCap's Fiction Corner - "Seattle By Night: Encroachment, Part 1"


1996

He had taken off from the place at speeds that would have confounded a mortal. He hadn't even realized when he'd crossed the border until he saw different street signs. Finally, he'd come to America. . .not exactly what he'd had in mind for how he would get there, but just the same. Hearing the oncoming car, he ducked into the bushes, quietly shushing the little bundle he held close to his arms as it began to wail once more. There was little he could do to quiet it, however. He tucked it close to him and headed down the way, but didn't get more than three steps before. . .

"Well, hello there." The man's voice caught his attention, he froze on the spot without turning. "Now what is the Wolf of Vancouver doing so far, far away from home?"

"I don't know what you-"

"How many winters?" The younger man's face contorted in confusion.

"What?" He asked.

The older man repeated his question.

"I don't. . .understand what you're asking." Benjamin Grayson said, turning to see the man. He looked to be an older man, maybe sixty or so by appearance. His skin was pale, his eyes a deep green that had become dull and listless in life. A crop of black-gray hair shot out from his head.

"That's good. . .that's the beginning of knowledge, young wolf."  The old man grinned, approaching him.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

What If. . .Mace Windu survived his fight with Palpatine? (Part 6)


Last time, we ended on a sour note as Mace Windu failed to save some padawans that had been in hiding on Coruscant in the weeks since Order 66. A traitor among them, spurred on by promises of a mysterious man named Cronal, had betrayed them and they had all paid the price for his treachery with their lives. However, the Pathfinder continues to fly and there is some hope left that other Jedi can be saved…if only just a little hope. . .

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

From MadCap's Couch - "Supernatural: Nightmare"

"My god, Dean! There's, something, on the wing! Some, thing!"

Okay, so I realize my segue from last week might be a little misleading. No, this episode is not the time that Supernatural will have a take on A Nightmare on Elm Street.

. . .that's in a few seasons.

This episode, however, ties deeper in with Sam's burgeoning psychic abilities as we learn that he has a lot more in common with a psychic they find than just being able to bend spoons with his mind.

Saturday, November 14, 2020

MadCap's Fiction Corner - "Seattle By Night: Here There Be Monsters, Part 4"


The four Kindred stared at the man holding the severed head.

"Why the fu-?" Grace started.

"YOU BROKE RULE SIX, ASSHOLE!" Sybil shouted.

"Your rules, daughter of Malkav. Not mine." The man in the priest's cassock sneered at her. "I have no interest in your Camarilla. I am serving something better."

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

What If...Mace Windu survived his fight with Palpatine? (Part 5)

Image credit to @BrianRebellion on Twitter

Last time, the four remaining Jedi spearheaded a bold campaign into the heart of Palpatine’s regime and Anakin seemingly fulfilled his destined by destroying the last of the Sith. However, the Emperor had planned for that eventuality and the footage of his “murder” was broadcast across the Holonet to the four corners of the galaxy.

More pressing, Palpatine had been tracking Anakin and knew that the four had come from the Polis Massa research facility and had sent out a Star Destroyer to attack it. With Bail, Padmé, and the twins in the line of fire, the Jedi managed to escape from Coruscant. Will they reach Polis Massa in time? Let’s have a look.

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

From MadCap's Couch - "Supernatural: Route 666"

"I heaaaar you knockin', but you can't come in!"

By Rob Benedict's fetching beard, I don't wanna do this one.

This is an episode that, like Bugs, is literally so bad that the show jokes about how bad it is later on. This episode is basically Christine...if the car were racist and the movie sucked.

Monday, November 9, 2020

MadCap's Reel Thoughts - "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" (2002)


"Who now has the strength to stand against the armies of Isengard and Mordor?
"

The Fellowship of the Ring was a monster hit for New Line Cinema and Peter Jackson. However, there were two movies left to go once the credits for Fellowship stopped rolling. Would The Two Towers be as much of a cinematic landmark as Fellowship was?

Well, no. It was even more so.

Saturday, November 7, 2020

MadCap's Fiction Corner - "Seattle By Night: Here There Be Monsters, Part 3"


"What's Vicissitude?"

"You don't mean a-"

"I'd say the culprits otherwise are slim to none."

"What's Vicissitude?"

"The man with the four faces. He laughs."

"WHAT'S Vicissitude?" The other three vampires were suddenly drawn toward the diminutive redhead, who stared at the trio with an icy glance, her arms crossed over her chest.

Friday, November 6, 2020

MadCap's Game Reviews - "I Wanna Be The Guy"


Ah, the joys of the early 2000's. Back in the time when sites like Newgrounds or Kongregate ruled the internet with a wide variety of movies and games created in that long remembered and beloved program Adobe Flash animation. I actually got the chance to play around with Flash in high school. My hat goes off to those men and women who used this thing to create some fantastic animation and games. . .but I took an entire course on that in school and I still could not tell you how to work that thing.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

What If...Luke had joined Vader at Cloud City? (Part 1)

Yep! It's another What If! This is one that's been thrown back and forth by Star Wars fans since 1980, I'm sure. We all know it by now, the iconic scene where Darth Vader defeats Luke Skywalker at Cloud City. Cutting off the young man's hand, him dangling over a bottomless pit, Luke was brought to his lowest point and then hit with the ultimate truth. Five little words that completely shattered the would-be Jedi's entire world view and the main reason he had engaged Darth Vader in combat in the first place: "No, I am your father."

Defiant to the last, Luke refused this with howls of rage and sorrow and was given a choice. Vader offered him a place at his side, that together they could destroy the Emperor and bring order to the galaxy. Choosing death rather than falling to the Dark Side, Luke let go of his anchor and fell down into that pit...

That, however, is but one way this scenario could have played out. In another world, another time, Luke took the hand that was offered to him. In this What If, we're going to look into that world and try to answer the question: What If...Luke had joined Vader at Cloud City?"

Monday, November 2, 2020

MadCap's Reel Thoughts - "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001)


Well, this is one I was going to wait to tackle until later. . .and then Horror Month came up, which I know you're just as sad as I am that that's over. . .and I realized that keeping Sword and Sorcery 2020 going into 2021 would be just a wee bit silly what with brand dilution.

Isn't working in entertainment just magical, kids?

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

From MadCap's Couch - "Supernatural: Scarecrow"

"Dude, you fugly..."
Four more days 'til Halloween, and we come to it at last. The first episode of Supernatural dealing with...well, you'll see.

Needless to say, I really do like this one.

Monday, October 26, 2020

MadCap's Reel Thoughts - "Halloween: H20" (1998)

So, Halloween as a series finally becomes good again...though not without some problems and then a quick dive back into "OH PLEASE GOD WHY!" that would last another twenty years.

Thanks, Rob Zombie!

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

From MadCap's Couch - "Supernatural: Asylum"



I was going to make a "Welcome to Sanitarium" joke, but this episode just had to use a different word for it. Figures.

So, so far in Supernatural we've had a vengeful ghosta Wendigoa vengeful ghosta demona vengeful ghosta skinwalkera vengeful ghost, a Native American bug curse, and not one but two ghosts...you might think that the Supernatural writers are on a bit of a kick involving ghosts. Don't worry, though, because this one is a very original idea...a story about vengeful ghosts!

What a refreshing change of concept!

Friday, October 16, 2020

MadCap's Game Reviews - "Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge"

Another Game Boy port? Oh, c'mon! Before you start panicking, this isn't the same Castlevania II as Castlevania II, but I can see where you might think that.

Castlevania II is...well, I was gonna say much better, but...it's not. I mean, it is...but...well, you'll see.

Thursday, October 15, 2020

MadCap Fixes Movies - "Friday the 13th: A New Beginning"

Oh, c'mon. You had to know that this was coming after what happened earlier this week. I stand by what I said in my review, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning is a guilty pleasure movie for me. It's bad, but not without it's merits. I think a lot of the flak it's gotten over the years stems from a single thing - Jason isn't the killer. I get why that would make you upset, fanbase. After all, Jason's been the killer since the very beginnin-oh, oh, now wait a minute...

I'm teasing, of course. By the time Part 5 came around, Jason Voorhees had been the killer for three of the four previous movies, so it was understandable why the change would have been more than a little disconcerting for the fans. However, despite the fact that A New Beginning is a beautiful, beautiful dumpster fire I don't think it's entirely beyond saving. Far from it, in fact. To prove it, let me take the existing elements of the story and try to see if I can make this a workable sequel.

So...let's hit the rewind button and start (hopefully) trying to make this into something more workable.

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

From MadCap's Couch - "Supernatural: Home"

Alright! Now that we've handled two of my phobias in Season 1, it's finally time to head to Home!

...no, not my home. Sam and Dean's.

I can't go home again. Not after the incident...

Monday, October 12, 2020

MadCap's Reel Thoughts - "Friday the 13th: A New Beginning" (1985)

And indeed, in 1985 audiences were still haunted by Jason Voorhees.

Which is a real problem, but the Ghostbusters got themselves into that lawsuit and-oh, sorry, that's the wrong notes...

Here we are - this film was panned by both fans and critics. Critics because... well, it was the 1980's and this is a slasher film. By the fans because of a slightly more simple fact: Jason Voorhees isn't the killer.

Spoiler alert.

Friday, October 9, 2020

MadCap's Game Reviews - "Castlevania The Adventure"

Box art looks cool. That's about it.
In every series, there is a dud.

Out of the several that the Castlevania series has, this is one of them.

This is Castlevania The Adventure!

Yes, I know what the box says and I know what the "official title" says. I don't care, this is how the game presents it, so this is what I'm going with. Deal with it.

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

From MadCap's Couch - "Supernatural: Bugs"

"Put the lotion in the basket!"
So, it's been quite a while hasn't it? My enthusiasm to review Supernatural dried up faster than Ben Shapiro's wife thanks to the 200th episode (which is, thankfully, a ways off). It is entirely possible that I would have never gotten back to Supernatural had it not been for a certain Tweet of mine that caught...well, I was going to say fire, but it was more a bit of a smolder.

Nevertheless, with the lion's share of the votes, it looks like I'll be heading back into Supernatural for Horror Month 2020. At the very least, I can take comfort in the fact that this is still Season 1 when the show was good.

...so, let's take a look at what is considered by many to be the worst episode of Season 1!

...no, not the one with the racist semi-truck. That comes later.

Monday, October 5, 2020

MadCap's Reel Thoughts - "A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child" (1989)

...this movie sucks.

...what? You were expecting something else? Nightmare on Elm Street was a series that was running out of steam by it's third (and far superior to this) entry. There was no new ground to cover that wouldn't be utterly ridiculous. The only way this could work is if Wes Craven came back to the franchise with a unique story about Freddy coming into the real world and Heather Langenkamp having to take him on one last time to put the series behind her.

Alas, such things only exist in the world of dreams. I imagine it would underperform at the box office anyway the universe is a cruel place to new and innovative ideas. Oh, well...

Friday, October 2, 2020

MadCap's Game Reviews - "Super Castlevania IV"

I meant to get to this last year, but life unfortunately got in the way. There are officially more Castlevania games than there are planets in the sky by this point. Out of all of those astounding adventures brought to us by Konami...this is one of them.

Don't react angrily too quick, it's also my personal favorite besides Symphony of the Night, the first Castlevania game I ever reviewed back into 2012. Y'know, when I knew nothing about editing!

Amazing how times haven't changed, huh?

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

What If...Mace Windu survived his fight with Palpatine? (Part 4)

Mace Windu survived his battle against Palpatine. Rather than falling to his death and dying from his injuries in the Coruscant under city, he escaped, and with the help of the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn made his way to reunite with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. From there, he journeyed with the two Masters to Coruscant and then to pursue Anakin Skywalker, who had become the Sith Lord Darth Vader.

After a long and arduous battle, Mace managed to talk Anakin down by making the ultimate sacrifice play. Mace saw Anakin collapse under the weight of all he had done, and he and Obi-Wan were able to take the younger man into custody. Seeking to rehabilitate him, three Jedi Masters and the one Knight began to form a plan to stop Palpatine once and for all.

Will they succeed? Or will luck finally run out for the last of the Jedi? Let's find out.

Monday, September 28, 2020

MadCap's Reel Thoughts - "Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery"

Now I know what you're thinking.

Yes, this is a Scooby-Doo movie. Yes, it involves KISS. Also, yes, this is technically a "mystery" film given the set up. This film also involves mysticism, an alternative universe that holds a great evil within it that is trying to get out and take over the world, and an order of warriors who fight against him.

Sure, they may not have swords, but they do have axes!

Friday, September 25, 2020

MadCap's Game Reviews - "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"

Yep. Another Electronic Arts game. Another one by Redwood Shores (aka Visceral Games). Unlike The Third Age, however, this is less of a role-playing game in the Final Fantasy style and more of a hack and slash in the style of Gauntlet. In fact, the developers even referred to it as such when hyping the game up. It features the voices of (almost) all of the actors involved, assets taken directly from the films themselves, and has received extreme positive reviews from both fans and critics alike.

But I know what you're all thinking, is it good?

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

What If...Mace Windu survived his fight with Palpatine? (Part 3)

Last time, the Battle of Heroes began. In one corner, the former Anakin Skywalker - now Darth Vader - with some broken hand and rage in his heart. In the other corner, two Jedi Masters that are woefully unprepared for what they are about to face.

We return to Mustafar, the duel already in progress.

Saturday, September 19, 2020

MadCap's Fiction Corner - "Minos Mayhem, Chapter 12"

It didn’t take them long after that to find a vessel in good enough shape to fly. A lone Lambda-class shuttle was still in somewhat working order amongst the wreckage of vessels in the hangar. It wouldn’t be a comfy ride by any means, but they could at least get off the planet and back to Karideph - in theory, anyway. Niyasa spent some time tearing out the bits of their vessel anyway, when she found better parts in other ones that remained.

“You can fly this, I take it?” She asked as they finally got onboard.

“I can fly anything.” Calen replied. “I did say I was going to be a TIE pilot before, wasn’t I?”

“You probably did mention that before, yes.” Niyasa said, absentmindedly.

“How’d you think I could do that if I weren’t good?” Calen asked. “Those things are basically a seat strapped to an engine. Without shields.”

“Confidence is good. Overconfidence can be a weakness, but point withdrawn.” The Mrlssi held up her claws as if washing them of the whole thing. Calen took his spot at one of the two pilot seats, checking the interface.