Life Day Episode 2021

Mission Summary

On a freshly painted swath of asphalt, hanging between two launchpads past, the fleet prepared to launch from the Somerville system one last time before turning the page on this chapter. An undercurrent of excitement, everyone comparing and offering layers, all circled round Skunk and Syntax Error.

A common occurrence in the 20/21 season, Dr Claw at the helm, pilots falling in line back to Punchy as the fleet headed to a new life day destination, symbolic of our future, looking forward to the Allston system.

Flight, short, uneventful. Direct with cargo full of SNAX and awards, to a deep space holodeck. Unload extra space suits, blankets, hot liquid molecules. Did anyone bring molecule holsters to share?

Acehole and Temerity light up the night, brand new hull plating stealing the show.

Snapshots of pilots, individually thanking and heaping love on the gang. The audience heckling each new round of gratitude. Noteable: Red Squirrel gave awards for multiple Cloudbuster centuries (!!!) to Wombat and Skunk. (but not 14 times!)

Is Dr Claw still missing? He disappeared at the Holodeck and hasn't been seen since. His cackles can still be heard, echoing on the breeze

Skunk presenting a new round of trading cards to various pilots. Beautiful certificates to commemorate milestones, as listed below. The iron cog nearly time travelled yet again. In the midst of repeating the Epic Ode, a glitch occured, bringing us the stone and bronze cogs. And then! with bated breath, we were surprised with two new awards: Steward to Dr Claw, carrying the hopes and dreams of the 2020 season and Heart to Stogie, the saddest of sad clowns.

And as for Iron? 2021 is coming up all Wombats!

Many cheers. Many hugs. Quiet flight home, more cheers for Ft Tyler. Dispersion. Onwards and upwards to Ft Antwerp!

I LOVE MY GANG

Ode to the Iron Cogs - 2021 version

As read by Fleet Admiral Skunk
In ‘96 Skunk (96) started a gang
in order to have some people to hang
then Crack (98) came along and believed in Skunk
she actually showed up and rode all that junk
NoWay (99) rode with unstoppable vigor
which made our numbers 50% bigger
WalTor earned it for Y2K no doubt
He lives and dies by my command: until it’s time to take me out.
In 2001 the honor was Vomit’s
She made a home for the fort -- well above and beyond it.
It happened to Diva in 2002
Living litmus test for the chopper groove
The same year, MegaSeth earned his pips
the beauty of his code rivaled only by his ships
In 2003 we gave it to Moose
A pilot and a friend who helps us deduce
Moose was happy to share his year with Rotwang
An easy rider and a boon to the gang.
Nameless builds ships as tough as a hog
2004 was his year for the cog.
ThreeSpeed (05) saves the mission with excellent grace,
We made up new medals to keep up with his pace
Hapto (06) shows us the meaning of Chic,
Tiara! Tiara! Flight-paths unfit for the weak.
Ehawk’s (08) award night we’ll never forget
Though I suspect her hangover’s one she regrets.
Nosepicker (08) got it by traveling through time.
Shut up! (nosepicker nosepicker nosepicker)
Leotard’s (09) the one who lets the admiral know
It’s time to ride: the crew wants to go
How can you begin to measure Hack’s worth (10)
Revolutionary master of organized work.
Yt (11) is awesome at keeping the books
Jedi-level hooping with the stylishest of looks
No one more stalwart than our friend Treekiller (12)
Always a hugger and never a quitter
A tiger run over by a horse has his mane underhoof,
Oh and by the way -- 2013’s iron cog belongs to: Baaaaaaaaaaane Thunderwolf
Computio audio photeo geek -
demoscener Dr.Claw (14) does it all for his friends in the fleet.
Speaking of doctor claw if you’ll forgive my aside
He sure ran a lot of semi official missions in stride
Some say Iron Cogs should be capable of running SCUL if I died
and this doctor had the cure for those who still had to fly
Iron Cog is Iron Cog already - and that’s no bull.
But in recognition of these recent amazing feats, I dub thee of Steward of SCUL.
Skin tight spandex of incredible dayglow,
Civitron (15) is the very essence of hero.
Excess (16) never stops, he’s an unstoppable force,
The right attitude and strong as a horse.
One thing that can be said ‘bout Dead Bride (17),
The harder the mission, the better the ride.
A ball of pure energy - a full-on fun mission leader,
None take on Pastry Queen(17) ‘cause none could defeat her.
The point of McFuzz(18) is to always do better,
His bunny tail acts as the gang’s pace setter.
Seeing the bright side, no matter how dark it gets,
Red Squirrel’s prepared for whatever – you bet!
All these pilots we’ll always remember
We never give up - never surrender!
As this poem grows longer and longer
The stamina of Life Day pilots must get incrementally stronger.
So of all you superstars of the ‘21 crew
Listen up cause I’m talking at you!
But before I announce out next Iron Cog
And hopefully before this speech turns into a bit of a slog
I need to award our amazing gang jester
Whose kindness and quirky wisdom couldn’t be bester.
In many ways this award is long overdue
Stogie the honorary title of Heart of SCUL is for you.
But now it’s time - we can’t wait any more.
It’s time to forge iron and lore
from someone so quiet you may not consider
cause each time we stop he naps like a critter
a stickler for detail to the last letter
and as far as his tardiness goes - he’s gotten so much better
I can’t thank him enough for his help with my coding
in fact I’m so happy my heart is exploding
I’m so grateful for all he’s done above and beyond that
So therefore the 2021 Iron Cog goes to lovable Wombat.

Awards

Outpost

DrClaw
Excess
Gritty
Lordmcfuzz
Nova
Punchy
Red Squirrel
Skunk
Wombat

Century

Civitron
Cosima
Deadblow
DrClaw
Grog
Lordmcfuzz
Threespeed
Gritty (x2)
Punchy (x2)
Ziqqurat (x2)
Dead Bride (x3)
Skunk (x3)
Wombat (x3)

50 missions

Sprocket

100 missions

Pastry Queen

200 missions

Bane Thunderwolf

300 missions

Wombat

500 light-years

Gritty
Punchy
Ziqqurat
Mad Owl

4,000 light-years

Lordmcfuzz

6,000 light-years

Wombat

7,000 light-years

DrClaw

10,000 light-years

Skunk

Stone Cog

Cosima
Gritty

Bronze Cog

Punchy
Ziqqurat

Steward of SCUL

Dr Claw

Heart of SCUL

Stogie <3

Iron Cog

Wombat


Full Sized Stillcam!
https://imgur.com/a/iMof1F6