That undercut was a fall-short
A fall-short
And for several reasons, son
Chief of which was Prox
Audible alarm, whine-whine!
Visible alert, flash-flash!
Across the board, and who didn't see that coming?
Poor vector alignment, it says, impending wipe-out, it says
So it says, the board says, the control board says
Scaio drone collision imminent with Opal City's outer hull
So it says, right there, in glowing holo-text, take a look, take a look!
Scaio class. It's a beast! Winning machine, with all the modifies, all the money, all the time put in
This was the one, son! Following the course, fast, so fast
Out-racing, out-pacing, out-stretching the petes, the com-petes, com-pe-ti-tion, hun-gry-to-win
But they won't. The Scaio has a lock on the home-stretch
Feel that stretch; feel the burn; it's a fact-about-to-be!
Sanderson Simm…S2 to the 'munity...
(And weren't that a laugh; gunnery slanging-it? Sanderson near-about split-a-stitch, all these years back, all ghaja-high, when everything you think, and do, and see is fudge, funny as fudge).
Whine and flash, whine and flash, all night, every night. You don't win drone races by not racing. You don't win by following deadeye recos, son!
The Finish Zone was everything. The Finish Zone was God. But only for First Placing
First-Place got to eat God, eat God. All. Up. Nothing left for Second, or Third, or Tenth
Eat God, and be full
You took and held a lead to that Finish Zone by cutting corners; chopping corners; murdering corners!
You won by doing, and by doing, you won it all, hearts-and-minds! The 'munity bows, and you drink it up
Leastways, that's how it seems
Focus!
How it seems to Sanderson Simm
Big eyes outside, looking in
One of these days, he'll have the win
Put the whole 'munity in a tale-spin
One of these days was today
Whine and flash, whine and flash.
Undercut immanent, whine and flash
The old S2 (and weren't that a laugh?)
Adjusting its course
The Scaio screaming past station struts
Station hull
Close-in small vessels and workers in vac
Watch it, Fudge-face! We're working here! Fly that thing somewheres else, wouldja?!
No can do, no can follow your proximity rule
Races were won by smearing the No-Fly! By doing what needs doing. Circle-Eighting and abetting!
A-betting on your skills, and talents, and all the years you pawned to get a chance to win
By becoming S2, by being Sanderson Simm
Wave hello to the vac crews
Cut the vessels off
Their vectors off
At the knees
S2 in the lead, if you please!
"No private or hobbyist remotely piloted craft is allowed to operate within twenty-kilometers of the No-Fly Zone surrounding Opal City Station, except when exiting or returning to such."
Past three other drones, racing drones, racing this race, past them 'cause they're following the course, following the source
The source of all life, son
Competition, adulation, figure-eight around the station
Infinity, that is, seen from the side.
Winning the race, living in grace, taking your place
Among the best. The 'munity, looking up at you, son!
Looking up at you, son
Look at you, son!
You're not the lurker now, not the nobody the 'munity forgets
Always forgets
Never thinks twice about
Never thinks of you and doubts
Never doubts, 'cause they never think of you at all
No, oh no, not today
They'll all see today
See S2 take it away
Cutting corners, taking the win
Scaio class
Racing drone
Flying too close
Too close to the bone
Too close to the home
The OCS, Opal City Station, yes
Too close to lose
Too close to win
Prox Alert, Prox Alert!
Whine and flash
Here we go, one last dash
Toward the Finish Zone
You're all alone
S2 leaves them all in the dust
Raise your hands, raise your voice
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!
Whine and flash, Prox Alert
What's this?
Whine and flash
Prox Alert?
Whine
Flash
Whine
Crash!
Scaio offline
Holo words floating
Scaio offline
The board says
The control board says
The control board says you lose
Sanderson Simm just stares at the air
It can't be real
All these years, ghaja-high
All these years you pawned
You lose, son
Just like before, just like always
You lose
In all ways
The Scaio is gone, smashed on the hull
On the hull of the Opal
Gone all to pieces, gone and forgotten already
The 'munity!
Why look to the 'munity?
Why be ignored?
Why choose? Why choose?
Why choose that, when you can choose not to think?
To not think how you have nothing else
Nothing else but a 'munity that doesn't know you exist?
The 'munity don't care
It ignores
Like always
Like always
And it's probably right
Why look at a loser? Why waste any time?
Is that wrong? Is it fair?
Sanderson Simm just stares at the air
Sanderson Simm runs a hand through his hair
Nobody sees
'Cause nobody cares
Least of all, Sanderson Simm