DISC ^ TWO

 "Rich parameter support commencing," a woman's gentle voice spoke in Flight Master's head. The communication with his backbone of programming often felt like having a few people talking quietly into your ear. Different voices for different systems, but mostly just that lovely lady's voice crooning in his ear.

"Team Infinite's segment 1 has completed rendering for your flight. Physical map processed and intelligence procured. Please take route 1 with subroutine 4 and as always, have a nice flight sir."

Flight Master spun his disc once more, feeling his suit's intel-fabric multiplying his strength at will. Three quick steps, and without hesitation Flight Master sends his disc blasting from his hand at 400mph on an immediate arc into the entryway to the first segment.

"Sense mode engaged. Drive mode engaged," that soft voice whispered.

Flight master drops to a knee, fists on the ground.  Mentally he takes control of the disc and his vision is filled with the blurring lines of its path.

As the disc breaks through the entry door, Flight Master recognizes that Infinite has gone with the same tired method they've used the last few cycles. The light intensifies to maximum radiation trying to blind him. "Neutral density filter multiplier engaged," the woman's voice states and his vision evens out almost immediately. Flight Master scans as quickly as possible looking for the white globe that is his target before they kill the, "Light source terminated, filter phase shift, external light multiplier on."

Just as his vision found equilibrium he saw what was coming and bolted hard left. "Down draft maximum force detected... pilot evasion unauthorized."

Shhh, it's okay sweetie - I got this.

"Rectify to route 1 subroutine 4. Current estimate 53% chance of success calculated," this time a more stern male voice with a hint of impatience.

Okay, okay, and he righted the disc and increased spin rate and went nose up into the down draft.

"Down draft maximum force counter-balanced, find target, suggest quadrant 3."

Quadrant 3 it is... he could see a shimmer of white reflecting off an angle in quadrant 3... this looks like an easy bird. A smile cracked at the corner of his mouth just as he saw what he should have heard about already. "Inbound extrapolating projectiles, evasion subroutine 2 initialized."

And before Flight Master could even tilt his disc, he felt the shudder of the first explosion blasting his disc sideways. He let the disc continue it's roll pushing the past the explosion and went diving at the ground hoping for an air bounce. Flaring the disc up he managed to avoid two more explosions that faded low and he accelerated high off the deck. "Projectile intel subjugated, inbound paths accounted for." Thanks guys, projectiles make for a rough ride.

Quadrant 3 was just ahead and that sneaking suspicion was looking promising as he turned the disc over, banking hard right. A gentle glow of luminescence, yes... hidden behind a light bender. Without warning the disc was hammered from behind by something immense. The energy immediately drove the disc to the ground. Too late to worry about what that was, damn.

A much deeper voice spoke, "Skip angle suggested at 14 degrees, maximum spin. Ground stike 100% probable."

Flight Master felt the disc triangulating for an optimum landing and the gyro spinning up before deflecting off the floor, and without thinking he punched the acceleration at the last second. It wasn't an authorized move, but it felt right. Off the ground the disc careened, "All control systems deactivated during post ground strike."

Yeah, I know, this isn't my first rodeo here amigo.

He held his breath for all of a second, two seconds... three... the disc flaring nose up and arcing to the right. And then he felt the familiar warmth of crashing into the orb and being bathed in gentle light.

"Well done Flight Master.  Hole 1 orb obtained in one flight!"

Flight Master stood up with both hand to the sky, fists clenched. The roar from outside vibrating the floor - he could not help himself but to smile. No doubt a programming team at Infinite just lost their food rations if not their jobs. He raised his hand to retrieve the disc and felt it returning to him.

He glanced over his shoulder to see the Infinite navigator standing with his shoulders slumped. Meta-data streaming across the floor showed the progress Infinite had made. They had been stopped just 300 meters into the segment. Thousands of meters to go they'll be facing the most brutal programming imaginable and a triple bogey if they're lucky. Flight master gave a gentle wave to the poor guy, "Better you than me my friend. Have patience," and yet again he smiled.