Part 116: Proxima System, Sol Sector, Mission 1 (Story)

Proxima System, Sol Sector (Mission 1)
TCS Victory

The Kilrathi pursuit of the Victory turns to have been a part of a general advance towards Earth. Lacking the ships to oppose the Kilrathi on every front, the Confederation once again gambles everything on a last-ditch defence of the jump point to Earth - this one in the Proxima system, the first jump point ever traversed by a human craft.

Flight Deck

Flint is not tremendously impressed with Blair's approach to dealing with emotional trauma. More impressive is how Mark Hamill has finally found his range opposite Jennifer McDonald, and so this is one of the best non-Tolwyn scenes in the game. Or at least the version with the choice I selected was.



: Is that the way you face your problems?
: Look, I don't need this.
: "You have to fly with your head, not with your heart". Those words ring a bell?

Since they almost certainly don't (as that was several months of LP time ago), I'll remind you that it's what we told Flint after she stole a Longbow and decided to take a Kilrathi fleet on single-handed over Locanda. Presumably Origin envisaged that you might play through the game a bit faster than I have. Anyway, Blair's options here are to snap at Flint or admit she might have a point.

Rec Room

Nobody has much to say as the Victory races to make it to Proxima before the cats do...



...which is in marked contrast to the situation on the ground:


Deleted Scene (Youtube)

: There is panic in the streets as the Kilrathi move relentlessly towards Earth. Though Confed sources insist that the war is still winnable, civilian populations are storming the shuttleports, while more hardy survivalists are seeking footholds in the Himalayas, Antarctica, and other isolated Terran geography.

The killboard still doesn't show a huge amount of change from last time (it's based on our number of kills, and that only went up by 5), if that even matters in the current situation:




Mission Briefing
Briefing Room



: Things look pretty grim, Colonel. Here's the situation. The Kilrathi are coming at us full throttle. We've fallen back to this jump point in the Proxima system because it leads to straight to Earth. If we can't defend this doorway, we might as well roll out the red carpet for them. I'm not going to lie to you, Colonel: we're outnumbered and outgunned.
: Understood, sir. I'll do my best.

Choose your own Blair!
Ultimately, the question is - when everything's going to hell, are you the sort of Wing Commander who snaps at a subordinate for pointing out (correctly) that flying drunk isn't a very good idea? And once you've done that, who's left to fly with? (Answer: everyone - they're all available, since last mission wasn't a free wingman choice). If there is a bright spot to be had here, it's that the Excaliburs are finally ready, and can be flown (as can everything else) for this mission. So, a full set of choices to make here.