Post by Darren Blanco II on Feb 9, 2019 2:09:16 GMT -4
A curious sight could be witnessed at the UA festival for anyone walking near the obstacle course. A tent had been dressed to the side, protecting a fully equipped mechanic’s workshop with had been brought up overnight. In it were three mechanics, a doctor, and a teacher from Fenghuang High, but most importantly, a scrawny teenage boy laying face down on a medical bed, shirtless, with the four in-line cylinders of a 1.6L engine poking out of his back. That was the subjects of the three mechanics’ attention, while the doctor was examining the boy’s vitals, or what passed for vitals for a car person anyway.
Huang didn’t have a heart, he had an electric pump. His cardiovascular system was an assemblage of plastic tubes carrying oil, coolant and brake fluid around his body, and in place of a musculoskeletal system, he had a complicated system of articulated drivetrains carrying power to each of his articulations from the engine which connected to his main driveshaft -- his spine -- and popped out of his back. His stomach was, of course, a gasoline reservoir, and even his skin was smooth like seat leather.
He was exposed there for everyone to see while the mechanics fine-tuned the engine which powered him, and while they were working on it, he was thoroughly incapable of moving since he had no power. For his personal comfort, they connected an electric engine in the meantime or for convenience during regular classes, but while his engines were being swapped, as they were now, he was completely paralyzed. He didn’t seem to mind. His expression stayed neutral as he was given the okay to fire up his engine and did so. It sounded exactly like a rally engine, for the good and simple reason that it was, thundering loudly with increasing turbo whine as it climbed the RPMs. The kid fired it up a couple times, testing its power curve before he got up.
Onlookers were murmuring as he put on his specially tailored Fenghuang High sports uniform. Some were giving him looks. He was used to it. It had been like that since he’d been a kid and the scientists ran tests on him. “Alright, Huang,” said his teacher. “We’re gonna run another lap for data. How do the new ECU settings feel? Is the responsiveness better?” The adolescent nodded positively as he sat down to tie a pair of boots with thick rubber soles. “Okay, good. Get up there, we’ll be watching to computers. This is only the practice course, so don’t go full blast. Nut if there are other UA kids, we want you to take it seriously. Alright?”
Huang nodded again. He finished tying his boots, got up, and walked to the starting line. “Excuse me… Is there anyone who wants to do a practice run?” he asked over the idling rumble of his engine.
Huang didn’t have a heart, he had an electric pump. His cardiovascular system was an assemblage of plastic tubes carrying oil, coolant and brake fluid around his body, and in place of a musculoskeletal system, he had a complicated system of articulated drivetrains carrying power to each of his articulations from the engine which connected to his main driveshaft -- his spine -- and popped out of his back. His stomach was, of course, a gasoline reservoir, and even his skin was smooth like seat leather.
He was exposed there for everyone to see while the mechanics fine-tuned the engine which powered him, and while they were working on it, he was thoroughly incapable of moving since he had no power. For his personal comfort, they connected an electric engine in the meantime or for convenience during regular classes, but while his engines were being swapped, as they were now, he was completely paralyzed. He didn’t seem to mind. His expression stayed neutral as he was given the okay to fire up his engine and did so. It sounded exactly like a rally engine, for the good and simple reason that it was, thundering loudly with increasing turbo whine as it climbed the RPMs. The kid fired it up a couple times, testing its power curve before he got up.
Onlookers were murmuring as he put on his specially tailored Fenghuang High sports uniform. Some were giving him looks. He was used to it. It had been like that since he’d been a kid and the scientists ran tests on him. “Alright, Huang,” said his teacher. “We’re gonna run another lap for data. How do the new ECU settings feel? Is the responsiveness better?” The adolescent nodded positively as he sat down to tie a pair of boots with thick rubber soles. “Okay, good. Get up there, we’ll be watching to computers. This is only the practice course, so don’t go full blast. Nut if there are other UA kids, we want you to take it seriously. Alright?”
Huang nodded again. He finished tying his boots, got up, and walked to the starting line. “Excuse me… Is there anyone who wants to do a practice run?” he asked over the idling rumble of his engine.
