From:	Jeffrey Mach <mach@****.CALTECH.EDU>
Subject:	Still kicking...
Date:	Wed, 11 Feb 1998 18:45:52 -0800

*****PRIVATE: Lilith
>>>>>[Jenn wants you to know she appreciates the fact that she would make
a poor "crunchy munchie" and says "Hi." Me too. Took her longer to
deal
with the fact you were a were-cat, I guess, because I'm more used to the
people around me being not-quite-human (care to guess how much of my CNS
is artificial or augmented?), but now she's pretty okay with it. Still a
little in awe of it, I guess. Things have been busy, which is why I
haven't been in touch. Contrary to popular opinion, I haven't dropped
off the face of the earth.

Although there are a few CAS pilots here at New Edwards that wish I would.
With MAX and I up to a synchronization rate of 92%, we're plastering the
Confed dem/eval team for the Valkyrie. I have to keep telling them, "Does
it hurt? No? Then you aren't pushing it hard enough! She'll let you
know when you are reaching the edge." They want to keep everything BVR,
but with enough stealth, ECM, and ED, fights are edging back in favor of
furballs, and a few of them just aren't used to that kind of flying, which
the Valkyrie and the HyMAAMs were designed around. I'm starting to hear
suggestions from above that I and the other instructor/adversaries go a
little easier on them. Babies. Hey, that's their fault for considering
the cheaper base variant without the neural-net brain and "enhanced pilot"
features.

Okay, so they have a point in that it would cost an additional amount to
have the pilots "upgraded" in order to fly the plane right (and of course
the VCRs etc. are sold by subcontract through Ares). Yes, there are
pilots that are so engrained loners that they can't handle a net like MAX
nestled up to their brains (one "big stud" couldn't seem to break a synch
rate of 15%, which is what I had on my first flight with MAX). True, even
the base model will kick ass. But still, if you are going to do
something, do it right. Got them thinking about it anyway.

There's even word that they are considering an upgrade to the net and an
addition of a pair of anti-aircraft drones that would be carried as
external stores until you really want to get medieval, and then each
Valkyrie turns into its own flight with a pair of neural-net guided
wingmen. I think you can understand why the current nickname for the
project is "Psycho" (nothing to do with Lynch though, who I think would
turn up his nose at the whole thing anyway). I think they were looking at
a few of our synch rates and were asking themselves, "Well, just how much
more _can_ the pilot/net (said as one word) handle?" Already gives me a
headache just thinking about it, but then it might be damn cool.

That's what's up with me. Guess you guys have your hands full with the
recent terrorist mess in Seattle. Unfortunately, I don't think there's
any chance a certain mysterious black copter will be available. The
closer we get to making any money on this project, the more tight
everything seems to get. Suffice to say, the old man's absolutely no fun
to be around these days.]<<<<<
-- Arashi <18:25:56/02-11-59 PST>