Life Day: Omegamission '23

Twenty pilots gathered in the early fall evening for this final mission of the 2023 season. The air was crisp but thankfully warmer than the last several subarctic days. Lordmcfuzz navigated the fleet, as he has done so many times this season, on an abbreviated tour past some of our old stomping grounds, including Fort Tyler and Fort Summer. Punchy took a gnarly fall from Compliance on the shredded pavement during the climb up Spring Hill, but was able to shake it off with a few paces around the fleet. We found Vomit waiting outside her fort when we arrived, where Skunk said a few words about its time of service, and presented her with a certificate for having chopped 4000 lightyears on official SCUL missions. Dr.Claw discovered the bucket cover on Shockwave's subwoofer had disintegrated, so he dropped weight and left the disruptor at Fort Summer to be salvaged later. Noting that there had been no official objectives declared for this mission, and having felt his yayas being sufficiently exorcised, Skunk declared it a success and directed the fleet back to base for the traditional awards ceremony, where Waltor and Tard joined us for the festivities.

Life day events: ziqqurat leaned back accidentally into a plate (not a bowl) of chili while relaxing at the fort apres-space

Awards:

Century:
Lordmcfuzz
Wombat

Outpost:
Cosima
Diva
Dr.Claw
Gritty
Lordmcfuzz
Punchy
Red Squirrel
Snow
Wombat

50 Official Missions:
Gritty
Punchy
Snarly
Ziqqurat

100 Official Missions:
NoWay
Snow

200 Official Missions:
Lordmcfuzz

1000 Official Lightyears:
Cosima
Rocket

4000 Official Lightyears:
Bane Thunderwolf
Dead Bride
Vomit

5000 Official Lightyears:
Lordmcfuzz

6000 Official Lightyears:
Leotard

8000 Official Lightyears:
Dr.Claw

11000 Official Lightyears:
Skunk

Stone Cog:
Kilo3
Meownderthal
Patent Pending

Iron Cog:
Cosima
Punchy

Ode to the Iron Cogs - 2023 edition

In ‘96 Skunk (96) started a gang
in order to have some people to hang
then Crack (98) came along and believed in Skunk
she actually showed up and rode all that junk
NoWay (99) rode with unstoppable vigor
which made our numbers 50% bigger
WalTor earned it for Y2K no doubt
He lives and dies by my command: until it’s time to take me out.
In 2001 the honor was Vomit’s
She made a home for the fort -- well above and beyond it.
It happened to Diva in 2002
Living litmus test for the chopper groove
The same year, MegaSeth earned his pips
the beauty of his code rivaled only by his ships
In 2003 we gave it to Moose
A pilot and a friend who helps us deduce
Moose was happy to share his year with Rotwang
An easy rider and a boon to the gang.
Nameless builds ships as tough as a hog
2004 was his year for the cog.
ThreeSpeed (05) saves the mission with excellent grace,
We made up new medals to keep up with his pace
Hapto (06) shows us the meaning of Chic,
Tiara! Tiara! Flight-paths unfit for the weak.
Ehawk’s (08) award night we’ll never forget
Though I suspect her hangover’s one she regrets.
Nosepicker (08) got it by traveling through time.
Shut up! (nosepicker nosepicker nosepicker)
Leotard’s (09) the one who lets the admiral know
It’s time to ride: the crew wants to go
How can you begin to measure Hack’s worth (10)
Revolutionary master of organized work.
Yt (11) is awesome at keeping the books
Jedi-level hooping with the stylishest of looks
No one more stalwart than our friend Treekiller (12)
Always a hugger and never a quitter
A tiger run over by a horse has his mane underhoof,
Oh and by the way -- 2013’s iron cog belongs to: Baaaaaaaaaaane Thunderwolf
Computio audio photeo geek -
demoscener Dr.Claw (14) does it all for his friends in the fleet.
Skin tight spandex of incredible dayglow,
Civitron (15) is the very essence of hero.
Excess (16) never stops, he’s an unstoppable force,
The right attitude and strong as a horse.
One thing that can be said ‘bout Dead Bride (17),
The harder the mission, the better the ride.
A ball of pure energy - a full-on fun mission leader,
None take on Pastry Queen(17) ‘cause none could defeat her.
The point of McFuzz(18) is to always do better,
His bunny tail acts as the gang’s pace setter.
Seeing the bright side, no matter how dark it gets,
Red Squirrel’s(20) prepared for whatever – you bet!
Wombat’s (21) help with web coding has been so great
His value for SCUL isn’t up for debate
Twoty twoty two we honored SCUL’s juggernaughty diplomat
Local intel expert and all-rounded good guy Ziqquat.
All these pilots we’ll always remember
We never give up - never surrender!
As this poem grows longer and longer
The stamina of Life Day pilots must get incrementally stronger.
So of all you superstars of the ‘23 crew
Listen up cause I’m talking at you!

I stand at this makeshift poduim for the twenty-fifth time
Trying to force feelings to rhyme
Take all factors, all council into consideration
Roll it up and write it into our yearly tradition
Like The Wizard of Oz, I have nothing to give you that you don’t already have
Nonetheless we follow this path
to honor amazing pilots on impossible missions
to party - and celebtate - and give recognition

It’s precious for me to be here in this moment with this bunch
to honor a pilot who has given so much.
So thoughful, so strong
So joyful for life, our mission, our song
Passionate for adventure and a fantastic mission leadah
This 2023 Iron Cog we bestow to Cosima!

I bet you thought that was the end
But there’s one more important matter I need to attend (to)
There’s another amazing pilot who has earned the Iron Cog
So I hope you don’t mind but I need to go on
A pilot who’s evolved and shown great grace
Officer of the deck, null set in space
Please cheer with me so hard you nearly throw up your lunchy
As we bestow this most honorary title of SCUL Iron Cog to Punchy!