S.P.E.C.T.O.R – [A Sci-fi space adventure with fantasy elements]

“Tephe,” Lorelie said with a sigh while Rowena and Aphrodite smirked.

“What?” Tephe replied before adding. “Everyone’s going to find out eventually anyway, plus Tessa and Becky are friends.” 

“Would someone kindly fill us in on what you mean by Prime cheating?” Becky asked.

“Fine, but keep it quiet for now since not many people know,” Stacey said with a sigh as she looked around to see if anyone was eavesdropping on their conversation before she began to explain how Prime was cheating.

[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Alright, everyone, let’s make things more interesting, shall we?]

[Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2): How?]

[[Notification: [Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Has initiated a stream betting pool]]

[[Stream betting pool: Which mech will reach the centre o the asteroid field first?]]

[[Winnings Breakdown: 1st Place: 80%]]

[[Handsome3horns: 10%]]

[[Streamer 10%]]

[[Avalible choices:]]

[[Speed Stone]]

[[Universal Bank]]

[[Spector Unit 6]]

[[Black Prime]]

[[Dwarfinian Pride]]

[[Matriarchs Right]]

[[Hero’s Thunder]]

[[Excess Surplus]]

[[Eyes of Blood]]

[[Angels Fury]]

[[Only one bet can be made by each viewer]]

[Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): Ohhhh, Handsome3horns came up with a good idea for once.]

[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Hey! 😡]

[NonpareilRaphilia (Aaru): Agreed, count me in.]

[DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): I may as well partake.]

[Healthylifebysniffingdugs (Deverinian 7): Heck yeah, if I win I can afford some more drugs, let’s gooooo.]

[OfficialMuriel (Aqua Primus): My choice is obvious.]

[MercheadAnderson (Palaxia): Which choice are you going with, babe?]

[Lizziethetruepower (Palalxia): It’s your money, pick your own. But if you lose, your sofa time gets extended.]

[HackerSu (Trillion): I’m so bored since I have nothing to do, so this will make things interesting.]

[Beinglittleisnotadisadvantage (Strathorp 7): Hmmmm, this is a hard choice since we don’t know what the streamers’ mech is capable of.]

[Superior4horns (Vinox 3): I suppose that idiot can do something right once in a while.]

[1000yearsofdeath (Earth): WTF bro, I’m so jealous I can’t partake.]

[Gunlovergirl (Earth): Same, I would totally bet on my man.]

[Sparesomechangebro (Earth): WTF, finally a chance to make some change, and I can’t even partake, that bias against Earthlings.]

[CEOHopkins (Earth): Wait, they allow bets on streams? Is this with like real money, or the channel currency?]

[Whostolemyduck (Earth): They bet with real money, though they call it credits.]

[Emojisonly (Earth): 🫰]

[Whostolemyduck (Earth): Wait, the betting poll layout is different from last time. Is it because it’s a different type of bet?]

[Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2): No. The streaming platform put out an update to encourage the use of the betting poll because they now take a flat 2% of all winnings. This new update guarantees 10% of the winnings to both the streamer and the one who made the betting poll, even if they themselves don’t bet or lose a bet.]

[Whostolemyduck (Earth): So the platform is basically encouraging gambling?]

[Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2): Basically]

[1000yearsofdeath (Earth): Sounds like a certain new platform here on Earth that encourages gambling. Kekeke.]

“I can’t believe that they decided to go ahead with the charity match after learning that,” Becky said angrily after Stacey finished explaining how Prime was cheating.

Tessa sighed before saying, “While I agree with you, Becky, it was exceptionally short notice, so I don’t think they had any other choice really.”

“I still don’t like it,” Becky pouted.

“Finally, you and Stacey agree on something,” Lorelie said with a smirk, causing her to receive a glare from Stacey.

“No wonder that cheating bastard wanted me to make last-minute changes; he can’t even compete fairly,” Mika said angrily.

“Oh, the chats got a betting poll up on who they think will reach the centre of the asteroid field first,” Tephe suddenly said with excitement.

“Oh, really? How interesting,” Rowena remarked as she studied the betting poll before pulling the stream up on her own uniband as she said, “While I would normally bet on Adam, who I am cheering for in such a situation, I can’t pass up what I know to be a guaranteed win.”

“So you’re betting on Prime then?” Lorelie asked with a smirk.

“Naturally, what about you?” Rowena replied.

“Oh, definitely Prime,” Lorelie replied as she placed her bet.”

“Same,” Tephe replied

“Gotta be Prime,” Tessa added.

“We know he’s gonna win the first stage after all,” Becky stated.

“Sorry, babe, but I want a new bag,” Stacey said with a smirk.

“Girl, I’m so jealous I can’t bet,” Aphrodite said with a pout.

“Me too,” Mika added.

[[Notification: Because all viewers capable of placing a bet have done so, the percentage of viewers that bet on each mech will be displayed below.]]

[[Speed Stone: 50%]]

[[Universal Bank: 0%]]

[[Spector Unit 6: 20%]]

[[Black Prime: 30%]]

[[Dwarfinian Pride: 0%]]

[[Matriarchs Right: 0%]]

[[Hero’s Thunder: 0%]]

[[Excess Surplus: 0%]]

[[Eyes of Blood: 0%]]

[[Angels Fury: 0%]]

[Superior4horns (Vinox 3): WTF is this? Why does Prime’s mech have 30% of the vote? That’s more than the streamer.]

[StealthAssassin9 (Earth): Are there secretly some lurkers in chat that are Prime fans?]

[Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): Why would so many people vote for Prime when he’s heading in the wrong direction?]

[NonpareilRaphilia (Aaru): And here I thought you were one of those who bet on Prime since you obviously know something we don’t.]

[DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): Agreed.]

[Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): I only know about Spector Unit 6. I already know too much about Prime, thank you, and if possible, I would rather forget what I do know.]

[HackerSu (Trillion): Oh shit, the Phoenix Empress just roasted Prime.]

[Lizziethetruepower (Palalxia): You’re right, won’t something like this make the Newscasts?]

[HackerSu (Trillion): I sure hope so, 😏]

[DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): Really, Empress Revi, don’t you care about your position?]

[Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): My position is perfectly secure, I’m not like the Tarrans who had traitors in their own family.]

[DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): That’s because you don’t have any family.]

[Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): Harsh, but true.]

💫💫💫

“Well, viewers, the first group of mechs led by Speed Stone have entered the asteroid field, and this is where it gets more interesting, as not only do they have to dodge attacks from each other, but also dodge the asteroids as well as the attacks from the turrets, mines and any other traps that have been placed,” Honcho reported.

“The turrets and mines are self-explanatory; however, I wonder what other traps the creators of this match type have come up with,” Dulaebella stated.

The audience watched as eight of the mechs entered the asteroid field one after the other and began to separate slightly as they swerved to avoid asteroids that came towards them while they flew around others.

“And it seems like most of the pilots are prioritising Speed Stone as their target, as even after entering the asteroid field, the other pilots are clearly targeting it,” Honcho reported.

Speed Stone spun and swerved through the asteroid field as its pilot continuously enacted evasive manoeuvres to dodge the incoming laser fire from the other mechs.

Red beams of light representing the mech’s weapons that were set to simulated damage mode lit up the asteroid field before impacting different asteroids. However, since they lacked any real firepower, they failed to even damage them.

[Gunlovergirl (Earth): These weapons suck, they’re doing like no damage.]

[Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2): That’s because they are in simulated damage mode.]

[Gunlovergirl (Earth): I know that, you already explained, and it sucks, I want to see massive explosions and shit.]

[Animefangirl (Earth): Agreed, while watching the mech’s manoeuvre through the asteroid field is so Anime, the weapon damage is so not.]

[StealthAssassin9 (Earth): I mean fuck man, a seven-year-old boy with a slingshot does more damage than those lasers, this is more of a light show than a mech battle.]

[Emojisonly (Earth): 👎]

[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Blame the rich fucks who don’t want their special mechs damaged.]

[DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): I guess it shows how disliked the charity match is when even viewers from a planet that doesn’t even have mechs are complaining about its rule of no live weapons.]

[NonpareilRaphilia (Aaru): Agreed.]

[Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): I did always think that the charity match was not worth watching, that’s partly why I have never bothered sponsoring a mech in it, even though people have asked me to.]

[HackerSu (Trillion): The only reason I’m still watching is to see if I win in the betting pool and also to see if Adam does something interesting.]

“Hold up, viewers, it seems that Prime Black is finally entering the asteroid field,” Honcho suddenly said as the feed switched to show that the mech piloted by Prime had stopped flying along the edge of the asteroid field and was not entering it.

[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): So much for your theory of him going home to fuck a viewer, Puntanghunter69Ver2.]

[Puntanghunter69Ver2 (Challenger): Perhaps his viewer is an asteroid space alien who has a house on one of the asteroids.]

[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): WTF is an asteroid space alien?]

[Puntanghunter69Ver2 (Challenger): An alien who lives on an asteroid, obviously.]

[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Does anyone have any idea what this fucking pervert is on about?]

[Emojisonly (Earth): 🤷]

[Superior4horns (Vinox 3): Seriously though, why is Prime entering the asteroid field all the way over there?]

[1000yearsofdeath (Earth): Maybe he’s scared because his mech is all looks and no substance. Kekeke.]

[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Well, he is a giant pussy who will only target noobs on Space Rogue after all lol.]