[NBA on the Brain] NBA Dramatique (Rockets)

And now for the latest installment of Rockets fan fic, brought to you by the NBA on the Brain blog:

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Without warning, the German's fears began to play out. The Sky Fortress had moved a little closer each night to the Ranch, and now Deputy Bass could see that men were leaping from its bay with parachutes. Bass ran from his watch post to wake up the others.

As the Deputies ran out into the open, the paratroopers were already on the ground, freeing themselves from the entanglements of their 'chutes. A brilliant firefight erupted immediately, with the Deputies firing the first shot and then Major Artest himself igniting the counter-attack. It was a testament to the resolve of the Deputies that they would give no ground, as they fired lead from revolvers and rifles while their opponents attacked with futuristic lasers and toxins. Advanced weaponry had allowed them to make short work of the Bear Tribe just the day before, and Yao was optimistic that they could knock over these damn cowboys just as easily. As bullets and beams sliced through the air, he smiled, and ran into the thick of it.

*

The battle at the Ranch had gone back and forth with both sides swapping possession of the upper hand. Though the Deputies were on familiar ground, they had been only observers of the fighting up to that point. The Sky Fortress had already worked out the kinks against the local savages, and her fighters had come warmed-up and eager for a fight. Each squad was slowly advancing toward one another as men would run from cover to cover, and the conflict was becoming increasingly dangerous. Major Artest had been carefully dueling with Deputy Howard for most of the battle and, while reloading, watched him run across an open expanse. The Major expected Howard to find new cover where he would begin again exchanging shots, but instead he watched with surprise as Yao came from out of nowhere to meet Howard. The Deputy and the tall munitions manufacturer jostled for a moment and both men began to reach for melee weapons that they carried. Major Artest sprinted to the two men as guns fired all around him. He reached Yao's side and began to pull him away to safety, though Howard believed he was under attack by both men. A group of Deputies were quickly beside Howard to assist, but the Major and Yao managed to hastily remove themselves from the area. Yao recognized that Artest had risked his own safety to help him, and some of his initial skepticism about the Major subsided.

*

The Major had gotten his hands on a rather impressive mortar cannon, and watched excitedly as the shell he fired arced high in the air and came down among the Deputies. The shell exploded, and gravity was defied for a moment by the bodies of self-righteous cowboys. It was at that point that the battle was effectively ended. Yao designed weapons that liked to be fired, and those who wielded those weapons obliged for a few more minutes. As each force accepted the outcome, and began collecting whatever pieces they needed to move on, Major Artest again caught sight of Deputy Howard. There was no weapon in either man's possession at this point. Artest approached Howard slowly.

"Deputy" he shouted. Howard turned and was at first angered at the Major. But he relaxed upon seeing Artest's open hands. He did not answer, but looked at the Major's face and waited for him to continue.

"I just want to tell you that you're doing your job well. You should be proud of yourself. I look forward to facing you again."

Deputy Howard watched the Major turn and join his withdrawing comrades. Howard wiped dirt from his own face and looked around at the wounded men and damaged Ranch. He realized that he would look forward to another meeting as well.
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The Houston vs. Portland game, recounted from Portland's perspective.

http://nbaonthebrain.blogspot.com/2008/11/nba-dramatique-growing-pains.html

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An early warning siren had sounded and the fighters had gathered in the planning room, less than twelve hours after returning from their poorly-fated trip. Fast approaching was the Sky Fortress.

"I know as well as any of you that things aren't going according to plan." said McMillan. "We had an idea of how things were going to go. We worked hard to develop strategies and we knew our roles based on those plans. Things changed. That's life. We can't spend another day acting like we are finished. We've had a little bad luck, but that's all it is. Remember a year ago? Nobody cared about us. Nobody thought we were worth a damn bit of their attention. We thought we were hot because Oden was going to rip people in half while we watched. What happened? We couldn't use him. We had to learn to do without him, and you know what? We did well. We grew. And we still stayed under the radar for the most part. We waited and we trained and we were going to go out and rule the world. But Oden got hurt and we're without him again. All of you feel like it's last year all over again and you're going to work hard with no pay off." McMillan paused. "You're wrong."
He looked at the faces in the room and could see in every one of them that they were listening, and wanting to believe, but they needed more.

"Oden is going to fight in this war. I see him getting closer every day. But you guys can't expect to have him do it all for you. You have to fight like he's not there so that when he shows up, he becomes the extra piece and not the centerpiece. All of you can do this. I've seen it. I've watched you. You don't need him. You want him to be there and so do I, but he doesn't have to be. Get that into your head and lock it in. You guys are killers. Kill. Kill! And when Oden is unleashed, kill with him."

Brandon and Aldridge looked at one another and nodded. They stood, embracing their roles as leaders and fighters. Brandon spoke to the assembled group.

"Get ready. Now."

*****

A long battle. Hard fought. An experienced and talented enemy. Blake slices and Brandon stumbles. Scola hunts. Batum. Ka-boom! From below, Oden hears the sounds and longs to contribute. Bones with an eagle-eye. Outlaw and Frye fire at will. One so young his beard looks false. Brandon out of rhythm. The young one, Brooks, demonstrates a blinding speed and a true shot. Fernandez with the spirit of war. Major Artest joins the front lines and his troops rally, but Aldridge helps the Underground push back. A brief calm, but no surrender. Przybilla on the offensive. As the fight rages, McMillan has hope. Sees the change in his men and imagines Oden's return. Major Artest is denied a kill. Ka-Boom!! Aldridge, Przybilla, Outlaw all showing the fighting acumen that McMillan had seen in the training hall. A face-off - Bones and Fernandez. Bones is reduced to a shaking wreck on the floor. Major Artest and Yao try to stop Fernandez, but he bests them both. The speed of Brooks, the cruelty of Commander McGrady. Neither side will quit. Neither can yet claim a win. Commander McGrady is trapped, but drops a smoke bomb and narrowly avoids capture. The endgame arrives.

*****

Brandon wanted to be the one to end it. He believed himself made for moments like these. No side was going to give up, so one must be forced to do so. He darted towards the enemy, unable to discern their faces, and flanked their position. He saw the Commander and stopped on a dime to shoot. The Commander dove to the ground, and Major Artest stumbled as he tried to intercept the attack on the Commander. Brandon's shot hit, and the Commander fell, bleeding. Still, the Sky Forces would not surrender, and Yao saw an opportunity. Brandon left his allies vulnerable, and Yao fired a tiny rocket from his wrist that destroyed a stone support, cutting off a number of the Undergound's fighters. There was little chance for an Underground victory now. The calm stillness of necessity took over Brandon's body, and with uncanny speed, he fired a shoulder-cannon towards the whole of the attacking force. Luck had decided to come back to Brandon, and his shot caused an explosion that rocked the Underground tunnels and left the Commander's squad burned and coughing within a cloud of debris. Their position compromised, the Sky Force retreated back to their landing craft, and returned to the Fortress in defeat.

Brandon took the time to account for all of his soldiers, then found McMillan. The strategist was giving his top man a knowing look, but waited for the young fighter to speak first.

"We can do it." Brandon stated, sounding more surprised than he had intended.
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