[center] [h2]Holiday Alternate Universe RP 2021[/h2] [img]https://i.imgur.com/MsaFu8m.png[/img] [h2]Born to Fly - Pt 2[/h2] [/center] [hr] “Alright, now hold her steady…” She heard Axel in the earpiece as she strained against the gear shaft tugging back with all the force of a horse that didn’t want to be broken. The weight of the mock weighted cargo, the shift of the churning storm winds, and resistance in the toggling were all against her. Each time she failed, she’d paid a price, so she set her teeth as tears pooled in the corners of her eyes from the pain in her arms. If a stoic, closed-off asshole like her commander could believe in her, then she could do this. It would help if his form of punishment at her failures weren’t physical exertion of her limbs to ‘build up strength’ so she could handle the strain. What she needed was rest, but she wasn’t willing to ask for it until she had managed to balance the load. “You’re dragging ass, soldier. Pick up.” The firm demand in her ear had her fighting back the balk, biting back a cry as she pulled up. Too hard. The ship jostled and pitched, sending her forward into the yoke. The loud buzzing sounded just before ‘simulation end’ flashed over her view. In the moment of weakness, she cried out in anger as she pulled the headpiece free and slammed it aside. It recoiled and struck her back on her temple, and she screamed as she slapped it away before sinking down in the seat and covering her eyes. “Was that necessary?” Axel’s voice wasn’t in her ear but at her side, peeking between her fingers she spread showed his impassive frown at her display. It wasn’t exactly disapproving, but he certainly didn’t find it amusing. “I ca-” She stopped herself from saying what she heard her sister’s voice tell her every day after the first failure. The frown deepened, the big man obviously understanding where her words had started to stray. Penelope sighed as removed her hand, letting it slide down her face and drop to the armrest of the simulation machine. Her eyes strayed, ashamed by how childish she felt at wanting to just tell him how tired she was, how she just wanted sleep. He’d done so much for her. They weren’t even supposed to be here, hidden away on St. Albans instead of in the Kalidasa system as planned. And she couldn’t even manage to pass one simulation. As a few seconds of silence passed, Penelope figured he’d left her to pout on her own, but then she felt a heavy hand on her hunched shoulder. “Come on, little bird. It’s past time for this.” Wide hazel eyes turned back up to meet his steely unreadable gaze. Curiosity was always her weakness, pulling her from any way she strayed. So, she took his offered hand as it left her shoulder and uncurled from the simulation seat to stand. This was a new approach. [hr] “Why are we up here?” Penelope shouted over the wind as snow fluttered wildly around them atop the stony tower. It was cold, even with the fur-lined coat buttoned from neck to knee, matching boots taking over from there. At her side, holding her steady near the edge, her commander looked out over the small city’s lights in the night. “Sir?” “Close your eyes.” He said, which immediately got her to do the opposite as she looked up at him to see his dark features sprinkled with white flakes. He sighed as he felt her eyes on him, the sort that was long suffering and understanbly so given how long he’d been attempting to get this girl conditioned into a soldier that followed orders without question. “Humor me?” It was difficult to deny the request when a man as large and foreboding as him looked almost as gentle as he sounded. She pressed her lips in consideration, then relented. The warmth of his presence at her side took precedence over all other sensations in the chilled air, so when he stepped back she immediately took notice. For half a heartbeat, she feared he was about to push her over the high ledge they’d stood on, giving up on her for true. But she felt her arms being lifted upwards from her sides, held aloft outstretched by steady hands that directed them out, and the racing in her chest slowed as her brows knit in confusion again. Just as she made to turn her head over her shoulder, her gloves were tugged free from the fingertips and she gasped at the shock of cold chill that immediately coursed between her spread digits. Though it were not drastically below freezing, a warmer day on this planet, she hadn’t expected the sudden rush against her bare skin. Her mind didn’t have time to question, though, because Axel was already explaining, stilling her very breath let alone her mind. “You weren’t trying to jump that day when I pulled you from the ledge on Osirus. You told me - or screamed at me, rather - that you were tired of people trying to keep you from flying. Now there is no one in the way but yourself, Penelope Randell.” As much as she had tried to remember their meeting, or what she had originally considered her kidnapping, it wasn’t until this moment nearly two years later that the missing pieces returned. It felt like another life, honestly, in which she stood atop the building with her arms outstretched like he’d positioned her now. Before he’d grabbed her, how she’d been high on the enjoyment of the cold air coursing around her nearly bare arms, she had been recalling a childhood memory somewhere in the lingering haze of alcohol and drugs in her system. He’d pulled her from that, and the delayed reaction at being yanked from her memories and all that followed… she didn’t remember what all she’d said and how she fought against him when she realized the situation she was in. Was this his way of repaying her somehow? She reached out tentatively, feeling the air swirl around her and only just noticing that Axel had released her. Giving her the moment he’d taken, if she wanted it and could find it again. [hr] “Alright, hold steady just over the ridge.” Her commander’s voice came in her ear loud over the wind blasting all around him. She looked out the viewport at the horizon, then down to the readers as she pulled the boat up and to the left. “Don’t go bucking me in the canyon, Pen.” “My flying isn’t to blame if you don’t strap in.” She called back as she neared the drop. “Oh, he’s strapped.” Chimed in the second-in-command on this little operation. “No way in the ‘verse is he going to let me take over and get his pretty little bird all to myself.” “I think that must mean he doesn’t trust my flying.” Penelope filled the silence from their commander, mock hurt to cover the implication that Reed could’ve been making. Sure, the ship was also a bird, but in their unit it was common knowledge that she was as well. “How many simulations did it take before you managed to not crash and kill us all?” Axel asked, the flat tone giving humor only she heard. It was too easy to fire back at her commander, as if he had lined her up for it. “And how long did it take you to realize you had me in the wrong boat?” “Only scavvers and degenerates fly Firefly class, usually.” The commander groaned, a common conversation most likely. “Didn’t know your set of wings would be so bright.” “I do like the way she glides.” Penelope mused just before getting the readings lined up proper. “Coming in on the drop zone, sir.” “Lower the hold, then get your ass back up here. Sir.” Reed added with a bit of impatience. “Any heat read?” “None, other than ours.” Penelope reported just before a signal flash. “Scratch that - incoming. We got five before they’re on us.” “How the hell did we get tracked?” Reed fumed over the comms. Both the pilot and commander were in radio silence, steady with the task at hand. Penelope counted down the time, but otherwise kept the line open. “Sir, they’re going to be on us any second - pull up.” The silence on the line had her pause. Instinct told her something was off. Engaging the auto sequence to hold steady, she took path to the cargo area as fast as her feet could go. Standing at the open drop gate, stood the second in command. If Reed hadn’t busted his leg up, he’d be the one making the drop and they all knew it. He looked up at her, the shattered control box in his hand for the lift. The moment their eyes met, a bullet landed directly between his eyes from the gun in her unwavering hand. Before his body had time to fall through the chute, she was running back towards the flight deck. There was nothing she could do for the commander if he wasn’t still attached to the cables. No one else was on board to see to it. All she could do was get herself out of there, but even then she couldn’t bring herself to seal the hatch just yet. Outmaneuver, and hide. This planet had plenty of canyons, but if they were being traced … Well, she’d find out soon enough. Without risking coming up, she took the canyon path as long as she could since the incoming vessel seemed to be honing in on the ship from a side she couldn’t see, so they must’ve been above. A little chase until she could get a safe distance away was the ticket, then into the black. From there, well… no one could stop her from flying. And she was going to spread these wings.