[color=gold][center][h2][i][b]Principal's Office[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color]

Sitting in the Delta Hyper interview room, the Principals came through one by one, able to make an introduction again, representing each of their teams.

"What are your thoughts on how this season has unfolded? How has it gone, compared to your expectations?"

Peter smirked at the camera, shrugging off the fact that he really did expect more, but well, was still getting one pilot firing on all cylinders, the silver-shirted Irishman barely fazed now.
"Well, Amy is on top, and Southern Cross aren't going to run away with it to the end. We have plenty more work to do, but the ship, when she wants to, is just singing to Amy right now. Hopefully Jamie will find that in the next few races." Peter's commentary was blunt, but no less warm from the Irishman.

Owen Keating sat up, the Aussie-Kiwi originated principal coming in with thoughts of his own.
"We're not going as fast as we would like, even if we're top. But, it's all part of the plan. Lots more fast, tight handling circuits to go, and we'll be putting on the pace, and either Nora or Harrison will be challenging for that Pilot's Championship title. The momentum is behind us. We've had some setbacks, but Nora has been a champ, and we're with her every step of the way to come back to it, thanks to our help from our prosthetics partner, X+Y Composites."

Turning to Erin Becker, Nordic Call's TP, the mid-40s silver-haired half-Dane, half-German matured on her thoughts.
"It's a tough one this season. Some high highs with Astrid proving her talent in our ship, but we could have capitalised on more. But, you take the developments as they come." 

Ricky Miller, MMR's Principal and son of the legendary Davey Miller, IMSA, Le Mans and IndyCar winning driver, had thoughts of his own, his drawling Texan accent dripping with racing heritage that came from decades in the sport- being in his early sixties, and running his own outfit now supported by a larger American anti-gravity ship firm that took it from a small shop to a worldwide enterprise.
"Good, I guess? Hah, this season was all about learning and we're really doing that, poking at the points when it's so compeitive in the midfield this season.

Elana Kimani, half-Kenyan, half-British Principal at SuperCat was next up, and dressed in a hyper-modern orange and yellow team liveried flowing shirt and trousers that almost fit her engineering roots more than they did a more formal looking team boss, she gave a look of introspective look to that.
"About where we expected. Kofi has been such an amazing servant to African racing, and our first points at Luna....despite the circumstances, were such a milestone for our team. We're learning, improving, and soon, we'll be up there with the biggest teams on the grid." 

Then came Sally Morrigan, Team Principal of Fitzroy Orbital AG Racing, 
"It'd be difficult to say it has been straightforward! We've definitely not been the same. But, I have got promise for all those Fitzroy fans out there- keep watching, we may look a little different but we're the same team and plucky underdogs as ever."


[hr]

[center][h1][b]
After Qualifying
Friday 2nd June, 2094
Monaco
1830 EST
[/b][/h1][/center]
[color=gold][center][h2][i][b]La Phénix[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color]

[center][h2][i][b]Cassie Neves / Dorian Pascal Hornfleur[/b][/i][/h2][/center]

Moving through the crowd, Cassie had gone from milling around with Max to chatting to Amy, to then altogether leaving those two behind to see Dorian in quiet contemplation after he'd done the rounds with Paul.

"Congratulations. Mr Monaco still has it in the bag." Cassie raised her glass of rose to him, as Dorian shrugged, chuckling.

"Old dogs still have tricks. Could have crashed like you did last year though." Dorian gave back a gentle barb, as Cassie scowled, before realising she probably had to do better.

"You know that ship had a fucked airbrake. And there was nothing I can do. That....maybe I could have avoided from scraping at Portier." In a rare act of humility, Cassie sighed, looking over. "At least we now know Paul can do the same as I did....so long as he doesn't crash. He has a bright future ahead of him." Cassie added with a smile, genuinely complementing, Dorian nodding.

"Yeah. He has promise. He will do well in the team. Though, I wonder, who replaces me....they still do not say." Dorian replied in his French-accented English, Cassie shrugging.

"Well, I don't think I'm coming back. Not after everything. And no offense, Dorian, all this legal shit has me proven right. I know we talked but....you know my feelings." Cassie was outright with it, but that was her.

"I understand. But what do you want me to do, eh? Apologise on behalf of a bunch of people who should have been stopped by a lot of checks and balances? This world isn't perfect, Cass. You know that, look at where you are. The Formula is a game of politics, people, and you have twenty more years to go. It is always like this." Dorian barbed back, Cassie sighing as she shook her head.

"Touche." Cassie looked out, sipping more Rose down, looking back to him. "I just expected better. I just hope they don't eat up Paul either. Alexander is a good man, but he's not perfect. Even I spent enough time on the grid to know that everyone's got their vice. Everyone's got their story." The Luso-Caledonian remarked, Dorian chuckling with agreement.

"That they do. Alex has more in common with Kais sometimes than he likes to admit. But, he got us this far. We'll see." Dorian simply remarked, as it felt like this rare moment was that of rekindling, almost as if the ice was melting a little, in the warm Monaco evening.

The sound of [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wyUPsb5Ik0]Viagra Boys[/url] getting cranked to 11 was then responded to by what was a Monegasque harbour officer getting thrown off the Aurora Borealis who had asked it to be turned out, to the sounds of a lot of cheers as the volume went back up again to twelve. Cassie chuckled, shaking her head looking up at Dorian once more, raising a glass before going back in.

"I suppose we will. I have a few things to see to. Han wants me for a few things." Cassie remarked, as Dorian nodded, without another word traded, Cassie heading back inside and into the party.

It felt like while people were enjoying this moment, she had to really think to herself, her career wasn't exactly she hoped it might have been.

[hr]

[center][h1][b]
Sunday 4th June, 2094
Race Day
Monaco AGP
Circuit de Monte-Carlo, Monaco
1400 EST
[/b][/h1][/center]
[color=gold][center][h2][i][b]The Crown Jewel[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color]

[center][h2][i][b]Amy Stirling[/b][/i][/h2][/center]

[b]Soundtrack: [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9MlyqjZNf0]Fakear- Tadlo (Ténéré Remix)[/url]
[/b]

There was a feeling of static in the pre-race build-up, with everything out in full force, everyone out on the grid and celebrities milling around crews as part of the spectacle of it all.

The Junior AG racing had come and gone, with a win for Ben Hale, tailed by Alice Thovex of MMR Junior, and behind her, Olivia Lau of Zygon. While only the second race, trends were coming out that those three were starting to poke above their weight, but many many races were on the horizon, and no doubt things could change. 

Amy had been clear in her goals and objectives, the Silver Apex crew checking her ship over again and again, a support drone helping out as she finished up readying up in her suit, brace attached to her neck, hair tucked into a neat tie and mind certainly tuned to things to come. Walking down the grid, she encountered Paul, who was following behind, as she turned her head to look across over at him.

"Enjoy Monaco, Paul. No heroics into Sainte Devote, unless you want to end up on an end of season highlight reel? Enjoy yourself." Amy barbed, before being pulled in by her entourage, the cliched, stereotypical line one that was barbed and full of malice. Sainte Devote was Turn 1 at Monaco- a perilously tight corner, and with good reactions, a fast start could get by with enough bravery and conviction the other pilot would back down. Otherwise, it would be a very messy crash indeed. 

Clambering in, Amy heard Keira Adams, her engineer back on the radio, helmet on from one of the engineers, her silver-like pilot's suit with the addition of Martini, a one-off sponsor for this event that adorned the ship's airbrakes for this one-off occasion. 

"Okay, Miss Stirling, are we looking for heroics into turn one then?" Funny there were two Keiras on the grid, but then again, coincidence had its tricks.

"Dorian knows me too well. He'll defend the lip with his life. I'll poke until his mind cooks."

"Fighting talk again?"

"Haven't had a season battle like this since Florence laid the gauntlet. Let's go." With it, the cockpit brought shut, as she felt the ship come alive, and with it, sat tight squatting against the Monagesque street.

There was a feeling of everything coming to a head, and from here, Amy was willing to push Dorian as far as he was willing to go. But Dorian felt much the same, looking back at his rear left quarter and locking eyes. This wasn't a feeling of mutual camaraderie, it was a feeling of rivalry. Amy when she was in the ship was a different animal, she may have been all about winning at all costs, but in the ship, she was someone else. And as the AI in the neural link did its work, she felt the connection tether, and the the ship almost call to her, mirroring, and bit by bit, tethering to her synapses.

[hr]

Cutting back, the camera peeled back from that view of Amy looking back, back to the commentary box sitting at La Rascasse, looking down the start-straight where Rosie and Rory sat in more refined clothing than they usually had for commentary at such a race.

"And for those just joining us, welcome to the Monaco AGP, with me, Rory Andrews and Rosie Appleyard. We're watching Rosie, do you see any chances for the order being changed up in the first few laps?"

"Well, we'll see limited overtaking opportunities, but that isn't to say that pilots try when they're jostling for position, even with the circuit changes from two years ago. Monaco is a circuit of extremely close quarters flying, and requires patience, yet equal parts aggression to force moves. Keeping the ship on the track is a challenge enough, and many lower speed crashes have happened here in the past.

"And what a circuit it is. For the first time this season, we have Dorian Hornfleur on Pole, a phrase that weeks ago would have seemed improbable. While known for his prowess around here, what do you think nailed it Rosie?" 

"I'd say just look at how tightly handling that Valkyrie ship is, rocking a vintage black and blue Mercedes-inspired livery from 2069. It seems to be absolutely glued, whatever the team did, they have absolutely smashed it out of the park relative to other ships. No doubt that a pilot even such as Dorian, who isn't known to be the most modified pilot on the grid, has still found it a joy to put it into first and he'll be looking to use that pace. But never rule out Amy Stirling, who knows a thing or two about overtaking here. She may be fighting that ship more, but I wouldn't put it past her to try something brave." Rosie added, playing back the footage of qualy. 

It was remarkable just how tight on the kerbs and walls that the Valkyrie ship could go, not so much drifting as it was just literally falling through the slow-speed corners. This was barely a G-force attack, more of like a boat sailing through at five times the speed limit on such a track.

"Well that will make for an exciting watch at the front. Paul Mulder rounds out the top three, and has no doubt his father's legendary Monaco exploits in mind. Astrid Thorsdottir, a pilot who excels at smooth, precision piloting has put herself into 4th, and is followed by Harrison Makara in 5th, Neves in 6th, Han in 7th, Hart in 8th, Wedgewood in 9th, and Zenix in 10th. Remarkably, Nora Kelly after her horror crash is back in 11th, what a comeback for the ages that has been!" Rory added, Rosie chirping up in reply.

"We love to see it, and Nora Kelly has been so punkish in how she's reacted, it was extremely distressing viewing, but it goes to show just how incredible medical advancements have become through our sport and with new augments on her leg and arm, lovingly decorated in Southern Cross colours, she's back to the grid. She's clearly still getting used to them, but from what I heard, she was adamant she would come here and defend her points tally, and challenge Silver Apex. What an absolute warrior she is, and it's almost like when Hornfleur came back from that crash at Monaco in 2089, or when Lauda returned in 1976 from a near fatal crash at the Nurburgring, just a mentality of a pilot who wants it all."

"Well, speaking of warriors, she'll have Kais Zenix to contend with in 10th. Interesting season he's having, isn't he?" 

"Of course, he's seen as the aggressive, brutal pilot on the track and he knows when to get elbows out. The opposite of Nora, he pilots like he makes a point of getting others out of the way. But it works, like at Tokyo where he really made a dent into both the top two teams with a commanding victory, and he's never one to rule out. If Layla is consistent, Kais seems to find that extra tenth, but he is learning fast what the limits of that Al-Saqr ship are."

"And much the same about Han Hyeon-Ae, who we're seeing now getting ready. Do you think she's lived up to expectations?"

"More so than perhaps everyone was expecting of Cassie Neves, to be put against such a rival in her first season, even with local backing is a hard ask. But she is consistent, and always seems to be in the points. Perhaps we're waiting for her to step up to the top step, but for what has been a difficult season for Zygon, who are clearly preparing for later this season with their upgrades with their slow progress so far, perhaps we'll see a different beast then!" Rosie replied, as Rory nodded in agreement.

"Many interesting stories on this grid this season, as we cut to Carrera Condor now. There's Beatrix Ward, down in 14th. What a story that has become, the meme queen of the grid as some have joked her to be, but she has pulled in points in a ship most wrote off at the beginning of the season. But she's proven to have teeth in an aggressive, hard to fly ship, not unlike Nora."

"It wasn't expected that Carrera would be able to make such a high profile signing of Felix Burkhart, and no doubt other teams must have been absolutely in shock over their pulling power. But, make no mistake, Carrera Condor still has a long way to go and here they look unlikely to score points. So, with the crews packing up, we're awaiting the final checks as the ships get ready on the grid, for this, the world-famous, Monaco AGP...."

[hr]

The scene cut back to the interview room, the question from Aurora directed at all of the rookies.

"So tell me, what's it like in that moment? You're on the grid, ready to go. We can see through your eyes or near to it in the TV feed, almost feel the sweat on your brow and how you feel through the neural link. But what's going through your mind before you hit the throttle when the lights go out?"