[center][h2]Sunday June 20th, 2094, 19:57
London, United Kingdom[/h2][h3]Highgate, Fitzroy Close[/h3][/center]The green and red Civic stood in the driveway, engine off and the three passengers that had been crammed in the back seats already outside, but the driver and front seat passenger yet remained.
Last minute contemplation. Outcome one, clear up muddy water. Outcome two, a very awkward two hours. Look at her, thinking about stuff before doing something. [color=#1EFF24]”Before we go in: I know your teammate is always your first opponent. But you and me, we’re good, right?”[/color] Bea started uncharacteristically seriously.
[color=#7AFFAD]”Yes?”[/color] Ava tilted her head in mild confusion, [color=#7AFFAD]”Why?”[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”I talked to Jen at our drifting thing. Someone wants to rescue her from the mire she’s in at the moment. And if this is anything like JAGF in ‘91, this will get the dominoes going.”[/color] She called back to the shakeup that saw her shifted from Nordic Call to MMR’s junior team, [color=#1EFF24]”Jamie’s most likely done, the rumors about Cassie hating life at Zygon are fairly loud, Max is overdriving the MMR ship week after week-”[/color]
[color=#7AFFAD]”And if someone like Cassie or Max get that second Silver Apex seat, Ben Hale might be gone from their junior programme. I get it.”[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”As might be Amber Beck from Nordic Call’s the way she’s driving if they keep Bjorn… Well, the way he’s driving.”[/color]
[color=#7AFFAD]”Think Ousamane for Vladimir?”[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”Hmm. Nah, can’t see that.”[/color] Bea shook her head.
[color=#7AFFAD]”Me neither. Kofi can’t develop that ship by himself and I hear Vladimir’s feedback is actually good.”[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”Unlike his racecraft.”[/color]
[color=#7AFFAD]”Anyway, where are you going with this and is it related to me not signing an extension yet?”[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”If it comes down to it, you know that for whatever it’s worth, I’ve got your back, right?”[/color]
Ava mulled over Bea’s words. [color=#7AFFAD]”Thank you.”[/color] The women shook hands, a smile on both of their faces, one better hidden than the other. [color=#7AFFAD]”I’ll start to worry if they’re still deliberating after the summer break.”[/color] Ava seemingly brushed the concerns off.
[color=#7AFFAD]”Anything I should know before we go in?”[/color] Ava gestured to the main door.
[color=#1EFF24]”You know my dad already. My sister’s a lot like him, without the racing enthusiasm, but I expect her to ask about the team from a sponsorship perspective. Please don’t get our funding pulled.“[/color] Bea spoke in jest, but on the other hand that chance was there. Eva would one day have that financial responsibility to the company and even if Bea would never hold it against her, it would still suck. [color=#1EFF24]”There will be four big dogs.”[/color]
[color=#7AFFAD]”Nice!”[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”My mum will ask you questions about safety. Be honest, she’s a lawyer, she always gets to the truth. I couldn’t get away with shite as a kid.”[/color] Bea groused.
Ava laughed. [color=#7AFFAD]”For whatever it’s worth, I’ve got your back.”[/color]

[hr][center][h2]Tuesday June 22nd, 2094, 14:21
Flamborough, United Kingdom[/h2][h3]Vernal Gale[/h3][/center]The 60 foot yacht gently bobbed up and down as it lay anchored off the Flamborough Outer Headlands Nature Reserve on a sunny day, offering her passenger and singular crew member great view of the open North Sea to the East and the white cliffs of East Yorkshire to the West.
[color=cyan]“I’m telling you: The fish came right at me.”[/color] Jenny spoke from one of the deck saloon’s couches.
[color=#1EFF24]”Maybe it liked your hair?”[/color] Bea suggested to Jenny, sporting the sky blue and white of Yorkshire’s flag on her pixie cut that day, while stowing away their diving gear. [color=#1EFF24]”Vibrant colors and all?”[/color]
Having previously pulled into Breil Nook to scale the more kindly cliffs, taking advantage of the water just below to cushion falls - mainly for Bea’s benefit - and get up close to the Atlantic Puffins that had been reintroduced to the coastline, devoid of fear of humans due to many of them being raised in captivity before release, they then sailed out a hundred-odd meters to slightly deeper water where the HMS Seriema rested at 18 meters deep to dive to the small warship, the shallowest of 12 that had been intentionally sunk to form artificial reefs around the coastline. The outing was organized a bit hastily, but what the Hell, they both had a day off and the Vernal Gale happened to still be in Hull at the time from Bea’s parents’ trip to Scotland.
[color=cyan]"I could get used to this."[/color] Jenny gestured around herself with one hand, a bottle of cider in the other one, [color=cyan]"A yacht’s going on the wishlist for when I start making the big bucks."[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”Let me know if you want help cramming for the captain’s exam.”[/color]
[color=cyan]"Nah. I’ll be rich, I’ll just hire a crew. Create jobs and catch more bronze."[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”I see you’ve got life all figured out.”[/color]
[color=cyan]"You bet. I should start practicing though. Bosun,"[/color] She pointed at Bea with a smile, [color=cyan]"Reef the anchor and set course for the… port side!"[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”Stop it, or you’ll walk the plank.”[/color] Bea laughed through the facepalm. [color=#1EFF24]”You reef the sails and the port side is just ‘left.’ But yeah, it’s a great way to get away from the circus.”[/color]
[color=cyan]"Get away? I thought you thrive in the media hubbub."[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”The sport fans, yes. Art fans, kids and dogs. I had to sit through a ten minute Gossip interview yesterday.”[/color] She groaned, [color=#1EFF24]”No, I don’t have an opinion on Knight’s new relationship, nor the hat the wife of the Earl of Harewood wore to Silverstone’s opening. Sleep with whoever you like and wear what you think looks good but leave me out of it, I don’t care.”[/color] She banged the back of her head against the side of the superstructure she was leaning against as she spoke, drowned out by Jenny's laughter.
[color=cyan]"Aww, poor you. I get where you’re coming from though. I’m about ready to walk out every time someone asks about the team’s sale."[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”I have to admit, willing that tub into points is an amazing way to distract people from that, Miss points scorer.”[/color] Bea reached up and behind her with her own bottle for a toast, [color=#1EFF24]”Am I assuming correctly that ‘something big’ you wanted to talk through is related?”[/color]
[color=cyan]"Yep. Just want to bounce some ideas off you."[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”Well, go on! Spill the tea!”[/color] Bea left the diving gear be and leaned over the edge of the the deck saloon, [color=#1EFF24]”And do you want an ear or an opinion?”[/color]
[color=cyan]“If I ask for the former, would I be spared of the latter?”[/color] Jenny asked half-heartedly, Bea miming zipping her mouth closed in response. [color=cyan]"I’ve got several offers in my inbox for next season-"[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”You do remember that I had the [i]exact opposite[/i] problem, right?"[/color] Bea interrupted her, [color=#1EFF24]”Not sure how much help I’ll-"[/color]
[color=cyan]"Silver Apex!"[/color] Jenny excitedly blurted out an interruption of her own, followed by two seconds of silence from both women.
[color=#1EFF24]”Woah…”[/color] Bea’s brain finally got enough traction, too late to continue.
[color=cyan]"Yes, I know it’s a poisoned chalice, but chances like this are one in a million! I don’t want to be overly cautious and end up in SuperCat, or rot in- In Fitzroy Orbital AG forever."[/color] Jenny caught herself before she breached and NDA by accident.
Before Bea could take a breath to speak, Jen was back in gear, pacing back and forth on the stern deck.
[color=cyan]"But Andy’s telling me Valkyrie are also interested in giving me Dorian’s seat."[/color] Bea silently moved a loose line from the spot on the floor where Jenny turned on one end of her trajectory, [color=cyan]"But I’m not sure about that. I’m leaving one disorganized mess, I fear if I go there I might be stepping into another."[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”Valkyrie seems to be on the uptick.”[/color] Bea tried to offer a counterpoint.
[color=cyan]"When they’re not haemorrhaging critical staff and millions in fines if the news is anything to go by."[/color] Jenny paused mid-stride to look at Bea at the ‘haemorrhaging critical staff’ bit before resuming her journey from port side to starboard and back, [color=cyan]"And weird as it is I almost feel like the pressure would be less at Silver Apex because they’ve got Amy and the other driver just has to keep pace and not be…"[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”Hart?”[/color]
[color=cyan]"That. But on the flip side I’d need to keep pace with Amy-bloody-Stirling and, yeah, I’m good, but that thought would give anyone pause, right? Well, maybe not Kais."[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”Nothing gives Kais pause.”[/color] Bea shook her head.
[color=cyan]"Plus going to Silver Apex means a lot of chrome, Valkyrie seem more lenient with that. And at Valkyrie I’d stand a much better chance of becoming the number one, even if I only have a year’s experience over Paul and didn’t come up through their junior programme."[/color] Jenny stopped pacing, finished the rest of her drink and turned to Bea. [color=cyan]"So what would you do?"[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”Honestly, I’d choose life over Silver Apex.”[/color] Bea answered without thinking, somehow managing to keep a straight face through Jenny’s rant. That was a side of the Yorkshire lass Bea never knew existed and had frankly taken her aback almost as much as the offer to go from the absolute bottom of the ladder to the very top. [color=#1EFF24]”But what works for me doesn’t have to work for you. I’m not being helpful, I know, but I really don’t think I can help. This is [i]your[/i] decision, no one else can make that for you. Just, whatever you do, set up a safety net first. I didn’t and sat a year out on the sidelines.”[/color]
[color=cyan]"Yeah, of course."[/color] Jenny mused as she re-upped both their drinks, [color=cyan]"Good talk. Rubber ducking helps, thanks."[/color]
[color=#1EFF24]”Well, whichever way you go,”[/color] Bea raised hers with a smile, [color=#1EFF24]”Here’s to the world returning to the way it used to be: Me chasing down your tail lights.”[/color]
Jenny returned the smile and sat back down - Bea imagined to catch up on oxygen debt - while she went back to stowing away the rest of the diving gear. [color=#1EFF24]”One last work thing.”[/color] Bea looked up from the air tanks, [color=#1EFF24]”I’m thinking of trying to talk León into letting me try Le Mans next year, performance and scheduling gods willing. It’s three drivers to a car, would you if you could?”[/color]

[hr][center][h2]Sunday June 27th, 2094, 20:31
Near Colorado Springs, Federated American States[/h2][h3]Pikes Peak Recreation Center[/h3][/center]The video opened with a view of the Sun setting behind Pikes Peak, slowly zooming out and interspersed with quick shots of both a modified 4x4 KrAZ 1055 Rally1 truck and the 2093 Carrera Condor AG ship being thrown around the iconic hillclimb course, the zoom out slowly bringing two helmets and two carved glass crystal trophies placed on the windowsill into view. The crystal beside Bea’s rally helmet - a red and white design inspired by Colin McRae’s Rally of the Lakes 2005 helmet - declared her first place in the Open category while the one next to Bea’s ‘dry’ AG helmet - a neon green European dragon with red details crawling over a coal black helmet she used to run in JAGF - claimed third place in the Unlimited category. The camera drone then whipped around to bring Bea into the frame, sitting inside a log cabin, feet on the table and looking more smug than a cat that got away with eating a canary. [color=#1EFF24]”Still got it.”[/color] The smug smirk gave up the stage to a broad grin, [color=#1EFF24]”I’m not going to pretend there wasn’t an element of luck involved, buuuuut… Luck’s part of the gig.”[/color] She shrugged, swinging her feet off the table and sat up straight.
[color=#1EFF24]”I was still riding the high of Silverstone when I arrived here, and then the truck, the ship, the weather and the crowd all came together. This of course wouldn’t have been possible without Maślanka Motorsport who allowed me the honour of being the first to drive their latest hillclimb special, so go check them out, they look like strong contenders for WRC when they debut next year. The onboard and a look at the heart of that beast will go live tomorrow as usual. It wouldn’t have happened without León signing off on it either, so if you want to see me here next year be sure to let our media team know this was great PR, thank you. Big thanks to Dan Ogier for blowing his tyre.”[/color] She giggled, [color=#1EFF24]”I owe you a rematch, and congratulations on keeping it out of the trees and right side up. Soft suspension on those Ivecos, reflexes of a time-travelling cat to keep a hold of that. And thanks to everyone who showed up and stopped to chat. What a weekend.”[/color] Definitely one to remember.
[color=#1EFF24]”And, with Montreal looking promising from what data we have right now, the ride might continue!”[/color] She knocked on the hardwood table immediately afterward, [color=#1EFF24]”We’ll see for sure in…”[/color] She checked her watch, [color=#1EFF24]”Six hours.”[/color] She paused, leaning forward to the drone with a conspiratorial whisper. [color=#1EFF24]”Seven if I stick to the speed limit.”[/color] Cut to a few frames of both the truck and ship crossing the finish line before the video ended.

[b]IronBeer:[/b] ‘Seven if I stick to the speed limit’ Please! Fat chance of that.
	[b]MadBea:[/b] Baseless. Accusations. 😀
		[b]IronBeer:[/b] Look me in the eye and say that. 😛
			[b]MadBea:[/b] I think I left the stove on.
	[b]_PsychoFish_:[/b] Well if Walther ‘I don't wear a helmet for anything over 8 minutes on the Nordschleife.’ Röhrl and Colin ‘If in doubt, flat out.’ McRae are her big role models, it’s a small wonder she hasn’t taken off yet.
		[b]AndesAG:[/b] thats more Ava’s thing
[b]MaciejMaslanka:[/b] Pleasure was ours. See you next year?
	[b]MadBea:[/b] Deal!
[b]Sol_de_Mayo:[/b] I don’t know if they knew exactly what they were doing giving her that truck or if they were holding their breath the entire run.
	[b]MaciejMaslanka:[/b] It was a great stress test.
[b]NineIron:[/b] Imagine racing a spaceship and basically a monster truck on the same day and nailing both.
	[b]Briat77:[/b] Shame she can’t bring that game in FA. Maybe she should stick to what she’s good at.
		[b]Crossfit_Crusader:[/b] You’re [b]still[/b] being a sore bitch, really?
[b]MissedApex:[/b] Riding the Silverstone high? I hardly had time to recover from Silverstone.
	[b]UrbanMaverick:[/b] In hindsight I agree that second bottle of calvados may have been a mistake.
[b]DohnJoe:[/b] get fucked, Caroline!
[b]Xinny:[/b] I was there. I saw that KrAZ with the top off. Supercharged opposed-piston six cylinder engine mated to a 12/3 sequential gearbox. Low center of mass, high compression ratio, three reverse gears to get out of ditches quick. This thing will [b]dominate[/b], can’t wait for the detailed breakdown!
[b]hotstuff:[/b] too bad they stopped giving out custom watches to category winners, you missed that by what, seven years?
	[b]MadBea:[/b] Eh, Carrera signed a Breitling sponsorship in Monaco, I’ll live.

[hr]
[center][url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TrLdbYUu7LJQf9_6F1zblN3WfwvCU8R3W8Xskd8b3vI/edit?usp=sharing]Carrera Condor NPCs[/url][/center]