[b][centre][h1]Interlude. Bellatrix Olmypus. Nordic. Junior AG to Current. A introduction and a start to great adventures.[/h1][/centre][/b] .... [b]Lunar. Junior AG. Crash. [/b] “And Valle of Condor racing has a line, right past Oakley of the Southern Cross team.” Came the voice of the announcer out to thousands of excited fans on the Lunar Junior AG track stands. It was packed out, sun was out though 1 ship had dropped out due to a mechanical failure. “Wait, we're seeing live on Bull corner, yes.. that's Hunter, yes.. , he …oh… last year's runner up Olympus of Blue Sheep is right into the concrete, safety ship is out. Flags up. Hunter is in the race, but that might be a disqualification.” … “Medical and crash teams on scene for the last few minutes. Early Reports from the team, alive, just unconscious. I'd be careful Hunter, her fans and crew seem to love her and they look angry.” Bellatix woke up on a rapid air ambulance shuttle after not remembering much at all of the crash, racing, Hunter was close and nothing else. The dull hum of thrusters was clear and felt like after her first real life simulation sessions on the ship, bruised, battered and barely able to lift her head due to the ache. One of the team was riding with her. It seemed as if someone was holding her hand and fell back into oblivion. [b]Belgium. Junior AG. Lap 45/53[/b] [color=ec008c]“This is Trixie, I've got a flux issue. Sending now.”[/color] She said on team radio as the ships control panels became a scary set of markers, and warnings. It gave her flashbacks to the crash back in Lunar. She brutally suppressed and forced herself to pull the car back onto line, the force of the grav motors misalignment sent hats wobbling in stands when she veered inches from the barrier walls riding the edge of the aggressive track. “Copy. Orders. Defend. Hold. No push. 3rd gets us on the top” Came the team radio clipped tons and Bellatix tone became a little dejected but she understood, she wanted to reclaim this season but … it was not happening. [color=ec008c]"Copy. Defend 3rd.”[/color] She said as G force hit her hard doing a rapid brake, turn and a 90 degree rotation to blast down the apex on the sharpest bend to keep the pursuing ship boxed out of a run. “Enginerring. Say max 90. Power back to 90%. Should make the finish line. Over and out.” The voice said and Bellerix locked in to a tough high G defensive flight. She just tapped Received. Confirmed. on her wheel and did not reply. [b]Junior AG. Belgium. Post Race. [/b] The area was busy, hot sun beat down on a hot summer afternoon and the radio and holo pundits etc. were doing all their various post race coverage, highlights and parties…so many parties. One replayed an earlier coverage by Sky racing. “In Belgium, Hausman took top, new driver Thovex took a very popular second with Olympus back from a 4 race medical suspension took 3rd. Hunter, on his second race back after a suspension, came in 9th, having been held up by Zygons Lau for much of the first 3rd…. Lister came in at a notable 5th.” “Hey, wait up” Bellatrix looked round, she was headed back to the teams pit box after a session with her fans and carrying a mostly empty bottle of champagne. She had managed to come 3rd in the race. On the last few laps her left side power to AG unit linkage had a flux issue and she had to back off, nurse the car and mount a technical defense. The final run down she planned having worn the top pack down over the last 10 laps had been for nothing and she was frustrated as her team were saying she could have taken 2nd in a lap or two. It was her pit crew manager, clad in orange overall as he came over at a light jog, but easily caught her up having a vastly longer stride than the suited up driver. “Great race, really. You kept 'em off, and kept the podium, constructors love that. We got your ship in the shop already.” [color=ec008c]“I still wanted the race, I got as close as possible to the championship last year, I got crashed, then my car got a flux error, you know.”[/color] She said as she walked and he slowed down to match her stride as they walked back, the much taller man next to the red headed female driver, the advanced suit hid all the augments and technological elements from view. “Next time, the big scouts were watching Bella, you made the right call. Trust me.” The older pit manager said they were pretty informal but pilot's and pit crews had to work closely together. She was posh, blimey her name was longer than one line on any system, they only put Olympus on her ship but she had a way with people. “Probbly those new grav linkages, always thought they cut back too much on shielding, weight my ass.” [color=ec008c]“Don't let the rep hear you.”[/color] She chuckled but also did not want him to get in trouble, she could not do this alone, she was a pilot but far from the only part on the machine. Easy, confident, and even despite being in Belgium her fans had still turned up and she had spent about 40 minutes with them after the podium talking, signing, taking photos and glad when she remembered a few from other races making sure to ask how they were and such. Round her suit's wrist was a few hand made charm bracelets given to Bellatix. Those would go into her holo streaming background at home. Gifts were not meant to be thrown away, even if one could not properly spell her name yet. … [b]Sol City Corona Chronicle.[/b] [b]Junior AG championship heating up[/b] [i]The Junior AG championship is coming to a tense and exciting conclusion. Injured Pilot returns from suspension. The race winner pilot Hausman however could not beat the advantage in points of his rivals. Lau came in 3rd ahead of Olympus who despite losing 4 races to injury finished 4th and with average lap times to have challenged for second. The top 5 championship sits at and likely to change as things remain tight. Current as of publication. Valle. Condor. Lister. Miller. Lau. Zygon Olympus. Blue Sheep. (Notes. 4 RACE MEDICAL SUSPENSION) Hausman. Valk AGR. The returned Pilot Olympus made one hell of a comeback this race, her pass of Hunter was plain cold as vacuum but safe and one hell of a message. She is back. She means business. Scouts were present and we saw multiple known team scouts out today. Who knows, we might be seeing some pilots coming up to the top tier. Several drivers have shown less than ideal runs this year. Obiwan barbobi. AG racing correspondent. Sol City Corona Chronicle.[/i] … [b]Wales. Between races. [/b] October in Wales was wet and misty as expected on a cool morning. Bellatrix recalled her holiday and was still getting weird messages about the beach selfie, laying in the sand with an ice cold fruity drink and getting some sun on her skin. Still worth it as she had taken a week and gone to a resort in Egypt near Cairo, explored the museum, visited the pyramids and done what she did not have time for when races ran back to back there. Aka. Relax. Unwind and get multiple massages! It had been a tough season so far and while claiming 4th with 4 races missed and 1 penalty thanks to a pit lane speed error she had pulled 4th in the championship so far. Even then her muscles, back and body felt the tension, arguments, glaring fans of her rivals and stress accumulated melt away during that holiday. The walk down from the castle wrapped tight in a warm dark blue coat, galaxy pattern winter leggings and a pair of her old comfy boots she made way down to the forest spot by a small lake, pond ish…thing that had naturally formed. It had a bench and it was quiet as she set up a camera for a short live stream. with a pause, a smile and flash in her gold eyes as she saw the light go green, much as people had asked… She however kept her natural vibrant red hair. [color=ed145b]“Morning to my lovely Atalanta family. We are back in Wales today and I've decided to take us on a little walk outside. Now what we all been waiting for, Sapling news! We have been sent updates from our future racers, be they carts, cars, ships, hover bikes and more! First up is one from a stream regular Hydro Hydra and his rather stormy race off the isle of White!”[/color] Reaching over as a small mechadrite of powered slender metal slid off camera and out back of the red headed woman's coat to press play on a small portable holo emitter next to her. These small streams were to give back to her fans, they took time but she had time right now and liked to do stuff to give back on her off season and quiet times. And those Saplings would grow into trees hopefully one day. … “Miss Olympus Ronus Draken is currently engaging with her fans, she will be back in an hour or so. She likes to take a walk in the grounds afterwards.” The Nordic executive assistant could understand someone similar but utterly unbending yet remaining totally polite and without even raising 1 octave dismissed any argument. Typical old families! But she had to admire the game. “Of course, thank you.“ … “Miss Olympus, a call for you. From Nordic racing.” Their Butler who followed the old traditions, classic dark suit regardless of the current year came into the smaller and more comfortable drawing room bearing a tray with a silver tea pot, a holo phone, plus her favourite small mints. This man knew her well though acting old fashioned, she knew he was their household manager, had advanced neural and other uplinks alongside being quite the gamer. When the older man allowed himself. [color=ec008c]“Thank you Arthur, you go rest, I know this weather messes with your knee.”[/color] She said kindly, he always insisted and they had offered to help pay for any augmenting needed but he carried on, old knee or no. He was an odd but loyal man to their family. “You always have been kind Miss Bellatrix, Mister and Mrs Olympus not be back till later afternoon and your Brother is away in Scotland for the week.” He said giving her his normal update on everyone's schedules. The man was a waking life saver. He let a glimmer that he was more than staff to them after over 20 years of service. He was family and treated as such. Setting the holo camera up and angling it, first she poured a cup from the silver pot, the weight and heat was not a problem for her augmented arm and found he had swapped the traditional China for her favourite yellow lego mug with its smiley face. He knew her too well. “Good Morning Nordic, how can I help you?” The image showed or was working. A holo image was sent to Nordic as she waited sipping tea and putting sugar into her tea, it was not sweet enough. “Finally, your…man said you were busy earlier, I'll keep it short as we need to get to track soon.. We want to invite you up, meet the team, Astrid, our pit crews and our engineers. We want to offer you a pilot's seat. Frankly Bjorn has fallen off this season, so you take his seat, you're on for the rest of the season. We do not expect you to win anything yet, but place solidly and race well. We will take you on next year. We already cleared the offer with Blue sheep before you ask.” He finished and their team's talent manager said as he had reviewed the prospects, they had some drivers in training and reserves but none offered what he wanted. He needed to shake up their mix as Nordics blend was stale right now, cars not where they would like and points where off target. It was only a few races if it did not work out. Bellatrix was shocked for a second as she nearly let her tea slip before placing it back on the silver tray.[color=ec008c] “Yes.”[/color] She did not even need to think about the offer, the chance to go up and get out of Junior. It was a big risk and yeah, she would be moving teams, Nordic was not the best but when or ever would she get offered a Pilots seat again? You never turned down an opportunity like this especially as her current contract was up for renewal. [color=ec008c]“Yes. I will join you up North, pack for the cold and bring a good coat. Send me the details over, I'll get Arthur to book me the flights over. We can work things out once we are in person.”[/color] She said with good cheer as she ran through the mental maths. Top level racers often had more extreme augments and changes but Bellatrix liked the challenge, the pain and the aches. It meant you were alive and without that feedback fueling her competitive edge. It felt like you were just … . Not racing. Racing was more primal, much more than mere speed but everything combined and split second actions decided everything. That was her style of racing as a pilot. “Excellent, that was easy. We can discuss exact details after you meet the team, the ship, get you on our simulations, see how you feel and fit in. Dress warm Miss Bellatrix.” He said, this was only the first stage though and much more in depth stuff would be going on in the background. Arthur…. Oh. Must be the man in suit he spoke to. Bloody upper class and their weird habits. He was a war orphan made good, not that he disliked her for being born how she was… just odd to see people having people who ran their lives for them. … She refused to call him over straightaway and let the man rest as she looked out, slowly pouring a new cup. Bellatrix was off to the far snowy north… and somehow was potentially a top level driver! … [b]A very cold afternoon in the North.[/b] It was cold, bitterly cold as the red headed driver walked over to the car bearing her name on a sign like the old fashioned method used for centuries. She was dressed warmly and thanks to a fan vote and one a little embarrassingly her thick insulated coat was pale pink with little bear ears on the hood and she had matching colour gloves with a white scarf tightly bundled about her neck to preserve the heat she had. Well it felt bitterly cold to her anyway after a late season of mostly hot races anyway. Even Wales in winter was warmer. The car was hot and Bellatrix tapped twice to confirm she was ready to leave on the car's arm rest. The car pulled away quietly with barely a feeling…Nordic hired a good driver… There were very few downsides to this bar, the cold and Bellatrix now had an ex. They had been quietly dating and kept it low key as the person was a lot more shy. In hindsight it never would have lasted her being her , racing was what she did, she was growing more famous etc. It came to a head with her taking the new season at Delta hyper. Words were said. Things ended. They just were going in different directions. Things were on a down turn after her crash, this was just the final blow. Thankfully they decided to keep her plans and such private, they were different. Not an enemy. The holding hands image with matching event pass bracelets had been a fun one to cause social media tempest, but all good things can end. Passing though through the airport had justified that, drivers images, numbers and posters up! Names she watched and just maybe she might join them! It had been a humbling experience when she returned to the last season. A 2 on her car and promotional posters bearing her image and a photo shopped Greek temple with a union jack “2nd place. Olympus. 2093.” She felt humbled more than anything, especially as she was a smaller fish in a very big pond now. The media had caught onto her trip but not all had yet worked out the reason. Reasons and rumour but no open statements yet. It was fun making them work for their money. Fresh start. Fresh team. That was good.