Avatar of LadyAmber

Status

User has no status, yet

Bio

I am experienced roleplayer returning to online roleplay after 10+ year break. I have missed roleplaying and the creative outlet it is for me. I am interested in casual roleplay. I consider myself a decent writer and I will put effort into my writing. I am not into writing a novel for one post though. Descriptive, character building, engaging, yes. I will always write at least 2 paragraphs unless it is a quick fire session revolving around dialogue over private messages. I am a fairly laid back person and don't want to be a grammar nazi. I believe in quality over quantity. Roleplaying is a hobby and a escape from real life pressures.

Genres I am interested in:
Fantasy
Middle Ages
Science Fiction
Vampires
Shapeshifters
Crime Drama

Fandoms I am interested in:
Pokemon
Harry Potter
Anita Blake
Dragonriders of Pern
Star Wars

I don't mind roleplaying romance but I am not looking for smut. It has to make sense for the roleplay. I am okay with a fade to black moment instead of roleplaying it out. For me its about the story and the character. I am open to roleplaying it out.

I am in the Pacific Standard Timezone. I work full time and will be seen in the evenings and weekends online.

Most Recent Posts

Fireteam Anvil


Samantha "Chaos" Dalton


Chuck "Boomer" Simmons


Soundtrack: Warrior - Fighting for the Earth




Chuck had been firing at targets of opportunity as the CAV flew along the dirt track bumping along. Samantha was driving the CAV and so far they had attracted some attention but the CAV was moving fast enough the PLA had just started to respond.

Samantha called out “This is going to be a fast stop. When I stop everyone going to the barracks gets out fast.”

Chuck released the strap that was attached to Duke’s harness that secured him to the CAV seat. Chuck lays his helmet against Freya’s so she can hear a private message from him. “Stay alive, beautiful. We are going on a real date after this.” The CAV had pulled past the row of large tents when it rocked to a stop.

Chuck jumped out of the CAV with Duke following him. The CAV rocked as his weight left the vehicle as the shocks responded to less weight. “This is my stop! Thanks for the ride, Chaos.”

The CAV stopped in front of one of the geodesic dome buildings. Chuck ducked between it and a row of tents. He had explosives ready to plant. He wanted to set up explosions for a distraction later. He began to plant charges along the outside of the building. Duke followed along at his side like a shadow. Soldiers began to respond to the team’s arrival, fortunately for Chuck they were focused on chasing down Samantha and the ruckus up front. They didn’t even glance in his direction. Chuck used the team’s attack to divert their attention away from what he was doing. He was quick as he rounded the building, planting explosives close enough together to drop the building. The building was rigged to blow. The timers were tied into the AI in his suit. He smiled, noting that he had yet to be noticed. He checked the bag he had slung over a shoulder that had the prepared C4 charges. He still had plenty. He grinned and looked out over the tent city and began to make his way towards that large center tent.

Chuck did his best to duck down between tents so he was not such a large target. He was lucky that they were using large ten meter tall tents. The kind men could move around inside standing up. He began to make his way to the large tent they thought was the command center. He quickly began to place explosives under the back wall of the tents as Duke watched his back. The troops who had seen the CAV had begun to track the vehicle. They had not noticed him yet. Chuck broke into a run moving quickly keeping low. As he planted explosives in every third tent. He was moving quickly.

A soldier responding to the alarm going up came around the corner of the tent and Duke lunged his jaws closing over the man’s throat as he rode his body to the ground. The man’s scream was cut off in a gurgle as Duke tore the man’s throat out. Chuck placed the explosive and kept moving after a quick pat on Duke’s head. “Good boy.”

Chuck’s carbine caught the next soldier to find them in the head with a bullet. The man dropped like a marionette with its strings cut. Chuck picked up the man’s rifle and let his carbine fall on his tactical sling. He would conserve his ammo and use what he had found.

Duke alerted him to another soldier. Chuck was in position thanks to Duke’s warning and quickly grabbed the man, twisting his head to the side, breaking his neck. Chuck was moving as fast as he could towards the large tent.

They had not been slowed down much yet as the two of them worked as a well oiled team hitting the PLA fast and hard. Chuck saw a group of armed soldiers running away from the large tent. Chuck quickly placed explosives along the back wall at 10 meter intervals. Chuck smiled as he activated a larger explosive package with a short timer as he came around the side of the tent. He tossed the larger explosive package inside the entrance. He then began to run after the large group moving away from him.

He raised the rifle he had stolen and fired into the back of the five man team. He managed to drop three of them before they realized they were taking fire from the rear. Duke grabbed one of them leaping at the man as Chuck used the butt of the rifle to hit the other man in the face. The man dropped and Chuck turned to help Duke. He put a bullet in the man but Duke didn’t release the man’s throat. That was when the explosive package he had chucked into the large tent went off shredding the canvas and support structure sending shrapnel flying in a 50 meter arc.

Chuck sighed and looked at Duke. “Spit that out! You don’t know where it’s been!” Duke growled but obeyed Chuck this time. Chuck shook his head in disbelief. “Now you think you're a comedian.” He chuckled and began to make his way back towards the main road. The explosion had cleared enough of the tents that more soldiers were noticing him now.

Chuck was being targeted by all the soldiers emerging from tents in the area. He fired the rifle he had taken until it was empty. Chuck was tall enough to see a pickup truck with a heavy machine gun mounted on a tripod in the back coming towards him. He ducked behind yet another row of tents. He set off the explosives he had planted on the smaller tents on his way to the large one. They were going off a few seconds apart adding to the confusion as more shrapnel hit the soldiers running by. His radar and lidar picked up inbound helicopters.

Chuck: “We have heavy machine guns on pick ups and helicopters inbound. If you are by that geodesic dome by the barracks, get away. I am bringing the iron rain. Boomer out.”

Chuck found himself the primary target as more soldiers were converging on his location or trying to intercept him. He saw some infantry combat vehicles rolling his way as well. He kept moving back towards Freya. “I am heading back towards you, Battle Goddess. I am bringing company. I hope you don’t mind.”

Chuck grinned as he bantered with the love of his life. While he didn’t like her being in danger, he knew she could hold her own. It was kind of fun to fight with her. He turned a corner and ran into a large group of soldiers who were unloading pistols at him. Thank goodness his armor just shrugged that off. He simply began punching heads and knocking them together. He knew he would need his ammo for heavier targets. He pulled out Lucille and began to make short work of the lightly armored guards. He was tracking the vehicles and waited till they were crossing in front of the geodesic dome building and set off the explosives. The metal siding and supports shredded taking out the pick up and one of the infantry combat vehicles. The pickup was flipped over in the shock wave while the infantry combat vehicle’s armor saved the people inside but a large piece of shrapnel shredded the front tires causing it to collapse onto the axle. It was not going anywhere. The other ICV’s armor got peppered with shrapnel but its wheels were free and still rolling towards him.




Samantha had dropped off the heavies by the barracks area. She had quickly turned the CAV towards the hanger with the mechs in it. She had dropped off Adam outside it as she drove the CAV around the edge of the building. She was looking for an alternative entrance. She wanted to get in unseen so she had time to hack the mechs inside. She slammed on the brakes as she passed a side door. She grinned as she thought to herself “Bingo!”. She climbed out and made sure she had all her gear with her. She was surprised that there was no real security on the door. It was simply a mechanical lock, no biometrics, or cameras. She got the feeling the building originally had another purpose. It had been co-opted by the PLA and they hadn’t had time to revise their security much. They probably didn’t expect anyone to be crazy enough to assault them head on. Samantha quickly picked the lock and slid inside the hangar.

She quickly found out why they hadn’t bothered with security. There was a squad of soldiers assigned to the bay. They had cots laid out in the back corner with footlockers. The soldiers were going about their business. Some of them were eating breakfast. A few were on patrol duty at the main hangar doors. The side door she had come in was for personnel. The large hangar doors rolled up to allow easy access to take the larger equipment and vehicles in and out. There were two mechs in the hangar as well as a heavy armored vehicle with a mounted heavy machine gun and grenade launcher. There was no way Samantha could sneak in and do what she needed to do without taking them out. She sighed and stretched her neck back and forth before grabbing two of her knives. She was grateful for her black armor as it helped her hide in the shadows. She began to stalk her first victim.

She didn’t want to waste more time than she needed to. She was conscious it would take time to hack the mechs. She snuck up behind a soldier who had his back to her who was checking his rifle. She grabbed him with her hand over his mouth to muffle his cry as she quickly used her knife to end his cries. She let his body fall to the ground as she helped him fall silently. She stepped over him and moved along the wall towards the group in tha back on the cots. She managed to catch another who looked like he had just woken up. He was sitting on the edge of the group. She snuck up behind him, keeping low. She once more clamped her hand over his mouth as she slashed his throat. She let his body fall to the cot. She rolled across the floor and under another cot. This time she stabbed up through his throat from underneath the canvas cot. She knew her luck had run out as a shout went up. She rolled again and came up on one knee as she began to throw daggers.

She managed to catch the man giving the alarm in the throat. She turned to the next guy but he managed to deflect the dagger as it lodged in his forearm. She pulled out her pistol and targeted the same man. She managed to nail him in the chest. She was now up on her feet and moving fast. She was using all her parkour skills to bounce around and stay out of the reach of the men chasing her. They had fired at her a few times but she had managed to keep moving. They were having a hard time hitting her. She used one cot like a trampoline causing it to flip over as she launched herself towards the man who was their leader if the rank insignias on his collar were correct. She left a knife in his chest as she then flipped backwards and landed between three soldiers closing on her. She pulled out the tungsten carbide fighting sticks and put them to good use. She nailed one in the head and he dropped like a sack of flour. The other two had some hand to hand skills and managed to dodge her next few blows. She managed to land a blow on one of the men’s ribs. He fell in a cry of pain curled up on his side. The last one managed to land a punch that had her reeling for a moment as she saw stars. She recovered with a sweep that took his feet out from under him. She hit him in the head with one of the sticks. She knew there were at least two more guarding the main doors. They had guns on them.

She used what cover she could find as she took fire from the men by the door. She heard their radio crackle and knew she was out of time. If they reported about her then she wouldn’t have time to hack the mechs. She ran as fast as she could towards them. She pulled out two more knives. She was more accurate with her knives than her guns. She flipped one end over end towards the guard on the right. She nailed it. The other dodged her toss. He was firing directly at her as she approached. She zig zagged to make it harder for him to hit her. He clipped her arm which spun her off balance. She raised her pistol and fired at his head at close range. She couldn’t miss from this distance. Suddenly there was silence in the bay except for the crackle of the radio as soldiers were reporting being attacked. She quickly dispatched anyone left alive. She didn’t have time to babysit them and she couldn’t be interrupted. She pulled the bodies out of her way. She used one of their blankets to clean up as much of the blood on her as possible. She didn’t want it to drip on a circuit board while she was working. She got out her tools and opened up the access panel on the first mech.

“This is Chaos. The PLA had a party waiting. I crashed the party. Working on the objective now.”
Delta Hyper Before Qualifying Interview


"For your first time on the Moon, you seem to be enjoying yourself Paul! It sounds like you've adapted well to the challenge, and I imagine you're seeking to keep your point lead on Zygon. Has the team got any targets for this season in spite of the changes, or is the sky the limit?"


Paul smiled into the camera looking relaxed.

“I am enjoying myself on the Moon.”

He leaned forward like an eager kid.

“I am racing on the Moon! How many people get to say that?”

He grinned into the camera and winked before relaxing back into the couch.

“I am doing my best but I can’t deny that racing on the Moon is a bigger challenge than I thought it would be. I am adapting as fast as I can. Well my goal is to win all my races. Of course I want to keep my point lead on Zygon. The team is working hard to remain a contender for the constructors championship. There is still a lot of season left. I like our odds.”

He grinned into the camera.

Post Qualifying on the Moon



Soundtrack: Stronger - Kelly Clarkson




Paul cursed as he fought the ship. He had learned in gravity and the ship simply didn’t follow what he had trained for. He knew that Alexander had done his best to retrofit the ship for this race. It came down to Paul’s skill and having to unlearn what he knew about piloting the ship. All his skills and experience included gravity, aerodynamics, weather, and wind speed. He had managed to acclimate to the moon’s environment but not enough to be very confident. He still felt like he and his ship were at odds and fighting. The ship was winning. He knew his reaction times were slower as he had to stop and apply what he knew about flying on the moon. Some things were counter intuitive for him. It cost him fractions of a second everytime he had to react in the race. Those fractions added up and were costing him position and time as he made his way around the qualifying lap. He was frustrated and wrung out emotionally and physically by the time his qualifying lap was over. He knew he hadn’t done as well as he normally did. He felt like he had let the team down. It didn’t help that even here on the moon, he was distracted by what was happening with the team. Reporters kept hounding him for another statement. He had never had so much trouble focusing on what he needed to do in the ship before. He was struggling but he didn’t feel like he could ask Dorian for advice as he was struggling worse than he was.

Paul had pulled the ship into the hangar after the race. Alexander was waiting for him. Paul sighed as he popped the canopy and climbed out. He pushed off the wing of the ship and floated down to the ground in front of Alexander. His knees easily bending to cushion his landing. Alexander reached out to lend him a hand so he stayed on the ground. The hangar had an atmosphere so the crew could work on the ship. Paul pulled off his helmet and waited for Alexander to say something.

Alexander gave Paul a comforting smile.

“Paul with all the distractions and this is your first time on the moon, I think you are doing as well as can be expected. I wish I had advice for you but I never had the opportunity to race on the moon. Is there anything else we can do to get the ship ready?”

Paul thought about what he had experienced in the qualifying round.

“The thrusters are still firing just a little unequally. It causes the ship to float out to the left when I am turning in that direction. It makes it harder to bring the ship back to equilibrium. I know we have spent the last week trying to dial all that in.”

He shrugged beyond frustrated with himself and the ship.

“I honestly don’t know what else I can do.”

Alexander regarded the young pilot and could see the tension in the way he held his body.

“Paul, you need to unwind. I can see the tension. If you are too wound up, you are going to make mistakes. You need to find a way to get rid of this tension. Hit the gym, hit the heavy bag. Play a game of chess, get drunk. I don’t know what you need to do, but you have to relax some. Or tomorrow will be more of the same. I will work on the thruster situation and see if I can get them balanced for you.”

Alexander gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze before giving him a smile and motioning him out of the hangar.

“Now get going. I have work to do.”

Alexander dismissed Paul and turned to find his mechanics. They needed to recalibrate the ship’s thrusters once more. The damn regolith and space dust kept clogging them up and causing them to fire erratically. He was struggling to come up with a solution to fix the issue.

Paul sighed and walked away. He was unsure what he could do to relax. He felt like his entire future was on trial along with the CEO. He was frustrated because he couldn’t do anything about it. He was frustrated with his own performance. He knew he could do better.

Paul retreated to the team’s plane. He had found the plane to be a little more comfortable and private than the quarters set aside for them on the moon. He still had to do the Delta Hyper interview later. He needed to calm down before then. He took some time to get out of his space suit for a bit. He was in the pressurized cabin in the plane. He got something to eat. He munched on the protein bar and sipped the high protein shake as he squeezed the package it came from. He had settled into a chair with a tablet in his lap. He had settled on some old fashioned games to take his mind off where he was. He played mahjong and solitaire until his alarm beeped telling him it was time to go meet the Delta Hyper team.




"Paul, not the best qualifying for you, but it seems like Dorian was struggling even worse. Do you think you can turn that around tomorrow, based on your comfortable practice sessions?"


Paul was seated on the Delta Hyper Couch in his racing under suit. He felt very exposed as the suit fit like a neoprene dive suit. It didn’t leave much to the imagination. He put one leg up on his opposing knee. He tried to look casual and relaxed even if he was not. Only the tension along his shoulders revealed how he was really doing.

Paul kept a serious expression. His usual playful and charismatic self was missing.

“I can’t speak for Dorian. I have had better runs here on Luna. The team is struggling with a technical issue on the ship from lunar dust. Knight is working on the issue. I hope to have a better showing tomorrow. I have to admit that it is a challenge and a whole new set of skills to pilot a ship on the moon. I had hoped to acclimate faster but we will just have to wait and see. We will all find out tomorrow how the race results shakeout.”

Paul shrugged knowing he had done everything he could so far to put in a good showing on the moon.




Social Media





Paul Mulder@ValkyriePaul

Thanks to Enigma Lux, I even look good on the moon!


[Picture of Paul in his racing space suit designed by Engima Lux on the moon with the Earth rising in the background.The shot is majestic with the sunlight catching on the dark gray and golden yellow suit.]

Image liked and shared 89,973 times




Samantha "Chaos" Dalton

Chuck "Boomer" Simmons


Soundtrack: ACDC - Back in Black




Samantha frowned at Skye. Why did she ask for their input if she had already decided how they would deploy? Samantha was a little annoyed with Skye but she knew better than to take that out on other team members. Samantha gave Skye a dark look. She had brought in a new team member? Samantha couldn’t help but wonder if Skye was coddling her after what happened in the last op. She had gotten her act together and Sophie had given her the go ahead to resume active duty. Samantha turned and regarded Purna with a raised eyebrow. She gave him a smirk and nodded. Looked like she would need to make some tweaks to the drones and gear and give Purna and Eloise a crash course in how to set it up. She would do what she could to make it simple and fast for them. Her eyes moved over to Eloise, the new face in the room. She gave her a nod of acknowledgement. Sam’s smile grew somewhat mischievous as she would get to know her a bit as she trained her on the infiltration gear that her and Purna would now need to deploy in her stead. Samantha knew from observing the training she had been doing with Purna that Eloise used a bow. She had an idea for some special gear for her but she didn’t know how much time they would have before they left. Skye had moved the briefing onto the others who had voiced concerns or ideas.

Chuck couldn’t blame Duke for being infatuated with Freya. He was in love with her. It made sense that his dog approved. It was a good thing they liked each other. Chuck shuddered to contemplate what his life would be like if Duke objected to Freya or vice versa. Chuck shook his head in amusement that his dog got greeted before he did. Chuck laughed Freya told him if they divorced she wanted the dog. Chuck returned the kiss Freya freely gave him with enthusiasm before he leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Well I guess that means you will have to marry me and keep us then. Duke and I are a package deal.” Chuck wrapped his arm around Freya’s shoulder and sat next to her during the meeting.

Chuck turned his attention to the briefing but was keeping track of Duke since he was off leash. He rarely leashed Duke since he was so well trained. Chuck kept track of Duke’s progress around the room as he checked on various team members. He noted the Duke simply passed by Skye but pressed against her leg on his way to Jaime. Chuck looked amused when Jamie startled as Duke went to him and demanded attention from Freya’s brother. Duke kept going around the room. He noticed Duke stopped to sniff at Eloise. He hoped she didn’t mind dogs.

Chuck eventually removed his arm and crossed them, his face morphing into a serious expression as the briefing told them how bad the situation was. Space? Hell no! He was not being crammed into a tin can that was built for people half his size. With his luck he would try to stretch and put a hole in the fucking wall sucking all the oxygen out. He turned to Freya a little worried that Skye would take her on the mission to space. Space was a hostile environment and Chuck knew enough to know that he was not trained for it or ready for it. He was not claustrophobic but he didn’t like small spaces because of how big he was. Duke had returned and was leaning heavily against Chuck’s legs. Chuck reached down to rub him reassuringly behind the ears. He was never sure in moments like this if he was supporting his dog or his dog was supporting him. Chuck understood Skye’s point of view. He was suddenly grateful for Samantha’s upgrade on his armor. His armor had needed to be completely rebuilt after he only managed to salvage what was left of the leg armor. Samantha had completely redesigned his armor for better defensive and offensive power. He had been training with it since it was finished to get used to using it. It was not quite as flexible and maneuverable as his old set but it would stand up to more abuse and deal out more damage.


Samantha sighed and tried to school her face into neutrality. She had felt off since her near death experience. Skye had not been acting quite like her normal self either. Both of them had been through a lot since Kaitaki. Skye had found out she basically had an evil clone who was a megalomaniac who wanted to take out the world. She had been on the run from the agencies she had worked for and trusted. She had to kill someone who looked like her. They had to stop the end of the world and here they were again just a few short weeks later. Samantha couldn’t help but feel as if Skye was pushing her away somehow. They had all been busy trying to figure out what Rose’s next move would be. Samantha couldn’t put her finger on what was bothering her about Skye. She knew Skye had been through more than she had. She knew that Skye was excellent at compartmentalizing and pushing away the emotional stuff. There was nothing in Skye’s behavior that was out of the ordinary for her. Samantha kept her thoughts to herself. Maybe this was one of those times where she was obsessing over a behavior that was not there. She still struggled with social cues occasionally. Samantha couldn’t help the feeling that somehow Skye was saying goodbye or accepting that she was not coming back from this mission. That was not acceptable to Samantha. She sighed in frustration. She couldn’t come out and ask Skye what was up. She knew that Skye would deny it and the others would think Samantha had lost her damn mind. That was one of the reasons she had not shared her near death experience with many people. Conventional wisdom said that the experience was her trauma of losing her parents making itself known. Samantha’s eyes went around the room. She smiled a little to see Freya sitting with Chuck. It made her happy to see Freya content and happy. Samantha decided to take her cues from Freya about Skye who was treating this mission as business as usual.

Skye wrapped up the meeting.

Skye: "Right. We'll ship out on the Galaxy that Blue Sword have here and rendezvous with the airship once ready. We've got a ghost transmitter for our little run, and you have your last chance here to sort yourselves out. We’ll be moving in eight hours. You can catch up on sleep in the plane once we’re done. EVA team, I’ll brief you shortly, so stay here. Rest of you, you’re all dismissed.”

Samantha grinned as she now knew how long she would have. She had just enough time to get the gear for Eloise made with a little help. She would tweak the insertion gear and teach them to use it on the blimp. She would catch up with Purna and Eloise then.




LZ Zulu, Somewhere in Tsavo West National Park, Kenya





Samantha made sure all the gear made it onto the trucks. She was mesmerized by the scenery. It was hot and she felt like she was melting somewhat. She was grateful that her complexion tanned instead of burning thanks to her Hispanic mother. She was enjoying the heat after being in the cold for so long. Samantha had been to Africa before but she had only briefly visited various hotspots. She had been deployed mostly in the trouble spots around the Middle East. When she had been in Africa, she had been in cities. She had never had the opportunity to enjoy the animals and wilds of Africa. While it was scenic, Samantha was self aware of the fact that she would always be a city girl at heart. She would appreciate nature but she felt out of place in such a rural place without all the trappings of society and technology at her disposal. She liked modern plumbing, air conditioning, and electricity. Thank you very much.

Samantha was grateful when the bumpy uncomfortable ride across the savannah ended. The scenery was the only perk on that leg of the trip in Samantha’s opinion. She was helping off load the gear from the trucks. She was passing by Vincent and Skye as she overheard their conversation and met Skye’s mischievous look. Samantha gave Vincent a wicked grin as she kept carrying the box with the new gear she had made Eloise towards the blimp. “Sorry Vincent, If Athena decides to kick your ass, I am not saving you! You do know she is Freya’s sister right? I have seen her action. Sorry buddy you are on your own!” Samantha laughed maniacally all the way to the loading ramp for the blimp. She made sure that box made it into the blimp before returning for the crate of infiltration gear she would need to teach Eloise and Purna how to use.


Chuck had enjoyed being close to Freya on the Galaxy. He figured this was as close as he would get to a domestic scene with Freya for some time. So he did what good Marines do… he embraced and enjoyed it. Duke had settled down easily on Freya’s chest for the duration of the trip. Chuck had helped Freya turn the tables on Jamie. The two of them ganged up on Jamie about when he was going to meet a nice girl. Chuck avoided the topic of Athena’s very fine derriere. He knew a girl trap when he saw one. The team didn’t need his help to share butt jokes and puns. As evidenced by the Flying Butt remarks by their fearless leader. Chuck was helping unload the crates of gear and weapons. His muscles put to use as he stacked the heavy boxes into the blimp’s cargo hold. It didn’t take long to unload everything they had brought with him. He had offered to help Samantha but she had brushed him off. Chuck hid a mischievous grin from Freya as Duke yanked on his leash wanting to explore the new and exotic scents that were assailing his nose. Freya had offered to mind Duke while Chuck had helped unload the gear from the trucks. Chuck knew just how powerful Duke was. If Freya had not been a fairly strong woman Duke would have yanked her over in his enthusiasm. Chuck went in search of Freya once more and found her in Athena’s penthouse suite on the top floor of the blimp’s cabin. This blimp was ridiculous. Most blimps had a single solitary cabin that was the control room. This thing was like a small flying castle. He liked the stealth capabilities of inserting from the stealth coated blimp. Hopefully their target wouldn’t see them coming before they got the drop on them.




Samantha waited till they had all checked in and were in the air before going in search of Eloise. She had slipped away from the main group in the confusion of the blimp’s departure. Most of the team was hanging out in Athena’s sparkly play room. Samantha was never the princess type. She was more rock and roll and grunge than pretty princess. She found Eloise in the vehicle bay eating a snack of some kind. Samantha made sure to make a little noise. She didn’t want to startle her. If Eloise was anything like Samantha, she had probably sought out a little space to catch her breath. Samantha had come a long way from the lone wolf operative she had been in the CIA. Skye had taught her to work as a member of a team and value it. Sam still had moments where people didn’t make sense to her or she felt overwhelmed by them socially. She wanted to talk to Eloise before they needed to jump out of this perfectly repaired and functional blimp in a vehicle drifting to the ground on parachutes potentially under fire. Yeah… now would be good. She still needed to teach Purna and Eloise how to use the gear.

Samantha approached where Eloise was sitting. She smiled up at her in her perch. She waved her down. “Hello Eloise. I am Samantha or Sam. Can you come down here? I have something for you. I also need to show you and Purna how to use the infiltration gear.”

Samantha waited for Eloise to join her. She then handed over a very modern looking tactical quiver full of arrow shafts. Samantha explained how the new piece of gear worked.

“I understand that your callsign is Archer and that you like to use a bow. I didn’t have a lot of time to get any gear ready for you. This is not much but I wanted you to give you something to welcome you to the team. This is a very special quiver and arrows. The shafts are all a lightweight aluminum alloy blend with aerodynamic fletching. The shafts are all identical. They have a threaded end that will screw into the arrow tip. The quiver has a mechanism that will attach the arrowhead you ask for. I sent an update to your armor system so it should work with your HUD. You can subvocalize or select what you want to fire from the menu. The possibilities for speciality arrows are only as vast as our imagination and what I can engineer into them. The quiver holds 40 arrows. I didn’t have a great deal of time so I went for simple and what I knew I could get done. You have ten arrows of each type, acid, electrical, explosive, and armor piercing. The acid vial on the arrow tip will break and spray acid on your target. It will eat through almost anything carbon based. The electrical arrow discharges a volt strong enough to take out most electronics that are not hardened against electrical surges. You can use them against soft targets but its much stronger than a taser. It might kill what you hit. The armor piercing arrows are barbed and strong enough to punch through most operative armor. The explosive tips use a special mix I got from Boomer. It will put a sizable hole in what you hit.” Samantha passed it over as she finished explaining the gear. She shrugged a little and looked down and away. “I am sorry I couldn’t do better with so little time. Welcome to Raven Squad.”





Samantha finally got Purna and Eloise together to discuss how to use the infiltration hacking gear. “The drones just need to be activated and let loose. I reprogrammed them to seek out targets of opportunity. They can be controlled remotely by Rafael and Enri to provide close air surveillance support as well. However if you target the communications tower. You will need to take off the access panel and strip the main wire of its casing. Then simply attach this box to the wire. That will allow Rafael and Enri to take over their communications and hack gear remotely from the base. It will give them a hardwire connection that the PLA can’t sever without physically disconnecting it and they have to find it first.” She made sure they understood how to attach the communications box. She showed them videos and diagrams of what it might look like. If they had the opportunity it would certainly help the hackers sow dissension among the PLA. Samantha had done that once on one of their ops. Since then Artemis had hardened their communications against wireless hacking. This would allow them to send troops in the wrong direction or feed them conflicting orders. Or shut down their communications altogether. The drones would seek out automated heavy weapon platforms such as SAM launchers and automated gun turrets.

Thursday 11th May 2094
European Union Space Agency

Alexander Knight


8:00am

Soundtrack: Now We Are Free - Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerard




Alexander had spent the week trying to be a present and reassuring force at team headquarters. He had made himself available to talk to any of the staff that needed reassurance. He had made a point to eat all his meals in the staff dining room. Most of the staff, while shocked, had taken the exposure of the CEO as a good thing. While there was uncertainty in the air, most of the staff were shocked that the CEO had been able to get away with so much for so long. Alexander’s presence inside Valkyrie seemed to have a stabilizing and reassuring impact on the majority of the regular staff. The senior leadership and those in supervisory positions were the ones expressing the most anxiety and concerns over the future.

Alexander was surprised to get a very encrypted and personal reply back from Lipusz. It pained him to admit that he needed the help. The corruption he had found at the heart of the team went all the way to the top. He suspected there were still a few more players hiding in the shadows on the board of directors. He didn’t know who to trust. He refused to take the fall for assholes who were putting everyone who worked for the team at risk with their selfish and greedy behavior and choices. Alexander made the heart breaking choice to send Arianna away. He didn’t want her to get caught up in the chaos that was descending on Valkyrie at the moment. All the team’s assets and contracts had been frozen pending the investigation. They had been given enough leeway to continue business as usual. Arianna had fully integrated with her augmentations now. Shinochi would monitor her progress but she no longer needed daily care. Alexander argued that it was time for her to return and finish her degree. Arianna had argued that she wanted to be there for him. He had won the argument that he would feel better knowing that she was out of harm’s way. He didn’t want her to be dependent on her mother. He paid for her to move back into the dorm and for her tuition. Arianna had left for Los Angeles when he left for training in French Guiana.

The media storm was being handled by Katherine and her team. The team’s response to the overwhelming number of interview requests had been no comment that due to the ongoing investigation and legal case against the former CEO the corporation was legally unable to comment on the proceedings at this time. This response, while appropriate and required by law, frustrated the media who had taken to using experts in the fields of corporate law to speculate on Valkyrie’s response to the situation and what had led to it. The response from the public was just as volatile and chaotic. There were those who gave sympathetic overwhelming support to the staff at Valkyrie, others who were quick to vilify all of Valkyrie’s leadership with the same brush, as if Brendel’s actions had tainted all of the Team’s leadership. Then there were those who didn’t really care what the CEO had done. They just wanted to know the racing team’s status. Katherine had confirmed for the media that the team would be at the Luna race.

Alexander was with the small group from Valkyrie that would be going with the team to the moon. Normally the racing team traveled with a large group of almost 100 people. There would be a significantly smaller group traveling to the moon. Alexander was going as the leadership and engineering portion of the team. Helga Stumpf was coming as the mechanical lead with Juan Ramirez, Maximilian Gruber, and Igna Podnieks. Dr Montgomery was coming as the team doctor with team paramedic Konrad Bodawski to support him. There were 15 security guards coming that would double as support staff. None of Katherine’s team could be spared to come with the team but the media presence was expected to be lighter on the moon since it was still a location that required permission and was considered a restricted air space. The two team pilots brought the total number of team members going to the moon to 24 people.

Dorian had been more upset over recent events with Valkyrie than Paul. He had been with the team longer and was concerned on how these events would impact his upcoming retirement. Dorian was more concerned about how the negative media attention could impact his own career and endorsement deals. Dorian had expressed his dismay over the ongoing investigation and reinforced his ignorance of the CEO’s actions. Dorian was worried that his career would be painted with a tainted brush. That is not what he wanted as his racing legacy. Dorian was angry, frustrated, and worried about the situation.

Paul had been disgusted to find out that corruption had been so rampant in the leadership of the team. Paul was grateful that it had been exposed and that justice was being pursued. For Paul, it reinforced that he could trust Knight. The agreement between Knight and his mother Alicia was known to four people, Leopold Koch, Alexander Knight, Alicia Mulder, and himself. When asked about his feelings on it, Paul simply answered that for him it was reassuring to know that not even the team leadership was above the law. He then went on to say that he had been advised that he couldn’t discuss an ongoing law enforcement investigation and couldn’t comment further.

The entire group had been sent to the European Union Space Agency for training on how to live and travel in space. They had several days of simulated training at headquarters and then a full day of training at the European Union Space Agency before boarding the team’s space plane for travel to the moon. They were taught how to get into and out of their spacesuits. They were drilled on it till they could do it relatively quickly. They were put in a simulator to learn how to use the space suits thrusters to navigate in zero gravity. They were taught how to use the special zero gravity toilets which made them all laugh at the ridiculous situation they found themselves in. They were reminded that fluids didn’t fall in no gravity they floated! The point that the world didn’t answer to the laws of gravity was driven home throughout the training. By the end, everyone understood how to eat and drink in gravity, use the toilet, airlock safety, how to navigate and maneuver in no gravity, and what all the various alarms were on the ship. They all learned the dangers of traveling and living in space and what they were expected to do in an emergency.

Team Valkyrie was blessed to have the European Union Space Agency as part of their team make up. That meant that the team’s plane had been designed for use in space as well. The plane was designed to act as the team’s home away from home while on the moon. There would be limited onsite housing but the team members who chose to could sleep on the plane. The plane had space tight seals and airlocks allowing it to be converted for space flight. An external fuel tank would provide the extra fuel necessary for the long distance to the moon and back. The special plane used a biofuel and had solar panels with back up batteries to provide the electrical power needed on the plane. A small water recycling and filtration system helps extend the usage of the water used on board. The plane had been stocked with pre-made grab and go meals by the team chef in vacuum packaging designed with zero gravity and reheating in mind. There were two large refrigeration units accessible from the cabins on both decks just past the luggage storage area. Bottled drinks, water, and snacks were stocked in the on board pantries. The plane’s crew had already undergone training and were certified for space flight but they had to undergo refreshment training as well. With four pilots and four stewardesses brought their total team complement to 28 people.

It had been a very long day at the space agency. Everyone would be staying in visitors quarters for the evening. Their plane was due to launch early the next morning from the European Union Spaceport. There were now regular flights back and forth to the moon. The people who worked in space still had to rotate back to Earth for some time in gravity. Artificial gravity slowed bone degradation but still didn’t prevent it. Researchers were still trying to figure out how to get around the bone degradation that happened when people spent too long in zero gravity. It would take them just over 24 hours to reach the moon. They would get almost a full week on the moon for the team to acclimate and practice. That night Alexander had called and chatted with Arianna to see how she was settling back in at UCLA. He also called and checked in with Mabel before the team left the next morning. Mabel was left fielding things while he was gone. He knew she was capable but he was glad she would have Leopold’s support while he was gone. They would have communications with Earth but he wouldn't have much free time while they were on the moon. Alexander was almost grateful for the timing of the Luna Race and the fact he needed to be a member of the team to go. He had left things in as good of a condition as he could. Katherine had been doing an excellent job of handling all media inquiries. Any legal inquiries were being handled by the overworked legal team.




Alexander was grateful that he could tune out all the problems he left behind on Earth and focus on the problems here with him on the moon. The trip to the moon had gone exactly as planned with no issues. The team had quickly fallen into a routine. Paul and Dorian would take the ships out and based on what issues they had they worked to fix the issues. They both needed the time to adjust to the changes that had to be made for the ship to work well in the Lunar environment. There had been unexpected issues like dust clogging valves in the engine. Regolith damaging the coating on the outside of the ship. They managed to eke out a little more efficiency in the energy systems. It had been great for Alexander’s peace of mind to focus on engineering issues instead of personnel matters for a while. Alexander had avoided the public areas and kept himself firmly ensconced in the team’s area. He didn’t feel like answering any questions for reporters. He was quite content to focus on the Luna race.




Social Media





Team Valkyrie AGR Sport has been training diligently for the Luna race. We hope you will support pilots, Dorian Hornfleur and Paul Mulder, as they race on the moon. Be sure to tune in on Sunday for all the race excitement!

[Pictures of the Valkyrie ships racing along during practice on the moon.]

OfficeDrone#12:I hope they are ready. The CEO business has been such a distraction.
SuperfanAGR54: I hope they do well at the Lunar race.
DantheMan:I guess we will see if they can put this behind them and do well.
BatDave: We will have to wait and see.
Superfan2075:Hoping for the best.
DadBod89:That is a fairly big distraction. I hope they really are ready.
Hater101:They are gonna botch it. The timing of the CEO was to distract from how poorly they are going to do on the moon.
Papabear34:I will wait and see how they do under adversity. The mark of a true champion will be the ability to put all this distraction aside and still race well.
Nana2050: I am rooting for Team Valkyrie!
GeorgeFly: For their sakes I hope Paul and Dorian do well.
ValkyrieFan56:I support Team Valkyrie!
Weedhead81: I will smoke a bowl in your honor.
SexyM@m@5: I am cheering for you Dorian!
Paulmulder4eva: I am cheering for Paul!
Britball12: I am want results.
!YouSlow!:Race results will be telling.
xImFasterthanUx:I agree the race results will be very telling of Valkyrie’s readiness and ability to rise above the shit show that has been their leadership.
AGInthusiast:Watching to see what happens.
micheal650004: I wouldn’t miss this race for anything now.
Bertha:Valkyrie is going to crash and burn under the pressure.




Tuesday 9th May 2094
Team Valkyrie HQ


Paul Mulder




Paul had stayed in Portugal an extra day so he could collect on his bet with Hyeon-Ae. He smiled at the memory. He had dragged her out to miniature golf. They had played 18 holes while competing for the best score. He then treated her to lunch. Hyeon-Ae had invited Cassie along. He didn’t mind so much. He had a suspicion that Cassie was on the same mission to loosen the Ice Queen up and see if she knew how to have fun. It had been an enjoyable excursion. He had flown back to Germany late Monday.

He knew he needed to train for the Luna race. It was going to be a whole different set of skills. He had never raced on the moon before. He wanted to get as much training in as he could. Taking the extra day in Portugal had been a luxury but there was something to be said for relaxation and stepping away from racing occasionally too. He walked into headquarters early the next morning. He was scheduled to work with the trainers for his 8:00 am morning torture session. He had slugged a protein shake down before his workout. He went from the gym to the simulator. He did an hour in the simulator. The thought process behind it was to help push his racing skills when he was already tired. Then he would be less apt to make a major mistake when it counted. It was another way to find out where his weaknesses were and where and under what conditions his attention might wander. He couldn’t afford that on the moon. The moon was a very hostile and unforgiving environment. He couldn’t afford to make any mistakes on the moon. After climbing out of the simulator, he was once again dripping in sweat. He slugged the Zap electrolyte drink that Agnes, his physical trainer slapped into his hand. He thanked her and sipped at the second one. Agnes seemed pleased with his progress. She left him to shower with orders to get some breakfast. They had tried having him eat breakfast first but he had puked a few times. So they had gone with the electrolyte and protein shake instead. That worked for him.

It was almost 10:30am before Paul finally made it to the cafeteria. Most of the employees were already in their offices. The cafeteria was usually almost empty. Paul was surprised to see quite a few people chatting in groups around the cafeteria. Paul had grabbed a plate and helped himself to breakfast following the meal plan the team nutritionist, Dr. Thorkelson had given him. He had a whole wheat breakfast croissant with veggie bacon and sausage. Some fruit and yogurt. He accompanied it with a glass of juice. Paul finished his food quickly and dealt with his tray and plates. He grabbed a glass of water and looked around more carefully.

Something was happening. The employees in the cafeteria were tense and nervous. They kept watching the door to the cafeteria. He noticed that the employees in the cafeteria were from the human resources and administration departments. More of them continued to trickle in. Paul’s tablet rang out with a notification indication. He pulled it out and noticed a priority email from Alexander. He opened it and it was a short video from Alexander explaining that the CEO had been arrested on fraud, embezzlement, and harassment charges. Alexander explained that government investigators and agents were combing through headquarters collecting evidence and interviewing employees. He told employees to tell the truth and cooperate with investigators. He said that the charges would be acknowledged publicly and that Brendel had conspired with Maier, the former head of human resources, to defraud the company. Alexander said that both men would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. He apologized to the staff on behalf of the leadership for anyone who had been hurt by the actions of these two former employees. Alexander went on to say that his priority was justice for those injured and preventing this kind of abuse from happening again. Alexander asked for the patience and support of the staff as they figured things out for moving the team forward. He hoped this would be the end of the drama for the team. He ended the video with a reminder that this was an ongoing legal investigation that they needed to cooperate with authorities and were forbidden from talking about it to anyone.

This was the last thing Paul wanted to deal with this week. He was leaving in a few days for the Luna race. He had to attend mandatory training at the European Union Space Agency with the rest of the team before they could leave. He was already doing preliminary training here at headquarters. He was scheduled to use the pool for training in a simulated weightless environment that afternoon. They were traveling to the moon with the plan to give the team a week on the moon to work out any kinks. Paul knew that there would be questions from sponsors, fans, and it might impact some of his endorsement deals. Paul rubbed at his face with his hands in frustration. He needed to call his agent Armando Batista. Paul left the cafeteria and went to his apartment on site. He logged into his computer tablet and sent a video call request to his agent. He waited as the arrow circled around as the call connected. Armando was frowning at him as he picked up the call.

Armando: “Paul what is going on at Valkyrie? I have already received a dozen calls from the press and a few from sponsors. I started letting them all go to voicemail.”

Paul didn’t bother to hide his frustration. Logically he knew this was not Alexander’s fault but he had to admit that it had been one media crisis to the next since he started. Although he would rather the CEO be removed if the charges were true, there had to be something to it. The authorities didn’t issue arrest warrants for men of Brendel’s stature lightly. Regardless of the validity of the case against the CEO there was fallout for Paul. There were those who would say that his taint painted everyone in the organization in a bad light. Paul was stuck with the fallout no matter what he said or did.

Paul: “I need your advice on how to handle this Armando.” Paul shared what he knew of the situation that was happening at Valkyrie with Armando. He needed to know so that he could help Paul manage the fallout of the situation. He only gave him the broad strokes that were being shared with the media. He didn’t need to be implicated in inappropriate behavior during this investigation.

Armando looked stunned and then angry. Then he looked thoughtful. Paul waited for him to process the news. Armando looked as if he had come to a decision.

Armando: “My first question is what means the most to you? Do you want me to say anything to salvage your endorsements or do you want to support Knight and Valkyrie? You might lose some endorsements in the short term. This will eventually blow over but you could damage your relationship with Valkyrie if you say the wrong thing at the moment. It could hurt your credibility with sponsors later on. It could hurt chances at changing teams later if you appear too eager to jump ship.”

Paul had never even considered that if he looked after his own interest first that the team might take that poorly. He believed Alexander would understand but Paul didn’t race for the money. He had an inheritance from his father and mother. The endorsements were so he could earn his own money. He took pride in leaving his inheritance untouched and earning what he spent. Paul sighed knowing his decision had been made.

Paul: “I am going to back Knight and the team while denying any knowledge of Brendel’s actions. If it costs me endorsements so be it. It is the right thing to do. If you get any more media requests, just let them know that I will be releasing a personal statement shortly. I will be taking no questions regarding this for now. It is a legal matter and I am not at liberty to discuss an ongoing case. Knight made that clear in his video message to the staff. Give the same message to my endorsements and sponsors. If they wish to speak with me directly, ask them for their patience as I am focused on the Luna race. If they still want to talk to me directly, they will have to wait till I am back from the moon.”

Armando winced knowing he had a ton of work ahead of him. Paul was not his only client. He also would lose out on the commission and his cut of any endorsements that fell through due to this situation.

Armando: “I will take care of it but this is going to eat up my week. I have other clients to take care of as well, Paul.”

Paul gave Armando a cold look. Armando came highly recommended and had done an excellent job until now. He raised an eyebrow at Armando. His voice was cold as he replied.

Paul: “I sure hope you are not implying that you deserve a bonus or extra pay for doing your job. You get paid very well to take care of my interests, Armando. If it is too much work for you, I can hire a new agent. Someone who has the time to take care of my interests.”

Armando began to back pedal with a panicked look. Paul was one of his more lucrative and easy going clients typically.

Paul made a note to begin looking for a new agent. He no longer trusted Armando fully. He didn’t have time to deal with it before Luna. He would wait and see how well Armando handled the current crisis before making a solid decision on it.

Armando gave Paul a placating look and gesture. “Sheesh you are high strung today. I am just being honest with you Paul. I will get it done. Don’t get all bent out of shape.”

Paul shook his head yep. He was going to be looking for a new agent.

Paul snapped out. “Just get it done.” He cut the call. He then dialed his mother’s number. He waited for the call to connect.

Alicia picked almost immediately with a concerned look on her face.

Alicia: “Paul what’s wrong?”

Paul quickly laid out what was happening at the company. He once more kept it to what was being shared with the public. So the broad strokes of what was happening. He explained how his interests were caught in the middle. He explained how his conversation with Armando had gone.

Paul: “Mom I no longer trust him. I need to find a new agent. I need someone I can trust. I need someone who is only handling my interests I think. If you think of anyone can you let me know. I wanted you to know what was going on since I believe the press will contact you about it. I wanted you to hear it from me. I am going to back the team and Knight. I am going to release my own statement here shortly. I didn’t want you to get caught by surprise.”

Alicia: “Thank you for calling me Paul.” She paused examining Paul’s face. “Are you alright darling?”

Paul sighed and let his frustration show. “Yes I am just frustrated. Every time it seems the drama has been left behind and things start to go well another issue is dropped. I am beginning to think either I am cursed or Knight is!”

Alicia laughed and gave Paul a sympathetic look. “Well it sounds like there were forces behind the scenes working against Knight. If there are any more, hopefully this will drive them back into the shadows. Knight seems to do a good job of rooting them out. I for one am very happy about that.”

Alicia gave Paul a loving smile with a hard glint in her eye that hinted at the momma bear she was.

Paul was a little surprised at his mother’s take on things. He sighed as he realized she was right of course. If there were elements trying to profit off the team, who knows what kind of damage or sabotage they might have opened the team up to? Better to root it out. That didn’t mean that in the short term Paul wouldn’t suffer some fall out as well. Paul gave a sigh doing his best to let the tension go. He gave his mother a big smile.

Paul: “I am glad I had the chance to talk to you before I go to the moon. Will you root for me?”

Alicia gave him an exasperated smile. “Of course I will. Right after I attend mass and pray for your safe return.”

Paul’s expression softened. He knew she worried about him because she cared. “I love you mama.”

Alicia's smile grew and anyone could see the beauty that had attracted Audrick Mulder in that smile. “I love you too. I wish you a good race my son.”

Paul smiled and nodded. “I will come for dinner when I get back.”

Alicia smiled and nodded. “I look forward to it. I have to go. Travel safely.”

Paul nodded as he told her. “I will.” The screen disconnected.




Paul spent some time writing what he wanted to say down. He tweaked it and edited it a few times before he decided to record it. He was careful to avoid any slanderous language. He made sure he used alleged charges. He was careful to be supportive of Knight and the team. He wanted to make his stance clear to all his fans and sponsors. He didn’t want to leave any speculation out there that he was looking for a new ride. Paul was quite happy at Valkyrie. If they could just put all this drama and upheaval behind them, he believed that they could accomplish anything. When you think about all that they had already overcome so far this season, Knight was not doing too badly. Things would hopefully get better. He truly did trust Knight to get them out of this if he could just weather the media storm. Paul posted the statement shortly after noon. He wasn’t feeling very hungry but forced a high protein snack down before heading off to his afternoon training session for Luna.




Paul posted his statement a little after noon. He had spent some time returning emails. He had some endorsement deals that had been pending with an athletic shoe company and a sunglass company. They had both withdrawn their endorsement offers due to the bad press Valkyrie was receiving. Paul gave them a polite understanding email back. He received a personal email from Artie at Enigma Lux who informed Paul that he was not pulling his endorsement contract. He was going to continue to support Team Valkyrie. Paul wondered how this might impact the fundraiser he had been planning for the foundation. He would have to wait and see. Some of his other contracts for endorsements had expressed concerns or pulled ads but because the work had already been completed for the advertising and paid. It really didn’t impact Paul as much. It just meant less publicity for a while.

Paul left for his afternoon simulation training feeling frustrated and anxious. At least he would be physically active. He hoped that helped with the anxiety he was feeling. He wondered how Dorian was faring. He was supposed to be at the pool for simulation training as well. He hoped he had an opportunity to check in with him.




Social Media





Paul Mulder @valkyriepaul

This is a special press release by Paul Mulder of Team Valkyrie AGR Sport.


[It is a video of Paul wearing a team polo shirt. He looks classically handsome as always with a serious expression on his face.]

“Hello Formula AG Fans. This is Paul Mulder of Team Valkyrie AGR Sport. I am releasing this statement because I have had an overwhelming number of people contacting the team, my agent, and myself, asking questions. This is the only statement I will give regarding the current investigation into the former CEO of the Team, Peter Brendel.”

Paul paused and looked directly into the camera. He hoped it felt like he was meeting the eyes of the person watching. He wanted to come across as sincere and earnest.

“First this is an active and ongoing legal investigation. I am not at liberty to discuss this case or disclose any information about the investigation at all. So please do not ask me to give you any information because I can’t and I won’t.”

He paused and hoped he came across as emphatic and shut down that line of questioning.

“I have been asked for my response to these allegations and the ongoing investigation. I can only give you my personal opinion and my personal feelings on this matter. This is my own opinion and has in no way been solicited or even suggested by team leadership. My response is the same I am sure many others have. Disbelief that someone in a position of such sacred trust would abuse it so vilely. I stand firmly with the Valkyrie Crew Chief, Alexander Knight. I believe he has the best interests of the team at heart. I believe it is his integrity and diligence that has brought so much corruption to light from within the team. I trust in his decision to bring this matter out into the open. I find it comforting that not even the CEO of the company is above the law and that there are employees here at Team Valkyrie willing to see that justice is done for those who have been wronged. I believe that the alleged actions of Peter Brendel and Bernard Maier were in no way sanctioned by the leadership of Team Valkyrie AGR Sport. I trust Alexander Knight and Leopold Koch to guide the team through this crisis. I have found Alexander Knight to be a man of great personal integrity and honor. It is unfortunate that his good name has been tied to so much controversy here at Team Valkyrie. I have found Mr. Knight to be a man of high moral character and strong convictions. I am comforted to know that I have Mr. Knight watching out for me.”

He paused and looked into the camera once more with a sad but serious smile on his face.

“To all the Team Valkyrie fans, I hope you will support the team during this trying time. I know it can be hard to trust a team when you see something like this happen. I hope you put your faith in the fact that the Team is being as transparent and as honest as they can be with you, the public, to heart. I hope I can count on your continued support. I will need it. The team is headed for the moon, for the Luna race. It will be my first time racing on the moon. I am training hard but there is a lot to learn. The moon is a very different environment and race altogether. The arrest of Peter Brendel is a distraction none of need at this critical time. I hope to do well at Luna. I hope Team Valkyrie will rise once more and be deserving of your trust and support. I am not going anywhere. I hope I have answered your question. Next stop… The Moon!”

He gave a more confident look and a thumbs up before ending the video.




OfficeDrone#12:Paul is a standup guy.
SuperfanAGR54: Well Paul made his stance very clear.
DantheMan:I am surprised by Paul’s choice.
BatDave: Respect for Paul
Superfan2075:#respect
DadBod89:It says something that Paul is backing Knight so solidly.
Hater101:Yeah right! Valkyrie’s press secretary probably wrote and edited that for him. I don’t believe it.
Papabear34:I don’t know what to think.
Nana2050: Again we see respect for Knight.
GeorgeFly:Respect Paul for standing by his team.
ValkyrieFan56:We support you Paul!
Weedhead81: #Respect
SexyM@m@5: I wonder if Dorian will release a statement too?
Paulmulder4eva: I support you Paul! I [heart emoji] You!
Britball12: Yeah I believe Paul is just spouting the team line there.
!YouSlow!:It should never have come to this. This should have been dealt with internally long before this point. It will be interesting when we get full details of the investigation.
xImFasterthanUx:I respect Paul for standing by his team. Not sure I believe they didn’t ask him to make a statement in support though.
AGInthusiast:What timing! The Luna Race is arguably one of the most popular races of the year.
micheal650004: Respect for Paul and Valkyrie for how they are handling this difficult situation.
Bertha:I agree with YouSlow. Things should never have gotten this bad at Valkyrie. Where was the oversight from the Board of Directors?
Nobody404:Paul makes it clear that it is his opinion and feelings. He states it plainly. Whether you believe him or not. The controversy should be against the former CEO Peter Brendel. Why are we crucifying those that were victims? There should be no victim blaming here!




Thursday 10th May 2094
European Union Space Agency


Paul was with the rest of the team as they completed their training for the moon at the European Union Space Agency’s training center which was located adjacent to the spaceport in French Guiana. Paul had avoided any media at all so he could focus on the upcoming race. He had set up an away message for his email. He had avoided any social media and avoided the television. He had simply stayed offline. He had read or played video games if he needed entertainment. He avoided the public and stayed on campus so he could stay focused. He didn’t need any more distractions. He was taking the Luna race very seriously. He had been training hard in the simulator but there was only so much it could teach him. He needed to get in the ship and feel how it responded in the Lunar gravity for himself. He had to go through a bunch of safety training though just to get to the moon. He was determined to do well at Luna. He wanted to prove that his podium in Portugal was not a fluke but skill and a get ship. He felt the pressure to perform now more than ever before. Alexander had done his best to give him as much training as close as possible to Luna conditions as he could. There were still probably going to be necessary tweaks here and there after they started troubleshooting on the moon. Paul was grateful that Alexander was coming to the moon. He liked Cavan Mitchell but he didn’t know him very well yet. He had just started.

Paul was grateful when the day’s training was over. It was not just physically exhausting but mentally exhausting. There were so many things that had to be done just so. It was so easy to make a mistake that could be life threatening. It was just as exhausting to work in simulated zero gravity as it was to work in gravity. The focus required was absolute. He felt like he had put in a twelve hour training day instead of 8. He was grateful that they were all going to get a good night’s sleep on terra firma before blasting off for the moon the next morning. Paul once more withdrew to his room. He sought solitude. He didn’t want to gossip or speculate about the pending investigation or talk about it. He just wanted to block it out and focus on what he needed to learn and do to do well on the moon. Paul put on some music and did some yoga to stretch out his tired muscles. He kept his evening light and went to bed early. He was really excited about traveling to the moon. He was looking forward to seeing Earth from space. That was an experience that even if he lost, no one could take away from him. He would have to remember to take a picture for his mother. He wanted to be able to share the experience with her.




The journey to the moon was gratefully drama free. It went exactly as planned. Paul had discussed strategy and ship set up with Alexander and Helga. He was grateful that Alexander didn’t feel the need to talk about what was happening at headquarters. He stuck to what the team needed to do to get the ship prepped for the upcoming race. They had started the conversion at headquarters of course but there were always things you find out after you get there. They had already added additional directional thrusters around the ship to help it steer and maneuver in the moon’s lighter gravity. They had ensured the pulse engines had the right fuel mixture to propel the ship forward in the lack of atmosphere on the moon. The lack of oxygen makes traditional combustion engines obsolete unless you brought your own oxygen of course. They made sure the ship’s hull would provide protection against solar radiation. Paul had a spacesuit in team colors that had additional protection from radiation built into it. The suit was sleek and stylish but made for movement and to hold pressure. The suit had an external oxygen tank and built in carbon dioxide scrubbers. It also had a port that allowed Paul to plug the suit into the onboard oxygen supply. The helmet mimicked his racing helmet with an integrated holographic heads up display. The glass of the helmet could be adjusted to prevent the sun from blinding him.

Paul’s first lap in the ship was a revelation in how much he needed this time to adjust what he needed to do in the ship. Where he had used his airbrake in the past, he was now using his throttle. He could drift through corners by easing up on the throttle to slow down. He could fire thrusters in a reverse thrust but it was not as smooth. It caused a jerky response that cost him more time. The covering on the ship’s hull took a beating from the regolith. They had needed to reapply it and change its structure a bit to make it harder for the regolith to tear up. Paul had to get used to steering by way of the additional thrusters. Once he got the hang of it, the ship was handling well and still maintained its stability. It was faster on the moon without wind holding it back. The team had updated the efficiency of the energy system as best they could. They had to add some additional filtering support to keep the abrasive dust out of the intakes for the engine. Knight had used an old school but effective method to ensure that the intakes remained unclogged. Paul felt as if they were as prepared as they could be. He would go out and give it his best. He got faster every time he went out. He managed to take the turns just a bit better. He managed to find a racing line that seemed to work for him. The question was would it work when they were all on the track together? Only time would tell.




Delta Hyper Sofa on the Moon


Paul was in one of the new spacesuits that had been designed for this race. He had two in case one was damaged. It was in the Valkyrie’s gold tone with grey piping and blocking evoking wings. The sunglass tint on the visor in a metallic gold. Paul was here for his Delta Hyper interview so the visor was transparent so his face could be seen. He made his way out of the airlock to the Delta Hyper “couch” with the Earth in the background. He took his seat as gracefully as he could in the unwieldy spacesuit. It was sleeker than older models but still not as easy to move in as regular clothes.

"Paul, welcome to Mare Austral! With all the talk of the controversy behind the scenes of Valkyrie at the moment, would you say the team is ready for the race to come?"


Paul sighed and internally wished he could just walk off. He had already said all he really wanted to say about the situation with the former CEO. He didn’t smile this time. He kept a serious look as he answered honestly.

“I believe Team Valkyrie is as ready as we can be. I have been training for this race for weeks. Of course there is only so much preparation and training you can do on Earth in gravity. We have been here for a week. I have needed that week to acclimate to the moon. This is my first time on the moon. There is very little gravity and no real atmosphere to speak of which makes the ship behave and react very differently. Alexander Knight and the team have been tweaking and making changes to accommodate Luna since we got here. I am comfortable with my current setup. I am getting decent times in practice. We will just have to run our best race and hope we did enough.”




TNT = The Nameless Tavern Character

roleplayerguild.com/topics/86431-tnt-…

Age of Broken Shackles Nation RP

roleplayerguild.com/topics/193406-age…





Delta Hyper NPC Character

roleplayerguild.com/topics/192916-del…



Delta Hyper Character

roleplayerguild.com/topics/192916-del…





© 2007-2025
BBCode Cheatsheet