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.
The Mulder Foundation Gala was in full swing. The event had sold out and was being attended by worldwide celebrities who were fans of Formula AG or who just wanted to be seen. There was a gauntlet of reporters and media reporters lining the light bathed to the wide steps that led up into the art museum where the gala was taking place. The colored path was brightly lit with laser and flood lights creating a beautiful pattern that highlighted the red carpet like entrance. Inside lights again played a key part of the decor with magenta lighting highlighting the space. There were small cocktail tables set around the perimeter and seating areas had been arranged with rented furniture and drapery. There was a designated dance floor as well. Soft classical music was being played for a quartet of musicians on stringed instruments set off to one side. The stairs leading down into the central lobby of the museum’s first open floor had become the entry way. The identical stairway on the other side of the large open space had been set up as a stage. In front of the stage was a sea of tables with place settings and chairs. There were low centerpieces on the tables so that they wouldn’t block anyone’s view. Centerpieces were made by children from the Mulder Foundation and were charming as only a child’s creation could be. The Silent Auction items were on display off to one side in an alcove.
Attendees were treated to a fabulous meal that had been the creation of three famous chefs working together to create the meal. There was live music throughout. Some celebrity performances. The silent auction featured everything from a stay in a celebrity’s vacation home to gift baskets put together from donations of local businesses. Then there were the big ticket items. The motorcycle that Kais had donated and painted with a group of children from the Mulder Foundation with Nora Kelly’s help, Bea’s artwork, signed Zygon merchandise from Hyeon-Ae, and Paul’s donations of a signed racing helmet and one of his racing suits from earlier in the season. Paul announced that the sale of t-shirts with the artwork produced by Beatrix had raised $400,000. Paul’s speech thanked everyone for coming and supporting the Mulder Foundation. After the silent auction, the dance floor was opened up.
Paul gave interview after interview. He had talked himself hoarse by the end of the evening. His mother had been in attendance and wore a happy smile the entire evening. Paul spent what time he could with the pilots who had supported his efforts.
This is Hans Keller with Gossip. We are going to dish on what happened at the Mulder Foundation Gala. The Mulder Foundation Fundraising Gala was a literal party of international celebrities. The event spearheaded by Paul Mulder had managed to recruit many of the famous faces of Formula AG. Fans at the event were over the moon with the opportunity to meet so many of the world’s elite. The Gala was an obvious success by the attendance. Word is that the Gala had raised over 1 million Euro and still counting. The results of the silent auction are still being tallied. While celebrities were on their best behavior, there were a few moments captured by the media at the event. Celebrity singer songwriter Nyx Voltage stole the show from the DJ on the dance floor. Fashion Designer Sable Vortex was rocking a new look that took best in fashion. Cameras caught a lovers quarrel between Roxy Chrome and Luna Riot. Remember you heard it here first! Follow Gossip to stay on top of what’s happening with your favorite celebrities.
This is Jamaica Williams with People Magazine. The Mulder Foundation Gala did not disappoint. The event turned into a celebrity mosh pit as celebrities from all over the world descended to attend the event. It became the event of the season. Our hat is off to Paul Mulder. The Formula AG rookie threw a good party. The decor was classy and elegant while the event retained a fresh and entertaining feel. Guests were having a good time. The Gala raised over 1 million euros for the Mulder Foundation. We understand bids for silent auction items are still being tabulated. Best in fashion at the event has to go to fashion designer Sable Vortex who was rocking a new frock of her own design that had a massive train and collar that framed her face. The red gown flowed down the steps in an artful way. We were fascinated that she could walk in the gown. While the event was a success there were a few tense moments when an argument broke out between Roxy Chrome and Luna Riot. Security quickly intervened. Footballer Jude Stevens was seen throwing up outside in a planter after being escorted out by security. And singer-songwriter Nyx Voltage took over the DJ booth. This was definitely the party to be at last night. This has been Jamaica Williams with People.
This is Sabrina Merla with BBC World News. I am reporting on the Mulder Foundation's Fundraising Gala. It was truly a night among stars. Formula AG’s Paul Mulder Hosts Stellar Gala to Honor His Father and Support Underprivileged Youth. The event took place at Belgium's Art Museum. The ceiling was glowed with simulated stellar auroras and scenes. Formula AG Pilot Paul Mulder traded his flight suit for formal wear to host a star studded fundraising gala in honor of his late father, Ag racing legend Audrick Mulder.
The charity event was attended by celebrities from across the planet. The Mulder Foundation—a non-profit founded by Paul’s mother, Alicia Mulder, to uplift underprivileged children in Europe through access to sports and the arts. Alicia Mulder founded the charity to honor her husband's memory. Audrick believed that all children should be able to live out there dreams. When he was alive, he supported similar charity work using his celebrity to help raise funds for youth organizations all over the world. Audrick Mulder tragically lost his life due to a crash at the Spa Grand Prix. His death led to safety changes and technology that made the sport safer for both the pilots and the spectators.
Paul gave a moving speech during the dinner thanking all the attendees and supporters for helping to fund another year of work at the Mulder Foundation. "My mother started the Mulder Foundation to honor the memory of my father. She wanted to do it in a way that kept his memory and spirit alive. My father believed that everyone should strive to do what they loved. He felt only then were you truly living. My mother started the Mulder Foundation to support racing hopefuls who needed financial support. Racing is not a cheap sport. The Mulder Foundation provides mentors, equipment, training, and financial support to young athletes all over Europe. These young hopefuls have the opportunity to chase their dreams where they faced barriers. The Mulder Foundation provides children and youth with the opportunity to push themselves and find their own boundaries. It is no secret that my Mother Alicia loves art. The Mulder Foundation also provides support to youth art programs, providing supplies and grants so children can explore their creativity. Every child deserves a chance to shine. The Mulder Foundation Provides that. Thank you for helping me honor my father's memory by taking part in tonight's event."
The gala was a buffet to delight all your senses. The exceptional decor and use of lighting was a delight for eyes. There was exceptional performance after performance from celebrity artists and musicians. The meal was outstanding with the combined might of three world class chefs coming together to present an unforgettable menu. The fashion on display was on another level altogether. Whatever your pleasure, there was something there to delight everyone.
The silent auction featured one of Paul Mulder's racing helmets, signed with a certificate of authenticity. There was a ride on a private space yacht, a motorcycle donated by Kais Zenix, artwork by Beatrix Ward, signed Zygon fan gear from Hyeon-Ae, and a gravity defying sculpture by Amsterdam artist Lex-9.
After the silent auction, the night heated up on the anti-gravity dancefloor where guests danced the night away.
Paul Mulder, hailed as one of the most promising young pilots of the 2094 AG circuit, continues to prove that being a champion means more than crossing the finish line—it means lifting others along the way.
This is Lilly Stryker with TMZ. I am reporting to you about the Mulder Gala Drama! That's right I have all the information about what happened, who did it, those who committed fashion faux pas!
Let's start with just how star studded this fundraiser was. It was attended by celebrities from all over the world. Some of the biggest names in the music industry performed as entertainment throughout the evening. The gala was hosted by Formula AG heartthrob Paul Mulder. The Mulder Foundation was started by Paul's mother Alicia to honor his father former AG pilot Audrick Mulder. Paul gave a heart warming speech explaining his connection to the foundation and how it honored his father.
The Cyborg Queen of Pop, icon Yaaz-A.I. strolled in wearing what can only be described as a sentient jumpsuit made from recycled tech panels for some hi-tech fashion. Halfway through the evening, the jumpsuit suffered a malfunctioned which caused an unfortunate incident with a serving drone.
Anti-gravity Footballers Kaito Renn and Lana Vesari were seated suspiciously far apart at dinner—despite playing for the same team last season. Lana arrived in a gown made entirely of recycled mesh (10/10), while Kaito wore denim. Actual denim. To a black-tie gala. The fashion police are still out if this should be a violation.
Model and environmental activist Nova Blythe was seen getting up close and personal with Maxion J the tech wiz. Their dancefloor “gravity lock” move looked a lot like a kiss.
Right after Paul’s emotional tribute to his late father, guests moved to the antigravity dance floor. Where someone (we’re not naming names, but their initials are L.V.) appears to have lost control of their dress and had a wardrobe malfunction of stellar proportion. We are still trying to obtain the Security footage.
Paul kept the evening classy and danced with his mother, who looked stunning in vintage couture. He was an excellent host for the evening.
The Mulder Gala is already trending on social media under #GravityGoals and #GalaGoneGalactic.
Remember you heard it here first on TMZ with Lilly Stryker. TMZ is always first on the scene with what is happening with your favorite celebrities.
Social Media
From: Paul Mulder @ValkyriePaul:
“Thank you to everyone who supported the Foundation Gala. Drama aside, we raised over 4 million Credits for kids’ programs. Worth every awkward gravity moment. 💙 #ForAudrick”
GravityThirstTrap: “NOT LANA doing zero-g ballet midair like she trained on Luna! 😂 Give that woman a medal and a seatbelt.”
SpaceTeaSpiller94: “Who the hell wears DENIM to a Gala?! Kaito Renn must’ve lost a bet. Or taste.”
NovaStanUniverse:“Nova + Maxion J? I CALLED IT. They had orbital chemistry at the Hangar Party last month. 👀💋”
SyntheticsSlayAllDay:“YAZZ-A.I.’s outfit attacking the drone was honestly more entertaining than her last tour. I said what I said.”
JustHereForPaul: “Paul Mulder being the only normal person there and dancing with his mom while everyone else is in a space soap opera. Protect him 🥹💖”
LanaVesari.official: (AntiGravity Footballer) “For the record: I didn’t fall. I was performing a controlled reverse-torque spin. Y’all just don’t understand anti-grav fashion physics 💅🏼”
KaitoRenn: (AntiGravity Footballer, denim offender) “Listen. The invite said ‘formal’ not ‘funeral.’ My Lunar denim is limited edition. Chill.”😂
NovaBlythe: “Maxion was checking my biosignal readings, thank you very much. It was… professional. 🙃”💋
YAZZ-A.I.: 🤖 “My garment achieved full drone-to-fabric harmony. Art isn’t always comfortable, darling.”
The historic hotel was located in the center of Spa and was about 15 minutes from the Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps. It was far enough away from the racetrack that the pilots would get a break from the crowds hovering near the track. They were close enough to be on the track quickly. The hotel was originally a mansion from 1880 that has a long history and has been preserved as a historic landmark in the city. The hotel is old and grand in a way that modern buildings just are not anymore. The hotel has old world charm and character. The hotel includes a landscaped garden. All of the rooms at La villa des Fleurs feature individual décor, a mini-bar and a work desk. They also have a seating area with a flat-screen holographic satellite TV. It has been kept upgraded with modern amenities without losing any of its historic charm. It is a smaller hotel and is surrounded by a high stone wall which made it perfect for the security needs of the pilots. The hotel was big enough to accommodate the pilots and most of their team personnel. The hotel had multiple smaller lounges and congregation areas with comfortable seating. Rooms had sleek modern amenities with luxurious finishes and touches. Some rooms had original fireplaces in them, or wrought iron balconies. There was a lovely garden and terrace behind the hotel inside the stone fence for guests to relax in.
Paul’s endorsement deal with the hotel covered the cost of the stay. Paul was footing the bill for bringing in the chef. Paul didn’t mind. The cost of the chef was worth it to his mind. The hotel was a bonus. The owner was a friend of his mother’s and had approached Paul about a personal endorsement deal. Paul had bartered the hotel’s services instead for the race. The hotel owner thought it was more than worth it knowing that with Paul’s endorsement and if other pilots and teams stayed they would share their experience. Garnering more exposure for the hotel. It was better advertising than he could afford. Paul had sent the hotel what information the pilots had given him. The staff were excited to serve. Many of them were Formula AG fans themselves. Paul’s head of security and Team Valkyrie’s Security team had already vetted the hotel staff that would be on duty during their stay. Hotel check in was quick and courteous. Pilots were greeted with a smile and eagerness to please, with some happy fans among the staff who tried not to squeal as their favorites called on them.
Paul had been on hand in the lobby in case he was needed. He greeted everyone as they showed up with a smile. There were pleasant smiles and some surprised looks as they took in the opulent and grand old hotel. Paul grinned as he felt it was great that Belgium had managed to save some of their older buildings from the ravages of the super storms and acid rain that had destroyed so many. Paul’s mother had instilled an appreciation for art and architecture in her son. He loved the idea that such an old building was still functioning and had purpose. Even as a great deal of their budget went into its preservation. It offered a unique glimpse into how people lived in the past.
The chef had been hired to prepare food for them while there on site over the weekend. There would be a breakfast buffet for anyone staying at the hotel with everything from croissants, scones, muffins, coffee, tea, and an array of fruits, eggs, bacon, sausage, and a blender and the makings for protein shakes and the like. Paul had a suspicion that if Kais did stay he would not give up his protein breakfast shake. Paul knew that the Team Valkyrie crew would be pleased. It was his way of thanking the team for his win at Montreal.
Dinner would be in the hotel’s largest private dining room. The table was set in one long strip down the middle of the room. There was an old ornate fireplace along one wall and at one end of the room was a set of double glass french doors that led out onto a terrace and the garden at the back of the hotel. Deep plush red velvet chairs awaited guests around the table. The table was wood with white linen napkins with crystal glasses and silverware with white china plates sat around the table. Each place setting had a custom printed menu with the dinner options available. There was a grilled filet mignon with au gratin potatoes and sauteed asparagus. There was a seabass with scallops options in a cream sauce with rice pilaf and steamed seasonal vegetables. The last option was a vegetarian pasta medley. Every place setting had a crystal glass with ice water in it. A selection of crystal wine glasses, champagne flutes, and high ball glasses awaited alcoholic or mock tail options. There were four waiters lined up along the wall in black slacks and white button up shirts with black aprons on.
Paul was waiting at the dining room door to greet everyone. Paul was excited to get to spend some time with the other pilots together out of the public’s eye. He beamed as he greeted everyone. He was wearing loafers, dress slacks, and a light blue shirt that made his eyes pop. Everyone was met with a big smile and happy energy.
Paul: “Welcome come on in! The chef told me dinner would take about thirty minutes once we put our orders in. Please take a seat and let the servers know what you want.”
The waiters had moved in and were getting drinks and taking everyone’s dinner order. Paul was not surprised when Dorian ordered the seafood and Wedge ordered the filet mignon. Or when Astrid ordered the vegetarian pasta and one of her glasses of gin. Paul had made sure to have some on hand for her. Ava surprised him when she ordered the filet mignon. Amy ordered the seafood. He was not surprised when Kofi had the vegetarian pasta. The pilots were just as diverse in their drink orders. Some stuck with just water, a few had mocktails, and one or two had decided to try the Belgium beer on hand.
Paul had taken one of the seats at the end of the table so he could see all of his guests. They had time to chat while their dinner was being cooked. He had waited till everyone had something to drink. The mood was good and energetic like long lost friends catching up. He had a glass of rich red wine in his hand as he stood. He smiled at his guests as he raised the glass high.
Paul: “I would like to propose a toast. To quote the infamous Enzo Ferrari, What’s behind us doesn’t matter. To a safe but exciting rest of the season as we redefine our need for speed. To friendly competition!” Paul’s smile was beaming as he took a sip of his wine and sat down.
Chatter and laughter flowed from there. They talked about the change in circuits in particular Hawaii. There was good natured ribbing from one pilot to another over crashes and close calls and the competitions that Delta Hyper had come up with. The Canadian poutine battle had them all arguing over who the best cook was. Paul was pleased that his dinner was going over so well. He enjoyed being able to hear everyone. The nightclub in Tokyo was a different scene and fun with a completely different vibe but it had been public. There was more privacy for this dinner which was intentional. He knew he always felt the pressure of appearances in public. He felt this was a way they could get together and truly relax with one another. He was smiling as this was exactly what he had been hoping to see.
DELTΔ HYPER
The Shared Couch
”Does anyone else feel like they are on the seat outside the dean’s office?”
Paul lowered his voice and gave a conspiratorial whisper. “I mean I can see why Kais and Bea would be tagged troublemakers. I thought I was framed as the golden boy or gentleman like Dorian. What did I do to earn being lumped in with the bad boys and girls of the paddock?” He waggled his eyebrows enquiringly at Bea and then Kais.
”Not like the dean’s office at all.” Bea shook her head, ”Every time I went there, I knew exactly what they were going to ask about.” She answered as innocently as possible in stark contrast to the words coming out of her mouth. ”But how do you know what sitting in front of the dean’s office is like, mister golden boy gentleman?” She turned it around on Paul with an inquisitive look, fully aware the mics and cameras were already running and caring little. Aurora had time, she could wait. ”What did you do? You broke something, didn’t you? Something expensive.”
Paul’s eyes widened in surprise as Bea turned the tables on him. He started laughing because only Bea would catch him out like that. His eyes twinkled in mischief.
Paul: “It takes one to know one, right Bea? I will share my story but you have to share yours too. Well I may have protested the need for driver’s education in high school. I had already been competing as a racer for years. I might have almost given the driver’s ed instructor a heart attack when I tried to show him I was ready to take my license test.”
Paul looked into the camera and did his best to look sincere and apologetic. “Mr. Torres if you are watching. I am very sorry for taking you around the parking lot to show you I know how to drift and take corners.”
Race Day Sunday July 31st Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium 1400 EST
The Battle of Stavelot
Collaboration: Beatrix Ward vs Paul Mulder
Paul had a harder time getting into the right head space for this race. He was shocked that his mother said she would be attending. He knew she would be watching the race from the Team Valkyrie garage with Alexander. She would want to be close to the action even though as a family member she could have sat in one of the private boxes reserved for them. He trusted Alexander to help through this. His mother had stopped attending his races quite some time ago. She had never been happy about his desire to follow in his father’s footsteps. For her to pick this race, the first one in two years unnerved him a little. He wondered if she was terrified he would die on this track like his father. She hugged him and wished him good luck with tears in her eyes. He knew this was not easy for her but after reading his father’s journal and his first race. He got it. He understood why his father had sought out the high speed adrenaline of racing. His father understood the risks but he was determined to do what he loved despite the risks. His father was not a man that would have been happy behind a desk. He could have been a different kind of athlete but other sports lack the thrill that comes with controlling all that energy and speed of an antigravity ship. Paul had taken some of his father’s thoughts and feelings to heart. He acknowledged that his life might be short, so he needed to live it. To live he needed to pursue what he was passionate about. Paul loved the speed and thrill of racing.
Paul had been sitting in the pilot’s trailer on the couch meditating. He was already in his racing suit with his helmet on the coffee table in front of him. He had his earbuds in and was playing his prerace playlist which included songs like Freebird, Sail Away, and some classical music interspersed. Normally by the end of the first song, he was in the zone. He was ready to push all the everyday crap that clutters the mind away and focus on the race. Today his thoughts spiralled between his mother’s fears and the chasing the feeling of his father in the cockpit. When he was racing was when he felt closest to his father. It was as if that was when he connected to the man his father had been. He had only been two years when his father died. He had pictures, videos, interviews, and stories from people that knew him. He could admit to himself that it was part of why he raced. He gave up meditating and stood grabbing his helmet. It just was not going to come easy today. He pulled out his earbuds and pulled on the fireproof caul that went on under his helmet. He pulled his helmet on and went out to the garage. He climbed into the ship and began his prerace checklist. Going through the motions and routine helped. By the time he made it to the radio check he was focused again.
Carmella, his race engineer’s voice, came over the radio. “All systems look green from here. Radio check Paul. Confirm.”
Paul: “Confirmed. I read you loud and clear Carmella. All systems read green on my end.”
Paul connected the neural interface, plugging into the back of his head through the spot in the helmet for it. It was always a rush as the flood of information coming back from the ship was almost overwhelming at first. It was not as bad with the new neural interface. It was smoother and more intuitive. Paul was finding that the longer he had the neural interface the stronger and smoother it seemed to work. It was almost as if they were learning from each other. The connection between his organic neural systems and the one the neural interface had built and latticed over his own was so much smoother and stronger than his previous one. The cognitive training that the team had put him through was helping his brain adapt to using all that massive input of data and respond faster. He had seen the difference in Montreal. Paul massaged the fingers on his racing gloves to warm up the leather and ensure as much dexterity as possible. He wiggled his fingers and was satisfied that he had complete range of motion.
Carmella’s voice came over the radio. “Time to take the ship to the starting line.’
Paul nodded and pushed the button sequence that would start the ship up. He was amused that the ship had all this remote technology in it and they still demanded ships use the old manual switches to start it up. He started the ship and took it out of the garage and lined up in the P5 pole position. He waited for the race to start. It wouldn’t be long now.
Paul’s hands rested lightly on the controls. His focus on the dashboard as the countdown started.
5 4 3 2 1
Paul had a good start but immediately needed to defend against Nora gunning to pass him at the start. He managed to shut the door on her but it gave Ava the opportunity to maintain her position in front of him. He narrowed his focus to Ava and his racing line. He knew his only chance here was to eke out all the speed he could in the corners. He wouldn’t have the speed on the straights. Ava, Amy, Bea, and Nora would reel him in and pass him easily without some good defense from him and the faster ships they piloted. Paul caught up to Ava quickly coming out of Double Gauche. He grins as he begins leeching energy out of her ship and banking it. He uses the slipstream to pull her in closer. He sticks behind her. Coming into Lap 2 Paul flew past her at La Source.
Carmella:“Great job Paul. You are in P4. Jenny is 4 seconds ahead of you.”
Paul: “Shit!”
Paul cursed as Ava almost caught him in her ELS as he passed her. Paul dodged out of the way before it could lock on. It cost a second or two but better he dodge than let her lock on. Jenny was making the most of that Silver Apex ship. He was chasing Jenny even as he had to defend against Ava. He was forced to shut her down and dodge her ELS for almost an entire lap. He was slowly getting closer to Jenny, inching closer as he made up time in the corners. Paul saw his chance as Jenny went wide on a corner hoping to keep her momentum up. Paul cut to the inside and poured on the speed as without mag rails he managed to tilt the ship slightly up on its side to slip through the gap. Paul’s ship came roaring out of the corner at Bruxelles. He once more leapt ahead defending from Jenny’s attempts to slow him down.
Carmella’s excited voice came over the radio: “Paul P3! Amy is 5 seconds ahead of you!”
The rest of the world faded away as Paul felt that magical moment where everything came together. It was just him in the ship going balls to the walls as fast as he could fly and the feeling of his father’s hand on his shoulder. A kindred spirit for the need for speed, a connection that he only found with his father in the cockpit. If anyone was watching Paul’s camera feed, they would see a serene smile on his face. The skies opened up and darkness descended on the track as the heavens poured rain down on the track. With a thought Paul switched to Lidar and Radar systems and input from the ships sensors to help him navigate the race. He had been training on this and the switch was seamless and easy.
On the surface it was just another race weekend. She’d run through the usual pre-race hubbub like a hundred times before - the reaction time exercises, the suit fill up, getting strapped down into the ship after the mechanics had brought it out of its slumber. But now she was lined up on the front row of the grid, a friend in a Silver Apex ship behind, a… friend? In a Silver Apex ship to her left. Ava’s presence soothed the tinge of nervousness that bubbled through, even if her teammate hasn’t exactly been performing on track, her mind perhaps preoccupied by- No, no, none of that now.
She shook her head, took a deep breath and cleared her mind, eyes dead set on the start lights - not the ones on her HUD, the real ones on the circuit as she was close enough to see without straining.
Any second now…
As soon as the lights went out, Bea immediately dived to the left side of the track, completely ignoring Amy and her defensive move and covering off Jenny instead while getting a better line through La Source. Jenny and Ava could have fun, but this would be between Bea and Amy. Her plan to storm past down Kemmel straight didn’t quite work as Amy got a really good exit out of Radillon, but no matter. Those dark clouds weren’t forming over the track, but over Amy’s day. There was a lot of time to go and Bea only had to nail it once.
And did she.
Her plan may not have worked on lap one, but it was a slam dunk a little while alter. She was so close behind Amy through corners two through four her ship was shuddering from the wake from Amy’s engine and with a burst of ELS, she was through halfway down the Kemmel straight, Amy trying the obligatory single defensive move the rules allowed before Bea surged past in a flash of rainbow colors.
”Goodbye.” ”Nice pass, you’re P1.” Alistair had time to say before Les Combes, falling silent to not distract his driver through the next series of corners.”She’ll try to get you around the MAG tracking of sector two.” He advised as Bea powered through Pouhon.
And she did, poking her nose into the corner as Bea held her line with gritted teeth, the same kind of maneuver she pulled on Layla in Silverstone except Amy didn’t scare that easy. For three long corners, the two ships were two wide before Amy had to pull back, Bea positioning the ship so that Amy had space on the straight but couldn’t make the corner, forcing her to either yield and keep speed or commit to the line but have to slow down significantly, Amy wisely choosing the former.
It held them both up long enough for Paul to catch up, and Amy’s day got even worse. With her ELS battery flat, Paul walked over her like the Germans did through the forest around the circuit over 150 years ago.
And now, Paul was Bea’s problem.
Paul now once more had Amy in his sights. Amy was all over the track trying to keep him from passing her. He stuck to her like glue. He deployed his ELS not giving her the chance to defend or recharge. She tried to shake him off but his handling was better. The new neural interface made these minute changes so much faster and easier. He easily stayed glued to her as he began leaching energy from her and banking it. His smile grew wider as he felt calm and peaceful as he made minute adjustments to keep up with Amy. It didn’t take Paul long to get on Amy’s nerves. He saw an opportunity as Amy slowed down for the hairpin at La Source. She was taking the inside track but trying to go slightly wide to block the outside from Paul. Paul just grinned and pushed the speed higher as he used the antigravity field and curved wall there to bank off of. His ship went up the wall on its side past Amy and came down in front of her. He didn’t even blink or look back as he looked for who was next.
Carmella was screaming in his ear. “P2 Paul!”
Paul's voice was quiet as he said “And then there was one.”
Paul began to try and close the gap between him and Bea. She had a slight lead and the faster ship. He stayed focused and made the most of the corners. He was picking up speed each time. He managed to find a half second here and a second there. It took him about a half of a lap to catch up to Bea. Paul tried to snare Bea with his ELS but she dodged like an agile wolf. Paul managed to stay behind her. He kept pressing her looking for any opening. His ship clearly in her rearview looking for any opening. She would pull away from him on the straight and he would close in a corner or chicane. He kept pushing the ship for more speed, redlining the engine on the straights. He pushed it hard. His body being thrown around the ship brutally at the speed and g forces they were pulling. His new body modifications helped him endure the g forces.
Paul smiled as his laughter lit up his coms. “The hunt is on! I knew Bea wouldn’t make it easy for me!”
Carmella: “Paul the engines can’t handle continuous redline. You are close to blowing the engine. Pay attention to your temperature gauge.”
Paul:“Carmella shut up. It’s my race now.”
Carmella had been trying to give Paul a warning about pushing his engine too hard but he had tuned her out and stopped acknowledging her remarks.
”And where did you come from?” She hissed when Paul filled up her rear view camera, having to push her braking point a few meters closer to the corner to stay ahead. In hindsight, she should’ve been using a set of racing limbs ages ago. Even with the AG unit countering inertia in corners to a large degree, the corners were still pulling on her arms and legs notably less.
The two long straights and the start/finish straight offered respite between Paul’s relentless onslaughts. Several times he made a pass, only to lose the position a while later - a straightforward pass on the straight using her ship’s superior speed here, a wild lunge like she was known for there. Fans of both pilots were no doubt getting their money’s worth. And the front legs of their chairs would need some maintenance from sitting on the edge the entire time. ”You’re pushing the edge, Bea, ease up through the corners.” ”I have the local hero nipping at my heels, if I ease up I’ll have to let him pass.” ”The AG unit is peaking on corner entry at one, seven, eight, ni-” ”Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing.” She silenced him before he could read all of the lower-speed corners the track had.
Truth be told, after a while she was starting to have enough, though she made damn sure that thought didn’t get picked up. Kofi and Hamid’s lovetap came at just the right time. ”VSS for accident.” Alistair cautioned. ”Everyone alright back there?” ”Yes, it was a minor one. But both Mensah and Atlassi are out of the race.” ”Poor Hamid. Not how you want your debut to go down.” ”Nope. Looks like they’ll get it cleared away quickly.” ”Good. We’ve got a race to win here. Pointers in the meantime?” ”You’re doing good. Hold him back on corner entry, exits are yours for free. Maintain separation at the start of straights so he can’t leech to make up for our speed. If you brake a smidge sooner, the AG unit will help you smooth out the corners more.” ”Check. I’m reading nominal engine and radiator temps, your side?” ”Same here, thermal capacitor at 35 percent, predicted to stay below 90.” ”Ha, Felix’ gizmo works!” ”VSS ending, go get them!”
Paul had a moment of frustration when the virtual safety was called for a crash on the track.
Carmella:"Virtual Safety Ship has been called for a crash on the track."
He did have enough sense of mind to ask if the pilots were alright. The crash broke his focus.
Paul: “Carmella is everyone okay?”
Carmella: “Yes but Mensah and Atlassi are out of the race.”
Paul would catch up on the corners and almost pass Bea before she would pull away from him on the straights. He managed to pass her at Les Combes as he dumped his energy bank to try and stay in front of her. The strategy didn’t work as she flew past him down the Kemmel straight. Bea retook the lead and kept it. He continued to dog her heels looking for any opening. Bea was good and she didn’t give him any easy openings. Their fight continued through the finish line.
Belgium: Cooldown
Paul ignored the yelling and screaming over his coms as he pulled his ship into the parc ferme into the P2 position. Paul didn’t have as many modifications as most of the pilots on the track. He had mostly the minimum. So the race took a harder toll on his body. He did feel that the new skeletal upgrade helped his body endure the g-forces they pulled in the ship. The cognitive training helped him get the most out of a superior neural interface. The deep breathing training helped with his oxygen levels during the race. It also helped strengthen his lungs and oxygen capacity in a natural manner, not to mention the hyperbaric chamber before the race. But it still took a toll on his body to race as hard as he did. Paul had been so hyperfocused on what he was doing, his body had been along for the ride as he asked it for everything it had and more.
Paul had to almost pry his hands off the control yoke from the intensity and locked muscles. He was dripping in sweat. All at once he felt like a wrung out dishrag as his adrenaline crashed and fatigue set in as his electrolytes bottomed out. Paul managed to flick the switches that would shut the ship down. His body shaking from fatigue with pain and pins and needles sensation from locked and overtaxed muscles. The moment was surreal to Paul. He looked behind him and smiled as he could still almost feel that hand on his shoulder. He silently thanked his father for joining him on this journey. He knew others would think he was crazy so he never gave details about moments like this. He kept them to himself as they were for him.
He leaned his head back against the seat utterly spent. He had a serene smile on his face. He knew he had given it his all. He started to laugh because after all the upgrades, he didn’t expect a podium at this race. He thought he would lead the midfield maybe. He knew he needed to climb out of the ship and congratulate Bea. She deserved to be recognized for her first win. He could barely hit the release on his harness. His hand shook as he reached up to unplug the neural interface cord that connected him to the ship.
He must have been taking longer than normal as his cockpit canopy popped open. He expected to see Carmella but it was Alexander.
Alexander: “You okay Paul?”
Paul smiled as he could almost hear the hidden kid where his name was. He laughed and raised an eyebrow.
Paul: “Well I might need some help. I am not feeling too good even as I feel ecstatic.”
His body was wracked with fatigue and was shaking with every little effort. His muscles tight from his singular focus and the forces of the ship as he had been flung against the harnesses over and over. It took Paul two attempts before he managed to stand inside the cockpit. Alexander leant him a strong arm and shoulder to help him down out of the ship. His legs almost collapsed from under him when he stepped down onto the ground. Alexander’s arms were there catching him and holding him till he was steady once more. The team was celebrating and cheering around him. They gave him some space probably because they had seen him almost fall on his face.
Alexander continued to help Paul as his arm wrapped around him from one side. Suddenly there was another set of hands taking the other side. Together they guided Paul into the Cooldown room. They helped Paul sit down in a chair before helping him take his helmet off. This was one of the few times Paul didn’t look all that great for the camera. His hair was plastered to his head by sweat and his complexion was pale and clammy. Paul found himself suddenly facing Konrad Badowski, the team medic. He had gadgets out checking Paul’s vitals as Alexander hovered nervously.
Paul: “I am okay Alex. I am probably just dehydrated. I could probably wring about a gallon of water out of my race suit right now.”
Konrad looked slightly concerned and handed Paul a drink full of sugar and electrolytes.
Konrad’s authoritative voice made him focus on him. “Drink it all down now.”
Paul obeyed and winced at the overly sweet and salty drink. He had to admit the Zap sponsors drink was better. He was sure Konrad had given him a concentrated medical version.
Konrad cracked open an orange Zap and handed it to Paul. “Again”
Konrad reached over and grabbed hold of Paul’s wrist and was looking at his watch.
Konrad gave him a few minutes and then retook his vitals. He gave a satisfied nod. “Ready to try standing again?”
Paul nodded and set the empty bottle down on the table next to the chair. He had Alexander on one side and Konrad on the other. Together they helped him to his feet. He swayed a little but then stabilized.
Paul: “I think that did it. I feel a little better.”
Alexander looked him over once more. Paul’s color was coming back. Alexander looked at Konrad.
Konrad took a wet towel and draped it over Paul’s head and wiped his head off with the cool towel, dropping his temperature. It helped his hair situation a little. Now it looked messy and wet, taking away the wet rat look. Konrad nodded to Alexander after taking his vitals one more time.
Konrad: “He will be fine Alexander. It is nothing a good meal and some more water and rest won’t cure. He should be fine on his own now.”
Konrad packed up his kit and rose to his feet. He could see Alexander didn’t want to leave Paul. He sighed and took his boss by the arm and began to lead him out of the cooldown room.
Paul watched amused as Alexander allowed Konrad to lead him away. Alexander reminded him of what a hovering parent might look like in this situation. It amused him as Alexander was the one usually barking orders and taking charge of a situation. He chuckled before turning his attention to Bea and Amy.
Paul noticed that Amy was talking to Beatrix where she had collapsed into a chair. The screens were replaying Bea overtaking Amy.
”I’m alive, I swear. No need to poke me with a stick.” She called out to the other two pilots as she watched the highlights. ”You were determined to get that re-pass sewn up, weren’t you? You have seven rivets on the left side of your canopy, by the way, I got a very close look.” She joked with Amy, the ships having been close enough to start repelling each other.
Paul walked over to Beatrix and gave her a big smile.
Paul:“Congratulations Bea. You deserve this moment. No one will ever doubt that you won this race fair and square. I am glad I was here to see it.”
He would offer to hug Bea but he wasn’t so steady on his feet despite what he told Alex and Konrad. Not to mention he didn’t think Bea would appreciate a hug from his squishy slightly smelly self at the moment.
”And you…” She turned to Paul, poking a finger in his direction before changing it to an offered hand to shake. ”...Have some Belgian Malinois hidden beneath that Golden Retriever. Smells a win, grabs a hold of it and doesn’t let go without a fight!” She smiled.
Paul grinned at his friend and nodded with a wink as he shook the offered hand.
Paul’s attention was turned to Amy as she spoke to him.
Amy: "Man....he'd be proud. Hell of a fight you two had in front. Not often I say it....but you got me good on that one. I don't know how you're both breathing after that, that was a hard fight!"
Paul gave Amy a bright smile. “I know he is proud of me. I don’t doubt it. Thank you for saying it though. I am breathing but I needed a little help to get in here. Doing better now though.”
Paul was already slurping down another Zap drink feeling parched.
Paul overheard Amy’s words to Bea.
Amy: "This one isn't a fever dream, Bea. Go out and enjoy every second of it. This is your moment."
Paul added his smile to Amy’s voice. “Lead us out to the podium Bea. Enjoy this moment. You earned it.”
Paul stood on the podium as the national anthem was played. He smiled and waved at the hometown crowd as he accepted his accolades for 2nd place. The roar of the crowd was almost visceral as the sound seemed to penetrate his body and shake him. They were chanting his name and screaming their pleasure of their hometown hero. Paul didn’t feel like a hero. He was just a man doing what he loved. He thanked his team and the fans for their support.
Then the champagne bottles came out. The race had taken a toll on his body. He was standing but those close to him might see the tremors from fatigue. He was struggling with his champagne bottle when the cold glass neck of a champagne bottle was shoved down the back of his racing suit and ice cold champagne bubbled down his back. His whole body jerked as he cried out. “Yahhhh!” It did have the perk of cooling him down further and shocking his body back to alertness. He shook trying to get the bottle out of his collar. It was only a moment or two before the bottle was pulled away. Paul’s eyes narrowed as he turned towards Bea. He shook up the bottle and let her have it with a laugh and a smile as he hosed her down. He lost but it was to a friend. He wanted to make sure she got the full experience.
Stolen Moments
After the podium ceremony, Paul had a few minutes to reassure his mother before he had to report to the Delta Hyper Interview couch. Paul was guided to a private space where his mother was waiting. He could tell she was worried. She was pacing and wringing her hands together. He stepped in and closed the door as security guards took up station outside on each side of the door.
Alicia turned, hearing the door close. The relief on her face as her eyes examined him from head to toe. She couldn’t help noticing how much like his father her son was. She gave him a tentative smile.
Alicia: “I saw you almost fall. Are you okay?”
Paul crossed the room and took his mother’s hands. He gave her a reassuring smile.
Paul: “Yes I am okay. I just got dehydrated. It was a grueling race. The new body modifications helped a lot. I still had the heat from the ship and the adrenaline cocktail roller coaster that comes from piloting the ship. I just needed some fluids and electrolytes. A little rest and I will be fine.”
Alicia didn’t look convinced as she studied his face. She saw the exhaustion in his face but couldn’t deny the joy and satisfaction in his eyes. She sighed, she understood that Paul was going to follow in his father’s footsteps. She understood his need to do so. She wished it wasn’t so but what could she do. She lifted her face to look her son in the eyes with a sad smile.
Alicia: “He would be so proud of you. He would of course brag to all his friends that he taught you all you know.” Her hand reached up to cup his face gently. “You reminded me so much of him today.”
Paul’s expression showed he was conflicted. “Mom, you know I love and respect you. I know you wish I would do anything but this, especially after how you lost dad. But this is what I love. This is what I was meant to do. I am sorry that it brings you pain.”
Alicia looked up at him in tears. “Watching you be happy will never bring me pain, Paul. Do I wish you would choose a different profession, of course. But if this is where your heart truly lies, who am I to stand in your way?” She gave him another pat on the cheek. “I will be your biggest fan and supporter. I can see now you truly want this. You had your father’s drive and focus out there today. I could see it. It was almost as if he was guiding your hand today.”
Paul shivered, not sure how his mother would know that. He gave her an uncertain look as he confessed one of his deepest secrets to her. “Racing is where I feel closest to him. It always feels like he is right there with me. It’s why I love it so much.”
Alicia gasped softly as tears fell softly down her cheek. She nodded and wiped them away. “I can understand why it means so much to you now. Maybe you can take me out and we can experience it together some time.”
Paul looked shocked that his mother would suggest it. He had no clue that his father had taken her out in his ship many times in the past. He always kept it slower for her but she always loved the excitement that came from watching him in his element and experiencing it with him.
Paul pulled his mother in for a hug despite how dripping wet he was. He smelled of stale sweat and champagne. He hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head. He told her in a soft voice. “I would love that mom.”
Just then there was a knock at the door of the room. A voice he didn’t recognize called through the door, “My apologies Mr. Mulder but they are ready for you on the Delta Hyper set.”
Paul sighed and called back. “I will be right there.”
Paul smiled down at his mother. “I need to finish this interview. Would you like to join me for dinner? I need a shower first.”
Alicia smiled at her son. “I would love to. Can I walk you to the set? I am still a worried mother. I want to reassure myself you are truly okay.”
Paul snorted and laughed. “What is this kindergarten?”
Alicia poked her son in a spot on his side where she knew he was ticklish.
Alicia: “It is my prerogative as your mother. Maybe I just want a bit more time with you. I don’t get to spend much time with you.”
Paul gave his mother a warm smile. “Of course mom.”
Paul released her and went to the door. He let the unknown Delta Hyper minion show him to the set. He took his mother’s arm and kept her at his side as they navigated the back area of the paddock.
Delta Hyper: Pilot Interviews
Paul was bone tired but he had needed to get through the Delta Hyper Interview before he could go rest. He was starving. He was going to shower first then have a nice private dinner with his mother before he let the medical team prod him again. Then he wanted to sleep for about 12 hours. Paul grinned mischievously as he led his mother to the Delta Hyper set. She tried to release his arm and pull back to let him go forward alone. Paul just tugged on her arm and helped her take a seat on the white sofa. He sat down next to her with his arm around her. He smiled at Aurora.
AI generated
Paul smiled at Aurora. “Hello Aurora. Thank you for having me. I want to introduce you to the special woman in my life, my mother.” Paul gave his mother a sideways hug. “Aurora, this is my mother Alicia Mulder.”
Paul’s smile beamed with joy as he looked down on his petite mother. Alicia Mulder was an elegant woman whose beauty was still evident even as she aged. She had an air of class and grace that went with her petite frame. Her golden hair now an ash blonde and her blue eyes reflected her emotions. Alicia was one of those women with a timeless beauty that reflected her kind nature.
Aurora looked surprised and beamed at Paul who had just handled her an exclusive. Alicia Mulder had refused all attempts to interview her for Delta Hyper. She knew if she wanted to use the footage and get Aurora to sign off on it, she would have to be nice. She could ask any of the hard hitting questions she wanted too.
Aurora: “What a pleasant surprise Paul! Welcome to Delta Hyper Alicia. You must be so proud of Paul. Thank you for joining us today.”
Alicia gave Paul a stubborn look with a raised eyebrow before she turned to Aurora with a pleasant smile.
Alicia: “Thank you for allowing me to intrude, Aurora. Of course I am proud of Paul. He reminded me so much of his father Audrick today. It brought some really great memories.”
She gave Paul a warm smile before turning back to Aurora.
Alicia: “You may use this portion for your show. Now I am leaving before you ask me something I don’t want to answer.”
She gave Aurora a pointed look that she knew exactly the kind of questions that she would like her to answer. She gave Paul a kiss on the cheek and rose to her feet.
Alicia: “I will see you at dinner.”
She quickly made her way off camera and out of the room.
Paul watched as his mother left. He knew she only gave a short sound bite for him and to boost his career. She had been inundated with reporters when his father died wanting to know how she felt. They asked some horrible questions. She was fairly traumatized by the experience. She had a distant relationship with the media ever since. She was careful to keep her media appearances to her work and the foundation.
Paul grinned as he turned back to Aurora. “Thank you for letting me introduce her. She is the person who made me into the man I am today. She deserves a lot of the credit. Okay Aurora what are your questions?”
Aurora took a moment to get over the surprise that Paul had pulled on her. She had to look at her notes to get back on track. Then the cameras were rolling once more.
Aurora: “Paul, absolutely gutting for you to just miss out on 1st, nearly going back to back on the top spot of the podium.”
Paul: “Nope” Paul shook his head emphatically in the negative. “When I win here at Spa, and I will someday. I want it to be fair and square and on my own merit. Bea has always been a friendly competitor. She is a very talented racer. She won today fair and square.”
Some might interpret what he was saying implied that others may not have won fair and square but he didn’t say that out loud. Conspiracy theorists would probably tear that line apart seeking meanings that were not there.
Aurora: “How did it feel racing against Beatrix, both of you rookies making it look like you were seasoned professionals out there, absolutely on the edge, giving the fans and us in the commentary booth a spectacle?”
Paul gave a genuine smile while looking directly into the camera as if he was talking just to Bea.
Paul: “No doubt about it. I am happy for her. I appreciate competitors like Beatrix Ward. I may have taken second today but she is the type of competitor that pushes me to give my all. Bea pushes me to the best I can be. Racing against skilled pilots like Bea makes sure I know I am competing against the best. So when I do win, I know I truly deserved it. Bea deserved her win today. My congratulations to Bea and the team at Carrera Condor. Nicely done. And Bea… It was fun! Let’s do it again!”
Aurora: “You seem to be in a purple patch of form, and I think you didn't just give your fans, but everyone else a show!"
Paul shrugged his shoulders before answering the question. “Honestly I was surprised with P2. Don’t get me wrong, winning at Spa is something I want. I just didn’t think it would be possible today. I thought I would lead the midfield and maybe make it to P4. Coming back after the summer break and knowing there were pilot and ship upgrades happening, you simply don’t know how it's going to shake out. Valkyrie has a good ship, but we are a little weaker in the speed area. The engineers are working on it. The ship just keeps getting better and better. Some of the training I am doing is finally starting to pay off. I think that is what helped me get the results we saw today.”
It almost goes without saying that the Team Valkyrie pilots were at a disadvantage with the pilot mods. The new nanite technology with Shinichi was a game changer. It might not be as good as replacing body parts, but it definitely made a huge difference in what he could tolerate and the level he could perform. He knew there were more modifications coming in the future. He was looking forward to seeing how they helped his performance.
Paul continued with a warm smile, face lit up and beaming at the camera.
Paul:“I am thrilled that I did as well as I did and for my hometown fans. My thanks to the team for their hard work and support. I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did today without them. I also want to thank my fans who have turned out in droves to support me here in Belgium at my hometown race. Your support means the world to me.”
[Picture of Paul on the podium as Bea poured ice cold champagne down his back. He is wearing a funny shocked expression.] Most expensive shower I have ever had. Thanks for helping me cool off! I love the support Bea! I look forward to seeing you Friday at the Mulder Foundation Fundraising Gala! Congratulations again on your maiden win at Spa. Remember Belgian beer has a higher alcohol content than what you are used to! It is also better than British beer. Weedhead81:@MadBea I keep trying to tell Paul, forget celebrating with the beer. Try some primo weed. You won’t regret it. MagnetoMuppet:Can confirm: The Valkyrie fan zone went feral when he cleared Bruxelles on Lap 17. My beer was not safe and neither was my jacket. My jacket will never be the same. I can confirm Belgian Beer is an excellent choice for celebration!
Nana2050:The “Legacy” is a class act. Hater101: Legacy my A$$. He only took p2. Let’s be honest, Bea was amazing.
Papabear34:I loved the back and forth between him and Bea. That battle in the second half of the race was brutal. HydrofoilHater Oh great. Another “perfect gentleman” podium. This is AG Racing, not afternoon tea. : ThrusterJester:Imagine explaining to 2046 Audrick fans that in the future, his son races in a 500kph floating death dart with a Wi-Fi router glued to his skull, and people argue about t-shirts. Peak civilization.
Team Valkyrie AGR Sport @TeamValkyrie
Paul Mulder took P2 in an epic battle with Beatrix Ward. Dorian Hornfleur took P7 after a great recovery. Don’t forget to check out the Team Valkyrie Store for all your fan gear needs, [link to Team Valkyrie Store]. While tickets to the Mulder Foundation Gala are sold out, there are still t-shirts left for sale. They can be purchased at the Team Valkyrie Store or the Mulder Foundation website [Link to the Mulder Foundation].
PosterShoppe [image of a poster of Paul and his father’s ships both at the Bus Stop turn at Spa.] LEGACY AT SPA — P2 poster. Proceeds from the paid version go to the Foundation (link above). Paul@ValkyriePaulThat is very generous of you. Can you send me one? QuantumQuokka:Calling it now: Spa was scripted. How else does Valkyrie go from dumpster fire on Luna to podium streak? Follow the money, sheeple. :ph34r: Bertha:Hmm tell me more.
ValkyrieFan56:Knight’s got that ship tuned like a dream. No twitch on decel into La Source, energy deployment dead-on every sector. This is what happens when The Bullet actually smiles. (…I think he smiled. Hard to tell under the scowl.) Nana2050:It is nice to see someone acknowledge Alexander Knight’s role in Valkyrie’s success. MulderMuse:Every visor lift at the podium, you can see it — that mix of relief, pride, and “I wish Dad was here.” Feels. Paulmulder4eva:I know right! It makes me want to kiss his pain away. OfficeDrone#12:Rumor has it his mother was at the track to watch his race. RumorMill:Possible reasons for Spa pace — no NDA breach about *New energy recycling protocols in the mid-sector *Micro-adjustments to mag-lev skirt tension *Knight bribed the corner marshals with whiskey (kidding… probably)
DantheMan:
“Mulder showed textbook anti-grav stability in high-G corners today. You could see the ship’s mag-lev skirts glowing hot through Eau Rouge.” — AGNN
LegacyStan94: Audrick: P2 at Spa in ’46 Paul: P2 at Spa in ’99 Me: Crying in legacy. :’) OfficeDrone#12:Paul is performing but Dorian is lacking here lately. At least he posted some points at this race. SuperfanAGR54:LEGACY P2! Mulder Back on the Podium! BatDave: Batman sends his approval.
Superfan2075:That race was fire! They both dropped the hammer. So exciting to watch. DadBod89: Yes! That is the kind of racing I want to see. GeorgeFly:That was the most exciting race we have seen all season. I can’t wait to see what happens next. BusStopBarista:I was trackside at the Bus Stop — swear I saw him wave at a group of fans while still holding P2 under braking. Absolute showman. Or his hand cramped. Either way, king move. Paulmulder4eva:Really? I wish my ticket had been for that part of the track.
!YouSlow!: From Silverstone’s heartbreak to Montreal’s shocker and now P2 at Spa… Mulder’s locking in consistency. Perfect launch phase, clinical thruster management through the Bus Stop, and a last-lap overtake attempt that almost stuck. This is the rookie season arc fans were hoping for. :D Britball12: Paul is placing consistently in the top 5. He is definitely one of the rookies to watch.
Paul stood with rain beating down over his bowed head. The SPA Grand Prix, a course that has haunted him for his entire career. He still remembered the first time he raced here. He almost threw up just getting in the ship. He and this race track had a history, a history of pain and blood. This was the track where his father died in a fiery crash back when anti-gravity racing was new. It was before the new safety standards were implemented. His death sparked safety innovations in a sport where risk is part of the thrill and attraction.
Spa itself had a history steeped in motorsports, triumph, tragedy, loss, and pain. From its early days of a dirt track race linking three towns together to the modern marvel of technology with the repulsor antigravity barricades that protected everyone in a crash. Spa was a racetrack spoken of with respect and reverence. Like Monaco it was one of the circuits that could make or break a career. Paul felt his father’s presence at this track keenly. His father had won at Spa before the track took his life the following year. Ghosts from his past might speak to him here but they would not distract him from his goal. His goal was to win at Spa. There were two races that Paul wanted P1 wins at, Monaco and Spa. While he did well at Monaco, he hoped to take the top of the podium next year.
The introduction shot showed Paul standing in front of his ship looking out into the dull gloom of a rainy afternoon. Paul was looking into the distance an echo of his father as he looked a lot like his father. He looked up and directly into the camera as if he was speaking to the audience at home. His tone ringed with an authority and truth beyond his years. He began by echoing his father’s fateful words.
"There are circuits that test a ship. There are circuits that test a pilot. And then... there is Spa…” Paul paused for a brief moment before continuing. “To win at Spa is to have your skills acknowledged not only by your fans but others in the sport. To win at Spa is validation and a badge of honor. You will have to watch the race to find out who earns that badge this year. Welcome to the Spa Grand Prix.”
The camera pulls back to show Paul greeting a sea of fans outside the Spa race track. The crowd is a colorful sea of movement and sound. The cheering rose and morphed into the sound of an antigravity ship racing by. Which becomes a montage of the changes seen and captured after the summer break. There are pictures of the pilots in front of revamped ships with new livery. The new Team Nova proud and defiant a new darkhorse, an unknown quality. The energy of this race was intense and the rivalry and competition between teams seemed to be almost alive and bubbling as the montage ended with the FIAR logo.
DELTΔ HYPER
Episode Ten: Changing Conditions
Thursday July 28th Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium 0900 EST
Paul had been a little surprised when Dorian asked him to accompany him to honor the memory of his father by laying some flowers at the iconic Radillon corner. Paul had visited early in the week with his mother. They had visited Audrick’s grave and then driven to the track at Spa. He had held his mother while they both cried fresh tears remembering their family was incomplete. It was an intensely private and personal moment for Paul that he had never thought to share with anyone else.
Paul had dressed in a dark suit to accompany Dorian. He had picked up some white lilies to join Dorian’s flowers. He was a little nervous. Usually people avoided talking to him about his father. They didn’t want to remind him that he was not there. They thought they would be sparing him pain. He loved hearing stories about his father. He was so little when he died. He didn’t really have many of his own memories of him. He had to rely on his mother’s stories, pictures, and videos to keep his memory alive. Paul was unsure what to expect from this experience.
He was not surprised to see that Alexander was accompanying them as well. Paul had been slightly resentful of Alexander at first. He felt as if he would try to hold him back when his mother had revealed how Alexander came to be hired at Valkyrie. Alexander hadn’t though. He had done his best to support Paul as a pilot. As he got more comfortable around Alexander, he had begun to share memories of his father with him. Paul appreciated another perspective of his father. He felt closer to him now after hearing Alexander’s stories of his best friend.
Alexander had a bouquet of golden freesia flowers. He was dressed in a dark gray suit with a black vest with golden embroidery on it. He was wearing one of the suits from Enigma Lux. Alexander’s face was stoic and static but there was an intense air about him. Paul sensed that it was hard for him to be here. His flowers might seem an odd choice but Alexander had chosen them because of Audrick. Audrick had once told him that they reminded him of his wife. They were elegant and timelessly classy while being warm. Alexander knew Audrick would approve of his choice. The soft but consistent rain seemed to echo Alexander’s dark mood.
Memories washed over Alexander being back here. Memory of Audrick’s win at Spa the year before he died. Audrick had won the race and Alexander had taken the third in that race. He had cheered for his friend, happy for his excitement and win. He remembered that Paul had only been a year old at the time. Paul had been a toddler who had just started walking. Audrick had proudly showed him videos and pictures. His wife refused to travel the circuit with him. She had chosen to stay at home with Paul. Alexander remembered Audrick’s panic when he met his son for the first time. Audrick had been terrified he was going to hurt Paul. Audrick had no experience with babies. He had called Alexander in a panic. Alexander was already a father when they had met. Arianna was four years older than Paul. He had calmed his friend’s fears and taught him what he needed to know. Alexander never would have guessed that he would be standing here years later with his son putting flowers on a memorial because he was no longer here. That was the thought that was his undoing. It still seemed so unfair to Alexander that Audrick had lost his life so young.
Their group approached a small fenced off area with a memorial plaque that had been hung near the spot where Audrick Mulder’s ship had suffered a mechanical failure which in turn caused Audrick to crash his ship at full speed into the corner at Radillon. The memorial had been set up because fans continued to visit the spot and leave offerings years after that fatal crash at Spa. They set up the memorial area so that fans would stop trying to break into the track area which caused a hazard for any ships on the track. Fans of Formula AG began leaving flowers, cards, letters, candles, and memento offerings at the memorial the week of the race. Offerings began showing up that Monday before the race.
Paul looked at the massive pile of flowers, handmade signs and cards, pictures, and even some stuffed animals. He had seen it before. He had been here before. He wondered why it felt so different this time. He looked over at Dorian’s serious face and Alexander’s solemn one. Paul noticed that far away look on Dorian’s face that said he was mentally somewhere else. He stepped forward and laid down the simple bouquet of Cala Lillies. He had picked them up because they were his mother’s favorite. He stepped back and to one side so that the others could add their flowers to the growing pile.
Paul stood relaxed with his hands held in front of him. He was staring aimlessly at the memorial as his mind replayed that fateful crash. He had seen the video of it. His mother had tried to keep it from him for years but he wanted to see it for himself. It had happened in the blink of an eye. Just like that and his father was ripped out of their lives. Paul knew that was a risk he took every time he stepped into his ship. His father knew it too. He had read his father’s journals. In his journal his father had written about an argument he had with his mother. She wanted him to retire after he was born. Audrick had argued that while what he did was dangerous, she shouldn’t live her life in fear of what could be. He could be hit by an autobus the next day. If he stopped doing what he loved to do, would he truly be living?
Paul put his flowers down first, followed by Dorian. Paul found himself engulfed in a hug by his teammate. Dorian was sobbing his heart out as he clung to Paul. Paul held the man and patted his back. Dorian’s pain and depth of emotion was sobering. Alexander had laid his flowers to the pile. He turned to find Dorian holding on to Paul as if he was a life preserver. Paul’s face looked unsure at first and surprised. His expression slowly changed as he hugged Dorian back just as hard. Paul shared the pain of losing his father for the first time with someone other than his mother. A third of arms came around to hold both of them as Alexander joined their little huddle. Alexander was not one for public displays of emotion. They happened but were rare. Alexander’s tears were silent as he held the other two in support. The trio made a poignant display of grief and remembrance of a man they all were connected to.
The trio oblivious to the crowds held behind ropes by security. They were an island oasis unto themselves. The calls from the fans and reporters falling on deaf ears. Some remained respectful simply waiting for their turn at the memorial. Others pushed at the barriers and challenged security. All went unnoticed or seen by the three men sharing an intensely personal moment with one another. Bonded over relationships with a man who had been dead for twenty years. One connected through blood and family, one a chosen family found friend, the last a friendly competitor. The noise faded to murmurs as the tears began to flow and the obvious pain shared by the three naked for the world to see. Even the reporters may still be filming but they had stopped yelling out questions trying to be heard over the crowd. A rare moment happened when the crowd responded and the atmosphere changed to one of remembrance and respect. A rarity with the crowds Formula AG attracted, typically wildly energetic and competitive, almost feral.
Friday July 29th Spa-Francochamps, Stavelot, Belgium 1000 EST
Delta Hyper Interviews
@MrSkiMobile @Starlance
Paul was dressed in dark gray dress slacks and a Team Valkyrie polo shirt with one of the new stylish motocross Enigma Lux jackets over it. His hair was curling a little in the humidity from the rain. He had taken a hand towel from one of the set minions and wiped the moisture from the rain off his face before handing the towel back with a thank you. He had been directed to a seat on the couch. He smiled to see Bea and Kais already there. Paul sat down on the couch joining the other two. He turned to look at them both and laughed.
Paul: “Does anyone else feel like they are on the seat outside the dean’s office?”
Paul lowered his voice and gave a conspiratorial whisper. “I mean I can see why Kais and Bea would be tagged troublemakers. I thought I was framed as the golden boy or gentleman like Dorian. What did I do to earn being lumped in with the bad boys and girls of the paddock?” He waggled his eyebrows enquiringly at Bea and then Kais.
Paul’s fun was interrupted by Aurora who was ready to work finally.
"Beatrix, Kais, Paul, welcome back to Delta Hyper. How were your Summer Holidays?"
Paul smiled at Aurora remembering his break. “I spent some time at home with my mother. Did some work for the Mulder Foundation. I hired a new agent. You know all the stuff I had put off because of commitments elsewhere.”
Paul’s expression turned to one of happy peacefulness. “It was nice to go for a run outside and through the gardens. It was very relaxing and peaceful. It always beats running on a treadmill. It was a typical vacation, nice till you need to go back to work.” Paul paused and gave a grin that said he could have his cake and eat it too. “But I am one of those lucky people who love what I do. So I have been focusing on training for Spa. Things like dialing in new ship upgrades.”
He smirked thinking about the pilot modification upgrades he had undergone as well. Alexander was still banking on keeping that information private. Shinichi’s technology was amazing but it was still in the development stage. The Team Valkyrie pilots and Arianna were among some of their first human trials. They were monitoring for any long term effects before the regulation agencies would allow them to market it to the public. Thanks to the NDA, it was easy for Paul to keep that to himself.
Practice Friday July 29th Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium 1600 EST
Paul Mulder
Paul had Carmella talking in his ear as he took the ship out for his practice run. Paul pushed it to make sure it would perform during the race when he needed it to. The handling was still good. The speed on the straights was still their weakness. It would come down to ELS and his ability to get the most out of the ship in corners.
Paul could feel the difference since his upgrade. His body didn’t feel the stresses of the g-forces quite as keenly. He felt more solid in his own body as it was thrown around in the cockpit as the ship whipped around the track. The new neural interface he had gotten just before the Montreal race seemed even faster as his organic network synced up with his biological one. The cognitive training was paying off for Paul. He noticed the difference especially when he was in tighter spots like the corners. He was able to react just that microsecond faster. He was able to correct the racing line that little bit that made it optimal.
Paul wasn’t happy with the ELS deployment. It seemed a little slower than he remembered. Paul sighed as he got as much speed out of the ship as he could. He pulled the ship back into the Team Valkyrie garage. He was slightly frustrated. He knew the engineers and mechanics had been working to dial the ship in. He knew they had been trying to update the speed. He wondered if his new weight might be the issue, but he had brought that up already. The engineers had worked to recalibrate the ship for the weight he gained with the higher bone density and muscle strength. Paul had disconnected from the ship and had climbed out of the cockpit. He turned to find Carmella, his race engineer waiting for him.
Paul: “Carmella, review the data for ELS deployment and defense. It feels a little slow for some reason. Have the team go over the system and look for any mechanical issues as well. Compare the data from this practice to Montreal. Is there something we overlooked in the data?”
Carmella was dutifully making notes on her tablet.
Carmella: “I can do that. That is a good idea for comparing data.”
Paul sighed as he gave Carmella a wry smile. “I can’t tell if it just felt slow due to the neural upgrade or if there is an issue there. I trust you to get to the bottom of it. Now if only you get eke out some more speed. They are gonna eat me alive on the straights.”
Carmella giggled: “I will be sure to use PacMan icons for your competitors' ships in our post brief after qualifying.” She made puppet eating motions with her hand. “Muncha Muncha Muncha.”
Paul raised an eyebrow at Carmella. “Somehow I don’t find that funny. Especially if it’s Kais or Amy behind me!”
Qualifying Saturday 30th July Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium 1600 EST
Paul loved the fact that Spa upgraded safety after his father’s death but kept most of the track true to its motorsports beginnings. Most of the track lacked the MAG strips that other tracks used. Spa required a pilot skilled enough to fly the ship without the rail-like quality of the MAG strips. There were MAG strips in areas where crashes had been more common in dangerous areas of the track. Paul was confident he would at least give a good showing here at Spa. He had the handling, stability, and ELS. It turned out he was right. There had been a minor mechanical issue on the deployment module. The mechanics had retrofitted it and taken care of the problem. The ship was checking out ready to go.
Paul watched the countdown and shot off. While the rain had stopped there was still a lot of water on the track. His ship threw it off the track in waves leaving a misty rooster tail in his wake. Paul focused on the data coming from the ship as he took what he felt would be the fastest racing line in and out of the first corner. Paul was quickly in the zone where he felt like he was one with the ship. Everything faded away and he felt his father’s presence beside him in the ship stronger than ever before. He smiled as he pushed the ship as hard as he could on the last straight. He knew he didn’t have the speed of Apex or Southern Cross. He did his best. Paul was satisfied with P5. They all knew that there would be changes happening over summer break. He also knew that their ship simply didn’t have the speed needed for Spa. He would still give it his all. He wanted to win at Spa.
Saturday July 30th Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium 1600 EST
Delta Hyper Interviews
Paul changed out of his race suit and into jeans, boots, and a Valkyrie t-shirt which was hidden under a branded rain poncho. He had just left the regular media pack and was headed for his contractual interview with Delta Hyper. He reported in at the Delta Hyper booth for his post qualification interview.
Paul had his poncho taken. He sighed. If he had known that, he would have worn a nicer shirt. Paul smiled into the camera and at Aurora as she asked her first question.
"Paul, welcome to Spa! This is of course, a deeply emotional circuit for you. Take us through what it's like being here, and your relationship to the fans, who are out in force. How does it feel being a local piloting an AG ship at Spa, and what are your aspirations tomorrow?"
Paul had been expecting a question like this. He still felt a little raw after visiting the memorial of his father erected here at Spa. Then there was the qualifying run where he had felt his father’s presence so keenly. Maybe his father’s ghost was with him when he raced. He just knew it was those moments when he felt closest to him. He gave a sad smile as he answered Aurora.
Paul: “Coming to Spa is always emotional for me because it was the track where my father died. It is bittersweet in some ways. I am reminded he is no longer here but at the same time Spa is one of those bucket list races for me. Spa and Monaco are two races on my must win list before I retire. I love this circuit. It is a very fun drive for me. It highlights skill over technology support which I believe highlights the human element in antigravity racing. We all need body modifications just to pilot modern ships. It is nice to see a circuit that tests our courage and skill. Spa delivers that and more.”
Paul paused as he collected his thoughts about how to respond to the question about the fans. Paul’s expression brightened into one of humor, excitement, and awe.
Paul: “Honestly, it was a little scary. The crowd has been so supportive and HUGE! I have never drawn crowds like this before. I appreciate the empathy and support. Most of the fans have been very respectful when they see me. Most just want an autograph and understand I can’t possibly sign the thousands that are showing up. I try to do as many as I can. The Team Valkyrie Fan Zone had to start a lottery system to accommodate everyone we could here at Spa. The new Fan Zone experience has been a hit with our fans. Even Dorian has been overwhelmed by the fan response here.”
Paul’s expression turned to one of personal embarrassment as he continued. His cheeks bloomed with red color.
He gave a shrug of his shoulders and looked embarrassed but felt the need to address this.
Paul: “Please stop sending me proposals and personal gifts. Ladies I can’t eat sweets and stay in top shape to race. So instead of sending me your baked goods, donate them to a homeless shelter or other worthy cause.”
Paul didn't want to share on international television that ladies had been sending him their lacy underthings. Paul had to hire a service to sort his fan mail. Ladies had been sending him things they made, along with their bras and underwear. It had gotten to a ridiculous point. He even started having the underwear cleaned and donated to a local shelter. He shivered as it sketched him out to know some ladies were sending him used underwear like he would find it sexy. It just grossed him out.
Formula AG Pilot Group Chat
Paul Since we are going to be close to my hometown, I will be hosting the dinner party for the pilot group on the Thursday before the race at Spa at Villa De Fleurs. I have rented out the entire hotel. Come stay for the race and join me for dinner on Thursday. World Renown Chef Greyson Angelotti will be cooking just for our group.
Paul Sorry been busy getting my hiney kicked by the sadist who claims to be my personal trainer. So to recap I have confirmations from Bea, Ava, Amy, Dorian of course, Nora, Harrison, Wedge, and Flo
AStirlingWelcome to the chat! Paul Welcome to Pilot Chat Hamid, Ben, and Flo!
Ben Hale Heyo! Yeah @Paul I'm keen but need to be on site that evening Paul @Ben that’s okay I completely understand. That is why I scheduled it for Thursday night. I hoped most of us would be free. Feel free to come by before or after you're done. You are still welcome to come and stay at the hotel if you want.
@FourtyTwo Cassie Neves @Paul how much money did that cost you? Holy shit that's fucking mental, very kind offer but we can't come! Paul @Cassie You can’t come? I feel like you and Han have been avoiding me. What is going on at Zygon? Enquiring minds want to know! Now to answer your other question… I would have hosted the dinner party at the family estate, but it is outside Brussels. I didn’t think you would all like to travel 2 hours away so close to the race. The fans have been almost rabid. The crowds seem to be just growing each day now. I needed a location I could secure. It’s a small hotel compared to some. It didn’t cost me anything. Don’t worry about the cost. It has already been paid for. The hotel is happy to do it as it will attract more business after we leave. *smirks* It was an endorsement contract. I took this in lieu of payment. You're welcome.
Astrid Paul has discovered the benefit of being a paid anti-gravity pilot with few hobbies Paul @Astrid This is true. I don’t have much overhead and invest most of my earnings. My only real hobby is collecting classic cars. Sadly my garage at home is out of space.
Dorian Worth it though, but yes this is a treat, I'm there and Paul did get a good deal with the hotel, it's stunning in there too- quaint little establishment Paul @Dorian It is one of the older historic hotels that survived.
Harrison That is an eyewatering amount of money, mate, me and Nora are coming and we will pay something to that, you really didn't have to! Paul @Harrison I look forward to seeing you both. I didn’t pay a dime. It’s an endorsement deal and gives me a space my security can actually secure. Only the pilots, their teams, and security are allowed in the building. Hotel staff has already been vetted. All I had to do was shoot a quick endorsement commercial for them and post it to my social media. Took me a few hours on my summer break.
Wedge @Paul I'm in! And paying for my end, holy shit that is a lot. Can't stay though. Paul @Wedge I understand I look forward to seeing you for dinner.
Flo Mason @Paul count me in too, why not! Paul @Flo It would be my pleasure to host you Flo. It will be fun to get to know you.
Astrid You guys are flinging so much shit at me, look, it's just not our year Paul @Astrid No shit flinging from me. You are helping make my rookie season look good though.
Jen Lowry When's it gonna be? Paul @Jen Lowry The dinner party will be Thursday July 28th at Villa De Fleurs Hotel in Spa. Dinner starts at 6pm. World Renown Chef Greyson Angelotti will be cooking just for our group. He promised to make something for everyone.
Flo Mason *picture of a very confused looking toddler in a olive green and yellow NOVA bib sitting in a pram* *Many, many, many hearts in chat* Paul added his heart to the others before responding. Paul @Flo I didn’t know you were a mother Flo. She is adorable.
Dorian This children chat is getting scary given you're all asking when me and Marcel are talking surrogacy Paul @Dorian We just want you to live your best life Dorian and be happy. You are retiring next year. It doesn’t surprise me that you are thinking in terms of starting a family.
Dorian I am thinking about it :) Paul @Dorian I can’t wait to see how you decide to propose. I just know it is going to be big and dramatic. You are a drama queen at heart. Let me know if you need any help. I will be there.
Cassie Neves Two actually, Duvels are great, I might say on TV Sagres is the best but whisper it quietly, Belgians have their beer on lock
Okay sorry yeah that was a bit much lol Paul @Cassie Well that explains it. Thank goodness because I was very confused. Cassie I think you need to work on being a happier drunk. That was mean.
Jen Lowry You get used to it. On a more serious note- Hawaii actually happening?
KofiHawaii confirmed. Lot of work into safety, similar to Italy but with more skeleton and verticality to manage the fact the rainforest is very overgrown
AStirling Hell to the yes. I loved watching it but they stopped it before I joined AG Paul @AStirling I am looking forward to trying this new circuit.
@Starlance Jen Lowry Sounds good though! Creepie-crawlies might not be my thing but the diving around there is awesome, and also, @Bea is half Hawaiian so she'll be our guide :) Paul @Jen Lowry and @Bea I am down to try snorkeling and diving. I want to learn to surf. Know any good local teachers?
Ava Villarosa Our factory has Asado every Wednesday lunchtime, I would say ours is better than Apex's Paul @Ava Villarosa *laugh emoji* Team Valkyrie has Chef Jacques. We eat well every day.
Wedge Speaking of other people, how's Jamie @AStirling? Dude did not look good leaving Canada, guessed it might happen
Harrison He nearly got slugged by Kais, how the fuck would you feel? (@Kais, if you're reading this, we agree it was a dumb crash, please don't spark my lights out)
Hamid You should see Kais with the cattery we have here, he's chill (sorta). Jamie is a thing of the past to him, and yes, dumb crash, FIAR issued a fair few penalty points to him for it and internals dealt with it given it looks like Jamie overdrove deliberately Paul @Hamid I missed what happened with Jamie. I didn’t hear he got penalty points. But back it up. I need to hear more details about Kais being chill and what is a cattery?
Team Valkyrie AGR Sport Team headquarters were located on the outskirts of Aachen Germany. The racing team was a partnership conglomerate of corporate owners and the European Union government research and development interests. They are guided by a board of directors with 10 members with an elected President of the Board who held the tie breaker 11th vote. The team had top of the line engineers and a solid craft but the team was barely hanging onto their reputation and placement as one of the top teams. The team had excellent financial support from top corporate interests and the European Government but was plagued with leadership that had a divided viewpoint and vision for the team. The result was excellent technology and engineering and an underperforming below average team when they should be placing in the top three places each race. Among the Board of Directors were companies that had racing in their DNA such as Ferrari, Sauber, Renault, and Red Bull. Then there were tech and big pharma companies investing in the technology developed for the team looking at developing marketable products and services to the masses. Then there was the European Union Space Agency that utilized the racing team to expand their research and development of clean environmental propulsion systems and antigravity solutions to some of Earth’s biggest issues with a goal of expanding mankind’s future in space.
The team headquarters was a large complex that resembled a university campus. The campus sat atop a hill overlooking the city of Aachen. The buildings were a mixture of sculptural modern artistic metal and glass laboratory buildings and historic looking buildings. The campus had research and development buildings, a large warehouse and production facility, a large office building, an onsite training facility and a test track. There was also a large apartment building for key staff, trainers, and pilots. The team headquarters had everything the team needed to get the best results.
The office building had a large auditorium that was used for team events and press conferences. It was set up with state of the art holographic equipment and sound systems. The training facility had a well appointed gym and a state of the art simulator. The onsite medical facilities were also housed in the training center. The engineering research and development labs were housed in the large warehouse and production area of the campus. The test track was also in this area and could be seen peeking above and around the buildings in the area. The medical research happening was in one of the metal and glass looking buildings that had clean rooms and would make any big lab proud. The onsite apartment housing was in one of the older more historic looking buildings. The onsite housing was not wasteful on space but they were adequate, well appointed, and maintained. The grounds had plenty of open green space with lovely gardens and trees. Walkways meandered through it all with benches providing a natural respite to the indoor environments at the team headquarters.
The corporate headquarters office building was a staggeringly beautiful modern marvel of steel and glass. The campus was on the city's main public transportation lines. An antigravity bus system and monorail dropped passengers off at the main entrance to the campus. The main office was open to the public but there was security. You didn’t get past the main lobby without an appointment or a staff badge. The main office building had a large industrial kitchen that was attached to a restaurant style space that served food to the workers. This area was run by the team chef. Workers could bring their own lunch and eat it here or could eat at the team restaurant. They could have meals deducted from their pay. The food was excellent and cost effective for employees as well. It is one of the great perks from working at headquarters. There is an onsite daycare for the children of employees that is located across from the cafeteria.
Alexander was one more standing inside the entrance to Team Valkyrie’s headquarters just outside the security checkpoint. He was waiting this time for Max Wedgewood. Alexander was exploring his options for next season. He needed a credible replacement for Dorian. Max had potential but Alexander was worried about how well he would fit in at Valkyrie. Max had a loud personality from what Alexander knew of him. Would he be able to check his ego and work as part of a team or would he be a diva that was difficult to work with. That is why he had invited Max to come and tour the team headquarters and for an informal interview. He wanted to get a sense of who he was. Alexander had no idea if he would show up alone or with an entourage in tow.
Alexander sighed as the weight he felt about trying to find Dorian’s replacement was beginning to get heavier. After losing Jenny Lowry to Apex, he was starting to feel a sense of urgency to get a contract and announce who that person will be. Alexander had worked too hard and cleaned up too much shit at the team to mess it up now with a bad choice of pilot. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and sighed again.
Mabel, his elderly executive assistant, rolled her eyes at him. Mabel was dressed in white today which glowed against her dark chocolate colored skin. Her gray hair pulled back in a no nonsense bun today. Mabel’s voice was full of exasperation as she swatted his arm gently.
Mabel: “Alex, will you relax! He is just a man. You talk to him and if you don’t like him we keep looking. There is still a lot of time before next season.”
Alexander straightened up like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
Alexander: “I am fine. I am relaxed.”
Mabel chuckled and shook her head at him.
Mabel: “How long have I known? You are as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs!”
Alexander sighed again as he looked out the plate glass windows for the twentieth time.
Alexander: “I can’t help feeling like things have been going too well since Maier and Brendel were indicted on fraud charges. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. I just can’t seem to settle in and be happy. It’s like I have to pick at it. I don’t trust it because things have been going well.”
Mabel eyes softened with understanding.
Mabel: “Alex you deserve for things to go well. You have worked hard since you got here. There has been so much on your plate. You need to relax and take a mini vacation. Take Lena somewhere warm and sunny.”
Alexander snort laughed as he shot Mabel an amused look.
Alexander: “Mabel you know I was even working while we were supposedly off for the summer. We technically were on vacation, you know.”
Before Mabel could reply to that, the car Alexander had sent to pick up Max from the airport was pulling up in front of the building.
Mabel: “He is here.”
They watched as the car came to a stop and the rear door was opened for the passenger.
(yours) Stepping out of the car, sunglasses on, the Colorado-born, trimmed hair having blonde MMR pilot stepped down, looking around, taking it in. This was a little different to Montreal. Taking his sunglasses off, Max looked across to Alexander and gave a smile, nodding. “Morning, Alexander. Thanks for having me. First time I’ve ever had a team boss want to invite me to their headquarters….that is a new one to me.” Max smiled, keeping polite, knowing Valkyrie’s boss leant more on the American side than his Estonian one. Putting his hand out for a handshake, Max knew he was here on business, but courtesy was a given.
Alexander had moved through the lobby to meet Max as he stepped out of the car. He waited for him to move away from the curb. Alexander smiled and moved towards him. He took Max’s hand and gave it a firm polite shake. “Hello Max, welcome to Team Valkyrie AGR Sport headquarters. I wanted to give you a tour of our facilities and have a chat. It is no secret that Dorian is retiring. I wanted to chat about the possibility of you coming to Team Valkyrie. I won’t sugar coat it for you though. I want it to be the right fit. That’s why I invited you.”
He took a step back and watched the man for clues as to how he was processing what he told him.
Max looked around, nodding in return with a shrug. “Of course. You wanna know if I’m the right stuff. I get it. First time though, that someone wants to give me a tour of the facility, I expected a cafe in town so….color me impressed. That is mighty trusting of you, Alexander. I’m under contract at another team, so let’s keep anything so that it doesn’t end up an issue under an NDA, right?” Max seemed to almost echo his agent’s words about this, knowing that Alexander would be no doubt, willing to let him look around. But that was something he had to bear in mind, because MMR would certainly be poking their heads in if they knew. That was not a conversation he was going to enjoy having.
“I mean, I think we spoke about preliminaries. But I also know that we need to talk through status. I’m not interested much in what your site has, but more about what the team’s like. And specifically, what your terms are.” Max added, as they walked, knowing that was all it came down to. Straight to the point.
Alexander smiled and looked amused a little at the thought that he would even consider letting him into the sensitive areas before being hired. That was why they had security and multiple buildings and security checkpoints. There was still a lot to see what was not under lock and key. Alexander smiled and motioned to the doors into the building. “Well let me address your concerns first. I certainly won’t be showing you any of the more sensitive areas. But touring the campus and seeing how you interact with the rest of the team is important to me. You want to know what our team is like and what team support means here at Valkyrie. Well there is no better way for you to find out, than see it with your own eyes. Don’t take my word for it. Ask questions. Ask the other people who work here. If you get into a topic that I feel crosses a line, I will tell you. Besides, how else can you make a comparison between what it is like to work with MMR versus Valkyrie?"
“Sure thing. That sounds good to me.” Max added, looking around, keeping his cards close to his chest. He was friendly, smiling to any other staff they came across, and kept an open profile. He hadn’t gotten to this point in AG without making himself known as a talent, and was shocked at how comfortable Alexander was showing him off. There was no doubt rumors that would swirl, talks that would fall out of this, and Max knew full well that even just being here was enough to start that chain. So for him, a personal risk, but nothing he saw jumped out to him, it was everything his agent told and more. A high-tech, slick, clean operation that took all of Europe’s best engineers and talents and stuck them on one campus in the Eifel mountains. It was the first team he’d seen beyond MMR, that and any small outfits he’d raced in while in the Junior AG leagues. But this was something already, even if MMR promised, this was the realized version of what he was looking for.
Perhaps it was a little more corporatized than MMR was, a smaller factory that felt like more of a punk operation, even if it was backed by some of America’s biggest car manufacturers. This felt more scientific, yet wholesome, a place that felt like it still had a sense of European-ness to it. A different way of doing things to America, that was for sure, but so far, he liked what he saw.
“It’s a nice place. Well fed crew’s a happy crew.” Max commented, observingly, little to say as he felt like he was just taking it in at the moment.
Alexander smiled as he led Max on the tour around campus. They ended up back in the team’s cafeteria. “Are you hungry? We can grab lunch in the cafeteria and talk there. Or we can go to my office. Your choice.”
Max kept it professional, the plain teal-wearing polo shirted American feeling he’d seen plenty. “Let’s go to your office. I ate on the way here, but I appreciate it. Could I get a coffee before we go, please? Do you want one, Alexander?” Max asked, stopping by one of the machines on the way out, and looking around for a mug. Finding a cupboard, he pulled out a mug, and slid it into the machine, getting another ready.
Alexander chuckled and nodded as he looked amused at his own thoughts. “I practically mainline coffee. It is my drink of choice most days. Mabel, my executive assistant, is always bringing me water and juice because she feels I drink too much of it. I take it black. Anyways the Team Cafeteria is open to everyone who lives and works at headquarters. The meals here are made by the Team Chef. He cooks for all the pilots while they are here at headquarters. He prepares meals for them to meet the nutritional requirements recommended by our nutritionists and physical trainers. He is excellent and we have a well fed team and they are happy with what he puts out for us.”
Max chuckled, passing across the ceramic mug, the reuse still in shape versus disposable packets. That was good, at least, as Max took his own, walking along, smirking.
“You know we have that at MMR too, right? It’s like you’re trying to sell me a condo!” The American noted, taking a microsip before walking alongside him, headed towards the office.
“I get it, coffee is one hell of a thing. My PT told me to ease up on the stuff, says there’s better stuff out there but man…..nothing beats it. My dad used to make a hell of a brew when we were out skiing in Breckenridge. Just something about that.” Max added, looking across, seeing the tension in Alexander. This was a two-way street, after all. As much as Max was judging him, Max knew he’d be getting looks.
Alexander chuckled as he accepted his mug and waited as Max prepared his coffee to his liking. “But of course I realize that.” Alexander paused with a twinkle of mischief in his eye. “But Chef Jacques is French and has his star.” Alexander winked. “Could just be that I am damned proud of the fact that our Team Chef works for the whole team. Not just the pilots, which can be prima donnas and divas at times.” Once Max had his coffee he began to lead the way back to his office deeper in the administration building. Alexander saw the look from Max and was confused. “Breckenridge is a nice place. Great views and skiing. There is nothing like coffee when you are looking out from the top of a mountain in the snow.” Alexander led the way into his office shutting the door behind him. He motioned an invitation to Max to join him in the seating area where there was a conversational grouping of easy chairs and a couch. Alexander took a seat in one of the comfy essay chairs across from the couch.
Max smiled in response, nodding to that earlier comment, walking and talking as they went. “How the hell did you get a Michelin sta…..yeah, of course, Europe. Shoulda guessed.” He shrugged his shoulders and chuckled, hearing his comment about Breckenridge.
“Glad you like it too. Thought you might be partial to a bit of it, no mountains in Estonia after all! It’s a heaven on earth. Less powder than ever, but….when it’s a good day there, nothing quite like it.” Max smiled back, taking a seat in the chair across from him, putting his mug down on a placemat.
Alexander chuckled at Max. “I can’t take credit for Chef Jacques. He was here when I started. I actually prefer Breckenridge in the spring when the mountain is carpeted in colorful wildflower meadows. It is peaceful there. There are not as many tourists in the spring. I lived in the states for a while. I lived in Colorado for a time. I enjoyed it there.” Alexander took a sip of his coffee and set it down on the glass top table next to his chair. He shifted to get comfortable and nodded at Max. “Explain what you meant about status?”
“I mean, where are we in terms of moving on a contract? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m keen for this. Everything looks good. Stuff is clean, and I could see myself out here in Germany. But my question is, what’s your questions? What do you want to know before we sign it? Is it results, what mods you’d propose? You’re in need of a pilot for next season and if your plans are to compete for a top spot, you need two pilots who can deliver. I’m happy to throw myself at this project, commit what needs to be done, and get it done. My results should speak for themselves, so my only thoughts are, what’s stopping you if you want this deal done?” Max asked, being more blunt and to the point, wanting to get through this. He’d heard, seen, been around all of the rumours on the paddock, who was going where, and when, and how. He knew full well that they were looking at junior pilots, so the real question to Max was, why wait this long? Was Valkyrie hiding some turmoil, or just uncertain they could land this?
Alexander waited patiently for Max to speak his piece. Alexander leaned back into his chair with a smile which slid into a neutral serious face. “I like that about you Max. I hate wasting time as well. Which is why I invited you for a more informal meeting. Because we both know that when I pull the trigger, it means lawyers, NDA’s, and agents get involved. The whole process seems to come to an excruciating slow crawl. I wanted this opportunity to hash out just these kinds of questions between us. What is not as well known around the paddock is that my philosophy or way of running the team is very different to some of the other team principals. I took this job initially as a favor to someone who had something I needed. I took it for my daughter. I won’t lie and say that I am not happy here. I have loved coming back to racing but I did it under conditions that gave me control. I had no control over what happened when Audrick died. I know you know my story there. I used to be a pilot. I know what that takes. I truly am trying to build a team mentality and culture here at Team Valkyrie. I am taking a different approach and supporting the pilots with what they need to be successful. Every racer is a little different just like an artist they have their own style. Instead of trying to find a pilot to fit the ship, I am trying to modify the ship to fit the pilot. One of my concerns with you in particular, is that you will expect special preference or billing as the more experienced pilot. How do you feel about this kind of culture?”
Max shrugged, glancing around, before leaning in. “Good pilot has to fit whatever he’s given. With Paul performing the way he is, I’d understand you won’t just give me what I’d personally like. And that’s fine, so long as you take into account what I have to say, but you would from any pilot you run, right? Me and Ulrich already do that. Two top tier pilots is how championships are won, like what Southern Cross are doing. So you don’t need to give me any special preference. Just make a ship that goes like hell, and I’ll do the rest.” Max replied, grabbing his coffee, sipping it down as he leant back. No pilot would ever want to be told they’d be second best, so he answered diplomatically, but made sure he put across that he wasn’t going to complain.
Alexander took a sip of his coffee. He rarely gave small speeches. He was more nervous about Max than he wanted to admit. He liked the American so far. Alexander chuckled a little before setting his coffee cup down. “I try to treat all my pilots equally. I will be brutally honest with you. I would be a liar if I tried to deny that Paul is not special to me as the son of my dead best friend. I took this job so I could protect him from the worst this sport can do. I have strong feelings about safety and fairness. I have treated Dorian the same as Paul. I have tried to give him what he needs to succeed and he did at Monaco. My worry with an already established pilot was that they would feel… I can’t put this diplomatically so pardon me when I say I mean no offense. That they would resent not being treated like the team revolves around. Everyone here from the janitor who cleans the place to the engineers who design the ships and the mechanics who keep them running. Everyone on this campus plays a role in keeping those ships running and on the track. Pilots are the ones who have to perform but it takes everyone behind them to get them there. It is why when I found the corruption here, I confronted it and pushed for justice for those wronged. Whoever joins this team as the next pilot needs to understand that as well. Now as to pilot mods, that is an NDA issue. I can’t tell you what we have planned for you till you agree to a contract and an NDA on what is in the proposal. Your record is why we are talking. There is more I want to share with you about the ships but again NDA. Do you have any reservations or concerns about moving to Germany? Do you have any significant others in your life? What concerns do you have about coming to Valkyrie?”
Max paid attention, sipping away, seeing the tension in Alexander. He was talking a while. And well, it was obvious that he was here for Paul, that much the American could tell, thinking it over. What that meant, what they would result in. And his sense of dealing with the issues on site. Personal, into hand, it showed a want to do the right thing, but Max knew that those stories didn’t die easy. Sipping more, they moved onto the NDA, and pilot mods, and onto the next. He was halfway the brew when Alexander finished.
“Well, sure, I get it. Paul is a rookie, and you want to protect him. I get that, it’s why you’re here, but I expect you’ll treat me the same. You don’t got that yet with me, I guess. Got no relationships, well, yet, and no ties to anyone. Moving would be tough, but I’d find a way to make it work, Dad’s got a place in Lucerne so a train to here is what, two and a half hours, an hour by shuttle? Plenty of places to stay local if I have to. But I like to keep work and not-work separate, ya know? Just prefer that relationship.” Max added, sipping more down, before putting it back.
“So it comes down to it, I guess, you’re wondering if I would be a team player. I think that’s what you’re trying to ask. Look, MMR is the same. I might be the lead, and I get it, Ulrich ain’t performing the same. One of your rookies, I remember, but the dude also had a lot of shit happen to him and I helped him through it. He wasn’t gonna be right, so yeah, the team naturally comes to me. It happens in smaller outfits. So yeah, my aim is to win, and whatever you give me, I’m gonna do that with. If you think next year’s ship is capable of that, sign me up.” Max added, putting it down.
“Speaking of next year’s ship, what are we talking here? I mean, I’m keen for a project. MMR still is one, but I hope you have plans. I mean, looking around here, seeing what I saw, there’s a team here with legacy, history. You guys win races.Are we aiming for titles, cracking the top two? Because I know you have me in this room for that reason.” Max asked, candid as ever, knowing he would get to the heart of the matter here with that question.
Alexander leaned back in his chair and sipped at his coffee while Max answered him back. He paid attention and nodded. “I told you what I did about Paul because if you come over, I don’t want you to feel like I hid that information. I will back you as fully as I do Paul.” Alexander smiled at what he was hearing. “So Max as to next year’s ship, again we are in NDA territory. What I can say is that I am working on Team Valkyrie’s long term success. You heard that I approached the junior AG pilots. Of course I did, some of them will no doubt be filling seats in Formula AG next year. I wouldn’t be doing my job as a Team Principal if I didn’t look over the best options for filling Dorian’s seat. My goals for next year is nothing short of a championship sweep. That means I need the right pilots.” Alexander smiled and felt a sense of satisfaction in all he had accomplished coming to Valkyrie so far. He waited for Max to process that.
”Good. Then that works for me. Sounds like we’re on the right track.” Max put his coffee down, leaning back, knowing that Alexander would play his hands close to his chest, create some pressure with the other Junior pilots, but as of right now, his own future was in his hands. Silver Apex had confirmed a new pilot and weren’t likely to change, Southern Cross had a hell of a pairing in Nora and Harrison they wouldn’t give up, and Zygon, well, crudely speaking, fuck Zygon. That left Valkyrie, Carrera perhaps too given their meteoric rise, but something about that ship didn’t sit right with him. Nor the fact they looked like they might retain Ava, so that left Valkyrie as the most obvious option, and a clear slam-dunk based on experience so far.
“I imagine the juniors will find a place. They’re very capable. But you are looking at a lot of options, and well, if you want to win titles, then like I said, get a good ship, I’ll put it where it needs to go. That record you can look at now, with them, it’s a risk. I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t have my moments. Like any good racer. Like your old record too. But, you need a little fire. Way I see it, I’m your best shot at it, give you something the Europeans can’t. A little old school.” Max added, sipping more down, putting it back.
“You probably know my reputation. I mean, I’ve still got plenty to learn. You ain’t getting a pilot like Dorian, if you wanted that, you’d have interviewed Ava. Or Astrid. So, I think you want that. A little, something, something, raw. What was it they said, you want pilots who can race well, go buy a drone, you want pilots who can win, stand up, put your name on that top of that podium, you’re gonna need mavericks. Someone to play by the rules, and someone who’ll give you that fire.” Max spoke, a wry smile on his face, knowing that in his time in Europe, the enthusiasm, energy and excitement that came with Americans versus the cold, calculated steel of Europeans would come through. Especially Germans, who were to the minute number, calculated. There was something more cowboy-esque about finding the limits a way he could find how.
Alexander kept a neutral face but he couldn’t agree more with Max. There was something to be said for the American spirit. There was a passion and wildness to Americans that were lacking in Europeans. Alexander was in a rare position to understand this. He had dual citizenship and had split his time between his parents in Estonia and the US. He gave a rare smile and leaned in and winked at Max conspiratorially. “I will share with you that inviting the junior AG pilots here was a suggestion from Sami Lipponnen. He was recently hired to take over as Crew Chief and run Team Valkyrie’s Junior AG team and academy. Inviting them to the summer bootcamp was a way to put them all on a level playing field and evaluate what they could do. Besides the confusion and rumors it started in the paddock were entertaining as hell. I did it with an eye to the future of the team. There were a few really promising pilots. I feel like I have learned what I need to make that decision.” He took another sip of coffee. “So Max I have one question, are you ready for me to get the agents and lawyers involved? Do you want to win a championship with me and be a member of the team?”
Max smirked, finishing up the coffee. “You got yourself a deal, partner.” Max put a hand out, and dapped, shaking his hand, a smirk on his face, standing up. “I’ll call my agent and get things in motion. I’ll sign NDAs and get this ready. I trust you’re a man of your word. There’s a list I’ll request, and a few things I’d like off table of your request, but, I mean short of turning me into Layla, which under local law I guess you ain’t gonna do, I think that works for me. Salary, fees, bonuses, length of contract, all that jazz, before we walked into this room were fine. Let’s go get this done.” Max added, taking the cup, looking out the window with a grin. “We still have a long season ahead. I don’t intend to go easy with MMR, Alex. To the end I’ll fight for points. But come December, I’ll be ready.” Max replied, grinning. This was a new step. He’d come here expecting his hand was strong, that irrespective, as much as he hated the idea of leaving MMR, he was moving to the next step in his career. One of the old big three teams, and well, a hell of an exciting place to be at the moment, even in spite of the dramas of the start of the season. Six races ago, he would have sworn off it completely, but given a crisis, and a change of circumstances, he’d agreed.
Alexander grinned and rose to his feet to shake Max’s hand. Alexander raised an eyebrow at Max. “I would hold off on the off the table stuff until you see the full offer once you sign the NDA. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at what we can offer. It won’t happen till you are done with MMR though. You will have an opportunity to know what we have planned for you before you sign on the dotted line as it were. Salary I am sure we will negotiate. I am trying to recover Valkyrie’s reputation after Brendel destroyed it. Everything we do will be above board. But Max I believe you will be happy that you took the leap. It will be worth it.” He grinned like the cat that got the canary. “I will state unequivocally that Valkyrie is on the rise. You have already seen it this season. And please Max, do your best. Be a great competitor! Take some wins and spots from the other teams.” He winked.
“Just make sure I get paid, Alex. And that you don’t make a shitbox next year, or else I’m gonna get your pass at Breckenridge pulled.” Max grinned, chuckling with sarcasm, tapping him on the shoulder, taking his mug, chuckling at the thought. “I’m sure I can pull some surprises.” He smirked back, taking his cup, and with it, following Alexander, this meeting being over for now.
Alexander called for the car to pick Max up and take him back to the airport where the shuttle that brought Max will return him to wherever he wants to go.
Alexander had already contacted the legal department and had them start working on an offer for Max. He gave them some final orders after his meeting with Max. Once Max signed the NDA he would get the full contract and a disclosure of upgrades they were going to provide him as a pilot. It would include the new neural interface from Shinichi and the nanite treatments to strengthen his skeleton system, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, improve his lung capacity and increase the efficiency of his heart. Max would not be able to start the process until he was done at MMR. He was told that Valkyrie was developing new ships for the following season and had invested a lot in research and development for them. They were hiring engineers and partnering with other companies to develop them. When Max was done at MMR, he would be able to join the development team in providing his feedback and wants for the new ships. Salary was negotiable. Max would get the same financial offer that they had worked up for Jen Lowry. Valkyrie’s offer was a good one. Part of the package included supports such as the on campus apartment, all the training support Max could hope for, including food and nutritional supplements. That alone left Max without some household bills freeing up some of his income. The pay would be much better than he had at MMR. Just like any other employee, there was a clause in his contract that he had to go through Team Valkyrie employee orientation same as everyone else. He would sit through the required harassment training and how to report it. The contract would include the new clauses for Team Valkyrie’s endorsement and sponsorships transparency clause and how Max was free to pursue personal endorsements that would be exempt from the transparency policy but that the team wide sponsorships would include him.
Sunday July 2nd, 2094, 1400 EST Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montréal Canada (Federated American States) Hockey Fight
Paul was enjoying the moment as he celebrated his first Formula AG win with his crew as they were leading him to the cooldown room. He had been pushed, hugged, and congratulated and spun around like a top from crew member to crew member. He suddenly found himself facing Kais Zenix who had shouldered his way past some of the crew. Kais had the same serious look he always wore as he held out a hand for Paul to shake. Paul gave Kais a triumphant smile as he shook his hand.
Kais: "Hell of a drive, Mulder. Kept the demolition derby in your rear-view sensors and straight into P1. Ace moves."
Paul nodded as he shook Kais’ hand. “Thanks Kais. I appreciate that. My sympathies that you got nailed by Hart again. I would watch your tail. I think he has a thing for you.”
Before Paul could say much more Kais had disappeared back into the crowd.
Lhonneux Family Estate Outside Brussels, Belgium
Paul had taken a private chartered jet home from Montreal. He had gone straight home to Brussels. He wanted to celebrate his win with his mother. He was officially on vacation for the next two weeks. Technically FIAR had all pilots off for the summer break but there was work to do during the break to get ready for the next race. It was a time to implement improvements and test them. Which meant as a pilot, he didn’t get the whole summer break off. But he did get some time. Paul had slept in the following day and woke up to an overflowing inbox of interview requests. He had put off getting an agent as long as he could. He was paying the price for that now. He got up and put on his running shoes and workout clothes. He would keep his workout low key but he knew he would regret it if he slacked off his physical fitness during the break. Agnes would make him pay for it when he got back to campus if he did.
Paul put his earbuds in and cued up some music before he jogged down the stone stairs off the west entrance and onto the cobblestone path. He always loved coming home. He could run outside in the sunshine. He took a long meandering route that wove through the estates' grounds and gardens. It was peaceful and private. The scenery was a delight to his senses. He smiled as he felt the tension melting away. He occasionally checked the fitness tracker on his arm to see what his heart rate was and how far he had run. He made four complete circuits of the property and changed his route through the gardens each time. By the time he was done, he felt at peace and relaxed after a 5 kilometer run. He jogged back up the same steps he came out of earlier. He went back to his room and took a hot shower allowing the hot water to massage sore muscles. He then went in search of breakfast.
After breakfast he met with his mother’s head of security. He had asked the man to vet some potential new agents. He had a really hard time trusting an agent but he simply didn’t have the time to sort through and manage all his endorsements, public appearances, and media engagements without some help. His last agent had tried to push Paul into some deals that he was not happy with. After investigating it appeared that he had taken bribes to push the companies deals on him. He had withheld better offers from more reputable companies for the bribe money that far exceeded what he would have gotten from his commission. Paul thanked his mother’s head of security who was an older man. Gregory Vandecasteele had been with his mother for a long time. He had been a quiet fatherly presence in Paul’s life. He had always had time for him as he was growing up. Gregory had gray hair. He had younger staff that did the hard work now and he oversaw them. Paul trusted Gregory and reviewed the files he had handed him.
The first file contained a dossier on a Belgian woman, Diana Desreumaux. She was an established agent with a good success record. She has several high profile clients but none of her clients were athletes. Her clients were mostly musicians and artists. She had a good reputation though. The next file was a man named Christophe Kerger from Luxembourg. Christophe had several high profile athletes in rugby and football in his portfolio. He too had a good reputation among his clients. Paul was surprised when he opened the last folder. He laughed and looked at Gregory with a raised eyebrow. Gregory had included a dossier on his daughter, Chelsey Vandecasteele. She had a degree in public relations and marketing with a minor in business. She had a more modest portfolio than the others. Chelsy had worked for a large agency before starting her own company. She had been in business for herself for a few years. She was established but didn’t have any really high profile clients yet, at least not on his level of fame. Paul was intrigued by the idea of taking on a lesser known agent. He liked the idea that she would have more time for him. He also knew her as she and her father lived on the estate as he was growing up. She was older than Paul by ten years. He had not seen her since she had gone off to college and pursued her own life away from her father. Gregory grinned at Paul.
Paul: “I had no idea that Chelsey had gone into public relations.”
Gregory: “I have another file if you feel this is inappropriate Paul.” He shrugged and pointed to Chelsey’s file. “She is still building her client base. You know her and she knows you. I believe you could trust her to have your best interests in mind. I can’t think of anyone better than a family member you can trust to have your interests in mind.” He smiled at Paul.
Paul smiled back at Gregory. “I won’t promise anything but I will set up an appointment to see her. I have a few reservations about it. She hasn’t handled a client of my caliber yet. We will meet and see what her ideas are.”
Gregory gave him a slight bow. “As you wish sir.” Gregory looked like the cat that got the canary. Paul laughed as he walked away carrying the three files with him.
Paul interviewed Diana Desreumaux. She had plenty of experience with endorsement contracts but not with sponsorship contracts or sports contracts. Christophe Kerger had plenty of experience with endorsement, sponsorship, and sports contracts. Diana was nice but her ideas for endorsement ads made him cringe. She simply didn’t have a clue about Formula AG Racing. She confessed that she was not a fan and never watched it. He was already handling several high profile celebrity athletes which he bragged about it. He shared details about endorsement deals for his other clients which Paul found distasteful and a breach of confidentiality. Paul didn’t believe he would have enough time for him. Paul didn’t get a good feeling about him.
Paul had interviewed Chelsey and had found that she had been following his career. Her portfolio was much smaller and Paul could tell that his mother had referred a few artists her way. Most of her clients were locals and in need of her marketing skills. Chelsey seemed happy to hear from you and thought it was a personal call. She was surprised when I brought up the idea that she could become my agent. Chelsey instantly began spouting how she had no experience in that way. She was trained for it but had no current clients in that capacity. She was surprised that I would ask her about it. She had laughed and shook her head when Paul told her that her father had recommended her to me. Chelsey shrugged it off and apologized for wasting his time while being happy to hear how he was doing. Paul grinned as he turned serious with Chelsey. He explained the issues he had with some of his previous agents. He told her he was dead serious about taking her on as his agent. He asked if she would be willing to make him her only sports client. She confessed that she didn’t feel up to the job but was surprised and appalled by the lack of ethics he had experienced with other agents. She was concerned about taking the job but if it would help Paul out she would do it. Chelsey felt completely inadequate for the job. Paul was convinced she would be perfect! Paul grinned at her and told her he would have a contract for her to look over by the following day.
Paul had smiled and checked that off his to do list. He went to get ready for his lunch date with his mother with a grin.
Paul spent some time reviewing the videos from the Montreal race. He was surprised to see that Kais didn’t hit Jamie Hart. He was surprised when it came out that Zygon had been using illegal modifications. They had been cheating. He wondered if that was why he had not heard from Hyeon-Ae in some time. He watched what had happened to Dorian and frowned. He was familiar with Dorian’s racing style and he was lacking his typical consistency this season. He knew there had been a lot of drama since Alexander started at Valkyrie but it seemed like there was something more going on with Dorian. Maybe it was his impending retirement. Knowing that each one of these races would be the last of his career had to take an emotional and mental toil. He made a point to send Dorian a nice bottle of wine and reach out to his teammate. He learned everything he could from rewatching the video and reviewing his ship’s data telemetry from the Montreal race. He then turned his attention to other things while he was at home.
Team Valkryie AGR Sport Headquarters Aachen, Germany
Paul had enjoyed his time at home. He had run everyday. He had done the circuit of local news stations to do interviews about his win in Montreal and to plug the upcoming fundraising gala for the Mulder Foundation. The marketing surrounding the gala was gaining steam with the free press from his win and the interviews. The extra press had helped elevate his endorsement profile as well. Chelsey had jumped right in and he had sent her copies of all of his contracts which included his endorsement and sponsorship deals. She had been in contact quite a bit as she got up to speed on his information. Once he felt she had at least familiarised herself with his information he dumped her into the deep end. He added Chelsey’s contact information as his agent to his professional page. He had already contacted Katherine and let her know who his new agent was. Katherine would end up working closely with Chelsey to coordinate endorsement and sponsorship contracts and clauses to ensure he didn’t accidentally breach a contract by accepting work from a competitor. Katherine would also forward any personal endorsement requests to Chelsey for her to review and share with Paul. He appreciated that Chelsey would set up a set weekly meeting where they would discuss any pending business on endorsement contracts. Anyone wanting urgent contracts would be held off. His previous agents had only thought about their commissions and would contact him all the time even when they knew he was busy. He already felt like this was going to work out.
Paul was back at the headquarters. He was suffering through another grueling session with Agnes, Sasha, and Mitsuko tender graces. Paul kept his complaining to a minimum. Shininichi’s system was amazing but it was not all rainbows and goodness. Paul was required to drink a protein and supplement shake three times a day to help get the building blocks for the changes into his system. The shakes had a nasty aftertaste and a consistency like liquid chalk. Then he was being put through a special workout routine to strengthen the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around his joints. It was painful as he had to keep pushing and breaking tissue down so it could be rebuilt. It was painful and exhausting. Then there was the odd sensation of growing pains like he suffered as a boy and the feeling that his bones itched. Mitsuko assured him that the process was coming along great as she was monitoring the process. It was not the most comfortable process in the world. Once the process was done, Paul had gained about 5 pounds in weight from the process with much denser bones and the graphene latticing along his skeletal structure. Agnes and Sasha put Paul through another series of tests to ensure he had fully adapted to the changes. The final scans and tests revealed the process had worked extremely well. On the test track, the changes made to his body helped him with the g forces he was subjected to inside the cockpit.
Paul was pleased that he got to take part in the summer bootcamp. He raced anonymously in the older ships against the junior academy cadets. He enjoyed the hell out of himself. He enjoyed cutting down a few egos even more. He knew his identity as Racer X was never revealed to the cadets or Delta Hyper. Alexander had him test the cadets ability against an experienced opponent with ELS and overtakes. He wanted to see if they understood how to defend and use those systems. Plus with Valkyrie’s set up it required a racer that could get the most of the ship’s handling and stability. It was a very telling experience as some of the racers were obviously used to relying on better ships and speed over their opponents ships to win. It also gave Paul an opportunity to test out his mods in real life conditions on the track. Overall while the upgrade process was not the most enjoyable in the world, he appreciated the new stability his upgrade gave him in the cockpit.
Paul knew that Cavan Mitchell and his team of engineers were trying to get more speed out of the Valkyrie ship. He hoped that with the extra time over summer break that they managed to come up with some minor tweaks to help. Paul would need that extra speed at Spa. Every little bit helped. Tocho Lister while helping with the Junior Academy Bootcamp was available to run tests on any improvements the engineers needed tested. Daniel Ogier would have some time to help with that as well. Having one pilot on campus and available would help out the engineers significantly. Having two test pilots with different flying styles would help them test the ship for multiple pilots as well. More data was always better than no data.
Media Over Summer Break
“This is Lilly Stryker from TMZ. We come to you today with some news hot off the presses. Paul Mulder has fired his agent and replaced them with a childhood friend. His new agent is Chelsey Vandecasteele. Miss Vandecasteele has a degree in public relations and marketing with a minor in business. She comes from obscurity into the spotlight with such top tier talent. Critics feel that this was a poor move on Mulder’s part. Paul has not commented on our inquiries into the matter. Other agents ponder if she was given the job for other reasons. She doesn’t seem to have the experience that you would expect for such a high profile athlete. We will be keeping our eye on this so we can update you in the future. Remember to follow us, this has been Lilly Stryker with TMZ.”
“This is Lauri Ivan with Victory Laps Racing News. We are hearing rumors that Alexander Knight had invited one member from each of the Junior Formula AG teams to attend the Team Valkyrie Summer Bootcamp. The rumors have gone unconfirmed but there seems to be a kernel of truth to them. Olivia Lau, Phoebe Kostas, Liam Hunter, Amber Beck, and Elise Vogel are mysteriously away from their teams when summer breaks tend to be when junior teams get some attention in the paddock. Is Alexander Knight secretly interviewing pilots in an effort to see who will fill Dorian Hornfleur’s shoes next season? We have had confirmation from some of the other junior league teams that their junior members received an invitation and they declined. I guess we will just have to wait to see what Alexander Knight has up his sleeve next. This has been Lauri Ivan from Victory Laps Racing News.”
"This is Hans Keller with Gossip. There is hot news from Team Valkyrie today. The team has confirmed the rumors that Alexander Knight was seen in Los Angeles visiting his daughter Arianna. The two were reportedly seen at a small Mexican Restaurant in Santa Monica. The team confirmed rumors that Tocho Lister has been wooed away from Miller Motor Racing and will be joining Team Valkyrie AGR Sport. Will Tocho Lister replace Dorian Hornfleur? Team Valkyrie has confirmed he has been offered a contract and accepted it but not what his role will be. Remember to follow us on Gossip as we keep you updated on the latest gossip! This has been Hans Keller.
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Help us celebrate Team Valkyrie pilot Paul Mulder’s first win in the Formula AG league at Montreal. Don’t forget that you can buy fangear at our team store [link to team store]. Team Valkyrie is announcing a change to their Fan Zone for upcoming races. Expect Valkyrie Fan Zones to be more interactive than ever with smaller local businesses joining us for upcoming races. They will add local culture and flair to upcoming fan zones with new food and drink options and experiences changing every race. The Team couldn’t be more pleased to be able to engage smaller businesses as we redefine what the Formula AG racing community looks like. Check out the new interactive race calendar to see what will be available in upcoming fan zones! [link to calendar]
Team Valkyrie AGR Sport is proud to announce that the Mulder Foundation Fundraising Gala is sold out! Team Valkyrie AGR Sport will be giving away one pair of tickets to the Mulder Foundation Gala at the upcoming Spa Grand Prix. Visit the Team Valkyrie Fan Zone for opportunities to win the tickets. You can still submit bids to the silent auction items. [link to the silent auction page] You can also still buy the special t-shirt promotion designed by Mad Bea. You can purchase your t-shirt in support from the Team Valkyrie Store or from the Mulder Foundation. [link to buy the t-shirt] Proceeds go to support the Mulder Foundation. [link to the Mulder Foundation]
PaulMulder@ValkyriePaul
Wow! Thanks for the support for the Mulder Foundation. I appreciate it! I have seen the plans for the new fan zone experiences. They are gonna be different for each race! It’s gonna be fun! I am looking forward to it.
OfficeDrone#12: The new fan zone remake is amaze balls! Never heard of his new agent before though. SuperfanAGR54: Tocho Lister? Please tell me Alexander is not going to replace Dorian with Tocho. That is not a good replacement. DantheMan:Congrats to Paul on his first win! May there be many more in his future. BatDave: I am Batman I should have thought of this... Superfan2075: I am skeptical but will go check out the new fan zone. What is Knight up to now? Why would he invite the junior academy pilots from other teams to Valkyrie’s bootcamp? Doesn’t that invite the enemy to check you out behind the scenes. DadBod89: Hmm that’s an interesting concept. Very different. Not sure what Knight is up to now. Hater101: Big Whoop! It is only their second win this season. *rolls eyes* Bad move on Knight’s part. You don’t invite the enemy within. Papabear34: It’s nice they plugged his fundraiser. I bought one of Bea’s shirts. I can’t think of a more meaningful souvenir for this season. Nana2050: It’s nice to see Paul doing well. I like the changes to the fan zone. I bought my t-shirt! GeorgeFly:Hmmm I am reserving judgement till the press covers the first one. It was time Paul won one. Not sure what Knight is up to now. ValkyrieFan56: Ohhh I like the new calendar. It has holographic pop ups showing the vendors and their set up with interactive menus too! That’s nice for planning ahead. The rumors about what Knight is up to is concerning. Weedhead81: I am bummed. There was no weed on the silent auction. I checked. That’s just sad man. SexyM@m@5: I would like to hear about Dorian. It’s like they stopped supporting him now that Paul is winning. BOO! Paulmulder4eva: YES! They detail when the pilots will be in the fan zone for meet and greets. Britball12: I am happy to see Paul finally win a race. Not sure about the changes to the fan zone. I do like the new interactive calendar though. !YouSlow!: Meh. I feel Paul should have won one before now and don’t get me started on Dorian’s performance at Montreal. Is he phoning in his last season? xImFasterthanUx: @!YouSlow! I completely agree. For a racer known for consistently delivering, he has been all over the place this season. AGInthusiast: Meh! I agree that Dorian’s performance has been all over the place. Is it just rumors or is Knight up to something? micheal650004: It’s nice to see the team supporting Paul’s interest outside of racing. Nice to see him on the podium. Bertha: Bah Humbug! Dorian didn’t finish in Montreal. Paul finished in first big whoop. We have heard about this fundraiser a lot lately. Can we get some real racing news? New fan zone experiences? Not really. Just new sponsors.
Tues July 26 Formula AG Pilot Group Chat
Paul:Since we are going to be close to my hometown, I will be hosting the dinner party for the pilot group on Thursday before the race at Spa at Villa De Fleurs. I have rented out the entire hotel. Come stay for the race and join me for dinner on Thursday. World Renown Chef Greyson Angelotti will be cooking just for our group.
Team Valkyrie AGR Sport Headquarters Aachen Germany
Alexander had left for his trip to Los Angeles with a lighter heart. He was relieved to know that the Junior Academy Bootcamp was in good hands. Sami had taken over the process of overseeing the team. It had been his idea to invite one member from each of the junior teams to the bootcamp. Alexander had been surprised that he had not thought about that himself. It had been a clever way to get to see and evaluate upcoming talent all at once on a level playing field. It would give Alexander a way to review their personalities and compare their skills. His invitation had only been accepted by five of the other team pilots Phoebe Kostas, Olivia Lau, Amber Beck, Elise Vogel, and Liam Hunter.
Alexander was pleased to see his top candidates from among the junior league had decided to join him. He couldn’t wait to see how the bootcamp went. Alexander arranged travel for the additional attendees and arranged to have a few of the empty apartments converted into dormitory style spaces. He had the queen beds removed and replaced with loft beds with desks under them. Each two bedroom apartment had 4 pilots assigned to them. There were two bedrooms with two people per room and the standard kitchen area and common living space with a sectional sofa and entertainment system. There were two bathrooms one attached to what was normally the master suite and the other the guest bathroom with a tub/shower combination. He had put in a call to Max Wedgewood’s agent to set up a meeting at the Valkyrie campus after the bootcamp towards the end of the summer break. Alexander was gathering as much information as possible before sending out an offer to who he felt would be the best candidate to take Dorian’s seat. He had wanted Jen Lowry but she had chosen to go to Apex. He didn’t blame her for her choice. He hoped she got what she was looking for with their team.
Los Angeles, California
Alexander had filtered his messages and phone so he would only be disturbed if it was really important. He would be checking his email messages since he had work he wanted to complete over the summer break. Work would take a back seat to spending some quality time with his daughter. He was looking forward to spending time with her. Mabel had flown with him. He had stopped on the east coast to drop her off to spend time with her family. He had taken the time to have dinner with his father and catch up with him. He had then continued the next morning to Los Angeles. He was grateful he had taken one of the team’s private planes. He couldn’t imagine the media circus his landing in LA would have caused if he had been on a commercial flight. Security was much easier to handle for a smaller private plane which could land at a smaller airport. Van Nuys airport had a reputation for privacy and security which was used by many celebrities. Alexander’s plane landed and he was whisked away in a large SUV with tinted windows. The vehicle had room for him and his security and their luggage.
Alexander’s team had arranged for him to stay in a penthouse suite of a high rise hotel. His security would be in the suite’s other bedrooms. The hotel had excellent security options and the penthouse was only accessible by a private elevator and the stairway had a security door with an electronic lock. The hotel was working with his team to provide camera surveillance and provide him with as much privacy as they could during his stay. The media vultures would figure out where he was staying but with private and alternative exits to the hotel, they would be kept at a distance.
Alexander had arranged to meet Arianna for Lunch. He had chosen a small Mexican restaurant that had excellent customer reviews that was family owned and run. Alexander had missed great Mexican food. You could get Mexican food in Europe but it was just not as good. There was just something lacking. Alexander’s security team ate at a table nearby as he and Arianna laughed over tacos and chile relleno. There had been a few people surprised to see him in the quaint little restaurant. They had asked for pictures and then left him to eat in peace with his daughter. He had taken a picture with the owners with his permission to hang it later. He had enjoyed the meal and complimented them on the excellent food. He had left their stunned and star eyed waiter with a generous tip for ensuring their privacy for the rest of the meal. Alexander got along well with his security guards who were grateful to enjoy excellent food even as they kept a watch over their charge.
Arianna had come back to the hotel with Alexander so they could talk in private. Arianna laughed as she followed her father into the fancy hotel suite. She looked around and couldn’t help being amused as the hotel was so far out of her father’s comfort zone. He would be happy with a Holiday Inn and yet here he was in the lap of luxury. Arianna looked out over the Los Angeles skyline through the wall of glass that led out to a private terrace patio. The view was stunning with the ocean visible in the distance. The soundproof glass left the suite an oasis of privacy and calm even as heavy traffic passed the hotel below.
Arianna snickered as she commented to her father.
Arianna: “Wow! This is swanky. I am surprised you sprung for such an expensive hotel. Penthouse. Private elevator. Security downstairs like you’re royalty. Should I curtsy now or after dessert?”
Alexander sighed as he replied. “I had to for security reasons. If I had tried to stay at a moderate hotel, I would have been inundated with reporters knocking on my door at all hours of the day. It’s standard protocol. I’m not royalty. I just manage maniacs who fly at Mach 2 sideways.”
Arianna: “Don’t be modest. You’re basically the Celestina (a popular singer) of anti-grav racing. With less dancing.”
Alexander looked confused and raised his eyebrows at his daughter. “Who is Celestina?”
Arianna paused and gave her father a trademark grin. Her voice oozed curiosity as she continued.
Arianna: “So... Lena.”
Alexander raised an eyebrow at his daughter: “That’s a sudden change in topic.”
Arianna smiled and took a seat on the replica antique couch which looked lovely but was not very comfortable.
Ariamma: “Not really. You’ve only mentioned her seventeen times since you landed. And you got noticeably cagey when I asked if she’s staying here.”
Alexander joined his daughter on the hard couch facing her. “She’s in Tokyo this week. Runway show. And no, she hasn’t stayed here. Yet.”
Arianna’s eyes widened in surprise as she mock gasped in horror.
Arianna: “Yet! He says yet! We are dangerously close to “leave a toothbrush at my place” territory.”
Alexander rolled his eyes at his daughter’s antics even as his voice dripped with exasperation with her.
Alexander: “Ari…”
Arianna: “No no. I support it. Just didn’t expect you to fall for someone who knows how to smize on command.”
Alexander chuckled as he never expected to fall for a model either. Elena was not the stereotypical model though. She was much more than beautiful. She challenged him and appealed to him on many levels.
Alexander: “She’s more than that. Smart, grounded. Has this dry humor that sneaks up on you. She called my racing helmet "a very aggressive salad bowl."
Arianna looked like she was considering that answer as her head wavered from side to side in thought.
Arianna: “That is a pretty accurate description.”
Arianna’s eyes narrowed as she focused on her father’s face. After a short pause she continued.
Arianna: “So, how serious are we talking here? “We text every night” serious? “She knows your coffee order” serious? “She has your garage access code” serious?”
Alexander gave his daughter a stern look but any idiot could tell he didn’t really mean it.
Alexander: “What is this, an interrogation or are you interviewing me for some documentary?”
Arianna: “I’m just trying to assess the vibe, Dad. It's not every day my father, the reclusive racing mastermind, starts dating a literal fashion icon. I have a right to know if I should start practicing my red carpet wave.”
Alexander’s shoulders shake lightly as his laughter rings out into the room. He shakes his head back and forth before leaning back against the back of the couch. He sighs lightly before continuing.
Alexander: “I don’t know exactly what we are yet. We are taking it slow and one step at a time. It’s hard when I live in Germany and she is traveling for work all over the world. But it feels... real. It’s been months. She knows the mess I’ve been through. She knows the damage your mother caused. She has patience with me. She is not afraid to call on me on my shit. Then tell me what I need to do to fix it. Still shows up. She doesn’t treat me like a brand or a trophy. Just... me.”
Arianna is quiet as she nods with a contemplative look.
Arianna: “That’s good. You deserve that.”
She scooted closer and gave her father a big hug. She tightened her arms around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She then let go of him and gave him a mischievous smirk.
Arianna: “But I do reserve the right to grill her when we meet. Maybe casually drop a few embarrassing stories. Like “the Great Hoverbike Crash of Tallinn.”
Alexander’s eyes widened at her words. His tone was worried.
Alexander: “That was classified.”
Arianna: “Not from me. I’m family. I have diplomatic immunity.”
Alexander laughs as he knew his daughter wouldn’t spare embarrassing him as he had embarrassed her in front of her friends in the past.
Alexander: “If you traumatize her, you’re paying for my therapy.”
Arianna: “Deal. But only if I can take her shopping. I’ve never had a model almost-stepmom. Think of the wardrobe upgrades.”
Alexander groaned at the damage to his pocketbook the two of them together on a shopping spree could do.
Alexander: “You just want free access to Paris Fashion Week.”
Arianna: “Obviously.”
Alexander rolled his eyes. It was good to see his daughter. He had been ready to discuss Elena with her yet.
Team Valkyrie AGR Sport Headquarters Aachen, Germany
Formula AG Junior Bootcamp
There were fifteen junior pilots that had been invited to take part in the Team Valkyrie Bootcamp this year over the summer break. The bootcamp would last three full weeks. The bootcamp took place at the team headquarters. The attendees would be staying in the apartment complex on campus. There had been five apartments set up dormitory style with two loft beds in each bedroom with a common kitchen and living space and two bathrooms. There were eight younger pilots who had not yet entered the Junior Formula league that were hoping to get into one of the junior academies. They were all promising racers from the Formula 3 division. They were all too young to race in the Formula AG division. They were barely old enough to race in the junior division with most of them being 14 and 15 years old. Then there were the seven Junior Formula AG pilots that had accepted Alexander’s invitation to join the bootcamp: Scarlett, Anna, Olivia, Phoebe, Liam, Amber, and Elise.
The cadet pilots arrived in shuttles from the airport. Some had tried to bring their own entourages with them and they were turned away at the door. It was explained that the campus had security and that everything they needed would be available to them. They didn’t need their own personal masseuse or butler. They were not going to be pampered prima donnas. They were here to put in the hard work and to see what they were made of. Some of them were shocked to find out they would be living dormitory style and sharing a room with one of their competitors. The campus was secure and there would be no media leaks if it could be helped. There were ten women and five men attending the bootcamp this year.
DELTΔ HYPER SPECIAL
A narrator's voice began could be heard over exciting background music.
Narrator: “The mood among the cadets was tense, curious, and caffeinated.”
A drone image taken from up high showed Sami Lipponen walk casually back and forth in front of the cadets assembled before him. They were lined up in rows in the grassy space in the middle of the campus between the apartment building and the administration building. They stood in three rows of five in front of him. All the pilots’ attention was on him as they each stood wearing matching workout gear in Team Valkyrie colors of dark gray and golden yellow.
Sami began to speak in a no nonsense tone.
“Welcome, cadets.
This is not a fan zone photo op. This is not an influencer’s playground. This is where the suits stop smiling and the helmets go on.
For the next three weeks, you are not influencers. You are not idols. You are not even pilots — not yet. You're candidates.
The Junior Academy Bootcamp is Valkyrie AGR Sport’s most intensive physical, psychological, and technical development program. What happens here will either forge you into the next generation of AG pilots — or reveal why you never will be.
Each of you was handpicked — from league contenders, regional champions, academy referrals, and wildcard entries. Some of you arrived with an entourage. Some of you arrived alone. None of that matters now.
You all start equal. You all start at zero. And the countdown has begun.”
Sami looked out at the young faces before him. He stood with his arms behind his back as he addressed them.
Sami: “Some of you believe you have nothing left to learn. Some of you believe you already know it all. Some of you believe that because you have a seat and are competing in the junior league that this academy is only an audition. An audition for the seat with Team Valkyrie when Dorian Hornfleur retires. I can not confirm this rumor. You are here by Alexander Knight’s invitation that is true. What I can tell you is that if you put in the work and effort, you will leave this bootcamp a better pilot. You will be better prepared for the next step in your professional racing career.”
Sami deliberately paused and looked each of the fifteen in the eyes. He shrugged and pointed to the exit.
Sami: “If you are not prepared to work hard and give it your all, I invite you to exit now. Before you make your decision let me tell you what the next three weeks has in store for you.”
Sami gave an evil grin as he began to lay out the structure of the bootcamp and what they would be doing.
Sami: “During the first week we will be working on your foundation and breaking bad habits. We will begin with baseline physical testing: oxygen efficiency, anaerobic output, and reaction drills. This will be followed by Neural sync calibration and implant latency diagnostics. Then you will attend technical workshops with Valkyrie engineers which will include flight model simulations, and shield/boost tuning. There will be Daily briefings with me and I will be blunt, brutal, and unfiltered. I will tell you the ugly and bare truth of where you stand and what your performance is. There will be nightly recovery, monitored nutrition protocols via Rocket Sports Nutrition.”
Sami paused and began to pace back and forth and walk up and down the lines so he could look each cadet in the eye as he told them what they would endure in their training and what it consisted of.
Sami: “That was just the first week. The second week will be working on your control and other skills that professional pilots need. You will go through multi-axis gravity training. Then you will get a taste of AG ship prototype testing in confined track simulation. Next up on the menu is stress interviews: media coaching, brand alignment, fan etiquette, where you will be filmed by Delta Hyper crews. Do you see these drone cameras? Get used to them as they will be following you around during your training. Next you will be trained in tactical energy trials in advanced sim pods. Then you will navigate various terrains in multiple conditions to assess your GPS and navigation training including night races.”
Sami smiled as he continued to pace up and down the aisles and smiled as he saw some nervous faces and a few beads of sweat on brows.
Sami: “The last week will be about competition and solidifying and clarifying what you have learned. There will be a timed race series in Valkyrie’s old A-Class prototypes. Followed by head-to-head battles in simulated track conflicts - energy leech/boost scenarios. There will be team challenges — telemetry-based coordination exercises. Your final evaluation will be given by Alexander Knight with feedback from myself, Tocho Lister, one of your trainers, and the Delta Hyper producers. The Delta Hyper special will reveal the rankings with a bonus for the top 5 cadets which will include media commitments.”
Sami lips twitched but he refrained from smiling as he looked out over the stunned cadets. Evidently they thought they would come and use the Valkyrie ships on the track and then go home. Or some sad unfocused bootcamp structure of the past. Sami was here to test them and see what they were made of. Sami was here to find the ones with the drive and will to learn and apply it. Sami was looking for those pilots driven to do all they can to succeed. He believed this program would help him do that.
Sami looked out over all of them once more front and center of the group.
Sami: “Allow me to introduce your instructors. For those who do not know who I am, My name is Sami Lipponen and I am your Bootcamp Director. I am a former McLaren AGP pilot. Known for quitting a live race mid-season due to ethics disagreements. I have Zero tolerance for ego, and a high tolerance for discipline. If I don’t remember your name… well you probably haven’t earned it yet.”
He paused and waited while Tocho Lister joined him at the front of the group. He motioned to the dark tanned skinned man with a mane of black hair so dark it had blue highlights. His hair was pulled back in a complex braid. He had kind dark brown eyes. Tocho seemed to vibrate with energy even when he was standing still even as he had a peaceful air about him.
Sami waved to Tocho who in turn waved hello to the cadets.
Sami: “This is Tocho Lister. Tocho works for as a test pilot here at Valkyrie and is new to the team. We stole him from Miller Motor Racing.” Sami smiled as he stated that. He continued. “He will be your mentor. Tocho is from the Hopi nation. He is an AG pilot, and a recreational flyer. He is known for being calm in a crisis, kinetic at rest. Rumor has it you might get a story before you get instructions or feedback.”
Tocho nodded like that summed him up well. Sami then turned to a well dressed and elegant woman with brunette hair and brown eyes. She was dressed in black ballet flats and a black pencil skirt with a soft lavender colored blouse that billowed softly in the wind. Sami motioned to Katherine Dubois who stepped forward holding a clip board and waved with her free hand to the cadets with a big smile.
Sami: “This is Katherine Dubois. She is head of the team’s marketing department. She will be teaching you about how to handle the press and endorsement commitments. You’ll meet her when the cameras are rolling. She’ll smile. She’ll take notes. If you make her job harder, you’ll know.”
Katherine stepped back to stand next to Tocho. Agnes Poulsen arrived dressed like the cadets in workout gear with a whistle around her neck. She grinned like a shark at the shiny young eager faces in front of her. Sami stepped forward once more and motioned Agnes to step forward. Agnes stepped forward but she didn’t wave. She gave a slight nod of her head.
Sami: “This is Agnes Poulsen. She is the primary physical trainer for the team. She will be in charge of ensuring you are in the best physical shape you can be. If she tells you to run till you puke, then you run till you puke. If she tells you to lift it 5 more times, you lift it five more times. You will hate her first before you decide you like her.”
As Agnes stepped back, there was a stir as Alexander walked out of the administration building and joined Sami in front of the cadets. Sami gave a slight nod to Alexander and stepped back to join Katherine.
Alexander was wearing jeans, his work boots, and a Team Valkyrie uniform shirt. He stood large and proud in front of the cadets with a smile. His blonde hair catching the sunlight, his green eyes appraising.
Alexander: “Hello cadets and welcome to the Team Valkyrie Junior Academy Bootcamp. We have invited Junior League members from other teams to join us this year. We hope you find your time here well spent. This will give you a chance to see how we operate and to evaluate your skill level. For the younger group, make the most of this opportunity. We are expanding our Junior Academy team and opportunities. We are looking not for those who are the best at this moment but those who have the most potential. We will be ranking you all based on your performance over the next few weeks. As you know after signing your contracts and nondisclosure agreements, you have agreed to have your experience filmed and shared on syndicated television. You are also under a binding contract not to talk about your experience here until the special has aired. You are being fairly compensated for this. I do not have the time to oversee the academy personally but I will be checking in with your instructors and my team. We have a Team Focus here at Valkyrie. Every member of the team is just as important. Treat everyone with respect. I hope you get a lot of your experience. See you for your evaluations. Listen to Mr. Lipponen. He is here to guide you. Sami.”
He motioned for Sami to take back over before he turned and walked back into the administration building where his office was.
Sami looked out over the nervous and excited faces.
Sami: "Next I am going to tell you what you should expect. You should expect Pain. Sim crashes aren’t just visual. Neural-linked training means your body feels the mistake. You will receive Exposure. Delta Hyper is watching. Your sweat is the story. Your breakdown is the cutscene. Some of you will experience Silence. Some of you won’t be here in a week. Because some of you will think this is too hard. We won’t say your name when you're gone.”
Sami looked from face to face before he gave a final warning.
Sami: “ A final reminder that your NDA Enforcement is Active. All footage is under Valkyrie AGR and Delta Hyper control. Breach of confidentiality will result in immediate expulsion and permanent disqualification from AG development programs. And one last thing.”
He paused, looking serious as he continued.
Sami: “You were invited here because someone believed you could fly. Not because you deserved it — not yet. The world doesn’t need another racer who’s fast. It needs one who can survive the gravity, the fame, the feedback loop, and the fire.This is Bootcamp. This is the gate. Prove you belong on the other side.”
The scene broke up as Sami Lipponen, Tocho Lister, and Katherine Dubois all walked away leaving the cadets with Agnes. Agnes immediately started yelling at them that they were going to run. She blew her whistle and the cadets began to jog in a double line following Agnes as they ran off screen.
The narrator took up the story line again.
Delta Hyper Narrator: “Team Valkyrie AGR Sport is Rebuilding the Future One Race at a Time.”
There was a montage of media headlines and news stories along with Valkyrie ships crossing the finish lines to accompany the narration.
“The fallout from Valkyrie’s CEO scandal may have left a scorched earth across their sponsorship base, but Alexander Knight, ever the strategist, knew how to grow from the ashes. With Paul’s triumphant charge in Montreal and Dorian’s near-flawless victory in Monaco, the team’s reputation had begun its slow, deliberate resurrection.”
There was another montage showing new sponsors and endorsements and what they would look like in the Valkyrie Fan Zones at upcoming races. The CGI holographic technology showing the future Alexander saw for the team.
“Where large corporations remained hesitant, smaller businesses saw opportunity — and Alexander saw something better: flexibility, authenticity, and community. The new model of short-term, race-specific sponsorships brought a patchwork of color and local flavor to Valkyrie’s fan zone — from Belgian waffle trucks and bratwurst in Germany to organic lemonade in Singapore and soul-deep American BBQ at the US Grand Prix. The trade-off? Smaller returns, but lower demands, and greater fan engagement. But the real pivot wasn’t just financial. It was generational.”
The rest of the special followed the pilots as they were evaluated and put their paces and competed. The coverage showed their results and what the pilots saw in the simulator pods and on the track.
Sami Lipponen was portrayed as a hard-edged, no-nonsense veteran of the AG circuit, Lipponen didn’t smile much — but he didn’t need to. What he brought was discipline, structure, and a respect the juniors could feel just by the way he entered a room. He wasted no time tearing them down and rebuilding them stronger.
Tocho Lister was portrayed as a test pilot with more raw passion than polish. His boundless energy, cultural grounding, and technical background made him the ideal emotional counterweight to Sami’s pragmatism. Together, they formed an unlikely yet potent pair: one to build the steel, the other to forge the spirit.
In a masterstroke of PR and media synergy, Valkyrie secured a mini-series deal with Delta Hyper to chronicle the Junior Bootcamp. With strict NDAs, pilot stipends, and full control over final edits, the team ensured the content would promote strength, resilience, and marketability. Katherine’s marketing crew spun gold — pairing Rocket Sports Nutrition with pilot interviews, highlighting gear from Hood Tech Sportswear, and showing the hard road from Junior hopeful to AG pilot. Thanks to Katherine’s team Valkyrie sponsors were no longer logos. They were characters, stakeholders, and stories that made up part of the team.
The final rankings showed a picture of the pilot and a montage of their time at bootcamp. 1- Phoebe Kostas came out in the number 1 spot. She had the edge in technical skill and speed. 2- Olivia Lau earned the number 2 spot. She was weaker in ELS systems and struggled with the media portion. 3- Scarlett earned the number 3 spot. Scarlett held her own but Phoebe and Olivia were more polished and had faster times. 4- Lukas Ravn was a wildcard dark horse lower division rookie who swooped into the number 4 spot. He seemed to get better every day. He absorbed everything he was taught and began implementing immediately. He showed amazing potential. Alexander offered him a spot on the Junior Academy Team. 5- Liam took the number five spot. Liam just got very lucky in some of the races and did well with the media spotlight. 6- Amber Beck took the number six spot. Amber seemed to struggle with getting used to the Valkyrie ship compared to what she normally piloted. She was making up ground in the final week but didn’t manage to recover in overall points. 7- Elise Annabelle Vogel struggled similarly to Amber. She was not as physically fit and struggled until the third week. 8- Anna Hausman continued to struggle with the media portion. She has good piloting skills but continues to struggle with public speaking. 9- Bruno Jović has potential but was behind the older racers in skill level. 10 - Rozalia Nicolescu had potential but lacked the experience and skill of the older racers. Struggled with night simulations. 11- Naimi Sundqvist has potential but struggles with physical fitness demands and was overwhelmed with working with the engineers. 12- Fernando Bolívar didn’t take the camp seriously. He finished but didn’t push himself in the physical fitness portion or the media portion. 13- Luiza Kobak injured during the third week and left unable to continue. 14- Barta Martina dropped out the second week. 15-Markus Thorkelson dropped out the first week.
The special would air at the end of the summer break. The Delta Hyper crew were filming and editing daily to meet the deadlines. They wanted to get the special aired to get fans ramped up for the next race.
Alexander reviewed how everything had gone. He was pleased with his results. With the R&D partnership with Banshee Microsystems greenlit and Shinochi Bionics preparing a new wave of bone-reinforcing nanites over the summer break, Valkyrie’s edge isn’t just speed — it’s evolution. The new Shinichi Bionics continued to help their pilots evolve.
Alexander knows he has work to do. He still needed to make a final decision on who would replace Dorian. He was getting closer to that decision. The elite ranks of AG are ruthless, and redemption doesn’t come easy. But with a rejuvenated Junior Team, fresh sponsors, and a new generation of talent in development, Valkyrie AGR Sport is no longer on the defensive.
Team Valkyrie AGR Sport Headquarters Aachen Germany
Alexander heard back from Sami Lipponen and Tocho Lister before the end of the day. Mabel arranged for both men to come in for interviews the following day. Alexander had interviewed Sami. He was perfect for the job. He was not the warmest, most social guy but that is not what Alexander needed. He needed someone to organize and run the training for the junior academy. Sami had the experience and Alexander appreciated his straight talking no bullshit attitude. He knew Sami wouldn’t cater to egos and would tell the egotistical hot headed upcoming pilots exactly what they needed to hear. He would be the perfect guy to run roughshod over a group of adrenaline pumped egos in a competitive setting. He had the experience that they would respect him and listen to what he had to say. Sami had accepted the job and jumped right to work. He and Alexander had reviewed all the plans for the bootcamp coming up. He had introduced Sami to the support team that was already working on putting the bootcamp together. He turned it all over to Sami happily. They had worked out that Sami would be given a budget and could make his own plans. He would answer to Alexander and they would meet once a month to review what was happening with the Junior team.
Alexander was relieved and felt that the junior team was in good hands. The junior program had not been neglected per say but it had stagnated. Alexander’s changes would improve the program and bring it back to being a model for others. The smaller endorsement deals with more local businesses was even more popular for the junior team. The new endorsement and sponsorship deals were funding the changes to the junior program. The funds for the bootcamp documentary alone gave the junior team a great start and budget for the rest of the season. The endorsement and sponsorship deals for the pilots attending the junior academy would make it a sought after experience next year. Alexander was pleased with how things were coming together.
Alexander had interviewed Tocho Lister. He had liked the energetic man who embraced his culture. Hopi Indians culture centered around harmony and peace with all things. They were called “the Peaceful People”. Tocho was a good pilot but didn’t quite have the same competitive edge that you saw with most racers. He reminded Alexander of a rabbit on a sugar rush. He seemed to vibrate with energy standing in place. He came across almost like an overeager teenager ready to please someone. He was likable but his excitable nature left you smiling at him and wanting to laugh along with him. Alexander offered him a position working at Valkyrie as a test pilot for the research and development team and a pilot instructor and mentor to help out with the Junior team. Both positions only needed someone part time but this would allow Alexander to employ Tocho full time. He saw potential in Tocho that he felt he could develop. He felt that Tocho had untapped potential as a pilot. This would allow Alexander to groom him and evaluate how far he could push him as a pilot. He suspected that Tocho had never really had the training and opportunity to fully hone his skills as a pilot. He might be a possible replacement for Dorian or a good fit as a back up replacement pilot in the future.
This wouldn’t replace Daniel Ogier, their current test pilot. If they were going to build an all new ship design, they needed a pilot on hand to be able to run tests as the engineering and development team began building and testing new designs. Daniel simply didn’t have the time to do that full time. Daniel had his own career going in the other circuit. Alexander wanted to hire a few more test pilots for the research and development team. It would be better for the team if they could test their ship against different piloting styles. Daniel could certainly help out there when he had time. Alexander was waiting to see how things shook out with Jamie Hart. He was interested in Jamie but he wanted to see if anyone else took the pilot in. Jamie’s attitude put Alexander off. He wanted to see him receive an attitude adjustment first. He was still on the fence about the pilot.
Alexander heard back from Ben Hale almost immediately. He had declined the offer to join the bootcamp. Alexander understood why when he saw the press release and interview of the new team Nova. That was quite an accomplishment. Nova would be the dark horse team for the rest of the season. The new team would come out swinging with top tier talent. No one knew what to expect from the new team. Alexander was back to trying to decide who could replace Dorian when he retired at the end of the season. There were some promising junior pilots. Alexander decided to invite all three of them to the bootcamp so he could get a closer look at them. Alexander knew skill was only part of the equation. He wanted to make sure whoever replaced Dorian was a good fit for the team as well. It was one reason he had not jumped on the chance to talk to Max Wedgewood. Max had a larger than life personality and ego to match. He was worried Max would come in and act like the team was supposed to revolve around him as the pilot. Paul understood and got that it took a team to win and that he was only one part of that team. He treated his colleagues with respect and gave credit where it was due. Alexander knew it was a problem he could work on with the cocky pilot. But he waited and wanted to review all his choices so that when he made the decision. He had all the information he needed to make the best choice possible. It was not a decision to run into lightly.
Alexander smiled as he looked into the drone camera as he recorded a message for each of the junior pilots as he recorded an invitation to the bootcamp.
“Hello , I am pretty sure you know who I am but just in case you don’t. My name is Alexander Knight. I am the crew chief and team principal for Team Valkyrie AGR Sport. I would like to invite you to come and join us at our annual summer junior academy bootcamp. The details, non disclosure agreement, and contracts are attached to this message. The bootcamp is in a few weeks. If you plan to join us, I will need to know as soon as possible. This was a last minute decision on my part. We usually only take the top ten applicants for the summer bootcamp. I am extending the program to invite one pilot from each of the junior teams to join us. This is a special invitation for you to join us this year. This year’s camp has been revised and offers some special things to those attending. I hope to see you there, Phoebe Costas, Olivia Lau, Amber Beck, Liam Hunter, Ousamane Harana, Hamid Atlassi, Alice Thovex, and Elise Vogel. I look forward to hearing from you.”
Alexander sent the emails out to all the junior pilots. He grinned as it would allow him to see what these junior pilots were like with competitors. He would get a closer look at most of the field. It would give him a leg up if he decided to bring in a junior pilot to take Dorian’s seat next year. It would be interesting to see which ones accepted his invitation and which ones declined. He knew that some of them were not ranked very well but was it due to a lack of resources? Putting them all through Valkyrie’s junior academy bootcamp put them all on an even playing field. It would allow Alexander to compare their skills in the same ship with the same training. It would give him a look at their personalities and character as well. It would also make for a very interesting documentary for Delta Hyper. They wouldn’t know about that until after they had agreed to the contracts and non disclosure agreements though. They wouldn’t find out how much more they would get by attending this year’s camp. All they would know was that housing, transportation, and food was paid for while they attended the camp. Alexander smiled as the bootcamp would become more competitive than ever with one pilot from every team being invited. He knew Ben Hale had already declined but Silver Apex couldn’t complain they had received an invite. He hoped after the special aired and the pilots could talk about their experience that next year’s bootcamp would be the one all junior pilots wanted to attend. Alexander was hoping to build a legacy of excellence based on merit and hard work. Only time would tell if he managed it.
Monday July 3rd, 2094 Team Valkyrie AGR Sport Headquarters Aachen Germany
Alexander had sent out a memo to the team that everyone had two days to put everything in order for the summer break. Equipment had to be catalogued and stored for the break. Any parts needed by the engineers needed to be ordered so they could go right back to work when they came back. Any paperwork that needed to be done, should be cleared up and caught up. Everyone would need to get paid. The team working on the Junior Summer Bootcamp would only get one week off and then would receive another week after the bootcamp instead. The rest of the team was going to get two weeks off. Then it would be back to work to get ready for the next part of the season and the summer Junior Academy Bootcamp. Alexander himself would be working for the whole week. He planned to work remotely the second week and take a little time to go visit Arianna.
Alexander was pleased to see that sponsors and endorsements were slowly returning to normal after the CEO indictment and Dorian’s win at Monaco and Paul’s win at Montreal. While larger corporations were still leery of approaching Valkyrie, smaller businesses seemed more open to approaching the company. The endorsements and sponsorships were not worth as much but they didn’t ask for as much either in return. Alexander ran the idea of limited time or one race endorsement from smaller businesses. It was more affordable for them and they would be hosted in the team’s fan zone for that race. Instead of international marketing agreements that went with larger endorsement deals, it was more print or web based advertising and endorsements for the smaller companies. Alexander was choosing who they worked with carefully. He was choosing companies with good reputations whose products have rave reviews. The potential sponsors were being vetted by Wulfric’s security team. The team certainly didn’t need any new scandals. Many of the smaller businesses were more creative in their sponsorships as well. They were offering to supply their goods and services for the race in question.
This made Valkyrie’s upcoming races and fan zone more interesting. Some food and drinks would vary by race. He was careful to court businesses that didn’t conflict with his bigger food and drink sponsors such as I Can’t Believe It's Not Meat and Zap Sports Drinks. There was an organic lemonade company and a flavored water company. They were smaller distributors focused on organic and unique flavors. There was a smaller mom and pop franchise local to Singapore that was a local favorite that was offering food for the Singapore race. They were offering team catering for the opportunity to sell food in their fan zone and advertise their local franchise. There was a Belgian Beer Company that wanted to serve beer at the Fan Zone in Belgium. There was a fleet of Belgian Waffle Food trucks that wanted to sell and advertise in the fan zone that specialized in a chocolate waffle. In Germany a local soft pretzel company and bratwurst vendor were interested in advertising and working the fan zone at the German Grand Prix. An American BBQ Franchise had approached them for the US Grand Prix. Alexander just laughed and shrugged. Why not? The smaller endorsement packages were stacking up. Alexander felt it was a way to diversify their sponsorships and it gave them a way to include smaller businesses.
Alexander looked over the gear designs that were being supplied by Hood Tech Sportswear for this year’s bootcamp. Alexander was surprised at the variety that were going to offer the junior pilots. He smiled and signed off on the designs noting that Katherine’s team from the Marketing Department had already reviewed them and just wanted his final approval. They were providing all the candidates a variety of workout gear for training and a racing suit in Team Valkyrie colors and logos. One of their subsidiaries was athletic footwear. So all the pilots would be getting branded running shoes as well.
This year the bootcamp would be videotaped and a highlight reel would be released with sponsors mentioned. They had signed a contract with the producers of Delta Hyper for a reality documentary series following the Junior Pilots going through the bootcamp. Every junior league pilot attending had to sign a strict NDA policy about the documentary. They would also receive a modest stipend for appearing in the documentary. It was being billed as an inside look at what it takes for a pilot to make it to the Delta Hyper couch. Alexander had okayed the contract with a clause that prior to release to the public, the team had the option to review the documentary and had to approve the final cut prior to distribution. It would again provide the junior pilots with training on how to handle interviews as well.
Rocket Sports Nutrition had jumped at the chance to sponsor the Junior League Team. Their team had been so excited that they offered to do a workshop on their nutritional products for the pilots during the bootcamp. They would be supplying all the pilots that attended the bootcamp with nutritional products for one year. In return they would be advertised as a sponsor for the Junior Team at the bootcamp. Katherine’s team had worked up an online marketing campaign that included endorsement interviews for the pilots talking about which products they had tried and were using. The junior pilots attending the bootcamp would receive a modest stipend endorsement for their interview. It was a win for the Junior Pilots as they got a little money out of it, and they got to use the opportunity for training on media and endorsement responsibilities. It was another useful thing pilots would take away from the bootcamp.
The research and development contract with Banshee Microsystems was signed. They would be moving into one of the current unused labs in the engineering department. There was some minor construction work happening to install special equipment needed for building and testing the new microchip and computer systems they would be building for Valkyrie. They would be in the same area as Shinochi Bionics.
Shinochi Bionics would be integrating another pilot mod update over the summer break when the pilots were back from vacation. The pilots would get the software update and another injection of nanites. This time the target was on strengthening their bones. The nanites and integrated neural interface would be layering a graphene covering along their bones and strengthening the bone density. While their bodies were working on this, they would be required to eat a special diet and their trainers would be pushing them to ensure proper muscle density and tensile strength of tendons as they were also reinforced to ensure no loss of flexibility and strength.
After reviewing the plans for the bootcamp, Alexander sighed. He knew he had to hire someone to take over the Junior Team. He didn’t think he could get who he wanted to handle it. Dorian was still racing but he might see if Dorian was interested in taking it over after he retired. Alexander would have loved to get Florence to take it over but she was still actively racing. Paul would ask Helena Starcross but she was retired and only took on short term part time projects that interested her. Alexander might approach Jamie Hart about a second chance but he wanted to see what happened with the pilot first. Alexander was frustrated and perplexed. He really wanted a former racer to take over the Junior Academy Team. He would like to get them in place for this year’s bootcamp. At least most of the planning was done for the bootcamp. They would have more say in the next one and would be able to work with the Junior Team that they sponsored. They would have more input to the changes coming to the Junior Team. It was finding someone who was good enough and had the reputation that currently didn’t have a ride or recently retired. Alexander’s eyes lit up as he thought about someone. Sami Lipponen was a former AG racer from about 10 years ago. He was an ex-McLaren driver without a ride. Maybe he would be interested.
Alexander had Mabel track down his contact details. He sent off a message to Sami.
Alexander: “Sami Lipponen, this is Alexander Knight. I have a proposition for you. I am looking to hire someone to act as a crew chief for the Valkyrie Junior Team. I am looking for someone to mentor them and oversee the program. There would be support staff of course. I am looking at making changes to the academy and I simply don’t have the time to oversee both teams. I am looking for an interested party that would be available to start in two weeks. Get back to me right away if you are interested. The Junior Academy Bootcamp is in three weeks.” Alexander signed off and hoped he heard back from him.
Alexander called Dorian. He had not come back to campus since the pilots were technically on summer break. Dorian didn’t pick up his call. He was not surprised since he was technically already on vacation. Alexander left him a message.
Alexander: “Dorian I wanted to check in with you and see how you were doing. I don’t think I have to tell you I was disappointed in your performance in Montreal. What’s going on? I know sometimes you just have a bad race. You are known for consistently placing during the season but this season you are all over the place. Do you need more support? I also wanted to run a future job opportunity past you. How would you like to take over the Junior Team Academy as the Crew Chief. You would oversee their training and act as a mentor with support staff. It is a potential possibility for after you retire. Let me know if you are interested at all.”
Alexander was back to the conundrum of who would replace Dorian. Scarlett was coming along but his gut still said she wouldn’t be ready for the majors for another year. Alexander liked what he was seeing with Ben Hale and sent him an invitation to the Valkyrie Bootcamp. He would like a closer look at the young racer. He also sent out a feeler to Miller Motor Racing’s test pilot Tocho Lister. Alexander had caught some footage of his previous racing before he became MMR’s test pilot. He was interested in untapped talent. Jenny Lowry was not the only pilot out there with talent looking for the right team. Maybe Lister would be a good fit for Valkyrie. Alexander had a few places he could use him. He smiled as he sent the email.
Alexander: “Hello Tocho Lister. This is Alexander Knight with Team Valkyrie AGR Sport. I would like to extend an invitation to come to Team Valkyrie’s campus for a meeting. I have a job proposal I would like to discuss with you. You have my contact information. I hope to hear from you soon.”
Alexander smiled and leaned back in his chair. That cleared most of his must get done list. He would just have to interview folks and wait and see if he would have to keep searching. Mabel came in and caught him deep in thought as his back was to the door. He was staring out his window looking out over the campus. She looked amused as she took a seat in front of his desk and waited for him to notice her.
Mable laughed as Alexander startled as he turned his chair around from looking out the window to see her sitting at his desk. He gave a girlish yeep. It took Mabel a moment to compose her and even then the giggles kept breaking through. Alexander blushed in embarrassment.
Alexander gave Mabel a wry expression as he put his face into the palm of his hand.
Alexander: “Laugh it up, chuckles.”
Mabel smiled at him as her eyes twinkled in a look of mischief he knew all too well.
Mabel: “Don’t forget to eat lunch today before it becomes dinner like you did yesterday!”
Alexander rolled his eyes and nodded. Mabel was always trying to take care of him and mother him. It annoyed him even as he found it endearing.
Alexander smirked as he replied. “Yes Grandma.”
Mabel just nodded and gave him an approving look. Alexander’s eyes narrowed a little as he realized she was using positive reinforcement to get him to pay attention to his personal needs. Was she? He couldn’t quite tell but he was suspicious.
Mabel smiled at him. “I have already booked the team’s shuttle for your visit to Los Angeles to see Arianna. I have already notified Wulfric that he will need to notify your security team about the travel.”
Alexander hated the necessity of having a security team but he had to admit he needed one these days. He was once more recognizable and a target for the press hounds and opportunists. He nodded at Mabel.
Alexander: “Thanks Mabel. Be on the lookout to make travel arrangements for Ben Hale, Sami Lipponen, and Tocho Lister. I will let you know the details when I hear back from them.”
Mabel nodded with a smile. “I will have it ready in case. Now take yourself off to lunch or have Chef Jacques send a waitress with a tray.”
Alexander laughed and nodded. He rose to his feet and followed her out.
Samantha had pulverized Ingwe’s mech until she was sure he was dead. She had patched up Chuck as best she could. She didn’t get much of a reprieve before Laura’s ranting rage fell on her like her rage had taken out the Zulu. Her situational awareness had dropped as she focused on Chuck. Laura managed to catch Samantha by surprise as her attack knocked the mech she was in backwards. She kept trying to aim the flamethrowers at her. Samantha was able to dodge some. Laura came into grappling range and the two of them struggled for control of the flame thrower nozzles. Control shifted between them as you heard metal groan and pop in the heat and strain between the mechs. Laura’s missiles began to land; knocking the mech around as armor shredded and began to fall down like an iron rain. Samantha kept fighting hoping to distract Laura enough for the others to get the surprise on her. The missiles Laura fired took out the mech’s right leg and the mech fell to its knees. Laura had a better position and leverage over Samantha. Samantha used the arms of the mech to blow Laura’s blows. She was out of ammunition and missiles now. She was doing her best to stay alive even as the warning lights and alarms were blaring all across her HUD. The damage indicators were red all over the mech now. Samantha continued to punch, jab, and block even as the damage Laura was dishing out dismantled the mech around her.
Samantha needed to get out the mech. She was doing her best to just survive when Athena pulled Laura’s mech off of her. Athena’s attack pulled the mech away before her attack caused Laura to eject before her mech overloaded and exploded. Flaming molten debris rained down around Samantha where she was trapped inside the crushed cockpit of the mech. Seeing the debris now striking the mech she was glad she hadn’t gotten out sooner. She breathed a sigh of relief as the tinkling sound of debris falling quit.
Athena: "We did alright. Nice work team!"
Athena was smiling and looking around as they were surrounded by fire and burning debris and the remains of three mechs.
Athena: "And it didn't even take Frigga's butt cannon."
Athena was giggling at her own joke as she came over to help Samantha out of the cockpit.
Samantha was startled when Athena yanked open the crushed cockpit door casually and pulled on her. She yelped in pain because she was still harnessed in. She managed to hit the quick release button in the center when she tugged a second time and was lifted out of the remains of the cockpit by Athena.
Samantha had a hard time focusing on what Athena was saying. Her ears were ringing from the explosion and being so close to Laura’s exploding mech. She was feeling like a cocktail that was shaken and not stirred. She wobbled a bit as she tried to regain her equilibrium as Athena set her down gently. She took stock of her body. She was sore and had some bruising in places but everything appeared to be in working order. Samantha's head was still reeling as Athena offered her a fist bump. Samantha automatically bumped her fist back. Her brain was still slightly out of sync with her body. Awareness seemed to rush back in with sound as Athena’s voice sounded overly loud to Sam.
Athena: "That was fucking badass, Chaos. You might even be mad enough to roll with the craziest girl of them all. Not bigging myself up or anything, but if you didn't have me, you'd be...."
Samantha winced a little, her eyes a little glassy. It was like Skye’s voice kicked her brain back into gear as Skye came over the intercom.
Skye: "Valkyrie, are you talking shit again?"
Valkyrie: "What, I went and..."
Skye: "Team. Effort. Get the fuck in here, we need a hand."
Chuck, Freya, Athena, Laura, and Jamie arrived in the command center. The command was covered in dust with loose papers all over the flow. There were bullet holes in the walls. The evidence of a battle was all over the room. The hostages were bent over computer terminals and conferring with one another.
Chuck had managed to plunk himself down on the ground. Adam was looking him over. Chuck’s face was pale and his skin was clammy. He met Adam’s eyes as they spoke softly. Chuck had turned his comm off. He didn’t want Freya to hear him. Chuck knew he was in bad shape. He just hoped that the patch from his armor held long enough for him to see this through.
Chuck gripped Adam’s arm to make sure he had his attention.
Chuck: “It’s bad Wilk. I have probably another hour before I crash from the stimulants and pain killers. I am stable right now. If the pressure dressing from my armor comes loose, I will be bleeding like a stuck pig. I can still shoot but moving sucks. Hand to hand is not gonna happen. Put me somewhere I can shoot. I can be overwatch and not have to move too much. I should be able to help out some. I want to help finish it.”
Chuck’s eyes met Wilk's, expressing he understood the risk he was taking. He was willing to take it to help protect his team and his girl. If they had to go into space, he was going to make sure they got there. It was unspoken but understood as he met Wilk’s eyes and flicked them over to Freya that he didn’t want her to know how bad it was. Wilk seemed to understand even as the combat medic onsite had set up an IV and was pumping him full of fluids and plasma. Chuck chugged the bottle of electrolytes that the medic handed him. He nodded once to Wilk and let him go.
Samantha’s head was still ringing a bit and she felt a little jittery as her adrenaline crashed some and endorphins lessened a little. She chugged an energy drink she swiped from the combat medic on the team. She then began to wander from computer system to computer system checking out what was happening on the screens. Samantha understood Skye’s plan. They had already discussed that it might be a possibility when they finally tracked Rose’s mobile carrier. Samantha was already using the computer terminals to check the rocket’s systems and what launch window it was currently set up and the vector. She was running a diagnostic to make sure it was undamaged from all the fighting on the base. She had been focused on her task. Hearing Skye say her name snapped her focus over to Queen.
Skye: "Sam, the rocket launch will be automated. Keller will be in your ear as you need it. But you might need to recall your manual on launching on Arianne 7, and take a bit of time with how we decouple, then get outside, and then back in safely to come home. This might....might be a bit more than anything you've ever flown. Chat to some of the techs, and get yourself familiar. I'm afraid we haven't got as long as we like."
Samantha gave Skye a confident grin. “Already working on it boss.”
Skye continued to give orders: “Freya, Athena, get your suits checked with Tahlia. Get set, and be ready to launch."
Skye: "We have a world to save. Let's get to it, Raven."
Samantha worked with the techs to prep the rocket and reroute it to the Arc Angel station that Rose had escaped to and was planning to launch her revenge from. Samantha managed to squeeze in one simulator run before she had to get into her spacesuit.
Samantha spent a little bit of time rigging cargo straps to connect to the tie downs in the cargo hold. She also rigged some oversize seats so that Freya and Athena would be comfortable on the trip to the station. She asked Archer to give her a hand with the project so it would go faster.
Sam: "Archer can you give me a hand here? I could use some help in the cargo bay. I want to rig some support seats for Freya and Athena. It would go faster with another set of hands. I just need you to hand me stuff and hold things in place while I bolt."
She led Archer over to the rocket and into the cargo bay. They each carried the lightweight frame seat one for each of their giants. She gave Archer a wry smile as they worked.
Sam: "Nervous? Do you have any questions or worries about going into space?"
Chuck simply stayed out of the way. It hurt to move and the less he did the better. Freya found him sitting against the wall in a corner after the technicians began doing whatever techy stuff they needed to do that would allow them to launch the rocket.
Chuck smiled at Freya and drank in her beautiful face. He could only smile at her. His long arm reached up and pulled her down into his lap. He stole a long and meaningful kiss. The pain from the move was replaced by the warmth and joy of Freya’s lips beneath his. He leaned his forehead against hers as he held her close.
Chuck: “I wish I could go with you and cover your back. Be safe. Kill that bitch and come home safe, yeah?”
Chuck released her and smiled into her beautiful face. “You have to come back. I still owe you a real date. Maybe the world will leave us alone for a few weeks and we could bask in the sun on an island somewhere.” He wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully at her.
She hated the spacesuit, it was heavy and clunky.
Samantha muttered under her voice as she began to work on getting into the spacesuit.
Samantha: “I feel like this spacesuit is from the time of Sputnik. What is this, a medieval torture device? They are supposed to be geniuses and couldn’t do better? Are we sure this thing is space worthy?”
She would rather go in her normal armor. It had air connections but it didn’t carry its own air. It was also not rated to protect her from the solar radiation found in space. She peeled out of her armor and pulled off all his weapons. She climbed into the stretchy compression under the armor layer of the space suit. She grumped and bitched as she wiggled it around until it was tolerable. She felt like it was going to give her a permanent wedgie. She strapped her armor behind the pilot’s seat in a mesh net. At least Bob would be with her even if she couldn’t squeeze him into her spacesuit. He could integrate with the spacesuit HUD over a wireless signal. She set up an extra transmitter and receiver with a booster for him so that he would be able to extend his presence into the station from where he was.
Samantha looked over at Ebrima and raised an eyebrow. She was surprised that his snark didn't match her own. She continued to struggle into the space suit as she noted Ebrima's progress.
Samantha: "How are you doing Ebrima? Any questions about what we can expect?"
She climbed into the heavy outer space suit as Jamie held it up. The suit was too big for her petite frame. She felt like she was swimming inside the heavy outer layer. The suit was heavy and awkward to move in. She had to take really big steps and yank each foot from the deck before it clanged back down. She was going to be exhausted just getting inside the rocket. She sighed as she lined up with the rest of the team that would be going up.
Samantha was waiting for the others as Skye appeared before her and hugged her tight. Samantha sighed and hugged her friend back.
Skye: "I might have lied about that whole dying thing. It's a really long story."
Skye chuckled as Samantha sighed as it had been quite a day and while she couldn’t say she wasn’t surprised but somehow she wasn’t. It made sense that they hadn’t gotten all of the clone bodies.
Skye continued before she could say anything. "But we're not done yet. You've done a hell of a lot today. And this is a lot to take in. But we're made for this."
Skye’s tone while confident somehow had a question in there for her.
Samantha tightened her arms once more around Skye and spoke softly in her ear.
Samantha: “Somehow I am not surprised. You can tell me the full story when we get back. I have your back. I got his. Genius, remember? Uncle Sam needed help with their program. I have had EVA training. Some of their systems are different but they all work off the same principles and needs. You know I didn’t let them get away without teaching me to pilot their birds. The systems are a little bit different but not much. We will be okay.”
Skye: "I trust you fully to get us home. You ready?"
Samantha released Skye and gave her a quick smile and nod.
She followed Skye as the team climbed into the truck and were headed out to the launch bay.
The team climbed into the elevator built into the launching gantry. They stopped at the large cargo bay doors. Samantha had improvised some seats bolted to the cargo bay floor with simple straps that would lock onto their armor points to hold them in place. Freya and Athena would depend on the air in the armor. Samantha had rigged secondary canisters to extend the amount of air they had. She had loaded some extra oxygen tanks in the hold just in case. Space was a hostile environment all its own. She made sure they all had additional air just in case, because shit happens. She connected their suits to the additional oxygen mix. When they got to the station the two tanks would be shut off and they would have the full tank on their armor. The rest of the team took the elevator to the top of the rocket where the cockpit was. The technicians helped them all get into seats and locked them down. They sealed the hatch on the way out.
Samantha began pushing buttons and flicking switches on the dash. She looked confident as l flights began to blink and gauges woke up and started to show movement.
Samantha started her preflight check.
Samantha: “This is Chaos to Vulpine Control. Preflight Check has begun. I am not reading any errors or system malfunctions. Does Raven One have permission for takeoff?”
Chuck ended up laying along the catwalk located near the ceiling. He had his long gun out and was providing sniper coverage from up high.
Paul was grateful for the tech in his suit because the muggy heat of Montreal combined with the heat inside the race ship would have been unbearable then. They had to keep the ship’s engines cool enough without the extra weight of an extensive air conditioning system for the pilot. Paul’s racing suit was more like an insulated space suit with cooling built into the suit and made to withstand heat. Paul made sure his gloves were fitting well. He massaged them down into place and made sure he had full dexterity. It was one of those small rituals he did habitually before a race. He sat in the cockpit and looked towards the stands full of fans. There were banners in all the teams colors waving as the fans showed their excitement for the race to begin. Paul was sitting in the P4 pole position. The ships were staggered and Paul was in the outside track in the second row of ships with Amy Stirling next to him and Han in front of him. He bowed his head and cleared his mind. He mentally went through the race again, where all the corners, chicanes, and straits were. He remembered the tactics that had worked in the simulator for overtakes here in Montreal. He opened his eyes and began his pre-race check. Everything checked out fine.
Paul: “Radio check.”
Carmella: “We are reading your fine Paul. All systems show ready from here. Reading your telemetry.”
Paul: “Systems check complete. All systems showing green.”
Carmella: “Race start in t-minus ten minutes.”
Paul: “Confirmed time to start t-minus ten minutes.”
There was a countdown clock on his HUD in the ship. Which was set up to his preference to show what telemetry he felt he would need in this race. He received it all back from the ship through his neural link but kept the most important ones on his HUD. Because of the heat, he had the engine temperature on the dash this time next to his collision alarm. Paul’s right hand hovered over the throttle with the left resting on the steering yoke. Paul watched the countdown in a state of anticipation and zen. Just another day at the office…
The lights turned red. And….
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Paul had watched tons of videos on his competitors. Amy was an aggressive racer and she seemed amped up after losing the pole position to Carrera Condor. He would catch her later in the race. He didn’t want to get in her way and be mowed down. He would like to finish this race. Amy quickly flew past Han. She had a fabulous start and was quicker off the start. Amy’s ship screamed past Han with an almost dominating roar. Paul maintained his position even as he was battling Nora who was trying to overtake him from behind and lock him up for ELS drain. Paul defended in a cool tactical manner as he figured out the best strategy. The tactics and overtake simulation training with Alexander was paying off.
Paul was now chasing Han as they went into round two. Paul had an edge in handling and stability. His ship seemed to be coping with the heat better than the Zygon ships as well. Paul used that to his advantage as he gained ground and speed in the corners. Paul smiled as he defended against Nora. She was an excellent racer and he had learned a lot about overtaking and defending by watching videos of her races. She had good instincts and Paul respected her as a racer. She almost got a lock on him in the third corner. He barely managed to defend by slipping sideways, changing his racing line to hug the inner corner a little tighter. The move put him in position to overtake Han whose ship was to the outside in the corner. He pushed his speed up and smiled as he slid past Han and came out of the corner like a cork out of a bottle. Nora slipped past Cassie behind him. He pushed his speed up with Cassie now in his sights.
Paul was slowly gaining on Cassie as he made up speed and time in the chicanes and corners. He continued to have to defend against Nora behind him. Cassie tried to hog the corner as a defensive move as they moved into a tight corner. It sucked for Cassie because Paul noted the curved wall that looked almost like a half pipe wall and grinned. He loved using these unconventional spaces for overtakes. This was antigravity racing after all. He felt like others forgot that at times. Paul simply poured on the speed and went up the curved wall and around and down in front of Cassie. His ship was just past Cassie as the curved wall ended with a lip which caused his ship to flip over and land back on the mag track in front of Cassie’s ship. He grinned and charged after Amy.
Paul felt all the distractions falling away. The roar of the engine fell away, the cheering fans, his focus narrowed to the ship and track. It was as if the rest of the world fell away and he was one with the ship. He felt as if he and the ship had merged and it was so responsive to his every need. Paul’s focus was absolute as the barest nudge here avoided the ELS attack from Nora behind him. He remained calm and focused on catching Amy. Slowly but surely the gap between them was closing. Paul’s focus became the ship in front of him and the ship behind him. The battle with Nora was fierce as he tried to close the gap between him and Amy. Paul waited for the opportune moment as he cached his ELS. The new resistors and capacitors that the engineering team had modified were able to store that little bit more energy just a bit faster. Paul watched for his moment as the distance between him and Amy fell each lap. The moment came as Paul caught up to Amy in a corner. He fired his ELS system and began to leech the energy from Amy’s ship. Paul grinned as Amy’s ship pulled away from him but was unable to pull away very far as she was helping his ship by giving it energy and dragging it partly speeding him up.
Paul kept his focus as he smoothly moved with Amy countering her attempts to shake him off. He was behind her but staying with her. Paul continued to bide his time harvesting and banking the ELS energy from Amy’s ship as he stayed with her. Paul used the banked ELS to keep close to Amy in the straits while he used skill to harvest it in the corners. The ELS dump gave his ship a boost of speed. Paul’s training with the ELS system and Cavan’s overhaul of the system working in his favor today. Paul remained patient and made tactical decisions. Time was on his side in this race. He was slowly closing that gap between him and Amy and reeling her in.
Paul was inching closer to Amy each round. They turned into a chicane after the last straight and Paul saw an opening as Amy banked wide into the turn. Paul didn’t trust Amy but she had left him a wide opening. He closed on her as her ship slowed for the chicane. Paul’s ship was on pace behind her. Paul hugged the inside wall not wanting Amy to accuse him of an illegal move. He wanted plenty of room if she slowed too much to get around her clean. Paul saw it before it happened as Amy swung too wide and her ship hit the wall. The speed of the ships had Paul around the corner before the automatic shut down from the crash occurred. Paul had seen her slam into the wall and skid along it beside him as he moved his ship around the corner.
Paul: “Talk to me Carmella. Is she okay?”
Carmella: “She is fine already out of her ship Paul. Her ship is out though. You will restart in P1. Now you need to hold off Nora to win. You got this.”
Paul smiled: “Hell yes I have this.”
Paul had an open track in front of him and only needed to worry about Nora behind him. He would drop into a flow state, one with the ship only to have it interrupted by yet another crash alert and emergency stop as the track was cleaned up.The race was stopped a few more times due to crashes. Paul managed to push the frustration and worry away once he knew the pilots were okay. He was surprised when Carmella told him that Dorian had to leave the race. He wondered idly what the hell was going on in the midfield.
Paul and Nora were dueling to the end. He managed to defend his position with Nora challenging him the entire way. He slowly managed to put some space between him and Nora between all the restarts and a clean racing line in each corner where he showed the ship’s handling and stability as he got through the chicanes and corners with more speed than others could pull. His handling of the ship was masterful and his timing impeccable. Paul instinctively moved the ship to the outside as Nora closed in behind him on the final straight. He managed to defend against her last ELS attempt. Paul was in a state of disbelief as it registered he had crossed the finish line first. He had won the race. He pulled the ship into parc ferme. He closed his eyes and let his helmet rest against the seat behind him as he thought about his father. A sense of accomplishment washing over him. He had finally won his first Formula AG race.
He grinned as a sense of victory and joy had him unfastening his harness and unplugging his neural interface from the ship. Before he climbed out of his ship, he heard Alexander’s voice on the coms.
Alexander: “Congratulations Paul. Your father would be proud and cheering for you. Enjoy your win.”
Paul: “Thanks Alexander.”
Alexander Knight’s words were almost soothing, a benediction and blessing from a father he had grown up without. Paul smiled as he finally felt he no longer had anything to prove. He felt as if a weight had lifted off his shoulders. He smiled, taking a moment to mentally thank his long dead father.
He then popped the canopy and stood in his ship waving to the roaring fans. He soaked in the moment before his team was surrounding his ship and cheering for him. He looked down at his ecstatic teammates. He yelled to be heard over all the cheering and yelling. “Thanks Everyone! I wouldn’t be here without you!”
Paul finally climbed down out of the cockpit and was promptly mobbed by members of the Valkyrie team. He was hugged, had his back slapped, and pushed around before laughing. His team led him to the cooldown room for the winners before letting him go.
Paul entered the cooldown room. He finally had a moment to pull off his helmet. He slugged down a bottle of water and a Zap drink. Even with the cooling suit, he was sweating like a pig. He was grateful for the air conditioning in the cooldown room. There was a strange vibe in the room without Amy’s domineering presence. Paul smiled and his excitement shone as big as his smile.
Paul approached Nora and gave her a huge grin as he shook her hand. He would have hugged her but he thought she would kick him if he tried.
Paul: “Nora you were just as tough to beat as I knew you would be. It is nice to see you back in fighting form at the top where you belong.”
Jen: “This is incredible. You guys are regulars, right? I mean, I got lucky but….wow! And to think that Bea hasn’t even got up here yet….oh she is gonna be so jealous!”
Paul was exasperated and a little embarrassed at Jen’s comment. Was he a regular? The thought stopped him cold in his tracks.
Jen smirked, chuckling, as she watched her move on Harrison right in the last lap, grinning ear to ear. The highlights moved to show Paul overtaking Amy.
Jen: “Nicely done, Paul! Well deserved win, it’s been a while coming! That fight with Amy looked fun….you two really tangled!”
Paul then went to Jenny Lowry and picked her up in a huge hug with a big dopey grin on his face.
Paul: “Congratulations Jen! You deserve to be here. Enjoy it!”
Paul whispered in her ear. “Even if you don’t come to Valkyrie, I hope we can be friends. You deserve to be here. Don’t ever let anyone tell you differently.”
Paul let her go and grinned at her. He felt while different that his and Jen’s journeys were similar in that they had set out to prove they could do it.
Paul grinned as he followed Jen Lowry as she led them out to the podium. Paul felt it was only appropriate. Jen deserved this moment in the sun after struggling for so long. He was happy to share the moment with two women he admired. Paul still felt that Nora was his biggest competitor amongst the rookie pilots besides Kais. Jen was always upbeat with a friendly smile. He hoped she chose to come to Valkyrie but as a career move he could understand if she chose to go to Silver Apex. He just hoped that she remained as friendly and warm a person as she was now. Apex seemed to chew up pilots. Apex might win but he had to agree with Alexander, at what cost? Paul was perfectly content and happy where he was at Valkyrie.
Paul followed along in Jen’s wake wearing Valkyrie’s dark grey and yellow. He waved and smiled to the crowd as he followed her up onto the podium. As the national anthems played, it gave him a moment to pause and reflect on where he was and what he had accomplished. He kept a neutral look even while inside that feeling of joy and sense of accomplishment didn’t dwindle one bit. He laughed and cheered and hosed Jen down with his own huge bottle of champagne before nailing Nora as well. He sprayed the last of the champagne out over the crowd in front of the podium as he laughed celebrating his first win. Paul was even happier to be celebrating this podium with two friendly competitors. Paul knew it was only a matter of time before Nora took the win again. She was already on a comeback streak.
Paul had time for a shower and change before his Delta Hyper interview. The heat was oppressive here in Montreal. Paul had chosen sneakers, shorts, and a team polo shirt for the interview. The polo shirt was made out of a high tech fabric that wicked moisture away and had a cooling effect. The sponsor logos were in strategic places and flashed like he was a walking billboard from one to another.
Paul stopped in the middle of the stage and waved with both hands to the crowd as he was announced. He smiled and laughed as they got louder.
Paul: “Thank you Montreal! I wouldn’t be here without fans. My thanks to you all!”
He gave them another moment before he made his way to his seat on the couch.
Aurora: “Paul, congratulations on your maiden win, the crowd have gone absolutely wild! What a result for you and the team, talk us through your fight with Amy, and your dominant display despite all the virtual safety ships?"
Paul smiled at Aurora and shrugged, not sure what to say.
Paul: “Thank you Aurora. My thanks to all the lovely people who came out to watch the race. We wouldn’t be here without them.”
He let the crowd cheer and go on for a moment.
Paul: “Before I answer I just want to say a few things. Let’s hear it for Jenny Lowry! She deserved to be on that podium today! It’s been a long time coming, yeah?”
Paul waited while the crowd cheered and chanted Jen’s name. He smiled when he heard it.
Paul: “I also want to say welcome back to Nora Kelly! It is nice to see her back on the podium this season.”
He waved to the crowd before continuing. They were lapping up any attention he gave them. He waited for them to calm down once more. Paul gave her a smile as he continued with his answer.
Paul: “Well Aurora, I think today was simply the cumulation of training and improvements that the team has been working on for a while. Team Valkyrie works as a team. I wouldn’t have been able to win today without the support of Team Valkyrie and everyone who works there. I simply showed up and did my job. My trainers and the medical team helped me recover from my injuries from the last race. Cavan Mitchell and his team have been working to improve our ELS for some time. The team also had to rebuild my ship in time for me to compete here. Alexander Knight and our training team have been working with me on some new training that is finally paying off. He has had me focusing on working on ELS where I was weak at the beginning of the season. Today was one of those days where everything went right. We made the right decisions and had the right ship at the right time. I have been focusing on tactics and overtakes. I believe that was what carried me to victory today.”
He hoped that answered Aurora’s question.
Alexander couldn't be happier with Paul’s performance at the Montreal Grand Prix. He had performed well. It felt as if all the training, new neural interfaces, the work on the ELS system had all come together at the perfect moment. As happy as he was with Paul, he was just as frustrated and disappointed with Dorian. He had given Dorian everything he had asked for but his performance and consistency was lacking. It was like he was either on or off. He frowned, not happy with Dorian. Since his win at Monaco had he checked out for the rest of the season? He needed to address it with Dorian. He had some ideas but he needed to put some things in place first. He had some inquiries to make.
Social Media
Paul Mulder @ValkyriePaul:
I want to say thank you to all the fans for their support. Here is the view from the top. I wouldn’t be here without you.
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.
[color=00aeef]Genres I am interested in: [/color]
Fantasy
Middle Ages
Science Fiction
Vampires
Shapeshifters
Crime Drama
[color=00aeef]Fandoms I am interested in:[/color]
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.
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">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. <br><br><font color="#00aeef">Genres I am interested in: </font><br>Fantasy<br>Middle Ages <br>Science Fiction <br>Vampires <br>Shapeshifters <br>Crime Drama<br><br><font color="#00aeef">Fandoms I am interested in:</font><br>Pokemon<br>Harry Potter <br>Anita Blake <br>Dragonriders of Pern <br>Star Wars <br><br>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. <br><br>I am in the Pacific Standard Timezone. I work full time and will be seen in the evenings and weekends online.</div>
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