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.
Thursday August 17th New Hilo, Hawaii Island, Republic of Hawaii, Federated American States That afternoon
Solarpunk
After they had made it back to civilization after their surreal surfing adventure in the idyllic Waimanu Valley, Paul had gotten some food. He had wandered around checking out the food truck scene being trailed by two of his security guards. He had a few lovely hours where he got to do whatever he wanted. Then he had to report to the Team Valkyrie Fan Zone. The marketing team had managed to pull off a minor miracle to come up with something that fit the guidelines that Coalescene had demanded from FIAR and the Republic. Teams were not allowed to promote any sponsors; they were to promote themselves, their stories, and their lives. Team Valkyrie had managed to secure a local community center that doubled as event space for their Fan Zone. They had brought some extra security and general helpers with them to help facilitate the tour and interactive experiences.
The team took advantage of the team plane and brought the Team Valkyrie Wings of the Past, Present,and Future Tour out of storage and added to it. The tour already highlighted and detailed Dorian’s career so they simply updated his season. They highlighted Paul’s wins and rookie season. They included clips and pictures of the Junior Team. The traveling interactive tour included 3d holograms of a selection of ships past and present. Guests could ask for more information about the ships or for a particular favorite. It would show them a lifesize hologram they could explore. They had exhibits that highlighted technology changes in antigravity racing along the way. This included information about the crash that took the life of Paul’s father Audrick Mulder and the safety innovations in the sport that crash had inspired.
They honored the F1 racing roots of the team from the past with images of F1 cars and former drivers from the former racing teams. There were video displays of racing montages from past races. Then there was the draw that brought fans out in droves. They had brought virtual reality simulation pods with them. They had taken the online virtual reality experience and made it portable and more immersive by loading it into the mobile full immersion pods. The safety features allowed fans to experience the races without the biofeedback that is actually experienced by the Formula AG pilots. The biofeedback was significantly reduced to make it accessible and appropriate for all ages. It was more immersive than a simple VR headset though with haptic feedback. They had brought four pods which had long lines. They were definitely the most sought after experience in the fanzone outside the meet and greet lines for the pilots on hand. The Junior Team members were also on hand in the fan zone which seemed to be quite popular with the teens and young adults of the island.
They had recreated the food court experience in the fan zone with a focus on sharing team favorites. There was a Belgian street vendor selling waffles and frites. For those who sought sweets, there was a Belgian chocolate maker on hand selling gourmet chocolates. They talked the Drunken Dragon into joining them to promote one of the team’s favorite hangouts. They brought pictures of the engineering team hanging out at the local pub, drinking, shooting pool, and playing darts. They brought the drinks inspired by the team for the islanders to enjoy.The Pub created a new beer in honor of Paul and Bea’s race at Spa, The Mad Biermaiden. The pub’s twist on beer, a brew that combined methods for mead and beer using hops and honey. There was of course the drink that started it all Valkyrie Fuel, a cocktail featuring honey mead and Fireball. They also brought a fun non-alcoholic drink for kids called Wizards Punch that was purple and fizzed and bubbled, a combination of lemon lime soda and raspberry sorbet topped with a little cloud of cotton candy. Wizards Punch had been a new creation for Cavan’s children who occasionally visited the Pub with their parents for dinner. There was also a German beer booth. To ensure Dorian was represented, there was a cheese and wine booth featuring a tasting menu from France. It was as if a carnival and car show had descended on the small event center. There was off course Team Valkyrie fan gear and prizes being given away every hour.
Paul smiled as he signed autographs, took pictures, and chatted with fans. He looked over and Dorian was just as busy and happy to be the center of attention. Paul chuckled and looked around feeling good about what the team had done to showcase the team and teach them about the team’s history and where they came from. They got to see what was happening now with the team. They got to see the next generation of racers with the Junior Team members. The Fan Zone would be open most of the day on race days. Paul would only be at the Fan Zone a few hours each day. There was of course the media here checking out what they had done differently for this race. Paul chuckled as he accepted yet another lei from a blushing fan. He took a picture wearing it with her. He waited till she was out of sight before discreetly taking it off and dropping into a box underneath the table that was overflowing with other leis and gifts from fans. He could probably feed half the island with the amount of Kulua roasted pig and poi from islander fans. Everyone wanted to feed him. Food must be the love language of the islands.
Team Valkyrie Headquarters Monday August 7, 2094 Late Afternoon Aachen Germany
Alexander had a meeting with Cavan now that the ships were back in the paddock. He joined Cavan in his office in the engineering department. Alexander noted that the mechanics and engineers were already in the process of tearing the ships apart and inspecting them for damage. Alexander smiled as he accepted a cup of black coffee from Cavan who understood his need for the black nectar. He gave a sigh of satisfaction as he sipped at the rich dark brew. He took a moment to enjoy his coffee before starting the conversation they needed to have.
Alexander: “Lipusv is sending some engineers to help out till we get more hired. I want those ships torn apart and reworked again. Whatever Dorian had asked to be done needs to be rethought because the Nürburg race was a disaster. I understand their frustration. See what we can do rework the engines and try to find some more speed without compromising the stability, handling, and ELS. The next race is Hawaii and my sources say that ELS will be critical. So whatever you can do to support those systems for the next race would be great. I should have new engineers hired after the next race. We also have a research and development contract happening later today with Meridian Aerospace to develop a new engine for the new ship. Once the agreement is signed, work should start shortly after the race in Hawaii. I do want you to consider separate setups on the ships tailored to the way each pilot races. Paul has better technical skill and is better in the corners than Dorian. Dorian has the experience and has a better sense of how things need to change from track to track but his age is showing. Dorian is better with the ELS systems than Paul. Paul has worked hard to bring his skill level up but Dorian has a better intuition on when and how to deploy the ELS. Any concerns or questions?”
Cavan had been listening as he sipped at his coffee. He had been nodding along. He had been expecting something like this after what happened at Nürburg. Cavan had a pretty good team of engineers. They were stretched a little short with trying to maintain the current ships and work on the plans for building next year’s ships at the same time. Work had to be slowed on next year’s designs to handle the immediate needs of the race season. The extra engineers would free everyone up to be able to contribute more to the design sessions and then the prototype testing as they tried what worked. Cavan’s brow furled in thought as he considered what kind of support he needed from Alexander.
Cavan: “We have run into a supply issue on some proprietary parts for the antigravity engines that have created a bottleneck. Certain elements used in their manufacturing have been backlogged or supply has been limited in certain raw materials. If you can do anything about that, it would help.”
Alexander nodded. “I was aware of some of it. Send me the list. I will run it past Lipusv to see what the hold up is. Maybe she can help get it for us through the government contracts.”
Cavan smiled as it was so different from his days at Fitzroy when he had to make due with what they had on hand. Cavan gave Alexander a grin.
Cavan: “I want my anniversary off. Babysitters for the kids and tickets to the art museum and reservations at that hot new restaurant everyone is raving about the Gilded Spoon.”
Alexander’s eyes crinkled as he let out a genuine laugh. “You are on your own buddy. I commend you for planning ahead though. I will confess, talk to Mabel. She is a godsend with getting stuff like that done and will remember to order the flowers when you don’t. That is why I pay her well and treat her right. You have to convince her to help you though.”
Cavan looked panicked for a moment and then excited. “Damn your right I did forget the flowers. Really I can ask Mabel for help?”
Alexander laughed again and shook his head. “Cavan, you should know by now that Mabel does what she wants too. She is her own person. My advice is to ask and see what she says.”
Cavan smiled happily. “Thanks for the advice.”
Alexander nodded and then moved on to his next point. “Dorian’s engineer Remy Deschamps will be promoted and moved to join the main engineering team at headquarters when Dorian retires. Feel free to lean on him for help with the new ship designs or ideas on how to tweak the ships for the individual racing circuits. He has experience from working with Dorian over the years. Carmella is good and brings fresh ideas with her as she does setup for Paul. However the experience Deschamps has shouldn’t be wasted. It might be beneficial to host some team collaboration brainstorming sessions to get those ideas cross pollinating to see if we can come up with new ways to do it.”
Cavan nodded in agreement. “That was on the schedule for tomorrow morning. Today is all about tear down and looking for wear and tear and damage. I will reach out to Carmella and Remy and ask them to join us.”
Alexander moved on to more updates Cavan needed to know about. “Next weekend Banshee Microsystems will be upgrading all the computer systems here at headquarters and that includes here in engineering. I wanted you to know so you can plan for it. The plan is to get it all done on Saturday. You can be here to supervise if you want too but I don’t think you will get much done that day. We also are bringing in Radian Security Systems to overhaul all our security systems which will begin next Monday. They shouldn’t disrupt your work too much in their initial assessment. Once we have agreed to what the updates will look like, you will be informed of any changes that impact your department.”
Cavan nodded and felt a worry and tension he had been unaware he had been carrying release. “You know it was a worry in the back of my head after hearing about the charges against Brendel. I think it is a good idea and prudent of you. I am glad you are taking those steps now.”
Alexander finished his coffee. “I appreciate that you feel that way. Well I am off to my next task. Let me know if you need anything else.”
Formula AG Pilot Group Chat
Amy Stirling You're one bad social media post away from having George Russell energy @Paul
Paul @Amy Stirling Why Amy you say the nicest things about me! Are you trying to flirt me?
Ben Hale Why have I been told to bring trunks to Hawaii? What shit is Delta Hyper planning?
Paul@Ben Hale I was already packing my board shorts. I want to try surfing. I am hiding Dorian’s speedo though and buying him some board shorts! His speedo is almost indecent. He is such an exhibitionist.
Harrison Can recommend Basqueatoes in *W3W co-ordinates* afterwards, really good Basque food in New Hilo area
Cassie Neves You are taking the piss. Wait, they do Patatas Bravas in Sweet Ch....fucking hell I'm in
Astrid I'm on that too, I'll book us a table :)
Paul@Astrid Count me in! I don’t think I have ever tried Basque food.
Amy Stirling Speaking of, I thought I'd sort out Singapore food too, given you can't have any fun there without being arrested lately. Tsai Wen Tower for a spot of dinner?
Dorian @Flo Mason Agreed, it was crazy. Me and Paul should be able to, I think?
Ava Villarosa I'm in, I think Bea too?
Cassie Neves Sure, me and Han can come
Harrison Not sure about Nora but I'm down
Paul@Dorian @Amy Stirling Sure count me in for Singapore too! Sounds like fun. Avoiding arrest is always good.
DELTΔ HYPER
Episode Twelve: Hot Like Lava
Thursday August 17th Waimanu Valley, Hawaii Island, Republic of Hawaii, Federated American States 0500 EST
Surf's Up
Paul yawned, having been woken up before dawn at the request of the Delta Hyper producers. It was cool before dawn on the island. Paul was dressed in warm athletic gear unsure what he was walking into. The team was staying in an apartment tower that had been rented out to FIAR for the race. He was sharing an apartment space with Dorian and Alexander. He felt picked on since Dorian had not received the early wake up call. He felt like going to his door and knocking on it to wake him just so he was not alone. He decided it was not worth listening to him gripe about it all day. He refilled his sports bottle with water before grabbing his bag. On a hunch he had stuffed his board shorts in it. Breakfast was not a possibility so he scarfed down a protein bar on his way out of the apartment.
He was soon picked up in an old Japanese minivan that looked like it had seen better days. The exterior paint was pitted from the salty ocean air and it was rusted in a few places. Paul’s knowledgeable eyes saw the beefed up suspension underneath it that gave the minivan better clearance and traction on different types of terrain. The suspension showed mud and dings from rocks showing it was well used. It was nowhere near what you might see on a rally car but it was better than a bog standard minivan designed for suburban streets. Paul chuckled as he could almost see a soccer mom driving the kiddies to practice.
Paul climbed into the very back of the minivan and pulled his bag off and promptly used it for a pillow. Maybe he could go back to sleep for a bit. Paul managed to drift off with the chatter of the other drivers lulling him back to sleep. He was awakened after being thrown against the window next to him when the van rocked hard to one side and then back as it hit a pothole in the road.
He heard Harrison complaining about Bea’s driving. "Bea, slow the fuck down! We're not on track, we're in a shitbox van!"
Paul rubbed the red spot on the side of his head with his fingers. Paul added his voice to Harrison’s. “Yeah you almost gave me another concussion with that last pothole. Can we try to avoid those?”
Paul smirked knowing that his comment about her driving was likely to set Bea off. He grinned knowing it would just make her all the more competitive this weekend. Paul looked out the window now that there was more to see. The van was angled down a switchback gravel road that had been cut into the side of the mountain. It was clear the road was not maintained very well or used very often as indicated by the huge ruts and potholes that marked it. The view out the window was stunning. The sun was just starting to come up. False dawn gave just enough light to see what was ahead of them. Paradise was the only word for it. They were headed down into a wall of green trees and plants and the turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean crashed into the shoreline in a strip of white. They were too far away for more definition than that. He couldn’t wait for the sun to come up so he could see everything better.
Jenny started to come to Bea’s defense. "Relax, she's only crashed on gravel.....actually, never mind!"
Just as the van rocked heavily once more and everyone was thrown back into their seats once more. Paul put an arm up to brace himself more securely in place. The other van occupants added their swearing to the atmosphere. The van continued to make its way down the side of the mountain on the incredibly scenic route down into the idyllic valley.
Max’s voice was full of awe as he commented on the view. "The view is mental from here! God, what have you got us doing, Rosie..." Max commented, looking out through glass on the winding, granite-black gravel road, the Waimanu Valley one of few to not be completely ruined by the volcanic eruptions on Big Island, and left untouched as a paradise.
Paul answered Max. “Well I have to believe it has something to do with the request to bring swimsuits. It has to be something on the beach or in the water.”
Paul continued to watch out the windows but the view was soon swallowed up by the close packed trees on either side of the van’s windows which blocked the view of the valley. The van pulled up a slight rise and came down the other side of a gravel parking area in a small clearing with a path further to one side. There was a fog hanging over the area that was just beginning to lift as Paul stepped out of the ancient minivan. Paul was annoyed to see the bright and perky Rosie. His eyes narrowed a little envious of his caffeinated state. Paul could use a cup of coffee about now. They got them up at the crack of dawn! It was the only courteous thing to do after the long trek out here and being awake before dawn. Paul had to chuckle at his thoughts since he now felt like he understood Alexander’s addiction to coffee a little better. That wouldn’t stop him from teasing him. It was a running joke among the staff since Mabel was always trying to reduce his coffee intake. He would have to team up for Mabel for their next shift of shenanigans.
Paul tried to pay attention as Rosie beamed at them. No one should be that perky at the ass crack of dawn.
Rosie’s excited and perky voice cut through the morning fog like an excited Chihuahua barking. "Hello all, and welcome to Hawaii! So, we brought you to paradise, and while here, we thought we'd introduce you, and the viewers to something rather different. How comfortable are you all in water?"
Paul managed to mumble something. “Adequate.”
Rosie waved them to follow him like an eager beaver. "Well....if you'd like to follow me, let me show you what we have planned."
Paul walked along with the other pilots following Rosie as they led them down the path through the woods to a sandy beach with a small group of huts to one side. Rosie had them stop with their backs to the huts facing the ocean. There was the Delta Hyper crew there filming and a few people who looked like they lived here. One was a typical blonde surfer type girl and the other was a darker skinned Tongan with a burly build.
The Tongan introduced who they were. "Aloha kākou, welcome to Waimanu. I'm Tane, and this is Katie, and here to show you a bit of real Hawaii before you go out and race all over it. So, who here has surfed before?"
Paul smiled at the question. That was one of the things he wanted to try while he was here. Paul loved anything that let him go faster. When he was younger skateboarding, skiing, and snowboarding had been favorites of his. His mother had demanded he try other things than motorsports. He also wanted to try paragliding and parasailing while he was here but wasn’t sure if he would find the time. He had never tried surfing but it seemed the thing to do when visiting Hawaii where it had been born.
The female instructor Katie added her voice to the conversation. "We'll show you all you need, and get you started out here."
Paul answered the instructors' questions. “I have never surfed before, but it was on my list to learn while here in Hawaii.”
Shortly after Paul had been ushered into one of the huts where privacy dividers waited for changing areas. He was given a wetsuit and told to change. Once he was outfitted for the water, he was led back out of the hut and handed a surfboard.
Katie took Paul in hand along with others who had not surfed before. She began with the basics of how to stand up on the board. To Paul’s dismay they didn’t immediately head out to the water. She had them drop their surfboards in the sand. She then had them practicing popping up into a standing position in one smooth movement like a jump. Once she felt they had the basics down, she went on to demonstrate how foot placement and keeping your center of gravity and shifting would guide the board. She went over how to safely fall off the board. They were given warnings about not being crushed into the reefs and rocks below by the waves as they went over the top of them. She told them how to paddle out. He did learn why they had to be up before dawn. Evidently that is when the waves were best for surfing. Paul didn’t think surfing much would be in his future but he still wanted to try it.
Finally they were sent off into the ocean under the watchful eyes of their instructors. Kane had paddled out with the experienced folks and was playing lifeguard and judge. He was on hand to pull them out if they got into trouble.
Paul got a workout just getting out far enough to catch a wave. He managed to get his board turned around. He watched for the swells of the waves to see how the experienced folks were choosing their waves. After hearing Katie’s explanations he finally understood what he was looking for. He waited for a good one and a clear spot. He began paddling like mad. He could hear Katie screaming at him. “Paddle faster Paul!”
His board was moving faster and faster. He got his knees under him still paddling. He could hear Katie screaming at him again. “Now Paul NOW!”
The board began to dip down the face of the wave’s crest. Paul felt his center of gravity changing. He tried to pop up like he learned on the beach. He managed to get up on his feet and promptly lost his balance as the board kept going with the momentum of the wave and he didn’t manage to catch it before he fell off the side of the board. Paul swam up the surface and there was his board attached to his ankle by the tether. He paddled back out to where he had started. He turned his board around and tried again. He fell off the board about a dozen more times before he finally managed a shaky ride all the way into shore. He thrust his fist into the air with a big smile. He had done it. He could see it would take practice like when he was learning skiing to get faster.
It was a pleasant way to spend time at the beach. He was hungry though. He wasn’t sure about getting up so early to indulge in surfing as a hobby. Maybe if he lived closer to a pleasant beach such as this one. He certainly wouldn’t want to try to surf in the North Sea. The thought chilled him and caused him to shiver. Paul was not the best surfer that day. He didn’t embarrass himself but it did take him some time to get the hang of it.
Thursday August 17th New Hilo, Hawaii Island, Republic of Hawaii, Federated American States 1800 HST
Solarpunk
After leaving the beach, Paul went in search of food. He spent some time walking around the neighborhood where the apartment was. He found the foodtrucks. He took pictures on his phone of the amazing city to send to his mother. He knew she had probably already been here for work but he couldn’t help thinking she would love to take photos of the city. He saw an art mural draped and almost hidden by plants and smiled. He took a picture and sent it to his mother. The art felt like a hidden treasure one had to find to enjoy. He liked the whimsy of his own thoughts. Paul had been left mostly to his own devices. He had been approached by fans with questions which he answered. The fans were even different to what he was used to seeing. They didn’t ask for photos so much as more information about him. He tried to answer honestly based on the terms of what FIAR had arranged for the race. He laughed when others asked him if he really liked the Zap drinks they always saw him drinking after a race. He told them that he did but he had his favorite flavors and they were orange and cherry. The fans here seemed more real and genuine somehow. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it but they were different. Paul wandered around exploring the city until it was time for his Delta Hyper interview.
Paul found himself sitting on the roof of one of the buildings in the middle of a garden-like setting. The buildings were eco-friendly with green roofs. He laughed as he took a seat on the familiar yellow sofa even as the backdrop was not the traditional wall with the Delta Hyper symbol on it. The Delta Hyper Symbol was freestanding on a metal stand in front of the wood wall. It still felt very familiar despite the differences. Paul was wearing cargo shorts and a Team Valkyrie polo shirt and sneakers for his interview.
Aurora: "Hello Paul, and welcome to the Delta Hyper couch once again. With the season taking us to such incredible places, from the surface of the Moon to the legendary race tracks of Europe, how are you feeling about our unplanned visit to Hawaii?"
Paul: “Hello Aurora, always a pleasure to be here. I am excited to be here. I never thought I would get the opportunity to race here after it was removed from the circuit. I am excited to try a new track. I want to thank the fans here in Hawaii. They have been so warm and welcoming to me. I want to thank them for inviting Antigravity Racing into their home here in paradise. The food has been incredible so far. I am enjoying Hawaii. I plan to explore some more while I am here and get to see more of Hawaii and the culture here. I want to try paragliding and maybe sailing.” Paul looked thoughtful as he wrapped up his answer.
Friday August 18th Moa Tempesta Circuit, Kanaloa Island, Republic of Hawaii, Federated American States 1400 HST
The Tempest
Paul got a solid good night’s sleep. He was at the track after eating a light breakfast. He was ready to see what Cavan and the team had done to fix the ship for this track. Paul was ready as he took his ship out on its practice run. Carmella and Cavan’s voices in his ear. He brought the ship up to speed as the engine warmed up.
Paul began to push the ship hard to see how it was handling. He could see why ELS would be a factor on this track. It was a tight and twisty track. There were only a few good areas for overtakes. He lined up for the first corner. The ship on what he felt was an optimal racing line. The ship rocked unsteadily on the exit.
Paul: “The handling coming out of the corners is rockier. Can we do anything to stabilize that better.”
He continued around the track. He loved the lava tube tunnel. He put the ship through a 360 degree corkscrew down the tunnel since he was the only ship on the track. He let out a joyful Wahoo down that section. Once the lava tube spit him out again he gave some more feedback.
Paul: “Can we adjust the gravity skirting to be tighter to the ship. It will give me better clearance for passing down the tube. It felt like it flared out in the corkscrew maneuver."
Paul continued through the track. He kept a close eye on the energy levels and the constant slow downs and starts from the corners ate into the ship’s energy reserves. He would have to watch that during the race.
Paul once more noted the issue and turned it over to his engineers to see what they could do about it. “The corners and chicanes are eating into the energy reserves. Is there anything we can do to help efficiency or reclaim more energy from the track? That is going to be vital for ELS defense and attack on this track.”
Paul finally pulled the ship back into the temporary paddock. He thanked the engineers and mechanics and left them to it.
Social Media
From: Paul Mulder @ValkyriePaul:
Well here we are in paradise! Wish me luck on the track! My thanks to all of you fans for your support.
[picture of the valley from the beach with the waterfalls in the distance]
MagnetoMuppet:Wow it’s beautiful there. Nana2050:Thanks for bringing us along Paul! Hater101: Why are you thanking him? He doesn’t deserve it. Papabear34:Beautiful picture but it doesn’t tell us anything about the circuit. HydrofoilHater Another distraction tactic so we don’t focus on his poor performance in the last race. ThrusterJester:@HydrofoilHater 100% agree with you.
QuantumQuokka:Yes it is lovely but are you going to come through for the fans in paradise? Bertha:@QuantumQuokka No he is going to choke again! ValkyrieFan56:I think it is nice that he is letting us know what’s going on up to the race. This circuit is different, no fans will be onsite. Everyone will be watching virtually. Nana2050:I like it. I feel like I get a better understanding of what’s going on in the race with the commentary. MulderMuse:That’s beautiful and I like that he shared what he is seeing. Paulmulder4eva:The only thing that would make that picture better is him in it topless in swim trunks…
RumorMill:I heard they scrapped and rebuilt the ships after Germany. DantheMan: Yeah they needed to do something different. RumorMill: Heard they are trying for more speed and better ELS for this track. LegacyStan94:We will just have to watch and see. We will have a better idea after qualifying. OfficeDrone#12:I am hoping this race will be more like Spa. Germany was so boring to watch. SuperfanAGR54:@officedrone#12 I couldn’t agree with you more. I want to see movement on the grid and overtakes.
Alexander was pleased to see that Scarlett and Anna did well at the home race. The fan zone was hopping. Alexander was amused to see that the fan zone was getting more attention than the race itself. The biergarden was particularly popular. The Drunken Dragon was very popular with local fans who had been following the pub’s connection to Team Valkyrie. It was not a surprise to see the German fans at least happy holding a pint of beer. He was also pleased to see that the fans had embraced the junior team and were seeking them out in the fan zone when they were there for autographs and pictures. The Delta Hyper special had certainly helped raise the Junior Team’s popularity with fans and the general public. Sami Liponnen and Tohad been asked for interviews by a lot of the media wanting to update fans on the junior league performance. The Delta Hyper special had sparked a greater interest from the fans which in turn was raising interest with sponsors and media trying to capitalize on that interest. Alexander sighed knowing that he was not the only team to benefit from his actions but he couldn’t be upset that the entire Junior League was seeing benefits from it.
Alexander watched the German Grand Prix with memories of the past flowing through his head. He smiled remembering him and Audrick battling it out on the famous track. He had fond memories of the Carousel from his F1 days. It was simply not quite the same in a Formula AG ship. The tactics were different for getting through it. He was disappointed in Dorian’s performance. He had given him the support and space to try his idea but he could clearly see that the setup was working against Paul. He sighed and felt a greater push than ever to solve their speed problem which meant overhauling the engine. He had work to do when he got back to the office. He needed to prioritize hiring those engineers he needed. He would reach to Lipusv and see if there was any in house support he could call on in the meantime.
Team Valkyrie Headquarters Monday August 7, 2094 Aachen Germany
Alexander had reviewed the background reports submitted by Wulfric the head of security. He had sent out emails inviting the chosen five to meet with him. He contacted Meridian Aerospace first. He and the CEO had exchanged some emails and had a meeting over teleconference. They had already exchanged contracts for a research and development partnership on ship engines. They would help develop an engine for their ship that would help them enter a smaller ship market whereas they currently specialized in large cargo and passenger transports. This would allow them to break into the luxury air and space craft market. The partnership would include sponsorship endorsements and they would provide engine expertise, parts, and design. The engine designed for the team would be exclusively owned by the team but Meridian Aerospace were allowed to take what they learned in partnership with the team to build small engines for luxury aircraft and spacecraft. The engine design might incorporate similar ideas and technology but would not exactly mirror the engines for the racing ships that were designed for speed.
Alexander’s next contact was Radian Security Systems. In exchange for a sponsorship endorsement through the end of the year, Radian Security Systems would do a security assessment and upgrade Team Valkyrie’s security systems and processes under Wulfric’s supervision. The contracts had already been signed. Their personnel were scheduled to begin working at Team Headquarters in a week. They were sending a 5 person team to do the job. The new computer systems for headquarters from Banshee Microsystems were being installed over the weekend. The timing for the security overhaul was perfect. They could then test the new software and computer system for cybersecurity issues. Alexander felt better knowing that the Team’s secrets would be secure and safe from future predation by anyone that Brendel might have sold information too.
Alexander contacted the remaining sponsors that had cleared Wulfric’s background check for meetings. Immersia Entertainment wanted to build an immersive gaming experience for Formula AG fans. They needed some support from one of the Formula AG teams to make that a reality. They were interested in helping make the experience as real as possible for fans while keeping the experience within tolerable levels in regards to realistic feedback. In return Immersia was going to pay them a shit ton of money and help them overhaul and improve their current simulators the pilots were using. The contracts had been signed and they would begin work after the race in Hawaii. Wizard Technologies was a standard sponsorship package seeking endorsement advertising from the team that would include Dorian and Paul. It was again a lucrative sponsorship deal. They also requested a space in the Fan Zone for the Singapore race. Zeus Limited was still mulling over the contract. They were interested in a sponsorship but had not pulled the trigger yet. Alexander got the impression they were shopping between teams.
Alexander had a leisurely lunch in the cafeteria. He was glad to see the atmosphere had changed at the headquarters after he brought Brendel and Maier to justice. There was a positive can do vibe supportive vibe among those who worked there now. People stopped to say hello and check in with him. They often asked how things were going in the big office with a chuckle. Everyone seemed happy and content. They didn’t seem afraid to bring any issues to him. One of the engineers stopped to tell him about a supply issue they were experiencing for proprietary parts for some of the antigravity components. Alexander promised to look into it. He would check with Lipusv to see what the hold up might be. Cavan had stopped by to remind him he couldn’t perform miracles and there were still several key engineering positions that needed some support if he wanted him to continue working on the new ship design.
Alexander sighed after cleaning up his tray and returning it to the wash bins. Alexander returned to his office to review his options. Alexander had reviewed his options for a new Neural Interface Engineer with Cavan. Hiring for the position had been put on hold during Brendel’s trial. The three candidates Gaylord Chaveau, Cillian Kilpatrick, and Daria Krupnik had already found and accepted other positions. A new engineer had caught Alexander’s eye who had written an article about combining older cognitive therapy methods with modern neurological medical interventions with a great deal of success in crafting new therapies that had combined both fields. Juliette Marsman was a Dutch/Finnish engineer working in a research center in Finland. Alexander reached out to see if they might be interested in a position at Valkyrie, after Wulfric completed a background check on them. Alexander felt that they were breaking ground in areas that could benefit the team.
Alexander then called in Dorian’s race engineer to have a frank discussion about his future with Dorian retiring. Remy Deschamps was the typical Frenchman. Remy was a very straight forward character, he was charming and polite while maintaining a slight elitist tone. He had the ability to tell you off and make it sound good. Alexander was always amused by Remy’s character. He was so typically and stereotypically French. He had offered Remy three choices. Remy had been a loyal race engineer and that deserved some recognition. He had offered to allow Remy to take a nice severance package or retire early, he had offered to let him take a teaching position in the academy for their junior pilots, or to take a promotion and move to the headquarters Engineering team to help build the new ship. Remy jumped on the chance to get his engineering hands involved with building the new ships. After Dorian retired, he would be moving to the engineering team to help them troubleshoot possible race strategies and setups with the new ship. Remy’s experience would be invaluable in testing the new ships for the various setups required by the different races. Remy was very pleased with the opportunity and change in position. Alexander was pleased to have him stay. It also left the position open so that he could potentially offer it to Max’s engineer. Alexander had told Max it would depend on his background check, NDA, and a personal interview but it was possible to bring his engineer with him.
Alexander reviewed the dossier on the latest engineering talent that had been vetted by both Mabel for suitability and Wulfric for background checks. He set up an interview with Isaak Cronenberg to interview for the position of engine specialist. Jacqueline Schultz was on the list to interview for the position of engine specialist as well. Gorm Malmström a Swedish engineer and Régulo Bandeira a Portuguese/Spanish engineer were both interviewing for general ship maintenance and design positions. After checking with Lipusv he had promised more antigravity engineering support from the European Space Agency team. He hoped to have new engineers hired and started after Hawaii.
Social Media
From: Paul Mulder @ValkyriePaul:
This is a message to my fans. I want to apologize for letting you down in Germany. We tried a new setup and it simply didn’t work. I hope to make a good showing at the race in Hawaii. I appreciate your support! See you after Hawaii!
The t-shirt was won and shipped. The money was donated to the charity of the winner’s choice, the Rainforest Project in Brazil. Congrats to superfan Francine Dutra Delchiaro.
MagnetoMuppet:I was disappointed in Paul’s performance in Germany. Nana2050:I like that he took accountability for it though. Hater101: He should!He lost a place and Dorian lost 3! Unacceptable performance from both of them.
Papabear34:Nice choice of charity. HydrofoilHater Distraction from his poor performance. Mulder sucks! ThrusterJester:Poor team performance in Germany.
QuantumQuokka:No surprise we get two good races and disaster. No consistency. Bertha:What else do you expect from Mr. Goody Two Shoes? ValkyrieFan56:At least he acknowledged his performance and apologized. That is more than most pilots do. Nana2050:I couldn’t agree with you more. MulderMuse:So what if he has class and manners. I like it. Paulmulder4eva:yeah… and he still looks amazing even when he is failing. OfficeDrone#12:Oh please! Go buy a damn poster already!
RumorMill:That new setup did them no favors at all. DantheMan: Yeah they need to throw that one in the trash can. RumorMill:@DantheMan I couldn’t agree with you more. LegacyStan94:P7 and P8 still got the team some points. OfficeDrone#12:It was a boring race after Spa. SuperfanAGR54:Yeah I didn’t feel like anything important happened in that race. It was a snoozefest.
[Image of a burned-out design lab at the Carrera Condor factory.] Bea Alright, which one of you did that? @Paul? @Cassie Neves? 😛
Ava Villarosa BEA! Jesus Christ.
Paul Unlike others, I play by the rules. It is more fun to battle you on the track on an even playing field. When I beat you, I want no excuses. I can't wait to meet you again when the world aligns and we duke it out on the track. Spa was a blast!
Paul went through his prerace checklist and routine. He was sitting in his ship in P7. The setup for this race was not working for him as well as he would have liked. He had been hopeful that the extra speed would help but it came at the cost of handling and stability. Dorian had done better in qualifying but Paul was frustrated with his performance. He also believed that they needed to try new things. If they kept doing the same thing they would keep seeing the same results. He had managed a few podiums now but he couldn’t help questioning if he couldn’t have taken Bea if he had a little more speed at Spa. He sighed as he worked his gloves over his fingers. He stretched and wiggled his fingers before double checking his harness was snug. He then took a moment to meditate.
Carmella’s voice came over the radio. “Race starts in five minutes, Paul. How are you feeling?”
Paul laughed at Carmella: “As ready as I am going to be. I am not liking this new set up though.”
Carmella: “Yeah it doesn’t work with your racing style.”
Paul sighed: ‘We will have to see what Alexander comes up with next.”
Carmella: “Good Luck Paul.”
The countdown started.
5 4 3 2 1 Go!
Paul had a good start but then the handling on the ship caused him to go wide at the first turn. He cursed as he lost a few seconds recovering his racing line. Paul should have known that was how his whole race would go. Even with his neural link upgrades the changes to the air braking system were significant. He couldn’t seem to get a handle on the changes. It felt like the more he tried to dial it in the worse his performance got. Paul felt as if his ship, which was normally a graceful dance partner, had become a clumsy elephant on roller skates. He fought to maintain his racing line and keep his position. He was frustrated as Kais went whizzing by him on the Flugplatz. Paul had his ship’s throttle wide open and Kais sailed by him easily. He managed to maintain his position after that and ended up with Dorian finishing just in front of him.
He sighed as Carmella's voice told him he finished in P8. That was a wrap for Germany. Paul felt as if he had let the fans down at their home race. Dorian had a good starting position but had lost 3 positions by the end of the race. Paul was disappointed in the result but he couldn’t be sad that they had tried something different. It just meant this setup was wrong for Germany. He would own that decision since he had backed Dorian. He understood Dorian wanting to make a good showing as he wrapped up his career. He wanted to be a good teammate but this was a learning thing for Paul. He wouldn't compromise his race again for him. He would listen to Cavan next time when he told him what the changes would mean. He had a great deal more respect for the head engineer and his opinion on these things now.
Paul pulled the ship into the parc ferme in the P8 position. He hung his head and took a deep breath before he unlatched his harness and canopy and climbed out of the ship. He went into the paddock. Cavan was here since it was the home race. He walked straight up to him and looked him in the eye.
Paul: “I should have listened to you. I won’t make that mistake again.”
Cavan gave Paul a sheepish smile and nodded. He clapped him on the shoulder.
Cavan: “I appreciate that Paul.”
Paul just nodded and headed for his ready room. He was not happy about today’s results but he knew he bore the blame. It was his performance and his decision to back Dorian on the setup he wanted. He still had a lot to learn about being a professional pilot.
DELTΔ HYPER
Episode Eleven: The Green Hell
Post Race Interviews
Paul took a few minutes to calm down and used a wet towel to cool down from the race. He ran a quick comb through his hair and then left for the mandatory interview at the Delta Hyper set.
He arrived and waited his turn to take a seat on the Delta Hyper couch. Aurora was just as perky as ever.
Aurora: "Paul, sadly not the result you were looking for at Valkyrie's home race. Do you think you could have been a bit more aggressive today, given the pressure from Zygon and the midfield pack?"
Paul: “Well we tried a different setup for the German Grand Prix and it simply didn’t work. I pushed as hard as I could but the ship just didn’t have it today. We will go back to the drawing board and come out swinging at the next race. I did the best I could but I can’t win them all.”
He gave Aurora a charming smile to disarm any bad feelings or blame as he owned his mistakes on the track that day.
Samantha smiled as Ebrima had the others add a strip of the tape to their arms as an identifier. She already had a band thanks to needing a temporary seal for her computer connector cords. There was also a band of silver tape around her chest to hold on Bob’s rig. Not to mention she was so petite the tape helped the space suit fit her better. She gave Ebrima a smile and a fist bump as she moved to help the others.
Samantha was checking on Athena and Freya. The two giants in their armor since they didn’t have space suits for them. At least she had made sure their armor was space worthy and would hold air. She was helping them with the jury rigged MMU packs that would go on over their armor. She positioned Athena’s so it wouldn’t hinder her normal jetpacks.
Athena: "Thanks, Chaos. Appreciate it. It links to my other jump jet systems, so that should tie together nicely."
Samantha cautioned Athena about using her jet packs. “Athena be careful using your jump packs. They are going to have a much stronger effect than they would in gravity. We are also on a space station. Be careful with anything that causes fire. It is an oxygen rich environment after all.”
Finally they were all ready and they took the leap. They pushed off and began using the quiet and soft thrusters on the MMU packs to make their way towards the space station. It was an awe inspiring experience to leave the lit cargo bay behind and be floating in the black of space. The station, while fairly close, felt so far away.
Samantha was aiming for the airlock on the back of the station. She was using the airlock as her navigational fixed point in space. Then she heard Skye come over the team comms.
Skye: "Contacts, up ahead. Weapons free."
Samantha began to search space for what Skye was talking about and spotted flashes from guns firing and the mobility thrusters on their suits. It was weird to Samantha that the sound of gunfire didn’t carry across the void of space. The sound of gunfire was muted. Samantha lost track of Skye in the scuffle that unfolded. Samantha pushed her MMU to go faster and added a zigzag pattern to make her harder to hit. She was murmuring under her breath softly “come on come on… faster.”
Skye: "More coming in!"
Samantha could see that the airlock had two soldiers stationed there to keep them out. One had chased Sky into the forest of solar panels on the station. Athena had taken out one. All at once Samantha heard Rose over their comms feed. That should not have been possible after the changes she had made after they first met Rose and discovered more about who she was. Samantha immediately had Bob start creating a new encrypted channel using her rig as the interface.
Rose: "Raven Squad! And....Skye, so nice to see you join me. Fought through your fair share of hell. But you made it at last, to join me at the end."
Skye: "No idea how you're on comms, but I'm gonna fucking tear you apart when I find you! Come out here and fight me, you coward!"
Rose: "Well, I have my share of mercs between you and me. Motivated just as much as you. By the way, I'm so happy I kept all these bodies up here that I'm busy sequencing....you know, it was how I got the drop on you in Tokyo. And now it turns out to be better than even my original plan because you get to watch."
Rose continued her evil villain monologue. Samantha rolled her eyes as the mercs outside the airlock fired on her. She managed to dodge. She smiled as she saw them thrown back into the side of the station due to the recoil on their weapons. They had failed to compensate for it. Samantha arrived just as they were recovering and used one of her knives to slash at their suits and stabbed towards their helmets. She managed to crack the helmet shield on one and she flinched as she witnessed explosive decompression. That was messy and fast. The other had stopped trying to fight her as he was suddenly losing air and had emergency alerts popping up in his HUD. She managed to stab through the surprisingly tough fabric of the spacesuit on the other guy. She smiled as muscle memory told her she had a critical hit. She had just pushed the guy out of her way when two more showed up.
Samantha: “Shit! Damn assholes keep popping up like a bad jack in the box.”
Rose: "Isn't it ironic the blood in you is about to put humanity back into the stone age? Well, Sam's last little remainders of family, Freya's other half, Ebrima's.....whatever that fucking orphan you feel sorry for deserves, that petty bitch you brought along at the last minute....and your ex-partner, Skye? Just because of your blood. How are you finding a new body?"
Samantha felt rage fire through her body at Rose’s words. How dare this woman make light of the pain she has suffered. She had to remember that she had infiltrated the team as Skye is the only way she knew anything about Samantha’s family. It did give her a momentary worry about her grandmother. She couldn’t lose focus here in space. She needed to finish this so she would be safe. Samantha forced her focus back to getting to the airlock.
Skye: "I'm going to enjoy fucking making you breathe in a vacuum. Give it up, Rose, we have you outgunned and your plan isn't going to work. This is over, how can you not fucking see that!"
Samantha carefully positioned herself so that her back was against the airlock door. She pulled her pistol away from where she had it taped to her spacesuit. She fired at the two other mercs trying to intercept her. She smiled as she double tapped their helmets, cracking their hud. She could see the air escaping from the cracked helmet visors. She grinned as cracking their HUD screens also impaired their vision. This was a great tactic to use. She was very proud of herself. Considering she kept worrying she was going to fire her gun and fly off into the depths of space.
"Oh, you came this far, did so much, but I don't think it matters. First batch will be ready to go soon. I think I'll drop it on Scotland to begin with. Kill anyone we grew up with to begin with. You got here Skye, but I have plenty more to give."
"Team, keep fucking moving, and ice anyone, and.....save her for me. Chaos, isolate Rose's comms line and keep it if we need her back."
Bob informed Samantha the new comms line was ready. He had switched everyone’s comms over to the new line. Rose might be able to pick up that they were communicating but shouldn’t be able to tap into the feed. She sent a notification that the others would see in their feed about a new private link feed. As long as they were within sight of Samantha they should be able to communicate. It wasn’t ideal but at least they should have a way to communicate privately. They would of course keep Rose talking. It would give them some time to locate her.
Samantha spoke over the new link. “New team comms on channel Charlie One. They are encrypted. They might be able to tell when we are communicating on this channel but not what. I am using the signal booster in my suit as a relay station. If you are within line of sight, you should be able to communicate on this channel. I left the other one on so we can keep track of Rose. I have already triangulated her position. I show her in the middle of the station.”
Samantha knew she needed to hack the airlock so they could gain access to the station. The only way to get to Rose was to get in. She grabbed the tools off her belt and began prying the access panel off. She had to stop and shoot another merc before turning back to trying to get them into the station. One way or another Rose was dying today.
Samantha: “Chaos is at the airlock. Working on gaining entry. I would appreciate any help in keeping these damn mercs at bay.”
Samantha had to stop once more after emptying her clip in the next two to show their helmets. She had to change the magazine in her gun. At least she had her tether attached to the hand rail next to the airlock. As she popped the magazine in, a clever merc fired at her from above the airlock hidden by the bulk of the station. The round caught her in the arm. She fired back at the merc chasing him back into cover. She managed to tear off a piece of tape and plug the hole in her suit. The hit from the gun had pushed her away from the station. Samantha used the tether to pull herself back to the station. She made herself as thin a profile as possible as she continued work on the door. Her arm hurt and felt like it was on fire. She could feel blood pooling and cooling inside the arm of her suit. She pushed through the pain as she got the panel covering off. She plugged in one of the connectors to Bob. She began overriding the security on the station, hacking it with Bob’s help.
Paul smiled as he climbed into the number 72 ship in Team Valkyrie livery. He fastened his safety harness and plugged in his neural interface before he began his prerace checklist with his race engineer Carmella.
Carmella: “The changes you requested at practice were completed.”
Carmella sounds hesitant before she asks Paul. “Paul I know we talked about this already, but are sure about trying these changes Dorian wanted? I mean, this track is all about stability. We gained a little bit of speed but it cost us in stability. Dorian seems to be doing well with this set up…” she sounded unsure if her opinion would be welcome before continuing. “But you have not been posting good lap times. I feel like this setup has hurt your performance. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn't state the facts plainly for you.”
Paul sighed as he and Carmella had been at odds over these changes. He understood her point of view. If he did poorly on this set up, it looks poorly on her as his race engineer. He tried to keep his frustration out of his voice as he replied.
Paul: “Carmella we need to be pushing boundaries especially where speed is concerned. I want to try this. Maybe it will work out for us and be an advantage. If it is not, at least I know we tried something different. If we want different results we need to try different things. We are going to fail sometimes. But we might learn something useful we can apply later.”
Carmella sighed knowing she had lost her argument. Her conscience felt better knowing she had given him all the facts and didn’t lessen the blow to soothe his ego. She didn’t believe Paul would do very well here in Germany. They should have tried this set up at a different track. She was on Cavan’s side in this argument. They had been over ruled by Alexander who was backing his pilots. This is one time Carmella wished Alexander would have been a team principal first and put his foot down. She believed Alexander made a mistake in allowing these changes for Nürburgring.
Carmella: “Well at least you understand the potential consequences of your decision. I just wished you had decided to wait to try this at a different track. Stability is essential for this track.”
Paul just grumped and sighed as he continued to test his ship’s systems one at a time. He let it go because it was go time and they didn’t have time to make any changes at this point in the game. He also wanted to be a good teammate and one of the conditions was that for Dorian to explore this, he had to embrace it too. He just hoped that this gave Dorian what he was looking for, for this race. Paul smiled. This was Dorian’s last race here at this track. Paul planned to have many more races here in Germany. He would love to see Dorian do well here in Germany. That doesn’t mean he would not push his team mate the entire way. Paul always drove to win.
Paul turned his focus back to testing his systems. He tested the air brake system and noted the tension on the rear air brakes had been set slightly higher per his request and that the energy feed back from the kinetic dampers on the airbrakes had been optimized for greater energy retention. Hopefully the tension setting changes would help the handling and stability without compromising the speed boost gained.
Paul finished his internal systems check and everything looked good.
Paul: “Internal system checks are green. Radio check.”
Carmella’s voice was all business now. “Radio check is good. I am reading all systems green Paul. You are clear to head to the starting line.”
Paul: “Number 72 heading to the starting line.”
Paul suited actions to words as he took the ship from Team Valkyrie’s paddock bay out to the track.
Paul: “Engine is warmed up and at operating level.”
Carmella: “Start countdown commencing, Good Luck Paul.”
Paul wrapped his hands around the control yoke as he watched the start lights flash in sequence.
Paul got a good start but over-corrected at the Yokohama S curve as the ship was not quite as stable as he was used to. He almost binned it into the wall as it rocked up on its side as he whipped it around the corner.
Paul: “Shit! I almost left my mark the painful way!”
Paul focused as he came out of the S curve and picked up speed quickly before he had to lean on the air brakes to make it through the Dunlop Hairpin. He managed to make up a little time but he could feel that this run was not going to be stellar or as solid as he knew he was capable of. He was pushing but the ship just felt off to him. He was not having a good day in Germany.
Paul flew through the Advan Arch barely slowing down as the ship rocketed around the shallow curve. He was grateful for his neural interface as he gracefully wove the ship through the Veedol Chicane like a dancer. Paul drifted the ship through the Jaguar curve finally finding his pace. The track is hard to find the optimal racing line with all the braking and slowing for all the curves. Paul’s ship gained speed on the Hatzenbach straight before taking the curve into the Flugplatz. He hammered the throttle wide open as he adjusted the ship’s trim for optimal aerodynamics using his neural interface picking up even more speed. The ship followed and stuck to track like it was glued as the ship swanned through the Aremberg curve. Paul’s form was great even as he slowed to go through the curve at Ex-Muhle. The absolutely stunning green views of forest and grass covered hills were lost as Paul focused on the track and navigating its turns and twists. Paul’s eyes were watching the track carefully for the slight rise and curve that led to the track’s most famous corner. Paul slowed the ship as he entered the famous Caracciola-Karussell hairpin corner which is almost 180 degrees. The ship tilted to the side as the speed kept the ship pinned to the track as it banked around the curve. As he got to the middle of the curve he began to accelerate the ship which spat the ship out as it rocketed up the hill towards the next section of track.Paul had to slow once more to take the corner at Hohe Acht. Paul piloted the ship through the rest of the circuit without much trouble but he still felt as if he was off pace compared to his norm.
He completed his qualifying lap and shook his head in disappointment at the time. He knew he should have done better. He would just have to wait and see how his competition did.
At the end of the day, Paul was starting in P7 and Dorian in P4. At least it had been worth it for Dorian.
Paul was sent directly from qualifying at the track to the Delta Hyper couch. He had a moment to slug dug a Zap to replace the electrolytes he lost and sweated out due to the heat in the ship.A team member had given him a wet towel that he had used to cool down and wipe the sweat from his face. He ducked into the bathroom and used the towel to soak and scrub his overheated head. The cool towel felt heavenly. He scrubbed at his sweat soaked helmet flattened hair. He finger combed it into submission before slamming a bottle of water. He might need to report to the set but he could take a minute for himself. He looked at himself in the mirror and had to admit he was disappointed at the result. After his last two races, he couldn’t help but feel he should have done better. He sighed and sucked it up before heading towards the set.
Paul sat on the white Delta Hyper Couch in his dark gray and gold racing suit with technical patches of digital fabric that flashed with sponsor logos. Paul always felt like a walking billboard which he supposed he was. It was part of the job though. He took his seat with a neutral expression. His hair looked darker since it was still wet. He leaned back into the comfort of the couch waiting for the next question. There was an air of gravity and seriousness about the set today. The light playfulness of the prequalifying interviews are gone.
Aurora: What would you say is the hardest thing for you about racing in Formula AG?
Paul had to stop and think about this one. He could share something lighthearted and funny and punt the real answer down the road or answer truthfully.
Paul decided to give a real answer. “I could say sticking to a strict training regime and diet. I can’t just run out and grab junk food every day even if I can afford it. I can’t just stop my exercise routine because I need my body to be in peak form. But I feel that is the cheap answer.”
Paul swallowed and looked Aurora in the eye as he answered. His tone was serious and revealed some nervousness.
Paul: “It can be lonely at times. I might be surrounded by hundreds of people who are all asking for my attention but not many people really know me. I am almost always on the go doing something. There is training, endorsement and sponsorship commitments, and of course traveling to the races. I travel a lot for work. That is not a lifestyle conducive to having a relationship, family, or a pet. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do. I love traveling but it can be draining as well. It is a whole different set of pressures and challenges that only other pilots understand. The team atmosphere at Valkyrie helps a lot.” Paul smiles and lights up the camera with real warmth. “I can’t thank the Team enough for always being there for me and having my back.”
Social Media
From: Paul Mulder @ValkyriePaul:
I am going to steal an idea from @MadBea and auction off something special to the fans. A signed limited edition T-shirt designed by the Team to commemorate my first Podium win at Montreal. It is signed by me and has a video authenticating me signing it and a certificate. [A picture of Paul signing the size extra large t-shirt. It is Team Valkyrie’s logo and colors with a silhouette of Paul’s ship on the back. It is decorative and edgy with a rock and roll feel to the design. There was a limited number of them for sale in the team’s gear store.] The highest bid by the end of the race in Germany wins the T-shirt. The proceeds will be donated to a charity of the winner’s choice.
MagnetoMuppet:I have put in my bid. Don’t expect to win. Nana2050:Count me in! Hater101: Publicity stunt! Distraction from his poor performance in qualifying.
Papabear34:I like the shirt and it will go to a good cause. Count me in. HydrofoilHater Mulder is so fake! *barf* No one is that nice! ThrusterJester:If I want the shirt I would just buy it. No thanks.
QuantumQuokka:Mulder is back to choking. Poor performance at qualifying. Bertha:Couldn’t agree more. I don’t like the clean and squeaky image. ValkyrieFan56:WOW jealous much? You must be rooting for MMR. Nana2050:Why are they so hateful? He still managed P7. Let’s see you do that pipsqueak! MulderMuse:I agree with you @Nan2050! Paulmulder4eva:I am bidding on that shirt! OfficeDrone#12:@Nana2050 Mulder’s fans sound like squeaky little dogs! All bark and no bite just like Mulder.
RumorMill:I heard they are racing a new setup at this race. It doesn’t look like it’s helping them. DantheMan: Oh yeah? What have you heard? RumorMill:Just that they made some kind of changes to the airbrake systems. LegacyStan94:Either way P7 is not bad and Dorian is in P4. OfficeDrone#12:It is nice to see Dorian performing for once this season. SuperfanAGR54:Dorian in P4! Hope he gets another podium. Would be nice to see before he retires. BatDave: Batman sends his approval.
Paul would be in Spa for the rest of the week dealing with the Mulder Foundation Fundraiser. He had put in his work during summer break to get that time now was not a big deal. Alexander had been almost ambushed by Dorian this morning in his eagerness to discuss an idea to eke some more speed out of his ship. Alexander had given him his blessing to explore it with Cavan’s oversight. He was glad to see Dorian engaged and excited but he didn’t want him making changes to the ship that might be detrimental. Alexander had spoken briefly with Cavan who had agreed to listen to Dorian but refused to make changes unless he felt there was merit to them. Alexander left it for the two of them to sort out. He did recommend that they could try changes on the test ship first to see if they were viable before trying them on the current racing craft that were being used.
Paul’s epic battle with Bea at Spa right on the heels of his win at Montreal had catapulted the team to new heights. Katherine was inundated with media requests. Interested sponsors and endorsement offers were pouring in from companies hoping to capitalize on Paul’s rising fame in the Formula AG world. Alexander smiled as he remembered congratulating Paul after his win at Spa. He was glad he had been there to see it. He reminded Alexander of Audrick on the track that day. Paul had literally given it his all. He had been physically and mentally exhausted by the end of the race as well dehydrated. Alexander and Konrad had to help him out of his ship. He recovered quickly after some fluids and electrolytes. Paul’s drive to victory at Spa was what he had been hoping to see. Paul proved what he was capable of when his desire for the win coupled with his training and support. The board of directors was happy. Miss Lipsuv was happy. That was an important one. Dorian had not done very well at Spa. Scarlett and Anna had done surprisingly well. Their performance showed all the effort they had put in during the bootcamp. The Junior Team Sponsors were happy as well.
Alexander began the laborious process of looking over the sponsorship and endorsement offers. He needed to prioritize the background checks for Wulfric. They had started a new vetting process for all their contracts. They were being more careful about which companies they partnered with. Alexander reviewed the list of businesses and pushed Zeus Limited to the top of the list. It was a global manufacturer of mass transit systems. Alexander was familiar with their work from his previous job. They had been one of their major competitors. The next business to catch his eye was Wizard Technologies. They produced a variety of technology for the mass consumer including smart home appliances and home AI systems. He pushed Radian Security Systems into the number 3 position. Radian Security Systems offered cyber security solutions and commercial security systems. Alexander thought about how compromised their systems were after uncovering Brendel’s work. It wouldn’t hurt to have Wulfric consult with a new company and overhaul all their security systems. They would be a good partner for that endeavor. He put Immersia Entertainment in the number four spot. They were an entertainment company that specialized in immersive virtual reality gaming and entertainment experiences. He rounded his top five companies with Meridian Aerospace, a company that manufactured aircraft and spacecraft engines. They were an older company but had a solid reputation. Maybe there was something there that would make it worth his while to investigate. He still needed an engine manufacturing company to support his new ship design. Alexander let Wulfric know that he could prioritize the rest on his own. He would review the results when he was finished with them.
Alexander turned his attention to the next thing on his agenda. He had known that the fan response at Spa was going to be massive with Paul’s popularity and it being his home country. The Germany Grand Prix is where the team was headquartered. He was uncertain what to expect from fans. He went to work with Wulfric to revamp security and traffic flow to try and accommodate as many fans as possible. He hoped that they would avoid having to turn fans away like they had in Belgium. The local sponsors for the German Fan Zone were excited by the turnout in Belgium. He had a few more local vendors vying for a spot in the Fan Zone. Alexander laughed when he spotted a request from a familiar name. The Drunken Dragon Pub had put in a request to serve beer that had been renamed in honor of Paul’s and Bea’s epic race, Mad Biermaiden. The pub’s twist on beer, a brew that combined methods for mead and beer using hops and honey. Alexander just shook his head as his laughter got the better of him. Once he stopped laughing he looked to see where they might fit and approved their request. They would fit right in with the other local company serving traditional German beer. The food at this Fan Zone would make any American football tailgate fan happy. Not to mention it was the favored hangout of his engineering team. Happy engineers made the Formula AG world go round.
Alexander reviewed the report from Sami Lipponen of how things had gone with the Junior team at Spa. Both Scarlett Collins and Anna Hausmann performed much better after the bootcamp. Tocho Lister had been on hand to mentor the two offering last minute guidance during practice and their qualifying runs. The Junior Team members were surprised to be receiving so much additional support and were taking advantage of it. The team's medical staff supported both teams as they were onsite for all the races. Spa had been a testing ground of sorts but with the additional support staff to help with the racing coaching the others just went about their usual duties. The meals were already set up as drop in as the team worked at an away race. There were no real changes to that or the medical staff. The new setup had gone well. Alexander was pleased to see improvement. He knew had made the right decision to delegate the Junior Team. Sami was proving to be the right man for the job.
Samantha began pushing buttons and flicking switches on the dash. She looked confident as lights 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?”
Keller's voice came through the comms on the rocket was getting prepared, Sam's request getting a response from Mission Control.
Keller: "You are clear, Chaos. Permission is granted, sequence is commenced."
Sam’s focus was on the instrumentation as Mission Control cleared them to take off. She missed Skye’s nod. Samantha was amused by the fact that with advances in computer technology, artificial intelligence, and automation that came with space flight in this age, for safety reasons administration still opted to have a human press old fashioned buttons and switches to start the space craft up. Samantha pressed the sequence of buttons and switches that would start the take off countdown.
Samantha spoke into the comms once more. “Mission Control Take Off Sequence has been activated. Take off in T-5 minutes.”
Samantha switched over to Raven comms. “Takeoff in 5 minutes.”
As the countdown automation began, the crew would feel the gantry entry platform pulling away from the spacecraft. The spacecraft was held vertical by the heavily armored and shielded launch tower on the opposite side of the craft. The launch tower had three circular support clamps that would pop open as the propulsion rocket engines fired. Samantha maintained vigilant monitoring of the data coming into her station. She made sure that there were no errors that might cause them problems on lift off.
As the tension in the spacecraft crept higher about a minute to launch, Samantha heard Eloise singing quietly. She couldn’t help but smile as she joined her. The song was very appropriate to what they were about to do.
Samantha was watching the countdown clock on her hud. As it reached the final 10 seconds she counted it down over comms.
As Samantha said launch, the engines ignited and it took a moment for the pressure to build beneath the craft. There was an audible clunk as the docking clamps popped open releasing the rocket. The craft shook from the power of the engines as the rocket began to slowly lift away from the ground. Suddenly the first engine booster kicked in and then they were punched upwards. Everyone in the craft was thrown against their restraints.
Observers from the ground would see the massive steam and fireball from the fuel ignited and pushed out by the massive engines on the craft. The rocket began to slowly lift off the launch pad. The fuel line dropped away as the ship began to rise. The massive explosive force of the first booster kicking in as the rocket gained free air above the launch pad hurled the rocket up into the air. The rocket began to gain speed faster, and faster, as it left the ground behind and flew up into the sky. The first stage booster fell away just before the ship passed into the thermosphere. The booster would fall back to Earth and land in the ocean. The rocket was no longer visible by the naked eye. They were being tracked by telemetry from Vulpine Space Control.
Keller’s voice was calm as it was heard over the roar of the engines and the rattle and shaking of the spacecraft. "Okay, sequencing. And.....separation."
As the rocket cleared the upper stratosphere, there were a few moments of a surreal feeling as gravity faded and the rocket continued to coast forward. The view from the windows faded from a hazy blue white of atmospheric disturbance to the void black of space punctuated with the distant glow of a sea of stars. The vibrations and shudders faded as the rocket hit outer space. The passengers would float a little held in place by their restraints.
Samantha spoke into the comms. “Raven One has exited the atmosphere. Booster one separated cleanly and was on target for retrieval according to telemetry and radar. Booster Two ignition and course correction burn in five minutes. Confirm telemetry readings Vulpine Control. Raven One will need to fire booster two for seven minutes while attitude thrusters change trajectory moonward 45 degrees apogee?”
Keller’s voice was calming in the oasis of adrenaline fueled excitement caused by sitting in a rocket. It was the ultimate adrenaline junky adventure. “Vulpine Control confirms reading Chaos. The adjustments have been uploaded over the secure link.”
Samantha switched comms over to the team channel. “We have one more burn to go before coasting to our destination.”
Chaos’s voice once more counted them down. “Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Ignition.”
Once again the rocket was propelled forward as if hit from behind by the hand of a god. This time thrusters along the nose and side of the spacecraft fired, changing the direction it was headed. The nose was pointed at the space lab station Ark Angel in the distance. The rocket vibrated with the energy released from the secondary booster engine. The firing sequence shut down and now it was a short ballistic trajectory to the space station.
Samantha’s voice came over coms. “This is Chaos. We have about 30 minutes of ballistic travel before we come in to dock in a parking orbit near the space station Ark Angel. I suggest we use this time to get used to moving in freefall. There is also an amazing view out the window.”
Samantha set a timer on the hud that would alert her to anything dangerous she needed to react too. It would also give her a five minute warning that she needed to be back on the bridge to fire the parking sequence. She put the view of Earth up on the bridge’s main screen for everyone to see. She unstrapped her harness, releasing herself. She didn’t bother to unstrap her weapons yet. She pushed away from the pilot’s seat with a gentle push aiming for the ceiling and a bar that ran down one side of the craft. Her hand grasped the bar securely.
Samantha: “The trick is slow steady movements. Every movement has an equal and opposite reaction. Push off gently aimed for another surface to push off of.”
Samantha’s voice was whimsical as she continued to look at the view of the Earth turning slowly below them. “One day I would love to come back after everyone is used to zero gravity. Zero gravity tag sounds like fun.”
Samantha noticed Skye moved to one of the smaller side windows on the craft.
Skye’s voice came over comms: "Valkyrie, Frigga, you two alive?"
Athena’s excited voice blasted through the calm of the passenger cabin.
Athena: "Holy shit! My eyeballs feel like they bounced off the back of my skull on launch, but yeah, sure, good! Woooo!"
Samantha shared the view from outside over the HUD for the two giants in the cargo hold. She took a moment to look at the view of Earth from space as the western coast of the United States passed below them. Down there somewhere were people she cared about. They were why she was up here. She wanted to stop this kind of shit from happening to more innocent people who didn’t deserve the worst that humanity can do to one another.
Skye responded: "Good to hear."
Athena: "Well, it's pretty awesome out there! Wow!"
Samantha had moved along the bar attached to the ceiling.She demonstrated how to push off and grab the handholds built into the side of the craft to move. She then showed how to push off using your legs or arms to move. She had checked on everyone before she began making her way back to the pilot console. She was just starting to have fun when she felt movement from thrusters adjusting the ship’s course once more. She sighed and headed back towards the pilot seat’s. She executed a perfect somersault and landed in her seat at the pilot’s console.
She noticed that Keller had fired an automatic adjustment to start slowing the spacecraft down. That is what she felt.
Skye’s voice came over comms once more: "Keller, what's our ETA?"
Keller: “You are ten minutes, and closing. Chaos, standby, I need a few inputs from you to adjust trajectory and placement. Can you confirm?"
Keller's calm voice asking for her input came over comms.
Samantha was reviewing the information that Keller asked for. She was pulling it up on her console and having Bob verify that the readings were correct.
Keller: "Are you familiar with Ark Angel, Miss Ly.....Queen?"
Skye: "Enough to know it's about the size of the ISS, there's two ways in, and a ridiculously big set of solar panels anchored to it. There's pods across it for evac, if we can't make it back to the Arianne."
Keller: "Affirmative, Queen, we're tracking Ark Angel now, feed it sent to you. We have activity, with a docked cargo unit suggesting signs of movement. Standby, we will be in position to open cargo doors."
Samantha was paying attention to the conversation. She knew there was a door to the cargo bay on the backside of the passenger compartment. That is how the crew conducted their experiments and released satellites into space using the craft. It sounded like instead of making a hard dock with Ark Angel they were space walking to gain entry.
Skye: "Right. Everyone want to take a moment to get used to this? As per what I mentioned. Move slowly at first. Hold onto something. Nice gentle breathing."
Skye: "You've got a grapple on your left arm if you need to hook yourself to something, and an MMU pack, that will allow you to move forwards and back, up and down, right and left, with control by your left waist, should be on a tether to your arm. Once we're clambered out, test it and check you're happy with it while hanging onto the rail. We're fighting in many more dimensions now, so don't think about the rules like normal. But that does mean hostiles will come from any direction too."
Skye continued after a short pause.: "Rose'll have some mercs with her, likely her inner circle, whatever loyalists she's chosen for this. They'll fight hard as hell and will do anything to stop us. But we'll do better. We've all got samples that will kill Sol Hestia dead if injected into the containment, so that's priority, we cannot let her send any of it down. And if you see Rose, shoot first, ask questions later. The bitch dies, no matter what happens." Skye exhaled, looking on at one last time to the group. "This ends here."
Samantha spoke to Keller now that Skye was done. “Chaos confirms data and direction Keller. My calculations say that puts us 50 meters from the unused airlock on the Ark Angel.”
Samantha over comms. “Make sure your helmets are on. I have to begin pumping air out of the cabin so we can exit the craft.”
Samantha waited till she got confirmation from everyone before she began pushing the buttons that would pump the air out of the cabin and store it for when they came back. If they came back and used this craft for their exit. There was an audible hiss as the air was moved to large storage tanks.
Samantha accepted another set of course corrections from Keller. She watched the feed and navigation as they drew closer to the space station. The craft slowed even more. The micro adjustments done by the attitude thrusters along the nose and sides of the craft.
Samantha: “Keller, my readings show we are a little shallow. Manually adjusting pitch attitude to adjust. I think your calculations are off. I think the weight is off because not everyone is in their typical armor. We are not as heavy as what you thought we would be.”
Keller: “Damn your right. Good catch Chaos.”
There was back and forth between Samantha and Keller until the spacecraft stopped moving and assumed a stationary orbit next to the Ark Angel Space Station.
Keller: “Chaos, my instruments show stationary orbit. Confirm?”
Samantha looked over the instruments as she put the craft into automated station keeping mode. “Keller, Chaos confirms stationary orbit. Automated station keeping mode has been engaged. I show our position 50 meters from the unoccupied air lock.”
Kellers: “Vulpine Control confirms stationary orbit next to the Ark Angel station. God Bless Raven One team. Our prayers are with you. Hurry Home.”
Samantha: “Thank you Vulpine Control.”
Samantha put the ship’s systems in standby energy saving mode as well. Might as well make sure they had enough juice to return home. It was a strange feeling. It felt like putting god in the driver’s seat to abandon and leave the perfectly good space craft for the space station. She knew there were non-friendlies on that station. That might have had something to do with the feeling. The spacecraft felt safer. She had more control here over what was happening.
Skye had made her way to the door between the passenger cabin and the cargo hold. The door swung openly easily now that the pressure was the same as that in the cargo hold.
Samantha cleared the pilot’s console after locking under a password just in case any non-friendlies tried to steal their ride. She pulled out her knife bandolier and fastened it over the clumsy space suit. She then strapped her holsters over it. She had adjusted the length of them to fit over the space suit back at Vulpine before they loaded up in the Arianne rocket. She had extra ammo as well but wasn’t really sure about using that kind of weapon on the station. She didn’t want to fight explosive decompression if she put a hole in the hull. She felt much more comfortable with her tool belt. She had her small velcro closed tool pouch on her right side of the belt. She had used the space version of duct tape to secure an extension cord to Bob. The space seal all tape allowed her to thread a variety of connections for Bob through the arm by her right hand. She had used the tape to seal up the hole created by them passing through the seal. She might need to hard dock to a computer and she couldn’t exactly take off her space suit to take care of that. Samantha made her way over to her MMU unit. She carefully pushed back against it until she felt and heard the click as it attached to the back of her space suit. Samantha reached down and pulled the arm with the controllers up along each side of her. Her arms resting lightly along them with her hands on the controls. She carefully pushed off with her legs and floated through the door into the cargo hold. She reached out and grabbed a handle to one side of the door. She looked around to get her bearings and saw that the Cargo Bay Doors had already been opened. Skye was attached by a tether to a rail that rang the length of the Cargo Bay. Everyone was tethered and testing their equipment. Samantha carefully took her tether and fastened to slide along the rail. She then pushed off aiming to join the others.
And the spindly space station, with all of its solar arrays, sitting in the distance, now at 2 o'clock, about on horizontal level. It couldn't have been more than half a kilometre, though any semblance of understanding distance went completely to shit with a view like that in the background. Sitting there, sprawled out, over the Horn of Africa.
"Right." Skye simply understated in classic British tone, taking the lead, peeling herself up, and casually floating along the rail, making room, feeling the module shift beneath her before coming to a resting stop, although in relative terms, that wasn't exactly noticeable beyond the slight drift that still continued.
Kellers: "Okay, Queen, this is as close as we can safely put you for now. You are cleared to move. Good luck." Keller's voice actually seemed to creak, even the Dutch controller cracking at that last one. A feeling of hope, even in spite of everything, she'd done all she could to get them there. Now they had to deliver.
Skye: "Okay, Raven. On me then. Let's go sort this mess out, yeah?" Skye understated once more, checking her team were following, and knew whatever came next, this was going to end here.
Samantha: “Roger that Queen. Everyone’s equipment check out okay? Anyone need help into their MMU? How about you Archer? Boraro, Are you doing okay?” She paused a moment to see if anyone needed help from those with a regular MMU.
She then turned to help the two giants. “ Frigga and Athena, I threw together a modified MMU pack to go on your armor. Just put it on like a backpack. It looks small for you, but I extended the straps. You weigh less so it should still work to get you to the station.”
Samantha went over to the two giants and helped them with the MMU backpacks she had jury rigged for them at the last minute. The thruster assembly from the MMU was tied into virtual controls in their armor’s HUD systems. “It is tied remotely to your HUD. Just click the engage MMU button and then it will follow your eyes to move you in that direction. I went with simple.”
Samantha had been to space before but not in a combat situation. This was going to be a mission for the storybooks for sure.
Samantha had done all she could for the team. They were as ready as they could be.
Paul didn’t make it back to his room at headquarters until Wednesday after Spa. He had to wrap up the fundraiser stuff. There was a lot of media to deal with and contracts to wrap up and bills to pay for things that were not donated. He wanted to get as much media attention for the foundation as he could. So he took a few days to help the Mulder Foundation personnel wrap everything up in a bow. Early Wednesday morning he drove in from Brussels and went to throw his travel bag in his room. He was surprised to see a large flat package waiting for him on the kitchen island. He frowned because he didn’t remember ordering anything. His mail and packages were vetted by security these days. Paul kept getting weirder and weirder stuff in the mail.
He decided to check it out before he changed into his work out gear and met with his trainer. He looked over the labels on the package and saw it had been shipped from the hotel in Spa where he had the Pilots dinner. Paul smiled when he saw the note on the box and the handwriting. He recognized Bea’s handwriting from their meetings about the Mulder Foundation Gala.
There directly on the package box written in Bea’s bold script was: “Let’s do that again soon. :p”
Paul carefully opened up the box and was blown away by what was inside.
Inside was the most amazing artwork that was almost poster sized at 40x60 centimeters. It was a vertical oil-on-canvas painting with a carbon fiber frame. The contents and colors were vibrant and glorious. The details are painted in the colors of father’s, Auldrick’s, ship. It was his father’s livery when he won his first podium. In the dead center of the lower half, painted in minute detail under a magnifying glass with micro brushes, was Paul’s ship mid-overtake, his highlight reel pass that almost scored him P1. Behind him another ship, clearly Bea’s to anyone who saw the race, but in the painting more of a vague outline of it without any defining features as it wasn’t important for the piece, the background likewise unfocused, yet clear enough to recognize the track and corner. The piece that made Paul catch his breath was that above the ship were dark storm clouds above the track and then in the upper left corner a bright beam of sunshine parting the dark clouds landing on Paul’s ship. Hidden in the clouds was the face of his father smiling down on him barely there. It was just a hint but if you close enough you could see it. Paul sat down on a stool at the counter and just looked at the painting lost in thought. When he recovered his equilibrium, the first thing he did was hang it where he would see it everyday in his living room. He then took a picture of the hung picture and texted it to Bea with a short message.
Wednesday 04/08 10:12 Germany [Batt: 75%]
———— Wednesday - 08/04/2094 ———— SMS Message (Tap to open image)
> I absolutely love it! Thank you so much Bea! I can’t wait to do it again! (image shows the painting hung in pride of place in Paul’s apartment at Valkyrie Headquarters. The painting was hung over his sofa and had a picture of his mother on one side and a picture of his father on the other.)
Paul then changed into his workout clothes and went to check in with his trainer and medical. They still wanted to run some more new baseline tests. Then Dorian had asked for some of his time. He had an idea for something and requested his help. Evidently Dorian and Cavan were at odds over something to do with the set up on the ship. Paul would go listen to both sides before he weighed in. Paul kept hoping and pushing for more speed. He was using his skills to get the most speed out of the ship he could with the handling and stability. But without some more speed they were barely hanging in there on the straights. If they wanted to catch Apex, Al Saqyr, and Southern Cross, they needed more speed.
Paul met with Dorian and Cavan who had polar opposite views of what Dorian wanted for the next race. Paul weighed in on the side of Dorian. He agreed with Dorian they needed more speed to be competitive. If he had even just a little bit more speed, he might have won at Spa. Paul worked with Dorian on his idea to get more speed out of the ship by tweaking the air brake systems. Cavan refused to help them much because he disagreed with them but that didn’t stop him from letting the engineering team and mechanics help them with the changes Dorian wanted to make. Cavan had given in with a sigh and told them if they were determined to do it then they would at least give it the best chance of success that he could. Cavan warned them that there would be a trade off in stability. The initial test runs in the ship were rocky. They managed to dial it in some. Paul got as much practice in the new modified ships as he could before the German GP. The body modifications and neural interface changes helped him take the extra abuse in the cockpit and make corrections faster.
DELTΔ HYPER
Episode Eleven: The Green Hell
Thursday August 3rd Nürburgring, Nürburg, Germany 1500 EST
Paul was curious what they were going to be doing for Delta Hyper today. He had been told to wear his racing suit and bring his helmet. He had been directed not to the typical Delta Hyper set but out to the track to meet Rosie in pit lane.
Paul saw a few others mingling to one side of the track with Rosie. Sitting in pit lane were three of the two person Formula AG race ships used for training and VIP experiences at the track. They were all done up in FIAR livery. Paul raised an eyebrow and smiled. He was always happy to climb into a ship. He wondered what the twist would be this time. He didn’t have long to wait as Rosie filled them. Paul was paired with Hamid. They would be a passenger in the back of the ship asking the questions on the card while the other piloted them around the track.
Paul grinned as he casually put an arm around Hamid’s shoulders with a sly smile. “Cheer up Hamid! This will be fun!”
Hamid looked nervous as he climbed into the back of the ship. Paul made sure he was in and tested his restraints to ensure they were latched properly. He patted Hamid on the shoulder. “Don’t worry Hamid. I got you.”
Hamid swallowed looking nervous as Paul climbed into the ship and strapped in and tugged on his harness. He plugged his neural interface in.
Hamid: "Habibi, yo! So uhh...you aren't gonna go too crazy, right? Chilled out for a local track? Right"
Paul couldn’t really see Hamid from where he was sitting in the front. The neck bracket there for pilots prevented from his turning his head very far. “Hamid! You are a racer. You go fast all the time. I can’t go as fast as I do in my own ship. This ship is not as good as mine. You’ve got nothing to worry about!”
Paul smiled and of course it was captured by the cameras inside the cockpit that were trained at both him and Hamid. Paul did his usual prerace ritual of massaging his gloves to warm up the material and work it down between his fingers ensuring his dexterity. Paul heard Hamid give a soft prayer in his lilting native tongue. He smiled.
Paul: “Are you ready Hamid?”
Hamid: “Remember I am precious cargo. My Mama tells me so.”
Paul grins as he laughs lightly. “Really mine too!”
Paul waited for Rosie and the Delta Hyper team to move away from the ship to a safe distance. He gave a nod to Hamid as he hit the throttle. “Here we go Hamid.”
Hamid let out a squeal of surprise as the ship leaped forward. Hamid was still reacting as Paul went into the first corner. Paul laughed and snorted as he had not even gotten the ship close to his normal speed but the ship rocked up on its side.
Paul: “This ship’s handling sucks. They need to adjust the left side gravity skirt. It is not balanced with the right side. That is what causes the ship to tilt so far to the side.”
Hamid was pleading and then laughing. Paul went into a section of the track that wove back and forth. The ship’s handling was somewhat sluggish to Paul. He felt disappointed that he had to slow down so much to make the curve pattern.
Paul laughed. “The handling is a little sluggish. So what questions do you have, Hamid?”
Hamid had forgotten all about the questions. He didn’t like being in the back of the ship. He was being thrown around more than he expected.
Hamid: “Bissah?!” He gave a nervous laugh before he started reading off the card. "Who's your idol in Formula AG, past or present?"
Paul smiled as he answered. “My father and Starcross.” Paul laughed as Hamid squealed and then let out a peal of mad laughter as he drifted the ship through a hairpin curve.
Hamid tried to ask the next question. Paul must have caught Hamid by surprise. The question came out "Schn…itzel or Strud..EEEEel? Shit! Wall! WALL!” He could hear Hamid’s hand slapping the side of the ship as if he could turn it that way.
Paul grinned as they came into the mag track section. He took the ship up the wall and banked it hard, whipping it around the s curve. The ship shuddered under the high speed stress. Hamid gave a squeaky girlish screech.
Paul answered: “Strudel of course. I mean really, who likes Schnitzel!” Paul smiled as the ship came back down with a clack.
Hamid was laughing madly again. "Do you think about anything else while racing?"
Paul floored as the ship undulated up and down over small hills. “Nope. I focus on the ship ahead of me and the ship behind me.” He heard Hamid’s body thrown into the restraints as the ship caught air and then came down hard. “Yeah they need to really adjust the aerodynamics on this ship. They are all out of balance.”
Hamid seemed to be trying to get the questions out as fast as he could as Paul hammered the throttle down the straight. "Who in the paddock would you ship as a couple?”
Paul laughed at the question. “Who comes up with these questions?” He paused and then spat out, “Hyeon-Ae and Astrid. There is a thin line between hate and love.”
Hamid laughed at that. “Bissah?! Really?”
Paul: “Think about it.”
Hamid laughed again which got even more manic as Paul took another hairpin curve. He was gasping for air when he managed to get out the next question.
Hamid: "Best BBQQQQQ (the q was a high pitch and went up) host?"
Paul laughed: “Max he is the ultimate American Maverick Cowboy Yeah?”
Hamid laughed at Paul’s answer which turned into a grunt as Paul pushed the ship to take a corner at what felt like a ludicrous speed for an older ship. Hamid: “You are going to pay for that!”
Paul laughed and was having a great time. He wished he was on pavement in a car so he could Hamid the full experience. There is something about the friction of meeting the pavement and smoking tires that adds something to the experience.
Hamid managed to grate out the next question. Paul could actually hear his teeth clack together at one point. "What's your dream historic car, money no object?"
Paul shrugged and without hesitation responded quickly. “Already got to drive it. Lauda’s Ferrari. Next!”
Paul threw the ship up the wall and jumped it across in a roll catching the mag tracking on the opposite side whipping it around the corner in a corkscrew maneuver.
Hamid:“Oh don’t do that again! I am going to be sick.”
Paul pushed the throttle up as he was once again in a straight line. The ship settled and felt peaceful for a moment. Paul grinned and in an excited voice. “Flugplatz! Here we go!” The ship was gaining speed and he started down the straight.
Hamid's voice quavered as he quickly got out the next question. "What would you prefer, a race on Mars or at the bottom of the ocean?” Just as he finished his question the ship bounced up into the air. “Yallah!"
Paul once again responded quickly with no hesitation. “The Ocean. I didn’t like racing on the moon. I figure Mars would be similar.”
Hamid was so surprised by Paul’s answer it distracted him from what he was experiencing in the back of the ship. “NO way! I can’t wait to race on the moon.”
Paul just chuckled. He was excited about it till they got there and had nothing but issues. Paul slammed on the air brakes realizing that the ship just didn’t have the handling to take that corner at his normal speed. He felt like driving Miss Daisy in this older ship. He quietly mumbled under his breath about poorly maintained ships. The poor handling was frustrating him even as he did his best to get the most of the older ship. Paul heard Hamid grunt as his body was slammed against the restraints once more.
Hamid was sucking in air for a few breaths before he asked the last question. "Things that people might not know about you?"
Paul had to think about this one. He guarded his privacy and was careful what he shared with the media. He grinned “My love of classic cars started with collecting match box cars as a kid.”
Paul finally brought the ship to a rocking stop back at pit lane. Hamid climbed shakily out of the cockpit laughing somewhat maniacly. He looked a little shaky.
"Not bad! He's got some bravery braking in a ship that late!" The others chuckled, as Hamid wiped the sweat off his brow.
"You are crazy, Paul! What the hell, you went through Flugplatz completely flat, in a ship you've never had? Yallah, you're crazy!"
Paul laughed with Hamid. “What were you worried about? We were in a ship that was already flying! Admit it! You enjoyed yourself! Okay my turn!”
Paul eagerly climbed into the back of the ship. He loved roller coaster rides. He expected to enjoy this. He kept laughing as Hamid tried to make him squeal in fear. He put his hands up at one point as Hamid caught air. “Look Ma, No hands!” he laughed maniacally forgetting to ask Hamid most of the questions. He got through about half of them.
Paul climbed out when they got back to pit lane. He was still laughing at Hamid. He smiled and patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks for the ride.”
Formula AG in the News
This is Shannon Taylor with AG Source here. Keeping track of what happens on the track and off of it for Formula AG fans everywhere! Team Valkyrie AGR Sport announced that former Formula AG racing star Sami Lipponen has been hired to act as Crew Chief for their junior academy. Tocho Lister has been recruited and signed to a contract with Team Valkyrie as their new test pilot and junior team teacher and mentor. The new revamped Team Valkyrie Junior Academy Bootcamp has been all anyone has been talking about since the Summer Break Delta Hyper Special came out that followed the junior team through their experience. In an unprecedented move Alexander Knight invited a junior team member from every competitive team to attend their academy. Phoebe Kostas, Olivia Lau, Amber Beck, Elise Vogel, and Liam Hunter were the junior pilots who accepted the invitation to attend. We reached out to some of the pilots that attended to see what they thought.
Liam Hunter: “Irie. I am glad I took Knight up on his offer. I learned more than I thought I would. It was a good experience. I want to say Bless Up and thank you to Knight for the invitation. Ya Mon.”
Phoebe Kostas: “I was surprised to get the invitation but I am glad I took it. I got more out of it than I thought I would.”
Amber Beck: “It was harder than I expected.” She kept the remark about not doing as well as she expected to herself. She shrugged in a what are you going to do kind of way. “I would say it was a worthwhile experience. It came with perks that I enjoyed.”
Olivia Lau: “I accepted the invitation to find out more about my competition. Knowledge is power after all. I got a great deal out of the experience.”
Elise Vogel: “It was much harder than I expected. I would say it was an eye opening experience for me.”
Check out the Delta Hyper Special for a first hand look at what happened during the bootcamp. The one question we all have here at AG Source is "What is Alexander Knight up to now?” This has been Shannon Taylor with AG Source. Your news for what’s happening in the world of Formula Antigravity Racing.
This is Baetriz Caetana with the EU Observer. We just want to bring attention to something other news sources overlooked in their coverage of the Mulder Foundation Fundraising Gala. How can they not stop and recognize the gloriousness that is Kais Zenix with a horde of children! Who knew the grumpy former soldier had a soft spot? This proves he is human! Take a look at these photos of the pilot working with Nora Kelley and a group of children from the foundation to paint the motorcycle that Kais donated to the foundation for auction. [A montage of the press release photos of Kais Zenix and Nora Kelly working with the children follows. Kais is surrounded by children in every photo and guiding them. He often had a look of concentration but it was clear he gave the children all his attention when asked a question by them.] I never would have thought that he would have the patience to deal well with children. This last photo sealed the deal for me. I am officially declaring that Kais Zenix has a heart in there somewhere. [The final photo shows the children posing proudly with Kais in front of the finished bike. They were all wearing white coveralls splattered with paint. Kais was standing behind them with his arms crossed. His body language and stance read protective of the children in the photo. Kais’ face was serious but had less edge than it usually did.] This has been Baetriz Caetana bringing you the latest behind the scenes news. Remember to follow us for updates!
This is Germain Lothair with Winners Circle Vlog. Let’s talk about Alexander Knight and Team Valkyrie. Alexander Knight is proving to be quite creative and bold as he guides the team out of a time of turmoil. I have never heard of another team inviting their junior team members to join theirs for summer training before. I can’t say whether it was a stroke of genius or lunacy yet though. It did give Knight the opportunity to view the most promising pilots in the junior league together and see how they ranked against each other. Remember he has not yet announced who will be replacing Dorian Hornfleur at the end of the season. It also gave his Junior Academy pilots a deeper look at their competitors. They will know them better now after this experience. Will the experience create friendly bonds or spark some epic rivalries? We will have to wait to find out. Then Knight arranged an endorsement deal with Delta Hyper to come and document the camp and the competition among the junior league which rarely gets the same attention. It gave fans a unique look at what it takes to become a pilot in Formula AG. I dare say that fans of Formula AG are now rooting for their favorite Junior League members and will follow which team they decide to join. We love what Knight is doing with the Valkyrie Fan zone. Can I just say that the Team Valkyrie Fans showed up to represent at the Spa Grand Prix and Paul Mulder did not disappoint them! The changes feel like they happened suddenly at Team Valkyrie but part of the controversy and drama we have seen is Knight making those changes behind the scenes. It is my belief that Knight is being underestimated. I have been converted. Knight is the team principal to watch when you want to see something interesting. This has been Germain Lothair with Winners Circle Vlog. Don’t forget to subscribe so that you get updates when we post new material.
Somewhere at Sea Antillean Archipelago Late Spring, Year 1621 A.A. (Anno Aeternus)
Sofia held her looking glass to her eye. The ship had been following them playing peek a boo on the horizon trying to stay out of sight. She smiled as they were moving steadily closer. The ship had no flags showing their allegiance. Sofia could feel it in her gut like a burning acid, it was a pirate ship. Sofia called out to her crew. “Looks like we have a fish on the hook. You know what to do!”
Sofia grinned as her crew went through the steps of appearing to be a merchant crew. They were all wearing matching uniforms of dark blue cotton pants with a long white shirt with a blue yoke around the collar. There was a wide belt of black leather that cinched and held everything in place. Black boots finished the look but many of the men didn’t bother with the boots while working on the boat.
Sofia had taken one of her husband’s fast sloops and retrofitted it. She had the work done secretly for her in one of the many small uninhabited islands of the archipelago. The old Castillian ship builder was the one who had built the galleon that had been a wedding gift to her husband. The Santa Dolorosa had been transformed to look like an easy mark to lure in those who would prey on merchants. The ship was full of surprises with hidden gunports, secret compartments, and reinforced hull plating beneath the waterline, it was a merchant ship by appearance… but a hunter by design. By day, the ship was a serene merchant, offering fine silks, rare spices, and exotic goods at sea. She appeared to be alone, a laden merchant ship riding low in the water with a full cargo, a tempting prize for greedy eyes. By night, her crew was a group of loyal misfits, escaped slaves, and shipwrecked soldiers who owed her their lives. The crew sharpened their blades and rehearsed the trap. Each man and woman aboard knew their role when the false sail appeared on the horizon.
Sofia watched her crew move around like a well oiled machine. Her crew mimicked panic and fumbling and fouling the lines. The suddenly foiled sail caused the ship to slow and start to flounder as it sailed off course towards the pirates hidden on the horizon. The crew rushed about as if incompetent at their job, appearing to struggle to put the sails to rights. Observers would miss it if they were not paying close attention to details, they would miss the crew slowly and quietly arming themselves one by one, swords appeared on those leather belts hanging in their sheaths. The ship sails appeared to be disentangled now but were hanging limp having lost the wind. The ship’s movement stalled as the crisis appeared to have been averted and the crew took a breath before setting the ship back on course. The perfect moment for a pirate to strike if they were going too. Sofia had padded the trap expertly, having done it time and again.
Sofia gave a smug grin as she heard the lookout call, “Sails off the starboard bow!” She was not surprised to see that same ship now bearing towards them with as much speed as they could get from the wind. The unknown ship now flying the Jolly Roger. Her lookout called down to her “It’s the Black Dog!” The Black Dog was a pirate ship that prided themselves on plundering other ships and sinking them at sea. The Black Dog was an old converted freighter. They had plenty guns but the Delarosa had them beat for speed. Sofia smiled as she began to call real orders to her crew. “Full sail, come about! Make haste! We need to be sailing into the wind before they can catch us.”
The crew snapped to at her orders. As the pirate ship drew closer, the Delorosa leapt to life in response. The ship quickly heeling about and now running to face the pirate ship. Sofia and the crew leaned with the ship and kept their feet as the wind and sail exerted force on the ship tilting it to the side. The Delarosa was faster than the Black Dog which was a slower boat with a heavy draw. The Black Dog was a sea slug compared to the sleek and fast Delarosa. The Black Dog had been designed with carrying weight in mind. Two rows of cannons stuck out the ship’s sides. Sofia grinned as the hidden gunports on her ship snapped open. The large one on the deck at the prow of the ship popped open. Sofia yelled out across the deck “Take out the mast!”
The big cannon on the front of the ship fired the roar and power of the cannon causing the deck to tremble under her feet. Two heavy cannon balls fired towards the other ship connected by heavy linked chains. The weight and force of the cannon balls would pull the chains shredding wood and sail in its path. Sofia smiled as her gunner’s aim proved true as she saw one of the masts on the Black Dog topple to the side crushing part of the deck railing. As the sloop went past the heavy freighter turned pirate ship they exchanged cannon fire. Sofia’s crew expertly grappling the other ship and pulling the two ships together. Now crews were using ropes hung from the sail rigging to swing across to the other ship or jumping across. The battle was on.
The sounds of steel clashing mixed with the screams of the dying and battle cries. The sound of an occasional flintlock could be heard but the bedlam centered around the clash of steel as the two crews met. Sofia was wearing her gold mask, blue breeches, a cream colored shirt, and a blue coat. She fought her way to the captain of the Black Dog. She parried his thrust and was soon engaged in a steel tit-for-tat fight. She finally managed to snare the hilt of his sword with her blade and flung it out of his hand. She pressed her advantage, holding her sword at his throat with a snarl. “Yield!” The crew of the Black Dog yielded. Sofia had her crew rig their ship for towing after putting the crew in the brig. The ship and crew were handed off to the city magistrate at Free Sail. Sofia paid her crew and they left to celebrate at the Scallywags Den.
City of Free Sail The Scallywags Den
The tavern’s lanterns provide dim lighting as the air is heavy with salt from the sea and smoke from the fireplaces and lanterns. It smells of rum, unwashed bodies, and secrets. Lanterns flicker behind stained glass made from shattered bottles. Shanties hum low beneath the chatter of cutthroats, smugglers, and mercenaries. The bartender Maggie serves ale from a barrel and rum from dark bottles.
Sofia smiled as she sat at a table in the corner of Scallywags. Her crew was happy and joyful with mugs of ale and good food in their belly. They were merry as they played games of chance with cards and dice. Sofia relaxed in the company of her crew. Her gold mask glinted and caught the light. Anyone who saw the telltale mask knew her name, La Conquistadora. The word had already gone out across the shanties that La Conquistadora was holding court at her usual table at the Scallywags Den. Now it was just a matter of time as the typical informants brought her the rumors and whispers they had overheard. Sofia sipped at her wine that Maggie kept on hand for her as she watched the revelry around her waiting.
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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