[color=gold][center][h2][i][b]The Racing Line[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] It was finally time. Finally time to see if she could measure up when facing up against actual Formula AG racers. Noras heart raced with excitement as she stepped up to her sled, helmet under her arm. As she went over her pre-race checklist one last time, it struck her that while any racer might say that their ship was an extension of their body, it felt far more real for her. After going over the checklist for the third time, she stepped into the cockpit, letting the engineers hook up the series of neuralink cables that were supposed to wire her instincts and reflexes directly into her sleds controls. Once she was hooked in and the canopy sealed above her, her radio crackled to life. “Ey Nelly, radio check?” The voice of SCs Principal came across her earpiece. “Loud and clear, Keating. How’re we looking today?” Nora replied in an easy, relaxed tone that belied her excitement. “Just drive like you did in the quals and don’t get bogged down in the midpack, and you’ll have a fair go. Good luck, Nelly.” As the minutes slid away, Nora sank into her ship, nestling into every nook and cranny of the beast as her breath synced up with the air intakes and her heartbeat matched the rumbling of her engines. Her limbs became control surfaces as her eyes became sensors and readouts. The race would begin all too soon, and so would her dominance. It wasn’t a question of [i]if[/i] Nora would win, just a matter of [i]when.[/i] Her eyes snapped open and she took in the track ahead and her opponents ahead and behind, and as the final seconds trickled away all of the support crews cleared the track. [h3][center][color=ff0000][b]5[/b][/color] [color=ff0000][b]4[/b][/color] [color=ff0000][b]3[/b][/color] [color=ff0000][b]2[/b][/color] [color=ff0000][b]1[/b][/color] [color=00ff00][b]GO!!![/b][/color][/center][/h3] As her system was flooded with adrenaline and the world slowed to a crawl, Nora couldn’t help but laugh. Full of raw aggression, this laugh persisted as she boosted past Jamie as the Silver Apex driver fumbled the starting sprint; a small mistake, but a costly one at these speeds. As she pulled ahead Amy Stirling was already fading into the distance, but Harrison and Layla were hot on her heels. The race was on… [hr][color=gold][center][h2][i][b]The Chequered Flag[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] … And just as suddenly, it was over. The checkered flag waved, and the race was finished. Nora flexed a muscle that didn’t exist, and began to return to her body. She closed her eyes and stilled her heart, the ships mighty engines rumbling down to idle speed as her breath returned to her lungs, and the beat to her heart. As her limbs returned to the standard human ones she was born with, her eyes opened once again, back in her head this time. Only then did her mind catch up to what she had heard over the team radio, and seen with her eyes. Second place, a podium finish! Her hands flew as she worked to decouple herself from the machine, shaking from the remnants of the adrenaline and the shock of the result. As she finally climbed out of her ship, she was lifted off her feet and thrown into a bear hug by the bear-esq team Principal. “Bloody hell, Nora, a podium finish off the rip! We’re gonna rock up tonight for sure!” the portly man said, practically bellowing his enthusiasm as he set Nora back on her feet. [hr][color=gold][center][h2][i][b]Post Race, Auckland: Cooldown[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] Even when she won on the Interior Circuit, there had never been anything [i]quite[/i] like this. Nora stopped on the threshold momentarily, taking in the cooldown room, its decorations and displays finally reinforcing the heights her racing was taking her to. After a moment she shook herself out of the reverie that had gripped her and walked over to the display Amy and Layla were standing in front of. [quote]"You did well today, Nelly. Not many rookies come in and make a splash like that. And they will go wild out there for you. The lights will be very bright compared to the underground." Layla spoke, her eyes glowing up, as Amy gently strummed through her telemetry, not trying to be rude but taking it in now while it came through, breaking it there.[/quote] “Bloody oath! Thanks Layla. That said, you shoulda heard Harrison when you stole that overtake on him. Move was a straight corker.” The conversation was cut short there, as a race official beckoned them onto stage and onto the podium. As she took in the glitz and glam, and the sense of being near the top of the world… She could get used to this. As she looked over the crowd she picked out a few faces though, those of some of her fellow competitors. As their eyes met, Nora noticed Kais finger and twitched her eyebrow as if to say “come take my place if you can” before moving on to Ulrich, glad to see he made it out of his crash with minimal injuries to both man and machine. Other faces, happy and sad, angry or joyous, all looking at the podium. Three could stand on the podium, but only one could stand atop the rest, and it was only a matter of time until that one was her. [hr][color=gold][center][h2][i][b]Post Race, Auckland: Interviews[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] [quote]The crowd screamed for the next one. It was as loud as crowds got in Formula AG, and for Nora, this was a near-earthquaking feeling, as Aurora had to put a hand over one ear for her projected mic to still work, even in spite of how advanced it was. [b]"Nora Kelly, podium finisher! I can barely hear myself over that crowd- Nora, tell us how it feels to be 2nd and on the podium at an event many people consider to be Southern Cross's home event, and your first Formula AG race!?"[/b][/quote] Nora had to wait a moment for the cheers to die down slightly before she could be heard by the microphone. After waiting that moment, she responded with a breathless, victorious energy and a smile that split her face ear to ear. “I- To tell you the truth Aurora, I’m still processing it myself. I mean, the team here at Southern Cross did an amazing job at preparing me and my ship for the race, I couldn’t have done it without them, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t eyeing that top spot. I’m coming for you Amy, and I’m right on your heels!” Nora finishes, pointing directly at the camera with a cocky air that some could say she was already beginning to earn. [hr][b]Anon243953075[/b] said: [quote]Wait, where did NitroNoras old clips and shit go?? :confused [/quote][b]Anon563334846[/b] said: [quote]Wait, yeah, she had those great clips of outrunning police.[/quote][b]Anon243953075[/b] said: [quote]Damn, those were the best. You think SC made her take it down?[/quote][b]Anon783144648[/b] said: [quote]Probably, can’t have their new rookie making them look bad. Gotta look [i]respectable[/i] for the sponsors :rolleyes [/quote]